Idol Style

The Detroit Free Press interviewed "American Idol" wardrobe stylist Miles Siggins about his unique perspective on this season's contestants. He's the man who helps the budding idols through the tricky process of selecting their outfits and polishing their personal style. Put another way, it's his job to make sure the kids won't be cut down by Simon Cowell for their clothing. "A lot of these contestants, they haven't had massive exposure to fashion," says Siggins, who's been with the show since the second season. In his opinion, the clothing ranks right up there in importance with the singing. "The first thing people see when (the finalists) step out onstage, they don't hear their voices, they see what they're wearing," he notes in his clipped British accent.

Sometimes, Siggins can't prevent a major fashion faux pas, like Season 3 runner-up Diana DeGarmo's tendency to favor the sparkly Miss America look. In most cases, Siggins is able to coax "Idol" hopefuls out of their comfort zones and into something with star quality, like the hot pants and halter top that gave Haley Scarnato a boost of sex appeal on the March 20 episode. "My push was to get her out of the kind of little pageantry tops she's been wearing," Siggins says. "That's what she's worn for years and years, but to me, you can see any girl in America wearing that on a Saturday night."

What about the other contestants? He's worked to get Melinda Doolittle away from suits and collars that emphasize her short neck and her tendency to shyly hunch her shoulders. "I've kind of deliberately gotten her into dresses and things with no collar, really," he says.

Beat-boxer Blake Lewis is one of the easier guys to shop with because he's confident about what he likes, according to Siggins. "It's weird. This year, the guys have been more picky than the girls, as far as clothes." The pickiest of them all is Chris Richardson. "He wants to see every single thing out there, and then he'll go back to the first thing he saw," says an amused Siggins.

Sanjaya Malakar, who's constantly picked on by critics, is having fun with his style choices. "We're trying to keep him a bit age-appropriate because he's a young guy," says Siggins. "So I don't think we're going to be seeing him in suits." And Phil Stacey, who's used to military uniforms, is slowly learning to care more about clothes. Where does Siggins stand on the hat-or-no-hat issue regarding the bald Stacey? "He's got no hair, so embrace it," he says. "I'm a big fan of embracing your traits. Enjoy what you are and enjoy the moment."

Siggins heaves a sigh when asked about Cowell's tendency to be a fashion critic. During British invasion week, Cowell even said LaKisha Jones' diamonds weren't real. They certainly were, Siggins assures. "To be honest, Simon just says things to rile people up, to try and get an argument," he explains. "He's like a spoiled little British schoolboy sometimes. "Being British, I know exactly what they're like."

FORMER IDOLS REPORT

... Season 4 runner-up Bo Bice sings the theme song to the new Will Ferrell movie "Blades of Glory." Producer Ben Stiller has been a fan of Bo’s since his Idol run and invited him to work on the song. You can listen to the tune at the official Blades of Glory Blades of Glory MySpace.com Site.

... Good news for Season 3 finalist George Huff. His single, “You Know Me,” has been nominated for a Gospel Music Association (GMA) Dove Award for Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the Year. The awards will be presented on April 25, 2007 at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, and will be hosted by Brian Littrell, Natalie Grant and Donnie McClurkin. The show will be broadcast in national syndication during May.

... TV Guide reports that Constantine Maroulis has been cast on the soap opera "The Bold and the Beautiful." Maroulis, who in the past year has been featured in the Broadway musical "The Wedding Singer" and the Off-Broadway revue "Jacques Brel is Alive and Well," will play a partly fictionalized version of himself on the show.

"We're going to blur reality à la 'Entourage' and have Constantine play a fictional version of himself," "B&B" Executive Producer Brad Bell told the magazine. Look for Maroulis to be involved in the Phoebe/Rick storyline -- he will initially join the soap as a possible music producer for Phoebe. He is shceduled to begin his appearances on the show this summer. Bell also teases that there may be other former Idols appearing on Bold and the Beautiful this summer.

... The Orlando Sentinel says that Jennifer Hudson might star in Aussie director Rowan Woods' film "Winged Creatures," playing the daughter of fellow-Oscar winner Forest Whitaker. The cast list is already star-packed, with Oscar nominee Jackie Earle Haley, Guy Pearce, Kate Beckinsale, Dakota Fanning, Embeth Davidtz, Jeanne Tripplehorn and Josh Hutcherson. The story revolves around the witnesses to a murder-suicide in a fast-food restaurant as they cope with the aftermath of the incident and how they affect the people who help them along the way. Apparently, Hudson is busy recording her debut album (set for release on Arista in the fall) but still wants to join the cast.

SIMON TAKES SOME SHORT SHOTS

Simon Cowell is too short to flirt, or so says Britain's
"Got Talent" co-presenter Amanda Holden to the UK Web site What's on TV. Holden told the Sun that the 47-year-old falls a little short of her lofty standards. "I trust Simon's opinions but he wouldn't get anywhere flirting with me," the "Wild at Heart" star laughed. "He's only 4 feet! How can he flirt with me and be serious?"

The 35-year-old then stuck the boot in: "He wouldn't dream of being seriously flirty. Have you seen his built up shoes?" Holden, who is engaged to record executive Chris Hughes, also said she wouldn't take her daughter to work with her because of Simon's attitude to children. "I had a photo of her on my phone and Simon just said, 'You've got dogs too, haven't you? Have you got a picture of a dog?'," she revealed, adding that she had nicknamed him The Child Catcher after the villain in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Expect sparks to fly in the ITV1 show which kicks off in June.

HOLD THE CHEESE, SAYS STONE

According to Star Pulse, soul singer Joss Stone thinks "American Idol'" keeps getting more and more cheesy and is past its prime. The Brit, who was discovered on U.K. talent show "Star for a Night," admits she was a big fan of the first season of Idol, but the program no longer appeals to her.

"I think if you keep going with it, it's gonna get more and more cheesy... and that's a shame for the artists, because they just want any break." Stone also questions the credentials of the show's judges and believes they're too mean, "There's some great people there, like Randy [Jackson] ... He has every right to judge them. But the rest of them ... why are you judging these people?"

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© 2007

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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© 2007