IT'S GUARANTEED that someone from Chesapeake will be in Hollywood at the May 23 finale of "American Idol."
But it won't necessarily be singer Chris Richardson. Kevin Beers and his wife, Trish, of Chesapeake won a trip to Southern California to see the finale of the sixth season of "American Idol.
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Richardson is in the final six, but his road to the finals is much more iffy.
Last Wednesday, he found himself in the bottom two with Jordin Sparks when Ryan Seacrest announced that, after the 70 million-plus votes of Fox viewers had been tabulated..
. they weren't going to eliminate anyone that night. Richardson has been in the bottom twosome once before, and there was a week when he was among the low three finishers.
Bon Jovi mentors the finalists tonight at 8 in a program of rock.
It will be terribly ironic if Kevin and Trish Beers made it to the finals in Hollywood at the Kodak Theater, and Richardson didn't. "That would be a letdown," said Trish.
Her husband won the Hollywood trip in the Virginia Lottery "American Idol" Grand Prize Sweepstakes.
"I'm the real winner," said Trish. "I entered my husband's name.
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The couple's chances of winning the five-day trip were something like 98,000 to 1. The entries were nonwinning tickets from the lottery's "American Idol" $2 scratch game.
"I was absolutely shocked," said Trish on hearing the good news from lottery officials.
"I'm still in shock."
The lottery will toss in $1,000 in spending money for the couple plus invitations to VIP receptions preceding the finale.
Richardson was praised by judges Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell on the April 24 show for a strong rendition of Eric Clapton's "Change the World," but he was left standing with Sparks at the trick ending of the Wednesday show.
It fitted the theme of the two-hour "Idol Gives Back" program in two venues that, while raising more than $60 million for charity, inflicted a long and dreary two hours on viewers.
Worst of all was host Seacrest promising "the most shocking result in our history" when in fact he announced no result. It was tasteless and gimmicky, a black mark against the two hours that made a sincere pitch to help the terribly deprived children in the U.
S. and Africa.
Fox used all of that footage of misery, plus cameos by big stars mugging to the Bee Gees' "Stayin' Alive," plus performances by Celine Dion, Kelly Clarkson, Josh Groban and others to build up to nothing!
It was The Great American Idol Letdown.
Fox promises to stow the cheap tricks tonight and resume the eliminations, sending two contestants back to the real world.
With Melinda Doolittle and Blake Lewis looking like money in the bank, and Navy enlisted man Phil Stacey picking up strong support of late, it appears Richardson, LaKisha Jones and Sparks will be scrambling tonight to make the round of four.
Wednesday's results show starts at 9.
com.
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