American IdolAnother season of American Idol begins with double the twin action. Does anyone agree that two sets of male twins plus the small-town Barrettsmith sisters might be overkill in the family-drama department? It smells a touch gimmicky, but at least all the siblings can back it up with their voices. So can single-named diva Mandisa and Gina, the tongue-pierced, fishnet-wearing dental assistant who managed a decent Celine Dion vocal. But really, we don't tune in to see the true talents this early in the season. There will be plenty of time to see how they fare. No, the premiere episode is all about the truculent train wrecks, and Chicago was full of 'em. Here's a hint for future Idol wannabes: When the judges r
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American IdolAnother season of American Idol begins with double the twin action. Does anyone agree that two sets of male twins plus the small-town Barrettsmith sisters might be overkill in the family-drama department? It smells a touch gimmicky, but at least all the siblings can back it up with their voices. So can single-named diva Mandisa and Gina, the tongue-pierced, fishnet-wearing dental assistant who managed a decent Celine Dion vocal. But really, we don't tune in to see the true talents this early in the season. There will be plenty of time to see how they fare. No, the premiere episode is all about the truculent train wrecks, and Chicago was full of 'em. Here's a hint for future Idol wannabes: When the judges r
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Todd Bridges and Jenni Meno, Skating with Celebrities
American IdolYes, the teases before the breaks had me hooked, and just like Tuesday night, the biggest shock was saved for the end of the show. Sporting high heels, Barbie eyebrows and a highly muddled sense of gender, Zachary bravely took on Whitney Houston's "Queen of the Night." Didn't Simon Cowell just tell a contestant the other night to shave his face and become a female impersonator? And haven't we already been treated to a plethora of guys in wigs? What is it with Idol and the RuPaul wannabes? I found it amusing that Zachary called America "racist." Somewhere long-suffering "beautiful person" Sarah W. from The Bachelor is nodding her head in sympathy. Huge props to Idol producers for the best use of music f
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Kelly Clarkson, in the wake of a scolding from Simon Cowell, has agreed to allow her songs to be performed by contestants on the new season of American Idol. The singer's label and management team are now negotiating exactly which tunes can be used, and just how badly they can be mangled.
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Simon Cowell, American Idol
American IdolAnother season of American Idol begins with double the twin action. Does anyone agree that two sets of male twins plus the small-town Barrettsmith sisters might be overkill in the family-drama department? It smells a touch gimmicky, but at least all the siblings can back it up with their voices. So can single-named diva Mandisa and Gina, the tongue-pierced, fishnet-wearing dental assistant who managed a decent Celine Dion vocal. But really, we don't tune in to see the true talents this early in the season. There will be plenty of time to see how they fare. No, the premiere episode is all about the truculent train wrecks, and Chicago was full of 'em. Here's a hint for future Idol wannabes: When the judges r
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Kelly Clarkson
Meanwhile, as American Idol kicks off the season by making us listen to singing Statues of Liberty and INS-dodging sexpots, many eyes are on Season 1 champ Kelly Clarkson, whose management has yet to allow her songs to be sung during the competition by new wannabes. The stall has drawn the ire of no less than judge Simon Cowell, who groused in a Tuesday press conference, "Forget the way she feels about us or the producers or anybody else. If she refuses to give songs to be used, it's like saying to every person who voted for [her], 'Thank you, I'm not interested in you anymore.' That is a big mistake, let me tell you." Justin Guarini, meanwhile, says his entire catalog is up for grabs.
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Simon Cowell
Fox is on the lookout for "stars" who didn't do But Can They Sing? to appear on American Idol grump Simon Cowell's new Fox talent contest, Duets, which will pair them to perform real singers and then get voted off Idol-style by viewers. Sadly, since But Can They Sing? already scraped such "notables" as Michael Copon (who?) and Myrka Dellanos (huh?) off the bottom of the barrel, the remaining talent pool pretty much consists of Lauren Tewes, Edward Furlong and Bud Bundy. At least the sub-lebrities won't have to face producer Cowell's tongue-lashings when the show debuts this summer — this time, he's staying behind the scenes. Muttering obnoxiously but still, blessedly, behind the scenes.
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Paula Abdul
With a career turn as the positive pixie who sits between fellow judges Randy and Simon on American Idol, Paula Abdul is one of the few totally '80s artists who won't have to make a demeaning appearance on Hit Me Baby One More Time. The former Lakers girl became an MTV staple with videos like "Straight Up" and "Opposites Attract," but now hands out advice to hopeful pop wannabes on Fox's talent-show phenomenon. With the new DVD The Best & Worst of American Idol (now in stores), fans can relive the highs and lows from all four seasons with Abdul, who chatted with TV Guide about all things Idol.
TV Guide: Why will people want to watch this Idol DVD?Paula Abdul:
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While other American Idol contestants pout and tear up during Simon Cowell's put-downs, braided Jersey boy Anwar Robinson kept a Zenlike (read: kinda boring) calm throughout it all. Did he meditate, drink a lot of green tea, pilfer treats from Paula Abdul's medicine cabinet or what?
"[There's] no additives to this," Robinson says. "This is all 100 percent natural.
"A lot of it's my upbringing and a lot of it is faith," he continues. "You just know your place. You know where you stand, you know what you're up against and you keep reality at the helm of your perspective."
While we're keepin' it real, did Robinson — who's a gospel singer as well as a music teacher — ever turn a critical ear to his own performances? "Most definitely," he says. "On stage while you're doing things, it's kind of hard to be split between the adjudicator and the performer. It's like
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Poor Jessica Sierra. The precocious 19-year-old Floridian clearly put forth her best effort to win American Idol. She overshadowed much of the competition with her skillful take on "Total Eclipse of the Heart." But this youngster also made a few missteps, like perhaps too-prominently displaying her "girls" — especially whilst performing "The Boys Are Back in Town," which made her appear a bit too PG-13 in some fans' eyes.
"I don't have any regrets at all," Sierra tells TVGuide.com. "I always dressed to the song I was doing. [With] 'The Boys Are Back in Town,' I thought the outfit fit the song. Every outfit, I thought, fit the song. You need to be dressed for the song and have the performance for the song and you need to go out and give your best every single time."
Among Simon Cowell's cruelest cuts was his suggestion that Sierra lacks "likability." Ouch! "I was a little con
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