Simon Cowell conducted a brief press conference with reporter today.   Here are two good recaps from TV Squad and Idol Chatter.   The Jist (my comments are in italics, heh)

  • à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Ninety percent of what happened on the show last year was very good. It was a well-produced show. We are completely and utterly reliant on who walks in the door. Most of our focus this year was that we got a better top 12 and more interesting top 12 than we got last year.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  Hey Simon, at least Nigel had the stones to take responsibility for what happened last year…
  • But then Simon said that the show will strive for a better balance between showcasing mentors and the contestants.   He said that he didn’t think the show let the audience inside the lives of the Season 6 Top 12. No kidding…
  • à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“There are three or four very strong guys and three or four very strong girls this year. Ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s probably going to be one of the most open (competitions).” YAWN. Typical Simon-Speak.
  • About Fantasia’s brother, who auditioned for the show this year, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Dreadful. He canà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t sing, and I think Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m right in saying this from memory, he was terrible. It was all fantastic until he started singing. Then we disputed the fact that he was Fantasiaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s brother.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  But didn’t he make it to Hollywood?
  • About Jordin and Blake’s slow sales, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s naturally disappointing they didnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t sell more copies or that neither artist has caught on fire. You want something like a Carrie or a Daughtry or a Kelly Clarkson, where theryà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢re competing with the Mariahs and everybody else. Am I surprised? Not particularly. The public decided this year it wasnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t necessarily what (it) wanted.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ 

 
  • snuffles

    How we already have a “better Top 12″ when we haven’t even voted yet?

    I guess AI has their preferred Top 12 already picked out and have started the pimping and manipulations early.

  • Chicago-sally

    Folks — it’s a reality show and they’re trying to stay relevant. He’s retiring in 2 years so it doesn’t matter what he says :)

  • Giggy

    That’s what I was going to ask, snuffles. What a crock.

  • gabam

    I hope that he meant that they will have a better Top 24 so that we voters can vote down to a better Top 12. I hate thinking that our votes won’t count that much because TPTB has already decided who we should want in the Top 12.

    Once the pimping starts, we will be able to tell. They pimped the heck out of Chris, Kellie and a few others very early during the early rounds of Season 5. When voters did not go along with the plan, TPTB signed who they wanted anyway so they were happy. Oh well.

    I lost interest in Season 6 so early that I don’t even remember very much about it.

  • biggbbs

    Hey people …dont forget we the public do not vote untill the final 12 is announced..remember they go to hollywood, then they do their auditions and they are broke up into seperate rooms, then simon and the gang pick through till they find the final 12…. :clap_tb:

    the public “america” does not vote till the final 12 in hollywood..

  • gabam

    We started voting at Top 24 in previous years. Two guys and two girls were eliminated each week until it got down to the Top 12.

  • primeminister

    Simon’s not the first to talk about a better, stronger Top 12…. has something changed??

  • Grammie Kari

    Yes, that;s right gabam. Did they change the rules from previous years? I thought WE had some say so in who is chosen.

    There are three or four very strong guys and three or four very strong girls this year. Ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s probably going to be one of the most open (competitions).à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ 

    Now, what does that mean? Open (competitions)? Does that mean they are allowing professionals to compete?

  • Nostradamas

    Could this be the reason the record companies are dumping the “old” AI winners??

    Cleaning house and clearing room before this “strong” 12 makes their debut?

    Hhhhhhhmmmmmm……. ;)

  • primeminister

    That’s an interesting hypothesis. Perhaps some of the contestants this year are already contract worthy?

  • jimmyboyd2

    cancel