Published by mj February 5th, 2008
in American Idol, S7 Audition Eps and S7 Show Recaps.
It’s AI’s third trip to Atlanta. Ryan boasts that the city has produced 3 superstars–Clay Aiken, Jennifer Hudson and Fantasia Barrino. Between them, Ryan explains, They’ve sold millions of albums. Well Jennifer hasn’t actually sold ANY albums, unless you count her cut on the craptastic AI3 compilation album. Oh, but she won an Oscar! As if you would have mentioned her otherwise…
There were 12,000 auditioners in the ATL. (The ATL?) which happens to be Ryan’s hometown. He introduces his parents–nice people forced by their loving son to interact with a giant hub cap wearing wack-job. Nice, Ryan.
Atlanta’s got a few wack-jobs, some great talent, and a couple of sad stories.
Continue reading ‘Season 7 Auditions - Atlanta, GA’
Related Posts
Nigel Lythgoe Discusses Season 7 Auditions
Idol Producers Advanced 49 Atlanta Auditioners to Randy, Paula and Simon
Tonight’s show begins with the obligatory Mimi Vice-like opening. Will anyone under 40 even get it? Oh wait, I almost forgot about that crappy movie. Maybe 5 people saw it?
Ryan explains that it’s the first time Idol has been back in Miami since Season 2. Ten-thousand auditioners show up in the Florida heat.
The girl who was supposed to be good was not, the girls who were supposed to be a joke, were fabulous… In fact, the girls appear to rule, generally. And there’s lots of kissing and hugging tonight. Miami is a love-fest.
And Simon calls Paula a slut, and asks if someone has spiked her drink! Good times.
Continue reading ‘Season 7 Auditions - Miami, FL’
Related Posts
Season 7 Second Round Auditions Continue
Season 7 Audition Update
Season 7 Audition Update - Omaha, Nebraska.
American Idol Premiers in Philadelphia on Tues and Dallas on Wed
Season 7 Auditions: San Diego, CA
Have I mentioned that I lurve the new kinder and gentler Idol auditions? Well I do. Tonight could have easily gone the way of the freak showcase that the Minneapolis auditions turned into last year. But instead, the producers were able to showcase the bad and the weird without leaving a bad taste in the audience’s mouths. At least I felt good afterward.
Back in August, Senior Idol Producer, Patrick Lynn, confessed to the Omaha World Herald that he’d been pushing for Omaha as an audition city because of the movie his friend, Dan Mirvish directed, called Omaha (The Movie) Said Lynn, “That’s a great little movie…It really captures the quirky and off-beat aspects that make Omaha Omaha.”
I got what I expected–Omaha as a town full of quirky, yet likeable oddballs–living in the heartland of America.
Continue reading ‘Season 7 Auditions - Omaha, NE’
Related Posts
Season 7 Second Round Auditions Continue
Season 7 Audition Update - Omaha, Nebraska.
American Idol Premiers in Philadelphia on Tues and Dallas on Wed
More on American Idol Season 7 Auditions
Season 7 Auditions: San Diego, CA
Ryan tells us that Charleston was recently named friendliest city in America. “But will it be generous with fresh, untapped talent?” He asks. Well, it seems out of 10,000 auditioners, the producers could only find 23 contestants to advance to the Hollywood round. And I thought all the talent was down South?
“We sure are glad y’all could join us, as the Idol auditions march into Charleston…”
Eep. That sounds vaguely unfortunate. Sherman’s march anyone? Not so ominous are tonight’s auditions–chock full of the goofy and just plain bad, with a little bit of talent sprinkled throughout. The episode keeps the gentle tone set with the Season 7 premier–the auditioners are presented as misguided–rather than pathetic, as Simon continues to take Paula’s happy pills.
Continue reading ‘Season 7 Auditions - Charleston, SC’
Related Posts
Season 7 American Idol Audition Schedule Set
American Idol Premiers in Philadelphia on Tues and Dallas on Wed
Ratings Update
Season 7 Auditions: San Diego, CA
Season 7 Audition Update - Omaha, Nebraska.
American Idol lands in San Diego CA to the strains of the Ramone’s covering the surf classic “Warm California Sun.” AI so needs to have a Ramone’s night.
Like, Gabba gabba hey!
American Idol Auditions, San Diego style. It’s short and sweet. I like the kinder, gentler auditions. This brand new audition paradigm means always starting the show with a talented singer…
Continue reading ‘Season 7 Auditions - San Diego’
Related Posts
Season 7 Auditions: San Diego, CA
American Idol Premiers in Philadelphia on Tues and Dallas on Wed
Nigel Lythgoe Discusses Season 7 Auditions
American Idols Tour: San Diego, CA
Season 1 was the last time American Idol held auditions in Dallas Texas. And of course, it was the Dallas auditions that introduced the world to Kelly Clarkson. Well, not exactly. Her audition wasn’t edited into the episode…but whatever! Ryan reminds us that Kelly sold, like a bajillion records, and hey, “Is there any more talent in Dallas?”
Thirteen-thousand people auditioned in Dallas, during a very hot, hot spell (accounts coming out of Dallas at the time reported auditioners succumbing to the intense heat). And they spend about 1 minute on the auditioner who went into labor waiting to sing.
She must not have been very interesting otherwise.
Continue reading ‘Season 7 Auditions - Dallas’
Related Posts
American Idol Premiers in Philadelphia on Tues and Dallas on Wed
Final Round American Idol Auditions Take Place in Dallas This Weekend
More on American Idol Season 7 Auditions
American Idol Dallas TX Auditions Begin Today
Nigel Lythgoe Discusses Season 7 Auditions
Published by mj January 16th, 2008
in American Idol, Ratings, S7 Audition Eps and Season 7.
From Mediaweek’s Programming Insider:
As expected, it was a huge overnight victory for Fox on this third Tuesday of 2008, with the seventh season-premiere of American Idol at an 18.6 rating/27 share from 8-10 p.m. Comparably, that outdelivered the second highest rated show of the evening, CBS’ NCIS (10.2/15), by a hefty 82 percent. But year-to-year, American Idol actually dipped by 15 percent from its sixth season-opener on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2007 (21.8/31). So, at this point it is safe to say that American Idol has officially peaked.
I’ll post more specific numbers as they come in…
UPDATE:
As expected, it was a huge victory for Fox on this third Tuesday of 2008, with the seventh season-premiere of American Idol at a hefty 33.24 million viewers and a 13.8 rating/32 share among adults 18-49 from 8-10 p.m. Comparably, that more than doubled the second most-watched show of the evening, CBS’ NCIS (Viewers: 15.91 million). But year-to-year, American Idol actually dipped by 4.20 million viewers and 13 percent among adults 18-49 from its sixth season-opener on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2007 (Viewers: 37.44 million; A18-49: 15.8/36). So, at this point it is safe to say that American Idol has officially peaked.
Related Posts
Nielsen Overnights for Thursday, 2/21
American Idol Nielsen Overnights for Wednesday 2/14
Nielsen Fast Overnights For Tuesday
Nielsen Overnight Ratings for Episode 3 (San Diego Auditions)
Wednesday’s Nielsen Overnights - 19% Decline from the Same Night Last Year
Last year, the Idol premier began with huge fan fair. Many minutes were devoted to boasting about the many millions of records, the awards and other accomplishments of Idol alumni. This year the show begins with absolutely no horn tooting, despite the fact there are bona fide post-Idol success stories to brag about, like Carrie Underwood and Chris Daughtry.
Instead, the producers immediately highlight this year’s contestants, emphasizing the fact that each one of them has a “unique story to tell.” The backstories are definitely front and center tonight.
Continue reading ‘Season 7 Auditions - Philadelphia’
Related Posts
American Idol Premiers in Philadelphia on Tues and Dallas on Wed
Season 7 Audition Update - Philadelphia PA
Season 7 Audition Update
Season 7 Auditions: San Diego, CA
Randy, Simon and Paula Audition Season 7 Hopefuls in Philly
MTV.com contacted Idol Executive Producer Ken Warwick for a statement on the seemingly ”professional” backgrounds of some of Season 7’s rumored Top 50:
It’s all part of what makes the early-season “Idol” episodes so mesmerizing: a heady mix of the bizarre, the talented and, of course, the talent-less, all hoping to get famous (or at least get their 15 minutes). The ultimate goal is the discovery of the “diamonds in the rough,” the sublimely skilled singers who have somehow fallen through the cracks. Of course, if you believe the rumors that have been swirling around “Idol” fan sites in recent days, those diamonds are becoming more difficult to find — which is why the show producers have seeded this year’s field of contestants with a handful of ringers: male and female singers who have been signed to major labels, worked with established songwriters and musicians, released albums and even been nominated for Grammy Awards.
The whole thing has created such a stir — and brought into question the very validity of a show created to find undiscovered talent — that MTV News went to “Idol” executive producer Ken Warwick for comment. And while he didn’t deny that some of the season-seven contestants had previous experience, he explained that the process of finding new, never-before-discovered talent has grown increasingly difficult, given the show’s popularity.
Here’s what Ken has to say:
Continue reading ‘Ken Warwick Weighs in on the “Irish Girl” controversy’
Related Posts
Idol to Do a Beatles Theme Night
American Idol Finally Wins an Emmy, and Ryan Seacrest Weighs In
Interview with Ken Warwick
Published by mj January 15th, 2008
in American Idol and S7 Audition Eps.
American Idol Season 7 Begins tonight with a two-hour episode featuring the Philadelphia auditions.
The peeps who follow my blog know by now that I positively LOATHE the audition phase of the competition. After 6 years, it’s the most predictable phase of the competition. At this point, finding contestants who are totally clueless about their lack of talent amid the famewhores who show up to sing badly just to get on TV is getting tougher and tougher. It’s so tough, in fact, that last year, the producers resorted to picking on mentally challenged contestants who truly didn’t know better. Bleah. It made for some truly uncomfortable tv-watching.
There is an outcry from the media every year about the cruelty of the auditions, yet nothing changes. That’s because the auditions attract people who love a good trainwreck. And it attracts those people in droves. Idol racks up their highest ratings in these initial weeks of the competition, so for that reason, it will be business as usual as the parade of wannabes begins in Philly tonight.
Continue reading ‘American Idol Season 7 Begins Tonight!’
Related Posts
American Idols Tour: Sunrise FL
American Idol Extra Premiers
American Idol Premiers in Philadelphia on Tues and Dallas on Wed
American Idol Season 6 Premiers Tonight
Season 6 Tour comes to New England
Published by mj January 8th, 2008
in American Idol and S7 Audition Eps.
Ok, remember how I reported the rumor yesterday that the first two featured audition cities would be San Diego and Dallas? Well scratch San Diego. From TV Squad:
Just to prove that no news is too small when it comes to their ratings juggernaut American Idol, FOX has announced that the two-night four-hour season premiere (EXTRAVAGANZA!) of Idol will feature the auditions from Philadelphia (Tuesday 1/15 8pm/7 Central) and Dallas (Wednesday 1/16 8pm/7 Central). That’s it. They’ll tell us later what nights to tune in for the auditions in San Diego, Omaha, Atlanta, Charleston and Miami.
Whee. The fun begins.
Related Posts
Idol Rumored Top 50: Philadelphia and Dallas Update (Spoilers)
AI Rewind Premiers this Weekend
Season 6 Premiers January 16
Final Round American Idol Auditions Take Place in Dallas This Weekend
Season 7 American Idol Audition Schedule Set
Latest Comments