American Idol

GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) -- Chris Daughtry has left his small hometown of McLeansville for a bigger town and home.

The 26-year-old "American Idol" rocker, who finished fourth on this year's Fox talent competition, has moved to Oak Ridge, a town of about 4,000, which is north of Greensboro. NASCAR driver Kevin Harvick lives nearby.

Daughtry and his wife paid $690,000 for a four-bedroom,3,782-square-foot home with a swimming pool and putting green on a little more than an acre of land. McLeansville, also in Guilford County, has one barbershop, one grocery store and no gas stations.

"If you look at the houses here, and the type of people here, they're very upscale business people, and they're going to go about their daily life," said Steve Spalding, who works in the summer child care program at Oak Ridge Elementary.

While many observers billed Daughtry as the favorite to win "Idol," the raw-voiced rocker was voted off the show a few weeks before its finale. Southern soul singer Taylor Hicks took the competition's top award -- a $1 million recording contract.

The "American Idol" contestant opens up about her struggle with bulimia in an interview with sister and "EXTRA" guest correspondent Adriana McPhee. After building up the courage to tell her mother about her eating disorder, Katharine joined a program, which she says was overwhelming.

"I remember the first day, my first meal when I sat down with the other girls, I cried at the table," she said, "It was just like going face to face and seeing all the other girls struggling at the table and seeing myself actually wanting to eat as fast as I could to get out of there."

Now that she's fully recovered and back on the "Idol" tour, McPhee is happy to be seen as a role model to those in similar situations.

After missing the start of the "American Idol" summer tour, Katharine is ready to get back on stage. In a one-on-one interview with her sister and "EXTRA" Special Correspondent Adriana McPhee, Katharine talks about the struggle she had when her voice gave out due to both laryngitis and bronchitis right before the tour was set to start.

"It was definitely difficult, especially with the media making assumptions about what exactly it was, she's ditching the tour for a movie, all these silly things...it's just part of the business and I'm happy I'm healthy."

Katharine said she cried when she thinking she'd be letting her fans down. "I felt horrible. It's a huge disappointment. You're not only disappointing yourself but you're disappointing the people who work for you, your fans most importantly....this is like my first official day of actually speaking."

Well Allison, Justin is definitely no Kelly Clarkson. He was cut by RCA and, as a result, got virtually no promotion for his first album, "Justin Guarini," released in 2003. That album was followed by "Stranger Things Have Happened," released by Justice Entertainment. There's a buzz that one of Justin's problems is that he took a buzzer to his hair, which took away his key distinctive quality.

He didn't fare much better either when he took a stab at film -- his movie, "From Justin to Kelly," tanked.

Justin makes occasional TV appearances and he's still working on his music. But the runner up in "A.I." season one has not exactly had smooth sailing.

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For the most up-to-date "Idol" news, click here.
"American Idol" photo gallery, click here.

Ok, Jodi, here's the deal. Luke revealed last week that he's been dating someone for the last year and a half, but he won't say who. However, there are problems.

Luke told Howard Stern that he and his girl are having issues, in part because of his demanding schedule. Luke added that in his relationships he never has "the guts to just leave." For Luke's sake, we're hoping his girlfriend won't react the same way to a breakup as his on-screen lover in "My Super Ex-Girlfriend."

Oh yeah, Jill! Everyone wants to know what it means, if anything. Well, we did some digging and it really does mean something. Fart in a mitten is defined as an odor that becomes trapped in fabrics, which you just can't eliminate. We're guessing the person who made the comment thinks Paris is the odor and the world is the fabric.

By the way, take a look at Paris' reaction when TMZ's Harvey Levin asked her how she felt about being called a "fart in a mitten."

Related link
Paris Hilton photo gallery, click here.

Steph, it's a good question that was up in the air until recently. The CW has resuscitated the once laid to rest "7th Heaven." All the current stars are expected to return. It looks like the big wigs at The CW looked at the show's history, which was one of the top performers on the WB, and decided to give it another chance. So plan on seeing all the Camdens back on Mondays at 8pm, beginning Sept. 25, 2006.

Related link
7th Heaven" photo gallery, click here.

Kelly, TMZ spies say Wilmer has a thing for Scarlett Johansson. The two definitely seemed like an item in the Hamptons over the July 4th weekend. But wait -- there's this problem, and his name is Josh Hartnett. Josh is officially linked to Scarlett and she has said publicly that she's very happy in her current relationship. So what's the deal with Wilmer arranging for a helicopter to fly her up to the Hamptons that weekend? If Hollywood is anything, it's complicated when it comes to romance. To be continued.

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President Bush is about to meet the one guy who got more votes than he did – Taylor Hicks.

The White House announced Friday that the President would be hosting Hicks and the other finalists from "American Idol" in the Oval Office next week – and they might get the chance to bump into Tony Blair as well. The real question, though, is: Will Katharine McPhee show up?

"American Idol" judge Paula Abdul was met by a swarm of photographers Wednesday afternoon after grabbing a bite to eat with friends at LA's trendy Ivy restaurant in Beverly Hills. The superstar emerged from the restaurant to flashbulbs and a hoard of excited fans. But Paula's fashion choice is what really caught everyone off guard as everyone was focused on her... uh... dress.

Chris Daughtry was favored by many through most of this season's "American Idol" to win it all. In fact, when he was eliminated his 'Chrisaholic' fans smelled conspiracy. Like Bo Bice fans from the year before, Daughtry followers were dumbfounded when he left the show. Fans blamed everything from "low turnout" because they all felt he was safe to "phone malfunctions." Message boards and forums lit up with theories. Other fans were less conspiratorial and blamed the show's format, reminding their peers that the show is seeking a "pop" star and not a "rock" star.

Since the show, Chris has been in the news about the next steps of his career. He was offered, then turned down, the lead singer slot in the platinum-selling rock band Fuel who lost singer Brett Scallions to solo projects. While it may have been a good fit, Chris probably did the right thing there. I'm sure Clive Davis agrees.

Katharine McPhee is working so hard on her debut album that she' s hurting her voice, and sources tell TMZ that FOX is none too happy about it.

In fact, the "American Idol" runner-up has such severe brochitis and laryngitis that she missed the opening night of the Idols summer tour.

Taylor Hicks (and many others) showed up to Social Hollywood in LA on Tuesday night but it was all about Hicks. It seemed as though he was approached by one aspiring business partner after another - all wanting their own personal "Idol."

The "American Idol" winner was seen by TMZ's Josh Levine leaving the the Hollywood hotspot surrounded by paparazzi and possible future hook-ups ... er, business colleagues. At one point it got so bad that he needed a police escort back into the club while waiting for his car.

Grumblings are already reportedly coming from Taylor Hicks' camp about his first single "Do I Make You Proud." It was painfully obvious right away how bad the song is, which is of course not a reflection on Hicks since he didn't write it. Now, it seems Hicks may agree.

Hicks' former producer Will Smith of Baldwin Entertainment in Nashville tells In Touch Weekly magazine that Taylor wanted to release a song he wrote called "the Fall" instead of the tune written for him. Says Smith, "He wants to be known as a songwriter, not a karaoke singer."

Fashion designer Dina Bar-El has created outfits for "Desperate Housewives" and "The O.C.," but after having her dresses appear on a little show called "American Idol," Bar-El's phone has been ringing off the hook.

Bar-El designed all of the gorgeous gowns worn by "Idol" runner-up Katharine McPhee on the finale.

NBC loved Bar-El's outfits so much that they have asked her to dress all the suitcase-holding models on the upcoming season of "Deal or No Deal."

Bar-El told TMZ that the 32 lovely ladies will all sport the same black gown McPhee wore on "Idol" pictured here.

Another show jumping on the Bar-El bandwagon is FOX's "So You Think You Can Dance." Dina will create outfits for the show's finalists and with the Emmys coming up in September, she expects to be dressing some of TV's finest.

Check out the answers to your burning questions!

4) Madeleine Has Just GOTTA KNOW: Did Sophia Bush ever host "Saturday Night Live?"

Unfortunately, Madeleine, "One Tree Hill" star Sophia Bush has yet to join the elite list of "Saturday Night Live" hosts. However, according to her reps, the 23-year-old would "love to at some point in the future." For more "I Just GOTTA KNOW" on Sophia, click here!

5) B.Rangel Has Just GOTTA KNOW: What is the significance of the black wrist band that Taylor Hicks wears?

Indeed, America's most recent "Idol" Taylor Hicks has been spotted on more than one occasion sporting a black band around his wrist, leaving many to ponder its meaning. Alas- the mystery remains. His reps let us know that Taylor keeps the wrist band's significance a secret, preferring to keep its meaning personal. Although we may be kept in the dark concerning the adornment on his wrist, the light has been shed onto his love life. Click here for the inside story!

6) Carla Has Just GOTTA KNOW: Where can I find more pictures of Dulce Maria?

Carla, you can get your Dulce Maria fix right here at TMZ.com. For those of you who may not be familiar with this Latin lovely, Maria has appeared in many Mexican venues -- both television and musical -- helping to make her become one of the most talented and successful performers in Mexico. For Dulce Maria's photo gallery, click here!

Taylor Hicks is back kickin' it in is home state of Alabama. The recently named "hottest bachelor" winner, is so hot that he got to drop some rhymes with none other than Snoop Dogg this past weekend.

Snoop was in 'Bama performing at Birmingham's City Stage Festival on Saturday. Hicks hopped up on stage to join Snoop on "Gin and Juice." Hicks played a little harmonica and busted a few dance moves as well. Don't worry Snoop, we won't tell anyone back in Compton.

Showing off his street cred, Hicks gave props to the D - O - Double G:

"I have the greatest respect for Snoop Dogg as an artist, but also as a family man, a businessman and an integral part of pop culture," Hicks said in an interview downtown Saturday afternoon. "Rap music has the most advanced lyricism there is. Rap is real; there's nothing pretentious about it. I'm very excited about appearing with Snoop. I think it's great."

The "American Idol" vixen must have gigs rolling in after her near-win, but Wednesday found herself as part of a christening for the newest ship in the Princess Cruise Lines, the Crown Princess. McPhee performed the National Anthem and "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" before an audience which included domestic diva Martha Stewart.

"I didn't actually win "American Idol," McPhee says of her sun-soaked day. "but I was the last woman standing and I think that's a pretty big accomplishment, so I guess in the same kind of way I was crowned the princess of "American Idol." I get to hang out with the Crown Princess."

Hollywood is filled with bitter people who feel ripped off. I don't think there's been a single show on the air during the last ten years in which someone claimed they'd been had.

The fact is, TV is kinda like music -- there aren't all that many melodies, so a lot is derivations on a common theme. This business operates on pitch meetings. Day after day, studio execs meet with producers who claim they have the next big thing. The meetings start to blur, ideas collapse on top of each other, something gets on the air and feelings are hurt.

Stu Billett, the man who created reality television by producing "The People's Court" 25 years ago, once told me that the suits at studios do pilfer ideas and that it's really part of their job. As he put it, referring to the execs: "They're like scorpions. They don't mean to kill. It's just their nature."

The fact is, anyone relying on an oral promise -- as was allegedly the case with "So You Think You Can Dance" -- is dreaming; it's not worth the paper it's written on. Stu once said something funny: "If someone stole my show, I wouldn't sue. I'd look like a schmuck because I didn't protect myself."

As for the "So You Think You Can Dance" lawsuit, the plaintiffs list similarities between their show and the one on FOX, including: a 60 minute television show, the Concept recruits contestants from various cities, professional dancers instruct contestants, a panel of professional judges evaluate performances, the competition is an elimination style, yada yada yada. Sounds like ten other shows.