The Justin Files, 2/21/08

Idol Follow-up
Ok, I take it back. I mentioned yesterday the curious absence of Carly Smithson in the Idol girl's top 12 peanut gallery on Tuesday's guys show. Rumors started flying of her previous professional music experience and bloggers, myself included, speculated that it might have had something to do with her absence. Well, on last night's show, Seacrest pointed out that a number of contestants were suffering from the flu and, sure enough, Carly was there last night.

But...that doesn't change the facts, Carly did have a record deal with MCA Records and released an album in 2001.

Ok so the disc only sold a handful of units, but still, she was once a paid professional recording artist who was signed to a major label. Should she be allowed to compete on Idol?

Discuss.

(Fun fact, the album was co-produced by Gregg Alexander, the guy behind late 90's one hit wonders The New Radicals ["You Get What You Give"])

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Maybe that actually is just Coke in her cup
In other Idol related news, Paula Abdul is apparently happy to be back in the music game. With the release of the single and video for her new song Dance Like There's No Tomorrow, Paula told USAToday that performing is her, "happy place" (for the record, my happy place usually involves ice cream and fuzzy slippers). The story notes that Simon, Randy, and Ryan Seacrest all have cameos in the video. A classy move by Paula to acknowledge those who have helped make her relevant again. The best part of the article though, is where The Nation's Newspaper feels it necessary to point out that Paula was, "sounding very coherent and calm". Nice.

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Parents, beware May 1st, 2009!
Let me get you prepared:

"MOMMY!! DADDY!! I WANNA GO SEE THE HANNAH MONTANA MOVIE!!!"

Yup, with the end of the writer's strike not only is TV back, but movie production is back on track as well. Disney has staked its claim on 5/1/09 as the opening weekend of Point preteen idol Miley Cyrus' big screen adaptation.

Here's the funny part, it's apparently part of a counter-programming strategy to go against X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

Now I don't claim to be an entertainment industry expert, but is there really going to be much of a crossover audience??

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Wolfie goes green
One of the biggest banquets on Oscar night has always been the Governor's Ball where celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck has been preparing the fancy food for a number of years. So what happens with all the leftover haute cuisine? Well this year, in honor of the current buzz words du jour, the Governor's Ball is "going green". That's right, all the uneaten food will be composted and taken to Sun Valley, CA for "treatment" (whatever that means).

What, the local soup kitchens wouldn't appreciate a little foie gras and escargot?

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Quick Hits
* Why all the sudden library traffic in Toms River last night? No, a new Harry Potter book wasn't discovered, it seems we had a celebrity in our midst. Alec Baldwin was at the OC Library to take part in a discussion on Oyster Creek's looming license expiration.

* The annual Barbara Walters Oscar special on Sunday will include interviews with Juno's young star Ellen Page (21 today, in fact), Ugly Betty villain Vanessa Williams, the adventurer who can't stop...erm...adventuring, Indiana Jones himself Harrison Ford, and a musician you may or may not have heard of, Miley Cyrus. Fun for the whole family.

* Finally, TVGuide.com's Michael Ausiello is reporting that NBC has canceled the much-hyped retread of The Bionic Woman. If my brother stumbles across this blog, I'm just sayin...I called it back in September :).