Idol Headlines for 5/26/08

Fox’ s Finale Not a False ‘Idol’

Historically, TV biggest hits declined more sharply than Idol has over the course of their runs.

Comparing the second season to the seventh, Idol has actually done a better job maintaining its numbers than legendary hits including All in the Family, The Cosby Show, Dallas, ER and Friends. Each of those long-running series saw declines in household ratings of greater than 20 percent by season seven. Meanwhile, Idol is actually up by more than 20 percent versus its second season.

Preston Beckman, executive vp, strategic program planning at Fox, said Idol consistently strong performance makes it a target. …Any crack in the armor will cause critics to jump on it, he said.

…We have made many changes’ increasing the number of finalists, going to an equal boy/girl competition, adding guest judges [and] mentors for the competitors, bringing back contestants that were voted off, and starting the Idol Gives Back show, Beckman said. Next season, Beckman expects …some tweaks, but no radical changes in the format.

Mediaweek

David Cook says ‘thanks’ to hometown fans

Belton, Mo. ‘  David Cook may be the most famous person ever from Blue Springs, Mo. And now that the guy who had hopes of his high school band making it big is the newest “American Idol, ” he’s being followed by paparazzi and doing a media blitz as the 2008 champion.

But he didn’t forget about his hometown fans, the ones he says got him where he is. The Examiner had 10 minutes via phone to ask him about his experiences and how growing up in Blue Springs prepared him for stardom.

UticaOD.com

‘Idol’ owes apologies

The good news is that David Archuleta said he didn’t let gossip about his father affect his performance on “American Idol.”

But that doesn’t mean we should let the “American Idol” producers off the hook for their part in a highly destructive sequence of events.

It was hard to avoid the gossip alleging that Jeff Archuleta was some sort of monstrous stage father who made his poor son miserable. Unless you were inside the “American Idol” bubble.

Deseret News

Interview New “American Idol” David Cook on RollingStone.com

Want to ask new American Idol David Cook a question? Wondering what his other favorite Collective Soul songs are? Whether hell pull a Daughtry and name his band Cook? If he ever ran into David Archuleta dad backstage? What it was like prancing around in his skivvies for that Guitar Hero commercial? Well be talking to season seven winner next week and we want queries from you. Send us a YouTube video of yourself asking a question to Cook, and the best of the lot will run in a special video Q&A with the singer-guitarist next week. Put that webcam to good use by Monday, May 26th at 11:59 PM EST. Reminder: questions left in the comments wont be asked ‘  you gotta get us a video to get into Ask a Rock Star.

RollingStone.com

Predicting ‘American Idol’ winner isn’t that hard to do

Several weeks ago, when the “Idol” finalists were whittled to 10, I speculated in this column on the order of finish, predicting David Cook would emerge as the winner. Pretty much got the pecking order right, too. And as that grumpy old editor would tell you, were he not retired, that’s more a reflection of the state of television than any wisdom on my part.

Predicting the one-by-one elimination is mostly a matter of determining what makes “Idol” tick. Consider the talent, of course, but consider the makeup of the audience as well – who is it that’s text-messaging? And don’t forget that “Idol” is in the business of ratings. Viewers may be voting for their favorites, but it’s the producers who steer those votes in the right direction, especially in the later rounds.

Observer-reporter.com

Morrow: ‘Idol’ runner-up counts blessings

Bo knows when he’s blessed.

In fact, 2005 “American Idol” runner-up Bo Bice doesn’t see giving up his Memorial Day to help a Caryville, Tenn., family as being a drain on his busy schedule, in which he could be out promoting his new CD or playing a high-paying gig.

“I’m getting something out of it, too, ” he says of his trip here. “I get to hang with some normal folks. That’s what I get out of it.”

Bice, who lives near Nashville, is flying into Knoxville today. Tonight, he’ll perform a mini-concert at Mulligan’s restaurant off Linksvue Drive in West Knoxville. The show begins at 6 p.m. Tickets are $30, with the proceeds going to Special Spaces. To buy tickets, call 865-659-8531.

Knoxnews.com

IDOL’ CHATTER

Alicia Jacobs, entertainment reporter for KVBC-TV, Channel 3, picked up some nuggets at the “American Idol” after-party at Skybar atop the Mondrian Hotel in Los Angeles.

She spotted Carly Smithson, the talented Irish contestant who first caught the eyes of the “Idol” judges during the audition at the Renaissance Hotel on Paradise Road, “in a big conversation” with Larry Rudolph, longtime manager of Britney Spears.

Smithson told Jacobs that she got married four years ago at the Little White Chapel in Las Vegas and plans to renew her vows there with her husband, Todd, when the “Idol” tour stops at Thomas & Mack on July 5.

RedOrbit.com

Why and how Cook won the American Idol

After watching the final performances of the two finalists ‘ David Cook and David Archuleta’ last Wednesday night, and after hearing those putdowns on Cook by Simon Cowell and proclaiming it was a …knock-out for Archuleta against the other David, everyone anticipated an Archuleta victory.

As predicted in this column Monday last, the Americans, at least the majority of those who voted after the showdown, chose rocker David over balladeer David. It was like a strong earthquake with a magnitude of 7.9 in the Richter scale when Ryan Seacrest announced the winner, and it wasnt Archuleta.

While I had the feeling Cook would be it, I was still hoping my instincts were not telling me right, and my heart reached out for the 17-year-old David.

Manila Standard Today

THE 40 FINALISTS

Forty acts will now fight to get through to next Saturday’s grand final and the chance of a £100, 000 prize and Royal Variety Show appearance.

Tonight, the week-long live stages start on ITV with eight acts – Boogie Wonderland, Kate and Gin, Michael Machell, Dean Wilson, Sophie Mei, Tracey Lee Collins, Signature and Phil Blackmore.

Two acts from each semi will go through.

Here MARK JEFFERIES gives us the low-down on all 40 finalists, including his picks for the best of the bunch…

Mirror.co.uk

Video: Britain’s Got Talent – learn the secrets of the five wackiest finalists

Exclusive – Mirror’s Beth Neil trys to learn the tricks of the trade from five of the wackiest, weirdest and truly amazing acts ahead of tonight’s semi-final.

Mirror.co.uk

AI OD: A farewell to David Archuleta – VIDEOS

Poor Archie, he fell victim to a Clarkson-style assault. In Season One of American Idol, Justin Guarini was picked as the early favorite to run all the way to the finals and win the whole thing. Meanwhile, nobody even noticed the nondescript little waitress from Texas in there midst until Kelly Clarkson just kept growing and growing through the competition and ran away with the whole thing.

Sure, David Cook was good, but virtually nobody saw him as an early favorite to take the title, and the ’50s theme in week one didn’t do anything to light him up. Then Archuleta let loose with “Imagine” the following week and pretty much sealed the deal as the front-runner. He even encored with the number in the finale, knowing that it had been his season’s high point.

TV Squad

AI Aftermath: The Winners – VIDEOS

Welcome to the final installment of “AI Aftermath, ” where we explore Idol’s past. Each installment, as one more American Idol hopeful is eliminated from the competition, we take a look back at contestants past who were eliminated at the same point. We’ll examine how they did on the show and what they’ve been up to since their eliminations. In honor of David Cook’s crowning as your American Idol, we will look back at other winners.

This week: The Winners, featuring Kelly Clarkson (Season One), Ruben Studdard (Season Two), Fantasia Barrino (Season Three), Carrie Underwood (Season Four), Taylor Hicks (Season Five) and Jordin Sparks (Season Six).

TV Squad

About mj santilli 34829 Articles
Founder and editor of mjsbigblog.com, home of the awesomest fan community on the net. I love cheesy singing shows of all kinds, whether reality or scripted. I adore American Idol, but also love The Voice, Glee, X Factor and more!