Paris News and Cast Updates

American Idol Katharine McPhee...

American IdolKatharine McPhee was rumored to be this year's Mario Vasquez, the dropout from last season who went on to superstardom. Or, rather, Starbucks. Well, Katharine said she'll be in it for the long haul, although I might have to quit Idol if Ryan Seacrest insists on saying things like "do you have the McPheever?" No, but cheese-ball lines like that do make me ill. Katharine did an okay Aretha Franklin — not quite up to Kelly Clarkson standard, but the judges loved her. They weren't quite as sold on Paris Bennett's "Conga," but she had fun anyway. I was very impressed with Lisa, but she once again was scolded for singing an "old" song.

Wed, Mar 8, 2006

MAXIMUM EXPOSURE

Becky O'Donahue, one of the first four singers booted off American Idol, doesn't believe her racy Maxim pictorial — costarring her twin sis, no less — had anything to do with her low Idol voter turnout. "The two were unrelated," she said in a Friday conference call with reporters. "Only America knows [why I was eliminated], but no, I don't think it had anything to do with it." For much more from Becky — including her thoughts on Brenna, Paris and Playboy — check out TVGuide.com's Insider column on Monday.

Fri, Feb 24, 2006

American Idol Kellie Pickler ("pick...

American IdolKellie Pickler ("pick Pickler!") belted out Kelly Clarkson's "Since You've Been Gone" like a champ, but her hard-luck backstory got the lion's share of attention. You've probably noticed that as soon as a contestant has his or her story told, he/she is pretty much guaranteed to move on to Hollywood. And when your father is in prison and your mother abandoned you at age 2, you are definitely making it to the next round. Kendra Winston's tale of growing up in orphanages and becoming a young mother was equally poignant, and call me a sucker, but I hope the woman Simon called a "young Whitney Houston" goes very far in this competition. I would have been annoyed if anyone other than Paris got so dramatic after

Sat, Jan 28, 2006

American Idol Kellie Pickler ("pick...

American IdolKellie Pickler ("pick Pickler!") belted out Kelly Clarkson's "Since You've Been Gone" like a champ, but her hard-luck backstory got the lion's share of attention. You've probably noticed that as soon as a contestant has his or her story told, he/she is pretty much guaranteed to move on to Hollywood. And when your father is in prison and your mother abandoned you at age 2, you are definitely making it to the next round. Kendra Winston's tale of growing up in orphanages and becoming a young mother was equally poignant, and call me a sucker, but I hope the woman Simon called a "young Whitney Houston" goes very far in this competition. I would have been annoyed if anyone other than Paris got so dramatic after getting the Idol

Wed, Jan 25, 2006

I've been thinking of Hill ...

Question: I've been thinking of Hill Street Blues lately and it is driving me nuts that I can't remember the name of my favorite character. He was played by Bruce Weitz and I think his first name was Mick, but they always called him by his last name. He was a wonderfully eccentric policeman — scruffy and tough, with a heart of gold — and received frequent phone calls from his mother. Can you help me out? I know this will continue to bother me till I find out!Answer: That would be Det. Mick Belker, who was quick with a growl, just as willing to bite a perp as book him, and, by the looks of him, not on friendly terms with showers or razors. I'd imagine Weitz would consider it a compliment that you remember his name rather than his character's, but he did memorable work on the series. During Hill Street's January 1981 to May 1987 run

Thu, Dec 22, 2005