It's Good Being Number Two
She may have lost the American Idol finale to Fantasia Barrino, but Diana DeGarmo isn't crying. Having just released her first single for RCA records and taken a much-needed pit stop in her hometown of Atlanta for some sweet tea and Chick-Fil-A, the 16-year-old looked happier than ever when she stopped by the ym offices last Tuesday. She has a full schedule ahead of her, including the upcoming American Idol tour ("I talk to George Huff and Fantasia all the time. I can't wait to see them again.") and promotional work with Wal-Mart.
DeGarmo was also psyched to wear her own clothes after weeks of dressing according to Simon Cowell's taste. Apparently the easiest way to get on the judge's worst-dressed list is to wear pink. "I love pink and black. Those colors were my signature, but I had to stop wearing them. It was just tough to go shopping with my stylists for the show because every store we went to had pink and black clothing!" says DeGarmo. Hmm, we guess we know what colors she'll be wearing on tour this summer.
— Kenya Hunt
Creed's Rocky Road
It seems no rock band is complete without its share of Behind the Music–worthy feuds. Unfortunately, the bad blood between the members of Creed has led to a breakup, after 10 years of being together and more than 24 million records sold.
Things reportedly soured between front man Scott Stapp and the rest of the band during their tour to support the group's 2001 album, Weathered. "None of us really argued amongst each other," guitarist Mark Tremonti told MTV. "It was always Scott who had the problem." Besides being sidelined by a car accident and a bout of laryngitis, Stapp's attention was divided between a budding career in acting and fashion design. Audience members and band mates alike complained that the singer was giving halfhearted performances, including the notoriously bad show when Stapp forgot song lyrics and passed out on the stage. Even after a yearlong hiatus, the rifts in the band remained, particularly between Stapp and Tremonti. "We were just running in circles," says Tremonti, "There wasn't a vibe like on the previous records. It felt very joblike."
Even though the group is parting ways, diehard Creed fans can keep their tissues in their pockets. According to New Music Express, the band still plans to release a greatest hits album.
— Rebecca Davis
The Parking Lot Is The New Hotspot
Cruising just isn't as fun when it sets you back a good $20 for gasoline. The Associated Press reports that most teens are letting go of the age-old summer pastime now that fuel prices have gotten so high. Some kids pay as much as $80 a week on fuel. "It makes people not do what they want to do," 22-year-old Sheffron Pollard told CNN. Instead of driving up and down the strip, students are instead hanging out in parking lots. That way they can show off their rides and look for cuties, without emptying their tanks.
— Kenya Hunt
What We're Talking About This Week: Divorce Court's Biggest Client
Jennifer Lopez has gotten married again. This time her hubby is Marc Anthony. Hopefully the groom will have more staying power than Ben Affleck, Chris Judd, P. Diddy, and Ojani Noa.
The Biggest Reason to Watch TV Next Fall
With Friends and Sex and the City off the air, we thought our television watching days were over. That is, until we got word that Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown's reality program, "Me and Bobby Brown," is a definite go. We have the feeling this cracky (oops, we mean wacky) couple will give new meaning to the phrase Must See TV.
