Kris Allen might sing the song “Heartless” if he heard this story.

Quincy Vanderbilt, 24, was served Tuesday with a misdemeanor for animal cruelty after he let a small terrier die in a hot car while the owner’s girlfriend waited to audition for “Idol” in Denver.

Temps hit a high of 91 in Denver that day. He left the windows up and by the time he checked in at 2 p.m, the dog was dead.

Denver Animal Care and Control officials said that it takes only minutes for a pet left in a vehicle on a warm day to succumb to heatstroke and suffocation. On a 78-degree day, for example, temperatures in a car parked in the shade can exceed 90 degrees — and hit a scorching 160 degrees if parked in the sun.

- Jordin Sparks has the top download of the week with “Battlefield,” which moves up from 17 to 15 on the top 40 charts, according to Mediabase 24/7.

Kelly Clarkson’s “I Do Not Hook Up,” peaked at No. 8 and is down to 16. It’s slipped to 15 on the Hot AC chart from 13.

Daughtry’s ‘No …

Continue reading North Dakota man lets dog die in hot car at “Idol” auditions in Denver »

Former Buckhead man Michael Johns from season seven is stopping by his old stomping grounds Tin Roof Cantina Friday evening at 7 p.m. He will do a meet and greet and play some tunes. He’s also going to be on Q100 that morning.

Tin Roof was the spot where his buds would watch the show every week last year. He worked in Buckhead for years earlier this decade, pre “Idol,” including Tin Roof Cantina. The restaurant/bar is on Briarcliff off North Druid Hills.

Johns has talked about moving back to Atlanta at some point in the future.

- “Idol” received eight Emmy nominations. There are two that really matter. “Idol” is up for outstanding reality program, the one the show loses every year to “The Amazing Race.” Ryan Seacrest is up again as best host in a reality program. Jeff Probst of Survivor won last year, the first year the category existed.

-MJ has the concert revenues for the first six concerts. It’s too early to make fair comparisons to the past few seasons but it’s looking to …

Continue reading Michael Johns at Tin Roof Cantina Friday; Idol gets 8 Emmy nominations »

Our Atlanta gal Diana DeGarmo has nabbed another theater gig: she is playing a sexy, blind librarian in the campy off-Broadway musical “The Toxic Avenger.”

From the press release:

“I am so excited to be coming back to New York to join the cast of The Toxic Avenger. When I saw the show, I laughed my head off. I can’t wait to start rehearsal – and to be blonde again!”

From her MySpace bulletin:

I am sooooo excited to be a part of such a zany, outrageous, AWESOME show! As of right now, I am only a part of the show for three months; so I hope you all can make it out!

Ladies, this is the show you OWE your husband, boyfriend, brother, best friend or anyone else who is too afraid of “musical theatre.” This is ROCK theatre! “The Toxic Avenger” will definitely leave you aching from laughter!!

And from the Broadway World description of the play itself:

The Toxic Avenger is a charming love story and laugh-out-loud musical that has it all — an unlikely hero, his beautiful girlfriend, a …

Continue reading Diana DeGarmo gets a role in off-Broadway’s “Toxic Avenger” »

Kris Allen maternal grandmother died, which means he has to skip out on Conan O’Brien tonight. Allison Iraheta is subbing in.

I am going to talk to Kris in advance of the “Idols Live” Duluth stop on July 31 on Friday. Any questions you want me to ask him, please email me at rho@ajc.com.

I’m also talking with Taylor Hicks Wednesday afternoon. He is on the “Grease” national tour playing the Teen Angel. Email me if you have questions for him as well.

-Denver drew an estimated 9,000 people to auditions Tuesday, comparable to the other cities.

-And note that Chris Daughtry’s new album came out Tuesday. Reviews are relatively kind but note that there are literally, no surprises in “Leave This Town.”

From the LA Times:

This is by-the-numbers arena rock, played with muscular competence by a relatively young band showing off its chops by executing successful formulas.

From the Houston Chronicle:

Leave This Town, online and in stores today, doesn’t stray far from the blustery …

Continue reading Kris Allen’s grandma dies, reviews of Daughtry’s new album, season one’s Kelli Glover on “America’s Got Talent” »

For the first time in the history of “Idols Live” tours, the coronation song is being dumped. Yes, that proves that “No Boundaries” is indeed a big fat turd of a song. So when Kris & Co. come to Atlanta on July 31, that song will be blissfully absent from the set list.

In Sacramento over the weekend, the tour decided to jettison the song after tepid feedback from the crowds. And nobody (including Kris Allen) cried any tears — except may co-writer Kara DioGuardi.

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I hated “No Boundaries” for its complete lack of an discernible hook, though I probably hated “Inside Your Heaven” (season four) the most, …

Continue reading Kris Allen ditches “No Boundaries” on tour »

As expected, Ryan Seacrest is getting a nifty raise. Reuters reports Seacrest will get about $45 million over three years, tripling his salary from the past few seasons.

The Wall Street Journal has slightly different numbers but comparable:

Seacrest will receive a total of $30 million for the next three seasons, as well as a $7.5 million signing bonus. In addition, 19 Entertainment paid $15 million last week for all Seacrest marketing rights related to “American Idol.”

This makes him the highest paid reality show host in America.

Seacrest has separate contracts for his morning radio show, the syndicated show heard locally on Star 94, his E! News responsibilities and AT40. He also executive produces “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” and “Denise Richards: It’s Complicated.”

-Over the weekend, the “Idols” from season eight continued its tour up the West Coast, hitting Sacramento and Oakland.

Jim Harrington from the Oakland Tribune, giving Adam Lambert props:

The one thing that …

Continue reading Ryan Seacrest gets $45 million, three year deal with “Idol,” Daughtry’s “Poker Face” »

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Dunwoody High School grad Ryan Seacrest is nearing a new contract to host “Idol” for three more years, according to Hollywood Reporter.

The pact, which is believed to be for three years, will give Seacrest a major pay raise and make him one of the highest-paid reality hosts on television. He made slightly less than $5 million this season for his work on “Idol,” which breaks down to about $100,000 per episode.

Seacrest may also work on a series with “Idol” creator Simon Fuller, the story says.

Somehow, I forgot to mention that Kara DioGuardi got married. She still hasn’t signed a new deal with “Idol.”

The talent competition’s freshest face married general contractor Mike McCuddy Sunday in Prospect Harbor, Maine, E! News confirms.

-MJ reports that Michael Johns and Brooke White are set to …

Continue reading Ryan Seacrest nears new megadeal with “Idol,” Kara DioGuardi gets married »

The “Idols Live” tour has hit several cities now in the Pacific Northwest. Reviews appear to be pretty good so far.

This Vancouver paper the Province gave it a B:

The concert had everything an Idol diehard could want: campy group numbers, questionable wardrobe decisions and flashes of star quality. Unfortunately, for half of the performers, this 52-city tour is probably as good as it’s going to get

The Seattle Times noted how much love Adam Lambert got:

If the number of earsplitting screams and shrieks erupting from every mention of his name or glimpse of his face on the JumboTron was any indication, glam rocker Adam Lambert was the superstar of the “American Idols Live!” 2009 summer tour’s concert Tuesday night at the Tacoma Dome.

Here’s Rolling Stone’s take on opening night:

The two biggest stars of the show — winner Kris Allen and runner-up Adam Lambert — embraced what endeared them to millions of fans throughout Season Eight. “Glambert” was out in full force, …

Continue reading Idol tour reviews »

If you missed Jennifer Hudson yesterday during the MJ memorial, check this out. She’s VERY pregnant: 

-Daughtry’s latest “Leave This Town” is up for preview listening on MTV.

Unfortunately, his aptly titled single “No Surprise” is struggling to make the top 20. The problem: the song literally offers no surprises at all. If you listen to the rest of it, tell us what you think.

Continue reading Jennifer Hudson at the MJ memorial, Daughtry preview »

CREDIT: Rodney Ho/rho@ajc.com

On Monday, I was able to grab a few minutes with Paula Abdul on the set of “Drop Dead Diva,” a new Lifetime show set to debut July 12.

I didn’t glean any definitive news about her status with “Idol.” But she sounded optimistic. “I will probably be back,” she told me. “What would Simon do without me?” She used stronger language with an AP reporter soon after, saying she was “confident” she’d be back next season. I’d say she is playing a bit coy simply to milk things while negotiations are ongoing. But I’d say it’s almost a done deal she’ll be back with a nice raise.

“I’m very proud of what I brought to the show from day one and helped build the empire,” she added. Here’s the unedited video of my interview:

On “Drop Dead Diva,” shot in Peachtree City, Abdul plays herself as a judge in a dream sequence featuring the lead character played by newcomer Brooke Elliott. Her episode will air in September.

CREDIT: John Bazemore/AP

During her sequence, …

Continue reading Interview with Paula Abdul on the set of “Drop Dead Diva” »