American Idol Auditions: News, Notes and Country Singers Galore!

With American Idol set to return to the air in January, auditions are underway for the next Adam Lambert or Kris Allen.
How are they going so far? Producer Nigel Lythgoe answered that question for People magazine this week, going into detail on a number of topics. To wit:

Who has auditioned so far? "We're seeing quite a lot of country singers, a lot of young talent because we've opened it up to 15-year-olds now."
How is J-Lo faring as a judge? "Jennifer actually critiques what's in front of her. She doesn't just throw out glib remarks. She listens, she weighs it up and then she says how she feels."
And Steven Tyler? "[He] doesn't have a bad bone in his body and finds it very difficult to say 'you suck' to anybody."
What's his take on instruments? "People sort of lost a little bit behind instruments. I see no reason why we won't use guitars and pianos at least once or twice across the season, but I don't just want them everyday behind the bloody guitar."
And celebrity guest judges? "I'm not sure I'm going to use any guest judges, to be frank. We've got an entire record company behind it now with Interscope. We've got Jimmy Iovine and all of his producers... You've got real professionals here. I don't know why I need anyone else. They'll just get in the way."
Think that's a good plan? Are you excited for season 10 of American Idol?

Runs in the Family: Darlene Egelhoff, Heidi Montag's Mom, is Flat Broke

It's been a rough year for Darlene Egelhoff.
Aside from her estranged relationship with Heidi Montag since February, the mother of three and her husband, Tim, also now face financial problems.
Timberlines, a popular restaurant featured on The Hills and owned by Heidi's folks in Crested Butte, Colo., went out of business after a 21-year run.

Heidi's mom Darlene Egelhoff in a scene from The Hills.

"We're a tourist town, so our business was dependent on the economy," Egelhoff tells People. "We were forced to close because of the economy."
Egelhoff admits she hit such a low that, at the end of last year, she even borrowed money from Heidi Montag, who's now close to bankrupt herself.
Even that wasn't enough, however, and she's gone from owning that restaurant and making appearances on The Hills to working as a maid for a living.
"The work is sporadic and competitive," Egelhoff says of her new gig. "My work is not enough to pay the bills. We need other work immediately. [My son] Sky is eligible for free lunch at school and is proud to take advantage of it."
Despite the hardships she and her family have faced, Egelhoff maintains a positive outlook on life and on the possibility of reconciling with Heidi.
"I have no regrets in life," she says. "I feel like God makes all things for good, and the most difficult situations we go through in life are opportunities. That's when we build character and strength – during difficult times."
"I love Heidi more every day, even though I don't talk to her. I love her unconditionally. I have confidence that we will have a loving, strong relationship again. I think it just takes time. Heidi and I were so close when she was growing up."
"I think she needed to disconnect from me to discover herself."
Unfortunately, she also discovered Spencer Pratt.

Report: Demi Lovato is Rehabbing in Illinois

Demi Lovato is receiving treatment at a facility outside of Chicago.
Gossip Center spies say they saw the singer's family members at Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center over the weekend, which is located in Lemont, Illinois.

Information about patients is kept private, of course, but the facility's website says residents get involved in local causes at "nursing homes, animal shelters, children's hospitals and veteran's organizations.

"Volunteer work is an important part of residential treatment because it reinforces the ability to connect with others," reads the site. "It also helps them realize that they are not the only ones who face lifelong challenges and need the assistance of others in this world to live a healthy and fulfilling life."

Makes sense to us.

We continue to wish Demi very well, and continue to hope her father learns to shut up about his daughter. We'd welcome a fight between Patrick Lovato and Michael Lohan, wouldn't you?

Kristian Herzog Likely Nailed Oksana Grigorieva; Lies Piling Up For Mel Gibson Baby Mama

Kristian Herzog was Oksana Grigorieva's former bodyguard. He also claims he was her lover, which she denies. So who's the liar and what does it matter?
Well, it looks like Oksana's legal team lied last month when they denied she had an intimate relationship Herzog, a convicted felon and her ex-bodyguard.
That's according to emails between the bodyguard and Oksana's lawyer, which TMZ has obtained. So they probably smashed it up. Why is this significant?

Oksana Grigorieva and Kristian Herzog, who once worked for Paris Hilton.

Kristian Herzog is supposedly writing a tell-all book about his "intimate" relationship with Oksana that began in May. She's called this claim "ridiculous."
He says he has at least 1,000 text messages and emails in which he communicates with Oksana about her case and evidence (hello, Mel Gibson tapes).
If his credibility were disputed, it would help Oksana's claims against Mel Gibson. But if she's a proven liar, it boosts Mel's case that she extorted him.
It looks like Oksana Grigorieva is indeed a proven liar.
An email Herzog sent to Martin Garbus, an Oksana lawyer, reads: "Martin: Do you agree that Team Oksana at some point, needs to admit Oksana and Dan LIED to TMZ and you need to tell the truth that in fact Oksana and I were intimate?"
The next morning, Garbus responded with one word: "Yes."
Dan is Dan Horowitz, another one of her many lawyers. He explains the email: "Marty's job was to placate Kris, because once he got cut out of Oksana's world completely, we assessed him to be a clear and present danger to her life."
"By stringing him along and making him feel more important, we hoped that he would just fade away rather than explode and hurt somebody."
But there's even more to it. TMZ has Oksana Grigorieva pictures in which she's wearing a nightgown, sitting on a bed with Herzog at her home.
But Horowitz tells us the pictures were taken during a People magazine photo shoot and were in no way intimate. Anyone out there buying that?
It's worth noting that the judge in the Mel-Oksana custody case issued a restraining order against Herzog, concluding he was a danger to Lucia.
Basically, everyone involved is shady and a huge mess.

Floyd Mayweather Ordered to Stay Away from Children, Ex

After skipping a court hearing yesterday, Floyd Mayweather finds himself in even more legal trouble.
The boxer has been ordered to pat $31,000 in bail and to stay away from Josie Harris and the two children he shares with this ex-girlfriend.

Mayweather was due in court to face eight misdemeanor and felony charges, all of which stem from a September incident in which he allegedly punched Harris in the face and took her cell phone.

Reports indicate he also threatened to beat his children if they dialed 911. The world champion athlete could face up to 34 years in prison if convicted on charges that include felony coercion, grand larceny and robbery. He is due back in court January 24.

Michael Jackson's Kids: Safe From Crazy Joe

Fans worried about Michael Jackson's kids after watching Katherine Jackson on Oprah need not worry. They will not suffer the child abuse their father did.
Katherine, Michael's mother and now the legal guardian of his children Prince Michael, Paris and Blanket, does not believe in physical discipline. Period.

Joe Jackson beat Michael and basically said he'd do it again, but Katherine corrects Paris, Prince and Blanket by talking to them. What a wild concept.

Prince, Paris and Blanket at the memorial service for Michael Jackson. The King of Pop was peerless musically, but felt his children were his greatest legacy.

Moreover, Katherine will not let Joe be involved in any disciplinary situations when it comes to the youngsters, so he won't lay a hand on MJ's kids.
Joe admitted to Oprah he whipped Michael with a strap, which he justified by saying that none of the couple's nine children had ever been to jail.
This wasn't exactly news, since his abusive past is common knowledge, but the bluntness and lack of regret was unsettling to many Michael fans.
In any case, it turns out discipline is not a high priority at the Jackson compound ... because Michael's kids are incredibly well-behaved anyway.

Pink is Pregnant!

Pink is pregnant! Carey Hart is the dad! Congratulations to the married, expectant singer and her husband! It will be their first child together.
A source tells the new Us Weekly that "She's 12 weeks along ... she wanted to do it between tours, when she has some time off." Convenient!

Pink (real name Alecia Moore) is pregnant!

The source adds that after the duo’s well-documented 2008 separation, “Pink was determined to make the relationship solid. Now she’s happy."
"They're both really happy and she’s excited she got pregnant so fast! She’ll be a brilliant mother,” says the friend, and we believe it.
No word on whether the little bundle of joy is a boy or a girl, but we're predicting girl. You know, for the obvious color scheme involved.