Nigel Lythgoe Addresses JLo, Steven Tyler Exits From American Idol

American Idol Executive Producer Nigel Lythgoe has finally addressed the departures of judges Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez.

“I’m really upset. I spoke to Jennifer last Friday,” Nigel told Ryan Seacrest on his radio show. She called me just after she spoke to you and I have to respect both Jennifer and Steven’s decisions. They’ve got a much bigger career than just sitting judging ‘Idol.’ They’re both very talented people and you have to respect their decision to carry on and do what they were doing before ‘Idol.’ It breaks my heart, because I love them both dearly.”

Could Nigel’s statement squash rumors that Jennifer and Steven were’t asked to return to American Idol 2013?

Nigel says he could see American Idol’s future including a “one year tour” for judges, meaning that a celeb judge would be on for one season then go. That would be an easy way to avoid paying the celeb more money every year, huh?

He won’t say if there are any names leading the race for the new judges’ seats at the moment.

“At the end of the day it’s chemistry,” he said. “It’s not easy. At the moment while we’re in the spotlight of the press it’s not really helping negotiations with anybody. I’m sure nobody’s name will be mentioned at this time while we’re getting it together.”

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124 Comments

  1. I’m not sure if I like the idea of a one year tour for the judges. However, it could mean a huge variety of big names.

    • One year tour…would keep the show fresh each season…people will tune in just to see the changes in judges. If AI chooses someone a viewer hates, the viewer will more likely watch and suffer through it since they know the judge they dislike will be gone next season.
      Good strategy Nigel.

      • LC:  He’s just protecting his butt bc nobody who has any fame wants to lock in for more than a year.  They should look at JGlow, all the fame she has currently is because of the show.  The media keeps screaming AI is done, yet look at all the celebs who want to judge.  It’s a grade above DWTS to get your name out there again.

  2. please do not put adam lambert on there as a judge, will quit watching if you do, didn’t like him when he was a contestant and don’t like him now

  3. From Nigel-

    “They’re both very talented people and you have to respect their decision to carry on and do what they were doing before ‘Idol.’ It breaks my heart, because I love them both dearly.”

    Uhhh, Nigel.  You mean Steven is very talented.   Lets get real with  Jennifer.  She can’t sing.  She can’t act.  Somehow she seems to get these great jobs with no matter how terrible her product is. 

    As for someone with talent who wants the gig.  It came out on the radio here in Detroit that Aretha Franklin wants one of the judges positions.   They didn’t say if Fox/American Idol returned the interest. 

    As a human being I can’t stand Aretha.  In a lot of cases her own neighbors can’t stand her either.   I’ll concede she’s a darn good singer though. 

    • he can’t really say that they sucked as judges even though they did.  what the show needs is an experienced, talented, and current judge of today’s music scene, whether performer, producer, or manager.  there are many out there.  the problem is if they would want this type of job for so many weeks.  and to also have to put up with the ridiculous voting system and the sob story angle.  the show has gotten stale and needs a real shot in the arm.

      • ITA.  Current is the operative word.  I don’t mean someone so current that they are still wet behind the ears [Miley Cyrus, Beiber], but someone who is active and still charting but has real experience [Jon Bon Jovi, Usher, Alicia Keys, Brad Paisley].  No dinosaurs, please.  Anyone who hasn’t been connected with the top 40 in 10 years shouldn’t be considered.  Producers such as Babyface or Phil Vasser would be good, too.  

      •  Templar, some great ideas you have there!  Especially BonJovi.  But the other would be good too.

      • Templar, Bon Jovi would be perfect. I was talking about it at supper the other night and my 18 year old daughter was like..if he’s on it..I’ll watch! She hasn’t watched in years. I love him, my 18 year old loves him, and my 72 year old mother loves him. He has 3 generations right there!

    •  I heard the same thing about Aretha =/.. I also heard that Marah Carry is interested.

  4. Let’s all hope Howard Stern doesn’t get the job. That will be the end of Idol for me..

    • You may personally dislike Howard Stern. As he is not everyone’s cup of tea. I can understand that. But, he sure did a lot for the ratings on “America’s got Talent” this season. And he did so by just giving honest praise and honest criticism when it was deserved. And he did it without any of the potty humor he is known for. Isn’t that something American Idol sorely needs in a judge after Randy, Jennifer and Steven? I personally think Howard would be a great addition to the show.

      • Those judges on AGT need to be cloned and spread across all TV reality shows of this nature. They know what they are doing but it is clear that they are making a concerted effort to address all the things that have been viewed negatively with American Idol. They are doing a good job of it though.

  5. There’s a lot of things that AI needs to do to stay competitive. Getting a new judging panel is only part of it, here’s what I’d do or suggest if I were a producer of the show.

    1. New judging panel. This suggestion is what’s already happening. I don’t know if it is because of AI firing Steven and JLo or if Steven and JLo decided to leave to focus on other projects. The new judges should be ones who won’t sugarcoat their critiques, but ones who will be honest and up front with the contestants.

    2. Make it about the contestants and not the judges. I don’t care who the judges are and what they are doing outside of the AI world. Fact is we got treated to music video premiers from JLo.  Had to listen to the talk about JLo being voted the most beautiful girl in the world or something or another. We had to sit through JLo performances(still having nightmares about that). AI was quickly becoming the JLo show, and the contestants suffered for it. So the new judges while I don’t mind a quick little plug on whatever they are selling or doing outside of AI, they need to keep it about the contestants and not themselves.

    3. Make the results show only a half hour. I know this probably will never happen. I just get irritated having to sit through all the filler crap that they put on every week, when most of everybody is only tuning in to see if their favorites made it through to the following week.  They can cut out the painful group performances, the filler crap of the finalist going to movie premiers, meeting famous people, moving into a mansion, ect. A 30 minute results show would simply be results and one or two guest performances.

    4. Cut down on the audition episodes. Why must the audition episodes nearly last a month before we can get to Hollywood? I know this past season the audition episodes got old for me after the first couple of episodes. Simply cut down on the audition episodes and get the Hollywood quicker, and maybe extend the Hollywood/Vegas episodes.

    5. Cut down on the sob stories. Must I feel compelled to vote for a  contestant because they are poor, or it was the dream of their dead parent or grandparent, ect. Can’t I vote on who I feel is the most talented and not who has had the greatest hardships in their life.

    6. No styling sessions. I don’t care what the contestants are wearing, I just care if they move me when they take the stage.

    7. Clear better songs. I don’t want to hear the next version of “Alone” or “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” or anything Adele. Clear better songs to create a better variety.

    Well that’s all I have for now.

      •  I added a couple that I forgot to mention below, and limiting the voting is one of them.

      • OMG!  Stop blaming it on that! You could have voted for your favorite! People say the teen girls? Riiight..they barely even watch. The average age is 50! I feel like a freaking broken record!

      • @e2cda677ca8daf153fb0282a01c6bb48:disqus No one said anything about teen girls.  The fact is, it doesn’t matter who is doing the power voting.  The power voters are only going to buy one CD, one download per song and one concert ticket, so power voting is not a true indicator of a singer’s popularity.  It skews the results unnecessarily and with no positive outcome.  10 votes per device is manageable for most viewers and would give a more realistic idea of a contestant’s future success.

      • @Pally…I’m with you, I wish that phrase would vanish.  Any guy that ever wins will inherit that title.  It’s only the people whose own favorite didn’t that use it.  Further, I just don’t get the Adam hate on this site.  Is our country still that homophobic or is it just middle America..one step forward, ten back. 

      • @templar, did they ever come out and give the vote totals on Phillip and Jessica?  So..if they were separated by only 100 votes..you would say Phillip’s fans power voted and Jessica’s didnt’? It’s silly, really

      • @e2cda677ca8daf153fb0282a01c6bb48:disqus Of course not.  What I am saying is that power voting put Jess and Phil in the two top spots.  Other than allowing Ryan to announce 50 million votes there is no point in power voting, but plenty of downsides.  Maniacal voters may buy 1000 Cokes in their lifetime, but not 1000 Fords.  So it doesn’t serve the sponsors in any way.  It sure doesn’t help determine future success for the contestants and it does turn off viewers who haven’t the time or means to power vote.  What’s the point?

    • You are right on here.  I DVR it and I never watch the things you have outlined here.  If they cut the minutes many would have to take a cut in pay.  lol   I have many friends like me that never watch the entire show.  I would never watch it if I had to sit through all that garbage.  This year they added warerobe.  What  a joke!!  Get back to the first few season and make it about the kids….

    • They should also not have to have an equal number of guys and girls. Just bring the best singers regardless of gender. That’s what I think anyway.

  6. I am not sorry to see Jennifer and Steven leave. I would like to see ” the Dog  stay though. Someone has to be the bad guy and it can’t be him. He triead last year but he is just too nice to pull it off. Whoever that person will be will probably be acting and that is OK.

  7.  Oh yeah there are a couple of more I forgot to mention

    8. No instruments until top 5. Don’t allow the contestants to hide behind a guitar, piano, drums, keyboard, ect. This way the performances until the top 5 can be more focused on the vocal performance, and if a white guy who plays guitar wins, then it can be said that he had to actually focus on his vocals until the top 5.

    9. Probably the most important is to limit the number of votes cast per device. This can end the talk about teen girls voting for the cute guys.

    • Don’t agree on this one Shawn, can you imagine Billy Joel without a piano or Eric Clapton without his guitar.   For some musicians it is an integral part of who they are as an artist.  If this goes back to boys with guitars, it’s a moot point.   Did anybody complain about Bowersox with an instrument.  At P2’s audition, he sang like crazy WITHOUT his guitar and they asked him to play another song with it and he was amazing.

      •  Personally it doesn’t bother me if the contestants use instruments or not. I am just saying that because so many are complaining that the past five winners are WGWG, so I say put a ban on instruments until the  top 5 would be a good way to get them to shut up as for a portion of the competition the eventual winner was banned from using instruments. I was a huge Phillip supporter and was happy that he won, but so many are saying he won because he’s a WGWG and not because he’s talented.

      • You’re right on this one too Shawn! This may be a good way to shut up the annoying ppl who insist girls just can’t resist a guy with a guitar.

      •  ShawnIf you start banning stuff, then you need to ban girls wearing slutty outfits that are 10 years older than the are. It’s disgusting.

    • #8-AI is not a voice competition, get over it. It is a musical performance competition and that includes instruments.

  8. I have been an Idol fan from the start.  These judges  have not really offered help to these men and women.  JoLo was making statments to male kids that was out of line.  Steven’s mouth was filth… If your language has to be bleeped while talking to a 16 year old girl then he should have been tossed out on his head months ago.  These two judges will not be missed by my household.  Now names are being tossed around like Lambert. ARE YOU KIDDING US!!  There are so many people with much talent that know the music business.   they could and would offer more than someone that could not even win at Idol.  Then today I heard of Steinfield.  That has to be a joke.  Oh yea, let us put people  juding and offering help to our young people that can’t keep his own life in order.  Second chances, sure give it to them but not at the expense of teens.  Idol needs to get a hold of their directions or it will be down the drain for sure. 

    • There is only one reason and one reason only that Adam L. did not win Season 8 and we all know why that is.  After season 8 Idol last a lot of followers because Adam didn’t win.  Most of the people on this blog during Season 8 have stopped watching Idol because Adam lost.   The most shocked person was Kris Allen……if you remember.   He would definitely make a good judge…..he’s been there and done that…..and doesn’t need to revive his career.  His career is doing just fine……

      • Ok… I give up!!  Why didn’t Adam win….could it have been because he did not receive enough votes?  I think that is the reason people win or lose.  So is that the “one reason” you speak of.  He should have been voted off weeks before … there was so much better talent than him.  This form was not to go back and forth with  you… it was so I could state why I thought someone would not make a good judge or make  a good judge.  If you like Lambert … great for you…. I happen to be someone that does not enjoy that type of music…. He also is like several others and have not had his feet in this business long enough to start judging/helping other young people move forward.  Just can’t beat experience. 

      • @Dbpensacola – I think we need to agree to disagree about Adam otherwise we could go on and on and debate this subject forever.   I just feel that Adam would be a good mentor to these idol hopefuls because he has been through it and the judging system firsthand and maybe, just maybe he could help these kids.  I also think Harry Connick, Jr. would be a good judge too.  JMO……I do not think Aretha Franklin would be a good judge….again JMO…..

      • You’re right, Phyllis.  Adam’s post Idol success shows how power voting cost him the title.  And Aretha, while a musical icon, is not what’s required for Idol 12.  HC Jr.  would be good.  We don’t need any more senior musical statesmen.  This show is not about nostalgia.  It’s about music for the 21st. century.

      • how many people who didn’t vote for adam own elton john records??  we all know that adam is who he is and proud of it.  that also should have nothing to do with the MUSIC!!  we would love him if he had three heads!! (and if he didn’t have sauli and my nephew didn’t just get engaged, oh adam!  do i have a guy for you!!)

    •  I personally wouldn’t mind Adam Lambert as a judge. What I would like to hear from people who don’t think he’d be a good judge is reasons why they don’t think he’d make a good judge as nobody is explaining why he wouldn’t be a good judge. He’s pretty honest on some of the performances when he comments about them on twitter, so something tells me that if he’s on the panel then everything won’t be “beautiful” or a performance gave him “goosies”.

  9. This in response to Pally45  in reguards to the comments on the voting system. The teen girl theory is just one theory about why there are problems with the voting system. I personally don’t buy into the teen girl theory, because if it teen girls were power voting for the cute guys then how come it wasn’t a Colton vs. Phillip finale this year instead of a Jessica vs. Phillip finale?

    Just that an adult who has to get up and go to work in the morning might vote a few times for their favorites and do have the time to stay up for two hours voting, but because there might be someone voting for the same contestants over and over again their favorite gets eliminated. In season 10 it seemed like all the female contestants were getting booted off and it was turning into an all guy show, and it seemed like it was there was something seriously wrong as some of the girls that got booted were more talented than a good portion of the guys that were there. That’s why teen girls were being blamed because it seemed like teen girls were voting over and over for the guys that they were crushing on over actual talent.

    Another problem with the voting system is that noting of someone saying well “he/she will be safe so I better throw my votes to ……” The idea that one of their favorites will be safe because they had an amazing performance and so they vote for another one of their favorites that they feel might not be safe come the next night. The next night the contestant they voted for is safe, but the person who they thought would be safe is in the bottom 3 and eliminated. If the votes are limited per device then it will force people to just vote for their favorites as they know there won’t be someone power voting for them as voting is limited.

    It is mostly because of this voting system that has been the cause of the shock eliminations. Some shock eliminations that have happen are:
    Jennifer Husdon: Season 3 top 7
    Chris Daughtry: Season 5 top 4
    Pia Toscano: Season 10 top 9
    James Durbin: Season 10 top 4
    Jessica Sanchez(saved): Season 11 top 7
    Colton Dixon: Season 11 top 7 redux

    Now can you really tell me that someone who might “wow” the viewers and gets eliminated is fairly voted out? Look at it this way if there was a limit to the number of votes per device a contestant can receive then you could say your favorite was fairly voted out. Sure whoever might be eliminated might have received the least number of votes, but does that mean they had the least number of people voting for them? Or did they simply not have enough people voting over and over again for them? This is why there needs to be a limit on the number of votes cast.

    • @Shawn..history has proven that if a person is meant to be a star, i.e.,  JHud, Daughtry, Adam, it makes no difference when they are eliminated. Conversely, becoming an Idol doesn’t automatically make you a star, i.e., Lee,  Rubin, to a lesser degree, David Cook, Kris Allen, although I’m sure they are doing better than if they had not been on the show.

      •  Well I was just highlighting the problems with the voting system that have caused controversy. I personally think they should limit the voting as the only reason why they allow someone to vote as many times as they like is so that they can say that they got “70 million votes” making the public believe that 70 million people had watched the show.

    • They need to do the call in and on line voting in the form of a rating system for all contestants instead of just voting for one or the other. It could be done. There wouldn’t be any worse problems than the unfairness of the power vote. That way you wouldn’t have to sacrifice one contestant to satisfy the need to vote for another.

    • The only one of those people that I was truly shocked when they got the boot was Daughtry. That, I think, was people thinking he was safe.  That’s just the way it is. His success speaks for itself. Pia was as boring as watching paint dry. Hmm..how are her record sales doing?  I’m not a Jennifer Hudson fan. She did one movie (one I never saw) and suddenly people think she is the next best thing to sliced bread. I liked James Durbin and Colton but I never thought Colton would win. I felt James might have had a shot but Scotty seems to be doing a lot better in record sales so…I think the right man won there. Jessica Sanchez? LOL…people either loved her or didn’t. Frankly, she bored me. I wasn’t surprised at all when she was eliminated and I wasn’t shocked when the judges saved her either. 

      •  Very well said! We must be musical twins. I thought Pia was …. you said it best as you did with the others…you know me, I would use harsher more emotionally honest words..lol.

      • Pally…I love Jennifer Hudson’s voice and her attitude in life, she’s been through so much tragedy.   Pia, done, gone, Durbin, done, very gone.  Colton should do Jesus music.  If you have ever read his tweets, he’s very much into himself.  Scotty does well in his country crooning, but always sounds the same to me.   I found Jessica to be a little diva in the making…time will decide her fate.

  10. Put some power back with the judges and make there vote count as well as viewers vote as a percentage to give the judges more power instead of just using there save thats just my thought
     

  11. Wow! So much hostility about this. What has happened to you people?

    Just to let you all know that I say the things I do, not to reduce your enjoyment or make it a negative thing, but just to inform you about how I think the process goes.

    I will still watch even though I don’t think the process is legit. Part of the enjoyment I get out of it is being able to see how they cleverly and masterfully weave their way through the season and still get to the desired goal.

    The other part is the performances. They are a pleasant reprieve from all the salesmanship and double talk from the judges and Jimmy. 

    The only part that makes me feel bad is wondering if the contestants are willing participants in the whole charade or clueless victims. I hope the former is the case. I know they all enter the competition of their own free will but I wonder if they really know what they are in for. If not, they must be blind sided by it all. At the end of the day, they still get exposure out of the deal and that is priceless in the entertainment industry.

    As far as judges go. If they change them out every season as Nigel suggests then the show will save money on judge’s salaries enabling them to:

    1. Be able to shorten the length of the shows and live with less income from ads and sponsors and lend more of the air time to the performances.(DVR’s have reduced the value of commercials on TV anyway because so many people record and FF through the ads. Almost all TV shows are going to have a reduced budget as a result of DVR’s and “On Demand Programming” where FF is available)

    2. Have a little more money to spare for clearing better song choices.

    3. Position themselves to continue on in the future even with a reduced number of viewers as they get spread out to competing reality shows.

    4. They wont have to bring in any designers to promote their brand in exchange for free wardrobe for the contestants. 

    But please, no Adam Lamberts or Lady Gagas as judges. Those two have no couth and even less taste. These kids deserve better than that! Get people who know talent and don’t resort to shock and awe to sell their music. That type of thing is soooo old! The only thing that Adam and Gaga would be impressed with is biting the head off a bat or wearing meat on stage. That could get expensive if PETA gets involved!   

    •  Adam wouldn’t bother me if he were a judge. Although he isn’t my first choice as a former contestant to be a judge that would be for me Kelly Clarkson who was my first choice. Lady Gaga I agree with you there as I absolutely can’t stand her. Nothing about her is original. She’s way overrated and a complete phony. So for Gaga or as I call her GagMe I would have to say no. But I thank you for giving reasons why you wouldn’t want Adam as a judges because the people who don’t want him as a judge won’t say why they don’t want him as a judge.

      • I thought Kelly was awful and boring on Duets…what little I could stand to watch.

    • adam would be brilliant as a judge.  he’s been there as a contestant and knows what’s expected.  stevie nicks would be fabulous as a judge as well.  she’s got the voice and the experience.

      • I wouldn’t mind Stevie Nicks. I am a HUGE fan of hers and Fleetwood Mac. She is qualified to judge performances IMO. They didn’t resort to any outlandish tactics on stage to sell their music that I remember. There is the issue with drug abuse but you would be hard pressed to find a rock group of that era who didn’t come with that stigma attached. I don’t think she would encourage others to indulge, though, like some people we know.

    • Really?? There is no legitimate comparison between GagGag and Adam.

      If there are any comparisons to be made, it is Adam and Freddie Mercury. No, Adam isn’t FM, but he is closer to him than to GagGag, who is a Madonna wannabie. Adam has no appitite for bat dishes as you imply, that would be Mr. Ozzy and he mistakenly thought it was a rubber bat.

      Yes, they brought that hack Tommy Hilfiger in… and they could have had the best…we all know who I’m talking about.

      • ITA.  And while Hilfiger was a disaster, he was no worse than Gwen Stefani.  Stylists are a waste of time and money.  Give the contestants a wardrobe allowance and let them be who they want to be.

      • Obviously you have another reason for comparing Adam and Freddie than I am relying on to compare Gaga and Adam.

        I was talking about their use of shock tactics to gain recognition, which I think is outdated. 

        Regardless of whether or not it was a case of mistaken identity with Ozzy and the bat, it was the effect he was going for that I was speaking of. It certainly wasn’t a mistake with the dove! 

        Ozzy is old now and so is the old shock and awe strategy. 

        People shouldn’t let themselves be so easily manipulated by the entertainment industry. Entertainers, by their very nature, are great at getting us to part with our cash and walk away with nothing in hand to show for the money we spent. And we do it without any regret at all. Where I come from they call that “manipulation”. This is why politicians are so arrogant. They think they are smarter than us because they get us to put our support behind them and follow them blindly in a lot of instances. Politicians are master manipulators as well.

        In answer to your post on the previous topic. I said everything very clearly. I wasn’t beating around the bush. JLo, Steven and Randy were on a very different agenda than the AI production. You are right in saying that they were pushing Josh and Jess but that was against what the show wanted to do. That is probably the main reason that they were replaced along with financial reasons. I really believe that AI gave Randy a pass because he finally came around but they are changing his role on the show to mentor so they can justify a salary adjustment.

        You keep hearing the judges say, “We don’t know what kind of performer you want to be.” or “We don’t see how you fit in with the current music industry.” Then Randy says, after Phillips performance of “Volcano”, “Oh, now I see the artistry in that.” Was someone trying to get him on board with Phillip behind the scenes?

        Well that is the point of the show. To find someone with a new sound or a sound that is similar to what they want to market. Sell that sound to the public and make them like it. It’s no coincidence that Phillip sounds so much like The Silent Comedy in the song “Bartholomew”. That song is featured in the trailer for “The Hatfields and McCoys” TV series. The trailer for that series was played as an ad before one of Phillip’s interviews that was posted on this very site.

        Is it possible that they could be going for a brand new genre in the music industry. We haven’t seen one, really, since the emergence of Hiphop in the 80’s. I personal think that The Silent Comedy is a compilation of different musical genres but it could be viewed as a whole new one.

      • I thought Hilfiger was one of the highlights of the season. Gained a lot of respect for some of the contestants that simply ignored him. The only one that let him do his stuff was voted off the show the same week even after a good performance. Classic stuff.

      •  Taymaro

        While our opinions often clash, I would invite you to a cocktail party, you would make an interesting guest.

      • IMO Gaga at her age beats young Madonna hands down.   She is pathetic touring now showing her girls parts, icccckk, she’s freaking 53 yrs old.  She couldn’t dance or sing.  Her only saving grace was Evita.  Gaga doesn’t have to be anyone but herself.  When she matures and becomes a woman, then she truly will be a force to be reckoned with.   I reiterate, this is my opinion..the only one I’m positive would agree with me is Elton John since he feels the same way and loves to hate on her.

      • Okay….wow. Madonna couldn’t sing or dance? She was awesome! She was my favorite back in high school. Madonna and Lady Gaga sound a lot alike so…if you think Madonna couldn’t sing then?? I will agree she needs to stop wearing the clothes she is wearing because she is 53 but you have to admit she is in excellent shape for 53 years old! I thought she did a great job at the Super Bowl this past year also.

      • You see LCRK, sir, My opinions and posts did not clash at all. Your remarks below are an exact summary of every piece I have posted here and it does not clash at all. It is completely coherent and you nailed it!!

        That shows how it can all be summed up in a simple thought after it gets put through the processor and narrowed down.

        In fact, your questions to me and your comments have all proven that you were following exactly what I was saying.

        You are spot on, correct in the post below. The only problem this season is that Randy and JLo know Pop and R & B and a little Country. They don’t know how to judge other alternative types of music. Therefore they are not as eager for change as the industry as a whole. They are afraid that the watering hole will draw up for their own genres and the people they manage if something new emerges. That’s why they were on a different page. And poor Steven is still trying to make money off of 20 year old material by taking Aerosmith back out on tour. He’s gonna see a lot of gray hair on that tour and might need to have a few medics on hand to assist people when they collapse from exhaustion. 

        Jimmy said he was on the fence with DeAndre until DeAndre announced that he was trying to rekindle the R & B vibe. DeAndre’s sound was new and there was something there to be explored but when he said he wanted to be R & B that’s where he went wrong. That’s when Jimmy went all in for Phillip and abandoned DeAndre. 

        Not that Phillip was better but his was a sound that fit the new genre that we are about to witness the emergence of. 

        If AI was a singing competition my opinion is that Jessica was the better singer. But since it’s not a vocal contest at all we can’t use that as the correct measure for who should have won. On the other hand, I am never going to be completely supportive of the outcome until I see some fairness in the process. That goes for the production, the voting and the whole nine yards.

    • In response to your remarks about the contestants being willing participants vs lambs to the slaughter, I wish they would put the minimum age back up to 18 and help discourage pushy stage parents who drive their children.

      •  Yep I have long argued that the minimum age should be 18. Teenagers don’t know what they are getting into with this. I know if this show were around when I was a teenager and I asked my mother if I could be on it I know she would have told me no because she knew I wouldn’t be able to handle the competition at that age. Teenager should be focusing on teenage things like school, hanging out with friends, chasing people of the opposite sex(or the same sex in some cases), ect. I would rather get behind someone who is older and has the maturity to handle the competition than some teenager who clearly isn’t mature enough to do it. Let teenagers focus on their education and don’t let them on this show.

  12. Loud music, raps, synthesizers, etc have developed a generation of tone-deaf music (or lack of music) listeners. Top that with ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) and we have our so-called music lovers in this country.
    Adam Lambert and Lady Gaga both possess brilliant, crisp tone and powerful voices. They really don’t need those ridiculous costumes. However, they are aware of the type of music listeners out there. They know that if they will just present their voices without any visual aids, some of those neanderthal music listeners will be BORED. That’s what happens with a tone-deaf society of music listeners. They can’t even discern  when someone has a voice similar to rusty metals screeching through a salty road devoid of any kind of pitch-perfect tone.
    AI producers have to go along with this culture even if the real meaning of music is totally obliterated. They have no choice; after all AI is a business enterprise.

    • Nothing to argue about there except that I don’t justify their actions so easily. It’s got to stop somewhere. We will be gathering to enjoy live jousts to the death and lion’s den executions if we continue on this path. If it weren’t for Hollywood emulating those things in movies we would have already been thirsty for real blood by now. All societies go through the same progression and the stage we are in now has historically been the declining stage of most societies. Electronic media is probably the only thing saving us from our demise but if the live performances don’t take a few steps backwards, our thirst for real blood will arrive sooner than later. 

      That is the craziest thing I have ever let anyone see me think!!!! LOL

      Gaga and Lambert do indeed have great voices. I agree with that! 

      • @Taymaro, I respect your writing style. I may not agree with all your opinions, but I certainly enjoy your writing style. Your style reflects a very analytical mind.

      • Analytical? Is that really the right word?

        Others on this site have used a lot of different words to describe me but analytical wasn’t one.

      • @Takethat:  I think Taymaro has a book in her/him that’s dying to come out.  I don’t agree with Taymaro very often but respect his/her writing style as well.    Taymaro, I believe you are a lady, but would be so embarrassed if you were a man and I addressed you otherwise!  I’d ask you to fill me in but I know you love to keep people guessing!

      • I think I have made it pretty clear that I am a man or a woman. I have not tried to keep that a secret.

        I am surely not a cat or dog! Just address me by my screen name there or any other pet name when you get angry at me…LOL

      • @Taymaro..I’m going to imitate you now…eyes rolling…duh know you’re a man or woman, didn’t think you were in the zoo.  So now I know you’re a woman, bc a man wouldn’t have responded to my post.  Srsly, hope you are recovering from your fall.   🙂

    • adam is a brilliant singer and performer, no matter what he wears.  and with gaga, forget the meat dresses and underwear.  this girl can SING!!  just listed to “speechless”, “you and i”, and “hair”.  she’s fabulous!!

      • Yes she can sing, but her shock antics make it hard to tolerate a video performance. Totally unnecessary. I feel the same about Adam that with his great voice, the shock isn’t necessary. Sometimes shock can be fun as in Rocky Horror Picture Show, but every performance, it gets old.

      • @LordCalvinReKlein…..I don’t know what shock tactics you are referring to with Adam except for the one at the AMA.  I am sure he learned his lesson after that.    I’ve stood thru 2 hours of Adam performing and there was NO shock tactics at all unless you think his top hat and cloak is a shock tactic!!!!!!

      • @Phyllis:  Since that one incident happened so soon after the finale, I think it stuck in people’s minds and it’s a shame.  Adam has the musicality, in addition to his almost Vegas 🙂 like stage presence.  Not to mention he is adorable and handsome!

    •  Your analysis is flawed, since Phillip is just the opposite of what you claim. The most recent UK successes are very much back to voice: Adele and the folk rock movement like Mumford and Sons.

      • @LC:  WTH, when did you become so middle of the road, I like P2 and hope his dreams come true…man, I thought for sure you’d be a Gaga and Adam fan.   To each man his own, I am just a little surprised by your posts doll.  A big PS to that:  I don’t like Gaga’s antics and nonsense, I like her voice and recordings, long list for a young woman.

      • lordc-check out adam peforming with queen in london. no shock or shlock.  just a beyond brilliant performance with true homage to freddie.  he got up there and SANG.  and if you put gaga at a piano and all she does is sing, she’s fabulous.

      • Pr63
        Adam is brilliant when he lets his voice do the entertaining, though in my book, no one can ever replace Freddie.

      • Pr63
        Adam is brilliant when he lets his voice do the entertaining, though in my book, no one can ever replace Freddie.

        Well there is one….who may be as good as Freddie
        Marc Martel
        youtube his Bohemian Rhapsody or Somebody to love

        Yes, I signed Marc and this is my talent scout ability at it’s best, I found him in church in Nashville where I find most people I sign
        He is part of a band, Downhere. Take 5 to check him out…he is my best musical accomplishment. I sold out his contract a couple of years ago, but I am still very proud of him.

        Yes, I get Christians to sing songs by non srt8 stars..I’m very progressive.

      • lordc- adam never said he wanted to replace freddie.  he wanted to sing his music.  he KNOWS there’s only one freddie mercury.  just as there’s only one adam lambert.  i wish there was more uniqueness in the music biz

      • @Pally45…I wonder how she doesn’t get infections with all those little bikini bottoms ALL THE TIME!!!  You are right, she would look so cute in jeans and a t-shirt, she’s so tiny.  And ditto…her fans would be shocked (and prob pleased as well).

      • Pr63It’s out there, you just got to know were to find it and then flog it.

    • I agree with a lot of your points.  I see not too many around here like Gaga, but I love her music. Bad Romance, srsly love it.  She has fantastic recordings.  Stage persona and judging are two different animals.  I think Gaga would be an excellent mentor, even if the far right and mid America are scared of her or just don’t like her.  Adam is sick, love him…but being off the show for such a short amount of time, just don’t know, but he is so much more into today’s music if that’s what AI is looking for, even if Randy Travis was disgusted by him!

      • I agree..Lady Gaga has an excellent voice and the woman is very talented. I’m sick to death of her stupid outfits though! It would be one thing if it were just on stage but it’s not. The other day, they showed her getting off a plane in basically a bra, a jacket, fishnets and underwear..and some stupidly ridiculous shoes. Any other person wouldn’t have been allowed to board the plane. I would love to see her come out and sing in just a pair of jeans and a t-shirt for once. I think more people would be shocked by that than if she came out completely naked.

      •  Vanessa
        I’m a huge Gaga and Adam fan. I love their music, hate the gaga outfits and shock drama. Adam is usually fine, but sometimes he pushes the shock antics too.

        Love George Micheal and Boy George too…but they don’t need to shock me for me to notice and like their great voices., I don’t like gimmicks.

        BTW, the “middle of the road” is a str8 line…I’m no str8 line…lol.
        I’m actually very broad in musical taste and in personal behavior with the exception of hippity hop/rap which is not music and posers who are not real people.

      • Gotcha LC…you and Pally are my favs here, I’m a stupid newly discovered preggers woman.  You are indeed correct go forward, never straight!

      • Thanks Pally.  I’m a twin with twins, so I sure hope this baby breaks the cycle! 

      • Vanessa, my brother’s wife is a twin with twins. Nothing cuter. The girls are 6 years old and absolutely adorable. Of course…I can always go home.

      • @Pally…there’s nowhere to respond!   Madonna was before my time.   I saw Truth or Dare and that was the deal breaker for me.  I thought this chick can’t dance, she’s famous for the clothes and accessories!  I was happy she didn’t get Antonio Banderas like she wanted to in the movie!   I’m sure if she was “in” while I was a teen, I would have liked her too.  I am too critical….trying to change.

      • @Pally…I’m sure your  little nieces love to be with you and their cousin!  My girls are very excited they are having a brother.  Family is such a blessing in these sad times on earth.  All of our children will make a difference!!!  Phyliss from Vegas….if you see this, thank you and your posts tell me you are a fun person to be around.  Keep those spirits up for all of us!!  HAPPY WEEKEND EVERYONE

  13. @Templar…..totally agree with you.  How long has it been, like forever, that we said the voting should be changed if only TPTB would read this blog….LOL………I totally believe that Adam would have won if not for the power voting!!!!! He was the front runner from the beginning and the judges favorite so we know the judges DO NOT control the voting, its the power voters that do and that is simply not fair……LIMIT THE VOTING!!!!!!

  14. latest rumor is charlie sheen is interested in being a judge.  talk about  a loose cannon; maybe someone can resurrect brian jones!!

  15. I wonder what the chances of getting a huge talent are. Someone like Bono would be nice. He’s smart and would cut down on all the judges crap we’ve seen.  I would also be interested in someone like Ozzy.  He could bring some humor but is very intelligent when it comes to music.  Just please no twits like JLO again.  i could deal without her lipsyncs on a singing competition show.

    • Ugh..not Bono. He’s WAY too political for me.  My first choice is Jon Bon Jovi but I don’t see it happening. Ozzy? No one would be able to understand him!

  16. AI called me for an interview today, including a screen test….I’m off to LA on Monday!

  17. @Taymaro:  I like Stevie, “The Witch,” but she is in her middle 60’s now and I think AI is gearing towards a younger judging panel.  Sheryl Crow patterned herself after Stevie early on.   Actually, I think Sheryl would be good, relevant, intelligent, but I don’t see her on a reality show.

    • I think even Sheryl Crow may too far away from what Idol needs on the judges panel.  There is a likeability factor that is crucial and I don’t think she has that.  Olivia Newton John has it as do Alicia Keys, Cher, Shania Twain, Bernadette Peters, even Marie Osmond.  JMO.

      • @Templar..with the names you suggested I only agree with Alicia Keys.  The contestants are from ages 16 to 29.  These ladies could be their grammas!  Not that there is anything  wrong with that!!   I would go far far away if Marie Osmond was on the panel and God forbid her brother.  Leave them on the dance floor!

      • Bernadette Peters? Marie Osmond? Olivia Newton John? Can we at least get someone that was born in the 60s or 70s? Good God.

      • I wasn’t suggesting all of those ladies as judges, only using them as examples of warmth and relatability that IMO Ms Crowe lacks.  I agree that most are not good candidates for the judges’ panel.  Although Ms Keys and Cher would be IMO.  

  18. I think it’s incredibly stupid for Jennifer Lopez to leave American Idol here let’s look at her career before AI
    1. Failed albulm
    2. No hit singles
    3. No make up contract no really endorsements at all
    Her career when she was doing AI
    1. Not a chart topping albulm but better sales than she had in years
    2 one of the biggest hits of her career on the floor that was highly promoted by what AMERICAN IDOL
    3. A huge l’oreal Paris contract that she probably only got because she was on AI
    All that press and attention is now going to go to someone else so it makes no sense to me

    • I’d say she got the L’Oreal contract because of the World’s Most Beautiful Woman designation.

      • Yes that may be true but she has always been beautiful but years before American idol she did not have a l’oreal contract

  19. Anyone who wants to USE the show to boost a sagging career like Jlo should not be considered. Anyone who wants to stay on for a long time like Paula did, would be better. New judges every year? that won’t work 

    • Bloody hell…made think of JLO all wrinkly with her Strawberry Creams sagging to her knees.

    •  i agree on that the judges shouldnt use the show to boost their careers like JLo always performed on idol this was rediculous i think…but her comments i think were good but the thing she used the show was terrible and annoying …she reached a lot during these 2 years :her named turned back to the spot,she became most beautiful woman!!!, she used the show for her singles and songs and she is ready to exit !!!!!!!!!!!

  20. PLEASE DONT BRING CHARLIE SHEEN!!!!!! HE IS A BAD EXAMPLE . YOU WILL HURT AMERICAN IDOL. ALSO ADAM LAMBERT SHOULD NOT BE A JUDGE EITHER, OR ANY OTHER AMERICAN IDOL!!!! IDOLS NEED TO STAY ON THE STAGE!!!! YOU WILL HURT THE SHOW IF YOU HAVE A IDOL AS A JUDGE!!!!!! RANDY JACKSON NEEDS TO STAY , HE IS THE ANCHOR ….STABILITY!!! AMERICAN IDOLS ARE SUPOSE TO BE EXAMPLES TO THE YOUNG GENERATION, SO JUDGES NEED TO WALK THAT WAY. THE WAY MCDONALDS MAKES THEIR MONEY ARE THROUGH THE CHILDREN, AND THEY BRING THE PARENTS TO MCDONALDS…THINK ABOUT IT NIGEL. GOD SAYS AS FOR WISDOM AND HE WILL GIVE YOU ALL THE WISDOM YOU NEED, IN ABUNDANCE!!!!  GOD BLESS YOU~~~

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