May 2008 Archives

Last night was the big two-hour season finale of  "Lost."  Here at "Access Hollywood" we've got a large group of Lostees.  After each episode we debate over email what we have seen and our theories on the show.  Take a peak at what staffers here thought about how season four wrapped up.

 

EM: One Word: Awe-SOME. Two Words: Kicked-@$$. Three Words: Awesomely, kicked-@$$

 

BH: Loved. I guessed right for who Jeremy was but needed a bit more at end.

 

EM: Was it me or was Jack's future beard look, what's the word, uneven?

 

SH: Jin sooo is alive!

 

EM: You are wrong, sir. Michael. Jin. Locke. ALL dead, Oh, and eerie Claire, too is pushing daisies. And great moment when Penny and Desmond reunited. Ah, love.

 

MM: Not dead. They're the undead. In another realm.

 

DOS: Much ado about nothing. I thought the buildup of "we have to lie" and Kate saying she doesn't want to think about “what happened on the island that day” made it seem like a hell of a lot more bad happened. And Really? They moved the island. Come on. Next we'll find out Aliens were involved. Whatev! 

 

The phenomenon of "High School Musical" is coming to the big screen and I had an opportunity to visit the Salt Lake City, Utah set.  

 

Dish of Salt readers will remember that I spent three days up on the St. George, Utah set of HSM2 last year. So, it felt a little like deja vu when I first arrived. That was quickly brushed off though when I realized much had changed from last year to this year. While last year, I had a chance to hang around and watch the filming of several scenes (including the big baseball number, "I Don't Dance"), this time around my crew and I were kept as far away from filming as possible. Never once did we actually get to see any of the filming taking place.

 

I was told it was because "space was too tight" where they were filming in the boy's locker room.  I wonder, however, if maybe I was kept away because I witnessed first hand and reported on the obvious budding romance between Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens on HSM2 or the full blown relationship Ashley was having with dancer Jared Murrilo. 

 

Maybe they wanted to keep my prying eyes away!  

 

I did get the opportunity to visit the real East High, the school that stands in for the Wildcats and talk to several stars of the movie including Zac, Vanessa and Ashley. It was a bit surreal walking around the high school where much of the first film was made. I wandered past the gym where Troy Bolton and the basketball team danced to "Get'cha Head In The Game" and down to the commons area where the entire East High student body belted out "Stick To The Status Quo."  

 

While waiting for interviews, I spent most of my time hanging out inside the school's theater, which I learned was actually not the theater used in the first film. Rather that theater was at Murray High School a few miles down the road.  For those paying attention Murray High School is where our favorite "American Idol" runner-up David Archuleta goes to school in Utah. Disney paid a fair amount of money to re-vamp the East High theater so that it could be used for filming, including adding an orchestra pit. So, stealthy viewers pay attention when the film comes out to see that the theaters are different from the first film to HSM3.    

As I head off for the long weekend, having finished up my radio show for tonight's broadcast, I can't believe how far we've come. "The Billy Bush Show" is exactly what we promised to stations:  a news breaking, celeb packed, opinionated, informative show with excellent music all the way through.

As far as content, I've had over 60 guests in a month from Mariah to Madonna, Julia Roberts, Jack Nicholson, Trump, Eva, Sarah Jessica, on and on.

Here's a recap of just last night (easiest to remember):

"Idol" winner David Cook in studio... spoke about the moment he won, his brother's ordeal and the bracelets he wears for him, a little girl with leukemia and others, why he cried... really good.

Denise Richards... refuting Charlie Sheen's attacks on her about an alleged email he says she sent him "asking him for his seed" (gross, but news handled gently).

Eva Longoria Parker calling in from Malibu where she and Tony are meeting with inspectors at the new house they just bought. She says Tony wants babies now and so she's going with it (actively trying to get pregnant - big).

Only one man could have gotten me up this morning at 3 AM and that was the "American Idol" winner -- David Cook! We met up back down at the Nokia Theater this morning at 4:30 AM. When I arrived David was already there just hanging out, coffee in hand, no entourage to speak of. His car had dropped him off before anyone from Fox was even there to greet him. Not exactly the scene you would expect for the most talked about person in America today. Five minutes later the Fox people arrived, swooped up David, threw him in a chair for makeup and then he was off and running, doing back-to-back three-minute interviews with Fox affiliates around the country.
 
My favorite moment was when the Philadelphia affiliate had a special reporter to interview David, 11-year Rocco Fiorentino who has been legally blind since birth. He's a singer, pianist, & composer whose dream is to be on "American Idol" when he turns 16. He considers himself to be a prodigy, just like David Archuleta, and the boy sure can sing. If the show is still on the air in five years, I predict Rocco will be in the Top 12! You heard it here first.
 
David Archuleta showed up just after 5 AM and was off and running with the Fox affiliates as well. Both David's continued the interview circuit for over three hours with barely a break in between. I, however, grabbed my crew and went for some breakfast. When we returned, I got a chance to talk to Archie who seems every week to be breaking out of his shyness shell. Back to back interviews will do that to you. Archie confirmed what I reported yesterday, that Grammy winning songwriter Diane Warren had approached him about penning songs for him. He was flattered and believes this is a collaboration that will definitely happen. 
 
Next, David Cook and I were off in a limo back to the Access Hollywood stage. The poor guy was exhausted. By this point he had been up for over 24 hours straight with no sleep last night. He went straight from the show to tons of press interviews, photos and then to the 19 Entertainment party to meet up with friends, family and fellow contestants. After I gave him a quick Idol quiz David took the remaining 15 minutes of the drive to catch a few zzzs. I personally could never fall asleep like that, but David was out like a light for about ten minutes. He looked so cute with his head leaning over on the seat, like a little boy. I felt so bad when we arrived that he had to wake up. Next, it was into our studios where I left David in our green room to catch a few more minutes of shuteye on the coach before performing in our stage and talking to Nancy O'Dell.  

After Simon called David Archuleta's performance a "knockout," it would seem like Archie's a shoo in to win "American Idol." Not so fast though. Several spoiler sites are already predicting rocker David Cook will be the winner including Zaba Search and Dial Idol. Both sites accurately predicted Syesha Mercado's exit from the show (although that was kind of a given). Dial Idol has accurately predicted that Carrie Underwood, Taylor Hicks and Jordin Sparks were going to win, so I’m inclined to believe them.   
 
If Cook does win it's not because he is a better singer -- it's because he is a better performer. He's the guy you want to buy a ticket to a show to see. He is the guy you would go out and buy or download their album. Archuleta is still very, very young.  I think he is adorable and that voice is a gift. I still have to wonder if he can have commercial success as a recording artist. Although I know that Grammy winner and songwriting guru Diane Warren is itching to write a song for him and is convinced they could have a number one record together. I have a better plan! They are filming "High School Musical 3" right down the road from where he lives. Now that's a place I could see Archuleta - the next generation of East High! 
 
Either way, when the votes come down tonight both Davids are going to be just fine career wise.
 
Last night on my way into the Nokia Theater I caught a glimpse of Archuleta's dad, Jeff, with the rest of his kids. This meant that his wife, Lupe, was watching over David, as at 17 years old, he needs a guardian at all times. I also spotted Chris Sligh from last season heading in to the audience and David Cook's brother, Adam.

Last night, the woman who was dumped by Brad Womack from "The Bachelor" season eleven got her chance at finding love. 

 

Twenty-six-year-old Deanna Pappas embarked on her "Bachelorette" journey as the tables were turned and she was introduced to 25 eligible guys. This is only the fourth time the series has handed over the reigns to a woman. Personally, I don't know what the heck took them so long since probably 90 percent of the audience for this show is women. 

 

I'd much rather watch 25 guys fight for the affection of one woman then a room full of 25 twenty-something girls bring out their claws for one guy. Deanna's lot of eligible men included among them a high school football coach, a barber shop owner, a science teacher and a martial arts master. 

 

Of Greek decent herself, Deanna seems most attracted to the tall, dark and handsome type, handing out roses to several good looking brunette men including Robert, Jeremy, Eric and Ron.  She seemed most taken by Jeremy, a 30-year-old real estate agent from Dallas, Texas, handing him a first impression rose practically after he stepped out of the limo. 

 

The guys pulled out all the stops to woo Deanna. Luke, an oyster farmer from South Carolina gave her a pearl necklace only to be sent home. Brian from Indiana showed her his rock hard abs and was also sent packing. Richard, a chef from San Francisco, whipped her up a crab cocktail earning him a rose. Meanwhile, Paul, a 23-year-old sales manager from Canada, jumped into a pool with all his clothes on revealing underneath a swimsuit with Deanna's name embossed on his butt! This little stunt earned him a rose too. 

I spent the weekend up in Salt Lake City on the set of a certain sequel to a TV movie phenomenon, which I’m not allowed to tell you about until Wednesday. This also gave me the opportunity to go hang out in David Archuleta’s hometown of Murray, Utah, which I heard was a, “small town just outside of Salt Lake City.” 

 

After seeing David’s hometown visit on last week’s “American Idol” results show... with the mayor sporting a handle bar mustache in what looked like a classic Main Street America town, I was expecting a small, quaint little village. Much to my shock, this was not the case at all when I arrived in Murray. This is a suburb. Not a small town. It’s got a population of about 46,000 people. It’s filled with classic suburban commercialism – Best Buy, Office Depot, Costco, Staples, Barnes and Nobles and car dealerships galore. Not that there is anything wrong with suburbia, it just was not at all what I was expecting. 

 

The people that I met in town could not have been nicer though, which did make it feel like small town America.  I started out meeting that handle bar mustached mayor, Daniel Snarr. He cruised up on his yellow Indian motorcycle and told me about how proud Murray is of their local “Idol” star,

 

“The thing we are most proud of is not only is he an unbelievable talent with an incredible voice. The most important thing he is a humble young man."

 

Apparently, David is not the only famous face in Murray. Ken Jennings of "Jeopardy" fame also hails from this area, according to Mayor Snarr,

 

"David was willing to stand up and say I come from a great city, Murray City, Utah. We had Ken Jennings and he always said he was from Salt Lake City but he lived in Murray right by the high school. So we are proud of David for saying, 'You know what? I’m proud of my city.'"

The last place you would normally find me at 1:30 in the morning is at a cemetery walking among the graves. But, on this cold night in Queens, NY, it was an experience I had been looking forward to for the last couple of weeks.

 

One of my favorite shows is “Law & Order” -- the original, SUV, and Criminal Intent  -- I love them all. So when my producer, Chris Fahey, emailed to tell me she had gotten me a part on “Law & Order: CI,” I was just beside myself!

 

My part is an entertainment reporter (something that required no research). My midnight “assignment” -- reporting live from Machpelah Cemetery in Queens - site of Harry Houdini's actual grave. The L&O episode is a spooky one: magic phenom Miles Stone has buried himself ALIVE for 31 days and he is about to rise from the “grave” to the thrill of bunches of his fans donning T-shirts that blare “MILES LIVES”.

 

But, of course, something goes terribly, and I mean, TERRIBLY wrong. And I am right there on the scene witnessing it all!

We are still hours away from learning who will be eliminated tonight from "American Idol" but several Internet sites already have predicted that Syesha Mercado's a goner.

 

Zaba Search, which accurately predicted the elimination of Jason Castro last week, says Syesha is the next to go. The site, which tracks how often contestants names are entered into search engines, has even gone so far as to throw a banner over a photo of Syesha that says "Voted off May 14th," despite the fact that the results show has yet to air. They are also calling it a David vs. David finale. Syesha has also been predicted to be voted off by Dial Idol, a popular site that measures the busy signals of each contestant. 

 

Syesha being eliminated tonight is not the shocker; the shocker is how this 21-year-old has made it to the Top 3 after having been in the bottom two or three almost every week. Somehow she continued to slide through while other seemingly more popular contestants were sent packing. I think this has to do with two things.

 

Number one she was a student at Florida International University where the students and alumni have rallied together to vote for her. Number two is that she has an entire region of Florida voting for her in droves.  yesha grew up in Bradenton, Florida and that town has banded together to vote for her as well as the entire town of Sarasota, FL, where Syesha attended Booker High School. Each and every week, residents of Sarasota have been gathering at Mattison's City Grille restaurant. Chef Paul Mattison has even created three signature dishes in honor of the singer - the Pizza Mercado, the Syesha Salad and the Fan-Esha appetizer platter.

 

 

Los Angeles is one of the most diverse cities in the world. So, it is difficult for me to believe the hype when it comes to the show “The Hills.”

 

As I watched the season finale, I couldn’t help but think about the fact that every season I look for (and never find) people of color in any storylines. The only reoccurring black role is Spencer’s 645 BMW.

 

Yes I still watch, it’s a guilty pleasure, but who’s to blame?

Don't expect a wedding anytime soon between "The Bachelor's" Matt Grant and his chosen one, Shayne Dahl Lamas, who admit they are in no rush to the altar. 27-year-old Matt popped the question last night on the show to 22-year-old Shayne with a 2.85-carat, 60 thousand dollar platinum and diamond Tacori engagement ring. He chose the perky blonde actress (daughter of actor Lorenzo Lamas) over sweet and sporty Chelsea, who left bitter and unhappy.  

 

This morning on a conference call with reporters, the happy couple was bombarded with questions about the show's poor track record. Not a single of "The Bachelor's" twelve unions has actually ended up in a marriage. Only one even remains intact (Byron and Mary). Ten ended up breaking up.

 

But Shayne defended their union telling reporters, "We are engaged and we are going to get married and its forever." 

Miley Cyrus is back to just being Miley. With the photoshoot uproar behind her, the Disney star debuted a new single Tuesday morning on the syndicated radio show Elvis Duran and the Morning Zoo.

The angsty single, "7 Things," chronicles a painful breakup, begging the question, is the tween sensation singing about ex-boyfriend Nick Jonas.

In the song, Miley rants, "You're vain, your games, you're insecure/You love me, you like her/You make me laugh you make me cry."

As many of the gentlemen out there know, it's a major dilemma when you want to watch hours of sports on television and the wife, girlfriend, shorty, little lady, significant other, or special friend (didn't want to leave anyone out) is not going to have it. Well, here is a little gem I tripped upon while watching a fight last year. After talking her into watching it, I started pointing out the celebrities in the audience and making comments about them. It had the effect of a good jab, it doesn't really hurt your opponent, but it does set up the rest of your punches. Since celebrities are my business, I was able to watch the fight and keep an ongoing conversation about each person at the fight.

 

Before you knew it, the twelve rounds were up Money Mayweather has his hand up in victory and then sambas his way to “Dancing With The Stars.” What a victory. For me. All I had to do was do what she loves to do anyway - gossip about celebrities. GENIUS! This worked so well for me that I have not missed a fight all year and my wife watched the Oscar De La Hoya vs. Steve Forbes fight without me and reported all the ringside details. She didn't record the fight for me, but sports watching etiquette comes later on in the lesson plan.
 
Now, of course I had to try this theory out on every sport I watch. And surprisingly it works. Some sports came really easy. Thank you, Gisele Bundchen and Jessica Simpson. You made last year’s football season one of the best ever. Please continue your work on behalf of the league (at least my fantasy football league), you’re truly helping to bring families together. Sorry, Cowboys fans, I'm a Dolphins fan, someone else had to feel our pain. Thank you, Jason Taylor, for your work on the field and on the dance floor. I can hear myself on the couch now, "Look, dear, Jason Taylor just got another sack, pass me the chips."

Well it was another great race at the 134th Running Of The Kentucky Derby. Big Brown showed his superiority on the track and the celebrities jockeyed for position just outside of him. As we all now know “The Derby” is an event that brings out the who’s who in sports, entertainment, politics, and business. There is a section at Churchill Downs called Millionaire’s Row that will soon need to be changed to Billionaire’s row, because a million might not be enough anymore.

 

Rohena Miller and Junior Bridgeman of The Grand Gala asked me to come out and enjoy the festivities again this year, so of course I did not hesitate to accept the invitation. The Grand Gala is an event that benefits the 828 Foundation which, in turn, donates to other local youth organizations in Louisville.

 

The Grand Gala is the premiere event during the derby and the best part about it is a black event. Black tie with Black people, it’s a beautiful thing. Celebrities and athletes like Michael Jordan, Julius “Dr. J” Erving, Michael Strahan, Nicole Murphy, Gabrielle Union, Tichina Arnold, Lynn Whitfield, Tracy Edmonds, Dwyane Wade, Vince Young, Byron Leftwich and Dwight Freeney all came out to have a good time and support the 828 Foundation.

Never before on "American Idol" have I seen a contestant look more like they were ready to leave than Jason Castro. Obviously, everybody else noticed it too.

 

So, it was no surprise when on a conference call with reporters this morning the first question out of the gate was, "did you forget your lyrics on purpose?" It's something Simon Cowell pondered after the show on Tuesday night. This would have been my question too but I didn’t dial in quick enough. So, someone else got to ask it. What was Jason going to say though; especially with a slew of "American Idol" people sitting they’re with him? Would he admit it? I was pretty convinced he did forget them on purpose. However, Jason surprised me when he told reporters that up until last night he was still in it to win it, saying,

 

“I definitely did not do that on purpose. I couldn’t believe I forgot such a popular line, you know, something that is like written on your soul. Somehow it slipped my mind.”

 

On the opposite coin though, Jason said he was ready to leave last night because, unfortunately, with his lack of performing experience, he couldn't handle the pressure,

 

"I think what it came to down to was just my inexperience. Once we doubled up on songs I wasn't really able to focus. My mind was just split and I couldn’t deliver either / or." 

By Kathy Suarez,
Access Field Producer

When I was in high school and for part of college, I considered myself a bit "boy crazy" -- at least, that's what my friends would tell me. I would do the usual "OMG! OMG! OMG! He's looking at me! OMG he's so hot! I'm in love!" thing, regularly.

But when I settled down and got married, I locked up that "boy-crazy teenager part of me" in a box and hid her in the back of my sock drawer, never to come out again.
Well, it appears that since working at Access Hollywood, that crazy teenager has escaped several times from her hiding spot. I am sure some of you might remember my NKOTB incident last month. And, oh, one of my other favorites, the night I interviewed Justin Timberlake for the first time. I literally rushed home after work and changed into the sexiest top I had so he would notice me (I got more stares from construction workers and dog walkers that night though).

Regardless, my body collapsed when I saw him. My heart literally pounded so hard the whole neighborhood could hear, and my palms sweated profusely to the point that I formed a sweat puddle around me. Needless to say, I could barely remember any of questions when Justin approached. All I could do is look into those baby blues and fantasize about me being the girl in the "Senorita" video. And ever since, he's been my celebrity crush.

Click Here To Watch Video Of Wednesday Night's 'Prince Caspian' Premiere

Now, fast forward to last night. I'm standing at the Ziegfeld Theater for the premiere of "Prince Caspian" and all everyone keeps buzzing about is how devastatingly gorgeous Ben Barnes is (he  plays Prince Caspian). That's just impossible. No one is as hot as Justin Timberlake in my book. Suddenly the flashes go off like mad, and this image of total hotness appears before me. He's like a perfectly sculptured Greek god. My mouth literally dropped.

Wow… 3000 episodes of Access Hollywood and I have been here for every one. I am going on my 12th year here at Access! Of course, I started when I was just 15-years-old!!!! And boy what a ride it has been!

 

I can remember, as if it were yesterday, my very first interview. It was with Keanu Reeves and I was so nervous that I just laughed throughout the entire interview. No matter how he answered, I just let out this big belly laugh like it was the best thing anybody had ever said. He must have thought I was a bit whacky... hopefully, he realized I was just green.

 

The one question I get asked almost daily - so who are your favorite celebrities? Who do you enjoy interviewing the most? I always answer Richard Gere, because I had a crush on him for so long. I developed the crush when I was a little girl and snuck into the theater to see "American Gigolo" before the age I was allowed and caught a glimpse of his behind. Oh my... how my crush started that day!

 

I remember one of my first interviews with him. I was so tongue-tied... I could not get my questions out. My face turned bright red because of it and then my producers started yelling, "Get her some water, get her some water!" And that just made things worse! But actually, it all turned out just fine because I had to confess my crush to Richard and we have had the best relationship ever since.

by the Access Hollywood News Desk

Access has a behind-the-scenes story of Britney's appearance in court on Tuesday...
 
   
SURROUNDED:  In a dress you could almost call demure, Britney was escorted by 5 LASD deputies and an entourage that included parents Jamie and Lynn. Brit (wearing a serious expression) was holding onto her mother's hand.  Also there, two power attorneys; Blair Berk (who is handling the conservatorship) and Stacey Phillips (who is handling custody issues) along with teams of Lesser Attorneys from both their offices. Our reporter Selin Dark says Britney was under a tight rein, with parents and attorneys huddled closely around her. But Selin notes they treat Britney like she's "delicate." When she entered there was absolute silence.  She and her ex did not make eye contact at all.

 

SHARP DRESSED MAN:  In contrast with his ex, Kevin Federline (who arrived first) looked cocky and in control of the situation and himself. Head shaven, he wore a cream-colored striped suit and matching shoes. To Selin he looked "like he was walking a red carpet.” Interesting to note that reporters asked both "who are you wearing" but got no answer.

 

by Scott Mantz

You may not know who WALL-E is now, but you sure will come June 27.

 

That’s when the next computer-animated bonanza from Disney-Pixar (“Finding Nemo,” “Toy Story”) hits theaters, and considering how well the first 8 have done – collectively grossing more than $4.3 billion worldwide – the ninth is bound to keep that cinematic gravy train chugging along just fine.

 

And for good reason – I got to meet WALL-E up close and personal when he dropped by the “Access Hollywood” offices, and what a cutie!  At first, he looked a little like the robot from “Short Circuit,” but then I realized he looked more like a cross between R2-D2 and E.T.

ABC promises that next Monday night's episode of "The Bachelor: London Calling" will be "the most romantic finale ever"! Of course, they also consistently make these annoying proclamations about it being the "most ever" something in practically every episode. So, 'Don't believe the hype,' is what I'm saying here people.

 

However, it has been revealed that the 27-year-old British "Bachelor," Matt Grant, will propose to one of the final two remaining ladies - which include 24-year-old pharmaceutical sales rep Chelsea Wanstrath and 22-year-old actress Shayne Llamas (daughter of Lorenzo Llamas). I'm sure ABC wanted us to know their would be a proposal since last season's Bachelor, Brad Womack, brutally dumped both his babes at the end of the show. 

 

This morning, on a conference call with reporters, I had the chance to personally grill Matt about his engagement. Apparently, some tabloids have been reporting that he proposes to one of the ladies (I think Shayne) so he can marry his way into becoming a U.S. citizen. I hadn't read these reports at all though, when I jokingly asked Matt if he was proposing to get himself a green card.  After a hearty laugh Matt launched into a rant against the tabloids,

 

"That was the most farcical rubbish I have ever read in my life. I took real offense to that because they were calling me a fraudster. I thought in the U.K. you could sue people for that because of defamation of character, but hey, I think that’s part of the process of being in Hollywood isn’t it? Even if I'm here for a limited time."

 

I also took him to task by asking if he felt it was proper to propose to someone when he has admitted he was in love with two women. Shouldn't the person you ultimately pledge to spend the rest of your life with be someone you are in love with 100 percent?  

This week the final four "American Idol" contestants Syesha Mercado, Jason Castro, David Cook and David Archuleta will select and sing a song from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s list of “500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll”; a permanent exhibit showcased at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum in Cleveland, Ohio.  

 

What better place to get in the rock and roll mindset than Las Vegas. No they were not out partying like rock stars til the wee hours of the morning like most folks do in Vegas. The four contestants traveled this weekend to Sin City looking for a little love and found it at the Beatles Love show at the Mirage Hotel. Access Hollywood had a camera at the Mirage and before the Cirque Du Soleil show spoke to the contestants. 

 

When asked what he thought his chances of becoming the winner of Season Seven, David Cook gave a typical politically correct "Idol" friendly answer.

 

"The only answer that I can come up with is that I have a 25 percent chance of winning 'American Idol.' There is three performances left and I think we are all in it to win it. So, it is anybody’s game," he said.

by Dan Gomez, Access assistant research director

 

With the writers strike over, many in the TV industry are hoping that all those viewers they lost would flock to their TV sets now that there are new episodes of their favorite shows. Well keep hoping, networks. Things are down all over.

 

For example, last night's number one show "CSI" was seen by almost 18 million viewers. The crime drama is up from last week by 800,000 people. This is a good number and most shows would kill to get it but “CSI” used to be TV’s number one show and would bring at least 24 million a week.

 

"Grey's Anatomy", the night's number two show, finished with 15 million viewers. The medical soap opera is down from last week by just over 1 million. Maybe it’s the overexposure of the show’s stars, either in the news or on the big screen but “Grey’s” like “CSI” is down significantly. In fact, “Grey’s” and  “CSI” would often compete for the week’s top spot.

I was just 3 feet away from the Jack Nicholson of horse racing.  Maybe I should say the Emile Hirsch of racing as the aura is vast but the experience is not.    "Big Brown" is as big a stud (Colt really) and a star as there is here in Louisville, Kentucky...after only 3 big races, he's favored to win the Kentucky Derby 3 to 1.

 

Sam Flood, the NBC Sports producer running the show out here for the network took me back to the stables.  Multi-million dollar training stables, one after the other, it was impressive.  But around "Big Brown" was crime scene tape and major security which now makes him the Angelina Jolie of horse racing. 

 

I was star struck.  The trainers let us in close enough to watch “Big Brown” walk in a slow circle around the stables...he had just gotten a bath and needed to air dry. Seriously.

by Bret Hyde, Access Hollywood staffer

 

So last night, the hottest ticket in New York was the Madonna show at Roseland, a 3000 person ballroom in the heart of Manhattan's theater district, around the corner from Letterman.  People lined up down 52nd Street and back up Broadway (some up to four days!) for a chance to see the Material Mom in a more - ahem - intimate setting than her usual room twenty blocks south at Madison Square Garden.  The occasion for the show was the release of Hard Candy, Madonna's latest album of dance music which was produced by, among others, Justin Timberlake, Timbaland, and Pharrell Williams.  I was sent by Access to record the video footage of the concert you might have seen on our show.  I had never seen Madonna perform live before, and since I wasn't about to shell out $300 to see her any other time, I was curious to say the least about the spectacle I was about to witness.

 

I showed up at Roseland promptly at 8 only to find out that Madonna was not going to take the stage until 10.  After I was finally allowed in a little before 9, we were escorted to the press area upstairs.  As I passed by the stage, I noticed a case full of guitars, which struck me as odd seeing as how this was supposed to be a dance album, and Madonna is ranked somewhere between Mick Jagger and Bono for their guitar prowess.  I plugged my deck into the box and now had an hour to mingle backstage.  Now let me say upfront, I never saw Madonna backstage.  They were keeping her in some room far, far away from the press until she went out on stage.  However, I did pass the time with her dancers and backup singers. 

 

Also Rosie O'Donnell passed through and Josh Groban hung out following his performance on Letterman earlier that night. 

 

The craft service table had a bunch of sandwiches and chips laid out, along with the requisite coffee urns and cooler full of water and Diet Cokes, but it was festooned with signs reminding the people who were not part of the tour that the food was not for them, and yes, that meant you.

Well, things went down at "American Idol" last night exactly as I thought they would. The lovely, and once very talented (but lost her confidence), Brooke White was sent home. I knew it would happen not because her guitar playing, kitschy performance of "I'm A Believer" was so awful, but because Access Hollywood was at a viewing party for her Tuesday night. 

 

If you are paying attention, this is now the third time this season we have covered a viewing party and the person was eliminated the next night. This is also if you are counting the eighth time this has happened during an ‘Idol’ season. This time, the viewing party was held at a furniture store in Van Nuys where Brooke lives. The newly opened "Living Spaces" hosted the party so her friends and family could watch her on multiple big screen TVs. It would have made a great story on our show, but unfortunately, Paula's lunatic behavior hugely diminished the air time for the party. If you blinked, you missed it in our show last night. There were about 100 to 150 in attendance and clearly our presence must have thrown off their texting and dialing capabilities. Or maybe they just all got caught up in re-decorating their houses once they were inside a furniture store?

 

This morning on a conference call, Brooke told reporters she got a phone this morning from her Idol, Carly Simon.

 

"She was incredibly supportive, very generous in her comments. It actually really boosted my spirits. It kind of gave me a motivation and a hope to keep going in the direction that I am." 

 

I was at the Idol taping last night and from far away, Natasha Bedingfield and Brooke looked like twins. They even forget their lyrics the same. Yes, even the professionals do it sometimes!