For ‘Idol’ crowd, here’s your home
I’m off until July 21. Hope you guys are enjoying the month while I’m out. I’m sure there’s some “Idol’-related news even during the dog days of July. Dierdre will hopefully keep you up to date below.
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By Rodney Ho, Radio & TV Talk
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129 comments Add your comment
JTesla
July 12th, 2012
9:56 am
Nice to have a new home, but it is kind of sparse.
Rodney Ho
July 12th, 2012
9:59 am
Sorry about that. I’m on vacation and not allowed to actually blog while on break, an obvious move to keep me from overly engaging in my workaholic tendencies! I saw E! Online spreading word that Adam Lambert was being considered as an “Idol” judge, then everyone denying it. In other words, not much “Idol” news this week, eh?
JTesla
July 12th, 2012
10:18 am
Rodney! You aren’t supposed to check back. Don’t worry, we’ll spruce the place up in no time.
♥ kelly&carriefan ♥
July 12th, 2012
10:56 am
Hi y’all.
Rodney, don’t get in trouble for blogging off hours! Enjoy your time off…hopefully you’re somewhere fun.
JT, I’m bringing in my PS3 and flat screen. Does that go in the den or the living room? It might be too “man cave” for the others.
G, from the other thread, the other singing competitions exist because of the success Idol’s had. Notice that in the long list of shows, no other singing show has had the ratings even come close to Idol. The Voice had promise and faded fast, XF did pretty well, Duets has been weak (even in summer numbers), AGT does alright, but it’s not entirely an apples to apples comparison will all the other acts. So, to me that’s agreeing with the consensus that no, these shows can’t do what Idol can. AI is still the leader of the pack after all this time. It will die off at some point, all shows have a life cycle.
Sam-A
July 12th, 2012
11:39 am
What was all that BS G was putting out about “doesn’t matter who the judges are………..do what they’re supposed to do”. Hells Bells – we’d at least like to enjoy the judges, believe in their fairness and qualifications to judge singers, and not be turned off by such stupid antics as standing O’s for only one contestant’s every performance, even though he’s pretty dreadful to many (not all, I know) of us most times he opens his mouth!
Sam-A
July 12th, 2012
11:40 am
K&CF: Glad you’re back full force! We’ve missed seeing you around regularly.
Deirdre
July 12th, 2012
11:44 am
Hey, Rodney! Enjoy your vacation. We’ll be fine!
Deirdre
July 12th, 2012
11:46 am
Bringing this over from the last thread in response to G:
“settling for a moral victory”????? Are you serious? I love watching American Idol and do not consider myself part of a contest. Picking the winner is NOT my reason for watching. What IS my reason? Seeing kids, some pretty good singers, others not so much, struggle to find themselves in front of millions of viewers. Rising to the occasion or falling flat on their faces. Watching them find a strategy. Watching them learn the ropes. Watching them go from innocence to a kind of wisdom about what will be required of them if they continue on this road.
I don’t care who wins!!!!! To me, that has never been the point of the show. For the producers, the point is to make money. For me, the point is entertainment. I do not consider it a victory if my favorite wins. I do not consider it a loss if my favorite loses.
I don’t really think the way I see this show is much different than millions of other people. It’s like playing a board game with friends. While winning is fun, it is still fun to play the game, win or lose.
Sam-A
July 12th, 2012
11:53 am
On the other hand, I’m thrilled when I REALLY like someone and they win, ie Kelly; When in the end the one of two who is far superior to me wins, ie David Cook. And I’m sad/upset when the one I consider way best of all the contestants loses, ie Clay, or when the one I consider best of two finalists loses, ie also Clay or Lauren Alaina. And really upsets me when a really really good one goes way to early, ie Michael Johns, Daughtry, Constantine.
Sam-A
July 12th, 2012
12:06 pm
I on the other hand do care about who wins. Love it when the true genius talent like Kelly wins, sad when the one I consider far more talented, ie Clay, doesn’t win. And sad when really good ones, ie Michael Johns, Constantine, Pia, go out way to soon.
Sam-A
July 12th, 2012
12:07 pm
Looks like double post – didn’t think first one went thru – sorry about that.
bknsty14
July 12th, 2012
12:16 pm
The thing is, and I’m sure most of the people on here are the same way, if Idol were to be on another 15 years, I would watch it for another 15 years. It is flawed, but not nearly as much as the other shows I’ve watched. One of the main things I like about Idol is that you actually get to know the contestants. The back stories and bios. The interviews and mentoring sessions. Idol always has, and still does, do it better than the other shows. The Voice contestants just seem to be forced on you and I made it through 3.5 episodes of Duets. I have no idea how they even found their contestants and they did nothing to make me care about them. The Idol auditions may seem long and dragged out, but if not for those, I wouldn’t care about or have a vested interest in any of these kids either.
And as far as all the other shows coming around to battle Idol. I agree that it is all about the money, and to date, none of them have done it any better. Regardless of a drop in viewership, Idol is the top rated show on TV every single week it’s on. It is a cash cow and isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
Deirdre
July 12th, 2012
12:22 pm
In the end, wining or losing changes nothing. Talent rises to the top. Dedication to the work rises to the top. This is why I say I don’t care who wins. Kelly would still be Kelly without winning Idol. The exposure and knowledge the show gave her is what got her on top. Idol tried to pigeonhole her after the show was over, put together a bad album and just about destroyed her. She bought(or argued) her way out of the Idol contract, put together a spectacular album and became Kelly Clarkson.
Ruben had the exposure but not the dedication. While talented, he did not put in the work that Clay did and the result is that Clay became the more well known of the 2.
McPhee and Daughtry have way more cred in the business than Taylor Hicks.
Adam and Kris are both doing well.
Winning Idol is not the key to success. So, no, I don’t care who wins.
bknsty14
July 12th, 2012
12:23 pm
And to feed off of Sam-A, and couple her comments with mine, I was thrilled when Carrie won, angry when Taylor won, happy for Kris, shocked when Daughtry got booted, mad when Pia was voted off and sad when Hollie left. The point is there is an emotional attachment to the Idol contestants that just doesn’t exist for me on other shows. The show, despite it’s warts, does it right and does it well.
Our biggest complaint all year was about the judges, not the format. They can be replaced. The only part of the shows format that needs tweaking is the voting. Otherwise it is a well done show.
Rickster
July 12th, 2012
12:27 pm
That’s okay Sam. At least neither one of them made sense.
Deirdre
July 12th, 2012
12:42 pm
It’s not that I don’t get totally p*ssed when a favorite gets an early out or that I don’t root for one contestant over another. I feel all that emotion but I don’t, I guess, feel like my favorite needs to be validated by the voters. So and so is still my favorite even if he/she doesn’t win. And if they are talented enough and work hard enough then I’m gratified by their success.
McPhee and Daughtry are perfect examples. Loved them both and feel good about their successes.
Rickster
July 12th, 2012
1:00 pm
Don’tcha just hate it when you take a swig of milk so fast that’s it already heading down the back of your mouth toward your stomach before your taste buds have a chance to warn you that it’s spoiled??
Jenny
July 12th, 2012
1:00 pm
Hey! Just a quick drive by from me. Still swamped!! Anyone else catch JLo on Today this am? She is SO laying the path to leave Idol. Basically implied it without saying it, and didn’t deny when they said “So it sounds like you won’t be back?”
Maybe try today.com if you want to see it. They’re pretty good about having clips.
Haven’t caught up in several days, but re: today’s chat, I VERY MUCH care who wins. It’s nice to know they’re OK regardless, but as G and Bknsty (i think) said, we get emotionally attached. And dangit, I want my fave to WIN! not come in third and be OK.
And like others (incl. my dear twin Sam) I also run the range of emotions at perceived injustices.
It’s not all about the journey for me, though that’s fun… It’s the outcome!!
G
July 12th, 2012
1:05 pm
I see there’s a new home here. **I will not wipe my feet on the rug and bring mud in from the other thread**
What type of new phoenomenon is this about playing the game not to win? So, let’s just get rid of the Super Bowl and the World Series and “enjoy the journey” of the season! LOL!!! Really? This may sound a bit strange, but it matters to me when the teams and people I support win. When the Falcons lose, the journey means squat!
Maybe there’s some logic to “enjoying the journey”. If we KNOW who is going to win, it helps to prepare mentally by simply enjoying the journey. Guess it doesn’t matter who wins if you already KNOW who WILL win. We ALL know who will win Idol next season. We don’t need to know his name…….but we KNOW. LOL!!!
K&C wrote: “…the other singing competitions exist because of the success Idol’s had.” K&C, this may be true to an extent, but these other shows are “successful” due to some of the things that Idol is NOT achieving. These are the things that attract new viewers. Why would any new show want to be a carbon copy of Idol? When Idol fans may sharp criticisms against new shows, that’s when I KNOW these other shows are doing something right.
JTesla
July 12th, 2012
1:17 pm
Idol is 40+ hours over five months, quite the commitment, more if you have no life and blog about it. I can’t imagine putting that much time into it when the only concern is the winner. I could trim my viewing down to the 2 hour finale and poof I have the winner. I want someone to win, but for me it’s not about the winner.
This next year I will watch 30+ Portland Trail Blazer basketball games, that’s over 60 hours of my time, I’m not doing it to be rewarded with a winner, they aren’t going to win! So using G’s logic I should not even bother watching? If I was so focused on watching a winner I’d waste my time watching the Heat or the Lakers. For me I am investing in entertainment and camaraderie. Ryan could announce at the start of next season that “We’re going to go through the motions, but we’re just going to declare Phillip Phillips the winner again” and I’d be ok with that.
The argument that the winner will turn people off the show fails for me because I know that everything turns people off the show. It won’t be on top forever and there are already other things heralding its demise.
G said: “When Idol fans may sharp criticisms against new shows, that’s when I KNOW these other shows are doing something right.”
Why? There are very few people that I know of that are only fans of Idol. Idol fans are people wanting to be entertained by other shows as well, they are critical because they seek that entertainment. In fact, I may be the only “Idol fan” here as I refuse to watch much television. Idol, Hell’s Kitchen, Trail Blazer’s, Doctor Who, yeah that’s about it. I’ll catch bits and pieces of shows my wife watches, but otherwise I spend very little time watching shows or movies.
bknsty14
July 12th, 2012
1:34 pm
I agree with G to the extent that you play to win the game. I also know that very rarely does your “team” win it all. I’ve watched almost every White Sox game this year. 3+ hours per game. That’s a lot of time to devote to a team that will probably not win the Series. May not make the playoffs. But I love watching them. Was lucky enough to live through the Jordan years and six titles, but that is not the norm.
With Idol, I love just watching the performances and the maturation of the contestants. If my person wins, I’m happy. I never expect my favorite to win, though, and move on. It’s only a five month dedication. With sports, however, it’s a new competition/same team every year. I’ve been a dedicated White Sox fan since 1977. we’ll see if I’m listening to any Idol contestant for the next 35 years. It’s entertainment with a good storyline. But winning means way less to me than to those competing.
bknsty14
July 12th, 2012
1:39 pm
By the way, the Falcons are looking pretty good this year. Ryan, Turner, Rodgers, White, Jones, Douglass, Gonzalez. They’ll be tough to stop on offense.
bknsty14
July 12th, 2012
2:08 pm
Oh, I see, I’m getting the “Pitchy Treatment” today.
Jenny
July 12th, 2012
2:10 pm
Catching up… haha, Sam, thanks for counting me in for the rotating judges’ panel! How fun would that be?
And if Adam joins the panel… Let’s just say I’ll NEVER miss a show!!
Don’t care for any of those host suggestions. How about Cat Deeley?
And does Khloe K’s name bug anyone else? It’s phonetically wrong. CH-loe or K-loe – but KH isn’t necessary….
Harriett
July 12th, 2012
2:34 pm
Rodney, I hope you have a good time. I love the new place.
As for who wins? I usually pick a favorite or two, then when they are eliminated, as mostly happens, I just sit back and enjoy the rest of the show as it unfolds. I have picked a winner only a few times:
Kelly Clarkson
Carrie Underwood
David Cook
G
July 12th, 2012
2:35 pm
@bknsty14. We’ll see. We thought we had enough last year. Bottom line is that we need big games from our QB when it counts. I call him Matt the Stat, because that’s the only thing in his favor so far. It’s a passing league & he’s gotta do better.
I would feel stronger about Idol if were more of a talent competition. It’s not. 75% popularity and 25% talent. I’ve participated in music competions in which our performance is scored. A missed note is a missed note regardless of the style of music genre. We were ranked based on our scores. It’s cool to be ranked high, but the goal is to be number 1 and nothing less. Goals make the world go round.
D, there’s nothing wrong with enjoying the journey, but it just doesn’t make sense for that to be the goal. Sounds like a cop out because you think its a crap shoot that your favorite will win. Regardless, everyone has a favorite(s) from year to year. You have a favority because you want them to win, not just compete.
♥ kelly&carriefan ♥
July 12th, 2012
2:52 pm
G, well, yes, the other shows have achieved relative success by offering a different interpretation of the basic concept. That said, they still haven’t managed to offer something so new as to surpass Idol. BTW, Idol is not the only show with a “problem,” The Voice had two male winners, and Duets looks like the final 3 will be guys as well…while they aren’t, WGWG, we still have ONE female winner XF’s Melanie (who for some reason we haven’t heard from since). And Melanie’s win was mostly manipulated by Simon. So, the problem of women not winning these types of shows transcends Idol.
I guess we’re watching with different ideas in mind. Not everyone can win. Yes, we pick people we like…but the one I’ve liked the most hasn’t really won in a long while. Not to say, that I didn’t see Scotty and Philip’s auditions and think, “Hey, this kid can win.”
I don’t get as upset about it, because I KNOW we’re not going to find a Kelly or Carrie on the show. My expectations have changed. Frankly, I’ve stuck around the last few seasons because Idol is like an old, comfy blanket. It’s fun, simple, harmless fun. And I come here and discuss it with y’all.
Like I’ve told Rodney before, if it weren’t for his liveblogging, there have been plenty of times I wouldn’t have made it a point to watch. Now, I realize that’s not true of everyone, but I just see it as another part of the appeal of the show for me.
JTesla
July 12th, 2012
3:12 pm
Well if it weren’t for the blog I doubt I would be still with Idol much. Heck, even if they get new judges next season I’m going to skip the audition rounds for three reasons. Because 1) I’m tired of them 2) The judges are different when heavy editing is involved and 3) I am really starting to doubt that the judges put together the top 24. Look at how diverse the top 24 were, that wasn’t a top 24 put together by those three clowns. They thought DeAndre was the bees knees, they surly didn’t pick the other talent. I smell the hand of Nigel. And yes, that would make a great magical item in a role-playing game “Why yes, I am questing for The Hand of Nigel!” An artifact that gives +5 to all reality show manipulation attempts.
Deirdre
July 12th, 2012
3:13 pm
G..do I have a “goal” when I watch The Walking Dead”? Do I have a “goal” when I read a great novel? Yes! The goal is to be entertained. Idol entertains me. I’m a viewer, not a contestant. While a contestant might have the goal of winning, as a viewer, all I want is to see what happens. I do not need the validation of the majority of people voting for who I think is the best to enjoy the show.
I will probably watch some of X-Factor and some of The Voice. My objection to those shows is that they are focused on the judges rather than the singers. Where’s Melanie Amaro? Have you heard anything about her since her Super Bowl commercial? We’ve heard about Chris Rene and little Rachel but where’s the WINNER????? What about this past season’s winner on the Voice…or last season’s winner? Where are they?
All I’m saying is that winning is not nearly as important to the person watching the show as the people participating in the show…and to be completely honest NONE of these shows seem to care much once the show is over.
So what does that tell me? It tells me that ALL the singing contest shows don’t care about the winner even a quarter as much as the care about the viewership and the money.
Deirdre
July 12th, 2012
3:36 pm
I always have a favorite or 2 every year. They hardly ever win. And yet, I’m still being entertained by the whole process. Do I get upset when my favorite is eliminated? Sure. For about 15 minutes and then I move on, pick another favorite and enjoy the show.
I think the last time I get really upset was when Michael Johns was eliminated. Then I started pulling for David Cook. I moved on….the world didn’t come to an end.
bknsty14
July 12th, 2012
3:42 pm
Take a deep breath, D
bknsty14
July 12th, 2012
3:42 pm
Love the passion
Deirdre
July 12th, 2012
3:56 pm
Was I lecturing again? Sorry!
Seth T
July 12th, 2012
4:17 pm
When contestants attack —-
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2164496/X-Factor-2012-Rejected-Pink-impersonator-flies-frenzy-attacks-producer-judges-reject-show.html
Harriett
July 12th, 2012
4:17 pm
Deirdre, I looked back at my comment and we said almost the same thing–only you said it louder and with more conviction!
Deirdre
July 12th, 2012
4:30 pm
“Louder and more conviction” has always been my forte, Harriett!
But yes, frequently we think alike. Too bad you’reso far to the east and I’m always heading west. If you’re ever in Atlanta….with my last name, I’m pretty easy to find.
Harriett
July 12th, 2012
4:33 pm
Count on it one day, D!!
Harriett
July 12th, 2012
4:35 pm
My best friend lives in Marietta. But, we always meet in Greenville, SC which is a much shorter trip for both of us. But, I may have plans to visit later in the year.
Harriett
July 12th, 2012
4:42 pm
Hmmm, ’bout that time, folks. See you tomorrow.
Sam-A
July 12th, 2012
4:51 pm
Nite, all.
bknsty14
July 12th, 2012
5:18 pm
STEVEN TYLER QUIT IDOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
bknsty14
July 12th, 2012
5:19 pm
http://tv.yahoo.com/news/steven-tyler-leaves-american-idol-205459990.html
Rickster
July 12th, 2012
5:22 pm
Beautiful!
bknsty14
July 12th, 2012
5:25 pm
Rickster, that comment is just over the top, man.
♥ kelly&carriefan ♥
July 12th, 2012
5:33 pm
“Well hellfire, save matches, f— a duck and see what hatches!”
Steven was great during the auditions (editing works wonders) and made it fun. I’ll miss that, but the repetitive “Beautiful!” comments? Not so much.
Btw, J Lo, get real! This whole “there are to many things I’m passing up for Idol?” Please. Idol is what revived your career and you HAVE things to pass up. Whatever.
JTesla
July 12th, 2012
5:37 pm
I don’t buy for a minute that he “quit”. I think the powers that be would accept that explanation just because it makes for a better story than saying he was told that his services wouldn’t be needed next year.
Rodney Ho
July 12th, 2012
5:39 pm
@JTesla My instinct it was really mutual. Truly, Steven prefers performing on stage and is better at that. Nigel & Co. must have known the feedback and understood his judging ranged from pointless and repetitive, to mildly colorful but ultimately not terribly helpful. So two years is more than enough of that, thank you very much.
bknsty14
July 12th, 2012
5:46 pm
However it happens…one down, one to go. Randy can stay, but really needs to get his “stuff” together. I think canning these other two clowns could send him that message.
Jubie
July 12th, 2012
5:47 pm
I will miss Steven Tyler. I hope they come up with better replacements than Xfactor.
Jenny
July 12th, 2012
5:52 pm
Dang, bknsty, you beat me to it! I just saw that same Yahoo story.