I’ll tell ya, that ‘Runaround’ must have done something to my brain. Maybe it was all that dancing around that I haven’t done in years - the cat finally came out of hiding, by the way.  I swear I had posted the video, but apparently I didn’t.  The outrageously good ‘Tonight Show’ performance has disappeared from You Tube, but the GMA performance is below.

 
This is my favorite quote from a recent Birmingham News interview:

“I’ve been relying on instinct ever since I won on `Idol,’” Hicks says, “and I’ve been applying that same thought to all my business decisions. Can I feel it? Does it feel right? You can sugarcoat everything else around me, but you can’t sugarcoat the instinct.”

Although the CD may have been a bit too rushed for Taylor’s liking, I think he has put out a fabulous representation of himself and his music. I am grateful the powers that be from American Idol allowed Taylor to follow his instincts as much as they did. Wonderful things happen when you listen – really stop and listen – to what your gut is telling you. ‘Taylor Hicks’ is a wonderful, wonderful thing. I can’t wait for Tuesday!

Chris Daughtry is feeling the love for his fans – as well he should – his first CD sold over 300,000 copies in its first week. We know we rock – but still, it’s nice to hear it. Here is the most recent blog post from Daughtry’s MySpace page:

“Hey y’all. I know it’ been a long time since I’ve posted so I think it’s about time. Been very busy as you know. I’m in Charlotte, NC now gettin’ ready for the Southern Sports Awards…I had never heard of it either…til recently. It’s being filmed tonight and aired on a different date. Check the site www.southernsportsawards.com for local times and listings. I really just want to let you all know how soooooooo grateful I am for every single one of you that bought or are going to buy the album and continue to get the word out. It has obviously paid off. I had high hopes but never expected the first week to be soooo amazing. Not to mention being the first ever to come from american idol and be played on rock radio. That’s quite an honor for me. YOU made it happen. I wish I could hug all of you…or give you a high five…whatever you’re into. Basically I don’t feel that there’s any amount of words to express how much I truly appreciate each and every one of you. You’ve really put me on the map in the music world in a big way. I realize that it doesn’t matter how good you are, if the people don’t want to hear it, it means absolutely nothing. So as long as y’all want it, we’re gonna give all we have. We’re still getting all the details on when and where we’re touring. Nothing is set in stone yet, so I’ll keep ya posted on that. The video is still getting worked on to be just right. Thanks for being patient. Oh yeah, the idea of getting the albums over seas to the troops…brilliant. That means so much. That’s all I have for now. Love all of you. God bless-Chris”

Geez – I just realized I am going to have a big concert-going year in 2007! DAUGHTRY, Taylor Hicks, and Kelly Clarkson (oh please oh please). I guess I’ll be hitting the dollar store for Christmas gifts tomorrow.

The world has gone completely insane. Before I started writing for Idolwire, when I would see stories like these, I would simply change the channel, close the page, etc. Unfortunately, I had to change my address from “Happy, Oblivion” to “What the Hell?, Real World” in order to report the news - and I use that term very, very, loosely.

I was wondering how long it would take and what lengths people would go to mutate the “feel-good story” of the year - Jennifer Hudson’s Cinderella story from booted Idol to Oscar-worthy star - into a national scandal. You can read the story here, here, and here. I’m too disgusted to summarize for you.

It’s almost like we can’t stand to have anyone too happy for too long. “Jennifer Hudson steals the movie! She’s on her way to superstardom! Her performance is like a religious experience! Let’s rip the bitch to shreds! C’mon! Who’s with me!” It’s crazy - how does making Jennifer Hudson look bad make anyone else look good? How does making Jennifer Hudson feel sad, depressed, and hurt make anyone else feel better? I don’t get it.

It’s not just Jennifer, either. In just the past few weeks we’ve had such made up, twisted, and exaggerated stories as Taylor Hicks is ungrateful to Idol, a rehashing of the Kelly Clarkson didn’t thank Idol at the Grammy’s, Fantasia calling JHud a heiffer, and the Beyonce feud. The most disgusting display of this sickening “reporting” was Clay Aiken’s sour note at a Christmas concert. It was everywhere for days. I don’t always agree with the Claymates’ tactics when it comes to supporting Clay, but they were dead-on justified in their campaign to have those videos removed. In my opinion, posting that video wasn’t “good-natured, all in fun ribbing” - it was just plain mean.  These celebrities are successful for a reason - they’ve earned it!  Go earn your own damn success and stop trying to destroy theirs.

It’s not easy being the kinder, gentler American Idol site. I’m trying - really I am - but, boy am I homesick for Oblivion.

When I was nine years old, I had a gigantic crush on Donny Osmond. Everything I owned was purple, right down to the wall-to-wall carpeting in my bedroom (for which I am eternally grateful – it was awesome!). I had two Donny and Marie records that I played over and over and over again - I swear I still know all the words - causing my family to run for cover when it was my turn to use the stereo. The day my Tiger Beat arrived in the mail was the highlight of my week – I would spend hours poring over the pages, staring at the pictures, and carefully cutting out the posters and the iron-ons. At night, I’d lay awake in my ridiculously cool purple bedroom and dream up all kinds of crazy stories - “The Adventures of Donny Osmond”. Alas, the yearning for my Donny was mine alone to bear. My friends didn’t share my affections, so the only conversations I ever had about my dearest love was my big sister yelling, “Mom! Tell Laurie to stop talking about Donny Osmond!” – I hardly think that counts. One Friday night, my parents had to hire a babysitter because I refused to leave the house – “But, Daddy! I can’t go – the ‘Donny and Marie Show’ is on!” Clearly, my predisposition to fanaticism surfaced at an early age.

Fast forward 30 years (slow down over my 20’s – they were fun) and imagine my joyous discovery of the world of internet fandom. Uber-fans UNITE! Enclosed within the hallowed forum walls lies a fairytale world for the celeb-stricken: news, videos, audio, pictures – anything you can imagine is here! The message boards bring fans together in ways never before possible – think of it as a year-round, always accessible Trekkie Convention. The best part is admittance is guaranteed – uber-fans can be young or old, married or single, working or going to school, or be of any nationality, race, color or creed. As long as you feel the love, you’ll be welcome for life. Is there anything better than sharing the thrill of a new CD or bit of information with your like-minded buddies? Feeling a sudden surge of love for Elliott Yamin? Jump on the board at the E-Train and share your mushiness with the equally afflicted. Did you just run into Constantine Maroulis at the neighborhood deli in the Bronx? There are hundreds of people at Greek Speak who are dying to hear your story! “What was he wearing? Did he pout for you? You know, did he make ‘the face’?” Are you a Carrie Underwood fan who just happens to live in Siberia? No matter. Lose the parka, grab a bottle of vodka, and belly up to the forum at CarrieFans.com – the place where everybody knows your (screen)name and they’re always glad you came.

When I was a girl, no one wanted to hear the story of how my beloved Donny saves me from a burning building: “Cradling her in his strong arms, Donny bravely dodged the flames and fled the towering inferno. Choking on smoke and tears, he looked down at the light of his life fading away. ‘Don’t leave me! I love you!’” Yeah, well…not so sure anyone wants to hear it now either, but that’s not my point… Today, I could post my stories in the fanfic section of the board and get immediate feedback: “Awww…that’s so romantic!” or “Gosh, that’s a little creepy coming from a nine-year-old.” The artists among us upload their drawings, wallpapers, banners, and blends to share their creative vision. I have several pieces of Kelly Clarkson fan art hanging in my office – at my age posters are simply not acceptable, but a beautiful black and white sketch is perfect! (Jess (awesomeaussie) at the KC Express - you rock!) I am always amazed when I read through the creative threads on boards and see all the poetry, songs, artwork, and stories. Uber-fans don’t only invest their time and money, they invest their passion.

And passion, my fellow fans, is the key. It’s the force that creates a Claymate from a mere Clay Aiken fan. It’s the magic that transforms an occasional Taylor Hicks listener into a Soul Patroller. It’s the fire that forges a Louisiana wife and mother into a Hot Damn! 10,000+ poster on the Kelly Clarkson Express. It’s what keeps the career fires burning for Bo Bice until he can make a full recovery. It’s what drives Highrollers to raise over $30,000 in 30 days. At its best, passion is love in its purest form - at its worst, a dangerous obsession. This Christmas season, celebrate your passion in its purest form with your nearest and dearest. It is a remarkable gift to share, for a life without passion is simply a long, dark road.

Fourteen years passed before I finally saw Donny Osmond in person. He was performing the National Anthem before a BYU football game and I thought, “I have never been happier than I am right this very second.” And they called it puppy love…whatever.

Gotta love Shirley Kennedy. She has been one of Elliott Yamin’s most outspoken supporters, so when she starts having doubts and concerns, you’d better listen. I’m trying not to push the panic button, but Shirley has, as usual, done her research and has come up with a lot of support for her theory that “Elliott’s fans should be disappointed in this news, not overjoyed.”

The news she is referring to is the recently announced publishing deal with Sony/ATV publishing. In great detail, Ms. Kennedy takes a look at publishing deals, how they differ and can affect recording deals, and how much money can be made from them. Elliott is a rookie writer - unless Elliott has some heretofore unseen God-given talent for songwriting, the question remains for many: “Why not a recording contract?”

“A friend of mine, who works with Atlantic Records, believes a publishing deal to be a precursor to a label deal. On the other hand, when I posed that question to Rob Hassett, his response was: “My experience is that when a record company signs a recording artist who writes their own songs, the publishing affiliate will want to sign the artist to a publishing contract because they know that some of the songs are going to be recorded and released and will typically take less than the 50%.” In other words, the label deal typically comes first.”

Shirley’s article makes a certain amount of sense, but I have no doubt whatsoever that Elliott will make his living in the music industry - he is too talented not to. The question becomes will he have a Justin Guarini career - small, but successful and joyous; a Constantine career - big fish, small pond; or Carrie Underwood’s huge success in a specialized market?

There she is! I’ve been wondering when we’d be hearing from Paris Bennett again. She was so young on ‘American Idol’ but she sure seems to have grown up over the past year. TeenMusic.com caught up with Paris while she was in town for the Billboard awards.

Paris has some big plans coming up for 2007. Paris’ debut album, “Princess P”, will be out early next year and her first single, “Dreamin’” will be out in the next few weeks. In addition to an upcoming promotional tour, Paris is getting ready to shoot the video as well.

“We haven’t done a video yet but we’re getting ready. Basically, it’s about my “American Idol” experience, my life before and life after. I’m co-writing it. This being my first album, I’m co-writing with Ray Issac, a new guy. I have a producer doing writing with me.”

Paris always seemed a bit out of place on ‘American Idol’ to me. It’s not every day you hear a 17-year old, itty bitty thing belting out “deep, deep jazz.” Her answer to who she was listening to as a teen explains a lot:

“Gladys Knight, Sarah Vaughn, Billy Holiday, Etta James. I’m a little person with an old soul so I go way back, Aretha Franklin.”

She would also love to do a duet with Al Jarreau - as she did on the AI finale - and have the duet “We’re In This Love Together” on her album. I second that - their duet was the best of the night.

So what is Santa bringing Princess P this year?

“For Christmas, I’ll be on the Disney cruise. Me and Bianca Ryan are performing on the cruise and my family is going to come and join me on the cruise. Disney has their own island. We’re going to go to St. Lucia and it is fabulous. I only have to sing one day on the cruise so I’m going to get some rest and chill out.”

Arista is firing up the PR machine for next week’s release of Taylor Hicks’ debut album. From an Arista press release:

“Taylor Hicks digs deep into the blues-drenched roots of Birmingham, Alabama’s favorite son, a singer and songwriter whose song choices every week never strayed from the soul music he holds so dear. Virtually every new song on the album was ‘Taylor-made’ for the artist, starting with “Dream Myself Awake,” written by Rob Thomas, and “Give Me Tonight,” which Taylor and Serletic co-wrote with Matt’s friend Kevin Kadish and hit songwriter Kara Dioguardi. Hitmaker supreme Diane Warren contributed “Places I’ve Been”; while “The Maze” was written by the same duo who penned Natalie Imbruglia’s “Torn.” And Taylor’s fans will be delighted to hear that he has re-recorded new versions of self penned “Soul Thing” and “The Deal,” two songs that previously appeared on his second indie album Under the Radar.”

I just LOVE that two of his previously released songs made it! Taylor is breaking new ground all over the place for future Idol winners. Kelly Clarkson had to fight just to name her CD ‘Thankful’. Times they are a changin’…

“The new album was produced by two-time Grammy Award-winner Matt Serletic, whose multi-platinum track record with matchbox twenty & Rob Thomas, Santana, Willie Nelson, Collective Soul and Aerosmith made him the perfect choice for the project. That chemistry is evident throughout, from the opening feel-good up-tempo groove of “The Runaround,” the dramatic ballad “Just To Feel That Way,” and the heartfelt closing number, “The Right Place,” which was originally written by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance for Ray Charles to record before his death. Taylor considers it an honor to have had the opportunity to make this song his own.”

‘Runaround’ is already my favorite song of the bunch. I don’t dance to any song sober except ‘You Dropped A Bomb On Me’ - but I was a dancing fool during Taylor’s incredible ‘Tonight Show’ performance (I still can’t find the cat). Good grief! When that guy lets loose, he really lets loose! I can’t even imagine what kind of carbo loading must go on before a performance like that! He was insane! I just loved how the entire band was smiling - they were having as much fun as the audience watching Taylor do his thang.

“Along with Taylor’s heroes, Otis Redding, James Brown, and Sam Cooke, the memory of Ray Charles is always centerstage — and can be heard on “Heaven Knows,” whose riffs pays homage to Ray’s “What’d I Say” and Marvin Gaye’s “Ain’t That Peculiar,” the Motown classic written by Smokey Robinson. The album’s next track, “Gonna Move,” comes from another personal favorite of Taylor’s, revered singer-songwriter Paul Pena (composer of Steve Miller’s “Jet Airliner”). It is followed by an early Marvin Gaye composition, “Wherever I Lay My Hat” (a hit for Paul Young in the ’80s).”

While there was some moaning, groaning, and worrying going on when the first songs were leaked off the album, I think we will hear the Soul Patrol’s collective sigh of relief on December 12th. Taylor is the first fully-developed musician Idol has ever had - or at least the first one who wasn’t shackled for two years. I wonder what would have happened to Ruben, Fantasia, and Clay if they had been allowed to have as much input and control of their first albums as Taylor has had? They say hindsight is 20/20 - maybe it was Kelly Clarkson’s 6x platinum, Grammy-and-every-other-award-known-to-mankind-winning, internationally acclaimed ‘Breakaway’ that made the producers toss their cookie cutters.

I’m no fashion plate, but yipes!  Wow!  That outfit leaves me just about speechless!  If I’m not mistaken, the tights Kat is wearing are Sheer Energy - you know, $4.59 at Walgreen’s - comes in an egg?  And I believe I saw that dress at JC Penney’s - not that I shop there for clothes, of course…no, really, I was just there to pick up a toaster and I happened to be passing through the ladies’ department.  At the risk of sounding catty, (oooo…bad pun) those shoes look like she stole them from a 60-year old cross-dresser.  I’m sorry, they’re hideous.  Well, hey, at least she wasn’t wearing open toes.

Katharine is one of the most beautiful celebrities around today. She always looks incredible - even in this god-awful outfit.  Someone had to work really hard to dress her that badly.  You know I love you, Kat…I just couldn’t stifle it…sorry.  Anyway, on to the good part of the night…

Katharine was crowned “BIG It Girl” over Katherine Heigl of “Grey’s Anatomy” and Vanessa Minnillo of “TRL” and Nick Lachey fame.  The award goes to “The fresh young face that was most ubiquitous” - (read:overexposed).  The winners were chosen by VH1 viewers - that bodes well for Katharine.  Let’s hope their support can hold out until Kat’s album is released on January 30th. 

I thought this “scandal” was going to go away, but nope, it’s still hanging in there…

What a load of crap.  Someone decided to take his Relix interview, chop it up into pieces, and make Taylor Hicks sound ungrateful for his Idol experience and win.  Slow news week, guys? “Man, I don’t wanna write about the war in Iraq again… Hey, I know!  Let’s take a bunch of comments out of context from that gray-haired Idol dude and cause a huge, unnecessary, stupid, fake controversy!” 
So what did he say exactly?  Responding to the interviewer’s admission that he never really watched Idol, Taylor answered, “I don’t watch it either! [laughs] You can write that.” The nerve! Taylor was singing in bars and writing music instead of watching “American Idol”?  How dare he!  Of course he’s not watching it now, because it’s not on (hello!) and I’m guessing he’ll be too busy touring and promoting his new CD to watch season six.  Isn’t that what Idol is supposed to do?  It’s a search for a superstar, not for a singing couch potato.
In response to a question regarding the “expectations” of post-Idol audiences, he said this:  American Idol, for me, is fizzling out. I want to take that opportunity and that exposure… You either come to see me, come buy my album or you don’t. I’m not trying to meet expectations. I’m trying to expose my music to people who might like it, come see it and come buy it. That’s me. If pop culture doesn’t like it… If you can say you’re a working musician, then you’re doing something good. I’m just glad to be a working musician because that’s what I’ve always been.
Hey everybody! The show is over, the tour is over, and the new season is about to start.  It is fizzling out!  He can’t ride the wave forever.  If the expectation is for Taylor to do Idol-like covers for the rest of his career, then there will be a lot of disappointed people out there.  Taylor doesn’t give a rat’s hairy hiney about being packaged for the pop-culture masses, and well he shouldn’t.  He’s been in the live music scene for over ten years - he knows exactly who he is as a musician and performer and has neither the desire nor the need to be packaged.  I interpret his answer to mean he would rather sell 500,000 records doing what he was born to do rather than 5 million records pretending to be something he’s not. He should be applauded for standing his ground and protecting his artistic integrity - it is certainly not an easy thing to do.  
It’s ridiculous, but Taylor has been forced to defend himself and correct the misconceptions.  The press is calling it “spin” and “damage control”.  As far as I know, that isn’t spin or damage control.  Don’t you actually have to do something wrong in the first place for a rebuttal to be considered spin?  Karl Rove, you want to weigh in here?
 

Congratulations to Chris Daughtry and the gang!  “Daughtry” debuted at #2 on the Billboard charts and sold 304,000 copies in the first week!  I smell gold…oh, no, wait…is that platinum?