American Idol

As Paula Abdul waits for a contract from American Idol, Season 6 winner Jordin Sparks says she hopes the judge gets to keep her chair on the panel.

“I don’t know the inside scoop or anything, but I heard [Abdul's contract might not be renewed] and I was like, ‘Keep Paula!’” Sparks told MTV News. “I don’t even care what’s going on, but she’s one of the original judges.”

Sparks said Abdul was the judge who was most like a “mom judge,” meaning she would help soften the reality of being in tough situations during the competition. She also added that, “If she’s not there, I think, for the contestants, it will be a lot more stressful than usual.”

Amid other contract negotiations from Idol personalities, Abdul was asking for a $20 deal. She since has tried to negotiate that number, but the show’s camp has not said much about keeping the original judge on board.

Ryan Seacrest recently signed a $45 million contract to return to American Idol for three years. But the constant questions surrounding the return of Paula Abdul continue, as the judge has yet to see a contract for Season 9.

“She’s not a happy camper as a result of what’s going on. She’s hurt. She’s angry,” Abdul’s manager, David Sonenberg, told the L.A. Times.

“Very sadly, it does not appear that she’s going to be back on Idol,” Sonenberg added.

Fellow judge Simon Cowell is reportedly in negotiations to further his contract, which ends next year. Randy Jackson already has signed on until 2011. New judge Kara DioGuardi’s future on the show also is up in the air, though she has said she would like to return.

Auditions for Season 9 already are underway, and the show is set to return to Fox in January.

A 25-year-old American Idol auditioner was killed early Saturday after being struck by a car in New Jersey. Alexis Cohen made a name for herself by auditioning for Idol during seasons seven and eight, yelling at the judges — specifically Simon Cowell — after not making it through to Hollywood.

Cohen became even more noticed after YouTube videos of her rants were watched by millions. She also was a guest on radio and talk shows to discuss her Idol experience.

Reports say Cohen suggested chest, head and abdominal injuries after Saturday’s incident, which resulted in her death.

There’s a lot of speculation about who’s returning for the next season of American Idol. One thing is for certain — Ryan Seacrest will remain as the host of the show.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Seacrest signed a $45 million deal to return as host for next season and the two that would follow. That’s quite a pay boost from the reported $5 million annual salary he was receiving for his work on the show.

Seacrest’s Twitter page had a post that said, “very excited about locking in a deal to host idol for this season and the following 2.” He followed that with a later post saying, “Lots of conversations going on behind the scenes but I fully expect you will see the whole team next year.”

“The whole team,” as he refers to it would include original three judges Simon Cowell (who has claimed next season likely will be his last), Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul (amid much of the speculation) and newbie Kara DioGuardi (who also has been at the center of questioning about her return).

Aside from his mega contract with Idol, Seacrest is pulling in plenty of cash for his radio show and work as host of E! News, a gig he often misses during the regular Idol season. The judges, including Seacrest, are on the road looking for America’s next big pop star. They will be in Denver on Monday.

They may not have worked together during their respective runs on American Idol, but Anthony Federov and Diana DeGarmo will be joining forces for a Broadway favorite later this month.

Federov, a finalist during Season 4 of Idol, will play the lead role in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat during the July 21-25 run with the Lyric Theatre in Oklahoma City. DeGarmo, runner-up on Idol’s third season, will play Narrator.

DeGarmo has had extensive Broadway experience, including a run in Hairspray, since her exit from Idol. Her character has been played by another Idol alum, Amy Adams, who took the show on the road for a national tour a couple of years ago.

Joseph is one of Broadway veteran Andrew Lloyd Webber’s most favored musicals. It tells the story of the title character’s life standing out among 10 other brothers. He is betrayed by his family and taken far from his native Egypt after being sold into slavery. Joseph doesn’t give up on his life and dreams, and the musical follows his story to triumph.

For tickets, or to find out more about the Oklahoma City production, visit www.LyricTheatreOKC.com.

A pregnant Jennifer Hudson, dressed in white, took center stage Tuesday at the Michael Jackson memorial service at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

The former American Idol contestant and Academy Award-winning actress and singer performed Jackson’s Will You Be There, the theme from Free Willy. Hudson’s knockout performance is being referenced as one of the standouts from the two-hour public remembrance and celebration of the King of Pop’s life.

Hudson’s gospel-inspired performance was accompanied by background singers who formed a circle around her. The performance ended with Jackson’s tear-filled voice reciting the lyrics from the song. Hudson then proclaimed, “We love you, Michael,” before exiting the stage.

Michael Jackson has been a tremendous influence on pop music, including American Idol. The pop star died today at age 50.

During Season 8 of Idol, finalists were challenged with a Michael Jackson theme week. Almost every finalist talked about the influence the King of Pop had in their dreams of being a recording artist. Michael Jackson has influenced many singers who have made their way to the Idol stage, as well as dozens in the industry.

Season 8 winner Kris Allen chose to sing Man in the Mirror, one of Jackson’s many, many hits. Here is a video featuring the audio of the February performance.

American Idol contestant Carly Smithson is not replacing Amy Lee as the lead singer of popular rock band Evanescence. The Season 7 Idol finalist is fronting a new band, We Are the Fallen, which featured Evanescence members Ben Moody, Rocky Gray and John LeCompt.

Before her star began to rise on Idol, Carly previously had released a solo album with little major success. This new band, with veteran rockers, seems like the perfect fit for one of the most-noted female rockers to come from the Fox reality series.

“I’ve said many times about Evanescence that we caught lightning in a bottle … and I think we are doing it again,” bandmember John LeCompt told CNN.com. “Carly is a good fit for the band because more than anything she is a brilliant, brilliant vocalist who is very down to earth and a humble person. She wants to do something where everyone is involved rather than being a posturing diva.”

The band’s first single, Bury Me Alive, is being offered for free to the first 100,000 people who register at the official site.

It may seem a bit soon for Adam Lambert to have a single prepared and released by his new label, RCA. And it is.

But today, the American Idol runner-up has a new single, Want, from the upcoming CD release On With the Show. The album was recorded in 2007 and 2008, before Adam appeared on Idol. The entire disc will be released by Hi Fi Recordings/Wilshire Records, and the single is now available on iTunes.

Want sounds a bit more pop than the more rock edge Adam seemed to bring to Idol. Of course, I think the album will do well, as well as his RCA release, which is expected in the fall. Season 8 Idol winner Kris Allen also will release his debut this fall.

It has been weeks since sparks fell after Ryan Seacrest announced the shocking results of American Idol. Kris Allen took the Season 8 crown.

Fast-forward to now when, if you didn’t know better, you would still swear Adam Lambert won the show. As the two finalists, as well as the rest of the Top 10 finalists, prepare to kick off the summer Idol tour, Adam has been busy being in the spotlight. He is on the cover of the latest issue of Rolling Stone (following his solo appearance on Entertainment Weekly before the show even wrapped), and he was interviewed for 20/20 just last week.

Sure, a lot of this publicity for Adam — the “Wild Idol” as Rolling Stone sees it — has surrounded his sexuality. To nobody’s surprise, Adam is gay. He didn’t deny early rumors, but he chose to not talk about it until after the voting ended. Good, bad or indifferent, it certainly doesn’t seem to bother his devoted fans. No real shockers have come from this exposure.

The most shocking revelation, perhaps, is what Adam had to say about Kris in the pages of Rolling Stone. “They put me with the cute guy. Distracting! He’s the one guy I found attractive in the whole group on the show: nice, nonchalant, pretty and totally my type — except that he has a wife. I mean he’s open-minded and liberal, but he’s definitely 100% straight,” Adam said about Arkansas native and seemingly conservative Kris Allen.

Adam, just like Kris, already has started work on his debut album. The only difference is we know little, if anything, about what Kris has to say or where he plans to take his career post-tour. That’s because it seems nobody really cares about the guy they voted into the top position.

As always, only time will tell how high either Adam or Kris will rise on the charts. Until then, plan on seeing a lot more from Adam and maybe, if you’re lucky, a little bit from Kris.

It seems like just a couple of weeks ago that Kris Allen was crowned the winner of American Idol. And it was.

But the reality TV giant already is out and about looking for a possible Season 9 champion. Auditions for next season begin June 14 in Boston. Other stops throughout the summer include Atlanta (June 18), Los Angeles (June 30), Orlando (July 9), Denver (July 14) and dates to be announced in Chicago and Dallas.

If you think you have what it takes to be the next Kris Allen or Carrie Underwood, go to the official American Idol site to find out more.

Adam Lambert and Drake LaBry, the American Idol runner-up’s likely boyfriend, were seen holding hands this week while leaving Guys & Dolls nightclub in West Hollywood.

A native of New Iberia, Louisiana, Blake attended Louisiana State University. The 27-year-old is now working in interior designer and, no doubt, will be seeing flash bulbs from many photographers in the future.

While Adam has not confirmed or denied his sexuality, reports are out the Idol star will be coming out in the next issue of Rolling Stone. Either way, Adam certainly is going to be busy this summer as the Idol tour kicks off July 5 in Portland.

FunnyOrDie.com is known for parody videos featuring a huge crop of celebrities. One of the latest features American Idol alum Katharine McPhee promoting a paparazzi protector, Quween. It’s one of the funniest things I’ve seen in quite some time.

Parents, be warned. The video above features some strong language. Anyone at work, beware. You will be laughing when you watch this video. So make sure the boss isn’t around.

Kris Allen and Adam Lambert are already rising to the top of the charts.

The Billboard Hot 100 has Kris Allen’s No Boundaries in the No. 11 slot after it sold 134,000 downloads in this week after the Conway, Ark., native was crowned American Idol’s eighth winner. Kris also is at the No. 16 spot with Heartless, likely his most talked-about performance of the season.

Adam’s top Billboard spot is No. 19 with Mad World. Both singers take up several other spots as the list moves along.

It seems like a great start for Kris and No Boundaries, the victory song written by judge Kara DioGuardi. But it doesn’t come close to being as successful as Season 7 winner David Cook’s Billboard showing one year ago this week. The Time of My Life, David’s victory tune, debuted at No. 3 the week after he beat runner-up David Archuleta.

David also held court in more than twice as many slots on the Billboard charts than the five spots Kris holds this week. Of course, it’s not always the victory tunes that do so well for the winning artists. I wouldn’t be surprised if Heartless bypasses No Boundaries in the coming weeks.

Kris Allen will keep his title as American Idol.

While AT&T has announced it had a few Arkansas employees helping fans power-vote for Kris, Fox Broadcasting and Idol producers say the Idol finalist with the most votes won the contest. And, even without the extra votes in Arkansas, Kris still would have been the winner.

“In no way did any individuals unfairly influence the outcome of the competition,” a statement released claimed. The release, representing Fox, FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment, went on to say the results are verified by an outside, third-party agency.

“Fox and the producers of ‘American Idol’ are absolutely certain that the results of this competition are fair, accurate and verified. Kris Allen is, without a doubt, the American Idol,” the release continued.

“We have an independent third-party monitoring procedure in place to ensure the integrity of the voting process. In no way did any individuals unfairly influence the outcome of the competition.”

Adam Lambert fans began questioning the validity of the final vote count after the Arkansas Democrat Gazette, the major newspaper in Little Rock, Ark., unveiled the story about local AT&T representatives being at two parties in support of Kris. No similar representation was made available to Adam’s fans.

“Going forward, we will make sure our employees understand our sponsorship celebrates the competition, not individual contestants,” the company said. “That said, it’s quite a leap to suggest that a few individuals could have impacted the final results.”