AMERICAN IDOL RUNNER-UP ADAM LAMBERT BIGGER THAN THE BEATLES AND MADONNA!

Only hours after Adam Lambert's not-yet-released album became available for pre-order at Amazon.com, fans began scurrying to order and quickly moved the album to No. 2 on the site's bestseller's list.

Adam Lambert had quickly proven to be bigger than The Beatles and Madonna -- with an album that will not even be released for almost two months.

The only obstacle keeping Lambert's album from soaring to top place was Barbra Streisand's new album, her first in four years.

What is especially amazing is that Lambert's record label made no announcement of the pre-ordering at Amazon -- and the news spread strictly by word-of-mouth! Sphere: Related Content

SIMON COWELL -- WILL HE BRING THE X FACTOR TO THE AMERICAN SHORES?

One day after American Idol judge Simon Cowell quashed rumors that he had plans for a dance competition show in the works, a new rumor has surfaced that it isn't a dance show -- it is an American version of The X Factor.

It makes sense. All the pieces are there -- they have already tried it, and it was a mountainous success!

So talk is that Fox and Cowell are working out the final details on a contract to keep Cowell around for two more years of American Idol -- and to bring The X Factor across the Atlantic to the American shores. The numbers circulating are big -- that he may earn about $50 million a season for American Idol, and possibly an equal amount for The X Factor should that be successful in the U.S.

Cowell apparently would be executive producer of The X Factor, but it is unknown whether he plans to sit on the judging panel too. But there is chatter that this might be Cowell's chance to work with his buddy and departed American Idol judge Paula Abdul by bringing her on as a judge for The X Factor. That could be a prudent move -- that would please all of the Abdul fans who have been less than happy that Fox replaced Abdul on American Idol, a show she helped launch from the get-go. Sphere: Related Content

AMERICAN IDOL'S KARA DioGUARDI HOPES SHE'LL SIT NEXT TO ELLEN ON JUDGING PANEL

"I am lobbying for her (Ellen DeGeneres) to sit next to me," American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi revealed to Zap2it. "I like the way it was before with, Randy then me then Paula then Simon, so I'm just assuming she'll sit there."

DioGuardi confessed that she is thrilled that Ellen will be joining American Idol judges.

How did DioGuardi learn that Ellen would be a regular Idol judge? "I found out about Ellen on the plane to New York on Wednesday night, " DioGuardi revealed. "I was taking a nap and my manager woke me and said, 'Ellen’s going to be on Idol!'"

DioGuardi believes that Ellen will be excellent as a judge. "Ellen has an incredible, positive attitude, and she's a lover of music," DioGuardi told Fox. "She's a die hard fan of 'American Idol.' She's an accomplished performer, someone who's won Emmys. She proves on her show that she can bring out the best in her fans and in her guests – even the audience. Ellen knows how to make people have a good time."

Sphere: Related Content

SIMON COWELL SAYS NO -- NO DANCE SHOW ON THE HORIZON FOR HIM

So many rumors flying .... And it turns out that Simon Cowell is not planning on a new dance competition program as was being rumored.

"There's absolutely no truth to this," Cowell's rep said, according to RadarOnline. "Simon hasn't spoken to Ian Burton in 20 years and they aren't in talks to go into business."

Of course, you never know what will happen -- and perhaps this will give him the idea that a dance show might be a welcome addition to his already long list of projects.

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SIMON COWELL -- AMERICAN IDOL SUCCESS, AND NOW PERHAPS A DANCE SHOW?

Rumor has it that American Idol Simon Cowell is busily planning a dance competition show!

Cowell is reportedly chatting with his British friend, Ian Burton, about starting the dance contest show. Burton has record label experience and has also managed dancers.

"It's his own SYTYCD (So You Think You Can Dance) show," a source told The Insider. "He is always trying to do his own thing to compete with the Idol team. Now he is trying to steal the SYTYCD thunder.”

Of course, American Idol is not the only thing currently on Cowell's plate. He produces America's Got Talent, and judges both The X Factor and Britain's Got Talent.

Doesn't Simon ever run out of time? Sphere: Related Content

KARA DioGUARDI WILL SERVE AS GUEST CO-HOST ON THE VIEW

First newly signed American Idol judge Ellen DeGeneres crosses over from talk show host to judge -- and now Idol judge Kara DioGuardi is going to take a stab at hosting a talk show.

DioGuardi, according to ABC, will sit in as guest co-host on the Oct. 15 segment of The View, replacing Elisabeth Hasselbeck who is on maternity leave after giving birth to her third child last month.

DioGuardi was first on The View appearance in May when she spoke of the sexuality of eighth-season runner-up Adam Lambert prior to his officially coming out of the closet about a month later.

"I don't think that Adam was ever 'in' so I'm not... you know, I think he was always openly out," DioGardi told The View host Barbara Walters during the May appearance, according to RealityWorld. "I think he was, from what I've seen in various forms of things. I do. I never thought he looked like he wasn't [out]." Sphere: Related Content

AMERICAN IDOL KRIS ALLEN'S NEW SINGLE HAS BEEN REVEALED

American Idol Kris Allen's highly anticipated new single, "Live Like We're Dying" -- will be officially debuted on Monday, Sept. 21 on New York City radio station Z100. The song is a cover, originally recorded by the Irish band The Script.



As for Allen's album, he wrote on Twitter: "Hey guys! The album is set to release Nov 17th" -- so Allen fans will undoubtedly have that date marked on their calendars. Sphere: Related Content

MAN SENTENCED -- HAD TRIED TO GET INTO RYAN SEACREST'S CAR

A man who assaulted a security guard who was trying to prevent him from entering a car occupied by "American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest has been sentenced to 15 days in jail and three years probation, according to news reports.

On Friday Chidi Benjamin Uzomah Jr., 25, of Lakewood was sentenced after pleading guilty to three misdemeanors: assault, battery and possession of a switchblade knife.

Uzomah was also ordered to stay away from both Children's Hospital and Seacrest.

Seacrest had been at the hospital for a charity appearance. Sphere: Related Content

SIMON COWELL'S 50TH BIRTHDAY BASH!

Article by Katie Nicholl, Dailymail.co.uk)

When a billionaire throws a party for a millionaire, the lucky guests might rightly be expecting a night with plenty of X Factor.

And those who turn out for Simon Cowell’s 50th birthday bash will surely not be disappointed.

CLICK TITLE OR HERE TO READ REMAINDER OF ARTICLE Sphere: Related Content

WILL AMERICAN IDOL'S RYAN SEACREST CAPTURE AN EMMY?

"Simon has placed himself as far away from Los Angeles on Emmy night as possible, just in case I happen to get lucky enough to win one," American Idol host Ryan Seacrest told eonline recently at Santa Monica's Huntley Hotel. He was there to celebrate his ad campaign for Scope Outlast and Crest Plus Scope Outlast toothpaste.

Seacrest is nominated for Outstanding Reality Host.

"He's confirmed he will be in London just so he's not there in case of the little possibility that I walk away with it," Seacrest laughed. Sphere: Related Content

WORD ON THE STREET: KARA DioGUARDI IS PLANNING A REALITY SHOW

Rumor has it that Kara DioGuardi is following in the footsteps of other American Idol judges -- in developing a new reality show.

"It's called Dropped,"DioGuardi told nymagazine. "I'm starting to shop it now. It takes the best acts that have been dropped and gives them a second chance. You look at Katy Perry, the Jonas Brothers, Alicia Keys, and Lady Gaga, they all have one thing in common: They've all been dropped from their labels. I was dropped. Think about how many times in your life you haven't achieved one goal, but you've achieved another one."

DioGuardi gave a hint to some details of the show. "[It'll be] 'You didn't get up at five this morning to go to a radio interview. How do you think that's doing to affect you?'"

As to whether she would host the show, DioGuardi is not ready to say. "Oh, my God, now we're getting into particulars ... All right, maybe! I shouldn't have opened my big mouth."

DioGuardi said that currently she is shopping the singing competition show to networks. Sphere: Related Content

RANDY JACKSON THINKS THAT ELLEN DeGENERES BRINGS THE PEOPLE'S VOICE TO THE SHOW

“I think we reached out a little bit,” American Idol judge Randy Jackson told PEOPLE Thursday. “We’re all friends with Ellen, and Ryan [Seacrest] and I are pretty close with her. She’s just mad cool."

Jackson opined that he thinks that DeGeneres will be good for Idol. “There’s so much music industry insider talk with me and Simon [Cowell] and Kara [DioGuardi] that I didn’t think we needed any more of that,” he told People. “Ellen hit it right on the head — I think she could be the voice of the people. It’s like somebody in the home audience watching and going, ‘What would I say [about this contestant]?’ Ellen’s going to be saying it for [them].”

But Jackson also lamented that Paula Abdul will no longer sitting at the Idol juding table. "She’s our dear friend,” he explained. "“Paula started this whole battle with us many seasons ago, before we all knew the show could be hot, and we love her and miss her. We were doing the auditions and I was looking across the table and it was like, ‘Where’s Paula? What’s going on?’ But you know, things happen, life is full of change sometimes. You know, I’m still sad about that." Sphere: Related Content

WITH DeGENERES COMING TO IDOL, WILL PAULA GUEST JUDGE ON SYTYCD?

Idol creator Simon Fuller, associated with both American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance, “started sniffing around and asked, ‘Are you interested?’ explained Paula Abdul's replacement on Idol, comedian and talk show host Ellen DeGeneres. "I said, ‘Yes, of course. I love that show and I’d love to do it,’”

So You Think You Can Dance executive producer Nigel Lythgoe is happy enough with the outcome because he hopes to have Abdul make appearances as a guest judge on his dance competition show. And he told EW, "I'd prefer Paula. "I think it is a great idea to put her on."

And now that DeGeneres is taking Abdul's seat on the American Idol judging panel, Abdul is free to make other plans for her career.

Some fans have expressed that Abdul on SYTYCD makes a lot of sense because of her dancing and choreography background -- but that they cannot understand why Idol would choose a judge from outside the music industry.

"I would really love to see Paula on So You Think You Can Dance," opined Melissa Parker from Los Angeles. "But I really don't know whether I will like American Idol with Ellen as a judge. She's fine on her talk show, but I think that is her strength."

Lythgoe thinks that DeGeneres will do well on Idol. “What it does is give the public, who are the people who decide in the end who is crowned the victor, a voice on the judges panel," Lythgoe told EW. "And they have never had that before."

In an interview with People, DeGeneres explained that it was her guest judging on an episode of So You Think You Can Dance that drew the attention of Idol judges to her.

DeGeneres said that on American Idol, she intends to be a compassionate judge, but that she will also be honest in assessing the contestant's performances. “I think it’s going to be hard, but as my career has grown," she told People. "I’ve learned how to be tougher and learned how to say no. I think I can do it and I think I can do it in a respectful way.” Sphere: Related Content

FORMER IDOL CONTESTANTS ON ELLEN PICK

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PAULA ABDUL TWEETS

Would anyone expect that sweet Paula would be anything except -- well, sweet.

Paula reacted on Twitter:

"I think Ellen will b a gr8 judge on Idol. She is wildly funny, talented and I wish her the best of luck!" Sphere: Related Content

AMERICAN IDOL HAS NAMED ITS NEW 'AMERICAN IDOL' JUDGE -- ELLEN DeGENERES

American Idol has its new fourth judge -- popular talk show host Ellen DeGeneres. Fox announced that the comedian and talk show host will join regular judges Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi for the upcoming season of the talent competition show when it resumes in January.

The announcement took many Idol fans by surprise, especially since DeGeneres has no formal music experience.

The announcement also will likely dash the hopes of Idol fans who hoped that eventually Paula Abdul would be brought back onto the show.

DeGeneres reportedly assured her talk show audience that she will not be abandoning her talk show, but would simply have "a day job and a night job."

There have been a series of judges taking turns in the fourth judge's seat while Fox sought a replacement for Abdul -- and since those judges had generally had strong musical backgrounds, it was generally expected that Abdul's permanent replacement would also emerge from the music industry.

"Hopefully, I'm the people's point of view because I'm just like you," DeGeneres said on her show. "I sit at home and I watch it, and I don't have that technical ... I'm not looking at it in a critical way from the producer's mind. I'm looking at it as a person who is going to buy the music and is going to relate to that person." Sphere: Related Content

PAULA ABDUL -- HARD AT WORK ON DIVAS!

Paula Abdul Tweets that she is "so excited about Divas! Can't wait!" And she just hours ago added, "Had a great weekend and now back to work rehearsing for Divas Live on Sept. 17. It's crunch time!"

Abdul has completed two episodes that are expected to air Sept. 13 and Oct. 11. And there is talk that she may appear on the second-season premiere.

“I'm playing a real judge in a courtroom speaking as Jane's [Brooke Elliott] conscience," she tells TV Guide. "I root her on and give her the gumption to do the things she needs to do to get what she wants.” Sphere: Related Content

FORMER AMERICAN IDOL CONTESTANT TO MARRY THIS WEEKEND

Sunday is the big day for former American Idol contestant Jim Verraros. It is the day that he plans to marry his partner, Bill Brennan.

The wedding plans have been described as "lavish" -- despite the fact that the ceremony will take place in Chicago, meaning that it will not be legal since Illinois does not recognize same sex marriages. The outdoor ceremony will have garden party atmosphere.

"We wanted to do this wedding as if it were legal," Verraros told Radar. "The fact that the state of Illinois doesn't recognize gay weddings wasn't stopping us."

And Verraros said that they hope to eventually add to their family. "Bill and I absolutely want to have children," said Verraros. "We're definitely looking forward to raising a family." Sphere: Related Content

WHEN SIMON COWELL SPEAKS, PEOPLE LISTEN

Several online sites gushed with the news that Simon Cowell had finally spoken about what it is like at American Idol auditions now that Paula Abdul is gone. No doubt, fans could hardly wait to hear what Simon had to say.

But the websites quoted Cowell as saying that the audition process is "different" without Paula -- that "it's like comparing a carrot to a banana." And he apparently added, "I miss her, of course."

What is amazing is that any fan would have already sensed that auditions are "different" without popular Paula -- and Cowell had already revealed that he missed her.

So it seems that Cowell is still staying quite silent on the subject of Abdul's departure from the popular vocal talent show. There was nothing new here. But when Simon speaks, people listen -- even if he is saying basically nothing at all. Sphere: Related Content

CARRIE UNDERWOOD'S NEW SINGLE LEAKS, SHE RESPONDS WITH OFFICIAL

Former American Idol Carrie Underwood learned that an unfinished version of her new single, Cowboy Casanova, had leaked -- so she rushed an official version via YouTube.

Cowboy Casanova is featured on Underwood's upcoming album, Play On, which is scheduled for release on Nov. 3rd. Underwood's collaborations on the project include Idol judge Kara DioGuardi and other recognizable industry names.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO COWBOY CASANOVA BY CARRIE UNDERWOOD Sphere: Related Content

THE AMERICAN IDOL GUEST JUDGES LIST GROWS LONGER

Another name has been added to the list of American Idol guest judges -- sitting in the chair vacated by Paula Abdul.

Pop singer Avril Lavigne will be switching off with Katy Perry in judging hopefuls in Los Angeles, it was revealed by MTV. Sphere: Related Content

AMERICAN IDOL FINALIST DANNY GOKEY INKS COUNTRY RECORD DEAL

American Idol finalist Danny Gokey has signed with RCA Nashville.

This marks the first time in history that American Idol's top four have all signed contracts with the show's 19 Entertainment. Earlier American Idol Kris Allen, runner-up Adam Lambert and fourth place finisher Allison Iraheta all announced deals with 19 Entertainment.

Gokey had been hinting for weeks that a record deal would be announced soon -- and that it would be in the country genre.

"I didn't realize the 'Idol' experience would give me a musical direction, but it did," said Gokey in a statement according to Billboard. "There were country songs that I performed on the show, and it was the message and the feeling in those kinds of songs that helped me realize that country is where I belong."

On Twitter, Gokey posted, "Exciting News ~ Its official Ive been signed!"


"Gokey's first single could drop in the fall, and an album will likely follow in March or April," according to MTV -- which also reported that no producer is attached to Gokey's album yet, but that he is "expected to enter a Nashville studio right after the current American Idols Live! tour ends September 15." Sphere: Related Content

KARA DioGUARDI SINGS 'NO BOUNDARIES' HERSELF

If American Idol Kris Allen was not going to sing "No Boundaries," AI judge Kara DioGuardi, who penned the song, decided to record it herself! Sphere: Related Content

SOME OF THE LATEST PAULA ABDUL QUOTES

“You know, to say ‘no regrets’ isn’t easy. I feel like I have been such a big, huge part of the success of the show from day one. I loved being able to be the artist’s artist; being there from my point of view of knowing what it feels like to be vulnerable and to be out there wanting to achieve the most magical moment in a minute and 30 seconds. To be able to do that was an amazing experience and the show was wonderful for me in that regard.” TV Guide interview, quotation from MSNBC

"There's a similarity to what I did [on 'Idol'] but expands it to everything I want to do. (Drop Dead Diva, two-episode stint, September 13 and October 11) It's really tongue-in-cheek and allows me to just go for it. When I saw the pilot, I'd never gone through such a full gamut of emotions — from feeling sad for someone and then feeling so thrilled for them, and in between that there's hysterical writing. It's such a charmed show that when I saw it I said, 'I'm in!' " quotation from MTV

"He misses me already." Paula said of American Idol judge Simon Cowell. The comment was made to TMZ, according to NY Daily News.

"I definitely want to do a talk show because it would be different. I'd be Paula. It would be a lot of fun variety with a ton of unexpected stuff and tributes to everyday people getting their big chance." Paula quoted by Us Magazine from TV Guide interview. Sphere: Related Content

SHANIA TWAIN ENJOYS STINT AS AMERICAN IDOL JUDGE

"She's loving American Idol," a source close to Shania Twain revealed to People.com. This week Twain is a guest judge for the show's auditions in Chicago.

"She and Simon have a really great rapport with each other," the source continued. "They're funny together."

And an Idol source revealed that Twain was not the only one enjoying her American Idol judging appearance -- explaining, "The crew loved working with her. Everyone thought she was a great addition to the judges table. She showed up in good spirits and had a lot of fun. She was clearly really excited to be a part of the day." Sphere: Related Content

PAULA ABDUL WILL WATCH THE AMERICAN IDOL SHOW

"I stand on principle where many people stand on money," Paula Abdul recently told TV Guide. "I'm a hard-working artist. I've lasted in this business for 23 years, and you can't do that unless you are good at what you do."

Abdul explained that when she decided to leave Idol, her decision was not made entirely based on salary.

"I believe in myself, and you have to have your own self-respect," Abdul told NY Daily News. "And sometimes decisions are very difficult to make, but I've always believed that at the core I'm a survivor. There's not one thing I've done that I've really set my mind to that I've failed at.

"I definitely want to do a talk show because it would be different. It would be a lot of fun variety with a ton of unexpected stuff and tributes to everyday people getting their big chance."

Abdul also revealed that she intends to watch American Idol.

"I'm very blessed to have been a part of what made television history," Adbdul continued. "I'm going to miss the experience of watching young talent evolve into a place where they get to take off and soar." Sphere: Related Content