Free Republic

Governor Palin’s book America by Heart is set to be released this coming Tuesday. As with every book, advanced copies are released to the press for reviewing purposes only. Those advanced copies usually come with conditions attached which include not disclosing any part of the book until a certain agreed date. It appears that some in the media have lost all of their integrity and no longer have any respect for the law and have decided to release parts of the book to no others than to sites trashing Governor Palin. So out of a 304 page book, those Palin...

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama's last-minute efforts to get Democratic voters to the polls include an interview with Ryan Seacrest. Yes, that Ryan Seacrest, host of "American Idol." The interview will air Tuesday on Seacrest's nationally syndicated radio show. Obama is also taping interviews Monday with local radio hosts in Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Honolulu and Miami. Those interviews will air on Election Day. Though Obama has no public campaign schedule between ahead of Tuesday's elections, White House officials believe he can reach his party's base from the White House. Obama is also holding conference calls Monday night with campaign volunteers...

Over the past few years, I have often complained about a hidebound culture that prevents many newspapers from responding to the challenges of new technology. There is, however, another hidebound American institution that is also finding it difficult to respond to new challenges: our big-city schools. Today, for example, the United States is home to more than 2,000 dysfunctional high schools. They represent less than 15% of American high schools yet account for about half of our dropouts. When you break this down, you find that these institutions produce 81% of all Native American dropouts, 73% of all African-American dropouts,...

Unless we measure success by how children perform, we'll have higher standards for pop stars than public schools. Over the past few years, I have often complained about a hidebound culture that prevents many newspapers from responding to the challenges of new technology. There is, however, another hidebound American institution that is also finding it difficult to respond to new challenges: our big-city schools. Today, for example, the United States is home to more than 2,000 dysfunctional high schools. They represent less than 15% of American high schools yet account for about half of our dropouts. When you break this...

I had to consider this for a moment and come to the conclusion for myself that it was not a joke. While the video itself is indeed “terrorizing”, that’s not the end to this man’s apparent terrorism career. Khuram Sher, seen below in the clip auditioning for Canadian Idol and singing “Complicated” by Avril Lavigne, was arrested for being apart of a homegrown terrorism plot in Canada. Susan Boyle he is not…. I guess that’s the end to his budding music career. VIDEO

It's been a rough week for Fantasia Barrino. The American Idol season 3 champ was hospitalized Monday in Charlotte, N.C., after overdosing on aspirin and a sleep aid, her manager Brian Dickens confirmed Tuesday. "Her injuries are not life threatening. She was dehydrated and exhausted at the time," Dickens said. "Fantasia is stable now. She will be released from the hospital soon." According to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, the incident was classified as a suicide attempt. The police report lists Dickens as the reporting person and says Barrino was found with "possible internal injuries."

PETA's taking aim at 'American Idol' contestant Kristy Lee Cook’s new hunting reality show, but Cook's not afraid to fire back. “Goin Country,” which began its eight episode run this weekend, follows the singer trying to land a record deal as she participates in hunts across the country. A spokesperson for the animal rights organization released the following statement to FOX411.com. “Instead of angering thousands of would-be fans by killing helpless animals on camera in attempt to get her '15 Minutes of Shame,' Kristy Lee Cook's fame crusade would be better served by following in the footsteps of fellow Idol...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH) today made the following statement regarding the nomination of Solicitor General Elena Kagan to the United States Supreme Court. Senator Gregg stated, “The Senate’s duty to provide advice and consent on Presidential nominations to the Supreme Court is one of its most significant constitutional responsibilities. Separate and distinct from its legislative function, the confirmation process requires the Senate to put aside politics and conduct a frank and evenhanded review of the nominee’s record, qualifications and demonstrated ability to apply the law in a fair and impartial manner. “I have met personally with Solicitor...

Ellen DeGeneres is officially out of “American Idol,” because she “hated being critical,” says a source familiar with negotiations. In fact, Gossip Cop hears she asked to be released from her contract the day last season ended, but was told there was no chance unless they found another panel. Which brings us to today’s HUGE news. Gossip Cop hears from a reliable source that offers have been made to Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler.

Sources connected with the "American Idol" negotiations tell TMZ Kara DioGuardi has judged her last contestant on "American Idol" -- because she's been fired. We're told the show will be going back to a three-judge format and assuming all deals are finalized, the judge's panel will consist of Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler. We're told the only way Kara could get a reprieve is if the J-Lo deal falls apart -- but we're told that deal is done. Ellen DeGeneres announced earlier Thursday that she was leaving the show after just one season.

Filling Simon Cowell‘s seat on American Idol was already a tough task –- now another chair is there for the taking. Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, who became a full-time judge on the show during its ninth season, is bowing out of the series, PEOPLE has learned. “A couple months ago, I let FOX and the American Idol producers know that this didn’t feel like the right fit for me,” she says in a statement. “I told them I wouldn’t leave them in a bind and that I would hold off on doing anything until they were able to figure...

LOS ANGELES, July 11 (Xinhua) -- A San Diego semi-finalist on " American Idol 8" and winner of other beauty pageants was crowned the title of Miss California 2010 overnight, well on the way in search of the tantalizing title of Miss America in six months time. Ariana Afsar, currently a freshman at University of California, Los Angeles, succeeded Kristy Cavinder, Miss California 2009 at a pageant held in Fresno, California on Saturday night. She has won various awards including a 25,000-U.S.-dollar cash prize in the junior teen Miss America competition and won the "Del Mar TV Idol" contest held...

The concert business is supposed to be the music industry's one sure thing. But not this summer. The Eagles, Rihanna and Maxwell have canceled tour dates. A wobbling "American Idol" tour has flooded the market with discounted tickets, and the resurrected Lilith Fair tour has called off concerts from Dallas to Salt Lake City. Even teen idols the Jonas Brothers announced this week that they're scrapping some shows. * * * With the continued evaporation of recorded music sales, acts at all levels of the talent pool must lean heavily on their live-performance earnings. That's forcing artists to tour more,...

Simon Cowell fulfilled five-year-old Bethany Fenton's final wish before she lost her battle with a brain tumor. She achieved her dream of singing 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' for Cowell when she visited the 'Britain's Got Talent' studios in North London ahead of Saturday's finale on June 5 and even met some of the finalists in the competition. Following her exciting day, the young girl told UK's Daily Mail, "I loved them all, especially Kieran, who asked for my wristband to give us both luck ... Simon let me sing 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' to him. He's so nice and I...

Bret Michaels returned to the stage last night in Biloxi, MS where Bret dropped a huge piece of info on the crowd -- he might be taking Simon Cowell's seat on "American Idol." Right before Bret played the classic "Every Rose Has Its Thorn," he told the crowd, "I can't say this is true yet, cause I don't know. Next year they asked me to possibly be the judge on 'American Idol.'" Very vague, but still ... As for the rest of the show, one audience member told us, "I figured he'd be wobbly and sitting on a stool. But...

American Idol announced the winner for 2010 this evening. The fan favorite, Lee DeWyze took home the win. Lee DeWyze has had his ups and downs this season, but sometimes that is a good thing. Everyone loves an underdog and Lee DeWyze was the underdog for American Idol...at least he was after Tim Urban was voted off. Lee suffered from a lack of confidence, which we all can relate to, most have been in that situation at some point in their life. Lee did not have a lack talent, Lee has a wonderful voice, he just came across as being...

Tonight's the night that American Idol's 9th season comes to a close - the finale - the crowning of the winner, either Lee Dewyze or Crystal Bowersox, and according to a very vivid dream I had last night, who won the crown? Crystal Bowersox. I usually don't remember my dreams, and if I do, I don't typically remember them very well. But this dream was different. Like many dreams it didn't make a lot of sense. Bizzare components mixed with elements from real life. I dreamed that I was the one who had the votes, individual votes, that I laid...

She isn't employed by the show and viewers never see her sparring with Simon Cowell. But Leesa Bellesi exerts her own kind of pull on "American Idol," Fox's top-rated singing contest that has a unique if often-unstated link to Christian churches. Bellesi, who runs a Christian nonprofit in Lake Forest with her ex-pastor husband, visits tapings frequently, has befriended numerous finalists and helps wrangle funds and scout temporary housing for families who trek cross-country to see relatives perform on "Idol." Bellesi said that churches form a base for the young singers as they try to win votes and establish fan...

While millions of fans focus on Crystal Bowersox’s high notes, Lee DeWyze’s guitar playing, and Simon Cowell’s last gasps of snark, MoneyWatch is, well, watching the money. By that measure, it hardly matters who wins next Wednesday — if they manage life after Idol correctly, the two finalists stand to earn millions of dollars each. Previous Idol winners such as Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood have gone on to become mega-selling, globe-touring, award-winning stars, while even contestants that haven’t won, such as Chris Daughtry and Jennifer Hudson, have gone on to become top-earning performers. “You can rest on having been...

PAULA Abdul is one demanding diva! The former American Idol judge reportedly told Simon Cowell she’ll join his new The X Factor show – if the millionaire music mogul pays her $3 million in advance. “Paula really wants to reunite with Simon on his new show next year,” a source told American tabloid the National Enquirer. “But she thinks he needs to either put up – or shut up!” The source adds that Abdul and Cowell — who used to come to blows as judges on Idol – “have discussed reteaming, but Paula feels Simon needs to commit financially.”