American Idle

Sounds like Paula Abdul is not coming back to American Idol, at least not this season, she says.

But Paula is headed to Las Vegas to headline her own show. The deets are below:

“That will be more… really announced later, when everything’s worked (out),” a glowing Abdul told Access Hollywood’s Shaun Robinson. “It’s going to happen, but the details have yet to be ironed out.”

Paula may also appear as a guest judge on So You Think You Can Dance, as an offer was extended to her via Nigel Lythgoe.

Other than that, Abdul has a recurring role on “Drop Dead Divas,” and will host VH1 Divas sometime in September, so losing the Idol gig has really helped her career, in some ways.

However, Abdul has nothing but kindness for her former Idol family.

“I’ve heard from everyone and I love them all,” she said. “I wish them absolutely best. And we check in on each other and see how everything is going. It’s been great.”

I don’t know what they’re putting in the water on the British singing talent show X-Factor this year, but whatever it is, they need to serve it to the folks on American Idol 9.

Case in point: Jamie Archer, who has an Afro high enough that it could easily box with God. He’s like Lenny Kravitz meets Elvis Presley.

And, as you can see from the video below, he is an absolute showman, giving hope that we’ll soon see another talent on the show, similar in scope to Leona Lewis.

The 33-year old has worked in bars and supermarkets around London since he was 10. Calling it the most important thing he has ever done in his life, Archer (uh, Jamie Afro) sang his song, by Kings Of Leon.

Jamie Archer - “Sex On Fire”

The singing has a bit juvenile, but Simon liked it and thought he had the crowd behind him, which he most assuredly did within seconds of beginning his song.

So look out for Archer, or Jamie Afro, because he is a threat to win X-Factor this year.

Kara DioGuardi may be a good judge (even though that’s debatable) and she may even be a good songwriter, but she is not a good singer. Period.

Her latest offering is covering the Idol coronation song, “No Boundaries.” It’s screechy, lame, off-key and redundant. And, it goes to show everyone that anyone can sing this song poorly.

Listen to her terrible rendition below.

Kara DioGuardi - “No Boundaries”

Frankly, it’s a crappy song that a good singer had to sing. And it’s 3:41 too long, in my opinion. I never, EVER cared for this song, and now it just needs to be put to rest, with a mallet and a seance.

Good riddance, “No Boundaries”!

Michael Castro was back at it again this week at the Dallas auditions for American Idol 9, and you know that when Castro, Jason’s brother, is in the building, you’re in for some entertainment.

And from the looks of the picture above, that’s not all he brought back to the party either. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back Michael’s rooster cut!

Castro loves to say Cock-a-doodle-doo to you, so what better way than to sport that cut that made him famous the first time he auditioned?

Last year, he tried to go all conservative on us, and it was lame. This year, however, the rooster-do is back in full force! Cock-a-doodle-dang!

Castro is all mellow like his brother Jason, but this guy is gonna either go far this season, or he’ll be humiliated for the third time in a row.

Either way, we’re gonna be entertained, so long as he makes it out of Hollywood alive this time.

Who knew that some 27-year-old teacher would become this year’s Susan Boyle? Granted, Danyl Johnson is not some cat person in her fifties from Scotland, but he is a surprise.

Listen to his audition below:

Shades of Joe Cocker himself come through in this audition, as Johnson sings “With A Little Help From My Friends.” for his X-Factor audition.

Obviously the judges are floored, and even Simon Cowell himself praised the teacher, saying “That was singlehandedly the best first audition I have ever heard.”

Now that’s high praise for a first audition, especially from a jerk like Cowell. Is Simon getting soft on us now that Paula’s gone? Don’t count on it; he probably just couldn’t believe what he was hearing from Johnson.

Brunette bombshell Katharine McPhee is usually a stone-cold stunner, but this new look of hers make her look like a heroin addict at best.

She adorned the new do for her new single, “Had It All,” which is a stark departure from her other music.

Watch her video here:

“Had It All”

McPhee is a good artist, but this look has me wondering whose idea it was to make her go blonde.

It’s a testament to her beauty that she can look absolutely stunning as a brunette, because most can’t pull that look off.

McPhee is dark complected, and blondes don’t normally look great when they have a darker tone.

Unbroken will be the name of McPhee’s new album, and it will be her first since she did her self-titled album that was a flop. Let’s hope her sophomore album is better than the first, huh?

And whoever the person was that suggested McPhee go blonde should be shot on sight, no questions asked. Talk about ruining your image. Yikes!

Go back to Katharine’s brunette phase below, buy her album!

In a true, honest-to-goodness “WTF?” moment, Neil Patrick Harris, better known to the world as Doogie Howser, M.D. is guest judge at today’s American Idol 9 Dallas auditions.

Whoa, I did NOT see that coming. Hell, I didn’t know Harris could actually sing. So, that brings the total of guest judges to five, if you count Joe Jonas, who also appeared yesterday as part of FOX’s super-top-secret plan to have him appear at the auditions.

Squeal! So, basically, it’s a two-for-one audition deal for any Dallas fans of either a Jonas Brother or Doogie Howser. Here’s the deets, straight from E!:

The How I Met Your Mother star is sitting at the judges table today for the Dallas auditions, a Fox rep confirmed to us.

And yes, we know NPH has succeeded on Broadway and has sung a tune or two elsewhere in his entertainment endeavors. But does that make him a great judge for this type of competition?

I will answer this question, because I can. The answer, frankly, is yes, because Harris is a train wreck waiting to happen. He would be huge for the show, because the show already has enough music experts.

Idol 9 needs some crazy, and Doogie Howser brings that to the party in spades. So bring us some Doogie Howser!

Get your Doogie Howser T-shirt today!

Michael Johns has been seeing his name in the press lately with his opinions on the Paula Abdul ordeal.

Now it seems Johns has some musical plans of his own, as he’ll embark on a U.S. and Canadian tour with David Foster, father to the surrogate mother of Clay Aiken’s son.

Oh, what twisted tales some weave. Anyway, Johns will also be on tour with Philip Bailey from Earth, Wind and Fire and Peter Cetera.

Doesn’t sound like a rock concert, but it does sound like some good music will be played on this tour. Here are the details:

Famed musical showman, producer and songwriter David Foster and some of his talented friends will be embarking on a l0-city tour of “David Foster and Friends” starting in Chicago on October 21^st, including stops in New York, Boston, LA, Vancouver, Miami and other markets, it was confirmed today by Warner Bros. Records. In addition to such artists as Philip Bailey from the chart-topping Earth, Wind and Fire, Oprah protégé Charice, Chicago’s Peter Cetera and American Idol’s Michael Johns, fans can expect surprise visits at every show.

And here are the tour dates as well:

Ticket prices are $125, $85 and $55 and can be purchased by logging on to http://www.ticketmaster.com/ or by calling 1-800-745-3000 (except for Vancouver, Canada, 604-280-4444, or http://www.ticketmaster.ca/).

Or, get your Johns tickets here:

Jason Castro opened for Michelle Branch at the Grove in Los Angeles this past week, singing several new songs from his new album Let’s Just Fall In Love.

Some of the songs Castro sang included “Let’s Just Fall In Love,” “Love Uncompromised,” and “It Matters To Me.”

Listen to “It Matters To Me” below:

Obviously, from the sounds of these songs Castro will be a ballad singer, and he’s versatile enough to handle several different styles.

So I see things happening for Castro in two different ways. One, he’ll be a Michael Bolton pop singer type.

Two, he’ll be a Disney tunes guy, lending his voice to soundtracks and the like, which is actually the same direction I see Kris Allen going.

Like Bolton? Buy his album here

Michael Johns caused some controversy during his time on American Idol 7 –mainly because he was already a professional singer–and now he’s decided to speak up on behalf of Paula Abdul.

Probably the greatest singer Idol has ever had on its stage, Johns is a funny guy with a good sense of himself but he wasn’t all that cordial when it came to the way FOX, 19 and Idol treated his good friend Abdul.

And, since he’s not with FOX or 19 Entertainment any longer, he also decided to take a few potshots at his old employer, leading one to believe the age-old adage: Don’t shit where you eat.

Anyway, Johns has done that with this revelation, and then some. Don’t think 19 will invite this guy out for tea anytime soon, not after what he said here.

From E! Online:

“She’s not asking for what [Ryan] Seacrest is getting paid,” Johns told us last night at In Style editor Ariel Foxman’s Summer Soiree party at the London hotel in West Hollywood. “She’s asking for $20 million over three years, so I think she totally deserves that money. She’s a huge reason people tune in to the show…I think Fox should pull their finger out and pay her what she deserves.”

In all, Johns is merely speaking up for his friend, and he didn’t like the way FOX, 19 or Idol treated Paula. in a way I can see his point, but considering that the music industry is about as fickle as they come, I think it’s a dumb move for Johns to open up on what is obviously a touchy subject.

But that’s not all he said. Paula apparently consulted him while the negotiations went on, leading me to believe that maybe–just maybe–these two are closer than just friends.

Also from E!:

“We talk all the time,” the Aussie singer said. “She was a bit upset. She just doesn’t understand why Fox made the decision they made—especially when a lot of people got upgrades in money. But she said, ‘Look I’m not going to budge on this. I really think that’s my worth.’ ”

Johns is currently appearing with Brooke White on their tour, so buy tickets now, to what will be one of the best shows from any Idol contestant this year!

Click the Buy Now tab below.