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Actor Gary Coleman pleads guilty in Utah court
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Pet telethon re-airs
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Chipmunks "Squeakquel" on DVD/BD March 30
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Late surge gives Zips ugly road win
Tribe Matters:
Blogmail response on Hafner
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Stallworth's contract terminated
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QB in Browns future: another mock draft
Kent State Sports:
KSU Notes – February 9
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NBA Power Rankings from Around the Internet
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Buckeyes grab 18 players on signing day
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All Da King's Men:
Palin At The Tea Party Convention
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Republican Pre-Conditions
Akron Law Café:
Citizens United v. F.E.C. (Part 4): Kennedy's and O'Connor's Basic Approaches to Constitutional Decisionmaking – Top Down and Bottom Up
Car Chase:
Collector Car Hobby Loses One of the Best—Jim Roll
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Decisions Decisions: Credit Cards or Your Mortgage?
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Loucile is looking for a Lake Erie getaway in June for three kids, ages 1, 3, and 5.
Sound Check:
Talk of the Town – Top entertainment picks for the weekend
HRLite House:
Track HR Research
Akron Gamer:
Makers of 'Castle Crashers' unveil 'BattleBlock Theater'
See Jane Style:
Do IT this week: Layering
Four performers plan a holiday stop Friday at E.J. Thomas Hall
By Rich Heldenfels
Beacon Journal popular culture writer
POSTED: 07:50 a.m. EST, Dec 18, 2008
Kimberley Locke apologized for calling late. She had been out running — seven miles in balmy Florida weather — and I shouldn't have been surprised.
But first, she called to talk about American Stars in Concert for the Holidays, a holiday-themed series of performances featuring four former American Idol contestants: Locke, Diana DeGarmo, David Hernandez and Chikezie. It will stop at E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall in Akron on Friday.
The show is mainly Christmas music from different combinations of the performers. For example, Locke sings Santa Baby, has a duet with DeGarmo on Breath of Heaven and is part of a group ''Christmas rock'' medley. There's also some audience participation that Locke called ''probably one of my funniest parts of the show.''
But while Idol is a major selling point for the tour, Locke said, ''I'm not throwing myself back in the Idol mix.''
The concerts also let the performers sing some non-holiday songs they're known for. Not long ago, she toured with Dave Koz. And in early '09, she plans to be back in the studio to work on another CD.
At the same time, though, she said that Idol performers — even those spread across three different seasons, like these four are — share an experience that outsiders may not get. ''I think that people don't understand the amount of work that goes into it,'' she said, ''the highs and lows, the struggle at the end.''
Locke finished third in what still ranks as the most intensely competitive Idol season ever, won in a nail-biter by Ruben Studdard over Clay Aiken. But as much attention as that garnered, it did not prepare Locke for the way the spotlight shone on her earlier this year.
The reason: dating another celebrity.
About a year ago, Locke went on VH1's Celebrity Fit Club, reportedly losing 40 pounds and picking up a health regimen that includes things like seven-mile runs.
''Since Celebrity Fit Club, I haven't stopped exercising,'' she said. ''It's part of my life, something I do for myself.''
But after finishing the show, she gained one thing: a budding romance with the show's tough-talking trainer, Harvey E. Walden IV. The gossip columns caught onto the relationship in its early stages. (''We weren't 'involved involved,' like we are now,'' Locke said.) But Walden was still in the middle of a divorce, and Locke ''had to step back'' until Walden was single again.
Now, she said, ''we are officially involved.'' No wedding date yet, and no ring, she said, but ''we're talking about it.''
It's not only a personal relationship, either. The couple will host a ''Locke and Loaded'' fitness-and-music cruise in September. (For information, go to http://www.lockeandloaded.com.)
Besides Locke, performers on the cruise will include Idol's Vonzell Solomon and Jon Peter Lewis; she's also hoping to add DeGarmo, whom she has gotten to know during the American Stars tour. ''She's a sweetheart,'' Locke said.
Rich Heldenfels writes about popular culture for the Beacon Journal and in the HeldenFiles Online blog at http://heldenfels.ohio.com. He can be reached at 330-996-3582 and rheldenfels@thebeaconjournal.com.
DETAILS
• What: American Stars in Concert for the Holidays featuring American Idol finalists Diana DeGarmo, Chikezie, David Hernandez and Kimberley Locke
• When: 8 p.m. Friday
• Where: E.J. Thomas Hall, 198 Hill St., University of Akron
• Tickets: $25-$35
• Information: 330-972-7570, 330-945-9400 or http://www.ticketmaster.com
Kimberley Locke apologized for calling late. She had been out running — seven miles in balmy Florida weather — and I shouldn't have been surprised.
But first, she called to talk about American Stars in Concert for the Holidays, a holiday-themed series of performances featuring four former American Idol contestants: Locke, Diana DeGarmo, David Hernandez and Chikezie. It will stop at E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall in Akron on Friday.
The show is mainly Christmas music from different combinations of the performers. For example, Locke sings Santa Baby, has a duet with DeGarmo on Breath of Heaven and is part of a group ''Christmas rock'' medley. There's also some audience participation that Locke called ''probably one of my funniest parts of the show.''
But while Idol is a major selling point for the tour, Locke said, ''I'm not throwing myself back in the Idol mix.''
The concerts also let the performers sing some non-holiday songs they're known for. Not long ago, she toured with Dave Koz. And in early '09, she plans to be back in the studio to work on another CD.
At the same time, though, she said that Idol performers — even those spread across three different seasons, like these four are — share an experience that outsiders may not get. ''I think that people don't understand the amount of work that goes into it,'' she said, ''the highs and lows, the struggle at the end.''
Locke finished third in what still ranks as the most intensely competitive Idol season ever, won in a nail-biter by Ruben Studdard over Clay Aiken. But as much attention as that garnered, it did not prepare Locke for the way the spotlight shone on her earlier this year.
The reason: dating another celebrity.
About a year ago, Locke went on VH1's Celebrity Fit Club, reportedly losing 40 pounds and picking up a health regimen that includes things like seven-mile runs.
''Since Celebrity Fit Club, I haven't stopped exercising,'' she said. ''It's part of my life, something I do for myself.''
But after finishing the show, she gained one thing: a budding romance with the show's tough-talking trainer, Harvey E. Walden IV. The gossip columns caught onto the relationship in its early stages. (''We weren't 'involved involved,' like we are now,'' Locke said.) But Walden was still in the middle of a divorce, and Locke ''had to step back'' until Walden was single again.
Now, she said, ''we are officially involved.'' No wedding date yet, and no ring, she said, but ''we're talking about it.''
It's not only a personal relationship, either. The couple will host a ''Locke and Loaded'' fitness-and-music cruise in September. (For information, go to http://www.lockeandloaded.com.)
Besides Locke, performers on the cruise will include Idol's Vonzell Solomon and Jon Peter Lewis; she's also hoping to add DeGarmo, whom she has gotten to know during the American Stars tour. ''She's a sweetheart,'' Locke said.
Rich Heldenfels writes about popular culture for the Beacon Journal and in the HeldenFiles Online blog at http://heldenfels.ohio.com. He can be reached at 330-996-3582 and rheldenfels@thebeaconjournal.com.
DETAILS
• What: American Stars in Concert for the Holidays featuring American Idol finalists Diana DeGarmo, Chikezie, David Hernandez and Kimberley Locke
• When: 8 p.m. Friday
• Where: E.J. Thomas Hall, 198 Hill St., University of Akron
• Tickets: $25-$35
• Information: 330-972-7570, 330-945-9400 or http://www.ticketmaster.com
Comments
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Akron, oh
Posted 09:34 AM, 12/23/2008
Whoppee! Not.
