Chuck Ross, editorial director at TV Week interviews producer Nigel Lythgoe.
Nigel is predicting….that tonight’s double boot will not be a shocker. He says, “I’m not that shocked tonight, and I don’t think our viewers will be shocked tonight.”
Chuck congratulates Nigel for raising Nearly 70 million dollars through Idol Gives Back.
Nigel claims that the vote totals this week were very close to the vote totals last week. He believes that holding the phone lines open for 4 hours helped, and that “people have now decided who…their favorites are.”
Nigel says the IGB videos are #1, 2, 3 and 4 on the iTunes video downloads chart. The money generated from the iTunes’ downloads have not been added to the total yet.
Nigel mentions that Robin Thicke will be performing tonight (he doesn’t mention it, but this performance is pre-recorded). Read Nigel’s comments on the contestants performances after the jump.
- Phil Stacey – Chuck says that the show was interesting last night, because there was no Chris Daughtry this year, nobody “close to that rock n’ roll space.” Nigel responds that he thinks Phil is “close to that space.” He mentions that Phil has done a lot of rock with his band in the Navy. Nigel thought Phil was superb last night–he opened the show really well.
- Jordin Sparks – Nigel thought she was uncomfortable with the song, but that she looked great.
- LaKisha Jones – Nigel thinks it was a good song for her, she gave it some attitude, and, “even turned Simon on–what about that?”
- Blake Lewis – Nigel thought he was terrific last night, and that what he did was very brave and that it paid off for him.
- Chris Richardson – He thinks Chris has managed to find a little niche for himself over the weeks, and he did very well again last night.
- Melinda Doolittle – Nigel thinks Melinda chooses the right songs to sing. He adds that he thinks it’s “a hell of a competition when your asked to go through what they go through…from Jennifer Lopez Latino night to Bon Jovi rock night. He thinks it shows how the contestants are learning every week how to perform.
