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.
Showing posts with label ellen degeneres. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ellen degeneres. Show all posts
Friday, July 30, 2010
Simon reacts to Ellen's departure
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Jennifer Lopez replaces Ellen DeGeneres - is she the right fit?
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?
Saturday, May 29, 2010
'Idol' odds 'n ends: Lee DeWyze and Crystal Bowersox visit 'Ellen'
The following are Idol-related odds and ends that happened this week:
>Lee DeWyze made his first talk show appearance on who else's show but Ellen DeGeneres' very own Ellen yesterday. Watch his interview and performance of "Hallelujah" below (why he didn't perform "Beautiful Day" I don't know):
Crystal Bowersox also appeared on the show, where she performed "Up to the Mountain" after joining Lee on Ellen's signature couch.
>It looks like Paula Abdul is getting the last laugh after all. CBS announced earlier this week that Paula will star as executive producer, lead judge, coach, mentor and advocate of the network's new reality series Got to Dance. Per TheWrap.com:
Based on a popular British show that began last year on Sky TV, the series will see the former choreographer return to her dance roots. Like "Idol" or "So You Think You Can Dance," amateur contestants from across the coutnry will audition for Abdul and a panel of experts before performing live in the semi-finals and finals to compete for the "Got to Dance" championship.
So basically it's CBS's version of So You Think You Can Dance? Good for Paula. Regardless, it's not impossible for her to also co-judge X-Factor in Fall 2011, so hopefully there's still room for that to happen.
>Carrie Underwood and Jennifer Hudson took part in the tribute special for Brooks & Dunn on CBS's ACM Presents: Brooks & Dunn - The Last Rodeo, which aired last Sunday (if you didn't know about this it was probably because you were watching the Lost or The Celebrity Apprentice finales). Watch Carrie perform the duo's "Neon Moon" below:
Watch Jennifer's performance of "Believe" below:
Who knew Jennifer could sing country so well? The special was a way to say a final farewell to Brooks & Dunn, who are in the process of breaking up after 20 years of performing together and are doing one last concert tour together. Ratings-wise the special pulled in a 1.8 adults 18-49 rating and an average of 10.1 million viewers over two hours.
>Aside from having winners and runners-up on her show, Ellen DeGeneres might be setting herself up with a backup career to supplement her talk show if the Idol producers yank her contract prematurely, as she announced on her show Wednesday that she was starting her own record label, eleveneleven, with the first artist signed being 12-year-old YouTube sensation Greyson Chance. Per Reuters:
"Greyson ... inspired me to start a record label called eleveneleven. He is my first artist and we are making a record together," DeGeneres said in a statement released on Tuesday.
DeGeneres said she will continue to use her show as a platform to find new artists, whom she will sign to eleveneleven. The record label is being set up in collaboration with Telepictures Productions.
Greyson visited Ellen to perform on Wednesday. Watch his performance of the original song "Broken Hearts" below:
So what do you think, will this move give Ellen the street cred she needs to hang onto her judging slot on Idol? She's signed for something like four seasons anyway, but if there was a real need she could easily wiggle out of that commitment. Regardless, this might end up being the smartest business decision Ellen has made yet.
>It's not surprising this year's Idol season finale was the lowest-rated (and watched) one on record, but it's amazing to actually compare these numbers with the numbers from seasons' past. Robert Seidman at TVBytheNumbers put together a handy chart of rating scores and total viewers from all nine seasons:
09/04/2002 American Idol - Season 1 10.8 23.02
05/21/2003 American Idol - Season 2 16.8 38.06
05/26/2004 American Idol - Season 3 12.0 28.84
05/25/2005 American Idol - Season 4 12.5 30.27
05/24/2006 American Idol - Season 5 14.2 36.38
05/23/2007 American Idol - Season 6 11.5 30.76
05/21/2008 American Idol - Season 7 11.4 31.688
05/20/2009 American Idol - Season 8 10.0 28.86
05/26/2010 American Idol - Season 9 8.2 24.2
Wow, the word "ouch" seems to come to mind when looking at those figures together. Although TV ratings have been on a steady decline in general over the past 10 years, Idol's finale seems to be an exception to the rule and is more based on factors like the quality of its competitors and the general buzz going into the finale, which explains Season 2's, Season 5's and Season 7's high numbers, as well as Season 3's (and now Season 9's) low numbers. This might be one trend that won't continue after the quality of this past season left a bad taste in most people's mouths.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
American Idol: 2002-2010
The title pretty much says it all. Tonight is the night that American Idol died.
I was thinking about how I would recap Idol's ninth season, and I decided instead of duplicating last season's marathon rant about how horrible the season was, I will keep it short and sweet.
Following last season's finale I was on the verge of not coming back to continue this blog for Season 9. I wanted to quit so many times, but my enjoyment of following the careers of alums from seasons past kept me motivated to continue blogging. By the time January rolled around, I was about to announce I would not be live blogging the season, but something made me decide to give it another try in case the season ended up being good. Sadly, that did not come to be.
Season 9 is the black sheep/ugly duckling/bastard child of the Idol franchise, not only for its lack of talent (save for a few contestants), horrible production, self-absorbed judges, addition of Ellen DeGeneres as a judge, focus on guest performers rather than contestants, awkward Ryan Seacrest drunk hosting performances, appallingly bad 'Idol Gives Back' special, poor auditions, horrible mentors (Miley Cyrus? Adam Lambert?), pants on the ground (okay, that was actually pretty good...at first...before Brett Favre killed it with his "spoof"), boring Ford commercials, boring themes, old themes, tired themes, messy camera angles, dazed and confused audiences, more Ryan being drunk or stoned or just flirting with Simon, Randy's "dudes," Kara's nonsense, Simon's departure, lack of Paula's antics, Miley Cyrus's results show "performance," rejection of Angela Martin, Joe Jonas as a guest judge, basically all the guest judges, lack of a cheesy coronation single, the judges' save, Dane Cook at the finale, or its result, but for the sheer fact that it took up a minimum of two hours of FOX's prime time each week for five-and-a-half months.
In short, Season 9 basically killed what little love I had for this show after Season 8 left it dangling by a thread. I will still always have the memories of actual good seasons and their finalists. But as for the show in its current form, it's finished as far as I'm concerned.
(p.s. I realize how many times I used the words "I" and "me" in this post and would like to apologize. I'm not as self-centered as I might sound...oops there are two more "I"s!)
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
IDOL LIVE predix: Top 3 Results
As pimped as Lee was with all the bells and whistles (spotlights and backup singers) during his take on Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," his vocals were primarily on the mark, and so the judges can't be completely called out for their over the top praise. To add to this, his only other performance was helped by a great song choice (Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Simple Man"), and if this was even up to debate, Simon's surefire declaration that Lee "crushed" his peers in the first round should be evidence that the judges felt he decisively outshone everyone else.
Crystal Bowersox did the best she could given the circumstances, and her two showings were a mixed bag. While she fumbled on a generic rendition of Melissa Etheridge's "Come to My Window," she thrilled audiences with a gender-incorrect (or gender-correct, depending on how you look at it) version of Paul McCartney's "Maybe I'm Amazed" (much to the pleasure of Ellen, who gave her a standing ovation as Crystal finished the song), and as Simon said, this was probably enough to drag her across the Top 2 marker in the race for the title.
And so it comes as no surprise that I'm pegging Casey James to leave in third place tonight. Nothing out of the ordinary, and I think virtually everyone else is calling for the same result. Casey had a good thing going for a while but he tripped up last night with an obsure song choice, stiff stage presence and shaky vocals, and the fact that he was thrown under the bus by every judge and their mother just cemented his fate.
Oh well, maybe Justin Bieber's performance tonight will lighten the mood and provide some excitement. On second thought...
In my original predictions I had Crystal finishing 3rd, so although it's possible this scenario could come to fruition, I just don't see it happening. At all.
Since the Top 24 I have correctly predicted 6-21 eliminations and since the Top 12 I have correctly predicted 2-9 eliminations. Go me!
Friday, April 9, 2010
'Idol' odds 'n ends: Jordin Sparks goes one day without shoes
The following are Idol-related odds and ends that happened this week:
>Jordin Sparks spent yesterday without shoes in support of One Day Without Shoes, the campaign TOMS sponsored that encourages people to go without wearing shoes for one day out of the year to give them an idea of what it's like to be underprivileged and not have any. Watch Jordin promoting the cause below:
Jordin was so excited that she flashed her bare foot at the camera. This is just the latest cause Jordin has taken up, including Making a Difference (MAD).
>Randy Jackson appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Monday to discuss the show and ended up discussing the love (and lackthereof) demonstrated among the judges. Randy joked that they all make out with each other between commercial breaks. Watch snippets of the the segment below:
Leno then surprised Randy with old footage of Ellen DeGeneres kissing Leno years ago on Tonight, followed by a photo of what looked like Randy and Ryan Seacrest were about to smooch. Apparently the two were engaged in a fake "shouting match."
>Ryan Seacrest was one Ellen on Tuesday, where he dished on all things Idol with the show's host and fourth wheel Idol judge Ellen DeGeneres. Watch a clip from his segment below:
Ryan was asked by an audience member what's going on between him and Simon, and he attributed their weird relationship this season to them being "roommates" before saying they were friends. Ellen said during commercial breaks she walks behind the stage with the other judges while Simon goes to have a smoke. Very insightful.
>Blake Lewis sent out an email to his fans this week asking for support in the hopes of releasing a vinyl version of his latest release Heartbreak on Vinyl. Per his email:
I really want to get my album out to you on Vinyl, but I really, really, really need all of your help. It's all up to you guys and gals.
You are the greatest fans and I'm so thankful for all of your continued support and love for my music.
So, help me and the lovely people at my label Tommy Boy to make a decision by clicking here, and answering 3 very simple questions.
So unless you don't want Blake's album title to not make sense, you better help him out by answering those three very important questions.
>Michael Sarver exclusively premiered the album art for his next single and track list for his forthcoming album Michael Sarver on AINow.org this week. The track list is below:
1. Watch Me
2. Baby I Want You
3. Ferris Wheel
4. Gonna Be A Good Night
5. Safe
6. Give It To Me
7. I'm In The Mood
8. Let Me Love You
9. Cinderella Girl ( Remix)
10. The Way She Loves Me
11. Always Surviving
12. Tell Me
13. You Are (Remix)
The album is set for a June 29 release, while his next single, "Ferris Wheel," gets a May 25 digital release. Maybe he's going for a Carnival Ride type thing?
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Kellie Pickler Mardi Gras it up on 'Ellen'
As we all know, Ellen DeGeneres is pulling double duty this season as she has retained her daytime talk show in addition to serving as judge on the ninth season of Idol, and sometimes her two TV roles mix. Take yesterday's appearance by Kellie Pickler on the Mardi Gras edition of Ellen, where the country singer had a ball talking about her goings on. Watch the segment below:
A few gems Kellie offered up during this appearance:
"First time I ever had a hurricane too, have you ever had one of those? Your butt will be hugging the toilet."
"I got pulled over...I didn't have my license again..."
"I can't stand when people drive the speed limit."
"If your driver's license ever falls down in the drier you need to reach it with a wire coat hanger, not a plastic one because it will break...and use bubble gum..."
Kellie also joked about wanting to be the next Bachelorette. My guess is ABC would love for her to portray that role.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Poll of the week: Ellen seen as refreshing change
After taking a few months off from asking about new judge Ellen DeGeneres, I decided to ask IDOL LIVE readers what their thoughts on her are now that we've all seen her in (pre-taped) action for the latest edition of the poll of the week.
Not surprisingly, 13 people think she's great, good for a majority (54%) of all those who chose to partake in the poll. There were five loyal Paula Abdul fans and four people who think she's not bad but should "tone it down." This sounds about right based on what we've seen of her judging skills.
In the latest edition of the poll of the week series, readers are asked of who their favorite Top 24 contestant is. Voting will be open for exactly one week.
She's great 13 (54%)
She's good but needs to tone it down 4 (16%)
She's just aight, dawg 2 (8%)
She's not very good but can improve 0 (0%)
Please bring back Paula 5 (20%)
Total votes: 24
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Poll of the week: David Foster is top pick to replace Simon
With all the buzz surrounding the departure of Simon Cowell at the end of the current season of Idol, especially with the recent news that shock jock Howard Stern has shown interest in the position for a price tag of $100 million, there was no shortage of opinion on this week's edition of IDOL LIVE's poll of the week.
It was pretty close between the top two contenders, as David Foster eked out the victory among replacement judges of choice as determined by IDOL LIVE's readers. He netted nine votes (31%) to second-place option Piers Morgan, who got eight votes (27%). Piers has long been the favored contender thanks to his current position as judge of America's Got Talent (and the British counterpart that discovered Susan Boyle), but David has been getting some recognition as of late.
Among the other choices determined by me, none stood out from the crowd, but the more recognizable names seemed to stand out (Clive Davis, Jamie Foxx, Tim McGraw) over the other producers/label execs (Tommy Mottola, David Geffen, Russell Simmons).
In this week's edition of the poll of the week, readers are asked what their initial reactions to Ellen DeGeneres are, after a preliminary poll conducted last fall that found most readers wanting to be asked what they thought of her in February. Voting will be open for exactly one week.
Piers Morgan 8 (27%)
David Foster 9 (31%)
Tommy Mottola 1 (3%)
Clive Davis 3 (10%)
Jamie Foxx 3 (10%)
David Geffen 1 (3%)
Russell Simmons 1 (3%)
Tim McGraw 3 (10%)
Total votes: 29
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
IDOL LIVE Chat: Hollywood Week pt. 1 (2/9/10)
Please join us tonight as we chat during the first episode of Hollywood Week for Idol's ninth season. Tonight we get acquainted with new judge Ellen DeGeneres.
The live chat will begin at 8 p.m. ET and will last one hour.
Will we see sparks fly between Ellen and Simon as reported a few weeks back? The odds are pretty good, but at the same time it could also be a whole lotta hype leading to a whole lotta nothing. If this season's Hollywood week is anything like last season's, there will be more than enough drama to go around.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Poll of the week: readers most looking forward to Ellen's addition
In the latest edition of IDOL LIVE's poll of the week, fans seemed to be most excited with the fact that Ellen DeGeneres will be joining Simon, Kara and Randy during the Hollywood rounds.
Ellen pulled in 19 votes, good for 41% of all votes cast. In second place, readers decided the fact that the show will be returning to the Top 24 semifinal format after last year's disastrous Top 36 change. The choice nabbed 13 votes (28%). No other option had a notable result, as they all hovered around 8-4%.
In this week's edition of the poll of the week, fans are asked whether Simon Cowell's departure after this season will mean the end of Idol. Voting will be open for exactly one week.
Return of the Top 24 format 13 (28%)
Addition of Ellen as judge 19 (41%)
Good chances a girl will win 4 (8%)
Possibly Simon's last season 2 (4%)
No more "Paula blabbing" 3 (6%)
New song themes 3 (6%)
Seeing if Kara's songwriting skillz improved 2 (4%)
Total votes: 46
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Season 9's schedule through Top 12 (March 17)
It's no secret that Idol's ninth season launches on FOX on Tuesday, and last month the network released the show's schedule through the Top 12 results episode, which will take place on Wed., March 17. Below is the schedule, courtesy of GiveMeMyRemote.com:
* Tuesday, Jan. 12 (8:00-10:00 PM) Season Premiere, Part 1 – Boston Auditions EpisodeSo it looks like we won't be seeing new judge Ellen DeGeneres until Tues., Feb. 9, the first episode of the Hollywood rounds. Another interesting item of note is the fact that Wednesday's Atlanta auditions episode will last an extra 15 minutes, which is pretty unorthodox for any television program. Now watch them spend 15 minutes solely on the next Tatiana or Normund Gentle...
* Wednesday, Jan. 13 (8:00-9:15 PM) Season Premiere, Part 2 - Atlanta Auditions Episode
* Tuesday, Jan. 19 (8:00-9:00 PM) Chicago Auditions Episode
* Wednesday, Jan. 20 (8:00-9:00 PM) Orlando Auditions Episode
* Tuesday, Jan. 26 (8:00-9:00 PM) Dallas Auditions Episode
* Wednesday, Jan. 27 (9:00-10:00 PM) Los Angeles Auditions Episode
* Tuesday, Feb. 2 (8:00-9:00 PM) Denver Auditions Episode
* Wednesday, Feb. 3 (9:00-10:00 PM) “The Road to Hollywood” Auditions Episode
* Tuesday, Feb. 9 (8:00-9:00 PM) Hollywood Round, Part 1
* Wednesday, Feb. 10 (9:00-10:00 PM) Hollywood Round, Part 2
* Tuesday, Feb. 16 (8:00-9:00 PM) Hollywood Round, Part 3
* Wednesday, Feb. 17 (9:00-10:00 PM) Hollywood Round, Part 4
* Top 24 Semifinalists Announced
* Tuesday, Feb. 23 (8:00-10:00 PM) Top 12 Female Semifinalists Perform
* Wednesday, Feb. 24 (8:00-10:00 PM) Top 12 Male Semifinalists Perform
* Thursday, Feb. 25 (8:00-9:00 PM) First Results Show (ET live/PT tape-delayed) – Two Male and Two Female Contestants Eliminated
* Tuesday, March 2 (8:00-10:00 PM) Top 10 Female Semifinalists Perform
* Wednesday, March 3 (8:00-10:00 PM) Top 10 Male Semifinalists Perform
* Thursday, March 4 (8:00-9:00 PM) Results Show (ET live/PT tape-delayed) – Two Male and Two Female Contestants Eliminated
* Tuesday, March 9 (8:00-9:00 PM) Top 8 Female Semifinalists Perform
* Wednesday, March 10 (9:00-10:00 PM) Top 8 Male Semifinalists Perform
* Thursday, March 11 (8:00-9:00 PM) Results Show (ET live/PT tape-delayed) – Two Male and Two Female Contestants Eliminated; Finalists Revealed
* Tuesday, March 16 (8:00-10:00 PM) Finalists Perform (ET live/PT tape-delayed)
* Wednesday, March 17 (9:00-10:00 PM) Results Show (ET live/PT tape-delayed) – One Contestant Eliminated
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Poll of the week: "Ring of Fire" is readers' most memorable moment of '09
IDOL LIVE readers elected Adam Lambert's "Ring of Fire" performance as their most memorable Idol-related moment of 2009 in the latest edition of the poll of the week series.
Adam's performance eked out a win with 35 votes (31%) over Kris Allen's winning moment over Adam, which nabbed 29 votes (26%). The moment that IDOL LIVE selected as its most memorable moment of the year, Adam's American Music Awards performance, only finished third this time around with 12 votes (10%).
The least memorable of the most memorable moments was the judges' use of their save power to protect Matt Giraud from falling victim at the hands of voters, as it failed to earn a single vote.
In this week's edition of the poll of the week, readers are asked what they are most looking forward to for Season 9. Voting will be open for exactly one week.
Kelly Clarkson's spat with Ryan Tedder over "Already Gone" 2 (1%)
Paula Abdul departs 'Idol' 8 (7%)
Adam Lambert's "Ring of Fire" performance 35 (31%)
Kris Allen's win over Adam Lambert 29 (26%)
Joanna Pacitti DQ'ed 2 (1%)
Adam Lambert's AMA performance 12 (10%)
Ellen DeGeneres added as judge 4 (3%)
Carrie Underwood's "good year" 11 (9%)
Judges save Matt Giraud 0 (0%)
Danny Gokey's scream 1 (0%)
Other 7 (6%)
Total votes: 111
Thursday, December 31, 2009
IDOL LIVE's Top 10 most memorable moments of 2009 - Part 2
And now the continuation of IDOL LIVE's Top 10 most memorable moments of 2009. If you missed moments #10-6, catch up before you proceed.
05) Judges' save used on Matt Giraud
Season 8 was full of awkward changes and poor decisions from a production standpoint, but one of the worst ideas was without a doubt the introduction of the "judges' save" option, which enabled the judges to save a contestant from elimination anytime between Top 13 week and Top 5 week. The "threat" of the judges' tool for manipulation hung over each finalist upon elimination, each time giving said finalist hollow hope until they finally caved and granted Matt Giraud the gift when he was set to be eliminated in Top 7 week.
Matt was a good enough guy, but it was definitely his time to go, and the judges' use of the power seemed like an afterthought by the time they used it. Still, it marked a historic moment in Idol history and gained widespread media attention for the show that was supposed to let viewers decide who advanced. The action prompted many to accuse the tool as a fail-safe method by which producers could discreetly keep some of their favorites in the running, be it Adam Lambert or Danny Gokey had either failed to garner enough votes to remain on the show. The gimmick was largely panned, and will most likely be remembered as a mistake.
04) Ellen DeGeneres added as fourth judge
Alright, so Ellen DeGeneres's addition wasn't as big as Paula's departure, but it was still pretty huge. After word broke of the new face that would be joining Simon, Randy and Kara, weeks of speculation ensued with all corners of the media questioning how this would affect the show's dynamics and whether or not the talk show host was the right fit considering she has no experience in the music industry. Even Larry King had to get Tyra Banks's take on the news, which proves that Ellen's new gig gained all kinds of attention from across the media spectrum.
Of course, tons of the show's alums from seasons past had to give their two cents as well, which gave the media even more of a reason to talk about it. And Ellen being a talk show host also gave her a platform on which to talk about the big news. Ellen was careful in discussing the matter, though, as she tried to quell concerns that she would not be useful in critiquing performances and was in effect "stealing Paula's job," saying:
"I hope Paula is OK with it....I don't want anybody to think that I took Paula's job away."Paula had nothing but nice things to say about Ellen, though, as she wished her luck with the new role:
"Ellen DeGeneres is wildly funny and talented in her own right. I wish her and the show only the best of luck."Whatever happens in terms of judge shuffling, there's sure to be plenty of material from Ellen, as she is first and foremost a comedian. But the actual announcement that Ellen would be joining the judging panel was one of the few big stories to penetrate the national media in the off-season, so for that it earns its spot on this countdown.
03) Adam Lambert loses American Idol
One of the greatest shocks of 2009 in the Idol world was the fact that Adam Lambert lost what was largely thought to be his title to lose, that being the title of the next American Idol. The majority of the season felt like a running coronation for Adam, as he received all ingredients necessary for a bona fide star, from tons of fan support to endless praise from the judges to extensive media coverage. But in the end, a dark horse from Arkansas named Kris Allen stood in the way of what seemed to be the inevitable. Many did not expect Kris to make the Top 12, let alone win, so it was a big surprise for virtually everyone when Ryan Seacrest read his name aloud that night.
Even Idol's own crew, especially Simon, picked the glam rocker to take it all. The stunning defeat leads to many conspiracy theories, some of which are perputated by mainstream media outlets including The New York Times claiming AT&T gave free phones to Kris's fans in Arkansas, and the whole "38 million votes from Arkansas alone" garbage that was spread around the net thanks to Little Rock's FOX affiliate KLRT, which also was picked up the media because of the overwhelming disbelief that Adam could lose the competition.This combined with the usual rationalization from fans as to how their favorite lost, ranging from Kris absorbing votes from Danny Gokey's fans because they were "both Christians" to overconfidence leading to a lack of power voting. Despite all this silliness, both Adam and Kris took the result in stride and were vocal about their continued friendship despite the outcome. But just like every other year, the final outcome of that year's installment of Idol is among the top stories of that year's news cycle.
02) Paula Abdul finally calls it quits after eight seasons
Call it jealousy. Call it failure to meet in the middle. Whatever it was, the fact remains that Paula Abdul is no longer a member of the Idol judging panel. After a public ping pong match with the back-and-forth mixed messages sent from both Paula's camp and Idol's camp, the official announcement came on Tues., Aug. 4, via her official Twitter account:
With sadness in my heart, I’ve decided not to return to #IDOL. I’ll miss nurturing all the new talent, but most of all...I’ll miss nurturing all the new talent,but most of all being a part of a show that I helped from day1become an international phenomenon.
This was obviously a memorable moment because it marks the first time that a judge has left the show. But considering there were conflicting reports on whether or not Paula would be sticking with the show due to her contract dispute literally for months beginning before the eighth season even concluded, the matter was magnified even moreso than it usually would have been. Evidence pointing to a departure included reports of a "crying fit" in her dressing room during meetings with show management and statements from her reps that pointed to it not looking likely that she'd return. Not to mention her "performance" of "I'm Just Here For the Music" near the end of the season, which could have been taken as a sign that Paula was ready to move on and pursue other things including another run at a music career. But there was also evidence that Paula would strike a deal to remain on the show, so there was much confusion shrouding whatever the real situation of the contract talks was at the time. So in that respect it wasn't a shock, but it still was a big deal.
The announcement was reported by the national media mere hours after it happened and played out in the media for the following weeks. The debate as to whether Paula should have sucked up her differences and accepted the contract offer was reignited when Ellen DeGeneres was picked to replace her, but she remained steadfast in her reasoning for not sticking with the show. Of course, Idol alums were not in short supply to offer their viewpoints on how it all went down and how Paula would be sorely missed on the show.
01) Adam Lambert shocks audiences with controversial American Music Awards performance
Even though this event came late in the year, there's no denying it was by far the biggest most memorable Idol-related moment of 2009 because it made Adam Lambert a household name once again and even (the few) people who had not heard of him prior to the performance were finally acquainted with him, which either left a very negative or positive first impression of him with many.
Aside from the performance and all its crotch-grabbing, flipping off and falling down glory, the discussion that ensued in the media and around the water cooler was unmatched by anything else at the time. All anyone could talk about for days was Adam, who actually lengthened the story himself by lashing out at critics, then accusing some of having a double standard. ABC's decision to cancel Adam's upcoming appearances on the network in promotion of his album also drew a rise out of his fans, who called for boycotts of the network, and every talk show scrambled to get Adam on their program in the hopes of grabbing ratings and one-upping ABC for what they believed to be a poor decision. All of this was carried out in the media for everyone to see, which was both good and bad for all parties involved.
The story finally died down when Adam admitted he didn't think the whole thing through and said he probably wouldn't have approached the performance the same way had he the chance to do the whole thing over, but still questions about the performance seem to follow him wherever he goes.
For better or for worse, 2009 was certainly the year of Adam Lambert, and so there's no better way to summarize this than by having this moment be the most memorable one of the year for this countdown's purpose.
So there are your Top 10 most memorable moments of 2009 as compiled by IDOL LIVE. Do you agree? Don't forget to voice your opinion in the poll of the week for your most memorable Idol moment of the year.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Adam Lambert talks about AMA performance, performs on 'Ellen'
Adam Lambert appeared on Ellen this morning to promote his new album For Your Entertainment. When he took to her signature couch, Adam said of his American Music Awards performance that in hindsight "maybe that wasn't the best first...second impression to make" but he held firm that he and his band had fun.
Host Ellen DeGeneres said she thinks if someone is going to be offended by sexuality, he or she should be offended by all forms of sexuality. Watch the interview below:
Adam definitely seemed more hesitant about the performance, saying a mix of "maybe I went too far" and "maybe it wasn't the right judgment call" a few times throughout the five-and-a-half-minute interview. He then went on to perform "Whataya Want From Me."
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Kris Allen performs "Live Like We're Dying" on 'Ellen'
Kris Allen's appearance on Ellen that was taped last Friday aired this morning. On the show, Kris sat down with host and new Idol judge Ellen DeGeneres before performing his single "Live Like We're Dying." Watch the performance below:
In the interview, Kris spoke of his Christmas shows (Jingle Balls) promoting the album, and he said he and Adam Lambert are still pretty good friends. He also said his wife Katey will be on the road with him for a few shows in his tour, and Ellen joked that Kris doesn't look much older than eight years old after Kris said he and Katey had been together for eight years.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Carrie Underwood performs "Cowboy Casanova" on 'Ellen'
Two days after performing live on The Tonight Show, Carrie Underwood sat down with Ellen DeGeneres in an episode that aired today on her syndicated talk show Ellen to promote her current album Play On. Watch the interview below:
In the interview, Carrie talked about her boyfriend Mike Fisher and said they get to see each other more often than people think. She also deflected questions of marriage, children and Ellen's usual humor-filled questions. This included a series of questions directed at who the "cowboy" in "Cowboy Casanova" is supposed to be, which Carrie successfully got out of unscathed.
Carrie also performed "Casanova" on the show.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Kelly, Jordin, Jennifer and Paula reunite at VH1's "Divas"
It was one big Idol reunion at VH1's Divas special last night, as former judge Paula Abdul hosted the program while two winners and the show's only contestant to win both a Grammy and an Oscar took to the stage to show off their pipes. Watch some of the more memorable moments of the night below:
Following her recent trend of singing a stripped-down version of her current single "Already Gone," Kelly Clarkson kept things cool during her performance.
Jordin Sparks performed her new single "S.O.S. (Let the Music Play)," backed up by a troupe of sexy dancers. Even though the spectacle was nothing like what Jordin would usually take part in, she showed that she could hold her own onstage singing and upbeat, dancey song.
Jennifer Hudson got the crowd on its feet by belting her song "Spotlight." Jennifer made the most use of the stage, as she graced the outer edges to create a sense of inclusion of the audience.
But it was Paula who stole the show with her comical introductions of the presenters and an opening number with a medley of some of her classic hits including "Coldhearted Snake," "Opposites Attract," "Straight Up" and "Forever Your Girl." Watch Paula lip, err, sing through the medley below:
Other things of note Paula did as host include grabbing her boob while joking that she "nearly breastfed" Kelly, Jordin and Jennifer, posing as Ellen DeGeneres while dancing to P!NK's "Get the Party Started" and being "hooked off stage" for stalling in her introduction of Keri Hilson and Corbin Bleu.
All Idol-related performers also go to do a duet with another well-known singer, with Kelly being paired up with Melissa Etheridge on "Bring Me Some Water," Jordin teaming with Martina McBride on "A Broken Wing" and Jennifer taking on "All In Love Is Fair" with Stevie Wonder.
The special aired live on VH1 and was held at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) Howard Gilman Opera House in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Poll of the week: Fans split on addition of Ellen
As expected, IDOL LIVE readers are fairly evenly split on the news that Ellen DeGeneres has been chosen to permanently replace Paula Abdul as Idol's fourth judge.
Among the three choices in this past week's poll of the week, most opted for the safest option, which was to "ask me again in February." That choice garnered 22 votes (37%). Coming in right behind was the feeling that readers "hate it," as 19 votes, or 32% of the 59 total votes cast, made this statement known. And a total of 18 votes (30%) were cast in favor of the news, saying they "love it." Only time will tell just what kind of reaction Ellen will prompt from fans of the show, and it is entirely possible that people could change their minds.
In this week's edition of the poll of the week, readers are asked which season of the "Idols Live!" tour was their favorite. Voting will be open for exactly one week.
Love it 18 (30%)
Hate it 19 (32%)
Ask me again in February 22 (37%)
Total votes: 59
Friday, September 11, 2009
'Idol' odds 'n ends: Paula Abdul previews VH1's "Divas"
The following are Idol-related odds and ends that happened this week:
>Paula Abdul is not one to be broken by news of her successor. As long as she's still making headlines in other ways, who is she to care? Paula has most recently appeared in the following promotional video that is airing on VH1 for the upcoming Divas special that she will be hosting. Watch her make fun of herself (and her former Idol cohorts) in the clip below, with a special cameo by Ryan "SeCrest":
The Divas special will be broadcast live on VH1 on Thurs., Sept. 17.
>Meanwhile, more commentary has come in over the past two days about the announcement that Ellen DeGeneres would be replacing Paula as the fourth judge of Idol. A few quick hits from around the industry:
Whoopi Goldberg: I'm just curious...where's the music experience? I'm not sure that this was the right choice for that particular show."
Taylor Hicks: "I definitely believe Ellen's jokes are funnier than Simon Cowell's jokes...she has a great personality and she might have a little bit more of a musical chop than we think she does."
Bucky Covington: "I gotta be honest with ya...I am probably the bad person to ask here cause I'm a huge Ellen DeGeneres fan...and I think it'd be great to have someone call Simon out on his corny jokes."
As for Ellen, she is already prepping for the inevitable spats she will be having with Simon. She said:
"When Simon is rude and mean, I will tell him he's rude and mean, just like I tell him when he's on my show that he's rude and mean."By the looks of things, it's gonna be an exciting Season 9.
>It was announced that Jordin Sparks will be singing "The Star-Spangled Banner" at her Arizona Cardinals' home season opener against the San Francisco 49ers on Sun., Sept. 13. Per AZCentral.com:This is the Sparks fourth time signing the anthem at University of Phoenix Stadium. She also last sang at last season's NFC Championship Game, when the Cardinals hosted the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football last season and at Super Bowl XLII.Jordin is also currently being featured in ads for the Got Milk? campaign, as seen pictured to the right.
>The record label of Season 5's Top 16 finalist Ayla Brown unveiled a backstage video of the singer and Boston College basketball star at a concert she performed at this past summer. Watch the eight-minute video below:
At the end of the video, it is announced that Ayla will release a live album on Tues., Nov. 10, featuring tracks she performed with The James Montgomery Blues Band and The Uptown Horns, and a studio album title Circles will see an April 6, 2010 release.
>Leslie Hunt, who placed in the Top 20 in Idol's sixth season, has given birth to her first child, daughter Eliza(beth) Joni Faulds on Sun., Aug. 30. Per Leslie's official Twitter account:
Our daughter, Eliza Joni, was born on Sunday, August 30th @ 9:42pm, and all is right in the world. :-) 8:38 PM Sep 2nd from webLeslie's sophomore album, Your Hair Is On Fire, is now available to purchase on CDBaby.com.
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