american idol (12 posts)

Frank Micelotta / FOX

We're going to have a real humdinger next week.

With 56 million votes giving Simon Cowell the pairing he hoped for, Syesha Mercado was eliminated Wednesday, meaning David Archuleta and David Cook are left to sing it out on the seventh-season finale of American Idol.

"There's too many words...I don't know what to say," Mercado said before launching into her final song, an encore of last night's Alicia Keys cover, "If I Ain't Got You." "I just want to say thank you."

So, with that out of the way...

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Jamie McCarthy/WireImage.com

It may have taken him more than four decades and 40-plus albums to get there, but Neil Diamond is finally No. 1, to the dismay of Toby Keith, Clay Aiken and Josh Groban.

The easy-rocking relic's Home Before Dark has become the first chart-topper in his storied career, which dates back 42 years and 46 albums. Diamond's disc moved 146,000 copies for the week ended Mother's Day, per Nielsen SoundScan numbers.

The Jazz Singer, who previously peaked at No. 2 with 1973's Jonathan Livingston Seagull soundtrack, made a big comeback with 2005's 12 Songs, his first collaboration with producer Rick Rubin and the first Diamond album to feature the artist on guitar since his '70s Bang Records days. Home is the singer's second album with Rubin.

Diamond has sold over 125 million albums, written 36 Top 40 hits, chalked up 15 Top 10 albums and picked up both a Grammy and a Golden Globe.

His boffo sales benefited from an appearance as an American Idol mentor, which is ironic considering he beat the pants off Aiken this week.

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Monty Brinton / CBS

The curiosity of seeing the fully functioning Britney Spears has waned. But not nearly as much as the novelty of seeing the fully pumped stars of American Gladiators.

Last night's How I Met Your Mother, featuring a return appearance by the comeback-minded Spears, averaged 9 million viewers, Nielsen Media Research estimates showed today.

The number wasn't at all bad. It just wasn't the nearly 11 million viewers—a season high—who caught Spears' March debut on the CBS sitcom.

As for American Gladiators, it might want to consider joining a support group with Speed Racer, because both franchises have lost their mojo.

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Anthony Monterotti, PacificCoastNews.com

Judging by his personality, we suspected Simon Cowell was hatched in an alligator nest. But now that we see that his mom is obviously a sweetheart, it's clear Simon honed his reptilian chops in the music industry. Flee the dark side, Simon, and hug your mom more often!

For more snaps of the stars and moms, check out our Mother's Day gallery.

Kevin Mazur/WireImage.com

Adding another notch on her I'm-way-
more-successful-than-Kelly-Clarkson belt, country music sweetheart Carrie Underwood was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry Saturday night.

The American Idol season four champion and three-time Grammy Award winner told the sold-out crowd, "This really seems like a great family to be part of. I promise I'll do everything I possibly can to not make you regret it."

Country music star and Opry member Garth Brooks presented the award to Underwood, who is the current Female Vocalist of the Year for the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association. He told her, "Nothing will last as long or be more important than this award right here tonight. Congratulations."

Membership to the Opry is invitation-only and based on the artist's commitment to the show and overall contribution to country music. Underwood, 25, made her debut on the 83-year-old radio program in 2005, just two weeks after winning Idol. She's currently on the road headlining her Carnival Ride tour.

FOX

His son might have made it to the top three, but David Archuleta's meddlesome dad has been given the boot backstage at American Idol.

Producers have banned Jeff Archuleta from prepping the 17-year-old's performances after an unauthorized lyric change last week cost the show beaucoup bucks in licensing fees.

A source close to the show, speaking anonymously to the Associated Press, said that the elder Archuleta ignored warnings and encouraged his son to alter the lyrics to "Stand By Me" by throwing in a verse from Sean Kingston's "Beautiful Girls." TMZ broke the story Friday.

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Frank Micelotta/FOX

Jason Castro not only didn't try to lose American Idol, the laid-back dude in dreads actually wanted to win the thing.

"Yesterday I wanted to win, and the day before [that]," Castro told reporters this morning.

The 21-year-old Texan's heretofore unexpressed ambition was thwarted by his elimination Wednesday night, his fate apparently sealed by a critically panned performance of "I Shot the Sheriff" and a lyrically challenged version of "Mr. Tambourine Man" on Tuesday.

Castro shot down theories that (1) he intentionally flubbed the words on "Tambourine Man," as alleged by judge Simon Cowell, and (2) he mouthed the plea "Don't vote" to the dialing public after one of his performances on Tuesday's show.

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It seems like the trick to getting Paula Abdul to talk is by tickling her funny bone.

As the American Idol judge made her way out of Hollywood hot spot Mr. Chow Wednesday night, one of the paparazzi managed to break through the gossipy questions that poker-faced Paula was ignoring by interjecting a humorous request.

"Tell Simon his chest hair is like a rain forest," said the photog. "Like a rain forest!"

"Now, that's funny!" Paula replied with a laugh, before taking a moment to wish everyone a happy Mother's Day.

Never has the use of the word mother, when lodged at the paps, sounded so sweet.

FOX

Eyes, look your last.

Jason Castro, he of the long lashes and nappy dreads, was eliminated from American Idol Wednesday after leaving a season-high 51 million voters with practically no choice following his stunted salute to rock 'n' roll.

After wowing the judges and millions of viewers with indie radio-ready renditions of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," "Hallelujah," "Travelin' Thru" and more, the 21-year-old Texas A&M student had seemingly been riding the wave downward over the past few weeks, crashing and burning last night with a squeaky "I Shot the Sheriff" and a bungled "Mr. Tambourine Man."

Which could have been so good, except for that whole skipped-lyrics thing that had Simon Cowell advising Castro to pack his suitcases.

"Three songs next week—I don't know what I would have done," Castro agreed when host Ryan Seacrest observed that he looked somewhat relieved to be going home.

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Michael Becker / FOX

Don't miss one song—or one note of British sarcasm—with our performance-show liveblog:

Love 'em or hate 'em, this is your season-seven top four, and tonight the lucky ducks will dip into the 500-strong list of songs designated by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as the tunes that shaped the face of rock 'n' roll as we know it today.

David Archuleta and his Top 40 proclivities, Jason Castro and his indie-rock friendly vibe, David Cook with his KROQ-ready rasp and Syesha Mercado and her Mariah-Whitney-Broadway aspirations have one heck of a songbook to choose from. But the finalists also have to contend with the fact that millions of viewers will know exactly how each of these beloved songs is supposed to sound, and each one is going to have to do something vocally special to distinguish him or herself from the pack.

Then again, this is American Idol. So, getting Simon's seal of approval, picking a culturally vital song or being David Archuleta helps, too.

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