Karaoke bounces POPSearch contestant

Lauren Dutterer stood proudly on the Symphony Hall stage Monday, one of just seven singers picked as semi finalists for the POPSearch 2007 contest. But by yesterday , Dutterer had virtually disappeared. The Pops trimmed the flight attendant from a video with conductor Keith Lockhart and other winners posted on YouTube. Why the cruel cut? Dutterer got bounced from the Pops' singing contest because she won a karaoke challenge in 2003. She took home $3,500, a violation of POPSearch rules, which ban anyone who's pocketed more than $100 in a talent competition in the past six years. "I sang that song 'Broken Wing,' " said Dutterer, 29. "I don't really advertise it because I don't feel I'm a karaoke singer. But it's on the Internet. Anybody could have found it." The Pops called Dutterer Tuesday to tell her an anonymous fax had rolled into the office ratting her out. And Dutterer's not the only disappearing singer. Kelley Lennon and Kelly Ferguson were also sent packing for the same reason. "I guess it's a lesson to me that I need to read the fine print," said Dutterer. "But I still think it's ridiculous."

A hairy day Affleck

He's by no means the star of "Ocean's Thirteen," but Casey Affleck sure stood out at the movie's LA premiere. While George Clooney cleaned up like Cary Grant, Ben Affleck's little brother was sporting a bleached-blond mohawk. "It's not for a role," the actor's publicist told us yesterday. "He was just doing something fun." Affleck posed for photos before the film, but miffed some onlookers by wandering into the after-party without signing autographs. Here's hoping Casey won't leave fans fuming this fall, when he stars in Ben's directoral debut, "Gone, Baby, Gone." Speaking of the elder Affleck: he and his lovely wife, Jennifer Garner, will co chair the grand reopening gala at the Boston Children's Museum Oct. 27.

E! tells Tylers’ ‘True’ story

Whatever is left to say about Steven Tyler and his daughter Liv, E!'s about to say it. The dynamic duo, who didn't even know they were related for the first several years of Liv's life, are the subject of an "E! True Hollywood Story" airing June 16. The show includes interviews with original Aerosmith guitarist Ray Tabano, former manager Henry Smith, Ted Nugent, and Liv's mom, Bebe Buell, who trots out the oft-told tale of her romance with Tyler and Liv's discovery that her dad was in Aerosmith. (She'd been led to believe Todd Rundgren was her old man.) "I told Steven, 'she knows,' " recalls Buell, who now lives in Portland, Maine. "He burst into tears, everybody was hugging and crying, and it was quite a big deal."

Brushing up on Ringo's art

It's no secret John Lennon liked to doodle, but who knew drummer Ringo Starr also fancied himself an artist? For years, Starr has been drawing faces and forms on his computer, and selling them to support the Lotus Foundation, his charity supporting numerous social causes. Since an exhibit of work by the former Beatle is up tomorrow through Sunday at 60 Church St. in Harvard Square, we dialed him up to chat. Starr agreed to talk to us for exactly 10 minutes.

Hello? Where are you?

I live in Monte Carlo, but I'm in LA.

I'm in Boston.

One of my favorite cities in America. I've always equated Boston with Amsterdam. Everyone's calm and cool there.

Describe your art for me.

To keep myself busy while I was stuck in hotels on tour, I began using the painting program on my computer. I'd draw faces and color them in.

What's your computer? Care to give them a plug?

No, I'm not going to give them a plug.

Do you paint, too?

In Monte Carlo, I like to paint on canvas. I used to use acrylics, but Rembrandt used oils, so I started using oils.

Your pictures have a goofy sensibility.

Yes, they're kind of childlike. I'm using the most sophisticated piece of equipment, but doing the simplest painting.

(A voice comes on the line: "We're almost out of time.")

What is it with rock stars and painting? There's John Lennon, Jerry Garcia, Ron Wood, Grace Slick . . .

Joni Mitchell . . . Paul [ McCartney ] likes to paint . . . A lot of us come from an art school environment, but, really, out of thousands of musicians, there's maybe only 10.

Say, have you heard Paul's new record?

I have. I've listened to it once.

And?

The best of luck to him.

Is that an endorsement?

It's whatever you want to make of it.

(A voice: "We're out of time.")

I guess that's it then.

God bless and peace and love.

Eli Roth's gory horror pics aren't for everyone, and that's fine with him. "You've got to make movies for your fans," said the Newton native, whose "Hostel: Part II" opens tomorrow . "My movies are pure, not watered down." Since becoming Hollywood's blood-and-guts "it boy," Roth has been a regular in the gossip pages for his rumored romance with Rosario Dawson. "We've been at exactly two events and were photographed together at both," Roth told us yesterday. "We are not dating. I've been married to the editing room." A master of self-promotion, Roth also shows up in Tim Palen's new book, "Guts: The Art of Marketing Horror Films." In a photograph, which is making the rounds on the Internet, Roth is wearing an enormous prosthetic private part. "It's an exaggeration . . . I don't normally wear that much eye shadow," Roth joked. "It's surprising that I can still shock my parents."

Andy Dick has canceled his shows at Boston's Comedy Connection tomorrow and Saturday because he's injured himself. Word from the box office is that Dick broke his ankle, but the comic's peeps refused comment.

British film director Michael Winterbottom dropped by the Globe yesterday to chat with staffers about "A Mighty Heart," his new film about Mariane Pearl, wife of slain Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl. The movie stars Angelina Jolie, who knocked out Winterbottom with her dedication to the project, sticking around the set even when she wasn't on call. "I thought after the first couple of days, she'd [leave and] say 'call me when you need me,' " Winterbottom said, but Jolie never played the diva. The film, co-produced by Brad Pitt, opens June 22.

Blowing kisses to the camera, Bob Barker signed off on 35 years on "The Price Is Right" and 50 years in daytime TV in the same low-key, genial fashion that made him one of daytime TV's biggest stars. Barker ended the program as he always has, signing off with the words "Help control the pet population, have your pets spayed or neutered. Goodbye everybody." After the cameras stopped rolling, he told the studio audience, "I thank you, thank you, thank you for inviting me into your home for more than 50 years. I'm truly grateful and I hope that all of you have enjoyed your visit to 'The Price Is Right.' " The hour-long taping began with the show's 83-year-old host entering the studio to a standing ovation from an adoring public and a giant shower of colorful confetti from his colleagues. The program is scheduled to air on June 15.

"Jericho" fans who slammed CBS with protests over the drama's cancellation have won the battle: It will return next season, the network said yesterday. It was an unusual display of viewer might since networks usually put ratings ahead of even the most passionate, well-organized fan base. But CBS said the show deserved another chance, while cautioning that it must prove it has wider appeal. "Wow! Over the past few weeks you have put forth an impressive and probably unprecedented display of passion in support of a prime - time television series," CBS Entertainment president Nina Tassler said in a letter to "Jericho" boosters. (AP)

The Rolling Stones' European tour kicked off in Belgium to a big crowd, rave reviews -- and a massive traffic jam. Some 33,000 fans showed up Tuesday in the town of Werchter, but when Mick Jagger started off with "Start Me Up," fans were still shuffling for position on the concert grounds after being stuck for hours in a 30-mile traffic jam caused by the show and made worse by an accident. (AP)

'I used to. But it's difficult toward the end.' ‘‘Sopranos’’ star James Gandolfini, asked whether he likes his character, Tony.

Geoff Edgers of the Globe staff contributed. Names can be reached at names@ globe.com or at 617-929-8253.