Joanna Pacitti said she's doing "OK" in her first public appearance after news broke that she'd been disqualified from Season 8 of "American Idol."
On her jadedinsider blog on Billboard.com, Shirley Halperin talks about running into Pacitti at a recent Ballas Hough Band show (more on that later) at The Roxy in Los Angeles.The band is led by "Dancing with the Stars" pros Derek Hough and Mark Ballas, who is dating Pacitti.
News broke on Thursday that Pacitti had been disqualified from "Idol" after rumors began to swirl that she had personal relationships with some folks at 19 Entertainment, which produces the show.
Looking upbeat and ready to get her rock on, Pacitti was surrounded by Dancing alums like Lance Bass, Shannon Elizabeth and Kristi Yamaguchi in what was a decidedly jovial scene in the club's VIP area. But halfway through the show, Pacitti darted into the crowd (with Ballas' mother) and made her way to the front where all kinds of PDA transpired. First, Ballas serenaded his girlfriend with the band's first single, "Do It For You," then he intro'd the song "Longing For" with, "This one's for you, Jo," and proceeded to plant one on Pacitti for all to see!
Afterward, Halperin asked Pacitti how she was doing.
"OK," she replied with a smile. "The first couple of days, I was really positive and fine about it. Like, everything happens for a reason. But it kind of hit me on Valentine's Day."
Now, back to this Ballas Hough Band business. Well, you just have to check it out for yourself. Click here to hear some some of the band's stuff on MySpace, then come back and tell us what you think.
Subject: Pacitti Opens Up on Disqualification 
Mon Feb 16, 2009 6:44 pm
