Other Great Reality Shows > American Idol
American Idol Season 7
marigold:
--- Quote from: Michael D on January 07, 2008, 10:21:11 PM ---This show has gone so down hill for me. The judging and audition process is way to staged now.
--- End quote ---
Yep, in the article I think Nigel Lythgoe just said last season sucked :lol3:
Jeffrey Scott:
I agree. Normally I love American Idol, but half-way through last season, I just couldn't stand it anymore. I'm going to try and give it another fair shake this year though
RudyRules:
--- Quote from: ca bb fan on January 07, 2008, 10:11:44 PM ---American Idol Season 7 Update:
http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20169587,00.html
American Idol executive producer Nigel Lythgoe wants us all to know that he is completely aware something went horribly wrong last season. ''Last year we had nobody outstanding,'' he admits of the leggy, pony-hawked, and beat-boxing top 12. ''I promise it's a different year altogether.'' Now that the apologies are out of the way, what's new about season 7? For starters, contestants that reach Hollywood will be allowed to play instruments to accompany their crooning. ''No one did anything stupid,'' Lythgoe says. ''The worst was some poor guy playing drums and doing a very poor impression of Karen Carpenter.'' Far from poor was some of the talent Lythgoe and judge Randy Jackson unearthed during auditions in San Diego. ''San Diego was da bomb,'' Jackson says, adding, ''That's D.A. Space. B.O.M.B.'' (Thanks, Randy.)
--- End quote ---
Sounds to me like they are honestly trying to improve the show and not have a repeat of last season. I'll hang with 'em to see if it improves and give them the benefit of the doubt.
marigold:
Update: Simon Cowell On American Idol Season 7
http://www.buddytv.com/articles/american-idol/simon-cowell-discusses-america-15526.aspx
Simon Cowell may be the most judgmental man on television, but his unique ability to humorously insult terrible singers has made him an indispensable part of the American Idol juggernaut. To gear up for the big two-night, four-hour premiere of Idol season 7, Cowell gave an exclusive interview to the press to discuss what we can expect from the new group of talent on display. As expected, Cowell couldn't resist mentioning some of the "shockingly bad" acts he saw during the audition process, but he also promised that we may be surprised by how talented some of the newcomers are.
One of the most interesting things Cowell discussed are the changes fans can expect in season 7 of the series. The main focus for the producers this year was to get a better and more interesting group for the top 12, especially after last year's Sanjaya-tainted talent pool. Cowell also mentioned that the series will focus more on the personal lives of the singers, as previous seasons haven't really allowed viewers a chance to get to know the contestants. It's all about balance, which means that there will likely be less time spent with famous mentors and more time diving into who the contestants are as individuals.
Other changes viewers can expect include a brand new set, as well as the opportunity to see the contestants play their own instruments when they move to the Hollywood rounds. Cowell said that allowing the instruments didn't make much of a difference when it came time to find the big talents, but it should make for some entertaining television.
When asked whether it was getting harder for him to sit through bad auditions as the show moves into its seventh year, Cowell replied that it's become "increasingly like torture." Not only are the talentless people becoming more argumentative with him than ever, but the judges have to give them three to four minutes regardless of the pain they inflict. However, he admitted that the series needs a mix of good and bad contestants, otherwise it would be boring to watch.
Viewers may be surprised to learn that one of the most horrendous contestants was the brother of former Idol winner Fantasia Barrino. "He was terrible," Cowell lamented. "Absolutely dreadful. He can't sing. We disputed the fact that he really was Fantasia's brother, because he doesn't have his sister's talent."
Two former Idol stars who definitely do have talent are Blake Lewis and Jordin Sparks, but unfortunately talent hasn't translated into album sales for either of them. Cowell blamed the unpredictability of the record business for the poor sales. He pointed out that Idol has churned out more successful artists than failures, but that there's simply no way to predict what the record buying public is going to want. "Ruben [Studdard] should be on his third or fourth album by now, but it didn't happen," he said.
Though the American Idol juggernaut is still as strong as ever, Cowell admitted that his time with the show will have to come to an end eventually. He currently has two more years left on his contract, and has a feeling that a total of nine seasons may be just enough. He also doesn't think the series will suffer without his trademark quips and insults.
"Can the show exist without me?" he pondered. "Absolutely. It'd probably get better."
marigold:
Update From Simon Cowell's Future On American Idol
http://hollywoodinsider.ew.com/2008/01/simon-cowell-re.html
So just how long does Simon Cowell plan to be a fixture on American Idol? The surly judge addressed his future with the show on a conference call today, telling reporters he finds the audition process to be "absolute torture," and hinting that he may be hitting the road once his contract expires in two years. "The public eventually are gonna get sick to death of me. Nine years is probably enough to inflict on anyone. Can the show exist without me? Absolutely. It would probably get better."
Cowell also spoke about Taylor Hicks, Ruben Studdard, and Katharine McPhee no longer having record deals. "It's a reflection on the unpredictability of the record business. Fortunately, we got it right more than we got it wrong.... There's no scientific way to explain what happens. It's a reality show and what happens at the end is also reality." He used the same theory to explain lackluster sales by the most recent winner and runner-up, Jordin Sparks and Blake Lewis. "Naturally, I'm disappointed that they didn't sell more copies or that neither artist has caught on fire," he said. "What you want [is] a Carrie [Underwood], Daughtry or Kelly Clarkson, where they're competing with the Mariahs. It didn't happen. Am I surprised? Not particularly.... The public decided it's not necessarily what they wanted, so we have to try to do better this year."
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