Troubled Hollywood

We knew that all along, though, didn’t we? We knew Simon had a heart and that when push came to shove, he wouldn’t be out and out mean to anyone. It seems like every year we see a little more of that heart than the year before. This year, he’s nearly unrecognizable, save for a few cutdowns here and there. It’s like when he stood up to hug Renaldo Lapuz last year as he sang that he and Simon were brothers forever, that some of that love and good fellowship rubbed off on Simon.

Tonight, it was Simon that was putting people through and the other judges putting their foot down. Even with the very first contestant, Adeola Adegoke, Simon reached out to her. Upon hearing that she had turned in her resignation as a bank teller just to audition, Simon insisted on helping her get her job back. She insisted on continuing to sing, but once she finally resigned to leaving, Simon did call her boss and told her that Adeola was fantastic, and that she really needed her job back. It worked.

With Jackie Tohn, Simon gave her a few chances where he normally would have just rejected her straight out. After her first song, I’m Yours, didn’t come off too well, Simon advised her to sign a song in her normal voice. She did, and it came off much better. When Kara DioGuardi told Jackie she couldn’t wait to see what she’d do next, Jackie asked their advice on what type of thing she should do. Simon, after a huge screen came down and nearly lopped off all the judges’ heads in a very ominous move, told Jackie she should never ask who she should be, as it gives the worst impression. Yet, he put her through.

Very surprising was when Nick Mitchell, aka Norman Gentle, came in with one of those comedy routines that Simon hates. He was very bothered by it, but he laughed when Norman cracked a joke with a certain implication of Simon and Ryan Seacrest’s sexuality. Simon told him that was funny. He didn’t vote him through, but the others did. In years past I would have thought Simon would have kicked the guy to the curb after the crack about his sexuality. I thought only Ryan was allowed to make those types of jokes about him.

It was with 16-year-old Monique Garcia Torres where Simon just couldn’t hold back his heart. She brought her little brother with her into the audition, and Simon was quite enchanted with him. He asked the little brother, Christopher, if his sister was any good before listening to her. Simon kept smiling at Christopher throughout. Once Randy and Kara rejected her, and Paula voted yes, Simon looked over at Christopher with a pout, put Monique through, and told her to thank her little brother.

Just in case you’re still not convinced the guy with the big ego also has a big heart, look at the picture here to the right. This puppy wasn’t dumped in his lap. He nearly begged to hold it.

Photo courtesy of Fox

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For more information on American Idol, see SirLinksalot: American Idol and American Idol Headlines.

What I can’t get out of my head, especially after last night’s American Idol auditions in Salt Lake City, Utah, is what is happening to all the guys’ auditions? Kara DioGuardi mentioned in an interview at the beginning of the season that she thought it was going to be another guys year on the show, with them seeming to have more talent, but the past two weeks, we’re not really seeing them go through. We’re seeing the gals. And sometimes the guys that seem to have talent either aren’t getting through or are barely getting through.

Last night, it seemed like Austin Sisneros had to pull teeth to get that golden ticket. This was a cute clean-cut kid with a good voice. The girls would go ga-ga over him. (Am I dating myself with the term ga-ga? It was either that or “ape shit”) Granted, I’m still hung up on my Jon Peter-Lewis affection, but here was a guy that reminded me of him, plus seemed to be even more commercial without that joked about “pen salesman” look. Did he pick odd songs? Yeah, I mean Raffi? But he sounded amazing. It seemed like they were almost not going to let this kid through.

The night before, Michael Perrelli didn’t make it. Again, he was a good-looking kid, and many have been comparing him to Josiah Leming from last season. Josiah wrote his own songs, and had a great spirit about him. He had many fans just from the auditions and Hollywood rounds. He nearly made it, but the judges cut him just before the semi-finals. Michael seemed to have nearly the same talent, and sang a great Third Eye Blind song. I was really enjoying it, and they didn’t even give him a chance in Hollywood to prove himself.

The question is, is it alternative music or is guys in general? Is it guys that sing alternative music? Last night we saw four gals and two guys get through. The other guy that got through is an Osmond, Alan’s son David, so that explains that. The four girls sang classic rock, an old spiritual, a jazz song, and an Amy Winehouse song. Now why do they like Amy Winehouse on girls, but not alternative rock on guys?

Tuesday night, ironically, we had the same ratio; four girls to just two guys were shown going to Hollywood. The gals sing two pop tunes, Whitney Houston, and a Carpenters tune. The guys sing Marvin Gaye and John Lennon.

Do we not say every year we are sick of hearing Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Stevie Wonder, and the like? Some guys come in challenging that, singing a little more contemporary, and either aren’t allowed through or are scrutinized way more than someone coming in singing Superstar. I would much rather hear something a little different and newer, than I Have Nothing, Superstar, Let’s Get It On, and Imagine … again!

It seems maybe it’s not just the guys, that it’s the music. The judges say they don’t want the same old tired music either, but that’s what they let through.

Photo courtesy of Fox

If I’ve made you think, feel, or laugh today, drop me an Email, leave a comment below, follow me on Twitter, or subscribe to me at Troubled Hollywood. To read more on my thoughts of this season, see Sazze.

For more information on American Idol, see SirLinksalot: American Idol and American Idol Headlines.

Another day, another scoop on the Travolta Extortion case. TMZ has finally learned what document this was all over. It was a refusal to transport that Travolta had either signed or thought about signing. On its own, it certainly supports the claims by some in the beginning that Travolta’s Scientology beliefs kept him from treating son Jett properly. However, the truth is, he was only searching for better treatment. It was a forty-five minute drive to the hospital, and he thought he could fly Jett to Florida for even better treatment. Eventually he realized the flight would take too long, and allowed Jett to be transported by ambulance to the Bahamian hospital. I’m sure the plot was to exploit the Scientology angle.

People.com is reporting that Debbie Matenopoulos and husband Jay Faires have quite the fight on their hands with their divorce. He filed for divorce last fall, and is now claiming that they both “continuously lived beyond our means during our marriage.” He states that she doesn’t pony up any of her income, which is at least $225,000 annually, for the bills, and has sent him her cell phone bill among others to pay. He wants her to pay for her own bills and a portion of the mortgage, or consent to selling and move out. Not surprisingly, Matenopoulos denies these claims, saying she has always paid her own way. It’s just a guess, but I’m sensing this is the source of their problems.

Were you among those that thought Joaquin Phoenix had totally lost it when he mentioned recently that he was giving up acting and was instead going to become a rapper? You’re not alone. An unnamed source, however, is telling Entertainment Weekly that it’s all a put-on, aided by his brother-in-law Casey Affleck. They’re likening it to an Andy Kaufman type game, more or less like the ultimate role, that he plays day and night for several months until he gets tired of it. Affleck is documenting the whole transition on tape, and supposedly Phoenix is taking jabs at “pompous actors” and punking “the media that covers them.” A hoax or not, it’s still odd.

Courtesy of a Hollywood Trivia Calendar by E!, here’s your trivia for today. The previous answer was “by throwing a log through the neighbor’s window“ I was really off on this answer. I figured it had to do with a drunken naked outburst or dog poop, but apparently Sharon had started it with food, and Ozzy followed it with the log.

Today’s question: Which hunky leading man lost to Philip Seymour Hoffman at the 2006 Oscars? Answer tomorrow. Feel free to chime in in the comments with your answers.

a. Heath Ledger
b. Leonardo DiCaprio
c. George Clooney
d. Russell Crowe

Photo by uselessplace.com

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It just can’t be said enough, how this different pace of the American Idol audtiions is making it just that much better. Instead of turning off our TVs when the show is over and rolling our eyes or laughing in hysterics, we’re smiling. That’s the best way to leave us. It may not have us talking endlessly at the water cooler the next day about it, but I think in the end, it will be better for the show.

When I try to think of the bad auditions, I know there were a few, but I can only remember one off the top of my head, and that’s George Ramirez, the physics major. He sang low and monotone and really was pretty much socially inept, almost to the point you could hear crickets while he stood around waiting for someone to tell him to get moving. And all he could see in his life in eleven years is a simple house with nice marble floors? At least get Pergo. Nice AND simple.

The bad auditions are flooding back to me now. How could I have forgotten Naomi Sykes who claimed she could hit Mariah Carey’s high noes, as well as the big one in Minnie Ripperton’s Lovin’ You. It’s such a kiss of death, as once someone has to tell you how good they are, that usually means they’re not. If they’re telling you they can hit the high notes, they can’t. It wasn’t that, though, that made it a bad audition. It was her bringing her friend in to sit on Randy’s lap, and then being so jumpy that Kara had to ask her if she had ants in her pants. I instant replayed that part three or four times. It just made me giggle. Read more »

TMZ has dug up a lawsuit that was filed last month by photographer Emicles Da Mata. He is rightfully upset after his car was stopped in Beverly Hills, and according to him, none other than David Beckham reached through the car window and grabbed his camera out of his hands. Two of the soccer star’s bodyguards then detained Da Mata, with one of them beating him repeatedly, before throwing the camera in a trash can. Da Mata is suing for assault and battery, and emotional distress. It makes you wonder what Da Mata was taking pictures of that was so threatening.

Maybe Beckham and Da Mata should just take it out in the ring. TMZ reports that Jose Canseco and Danny Bonaduce engaged in a three round fight that ended in a draw. The ex-Partridge, a foot shorter than the baseball player, said, “Part of me says there’s a decent man right there that didn’t want to kill the little guy.” You would think the size and steroid help would help him out a little.

According to the woman that’s been dating him for the past month, Backstreet Boy AJ McLean is back on the sauce. From the video, it appears he left her there on the street while he took off with “three fat f***in’ chicks.” The paparazzo assumed McLean had some beer goggles on, but his woman of a month thinks he’s was just being a “dick.” I’m assuming both. He just might be ready for a turn on Confessions of a Teen Idol.

And finally, if you’re anywhere near Clear Lake, Iowa, in the next week or so, it’s your chance to get together with other rock fans and remember back fifty years ago to Fabruary 2, 1959, when the plane carrying Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens crashed. That’s right. Pop Eater tells us it’s a celebration of “the day the music died.” I have to go dig around now and find my CD with American Pie on it.

Courtesy of a Hollywood Trivia Calendar by E!, here’s your trivia for today. The previous answer was “Paris Hilton.“ I knew Paris and Nick Carter had been an item, but I was guessing maybe he had gotten with all those ladies of the tabloids, but apparently not. He must not put on AJ’s beer goggles too often.

Today’s question: In the first season of The Osbournes, how does Ozzy address his loud-partying neighbors? Answer tomorrow. Feel free to chime in in the comments with your answers.

a. By throwing a log through the neighbor’s window
b. By drunkenly storming into their yard with no clothes on
c. By letting the Osbourne family dog poo in their yard
d. By staging a Black Sabbath reunion in his own backyard

Photo by bittenandbound.com

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Throughout the past year, I steadily lost respect for The Bachelor/Bachelorette franchise. No one has yet to make it all the way to the altar, save for Trista and Ryan, and lately, the couples seem to break up before the engagement ring makes a tan line on their left hand. Whoever is in the starring role as the Bachelor or Bachelorette seems warm in the beginning, then seems to get more and more shallow as the season wears on. Yet this season, Jason seems to be breaking all those rules.

Jason seems to be the first in awhile to know what he wants. We thought Deanna Pappas knew what she wanted too, but the way she moved through and eliminated guys, it was obvious she didn’t. Jason wants a wife for himself and a mom for Ty. Although he can be extremely attracted to a woman, once he finds that a woman isn’t going to work out as a mom, or might not be ready for a family, even though they think they are, he makes the decision to eliminate them. Read more »

It just doesn’t end for the Travolta family, and I’m betting they really wish it would. Through details released in a series of articles by TMZ over the weekend, we know that the supposed friend that was involved in the extortion plot, Obie Wilchombe, is “outraged” by the charges and is also claiming the innocence of Sen. Bridgewater, blaming the entire extortion plot on the EMT. He claims Bridgewater came to him with the plot, wanting him to take the information to Travolta’s lawyers. We also know the subject of the extortion is not a photo, but a document. It’s currently at large, prompting the prosecution to object to bail for the EMT, as they think he’d make sure it was never found if he got out. I just hope for a swift end to all of it so that the Ttravoltas can finally grieve in peace.

More news regarding celebrity offspring and the law, as NBA star Eddy Curry’s son has witnessed two murders, that of his mom and infant sister, and he’s only 3 years old. The two were shot in a Chicago apartment while the 3-year-old watched apparently. TMZ reports the adult victim to be Nova Henry, the mother of Curry’s son, but apparently her infant daughter had another father, who could be the boyfriend she was having troubles with, meaning he could be the murderer. It certainly seems odd that the the little boy was left behind. Then you know it was a personal attack, and not a random shooting. That little survivor is going to have quite a life ahead of him.

CSI’s Gerald McCullouch is a survivor as well, and lucky for him a trained boxer. He was recently attacked while riding the New York subway with the assailant trying to steal his laptop, according to TMZ and People.com. McCulloch hit his attacker to stop him, but then had a kitchen knife with a 10″ blade pulled out on him. Quite a scuffle ensued, as the knife couldn’t penetrate his leather jacket, allowing McCulloch to punch his assailant yet again. The cops caught up with them at this point, and took the assailant into custody, believing he may have possibly also stabbed two cops. I just can’t get over the fact that this celebrity was riding the subway.

If you see a Sworovsky-encrusted clutch purse on eBay, don’t buy it. It’s hot merchandise, apparently, from the show Lipstick Jungle, which wasn’t too hot. Designer Sylvia Toledano had loaned the clutch to the show, and after it was cancelled, she wanted it back, but producers reported it lost. She then saw a very similar clutch on eBay, according to Popeater, and inquiring about it, was told the clutch and other merchandise “fell off the back of a truck.” The seller was the stage manager of the show who has been charged with stealing items totaling nearly $30,000 from the show. Maybe he was as underwhelmed as everyone else by the show and wanted to somehow be paid back for the time lost.

Courtesy of a Hollywood Trivia Calendar by E!, here’s your trivia for today. The previous answer was “I’m not a nymphomaniac.” Ah-ha. A trick question, and they got me with it. It was Ally Sheedy’s character and not Molly Ringwald’s who uttered that line.

Today’s question: Nick Carter is known to have dated which tabloid bad girl? Answer tomorrow. Feel free to chime in in the comments with your answers.

a. Paris Hilton
b. Nicole Ritchie
c. Lindsay Lohan
d. All of the above

Photo by evilbeetgossip.com

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Remember our discussion yesterday talking about sick individuals? It just gets worse and worse. TMZ is reporting today that the three people involved in the extortion of John Travolta and Kelly Preston are the ambulance driver from when Jett was taken to the hospital, an attorney from the Bahamas, and the former Minister of Tourism, a close friend of Travolta’s, the same man that has been hitting the talk show circuit discussing how the family was coping. You know your friend has just experienced the worst grief possible, and you get in on a plan to extort money from him? And by the way, that’s a great way to get tourists down there to the Bahamas.

Here’s another update for you. Kelly Rutherford has been cleared to return to New York with her son in tow. Lily van der Woodsen will live to see another day on Gossip Girl. According to the judgement that was spelled out in TMZ and People.com, the judge feared that it would be detrimental to young Hermes if he was kept in L.A., and away from his mother in New York for too many nights. He encouraged Rutherford’s estranged husband to travel to New York as well, and when he said he couldn’t, the judge more or less told him he had to. They have an arrangement set up over where Hermes will be staying and with whom temporarily, and a permanent one will be set up at a later court date. Apparently they didn’t need to go into all the detail during the hearing about wiping his butt and breastfeeding too long. Read more »

I’ve heard of some sick thing sin my life, but this really takes the cake. When Jett Travolta died at the beginning of the year, it was like the world was grieving with his parents, John Travolta and Kelly Preston. There can’t be any pain greater to a parent. To make matters worse, now that they’re trying to move on, someone is demanding $20 million form the Travoltas, and while it does have something to do with information about Jett’s death, TMZ has confirmed pictures are not involved. Investigators hop to have the extortion case wrapped up swiftly. Just a personal note to the extortioners: you’re sick.

Speaking of sick individuals, Peter Falk’s adopted daughter, Catherine Falk, wants the courts to appoint her conservator, claiming he has dementia and can’t take care of himself, according to TMZ. Peter’s wife, Shera, is shocked at all this, as according to legal papers she filed, Catherine and her father have such a bad relationship that she sued him in 1992, and he has never met her children nor attended her wedding. She provides care for Peter in their home, and claims he’s “happy and healthy under the current conditions at home.” Should we lay bets on the fact there’s some money involved somewhere? I don’t think we’d need Columbo to figure that one out.

It’s up to the judge to see who’s the sick one here. Kelly Rutherford from Gossip Girl and husband Daniel Giersch are embroiled in a very bitter custody dispute. Giersch has been making claims left and right. At the heart of it is that he doesn’t want Rutherford to keep carting their son Hermes to New York when she works, as he find sit detrimental. In legal papers he filed today, excerpted in TMZ, he is also claiming she did not encourage their son to become potty-trained, did not always keep his butt clean, and has kept him breast feeding too long, as he points out Hermes is old enough to be fluent in German. If the judge decides she cannot continue to take Hermes to New York to work with her, the pregnant Rutherford has to decide whether to quit the show or travel without him.

Courtesy of a Hollywood Trivia Calendar by E!, here’s your trivia for today. The previous answer was Velma in Hairpray. I figured this was the answer, as Velma is such a “hateful character,” and it’s not that she was just hateful in one area, she was all-around hateful to everyone.

Today’s question: True or False: Milla Jovovich plays zombie killer Lara Croft in all three Resident Evil films. Answer tomorrow. Feel free to chime in in the comments with your answers.

Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

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The coroner’s report is finally in on Paula Goodspeed, the obsessed fan of Paula Abdul. She had been found dead in her car in front of the American Idol judge’s house, with authorities suspecting suicide. The Associated Press is now reporting that the corner is officially ruling this a homicide because of an overdose of prescription drugs. Goodspeed had auditioned or the show with the judges being less than kind to her after her rendition of Proud Mary. Interestingly, until recently, Abdul was critical of her show’s producers for letting Goodspeed through the process, but my guess is she’s feeling plenty of guilt of her own.

A toxicology report is also in on Dakota Culkin, aka Macaulay Culkin’s sister. She was killed last month after stepping in front of a moving vehicle and suffering massive head trauma. The Los Angeles County Department of Coroner has told People.com that Dakota was “more than likely impaired due to alcohol” at the time of the accident. She had just left a Marina Del Ray bar, yet had also been going to therapy for alcohol addiction, so I’m guessing that wasn’t working out too well for her. When we watched Macaulay in his movies as such an engaging little boy, we never would have imagined all the trouble he’d later find in his life, although staying away from Michael Jackson probably would have cleared up a lot of it.

Shia LaBeouf should be realizing he’s getting a second chance, and by that I mean that he’s still alive. After his car accident last summer, he refused a chemical test, the officers found it “immediately apparent” that he was drunk and placed him under arrest. He was booked for a misdemeanor DUI, but the D.A.’s office found insufficient evidence to charge LaBeouf. They pressed charges against the other driver instead, since they had run a red light. Yet, according to E Online, LaBeouf is still having his license suspended for one year, just because he refused the Breathalyzer. As I said, it’s a second chance, and he’s still alive, yet with a badly injured wrist, unlike Dakota.

On the contrary, Amy Winehouse’s dad is proclaiming she is clean. Talking about her troubles in the upcoming documentary Saving Amy, People.com has published some of the details. He is claiming that during the worst of it, Amy was “close to death twice.” Amy’s mother, on the other hand, doesn’t have any good things to say about her son-in-law, saying she can’t believe he has started divorce proceedings after seeing pictures of her with another man. Daddy knows best, though, telling Amy, “I have to admit that your behavior with another man is not what marriage is about.” It may not be the answer she’s looking for, but like LaBeouf, she’s been given a second and third chance and needs to probably just scrap it all and start over.

Courtesy of a Hollywood Trivia Calendar by E!, here’s your trivia for today. The previous answer was Smuggling heroin across the U.S.-Canada border. This answer shocked me. I figured for sure that that and sending a gay men’s chorus to serenade Jesse Helms would have been definite actions of Michael Moore.

Today’s question: About which role did Michelle Pfeiffer say, “I was a bit reluctant … I didn’t really know how to approach such a hateful character”? Answer tomorrow. Feel free to chime in in the comments with your answers.

a. Sukie in The Witches of Eastwick
b. Catwoman in Batman Returns
c. Velma in Hairspray
d. Ellen in The Age of Innocence

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