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.

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Are You Ready For Some New Madonna Music?

FOX announced today that Madonna will preview the video for her new single during Thursday’s episode of “American Idol”…

“Give Me All Your Luvin’” features Nicki Minaj and M.I.A. It’s from her upcoming 12th album, “MDNA.”

The preview will air Thursday, February 2nd during the St. Louis auditions at 8 p.m. Portland auditions will air Wednesday, February 1st at 8 p.m…

You can see a preview of the preview here…

Houston: "I feel like I'm in the Twilight Zone"

At the beginning of the Houston auditions, Randy Jackson said Season 11 was a new beginning. Funny, I thought that’s what last season was. I guess he couldn’t come up with something as clever as Season 10: The Remix…

For the first batch of episodes, we’ve been seeing a lot more good than bad. So, we were due for a lot of bad. But we also got a lot of good that still didn’t make it to Hollywood thanks to a trip into “The Twilight Zone”…

Here are some of my thoughts on Houston…

The bad auditions normally make me squirm, but I admit I actually laughed at Phong Vu (“Unbreak My Heart”) because he was just so dramatic…

#Tylerism Alert: “You rode that one into the sunset”…

It was nice to see Baylie Brown (“Bed of Roses”) come back, although I wonder what kept her away so long. If I remember correctly, her group—which included Antonella Barba—was quite the drama fest in Hollywood. Hopefully, it will work out better for her this time around…

I love when JLo said, “Thank you, God” when Kristine Osorio (“God Only Knows”) started singing. JLo was just so happy that the single mother of three could sing…

We didn’t hear enough of Rachael Turner (“Undo It”) and Reagan Wilson (“At Last”) to know about them, but JLo was absolutely right about Cheyenne James (“Misery”). Cheyenne was awesome and I don’t know what Steven and Randy were thinking not letting her through. Especially since they let Linda Williams (“Fallin’”) through with that hideous audition. I wish whoever JLo looks at over to the side had jumped in and helped her at least keep Cheyenne in. It was a trip to the Twilight Zone indeed...

#Tylerism Alert: “I wrote ‘Dream On’ back when the Red Sea was still sick”…

Randy’s bad ear continued when he nearly stopped Cortez Shaw from finishing his R&B version of “Someone Like You.” His rendition was strange, but his voice was solid…

#Tylerism Alert: “I bet you’re crazy in—on the dance floor”…

Every year, there’s always that heartwrenching story that totally gets you. And this year’s so far is Ramiro Garcia. I had never known of anyone born without ears, but to hear him now is pretty remarkable. I have no idea why JLo said they were taking a leap of faith with him. No leap at all. The guy is awesome…

Golden tickets went out to 55 in Houston…

#Tylerism Alert: “Don’t sweat the petty things and don’t pet the sweaty things”…

Rock on, Steven. Rock on…

Aspen: "When You Got It, Share It"

Since I was watching this on tape, I was able to take a closer look at the opening credits and I discovered something interesting…

In years past, the opening credits have showed all of the winners and some notables like Chris Daughtry and Adam Lambert. But this year, the credits only show eight winners and an interesting selection of contestants from last season…

The first shot is Kelly Clarkson (Season 1), Ruben Studdard (Season 2), Carrie Underwood (Season 4) and David Cook (Season 7). Carrie then morphs into Haley Reinhart, Ruben morphs into James Durbin and David morphs into Casey Abrams. The camera then pans to Fantasia (Season 3). Fantasia then quickly morphs into Lauren Alaina. The next shot is Lee DeWyze (Season 9), Scotty McCreery (Season 10) and Kris Allen (Season 8).

If you’re keeping track, the winners that are not shown are Taylor Hicks (Season 5) and Jordin Sparks (Season 6). It’s interesting that the powers-that-be chose to show Lee over Jordin, since Jordin is still somewhat relevant and Lee has already been dropped from his label. If I was “Idol,” I would want to forget that Lee’s season even happened…

As for why all the pictures of the contestants from last season, I’m not sure. Maybe they think people will remember them more than the others. But it’s interesting they get showcased when 19 didn’t sign either James or Casey and Haley’s album has not been released yet…

For the record, both Jordin and Taylor are featured in the artwork on the audition sets….

Now let’s get back to the auditions. Here are some of my thoughts on Aspen…

I’m not sure that Jenni Schick could have picked a better audition song than Pat Benatar’s “Heartbreaker.” It perfectly matched her personality. And I love how she admitted she despises her kindergarten students playing the recorder…

I LOVED Devan Jones, who I think was singing The Script’s “The Man Who Would Not Move.” If I’m right, it was a great take on a great song that should’ve gotten a little more chart love…

Keep your eye on Mathenee Treco. His R&B take on “Hey Jude” was pretty interesting…

I have to compliment the producers’ choice of “Skyscraper” to play during Shelby Tweten’s (“Temporary Home”) Hollywood moment. No doubt the young woman diagnosed as bipolar can totally relate to the song’s message…

I loved the girl who did “Stand By Me” complete with beatboxing…

So who is JLo always looking at off to the side during the auditions? Is it a producer? Is it an assistant? Sometimes it looks like she’s seeking their approval before she decides something…

You guys know the auditions make me a little uncomfortable and one of the big reasons why is when talented singers nearly blow their auditions with stupid stuff. That’s what Angie Zeiderman did with her whole “When You Got It, Share It” performance. She clearly has a good voice and she should’ve just showed it. Of course, if she hadn’t done the whole song and dance, she never would have gotten on TV, so I guess she couldn’t win there…

People like Magic Cyclops also make me uncomfortable because I hate contestants who are just there to get on TV. I will say he could possibly make an excellent Neil Diamond impersonator…

It looked like Aspen was producing a lot of talent, but only 31 made it through to Hollywood…

Next up, Houston, Texas…

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Tonight's Episode

Once again tonight, life intervened, so I am unable to share my thoughts on tonight's audition episode.

I'll share them tomorrow night when I share my thoughts about tomorrow night's episode. And then eventually, I'll get back into rhythm...

In the meantime, feel free to share your thoughts by posting a comment here...

Monday, January 23, 2012

FOX Reruns "The Midnight Special

For those of you who missed last night's "Idol"--and I'm guessing due to the late hour it was a bunch of you--FOX is re-airing it Tuesday at 8 p.m...

San Diego: A "Midnight Special." Literally...

The line of the night came very early from Steven: “Did you not think there’d be jets flying overtop?”

You’d think that if Steven Tyler could have figured that out, the producers could have too. Maybe next year they won’t put picturesque over practical…

Here are some of my thoughts on tonight’s auditions from the USS Midway in San Diego…

Every year a Buckeye manages to embarrass us. This year it was Jennifer Diley, the girl in the super short shorts and bikini top who didn’t have the voice to match, who was from Columbus. And singing Jessica Simpson (“With You”)? Seriously?...

#Tylerism Alert: “Your voice lacks the fire your getup has.”

It takes a lot of guts to sing “I Will Always Love You” for your audition. Fortunately, Ashley Robles had more than enough talent to pull it off. And she picked all of the best parts of the song for the audition. She’s one to watch…

Weren’t you just positive that Jayrah Gibson (“Just Friends”) was going to be terrible?...

So in addition to the chances of boats and jets making noise, did it not occur to anyone that people might bang their heads on the low ceiling of an aircraft carrier? I mean, we all know the contestants are going to jump and down, right?...

How much did Aubree Dieckmeyer milk “Feelin’ Good”? I mean she was good, but it was a little drawn out…

If it hadn’t have been for the “Ellen” connection, I’m not sure the judges would have let Ali Shields (“Like a Star”) keep auditioning. Can’t believe how she almost blew that one with that rap…

I’ve got my eye on Kyle Crews (“Angel of Mine”). I was sure he was going to be bad—especially singing a female R&B song. But he was great…

#Tylerism Alert: “I went through four hours of hair and makeup to listen to this sh--?”

Does anyone else feel like Jane Carrey (“Something to Talk About”) only went through because she’s Jim Carrey’s daughter?...

I was 100 percent positive that Jason “Wolf” Hamlin (“Midnight Special”/ “Folsom Prison Blues”) would be terrible—especially the way they kept teasing him during the breaks. But I thought he was cool…

All in all, it looked like a pretty strong crop in San Diego. 53 got golden tickets to Hollywood…

Wednesday, it’s off to Aspen and back to a more normal airtime. See you then…

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Reminder: A Special Sunday "Idol"

Don't forget that a special audition episode of "Idol" will be airing after the NFC Championship Game, probably around 10:15 p.m. or so.

I've seen some previews of this one and things get a little outrageous when someone clearly didn't think of all the issues involved with doing auditions on an aircraft carrier...

I'll be back later tonight with my thoughts...

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Pittsburgh: "Family Matters"

As I suspected, Phillip Phillips was the one everyone was buzzing about from last night’s auditions. And no, I am still not caught up from last night…

But I did catch every second of tonight’s episode and just as I predicted, there were some faces from our area among the ones we saw. Here are some of my thoughts…

Heejun Hun (How Am I Supposed to Live Without You) was one you were sure was going to be terrible. And the judges thought so too…

Reed Grimm (Theme from “Family Matters”) is my favorite so far. I was like the judges. I thought singing that song—though a good one—was crazy. But he was awesome and I’m hoping he’ll be the next Blake Lewis…

It’s nice to see Chase Likens from Point Pleasant audition again. It looks like the judges liked him. By the way, if you haven’t seen him in any Marshall University productions, Chase is also a very good actor…

I also really liked Creighton Fraker who sang an original song about “Idol” for the judges. He had a very unique sound…

If he doesn’t get chewed up and spit out in Hollywood, Milford, Ohio’s Eben Franckewitz could go a little ways…

Wow! How heartbreaking was Travis Orlando’s (“Isn’t She Lovely”) story? His mom walked out for another relationship while his dad is ill? I’m so glad the judges let him through…

Shane Bruce from Moundsville, WV, was a little heartbreaking as well. I agree with the judges that he wasn’t good enough to go through, but it was still sad. I’d like to see him come back next year too, but I’m guessing he’d have to drive a lot further than Pittsburgh. I think he should have gone with “In the Still of the Night,” the song he was singing for his fellow coal miners. And speaking of which, JLo clearly knows nothing about West Virginia or she’d understand why Shane’s a coal miner. It’s in his blood…

And am I the only one who thinks it’s a little sad that the only way Shane knew the gorgeous “Hallelujah” was from “Shrek”?

Yes, Hallie Day’s audition was great and will probably be the one everyone talks about since Reed was so early in the show. But I think the real highlight of her audition was not the performance as much as how she picked all the best parts of “I Will Survive” for the audition. It was very savvy…

Don’t forget the next audition episode will air Sunday after the NFC Championship Game (around 10 p.m.). We’ll head to San Diego where the show mistakenly set up camp at a military base in front of a launch area. Trust me. There will be some crazy moments…

So what do you guys think? Have you picked any favorites yet?

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Savannah: My Thoughts On the Half-Hour I Saw

I confess. I decided to watch the Capital Classic with my husband. So I only saw the last half-hour of the show.

I know. I should be ashamed of myself…

So until I can get caught up on the rest of the show, here are my thoughts on that last half-hour…

I’m worried about W.T. Thompson (Something about the “Lullaby of the Midnight Train”). His wife is pregnant and he quit his job for a shot at “Idol”? Of course, we’re watching something that happened months ago, so I hope he’s found something else by now. And Ryan, never fake out a pregnant chick. That’s just mean…

#Tylerism Alert: “If I get any closer I’ll be on the other side of you.”

#Tylerism Alert: “The best note you hit was when you grabbed my a--.”

I think Brittney Kerr (the NBA dancer) deserved to go through. But she’ll get chewed up and spit out in Hollywood. At least she’ll look good doing it. And I can’t believe she adjusted her chest on national TV…

Of course, the last person on tonight’s show, Phillip Phillips (“Superstition”), will probably be the one everyone talks about tomorrow. He has a great voice and his guitar playing on “Thriller” was amazing…

All in all, 42 went through to Hollywood. Wow! I think there is a lot of harsh trimming coming up…

Tomorrow, we’re off to Pittsburgh. I’ll be scoping the crowds closely for local faces. If any of you know anyone—or you yourself auditioned—let me know…

Much more later when I get caught up…

Tonight's the Night: Are You Ready?

Tonight's the night...

A new journey begins as "American Idol" launches its 11th season tonight. I admit I'm still having trouble wrapping my head around the fact that this has been going on for 11 years...

Tonight's audition episode is two hours beginning at 8 p.m. on FOX. I'll post my thoughts on the episode after it airs.

I will warn you that I may be somewhat distracted by the Capital Classic, which is also tonight. So it may be late before you hear from me. In the meantime, feel free to post your thoughts on tonight's auditions here or on my Facebook page.

Are you ready? I know I am...

Photo Credit: Warwick Saint/FOX

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Kelly to Perform at Grammys

Kelly Clarkson is a busy, busy girl these days…

CBS has announced that Kelly will perform at the Grammy Awards, along with Jason Aldean.

The duo are nominated for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for “Don’t You Wanna Stay.” The song will appear on the 2012 Grammy Nominees CD which will hit stores on January 24th.

The Grammys will air February 12th at 8 p.m. on CBS…

Will Kelly Clarkson Kick Off the Super Bowl?

The Associated Press has reported that Kelly Clarkson will sing the National Anthem at this year’s Super Bowl. The report has not been confirmed by the NFL.

The choice makes sense because Kelly has a lot of experience singing the Anthem at major sporting events, she appeals to a wide range of fans, and NBC seems eager to showcase her these days since she will be appearing as a mentor on “The Voice,” which will air immediately after the game.

Oh, and she’s awesome…

The AP also reported that Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert will be singing “America the Beautiful” during pregame ceremonies. Blake and Kelly are both represented by Reba McEntire’s husband, Narvel Blackstock.

The Super Bowl will air on NBC Sunday, February 5th

Photo Credit: Harper Smith/RCA Records

Stefano Signs a Deal

Season 10’s Stefano Langone has added a major feather in his cap by signing with Hollywood Records…

Ken Bunt, executive vice president, Disney Music Group and Hollywood Records, said in a statement, “We are very excited to have Stefano on our roster. He’s an incredibly talented vocalist and songwriter. His story is very inspiring and we are looking forward to helping him achieve his goals.”

Stefano is managed by 19 Entertainment.

As you may recall, Stefano was nearly killed in a car accident in 2009, where he was hit by a drunk driver. The accident left him with two broken arms, a fractured pelvis and other life-threatening injuries. He was wheelchair-bound for months.

Stefano was Jennifer Lopez’s wild card pick and was best known for his performance of Stevie Wonder’s “Lately.”

Stefano has become a celebrity supporter of Eva Longoria’s Padres Contra El Cancer organization, which according to the Hollywood Records press release, is “a health and education curriculum designed to be culturally-relevant, family-centered and community-based.”

No word on when an album or single might be released…

Photo Credit: Miguel Starcevich/Hollywood Records

Monday, January 9, 2012

Ryan Seacrest Speaks

Yesterday at the Television Critics Association Tour, Ryan Seacrest addressed his upcoming “Idol” negotiations…

“I love this television show…and I can’t imagine life without ‘American Idol,'” he said, according to “The Hollywood Reporter.” However, Ryan would not go into details about his future with “Today.”

“I have a deal with NBC Universal that we’re in negotiations discussing what I’ll do, but I already work there,” he said.

The “Reporter” story says that Ryan may do interview specials or take a major role in Olympics coverage. The most interesting tidbit from the “Reporter” post was this: “When asked about a potential future with NBC’s rival series, ‘The Voice,’ Seacrest slithered about in his seat, noting that his focus this year is on ‘Idol.’”

Hmmm…

Earlier in the day, FOX Entertainment President Kevin Reilly said FOX would work hard to keep Ryan. “As we know, it’s a much harder job than meets the eye.”

I’m glad to hear him acknowledge that…

Reilly said he knew the negotiations would be tough, but that they would wrap up “pretty quickly”…

How Season 11 Will Roll Out

Yesterday, FOX announced the upcoming schedule for the eleventh season of “American Idol.”

Wait. Did that just say 11 seasons? Wow…

Beginning January 18th, we’ll see auditions every Wednesday and Thursday through February 2nd. There will also be a special audition episode Sunday, January 22nd at 10 p.m. after the NFC Championship Game.

The final auditions episode will be Wednesday, February 8th with the Hollywood Round kicking off Thursday, February 9th. We’ll get three Hollywood episodes this year as they’ll continue through Thursday, February 16th. Then Wednesday, February 22nd it’s the Performance Challenge as the remaining contestants sing one more time for the judges. We’ll learn the identity of the semifinalists when the “Green Mile” episode airs Thursday, February 23rd.

The next week, the show expands to three nights as voting begins. Tuesday, February 28th, the first group of semifinalists will perform on a special 400th episode. Wednesday, February 29th, the second group of semifinalists will perform and Thursday, March 1st, we’ll have our first results show as the votes are revealed and the judges choose their wild cards.

The finalists will perform for the first time Wednesday, March 7, with the results shows beginning March 8th.

No word yet on how many finalists there will be this year. And although nothing was said in the release, it appears the show will be following the same girls-guys formula it did last year to divide the semifinalists.

Are we ready to roll?

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Is This Ryan Seacrest's Swan Song?

Rumors are flying fast and furious that this could be Ryan Seacrest’s last season as the host of “American Idol”…

“The Hollywood Reporter” reports that Ryan is in the final year of his contract and negotiations will begin soon for a new deal. The report says Ryan is expected to play hardball since he’s so in demand these days—which lends a little credence to my theory that someone from Ryan’s camp leaked the story that “Today” is wooing Ryan as a potential Matt Lauer replacement. But a source tells “THR” that FOX believes they can replace Ryan for much less money.

Having seen what FOX considers a good alternative—Steve Jones of “The X Factor”—I think the network and the show’s producers should give Ryan whatever he wants…

Or maybe if they dump him, he could take over “The X Factor.” Hmmm…

Photo Credit: Sam Jones/FOX

Live From New York, It's Kelly Clarkson

Kelly Clarkson has been taking a lot of flack lately…

From her tweet supporting Ron Paul to her upcoming appearance on “The Voice” as a mentor, she’s been getting it from all sides. But tonight, she’ll just be doing what she does best as the musical guest on “Saturday Night Live.”

And as she sings, what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger…

“Saturday Night Live” airs tonight (January 7th) at 11:30 on NBC. There will be a delay due to the NFL playoffs, so program your DVRs accordingly...

Photo Credit: Harper Smith/RCA

Friday, January 6, 2012

Is Kelly Clarkson an "Idol" Traitor?

Is Kelly Clarkson turning her back on “Idol”?

The New York Post” reported today that Kelly will appear as a mentor on “The Voice” this season. According to the post, she will mentor contestants coached by Blake Shelton.

It’s important to note that Kelly and Blake have the same management—Starstruck Entertainment, which is run by Reba McEntire’s husband, Narvel Blackstock.

If this report is true—and there’s no reason to believe that it isn’t—I can’t imagine that “Idol” will be too happy about it.

I have to wonder if maybe Kelly has made her last performance on the “Idol” stage…

Photo Credit: Mike Ruiz/RCA

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Can Clay Become the Next "Celebrity Apprentice"?

NBC finally announced today what we already knew…

Clay Aiken will be a contestant on the newest edition of “The Celebrity Apprentice.”

Fellow contestant Adam Carolla told the media today that he was surprised at how gritty Clay was during the competition. But in all honesty, I’m not sure if he was joking or not…

“The Celebrity Apprentice” premieres Sunday, February 12th at 9 p.m…

Photo Credit: Mitchell Haaseth/NBC

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

"The Price is Right" for Chris Daughtry

Chris Daughtry will appear on "The Price Is Right" this week as part of Celebrity Charity Week.

But he better bring his A game in order to outdo Snoop Dogg who showed some serious pricing skills Monday...

Chris' episode is scheduled to air Thursday. "The Price Is Right" airs at 11 a.m. on CBS...

Photo Credit: Screen Grab 2011 CBS Productions Inc.