Friday, March 6, 2009

'American Idol''s Scott MacIntyre Says His Blindness is Not a Disadvantage

Scott MacIntyre showed he had a sense of humor on Wednesday night's "American Idol" results show when he high-fived Ryan Seacrest after learning that he had made it into the Top 12.

Described by Kara DioGuardi as "moving mountains when you step on that stage," after his performance of Bruce Hornsby's "Mandolin Rain," Scott says that it feels amazing that so many people in America voted for him.

"I am not going to take it lightly," he adds.

"American Idol" is tough enough for its sighted contestants who have to learn a new song and choreography each week for the group numbers, but Scott says he has never thought he is at a disadvantage.

"[Being legally blind] definitely makes it more challenging," he agrees, but adds, "I am so up for rising to the occasion as I have in every other challenge I have had to face in my life. I don't want people to look at it in that way. I am having a great time singing. I am just blessed that I have people here willing to teach me the choreography. On that note, any time you see me following a steady cam, [it is because the staff] told me, 'Look here and follow it around to the left.' It is hit or miss, but I am so blessed to be here. I do what I can."

Scott, who is a songwriter as well as a singer, says he is looking forward to all the themes that the "American idol" producers will throw at him.

"One thing I can tell you, whatever the theme of the weeks coming up, I am always going to chose something that I can make work for me," says the 23-year-old from Scottsdale, AZ, whose influences include Gavin DeGraw, Ben Folds and John Mayer, as well as Hornsby. "They will represent my style in some way and I am going to try to stay current. I take my song choices very seriously."

"American Idol"'s Top 12 begin the battle to become the next singing sensation next Tuesday at 8 p.m. on FOX.

Zac Efron on his Brotherly Bond with Leonardo DiCaprio

Zac Efron is one of Hollywood's brightest rising stars, and now the 'High School Musical' actor opens up about his night on the court with one of his idols, Leonardo DiCaprio.

In a new interview with Elle magazine, Zac recounts the memorable meeting last November when the two sports enthusiasts sat court side and cheered on the Los Angeles Lakers.

"We talked the whole game, and he was just everything I thought he would be: smart, levelheaded, charming, hilarious," Zac says in the article. "You know, the older-brother vibe. That sounds so cheesy."

Vince Vaughn Engaged?

The actor is engaged to girlfriend Kyla Weber, her father, Ken Weber, tells the Montreal Gazette.

Vaughn, 38, and Weber, a 29-year-old Calgary real-estate agent, have maintained a low-profile relationship that included a romantic getaway to Bora Bora last September.

Vaughn's rep declined to comment. Reached by PEOPLE, a woman at the Weber family's home said she could not "confirm or deny" the Gazette's report.
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Gossip Girl's Matthew Settle Is Now A Dad In Real Life

On Gossip Girl, Matthew Settle plays Rufus, one of the coolest dads on TV. Now he gets to be one in real life too!

Settle, 39, and his wife, actress Naama Nativ, 25, celebrated the birth of an 8 lbs., 11 oz. daughter this afternoon. Her name? Aven Angelica.

"Baby and mother are happy and healthy and the new parents are thrilled," says Christina Papadopoulos, the actor's rep.
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Michael Jackson Is Back

Michael Jackson announces he will play a series of comeback concerts at the London O2 Arena starting on July 8. "I'll be performing the songs my fans want to hear," the King of Pop told the crowd Thursday.

Britney Spears Takes A Break From Rehearsals

The Circus star (and former Mouseketeer) makes some time to take her boys, Sean and Jayden, to Disney World.

Jewel Will Be On Crutches For Six Weeks---Holly Madison Replaces Her On Dancing With The Stars

Jewel’s doctor couldn’t have been more clear when he told her to quit Dancing With the Stars.
“He said, ‘You’re done,’” Jewel says. “You’re not going to dance and you’re not going to walk! You’re on crutches.”

It was announced that the singer was stepping away from the eighth season of DWTS because her training has left her with fractured tibiae in both legs. She’ll be on crutches for about six weeks. (Also out because of leg injuries is Access Hollywood cohost Nancy O’Dell.)

I caught up with Jewel this afternoon before her gig tonight in Highland, CA. Yes, she planned to perform sitting down...

“My doctor said under no circumstances could I continue because if the fractures get worse we were looking at longterm damage like arthritis at a young age or pins in my legs,” Jewel said. “Neither of those were an option.”

She first told her professional bullrider husband Ty Murray, who is also competing this season on DWTS, the bad news and then she had to break it to her dance partner Dmitry Chaplin. “I dreaded telling my partner,” she said. “He and I were so well matched. We got along so great. We were so into it.”

Chaplin will now be dancing with Girl Next Door Holly Madison.

Jewel hasn’t spoken to Madison yet, but she does have some advice for the buxom blonde: “Listen to your dance partner, don’t have an attitude and pace yourself.”

Jewel says she has every intention of making a comeback. Not only does she intend to sing a song or two from her upcoming album, Lullaby, this season, but she actually wants to dance again. “Hopefully, they’ll have me back and team me up with Dmitry again so we can finish what we started,” she said. “I’ll just need to go slower next time.”
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American Idol's Wildcard Results

The Idol judges exercised—questionably, at times—their authority and rounded out the Top 12 after eight more survival-dependent performances, which contained, as always, a few "interesting" song choices and, not as always, a couple of repeats.

But did Anoop Desai do himself a disservice by resurrecting "My Prerogative," which he also sang during Hollywood Week? And did the talkative Tatiana Del Toro do herself any favors by belting out "Saving All My Love for You" for the second week in a row?

There's an interesting answer to one of those questions, actually.
But first, say goodbye to the tears and the laughter (the really annoying laughter, anyway), because Tatiana's dramatic run has finally ended. Despite an impressive vocal on one of the tougher Whitney songs in the book, her big voice and Vote for the Worst-tailored personality weren't enough to get her over the final hump.

Jasmine Murray, 16, an early favorite who butchered "Love Song" last week, has another chance to endear herself to America after surprising the judges—Kara DioGuardi, especially—with her big, booming vocal.

Also retaining her early spot in the judges' starry eyes was Megan Corkrey, whose atypical voice massaged K.T. Tunstall's "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" into a very listenable snippet of what could be a burgeoning indie-inspired pop career.

At long last, after goodbyes had been said to Tatiana, Ricky Braddy, Jesse Langseth and Von Smith, dueling piano player Matt Giraud and Anoop-Dogg, who went out on a limb by redoing "My Prerogative," were the only ones left.

Although Simon didn't care for Matt's fedora and scarf (and we didn't really like his skinny black jeans and white shirt), and he thinks Anoop is just so darn likable… the judges went with Matt.
And Anoop, to make the first-ever Idol Top 13.

As a refresher, here are the still-in-it-to-win-it singers on tap to bring it next week:

• Kris Allen, 23
• Megan Corkrey, 22
• Anoop Desai, 21
• Matt Giraud, 23
• Danny Gokey, 28
• Alexis Grace, 21
• Allison Iraheta, 16
• Adam Lambert, 26
• Scott MacIntyre, 23
• Jasmine Murray, 16
• Jorge Nunez, 20
• Lil Rounds, 23
• Michael Sarver, 27
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