5.23.13 Heading to Life Ball, Idol Speculation Season begins

Countdown to Life Ball

Adam should be in Vienna, Austria now.  The stage is being set for what looks seems guaranteed to be a specular show!!

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Maggy ‏@maggy_97
Pictures from the (almost ready) Life Ball stage (+ "American Idol winner Adam Lambert" LOL) www.xn--sterreich-z7a.at/nachrichten/Die-besten-Stars-beim-Life-Ball/104913307 …

Clinton & Co.
Die besten Stars beim Life Ball
Diese Stars kommen am Samstag nach Wien.


The best stars at the Life Ball
These stars are coming to Vienna on Saturday.

Who has never seen a star up close, should secure a good spot on the red carpet in front of the City Hall on Saturday. For there comes along an army of stars, as we otherwise experienced only in Hollywood.

Organizer Gery Keszler could win top designer Roberto Cavalli for the fashion show at the opening. He will move with his wife Eve in the self-designed mini at the Red Carpet. Models on the catwalk as:'s Next Top Model winner Sara Nuru, Karolina Kurkova, Eva Padberg and Sonja Kirchberger. For the musical accompaniment make American Idol winner Adam Lambert and Erwin Schrott will perform even Carmen Electra and be stripped of Duchess Catherine's cousin Katrina Darling.





Idol Speculation Season begins!!


Fox Is Considering a Plan to Have Former American Idols Judge Next Season
May 22, 2013 9:52 AM By Josef Adalian



Jennifer Hudson, Kelly Clarkson and Adam Lambert are all names being considered to judge next year's American Idol

There's a very real chance the next American Idol will be judged by a panel of former American Idols. As Fox and the production companies behind the struggling (yet still high-rated) singing show ponder changes for the 2014 edition, two people with knowledge of the situation tell Vulture that serious consideration is being given to the idea of filling one, and very possibly all, of the slots on the show's judging panel with former Idol contestants. These sources say Jennifer Hudson and Kelly Clarkson have already been approached about the idea, and that the names of Adam Lambert and Clay Aiken are also under discussion. (Alas, Justin Guarini does not seem to be on the short list.)

It's important to emphasize that we have not been able to confirm that Fox and production companies FremantleMedia and 19 Entertainment have made a final decision to go with an all-alumni panel for season thirteen. There are a million moving parts in the twelve-year-old Idol machine, and in recent years, speculation about potential judges that seemed quite reasonable (like this report about Enrique Iglesias getting a firm offer to join the show) has often led nowhere. So keep in mind: While the Idol brain trust may be mulling an alumni panel now, and even putting out feelers to reps for J-Hud, Kelly, et al., it's quite possible that execs might change their minds, or that if negotiations with the former Idol contestants commence, said talks could later break down. Fox and the production companies also have lots of time to make their moves:

The 2013 judging panel wasn't officially unveiled until mid-September last year. Still, there's plenty of evidence to suggest that Idol will feature all-new judges when it returns. Randy Jackson's already been given his on-air good-bye and Fox execs have done nothing to shoot down the May 8 scoop by the Wrap's Jethro Nededog that all four judges were being dumped. Fox boss Kevin Reilly, when asked last week about the future of the panel, told reporters that "everything is on the table." That might also include who serves as Idol's showrunner: The Wrap also reported that veteran producer Nigel Lythgoe "is expected to be replaced."

As they always do during Idol Speculation Season, Fox publicity declined to comment. If an all-alum panel becomes a reality, the thinking behind the idea seems pretty solid: After several seasons in which Fox shelled out crazy money for singing superstars for whom Idol often seemed to be just part of a larger publicity tour, bringing back former contestants sounds like a good way to reconnect the show with its roots (and a core audience that might have been turned off by all the carpetbaggers passing judgement). What's more, most of the former contestants being discussed have had successful careers post-Idol, either in music or in the movies. Showcasing Idol icons might be a none-too-subtle way to differentiate the show from its upstart (and now higher-rated) rival, NBC's The Voice, which has yet to produce even a modestly successful champion. Fox insiders have long insisted Idol's success wasn't because of Simon Cowell or any of the judges, but because viewers loved watching real people transform into superstars. Welcoming some of those superstars home might be a good way to get former Idol viewers to return as well.

Link: www.vulture.com/2013/05/former-contestants-may-judge-next-years-idol.html



‘American Idol’ Eyeing Alumni Adam Lambert, Kelly Clarkson + Jennifer Hudson for Judges’ Table
by Jessica Sager May 22, 2013 4:03 PM


Kevin Winter / Ethan Miller / Kevin Winter, Getty Images

‘American Idol’ is getting desperate for ratings, and they’ve already cleaned house at the judges’ table. To salvage the show, they’re looking for fresh blood — fresh and familiar blood.

Producers are reportedly considering ‘Idol’ alums Adam Lambert, Kelly Clarkson and Jennifer Hudson to judge season 13. And we think it’s kind of a bang-up idea.

Vulture reports that Hudson and Clarkson, who judged summer struggling series ‘Duets’ on ABC, have reportedly already been approached to join the panel. Lambert has previously expressed interest in signing up as well, but no talks have been set up for him — yet.

‘Idol’ may be considering an all-alumni panel to stick it to its now-higher rated competitor, ‘The Voice,’ which has yet to produce a successful contestant or winner. In contrast, Lambert has wowed audiences worldwide and filled in for Freddie Mercury, Clarkson has recorded the best breakup anthems ever, and J-Hud has an Oscar — so if nothing else, it would prove that ‘Idol’ does, in fact, have a damned impressive list of graduates.

Clay Aiken was also in the running, but it seems that didn’t work out. Sorry, Claymates. (Might we interest you in a seat on the Glambert train?)

Link: starcrush.com/adam-lambert-kelly-clarkson-jennifer-hudson-american-idol-judges/



Idol chatter: Would Lambert be an Idol judge? Oh, yes
By Bill Pinella 10:47 a.m.May 22, 2013

Maybe it’s just an invalid perception. Or maybe a glance the wrong way. But the American Idol question that begs to be answered: Whatever happened to Adam Lambert?

Oh, yes, he will perform July 2 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.

Yes, he is working on a new record.

Yes, he performed in last week’s Idol finale with Final 3 contestant Angie Miller.

But since his second-place finish four years ago (and what a joke that was) in Season 8, he has all but disappeared from mainstream Americana music. So where did this enormously talented San Diegan go?

Try around the world. That’s what he said at a news conference last week.

“I’ve been doing a lot, lot of traveling since Idol,” Lambert said. “Now we are working on a new album but I can’t say anything about that. I got in trouble before when I talked about it. I’ve pretty much been around the world. Spent a lot of time in Asia and Scandinavia. I got to play with Queen and that was such an inspiration.

“Queen was awesome. I was flattered and terrified at the same time. I know that no one compares to Freddy Mercury, but they all made me feel so at ease. I had a blast.

“We are still in touch. Brian (May) and Roger (Taylor) email me and we say hello. We left everything open. Who knows, something could happen (between Lambert and Queen) in the future.”

But Lambert is still very aware that it was his Idol journey that launched a successful, albeit limited in the U.S., career. And finishing second still doesn’t seem to bother him.

“When it gets down to the final few … it doesn’t matter who wins. For the final three for sure it’s all about launching your career. See, everyone knows who Kree Harrison is now.

“American Idol is a lot like a boot camp. You are working fast, getting ideas out, learning how to do commercials, learning how to do interviews, working on-stage in front of a big audience, conquering your nerves. The whole Idol experience does a really good job with all of that. It sets you up for a lot.”

The stage is also Lambert’s other love. Is that a career option for him?

“I’m going back to New York in a couple of weeks just to see a couple of friends’ plays. Would I like to work on Broadway? Of course, if the right role came along. It would have to be something edgy, weird and out there.”

After a dozen seasons, Idol seems to be in a state of flux with dwindling ratings and a judges’ panel that wasn’t universally received this year. Would Lambert ever consider being a judge himself?

“I don’t know,” he said, but if they called me … like where do I sign?” he laughed. “It would be really cool to help people to keep their vision focused. You have to realize you have family, judges, producers and the other contestants screwing with your head. It would be inspiring to help get them to reach their dreams.”

And just maybe, as a judge, Lambert could reconnect with the music public back in the U.S.

Link: www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/may/22/idol-chatter-lambert-judge/



The Daily Beast
‘American Idol’ May Have a Brilliant Plan to Bring Contestants Back as Judges
by Kevin Fallon May 22, 2013 12:47 PM EDT

There’s hope after all! Reports surface that Fox is planning to stock next season’s judging table with alums. Quick, someone call Kelly (and Kellie).

Just over a week before the confetti rained down on Candice Glover, reports leaked of an American Idol bloodbath—all four judges, including stalwart dawg Randy Jackson, were being booted from the panel—and we argued that it’s in the best interest of the aging reality show and the misguided music stars it courts not to hire celebrity judges in the future. It seems now, at least in part, producers are listening.

The Idol off-season rumor mill is already whipping furiously, with Vulture reporting that Fox is giving “serious consideration” to the idea of inviting former Idol contestants and winners to next season’s judges tables. Kelly Clarkson and Jennifer Hudson already reportedly have been approached, with Clay Aiken and Adam Lambert also under serious consideration.

Responding to the relentless media narrative harping over how—owed to falling ratings, a tired format, and frustrated fans—Idol is “dead,” Fox head honcho Kevin Reilly told reporters last week that “everything was on the table” as far as what would happen when the Idol team pressed reset and retooled the show for next season. If this still very speculative report is indicative of what he plans to bring to the table next season, then those Idol¬-obituary-writing critics are in for a big scare. Idol might be back from the dead.

When we spoke to longtime (and obsessive) Idol critics last week about the show’s biggest problems and how to fix them, each flagged the recent obsession over spending big money on big music stars who in turn demand big amounts of screen time as its, well, biggest issue. Mariah Carey rambles nonsensically for four minutes after a contestant who performs for 90 seconds, a rather asinine mode of operation for a TV show ostensibly about singing.

The fix these critics overwhelmingly rooted for was scrapping the idea of celebrity judges and refocusing the show on the contestants it hopes to turn into pop stars. Idol’s relevancy, after all, was built on plucking the Kelly Clarksons, Jennifer Hudsons, Carrie Underwoods, and the Phillip Phillps out of obscurity—not on giving Nicki Minaj a bigger platform for her crazy than she already has.

It’s a rather brilliant compromise of those two notions, then, to bring back the contestants who weathered Idol’s golden years, who have been through the ringer and know what makes a good Idol performance, who fielded the kinds of constructive critiques from Simon and—dare we say it?—Paula that we’re now nostalgic for. They’re recognizable personalities and, yes, a few are even “big stars.”

And yes, for someone like Clay Aiken, joining the Idol judging panel would likely be motivated by the desire for a career boost as doing so was for someone like Jennifer Lopez or Carey. But at the very least, there’s the hope for the kinds of insightful musical critiques that the show has been woefully missing in recent seasons, which have been dominated by fashion pointers and meaningless platitudes.

There’s at least four months before Idol producers make a final decision on this—this year’s panel wasn’t officially announced until last September—and there a million ways for talks to fall through and opportunities for executives to change their minds. But assuming this idea does move forward, which Idol alums would be excellent picks?

Kelly Clarkson

This is a no-brainer. What more perfect way to HeWhoCannot amedet the show’s continued relevance into the ears of the naysayers preparing its deathbed than bringing back the small-town singer who propelled the show to pop-culture phenomenon status and 12 years later continues to win Grammys and dominate the industry? Plus, she’s clearly game to participate. She judged the ABC competition Duets last summer and has appeared as a guest mentor on The Voice, delivering smart musical insights with that charming Southern twang that’s impossible not to giggle over.

Melinda Doolittle

The Season 6 contestant remains one of the most technically masterful singers the show has ever featured. (After this performance, no one should ever be allowed to sing “My Funny Valentine” again on that show.) Plus, in the years since her Idol run she’s become an expert on the show, teaming with TV Line’s Idol guru Michael Slezak for a webseries analyzing the competition in recent seasons. She’s not just one of Idol’s best talents, she’s become one of its most knowledgeable experts.

Adam Lambert

Lambert’s name has popped up several times through the years as Idol execs cast its rotating panel of celebrity judges, and each time the news was met with giddy excitement from critics eager for his refreshing candor as well as a dash of his over-the-top flamboyance. More than that, though, after years of judges boxing contestants into supposedly-marketable genres and constrictive wheelhouses from their very first performances (god forbid this season’s Angie Miller even thought about standing up from a piano bench), it would be a nice change of pace to have a judge encourage the singers to, just as he did on his season to great success, be themselves and let their freak flags fly.

Kellie Pickler

The obvious choice to fill the country slot on the panel would be Carrie Underwood. But the better one is Kellie Pickler. It was abundantly clear during her season on Idol but even more so during her Mirror Ball-winning run that just ended on Dancing With the Stars, but Pickler bubbles over with personality. While it’s easy to mistake her over-excitedness for ditziness (and that was the running joke while she was on Idol) her DWTS run especially proved she actually has a quite astute sense of self and is actually remarkably articulate.

So your move, Fox. Sign ‘em up!

Link: www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/05/22/american-idol-may-bring-back-contestants-as-judges-who-they-should-sign.html





Vapor Sky Introduces Unique Personalized Fingerprint Artwork
Published 12:00 pm, Wednesday, May 22, 2013

ww2.hdnux.com/photos/21/63/37/4667381/3/628x471.jpg

Charlotte, NC (PRWEB) May 22, 2013

Vapor Sky, the creators of Resonant Decor – featured in the Adam Lambert Trespassing box set – are proud to announce their latest custom-designed artwork: Fingerprint Decor. Every fingerprint is unique to a single person; no one else, now or ever, has it. Fingerprint Decor takes this individual print and turns it into a work of abstract visual art.

Read more: www.sfgate.com/business/prweb/article/Vapor-Sky-Introduces-Unique-Personalized-4538542.php#ixzz2U5GYBy9K

Upcoming Events
Check the Adamtopia calendar for more events and links to more info.

May 25, 2013 Adam at the Life Ball in Vienna, Austria
TV channel 3Sat is showing the opening ceremony of Life Ball on May 25th, 11pm -1am
The Life Ball Song will premier on the Rathausplatz and on ORF1

More detailed info on the Opening Ceremony of Life Ball 2013 here

www.lifeball.org/?p=5542&lang=en

“Love Wins Over Glamour” – Life Ball Song 2013
Life Ball Crystal of Hope Award donated by Swarovski
Classical march of the debutants
Joint address of Life Ball’s partner organizations
Life Ball Fashion Show 2013 by Roberto Cavalli

Two hours of music (classical, fanfare, Life Ball song and Lifetango), speeches, theme parade and fashion show.

Pre-ceremony broadcast with Magenta Carpet and interviews at 20.15 = 8.15 pm
Opening ceremony at 21.30 = 9.30 pm.

Live TV link (ORF1)
tvthek.orf.at/live

Official stream links (both using ustream footage)
wall.lifeball.org/live
www.ustream.tv/lifeball

Time difference is 6 hours earlier in New York, check your city from www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/ .

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PS If you can't get the aforementioned links to work you can try the following

Sites that stream tv broadcasts (ORF1 / ORF eins)
www.tv-kino.net/stream/live/at/orf1.html
tv-place.net/live/orf1/#.UZ4Pw9fyXIW 

Delayed live TV
www.3sat.de/mediathek/index.php?display=1&mode=play&obj=36476  (only the ceremony? at 23.00 = 11 pm)

June 15, 2013 Pittsburgh Pride In The Street Festival, Pittsburg, PA. Adam is the headliner. More info: www.pittsburghpride.org/tickets

June 29, 2013 Adam in concert in Orland, Florida at Universal Studios Florida.
More info: www.orlandoinformer.com/universal/summer-concert-series-2013/

July 2, 2012 Adam performs in San Diego, CA, San Diego County State Fair
www.sdfair.com/index.php?fuseaction=info.calendar&op=detail&pkid=1379&month=7&year=2013&calCatID=



Radio Links

Every Saturday from New Zealand -- Adam Lambert Hour -- Live 5:00PM EDT US.

Link: theflea.co.nz/
Check out the ALH page for podcast of previous shows.
This is the only weekly Adam Lambert show in the world.

Energy Radio (UK) www.energymusicradio.co.uk/



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