Nigel Lythgoe. Oh how I’ve missed you and your big mouth.
While he was producing Idol, Nigel was always good for the clue-filled sound bite, unlike Ken Warwick who plays his cards close to his vest.
So, I’m loving Nigel’s latest round of press interviews promoting So You Think You Can Dance:
In an Entertainment Weekly interview, he says he’s not a fan of the 4-judge panel, and claims the only winners close to #1 in votes every week were Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson.
Now, the New York Post is reporting what we all suspected, the producers play fast and loose with the Bottom 3:
“They wouldn’t lie about it; they’re always honest with you, ” says Nigel Lythgoe, previously the executive producer for the first seven seasons of “Idol” and currently the executive producer and a judge on “So You Think You Can Dance.”
That being said, it doesn’t mean the show won’t take some liberty with the order that the other two low-vote receiving contestants are told to sit down, he says.
After the votes are collected and tabulated by AT&T and the show’s survey firm, Telescope, “all we’re told at the end of the day is, ‘Here are the Bottom 3, ‘ ” he says. “And we make whatever we can out of that and turn it into a show.”
So maybe Adam Lambert wasn’t really in the Bottom 2 last week?
Voter complacency crossed with vote splitting fans trying to save Allison Iraheta and Kris Allen could have easily left Adam at the bottom–it’s not impossible
But, Wednesday’s setup seemed fishy to me, with the producers using the bottom 3–rather than the typical bottom 2– for the first time ever in the Top 5.
Presumptive front-runner, Adam Lambert in the bottom 2–not to mention forcing him to choose a side–was great TV.
And, in light of press reports that Adam was running away with this thing, with Kris Allen maybe close behind–perhaps the producers wanted to leave the impression they were both vulnerable–that the race is totally up for grabs.
In any case, the bottom 3 switcheroo can now officially be taken off the Grassy Knoll. Nigel’s confirmed the producers use it.
In other “news”, Idol judge, Kara DioGuardi tells TV Guide that she only signed a one year contract. All the usual suspects are gobbling up the story, and I’d do something on it too…If I hadn’t already covered the topic last week.
Sniff. Nobody cares about me unless I’m starting iTunes hoaxes!
