What In the World Is Actually Going to Happen?

Now I have no idea what’s going on…

Just hours after “The Hollywood Reporter” released details from its “exclusive” story on “Idol” changes, EW.com has released details from its “exclusive” story, some of which dispute some of the facts in the “Reporter” story.

Does anyone actually know what’s going on?

EW.com reports that the show will “definitely not” be doing music videos. The contestants WILL be limited to cover songs “when singing for votes” and that it’s “unlikely” voting will move online this season.

EW.com also brings some confusion into the whole issue of theme weeks. “Reporter” quoted Jimmy Iovine as saying a country singer would not be asked to sing an R&B song. But EW.com says executive producer Nigel Lythgoe “laughs off” that notion, saying, “If you do Motown, then I’m not sure [how] you’re going to sing an R&B song and give it your country flavor. You can’t suddenly go [in a painful country twang] ‘Staaaaap! In the naaeeemeee of loooaahve’ — so it’s not going to be like that. They’ve got to be clever with it.”

No, I don’t know exactly what that means either…

Here are the new changes EW.com is reporting:

There will be a sudden death Top 20 round. 60 contestants were flown to Las Vegas to sing Beatles songs. The judges narrowed that group to 40. Another Hollywood round will knock it down to 20 and then America will vote to pick the Top 10 or 12 from two groups of ten.

Executive Producer Ken Warwick said the finalists will be either 10 or 12, depending on the talent.

The contestants will not be split evenly between female and male contestants as usual.

“Entertainment Weekly” will have more in this week’s issue, which hits stands Thursday. I’ll share that with you as soon as I get my copy.

Right now, I think I need to lie down because my head is spinning…