American Idle

If ever there is a clue that something is awry in Idol-land, look no further than the reported sighting of David Archuleta, who was an invited guest of The Osmond Family, Utah’s unofficial royalty, at their annual Christmas concert last night! What’s up with that? A perfect PR moment, that’s what!!

What better way for David Osmond (tall guy above left), who’s rumored to be on Idol 8, to be seen than with someone like Archuleta. I’d imagine the two were sharing war stories, even though Osmond may have far fewer than Archuleta. At least that’s what I’m hearing.

It’s being reported that David Osmond is in fact a contender for American Idol 8 and had been seen in Hollywood during Hollywood Week. It was also rumored that Osmond has made the Top 50, although that has not yet been confirmed.

The thing that’s getting people up in arms is the manner in which Osmond supposedly “made” it to Hollywood. One blogger at the Salt Lake City auditions reported Osmond didn’t even have to stand in line like the rest of the contestants; he simply flashed some form of ID and was led through to an area and sometime after that he exited with a golden ticket.

The fact that Osmond is more or less a professional also has some people angry. He and his family (officially named Osmond 2^nd Generation) have had several recording contracts overseas and have had three top 40 songs in the UK. On the mainland they have done all the big talk shows, Oprah, etc. How does this qualify him for Idol 8?

Oh yeah…I forgot…Hehe…they didn’t get the record deal in the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA! Anyway, that little loophole has enabled Michael Johns, Carly (Hennessy) Smithson and others, including Tatiana Ostapowych, who auditioned for both Canadian AND American Idol in the same year, to take part. The other little loophole is that if a recording contract has ended within a certain period of time before the time one takes part in American Idol, they are also good to go. Case in point: Kristy Lee Cook.

So the moral of the story is…get a passport and possibly dual-citizenship. Or have your record deal 86’s before you audition. It’s the way things are going these days. Anyway, dude has an interesting backstory.

Osmond apparently is suffering from a form of West Nile Virus, which is nothing to laugh at. It then reportedly triggered an Auto-Immune Deficiency, a form of Multiple Sclerosis. However, the virus is now under control and he is in good health, according to his Web site. Anyway, sounds like Osmond is gonna be around for a while on Idol 8.

Our 100^th post!

I missed this, but here it is, better late than never! Ace Young and the rest of the cast “Grease” sing “Greased Lightning” for CBS’ telecast of the 73^rd annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

“Grease” is of course, the monster Broadway hit that has been around about as long as I’ve been alive. Young continues his run on The Great White Way until mid-January as Kenickie.

To be quite honest I found the performance really cheesy, but that’s what some musicals are. It’s a fun performance and a role that suits Young very well.

It’s ironic to me that Constantine Maroulis turned down the role originally, since you all know I’m not a big Maroulis fan. I just think something is off about Constantine; Ace seems more down-to-earth; he’s a Boulder guy and it’s been my experience that Boulder guys are just more laid back.

Every time I turn around I see Constantine’s street team sending me something. About the only place Maroulis hasn’t played a gig in is the 7-Eleven…and that includes his old band in NYC, too.

Young has been busy acting lately, having appeared on VH1’s Rock Of Love Charm School as a date for the “Rock Of Love” girls who had to “dress down” for a date with him and two other potential suitors. (You can read more about this madness on my other blog, Reality TV Circus.)

So good for Ace and his success. He’s a solid guy and a good singer.

It is really that time again? The holidays have officially kicked into gear…and so have the commercials for season 8. David Cook headlines the commercial above, which is a nice look back at him winning Idol 7 and rewinding all the way to where it all started…in Omaha, Nebraska at the auditions.

If you don’t know the backstory to Cook he lived in the Midwest and prior to Idol played for a band called The Midwest Kings, the type of group you’d see in smaller venues, like clubs. While it was popular (and Cook did release a solo album) it didn’t give Cook what he wanted.

So while tagging along with his brother Adam at the Omaha auditions, he decided to audition for Idol 7 on a dare from his family. Idol really wasn’t his cup of tea, he’d say later, but it turned out to be his best move and of course…you know the rest!

As for this season it already looks like we can say there are some solid singers in the bunch, including David Osmond from the uber-famous Osmond family (you know, Donny, Marie, Alan, etc.).

They’re like royalty where I’m from (Salt Lake City, Utah to be exact) and so it wouldn’t be a surprise at all to see another generation of Osmonds take over the music world by storm.

Another person you should keep an eye out for is Joanna Pacitti, who has been a singer for many years and has performed all over the world. I get this information from a fellow Idol singer who auditioned with her (Thanks, Cody) and he says she’s out of this world!

Both are rumored to have made it to Hollywood Week finals…and the lofty realm of the Top 50. Only time will tell if those rumors are accurate, but one thing is certain…American Idol 8 is right around the corner, in January.

David Archuleta performed on the Fetch With Ruff Ruffman PBS float entitled “Starship Discovery” this morning at the 2008 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York. It was the 73^rd annual parade.

He sang his hit single “Crush” from his debut self-titled album, which was released two weeks ago! It looks like it’s pretty cold out there and with the economy being what it is (horrible), it’s nice to get back to something that can take our minds off of that.

Archuleta has not had the same level of success as his compatriot David Cook (the season 7 champion) and the critics have certainly not been as kind to Archuleta, but a performance like this on as grand a stage as this could change public perception.

And it’s still quite early to second-guess Archuleta’s numbers since season 8 will undoubtedly have him making at least one guest appearance…and probably many more!

Also, as a Turkey Day bonus, we have Clay Aiken interviewing with CBS for the “local” broadcast of the parade below. He talks a bit about the size of the parade-goers (Aiken estimates it at 25-deep) and about performing and being “stupid” during his Broadway run on Monty Python’s “Spamalot.“ Heh.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Well, guess who’s back in the limelight? The spotlights shined bright on David Hernandez once it was revealed that he was once a male stripper in his hometown of Phoenix, but we’re gonna find out how bright those lights will be when he embarks on the “Idols In Concert Tour” soon.

 He made a name for himself once the whole “stripper” thing was revealed and that revelation arguably got him kicked off the show! But it’s good to see he’s not done with the whole show biz deal yet.

He also made the announcement that he will be coming out with his first album, still untitled, sometime in 2009. Actor/singer Eric West will be helping Hernandez with his first effort.

Interesting is definitely the word when it comes to Hernandez. He’s a great showman, though and should probably fit in very well with the other singers. Speaking of great showmen, where’s Danny Noriega? Didn’t he get an invite? LOL

And it’s an interesting crew, consisting of former Idols like budding country star Diana DeGarmo, fan fave Kimberley Locke and Chikezie, a Top 10 finisher from season 7.

The foursome will play 17 cities and in 14 states for the next month beginning Friday and continuing through December 21, just in time for the group to head home for the holidays. The tour lineup’s below!

November 28, 2008 - Milwaukee Theatre; Milwaukee, WI

November 29, 2008 - Byham Theatre; Pittsburgh, PA

November 30, 2008 - Lycian Centre; Sugar Loaf, NY

December 1, 2008 - Plaza Theatre; El Paso, TX

December 3, 2008 - State Theatre; Easton, PA

December 4, 2008 - Bergen PAC; Englewood, NJ

December 5-6, 2008 - Classic Center; Athens, GA

December 7, 2008 - Eichelberger PAC; Hanover, PA

December 10, 2008 - Salem Civic Center; Salem, VA

December 11, 2008 - Mitchell Center; Mobile, AL

December 12, 2008 - Coral Springs Center for the Arts; Coral Springs, FL

December 16, 2008 - Tennessee Williams Theatre; Key West, FL

December 17, 2008 - Kravis Center; West Palm Beach, FL

December 18, 2008 - Mahaffey Theater; St. Petersburg, FL

December 19, 2008 - University of Akron; Akron, OH

December 20, 2008 - River Center Adler; Davenport, IA

December 21, 2008 - Genesee Theatre; Waukegan, IL

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David Cook has been busy since his new self-titled album came out last Tuesday, but fans and others have a chance to sing his smash hit “Light On.” You can sing it with whatever instrument you choose (You can even play with your garage band).Upload the clip you’ve created to VH1.com after you’ve signed up on their site as a member of their little “community” (you have until December 2 to so so) and who knows…David Cook himself may even get a look at your masterpiece!

Daughtry won yet another award for his smash platinum hit album, but he wasn’t the only Idol who came home with some hardware last night at the American Music Awards. Even though Daughtry was the only televised Idol presented on-camera with an award, two others won too!

Jordin Sparks won “Best Artist - Adult Contemporary” for her work and she even defeated Daughtry in that category, as well as the Eagles. I’m not quite sure if this was more of a sympathy thing than an actual victory…but we’ll take it nevertheless. Let the kid have the trophy. She was season 6 champion, you know. LOL

Carrie Underwood also won, notching another trophy (albeit off-camera) for “Favorite Album - Country Music,” knocking off Garth Brooks and Rascal Flatts. She’s probably kicking herself for losing out to rising star Taylor Swift in a different category (this one televised) for “Favorite Female Country Artist,” but one win on the night probably eased some of the pain.

And the Two Davids were there, too, but they were just there to present awards, although I’d bet all the money I have that both will be nominated for awards next year. And the other three award winners were busy too, presenting awards in three different categories. Jimmy Kimmel hosted the event and so you can imagine the hijinks that ensued there. He had a glorious time poking fun at David Archuleta, making comments about someone teaching Archuleta the F-bomb, and telling Archuleta it was too late for him to stay up, among other notables.

In all, the Idols went 3-of-4 on the night, so it wasn’t a bad evening at all! What was your assessment of the evening’s festivities?

Remember how we told you about Jason Castro’s brother Michael back at the Kansas City auditions? He of the crazy Mohawk variety? Well, rumor has it he’s been spotted in Hollywood last week during the Idol 8 Hollywood Round of the audition process. So, technically, that means he may still be in the running, although any report anyone gets at this stage is premature. But one interesting (and late) development is that an Osmond may have been in Hollywood.Say what? Well, Idol insiders are reporting that David Osmond is this year’s Carly Smithson and/or Michael Johns! He is, in fact, the “plant” that Idol producers put in each season to help boost ratings and supposedly resurrect said person’s career. We’ll have much more on Mr. Osmond , so stay tuned!

David Cook’s new video “Light On” debuts at No. 1 on the VH1 Top 2o Video Countdown and David Archuleta, his cohort and fellow finalist actually is in at No. 2. But the real news of the day is that Cook is at the top! He talks to the VH1 crew in the video above about his album, which is doing quite nicely.

And Cook has certainly had a busy week, what with the new album coming out the past Tuesday. But he may get some heat with some comments he made to a gay/lesbian blog called NewNow Next, in which he told the blog regarding his stance on California’s Proposition 8 that “Human rights is human rights.” Are former Idols finally getting up the balls to stand up against 19 Entertainment and speak out against things and/or conditions they find deplorable? Is this type of statement that Cook made gonna light a fire under the future Idols bellies?

And moreover, are we gonna see more Idols coming out of the closet and celebrating their sexuality? I think it’s risky for Cook to make such a statement, but the nice thing about his stance is that he’s not afraid of losing potential sales for his new album.

By the looks of things, Cook’s album is doing quite well, thanks. So it will be interesting to see if Cook helps Idol grow up, from this media monster they’ve become, to a franchise that caters to everyone, no matter their sexual orientation. Not even Chris Daughtry dared go this far in such a short time. And for Idol standards, he has certainly pushed the envelope. Agree or disagree?

It’s official; Josiah Leming will be coming out with his EP Angels Undercover! This is exciting news for all of the Josiah fans, including myself. And we have his video for the song above!! It’s phenomenal!!!

Of course all the hullabaloo about the album not coming out started when rumors were flying about American Idol and 19 Entertainment putting a halt to Leming’s album, which we covered here recently in great detail.

Leming, for those who don’t know, is the kid who auditioned for Idol 7, sleeping in his car and homeless while his mother battled cancer. It was a sad day when Josiah was let go during Hollywood Week just prior to the announcement of the Top 50.

Many in the know believed Leming was among the better of the competitors and he has a rabid following among teenagers and adults alike. There is just something likeable about this kid from Tennessee, who has an everyday look but a haunting voice reminiscent of John Lennon. There is definitely a Lennon-esque quality to “Angels Undercover.”

His video is solid like all of his other material. It’s good to see that we will have some excellent music coming out of somebody from season 7 other than the Two Davids. It’s just hilarious and rather ironic that it’s coming from somebody who didn’t even make the Top 50.

Wonder if Idol thinks they made a mistake with this guy? I’ll bet they think so now.