‘Idol’ listed as TV’s biggest revenue generator
“American Idol” rakes in $8.1 million in ad sales each half-hour it is on the air, making it TV’s biggest revenue generator, according to the listmakers at Forbes Magazine and data from Kantar Media.
Because the intention of Forbes is to determine which shows are commanding the most ad dollars, it makes no claim as to how profitable each show is. Forbes broke everything into 30-minute increments to ensure that half-hour sitcoms and hourlong dramas and reality shows are compared equally.
Simon Cowell Honored At Business Awards
Simon Cowell received a special recognition award in California for his contribution to television and entertainment in the U.K. and U.S.
Cowell was presented with the award at the inaugural BritWeek U.K.T.I. Business Innovation Awards, staged at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills. BritWeek is an organization that celebrates British connections with California
TV producer Nigel Lythgoe, Britweek president, presented the award to Cowell. “Simon’s productions have became such popular and commercial successes that they constitute some of the U.K.’s biggest creative services exports today, ” he said. “We are proud to recognize his contribution to the creative industry, which is an important sector of the British economy.”
“I’m delighted about the recognition from BritWeek and U.K. Trade and Investment and it’s brilliant that so many British companies are doing so well globally, ” said Cowell.
More Idol Headlines after the JUMP…
Idol Meter updated
Ken Barnes has posted his final Idol Meter scores, reflecting the elimination of Aaron Kelly. “Aaron didn’t quite hit Archuleta (or Fedorov) heights, ” Ken writes, “but his poise and charm outweighed his inexperience and won him a respectable finish.”
‘American Idol’ Experts Surprised By Aaron Kelly Elimination
After weeks of predicting Aaron Kelly’s demise on “American Idol, ” on Wednesday, our experts took a break from suggesting that the 17-year-old was going to be sent home on elimination night. So, of course, after guaranteeing us that it was Casey James who would be on the chopping block, it was finally Aaron’s time to go.
“Well, that didn’t go as planned, but what has during this crazy season of ‘Idol’? ” said MJ Santilli, founder of the “Idol” fansite MJsBigBlog.com.
Melissa Etheridge talks ‘Idol, ‘ Crystal and all those acoustic guitars; hails ‘the return of the troubadour’
Singer-songwriter, activist, cancer survivor, mother … you can place all kinds of modifiers on the name Melissa Etheridge, but one constant remains: Whether in music or in life, the Kansas-to-L.A. transplant is nothing short of inspiring. Just ask “American Idol” front-runner Crystal Bowersox, who got Etheridge to sign her acoustic guitar — the same one she’s been playing all season long — a few years back in Chicago. Or any number of contestants who’ve tried to sing her songs — season 5’s Kellie Pickler, season 4’s Nadia Tuner, season 2’s Kimberly Caldwell, and season 1’s Nikki McKibbin, among them.
Naturally, we asked the Grammy- and Oscar-winning singer, whose new album, “Fearless Love, ” is just out, how she felt about the “Idol” treatment, whether she remembers meeting a wide-eyed Crystal and her thoughts on the current season, especially all those acoustic guitars! Read on for the Idol Tracker Q&A …
‘Idol’ Ratings Sink to New Low, Show Overruns Not Helping
‘American Idol’s journey this season has been a tough road.
Not only have the ratings been slipping, but sloppy running times have infuriated DVR viewers.
The Fox show formerly known as a ratings giant is coming back down to Earth, experiencing its lowest ratings since its first summer season.
‘Idol’ had a 6.0 rating Tuesday night — in the important demo of 18 to 49-year old viewers — down from an 8.3 rating from one year ago, according to Media Decoder.
‘Idol’ dropped 13 percent week-to-week to 17.1 million viewers, trailing behind ABC’s ‘Dancing with the Stars, ’ which had 19.6 million viewers on Monday.
American Idol Hopefuls Splurge
MYFOXNY.COM – The American Idol contestants came from all over America: Big Mike was living in Astoria, Queens, working as a waiter at Bubba Gump Shrimp Company and performing as a wedding singer. Crystal Bowersox, an Ohio single mom, paid the bills by performing in coffee shops and bars. Aaron Kelly was a high school student living at home with his mom in Pennsylvania. Casey James was a construction in Texas and always looking for that next paying gig. Lee Dewyze was making a living as a paint salesman in Illinois.
American Idol: Siobhan Magnus is back!
Adam Lambert: Prom Party!
Adam Lambert gets all buttoned up for Attitude Magazine’s American prom-themed party held at the Mayfair Hotel on Wednesday (May 5) in London, England.
Check out his animal print shoes!
Earlier in the day, the 28-year-old American Idol vet was seen taking pictures with fans and signing autographs.
Adam Lambert meets Jedward!
@PlanetJedward “@adamlambert MAN YOU ROCK THANKS FOR THE PICS SO COOL PEACE OUT JOHN AND EDWARD” (John and Edward were on the last season of X Factor)
Adam Lambert Tillate Interview
Recap: “American Idol” contestants Katelyn Epperly and Lilly Scott perform Wednesday night in Des Moines
Two singing idols shared the stage at the Blue Moon Dueling Piano Bar and Restaurant in West Des Moines Wednesday night.
West Des Moines native and “American Idol” season 9 contestant Katelyn Epperly played her first public show since being booted off the hit Fox reality show in March.
And she brought a friend along to share the stage with her.
After a brief introduction by Epperly, her “Idol” buddy, Lilly Scott, of Littleton, Co. kicked things off with a set of short, folksy original songs, plus a few covers. She was joined by mandolin player Cole Rudy from her band Varlet.
‘Idol’s’ ‘a great learning experience, ’ Kelly says
PHILADELPHIA – On “American Idol, ” Aaron Kelly, who has battled through laryngitis and tonsillitis, was praised for his good manners and gentlemanly attitude.
And the 17-year-old high school student was also the youngest contestant.
“I always said that I was Southern-raised. … ‘Yes, sir, ‘ ‘yes, ma’am’ — that’s how my mom had taught me, ” Kelley said in an interview with The Morning Call of Allentown. “I’m having a ball right now. … It’s a ton of fun and it’s a great learning experience.”
Ellen DeGeneres Knows Who She’d Like to Replace Simon
“American Idol” judge Ellen DeGeneres has a few ideas on who she’d like to replace Simon Cowell when he leaves at the end of this season.
“I have people I would like, ” DeGeneres told “Extra’s” Terri Seymour in an exclusive interview. “But I’m not gonna tell you.”
Should Ellen DeGeneres have apologized for iPhone ad spoof?
Ellen DeGeneres ran a parody iPhone commercial on her talk show Monday, showing her fumbling through her attempts at operating the phone. The next day, she publicly apologized.
DeGeneres took time out of her Tuesday show to tell Apple she was sorry. She “got in trouble, ” she said, because “the people at Apple didn’t think it was so funny.”
“I thought it was funny, ” she added. “They thought that I made it look like it was hard to use.”
‘American Idol’s’ Simon Cowell mocked by Nigel Lythgoe … again
Former “American Idol” producer Nigel Lythgoe can be pretty sweet on “So You Think You Can Dance, ” but he has a wicked tongue on him when he’s off the show.
“Simon [Cowell] is a true entrepreneur, he puts other people’s money where his mouth is!” quipped Lythgoe at the BritWeek UKTI Business Innovation Awards on Tuesday (May 4) at the Four Seasons in Los Angeles.
Cowell was on hand to receive the Special Recognition Award for his contributions to television and entertainment in the UK and US, but it seems that Lythgoe also felt the awards ceremony could double as a roast.
‘Glee’s’ Lea Michele corrects Jimmy Fallon’s ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ mistake
“Glee” diva Lea Michele had a very Berry moment on the May 4 episode of “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.”
She came on after Fallon interviewed “Grey’s Anatomy’s” Ellen Pompeo. During Pompeo’s segment, Fallon mentioned that Pompeo’s “Grey’s” character is married to McSteamy.
More Headlines:
‘The American Idol Experience’ Attraction Celebrates First Year with ‘Dream Ticket’ Recipient Among TV Show’s Top Five Finalists
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla., May 6 /PRNewswire/ — In addition to recently celebrating its first year of operation in February 2010, “The American Idol Experience” attraction at Walt Disney World Resort can now celebrate the success of one of its top vote-getters – Aaron Kelly. The 17-year-old crooner from Sonestown, Penn., who began his “American Idol” journey at the Disney Parks attraction, advanced to the Top Five in the finals during season nine of the “American Idol” television show.
“The American Idol Experience, ” which officially opened Feb. 14, 2009 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, is the first and only theme park attraction in the world based on the smash-hit “American Idol” show. The attraction provides guests the thrill and pageantry of the television show, as excited theme park guests age 14 and older audition before Disney producers and directors to see if they have what it takes to perform on stage that day. If their auditions are successful, guests at the attraction are ushered through performance coaching sessions, cosmetology and stage rehearsals to prepare for their big moment on the theme park stage. Then, the lights go down and guests perform a hit tune in the theme park’s 1000+-seat theatre.
Crystal Bowersox Faithful Gather At Hometown Church To Watch ‘American Idol’
ELLISTON, Ohio — One neighbor recalled hearing her sing in the garage as a kid back when he lived next door to her dad. A teen from one town over went to see her sing at a bar when she herself was barely in middle school. Some saw her at the Apple Festival and others have known her family for years and always suspected she’d make it big someday.
What they all have in common is that they packed into Trinity United Church of Christ in Crystal Bowersox’s hometown of Elliston, Ohio, on Wednesday night to grab some pot luck, proudly display their red T-shirts emblazoned with a peace sign and the words “Crystal Bowersox Our Idol!” and cross their fingers that their town’s favorite daughter would make it through to the top four on “American Idol.”
Steve Lillywhite picks songs for the Fantasy Idol Top 5
This week, Fantasy Idol has its first mentor: Grammy-winning British rock producer Steve Lillywhite. Lillywhite has a four-decade track record of producing hits, having worked with acts ranging from U2 and the Rolling Stones to Jason Mraz and Evanescence.
What records that Lillywhite produced might you know? How about U2’s Beautiful Day and Walk On? The La’s There She Goes? The Psychedelic Furs’ Pretty in Pink? Jason Mraz’s The Remedy (I Won’t Worry)?
CMA earns ‘Friend of Education Award’
The Metropolitan Nashville Education Association gave the 2010 Friend of Education Award to the Country Music Association, in recognition of the CMA’s contributions to public school music education.
The CMA donates half the net proceeds from each year’s CMA Music Festival to the “Keep the Music Playing” program. To date, the CMA has donated $3.3 million to Nashville music education programs, and that money has been used to build music labs and to purchase more than 3, 000 instruments. Artists perform at CMA Music Festival for free, and the CMA donates half the proceeds to “Keep the Music Playing” on the artists’ behalf.
Neil Patrick Harris Says Simon Cowell Is ‘Irreplaceable’ On ‘American Idol’
Neil Patrick Harris has done his time at the “American Idol” judges’ table this season. The “How I Met Your Mother” star, however, is having a hard time using his critical powers to figure out who he thinks might be the right man or woman to take over Simon Cowell’s spot next season.
“Who would be good on ‘American Idol’? The problem with that is I’m such a big fan of that show, I feel like [Simon]’s irreplaceable. I feel like whoever gets that spot has such a target on their back, ” he told MTV News at the Time 100 gala in New York City.
“And Simon’s so amazing, like I almost uniformly agree with everything that he says. And I’m not saying that in a kiss-ass way. Like, when it finally gets to Simon and he says his critiques, I’m like, ‘Yes, exactly.’ ”
‘Glee’: Gabourey Sidibe wants to guest star with friend Amber Riley
At this point, the list of Hollywood stars who want a spot on “Glee” is longer than the list of stars who don’t! The latest celeb to join the chorus of guest-star role requests is “Precious” star Gabourey Sidibe. Hey, Ryan Murphy – don’t deny a girl her birthday wish!
Sidibe, one of People’s 100 Most Beautiful, tells the mag that she’s already got a connection in the cast. “I live and breathe for Amber Riley, ” Gabby says, “as well as her character Mercedes, but I wouldn’t want a sing-off with Amber because she’s actually a friend of mine. She’s amazing and fun and it would be so cool to be on the show with her and hang out with the cast. I’m a huge fan.””
