Archive through May 12, 2003
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Archive through May 12, 2003
Marysafan | Thursday, May 08, 2003 - 09:34 am     This might old news to you diehard fans...but the judge Randy was on "The View" this morning and he said that everyone has signed on for American Idol III. Just thought I would pass it along. |
Marysafan | Thursday, May 08, 2003 - 11:17 am     Oh...and also Randy was asked to compare this year's finalists to last years. He said that there is more talent with this group...but last year there was far more stage presence. He said when one of last year's finalist came back to sing this year, he had more stage presence in the minute and a half he was on stage than they had seen all year with this year's group. |
Kady | Thursday, May 08, 2003 - 12:07 pm     Randy also mentioned that they were expecting Kelly & Tamyra as the final two last year. And they expect Ruben & Clay as the final two this year. |
Snee | Thursday, May 08, 2003 - 12:26 pm     ryan said something provocative when he was interviewed on 'extra' (or 'access hollywood', whatever). 'clay or ruben will be in the final but there may be a twist'. ...as in, not both of them together perhaps. just thought that was worth mentioning. |
Wcv63 | Thursday, May 08, 2003 - 12:35 pm     I'm sure that Kimberly Locke's immense talent and growing fanbase is the twist. |
Hobbs | Thursday, May 08, 2003 - 01:57 pm     Can we have a reality show without a twist for once? They think they need to mess with the format to keep viewers. WAKE UP producers! AI is the #1 show. DON"T MESS WITH IT! Sheese. They just don't get it. |
Kitt | Thursday, May 08, 2003 - 01:58 pm     Snee, I wondered if he meant there wouldn't be one winner, but two, but I see what you mean, he may have meant one of them would be voted out beforehand. I think both of them will get some sort of record contract although long term I think Clay is better suited to stage. Yes Wcv, I've been away and missed the last few weeks' shows, but Kimberley looked stunning last night, what a gorgeous girl and a gorgeous voice. |
Maris | Thursday, May 08, 2003 - 02:03 pm     this luther update was on fox http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,86324,00.html Luther Vandross' Ironic Situation Tragically, singer-producer-writer Luther Vandross remains in critical condition, in a coma and not likely to regain consciousness after his near-fatal stroke. One can only imagine the pain his family and friends are going through. It's even more ironic considering that J Records will release Luther's (presumably) final album in early June — and it's his best. I've never been a huge fan of Luther as a performer — he's too schmaltzy for me — but Dance With My Father would have been a total hit even with a healthy Vandross on hand. The combination of his illness and the top quality of the CD means he will probably have the biggest seller of his career. Featured on the CD are Busta Rhymes, Queen Latifah, Beyoncé Knowles and Foxy Brown on what will undoubtedly be a hit-single duet of "If It Ain't One Thing It’s Another." Luther himself will have two solo radio hits with "If I Didn't Believe" and "Apologize." The sure-fire splash here is the title track, "Dance With My Father," which Tamyra Gray of the first American Idol sang on the show recently. Gray is signed to RCA, which is a sister of J Records; she is now, like Luther, in Clive Davis' camp. She will be the first of many young divas who will turn "Dance" into a diva anthem. Aretha Franklin would do well to include "Once Were Lovers" on her new collection as well. It's too bad Luther won’t get to enjoy this tremendous success. But the definite No. 1 album will give him a fitting sendoff. |
Seamonkey | Thursday, May 08, 2003 - 02:32 pm     So very sad. |
Ladytex | Thursday, May 08, 2003 - 04:02 pm     my heart is breaking and I have tears rolling down my face here |
Cupcake | Thursday, May 08, 2003 - 04:03 pm     THIS IS FROM E! ON LINE Vandross Breathing On His Own by Lia Haberman May 8, 2003, 1:15 PM PT Luther Vandross remains unconscious, but the R&B soul man is finally breathing on his own. Vandross, who suffered a stroke last month, previously had a tube inserted in his throat to help him breathe but no longer needs the tube, reports the Associated Press. However, "there's been no radical change in his condition," his publicist, Lois Najarian, tells the AP. The 52-year-old remains in critical condition in the intensive care unit at a New York City hospital. The "Here and Now" singer was felled by a stroke in his Manhattan home April 16. Vandross wasn't discovered until hours later and was then rushed to Weill-Cornell Medical College, where he was listed in critical but stable condition. According to his manager, Vandross' recovery has been slow, hampered by a bout of pneumonia that caused a buildup of fluid in his lungs and labored breathing. As a result, doctors were forced to perform a tracheotomy last week, inserting a tube through an opening in Vandross' throat to help him breathe easier. The operation reportedly didn't damage his vocal abilities. "The tracheotomy was performed in a manner in which his vocal cords were not affected or damaged," said his manager Carmen Romano in a statement released last week. Whether Vandross ever croons another note is an aside to family and friends who are just hoping the R&B legend wakes up. "Currently, the doctors report that neurologically he is minimally responsive," Romano said in last week's statement. "We're waiting for him to regain full consciousness. I am told this may take some time." Vandross' hospitalization nixed an appearance at the opening ceremonies of Memphis' Stax Museum of American Soul Music April 30 and a guest-judge gig on American Idol which had been slated for May 6. The six-foot-three R&B man has waged a very public battle with his weight over the years--clocking in at as much as 340 pounds--making his health a source of speculation. He has also battled diabetes and hypertension. Through it all, the thrice Grammy'd Vandross has continued to be the go-to guy for silky smooth love songs, including "Give Me the Reason," "Always and Forever" and "Never Too Much." His latest album, Dance with My Father, is due out June 17. |
Snee | Thursday, May 08, 2003 - 09:57 pm     thanks for the information about luther, guys. sooo sad. |
Muse | Thursday, May 08, 2003 - 11:54 pm     I haven't been able to find this elsewhere, so... Apparently Simon did an interview with Ryan Seacrest on the radio today. He predicts that Clay will win (which is *not* what he said in another interview a day or two ago, when he said that Ruben would win). He said that he feels that Clay plays up the cameras with fake nervousness and relief when he's declared safe, and said that he actually talked to Clay about it off-camera, saying that Clay *must* know that he's safe due to the popularity polls on the net and such. Clay said that he didn't know. Simon added that *all* of the contestants play up the cameras, however. And he said that he really likes Clay, because Clay has a good sense of humor and doesn't take himself too seriously. He wants Ruben to win, though, because he feels Ruben has a better recording voice. Simon also said he really disliked Clay's performance of "Grease" (people called in and agreed with him), and talked about how bad a lot of Josh's performances were in the past few weeks. He said "Jive Talkin" was horrible, and that he was too nice when he commented on it on the show (and that it was worse when he watched it on tape). A caller ripped on Paula, and Simon defended her (!). He said it's tough to judge. And he has actually gotten to like Paula, because she's "crazy" in a good way. He said talked about how he dislikes the celebrity judges, and that it's unfair because they don't have to go through all the work/time listening to the bad singers in the earlier auditions and such. (Editing to add that Simon doesn't have a problem with the celebrities themselves, just the fact that the show brings in other people to judge.) Simon's also undecided about American Idol 3. He has another project that he could only do if he *doesn't* do AI3. But he's apparently thinking about it. And I guess Simon and Ryan joked around and made fun of each other a lot in the interview.  |
Hermione69 | Friday, May 09, 2003 - 10:22 am     {{{{Ladytex}}}} |
Muse | Friday, May 09, 2003 - 11:24 am     Also from Simon's interview... Asked why he doesn't say anything about Ruben's weight, he said the show is only three months long, and it'd probably take Ruben five years to lose all the weight. Plus he felt Ruben's weight helped him, whereas with Vanessa it was a negative thing. He said that his company could probably only sign two contestants from this season. The rest will have to wait a certain length of time before they can sign with someone else. |
Max | Friday, May 09, 2003 - 12:35 pm     ARGH! See, Simon just reinforced the stupid stereotype: it's okay for men to be fat but if a woman has 10 extra pounds, it's like she's a pariah. UGH! |
Cupcake | Friday, May 09, 2003 - 01:36 pm     From today's E! Online News (I will only copy the newest news as the rest of the article repeated a lot from yesterday): _________________________ Vandross Not Breathing On His Own by Lia Haberman May 8, 2003, 4:45 PM PT Earlier Thursday, there seemed to be a bit of good news about Luther Vandross' prognosis--his publicist announced that the R&B soul man was finally breathing on his own after being felled by a stroke last month. But hopes for a quick recovery were dashed hours later, when publicist Lois Najarian said the information was incorrect, and the singer still required assistance to breathe. Relaying a message from Vandross' mother about the perceived improvement, Najarian initially told the Associated Press this morning that the singer no longer needed a tube in his throat to breathe. That proved incorrect, the publicist now says. "There's been no radical change in his condition," his publicist, Lois Najarian, tells the AP. The 52-year-old remains unconscious and in critical condition in the intensive care unit at a New York City hospital. |
Jan | Friday, May 09, 2003 - 05:21 pm     this is from Yahoo News: Aretha Franklin Plans Vigil for Vandross DETROIT - Pop diva Aretha Franklin (news) will hold a candlelight vigil and prayer service May 19 for Luther Vandross (news), who remains in critical condition after suffering a stroke last month. Franklin will be joined by The Four Tops, the Ebenezer Mass Choir and other guests to sing and pray for a two-hour period at the Little Rock Baptist Church. Overflow for the event will be on the grounds of the Northern High School Pavilion, where a sound system will be set up so participants can hear the service, Franklin's media representatives said Friday. Vandross hasn't regained consciousness since his April 16 stroke and still needs assistance to breathe, his New York-based publicist, Lois Najarian, said Thursday. His family reported that doctors remain hopeful that the 52-year-old Grammy-winning singer, whose hits include "Here and Now" and "Superstar," will regain consciousness. ___ On the Net: Luther Vandross Web site: http://www.luthervandross.com/ |
Squaredsc | Saturday, May 10, 2003 - 08:44 am     this is soo sad. i just hope that by some miracle he can regain consciousness. my favorite luther song is "If This World Were Mine" with cheryl lynn. even though i really haven't listened to luther in the past years cause to me his style changed, i still really really love his early music. |
Essence | Saturday, May 10, 2003 - 06:33 pm     This is looking worse and worse for Luther. It really does break my heart. I so glad I didn't pass up the chance to see him in concert last year. My favorite luther song is "So Amazing". I just melt when I hear that song. |
Essence | Saturday, May 10, 2003 - 06:54 pm     If ‘Idol’ looks can’t thrill ... Finalists’ voices alone are no ticket to stardom By Robin Givhan THE WASHINGTON POST May 9 — Now that the group of 12 performers on Fox’s “American Idol” has been narrowed to the final three, the level of scrutiny will rise dramatically. Perfect pitch and delivery will be essential, but the issue of visual aesthetics will become even more pressing. From the beginning, the appearance of the contestants was a factor. THIS IS, after all, a television show in which the audience chooses a pop music idol — rather than, say, the world’s best classical trombonist. And that means the winner must have the glossy good looks commonly found in music videos, on magazine covers and along the red carpet. They need a public persona that can make their fans swoon. The remaining threesome — Clay Aiken, Ruben Studdard and Kimberley Locke — all have fine voices. Studdard, in particular, has a Luther Vandross/Barry White voice that is perfectly equipped to croon a between-the-sheets soundtrack. Kimberly Caldwell It has been gratifying to note that although looks matter, the voting audience was not duped by the pop-tart style of the recently departed Kimberly Caldwell. With her blond hair extensions and navel-baring ensembles, she tried hard to dress the part of a Top 10 hitmaker but always sounded as if she should follow up her performance by slipping on a Miss Junior Texas sash, slathering on the body glue and preparing for the swimsuit competition. Trenyce also did not fool the home audience, even though judge Paula Abdul consistently turned dreamy-eyed over her made-for-VH-1 costumes. Trenyce — a rail-thin junior diva who used only one name — typically styled herself after such big-ballad belters as Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey and often selected showstopping songs that allowed her to gesticulate broadly. She punctuated her notes with the earsplitting finesse of a sledgehammer. Trenyce’s dismissal last week was reasonable, although one could argue that it came a week too soon. ‘FARMER JOE’ GRACIN Gracin wore cowboy hats and favored a necklace so crowded with jangling charms it looked as if he were wearing a janitor’s key ring around his neck. In a righteous world, Joshua Gracin would have been the one sent packing last week, when proper pitch seemed to elude him. In a fair world, he would already have been voted off the show for consistently wearing farmer Joe bluejeans that made his legs look like stumps. He would have been sent home weeks ago because, even though he is a Marine and he is patriotic and he might have been called to duty at any moment, he still couldn’t sing. Instead, the Earth wobbled on its axis, the planets slipped out of alignment, the gods went crazy, and Gracin survived so that this week he could march out into the audience and belt out a chicken-fried version of the Bee Gees’ “Jive Talkin’.” Gracin was, perhaps, the most earnest of the performers. He had positioned himself as a Clint Black/Garth Brooks kind of country singer. He wore cowboy hats and favored a necklace so crowded with big, jangling charms that it looked as though he were wearing a janitor’s key ring around his neck. Still, Gracin could not find a compelling stage persona. The bronze highlights — applied on air — didn’t flatter his military buzz cut, which never grew out on the sides. Gracin couldn’t develop a stage style that said anything other than “I mow my own lawn.” But finally he is gone, with a flurry of thank-yous to the judges, his wife, the Marines and America. Now there are three. Judge Simon Cowell was right — he always is — when he said that ever since Kimberley Locke got rid of “that weird hair,” she has never sounded better. Several weeks ago, she jettisoned the big, curly hairdo that made her look like one of disco’s Weather Girls and took to the flatiron. With her new, sleeker hair, she has elevated the level of confidence and sophistication in her performances. A good hair day, it seems, can work wonders. VOLUPTUOUS VS. ELFIN Locke is a conservative dresser, which has won her the affection of a certain parental contingent that can do without the constant televised display of pierced navels. But Locke is also a voluptuous girl. And, truth be told, getting a chubby girl — even one with a splendid voice — into popdom is as difficult as squeezing a camel through the eye of a needle. The remaining boys of “American Idol” also have fashion challenges. Clay Aiken — a beanpole — has yet to wear a jacket that does not look as though it belongs to his father or a tie that doesn’t look as though it came with its own disco ball. The cut-with-a-hacksaw hairstyle works well on Aiken, and he looks the part of a pop prince with his blond highlights, more mousse and less gel. Aiken has a charming, elfin look. He doesn’t just blink; his eyes close in slow motion, his long, thick lashes flutter down over his big, astonished peepers. He’s a pretty boy. But pretty boys who wear red leather jackets and twitch their hips while singing “Grease” get beaten up on the playground. They do not make anyone swoon. BIG AND DEWY Ruben Studdard — Ruuuuuuuuuben! — represents Birmingham, Ala., with his 205 sports jerseys. He has a neo-soul voice, a closet full of newsboy caps, a big cubic zirconium in his ear and the body to fill out his XXXL Sean John coordinated separates. Studdard has a style of the sort that one might see in the subway, the mall, the college campus. It’s not special, but it’s also not offensive. Studdard is a big man with rhythm and a voice like honey. It would be nice to see him in more tailored clothes, but because of his size, he runs the risk of looking older than his 25 years. And even more important than having the chops, the rhythm and the style, a pop idol must always have the dewy look of youth. |
Donut | Saturday, May 10, 2003 - 11:07 pm     Is that true that whoever comes in third has to wait to pursue their own career?? that seems sooooo unfair! If they are not gonna get a contract, then why cant they get something else while they are hot?? How long do they have to wait? Cuz waiting too long will take someone who could run with a career into yesterdays news really quickly.. Did Tamyra have to wait to do Boston Public? and if she didnt have to wait, do you think she would have a big singing career now? I guess they are just so afraid that the #3 person could run away with a contract that would compete with the winners for record sales ... |
Muse | Sunday, May 11, 2003 - 12:39 am     Donut, Simon said that his company would probably only be able to sign two contestants -- he didn't say that it'd automatically be the first and second place finishers. I personally interpreted it as Simon saying that they didn't want to sign a whole bunch of people (like they did last season -- they signed Kelly, Justin, Tamyra, Nikki, *and* Christina)...that they felt they had to limit themselves this time for practical reasons. Tamyra signed on to do Boston Public right away. She didn't have to wait. I *have* heard that contestants have to release CDs in the order that they finish in the competition (according to Rickey in an interview -- so for example, Justin had to wait for Kelly), but I don't know if that only applies to those that 19 signs or not. I would guess that it applies to all of the finalists, but who knows... And I've heard that those who aren't signed by 19 have to wait three months after the show wraps to sign with someone else. But I just read that on a board somewhere, so I don't know if it's accurate or not. |
Snee | Sunday, May 11, 2003 - 04:20 pm     saturday night live did a parody of ai last night. jimmy fallon's ryan seacrest was hilarious! |
Sadiesmom | Sunday, May 11, 2003 - 08:21 pm     Maris, I just read about 3 months somewhere myself, can't remember where but thought it sounded reliable. However if two people are already cutting their albums, this does not sound good for Kimmy |
Sadiesmom | Monday, May 12, 2003 - 01:28 pm     OK, just an odd thing I finally got around to checking yesterday. I have been thinlong about it since then and decided it is worth mentioning. I have always been curious about advertising and especially it's subliminal form. Now we all know the judges have been extra nice to Ruben and Randy even told him he won, but there are other things. Like a large number of news articles about Clay, but not about the others. I don't understand that at all, unless the links sites are not capturing the others, but that is different. The odd thing. Because I had to be at the planning board last week, I taped the show on Tuesday. Then when I came home I watched it, fast forwarding through the ads. Something caught my eye, but did not register right away So yesterday, I sat down and reran the tape, paying attention to the adds. There is one ad they showed twice, the Verizon Wireless (one of my clients) which shows people how to text vote and they put a big VOTE on the screen. Well, it turns out those ads both played just afte Ruben sang. I don';t have tapes of previous shows, so I can't tell if this is a tin foil hat or an odd coincidence. Just thought I would throw it out for food for though. When you fast forward (my VCR does it for me) you see ruben and then a big white VOTE on the screen. |
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