Host Matt Rogers in front of the big Kennesaw wall. CREDIT: Rodney Ho/rho@ajc.com

Matt Rogers, who finished 11th back in season three of “American Idol,” recently had lunch with Diana DeGarmo and her mom. He has been spending the past couple of weeks in a subdivision in Kennesaw hosting a new CBS reality show “There Goes The Neighborhood,” starting August 9.

“I’d be lying to you if I didn’t tell you I was doing cartwheels inside right now,” Rogers said, of this opportunity on TV’s No. 1 network.

Eight families are trapped inside their homes for three weeks as they get eliminated one by one. One family gets $250,000. Yes, it’s another one of those “social experiment” type reality shows. Here’s my video interview with Matt, who had a lot of charm in front of the camera but wasn’t the best singer. Sort of like Michael Sarver this past year though I forgot to mention that comparison to Matt.

Matt said his strong suit is hosting though he takes pride in his karaoke. He sang “You …

Continue reading Interview with Matt Rogers, host of Kennesaw reality show, Ace Young engaged, Syesha in “Dreamgirls” »

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I was covering the new reality show being shot in Kennesaw called “There Goes the Neighborhood” with Matt Rogers as host. I’ll post the video interview I did with him tomorrow. That’s why I’m late on this:

The “Idols Live” tour preview has been covered more extensively than I can ever remember, with a press tour, Twittering galore from the contestants and plenty of leaks of what songs will be sung. We in Atlanta will see the show in just a month (and yes, I’ll be there for an eighth time.)

According to Rolling Stone, Anoop Desai will do “My Prerogative” again. Kris Allen will do “Heartless” and have no choice but suffer through “No Boundaries.” Adam Lambert will do a medley of David Bowie songs and a tune by …

Continue reading “Idol” tour starting Sunday, Gene Simmons thinks Adam Lambert’s career is kaput »

Fox, for the first time, will air a repeat of “American Idol.” It will re-air season eight’s Michael Jackson themed edition on Monday from 8 to 10 p.m. As a recall, here were the performances that week:

Lil Rounds – “The Way You Make Me Feel” (Michael Jackson)
Scott MacIntyre – “Keep the Faith” (Michael Jackson)
Danny Gokey – “P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)” (Michael Jackson)
Michael Sarver – “You Are Not Alone” (Michael Jackson)
Jasmine Murray – “I’ll Be There” (The Jackson 5)
Kris Allen – “Remember the Time” (Michael Jackson)
Allison Iraheta – “Give In to Me” (Michael Jackson)
Anoop Desai – “Beat It” (Michael Jackson)
Jorge Núñez – “Never Can Say Goodbye” (The Jackson 5)
Megan Joy – “Rockin’ Robin” (Michael Jackson)
Adam Lambert – “Black or White” (Michael Jackson)
Matt Giraud – “Human Nature” (Michael Jackson)
Alexis Grace – “Dirty Diana” (Michael Jackson)

MJ, that workhorse, compiled more than 30 comments about MJ by various Idols off Twitter.

Here are a few:

Anoop Desai: …

Continue reading Idol to repeat Michael Jackson theme show Monday, Idols Twitter about MJ »

Good to see Jordin Sparks is not suffering any major case of sophomore slump. Her current single “Battlefield” jumps from 25 to 19 on the Mediabase 24/7 top 40 chart. The song’s ranked No. 18 on Star 94 and No. 21 on Q100 locally.

Idol Chatter reports the song moved 55,000 copies last week, the most of any “Idol” and up 41% from the week before.

Daughtry’s “No Surprise” is not climbing the top 40 charts the way some of his early hits did. It’s up to 27 from 30. I’m not sure if it is going to even make the top 10 but it is top 10 on the Hot AC chart. The song has sold 337K in digital downloads so far. David Cook’s “Come Back To Me” has gotten zero traction on the top 40 charts but is No. 11 on the Hot AC chart. “I Do Not Hook Up” remains in the top 10 for Kelly Clarkson with 444K sold so far (while “My Life Would Suck Without You” is very close to selling 2 million downloads.)

Kellie Pickler’s “Best Days of Your Life,” which has been on the country chart for more than six …

Continue reading Jordin Sparks has another hit on her hands with Battlefield »

Gwinnett Arena yesterday announced more tickets available for just $14.99 for the Demi Lovato/David Archuleta concert June 29. Tickets were set at $39.50 to $49.50.

Clearly, sales have been slow for them to offer this sale up TWICE. As Archie fans noted, some folks may not be willing to shell out that much just to see a 50 minute set by Archie instead of a full concert and may not care enough about Disney star Lovato. Also, Archuleta was not given much billing, if at all. It’s considered a “Demi Lovato” concert on the Ticketmaster page.

Here’s a review of the concert out of Allentown, PA:

In his 50-minute, 11-song set, Archuleta drew screams not just for great singing – his big notes on “Hold On” and “You Can” were worthy – but for just being a crowd-pleasing young guy. (He also got screams just for a small hand wave when his back-lit shadow appeared on the closed curtain before it rose for him.)

-And good news for Archie fans– his album has been certified gold, …

Continue reading The Demi Lovato/David Archuleta $14.99 deal is back, Sanjaya off lousy show »

I spoke with former Buckhead man and season 7 finalist Michael Johns last month in advance of his soulful first album “Hold Back My Heart,” out today. Listen to it at AOL here.

Since I last spoke with him last December at Gwinnett Arena for a charity tennis tourney, he’s been too busy to come back to Atlanta.

And that’s a good thing. He’s gotten to work with David Foster. He got to perform for Muhammad Ali. He’s gotten to share the stage with Josh Grobin, Bon Jovi and Sam Moore. “It’s been a great run,” he said.

The experience, post “Idol,” he said, “is surreal. I just find if you’re willing to work hard, there are so many doors that open, platforms you could be on. If you keep your nose to the grindstone, work, work, work, you can really get a career.”

Did he watch season eight? “You want to stay in touch with what’s going on but I was working so much,” he said. “I didn’t get to sink my teeth into it like I used to do. What I saw, I enjoyed.” He got to attend the finale …

Continue reading 6/23: Michael Johns interview, new album Hold Back My Heart out today »

Ryan Seacrest, who executive produces dreck such as “Keeping With the Kardashians” and “Denise Richards: It’s Complicated,” is now teaming up with Lindsay Lohan for a reality show. But it’s not going to be “Lindsay Lohan: She’s Annoying.”

“Met with Lindsay last night about a show idea I have for her…it helps people and gives others a second shot!” Seacrest wrote on Twitter. “Still putting it all together.”

Sounds a little early to say if Lindsay will simply co-executive produce or host or be in the show at all.

“Idol” has the listing of the June 30 release of its compilation CD. These CDs are kind of obsolete now, though, since you can now download individual tracks. And who actually wants Kris Allen’s “No Boundaries”? But “Idol” has to push that single and give Kara some songwriting royalties!

1. Kris Allen – No Boundaries
2. Danny Gokey – Stand By Me
3. Allison Iraheta – I Can’t Make You Love Me
4. Matt Giraud – Human Nature
5. Adam Lambert – Mad World
6. Kris Allen – …

Continue reading 6/22: Ryan Seacrest working with Lindsay Lohan, tracks for “Idol” compilation album »

At Q100 studios last fall when David visited. CREDIT: Rodney Ho/rho@ajc.com

David Archuleta’s dad pleads no contest in prostitution ring, according to the Salt Lake Tribune.

Midvale police cited 47-year-old James J. Archuleta on Jan. 14 at a massage parlor called Queens Reiki, 7350 S. State Street, said Sgt. John Salazar.

Midvale Justice Court records show that Archuleta took a no contest plea in abeyance on Jan. 30. He paid a $582 court fee and completed a counseling class. The case will be dismissed at the end of the month if he doesn’t repeat the crime.

The newspaper said he was cited for solicitation of prostitution and was, um, “sexually gratified” by one of the masseuse girls, according to a police spokesman.

Sorry I was so late on this bit of news but I was a bit busy yesterday.

- USA Today’s Idol Chatter broke the news that former Buckhead resident Carly Smithson from season seven has formed a band with former members of Evanescence. It’s called Fallen. How apropos …

Continue reading 6/19: David Archuleta’s dad gets into a bit of trouble, Carly Smithson’s new band, Radar report on four judges contradicted »

I probably could have found a way to sneak inside but having seen it before, I figured it wasn’t much different this time around.

According to folks who did try out, they set up 14 tables along the football field from endzone to endzone. They brought people up to each table in groups of four. The winners exited one side, everybody else the other. The folks who didn’t make it had their pink wristbands ceremoniously snipped before leaving via the “stairs of shame” outside Gate E of the Dome. Many of the rejected trudged up the stairs like they had just been through a world war.

Carl Lubbe, 28, a Roswell singer with the band Taveren, didn’t get past round one after coming by for “kicks and giggles.” He estimated how many people funneled people through the first hour based on the pacing and the number of tables. He calculated “Idol” first-round judges heard at least 800 people and passed through maybe 10. The Dome audience would cheer everytime someone got the ticket to move …

Continue reading 6/18: More from Idol auditions, including that America’s Got Talent gal »

The 10,000-plus people are now inside the Dome and being made to sing the “group song,” which is “Oops… I Did it Again” by Britney Spears. The reason? “Idol” has been here five times so they thought this song would be a good theme. (I’ve been here four times.)

I caught a few of the smokers outside one of the entrances who were sick of singing that song over and over again.

“When I came in this morning and they were playing it, I was fine,” said Kate Lovely, 18, of Atlanta. “When they made me sing it 20 times, I was I totes oves it.” (That’s her cute way of saying “totally over it.”) She admitted the smoking (American Spirit) “does nothing but harm me… but I can’t stop.” Lovely is planning to sing “Hot and Cold” by Katy Perry.

Kate Lovely of Atlanta and Cat Brown of Alpharetta take a cigarette break outside Idol auditions. CREDIT: Rodney Ho/rho@ajc.com

Her fellow Georgia State student Cat Brown, 19, of Alpharetta, tried to look on the bright side of the cigarettes (Marlboro …

Continue reading 6/18: Oops, I’m at auditions again »