It’s the only way to explain why he brought a hulking, 7-foot tall bodyguard to the celebrity-heavy “Spamalot” third anniversary party at Pigalle on Wednesday night, which Sawyer attended with husband Mike Nichols. “Clay stood there with the bodyguard all night,” said our spy. “He stays a few feet away from him and follows him around. Apparently, Clay gets mobbed by fans, but this party was just other celebrities, so it was peculiar.”

(source)

Hey, Nick Cokas. Guess what? You can go back to laying on the couch and doing nothing. No need for you to keep pretending to search for a job that you had never wanted in the first place. Your new wife, got a job. It only pays $250,000 a year before taxes, agency commissions, lawyer fees, publicist fees, and greedy husbands, but it is at least enough that Nick can sit on his ass for a little longer.

Katharine McPhee is the new face of Neutrogena. No, not the entire company. Not even the aging line or the other good ones already taken by Hayden Panettiere or Vanessa Hudgens or Mischa Barton. No, Katharine is going to be the face of their anti-acne product line. So, Katharine will get a whole bunch of photos taken of her with no makeup and some big red marks which may or may not be zits, and then voila they will vanish thanks to Neutrogena. Meanwhile, Nick will be piling on the pounds at the craft service table, yelling encouraging things, while asking for a part for himself and hitting on anything that looks like it has the possibility of making more money than Katharine.

On a side note, I believe that is one whole dollar in Nick’s hand for the valet. Last of the big spenders there Nick. If you are trying to save money, use a meter. Otherwise tip the valet the money that Katharine gave you to tip him and not pocket half for yourself.

Bo Bice

Idol Camp, the only performing arts summer camp inspired and brought to you by the producers of the nation’s #1 television phenomenon, “American Idol”, is opening its doors for the second year with a roster full of Idol alums scheduled to make guest visits and mentor young campers. The camp today announced that its 2008 line-up of former “American Idol” contestants will include Grammy-nominated artist and Season 5 finalist Ace Young, Season 4 runner-up Bo Bice and Season 3 finalist Jon Peter Lewis among others. These artists will help instruct classes, perform during evening activities and share personal insights for campers during an intensive two-week session aimed at advancing campers skills across a wide range of disciplines. The final, April 18th, application deadline for Idol Camp is quickly approaching and families are encouraged to sign-up now at www.idolcamp.com. Two of the Idols named for this summer’s sessions are making repeat performances. Both Jon Peter Lewis and Ace Young attended last year’s Idol Camp and are coming back for more. According to Judy Lieber, Jon’s manager, “Jon had such a fantastic experience last year, you couldn’t keep him away this year if you tried.”More favorite Idol finalists are slated to appear this year and additional talent will be announced as more Idol alumni and celebrity talent join in the fun. A highlight from last year’s star-studded camp sessions was a stellar performance by R&B superstar Macy Gray who attended one of the sessions and helped instruct several classes. “This is everything we could’ve hoped for when we launched Idol Camp last year. Seeing the camp in session and the way the kids responded really showed everyone here that this was something that could only get bigger and we’re making sure the 2008 season is just that,” said Shannon Pruitt, Vice President, Fremantle Media Enterprises in North America. Idol Camp 2008 will be comprised of five two-week summer sessions to choose from, with up to 150 campers per session. Session dates are June 15 - June 28, June 29 - July 12, July 13 - July 26, July 27 - August 9, August 10 - August 23. Enrollment is open to U.S. residents, 10 to 15 years of age, who display a desire for personal growth and passion for the arts. Idol Camp honors a diverse cross-section of educational backgrounds and opportunities.

Amanda Overmyer sang “Back in the U.S.S.R.” - and now, she’s going back home.

The 23-year-old nurse from Mulberry, Ind., was voted off “American Idol” Wednesday, leaving 10 hopefuls to vie for the title and record contract.

Overmyer - a crowd-pleasing performer with streaked hair and a flair for southern rock - seemed to take her departure from the Fox show in stride.

“It’s been a run. … No. 11 out of all them people is more than I could expect,” she told host Ryan Seacrest.

Carly Smithson and Kristy Lee Cook were the other lowest vote-getters.

Cook, a 24-year-old from Selma, Ore., has been a bottom-three fixture in the past weeks and the finalist that judge Simon Cowell picks on the most.

Cowell - who has called Cook “forgettable” and compared her voice to “Dolly Parton on helium” - continued his harsh criticism Tuesday after the country singer’s take on the Beatles’ “You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away.”

“(You’re) like musical wallpaper, insomuch as you notice it, but you can’t remember it,” he said. “And that’s what you’re doing week after week: You’re making no impact.”

Cook talked back to the acid-tongued judge, saying: “I can blow you out of your socks, and you know it.”

Wednesday’s “Idol” featured a performance by season-five finalist Kellie Pickler.

Seacrest also announced this year’s roster of celebrity mentors: Parton, Mariah Carey, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Neil Diamond.

I know the pain of not getting into see a favorite show. Each year I would enter the Saturday Night Live lottery for tickets, and each year would never get in. Nothing. Not even the dress rehearsal, which by the way is actually the show you want to see because you get to see more stuff, and you decide what the rest of the country sees. It took years and years and years, and I never got in the regular way. I didn’t have the patience to stand outside and hope to get in. Each Saturday people would line up to try and get in which was only possible if the lottery winners didn’t come and if you got in the line about 18 hours before showtime. I did finally get in to see the show one year, but it was through the musical guest. A couple of us sat there in the audience for the dress rehearsal and for the show. Because of me, a couple of people in the standby line who had been waiting for 18 hours didn’t get in to see the show. I feel guilty now.

I got an e-mail from someone last week, and I am going to take out all the identifying information, although I will say they do comment all the time.

I GOT AMERICAN IDOL TIX!! IT ONLY TOOK A YEAR, but I finally got them. Will see the taping and not the rehearsal!!

Pretty cool huh? Think they were excited? I was really happy for them. It is so cool when people get that excited about something.

Here is the e-mail I got today from the same person.

Didn’t get in last night — they had more vip’s than anticipated so they bumped the back 1/3 of the line.

The back 1/3 of the line? So, American Idol let me get this straight. You have people who have been waiting for a year or more to get tickets, and have in some cases planned vacations around these tickets when they finally get them, get bumped because VIP’s who could not even get on the Surreal Life are crashing the show?

Kids are left crying, the ones in the wheelchairs rolled home, just so some guy from the first season of Temptation Island can score with this girl he has been trying to date. I understand how the ticket system works at American Idol. No one is guaranteed to get in even with a ticket. I understand that. However, the vast majority of people when they are notified by American Idol to be at the show on a specific date after a year or more of waiting think they are getting in.

I understand about slightly overbooking the show because some people are not going to show up. But overbooking by 1/3 is outrageous. “Sorry folks. Head back to Kansas or wherever you come from. We’ll put you back on the wait list and maybe you will get in next year. Don’t care if you hate us or are mad at us or even watch us again. We are television Gods and don’t need you. Now make way for the judge from Celebrity Boxing.”

Simon Cowell may not be so mean after all.

The American Idol judge, 48, gave the family of a cancer-stricken 3-year-old $162,000 to pay off their mortgage, he announced on Oprah Winfrey’s Big Give show on Monday.

The family drives more than 100 miles from their Minnesota home every day so their daughter, Madelaine, can receive treatments.

“It’s a very basic story of a normal family whose daughter got very ill, and they had some financial problems which was relatively easy for me to sort out,” Cowell explained to Extra.

On the show, he told Winfrey that he “credits her” for teaching him to be a do-gooder.

Said Cowell, “I never knew that doing good could feel so good.”

(source)

Simon Cowell

American Idol’s Simon Cowell has a new strange hobby. He likes to spy on his neighbors.The music king installed a telescope in the kitchen of his Los Angeles mansion after watching the 1979 movie 10, in which actor Dudley Moore’s character snoops on a nearby resident.He says, “I saw that Dudley Moore film and it was great. Afterwards, I got a telescope installed in my kitchen so I can spy on people. I look out over the Hollywood Hills into my neighbors’ gardens. It’s an amazing view.”It isn’t powerful enough to see into their homes, so you can’t see them in the shower, but you can see into their gardens. It’s great fun. I just like to keep an eye on what is happening.”

<85%;color:#339999;">Photo By: Henry Flores/BuzzFoto

Has Ryan Seacrest found love? An insider close to Ryan’s inner circle is confirming that the American Idol and E! host has been seeing Sunset Tan star Holly “Olly” Huddleston for a few months now. Ryan has managed to keep the relationship hush-hush since the couple started dating, but Holly has been seen recently backstage at Idol tapings, adding fuel to the rumor mill. Ryan, 33, and Holly, 22, reportedly met through a mutual E! network connection.

For more, check out the new In Touch, on sale now.

(photo © Fox)

Top Row L-R: Amanda Overmyer, Jason Castro, David Cook, Chikezie, Michael Johns, Carly Smithson and Kristie Lee Cook.

Bottom Row L-R: Syesha Mercado, David Hernandez, Ramiele Malubay, Brooke White and David Archuleta.

It only took us to two months to get to American Idol 7’s Top 12 and I still don’t know who most of them are. That is why I posted their names because I am assuming most of you don’t know who they are either. But don’t worry in two weeks we will know everything about them…not like we haven’t learned some interesting things already about David Hernandez and Ramiele Malubay.

Let the horrible theme nights begin…

UPDATE: ETonline asked David Hernandez and the Top 12 about his past work…

Believe it or not Simon Cowell could have been the face of viagra if he would have said yes to their offer according to The Sun. 

“Last year my agent rang me and said ’You’ve been offered an incredibly big £1 million deal. It’s to be the face of Viagra’.

“And I just said ’Sorry, but that has to be a f****** insult’.”

I wonder why they chose him? What do they know about him?

You can’t go wrong starting off with Elijah Kelley. It would have started off wrong if you could see what he was wearing on his feet though.
Nothing special about this photo of Courteney Cox, but I think she deserves a little love. Two weeks ago FX was running a Dirt marathon. It was the first time I had seen the show and I have to say that I really liked it. Much better than Friends ever was.
Ashley Olsen changed her look and dare I say it. She looks almost sexy. Almost.
This is the last time I show and photos of Andrew G until he decides to change his look. I bet that if you go back through all the photos of him on this site, they all look just about the same. Noa Tishby on the other hand always changes it up and always looks great.
Not really gossip at all, but for all of you that read Anne Frank, this is the boy she had a crush on. It is the first time a photo of Peter Schiff has ever been discovered.
I must be in a really good mood because I am about to say that Mischa Barton looks halfway decent. I wonder what she could be mailing. I didn’t even know mail existed anymore except for the purpose of Netflix rentals.
Blossom. Mayim Bialik doesn’t look much different at all.
Wow. I am counting at least three different parts to Jon Voight’s rug and none of them match.
Hayden Panettiere looks like she is about 12 here even with the cleavage. I guess she did the cleavage thing since she was a guest of Mario Lopez.
Rhys Wakefield seems way to smug about his date with Gemma Ward. I know nothing about the two so if someone tells me they are brother and sister or something then I take back the date comment.
Rod Stewart - Sydney
Miley Cyrus is probably laughing on the inside. If Randy Jackson did this to me, I would be laughing on the outside. Tears streaming down my face.
Wow. I hope this is a really bad wig that Rachel Bilson found in the back of the closet that Hayden was hiding in.
The thing about Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly is they love each other. Crazy, but a great couple.
If Maria Conchita Alonso was there it can only mean there was an open bar inside.
I don’t really have anything to say about Zac Posen, just put him up because he was there and I liked the suit.
Valerie Harper. You could not turn on a television in the 1970’s without this woman being on some channel at some point in the night.
One of my favorite people in the world, Vanessa Carlton.
Don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.
Snoop Dogg - Detroit

 (photo from American Idol)

TMZ is reporting that Bo Bice wanna be, former-boy bander Robbie Carrico is wearing a wig. Now that I look at the picture that does look like a wig. I say a man who wants to be a rock star and is so desperate to that he is wearing a wig is a loser. Real rockers don’t wear wig unless they get their own dating show on Vh1! To quote another boy band…Bye Bye Bye!

American Idol judge Paula Abdul is slamming the critics and media for branding music mogul Simon Cowell a homosexual, claiming he is just “comfortable in his own skin”. Despite a longtime relationship with girlfriend Terri Seymour, Cowell is still scrutinised by the media about his sexuality, much to Abdul’s disgust.The hit singer is sick of the constant rumors and claims even to like her co-judge herself. She tells Britain’s Star magazine, “People say that all the time but no, he’s not! His brother always jokes and says that he’s gay but Simon has fun with it now. He’s very comfortable in his skin.”He’s been doing more push-ups lately. There’s no excuse for him to dress that way.”

Acid-tongued music mogul SIMON COWELL has slammed Sunday night’s Academy Awards - because the Oscars “reek of snobbery”.

The American Idol judge believes the ceremony - which exclusively rewards work on movies - looks down on TV series and television stars; and Cowell even claims he’s viewed as “evil” in Hollywood circles. He says, “They think I’m the antichrist. They don’t like us TV people to be part of it - it’s ridiculous. It reeks of snobbery.” And Cowell insists he wouldn’t want to attend the star-studded event because he hates Tinseltown. He adds, “I have nothing to do with the Oscars - and nor do I want to. I’ll only go if someone has invited me. “I hate the whole movie industry. It’s so stuck up I can’t bear it.”

(source)