By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally filed Saturday, May 21, 2016
Ryan Seacrest, now that "Idol" is off his plate, is guest hosting on "Live With Kelly" next month. He is one of many names being thrown about as a possible co-host to replace Michael Strahan.
"She's asked me to come on for a day right at the beginning of June, and so I'm looking forward to hugging her and seeing her," he told Entertainment Tonight. "I've known Kelly forever. She's phenomenal, so to get a chance to sit by her for a day is a blessing."
The odds of him getting the gig are slim, though. He works out of Los Angeles, committed to his morning radio show. Ripa shoots out of New York. That would be a serious logistical problem.
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Season 14 winner Nick Fradiani has a sexy new video for his single "Get You Home."
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Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Carmen Rasmussen, who was on the same season as Rickey Smith, now writes about entertainment for the Deseret News. She wrote a sweet tribute this week to Smith, who died in a car accident recently.
She gathered with several season 2 contestants in Oklahoma City earlier this month for the funeral, including former Atlantan Vanessa Olivarez, Charles Grigsby, Ruben Studdard, Clay Aiken and Julia DeMato.
As we stood at his gravesite saying our goodbyes "for now, until we meet again," I had the feeling that if he were here, Rickey would be telling us to continue to live, to continue to love, to hold on to each other even as we let him go.
Olivarez, by the way, is now part of a band called Granville Automatic. In a text, she noted, of Smith: "We were all sad to see such a sweet soul leave this earth. He was always happy. Always smiling. This is a real tragedy."
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Radio airplay via Mediabase 24/7
Kelly Clarkson: "Piece By Piece" No. 6, Hot AC (rising)
Nick Fradiani: "Get You Home" No. 34 Hot AC (rising)
Fantasia: "Not Time For It" No. 10 Urban AC (falling, peaked at No. 7)
Ruben Studdard: "Can't Nobody Love You" No. 34 Urban AC (rising)
Carrie Underwood: "Church Bells" No. 14 Country (rising)
Danny Gokey: "Tell Your Heart to Beat Again" No. 2 Christian AC (peaking)
Mandisa: "I Hope You Dance" No. 36 Christian AC (rising)
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