In one of the most memorable "American Idol" finales of all time, season five broke all records with a whopping 63.4 million votes that were cast and 200 million people watching around the globe. Some of the highlights of the show that took place on May 24th, was when Clay Aiken walked on stage, sporting a jaw-dropping new look. Clay, as you know was runner-up for season two, and his CD sales have topped Ruben Studdard with his "Measure of a Man" CD. Aiken, 27, is by far the only runner-up to achieve success, second only to Kelly Clarkson. The other show-stopper was the appearance of Prince, (voted PETA's world sexiest vegetarian annual poll) when at 15 minutes before the ending of the show, Ryan Seacrest says we're all done with the guest stars, and it's time for the results, when out struts......Prince who performed two songs "Lolita" and "Satisfied", and simply stunned the excited audience. Other performers included Meat Loaf, Al Jarreau, Mary J. Blige, Burt Bacharach, Dionne Warwick and Toni Braxton, who sang with Taylor Hicks. Hicks, was always one of my favorites, going back to almost day one when he entered the audition room playing a harmonica. In case you didn't agree with America, let's begin with the reality that Hicks was never in the bottom three or two, he never forgot his lyrics, he never wore sunglasses, he never seemed overconfident, always had fun on stage and most importantly he was always humble. Future contestants could learn from him. Taylor Hicks never missed an opportunity to thank his "Soul Patrol", which by the way I'm on, helped capture America's heart with his charisma and soul. Let's face it, he has something very special that only appears in certain performers, his style and enthusiasm is why he is today the new “American Idol.” There were many stars in the audience including Ben Stiller and Heather Locklear chatting together while many tabloid editors and reporters frantically text-message each other. David Hasselhoff actually teared up when Taylor Hicks’ name was announced the winner. Hasselhoff will be one of the judges on Simon Cowell's "America's Got Talent" show, along with Brandy and British media figure Piers Morgan. Did you know that Taylor was the first contestant to get clearance for the songs "Something" by the Beatles, and "Dancing in the Dark" by Bruce Springsteen? So the future is bright for Taylor Hicks, 29, who will have a $1 million recording contract, and will be cruising in a Ford Mustang convertible singing some new lyrics: "Come on, America,", "I'm livin' the American dream!".  I foresee superstardom for Taylor Hicks, and winning "American Idol" amounts to a guaranteed No.1 spot on the Billboard charts. By the way, I'm quite sure besides the "Soul Patrol", he had Elvis Presley fans vote for him too, since his speaking voice reminds us of Elvis. The rest is history.

Toni Braxton who sang a duet with Taylor Hicks on the finale of "American Idol" on May 24th, will be headlining at the Flamingo hotel and casino in Las Vegas on the 3rd of August.  The multi-Grammy winner will be performing six nights a week until March 2007 with her musical production, "Toni Braxton: Revealed."  Miss Braxton has been on tour since March, her first in over a decade to promote her latest album  titled, "Libra", which ends on July 3 at the Essence Music Festival in Houston. 

Hundreds of fans lined up on May 17th at the Barnes & Nobles bookstore in Clifton, New Jersey to get a glimpse of Victoria Gotti, author/ reality TV star of "Growing Up Gotti" fame. Her latest book is titled "Hot Italian Dish", a perfect blend of personal stories and an array of mouth-watering recipes that are written very well and demonstrates her mastery of Italian cooking. After reading the book, “you'll feel like you're an Italian", and ready to pack your bags to Roma. Nevertheless, the book will hold the interest of those who are stargazers, especially fans of George Clooney, as well as those with an avid interest in cooking Italian style and learning about the culture. I have seen many authors at book signings but never one as charming as Victoria Gotti, who simply captivated her fans with her personality, stunning good looks, and great wit.

Rose's Scoop:  Saying goodbye to "The View" on June 9th is Meredith Vieira, so expect some tears and hugs. The show will be highlighting her nine years on the couch from June 7th to 9. It's hard to believe that nine years have passed. I remember being invited to attend the pilot of the show at ABC, which starred actor Lou Diamond Phillips (La Bamba), and I loved it, the concept was interesting. Finally, the 11th annual Nantucket Film Festival will take place on June 14-18, and will feature "Autism Speaks" ads bringing awareness to autism.