More American Idol Season 8 Changes from Ken Warwick

By On 12/15/2008 · 18 Comments · In Uncategorized

If you’re following along, the schedule for Season 8 was released this morning.   The basic changes are outlined HERE.   Check out the schedule HERE.

Here’s more detailed information from producer Ken Warwick–from Entertainment Weekly, Los Angeles Times and today’s scheduled 3 pm press conference.

  • A reason for the switch to a Top 36: Warwick says by the time the competition got to the Top 8, viewers became bored seeing the same people for so long, especially if they weren’t good personalities.
  • Warwick thinks allowing the judges to choose 3 contestants in a “wildcard” round will give good singers a better chance to advance. “If something goes horrendously awry, the judges could fix it on the wild card show,” he says.
  • No narrow themes during the Semi-finals. The Top 36 will sing from a catalog drawn from the top ten songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart since the chart began in the 1950s all the way to the present.
  • It’s the 50th anniversary of Motown next year–there will be a Motown theme. Warwick is staying mum regarding other themes.
  • Warwick says Paula’s job is NOT in jeopardy, “I hope she’s there ’til the show goes off the air. We never ever discussed ‘Paula’s gotta go.’ Never, ever happened. America loves her. Don’t wanna lose her and neither does America.”
  • Warwick got asked about Paula Goodspeed–several times–at today’s press conference.   He insists that he did not know she was stalking Paula Abdul. And he insists the alleged suicide of Paula Goodspeed has NOT affected the Audition Rounds.
  • Hollywood Week took place at the Kodak theater in Los Angeles, rather than in Pasadena. Warwick says, that the bigger theater intimidated some, while others stepped up their game, “If they were good, their passion to get through was more intense than it had been in previous years.”
  • Standout audition cities were Phoenix, Arizona and Louisville.   Puerto Rico was the biggest disappointment. (Hm. Simon and Randy liked Salt Lake City…).   Warwick admits there may be a few less bad auditions this year, but contends the show would be boring without the trainwrecks.
  • There will be more backstage footage of the contestants.   Warwick says, “There is going to be slightly more reality.”
  • Look for “twists” during Hollywood Week.   As I mentioned in a prior post, the group rounds are coming back to Hollywood.
  • There may be some younger mentors this year. Warwick says, “I only like mentors who’ve had a string of hits, who have been there for a long time and actually have something of value to pass on.” Warwick says he’s going after some kids, “…and I call them kids, they’re not kids, they’re 24, 25…that I’m going after…” Warwick says, “If I get a third of who Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m going after it would be great.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ 

  • About the so called “ringers”–contestants with previous music industry experience–Warwick says “If there’s any form of management or recording contact we shy away from it. We love the fact that we are finding previously undiscovered stars…generally speaking when they walk through the door, we like to take them at face value. People have been damaged by the music biz, we restore their faith in it again. If someone was really fantastic and was great and then said ‘I used to be on Broadway,’ my question would be, ‘Do you have a recording contract now? No? OK then you’re fine.’”
  • Warwick insists that new judge, Kara DioGuardi is working out well. She’s very qualified, because she worked with Idols post-show and knows what TPTB are looking for.   She and Paula are ganging up on Simon, and he’s upset that he can’t convince the judges to go his way so easily.   Warwick told Entertainment Weekly that he wanted a 4th judge to keep Simon from getting his own way.

 
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  • snuffles

    There may be some younger mentors this year. Warwick says, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“I only like mentors whoà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ve had a string of hits, who have been there for a long time and actually have something of value to pass on.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  Warwick says heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s going after some kids, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦and I call them kids, theyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢re not kids, theyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢re 24, 25à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦that Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m going afterà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  Warwick says, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“If I get a third of who Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m going after it would be great.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ 

    Hmmm…who fits that bill?

    Justin Timberlake?
    Christina Aguilera?
    Omarion?
    Pink?
    John Mayer?
    Beyonce?
    Brandi?
    Jason Mraz?
    Fergie?
    Alicia Keyes?
    Kelly Clarkson?
    Mary J. Blige?
    Ne-Yo?
    Carrie Underwood?
    Natasha Bedingfield?
    Shakira?
    Ricky Martin?

  • gigglesmo3

    Warwick told Entertainment Weekly that he wanted a 4th judge to keep Simon from getting his own way.

    But during the audition rounds if there is a tie, Simon gets to break the tie. Seems like he gets to vote twice and gets more his way. ????

  • Jlyn

    I think (and hope) the younger mentors include Kelly. She has an album to promote and Idol has reason to keep the Original Idol selling well. The theme that week should just be American Idol. Any song put out by any previous Idol contestant. That would include plenty of songs from different genres to choose from that are less than 7 years old. They get newer songs on the cheap and get to toot their own horns, it’s a win-win for everyone.

  • gingerly

    And to add, jlyn, I think Kelly would have invaluable information to impart to contestants. That’s just as important to me as the songbook the contestants have to choose from. That’s why I maintain that Andrew Lloyd Webber (ignoring his royal titles because I don’t give a shit) was the best mentor last year. He gave the contestants important things to work on more than any other mentor last year. At least, that’s what Idol showed us.

  • bjames

    bored by top 8? if anything, it helped us feel like we knew the contestants.

  • smartcookie

    How does adding more contestants make us not bored by the top 8? Either we’ve seen them even longer (to get rid of more people) or the same amount of time (if they boot them four at a time or something in the early rounds, to get down to 12 at the same pace).

    Yeah, that’s not making any sense to me whatsoever. IOW, normal for the Idol PTB.

  • Grammie Kari

    There is so much there that doesn’t make sense.

    There will be more backstage footage of the contestants. Warwick says, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“There is going to be slightly more reality.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ 

    You mean what we saw wasn’t real or does he mean they will be adding more scripted reality moments like “Survivor”?

    Maybe it’s me, but I never got bored. If anything, last year was one of the most exciting seasons ever. Yes, I was disappointed that Jason got eliminated, but I didn’t give up on the show.

    We’ll just have to wait and see. I like the fact that they are honoring Motown 50. I look forward to seeing some of the TALENTED young mentors they are trying to get on the show. However, I don’t hear anything that makes me think this will be a better season.

  • Suzanne

    I thought Justin Timberlake immediately too. And Beyonce, Britney Spears (I hope we don’t see her; she’s so screwed up), Kanye West.

    I hate that they are going back to the group rounds. They really do not have to do group songs as performing artists and minimally as contestants. The only reason to do the group songs in Hollywood is to ratchet up the tension between the contestants. I’m planning on whincing regularly this season as the set up the people in awful situations to see them squirm. It’s so NOT the reason for the show. If there’s a lot of that, I hope the viewership plummets.

  • bambambam

    A reason for the switch to a Top 36: Warwick says by the time the competition got to the Top 8, viewers became bored seeing the same people for so long, especially if they werenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t good personalities.

    @ Ken: This looks like a misprint to me or something. The “more reality” remark, too.

    Um, earth to Ken: We NEVER get bored with the top contestants SINGING.

    We ALWAYS get bored when the same B-roll “reality” crap gets played over and over and over and we heard the life story the first time.

    More music. More competition. Less repetition of non-music junk.

  • bananafish

    Since Simon has a habit of copying anything that works on American Idol on the UK X-factor and vice-versa I’d say that Britney & Beyonce are a sure thing

  • http://widyatarina.wordpress.com widz

    My guesses for the young guests are:

    Carrie Underwood
    Kelly Clarkson (I agree with Jlyn and gingerly – AI Theme Night would be good!)
    Beyonce
    Christina Aguilera
    Justin Timberlake
    Jason Mraz

    Please, I don’t want to see Britney..it’s just that I don’t think she’s a good singer, IMO.

  • Allison

    I like the group rounds — “I don’t do groups” lol.

  • Duke

    Omg If Justin Timberlake and Jason Mraz were mentors this year- I WOULD HAVE A FUUUUUUCKING HERT ATTACK. That would be the best thing to ever happen to idol for me.

    Having said that, i think Carrie and Kelly are very good possibilities- Carrie bc AI loves her and she is uber famous right now, and for Kelly- it would be great promotion for her new album.

    ps. did anyone see on VFTW that Canadian Idol is apparently cancelled?!

  • snuffles

    I think it would be a GREAT time to bring Kelly Clarkson back.

  • http://myspace.com/girlgeek mj

    I think it would be a GREAT time to bring Kelly Clarkson back.

    Kelly Clarkson FTW! I think that’s a great idea.

  • bigjr6633

    My guesses for the young guests are:

    Carrie Underwood
    Kelly Clarkson (I agree with Jlyn and gingerly – AI Theme Night would be good!)
    Beyonce
    Christina Aguilera
    Justin Timberlake
    Jason Mraz

    This is actually a good list because of all them are actually really good singers, oh and can’t forget about Alicia Keys, but if they get Britney Spears I am done. Luckily on the X Factor, she neglected the contestants, which was a good thing because she didn’t try and teach them how to sing.

    ps. did anyone see on VFTW that Canadian Idol is apparently cancelled?!

    Yes, I did hear about Canadian Idol being canceled. Is this actually a suprise to anyone? No offense, but the show did kind of suck last season, I only saw clips of it from this site and over the internet, but from what I could tell, it was bad. I know some people on here liked it, but when you have no diversity at all and just the same bunch of people singing the same songs, it gets boring after a while.

  • itsalleternal

    I agree mj! A former Idol would be helpful since they know the show.

    I think what is happening is there is some jockeying for position going on. I believe that Simon Cowell, Fremantle and 19E want to bring The X Factor to America, but cannot do it before the 2010-11 season as AI is signed through 2010. The signings (i.e Kara) and droppings (i.e. Nigel) are probably those committed and not committed to continuing on the new show.

    (Whatever they do though, YOU – as in mj – should be a major producer)

  • itsalleternal

    Yes, I did hear about Canadian Idol being canceled. Is this actually a suprise to anyone? No offense, but the show did kind of suck last season, I only saw clips of it from this site and over the internet, but from what I could tell, it was bad. I know some people on here liked it, but when you have no diversity at all and just the same bunch of people singing the same songs, it gets boring after a while.

    I do agree, plus it is hard to break through Canada without going into foreign markets, especially since Canada is essentially 2 markets (Quebec and the rest of Canada).