Ryan Seacrest and Paula Abdul Feud On Air and Off

Posted by Fara Kearnes at 3:09 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 1 )

American Idol host Ryan Seacrest has been often seen this TV season approaching the judges' table to speak with Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson, but the one person he doesn't talk to is Paula Abdul.

"It's awkward. I don't know what the deal is. It's very awkward," Seacrest told People Magazine on his frosty relationship with Abdul. When asked if he was speaking to Paula, he answered: "No."

He also admitted he hasn't confronted Paula yet about their problems. "You know, I walked past her dressing room the other day and there was a group of people gathered in front of the door, so I can't even talk to her. Simon and I go back and forth with each other, but it's in a different way."

A source close to Seacrest says he was just joking about the feud, but another source told People that the relationship has been “icy” since they each appeared separately on "The Tonight Show" with Jay Leno recently.

In Seacrest's March 30 appearance, Leno said that Abdul had seemed "a little loopy" on a recent episode of Idol to which Seacrest replied, "Well, have you listened to her album?"

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Paul Abdul Straight-Up Lied About Attack

Posted by Fara Kearnes at 4:08 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 2 )

American Idol judge Paula Abdul has been accused of faking a claim that she was attacked at a party in order to cover up the real story that she was bounced for being drunk.

The idol judge, who has barely been able to sit up straight on American Idol this season, was enjoying a night out at Los Angeles nightclub Xenii when she alleged that a man named Jim Lefkowitz "grabbed her by the arm and threw her against a wall", according to a Los Angeles police spokesperson.

Lefkowitz Says he has not been charged or even questioned by cops because Abdul's accusations are entirely untrue.

His lawyer told PageSix, "The press accounts of the so-called altercation between Jim Lefkowitz and Paula Abdul at Xenii last Sunday morning are completely outrageous and utterly false. Mr. Lefkowitz did not have an argument with Ms Abdul nor did he have any physical contact with her whatsoever. He was merely an innocent bystander at an unfortunate incident."

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'Idol''s Chris Daughtry Under Fire From Fans

Posted by Melanie McKane at 11:50 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 3 )

"American Idol" and controversy go together like Simon Cowell and high-waisted trousers, so it’s no shock that the mega-popular show is hitting the headlines again for all the wrong reasons.

"Idol" fans are fuming at contestant Chris Daughtry for trying to pass-off a version of Johnny Cash’s "I Walk The Line" as his own.

His slow, emotional version of the Cash classic won over the show’s judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson, who praised Chris for his originality and making the song his own, on Tuesday night.

Puzzled fans hit message boards after the show to find out where they’d heard the familiar-sounding rendition from, as it definitely wasn’t from the Joaquin Phoenix-starring biopic.

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Melissa McGhee is First to Go on 'American Idol'

Posted by Fara Kearnes at 2:37 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 0 )

Forgetting the words to the song on Tuesday night was the downfall of Melissa McGhee who was cut from "American Idol" on Wednesday as competition heated up with the beginning of the theme shows.

Each contestant picked their favorite Stevie Wonder song which they performed for the judges and the great Stevie himself. "Theme nights either make you or break you," Simon said.

Melissa sang "Lately," the first ballad she has performed on the show - and wearing her first dress ever. "It ended up really strong," judge Randy Jackson offered, even though the 21-year-old's huge mess up would put her in a bad position.

"You've got pipes, you can sing." Paula Abdul volunteered, "When you open your mouth to sing, there is something soothing. It is different than any other voice in the competition."

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The Freaks and Talentless are Highlights of American Idol

Posted by Fara Kearnes at 5:59 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 8 )

Millions of viewers watched the return of "American Idol" and experience the ... funniest ... contestant ... ever. Well, maybe not ever, but the 16-year-old stopped Simon Cowell in his tracks with her, uhm, supertan.

The orange-skinned, empty-headed Xtina wannabee Crystal Parizanski, who looks like she uses a black magic marker to apply her eyeliner, announced, "I think I'm kinda like Christina Aguilera because like I, I have attitude, like, 'I'm gonna do it', like, no one matter what, no one's gonna stop me."

Like, not to be distracted by her attempts to promote her singing, then Simon says, "it’s the most strange look make-up tan I’ve ever seen in my life."

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Bo Bice Now Says He's Glad He Lost ‘Idol’ Final

Posted by Fara Kearnes at 8:35 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 0 )

"The label 'American Idol' was not for me. I'm not a pop person. It would have been harder to play my kind of music if I had won," says American Idol runner-up Bo Bice.

Now working on his own album, Bo said, "I just came in to 'American Idol' being myself. And for some crazy reason, that's what people were wanting. Which is why I am truly the guy who's the most freaked out about everything that's happened."

Read the article at msnbc.com.

Meanwhile ... in related news, the upcoming American Idols Tour is selling well with some tickets going for 10 times their face value ...

Country Beats out Rock as Carrie Underwood wins Idol

Posted by Fara Kearnes at 8:08 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 2 )

Carrie Underwood, the 22-year-old college senior, is the new "American Idol" defeating Southern rocker Bo Bice in the show's way too long finale Wednesday night.

The country singer from Oklahoma beat out the older (29-year-old) rocker from Alabama. This was one of the closest votes on "Idol," but the fact that Bice was the runner-up isn't such a bad thing. Consider the successes of former winner Ruben Studdard and the runner-up Clay Aiken. Both have record contracts and do TV appearances, yet Aiken can be argued to be the bigger celebrity right now. The exposure on "Idol" has already gained Bo a few million fans and he'll be coming out with an album.

And Bo got to sing with Lynyrd Skynyrd on the show, which for him is probably better than winning.

Carrie reminds me of Trisha Yearwood (who just got engaged to Garth Brooks yesterday). She'll get a nice record deal, a car (as did Bo), as well as score 50,000 miles of free airfare on a private jet. For someone who had never flown on an airplane until a few months ago, how cool is that?

Paula Abdul Mashes on Corey Clarke in SNL Skit

Posted by Fara Kearnes at 3:48 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 1 )

"American Idol" Judge and Singer Paula Abdul showed her sense of humor by appearing on a "Saturday Night Live" skit where she poked fun at the publicity surrounding recent allegations that she helped a former contestant.

If you've been living in a cave and missed it, Corey Clark made claims that Paula had an affair with him while he was competing on the show in 2003 and even coached him on how to do better in the competition. ABC's "Primetime Live" interview him on the show last week.

Paula was wise to come out quickly and appear on an SNL sketch which lampooned the controversy with a mock stage performance to open the show. It featured Amy Poehler doing a brilliant Paula impersonation and Finesse Mitchell who mimicked Clark as if appearing on "Idol."

"Corey, that was beautiful," said Poehler playing the role of Paula judging his song performance. "You really blew me away. It's like I rolled over and said to you this morning, 'You have real star quality.' I'll see you at home."
, The Paula walks up to Poehler with her own critique of her judging critique: "You need to perfect the clap a little more and be a lot more sexier so contestants will be willing to sleep with you."

Paula then looks at the camera and says, "Live from New York ... it's Saturday Night!"

The SNL gig is probably a turning point for Paula who has been stressed the past few months knowing that this Corey Clark thing was coming out. She must have known he was planning something big but now that he's had his 15 seconds of fame, it's over. And crips, did any of it matter? Go away Corey. At least this whole sordid mess might explain the hit-and-run car accident and other wierd behavior Paula's been having recently.

"I do trust my fans who can see through attempts at character assassination, and I do trust the essential fairness of the American public," Paula said in a statement issued last Friday. She expressed her "deepest appreciation" for fans who have shown support for her and called the allegations made by Clark "lies."

As for "Primetime Live," the expose did not have the anticipated splash that they'd hoped for. (Maybe people were turned off by his creepy Michael Jackson-like whisper?) The hype was bigger than the actually accusations, probably because Clark has been caught in too many lies. And he may not get those book and music deals he's been shopping for either.

Recently dismissed idol contestant Scott Savol put in his two cents worth and commented on the Clark allegations: "Whatever's come out in the press as far as any controversy, the person knows that we're part of the No. 1 show. And for them to be able to be able to come out with allegations of something that has happened between them and a judge just so they get leeway to put out a mediocre product like a book and an album, it's just that the best way to get into the limelight is to start up controversy."

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Last Performance for American Idol's Scott Savol

Posted by Fara Kearnes at 4:19 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 6 )

He lasted much much longer than people expected, but Scott Savol was finally voted off "American Idol" on Wednesday. And no one was more surprised than he was.

Ryan Seacrest sent Scott and Anthony Fedorov (who will be the next to go) off to the side, and told the remaining three contestants – Carrie Underwood, Bo Bice, and Vonzell Solomon – that they were safe. Judge Randy Jackson replied that the right three people had been spared.

This is almost too easy to predict.

, I like Vonzell but I don't think she will win, mainly because she reminds too many people of Fantasia who won last year. They'll want a new look for this competition's winner. Bo seems to be the overwhelming popular choice but Carrie is a favorite with the judges (especially Simon Cowell). I'd be surprised if it isn't these two in the final.

Scott must have thought he was safe for another week, because when Seacrest told him to sit down, the big boy pumped his fist, apparently unaware that Seacrest didn't EXACTLY say he was safe. The dude should not have been surprised he was a goner -- or that Seacrest would take a week off from his head games.

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Bo Bice is American Idol's Rocker complete with Arrest Record

Posted by Fara Kearnes at 9:09 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 0 )

Rocker Bo Bice is the latest "American Idol" contestant to have his arrest record posted on the internet by The Smoking Gun Website.

He was arrested way back when for some drug possession, but the shocker is . . . uh, wha the . . . Wait. Dude!

Your REAL name is HAROLD???