`American Idol’ creator Simon Fuller weighing bid for CKX
“American Idol” creator Simon Fuller is looking to make a run at CKX Inc., the media and entertainment company whose holdings include 19 Entertainment, one of the producers of the Fox hit.
Fuller is teaming up with financier and former Barclays banker Roger Jenkins and is prepping a bid of about $600 million for CKX, a person familiar with the matter said.
Fuller and Jenkins are the latest to consider throwing their hat in the ring for CKX Inc. Robert F.X. Sillerman, who founded CKX, resigned earlier this month as chairman and chief executive and said he is weighing an offer for the company. Also kicking the tires is One Equity Partners, which is the private-equity arm of JPMorgan Chase. Allen Shapiro, president and chief executive of Mosaic Media Group, is involved in that effort.
Paige Miles Day to honor Naples ‘Idol’ contestant
“American Idol” contestant Paige Miles will sing and answer fan questions today at her former Naples school.
Miles – who was eliminated from the reality TV show in March – is taking part in Paige Miles Day at The Community School of Naples. The event is open only to students, parents and school alumni.
Miles graduated from the school in 2004.
At the 2:30 p.m. event, Naples Mayor Bill Barnett will give Miles a key to the city and officially declare Friday to be “Paige Miles Day, ” according to the school’s website. Barnett couldn’t be reached for comment.
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Crystal Bowersox: ‘More Original Material on Idol’
“If there was one thing about ‘Idol’ I’d change, it would be more original material, ” Bowersox told “Extra’s” host Mario Lopez when she stopped by the set. “I think it would be a good thing for the show.”
EXCLUSIVE VIDEO! Your Favorite ‘Idols’ Hit The Red Carpet To See Lee DeWyze Win Season 9!
‘American Idol’ winner Lee DeWyze: ‘It all just happened so fast’
The newest “American Idol” winner Lee DeWyze spoke with the press backstage after his big win. Lee tells us about his experience, the thrill of it all and the fact that he had to ignore the judges’ after the final performances because he did his best.
“This is an amazing experience, especially since this has been such a long process, ” says Lee. “It’s been a lot harder than I thought it would be.”
‘Idol’ Guest Blog: Bo Bice Reviews The Finale
You already know what we think about Lee DeWyze’s big win on Idol. But it’s about time you hear from someone who knows exactly how Crystal Bowersox feels: Season 4 runner-up Bo Bice, who was in the house for last night’s results. Bo sized up the Idol Top 4 perfectly in his last guest post, and we could think of no one better to review last night’s star-studded finale. (We <3 him so much we drew him in CRAYON in our special video recap.)
Bo just released his third album, the aptly titled 3, and you really ought to visit his site to hear him sing his new tune “Long Road Back”. That’s what a rock star sounds like. Did Bo guess Season 9’s winner correctly? Head below to find out.
‘American Idol’ alum Bo Bice performs his new single ‘You Take Yourself With You’
Rocker Bo Bice is back this month, releasing a brand new album titled 3. The American Idol season four runner-up wrote or co-wrote all ten tracks on the CD, and this time around also he produced or co-produced all ten.
Bice stopped by our On The Red Carpet studios this week to perform an acoustic version of his brand new single.
‘American Idol’: Was Season 9 really the worst season ever?
Opinions have been largely negative surrounding the ninth season of FOX’s hit singing competition show — but is this really the worst season in “American Idol” history? We don’t think so.
We think this is more a case of the collective “Idol” viewing audience having some short-term memory loss. Sure, in comparison to the David vs. David showdown of two years ago and the spectacle that was Adam Lambert coupled with whiskey-voiced Allison Iraheta and cutie-pie Kris Allen, Season 9 seemed a little boring.
‘Idol’ feet of clay
Much of the cause of “Idol’s” decline has been attributed to the show’s lack of star power this season. The exit of eccentric judge Paula Abdul might have also played a role. And at least one reality producer suggests that “Idol’s” production values might also be to blame.
“From a production standpoint, it’s a lazily produced show, ” said the producer, who has mounted similar shows in the past. “The money is apparently going to pay the talent’s lavish salaries. The lighting, the direction, the stagecraft, the packages, the execution is poor.”
To be fair, mounting a live show twice a week is a tall order. But “Idol” appeared to have an impossible time keeping the show moving smoothly — particularly when compared to its CBS Television City neighbor, “Dancing With the Stars, ” which perhaps runs a tighter ship (and doesn’t have overrun problems).
EXCLUSIVE VIDEO! Final ‘Idol’ Thoughts From Blake Lewis: ‘I Want To Work With Didi Benami!’
Blake Lewis has weighed in with his expert American Idol opinion on HollywoodLife.com all season long, and now that it’s over, our own personal Idol judge confides that’s although he’s upset his favorite contestants didn’t win, overall he’s pleased by this season’s outcome!
Season 9 finale: all-‘American Idol’ rejects
From William Hung to General Larry Platt to our buddy Norman Gentle, there were some kooky characters on the red carpet Wednesday — and for some reason, they all seemed to gather near our little corner of the “Idol” world. Remember Ian Benardo from 2007? The fur-vested goober with the heavy New Yawk accent was looking for trouble both on the carpet and later on stage, when he grabbed the microphone away from Dane Cook (see the video here) so that he could announce, “I’m replacing you, Simon Cowell, because I’m more entertaining than you!” The unscripted moment prompted a quick cut-away by producers.
Simon Cowell to get special Bafta award
Music mogul Simon Cowell is to receive a special prize at the Bafta TV awards next month, organisers have announced.
The X Factor judge is being honoured for his “outstanding contribution… and for his development of new talent”.
John Willis, chair of Bafta’s TV committee, said he was “delighted” to recognise “one of the most brilliant entertainment producers of our time”.
It’s a Cruel, Cruel World
Remember the first time you heard Kelly Clarkson sing? Don’t feel bad, because neither did Simon Cowell, and he had a front-row seat. He couldn’t even recall Kelly’s name. “I just don’t like this girl, ” he mumbled to Paula Abdul, after a performance. It was one of the few times Cowell was wrong about something. For the last nine years, he’s been our pop-culture oracle—or as the New York Post dubbed him, a modern-day P. T. Barnum. He’s acted as the driving force behind the majority of our biggest music icons (Carrie Underwood, Chris Daughtry, Clay Aiken, even Susan Boyle). And now it’s time to shed a tear for Simon, because he exits American Idol this week. It’s strange to say that we’ll miss him, because Cowell made a jarring first impression in the summer of 2002. The man with the funny accent and tight undershirts attacked our youth with impunity, and it was startling, like watching a car crash right before your very eyes. “I was so happy, ” Clarkson said after her audition, “because the British man didn’t make me cry.” Simon Cowell wasn’t just cruel. He was so gross, he made you want to shower.
Cat Deeley On So You Think You Can Dance’s Changes and Stealing Emmys
Cat Deeley’s hosting gig on So You Think You Can Dance acquaints her with talents who want a quick rise to stardom, but her beginnings in TV happened just as swiftly. The 33-year-old star landed an on-air job in her native UK after sending one self-made audition tape to MTV. That job led to countless others, including hosting duties on Brit reality series The Record of the Year and Reach for the Stars. Now that she emcees the US and UK versions of So You Think You Can Dance, Deeley seems poised for a universal takeover. Ahead of SYTYCD’s seventh season premiere tonight on Fox, Deeley spoke with Movieline about her academic past, Emmy aspirations, and how the show will be different without Mary Murphy as a permanent judge.
‘So You Think You Can Dance’ host Cat Deeley on Season 7, her love of dancing and her colleagues
“So You Think You Can Dance” returns Thursday night for its seventh season, and host Cat Deeley is very excited about all of the changes to the show, including the top 10 competitors being paired up with All-Stars from previous seasons.
We caught up with Deeley earlier this month at the Renaissance Hotel in Hollywood, where workers made our videotaped interview a bit raucous. But watch the videos and you’ll see a perfectly poised Deeley not missing a beat, even when huge carts of chairs are wheeled right behind her.
The ultra charming TV host (Come on Emmy folks, nominate her!) has been super busy since the sixth season ended. She hosted “So You Think You Can Dance” in England, created a new TV show that she’s hoping to sell soon, traveled to Madagascar with UNICEF to film a documentary about mothers and babies, and has created a vintage jewelry line.
‘So You Think You Can Dance’: A new season that promises to be different delivers a familiar debut
After six seasons it’s a little hard to find new and exciting things to say about the audition episodes of “So You Think You Can Dance, ” but that doesn’t mean I’m not happy to see one of my favorite talent competitions back on the air. With new tweaks including a top 10 instead of top 20 and partnerships with former contestants, I’m hoping to see some excitement this season, especially after the rather humdrum seasons of “Project Runway” and “American Idol, ” which both could benefit from a face-lift.
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Idols past offer their ideas for ‘Idol’s’ future
Much of the talk during and after this week’s finale wasn’t just about looking back on the season, but forging ahead to a new, hopefully improved “Idol” in the years to come. From the recent survey conducted on americanidol.com, which probed viewer satisfaction by asking how much (or how little, depending on your POV) judges Randy Jackson, Kara DioGuardi and Ellen DeGeneres would be missed, should one get the ax, to the imminent Simon Cowell replacement question, it’s foreboding, alright and, according to several sources, just the tip of the “Idol” iceberg — many big changes are being considered for next year’s show.
Bret Michaels Talks about Idol on Ryan Seacrest
Who owns ‘Pants on the Ground’?
“Pants on the ground! Pants on the ground! You looking like a fool with your pants on the ground!”
The tidy yard filled with pots of cabbage and tomato plants was Platt’s stage as he danced in the grass and sang along. “Gold in your mouth, hat turned sideways …” Seated on the porch, his manager Earl Little, “friend” Sally Harley and a visitor looked on. The “general” did not stop singing until the last note of the song he made famous in January when he auditioned for “American Idol.”
But is it legally his song?
New York rapper Shawn Mims claims to have arranged the hip-hop version of “Pants, ” making him a co-author. He also claims on his Facebook page to be a co-founder of American King Music, the company that recorded that tune in an Atlanta studio with Platt. Those things entitle Mims to distribution rights and a percentage of the revenue, according to a lawsuit Mims filed against Platt in March.
