Ten students, several parents and voice coach Debbie Bello of Bello Voice Studio in Orchard Park are headed to Orlando for "American Idol" auditions next week.
Three students who take lessons at the studio have already auditioned in other cities, and Bello says one of them has gotten a golden ticket to Hollywood, where she will sing for judges Randy Jackson, Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Kara DioGuardi. Under the rules of the competition, Bello is not allowed to reveal the singer's name.
The singers who will try out July 9 in Amway Arena are: Nicole Radon of Hamburg, Janelle Barry of Orchard Park, Avian Haviv of Long Island, a student at UB, Brianna Cormier of West Seneca, Garrett Shea of East Aurora, Johnny Juarez of Hamburg, Glenn Hillman of Cambria , Sarah Panzica of East Aurora, Shaine D’Andrea of Lockport , and Tess DeFlyer of East Aurora.
The group will stand in line at the arena on July 7 for wristbands and return on July 9 to perform before producers. In between, says Bello, they will go to Disney World and compete in the Idol Experience show, the winner of which will receive a "Dream Ticket," giving the singer VIP treatment at the Idol tryouts on July 9.
Have you auditioned for Idol in another city already and either made it through or gotten the cut? How was your experience? Post below to give us the update on how the Idol audition process is working out this year.
-- Anne Neville
Michael Jackson's mother, Katherine, filed a court petition Monday seeking legal guardianship of his three children. Debbie Rowe, the biological mother of the oldest two, Prince, 12, and Paris, 11, "sent her condolences and said she was not going to do anything about the kids ... yet," a family source told People. Still, "Joe and Katherine think she's going to come after them." Rowe remains their legal parent. The surrogate who gave birth to Jackson's youngest child, Prince Michael II, has never been identified.
• • •
Katherine Jackson also filed legal papers to temporarily become administrator of his estate, pending a hearing in one week. Her attorney says many of Michael's bank accounts are being controlled by third parties. TMZ.com is reporting that Jackson did have a will and it is in the hands of an attorney.
• • •
Ed Chernoff, the attorney for Dr. Conrad Murray, who discovered Jackson dying in his bed says the doctor tried valiently to save the singer's life. Chernoff says Murray attempted to call 911, then realized he didn't know Jackson's address, then had to shout for help, finally alerting a security guard. He also says Murray spoke with Jackson family members in the hospital, which the family has complained he didn't do. On Monday, staffers of the L.A. County coroner returned to Jackson's rented house and collected two large plastic bags full of medications.
• • •
Billy Mays, the TV pitchman who was found dead in bed a day after he was struck on the head in a rough airplane landing, likely died of heart disease rather than a head injury, according to the coroner who announced the preliminary autopsy results. Mays also had heart disease. No evidence of head trauma was found.
• • •
Heath Ledger's closest friends say his final days were wracked by illness and insomnia, professional indecision and guilt over the failure of his relationship with Michelle Williams, mother of his daughter. In a story in the August issue of Vanity Fair, Nicola Pecorini, cinematographer on "The Dark Knight," says Ledger hoped his performance as the Joker would be so over-the-top that he'd be fired.
• • •
Redmond O'Neal, the jailed son of Farrah Fawcett and Ryan O'Neal, will be allowed out of jail to attend his mother's private funeral today, his attorney says. Redmond O'Neal is serving a jail sentence for violating his probation on drug charges.
• • •
Wearing a large, padded Sumo wrestler costume wasn't enough protection for Diane Keaton, who fell and hit her head while filming her new movie, "Morning Glory." A statement released by the studio said she was "in good health and spirits" after the mishap on the Manhattan set.
• • •
Remember Jon and Kate Gosselin? The battling reality-star parents of twins and sextuplets say they want to live their lives out of the spotlight for a while. They said in a statement, "During this very difficult time we will be working to focus solely on the needs of our family. This includes no longer commenting publicly or reacting to media stories and speculation." No new episodes of the show will be shows until August, and publication of Kate's new cookbook, "Love is in the Mix: Making Meals into Memories," has been postponed too.
-- Anne Neville
The attorney for the doctor who found Michael Jackson not breathing Thursday says the pop star was warm and still had a faint pulse when the doctor found him and immediately began administering CPR. Dr. Conrad Murray "just happened" to find the star in bed not breathing, said attorney Edward Chernoff. Chernoff also denied that Murray ever gave Jackson Demerol or OxyContin.
• • •
Grace Rwaramba, who worked for Jackson for nearly 17 years and was the primary caregiver for his three children, gave an interview to the Times of London in which she said that Jackson had many close calls with death due to drug abuse. "He always ate too little and mixed too much [medication]. I had to pump his stomach many times." She said that his children regarded her as their mother and she is now being kept from them by the Jackson family.
• • •
The Rev. Jesse Jackson, who has spent time with the family of Michael Jackson after the star's sudden death on Thursday, says the family would like to hear from the doctor who was apparently staying with Michael Jackson at the time of his death. Jackson says the doctor, Conrad Murray, exhibited "bizarre" behavior in not explaining Michael's death to the family and vanishing, then surfacing with an attorney. "No one is in a position of accusing the doctor of anything," Jackson said, "There may be plausible answers, but we don't know."
• • •
On his way into the BET Awards Sunday night, Michael's father, Joe, echoed the sentiments, saying, "I have a lot of concerns .. I don't like what happened."
• • •
The theme of the BET awards ceremony Sunday night at the Shrine Auditorium was changed to pay tribute to Jackson. Host Jamie Foxx wore a red leather "Billie Jean" jacket and attempted a moonwalk on stage.
• • •
TMZ.com has posted some 20 candid family photos that "have emerged" since his death, "showing him as he lived his everyday life." Perhaps more interesting than the "unmasked, genuinely happy" expressions on Michael's face are these good looks at his kids. Prince Michael is blond, like his mother Debbie Rowe, and Paris has bright blue eyes. Prince Michael II, whom Michael called "Blanket," had a different mother and doesn't resemble his siblings. None of them resembles Michael.
• • •
Billy Mays, the television pitchman with the booming voice, died in his sleep and was found Sunday by his wife. Mays, 50, who was scheduled to have his third hip replacement surgery today, was aboard a US Airways flight that made a hard landing in Tampa after the front tires blew out. Although Mays said in an airport interview, "It hit me on the had, but I've got a hard head," an airport spokesman says none of the passengers reported injuries. A radio host who spoke to Mays after the landing says Mays told him he hit his head on the overhead luggage compartment. An FAA spokesman told TMZ that Mays was not wearing his seat belt, then backtracked, saying, "At this point in time, we cannot have any idea who was or was not wearing their seat belt."
• • •
Kendra Wilkinson's wedding at the Playboy Mansion to Hank Baskett was elaborate, and her gown, with a "tight bodice and poofy skirt," made her look like a princess, said former Hugh Hefner co-girlfriend Holly Madison. She also wore platinum jewelry worth some $100,000. Wilkinson and Baskett said traditional vows before an altar decked with white flowers. They are expecting a baby around Christmas.
• • •
"Ugly Betty" star Ana Ortiz and her husband, musician Noah Lebenzon, are the parents of a baby girl, their first child. Paloma Louise Lebenzon is "absolutely beautiful," the star's publicist said.
-- Anne Neville
Two pop culture icons died Thursday in California. First, the not-unexpected death of Farrah Fawcett Thursday in a Santa Monica hospital, then TMZ.com's shocking report breaking the news that Michael Jackson had suffered cardiac arrest in his Hollywood home.
While Jackson, 50, had looked frail for years, he was planning a long series of comeback concerts in London. His initial plan to do 10 concerts was later expanded to 50 concerts, although a source close to Jackson told People last month, "Michael is physically just not ready [for the concerts]. He weighs even less than he did during his trial, which was almost nothing. He's 50 years old."
Debbie Rowe, the mother of Jackson's two oldest children, issued a statement saying she was "inconsolable." In legal papers dealing with custody of the children, Prince Michael and Paris Michael, Debbie said if Jackson died, "I'm sure he's .. he has a wonderful person in mind to take care of them." His youngest son, Prince Michael Jackson II, nicknamed "Blanket," was born to an unnamed surrogate.
Later in the day, Brian Oxman, Jackson family spokesman and attorney, told CNN that he was "stunned" by the death and that the family cried together. Oxman also said that the people surrounding Michael were "enabling him" and that he "warned" the family that Michael may have been abusing prescription drugs. Michael's former publicist, Michael Levine, issued a statement saying that he had predicted the tragic events, and ending, "Michael has been on an impossibly difficult and often self-destructive journey for years. ... A human simply can not withstand this level of prolonged stress.''
Fans and stars alike reacted with extreme sorrow to Jackson's death, many issuing statements or posting remarks on Twitter. Madonna said, "I can't stop crying." Brooke Shields, who briefly dated Jackson when they were young, called him an "extraordinary friend, artist and contributor to the world." His dear friend Elizabeth Taylor, who planned to attend his first comeback concert in London, was "too devastated" to issue a statement, her rep said. His first ex-wife, Lisa Marie Presley, said, "I am so very sad and confused with every emotion possible. I am heartbroken for his children, who I know were everything to him, and for his family. This is such a massive loss on so many levels, words fail me."
John Landis, who directed the "Thriller" and "Black or White" videos, and has an active lawsuit against Jackson over proceeds from "Thriller" on Broadway, issued a statement saying, "He had a troubled and complicated life and despite his gifts, remains a tragic figure."
Last night, Jackson's body was taken by helicopter from the hospital to the L.A. coroner's office, where an autopsy, including toxicology tests, would be performed.
• • •
Meantime, longtime love Ryan O'Neal, along with two friends and her doctor, was at Farrah Fawcett's side when she died Thursday in a Santa Monica hospital. "She's gone. She now belongs to the ages," O'Neal said. "I talked to her all through the night. I told her how very much I loved her." But although he said Monday that he had asked her to marry him and she had accepted, the ceremony never took place."
Griffin O'Neal, Ryan O'Neal's son and the half-brother of Redmond O'Neal, the troubled son of Farrah and Ryan, said, " I'm so worried about my brother. What's he going to do without her? Farrah was part of my family. My heart is broken. I will miss her forever and ever. She was so kind and gracious. ... I loved her. She was the most gracious, wonderful person. I always wondered why she was around this family. 'Why are you here?' She was such a beautiful person. Especially in the latter days." While Redmond was not at the bedside when his mother died, RadarOnline.com says that he will be released from prison to attend his mother's funeral.
Fellow stars and close friends, including fellow television "Charlie's Angels" Jaclyn Smith, Kate Jackson and Cheryl Ladd, who replaces Fawcett on the show, praised her courage and strength during her long battle with anal cancer. Jackson, "Today when you think of Farrah remember her smiling, because that is exactly how she wanted to be remembered."
-- Anne Neville
As the investigation continues into the sudden death of Michael Jackson, 50,in his Beverly Hills home Thursday, memories of the King of Pop abound.
In today's story, I list the times the Jacksons visited Buffalo -- from the 1970 Aud concert that was canceled after anonymous death threats against Michael to the triumphant 1984 "Victory Tour" show that drew thousands to Rich Stadium in 1984.
Did you have tickets to the family's first show at the Aud? Did you see him in 1979 or in 1981? Or were you one of the thousands who attended the Jackson "Victory Tour" show at Rich Stadium on Aug. 25 and 26, 1984, or saw his halftime show during the Bills' Super Bowl XXVII in Pasadena?
Whether you ever saw him live or not, how will you remember Jackson? As a brilliant artist, a trend-setter in music, videos, dance, concerts and fashion? Or as the troubled, frail, haunted man who admitted that at age 45 he still slept with children (innocently, he insisted) and later was found not guilty after a trial for sexually abusing a boy? Share your memories of Jackson here.
-- Anne Neville
An independent record label is rushing to market an 11-song CD featuring songs sung and/or written by American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert. Hi Fi Recordings plans to release 'On With the Show' and calls it a "fantastic
representation of who Adam is and what inspired him during the months
before he became famous."
Lambert is distancing himself from the work, saying, "The work I did back then in no way reflects the music I am currently in the studio working on. ... Back in 2005 when I was a struggling artist, I was hired as a studio
singer to lend my vocals to tracks written by someone else. I was broke
at the time and this was my chance to make a few bucks, so I jumped at
the opportunity to record for my first time in a professional studio."
Lambert is working with Lady GaGa's producer, RedOne, on his debut album for RCA Records. "I'm thrilled to be working with some of today's hottest songwriters
and producers and can't wait for people to hear what my music really
sounds like."
Simon Fuller of 19 Entertainment has not commented yet on the "other" Adam record.
Meanwhile, Hi Fi Recordings has begun selling the first single -- "Want" -- on iTunes. It's certainly better than that awful winning song that Kris Allen has been saddled with.
• • •
The race for Best Picture just got deeper. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced yesterday that they will expand the competition to include 10 films, instead of five. "Having 10 Best Picture nominees is
going to allow Academy voters to recognize and include some of the
fantastic movies that often show up in the other Oscar categories, but
have been squeezed out of the race for the top prize," President Sid Ganis said.
• • •
Celebrity gossip blogger Perez Hilton is suing Polo Molina, the manager of the Black Eyed Peas, for assaulting him at the MuchMusic Awards in Toronto. Hilton is seeking unspecified damages of more than $25,000. The band's manager allegedly assaulted Hilton after he refused to stop writing about the band at his web site.
Hilton is also apologizing to "anyone who was hurt by [his] choice of words." Hilton was criticized by GLAAD for using gay slurs against Black Eyed Peas member will.i.am during the confrontation. Hilton insists he is not apologizing to GLAAD, however.
• • •
Nick Jonas was in Washington testifying before the Senate about the need for further funding for diabetes research. The 16-year-old singer was diagnosed with diabetes at 13, and has been working with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
• • •
Lou Diamond Phillips was the winner of NBC's "I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here!" defeating retired NBA star John Salley and pro-wrestler Torrie Wilson. Phillips will donate his prize money to the Art Has Heart Foundation, which provides arts instruction to under-privileged children.
• • •
Rachel Hunter has called off her wedding to hockey player Jarret Stoll.The wedding was planned for mid-August, but has been canceled with the couple deciding to call it quits.
-- Dave Valenzuela
The L.A. Times is reporting that TLC has stopped filming episodes of "Jon & Kate Plus Eight" in the wake of Monday's divorce filing by Kate. Monday;s episode will be a package of clips of the family interacting in happier days, and the next new show will be aired Aug. 3. People close to the situation say it was the network, and not the Gosselins, that asked for the hiatus. Because of the turmoil in the family, episodes were completed on deadline, sometimes as late as the same day they aired, and TLC does not have enough new material to continue with the season's episodes, the source said. Because filming stopped, they missed Jon tooling around on his ATV while Kate did errands. Hey, just because you have eight kids depending on you doesn't mean you should stop acting like a 10-year-old, does it?
• • •
Meanwhile, Kate's divorce papers, which say the couple have lived "separate and apart" for two years, probably means only that they have been estranged, even if living in the same house, for that long.
• • •
The surrogate who was carrying twin girls for Sarah Jessica Parker and Mathew Broderick gave birth in her home town of Martins Ferry, Ohio. The girls, who are named Marion Loretta Elwell and Tabitha Hodge, are little sisters to James Wilkie, 6. "The babies are doing beautifully and the entire family is over the moon," they said in a statement. In related news, no charges have been filed yet in the case of the Martins ferry police chief, who entered the home of the surrogate and might have taken photos or listened to the surrogate's telephone messages in hope of hearing one from Parker and then selling the information to a tabloid. Chief Barry Carpenter said he noticed a door open at the surrogate's home and entered to investigate, and met later with a tabloid reporter just to "mess with him."
• • •
Fallout continues over the scuffle in Toronto over the weekend that left celebrity blogger Perez Hilton with a black eye and the manager for the Black Eyed Peas facing assault charges. First, a photo was found that showed the moment a fist came out of the crowd and hit Hilton in the face, with no indication of whose fist it was. Second, GLAAD, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, blasted Hilton, a former employee of GLAAD, for using the anti-gay slur that provoked Peas singer Will.I.Am and later saying it was "The worst possible thing that thug would ever want to hear." In return, Hilton issued a statement that started, "I am saddened GLAAD chose to victimize me further by criticizing me ..." Then later he said he had chosen "the most hurtful word I know to hurl at him" and denied being homophobic. And third, John Mayer and Hilton traded quips back and forth on Twitter (of course!) about the incident, with Mayer saying Hilton's shrieking, foul-mouthed video statement was "so long that by the end of it his cut healed" and adding, "What you experienced these last 24 hrs is a profound loss of control. You can't blog the world, my friend."
• • •
The widow of comedian Sam Kinison, who died in a car crash in 1992, claims Sam's brother William Kinison forged a will that left most of Sam's estate to him. Malika Borghese, who married Sam five days before the crash, says she was unaware of the forgery until 2007, when a friend of Sam's confessed to her that he had helped William forge the will. Borghese is suing William Kinison.
• • •
Elisabeth Hasselbeck has been sued by a woman who says Hasselbeck plagiarized a book she sent her on celiac disease. Susan Hassett says many chapter headings and even sentences are identical in her self-published book, which she sent to the "View" co-host in 2008, and Hasselbeck's tome, "The G-Free Diet: A Gluten-Free Survival Guide, published 13 months later. Hasselbeck denies copying the woman's work.
• • •
Gordon Ramsay of "Hell's Kitchen" collected a ticket from police in London after he was caught driving while talking on his cell phone.
• • •
Some photos of 16-year-old Miley Cyrus crouching in a makeup chair and plastered against the producer of her upcoming movie, "The Last Song," have raised eyebrows. But the producer, Adam Shankman, who posted the snaps on Twitter, says Miley "is allowed to have fun in the make up room! ... She's like my angel little sister."
-- Anne Neville
Last night's episode of Jon & Kate Plus 8 revealed that the Gosselins had decided to separate, confirming tabloid reports that the couple had called it quits. Both Jon and Kate insisted that they didn't "hate" the other, but admitted that this separation was a long time coming.
After the confessional interviews were aired, producers inserted a black screen with a message indicating that in a Pennsylvania court, yesterday, papers were filed to dissolve the marriage.
In his scenes, Jon told the camera that he was too passive, for too long, and he finally stood up for himself and that he was proud of himself. He conceded he wouldn't be on the show as much, and half-heartedly stated "maybe someone will give [him] a job." He was sporting a silver earring in each ear, which is a new look for him on the show. He also said, "I'm only 32..." as if it were some sort of an excuse for his behavior. Between his 2 seat sports car, mistress, and his new look, it appears as though Jon is having an early midlife crisis.
Kate says she will remain in the house with the children, and they will take turns with the kids, filming independent of the other.
Jon says that being together proves to be too volatile, and admits that he does not want the children to see their parents fighting all the time. He hopes that some day they can build toward a friendship, with a shared respect and goal of doing the best possible for the kids.
• • •
People says that Kate was the one who filed for divorce, and has statements from both:
Kate says... "Over the course of this weekend, Jon's activities have left me no choice but to file legal procedures in order to protect myself and our children. ... While there are reasons why it was appropriate and necessary for me to initiate this proceeding, I do not wish to discuss those reasons at this time, in the hope that all issues will be resolved amicably between Jon and myself. As always, my first priority remains our children."
Jon says ... "This afternoon, Kate filed for divorce. Our kids are still my number one priority. I love them and want to make sure they stay happy, healthy and safe. My job is being the best, most supportive and loving father that I can be to my kids, and not being married to Kate doesn’t change that."
• • •
Chris Brown has reached a plea deal with prosecutors over the assault of then-girlfriend Rihanna on Grammy night. Brown pleaded guilty to "felony assault by means likely to cause great bodily injury" and will be sentenced to "five years probation and 180 days of community labor to be served in Virginia. He will also complete a year of domestic violence classes, and pay fines."
The judge commended Brown for taking responsibility for his actions, and also ordered him to stay at least 50 yards away from Rihanna.
If he violates the terms of his probation, Brown will face 4 years in jail.
• • •
Farrah Fawcett, who is battling cancer, has returned to the hospital, a source tells People. Meanwhile, Farrah has finally agreed to marry Ryan O'Neal, who tells ABC News that she repeatedly turned him down over the years, and now has agreed, even joking she wants a prenuptial agreement.
• • •
Self-made gossip maven Perez Hilton was involved in an altercation in Toronto after the MuchMusic Awards, where he "suffered minor injuries." Hilton accompanied singer Lady GaGa to the show, and apparently was in a scuffle with the entourage of the Black Eyed Peas.
• • •
Judy Reyes, who plays nurse 'Carla' on Scrubs, is expecting her first child.
All indications are that Jon and Kate Gosselin are separating or divorcing. The TLC-viewing public has watched the couple's interactions for years since the sextuplets joined the family's twins.
What do you think is happening with the pair, why, and will you keep watching?
Check the News and tomorrow morning's blog for the latest on Jon & Kate!
-- Anne Neville
Jon Gosselin spent Father's Day outside with his eight kids, and talked with some fans who dropped by, telling them that he had "no idea" where his wife Kate was. She'd been away from the house all weekend. Asked if the [air were going to announce on tonight's one-hour special that they are divorcing, he said only, "You'll have to watch the show." It airs at 9 p.m. on TLC. Mixed messages: He did spend some time looking at apartments in Trump Place in Manhattan, but when he was photographed at home, he was wearing his wedding ring.
• • •
Jon spent part of the weekend in the local emergency room with son Aaden, who ran into a wall while running in the house and needed a few stitches on his forehead. Aaden is the one the family calls "The Professor" because he wears glasses and hats. A TLC rep says, "When you have eight kids, someone is bound to get hurt. It's nothing tragic. Everything is fine."
• • •
Rihanna is expected to testify today in the assault case against ex-boyfriend Chis Brown, who is accused of beating her Feb. 8. It is expected that her testimony will basically repeat what she told police soon after the assault left her battered and bruised -- which is that Brown struck her repeatedly, and, after she contacted her assistant to ask that police be called, threatened to kill her.
• • •
The usually unflappable Simon Cowell admits he made mistakes with Susan Boyle, the Scottish singer who struggled emotionally after she became an overnight sensation. "She seemed fine with all the attention," Cowell wrote in the Daily Mail. "I thought -- perhaps naively -- that she was in control." Later, when he realized that the pressure was taking a toll on her, he insisted she have a friend with her at all times. When she found out on stage that she had lost, he says he looked at her and thought, "She doesn't know how to deal with not winning." He also explains the sadness of watching child contestants weep on the show.
• • •
Mercy James, the motherless 4-year-old from Malawi, was flown directly to Madonna's London home after the high court approved the singer's adoption bid last week. The tot was spotted outside Madonna's home in the arms of her nanny, looking rather bewildered at the new world she is living in. Madonna's ex, Guy Ritchie, is said to be keeping sons Rocco and David Banda, also adopted from Malwaki, with him so Madonna and Mercy can bond. The eagerly anticipated first photo of Madonna and child shows just Madonna's shoulder, a bit of her hair, and Mercy's fingers.
• • •
Lindsay Lohan and Ryan Seacrest both took to Twitter to shoot down rumors that they have been spotted together because they have a romantic involvement. They're working on a project together, they say, a show TMZ.com summarizes: "A million bucks will be doled out to people who are on the wrong track and are looking for a second chance. There will be a panel which decides who gets the dough. Contestants will tell their sob stories. No, Lindsay won't be a contestant -- she's on the panel." And speaking of second chances -- LiLo went knocking at the door of ex Sam Ronson Friday night and finally got let inside.
• • •
"Brothers and Sisters" star Rachel Griffiths and husband Andrew Taylor have added a daughter to their family. The girl is little sister to Adelaide Rose, 3, and son Banjo Patrick, 5.
• • •
Actors Bradley Whitford and Jane Kaczmarek have filed for divorce after 17 years of marriage and three children, Frances Genevieve, 12; George Edward, 9; and Mary Louisa, 6. Whitford's rep asked for privacy while the couple "focus on their children."
-- Anne Neville
