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Access Atlanta > Blog > Archives > 2006 > May > 15 > Entry
DeGarmo coming to Fox in ‘Brooklyn’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Former “American Idol” runner-up Diana DeGarmo took a day off from her Broadway stint in “Hairspray” to belt out a few tunes for an adoring hometown crowd of 500 at the Rialto downtown Friday night.
With her eight-piece backup band, the Snellville teenager mixed covers (“Chain of Fools,” “Funkytown”), originals from her album (“Blue Skies,” “Emotional”) and the highlight of the night, a powerful “Once Upon a Time” from the musical “Brooklyn.” (She’ll be on the national tour this summer as the lead, hitting the Fox Theatre July 11-16.) Unfortunately, the sound mix was muddled and tinny, failing to fully showcase her pipes.
DeGarmo did provide some good news: “Hairspray” has invited her back for six more months starting this fall.
Georgians top music charts
After Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles helped Bon Jovi hit the top of the Mediabase 24/7 country music charts with “Who Says You Can’t Go Home,” Macon’s Jason Aldean last week knocked the rock group off the perch with his midtempo ballad “Why,” his follow-up to his memorable debut single, “Hicktown.” Meanwhile, on the urban chart, new Atlanta rapper Yung Joc is No. 1 with “It’s Goin’ Down,” knocking out fellow hometown favorite T.I.
‘Friends’ smart aleck plays against type
After “Friends” ended in spring 2004, Matthew Perry admits that he didn’t feel any pressure to work immediately.
He did do one movie, “The Ron Clark Story,” which will air on TNT in August. Clark, who will open an academy bearing his name in south Atlanta this fall, is a teacher who inspired a group of tough Harlem students in the late 1990s.
What appealed to Perry was that Clark was the utter opposite of Chandler Bing, his signature role on “Friends.”
“Most characters I’ve played in the past were rather cynical and trying to be funny all the time,” Perry told Buzz last week. “This guy is very earnest and very loving.”
How would Chandler do as a teacher in Harlem? “He’d make fun of one of the kids, they’d threaten to kill him and he’d run away,” Perry joked. “It’d be a very short movie.”
Perry also recently signed on to play a hotshot writer on “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip,” a behind-the-scenes drama about a “Saturday Night Live”-type show. It’s set to air on NBC this fall and is helmed by “The West Wing” creator Aaron Sorkin.
“It’s a television show about how bad television is,” Perry said.
Would-be ‘Idol’ gets offer
On the entertainment news show “Extra,” members of the band Fuel last week offered a lead-singer position to ousted “American Idol” contestant Chris Daughtry. Daughtry said he’s not sure whether he’ll take such an offer or opt to go solo once he’s no longer tied to “Idol.”
Some people weren’t surprised by Daughtry’s departure, because of dialidol.com, which predicts “Idol” outcomes based on busy signals. The Web site, which has been amazingly accurate in recent weeks, showed Daughtry at the bottom before the results were announced.
On dialidol.com, Taylor Hicks of Birmingham has been the most popular “Idol” finalist every week since the top 12 and remains the favorite to win it all.
Air America leaving Atlanta?
Air America, the liberal talk radio network featuring the likes of Al Franken and Randi Rhodes, might be losing its Atlanta affiliate next month, when bakery magnate Joe Weber takes over the AM/1690 signal. Weber, who purchased 1690 for $12 million, told Buzz that he’s planning to move his eclectic music station at AM/1160 to 1690 because it has a better signal, especially at night. He’s negotiating with Air America to lease airtime on 1160. Atlanta-based Air America President Jon Sinton said the syndicate is pondering options.
Random bits
Actor Johnny Depp is considered the best A-list celebrity when it comes to signing autographs, while Cameron Diaz is the worst, according to this year’s survey by Autograph Collector magazine. Russell Crowe has improved in recent months, after being considered a grouch… .
So much for that panic over bird flu. Ratings for last week’s ABC film “Fatal Contact: Bird Flu in America” were feeble, pulling in just 5.3 million viewers, fewer than the WB’s season finale of “Gilmore Girls.” …
Mediaweek.com is reporting that the WB’s sturdy drama “7th Heaven,” which had its supposed series finale last Monday, might be back on the combined WB/UPN network, the CW, this fall after all. Originally the show was canceled for financial reasons, but the trade publication said the new network might be able to afford the show.
Celebrity birthdays
Counterculture figure Wavy Gravy is 70. Actor Chazz Palminteri is 55. Actress Jamie-Lynn Sigler (“The Sopranos”) is 25.
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
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