Thursday, May 26, 2011
Photo
Scotty McCreery (Frank MIcelotta/FOX)
NEWSMAKERS
Scotty McCreery wins ‘American Idol’
LOS ANGELES
Scotty McCreery is the new “American Idol,” defeating fellow country crooner Lauren Alaina.
McCreery, a fresh-faced 17-year-old from Garner, N.C., with a strikingly deep voice, received more viewer votes than Alaina, a peppy 16-year-old from Rossville, Ga.
It was the first all-country finale for the Fox singing contest, now in its 10th season.
McCreery’s victory Wednesday continued a recent pattern: He’s the fourth male in a row to win “Idol.” The last female to win was 17-year-old Jordin Sparks in 2007.
Alaina competed in Tuesday’s final sing-off despite a vocal-cord injury that required medical treatment. She received raves from the judges, who said she won the night. But the consistently popular McCreery claimed the title and a record contract.
King, Mellencamp ready new musical
ATLANTA
Horror writer Stephen King says his first play, “The Ghost Brothers of Darkland County,” featuring haunting melodies by rocker John Mellencamp, is finally ready for the stage. The musical, based on a legend about the deaths of two brothers and a girl at a rural cabin, originally was scheduled to debut at Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre two years ago but was postponed.
King says Mellencamp and the play’s director weren’t getting along. The new director is Susan Booth.
King says Mellencamp wanted it set in the South because he admires Tennessee Williams. King says that worked for him because he’d been reading William Faulkner novels. He says the play, which opens next April, was designed for a small stage, small cast and small technical requirements, “sort of the anti-Spiderman.”
‘Squawk Box’ anchor Mark Haines dies
NEW YORK
CNBC says Mark Haines, the anchor of its morning “Squawk Box” show, died Tuesday evening. He was 65. The network says he died in his home. It did not specify the cause of death.
Haines worked at CNBC for 22 years after working as a news anchor at TV stations in Philadelphia, New York and Providence, R.I.
CNBC President Mark Hoffman says Haines was “always the unflappable pro.” He is survived by his wife, Cindy, his son, Matt, and daughter, Meredith.
Kim Kardashian gets engaged to NBA player
NEW YORK
Another hoops star will join the Kardashian clan. People magazine reported Wednesday that reality star Kim Kardashian is engaged to her boyfriend of six months, New Jersey Nets forward Kris Humphries. Sister Khloe Kardashian and Los Angeles Laker Lamar Odom were married in 2009.
Kim Kardashian told People that she was in “shock” when she entered her Beverly Hills, Calif., home last week to discover Humphries on bended knee with “will you marry me” spelled out in rose petals. Humphries, 26, gave Kardashian, 30, a 20.5-carat Lorraine Schwartz diamond ring.
E-version of profane dad’s lament coming
NEW YORK
The e-version of a tired dad’s best-seller “Go the (Bleep) to Sleep” is coming soon.
Open Road Integrated Media, a digital publisher, announced Wednesday that it will release the electronic version of “Go the (Bleep) to Sleep” on June 14, just ahead of Father’s Day. That’s the same day that Akashic Books will release the paper version.
An enhanced e-book that includes video is scheduled for the holiday season late this year.
Adam Mansbach’s profane take on getting the kids in bed has been a word-of-mouth sensation, ranking for weeks in the top 10 on Amazon.com despite no organized promotion. Film rights already have been sold.
‘Dancing’ star Alley: no more reality TV
LOS ANGELES
After coming in second on “Dancing With the Stars,” Kirstie Alley says she’s done with reality TV. The 60-year-old actress said Tuesday that her time on “Dancing” has motivated her to return to acting with new focus and determination.
She said learning to dance on the hit show “re-inspired me with all the things that I’ve had great success with already and sort of got complacent about.”
Alley plans to take on a movie role next month. She’s also looking for a new TV series and is considering Broadway.
She confessed she was sad she and partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy didn’t win “Dancing.” Characterizing herself as “not the average cupcake,” she said her partner deserved kudos for making the oldest and heaviest contestant this season into a championship dancer.
Vindicator wire services