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“The Color Purple” star described herself as a “little girl” from High Point, North Carolina, who knew “nothing about the industry.”
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Tag: american idol
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Paula Abdul Accuses “So You Think You Can Dance” Judge Nigel Lythgoe of Sexual Assault
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Paula Abdul stepped into the spotlight in the 1980s, the singer of hits such as “Straight Up” and “Opposites Attract.” In the 2000s, she gained a new generation of fans as a judge on broadcast TV shows such as American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance. But in a bombshell lawsuit filed Friday in Los Angeles, Abdul claimed that the second act of her career was marred with sexual assault, verbal abuse, and bullying from show producer and—at times—fellow judge Nigel Lythgoe.
Neither Abdul nor Lythgoe have responded to Vanity Fair’s request for comment, but in legal filings reported on by Rolling Stone, Abdul alleges that Lythgoe—a British producer known for a slew of talent competition shows—sexually assaulted her during one of the earlier seasons of American Idol, which launched on Fox in June 2002 with judges Randy Jackson, Simon Cowell, and Abdul. Abdul left the series in 2009.
According to the filing, which was also obtained by TMZ, Abdul told her representative about the alleged attack immediately following. However, the suit claims that Abdul feared retaliation and did not report the incident to management.
The filing also claims that Lythgoe attacked her a second time years later, shortly after she’d signed a new contract to judge So You Think You Can Dance, which Lythgoe co-created, produced, and was on-camera as a fellow judge. Abdul again kept the alleged incident to herself, fearing that a report would cost her her job.
She had also signed non-disclosure agreements with both shows, the suit claims, which prohibited the disclosure of “derogatory information.”
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Eve Batey
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Paula Abdul Accuses ‘American Idol’ Producer Nigel Lythgoe of Sexual Assault
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Paula Abdul alleged in a lawsuit on Friday that she was twice sexually assaulted by Nigel Lythgoe, the executive producer of “American Idol” and “So You Think You Can Dance.”
Abdul rose to stardom in the late 80s and built a second career as a judge of reality show competitions in the early 2000s. In the suit, she alleges that during one of the early seasons of “American Idol,” Lythgoe sexually assaulted her in an elevator.
She alleges that he shoved her against a wall, groped her breasts and genitals, and shoved his tongue down her throat. According to the suit, she tried to push him away, and as soon as the hotel door opened, she ran to her room.
Years later, Abdul was a judge on “So You Think You Can Dance.” Lythgoe invited her to his home for dinner, and she accepted, thinking it would be a professional encounter. However, according to the suit, Lythgoe forced himself on top of her while she was sitting on his couch, attempted to kiss her, and said they would make a great “power couple.”
Again, she pushed him away and fled his home, the lawsuit states.
The suit also accuses Lythgoe of verbal harassment and bullying, and alleges that Abdul was discriminated against, and was paid less than male judges on “American Idol.” The suit further alleges that the show would be edited in a misleading way to make her appear inept.
Additionally, Abdul alleges that she witnessed Lythgoe sexually assault one of her assistants in April 2015, pressing up against the assistant and groping her without consent.
“For years, Abdul has remained silent about the sexual assaults and harassment she experienced on account of Lythgoe due to fear of speaking out against one of the most well-known producers of television competition shows who could easily break her career as a television personality and of being ostracized and blackballed by an industry that had a pattern of protecting powerful men and silencing survivors of sexual assault and harassment,” the lawsuit states.
The suit alleges that Lythgoe’s behavior was common knowledge, and cites a MADtv parody in which Lythgoe was seen harassing contestants.
According to the suit, Lythgoe called Abdul once and taunted her, saying it had been “seven years and the statute of limitations had run.”
Abdul signed non-disclosure agreements as part of her employment on both reality shows, which prevented her from disclosing confidential or derogatory information.
Abdul filed the suit under California’s Sexual Abuse and Cover-Up Accountability Act, which created a one-year window to file certain sexual abuse lawsuits that would otherwise be outside the statute of limitations. The deadline to file is Dec. 31.
Abdul also sued 19 Entertainment, FremantleMedia North America, American Idol Productions, and Dance Nation Productions. The suit alleges the companies failed to take steps to discipline Lythgoe and protected him from accountability.
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Gmaddaus
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The Demi Ramos Show: Catie Turner
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The last time we talked to Catie Turner, she had just released her breakout single “God Must Hate Me.” Since then, she’s added singles like “Step Mom” and “Easy” to her catalog, demonstrating the emotional center and lyricism of a complete artist. Five years removed from American Idol, her appearance on the show is now the beginning of the story, not the main part.
Favorites and new tracks make up her latest project, Comedy & Tragedy. Act 1, which includes “God Must Hate Me” and five other songs, arrived on June 9. The second volume will be out later this year. To support the release, Turner starts a headlining tour tonight in Chicago with best friend Sophie Holohan opening.
Watch Demi Ramos talk to Turner about Comedy & Tragedy, life on tour, and how she feels about her experience on Idol.
Catie Turner | The Demi Ramos Show
For more from Catie Turner, follow her on Instagram and TikTok.
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WATCH: Lauren Spencer Smith on Her Upcoming Debut Album
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On July 14, Lauren Spencer Smith will release her debut album, Mirror. It’s the culmination of three years of hard work and growing as a songwriter and performer.
Appearing on American Idol in 2020, the 19-year-old used the momentum from the show to create a career that’s earned her hit songs, a huge social media following, and an appearance on The Tonight Show. Many know the Vancouver native for “Fingers Crossed,” but she’s built a surprisingly deep catalog with tracks like “Flowers” and “Fantasy,” a collaboration with friends GAYLE and Em Beihold.
The day the album drops, she’ll kick off a headlining tour. The North American leg begins in Chicago, and the European shows start in early September. Several dates are already sold out.
Watch Lauren Spencer Smith talk to Jordan Edwards and Demi Ramos about her experience on Idol, developing her voice, and how she’s handling all the success.
Lauren Spencer Smith | It’s Real with Jordan and Demi
Lauren Spencer Smith North American Tour Dates
7/14/23 Chicago, IL – House of Blues
7/15/23 Detroit, MI – St. Andrew’s Hall
7/17/23 Toronto, ON – Danforth Music Hall
7/19/23 Boston, MA – Paradise Rock Club
7/21/23 Philadelphia, PA – Theatre of Living Arts
7/22/23 Silver Spring, MD – The Fillmore
7/25/23 New York, NY – Irving Plaza
7/28/23 Atlanta, GA – Buckhead Theatre
7/29/23 Orlando, FL – House of Blues
7/31/23 Austin, TX – Emo’s
8/2/23 Dallas, TX – House of Blues
8/4/23 Phoenix, AZ – Crescent Ballroom
8/5/23 San Diego, CA – Observatory North Park
8/8/23 Los Angeles, CA – Fonda Theatre
8/11/23 Santa Ana, CA – Observatory
8/12/23 San Francisco, CA – August Hall
8/14/23 Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom
8/15/23 Seattle, WA – The Showbox
8/17/23 Vancouver, BC – Queen Elizabeth TheatreFor more from Lauren Spencer Smith, follow her on Instagram and TikTok.
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Whoopi Goldberg Reckons ‘American Idol’ Led To Society’s ‘Downfall’ In Wild Claim
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Whoopi Goldberg says “American Idol” contributed to the “beginning of the downfall of society” in remarks that led to an awkward moment between her and “The View” executive producer Brian Teta. (You can check out a clip of her remarks below)
“The View” co-host weighed in on Wednesday on the show’s influence just days after 18-year-old Hawaii-born singer Iam Tongi won season 21.
“We, as a society, love to watch stuff to judge folks. You know, I’ve always thought that the beginning of the downfall of society was with… what’s the name of that show? I always tell you that,” said Goldberg as she looked over to Teta.
“ABC’s American Idol,” replied Teta before the audience let out a laugh.
Goldberg, who pointed out that the show began on Fox, went on to explain her take on the competition.
“Because once we gave people the ability to judge other people, I think we ran amuck with it and it’s gone out of control,” said Goldberg.
“Remember ‘The Gong Show’?” said co-host Joy Behar in reference to a show that allowed judges to hit a gong to signal their distaste for a performance.
Goldberg clarified that she doesn’t remember an instance where “so many people” judged a person’s talent before Teta, and co-host Sunny Hostin, added that Goldberg likes the show now that it’s on ABC – the same network that airs “The View.”
“American Idol” – which debuted nearly 21 years ago on Fox – has notably relied on public participation since its inception, whether through call, text or online vote.
But the show isn’t the first to lean on at-home audience participation as the “The Original Amateur Hour” – a continuation of Major Bowes’ “Amateur Hour” radio program which brought Frank Sinatra and his Hoboken Four quartet to a national stage – relied on viewers’ votes by phone and postcard.
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Katy Perry Makes ‘Incredible’ Transformation Into Disney Superhero For ‘American Idol”s Disney Night
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Katy Perry channeled her inner Disney supermom powers for Sunday’s special themed episode of “American Idol”.
For Disney night, the singer decided to dress up like Elastigirl (a.k.a. Mrs. Incredible) from “The Incredibles”.
“I figured out that Mother’s Day and Disney Night were the same night. I had a whole different costume — maybe we’ll never ever see it maybe we’ll see it next time — but I went, ‘No, we’ve got to be the most iconic Disney mom,’ and it’s Elastigirl,” Perry said while speaking with ET’s Denny Directo following Sunday’s new “Idol” episode.
According to Perry, she spent a lot of time watching the movie with her 2-year-old daughter, Daisy — whom she shares with Orlando Bloom — to prepare for embodying the iconic character.
“We were watching the movie a couple of times this past week so I could really get into the mode and start talking like through the side of my mouth, which I still can’t get, but it was awesome,” Perry shared. “She loved it.”
“We had a wonderful Mother’s Day this morning and then, you know, I turned into Elastigirl,” she added. “That’s what moms do! They just know how to juggle so hard. Like, do a little brunch and then get into a full latex costume.”
Following the show, Perry took to Instagram, sharing several photos of her costume.
“My secret identity is….Mom,” the superstar captioned a set of images of herself posing in character on the “Idol” stage.
Then, Perry had some backstage fun as she recorded a video of herself a.k.a. Elastigirl busting out some dance moves in the skintight latex fit to a remixed audio clip of “I like big books and I cannot lie.”
In a third post, Perry shared a few screenshots of herself from the “Idol” episode, plus a behind-the-scenes video of herself getting dressed into the costume.
READ MORE:
Princess Charlotte Adorably Sings Along To Katy Perry’s ‘Roar’ At Coronation Concert
The “Roar” hitmaker never fails to go all-out for the annual Disney themed episode. Hours before the show, Perry took a trip down memory lane as she shared photos of her costumes over the years, which included a handful of Disney princesses, a sea villain and even the classic circus elephant born with comically large ears.
On Sunday’s new “American Idol”, it was revealed who would be hitting the stage as a special guest performer during next week’s three-hour season finale.
Perry and her fellow judges — Richie and Luke Bryan — will all perform, alongside a huge slate of A-listers including Keith Urban, Clay Aiken & Ruben Studdard, Ellie Goulding, James Blunt, Jazmine Sullivan, Jelly Roll, Kylie Minogue, Lainey Wilson, Pittbull, TLC, Lauren Daigle and Kevin Cronin.
The “American Idol” finale airs next Sunday May 21 at 8 p.m. ET/ 5p.m. PT on ABC.
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Melissa Romualdi
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King Charles, Queen Camilla make surprise appearance on ‘American Idol’ – National | Globalnews.ca
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The new King and Queen of England aren’t afraid of a little PR.
Viewers of Sunday night’s American Idol episode got a royal surprise when the newly crowned couple appeared in a livestream alongside judges Katy Perry and Lionel Richie, who were in the U.K. to perform at King Charles‘ coronation.
In their Idol debut, the new King and Queen appeared from Windsor Castle. Before their on-screen entrance, Richie, 73, said the coronation was “unbelievable.”
“We’re trying to figure out what we can do to bring something different to the show,” he continued. Dressed in a glittering black jacket, Richie feigned nervousness as he welcomed his “surprise” into the room.
Perry, dressed in a silky green gown and large pearl necklace and teardrop earrings, curtsied as King Charles and Queen Camilla ambled into frame.
“I just wanted to check, how long you will be using this room for?” King Charles coyly asked the American Idol judges.
He and Queen Camilla thanked Perry, 38, and Richie for their performances.
“Thank you so much. You’re brilliant as always,” he told the singers. “Fantastic, absolutely fantastic.”
Richie joked that King Charles was throwing a party “right next door.”
“Ah, you’ve heard about that,” King Charles replied. “We better take you to that, but you are busy with all these other things.”
Richie promised to join the party as soon as he and Perry were finished with the Idol message.
![Click to play video: 'Royal Recap: King Charles III crowning moment']()
Both American singers have ties to the British monarchy. Richie is a global ambassador for the Prince’s Trust, a U.K. youth employment and education charity, while Perry is an ambassador for the King Charles-founded British Asian Trust, which strives to eliminate poverty in South Asia.
While they performed at the coronation, British singer Ed Sheeran, who was in New York for a copyright lawsuit, and Canadian artist Alanis Morissette covered Idol hosting duties.
At the Sunday night coronation concert, Richie played the hit songs Easy (Like Sunday Morning) and All Night Long.
Perry performed Roar and Firework as part of her own set. She took the stage in a large, gold Vivienne Westwood gown.
© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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Sarah Do Couto
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Kim Kardashian And Katy Perry Connect Over ‘Ugly Cry’ Faces On Instagram: ‘We All Have One’
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Katy Perry and Kim Kardashian are bonding over their “ugly cry” faces.
The pop megastar and the reality TV icon shared a friendly interaction in the comment section of one of Perry’s latest Instagram posts regarding unflattering facial expressions.
The “California Gurls” singer shared a short clip of what she hilariously deemed her “ugly cry face” on Instagram on Tuesday, April 4. The short video shows Perry tearfully reacting to a performance on “American Idol”, where she is a judge, along with Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan.
“hi this is my ugly cry face. watch #idol now to get urs,” she wrote alongside the video.
Perry was moved to tears following the performance of contestants Fire and Jayna Elise. The context behind their performance is that Elise stepped in last minute to perform with Fire, saving her in the competition after her original partner, Kaya Stewart, left the competition due to feeling sick.
Kardashian took to the comment section to send some witty support to the pop superstar and reminded her of a fundamental reality regarding ‘ugly cry’ faces: “We all have one.”
READ MORE:
Katy Perry Made A 3-Month Sobriety Pact With Orlando Bloom: ‘I’ve Been Sober For 5 Weeks’
Fans swarmed underneath Kardashian’s comment, praising her for the heartfelt hilarity.
“best comment award 🥇,” wrote one fan. “iconic response,” addressed another social media user.
Perry’s emotional reactions to “American Idol” contestants have been going viral lately. The “Teenage Dream” singer set the internet ablaze when she wept to the story of a 2018 Santa Fe High School mass shooting survivor during his audition.
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Emerson Pearson
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‘American Idol’ contestant quits show weeks after Katy Perry ‘mom-shaming’ comment – National | Globalnews.ca
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Despite insisting from singer and American Idol judge Katy Perry, contestant Sara Beth Liebe doesn’t think show business is for her.
Liebe, 25, quit the vocal competition during Sunday night’s Idol episode, claiming she felt guilty for being away from her three young children.
The decision to throw in the towel comes only weeks after Perry, 38, was criticized by viewers for “mom-shaming” Liebe — who had her first child when she was 18 years old — during her initial audition. Perry was scolded online for joking that Liebe had been “laying on the table too much.”
During Sunday’s episode, Liebe first expressed her desire to leave the competition to guest vocal coach Clay Aiken, who was a runner-up on Season 2 of American Idol. As the pair rehearsed Liebe’s cover of Roxanne by The Police, she told Aiken she doesn’t “feel like I fit the mould” of an entertainer.
In an on-camera confessional, Liebe later called her Idol audition “something completely selfish” because it kept her away from her family.
Though the mom of three performed Roxanne for the judges, she was quick to back out afterward.
“This opportunity is really rad but this is actually gonna be my last performance because my heart’s at home,” she told the judging panel of Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan. “So, I’m gonna get home to my babies, they kind of need me.”
“I feel like I’m not gonna win the show anyway, so I might as well go home. Seeing all the talent, a big part of me feels like I’m not cut out for show business,” Liebe continued.
Perry tried to convince Liebe to stay in the competition after the judges told her she would be allowed to continue to the next round of the competition.
“You’ve opened a door you never thought you would open, and you got a yes,” Perry encouraged. “You may get another yes in the future. Do not give up.”
Liebe told Perry “I appreciate you” before leaving the stage.
Liebe later explained to the cameras backstage that if her children were “a little older” she may have considered staying in the competition.
“I’m sure that when I get home, I’ll regret it,” she said. “I probably will go ‘Ah, Sara, you should’ve stayed, and you should’ve done it.’”
Liebe’s first American Idol audition — which she has since revealed she was scouted for — garnered attention online both for her singing voice and Perry’s “laying on the table” comment. When Liebe introduced herself as a mother of three, Perry got out of her seat and feigned dramatic surprise.
“If Katy lays on the table, I think I’m going to pass out,” Liebe joked.
“Honey, you’ve been laying on the table too much,” Perry quipped.
In the days following the airing of Liebe’s audition, she posted a TikTok discussing Perry’s “mom-shaming” comment. From her couch, Liebe said Perry’s joke “wasn’t very kind.”
“I don’t really have too much to say on my feelings about it because I feel like it’s probably pretty self-explanatory,” she said. “It was embarrassing to have that on TV and it was hurtful.”
“I think that women supporting and uplifting other women is so cool and I think that mom-shaming is super lame,” Liebe shrugged. “It’s hard enough to be a mom and it’s hard enough to be a woman.”
On Monday, Liebe shared footage from the moments after her first Idol audition. In a text-laden TikTok video, Liebe discussed her reasons for exiting the show and said she had a panic attack “because I was so overwhelmed with gratitude and shock.”
“Sometimes we are presented with big opportunities and situations and we have to make big decisions,” she wrote.
![Click to play video: 'Emmy-winner Kiefer Sutherland returns to tv with new thriller ‘Rabbit Hole’']()
© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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Sarah Do Couto
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‘American Idol’ Contestant Leaves Show Weeks After Katy Perry Controversy
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Sara Beth Liebe is leaving “American Idol” after some great performances, one very viral audition and a headline-making TikTok about “Idol” judge Katy Perry.
The singer announced on Sunday that she was exiting the reality show on her own accord, despite all of her success ― and three judges trying to change her mind.
“This opportunity is really rad, but this is actually going to be my last performance because my heart is at home,” Liebe said, via Yahoo. “So, I’m going get home to my babies ― they kind of need me.”
“American Idol” judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie and Perry expressed disbelief and tried to get Liebe to stay, to no avail.
Leibe opened up about her decision in a video she posted to Instagram. She reminded people that “Idol” producers sought her out ― not the other way around.
“Sometimes we are presented with big opportunities and we have to make big decisions,” the mother of three said. “A lot of people don’t realize that I was scouted to audition. They reached out to me. And I’m so GRATEFUL.”
“I’ve never had this much support with singing,” Liebe added. “And it’s mind-blowing and so humbling and has made me realize how badly I want to do music. Six months ago, I didn’t know that yet. But I’m also allowed to make hard choices that are best for me.”
Liebe’s time on “Idol” was not without controversy, after she responded to Perry’s comments about her youthful appearance.
During her audition, the “Idol” judges joked that Liebe, 25, looked like she could be 16. When they learned she had three children, Perry dramatically reacted by running up to Bryan’s side of the judge’s table.
“If Katy lays on the table, I think I’m going to pass out,” Liebe said, smiling.
“Honey, you’ve been laying on the table too much,” Perry answered, while Bryan giggled.
Liebe later responded to Perry’s “mom-shaming” in a TikTok that made headlines. She said she didn’t “have too much to say on my feelings about it, because I feel like it’s probably pretty self-explanatory.”
“I mean, it was embarrassing to have that on TV,” she said in the video. “And it was hurtful and, you know, that’s that. But I did want to take this opportunity to just say that I think that women supporting and uplifting other women is so cool, and I think that mom-shaming is super lame.”
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Paula Abdul Explains Why Being Voted Off ‘American Idol’ Was Good For Jennifer Hudson
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It was an “American Idol” reunion on Friday when Paula Abdul dropped by “The Jennifer Hudson Show” for an interview.
Hudson first met Abdul in 2004, when the actor and singer was a contestant on the third season of “American Idol.” Abdul was part of the show’s original trio of judges, which also included music executive Simon Cowell and record producer Randy Jackson. Though Hudson received accolades from fans and even fellow contestants, she placed seventh in the competition series.
In her talk show appearance, Abdul acknowledged that “the whole world was pissed” when Hudson was eliminated from “American Idol.” But she now believes it was a good thing that the future star didn’t emerge from the show a winner.
“People still talk to me about ‘God, that night that Jennifer Hudson was eliminated,’” Abdul said, before recalling a conversation she’d had with Hudson after she was voted off. “I said to you: ‘You know, I have the feeling that some amazing things are going to happen to you. People that need to win win, and the people that don’t need to win end up winning big time.’ And you did.”
Watch Abdul’s appearance on “The Jennifer Hudson Show” below.
It’s hard to argue with Abdul’s assessment. In 2006, Hudson starred as Effie White in the movie musical “Dreamgirls,” for which she won an Academy Award. And last year, she joined the esteemed ranks of EGOT winners when Broadway’s “A Strange Loop,” which she co-produced, received the Tony Award for Best New Musical.
Along the way, Hudson recorded three studio albums and racked up an impressive array of stage and screen credits, which include her debut appearance on Broadway in “The Color Purple” and portraying Aretha Franklin in the 2021 biopic “Respect.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Abdul recalled how a psychic predicted her “American Idol” stint about three years before the series premiered and became a phenomenon. Previously, Abdul had enjoyed global success as a pop star, racking up ’80s and ’90s hits like “Straight Up” and “Opposites Attract.”
Even though her Grammy-winning music career had cooled, she was skeptical about the prospect of a television stint when she talked to the psychic.
“My only reference had been ‘Star Search’ from decades ago, and I’m like: ‘I’m not doing that,’” Abdul explained. “She goes: ‘Honey, you willed it to happen. It’s happening, you’re doing it.’”
She went on to note, “She said it was going to the biggest show, break records on television, and I paid no attention to it. I really didn’t. And it was almost three years to the date when I was into Fox.”
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Santa Fe High School shooting survivor has emotional
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He survived the 2018 Santa Fe High School shooting in Texas. Now, Trey Louis is going to Hollywood to compete to be the next “American Idol.”
The 21-year-old singer and mattress salesman went viral after his audition aired on “American Idol” on Sunday. During the audition, Louis, who calls himself “Trey from the Fe,” sang the song “Stone” by Whiskey Myers. His performance earned a standing ovation from the show’s three judges, Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan.
Bryan immediately told Louis, “You’ve got the perfect voice,” and asked him why he wanted to compete for the “American Idol” title. That’s when Louis revealed his story.
“‘American Idol,’ No. 1, is kind of where people that I enjoy make it. No. 2 – as I said before, I’m from Santa Fe, Texas. In May 2018, a gunman walked into my school,” he said, growing visibly emotional. “I was in art room one, he shot up art room two before he made his way to art room one.”
Eric McCandless/ABC via Getty Images
Ten people were killed in the the shooting, including two substitute teachers. Another 10 people were injured in the incident, which took place during the school’s first-period art class. Police identified the gunman was a 17-year-old student at the school.
“I lost a lot of friends. Eight students were killed. Two teachers were killed,” Louis told the judges. “It’s just really been negative man, Santa Fe’s had a bad rap since 2018.”
His story prompted an emotional and outraged reaction from the judges, all of them tearing up as he recalled the shooting. Bryan told him after that Louis sings from “the perfect spot.”
“You let it come out of your heart and that’s what we love around here,” Bryan said.
That’s when Perry seemingly broke down, sobbing into her hands.
“Our country has f***ing failed us,” she said. “This is not OK. You should be singing here because you love music, not because you had to go through that… You don’t have to lose eight friends.”
“I hope that you remind people that we have to change,” she added, “because I’m scared too.”
Louis’ talent earned him a resounding “Yes” from all three judges, allowing him to move on in the competition and go to Hollywood.
“Thank you America and Thank you Santa Fe,” the singer wrote on his Facebook following the episode, along with photos of him holding onto the show’s desired golden ticket. “I Love You.”
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C.J. Harris, former
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Curtis “C.J.” Harris, a former contestant on “American Idol,” has died. The 31-year-old from Jasper, Alabama, died after suffering cardiac arrest on Sunday, a spokesperson for the Walker County Coroner confirmed to CBS News.
FOX Image Collection via Getty Images
Harris competed on the 13th season of singing competition show 2014, at just 23 years old, coming in sixth place. He auditioned for the show in Tuscaloosa, according to AL.com, which profiled the Alabama participants at the time.
He performed for judges Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban and Harry Connick Jr. and became known for his rendition of “Soulshine,” by The Allman Brothers Band, which Urban praised him for. “You sing ’cause you have to sing, not ’cause you want to sing. And I mean that in the deepest way. And that’s why it’s so believable and real,” Urban said.
Several of his “American Idol” performances are available to stream on Spotify. Harris often posted videos of himself performing on Instagram, most recently sharing a video of himself singing a cover of The Fray’s “How to Save a Life.”
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter in 2014, Harris said his mother and grandfather inspired his love of music from a very young age.
“I was six years old and my mom was in prison. She would sing to me over the phone and tears would just flow out of my eyes,” he said.
“When I was a little older, my granddad gave me a guitar. He had one in the shed and it had three strings on it. He said I didn’t need to buy a whole new set of strings. So I would tune it in a way that when I strummed it, it sounded like it’s in a key of whatever. I find different sounds,” he continued. “I just love music so I really try to find a sound that I really like and just play it. I know that’s weird, but that’s what I do.”
Chelsea Lauren/WireImage/Getty Images
After “American Idol,” Harris performed with Darius Rucker at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville in 2014, according to Entertainment Tonight. He also toured with fellow “American Idol” contestants. He released his debut single, “In Love,” in 2019.
Fellow “American Idol” Season 13 contestant Jessica Meuse posted a photograph of herself and Harris on Instagram following the news of his death. “I’m completely shocked. Your talent and smile will be missed, and the world is definitely a darker and eerily quieter place without you in it,” she wrote. “I’ll miss your random phone calls asking for life advice and talking about the music world.”
Harris was a father of two, according to People.
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C.J. Harris, singer and former ‘American Idol’ contestant, dies at 31 – National | Globalnews.ca
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Former American Idol contestant C.J. Harris, who made it to the competition show’s top six singers in 2014, died on Sunday night in Jasper, Ala. He was 31.
TMZ, which was first to report Harris’s death, said the singer suffered an apparent heart attack.
The Walker County coroner later confirmed Harris’ death to People magazine. The outlet reported that the singer was rushed to Walker Baptist Medical Center in Jasper, but efforts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful.
Read more:
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Co-pilot of fatal Nepal plane crash eerily lost her pilot husband in 2006 air crashHarris, a father of two young children, auditioned for American Idol judges Keith Urban, Jennifer Lopez and Harry Connick Jr. in Salt Lake City almost 10 years ago. He sang a rendition of Soulshine by Allman Brothers Band, accompanied by acoustic guitar.
After his audition, Urban told Harris he’s the kind of performer who “sings because you have to sing, not because you want to sing.” He said Harris’s voice was “believable and real.”
All three judges voted for Harris to continue the competition in Hollywood.
He was eliminated from the 13th season of American Idol after making it to the top six singers. Earlier, he was selected by the judges as a semifinal wild card choice when he did not receive enough votes to remain in the competition.
After Idol, Harris performed with Hootie & the Blowfish’s lead vocalist Darius Rucker at the Grand Ole Opry. He released his single In Love in 2019.
![Click to play video: 'Music Monday: George Woodhouse']()
On social media, Harris regularly shared video of himself performing, often from his own home.
Read more:
‘The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker’ — How a Canadian viral star turned killerRead next:
Brendan Fraser gives emotional, tearful speech at Critics Choice AwardsJessica Meuse, who competed with Harris on Season 13 of American Idol, shared a tribute on Instagram.
Meuse wrote that she was “completely shocked.”
“Your talent and smile will be missed, and the world is definitely a darker and eerily quieter place without you in it,” Meuse wrote. “When you go through something like Idol together, it brings everyone involved together like a big, weird, dysfunctional family. I’m grateful that our paths crossed and that I can say you were (and always will be) a part of mine.”
© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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Sarah Do Couto
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An Animated Debate: Which Feature Will Bring Home the Oscar?
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As The Best Animated Feature Competition Heats Up, Can Netflix Or Another Newcomer Bring Home The Oscar? https://t.co/OpkNkwP5LF
— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) December 27, 2022
This was such a good year for animation. Last year it truly boiled down to “Encanto vs. Mitchells”, but the field is wide open, so let’s run it down with the help of Vareity!
With Disney/Pixar, we have Turning Red, a critical darling. Not commercial, because Disney didn’t give it a wide release….and Lightyear and Strange World, both of which did receive wide releases, flopped, and are non-entities in this race. Turning Red, which marks the first from Pixar to be solely directed by a woman, has received critical acclaim for Shi’s depictions of female friendships and the mother-daughter relationship.
OP Note: TR is still probably my favorite film of the year.
The article does not, however, mention Henry Selick’s Wendell and Wild.
OP Note: Sea Beast was fine enough, and GDT’s Pinocchio was really cool. Nice to see a multitude of stop motion available, sad W&W isn’t getting more attention.
GKIDS missed a nomination last year with Belle (tip: the soundtrack is amazing), but with Inu-Oh already being nominated for a Golden Globe, maybe they can take it all the way (and give us a US release, y/y?).
Did you, like most people, forget Dreamworks Animation had not one, but two films this year? The Bad Guys had a fairly slow rollout worldwide with it’s soft, almost Spider-verse-esque style for a bunch of criminals. It sadly seems to have sunk out of the public conciousness. Meanwhile, the sixth entry into the Shrek franchise, Puss In Boots: The Last Wish, may be 11 years too late, but it was worth the wait, with very positive reviews, and a bombastic artstyle and story that stops just short of saying memento mori.
OP Note: Ok, maybe Puss in Boots is my favorite this year?
Welcome to the animation side, A24, and welcome Marcel The Shell With Shoes On. I didn’t like it. But I’m glad another stop motion/live action hybrid is making the rounds, and is winning a lot of smaller circuits!
src –> ft Apple and their John Lasseter film.
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sandstorm
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Discussion for The White Lotus S2 finale
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Discussion for The White Lotus S2 finale
2×7: Arrivederci
Albie asks Dominic for a karmic payment to help Lucia. Tanya grows wary of Quentin’s motives. Ethan confronts Cam.Mike White
ONTD, who did you hope were the murder victims (multiple choice so pick as many as you like)?
Who do you hope is the returning character in S3?
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silverstarry
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Ariana Grande Is Completely White Again?
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Ariana Grande Is Completely White Again?
Gurl, your blackfishing was off the charts in the seven rings era and your recent plunge into “asian” was something else.Everyone knows you’re trying it because you’re playing Glinda in a two-movie attempt at a block-buster that I’m betting is gonna flopp-
But, I’m not having it.
SHE ACTUALLY HAS THE NERVE TO CALL THIS MAKE-UP RELEASE “MOD VANILLA”.
For those of us that still remember and have eyes to see…
ONTD are you multi-racial?
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ichabod_crake
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10 Famous Actors Who Got Their Start On Reality TV
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There’s no one way to carve out a career as an actor. Some enter the industry as children, while others slowly build a resume of commercial work and guest spots. Still, others work as background actors as a way to support themselves and grab that coveted SAG card. But there’s a whole other category of actors that actually began their careers in a different place — reality TV. You might be surprised to learn that quite a few popular celebrities were once on reality competition shows.
It’s no surprise that those who can sing or dance can — a lot of the time — also act. The performing arts tend to overlap with one another, which is why so many contestants on singing and dancing competition shows are able to make the short leap over to Hollywood. Plus, these types of reality shows are much more plentiful than ones centered on acting (VH1’s Scream Queens seems to be the only notable example, really).
In some cases, however, the actor in question isn’t doing any sort of performing on TV — they’re simply on the show as an average person, mingling with singles on The Big Date or guessing the price of a car on The Price Is Right. You really never know whose career is going to take off.
Below, you’ll learn about 10 now-successful actors who were on reality TV shows before they were famous. From Emma Stone to Jon Hamm, these actors prove that a path to stardom begins differently for everyone.
10 Famous Actors Who Got Their Start On Reality TV
12 Actors Who Started As Extras In Movies And Television
These famous actors all began their on-screen careers with uncredited roles in movies and TV.
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Claire Epting
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