American Idol

Kellyanne Conway's teenage daughter isn't gonna be getting any breaks on her 'American Idol' journey ... according to Ryan Seacrest, who says it's talent or bust.

We spoke to the 'AI' host Wednesday in NYC, and asked if Claudia Conway had gotten a free pass to be on the show (or a shot at it, at least) because of her family name and clout ... on TikTok and elsewhere.

Ryan tells us that's not the case -- or not to his knowledge, anyway. He does concede there was a lot to talk to her about because of her history and ties to Donald Trump ... but when we pressed, RS says however far she goes should be on merit.

With that said, he did kinda throw up his hands ... noting that he's just the host of the show and doesn't have a whole lot of say on her advancement. That'll ultimately be up to her, the judges, the audience ... and probably a lot of executive producers.

Another little tidbit he shared about his time with the kid ... her dad, George Conway, is apparently the one who was with her for this 'Idol' audition she went to recently. Ryan even says Claudia called her pops a great coach -- how 'bout that?!?

Claudia already put a spotlight on George during her trip, and he seemed more than game to get on one of her TikToks and play along with the lip-syncing and dancin'. So yeah, it's clear he supports her all the way -- no word if Kellyanne's on board.

Anywho ... when we tried opening the convo about what Claudia's 'Idol' audition might mean for her mom and Trump supporters, Ryan wisely bid us adieu 👋🏽.

Kellyanne Conway seems to be on her way out at the White House, but she could still ride the coattails of her 16-year-old daughter ... who might be the next "American Idol!"

Claudia Conway just teased the fact that she's trying out for the reality singing competition show -- posting a video on TikTok in which she says she's about to audition and was in the process of filming her confessional. Claudia also says she's already met Seacrest 👀.

In her brief clip, Claudia turns the camera around and sure enough ... there's a film crew there. You can also see the 'Idol' logo behind her in what appears to be a soundstage setting -- so yeah, it seems legit. Word is 'AI' is, in fact, filming right now -- out here in Cali, no less.

A couple things about this ... for starters, welcome back to TikTok, kid!!! Remember, it looked like Claudia got grounded from using the app a little while ago after spilling alleged tea on Trump's COVID diagnosis, which her mom did NOT like ... as we saw first-hand.

Looks like Claudia's been back online for a minute now -- but the other question this brings up ... who the hell knew she could sing?!? While we mostly see Claudia lip-syncing and dancing to songs on TikTok -- like so many other users -- she actually has some videos of herself where she shows off her pipes. We gotta say ... she ain't half bad!!!

Now that she's 16 and meets the minimum criteria to try out ... it seems Claudia's gonna get some face time with Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan and Katy Perry soon enough here. Considering her rebellious streak, you also gotta wonder if mama bear knows about this 😅.

Anyhoo, something tells us she's got a TV career in the making -- and we might very well be seeing her get some air time when the new 'Idol' season kicks off next year. Stay tuned!

Adam Lambert's finally saying sayonara to his crib in the Hollywood Hills ... cause someone else will be idolizing it after plunking down a good chunk-o-change.

The 2009 "American Idol" runner-up just sold his 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom crib for $2.92 million. You'll recall the singer put the house up for sale back in August 2019 ... five years after originally buying it. He had no problem finding a new spot ... dropping $6.5 million for an awesome new pad with home theater and wine cellar.

Back to the Hollywood Hills crib ... it's a perfect contemporary blend of style and private oasis. It features city light views from the main level with a sliding glass wall. Big wine drinkers will love the floor-to-ceiling climate-controlled wine wall as well as a home theater and gym. The backyard's sick too ... with 2 reflecting pools and a 10-person spa and fire pit. Friends not included ... but with this backyard, it won't be hard to make some.

The folks at "American Idol" tried to make it work, but ultimately they had to jettison plans to produce the show in the studio, but TMZ has learned the show may still go on.

Producers sent an email to the crew, saying, "As we continue to monitor advice from federal and local agencies, it seems unlikely we are going to be able to make it back into the studio for this season of American Idol."

The email, obtained by TMZ, goes on ... "We will continue to monitor and provide updates should any changes occur."  BTW ... we're told the crew will not be paid.

Our production sources tell us the plan is still to produce the show ... but the judges will be at their respective homes and viewers will ultimately decide who wins and who ends up packing.

'Idol' joins an ever-growing list of productions that have had to pivot in the wake of the pandemic.

The email ends on a positive note ... "In the meantime, please stay safe and healthy. We are looking forward to the day we can all work together again."

Haley Smith -- a former contestant on "American Idol" -- died over the weekend after crashing her motorcycle in Maine ... TMZ has learned.

The singer passed away early Saturday morning in Millinocket, Maine in a one-vehicle crash after police say it appears she failed to make a sharp turn along a residential road that becomes a highway in certain sections. Police say she was pronounced dead at the scene.

Her father, Mike Smith, tells TMZ ... Haley was riding on a country road and her family believes a deer might've caused the accident -- as he implied she was a good rider, and they doubt she simply lost control of her bike.

Haley's time on 'AI' was relatively brief in 2012, when she auditioned in Colorado during season 11. She didn't make it beyond the second Hollywood round, but Haley certainly left an impression on the judges at the time in her audition.

She sang Rufus and Chaka Khan's "Tell Me Something Good," putting a folksy twist on it that left Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler pretty impressed.

Steven even said it was an honor to hear her sing, 'cause he said she was out of his "era" with her look, sound and vibe.

Haley was 26, and her family says they were preparing to celebrate her birthday this upcoming November.

RIP

Ryan Seacrest is on again with his longtime girlfriend, Shayna Taylor ... and nothing says we've made up like a romantic getaway on the Italian high seas.

The "American Idol" host was seen enjoying the hell out of a megayacht he and Shayna were aboard Saturday while vacationing in Positano, Italy. They'd split up earlier this year after about three years together -- now, it looks like they're two peas in a pod again.

Shayna was spraying sunscreen on her boyfriend's backside, and Ryan was trying to help her reach the tough places by bending whatever way was necessary. That's amore!!!

The couple tanned, talked and eventually dove head first into the ocean -- kinda like how they're diving back into their relationship. After a dip off the Amalfi Coast, they got back on the boat ... only to get into yacht's mini pool. Why settle for just salt water, right?

It's a big year for Ryan -- not only has he reconciled with his gal, but he's also in talks with Disney at the moment for a massive new contract to continue hosting 'AI.'

Adam Lambert's moving on up ... and he wants ya to do the same above the Sunset Strip if you've got a pretty penny.

The 2009 "American Idol" runner-up is selling his 3 bedroom, 3.5 bathroom crib in the Hollywood Hills for a cool $3.35 million. It's a contemporary beauty with the perfect amount of space to spoil your guests.

The crib features nearly 3,800 square feet of living space ... featuring a floor-to-ceiling climate-controlled wine wall, home theater and gym. The master suite includes a sitting room and steam shower. Pocketing glass doors lead straight to a sprawling backyard ... with 2 reflecting pools, a 10-person spa and a fire pit.

Not a bad way to spend the evening ... especially with sweeping city and canyon views.

Adam originally bought the pad in 2014 for $2.995M ... but he's since moved on. He already plunked down $6.5M for a home that features an impressive 14 rooms.

Ryan Seacrest was weirdly left out of Disney's press release announcing a new season of "American Idol" -- but we've learned he's not out, just delayed with the Mouse House ... on account of what looks like a massive new deal.

Our Disney sources tell TMZ ... Ryan will likely return as host for a third season of 'AI' on ABC, as its longtime host. The reason the deal hasn't been signed ... he's currently in talks with Disney honchos for a huge contract that goes way beyond 'A.I.' and "Live with Kelly and Ryan."

We're told the new deal encompasses what he's doing now, but includes a massive production deal for new TV shows, produced through his production company.

Interesting ... at the same time, the ABC bigwigs were announced Monday that Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie were coming back to 'Idol' for season 3, Ryan was spotted leaving Marea restaurant in NYC with Disney TV Chairman Peter Rice.

You'll recall ... Ryan ended up landing around $15 million from Disney with his current contract.  Our Disney sources say this is a much sweeter deal.

Dunkleman says, "I chose to stop doing standup comedy and started driving an Uber so I could be there for my son as much as he needed after our life as we knew it was destroyed."

It seems he's referring to the divorce and ugly custody battle he and his ex-wife have waged over their child.

Brian Dunkleman -- the former co-host of "American Idol" -- is now making a living as an Uber driver.

Dunkleman is in the middle of a divorce with Kalea Dunkleman. He submitted financial docs -- obtained by TMZ -- disclosing his occupation as "Uber driver." He says he started the job in March 2016 and continued to this day.

Brian says he works about 45 hours a week and pulls in around $800 a week.

Dunkleman says he has $2,000 in his checking account. He pays $1,500 in rent per month and his expenses total $1,605 each month.

Brian, who co-hosted with Ryan Seacrest in season 1, says his 5-year-old son, Jackson, lives with him half the week.

The divorce has been dragging on for more than 2 years and the former couple has been locked in a bitter custody battle. He claimed Kalea was an out-of-control alcoholic who was a danger to their son. Brian also claimed she physically abused him. She claimed Brian was physically abusive toward her and called her a "useless bitch."

Randy Jackson is one big step closer to being a single man ... more than 4 years after his wife filed for divorce.

According to new docs obtained by TMZ ... the judge signed off on Randy and his estranged wife Erika's dissolution of marriage last month. The 2 will be officially divorced on February 7.

It's unclear who got what in the divorce ... the settlement's being kept under wraps.

We broke the story ... Erika filed for divorce in September 2014 after 18 years of marriage. The couple had no prenup, so it's a good bet she made out well considering the millions Randy made in his "American Idol" heyday.

Randy and Erika have 2 adult children together, so custody is not an issue.

Antonella Barba -- known for her appearance on the 6th season of "American Idol" -- has been arrested for allegedly trying to distribute heroin ... TMZ has learned.

The singer was busted Thursday in Virginia around 11:30 AM and is facing a felony charge of heroin distribution of 100g or more ... according to the Norfolk Sheriff's Office. Details are scarce, but Barba is still being held in jail without bond and has a court date set for next week.

Antonella was eliminated right before the top 12 were chosen on Season 6 of 'Idol' in 2007, amid some notoriety for posing in a wet t-shirt in the fountain of the World War II Memorial in D.C.

She was also busted for shoplifting in NYC in 2011, but that didn't stop her from appearing on an episode of "Fear Factor" in 2012.

Her latest TV gig was in a funny 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' video that brought a bunch of past 'Idol' stars together for a musical "Where Are They Now?" segment.

We reached out to Barba's rep ... so far no word back.

Taylor Hicks says even though Katharine McPhee's recent tweet about voting seemed to shade him pretty hard ... it's really all in good fun, and for a good cause.

We talked to the "American Idol" season 5 winner Wednesday about McPhee tweeting out "voting matters" -- along with a pic of the moment she lost to Hicks.

Taylor praised Kat's post as a brilliant way to encourage people to register to vote in the 2018 midterms. He says he and Kat remain supportive of each other -- but he still threw some playful shade back her way.

Aside from national elections, Mr. Soul Patrol would love for you to cast a vote for the third season of his food/travel show, "State Plate." It premieres Sept. 24 on INSP.

Simon Cowell had lots to celebrate this week -- a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and a new deal with 'AGT' -- and he did it in true Simon fashion, which is why we love the guy.

Simon was having himself a little soiree Wednesday night at his favorite restaurant -- Ago in WeHo -- to ring in his two newest achievements in Tinseltown -- a permanent place on Hollywood Blvd. and a contract extension with NBC that'll keep him judging folks for years to come.

When we asked him about what was next, he replied in the purest SC way -- cold, brief, British and snarky ... just like he's been on TV for more than a decade. Classic! His t-shirt was a bit snug on him too, so he hasn't changed much in that department either.

Taylor Hicks doubled down saying "American Idol" contestants knew who was getting eliminated because, as he put it, everybody talked ... never mind what Nigel Lythgoe says.

We got Taylor at LAX on Monday night and told him what Nigel, the 'AI' executive producer, said ... denying he gave Taylor -- or any contestant -- the heads-up on results at any time.

Eddie Money's no "American Idol" judge, but he damn sure knows a good voice when he hears one ... even at the airport.

We got the "Two Tickets to Paradise" singer at LAX on Sunday when we introduced Eddie to LAX employee Tahjanae Johnson. We tell Eddie she's got a beautiful singing voice ... and Tahjanae wastes no time showcasing her chops.