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May 11, 2007
'Idol' thoughts
Photograph/Howard Rosenberg
I mentioned earlier this week that I thought maybe, just maybe, "American Idol" would ask Sherman Pore (above) to appear on the May 23 finale. (See my posting here.)
Sherman is the one who auditioned for Season 6 but who, for age reasons (he's 64), didn't make the show's cut-off of 28.
Anyway, word out of Hollywood today is that it's almost a done deal. That would be cool because the day before the finale - on May 22 - Sherman's CD, "For My Lady Love," will be released in Wal-Mart stores and on iTunes. As you may recall, Sherman sang "You Belong To Me" for his audition as the three "Idol" judges' began to melt. This, just a couple of days after the love of his life (20 years) died from ovarian cancer.
Afterward, Sherman appeared on Larry King's show, where it was suggested he make an album. Well, wouldn't you know? Steven Zap, who owns Z Entertainment company in L.A., became his manager and his record label.
I talked to Steven recently about Sherman's upcoming CD, and he had this tale to tell:
"I was in the hospital with my wife, who was getting ready to give birth to our twins, and she's watching 'American Idol' and crying because she's so moved by Sherman's performance. Then my mother calls, crying. It wasn't hard to see the tremendous emotional impact Sherman has on people...Once I saw him, I knew I'd found the record I needed to make."
In addition to "You Belong To Me," Sherman sings nine other songs, accompanied by a 45-piece orchestra. They include "The Very Thought of You," "Sway" and "When I Fall in Love." The CD sells for $9.97, and a portion of the proceeds will go to the City of Hope's cancer-research programs.
Can't wait? Hear a sample of "You Belong To Me" here. I think you'll love this. Tears will be shed.
As for next week's competition, the Final 3 - Melinda Doolittle, Blake Lewis and Jordin Sparks - will each sing three songs on Tuesday night. If the show follows past protocol, the songs will be picked thusly: the judges will pick a song for each of the three; the contestants will sing a song of their own choice, and they will perform one from a celebrity recorder producer. Last year, it was Clive Davis.
In other "Idol" news:
* Once again, I caught this week's "American Idol Extra," which films right after the results show. There was some good stuff, including more comments from eliminated contestant Lakisha Jones. She said her favorite song this season was "And I'm Telling You," for which she got compared favorably to "Dreamgirls' " Jennifer Hudson. And as she told me and other "Idol" reporters on Thursday (see my posting here), she thought her song choice during Bee Gees Week was pretty much a disaster.
"At one point I said to myself, 'I can't pick a song. I quit,' " Lakisha recalled. "I don't like picking a song just because I have to. I have to feel it."
As for her future, Lakisha said, "I don't think I'm a celebrity. I just love to sing. I like being me. God blessed me with a gift, not a talent."
And as for monetary rewards, she quipped that her savings account now has more than the required minimum amount of $5.25. She thanked her bank employer for giving her gas and toll money to drive from Maryland to New York for the audition and time off for performing.
"But I'm not going back (to the bank), expect to make a deposit," she said.
* We saw that Season 4 runner-up Bo Bice was back in Nashville, noshing on an oversized BBQ sandwich and soul food, including some really ginormous fried pork chops. Is he just eating or he still singing these days?
* Bill Maher, who attended the shows this week, was shown saying, "These kids can sing." As for the title of his yet-to-be-album, Maher said: " 'Bill Maher Sings the Best of the Notes He Can Hit."
* Jon Peter Lewis, a Season 3 finalist, performed a single off his new album, "Stories From Hollywood." Kinda boring if you ask me.
* And, my favorite moment of the show, Season 4's Constantine Maroulis, who showed up with tremendous news - especially for these ears:
This coming Tuesday, Constantine joines the cast of "The Bold and the Beautiful" as the character Constantine Paris, an internationally known rock star who arrives in Los Angeles as a hotshot record producer.
OK, I admit - without shame - that besides "American Idol," I am a huge fan of "B&B." It's love, hate, murder, romance - great clothes. What more could you ask? Does it get any better? I ask you.
Now, finally some thoughts on Wednesday night's results show:
* A couple of "Idol" watchers were suspicious of Pink's performance, saying it didn't look like she was actually on the show. Host Ryan Seacrest introduced her from the side and never interacted with her. Well, TMZ.com reports that it was, indeed, a pre-taped performance of her song "Who Knew," which was bumped from the "Idol Gives Back" charity show a couple of weeks ago because of time constraints. And, in another twist, Pink originally had planned to sing "U + Ur Hand," a song whose lyrics the "Idol" producers deemed inappropriate for the show's audience. TMZ says they asked her to alter the words, but she refused and ended up with the "Who Knew" song instead.
* "Idol" viewer Julie Ridgeway e-mails: "OK, if I was shocked at a man-of-a-certain-age (Barry Gibb) wearing a transparent shirt on stage, I thought you would be, for sure! I respect the guy and all, but someone should have just said 'no.' ... Just one gal’s opinion. Thanks for your blog. I’m a 37-year-old mom of two who came to the 'Idol' game late (last season was my first), and I’m hooked."
Julie's right. (And thanks for the kind words.) Barry's shirt was a fashion don't. Interestingly, he was seen after the show wearing a jacket. Someone must have gotten to him. Meanwhile, I think I'm still in shock over his hair!
Posted by Leigh Grogan at May 11, 2007 03:01 PM
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