Brooke White's High Hopes & Heartbreak release

Today marked the public bow of Season Seven finalist Brooke White whose album "High Hopes & Heartbreak" hit stores this morning, after a week exclusively on iTunes. In May at the Season 8 "Idol" finale, White described it as "raw" and "organic".

Mesa, Ariz.-bred White became a quick fan favorite on Season 7 of "Idol" after her rendition of Carly Simon's "You're So Vain", which even won praise from Simon herself.

"High Hopes & Heartbreak" is executive produced by Randy Jackson, his first project with a former "Idol" contestant. It came to happen after White and Jackson ran into each other at L.A.'s Guitar Center.

For anyone who's been missing White's easy-vintage style since Season 7, today you can get a hopeful mix of summer songs, including the lead single "Radio Radio".

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Paula Abdul's manager: She'll leave 'Idol' if 'rude' producers don't step up new deal [Updated]

Paula Abdul is unhappy. And unless the producers of "American Idol" change her frown to a smile soon, she'll dance like there's no tomorrow away from TV's No. 1 show.

"Very sadly, it does not appear that she's going to be back on 'Idol,' " David Sonenberg, Abdul's manager, told The Times when contacted about the judge's contract negotiations.

With auditions for the ninth season due to start Aug. 6, Sonenberg says he doesn't even have a proposal for a new contract from FremantleMedia and 19 Entertainment, the production companies behind the show. The new season is scheduled to premiere in January.

"I find it under these circumstances particularly unusual; I think unnecessarily hurtful," he said of the contract holdup. "I find it kind of unconscionable and certainly rude and disrespectful that they haven't stepped up and said what they want to do."

[Updated at 11:59 p.m.: Sonenberg began managing Abdul at the end of June, he said. According to him, he has "reached out to the head of business affairs at 19" and told Fox that "Paula would love to be on the show." He said Fox told him he would hear from them, but "I have not received any proposal whatsoever."]

Representatives for Fremantle, 19 and Fox all separately declined to comment.

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Anoop Desai and Lil Rounds visit 'Regis and Kelly'

The latest "American Idol" Season 8 castoffs, Anoop Desai and Lil Rounds, made the journey from gloomy Los Angeles to sunny New York City for an appearance on "Live with Regis and Kelly" this morning. Desai performed Elvis Presley's "Always On My Mind" and Rounds went with a Mary J. Blige song, "Be Without You." In the early part of the season, Randy Jackson famously compared the then-short-haired Rounds to Mary J. Blige, a promising association.

Since the departure of Jorge Nunez, Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa have hostedthe "Idols on Live" series of contestant performances post-"Idol." Videos of the performances are available.

We'll hardly have a chance to miss the latest fallen "Idols" before we see them again for the finale and the summer tour!

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

'American Idol's' worst idea ever: Team-judging

This season's new "judges' save rule" was built up by producers as an earth-shatteringly significant change to the way "American Idol" would be run. But in this Idol Tracker's opinion, last night's sudden switch, in which only two judges were able to assess each performance, was considerably more significant and could have much more far-reaching consequences for certain singers.

In a word: Cowell. Simon Cowell makes or breaks America's opinion on these contestants and is cited by viewers, time and time again, as the judge whose opinion they most value. And can you even imagine the way Cowell would have skewered Matt Giraud's painful ditty last night, if given the chance? If Giraud stays tonight, it's because he was spared the wrath of Cowell.

In the case of Lil Rounds, would the singer have been helped by not having the King of Mean rate her performance, enraging her so much she finally talked back? 

For a refresher on which judges critiqued each performance, and what they said, read this Associated Press story.

What do you all think? Was the new judging format benign, or could it have serious, unintended effects on the way America votes?

-- Stephanie Lysaght

Photo credit: Fox

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American Idol Buzzmeter: Who will go home?

Hillary Clinton gets by with a little help from 'American Idol'

Hillary Clinton is reportedly trying to pay off her campaign debt; with a little help from Simon, Paula, Randy and Kara. Say what?

According to CNN, democratic strategist James Carville blasted an e-mail to the former presidential candidate's list of backers, asking for dough to pay off Clinton's campaign debt.

In return for contributions, supporters just might win a chance to attend the "American Idol" Season 8 finale. When Adam Lambert is crowned "American Idol."

Other prizes include a day hanging with former President Bill Clinton, a weekend in NYC, or a Washington D.C. lunch with James Carville and Paul Begala.

Carville's e-mail reportedly reads: "Your contribution today not only gives you the chance at winning one of these fantastic prizes -- it'll also help our dear friend, Hillary Clinton, pay off the very last of her campaign debt."

Which of those prizes would you most like to win?

-- Stephanie Lysaght

Photo credit: WireImage

David Spade's 'fifth-grade' antics at 'American Idol'

On the March 31 episode of "American Idol," viewers may have noticed David Spade behind Randy's shoulder in the audience. What those with a keen eye additionally noticed: Spade taking gum out of his mouth and apparently placing it under his seat during Lil Rounds' performance! Randy commented to Fox: "How fifth grade, David!" Entertainment Weekly has the clip. Judge for yourself.

— Leslie Anne Wiggins

Taylor Hicks' work and play

"American Idol" Season 5 winner Taylor Hicks is certainly keeping busy post-"Idol." After spending last summer through this January on Broadway as Teen Angel in Grease,  Hicks is taking the show on the road--literally. The national tour of Grease will  stop in Tucson, San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland and Detroit, among other cities, running through June.

This week the Alabama-bred 32-year-old has been busy on "Live with Regis and Kelly" playing Dating With the Stars. Friday, Taylor's old "Idol" pal Randy Jackson stopped by the "Live" set to get in on the fun. Out of three eligible bachelorettes, Taylor chose San Francisco real estate consultant Julie Courtney. You can watch footage of their adventure in NYC here.

On March 2, Taylor will return to "Regis and Kelly" to perform "What's Right Is Right" from his  album "The Distance", available March 10.

The silver-haired singer is playing the Roxy Theatre in Los Angeles on March 18. Tickets are now available on Ticketmaster.

--Leslie Anne Wiggins

(Photo courtesy Bryan Bedder /Getty Images)

The Contenders: Meet Jeremy Michael Sarver

"American Idol" Season 8 contestant Jeremy Michael Sarver (who sometimes goes by just Michael Sarver) has the fifth most dangerous job in the world. He's a roughneck on an oil rig. He's a married father of two little ones who Simon called "the complete opposite of Ryan Seacrest". Jeremy Michael Sarver auditioned in Phoenix, Ariz. with "Thank You" by Boys II Men and had Paula groovin'. Kara called him "a sweet roughneck" and Simon said he had "that likability thing", with four yeses Jeremy headed for Hollywood.

The Jasper, Texas 27-year-old said the Kodak Theatre was "way grander" than what he expected, but he continued to impress on stage. Randy said his performance was "one of the best" he'd heard that day, giving Jeremy Michael Sarver a pass through another round of "Idol".

He has a MySpace page where fans can go for the latest Sarver scoop.

--Leslie Anne Wiggins

photo: Fox

The Contenders: Meet Stevie Wright

"Amerian Idol" Season 8 hopeful Stevie Wright is a fresh-faced 16-year-old high school student from Phelan, Calif. She auditioned in Phoenix, Ariz. with Etta James' "At Last", got approving nods from Simon, wowed Kara, Randy said she was "born with it" and Paula was also very impressed. Stevie Wright was sent dancing her way Hollywood, yellow ticket in hand, with four yeses!

Apparently she was meant to follow music--although Randy joked that her name was "Stevie Wonder", the young singer is actually named after Stevie Nicks (who was born in the audition city of Phoenix).

She was still around for the last day of Hollywood week, where she wowed again with Colbie Caillat's "Bubbly". The entertainment capital of the world just may prove to be Stevie's Shangri-La.

Keep up with Stevie Wright news via MySpace.

--Leslie Anne Wiggins

photo: Fox