American Idol News

posted by Administrator on Apr 21

The leadoff performer on an Idol finals night stands a disproportionately greater chance of being eliminated than those who follow, according to an analysis of Idol’s seven seasons.

In 69 finals episodes, 20 singers in the No. 1 spot have been voted off, seven more than would be expected based on statistical probability, says Nick Straguzzi, co-founder of WhatNotToSing.com, which collects and analyzes Idol data. In four out of six weeks this season, the first finalist has been in the bottom three, twice being eliminated. “The No. 1 slot is by far the most dangerous for finalists,” Straguzzi says.

Eliminations at the other slots came closer to what could be expected at random, except for lucky 7, a spot from which only one has been bounced. And no one in the 11th or 12th spot in a finals week has been eliminated; only one (Kristy Lee Cook) has been in the bottom three.

Producers decide the singing order except for the finale, which is a singer’s choice after a coin flip. (Only one finale leadoff singer, Ruben Studdard, has won Idol.) They vary the order each week to be fair, but also try to arrange singers and their songs to make the most entertaining show, executive producer Ken Warwick says.

“It’s worked out with two things in mind: where the kid (performed) last week, and if it’s a slow, ‘dirgey’ ballad, I try not to open with that,” he says.

Speculation about the danger of the leadoff spot, including fan chatter about a first-performer jinx, grew after the surprise elimination of Michael Johns, 29, who led off two weeks ago. Possible reasons (especially in weeks singers perform once):

•Fewer viewers at the start. Idol’s ratings grow throughout each show, with more viewers — and potential voters — watching singers at the end than at the beginning. On April 8, Idol went from 22.8 million viewers in the first half-hour to 26.4 million in the second, a 16% increase.

•Judging standards. Viewers compare each singer to the one who preceded him, which helps if you follow a bad performance, says Olivia Fox Cabane of Spitfire Consulting. “The problem when you are first is people are comparing you to whatever abstract standards they were hearing before you, i.e., professional singers or whoever they heard on the radio that day,” she says.

•The singing-voting gap. Many Idol watchers believe performances later in the show have a stronger hold on viewers than those earlier in the show.

Warwick acknowledges such factors create “a little bit” of a disadvantage. The order “is done as fairly as it could possibly be, but someone has to go first.”

By Bill Keveney, USA TODAY

posted by AINews on Jan 14

The Writers Guild of America strike crippling Hollywood is actually expected to benefit the seventh season of the U.S. TV series “American Idol.”

When the popular reality series returns to Fox this week, it is expected to easily surpass the offerings from rival networks devastated by the ongoing WGA strike, the Los Angeles Times said Sunday.

Ray Dundas, an executive with an advertisement-buying firm, said the fact other networks’ series have been essentially crippled by the strike has created an ideal situation for “Idol.”

“You have the No. 1 program in television for the last four years, and now it’s going up against even weaker competition,” the Initiative senior vice president said. “‘Idol’ is going to do very, very well.”

Such predictions have allowed Fox Broadcasting Co. to increase the cost of advertising time during the studio’s successful singing series, the Times said.

While a 30-second spot during “Idol” this season initially sold for $750,000, that figure has since risen to more than $1 million thanks to the ongoing labor dispute.

posted by AINews on Aug 30

Former “American Idol” contestant Jessica Sierra is in a rehab program, her attorney told a Florida judge hearing her battery and cocaine possession case.

The charges of battery and possession of cocaine against Sierra, of Tampa, Fla., stems from a confrontation with a patron in a nightclub.

Her attorney, John Fitzgibbons, told Judge Gregory Holder that Sierra entered the program in July in California and was expected to be in rehab for several months, the St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times reported Wednesday.

“I believe this is in her best interest,” Fitzgibbons said. Outside of the courtroom, he wouldn’t specify Sierra’s exact problems but said the comprehensive program covers drug and alcohol abuse, and other issues.

Holder rescheduled Sierra’s trial for November.

posted by AINews on Aug 7

Standing outside Texas Stadium with thousands of other “American Idol” hopefuls Monday, LaCondra Davies knew she was bound for Hollywood. Again.

“I know the game now,” said Davies, 29, who was booted from the show last season after making the first cut. “You can’t give them everything at once.”

At they resumed auditions Monday for the seventh season of “American Idol,” producers from the Fox ratings juggernaut gave about 15 seconds to each of the of would-be singing stars who turned out. Last week in San Diego, more than 12,000 people showed up when the show kicked off its seven-city casting call.

Producers shied away from estimating the size of the horde that ascended on Texas Stadium, but the line stretched as wide as 30 people and snaked around a fourth of the building.

They sang (though not always well), waited and sometimes wilted under a stifling morning sun in the parking lot as they waited to get inside. Ice packs were given to some who struggled with temperatures that climbed past 90 degrees.

Dallas has proven fertile ground for “Idol” talent before. Kelly Clarkson, the first and most successful “American Idol” winner, is from the neighboring suburb of Burleson. Nikki McKibbin, who finished third to Clarkson, is from nearby Grand Prairie.

Patrick Stephens, 23, said he auditioned in Birmingham, Ala., last year only to file out “like a loser.” His approach Monday was more laid back as, like scores of others, he fiddled with an iPod - not rehearsing songs but instead watching videos of standup comedy.

“I don’t have an interesting back story if I get picked,” said Stephens, a technical recruiter from Plano.

Those who advanced Monday must still pass another audition in front of show executives before getting the chance to sing in front of judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson for the taped portions of the show.

In coming weeks, auditions will be held in Omaha, Neb.; Atlanta; Charleston, S.C.; Miami and Philadelphia. The show returns to the air in January.

posted by AINews on Aug 7

Fox’s “Idol Gives Back,” which provided millions of dollars in aid to children in extreme poverty, and HBO’s “The Addiction Project” educational campaign will receive the television academy’s 2007 Governors Award.

“We salute these programs for harnessing the power of television to educate and inform viewers about two very significant issues that touch all of us,” academy chairman Dick Askin said in announcing the award Monday.

Part concert and part public-service campaign, “Idol Gives Back” joined “American Idol” host Ryan Seacrest and Ellen DeGeneres with musicians, humanitarians and corporate sponsors to raise more than $74 million for poor, homeless and sick children in the United States and Africa.

“We are so proud to have been able to leverage the power of `Idol’ with the support of our dedicated viewers across America to raise so much money and awareness for such worthwhile charitable organizations,” creator and executive producer Simon Fuller said in a statement.

“The Addiction Project,” a partnership between HBO, the National Institutes of Health and the Robert Wood Johnson foundation, included a series of documentary films and outreach events in more than 100 cities to build awareness of addiction as a chronic brain disease that responds to medical and behavioral treatments.

“It’s a topic which affects the lives of millions of Americans, and HBO considers it a privilege to have made some small contribution to helping people understand the challenges and treatment opportunities of this terrible disease,” HBO chairman and chief executive Bill Nelson said in a statement.

The Governors Award is the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ highest honor, recognizing the achievements of an individual, company or organization. Past recipients include Jerry Lewis for his work with the Muscular Dystrophy telethon and mtvU’s Campaign for Darfur.

The awards will be presented Sept. 8 at the creative arts Emmy ceremony, which honors technical achievements and guest actors in series.

The prime-time Emmys are scheduled to air live on Fox on Sept. 16.

posted by AINews on Jul 9

With over 30 million viewers each week, “American Idol” has become synonymous with great music and leading fashion. Recognizing this harmony between music and fashion, Lyric Jeans, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: LYJN) today announced that it has entered into a licensing agreement with FremantleMedia, co-producer and licensor for “American Idol,” to create a lyric-inspired “American Idol” branded apparel line for department stores, mid-tier and mass market retailers. The initial Lyric Jeans-”American Idol” collection will focus on the contemporary juniors and girls market and expand into other areas including children’s wear.

“‘American Idol’ is the most powerful and iconic music brand in popular culture today and the perfect tie-in for our creative concept,” said Hanna Rochelle Schmieder, President of Lyric Jeans, Inc. “We couldn’t have dreamt of a better partner. Now music and fashion lovers everywhere can feel like a pop star and express themselves through our lyric-driven lifestyle brand,” she continued.

Nora Wong, Manager of Consumer Licensing, for FremantleMedia’s North America team, added, “Lyric Jeans has taken a unique approach in personalizing musical expression through fashion. Lending the ‘American Idol’ name to this apparel line is a fantastic extension for both brands and gets to the heart of what the ‘American Idol’ brand is all about.”

posted by AINews on Jun 23

It’s been a good week for American Idol album sales, as reported by USA Today.

They were up 10%, while most Idols enjoyed increased figures. Once again no Idols made the Billboard top 10, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Daughtry led the pack at No. 13, down from No. 12. But he sold 56,000, up 4%, for a total of 2.78 million, American Idol UNofficial fan site says.

Similarly, Carrie Underwood dropped 16-22 on the chart but registered a 2% sales increase, to 41,000, to bring her total to 5.66 million.

Fantasia Barrino is the only charting Idol to drop in sales: She’s off 7% to 7,100 and falls 97-116 on the chart. Her sales total is 413,000, making it likely that she’ll eventually hit gold, though.

Kellie Pickler climbs 128-122 on the chart, with a 12% gain to 6,700 and a total of 559,000. She could end up outselling Taylor Hicks and wind up as the season’s No. 2 seller.

Mandisa has the No. 1 single in the country with Only the World; it sold 1,900 copies, down from 2,000.

posted by AINews on Jun 21

Arbitration was ordered on Wednesday in a lawsuit filed in mid-March in Los Angeles Superior Court by Olmos, according to the city’s Fox affiliate KTTV. In the lawsuit, Olmos claimed he was fired for complaining he was sexually harassed by Idol fourth-season finalist Mario Vazquez, who reportedly withdrew from the competition before the finals began for “personal reasons.” Olmos’ attorneys have since stated Vazquez’ departure was not voluntary and was instead the result of their client’s claim.

In addition to suing Vazquez, Olmos named Fox Entertainment and FremantleMedia as defendants in his lawsuit for wrongful termination and violation of California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act. He was seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages, according to KTTV.

In his lawsuit, Olmos claims that he tried to report the incident to a superior at Idol, who allegedly responded by telling Olmos that “he was crazy.” Olmos also alleges the supervisor said if he “did not stop complaining about his supervisor’s hostile treatment of him, [Olmos] would ‘cry [himself] out of a job’ and not be back for Season 5.”

Olmos began working on Idol in October 2002 and his contract was renewed each of the next two years, according to the lawsuit, until he was “terminated” in May 2005 in the midst of Idol’s fifth-season run.

posted by AINews on Jun 20

As “American Idol” enters its seventh season on Fox, co-producer and licensor FremantleMedia boasts upward of 40 licensees and a string of off-air sponsors, Variety informs.

FremantleMedia’s season six off-air sponsorship roster included multimillion-dollar promotional campaigns with All Detergent, Edy’s/Dreyer’s Ice Cream, McDonald’s, Nestle, Pringles and Samsung.

This summer, off-air sponsor Oscar Mayer will kick off a national “Sing the Jingle, Be a Star” promotion searching for the next voice to croon its famous commercial tune.

This summer will also witness a landmark extension for the “Idol” brand with the launch of its first performing-arts camp for kids, Idol Camp, aimed for children ages 12 to 15.

Meanwhile, Fremantle continues to eye global merchandising expansion, Variety reports.

“While 2007 saw USAopoly and Konami join the ‘Idol’ roster, going forward we plan to explore more merchandising extensions in the interactive and role-play categories,” Luner said.

posted by AINews on Jun 19

Just when you thought you’ve seen it all, Idol: The Musical, which is based on the idol worship of former “American Idol” contestant Clay Aiken is headed Off-Broadway.

The musical, which was recently seen in Syracuse, NY, is scheduled to begin previews at Off-Broadway’s 45th Street Theatre July 5. Todd Ellis is producing the Manhattan engagement of Idol, which will be directed by Bill Boland.

The musical features a book by Boland and music by Jon Balcourt. Both men collaborated on the lyrics.

Idol: The Musical, according to press notes, is described as “a satirical musical comedy that focuses on the outrageous and delusional fan base of the hit television show. The musical takes place in Steubenville, Ohio where a group of dork-like students are preparing for their high school graduation after which they are determined to drag themselves out of the dregs of the middle-of-nowhere.

“There are eight of them; all belonging to the same cult-like club that meets daily in a barn that doubles as a shrine to Clay Aiken. They are actively ridiculed by the rest of Steubenville; a humiliating situation that doesn’t deter their quest for all things Clay. They are victims of A.D.D., Ritalin, their misguided obsessions and their innocent longing for their elusive ‘15 minutes.’ One of them pumps gas. One of them is home-schooled. One of them is a genius. And one of them is a basketball phenom who would rather be a Chippendales dancer. The other four have equally bizarre back-stories too complicated to tell here; but suffice it to know that the real bad-guy of the piece is a total harpy named Adrienne. She gives new meaning to the word villain. The story heats up when the mid-American leg of the ‘Idol Tour,’ starring Clay Aiken, is announced to be playing Chicago, Memphis, Louisville, Scranton, Charleston, Greensboro, Roanoke and Steubenville. Steubenville! False idols are a tricky bunch. Especially those that have lost national singing contests. Go ask Clay. I think he’ll know.”

Ticket information has yet to be announced.