Tonight’s the Night – American Idol Premieres!

I’m not really excited. Actually I’m dreading it. Like “oh, I have to watch that dumb show again.” For some reason I watch it – and my roommate insists we have to, so there you go.

My favorite way to watch is dvr it, and fast forward through the judges’ comments and performers I don’t like. Though I do want to see the new judge.

If Simon is smiling and it looks like he said something nice, I’ll listen to it. But I like to watch the performances and form my own opinions, and not be influenced by negativity. Also Simon is often too cruel, and it makes me want to hurl something at the tv.

It’s easier for me to watch the whole thing a year later, in retrospect, when I’m more detached and even then I still fast forward through most of it.

Also this year it will be anti-climactic with no David Cook or Jason Castro. Though there’ll probably be someone halfway entertaining.

I ´Ãƒâ€š ´m not excited either, but I think I migh be joining in for chat, and I ´m really excited for yours, Jim Cantiello, Sleazak and Vulture … I love snarky more than cheesy… ;P

I’m excited!
Hoping to join in on the comments at least and i’m looking forward to reading what everyone else has to say. Last season was great and I don’t see how they can top it but i’ve decided i’m going into this one with a complete open mind and look forward to sharing with ya’ll.

Hard to say what will happen. The bad auditions are the worst part of the show to me, so the Mute button will be getting a workout.

Well, I can’t say I’m particularly excited about the lame audition shows, but I can’t not watch it (actually, at this point, I enjoy the chat more than the show)

I usually only become batsh*t crazy about one contestant in odd seasons, so I’m looking forward to a voting-free, angst-free season. Yay for sanity. MJ, please ban me if I make a positive comment about a male contestant’s appearance or type the words “TV boyfriend.” Thankyew.

I agree cheese, the chat is more enjoyable. Maybe YouTube videos will come quickly enough that I won’t even have to watch.

Gosh, I am gonna go out on a ledge here and say…

Yes, I am excited. Let the games begin.

Mj, did you post the tv schedule for the show before? What nights it will be on and the times?

Six months ago, I wasn’t even planning on watching AI ever again. I’d found my Idol. But after coming here (daily à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  no, make that hourly) looking for my Cookie Crumbs, I happened to read some of the headlines talking about the new season. Of course, curiosity has gotten the better of me. I’ll be watching. *sigh* But I never want to go through what I did last season, with the angst and the over-the-top excitement and the obsession. I mentioned to my hubby last night that the season premiere of AI was tonight, then asked, “Is it possible to support TWO obsessions?” He got a look of intense terror on his face. :help_tb:

I’m psyched for a new season. I’m a little disgruntled by some of the changes, but I’ll be interested to watch and see how they turn out. Like, how do you do a results show when 9 people are voted off? (I didn’t watch when it was a one shot deal back in the day) Do they ALL get a sing out? Or do the three that make it get a sing in. What’s the new ‘bad day’ song going to be? And if they have a sing in, will there be a ‘kick ass day’ song? What will Sprinkles’s style be this year? Jeans a tshirt? Shirt and tie? MC Hammer pants? Which way will his spikey hair point and which color will he choose this year? Will Simon show more or less chest hair this year? What will bill Paula’s worst outfit choice? How many episodes will we have to worry about seeing more of Paula than we’re interested in? What will Randy’s new bling watch look like? How many different color glasses will he have? What will Kara’s style be? How will her being at the judges table change it up? Will it cause the other three to be less predictable? (I am doubting it for the most part) How many complete trainwreck performances will we be subject to in the top 12? What are the themes going to be? Did they REALLY get a current, cool guest? Ah… the questions I need answered. It begins tonight! Yeah!

How excited are you?

I am not the least bit excited. For me, the season will begin in a few weeks when the Hollywood rounds start. I cannot stand the audition rounds. The theatre of the cruel depresses me and makes me want to take a shower. I will check in to see who everybody is raving about (and may check out the good auditions on YouTube).

I am terribly excited for Hollywood though. I just pretend the season starts then.

Like, how do you do a results show when 9 people are voted off? (I didnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t watch when it was a one shot deal back in the day)

They focus on the people that made it. Instead of pulling people off the couch who are the bottom 3, they pull out the top vote getters. In the old days, they used to put 2 through from each show, so they would pull up three people and toss one back. This year, they are putting three through each show. They’ll probably do some cruel stand here or there or there thing (knowing how this show likes to torture people) and leave people guessing as to which group gets the boot. Since Simon wants more controversey, maybe they’ll have Ryan dump pig’s blood on the last group to get the boot. Imagine the most socially unhealthy thing they could do and the producers will probably love that idea. Too bad Ryan isn’t a bigger person or they producers could just have him give the booted contestants wedgies and stuff them in a locker.

SCREAM!!!

I think many of us here can now adopt MJ’s title on the main page of “I love this Cheesy Show” Even those of you who DVR it! LOL

Just relax and enjoy the show, for even the bad parts we remember don’t we? I like to start out watching to see if I can predict the Idol. I watch and listen closely to each decent singer. I take notes as they sing too, and refer back to it during other nights they appear. My brain cannot keep up clearly with over 24 contestants and this year we are starting out with 50!

My cable guide shows tonight and tomorrow night the normal shows, but the following week it says Contestant elminations continue. This is when we use to see the top 24, so are we going to get two weeks of top 50 then top 24? And another question the final 3 contestants go to their home town and each judge picks a song for the contestant to sing. Ok we have 4 judges now, and 3 contestants…how will that work?

How excited? I’m not sure. I’ve given up thinking there’s another Taylor Hicks out there. But I’ll still watch. (Assuming that there’s an open TV set in the house…my eldest daughter moved back home yesterday, and we only have two TV’s among five in the household. I’ll shame my husband into watching. He hates Idol, but…)

Actually, I’m psyched for a few other Idol tidbits…like Melinda’s album dropping in February…Taylor’s in March and Elliot’s in April. But I’m really psyched for Friday Jan. 30th.

Dear husband (the same husband who hates AI) presented me with tickets to Grease in Cincinnati for the 30th. :clap_tb: I can’t wait.

Put me down in the excited column! I love this show. My family and friends know I watch it and love me anyhow. Friends know not to call during it. Family knows not to bug me during it (unless they would like to join me in watching). I plan for and have dinner over with by the time it airs and then I plop down on the sofa and expect to be entertained! Then, after the show, I have to come to MJs and find out who agreed or disagreed with my take on things. Funny thing is, every year I plan to approach it intellectually and simply critique the performances and marvel at how good I am at judging them in an unbiased fashion. However, the season goes along and then, out of the blue almost, I begin to have (oh no) a favorite (or 2) and then I get into the competition factor, pull for my fav, and end up becoming an idol addict. I am, however, very careful to not overtalk it to those close to me, lest they plan an intervention! lol.

As this blog’s subtitle says, I LOVE THIS CHEESY SHOW !!! :jittery_tb:

Not at all excited, only mildly intrigued by the addition of Kara to the judges’ panel. But, not enough to watch this early on, I don’t think. I’ve never ever done that.

Actually, I’m extremely excited at the prospect of re-claiming my life and leaving my Season 7 obsession/addiction in my wake. Wish me luck with that, as reliving through Redux has me doubtful about my ability to ever recover fully — even if it has also reinforced my desperate need to GET UP and MOVE ON!

One day at a time, I suppose. My first step will be to turn the channel from Fox tonight at 7 p.m. central time (right after re-watching the Season 7 finale on Fox Reality of course.) LMAO

Ryan dump pigà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s blood on the last group to get the boot. Imagine the most socially unhealthy thing they could do and the producers will probably love that idea. Too bad Ryan isnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t a bigger person or they producers could just have him give the booted contestants wedgies and stuff them in a locker.

lol…

Count me in the camp of folks that are not excited about the audition phase of the show, but I am looking forward to most of the format changes, especially the addition of Kara to the judges panel. Chat will definitely be something I look forward to this evening more than the show itself. Come on Hollywood rounds!

Are there going to be 3 weeks of just auditions? When do Hollywood rounds start? There was a schedule floating around somewhere awhile back …

Mj, did you post the tv schedule for the show before? What nights it will be on and the times?

I have a schedule through March 10 that I will post up in a bit.

The audition shows cut back to an hour next week. Week three, there is an hour-long Thursday show for the last audition. And then the 2-week hollywood rounds begin. They’re an hour long, except for the chair episode where they reveal the Top 36–that’s two hours. Three weeks of the semi-finals have 2-hour performance shows with a 1 hour results show the next night. The wild card show is a Thursday show the third week. The entire Top 12 will be revealed then. The following week, the Top 12 begins with a two hour performance show and a 1 hour results show the next night.

As the season wears on the performance shows will probably eventually cut back to an hour, with an hour results show.

The thing that’s different, is that it looks like the results show will start at 8 pm on Wednesdays, instead of 9 pm like in past seasons.

HELLO MJ WORLD!!

Ok, I am back for season 8. Like many, I am not a huge fan of the auditions…but they must be viewed to determine the political macchinations of the producers for the season.

Will be in chat…

I’m going to try in order to see how Kara deals with Simon (and vice versa). But no guarantees that I stick it out.

I am SOOOO excited! I will be blogging recaps as usual. No chat & no live blogging since no laptop or tv in computer room, but I take good notes.

I’m excited for the changes. MrsTrep, IIRC from the first couple seasons, in the early voting rounds there was no sing-out or sing-in. If they want a sing-in though they could just repeat the competition song from the previous night, same as they’ve done for sing-outs. And last year there wasn’t a “Bad Day” song at all (didn’t they use several different songs?).

I’ve looked at spoilers and listened to a few of the clips… and definitely have a preseason favorite! Which pretty much dooms him to not make the Top 10, but at least I’ll (hopefully) get to see him sing on my tv a few times.

On another note, I’m tres grateful for all the Ballas Hough Band ads on your site – I’m going to see them locally on Thursday!! Can’t wait!

I’m not that excited, sadly. I had had so much cheesy fun with AI in the past, but once you figure out the “tricks,” the enjoyment kind of bleeds away. AI’s manipulations are an exciting rollercoaster at first…after a while you just feel like you are going to lose your nachos in your lap. Heh, I wonder if the contestants feel that way too?

Last year, I said I was done watching AI. I’ll watch tonight; however, I suspect that this season I will be a fair-weather tivo fan.

Here’s the TV Schedule

Season 8 TV Schedule

Nevermind about the results show…the 9 pm time slot didn’t begin until the Finals last year….

Too bad Ryan isnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t a bigger person or they producers could just have him give the booted contestants wedgies and stuff them in a locker.

LOL. Don’t say that too loud- Simon and Randy are big enough to do it instead of Ryan. They might add it to the judging.

how is there a folkfan? a fan of moi? or a fan of folk music? lol.

folkfan is practically an original member of MJ’s. She’s been around since way back when Sarah and Kirsten (I think) a few others and that guy that someone ticked off at one point who knew lots of inside scoop disappeared. Do you remember him MJ? I’d love to know if/what you knew of him. I can’t even remember his name (pregnant brains, sorry), but I think they were the crew that put out some fake spoilers one week too… oh what fun Is it sad that my memories of the last say 4 years include the people at MJ’s?

Oh and I think Ryan is having SImon on his radio show soon.

ETA: It’s Randy not Simon. Ryan & Randy were discussing how Simon seems to be in awe of Kara’s knowledge and that he’s learning from her. I’d just love to hear Simon’s take on THAT!

i was around back then too….way back….

i have been looking thru your top 50 mj….this could be quite entertaining.

It’s all wait and see. Hopefully more Kelly Clarksons and Carrie Underwoods, and no more William Hungs.

folkfan is practically an original member of MJà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s.

Are you sure that you aren’t confusing her with “folkgirl”? “folkgirl” became “folk” when MJ re-organized the site during the great Christmas meltdown of 0-6. Although “folk” was (and probably still is) a fan of folk music, I don’t remember a “folkfan” poster from back in those early days, but who can remember everybody?

Sheà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s been around since way back when Sarah and Kirsten (I think) a few others and that guy that someone ticked off at one point who knew lots of inside scoop

That was Fred. He got tired of being called a liar (he claimed to have insider info about vote totals). Lots of regulars have come and gone.

I always watch the auditions, but so far only Season 7 got me invested enough to keep up with it after the semi-finals. I guess this year is still wait and see for me.
Have to admit that even though the show itself doesn’t excite me that much, I am very excited for the blogosphere to explode again – this place, Idolatry and some others are such a fun part of watching AI, Can’t wait for it all to start again.

the great christmas meltdown!! roflmao. that is hysterical.

hey i became folk then…i used the meltdown as a way to get away from the elliott fans who were trying to kill me.

i believe folkfan is newer…more the merrier:)

I’m kind of excited for this season. Last year was the first time I watched AI and I didn’t think I would want to watch S8. But I am interested in the new judge and how well she meshes (or not) with the others. Plus I like reading all the Idol blogs, especially MJ’s :wink_ee:

I do hope the Results episodes stay at 8pm this seasaon. It makes no sense to have the results revealed at 9:55pm (or later) when this is a family show.

ahhhhhhhhh! :doh_tb: I’ve gotten the ‘folks’ confused. I’ve officially lost it. Why did I think folkgirl became folkfan? Guess that worked to get you away from this E fan Though I am sure I wasn’t trying to kill you, just beat you into submission! :wink_wp: And YES, FRED!! Why was that elluding me? And I don’t even remember the meltdown of Christmas 0-6….. will I ever get my brain back???

I’ll be watching but do not plan on getting invested.

I never plan on getting invested in the show, but I still check out MJ’s pretty much daily. And I didn’t really get too into it Season 6. I just wasn’t a big fan of anyone. Last year was MUCH better. I am interested to see what this season brings. I doubt anything will ever beat S5 for me though.

Well, I haven’t been keeping up with the spoilers or the changes in great detail, but I’m looking forward to watching the show and chatting. I am not a fan of audition rounds, but am curious about Kara, so I’ll be watching tonight. I hope not to get invested to the point of power voting this year. Who knows?

My laptop has a new keyboard, so I’m good to go!

I never plan to get invested when I watch this show.

But, somehow…someone always sucks me in.

I am ready — for Hollywood rounds. Will have to put up with the auditions nonsense, I guess.

At this stage, and after THIS many years (Yeah. Addicted to cheese), I sort of half-watch, half-listen to the auditions. Sometimes something really cool happens, but not very often.

That’s a good point about not wanting to get invested, which is another part of my not feeling the AI excitement as I have done in the past. I know I just don’t feel like making that much of an emotional committment to a TV show (and this from the woman who sobbed buckets of tears for two weeks when Elliott got eliminated). It’s a sort of AI fatigue, and I wonder how many veiwers AI loses simply because this show can be so emotionally taxing–so much more so than other shows of the same nature.

This is actually the first season where I haven’t been excited at all. The “Maroon 5′ comparison to some of the supposedly talented contestants does nothing for me. I’ll probably watch to see how Kara does (at least initially…) Hopefully, I’ll find a contestant who will rekindle my interest in watching.

I am stoked about the start of AI8. Can’t really get into it till after the audition process. :smiley2_tb:

I’m so excited about this show starting again it’s embarassing.

And last year there wasnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Bad Dayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  song at all (didnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t they use several different songs?).

I think last year they initially used “Best Days” by Graham Colton as the boot song, then went to Ruben’s version of “Celebrate Me Home”

Glad to see some new old peeps back here.

ETA: Or maybe I mean old new peeps?

YAY! It’s Idol Day! Another year, another Idol. Let the game’s begin! Heh

Gosh, I forgot this was on tonight! :doh_tb: I guess I can’t put myself in the excited category, LOL. I am excited for chat though. I’ll have to tape The Mentalist, I guess. I can’t miss Simon Baker for Simon Cowell!

I am excited to see all I “met” on here last year for the first time, most of all. I WAS tooooo shy to join in chat last year but might give it a try this year.

I’m pumped! But I think it’s going to be hard for S8 to live up to S7…it’s still good to have Idol back.

http://tv.yahoo.com/blog/when-idol-becomes-idle–77

LESS TRAINWRECKS AND MORE TALENTED AUDITIONERS ARE BEING SHOWN, GUYS. And Hollywood Week gets extended into a couple of weeks (two or three, I’m guessing), so we actually get to know the contestants as opposed to having to memorize a shitload of new names and faces once semis start.

AND WHY MUST THIS SHOW START NOW, WITH MY GLOBAL PAPER BEING DUE THURSDAY? WHYYYYY. crying

ETA: Oh, and they put the wildcard round back (it was last used in Season 3). I’m a little mixed about that (or I’ve just gotten too used to the old system from the last four years, lol)

For some reason, the start of American Idol makes me think spring is in the air, even though it is the dead of winter…

Hisaki,
I know they are promising more talent/fewer trainwrecks…but then again, last year we were promised the “most talented group ever!” and we ended up with a fodder-strata sundae with two David-cherries on top. I am marginally hopeful, but I will not be shocked if we are served up the same AI machinations with a different helping of sauce.

I’m excited. I may never reach Taylor-pitch again or I MIGHT! I almost did with Bo and Cookie. Who knows? Even if I don’t, I still love it all. And MJ’s is as much a part of my idol love as the show. Watching the show, running here to see what everybody thinks, the recaps, the snark, the fan bases developing, the new judge, the old Simon and Paula (Randy-meh. See, I even love being ‘meh’ about Randy). I love it all. I am the resident Idol Freak/Expert and it’s all because of MJ’s – to whom I give all the credit, of course!

I. can’t. wait.

Oh and last year I was told to “breath” one time in my love of Jason – so – to remind that it is NOT the end of the world, this is just a TV show I will watch this a time or two:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70f0chZVudA

Grr… I promised myself that I wouldn’t get pulled into another Idol season. But this morning my sister all but begged me to watch it with her… and I just can’t resist, lol.

I am excited!!!!!! I was hoping to have a tv in the room with my computer so I could watch and chat at the same time, but not yet so I will be running back and forth…….

I am excited! Just wouldn’t be the same without AI and MJ’s to get me through the dreary days of winter.

Good to see you back, folk!

Well, last year I said around this time, “I don’t think I’ll be into American Idol that much this year.” and then David Cook came into our lives and that all changed and I was more into AI than I had been since Season ONE.

So I can probably say that I won’t love it as much this year as I did last year, but you never know. And like many others I only watch the audition shows to try a get an early glimpse at people who will later become favorites. (Cook and Michael Johns were the only auditions I really loved last season, so… yeah.) I don’t start getting really interested until the Hollywood rounds.

Of course, I just saw David Cook’s MySpace and apparently they are using “A Daily Anthem” in tonight’s show and that makes me about 10 times more excited to watch then the actual show itself. LOL.

Not much else to do when it is 40 below zero out here…long night of Idol ahead, leading to about 5 months of adventure…

Ok….got the snacks, pop and laptop ready to go. Can’t wait to meet my boo’s back in chat tonight.

BTW….Lisa…..oh LISA…you need to get your backside in chat for the show tonight. The more the merrier!!

Of course, I just saw David Cookà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s MySpace and apparently they are using à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“A Daily Anthemà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  in tonightà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s show and that makes me about 10 times more excited to watch then the actual show itself. LOL.

NO. WAY!

OK, Now I’m excited. LMAO

Of course, I just saw David Cookà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s MySpace and apparently they are using à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“A Daily Anthemà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  in tonightà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s show and that makes me about 10 times more excited to watch then the actual show itself

Really???? They’re going to play ADAM? Woohoo. Let the AI pimping for David begin. I didn’t think it would be this soon. Way to go AI. Now I have total confidence that they will promote him whenever they can. AI pimpage and Jimmy Kimmel will most likely help album sales. Great news.

I had no idea that there were multiple folks. Although, you know, that kind of sounds wrong….

I have enjoyed learning about all of the idols so much that I am going to watch the season, although I am pretty sure I will not get as invested as I did David Archuleta.

Ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s a sort of AI fatigue, and I wonder how many veiwers AI loses simply because this show can be so emotionally taxingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’so much more so than other shows of the same nature.

It is funny that you mention AI fatique. My sister called today and we were talking about watching the show. She has watched it since the beginning. I had never watched it until part way through the season when she called and said, there is this kid you have to see from Utah. I think he is going to win the whole thing. (She lives in Ohio) Anyway, today she told me she is kind of tired of idol, although she has never gotten totally invested in one idol. She buys the music she likes from each one.

Nice DC montage there. I can’t believe that they showed that clip from the youtube of the DA tween fans losing it over DC’s win.