Idol Chit-Chat
This is your place to discuss all things "American Idol." The performances, the judges, the past contestants — it’s all right here.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Nashville Auditions: A Tad Underwhelming, no?

I wondered why “Idol” would reduce the country music capital of the world to one hour. But after seeing tonight’s episode, I understand why.

In fact, I don’t think I heard Ryan say how many people advanced. And I don’t remember a montage of people getting gold tickets. Hmmm…

I guess it was a bad sign when for the first time this season, the show started out with a bad audition. It was Christine McCaffrey, who spoke in a high-pitched voice. As she walked into the room, she did some kind of vocal exercises and then destroyed “I Hope You Dance.” It was funny that when she said the song she was going to do, JLo grabbed onto Steven and Randy to brace herself…

Then we got the most interesting story of the night—the tale of the exes. Rob Bolin and Chelsee Oaks, both 23, couldn’t work as a couple, but they work great as duet partners. They nearly brought the judges to tears with their rendition of “Love Somebody.” Then Rob did a killer version of “What’s Going On” and Chelsee nailed “Story of Who I Am.” Steven urged the two of them to work things out. There were a few awkward moments in the hallway when all of Chelsee’s family was there and Rob had no one. Plus, Chelsee’s new boyfriend couldn’t quit glaring at Rob. I look for this to be a story point in Hollywood. I think Rob has a real shot…

We then got a montage of weird stuff leading into the audition of Allen Lewis, a tattoo artist from none other than Franklin Furnace. Allen did “Simple Man” in possibly the most intense matter possible. The judges told him no, but he took it very well as he said even the biggest stars failed the first time and he would keep trying. As JLo said, he came in like the toughest guy, but left philosophizing…

Then Steven and Randy fell under the spell of Stormi Henley, a former Miss Teen USA. She did a tepid rendition of “Father Can You Hear Me,” but Steven and Randy let her through. After she left, JLo chastised the guys for letting through what “might be the smallest voice we’ve heard in five cities.” I wouldn’t look for her to last long in Hollywood…

After a montage of nos, Adrienne Beasley of Wickcliff, KY, wowed with “Summertime American Honey.” There was something very interesting about her voice—and I mean that in a good way. The response of her low-key dad to his daughter making it to Hollywood? “Who’s gonna pay your way?”…

Randy seemed to be in a terribly grumpy mood tonight and Steven called him on it, telling him not to tell people they’re not good. His reprimand came after Kaneela Merricks shouted her way through “Sweet Thing.” Trying to be nice, Steven told her to “go home and practice and get good”…

After a montage of bad auditions, including a guy in a blue bodysuit destroying “A Moment Like This,” we got the second person that impressed me (after Rob): Jackie Wilson, 28, from Nashville. Her version of “Change Your Mind” was solid and I liked her look. But she’ll probably be best remembered for the awkward moment in the hall when the man Ryan thought was her father gave her a very un-fatherly kiss. It turned out to be her boyfriend…

Next was the uber-confident 26-year-old Latoya “Younique” Moore who came to her audition in a blue formal gown and with her CD in tow. How Ryan kept a straight face through all of her posing is beyond me. Her version of “When I Close My Eyes” was, of course, terrible. It makes you wonder who actually recorded a CD with her…

We saw three good singers very quickly: Paul McDonald (“Maggie May”), Jimmie Allen and Danny Pate, who did “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” along with the judges. I’m not sure why we only saw the sing-along and not his actual audition. I’m guessing it was some kind of music rights issue…

Matt Dillard, 27, of Cheatham County, Tennessee, came into the audition room on overalls, but instead of singing the expected country song, he did “You Raise Me Up.” JLo said no, but Randy and Steven sent him through…

The last audition was from Lauren Alaina, 15, of Rossville, Ga., who did a Faith Hill song. The judges were in awe of her. I thought she was good, but I didn’t think she was blow me away good like they did. Her family came in just in time to witness Lauren doing a duet of “Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing” with Steven. It sounded really good, even if she did it in too high of a key for him…

When the judges left, Steven declared, “We found the one today. We found her. I believe he was talking about Lauren, but I don’t buy it. She was way too confident for me…

Tuesday, we’re off to the great state of Texas for another two-hour episode…

So what do you guys think? Were you as underwhelmed with Nashville as I was?
Photos Credit: Michael Becker/FOX

Milwaukee Auditions: “All the isms and none of the wasms”

If you’re a Twitter person, log on sometime during one of the audition episodes and follow #tylerisms. You’ll see a running list of all the fun things Steven Tyler says during an episode.

And boy did he give a lot to tweet about tonight. There’s no doubt, gang. I am in love with Steven Tyler…

Things got off to a great start when Steven and Randy “dueted” on “Sweet Emotion,” which Steven re-wrote for the occasion. Then, after JLo’s excitement of her view of the ocean (in Milwaukee), it was off to the races…

The first audition we saw tonight was from 16-year-old Scotty McCreery from Garner, NC, who wowed with his low country voice on Josh Turner’s “Your Man.” But then, at Steven’s wise request, he also sang “Put Some Drive In Your Country” just as well. Steven offered his first Tylerism, but I can’t print it in a family blog. I’ll just say it involved a duck and a word that rhymes with duck. And it was hilarious. The judges told us that Scotty was one to watch and I agree. His journey could be interesting…

Up next was Joe Rupka, an aspiring DJ from Swanton, Ohio. Unfortunately, he did not represent the Buckeye state very well, as he destroyed “The Longest Time.” But Steven gamely danced and sang along anyway. Joe, of course, didn’t go through. My real question is what that weird finger thing was he kept doing every time he did his radio station’s call letters…

The judges were completely split over 15-year-old Emma Henry from Littleton, Colorado. Her choice of “True Colors” was a good one for her voice, but I thought she was just too immature and JLo agreed. However, Randy caved and agreed with Steven to send her to Hollywood…

We were then treated to a montage of bad performances. Poor Lady Gaga. If she was watching, she quickly turned the channel…

Naima Adedaso, a janitor at Milwaukee’s famous Summerfest festival, wowed with “For All We Know.” Steven’s next Tylerism was leveled at JLo when he jokingly took offense to her calling him Steve: “You could call me late for dinner and I’d still love you”…

Now, I have to ask what was up with that contestant doing that back flip that smashed that guy’s camera? I mean, why were they even doing that?

The first person that really wowed me was 27-year-old Jerome Bell from New York City, who came out in a great outfit. He did a pitch perfect version of “Let’s Get It On” that didn’t sound like contestants normally do it—and I mean that as a compliment. Jerome was the contestant that elicited my favorite Tylerism of the night when Randy said the performance brought out all of the isms: “All the isms and none of the wasms”…

15-year-old Thia Megia’s rendition of “Chasing Pavements” reminded me a little of the first time we heard Megan Joy—when I actually liked her. Hopefully, Thia will live up to her promise…

Ryan then informed us that every 15-year-old contestant in Milwaukee received a golden ticket to Hollywood. Sounds like the judges have Bieber Fever…

I hate the bad auditions because they make me feel so awkward, but I actually laughed at Nathaniel Jones, the Civil War re-enactor who tried to sing “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.” And it’s funny how Steven has decided to play nice by saying that he likes a performance, but it’s not for the show…

Then, in walked an “Idol” dream contestant, 22-year-old Molly DeWolf Swensen, who did a pretty original rendition of “Sittin’ On the Dock of the Bay.” Molly is a recent grad from Harvard that is currently working as a White House intern. As Steven said, “You got attitude and you know where to put it.” Blonde, good-looking, long legs, a good voice and a good back story? Talk about your total package. Plus, she told a funny story about Randy accidentally punching her in the face earlier in the day…

The second day of Milwaukee got off to a fun start with Haley Reinhart from Wheeling, Indiana, who sang “O’Darlin.’” Steven’s first Tylerism of the day was “Da-ding,” which referred to the carnival game when the strong man swings the mallet and makes the bell ring. He told Haley that when she hit a certain note it was “da-ding.” Randy laughed like Steven was crazy, but I thought it was a great way to describe it…

Tiwan Strong of Chicago made the excellent choice to sing “Twistin’ the Night Away” for his Hollywood ticket. There was a funny moment out in the hallway after the audition when one of Tiwan’s family members developed a charley horse and couldn’t stand up and her celebrating family thought she was just excited and completely ignored her. Luckily, Ryan was there to help…

Steve Beghun, the CPA/auditor, who sings at weddings and funerals, was the most interesting audition of the night. I didn’t think he was going to be able to sing, but he ripped out a great rendition of The Script’s “The Man Who Can’t Be Moved”—an excellent choice that really should’ve been a much bigger hit for them. The Tylerism: “I found you to be disturbingly great”…

Vernika Patterson was the first contestant we have seen really talk back to the judges this season. Her butchering of “Loving You” was followed by a montage of upset contestants…

Albert Rogers III, 24, had a voice in there somewhere—and not just his Barack Obama impersonation. I think with some voice lessons, he could really do something. I listened to this Tylerism three times and still didn’t get it. Something about vanilla fudge and “Eleanor Rigby”…

The other person that wowed me tonight was 22-year-old Scott Dangerfield who did “Dreamin’.” It was clear the judges didn’t think the guy with the geeky looks could sing, but they were wrong. JLo called him “my favorite.” I always love it when the geek can sing…

The show did an excellent editing job with the audition of Packers super fan Megan Frasier, who did an operatic version of Justin Bieber’s “Baby.” When Megan told Randy that the Packers were going to win the Super Bowl, Ryan added ( in a voiceover that was clearly dubbed in later) that we would find out in two weeks…

Steven Tyler showed some true honesty with Alyson Jados, who considers him her idol. He told her that her renditions of “Come Together” and “Dream On” were “very pitchy” and he was right. But after Randy said no, Steven sided with JLo and put her through…

But the audition everyone will be talking about came at the end of the show. Chris Medina of Oak Forest, Illinois, showcased his pure falsetto on a jazzy rendition of The Script’s “Break Even.” However, it’s what happened after his audition that everyone will remember as the judges brought his fiancé, who suffered a traumatic brain injury two months before their wedding, into the room. The three of them got up from behind the table and came over and introduced themselves to her in her wheelchair. They were all sweet, but Steven went above and beyond as he delivered what might have been his best Tylerism of the night: “He sings beautiful because he’s singing to you.” I’m not ashamed to admit I did a little crying and based on my Facebook posts, I wasn’t alone…

In all, 53 people advanced to Hollywood. And tonight, we head to Nashville…

Steven told Alyson Jados after he hugged her, “It gets better. Watch.” I think that could be the motto for the “Idol” season thus far because it just keeps getting better…

What do you think? Who were your favorites from Milwaukee? And what were your favorite Tylerisms?

And don’t forget you can follow me on Twitter @angelahbentley…

Photos Credit: Michael Becker/FOX

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Mandisa's New Single: Awesome!

Mandisa has released her new single on her Facebook page and it is awesome!

It's called "Stronger" and it's the first release off her third album, "what if we were real," which is scheduled to be released April 5th.

If you're on Facebook, you can take a listen here.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

New Orleans Recap: “What is this show?”

New Orleans was a little strange for “American Idol” tonight, prompting Randy to say numerous times, “What is this show?”

If I were answering him, I would say that it is a much friendlier version of the show we know and love. And I dare say it’s actually more fun.

Could it be that as entertaining as Simon’s barbs were all those years, he was actually holding the show back? Did I actually just write that?

What is this blog?

The show started on a rather auspicious note as Blake Patterson took out his frustrations about not making it to Hollywood on a piano as he cried/sang “Smile.” It looked like a scene from a movie where the guy gets depressed and has too much to drink. It was actually a pretty good opening…

The show is having so much fun this year, we even got to see Ryan Seacrest bloopers. They were from Season 4 (the last time “Idol” was in New Orleans), but they were still bloopers…

The first singer was Jordan Dorsey, a 21-year-old vocal and piano teacher, who did “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and was quickly put through. He was so awesome, I’ve put him on my list of people to watch. “Idol” could use a young R&B artist in the vein of Bruno Mars or Jason Derulo…
After a montage of bad singers—Wow, “And I Am Telling You” is a popular audition choice this year—we got Sarah Sellers and her big lips, which Steven loved. All of the judges loved her mega-confident rendition of “Make You Feel My Love” and she went through…

Jovany Barreto, a 23-year-old shipbuilder, sang something in Spanish very well that Steven called “very delicious.” But he’ll probably be better known for winning a bet with a friend by taking his shirt off. He probably wasn’t counting on Steven and Randy joining him…

Simon and Randy seemed to always get along very well, but it’s clear that Steven and Randy have a much more positive, friendly vibe going on. I’m starting to think I don’t miss Simon at all…

What did I just say? What is this blog?

We got to meet Randy’s brother, Herman, since Randy was born in nearby Baton Rouge. Jacquelyn Dupree took Randy down memory lane by bringing him pictures of him from high school. She also brought along Randy’s old football coach before singing “I’ll Stand By You” for her ticket to Hollywood. I thought she had a real Carrie Underwood tone to her voice…

Also adding their name to my Watchlist was 16-year-old Brett Loewenstern. We saw Brett’s story of being “different” and always getting picked on as a kid, which I guess I probably related to. But then we got to hear him nail “Bohemian Rhapsody” with a Jason Mraz-like voice. The judges loved him too and sent him through overwhelmingly…

Gabriel Franks, 24, actually won a Steven Tyler look-alike contest, but his audition was just scary as he yelled through “Bad Romance.” However, he did handle his rejection gracefully…

Alex Attardo was a former “Idol Camp”-er, but clearly he didn’t learn anything as he destroyed “Proud Mary”…

15-year-old Jacee Badeaux looked every bit of 12, but he sounded just like Justin Bieber as he belted out “Sittin’ On the Dock of the Bay.” I think I saw dollar signs flash in Randy’s eyes for a second. I worry, though, that Hollywood will chew him up and spit him out…

The final contestant we saw tonight was 23-year-old Paris Tassin. When she was pregnant, she was told her child had hydrocephalus and that she shouldn’t have her at all. But she did, and now her child is healthy, but with hearing problems. Paris brought every ounce of that emotion to “Temporary Home,” bringing JLo to tears before getting put through. At the end of the show, we saw JLo meeting Paris’ little girl in one of the more touching moments I think I’ve ever seen on the show…

In all, 37 people got a golden ticket. And next week, the show makes its first trip ever to Milwaukee. I’m actually looking forward to it.

Wait! What did I just say? What is this blog?

See you Wednesday…

Photo Credit: Michael Becker/FOX

The Ratings Are In And...

Houston, we could have a problem…

The ratings are in and it’s not good news for “Idol.” “The Hollywood Reporter” reports that “Idol” was down 13 percent from last season’s premiere in overall viewers and down 18 percent in the coveted 18-49 demographic.

Now, it’s true that “Idol” has been sliding since 2007, but I was sure that curiosity over the new judges would keep the slide small.

The show still had 26.1 million viewers, which a lot of shows would kill for, but this is “Idol.” It’s supposed to be better than that. And now here’s the problem. No doubt some of last night’s viewership was curiosity fueled, which means the ratings could slide even further tonight—especially up against CBS’s “The Big Bang Theory.”

Somewhere I have to believe Simon Cowell is having a good chuckle…

New Jersey Recap: Hallelujah I Just Love Steven Tyler So YEAAAAHHHH!

Last night, it was time for all of the hype to come to an end and get season 10 of “American Idol” started. Of course, that wasn’t before they took over five minutes to recap all of the hype for us.

We were then introduced to the new credit sequence and an updated theme song. I think I liked both, but I’m not sure about the word “Idol” being so giant at the end of the credits. I’m not sure what they’re going for there. I also thought it was interesting that along with all of the winners, Adam Lambert, Chris Daughtry and Jennifer Hudson also appeared in the credits. And if you watch it slowly, you’ll see that of the winners, Jordin Sparks actually gets the least amount of time for her picture. I was sure it would be Taylor Hicks (In case you’re wondering, the trio of David Cook, Kris Allen and Lee DeWyze get the most time.).

Then, of course, we had to hear the entire resumes of the judges. I’m not sure who they were trying to convince with that—us or them. Funny, I don’t think Simon, Paula, or Randy got that kind of introduction in season one. Of course, that was in the blissful days when the audition rounds only lasted a week…

Finally, it was time to get things started with the New Jersey auditions on August 3, 2010. Notice the slick edit making it look like the huge crowd was chanting for the judges. Of course, we know that’s not the case since the judges weren’t even announced by August 3rd.

Ryan said the show got its biggest crowds ever this season. I think it’s important to note that more people were eligible than ever before this season due to the minimum age being lowered to 15.

The first audition we saw came from 22-year-old Rachel Zevita who was cut on the first day in Hollywood in Season 6. She sang what I thought was a beautiful version of “Hallelujah,” but JLo said she was not her best and Steven was also hesitant. For the first time this season, I yelled, “What?!” at my TV. They put her through, but our new judges were off to an auspicious start…

Next up was 25-year-old Caleb Hawley, who did “Hallelujah, I Just Love Her So.” Steven redeemed himself by screaming and drumming along to the performance. The top notes cracked a little, but he was good and they sent him through…

The first 15-year-old audition was from Kenzie Palmer, who sang “Young and Beautiful.” Randy and Steven were unsure, but JLo convinced them to send her through…

We then saw three people go through without singing. Remember, that’s often because the rights to whatever song they sang didn’t clear…

It was obvious the show was trying to start out on a good note by piling up the good singers at the beginning. But no worries, the bad were on their way, starting with Achille Lovle, 25, who did “Dress You Up.” Achille, who is from the Ivory Coast, had a very deep voice with a very thick accent, which she tried to blame for her troubles. JLo struggled to say no and lamented the job was going to be harder than she thought…

You were positive the next contestant, 21-year-old Tiffany Rios, was going to be bad—especially with all of her JLo gushing, her original song about increasing the ratings AND the stars she had put on her chest. But for whatever reason, they let her sing another one and she belted out “Power of Love.” I didn’t think it was good enough, but the judges put her through. I’m sensing another Tatiana Del Toro here…

We then got a montage of bad singers and then one of JLo having trouble saying no…

The bad singers ended with Robbie Rosen, 16, who had our first touching backstory of the night. Robbie once had a debilitating disease that put him in a wheelchair. He did an excellent rendition of “Yesterday” and the judges put him right through…

Then it was a montage of the contestants talking about which judge they wanted to see the most, followed by a semi-inappropriate montage of Steven flirting with some of the girls. I have to admit, I liked hearing Steven say “Angela”…

Chris Cordeiro, 18, was next and he butchered Frank Sinatra’s “My Way,” while his mother did substantially better singing it for Ryan outside the door…

Another quick montage of nos before we met Michael Perotto, 19, who overcame his nervous belching to destroy “Proud Mary”…

We met Ashley Sullivan, 25, coming out of the Porta Potty. She gushed about how she wanted to be Britney Spears, so you just knew she was going to be bad. But her somewhat angry rendition of “Gimme Gimme” was actually pretty good, but terribly theatrical. Steven and JLo put her through, with Randy registering his doubts. It was nice to see Randy being logical for a change since he and Paula always put those types of people through…

Victoria Huggins, 16, had a sweet North Carolina accent and a sweet personality to match, which is probably why her “Midnight Train to Georgia” lacked any street. But that personality won over the judges—first by debating skirt length with Steven and then by saying, “Yo, yo, Dawg!” to Randy—and she went through. I think she’ll get chewed up and spit out in Hollywood, but if she does, I hope she returns next season…

Melinda Ademi, 16, of Kosovo, wowed the judges at the end of day one with “If I Ain’t Got You,” easily going through…

Devyn Rush, the 20-year-old singing waitress, kicked off day two with “God Bless the Child.” She went through…

We then got a montage of bad singers featuring Jimmy Kennedy doing “Hey There Delilah” and the judges singing along to Genise Deal’s “I’m a Believer.”

Then we saw the audition they promised us we’d be talking about—25-year-old Yoji Pop. He said he had been imitating Michael Jackson since before he was born, but he didn’t want to do a Michael song. So he did “Party in the USA” with Michael Jackson dance moves. The song was awful, but the moves were pretty good. We then went straight to a “Party” singing montage without getting the judges’ reaction to Yoji. I would’ve liked to have heard Steven’s thoughts…

Then it was some more bad singers including Jaclyn Blythe (“I’m the Only One”), Ina Abasumoh (“And I Am Telling You”) and Rob Palmay (“Ramblin’ Man”)…

Brielle Von Hugel, 16, was up next after we heard the story of how her dad survived throat cancer. She did “Endless Love” and went through with her dad watching...

Another montage, this time of the rejected contestants crying…

The last contestant of the day was 16-year-old Travis Orlando who once lived in a shelter with his family. He did “Eleanor Rigby,” but Steven wisely asked to hear something else and he nailed “I’m Yours” and went through. The emotional reaction of his family was one of the highlights of the night…

In all, 51 people went through to Hollywood from New Jersey. Tonight, we head to New Orleans…

Again, I think it’s clear the show is trying to show as much talent as possible instead of just those with gushy backstories. But I just wish they could do that in a much shorter time than four weeks AND with much shorter episodes. The two hours would have dragged interminably if not for the wondering of what Steven Tyler would say next.

Unless “Idol” wants some serious FCC fines this year, they had best run the live show on a delay every week…

As for my favorite, I would definitely go with Robbie Rosen because I’m a sucker for a good-looking guy with a beautiful voice. But I also liked Rachel Zevita, despite what the judges said…

But all these 16-year-olds are starting to worry me. That just means we’ll hear Randy say, “And just 16?!” twice as much.

And by the way, the term "Tylerism" has already sprung up on Twitter. My favorite? "What we have here is a failure to communicate...musically." I think I'm starting to miss Simon a little less already...

So what did you guys think? Are you happy with the talent so far? What about the judges? And are you happy that “Idol” is back or have you given up already?

Feel free to post a comment or hit me up on Facebook or Twitter

Photos Credit: Michael Becker/FOX

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Let's Get This Party Started!

So the remix got cued tonight and of course the show had to spend the first ten minutes reminding us that everything was different, as if we didn’t already know.

But when we finally got started, there were some good—Rachel Zevita doing “Hallelujah”—some great—Robbie Rosen doing “Yesterday”—and some down right scary—Yoji “Pop” doing “Party In the USA” with Michael Jackson moves (which were pretty good by the way).

But as far as those new judges, I thought they were pretty good. Jennifer Lopez was kind and fair and gave good criticism. Steven Tyler also gave good criticism most of the time and he wasn’t afraid to jump in there and sing or play along. Plus, you never knew what would come out of his mouth, and whether it would get bleeped or not (Surely the live show will be on a delay this season.)—which was fun.

And Steven was right. There was definitely a camaraderie I haven’t seen on the show before.

Could “Idol” actually survive the departure of Simon Cowell? I think it’s a distinct possibility…

But they had best bring back Ryan saying, “THIS…” at the top of each show. I’m not sure I could take it if they didn’t…

I’ll have a complete recap of the night a little later. In the meantime, feel free to post your thoughts here. Or share them with me at Facebook.com/angelahbentley or on Twitter @angelahbentley.

Photo Credit: Michael Becker/FOX

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Steven Tyler: “I think I’m gonna take it up a notch”

“American Idol” media conference calls are a pretty structured thing. It’s the same hold music, the same introductory comments from the publicist, and the same instructions from the operator.

But Steven Tyler blew all of that apart today, proving that he is absolutely going to bring the crazy to “Idol.” And I couldn’t be happier about it…

Tyler came on the call exclaiming, “Hellooo Darlings!” and then expressed disappointment that no one answered him back (He didn’t know that our lines are listen only.).

Then he proceeded to interrupt the operator’s instructions and fill the silence with the beginning line of a raunchy limerick. But he stopped before he got to the punchline.

After the operator regained slight control of the call, reporters started asking questions. Some of the answers were kind of brilliant and some were a little goofy, but none of them were boring…

On what he brings to the table: “I’m not going in there to be harsh. I know how to work a room. I have hopes to find some kid to take the stage—no more, no less. Certainly there’s a camaraderie [on the judging panel] you haven’t seen in 10 years.”

On his fellow judges: “Randy’s great. JLo is a fox. She’s also street. She’s got a big heart…I met Randy first. Randy was the s—t. I loved him. We got along in the first five minutes…At first, I was told [JLo] was out and I was bummed.” Tyler said he fell in love with Jennifer Lopez when he saw “The Back-Up Plan” on a plane. “She was so open, even as an actress. When I met her, she was exactly all that.”

On whether he gets mean: “I made some harsh comments the first week and [the contestants] snapped back. I did only two of those because I didn’t want it to happen again. I don’t want to do that if I can’t substantiate it. It was hard for me. But after those two, I jumped back in with both feet.”

On bringing more rock to the show: “That would be my judgment call on what it is. For every week I brought along someone, the next time they would sing it would be the wrong song or the wrong key and we had to dump them. That’s the beauty of this show I didn’t know before…I’m not just one type of judging. I’m good for all music. Not all great singers make great rock stars. Sometimes the best rock stars are those who don’t sing as well.” Tyler spoke very highly of a male singer with a “sick” voice he hopes makes it through.

On whether he improves the show’s credibility: “I’d like to think so. I’m not bringing something in my life to the table and letting it cloak my judging. I’m taking what they give me and breaking it into three pieces: Can they sing? Do they have character? And do they have star quality? I think I’m gonna take it up a notch.”

On whether he judged newbies differently than those who had been pounding the music pavement for a while: “It did color my opinion in the past if they didn’t walk the gauntlet. But I listen to these kids regardless. If they’re good to begin with, I’m hoping to see that.”

On whether he’s going to do the show long-term: “I have more than a one-year contract.”

On his favorite Idols: “Carrie Underwood. I’ve been following her.” After some help from people in the room with him, he also said Kelly Clarkson, with whom he has done photo shoots. He then laughed and said, “Yeah. Them two.”

On the contestants singing Aerosmith songs: “Well they have to sing it well. In seven weeks. We had 15 people do “I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing.” It’s hard for me. I knew that someone at home would think I’d be enamored with the person…We’re down to the top 20. If they did it now, it would be great.”

On how he’s doing: “If anyone has anything bad to say about me this season, it will be better next season. I take that back. It will be easier for me to judge live on TV.”

On what Aerosmith fans will think: “I’ve studied this so far. It’s been 15 weeks already. It’s the other side of me—the reality. If Aerosmith fans don’t like it, then all they’re seeing is what’s on stage. I’m less colored by the songs I wrote and listening to the songs they sing.”

On Aerosmith: “Nothing has been more convincing that I’m ready for anything than this last year with Aerosmith. All the stuff in the media, there’s no validity to it…We’ve certainly been writing. Next Saturday, the guys are coming out to L.A.” Tyler said they’ll be doing a writing program and a tour is scheduled for November and December. “What you hear in the press just isn’t so.”

On his life: “I’ve got no regrets. Everything that’s come my way has cut me into who I am. Things have been good. I’m always ready to take it up a notch. I’m still addicted to adrenaline.”

Tyler then started telling us about the reality show that could be made about him. He first said they could put him in a barrel and drop him somewhere. Then he said it could be called “Message in a Bottle” and he could be put in a bottle where he could float up on an island with a woman and they could see what the kids look like.

And if that didn’t make any sense to you, don’t worry. You’re not alone…

Are you excited now?

“Idol” premieres Wednesday at 8 p.m. on FOX…

Photo Credit: Tony Duran/FOX

Monday, January 17, 2011

"Idol" Journalist Richard Rushfield: "It was really stunning just how much the show got lucky"

The first thing I said to Richard Rushfield when I had the opportunity to talk to him about his new book, “American Idol: The Untold Story,” was, “Thank you for writing this.”

“Idol” fans have needed a history of their show for a long time and there are very few people more qualified to write it than Rushfield, who I consider to be the dean of “Idol” writers. For first “The Los Angeles Times” and later “The Daily Beast,” Rushfield has chronicled the last few seasons from an insider’s point-of-view. And now he’s sharing that inside information with all of us.

But probably the main reason Rushfield is such a good person to write this book is that he is a true fan and it was that fact that got him through all of his work over the past year.

“‘Idol’ was a large part of my life. Then I had last year when it was my entire life. I had a year with no escape from ‘Idol.’ Thankfully my love for the show was strong enough. Everybody should get to live inside their favorite TV show for a year.”

So how did Rushfield get hooked on “Idol”? His first great moment came during the first season he covered in person, season six. “It was one interview I did with [executive producer] Nigel Lythgoe. He let me come along with him as he rehearsed the elimination show.” Rushfield marveled at just how choreographed the eliminations were. “Every week you thought you had outsmarted it. But he was ahead of what you were thinking.

“Seeing it put together is really something you take for granted. You think, it’s a singing contest. How hard can that be? But you see how hard it is. It could easily be very blah. It’s the brilliance of elevating it to that other level.”

Rushfield had enormous cooperation for his book from just about everyone behind the scenes, including the somewhat elusive “Idol” creator, Simon Fuller. Some of the most surprising revelations for him concerned the show’s origins. “I hadn’t explored that in depth,” he said. “There were so many small decisions that could easily have taken the show in a different direction.”

Some of those “small decisions” that Rushfield details include the fact that “Idol” originally intended to have four judges from the beginning. But the fourth judge had to cancel at the last minute. “It was really stunning just how much the show got lucky,” he said.

The best thing about writing the book for Rushfield was that he hasn’t been involved in all the rumor chasing that’s been going on as of late. “You have a lot of cooks in the ‘Idol’ kitchen. There are three companies producing, FremantleMedia, FOX and 19,” he said. “Every decision has become a major discussion. There are billions of dollars riding on getting this right. A lot of different people leak their side of things. It gets out as fait accompli when questions aren’t decided.”

And of course, there are a lot of opinions from the public as well, both viewers and non-viewers. Rushfield said some people have considered “Idol” the “downfall of civilization. People have criticized that I’m writing about it with all of the things going on in the world. But there is something special about it,” he said “It’s the last stand of the original generation of TV. The last gasp of family viewing. People should be much sadder for what comes after ‘Idol.””


So for those of us who love the show, what is it that keeps us tuning in? “It’s the American dream,” Rushfield said. “They go to Middle America [to find talent], then they bring them to Hollywood and offer them stardom, which in today’s society is the biggest prize there is. They create actual bona fide stars.

“Seeing people transformed into that and compete for that. It’s interesting and exciting. And they’re singing, so they’re able to put such passion and feeling into that performance. It’s a powerful spectacle,” he said.

In the book, Rushfield writes that the lightning that had made “Idol” such a success disappeared last season. So does he think it can strike again?

“I think that it’s really going to come down to do they have performers? If they focus on them and enhance instead of detract.” He said, “Over the years, they threw in twists that elevated the contestants’ struggle. But in recent years, those twists have distracted from the struggle. If they bring it back to the essential thing—as long as they can do that—it can go on forever.”

There is so much revealed in the book that I wondered if Rushfield is concerned about any kind of backlash. “My hope is that the ‘Idol’ folks see my appreciation. I go over the whole journey. And there have been good days and bad days for everyone involved,” he said. “There have been backstage shenanigans, love triangles and meltdowns—things that there are people who wouldn’t want them told,” he said.

But Rushfield is hoping that his affection for the show will shine through. “I love this show and that’s why I spent all those years covering it. Over three months I had to re-watch the hundreds of hours of episodes,” he said.

“Even when the season is not great TV, to be there and see what those kids go through. It’s a brutal thing to be an ‘Idol’ contestant,” Rushfield said. “How they find it in themselves, even on ‘Idol’s worst days is something I cherish seeing.”

“American Idol: The Untold Story” hits shelves Tuesday. You can read more about Rushfield at his website.

Photo Credit: Hyperion Books

"Soul Kittens Cabaret" Review: We Need More Fantasia

Adultery, addiction, and betrayal threaten to tear apart a Detroit nightclub, as well as the seven women who serve as the club’s main attraction in “Soul Kittens Cabaret.” The stage play, written and directed by Nicci Gilbert (the former lead singer of Brownstone) is available now on DVD.

The action begins when a newcomer (Sarallison Duke) comes to the cabaret to become a Soul Kitten. She’s a sweet, innocent girl, so of course, it’s only a matter of time before she gets herself involved in the seedy dark side of showbiz. But the girls have even more to deal with when a jealous businessman sets out to destroy the club so he can take it over and sell the land to a casino developer.

The whole reason I’m telling you about the DVD is that Fantasia Barrino is billed as one of the stars. But it turns out that Fantasia’s part is merely a cameo. It’s a good cameo, but I was disappointed that her part never came full circle.

There’s some good singing in the play (especially from Terrell Carter) and some good dancing, but the story is a little too long and needlessly complicated. And some of the acting comes off a little over the top, but I’ll chalk that up to the play’s transition to film. It also really could have used another appearance by both Fantasia and Faith Evans as the Good and Bad Conscience.

You can see the trailer for “Soul Kittens Cabaret” here.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Is "Idol" Going to Be the Next "Jay Leno Show"?

WOW!

First of all, let me say I like Chuck Ross. I enjoy reading his stuff on TVWeek.com and I truly appreciated the loving eulogy he gave “24” last year.

But this is pretty harsh. Comparing this season of “American Idol” to “The Jay Leno Show”?

OUCH!

I encourage you to read the column here.

Now the question is, do I agree with him. The answer is yes and no. Yes, I believe “Idol” will miss Simon Cowell horribly. Yes, I believe that the “Idol” producers are losing sight of what the show is all about. But no, I do not think this season of “Idol” is going to be as big of a train wreck as “The Jay Leno Show.”

And boy do I hope he’s wrong and I’m right, or else it’s going to be a long season…

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

FINALLY the Facts: “Idol” Announces Its Season Schedule

Today, at the Winter Television Critics Association Tour, FOX finally announced the “Idol” schedule. And there is at least one thing in conflict with earlier reports—there will be a gender divide this season after all...

According to the official FOX press release, after four weeks of auditions, we’ll get a week of the Hollywood Round. Those who survive that cut will go to Las Vegas to perform Beatles songs on the Cirque du Soleil “LOVE” stage. Then, the judges will name 20 semifinalists and according to the press release, they will be 10 guys and 10 girls.

Then, the semifinalists will perform over two nights and the five male and give female contestants with the most votes will become finalists. Then the judges will make “Wild Card” picks to round out the finalists. The release does not say how many finalists there will be, no doubt leaving room for the judges to make that call after the vote.

Here’s the schedule from the FOX press release:

Wednesday, January 19th: Season Premiere, Part 1 (New York/New Jersey Auditions)

Thursday, January 20th: Season Premiere, Part 2 (New Orleans Auditions)

Wednesday, January 26th: Three weeks of audition episodes begin

Wednesday, February 16th: Hollywood Round, Part 1

Thursday, February 17th: Hollywood Round, Part 2

Wednesday, February 23rd: Las Vegas Round

Thursday, February 24th: Top 20 Semifinalists Announced

Tuesday, March 1st: Semifinalists perform

Wednesday, March 2nd: Semifinalists perform

Thursday, March 3rd: First Results Show and Finalists Announced

Now that we actually have some idea how this thing is going to happen, are we excited yet?

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Brooke White On Her Acting Debut: "I completely fell in love with the experience"

Brooke White makes her acting debut this Saturday in “Change of Plans,” the fourth movie in the P&G and Wal-Mart Family Movie Night series.

Brooke plays Sally Danville, a musician who is living the charmed life with her fighter-pilot husband, Jason (Joe Flanigan). But then, her best friend dies in a tragic accident and Sally is named the legal guardian of her four children—three of whom were adopted from third-world countries. With the help of a social worker (Phylicia Rashad), Sally and Jason must learn how to change their lives and create a family.

This week, Brooke did a conference call with Randy Jackson, who produced the movie soundtrack and makes a cameo in the movie. Here’s a sample of what they had to say:

Brooke on taking on acting: “It was definitely something that I wasn’t anticipating. It kind of came out of left field. At first, I’ve got to be honest, I wasn’t sure if acting was something I even wanted to do. I wasn’t out auditioning or doing anything like that. My first day on set I hyperventilated a little bit, thinking I don’t know if I’m cut out for this. Then we got to filming and we got a week in and I had been bitten by the acting bug and completely fell in love with the experience. It was better than anything I could have planned for myself.”

Brooke on the hardest part about acting: “I found out I got the part and then shipped off to Toronto within two days. So there was very little time to think or prepare, which was probably in my best interest because I was afraid. But gosh, what can I say was the hardest part about acting? Probably my 4:30 a.m. pick up every day. That was probably the hardest part. I have to say, there were certain technical aspects I wasn’t super savvy to, but other than that it’s so supernatural just to get in. I think I was concerned about what if I forget, I’ve been known to forget lyrics here or there or whatever, and I was worried I would forget a line or two, but it really isn’t a big deal. You get in there and memorization of dialogue isn’t that big of a deal when you get there. I don’t know. I thought it was more fun than hard.”

Randy on Brooke’s life after “Idol”: “What I look for the most is people when they exit the show, how well did they do after and how did they sustain their career and if they grow. Yes, Brooke has definitely grown as a writer, she’s grown as a singer, as a performer. I think she’s leaps and bounds above where she was on Idol. It’s just amazing. That’s the true mark of a real artist, how they grow over time.”

Randy on the movie being an example of alternative methods for artists to get music to the public: “I think this movie is an example, ‘Change of Plans,’ that Brooke is starring in and performing three songs in the movie and we’ve made a great soundtrack for her with a lot of great artists on it. I think what you have now is there are other ways to get your music out and other ways to try and break an artist and also to continue an artist’s career. So I think this movie is a testament to that. I think all the commercials, all the stuff that you’ve seen is a testament to that.”

Brooke on the challenges for artists today: “The thing that’s different now is that our audiences are very spread out. It’s not like we just have three channels on TV and FM or AM radio. Now between the Internet and video games and TV and Pandora radio, there’s just so many options. So the truth is we have to hit all of those. We have to be everywhere, which is challenging, but as Randy said, it’s an opportunity for us to be creative and step out of the box. Things aren’t going to be the same. I think you can’t live in denial that things are going to be back to the way they were. It’s just a different climate musically and entertainment-wise, and that’s why we decide to become more multi-faceted. I consider myself, like I was a serious artist, not really looking to act, and then when this opportunity came it was like a well, you never know unless you try…This was the perfect opportunity because it wasn’t like I had to leave music behind. It was an integral part of the film and of the character, so it just made so much sense.”

Brooke on her life post-“Idol”: “I would never have anticipated standing on the ‘Idol’ stage that post-‘Idol’ that I would be working with Randy. I didn’t foresee it. Things just happened in a strange way. I remember we were actually both at Guitar Center, I was looking for a keyboard and he happened to be there at the same time as me. I don’t know if people watching from their TVs can tell how personable Randy is. He sits and takes his time to talk to everyone and he really was just talking about life after ‘Idol.’ He was just so incredibly positive and said, ‘Hey, let’s keep in touch,’ and before I knew it we started really, actually working together. He helped connect me with my management and has been a major player and supporter in my post-‘Idol’ life…[I]t is very difficult to survive and to stay present after ‘Idol,’ and the trick is becoming an artist because the music business is becoming more and more difficult to sustain as an artist. Randy earlier said you’re lucky if you have a ten year career or more than one hit, and I think I’m really trying to adopt the, maybe not the rocket ship but the climb, and steadily and slowly building a career that I hope lasts. I’ve been super fortunate to have the opportunity to work with him, both on my own record and then to do this movie and the soundtrack. It’s just been a huge surprise and a blessing.”

Brooke on her acting future: “I do not have [any roles] lined up at the moment. I’m just enjoying the release of ‘Change of Plans’ here, and actually just saw it for the first time yesterday, the full cut…There’s those few moments, like the answering machine syndrome where you hear your voice back and you’re like, ‘I don’t sound like that, do I? Please don’t tell me I sound like that.’ I had some answering machine syndrome, but the majority of it I was just pleasantly, I don’t want to say relieved, I was surprised, I was happy with it. I think it’s such an endearing, sweet film and it’s all about these little moments between the characters I think that really define the story and just the whole theme of sometimes the change of plans are better than anything that you could have come up with yourself, like this acting gig.”

Randy on his viewing plans Saturday night: “I’m going to sit and watch the movie with my family, man. It’s a great family film. Brooke did an amazing job in it. She sings three songs in the movie that I produced and co-wrote the songs and it’s really, I mean, change of plans, we’ve all had that in our lives, right?”

Brooke on why Idols have success in other venues, such as acting: “You know what, really, ‘American Idol’ gives us a massive advantage, and that is to be seen, not just heard, but to be seen. We’re really presented to people not just as singers but as people. I think that gives us a connection. When you’re in people’s living rooms week after week you really do make that connection with people. So when you come off the show, it’s amazing, when I see people on the street they ask me funny things, like are you still a nanny or do you still play barefoot or did your husband cut his hair, like really funny questions or I’m sorry that you missed your sister’s wedding. People pick up on these little personal elements about who you are and so I think because of that it lends more opportunities to us. TV and film and commercials, those things are opportunities that come, those are the doors that open from ‘American Idol’ and we’re very, very fortunate. The trick is just to keep them opening and to keep walking through them…And thanks to Randy, and I mean this, thanks to Randy he’s been a big part in keeping those doors open for me, so I’ve been really fortunate.”

By the way, Michael Johns co-wrote one of the songs on the soundtrack.

“Change of Plans” airs Saturday, January 8th at 8 p.m. on FOX. A DVD/CD set will be released at Wal-Mart at a later date. You can see a trailer for the movie here.

Photo Credit: FOX

EW Talks to The New Team Idol

The “exclusive” stories continue to be posted on the Internet. This time, it’s another one from “Entertainment Weekly.”

They’ve posted a look at their “exclusive” round table interview with Randy Jackson, Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez and Ryan Seacrest from this week’s cover story.

Here’s a taste of what the group had to say:

Randy on getting to speak last, i.e. the Simon spot: “Look, he’s irreplaceable. It’s not about replacing him or any of the others: Paula, Ellen, Kara, anybody else. People have been saying to us, ‘Who’s mean?’ We’ve all traded off on that because I think you have to always give people the truth, no matter what.”

JLo on how the panel works: “We’re more of a collaborative judging group. We’re always leaning over to each other and saying, ‘Oh my God, I think she’s good.’ ‘Oof, I don’t get it.’ ‘You don’t like it?’ I mean, not in a way where it becomes disrespectful to [the contestant’s] moment, but we discuss things. We just have a totally different style than any of the past judging tables.”

Steven Tyler on Kid Rock’s comments that doing “Idol” was the stupidest thing he’d ever done: “I just went with my heart. Kid Rock—he has an album coming out. He’s a good friend of mine. I went to a picnic with him and he taught me how to fry a turkey. I only hope that he’s not frying his own turkey with [that comment]. It’s his opinion.”

The group on Joe Perry saying “Idol” was one step above “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”: Ryan: “That’s giving us credit.” Randy: “That’s giving us a lot of credit.” Steven: “You know, uh, he wishes he could have got this gig [laughter]. All I’m doing here is being a musician and reflecting what my career has been. That’s all that’s really going on here.”

Ryan on his repartee with Simon: “I think the reason that Simon and I had that dynamic is that he was just so jealous of me. From day one, he was envious of my career at such a young age. So I tried to make it as fun as possible and as lighthearted as possible. It’s just something that happens in a live television show. But with all of us, we have very good senses of humor; we don’t take ourselves too seriously. We like to wind each other up.”

Steven’s predictions on the season: “It’s just astounding; some of them are 15 and look like they’re 30, and some of them are 30 and look like they’re 15. It’s just amazing how the youngest of them all came out with bravado, came out with moxie, came out with balls and chutzpah and felt like they’ve been around here for 30 years. So we throw the drift net out and look what comes up? Gold. [I’m] crying, honestly, from someone who hit the notes so sweetly and beautifully, not just that it’s the end of the day and thank God this motherf---er is the last one. Not that.” Ryan: “See? It’s going to be an all-new show.”

You can read more here.
Photo Credit: Entertainment Weekly

Randy Jackson on "Idol": "People Will Be Pleasantly Surprised"

Randy Jackson participated in a media conference call this week to discuss the movie, “Change of Plans,” for which he produced the soundtrack (He also makes a cameo in the movie.). But, of course, everyone had questions about the new season of “Idol.”

Here’s a look at some of what Randy had to say:

On the season as a whole: “I think ‘Idol’s going to do really well this year. I think the addition of Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez have really added a different kind of zest and a freshness to it. I’ve been calling it Idol Season 10: The Remix. You take what was already great and you just kind of add a little extra spice to it, give it a whole Emperor’s New Clothes kind of vibe, but I think it’s going to do really, really well. I think people will be pleasantly surprised.”

On Steven and Jennifer: “Listen, I think they’re doing an amazing, amazing job because people often hesitate when it’s an artist giving a critique, an artist that is still constantly on the charts all the time and in the headlines. But I think they’re doing a really, really good job and giving them honest critiques. I think Steven has been very funny. I think Jennifer has been very loving. It’s going to be fun. I think people will definitely enjoy this.”

“They bring that artist perspective because they’ve been successful artists for many, many years. I mean, Steven Tyler—45 years and running with one of the greatest rock bands ever, and we can say that he’s a living legend. We’ve got Jennifer. She’s got all three sides of the coin: the acting, the dancing and the singing, a true triple threat. So they’re bringing a different kind of awareness to it. What are you going to say as a contestant to Steven Tyler, who’s got a 45 year running career at the top of the game as an artist? I think today artists would do good to have a 10 year career, let alone 45. I think they bring a lot to it. I think it’s exciting.”

“I think that we’ve all gotten some great chemistry. Chemistry happened like magic. We had a dinner one night and five minutes into the dinner it was like we’d all known each other and known each other’s careers before that. I think they’ve become really good judges of talent. I don’t think that there’s any way you can achieve the success that the two of them have achieved in their own careers without being a great judge of talent, because remember you have to judge yourself as well and usually if you’re like me you’re your own worst critic. So I tell every artist never to read their own press, because there are as many people that love you as hate you and you probably are tougher on yourself than anyone will ever be. I think they’ve become really, really good.”

On what kind of a judge he is now: “Listen, I think what you see now is you see all sides of me. I think before people saw only one side because there was Paula, there was Simon. We all had our different things that we do. So I think you will see a new version of The Dawg. There’s maybe a little bit more hair on The Dawg, if you will…I think that I’ll be a little bit more differently assertive. And you’ll go, “Wow, all right, Dawg.”

On all the changes: “I think we’re just trying to add things that enhances the viewers’ participation and the viewers’ interest even more. I think a lot of these things haven’t quite been confirmed, we’re working them out. We changed the middle rounds a bit, but I think it just makes the show more and more enjoyable now…I think that it’s still not completely baby out with the bath water. I think these are just some small changes. I think the biggest changes you’ll see are probably to the middle rounds. So it’s still the show that you know, still the show that you love. It ain’t being changed that much.”

On this year’s talent: “I think we’ve got some amazing talent this year. I think better talent than we’ve had in some years. I think we’re going to have a really interesting successful winner, I’m predicting.”

On whether a male or female will win this year: “I’m going to go with a female. Yes, I think there are some standouts on both sides, we’ll have to see, but I’m thinking it’s a girl’s year to lose.”

On what they’ll do to celebrate 10 years: “Look, man, Ryan and I are going to throw so many parties, dude, it’s going to be dizzying. I tell you, we’re going to throw down, man. I’m saying, what?! Come on, season 10 remix!”

I think it’s interesting that Randy said it’s “not completely baby out with the bath water.” That’s exactly what I was going to say it was…

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

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…

Eight Major Changes for "Idol" This Year

I have started to put my thoughts together for my very first “Herald-Dispatch” “Idol” column in a few weeks. But every time I come up with something good, everything changes again.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this is the season of change. And in this week’s issue, “The Hollywood Reporter” has the details on the eight biggest changes. But the website is giving us a sneak peek today.

Here are those eight changes, most of which we had already heard:

1) The set is getting a major update.

2) The elimination process is getting sped up, although it’s still unclear how much. According to the “Reporter,” the audience will set the semifinals but the Top 24 may go directly to 12 or 15 without any voting.

3) Online voting will most likely be introduced.

4) The finalists will live together in a mansion.

5) Producers/Songwriters handpicked by in-house mentor Jimmy Iovine will serve as mentors throughout the season. On board so far are Rodney Jerkins, Ron Fair, Timbaland and Alex Da Kid. The mentors will help the contestants choose their songs and then arrange and produce the musical accompaniment. The report says it will be “a prerecorded track augmented by a live band.” And, contestants will not be limited solely to cover songs.

6) The theme weeks will be completely different so as not to make a country singer do a rock song, etc.

7) Music videos are still a possibility, but no final decision has been made.

8) Finalists will release music as the season progresses instead of waiting until the fall.

The article promises some more interesting tidbits, including who else was considered for the judges table. I’ll bring all of that to you as soon as I get my copy. I’m hoping my mail carrier doesn’t lose this one like she did the last two week’s issues…

Paula Abdul Returns to TV

Don’t forget that tonight at 8, Paula Abdul returns to TV on CBS’ “Live to Dance.”

I’m sure I’ll have much more to say about the show after I see it, but that won’t be tonight, because Ohio State is playing in the Sugar Bowl.

Feel free to share your thoughts in the meantime by posting a comment, or hitting me up on Facebook or Twitter

Sunday, January 2, 2011

"Idol" Gets a New Music Director

It should be no surprise that my first post of 2011 is about more changes to “Idol”…

“The Hollywood Reporter” reported last week that Ray Chew will be the new music director, replacing Rickey Minor. Chew was the bandleader/musical director for “The Singing Bee” and “It’s Showtime at the Apollo.” He also handled the music for the 2008 Democratic National Convention and the 2009 inaugural ball.

It will be interesting to see how Chew and mentor Jimmy Iovine work together on the arrangements…