I promise I won't make a typing slip this time: Jennifer Hudson didn't win American Idol.  Okay.  There.  But you can't deny that she's a winner of sorts—perhaps the most successful Idol contestant ever, following Kelly Clarkson.  Again, I'll list the achievements down: a best-selling album, a thriving movie career, not to mention an Oscar for her role in Dreamgirls.

The last time we've heard from her, it was her—or, actually, her representatives—denying reports that she's been enlisted to sing the national anthem during the inauguration of Barack Obama, which happens in less than a week.  They also said that she'll be making her first public appearance—after the brutal murder of her mother, brother and nephew last year—on a tribute to Neil Diamond next month.  Well, looks like the comeback is happening a little bit earlier than that.

Hudson has been enlisted by the NFL to perform the national anthem on next month's Super Bowl, which happens on February 1 in Tampa, Florida.  With the Neil Diamond tribute in Los Angeles happening in the middle of the month, the football event will be her first public appearance after her family's tragedy.  And a very public one, too—imagine the crowds watching from the Raymond James Stadium, or the millions more (literally) across the world.  I've mentioned previously a bit about Hudson exhibiting that resiliency that we've seen in many Idol contestants over the years.  With this, it's just perfect, and seemingly so.

Hudson, however, would only appear in the pre-game festivities: the halftime show is in the hands of another Oscar winner, Bruce Springsteen.  Now, I won't expect a surprise appearance, but as always, we'll never know… then again, we can rely that Hudson will give it her all when she steps up the stage for the first time in a long time.  I won't be surprised if my jaw drops again.


-Henrik Batallones, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: Los Angeles Times
(Image courtesy of People Magazine)