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My Secret's Out: I'm A Little Bit Country!
Working in this town called "Hollywood" for the past ten years, I'm constantly surrounded in the world of movies and TV. I've met literally thousands of celebrities. The first few years were pretty exciting. I never in a million years thought I would not only get to meet but also interview these people who I thought were so unattainable. The first time you are surrounded by the presence of someone like Tom Cruise or Madonna is pretty incredible. Cut to six or seven years later and all of a sudden it no longer gives me the same feeling of giddy joy. It's more like nervous tension until I can suss out whether someone is real and relatable or not. Most of the time I'm disappointed when I realize that fame has gone to their heads and I have publicists breathing down my neck to make sure I don't ask too invasive of a question. It sort of sucks the joy right out of it.
Nowadays there are only a few types of interviews that get me excited...anyone from "American Idol" or "Dancing With the Stars" and of course my favorite teenage pals at anything on the "Disney Channel." (Actually, come to think of it maybe I should have really kept the Disney thing a secret all these years.) Instead I'm harboring a different one. I love country music. There I said it. You see, around here at "Access Hollywood," 'country music' always seems like a dirty word unless you were Nancy O'Dell who grew up in the south. I grew up in Pennsylvania where pop music and classic rock reign supreme. No one expects me to be a fan. So, I always kept it on the down low to avoid the inevitable questions and snickering.
This is not to say that "Access Hollywood" ignores the genre altogether. I mean sure we do stories on the biggies like Faith, Kenny, Shania and Garth but you'd find nary a mention of Brad, Alan, Travis or Toby. It's just way more difficult to get a story on the Dixie Chicks than it would be to get a story on say Christina Aguilera. It didn't help that last year, LA's only country station, KZLA, got taken off the airwaves and replaced with yet another pop station. That's when I started letting the cat out of the bag. Only one person at the show knew of my secret passion, my friend Bryant. He sent an email of disgust around to the other country fans in the office (all 6 of them) that this was a horrendous misstep to country fans and we need to fight for country to stay in LA. Apparently, the country community made themselves heard. A year later we got country back in the form of KKGO. That station right now outperforms what KZLA became, KMVN. That's justice.
Personally, I think it would serve us well at Access to do more stories on country artists. It is possibly the best selling genre out there. More proof of this came today with news that with his new single, "More Than a Memory", Garth Brooks has become the first artist in history to debut at #1 on the Billboard Country Singles Chart. Last year's top selling album (only behind the "High School Musical" soundtrack) was Rascal Flatts’ album "Me and My Gang." In perfect irony, in a couple weeks they will go up against the "High School Musical 2" soundtrack when they release their fifth album, "Still Feels Good." It will be just as big.
I actually can thank "American Idol" for introducing me to Rascal Flatts. Remember when Carrie Underwood sang, "Bless the Broken Road"? I was in the audience and actually got teary eyed. Ever since she performed with them at the finale I've wanted to meet them more than anyone else in show business. I thought it might happen the night they came back and performed on "Idol Gives Back" but Fox wouldn't allow crews inside. I almost met them when they performed at the Kodak Theater while back but the lead singer Gary LeVox was losing his voice. So, that was cancelled. I finally got my chance last week when they were here in LA filming the music video for their single, "Take Me There." Meeting the three of them actually gave me the same sense of giddy joy I got during my first years as an entertainment reporter. It was nice to feel that again. They, like every other country artist, were the most down to earth real celebrities I've ever met. That's why I love country music. It's made for real people by real people.
So, having said all that it’s a dream come true that this weekend I will be co-hosting a reality show pilot for CMT (that's Country Music Television for those who don't know) with KKGO's Shawn Parr here in LA on Sunday. It's country music's answer to "So You Think You Can Dance" and "Dancing With the Stars." If you know how to line dance and live in the LA area by all means come down and audition for us. Check out the info at www.countrysteppingla.com
Laura, we're all wondering what your response is to this Vanessa Hudgens scandel.
I honestly feel bad for her if they took these pictures before HSM. How would she ever know that these would come back to bite her?
I struggled with whether or not to touch this subject but I do have some thoughts on Vanessa and I will have a whole post on the subject tommorow.
I heard about her scandal and I didnt believe it one bit. Well, I didnt believe it until the news got bigger and bigger. Rumors soar as she faces this right now. Who new something from the past would bite her back. She may have taken this pic when she was about 16 or something. I sadly saw the photo and I think someone sat infront of the computer photoshopping her for hours, because this doesnt seem like her. She didnt take this pic for her bf Zac, but for her then boyfriend.
But, maybe she did do it, cuz she admitted and apologized for doing this. So the facts are true, she did do this.
I think that it is sad that her then bf would leak this out to the press on time, so her career will be ruined for a reason for dumping him for Zac.
Disney, please dont puish her for her mishap, this happens to a lot of people. I know it let a lot of her young fans down, but dont punish her career for it. Everbody makes mistakes and unfortunately this was one of hers. At least give her another chance and at least this didnt happen recently and at least she admitted and publicly apologized instead of denying it.
Good luck on the CMT line dancing show. Sounds like fun. Let us know when it is on so we can all watch.