A slimmed-down Kellie Pickler (she shed 17 pounds... and got a boob job?) wags her tongue as she performs her single "I Wonder" during an appearance Monday on Good Morning America.
The former American Idol runner-up is currently touring the U.S. with country star Brad Paisley in support of her album Small Town Girl.
Nigel Lythgoe, the producer of American Idol, recently admitted that the show erred a bit last season. Entertainment Weekly had the story...
At Sunday's TCA press tour panel for Fox's So You Think You Can Dance, a lively discussion about what makes certain finalists on the dancing show stand out from the rest turned into a much more interesting back-and-forth about what Dance can teach its bigger â and much more powerful, in terms of ratings â older brother, American Idol.
Lythgoe, the executive producer of both shows who also serves as a Simon Cowell-like judge on Dance, said there's plenty â and that we should all expect some changes on Idol next season. '
'We realized we made mistakes on Idol last season,'' he said. ''We were so engrossed with the mentors and didn't really focus on the Melinda Doolittles of the show. We didn't know them as much as the Kellie Picklers of last season.''
Lythgoe is referring to the marked difference in the ways the two programs showcase their contestants:
however, spends quite a bit of its airtime featuring the back-stories of its dancers and their struggles to get on the show."We're all attached to them a little more,'' Lythgoe said about Dance's focus on its contestants' lives. ''I think that's affected us all a little bit more. There are little emotional hooks that come out.'' As for an Idol tune-up plan for season 7, Lythgoe revealed the production team is always looking to ''tinker with the program,'' adding that ultimately he'd like to see the Idol contestants be as strong as his prized top 10 on So You Think You Can Dance.
And what of Sanjaya Malaker? Speaking about the top 10 dancers seated behind him on stage, Lythgoe said:
''There isn't a Sanjaya here, although I do think Sanjaya helped the last season of Idol. I think there's enough talent with enough great stories to warrant the fact that we are basing it on their talent. No one needs to alter their hair on this program.''
After a few weeks of bashing label head Clive Davis, Kelly Clarkson released the following statement on her website earlier today:
"A lot has been made in the press about my relationship with Clive. Much of this has been blown way out of proportion and taken out of context.
"I'm well aware that Clive is one of the great record men of all time. He has been a key advisor and has been an important force in my success to date. He has also given me respect by releasing my new album when he was not obligated to do so.
"I really regret how everything has turned out and I apologize to those whom I have done disservice," she adds. "I would never intentionally hurt anyone. I love music, and I love the people I am blessed to work with. I am happy that my team is behind me and I look forward to the future."
With her album, My December, not doing well on the charts, it's not shocking Clarkson would come out with such a statement. We hope her figures improve.
Fantasia Barrino is doing rather well for herself.
The American Idol winner will be starring in The Color Purple on Broadway for many more months.
Therefore, we doubt she cares a lot about how people grade her fashion selections. Nevertheless, take a look below. She's wearing the same dress as R & B singer, Cassie. And we're just curious:
Who looks better in it, Fantasia or Cassie?Â
The following article on one of the first American Idol finalists is courtesy of The Flint Journal...
Justin Guarini is on a roll.
It's kind of a quiet one, but it's a roll all the same.
The first season runner-up in American Idol, the 28-year-old with the million-dollar smile and golden voice has been treated more like chump change since the Fox mega-show pulled him out of obscurity five years ago this summer.
His debut album tanked, much to the delight of haters everywhere.
There was that dreadful "From Justin to Kelly" movie, a box-office flop cited by some as one of the worst movies ever. A few lean years followed. Everyone but Guarini himself had counted him out.
But Guarini is very much on his way back. And on his own terms.
"It's about perserverance," he said last week. "You've got to persist."
Boy, has he.
Born in Georgia, Guarini joined the Atlanta Boys Choir at age 4. His father, a former Atlanta police chief, and mother, a TV journalist, divorced when he was young. He moved to suburban Philadelphia with his mom, assumed the last name of his stepfather and joined the Archdiocese of Philadelphia Boys Choir.
A performing career seemed a certainty as Guarini performed with an a cappella group, Midnight Voices, and worked in theater as a writer-director.
He was preparing for a possible role in "The Lion King" on Broadway in 2002 when he auditioned for "Idol," then a summer series based on a popular British singing talent show. "I didn't really know what the show was when I first auditioned," he recalled, so winning wasn't a consideration at first.
"When I found out what it was, my goal was to make the Top 10," he said, which would ensure his inclusion on any "Idol" CDs and the subsequent concert tour. "From there, it was just ride the roller-coaster, and it's been a roller-coaster to say the least."
Katharine McPhee heeds the writing on the fakewall Thursday backstage at the Six Flags America outside Baltimore.
The former American Idol runner-up is on tour, performing at the theme parks across the country.
Thanks to Entertainment Weekly for this interview with soap opera star and former American Idol, Costantine Maroulis...
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: What happened to the deal with ABC?
CONSTANTINE MAROULIS: We had a show we were developing, but it didn't work out. When Kelsey Grammar calls you up, you put a year of your time into developing something because he's a legend. You have to pursue these opportunities, see what they are, and nurture them. You have to take time to see if there's something there.
Tell us about your character on The Bold and the Beautiful.
I play Constantine Parros, an international rock star, which, of course, I'm not. He's a really cool, hardworking guy who's producing records and looking for artists. He becomes fascinated with Phoebe Forrester [played by MacKenzie Mauzy]. She's the heiress to Forrester fashion house, which is a big f---ing deal. The whole show is based around this family, and she's really beautiful and can sing incredibly well. I see this YouTube-equivalent [video] of her and I say, ''Look at all the buzz this girl's getting, look at all the views, she's got the paparazzi after her...'' She's a good girl, though. She's like Hilary Duff but with Paris Hilton exposure. So I see potential and I want to produce her record. And, of course, a romance ensues.
You perform your songs on the show as well; do you give her the staple Constantine stare?
Definitely. It might have been written into one of the stage directions. The script said, ''Constantine gives her 'the look.''' I laughed out loud, of course. I take my work really seriously, but that's funny s--- when you see that written into the script.
Certainly it must be easier to gaze toward Phoebe than Simon Cowell.
Yeah, a little bit. Although he might have liked it. He did call me ''smoldering.''
You went from Elimidate to American Idol to The Bold and the Beautiful â some may say there's some cheese there.
I say it's cool to be cheesy. But also look at Boston Conservatory, [the] Rent [tour], record entrepreneur, classical actor. You can see all sides of it. As long as they're talking about me, that's all that matters.
Why did you choose to self-release your album?
It just ended up becoming the best situation for me. Anytime you can have control of an album's direction, that's a good thing. I own this record. I'm the label â I lay out all the money for the studio, the musicians, the producers, rights and clearances to songs.... There's a huge advantage and a much bigger profit margin for units sold if you can do it like this.
Care to predict how it will do?
If we can sell enough to continue making records and stay on the road long enough to get more people into the music...that's the goal. Numbers are irrelevant now. It's about who your target audience is and trying to move them. I'm realistic. I know I'm not going to be like the major artists out there. I think that's so silly when artists talk about [how much they'll sell].... I've taken the time to consciously build a career. I wanted to do Broadway, I wanted to do soap operas, I wanted to start my own label, I wanted to host and write. There were all these ''I wannas'' and I got to do them all.
Would you say you're proof that you don't have to win to have a successful career?
I'm just a hardworking kid from New York. I'm about perseverance. You pound away, you keep working and things will happen. If you're not fortunate enough to be Carrie Underwood, you have to f---ing bust your ass. That's it. I've stayed out there without being too much out there. I've quietly done good work. I plan on sticking around for a long time as a result of it. Then one day, I'll move to Greece and retire with my 10 children.
Justin Guarini was an early advocate of LaKisha Jones on the recently completed sixth season of American Idol.
"LaKisha was my favorite going in," he said, noting that Jones' strengths included "obviously, the voice, she's just very sweet and the story was perfect. She's from Little Town, USA, had a daughter. She had a real reason to fight for first place and fight to make it big in the industry. She has a powerhouse voice."
Jones, who will perform at The Palace of Auburn Hills Aug. 12 with the American Idols Live tour, finished fourth this season.
Guarini says her demise boiled down to "song selection and not showing enough versatility."
"She's very good at what she does, but you've got to really roll with the punches on 'Idol,'" he said. "It's definitely a marathon. There's a lot of stamina involved."
Entertainment Weekly recently caught up with Elliott Yamin. Let's see what the former American Idol finalist had to say...
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: We'll have to start with the teeth, because they look great!
ELLIOTT YAMIN: And now it feels great! [The process] was excruciating. I was wrecked from the neck up. It hurt to talk. I'd had a couple cavities filled and my wisdom teeth pulled, but that's it. I would never even go to cleanings. So that was tough. I didn't think the pain was ever going to go away.
Did that make you insecure?
Yeah, a little bit. I always had a complex about my smile. I would have to smile a certain way, knowing it looked better than the other way, when my teeth were exposed. I never thought I'd have the whole mouth done, but they offered to do it for free! That was definitely the Jew in me.
You're part Israeli, aren't you?
My dad's Israeli. He was born in Baghdad to Iraqi Jews. Then, at age two, his parents wanted to move to their homeland and he grew up in Israel. I've been there twice, once as a baby and once when I was 15.
Did you have a Bar Mitzvah?
No, I didn't. I was a bad kid. I got kicked out of Hebrew school for making fun of [my teacher]. She was pretty strict with us and her husband was the rabbi. We used to clash.
And you dropped out of high school, too?
Yeah. I was never really good in the classroom setting. But I got my ''Good Enough Degree.'' [Chuckles]
Do you think being deaf in one ear had anything to do with it?
No. I hear okay. It's never been that big of an issue other than in crowds, or on headphones.
What about on the Idol stage when the judges are talking to you?
On the stage, you can't see, but the sound up there is good. They have tons of monitors that protrude through the floor. Sitting on the side of the stage, though, I could never hear a word Ryan or any of the judges were saying.
You watched Idol before your audition, and now you've seen another round of contestants. Was your season the best?
I think it was the best so far, and I'm not being biased. That seems to be the general consensus from everybody; this year wasn't as good as last year. It's cool to be a part of that alumni.
Your single is a Top 40 hit. Do you think performing it on Idol gave it a big boost?
It was on the rise, but yeah, it wouldn't be where it is today if not for performing on that show. One-hundred percent. Thirty million people saw it! There was an 87 percent increase from one week to the next. I was really pumped.
Why didn't you sign with 19 for management?
I felt they weren't going to pick me up on the management side or the record company side, so I called Simon Fuller personally and I said, ''I appreciate everything you've done. I've gotten amazing opportunities.'' I thanked him and told him what a great time I had on the show, then I said, ''I'd like to cede the deal with 19 Entertainment.'' And he said, ''That's cool, just don't put out a record before [Katharine McPhee], Taylor, or Chris.'' I was, like, ''No problem, I'll take my time.'' That was that. I wasn't like, ''That's f----d up, why didn't they pick me?'' I was more relieved. They were trying to manage a lot of people at one time and they didn't indicate that in the future, away from Idol, they'd give me 100 percent of the attention that I need. It wasn't the right fit.
What were your expectations for the album?
I wasn't too sure. I had preconceived notions, probably like the public did. You know, what's he going to sound like? Are people going to buy it? Not literally, but like buy it. I wanted it to be good, quality music â a singer's record, because I'm a vocalist â and something I could be happy with and grow from. I think I did that.
And the album is an independent release, so you stand to make more of a profit...
Yes. But there are so many ways to make money in this business: Touring, endorsement deals, I'm doing something with Oscar Mayer, I'm doing a Christmas album with Target.... There are all kinds of opportunities coming my way that have nothing to do with singing but are other sources of income.
Still, it must feel good to have an album that's selling so well.
It feels amazing. We worked tirelessly and it's really paying off. Pounding the radio, going to three or four stations a day, sometimes in two different states, for five weeks straight. We played every chance we got, it was almost like a country-music radio tour; meeting the fans and the listeners. But people really like the song, they like me, they like the record!
Have you come to terms with the fact that you'll likely be talking about American Idol for the rest of your life?
I've accepted it. I know I'll be forever synonymous with those two words. But so what? I knew what I was getting myself into. I didn't know the magnitude of how big it was, but I'll talk about it until I'm blue in the face. So many doors have opened because of it. Now, I get to do what I love every day.
TV Guide recently sat down with third-place finisher, Melinda Doolittle. Here are highlights from the interview...
TV Guide: How's the tour going?
Melinda Doolittle: It is so much fun! We're having a blast.
TV Guide: Is it everything you hoped it would be?
Melinda: It is, and a lot more. I thought that maybe I knew what to expect because I had toured before, but it's like night and day for me. They pay such attention to detail.
TV Guide: What kind of details do they pay attention to?
Melinda: They take good care of us. They make sure that we're taken care of as far as food goes, of course. There's even a massage therapist out here!
TV Guide: No way. You have to tell me about that.
Melinda: Oh! It's like heaven on earth. They have one in every city. They lay you down on a table and they're like, "What area hurts?"
TV Guide: Wow.
Melinda: I know! I'm like, "This is great because I'm almost 30." Depending on what kind of time we have and what the day looks like, we may have 15 minutes or something like that, but it's totally worth it. But I've only gotten one and a half so far.
TV Guide: What's a "half" of a massage?
Melinda: Well, I had to run in and then I ended up having to go somewhere really quickly so we didn't really get started. I ended up having to go do some interviews, but it was totally fine because I at least got a good three minutes in. It was very good.
TV Guide: Are you getting any other fun perks on the tour? Green M&Ms or anything crazy on your bus?
Melinda: I don't think anything quite that specific, but if we want something like hot tea, they make sure that's available. We're kind of a low-maintenance group so we're just like, "Tea's good. Got any juice? We're good!"
TV Guide: I saw everyone drinking Jamba Juice at rehearsals. Are you still drinking that?
Melinda: Oh, during rehearsal times they went to Starbucks and Jamba Juice to start our day. We don't have that on tour, but we have all of the Pop-Tarts we can eat! [Pop-Tarts is a tour sponsor.]
TV Guide: That sounds good. Is that your favorite thing?
Melinda: It's maybe not my favorite, but some people love it.
TV Guide: Like who?
Melinda: Jordin Sparks loves Pop-Tarts, so she's kind of schooling me on that whole thing. I just got to taste the brown sugar [variety] and I'm loving that. We have an unlimited supply in case you want some.
TV Guide: Are there any favorite foods among the singers?
Melinda: I love apple juice, that's my favorite thing. I can kind of OD on apple juice! I know that one of the girls loves salami, so sometimes there's a salami craving.
TV Guide: Seriously? I have to know who that is.
Melinda: I'm not telling you who it is. [Laughs] We have some interesting cravings every once in a while, just because we're chicks. The guys are pretty low-maintenance as far as that goes. "Is there food?" That's the main deal for the guys.
TV Guide: Do you have any pre- or post-show rituals?
Melinda: There are people who kind of wait around over by where our buses normally are, so after a show, we try to run out and say hi and take pictures and hug people and sign things if they want us to. That has been the most fun. We kind of hang out by the buses afterwards, and maybe even throw a football around. I learned how to throw a football last night. I'm very excited about that.
Follow our link to read what else Melinda had to say..
