Idol Headlines for 06/17/09

I was surprised by the disparity between the two press releases, too. I might have thought that 19 would diplomatically try to make the two releases equal in tone, trying not to show favoritism.

But I don’t know if they are written by different teams at 19, who don’t communicate with each other, or who writes them. It’s an interesting question anyway.

Part of me thinks that their enthusiasm about Adam is simply huge and they felt led to express it. That their enthusiasm about Kris is more in the range of normal and he had a more normal press release.

I think that Adam is more likely to be a superstar and he is going to get more accolades everywhere he goes, than Kris, who is his own person and doesn’t seem fazed by the differences between them.

I don’t think it’s a conspiracy, but Adam and Kris are two different artists who will receive different types of promotion based on their situations.

Wow! Adam is all over the place. He was also just named one of People Mag’s Hottest Bachelors (I think #4 out of 50). I think the mag hits the stands this Friday. Access Hollywood is also doing a three part interview on him that starts tonight. The person interviewing him tweeted that she absolutely loved him after the interview. He is going to do very well. He definitely seems to have the backing of the industry. They can’t get enough. Me too! No conspiracies. I think the industry has just fallen in love with Adam. I don’t think it has anything to do with 19E.

FOD has up davids interview from kiss 108

http://fansofdavid.com/?p=23763

lol lol Turns out david is a human lunch trashcan LOL (his words not mine rofl) people used to give him leftovers at lunch cause he’d eat alot LOL but he doesnt do that now because he doesnt want to get like mono. rofl
and then he says he knew someone who ate from a trashcan LOL but wouldnt name names.

theres more but thats the main funny part hahhaha

I know i said this yesterday but I must say it again. I think Michael Slezak is over-reacting over there at EW. lol As of now, 19 isn’t shafting anyone. Everything that Adam is getting (RS article, 20/20, hot bachelor from People’s/ etc) is not 19′s doing. Its unrealistic to think that now that the competition is over, no one will have interest in the other contestants.

Take Kelly Pickler for instance. She got on my last nerve during season5, but the girl is doing her thing! Just because I dont’ have any interset in her doesn’t mean no one else will!! Just buy the music and support the person you like.

Both Adam and Kris got a sweet deal out of going on the show, and 19 is going to make a ton of money on both of them.

Adam to TOUR w/ GAGA?!

http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/1625315,CST-FTR-zp17.article

(scroll down to paragraph where it says “more music:”)

not that this wouldn’t be awesome, but i think the sun-times made a mistake/misunderstood…
why would he be announcing that now? is he talking about a fall tour to promote his record?

It wouldn’t be shocking. Kris is probably used to being thrown under the bus by now sadly. The thing is, I really, truly think that he’s a far more talented overall artist and musician than Adam. Well, hell, Adam doesn’t even play an instrument. He has the voice of a million octaves and flashy theatrics, but that’s about it as far as I am concerned. So even if Kris gets shuffled off to Indie-land, he might end up being better off where he can be the true artist that he is. However, I’d be more worried about Kris if was with RCA. Jive is much better at promotion than RCA, see the past contestants RCA has crapped on and you’ll know this. So I won’t lose hope yet for Kris.

The comment section on that EW blog is incredible, there are nearly 1000 posts just for a comparison between two press releases?

Kris isn’t a poor little boy, he has proved on AI that he is very smart and knows how to play the game. He was unemployed before AI and now has a million dollar recording contract, he has also benefited from all the winner perks from previous years, I don’t see what his fans are complaining about…

I love Michael Slezak and he could be right about who is getting more pimpage from TPTB.

However, it’s way too early to say. And there’s another possible scenario: Kris will be known mainly for his music, Adam for the media theatrics around his sexuality.

There is such a thing as over-exposure. And it does sometimes affect how people are perceived within the music industry, and by the public. Also there’s such a thing as expectations going through the roof vs. more modest expectations which can lead to happy surprises.

Not saying this is going to be true for either of these talented guys. But Kris strikes me as someone who would simply rather get down to business and concentrate on his music. While Adam is doing a lot of media, Kris could be focusing entirely on generating and developing and recording material (when he’s not at rehearsals).

The fact that Kris is married, not flamboyant and not voluble means the media isn’t as interested in him. What we see is what we got, the story’s been told, not much extra drama there.

Frankly, whether RCA/Jive/9 aren’t pimping him wildly, or the media isn’t as interested in his backstory anymore, may be irrelevant when the music comes out. And for someone like Kris, the lack of distraction might be a good thing.

I love Michael Slezak and he could be right.

Yes, Kris is very likely to have a plant in front of his head next year in the audition room. Hopefully, Simon won’t tell one of the hopefuls to stick their gum on his face to get rid of it, as I believe he once told somebody to do to Taylor’s face.

But, the signing of Kris to Jive made no sense either. It’s a natural home for Alison, Archie, and Jordin. However, with Kris, it feels like a throwaway deal.

glamtastic
Jun 17th, 2009 at 10:56 am
Adam to TOUR w/ GAGA?!

http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/1625315,CST-FTR-zp17.article

I think that’s a mistake by the Sun-Times.

@Sunn

probably, but it’s the chicago sun-times…you’d think they’d confirm that shit; weird, definitely weird.

At a certain point, I suspect that there will be a change in tone. Too much hype like this sets up a situation where Adam has to deliver something better than the usual fare while Kris, like his run on Idol, will almost seem to surpass the expectation that the public has for him.

I have a question for any record contract experts out there. On Monday, this rather-late press release appeared on PR Newswire announcing Kradison’s record contracts. (I didn’t see a reference to it here — sorry if I missed it.) What caught my eye about this one was that it said that 19E/19R has signed Kradison to “long-term recording agreements“. I hadn’t seen that previously.

Now, presumably that means their contracts have options for future albums, based on sales/revenue/whatever. I’m wondering if anyone knows whether this is pretty much standard for post-Idol record contracts, and if so, if anyone knows the typical terms, i.e. how many future albums are typically quoted. Anyone? Thanks.

I wonder if Slezak’s article will force 19/Jive to reconsider how they handle Kris. It has gotten A TON of comments — from people who are angry that it seems Kris may be getting the shaft, from people who think Slezak is overreacting, and from some bitter Adam fans who basically think Kris has no talent, so why waste time even talking about him (nice group of people, those last ones. I think Adam would be less than thrilled about those so-called fans of his). It’s also started a flame war (again) between the Adam and Kris fans who just can’t seem to get along (sigh — again, I doubt either guy is thrilled about these so-called “fans”).

I can’t remember seeing an article on EW.com that’s gotten so many comments in a short period of time. Most of the articles I read on that site get between 50-200 comments and then die out. I think the one about Adam’s “coming out” got a ton of comments — but not as many as this one about whether Kris is getting the shaft.

Kris may not care one way or the other about his lack of press and Adam’s overwhelming exposure. Like several others have said, he seems to just care about focusing on his music. But it’s clear that a LOT of his fans are upset. And since it’s the fans who put $$$ in 19/Jive’s pockets, they would be wise to at least listen to the complaints.

I love Michael Slezak and he could be right about who is getting more pimpage from TPTB.

However, ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s way too early to say. And thereà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s another possible scenario: Kris will be known mainly for his music, Adam for the media theatrics around his sexuality.

There is such a thing as over-exposure. And it does sometimes affect how people are perceived within the music industry, and by the public. Also thereà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s such a thing as expectations going through the roof vs. more modest expectations which can lead to happy surprises.

Not saying this is going to be true for either of these talented guys. But Kris strikes me as someone who would simply rather get down to business and concentrate on his music. While Adam is doing a lot of media, Kris could be focusing entirely on generating and developing and recording material (when heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s not at rehearsals).

The fact that Kris is married, not flamboyant and not voluble means the media isnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t as interested in him. What we see is what we got, the storyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s been told, not much extra drama there.

Frankly, whether RCA/Jive/9 arenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t pimping him wildly, or the media isnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t as interested in his backstory anymore, may be irrelevant when the music comes out. And for someone like Kris, the lack of distraction might be a good thing.

Excellent points! Kris isn’t about drama and theatrics and being a media whore. Thank goodness for that! Hearing his pre-Idol CD makes me even more anxious for his debut post-Idol album. He’s so incredibly talented. America defintely got it right. No ands, ifs, or buts about it.

The press releases are just accurate in what is going on. I think Kris is absolutely happy just where he is and this is a wonderful opportunity for him to establish a career. There are a lot of things he needs to learn about showmanship. Experience will help him. I think he will be more than happy if he can just make a good living for himself and have time to spend with his lovely wife. If Kris puts out a good cd he has a good chance of making it in this industry, even if he is low key.
Michael is unhappy about what happened to Blake as what he sees as 19E not promoting him. Blake was not mainstream at all and neither was Taylor Hicks.
Kris seems more like Bo Bice, happy to be married with a family and still making music.

noctem, Simon really said that? I only started watching AI last year and am a BIG David Cook fan. Why did Simon hate Taylor so much? Because he wanted somebody else to win?

The press releases are just accurate in what is going on. I think Kris is absolutely happy just where he is and this is a wonderful opportunity for him to establish a career.

Simon, is that you? LOL!

There are a lot of things he needs to learn about showmanship.

No he does not. Glitz and glamour and eye-effing the camera does not translate to better showmanship. Kris gets the emotion of his music and that’s what makes him a true artist.

But, the signing of Kris to Jive made no sense either. Ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s a natural home for Alison, Archie, and Jordin. However, with Kris, it feels like a throwaway deal.

Where do you think Kris should have went then if not Jive?

I wonder if Slezakà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s article will force 19/Jive to reconsider how they handle Kris.

How is Kris being treated differently? Name one thing 19 did for Adam that Kris didn’t get? Kris got the winners circle of interviews and everything. I dont’ get the fuss.

Its unrealistic to think people are going to forget about Adam just because he did not win. Its equally ridiculous to me to just trump it up to “theatrics” and being a “media whore”. From what I see, the media is going to Adam, its not the other way around. And its because of his talent and originality.

heres a youtube of the kiss 108 interview:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUAzZrDPcl8

Ruben Studdard, American Idol Winner and R&B Pop Star, Spreads the Word about Sickle Cell Disease and the Dangers of Iron Overload

noctem seizure: But, the signing of Kris to Jive made no sense either. Ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s a natural home for Alison, Archie, and Jordin.

Jive doesn’t seem to me like a natural home for Allison. RCA is more rock-oriented and seems to me to make much more sense.

As I’ve been saying over and over again – 19E/Jive can’t FORCE the media to be excited about Kris. They can’t force magazines to give Kris the cover. They can’t force Kris’ collaborators to excitedly talk to media outlets about working with him, or Twitter about him non-stop. They can’t force people to sign up on his official web site or increase his internet searches.

19M’s publicist can put Kris forward for interviews but if the media outlet isn’t biting, then there is nothing they can do about it. 19/Jive are probably doing everything they can to make sure Kris makes the best album he can make in a timely fashion. It’s entirely possible he’s working with some exciting songwriters and producers but they’re just not talking about it.

I figure, the close it gets to this fall, they’ll work to get Kris some high profile publicity. Like, I can see him doing a Gap ad campaign, or something for Target. Something that suits his low key, family friendly personality. Maybe an endorsement for a guitar maker. But again, they can offer Kris up but they can’t force anyone to want to use him.

I think that Slezak is overreacting. I mean I get that during the season that Kris was thrown under the bus, but that’s the show, it’s over. 19/Jive are going to want to make money and definitely a return on their investment with Kris. I don’t think some press release parsing is cause for alarm. Kris is going to do fine and Jive will want him to do well.

As for people like Bo and Taylor, the product they produced wasn’t that good, so it’s not surprising they didn’t do well with album sales.

LOL, well it’s too bad Kris isn’t a bachelor because he would have been in People too w/o a doubt. Just like DC and Archie(I think) were both in there last year.

I agree that it’s probably too early to tell about promotion for Kris’s album. Also, I agree that he is working very hard on his album.
I too am glad he’s with Jive, they’ve done a great job w/ Jordin and Archie.

But, the signing of Kris to Jive made no sense either. Ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s a natural home for Alison, Archie, and Jordin. However, with Kris, it feels like a throwaway deal.

Nah, Kris is talented enough to make anything work for him, especially if his heart is into the music and he receives the right promotion!

Slezak is way over reacting. The albums won’t come out for 5 MONTHS!! When time gets closer to the albums, Kris will be all over the place. Kris had a LOT more promotion right after the finale. Kris had JIMMY FALLON, LENO, ELLEN, 2 SONGS ON TODAY SHOW, CLOSE OUT THE TOUR. Tons of stuff. And Adam fans better enjoy it now, because I am sure he’ll get a lot more promotion when album time comes around. It is just going in cycles. Kris is not that interesting outside of his album, but many people only care about the music – duh. I mean, they had to manufacture the matching apron scene to come up with something cute about he and his wife for Idol. But, I don’t read or see anything about Daughtry outside of his music and he’s doing fantastic.

FOD has up davids interview from kiss 108

http://fansofdavid.com/?p=23763

lol lol Turns out david is a human lunch trashcan LOL (his words not mine rofl) people used to give him leftovers at lunch cause heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢d eat alot LOL but he doesnt do that now because he doesnt want to get like mono. rofl
and then he says he knew someone who ate from a trashcan LOL but wouldnt name names.

theres more but thats the main funny part hahhaha

Lmao! Oh man … that guy was totally playing him. I think he knew exactly what Dave meant, but he kept running around it to make poor sleep deprived Archie all confused. Haha. And LOL to Archie being a more stand up guy than John Mayer. “You wouldn’t like him. He’s not like you.” Hehe.

“[Were] you ever stuffed in a locker?”
“No. The lockers weren’t even big enough for me.”
Lmao!

The guy that got into the Top 10 singing Frank Sinatra style stuff was John Stevens (S3). Kudos to Arch for remembering that.

19 has a history of supporting one main artist from the season while milking the fan bases of the others.

The words used in the press release do suggest different attitudes about the artists. One is about how thrilled they are to have a future superstar/certain star of tomorrow, a brilliant young man and the other is about the super-talented singer with a terrific run of memorable performances.

I agree with Michael that the words and tone suggest possible future treatment of the artists in terms of promotion.

For starters:

Which one gets the album sold at $9.99 and discounted to $7.99 to move units?
Which one gets multiple videos to support the album?
Which one gets $$ paid to the stations so the lead single gets a huge amount of spins?

Which one gets their album debuted at $11.99 or higher, spotty distribution after week one, limited play on the radio, and probably only one video?

Maybe this year will be different.

Like, I can see him doing a Gap ad campaign, or something for Target. Something that suits his low key, family friendly personality. Maybe an endorsement for a guitar maker. But again, they can offer Kris up but they canà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t force anyone to want to use him.

Yes. I can totally see Kris posing for gap!!

As for people like Bo and Taylor, the product they produced wasnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t that good, so ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s not surprising they didnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t do well with album sales.

Yup. And Kris and Adam are going to be judged the same. In the end, its all going to be about their music.

I’m surprised Slezak didn’t mention Allison’s press release. That one stood out to me as being way more positive and excited for her than Kris, and they are both at Jive. Adam and Kris are on different labels with different practices. If I were going to worry about Kris, I’d worry that Jive seems to be more invested and excited about Allison.

Singers like Kris are a dime a dozen. He’s not particularly interesting. Nothing exciting about his voice or his perfomances. Not to say that he’s not talented because I think he is but to me he doesn’t have anything that really sets him apart from lots of other singer/musicians of his style. Writing his press release was probably a challenge. Adam on the other hand is a media person’s wet dream. He has an interesting back story. He has an interesting look. He has an interesting performance style and an extremely interesting voice. Clearly Adam’s was easier to write because he elicits that kind of response in people. I doubt there is anything going on that is underhanded. If you were to read Kris’s press release without comparison to Adam’s it’s very positive and flattering to Kris. Comparing their press releases is like comparing them as artists…. they are so different it’s like comparing apples and oranges.

Last year, when David Cook was in People’s Hottest Bachelor’s issue, I remember everyone saying that it’s practically an automatic thing for the AI winner, and that the guys in the issue are chosen based on their relationship with People, and how much their publicist pushes People for a spot (or whoever on a performer’s team handles media appearances). We were essentially told that it’s another instance of performers not being picked randomly, but practically a payola situation. If that’s true, then that is clearly a situation where Adam was pushed to the media. Granted, Kris is married, so he wouldn’t be in a bachelor’s only issue, but 19 could certainly try to get him more coverage. He does have things that could be written about- his humanitarian work overseas, his large extended family, his life as a musician in a small town vs life in the spotlight. People does human interest stories like that all the time.

After being told for a year that David Cook’s media appearances and coverage were because of 19 overpimping him, it’s very interesting to see how many people now think TPTB have nothing to do with Adam’s media attention.

About Slezak’s conspiracy theory–I’m not buying that. Kris’s press release was very nice. The promotion for No Boundaries was pretty big, with an ad at the top and front of iTunes for a couple of weeks. Also, Kris’s press coverage the week after he won was on par with other idol winners. My impression is that it’s not 19′s press releases, but the choice of the individual record companies. Isn’t it RCA and Jive who arrange their respective artists’ press??? So if Jive is dropping the ball on Kris, the blame might go there, if there is blame to be had, but it’s also possible that RCA felt they had to “talk up” Adam because he lost the finale vote (probably due to the Kris’s mainstream appeal). Apart from this, if it is 19′s decision to “talk up” Adam (who, I repeat, lost to Kris’s mass appeal), it may be because of other issues, the obvious being his rapidly-growing popularity post-Idol.

Adam’s press release was over-the-top, but Adam is OTT and that seems to be the way he likes it. If Kris puts out a couple of great songs it won’t matter how the press release was written.

Adam on the other hand will have his songs dissected by the media. You don’t get to burn so bright for very long before someone tries to snuff you out.

Reminder:

I’ll be deleting double links. Please check to see if someone has already posted a headline before doing so yourself. Thank you.

We don’t know what 19/Jive is doing in terms of promoting Kris do we? I don’t have a problem with Adam getting all this national press — I’m a big fan of his, he’s unique and he has a big personality. It’s natural that the media would be drawn to him (although I do think it is verging on a bit of overexposure considering he hasn’t released his own music or even done the AI tour yet).

Maybe 19/Jive has tried to get Kris more exposure and the media isn’t biting. Maybe Kris has told them he simply wants to be left alone to focus on working on his album and on the tour rehearsals for awhile.

I don’t know. I do know that Kris has a lot of fans on twitter — I go on there every day and I’m seeing how many people love his music. So that’s a good sign. I’m just a little frustrated about how quiet it’s been in the media about who he is working with — I’m interested in his music, in seeing who he’s collaborating with — and I’m not getting any answers. Meanwhile, the whole world is being told who Adam’s working with. Which is great, because I want to know about that too.

I just wish the publicity was a little more balanced. Rightly or wrongly, the appearance — at least to me — is that 19/Jive isn’t doing Kris any favors right now. I don’t see why the occasional press release can’t be issued, just to keep the media and fans in the loop. How hard is it to type out a 1- or 2-paragraph release and send it to the media outlets? I worked in sports public relations for a couple of years, and I sent out press releases pretty much every day — and usually at least part of the information from those releases ended up in the media. So I seriously doubt the press would totally ignore it if 19/Jive DID send out some info. I’m not asking for a big media blitz — just for 19/Jive to at least make an effort of putting some sort of info out every once in awhile.

He was unemployed before AI and now has a million dollar recording contract, he has also benefited from all the winner perks from previous years, I donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t see what his fans are complaining aboutà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦

Valentin432, I have read this before and when I do it bothers me because Kris was attending college, not unemployed. It’s not the same thing, and it sounds disparaging to me to use the term “unemployed.” He was going to college, took some time off to try music, and returned to college. He has worked various day jobs in Conway while being a musician and going to college.

edit: fans get to complain if they want to. Also, don’t talk about the blog on the blog

One More Reminder:

Dial back the defensiveness and the fan baiting or I ban more people.

edit: One more fan baiting post, and you are banned

Not only was he going to college, but he supposedly was doing the Arkansas “music scene” and I read he also worked as a shoe salesman? So yeah, “unemployed” wouldn’t describe Kris’ situation pre-Idol.

AI is supposedly a singing competition…to find the singer the “American Public” identifies with and who they want to have the priviledge of recording an album. And this year those who watched the show and voted said that singer was Kris. And Kris got his recording contract, end of story!

(By the way I absolutely love Kris and I wish him nothing but success and happiness.)

So, the competition is over and the voters got Kris a contract. And “AI” promotes Kris as said winner getting him the interviews, and gigs, and promos that are traditionally reserved for said winner. And the runner-ups also getting their gigs, and interviews, and promos that are under the AI umbrella. Now the winner will be under the umbrella of his recording company and his personal management to market him and his eventual album.

Now this year (and it seems to have happened in year’s past, too) the recording arm of 19E has given another contestant a contract. In order to ensure success for Adam his record company and his personal management are marketing him.

Now if the media chooses to focus most of its attention on Adam, that is their choice. The media isn’t AI’s puppet…they will chose to follow whomever they choose, and there isn’t any “fairness” in that equation. No one is going to turn down promo for Adam because Kris isn’t getting as much or more. And if 19E chooses to be more enthusiastic over the “looser” than the “winner” that is their choice since they didn’t “pick” the winner, the public did that.

Everyone needs to remember that ONLY THE WINNER is guaranteed a recording contract. ANYONE else who is signed is getting a contract because someone thinks they are capable of doing the job, they earned it they didn’t win it! (And I personally think Kris probably would have gotten a contract even if he didn’t win).

Slezak’s just suffering from withdrawal symptoms as the weekly Tuesday fests are over.Much ado about absolutely nothing.

The press releases are apt and describe each of the signed contestants to the letter..What other adjectives should 19E use to describe Kris Allen?Maybe Slezak can write it up and send them a memo. Tripe!

I’m surprised in his theory, he didnt pull in Allison Irhaheta’s press release, which is on par with Adam in terms of glowing attributes for another contestant, who came in 4th BTW. And she’s on the same label as Allen!

Always a weekly whine about something or the other,theusual BS. That article had over a 1000 responses, mostly vitriol.Which is all Slezak was aiming for anyway,so its all good.

Read the responses mainly for comic relief and threw in a few also

From what I see, the media is going to Adam, its not the other way around. And its because of his talent and originality.

Yet the emphasis has been placed on his sexuality and theatrics.

I do think that there’s a such thing as overexposure. People get sick of hearing about the same people and eventually move on. Not to say that there isn’t a huge anticipation of Adam’s album or that it won’t succeed. I am sure he can be successful in music. However, I’d much rather see him on Broadway than buy his CD.

Heehee! I’m loving this thread, we’re talking about Kris! :clap_tb: It may not last long, but I’m liken’ it while it does. LOL! I love you Michael Slezak!

Its way too soon to be worried about Kris’ career. Let’s see what happens next.

Now I think 19E are a bunch of greedy bastards and I also think record labels are full of stupid political backbiting nonsense and shady people galore. THAT SAID, I think they get a bad rap over some of these former idol’s careers. Half the people that got supposedly screwed over got treated that way for solid reasons. Major labels carry high overhead and promo costs money. There is a minimal amount of sales you need to justify your project continuing to be pushed. If your album plunges into the depths within weeks of release (Blake, Taylor, etc) then it is just not feasible to keep pouring money in the project. The rate of albums that recover from a big plunge is too small to justify the expense. Now you can argue that the wrong first single was chosen, that kind of thing, but once you hit some miniscule amount of albums a week I don’t now what else they are supposed to do. And if you were difficult to work with the first time around, what makes you think they should give you another shot? Yes some people have gotten screwed but nowhere near as many as these labels and 19 get blamed for, IMO. Half of this stuff is just bitter fan griping to me.

I think Slezak went completely OTT with paranoia. I thought the press releases wre both nice and fit the personalities/performance styles of both Kris and Adam perfectly. It should come as no surprise to anyone that win or lose Adam was going to be the story and be sought after for interviews/magazine covers etc. He is different and interesting. Kris is extremely talented and I expect that he will put out a good cd product and that it will be appropriately promoted buy 19 and the label. But he is not new and different, hence the relative lack of media attention. Both Kris and Adam got EXACTLY what they wanted out of their respective AI experiences. The competition is over, they are two COMPLETELY different artists. Hopefully both will do well. AI was lucky to have 2 fantastic finalists who bring different things to the table. Not so dissimilar to last year w/ Cook and Archuleta — each of whom are doing well and appear to be promoted relatively equally and appropriately for their respective ages/fan bases/musical styles.

After being told for a year that David Cookà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s media appearances and coverage were because of 19 overpimping him, ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s very interesting to see how many people now think TPTB have nothing to do with Adamà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s media attention.

I think that AI always pushes for somebody to be noticed in these things. What I do think is interesting, though, is that People was okay with putting an out gay guy on this list. That says nothing at all about Adam or AI, but I think it does say something about at least the beginning of a little bit of social change.

Slezakà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s just suffering from withdrawal symptoms as the weekly Tuesday fests are over. Much ado about absolutely nothing.

I love Michael, but uhm–predicting the futures of Adam and Kris by extrapolating some hidden meaning from their press releases? Yeah. That’s reaching.

But I don’t blame him for posting it. The article was a perfect hit catcher. Sometimes posts are all about how much traffic can be generated for a site. Lord knows I’ve been guilty of that sort of thing *coughisdavidcookdatingcough* myself.

Slezak’s editors must be thrilled with the response.

Slezak was bored. However, he is now pitting Kradam fans against each other, and why? Adam and Kris really like each other, so what is the POINT?! I twitted several times about how stupid this is and unnecessary, and in fact nasty. Way to go, Slezak. Find something else to do until the Tour begins. Aren’t there any other reality shows (or any shows) he can blog about? Or is the only show he understands?!

Yet the emphasis has been placed on his sexuality and theatrics.

Not anymore. That is old news. lol Most of the news about Adam has to do with him doing a Bowie medley on tour, meeting Madonna, the fact that he is working with RedOne, and that he is doing a lot of writing on his album, etc. Even the blurb on People talks about him taking risks on Idol… nothing was mentioned about his sexuality. As far as being theatrical, that is one type of entertainment style. Its no better or worse than others. Adam wouldn’t be Adam without it.

I do think that thereà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s a such thing as overexposure. People get sick of hearing about the same people and eventually move on. Not to say that there isnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t a huge anticipation of Adamà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s album or that it wonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t succeed. I am sure he can be successful in music. However, Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢d much rather see him on Broadway than buy his CD.

That is your opinion and that is fine. A lot of people think that way, but there are a lot of us that want to buy his CD AND see him on broadway years from now. Look at Anne Hathaway, Daniel Craig (James Bond), and Hugh Jackman to name a few. Are they going to give up doing hollywood movies to do broadway? Of course not. They are doing both, which is what Adam can do as well.

edit: DIAL BACK THE DEFENSIVENESS. DON’T question the motives of your> fellow posters.

I am a big Kris fan. For the most part I am willing to sit back and just wait until the concert and his music comes out and see what happens. Adam was heavily pimped during AI, I really didn’t expect anything to be different after the contest was over. I do find the Adam overload very frustrating sometimes, but it is what it is. However, during the contest Kris was able to overcome everything and become the winner because he stayed true to himself and stepped it up each week when it counted. I am not expecting anything less from him with his music carreer. He seems to like surprises and I personally think a lot of the lack of information about his songs on tours and who he is collaborating might be driven by him (JMO).

The only thing that is bothering me right now is his Myspace and the fact that you get errors when you try to add him as a friend. Also his official Website appears to link to a different Myspace than the music Myspace search. I would be pretty happy if they could get that one thing right.

Jive doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t seem to me like a natural home for Allison. RCA is more rock-oriented and seems to me to make much more sense.

Because of her age it makes sense. She will be promoted as a young Latina Pink or Kelly-type but will be heavily cross-marketed to Disney, just as Archie has been.

Slezak was talking about the press releases, not really media attention or what not and a lot of people’s comments (on the ew site) misconstrue it to make it seem like a Kris vs Adam attack, which is not true at all. It’s against 19.

I love Adam, but I’m getting a little sick of seeing him everywhere. As for Beyonce, she has an album and a new single to promote. Of course she’s going to be out there performing and doing magazine covers. However, before her album was released, there was some Beyonce ‘down time’ during which she wasn’t everywhere. Adam doesn’t even have an album out yet, and I think he could be heading in the direction of overexposure.

Re: Slezak – Personally, I think he just did it for the hits. Hey, it worked!

Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m surprised Slezak didnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t mention Allisonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s press release. That one stood out to me as being way more positive and excited for her than Kris, and they are both at Jive. Adam and Kris are on different labels with different practices. If I were going to worry about Kris, Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢d worry that Jive seems to be more invested and excited about Allison.

Oh, but see that would be saying something that opens up his beloved Rocker to scrutiny and possible criticism instead of re-starting some (unnecessary) fanbase war between Adam and Kris. Conspiracy theories, I can haz them. Thanks for showing me the way, Slezak!

Anyway, if Slezak really did want to make it so that people would be happy to buy both Kris and Adam’s CDs, he might want to rethink how he crafts his articles. Because all this does for me, (for you) is fuel the flame-tarding, which I think than causes people to go to their respective corners. Well I’m not going to be battling it out.

I think Kris is being treated just fine by 19/Jive. No, I don’t think that somehow his not being in the media makes him more real of an artist. No, I don’t think that the media focusing on Adam makes him a mediawhore alone whose music no one will care about ever again. I think it’s JUNE and that their records will be released in November, so I’ll worry about media coverage for them then. But I’ll be much more worried about the product they produce, because I do still want both of them to do well, and Allison as well (despite sneaky Slezak) and produce music I can enjoy.

Maybe people/fans are upset by the statements that declare Adam a superstar and Allison one of the best teenage singers or smth like that before they have proven themselves. Being AI runner ups doesn’t qualify any of these people to be described in those terms.

And if you were difficult to work with the first time around, what makes you think they should give you another shot? Yes some people have gotten screwed but nowhere near as many as these labels and 19 get blamed for, IMO. Half of this stuff is just bitter fan griping to me.

Great post tinawina.

In Idol land:

1. An Idol is never dropped by their label. They decide to leave the label.
2. An Idol never fails, they are screwed over by their label–wrong promotion, wrong single, didn’t ship enough records, can’t find the record…and on and on and on.

Sometimes an Idol fails because they put out a product that the public doesn’t want. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar…

Which one gets $$ paid to the stations so the lead single gets a huge amount of spins?

This is legal? I thought paying radio stations to play singles was illegal, its called payola.

Reminder:

I’m on a banning bender today. I’ll be banning more peeps who can’t follow the guidelines.

This is legal? I thought paying radio stations to play singles was illegal, its called payola.

See DAUGHTRY’s 15 city tour of radio station promo concerts this summer. The band tours for free. The record company picks up the expenses. The radio stations and Clear Channel get the tickets to give away to advertisers and in advertiser promotions, thus turning them into cash. It’s would be simpler for the artist and record company to just hand over an envelope of cash, but that would be, as you say, illegal.

As for Beyonce, she has an album and a new single to promote. Of course sheà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s going to be out there performing and doing magazine covers. However, before her album was released, there was some Beyonce à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹down timeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ during which she wasnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t everywhere.

The whole term of overexposure is subjective. Beyonce is everywhere. It annoys people like me because I don’t particularly care for her music/etc. For people who love her, its all good. Its the same with Adam. Most of the world don’t even know who he is. At this point of the game, there is no overexposure for anyone from this season of American Idol. Its impossible. It hasn’t even been a full month since the finale.

Oh, but see that would be saying something that opens up his beloved Rocker to scrutiny and possible criticism instead of re-starting some (unnecessary) fanbase war between Adam and Kris.

Soooo true!! I thought of that as I was reading the article.

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigarà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦

Wow, I am going to resist the obvious former president reference…….(It is hard to be good!)

On a completely different topic — how nice was it that in the Theo Tams interview they didn’t once mention that he was gay and out during the competition? Somehow I doubt that Adam has this to look forward to.

edit: newbie? you may want to read my guidelines

mj said: But I donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t blame him for posting it. The article was a perfect hit catcher. Sometimes posts are all about how much traffic can be generated for a site. Lord knows Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ve been guilty of that sort of thing *coughisdavidcookdatingcough* myself.

:lol_tb:

Singers like Kris are a dime a dozen. Heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s not particularly interesting. Nothing exciting about his voice or his perfomances. Not to say that heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s not talented because I think he is but to me he doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t have anything that really sets him apart from lots of other singer/musicians of his style.

I have to agree with this. I criticize Adam more than just occasionally because the OTT-media-and-superfan-hype grates on me greatly, and then I really tore into him for his seemingly indifferent posture about certain kinds of drug use in the Rolling Stone piece. But, the one thing I can’t deny is that he has what they call the “it” quality.

Kris, on the other hand, has none of the “it” factor. He’s got a pleasant, tuneful voice, but he’s an unremarkable singer and a mediocre guitar player. (Of course, David Cook is a mediocre guitar player too, and that hasn’t hurt him, but he’s a very good– not great, but very good– singer).

I give credit to Kris for figuring out how to play the Idol game and coming up with a few money-performances when he really needed them. But, if I was handpicking the finalists, he wouldn’t have made my cut. There are four or five girls who were left out who deserved spots over all but two or three of the guys (but I won’t climb on that soapbox again).

However, even if there was gender-balance (it was right to have gender imbalance, but there ought to have been more girls than guys), I’m not sure he would have made my top six guys. I would have chosen Ricky Braddy, Ju’Not Joyner, and Jamar Rodgers all before him.

However, before her album was released, there was some Beyonce à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹down timeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ during which she wasnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t everywhere.

They seem to follow that kind of trend for most artists. If they never leave, you can’t miss them. So, even if there are still more singles that could be released, they won’t release them if they are prepping a release for the next album.

In Idol land:

Don’t forget this change:

A. Before the album is released, [insert Idol] is going to change the face of pop music with their refreshing new style and bring customers back to radio and the record stores. The record label clearly sees their brilliance and supports [insert Idol]‘s vision to the max.
B. When the album is released and it features the usual stable of producers/writers and over-production that all other Idols have had, [insert Idol] is smart to put out an album that will have mass appeal. Besides, it’s still worthy of 6 singles and several Grammy nominations.
C. When the album flops, those evil record label execs forced them to sing those crappy songs and the promotion sucked.

Sometimes, [insert Idol] will even state all these things too.

See DAUGHTRYà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s 15 city tour of radio station promo concerts this summer. The band tours for free. The record company picks up the expenses. The radio stations and Clear Channel get the tickets to give away to advertisers and in advertiser promotions, thus turning them into cash. Ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s would be simpler for the artist and record company to just hand over an envelope of cash, but that would be, as you say, illegal.

Exactly! Just because something is illegal doesn’t mean you can’t find a loophole to get around the law … and still get the same results.

Nocturne:

You should listen to Kris’ pre-Idol album, Brand New Shoes. He is a very good guitar player. His guitar playing on that album is way more diversified than it was on the stuff he did on Idol. It’s a little hard to judge someone’s ability when they are singing 1 1/2 minute snippets of songs.

He’s also a good piano player for someone who just started playing the instrument a little more than a year ago.

edit: that did it dude. you are banned

Who the hell reads press releases and gets bent out of shape by them besides over-invested fanbases?

Who the hell reads press releases and gets bent out of shape by them besides over-invested fanbases?

Ha. No one.

Kris is a very sweet guy with good rearranging skills and he’s very very goodlooking… but I dunno, I like him… I don’t love him. I don’t get excited with him. I wish him the best though.

I do digress that Jive is not the perfect fit for him, I don’t see anyone prominent in the Jive roster who has the same style as him. However, I do not know where other usual Sony idol labels he would fit in either. He’s sort of a “new” type of idol winner, much like Taylor Hicks. And I really hope he doesn’t get the same treatment as Taylor did from his label.

RemusL

Who the hell reads press releases and gets bent out of shape by them besides over-invested fanbases?

Can you imagine what the country would be like if we spent this much time on stuff that really matters? I’m including myself, note the “we”!

Who the hell reads press releases and gets bent out of shape by them besides over-invested fanbases?

I don’t know but it sure is nice to NOT be over-invested this year – I’m still worn out from last year

I think it is way too soon to tell how things will pan out for either of them. Will be waiting to hear what their albums have to offer… then I’ll decide what I’m buying!

I would have chosen Ricky Braddy, Juà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢Not Joyner, and Jamar Rodgers all before him.

I REALLY liked Jamar Rodgers!! I still can’t believe he got picked. I hope he tries out again this year. He’s fantastic AND current. Idol needs to find a good R&B artist.

Kris, on the other hand, has none of the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  factor. Heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s got a pleasant, tuneful voice, but heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s an unremarkable singer and a mediocre guitar player. (Of course, David Cook is a mediocre guitar player too, and that hasnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t hurt him, but heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s a very goodà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ not great, but very goodà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ singer).

I just had to point out that while I’m a huge DC fan, Kris is a much better guitar player than DC. I would actually say far better, but I don’t know enough about the guitar, but my husband does and he pointed this out to me.

To me it’s relatively simple — Adam is “hot” right now in the media because he is controversial. Well, at least, the media hopes he’s controversial. (guess what there are gays in Middle America, too. not all sprang from the earth on the east and west coasts or only from the blue states. ::grin::) I’m thinking most of those not online 24/7 aren’t even thinking about him.

My cousin who was a big David Cook fan last year, bought his CD, downloaded his Idol I-tunes, wasn’t even aware of David’s Platinum album success. I was a little surprised by this, but realized, not everyone has the time or the inclination to follow these guys so, ummm, religiously. As a Kris Allen fan, I’m liking his low-key profile, doing radio interviews, the normal promotion and working on tour and recording. It’s all about making the music and as a long-time music lover/comsumer, I find it makes him more credible to me.

As far as, placing a plant in front of Kris’s face, I don’t buy it. Simon Cowell seems to genuinely like Kris. When I caught a snippet of Hollyweed week, Simon Cowell actually laughed out loudly and quite genuinely at Kris’s statement of “not wanting to be a househusband forever.” I was like, there’s the real Simon Cowell. He championed Adam, worked with him on U2′s One. Perhaps was not pleased Kris’s Heartless outshone it. I don’t know the man and what makes him tick, but I’m certain money/success drives him. Kris has shown he’s a player, his current sales show it. I don’t believe Simon Cowell has any ill-will toward Kris. It’s not warranted. IMO

The Slezak article garnering 1000 comments as someone posted, shows me one thing, Kris’s fans, though not quite as vocal or online enmasse as Adam’s fans has stepped up to the plate here for their boy, poking their heads out and saying “hi” when it’s necessary. Just as in David Cook’s case, I waited patiently for vindication against all the disparinging remarks tossed at him. Sure success is a constant struggle, the bar constantly raised by the media and the detractors, but he’s doing it. Just as, I believe, Kris will do it.

Right now, I’m creeping my 15 year-old son when I tried to read this to him. “Interesting obsession, Mom, but not all that healthy.” I raised him right. LOL I’m going to meditate (Gokeytm) on this.

I am a Kris fan and I don’t wish all the Adam media hype on him. For the most part, I think he’d rather it’s just about the music. I’m actually hoping that he’s getting a little bit of privacy so that he can enjoy the fame.

However, I do not know where other usual Sony idol labels he would fit in either.

Maybe Arista or Columbia, haven’t both of those picked up idols in the past? I don’t know what state those labels are in though. Oh well, he’s with Jive now.

Yeah, I gotta defend my boy Kris a little bit on the guitar playing! He may not be Keith Urban, but he’s better than mediocre and far better than David Cook.

Land of Smiles
Lovely
Wastin’ Time

He does not have the natural vocal ability of Adam Lambert or Cook (both of whom I love), but Kris has a soulfulness to his singing that is pretty impressive. And for fans of singer-songwriter types (which I am), he definitely hits a sweet spot. He reminds me a LOT of Amos Lee, who may not be a superstar, but is a guy who has opened for Dylan, and I expect to be around for a long, long time.

As others have said, a lot will come down to the music Kris puts out. He’s been misunderestimated (damn, I actually miss GWB a tad!) all along, and I’m sure he’s pretty comfortable in that role at this point.

“I criticize Adam more than just occasionally because the OTT-media-and-superfan-hype grates on me greatly

I think it’s key in all of this to remember that Adam and Kris have very little to do personally with the media/fan storm. They probably just show up when and where they are told. Both give interviews being true to themselves. What the media takes from those interviews and chooses to spread like wildfire is out of their control.

I knew Slezak was headed down this road when he didn’t post Adam’s entire PR in his first announcement. You knew he was perturbed. But still, it surprised me that he would pit fans against each other in this way. He’s been all about Kradam and appreciating the brotherhood (this guy/this guy)…oh well. Down the road, it won’t matter.

I just had to point out that while Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m a huge DC fan, Kris is a much better guitar player than DC. I would actually say far better, but I donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t know enough about the guitar, but my husband does and he pointed this out to me.

Ok, maybe I didn’t give him enough credit. I think I just didn’t like his strumming-style, and I projected it on to his overall playing ability!

And it’s not very hard to be a better guitar player than DC! But, as a character (like as in a character in a story) that actually makes him more intriguing to me. Fifteen your old kid decides he wants to be a rock star, starts a garage band, teaches himself to play guitar and never bothers to take lessons once in eleven years, but he still keeps his faithful dedication to playing music all that time. Yeah, for a story character that would actually be kind of interesting.

I also don’t get that Slezak is trying to start a fanwar.

I think, as somebody else said up-thread, he’s perturbed at TPTB for their methods, which were pretty consistent both during and post-contest. Michael may or may not be justified in his “Idolnoia” (I go back and forth on this myself!), but I don’t think he wrote that piece only to get hits.

think ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s key in all of this to remember that Adam and Kris have very little to do personally with the media/fan storm. They probably just show up when and where they are told. Both give interviews being true to themselves. What the media takes from those interviews and chooses to spread like wildfire is out of their control.

… and their handlers most certainly have warned them about paying attention to the hyperboles being thrown around by over-invested fans like us.

:blush_tb:

I think Kris fits with Jive- they have made superstars before so they have the potential to make another one. If people are saying it leans for r&bish, I can see him doing soft rock with a little r&b in there.. kinda like The Script.

Anyways, I don’t think it really matters how much media coverage any of them gets right now (well, no one other than superfans like me.. haha) because in the end it will be about the music. There’s a lot of really successful artists out there who are rarely in magazines or media other when they go on tv to promote their album. If anything, it is all about radio since that can capture people’s attention more.

vanjess38:

Go back to MASTERCLASS LADYà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢S BLOG
and read her thoughts about Kris and his pre-idol stuff. Watch out for that Kid.

Thanks for that. I went and read what she had to say. She seems to be a very fair reviewer and I could tell she was pleased with his musicianship/artistry.

Sunshinegirl
Jun 17th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
From what I see, the media is going to Adam, its not the other way around. And its because of his talent and originality.

Yet the emphasis has been placed on his sexuality and theatrics.

I do think that thereà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s a such thing as overexposure. People get sick of hearing about the same people and eventually move on. Not to say that there isnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t a huge anticipation of Adamà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s album or that it wonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t succeed. I am sure he can be successful in music. However, Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢d much rather see him on Broadway than buy his CD.

Let us(adam fans) worry about his overexposure. I dont like Heidi and Spencer, does that means they will disappear? No. I have to deal with it. and so do you.

Well, now, come on! Slezak is a journalist. He posed the one question that had to cross almost every mind that had absorbed the three press releases (except the most insanely fanatic Adam worshipers). As the releases were published, and as I noted the different shadings in the texts, I, as you, knew that an inter-fan discussion was mandated. Slezak should be praised as the facilitator!

I totally agree that both Adam and Kris have no control on what the media chooses to spread their news. It is not Adam’s fault that media all turns to him, digging out every piece of his information (including his private life – which is the part I hate though). Why we always need to compare these two. They are different in style and will appeal to different groups of audiences. Adam is the one who does not like to play safe and follow the mainstream. He admits that he likes to take risks and runs outside the box. He will definitely shut off same groups of audience but I think even with this expected outcome, he will choose to remain true to his own music. I respect and like this Adam. There is no guaranteed success for Adam (or Kris) but I wish that both will do great. The music industry is bigger enough to accomodate both of them. Kris is, sorry, not my taste but it does not mean that I need to attack him. I read those I am interested and just skip those I am less interested. Not all Adam’s fans are bitter fans against Kris’ winning. You know, some Kris fans’ comments on Adam are also harsh. Anyway, fan war happens everywhere. I like Adam’s voice and singing. He is unique and amazingly attractive. I wish to hear more about his music and news – even his news are said to be overloaded everywhere :tongue1_tb:.

After being told for a year that David Cookà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s media appearances and coverage were because of 19 overpimping him, ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s very interesting to see how many people now think TPTB have nothing to do with Adamà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s media attention.

Right? Management’s JOB is to keep their client in the press. If people think the press isn’t being invited and encouraged to cover Adam that’s just naive imo. The press is *lazy* and needs things fed to them. There is interest in Adam but it would’ve died out sooner if Fuller’s office weren’t busy busy busy working their press contacts to keep Adam’s name in the media. This is true for ANY celeb.

I agree with ppwars. I’m glad that Slezak brought this out in the open. Yes, it’s causing the fanwars to flare up, but it’s also hopefully making 19/Jive sit up and pay attention to Kris, who could be a goldmine for them if they do right by him. Yes, Kris got the great press rounds after his win, but since then, we’ve only gotten little tidbits on his album, possible collaborations, and tour set. On the other hand, we’ve heard a lot about Adam’s album and collaborators, and we’ve learned a great deal about both Adam and Allison’s tour sets. Maybe more will come out in Kris’s Comcast chat tomorrow. But in the meantime, I hope this jumpstarts 19/Jive into updating Kris’s official page and myspace and making sure he gets publicity all throughout the tour and in the ramp-up to the new single and album.

Many have questioned what Kris’s fans are complaining about…I guess I have to ask what Adam’s fans are complaining about with Kris getting a little attention.

There is interest in Adam but it wouldà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ve died out sooner if Fullerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s office werenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t busy busy busy working their press contacts to keep Adamà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s name in the media. This is true for ANY celeb.

Sure, celebs have PR and handlers to keep them in the press; even has-been actors who generate zero media interest have some form of agent. I’m sure Adam and Kris both have Fuller’s/19 peeps. But, Adam is like honey to media-bees! LOL. Luckily, Kris prefers the under-radar life. If the Fuller/19 peeps had their way, I’m sure they’d love for both Kris and Adam to be getting swarmed by press to ensure the $$$ keep rolling in for the tour and music sales. The obvious point here is that Adam appears to have the huge buzz, and no amount of Fuller’s office’s “working their press contacts” would work if the interest in all-things-Adam wasn’t already out there, imo.

Take Kelly Pickler for instance. She got on my last nerve during season5, but the girl is doing her thing! Just because I dontà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ have any interset in her doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t mean no one else will!! Just buy the music and support the person you like.

Ditto that. I didn’t like Kellie on the show and I don’t listen to Kellie’s music but SHE is adorable and funny and I’m really happy for her success. I started watching AI in season 5, was totally sucked into the Fandimonium around Taylor Hicks and really liked (still like) his music. I also liked Chris Daughtry (and Elliott) that season. While I’m not a huge fan of DAUGHTRY’s music, I am happy for all of them and their success.

Still I was upset after all was said and done, not because DAUGHTRY seemed to be a priority for RCA (it was a perfect fit for Top 40) whereas Taylor didn’t seem to be quite so much of a prioritiy for J Records (partly his own fault for delaying release, partly the difficulty of his genre placement), but mostly for reasons that had nothing to do with the music at all.

Some in the entertainment Media seem to love to jump on the bandwagon and then be the first to kick a man when he’s down.

The thing that bothered me most was how the AI PTB treated Taylor afterwards, the un-wanted winner of whom was said… ‘America got it wrong’ [insert chewed gum here]. I’ll never forget Clive Davis’ turd-in-the-punchbowl during the Season 6 finale when he praised and awarded Carrie and DAUGHTRY and practically chastised Taylor and Kat for not measuring up. What a disgusting display. Basically, I felt like Taylor got beaten up like the red-headed stepchild of the AI family for not selling X Million units, and of course the media piled on.

Flash forward a couple years I’ve come to realize that what is considered “commericial” or “radio-ready” music is not necessarily what I tend to favor in my own playlists. I liked Taylor’s sound and music despite the fact that he wasn’t going to get Top 40 radio play. However, Top 40 radio hits apparently sell records that, unfortunately, is the measure by which he and all other are judged a “success” or “failure”.

So, back to Slezak’s worries about Kris – I kind of understand his point. To be sure, Kris has a much more relevant (TM-Pauler), commerical sound than Taylor, Bo, or Blake. I think JIVE is a good label fit for him so I have hope for hits. I know that Kris will make an album that his new and old fans will enjoy – he’s got impeccable musical instincts. I’m sure Kris will be happy just to make a living doing what he loves.

However, Kris is another winner that the PTB did not really want. Adam is. The superlatives may suggest that the presumed CO is the one who still has more support of the PTB behind the scenes at 19, just as I think Daughtry was the CO in his season.

I don’t want to see Kris treated as an afterthought when it comes time to promote him. I just fear that Kris will become the next “America got it wrong” whipping-boy winner that that AI franchise and the Media can kick around if he doesn’t (a) outsell Adam, or (b) sell over a Million units.

And I think that sucks because Kris and Adam aren’t competing against each other – they care about each other and respect each other. They don’t have anything to prove, they’re very secure in their own very different styles. They want to make music and be happy doing so. It’s people with other motivations that use these talented guys for their own ego gratification that worries me as a fan.

Kris also is the only one with a real single out now. That did wonders for Cook. Kept him on the radio until the album. Kris got great front page itunes promotion and headlines for his winner’s single.

I think Slezak has always disliked Adam in some deep dark way. Many gays have because Adam doesn’t fit their idea of a gay role model. I think his only intent with the piece is to bring on Adam hate. Clearly, Allison’s PR release was just as good as Adam’s, and all the Jive RUMORs have been pro Allison and overshadowing Kris. But Slezak fails to mention that. It’s too bad to fuel the hate, but I understand he wants hits. But he’s got a hidden “hate” agenda too imo.

However it is his passion for music and love of performing that will make sure Kris stands the test of time and makes American Idol proud.”

Oh yeah, and while we’re on this subject the above is my favorite quote from Kris’s press release. My hope is that, once again, Kris is grabbing the attention and hearts of those who are working closely with him. He refused to be thrown under the bus on AI and he will do so again.

think ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s key in all of this to remember that Adam and Kris have very little to do personally with the media/fan storm. They probably just show up when and where they are told. Both give interviews being true to themselves. What the media takes from those interviews and chooses to spread like wildfire is out of their control.

Maybe, but it’s up to the person being interviewed to reveal what they want, or not. Nobody’s making them. In Adam’s case, to take just one example, he knew that when he said Kris, the new Idol, was just his type, the media response would be huge. Adam’s getting a lot of coverage because he’s not your usual AI contestant, and he’s provocative. The coverage either of these guys is or isn’t getting has almost nothing to do with their musical skills at this point.

Maybe Arista or Columbia, havenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t both of those picked up idols in the past? I donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t know what state those labels are in though. Oh well, heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s with Jive now.

Arista has Carrie Underwood, but did poorly with its last two signings (Blake Lewis, Kristy Lee Cook). (They also have Jennifer Hudson I believe, but independent of 19E.) Columbia has never signed an Idol contestant, whether with or without 19E’s backing.

I think Slezak has always disliked Adam in some deep dark way. Many gays have because Adam doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t fit their idea of a gay role model. I think his only intent with the piece is to bring on Adam hate. Clearly, Allisonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s PR release was just as good as Adamà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s, and all the Jive RUMORs have been pro Allison and overshadowing Kris. But Slezak fails to mention that. Ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s too bad to fuel the hate, but I understand he wants hits. But heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s got a hidden à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“hateà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  agenda too imo.

OR, Slezak wanted some hits and the Kris vs Adam thing plays much better than the Kris vs Allison thing. Because Allison’s fanbase, as much as we love her, is just not that big or rabid methinks.

Of course gay people must always have other gay people as their favorites, or they have hidden agendas of hate. True story. Yup.

Slezak makes no bones about who he doesn’t like (think Gokey).
If he didn’t like Adam there would be nothing hidden about it.
Didn’t he say, about Seacrest’s “Guy next door vs. the guyliner” line, “Why can’t the one with guyliner be the guy next door too?”

Slezak is right….TPTB/Fuller/19 are lukewarm when it comes to kris. they ignored him on the show and they are doing it again. personally, i dont think it really matters. like he did on that stage, kris will prove them wrong. being the underdog suits him well…i have no doubt he will still contribute to a great record and let the work speak for himself.

Excellent points! Kris isnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t about drama and theatrics and being a media whore. Thank goodness for that! Hearing his pre-Idol CD makes me even more anxious for his debut post-Idol album. Heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s so incredibly talented. America defintely got it right. No ands, ifs, or buts about it.

Sunshinegirl: I wanted Adam to win at the time, but I now think that things have worked out perfectly for both Kris and him–it’s better for their respective careers for Kris to be the winner and for Adam to not be, and I would like them both to do well

However, I don’t see why Adam is a “media whore.” He’s been on the cover of Rolling Stone and he’s done several interviews. That’s it. Kris was on far more television shows than Adam, including a bunch of popular daytime and late night ones that Adam was not on (like Ellen and Conan), and he has done several interviews. Is Kris a media whore as well? Right now the media isn’t focusing on their music (that might be starting to change a little bit)–it’s focusing on Adam’s sexuality and on Kris as the adorable small-town missionary dark horse. The media might be more interested in Adam, but he and Kris are clearly both dedicated to producing the best possible music. Are they supposed to ignore opportunities to do interviews and other things that will help them sell music in the future?

Valentin432, I have read this before and when I do it bothers me because Kris was attending college, not unemployed. Ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s not the same thing, and it sounds disparaging to me to use the term à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“unemployed.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  He was going to college, took some time off to try music, and returned to college. He has worked various day jobs in Conway while being a musician and going to college.

I didn’t mean unemployed as an offensive term, but from the interviews that Kris gave, he was clearly in a situation where he was going to business school because he didn’t get the break that he needed in the music industry, he didn’t really want to go there. The proof is that he preferred to take the gamble that is AI instead of studying.

I donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t want to see Kris treated as an afterthought when it comes time to promote him. I just fear that Kris will become the next à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“America got it wrongà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  whipping-boy winner that that AI franchise and the Media can kick around if he doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t (a) outsell Adam, or (b) sell over a Million units.

I don’t think it will happen again, Clive Davis didn’t appear this year on the show and he is not the head of BMG anymore. They finally finished with that stupid tradition of basking in their own glory distribuing good and bad points for the idols.

I think Slezak has always disliked Adam in some deep dark way. Many gays have because Adam doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t fit their idea of a gay role model. I think his only intent with the piece is to bring on Adam hate. Clearly, Allisonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s PR release was just as good as Adamà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s, and all the Jive RUMORs have been pro Allison and overshadowing Kris. But Slezak fails to mention that. Ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s too bad to fuel the hate, but I understand he wants hits. But heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s got a hidden à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“hateà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  agenda too imo.

I think that Slezak just likes Kris more than Adam, he always had since the beginning and even confessed to it in the last Idolatry.
It’s curious that the two gay AI bloggers that I know in the Internet (Rickey and Slezak) prefer Kris over Adam, but I think it’s just a coincidence.

Many have questioned what Krisà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s fans are complaining aboutà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦I guess I have to ask what Adamà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s fans are complaining about with Kris getting a little attention.

We aren’t complaining!! When there are Kris threads, I don’t see a lot of people posting “Kris doesn’t deserve this, blah blah blah” . LOL The same cannot be said for Adam. Some Kris fans are becoming as bad as Some Adam fans who said AT&T won the show for Kris. Its craziness. lol

Any claims that Slezak doesn’t like Adam are completely incorrect. As he himself said, it took him a few weeks to go from just recognizing Adam’s vocal talent to actually loving him, but he did between BorW and TOMT. By Mad World, Slezak was calling for an Adam/Allison finale and later in the season he and Kristen were agreeing that Adam was going to be a superstar. He defended Kris and Allison more simply because they were getting less attention and encouragement from the producers and the media, but he made it clear that they were his three favorites. He criticized Adam and Kris about equally once he started loving Adam–he even criticized Allison at times, who was clearly his greatest favorite. Even after Kris and Adam made it to the final two, Slezak mentioned that Adam and Allison would have been “the most beautiful final 2 that God could have imagined.” In his final episode, he said that he loved both Adam and Kris, and if you were putting a gun to his head, he was probably rooting for Kris a tiny bit more (Slezak always likes the underdog, and like many of us felt that Kris was underappreciated). During the finale he said he was fantasizing about a Fantasia/Adam duet, which is a high compliment given how deeply devoted to Fantasia he is.

Obviously, if he hadn’t liked Adam, that would have been fine. But he clearly really does.

If he didnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t like Adam there would be nothing hidden about it.

Michael Slezak had to warm up to Adam, and he admits that. In the beginning, Idolatry called adam creepy, disgusting, douche, drag, etc. That Missy woman said Adam creeped her out and made her feel dirty… in a bad way. Kristen thought he should have been voted off in the beginning of the show and didn’t see much in him.

People remember the first couple months of the show so when there are articles out that come across as negative towards Adam by Slezak it takes people back to those early comments.

While I would LOVE to hear more about Kris’s upcoming album, I think being surprised will be nice too. I suppose not knowing what to expect makes his fans anticipate the album more. However, I think being that he defined himself on the show more and has said that is the sound he’s going for will allow us to get a good idea of what they’re planning. Adam’s been a little more vague and encompassing of more genres in his descriptions of what he’d like to do. So I think it could be seen that his fans are getting a bit clearer picture of what he’s planning since he’s described it in more wide open terms than Kris has for his album.

I think that Slezak just likes Kris more than Adam, he always had since the beginning and even confessed to it in the last Idolatry.

Yes. Exactly right.

This is why I always look at the writer before I read something because their personal bias/preferences will put the writing piece in perspective.

I’m going to stand by my OPINION about Slezak and hating gay Adam. It wasn’t about liking Adam the best or anything, it was the negative words he used, and the laughing and making fun of Adam – some things were similar to what homophobics would make fun of gay people. Anyway, just my opinion. Many gays are hardest and more critical on other gays – just like women used to be. You’ve heard of women how would say they would never want to work for other women.

Kris has had waaay more publicity than Adam by being on more mainstream TV shows than Adam. Adam’s is more relegated to the internet. Now, Kris has an interview up…..guess he’s become a media whore too. Those Idols!! Kris will get SNL and so many more things being the winner. Kris has gotten so much being the winner, but complainer and whiners like Slezak can’t let Adam have a week of fun for his fans. So, it’s back to poor, sweet, adorable Kris (have to also give him props for coming up with this strategy to win and continue to break Idol sales records. Brilliant plan) and what can we do to get him back in the headlines and hate on Adam. That’s how is looks to me. Adam will never be able to get a break at all.

One sure way to tell which one the PTB have as the CO is which one of their songs will be played as an exit song on AI for this coming season? Taylor got notta and Chris got the exit song. This helped Chris to sell many cds. My grandchild, whom had never heard of chris, went out and bought his cd. Just because it was on every week. Wow!! this still upsets me after all this time.

Sleazak loved Castro. Does that tell you anything? He simply prefers organic to processed.

“Kris, on the other hand, has none of the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  factor. Heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s got a pleasant, tuneful voice, but heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s an unremarkable singer and a mediocre guitar player.”

I beg to differ since I have a degree in music and play as well. Kris is a great guitar player. If you want, I can go into details but it may be too boring for others. Suffice to say that it’s hard to prove you are a great guitar player on AI stage in 1.5 minutes. Also, his voice is distinctive and remarkable if you listen to any of his pre-Idol songs or studio Idol recordings. He is not a Celine Dion type of singer that’s for sure but last year people were saying that a big voice wasn’t what qualified a singer for the AI title. I guess the standard is ever changing. Another claim is that Kris is like tons of other musicians out there? Can someone name a couple? His voice is def better than Jason Mraz’ or John Mayer’s the two people he’s been so often compared to. All in all, there is no objectivity in musical taste so saying that someone doesn’t have the ‘it’ factor or is mediocre singer has as much validity as saying that chocolate mousse is better than carrot cake.

slezak makes it clear he is questioning 19/Fuller…..his focus is not adam, nor does he say that Adam is NOT deserving of those kind words. his feelings towards adam at the beginning of the show do not discredit his concern over 19′s behavior. AND as a straight white woman, i dont like and support ALL white straight women entertainers, not sure why it has to be different for the gay community.

,

His voice is def better than Jason Mrazà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ or John Mayerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s the two people heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s been so often compared to.

I like Kris but Mraz is my housegod! In my opinon Mraz has a much better voice than Kris, much more elaxed and without any strains.

Slezak was calling for an Adam/Allison finale

Slezak mentioned that Adam and Allison would have been à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“the most beautiful final 2 that God could have imagined.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ 

There is a difference between Slezak and his producer (Jason Averett) even tough they share a lot of the same opinions.

The producer was clearly an Adam/Allison fan, he never missed the opportunity of putting clips of them together and it’s him who was doing the edits with them as the top 2.

In Idol land:

Donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t forget this change:

A. Before the album is released, [insert Idol] is going to change the face of pop music with their refreshing new style and bring customers back to radio and the record stores. The record label clearly sees their brilliance and supports [insert Idol]à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s vision to the max.
B. When the album is released and it features the usual stable of producers/writers and over-production that all other Idols have had, [insert Idol] is smart to put out an album that will have mass appeal. Besides, ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s still worthy of 6 singles and several Grammy nominations.
C. When the album flops, those evil record label execs forced them to sing those crappy songs and the promotion sucked.

Sometimes, [insert Idol] will even state all these things too.

ROFL! You are awesome! And I say this a still somewhat bitter Diana DeGarmo fan.

Ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s curious that the two gay AI bloggers that I know in the Internet (Rickey and Slezak) prefer Kris over Adam, but I think ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s just a coincidence.

I’ve noticed that too. Every gay person I know personally also prefers Kris over Adam, but as someone said, there’s no rule that says just because someone is gay, it means they automatically will choose the gay singer.

Sleazak loved Castro. Does that tell you anything? He simply prefers organic to processed.

So do I!

DC is nothing but classy, and if you have ever listened he has said at different times he is not a good guitar player. The thing about DC is he is not afraid to talk about his faults. But the guy can sing, and is a class act, a true Idol.

I don’t think Slezak hates Adam, and I don’t think because he is gay he is required to love Adam or not prefer someone else’s music. My best gay male friend lovedlovedloved Archie last year and couldn’t stand Danny Noriega. This year, he liked Lil best at first, but felt like she faded down the stretch, and then liked Adam and Kris the same. No fave. Didn’t vote. Certainly no self-loathing manifesting itself unto all gay contestants, even though he hated Danny Noriega. He also ran right out to buy the RS because he was being supportive on the magazine-buying level at least. (And he told me he was buying the mag because he’s gay and Adam is gay and he wanted to be supportive.) It doesn’t matter. It’s all apochryphal evidence, anyway. Each person is who he or she is and a lot of our American Idol taste boils down to what we like in MUSIC, not who we’re sleeping with, when all is said and done.

My general guess is that Slezak wrote the piece, not to generate hits, but to use the only weapon he has — his opinion — to put Kris’s name out there, too. I think he loves the show, and like a lot of us, gets invested in his favorites. He was happy Kris won, and he doesn’t want to feel like the win is being taken away from him, which has been expressed by many Kris fans who don’t have the soapbox Michael Slezak does. So there he is, anxious and a little cranked off at what appears to him to be unfavorable treatment for his fave, so he writes a piece about it. Isn’t that what a billion zillion bloggers did when Adam “wuz robbed”? Isn’t that what a billion zillion members of the press do every day? And what Keith Olbermann and Rachel Madow and Glenn Beck and that moron on The View and all the other talking heads do every day about the things they care about?

Bloggers, bloviators, “professional” journalists, reviewers, gossip mongers — they have soapboxes of differing magnitude, and they use their soapboxes to tell us what they think. I’m sure Michael Slezak is well aware that by posting that piece, he would get cranky Adam fans all up in his grill, just like he did with cranky Archie fans every timehe suggested that maybe Archie didn’t walk on water. Eh. Whatever. It definitely generates hits and it also makes a case to TPTB that Kris has his admirers, too, and I think that’s what Michael S. was going for, if nothing else. You know, like REMEMBER OUR FORGOTTEN MAN.

If you want, I can go into details but it may be too boring for others.

Please do. I, for one, would love to know any examples of what makes you think the kid who won is a “great guitar player”. He may be, but I saw nothing on Idol do indicate either way. He strummed barre chords.

Singers like Kris are a dime a dozen. Heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s not particularly interesting. Nothing exciting about his voice or his perfomances. Not to say that heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s not talented because I think he is but to me he doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t have anything that really sets him apart from lots of other singer/musicians of his style.

OK, I’m now at the point of adopting the Serenity Prayer here: don’t worry about what you can’t control.

After this instance, I’m going to try VERY HARD (perhaps with the help of a 12-step program) not to take the bait. I might relapse, though!

My maybe-last scree: you can love, hate or be blase about Kris’s music. But what I hope people recognize is that he didn’t just “come up with some money performances” out of thin air. In his own quieter way he’s as interesting and inventive, perhaps even more so, musically than Adam. And he’s also a longtime music-reading, playing and arranging and songwriting musician, with a broader skill set than many Idols and finalists have had.

Whatever he does next can make his career soar or stall. And that’s just as true of Adam, BTW.

If Aretha were here, I’d ask for a chorus of “Re-re-re-respect” for Kris. She’s not, so I’ll sit down now and mumble the Serenity Prayer…. :blink_tb:

mj to fast for me

Okay, the stuff about Slezak being a “self-hating gay” is lame. It’s like saying I have to like Lil Rounds because we are both straight females. And I live in San Francisco where all the gays I know liked Kris more (and a lot of the straight ones liked Adam). It’s not about the sexuality-it’s about the music.

Adam will never be able to get a break at all.

Okay, that’s hilarious.

We arenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t complaining!! When there are Kris threads, I donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t see a lot of people posting à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Kris doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t deserve this, blah blah blahà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  . LOL The same cannot be said for Adam. Some Kris fans are becoming as bad as Some Adam fans who said AT&T won the show for Kris. Its craziness. lol

Well some have said MS shouldn’t have posted this-in so many words. I think he made some valid points, but I still am in ‘wait and see’ mode. It’s just kind of nice to read comments about Kris for once…the opportunity has been rare lately (I’m not on any of his fan sites expect to check out a few things here and there).

Adam will never be able to get a break at all.

Okay, thatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s hilarious.

You’re right. It is hilarious. Pity poor Adam! Some people actually don’t like him. Poor boy! Somehow I doubt he’s crying in his cheerios about it.

Kris, on the other hand, has none of the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  factor. Heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s got a pleasant, tuneful voice, but heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s an unremarkable singer and a mediocre guitar player. (Of course, David Cook is a mediocre guitar player too, and that hasnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t hurt him, but heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s a very goodà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ not great, but very goodà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ singer).

I think Kris is a better guitar player, but David Cook is a much more charismatic and engaging performer (I say this as someone who doesn’t care for Cook’s music and is more inclined to buy something buy Kris, but still not that likely). I think both have voices similar to a lot of other singers so they can get lost in the mix, but being generic (for lack of better terms) doesn’t always hurt people in the music market. It doesn’t always help either, but I think people underestimate a solid career out of being not as distinct as others — the more distinctive ones have a great chance at shining (like Kelly) or flopping (like Blake and Taylor). That is why I think Adam can go superstar or fall on his butt. I think Adam has a better chance at a Kelly projectory than a Blake one, but you never know. I think he has “it” which draws people in and it doesn’t matter how many people are put off as being against somebody in sales doesn’t really work; there just has to be a good amount FOR you.

So yeah, I don’t see anything wrong with the press release for Kris, nor do I think he will go way of the dodo either. I don’t think he could achieve what Adam could if he does succeed (I know, the logic here is kind of circular), but that doesn’t make one a failure. I doubt Kris would think this either.

As for Slezak, I am sure he is worried for Kris, but bringing Adam into it was a great way to ensure more hits on the article. It worked.

lol, i just read the entire thread…..are we all reading the same freaking article???

slezak is talking about the way the press release is WRITTEN, thats all. he didnt bytch about adam’s press coverage or make ANY mention of it. he didnt complain that 19 is currently handling adam better than kris. NOPE. his only focus in this article is the PR clip and what that MIGHT entail for kris’ album.

and yes quality of an album normally SHOULD dictate how it sells, but lets get real, its also about making it known to the public…and that’s what worries Slezak. fair enough.
reading comprehension folks.

One sure way to tell which one the PTB have as the CO is which one of their songs will be played as an exit song on AI for this coming season?

If an idol’s song is chosen it will be because it fits within the confines of a parting video. They won’t have an idol especially record a song like Carrie did for this season if someone has a song on their album that will fit in with a going home theme. Since neither David had a song that would fit the bill they called on Carrie. I’m sure the same type of thing will take place for next season. There is no hidden agenda here by TPTB to indicate who their chosen One was.

For me their press releases are similar to how I would categorize the guys as ice cream flavors.

Kris – Vanilla (Breyer’s All Natural is soooo good BTW)
Adam – Rocky Road. It’s got a little marshmallow, a little nuts, a little fudge….

Both are extremely tasty for their own reasons. But I’ve got to say I can eat a lot more vanilla than rocky road in one sitting. Sometimes less really is more.

I mentioned this in the never ending DC thread but thought I’d post this here since there’s video now

The soap One Life To Live ended the episode today with Time of My Life (with a twist though!). Here’s the video that starts around the 6:00 mark. Magic rainbow FTW Dang if I didn’t tear up. That song will.never.die.

Arista has Carrie Underwood, but did poorly with its last two signings (Blake Lewis, Kristy Lee Cook)

Carrie is with Arista Nashville which only shares a name with Arista. They are run completely independently (Arista is based in New York and has no country cred at all). KLC was also signed to Arista Nashville and no, I don’t they did a great job with her (I still don’t think record companies treat all artists equally).

Blake was signed to Arista and maybe Arista should have exerted more control. Taylor was also signed to Arista. Come to think of it, I don’t think Arista has had much luck with Idols.

The soap One Life To Live ended the episode today with Time of My Life (with a twist though!). Hereà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s the video that starts around the 6:00 mark. Magic rainbow FTW Dang if I didnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t tear up. That song will.never.die.

That is very cool. Hmm, some of the characters and storylines seem interesting. Might have to watch some more clips on YT.

I, for one, would love to know any examples of what makes you think the kid who won is a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“great guitar playerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ . He may be, but I saw nothing on Idol do indicate either way. He strummed barre chords.

Just curious… how familiar are you with the instrument?

I don’t think bar chords are anything to sneeze at. A good working knowledge of bar chords allows you to play practically anything you want. Also, bar chords are not quite as easy or intuitive as some people make them look. To use them, you need to be comfortable with intervals and chord progressions… and (well, in my case, at least) you need a lot of practice.

From billboard.biz:

Cherry Lane Music Publishing Co. has signed a worldwide, long-term publishing agreement with 2008 “American Idol” winner and songwriter David Cook. As part of the deal, Cherry Lane will be administering Cookà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s current catalog and will hold co-publishing rights in any new writing opportunities that are set up through Cherry Lane.

“Everyone knows David Cook the American Idol winner,” Cherry Lane senior VP of creative services and marketing Richard Stumpf said in a statement. But after early discussions with Cook, “I was most impressed with David Cook the gifted songwriter,” said Stumpf.

The deal was negotiated by Stumpf, Cherry Lane VP of business & legal affairs Keith Hauprich, and Iain Pirie at 19 Entertainment and Howard Siegel at Pryor Cashman LLP.

Someone hacked Gokey’s cousin’s facebook. She says some really horrible homophic shit about Adam. Ugly link because I don’t know how else to do it.

http://community.livejournal.com/ohnotheydidnt/36343258.html

Feel free to delete mj if the site/info isn’t kosher for you.

What happened to all those Kris Allen fans preaching to us to stop being “bitter,” that the competition is over now and there’s no need for comparisons because Kris and Adam are both unique artists competing in their own genre markets???? Suddenly we’re back to comparing. WTF????

In addition to the nice news on the songwriting copublishing deal noted above, the Charity version of Permanent is back up. From DCO:

The charity single seems to be available once again: http://tinyurl.com/ABC2Permanent (link courtesy of http://abc2.org/) .

Carly Smithson, ex-Evanescence trio to form The Fallen

Wow – this is a really good move by Carly. I always thought she’d make a great front-woman and she got the Evanescence boys!

Wow – this is a really good move by Carly. I always thought sheà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢d make a great front-woman and she got the Evanescence boys!

I agree. That is a very smart move. Evanescence writes good music and I think it’s the perfect fit for her. I saw a video of Carly’s tour performance of Bring Me to Life, and I thought it was the best in her set. When and why did Amy Lee split with Evanescence?