Tens of millions of viewers or not, American Idol isn't one to let any grass grow under its feet.
Already this season, the Fox juggernaut has introduced a fourth judge (the wonderfully articulate and lucid Kara DioGuardi) and surprised us with a Top 13 (two of whom will get sent packing this Wednesday night).
But the show isn't done with the tweaks. Calling in to Idol host Ryan Seacrest's KISS-FM radio show, exec producer Ken Warwick hinted at a rule change being revealed on this week's results show that will emerge as a "big talking point" once America gets wind of it.
What's the change? Warwick ...
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American Idol is plumbing its past to bolster its future, in the wake of a seven percent audience decline for the previous cycle.
Among the changes on tap for Season 8, premiering Jan. 13, is the resurrection of two elements from seasons gone by — one of which affects game play, the other offering fun (if not deliciously catty) insight into the semifinalists.
As hinted in recent weeks, Season 8 will ...
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American Idol executive producer Ken Warwick has responded to Paula Abdul's recent comments and, in turn, the tragedy which recently befell a fan of Abdul's, stressing that he never would knowingly put a dangerous person in front of the judges.
Detailing the process by which wannabes are surveyed as they enter the early audition rounds, Warwick told reporters in a Monday conference call, "It's always been that if someone looked like they were a bit dangerous or led us to believe they weren't as sensible as they should be ...
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On the heels of the reveal that Ramiele Malubay has a "racy" pic or two out there, it has come to light that for three years, 24-year-old David Hernandez worked as a stripper at Dick's Cabaret in Glendale, Arizona, where he danced nude and gave lap dances to a mostly male clientele.Might this jeopardize Hernandez's place in the top 16? In previous seasons, Idol execs have avoided establishing hard and fast rules about a contestant's past. (When it was discovered that Frenchie Davis posed topless for a website, she got the boot, but when racy pics of Antonella Barba showed up online, she was allowed to stay.) On Tuesday afternoon, TVGuide.com spoke with Idol executive producer Ken Warwick about the situation:TVGuide.com: Will the revelations about David's stripper past have any impact on whether he stays on the show?Ken Warwick: No, it won't make any difference. The truth is, we're never judgmental about what people do to earn a living. They've got to put food in people's mouths. We'...
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The producers of American Idol will be back on the Fox primetime schedule this fall with a new series that will launch The Search for the Next Great American Band.According to Fox insiders, the new (and tentatively titled) series is American Idol for groups rather than solo performers. The show is expected to be on Fox's new fall schedule to be unveiled on May 16.Like Idol, auditions will be held throughout the country for bands that will compete for a recording contract. After the auditions and the usual scrutiny from a panel of judges (which is not expected to include Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul or Randy Jackson), 10 semi-finalists will perform live in front of a studio audience. Viewers will then vote for the favorites via telephone or text-messaging, with a competitor eliminated each week.Unlike Idol, there will be no age restriction on the performers who enter the competition. The groups will be asked to perform a variety of musical genres during the course of the competition.Fo...
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