American Idol the Show - Media & Discussion

[aikenseeker]

Hi Everyone!

Here's a new place to post links to download site for American Idol related video downloads!

Have fun!

[Moonshot]

The Tyra Banks show had Anthony Federov Mikalah, Vonzell, Matt Rogers, Tamyra, Kimberly C. and Ryan Starr on today singing Tyra's theme song.

This should be the link to view the video:

http://www.idolonfox.com/videos/?vid=175

If it doesn't work you can go to:

http://www.idolonfox.com/

and click on the right hand side where it says "Past Idols on Tyra Banks Show"

[Moonshot]

You can now also download AI videos from itunes:

http://www.idolonfox.com/news/2006/02/idol_in_itunes.htm

[Tammy]

Michelle
I loved that video clip from Tyra's show.. Thanks!

[KSChristian4Clay]

This website has seasons 4 & 5 :

TV Torrents

[clayharmony]

Hello folks...

I've tried to join TV Torrents and it seems that my Outlook Express blocks the entry code...and when i emailed them about the problem, I didn't hear back. 

So...any other sites that are safe for downloads?  I had a great one I used last year which included Canada's Idols...but I don't think that site exists anymore...

I'd love to download some of the great performances...

Thanks in advance for your help, Clay  fan friends!

[karen28]

You can find a lot of mp3's at

http://www.rickey.org/blog/american_idol_5/    He doesn't have everyone's up, but has quite a few...the last two of Bucky's, all of Chris's, Taylor's, Elliott's, Paris, Ace, and maybe a couple of others.

Also if you join www.aibyrequest.com  (yahoo groups), you can download virtually everything including songs  sung by the top 24 (I was able to get Ayla's songs here!) 

BTW, both are free.

[LuvMyClay]

Thanks for the info!

[clayMaine-iac]

Life After Idol: Season 1 web activity
I think I'll try to do this exploration of which Idol finalists still seem to be pursuing active entertainment careers as a six-parter, starting with this post and continuing next week.

So first we'll look at, logically, Season 1, then get to the other seasons (plus the semi-finalists from this past season, since I have their names handy).

Interestingly, out of the 10 finalists that year (the number was bumped up to 12 in the second season), all but two seem to have something going on, if website activity is any gauge. I'll also include website links where appropriate, so if you're so minded, you can check up on what your favorite (or least favorite) past finalist is up to.

In order of finish:

1. Kelly Clarkson: As far as I can tell, she still seems to have a career going. Not to mention fan sites all over the place, and the official one.

2. Justin Guarini: Still fighting the good fight, becoming more of an all-round entertainer, with a new standards album. Who knew? (OK, fans probably did, but maybe not the general public.)

3. Nikki McKibbin: Though less has been heard from her than Justin, she's also plugging away, and has new recordings of her own.

4. Tamyra Gray: I used to think she should have won Season 1, but in view of Kelly's subsequent development, maybe that's wrong. Still should have been No. 2 easy, though. A new album's apparently in the works, but her website hasn't been updated for several months.

5. RJ Helton: Does he have something against periods? He has had Christian recordings out, and even served as a guest judge for USA TODAY's past Idol coverage, but I don't see an official site and the fan sites seems to be pretty dormant.

6. Christina Christian: No easily visible activity.

7. Ryan Starr: Well, there appears to be a recent record, and there's a bio that positions her as a dedicated rocker chick (but has no mention of Idol whatsoever). Ryan, don't be ashamed of your roots!

8. A.J. Gil: There's a teaser about an upcoming record deal and a movie on his official site, but it's hard to get any sense of when all this is happening (or going to happen). I'm impressed that he has an official site, though.

9. EJay Day: Also apparently averse to periods. Nothing much going on, apparently.

10. Jim Verraros: Man, for a first-round elimination, he's got plenty going on -- recent album, TV, press, film. A veritable renaissance entertainer.

USATODAY

I will be watching for the Season 2 article.  It will be interesting to see what he says about Clay and getting an update on the rest of the AI2 gang.

[Claymaniac113078]

Deanna - Thanks!  That was interesting.  I did not watch Season 1.  I am really looking forward to the Season 2 article! 

[clayMaine-iac]

Life after Idol: Season 2 web activity
Glad you mostly seemed to like the general idea and the first installment of the "whatever happened to" -- at least as far as we can determine on the Web -- series on past Idol finalists. Also, thanks for the updates you supplied (the A.J./EJay duet -- I hope the initial reviews were good; OK, bad joke -- and the Christina Christian settling-down info). Season 2 installment follows on this post.

Please don't regard this as the last word in Idol updates, but as more of an enlightening/amusing project. And regarding the comment about whether I expect to get this much mileage out of Rockstar, let me state right now that I have no intention of giving Rockstar the Idol Chatter treatment. (Might mention it now and then, though -- and whatever did happen to Mig?)

Again, in order of finish, your Season 2 finalists:

Ruben Studdard: Nice glitzy site, but it's musty with inattention. Kind of like Ruben's career of late, sadly. I'm sure we'll hear from him again, but I'm not forecasting enduring stardom.

Clay Aiken: Unlike this fella. He's got it all: a new album later this year, TV appearances, loads of souvenir merchandise (the thong and Christmas tree boxers are quite fetching) and a fan base that won't quit (even when sometimes you might want them to -- kidding, sort of).

Kimberley Locke: She was one of two Idols from Season 2 to have a hit outside the BMG/19 empire; 8th World Wonder got about halfway up the mainstream pop top 40 airplay chart. She's still active; new album and single coming.

Josh Gracin: The other runner-up hitmaker, he's been a consistent presence on the country charts, foreshadowing the emergence of Carrie Underwood. Not a ton of fresh news, but he was at the CMA Music Festival in Nashville this past weekend.

Trenyce: The original one-name Idol finalist (born Lashundra Treniese Cobbins, according to her bio) seems to be in an inactive phase. Her site is light on updates, and promises an CD "masterpiece" that, to my and Amazon's knowledge, has not yet materialized.

Carmen Rasmusen: Concisely if a bit harshly describable as the country Idol forgotten between Josh and Carrie, Carmen is giving her all to her ertainment career, with an EP out and an album completed (though not yet released). Unfortunately, that entertainment career also includes an appearance on Fear Factor, the final resting place of all reality stars trying to carve out real careers. Watch for it Tuesday if you're so inclined.

Kimberly Caldwell: Always struck me as a pageant professional, and a particularly determined one at that. A recent letter to her fans describes the wide range of her showbiz activities, including TV work (mostly TV Guide Channel's Idol Tonight), the Girls Rock Fashion Show and a recent Southern California concert with Ace and Ruben. She's been working on an album that she has now decided will reflect her roots, which are, we are told, country-rock.

Rickey Smith: At times he seemed like a decent singer, but there was something intangibly unhinged about him, to my admittedly subjective mind. Anyway, no significant activity visible.

Corey Clark: Eliminated not by virtue of his singing gaffes but because of misdemeanor assault charges, Corey then made headlines more inventively than any other Idol to date, by trumpeting his alleged affair with Paula. Related song Paulatics and recent album and book (!) have not flourished greatly from the exposure, and his site seems a trifle dormant.

The first three eliminated -- Julia DeMato, Charles Grigsby and Vanessa Olivarez -- all seem to have receded from view.

Check out the reader responses:
USATODAY

[clayMaine-iac]

Life After Idol: Season 3 activity
Here we go wih the web-activity update on Season 3's finalists. As you would expect, with only two years having elapsed since the spotlight focused on them, most are persevering in their attempts to reclaim a portion of that Idol glare.

Thanks again for further updates on the Season 2 finalists that I didn't find in my web sweep. Good to know that Julia DeMato is married and has a kid.

Anyway, the third-season roundup follows.

1. Fantasia: I guess she had to retain her last name (Barrino) for her site or risk attracting hordes of web surfers looking for info on the Disney cartoon. In addition to that official site, there are plenty of fan sites, as befits an Idol winner who's had a solid success of hits, although most of them were on the Adult R&B chart, which is not one of the industry's more powerful and influential formats. And with autobiography out and Lifetime movie coming (plus a second album one of these days), she'll be around for a while.

2. Diana DeGarmo: April '05 is the date of the last addition to the Season 3 runner-up's web home, with a notation on my browser that it's "under construction." Her management team might want to consider speeding up the construction schedule. Meanwhile, she recently left her Broadway Hairspray role (temporarily; she returns in September) to go on the road with a production of the musical Brooklyn. And, according to the Gwinnett Daily Post in Georgia, she's already off the RCA label and will be releasing her next album (pop, with an R&B influence, apparently) independently. Uh-oh.

3. Jasmine Trias: The Hawaiian overachiever, who finished ahead of at least three superior singers (Nos. 4, 5 and 7 below) in a bad season overall, seems to be stuck in mid-2005 webwise. There's discussion of a role in a movie called All Girl Band that doesn't seem to have made any discernible progress, and a description of her now-released self-titled album that cites its "edgier, rhythm and blues-based" sound. The album promises to "soothe(s) her listeners into forgetting about the hustle surrounding their busy lives from the moment they hear her soulfully comforting voice." Which really doesn't sound all that edgy.

4. La Toya London: One of the few Idols to release an album outside the Clive Davis empire but still on a nationally influential label (Concord), La Toya is doing a bit of acting and has had at least three singles released off her debut album, released last year. But so far her career arc sort of resembles a less successful Fantasia, with most of the attention at the adult R&B format and not a lot of general crossover. (Too bad, if you ask me -- most of the time I preferred her to Fantasia, although I will admit Fantasia probably has more raw talent.)

5. George Huff: Just recently mentioned his new coaching role on Gospel Dream, the Gospel Music Channel's version of Idol. Otherwise, he's got his gospel album, gospel single, a string of live dates, and all in all seems to be doing quite nicely.

6. John Stevens: The teen crooner has a record-label site hovering in cyberspace, built around his 2005 album, Red, but the news flow has ground to a halt, leading me to suspect he may be moving on to new ventures. Perhaps now he can achieve that goal of attending the music school Berklee.

7. Jennifer Hudson: Certainly her starring role with Beyonce in the upcoming Dreamgirls movie is the biggest break any Idol finalist who finished out of the top half has ever snagged. (It's right up there with any Idol's entertainment achievements. Her site is not terribly forthcoming about anything new (the Dreamgirls news is treated as a newsflash months later and there's precious little other news), but there are a few songs to download.

8. Jon Peter Lewis: People either loved him or loathed him for his hyperactivity, but he's in L.A. working it, with radio, TV, magazine and live appearances and a new EP about ready. Sometimes persistence pays.

9. Camile Velasco: The less successful of the two Hawaiian Season 3 finalists, Camile is still out there, doing a few dates in Hawaii and touring in Hawaii and California with a Filipino band called Aegis.

10. Amy Adams: Doesn't seem to be anything going on with Amy these days.

11. Matthew Rogers: Notable more for his geniality and Rose Bowl appearance than any detectable musical talent, Matt has a brand-new son (as of mid-April), according to his "Official Websit." He's done a bit of TV, although a role in The Longest Yard seems to have hit the cutting-room floor, if IMDB's exhaustive cast listing is any indication.

12. Leah LaBelle: The first singer eliminated in Season 3 had an interesting back story, having been born Leah LaBelle Vladowsky to members of two Bulgarian pop groups, Tonica and Sreburnite Grivni (the Silver Bracelets) who moved to the USA. Not much new information, though some fan fiction may compensate (to some).

[clayMaine-iac]

Life after Idol: Season 4 activity
OK, we're up to last year, Season 4, in this voluminous retrospective, so most of these people will be fresher in most of our minds than, say, EJay Day.

1. Carrie Underwood: A huge success for the Idol franchise, with multiplatinum sales and still in the top 10, with new single Don't Forget to Remember Me, at No. 8 on the country airplay chart, sure to propel more sales. And she graduated magna cum laude with a degree in mass communications. She'll be taking over the world next (and who's to say it wouldn't be a better place?)

The rest of the list follows.

2. Bo Bice: The Clive machine managed, after much effort, to propel the single The Real Thing into the lower reaches of the top 20 of mainstream top 40 radio's airplay chart (the Billboard Radio Monitor version). The album, although it has sold a healthy 632,000 since its December release, is completely off the charts, which is not a good sign when you have a current hit single. But he's doing some touring,and his site is upbeat.

3. Vonzell Solomon: She was responsible for some good moments last season, and deserved her third-place ranking (although I still might have opted for Nadia Turner). But she doesn't seem to be taking the high-profile career path at the moment, recording a new album on an indie label (Melodic Records) for summer release and appearing in a still-in-production movie called Still Green. Hope not, but obscurity may be beckoning.

4. Anthony Federov: Surprising (that's one word for it) fourth-place finisher's official site is "coming soon," and fan sites are sketchy on current activities, but it seems he will join the ranks of former Idols on Fear Factor this month. That's nice.

5. Scott Savol: Appeared at the recent Reality TV Convention in Nashville second-billed to 10th-place finisher Jessica Sierra. Still, he did get to sing the national anthem at the Cleveland Indians' opening day game. His official site is under development, but does feature a fairly scary picture of the man who calls himself "Big Sexy."

6. Constantine Maroulis: The "other" rocker on Season 4 had an album out with his band Pray for the Soul of Betty, who are now no more, although Constantine has a solo album planned for later this year. An official website is reportedly on the way, but you can find some news here.

7. Anwar Robinson: The music teacher who many thought should have hit the top three or four has a couple fan sites still going, but not much news to be found.

8. Nadia Turner: My early favorite of Season 4 is apparently recording a new album, and has been singing with a Christian band called Tool Box, and seems to be otherwise spending her time attending official functions and parties.

9. Nikko Smith: The son of Hall of Fame Cardinals shortstop Ozzie Smith made it into the finals when Mario Vasquez withdrew, and proved he deserved his shot, getting up to ninth place. But since then, nothing much seems to be going on.

10. Jessica Sierra: Much has been written here about her (the Reality TV convention, her perhaps overly optimistic assessment of her career). On the show, she was sheerly lightweight, but she seems to want to make it in showbiz, running the gauntlet of activities, including, of course, recording an album.

11. Mikalah Gordon: I don't know if any finalist has provoked the visceral negative reaction her baby Babs/Fran Drescher-lite persona did for me. But that aside, she's doing some TV here and there, has some fan sites out there, and, well, that's about it. I'm sure a more dedicated researcher could unearth more. But I must confess, on this subject, that ain't me.

12. Lindsey Cardinale: Opening act for the big Reality TV Convention Idol package, but that's not the only string on her bow. The country-rock-oriented first finalist out has a recently constructed site with a song to listen to and a bio listing recent musical activities, plus fun facts (including her ability to play guitar, piano, drums and -- soon, we're told -- fiddle, and her role as spokesperson for the Bill Hood Automotive Family of Hammond, La.).

> Special bonus data ... because you asked. Mario Vasquez was the Season 4 finalist who quit. (Still not sure why, something about being on a previously released album -- although other finalists, including Vonzell and Constantine, had previously released albums. Here's the always-entertaining Roger Friedman take on that from a year ago.) But he may be in better career shape than many of the other finalists. He's got an album coming out (on Arista, part of the Clive empire) Aug. 29, with a single already out, and some tour activity going on.

Click here for the links:
USATODAY-IDOL CHATTER BLOG

[clayMaine-iac]

Life after Idol: Season 5 activity
OK, we finally reach the end of this epic production. Again, your feedback and amplification (sounds like a guitar solo) has been indispensable ... and entertaining. (The comments in general have been fun, from the "thud" series of Taylor lust notes to the great line about Melissa the Mermaid -- "when you lose AI, you're all washed up." I'd read this blog even if I wasn't "supervising" it.)

So the only finalists we have left are this year's, and many of their activities have already been discussed here (and the top 10, as we know, will be touring shortly). But let's see what else we can turn up. And, since Idols and National Anthem performances seem to go together like Randy Jackson and Oreos, we'll report on Anthem status for each finalist.

1. Taylor Hicks: Hmm, has anybody heard from him? People's ruling bachelor, Ford's latest spokesinger, new single out this week (next Wednesday, the official sales figures will be out, so we'll talk about how well it does compared to other Idol souvenir singles). About the only thing he doesn't have going for him is his official website, taylorhicks.com, which is currently offline. Anthem status: Once sang it at an Auburn basketball game.

2. Katharine McPhee: Also not succeeding at keeping a low profile, what with record deal, first single coming, appearances with Andrea Bocelli, chats with Steven Spielberg, pix of boyfriend, etc. Plenty of gushing fan sites too. Anthem status: Sang it at the christening ceremony of the Princess Cruises ship Crown Princess in New York.

3. Elliott Yamin: Waiting for that record deal announcement that is sure to come, but still dear to the hearts of his dedicated fans (many of whom have sites). Anthem status: His NBA finals National Anthem performance drew mixed reviews on this blog and elsewhere.

4. Chris Daughtry: Also expected to reap a high-profile record deal after turning down a chance to become a Fuel injection device. He'll do better on his own, though I'm still curious to see how rock radio accepts him when it gets the chance. Plenty of fan-site activity, including one that offers bracelets that say "Daughtry Nation." (No link; can't endorse such commercial frippery.) Anthem status: Reportedly asked to sing the Anthem at a NASCAR race (totally unconfirmed fan query).

5. Paris Bennett: After the first four, the profiles are markedly lower. Paris showed up at her old high school. Anthem status: Sang it at the June 1 Detroit/Miami NBA playoff game.

6. Kellie Pickler: Aside from Constantine Maroulis-dating rumors, not a lot going on (no sitcom yet, mercifully). Plenty of fan sites, though. Anthem status: The only contestant to perform the National Anthem as a rebellious act.

7. Ace Young: Made it, along with Taylor and Ryan Seacrest, on the People eligible bachelor list. Looks may carry him where his voice couldn't. Anthem status: Sang it at Denver Nuggets games.

8. Bucky Covington: Not much to learn, other than he snores a lot, according to Chris. Hopes to make it in Nashville. Anthem status: Non-anthemic.

9. Mandisa: Her site has been "temporarily shut down." Apparently, so has her newsmaking ability. This may be by design. Anthem status: Well, I'm Every Woman is kind of an anthem...

10. Lisa Tucker: Following that memorable blink-length cameo in The OC, she's mostly dropped out of sight. Even her natural domain name (lisatucker.com) was pre-empted by an author with the same name. Anthem status: Sang it at the (hometown) West Anaheim Neighborhood Development Council barbecue.

11. Kevin Covais: The Long Island teen doesn't seem to have a lot going on, except National Anthem activities. He's making a claim to be the Anthem king. Anthem status: Last Sunday Kevin made one anthem date, at the Massepequa, N.Y., Lacrosse Club. And he's got even more in the offing.

12. Melissa McGhee: Her Mermaid status is unchallenged among Idols, and she continues to perform. She has a fan site for "McGheeks" (maybe reconsider that term?) as well. Anthem status: Unless she got to sing it during the non-aquatic portion of her performance at the mermaid venue, nothing visible.

Click here for the website links:
USA TODAY BLOG

[ILClaymate]

Here is a compliation of all the AI contestants from all the seasons to date and their record deals.

AI1:
Kelly (RCA)
Justin (Dropped by RCA, Bmg Special Prod)
Tamyra Gray (dropped by J Records, Released an album with 19 Records)
RJ Helton (Gospocentric-- Christian)
Jim Verraros (Koch)
Nikki McGibbon (Chena)
Christina Christian (19 Records)

AI2:
Clay Aiken (RCA)
Ruben Studdard (J Records)
Kimberley Locke (Curb)
Josh Gracin (Lyric Street)
Carmen Rasmussen (R3 Rcecords)
Corey Clark (Bungalo Records)

AI3:
Fantasia (J Records)
Diana DiGarmo (dropped by RCA)
John Stevens (dropped by Maverick)
LaToya London (Peak Records)
George Huff (Word Entertainment)
Jasmine Trias (Mountain Apple)
Camile Velasco (dropped by MoTown)

AI4:
Carrie Underwood (Arista)
Bo Bice (RCA)

Mario Vazquez* (J Records)

* Did not complete the AI Season

AI5:
Taylor Hicks (Arista)
Katherine McPhee (RCA)
Chris Daughtry (RCA)

_{data compiled by emeraldeyes at CV}

[Ilovetowrite]

Idol Mania: Most Popular Videos
And I'm Telling You...
Jennifer Hudson
Before He Cheats
Carrie Underwood
Walk Away
Kelly Clarkson
Red High Heels
Kellie Pickler

[Ilovetowrite]

Idol' whittled down to 12 By ERIN CARLSON, Associated Press Writer
Fri Mar 9, 12:35 AM ET
 


NEW YORK - "American Idol" slimmed down the competition Thursday night, leaving 12 finalists to compete for the ultimate prize — a record contract.

ADVERTISEMENT
 
 
Antonella Barba, Sabrina Sloan, Jared Cotter and Jason "Sundance" Head were cast off by the viewer voting, which drew about 37 million calls and text messages.

The performers who made the cut were Blake Lewis, LaKisha Jones, Chris Sligh, Jordin Sparks, Phil Stacey, Melinda Doolittle, Brandon Rogers, Gina Glocksen, Chris Richardson, Stephanie Edwards, Haley Scarnato and Sanjaya Malakar.

The show's tense final moments belonged to Malakar and Head, who were waiting to find out who would take the competition's 12th spot — and who would go home. Judge        Paula Abdul was stunned to hear that Malakar, who is not exactly a judge favorite, was staying.

"I'm speechless," Abdul said. "This is a singing competition, and Sundance, you've been one of our finest."

How'd this happen? "The volume was turned down," quipped Simon Cowell, who has criticized Malakar, 17, of Federal Way, Wash., for his "weird" stage presence.

"Somebody give me a job," the 28-year-old Head, from Porter, Texas, said before leaving the stage. "I need a job."

The elimination of the talented Sloan, 27, from Los Angeles, was another letdown for the judges. "Sabrina should be in that top 12, dawg," lamented Randy Jackson, who said "America got that one wrong."

None of the judges was complaining when Barba, the focus of recent attention over some racy Internet photos, was shown the door. Each week, Cowell could be counted on to tell the 20-year-old Jersey girl that she wasn't good enough to be in the talent contest.

Cotter, a strapping 25-year-old from Kew Gardens, N.Y., told Ryan Seacrest he was "very" surprised to be leaving the show. Cowell had another opinion: "You're a good-looking guy, you've got to work on your vocals," he said.

After the show, the finalists made their debut before a bank of TV cameras and reporters, walking a mini-red carpet at an event in West Hollywood, Calif.

Among the women, some of the highest praise from judges and observers has gone to Jones. Asked how it feels to be dubbed a front-runner, the former bank employee replied with a modest smile.

"Have I? I haven't been paying attention," Jones said.

Many have said the female contestants have been stronger vocally than the men this season. "I think it's a girl's one to lose this year," Jackson said. "May the best girl win."

But the men had mixed reactions to comments about the opposing gender's talent.

"I'm a little tired of it, actually," Rogers said.

"Yeah," Lewis chimed in. "The girls have got powerful voices but I think the guys have been holding it down."

Stacey, however, conceded "the women are smoking us," but added he expected the men to step it up.

Thursday's show also featured a performance by "American Idol" winner Carrie Underwood, who recently snagged a Grammy for best new artist. She sang "Wasted," a song from her hit country music album "Some Hearts."

So far this season, the show's sixth, men and women have been competing separately, with viewers voting off two of each sex weekly. When the dozen finalists return Tuesday, the sexes will be blended, with one singer voted off each week. The winner will be chosen in May.

"American Idol" continues to dominate the ratings, attracting between 27 million and 37 million viewers per telecast this season.

___

AP

[Ilovetowrite]

 
'American Idol' down to 9 contestants
By ERIN CARLSON, Associated Press Writer
Today at 2:22 am
 
It's over for Chris Sligh. Sligh, the curly-haired jokester who once claimed he was "bringing chubby back," said goodbye to "American Idol" on Wednesday, becoming the latest singer bounced in viewer voting.

The sacking of Sligh, 28, who hails from Greenville, S.C., winnowed the number of "Idol" wannabes to nine. The winner will be chosen in May.

"I think it's bye-bye, curly," predicted Simon Cowell, before the results were announced.

Cowell said on Tuesday's program that Sligh's rendition of the Police classic "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" was a "mess."

Haley Scarnato and Phil Stacey had the next-lowest vote tallies in the phone balloting, which drew more than 30 million calls and text messages.

Stacey, 29, of Jacksonville, Fla., managed to get on Cowell's good side after his solid cover of "Every Breath You Take."

"This may surprise you, Phil, but I actually thought that was very good," Cowell said Tuesday.

The acerbic judge was not as nice to Scarnato, deriding the 24-year-old Texas girl's take on "True Colors" as safe and forgettable.

(Question: Will Sanjaya Malakar, who is undoubtedly a national sensation, stick around until the finale? Could happen, as long as the "Idol" oddball keeps stoking watercooler discussion.)

Wednesday's elimination show also featured a get-up-and-dance performance by Gwen Stefani and rapper Akon, who performed Stefani's hit single "The Sweet Escape."

In its sixth season, "American Idol" continues to rule the ratings. It has attracted 26 million to 37 million viewers per telecast this season.

___

[Ilovetowrite]

Another contestant falls on 'Idol'
By ERIN CARLSON, Associated Press Writer
Today at 2:30 am
 
She's got legs _ and she knew how to use them.

But Wednesday night, the magic finally ran out for Haley Scarnato on "American Idol."

(Yes, that means the Sanjaya phenomenon continues.)


The departure of Scarnato, 24, of San Antonio, trimmed the number of finalists to seven. The winner will be chosen in May.

Simon Cowell suggested on Tuesday's program that Scarnato was using her curve-hugging, leg-baring attire as a "tactic" to stay in the competition.

"I'm not gonna wear anything ... that's completely inappropriate," a jeans-clad Scarnato countered Wednesday.

Phil Stacey and Chris Richardson had the next-lowest vote tallies in the phone balloting, which drew more than 35 million calls and text messages.

Stacey, 29, of Jacksonville, Fla., earned mixed reviews on Tuesday for his performance of "Maria Maria," which Cowell derided as flat and unoriginal.

Cowell, however, complimented Richardson, 22, of Chesapeake, Va., for putting a contemporary spin on the Latin-flavored song "Smooth."

Wednesday's program featured performances by rapper Akon and the glamorous Jennifer Lopez, who doled out valuable advice as guest coach.

"I guess I come from the Paula (Abdul) school of criticism. ... Not that we don't need our Simon," Lopez told Ryan Seacrest, who asked for her reaction to the judges' critiques of the finalists.

In its sixth season, "American Idol" continues to rule the ratings. It has attracted 26 million to 37 million viewers per telecast this season.

[inClaysHeart]

thanks for the article!

and nice poll by the way. 
weird, but i was looking for Clay Aiken before realizing that he didnt really win. maaaaan, how could that have slipped my mind?