Pre-Fame Lady Gaga

Now here's something interesting - A no make-up, no crazy-outfit, brunette Lady Gaga! Or back then (actually just in January 2006) she was just plain ol' Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta.

Quite a difference from the Lady Gaga during the recent VMA's huh?

My Road to American Idol 2009 Part 7: Day 2 - Red Carpet

Sheesh... I started this blog four months ago to document my trip to the American Idol 2009 finales and I still haven't finished posting everything yet!

Ok... Every little step counts, so here's the next update. Should only be another two more to go after this.

So it was May 20th 2009 and I had just watched the AI finale face-off between Kris Allen and Adam Lambert the night before. Adam definitely was the better of the two, but I had the sneaking suspicion that Kris was going to win it (needless to say, this proved true).

We had the morning free, so Futaba and I decided to take a trip to Pasadena, where Futaba used to stay when she was studying here.

This is where Futaba's aunt's old music shop/cafe used to be. It's now a Spanish cafe.

After a massive shopping spree (lots of stuff for the kiddies ok!), we made our way back to Downtown LA to get ready for the AI Results show!

Since heaps of people brought their cameras the previous day, I decided that I was going to smuggle my camera in too! Heck, this was a once in a lifetime experience and I was going to make sure I had a proper camera on me instead of my mobile phone!

We decided to leave early in case there was a crowd getting in, and a good thing we did too or else we would have missed the red carpet in front of the Nokia theater!

I was actually on the phone with JJ and Ean from the Hitz.FM morning crew when I stumbled across the red carpet and told them that I was just steps away from Daughtry, to which JJ screamed "I HATE YOU!!". Hahahaha!! After that I snapped this pic...

See JJ? I wasn't fibbing! =)

Next up on the red carpet was Season 7 runner up David Archuleta. He seemed really bubbly and excited to be there, just 1 year after he at the center of the AI circus.

Another runner-up - Bo Bice. Back in season 4, I thought that he was going to win over Carrie Underwood. Really liked his Southern Rock sound. Too bad the record company gave him crap material for his album The Real Thing. It was FAAAAR from the real thing at all. Tried to make him more like Nickelback. I've got nothing against Nickelback's music, but it's just not Bo Bice...

Hey Paula! Too bad she's gone from Idol. Think the contestants really appreciated having her around. She was the only judge who took the trouble to go to the post-results show press area to wish all the contestants good luck for the future and even brought them all gifts. Ellen's got big shoes to fill. Hope she doesn't blabber like Paula does though...

And here's part of the reason why Paula got the boot - Kara DioGuardi. Sure she's got recording industry cred, but man is she annoying... And the coronation song that she wrote was just AWFUL!!! Oh, but her bikini stunt during the finale was cool though. =)

Now here's a classy guy - Nicole Kidman's other half - Keith Urban. He was only 1 of 2 artists who took the trouble to make it pass the barricades to talk to the fans and sign autographs. Too bad I wasn't close enough to get one. Too bad Nicole didn't make the finales too. =p Oh, he rocked the house with Kris on Kiss A Girl though!

Carlos Santana! The Rock GOD performed smooth with the Top 13 during the finale.

Season 7 winner David Cook asking his screaming fans to tone it down a tad.

Season 4 winner Carrie Underwood looking gorgeous in pink! She looks beautiful in real life! Good thing my wife said it first so that I could just nod in agreement and not get in trouble. =)

Another super friendly and down to earth super star - Jason Mraz. He was the only other celebrity to pass the barrier to meet the fans and sign autographs. Again - bummer that I didn't get one. I kinda owe my trip to the AI finale to him since I sang I'm Yours to win the ticket during the Star World competition! =)

Unfortunately, the stars of the evening Kris Allen and Adam Lambert did not go through the main entrance to the red carpet. Their security just ushered them into the center for the larger press crews to get their time with them. This was the best shot that I managed to get of them...

Oh, I also got a glimpse of Season 6 runner-up Blake Lewis (well, at least his back) and Season 7 contestant Michael Johns having a chit-chat on the red carpet.

Ok! That's it for the red carpet. Next up - THE RESULTS SHOW!

(Yes, my seat was that far away from the stage. Thank God for the big screens!)