'American Idol' recap: Duel at the Nokia Theater

By Kate Ward

Earlier in the season, Randy Jackson told Lauren Alaina that the young contestant reminded him of a Carrie Underwood-Kelly Clarkson hybrid. And weeks later, during Tuesday night's finale, Idol did its darndest to remind us of this very comparison. Lauren sings a Carrie song! Carrie chooses a song for Lauren! Random precious footage of Carrie (and David Cook, but strangely, no other Idol winners) as a youngster just prior to precious footage of Lauren as a child! Vocal troubles, just like Kelly during season 1's finale! The comparison to the season 4 winner was so subliminal, I found myself several times accidentally typing "Carrie" in my notes instead of "Lauren." How to explain the sudden urge to watch Minute To Win It and buy a Filet-O-Fish -- that I can't quite explain.

But it makes sense for Idol producers to push a Lauren win for season 10. After all, we're looking at a perfect reality show storyline here: Sweet Southern Belle who dreamed of winning Idol as a child grows up to nab the title of our American Idol -- but only after overcoming a health struggle that almost pushed her out of the competition. That's right: Just prior to the show, rumors hit the Web claiming that Haley would replace an ailing Lauren. (Oh, what a tease!) But according to Idol's resident doctor, after Lauren sprained a vocal cord while pushing her voice in rehearsals, she was deemed healthy enough to compete.

Dubai fashion students to showcase at the Whos Next

Edited by Sarah Khan
Fashion students from the Dubai campus of the French Fashion University Esmod, the only dedicated fashion school in the region, will have the opportunity to showcase their creations at the WHO'S NEXT & PREMIERE CLASSE fashion trade show in Dubai after a partnership agreement was sealed between the university and the trade fair's organisers.
WHO'S NEXT & PREMIERE CLASSE is the first multisector fashion fair in the Middle East, celebrating creations of all forms. The event will gather more than 200 brands, including urban labels, women brands and accessory designers who will be displaying their top creations at the Dubai World Trade Center from October 11 to 13, 2009. French Fashion University Esmod will exhibit the work of its fashion students at Stand A40.

"The trade show will parade an international selection, including several creations from French designers who will make up around 40 per cent of exhibitors. This will be a very good venue for the students to learn directly from the most prominent names in the business. Moreover, the trade fair will help us create awareness among high-profile international exhibitors that there is a highly-focused fashion school and a growing talent pool in the Gulf," said Tamara Hostal, Director and Founder, French Fashion University Esmod.

"Our students will also benefit from this event through internships and other career-development opportunities that will be offered by leading French designers. There are some extremely talented young people in the Middle East who really deserve such an opportunity. In addition, we are also looking forward to invite some of the prominent designers to conduct lectures for our students," added Mrs. Hostal.

Esmod Dubai's participation at the WHO'S NEXT & PREMIERE CLASSE is part of several activities organised by the university to open new horizons for the region's fashion minds and nurture a greater number of fashionistas to represent the Arab region in the fashion world. The fashion university earlier concluded a high-profile fashion show at Wafi mall involving the school's first graduating batch.

"FFU will continue to find innovative ways to nurture the raw talent of our students and encourage them to follow their dreams by opening opportunities to enhance their learning experience and help them succeed in the fashion world. We want students to gain a lot of practical experience about how the industry functions to adequately prepare them to face the challenges in the real world," concluded Mrs. Hostal.

Since its inception in 2006, Esmod Dubai has been accommodating a steadily growing number of students in its mission to capitalize on the region's booming fashion industry and the steady drift of the Middle Eastern consumer towards haute couture. The Dubai campus now embraces students from 47 different countries, of which over 40 per cent are GCC nationals and UAE locals. The number of students is expected to further grow this year as the university has planned several initiatives to help its graduates find attractive job opportunities with globally known fashion names.

Global Arab Network

New Voting System Announced for Oscar's Best Picture Category

ET
Jewel Samad / Getty Images
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences confirmed Monday that it will be using a new voting system. Read on for details...

The Academy will use a preferential voting system to determine which of its 10 nominees will win the award for the Best Picture category. In June, the Academy's Board of Governors announced that it was extending the Best Picture list of nominees from five to 10.

The new voting system is one that "best allows the collective judgment of all voting members to be most accurately represented," according to a statement released by the Academy.

"Instead of just marking an 'X' to indicate which one picture they believe to be the best, members will indicate their second, third and further preferences as well," Academy President Tom Sherak said of the new system. "PricewaterhouseCoopers will then be able to establish the Best Picture recipient with the strongest support of a majority of our electorate."

Nominees for The 82nd Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, February 2, 2010, at 5:30 a.m. PT -- and the awards will be presented on Sunday, March 7, 2010, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood on ABC.

ABC Entertainment President: We'd Love to Have Paula Abdul on 'DWTS'

ET
Kevin Winter / Getty Images
Could Paula Abdul end up on "Dancing with the Stars"? Stephen McPherson, the president of ABC Entertainment Group, dished on Saturday about the possibility of it happening.

"I was a little stunned by the decision. We would love to have her on 'Dancing.' As a contestant, as a participant, as a judge," McPherson told reporters. "I think she's a huge talent. There's a sensitivity and emotion in her that balances out 'American Idol' and we'd love to get a piece of that."

He continues, "I have definitely reached out to her. We are friends from way back. I gave her a call to say I was sorry about the situation and we want to see her on ABC. She said, 'Great.' She was traveling and she is going to be back in town and we will sit down."

McPherson and Abdul met years ago when he was with Buena Vista and Abdul pitched him projects. As to what the former "American Idol" judge would do on "Dancing with the Stars," McPherson says, "We have no formal plans. Len Goodman travels back and forth and it is tough on him. We had to have some guest judges. I think all possibilities are open. We will look at it. It will probably depend on where her head is at."

Jess Veronicas' nipple slip: Twitpic'd

ninemsn
An eagle-eyed fan caught this shot of Jess Origliasso struggling to stay inside her bra at a Veronicas concert in the US.

The pic appeared on Twitter yesterday after the Aussie sisters performed at Spiedie Fest in New York.

Of course, a little bit of a nipple slip is no big deal when you've already starred in your very own nude photo scandal!

Report: Dr. Conrad Murray Gave Jackson Powerful Drug Before His Death

ET
Getty Images/ Pool / Houston Chronicle
Dr. Conrad Murray gave the late Michael Jackson the powerful drug that authorities believe killed him, claims a new report.
The Associated Press, citing an unnamed official, reports that Dr. Conrad Murray allegedly gave Jackson the anesthetic propofol on the night before his death.
A lawyer for Dr. Murray tells the AP that he did not prescribe or administer anything that should have killed the King of Pop. In response to the AP report, attorney Ed Chernoff tells ET, "It's a waste of time responding to all these timed 'leaks' from 'anonymous' sources.

I feel like a horse swatting flies. Everyone needs to take a breath and wait for these long delayed toxicology results.

I have no doubt they want to make a case -- for goodness sakes, its Michael Jackson! But things tend to shake out when all the facts are made known, and I'm sure that will happen here as well."
Dr. Murray, who was with Jackson on the day he died last month, is also the subject of a manslaughter investigation, according to court documents cited by the AP.

Rebecca Romijn Talks New Show & Babies

ET

ET's Thea Andrews caught up with actress Rebecca Romijn at Comic-Con to talk about her new TV series and her new twin babies.

"I feel like I have friends here," the 'X-Men' actress said of Comic-Con.

Romijn sat on the panel for her new ABC drama "Eastwick," which focuses on three very different women in a small New England town who find themselves drawn together by a mysterious man who unleashes unique powers in each of them. "I feel like it's a character that's most like me in real life," she told Thea of her bohemian character.

The actress and her husband Jerry O'Connell welcomed twin girls Dolly Rebecca Rose and Charlie Tamara Tulip on January 5th. "They're crawling around. I have such a lovely, energetic husband. ... I'm going through separation anxiety but I think they're having a blast," she said of the twins. "It's nice to be back at work but I'm missing them so much."

Keep checking ETonline for more Comic-Con coverage.