Access Atlanta > American Idol Buzz
11/21: Phil Stacey loses label deal, Kristy Lee Cook begging for recognition
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Season six finalist Phil Stacey, according to billboard.biz, has lost his deal with Lyric Street Records after his debut album sold just 36,000 albums and didn’t generate any hit singles. I’m personally surprised Lyric Street even took a chance on Phil because Phil, however a nice guy, did not seem to be a future Kenny Chesney or Brad Paisley or even Daryl Worley or Josh Gracin.
-How about this for unusual? Kristy Lee Cook is begging to get her single “15 Minutes of Shame” a few more minutes on the charts:
My single is in a bad spot right now the high 20’s which is a bad spot to be cause it can jump down to 30’s and back up when new songs come out.. So LETS GET THIS SINGLE UP THE CHARTS!!! Work everyone you know to request my single and lets see if we can get it up by MONDAY :O) What do you think? Can we all do it? Stations all over the US doesn’t have to be your state.. let me know ya’all !!! GOD BLESS, Your the best fans!
-And in one of those stupid surveys that companies do to show how uninformed the American public is about important facts, 56 percent of Americans know Paula Abdul is a jduge while only 21 percent know “government of the people, by the people, for the people” came from Abe Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.
This type of survey showing our lack of civics knowledge comes out every so often..
— Less than half of Americans can name all three branches of government.
— Only 27 percent of Americans know that the Bill of Rights prohibits the government from establishing an official religion in the U.S.
— 54 percent do not know that the Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war, not the president.
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11/20: Is the recession hurting reality TV? Daughtry on “CSI: NY”
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
He brings up a bunch of shows that have seen their ratings slip off this year while only scripted shows seem to have seen their ratings go up.
His examples:”Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” is down nearly 50% among 18 to 49 year olds and among all viewers, it has dropped 35% year over year. “Deal or No Deal” is down 29%. “Dancing With the Stars” is down a more modest 9 percent (and given the age of the show, that’s really not unusual). “Survivor” is down 10%, which given that it’s the 17th incarnation, isn’t bad either. He didn’t mention it but “America’s Next Top Model” is down at least 20% year over year, too.
Shows that are up this year? “NCIS,” “How I Met Your Mother,” “Gossip Girl” and “30 Rock,” to name a few.
The evidence in my mind is dubious. I suspect most of these shows are simply getting old. (“5th Grader” is the only one that is relatively young.) But it is true that new concepts for reality TV have been scarce lately, especially on broadcast TV.
It’s interesting that CBS is doing especially well nowadays. Perhaps that older demographic is looking for comfort in shows such as “The Mentalist” and “NCIS.” And I’m glad “Big Bang Theory” and “How I Met Your Mother” are doing so well.
I digress. I’m just wondering how much of a hit “American Idol” will take come January. Ratings dropped off some 10 percent last year. I suspect the show will lose another 10 percent this year but perhaps more if the cast isn’t that interesting. But even if “Idol” loses 20%, it’d still be the No. 1 show by a wide margin. In the fall, not a single show is averaging even 20 million viewers a week.
What’s your prediction on ratings for “Idol” this January? Last year, it was around 27-28 million after averaging 30 million plus seasons five and six. I think it will fall to 23-24 million season eight.
- Last night, I helped out with a Boys & Girls Club cook off as a “celebrity” cook. Five families from around the country were flown in to compete for a trip to Disney and a year’s supply of Kimberly-Clark products. One of the judges? Ruben Studdard’s mom Emily! She was at the opening for “Ain’t Misbehavin’ ” for her son. She said she plans to go to every show when it arrives in his hometown of Birmingham in February. She also helped my team, the Archers, win. Thank you Emily!
-Chris Daughtry was an actor last night on the 100th episode of “CSI: NY.” He plays Mac Taylor, one of several who are there to be protected because a serial killer is killing Mac Taylors.
-First-day sales at hitsdailydouble.com are projecting that David Cook is battling for #2 with Nickelback behind Beyonce in first week sales. Cook is looking to sell 300K the first week. David Archuleta sold about 180K last week, a bit below projections. Taylor Swift sold about 600K.
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11/19: It’s “Ain’t Misbehavin’ ” with Frenchie Davis, Ruben Studdard & Trenyce
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
ABOVE: Frenchie Davis with Tarn Harris, a reporter at the Atlanta Daily World.
At Fox Theatre last night, I caught opening night of the national tour of “Ain’t Misbehavin’ ,” which was a popular musical revue on Broadway 30 years ago starring Nell Carter.
Since there is no plotline, this musical relies on, well, the music and the performers. And the three “Idol” alums aquit themselves well. We have to give Ruben Studdard a bit of a learning curve break since this is the first time he’s ever done anything like this. His voice, of course, is incredible. His dance steps? He isn’t going to win “Dancing With the Stars” but he doesn’t trip over himself either. His charm? Always there and then some, especially when he gives the audience that impish grin. His best work came in the second half, especially with the jokey tune “Your Feet’s Too Big.”
Trenyce from season two was excellent, showing great vocal restraint at times and solid dance steps.
But we have to reserve special kudos to Frenchie Davis. She really could have given Ruben a run for his money if she had stayed on “Idol” season two. Four years of “Rent” helped, too. She is a commanding presence on stage with her voice cutting deep inside. Her duet with Ruben on “Honeysuckle Rose” was hot, as was her sexy “Find Out What They Like.”
My colleague and theater critic Wendell Brock, who has seen a many “Ain’t Misbehavin’ ” productions in the past was less impressed. Here’s his review.
Although there are some awfully good singers here, there doesn’t seem to be strong sense of ensemble — or many barn-burning breakout numbers, for that matter. So for most of opening night’s first act, actors wandered onstage and did lukewarm dance steps while every klutzy crash or bit of robust breathing was amplified by their microphones.
I stopped by the after-show cast party at the Georgian Terrace. Here are a few photos I snapped:
ABOVE: Trenyce with Ruben and his understudy Seth Diggs.
ABOVE: Me with Ruben.
Tracey Hardy, daughter of Nell Carter, with Trenyce.
There, I met Tracey Hardy, daughter of the late great Nell Carter who lives in Atlanta. She said the show brought back memories of her watching her mom as a child backstage. And she was deeply impressed with Davis. “I really believe my mom would have enjoyed that — though she probably would have wanted to jump on stage!” She also loved Ruben’s rendition of “Fat and Greasy.
Ruben with his Atlanta-based manager Cedric Evans.
Ruben greets Billie Allen Henderson, whose husband was the original music arranger for “Ain’t Misbehavin’ “
Billie Henderson, the widow of the man who was musical director and arranger for the first “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” flew in from New York to check it out and she left very happy. “It was marvelous, such a joy and pleasure,” she said. “It was fresh but also brought back the old values, the subtext with this wonderful cast.”
Richard Maltby, the director who directed the play on Broadway 30 years ago, said “Ruben is sensational. Every performance, he grows. He’s just beginning to find himself. At the first rehearsal, he said he wasn’t sure he could do this. But watching him, I know he can.” Maltby said when he saw Ruben in 2003 on “Idol,” he thought about doing a revival centered around Ruben. It just took five years to come to fruition! He also got “Idol” vocal c oach Debra Byrd to help out.
Frenchie said she just wanted “to do Nell Carter justice.” She was also happy to work with Ruben, noting “he’s not just the teddy bear you think he is.” She noted, “his dressing room is next to mine and there’s nothing but laughter coming from there.”
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11/18: Ruben Studdard with “Ain’t Misbehavin’ ” opens tonight at Fox
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Ruben Studdard has plenty of experience on stage singing. But he has never done it professionally in a play. Tonight, we get to see how Studdard fares as Fats Waller in “Ain’t Misbehavin’ ” at the Fox Theatre.
My colleague Wendell Brock interviewed him recently and here’s his story.:
The first thing Studdard says is that he hopes critics will be kind to him as he makes his professional stage debut. Joined by former “Idol” contestants Frenchie Davis and Trenyce Cobbins for this Fats Waller revue, the so-called Velvet Teddybear is crossing over from gospel and R&B to jazz. “Honeysuckle Rose” and “The Jitterbug Waltz” will be added to his song list, alongside hit singles “Flying Without Wings” and “Change Me.”
I’ll check out the play and the after party tonight and report on it tomorrow morning.
-David Cook’s album drops today. It’s ranked #2 on Amazon right now behind someone named Eithne Nà Bhraonáin.
More reviews:
Produced by Rob Cavallo (Green Day) and co-written by the likes of Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell, Collective Soul’s Ed Roland and new “AI” judge Kara DioGuardi, the 13 songs marry a formidable rock edge with undeniable pop sensibility.
The Miami Herald gives it 2.5 stars.:
If anyone hoped that David Cook, the first ”rocker” to win the title of American Idol, would make good on his promise to release a major label debut album that was truly his own brand of rock music, well the resulting David Cook isn’t it.
Call this catchy set of pop-rock tracks, like the Chris Cornell-written first single, Light On, a compromise. Cook rocks steadily in the Daughtry-like manner we expected, given the mainstream production polish provided by Rob Cavallo (Green Day). He sings well, in most instances better than he did on the show.
And he talks about his girlfriend Kimberly Caldwell* to People mag here.:
“I think she just gets that this is all nuts,” Cook told PEOPLE at the Do the Wright Thing Gala at the Hard Rock Café in New York last week. “She’s a nice break from the chaos.”
-Paula Abdul is “haunted” by the death of her stalker and won’t go to the house near where Paula Goodspeed died, according to an anonymous source. The New York Post reports. You decide.. In fact, here’s Abdul’s denial (and she has denied wanting to leave “Idol,” too.):
A rep for Abdul said, “There’s no validity to this. She’s been home since the incident happened. There’s no issue with spirits. Paula is shocked and saddened by what transpired. Her heart and prayers go out to the Goodspeed family.”
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11/17: Simon Cowell & ex girlfriend talk
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
This is courtesy of Extra TV:
SIMON COWELL AND TERRI SEYMOUR: FIRST INTERVIEW ABOUT THE SPLIT
(Los Angeles - November 16, 2008) - In the first and only television interview about their break-up, Simon Cowell and Terri Seymour come to “Extra” to set the record straight.
When asked why, Cowell replies, “Because Terri decided to dump me…You sent me a text.” Seymour responds, “I didn’t dump you…Just time. We had a great six years and we’re the best of friends.”
Cowell reveals he and Seymour still talk every day. “I do call Terri, first, when I’ve got an issue or I’m moaning about something, or I want to bounce an idea off.” Seymour adds, “We do speak more now on the phone all the time. It’s true.”
Cowell clears up the rumor that he gave Seymour a 5 million pound ($9 million US) parting gift. “That is actually not a true story. If anything I should be getting the money,” Cowell laughs. “Rumors come around, just people read things, then they create a story. But no, there was no 5 million pounds, no.”
-Here are some early reviews of the David Cook album:
The Boston Globe writes that there’s not enough Cook in the record.
Cook was this year’s designated “rocker” on the Fox talent contest. But his eponymous debut, out tomorrow, never really goes far enough in any particular direction to stake a claim for individuality. Indeed, it’s hard to distinguish Cook’s sound from that of his own idols, like Our Lady Peace and Better Than Ezra.
The Miami Herald seconds that notion.
If anyone hoped that David Cook, the first ”rocker” to win the title of American Idol, would make good on his promise to release a major label debut album that was truly his own brand of rock music, well the resulting David Cook isn’t it.
But he ends with a kind note: It’s infectious where it needs to be, and professional. For many of Cook’s fans, it’s more than enough to tide them over til the next album.
The Daily News? Not so kind at all. The reviewer Jim Farber was an Archuleta fan
Even by the most generous math, he’s a sixth-generation copy of an original sound, descended, steeply, from Nirvana’s meaningful peak through second stringers (Pearl Jam, Soundgarden), third (Candlebox, Bush), fourth (Nickelback) and fifth (Daughtry). Cook, let us pray, will slam the final nail into this coffin.
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11/14: Hudson thanks fans for support
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
On her MySpace page, Jennifer Hudson thanked her fans during this trying time, according to the Associated Press.:
“I want to thank each and every one of you for your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time,” the 27-year-old Oscar-winning actress and singer said in a posting on her MySpace page Thursday evening. “My sister and I take great comfort and strength from your love and concern.”
Nobody has been charged with the murders of her nephew, brother and mother but William Alfour, estranged husband of Jennifer’s sister Julia, remains in custory as a person of interest.
Here’s the Gap ad she did before the murders:
-Paula Goodspeed changed her name to Paula to be more like Paula Abdul before she died last week near Abdul’s home, according to People.com.
*Over the last three years - since Goodspeed was dismissed from her disastrous Idol audition with derisive comments from judges Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson - Abdul has received more than 100 letters, numerous phone calls and uninvited visits from Goodspeed, the source says. *
-OK magazine claims Paula Abdul will leave the show after this season. I’ll only believe it when it actually happens.
-Josh Gracin and his wife Ann Marie had their fourth child this week, daughter Isabella.
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11/13: Carrie Underwood wins third CMA Female Entertainer of the Year in a row
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Carrie Underwood remains well loved by the Nashville faithful, taking her third CMA Female Entertainer of the Year award in a row.
Her acceptance speech: “I got here through an unconventional way, and you guys didn’t have to accept me at all. Everybody in town, everybody in Nashville, everybody in the country music community has been so great.” Though she didn’t say “Idol” specifically, she thanked Simon Fuller, the mastermind behind the show.
And this year, she had a fast-rising Taylor Swift breathing down her neck. Underwood’s latest album has generated four No. 1 hits already. As a host, she was adequate though Kellie Pickler would have been better. (Her album “Carnival Ride” lost to George Strait.)
Carrie won’t win any fashion awards tonight though she did don seven dresses. Her first dress was kind of shapeless and had too much bling around the fringe. The baby-style dress (with even more bling) she wore partway through was only slightly better. And that tattery black dress with the shiny top while she sang “Just a Dream” was like two completely different dresses sewed together. The one plus: her hair looks great. And her performing skills improve every time I see her.
Actually, the dress she wore on the red carpet (below) was one of the better ones:
CREDIT: ABC/Adam Larkey
Kellie Pickler (nominated but lost to Lady Antebellum for New Artist of the Year) wore this sinfully tight leather getup. That innocent “Idol” gal from 2006? Not here! She does have too much rouge on her face. This song she sang (and co-wrote with Taylor Swift) “Best Days of Your Life” will likely do better than her first single “Don’t You Know You’re Beautiful,” which barely cracked the top 20.
Check out some red carpet shots of Kellie, Carrie and Diana DeGarmo here in MJ land.
-Just read that Paula Goodspeed, the woman who died near Paula Abdul’s house had an obsession with her for 17 years. Really sad.
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11/12: Obsessed Paula Abdul fan dies, David Archuleta CD set to debut #2 next week, “Idol Gives Back” $64 million
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Here’s a rather strange story off the wires:.
A fan of Paula Abdul was found dead in a car parked near a home belonging to the “American Idol” judge, police said Wednesday.
The death appears to be a suicide, Capt. Jim Miller told KTTV-TV. He said the woman, who was in her 30s and was not identified, had an infatuation with Abdul.
That’s sad. Not much more to say.
-The self-titled David Archuleta disc will sell between 225,000 to 250,000 based on first-day sales, according to hitsdailydouble.com.. He will end up at #2 behind country phenom Taylor Swift, whose second CD is set to sell at least 500K.
-“American Idol” has given out $64 million in grants this year from “Idol Gives Back” to six national and international charities, according to the Associated Press.
The six charities are: The Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria; Malaria No More; Children’s Health Fund; U.S. programs of Save the Children; Children’s Defense Fund; and Make It Right, Pitt’s campaign to help New Orleans recover from Hurricane Katrina.
The first one in 2007 raised $75 million.
“Idol” has not committed to a third “Gives Back” show yet. “I would like to take a break, personally,” said FremantleMedia North America CEO Cecile Frot-Coutaz in May to AP.
I’ll be posting a blog tonight re: the CMA Awards, especially if co-host Carrie Underwood wins a few. (She probably will…)
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11/11: David Archuleta’s album out today
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I gotta say that MJ is making me feel lazy! Actually, I have had three other non-“Idol” stories to juggle today and am only now getting to this blog. Shame on me!
Anyway, here’s what’s going on:
-Of course, we have to acknowledge David Archuleta and his first album out today. it’s ranked #5 right now on Amazon.com. behind Enya, Taylor Swift, David Cook (at #3 and out Nov. 18) and the Twilight movie soundtrack.
Ken Barnes over at Idol Chatter liked the album, gave it three stars.
The songs — fashioned by writers ranging from Disney teen-pop specialists to the co-writer of Olivia Newton-John’s Physical, ’60s Australian rocker Steve Kipner (a teen idol in his own time and place with his band Steve & The Board) — suit him well. They sound alike for the most part, just skirting the edges of blandness, but it’s an unfailingly pleasant sound, a lush cushion for Archuleta’s sincere emoting and smooth falsetto glides.
Jim Farber at The New York Daily News also gave the album three stars.:
This has nothing to do with the album but his description of Archuleta is apt:
Though Archuleta is actually 17, he looks no more than 12. And, as a personality, he seems innocent enough to make the kids in “High School Musical” look like embittered crack ho’s by comparison. The twinkly singer exudes a presexual purity more appropriate to the puppy love of ’50s pop than anything from today.
Farber’s a discerning fan and musical expert—just check this graf out:
It might have achieved even more of that had the album’s producers not larded Archuleta’s vocals with so much echo. One of the singer’s most appealing qualities has always been the slight dustiness in his tone, the bare scratch that hints at soul. That, and his dead-on ability to connect to the emotion behind a song, made Archuleta the best singer in this year’s competition - the guy who should have won. Here, though, they’ve planed down his timbre, losing some of the intriguing sadness that, no doubt, lost him the competition but which made him a deeper singer.
MJ notes in her blog that David’s dad “Jeff appeared to be very involved in the production and song selection process for David’s album.” David had his hand in writing four of the songs.
Jeff notes there were some differing opinions with the label, and that he and David had to negotiate and compromise on songs. He stresses, however, that the label really tried to be fair. He says they did listen and let him and David have creative and production input on at least half the songs.
-And though we see “Idol” related stuff on YouTube all the time already, Fremantle has signed a deal with YouTube, according to this report.
Video sharing site YouTube has inked a deal with Fremantle Media, the producer of “American Idol” and similar programs, Reuters reports.
London-based Fremantle and YouTube — now owned by Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) — will work together to produce programs to show on YouTube. They’ll split the revenue from the shows.
-“Idol” producers say they didn’t mean to try to block Josiah Leming’s Warner Bros. album due out in January.
In Leming’s case, his contract with 19 expired “a few months ago,” the spokesperson continued, “so we are not sure what controversy people are talking about.” And in an e-mail, the spokesperson told MTV News that “19 Entertainment wishes Josiah the best of luck on his album release.”
In other words, much ado about nothing from the original New York Post report.
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11/10: Primary suspect in Jennifer Hudson family murder case parole hearing today
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A nice quiet “Idol” day so here are the bits and pieces I scrounged up from over the weekend. If anything more interesting comes along, I’ll probably just update this entry.
The man police have called a suspect in the murder of actress Jennifer Hudson’s family finds out Monday whether he’ll remain in prison for violating his parole or go free while investigators continue to investigate the triple slaying.
-Jordin Sparks is launching a clothing line with Wet Seal. Here’s an excerpt from the press release:
The collection, appropriately named ‘Sparks’, will begin with an assortment of holiday dresses delivering to stores just in time for the busy Thanksgiving weekend. The collection will later include casual apparel and accessories. Each piece will reflect Jordin Sparks’ youthful and collected sense of style. The line is currently set to launch on November 19, 2008 and will come in sizes XS to XL.
-Here are a couple more David Archuleta reviews:
The Sacramento Bee was more or less kind:
Singing wistful, introspective ballads, Archuleta seems comfortable in his skin - which is to say that the songs here, both musically and lyrically, are just like Archuleta: sweet, engaging and lacking any bite.
The Daily Californian was nothing short of effusive.
This album is pure, perfect pop music, the stuff of romantic middle school slow dances, and David Archuleta is perfect as a wholesome pop idol.
How about that New York Times reviewer? He likes him. He likes him not.
The music, made by many producers and songwriters, averages out different forms of radio-format blandness, with tinges of Coldplay and Shania Twain, and a few dollops of good writing: “Don’t Let Go,” co-written and co-produced by the former ’N Sync singer J C Chasez; and “Crush.” But the persona remains intact, ready for more. “Show me that good things come to those who wait,” Mr. Archuleta sings at the end of “You Can.” He sounds as lost as ever, yet this is a mark of absolute assurance.
Latest comments
Place is really booming since i’ve been gone…LOL!!!!Looks like i’m not the only problem!!!GO DAWGS!!!!!AND THE ELITE 3!!!!... read the full comment by flats | Comment on 11/21: Phil Stacey loses label deal, Kristy Lee Cook begging for recognition Read 11/21: Phil Stacey loses label deal, Kristy Lee Cook begging for recognition
Great interview with Diana DeGarmo over at Rickey TV. Think that is great also that she is planning an EP release for December 2008... read the full comment by Jason | Comment on 9/11: Kellie Pickler & Josh Gracin at North Georgia State Fair, Diana DeGarmo at Go Arts Month event at Underground 10/4 Read 9/11: Kellie Pickler & Josh Gracin at North Georgia State Fair, Diana DeGarmo at Go Arts Month event at Underground 10/4
Diana DeGarmo is planning to release an EP in December 2008. She did an interview over on Rickey TV. This is sure great news about Diana DeGarmo planning to release a mini album EP in December 2008.... read the full comment by James | Comment on 9/11: Kellie Pickler & Josh Gracin at North Georgia State Fair, Diana DeGarmo at Go Arts Month event at Underground 10/4 Read 9/11: Kellie Pickler & Josh Gracin at North Georgia State Fair, Diana DeGarmo at Go Arts Month event at Underground 10/4
Well then I guess the real difference is that one is a beggar who is succeeding and one is a beggar who is failing.... read the full comment by JTesla | Comment on 11/21: Phil Stacey loses label deal, Kristy Lee Cook begging for recognition Read 11/21: Phil Stacey loses label deal, Kristy Lee Cook begging for recognition