NOW THAT "American Idol" is again at the top of the ratings and the "American Idol Experience" has opened at Disney World, it seemed like a good time to catch up with Doylestown Idol Justin Guarini.
After six years living in L.A., Justin tired of the scene and moved back to Doylestown, where he's set to marry Reina Capodici on July 4.
Still busy in the entertainment business, Justin works for the TV Guide Channel, was a contestant on CMT's "Gone Country," hosts his own Internet radio show, is developing a TV variety show, is making his own music and was involved with the Idol Experience launch at Disney World (which is coincidentally where he proposed to Reina with fireworks, champagne and chocolate).
"I'm proud to be a part of it," Justin said of the "American Idol Experience." "It's amazing the lengths they went to" to get it right. "It's absolutely awesome."
Similar to the way the show makes phenomena out of nobodies, the Disney World attraction takes theme park guests and turns them into possible stars (with hair, makeup, judges and a live studio audience).
"It plucks very talented people out of the middle of nowhere," Justin said. "You never know."
Tattle spies who sat in the audience to experience the "Experience" when it opened last month said it was a lot of fun, but a few minor technical glitches had to be worked out.
We're confident they've been fixed by now and the Imagineer who caused them is now in a Disney holding cell with Tigger. (Disney World doesn't like glitches.)
As for his own music career, Justin said he has "grown so much as an artist over the years" and his goal for 2009 is to "really focus on my brand and reintroduce my brand."
He acknowledged that the music world is "difficult now because of the economics" and that a career seems more dependent on viral marketing and the Internet. But it has been six years since he appeared on "American Idol" and he's thrilled to still be consistently working in entertainment.
"I'm doing great," he said.
Tattbits
* Billboard.
com reports that when Peter Gabriel was in Mexico Friday for his concert tour, he met with President Felipe Calderon, urging him to increase efforts to end the violence against women and murders in Ciudad Juarez and Chihuahua.
The meeting was arranged by Ga-briel's group WITNESS, which trains and supports people to use video and online technologies in human-rights campaigns.
* Alberta rockers Nickelback domi-
nated Canada's Juno music awards Sunday night, winning awards for group of the year and album of the year ("Dark Horses"), and the Fan Choice award.
Montreal rocker Sam Roberts was chosen artist of the year, and Toronto hip-hop artist Kardinal
Offishall won for best rap recording and best single ("Dangerous"). Lights was named best new artist. Montreal indie rockers the Stills won best alternative album of the year and new group of the year.
Alanis Morissette (a Canadian we're familiar with) earned best pop- album honors for "Flavors of Entanglement." British rockers Coldplay won for best international album of the year for "Viva la Vida."
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