American Idol – Page 13 – The Dishmaster

Does Waiving Your Celebrity Fee Really Count as Charity?

Celebrities are constantly signing up for gigs, and waiving their fee as a “charitable” gesture. But does it really count as charity when you waive your payment? Why not give your money out of your personal bank account instead — or perhaps match the fee? Darren Criss, the new Gleek I often pick-on, performed at The Roxy over the weekend and donated the proceeds from the gig to charity. He also signed autographs in exchange for audience members bringing toys-for-tots gifts. And let’s not forget Idol Gives Back, which is perhaps the best example of all time. American Idol hosts a charity show, and the huge ratings allow FOX to pocket a tremendous amount of money from the ad revenue. But FOX doesn’t donate their ad revenue, and they instead air an entire show about how every American, except the FOX executives, should “give back.” Americans wouldn’t need to “give back” if FOX, donated half their profit. So am I a heartless prick that doesn’t appreciate a decent gesture, or am I correct? As an aside, I didn’t think of this brilliant theory on my own. The great Howard Stern said it during his famous Bill O’Reilly interview. I’ve posted the very funny video below, and he begins to talk about Bill’s “chachkies” on minute 3:10. And if you’re wondering why I chose Katy Perry as the picture for this post, I figured nothing says “charitable giving” like Katy Perry in a skimpy American flag outfit.

Why Can’t George Michael Make a Comeback? — Can Simon Cowell Help?

There’s a rumor flying around that Simon Cowell might attempt to resurrect George Michaels’ pop career, and I’m thrilled if it’s true. George Michaels’ Faith album is one of the best in history, and the guy just can’t get it together again. You would think that if you have one incredible album in you, you’d be able to duplicate its success at some point in your life (hear that Alanis?). But Michael has always been plagued by his personal demons, and I imagine those demons are responsible for his demise. When he initially attempted a comeback, he appeared on American Idol, and the contestants sang a mash-up of his best songs before George Michael came out to sing his new single. The energy was immediately sucked out of the room when Michael sang a self-serving, preachy ballad, instead of his greatest song, Faith. Translation? It was a squandered opportunity. I’m not sure it would have mattered much, though, because I bought the album he was promoting, and it was terrible. It had none of the up-tempo, fun songs on Faith, and it quickly fizzled out. I think he needs some guidance, and there’s no one better than Cowell. For nostalgic reasons, I’ve posted Michaels’ Faith video below. Take the time to watch for the long legged woman leaning up against the jukebox. Just to brag, she’ s a close friend of mine, and in case you are wondering, her legs still look that good.

American Idol Judges Announced — They’re Too Famous

I’m still confused about why Fox thinks Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler are good ideas for American Idol judges. The problem last season was that the show became too judge-centered, and the contestants were an afterthought. The new panel will just further incite that issue. It’s not possible to have Jennifer Lopez on the judging panel without her stealing the spotlight. I still maintain that Tommy Mottola would be the better pick, along with a washed-up pop-star that was very famous in her day. That’s why Paula Abdul worked. She had the credibility necessary to judge, and she was no longer too famous to divert attention away from the contestants. Plus, she was a lovable train-wreck, which always made for great entertainment. None of this matters anyways, because Simon’s Cowell’s X-Factor will trounce American Idol regardless of the judges. When he launched X-Factor in the UK, Pop Idol (the original hit-show) only lasted one year before getting canned. I predict the same fate for American Idol.

Jennifer Lopez and American Idol — What Really Happened

First she’s in, then she’s out, and now she’s back in? There is a lot of press drama surrounding Jennifer Lopez as a potential judge on American Idol — and here’s my take on the behind-the-scenes of what has really gone down. When word leaked that Lopez would be a judge, she had not yet signed her contract. The folks over at Idol figured that it was nearly a done deal, but insisted to the public that nothing was final until she signed on the dotted line. Well, they certainly knew what they were talking about. Before Lopez signed, it became clear through press leaks that her demands got out of control, and they were simply done with negotiations. Why announce this publicly? As a negotiating ploy, of course. Fox wants to let Lopez know that they can play hard-ball too, and the best way to do that is to call her bluff with a public announcement that the negotiation fell through. Lopez probably got wise, and had her people return to battle. Now, they are back to the drawing board, and once again awaiting her to sign her deal. How long will this take, and will she actually make any concessions? I predict she’ll sign, because artists no longer have the kind of leverage they once had in the industry, or she’ll learn a lesson the hard-way. And by “hard-way,” I mean lose her chance at staying relevant for a couple more minutes.

Jennifer Lopez on American Idol — Career Suicide?

When I heard Jennifer Lopez was joining the American Idol judging table, my furrowed brow caused a permanent dent in my forehead. What on earth is she thinking? I know that American Idol has gained some serious respect and big names over the years, but judging a reality competition is where a star goes to die. It is only good to launch an unknown’s career, but for someone that is already famous, it’s inevitably a step backward. When Paula joined, she was a well-liked has-been that people wanted to see in front of the camera again. She won a Grammy during her once-upon-a-time success, and was lovable train-wreck. But Jennifer Lopez is still too relevant to make this move. Deadline reports that her career is actually in the toilet, so she was courting American Idol for the opportunity. Her recent film, The Back-Up Plan, tanked at the Box Office, and her record label dropped her. So perhaps she isn’t as relevant as I like to think she is, and this is the boost she needs. I suppose we’ll have to wait and see.

American Idol Rumor — Nigel Lythgoe to Return?

There’s only one thing that can save American Idol, and it’s Nigel Lythgoe. Rumor has it that the folks over at Idol are getting him back as a producer. Since leaving , the show has taken a serious turn for the worse, and Lythgoe plans to rescue it by wiping out the current judging panel altogether. That means he’ll likely have to pay off Randy Jackson, who is said to still be under contract. Kara DioGuardi and Ellen DeGeneres were probably only signed for a year, so good riddance! The names currently floating around include: Jessica Simpson, Justin Timberlake, and Elton John. The only person that excites me about that panel is Jessica Simpson. Though she profusely annoys me, she’ll certainly bring the Paula factor back. Plus, she’s pretty to look at. I give a big no to Elton John and Justin Timberlake. Timberlake is still too relevant for the show, and Elton John was a terrible mentor when he appeared years ago. Just because you’re a successful musician, doesn’t mean you make for good television.

My Pick of American Idol Judges

There has been a lot of talk about the next American Idol judges, and most of the suggestions so far seem almost as ridiculous as the current judging panel. So here’s my choice for the new panel — Tommy Mottola, Katy Perry, and Harry Connick Jr. I chose Katy Perry because she has the credentials, and she’s very pretty eye-candy. When she appeared on the show as a guest judge, she was not afraid to speak her mind (speak, not slur), and she often looked like she wanted to kill Kara DioGuardi (which made me very happy). Harry Connick Jr. is my next choice, because he proved himself while serving as a mentor on the show. Unlike other mentors, he didn’t wear sunglasses while offering boring platitudes such as, “feel the music” (hear that Usher?). He also seemed to have a music vocabulary beyond the word “pitchy.” Lastly, I chose Tommy Mottola because he’s like the Wizard. His resume speaks for itself, but he would also bring the controversy. Can you imagine how many interviewers would ask Mariah Carey if she tunes into American Idol to watch Mottola? So there you have it. Everyone should take The Dishmaster’s suggeestion, and stop throwing around ridiculous names.

American Idol Band Sues American Idol – For Making My Ears Bleed?

When I first read this story, I thought: Gee, this must have something to do with the fact that the American Idol band is so awful. Perhaps they are suing American Idol for defamation, because the judges constantly insult the band with covert statements like “I didn’t like the arrangement” or Simon Cowell’s ever popular, “I liked the song until the band kicked in behind you.” Is it possible the band is suing the show itself for subjecting me to its torture? No such luck. The ‘American Idol band is suing the show for the money they allegedly should have received for online music downloads. Oh well, there’s always the next lawsuit.

American Idol Bandleader ‘Rickey Minor’ – Pissed at Producers

TMZ reports that ‘American Idol’ bandleader, Rickey Minor, was furious with producers for not mentioning him during last night’s finale. Minor is leaving ‘Idol’ to head-up Jay Leno’s band on ‘The Tonight Show,’ and last night was his last show. He’s been with ‘Idol’ for six seasons, and I’m sure he expected that producers would bid him a public farewell. So was this an oversight or a deliberate snub? It wouldn’t surprise me if it was an oversight, given that the producers of the show can’t even figure out how to run it on time, let alone plan a proper finale. That being said, the ‘Idol’ band gets a lot of flak from the judges, who constantly say things to the contestants like “I didn’t like the arrangement, or “I loved that song until the band kicked in.” So has there been bad blood all along?

Janet Jackson Steals the Show on ‘American Idol’ – Watch Video

Last night’s ‘American Idol’ finale was fantastic, and it wasn’t because of the contestants. Janet Jackson sang two of her smash hits, ‘Nobody’ and ‘Nasty Boys.’ She looked the best I’ve ever seen her, and this might have been one of her strongest performances in history. Sometimes artists are so focused on gratuitous showmanship that we lose sight of the fact that they are actually very talented singers. Last night, Janet reminded us of her singing chops and her ability to out perform just about any of the current artists in the industry. While she sang ‘Nothing’, she was in sexy black unitard that wasn’t a ridiculously over the top glitter extravangaza. She also was sans fake hair, which might have been my favorite part. She came on the stage, dominated it, and then left. For a second I found myself thinking – how’d she do that? Come back on stage and sing another one!! Watch below.

janet finale @ Yahoo! Video