There were so many stars on the red carpet last night for the American Idol season 8 finale that I wouldn’t even dream of trying to list them here. 

Of course, there were the finalists, Kris Allen and Adam Lambert, along with the rest of the Top 13 and judges but the celebrities (and former contestants) came out in droves to see who would win the singing competition. 

It looks like season four winner, Carrie Underwood, hurt her knee somehow since she’s got her “owie” all covered up with four Hello Kitty bandaids. She still managed to look absolutely fabulous!

SEE MORE GREAT RED CARPET PICS AFTER THE JUMP!

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Over the weekend, Clay Aiken was a special guest at the David Foster and Friends show in Las Vegas (May 9, 2009).  He looked fantastic (did anyone find video of an actual performance?) and I hope he had a good time while he was there (it was at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino which I really love!). 

I was able to find this collection of pictures from the performance set to the Leona Lewis version “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.”  Enjoy, Claymates!

American Idol season 2 winner, Ruben Studdard, has released the video for his single “Together.”  I really like the song which is from his upcoming album Love IS (available on May 19, 2009).  The video is pretty cute too.

Here’s the tracklisting from the album which was produced by the dynamic duo, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.  I’m looking forward to hearing the full album because I think they, along with Ruben, could make a really great combination.

1. Together
2. More Than Words
3. Song For Her
4. How You Make Me Feel
5. Don’t Make ‘Em Like U No More
6. I Can’t Help It
7. Just Because
8. My Love Is A Rock
9. The Long and Winding Road
10. For the Good Times
11. We Got Love (That’s Enough)
12. Footprints in the Sand

Enjoy the video and let me know what you think of it:

image: Amazon

As you get ready for tonight’s results show, why not test your American Idol knowledge?  How much do you really know about our favorite reality singing competition?

Parade.com asked me to create an online quiz for them and I have to say that I had fun doing it.  I tried to come up with questions that are challenging so I hope you will give it a shot!  Take the American Idol Quiz!

When you’re done, come back and tell me about it.  Also, make sure you check out the other cool quizzes on Parade.com!

American Idol star, Clay Aiken, will be on this week’s episode of America’s Next Top Model.  I’m pretty excited because I think he will be helping judge the acting skills of the contestants.  I know it’s off-topic but do I have Top Model fans out there?  Come back here after the show and tell me what you thought!

The episode airs on Wednesday night and he recently divulged a couple things about the experience:

• It was interesting to be on the judging side of a reality television program. 
• He felt unqualified to comment on fashion since he wears “a UNICEF t-shirt and University of Tennessee pajama pants.”

He also revealed that he is being courted by several labels and is enjoying the feeling of being pursued rather than the other way around: “All three look enticing, and I’m in the luxurious position of letting them sit down and come to me,” he said.

Wow!  It looks like Clay’s life and career continue to change in positive ways for him and I’m so glad!  I hope this turns out to be a great year!

image: Newscom

American Idol season two runner-up, Clay Aiken, attending the GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) Awards for the first of, what I’m sure will be, many times.  He looked really dapper at the event wearing a pink shirt and suit (in the picture below with Tyra Banks, who was presented with the “Excellence in Media” award).

I also was able to scrounge up a couple videos of Clay arriving at the event.  They aren’t anything super amazing but I know my Claymates will appreciate it anyway!

image: Newscom

Sister 2 Sister magazine publisher, Jamie Foster Brown, caught up with American Idol season 2 winner, Ruben Studdard, and took the opportunity to ask him about his new album, as well as clear up some rumors. 

He talked about his upcoming album (due out the day before Mother’s Day) on which he had the chance to work with Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis who, in case you aren’t familiar with them, have an incredible track record in the industry.  I’m really looking forward to hearing what they came up with! When Jamie asked what fans can expect from the album, Ruben said: “It’s just a lot of great, classic songs. I got a chance to do a record with some guys that I looked up to in my adolescence, and that’s Boyz II Men. Yeah, I did a song with them, a Bryan Adams record, “Heaven.” I did a song with Kenny G, “Careless Whispers.” It’s just a lot of great music.  Terry kept saying that he wanted us to pick songs that people can really see the Ruben that they voted for [in] and not somebody that let people pick the songs. They just wanted to hear I could really, really sing.

Ruben also explained why his album The Return, released in October 2006, was pulled from the shelves: “Man, the record company (J Records) designed my cover, my inserts… You know Louis Vuitton?  They kind of got upset about it. Yeah, that’s what happened. Me, I got sued. Britney Spears, DaBrat, Alicia Keys—we all got sued for using their logo as a part of our product.”

In the end, J Records’ “parent company, Sony BMG, was sued for trademark infringement by LVMH. All of the label’s music that featured Louis Vuitton’s toile monogram and multi-colored logo had to be removed from stores, and the label had to pay LVMH 100,000 euros.”

Fortunately, the album is being repackaged so fans will be able to get it along with the new one that is coming out this spring.

Ruben also tells Sister 2 Sister about how he ended up changing labels, the current status of his relationship with his godfather who has been missing since he stole money from the Idol champ and more.  Pick up the March issue to read it all – it’s on newsstands now!

If you need a little more Ruben in the meantime, here’s a cute video of Ruben explaining how he wanted to propose to his wife, Zuri, and how he eventually did it, after his first two plans were ruined.

image and quotes used with permission

I cannot put up pictures yet of what I saw while I was inside the American Idol Experience attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios but I can tell you a few things! There were five finalists and we were given instructions about how to vote for the person we liked best (there’s a voting panel on the armrests).  The only problem is that you can accidentally change the vote of the person sitting next to you, which happened to me (fortunately, it was my husband).

At the event, all of the former American Idol winners were brought on stage where they were presented with awards made especially for this occasion (they looked like old-fashioned microphones).  This was the first and only time that I saw Kelly Clarkson. 

Season 7 winner, David Cook, did an acoustic version of his hit, “Light On” and then season 4 winner, Carrie Underwood, also performed an acoustic rendition of her song “All-American Girl.”  They pair then sang “You Can Go Your Own Way” together and it was such a good duet that a lot of people were later saying they should actually record and release it as a single.

There was also a pretty hilarious exchange between Ryan Seacrest and Paula Abdul while they spoke to the “contestants” before the performances.  Paula went over to give them tips on how to relax and when she started massaging one girl’s shoulder, Ryan said something like “now, remember Paula about the rules regarding contestants?”  The audience booed but we also laughed when Ryan referenced the situation with former contestant, Corey Clark, who alleged that he had an inappropriate relationship with Paula.

That’s basically all I’m at liberty to say but, in the meantime, here’s a video that walks you through the attraction:

image: Jyle Dupuis

I just came back from the private opening of the American Idol Experience at Walt Disney World’s Hollywood Studios and I had a blast.  I’m thoroughly exhausted but it really was a lot of fun.  Disney really knows how to put on a show and I am extremely grateful to them for the fabulous trip!

I will cover the event in three parts (motorcade, American Idol Experience show and the after-party) over the next three days.  Today, I’ll kick things off by telling you all about the American Idol motorcade. 

The blue carpet was rolled out for the stars and one by one.  Mickey Mouse got things started but was then followed by Justin Guarini (runner-up, season 1).  He looked great and was all smiles for the fans and the media.
Next was Chris Sligh (finalist, season 6).  He talked a little bit about how his song “Here Comes Goodbye” was picked up by Rascal Flatts and is actually the first single off of their new album.

It was a star-studded event.  Check out more pictures including Carrie Underwood, David Cook and David Archuleta after the jump!

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Wow!  I was so surprised when Erin from over on Top Model Gossip sent me an  email to let me know that American Idol star, Clay Aiken, was going to be a guest on America’s Next Top Model.

My first question was about what he was going to be doing?  Quick answer – he’ll be a guest just on the episode airing on April 8, 2009. 

Do you guys watch Top Model?  Most of the men on the show are gay (which I have ABSOLUTELY no problem with) and the show is about fashion (which I sometimes have a problem with).  I love the show even though I prefer Jay Manuel to Tyra Banks (he hosts the Canadian version of the show too so we get double the Jay!) but when you consider the on-screen jokes with Rosie O’Donnell, the pictures of him and his rumored boyfriend, Reed Kelly, canoodling in a photo booth and now this, I can’t help but notice how quickly Clay has jumped into being so open.  I don’t mind it at all – I think people should be who they are with no reservations – but I’m just saying that I’m surprised he went from being a closeted gay man to this extremely open and out gay man.

Discuss.  What do you think?  Is it too much too fast?  Not fast enough?

image: Bauer-Griffin