Former American Idols

American Idol 7: The Three-Song Conundrum

On next Tuesday's American Idol Top 3 performance show, each of the final three singers (David Cook, David Archuleta and Syesha Mercado) will perform three songs each. The Top 3 week is a notorious one for the remaining singers. Not only are they faced with the task of singing more songs than they've ever sung before, they have to take a trip back to their hometown for an impromptu concert. When you add the additional pressure of, you know, simply being in the American Idol final three, you realize that the three finalists are in for a tough week. Which got me thinking: which of the remaining singers is best prepared to endure the rigors of the next week?

Jason Castro is a likable dude. Listening to his conference call with the media this morning, you can't help but like the guy – he has no ego, is remarkably laid-back and doesn't take himself at all seriously. Unlike some American Idol contestants, the modesty is real. When Castro was eliminated from American Idol last night, he was relieved – never has someone been happier to get the boot from American Idol. The reason was simple – he had a hard time learning two songs in a week, learning three was going to be near impossible. Below you'll find the highlights of the conference call Jason held this morning.

You know exactly what American Idol wants. They want David vs. David. They want The Youngster vs. The Old Pro. David Archuleta and David Cook are completely different singers, appealing to vastly different kinds of American Idol viewers. We're not to the final two just yet, but it'd take a miracle to stop the inevitable David showdown. Tonight's show did nothing to derail that train. With only four singers left, there wasn't much in the way of results to show on-air. Ryan Seacrest told two singers at the start of the show that they were safe, and then we all waited forty minutes for the final results. Tonight's Idol was better in terms of the quality of filler, with Maroon 5 and Bo Bice filling the wait time between initial and final results.

American Idol has surprised me every week. I am zero for the season in my elimination predictions and, frankly, it might be kind of fun to keep the streak of futility going. Tonight's American Idol results show appears to be a foregone conclusion - almost everyone believes that Jason Castro should be, and will be, eliminated. My prediction is for Jason Castro to go home. Something has to give - either my streak of futility ends, or American Idol's streak of surprising everyone ends. David Archuleta and David Cook are 99% for sure safe. Syesha Mercado seemingly saved herself a spot int he top 3 with two solid, if not spectacular performances. However, if someone is the victim of a shocking elimination, it will most likely be Syesha. I'll be here throughout the entire American Idol results show tonight, giving live updates as the results roll in.

For the first time in weeks and weeks, there is an absolute, prohibitive favorite to be eliminated tonight on American Idol. Thanks to one abysmal performance and another one scarred by forgotten lyrics, Jason Castro is probably on his way off the grand American Idol stage. Some of you are probably thinking “it's about time.” Fair enough. Castro isn't your typical Idol performer – not blessed with a big voice, an upbeat personality or a rabid desire for stardom, Castro's ascension was more or less an anomaly. That doesn't mean I don't like him, but I understand those who have been calling for his head. Both John Kubicek and I are picking the dread-locked wonder to be eliminated tonight, and we discuss that and a whole boatload of other topics on our most recent edition of John vs. Oscar.

Tonight's American Idol performance show provided a profound dilemma. It's one that was discussed briefly earlier in the season, but tonight brought it to the forefront: How do you judge a performance that is technically excellent, yet not your cup of tea, versus a performance that was technically poor, yet in a style you enjoy? This question has permeated this season of American Idol, especially with contestants like Brooke White and Jason Castro who are, in vocal terms, much more style than substance. Complicating matters has been David Archuleta, who's been robotic in his excellence – vocally head and shoulders above most of his competition, but full of annoying habits that have kept me and countless others from jumping on the Archie bandwagon. Granted, since this is music, everything I say is based on a subjective opinion. There's a difference between saying a singer is bad, and saying you don't like a singer. I will admit that Archuleta is a very good singer. That doesn't mean I like him. But, am I obligated to rank him high on a night where he excelled at what he does (which I don't enjoy) or rank him on a purely personal level?

And then there were four. Jason Castro was not expected to make it this far. The dread-locked, laid back Texan wasn't featured once during the audition episodes (usually a bad sign) and even when he made the Top 12, I'm not sure anybody thought he'd outlast the likes of Carly Smithson and Brooke White. Same goes for Syesha Mercado - she was "supposed" to be eliminated weeks ago. Yet, she's steadily improved and sung well enough to forever become a part of American Idol lore. American Idol is winding down, folks, and the favorites remain David Cook and David Archuleta. While it was once assumed that Archuleta would win American Idol going away, Cook has been picking up momentum for weeks. Tonight, the theme has something to do with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which should provide a broad base of available songs, and hopefully increase the quality of the performances. Paula, get your notes ready, because here comes your American Idol top 4.

Paula Abdul is not good at her job. This is non-negotiable. There are millions upon millions of American Idol fans, though you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who disagrees with the above statement. Abdul has consistently under-performed, been a source of comedy and ridicule, and has endured a multitude of embarrassing moments on national television in front of the biggest audience in the world. Her most recent, and highly-publicized, misstep occurred last week when she critiqued a performance during the live American Idol broadcast she had only seen during dress rehearsal. It was a bizarre moment, though I didn't find it as big of a deal as others. Some are calling for her head, saying that the mistake is grounds for termination. In a vacuum, it wasn't that big a deal, and she should not be removed from American Idol simply for that one instance. What people seem to be over-looking, however, is that this latest flub is just one in a series of incidents that have shown Abdul to be an inept employee, one not qualified for her job and a person whose continued employment by TV's number one franchise is baffling.

'American Idol' Hits 5-Year Ratings Low, Over-Reaction Abounds

American Idol will be fine. Let's get that out of the way first. At least for the next couple seasons, American Idol will continue to grace the shameless and oft Moment-of-Truthed airwaves of the FOX Network. The shows is still the biggest one on television. That being said, the ratings have been slipping on a consistent basis, and there is certainly reason for the American Idol producers to worry. On Wednesday, American Idol received its lowest ratings in five years with “only” 22.1 million viewers, down 1.2 million from its previous five-year low, which was set last week. It's a troubling trend, indeed, and speaks to the fans' disappointment with this season.

FOX is without scruples. Shame left them decades ago. Rupert Murdoch is a merchant of cross-promotion, and cross-promotion within cross-promotion. There is no end to his treachery. The geniuses, the evil geniuses, at FOX have perfected the pimping of their own TV shows during other TV shows. Perhaps the greatest example of this is the way in which FOX launched So You Think You Can Dance a few summers back. By piggy-backing the series onto American Idol after a cacophony of Idol-tinged promotions, another successful franchise was built. However, I believe that on Wednesday, FOX went too far. In the middle of American Idol (in the middle of the actual show, NOT during a commercial break!) they ran a “preview” of the upcoming season of So You Think You Can Dance. Of course, this preview was nothing but a minute or so long commercial. Yes, that's right, FOX has broken new ground here: they aired a commercial during non-commercial time.

American Idol 7: Brooke White Elimination Interview

American Idol is intense. The insane pressure that all of the American Idol contestants face on a weekly basis would destroy the weak-willed, and has turned great singers into shriveling piles of goo. Knowing that you are being watched and judged by tens of millions of people is intimidating, no matter how good you are. Brooke White was one of those people, it turns out, who was effected by the pressure of American Idol. If you watched close enough, I'm sure you could have guessed this was the case - nerves were clearly taking their toll emotionally on Brooke during the American Idol season. Earlier today, Brooke held a media conference call and discussed her time on American Idol.

American Idol finally bucked the trend tonight. The elimination that came during tonight's Idol results show was not a surprise by any stretch of the imagination. One could argue that the lack of a surprise was the surprise, but I wonder what this might mean for the last few weeks of the season. Will everything continue to go as planned, with the Davids facing off on the American Idol finale? Or, will a Daughtry-esque elimination rock the Idol world? We shall see. As for tonight, the only surprise was a certain dread-locked human's omission from the bottom two, but that may only be a surprise to people who don't find Mr. Castro pretty. Neil Diamond and a British pop star were on hand as well.

Who will it be? American Idol eliminations have been surprising time and time again this season - are we in for another one tonight? Here's the thing, though - the only "surprising" eliminations possible tonight are from David Archuleta or David Cook. No one else (Syesha Mercado, Brooke White, or Jason Castro) would be much of a shock, and everyone is assuming that the Davids are safe. However, if American Idol continues on as it has all season, than it is certainly possible that a David might be kicked off the show. Maybe I'm just trying to convince myself that it's possible David Archuleta could go home, because I really, really want him to. My prediction for the night: Jason Castro eliminated. I'll be here throughout the results show, giving live updates as the results come in. Feel free to comment below with your thoughts.

There are those who are believers and there are those who are not. David Archuleta has become as divisive a figure on American Idol as Sanjaya Malakar was last year. After last night (especially after last night), American Idol viewers either love him or hate him. There is no in-between. Being a well-known Archuleta hater, I can't fathom how anyone could have watched last night's American Idol and thought he was anywhere near good. But, I can't see into the minds of his fans – music is annoyingly subjective that way. In our newest podcast, John Kubicek and I spent a lot of time eviscerating Archuleta's performance last night and have some differing thoughts on who exactly will be eliminated on tonight's American Idol results show.

That was bizarre. Paula Abdul ingested some peyote before the live broadcast, Simon Cowell was openly laughing at her, Randy Jackson shamelessly toed the party line, and Ryan Seacrest told a story about sitting in the backseat of a station wagon. American Idol celebrated its Top 5 with a quick-fire procession of Neil Diamond covers, which ranged from great to vomitous (I made that word up for tonight). There was barely any time to breathe in the hour long American Idol – the ten performances were too much for Paula Abdul to handle and she couldn't even remember who sang when. It was kind of embarrassing. The American Idol rankings tonight are a little bit tricky, seeing as each member of the top 5 gave two performances. I'm going to combine their respective merits, and give my rankings based on how they fared overall on the night.

Polls state that Sanjaya is winning

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this major poll says Sanjaya is winning!

http://www.buddytv.com/articles/american-idol/american-idol-producers-in-den-5542.aspx

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March 23, 2007

Idol to Invade on Dancing with the stars Turf

American idol will be treading on the first ten minutes of Dancing with the Stars next week, a situation that ABC had hoped to avoid. For more info read on:

American Idol to Pre-empt Dancing with the Stars

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Is Chris Sligh Voting for the Worst?

Chris Sligh shocked everybody by acknowledging and indirectly promoting the anti-idol site "VoteForTheWorst". For more information, check out this article at BuddTV.com

Chris Sligh's Controversial Shout out

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March 14, 2007

Why Does Sheryl Crow Hate American Idol

For the answer read this:

Sheryl Crow Doesn 't get American Idol

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March 13, 2007

Idol's Finale Five Predicted

If you play the track, you'll like this one. Bookies have predicted the final five for American Idol with some controversial results. How accurate are they usually? Not very, but the article is fun none the less!

Bookies Pick American Idol Season Six Final Five

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March 7, 2007

Online Odds Makers Call the contest

The bookies have weighed in on who they think will win American Idol. Ready to find out?

http://www.buddytv.com/articles/american-idol/betting-on-american-idol-safe-4759.aspx

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March 6, 2007

Does Jennifer Hudson owe Simon Cowell an apology?

According to this article at BuddyTV.com, YES! In it, Hudson is proven to be telling a revisionist history of her Idol experiences, packed full of fabrications regarding her interaction with the caustic Englishman. Check it out!

Hudson Owes Simon Cowell an Apology!

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February 27, 2007

Big Stars Revealed for American Idol 6

Big list of stars to appear on American Idol Season Six!

Click here for the list

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February 6, 2007

First American Idol Hopeful Cut for not Cutting?

Seems like the first American Idol contestant may have been sent home already! Read on here for the full story:

http://www.buddytv.com/articles/american-idol/first-american-idol-hopeful-cu-3731.aspx

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February 5, 2007

Is Jennifer Hudson a Cry Baby?

Over at BUDDYTV there is an article about Jennfier Hudson's recent words against American Idol. I have to admit, she does seem to be acting a little priss about this whole thing. I mean she is the only one to ever say anything like this, right? Look at how famous some of these people have become? Seems if there was anything more to it, we'd know about it by now.

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January 2, 2007

What are the Anti-Idol's Plans for '07?

BuddyTV has interviews the Anti-Idol himself: The webmaster of Votefortheworst.com!

To see what he has to say, read the interview here.

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December 28, 2006

Daughtry Vs. Hicks on Itunes: The winner is...

This week, American Idol winner Taylor Hicks’s self-titled album debuted at number two on the billboard charts, selling 298,000 copies. While 298,000 is certainly nothing to sneeze at, it’s quite a bit less than the Idol’s third runner-up, Chris Daughtry’s first week numbers: 304,000.

Has Hicks been “Aiken-ed?” While many still tend to believe Daughtry is the bigger star, his album was released in the midst of the frenzied, “Black Friday,” post-Thanksgiving sales week. Hicks’s debut, however, was released just last Tuesday Dec. 12th, after many had already finished Christmas shopping and sales had began to ebb. The numbers weren’t a dramatic contrast and could have easily been different had the release dates been switched. Nevertheless, it doesn’t look quite right when the third runner-up sells more than or even close to the actual winner.

Daughtry currently maintains a position at number five on the iTunes sales charts. Hicks has dropped to fifteen.

Again, although traceable to numerous factors, this evidences a potential theory. Although Hicks may do phenomenally well in first week sales, only true artists that can fit into today’s milieu, such as Daughtry, have lasting currency.

While the first week sales numbers may prove neglible when it comes to the true, long-lived power of Hicks and Daughtry, a quick glance at the iTunes music store right now might be a better indicator.

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December 27, 2006

Season Five's Paris Bennet Prepares To Release CD

As "American Idol" preps its sixth season, former finalist, Paris Bennett, independently plans her own tour and the release of her debut CD, Princess P.

Bennett, niece of inspirational singer Anne Nesby originally from the Sounds of Blackness, signed with 306 Entertainment for her debut set. "Dreamin'," the autobiographical first single, is slated to impact iTunes and radio in January of 2007. The 18-year-old co-wrote the majority of the songs on the album which also boasts production from Jon Jon TraXX, Darren Lightey and Rodney Jerkins.

Since appearing on "Idol," Bennett has toured nationally for the show, began developing her Tres P clothing line and performed recently at the annual Walt Disney Christmas Parade singing "Let It Snow" with fellow "Idol" finalists.

Princess P is scheduled to hit shelves in March of 2007, while the sixth season of "American Idol" airs January 16 on FOX.

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December 20, 2006

Taylor Hicks Performs onboard USS Reagan

Hundreds of San Diego area Sailors and family members enjoyed a special holiday concert performance by 2006 "American Idol" Taylor Hicks Dec. 19 on the flight deck of USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76).

The event, sponsored by the United Service Organizations (USO), also featured comedians Josh Blue and John Heffron. Both Blue and Heffron earned national attention after winning seasons of the hit NBC series “Last Comic Standing.”

Hicks said he was amazed at the size of the ship and considered it to be an honor to perform for military personnel.

"As a kid I saw the USO Bob Hope stuff and I always had the dream of being an entertainer and having my music get out to the world," said Hicks. "I think this is the beginning of a long tour for me and the USO. I look forward to going overseas and performing. I can start right here on the Ronald Reagan."

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December 19, 2006

American Idol Promotors Promise Big Surprise

"American Idol" executive producer Cecile Frot-Coutaz promises a big event midway through the coming season of the red-hot talent show - but she won't say what it is.

"If there's one thing that makes 'American Idol' so big, it's a huge event," she told the Daily News.

"Something we're working on is a big-event show, sometime in the middle of the season, something that will blow America away," she added.

Hard to believe the folks behind "American Idol" can get the show any bigger than it already is. When it's on - and it's only around 19 weeks a year - the show is the biggest thing on the small screen, generating huge Nielsen ratings and daily water-cooler buzz.

Each season the show rolls around, there are gentle warnings that the audience level will drop. And, each year, the show does better.

Last season, the Tuesday edition of "American Idol" was watched by an average of 31.02 million people to rank No. 1 for the season. That's up 3 million from the 27.44 million the season before.

Moreover, the show has launched the careers of music superstars Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and "Dreamgirls" star Jennifer Hudson.

"American Idol" returns with two-hour editions on Jan. 16 and 17 at 8 p.m.

Few shows have had the run "American Idol" has and remained as strong. But Frot-Coutaz said a drop is not out of the realm of possibility.

"Look," she said, "it's always in the back of your mind. The only thing we can do is make the best show we can and find the best talent as possible. The rest, some of it is up to Fox and how they promoted it. The rest is the competitive landscape. If we keep giving [viewers] something entertaining, it will be fine."

Fox's competitors, however, treat the show like it's radioactive. For instance, ABC recently announced it would move "Lost" to 10 p.m. on Wednesdays to get it away from "Idol" at 9 p.m.

While most of the world goes into a slow-down mode this holiday season, the folks at 19 Entertainment and FremantleMedia North America, which produce "Idol," are in overdrive preparing the early editions of the show.

"We're in production pretty much year-round," Frot-Coutaz said. "We start our casting in August."

This time of year, she admitted, gets a bit tense.

"It's that time when you get apprehensive about how it's going to launch," she said. "We keep our fingers crossed."

The early episodes are "great" she said, with some of the best audition shows ever. They key, she said, is mixing the good people with the truly bad ones, like, say, William Hung.

"There's some great talent out there," she said. "But there's also some people who are delusional about their talent, too. That's the beauty of an open call - everybody comes. Everybody thinks they've got a great voice."

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December 18, 2006

Studdard Urges Fans to Watch Their Weight

The scales of American Idol may have tipped in Ruben Studdard's favor in 2003, but there are other scales he would like to tip a bit less.

After shedding almost 100 pounds, the Birmingham native and 2003 American Idol winner announced Monday that he wants to help other Alabamians lose weight.

Studdard has agreed to be a coach for Alabama residents who want to stick to that New Year's resolution to lose weight. He is asking the 25 percent of Alabamians who are obese to lose 10 pounds in eight weeks - a statewide total of 10 million pounds.

Since committing to a weight loss program this summer, Studdard has lost nearly 100 pounds, started eating healthier and begun exercising, according to a news release announcing the program.

"I'm not where I want to be, but I'm on the right track, and I'm excited about encouraging other Alabamians to begin their own weight loss journeys," Studdard said.

The eight-week weight loss campaign - Scale Back Alabama - will run from January through March.

The campaign, which kicks off Jan. 4 with an event featuring Studdard, is being jointly sponsored by Alabama's hospitals, the Alabama Department of Public Health and Barber Diaries.

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December 12, 2006

Taylor Hicks Says He is Ready For The Big Time

Kicking back on a couch with a hot cup of tea, Taylor Hicks looks as comfortable backstage at the “Tonight Show” as he might in his own home. When Jay Leno pops into Hicks’ dressing room to say hello, the gray-haired soul singer is unfazed — a moment that reflects just how much “American Idol” has changed the 30-year-old’s life.

A year ago, Hicks was a struggling musician unknown to those outside the small Southern clubs where he performed. Today, he is a bona fide TV star and major-label recording artist whose self-titled solo debut hits stores Tuesday.

“It’s mind-blowing,” Hicks said before taking the “Tonight Show” stage recently. “This is what happens when you catch a break. I’m very thankful and very gracious for what the show has done for me.”

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October 9, 2006

Ruben Studdard Double Books, Shuns Charity

According to the associated press, Ruben Studdard pulled out of a charity concernt to benefit the Shriner's Children Hospital after double booking himself. Sales of the concert tickets were apparently slow to begin with, but Studdard's cancellation will wind up costing the charity money as it carried half of the expenses for booking the event.

Studdard has not immediately rescheduled the appearance.

Source - Ap Newswire

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October 6, 2006

Former American Idol Corey Clark Arrested Again

Corey Clark, best known for his disqualification during the second season of American Idol, was arrested again recently, this time for criminal trespassing and violating a court order for domestic violence.

Continue reading "Former American Idol Corey Clark Arrested Again" »

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September 25, 2006

American Idol's Katherine McPhee No Wonder Woman

Katherine McPhee, who lost to Taylor Hicks last season on American Idol, is rumoured to be in the running for Joss Whedon's upcoming big-screen adaptation of Wonder Woman.

Continue reading "American Idol's Katherine McPhee No Wonder Woman" »

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