How Phillip Phillips won ‘American Idol’ : Media Social Gossip

Associated News
LOS ANGELES  -- From the moment he first stepped in front of the judges and unleashed a folksy take on Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” guitar-playing crooner Phillip Phillips seemed preordained to win “American Idol,” and not just because he’s another white guy with a guitar, the all-too-familiar profile of the previous four “Idol” champions.

“I’m just lucky,” the former pawn shop worker said Wednesday night in his backstage dressing room after his win.

It was more than just luck that helped Phillips easily overcome 16-year-old mini-diva Jessica Sanchez to become the Fox talent competition’s 11th season victor. The combination of his goofy personality, ah-shucks Southern humility, rebelliousness, risk-taking originality and, yes, those good looks kept him at the front of the pack all season long.

While he is indeed a WGWG—the “Idol” fan term for “white guys with guitars”—Phillips differentiated himself with a musical style that was grittier than past winners David Cook, Kris Allen, Lee DeWyze and Scotty McCreery, as well his competitors with much wider vocal ranges, like gospel singer Joshua Ledet and soaring vocalist Hollie Cavanagh.

Mostly, Phillips was just so darn charming. When given the opportunity, he always excelled at genuinely letting his personality shine through on the show, often as much of a challenge as hitting the right notes. He established a silly bromance with finalist Heejun Han and seemed downright distraught at the unexpected dismissal of alt-rocker Colten Dixon.

Despite Sanchez’s unstoppable voice and a savvy-beyond-her-years approach, she was essentially living on borrowed time after she was supposed to be eliminated but was saved by the judges. She realized that during Top Three week.

“I told Phillip, ‘You’re gonna win this whole thing,’ and he was like, ‘Nah, I’m not,”’ recalled Sanchez backstage. “I’m like, ‘Yes, you are.’ I don’t think he totally believed that, and I totally believed it. I just went out in this competition after that moment and just sang. Phillip’s gonna win, anyway. I might as well just sing my heart out.”

The total votes for each singer weren’t released, but it was likely a landslide for Phillips, who accomplished his feat despite serious kidney problems that plagued him all season.

Several online outfits predicted he would take home the top prize: the “Idol” title and a record contract. DialIdol.com, which tracks busy signals on the phone lines dedicated to each contestant, correctly projected Phillips as the winner Wednesday morning.

The Leesburg, Ga., native never appeared at the bottom of the pack, a testament not only to his die-hard fan base that kept him safe but also to some of his more talked-about performances. Like the time he turned Usher’s “U Got It Bad” into an acoustic ditty or unleashed a flawless take on the obscure—for “Idol,” anyway—Damien Rice tune “Volcano.”

“I’m excited to do my album,” said Phillips. “I know it’s going to be challenging because a lot of opinions will be coming my way, but it’s like the show, I know my music. I know how I want it. I’m not trying to win Grammys or be famous or anything.”

Phillips’ future success, as with all “Idol” winners before him, will be determined by record sales, not viewer votes. With his folksy singer-songwriter leanings, Phillips could capture the public’s attention in the same way that Arcade Fire, Bon Iver and Mumford and Sons have or, like ninth season winner DeWyze, he could just fade into obscurity.

Media Social News

Phillip Phillips Wins ‘American Idol’ Season 11 : Media Social Gossip

Well, America, after Wednesday night’s (May 23) never-ending assembly line of celebrity guests and sequined bodysuits, you and your world record 132 million votes gave us a shocker, but not really, because the guys always win American Idol. Fellow citizens, even though in the end it really doesn’t matter who gets to call themselves the winner, you got it wrong. Yes, Phillip Phillips is a good performer, and his voice has character, and he would presumably write his own songs, which is admirable. Media social gossip.
Phil is energetic, likable and earnest, and we’re sure he’ll have some success. But listening to him, it’s just nice. That’s it. Jessica Sanchez has a vocal gift. Her voice has the power to move you, to make your eyes well up, and to literally move you as in “get you to stand up out of your chair and throw your hands on top of your head because you can’t believe what you’re hearing.” By this reality singing competition’s eleventh season, let’s all just admit that the “crowd-sourcing our stars” experiment has officially failed.
Jessica proved that on her “And I Am Telling You…” duet with its original singer, Jennifer Holliday, in a performance that probably had a lot of people wishing they could take back their Phillip votes. You guys, this performance, what can we even say about it?! A 16-year-old has NO BUSINESS holding her own with a legendary power singer like that. It was the impressive spectacle we knew she was capable of, and exactly what she was missing on Tuesday night (May 22).
So while it was heartwarming to see Phil break down in tears in the middle of singing “Home” after his victory, Jessica’s duet is the moment people will remember from Season 11.
So how did we get to that last dramatic light-dimming and announcement? The show started with the season 11 rejects all in white (take THAT, Memorial Day fashion police) singing Bruno Mars‘ “Runaway Baby.” It felt like years ago that we had last heard the likes of Colton Dixon, Shannon Magrane, Jeremy Rosado, and Erika Van Pelt singing. But for the most part everyone sounded good.
Next, Phil was joined by the legendary John Fogerty for Creedence Clearwater Revival‘s “Have You Ever Seen The Rain?” and “Bad Moon Rising.” Yes, the author of your parents’ favorite anti-war anthem “Fortunate Son” was now performing on the Idol stage. Times they are a-changin’.
Then Joshua Ledet took the stage with his inspiration, Season 3 winner Fantasia, for Elton John‘s “Take Me To The Pilot.” And there was so much improvised screeching coming from both parties that the performance got cut off by the commercial break. Now that there’s no competition on the line, Josh apparently had no qualms about straight-up screaming through an entire song.
The ladies of the Top 12 were up next, with a medley of Chaka Khan‘s “Ain’t Nobody” and “Through The Fire” before a surprise visit from Chaka herself on “I’m Every Woman.”  Even today her voice cuts right through the air like a soulful ninja star.
Rihanna next took the stage for her latest smash hit “Where Have You Been” while sporting her new dreads. Whereas her SNL performance consisted mainly of crotch-patting, this one involved a laser pyramid, sky-dancers, shirtless tribal drummers, and overall she was more active and entertaining.
BY MEDIA SOCIAL GOSSIP

Michael McKean Hit By Car in NYC : Media Social Gossip

Actor Michael McKean, star of Best In Show and perhaps more notably the lead singer in the movie This is Spinal Tap, was hit by a car in New York City.

His spokeswoman, Harriet Sternberg, said the actor suffered a broken leg.

Emergency officials say McKean was struck at West 86th Street and Broadway in Manhattan just before 3 p.m. Tuesday and rushed to St. Luke’s hospital.

Police said he was in stable condition. They had no further details.

McKean also played Lenny on the hit show Laverne & Shirley. He is currently starring in the Broadway production of Gore Vidal’s political drama.
BY Media Social Gossip

Lolo Jones Talks Virginity, Says She Was a ‘Professional Shoplifter’ : Media Social Gossip

Track star Lolo Jones bared all during a recent documentary aired on ESPN (media social gossip), and the athlete discussed in depth the frustrations of growing up poor and her struggles to remain a virgin before marriage.

Now 29, Jones talks about growing up in a family of six raised mostly by a single mom. Living at the Salvation Army, she speaks of shame when interacting with her peers, waking up early in order to avoid friends at day camp learning she slept in the same building’s basement.
Of her struggles to avoid others noticing how poor her family was, Lolo Jones says she became adept at stealing from grocery stores. She explains:
“I definitely would say, by sixth grade, I was a professional shoplifter- and not because I wanted to. I’m not going out to shoplift earrings or clothes or shoes like the average teenager… I was shoplifting frozen dinners at a grocery store. I could shoplift four frozen dinners, easily.”
Lolo Jones suffered a devastating setback at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, but her reaction to the upset endeared her to fans as she prepares for the upcoming games. But while training for the Olympics is hard, Jones also says that it’s not the hardest thing she’s done- citing abstaining from sex as a larger challenge.

Donald Driver Wins 'Dancing With The Stars' Season 14 : Media Social Gossip

LOS ANGELES — He already has a Super Bowl ring, and now football star Donald Driver can add the "Dancing With the Stars" mirrorball trophy to his awards collection.
The Green Bay Packers receiver won the ABC dance show Tuesday after wowing audiences and judges with his kickin' country-themed freestyle routine. He and partner Peta Murgatroyd hoisted the glittery prize above their heads after being named the new "Dancing" champs.
Streamers and confetti rained down from the ceiling, filling the ballroom as they celebrated. Driver's wife and children joined him on the dance floor.
With just one point separating the three finalists, it was up to the viewers to pick the winner.
He and his fellow finalists, Welsh singer Katherine Jenkins and Cuban actor William Levy, each earned perfect scores for their last performances Tuesday. Jenkins came into the final contest with a perfect 60 points; Driver and Levy each had 59.
Judges' scores combined with viewer votes determined the result.
Contestants eliminated throughout the show's 10-week season reunited for the two-hour finale. Martina Navratilova, Gavin DeGraw, Jack Wagner, Jaleel White, Sherri Shepherd, Melissa Gilbert, Roshon Fegan, Maria Menounos and Gladys Knight all donned costumes Tuesday for one last dance.
Knight did double performance duty, also singing "The Way We Were." Kelly Clarkson also performed on the show.
The next round of "Dancing With the Stars" will feature contestants from past seasons.

Missing teen Sierra LaMar: 21-year-old man arrested in slaying : Media Social Gossip

More than two months after Bay Area teenager Sierra LaMar disappeared on her way to school, investigators said they have “a lot of physical evidence” linking her to a man arrested on suspicion of murder and kidnapping.
Antolin Garcia-Torres, 21, was taken into custody Monday at a Safeway in Morgan Hill, Santa Clara Sheriff Laurie Smith told reporters.
“We believe we have probable cause that he committed the kidnapping and murder of Sierra LaMar,” Smith said.
Garcia-Torres owns the red Volkswagen Jetta previously sought by authorities in connection to the case, the San Joes Murcury news reported. The car was found May 8.
Smith said Garcia-Torres had been under surveillance but did not elaborate. More information about the case is expected to be revealed at a Tuesday morning news conference.

Sierra was last seen heading to school the morning of March 16. The next day, investigators found the high school cheerleader’s cellphone a few blocks away from her school. A day later, her pink Juicy-brand bag was found with a T-shirt and pants neatly folded inside.

The case drew significant attention as volunteers combed the area near Sierra’s home and school. Marc Klaas, whose 12-year-old daughter was kidnapped from their Petaluma home in 1993, helped organize some of those searches.
He told the Mercury News that until Sierra’s body was found, his volunteers would continue looking this week "in hopes of still finding Sierra alive."

Dharun Ravi Sentenced To 30 Days Of Jail For Tyler Clemente Webcam Spying : Media Social Gossip

On Monday afternoon, a New Jersey judge sentenced former Rutgers student Dharun Ravi to 30 days jail time for spying on his roommate Tyler Clementi‘s homosexual affairs. Several days after the spying, Clementi committed suicide by jumping off the George Washington Bridge.
In March, Ravi was found guilty of a bias crime for using the webcam to spy on Clemente. He must report to Middlesex Adult Correctional Center on May 31 at 9:00 a.m. for a probationary sentence.
“I do not believe [Ravi] hated Tyler Clementi,” Judge Glenn Berman reportedly told the court. “He had no reason to, but I do believe he acted out of colossal insensitivity.”
Judge Berman also noted Ravi’s seeming lack of remorse. “I heard this jury say, ‘guilty’ 288 times–24 questions, 12 jurors. That’s the multiplication,” Berman said. “I haven’t heard you apologize once.”
In addition to jail time, Reuters’ Matthew Keys reports via Twitter that the judge ordered Ravi to 300 hours of community service, to pay a $10,000 assessment to probation department, and to attend counseling.