'American Idol': Where are they now?

'American Idol': Where are they now?

"American Idol" is gearing up for its 10th season with some new faces at the judges' table. So we're taking a stroll down memory lane to find out what past favorites are up to these days.

Crystal Bowersox

Season: 9

 

She was dealing with a breakup during the "Idol" finale but the single mom  bounced back with a new man and a new album.

Lee DeWyze

Season: 9

 

The former paint salesman released his first post-"Idol" album, but it's not selling as well as another "Idol" CD.

Simon Cowell

Seasons: 1-9

 

The "mean" judge with a penchant for showing his chest surprised a lot of people when he announced he would be leaving the show.

Kara DioGuardi

Seasons: 8-9

 

The hit songwriter  was the fourth judge for two seasons before she jumped ship last year.

Jason Castro

Season: 7

 

The dreadlocked guitarist  from small-town Texas has changed his relationship status since his time on the show.

David Archuleta

Season: 7

 

The teen pop singer appeared on "Star Search" before his "Idol" stint and released his first album in 2008.

Allison Iraheta

Season: 8

 

The teenage redhead  who had a previous brush with fame, released her debut album in 2009 before going on tour with a fellow "Idol" alum.

Kelly Clarkson

Season: 1

 

The Texas native has produced lots of hits  Her weight and fashion choices have become tabloid fodder.

Ruben Studdard

Season: 2

 

The "Velvet Teddy Bear" left the spotlight for a few years and married Surata Zuri McCants  in 2008.  His greatest post-"Idol" success has been as part of a troupe.

Fantasia Barrino

Season: 3

 

She has starred in a reality show, a TV movie and a Broadway play since appearing on "Idol," but the singer has also seen her share of troubles, including her father's lawsuit and a suicide attempt.

Carrie Underwood

Season: 4

 

After "Idol," she received this honor, dated a Cowboy and a "Gossip" star but married someone else. Before her "Idol" audition, she had never done something most of us don't blink at.

Taylor Hicks

Season: 5

 

The prematurely gray singer, whose fans had a soulful nickname, was named People's Most Eligible Bachelor, although later there were setbacks. He moved on to this role on Broadway.

Jordin Sparks

Season: 6

 

The daughter of a pro football player toured with this hot band and defended them when she thought they were dissed. She later toured with another famous singer.

David Cook

Season: 7

 

Cook battled a terrible personal challenge during the show and after. He became tabloid fodder when he dated one of the show's Season 2 contestants  Some say he owes his success to this particular fan base.

Kris Allen

Season: 8

 

Despite almost missing his shot at stardom, the married Allen has been performing on the road and TV ever since his "Idol" days. His self-titled album reached No. 11 but later met this fate.

Clay Aiken

Season: 2

 

His loyal fans  made his debut album a hit. Aiken made a not-so-surprising pronouncement and has become a daddy. Before that, he spent a stint on Broadway.

Jennifer Hudson

Season: 3

 

She went on to win a Grammy and took home this gold trophy for her role in "Dreamgirls." Since then, a horrible crime devastated her family, but joy returned to her life with this event.  Check out the glam dresses she wears on the red carpet.

Adam Lambert

Season: 8

 

The flamboyant singer  made this pronouncement and admitted to something else. His risqué performance at the American Music Awards caused ABC to cancel some appearances.

Chris Daughtry

Season: 5

 

Daughtry, who had a very different career prior to "Idol," has gone on to smashing success. His cover of a Lady Gaga song got more than a million views, and he has made recent additions to his family.

Paula Abdul

Seasons: 1-8

 

The "nice" judge didn't come back for the ninth season. She's gotten publicity in recent years for some strange things but hosted this glittery event and sells these bits of bling.

Sanjaya Malakar

Season: 6

 

A crying girl became the symbol of why he lingered.  He's oddly popular in another country and showed up on a reality TV show.

William Hung

Season: 3

 

The civil engineering student uttered a memorable line in response to Simon Cowell's criticism. Hung ended up recording several albums, appeared in a foreign flick and starred in a documentary about his life.

Elliott Yamin

Season: 5

 

The former pharmacy worker signed a deal with Sony and released his self-titled album in 2007. He released his second album, "Fight for Love," in 2009.

Bo Bice

Season: 4

 

The longhaired singer got his nickname  when his grandmother decided he had a famous actor's eyes. Bice released his debut album and got married in 2005. They recently had their third son.

Kellie Pickler

Season: 5

 

Pickler's quirky personality  won over "Idol" audiences, and her debut album went gold. She co-wrote a song with a teen country sensation on her self-titled second album. In 2009, she became a celebrity spokeswoman.

LaToya London

The R&B singer's first gig, at the age of 7, was singing at her mother's wedding reception. She released her debut album in 2005 and toured with "The Color Purple."

Syesha Mercado

Season: 7

 

Mercado, who won a Florida singing competition before her stint on "Idol," landed the lead role in the national tour of "Dreamgirls."

Blake Lewis

Season: 6

 

The beat-boxing singer  saw his major-label debut peak at on No. 10 on the Billboard 200. His second album was released in 2009.

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Where Are They Now? TV Talk Show Hosts

They woke us up in the morning. They talked us to sleep at night. They entertained us in the middle of the day when nothing else was on. We find out where some of the more memorable TV talk show hosts are today and remember those we’ve lost.
Ricki Lake

Then: Lake starred in a John Waters movie before getting her own talk show in 1993. It went on to run for 11 seasons and inspired a recurring “Saturday Night Live” character.
Now: She produced a documentary about childbirth and was part of a recent talk-show host reunion.

Montel Williams

Then: The former Marine and Navy officer’s daytime talk show ran for 17 years and aired its final episode on May 16, 2008. One of his most popular guests was a controversial psychic.

Now: He was diagnosed with this disease in 1999 and started a healthy lifestyle program and is an advocate for medical marijuana.

Phil Donahue

Then: His daytime show still holds this record and was parodied on “Saturday Night Live.” A former presidential candidate and a famous atheist were two of his most frequent guests.
Now: Donahue has been married to this actress for 30 years. He is an outspoken critic of the war in Iraq and produced a documentary about a paralyzed veteran.

Geraldo Rivera

Then: Instances such as an infamous brawl and a Satanism special led to this nickname during Rivera’s 11 seasons on the air
Now: He has been knocked over by hurricanes, wrote a book about immigration and hosts his own show on Fox News.

Sally Jessy Raphael

Then: Raphael – known for her big red glasses – was the first female syndicated daytime talk-show host. Her final episode aired in 2002.
Now: She spends time on her New York farm and appeared on Oprah Winfrey’s talk-show host reunion show.

Morton Downey Jr.

Then: His fans were known by this nickname, and his shows were known for their shocking content. Some accused him of lying about an incident in San Francisco.
Now: The longtime smoker became an anti-smoking advocate before dying of lung cancer in 2001.

Dr. Ruth Westheimer

Then: The diminutive therapist gave her candid sex advice on her own shows after becoming famous for her visits on another late-night talk show.
Now: She plays a recurring character on a PBS children’s show and was named on an influential list in 2009.

Craig Kilborn

Then: The former “SportsCenter“ anchor was the original host of a long-running Comedy Central show, then moved on to the CBS late-night lineup.
Now: He showed up in a small part in a Will Ferrell comedy and had a short-lived talk show earlier this year.

Art Linkletter

Then: His daytime variety show was known for a popular segment involving kids and inspired a TV series 30 years later.
Now: He received a lifetime achievement award in 2003 and died earlier this year at the age of 97.

Dinah Shore

Then: The Emmy Award-winning singer/actress hosted several talk shows from the 1950s to the early 1990s and was linked to several famous men.
Now: An annual lesbian-themed event is named after the longtime supporter of women’s golf. She died of ovarian cancer in 1994.


Gary Collins

Then: Collins was a television and film actor before going on to host “Hour Magazine” and “The Home Show.” He also hosted a famous beauty pageant.
Now: He is still married to a former Miss America and has been in the news for his run-ins with the police.

Joan Rivers

Then: The comedian hosted a late-night talk show opposite her longtime mentor before moving on to daytime in 1989.
Now: After several years on the red carpet, Rivers is the host of her own show again on the E! network.

Jane Pauley

Then: She co-anchored “Today” with a future NBC Nightly News anchor and a former sportscaster and went on to host a prime-time news program.
Now: She went public with her mental health issues and has been married to a famous political cartoonist since 1980.

Tom Snyder

Then: Snyder was known for his chain-smoking and interesting interviews on his first talk show. He welcomed guests with his signature catchphrase as the first host of a CBS late-night show.
Now: He helped host a special tribute to longtime friend David Letterman in 2000 and died of leukemia in 2007.

Dick Cavett

Then: He started out as a writer on this show and went on to host several talk shows over the next three decades.
Now: He has a new book about his talk-show experiences and writes a column for the New York Times.

Joan Lunden

Then: She was a co-host of “Good Morning America” – alongside its original host and a future nightly news anchor for nearly 20 years.
Now: She is a healthy lifestyle advocate, mom of two sets of twins and an inventor.

Arsenio Hall

Then: The stand-up comedian made TV history with his late-night show. A future president was one of his more memorable guests.
Now: He’s a regular on another late-night talk show and keeps fans updated on Twitter.

Johnny Carson

Then: He earned the nickname “The King of Late Night” as the host of this show for 30 years. He retired in 1992.
Now: Carson made few public appearances in his retirement and died of emphysema in 2005.

Dennis Miller

Then: The former “Saturday Night Live” cast member (and “Weekend Update” anchor) moved on to his own talk show on HBO.
Now: After a short-lived stint on “Monday Night Football,” he got his own radio show and is a frequent guest on “The O’Reilly Factor.”

Leeza Gibbons

Then: Her daytime show started out with two hosts, but she went on to snag several Emmy nominations as the solo host.
Now: She is the face of a makeup line, hosts a syndicated radio show and founded a life-coaching business and even competed on “Dancing With the Stars.”

Steve Allen

Then: He was the creator and first host of the “The Tonight Show” and went on to host several shows over the next few decades.
Now: He showed up a couple times on a prime-time animated show and was married to his longtime wife until his death in 2000.

Merv Griffin

Then: His guest-hosting spots on a late-night talk show led to “The Merv Griffin Show,” which aired for 25 years.
Now: Griffin created a famous quiz show, a hugely popular word puzzle show and a media empire. He died in 2007.

Rosie O’Donnell

Then: The stand-up comedian was known for her nickname and her crush on a famous actor when she hosted “The Rosie O’Donnell Show.”
Now: After a controversial stint on “The View,” she began hosting a radio show from her house and is reportedly getting another TV talk show next year.

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