American Idol

American Idol alumni Jennifer Hudson performs a monologue from The Vagina Monologues on Saturday in New Orleans.

Jennifer Hudson was part of a star-studded performance of The Vagina Monologues on Saturday in New Orleans. The performance was part of V to the Tenth.
The show, hosted by author Eve Ensler, featured Hudson, as well as stars including Rosario Dawson, Doris Roberts, Ali Larter, Jane Fonda and many, many others, performing stories from The Vagina Monologues. It was a 10th anniversary celebration of the show, and the special presentation took a bit of a New Orleans twist, showing support for the city that still struggles to rebuild three years after Hurricane Katrina.

Jennifer Hudson performs R.E.S.P.E.C.T. with Faith Hill at the closing of V to the Tenth.

Even though I sat in the nosebleed section, I can say the entire performance was amazing. Hudson’s monologue was one of the highlights of the night for me. The bigger highlight, of course, was at the end of the show when the Oscar-winning actress and singer took the stage to perform R.E.S.P.E.C.T. She was joined by country superstar Faith Hill and Charmaine Neville.

American Idol, Jennifer Hudson, Charmaine Neville, Faith Hill, Rosario Dawson, Doris Roberts, Ali Larter, Jane Fonda, Eve Ensler

Jennifer Hudson is among a long list of celebrities expected to perform as part of V to the Tenth on April 12 in New Orleans.

You may have heard about the four-letter word Jane Fonda used when promoting a special event last week on the Today show. It turns out that event, V to the Tenth, also will feature Dreamgirl and American Idol alumnus Jennifer Hudson.

Hudson is scheduled to join Fonda and an all-star list of other celebrities, including Oprah Winfrey, Jessica Alba, Glenn Close, Sally Field, Rosario Dawson and many, many others for special performances of The Vagina Monologues, written by Eve Ensler.

Ensler started V-Day and a charity to stop violence against women and girls after the success of The Vagina Monologues. Staging of the play took place in about 800 cities around the world as part of the first V-Day event. Now, 10 years later, the charity is presenting the special V to the Tenth at the Superdome in New Orleans. The one-time performance will be April 12.

To find out more about V-Day or V to the Tenth, visit the official V-Day site.

American Idol, The Vagina Monologues, Eve Ensler, Jennifer Hudson

If you haven’t picked up the January copy of Glamour magazine — and you’re a Carrie Underwood fan — you’ll definitely want to check it out.

The Season 4 American Idol winner-turned-country megastar graces the cover in a white and pink dress with her signature smile and long blonde hair. Inside, Underwood talks about going from a small-town girl to a six-time platinum-selling artist, thanks to her debut Some Hearts.

Glamour sent the singer to Max Azria and J. Mendel fashion shows with a diary to take notes. One of the pages from the diary is printed as part of the spread. “Max had some really beautiful skirts and dresses that were very flowing and feminine! I loved the muted colors!” she wrote.

Underwood talks to the magazine about her rise to fame, which included the most surreal moment of her last year — attending the Grammys.

“The Grammys were pretty awesome — to look across the aisle and see Ludacris,” she said. Hmmm. Who would have thought Carrie Underwood to be a Ludacris fan?

As part of the magazine’s 365 beauty tips and tricks, Idol alum Jennifer Hudson also is featured in the “6 reasons to try bangs already” section. She’s pictured alongside stars including Jennifer Garner, Kate Moss and Halle Berry.

Both Underwood and Hudson were part of the recent Movies Rock, which featured a star-studded cast of popular musicians singing favorite tunes from classic movies. Underwood delivered an incredible performance of Julie Andrews’ title song from The Sound of Music. Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson performed Somewhere from West Side Story.

American Idol, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Hudson, Movies Rock, Glamour

She may be the most famous of all American Idol contenders. At least Barbara Walters thinks so, even if she didn’t win her season.

Jennifer Hudson, the Academy Award-winning actress who lost out on Season 3 of Idol to Fantasia Barrino, had long been a favorite contestant on the show. She often wasn’t loved by Simon Cowell — who is, really? — but a few short years later, she made a comeback on the big screen, starring as Effie White in the smash-hit musical Dreamgirls.

Now she can add “fascinating” to her list of characteristics since news icon Barbara Walters added her to the list of The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2007. This has been somewhat of a Cinderella year for the Chicago-area native, who has put off releasing her debut to pursue what already has been a successful film career.

Aside from her much talked-about role as Carrie Bradshaw’s assistant in Sex and the City The Movie, Hudson also is appearing in 2008’s Winged Creatures.

“This is the year Jennifer Hudson got to go to the ball,” Walters said on the one-hour CBS special, where she talked with the singer and actress about her career rejections. That started at the young age of 7, inside a church.

“I still remember to this day coming home from church crying because they would never give me a solo,” Hudson said.

As far as her Idol “loss,” Hudson added, “If anything, I felt challenged.”

While all is looking positive at the moment, Hudson did say she’s just enjoying the success as it’s here — in the moment.

“All good things must come to an end,” she said. “Your time is your time. And right now is my time. I just try to enjoy it for what it is, every single moment.”

Jennifer Hudson, American Idol, Barbara Walters, 10 Most Fascinating People of 2007