I’ll be live blogging the American Idol Panel at the Television Critics Association tour taking place in Pasadena, CA. The panel begins at 7:15 EST.
Attendees: Judges Jennifer Lopez, Randy Jackson and Steven Tyler. Host Ryan Seacrest. Producers Ken Warwick and Cecil Frot-Coutaz. Reality chief, Mike Darnell.
I’ll post tweets and updates here. And then later, links to news stories. Watch this space!
Summary: The American Idol “Performance Challenge” took place in Las Vegas and features songs from the 50s. “They had to sing as a small group a late ’50s song, close harmonies.” The next round, says Ken, “is back to ‘one voice, one instrument.’ That will get them down to the Top 24.” (Via TV Line)
Ryan Seacrest wants to come back to Idol. “I love this television show. I can’t imagine life without American Idol,” he says. The producers want him back. “Our expectation is that Ryan will stay with the show, ” says Mike Darnell, “I think everyone has come to realize the value of Ryan Seacrest. It’s very hard to imagine [American Idol] without Ryan. We certainly want to keep him,” Ryan would not comment on the Today Show rumors. (Via THR)
Randy Jackson on X Factor, ““Simon and Paula are dear friends of ours… I think that ‘Idol’ is still the best TV of its kind anywhere, and we invented this whole game and everyone’s kind of copying it,” Randy said, referring to shows like “The X Factor” and “The Voice,” which were brought up numerous times during the TCA panel. “We wish him well.” (Via Access Hollywood)
There will be NO Idol Gives Back this year, although it remains an active charity. (Via THR)
The gang trash-talked The Voice. Cecile Frot-Coutaz snarked that The Voice cast contestants, American Idol held open calls. Randy Jackson said, “We will never, ever rip of Star Trek like The Voice did with the chairs.” And on winner, Javier Colon’s previous record contract, “It was almost like second chance people; it wasn’t some new artist.” Mike Darnell said it was a compliment that The Voice hired Kelly Clarkson to be a mentor, but that Idol wouldn’t be hiring a lot of people from The Voice.
Darnell on the trash talk, ” You have to have a response to these questions and the response is competitive. We’re having fun. I wouldn’t call it touchy, I’d call it healthy competition.” (Via THR)
Click Here for the American Idol 11 Schedule
- There was a technical failure introducing American Idol. Simon Cowell in the house?
- Ryan Seacrest asked about “juggling all those balls” and steals the obvious joke by saying, “I like to juggle balls.”
- “We’re a little bit more comfortable,” J-Lo says of season 2 of “American Idol.”
- Steven Tyler: “I can’t go anywhere now,” due to added IDOL visibility. Says Aerosmith working on new album right now.
- Steven Tyler says reaction from the rock community, esp. his own band, was negative at first but it’s been nothing but good since.
- Ryan Seacrest: “I can’t imagine life without AMERICAN IDOL,” says he simply cannot comment on TODAY rumors.
- Fox reality boss on Ryan Seacrest/IDOL contract talks/exit rumors: “Our expectation is that Ryan will stay with the show.”
- “I only see myself hosting Idol,” Seacrest says. Mike Darnell: “Our expectation is he’ll be on the show for as long” as possible.
#tca12 - Ryan Seacrest asked if he’d bail on Fox and Idol to host The Voice: “I only see myself hosting on American Idol”; he’s “focused on this season.”
- “This is the most authentic talent show,” Idol judge Randy Jackson says. “You have to call it as you see it.”
- “I want to do it in a way they hear me, but there’s nothing wrong with a little tough love,” J-Lo says.
- Randy Jackson says if another guy wins it will be because he’s the best contestant. And notes, as everyone knows, girls vote.
- Fox’s Mike Darnell: “X-Factor is more over the top, campy, louder,” compared to
#Idol. Idol is the “gold standard,” he says. - EP Ken Warwick also points out that “Idol” has produced the most stars of the singing shows.
- American Idol panel is ripping X Factor: producer Warwick criticized Leona Lewis, Randy Jackson called it a place for a “second chance”
- American Idol “performance challenge”: late 50s song; then one-voice, one instrument to get to top 24.
- “Center portion of the series is always going to change” and “reinvent those middle rounds every year,” American Idol producer Warwick says
- During the
#AmericanIdol performance round in Las Vegas, contestants were asked to perform a 1950s song (at Aria’s Elvis theatre). - “I gotta call my lawyer,” says JLo upon hearing there’s a telenovela version of her movie “Maid in Manhattan” airing opposite “Idol.”
- Fox reality boss: Kelly Clarkson joining THE VOICE “is a compliment to IDOL. We’re not hiring a lot of people from THE VOICE to be on our show.”
- IDOL exec on THE VOICE’s less-goofy audition rounds: “They cast their show; we hold open calls.”
#Idol takes on The Voice. “We won’t rip off spinning chairs,” Randy Jackson says. Producer Cecile Frot-Coutaz blasts them for casting contestants.- “I’ve always wanted to get into her pants and now every once in a while she lets me,” says Steven, about wanting to wear J.Lo’s clothes
- “The record business is still really in the toilet,” notes Randy Jackson, asked about lackluster sales for singing show champs.
- Steven Tyler says about half of the songs have been written completely for the Aero album and another half are awaiting his lyrics. He says he doesn’t know if they’re hits but he thinks they’re good and that Joe Perry gets to town to work on it next week.
Via @BastardMachine, @realityblurred, @TVGuideMagazine @MattMitovich, @GlobeRodman
