I can't believe it was last February, less than a year ago, that all eyes in the region were glued to television sets to watch our local claim-to-fame Amy Davis, 26, of Cedar Lake, compete as one of the top 24 finalists on FOX reality smash hit "American Idol."
Davis, a 2000 graduate of Lowell High School and one of the six children of Barry and Jeanette Davis of Cedar Lake, captured the attention of hard-to-please judges Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson and Simon Cowell, with her audition performance of "Blue Bayou," the ballad written by the late Roy Orbison and made famous by Linda Ronstadt.
Once the votes were counted, we had to watch show host Ryan Seacrest bid her farewell early on, following her swan-song performance of "Where the Boys Are," the 1960s tune originally a popular hit by Connie Francis.
Well here's the latest scoop and an update as requested by so many readers.
I chatted with Davis, and she's still on the West Coast working on her recording career.
She just finished recording a track for a new Christmas album released last week on Nov. 25 that features some of the most popular eliminated "American Idol" contestants. Davis sings "The First Noel."
Others showcased on the 13-song album titled "American Christmas" include Frenchie Davis singing "Silent Night"; Maynard Triplets crooning "Oh, Holy Night"; and Alex Stone Lopez belting out "Winter Wonderland."
Noticeably absent from this roster are: Hoosier nurse Amanda Overmyer, 24, with the two-toned hair who hailed from Mulberry, Ind., and was sheepish when the media revealed a 2006 DUI arrest; and David Hernandez, 24, who was blushing after the press revealed he spent the previous three years in Phoenix, near his hometown, as a male stripper and bartender.
Blended-in-the-woodwork fellow Hoosier Luke Menard, 29, of Crawfordsville, Ind., also failed to make the cut for this yuletide album.
As for Davis, she's "super stoked!" about the album.
And since she'll be back home for a few days over the holidays, she's also agree to do a show at Northwoods in St. John at 8 p.m. Dec. 27 for an all-ages show.
She told me she'll perform some of her own songs she's written, as well as some cover favorites. FYI: (219) 558-8130.
Too funny
Remember that trivia question contest I did earlier this month offering Humphrey Bogart films autographed by his son Stephen Humphrey Bogart?
I asked the following question:
* One of Bogart's most famous roles was United Artist Studios' "The African Queen" with Katharine Hepburn in 1952. While most of the cast and crew became sick with dysentery from drinking the water while on location, Bogart's habit of ______________ saved him from suffering any such bouts.
Well, I'm still getting readers calling me with all kinds of wacky answers, even though the contest ended two weeks ago! And, because of the magic of the Internet, which means this column is read all around the country and even all around the world, some calls are coming in from places like Orlando, Fla., and Portland, Ore.!
But better yet, here are some of the strange answers I'm getting to this question:
* Spitting
* Brushing his teeth with whiskey
* Having coffee enemas
* Smoking
* Spitting
* Throwing up
Once again, the actual answer was "drinking alcohol."
The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at ppotempa@nwitimes.com or 219.852.4327.
celebBirthdays
Actor Efrem Zimbalist Jr. is 91. Actor Robert Guillaume is 81. TV personality and producer Dick Clark is 79. Political mastermind G. Gordon Liddy is 78. Country singer-record company executive Jimmy Bowen and director Ridley Scott are 71. Singer Rob Grill of the Grass Roots is 65. Bassist Roger Glover of Deep Purple is 63. Actress Margaret Whitton is 58. Singer-actor Mandy Patinkin is 56. Guitarist Shuggie Otis is 55. Country singer Jeannie Kendall of The Kendalls is 54. Singer Billy Idol is 53. Guitarist John Ashton of Psychedelic Furs and comedian Colin Mochrie ("Whose Line is it Anyway?") are 51. Rapper Jalil of Whodini is 45. Actor-director Ben Stiller is 43. Guitarist Mike Stone of Queensryche is 39. Actress Sandra Oh ("Grey's Anatomy," "Sideways") is 38. Country singer Mindy McCready is 33. Singer Clay Aiken is 30. Actress Elisha
Cuthbert ("24") is 26. Actress Kaley Cuoco ("The Big Bang Theory") is 23.
