Jennifer Hudson, David Archuleta at center of 'Idol' inauguration mania

The NY Post reports  that Idol's lone Oscar winner, Jennifer Hudson, who has not performed in public since the horrific slayings of her family members in October, is being sought for a return to the stage by none other than President-elect Barack Obama, or his party planners anyway.  According to the report:

"Organizers want Jennifer to sing 'The Star-Spangled Banner' at the Inauguration on Jan. 20," our source said. "They are talking to Jennifer about it. It would be the first time she performed since the murders. She is from Chicago and a huge Obama supporter."

Meanwhile, inauguration fever is sweeping the Idol landscape, but it's second victim is a very different Idol bound for a very different swearing-in. David Archuleta has booked the anthem slot at the festivities for Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. However, according to the Salt Lake City Tribune this is in fact a return engagement for David, who as an unknown barely-teen took on the inaugural duties at Huntsman's first ceremony four years ago.

-- Richard Rushfield

Photo: Chris Pizzello / Associated Press

Jason Castro sings 'White Christmas'

Bing Crosby is now rolling his eyes in amazement somewhere at the sight of dreadlocked, ukelele-strumming Jason Castro doing this lovely rendition of "White Christmas" at his hometown Lake  Pointe Church in Rockwall, Texas.  The video, recorded by the church, has been making the rounds on the Web feeding the insatiable dreadhead appetite for Jason material.

I reported a few weeks ago about Jason's recent video talking openly about his faith.  I wonder with the positive feedback he received from his fans (see, for instance, the comments section after that post) how much pull he'll feel to record specifically Christian music -- or in church settings -- versus non-spiritually themed material.

-- Richard Rushfield

Gina Glocksen plans an Idol New Year's wedding

Season six's pioneering Idol female rocker, Gina Glocksen, will be tying the knot on New Year's Eve. According to a story in her hometown paper, the Beacon News, the "American Idol" theme will be prominent throughout the festivities. Gina will be taking the vows with her longtime boyfriend, Joe Ruzicka, a high school science teacher whom Idol watchers will remember as Gina's ardent supporter in the audience throughout season six -- eventually donning the Team Glocksen trademark red streak in his hair.

The Beacon News reports that the bridal party will arrive on a tour bus, reminiscent of the "Idols Live" bus Gina called home throughout summer '07. Idol's hair stylist is being flown in to attend to the bride and Glocksen's season six comrades Hayley Scarnato and champion Jordin Sparks will be taking on bridesmaid duties. According to the Beacon News: 

At the tour (American Idols LIVE! 2007) I asked all the girls (to be bridesmaids)," said Glocksen, "Jordin and Haley carried through with it. The others took gigs. New Year's Eve is one day you can't ask a performer to take off."

Glocksen, 24, and Ruzicka, 32, who have been dating since March 2005 and engaged since August 2007, knew that by choosing a New Year's Eve wedding there were certain sacrifices they were going to have to make. Ruzicka also plays in a band, Then Again, which has performed on New Year's Eve for the past 13 years.

Gina also just recorded her first original song, a pop-rock piece called "Taking the Keys," which can be heard on her MySpace page.

Best wishes for long years of happiness to the couple, and tip of the hat as ever to the amazing MJ for pointing this out.

-- Richard Rushfield

Photo credit: Fox

Michael Johns' Christmas gift

I am a bit late commenting on this, but the Christmas spirit has run strong in Michael Johns this year, who took the unusual step of making his first post-"Idol" single an all-for-charity effort, donating the proceeds to the Muscular Dystrophy Assn.'s amyotrophic lateral sclerosis division and to the Red Cross.  Johns wrote of the single and his involvement with it on his MySpace blog:

    I believe very strongly in these charities. ALS is a horrible disease that robs you of everything. You lose the ability to walk, talk and move. However, you keep all brain function. It’s like being in your own prison.

    The Red Cross is such an important organization and I am dedicating this song to all the troops serving abroad this holiday. "Another Christmas" is really about being away from loved ones and telling them you miss them and love them.

    I never intended to release a song I had written for my family; however, it’s for such a great cause. I know you will all help me in raising as much money and awareness as you can. Download "Another Christmas" at iTunes or Amazon.

Johns has been getting a fair amount of exposure with the single, including this appearance on NBC's "Today" show. Not too many details have been made public yet about his first solo album, due out early next year. But the first public outing is a big milestone in an Idol's post-show future, and hats off to Johns for using that moment for charitable ends.   

Getting involved in charity has been a major part of the post-show days of several -- at least -- of last season's contestants. I'm not sure if this has been as much what the contestants have raced to in previous seasons, or whether the influence of "Idol Gives Back" this year got them on that track. Or perhaps it's the times we're living in today.  But I've heard tales for a few of them about how charity work has immediately become a major part of their lives, and I hope to highlight those stories more as the season progresses.

-- Richard Rushfield

Photo: Fox

Happy birthday, David Archuleta!

As of Sunday, David Archuleta is a man.  Legal to vote and to drink in Argentina, Estonia, Hong Kong,  Moldova and Sweden -- but not in the U.S. Legal to appear on television shows without having to do hours of tutor-supervised studies. And now legally of age to marry in all 50 of the United States.

Needless to say, his 17th year was momentous for Archuleta, rocketing out of nowhere to become the instant leader of the greatest movement "American Idol" has every known; a million selling single; an album that should turn gold momentarily. Lately Archuleta has been making Christmas appearances just about everywhere on Earth.

So let us wish a very happy birthday to this shining light of Season 7, of whom in all my reporting in and around the Idoldome, in conversations with his comrades, the people who make the show and the fans who have had the chance to meet him, I have never heard anyone say that he has ever for one second been anything but the nicest lad on Earth. Not a single diva story in a year of "Idol." That is an accomplishment.

The final stanza of Rudyard Kipling's poem "If" is a bit of a hackneyed sentiment, but nonetheless seems to hit the nail on the head regarding the coming of age of young Archuleta.  So we post it here with our best birthday wishes:

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings -- nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And -- which is more -- you'll be a Man, my son!

-- Richard Rushfield

Photo: Fox

Melinda Doolittle sings "Happy Birthday" to Jesus

Melinda Doolittle posted the above video on her website with a Christmas message for her fans and a little news about what she's been up to including her recent Christmas tour, work with Malaria No More and her finally!- forthcoming album.

Enjoy and a Merry Christmas to all of Idol Nation!

- Richard Rushfield

Katharine McPhee asks for patience

In a post on her MySpace page, one of the great Idols of our time, Katharine McPhee, neither confirms nor denies rumors about her upcoming album (word was it was a collaboration with David Foster) but tells Idol Nation that something -- something big and mysterious, is indeed afoot.  She writes:

I know that there has been a lot of mystery at times as to what is going on with my record and career but please be patient. Next year is going to be a really exciting year and as I always have said, I don’t like to talk about anything until it is in writing. You are all the best fans in the world. Always so encouraging and caring and loyal and supportive. You are amazing!

She also takes the time to thank her fans for their support of the Africa aid project she has been involved with:

I also have to thank you for supporting the project in Africa. It is very dear to my heart and you all jumping in and helping out financially is fantastic. These children and the community will be impacted forever. It is one of the poorest countries in all of Africa and has one of the lowest literacy rates. This is a small but powerful step in helping change from inside the education system of this small country. Thank you thank you thank you.

The post drops further hints of a forthcoming Facebook page and grand McPhee online hub to at last bring her people together and end the diaspora of McFeever sufferers everywhere.

-- Richard Rushfield

Kelly Clarkson: The return

The prodigal Idol Kelly Clarkson has announced her return to the music world.  According to her website, Clarkson's new single "My Life Would Suck Without You" will be released upon a joyous Idol Nation on Jan. 19.

The reporters at Rollingstone.com got an advance preview of a few songs and described them as "totally awesome," writing, "the new album is stocked with primo pop hits reminiscent of 'Breakaway.' "

Clarkson's last outing was plagued with troubles, leading to a public feud with Idol songmaster Clive Davis and a canceled tour. Since then she has parted company with Davis and been working with manager Narvel Blackstock, who is also the husband of Reba McIntyre -- a development which led many to predict that Clarkson would follow the lucrative trail blazed by other Idols into country.  Rolling Stone's report would seem to put an end to that talk, confirming that the original American Idol will be returning to the pop roots which made her first two albums the bar for Idols since.

Above is the video message Clarkson recorded for her fans a couple of weeks back and posted on her site.

-- Richard Rushfield

CMT fans 'Idol'-ize Carrie Underwood

Carrie Underwood won over “American Idol” fans in 2005 when she was crowned Season 4 champion. This year, the country cutie won over Country Music Television fans too.

CMT announced today that Underwood was the year's most-streamed artist on their website. Her sad and dramatic "Just a Dream" video rocketed to No. 1 on CMT's Top 20 Countdown, and her cute and spunky "All-American Girl" video alone was streamed over 1.4-million times in 2008.

Also in 2008, Underwood took home a Grammy for best female country vocal performance. What a year!

-- Stephanie Lysaght

Photo credit: Getty Images

'American Idol' judge Kara DioGuardi incites fear of 2009

Monday, the entertainment team here at latimes.com put together a list of reasons to fear 2009.
The possible SAG strike and Kanye West's upcoming puppet show made the list, of course, but so did the new "American Idol."

Because change is scary. And nowhere in 2009 will change be so pronounced as on the “American Idol” judging panel. Who is this Kara DioGuardi chick, and what business does she have sitting among those legends of “Idol” lore -- Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul? What if she upsets that delicate balance of bickering and compromise? What if she takes up time that could have gone to crazy-Paula moments? Or Simon-versus-Ryan Seacrest jabs? After all, there are only four hours of “Idol” a week! Can we really afford to spend valuable minutes on an untested panelist? Scary, scary stuff.

How do you think Kara will affect the balance at the judges' table?

-- Stephanie Lysaght

Photo credit: Jason DeCrow / Associated Press