Access Blogs
'American Christmas'... And Other Idol Holiday Disasters.
Do you ever just get a bad feeling about something and know it's going to go all wrong?
Yesterday morning I had that feeling and I should have gone with my gut instinct. I had agreed to cover an event in Hollywood that was a party to help celebrate the release of “American Christmas” -- a CD which features recordings from past top 12 “Idol” alums Nikki McKibbin, RJ Helton, Trenyce, Jasmine Trias and Mikalah Gordon - as well as a few Top 24 contestants and even the rejected Maynard Triplets, who in Season Four Simon Cowell famously called “fat Jessica Simpson’s."
It sounded like a grand old cheesy time. They were all going to perform some Christmas tunes together. We would interview them and see what they have all been up to and capture some video of the performance to put online. The whole shoot hinged on one thing though -- I agreed to it because I wanted to do an intimate sit down interview with Nikki McKibbin who was just wrapping filming on the second season of "Celebrity Rehab With Dr Drew" for VH1.
Nikki has had a rough year emotionally. Her mother passed away just as Nikki was readying a Las Vegas wedding. Then in March, she was taken to a hospital and placed on a 72-hour psychiatric hold after it was feared she was contemplating suicide, still distraught over her mother’s death. When that story broke her manager issued a denial to me and said Nikki did not attempt suicide, rather she had a bad reaction to medication. My plan was to get to the bottom of all this and find out what she learned during her rehab experience.
E-mails were exchanged with her manager and a time was set up for the interview with the explanation that Nikki was the only reason we were coming. We would arrive at 9:00 PM and interview Nikki at 9:30 PM. Around midnight the prior evening, I received an e-mail telling me that Nikki would be needed for VH1 until 10 PM and the interview would occur then instead. This is when I should have known this was going to turn out to be a disaster. On good faith though and because I had committed, we arrived at 9:00 PM (because I was told this was when the red carpet would open for the other “Idols” in attendance.)
I head to the event at a club in Hollywood. I'm driving down Hollywood Boulevard looking for the red carpet which at most events is fairly obvious because traffic is all jammed up from curious onlookers. I drove around the block three times and could not find the place. After my third attempt, I finally noticed a teeny tiny red carpet with a small backdrop. No photographers were there and not a single other TV crew. Bad sign.
I decide there is no way I'm going to stand out on Hollywood Boulevard for interviews and head inside the club instead. Inside, I'm shown the room where we will interview Nikki. I'm told the area will be closed off until 11 PM to club goers. The stage is set for the musical performance that night so with that as a backdrop, it's a great setup for an intimate interview. Then the bombshell is dropped when Nikki's manager tells me that VH1 is filming the show's final dinner this evening and Nikki is running behind.
"How behind?" I ask. Her manager tells me, "We are really not sure. Can you give me to 11:30? I'm going to speak to the VH1 people and tell them this has to happen?"
I should have left then especially since my poor cameraman told me on the way to this shoot his car was rear ended (by a hot female lawyer in a Jaguar, nonetheless!).
At this point I know this is never going to happen. I've been on the set of plenty of reality shows to know that they don't care about anything but getting their own show shot. I guarantee the producers at "Celeb Rehab" had no worries about Access Hollywood not getting their interview even though it would be good publicity for them. So, just because I’m a nice girl I stick it out for a little while longer and interview some of the “Idols” on the album who were in attendance. In the meantime, I end up finding out that this so called new Christmas album is already out despite being told it was set to release on November 11. First, I'm told this is because this is volume two but later I’m told it's because they did a "soft release" first and November will be the official release. And I’m informed despite the fact that flyers went out all over LA about this event promising performances by Nikki, Trenyce and RJ Helton that RJ will not make it tonight and neither will Mikalah Gordon. Bogus, right?
I talked to Trenyce (who hasn’t even recorded her songs for this album yet) who will begin touring in '”Aint Misbehavin" with Ruben Studdard and Frenchie Davis soon. I also meet Alexis Stone Lopez who was apparently beat out for the wildcard spot on Season One. I don't remember her at all. I do remember Amy Davis who was in the Top 24 this season. She has moved out to LA and is pursuing music right now. Then just for the heck of it I talk to the Maynard Triplets who moved to Nashville and are working on a country album. Despite Simon's nasty comments to them they are actually really decent singers.
Now its 10:30 and this kid who I have no idea what his role is informs me that Nikki "maybe here by 11:30." Now I’m pissed. This means by the time she arrives the club will be open and jumping and so much for an intimate interview about all her drama. Time to give up, go home and drink some wine to drown the misery.
Lesson learned. If your gut instinct tells you something, listen to it!
Hi Laura...how are you? Oh the life of a star...lol. I've been struggling a bit with my MS (I'm the one you interviewed for David Archuleta in Murray Utah) and I didn't even see your internet article until last week. Wow...thanks so much for your kind words towards me! You are amazing!!! It was a wonderful article, as are all of yours...You are a very dedicated person and I loved showing you and your crew around...I will never forget how wonderful you were and those wonderful words you wrote...Thanks again...Brett
Hi,
It was a pleasure meeting you the other night, inspite of your disappointment in how things turned out. Thank you for the interview....I am sure this means absolutely NOTHING to you considering I was not the "highlight" of your being in attendance...but I just figured I would just follow up to say "Thanks".
Trenyce