Ruben Studdard by Kevin Mazur/WireImage.com
Former American Idol champ Ruben Studdard on Saturday married his girlfriend of two years, Surata Zuri McCants, in Alabama. Reportedly, Studdard didn't sing at the event, but he was flanked by 20 groomsmen for the 30-minute ceremony that included an exchange of vows, prayers, and music from a string ensemble. The couple kept their wedding look classic, with a traditional tux for the groom and a white and ivory dress for the bride. Studdard is said to have met McCants at a 2006 CD-signing in a Wal-Mart. He found her in the toy aisle and got her digits. Big congrats to the Velvet Teddy Bear and his new wife. Risks sometimes do pay off. — Anna DimondRelated:• Ruben Studdard Gets Closer to Tying the Knot• Hot videos: Catch up with your Idol faves!
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Surata Zuri McCants and Ruben Studdard by Steve Granitz/WireImage.com
Crooner Ruben Studdard is getting closer to tying the knot with fiancée Surata Zuri McCants. The Season 2 Idol winner and McCants on Monday obtained a marriage license in Alabama. The pair was seen filling out the paperwork midday at the Shelby County Probate Office in Birmingham. Studdard has not publicly announced a wedding date, but the licenses are apparently valid in the state for 30 days (so the countdown is on!). Now we can only wonder if he'll be singing at his own wedding — maybe with a little help from his Idol friends? — Anna DimondUse our Online Video Guide to see some of Studdard's performances.
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Ruben Studdard by Maury Phillips/WireImage.com
"Velvet Teddy Bear" Ruben Studdard, who has been seriously MIA from the music scene lately, is returning to American Idol. The Hollywood Reporter says that the Season 2 winner will serenade contestants as they are eliminated with a special "goodbye" song. What ugly-cry-inducing song will Ruben croon? None other than a cover of Kenny Loggins' "Celebrate Me Home," which will be produced by Terry Lewis and Jimmy Jam.Perhaps for contestants who get the boot, like poor Alaina Whitaker last night, Ruben's mellow sound will soothe them into being able to shut off the waterworks and sing their swan songs.Traditionally, these "goodbye" songs have done very well with Idol exposure. Daniel Powter's "Bad Day," (from Season 5) went on to sell 1.9 million copies and was the top download of 2006. Sounds like the Stud needed a little help in the sales department, and Idol producers know the singer is still very popular with the Idol crowd. So now the song will be available on iTunes for download st...
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Katharine McPhee and Chris Daughtry courtesy Fox
I have never seen any show transcend the boundaries of age, race, religion, weight and politics as beautifully as American Idol has in the past six years. I can discuss it with my husband's 70-year-old uncle (who thinks Sanjaya should be shot), my cabdriver (who cries when he hears Kat McPhee), my gynecologist (who thinks Paula's hysterical... in a bad way), and my 6- and 4-year-old cousins, who think the sun rises and sets with Simon Cowell. That's right, you heard me, they like Simon (not to mention all the cute boys on the show). So I asked some of my peeps what they thought were some of the best moments from American Idol, and this is what we came up with. — Erin FoxKelly Clarkson, "Stuff Like That There" | Watch on YouTubeThis was not only the moment I knew Kelly would win the first Idol title, it was the moment I knew she could literally sing anything.Fantasia Barrino, "Summertime" | Watch on YouTube I don't think there was a dry eye in America after this stunning, gooseb...
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Reuben Studdard by Maury Phillips/WireImage/com; Frenchie Davis by Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage.com
Controversy may have gotten Frenchie Davis booted off American Idol, but it landed her in a successful Broadway career. Soon, Season 2 champ Ruben "Velvet Teddy Bear" Studdard will be joining her onstage. "I'm so excited," Davis tells TV Guide. "I can't say too much, but we're doing a revival of a Broadway show." Studdard, who has been touring with Robin Givens in the play Heaven, I Need a Hug, may have tipped his hand during an interview with the Atlanta Constitution when he said he's been prepping to play Fats Walker in a tour of Ain't Misbehavin'.Davis, who just finished a four-year run in Rent, wasn't surprised to learn that her former cast mate is tackling theater. "He's so talented," she says. "This role is going to be good for him." Will the part pit the two as love interests? "It depends on how they direct it," she says coyly. — Reporting by Bekah Wright
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Everyone was in the house for the grand finale of American Idol, as Jordin and Blake opened the show with a long-awaited Beatles tune. "I Saw Her Standing There" was a premonition of things to come. We drifted quickly into a performance by the touring Gwen Stefani singing her song “4 in the Morning.” She looked and sounded fantastic. Red-carpet tidbits — there were lots of Idols both past and present. However, the real stars were ushered past me on the red-carpet press line at the speed of light, as though I had a form of jumping leprosy. I spoke to:The crying girl.Blake’s dad, Dallas.Writers of the song “This Is My Now” (as opposed to my later on).Sabrina Sloan — simply lovely.Constantine Maroulis — all business, currently starring in The Bold and the Beautiful. Kelly Clarkson rocked the heck out of “Never Again” will I put up with Clive Davis yelling at me; I’m a star, damn it! I can’t imagine why Clive doesn’t like ...
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Word of the day: Overwhell. No, not overwhelm, just overwhell….We’ve arrived in Birmingham — the home of Bo Bice, Taylor Hicks and Ruben Studdard. Frankly, I haven’t seen much of any of them over the past year. Now 11,000 potential American Idols await their fates. Please, someone, tell me what was up with Ms. Abdul? She was definitely on something. She was up, she was down, and that was only during day one. She didn’t even bother to show up for day two. Another night full of many wastes-of-time and only 20 make it to Hollywood. (Thank God, or Simon?)I was terrified when the woman who uttered the word “hisself” was sent to Hollywood. Evidently, correct grammar is not a necessary attribute of an American Idol. Jamie Lynn Ward, aka the Blue-eyed Bombshell, had a boob job and a nose job and couldn’t have been 20 years old. Though after hearing her life story, she deserves whatever happiness she can find. Her father shot her step-mom, no mention ...
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American Idol's Elliott Yamin
There was a time when no one wanted to hear Elliott Yamin sing. "I was always loud, interrupting my mom on the phone or my brother doing his homework," the 27-year-old Virginian recalls with a laugh. "I would annoy everybody."
Today, it's a different story. Yamin may have come in third on American Idol, but he endeared himself to millions during its record-breaking fifth run. (As of May 30, an AOL poll placed him fifth on its "Best Idol of All Time" list. Winner Taylor Hicks tied for third; runner-up
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American Idol's Elliott Yamin
There was a time when no one wanted to hear Elliott Yamin sing. "I was always loud, interrupting my mom on the phone or my brother doing his homework," the 27-year-old Virginian recalls with a laugh. "I would annoy everybody."
Today, it's a different story. Yamin may have come in third on American Idol, but he endeared himself to millions during its record-breaking fifth run. (As of May 30, an AOL poll placed him fifth on its "Best Idol of All Time" list. Winner Taylor Hicks tied for third; runner-up
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Jennifer Hudson, who lost out to Fantasia Barrino in Season 3 of American Idol, has come out on top this go-round. Per the New York Daily News, Hudson been cast as Effie in the big-screen adaptation of Dreamgirls — a role long rumored to be a lock for Fantasia. Still to be cast opposite Hudson and Beyoncé is the third Dreamette. I have four words: Ruben Studdard in drag.
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