GET WELL SOON TO BEAUTIFUL AUSTRALIAN IDOL CASEY DONOVAN!!!

Photo courtesy of news.com.au

This morning Sept 18th 2008, I received this e-mail from Australia about the 2004 Australian Idol Casey Donovan story that I reported earlier this week. Please read the story first!

Hi Kemi

"I just wanted to thank you for including the youtube footage on your website with Casey's story, it was a real uplift to my spirits to remember all the wonderful performances she had on Idol, I still can't believe she was only 16 and the youngest ever Idol winner. Casey is recovering and trying to deal with the senseless act of violence against her. No-one can believe that anyone can be so deliberately vicious. We hope that there will be justice, but we do not expect a great outcome.

As her parents, her mother, Tracy & I are trying to find the positives from the situation, and we have been in contact with people in connection with action against violence toward women. We are looking at an opportunity for this incident to serve as a chance to highlight the problem and get better laws. At this stage it is a bit early to make definite plans but if there is any chance to make something good out of such a terrible circumstance, Casey will do what she can, and we will support her as best we can.

Thank you again for your interest."
Cheers,
Norm Axford

I wrote a comment in the Australian Daily Telegraph newspapers this morning on the story about what Australians are saying.........

"We at HipHossip are very sad about what happened. I personally spoke with Norm Axford, Casey's stepdad via e-mail. It is amazing how a woman can say she does not want to be bothered and yet a thug punches her in the face. In the US where I lived for 27 years, the woman may have pulled out a gun and fired a shot in self defense. Glad that did not happen. The suspect(s) need to be apprehended and prosecuted to the extent of the law."

Please keep Casey Donovan in your prayers. At 16 years old this girl was belting out songs. There were controversies surrounding Casey Donovan with regards to the Sony BMG a damn good dynamic record label dropping her because "she did not fit the image they wanted." I mean, this girl literally went on TV to tell viewers she had lost weight. I am waiting for a statement from Sony BMG media relations people from North America on this issue if this is a regular practice with the Sony/BMG record label.

American Idol Reuben Studdard was obese, Fantasia's teeth were crooked and Canadian Jacob Hoggard are not the most attractive Idols/idol finalists but they weren't dropped because of looks?

When she fully recovers, I hope to do a phone chat with Casey. Read all about this wonderful girl and watch my fave videos below please......

Watch her sing"Listen with your heart"
Watch her interview on the Australian Morning Show
Watch her perform at the 2006 Yabun Festival in Australia

THANKS TO IDLE OZZIE IN AUSTRALIA FOR THE IDOL LINK.

You know how much I love Idol shows and I can tell you the Aussie one's the most interesting without Simon too. Idle Ozzie has led us to his blog which we will be using to track the happenings. Meanwhile Ozzie tells us Jordin Sparks performed on the show last nite. Check it out. Meanwhile Ozzie's link will be on the sidebar till the finale.

OMG! IDOL WINNER ATTACKED!!

AUSTRALIAN IDOL winner CASEY DONOVAN is recovering after she was the victim of an "unprovoked attack" in a New South Wales bar. The singer, 20, sustained cuts to her face and a broken finger after clashing with two men at the Beach Palace Hotel, Sydney on Sunday (14Sep08).

The star's stepfather Norm Axford says, "She was out with friends having a good time and on the dance floor when she was approached and hassled by these guys. "They were making comments about Idol and she told them not to bother her. The next thing one of them punched her twice in the face. "It was just an unprovoked situation, she wasn't doing anything."

Source: Live news

We wish Casey well. I followed that entire Idol show online in 2004. We used to call her the "Frenchie" of Australia as she sang and looked like former American Idol sensation Frenchie Davis. Below are some of her performances.

NOT LIKE YOU CARE BUT THIS IS THE MOST INTERESTING IDOL SHOW.

Australian Idol is down to the final 12. Watch all the drama here.

Kemi extras with big celebrity footage: Rudy Blair auditions for Media Idol.

Rudy Blair auditions for Media Idol
Video sent by KeminicationsMedia

Media Idol was on April 11th 2008 and Keminications is supporting and following Rudy Blair's journey. He is the Music Reporter for 680 News and please vote for him at idol.ctv.ca Guess who the big celebrity in the video is?

WORTH THE WAIT: Rudy Blair of 680 News finally auditions for MEDIA IDOL!

It was a cold dreadful morning with freezing rain but was nothing like that inside the Rogers building on Bloor and Jarvis downtown. They call it 333 Bloor street! Things were HOT as everyone waited for our favourite Media Idol contestant Rudy Blair of 680 News.

I met the whole 680 News family including Scott Metcalf the News Director (big boss) and Gloria Martin who does the showbiz news we all know as "Globiz." She's in red in the above photo with Rudy and I and she hosted the show.

I also met Jaime Pulfer above whose sign "blaired" me away. Her sign said "Rudy Blairs me away." Lets face it, Rudy took his audition to a whole new level. We went down into a subbasement theater where the auditions were held. I love that building! Security is so nice and tight and such a modern place to work. There were donuts and coffee and the Rogers employees steadily streamed down into the theater.

I met the very nice Larry Silver above, the morning news anchor for Jack FM which is also owned by Rogers. The Toronto Argonaut cheerleaders Jackie and Bridget strolled onto the stage. Blair was dressed really hot and was looking GOOD! You can hear my voice behind the camera cheering him on. The Alzheimer Society of Peel Region were in the house as they were Rudy's favourite charity that the media Idol contestants were singing for. Brian Volmer from the group Helix was his music teacher who gave him voice lessons. Then he introduced Jully Black who is the new cast member of Canadian Idol. Jully called him "Seven week fool" and advised him to just be himself and cracked that Ashlee Simpson joke.

Allie Page of CTV above who coordinates and is the Publicist for Canadian Idol then came on stage with the CTV cameraman to get things going. Allie has been so good to Keminications letting me in on all the happenings. Before you knew it, we were all singing along........."Whoa-ooo-whoa, I'm listening to the music." Jully who was called on stage couldn't perform this morning but was laughing as we sang above her shoulders and she said she'll be at the Danforth Music Hall on May 30th. Look out for my interview with Rudy.

BEGIN VOTING HERE Saturday 12th April at 12 noon-Tuesday 15th at 5pm.
The Official 680 News video of the performance.
Photos of Rudy's performance.

A Blast of a DAY!!!

There are only a few times these kind of days come. I just returned from Canada's Media Idol at Rogers' 680 News. Rudy Blair's audition was a blast! All footage is coming by dinnertime. You will start voting between now and Tuesday. Talking about being a "7 Day Fool", I was being introduced and introducing myself to all the radio personalities and there was this black lady standing by me all the while and in my 45 years of life, I have never been able to NOT recognize a celebrity.

We are talking about the Best R&B Artist at the Juno Awards JULLY BLACK!!! If you know me and how personable I am, I just wanted to introduce myself to another stranger and I asked what her name was. She said "Jully Black." I had my hand in my mouth like OMG! What a jerk! We had to rush on stage, hopefully I shall get photos with her tommorow after image clearance at Canadian Idol. Jully is also the NEWEST CASTMEMBER OF CANADIAN IDOL!