Kelly Clarkson Drama Continues

Entertainment Weekly says that Kelly Clarkson has told her manager, The Firm's CEO Jeff Kwatinetz, never again.

Barely two weeks before the release of her newest album, "My December," which has been the subject of a very bitter and public battle between Clarkson and Sony/BMG head Clive Davis, the magazine reports that Clarkson has axed Kwatinetz, who reportedly was to receive executive producer credit on the CD.

Previous reports said Davis was unhappy with the CD -- which contains dark cuts about bad breakups and staying sober and which was written entirely by Clarkson and her band -- because he felt it wasn't commercial enough. It was rumored that Davis both held up the CD's release for four months and demanded changes, but that Clarkson stood her ground, refusing to change anything. Eventually, sources claim, Davis capitulated and reluctantly green-lighted the album's release for late June. In fact, during his appearance on the Idol Gives Back telecast in late April, Davis extensively extolled Carrie Underwood's achievements, yet didn't even mention Clarkson's name, even though both singers appeared on the show.

In the May
"Summer Music Preview" issue of EW, which featured Clarkson on the cover, the singer said she told Davis, '' 'Why are we talking through people, dude? Let's just meet.' He was like, 'I agree.' So I went to his bungalow where he stays here and we had a nice talk for a couple hours. I was like, 'You don't like the music; that's cool. You don't have to love it.' There's no hard feelings. And that's why I don't like [our differences] to get out in public. I don't want to be the Joan of Arc of the music industry."

In the same issue of EW, "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell said of the dispute between the singer and the record company, ''Kelly is not a puppet; she does not like to be told what to do. She could have gone the easy route, which is, you go with ['Since U Been Gone' producer] Max Martin — it's a guaranteed success. She made it absolutely clear that she wanted to steer the musical direction on this record. You just gotta say, 'You know what? This girl has given us millions and millions of sales.' You've got to give her that opportunity. If it works out, fantastic. If she then decides she wants to do a pop album, every good writer and producer wants to work with her. Because Kelly will be here for 30 years. She has one of the best pop voices in the world right now. What she sold in the U.K., Europe, Asia had nothing to do with 'American Idol.' It had everything to do with the fact that she made a great record and she's got an incredible voice. She's not a girl who got lucky in a talent competition; we got lucky to find her.''

Just yesterday, we posted the Elle magazine story and interview with Kelly Clarkson in which Kwatinetz said of his client:

"The label didn't even acknowledge her ASCAP awards ... It's upsetting. They don't want her to be a songwriter. They just want her to shut up and sing. They want her to stay their little American Idol."

In fact, according to an article we posted last week by Fox News' Roger Friedman, Kwatinetz and Clarkson were so tight that Friedman said:

"But the real friction may not be between Clarkson and Davis, but between Clarkson's manager, Jeff Kwatinetz, of The Firm, and the label.

It was only this past weekend that RCA learned Kwatinetz is being listed by Clarkson as "executive producer" of the album. This indicates a new role for Kwatinetz, who is not the most popular member of the recording industry. Managers generally do not receive "EP" credits on albums. They are listed as managers."

Now, Entertainment Weekly is saying that Clarkson has fired Kwatinetz:

With just two weeks to go before the release of her much-anticipated (and recently leaked) third album, "My December," EW.com has learned that Kelly Clarkson fired her management team Monday night [June 11]. A SonyBMG source confirms the split between Clarkson and The Firm's Jeff Kwatinetz, and hinted that internal bickering between SonyBMG and Clarkson about the songwriting and direction of "My December" likely played a role with their parting.

"He exacerbated a thermonuclear situation," says one source close to the situation. "Jeff did everything he could to control Kelly and her career suffered. He should have steered her in the right direction."

The Firm issued a statement on June 12 saying, "Kelly Clarkson is an enormously talented artist. We are pleased to have served as her managers during her well-deserved rise to stardom and are proud of the role we played in backing her creative choices. We believed in Kelly from the day we met her and believe in her now. We have only the best wishes and hopes for her in the future."

A spokesperson at RCA, Clarkson's label, had no comment.

With the single
"Never Again" stalling on the charts [it's currently No. 11 on the Hot 100 chart after 6 weeks] and the album predicted to underperform, the timing of the firing says a lot about where Clarkson sees herself positioned in the pop world. She certainly hasn't been shy about sacrificing a bit of pop appeal for a more independent rock route ("I know it's not going to do what 'Breakaway' did, 'cause it's not as mainstream. I get that. Some of the songs are not what 10-year-olds are probably going to listen to," Clarkson told EW earlier this year), but another insider says there were bigger problems than just specific songs. "It's been a poor setup," claims the source. "Tour markets were misread and all the fighting with the label has taken attention away from the one thing that matters: her music."

In fact, another source suggests that the album, if it hasn't made its way to the pressing plant yet, may actually get shelved so that Clarkson and her label, headed by music legend Clive Davis, can reconsider some of the tracks. "It's not too late," says the source. "The label was supportive of Kelly in terms of putting the song out, but this album can't flop. She needs to get the right advice and counsel."

Stay tuned ...

And here's a recent interview between Ryan Seacrest and Clarkson on his KISS-FM radio show.

IS BLAKE LEWIS A DIVA?
In one of those stories we're reluctant to believe, MSNBC claims that Blake Lewis is a major celeb — at least in his own mind, citing a National Enquirer story that claims that Lewis was at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on June 7 when he was approached by four elderly ladies who politely asked him if he was the guy from the hit television series, according to the National Enquirer.

Lewis curtly insisted that he wasn't.

"My, my, young man, you look so much like him," one disappointed woman reportedly said.

Although no one else seemed to recognize Lewis, he whipped out his cell phone, called someone, and complained about being mobbed by fans, according to the tab.

"Hurry up and get down here fast!" an observer heard him grouse. "You wouldn't believe all the people bothering me here!"

Having seen how exceedingly polite Lewis has been in other situations, we find the whole story highly suspect, especially after reading this in The Journal News:

Jessi-Ann Bettcher is on her way home to Brewster from the hospital where she received lifesaving heart transplant surgery three weeks ago.

The 17-year-old soccer player, wearing jeans, sandals and a heart monitor on her chest that looks like a large i-pod, smiled all morning as she said goodbye to nurses and doctors.

"You don't know you are going home until all the wires are out of your body, and you are in the car," said Bettcher, with her mother at her side, shortly after noon, as she was being discharged from Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital at New York-Presbyterian. "I'm going home today, so I'm excited."

The spirited teenager planned to surprise some of her friends at Brewster High School before beginning what is expected to be an eight-week period of healing and recovery at home.

She has every intention of taking up soccer again next season as a senior.

Bettcher's accommodating nature and uncommon grace during her 23 days in the hospital endeared her to many in her community and impressed none other than Blake Lewis -- the runner-up on the television show "American Idol," who visited Bettcher in her room.

After all the excitement of coming home, Bettcher said she was looking forward to having "five minutes to myself."

SPEND A DAY WITH AN IDOL FINALIST

Just because "American Idol" Season 6 has officially ended, the contests surrounding the series haven't. The PRNewswire announces a new Pringles off-air contest where you can win a day with your favorite Season 6 Top 10 Idol finalist through the "Pringles Win a Day with an AMERICAN IDOL Finalist" contest.

To enter, click here and submit an essay of no more than 100 words telling how they would spend a day with one of the top 10 finalists from 2007. Entries must be received by September 14. No purchase is necessary. You can find additional information, contest entry details and the official rules at the same Web site.

PHIL STACEY VIDEO

Phil Stacey performs in Wichita, Kansas, to help the people of Greensburg. This is his new song, "Old Glory," which he did for the first time for the people of Wichita and Greensburg:


And before his performance of the National Anthem at Riverbend, Stacey was interviewed by TV station WDEF, News 12. Here are some excerpts:

On resuming his career in the Navy: "They encouraged me to do my audition, they supported me through the whole thing, they're sending me on the tour. My first priority was to get back, and resume my post as a United States sailor."

On recording an album: "I think, I write and sign honest music, music that I feel in my heart, and, I think, if you pick a Phil Stacy CD up, it'll probably be in the country music section."

On his fans: "Everywhere we go now, people want to stop us, they want to talk to us, and it just means the world, it means there was a connection made between that person and ourselves. It's just been really cool, because, we feel like we have just a huge amount of new friends."

On the most important thing he takes with him from his Idol days: "We did an event called Idol Gives Back. We raised somewhere near 100 million dollars, just in fighting poverty. And, I think what we raised more than anything else was awareness. That poverty is an issue that's killing children all over the world, it's hurting families across the United States, and we have the power if we join together we can beat poverty."

SIMON AND RYAN GO AT IT

Responding to Ryan Seacrest's charge that he was the cause of the drop in ratings for "American Idol," Simon Cowell called in to Seacrest's KIIS-FM radio show in Los Angeles, and the two had a bitchfest. You can listen to it here.

ALAINA ALEXANDER'S GAY PRIDE SINGLE

Queerty reports Season 6 semi-finalist Alaina Alexander may not have won the crooning contest, but she's won a gold star for her special gay pride single,
"Believe." The video, created by The Lavender Liberal, features men, women and trans folk who may not all be gay, but have all died at the hands of homophobia. It’s definitely something to think about. And not recommended for easily depressed people.

Watch video and listen to Alaina Alexander (who sounds A LOT better here than she did on Idol):


TAYLOR HICKS ON NBA FINALS

Taylor Hicks sings the National Anthem at the NBA finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the San Antonio Spurs Thursday June 14 on ABC at 8:30 p.m.


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Macca: Starbucks & HSN Over 'Idol'

A lot of "American Idol"-Beatles fans have been disappointed with Paul McCartney's continual stance to distance himself from America's No. 1-rated TV show. We thought that "Idol" was perhaps just too cheesy for the musicmaker who has even tried his hand at classical oratorio, first with 1991's "Liverpool Oratorio," and more recently after wife Linda's death with "Ecce Cor Meum." Of course that was until we heard that the "cute" Beatle had opted to turn to Starbucks and Home Shopping Network to market his latest CD release, "Memory Almost Full."

The Flint Journal, among others, reports that Macca began using Home Shopping Network with a 30-minute special that aired on May 30 and 31 to promote tomorrow's release of the CD. The special reportedly featured songs from the new disk and footage of McCartney chatting about the stories behind the tunes. (Click on the link above to watch videos.)

Add the fact that the record is part of Starbucks' new music division, and it compounds the frustration over what a legendary artist is being forced to do to keep reaching fans in an age of micro-thin playlists on radio and video channels.

Scarier yet is that you can already get the CD, which sells for $19.97 plus $2.98 shipping and handling on HSN (it includes a "Bonus 3-Song CD") discounted on amazon.com for $9.99 (including free shipping if you spend a minimum of $25). On that site you'll also find a video ad that Macca made for amazon.com, followed by the video for "Dance Tonight," which features a deliveryman whose thin build, gaunt angular face and long teeth are incredibly reminiscent of a young George Harrison. In the video, a mandolin-playing McCartney cavorts with ghostly images. If this was the '60s, there would again be rumors that "Paul is dead," just like there were when "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" came out.

And we admit it. "Dance Tonight" is a typically catchy McCartney. Paul still has it. Not bad for someone who'll turn 65 on June 18. Too bad he had to resort to Starbucks and HSN to hustle it. Somehow Idol would have been so much easier -- and, in spite of all its flaws, more dignified. Besides, it would have sold tons of CDs for him.

Watch video of Paul McCartney singing "Dance Tonight":



YAMIN HOT DOGGIN' IT FOR OSCAR MAYER

Elliott Yamin has signed on with Oscar Mayer to serve as spokes-
man for its “Sing the Jingle, Be a Star” contest.

The weiner-maker has partnered with FremantleMedia for sponsorship of "American Idol" Season 7. Now in its second year, the Oscar Mayer "Sing the Jingle, Be a Star" contest invites eager songsters to see if they can cut the mustard by singing their own unique rendition of one of the popular Oscar Mayer jingles -- the Oscar Mayer Wiener Jingle, the Bologna Song, or an Oscar Mayer Spanish Jingle.

Solo artists and – new this year – duos and groups of up to five people – can enter from May 24 to October 31, 2007. As part of the promotion, the "American Idol" name and imagery will be featured on 250 million packs of Oscar Mayer lunch meats, hot dogs, corn dogs and bacon.

Yamin will help kick-off the Oscar Mayer contest on June 13 in the Central Courtyard at the Hollywood & Highland Center, just steps away from the Kodak Theatre where the season finale of "American Idol" took place. Elliott will assist the Hotdoggers, official drivers of the Wienermobile vehicles, as entrants sing at the first open casting call of the hot dog season.

The search will continue throughout the summer, as Wienermobile vehicles cruise the country hosting open casting calls to give Oscar Mayer fans the opportunity to enter the contest. Contestants ages 6 and older may enter at official Wienermobile vehicle stops, where their entry will be videotaped, or mail-in a VHS videotape or DVD along with an official entry form, available at the Web site, where they may also upload their entry videos. Mailed entries should be sent to: Sing the Jingle Entries, P.O. Box 5600, Blair, NE 68009-5600. All entries must be received by October 31, 2007.

Twelve finalists will be selected by a panel of Oscar Mayer appointed judges and posted on the official Web site from January 15 to February 15, 2008. During this time, the public can vote for their favorite jingle contest entry.

America's vote, along with the panel of Oscar Mayer appointed judges, will help select three Grand Prize winners, who will receive the chance to appear in a nationally televised Oscar Mayer commercial, a trip for two to the American Idol Season 7 Finale (in the event a winner or winning group member is less than 8 years old at the time of intended travel to the American Idol Finale, he/she will be awarded a Sponsor-specified prize of equal or greater value in lieu of the trip) and commercial taping location. Judging will be based on overall performance, style, creativity and suitability for an Oscar Mayer TV commercial. No purchase necessary.

Watch video of Elliott Yamin shilling for the Oscar Mayer jingle contest.

ELLIOTT YAMIN INTERVIEW

US magazine recently talked with Yamin about the Oscar Mayer gig, his new album and Idol's Season 6 finale:

You’re quite the busy guy. Between traveling and performing, you must never have time to sleep!
I’m always moving, always on the go. You got to get some global tracking on me. [Laughs].

But you recently cleared your schedule to hang out with some of your Idol peers during a finale after party.
Yeah, we had a great time. I wasn’t expecting to see as many people from last season. I’ve never been to a high school reunion or anything, but I saw Ace [Young] - we’re good friends - Mandisa, Constantine, Anthony Fedorov and Scott Savol again.

Idol’s boys’ club is back together.
It was a lot of fun. Ace is doing great. He’s finishing up his record and he’s the face of Edy’s ice cream.

However, I’d say you beat him on the food chain, since you’re helping Oscar Mayer with their “Sing the Jingle, Be a Star” contest.
Right, right. We actually launched it last week. I partnered up with them to help promote this contest. It’s a singing contest, which I’m quite familiar with [Laughs].

Will Simon Cowell be able to critique these performers?
No Simon Cowell, no harsh critics. That’s a good thing. What they want to do is find songsters age 6 and up. You can either do it solo or in groups of up to 5 people. Basically what they’re looking for are people to put their own personal twists on the already-popular Oscar Meyer Wiener jingle that we’re so familiar with.

Wait, what’s that jingle again?
Well, I think you know what I’m talking about. [Laughs]

Come on…
[Clears throat and begins to sing] My bologna has a first name…[pause]. There’s even a Spanish version too.

Now that the business is out of the way, let’s talk about Idol and your new record. You’re currently on your own headlining tour. It must feel good since you were on the Idol tour just last summer.
It’s surreal to be headlining my own tour and be able to go on that stage and see people actually singing my songs. I’ve just come such a long way in such a short period of time from where I was a year and a half ago. I’m still riding Cloud 9 and I’m not ready to get off yet.

How do you feel about former contestants who are badmouthing the show after it gave them a chance to shine?
I still feel like I have a lot to prove, just because there’s a certain stigma with cast-offs from Idol. It makes me want to work harder. I would never dis the show - they’ve obviously given me my chance and opened so many doors. I feel a debt of gratitude to them.

Lastly, tell us about your makeover – you got a new smile!
I evolved in every aspect you could possibly evolve - looks, stage presence, my work ethic, everything. I got some veneers and everybody likes to talk about it. I’ve always kind of had a complex about my smile, so I was able to correct that, and I felt great. There are a lot of things to smile about these days!

RENT AN IDOL RUNNER-UP

You don't have to win Idol to get a gig. Hell, you don't even have to make it to the finals, as this press release for Mona Loring’s Birthday and Red Carpet Event at Basque attests:

It states that American Idol season six finalist [er, that would be semi-finalist] Sabrina Sloan will be hosting a star-studded birthday soiree in honor of MLC PR’s president Mona Loring. The event promoted by Ocean West Entertainment and Jair & Co. will include a celebrity red carpet, a Keinejad fashion show hosted by model Sabrina Jane, go-go dancers, a DJ and more.

Celebrities [ahem] confirmed thus far: Sabrina Sloan (American Idol), Shane Sparks (So You Think You Can Dance), Alaina Alexander (American Idol), Patricia Kara (NBC’s Deal or No Deal), Willie Herath (Actor and Indie Singer/Songwriter), Joey Naber (Academy Award-Winning West Bank Story), Sarah Kozer (Average Joe), Maggie Wagner (Sundance Award-Wining Talent Given Us), Vintage (Indie Rock Band) and many more!

How many of these "big" names did you recognize? Be there and be square, we guess.

Who/What: Mona Loring’s Birthday and Red Carpet Event at Basque
When: 9 pm, Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Where: Basque 1707 North Vine Street Hollywood, CA 90028 (323) 464-1654
For more info on Basque visit: http://www.myspace.com/dirrty10!

And here is the lovely birthday girl. Guess anyone with a few bucks can book an Idol also-ran, especially if they live in Los Angeles and need work.



MORE VIDEOS!

Blake Lewis' audition for "American Idol." We remember not being impressed. Guess in this case the judges knew more than we did:



Kimberley Locke proving why she should keep her clothes on when she sings. Is this a bikini, underwear, a bachelor party? Who knows? And the videographer proves why you shouldn't drink and film at the same time. Was he horizontal, or just his camera?



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Insider's Look From the Idol Audience

TMZ.com "secured entry" to Wednesday's Idol results show with Jennifer Lopez and says it has "the dirt" on what went on behind the scenes.


After going through metal detectors, checking their cell phones and cameras at the door, and depositing gum into the CBS Studio page's blue cup (no gum chewing allowed on camera), TMZ was ushered to their seats. Celebrities in the audience included Eva Longoria, Sharon Osbourne, J.Lo BFF Leah Remini and Donna Mills.

Remini made an entire row get up and move so she and her hubby, Angelo Pagan, could sit on the aisle. When a page tried to get Leah to dispose of her gum, she shot him a look that sent him cowering back to his post.

Booted finalist Chris Sligh entered the studio and the crowd roared with applause and cheers. Sligh must be a fan of "King of Queens," because he made a beeline for Remini and introduced himself. Preteen fans roamed the set asking for autographs from ex-"Idols" like Sligh, Alaina Alexander (who traipsed around in red 5-inch heels), and Season 5 diva Mandisa. Some Fanjayas even approached Shyamali Malakar, Sanjaya's sexy sister.

Just prior to going live, judges Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul entered the studio while high-fiving fans with their bodyguards in tow. When they weren't on camera, guards never left their sides. Abdul made it a point to go up to fan after fan during commercial breaks, while Randy and Simon waved from their perch.

Akon's performance was not live. The studio audience watched a pretaped performance on a screen, just like everyone at home. Before J.Lo's performance, Longoria chatted up Remini and her husband, while Simon and his newly named "America's Got Talent judge Sharon Osbourne kibbitzed on the side.

Everyone was on their feet when Lopez went on stage and sang her new Spanish-language single "Que Hiciste?" The fiery performace filled the studio with so much smoke, that the production staff scrambled to air out the set by the end of the next commercial break.

When Ryan Seacrest revealed that Phil Stacey was safe, Sanjaya's mom and sis let out cheers (don't they like Haley?).

After the show ended, producer Simon Lythgoe announced that Marc Anthony, who was backstage with his wife, was asked at the last minute to tape a humorous segment for the upcoming "Idol Gives Back" charity special. Marc obliged and lip-synched a version of "Stayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees in front of a green screen.

The evening's final surprise came with one more unannounced performance: P!nk was in the house to tape a segment for an upcoming episode (like Akon). Simon, Paula and Randy didn't stick around to watch, so audience members sat in for them. Wearing a form-fitting dress, P!nk sang her hit "Who Knew," while the remaining "Idol" finalists sat in the back, groovin'.

The audience was released four hours after arriving to the "Idol" set.

ALAINA'S DARK SIDE

Of course, had you been at the "Idol" results show, you might not have recognized former finalist Alaina Alexander, because she has gone over to the dark side ... well, at least as far as her hair color is concerned.

The newly raven-haired singer is flaunting the sexy new 'do on her MySpace page. She has also come up with a new career strategy: She played a small gig last week at Hollywood's famous Cat Club on the Sunset Strip and, according to TMZ.com, Alexander's plan is to play "a gig a month."

The gossip site, which also previously linked Alaina romantically with fellow finalist Chris "Timberfake" Richardson, wonders if that romance is dead, as its cameras recently caught Richardson flirting with "The Hills" star Lauren Conrad, who has recently been embroiled in a possible sex-tape scandal.

Moments before the two met up at L.A.'s Les Deux, Conrad was on her cell phone outside the club, playfully telling whoever was on the other line, "I'm so mad at you right now, hurry up!" Moments later, Richardson arrived, much to the delight of the giddy blonde.

The two were then ushered into Les Deux, bypassing the huge line outside, where more people recognized "The Hills" star than the "Idol" crooner.

LOPEZ'S IDOL COMMENTS ...

... Have her sounding like a Scientologist, according to the New York Daily News making the paper ask the question: Is Jennifer Lopez still flirting with Scientology? When host Ryan Seacrest asked the singer what she thought of the judges' critiques of the contestants, Lopez said that, in contrast to the stinging put-downs of Simon Cowell, she believed that "concentrating on the rightness brings more rightness."

The paper says "rightness" comes up frequently in the lexicon of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. Former OT III-level church member Margery Wakefield writes in "The Language of Scientology" that "rightness" was one of his buzzwords. Among Hubbard's manifestoes: "Rightness and Wrongness" and "Recognition of Rightness of the Being."

Lopez said recently that, while she was raised as a Catholic, her dad, David Lopez, "has been a Scientologist for 20 years. It's weird people want to paint it in a negative way." She and husband Marc Anthony have also been spending more time with Scientology star couple Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, while Leah Remini, J.Lo's BFF, is also a Scientologist and mutual friend to the Cruises. She also attended the "Idol" results show (see above).

J.Lo and Anthony seemed to think her "A.I." performance was on the "right" track. They happily met up with Eva Longoria and other friends after the show at L.A. hot spot Social. Despite OK! magazine's claim that they've "split," Anthony was overheard toasting Lopez as "the love of his life."

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Why Sligh?

(Results show story in earlier posting below) ...

It is obvious that we were disappointed to see Chris Sligh eliminated from the competition, but he just never seemed to live up to his potential on "Idol," especially for those of us who have seen what kind of great music "chubby" can produce. Not to beat a dead contestant, er, horse, but here's one last pitch for our readers who haven't before looked to check out the first video for the band Chris leads and is the main songwriter for, Half Past Forever. You can listen to more album clips here. We especially love "In a Moment" and "Know." And we love them for the music as much as for the vocals. They're a good band with great potential.

By this week, Chris seemed almost ready for defeat. He faced the judges like a beaten dog and only weakly defended himself. Maybe he wanted to go home at this point. We did think that he left with dignity, especially going over and hugging his fellow contesants as he sang his way out last night. Although we did wonder why Phil Stacey said to him, "I owe you 50 bucks" as they embraced. Sounds as if they had a wager on who was and wasn't leaving (probably Phil thought he was and he did come damn close for the second time).

OTHER NOTES ON LAST NIGHT'S SHOW

... Why the hell was Akon there to "accompany" Gwen Stefani if he wasn't allowed to do his rap? He stood around looking like window dressing, contributing less to the song than the backup singers. Are the producers that scared to introduce any hip-hop or rap to Idol? Scared of alienating Mr. & Mrs. Middle America? What a waste. There's been tons of that type of music on "So You Think You Can Dance" and it has only attracted larger audiences. Not that "Idol" is in any danger yet (as Nigel Lythgoe has said, they could lose half their audience and still be in the Top 3), but the show has been losing ratings all season -- this week's performance show had 12 percent less viewers than last week's two-hour performance show -- and eventually the producers will have to try something new to keep their old viewers, or attract new ones. Trying to threaten "Dancing With the Stars" by running over into the time period for its results show had little, if any, effect. "Dancing" garnered the biggest ratings for any of its results show ever this past Tuesday. So is this the first chink in "Idol's" mighty armor?

... Is it just us, or is anybody else getting tired of the endless amount of commercials -- wrapped as programming -- inside the Idol results shows? We read that nearly 15 minutes of the results shows are devoted to advertising if you include the appeals to buy the MP3s on the "American Idol" site, the lame weekly viewer multiple-choice call-in contest and the pleas to corporate America to get behind "Idol Gives Back." And that doesn't even include the weekly celebrity performance which is shameless promotional payback to hawk the mentors' new CDs or tours. Each results show has approximatey 5-7 minutes of actually programming, and yesterday Fox announced that a number of future results shows -- on April 11, April 18 and May 2 -- will be increased to an hour in length. We can't, ahem, wait.

CHRIS RICHARDSON'S SHOWMANCE?

TMZ.com reports that "American Idol" semi-finalist Alaina Alexander and finalist Chris Richardson may have sparked more than just a friendship on the show. An inside source revealed that the pair "hit it off instantly," and even after Alexander was voted off A.I. island, their relationship is afloat. TMZ said that what they share is "beyond just friends." It seems not to be a coincidence that the wannabeen Miss Alexander has a really sweet picture of the two on her MySpace page. Also adding fuel to the romance rumors ... last week when they panned the audience to show Richardson's adoring friends and family, Alaina just happened to be in the crew. "A.I." reps had "no comment."

IF IT WORKED FOR ANTONELLA ...

TMZ.com had another recent story about Alaina, only it involved the somewhat revealing photos of her on her MySpace.com site:

"American Idol" castoff Alaina Alexander is showing off her other assets on her new MySpace music page. Her alleged music page features four songs she's laughably categorized as her "Greatest Hits," and like any good 'ol American idled wannabeen, she's added some racy pics over which her teen admirers may care to drool.



"Perhaps this little songbird should've flaunted that taut bod a little earlier in the singing contest. Like Haley Scarnato, whose singing puts one in the mind of performing televised tracheotomies, showing off her physical prowess might have kept her on the show until the inevitable vote-off."

So is Alaina upset about the TMZ.com story? Nah. The girl knows good publicity when she sees it. A posting on her MySpace.com blog even provides a link to the TMZ story and reads:

"Tuesday, March 27, 2007

TMZ!!!! what can I say........

Hello to all my peeps!!
First off wanna thank you for all the love and support. You make me soooo happy!!

Ok now lets get started on a little website called TMZ.For those of you who dont know about it, it gives the scoop on the juiciest celebrity gossip.I must admit, even I'm a sucker for the occasional celebrity scandal.

A little bird told me there was a recent article on me. "Wow me?".
So I checked it out. It talks a little about my myspace, my music.........then of course my pictures.Now people , is it really that bad to have some flirty but classy photos?.
I mean, I'm young, free spirited and just trying to have a little fun.
Can I get an Amen?
So check out the article and let me know what you think!
Once again thank you, all of you, for your love and support.
a.a

Click HERE to read it on TMZ!"

BEEP! BEEP!

And lest we spare you from any TMZ.com muck, the site also had a field day ridiculing Sanjaya Malakar's ponyhawk on Tuesday's show (but who's laughing now? Not Chris Sligh), by saying he looked like the Road Runner from Looney Toons:

"From Diana Ross to Halle Berry, you never know whose weave will inspire "American Idol" wannabe Sanjaya Malakar. This week, his hairspiration was none other than Looney Tunes character, Road Runner. Acme Hair Spray, anyone? *beep beep*

Sanjaya's mindboggling pony-hawk was enough to almost distract from his butchering of No Doubt's "Bathwater." Almost. Unfortunately, a more appropriate song choice for Sanjaya would have been the power pop band's 90s hit, "Don't Speak," which Timberlake-alike Chris Richardson ravaged. *beep beep*

If Sanjaya survives another week, he's going to have a busy day in the studio -- the hair studio that is!

That's all folks!"

ANOTHER VIEW OF VFTW

In a posting called "American Anti-Idol," Michael Bloxham writes on MediaPost's TV Board:

"This week is about viewer involvement in programming and the rich potential for subversion that exists. Having been weaned at the tender age of seven on the earliest episodes of “Monty Python” in the U.K. in 1969, I have to confess a deep-seated love of the subversive and that which pokes fun at the conventional wisdoms and practices of everyday life.

So, naturally, I find myself irresistibly drawn to VotefortheWorst.com (VFTW) — a Web site entirely based on the notion that if enough people vote for the crappiest singer, then “American Idol” can be way more fun. Interestingly, it’s a site that has developed something of a following — especially since Howard Stern got behind it and encouraged people to join in the subversion of the core format of the show.

First established in 2004, the site’s owners are claiming some degree of success and make a habit of targeting campaigns of tactical voting aimed at blocking the progress of those they think the producers want to win, by elevating those who appear to be there for pure (and excruciating) entertainment value.

Of course, whatever the motivation to vote, every vote cast still generates revenue for the program’s stakeholders, and it all goes to increasing the program’s social currency (though you may define it as counter-currency in this case).

It also suggests that maybe there’s a market among these sorts of talent / reality shows for the versions that bring together the worst rather than the best of previous contestants (less “American Idol All-Stars” and more “American Idol No-Hopers”) — probably not sustainable over a full series. But let’s face it, seeing the least talented people in the nation is a major reason for tuning into the audition rounds of the show.

If nothing else, VFTW is a great example of how a program can be extended by an audience in ways that the producers didn’t dream of, while still building an actively engaged community that quite probably wouldn’t be as engaged otherwise, thereby increasing the overall equity of the show.

Anyway, take a look at the site, have some fun and see if you can think of sites of a similar nature that other shows are crying out for but don’t yet have."

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