“American Idol” season eight winner Kris Allen returns to the “Idol” stage Thursday night for a good cause.
Allen traveled to earthquake-ravaged Haiti as part of the philanthropic “Idol Gives Back” program and returns to the show to share footage of his experience, as well as perform.
During a media conference call on Monday, Allen said he had some lasting memories of volunteering in the country – especially the resilience of the Haitians.
“I got to sing a song for them and hold a couple of babies,” said Allen, who sang “Amazing Grace” for some of the survivors. “They just seemed so happy. It was a really cool experience.”
Returning to the show that made him a star is “nerve-racking,” he said, but he is happy to be involved with such a worthy cause.
“Every time I was on that stage last year it was about me, but for this it’s not,” said Allen, who participated in mission trips with his church before he entered the “Idol” competition. “This feels like a really good thing to come back for.”
Allen said he had planned to participate in the star-studded Haiti telethon, but at the last minute received an even better offer.
“I was walking into the offices at [management company] 19 [Entertainment] and Simon Fuller walked up to me said ‘How would you feel about going to Haiti?’ ” Allen recalled. “I owe all this to him, that I was able to go and actually do something. [The telethon] raised so much money and was really moving as well, but to get to go there and talk to the Haitians and see what the U.N. is doing was really great.”
Allen said that he hopes to impart to “Idol” viewers that there is still so much work to be done in the impoverished nation.
“This thing is not going away,” Allen said. “They need so much help right now, and when I say 'help,' I mean they need a lot of money right now.”
Officials said the funds will go to the United Nations Foundation Fund for Haiti to provide food, shelter, sanitation and help for rebuilding the tiny country.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
TobyMac's Tonight Shines Bright at #6
TobyMac nets his second top 10 album in a row with "Tonight" entering at a career-high No. 6 on Billboard, with a personal-best sales week of 79,000. This is his second top 10 album on the Billboard 200 following "Portable Sounds" in 2007. That set entered and peaked at No. 10 with 51,000 in its first week. McKeehan was also a member of DC talk, which notched five hit albums on the Billboard 200, including the No. 4-peaking "Supernatural" in 1998.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Chynna Phillips enters rehab
Chynna Phillips of Wilson Phillips-fame and more recently of Chynna Vaughn, checked herself into rehab for anxiety over the weekend, her manager, Lizzie Grubman, told PEOPLE magazine.
"After much thoughtful deliberation Chynna Phillips has checked herself into an undisclosed treatment facility for anxiety," Grubman said in a statement. "With the full support of her family and friends, she is looking forward to her recovery. We ask that people respect her and her family's privacy at this time."
Phillips, 42, is married to "Gossip Girl" star Billy Baldwin, and they have three children.
She came forward on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" to support her half-sister, Mackenzie, who made headlines with her revelations about their father, "Papa" John Phillips.
"I pray that we all get closer through this crisis," Chynna said at the time. "With prayer, anything is possible. But I would be lying to you if I didn't tell you that there are going to be some huge obstacles in front of us."
Mackenzie’s bombshell revelations were difficult for Phillips to handle, says a source close to Phillips. But she checked into rehab for a number of reasons, not just her half-sister’s allegations about their father. “It’s a combination of things,” says the source. “She hasn’t been the same since the summer.”
Another source says Phillips is in rehab to deal with stresses in her life “and not drugs or alcohol. Not at all.”
In September, the day before Mackenzie made her explosive claims, Chynna released her first album in years, "One Reason," with Vaughn Penn.
"After much thoughtful deliberation Chynna Phillips has checked herself into an undisclosed treatment facility for anxiety," Grubman said in a statement. "With the full support of her family and friends, she is looking forward to her recovery. We ask that people respect her and her family's privacy at this time."
Phillips, 42, is married to "Gossip Girl" star Billy Baldwin, and they have three children.
She came forward on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" to support her half-sister, Mackenzie, who made headlines with her revelations about their father, "Papa" John Phillips.
"I pray that we all get closer through this crisis," Chynna said at the time. "With prayer, anything is possible. But I would be lying to you if I didn't tell you that there are going to be some huge obstacles in front of us."
Mackenzie’s bombshell revelations were difficult for Phillips to handle, says a source close to Phillips. But she checked into rehab for a number of reasons, not just her half-sister’s allegations about their father. “It’s a combination of things,” says the source. “She hasn’t been the same since the summer.”
Another source says Phillips is in rehab to deal with stresses in her life “and not drugs or alcohol. Not at all.”
In September, the day before Mackenzie made her explosive claims, Chynna released her first album in years, "One Reason," with Vaughn Penn.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
TobyMac Hits iTunes And Amazon Charts
TobyMac's new CD, Tonight, hits number 2 on the iTunes album charts. He's also the #10 album and the 5th highest artist in Amazon's MP3 store (with 14 days in the top 100).
Monday, February 8, 2010
Focus on the Family Benefits from Super Bowl Buy
Focus on the Family has generated a ton of earned media from their Super Bowl buy. It was a brilliant move on their part and dramatically increase their awareness.
Two ad agencies monitored the Twittersphere to determine which brands won consumers' hearts and minds. After all, brands aren't just what the ad makers say. Brands are also what the public thinks. FOTF faired well, finishing in third place.
In contrast, according to the USA Today Ad Meter, it finished toward the bottom of the pack.
Two ad agencies monitored the Twittersphere to determine which brands won consumers' hearts and minds. After all, brands aren't just what the ad makers say. Brands are also what the public thinks. FOTF faired well, finishing in third place.
In contrast, according to the USA Today Ad Meter, it finished toward the bottom of the pack.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Tebow Super Bowl ad strikes light-hearted tone
Even the long-awaited Super Bowl ad from Focus on the Family came with a punchline.
The 30-second "Celebrate family, celebrate life" ad starring Heisman winner Tim Tebow ended with a surprise -- Tim Tebow tackling his mother after she says she nearly lost him during her pregnancy. The pair jokes that they have to be "tough" with all the family has been through.
The commercial sparked debate before it was even broadcast, and some groups called for CBS not to air it. The ad is the first such advocacy ad to appear in television's most-watched broadcast, which draws about 100 million viewers. It aired early in the first quarter.
The subtle and humorous ad made some wonder what all the fuss was about.
The commercial, which shows just Tebow and his mother, Pam, against a white backdrop, does not contain an overt antiabortion message. Instead it sends people to Focus on the Family's Web site, which tells more of the Tebows' story and offers a more straightforward message.
The devout quarterback's mother gave birth to him in the Philippines in 1987 after spurning a doctor's advice to have an abortion for medical reasons.
"I can remember so many times when I almost lost him," Pam Tebow said in describing her pregnancy.
The ad was "very gentle", which was surprising considering how much talk it generated before it even aired, said Tim Calkins, a marketing professor at Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. He said the use of humor helped make the ad more accessible -- and not off-putting to most people -- although the ad's message was hidden, which made it confusing to people who weren't familiar with it.
"I think they took a very interesting strategy. It's clearly an effort to steer away from controversy," he said. "I suspect the people they were going after understood the message, but ... for most people, I don't think the ad really did a lot for them."
Because the ad was so subtle and had so much mystery to it, it will get people whose minds are not made up about the abortion debate to evaluate the group's agenda, said Charles R. Taylor, professor of marketing at Villanova School of Business.
"To the extent that there are people that they can influence, this probably does a good job of driving them to the Web site and getting them to check it out. I think it's much more effective than something more explicit would have been," he said.
The Women's Media Center, which had objected to Focus on the Family advertising in the Super Bowl, said it was expecting a "benign" ad but not the humor. But the group's president, Jehmu Greene, said the tackle showed an undercurrent of violence against women.
"I think they're attempting to use humor as another tactic of hiding their message and fooling the American people," she said.
The ad didn't draw much attention at the Underground Lounge in New York, where the game was on. Sarah Cashin, 39, a business manager, said she didn't see why the ad was controversial.
"I didn't find it offensive. I don't quite understand why everyone was so up in arms about it," she said.
The 30-second "Celebrate family, celebrate life" ad starring Heisman winner Tim Tebow ended with a surprise -- Tim Tebow tackling his mother after she says she nearly lost him during her pregnancy. The pair jokes that they have to be "tough" with all the family has been through.
The commercial sparked debate before it was even broadcast, and some groups called for CBS not to air it. The ad is the first such advocacy ad to appear in television's most-watched broadcast, which draws about 100 million viewers. It aired early in the first quarter.
The subtle and humorous ad made some wonder what all the fuss was about.
The commercial, which shows just Tebow and his mother, Pam, against a white backdrop, does not contain an overt antiabortion message. Instead it sends people to Focus on the Family's Web site, which tells more of the Tebows' story and offers a more straightforward message.
The devout quarterback's mother gave birth to him in the Philippines in 1987 after spurning a doctor's advice to have an abortion for medical reasons.
"I can remember so many times when I almost lost him," Pam Tebow said in describing her pregnancy.
The ad was "very gentle", which was surprising considering how much talk it generated before it even aired, said Tim Calkins, a marketing professor at Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. He said the use of humor helped make the ad more accessible -- and not off-putting to most people -- although the ad's message was hidden, which made it confusing to people who weren't familiar with it.
"I think they took a very interesting strategy. It's clearly an effort to steer away from controversy," he said. "I suspect the people they were going after understood the message, but ... for most people, I don't think the ad really did a lot for them."
Because the ad was so subtle and had so much mystery to it, it will get people whose minds are not made up about the abortion debate to evaluate the group's agenda, said Charles R. Taylor, professor of marketing at Villanova School of Business.
"To the extent that there are people that they can influence, this probably does a good job of driving them to the Web site and getting them to check it out. I think it's much more effective than something more explicit would have been," he said.
The Women's Media Center, which had objected to Focus on the Family advertising in the Super Bowl, said it was expecting a "benign" ad but not the humor. But the group's president, Jehmu Greene, said the tackle showed an undercurrent of violence against women.
"I think they're attempting to use humor as another tactic of hiding their message and fooling the American people," she said.
The ad didn't draw much attention at the Underground Lounge in New York, where the game was on. Sarah Cashin, 39, a business manager, said she didn't see why the ad was controversial.
"I didn't find it offensive. I don't quite understand why everyone was so up in arms about it," she said.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Jason Crabb - Come On Down!
On the heels of his GRAMMY® Award win last week, Jason Crabb and his wife Shellye celebrated by visiting a taping of “The Price Is Right.”
While sitting in the studio audience, Jason was recognized by a contestant who spread the word of him being in attendance. Acknowledging Jason’s GRAMMY® win, “The Price Is Right” host Drew Carey congratulated him later in the taping. Afterward, Jason and Shellye were invited backstage. Jason’s appearance is slated to be featured on the March 12 broadcast of “The Price Is Right.”
While sitting in the studio audience, Jason was recognized by a contestant who spread the word of him being in attendance. Acknowledging Jason’s GRAMMY® win, “The Price Is Right” host Drew Carey congratulated him later in the taping. Afterward, Jason and Shellye were invited backstage. Jason’s appearance is slated to be featured on the March 12 broadcast of “The Price Is Right.”
Friday, February 5, 2010
Tebow’s Super Bowl ad isn’t intolerant; its critics are
Sally Jenkins thinks the government has no right to tell a woman whether she can have an abortion or not. But this pro-choice sports columnist also thinks that the group NOW is not right in trying to pull the pro-life Tim Tebow ad from airing during the Super Bowl.
"I’ll spit this out quick, before the armies of feminism try to gag me and strap electrodes to my forehead: Tim Tebow is one of the better things to happen to young women in some time," quips Sally Jenkins in a Washington Post column entitled, "Tebow’s Super Bowl ad isn’t intolerant; its critics are."
Jenkins pointed out that the public is always calling on athletes to be more responsible and to care about social issues, but when star college quarterback Tebow and his mother Pam try to tell their “genuine pro-choice story,” the group National Organization for Women goes on the attack. NOW’s criticism, Jenkins says, reveals that the group is not pro-choice but rather pro-abortion.
"Apparently NOW feels this commercial (featuring Tebow) is an inappropriate message for America to see for 30 seconds, but women in bikinis selling beer is the right one," Jenkins writes.
Rest of the article here.
"I’ll spit this out quick, before the armies of feminism try to gag me and strap electrodes to my forehead: Tim Tebow is one of the better things to happen to young women in some time," quips Sally Jenkins in a Washington Post column entitled, "Tebow’s Super Bowl ad isn’t intolerant; its critics are."
Jenkins pointed out that the public is always calling on athletes to be more responsible and to care about social issues, but when star college quarterback Tebow and his mother Pam try to tell their “genuine pro-choice story,” the group National Organization for Women goes on the attack. NOW’s criticism, Jenkins says, reveals that the group is not pro-choice but rather pro-abortion.
"Apparently NOW feels this commercial (featuring Tebow) is an inappropriate message for America to see for 30 seconds, but women in bikinis selling beer is the right one," Jenkins writes.
Rest of the article here.
Daughtry's Day of Fire
Day Of Fire teamed up with Chris Daughtry who co-wrote three new songs on the band’s upcoming new album 'Losing All'. Chris and Brian helped co-write "Hello Heartache" and "When I See You" and Chris and JP helped co-write "Airplane".
Chris opened for Day of Fire before American Idol when he was in Absent Element. He also wore a Day of Fire t shirt on the show.
This is at least the second time Chris has contributed to a Christian album since his AI success. Chris, a longtime Third Day fan, added his unique voice to “Slow Down” on Revelation.
Chris opened for Day of Fire before American Idol when he was in Absent Element. He also wore a Day of Fire t shirt on the show.
This is at least the second time Chris has contributed to a Christian album since his AI success. Chris, a longtime Third Day fan, added his unique voice to “Slow Down” on Revelation.
Paul Herlinger Passes
Paul Herlinger, the second voice actor for Whit in Adventures in Odyssey, passed away on February 2.
Paul Herlinger, who played the voice of Whit for more than thirteen years, had been taking the train from Seattle to Los Angeles to work on the show. That was a two-day journey each way, sometimes longer. But Paul did it—delayed his retirement and even came when he was having some health problems—out of his love for the show and the fans.
In the new Adventures in Odyssey shows, Mr. Whittaker is played by Andre Stojka. Andre has a similar vocal personality to both Hal Smith and Paul Herlinger. Interestingly, Andre took over several voice parts from Hal Smith, including the Owl on Winnie the Pooh.
If you'd like more information about the "Whit transition," feel free to check out this Adventures in Odyssey podcast.
Paul Herlinger, who played the voice of Whit for more than thirteen years, had been taking the train from Seattle to Los Angeles to work on the show. That was a two-day journey each way, sometimes longer. But Paul did it—delayed his retirement and even came when he was having some health problems—out of his love for the show and the fans.
In the new Adventures in Odyssey shows, Mr. Whittaker is played by Andre Stojka. Andre has a similar vocal personality to both Hal Smith and Paul Herlinger. Interestingly, Andre took over several voice parts from Hal Smith, including the Owl on Winnie the Pooh.
If you'd like more information about the "Whit transition," feel free to check out this Adventures in Odyssey podcast.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Duggar boys help save little girl's life
Josh Duggar, the first of 19 children born to Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, assisted six-year-old Maddye Plascensia who was brought by her grandmother from a 3 car wreck into Josh's nearby used car dealership.
Josh immediately called 911 and kept the dispatcher informed as his brother, John, 20, did CPR on the unresponsive child. Both young men have experience as volunteer firefighters in their hometown.
Josh said that he believes he and John were there to help. "I don't believe in coincidences," Josh said. "I think we were in the right place at the right time because God has a plan for Maddye's life. I'm glad we were there."
For full article, go to PEOPLE.com
Josh immediately called 911 and kept the dispatcher informed as his brother, John, 20, did CPR on the unresponsive child. Both young men have experience as volunteer firefighters in their hometown.
Josh said that he believes he and John were there to help. "I don't believe in coincidences," Josh said. "I think we were in the right place at the right time because God has a plan for Maddye's life. I'm glad we were there."
For full article, go to PEOPLE.com
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Music's lost decade
If you watched the Grammy Awards Sunday night, it would appear all is well in the recording industry. But at the end of last year, the music business was worth half of what it was ten years ago and the decline doesn't look like it will be slowing anytime soon.
Total revenue from U.S. music sales and licensing plunged to $6.3 billion in 2009, according to Forrester Research. In 1999, that revenue figure topped $14.6 billion.
"The digital music business has been a war of attrition that nobody seems to be winning," said David Goldberg, the former head of Yahoo music. "The CD is still disappearing, and nothing is replacing it in entirety as a revenue generator."
Now just 44% of U.S. Internet users and 64% of Americans who buy digital music think that that music is worth paying for, according to Forrester. The volume of unauthorized downloads continues to represent about 90% of the market, according to online download tracker BigChampagne Media Measurement.
The full insightful article can be found on CNN Money.
Total revenue from U.S. music sales and licensing plunged to $6.3 billion in 2009, according to Forrester Research. In 1999, that revenue figure topped $14.6 billion.
"The digital music business has been a war of attrition that nobody seems to be winning," said David Goldberg, the former head of Yahoo music. "The CD is still disappearing, and nothing is replacing it in entirety as a revenue generator."
Now just 44% of U.S. Internet users and 64% of Americans who buy digital music think that that music is worth paying for, according to Forrester. The volume of unauthorized downloads continues to represent about 90% of the market, according to online download tracker BigChampagne Media Measurement.
The full insightful article can be found on CNN Money.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
'Redefined' NFL Quarterback Michael Vick to Star in Reality TV Series
For those who have been unconvinced by the turnaround of pro football player Michael Vick and his professed return to Christ since his arrest for an illegal dog-fighting operation, the upcoming BET reality series should illuminate the topic.
"Life is about choices, making good judgments, good decisions," says Vick in the promo for the documentary series.
Since the bust, Vick has apologized for initially lying about his involvement in illegal dogfighting and expressed regret for being a poor example to all his young fans. He’s also said he found Jesus – a claim that was, not surprisingly, met with skepticism.
"I'm upset with myself and, you know, through this situation I found Jesus and asked him for forgiveness and turned my life over to God," Vick had said in a public apology on Aug. 27, 2007. "I think that's the right thing to do as of right now."
Following Vick’s remarks, some – including conservative radio talk show host the Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson – accused the disgraced quarterback of evoking Jesus' name to stop the criticism and gain public sympathy.
"'Jesus' is the most abused name in black America and Vick is following a long line of abusers," commented Peterson, who is himself African American.
"We can no longer allow celebrities and politicians to break laws and then use 'Jesus' as a get-out-of-jail free card,” he added. “Most of these people go right back into their bad behavior and criminal activities as soon as the storm passes."
But Vick’s supporters say the former Atlanta Falcons star quarterback (and now back-up for the Philadelphia Eagles) has changed and that he has been making good on his pledge to commit himself to long-term participation in outreach programs to steer inner-city youth away from dog-fighting.
His character has also been vouched for by former Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy, one of the most respected figures in the NFL and the man whom Vick credited for his turnaround.
Dungy "helped redefine me as an individual," Vick said.
What that definition looks like today will be clear to the public when “The Michael Vick Project” makes its debut.
rest of the article here
"Life is about choices, making good judgments, good decisions," says Vick in the promo for the documentary series.
Since the bust, Vick has apologized for initially lying about his involvement in illegal dogfighting and expressed regret for being a poor example to all his young fans. He’s also said he found Jesus – a claim that was, not surprisingly, met with skepticism.
"I'm upset with myself and, you know, through this situation I found Jesus and asked him for forgiveness and turned my life over to God," Vick had said in a public apology on Aug. 27, 2007. "I think that's the right thing to do as of right now."
Following Vick’s remarks, some – including conservative radio talk show host the Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson – accused the disgraced quarterback of evoking Jesus' name to stop the criticism and gain public sympathy.
"'Jesus' is the most abused name in black America and Vick is following a long line of abusers," commented Peterson, who is himself African American.
"We can no longer allow celebrities and politicians to break laws and then use 'Jesus' as a get-out-of-jail free card,” he added. “Most of these people go right back into their bad behavior and criminal activities as soon as the storm passes."
But Vick’s supporters say the former Atlanta Falcons star quarterback (and now back-up for the Philadelphia Eagles) has changed and that he has been making good on his pledge to commit himself to long-term participation in outreach programs to steer inner-city youth away from dog-fighting.
His character has also been vouched for by former Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy, one of the most respected figures in the NFL and the man whom Vick credited for his turnaround.
Dungy "helped redefine me as an individual," Vick said.
What that definition looks like today will be clear to the public when “The Michael Vick Project” makes its debut.
rest of the article here
Monday, February 1, 2010
The Blind Side Nominated for Two Oscars
The Blind Side has been nominated for two Academy Awards: Best picture and Sandra Bullock for Performance by an actress in a leading role.
This comes on the heels of Bullock's win at the SAG Awards and the Golden Globes for Lead Actress in a Film.
This comes on the heels of Bullock's win at the SAG Awards and the Golden Globes for Lead Actress in a Film.
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