In a conference call with reporters on Thursday, Idol executive producer, Nigel Lythgoe, revealed details about a mid-season special. It will revolve around the songwriting competition and will feature an all-star cast of former Idols singing the Top 10 songwriting submissions from viewers. Names mentioned for the special: Constantine Maroulis, Ace Young, Vonzell Solomon and Tamyra Gray. By the way, I was told some details of this special back in December. My wonderful, and most awesomely-awesome source swore me to secrecy, so I kept mum. Oh, and there was that not-wanting-to-wake-up-and-find-a-horses-head-in-my-bed deal. Yeah, there was that.
The rest of Nigel’s press conference was full of amusing dissembling. Like this:
“We are informed at the end of the day [by Fox] that you can’t invite this person or persons, and we don’t ask why. To be frank, we’re not interested. If Fox believes it will damage the show… then it’s best they just don’t come along.”
Right. The network is calling the shots rather than the 800 pound gorilla that is Freemantle Media. I am laughing now. If Freemantle wanted Akron, they would have gotten him. And I don’t believe for a nanosecond that the executive producers have no idea what his background check turned up. Sawry. That dog don’t hunt.
Here’s a gem:
And Cowell’s infamous “bush baby” remark to one contestant? “A bush baby isn’t even a monkey… .A bush baby has beautiful, big eyes… .I don’t find it derogatory.”
OMG. I’m speechless.
When asked why the producers chose to add an audition episode at the expense of the Hollywood rounds (there will only be two Hollywood Round episodes next week) Nigel said:
“There wasn’t that much that occurred in Hollywood to warrant two episodes. We often stretch it out already. This year, the audition episodes were so strong. We wanted to introduce to America more of the contestants that are going to Hollywood.”
The super-hilarious part is bolded. The extra episode yielded 6 Hollywood bound contestants (two of them, the carhops, together in one segment) who could have been edited into their respective city episodes. Oh, but then some of the joke auditions would’ve had to been cut.
Why not just say that the audition episodes attract a wide audience–an audience who adores watching train wrecks? When the Hollywood rounds start, the ratings take a dip. Why not just say that and be done with it?
One more. This concerns our gal Paula Abdul. Apparently, there’s been some extry-speshul editing this season:
Lythgoe said “Unfortunately, once you get in your head that she’s drunk or she’s taking drugs, neither of which she does, she certainly doesn’t do social drugs or even drink, so once you’ve got that in your head it’s very difficult. We look when we’re editing the show nowadays and say, “Hey, are people going to think she’s drunk for doing that?” We try and take that into account.”
So, they edit her so she doesn’t look drunk? Coulda fooled me.
Speaking of Poor Paula, she has been slapped with a lawsuit from a production house, Pilgrim Films and Television, which claims that she sold their original idea of making a reality show on her life to another company.
According to the court papers filed by Pilgrim Films and Television (PFTV) in Los Angeles County Superior court, they met with Abdul and her producing associate David Russo in 2004, and discussed the deal about making a talk show that will be hosted by Abdul.
Later it was decided that a reality show ‘Hey Paula’ would be made on her bizarre showbiz life.
The lawsuit has also stated that the project was cancelled after the 44-year-old pop star demanded editorial control of the program.
PFTV representatives have also claimed that they wanted to revive the project by selling the company, and that they were taken aback when Abdul told them that she had sold the idea to US network Bravo.
Paula’s response: “While I’m not going to respond to this baseless lawsuit, I will say that Hey Paula is based upon my life and my ideas. Last I heard, I still own my own life.”
Today’s last item. And I have to admit it strikes a bit of fear in my heart. According to the New York Post, American Idol creator and executive producer, Simon Fuller, is working with Michael Jackson to help resuscitate his DOA career. Uhh, just leave Idol out of it, OK Simon? I could maybe deal with a Michael Jackson/Jackson 5 theme week that DID NOT INCLUDE a guest appearance from the skeery one. But, if you bring him on as a guest, or (UGH) allow him to appear on the finale, I’m boycotting. No joke.
thanks lisab
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MJ,
You are confusing two possible AI specials as one. There is going to be one for sure (the April special with lots of stars and some past Idols. This is the one in which the media was told it will be “magical”.) AND another one being pushed by Nigel Lythgoe in which he wants previous Idols to sing songs from the online competition. The latter one will NOT have any special stars but just previous popular Idols like Ace, Tamyra, Constantine, etc.
Re-read the article. The two possible specials are listed SEPARATE as “an online competition” and “an April special”.
I am gong to have to go back and read that. I was assuming, like MJ, that there was only one special.
I can’t understand what all the agitation from the press is about Akron. Nigel was asked 3 separate times (twice in part 1 and again in part 2 about why he was cut. I feel sorry for Akron. But then I feel sorry for a lot of them that didn’t make it through. In my opinion he was no more than an average singer and wouldn’t have made it through Hollywood week, anyhow. Same goes for Ebonye. I wonder what position she plays on her Lingerie footbal team.
the Jackson thing would be very bad. i would pack it in.
Squishy:
At this point I think they are combined:
Newsday article
I totally concur with you about Michael Jackson, mj, but I’m afraid it would bring in fantastic ratings and that’s what they’re looking for…….by any means.
Of all people, they decided to bring back ACE?
BTW, I’d LOVE for Vonzell to come back. She was my favorite (followed by Carrie).
Umm, nice to know? But what good is having information from a source if it cannot be revealed until after it is announced publically?
Maybe it doesn’t help you, but it helps me a lot to know things ahead of time. And why I mentioned it? I just wanted to give a shout out to the person who got that right…
They are NOT combined. The news media is being left in the dark for now.
Soon you all will find out more about the April special…
I CAN’T WAIT!!!!!!
Actually I find the above bolded part super-hilarious. What? There’s not enough SINGING in Hollywood to warrant two-maybe three episodes? What about showing the groups? the acapella? Are they writing their own songs? Blech…
Too bad TPTB are such poopieheads. Remember when they used to be all sweet and cuddly? No? Me neither. I guess now that they have power the are seeking to use it to oppress the little nobodies. Sooner or later they will learn that those little nobodies are the ones that gave them their power in the first place!
There is no way there will be an MJ AI “special”. Maybe as the featured artist one week, helping the contestants, they do his songs, etc… but not a bone fide “special” with guests and balloons and cake and Joan Collins. Why would you boycott him mj? MJ (in caps, you are in littles) is cool. Fake rumors do not guilty make.
It’s nice to know you have an awesome source as opposed to an unawesome source. If only you can break news and do spoilers like everyone else has been doing! Then again, TPTB are poopieheads, but they think they’re cute and cuddwy.
Oh, how do I quote previous posts on here so that the giant sky blue quotation marks appear?
Copy and paste then highlight and click on B-Quote.
this is a hodgepodge of comments, that entry covers so many topics.
first, as I recall Nigel stressed that this brainchild of his hasn’t been formally approved by FOX. I thought he was maybe using the press conference to generate some interest in his idea (the one about using the B List idols like Constantine to sing the nominated songs) to bolster his case and help get it approved.
then about the booted dude. It lookes to me like the Idol producers got overruled on him. they thought it was OK that he had a very minor marijuana conviction in his past, and he says he told them. then Fox came in and decided that America is way too conservative these days for that and killed it. Bo and Scott got a lot of “bad” press for their histories, and maybe FOX doesn’t want anything to taint the purity of this year’s show? the last time FOX overruled Idol about a contestant’s admitted past was Frenchie. Same thing happened. but at least that was about nudity, lol.
and finally, Paula.
MJ, come on. do you really have to jump on that bandwagon of bloggers who take cheap shots at her for being drunk? the woman is off the wall, her mind works in funny ways and she doesn’t express herself in a linear way. neither do I when I’m speaking, I understand how that works. but for god’s sake! “extry-speshul editing” ?? I saw that as Nigel admitting that they DO edit Paula for entertainment value. They always have. They bear some responsibility for her image, because they ALWAYS HAVE RATINGS in mind. They love when she looks colorful. It creates a huge amount of press for the show, every single time she looks bad. She’s always said she gets edited to look simple-minded, that even back in Season 1 she was much more critical of some singers but they never showed it. But they have their little box they put her in, and want her to stay there thanks. it’s a little late now to worry that they’ve helped create this drunk image … those coke cup quips of ryan, are typical. Nigel’s simply an ass, imho.
I agree priestdi. I believe Paula when she says she’s never been drunk. What many are not aware of is that Simon also tells her silly jokes, pokes, tickles, and pinches her when the camera is about to go on her and she is about to give her judges critiques. It just ends up making her look loopy. Add to all that the fact she is exhausted from lack of sleep due to her neuropathy which gives her that watery-eyed look. Paula never seems to get the good press. No wonder there are stories of her breaking down and crying, etc… If I were in her shoes I’d be crying all the time, too.
(Thanks Lisa for alerting me to the blockquote button that I’d never noticed before!
)
My apologies for so many comments on this post, but I just have to tell you something a friend of mine said after reading about how Nigel doesn’t think being called a bush baby is derogatory…
“Nigel, you’re a fu*king asshole. But you have a nice ass, so it’s not derogatory.”
I guess you had to be there, but it was hilarious at the time.
Makes me wonder why E didn’t get a contract sooner than he did.
lmao!
and yes, the block quote thing rocks.
thanks!
I have been watching American Idol Rewind and I am amazed at what different bahavior Paula had in Season 1. She was quiet and soft spoken…none of that dancing in her chair type of thing. Just makes one wonder if success has changed her or if it’s something else that’s changed her behavior so drastically!
Rebecca
I understand. It would probably make me feel important too. And the public shoutout to the nameless source was probably better than private email so the message would not get intercepted by The Powers. Gotcha.