American Idol 7

David Cook hospitalized, released after Idol’s live performance show

After performing Dolly Parton’s “Little Sparrow” on American Idol 7’s live show Tuesday night, David Cook was hospitalized and later released.

He was taken to the hospital “after experiencing heart palpitations and high blood pressure, and released a few hours later,” TMZ reported. He “was not feeling well during the day and his condition worsened after his performance” and “was urged to leave for the hospital during the show, but he wanted to wait it out.” A nameless show executive told the site “Cook has been completely stressed out because his brother, who has been sick with cancer, had a setback within the last week.”

After the live show concluded, People reports that “Cook was noticeably absent when contestants were led into the bleachers to sit with fans and watch a live performance of last year’s winner Jordin Sparks and R&B sensation Chris Brown sing their new single ‘No Air.’” That segment was pre-taped to air later.

Earlier, Ryan Seacrest gave him an opportunity to address the quasi-controversy around his covering over other people’s covers. “I’ve actually been really fortunate; throughout this whole process, I’ve tried to find arrangements that fit me. And in most cases, I’ve been able to find them online,” David said. But he also coincidentally decided not to use someone else’s arrangement. “Tonight I’m actually going to do my own arrangement,” he said.

The judges liked his performance, although they weren’t overly thrilled, nor were they super-excited by anyone’s performance, although David Archuleta and Michael Johns also stood out. It was basically another boring night that not even Ryan Seacrest could save with his metrosexuality. “Love the French pedicure,” he told Kristy Lee Cook.

industry news

Endemol buys Surreal Life, Flavor of Love production company 51 Minds

The production company behind Flavor of Love and The Surreal Life has been acquired by the production company responsible for Big Brother.

Cris Abrego and Mark Cronin’s 51 Minds Entertainment was purchased by Endemol, which “is taking a 51% interest in 51 minds, with options to acquire a greater stake in the company at a later date,” Variety reports. While the deal is worth $200+ million, the paper says that “figure doesn’t represent the actual purchase price but rather the potential value of the deal if a host of financial targets are met over the next few years.” Variety notes that “Abrego and Cronin had ownership of both their formats and produced episodes of past series. That’s highly unusual in the nonscripted genre, where networks and studios typically control the rights to programs, paying producers fees for their services.”

Abrego said that they will continue on their same course. “They were very clear and upfront that we could still be independent. Our intention is to stay on course and continue to provide more hit programming for VH1 while simultaneously expanding to network television and new-media outlets,” he said.

Endemol’s David Goldberg said, “When you buy a company, you have to have a gut belief that the creative auspices still have a lot of ability left in the tank. And with Cris and Mark, you get two companies in one. Cris comes from a docusoap background, and Mark has a game and comedy background. That gives us the potential to get even more out of them.”

other shows

Spike’s series following DEA agents debuts tonight

DEA, a new series, debuts on Spike tonight at 11 p.m. ET. The show is executive produced by Al Roker, and “follows Special Agents as they work cases ranging from street level dealers all the way up to international drug traffickers” in Detroit, according to the network. The first act of the first episode is online.

Agent Justin Mohr told the Detroit Free Press, “I think the difference between us and general cop shows … it goes into relationships … when we’re not on the streets. … I think they did a good job of capturing how we work as a group.”

The first episode does, in many ways, feel like an updated version of COPS, especially with the increased focus on the personalities of the DEA agents it follows. The cinematography is also a lot stronger, and it’s cleaner and easier to watch than its predecessor. There’s also a stronger sense of tension and drama, because the agents work up to, say, raiding a house, rather than just responding to a call and finishing it within one segment. Unfortunately, the series opts for an unnecessary narrator who nearly always states the obvious, a sign that producers think viewers are morons.

Other critics also find that insufferable, but generally like the series. The New York Daily News’ David Hinckley says “the producers ramp up the drama with ominous music and narration that’s determined not to leave a single cliche unspoken,” although “the show’s subjects are interesting enough to make routine observations seem much more meaningful.” And The Boston Herald’s Mark A. Perigard says that while the show “sets up viewers to be disappointed” because “the voice-over narrator warns that these daring law enforcement agents could face disaster at any second,” which never materializes, “The best moments come when the show goes afield to show the camaraderie between the men who share this stressful job.”

Dancing with the Stars 6

Derek Hough hospitalized for neck injury

Derek Hough will appear on the live Dancing with the Stars 6 results show even though he was hospitalized today due to a neck injury.

He “was rehearsing a routine with his sister Julianne and fellow Dancing pro Mark Ballas when he suffered the injury,” E! Online reports. E! said he “will not dance as part of the professionals’ showcase on Tuesday night’s elimination show” but “is expected back for next Monday’s dance-off round,” and fellow dancer Mark Ballas said he’d be on the show tonight, explaining what happened to L.A.’s KABC:

“We’ve got a more contemporary number this week for Kylie Minogue. And we have a move where our arms kind of come down and we throw the head back. As he threw his head back he cracked his neck. It bothered him immediately, so we stopped. He walked off the floor. They immediately put him in a neck brace to hold it stable. They took him to the hospital and he had it checked. Luckily, there was no disk damage, no spine damage and no bone damage.

We think he strained a muscle in the back of his neck, which is preventing him from turning his neck to the right. He’s back and he is making jokes as usual. He’ll be out there tonight standing with Shannon. He won’t be dancing with Julianne and I tonight, sadly. Somehow we are going to make this work with the two of us. He will be good for next week.”

The Celebrity Apprentice

Trace Adkins says Trump “sent the wrong message to young people in America”

The live version of “You’re Gonna Miss This” that Trace Adkins performed on the finale of The Celebrity Apprentice is, as of tonight, the eighth-most popular song on iTunes. That’s significant because downloads from “between March 27 and April 10, 2008 [will] support the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network,” according to its web site.

Meanwhile, Trace appeared on the radio today, and, for the first time I’ve seen since the finale, challenged Donald Trump’s decision to “hire” Piers Morgan instead of him. “With all due respect to Mr. Trump, you know, I think the decision he made sent the wrong message to young people in America. I mean, you know, I think the message he sent was just make the most money; it doesn’t really matter how you go about it or how you conduct yourself or who you stomp on in the process, just as long as you come out on top, you know, as far as your windfall profits, and I just, I still feel that that was the wrong decision,” Trace told Glenn Beck.

Beck admitted having not watched the actual show so instead focused mostly on Donald Trump’s hair, which Trace admitted he was fascinated by. “[Trump] saw that I was staring at his hair. So he pulled on it to show me that it was real,” he said. “I mean, it is a marvel. You just stand there and you look at it and you try to — you know, you try to see, you know, where it’s pinned on or whatever and you just, you can’t find it, you know. And I looked. … It’s one of those mysteries that we’ll just never know the truth about it, I’m afraid, you know? And I’ve looked closely. I couldn’t figure it out, either.”

Trace also demonstrated his dry, amusing wit; when the show had audio problems, Trace said, “This is professional radio right here. … Maybe when Rush gets through with that board he is using now, you guys can borrow it.”

Hell's Kitchen 4

Hell’s Kitchen 4 debuts tonight

Gordon Ramsay returns to Fox tonight at 9 p.m. ET for the first of two seasons of Hell’s Kitchen that were filmed back to back. It was the first reality show to officially change its schedule in response to the writers’ strike, although that ended back in February.

Besides the return of the three previous winners as guest judges of some kind, this season promises the biggest cast yet, with 15 chefs/Gordon Ramsay bait. Sous chef Mary Ann has been replaced by Gloria Felix. The show’s location also apparently changed to Culver City, according to Eater LA.

The prize has also changed, as Ramsay will hire the winner to work at the London West Hollywood, his new restaurant. “I want to put my money where my mouth is and prove to the industry that any winner of ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ is more than qualified and capable of standing alone in my kitchen,” he told reporters.

American Idol 7

Chris Cornell thought David Cook’s cover was “great”; David Hernandez considered for Rent

Chris Cornell, whose arrangement of “Billie Jean” David Cook used on American Idol 7 last week, was flattered and impressed by Cook’s performance. While Ryan Seacrest acknowledge the arrangement in his introduction, the judges did not, and praised Cook’s originality, prompting Cornell fans and others to protest.

“It appears the judges had no idea that it was my arrangement and were giving David Cook praise about how brilliant he was in performing the song that way. My fans are very protective and felt David should have volunteered the info [at that point]. Even though he did cover it well, and it was brave of him to try and pull it off,” Chris Cornell told Entertainment Weekly. “It was clear to me [that] he was a big fan as he followed my arrangement down to the T, including the most subtle vocal nuances. I think he did a great job at pulling it off.”

Cornell also said, “I don’t think it should be an issue to cover a cover, as long as it’s clear who the creator and/or interpretor of that piece is. I think David’s performance was great and I want to thank all my fans for their dedication!”

Meanwhile, former American Idol 7 contestant and former stripper David Hernandez may soon land a role on Broadway. He’s being considered for a role in Rent, although not the lead role he auditioned for.

The musical’s representative “confirmed that the Arizona native did audition for the one role that was available: Roger, an HIV-positive musician and former heroin addict. But while producers were impressed with Hernandez’s vocal ability, they did not think he was right for a lead role, given his lack of theater experience. They’re now considering him for a smaller part and will make a decision within a few weeks,” MTV News reports.

While the musical was supposed to end June 1, it has now been extended until September 7, as “ticket demand for the long-running musical has risen significantly since the announcement of its imminent closing, and producers wanted to take advantage of the potentially lucrative summer season before lowering the curtain for good,” MTV says.

Survivor All Stars

Survivor Vanuatu

Jeff Probst and Julie Berry broke up; Richard Hatch smuggled matches in his ass

Survivor host Jeff Probst and Vanuatu contestant Julie Berry are no longer together.

“Sadly, Julie and I are not dating anymore. But it was a good love affair,” Jeff told the Philippine Daily Inquirer. He doesn’t reveal what happened. Three years ago, after their relationship became public, he called her “the love of my life.”

Also in the interview, Jeff reveals that during Survivor All Stars, Richard Hatch, who was the first player eliminated from his tribe, smuggled matches in his ass. Literally. He says that during that season, “a guy put matches in a little container up his bum. We were watching Richard who is our most infamous survivor of all time. … We decided to make it really hard and not give him flint for six days. Richard was like, ‘I am not really worried.’ Our producers said, ‘It’s weird.’ Suddenly his group had fire. I don’t remember who it was but somebody tracked it down and found this little vial. So we now strip search everyone.”

Meanwhile, Probst made a brief, uncredited appearance on Dancing with the Stars 6 last night. Tom Bergeron seemed to have lost his voice or perhaps was even choking, and he looked off-camera and said, “Would you do this one?” Jeff came into the frame, dressed in all black, and introduced the next segment. He was never mentioned by name. Both, incidentally, are likely nominees for the first reality show host Emmy.

The Mole 3

Jon Kelley is funny, serious, self-deprecating, and a lot like Anderson Cooper

Now that the new host of The Mole has been announced, there’s an obvious question: Is Jon Kelley up to the challenge? Ahmad Rashad did okay with the show’s blend of witty seriousness and quasi-farce, but he also presided over a bastardized version of the series that had celebrities, not regular people, as its cast. His predecessor, Anderson Cooper, really set the standard, combining dry wit and self deprecation with a warm, friendly presence tempered by objective detachment.

So what do we know about former Extra correspondent Jon Kelley, who we won’t see on screen until the show debuts May 26? Based on three clips of his past TV work, he looks like a near-perfect candidate, and on screen comes across a lot like the show’s first host. First, he’s not afraid of having fun, although he’s upstaged by his celebrity co-star in this lighthearted advertisement for Extra:

However, he can also be serious and talk about subjects intelligently, and also casually name-drop celebrities using their first names only (“Ashton and Demi”). Here he is discussing the effects of Hurricane Katrina:

Perhaps best of all, he’s no stranger to ABC reality shows—and could be more like Anderson than his biography suggests. At the very least, he’s not above having some fun and flirting with fellow TV stars: