Veteran music star Barry Manilow has pulled out of an appearance on a US TV talk show because he disagrees with the host’s political views.  Manilow requested not to be interviewed by former reality show star Elisabeth Hasselbeck - known for her conservative views on abortion and the Iraq war.

The singer, a fundraiser for the Democrat party, said on his website: “I cannot compromise my beliefs.”  He was set to promote his new album, The Greatest Songs of the Seventies.  “I wanted to let you know that I will no longer be on The View tomorrow as scheduled,” the star wrote.

“I had made a request that I be interviewed by Joy [Behar], Barbara [Walters] or Whoopi [Goldberg] but not Elisabeth Hasselbeck.  “Unfortunately, the show was not willing to accommodate this simple request, so I bowed out,” he continued.

It has been reported that the 64-year-old singer has donated money to the presidential campaigns of Democrats Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Joseph Biden and John Edwards, as well as Ron Paul, a maverick Texas Republican.  Manilow, who has appeared on The View twice in the past year with Hasselbeck present, said: “It’s really too bad, because I’ve always been a big supporter of the show, but I cannot compromise my beliefs.  “The good news is I will be on a whole slew of other shows promoting the new album, so I hope you can catch me on those.”  I really love this guy I just wish he would use less make-up.

What is going on in music news?

-After finishing their latest tour, 1980s folk-punk favorites the Violent Femmes are headed for a surprise gig in federal court.  Bassist Brian Ritchie sued lead vocalist Gordon Gano on Wednesday, saying he was deprived of credit for some of the group’s songs and a proper accounting of its earnings.

-To mark the 30th anniversary of his death in an event meant to both honor the singer’s legacy and cash in on it.  Tens of thousands of fans were expected to file past Presley’s grave site at his Graceland estate beginning Wednesday night and continuing into Thursday morning. The candlelight vigil began amid an intense heat wave, with temperatures in Memphis rising past 100 degrees (38 degrees Celsius) by mid-afternoon. Paramedics treated several waiting fans for heat exhaustion and kept ambulances standing by.

-Karaoke can be dangerous, a Coldplay fan has been beaten up following their rendition of “Yellow” in a karaoke bar. The incident took place in Seattle on Thursday (August 9) at Changes.  As the unnamed man took the stage to sing the song, a woman reportedly declared: “Oh no, not that song. I can’t stand that song!”  She then leaped at the would-be singer, shouted expletives at him and told him his singing “sucked,” while expressing the same opinion of the song, according to a Seattle Police report. She pushed the man and punched him, all in an effort to stop his singing. 

This news surfaced during the promotional campaign for the three novels he has co-written about his life in the G-Unit crew.

“The kids become immune when you constantly beat them over the head” ‘Read a book, read a book.’ We have to be a little more creative about it,” he told the New York Post. “It’s the same with safe sex. As opposed to being part of a safe-sex campaign, I’m going to make condoms and donate a part of the proceeds to HIV awareness.  Good move 50 Cent!

“American Idol” shook US television like a tornado, with a record 37.3 million viewers tuning in for the 6th season premiere, ratings showed on Wednesday.
 
The two-hour debut on Fox TV on Tuesday, featuring an the usual cast of talented youngsters and misfits cracked that record, according to Nielsen Media Research.

The 37.3 million total audience was a five percent increase over last year’s opening show of the fifth season.  And for those of you worried about Simon mellowing with age, DON’T.  He is as nasty as ever.

Despite the huge ratings for the top-rated show in America, some fans and critics were largely disappointed with the mix of good and hopeless auditions held in Minneapolis and the judges who send the best to the next round in Hollywood.  Which just goes to show you, “you can’t please em’ all the time”.

“American Idol,” a spin-off of a British hit that was a surprise U.S. success in 2002, dominated U.S. television ratings in 2006.

The show and its viewer-driven format has produced a number of bona-fide stars including Kelly Clarkson, country singer Carrie Underwood and Jennifer Hudson, who this week won a Golden Globe for her performance in the musical movie “Dreamgirls.”

Season 6 looks to provide much of what all the other seasons have, lots of talent and fun!