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American Idol Boot Camp
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NEW 'IDOL' GUESSING GAME
PREDICT THE FINALISTS
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Covington graduates from 'Idol' to Nashville REUTERS

Cowell accused of American Idol fix
Friday February 16, 11:45 AM

Music mogul and reality show judge Simon Cowell has been accused of planting a British pop star who was once signed to his record company in the second round of American Idol.

Former Take That backing singer Tom Lowe has made it through to the TV singing contest's Hollywood stage after wowing the judges in Seattle, but he stunned Cowell at the end of his audition by saying, "I was at BMG Records in London at the same time that you were there."

Lowe was a member of British boy band North And South, who scored four minor hit singles on Cowell's record label before splitting in 1998, but Cowell claims he can't remember him.

However, a furious contestant tells the Daily Star, "It's really suspicious that they were at the same record company. Simon claims he doesn't remember him but there's a feeling among some people that this could be a fix.

"A career in the States could be worth GBP100 million so there's a lot at stake and people aren't happy."

Lowe now works in tourism in Boston and sings in a band called TOMMY AND THE TIGERS. yahoo

‘American Idol’ Season 6:

Of mishaps, controversies and intrigues

The deeper into the show, the more controversial "American Idol" gets.

The world’s number one reality show shifts the spotlight on its 24 semifinalists starting tonight with the top 12 boys performing live at 6 p.m. Manila time. The first performance show not only signals the judges turning–over the contestants’ fate to millions of American viewers.

This season is extra interesting for Pinoys because another Filipino–American AJ Tabaldo is on the show. The 22-year-old hopeful, who has been singing since five, auditioned five times before he made it through to the main round.

ManilaBulletin

IDOL GOES LIVE; EVERYTHING ELSE, DEAD

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With the audition shows behind it, Fox's American Idol presented its first live telecast of the season Tuesday night and once again overwhelmed the competition.
The two-hour telecast averaged a 16.6 rating and a 25 share, translating to 29.44 million viewers.
The show peaked in the first half of the 9:00 p.m. hour with 31.32 million viewers. Everything else airing opposite the Idol bulldozer was pretty much flattened, with the exception of CBS's NCIS, which drew a 9.3/15 at 8:00 p.m..

Contactmusic

SPOILER!!!

'American Idol' cuts loose 4 singers
yahoo

J.Lo, Bon Jovi to appear on ‘Idol’
Gwen Stefani, Diana Ross, Barry Gibb also to be among stars on top show: www.msnbc.msn.com

American Idol Unauthorized undercover.com.au/

Four more cut loose from 'American Idol' yahoo

Idol Rich - Simon Cowell On Britney Spears & Robbie Williams

Date : 05.03.2007

SIMON Cowell, American Idol’s resident English baddie – a shorter Alan Rickman in high-waisted trousers - is talking over matters Robbie Williams and Britney Spears.

“It’s very fashionable to be in rehab,” says Cowell in the Mirror. “This whole thing is a total indulgence.”

So Cowell, worth a reported £90million, is thinking of joining the rehab cult? No. “Britney and Robbie need to get a grip,” he adds.

Cowell says Spears should go back to live with her mum for six months. He prescribes a short, sharp shock.

“I went to a deprived part of the world recently and I saw a set of conditions that people live in that are beyond belief,” says Cowell, pictured seated by the swimming pool at his eight-bedroom Beverly Hills office.

Cowell declines to name the location but it is known that he spends some of his time in the UK, and we understand what he means.

He says the trip opened his eyes. “I would make it compulsory that they have to go and live in a developing country for a couple of weeks,” says he. “I’ll tell you what rehab is.” says Cowell. “Go to where I just went, where people really are suffering and then you’ll see how good life is.”

Cowell should note that Britney has toured in Rio de Janeiro and Williams, a native of Stoke-on-Trent, has travelled widely from Scotland to some of the more remote German stadia and Denmark.

Cowell speaks his mind. But, of course, there is nothing new in bashing Williams. It was Liam Gallagher who told us: “What's his f***in' problem, man? "We all know what it is - he's a f***in' drama f***in' queen. If you've got a f***in' problem, why do you want the whole world knowing about it? He has to be on the front f***in' pages, doesn't he? Just sort your f***in' self out. You make a f***in' crap album then want everyone to feel f***in' sorry for you. "F***in' tosser!"

Cowell agrees. “I’ve heard Rudebox and it’s terrible,” he says of Williams’ most recent album. “If it was by anyone else it wouldn’t have been released.”

But while the fading pop idols bounce off the padded walls and tell of the pain and the turmoil to people paid to listen, Cowell introduces us to the future. It’s Leona Lewis, the winner on Cowell’s X Factor TV show. It’s Ray Quinn, who finished as the show’s runner up.

And we begin to feel a little empathy for Williams and Spears. We begin to feel their depression… anorak

Cowell 'couldn't stand' American Idol winner Hicks
March 6

Music mogul Simon Cowell has blasted the most recent American Idol winner Taylor Hicks for lacking the talent to become a pop superstar.

Cowell, who is a judge on the hit reality TV show alongside Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson, confessed last Thursday he wanted to axe Hicks early on in American Idol last year.

And Cowell isn't surprised 30-year-old Hicks has struggled to sell records, while fellow contestant Chris Daughtry is a commercial success.

He says, "They (Abdul and Jackson) loved him. I couldn't stand him. I didn't get it.

"At the end of the day you have to find a bona fide recording artist. Just because you win the show doesn't mean you will sell a lot of records. Chris is the one who sold the albums, not Taylor." yahoo

Jennifer Hudson Returns To Her Idol Roots.

7th March 2007

Jennifer Hudson Returns To Her Idol Roots.... Dreamgirl Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson on her Oscars win and a suprise return to American Idol.

The Oscar winning star says she has ordered a special display case so she can show off her Oscar in her new home.

The proud Dreamgirls star insists the statuette she won at the Academy Awards last month (25Feb07) will have a special place of honour in her new condo in Chicago, Illinois.

She explains, "I want to put it in it's own case with theme music when you open it up."

Hudson claims she might even give her new prize a bit of a makeover adding, "He needs some clothes, I want to give him an afro... Don't tell the Academy!" Hudson is still getting over the shock of winning and insists on taking her Oscar statue with her wherever she goes .

She explains, "When I got my Golden Globe (Award) I took it around with me for about two weeks before I would give it up so it could be engraved."

She will also reluctantly have to give her Oscar up so it can be engraved adding, "I don't like that idea, but just to get my name on it, I will!" Meanwhile Hudson stunned American Idol Contestants when she returned to her American Idol roots and made a surprise visit to the show last week.

Hudson made it to the finals of the TV talent show in season three, but she was voted off the programme. Fantasia Barrino went on to claim victory.

But, in a bid to prove she has no hard feelings about missing out on the chance to become an Idol winner, Hudson secretly returned to the show to offer the current batch of wannabes encouragement.

The Dreamgirls star says, "I just went to visit the show. I wanted to surprise the kids. I wanted to meet the contestants.

"It was elimination day. I still remember that day. I still get nervous on Wednesdays, because I was always in the bottom three (to be voted off the show).

"So I wanted to go and encourage them. The last thing I said is, 'Remember, it's OK if you get eliminated!' I'm the perfect person to tell them that." femalefirst

Mar 8, 2007
Fox Responds To Rosie's Rant
"View" Host Said "American Idol's" Treatment Of Frenchie Davis Was "Racist"
cbs4denver.com

Antonella Barba - Porn Idol



American Idol's Antonella Barba - an open letter...

"I FEEL for you, cause you've taken a lot of stick in the media. I think you've handled yourself well throughout, and I don't think anyone should be put in that situation. But I'm not going to patronize you here..."

As the situation mushrooms from a naughty half-naked photo scandal to charges of discrimination, racism, favoritism, unpatriotism and porn-peddling immorality behind the scenes of America's top television show, the Antonella Barba scandal finally got a mention on American Idol last night.

Simon Cowell stepped gingerly around the controversy while doing his best to subliminally order viewers to vote the poor thing out before things get even farther out of hand. His comments to Antonella after she managed to mangle a Corinne Bailey Rae easy-listening Starbucks staple constituted a gracious kiss-off to the worst remaining female singer.

Antonella, true to form, didn't get it.

Said Simon: "You've gone as far as you can go, Antonella. I mean, the reality is, and I think you know this yourself, which is, you are surrounded by some pretty amazing girl singers. And I don't know how much more you can do, to be honest with you, because I don't think your voice is going to get any better.

"I feel for you, cause you've taken a lot of stick in the media. I think you've handled yourself well throughout, and I don't think anyone should be put in that situation. But I'm not going to patronize you here. It wasn't your worst, we've heard you sound worse, but I just have a problem here, which is I just wish you could sing better."

As she did last week, Antonella responded to the criticism by challenging it. She said, in part:

”I know I'm surrounded by really talented people and I think that I'm just, I have a different style than them and I'm not trying to compare myself to anyone else and I with the judges wouldn't compare me to anyone else because I try to be myself... We're all different, we're all unique."

Two gals and two guys will be eliminated tonight at 8. Our money is on Antonella hanging in. And if she does, don't be surprised if "someone" leaks more-explicit photos that they've been holding back, so Idol producers have no choice but to ask her to leave the competition.
anorak