'Idol' odds 'n ends: Season 10 auditions adds last-minute Los Angeles stop

The following are Idol-related odds and ends that happened this week:

>TMZ is reporting that Jennifer Lopez is back in the good graces of Simon Fuller and co., as she will most likely sign a deal next week that will permanently put her in the seat once held by Simon Cowell/Ellen DeGeneres.

Sources connected to the negotiations tell TMZ ... contrary to some news reports ... there has been no drama and no diva demands. As one source puts it, "It's been typical negotiating."

Well, I guess TMZ has been at the forefront with all the replacement judge drama, so this bit of info is probably as reliable as anything else out there. As to whether or not J. Lo is "the key to re-energizing the show," that is certainly still up to debate.

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>The nominations list for the 44th annual CMA Awards was revealed on Tuesday, and one Idol alum was able to score some nods as usual. Carrie Underwood is up for Female Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year for Play On. Although Carrie has a pretty good track record at these award shows, it looks to be Miranda Lambert's year, as she received a record nine nominations and looks to take home a lot of awards.

Still, it's good to know Carrie received more nods than Taylor Swift, who is only up for one category - FVotY. The 44th annual CMA Awards will air live on Wed., Nov. 10, at 8 p.m. on ABC.

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>Just as the disappointing Season 9 Idols Live! Tour concluded on Tuesday, Season 10's auditions have been extended to later this month when auditions will be held at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif., on Wed., Sept. 22. Per Idol's website:

For the milestone 10th season of American Idol, we just couldn’t stay away from Idol’s hometown, Los Angeles, CA. In fact, this is the show’s sixth time holding hometown auditions in L.A. The goal during hometown auditions is to get a ticket Hollywood, and successful singers in L.A. won’t have to travel very far for the final round of auditions. Katharine McPhee, Adam Lambert, Allison Iraheta, and Andrew Garcia are among the talented Idol stars from the City of Angels. L.A. is where the Idol finalists reside while competing for the prize, and it’s the place many Idol alumni settle to pursue their music career.

It's pretty interesting that the producers think adding a last-minute stop in LA of all places will help ensure we don't get another Season 9, since LA is one of the blandest, most uninteresting places to find talent. But whatever, if they want to attract teens from skipping school for the day, they're certainly free to do so.

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>Katharine McPhee has landed another role, this one in the horror pic Shark Night 3D. Other actors recently added to the cast include Sara Paxton (The Last House on the Left) and Dustin Milligan (Extract). Per DigitalSpy:

The trio will join the recently announced Sinqua Walls, Chris Carmack, Alyssa Diaz and Joel David Moore in the 3D horror movie.

The Final Destination and Snakes On A Plane helmer David R. Ellis is behind the camera for Shark Night, which centres on a group of people who are attacked by sharks while on vacation in the Louisiana Gulf area.

Well, at least it's not Piranha 3D. But Kat, is this really the best you could do? Shark movies never hold a candle to Jaws, and 3D is getting pretty tiring by now. Still, it's good to see she's continuing to get roles.

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>After only a few performances on Broadway in the musical In the Heights, Jordin Sparks injured her hip last Saturday during a show. She was understandably bummed, but like the pro that she is, she turned to Twitter to apologize to her fans and offer them a token of appreciation for coming out to see her:

"Thank you so much to everyone who came tonight. Sorry I couldn't sign. :( It's hard to stand/walk. Hopefully the physical therapist can fix me! :)

"If you'd like, you can send your playbills/tkts/pics w/ a stamped return envelope to the theatre & I'll get them back to you. Thank you for understanding. It means the world. Love you guys. <3"

Jordin is now back in tip-top shape and said she is "so attached to the cast & show already!"

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'Idol' odds 'n ends: Steven Tyler preps for 'Idol' judgeship by falling off stage

The following are Idol-related odds and ends that happened this week:

>Steven Tyler is all but confirmed to be a judge for Idol's 10th season, but he doesn't seem to be slowing down to save his energy for coming up with critiques, as evidenced by his multiple falls while performing onstage, including the most recent episode at a show in Toronto. Per Zap2It:

After quickly rebounding from his accidental stage dive, Tyler sprung up and yelled to the crowd, "It ain't gonna happen again!"

Let's hope not. The lights and video floor on the "American Idol" can be awfully disorienting.

That's actually really good advice, especially since if the lights don't disorient him, they'll probably at least melt his face clear off. Then who would replace the replacement?


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>Jordin Sparks has been busy this week in New York City gearing up for her big premiere in the Broadway musical In The Heights. As per usual, making appearances on the talk show circuit were included on her itinerary, including Live with Regis & Kelly, on which she performed the song "Breathe" yesterday. Watch the performance below:




Jordin's Broadway debut came last night, which marks the kickoff of a 12-week run at the Richard Rodgers Theatre. For schedules and ticket information for In The Heights, visit InTheHeightsMusical.com.


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>After much delay, Kris Allen's music video for second single "The Truth" premiered on VH1 on Tuesday. Watch the video below:




The video was directed by Marco Puig, who was at the helm of Kris's video for "Live Like We're Dying," and featured model Cindy Vela and Train lead singer Pat Monahan. Was the video worth the wait? Not in my opinion, unfortunately.


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>David Archuleta posted another vlog on his official YouTube channel on Tuesday in which he informed fans that work on his forthcoming album The Other Side of Down is almost complete. Watch the vlog below (if you can tolerate the annoying buzzing sound):




As expected, Arch confirmed the album has been pushed back until Tues., Oct. 5. He said he's excited to start performing live again soon and hopes he can hit the high notes in "Something 'Bout Love." The Other Side of Down is available to pre-order at Amazon.com.


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>Kellie Pickler is reportedly busy putting her own signature touch on her wedding plans, as she's looking for ways to incorporate her love of animals into the ceremony. According to a piece by Wendy Geller of Yahoo! Music:

And, we're not just talking about having a dog dressed up in a mini-tuxedo, as Underwood did at her wedding. Pickler is talking about having her reptile buddies in the mix. "I'm thinking of having the python be the ringbearer," she told PEOPLE this week.

I wonder if she'll think about asking calamari to be the flower girls? The piece goes on to say there will be no first dance with husband-to-be Kyle Jacobs because he is "'a disaster' on the dance floor." That's a little out of the ordinary, especially since Kellie is definitely the dancin' kind.

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Simon reacts to Ellen's departure

That didn't take long. Simon Cowell has already spoken with The Hollywood Reporter (courtesy of Billboard) regarding the news that his pal (and onetime first day enemy) Ellen DeGeneres won't be pulling up a chair between Randy and Kara anymore:

"As I got to know Ellen, I grew to really, really like her. I have huge respect for her because she's always been in control of her own destiny."

Wow, for a really lame, generic statement, that's too nice to say anything about.

It's incredible to think that Simon's very last episode (aka the Season 9 finale) ultimately was Ellen's last episode as well. Only the former got a grandiose farewell tribute and the latter got nothing. It's too bad, but Ellen was probably too big for the Idol brand. Maybe she'll be back for more when Seacrest finally takes his final bow? While judging is not something she's cut out for, hosting is absolutely right up her alley.

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Jennifer Lopez replaces Ellen DeGeneres - is she the right fit?

As you may or may not know by now, Ellen DeGeneres will not be returning to Idol as a judge for Season 10, and Jennifer Lopez will be replacing her on the panel. My reaction: thank you Nigel!

Of course, none of this would have been possible had Nigel Lythgoe not returned to his role as Executive Producer earlier today, and as much as I don't like him as a person, he does know how to make some smart business decisions.

My reaction isn't so much about any particular like for J. Lo, instead my general dislike of Ellen as a judge. Apparently she kind of felt the same way about the idea of staying on past her inaugural season, as made evident in the full release from FOX below (courtesy of Nikki Finke & Nellie Andreeva over at DHD):

Ellen DeGeneres has decided to bow out from her role as a judge on AMERICAN IDOL next season. DeGeneres served as a judge during the ninth season of IDOL, the No. 1 hit series on television.

“A couple months ago, I let FOX and the AMERICAN IDOL producers know that this didn’t feel like the right fit for me,” said DeGeneres. “I told them I wouldn’t leave them in a bind and that I would hold off on doing anything until they were able to figure out where they wanted to take the panel next. It was a difficult decision to make, but my work schedule became more than I bargained for. I also realized this season that while I love discovering, supporting and nurturing young talent, it was hard for me to judge people and sometimes hurt their feelings. I loved the experience working on IDOL and I am very grateful for the year I had. I am a huge fan of the show and will continue to be.”

“We love Ellen and understand and support her decision to bow out of IDOL,” said Peter Rice, Chairman of Entertainment, Fox Networks Group. “We were fortunate to receive the humor, energy and love for talent that she brought to the show.”

“It was a joy to work with Ellen,” added Mike Darnell, President of Alternative Entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Company. “She brought an incredible spirit to IDOL and was a great new addition to the team. While we’re saddened by her decision, we are very appreciative that she gave us ample notice so that we could work through it together.”

“I loved Ellen’s passion for the artists and her nurturing skills,” said IDOL creator and executive producer Simon Fuller. “She brought honesty and optimism to our judging panel and I will miss her greatly.”

“We will miss Ellen, she has been the consummate professional throughout her time on the show, and she’ll always be part of the AMERICAN IDOL family,” added Cecile Frot-Coutaz, IDOL executive producer.

AMERICAN IDOL is created and executive-produced by Simon Fuller, founder of 19 Entertainment; and executive-produced by Cecile Frot-Coutaz, CEO, FremantleMedia North America, Inc. and Ken Warwick, Executive Producer, FremantleMedia North America, Inc.

As for the growing rumor that Steven Tyler has been offered Simon's spot, that is also a move that would be alright with me. Steven is obviously a legend in his own right with Aerosmith and all, and he can actually sing, plus he's been in the industry long enough to know the ins and outs (no offense, Kara).

Speaking of Kara, expect her to walk the plank next. Her one-year contract has yet to be extended and considering the next round of auditions begins in just a few weeks, it's unlikely she'll be offered an extension at this point.

So while this story is far from over, everyone can go to bed knowing there is some sanity restored to Idol going forward, and that's a good thing for everyone.

What do you think about Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler as judges? Are the good fits? Could Nigel & co.have done any better?

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'Idol' odds 'n ends: total of 26,000 turn out for Milwaukee, Nashville auditions

The following are Idol-related odds and ends that happened this week:

>The Season 10 auditions kicked off in Nashville on Thurs., July 15, where about 10,000 hopefuls stood in line on the first day (16,000 in all performed in front of producers). This week, auditions journeyed to Milwaukee, where another 10,000 turned out for a shot at becoming the next Lee DeWyze. Per a post by EW's Michael Slezak:

“The numbers of people turning up to the American Idol auditions in Nashville and Milwaukee have been incredible,” said show creator Simon Fuller, in a release. “These attendance figures are significantly up on the last few years, and there is clearly renewed excitement and interest in the show, which is great to see.”

Ryan Seacrest took us on a behind the scenes tour of the Bradley Center to see what things are like, well, behind the scenes. Watch the piece below:



Auditions will next hit New Orleans, La., on Monday. If you're interested in giving Season 10 a shot (and at this point, you might as well throw your hat in the ring!) be sure to check out AmericanIdol.com/Auditions.

>As you've probably heard by now, Chris Isaak is the latest replacement for Simon Cowell being floated around. The rumor du jour comes on the heels of a Reuters and Hollywood Reporter piece claiming Isaak met with FOX twice in recent weeks for consideration of taking over for Simon. Per the piece:

While Fox insists no decision is imminent, the clock is ticking to replace Cowell as preliminary auditions get under way for the talent show's 10th season. Peter Rice, the network's new entertainment chairman, has said he expects the new "Idol" judge to join the audition roadshow by early September.

Other potential replacements that keep coming up in the media include Harry Connick, Jr., Bret Michaels and now...apparently...Donald Trump (huh!?). If Team FOX care about sparing fans from hearing about all this speculation, they'll hurry up and name a replacement fast.

>Lee DeWyze took time to speak with AmericanIdol.com about how the tour has been going with his fellow Season 9 Top 10 finalists. Lee covered a limited range of topics dealing with the tour and offered up a limited range of answers questions posed by both fans and AI.com. One of Lee's more interesting responses:

As the American Idol, Lee is the headliner of the Season 9 tour. Since he’s the last person to perform at each show, what does he do to pass the time while he’s waiting for his set? “I’m still trying to figure it out,” Lee remarked. “I have time to listen to a full album, so I’ll pick one and listen to it. I just try and chill, because if I just sit around and wait, I’ll get tired. During Casey’s and Crystal’s sets, I’ll go watch them and listen to the crowd and get pumped up.”

Lee said he's aiming for a "folk-rock" sound on his forthcoming album and he's been writing "everything so far." Lee, who apparently has been writing since he was 16 years old, said he's anticipating his hometown stop of Chicago because all his family and friends will be there. Read the full interview at AmericanIdol.com.

>Kellie Pickler had to break some bad news to the organizers of the St. Joseph County Grange Fair in Centerville, Mich., as she backed out of her scheduled show to close out the fair on Sept. 25 due to an extension of Rascal Flatts' tour, on which she is an opening act. This news came in conjunction with fellow country artist Chris Young's withdrawal as an opening act scheduled to perform at the fair on another day. Per an article from SturgisJournal.com:

“Next year we wouldn’t be able to touch Kelly Pickler or Chris Young … they’ll be priced way out of our league,” Johnson said. “If they honor the rate we were giving (for the September shows), it’d be a bargain.”

Ironically, Johnson noted, Rascal Flatts was an opening act at the fair several years ago.
Johnson did not indicate what the fair was to pay Pickler, saying only that it was a five-figure amount. Through Wednesday, about 950 tickets to Pickler’s show had been sold. Ticket prices ranged between $25 and $35 each.

All in all, not a good situation for the organizers of the fair.

>Jordin Sparks sat down with Oliver Trevena of YoungHollywood.com this week to chat about her Battlefield tour and other things on her mind. Watch the segment below:



Jordin recounted a memorable moment on the tour where a pregnant woman was waiting by her bus and she said "the baby's coming," Jordin was asked to sign her shirt and was freaking out because the baby needed to be delivered. She said she had never encountered that before (not many have, Jordin).

She also talked about her upcoming 3-month stint on Broadway in In the Heights, which kicks off on Thurs. Aug. 19.

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'Idol''s age min. drop - good or bad?

As you have heard by now, one aspect of Idol's host of "improvements" being sought ahead of its 10th season is the lowering of the minimum age to audition to 15. As you can imagine, this is a big deal in the vacuum that is the show's (early) off-season, and there is no shortage of opinions on the move.

As for me, I think it has come three seasons too late. Whereas there have been many viable young teens over the course of Idol's history that have fallen by the wayside when up against older, more experienced performers, it was not until Season 7 when teens pretty much were overlooked by voters (with the exception of David Archuleta, of course). Since then, the motto has virtually been NTNA - no teens need apply - when it comes to audition hopefuls. If they could go back in time, producers probably would have ensured a Justin Bieber-type to win the title. But really, if Miley Cyrus could make it big at 15, why not an Idol contestant?

Judging from the general sentiment stirred up from the reveal, I'm not alone in my doubts.

MTV News's Jim Cantiello writes "Why The 'American Idol' Age Limit Change Is A Bad Idea":

The last time "Idol" tweaked its age range was season five, where they upped the limit to 28 years old. The result? Taylor Hicks, a dude who looked 58, ended up winning. So if "Idol" is going the opposite route, does that mean America might be crowning a 15-year-old who looks seven come next May? In a year, will America be tired of pop stars who look like zygotes?

Marc Hirsh of NPR.org had more to say, including:

But even if we ignore the "Me, too!" mentality behind it (which is hardly new in the pop-music industry, or any entertainment industry, for that matter), Idol's sudden need to capitalize on the demographic that still needs Mom or Dad to drive them around ignores the simple truth that “talent” is not the same thing as “artistry.” This is a distinction made all the more important by the fact that Idol talks about contestants almost exclusively in terms of the latter word while rarely mentioning the former.

And Lyndsey Parker of Yahoo! Music opined:

Honestly, I personally would rather see the audition age limit raised, not lowered, on "Idol." Keep in mind that the biggest success story of all reality singing competitions in recent years has been 48-year-old Susan Boyle, and that Season 9's biggest "Idol" sensation was, arguably, 64-year-old General Larry Platt. Now, I'm not necessarily saying that senior citizens need to join the "Idol" ranks, and yes, I do understand that the show's producers probably want to seem more relevant to the top 40 marketplace in this tween-pop age. But I do believe this show improved when its age limit was raised from 25 to 28 in Season 4, thus allowing more seasoned singers with both performance experience and life experience--Bo Bice, Constantine Maroulis, Elliott Yamin, Chris Daughtry, Melinda Doolittle, Michael Johns, Danny Gokey, Adam Lambert, Casey James, Michael Lynche, et al--to make it through.

Still, not everyone was being a downer about the move. In fact, Jordin Sparks, once a teen champ herself, offered some words of wisdom to young hopefuls via Twitter:

I auditioned at 16 & won at 17. The pressure/criticism you're under...it's a lot to handle! But talent & maturity will speak for itself! :)
about 5 hours ago via TwitBird iPhone

If you're 15 & going to audition for the make sure you're ready! Good luck! I'm rooting for you! :D
about 5 hours ago via TwitBird iPhone

Good luck to anyone auditioning! The pressure is gonna be crazy for everyone, not just the youngins! Stay focused! :)
about 4 hours ago via TwitBird iPhone

In any case, we should have a good gauge of what kind of crowd shows up for Season 10 by the time auditions roll around on July 17 in Nashville.

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'Idol' to experience scheduling changes for Season 10

Since the likelihood that planes for a tenth season of Idol will be scrapped are lower than low, we all might as well suck it up and plan to return to FOX on Tuesdays and Wednesdays beginning January 2011. The actual amount of time we spend planted in our seats on these two days of the week will apparently vary, though, as FOX announced its 2010-11 TV schedule with a few noticeable differences in the network's stalwart enterprise.

Let's begin with the good news: results shows will be slashed in half to a half-hour each Wednesday, airing from 8:30-9 p.m. This marks the first time the show will revert to this (much better) time slot since, well, Season 3 or 4 (either way it was too long ago). More good news comes in the debunking of the rumors that Idol would be shifting to a Wednesday/Thursday schedule.

The bad news, however (besides Simon leaving), is that all performance episodes that are not long enough to be two hours will instead be 90 minutes. So, yes, even the Top 3 performance episode will last 90 minutes rather than one hour. Something tells me this plan might fall through when the producers realize how taxing it will be on the contestants.

Either way, at least it seems something is being done to rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic fix the show.

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