Casey James wants to widen his appeal beyond opposite sex

LOS ANGELES  — Casey James wants to appeal to more than the opposite sex in his post-”American Idol” music career, despite what judge Kara DioGuardi has to say about it.

During a teleconference Friday, the tall, sweet-smiling Texan said he likes to think his appeal goes beyond what DioGuardi has described as his core demographic of women and girls.

James also said he didn’t regret taking his shirt off at DioGuardi’s request during his first tryout with the judges. It may have put whim in the contest, he said, and he was then able to prove his talent.

He took issue with one aspect of the “American Idol” format, saying the limitation on song length is a “real issue.” Being able to perform longer tunes would “open up a realm of possibilities,” James said.

But he said he’s the kind of guy who accepts what’s happened and is happy about it.

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“I continue to say it but it remains to be true: Everything happens for a reason,” he said.

On a darker note, James noted that the May 11 performance show marked the sixth anniversary of his near-fatal motorcycle accident, when he was taken by helicopter from the crash to a hospital. The 27-year-old musician from Fort Worth made it to the top three on “American Idol” before he was eliminated by the voting audience last week.

James didn’t predict a winner for next week’s “American Idol” finale on Fox.

Jesse James ‘threw it all away’

NEW YORK — Jesse James says he took an amazing life and threw it all away.

The estranged husband of Oscar winner Sandra Bullock gave his first television interview to ABC’s “Nightline,” scheduled to  air Tuesday. ABC says in a brief excerpt released Friday that James publicly apologized to Bullock and his three children for cheating on her.

When asked by ABC’s Vicki Mabrey whether he was the most hated man in America for cheating on “America’s sweetheart,” James said most hated man in the world is probably more like it.

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The tattooed biker and host of “Monster Garage” says he “took an amazing life and amazing success and marriage … and threw it away by my own hands.”

Carey has hometown plans

CLEVELAND — Comedian Drew Carey plans to visit his hometown of Cleveland to discuss with city councilors his ideas to help revitalize the city.

“The Price is Right” host is expected to meet with council members Thursday after accepting an invitation from Council President Martin Sweeney.

Last month, Carey argued for less government, more competition, less taxes and changes to schools in Cleveland on the website reason.tv. The site is affiliated with the Reason Foundation, a libertarian-leaning organization for which Carey is a board member.

Michaels expected at finale

LOS ANGELES — Bret Michaels is expected to attend the season finale of “The Celebrity Apprentice” despite suffering what doctors called a warning stroke last week.

His publicist, Joann Mignano, said the rocker is receiving outpatient care and will be in New York today for the season’s final episode of the NBC show.

Mignano previously confirmed that Michaels had been diagnosed with a patent foramen ovale, or hole in the heart. Doctors said the condition is operable and treatable.


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