Surprise American Idol earners for 2011

$URPRI$E: ADAM’S BIG DEBUT- Adam Lambert makes his first showing on the list…and he’s all the way up in the second spot, tied with fellow robbed rocker and road warrior Chris Daughtry, with an impressive $6 million total. He actually beat out the superstar likes of Jennifer Hudson (who holds steady at number six, with $2 million) and even Kelly Clarkson (who drops from number two to number five after a relatively low-key year in which she earned $2.5 million). Adam wasn’t even on last year’s list, which was a surprise in itself since his Season 8 castmate, Kris Allen, was. (Kris is a “near miss” on the list this year, according to Forbes, but now that he’s lucratively starting to write songs for other people, like “Glee” star Matthew Morrison, he may make a reappearance next year.) While Adam’s first album, For Your Entertainment, sold 821,000 copies domestically and was certified gold or platinum in six other countries, his success is also largely attributed to his gigging: His 116-date Glam Nation Tour was a rare success in 2010′s troubled concert industry, and it also spawned a vast array of merchandise (like Glambert disco-ball keychains!), a live EP, and a concert DVD. If Adam if he can keep up this pace after his sophomore album comes out, he should rank high again in 2012.

$URPRI$E: FANTASIA’S BIG COMEBACK- Fantasia Barrino is well known for her money troubles (she almost lost her home in 2009, and once told People that she was so in debt, she couldn’t afford a pizza), and last year she wasn’t on the Forbes list at all. But this year she’s all the way up at number three, with a tally of $4 million. This is thanks to her reality show “Fantasia For Real,” which was VH1′s biggest hit of 2010, and her comeback album Back To Me, which was her highest-charting album to date (it debuted at number two on the Billboard 200) and has so far sold almost 500,000 copies. After a year of many setbacks–she was caught up in an extramarital affair scandal, then tried to take her own life–this high Forbes ranking is very good news for Fantasia.

$URPRI$E: LEE’S NO-SHOW - Lee DeWyze, the most recent winner with available data applicable to this list, didn’t make the cut at all. (He’s another “near miss,” as his runner-up from Season 9, Crystal Bowersox, which means he definitely earned less than $1 million.) Perhaps this isn’t that huge a surprise, considering that his post-”Idol” album, Live It Up, is the least successful winners’ album ever, disappointingly debuting at number 19 and selling only about ­­­­143,000 copies to date. But as mentioned earlier, Lee’s predecessor, Kris Allen, did make the list before. However, Kris starred in a Ford commercial that ran on Fox throughout last year’s “Idol” season and featured a song, “Alright With Me,” that Kris co-wrote. Lee didn’t get such a residual-generating opportunity.

$URPRI$E: KAT JOINS THE PACK - Katharine McPhee’s career never quite took off after her Season 5 “Idol” run, and her most recent album, Unbroken, only sold about 46,000 copies. But this year she squeaks onto the Forbes list, tying for ninth place with the Season 7 Davids (Cook and Archuleta) after earning a cool million. This is due to her upcoming, much-buzzed-about NBC series, “Smash,” and a new label deal with Columbia Records in conjunction with that show. If “Smash” is, well, a smash this fall, expect Kat to move up this list. Perhaps 2012 will really be her big year.

$URPRI$E: WOMEN CASH IN - Of the dozen Idols on the combined Forbes list, seven of them are women. This is an interesting development, considering that no female contestant has won “American Idol” since Season 6′s Jordin Sparks. (Jordin surprisingly places fourth on this year’s list, with $3 million, and tells Forbes, “‘American Idol’ kick-started me in my career. It gave me an amazing fan base money can’t buy.”) Additionally, only five of the top earners on the list are singers who actually won “Idol.” So apparently the way “Idol” fans vote with their pocketbooks differs from how they vote with their cell phones while the show is actually on the air.

So, will this year’s newest confirmed “Idol” signings–Scotty McCreery, Lauren Alaina, and Pia Toscano–make the Forbes list next year? That remains to be seen, since Scotty’s $250,000 record deal is actually less lucrative than previous winners’ deals. We’ll just have to wait until next year to find out which Idols rake in the big bucks.

FULL FORBES LIST
1. Carrie Underwood: $20 million
2. Daughtry: $6 million (tie), Adam Lambert: $6 million (tie)
3. Fantasia Barrino: $4 million
4. Jordin Sparks: $3 million
5. Kelly Clarkson: $2.5 million
6. Jennifer Hudson: $2 million
7. Kellie Pickler: $1.8 million
8. Clay Aiken: $1.5 million
9. Katharine McPhee: $1 million (tie), David Archuleta: $1 million (tie), David Cook: $1 million (tie)
Near misses: Kris Allen, Lee DeWyze, Crystal Bowersox, Ruben Studdard

Courtesy: Yahoo Entertainment

__________

Adam Lambert performed his hit song ‘For Your Entertainment’ at Sydney’s Mardi Gras celebration while wearing a spiked, diamond encrusted codpiece. The act was completed by half naked male dancers, while Adam was taped thrusting about.

The next day, he performed his new song, ‘Whataya Want From Me’ on Australia’s Sunrise morning show.

Adam Lambert’s album has remained on the Top 50 sales chart all but one week since its debut in November of 2009.

_____________

I want to take this opportunity to thank my readers and friends who visit here for a wonder 2009.  So much has happened this year and we’ve shared so much.  We were together for the swearing in of our new president, we watched American Idol together and shared our favorites, we watched from start to finish my mom build her house, we debated health-care, the stimulus bill, and the troop surge in Afghanistan, we discussed Tiger Woods and ClayAiken’s voter fraud… together, we welcomed 2009 and together, we say goodbye  to 2009 and welcome 2010.

For 2010, I have many things that I hope for and here are my top 10.

1.  I hope for good health for my family, friends, and readers.

2.  I hope for the safety of our men and women who sacrifice each day to protect us.

3.  I hope that the principals and foundation of our Constitution be adhered to and followed.

4.  I hope that Republicans take over the Congress.

5.  I hope for the failure of the health-care legislation proposed by this Congress.

6.  I hope for the return of economic prosperity for our country.

7.  I hope for God’s continued blessing on our nation.

8.  I hope that Democrats will come to their senses.

9.  I hope that Adam Lambert will tour.

10. I hope that Clay Aiken continues to blog every month.

Happy New Year everyone and again, that you for making 2009 fantastic and thank you for your support.  I’m very appreciative.

Best,

John Paulus

Internationally known blogger

___________

Susan Boyle continues to dominate the US album sales, holding on to the #1 spot for a fourth week in a row with an impressive 659,382 units sold last week.

Adam Lambert seems to have recovered and has moved up the chart slightly the #31 spot to the #28 spot by selling an impressive 62,623 units in his fourth week.  That’s an increase of 37% over last week.  Adam Lambert is on track to see his first album go gold by the first week of January 2010.

_____________

Adam Lambert may have forgotten why he was on American Idol and why the voters put him in the finals.  Let me clue him in; it wasn’t to carry the banner of gay rights, it was to sing.  Yes, Adam, to sing.

We didn’t vote to watch Adam simulate oral sex on television nor did we vote, because we were impressed with his use of fingers on the nether regions of the female body.  We wanted Adam to be an entertaining performer, yes, but with some respect for his audience.  Adam may dismiss this uproar as nothing more than a double standard for gays and he would be wrong.  A majority of America could care less that the man is gay. Discrimination against gays is more hyperbole than fact.  Sure, it’s there.  It exists, but it’s not as prolific as Adam and a lot of gay rights advocates would like you to believe.  The uproar is less about homophobia and more about respect.  America wants their entertainers to respect their audience and in return, they will respect them as performers.

It seems to me that Adam has succumb to pressure from the Hollywood gay mafia who see Adam Lambert as someone who can push their message and agenda.  After all, Adam did receive millions of votes.  If this is in fact what has happened to Adam, then he will ultimately fail.  He should not allow himself to be used by these people, because they will not be there after they have sucked every drop out of him and his fans have abandoned him.  Trust me, I know.  While I was working for Michael Lucas, I quickly recognized how my celebrity was being used to further his agenda and interests.  I was smart enough to see what was happening and to escape.

Adam must listen to his fans, the sound of their dollars, or lack thereof, is the first indication of their disapproval.  If Adam is smart, he’d listen to designer Shane Starlet.  He’s, by far, the most talented male contestant to have come off the show and he should not squander this opportunity.

From RadarOnline:

American Idol star Adam Lambert’s musichas yet to make a big splash, but the singer is already a pro at stirring up controversy.

His latest encounter in infamy occurred backstage at the American Music Awards,RadarOnline.com has learned exclusively.

Designer Shane Starlet thought Adam’s AMA performance, which included simulated oral sex, was unacceptable- and she let him know it. In an exclusive interview with RadarOnline.com she revealed the details of their showdown, which included Adam telling her, “Shut up, b–ch!”

“He was rude, the whole night he was outrageously unacceptable because since American Idol, his career has become more about being defensive of his sexuality as opposed to his music,” Starlet told RadarOnline.com.

When Lambert walked by her backstage, Starlet voiced her opinion of his performance. Starlet told RadarOnline.com that she told Adam: “Be gay, fine! But stop trying to defend it all the time, Adam. What you pulled tonight was disgraceful.

“You could have been huge but now you’re no different than a Jerry Springer low-life.”

Lambert responded to the critique by yelling out, “Shut up, b—h!” After having a public spat with OUT Magazine, having his Good Morning America gig cancelled, and having his American Music Awards performance censored, Lambert has been busy defending his views and in-your-face antics.

Starlet, who was often on the American Idol set, is saddened by the change in Lambert.

“It’s a shame his fans don’t see this behavior and everyone appeases him and says nothing so I told him about it,” she told RadarOnline.com.”They do
not see what we see when the cameras aren’t rolling and that’s unfortunate because he has tremendous talent and instead of focusing on creating beautiful music, he is more focused on creating controversy with regard to him being gay when it is truly not the issue he thinks it is.”
After their verbal altercation, Lambert’s team quickly rushed him out of the area before the situation could escalate further.

A rep for Lambert did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

______________

Let’s face it, it’s not every blogger that has the honor of being picked up on the Internet and reported as an “Internationally known blogger”.  It takes hard work, dedication, the “it” factor, but most of all, it takes readers like you.

And to think, there were some who foolishly believed that Adam Lambert wouldn’t even chart this week.  As I wrote last week when some were celebrating the fact that HDD predicted that Adam would not chart, they are wrong.  With appearances on, ‘The View’, Barbara Walters, and various other upcoming appearances, I anticipate Adam continuing to sell well.

One person not selling well is Barack Obama.

Gallup shows the President falling below 50% to 47%.  In fact, Obama’s approval for his first year in office is one of the worst in Presidential history according to Gallup.

One person who has seen some improvement in the polls, however, is Sarah Palin.  The former Governor and Vice-Presidential candidate, who recently surpassed 1,000,000 in book sales, has seen her popularity rise and has polled within 1 point of Obama.

The LA Times writes:

Lordy, Lordy, Lordy, look what the pollsters just brought in.

A pair of new surveys revealing that Democrat President Obama is still declining and has hit a new low in job approval among Americans just 56 weeks after they elected him with a decided margin.

And — wait for it — Republican Sarah Palin is successfully selling a whole lot more than books out there on the road. Even among those not lining up in 10-degree weather to catch a glimpse of pretty much the only political celebrity the GOP has these days.

First, el jefe. Facing double-digit unemployment, rising spending, deficits and Afghan war casualties plus a keystone but stalled healthcare reform effort that caused a rare Sunday presidential visit to Capitol Hill, Obama recently fell below 50% job approval for the first time.

Then, last week’s deft dance of rhetoric over sending reinforcements to Afghanistan but, on the other foot, bringing them home quickly maybe gave him a brief boost. That, however, collapsed with equal rapidity.

Obama’s new Gallup Poll job approval number is 47%. Last month it was 53%.

Regular Ticket readers will recall how in this space in late November we pointed out that Obama’s closely-watched job approval slide was coinciding with Palin’s little-noticed rise in favorability. And it appeared they might cross somewhere in the 40s.

Well, ex-Sen. Obama, meet ex-Gov. Palin.

The new CNN/Opinion Research Poll shows Palin now at 46% favorable, just one point below her fellow basketball fan.

(The same poll, btw, has bad news for Dick Cheney-haters; the outspoken former VP has climbed out of the 29% basement back up to 39% now. How do you suppose he’s done that without a new book? But that’s another story.)

Not that either Palin or Obama will admit caring about such trivial things as disparate political polls….

…1,071 days before the 2012 election, when Republicans will have the concept of change on their side. Although Obama’s camp is already using the looming Palin pall as a fundraising tool. Never let any potential threat go unmonetized.

The new numbers seem to indicate that despite oft-cited predictions about the dire impact of Palin resigning her Alaska governor’s job last July, a lot of people who don’t live in Alaska (and, come to think of it, most people don’t live in Alaska) don’t seem to care. She wasn’t their governor then and she still isn’t.

______________

The Hollywood Gossip:

When asked why Adam Lambert has been booted off multiple ABC programs this month, Kara DioGuardi channeled Bill Clinton. She basically said:

It’s the economy, stupid.

“We’re living in a pretty bad economic time, so they have to do what they have to do to keep their advertisers,” DioGuardi told E! News. “Networks are doing what they think their viewers want and don’t want, so it’s just budgetary.”

Lambert, of course, found himself in hot water after he performed an excessively racy rendition of “For Your Entertainment” at the American Music Awards. Since then, ABC has canceled two of his previously-booked appearances on its network.

Many fans are citing an unfair double standard against the singer.

If they boycott the network, ABC might really need to worry about its advertisers!

The American Idol judge, who returns for her second season on the panel next month, also defended the crooner.

“We always know he’s going to shock us, right? He’s going to wow us and give us the unexpected, and that’s his thing…That’s what we look for.”

In other words, ABC: you can’t book Adam Lambert for a gig and then act surprised when he flaunts his sexuality.

DioGuardi knows a thing or two about that, as well: she stripped down to her bikini during the show’s May finale; and said husband Mike McCuddy sees even more than that at home:

“I give him his own personal videos – sans the bikini.”

__________

Despite those who would like for you to believe that Adam Lambert’s album sales were weak, CNN reports that the superstars AMA performance hasn’t impacted sales of his first album.

From CNN:

Adam Lambert’s suggestive American Music Awards performance hasn’t hurt sales of his first album.

With stiff competition from a slew of holiday compilations and Susan Boyle’s first album, Lambert’s debut is still managing to sell well online.

“For Your Entertainment,” Lambert’s first album after his run on “American Idol,” where he came in second to winner Kris Allen, is the fifth most downloaded album on iTunes behind Lady Gaga, Susan Boyle, the “New Moon” soundtrack and John Mayer.

Lambert’s 14-song album is also in the top 10 of Amazon.com music purchases as the ninth most purchased album.

On Sunday night Lambert shocked America with a performance that included simulated oral sex with a dancer and a gay kiss with his male keyboardist.

ABC, the network that aired the awards show, received more than 1500 complaints and canceled Lambert’s follow-up performance on “Good Morning America.”

The CBS “Early Show” picked up Lambert after the ABC cancellation. He was interviewed, performed two songs and took questions from the live audience.

Lambert told CBS he thinks much of the uproar over his AMA performance is because he is a gay man.

Watch a discussion about the controversy on HLN’s ‘Showbiz Tonight’

He admitted that he got a little carried away at the awards show, but said that none of his risqué dance moves were planned in advance. “I do see how people got offended, and that was not my intention. My intention was to interpret the lyrics of my song and have a good time with it,” Lambert said.

__________

Adam Lambert, Glenn Beck, and Sarah Palin are among Barbara Walters’ ‘Ten Most Fascinating People of 2009′.   This ought to be a great show.

From Zap2It.com

As was rumored early last week, ”American Idol” runner-up Adam Lambert will indeed be one of Barbara Walters‘ 10 Most Fascinating People of 2009.

Walters confirmed his invitation on Monday’s (Nov. 30) episode of “The View,” though the poster below seems to confirm several of the annual special’s other subjects as well: Lady Gaga, Tyler Perry, Sarah Palin, Brett Favre, Kate Gosselin and Glenn Beck.

We haven’t yet received word from ABC on whether or not the poster is official. However, even if it is and this list is in fact accurate, that still leaves three open spots.

Any thoughts on who will fill them?

“Barbara Walters Presents The 10 Most Fascinating People” will air Dec. 9.

_____________

I normally agree with Brent Bozell’s columns, but I have an issue with this one posted at NewsBusters.org;

If there is an entertainment trend ripe for satire, it is the begging-for-attention smut routines at nationally televised music awards shows. How low can these “artists” go? Sadly, there is always another frontier. “American Idol” runner-up Adam Lambert was the latest offender at the November 22 American Music Awards on ABC, with a routine complete with S&M bondage slaves, deep male-on-male kissing, and simulated fellatio on stage.

All in front of millions upon millions of impressionable youngsters. It was another in-your-face Janet Jackson moment.

There’s only one thing that makes this funny. It’s the idea that somehow none of this was planned, that it was just a spontaneous eruption. ABC was embarrassed enough by Lambert to cancel a planned performance on “Good Morning America.” If they expected cheers for that, they’re sadly mistaken. ABC clearly wanted to avoid making its news division question the entertainment division’s horrendous decision-making.

Every piece of evidence we have suggests ABC and Lambert knew exactly what they were going to do. Lambert told MTV to expect something really sexy. “I was looking for a certain sensuality,” he explained about choosing his dancers, and said the S&M wardrobe was “amazing.” MTV reported it would feature the sensibility of his music video for the song he performed: “Adam Lambert is fully embracing the S&M lyrics featured in his single. Greased up dancers are dolled up in leather, dog collars, nipple clamps (zoinks!) and platform boots.”

The rough-sex lyrics of the song ABC approved for national consumption are very clear: “I’ma hold ya down until you’re amazed / Give it to ya ’til your screaming my name.” And this: “Baby I’m in control /Take the pain / Take the pleasure / I’m the master of both.”

For their part, ABC repeatedly told viewers to stick around for Lambert’s routine. They scheduled it at the very end of show so they could suggest it was irresponsible for parents if their children caught this porny show right before the late news.

It is clearly offensive to watch ABC and Dick Clark Productions now play dumb in their official statement: “Due to the live nature of the show we did not expect the impromptu moment in question,” they jointly declared after the edited West Coast version. There was no “impromptu moment” that was in question. It was the entire disgusting performance, approved and promoted by ABC and Dick Clark Productions.

CBS News jumped in to promote Lambert where ABC left off. How dumb did Adam Lambert think America was? Let’s survey his comical answers.

1. Did you have any idea your performance at the AMA’s would ignite this firestorm? Lambert said: “No clue. No clue at all.”

2. Did you plan those sexually charged moves in the rehearsal? Lambert: “Those kind of came from more of a impromptu place. No, those were not rehearsed.”

3. This was the best question from CBS interviewer Maggie Rodriguez: Now that you have had time to think about the children, your child fans, do you feel that you need to apologize to them? Lambert’s absolutely classic answer: “I think it’s up to the parents to – to discern what their child’s watching on television.”

4. Rodriguez followed up: “Well, but they had no idea they were about to see something like that on network TV.” That’s where Lambert started sounding like a lawyer: “Well, you know – and you know, just to play Devil’s advocate with you, Lady Gaga smashing whiskey bottles. Janet Jackson grabbing a male dancer’s crotch. Eminem talked about how Slim Shady has ‘17 rapes under his belt.’ There’s a lot of very adult material on the AMA’s this year and I know I wasn’t the only one. I’m not using that as an excuse and I don’t have any – I didn’t take any offense with those performers’ choices, I’m just saying I think it’s up to a parent to watch the television. It was almost 11:00 at night. If they’re concerned with certain material maybe TiVo it and preview it before you’re small child is watching it.”

Oh, shut up. Rodriguez summed up Lambert’s lack of regret:

5. So you don’t feel that it’s your responsibility to issue an apology? Lambert unfurled what could be a motto for the entertainment world in general: “I’m not a babysitter. I’m a performer.”

So we can blame Lambert, we can blame ABC, and for starting this all, we can blame Fox and “American Idol.” They took up Lambert and made him a gender-bending crusader for gay liberation in entertainment. Sexual politics trumped his screechy (and let’s face it, lack of) talent.

Lambert’s honesty about his absolute, leather-bound mission to offend came out at the CBS interview’s end. He was asked if he had to do it over again, what would he do differently? “I would sing it a little bit better.”

Bozell is completely confused if he thinks that Fox made Adam out to be some  crusader for gay liberation.  Where do these people come up with this garbage?  Adam is simply an entertainer who happens to be gay.  Other performers have done similar things on stage and no one accused them of being crusaders for heterosexual liberation. Regardless, it was inappropriate for prime time television whether it was straight, bi, or gay and unfortunate that this minor incident is taking away from the true talent that is Adam Lambert.

_____________