From the sound of it, American Idol's Randy Jackson wishes rival competition show The X Factor the best, especially in light of its massive shake-up.
"I'm sad to hear about all what's going on with that show," Jackson told reporters on a call on Thursday. "But all of those people are dear friends of mine as you know. I have not spoken to Paula [Abdul]. I mean, we texted back and forth. "
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Some time in recent days and weeks, Simon Cowell realized that The X Factor wasn't shaping up to be the singing competition to end all singing competitions. The money was there, as was the support from Fox, but with little more than 12 million viewers tuning in to see who would win a $5 million windfall, it became clear something hadn't clicked with America.
And so on Monday, we learned that he had cleaned house: Gone are stiff host Steve Jones and simpering, whimpering judges Nicole Scherzinger and Paula Abdul. Reports that Cowell was looking for more star power next season quickly followed. Mariah Carey's name has already been bandied about as the kind of A-list celebrity he wants, and she did serve as Simon's right hand during the at-home coaching sessions.
But is she enough? Is she even the right Hail Mary play? The truth is The X Factor has strong elements going for it, boasting auditions in front of a live crowd, Simon's bitter tongue and the most diverse lineup of contestants of any of the broadcast talent shows.
Now if only it could rid itself of any remaining similarity to American Idol. Some ideas:
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As if Ryan Seacrest weren't busy enough, he's starting up a new cable channel.
The American Idol host is partnering with Mark Cuban, entertainment company AEG and talent firm Creative Artists Agency to create AXS (short for "access"), a new pop culture channel expected to premiere in late spring, the Los Angeles Times reports.
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As American Idol kicks off its 11th season with auditions Wednesday and Thursday at 8/7c on Fox, can it continue to reign over its rival singing competitions on TV (and all other shows, for that matter)?
Although Simon Cowell's The X Factor crowns its winner in the fall, NBC's The Voice will be nipping at Idol's heels when it premieres its second season on Feb. 5 after the Super Bowl. Charismatic banter among the coaches and those cool, swiveling chairs may bring in some viewers, but the Idol crew isn't sweating it, judging from a...
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Via E!'s late-night talk show Chelsea Lately, or After Lately, or her books about one-night stands and booze, Chelsea Handler has become a household name.
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