Super Bowl coverage turns to ‘Idol’ for ratings
NEW YORK - The Patriots weren’t the only ones seeking history on Super Bowl Sunday.
Fox hoped New England’s pursuit of an undefeated season, coupled with the underdog New York Giants, would break the record 94.08 million viewers who watched the 1996 Super Bowl.
To help its cause, Fox brought in a ringer: the network’s other ratings monster, “American Idol.”
Before the game, “Idol” host Ryan Seacrest rolled out a red carpet, “Idol” judge Paula Abdul performed her first new song in a decade, and “Idol” winner Jordin Sparks sang the national anthem.
Take the Game, Leave the ‘Idol’
By the time Eli Manning kneeled down on the final play of the Giants’ 17-14 Super Bowl win Sunday night, the memory of Ryan Seacrest in the pregame show was nearly gone. His most welcome words: “Seacrest out,” or something like that, as the “American Idol” host bid adieu.
No network can get a multihour pregame show right, and Fox didn’t, thanks to turning it into an “American Idol” promotion with Seacrest as a co-host at the red carpet and Paula Abdul in a taped performance. And while I like reading the Declaration of Independence on days other than the Fourth of July, let me note that Fox’s summer stock re-enactment of its signing was better with the songs of “1776.” But Fox did the game very well. Joe Buck and Troy Aikman have never been better in doing what they should do. Buck set up the action, offered some storytelling and made sharp calls.
‘Idol’ winner sings anthem
Earlier in the night, sixth season “American Idol” winner Jordin Sparks, a native of Super Bowl host city Glendale, Ariz., sang the national anthem, and looked incredibly nervous as she took the field. And why wouldn’t she? A year ago, her only dream of going to a Super Bowl was if her father, former NFL player Phillippi Sparks, was playing in one.
But Sparks delivered the anthem with the same poise she showed during her “Idol” run. She kept the histrionics in check, and didn’t go too far over-the-top in terms of vocal showboating.
Game a Family Affair for Jordin Sparks
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Jordin Sparks probably couldn’t have picked a better set of circumstances for her first Super Bowl.
First off, the “American Idol” champ was selected to sing the national anthem. Then, her favorite team, the New York Giants — and the former team of her retired football player dad, Phillippi Sparks — was playing in the big game. Finally, the game was held at the University of Phoenix stadium — just a few miles away from her home.
“When they approached me to sing at the Super Bowl, I was like, ‘Yeah I want to sing at the Super Bowl — are you crazy?’” Sparks said as she got glammed up for her performance Sunday. “I’m very very very happy.”
And that was before her dad’s old team stunned the New England Patriots 17-14.
Jeers: American Idol Fumbles the Super Bowl
Jeers to Fox for allowing American Idol to tarnish its Super Bowl pregame show. The network enlisted Ryan Seacrest to emcee insipid red-carpet coverage of celebrities arriving at the big game. He annoyingly referred to Hugh Laurie (who looked like he was being held at gunpoint to promote House’s post-Super Bowl episode) as “Dr. House.” Have a little respect, Ryan — the guy’s an award-winning actor, not Urkel!
Then Paula Abdul debuted her new single, “Dance Like There’s No Tomorrow” (if only that were true for her career…) with a pretaped performance so listless, it made Britney’s VMA sleepwalk look like Michael Jackson at Motown 25. Randy Jackson, whose new album (!) includes the song, stood off to the side and played bass, despite earlier threats that he, too, would dance. And last season’s champ, Jordin Sparks, “sang” the National Anthem (though it looked suspiciously like lip-syncing to me). They all could learn a lesson from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, whose rockin’ halftime show was refreshingly free of gimmickry.
‘American Idol’ Week 3: Power Rankings
1) Kristy Lee Cook
Gorgeous Oregonian’s ”Amazing Grace” was the hands-down highlight of American Idol week 1, and Internet backlash about her one-time deal with Arista Nashville hasn’t stopped her from topping our reader poll for two weeks running. (Last week: No. 1)
2) Samantha Sidley
Demure beauty played along gamely when Ryan and Paula swapped duties during her audition, then delivered a restrained, lovely version of ”Don’t Know Why.” If, as we suspect, she’s more than a Norah Jones copycat, she’s one to watch. (New this week)
3) David Cook
Beat-down fauxhawk aside, this congenial rocker proved his smarts (studying Daughtry tapes before auditioning), fashion sense (rocking a cool argyle sweater vest), and vocal ability (delivering a unique take on ”Livin’ on a Prayer”) in one fab audition. (New this week)
‘American Idol’ buzz: Renaldo Lapuz, Paul Marturano
According to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, this season’s most buzzed-about “Idol” tryout, Renaldo “We’re Brothers Forever” Lapuz, is a 45-year-old former tricycle taxi driver from the Philippines, who came to this country in 2004 and has worked as a janitor for Wal-Mart and Greyhound, among other places.
In a phone interview, Lapuz told the paper he’s “single and a permanent immigrant” of the United States and that his style of music is ballads, adding “I like serenading.”
“We’re Brothers Forever” (aka “I Am Your Brother”) is not the only composition of the contestant whose “Idol” costume might best be described as an angelic pimp-wizard combo and was inspired, according to Lapuz, by the film “Gladiator.” “In 1998, I recorded 10 songs in the Philippines, in a recording studio … I translated two songs into English,” Lapuz said.
Newsday
Local waiter going to ‘Idol’s’ Hollywood round
More than 100,000 singers and sideshow acts packed into Charleston, S.C.’s coliseum last August hoping to audition for “American Idol.”
After two days of hearing the talented and the tone-deaf, judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson handed out only 23 of the show’s coveted golden tickets to Hollywood.
Chattanoogan Tim Harris was among the lucky ones who earned the judges’ nod and advanced to the Hollywood round, which is expected to air Feb. 12-13 on WDSI Fox 61 (Comcast channel 11).
Time for striking writers to rethink game plan
The moment of truth has arrived for those TV writers walking the picket lines for the past three months, pounding the pavement and tossing their laptops in hopes of trying to break the backs of the networks.
Their strategy was to stop writing new episodes of scripted shows, which would leave the prime-time lineups bare. The networks would then be forced to air a slew of offensive and ridiculous reality shows that would repulse the TV-viewing public. Ratings would fall flat, or at least flatter than usual.
This reality infusion isn’t a new trend, of course. “American Idol” has been the ratings giant following Kelly Clarkson’s rise to fame in season one. And even though “Idol’s” numbers are down from last year and a case can be made that, Nielsen-wise, the show has already peaked, the writers find themselves in a bad spot right now.
With “Idol” back, FOX, like NBC, is in the catbird seat. But now the network has another bullet in the chamber — the gun aimed directly at the heads of the WGA — in “The Moment of Truth.”
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Jordin looked great, but shoulda left the melisma at home. Her rendition of the Star Spangled Banner was middle of the pack with Whiteney, Gloria Estafan and Faith Hill (even Carrie) beating her hands down. It’s a shame that she was lip-syncing because singing the SSB live is telling. I guess since they are selling her version of the song, they decided to go with a recording.
Does anyone know where I can see the AI commercials that were shown during the Super Bowl. I hate that they are trying to give us Hollywood week via commercials. Add and extra hour and let us see everyone!
p.s. I did see Roethlisberger and his Pina Colada…BWAH!
FYI–Jordin’s NA was available on itunes yesterday hours before the game even started. So to anyone who was wondering if it was a lipsync or not, it was. They usually do lipsync’s at the Super Bowl, just in case there are technical malfunctions or the acoustics are bad. It’s a pretty normal thing.
Is Hollywood week this week or is it still auditions? I thought Atlanta was next but the Superbowl commercials made it look like Hollywood was next. (I’m too lazy to look it up myself.)
I think Atlanta is tomorrow night, and then Best of the Rest on Wednesday.
Thanks!
Anyone know where we can see a video Pauler’s performance ? I missed it.
If there’s none in cyberspace, can anyone give us a recap of how it was ? What will Simon likely say of that ?
She has two videos on Youtube showing her other performances ( one a practice session, the other, a real performance in front of a live audience ).
Of course you all know she’s a student of the (now) famous Peisha Mcphee, mother of Mrs. Nick Cockas ( and I’m weeping tears of dejection even as I write this — HEH HEH ).
To make a long story short — Samantha Sidley is a jazz singer. Which means the show will have no use for her.
American Idol in football terms fumbeled in the superbowl in the pregame thing according to newsprints. One even stated it was not worth the ink to write about Ryan Secrest. Ai like ryan and others stick to the award show Superbowl and others sports games do not like “cute”. The NA Elliott did it better at least he was himself not trying to channel soemone else.
Why snarky because it was obvious fox was using Ai for the ratings and it was not a smasing success . It is not an award show and the “teams” and game make the ratings. Thier wirting in papers about Eli Manning not ryan.Some sports writers have the guts to slam AI .
No surprise about the holleywood being good singers sure thier be great pop singers and it seems Shawn was right.Enjoy the season folks.
Jordin’s NA did nothing for me. I judge the NA on one thing and one thing only: whether it gave me goosebumps. I might be in the minority here, but for me, Whitney Houston’s NA is the ultimate in its goosebump factor. There have definitely been far, far tamer, more subdued versions that have had the same effect on me; i don’t need the big notes, but if they’re done right (and they rarely are), they can be amazing. But why did Jordin look like she was about to throw up right before she started singing if she was just lipsynching? Did I miss something?
OMG! Those arms of Jordin! Kinda make a linebacker envy. She should have worn long sleeves. Yes, I am a shallow person. lol Reminds me of the man hand episode of Seinfeld.
B I agree with you here. Again it was a fine performance, but I rate the NA on whether or not it makes me emotional or not. I’m military, so it doesn’t take much;) But that didn’t do it. Still good though. They were talking about her on the local morning radio shows, and a couple of them were mentioning that she sound like a country artist. Thought that was interesting.
If I had to get up in front of 70K some people and sing/lipsynch, I would more than likely feel sick too.
I thought it was nice, nothing memorable but all things considered a nice job. I actually think out of all the Idol renditions of the NA I’ve heard Anthony Fedorov has done the best. I remember watching his and getting major chills.
Let’s see here..we saw Seacrest,Paula, Randy, and Jordin smack in the middle of My Superbowl show, FOX definitely did well in planning that strategy. Jordin did a good job and Tom Petty brought back a few memories of the 80’s. Good to see that Eli will not be walking in big bro Peyton’s footsteps anylonger.
Oh darn . I loved Anthony Federov on Idol, but I didn’t know he’d sung the NA. Sorry I missed that. Anyone got a link?
t2 do you have this link? My favorite commercial was the Budweiser Hank “Rocky” the horse and his pal (dog). So, that’s the only one I voted for. You can download the commercial there.
http://www.tv.com/superbowl-commercials/
Anthony Federov does the NA better than just about anyone else. For this reason, he’s still asked to perform at sporting events and such. Jordon’s version was OK. Sorry that’s the best I can say.
http://www.tmz.com/ Sanjaya made TMZ Exclusive again — this time with attitude.
One good thing about winning IDOL and being invited to events — you get to wear fabulous clothes!
That’s Anthony’s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZIUnUVIlM4
From what I’m understanding, they are adding an extra hour to this year’s 1 Hollywood episode. We get to see 1 2-hour episode this year, apparently.
Re: Jordin at the Super Bowl. Like I said in yesterday’s thread, I thought Jordin’s version of the NA was FABULOUS. She more than did it justice, and IMO ranks right up there with the best of the best performances.
She sounded incredible, taped or not, and her ability to hit those high notes is amazing. It may not have given other people chill bumps or brought tears to eyes, whatever… but it did make me a bit misty. But as with everyone else, that’s just my opinion.
Couple win dream wedding
When Edsall was asked who his favorite American Idol singer might be — Taylor Hicks was at the top of his list. Edsall was encouraged when producers then asked his favorite Taylor Hicks song.
KPCNews
Clay sang the NA live for the World Series. He had an additional level of difficulty when the flyover planes arrived too soon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUPKP2PwMfQ
I guess this would be a good reason to have it pretaped to avoid issues like the flyover.
“I’m going to shoot the music video for If You Didn’t Love Me in a few days. Roman White, who directed Carrie Underwood’s Before He Cheats and All-American Girl, is directing.”
http://blogs.usatoday.com/idolchatter/
Phil’s getting pretty lucky!
New sotry about Taylor the “girl” on the beach is not the same one the spectulate it is a call girl or escort. They even hired an expert to state it was not the same girl. Maybe a guy can actually date diferent women.No one really cares that much.(radar mag)Or maybe a life would be helpfull.
Jordan gains any allot of wieght she will be a “fatty” as someone called. Probalem is who she is competeing with the like of Hannah Montana and Beyonce.
This is so sad it is almost a very bad joke.I can not wait till the show is canceled now.
I agree.
Jordin was incredible.
Her ability to flawlessly get in and out of her upper register.
Simply amazing.
I thought Jordin was flipping fantastic!