american idol (60 posts)

AP Photo/Jim Cooper

American Idol champ Ruben Studdard has something to sing about.

The season two winner married Surata Zuri McCants, his girlfriend of two years, in his hometown of Birmingham, Ala., on Saturday. It's the first marriage for the Velvet Teddy Bear.

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Brian Davis/Disney

How's this for corporate synergy?

Powerhouse Disney has teamed up with the folks behind the American Idol juggernaut to bring a new attraction revolving around the glorified karaoke competition to Walt Disney World in Florida. Naturally, David Cook, A.I.'s reigning champ, is required has been asked to be a part of it.

The "Time of My Life" singer was in Los Angeles Thursday to shoot a commercial on behalf of the American Idol Experience, which is scheduled to open in January 2009.

So will you be heading down to the Sunshine State next year to get your fill of everything Idol?

Michael Becker/FOX

The ink is barely dry on David Cook's record deal, but the search for the next overbearing stage father American Idol is on!

Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and man of a thousand job titles Ryan Seacrest are packing their toothbrushes for an eight-city receiving line of wannabe superstars next month, when auditions for the eighth season of American Idol kick off in San Francisco.

Although Cowell publicly toyed with the notion of lowering the minimum audition age—and increasing the personality requirement—for contestants last season, males and females ages 16 to 28 will once again be the range for eligible crooners.

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AP Photo/Jim Cooper

Looks like the Velvet Teddy Bear has found a long-term snuggle bunny.

American Idol season-two champ Ruben Studdard obtained a marriage license in his hometown of Birmingham, Ala., Monday morning.

According to the Birmingham News, the 29-year-old "Flying Without Wings" singer and his 30-year-old fiancée, Surata Zuri McCants, obtained the paperwork in Shelby County just before noon.

While Studdard has not publicly confirmed a date for the nuptials, the document is good for 30 days.

Here's hoping his proposal wasn't too pitchy.

American Idol David Cook confirmed to E! News that he and fellow Idol alum Kimberly Caldwell are still an item, and even got the blessing of Fox's president of entertainment, Kevin Reilly.

"It's great, he's a catch and so is she," Reilly tells E!

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Frank Micelotta / FOX

Brooke White will be taking the stage with a message this summer.

The season-seven American Idol finalist has teamed with Idol Gives Back and the aid group Malaria No More to encourage kids to spend their vacations not only having fun but  to do their part to make the world a better place, as well.

In addition to doling out tips on how they can help those less fortunate, the Save the World Summer campaign is offering two tickets to next year's Idol finale for the youngster who raises the most funds to buy mosquito-blocking bed nets for children in Africa.

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American Idol, national anthem, seeks a logical fit.

David Cook did his best to rock out the "Star-Spangled Banner" at the NBA Finals last night, performing during game three in the Lakers-Celtics series.

And while Simon Cowell wasn't there to critique the performance, a bunch of even more intimidating big names were, including David Beckham, Tobey Maguire, Jack Nicholson, Hilary Duff, Kristin Davis, Kanye West, Fergie, David Arquette, Dustin Hoffman, Andy Garcia, Steven Spielberg, Sylvester Stallone, Eddie Murphy and Cook's Idol-powered girlfriend Kimberly Caldwell. (She was apparently returning the favor—he was there to lend moral support to her rendition of the national anthem at a Dodgers game last week.)

Forget Hollywood week, Cook just made it through Hollywood night.

Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers, FOX

Look who David Cook is taking out to the ball game.

The American Idol winner caught a game at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday with season two contestant Kimberly Caldwell, who was singing the national anthem.

Cook and Caldwell appeared to be trying to keep their relationship under wraps, but there was no denying to eyewitnesses that they were an item. Instead of taking the standard field-level seats awarded to anthem singers, Caldwell joined Cook in an exclusive dugout seat out of sight of the big-screen cameras.

“They were all cute and cuddly,” an eyewitness tells E! News. “They definitely looked like a couple. But they were acting like they wanted to keep it low-key.”

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AP Photo/Kenny Crookston

It's the thought that counts. Or, at least, it's going to have to be in David Archuleta's case.

American Idol producers have put the kibosh on a planned charity concert in the runner-up's homestate of Utah, an event masterminded by Archuleta's father as a thank-you to fans who backed the teen crooner.

The toe-tapping token of gratitude, however, apparently wasn't run through the proper channels (like, any), and has now been unceremoniously called off due to a little uncharitable thing called "contractual obligations."

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Jon Furniss/WireImage.com

Here's one American Idol peformance even Simon Cowell couldn't pan.

Idol creator and producer Simon Fuller married longtime love Natalie Swanston Friday evening in California.

The lavish, star-studded, three-day event was attended by Victoria Beckham, Melanie Brown and the rest of the Spice Girls, whose careers Fuller helped launch. Model Claudia Schiffer and singers Leona Lewis and Annie Lennox were also wedding guests, while Lindsay Lohan sidekick Samantha Ronson deejayed the reception.

The sunset nuptials took place at the Staglin Family Vineyards in Napa Valley, the same location where Christina Aguilera and hubby Jordan Bratman were married in 2005.

Fuller, 48, was recently named the most successful British music manager of all time by Billboard Magazine. His 30-year-old bride is an interior decorator.

FOX

David Cook isn't performing at a full boil just yet, but he still blazed quite a trail through this week's singles chart.

Although Lil Wayne's "Lollipop" is still sitting in the sweetest spot for the third straight week, Cook saw 11 of his songs debut on the Billboard Hot 100, the most new entries for an artist in one week in the chart's 50-year history.

"The Time of My Life," the tune Cook sang to usher in his newfound Idol glory, is at No. 3, the highest-ranking of the 25-year-old rocker's singles. Further down the line is "Dream Big" at No. 15, and his contributions are sprinkled all over the place, ending with "I'm Alive" at No. 99.

And as a fitting coda to Cook's bartender-makes-good story, he has demolished the previous record of six simultaneous Hot 100 debuts held by teen queen Miley Cyrus.

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