Nicole Richie
Photo: Robyn Beck/ Getty Images

Nicole Richie has finally confirmed that she's pregnant. In an interview with ABC News' Diane Sawyer that will air Thursday on "Good Morning America" and Friday on "20/20," the socialite — with Joel Madden beside her — said, "Yes, I am. We are. I'm almost four months." In the interview, Richie also talks about her upcoming jail time, saying, "It's something that I did wrong, and if I could personally apologize to every single person that has lost a loved one from drunk driving, I would. ... This is my way of paying my dues and taking responsibility and being an adult." ...

Eminem smells something rotten: Apple. His publisher, Eight Mile Style, and "copyright manager," Martin Affiliated, are suing the company, claiming it can't sell Em's songs on iTunes because Universal didn't have the right to license them to Apple, according to Wired.com. Eight Mile Style previously sued Universal when the company licensed his music to Apple for a 2004 ad and to stop Em ringtones from being sold online by Universal-licensed companies. ...

Paris Hilton's now-infamous house — where she was seen being mobbed by paparazzi and stuffed into the back seat of a police cruiser last month — is on the market. The Spanish-style house is located in West Hollywood, California, and has four bedrooms and three and a half bathrooms. Her asking price: $4.25 million. ...

Another day, another problem for Lindsay Lohan. Signe Dupuy, the woman who claimed the actress pulled an illegal U-turn in April in Los Angeles that wound up causing an accident, is suing Lohan in small-claims court, TMZ.com reports. She alleges that Lohan and her bodyguard Jaz Bennett hit her car. Dupuy had previously also claimed that Bennett gave her a fake name and number after the accident. ...

Less than a week after Britney Spears bodyguard Cesar Julio Camera was charged with battery after wrestling with photographers, now there's a new complaint over the incident — against the singer herself. Andrew Deetz and Kyle Henderson claim in a statement released by their lawyers Tuesday (July 31) that Spears threatened them after they took pictures of her at a spa in Las Vegas, The Associated Press reports. According to the statement, Camera allegedly pushed Henderson against a wall until security asked the photographer to leave, after which the bodyguard allegedly attacked Deetz. After that, Spears is said to have thrown a baby bottle at Henderson and threatened Deetz, saying, "I am going to kill you!" and telling him to get a restraining order against her, because she was going to kill him or hire someone who would. Spears' lawyer Gary Stiffelman did not comment to AP about the statement. Deetz and Henderson said in the statement that they are preparing to sue. ...

DMX is in the doghouse again, this time for failing to fulfill a contract to promo a canine-clothing line, AP reports. New York State Supreme Court Judge Jane Goodman has ordered the rapper to fork over $242,000 to Amusing Diversions Inc., which produced and marketed Boomer 129, a dog-clothing company named after X's dog. DMX was supposed to promote the merchandise on TV, at concerts and elsewhere, but didn't. ...

Remy Ma is expected to be indicted later this week on charges stemming from her attempted-murder arrest earlier this month for allegedly shooting her close friend, Makeda Barnes-Joseph, according to the rapper's attorney, Ivan S. Fisher. Fisher told MTV News the announcement should be made shortly, after which a date will be set for Remy to formally respond to the accusations. As it stands, she's currently scheduled to appear in court on August 14, but Fisher believes that date will soon change. "It's not gonna happen [then]," he said. ...

Who will be the next Jordin Sparks? We won't know for a good long while, but the ball got rolling Monday as "American Idol" auditions kicked off at San Diego's Qualcomm Stadium. A publicist for the show told AP that 12,000 people came to try out for season seven. Auditions will be held in the coming weeks in Dallas; Omaha, Nebraska; Atlanta; Charleston, South Carolina; Miami; and Philadelphia. The season begins airing in late January. ...

While we're on the subject of "American Idol," castoff Corey Clark is in the headlines again, this time for an arrest early Monday morning in Arkansas on a drug charge. Clark, best known for his disqualification from the show's second season and alleged affair with judge Paula Abdul, was arrested for possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia at 2:30 a.m. Monday, according to AP. He was also wanted on an outstanding warrant from Arizona after he failed to appear in that state on a summons tied to his arrest last year for violating a court order and trespassing. ... The Sunday Times of London is 'fessing up to a Fergie faux pax: The magazine has printed an apology for a June 1 story in which it claimed the Black Eyed Pea was being paid by Candie's Inc. to drop references to the brand in her lyrics. "Although Fergie has a commercial deal with Candie's in which she appears in advertisements for its clothing, this does not include the incorporation of the Candie's brand into her lyrics," read a statement by the newspaper. ...

Twista is apparently too twisted for McDonald's. The restaurant chain has yanked the rapper from the parking-lot tour also starring Ne-Yo and Kenna, citing his "controversial lyrics." "Although we respect free speech and artistic expression, we do not condone or perpetuate derogatory language," the company said in a statement. "We want to ensure these free concerts are fun as well as appropriate for all of our customers." Twista responded in a statement issued Tuesday, saying, "Being that Mcdonald's and I have worked together in the past, it was unsettling that I would be removed from the tour after undergoing the planning process. ... The recent trend of finger-pointing, and playing the blame game with certain media outlets and certain individuals needs to stop. We live in a society that advocates free speech." The free 10-city tour is set to begin August 7 in Chicago. ...

Mandy Moore says she feels bad for Zach Braff — she says the director's likely tired of hearing about her new album Wild Hope, she told the British version of Marie Claire for its September issue. The album revolves around love gone bad, and even if she admits that "the record's not necessarily all about him," she said, "[The] poor guy's probably heard about it in every interview." ... More than 10 years into their career, the Alkaline Trio are finally ready for the big time. The punk-rockers will issue their next album, which they'll record after playing this summer's Warped Tour, on Epic Records, Billboard.com reports. ...

Can't understand what Keith Richards is saying half the time? Maybe reading will help. The Rolling Stones guitarist has signed a book deal reportedly worth more than $7 million, Reuters reports. The autobiography, which will be co-written with James Fox, is slated for a fall 2010 release. ... Cheap Trick covering the Beatles is nothing new — but how about them doing it with Al Jourgensen? The pop-rock titans will perform Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band in its entirety at the Hollywood Bowl on August 10-11 in celebration of the album's 40th anniversary, and the Ministry frontman will join them for "I Want You (She's So Heavy)." ...

The managers of Graceland — home to Elvis Presley — are planning a $250 million overhaul, AP reports. The plans include a massive tourist complex larger than a football field, a convention hotel and a high-tech museum. ... The Eagles are about to lay an egg: the classic-rock band's first new studio album in 28 years, if you can believe it. Guitarist Joe Walsh tells Billboard.com that the effort, which will feature songwriting by all four bandmembers, is "almost out. We're just finishing vocals and mixing it. We're all finally signing off on it." ...

eMusic, the second-largest online music store in the U.S., has signed a deal with AT&T that will allow users to download songs directly to their cell phones. The site will offer nearly all its 2.7 million songs from independent labels as part of the deal, with tracks priced a bit higher than they are on the Web site, though an extra downloadable copy of the song will be offered as an incentive. ... Another legendary director passed away late Monday: Michaelangelo Antonioni, the Italian titan responsible for "L'Avventura," "Blowup" and "Zabriskie Point." Antonioni, who was 94, died from a stroke. Visionary filmmaker Ingmar Bergman also passed away Monday.

07.30.07

Britney Spears and Kevin Federline finalized their divorce Monday (July 30) in Los Angeles Superior Court, The Associated Press reports. "They are divorced. Everything is finalized," Spears' lawyer Laura Wasser said after the hearing. A court commissioner signed the orders for dissolution of marriage, child custody and an alimony agreement, the latter of which won't be made public unless an enforcement issue arises. The child-custody order — which details the former couple's timeshare schedule and transportation matters — was sealed for the time being for safety reasons, pending a hearing slated for August 14. ...

Could a 17-second snippet of a song called "Candy Shop" be a leak from Madonna's upcoming album? Fans speculate that it's of a track Madonna was working on with either Timbaland or Pharrell — but reps for none of the three camps would confirm. "I have no comment about the song 'Candy Shop,' " Madonna's longtime rep Liz Rosenberg told MTV News. "Madonna has studio time booked and is continuing to work on her new CD. The songs are not mixed, and until that time, we can't finalize the track list." The yet-untitled album is due later this year. ...

Christina Aguilera scratched two shows in Australia slated for Saturday and Monday due to the flu — more specifically, a viral upper-respiratory tract infection. "I want to personally apologize to all of my fans for having to cancel my last two shows here in Melbourne," the singer said in a statement. "Thank you for all of the continued love and support and I hope to perform for you all again next time." In the statement, the singer didn't address ongoing pregnancy rumors. ... Lindsay Lohan is "in a very good place right now," her mother Dina told reporters Monday outside a New York courthouse, where she was battling with Michael Lohan over custody of three of their children. Lindsay's exact whereabouts is still unknown. ...

According to Jermaine Dupri, fans will have to wait a while longer for new Janet Jackson music — she's not going to be featured on the "Rush Hour 3" soundtrack. The producer posted a message on his MySpace page saying, "To answer all questions about [the] 'Rush Hour 3' soundtrack, I ended up not doing it 'cause the movie takes place in Paris and a lot of the music didn't fit. So all of you looking for that Janet record, you gotta wait till she's finished with the new album. Sorry." ...

Desert gold: Paul Wall is shoving off to the Persian Gulf for his second USO tour. "Being a part of a USO tour and performing for the troops is amazing," Wall said. "It's so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day and to forget what's happening overseas," he said in a statement. "This is my way of letting them know I realize what they're sacrificing and am truly grateful." ... The Black Eyed Peas will headline the "Jerusalem Rocks!" festival, set to take place September 9 in Israel. The multi-culti act will be joined by Arrested Development and various local acts. ...

Korn's Jonathan Davis has one thing to say to Devo's Jerry Casale: no hard feelings. Responding to the flap that ensued over Korn's fake movie trailer that appeared to cop Devo's "de-evolution" concept, Davis said in a statement to Rolling Stone: "Korn never claimed to be the first to expose de-evolution, our hats are going off to Devo for that." He added, "They are pioneers for sure! However, we are glad to see that our efforts have them speaking up again! It's good to have them back." Davis closed with a requisite plug: "In the meantime, our researchers continue to uncover key evidence of de-evolution at the highest levels (EvolutionDevolution.com)." ...

Chamillionaire, Forest Whitaker and Babyface were among the attendees at Russell Simmons' eighth annual Art for Life event Saturday night. The charitable festivities took place in East Hampton, New York, and raised $1.4 million for underprivileged children in New York. ... Polow Da Don, Mark Ronson and Timbaland protégé Nate "Danjahandz" Hills were among those who made it on Vibe's 14th annual Juice list. Democratic presidential nominee Senator Barack Obama graces the cover. ... Damon Dash hobnobs with Ashton Kutcher, Sofia Coppola and Renée Zellweger on Vanity Fair's 68th Best-Dressed List, which appears in the magazine's September issue. George Clooney was named to the list's Hall of Fame, while Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie made it to the couples list — surprised? ...

Former Guns N' Roses guitarist Izzy Stradlin and bassist Duff McKagan joined ex-GN'R drummer Steven Adler and his Adler's Appetite for a couple of Appetite for Destruction songs during a concert at the Key Club in West Hollywood, California, on Saturday. Slash, who had made it to the venue earlier that evening, did not end up performing during the quasi-reunion. The gig was scheduled in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the release of the band's 1987 debut, Appetite for Destruction. ... Peter Hook threatens offhandedly in a post on his MySpace page that he might take his former New Order bandmates to court, now that they've decided to continue performing as the band without him. He says Bernard Sumner and Stephen Morris shouldn't assume they "have the rights to do anything New Order-ey" because he has "still got a third." ...

Metric will swing through the States for a three-week trek starting September 19 in Philadelphia and winding down October 9 in Seattle, RollingStone.com reports. The indie-rockers will record their fourth album in November. ... Dashboard Confessional's Chris Carrabba will ship out for his first solo trek in five years on September 14 in Rochester, Michigan. With Augustana and John Ralston in tow, Carrabba will conclude the extensive trek November 14 in New York. ... The Offspring have parted ways with drummer Atom Willard and recruited Saves the Day's Pete Parada to take his place. Parada will make his debut with the Offspring next month when they perform at the Summer Sonic festival in Japan. Willard, in the meantime, has moved over fulltime to Angels & Airwaves. ...

It was a rough weekend for aging rock legends. First, Kiss singer/guitarist Paul Stanley had to sit out a show in San Jacinto, California, on Friday night after suffering a bout of tachycardia, which caused his heart to speed up to twice its normal rate. On his Web site, Stanley, 55, explained that during a rehearsal for the show, "my heart spontaneously jumped to 190-plus beats per minute, where it stayed for over an hour, necessitating paramedics to start an IV and give me a shot to momentarily stop my heart and get it into a normal pattern." The rest of the group played as a trio in Stanley's absence ...

The news was a bit better for Ozzy Osbourne, who was treated at and released by a Denver hospital over the weekend. Reuters reports that a statement from Osbourne's management on Sunday read: "Ozzy Osbourne had a minor outpatient procedure at Rose Medical Center late last night. He was released early this morning and is doing well." Osbourne, 58, is expected to perform at Monday's Ozzfest in Kansas City, Missouri. KUSA-TV in Denver reported that the surgery, which took place after Saturday's Ozzfest show, was for a blood clot in Osbourne's leg. He had complained of leg pain prior to the gig. ... Is Kelly Osbourne following in Ashlee Simpson's footsteps? Ozzy's daughter is joining the cast of "Chicago" at the Cambridge Theatre in London's West End for a seven-week run. She'll play Mama Morton, the matron of Cook County Jail. ...

Atlanta metallers Daath are stuck in Denver, meaning they'll miss some more Ozzfest dates. According to the bandmembers, they missed last week's stops in Phoenix and Oklahoma City because the airport shuttle bus they rented to get from city to city during the summer tour had broken down. Plans have been made to rent the band an RV, but complications with the vehicle haven't been resolved. There's no word yet on when Daath will return to the tour. ... DevilDriver have joined this summer's Ozzfest, taking over the second-stage slot abandoned last week by Mondo Generator. ... In the meantime, New York metal act Bloodsimple have been added to a competing fest: the Family Values Tour. They'll play the second stage. ...

Al Gore III, son of the the former vice president, pleaded guilty on Monday to two felony and three misdemeanor counts of drug possession stemming from his arrest while driving in Orange County, California, earlier this month. He agreed to enter a nine-month drug program, and the charges could be dropped if he finishes it. ... Visionary filmmaker Ingmar Bergman died Monday on an island off the coast of Sweden. He was 89. Woody Allen once called the director — three of whose films won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film — "probably the greatest film artist ... since the invention of the motion picture camera," according to The Associated Press.

• Paris Hilton, Chris Tucker, Jackie Chan, More At The "Rush Hour 3" Premiere

• Eminem
• Paris Hilton
• Lindsay Lohan
• Remy Ma
• Twista

Paula Abdul
Photo: FOX

To quote a Corey Clark song, the "Paulatics" are over.

FOX and the producers of "American Idol" announced Friday (August 12) that an independent counsel has cleared judge Paula Abdul of allegations of coaching and having an affair with former contestant Clark.

"I'm grateful this ordeal is over, and I'm so looking forward to getting back to the job I love," Abdul said in a statement, according to The Associated Press.

According to FOX, former federal prosecutor Marcell McRae and attorney Ivy Kagan Bierman spent three and a half months reviewing materials provided by Clark and Abdul and interviewing 43 people (see "Corey Clark Meeting With 'Idol' Producers Over Paula Flap" and "FOX, 'Idol' Launch Formal Probe Of Paula Abdul Sex Scandal").

Clark's claims, which he made in a highly publicized edition of ABC News' "Primetime Live" (see "Corey Clark Advertises Paula Abdul Affair, LP On 'Primetime' "), "have not been substantiated by any corroborating evidence or witnesses, including those provided by Mr. Clark," the statement from FOX read, according to AP. "Ms. Abdul acknowledges that she had telephone conversations with Mr. Clark while he was a contestant. Their accounts of those conversations, however, differ greatly, and no evidence was uncovered to resolve the conflicts in their accounts."

In addition to clearing Abdul, who will return as a judge for the show's fifth season in January, the statement released Friday said "Idol" producers will enhance the non-fraternization policy in their rules in order to prevent further controversies between contestants and those affiliated with the show.

Clark, a contestant on season two, was booted from the show because he failed to reveal a prior arrest. He has said he never intended to get Abdul kicked off.

Get "Idol"-ized on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

• Paula Abdul
• Corey Clark

Paula Abdul (file)
Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

The tables have officially been turned on Paula Abdul, whose own fate on "American Idol" is now in the hands of a panel who'll pass judgment.

FOX and the producers behind the hit series have hired an independent counsel to investigate Corey Clark's claims that Abdul had sex with and coached the singer while he was a contestant during the 2003 season.

Addressing the Television Critics Association on Thursday (July 28), FOX Entertainment President Peter Liguori called the show's credibility "extraordinarily important to us" and said, "Any allegations against this show we take quite seriously," according to The Associated Press.

Liguori said the investigation's results are expected soon and will be made public. He did not address whether Abdul would be fired if the claims proved true. Clark has said he does not think she should lose her job, noting, "she didn't do nothing but have sex" (see "Corey Clark Meeting With 'Idol' Producers Over Paula Flap").

In the past, FOX has kicked off contestants who have lied about criminal activity, including Clark himself (see " 'Idol' Dismisses Corey Clark After Battery Charges Surface"). Abdul has denied Clark's allegations (see "Paula Abdul Denies Affair Allegation As 'Idol' Producers Investigate").

So far, however, FOX and the "Idol" producers have continued to support the judge, allowing her to finish the fourth season and then hiring her for "So You Think You Can Dance," which airs later this summer.

Abdul has been questioned, along with Clark and other corroborating witnesses. Liguori said the investigators, who are experienced "in this type of inquiry," are not being rushed by the network so as to clear up the situation in time for "Idol" auditions in August. "I'd rather be able to come to a ... definitive answer and conclusion," he said.

Around the same time Clark's debut album hit stores last month (see "Corey Clark Nabs Scott Storch, Peas Members For His 'Hot To Death' LP"), he was arrested for misdemeanor battery after a food fight in Sacramento hotel (see "Food Fight Puts Corey Clark In Another Messy Situation"). Charges were later dropped.

Get "Idol"-ized on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

• Paula Abdul
• Corey Clark

Corey Clark (file)
Photo: Getty Images

HOLLYWOOD — Nearly two months after revealing on a heavily hyped episode of ABC's "Primetime Live" that he had an affair with Paula Abdul, former "American Idol" contestant Corey Clark is finally meeting with the show's producers on Thursday (June 30).

The goal of the meeting, Clark said at Tuesday's BET Awards (see "Destiny's Child Give Lap Dances, Fugees End Feud At BET Awards"), is to convince the producers to acknowledge the affair so that Clark is not seen as a liar (see "Corey Clark Advertises Paula Abdul Affair, LP On 'Primetime' ").

"When I did the EndFest with the Black Eyed Peas in Sacramento [California], I came out and some people were booing me," Clark said. "They weren't booing 'cause I was bad, they were booing 'cause of the situation. And that's all media hype and if they really know what I'm saying [is true], then they wouldn't be booing me."

Clark said it's not about getting Abdul fired and that he actually thinks her job should be safe.

"If they're going to back up people that have felony cocaine and marijuana possessions and felony [charges for] beating up people ... she didn't do nothing but have sex with somebody," Clark said. "Everybody on the planet got here 'cause somebody had sex to get us here, so let her keep rolling, let her handle her business. She's a big part of the show for me and probably for the rest of America too."

Spokespeople for FOX and 19 Entertainment, which produces "Idol," offered no information on the meeting, but Clark said it will also include other contestants from the second season, including Ricky Smith.

"Once they found out that there was a real investigation going on, they backed me a million percent," Clark said. "Some of the people that it was funny they didn't talk to was like Ruben Studdard and Ricky Smith, 'cause those two guys were my roommates from that show. So Ricky, he's got my back, he's going to be there to help me out and at the end of the day, we just coming to set the record straight. This is the last step for me. I'm not going to take it any further. I'm not trying to force-feed this. This should answer all the critics."

Meanwhile, Clark is also defending his behavior in a weekend incident in which he was cited with misdemeanor battery charges after a food fight in a Sacramento hotel room (see "Food Fight Puts Corey Clark In Another Messy Situation").

"That was such a big misunderstanding," Clark said. "It was me and my dancers, my management and my record-label people. We had a food fight in our hotel room. Everybody left to get cleaned up, but me and my manager, we were cleaning up the room and we were the ones that got caught with the noise complaint. I didn't beat up nobody, nobody was beat up. I wasn't arrested. We were cited for the noise disturbance and whatnot, and the DA is going to check the situation out and I'm sure once he sees the facts, it'll be written out.

"I guess I gotta cancel my weekly ritual of ding-dong-door-ditching," Clark joked. "I might get the SWAT team out on me or something."

Clark has been traveling to promote his just-released debut album, Hot to Death (see "Corey Clark Nabs Scott Storch, Peas Members For His 'Hot To Death' LP").

He recently shot a video with director Christian Strickland for the first single, the Storch-produced "Out of Control."

"He had good ideas and he handpicked my track," Clark said of Storch. "So me and my writing partner, we sat down, we put down a hot track to it and we came up with 'Out of Control,' which kind of explains the media situation right now."

Get "Idol"-ized on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

• Corey Clark

Corey Clark (file)
Photo: Getty Images

Corey Clark, the former "American Idol" contestant who made waves last month when he went public with claims of an affair with "Idol" judge Paula Abdul, has been charged with misdemeanor battery charges stemming from an alleged food fight he had with his record company manager while the two were eating breakfast in a Sacramento, California, hotel.

According to police, Clark was eating with Laura Kathleen Troy on Saturday when the two began to argue about an incident that had occurred at Clark's concert the previous night at Raley Field. Hotel guests called police after hearing loud noises and the sound of breaking glass coming from Clark's room.

"When we arrived at the hotel room, it was in a state of disarray," police spokesperson Sergeant Justin Risley said. "There were broken dishes and clothes all over the room, and a bowl of cereal had been splattered against the wall. The injuries on both parties were very minor. Both Mr. Clark and Mrs. Troy had a few small scratches on their arms."

Troy did not want to file charges against Clark, so he was cited with a misdemeanor and ordered to appear in Sacramento County Superior Court on July 22. Both Troy and Clark then left Sacramento in a van and returned to Los Angeles.

"They just appeared to have an argument while they were eating breakfast," Risley said. "I mean, they got into a van and headed back to Los Angeles together after the whole incident."

Calls to Clark's spokesperson, Jed Wallace, were not returned by press time.

Clark grabbed headlines — and his very own "Primetime Live" special — in May when he went public with his alleged affair with Abdul (see "Corey Clark Advertises Paula Abdul Affair, LP On 'Primetime' "). Clark released his self-titled debut album on June 21 via Bungalow/ CDC Music (see "Corey Clark Nabs Scott Storch, Peas Members For His 'Hot To Death' LP".)

Get "Idol"-ized on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

• Corey Clark

Birdman's <I>Fast Money</I>
Photo: Universal

His new album doesn't hit stores for almost two months, but Kanye West is already making his presence felt in record stores. The rapper/producer's skills are featured on new albums from three R&B, soul and hip-hop up-and-comers this week.

West produced "I Changed My Mind," the first single from R&B newcomer Keyshia Cole's debut album, The Way It Is. Cole, who also enlisted jailed MC Shyne for the track, had once gotten her musical tutelage from none other than MC Hammer. For soul singer Leela James, Kanye collaborated on a pair of tracks on her debut album, A Change Is Gonna Come. James, who defines her sound as "back-porch soul," also worked with Raphael Saadiq and Wyclef Jean on the disc. North Carolina-bred hip-hop trio Little Brother, meanwhile, got a nod from West on "I See Now," a track off The Chittlin Circuit 1.5.

Out Tuesday, June 21:

• All Good Funk Alliance - On the One (Sunswept)
• Amici Forever - Defined (RCA Victor)
• Eric Benét - Hurricane (Reprise)
• B.G. - Life After Cash Money: Chopped and Screwed (Koch)
• Birdman - Fast Money (Universal Motown)
  Read: "Baby Keeps It Down-Bottom With Fast Money"
• Tracy Bonham - Blink the Brightest (Rounder)
• Boom Bap Project - Reprogram (Rhymesayers)
• Boyz N da Hood - Boyz N da Hood (Bad Boy)
• Wade O. Brown - All Night, All Love (Groove United/33rd Street)
• Laura Cantrell - Humming by the Flowered Vine (Matador)
• Chicago Blues Harmonica Project - Diamonds in the Rough (Severn)
• Cintron - Back in the Day (Ark 21)
• Corey Clark - Corey Clark (Bungalo)
  Read: "Corey Clark Nabs Scott Storch, Peas Members For His 'Hot To Death' LP"
• Clutch - Robot Hive/Exodus (DRT Entertainment)
• Keyshia Cole - The Way It Is (A&M/Interscope)
  Read: "Keyshia Cole Has Kanye, Shyne On LP, Proof That Stalking MC Hammer Pays Off"
• Billy Corgan - The Future Embrace (Reprise)
• DBG'Z - P'hissed Off! (Bungalo)
• Down to the Bone - Spread Love Like Wildfire (Narada)
• Dredg - Catch Without Arms (Interscope)
  Read: "Stone Age Success Means Brighter Future For Prog-Rockers Dredg"
• Dropkick Murphys - The Warrior's Code (Epitaph)
• Stacey Earle and Mark Stuart - Communion Bread (Funzalo)
• Eldissa - What a Difference ... Disco Meets Acoustic Lounge (Le Maquis/Dreyfus)
• Evergreen Terrace - Sincerity Is an Easy Disguise in This Business (Eulogy)
• Foreign Born - In the Remote Woods (EP, StarTime International)
• Gothminister - Empire of Dark Salvation (Dancing Ferret)
• John Hiatt - Master of Disaster (New West)
• Chris Hillman - The Other Side (Sovereign Artists)
• Leela James - A Change Is Gonna Come (Warner Bros.)
• Mark Knopfler - One Take Radio Sessions (EP, Warner Bros.)
• Patti LaBelle - Classic Moments (Def Jam)
• Left Alone - Lonely Starts & Broken Hearts (Epitaph)
• Little Brother - The Chittlin Circuit 1.5 (Koch)
• Lost Boyz - Forever (Contango)
• Luca - You Win Again (Funzalo)
• Master P - Ghetto Bill: The Best Hustler in the Game (Koch)
• Mayday - Bushido Karaoke (Saddle Creek)
• Me'Shell Ndegeocello Presents the Spirit Music Jamia - Dance of the Infidel (Shanachie)
• Method Man Presents Street Life - Street Education (X-Ray)
• Stina Nordenstam - The World Is Saved (V2)
• The Offspring - Greatest Hits (Sony)
• Ol' Dirty Bastard - The Definitive Ol' Dirty Bastard Story (Rhino)
• On Broken Wings - It's All a Long Goodbye (Eulogy)
• David Poe - Love Is Red (The LAB)
• Prodigal Sunn - Return of the Prodigal Sunn (Free Agency/Godz Inc.)
• Ra - Duality (Universal)
• Ratchets - Heart of Town EP (Hell Bent)
• Redwalls - De Nova (Capitol)
  Read: "Redwalls Bring The Sound Of Liverpool To Lake Michigan"
• Sasha - Fundacion NYC (Global Underground)
• Special Generation - Take It to the Floor (reissue, Bungalo)
• Al Stewart - A Beach Full of Shells (Appleseed)
• Stutterfly - And We Are Bled of Color (Maverick)
• Télépopmusik - Angel Milk (Capitol)
• Kevin Toney - 110 Degrees and Rising (Shanachie)
• Trini - Like No Other (reissue, Empire)
• The Vanity Project - The Vanity Project (Flagship)
• Gene Watson - Then and Now (Koch)
• Matthew West - History (Universal South)
• Wiggles - Sailing Around the World (Koch)
• Without Gravity - Tenderfoot (One Little Indian)
• Wooden Wand and the Vanishing Voice - XIAO (Troubleman Unlimited)
• Various artists - Bam Margera Presents: Viva la Bands (456 Enterprises)
  Read: "Skater Bam Margera's Latest Trick: Making Bands Blow Up"
• Various artists - Instrumental Icons: Music of Lil Jon (Fastlife)
• Various artists - Look at All the Love We Found: A Tribute to Sublime (Cornerstone)
• Various artists - Ultimate Trance Remixed (Water Music)
• Various artists - "Herbie Fully Loaded" soundtrack (Hollywood)
• Various artists - "My Summer of Love" soundtrack (Milan)
• Various artists - "Rize" soundtrack (Social Capital)
• DVD: "Foo Fighters: Guardian Angels" (Chrome Dreams)
• DVD: "Placebo: Androgyny" (Chrome Dreams)
• DVD: Blindside - "Ten Years Running Blind" (DRT Entertainment)
• DVD: Cruxshadows - "Shadowbox" (Dancing Ferret)
• DVD: Kool Keith - "Global Enlightenment Part 1" (Music Video Distributors)
• DVD: Lamb of God - "Killadelphia" (Epic)
• DVD: Sarah Jane Morris - "In Concert" (Music Video Distributors)
• DVD: Ian Parker - "Whilst the Wind: Live" (Music Video Distributors)
• DVD: Various artists - "Metalmania 2004" (Music Video Distributors)

June 28:

• DMX - Here We Go Again (Ruff Ryders)
  Read: "Mase Advises DMX To Rap Again, Wait For The Lord's Call"
• Fountains of Wayne - Out-of-State Plates (Virgin)
  Read: "Fountains Of Wayne To Spout 26-Song Rarities Collection, Tour In June"
• Longwave - There's a Fire (Red Ink)

July 5:

• R. Kelly - TP3 Reloaded (Sony)
• Sufjan Stevens - Illinois (Asthmatic Kitty)
• Various artists - "Fantastic Four" soundtrack (Wind-Up)

July 12:

• All-American Rejects - Move Along (Interscope)
• Black Dahlia Murder - Miasma (Metal Blade)
• Bow Wow - Wanted (Sony)

• Corey Clark
• Keyshia Cole
• The Offspring
• Ol' Dirty Bastard
• Clutch

Corey Clark (file)
Photo: American Idol

Corey Clark isn't laughing at the spoof "American Idol" aired Wednesday night poking fun at his claims about judge Paula Abdul. His spokesperson issued a statement saying that instead of mocking Clark, the show has "made a mockery of their viewers, their sponsors and the FCC," by wasting time on "diversion tactics" instead of investigating the accusations, despite promising to take the claims "very seriously." "FOX is betting that public sentiment in favor of the show will override their duty to act responsibly and with integrity," Clark's rep, Jed Wallace, said. "This is a blatant misuse of power to seemingly cover lies, broken promises from the highest-level executives and their abuse of the trust bestowed upon them by the American people. Ratings or no ratings, where is your professionalism, honor and integrity?" ...

Already the glamorous offers are rolling in: The Pennsylvania-based burger chain Eat'n Park has offered "American Idol" runner-up Bo Bice $10,000 to re-record the jingle to its summer promotion "It's All Here." The company said it's been in talks with "Idol" producers about the gig, but no word yet on whether Bice will take it. ... This fall, two of rock's most respected acts will be joining forces for a U.S. tour. Nine Inch Nails will hit the road with Queens of the Stone Age for a post-Labor Day nationwide trek, according to an Interscope Records spokesperson. No word yet on dates or which cities the tour will hit. ...

Prosecutors in the Michael Jackson trial continued calling witnesses to dispute aspects of the defense's case on Thursday. Judge Rodney Melville decided to allow the prosecution to play a videotape of the accuser's initial interview with sheriff's deputies, and he will also allow the defense to call the boy back to the stand afterward. The accuser's family's first attorney, William Dickerman, took the stand to talk about how then-Jackson attorney Mark Geragos wouldn't hand over the family's belongings, to which current Jackson attorney Thomas Mesereau retorted, "You and your client were trying to set up Mr. Jackson for a lawsuit." Later, during another contentious exchange, Dickerman said, "Well, if you want to get to the truth instead of playing games, we can have a reasonable trial where the facts come out." Melville cautioned him to just answer the questions. ...

Mariah Carey's friends and label execs threw her a surprise party Wednesday night at Jay-Z's New York club 40/40, to celebrate her single "We Belong Together" hitting #1 — her 16th song to do so, making her the most successful female artist of all time as far as singles are concerned. Jay, Jermaine Dupri, Patti LaBelle and DJ Clue were among those who helped eat her "surprise" cake, which had the cover of "We Belong Together" on top. ... Jessica Simpson wants you to have the shirt off her back — for charity. She's auctioning off her YogaForce sweatshirt — signed and everything — starting June 2 and running through June 9. All proceeds benefit the Skin Cancer Foundation. For more information, visit yogaforce.com or auctiondrop.com. ...

Wiry Boston Red Sox pitcher Bronson Arroyo, known for his four-seamer and awkward cornrows, is releasing a rock record. Much like rival New York Yankee Bernie Williams, Arroyo will release a guitar-driven album called Covering the Bases — and featuring covers of Pearl Jam's "Black," Stone Temple Pilots' "Plush" and the Foo Fighters' "Everlong" — on July 12. Arroyo will even get a little help from his Sox friends, as several members of the championship team — including Cro-Mag outfielder Johnny Damon — contribute vocal shouts to some of the songs. The album also features the bass work of Alice in Chains' Mike Inez. ... Britney Spears, watch out — it's Bobby Brown's prerogative to do a reality show about his private life, too. However, Brown's show has been shot documentary-style, instead of as home video, and features the singer's life over the course of six months and nine episodes. "Being Bobby Brown" will show the singer's trip to London to meet the Dalai Lama, a trek to the Bahamas, a romantic excursion with wife Whitney Houston to a spa, and one of his many trips to the courtroom. Brown is a co-executive producer (along with his brother and manager, Tommy) of the series, which will premiere June 30 at 10 p.m. on Bravo. ...

The Recording Industry Association of America launched a second wave of copyright-infringement lawsuits against users of the high-speed university computer network Internet2 on Thursday (May 26). The latest sting added 20 more schools to the list of universities where the RIAA says students are using the specialized network to illegally download and trade songs. The bust involved action against 91 students at a total of 33 schools, including Boston University, Brandeis, Brown, Columbia, Harvard, Indiana University and Princeton. On the same day, the RIAA filed its latest round of lawsuits against individuals — 649 — allegedly illegally distributing music on such P2P services as Kazaa, LimeWire and Grokster. ... Beck will be playing a handful of California dates in July with Le Tigre, according to an Interscope Records spokesperson. The dates are July 11 in Santa Cruz, July 19 in Santa Barbara, and July 22-23 in Los Angeles. "We just want to do a bunch more touring of the States, just keep playing shows through September," Le Tigre's Kathleen Hanna said. "Because that will be a full year that we'll have been out [on the road]. That was our goal and it looks like we're going to make it." ...

Pete Yorn has collaborated with several musicians for his as-yet-untitled third studio album, including Dave Grohl (on drums), the Dixie Chicks and pianist Leon Russell. Yorn, with producers Michael Beinhorn (Korn) and Don Fleming (Sonic Youth), recorded much of the album live with various musicians in a ballroom. The sessions were filmed for an upcoming documentary. ... Wilco's Jeff Tweedy has been tapped to curate a concert that will kick off Wired magazine's NextFest 2005. The second-annual technology festival will present the most promising advances in entertainment, medicine and security at Chicago's Navy Pier (June 24-26), while the Tweedy show will take place at the city's Vic Theatre on June 22. The lineup for the show has not yet been announced. "I love thinking about what the future holds, so I was thrilled to be invited to be part of Wired NextFest and to share my vision of the future," Tweedy said. "Which is not very futuristic, really, and admittedly a little bleak." ...

05.25.2005

E! Online issued a public apology on Wednesday (May 25) after posting a bogus report on its Web site which claimed Jessica Simpson and hubby Nick Lachey had filed for divorce, citing "irreconcilable differences." "E! deeply regrets that a draft report from E! Online, which contained some false information regarding the Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson marriage, was accidentally disseminated," the statement reads. "The couple has not filed for divorce. E! apologizes to Nick, Jessica, their families and their fans for any distress this may have caused." Simpson later issued a statement to Us Weekly about the matter: "It is completely false and we would sue them if they hadn't taken it down." ... Meanwhile, Simpson gets to show off her hot new exercise-video-ready bikini bod in her video for the "Dukes of Hazzard" soundtrack single "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'," which she just shot with her co-star Willie Nelson. (Click for the new "Dukes of Hazzard" poster and photos of Simpson in Us Weekly.) "I kind of had the idea to do Nancy Sinatra's [song] and redo the verses from Daisy Duke's perspective," Simpson said. "Willie loved the idea and wanted to come play on it." Jess says Willie "is one of the most angelic people you will ever meet. We had a blast while making the movie." Nelson added, "We've had so much fun, she's such a great gal and so easy to work with. She asked me to do it, and you can't say no to Jessica." ...

Forty-year-old Queensbridge rap legend MC Shan (real name Shawn Moltke) was arrested on Friday at his home in Central Islip, New York, for criminal possession of a weapon, endangering the welfare of a child and criminal possession of marijuana. According to Suffolk County police, officers executed a search warrant of Shan's house on suspicion of drugs and found a loaded 9-millimeter Luger and weed. The rapper posted $10,000 bail on Tuesday. .... Whitney Houston's hubby, Bobby Brown, is "very confident" that his wife, who checked herself into a drug-rehabilitation center in March, is putting her past troubles behind her. Brown told "Access Hollywood" on Tuesday, "[Whitney] is doing wonderful. Everything about her spirit right now is great ... we're enjoying life again." Houston has completed a successful second stint in rehab and will be hitting the recording studio again, Brown says, hopefully with her longtime mentor Clive Davis. ...

P. Diddy told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he plans to appeal a ruling which would have the hip-hop mogul paying the biggest child-support order in New York state history, citing it was an attack on his character as a father. The ruling, issued last month by the New York Supreme Court, increased Diddy's monthly child-support payments to his ex-girlfriend Misa Hylton-Brim from $5,000 to $21,782. ... Unsure of his label status after Jay-Z's ascension to the top of Island Def Jam Records, the Diplomats' Juelz Santana shot the video for his "Mic Check" on his own dime. Now, though, Juelz can reimburse himself: He's re-upped with Def Jam and will release his new album, What the Game's Been Missing, on August 23. ...

The Used will embark on a U.S. tour with Glassjaw that's expected to run from August 17 through September 23. Finch and the Start will open, according to a spokesperson for Glassjaw. No word yet on what cities or venues the outing will hit. The news comes as some consolation for Glassjaw's fans, as the band has been the subject of relentless breakup rumors of late, given frontman Daryl Palumbo's involvement with Head Automatica and that when you Google the band's name, the official Glassjaw site comes up as "RIP GlassJaw." The group's site, meanwhile, features images of "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, Notorious B.I.G., Tupac Shakur and Ol' Dirty Bastard with the message, "It wasn't their time." ... The recording of Thrice's forthcoming album is running a little behind schedule. According to a message delivered to the band's fans via the power of MySpace, Thrice will be no-shows for the first 10 dates of this summer's Warped Tour so that they can "get the record finished." But there is some good news for the group's fans — the posting reports that "everything is going amazingly well in the studio"; so well, in fact, that the band "can't wait to finally get it done and share it with you." ...

A lawsuit brought against punk veterans T.S.O.L. two years ago by two men who were shot backstage during the band's November 23, 2002, concert at the West Hollywood House of Blues has been dropped — leaving the group with $20,000 in legal debt. According to frontman Jack Grisham, the lawsuit also named the House of Blues, which settled with the two plaintiffs ($1 million apiece) the day before the case was set for trial. But now, T.S.O.L., who had to retain the services of a defense attorney, are mired in debt, forcing a moratorium on any future touring plans. "We barely make money on tour," Grisham said. "We can't go on tour for a month and give all the money to an attorney. And not work. We have families, we have bills to pay. Until this is paid off, we can't tour because we can't afford to." Fans with PayPal accounts can contribute to the T.S.O.L. defense fund via the band's Web site. A donation will score you a live CD — a recording of the same House of Blues gig. ...

Former Smashing Pumpkins leader Billy Corgan has never been shy about sharing his feelings. But the bald belter is really letting it all out in advance of the release of his solo debut, TheFutureEmbrace (June 21). Corgan has posted 25 intimately detailed chapters of his autobiography on his official Web site and on MySpace, covering his abuse as a child, his father's struggle with drugs, his mother's mental illness, his years spent living as a destitute musician prior to the Pumpkins' success, and the internal squabbles and drug addictions that brought the band down. ... Fresh off his stint as a Burger King pitchman, Darius Rucker has reteamed with his Hootie & the Blowfish bandmates for the group's first new studio album in two years. Looking for Lucky, due August 9, will hit on the band's own label, Sneaky Long Records. It was produced by Don Gehman, who did the honors on the band's massive debut album, Cracked Rear View, and it features guest spots from members of the Silos, Cowboy Mouth, Blue Dogs and Trick Pony. The first single is called "One Love." ...

If your idea of a hot Saturday night is a few hours of Xbox and a trip to the local Pink Floyd laser-light show, then Video Games Live is your dream date. Kicking off with a July 6 show at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, the national touring show will feature music from some of the most popular games of all time ("Myst," "Super Mario Bros.," "Legend of Zelda," "Halo," "Sonic," "Final Fantasy") performed live by orchestras and choirs, combined with video footage, lasers, lights and live onstage gaming characters. Audience members will be chosen at each stop to compete onstage head-to-head on a massive screen. ...

• Corey Clark
• Bo Bice
• Mariah Carey
• Jessica Simpson
• Nine Inch Nails

Corey Clark (file)
Photo: American Idol

While the rest of the world has been finding out more than it ever wanted to know about Corey Clark's alleged liaison with "American Idol" judge Paula Abdul, the booted "Idol" contestant has been putting the finishing touches on his debut solo album.

The 15-track self-titled effort (due June 21), which mixes pop, funk and R&B, has been taking shape over the past six months and was already "hot to death" before the scandal broke, according to Clark. But now he thinks a last-minute addition could help erase the memories of Paula-gate (see "Corey Clark Says Paula Abdul 'Told Me She Loved Me' ") and give him a shot at shining on his own merits.

"It's called 'Out of Control' and people will be dancing to it when they go out this summer," said Clark, 24, of the club banger he recorded last week with producer Scott Storch (Beyoncé, Gwen Stefani, Terror Squad).

"We sat down and he vibed on me and dug my style," Clark said of his first meeting with Storch, which came after the singer thought he'd already finished the album, but just before the Abdul scandal broke. "He normally costs a grip to get a track from him and he knew I wasn't coming from a place with a lot of dough. But he worked with me because he believed in my talent, and when we were done he said, 'I'm a hit picker, and this is a hit.' "

The song is about a guy who is ignored by a beautiful girl in a club but senses through her body language that she's interested, according to Clark. It features the hook "Baby, out of control/ You know you're out of control/ Hips shakin', you're out of control/ Your head to your toe, you're out of control," which Clark sang over the phone in his signature Michael Jackson-like falsetto.

The rest of the album is spiced with production from a number of little-known or new knob twiddlers and cameos from Taboo and Apl of the Black Eyed Peas ("Wiggle and Shake") and "Making the Band 2" cast member Sara Stokes ("That's My Girl"). Clark describes the Stokes song as "a dope love ballad like Peaches & Herb" and said he also co-wrote some songs for her upcoming debut album.

Also making an unlikely appearance is '80s rap star Kid of Kid 'N Play, on the sexed-up "Follow That Back." After everyone from Snoop to Fat Joe turned down requests to guest on the track, one of Clark's producers suggested Kid, who is working on his own solo debut.

The songs, all co-written by Clark, range from the "ladykiller" ballad "Cherry on Top," which Clark described as "reminiscent of all those dope love songs that people will make some new babies to" to "Look What You've Done to Me," an answer song to Destiny's Child's "Lose My Breath."

Clark and the album's main producers, DAM Productions, called in a number of other favors to land cameos and production help on the album. The sing-along ballad "So Many Questions" was produced by Trae Pierce of the legendary soul group the Ohio Players, and "Bed of Roses" features bass from Michael Landau, guitarist for soft rock group Chicago.

Other songs include the Abdul-centric "Paulatics," "Feenin," "Yes I Can," "Lights Out," "All This Love," "Chance to Dance" and "Truthfully."

Before he knew about all the controversy, Bungalo Records owner Paul Ring said he hopped on board the Clark express because he was fascinated by how much the curly-headed singer sounded like '80s R&B star El DeBarge. "He could definitely sing and he's a good songwriter, but he reminded me of a sound that hasn't been out there in a while and I thought it definitely filled a void," Ring said of the most high-profile release to date on his 5-year-old label, home to Mack 10, Bizzy Bone, Rodney Jerkins' Darkchild imprint and LaToya Jackson.

Ring said he and his daughters were big fans of "American Idol," especially season two, which featured Clark, but the label honcho didn't know until midway through the album's recording how much baggage his new signing came with. Once he did, he was asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement before hearing the entire saga.

"It did concern me, but once we got him in the studio and he cut a couple of tracks we liked what we heard," Ring said. Despite Clark's repeated claims that his career has been hampered by "Idol" producers' attempts to blackball him, Ring said he's felt no such pressure from the show since signing the singer.

Now that the record is a month from hitting stores, Ring said it's time to see how much the Abdul scandal will help or hurt Clark's cause. "We've got the Scott Storch single and we'll see if radio embraces it," he said. "At least there's some interest now, but if radio doesn't support him as an artist, this will be his 15 seconds of fame."

Clark said he's already used to false starts in music. In addition to his notorious ejection from "Idol," the singer — who once crooned backup for Barry Manilow alongside his folks — slogged away for nearly eight years in the vocal group Envy, opening for everyone from Mya to Destiny's Child and suffering a number of failed management and label deals.

Tom Keane (Celine Dion, Barbra Streisand), half of DAM Productions, said that Clark's history of hard work is what matters and he "didn't give a sh--" about the recent drama. "If it ain't dope, it isn't going to fly anyway," said Keane, who co-wrote the classic Chaka Khan song "Through the Fire."

"We wanted to create the new timeless cat instead of someone singing about the same old stuff," Keane said. "I hope people realize he's a talented guy and he's not messing with the public."

Clark knows it will be hard to get out from under the shadow he's cast for himself with the Abdul revelations, but he's confident the album will speak for itself. "If not," he said, "either way people will talk about it, and at least they're talking about me."

Get "Idol"-ized on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

• Corey Clark
• Scott Storch

Corey Clark
Photo: MTV News

Any mention of "American Idol" this past week has inevitably been followed by some discussion of Paula Abdul's alleged sexual relationship with one of the series' season-two castaways, aspiring R&B vocalist Corey Clark.

The cornrowed Californian sat down with ABC's "Primetime Time" to bare his soul before millions of couch-coddling Americans for a special edition titled "Fallen Idol" that aired Wednesday night (see "Corey Clark Advertises Paula Abdul Affair, LP On 'Primetime' "). He opened up about his love affair with the "Idol" judge and described the vital role she'd played in his survival on the show.

On Friday morning (May 6), Clark spoke with MTV News even further about his "Idol" experience and defended his decision to spill the beans on Paula, not only on television, but in a tell-all book, "They Told Me to Tell the Truth, So ... (The Sex, Lies and Paulatics of One of America's Idols)." He said the reason he didn't own up to the May-December relationship two years ago — after he got the hook for failing to disclose an arrest record that included charges of resisting arrest and assault — was because he didn't want to have to rely on his Abdul association to further his music career.

But of course, he's changed his tune.

"Two years ago, I wasn't talking about it because, you know, this isn't the route I wanted to pursue," he said. "This is basically the last resort. I've been painted into a corner, and now I've sort of got to lay it all out in order for things to be straightened up. I've tried to move on with my life and my career for the last two years and do my own thing, and 'American Idol' and FOX, they've just been making it really tough for me to do that. So in order for me to get through all the red tape and just allow people to just get at my talent, I've got to set the record straight. And you can't set half the record straight; when you tell it, you've got to tell it all."

Clark claims "Idol" producers conspired against him to ruin his career. He says they've been blackballing him and spreading falsehoods about him throughout the music industry, ever since his dismissal from the televised talent contest. He blames those very same producers for the total collapse of a record deal he claims he was close to signing with Jive two months ago, before inking a contract with Bungalo, which is distributed by Universal.

"People aren't giving me a fair shot because of what ['Idol' producers have] been saying for the past two years about me," Clark explained. "I mean, they got contestants this year who're straight felons. And they're like, 'It's all good because they told us.' They had to, because they did something. But then they compare those criminals to me when something comes up. They're like, 'Well, unlike Corey Clark, who's a sister-beater, cop-beater [and a] liar, these guys are at least honest, and they can stay with us.' So it's like, that's what I'm fighting against everywhere I go. I'm fighting that image and portrait."

It wasn't Clark's criminal past, but the fact that he started making waves behind the scenes that sent him packing, he said. But he claims he was just following Abdul's orders. "They were trying to bully us, and they came in after we made the final 12 and were like, 'You have two days to sign this contract or you're off the show. On top of that you have to pick from these two attorneys we're going to send in, and we'll pay for them.' It was a conflict of interest. So in talking with Paula, she said, 'Look, if you can get six of your fellow contestants to stand up with you and say, "We want our own attorney, we're not rolling with this stuff you want us to do," they won't kick off the rest of the cast.' "

Clark said 10 of the other contestants got behind him to stand up to the imposing "Idol" makers. The pack then brought in a lawyer Abdul recommended to Clark — her own lawyer. Two weeks later, the producers started asking him questions about his arrest record, he said. Then they "cut the head off the snake."

"They're making it hard for me to get stuff done," he said; if he did not disclose his sexual liaisons with Abdul, the rest of his story wouldn't have been believable. "I did this to get them to leave me the hell alone and get off my back and let me go about my business. And [Paula's] the key to that, because what they're telling people I was doing while I was there was stuff she had me doing. I was doing everything she told me to do and not to do. I was a consenting adult with her. I was happy. It was wrong, and that's why we were keeping it a secret in the first place. But it was something I wanted to do."

For two years after his exile, Clark said he had no contact whatsoever with Abdul. Then she called him on April 8. She'd heard he was shopping his story around to media outlets and asked him not to let the cat out of the bag. Clark, however, agreed to speak to "Primetime." He also wrote "They Told Me to Tell the Truth," which he's selling through his Web site. But the book's not an "Idol" exposé. He said it's mostly "about my life in music," and in many ways "a tool for up-and-coming artists to basically see what I've learned in 10 years, and maybe they can pick it up in two hours and not make the same mistakes I did. It's my memoirs."

Despite the propitious timing of his revelation, Clark denies that airing the Abdul affair is part of a marketing ploy to hawk books or CDs. His self-titled debut, including the tracks "Wiggle and Shake," "Chance to Dance," "Paulatics" and "Follow That Back," which features a cameo from Kid of Kid 'N Play, hits stores June 21.

"If I wanted publicity, I could have done it two years ago when they were first trying to defame my name," Clark said.

When asked if he ever loved Abdul, Clark says he did. "There was love there. It was a relationship for like three, four months. She told me she loved me. I told her I love her. Do I still love her? No. I've moved on. Do I love her as a person? Yes. Do I care about her? Yes."

As for whether it bothers him that for the rest of his career he'll be known as that dude who allegedly slept with Paula Abdul, he seems puzzled by the notion that it would.

"What's wrong with that?" he asked. "What would you have done if she hit on you? If you were my age and Paula 'fine-ass' Abdul was hitting on you? What would you do?"

Get "Idol"-ized on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

• Corey Clark

Paula Abdul (file)
Photo: Getty Images

One of "American Idol" 's executive producers said Thursday (May 5) he is investigating Corey Clark's allegations against Paula Abdul, but that all of the judges ("even Simon") make song selection and wardrobe suggestions as contestants prepare their performances each week.

"When it comes down to it, the kids make their own choices," Nigel Lythgoe said on Ryan Seacrest's morning show on KIIS-FM in Los Angeles. "And I know for a fact that a lot of the contestants have got Paula's phone number and contact her and she contacts them. Paula's the den mother. ... I don't have a problem with that. She's been a star and now she can help them and that's more than Simon [Cowell]."

(Should Paula Abdul be asked to leave "American Idol"? Vote here.)

On a special edition of ABC's "Primetime Live" that aired Wednesday (see "Corey Clark Advertises Paula Abdul Affair, LP On 'Primetime' "), Clark said Abdul coached him while he competed on the show and that the two engaged in a sexual relationship.

Lythgoe said he needed time to "thoroughly and fully" look into Clark's claims, but that he was unimpressed with the evidence presented on "Primetime."

"The whole show was stretched out worse than one of our elimination shows," Lythgoe joked. "It was probably four or five minutes of content.

"I think it's pretty shoddy journalism, frankly," he added. "I think we have to question the motives behind it, both ABC's and Clark's. They would never have done that if we weren't the #1 show in America."

Lythgoe questioned why it took Clark two years to come out with the allegations and shot down his claim that he sent Abdul a secret message by singing "I owe it all to you" on the show. The serenade was choreographed by the producers, he said.

A statement released Thursday and credited to FOX and the various production companies behind "Idol" also questioned Clark's motives, but said an investigation is pending.

"We take any accusations of this nature very seriously, no matter their source," the statement said. "Upon recently hearing rumors of Mr. Clark's claims, we contacted him and requested that he detail his accusations to us. That has yet to happen."

Clark has said he has no intention of helping "American Idol" since the show was no help to him.

In their statement, "Idol" producers said contestants are contractually required to raise any concerns about the contest during the taping of the show. "Despite documented procedures and multiple opportunities ... we were never notified or contacted by Mr. Clark or any other individual, nor presented [with] any evidence concerning these claims," the statement said. Clark, however, denied knowing of any such requirements to USA Today on Thursday.

Sting7, the "Idol" expert at Reality News Online, believes Abdul should be fired.

"I don't believe everything Clark said, but I believe enough of it," he said. "There is enough evidence to strongly suggest that Clark got coaching from Abdul, and for that she should be fired. I think her objectivity will always be questioned by viewers if she stays, and that is bad for 'American Idol' overall. ... Seeing a popular contestant eliminated is enough to generate speculation with some viewers. 'American Idol' just can't afford to potentially alienate viewers by keeping Abdul on."

Sting7 thinks the producers will eventually agree with her. "And if 'American Idol' does let Paula go, I have no doubt it will weather this storm like all of the others," he said. "At the end of the day, it is the performers who are the stars. After the auditions, the judges are basically window dressing."

Abdul denied the allegations last week, but has not commented since "Primetime Live" aired. She was not available for comment Thursday.

Clay Aiken, who competed against Clark on "Idol's" second season, and Simon Cowell have spoken out in support of Abdul, as have the last two eliminated contestants.

Scott Savol, eliminated Wednesday, said Thursday morning he believes Clark made the allegations to promote his "mediocre product." "The best way to get into the limelight is to start a controversy," he said.

"It hasn't affected us at all," he added. "We're still a part of the #1 show on TV, whatever's came out."

Last week, Constantine Maroulis called Abdul, who cried when he was eliminated, a wonderful woman. "She had so much support and so much love in her heart and she's just been amazing through this whole thing," he said. "She has so much to offer us and teach us, that we just need to just shut up and listen because she's the bomb."

On Wednesday's "American Idol," the contestants gave the judges flowers and kisses for Abdul, although Savol denied it was a sign of support. "I think they just had some extra flowers in the back," he said.

Get "Idol"-ized on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

• Paula Abdul
• Corey Clark

The 2005 BET Awards Red Carpet Gets Hot With Beyonce, Bow Wow, Paul Wall, Ciara, More

• Bow Wow
• Fat Joe
• Will Smith
• Beyoncé
• Omarion