Last night was the big premiere of “Dancing with The Stars,” and a lot of the new contestants really brought it. Most notably, Chaz Bono showed that he learned a thing or two growing up with Sonny and Cher. The judges praised him for his footwork and timing, and he and partner Lacey Schwimmer earned a judges’ score of 17 for their cha-cha, placing them the bottom-middle of the pack. Chaz looked a little nervous to me, and he needs to work on not holding his hand over his belly, but you can tell he put an effort in. David Arquette fared a bit better with a score of 18 for his Viennese Waltz with Kym Johnson. I just loved watching him dance. Here’s more, from E!:

Knowing he was the one that audiences were most anxious to see, producers craftily saved Chaz—the show’s first-ever transgender contestant—for last. But he was definitely not least!

The author and Becoming Chaz star made the most preseason headlines, but he showed up ready to rumble, er, rumba! Under the tutelage of Lacey Schwimmer, Chaz wasn’t the best dancer, but he may have been the most pleasantly surprising.

Not to mention “cute and cuddly,” as Bruno Tonioli duly noted.

Clean-shaven and looking like a teenager, David Arquette waltzed two-time champ Kym Johnson around the floor like a guy with something to prove! (Or at least with someone to impress—daughter Coco and his still legally wedded wife Courteney Cox had front-row seats in the audience.)

And his effort was not wasted, with none other than head judge Len Goodman saying he was “very, very impressed” by what Arquette put out there. Of course, he’s got the energy of an unbridled pony, so he has to tone it down a bit, but the eight-months-sober Scream star had great lines and infectious enthusiasm.

[From E! Online]

There’s more of a recap at E! along with the scores if you’re interested, and we have some of the videos below. (Search on first dance then the celebrity’s name in YouTube for the official videos from ABC.) As in past seasons, I’m sure we’ll be surprised by someone out of left field. This week, Iraqi war veteran and soap star J.R. Martinez tied for first place with singer Chynna Phillips for a high score of 22.

I guess George Clooney’s ex, Elisabetta Canalis, really tanked big time. You can watch her below. She looks like a drunk stripper with those moves and will be voted off in no time.

J.R. Martinez and Karina Smirnoff. Check out the spin at :50. This is the guy to beat.

David Arquette and Kym Johnson. I love his faces!

Chynna Phillips and Tony Dovoloni. She can really dance but there’s something off-putting about her.

Update: oh here’s Carson Kressley. I can’t believe I forgot about him. (Thanks Betsy!) He does the chicken dance at one point!

The screencap below is from a video at Radar that also features the judges’ reactions to Chaz.

Last year’s American Idol runner up David Archuleta made headlines for the fact that he was so talented at the young age of 17 and also because his father, Jeff, was said to be so controlling and pushy that he was banned from the set of American Idol. A year later and Archuleta’s dad is making headlines for entirely different bad behavior. Jeff Archuleta got caught up in a police raid of a local massage parlor in which he admitted to cops to receiving sexual favors from prostitutes:

The father of American Idol runner-up David Archuleta was charged with soliciting a massage parlor prostitute, stemming from a raid in January.

David Archuleta, a seventh season fan favorite, lost to David Cook. He released his first album in late 2008.

Jeff Archuleta pleaded no contest and paid a $582 fine after being busted at the Queens of Reiki on Jan. 14 in Midvale, Utah.

During the raid, Midvale officers found one client receiving services, according to news reports.

“Two of our detectives went back to that room to stop the activity,” Midvale Police Sgt. John Salazar told news outlets. “Inside they found a female masseuse and male client. At that time an interview ensued and the male client admitted to receiving sexual gratification from the masseuse.”

Jeff Archuleta, 41, was that male client, according to court documents.

But his lawyer Eric Bauer told NBC4 in Midvale that he was there getting legitimate massage therapy for his back.

[From US Weekly]

David Archuleta’s parents filed for divorce back in 2002, but reconciled when David won the $100k top prize in Star Search at the time. It looks like the money, and focus on David’s career, helped keep them together. You wonder how much longer Mrs. Archuleta is going to stick around now that the whole world knows her husband is visiting seedy massage parlors. Yeah right he was getting treatment for his back. That’s why cops read you your Miranda rights – so you get a chance to think for a minute, maybe consult a lawyer, and not admit that you’re guilty. It possible that there was no denying it, though, if the police walked in at a critical moment.

Update: Here’s a better description of what went down, from Radar Online:

In an exclusive interview with RadarOnline.com, Detective Sgt. John Salazar of the Midvale Police Department explained that the investigation began with a call from a concerned citizen. A doctor who was renting a building for his practice had sublet some of the suites to what he thought was a legitimate massage business. When he noticed that the masseuse “therapists” were arriving in rather scanty outfits, he asked the cops to check it out.

“After determining that no business license had been issued for whatever was going on in there, I sent in an undercover officer to put eyes on,” Det. Sgt. Salazar said. “The next day, five officers, including myself, went in to shut them down.”

At the time of the raid, only one client was there. “He was just finishing up in suite number one. I sent two of the officers in and the male was on his stomach on the table with a masseuse in lace underwear.”

That client was Jeff Archuleta. “We read him his Miranda rights twice. The second time because he said he didn’t understand them the first,” said Salazar. “During the questioning, he said he’d found the place on Craig’s List. He was asked if he’d received any sexual services and he said he had.”

Archuleta was cited and released. He was not subject to a mug shot. The massage parlor never re-opened.

Erik Bauer, the attorney now representing Archuleta now claims this was the one and only time his client had ever been to the massage parlor and he only went for a back problem. Sexual contact, said the attorney, did not occur.

[FromRadar Online]

It looks like Archuleta should have called that attorney before he blabbed to police.

2008 American Idol winner David Cook finally has a release date for his debut album.  The as of yet untitled album will drop November 18th according to Cook’s label 19 Recording/RCA Records.  Coincidently (not so coincidently?) runner up David Archuleta’s first album was already scheduled to be released in November, and now, sources tell E! that he’ll probably set the same date.  Oh, the drama continues!

Both Cook and Archuleta have been recording and touring with the American Idols Live! Tour since the May season 7 American Idol finale.  Cook has been working with producer, Rob Cavallo, on his more rock than pop album.  Rob Cavallo has worked with Green Day, Kid Rock, My Chemical Romance, Goo Goo Dolls and Alanis Morissette, among others.  Am I giving myself away as a “Cook-ie”, or whatever the hell the cutesy name is always given to AI fans, when I say I think this record is going to ROCK?

Archuleta’s album, also untitled, has already released a single, “Crush”, in August.  Evidently it debuted at #2 on Billboards Hot 100, the highest debut of 2008, but until I looked it up on YouTube, I’d never heard it.  It’s surprising too, it’s pretty good and you would have thought it would get some radio play.

Let the battle commence!

(Information from Yahoo! News and E! Online)

It looks like David Archuleta’s family isn’t taking his recent second-place finish on “American Idol” behind David Cook. The 17-year-old singer’s dad has already been been grabbing headlines for his pushy, controlling antics on the set of the reality show, but now young David’s mom is shooting off her mouth about David Cook’s victory, saying that the voting was rigged.

And you thought David Archuleta’s dad was a problem?

His mom blasted the show as being “fixed” moments after David Cook took home the title of “American Idol.”

“She said her son was the clear favorite, and it was obvious that the voting was fixed so David Cook would win.” said an insider who spoke to Lupe Archeleta. “She said Clive Davis was going to sign her son to a huge recording deal anyway. She was very resentful that David Cook got the title, and she wasn’t shy about letting people know how she felt about it.”

Lupe even took issue with the bright green Ford Escape Hybrid SUV her son won for being in the finals.

“My David can’t drive that car!” she told the insider. “We’re from Salt Lake City – if he drove that car around our town, people would recognize him everywhere!”

[From The National Enquirer print version, June 9, 2008]

Ugh, what an ungrateful cow this woman is. It’s amazing to me that David Archuleta manages to portray himself as such a good-natured, conscientious kid, since both is parents come off as pushy, greedy stage parents from hell. As for her concern that David will be mobbed by fans if he drives his new free car- don’t worry. Two words: Justin Guarini.

In other ‘Idol’ news, if you watched the finale, you may have caught a glimpse of David Cook’s brother, Adam, who is battling terminal brain cancer. Adam wasn’t scheduled to be at the show, but The Enquirer says that an anonymous benefactor stepped forward to help the family pay for Adam’s travel and medical care while he’s in L.A.

A mystery donor contributed more than $80,000 at the last minute so that “American Idol” winner David Cook ‘s terminally ill half brother could fly to the season finale in Los Angeles.

The generous gift gave David’s gutsy sibling, Adam, 36, what he values most – more time with his family before he dies.

Earlier this season, Adam was able to attend a taping of the show when friends arranged for a chartered medical jet to fly him to L.A. after doctors had forbidden him to take a commercial airline flight. But it didn’t appear that Adam would be able to make a return trip because of the cost.

At the last minute, an anonymous donor came forward to pay for the private medical jet that flew the ailing attorney and his wife Kendra from their home in the Midwest.

[From The National Enquirer print version, June 9, 2008]

My money’s on Simon Cowell as the benefactor. He’s been doing all kinds of under-the-radar charity lately. In March, Cowell donated $162,000 to a family who fell into a financial crisis after their daughter was diagnosed with cancer.

David Archuleta and David Cook are shown on The Today Show on 5/29/08. Thanks to WENN.

This year’s American Idol finale was watched by more viewer’s than last year’s Jordin Sparks vs. that beatbox kid finale- at least, the last five minutes of the broadcast. In what many are calling an upset victory, former bartender and crossword puzzle enthusiast David Cook beat the odds-on favorite David Archuleta for the crown.

More than 40 million people tuned into to watch the results of the David vs. David battle on American Idol Wednesday night.

The rest of the two-hour show saw an audience of 31.6 million.

(This year’s finale also beat 2007′s Jordin Sparks vs. Blake Lewis showdown, which 30 million turned in to watch.)

In a surprise victory, rocker David Cook beat baby-faced David Archuleta for the title — despite Simon Cowell predicting it would go the other way.

But Archuleta told Usmagazine.com after the show that he “was pretty sure Cook was going to win anyway!”

“You know, he’s such a great guy,” Archuleta, 17, added. “I’m so glad that people really appreciate what he’d been doing because he put a lot of work into this.”

After Wednesday night’s teary announcement that Cook had won (watch the video here), the Missouri native was at a loss for words.

“This is amazing — thank you!” he said.

[From Us Weekly]

Archuleta was heavily touted and featured prominently by the show’s producers and editors from his very first audition. Many felt he was the judges’ “Chosen one,” and that the competition was kind of pointless, since he was such a shoo-in. But the voters proved the producers and the judges wrong – David Cook won by 12 million votes. Not since Carrie Underwood’s victory has there been such a landslide. Archuleta gave his best performances on the Tuesday night broadcast, making it clear that he was in it to win- but in the end it was David Cook’s rocker edge and ability to mix up the arrangements on some very popular songs that gave him the win. Archuleta was gracious, however, to his rival.

David Archuleta says he wasn’t shocked when his name wasn’t called on Wednesday’s American Idol finale.

“Oh, I was pretty sure Cook was going to win anyway!” he told Usmagazine.com after the show. “You know, he’s such a great guy. I’m so glad that people really appreciate what he’d been doing because he put a lot of work into this.

“He’s been my role model,” Archuleta added. “Just a great person to look up to. He’s been my big brother through this.”

After Cook won, “I just said I’m so proud of him, that he’d earned it,” Archuleta said.

What did Cook say to him?

“He just said, ‘I love you,’” Archuleta said.

Awww. Ain’t that sweet? As for Archuleta’s stage dad from hell, David said his father was proud of him. Because if he didn’t he would probably be locked in the basement until the American Idol tour starts.

Archuleta also said his father, Jeff — who has been portrayed by some media outlets as a demanding stage dad — was pleased with his second place finish.

“My dad just let me know he’s so proud of me,” he said. “He’s really happy too.

“He was just always there to remind me what music meant, the real depth to music and what it does to reach people’s lives,” he added. “And my whole family has helped me stay who I am, helped me not change through this.”

Archuleta – who will perform in the Idol tour this summer – said he thanks “all the fans who helped me make it this far. I didn’t think I’d even make it past the first round! This has been such a blessing.”

All in all, I’m glad it’s over. There were a few spectacular train wreck performances (mostly by Paula Abdul), and some clearly talented contestants, in addition to the final two, including Syesha Mercado, the third place finalist, and the oft-bashed but supremely talented Carly Smithson. But don’t expect me to buy tickets to the concert. That’s where I draw the line, people.

I haven’t watched “American Idol” in weeks, but apparently there is some kind of drama going on with obvious favorite David Archuleta’s dad and the show’s producers. Jeff Archuleta, the overbearing Dadager of this season’s “chosen one,” has been banned from the American Idol set. The 17-year-old David is talented but immensely boring and over-rehearsed, thanks to his bossy dad- and now, that is going to cost the show producers and FOX money in the form of royalties.

TMZ has learned David Archuleta’s dad, Jeff, has been officially banned from “American Idol.”

Here’s how it went down. “Idol” sources tell TMZ Jeff has been a complete pain in the ass, interfering with the entire production. He has badgered producers, the band, vocal coaches and even other contestants. The final straw came this week, when Jeff wanted to change the lyrics to David’s first song, “Stand By Me.” Jeff insisted on adding a verse from Sean Kingston’s hit, “Beautiful Girls.” Producers sent him an e-mail telling him the lyrics could not be changed. They were beyond pissed when David sang the song with Kingston’s lyrics during the live show.

We’re told by changing the lyrics, it created problems with the song’s publisher and cost “A.I.” a lot of money.

Jeff was ordered to sit with “A.I.” lawyers on Wednesday, who told him he was “banned from being in the rooms where David was learning or rehearsing his songs.” It’s “Idol’s” position, since David is 17, he does not need a guardian — just a teacher. Jeff will be allowed to sit in the audience during the live show but he’s 86′d from anything backstage.

Sources say the other contestants were fed up with Jeff and didn’t want him near them. Now they have their wish.

All in all, sources say Jeff is the stage dad from hell. BTW, he was banned on the set when David did “Star Search” a few years back.

[From TMZ]

Okay, this is my theory on this story: it’s a big ploy to boost ratings because people aren’t watching this piece of crap show anymore. It’s been obvious since Hollywood week who the judges want to win (David Archuleta), but the problem is, the kid’s not charismatic enough to watch week after week, and the show’s themes and judges are even more boring. So the producers have decided to add a little behind-the-scenes drama to get people talking about it again.

Nice try, FOX- I’m still not watching.

“American Idol” front runner David Archuleta, who just turned 17, has been praised up and down for his singing and performance abilities since the show began. The young musical prodigy also won a round of “Star Search” when he was only 12 years old. But now, sources say the reason David might be so perfect is that he lives in fear of his dad.

David may seem like an innocent sweet songstress from Heaven, but our inside source says he has a calculating, overbearing, stage dad from HELL! We still endorse him wholeheartedly but, we wanted to share a story from our inside Star Search source, when he won round 1 at the age of 12. According to our reliable source his father was BANNED from the set.

[From LA RagMag]

This past week, the show’s theme was “The Lennon/McCartney Songbook.” While most of the contestants were giddy at the prospect of singing Beatles songs, Archuleta confessed that he struggled with the theme, and on the night of the live broadcast, he flubbed the lyrics to “We Can Work it Out.” Backstage sources say that the teen was under intense pressure from his father, who gives him critiques after every performance.

Was there more than just nerves behind 17-year-old DAVID ARCHULETA’s shaky performance on last night’s “American Idol”?

The early favorite was definitely off his game and even forgot several lines during his version of THE BEATLES’ “We Can Work It Out.” Sources are telling ET the singer may be feeling the pressure from his “stage father” JEFF ARCHULETA, who reportedly yelled at David during a recording session Monday. Sources say Dad wasn’t happy with his son’s singing — and even brought him to tears. Neither Jeff nor reps for “American Idol” would comment on the alleged incident.

[From ET Online]

I hope this isn’t true. David seems like a good kid and he’s incredibly talented. It makes me sad to see parents who live vicariously through their kids (yes, Dina Lohan, I’m looking at you), to the point that they try to take over their kids’ lives. This should be the most exciting time in young David’s life– being on TV, singing on one of the most popular shows in the country. But it sounds like he’s being made miserable- by his own dad.