`American Idol' judge Kara DioGuardi gets married

NEW YORK (AP) — Kara DioGuardi (KA'-ruh dee-oh-GWAHR'-dee) had a busy Fourth of July weekend: The "American Idol" judge married her beau, contractor Mike McCuddy.

DioGuardi's publicist, Danica Smith, says the couple tied the knot on Sunday in Prospect Harbor, Maine. Smith says 30 guests witnessed the ceremony at the Prospect Harbor United Methodist Church.

DioGuardi — who wore a dress by Vera Wang — became engaged to McCuddy in December.

It's been a big year for DioGuardi: The 38-year-old songwriter joined the judges' panel on "American Idol," adding new blood to the Fox singing contest's regular three-judge format.

Her songs have been recorded by Kelly Clarkson, Gwen Stefani, Celine Dion and Faith Hill, among others.

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"American Idols Live" opening night: the wrapup

In the end, I think most people at the Rose Arena in Portland on Sunday night went home happy. The Top 10 finalists in Season 8 of "American Idol" were excited to play before such a large and adoring crowd, and for the most part they delivered.
I'm not going to get into an in-depth of each individual's performances -- I'm leaving that for Times arts critic Misha Berson, who will be attending Tuesday night's show in Tacoma and have a complete review online the next morning. Instead, here's a hit list of that things that left the strongest impression with me:
• Mark my words: Adam Lambert was greeted with a deafening roar. Whether you love or hate the guy's vocal technique, there's simply no denying his flair for showmanship. The guy OWNS the stage, with charisma that you can't turn away from.
• It's tough to be No. 1: I've heard some rumblings of discontent over Kris Allen's stage presence last night. I have to give him a pass for two reasons: 1) He's saddled with the horrible coronation song, "No Boundaries"; and 2) because he plays the guitar, it's tougher for him to move around the stage and be as dynamic as some of the other singers. So he mostly just stood at the microphone. (And for those of you slamming me for only shooting video for that one song from Kris, if I had to do it over again, I would have shot a different song. But I only had memory for one more song, at that was the one that presented itself. With twittering and twitpic-ing, I was scrambling to get *any* videos shot. But yes, I'm sorry about that choice.)
• Surprises of the night: Probably Scott MacIntrye and Michael Sarver. Both showed personality and improved performances from their show appearances.
• No suprise here: Allison RAWKS: The 17-year-old from Los Angeles was like a red-maned hurricane. It's about time we had a new generation of women in rock. Well now they have a leader.
• The not-so-great stuff: I actually saw some grimaces in the crowd at the sound of Megan Joy's opening notes. Ouch. And I thought Lil Rounds' takes on contemporary R&B just seemed a little forced and uncomfortable.
If you're going to Tacoma, enjoy the show.

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'American Idol' Judge Kara DioGuardi Gets Married

"American Idol" judge Kara DioGuardi married her fiancé, Mike McCuddy, on Sunday in an intimate ceremony in Prospect Harbor, Maine, reports In Touch.

With the bride wearing a Vera Wang gown, the ceremony took place in front of about 30 guests at the United Methodist Church across the street from her house.

"I feel great. What was most unbelievable about the experience was when I looked out at the church and saw all these people that were so important to me and Mike, who were there for us. It was pretty powerful. I was very emotional and I'm not somebody who breaks down and cries," DioGuardi told the magazine. "It's been raining in Maine for 60 days. The only day that was nice was yesterday!"

DioGuardi met McCuddy, a general contractor, when he built the house next to hers, according to In Touch. The couple got engaged in December while on vacation in Mexico. He proposed to her on her 38th birthday after a year and a half of dating.

"I was in, of course, my thermal smiley-face pajamas that one of my best friends gave me for Christmas," she said about the day he asked her to marry him, adding that McCuddy, who has a child from a previous relationship, didn't think he would fit into her "Hollywood life."

"I have no Hollywood life, believe me," she told McCuddy, a former schoolteacher. "I'm working 18-hour days, going home and catching a 'Law & Order' episode and calling him at night." According to the pastor who married the couple, Scott Nurse Sr., although no "American Idol" castmates were in attendance at the 20-minute ceremony, it was attended by the couple's closest friends and family. "They are absolutely in love with each other," he told Us Weekly. "When I told him he could kiss the bride, everybody cheered. It was a very close, small family-type service."

When asked previously if her "Idol" castmates would be at her wedding, DioGuardi said, "I don't think they'd appreciate an invitation to Prospect Harbor, Maine. I can't really see Simon Cowell landing in Prospect Harbor. I don't think that would happen." 

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Paula Abdul will return to 'American Idol' for season nine

Get ready for "American Idol," season nine - with all four judges. Maybe.

After much speculation, judge Paula Abdul says she's been invited back to be part of another season.

Though the notoriously saccharine judge says she will stick around for "the duration of the show, however long it lasts," the details of her contract have yet to be finalized, reports the Associated Press.

"[Idol's] something that I'll always would want [sic] to be a part of," Abdul said.

And it looks like Abdul can keep playing good cop, since Simon Cowell will return to play bad cop. The infamously acidic judge, known for drawing tears from contestants and jeers from the audience, stands to make up to $144 million a year for staying on the show. According to Britain's Guardian newspaper, Cowell earned $36 million last season and a source close to "Idol" creator Simon Fuller says he's been offered three to four times as much to keep up his cruel criticism after his contract expires next May.

Cowell, who also stars in "Britain's Got Talent" and "The X-Factor" has said previously that he would leave the shows after their tenth season. 

Auditions for the ninth season of the mega-hit show are currently underway around the country, but there are no "American Idol" tryouts in New York this time around.

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