Simon Cowell's Fitness Factor

The UK's Sun reports that superfit Simon Cowell does 300 press-ups a day — even when he's flying, according to his girlfriend Terri Seymour, who revealed that the 47-year-old is obsessed with exercising.

"Nothing will stop him doing his 300 press-ups. Even if he is flying he will do them on the plane. He just can’t not do them," Seymour said, adding "We're polar opposites — that's the secret of our happy relationship."

Cowell has previously admitted that he wants to age gracefully and would never go under the surgeon's knife -- saying that cosmetic surgery looks unattractive on men."I wouldn't have plastic surgery, it looks ridiculous on guys," he said. "I'd never dye my hair either. Everyone thinks I do, but I never have. "I do 100 press-ups before I get in the bath in the morning, then at work after a meeting, I'll shut the door and do more."

IDOLS NOMINATED FOR TEEN CHOICE AWARDS

Fox has announced the nominees for the 2007 Teen Choice Awards, to be broadcast on Aug. 26 at 8-10 p.m., and, not surprisingly, the list includes "American Idol" finalists (well, it is, after all, a Fox show).

Among the nominees are:

CHOICE TV: REALITY/VARIETY SHOW
American Idol
America's Next Top Model
Dancing with the Stars
The Pussycat Dolls Present: The Search for the Next Doll
The Hills

CHOICE TV: PERSONALITY
Nick Cannon - Wild N Out
Ryan Seacrest - American Idol, E!
Simon Cowell - American Idol
Tyra Banks - America's Next Top Model
Bruno Tonioli - Dancing with the Stars


CHOICE TV: MALE REALITY/VARIETY STAR
Apolo Anton Ohno - Dancing with the Stars
Flavor Flav- Flavor of Love
Jojo, Diggy, Russy (Run's sons) - Run's House
Sanjaya - American Idol
Three 6 Mafia - Adventures in Hollyhood

CHOICE TV: FEMALE REALITY/VARIETY STAR
Jaslene Gonzalez - America's Next Top Model
Jordin Sparks - American Idol
Lauren Conrad - The Hills
New York - I Love New York
Paris Hilton - The Simple Life

CHOICE MUSIC: FEMALE ARTIST
Gwen Stefani
Fergie
Carrie Underwood
Nelly Furtado
Rihanna



CHOICE MUSIC: BREAKOUT ARTIST - FEMALE
Amy Winehouse
Corinne Bailey Rae
Katharine McPhee
Lily Allen
Vanessa Hudgens

CHOICE MUSIC: BREAKOUT GROUP
Daughtry
Gym Class Heroes
Hinder
Shop Boyz
The Fray

CHOICE MUSIC: ROCK TRACK
Better Than Me - Hinder
It's Not Over - Daughtry
Makes Me Wonder - Maroon 5
Thanks for the Memories - Fall Out Boy
What I've Done - Linkin Park

CHOICE MUSIC: PAYBACK TRACK
What Goes Around - Justin Timberlake
Before He Cheats - Carrie Underwood
Never Again - Kelly Clarkson
Irreplaceable - Beyonce
U + Ur Hand - Pink

CHOICE OMG! MOMENT
Paris Hilton goes to jail, gets out of jail, then goes to jail again!
Britney Spears shaves her head!
Lindsay Lohan goes to rehab, gets out of rehab, goes to rehab again!
Larry Birkhead is Dannielynn's father!
Sanjaya Malakar sports a faux-hawk on American Idol!

For a full list of nominees, click here.

SANJAYA MALAKAR: TAKING HIS PILLOW ON TOUR

ETonline interviewed Sanjaya Malakar as he rehearsed for the Idols Live 2007 tour which kicks off today in Sunrise, Fla.:

How has your life changed since "Idol"?
It is completely different. People recognize me and say my name correctly without ever having met me! That is really weird. I am having a lot of fun with it. I am experiencing things I never would have been able to experience; I am learning things I never would have been able to learn. I am happy.

Has anybody talked to you about plans after the tour?
I am in limbo. We are still with "American Idol," so we are still focusing on that right now, but I think once the tour is over we will be able to focus on our individual careers.

What are you looking forward to the most on the tour?
I am looking forward to being with my nine new best friends. Honestly, this is the closest I have ever gotten to this many people in this short amount of time. It is going to be really cool to spend time with them.

Are you taking anything special with you?
I am taking my Tempur-Pedic Pillow. Also, I have a rock that says "breathe" on it. To me, my weakness is my breathing technique, and so I have a rock that says "breathe" to remind me to focus on that.

Are you going to do different hairdos for different cities?
I am not going to say because I want it to be a surprise.

PAULA ABDUL: I'M TREATED LIKE DOG S**T

That's what American Idol's diva judge, with tears in her eyes, tells her publicists as she pleads with them to help change her image on episode 3 of "Hey Paula." Honey, if it looks like it, smells like it, and your maids have to clean it -- and you -- up, well .... you know.

But life isn't as easy as you might think for Paula Abdul. She explains at the beginning of the following video that she has two "big events" she's attending that weekend, the first of which is to go to a "gifting suite" to pick out freebies, after which she has to fly to Las Vegas to be presented with a "Woman of the Year Award." Jeez all in the same weekend? Wow, her life really is rough. A little pity here please. Check it out:



JUSTIN GUARINI DOES CHARITY FOR CHILDREN

The Japan Times reports that taking place this weekend in Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture, International Heart Expo 2007 is a charity event that aims to take "direct action" to support children in developing countries. Volunteers from Japan and abroad will participate.

The expo will host a charity market and a fashion show featuring performances by singer Justin Guarini (runnerup on season one of "American Idol"), contemporary dancer Ayako Kurakake and many more.

Clothes made with silk from Cambodia and Ishikawa Prefecture's Komatsu City and designed by Japanese fashion designers will be on view. Children from Myanmar, Cambodia and Sri Lanka will model for the show.

"Direct action" is an approach advocated by Japanese Buddhist monk Gayuna Cealo, whose charity work includes the setting up of orphanages in countries such as Myanmar and Cambodia.

Cealo's charity work aims to directly affect the lives of people in need, giving them food, blankets, medical supplies, clothes and, most importantly, educates them on becoming self-reliant.

AMY ADAMS PERFORMS AT 'RED, WHITE AND BOOM'

WGET-TV reports that instead of holding their own celebrations, lots of folks decided to head out to northeast Bakersfield to enjoy the professional fireworks display at Bakersfield College.

The 53rd annual "Red, White and Boom" fireworks show started with a concert featuring Bakersfield-native and "American Idol" Season 3 finalist Amy Adams.

Watch video clip of Amy Adams performing at Red, White and Boom.

MORE STUFF ON KATHARINE McPHEE

Stuff magazine finally posted their interview with Katharine McPhee along with some pretty hot photos:

Katharine McPhee is tough to label. The American Idol finalist was squeaky–clean during her run on the show, singing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and flashing her pearly whites. But on her self–titled hit debut, she shows her devilish side, trashing the guys she's "over" and wowing the world with a sexy album cover. So which is the real Kat? To find out, we chilled with her at a café in her hometown of Sherman Oaks, California. Katharine was all girl–next–doorish in her summer dress and no makeup—hell, she even introduced us to her mom. Then she sat down for an interview about her zany college days, Meat Loaf and pregnant nuns. Turns out the real Katharine is actually just really frickin' cool.

Are you more McNaughty or McNice?
There are different sides of me. On American Idol, people saw the side that is very professional and put together. But there's this other side of me that’s outgoing, energetic and wild—and did really stupid things in college.

Please discuss.
This one time we were walking down the street in Boston, and I was wearing this little skirt. There was this grate with air coming from underneath it. I remember standing above the grate with the air blowing up, and I was holding my skirt down. Another time, we went down to Coyote Ugly. We had so much fun dancing on the bar; the girls were taking their bras off. But I didn't do that.

Your album cover is pretty racy. Did you do it to shock people?
People made a big deal out of that. They said, "She's a slut, blah blah blah." But I'm really not showing that much skin. It's all suggested.

What was the worst thing about being on Idol?
Sometimes we couldn't go out after midnight, and for a 21–year–old, that's pretty crazy. And security went everywhere with me. For me, that was like, OK, this is weird. We're just kids on a reality show!

You had the rare honor of performing with Meat Loaf. What was that like?
I really liked the guy, but no one warned me that he was going to be so energetic. The first time we sang together, he told me, "Just so you know, I like to go full–out." I said OK, but he was, like, full–on performing it, and I was so caught off guard. All my fellow Idols were sitting in the audience laughing. I looked at him and just started laughing—no disrespect to him.

Have you always been popular with the fellas?
I was prematurely developed. As a freshman, I looked like a junior; I had boobs. Some of the older kids saw me in the yearbook and said I was cute.

So you probably didn't have a problem finding a guy.
I came from an all–girl school, so I was determined to get a boyfriend!

Your current boyfriend is almost 20 years your senior. Do you usually go for older dudes?
When I turned 21, I thought it was a good age to explore. You're no longer a teenager, so it's OK [to date older guys]. I gravitated toward them, and I love them. They're just wiser, and they're less about themselves and more about you.

What do younger men need to know about the opposite sex?
Women sometimes act out, and men get frustrated. They don't get that all we want is, for a few seconds, for you to be all about the girl—to snuggle her and give her kisses and tell her, "Your lips are so pretty today. I love your lips." For me, with men, I will fixate on something. I'll say, "I'm obsessed with your chin." I'll kiss his chin and munch on it, and I think that makes people feel good.

Do you see yourself settling down?
Oh, yeah. I want to have, like, 15 babies. I've always wanted to be pregnant. One year for Halloween, I decided to be pregnant, so I got this nun costume, and I put a big belly under it. I showed my parents and said I want to go to school as a pregnant nun. My dad sat me down and said, "Katharine, you can't!"

e-mail Idol Addict
© 2007

Judging the Judges - Finale

One last time, formal Idol finalists Kimberley Locke (Season 2), Ace Young (Season 5), Anthony Fedorov (Season 4) and Amy Adams (Season 3) rate how the judges did this year for EW.




RANDY JACKSON: Blake got a 10 out of 10 on his ''You Give Love a Bad Name'' beat-boxing from Randy, but only an ''a'ight'' on the singing.



Kimberley: Across the board his singing was off — I thought Randy was being nice. [Blake's beat-boxing] is great, because that within itself is a talent. Not going to discredit him there, but I don't think that's what this competition is about. When I watched Blake last night it was almost like he was singing one or two notes the whole time.

Ace: It's like Taylor playing the harmonica -- It's something that's another craft on top of singing that he taught himself how to do. Whatever you put out on that stage, they can judge.

Anthony: Well, I wouldn't agree 101 percent. He did a really good job. When singing, he did a little bit better than just okay. But I definitely give him 10 out of 10 on the beat-boxing.


Amy: I think he was kind of right, but if you look at the overall performance of it, yeah, [Blake] gave a show. And sometimes you compromise sound for, you know, visuals.

According to Randy, Jordin is the most talented 17-year-old singer ever, and her ''A Broken Wing'' is better than the Martina McBride original.

Kimberley: When he said that [about the song], I kind of raised my eyebrow, but I have to say she was pretty spot-on. So I can't say that I disagree with him on that, unfortunately. When you find somebody that is that young and so in tune with their skill and their craft, you realize what a gift it is. Also it makes a difference in this industry, because look how much longer she has to work. She has a long career ahead of her.

Ace: Christina [Aguilera] came out pretty early and showed that she had a lot of vocal flexibility.... To have the courage to want to be in front of everybody where they can critique you, that's hard to find at a young age.

Anthony: The original was pretty good. There's a lot of talented 17-year-olds out there. Take Diana DeGarmo, for example — she was, I think 16 or 17 when she did the show, and she was pretty up there too. I think [Jordin's] definitely one of the most talented 17-year-olds we have ever seen.

Amy: I don't think it was better than the original — I think it's different than the original. But she is one of the most talented 17-year-olds I've ever seen as well.

Overall, for season 6, how would you rate the Dawg?

Kimberley: I think Randy has been a little tougher this season. Normally he's really nice and really, you know, calculated. He always prefaces his negative comments with, you know, ''Hey, how are you doing? Did you have fun?'' I think this year he kind of just really got to the point: ''I didn't like it.'' Grade: A-

Ace: Overall, I miss the dawg pound. He hasn't called on his dawg pound since our season. And I don't know if he lost his bark, or he's sticking to bite, but I miss the dawg pound. Grade: A

Anthony: As far as the clothes, I mean, Randy has always been dressing well. Since my season he has made more of an effort to be more constructively supportive. Grade: B+

Amy: The clothes he was wearing [all season], they were a little bit theatrical — [on the finale] especially. But overall I think he did a great job this year. He has gotten a little bit sharper tongue; he is more free to say what he's feeling. He didn't say ''dawg'' as much — or maybe we're just getting used to it. Grade: A-

PAULA ABDUL: Paula believed this was one of the best finales in Idol history, and Jordin and Blake's opening songs proved it.




Kimberley: Are you joking? I think it was probably one of the most uneventful finales that we've ever had. You've got a guy who has got a lot of style and is, you know, beat-boxing, competing against a singer. It would have been a much better finale had it been with Melinda Doolittle and Jordin Sparks. It would have been like watching a professional boxing match. Instead it was like watching a rottweiler fight a kitten.

Ace: I think it gets better every year, primarily because more and more acts that were closed off to Idol are open to it now. Maroon 5 wouldn't have done this show last year, and now they're all over it. Gwen Stefani. There's a lot of people that might have had a different opinion about it, and now we're looking at Bette Midler and some major people on stage that have been doing it their whole life. So it's totally crazy.

Anthony: I don't think it's the best final at all. I think we have had some better finalists as far as the finals are concerned. You take Clay Aiken-Ruben Studdard— that was a really close final. Carrie Underwood and Bo Bice, I thought that was an incredibly close final. So my favorite two finals would be Clay and Ruben and Carrie and Bo.

Amy: I am going to agree, yeah, but it was just a different energy all around. What I noticed is that the [finalists] were more hip to pop culture than revising old, you know, '60s-through-'80s songs. They had a tendency to go more toward what was popular today. That was the difference in the show.

Paula told both finalists that they were ''in great voice.'' Accounting for her recent injury, what did she mean?

Kimberley: I don't know what the hell she meant by that, because Blake was off. He sang flat notes and everything. Maybe what she's talking about is normally at this stage in the game, the contestants have no voice.

Ace: It just means they're tired from all the interviews. Like vocally, their voice is tired. If you're in great voice that means that you're actually doing well. If you're not in great voice, that means your voice is raspy or getting tired or beat up.

Anthony: Well, she just meant that they're in good vocal shape. They sound good.

Amy: I was challenged by that comment, because I am a singer, and I think I hope to be in great voice. But what it means to me is that you were very aware of your voice and you were very aware of how to use it.

Overall, for Season 6, how would you rate Ms. Abdul?

Kimberley: At the beginning of the season I thought that she was pulling it together, but then she got lost again in the middle, and she just said things that make absolutely no sense whatsoever. She can't make up her mind. She's always trying to straddle the fence. She wants to be very politically correct and very fair, and I get that. But you know, the kids really need to hear the truth. [The finale] was a perfect example — she was afraid to just even speak her mind. Grade: D

Ace: She's had to overcome some different things this season. Instead of everybody asking about if she and I are going on a date, people are asking if she's okay with missing her dog and breaking her nose. Grade: A

Anthony: She's always been supportive, so that's something that hasn't changed. She's always looked great. I think she tried to be a little bit more technical this season — I'd give her A for effort. Grade: B

Amy: She had her ups and downs throughout the year. In the past seasons she would just say something nice regardless, like, you know, ''You look beautiful,'' and this season I noticed that she would say, ''You had a bit of a challenge here,'' and then she would taper off. She wouldn't necessarily finish it with a positive, which I appreciated. Grade: B+

SIMON COWELL: For round one, Simon rated Blake's entertainment factor stronger than Jordin's vocal prowess, which he found shrieky.




Kimberley: You know what, I would have to say I kind of agree, because I don't think it was about Blake's vocal talent. It was about his presentation. It was a little uncomfortable watching her sing Christina Aguilera's ''Fighter,'' because I couldn't understand the words. The song has a great energy, and I understand why she would do something like that to show a different side of her, but it wasn't her best performance.

Ace: I thought it was split in round 1. I really liked what Jordin brought in the first performance and I really enjoyed what Blake brought to his song. So I disagree with Simon.

Anthony: Maybe she was nervous, but her voice sounded shaky.

Amy: I think Jordin could have done more visually with [her song], instead of hugging the microphone.

Simon thought Blake's decision to sing ''She Will Be Loved'' was way too low-key for the final.

Kimberley: Because there's probably two notes in that song. That's why he chose that song. It's like I said, Blake hasn't really done anything [vocally] to wow us, so if he was going to wow us, he needed to do it [on the finale].

Ace: I think Simon was looking for something new out of Blake. But I thought ''She Will Be Loved'' was perfect because it broke it down to singing and it actually made him use his falsetto. I thought it was very touching. I loved that performance.

Anthony: I disagree. He chose a song that's good for his voice. There's only so much he can do because he doesn't have an unlimited range, so I thought that he made a really good choice.

Amy: I don't know if it was way too low-key. I mean, you have to look at this season. I don't think that overall this season has had the best talent to choose from. You didn't have star singers like Kelly Clarkson. You had Jordin, and then you had Melinda, but there's not those people that were like Jennifer Hudson — you know what I mean? Blake is not a singer like that. To expect something bigger from him vocally, I don't know.

Simon said Jordin ''wiped the floor with Blake'' on the final song. Was that a bit unfair, seeing as Simon had only just pointed out that the song was a terrible fit for Blake's style?

Kimberley: That's happened before. American Idol is about being versatile and about seeing how dynamic you are as an artist. So that's Blake's problem. It just shows once again that as an artist Blake is one-dimensional. It wouldn't be fair to ask LaKisha Jones and Melinda Doolittle to sing country music. That's not their style, but they killed it.

Ace: I thought Blake did a really good job; I liked how he was sitting up in the big TV, then he came out. Jordin hit that one part of her voice — it's called the ''ping'' — where you get those chills if you're paying attention. And the song didn't give Blake the opportunity to use the ping in his voice.

Anthony: That was a little unnecessary, but that's Simon. It's not [Blake's] song, and you know, you're stuck in the machine of the show, so you're never going to hear him belt out a song. It is what it is, so you make the best of it and you move on.

Amy: That was completely unfair. Those are overall statements at the end. That is what's going to grab your general public. ''Blake, that probably wasn't for you, it's not in your genre'' — maybe people will remember that, but overall they're going to remember, ''Yeah, she did wipe the floor with him.''

Overall, for season 6, how would you rate Simon?

Kimberley: Over the seasons Simon has become more apologetic, which I think is huge for him. Simon has become a little more — I'm going to say thoughtful, but not thoughtful in like ''Oh, I'm thinking of you,'' but more thoughtful toward the artist, trying to understand why they did things a certain way or why they chose that song. Instead of just jumping straight out there with his comments, I think he actually tries to understand. And we know most of the time he's right. Grade: A

Ace: Simon was actually nice this season. I remember him being a lot more negative than he has been this year. Grade: A


Anthony: Season 6, I would give him a B++. It's a new mark that I just invented. The reason I'm not giving him an A is because of [the finale] comment [about] Blake [being outsung by Jordin on the final song]. I would have given him an A otherwise, because all of it his comments were pretty much on point. But it was unnecessary for him to say that she wiped the floor with him, because [Simon] knew that wasn't his kind of song. Grade: B++

Amy: I think he was pretty consistent. Even [Tuesday] night when he was like, ''I know you're going to boo,'' he still stayed true to saying what he felt. Grade: A

JORDIN'S FINALE FASHION FLAIR

US magazine reports that at the finale, Jordin Sparks knew how to deliver the entire package, from voice to clothing.

Up until the show’s finale episodes, Sparks and her fellow Idols were afforded a $400 weekly budget to shop with stylist Miles Siggins for performance duds, but when the spotlights went up Tuesday at Hollywood’s Kodak Theatre, Sparks and Blake Lewis pulled out all the stops and called in a few fashion favors.

Having dressed former Idols like Carrie Underwood, the design team of Mark Badgley and James Mischka, the masterminds behind the luxe line Badgley Mischka, were eager to dress America's newest sweetheart. Living every girl's dream when sifting through hundreds of designer duds, the 17-year-old selected their copper brocade cocktail dress for one of the evening's many performances.

"We are big fans of the show and have been watching it since the first season," Mischka said. "Jordin’s beautiful and we thought it would be great to dress her, bring glamour to American Idol and up the bar a bit."

And up the bar they did. Badgley said the star's style is young, fresh and fun. "It all came together last week. She was really spontaneous and fun [during the fitting]," he said, "She broke out in song and her voice is to die for! Jordin is so cute and talented, which makes it that much more fun!"

His design partner couldn't agree more. "Jordin's very statuesque and looks great in clothes! She's very confident even though she’s only 17," Mischka explains.

Although the dress, which is commercially available at Bloomingdale's, exceeded the normal wardrobe budget, Badgley Mischka stepped in to help the star shine.

"We really wanted to work with her on this project," Badgley says. "A lot of times when we work with celebrities, cost doesn't really become an issue. We wanted her to have the dress and it didn't fit in the show’s budget so we stepped in."

While the dress was not specifically commissioned for the performer, the designers have since gifted Sparks with the gown to commemorate her Idol experience.

"We definitely let her keep it," Badgley confirms with excitement. "It's a once in a lifetime thing and we want her to have that memory."

FOX APOLOGIZES FOR IDOL RUNOVER

Not that it'll make you feel any better if you recorded the "American Idol" finales on Tuesday and Wednesday to watch at another time, only to discover that you missed Daughtry on Tuesday, or the big announcement on Wednesday, but according to Broadcasting & Cable Fox has apologized for running over the allotted two-hour time slot on Wednesday's "American Idol" finale. [What about Tuesday?]

The show was scheduled to end at 10:00 PM, however, the winner was announced at 10:03 PM, and the show ended at 10:09 PM. As a result of the mistake, many viewers who recorded the show on their DVR’s missed the announcement of the winner.

"We're sorry that DVR users may have missed the conclusion of the 'American Idol' broadcast. It was always our intention to bring the show in on time, but just as with any live sports, variety, awards or entertainment event, there is no way to absolutely guarantee that the show will end exactly on the hour. Fox and the producers apologize to those viewers who were inconvenienced," said a spokesperson for the company. [Uh-huh]

The Los Angeles Times reported Friday that TiVo -- one of the more popular providers of DVR systems in the U.S. -- got complaints from "disgruntled subscribers" following the Idol 6 finale and issued a statement that basically warned viewers to learn from Fox's mistake.

"At TiVo we're huge 'American Idol' fans too [we bet you are], and some of us also missed the last few minutes," TiVo spokeswoman Katie Ho wrote in an e-mail, according to The Times. "Had we known the program would run over the allotted time, we definitely would have alerted our subscribers to pad a few extra minutes of recording time, as insurance [funny, we knew to do that without being told, so how come TiVo didn't?] ... Be it the Oscars, the Grammys, assorted sporting events, or 'American Idol,' some events run long [exactly, so what's your excuse?]."

During NBC's Thursday night broadcast of "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno," show host Jay Leno revealed that he was one of the many TiVo subscribers that missed out on seeing Sparks' Idol crowning.

"You know what happened to a lot of people like me, I TiVo'd it but when I got home the show ran over so I didn't know who won," Leno told Jordin Sparks, who made a guest appearance on the show. "I had to go on the Internet because if you taped it stopped -- right, anyone else have this [happen to them] -- it stopped right at 10 o'clock and you missed it so you had to go on the Internet to find out!"

Although she obviously had no control over the overrun, Sparks attempted to apologize for Leno's inconvenience. "Oh, I'm sorry," she told Leno.

"That's OK, it's not your fault!," Leno responded.

This is not the first time Idol's live finale has overrun it's scheduled broadcast. Last year's fifth season Idol finale that saw Taylor Hicks take home the crown also ran over by four minutes and the show's fourth and third season finales also ran over slightly [our point exactly], according to The Times.

ABDUL DENIES TANTRUM CAUSED NOSE INJURY

Reuters reports that "American Idol" judge Paula Abdul has slammed reports that a furious fit of anger was to blame for her nose injury.

Abdul was left bruised and with a fractured toe and broken nose after she tripped over her Chihuahua, Tulip.

Some media outlets and fans have questioned Abdul's unusual explanation for her injuries, with some sources claiming she injured herself while throwing a tantrum.

A source said, "Paula did not break her nose. She had pitched a fit, threw something into a mirror or glass object, and a shard of glass struck her in the face, which explains why Paula's nose didn't seem swollen."

However, the former pop star's spokesperson says the report is "absolutely, categorically untrue."

WHO'S THE SEXIEST?

People magazine was on the red carpet on Wednesday night to capture the glamour and to get the scoop from stars like Simon Cowell, Paris Bennett, Peter Noone and Cat Deely. Plus, celebs answered the burning question: Which Idol star is the sexiest?

You can watch the People magazine video here.

e-mail Idol Addict
© 2007

Simon Cowell Visits Ellen DeGeneres

As "Ellen"fans already know, during "Idol" season, on Mondays Ellen DeGeneres usually interviews the most recently eliminated candidate. Only this week no one was eliminated. Sitting in instead will be Simon Cowell, who has visited Ellen in the past.

Set yout TiVos, because Ellen surprises Simon with a clip of Cowell competing as a contestant on the British game show "Sale of the Century" in 1990. The tape was saved for posterity by Cowell's co-contestant Barbara Humphreys. Ellen also gets Simon's thoughts on who he thinks can win this year's "American Idol" and asks him what the judges are talking about while the contestants are performing. Here are some excerpts:

Ellen: Who do you think is going to be voted off and who do you think is going to win?

Simon: I think the front-runners at the moment I would say are Jordin [Sparks] and Melinda [Doolittle]. That's my gut feeling although I wouldn’t write off Blake [Lewis] or LaKisha [Jones]. I think the two that are venerable this week are Chris [Richardson] and Phil [Stacey].

Ellen: Really, well Chris has been in the bottom three before and Phil has been in the bottom three so that makes sense.

Simon: I was kind of mildly disappointed that nobody went last week. I look forward to that point. Does that sound bad?

Ellen: Yes, it sounds bad. ... You and Paula and Randy are constantly talking while the contestants are singing. What are you all talking about? These people are signing their hearts out and what are you doing (watch video)?

Simon: I'm taunting Paula throughout the performance ... I'm saying to her try to say something interesting, try not use the words mountain and lakes in your critiques because it's always "You'll climb mountains, You'll swim lakes," whatever, and then I make things up about the song hoping she'll say it like ..."That was the theme song from "Star Wars" you should mention that ... Anything.

Ellen: Well how can you really critique them if you’re not listening to them?

Simon: Well I'll tell you a secret, I actually watch the dress run so I actually hear much, much easier what they really do sound like because when you're in there it is so loud ... and the audience is going nuts. So I kind of know pretty much what they're going to sound like because of that.

Ellen: Well that explains it.

PAULA PICKS A PECK OF PICKLED PEPPERS

Sounding more like the loopy Paula Abdul we've all grown to know and love, instead of the more recent lucid-sounding one, the Idol judge recently appeared on QVC to sell her jewelry and had trouble coordinating her words and her mouth (watch video)

LISTENING TO THE LOSERS, ER, ELIMINATED

Every week after a contestant is eliminated from Idol, they participate in a conderence with the press, otherwise known as the exit interview. You can listen, download or read transcripts of a number of the Season 6 interviews (as well as a couple of Season 3 ones) at the e-zine Starry Constellation Magazine. Season 6 interviews include: Sanjaya Malakar, Haley Scarnato, Sabrina Sloan, Gina Glocksen, Chris Sligh, Alaina Alexander, Stephanie Edwards and Brandon Rogers. You can also read transcripts of interviews with Amy Adams and Camile Velasco from Season 3.

IS IDOL A SETUP BY THE PRODUCERS?

If you are a conspiracy-theory lover (and we are), you should be reading the myspace blog of Ricky Hoggard, who claims to have inside information on how Idols producers fix the show (which, by the way is legal. This is a reality show, not a game show and the participants are considered paid actors, not game-show contestants). He claims that Sanjaya Malakar was not the lowest vote getter the week he was eliminated and that the producers are gunning for LaKisha Jones next, even though the actually Top 6 vote getters came out like this:

1. Jordin Sparks
2. Blake Lewis
3. Melinda Doolittle
4. Phil Stacy
5. Lakisha Jones
6. Chris Richardson

SANJAYA OF LOVE

And, finally, we couldn't help posting this video from VH1's "Best Week Ever" site:



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Mario Vazquez's Bathroom Caper

TMZ.com reports that Season 4 "American Idol" finalist Mario Vazquez is facing accusations that he tried to masturbate in front of a male employee in a bathroom on the set of the hit show in February 2005.

Shortly thereafter, Vazquez mysteriously dropped out of "Idol," citing personal reasons. According to the lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court and obtained by TMZ, Vazquez allegedly "sexually harassed" Magdaleno Olmos, assistant accountant for Fremantle Media, the company that produces American Idol. In the lawsuit, Olmos claims "Vazquez stared lasciviously, smiled lasciviously and on one occasion followed him into a bathroom ... knocked on the door of the plaintiff's stall and made eye contact through the space in the stall door.

The lawsuit alleges that Vazquez "started to rub his genitals over his pants. Attempting to leave the bathroom, Olmos opened the door of the stall and saw Vazquez standing in front of him with his pants down masturbating."

According to the documents, Vazquez pushed Olmos "further into the stall and continued masturbating with one hand and trying to pull down Olmos' pants with another hand." Olmos claims that he tried to "cover his body with his hands" but Vazquez touched his "chest and stomach underneath his shirt, and Olmos' "genitals" as Vazquez "attempted to unzip" Olmos' pants. Vazquez then allegedly asked Olmos "if he wanted oral sex."

In the lawsuit, Olmos claims that as he "managed to get out of the stall, and attempted to leave the bathroom," Vazquez, grabbed his arm "in an effort to stop him." Vazquez continued to call Olmos to come back as Vazquez "stood in the bathroom with his pants still down."

In addition to suing Vazquez, Olmos has named Fox Entertainment and Fremantle Media as defendants in his lawsuit for wrongful termination. Calls to Vazquez's attorney have not yet been returned.

BACK TO THE FUTURE?

Many viewers are upset by the disadvantage the strong group of female semi-finalists faced this season, since only six of them could make it to the finals, when even the judges admitted that no more than four of the guys were even good enough to be considered for one the 12 finalist positions.

And the show's producers listened. When Ryan Seacrest asked executive producer Nigel Lythgoe if it was true that there had been behind-closed-doors meetings by the producers to consider adjusting the Top 6, and the Top 6 making the Top 12, so it wouldn't necessarily be even, Lythgoe responded, "Yeah, in truth, we did discuss it and we thought that this season that wouldn't be fair on the guys, but we might put that in as a rule next season and say, you know, if we get to this situation, possibly the girls deserve better places." You can listen to the interview here.

This season is very similar to Season 3, only the equal number of each sex rule didn't apply back then. Otherwise known as "The Year of the Divas," eight woman and four men made it to the finals. And the lot of men that year -- Matt Rogers, George Huff, Jon Peter Lewis and John Stevens -- were even a weaker lot than this year's male contenders. And what a group of females they faced: eventual winner Fantasia Barrino, runner-up Diana DeGarmo, LaToya London, Jennifer Hudson, Amy Adams, Jasmine Trias and weak links Leah LaBelle and Camile Velasco.

CLASSIC IDOL VIDEO

Clay Aiken singing "Solitaire"



INSIDE TAYLOR'S TOUR BUS

The Birmingham News checked out the tour bus of native son Taylor Hicks. Hicks curls up at night in the middle bunk, driver's side, of a 2007 Prevost XLII, where he has a DVD player with a small, drop-down screen. "I love it," he says. "It's amazing the way the bus moves. I pull the curtain and it's dark, and the hum of the engine puts me to sleep."

His cushy silver-gray rental vehicle sells for more than $1 million. "This is my home on the road. I sleep here. I eat here. I work on songs here. I do phone interviews here. I play on the computer here. I do everything here." His bunk has a cream-colored phone attached to the wall that connects him directly with the driver.

Eight working musicians ride the Prevost - that's Hicks and seven band members - as well as tour assistant Bill Williams, a pal of Hicks' from Birmingham. Crew members ride on a similar bus. The convoy also includes an 18-wheeler, with a red Peterbilt cab and a white cargo trailer that contains the heavy-duty tour gear.

Hicks said he likes the idea of living on a "swanky bachelor bus" designed for comfort and efficiency. The bus boasts an expandable front lounge and roomy back lounge, gleaming wood paneling, faux-granite countertops, several squishy couches, privacy shades, a bathroom, a kitchenette, a couple of flat-panel televisions, a stereo or two and about 14 DVD players, carpeting, a decent-sized refrigerator with a freezer and ample storage space, including two mirrored closets for Hicks' on- and off-stage wardrobes.

One modern convenience is missing, however: a shower. "I use hotels and venues for that," Hicks says. Two of the 12 bunks lining the middle of the bus are "junk bunks," where Hicks and his band members stash extra food, T-shirts, gaming equipment and gifts from fans.

"My favorite seat is the one next to the driver," he says. "I spent my life as a musician driving myself from show to show, dreaming about riding in the front seat of a tour bus. In the middle of the night, I get up and sit here, or I stand here, looking out. It's beautiful at night."

And just in case you're wondering, here's what Taylor Hicks and his band keep in the tour bus refrigerator: Coca-Cola, Red Bull, water, Honest Tea, Heineken, cold cuts, hummus, Wickles gourmet pickles, mustard, Starbucks coffee and meatless sausages. Check please!

HUDSON PUSHES PRODUCT

We don't know if she uses Skin So Soft, but Jennifer Hudson has landed a deal with its manufacturer -- Avon Products Inc. -- to represent its best-selling Imari fragrance brand. Under the agreement, the 25-year-old singer will serve as the "face of Imari," including appearing in the company's brochures for both the 20-year-old classic Imari fragrance and its newest scent Imari Seduction.

Hudson made her first Avon appearance last week at a first of its kind "global summit for a better tomorrow" at the United Nations in Manhattan. Hudson called the opportunity "a dream come true." "It's exciting to be representing the Imari brand, which really embodies confidence and femininity," she said of her newest venture. Avon plans to make a U.S. launch of Imari Seduction in August.

And according to TMZ.com, Hudson will have it her way ... forever at Burger King. Responding to Hudson's Burger King comment directed at Simon Cowell, the fast-food emporium assured her that no thanks was necessary and, in fact, awarded Hudson a whopper -- BK for life:

"...In response to Jennifer's recent comments in which she asked if she should be thanking Burger King, we say thanks, but no thanks are necessary. Burger King Corporation is proud of Jennifer's success and while we never like to lose employees, in this case, our loss is the entertainment industry's gain ... To further show our support for Jennifer, and make sure she never has to sing for her supper again, Burger King Corporation is giving her a pre-paid BK Crown Card that will be automatically reloaded for life."

Hudson worked at the BK on East 87th and State streets in Chicago. Burger King was her first job at age 16, where she worked with her sister, who claims she sang while working the drive-thru and flipping burgers.

HARD TO SAY GOODBYE

TVGuide.com asked the finalists "Who has been the hardest goodbye so far?"

Gina Glocksen: For me it would be my roommate [Leslie Hunt]. She lived in the same city as I do, in Chicago, and we formed a bond during the hiatus.
Chris Sligh: For me, Rudy [Cardenas]. We met at our first audition in Memphis. And Sundance [Head] ... was really, really tough to say goodbye to.
Blake Lewis: Sundance. He was a really great friend to me. I loved him, I loved his voice … [On Thursday] he experienced a tragic loss in his family, as well, which makes the whole competition seem like a really small deal. My heart really goes out to him.
Melinda Doolittle: Pretty much everybody, because I’m kind of the older one here, so I’m like the mama and these are my babies going home, and I can’t stand it!
Jordin Sparks: I’ve grown to love a ton of people, but it was really hard to say goodbye to Sundance and Jared [Cotter].
Brandon Rogers: I love everybody, but the difficult one was Jared. He and I became very close, and that’s my boy. I don’t know if the camera showed it, but Jordin and I were sort of the first two in tears. I really didn’t expect it. I think he’s a great singer, a fantastic songwriter and a really great guy.
LaKisha Jones: Everybody, really, because we’ve been together for a while and everybody’s good and everybody’s talented. I wish everybody the best of luck.
Chris Richardson: For me, AJ [Tablado]. He was my roommate and my best friend here, and it was really hard to see him go, but like LaKisha said, it’s so hard to let go of anybody, because you do become a family.
Sanjaya Malakar: Amy [Krebs]. We were representing Seattle, plane buddies and all, so that was really hard, and I really admired her for her voice. Her tone was really pure.
Stephanie Edwards: Antonella was my roommate and I loved her. We were becoming so close. I cried like a baby.

YOU OUGHT TO BE IN PICTURES

UPI reports that Jennifer Hudson said in an interview in Burbank, Calif., that she wanted to do the Jackie Robinson story. "The story of Robinson, the first African-American player in Major League Baseball, tells of greatness and our history; that means something to me," Hudson said in an interview on "Access Hollywood." The untitled, still-in-development Jackie Robinson biography is being produced by Robert Redford who will play Brooklyn Dodger's general manager Branch Rickey, the man who signed Robinson to a big league contract.

The Hollywood Reporter announces that Season 5 finalist Kevin Covais is about to give acting a try with a lead role in the feature film "College." Covais will star alongside Drake Bell and Andrew Caldwell in the film, which is about three high school seniors who visit a nearby college campus as prospective freshmen and wind up having the wildest weekend in their lives.

THE LAST WORD

Talking about the finalist results, Simon Cowell said, "Tons of surprises, but it wouldn’t be 'American Idol' without it, would it … At the end of the day, I could go out and find 12 great singers, but that's kind of boring. The fact that there's people there who shouldn't be there makes it 'American Idol.' " Cowell is actually hoping for a "battle of the divas," with Melinda Doolittle edging out LaKisha Jones and Stephanie Edwards. "I like her humility," he said of professional backup singer Doolittle. "I like the fact that she’s happy to be on the show and she's giving 100 percent. She’s got passion." But, perish the thought, what if Sanjaya Malakar won, Simon was asked. "He's not going to win. I won't be back if he does!"

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