TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Presidential Prerogative: 'Idol' Rescheduled

ADVERTISEMENT

By WALT BELCHER wbelcher

@tampatrib.com

Published: March 25, 2009

It's Motown night on "American Idol" and we can only imagine what Adam Lambert will do if he tries to channel Diana Ross.

After what he did with Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire," the 27-year-old actor/singer has become the one to watch if only because he's already playing the part of an "Idol" winner.

But because he gives off creepy vibes he may not make it to the finish line as young "Idol" fans are more likely to pick a "safe" choice - someone cute and nonthreatening.

Rescheduled because of President Barack Obama's news conference Tuesday night, tonight's two-hour performance show will feature clips of eight of the finalists visiting the Motown Historical Museum in Detroit where they met Motown founder Berry Gordy Jr. and singer/songwriter Smokey Robinson.

Robinson, old enough to be the finalists' grandfather, will perform on Thursday's rescheduled results show.

"Idol" hopefuls Megan Joy and Michael Sarver did not make the trip because of illness. Joy has an active fan club. I made a slightly negative mention of her in a column a few weeks ago and I am still getting cards and letters from her supporters. There must be a Joy cult somewhere.

"American Idol" producers announced former "Idol" contestant Jennifer Hudson, now a film and Broadway star, is coming back to perform on a episode this season.

LOSERS ROW: ABC's new Wednesday night comedy "Better Off Ted" got off to a poor start in the ratings when it debuted last week. Then again, Wednesday night's entire lineup on ABC, including the once-popular "Lost," trails programming on CBS and Fox.

However, ABC is doing slightly better than fourth-place NBC, where the new chef show "Chopping Block" will soon be on the chopping block and "Life" is near death.

TBS TALKER: Comic George Lopez is getting a late-night talk show on TBS beginning in November. It will air Monday through Thursday at 11 p.m., and Lopez promises an outdoor street-party atmosphere with music, comedy and celebrity guests.

KING LEAR: For something completely different, try wading into Shakespeare's "King Lear" debuting at 8 tonight on PBS's "Great Performances."

Ian McKellan, known to millions of "Lord of the Rings" fans as the wizard Gandalf, takes on the meaty role of an aging king who divides his kingdom between devious daughters.

McKellan, 70, also known to "X-Men" fans as Magneto, plans to reprise Gandalf for the "Hobbit" and he's cast in AMC's remake of the 1967-68 British cult hit "The Prisoner."

But he's coming off a sold-out tour of "King Lear" in which he appeared nude on stage in the scene where Lear goes mad. PBS filmed a no-nudity show for TV.

Earlier, McKellan told TV critics that he's never comfortable doing that scene. "Inevitably, if a man or woman takes his clothes off onstage, the eyes are going to go to those parts that are normally hidden and at that moment there may be something of import which the scene is about is lost," he said.

NAME THAT MODULE: NASA's online contest to name a new module on the International Space Station has gone to Comedy Central conservative mocker Stephen Colbert.

Reportedly, NASA officials are not happy about the write-in candidate out-polling the four NASA-approved names for the module the agency refers to as "Node 3," Earthrise, Legacy, Serenity or Venture.

Colbert asked his viewers to put his name in at the online contest. Of the nearly 1.2 million votes cast by the March 20 deadline, "Colbert" received 230,539 votes. Next closest was "Serenity" with about 40,000 votes.

NASA spokesman John Yembrick said the agency will make a decision in April, with the top vote-getters receiving "the most consideration."

TUNE IN TONIGHT

"Law & Order," 10 p.m., NBC

The case tonight involves cyberstalking and the slaying of a TV reporter.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT