The real “American Idol” winners might be “My Destiny” and “Do I Make You Proud,” the two songs performed Tuesday by Katharine McPhee and Taylor Hicks. The songs have won a parallel competition to become their first singles, USA Today reports.
“Idol” executives have mulled over more than 150 potential singles since January, narrowing the choices in recent weeks to match the remaining competitors, says 19 Entertainment's Iain Pirie, who oversees the process. The song has to work as a climactic moment on the show, but also must be something that potential music buyers would want to listen to, he says.
But maybe the tunes didn't hit their marks this time: Tuesday night, several judges said the singers were better than the songs.
Tuesday's “Idol” jumped back over the 30 million-viewer mark with the final performance show of the year, leading Fox to an utterly dominant ratings win. In the adults' 18-49 demographic, Fox's rating was better than the combined total of its five competitors, and the season finale of “House” did a fine job of holding its lead-in audience.
More reality with 'Stars'
A role in a film starring Nicolas Cage and Julianne Moore is the prize awaiting contestants in a new TV talent contest.
“Looking for Stars,” which will follow about 200 aspiring actors from tryouts to the winner's appearance on the set of “Next,” will play on the Starz premium channel in 10-minute episodes. The 14-episode contest, which the channel has dubbed a “micro-series,” will debut June 19 and air through September.
For Tonys, lots of stars, no host
There will be no single host for the 60th annual Tony Awards honoring the best of the Broadway season.
Instead, 60 stars – including “Color Purple” producer Oprah Winfrey – will serve as presenters when the winners are announced June 11 during a three-hour show to be televised by CBS from Radio City Music Hall.
Short takes
According to The Hollywood Reporter, ABC's “Lost” is on the hunt for two new actresses to join the cast, now that the show's ranks have been quickly depleted by the twin killings of Michelle Rodriguez's Ana Lucia and Cynthia Watros' Libby.
And those actresses could become action figures. McFarlane Toys will create a line of action figures based on characters from “Lost,” Variety says. The toys are timed to “Lost's” third-season premiere. The first batch of 6-inch figures include Jack, Kate, Hurley, Locke, Charlie and Shannon. Each toy will include a full-scale prop. Kate's figure will include a toy lead plane; Hurley will come with a lottery ticket.
Comedy Central will premiere “Dog Bites Man” June 7. The series follows the goings-on of staffers at fictional news station KHBX in Spokane, Wash.
ABC plans a small-screen version of “A Raisin in the Sun,” with Sean “Diddy” Combs and the main cast of the 2004 Broadway revival, including Phylicia Rashad, Audra McDonald and Sanaa Lathan.
An audio version of the roast of President Bush by Stephen Colbert of Comedy Central rose to the rank of No. 1 album at Apple's iTunes store Saturday, three weeks to the night Colbert gave it at the White House Correspondents Dinner.
– COMPILED BY LISA SULLIVAN
FROM NEWS SERVICE REPORTS
