Paula, Randy and Simon are getting some company. Grammy-nominated songwriter Kara DioGuardi is joining American Idol as a judge when the singing competition returns for its eighth season in January 2009. “We are turning the heat up on Idol this year and are thrilled to welcome Kara to the judges’ table,” show creator Simon Fuller said in a statement released Monday. “She is a smart, sassy lady, and one of America’s most successful songwriters. We know she will bring a new level of energy and excitement to the show.”
DioGaurdi is certainly qualified for the job, having written songs for artists as diverse as Kelly Clarkson, Christina Aguilera, Gwen Stefani, Celine Dion, Faith Hill, Carrie Underwood, Santana, and Pink. Even Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers have released DioGuardi’s songs.
Adding a fourth judge may seem like a shakeup for TV’s biggest show but, according to executive producer Cecile Frot-Coutaz, producers always intended to have a fourth judge on the panel. “We’ve seen from our international series that having a fourth judge creates a dynamic that benefits both the contestants and the viewers,” Frot-Coutaz said.
And at least one executive at FOX, Mike Darnell, the network’s president of alternative programming, believes that original female judge Paula Abdul deserves some companionship. “For the past seven seasons, Paula has had to endure the experience of being the only woman at the judges’ table,” Darnell said in a statement. “With Kara by her side, Paula finally has some back-up and now there is going to be a lot more ‘girl power’ on the show.”
Source: www.people.com
Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban may have just welcomed daughter, Sunday Rose Kidman Urban yesterday, but she's already getting a warm, country welcome from her parents' friends.
Country music star Ronnie Dunn, of Brooks & Dunn, celebrated the Fourth of July with the couple at his home in Nashville, where Nicole Kidman told the singer she was ready to pop. "Nicole told me Friday night that she was hoping that my fireworks would do it," Dunn says. "I'm overjoyed for them."
Fellow country singer and good friend, LeAnn Rimes, says she knows the couple "will be wonderful parents. Nicole and Keith are two of the most kind, caring people I know. I am thrilled for them."
Country singer Taylor Swift was vacationing in Hawaii when she got the news, and she excitedly took to her blog. "Even just thinking about it now, I'm tearing up because I'm so happy for them," she wrote on her MySpace page.
The country phenom added that Nicole and Keith– both Aussie imports – have been welcome additions to the Nashville scene. "They're such incredible people," she gushed. "Nicole Kidman came to Nashville and treated everyone with grace and respect, and has always been so humble. I'm overjoyed for them."
American Idol's Michael Johns was also thrilled for the new parents when PEOPLE broke the news to him. "That's awesome!" he enthused Monday before the A.I. tour stop at the L.A. Staples Center. (The Australian native has become fast friends with the superstar twosome.) "They're genuinely a happy couple – it's not a Hollywood thing," he said. "They really, really do love each other. So anytime a baby can be born into that situation, it's pretty cool."
Source: www.people.com
American Idol finalist Kristy Lee Cook recently signed a record deal with 19 Recordings/Arista Nashville. This will be the second time Kristy, 24, has signed with the label — as a teen she was signed but was dropped before she recorded anything.
Her album, which will arrive in the fall, is being produced by Brett James, who co-wrote Carrie Underwood's hit "Jesus Take the Wheel." The first single, called "15 Minutes of Shame," will be released August 11.
Kristy will record the album this summer while touring with "American Idols Live." The tour kicks off Tuesday in Glendale, Arizona, and runs through September 13.
Source: www.foxnews.com
Chris Noth will not be returning for the eighth season of Law & Order: Criminal Intent, a rep for USA confirms to Usmagazine.com. Chris has played Detective Mike Logan on two of the Law and Order shows. Chris first played Mike Logan on the original show on NBC from 1990 to 1995. He then brought back the character on Criminal Intent in 2005. He also is well known for his role Mr. Big on Sex and the City. He played that character on the HBO series and in the big screen movie that is still in theaters. Meanwhile, Jeff Goldblum is joining the cast of Criminal Intent starting this fall.
Don't expect Luke Perry to join Tori Spelling and Jennie Garth on the CW's 90210 spin-off. “I can’t re-imagine it currently,” Luke told The Billy Bush Show Thursday. “It’s just not something that I’ve thought about to be quite honest,” Luke, who played brooding rebel Dylan McKay revealed. “I don’t see it happening.” As for his former castmates Tori and Jennie, “I wish them a lot of luck. I hope they have a lot of success with it,” Luke said.
Auditions for the eighth season of Fox's American Idol are underway. They kick off July 17 in San Francisco and will head to seven additional cities.
The locations are:
San Francisco, CA: July 17
Louisville, KY: July 21
Phoenix, AZ: July 25
Salt Lake City, UT: July 29
San Juan, Puerto Rico: Aug. 2
Kansas City, MO: Aug. 8
Jacksonville, FL: Aug. 13
East Rutherford, NJ: Aug. 19
Source: www.usmagazine.com
The wife of CNN host Larry King, Shawn Southwick King, has entered rehab for an addiction to painkillers, the New York Post's Page Six reports. Larry, 74, married actress Shawn, 48, in 1997, and the couple have two children together, ages 9 and 8. She also has a 26-year-old son from a previous marriage. A friend of Larry's tells the Post, "Shawn is in rehab for medication issues related to her chronic migraine problem."
Second-season American Idol champ Ruben Studdard obtained a marriage license Monday in Alabama, PEOPLE has learned. Ruben, 29, arrived at the Shelby County Probate Office in Birmingham with fiancée Surata Zuri McCants, 30, just before noon, filled out the paperwork and walked away with their license, an eyewitness says. Ruben is a Birmingham native. "They looked really happy," says the eyewitness. There was no immediate word on when they planned to marry. An Alabama marriage license is valid for 30 days.
Dody Goodman, the comedian known for her television appearances on Jack Paar's late-night talk show and as the mother on the soap-opera parody Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, has died at 93. Dody died Sunday at Englewood (N.J.) Hospital and Medical Center, said Joan Adams, a close family friend. The actress had been ill for some time and had lived in the Actors Fund Home in Englewood since October, Adams said.
Goodman, with her pixyish appearance and Southern-tinged, quavery voice, had an eclectic show-business career. She moved easily from stage to television to movies, where she appeared in such popular films as Grease and Grease 2, playing Blanche, the principal's assistant, and in Splash.
Source: www.people.com and www.foxnews.com
American Idol runner-up David Archuleta has landed a record deal with 19 Recordings/Jive Records, a label rep announced Thursday. The 17-year-old — who will perform on the upcoming Idol tour (kicking off July 1) — will release a debut album later this year.
"Signing a record contract with 19 Recordings/Jive Records is truly a dream come true," he said in a statement. "Being a fan of American Idol since season one and admiring the alumni, I am honored and humbled to be a part of that group. I'm really excited to start working on everything."
After losing out to David Cook on the May Idol finale, Archuleta told Us, "I was pretty sure Cook was going to win anyway! "I didn’t think I’d even make it past the first round!" he said. "This has been such a blessing."
Source: www.usmagazine.com
American Idol runner-up Clay Aiken's producer is pregnant with his child, TMZ.com is reporting. Jaymes Foster (who is reportedly in her late 40s) was artificial inseminated with the 29-year-old singer's sperm, according to the report. Clay lives with Jaymes – described as his "best friend" – when he's in L.A. and plans to be involved with parenting their child, TMZ reports.
The crooner has consistently avoided questions about his sexuality. "People don't want to have that type of stuff pushed, people who are living in Omaha or in Charlotte or wherever," Aiken told Access Hollywood last month. "They don't want stuff like that pushed in their face," he added. "I don't think that's necessary and that's also not what I'm here for. I mean, I went on Idol to be a singer, I went on Idol to be an entertainer and that's what my priority is."
Source: www.people.com
This season's American Idol champ, David Cook, is dating second season alum Kimberly Caldwell. "She's great," David tells Extra. "So far, I've had a really good time with her." David hasn't been shy about his interest in Kimberly.
He even asked her out on the TV Guide Network. "I'm just excited because I finally get to talk to you," he told her during an interview Wednesday night on the Idol Tonight show. "I've been hearing you say all these nice things about me all season, So I'm actually going to ask you to dinner right now." Kimberly accepted, with a hug, telling the camera after David left, "I just got asked out on a date."
And while he's interested in her romantically, David admits he's not entirely familiar with Kimberly's music. "I knew who she was, but I can't remember a song that she sang," he told Extra. "I'm probably in the dog house now."
Source: www.people.com
Former American Idol winner Jordin Sparks has offered words of advice to the U.S. hit show’s newly crowned champion David Cook - telling him to get as much sleep as possible. The singer congratulated triumphant contestant Cook, who scored a landslide victory over fellow finalist David Achuata at Wednesday’s series finale - achieving 12 million more votes than the 17-year-old hopeful.
But Jordin, who performed her hit "No Air Round" at the finale, says rocker Cook better be prepared for a hectic schedule, insisting she hasn’t had a decent night’s rest since she won the show last year. She says, “Sleep as much as you can because you don’t get any sleep. It’s a year later and I still haven’t gotten a whole eight hours of sleep yet … I’m still reeling from winning last year.”
And when asked by People magazine who she wanted to be crowned as the winner of this year’s hit U.S. talent show, Jordin remained diplomatic, claiming she had voted for both finalists. She says, “I voted for both of them last night so I can’t really say I had a favorite. I got to meet both of them and they were so sweet! Both of them are going to be fine. I’m so proud of both of them.”
Source: http://icydk.com
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