I don’t normally post items on past idols, it’s enough work just to keep up with the current stuff, but I will be breaking that rule occasionally for the few I still follow.
Here’s some news about AI4’s Constantine Maroulis:
Breaking Up is Hard to Do
Those of you who watched AI4 remember Constantine’s band, Pray for the Soul of Betty from the audition rounds. The producers cooked up a storyline where Constantine “quits” the band, and the drummer throws away his drumsticks and leaves in a huff. Everyone played along happily, as Constantine didn’t actually quit the band.
In fact, during Constantine’s AI run, The band (sans Con, but with his blessing) re-released an old CD through a distribution deal with Koch records (William Hung’s label). The band played a few gigs in New York and LA during Constantine’s stint with the AI tour. This winter, PFTSOB did a short tour of clubs. I saw them in Boston, as a matter of fact. The picture posted here is a screen cap from a video I shot.
Since Constantine became an AI star, a sizable community of fans have sprung up around the band–evident at PFTSOB’s website where a very active forum and street team can be found. Constantine always maintained that he would keep Betty as a side project.
On Monday, Constantine announced that he was leaving the band for real. He posted this announcement at the PFTSOB fan forum:
“I will keep this brief…
Due to both creative and business reasons I have decided to leave Betty.
I thank you all for the love and support you have shown me and the boys. You are amazing. I know this comes as a surprise to most of you but it has been in the cards for a long time coming. We had an amazing time on tour and have had some great shows. It is just time. I can no longer expect the band to wait for me to pursue my solo endeavors…it is not fair to them. I will not bore you with the rest. They are three very talented artists and I trust you will continue to support them in whatever they chose to do. I know you will. I hope you will continue to support me as well.
Please know that some amazing things are instore for me and I assure you…you will be the first to know!!
Thank you…for everything!!
Love always,
Constantine~ “
PFTSOB is based in New York. Since the AI4 Idol tour ended, Constantine has spent most of his time in LA working on various deals that include a development deal with ABC that could result in a weekly sitcom produced by Kelsey Grammar’s production company. He’s also working on a solo recording project. Pray for the Soul of Betty is a fair-to-middlin’ nu-metal/hard-rock outfit. Constantine’s higher profile will allow him to hook up with extremely talented musicians. He’s outgrown Betty at this point–and that’s just how the cookie crumbles in show business, ya know? The discourse got a little gnarly on the boards after the announcement–not helped by Constantine’s penchant for jumping into the forum fray himself to add a cent or two.
Constantine may be the most fun contestant to follow post-idol. While he plots his post-idol career, he’s managed to keep himself very much in the limelight. Never a dull moment with that guy.
Ratings News
Idol continues to steamroll the competition. On Tuesday, according to Hollywood Reporter, “A whopping 33.2 million viewers tuned in to watch the remaining 11 finalists…during the two-hour broadcast, Nielsen Media Research reported on Wednesday.
That tally was nearly 2 million viewers higher than the combined Tuesday night average posted by all five competing networks. And it surpassed last week’s record audience for a performance episode on ‘American Idol…'”
Wednesday’s results show “averaged 27.3 million viewers and an 11.3 rating/26 share in the adults 18-49 demographic, according to preliminary data released Thursday by Nielsen Media Research.” By comparison, “At 9 p.m., ABC’s ‘Lost’ (16 million, 6.6/15) plunged to its lowest demo score for an original episode since the season began.”