American Idol 2007--Live Thread (Part I)

FOX ^ | 1-15-07

[silent_jonny]

Barney's going to be in the choir!? My Barney!?

That's right.__________________
_______________But Barney can't sing.
I know.__________________

He's a warm, wonderful person and
I love him dearly; but he can't sing.

That's true.

He's kind, considerate, good-hearted - the most
gentle person I've ever known; but he can't sing.

You’re right.

He's the man I want to marry - the man I
want to be the father of my children …

But he can't sing.________________

Not a lick!

[silent_jonny]

Welcome once again to the …
Smoky Backroom!

Where anything can happen, and usually does!
Enter at your own risk

“I'm ascared in the Smoky Back Room!
… How did we wind up in here?” ~ TiredofLaundry

“We're dirty, dirty boys and girls,
I guess … I feel so naughty” ~ Retrokitten

“[It's] like detention with all the cool kids” ~ MOgirl

Reminder from Mayor Bloomberg:
There is no smoking allowed in the Smoky Backroom

And no trans-fat either

“I'm ascared in the Smoky Back Room!
… How did we wind up in here?” ~ TiredofLaundry

“We're dirty, dirty boys and girls,
I guess … I feel so naughty” ~ Retrokitten

[silent_jonny]

10,000th Post Winners!

Texasflower ~ May 26, 2005

Retrokitten ~ March 9, 2006

MaggieF ~ May 2, 2006

Retrokitten ~ May 25, 2006

[Always Right]

The blonde will win.

[silent_jonny]

The Idols Meet
President Bush

The Top 10 pose with President George W. Bush in the Oval Office.

July 28, 2006: the fifth season finalists are
the first Idols invited to the White House

American Idol winner Taylor Hicks and his fellow finalists, including runner-up Katherine McPhee, visited the White House Friday – but President Bush provided the entertainment.

"We gave him some presents," Idol's Ace Young tells PEOPLE. "On behalf of Taylor winning, we gave him a harmonica that said American Idol on it that he attempted to play. He didn't sound bad! And Taylor gave him a Soul Patrol T-shirt and he said it'll be his new jogging shirt. And I gave him an Ace beanie. He said it's a little too hot for the beanie, but he'll save it for winter."

Elliott is late for the group photo,
so Paris’s mom, Jamecia Bennett (far left),
squeezes herself into the picture.

The President, who posed for photos with the Idols and gave them a tour of the Oval Office, asked them how long it had been since they'd seen their families and told them, "This is the highlight of my day."

"Before we walked in," Young says, "everyone was asking who voted for him. … A majority (of us) didn't [or couldn’t]. But when we walked out, every single person said, 'Wow, what a great guy!' It felt like we were just hanging out with him."

Elliott finally arrives

Elliott Yamin missed the first part of the visit with the President. About five minutes after it started, he was seen racing down the hall toward the Oval Office, wiping his brow and saying, "Phew!"

"He was sleeping!" Young explains, adding that the Idols – who have been on the "American Idols Live" tour since July 6 – arrived in Washington, D.C., at 5:30 a.m., and that some of them have been having a hard time sleeping on the bus that takes them from city to city.

Before meeting the President, the Idols, accompanied by finalist Paris Bennett's mother, Jamecia, were given a tour of the White House by the First Lady's press secretary, Susan Whitson – Hicks's onetime 9th-grade English teacher.

A favorite stop? The library, where the Idols took books off the shelves looking for a secret passageway – to no avail. "We lost Kellie (Pickler) for a little while," says Young, laughing. "We thought she'd found something! When we were up in the Oval Office, Kellie told President Bush we'd been looking for secret passageways. In a joking manner, he said, 'Yeah … don't.' "

The visit came just hours before the Idols hit the stage at D.C.'s Verizon Center – the first time McPhee performed with them on tour since recovering from bronchitis and laryngitis. "She hasn't shown any nerves," says Young. "She'll get right back into it."

Source: people.com

[twin2]

Let me be the first to say it, Yeah!!!!!!!


Thanks jonny and I look forward to fabulous year!!!!

[silent_jonny]

Taylor Hicks

Taylor’s major-label debut album was released just before Christmas, selling a respectable 500,000 copies so far (certified gold) and reaching #2 on The Billboard 200. (billboard)

Taylor performs for service members and their families during a
holiday concert aboard the USS Ronald Reagan, December 19, 2006.

Taylor has also signed a $750,000 deal with Random House to write his autobiography. The book will be ghost written by Rolling Stone’s David Wild and is due to hit the shelves this spring; about the same time that Taylor will begin his nationwide tour. (wikipedia)

But [Hicks] vows nothing that's happened or in the works will change him …"I'm not going to change for anything. I'm just who I am. I'm the same guy that I am now as when I started the competition." (cbsnews)

[silent_jonny]

Katharine McPhee

Eye-catching, isn’t it?

If McPhee’s first album cover was designed to cause controversy, then mission accomplished.

Katharine McPhee Smokes Up Album Cover
AOL

Katharine McPhee Album Cover -- Your Comments?
Top40.about.com

Katharine McPhee's Near Crotch Shot
tmz.com

Says McPhee:

"I actually didn't pick the album cover. What I wanted was a bit more conservative. You pick your battles. Many people think it's suggestive, but really when you look at it, there's almost no skin, no crotch shot. I am completely covered, which makes it that much sexier." (AOL)

That's all well and good, but with so much attention being focused on the album's cover no one is talking about the album's songs, which is perhaps the whole point.

Originally slated for a November 2006 release, McPhee’s album has been “pushed back” until January 30, 2007. Not a good sign.

[silent_jonny]

Elliott Yamin

Elliott Yamin, the underdog favorite of Season 5 ...

"You moved me!"

... has signed a deal with Sony Records. His album is expected to be released this Valentine's Day, Feburary 14. (wikipedia)

But the article below might be of more immediate interest to his fans:

Elliott Yamin Gets
a Dental Makeover

Before & After

DECEMBER 08, 2006

Goodbye to the nickname "Snaggletooth." Thanks to $50,000 worth of porcelain veneers and other dental work, and 20 sometimes-painful hours in the dentist's chair to fix his crossbite, American Idol underdog Elliott Yamin can't seem to wipe the smile off his face, PEOPLE reports in its new issue.

"He loves to laugh, he loves to smile," says girlfriend Jaime Paetz, 28, a model who met Yamin, also 28, after he appeared on the FOX talent hunt this season. "I liked his old teeth, but if (the veneers) make him happy, then I'm happy."

The changes aren't just cosmetic, either. "It is going to help muscle function, it is going to increase the volume (of his voice) maybe," says Yamin's Beverly Hills dentist David Frey, who provided his services free of charge. "So if anything, he could become an even better singer."

"I've always wanted to have a nicer smile," says Yamin, who for much of his life was teased for his crooked teeth. "I used to look at old pictures of myself, and I figured out how to kind of smile without displaying all my teeth."

What finally persuaded him to go through with the dental work? "The bottom line was, I was long overdue for a dentist appointment," he explains. He also realized that having properly aligned teeth might allow him to "express my emotions better" during performances.

Still another reason for the Virginia native (who is 90 percent deaf in one ear and was diagnosed with diabetes when he was a teen) to smile: He just signed a songwriting deal with Sony's publishing division and his "soulful-sounding" debut album is due early next year.

He finished in third place on Idol (behind runner-up Katharine McPhee and winner Taylor Hicks,) but so what? Says Yamin: "I feel like I am the winner."

Source: people.com

[silent_jonny]

Chris Daughtry

McShocked!

May 10, 2006—elimination night.

After receiving mixed reviews for her performances the night before, it was no surprise that Katharine McPhee found herself, once again, facing elimination. What was a surprise, however, was seeing fan favorite Chris Daughtry standing beside her in the bottom two.

“Katharine,” said Seacrest, “you’re safe.”

“Chris, you’re going home.”

“OH NO!” ~ Jrabbit

“I am pissed!” ~ MaggieF

“this is just damn wrong...” ~Mystery-AK

“HOLY CRAP!!!” ~ Fawn

“Show's over for me.” ~ AnnaZ

“Uneffinbelievable.” ~ Petronski

“The look on Simon's face said it all.” ~ Misterrob

But don’t feel bad for Chris. His debut album “Daughtry” was recently certified platinum with over one million copies sold (the first non Idol winner/runner-up to accomplish that). And both the album and Daughtry himself have received favorable reviews from even the most cynical music critics. Not bad for a guy that finished 4th place.

“… each tune bears a writing credit by Daughtry, and most of them are solo credits. Listening to these songs, it would be easy to mistake them for the work of seasoned pros: they not only follow the template of post-grunge well, they do it with better hooks and a commercial flair lacking from bands like Fuel and Shinedown, bands that have inspired Daughtry but who he betters here. To put it mildly, that's a surprise -- not just that Daughtry pulled off the tricky move of being pop enough for his ‘Idol’ fans and rock enough for post-grungers, but that he pulled it off on the strength of his own work.”

~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Daughtry is scheduled to begin a nationwide tour in early 2007. Click here for more information.

[colorcountry]

WOW Jonny! Is that sketch yours? The one at the top of the page....it is fantastic!

Thanks for the ping. I will be silently watching and reading during mountain time. But know that I am here with you in spirit.

[silent_jonny]

Paris Bennett

The annoyingly cute Paris is working on an album that will be released between February and March of this year. Two songs from that album are now available on her myspace page.

Both sound horrible to me, but her fans seem to like them. Here’s a review from a satisfied myspace customer:

“Im lovin both of dem songz da beatz iz hot and bangin and paris iz sangin up som stuff”

Allrighty then.

[silent_jonny]

Kellie Pickler

The first singer from the ’06 season to release an album wasn’t Hicks, McPhee or anyone in the top 5. It was 6th place finisher Kellie Pickler.

Her album “Small Town Girl” actually made it to #1 on Billboard’s Top Country Chart and has sold nearly 300,000 copies to date. (Billboard)

But if her singing--and the critics’ reviews-- are any indication, Kellie will probably make a more favorable impression as an actress.

She was recently offered a sitcom deal where she will play “a naïve small town girl” (that’s a stretch) who discovers that her biological father is the governor of North Carolina.

The FOX sitcom is being developed by the same creative team behind “That 70’s Show” and will be produced by American Idol’s 19 Entertainment. (eonline)

Pickler is content with completing what seems to be her own Cinderella story … "It's taken me 20 years but for once in my life I'm actually happy with what I see when I look in the mirror," Pickler said in an uncharacteristic soft voice. "You know, I'm happy with who I am and what I'm about. Life is good." (Ocala.com)

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Believe me or not........I picked Taylor Hicks to win it all based on his FIRST audition......

[twin2]

You've already outdone yourself with this thread, I can't wait to see what the season brings.

[Howlin]

Is it tonight????

[silent_jonny]

Ace Young

Ace sings the National Anthem
at a LA Angels game, summer 2006

Ace seems to be taking things a bit slower than the others. He released a single called “Scattered” last fall that’s available on iTunes. He also has a co-writing credit on Chris Daughtry’s first single, “It’s Not Over”. But so far, Ace has no record deal of his own. (wikipedia)

Off topic, but worth mentioning: During the Idol tour last year, Ace and Bucky Covington took time to show their support for the troops by sending cards through Xerox’s “Let’s Say Thanks” program.

If you would like to send a card to the troops, just click the graphic below. It’s fast, free and easy.

From Ace

From Bucky

And speaking of Bucky …

[silent_jonny]

Bucky Covington

Last season, as he was entering the semifinals, Bucky was asked: If you don't make it on AMERICAN IDOL, what will you do?

Bucky’s answer: Move to Nashville and keep trying.

And that’s exactly what he did.

Competing on the show in front of millions of viewers was "a really big learning experience," Covington explains. "And I was thrilled to reach number eight. I thought that it was one of the best moves that I could have made."

The very next day [after he was eliminated], calls from people in the music business started pouring in. But it was the first call that he received from Ron Harris, of O-Seven Artist Management who manage Sawyer Brown, that really made things click for Covington. Ron put Bucky in touch with Mark Miller, and a conversation with Mark drove things home. "Instead of telling me all they were going to do for me, he asked me what kind of music I wanted to make and he never brought up money. He let me talk rather than selling himself. Every time I talked to him and Ron, I could tell they were serious and legitimate and that they meant what they said.

"And the kind of things I was saying were: 'I don't care about becoming a millionaire in the next five years. I'm not looking for that. I want a 30-year career. I don't care how fast I get there. I just want longevity,'" says Covington.

Bucky poses with fans backstage at the
GAC (Great American Country) Christmas Tour.
Bucky replaced Nashville Star winner Buddy Jewell
after a wrist injury forced Jewell from the tour.
Click HERE for more photos.

“It’s so amazing, what ‘American Idol’ can do for a singer,” said Bucky. “People don’t realize that when they pick up the phone to vote they’re helping to make someone’s dream come true … Now I’m living in Nashville, signed to Lyric Street Records, and getting ready to release my first single and debut album. Man, it’s unbelievable!”

Source: BuckyCovingtonMusic.com

Bucky’s first single, “A Different World” will debut on Country radio January 16, followed by an album scheduled for release on April 17.

[silent_jonny]

Mandisa

The big girl with the big voice has also moved to Nashville and has signed a record deal with Christian label EMI-CMG. In addition to performing, Mandisa is currently writing a book titled Idol Eyes: My New Perspective of Faith, Fat and Fame (wkrn.com/nashville)

“More than just a career, I really want to have a ministry that has an impact on people,” Mandisa declares. “I want to be able to use the platform the Lord has given me to speak to people about race issues within the body of Christ and also about health issues. I just want to follow through with what is in my heart. I never want to look back and wonder, ‘What would have happened if….’”

Source: myspace.com/Mandisa

[maggief]

Lyrics

[mystery-ak]

I am glad you used it......What, no smoking in the smokey back room?.....I got to get on the ball.....I haven't won anything here....are you giving away toasters?...my first gif of the new thread...

[silent_jonny]

Lisa Tucker

The 17 year old from California didn’t leave much of an impression, but rounding out the Top 10 of American Idol has some perks, at least. Tucker recently appeared in the Tournament of Roses Parade on New Year’s Day and has made cameos as herself on a few TV shows. She graduated high school last June and plans to attend Cal State Fullerton eventually, “but will be taking her first year off to work on her major-debut album” (wikipedia).

[Jrabbit]

WHOO-HOO!!! Hi jonny!!

Fun times are here, again! I even watched 24 for the 1st time last night! Oh my goodness! LOVED it! What's even better, I can now record it all! Finally got a HD DVR thingy and one of my sons taught me how to use it. I feel so grown up!!

Thanks for the ping! Can't wait.... :-)

[mystery-ak]

WOW....now I see why it took you so long to get this thread ready........and your portrait is a masterpiece.....

[silent_jonny]

A BIG special thank you to

Wolfstar

for all her help in assembling this thread.

You all do!

“This is so much fun....I look forward to Tuesday and Wednesday....I feel like we're all friends....” ~ BamaDi

“I wouldn't be neeeeeearly as hooked on AI if it weren't for this thread!” ~ Hetty Fauxvert

“This thread is my absolute favorite part of FR and I never feel more at home and among friends as I do when I come here for the show.” ~ Conservativebabe

[silent_jonny]

The 4 hour American Idol season premier
is this Tuesday and Wednesday, January 16 & 17
Starting at 8pm EST

See you then

Fife, out!

[AnnaZ]

Woo-hoo! What a great start to the thread, jonny. You done waysupergood! You are definitely the best thread host ever!

(I actually had marked my calendar for tomorrow night. LOL!)

[silent_jonny]

Let me be the first to say it, Yeah!!!!!!!

Yeah!!!! back :)

[Txsleuth]

Thanks for the ping...bookmarking the thread!!

[Fawn]

LOL Very nice. Is that what I said?
I'm ready for the next season!

[Lil'freeper]

Bravo! Amazing thread kick-off!

And may I be the first to say:

I SHOT THE SHERIFF...BUT I DID NOT SHOOT THE DEPUTY! I SHOT THE SHERIFF... BUT I DID NOT SHOOT THE DEPUTY! I SHOT THE SHERIFF... BUT I DID NOT SHOOT THE DEPUTY...

[csvset]

Outstanding work with all the followup info on last year's group..

Fwiw, I saw McPhee on the cover of Shape magazine.

[silent_jonny]

Yeah, that's mine :] Thank you for the compliment and I look forward to seeing you around.

[Txsleuth]

Do you mean the one in the commercials that they praise?

[silent_jonny]

I picked Taylor Hicks to win it all based on his FIRST audition......

When I heard him play the harmonica for the first time--that's when I knew.

[silent_jonny]

Thanks, Twin :)

[twin2]

Now I feel the need to come up with a creative money quote for AI thread (part II).

[Txsleuth]

Did you hear they are going to have a "reality" TV show about Paula Abdul..and her day to day life??

[silent_jonny]

Is it tonight????

Nope, 24 tonight. The bad singing is tomorrow and Wednesday night :)

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Jeez, we're talented!!!

[GraniteStateConservative]

Good job on the thread.

[silent_jonny]

:)

[GraniteStateConservative]

I had no idea you were a painter, and so good at it.

[BamaDi]

finally - I'm so glad it's that time of year again.....Taylor Hicks will be here in Mobile next month - the tickets went on sale Saturday and sold out in 50 MINUTES! and I didn't get one....I'm still depressed!

[mystery-ak]

Now I feel the need to come up with a creative money quote for AI thread (part II). me too....

[EmilyGeiger]

Gorgeous picture jonny! Breathtaking. Such talent!!



LOL to the Barney and the singing. One of my favorite episodes and perfect for this thread. Pinch me, I must be dreaming that my two favorite shows are on again this week!!! Thanks for the ping and for being such a gracious host.

[silent_jonny]

Hey, Buddy :)

I am glad you used it......

I had no choice--if I didn't use it, you'd nag me for the rest of the year ;)

As I've said before, thanks for the kick in the butt :)

are you giving away toasters?...

No toasters from me, but you can always try to win the 10,000th post special prize :-D

[Wolfstar]

Jonny!!! Very cool opening of THE thread. Your artwork is superb. Truly. You have been blessed with a stunning gift, and I'm in awe of your talent.

Thank you for all you do for us AI fans. :)

[BamaDi]

The Pickle has a song in the country Music top 20 - Red High Heels - and I truly believe it will hit #1 before it's all over with....and you know I loved the Pickle - I loved her personality....too cute!

[silent_jonny]

Hi, J! Good to see you :)