August 8, 2008
I don't know what to make of the Clay Aiken baby scenario, but then I don't really know what to make of Clay Aiken in general. He simultaneously repulses and frightens me, but I know that there are many fans of the American Idol runner-up who would disagree. Back in May, it was announced that Aiken helped his 50-year-old record producer and friend, Jaymes Foster, get pregnant through artificial insemination. What once sounded like a rehash of a Will & Grace plot line is now a reality, as the Clay baby was delivered at 8:08am today. Parker Foster Aiken was born at the singer's home in North Carolina, and tipped the scales at 6 pounds 2 ounces.
August 7, 2008
My colleague Oscar Dahl has made his thoughts on American Idol runner-up David Archuleta quite well-known. Oscar is enjoying a much deserved vacation this week, so I'm here to admit something to all of you: I like David Archuleta. The kid won me over the instant I heard his sob story about vocal paralysis during American Idol's seventh season. I rooted for him during the entire competition, even when I grew completely bored with his insistence on singing ballad after ballad for weeks on end. If you ask me, little Archie deserved to make it to the final two.
Archuleta's first single, entitled "Crush," appeared all over the Internet last week. Will it be a smash hit, or will it end up as forgotten as Justin Guarini's first release?
July 29, 2008
American Idol's Ryan Seacrest was bitten by a shark over the weekend. Today is the first day of Discovery Channel's much beloved Shark Week. Is there a connection between the two? That's for you to decide, but you can color me suspicious. It wasn't a big shark that bit the American Idol host. He was about eight feet out in four foot deep water, when he felt something go by him. "I thought it was a stick,” Seacrest said on his radio show. It took a bite of the Crestman and left, apparently. Seacrest sustained no serious injuries and was back at work on Monday, discussing the shark attack.
July 21, 2008
The American Idol season has begun. We won't be seeing it, of course, until January of 2009, but the nearly year-long process has kicked off with the first round of auditions in San Francisco. American Idol auditions are a bit different in reality than the way they're portrayed on TV. You don't just get to show up at the site, wait in line for a couple of hours and then waltz in to see Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson. No, you have to show up early, wait a long time, get a ticket, come back another day, wait some more, make it past the preliminary auditions and, if you're good or bad enough for the cameras, then you come back to see the holy judge triumvirate. It all began last Thursday morning at the Cow Palace (no actual cows) in San Francisco. Reportedly, 7,000 aspiring singers showed up for the auditions. Today, the American Idol Audition Road Show made its way to Louisville, Kentucky.
July 18, 2008
The American Idol Truth Tour. At first glance, what do you think this means? What is American Idol covering up? According to the Writers Guild of America, a lot. Not just American Idol, though, but the entire reality industry in Hollywood. Long have reality series and game shows had writers who weren't really considered writers. This is only because, if they were considered writers, they would be part of a powerful union. That means no more long hours, more pay, and more benefits. Starting today, the WGA is going to hold protests in cities where American Idol is holding its auditions; they will be protesting what they consider poor treatment of writers in the reality industry.
July 11, 2008
There is a new category this year for the Prime Time Emmy Awards, and it has me quite excited. Probably far more excited than I should be. It is for the Best Reality Show Host. The Emmy Nominations will be announced next Thursday morning, July 17, and while we have a fairly good idea who the contenders are for the major awards, thanks to leaked short lists that have hit the internet over the past couple of weeks, we have no idea who the contenders for Reality Host will be. While the categories for Best Reality Show are split into Reality Show and Reality Show – Competition, the Host category is a veritable free-for-all. If you host any sort of prime time reality series, you are eligible. Since prognostication is part of the BuddyTV repertoire, we thought it'd be nice to take a look at who likely will be nominated and who, in a perfect world, should be.
July 11, 2008
Do you have tickets for the American Idol tour later this summer and are wondering what to expect ? Or, are you just curious as to what goes on during these American Idol tours? Well, thanks to a thorough concert reviewer from the Bay Area, we have a full set list for you. Unlike last year, when the American Idol top ten collaborated on a number of songs, even forming “bands” for various performances, this year it's more by-the-book. Which means it's more boring. It's basically a countdown, starting with my man Chikezie, who finished tenth last season, and culminating in a set by winner David Cook. There are a couple of group songs, but no real intermingling. Below you will find the full set list.
July 2, 2008
Is getting pregnant a trend these days? People are claiming this in the media, and there is a good bit of circumstantial evidence to back the claim up. You have Jamie Lynn Spears, you have Ashlee Simpson, you have those 18 girls on the east coast from the same high school. Maybe babies are the new Uggs. Or whatever used to be the hottest accessory. Regardless, if anyone out there has a good explanation for all these pregnancies besides “sheer randomness,” enlighten us in the comment section below. We have some American Idol baby news for you today, as well another record deal for an alum of the latest American Idol season.