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Archive for the 'Simon Fuller' Category

Fantasia dropped by 19 Management?

Published by mj June 26th, 2008 in American Idol, Fantasia and Simon Fuller. 28 Comments

Yet another Idol has been dropped, but not by their record label. The latest casualty is Season 3’s winner, Fantasia Barrino, and it’s Simon Fuller and 19m that’s doing the dropping. This is according to Shirley Halperin at the Entertainment Weekly Hollywood Insider:

Since her 2004 American Idol win, Fantasia Barrino has weathered her fair share of music business shake-ups, surviving mergers and the recent repositioning of her mentor Clive Davis, who signed her to J Records. Though she still has her contract at J, EW.com now hears that as of today, Fantasia has been dropped from the Simon Fuller-owned 19 Management. The reason for the sacking, according to sources, is that the R&B diva would simply not heed the firm’s professional advice. “There’s only so much energy you can put into helping someone’s career if they don’t want to listen,” hints an insider. However, like many other Idol contestants, Fantasia remains on Fuller’s label, 19 Recordings, and will continue to share music sales profits with the company.

According to the source, deals for David Cook, Carrie Underwood, Chris Daughtry, Jordin Sparks, and Blake Lewis remain in tact.

The past couple of years have been filled with success for Fantasia. Her last album, Fantasia did well on the R&B charts, garnering a hit single, “When I See You”. She starred in the highly rated (but critically panned) movie of her life story on the Lifetime channel, and earned great reviews playing Celie in the Color Purple on Broadway. She’s set to play Celie in the upcoming movie version of the musical. Oprah loves her!

Looks like Fantasia has her own ideas about where her career should be heading…

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Idol Bits and Pieces

Published by mj September 19th, 2007 in American Idol, News, Ken Warwick, Nigel Lythgoe, Ryan Seacrest and Simon Fuller. 5 Comments

A couple of recent Items from the Hollywood Reporter

I think the headline of this article is a little misleading…

Fox’s ‘Idol’-ized Emmycast demo-lished

I mean, it’s not like Nigel Lythgoe and Ken Warwick produced as they originally planned (they eventually bowed out, claiming they had too much work on their plates). And, host Ryan Seacrest barely took the stage during the entire telecast. Nevertheless, This year’s Emmy telecast was one of the lowest rated evah: Continue reading ‘Idol Bits and Pieces’

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The Next Great American Band to Debut in October

Published by mj August 7th, 2007 in American Idol, Ken Warwick, Nigel Lythgoe, Simon Fuller and The Next Great American Band. 25 Comments

Real-life stuff has interfered with my blogging (damn reality!) in the past few weeks, so pardon me while I play catch-up…

I wanted to mention The Next Great American Band show which will premier with a two-hour episode on Friday, October 19. I mention it, because I plan to recap it. I think it’ll be a fun fall diversion while we wait for the new season of Idol to start. Yeah?

The show is produced by the Idol folks, Simon Fuller, Nigel Lythgoe, Ken Warwick and Cecile Frot-Coutaz.

A set of judges will narrow the hopefuls down to 10 semifinalists, at which point the American people will take on voting responsibilities, just as they do on “Idol.”

Also like “Idol,” each week the contestants will perform within an established genre, though unlike “Idol” the bands will have the option of either doing original music or covers. The show’s finale will pit three bands against each other in a battle of the band for a contract with 19 Recordings.

Anybody got any spoilers? Heh…

Upcoming Idol Appearances

More News on The Next Great American Band

Idol Bits and Pieces

Published by mj May 14th, 2007 in American Idol, News, Justin Guarini, Jon Peter Lewis, Taylor Hicks, Chris Sligh, Chris Richardson, Melinda Doolittle, Jordin Sparks, Gina Glocksen, Sanjaya Malakar, Blake Lewis and Simon Fuller. 9 Comments

Blake Lewis, Jordin Sparks and Melinda Doolittle aren’t the only Idols having homecoming parties thrown in their honor. (Don’t forget to catch the Final 3 on the Tonight Show tonight, along with Taylor Hicks who will be performing…)

In Chesapeake, VA, Chris Richardson’s party takes place tonight at 6 pm at the Colin L. Hall Stadium where Chris used to play high school football.

Gina Glocksen is honored today in her hometown, Tinley Park, IL.

In Federal Way, WA, 200 fans donated at least a dollar to get an autograph from Sanjaya Malakar at his homecoming. Proceeds were donated to the Federal Way-based World Vision.

Speaking of Sanjaya, it looks like he’s a front runner to be one of 5 contestants in the VH1 reality show I Love New York 2. There’s a short video posted of Sanjaya doing some strange things with gummi bears. Hm. (I’m being told the video is fake, fake, totally fake…for more about Sanjaya’s homecoming check out Rickey.org )

In other Season 6 news, last week, Idol Chatter reported that Top 24 contestant, Sundance Head signed a record deal with Universal. Pretty good.

Chris Sligh’s official fan site has posted two songs from a worship album Chris and his band Half Past Forever recorded in 2004.

For excellent coverage of Blake Lewis’s homecoming (it was reported that 7,000 came out to see him) check out Team Plaid. They’ve got videos and links to news articles posted. Excellent.

My blogging buddy JD Matthews just posted another Idol interview. This time it’s with one of my favorite Idols EVAH, Jon Peter Lewis. I highly suggest you check it out. JD interviews the Idols, so I don’t have to. Heh.

Justin Guarini has teamed up with the Tea Council of America to launch a nationwide scholarship competition. Applicants can submit a one-to-two minute homemade Internet video that “incorporates some aspect of tea’s many health- related benefits.” The winner gets $20,000 towards their education and an all-expenses paid trip to New York City.

Finally, an interesting interview with American Idol creator, Simon Fuller. Fun quote: “At 46 you are not too old” – as long as you can keep manufacturing celebrities the public will buy.” For my favorite numbers crunchers:

Mr Fuller sold 19 to CKX, the vehicle of US talent mogul Robert Sillerman, for £83 million in 2005. Mr Sillerman is building up a larger version of 19, owning Elvis’s mansion Graceland and the image rights of Muhammed Ali, but 19 provides three quarters of CKX’s revenues ($151 million out of $210 million) and the bulk of operating profit ($28.8 million last year). Not bad, particularly as Mr Fuller, who is two years into a six-year contract, only earned $1.56 million as an employee.

Fun facts to know and tell…

thanks as always to the incomparable lisab…

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Published by mj May 6th, 2007 in American Idol, News, Ken Warwick, Nigel Lythgoe, Diana DeGarmo, Constantine Maroulis, Tamyra Gray and Simon Fuller. 13 Comments

Ken and Nigel pull out of Emmy Telecast

Ken Warwick and Nigel Lythgoe will not be producing this year’s Emmy telecast as previously announced.

Here’s the official statement, “After we wrapped the enormous effort of ‘Idol Gives Back,’ we looked at our upcoming slate of projects, including the ‘American Idol’ finale and the additional shows we will be involved in this summer, and realized that we could not devote the creative energy and time necessary to make the Emmys outstanding for the academy and Fox,”

Ken Ehrlich, who produced the Emmy’s last year is returning to produce his 4th Emmy telecast. Says the Academy of Television Arts and Science’s CEO Dick Askin, “He [Ehrlich] did a terrific job with the Emmys last year, and we are glad to have him back.”

Diana DeGarmo’s Stalker Sentenced

An Australian woman who hacked into Diana DeGarmo’s My Space and sent her threatening emails and phone calls has been sentenced.

Tanya Maree Quattrocchi, 21, of Oak Park, was released on a community-based order and ordered to serve 150 hours of community service after she was convicted of stalking and blackmail. The court heard the defendant had a limited intellectual ability and had scored an ENTER score of just 16 when she graduated from Ave Maria College in Aberfeldie.

She’s in college, and she’s hacking into MySpace accounts, but she has “limited intellectual ability?” What? If this had been tried in the States, I think the courts would have been a lot tougher.

Constantine Maroulis and Tamyra Gray Begin New Acting Roles

Constantine’s run on the CBS soap “The Bold and The Beautiful” begins on Tuesday May 15 and will run for several months. He’ll play music producer, Constantine Parros, who becomes involved in the life and career of heiress Phoebe Forrester. OMG, this should be hilarious. I’m DVRing the first few episodes. If I find anything snarkworthy, I’ll post it. Heh.

Tamyra Gray begins a stint with the Broadway musical “Rent.” She’ll play the role of Mimi Marquez through November 25.

New Dates for the American Idols Live Tour

The American Idols Live Tour starts in Sunrise FL on July 6th. If everything goes as planned, I’ll be at the Tampa FL show on the 7th. YAY. Check out the dates. If your city wasn’t on the list, it may be now. New dates are being added as we speak.

Simon Fuller discusses Idol Songwriter Contest

In a recent interview American Idol producer, Simon Fuller, talks about the American Idol Songwriter contest. Fuller screened the entries and says the entries include, “a handful of world-class songs.” That remains to be seen. I plan to check out the songs soon. Really, I do.

About this season, Fuller comments, “This has been an intriguing year. It’s been a slow burn in terms of getting to know the talent … It’s more of a journey than ever this year.” Fuller thinks that two or three ”terrific” contestants have emerged out of the contest. He would not say who.

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