Full Show PT 1: Tuesday, August 11 [Vault]

Summary

The Bert Show – Full Show PT 1: Tuesday, August 11 [Vault]

Aired: August 11, 2026

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Main Theme Overview

This lively episode from The Bert Show vault takes listeners behind the scenes at the finale of American Idol in Los Angeles. The cast shares uncensored stories and humorous banter as they connect with Idol alumni—including Michael Johns, Diana DeGarmo, and Ace Young—and each other. The episode is a blend of entertainment industry gossip, first-hand event recaps, personal anecdotes, and playful group dynamics.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Michael Johns Interview: Post-Idol Life and Epic Hangovers

• Sobriety and Reputation: The hosts joke about Michael’s past hungover studio appearances and his candid relationship with alcohol (01:00–04:00).
  • Notable quote (Michael Johns, 03:06):
    “Yes, Patron … one of my best friends ... is the head of all marketing and event planning for Patron. ... you really can’t handle tequila, can you? And I said, 'No, I cannot.'”
• Social Circles Regressing: Michael describes how old friends revert to party mode when he’s in town, especially those with kids who rarely go out (02:18–02:32).
• Idol Advice & Reflections: Michael reflects on being sought out by finalists for advice and his philosophy for finalists enjoying the moment.
  • “You’re there, you’ve already won. ... Just go out there and have a blast as much as you can.” (Michael Johns, 04:59)
• Album Release in Japan: Michael reveals his album is launching in Japan, jokes about being “huge in Japan,” and his excitement about Japanese pop culture.
  • "If the song ever takes off over there, I just want to get a bumper sticker that says, 'I'm huge in Japan.'" (Michael Johns, 05:37)

2. International Adventures & Japanese Game Shows

• Excitement about Japanese culture and shows like Ninja Warrior (06:14–07:07). The group marvels at Japan’s unusual and creative TV.

3. On the Power and Pitfalls of American Idol

• Michael and the cast discuss the career boost from Idol and the real work of maintaining industry relationships.
  • “...You know, the phone’s not gonna ring if you’re not going … it can be the best and worst thing at the same time.” (Michael Johns, 08:33)

4. Diana DeGarmo Interview: Life, Broadway, and Nashville Floods

(Timestamp: 12:10–19:43)

• Nashville Floods Discussion: Diana and the crew express frustration over minimal news coverage of the 2026 Nashville floods (12:59–14:48).
  • “...the devastation, it rivals Katrina ... Neighborhoods are gone. ... [A friend] floated out of his house on his kayak with his dog in his lap.” (Diana DeGarmo/Wendy, 12:59–13:28)
• Broadway’s ‘Hair’ and Stage Nudity: She recounts joining the Hair Broadway revival, the process of getting comfortable with on-stage nudity, and what it means artistically.
  • "The show is so gorgeous ... when it happens, you don’t expect it. Next thing you know, we’re all gone." (Wendy, 15:36)
  • Memorable rehearsal story: Stripping for the first time during a dress rehearsal, eating lunch in robes right after. (16:02–17:27)
• Navigating Stage Fears: Diana admits initially being reluctant to do nudity, but embraced it for the authenticity of her character Sheila (17:30–18:29)
• Bert’s Nudity Phobia: The hosts have fun at Bert’s expense for “having a tremendous issue with nudity” (18:29–18:43).

5. American Idol Finale: Behind-the-Scenes

• The group details the whirlwind schedule for finalists and what the “big night” feels like for contestants (19:40–21:22).
  • Bert: "I had no idea. Like, I assumed it was almost like a football game where you're sitting around in the locker room ..." (21:01)
• Technical snafus, audience mishaps, and the unplanned Dane Cook/Ian Bernardo incident (21:58–25:22)
  • Diana DeGarmo: “The audience wasn’t even prepared ... everyone was still standing [instead of seated] ... Corey didn’t have time to make that announcement.” (22:57)
  • Security and chaos recap: Security struggles to handle stage crashers and enforce odd rules (25:22–26:51).

6. Red Carpet & Backstage Mischief

• Red Carpet Antics: Jen and Bert sneak along the carpet, meeting multiple celebrities, including Taylor Hicks, Chili (of TLC), and Dr. Drew (36:07–37:44)
  • “At some point, I was just like ... if nobody called that dude out, I'm gonna try it. So I took one of the barriers and separated it and walked down to the red carpet.” (Bert, 35:49)
• Celebrity Sightings: Christina Aguilera’s marital status rumored via “divorce anthem”; Ellen spots Christina and husband Jordan arm-in-arm, quelling rumors (39:04–40:49).
• The Hoff Encounter: The group (with help from Wendy’s cute dress) manages to hang out with David Hasselhoff, only to get quickly kicked out by security (31:19–32:56).

7. Ace Young Interview: Broadway, Idol Finalists, & On-Stage Chemistry

(Timestamp: 43:33–52:06)

• Ace Young and Diana's Broadway partnership: Jokes about their nightly on-stage nudity in Hair and their chemistry ("Wendy and Ace, are you gonna vote? ... She went right over there, scribbled it down, he put it in his pants.” Bert, 44:36).
• Idol Voting & Star Power: Ace offers a pragmatic view on Idol voting, merchandising, and why Lee might win (45:05–45:33).
  • "I think selling lunch boxes in the south matters. I think selling toothpaste matters ..." (Ace Young, 45:12)
• Crystal & Lee’s Humility: Contrast with past, flashier contestants ("both such humble contestants" – 45:52)
• Broadway Insights: Ace reflects on the challenge—artistically and physically—of appearing naked and leading the cast of Hair (48:29–49:50)
  • “If everybody’s free and we’re free in our skin, I gotta be the leader.” (Ace Young, 49:47)
• Career Moves: Ace discusses starting a label, juggling business, and taking on new roles as a performer (49:54–50:33).

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Tequila:
  "Three shots of Patron and I’m, you know, my pants are off and I’m running around the bar like a crazy person."
  —Michael Johns (03:52)

• Japanese Tour:
  "If the song ever takes off over there, I just want to get a bumper sticker that says, 'I'm huge in Japan.'"
  —Michael Johns (05:44)

• Diana on Hair:
  "You better not look down ... and we're slowly just undressing, but you're singing. ‘Beads, flowers, freedom, happiness.’ ... Oh my God, I'm naked ... and then the siren goes off and we, like, book it off stage, everyone's, like, throwing their robes on, and we're ... eating sandwiches."
  —Wendy/Diana DeGarmo (16:02–17:27)

• Backstage Hustle:
  "If you’re wearing credentials and act confident, you will have access."
  —Ellen (30:35)

• Security Mishaps:
  “You can walk anywhere you want on this set and security guards are around, but they don't stop you.”
  —Bert (25:52)

• On Stage Nudity:
  "I never thought I'd be naked on stage ... The story is so beautiful ... If everybody's free and we're free in our skin, I gotta be the leader."
  —Ace Young (48:29–49:47)

• Chemistry with Ace:
  "Wendy and Ace Young, are you gonna vote? ... I told Wendy that I would not do another interview until she gave her phone number to Ace Young. She went right over there, scribbled it down, he put it in his pants."
  —Bert (44:39)

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Notable Timestamps

| Time | Segment Description | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------------| | 01:00 | Michael Johns on sobriety & previous hangovers | | 03:06 | Patron tequila war stories | | 05:18 | Michael’s album launch in Japan | | 12:10 | Diana DeGarmo on Nashville flooding | | 15:12 | Diana on starring in Broadway’s ‘Hair’ | | 18:29 | Bert’s nudity phobia joked about | | 22:57 | Idol finale backstage chaos (audience mishaps) | | 24:11 | Dane Cook incident, Ian Bernardo steals the mic | | 31:19 | Hassling the Hoff, backstage VIP hijinks | | 35:49 | Bert sneaks onto red carpet, celebrity encounters | | 39:04 | Christina Aguilera “divorce anthem” performance | | 43:33 | Ace Young and Wendy’s flirty Broadway/Idol chat | | 45:05 | Idol voting and contestant humility | | 48:29 | Ace on nudity and war stories in Broadway's Hair | | 49:54 | Ace’s business & career expansion |

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Tone and Style

The episode is irreverent, teasing, and full of real-life radio energy. The hosts and guests riff off each other with playful jabs, inside jokes, and affectionate smack talk, keeping the mood light—even when discussing serious topics like natural disasters or navigating entertainment careers.

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For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This edition of The Bert Show offers a backstage pass to American Idol’s chaos, celebrates the quirky lives of Idol alumni, and delivers the group’s unique, humor-laden take on celebrity culture, live events, and friendship. From tequila-fueled memories to stripping on Broadway, it's both an inside look and a comedy romp through reality, entertainment, and personal milestones.

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Want more? Tune in daily for the full Bert Show experience!

Transcript

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[Bert]

the Birch Show Michael Johns has been in studio so many times. And I think the unique thing about this time talking to Michael is that he was sober, which was a nice change.

[Commercial Voice]

Yeah.

[Frankie]

Cause he comes, he's getting a bad rap on our show.

[Bert]

It only happened one time, but we've been giving him a hard time about it.

[Ellen]

Well, he comes to visit us when he's in town visiting his friends because he's an Atlanta guy.

[Diana DeGarmo]

Right.

[Ellen]

And so he goes out and as you'll hear, he discusses his relationship with alcohol and patron and Tin Roof. And Tin Roof. And so those things all combined make it difficult to be in Studio at 7:15 in the morning talking about whatever your project is that you got going on.

[Bert]

Here he is, Michael Johns, Atlanta guy on The Burt Show. Q100.

[Ellen]

Last time we saw Michael Johns, you were in Atlanta for something and you came in and did our show and you were still hammered from the night before.

[Michael Johns]

No.

[Bert]

Yes.

[Michael Johns]

You were erroneous on both counts.

[Frankie]

Erroneous.

[Ellen]

You did like you went to Tin Roof.

[Diana DeGarmo]

Tin Roof something.

[Michael Johns]

But I was there for the David Foster tour.

[Ellen]

That's right. But you went out the night before because.

[Michael Johns]

Well, I said, why not? Why not just book a gig? Yeah. You know, and Jagermeister, you know, might have won that Buttle.

[Bert]

That'll happen.

[Frankie]

Does that always happen in your old stomping grounds, places where you have friends where they'll come out and just do their best to get you hammered?

[Michael Johns]

Yes. Because then, you know, everyone's married and everything. But then when I come to Town, it's like we revert to being 22 years old again.

[Bert]

Married people. And if they have kids, that's even worse because they rarely get out.

[Michael Johns]

Absolutely.

[Bert]

And the one night they get out, they're gonna take it out on you, man.

[Wendy]

Yeah.

[Michael Johns]

So I'm just the victim.

[Wendy]

We'll call it.

[Ellen]

I don't think it's a married single thing. I really think it's there. There's some places like, I think tin roof.

[Diana DeGarmo]

Oh, yes.

[Ellen]

It's one of those places where you're not allowed to leave until part of your body will be numb the next day.

[Bert]

Right.

[Ellen]

You know what I mean?

[Bert]

Like, it's a badge of honor. If you walk out, they're sober, they're offended.

[Ellen]

Right. Like they'll stop you at the driveway and turn you back around and buy you more shots.

[Michael Johns]

Hey, I've. I've been there and done that. Yes.

[Bert]

What's would you break up with right now? Like, right now I'm having this on again, off again relationship with Patron because I just can't handle it. Is there one liquor you gotta stay away from?

[Michael Johns]

Yes, Patron.

[Bert]

It is Patron.

[Diana DeGarmo]

Really?

[Michael Johns]

And the funny thing is, one of my best friends, her name's Pam and she is the head of all marketing and event planning for Patron.

[Frankie]

Can I get a number?

[Wendy]

Yes. I'm telling you, she become my friend.

[Michael Johns]

She's in Italy right now. And it's so funny, she goes, oh, my God, you really can't handle tequila, can you? And I said, no, I cannot. And she goes, we're gonna be friends because she knows that I'm her for being her friend, not because I want Patron, you know what I mean?

[Bert]

And it sure helps to have that silver in your back pocket. Yeah, exactly.

[Michael Johns]

Yeah, but she's. Yeah, she's awesome. But yeah, Patron.

[Bert]

Yeah, for me it's Patron. Every time I do a shot, it makes me feel two inches taller.

[Michael Johns]

Really?

[Bert]

By the end of the night, I'm feeling. I feel sexy and tall.

[Ellen]

He's ready to take on Big Mike.

[Michael Johns]

Three shots of Patron and I'm, you know, my pants are off and I'm running around the bar like a crazy person.

[Bert]

Sound familiar, Jen?

[Ace Young]

Yeah,

[Frankie]

that's true. That countryside. And there's some country song. Tequila makes her clothes come off. Yeah, it's true, Brad.

[Michael Johns]

Whatever. Brad P. Right.

[Frankie]

Song. Yeah. It's the truth. Yeah, it is.

[Bert]

So what's it like for you today, man? Come back here and you got all the rookies here.

[Wendy]

Yeah.

[Bert]

No going through what you went through?

[Michael Johns]

Yeah, it's definitely. It's definitely strange, you know, when you come back and you know, because it feels like 7,000 years ago that I was on the show, you know, and it was only two years.

[Bert]

Two years ago, yeah.

[Michael Johns]

Oh, eight. So.

[Jen]

Yeah.

[Michael Johns]

But it's cool. And this. This is a really good group this year. They're really nice guys. Yeah, I really like them.

[Bert]

What advice? Any come up to you and ask you for some kind of advice for the finale or anything like that?

[Michael Johns]

No, not yet. But I spoke to Lee at the Ideger's back party, and he was like, man, I've downloaded all your videos. And I've downloaded. I'm like, wait a second, man. Like, you're in the top two.

[Bert]

You know what I mean?

[Michael Johns]

Like, what are you watching my stuff for? You know, it's very cool, but it's a good group.

[Bert]

If he were to ask you for some advice going into this tonight, what would you say to him?

[Michael Johns]

I just. I just. I mean, you're there, you know, you've already won. And I know that sounds cheesy and everything, but the top two, I mean, you've already got your deal, you know, you're gonna go out there and make your music and everything, and everyone knows who you are. And I just go out there and, you know, have a blast as much as you can, you know.

[Frankie]

What's the latest with you? What's going on with music stuff for you?

[Michael Johns]

Just the album's coming out now in Japan, which is crazy. June 23rd, it's coming out, so I'm heading over there.

[Frankie]

It's like all the COVID art in Japanese and stuff.

[Michael Johns]

I've just started. Yeah, I just saw some of.

[Ellen]

Yeah, yeah.

[Frankie]

It's in Japanese.

[Michael Johns]

Yes. And it's 45 already on Amazon.

[Diana DeGarmo]

45, really?

[Commercial Announcer]

Yes.

[Michael Johns]

And all I want to do is get it. If I. If the song ever takes off over there, I just want to get a bumper sticker that says, I'm huge in Japan.

[Ellen]

That's all I care about, you know,

[Bert]

if you were or not. So just tell me, by the way,

[Michael Johns]

I'm huge in Japan. Right?

[Diana DeGarmo]

There you go.

[Michael Johns]

So it's gonna be interesting. I've never been over there. My brother lived there for two years. So I'm really looking forward to going over to Japan. It's gonna be awesome.

[Frankie]

How long are you gonna go?

[Michael Johns]

We're doing an initial, like 10 days and then going back for. For another tour later in the year.

[Diana DeGarmo]

Do you know?

[Jen]

Very nice.

[Diana DeGarmo]

Well, then how are you going to talk to people? Do you know any Japanese? You need to know, like something Saki,

[Michael Johns]

Mr. Roboto. I don't know. I mean, it's going to be fun. I'm really looking forward to it because Ninja warrior is one of my favorite shows on TV. Have you guys seen that show?

[Wendy]

No.

[Diana DeGarmo]

On G4. What is that?

[Michael Johns]

It's this whole, like. How would you describe it? Have you seen it?

[Ellen]

It's like a crazy game show where

[Bert]

people have to jump over, get through obstacles,

[Ellen]

Jeopardy.

[Diana DeGarmo]

The ones that are impossible are awesome.

[Michael Johns]

So I cannot wait to like, you know, that's all I'm going to care about.

[Diana DeGarmo]

You should see if you could get on that show.

[Michael Johns]

I'm not fit enough. Well, yeah, it's all like full on gymnast stuff.

[Bert]

Oh yeah.

[Ellen]

They have like all the Japanese shows, like they have like 30 minute primetime shows that are just like scaring people, you know, like they jump out from around the corner and scare you and they show that. And I watch that crap on YouTube for days.

[Michael Johns]

Have you ever seen that one where the guy's sleeping in his bed and they like rip the entire bed out and all of a sudden like he's completely passed out and then he's in the snow going down a mountain

[Commercial Voice]

and

[Michael Johns]

the guy's like this. Didn't everyone understand what was going on?

[Bert]

What a great job. I mean, all you get to do is inflict pain on people. That's your job.

[Michael Johns]

Well, that's why, I mean, that's why Ellen DeGeneres has been picking up all these shows, like on her show, you know? Yeah, it's awesome.

[Bert]

What is the biggest advantage post Idol, Right?

[Michael Johns]

Ye biggest advantage.

[Jen]

Yeah.

[Ellen]

Friends who work for patron.

[Michael Johns]

No, I mean, it's just like, you know, just the recognition. You know what I mean? Like, there's so many doors gets opened because of the show and the platform. So, you know, for someone that was like in sign bands and done stuff like that before and then, you know, playing in Buckhead and everything else, it's like you could be doing that to your like 50, you know what I mean? But this show puts you on a stage. It's like, you know, unparalleled.

[Ellen]

And you did it right too. Like last year, right after the finale, remember when I walked down to the, to the, to the front of the arena either Tuesday or Wednesday night, and I saw you down there like, and you were like the mayor, like, oh, God, yeah. Paula's like waving to you from the stage. Randy comes by, Simon's saying hi.

[Bert]

It's like you're part of the club.

[Ellen]

Yeah. You're like the mayor of Idletown.

[Frankie]

But you do have to. You do have to work those connections. Right? I mean, you have to maintain those friendships and relationships or else they dwindle on.

[Michael Johns]

And therefore, I mean, you know, it's like everything. I mean it's the greatest. It's the greatest help and platform. But you know, the phone's not going to ring if you're not going, you know.

[Diana DeGarmo]

Sure.

[Michael Johns]

If you're not going to make the calls yourself. So, you know, it can be the best and the worst thing at the same time.

[Bert]

When are you coming back to Atlanta?

[Michael Johns]

I'm actually, I think I just booked a couple of dates there. July. 7-16-17. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Bert]

You gonna come in studio and hang out?

[Michael Johns]

Yes, yes, I shall come in sober. Oh, calm down.

[Bert]

Bring some of that patron with you. Yes, well, that.

[Commercial Announcer]

That I will do.

[Bert]

Okay.

[Michael Johns]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Bert]

Right there with you.

[Michael Johns]

That's funny.

[Ellen]

I think it's funny that he was all at a sophisticated David Foster event, but you came in, you know why?

[Michael Johns]

Not even that.

[Bert]

He wasn't buzz that morning.

[Ellen]

That should be very high brow.

[Michael Johns]

I wasn't buzzed. Look, I didn't even know where I was coming from. I think I literally left like on the roof and came straight to your

[Ellen]

studio, which is impressive. You know what that deserves?

[Wendy]

A badge.

[Diana DeGarmo]

A badge. A ribbon.

[Cassie]

Oh, thank you.

[Vinted Announcer]

Thank you.

[Bert]

It's good to have you here, man.

[Michael Johns]

Thanks, mate.

[Bert]

We'll see you later.

[Michael Johns]

See you guys.

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[Jen]

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[Bert]

Show Q100 and the Bert show in LA for the finale of American Idol. Was really good to see Diana DeGarmo. Really good here.

[Frankie]

So cool.

[Bert]

She's changed a lot.

[Frankie]

She has grown up and you're right, she looks absolutely stunning when we get to see her on the red carpet. I mean she, she just is a knockout. I mean she went from this like 16 year old girl on American Idol when everybody was introduced to her to now a total grown up knockout.

[Bert]

And I mean she has to be in good shape because she's going to tell you right here that she's getting naked every night on stage in New York City.

[Jen]

Yep.

[Bert]

Here's Diana DeGarmo on the Burt Show Q100 so it took us to come out to LA to see Diana.

[Frankie]

She lives in Atlanta.

[Wendy]

I feel bad. I feel like I really have not seen Atlanta enough in the past couple years. I've been. I unfortunately moved to Nashville.

[Frankie]

How did you survive the floods?

[Wendy]

Well, luckily, my basement flooded, not my actual home. And I did lose some stuff. But the hard part is not seeing anything about it on the news. Nobody knows that the devastation, it rivals Katrina. That's what it looks like. It does. I mean, the Cumberland river was 50ft over the flood line, and people lost. Neighborhoods are gone. People lost homes, lost everything. And I had a friend who floated out of his house on his kayak with his dog in his lap.

[Bert]

Get out of here, really. You know, Melissa's from Nashville.

[Jen]

Yeah, I'm from Nashville. And so my family, much like you, did not suffer too much damage.

[Michael Johns]

But.

[Jen]

Yeah, my sister was talking about how devastating it was. And I think there is a frustration in Nashville because you see the pictures. But I think the Gulf, you know, the Gulf and all the oil, I think took over the story.

[Bert]

Oh, yeah.

[Jen]

And I do. I can understand the frustration because it was really ugly.

[Wendy]

Yeah. And it took, you know, took the Obama administration how many days to actually call it a disaster area? I'm like, do you really see the Grand Ole Opry is underwater. You can't see the seats. The stadium, The Titan Stadium was a big swimming pool. It went up to, I think, like, the fifth or sixth row.

[Bert]

Sad. Especially when it's your own hometown. Like, you see, I've never had any kind of devastation like that in our own town. When it's your own home city like that, you must walk out the door and go, I can't believe this is part of my life.

[Ellen]

Right.

[Wendy]

It was. It was so jarring. And I. When it happened, I was in New York, and so I. I'm getting phone calls from my. My roommates, and they were like, um, the whole city is flooding. And I was like, what? And they were like, no, literally, the whole city is underwater. And I turn on the news and can't find anything about it on the news. I have friends that are, like, tagging me on Facebook and, like, showing pictures of I24 with semis underwater people, and nobody knew about it. And I had to go down and, you know, my mom went through all my stuff and then tried to salvage what we could, but give up the rest of it. But I'll be back there in a couple weeks to clean up some more.

[Bert]

You missing Atlanta?

[Wendy]

I do. I haven't been in so long. I have so many wonderful friends there, and they think I've Just turned you guys away. It's so hard to just do anything. You know, the show I'm in now, it's eight shows a week, six days a week. So our only day off is Monday, and that's usually when I just want to sleep.

[Bert]

Yeah, no doubt. There's no doubt. So the show is in Nashville.

[Wendy]

Oh, no. You guys don't know this yet?

[Bert]

No.

[Wendy]

Dun dun, dun, dun. I am currently in Hair on Broadway.

[Bert]

Okay.

[Diana DeGarmo]

Congratulations.

[Wendy]

With Mr. Ace Young. It's the first time two American Idols have been on a Broadway show. You get naked every night.

[Frankie]

Do you really put that out there?

[Wendy]

Because I know it's gonna be asked sooner or later.

[Bert]

Really?

[Jen]

Yeah. With hair. Yeah. There's Newton.

[Wendy]

It's beautiful, though.

[Diana DeGarmo]

It's.

[Bert]

It's, like, entirely nude.

[Jen]

Whoa.

[Wendy]

It is, but it's not like we're standing in there and, like, this huge, bright white light is on us, and we're all like, hey, the show is so gorgeous. And everything from the lighting to the music to the costumes to the whole story that we're telling is gorgeous. And when it happens, you don't expect it. And then next thing you know, we're all gone.

[Frankie]

I want to know about day one in rehearsals for that. The first time you had to actually do it, what you were feeling like,

[Wendy]

it was the most terrifying but biggest adrenaline rush ever. It was our final dress rehearsal in the theater, and because they actually replaced the entire cast, they sent the original Broadway company to the West End, and they recast the entire show. So Ace and I are one of, like, 26 new people that love the show in three weeks. It was crazy. But our final dress rehearsal, we are in our little BN costumes, and you're nude under your costumes, and it's. So you're doing a whole number feeling like. I kind of feel kind of dirty. And the audience was. There was nobody in the audience except our director and our assistant director. So the first time Ace and I had to go back, and we're, like, looking, staring each other down, giving the look of, you better not look down. You better not look down. You better not look down. You better not look down. And we're slowly just undressing, but you're singing. Beads, flowers, freedom, happiness. It's the words just get you through it. And you're out there standing, and you're just like, oh, my God, I'm naked. Oh, my God, I'm naked. Oh, my God, I'm naked. I'm seeing this huge nail, like. And then the siren goes off, and we, like, book it off stage, everyone's, like, throwing their robes on, and we're like, did you just. We just did that. And the funny thing was, the first time we did it, we broke for lunch right at that time. And so everybody is in their robes in the lobby, completely, you know, naked underneath the robes, just sitting there eating sandwiches and chit chatting. I was like, wow, this is amazing. This is brought.

[Ellen]

This is theater.

[Wendy]

Yeah, it's a great thing because it is art, which is nice when you

[Bert]

have it, to audition for it. Did you know that this was part of the show?

[Wendy]

I did know it was part of the show. But, you know, the good thing is that it was always optional. There was no pressure from anyone to ever do it. And the more and more I got into rehearsals because my first impression, I said, not, no, but, hell, no, I'm not getting naked. But I'm known for being America's sweetheart. I can't do that. But granted, in the show prior, I had my shirt ripped off. It's another thing. But then I got to learn Sheila. I play Sheila Franklin, who I get to sing Easy to Be Hard and Good Morning Starshine, these hugely iconic pop songs. And the more I learned about her and her protester, I was like, no, she would be the one leading this. She would be the one that was standing there. And I'm not in the very, very front, but I am a part of it. Because we also didn't want it to become about, oh, come see some naked American Idols. That's not what it's about. It's about the tribe. And when you see the show, Ace and I are just. We're just a part of the tribe. I'm Sheila, and he's Burger. And the side of us you get to see is really cool and I think will open up a lot of people's minds.

[Ellen]

You know, Bird has a tremendous issue with nudity.

[Michael Johns]

Yeah.

[Bert]

Like, phobia.

[Ellen]

He would not do the show.

[Bert]

Yeah, seriously, I would turn that. I would never go to audition. I can't even be. No kidding. I can't even be naked in my own house alone.

[Wendy]

Really?

[Bert]

It's sad, isn't it?

[Wendy]

You need to work on that, man.

[Bert]

I know.

[Frankie]

Can he advise you want to go right now?

[Wendy]

Come on. I'll get naked. You show me yours, I'll show you mine.

[Commercial Announcer]

Okay.

[Wendy]

I do it every night for 1500 people. There's nothing at this point, but, yeah,

[Bert]

Good for you, though. That's. Congratulations. I mean, that's gotta feel great.

[Wendy]

It's fun and it's great. To be in an amazing show that tells a great story, and we have so many people come and just love it, and we have a blast. Literally, the whole audience is invited to come up and dance on stage with us. So you see people crying because some people, like, you know, lived the 60s and they're reliving their. Their childhoods or these certain times of their life. And then you have kids that have never even knew what the Vietnam war was about and are learning so much, and they're like, wow, we were in this war. I was like, oh, yeah.

[Commercial Voice]

Oh, yeah.

[Wendy]

And it was all over the news. Like, people saw people dying on tv. And I think that's why there's so much. So much censorship now on our current wars.

[Bert]

Getting. Getting back to the more superficial in the American Idol. I mean, this night was you. I mean, you've been in this position before. So explain. Give us some insight. Like, what it's like the day that you're about to compete. It's a blur to win or lose this thing. Is it. Is it a blur for you?

[Wendy]

It is. I mean, looking back, there are definitely chunks of it. I'm like, what did I even do? I don't even remember because there's so much going on and there's so much pressure. But at the same time, you're trying to tell yourself, don't freak out, even though you are.

[Bert]

And you were so young.

[Wendy]

Yeah, being 16 was. That was a whole nother bag of potatoes. But it's crazy. It goes by really quickly. And the good thing is, once Tuesday's over, you know that you can't do any more. So you can enjoy Wednesday a little better. You're like, I either won or lost. Either way, the flip of the coin, I can't do anything about it now. I'm gonna enjoy myself. But leading up to this, there are so many rehearsals with. Because they bring everybody back and, like, you know, Wednesday night show was, like, ginormous.

[Bert]

And so Tuesday, you're not just sitting around, like, in your hotel room. You're rehearsing all day. So you don't really have even time to be nervous.

[Wendy]

No, not really. I mean, literally. And it was funny because I remember when we did the show Tuesday, I do remember, like, singing and then being kind of like, oh, the show's. Oh, it's over. Oh, okay. Well, I did my best. I'm gonna go home and vote for myself now. Hey, everybody does it. I'm not the only one. You're like, my five books, my five texts might actually make it Happen?

[Bert]

Well, I had no idea. Like, I assumed it was almost like a football game where you're sitting around in the locker room all day waiting for kickoff.

[Frankie]

No, no.

[Wendy]

And also, it's such a huge production when you bring it to a bigger theater that you're having to do camera blocking. Working with a band, sometimes they have orchestra, you know, full orchestras come. And so you're having to work with the technical side on the same time.

[Bert]

Gotcha.

[Diana DeGarmo]

Cool.

[Bert]

Well, thanks for hanging out. I mean, it's a shame that it's taking us to get to LA to see you again. But, you know, who knows? Maybe one day we'll end up in national and we'll see you there.

[Wendy]

Oh, and I'll come back down to Atlanta one day and just surprise. You guys

[Ellen]

take Bird out to naked lunch or something.

[Wendy]

Maybe we should go to a nudist colony or something. Okay.

[Jen]

Yeah.

[Diana DeGarmo]

All right.

[Wendy]

Family trip.

[Bert]

Good seeing you.

[Wendy]

Good seeing you.

[Bert]

The Birch Show. Q100. The Birch show, live from Los Angeles for the finale of American Idol. Things started rough off on Idol. Like, it was just a little off for like the first 45 minutes.

[Cassie]

Yes.

[Jen]

Yeah.

[Bert]

See, things just seemed a little off,

[Frankie]

you know, I wonder if they did on television or if it was just where we could see it from in person.

[Bert]

Where did it start?

[Ace Young]

What?

[Bert]

Did it start with that weird Dane Cookish thing? Or was it.

[Frankie]

No, I think.

[Bert]

I think started before that.

[Jen]

I think Corey, our hype dude.

[Diana DeGarmo]

Corey, it's the very beginning.

[Jen]

You know how we told you last night or last yesterday. What day is it? We told you yesterday about how the night before last. You know, Corey is the name of the hype guy. You know, the Ryan Seacrest Jr. Dude.

[Bert]

This is the guy you don't see when. When commercials are playing for you guys. There's a guy that's hyping everybody up, getting everybody all excited. His name's Corey.

[Vinted Announcer]

Cory.

[Wendy]

Yeah.

[Jen]

And Bert was talking about how. How perfectly timed everything is. Well, last night it was not perfectly timed. Corey almost went over when the show started. It was just starting.

[Ellen]

That wasn't him. That was the.

[Diana DeGarmo]

The girl she was jacking with.

[Ellen]

She was screwing with everybody. She said what?

[Jen]

It just seemed like he wasn't quite on it, quite prepared.

[Ellen]

She said, 5, 4, 3, 2. And he ran off the stage. And then she was quiet for a minute and she goes. Just kidding. Everybody to go.

[Bert]

I don't think that's where it got all screwed up.

[Diana DeGarmo]

The audience wasn't even prepared because normally they tell you to sit down and then as soon as Ryan says this is American Idol, you all get up and you cheer. And Corey didn't have time to make that announcement. So everyone, even around us was still standing. And we're all supposed to be sitting in the beginning. And I think we're between audience and

[Ellen]

stage got weird when they were all wearing Harry Potter costumes for Alice Cooper.

[Bert]

Oh, the Alice Cooper thing. That's where it started. Weird. Yeah.

[Frankie]

You thought that was weird? Yeah, that was cute.

[Ellen]

Harry Potter and Alice Cooper.

[Bert]

It was a little strange.

[Michael Johns]

Thank you.

[Frankie]

It was very schools out.

[Jen]

It's Harry Potter, but it was a little Hogwarts.

[Michael Johns]

Yeah.

[Diana DeGarmo]

And he came out in full 80s makeup, so he was 70s.

[Jen]

Oh, sorry. I mean they went into the 70s.

[Bert]

But the Dane Cook thing, I don't know that you guys could feel on TV what we saw there or not, because we haven't seen it on tv. But you know, Dane Cook is singing his Simon Cowell song and then all the quote unquote rejects from seasons past come on out. And this guy, Ian Bernardo. Yeah, you'll remember him from season six.

[Frankie]

Season six. And the only reason Burton I know that is because we saw him on the red carpet.

[Bert]

This kid comes out, this kid walks

[Frankie]

the red carpet as if he's like a big time celebrity.

[Bert]

So obnoxious.

[Michael Johns]

Well, he was.

[Ellen]

Remember when he was on with us, he was totally obnoxious.

[Bert]

Dane Cook is singing his song and this wasn't scheduled and I don't know if you picked that up on TV or not, but this Ian Bernardo guy steals the microphone and then some of the other rejects start wrestling trying to get the microphone from him. And Dane Cook is in the back just kind of looking around. I think he's trying to pull it off, off.

[Frankie]

But he looked stunned. Yeah, yeah, like, like what is going on? And then as soon as it. Because they had to go to commercial early, so they had to cut out and go to commercial. And then the mic, the hype guy, Corey came on the mic and goes, well, that went well.

[Jen]

And they couldn't. And they couldn't get the mic out of Ian's hand. They turned the mic off and guards literally had to get him off the stage.

[Frankie]

He was escorted out by security because he was kept going on and on saying, Simon, I'm going to be the one that replaced. Replaces you. I replace you, Simon Cowell.

[Ellen]

But even after we don't know where it cut off on tv.

[Frankie]

That's true.

[Ellen]

But the lights were. Because what happens is after they do the tv, after they've clearly gone to Commercial, then there's a set of lights that go down and then there's a set of work lights that go up. And so that's what. Well into that point. So I know it wasn't on tv. He was still standing at the edge of the stage and I can't believe they let him stand there that long.

[Jen]

That's what we were saying. Yeah, the security had to come get him during that commercial break of.

[Bert]

Based on what we have all seen with security over the last couple of days, like you would think that security would be tighter in la. Like they're used to kicking people off stage. They're used to like people that are trying to get on the red carpet that aren't supposed to be there. They should kick those people out in your guys case, you know, trying to sneak down into the limo area. Like security should be on that stuff in la.

[Ellen]

Remember last year I took a picture of you, Melissa, in the judge's chairs 15 minutes after the show ended.

[Bert]

Sincerely, you can walk anywhere you want on this set and security guards are around, but they don't stop you.

[Ellen]

Except here's the best part, except at the very end of the night, we're all walking out of the Nokia Theater.

[Jen]

Oh my God. Yes.

[Ellen]

And there's a. And I see a cool photo opportunity. So I tell Frankie, Wendy, Jen, Melissa, Burt, I go, you guys, Bert, give me your camera phone. You all line up right here, I'm gonna take a picture. And the security guard starts hassling Bert that he can't take a picture there

[Bert]

because you're not supposed to have your

[Jen]

phone and even media's not supposed to have their phones over.

[Bert]

You're not supposed to have your phone in the Nokia Theater.

[Ellen]

But I can understand that. What I can understand is the show's over. It's been over for 15 minutes. There's nobody even in the theater.

[Jen]

The only thing, the only thing I could think of is that behind us when we were taking the picture, the sign said Lee wins still. And I wonder if they were afraid that we would ruin it for the west coast. Like the Twitter, Facebook and everybody.

[Ellen]

That's why the Internet ruined it for the West Coast. BlackBerry didn't ruin it for.

[Bert]

The security guard was smart there though, because, you know, after we took the. As we were taking the picture, she was walked briskly away. So if any other security people saw it, she could be held accountable. She was smart about that.

[Ellen]

I told him not to.

[Frankie]

Bye bye.

[Bert]

Yeah, I don't even know what they're doing. Hey, the bird show.

[Vinted Announcer]

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[Jen]

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[Vinted Announcer]

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[Cassie]

It.

[Vinted Announcer]

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[Michael Johns]

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[Cassie]

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[Diana DeGarmo]

the

[Bert]

Birch Show Q100 and the Birch show we are still out in LA the morning after the finale of American Idol. In a couple of seconds, Jen and I'll tell you about the red carpet because, man, everybody came by there. We'll tell you all about it. I snuck onto the carpet, man, I can't wait to crash the barrier. So we'll tell you that in a couple of seconds. But while we were on the red carpet schmoozing, what were you guys doing?

[Ellen]

We were getting kicked out of places.

[Frankie]

Where'd you go?

[Ellen]

We. We all met down. We followed the leader in the lobby. I was a leader. I was trying to take us boldly to places we had never been before. And so we all met in the lobby. And Melissa had noticed from her hotel room that some of the celebrities who you guys were about to encounter on the red carpet would actually kind of get in a limousine in this little alleyway, and the limousine would just drive them around the building and deliver them.

[Jen]

Oh, yeah. I happened to look at. I heard cheers out my window, and I looked out the window, and I saw this limo pull up. So, you know, my voyeur self got my camera out, and I twitpicked who was going into it. I think it was Kara, who listeners think it was. And. But they were getting into the limo where I was watching so that they could pull around the corner and get out of the limo in front of people. So.

[Frankie]

So funny, Hollywood, that they actually never really would have ever gotten into a limo except to create the appearance.

[Jen]

Yes, absolutely.

[Frankie]

It's so funny.

[Ellen]

So she had pointed to where the little alleyway was, and I'm like, well, we got time to kill, so let's walk down there and see who we can see. And everybody had their credentials on for Idol, And I was playing under the rules of if you're wearing credentials and act confident, you will have access.

[Frankie]

Does everybody know what credentials are?

[Ellen]

Yeah, little things that hang around your neck that say, official media, press, important, VIP girl let me in. So we were wearing these credentials around our neck, and we just. Frankie had asked someone like, we belong long. Being very confident. Frankie's like, how do we get in? They're like, you got to go through that security tent. So we all clear right through the security tent. No problem. And we end up. This is gonna be hard for you and Jen to take.

[Wendy]

What?

[Ellen]

Standing with who? David Hasselhoff.

[Commercial Announcer]

Whoa.

[Frankie]

You were hassling the Hoff?

[Ellen]

Yep.

[Jen]

Yes.

[Bert]

Actually, we're like, what's.

[Ellen]

What's up, Talk face. How you doing, man? He's like, I'm huge in Germany.

[Bert]

Was he Hammer?

[Ellen]

So he was drinking.

[Jen]

He didn't seem hammered. He's tall, and his skin looks like he's been drinking all his life.

[Bert]

Oh, really?

[Diana DeGarmo]

Yeah.

[Jen]

Things I didn't actually not quite that A little rough. Little rough? Like a little red too Red. Little too.

[Frankie]

Is his nose big?

[Bert]

Bulbous?

[Jen]

I don't think he's done the bulbous nose yet.

[Ellen]

I didn't really talk to him as much is I Talked to the 12 year old girl who was videotaping doing him doing shots. So we're kind of hanging out and the Hoff's there and we're like, there's a big old fat Rolls Royce. You know, this is the back door of the Nokia theater. Everybody's coming in and Wendy, you know, she can't travel to a VIP event without totally skankifying herself. Short little dress.

[Jen]

No, you look great is the right word. You look really good.

[Ellen]

You looked really good and classy. Whatever was classy enough to get the attention of the hot secure. The security guard who's like, who's that hottie over there? And came over and it's like, what are you doing here?

[Jen]

It's really. I think Wendy's probably the one that got us in.

[Diana DeGarmo]

I was like, I was trying to like move towards the door and go inside. And everybody else wanted to stand outside to see who we could see and get it. No limo outside.

[Frankie]

You see more people backstage.

[Diana DeGarmo]

But no, everyone wanted to stay outside.

[Ellen]

And she attracted attention. Looking all short, short skirt, good for you.

[Bert]

Use what you got. Use what you got.

[Ellen]

Got us. Bounced straight out of there. We were hanging with the Hoff and Wendy. Bam, gone.

[Bert]

So the security guard came up to you and you, you aren't like receptive to him. And that's when he's like, get out of here.

[Diana DeGarmo]

No, I was nice.

[Jen]

Jeff is throwing Wendy under the bus.

[Diana DeGarmo]

This is none of my fault. I was heading towards the door. Everybody else wanted to stand outside and be like.

[Jen]

Jeff wanted to stand looking confident and looking around to see who else he could see that drew attention.

[Diana DeGarmo]

To go in backstage and see who I could hang with.

[Bert]

I will, I will use your philosophy. Okay. As you know, the working, looking confident gets you into places that you shouldn't be. So Jen and I are on the red carpet.

[Frankie]

Yes.

[Bert]

And the way the whole thing is set up, we explained it last year also. You want to do the honors here?

[Frankie]

Yeah. Basically there's a big red carpet and it rolls from the side where Melissa saw them pulling up the limos, dropping everybody off. It goes about, I would say, like a city block and kind of wraps its way around. There are television stations from all over the world, media outlets from everywhere. And there we are, we're right along. We were actually right next to the TV Guide show. The TV Guide channel.

[Ellen]

I think what's most interesting about it is the red carpet is not straight. Like, it's not one straight crooked city.

[Frankie]

It's like it's an S shape, really.

[Ellen]

Zigzag to get more real estate.

[Frankie]

Yeah, it's totally zigzagged. There's all of those banners behind it where they call them step and repeat banners because the logo. Step and repeat. And so that's what the banners are called that everybody walks in front of, takes pictures, and everybody's sort of shouting at the celebrities as they come by. You know, as you would see, you know, former idols like Michael Johns. Everybody's yelling, michael. John's. Michael Johns.

[Vinted Announcer]

Over here, over here.

[Frankie]

And he would come over and say hi. And people are asking him questions. Can we take your picture? Can we? This not the other thing.

[Ellen]

So he hammered.

[Diana DeGarmo]

That was.

[Bert]

No, he wasn't, I think, because he had to be on stage

[Frankie]

mining his P's and Q's.

[Jen]

But.

[Frankie]

But everybody comes down that way. So Bert and I got to see just about everyone.

[Bert]

Everybody that came through.

[Frankie]

Ellen DeGeneres came.

[Wendy]

Oh, cool.

[Frankie]

Oh, on the red car.

[Bert]

Crystal Lee.

[Ellen]

Now are y'.

[Jen]

All.

[Ellen]

Are y' all shouting questions at them? Are you like Alan, Ellen.

[Bert]

Ellen.

[Frankie]

I shouted at Ellen or ask him.

[Bert]

Like, she was more aggressive than I was. I was taking a lot of pictures and put him up on Facebook and Twitter. She was way more aggressive than I was.

[Frankie]

But it's hard because a lot of times the big celebrities, especially depending on timing, don't have a lot of time to go down. And so, like former Idol contestants spend a lot of time milking it.

[Ellen]

They do.

[Frankie]

And they're out there from the very beginning until the very end. But big time celebrities like Christina Applegate was. Was there last night with her children. She was coming through the red carpet and just whisks her way through because she's trying to get her kids in their seats.

[Bert]

Right.

[Ellen]

Right.

[Frankie]

With their popcorn and their coke and get them in the. You know what I mean? And then we're also at the very

[Bert]

end of the line, too, of the media line. It goes like important tv, local tv, magazines, and at the very end is radio. So by the time they get to radio, they're sort of like burned out and stuff. So it's really difficult to get him to stop. But Jen did a good job.

[Ellen]

You guys are wedged between, like, snarky idol.com superblog and 6 20Whn, the voice of Syracuse.

[Bert]

At some point, I was just like, there was a radio guy that accidentally ended up on the other side of the barrier. And he was there for a couple of people, and then he came back, and I figured, well, if nobody called that dude out, I'm gonna try it. So I took one of the barriers and separated it and walked down to the red carpet. Carpet. I looked around. Nobody said anything.

[Frankie]

So Burches was like, all right, I'm taking out. He goes, I'm going in. Okay, you go in. I'll hold down the fort here.

[Ellen]

So did you walk the red carpet?

[Bert]

Yeah, yeah. Well, I did a couple of things. First, I walked the other way, like, upstream, dude, Because I wanted to walk the whole thing. So Reuben's right here, and I'm saying hey to Reuben, and I got the credentials on, and everybody's cool. Hey, Ruben, what's going on? And Chile gave her a big hug. I'm on the red carpet with everybody. Everybody's around, and I'm in the middle of them.

[Jen]

Oh, that's hilarious.

[Ellen]

Chili there with her? Her kid?

[Bert]

No, she was there alone.

[Ellen]

Really?

[Bert]

Yeah.

[Wendy]

Yeah.

[Frankie]

She gave us some scoop on her reality show.

[Bert]

Yes.

[Vinted Announcer]

Oh, really?

[Frankie]

You want to talk about it?

[Bert]

Yeah. I mean, she wouldn't have told us if she knew.

[Frankie]

It's her. Well, first of all, her finale is coming up. What, Sunday night? Memorial Day weekend. Sunday night. And then she told us that they signed her up for a season two.

[Bert]

Oh, cool.

[Frankie]

So. So I go. I guess Chili didn't find what she wants. And she goes, no, no, you gotta watch, because it could be a continuation.

[Bert]

It was almost like accidental scoop. So I took. I took my. My. The video on my camera and walked the red carpet with it.

[Jen]

Oh, that's awesome.

[Bert]

Above my head, past cops. You know, they were like, high five. And me, they want to kiss me. Who are you? Like, yeah, I'm cool. I got a badge. So I walked right down the red carpet, and I got it on video. I'll put it up on the birdshow.com when we get home.

[Frankie]

That's gonna be really cool for everybody to see, because you really will get a chance to see sort of what it looks like behind the scenes of all of those pictures that you see up on your. Your favorite celebrity gossip websites, the ones we put up on the birthshow.com. like, you'll see what it really looks like, and then you can compare that to the pictures that you always see of celebrities. You know, it's really, really fascinating.

[Bert]

It was a lot of fun, but everybody stopped by there, and Jen cornered Taylor Hicks for a while. Yep.

[Frankie]

Talked to Taylor. He says hi to Atlanta. We talked to Chile for a little while. I also talked to Dr. Drew, Celebrity Rehab. He was there, and he actually talked to us for a while about, you know, celebrities and why they need rehab. Have William Hung sung for you guys?

[Bert]

He did a little shebang.

[Frankie]

Nice. We talked to Michael Johns, of course. I talked to one of the guys in the band Chicago. His name is Jason. And I talked to him before they went on stage. And so he told me before everybody else knew that they were. That they were going to be performing with Lee. And he said that the whole band wanted Lee to win, so they're the band. Chicago was very happy today because Lee is the winner.

[Bert]

We started to piecemeal together what was going to happen on the show based on the celebrities that were walking the red carpet.

[Ellen]

Right.

[Bert]

We took pictures of Alice Cooper and put him up on Facebook. And then the BG dudes came in. Then the Doobie brother dude came in. So we sort of knew when we were tweeting who was going to be on the show.

[Ellen]

Did you think for one moment that you had tripped and fallen back into 1976?

[Jen]

I know.

[Frankie]

Well, we were really worried about it, too. We were like, o, this is going to be like, maybe this is going to be kind of old rocker. Like, are how are they going to be able to mix it up? But obviously they did, you know, with the Alana S', more, said Brett Michaels, Christina with Jackson, you know, know, so they were able to make it newer. But I mean, I mean, that went

[Jen]

back to elementary school.

[Frankie]

That wasn't high school.

[Jen]

That was elementary school.

[Ellen]

I have some Christina Aguilera scoop.

[Frankie]

Oh, do tell.

[Ellen]

Because during the performance last night, Melissa leaned over to me at one point and said, that right there is a divorce anthem. That song that Christina performed.

[Jen]

Yes.

[Ellen]

I think Frankie. Yeah, Frankie was on the other side of it. He said something about it. Wendy leaned up and said, everybody's talking about how that was because that song

[Jen]

was way too personal and the lyrics were way to descriptive.

[Bert]

I said to Jen, I'm like, this is a little heavy for American Idol.

[Frankie]

That was her announcement. I mean, it's got to be coming soon.

[Ellen]

So when y' all were buying your T shirts and whatnot, I wandered back to that limousine alley where we were hassling the Hoff earlier.

[Frankie]

Yeah.

[Ellen]

To see who I could see leaving. And I saw, just as I got back there, I saw. This is funny too. I saw Christina Aguilera walking out and getting in her limousine with a couple handlers in Front of her, a couple handlers behind her. And she was smiling and holding Jordan's hand.

[Bert]

Oh, really?

[Ellen]

And the two of them walked back and got in the car together. Now, this is funny because it's a.

[Frankie]

Jordan is her husband.

[Ellen]

Yep. It's a tough description.

[Jen]

Okay. I was like, jordan Sparks.

[Bert]

There's real scoop.

[Diana DeGarmo]

Okay.

[Frankie]

Jordan Bratman is his name.

[Jen]

Oh.

[Ellen]

The Nokia Theater sits across a little alleyway from the Marriott Hotel where we've been staying and where some of the people related to Idol are staying. So I saw Christina Aguilera, and I'm like, oh, that's cool. Cool. Now let me get back to the hotel and do some work before heading out for the night. And as I walk through the lobby of the hotel, that same limousine pulls up to the front. It literally drove one block.

[Bert]

Come on.

[Diana DeGarmo]

That's funny.

[Ellen]

Jordan and Christina got out and got in the elevator ahead of me, and with their arms around each other and smiling, and really, everything seemed fine.

[Jen]

And where did they head?

[Diana DeGarmo]

And they headed up to my floor.

[Bert]

Yeah, Wendy's on the same floor as us. Tell them about the tv, dude.

[Diana DeGarmo]

It's insane. No, I. I went out of my room to come up to Frankie's room to visit for a second last night.

[Ellen]

Yeah, I bet you did.

[Diana DeGarmo]

Not that kind of visit. No. This is gonna be a good story. No.

[Bert]

So that would have been a great story for Frankie.

[Diana DeGarmo]

No. Walked out of my room, and all of a sudden, I see this hotel worker bring this other huge TV. Like, caring. We have, like, huge TVs in our room, so carrying another TV into another room, and I'm like, huh, this is weird. So I walk further down my hallway. There's a. Like, a security man standing right at the end of a hallway. So I passed by him. I was like, this is weird. Okay. Maybe there's just something going on on the floor. And I look down. I turn. I have to turn the corner to go to the elevators. And I turn the corner, There are seven different security people standing in front of this door, this hotel room. Is she ready? They're, like, whispering that. Is she ready yet? Is she getting ready?

[Jen]

Is she getting ready?

[Diana DeGarmo]

Is Jordan in there? And it's just crazy because Christina and Jordan are on my floor, and they're

[Bert]

bringing an extra TV into their suite.

[Diana DeGarmo]

Another tv.

[Ellen]

That's security. Entourage is why I didn't get. Nobody got on an elevator for a quick second. They move like.

[Diana DeGarmo]

They move the elevators. Oh, yeah. They were like. They're literally watching everybody as they come in and off, like, in and out of the elevator.

[Bert]

Really?

[Ellen]

So did you spend the night with Frankie?

[Diana DeGarmo]

I did not spend the night with Frankie.

[Ellen]

Sorry, Frankie.

[Frankie]

Oh, buddy.

[Jen]

Sorry.

[Commercial Announcer]

Get it.

[Bert]

The Bird Show.

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[Jen]

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[Diana DeGarmo]

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[Bert]

You're on The Birch Show, Q100 and the Bert show in LA for the finale of American Idol. And we've been telling you guys for the last couple of days that Fox has been parading all of the past Idol contestants in front of us. And we've been talking to a whole bunch of them. Some of them make them on the air, some of them don't. However, from time to time, something so special happens. It can't be. It can't be ignored. And there was a sexual chemistry between Wendy and Ace Young that cannot be denied.

[Jen]

That's right.

[Diana DeGarmo]

Well, and before we preface this conversation with Ace Young, we did just talk to Diana Degarmo, who's in a Broadway play with Ace in which they have to get Naked. So that's just the preface. And that's not what came off.

[Jen]

Just the fact that they're in Hair on Broadway has nothing to do with what you and Ace have here in la.

[Ellen]

Bert, Rose, chemistry, digging, self.

[Frankie]

Some.

[Diana DeGarmo]

Wendy.

[Jen]

Yes.

[Bert]

And she didn't need any help. She was doing just fine by herself. And I'll just tell you after this that I told Wendy that I would not do another interview until she gave her phone number to Ace Young. She went right over there, scribbled it down, he put it in his pants.

[Ellen]

Now I don't.

[Bert]

The phone number in his pants.

[Ellen]

I don't want to be a buzz killer or anything, but didn't like. Like Ace Young's cousin end up calling you last night to go out?

[Bert]

Bert, the brother and I are like this. So I'm gonna set it up. You are definitely having sex with one of the Young brothers.

[Jen]

Not only our boss, he's our pimp.

[Bert]

Wendy and Ace Young, are you gonna vote? I have never once. Do you think.

[Ace Young]

Do you think voting even matters?

[Bert]

Honestly?

[Diana DeGarmo]

Yeah.

[Bert]

It's a better answer if you answer it as well.

[Ace Young]

Then ask me.

[Bert]

Okay. Do you think voting even matters?

[Ace Young]

I truthfully don't know.

[Bert]

You baited me in and didn't give me any answer.

[Ace Young]

You know what I think? I think that selling. I think selling lunch boxes in the south matters. I think selling toothpaste matters. American Idol, how to learn how to sing DVDs matters.

[Bert]

Yep.

[Ace Young]

But, you know, voting definitely tells you where the people are.

[Bert]

See, that's what I really think, that Lee. Lee's going to win tonight. I think because of that whole packaging thing.

[Ace Young]

It's gonna. It's gonna be. It's gonna be weird. Lee's the one that has the ability to still kind of surprise me because I don't know what to expect from him. But this is the first time they're singing in front of 6,000 people, so they could. I mean, they could ball choke. You'd have no idea what's gonna happen.

[Frankie]

They're both such humble contestants.

[Ace Young]

Yeah.

[Frankie]

You know, like last year we had Adam Lambert, who was like, you know, I think far on the spectrum from humble. Like, he was already this big personality. You know what I mean?

[Ace Young]

He had smoke, flame and everything.

[Jen]

Exactly.

[Frankie]

He's had all this confidence, and then you had sort of like the, you know, the more humble guy. And so they sort of were the opposites of each other this time. I think Crystal and Lee are both very humble and very grounded and sort of almost subdued.

[Ace Young]

I totally agree. And I Like, that it's a girl and a guy.

[Frankie]

I agree with that.

[Ace Young]

Because it makes the music better. Like, literally, we're not gonna hear the same type of song. We're not gonna hear the same. The same register vocally.

[Frankie]

Right.

[Ace Young]

We're gonna hear different things. We're gonna be like, oh, damn. I didn't expect that. Oh, that was nice. That was good. I didn't expect that.

[Diana DeGarmo]

Yeah.

[Ace Young]

So I'm excited as far as just a. Not just a viewer. I'm excited just to see the. The songs they have up their sleeve.

[Bert]

Diana DeGarmo was just telling us that you guys are getting naked on stage with each other.

[Diana DeGarmo]

Yeah. How's that going?

[Bert]

Yeah, awesome.

[Ace Young]

Do you want to come do the show with me?

[Diana DeGarmo]

I mean, I would love to.

[Wendy]

Yeah, let's make that happen.

[Diana DeGarmo]

I mean, we can go rehearse for the show right now.

[Bert]

I'm ready.

[Ace Young]

Good. I don't even know why we're doing the interview.

[Jen]

We don't have to say, wait, I want to block.

[Wendy]

I want to be blocked.

[Diana DeGarmo]

I mean, there's a rehearsal space called my hotel room right upstairs.

[Ace Young]

But we could make a video and we could post it online. See, I told you. You were the one that made it dirty.

[Diana DeGarmo]

Did I even start this conversation?

[Bert]

You right now are giving him the that. We've been taught the that.

[Diana DeGarmo]

No, I did not give that. You asked the initial.

[Ace Young]

That's why you're sitting in between us.

[Frankie]

Oh, this is our rehearsal space next to Wendy.

[Bert]

Let's go.

[Ace Young]

Well, now I'm nervous while we're talking.

[Diana DeGarmo]

Well, now I'm. Now I'm nervous.

[Ace Young]

You're nervous. So, yes, Diana DeGarmo.

[Bert]

Forget about that for a second. You're vibing on Wendy, right?

[Ace Young]

I am vibing.

[Bert]

Yeah.

[Ace Young]

Well, Wendy's smoking.

[Bert]

Well, how about, like. What about a drink or something after the show tonight?

[Diana DeGarmo]

Let's grab a drink.

[Ace Young]

Okay. Kind of drink.

[Diana DeGarmo]

Vodka.

[Ace Young]

You going to drop something in my drink?

[Diana DeGarmo]

You never know. I've always got tricks up my sleeve. No, I don't need to drop anything in your drink. You just have to have just one.

[Ace Young]

Just one.

[Diana DeGarmo]

Just one.

[Wendy]

You don't need any more than that.

[Ace Young]

You look good right now. I don't need a drink.

[Wendy]

See?

[Diana DeGarmo]

Oh, perfect. Let's just go grab a me and we don't woo.

[Frankie]

I feel like I'm, like, e dropping on something I shouldn't be or something like channel.

[Diana DeGarmo]

We're good. We're good.

[Ace Young]

No, it's. It's.

[Diana DeGarmo]

I'm getting all hot, and by there, you guys probably Like a tomato right now.

[Bert]

You need to come.

[Ace Young]

Mine's always a tomato. I'm always rosy. Oh, you're just making it pop.

[Diana DeGarmo]

Oh, God bless. The most I've gotten hit on in a long time.

[Bert]

Make this happen.

[Ace Young]

I know hair on Broadway is ridiculous. And it was the first time I. I never thought I'd be naked on stage.

[Bert]

Yeah, man.

[Ace Young]

Ever.

[Bert]

I mean, tell us about that.

[Ace Young]

You.

[Bert]

First of all, you must have said, keep it like 85 degrees in here.

[Diana DeGarmo]

I want to be.

[Ace Young]

Sit down, warm up, me up. I was like, I'm coming out. If I'm coming out, I'm coming out full flag. Like, I'm gonna be ready to roll. Girls don't understand what it's like to be a guy. But no, man, it was. It was unbelievable. We have 1500 people there every. Every show, and wow, the show, incredible. So the story is so beautiful. Like, the storyline between Sheila Berger and. And Claude, it's so beautiful. And it's so. It's. It touches a note for me because my uncle went to Vietnam. Like, I. I went to Vietnam six months ago and did a documentary with one of my friends so I could understand my uncle.

[Jen]

Oh, wow.

[Ace Young]

I did private tours of, like, Ho Chi Minh Tunnels. I couldn't even fit in the damn things. Like, I was too big. Went to Hanoi, and I just went through just to understand it. And. And when I came back, he and I had some of the craziest stories ever. And I finally understand everything that he went through, and I understand the way his brain works. Two months later, I get offered the audition for Burger. Meant to be just lined up.

[Bert]

Yeah.

[Ace Young]

And the story is so beautiful. The first time I saw the show, I knew I was getting naked because it's done so nicely and it's so such a part of the show. And I'm the leader of the damn tribe. So if I'm, like, running off and covering up, it doesn't work. If everybody's free and we're free in our skin, I gotta be the leader. So literally, like, Diana and I, we both just. We work it out.

[Frankie]

So did you always think you would do Broadway? Is. Is that something you wanted to do?

[Ace Young]

I'm a business guy. Like, literally my business side, since I've been in la, I just created a record label with my brother. We have three acts that are killing it in Canada and London, and we've been pushing there. We just got financing. They start coming to the States now. And the States is so different, like, as far as the way that music is actually Distributed. So we just finally got the support so we can do it.

[Commercial Voice]

Right.

[Ace Young]

And I literally have a full on recording studio in la, Sweden, and another one in New York. And that's like my brain's business. I love business. So to do Broadway, it's just like, it's just another challenge. Like, I look at it like a sport, like playing football. It's like, okay, I saw this other guy do it. I'm gonna do it better.

[Bert]

Okay.

[Ace Young]

And I'm gonna make my stamp and I'm gonna make sure that everybody comes and sees the show is really falling into it. When they look at me, they don't see me. You know, I love, I love acting because I get to really fall into it. And, and this, this character is so far from how you know me.

[Frankie]

Right.

[Ace Young]

Like, it is me, but it's so far from how everybody knows me.

[Bert]

It's not so far from how. Wendy wants to see you.

[Ace Young]

Oh, we're, we're, we're going to work

[Wendy]

that out how we'll get to know

[Frankie]

each other a little bit.

[Ace Young]

She's going to come and see the show and just get naked on stage with us. I thought it was like a beautiful moment. Why are they, why are they working it out in the corner of the stage?

[Bert]

Why don't we just construct a stage in the hotel?

[Ace Young]

I'm down for that.

[Diana DeGarmo]

Okay.

[Ace Young]

I'm down.

[Bert]

Just trying to help you out.

[Ace Young]

I'm down.

[Jen]

Oh, she don't need help, honey. I, I think it's going to, to happen.

[Ace Young]

See now, last year, last year I was in a situation and now I'm free from it, so I'm actually able to do whatever.

[Bert]

Well, I got news for. You're in a situation right now.

[Diana DeGarmo]

That's right.

[Ace Young]

This is good for me.

[Frankie]

Different kind of situation.

[Ace Young]

Where's the cameraman?

[Diana DeGarmo]

We don't need any camera. You don't want that on YouTube. You don't want that getting out there.

[Ace Young]

I'm surprised. We actually, we. We have amazing security during the show. And I'm surprised there hasn't been naked shots of all house on stage.

[Bert]

Yeah.

[Ace Young]

Because literally, like, they're on it. The moment, the moment that the scenes are starting to happen. All the ushers are coming up and down the aisles.

[Bert]

Yeah, right.

[Ace Young]

They're on it. It's amazing.

[Bert]

Well, congratulations, man.

[Jen]

That's great.

[Ace Young]

Thank you. I'm having a blast. Like, it's, it's fun. Come out to New York City. Come party. I'll be there all summer.

[Bert]

Okay.

[Diana DeGarmo]

Come watch. You naked.

[Ace Young]

Yeah, baby.

[Diana DeGarmo]

Nice.

[Ace Young]

Yeah.

[Frankie]

You don't need to go to New York for that.

[Ace Young]

She's looking at me like I'm already naked.

[Diana DeGarmo]

I'm a sexual fiend now.

[Bert]

All right, well, thanks for stopping by, man. We appreciate it.

[Ace Young]

Let's have fun tonight.

[Bert]

Yes. Listen, it's the Vert show.