These are photos from all different parts of my life, including a press conference during my high school years, my work as an NBC Television publicist in my 20s, my appearance in the first Star Trek movie, my years of reporting on American Idol for Billboard and more.
Honored to be asked by Patrick Evans to be his guest host for an episode of his podcast Big Conversations, Little Bar. We talk to Cheryl Bentyne of Manhattan Transfer at the Little Bar in Palm Desert. She is a great interview.
What a thrill to be with three Motown legends: Martha Reeves, Smokey Robinson and Mickey Stevenson, who wrote and produced so many hits, including "Dancing in the Street."
If you had told me when I was 16 that I would be working with the songwriters of "My Girl" and "Baby Love," I would not have believed you. But in 2026, here I am with Smokey Robinson and Eddie Holland (of Holland-Dozier-Holland).
I invited a small group of my friends to join me in the Hollywood studios of SiriusXM for a conversation between two Motown legends (who I am lucky to be working with). Here I am with Thelma Houston and Smokey Robinson.
I was at the Catalina Jazz Club in Hollywood when I encountered two of my favorite actors, Michele Lee and Donna Mills. They both have long, successful careers, and of course, starred together in Knots Landing.
This was a fun morning with (l to r) Clark Beckham, Tamara Van Cleef (mother of Idol contestant Olivia Rox), me, Kimberley Locke, Ace Young, Diana DeGarmo and Simon Lythgoe,
When I was in Memphis with David Junk, who wrote my book Rockin' The Kremlin with me, we visited the legendary Sun Studio, where Elvis Presley recorded his earliest songs. We are holding the very same microphone that Elvis used to record "That's Alright Mama" and many other tunes.
While rewatching my Star Trek:TNG episode "Ménage à Troi" with my friend Simon Lythgoe, he paused the video so we could get this close-up of my favorite scene.
From my new series of "Fred Talks To..." at Vitello's in Studio City, Calif., here I am with guest interviewees Scherrie Payne (final lead singer of the Supremes) and Freda Payne ("Band of Gold"). It was a rare interview with both Payne sisters and they were dynamic and funny and it was a no-holds-barred talk. It was a supreme joy to talk to them both and the audience loved them.
It is always great to spend time with Justin Guarini, who has been a friend for over 20 years. We met up in Palm Springs, where he performed at the Annenberg Theater inside the Palm Springs Art Museum. It was Justin with his American Idol music director and vocal coach Michael Orland on the piano. A great show! (L to R): Michael, Justin, me, and Mark Milett.
For the third year in a row, I covered the American Idol production in Hawaii for Billboard. And once again I spent time with Luke Bryan, Ryan Seacrest, Carrie Underwood and Lionel Richie. But this year we were joined by two other friends -- Mickey and Minnie.
Forty years ago, my friend Greg Evans created the comic strip Luann and it is still running today. Over 20 years ago, we worked with Dick Clark Productions to create a TV series based on Luann. We had a great pitch meeting at Disney with our choice for showrunner, Pamela Eells. Here we are at Dick's office. (L to R) Pam, Greg, Dick, a DCP staffer and me.
La Perlita is my favorite Mexican restaurant in the world, so when David Archuleta came to visit, I had to introduce him to their fabulous food. David and our friends Kari and Kenny all loved it.
On stage with Phil Manzanera of Roxy Music for an evening of words and music. Phil performs his music and I interview him about his amazing life and career.
After we wrapped up production on American Idol at Aulani, Thunderstorm and I met up for dinner in Honolulu. When he found out I wrote three episodes of Star Trek, we had to take another photo.
While in Hawaii to cover Season 24 of American Idol, I reunited with Season 23's Thunderstorm Artis and Season 21's Iam Tongi, both originally from our 50th state, Here we are at Aulani, the Disney Resort.
While covering Season 24 of American Idol for Billboard, I had a chance to spend time with Carrie and talk about her favorite TV series, Star Trek: The Next Generation.
When I met Kimberley Locke on April 4, 2003, she told me, "We are going to be friends for life." I don't know how she knew, but she was right. Here we are almost 23 years later, having dinner in Laguna Beach, Caiif, after I saw her outstanding performance as the Evil Queen in the Lythgoe Family Production of Snow White.
I met Michael Orland in March 2003 at an American Idol event at the Television Academy, and we've been friends ever since. Michael was musical director, pianist, arranger, and vocal coach on Seasons 1-16 of Idol.
Tower Records still exists -- in Japan. Thelma Houston and I went shopping at the flagship store in Shibuya -- and look what we found! Thanks to Rio and Mana, who work at the store. We gifted Rio with a vintage Tower Records Pasadena T-shirt.
Had a fun day at Tokyo DisneySea with Thelma Houston. One of the highlights of this unique park -- the only one in the world -- was riding the Aquatopia.
Attending an event at SiriusXM in Hollywood for Smokey Robinson's channel, Smokey's Soul Town. L to R: Lou Simon (SiriusXM), Lynda Laurence (of the Supremes), Freda Payne, Joyce Vincent (Tony Orlando & Dawn), Scherrie Payne (of the Supremes), Smokey, Steve Resnik (of the RAMP newsletter, all about the business of radio) and me.
Spent the day at the SiriusXM studio with two of my favorite singer/songwriters. Smokey Robinson interviewed Valerie Simpson for a special program on his Smokey’s Soul Town channel. And as a bonus, they performed some Motown classics together. An unforgettable experience!
By the stage door of the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, where American Idol season 15 winner Nick Fradiani is starring as Neil Diamond in A Beautiful Noise. I told Nick that he did not imitate Neil, but he does inhabit the superstar, and gives the most incredible performance. Don't miss it when the tour comes to your town.
Thelma Houston and I drove to Long Beach, Calif. to visit the wonderful exhibit of her life and career at the African American Cultural Center.
My friend Tal Finney and I were thrilled to meet one of the most celebrated jazz musicians in the world, Herbie Hancock.
I've been covering American Idol for Billboard since Season 2. Here's my favorite moment from this year, taken after a sit-down interview with Lionel, Ryan, Carrie and Luke.
One of my favorite interviews in 2024 was with Jelly Roll in Hawaii for American Idol. He is the real deal and a total inspiration to Idols and many other people. So it was great to sit down with him again in 2025 to talk about him being Idol's first artist in residence.
Once a year, I have lunch with Sweden's Bengt Palmers, whose most impressive feat in America was producing the first Swedish single to go to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, "Hooked On A Feeling" by Blue Swede.
I knew David was a star when he performed "Papa Was A Rolling Stone" on season 7 of American Idol. Seventeen years later, in 2025, that thought was reconfirmed when I saw his live performance, opening for the great Thelma Houston.
After working with Luke on various Acdemy of Country Music specials, I have been interviewing him for Billboard the last eight years on the set of American Idol. Our latest get-together was this year at Disney's Aulani Resort on Oahu.
I first interviewed Carrie Underwood in her dressing room during season 4 of American Idol. That was in 2005. Twenty years later, our latest interview took place in Hawaii.
I've been working with Lionel Richie since 2012, when I wrote a network TV special for him. For the last eight years, I have been interviewing him for Billboard about American Idol, including my 2025 session with him in Hawaii.
When I was in London a few weeks ago, I had dinner with the wonderful Nicki French, a friend for 29 years. We caught up over a fish & chips meal at one of our favorite restaurants, The Seashell in Marylebone. Nicki's new single is "Nothing Is Impossible."
Neil Sedaka has, if I say so myself. Thanks, Neil, for spending some time with The Billboard Book Of Number One Hits.
Although it was a sad reason to be together, it brought me joy to see Danny Gokey, Melinda Doolittle and Colton Dixon again at the live American Idol show where they sang "Shackles (Praise You)" to honor the life of their late friend Mandisa.
For the last seven years, I've had a chance to spend time every May with two of my favorite people. Claire Singers is an executive coach working with people to enhance their performance at work and was one of the U.K.'s premier publicists. Her husband Phil Manzanera is a brilliant rock guitarist who was a founding member of Roxy Music. He also is known for his solo work and is an outstanding producer, whose most recent project was the new album by Rod Stewart and Jools Holland (No. 1 in the U.K.!)
When I was in Malmö, Sweden for the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest, I met up with one of my favorite artists, Benjamin Ingrosso. Read my interview with Benjamin Ingrosso about his involvement in the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest for Sweden on Billboard.<a href="https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/benjamin-ingrosso-2024-eurovision-song-contest-sweden-interview-1235680937" target="_blank">Read my interview Here</a>.
When I returned to Eurovision after a 17-year gap, I ran into a friend I hadn't seen since 2007, Eric Lehman. He is the person who brought Luxembourg back to the song contest. For the amazing details, read my Billboard story: <a href="https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/luxembourg-eurovision-return-1235680782/" target="_blank">Read my story Here</a>
At the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö, Sweden, I met the lovely Susanne Georgi. After we talked for a while, I discovered she was in one of my all-time favorite recording duos, Me & My from Denmark. Watch three of their videos, <i>Lion Eddie, Baby Boy and Dub-I-Dub</i> in the Denmark section of my Pop Goes The World page <a href="Videos-Pop-Goes-The-World?Country=Denmark#m" target="_blank">You'll find her videosHere</a>
I was visiting friends at a music publisher when this gentleman walked in -- Donny Montell, who sang for Lithuania in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2012 and 2016. I encouraged him to give it one more try -- and win!
This is my favorite pic with Ryan, Katy, Lionel and Luke when we were all in Hawaii for the American Idol season 22 taping. Mahalo!
I first met Carrie Underwood when she was on Idol in 2005. Then I met David Archuleta during his Idol season in 2008. David and I came together in Las Vegas to see Carrie's incredible "Reflection" residency at Resorts World. It's a must-see event!
Spent some time with Carrie Underwood backstage just before seeing her amazing "Reflection" show. I have always been super-impressed with her live shows and this latest one is no exception.
I met David Archuleta when he was 16, so I have known him for half of his life. I have watched him grow from a teenager to an adult and have always been impressed by him. This was our latest outing, to one of our favorite restaurants for dinner.
SiriusXM has rebranded their channel playing R&B from 1960-1979 as Smokey's Soul Town. I created a bi-weekly series called "Smokey's Place," where he recounts his Motown memories and plays music that I curate. We are in production now and when I know air dates I will post them here. Love working with Smokey!
Shared some shaved ice with Luke, Katy, Lionel and Ryan.
These two looked so familiar I just had to take a photo with them while I was in Hawaii. Turns out I met one of them in Orlando and the other one in Anaheim.
Look who I bumped into in Hawaii. It was no coincidence -- I was there covering American Idol for Billboard. Katy didn't sing her hit song "Harleys In Hawaii" but we talked about aliens, "I Love Lucy" and shared some shaved ice.
When I was a publicist at NBC, I was on a set with a real, live tiger. The trainer assured me it was safe to pet the animal, and it was.
When I was 11, I won a contest in the local newspaper and first prize was lunch with anyone you wanted. I requested Connie Stevens and my request was granted. My mother drove us to the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank where we had lunch with Connie and L.A. Mirror music editor Roger Beck.
After lunch, Connie drove me in her little red sports car to the set of Hawaiian Eye, where we took photos in the “record store” where her character, Cricket, worked. This photo ran in the L.A. Mirror.
When Bjo & John Trimble produced a science-fiction film convention in Los Angeles, Mayor Yorty proclaimed it “Science Fiction and Fantasy Film Week” in the city. I attended the ceremony along with John, Nichelle Nichols, and, in costume, Janos Prohaska, whose Star Trek roles included the Horta and the Mugato.
At the Eurovision Song Contest in 1999 with Selma, who represented Iceland with “All Out Of Luck.” It was my favorite entry that year and placed second, Iceland’s best showing.
I had the good fortune to meet one of my musical heroes, Britain’s Roy Wood, who was in the original incarnation of the Electric Light Orchestra and then formed his own group, Wizzard. Check out their great single, “See My Baby Jive” and you probably already know their holiday classic, “I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday.”
In 1983, I was the publicist for the mini-series "The Last Days Of Pompeii," so every day that summer I took the tube to Pinewood Studios to be on the set. One of the actors I worked with was Brian Blessed, who was also starring in the musical "Cats" in the West End. On this day, I was with Brian at the studio where I had arranged for him to be interviewed by the L.A.-based TV series "2 On The Town." Then we all got in cars and headed into the West End to continue the interview at the Drury Lane Theatre where "Cats" was live on stage.
I had heard that there was a bridge named after singer Peggy March in Germany. So when I was in Munich with my friend Horst Stipp, Peggy and her husband Arnie drove us to the bridge so we could see it for ourselves. I mean, not that many people in the world have bridges named after them.
In 1998, I was one of seven judges at Malta's national final in February to choose their artist for Eurovision that year. We all agreed it should be Chiara, with the song "The One That I Love." In May, I was at Eurovision in Birmingham in the U.K., where I met up with Chiara again and fellow music reporter Paul Gomez.
I'm sure you all remember my brief stint in the boy band Take That. OK, it was for 10 seconds, which was how long it took for someone to take this photo of us.
I met the wonderful Nicki French at Mike Stock & Matt Aitken's offices in London on May 10, 1995. Five years later to the day, I saw Nicki again at the Eurovision Song Contest in Stockholm, where she represented the U.K. with "Don't Play That Song." We've been friends ever since but I bet neither of us remember what I whispered in her ear that day.
When I covered the 2000 Eurovision Song Contest for Billboard in Stockholm in 2000, I attended the Danish party on Wednesday night and told the Olsen Brothers how much I liked their song. On Friday, the crowd reaction to their performance of "Fly On The Wings Of Love" during rehearsal was so great, I was convinced they were going to win. At the winners' press conference Saturday night, I asked them when they first thought they had a chance to take home the trophy, thinking they would say it was at the Friday rehearsal. But they looked right at me and said, "Wednesday night, when Billboard said they liked our song."
Through his reporting for Billboard, my friend and colleague Chuck Taylor (second from right) became close with Celine Dion and her family. So when she began her residency at Caesars Palace, we not only went to the show, we were invited to her dressing room. That's songwriter Ayhan Sahin on the right and his niece Ecem Sahin second from left.
Remembering when Billboard colleague and friend Chuck Taylor and I bumped into Josh Groban.
This was a memorable lunch at Trattoria Dell'Arte in Manhattan. L to R: Billy Joel guitarist Dennis DelGaudio, Kimberley Locke, me, Diana DeGarmo, Neil Sedaka, songwriter Ayhan Sahin and Billboard colleague Chuck Taylor.
I started covering American Idol for Billboard during season 2, and I've continued to cover it ever since. For season 21, I visited the series' new home at Red Studios in Hollywood, former home to I Love Lucy and The Golden Girls.
For several years, I wrote the weekly internet show "The Billboard Radio Countdown," hosted by my colleague and friend Chuck Taylor. Once a year we broke away from the Hot 100 countdown to do a special show, going backstage during the summer American Idol tour to interview the top 10 finalists about their all-time favorite song, and then counting them down in the order they were eliminated from the show. It was always great fun. Here we are with Fantasia in 2004 for the season 3 special, recorded at the tour stop in Philadelphia.
I met Scott MacIntyre during Season 8 of American Idol and we became instant friends -- and then I met his family and we've all been close ever since. Scott's father, Doug, invited me over to his house for dinner and Scott joined us for a delicious home-cooked meal and a great evening of catching up with each others' lives.
In 1996, I met Anna Mjöll and her lovely parents at the Eurovision Song Contest in Oslo. Anna was singing for her native country, Iceland. We've been friends ever since. Here is Anna and her mother Swan escaping the cold of Iceland for a delicious lunch in Palm Springs. And if you've seen Will Ferrell's "Eurovision" movie, yes, Iceland hosted a boat party that year. We all survived.
Touring the famed Joshua Tree National Park with my friend Alex Panayi, visiting from Cyprus. I met Alex at my very first Eurovision Song Contest in 1995 when he sang "Sti Fotia." It is my favorite Eurovision song of all time.
Celebrating Christmas 2022 with Joey Dee and Peggy March. Between the three of us we had two No. 1 songs on the Hot 100: "I Will Follow Him" and "Peppermint Twist."
When I worked at NBC in Burbank, I became friends with Wesley Eure, who starred in Land Of The Lost and then Days Of Our Lives, although I did not work on either show. I hadn't seen him for years, but we found each other recently and got together for a Sunday breakfast and had a great catch-up with our lives.
In 1990, Gene Roddenberry received the Jack Benny Memorial Award for lifetime achievement at a ceremony and dinner held by the March of Dimes. It was a black tie affair and I was there with several friends. Left to right: Ernie Over, Susan Sackett, Gene Roddenberry, me and Mark Hahn.
At that Jack Benny dinner, many cast members from Star Trek: The Next Generation were there and for the first time ever, the TNG blooper reel was screened publicly. Here I am with Susan Sackett and Michael Dorn.
Another cherished memory from the March of Dimes dinner: Susan and I with the lovely Grace Lee Whitney, who we still very much miss today.
On May 10, 1991, Gene Roddenberry received the Humanist Arts Award from the American Humanist Association at their national conference in Chicago. Gene flew to Chicago from Washington, D.C. a few days earlier. Susan Sackett and I flew to Chicago from Los Angeles. Gene surprised us by picking us up at O’Hare, and took us for drinks high atop the 100-story John Hancock Center in the city.
This is the view of the ABBA Arena from Pudding Mill Station, right across the street. I had just seen the spectacular "Voyage" show, which is like nothing I have ever seen before.
This landed on my neighbor's lawn so they decided to sell it.
After covering the first live broadcast of the American Song Contest, I was invited to an after party hosted by the Swedish producers. Here I am with Christer Björkman and Anders Lenhoff, two of the Swedish producers who adapted the Eurovision Song Contest for America. I've known Christer for years, dating back to my first Eurovision and being at two of the quarterfinals for Melodifestivalen in Sweden in 2002.
The Billboard/Airplay Monitor Radio Seminar & Awards was an annual affair with hundreds of radio professionals attending a weekend conference. I was asked to ask Dick Clark if he would host the 1998 Awards Dinner at the Pointe Hilton in Phoenix. He said yes but what he didn't know is that he was also going to honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award. I was asked to give the introduction speech and bring him up on stage to present the award to him. Here I am backstage with Dick and the Billboard person in charge of the conference, my good friend Chuck Taylor.
Early in their career, the Irish boy band Westlife had the good fortune to meet Billboard's Chuck Taylor (third from left), songwriter & producer Ayhan Sahin (third from right) and me. Or maybe it was our good fortune?!
Here is the first behind-the-scenes photo from the TV pilot I wrote and helped produce, London Rooftop. With our host David Archuleta and headlining band The Grimm, we are all standing in front of a green screen. The show takes place on one of the most iconic rooftops in rock and roll history, created in part physically on stage and through virtual technology.
Backstage at the California Theater Of The Performing Arts in San Bernardino, Calif., just before David Archuleta's glorious holiday concert with the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra, the only stop on David's Christmas tour with a full orchestra. Crowded into the world's tiniest dressing room with David are his publicist Ken Phillips, L.A. radio legend Jhani Kaye, my friend Mark Milett and me.
This was taken just before the big pillow fight broke out. OK, not really. But it was a great few days hosting my house guests Ace Young and Diana DeGarmo. Can't believe it's been eight years since I officiated their wedding!
My friend Anthony Fedorov stars in the multi-media stage production of the film "Love Actually" at the Wallis Theatre in Beverly Hills. The entire cast did a great job and Anthony's numbers stood out -- always wonderful to see him perform on stage. I've seen him in stage productions of "The Sound Of Music" and "Les Miserables" and a concert staging of his own musical, "Hash (tag) America."
David Cook headlined a show in Salt Lake City and there was a surprise, unannounced guest: David Archuleta. David Archuleta sang "Imagine," accompanied by just a guitar, and later joined David Cook on stage for a duet of Cook's "Light On." The set was a replica of an iconic rock and roll site, a very famous London Rooftop, from the current TV Pilot "London Rooftop," hosted by Archuleta.
I was the NBC publicist for the Bob Hope specials and loved working with Bob. Here we are in an NBC rehearsal hall auditioning 100 women to select 10 to appear on one of Bob’s specials. Also in the photo: Shan Tabor from the NBC promotion department.
I was the NBC publicist for the first two seasons of Sanford and Son. Here I am with Redd Foxx and NBC photographer Herb Ball at a junkyard for a photo session that took place before the series premiered in 1972. I loved working with Redd and with Demond Wilson.
As NBC publicists, we worked as talent escorts at the Emmys. This year I was walking into the venue with Lily Tomlin and NBC publicist Kathi Fearn Banks.
I met so many people while working as the NBC publicist for Bob Hope's TV specials. Here I am with publicist Frank Liberman and Debby Boone and Debbie Reynolds. Debby & Debbie appeared on a January 1979 Hope special.
As high school journalists, Harold Klopper and I were invited to a press conference for the Batman TV series on the 20th Century Fox lot. L to R: Burt Ward, me, Adam West and Harold Klopper.
For eight years, I worked at Mr. Music, an independent record store in Culver City, Calif. Here I am behind the counter with Leonard Nimoy's second LP and my friend Marc Zicree. We were both Star Trek fans and we visited the set of the original series, an unforgettable experience. Then both of us went on to writing careers, including writing episodes for Star Trek: The Next Generation.
On July 13, 1985, I was in a trailer at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia writing the script for ABC-TV’s three-hour prime-time coverage of Live Aid, hosted by Dick Clark. It was my first prime-time writing assignment. Thank you, Larry Klein, for telling me I had to say “yes.”
A few months after I bought my first home, I was ready to find a canine friend. My boss at NBC had moved from New Jersey to California with a pregnant pooch and I had my choice of the litter. I picked out one puppy, but another one came over and made it clear he was the one who was going to go home with me. He already had a name: Favor, as in he was the "favorite" of the litter. He was an Irish Wolfhound/Lab and we were together for almost 14 years. I think of him every day and miss him every day.
Every dog owner believes they have the greatest dog in the world, and I certainly believed that (and do to this day) about my first dog, Favor. He was half Labrador, half Irish Wolfhound and was my very special boy.
In 1978, Gene Roddenberry invited a few friends to appear in Star Trek: The Motion Picture as extras, including Susan Sackett and me. There were about 300 of us on Stage 18 at Paramount. We were allowed to invite other friends of ours to audition for director Robert Wise and some of my friends, including Pierre Piponnian and Ron Hamill, were selected by Wise to appear in the scene filmed on the rec deck. Susan and I didn’t have to audition, thanks to Gene’s personal invite. That’s me in front of the greenery
Backstage with David Archuleta at his Christmas concert in San Bernardino with a full orchestra.
After a long day of interviewing the top 14 Idols of season 16, senior producer Patrick Lynn gathered us in a room for a photo session
You never know who you’re going to bump into at Umami Burger. Kris Allen and family and journalist Lyndsey Parker.
Backstage at Kinky Boots on Broadway with leading man David Cook and Universal Music’s Andy Skurow. David did a fantastic job as Charlie Price. Bravo!
This was taken after a three-hour breakfast with Frankie Valli at Jerry’s Deli in Encino.
Every season, I am the first journalist to interview all of the finalists for American Idol. In recent years, I was given a dressing room at CBS and the Idols sat down with me one at a time to be interviewed for Billboard
Long before I was interviewing Lionel every week at the live American Idol shows, we worked together on an Academy of Country Music special for CBS. Along with Barry Adelman and Gene Pack, I wrote<i><b> ACM Presents: Lionel Richie and Friends – In Concert</b></i>. The special aired on April 13, 2012, and Lionel was a dream to work with.
One morning my phone rang and it was Diana DeGarmo and Ace Young calling. They asked me if I would be nervous standing up in front of people at their forthcoming wedding. Thinking they wanted me to make a toast, I said I wouldn’t be nervous at all. That’s when they asked if I would officiate their wedding. I had never done anything like that before, but of course I said yes, and that’s what we did on June 1, 2013 in Los Angeles. I guess you can tell that Diana’s favorite flower is the sunflower.
I met Diana DeGarmo when she was on American Idol in 2004. Little did I realize that we would become lifelong friends, and that I would one day officiate her marriage to Ace Young. In 2019, she released her second full-length album, Gemini, released only digitally and on vinyl. I loved receiving my signed copy in the mail!
I had an idea for a summer camp to be held at the Atlantis resort in the Bahamas. It was a great concept and a lot of people put a lot of work into it, but it did not happen. Still, the folks at Atlantis invited me to enjoy a week at the resort and I had a great time, including my day with the dolphins.
I met Jessica when she competed on the 13th season of American Idol and our friendship has only grown over the years. We both love Vitello's restaurant in Studio City, Calif., so when she is town, that's where we hang out.
I met Kimberley on April 4, 2003, when six of the season 2 Idols came to the Billboard office, where I taught them how the Billboard charts work. It was all filmed for an on-air segment. Later, we both acknowledged that when we met, we knew we would be lifelong friends, and we were not wrong.
I met Constantine when he competed on season 5 of American Idol. I attended several of his live performances over the years and when he returned to Rock Of Ages for its final weeks on Broadway, I had a chance to finally see the show, then caught up with him after. Fun fact: we are in the Helen Hayes Theatre, the same venue (then known as The Little Theater) where Dick Clark hosted a prime time Saturday night TV series from 1958-1960.
At Vitello's upstairs supper club with Scherrie Payne and Susaye Greene after their sold-out show. After I saw their performance at the Sheraton Grande in Los Angeles, I suggested they do a show at Vitello's, and they did. Many Motown luminaries were in the audience, along with Scherrie's sister, Freda.
I had dinner with the great Gloria Gaynor at Spark, one of my favorite restaurants in Studio City. The place did not "survive," but during dinner I suddenly remembered something and said to Gloria, "Do you realize the studio where you recorded 'I Will Survive' 35 years ago is at the corner!" After dinner, Gloria walked over to the studio and took photos of herself standing at the entrance.
I met Devin Velez when he competed on American Idol in season 12. Since he doesn't live in Los Angeles, we don't see each other very often, but we did have a memorable meal at Vitello's, my favorite restaurant in L.A.
After a live American Idol show at CBS in 2019, I had dinner with Rayvon Owen at Umami Burger at The Grove in L.A. and we bumped into that season’s top 10 finalist Walker Burroughs, who was having dinner with his family. Walker was a student at Belmont University in Nashville and Rayvon was a former student there, so I introduced them.
Paul Jolley was another season 12 contestant who I thought was very talented and went home too early. Here we are on the red carpet at the season finale at L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles.
It's closed now, but I used to love to eat at The Grill on the Alley at Hollywood + Highland, which is why I'm standing in front of the restaurant after a lunch with Caleb Johnson (some time after he won season 13 of American Idol) and my good friend, the very talented Josh Skinner.
This was a great dinner in 2013 at Magellan's, a restaurant at Tokyo Disney Sea -- a unique theme park in the Disney pantheon that you must visit when you are in Tokyo. They have a "secret room" and we were ushered in to enjoy our dinner. L to R: Me, Bobbie Kallan, Masako Matsumoto (standing), Mark Milett, Alecia Davis and Simon Lythgoe.
I love attending the Polar Music Prize in Stockholm. The day before the ceremony and banquet, the Polar Talks feature leading music industry professionals discussing thought-provoking topics. In 2014, I moderated a panel on trend spotting with Ted Persson, co-founder / Chief Innovation Officer, Great Works and Universal Music's then-Nordic Senior Vice President Per Sundin.
After years of thinking how great it would be to visit Iceland, I spent five days in Reykjavik. Here I am at a late lunch with two of my favorite singers, who both represented iceland in Eurovision: Paul Oscar (second from left) and Selma (second from right). Right before this, I spent the day at the Blue Lagoon with Selma and her sister (on the left).
It was my honor to officiate the wedding of my good friends Adam Wurtzel and Carly Caramanna on March 2, 2015. You can probably tell from the background that we are in Italy. As in, the Italian pavilion at EPCOT. It was a great day that began with a 9am wedding and a late night dessert party at the French pavilion and a private (wedding party only) visit to Soarin' Over California.
For 10 years, I wrote annual Academy Of Country Music specials for CBS. Here I am backstage with Ashley Monroe, who has a successful solo career as well as a number of hits with Pistol Annies. We were talking about a mutual friend of ours.
I have been a fan of singer Joan Armatrading for a long time, and when she performed at the Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles, I interviewed her for Billboard.
My friend Steve Moore started a tradition a while back of hosting a pre-Grammy brunch the morning of the live show each year. Steve introduced me to Paul McDonald before Paul competed on American Idol in season 10 and I introduce Steve (and Paul) to Jessica Meuse from season 13.
Backstage at an Academy Of Country Music special in Las Vegas, Lee Brice took a selfie, with Julie, Heather, Lauren and me.
In the summer of 2015, the American Idols summer tour began with a week of rehearsals and an opening night show at the Ruth Eckerd Theatre in Clearwater, Florida, and I spent a week with the top 5, writing a series of articles for Billboard. Backstage with Clark Beckham, Rayvon Owen and Tyanna Jones.
I produced and hosted a series of shows starring American Idols at Vitello’s upstairs supper club in Studio City, Calif. Stefano Langone gave an incredible performance and fellow Idols Haley Reinhart and Anthony Fedorov showed up to support him.
While covering the Polar Music Prize in 2016 for Billboard, I met Quincy Jones for the first time. Most people might want to talk to him about producing Michael Jackson, but we talked about his work with one of my personal favorites, Lesley Gore. And if you are not familiar with the Polar Music Prize, check it out at <a href="https://www.polarmusicprize.org" target="_blank">www.polarmusicprize.org</a>
Along with Barry Adelman, I wrote “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” for 12 years, starting with the 2006 show, which was Ryan Seacrest’s first year. Just after midnight, I was standing in Times Square with Mariah and Ryan and it was a magical moment for all of us. We did not know we were being photographed.
I first met Anthony Fedorov way back in season 4 of American Idol and years later met the love of his life, and now his wife, Jennifer Paz. They are both tremendously talented and it was fun to spend a week with them on a Royal Caribbean cruise, as they coached the young students in my friend Todd Etelson’s acting workshop.
All American Idol finalists feel like family when they meet for the first time, and it was fun to introduce Kimberley Locke (season 2) to Rayvon Owen (season 14).
Trying to find a comfortable chair for the living room. This one gives me the feeling of command. Actually, I was at Rod Roddenberry’s office in L.A. and couldn’t resist taking a seat.
At a Hollywood luncheon in 2019, I met legendary radio DJ, TV host and recording artist Wink Martindale.
I was in Nashville in 2017, writing an Academy of Country Music special taped at the famed Ryman Auditorium. It was a great opportunity to meet up with friends for Sunday brunch: Ace Young, Melinda Doolittle, Steve Moore, Trudy Cooper, Diana DeGarmo, friend of Kimberley Locke and Kimberley Locke.
After interviewing the Season 16 American Idols many times, we were reunited at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles for their summer live tour. That’s publicist Ken Phillips on the left.
I’ve done a couple of long-distance interviews with my favorite Australian group, Sheppard. In 2018, we were in New York City at the same time, so we finally met in person, for afternoon coffee. If you haven’t heard their music, please check them out on YouTube or Spotify or Apple Music.
Peggy March showed me this article from a German magazine with photos of her home. I couldn’t help but notice her choice of reading matter. I approve!
Simon Lythgoe (right) and I were in Las Vegas, so we went to see our friend Taylor Hicks during his Vegas residency. Great live performance!
Executive producer Simon Lythgoe (standing) asked Kristen Chenoweth, ace producer Matt Serletic and me to be the guest judges on the first episode of "CMT's Next Superstar." We taped in Nashville and I had a great time being a part of this series.
When I was 5, unbeknownst to me, my mother submitted my photo to a modeling agency. And when Cosmopolitan magazine was doing a story on the life of Jack Webb, they discovered he didn't have any photos of himself when he was a child. Someone found my photo in the files and thought I looked like Jack, so I was hired for a one-day photo shoot where they recreated scenes from Jack's childhood, including his walk through the Third Street Tunnel in downtown Los Angeles. This was my first and last modeling job.
I first met Gene Roddenberry in 1967 when I interviewed him for my college newspaper. When I joined NBC as a publicist, I worked with him on a couple of projects and the working relationship became a friendship. I introduced him to Susan Sackett, who became his assistant. Susan, Gene and I would often have lunch, sometimes at the Paramount Commissary and sometimes off the lot. Here we are at the Season 4 wrap party for Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Freelance writers were usually not welcome on the set of TNG. I always imagined it was because they didn't want you shouting out, "That's not what I meant!" Susan Sackett and I spent seven days on the set of our first episode, "Ménage À Troi," because Gene Roddenberry said we could. Here we are at Huntington Gardens in Pasadena, which stood in for Betazed. (L to R): Frank Corsentino as Daimon Tog, Susan, me and Carel Struycken as Mr. Homn.