‘American Idol’ notes: judges coming back, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, ‘Idol’ alums on Cameo

AMERICAN IDOL - Music industry legends and all-star judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie, along with Emmy(r) winning producer and host Ryan Seacrest were on hand when ABC's "American Idol" continued its search for the next singing sensation as auditions continued this week in Coeur d'Alene, ID. "American Idol" is returning to The ABC Television Network for the 2018-2019 season, after first making its return to airwaves as the No. 1 reality show launch for its inaugural season on the network during the 2017-2018 season. (ABC/Josh Vertucci)
LIONEL RICHIE, RYAN SEACREST, KATY PERRY, LUKE BRYAN

Credit: Josh Vertucci

Credit: Josh Vertucci

AMERICAN IDOL - Music industry legends and all-star judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie, along with Emmy(r) winning producer and host Ryan Seacrest were on hand when ABC's "American Idol" continued its search for the next singing sensation as auditions continued this week in Coeur d'Alene, ID. "American Idol" is returning to The ABC Television Network for the 2018-2019 season, after first making its return to airwaves as the No. 1 reality show launch for its inaugural season on the network during the 2017-2018 season. (ABC/Josh Vertucci) LIONEL RICHIE, RYAN SEACREST, KATY PERRY, LUKE BRYAN

“American Idol” will return with all three existing judges: Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Georgia’s Luke Bryan. And host Ryan Seacrest will be back as well.

This will be the fourth season on ABC with the same primary cast.

Auditions with the judges are likely to occur in some form in person, though how or when it will be done has not been officially released.

“Idol” is still seeking singers with open virtual calls set up from September 15 through September 25.

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Kelly Clarkson is making the rounds to promote the second season of her popular talk show, which returns next Monday. And she is referencing the difficulties of her recent divorce to Brandon Blackstock after seven years of marriage.

“I mean, it’s no secret my life has been a little bit of a dumpster,” Clarkson told the “Today” show. “Personally, it’s been a little hard the last couple of months.”

One outlet for her, besides speaking to other friends who have been divorced and raising her kids, is work. That includes “The Voice” returning next month, her talk show, hosting the Billboard Music Awards next month and recording a new album.

“This’ll probably be the most personal one I’ve ever released,” she said. “And the whole record is basically every emotion you experience from the beginning of a relationship to the end of what it is now or where it is now, and it’s been very therapeutic for me.”

She told Fallon she’s “single-momming” it now and being super present to her two kids. She said she forgot about the Daytime Emmy’s being handed out and was shocked when she won one for her best talk show while playing Lego’s with her sons. She also is making the best of having no live audience but having fans from all over the world watch virtually. “We are connecting all over the globe,” she said.

Jimmy Fallon played a remote game with her that probably would have worked better in person, but he is only having virtual guests, so he’s doing the best he can under the circumstances. They each sing the lyrics of one song to the melody of another song. For instance, she used the lyrics of “Ironic” and glommed them onto Toto’s “Africa.” The time delay made the duet they attempted not work at all.

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Here is Carrie Underwood’s “Sunday Night Football” opening for the coronavirus eras with fan-generated content included:

She also recently performed with her former CMT Award buddy Brad Paisley at an empty Grand Ol' Opry. Here is their duet of “Whiskey Lullaby," his hit single with Alison Krauss.

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'American Idol' judge and producer Randy Jackson.

Credit: Sam Jones, FOX

icon to expand image

Credit: Sam Jones, FOX

I was fishing around Cameo, the place you can pay celebrities to send videos or messages to your friends and family to wish them a happy birthday or happy anniversary or just about anything.

Here are some prices for “Idol” alums, with the priciest at top. The prices more or less align to popularity though Haley Reinhart seems relatively expensive compared to her counterparts.

Randy Jackson, judge, first 12 seasons: $350

Haley Reinhart, third place, season 10, $150

Justin Guarini, runner up, season one $100

Colton Dixon, seventh place, season 11: $75

Ruben Studdard, winner season two: $75

Kimberley Locke, third place, season two: $70

Bo Bice, runner up, season five: $50

David Cook, winner, season seven, $50

Paris Bennett, fifth place, season five: $45

Laci Kaye Booth, top five, season 16, $45

Constantine Mouralis, sixth place, season four, $40

Elliot Yamin, third place, season five, $39

Margie Mays, season 18: $39

Blake Lewis, runner up, season six: $39

Brian Dunkleman, host, season one, $39

Elise Testone, sixth place, season 11: $35

Madison Vandenburg, third place, season 17, $30

Diana DeGarmo, second place, season three: $30

Janelle Arthur, fifth place, season 12 $25

James Durbin, fourth place, season 10, $25

Melinda Doolittle, third place, season six: $25

Louis Knight:, sixth/seventh place, season 18 $25

Tamyra Gray, fourth place, season one, $25

Paul McDonald, eighth place, season 10, $20

William Hung, season three, American Idol: $20 for a video, $9.99 for a chat.

Bargain alert! :Sanjaya Malakar, seventh place, season six,t just $15!

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Colton Dixon performs at the Dove Awards on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Credit: Mark Humphrey

icon to expand image

Credit: Mark Humphrey

Colton Dixon who has been married for nearly five years, welcomed twin daughters last month, according to People magazine.

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Ryan Seacrest Announces $1 Million Coronavirus Relief Donation

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Ryan Seacrest’s non-'Idol" business has taken a major turn now that the Kardashians have decided to end the reality show he helped shepherd 13 years ago on E!.

“Keeping Up With the Kardashians” was one of his Seacrest’s first efforts to break into production, and it became a runaway success. He helped propel the Kardashians into the pop culture stratosphere and generated a raft of spinoff shows as well. The show’s ratings have sagged in recent years as the Kardashian shenanigans were more readily available on social media.

Seacrest has not been able to replicate the success of the Kardashians though he does produce Bravo’s “Shahs of Sunset," which has made it eight seasons.

He has only dabbled in scripted programming including the past NBC’s Jennifer Lopez drama “Shades of Blue," which lasted there season from 2016 to 2018 and Netflix’s “Insatiable," which was shot in metro Atlanta for two seasons in 2018 and 2019.

On the hosting side, he is also back in the studio in New York after six months of pandemic at-home work for “Live With Kelly and Ryan.”

“It’s an amazing run,” he said to Ripa on the show, regarding the end of “Keeping Up With the Kardashians.” "Thank you to the whole family. The sisters, especially Kris Jenner. I know her as my partner and dear friend. I feel like I’m family with her. I think she’s one of the savviest business people on the planet. She manages family and an incredible empire; it’s no small task.”

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Clay Aiken social media post of the month, wishing his buddy Ruben Studdard a happy birthday.