Randy Jackson conducted a press conference yesterday. There should be articles all over the web today covering the interview. Here’s one of the first articles posted from Movieweb.com.
UPDATE: From Reality TV Magazine:
Even though a Southerner has won every season of American Idol to date, Randy Jackson wasn’t willing to say if it was going to be another Southerner again or not this year. When asked about Birmingham’s chances (a city known for producing American Idol finalists), Jackson said that he had a feeling that the winner was going to be from somewhere else this year. Jackson also added that it “might be someone who auditioned in Birmingham but not from Birmingham.”
Like Simon Cowell, Randy wasn’t crazy about the return of guest judges (Olivia Newton-John, Jewel and songwriter Carol Bayer-Sager) this year:
I think I could definitely live without them. Look, the show works because it is the three of us on the panel and kind of what we do and how we interact, I don’t necessarily think that we need guest judges. When people come in be judges it’s often a little awkward and little hard for them. I think people look at the show as a fan and go, “Oh, I could do that.” It’s almost like saying, “I could be a pitcher.” You could do it but is it going to be good? Or, are you going to be there for the TV face time?”
On Jennifer Hudson in “Dreamgirls”:
Me, personally, I don’t think she blows away Beyonce in Dreamgirls. I think she’s amazing in Dreamgirls, I think Jennifer Holiday has an equally amazing voice. It’s harder to be the original one than the second or the third one. I think she’s done amazingly well but I remind people every time, “The girl that won that year, her name was Fantasia Barrino, and if you want to know why she won go back and listen to that ‘Summertime’ version she did. It’s the best Idol performance to date.”
Hmmm, underplaying Jennifer for Fantasia….
To be honest, not much is quotable in the interview. His answers are straight out of the PR playbook. Ho Hum. If anything interesting turns up in other articles posted today, I’ll do an update.
thanks lisab
Related Posts
Hey! I posted a link to this article last night, before Lisa B, yet I get no credit. Nobody reads my posts!(TM Lisa B) :)
Randy Jackson has always said his favorite Idol winners are Kelly Clarkson and Fantasia. It DOES appear that Randy is standing up for the Idol winner Fantasia.
However, IMO, Jennifer Hudson BLOWS Fantasia away!
Metta good try, but here’s the evidence.
———
—-
See nobody reads my posts.
Clay’s BOTW and Solitaire were the best ever. And if not both, then certainly one. Fantasia’s Summertime I MIGHT rank next; it was the only song she didn’t add “yeah, yeah” to.
LMAO! I totally missed that one. SAWRY!
p.s. I *do* read your posts. I swear I do.
I still don’t know why Randy Jackson is a judge. He contributes maybe 1 or 2 constructive thoughts to the show per season. Paula, on the other hand is, at least, somewhat entertaining. Dude, dawg, I don’t know, that just didn’t do it for me, and the ever popular welcome to the dawgpound…are his stock and trade as ‘pithy’ criticisms.
dee,
Christian Slater said thanks…. ;)
Dee, I totally agree. He is in serious need of a thesaurus. As far as I know, people stopped using the word “yo” around 1986. Also, it was stupid of him to bring up Fantasia in the context of Dreamgirls. Two completely different things. And anyway, Fantasia auditioned for Dreamgirls and didn’t get it. I’m not dissing Fantasia, I like her a lot, but it didn’t make any sense to me for Randy to “remind” people who won American Idol 3 just because Jennifer Hudson is doing well.
This was the first year my hubby and I watched the whole season, watched maybe the last 3 weeks of AI4. think it was around the time they moved the top 12 to the bigger stage that we talked about how even though Paula seemed a little weird at times - she really said some of the best things to the kids - things that really pertained to them not just some made for TV schlocky comment intended to sway the susceptible.
I think my husband’s assessment of Randy is completely accurate, he calls him “the corporate whore”
Nostradamas…why, thank you. I appreciate your giving him my message.
Are you in LA? My 22 year old is heading there after graduation in May. He has a contact with a woman who is the Vice President of something or other at Universal/NBC. She has offered to take him around and intro him. He is interested in the business end…manager/agent type stuff. It is unbelievably kind of her to help open some doors for him. My main worry is all the mom stuff..where’s he going to live?…how’s he going to afford it?….I know a lot of kids go out there with a lot less help than he will get, but it’s scary!
Technically, Randy is the only one qualified to judge people’s vocals IMO. He’s pushing the “brother” thing a bit, but he does have a technical background in music.
Simon’s capability to create semi successful boy bands and Paula’s has been poppy entertainer thing doesn’t quite cut it IMO.
But it’s true that their goofy interaction is what’s working well as the “judges” and guest judges simply don’t fit very well in that kind of setting.
That must be Randy’s kneejerk reaction whenever someone says, “How come Jennifer Hudson didn’t win that year?” He’s probably heard it so much by now he just leaps to Fantasia’s defense when someone says the word “Dreamgirls”. Randy, Randy, Randy. He may have technical knowledge about singing, but his vocabulary and vault of catchphrases need some serious overhauling. Five seasons of “yo, dawg” is just too much!
I wonder what he has against J-Hud, though? Wasn’t she his wild card pick that year? Not that that means anything, necessarily. But geez.
Jennifer is having a great success with “Dreamgirls,” and good luck to her at the Academy Awards. However - this business about Simon recanting, and people suggesting her current success somehow invalidates the results of Season 3 is getting out of hand, IMHO. Jen was good but uneven on Idol. I think she deserved to finish higher than seventh. However, Fantasia was better on the show and deserved to win that season, and subsequent events have no bearing on that result, as far as I’m concerned.
I like both Jen and Fantasia, for what it’s worth.
Randy, Randy, Randy. Can’t you just say congratulations to Jennifer Hudson and leave it at that? You don’t need to tear her down to validate Fantasia’s win. Fantasia won, right now, Jennifer is having a fantastic moment. Leave it be dog. One’s success doesn’t make the other less of a singer.
Can anyone say ‘redundant?’ Try as I may, I just cannot warm up to this guy. Truthfully, I can’t stand him and his freaky eyes and his dawgpound. JMHO, but I think Idol needs some new blood at the judge’s table.
I think we’re stuck with the current line-up of judges, for better or worse, because the producers are probably thinking if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. If the ratings ever start to seriously slip - then you might see a change at the Judges’ table.
However, it could be amusing to think of new panels that would duplicate the current lineup: curmudgeon - loopy former diva - former pop/rocker with a limited vocabulary.
I’m thinking Pat Buchanan - Whitney Huston - Dee Snider would make quite a panel.