Danny Gokey finished in the Top 3 at American Idol in May. He wrapped the Idol tour in September, and moved to Nashville the next day! Now, he’s hard at work on his first album, to be released next year. I caught up with him at Sony’s Nashville headquarters today. Gokey has a gospel background but decided to pursue country when Idol guest mentor Randy Travis told him, “I think you’d be great in the genre. The fans would love you.” So far, the feeling is mutual. Gokey says he loves Nashville because, “It’s like one big family here.” A year ago, he lived in Wisconsin and worked as a church musical director. Now he’s attending tonight’s CMA awards and says he’s not quite used to the spotlight. He says he still gets nervous at big red carpet events, but “I think that’s a good thing, it keeps me on my game.” Tonight I’ll be on my game, working the CMA red carpet and keeping an eye out for Gokey, Kenny Chesney, Taylor Swift and all of country’s biggest stars!

Sesame Street celebrates its 40th anniversary Tuesday. FOX News visited every kid’s favorite neighborhood to chat with Elmo, Grover and Abby Cadabby. It was great to get a behind-the-scenes look at the people who bring these furry friends to life. Our cameraman had to be very careful not to show too much – we didn’t want to ruin the Elmo mystique for any young fans! Speaking of young fans, I prepared for the interview by getting question suggestions from my nieces and nephews. And of course, I couldn’t help but mention my “research team” to Abby Cadabby, Grover and Elmo:

done

The characters all told me that they love to learn. Abby Cadabby told me, “”The thing about learning, it happens all the time in every single moment.” Grover proudly told me he can count to 20. And Elmo said, “Elmo loves to learn. It’s really cool!” Sesame Street Executive Producer Carol-Lynn Parente says education has been the top priority since the start, but, “The methods we’ve used to teach the curriculum, the ABCs and 123s, that’s changed a lot over the years.”

Sesame Street also focuses on current concerns, such as obesity, with segments on healthy eating. The show has had its criticisms through the years, from this recent report, all the way back to its inception. Parente tells FOX, “If you look at those early years of Sesame Street, there was lots of concern that we were creating short attention spans in kids because the show was so fast-paced, because it was modeled after commercials and advertising. But if you watch those shows now, they look so slow-paced.” Parente also tells me that since the show has been around for so long, some of its original viewers are now parents and even grandparents, who can enjoy Sesame Street again with the little ones in their lives. The best part of our visit — I now have the answer to the age-old question, “Can you tell me how to get, how to get to Sesame Street?”.

Reporting from Sesame Street: FOX News Crew Jill, Ravelle, Brian & Rich

The rollout of horror film “Paranormal Activity” has been called the “marketing story of the year” by The New York Times. The ultra-low-budget film cost about $15,000 to make. Early studio estimates show it raked in about 7 million dollars over the weekend.

“Paranormal Activity” has been marketed more as an “experience” than anything else, with the trailer mainly showing terrified moviegoers reacting to scenes, rather than the scenes themselves.
Ad Age credits part of the success with “letting consumers play distribution chief,” rather than studio executives.

It originally played in college towns with midnight shows only. But the film’s website added a feature to allow fans to request the movie be shown in their area. Demand grew for the “Paranormal Activity,” leading it to open nationwide Friday. The online buzz also included chatter about the film on social networking sites such as Twitter.

“Paranormal Activity” is being compared to another small budget film with huge box office returns, “The Blair Witch Project.” That film was made for about $25,000 in 1999. Since then, it has banked more than 140 million dollars.

There are several celebrity scandals breaking this week, and I’ve got the latest for you on Fox News Radio and right here on the web!

Kate Gosselin of "Kate Plus Eight"

My daily radio entertainment wrap-up, “The Daily Dobson,” is focused today on TLC network’s top-rated show, “Jon and Kate Plus Eight.”

The network announced today that the show will drop Jon Gosselin from the title.  The reality show will now be known simply as “Kate Plus Eight,” and will mainly feature Kate Gosselin and the couple’s twins and sextuplets, with occasional appearances from Jon.

Roman Polanski’s recent arrest in Switzerland on a 1977 statutory rape case – and his battle against extradition to the US – is another story we’re covering on Fox News Radio.  This topic also led to heated discussions on the Strategy Room Entertainment Hour.

Jill Zarin of the “Real Housewives of New York” joined the panel and debated all the hot topics with us today.  She also dished on meeting Kate Gosselin recently and called Kate “cold as ice.”  Celeb feud alert!

Jill Zarin of "Real Housewives of New York"

Tune into the Strategy Room Entertainment Hour LIVE weekdays 12-1et and stay tuned to Fox News Radio for all the latest news from Hollywood and beyond.  And, as always, we want to hear from you.

Click “comments” below and share your thoughts on Polanski, Jon and Kate, The Real Housewives and more!

The Emmys are known as “TV’s Biggest Night,” but the red carpet also makes for one of fashion’s biggest nights. As your favorite TV stars walk the red carpet, fashion stylist Hitha Prabhakar takes notes.

Heidi Klum

BEST DRESSED

Prabhakar tells me the very pregnant reality host nominee Heidi Klum is “a winner” in her Marchesa gown. Us Weekly’s Fashion Director Sasha Charnin Morrison adds Klum is “having her 4th child and she looks that good. What a pro!”

Blake Lively

Morrison calls presenter Blake Lively “sexy, hot, fierce” in Versace. And Noelle Watters of FNC Imag loves Olivia Wilde of “House,” also in Marchesa.

Olivia Wilde

WORST DRESSED

Melora Hardin

Watters gives “The Office” actress Melora Hardin worst-dressed honors for “looking like a lemon meringue.” Both Watters and Morrison put Tina Fey in the worst-dressed category. Morrison calls Fey’s black gown “a downer.”

Tina Fey

And Prabhakar gives the worst-dressed award to reality host nominee Padma Lakshmi of “Top Chef.” Prabhakar didn’t think the dress was right for Emmy night – especially if Lakshmi had won. “She could’ve potentially gone on stage with that atrocity,” says Prabhakar. (That possible sartorial crisis was averted, though, when Jeff Probst of “Survivor” won the Emmy for reality competition host.)

Padma Lakshmi

For all your style and celebrity scoop, catch the Strategy Room Entertainment Hour weekdays at 12-1et.  And, as always, we want to hear from you. Click “comments” and tell us whether you agree with our fashionistas!