The British Are Coming!

Fox has announced that the theme of next week's show is British Invasion Week, with the contestants being mentored by Lulu and Peter Noone (lead singer of Herman's Hermits) on hit songs picks from the 1960s.

To those of you reading this who are too young to remember the '60s, or think that the only British group that came out of that era was The Beatles ... well, they weren't. Musically, it was a great time to be a teen, with music from not only the Fab Four pouring out of your transistor radio, but also the Rolling Stones, Dave Clark 5, The Troggs, The Zombies, The Hollies, the Kinks, The Blues Magoos, Dusty Springfield, Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders, Procol Harum, Petula Clark, Chad & Jeremy, The Seekers, Peter & Gordon, The Byrds, Badfinger, Marianne Faithful, Donovan, Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas, The Animals, Manfred Mann, Gerry & The Pacemakers, The Turtles, Jonathan King, Traffic, The Yardbirds, The Spencer Davis Group, Them, Van Morrison, The Easybeats, Sopwith "Camel," The Tremeloes, The Swinging Blue Jeans, Freddie & The Dreamers, Small Faces, Oliver, plus a ton more. So the song selection should be really great!

For the uninitiated, Scottish singer Lulu, born Marie McDonald McLaughlin Laurie on Nov. 3, 1948, is probably best known for singing the theme song for "To Sir With Love," a million-selling No. 1 hit in the U.S. She also did a turn as Barbara "Babs" Pegg in the beloved 1967 film starring Sidney Poitier. Lulu will perform the song on Idol, as well.

Other "fun" Lulu facts:

• At the age of 15, Lulu and her backing band, The Luvvers, reached No. 7 on the UK charts with their version of The Isley Brothers' "Shout."
• She had her own TV series in the UK.
• She was married to Maurice Gibb (of the Bee Gees) from 1969-1973.
• David Bowie produced and arranged her hit version of "The Man Who Sold The World."
• In 1974, she sang the title song for the James Bond film "The Man with the Golden Gun."
• In 1993, the title track of her release "Independence," co-produced by Bobby Womack and London Beat, registered strongly on the UK and US charts.
• Tina Turner's hit "I Don't Wanna Fight" was written by Lulu and her brother Billy Laurie
• She was awarded the OBE in June 2000 for her contribution to the entertainment industry.
• Her 2002 duets album featured collaborations with Elton John, Paul McCartney, Sting and newer artists Atomic Kitten and Westlife.

Peter Noone, was born Peter Blair Denis Bernard in Manchester, England, where he studied voice and acting at St. Bede’s College and the Manchester School of Music and Drama. As a child, he played Stanley Fairclough in the long-running British soap opera "Coronation Street." He was also featured on other TV series. At 15, he achieved international fame as the lead singer of the '60s pop band Herman’s Hermits. Their hits include: "I'm Into Something Good," "Silhouettes," "I'm Henry VIII, I Am," "Can't You Hear My Heartbeat," "Just a Little Bit Better," "Wonderful World," "There's a Kind of Hush," "Listen People," "The End of the World," "Dandy" and "Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter." Noone will perform "There's a Kind of Hush" on the results show.

Other "fun" Herman's Hermits facts:

• The band ultimately sold over 65 million recordings.
• In all, 14 singles and seven albums went gold.
• The Hermits were twice named Cashbox’s "Entertainer of the Year."
• Noone graced the cover of nearly every international publication, including Time Magazine.
• He performed on hundreds of top-rated TV shows, and appeared with such luminaries as Ed Sullivan, Jackie Gleason, Dean Martin and Danny Kaye.
• He starred in ABC’s musical version of "The Canterville Ghost," the Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation of "Pinocchio" (in which he played the title role) and the feature films "Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter," "Hold On!" and "When the Boys Meet the Girls."
• Throughout the '70s, Noone performed, composed and produced recordings with such artists as David Bowie and Debby Boone.
• In the '80s he starred on Broadway as Frederic in the New York Shakespeare Festival’s production of "The Pirates of Penzance."
• He later guest-starred on the TV series "Married With Children," "My Two Dads," "Quantum Leap," "Dave’s World," "Easy Street," "Too Close for Comfort" and "Laverne and Shirley."
• For four years, Noone hosted VH1’s "My Generation," a retrospective of popular music.
• His fans are known as “Noonatics.”
• In 2001, VH1 selected Noone as their viewer's choice for the "Sexiest Artist of the Year."
• Noone starred in the recurring role of Paddington on "As the World Turns."
• He still performs approximately 150 live concerts a year.

ONE-ON-ONE WITH PAULA ABDUL

"Extra's" Terri Seymour sat down with Paula Abdul for a candid one-on-one about love. This is what Paula had to say:

On finding Mr. Right: "Mr. Right is the complete opposite of Simon! The truth of the matter is he [Simon] does make me laugh at times and humor to me is everything. I find that attractive."

On Seymour dating Cowell: "You [Seymour] are the perfect complement to him … you are the bright light and he is the king of darkness."

On whether she is ready for love: "I am definitely ready for love. I've been ready. Just because I'm a famous person, it doesn't make me exempt from love."

WHAT THEY WOULD HAVE SUNG

Vocally, Diana Ross Week was not a great success. Would it have been any better had some of the semi-finalists booted the week before still been competing? MTV asked a couple of them what they had planned to sing on the show.

Sundance Head: I was going to sing "Reflections" and I was going to do a slight punk rock version of it.

Sabrina Sloan: "You Can't Hurry Love." I was already planning it out in my head how I wanted the band to do it.

GIVING BACK

The American Red Cross unveils it's sixth annual National Celebrity Cabinet with 20 new members, including "American Idol" alum Kellie Pickler. The 2007 American National Celebrity Cabinet will work to promote awareness of Red Cross services in a variety of ways, such as taping public service announcements; donating their time, money and blood; feeding victims of disaster; and generally lending a hand or a hug to those in need.

Other members of the 2007 American National Celebrity Cabinet include Forest Whitaker, Bradley Whitford, Kristen Bell, Jamie Lee Curtis, Marcia Gay Harden, Heidi Klum, Tim McGraw, Julianne Moore, Elisabeth Rohm and Rascal Flatts.

AMERICAN IDOL EXTRA

MJsBigBlog reports on the premiere of "American Idol Extra" on the Fox Reality cable channel, hosted by JD Roberto, and co-hosted by former Idol finalists Mikalah Gordon (Season 4) and Matthew Rogers (Season 3). Here are the highlights of the first show:

Ryan Seacrest said that the worst singer did not go on Wednesday night ... Carrie Underwood said her favorite Idol performance was Heart's "Alone" ... Lisa Tucker, turning 18 soon, is working on Nickelodeon's "Zoey 101" and recording original music. She does not have a label yet ... Simon Cowell said it's better to be really, really bad than forgettable – that's why the worst singer did not leave Wednesday night.

In an interview with Brandon Rogers, the first Season 6 finalist to get the boot said:

• He was prepared to go home Wednesday because when he forgot his words on stage, he knew he was going home.
• There is no infighting or backstabbing on the show. Everyone was nice, and genuinely enjoyed hanging out together.
• He's going home because he never picked the right songs to showcase his voice. He picked songs that he liked, and now realizes that wasn't a good strategy.
• He would love to cover Donny Hathaway's "A Song for You."
• When Ryan told him that he was going home, he thought, "I want a [alcoholic beverage] with a squeeze of lime."
• He was not nervous performing Tuesday night, but was thrown off by the crowd response – he lost his focus.
• No one should feel sorry for him – it was a great ride.
• The most emotional moment Wednesday night was Blake Lewis crying after Brandon's elimination.
• Brandon cried every week when somebody left.
• He thought he earned the judges' criticisms.
• He will continue to write and make music.

The show ended with Brandon’s sing-out, which was cut from Wednesday’s show - he remembered his words.

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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