Exclusive: Bo Bice Talks Troops and Why 'Idol' Could Suffer Without Paula
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Exclusive: Bo Bice Talks Troops and Why "Idol" Could Suffer Without Paula | Elaine Hendrix "Freaked" on Blind Date With Steve Martin… and Another Woman | Pop Tarts Seen & Herd
Exclusive: Bo Bice Talks Troops and Why "Idol" Could Suffer Without Paula
"American Idol" Season Four Runner-Up Bo Bice has certainly mapped out a route to success that includes a lot of time on tour (hence the name of his new album is "I Love the Road"), but entertaining our troops overseas has been the biggest highlight of his journey.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I come from a military family, so when the call came to go over to Afghanistan, I jumped at the chance. Those two weeks were life changing, getting to experience how these men and women live, to see the true vision of what's going on over there," Bice told FOXNews.com. "Over here in the United States, we're cut off. We don't see that there's so many bases out there that are controlled by other countries, and that we're the support effort. So there's a lot of different people tied up in this campaign. But the men and women there never waiver, whether they're a support group or on the front lines. I took away a new respect and love for what freedom really means."
Bice also chimed on on the continuing Paula Abdul controversy, and said "Idol" may take some knocks without Abdul at the judges table.
"If you took away Randy or you took away Paula or you took away Simon, you're changing the dynamic of what made the show great," Bice added. "I don't think it could equally handle the loss on either end of which way the teeter tot goes, whether it be Simon or Paula. It's like having a hit show, take Joey out of "Friends"… would it still be just as big of a hit?"
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Well, when you took all of the other "Friends" away, "Joey" didn't do so well. But that's another story...
Elaine Hendrix "Freaked" on Blind Date With Steve Martin… and Another Woman
Most women would probably have been pretty pumped to have been set up with funnyman Steve Martin - but the experience for actress Elaine Hendrix was well, not exactly amusing.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"It was mortifying. I got set up on a blind date with Steve Martin, only I didn’t know I was getting set up and I didn’t even know he was going to be there," Hendrix recalled to Tarts at last week’s Los Angeles premiere of "Legally Blonde: The Musical" at the Pantages Theatre. "It was a private dinner party, the person had been telling me for months ‘oh I really want to introduce you to Steve Martin, I think he’s going to love you’. So I get seated beside him, and he keeps asking me questions all night long. There were all these other people there, and I was the youngest person by about 20 years at least. I was so freaked out, and he just kept asking these questions, and I just kept giving one word answers and turning back to my food."
And while Hendrix said she wasn’t sure if he was married or seeing someone else at the time, he did show up to the "dinner date" with another lady friend…
"I was so confused as to what was going on…" she said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Milla Jovovich and 21-month-old daughter Ever Gabo rocking RS Baby while enjoying a park playdate in Beverly Hills last Tuesday.
Newlyweds, Bruce Willis and Emma Hemming touring Los Angeles' newest luxury high-rise, The Carlyle Residences on Wilshire Boulevard on Friday.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Usher calling in via Skype on Friday as a surprise guest speaker to talk to more than 200 students attending The LEAP Foundation this year at UCLA. The program, co-founded by celebrity cosmetic dentist, Dr. Bill Dorfman and Steve Anderson, helps students get ahead in life learning valuable life skills such as time management, business etiquette and motivation.
Christie Brinkley and Alexa Ray Joel (following her performance at The Stephen Talkhouse) enjoying dinner with a large entourage at Nick & Toni's in East Hampton on Friday.
Priscilla Presley, Jane Seymour and Mel B sharing "blonde" moments while attending the Los Angeles premiere of "Legally Blonde" at the Pantages Theater on Friday night.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Paula Abdul with a group of young guys and girls at Hollywood club MyHouse on Friday night before making a sneaky exit from the backdoor in the early hours.
Lindsay Lohan in NYC to celebrate on/off girlfriend Samantha Ronson's 32nd Birthday. First stop on the city circuit was Hudson Terrace, where Lohan hung out with her younger brother and his friends on Friday night before heading to the Hamptons (sans Sam) for the rest of the weekend where she chilled out in the cabanas at Day & Night Restaurant Beach Club in Southampton and chain-smoked all day with a male photog. The super skinny starlet then showed up to Grey Goose's screening of "Inglourious Basterds" on Monday night before heading over to The Standard where she sat in a corner away from the rest of the guests, again chain smoking, and tried to keep photogs away.
Wayne Brady celebrating his extended residency as a headliner at The Venetian Showroom and new CBS Show "Let's Make a Deal" at ABSOLUT Saturday at the exclusive daytime luxury pool experience, AZURE at The Palazzo.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Pauly Shore surrounding himself with women in a private cabana at the Midsummer Night's Dream - A Pirate's Guilty Pleasure Party at the Palms Pool & Bungalows in Sin City on Saturday night.
Chris Brown (hiding behind a hoodie) while bowling at Hollywood's Lucky Strike with Nelly and Dwight Howard on Sunday evening.
Sean Kingston, LMFAO and up-and-comer Kristine Elezaj performing at PARTY 105’s MEGA JAM Concert in Long Island on Saturday.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Upcoming "DWTS" contestant and swimsuit supermodel Joanna Krupa enjoying a drink with a friend at Westwood's Napa Bar & Grille early Monday evening.
KISS frontman Paul Stanley dining with his beautiful wife, son and a family friend at N9NE Steakhouse inside Palms Casino Resort Monday night.
Bette Midler attending Wayne Brady: Making It Up! on Tuesday night at The Venetian Resort – Hotel – Casino. Bette also went backstage, following the show, to meet with Wayne and the cast.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"DWTS" lovers Maks and Karina noshing on sushi at Izakaya in Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City on Monday before hitting up club mur.mur and dancing the night away.
Anna Faris and new hubby Chris Pratt kissing and cuddling while attending the SVEDKA VODKA SESSIONS live music concert series presented by Giant Step on Tuesday night at SKYBAR at Mondrian in Los Angeles.