Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest already off to a rocky start – Kelly Ripa is not over the moon about ABC acquiring “American Idol” after announcing Ryan Seacrest as her new “Live” co-host. “She doesn’t want a repeat of the Michael Strahan situation. It’s like ABC is once again diluting the attention on ‘Live.’ She wants to make sure her show is Ryan’s first priority, not ‘Idol,’ ” a source told us. – Read more at Page 6
Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest Slam Rumors of Live Tension Over American Idol’s Return – What’s more, a source close to the program is adamant that there is “no truth” to Page Six’s gossipy report of “friction” between Ripa and Seacrest, who are longtime friends. “They get along famously. They truly love each other and speak several times a day. They respect each one another. She supports his other commitments and he supports hers. Ryan and Kelly have the same work ethic and values,” the source explains to E! News. “That’s why it works so well.” – Read more at EOnline
‘American Idol’ Reboot Puts Squeeze on ABC Pilots – Producers with pilots in contention at ABC were less than thrilled to hear the news that the network was reviving “American Idol.” The talent competition, which ABC announced Tuesday will return to television in the 2017-18 season, will likely fill up multiple time slots that might otherwise gone to scripted series. The show during its Fox run was also easily expanded out to extra hours when needed. All of this adds up to ABC probably being more selective about its comedy and drama pickups this year. “I was feeling pretty good about things until I heard about (‘Idol’),” said a producer with multiple pilots at ABC — one of several to voice discontent with the pickup to Variety. ABC has committed to airing roughly 40 hours of “Idol” next season, Variety learned. As such, the network will likely air the show over two nights most weeks, as it did during its 15-season run on Fox. – Read more at Variety
RTL Group Q1 Revenues Drop 1.9% Due to Absence of ‘American Idol’ – RTL Group, Europe’s leading entertainment network, saw revenues dip 1.9% to €1.405 billion ($1.5 billion) in the first quarter of 2017, the company announced Thursday. RTL said the drop was due entirely to the absence of FremantleMedia’s “American Idol” on U.S. network Fox. “Following the exceptionally strong first quarter 2016 with an early Easter, we have returned to regular business in the first quarter of 2017. Nonetheless, our profitability remains on a high level, and we will continue to significantly invest in digital and content,” said RTL Group co-CEOs Bert Habets and Guillaume de Posch in a statement released Thursday morning. – Read more at Variety
NMPA Hosts L.A. Golf Tournament To Support Songwriters – The NATIONAL MUSIC PUBLISHERS’ ASSOCIATION S.O.N.G.S. (SUPPORTING OUR NEXT GENERATION OF SONGWRITERS) FOUNDATION hosted its first-annual LOS ANGELES golf tournament to raise money for songwriters and composition education programs. Songwriters who played to support their fellow creators included NIALL HORAN, PHILLIP PHILLIPS, ED ROLAND, JOE KING, MIKE POST, ADAM ANDERS, DALLASK, ROSS GOLAN, MICHAEL BALARDI, DAVE MERENDA, JAMIE JONES, P.J. BLOOM, JEFF RUSSO, GABE SAPORTA, BEN MARGULIES, TOM KELLY, DAVE BASSETT and JULIAN BUNETTA, combining for seven GRAMMYs and 42 chart-topping hits. – Read more at All Access.com
Harry Connick Jr. Weighs in on Kelly Clarkson Joining ‘The Voice’ and ‘American Idol’ Reboot News – “She’s amazing. I remember when I did something with her on American Idol she was so great,” the singer and talk show host told ET’s Jennifer Peros at the premiere of the HBO original movie Wizard of Lies at The Museum of Modern Art in New York City on Thursday. “She’s like, the perfect person to judge on a show like that,” Connick Jr. explained. “Because she knows both sides — what it’s like to have hits and what it’s like to be in a competition. She’s going to be amazing.” – Read more at Entertainment Tonight
Nigel Lythgoe Weighs In on ‘American Idol’ Return
‘American Idol’ Alum Blake Lewis on the Show’s Return – I’ve been talking to my fans about the show’s return over the last couple of days and the responses have been polarizing. Half of them are excited and the other half say, “Let it be — it made its mark.” I’m somewhere in the middle. This show gave me an amazing opportunity to share my craft at a time when the world didn’t really know what beatboxing was, so I’m extremely grateful for that limelight. The journey had its ups and downs, but I grew in every way imaginable and the aftermath was nothing short of amazing for my career. That being said: Does America need this show back? – Read more at Variety
“I called it!”: Lauren Alaina says she always knew “American Idol” would be back – “I called it!” the Georgia native exclaims excitedly. “I have said that they will bring it back. Because it’s American Idol! They have to bring it back.” While she’s elated that the show that launched her career will return, Lauren believes Idol will benefit from the time away. “It did need a break…” she tells ABC Radio. “Everybody needed to catch their breath a little bit.” – Read more at ABCNewsRadio
American Idol 3 alum Jasmine Trias and American Idol 5 winner Taylor Hicks
Hey Hawaii! Go see my friend @AmericanIdol @TaylorHicks Fri-Sun @bluenotehawaii Taylor’s the best! Don’t miss it!??? pic.twitter.com/mPyVH7XoGi
— Jasmine Trias (@JasmineTrias) May 11, 2017
Crooner from ‘America’s Got Talent’ a long way from days of delivering pizzas – He took the world by storm at age 20 on Season 11 of the NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” in 2016 and the Bethpage, N.Y. native appears unstoppable. Valentinetti was a finalist on AGT that season that was won by singer Grace VanderWaal. “I tell stories, I tell jokes. I talk with the crowd – the audience can expect fun for at least two hours,” he said of his show. His grandmother was his inspiration. When she passed away the music was what he most remembered her by. Not many teenagers are fans of Sinatra and that may have cost him a few friends growing up, but it was well worth being true to himself. – Read more at NorthJersey.com
Sharna Burgess: I Was ‘Disappointed’ in What Len Goodman Said to Bonner Bolton on ‘DWTS’ – I was very, very proud of him for that performance, regardless of the judges’ comments. Len Goodman was definitely brutal. I was actually a little disappointed in Len for what he said to Bonner. It’s not always just the best dancer who’s making it through to the finals. I think we can all agree on that. It has to do with that person’s story and how much they’re inspiring someone. – Read more at USMagazine
L.A. Reid Out at Epic Records – L.A. Reid is out as chairman/CEO of Epic Records after nearly six years at the helm of the Sony-owned label, Billboard has confirmed. The move comes just weeks after former Columbia Records chief Rob Stringer assumed his new role as CEO of Sony Music Entertainment in April. Reid has overseen a successful run in recent years at Epic, with back-to-back No. 1 albums in 2017 already, both from Future, and chart-topping LPs from Future, DJ Khaled, Travi$ Scott and a reunited A Tribe Called Quest in 2016. Khaled’s “I’m The One,” which features Chance the Rapper, Lil Wayne, Justin Bieber and Quavo is currently the No. 1 song on the Hot 100. The story was first reported by Variety. – Read more at Billboard
