When two of the most-powerful entities in entertainment join forces, you get sucked inside...well, both.

Clyde, here. When I first heard Idol and Disney were teaming up to create a new theme park attraction...well, I couldn't help but consider how much evil, hypnotic power would be collected in one place. But, after reading about it a bit more, I have to admit...it's kind of intriguing! American Idol fans who want an even CLOSER look inside the TV juggernaut will be glad to know that a new attraction coming to Disney World will offer just that! You'll be able to "audition" for a Disney casting producer, and those lucky enough to pass the test will appear in one of the park's Idol Stage Shows. Can't get much closer than that...short of actually trying out for the show, of course. There'll be hair and makeup stylists, vocal coaching...and, of course, three judges staring you down at the end. Check the story below for loads more information.

Continue reading "Idol Chatter: Idol + Disney = Zuul?" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 4:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Season 7 is already old news. Clyde moved on to Season 8 around the time Brooke White went home, and he's got the scoop on next season's try-outs!

It's been a while since we've had any good Idol news for you, but I think I've got something you'll enjoy. In which cities will contestants be torturing Randy, Paula and Simon this time around? Or, even better, in which city will our next American Idol champion be found? We even leave the United States and bring the search for talent over to Puerto Rico! Take a look.

Continue reading "Idol Chatter: The Season 8 Audition Cities!" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 3:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
TAGS: American Idol, Auditions, Clyde Collins, Idol Chatter, Idol Experts

Season 7 comes to a screeching halt - and a new American Idol is crowned!

We're abandoning the traditional style of the Results Column, because...well...it's over.

Oh, yes it is! And, just incase you haven't heard...

Continue reading "Idol Chatter: Season 7 is Over!" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 11:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
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The Battle of the Davids is upon us. Mini-mano a baldo. Who deserves to be your next American Idol?

It was pointed out to me by the lovely Daphne Bellevue, who will be jumping in to blog on Dancing with the Stars with our own lovely Julie Heart in a matter of days, that I said, early in the season, neither David Archuleta nor David Cook would win Season 7. I went so far as to call David Cook the "Chris Sligh" of Season 7. I apologize to Chris Sligh for that comparison. Sligh was FAR more innovative and interesting than David Cook when he was on the show...and even HE didn't deserve to win! And Archie? C'mon. He was interesting...the one vocal cord thing was neat for about 10 minutes. But I was sure one of the ladies would win this season! The guys were all so milquetoast, so same-y, so CLICHE. Welcome to your Final 2 - Clyde's Worst Nightmare, America!

Ok, I have to admit...the boxing theme opening the show was cute. They really tried to make this Battle of the Davids (TM) a must-see event! Maybe they took it a little too far, making the whole show into a boxing match...but at least they tried. And thanks for the So You Think You Can Dance? blog plug, Clyde.

Of course, darling. Artie, are you here?

I'm here, and I was there, baby. I paid my money...and I SAW IT ALL. Let's do some Idol Chattin' about...the FINALE PERFORMANCES! Yeeaaaah!

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 5-21-08: David v. David - The Final Showdown!" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 9:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
TAGS: American Idol, Archuleta, Artie Funk, Clyde Collins, Cook, Daphne Bellevue, Idol Chatter, Idol Experts, Julie Heart

Join our Idol Experts for some funny and honest commentary that didn't make it to our written Idol Chatter column! In this episode:

-Which David will win?
-Let's fix Idol!
-Season 7 = Water Torture
-Aiken v. Daughtry...FIGHT!

And more! Click on!

Continue reading "Idol Chatter LIVE: Podcast 004 (5-16-08)" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 5:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
TAGS: Artie Funk, Clyde Collins, Idol Chatter, Idol Experts, Julie Heart, podcast

There can be only one...and now we know the Final 2!

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 5-15-08: The Final 2 Revealed!" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 9:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
TAGS: American Idol, Archuleta, Artie Funk, Clyde Collins, Cook, David, Finale, Idol Chatter, Idol Experts, Julie Heart, Syesha

The Top 3 sing 3 songs...can Syesha take out one of the Davids?

Is this season still happening? I'm way over it. I don't really like anyone left, so...hey, let's do this. I suppose.

Oh, cheer up, Clyde. Last night was really good, and there's a lot to talk about!

I think last night was confusing. People were complimented for taking risks on songs they didn't even PICK on their own. Where's the risk in performing a song someone else picked for you when the risk is usually in the song you pick? I didn't get it last night, but...yay, Top 3!

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 5-14-08: The Top 3 Duke It Out...Who's in the Finale?" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 11:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
TAGS: American Idol, Artie Funk, Clyde Collins, Idol Chatter, Idol Experts, Julie Heart

Out of the 4 remaining singers, it was a 2-way fight to the death to see who gets to go home this week or next week!

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 5-8-08: Down to 3! Yikes!" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 9:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
TAGS: Artie Funk, Clyde Collins, David Archuleta, David Cook, Idol Chatter, Idol Experts, Jason Castro, Julie Heart, Results, Syesha Mercado

The 4 remaining contestants each had 2 choices out of a list of 500 legendary songs. Who stole the show and who flopped?

So the Idol’s continue tonight in their pursuit into new and popular music…oh wait, no they’re singing songs from the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame…so pretty much guaranteeing we still wont be hearing anything from the past decade…fun.

To be fair, almost no good music has happened in the past 10 years, Julie. So, no big loss. Still, this theme DID give them a chance to pick good music from a variety of genres and establish, once and for all, their identities. What did our Final 4 do with all that freedom? After last night, it's official: Rock & Roll is DEAD. Could these schmaltzy pukes have rocked LESS?! Anyway, this is usually the night where the judges make it blatantly obvious which singers they want to see in the finale.

Paula's Prepared Notes for the Week: "Great, Great, Great, I Hate You Jason Castro and I Want You to Die."

The Top 4 night is ALWAYS telling...after all, Seacrest invoked both Tamyra Gray and Chris Daughtry, last night. Big stuff, especially when, like me, you consider it a blatant effort to remind people to keep David Cook (and maybe Syesha) safe because the producers want him in the Final 2 (and Jason Castro out of the way).

Rock Night, huh? Let's rock this rockin' rocky place. Rockin'...rrrrock! Dogg.

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 5-7-08: 4 Take on 500" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 9:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Time to get serious. Take a ride with Clyde.

Now that Brooke White is gone...I'm no longer obligated to care about any of the remaining singers. I have no real, emotional attachment to any of them, and, thus, can be completely critical and objective. If I had to pick a favorite, I'd have to go with Jason...but, he's not going to win and I'd only be choosing him because: 1) Brooke is gone, B) Syesha doesn't have a prayer, and 3) I hate the Davids so much! Why be so negative all the time, though...right? Julie Heart tells me I look like I'm going to have a nervous breakdown or something, lately. So...it's time to detach myself from the process, like I should've been doing all along, and make the tough calls.

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 5-6-08: Who's Winning Season 7?" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 9:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
TAGS: American Idol, Clyde Collins, David Archuleta, David Cook, Idol Chatter, Idol Experts, predictions

Ditch the thumb, just use the fingers - we're down to the Top 4!

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 5-1-08: Down to 4!" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 8:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
TAGS: Artie Funk, Brooke White, Clyde Collins, Idol Chatter, Idol Experts, Julie Heart, Results

Continuing our trend of ancient music performed by singers dared to sound modern, our brave Top 5 took on Neil Diamond (who is totally selling a new album - SHOCK)!

So this week’s mentor is Neil Diamond…I’m not a big fan of the guy, honestly before the show I couldn’t have named five of his songs, but it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.

With all due respect to Neil Diamond...it's time to stop with the ancient songs written by ancient musicians. Let's get CURRENT. Do you know why David Archuleta and David Cook are doing well? All of these contestants have been encouraged to sing in certain styles or genres, and the Davids' styles happen to be the ones ruining radio at the moment. They're not daring, they're not new...they're same-y, but sound current compared to the others because what they do naturally just happens to be in style. If the nation was still fascinated with Dave Matthews Band or we were in the 1970s/Lisa Loeb Week, Jason or Brooke might have a better chance. Syesha belongs on Broadway, or in musical movies. If she goes that route, she could end up very successful. The Battle of the Davids that's looming overhead isn't going to be good for the music industry. Jordin Sparks? Does the same thing you hear on the radio all the time. Forgettable, already passe, not good for music. We don't need another Daughtry or another Josh Groban. We need someone different to blow up the drek on the radio with something TRULY different. The way this season is going...it's not going to happen, and I think that's depressing. Anyway...let's go on and disagree about the performances!

I'm not a huge fan of "The Diamond", but having seen the obscure movie Saving Silverman one too many times has made some of Neil's songs endearing to me. So Clyde says the competition is fixed, but in the words of Wayne Lefessier, "Yeah, sure. But he's America's greatest songwriter. And he's our hero." So bring it on! Neil Diamond's library is CRAZY diverse, so let's see where these cats take his songwriting skills.

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 4-30-08: The Top 5 Cut Diamond" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 9:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
TAGS: American Idol, Artie Funk, Clyde Collins, Idol Chatter, Idol Experts, Julie Heart

Join our Idol Experts for some funny and honest commentary that didn't make it to our written Idol Chatter column! In this episode:

-Carly went home
-Andrew Lloyd Webber ROCKS
-What saved Brooke?
-Battle of the Davids

And more!

Continue reading "Idol Chatter LIVE: Podcast 003" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 3:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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We can count the number of finalists on one hand! Who left after Broadway Week?

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 4-24-08: Down to 5!" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 1:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
TAGS: American Idol, Artie Funk, Carly Smithson, Clyde Collins, Idol Chatter, Idol Experts, Julie Heart

Destined to be the least-downloaded week yet on iTunes, your Top 6 tackle Andrew Lloyd Webber!

With Kristy Lee finally gone, the real competition can begin. We’re down to six contestants and they had to prove they can be like Fantasia and Clay and do a little Broadway singing.

Clyde, here. I officially don't like American Idol anymore, this season. It's rigged, it's over, it's not going to end well for the future of humanity. That said, I was prepared to hate this night...and actually came out of it respecting Andrew Lloyd Webber. He was the best mentor, by far, offering honest and helpful criticism to all of the contestants. Good man. But, yeah...if you're trying to convince America that one of these kids is the NEXT POP MUSIC SENSATION...maybe move Broadway week back to the Top 10 theme, or something. We're too close to the end for themes that actively work against contestants sounding current and cool.

Yeah, dogg! Artie in the house! This is, actually, sadly, my week. I guess I like Broadway stuff...dated a lot of ladies who were musicians, so...you know, you pick up a few things, dogg. Let's get MUSICAL!

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 4-23-08: The Top 6 Go Broadway" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 1:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
TAGS: American Idol, Artie Funk, Clyde Collins, Idol Chatter, Idol Experts, Julie Heart

The fans pick the song this season's American Idol winner will sing. Clyde tells you which ones aren't completely horrible.

By Clyde Collins

This is quite a difficult assignment, I must say...because these songs are, by and large, syrupy, gooey messes.

Let's start off by taking a look at how you'd go about voting, if you so choose. You'd start by going here. Better get on that fast, though...

Continue reading "Clyde on the Idol Songwriting Contest" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 5:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
TAGS: American Idol, Clyde Collins, Idol Chatter, Idol Experts, music, single, Songwriting Contest

A long-awaited exit leaves us with a Final 6, and our Idol Experts are all over the map.

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 4-17-08: Down to the Final 6..." »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 9:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
TAGS: American Idol, Artie Funk, Clyde Collins, Idol Chatter, Idol Experts, Julie Heart

The recording industry is, apparently, nothing new to a few of our Season 7 Idol finalists. Making an album? YAWN. That's ancient history.

Aside from Carly Hennessy-Smithson (we've all heard about the legendary bellyflop that was her attempt at Pop stardom), four other contestants have albums listed on Amazon.com. And, luckily, the majority of them allow you to listen to clips of the tracks!

The only one that doesn't have preview audio? Read on, and know that it'll cost you $75 if you want to own it and check it out for yourself.

Continue reading "Season 7: A Bunch of Ringers!" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 4:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
TAGS: albums, American Idol, Clyde Collins, Idol Chatter, music

Join our Idol Experts for some funny and honest commentary that didn't make it to our written Idol Chatter column! In this episode:

-David Cook v. Our Lady Peace
-Mariah...scary...
-Post-Johns Idol
-Too much religion?

And more!

Continue reading "Idol Chatter LIVE: Podcast 002" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 3:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
TAGS: American Idol, Idol Chatter, Idol Experts, podcast

Adding Mariah Carey to the Idol mix, means trouble for the ladies...

Well, the Top 7 tackled Mariah Carey songs...and that's a tall order for the girls! Going in, I had no idea how the guys were gonna' do this week.

I have to say, I was very unhappy about this night, going in. I'm not a big fan of Mariah Carey. In fact, I only actually enjoy ONE of her songs ("Hero"). The squealing thing she does is a complete turn-off, and I was hoping one or more of the contestants would change up her music to the point that I actually LIKED it. So, did anyone manage to win me over? Keep reading.

Yeah...I'm looking for these performances to go one of two ways. Either good...or completely in the toilet. Again, I'm not expecting to recognize any of these songs...so, that'll be fun for me!

A learning experience, as always, Artie. Why don't you start us off with your review of the first singer, Little Archie?

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 4-16-08: The Top 7 Go Glitter" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 9:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
TAGS: American Idol, Artie Funk, Clyde Collins, Idol Chatter, Idol Experts, Julie Heart

The dearly-departed this week was no surprise to our Idol Experts! It was who else rounded out the Bottom 3 that surprised viewers...

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 4-11-08: Down to 7" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 9:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
TAGS: American Idol, Artie Funk, Clyde Collins, Idol Chatter, Idol Experts, Julie Heart, Results

Our very own Idol Expert Artie found something that he thought was more than coincidental, and he wanted to share. So take it away, Funkenstein...

Continue reading "Prophetic Ad?" »

Posted by JT at 4:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
TAGS: American Idol, Artie Funk, Idol Chatter, Idol Experts, Kristy Lee Cook

Idol, Idol, on the wall...who's the most inspirational of all?

Well we are down to eight, and I feel bad but I think getting rid of Chikezie and Ramiele has gotten rid of some dead weight - so let’s see how they did without them...

Hello. My name is Clyde...and I'm very bitter and emotionally distraught after last night's performances. I don't know if I'll be able to make it through this column. Artie, Julie...if I fall over, leave me behind and go on without me. Save yourselves.

Inspirational songs, huh? Can't wait to see Kristy Lee Cook reboil "Amazing Grace" for the third time!

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 4-9-08: The Top 8 Get All Inspirational" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 10:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
TAGS: American Idol, Artie Funk, Clyde Collins, Idol Chatter, Idol Experts, Julie Heart

Join our Idol Experts for some funny and honest commentary on the State of the Idol! In this pilot episode:

-Destroying Davids
-Touching Jason
-Who's in the Finale?
-Are the Judges Playing Favorites?
-Which Singers are TOO Popular?
-Julie Has No Catchphrase

And more! Give it a listen. See what it's actually like to be in a room with the three of us the day after American Idol!

Continue reading "Idol Chatter LIVE: Podcast 001!" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 10:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
TAGS: American Idol, Artie Funk, audio, Clyde Collins, Idol Chatter, Idol Experts, Julie Heart, podcast

Artie and I were watching a DVR playback of the Top 9 before Ramiele hit the bricks...and stumbled upon an interesting scene.

By Clyde Collins

Is there hidden meaning in DaVinci's The Last Supper? Aw, who knows? All that stuff with the novel and the movie and all the symbolism and secret societies...at the end of the day, it was probably all just well-crafted fiction that people embraced because it offered a tantilizingly different perspective on ancient, supposedly-sacred history.

Well, among the millions of American Idol faithful who watch each week, the show is sacred. The finalists and their fates are discussed with great fervor, and any new insight into how the show works or why thing happen is greeted with a healthy mix of fascination and skepticism.

Fear not, Chatterheads. This is Clyde. I don't steer you wrong. My words are prophetic and the theories I'm about to lay out for you are, besides being absolutely brilliant, quite likely to come about.

Read on, as I examine the American Idol Last Supper.

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 4-7-08: The Collins Code" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 10:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
TAGS: American Idol, Clyde Collins, Idol Chatter, Idol Experts, Last Supper, spoilers

The dearly-departed this week was no surprise to our Idol Experts! It was who else rounded out the Bottom 3 that surprised viewers...

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 4-3-08: Down to the Top 8 After Dolly Week!" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 9:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
TAGS: American Idol, Artie Funk, Clyde Collins, Idol Chatter, Idol Experts, Julie Heart, Results

The Top 9 singers took on Country legend Dolly Parton...and we'll tell you who should go home!

Dear Idol...if you're going to try to play an April Fool's joke on us, put up a big, full-screen graphic. Don't have Seacrest talk onstage!

Cute little intro. Fooled absolutely no one, but still...if we MUST continue this strange April Fool's Day tradition every year, at least they tried to be clever. Let's talk about the singing, though. I thought they were moving AWAY from pushing guest musicians who've just released new albums? Oh, well. I was completely prepared to hate everything that happened, last night. Dolly Parton is NOT a personal favorite, and Country weeks are usually pretty lame. In general...I didn't end up hating it, so much as not really caring about any of the songs.

That April Fool's Day intro was L-A-M-E...and I was pretty sure, going in, that this was gonna' be another week where I didn't recognize any of the songs. I was worried for Ramiele and missing Chikezie before we EVEN SAW this episode. It's just unfortunate that he went home. But bring on the Dolly, Idol! Let's do this!

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 4-2-08: Hello Dolly..." »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 9:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
TAGS: American Idol, Artie Funk, Clyde Collins, Idol Chatter, Idol Experts, Julie Heart

Let's just come out and say it: DAVID COOK IS DOING COVERS AND GETTING UNDUE CREDIT FOR BEING BRAVE AND COMPLETELY ORIGINAL!

By Clyde Collins

Unlike David Cook, I give plenty of credit to my sources.

I owe a great deal to Chris Harris of MTV.com, and his quality article, "American Idol" Dark Horse David Cook: Is It Fair For Him To Cover Other Covers?

YouTube yielded this lovely faux duet: David Cook & Chris Cornell. The two versions are pretty close...

I'm sorry, folks, but it's true. I know it won't matter to a bunch of you Cookites, but it bothers the $@#(*#$ out of me.

I've been saying from day one that there's something completely phony about this guy. He's just another Daughtry. And the SAME THING HAPPENED WITH DAUGHTRY! He had to come out the next night and make sure everyone knew he didn't come up with the arrangement of whatever song he'd oozed through the night before.

Think Cocky Cook will do the same?

It's true that Seacrest noted that it was Chris Cornell's version of "Billie Jean" before Cook sang...but I didn't hear it. The only reason I know it happened is because it was mentioned in Harris' article. It must've been quick or inaudible or something.

I wouldn't have minded it that much, had the judges not spent the next 5 minutes after his performance bowing to him and telling America he's the greatest innovator in music history. It's. Just. Not. True.

Maybe Randy misspoke when he called Cook "the most bold contestant we've ever had" that night? "The most BALD" would've been a far more accurate description. I think Phil Stacey had more hair.

And, for the record, I'm convinced that David Cook hasn't given in and shaved his head for one of TWO possible reasons: 1) He's in love with himself and can't bear to part with what remains of carefully-sculpted locks, or 2) Chris Daughtry beat him to being the Bald Rocker, too.

Anyway, this wasn't the only week he's pulled off the same stunt. Read on.

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 4-1-08: Is David Cook a Big, Fat Phony?" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 9:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)
TAGS: Clyde Collins, David Cook, Idol Chatter, scandal

You've seen Julie's post, right? Read that first...

By Clyde Collins

Seems my esteemed colleague, Julie Heart, took it upon herself to post some celebrity look-alike matches for the top American Idol finalists. It was definitely entertaining, but I couldn't help but think there were a few matches the program overlooked.

I mean, just by looking at them, you can usually come up with a pretty good match or two...or five. Scroll down and see what your favorite Idol Expert came up with.

Let's have a little fun with our heroes, shall we?

Continue reading "Who the Idols Look Like - A Rebuttal" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 5:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
TAGS: Clyde Collins, Idol Chatter, Idol Experts, look-alikes

Just thought a little Idol Internet fun was in order…

By Julie Heart

Hey guys, I was boppin’ around on the Internet and started thinking about this year's Idol crop of contestants and what it takes to be the next American Idol. I hate to say it, but it really has a lot to do with your looks. Don’t get me wrong singing makes a big difference, but there’s got to be a reason Kristy Lee Cook is still hangin’ around. Anywho, I decided to get a little creative (with the help of the myheritage.com website)and check out who the top twelve most resemble with it comes to the hollywood crowd.

So in no particular order here goes…

MyHeritage: Family trees - Genealogy - Celebrities

I was really surprised when Elisha came up for Amanda, personally I think Amanda looked like the female version of skunk boy Jason Yeager, but it's not like the website is perfect...Amanda was also matched with Beyonce Knowles and a young Leonardo Dicaprio if that's any indication of it's accuracy. I'm just glad the biker nurse is on her way with that wacked out hair-don't. Is it just me or is there always one rocker girl with weird colored hair each year...usually pink.

Continue reading "Idol Chatter: Who do you think the Idol Contestants look like?" »

Posted by Anna O'sullivan at 8:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
TAGS: Amanda Overmyer, American Idol, Artie Funk, Brooke White, Carly Smithson, Chikezie, Clyde Collins, David Archuleta, David Cook, David Hernandez, Idol Chatter, Jason Castro, Julie Heart, Kristy Lee Cook, Michael Johns, Ramiele Malubay, Syesha Mercado

Clyde's got total bragging rights with his predictions, this week. Who went home after Songs from the Year You Were Born Week?

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 3-27-08: Top 10...Down to 9!" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 9:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
TAGS: Idol Chatter, Idol Experts, Results

The Top 10 singers stormed the stage to belt out songs that were released the year each finalist was born. Sure, this guaranteed a lot of 80s music...but it also guaranteed one song from 1947. Thanks, Michael Johns!

Okay, even I've had enough of these singers butchering Beatles music. This week's theme was a bit more abstract...but still led to several strange song choices. This may be the best crop of singers in a while, but it's quite possibly the worst song-selection season in years!

I thought there were some serious kick-butt performances last night! The battle only gets tougher for the contestants from this point, and they have to bring it to win that spot in the spotlight.

This night made me MAD up until the very end...and even liking what I liked made me mad. But, let's get to it, dogg! A lot of...interesting stuff went down this week.

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 3-26-08: Top 10 & Baby Pictures" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 9:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
TAGS: Artie Funk, Clyde Collins, Idol Chatter, Idol Experts, Julie Heart

Will this year's winner be the best singer? Maybe. But, in the end, it's pretty much up to the individual where they go from here.

By Clyde Collins

Every season, American Idol cruises along, singers dropping like flies, as we make the steady march toward the crowning of a new champion. I hesitate to say crowning of a new musical superstar, because...well, sometimes, this happens:

In a world without Idol, Snoop and Taylor Hicks may never have joined forces to redefine the term "Soul Patrol." I'll leave whether or not that's a good thing up to you.

But, I get to thinking, sometimes...what are the Forgotten Idols up to, these days?

Continue reading "Idol Chatter: Looking at Winners and Losers of the Past" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 4:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
TAGS: American Idol, Clyde Collins, Idol Experts, Video

The FOX43 Idol Experts scramble for cover as Idol-Bunny Kellie Pickler headlines a semi-surprising Bottom Three. Did your favorite survive America's thumbs-down?

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 3-18-08: Top Ten Revealed!" »

Posted by Joe at 11:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
TAGS: American Idol, Idol Chatter, Idol Experts

Idol visits the Beatles catalog for a second week, making sure Sir Paul has plenty of money-ammo for his inevitable copyright battle with iTunes. Who will the Idol Experts pick to make it into the Top Ten (and therefore, your hometown concert venue)? READ ON!

ANOTHER Beatles Night? I'll gladly take it, whether it be, as Seacrest claimed, "by popular demand," or a scheduling error. Poor David "Archie" Archuleta...if he was nervous last week, he probably wet the bed from fear, hearing about the return engagement. Anyway, for the most part, it may seem like giving the Top 11 one more shot at the greatest collection of songs ever written would be a very good thing. As we've seen, though, it can easily backfire. Let's get to another evening out... with the Beatles! It's like a do-over, only without David Hernandez prancing around the stage. Shame, too. Scandals aside, he was actually talented.

I wonder if the contestants will pick bigger and harder songs tonight? Will somebody finally sing "Yesterday," after name-dropping a million times last week? David Archuleta better come back after missing the words last week, and Kristy Lee Cook is going to need to hit it out of the park if she expects to make the Top Ten.

So Beatles Week Two begins now! Let's get it on!

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 3-18-08: Who will make the coveted Top Ten?" »

Posted by Joe at 8:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
TAGS: American Idol, Idol Chatter, Idol Experts

The FOX43 Idol Experts tell you Who's Who in the Bottom Three, in a very Whooey Results show. And who got the whoot ... I mean the boot!

We crank it up to Eleven (contestants) after this week's elimination. Let's see how the Chatterer's predictions held up, and what they have to say for themselves...

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 3-12-08: Results Show: Down to 11" »

Posted by JT at 11:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
TAGS: American Idol, Idol Chatter, Idol Experts

This is an important week, because this the first time that the girls and boys have to directly compete against each other. Plus, we're inching ever closer to that magical Top Ten... which Idol fans know is the cut-off point for the popular summer Idol concert tour. If you make it to the Top Ten, you're at least going to see the country and sing for fans, rather than drifting back into obscurity alongside Colton Berry.

We were greeted by a brand new set...but did the Top 12 deliver anything fresh and different, this week?

Wow! They sure are really excited about that new set, weren't they?

It sure seemed like they were totally stretching to fill some time here, but what are you gonna do about that? Oh and by the way, welcome back, Julie! I know you didn't appreciate the David Cook comments from last week. Let's see if more than his forehead shines this week! On with the show...

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 3-12-08: Battle of the Sexes" »

Posted by Joe at 11:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
TAGS: American Idol, Idol Chatter, Idol Experts

Your friendly neighborhood Idol Expert, Artie Funk here with a bone to pick...

Is keeping the Official Idol website current TMTH for the people behind America's television juggernaut?

Continue reading "Keep Current Much" »

Posted by JT at 4:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
TAGS: American Idol, Artie Funk, Idol Chatter

How did just two of our FOX43 Idol Experts do on their Week 3 predictions?

When Julie's away, the boys will play. Artie and Clyde were your designated Experts for this week's columns, and they definitely had fun with it!

But, the time has come to get serious.

Four singers went home, last night...and our boys have some explaining to do about their predictions!

4 contestants (Luke Menard, Kady Malloy, Asia'h Epperson, Danny Noriega) left the American Idol stage for good, and our Idol Experts made their calls before Thursday's Week 3 Results Show.

Here's how they did!

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 3-7-08: Week 3 Results" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 9:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
TAGS: American Idol, Artie Funk, Clyde Collins, Idol Chatter, Idol Experts, Results

A full recap of Ladies' Night, predictions and more fun from Clyde and Artie.

Collins: Well, Julie Heart's still not here, but I'm sure she sends her love. And if she were here, she'd probably still be gloating about how David Cook wasn't entirely awful Tuesday night. But we're here now to talk about Ladies' Night!

Funk: Oh, shoot. That was last night?! I didn't even see it...

Collins: What? Are you bloody serious?!!

Funk: Naw, dogg. Just messin' with you! Of COURSE I watched, and it's gonna' be tough saying good-bye to 2 more of them this week.

Collins: Less tough for at least one, I think. But, more on that after we recap the performances!

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 3-6-08: The Top 8 Ladies - Too Close to Call?" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 9:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
TAGS: American Idol, Artie Funk, Clyde Collins, Idol Chatter, Idol Experts

The Top 8 Guys go under our microscope! Who's in, who's out?

Funk: Dude, the guys did their thing, and we're gonna' have to go on without Julie Heart, this week!

Collins: It's true! Julie's off on holiday for her birthday, this week. She'll be back soon, fans. In the meantime...there's no one to stop us from mercilessly mocking David Cook's rapidly-retreating hairline, or from calling out Luke Menard as a talentless hack prettyboy who deserves to be shot into space without a helmet.

= BEEP-BEEP BOOP BOOP BOOP...BEEP-BEEP-BEEP BOOP BOOP! =

Funk: That, uh...that your phone, Clyde?

Collins: Yes, voice message. Just a moment.

Funk: Your ringtone is "Funkytown?!" Yo, Clyde...dude, what's up with that?

Collins: Julie keeps changing it, whenever I leave it on the desk. And...I don't know how to fix it. Actually, speak of the devil...the voice message is from her!

Funk: Yo, speakerphone!

Collins: It's a new phone. I'm...not really certain...how...um...oh, there it is.

Heart: Okay, Clyde. I know it's about the time we'd usually be in the office, working on the column...so, I just wanted to send some suggestions for while I'm away. First of all...LEAVE DAVID COOK'S HAIR ALONE! HE'S A GREAT SINGER, AND YOU GUYS ARE COMPLETELY WRONG ABOUT HIM!

Collins: I'm already regretting this speakerphone idea.

Heart: Also, make sure the Chatterheads all know how much I wish I could be there. I'm off on a ski trip, but there's nothing worse than missing American Idol, in my mind. I'll be watching, and I'll definitely have a few thoughts on this week's performances when I get back! Most importantly, have fun, boys...but don't be too mean! Keep in mind that whatever you end up posting, I'll be READING! See you next week!

= BOOOOOOP! =

Collins: Well, there you are. Miss Heart wishes you all well, and...well, Artie, looks like she wants us to be on our best behavior while she's away!

Funk: That in mind, I think it's time to unveil this week's Idol Chatter sponsor, and start the column!

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 3-5-08: Just the Boys on the Top 8 Boys!" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 1:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
TAGS: American Idol, Artie Funk, Clyde Collins, Idol Chatter, Idol Experts, Julie Heart

Mariah Carey.

Bono.

John Legend.

Annie Lennox.

Snoop Dogg.

Sounds like a list of singers whose songs the hopefuls on American Idol might cover. But, it's REALLY just a few of the big-name singers and celebrities set to appear on the now-annual Idol Gives Back special, April 9th on FOX43!

Want more?

Reese Witherspoon.

Fergie.

Peyton and Eli Manning.

And the list goes on (and gets hotter)!

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 3-3-08: Fun IDOL GIVES BACK Details" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 5:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
TAGS: American Idol, Celebrity Guests, Idol Chatter, Idol Experts, Idol Gives Back

How did the FOX43 Idol Experts do on their Week 2 predictions?

Off the top, an apology to our dear, sweet, attractive and spunky Idol Expert, Julie. Somehow, her predictions for Ladies' Night were not properly posted, and the Wednesday show post went live with her predictions from Guys' Night, instead.

This was CLEARLY an error, and we'll blame Clyde for that.

Our apologies to Ms. Heart for the mix-up, and the necessary corrections have been made. Check it out before reading these results if you want to see her predictions before you find out whether she was right or wrong.

So...let's get to it!

4 had to go home...but few potential shockers were in that unlucky group! Who was sent packing?

4 contestants (Jason Yeager, Alexandrea Lushington, Alaina Whitaker, and Robbie Carrico) went home, and our Idol Experts made their calls before Thursday's Week 2 Results Show.

How did they do?

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 2-29-08: Week 2 Results" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 9:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
TAGS: American Idol, Artie Funk, Clyde Collins, Idol Chatter, Idol Experts, Julie Heart, Results

A full recap of Ladies' Night, predictions and some enjoyable bickering. Wipe your feet and step inside.

Heart: The girls did a good job last night, overall. I think they were better than the guys last week, but this week's a little more even!

Collins: The show peaked with the third performance. That's NOT a good sign. I was disappointed, and a lot of it was due to poor song choices.

Funk: Disappointing is RIGHT. Let down. Crushed! Only TWO great performances, and a few a'ight ones. I hope they step it up next week...

Heart: Let's talk more about THIS week. Who did well, and what went wrong with the others!

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 2-27-08: The Ladies Go 70s (Week 2)" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 9:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
TAGS: American Idol, Artie Funk, Clyde Collins, Idol Chatter, Idol Experts, Julie Heart

A full recap of Guys Night, predictions and the usual craziness. Jump in!

Collins: I actually thought the fellas were a bit stronger, this week. It'd be hard for a few of them to be WORSE, but...overall, a fine night.

Heart: I absolutely agree! They were better this week, and I think we finally had our first "Wow Moment" out of the top guys, this season!

Collins: Though, I'm SURE we'll disagree on which moment that was, Julie...

Funk: There were THREE really good performances, I thought. But, hey...let's get to it. There's a lot to say about these cats!

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 2-27-08: Top 10 Guys (Week 2)" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 9:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
TAGS: American Idol, Idol Chatter, Idol Experts

How did the FOX43 Idol Experts do on their Week 1 predictions?

2 nights of singing, 1 night of cuts...and we're down to the Top 20, already!

4 contestants (Garrett Haley, Colton Berry, Amy Davis and Joanne Borgella) went home, and our Idol Experts made their calls before Thursday's Week 1 Results Show.

How did they stack up?

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 2-22-08: Week 1 Results v. The Idol Experts!" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 10:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
TAGS: American Idol, Artie Funk, Clyde Collins, Idol Chatter, Julie Heart, Results

The Top 12 Girls performed Wednesday night, and our Idol Experts are going to town with their recap and predictions!

Heart: YAY, Girls Night! It was much better than the guys, I thought, and I really think a girl will win this season.

Collins: You know, I was kind of let-down!

Funk: I liked it, dude. Better than the guys, but only by a LITTLE. The girls are capable of better, I think, and they'll start bringin' it as the season goes on!

Collins: Some weak, some okay, some quite good...but no one really made me a fan for life. The frontrunners have a lot to live up to, because we hold them to a higher standard. They coasted, didn't really knock anything out of the park. This is good for the show, because it's not a runaway for anyone, just yet. It's bad for the early favorite singers, because they become commoners quickly. Next week, we had better see some REAL standout moments, though! Anyway, let's get started...

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 2-21-08: Top 12 Girls (Week 1)" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 9:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
TAGS: American Idol, Artie Funk, Clyde Collins, Idol Chatter, Julie Heart

Tuesday was Boys' Night on Idol! Get a recap and our predictions, right here.

Heart: It's so exciting that the competition is finally starting for real! Voting for the Top 12 guys was last night, and the Top 12 girls will be singing to impress the viewers and win your votes tonight!

Collins: From this point, we start to pick off the weaker singers, one by one, and every week, the stakes are higher. And it's '60s night, whoopee.

Funk: We got our first look at a few of the guys last night. A few weren't really featured in the auditions or in Hollywood...and this was their first chance to win some fans.

Collins: It's an uphill battle for those people, and a few of them may be going home tonight, as a result of that fact and uninspired performances. Let's start off at the beginning, with David Hernandez. Julie, what did you think?

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 2-20-08: Top 12 Guys (Week 1)" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 9:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
TAGS: American Idol, Artie Funk, Clyde Collins, Idol Chatter, Julie Heart

If you missed the show or just want a recap, we have all the ups and downs you need to keep up!

Collins: The Final Judgement is over, and the Top 24 have been selected! From here on out, their collective fate is in your hands, because voting begins next week.

Heart: What a show, last night! There were some real shockers in who the judges picked.

Funk: The competition is gonna' get fierce, because we have some HOT talent up in here!

Collins: To avoid making this another massive post, we're going to run down those who made it...then bring up any of the ones who went home we feel deserve some kind of comment. Ladies and gentlemen, your Season 7 Top 24!

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 2-14-08: Our Thoughts on the Top 24!" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 1:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
TAGS: American Idol, Artie Funk, clyde collins, Hollywood, Idol Chatter, Julie Heart, Results

Now that the Top 24 American Idol contestants have been announced, they're ready to win your vote! Here's a sweet-and-sexy new video featuring all the Idol hopefuls...

So how did they make that video? Check out this exclusive behind-the-scenes video...

Continue reading "Meet Idol's Top 24! (video)" »

Posted by Joe at 1:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
TAGS: American Idol, Video

If you missed the show or just want a recap, we have all the ups and downs you need to keep up!

Funk: It's Hollywood Week, baby! Aww, yeeeeeah!

Collins: It certainly was revamped, this season, as promised. I think this was a good episode, plenty of drama and a few genuine surprises.

Heart: I think it was a BRUTAL episode...we've cut the 164 audition finalists down, ALREADY, to the point where judges can announce the top finalists! When that many people have to go home, it pretty much guarantees you'll lose a few favorites along the way!

Simon started the day off with the happy announcement, "2/3 of you are going home." No pressure!

Collins: Here's how this year's Hollywood Week is different! First of all, it's broken up into a 3-round process. That annoying "Groups" round seems to be gone. All singers will do a song in the first round. If they get 2 or 3 Yesses, they go straight to the final, third round. If they get 2 or 3 No Votes...the game isn't over. They'll get a second chance to perform and save their skins in an a capella, Lightning Round-style second round.

In firing squad lines, group upon group gets one last shot in round two!

Collins: Those lucky enough to be left for the third round will have one, last chance to impress the judges before they choose the best of the best finalists. Also, performers may choose to play instruments at this stage.

Funk: Let's start it off, man! It was a wild night...and we have a lot to talk about.

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 2-13-08: A Brutal Trip to Hollywood!" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 10:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
TAGS: American Idol, Artie Funk, Auditions, Clyde Collins, Hollywood, Idol Chatter, Julie Heart

Collins: Clyde, here. Just a quick news bit about everyone's favorite unstoppable television juggernaut, American Idol.

"Fox will expand the American Idol weekly results show to one hour each week, beginning Wednesday, March 12 at 9 p.m. ET."

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 2-12-08: Bigger Results Shows!" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 2:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
TAGS: American Idol, Clyde Collins, Results

Heart: Hey, Chatterheads! Welcome back for another round of Idol Chatter. For this week's Wednesday show, we took a look back at some overlooked auditions from all 7 cities featured this year.

Collins: If you read our Atlanta commentary from yesterday, you know my feelings on dragging out this audition process for so long. I understand that there's a writers' strike going on, and that FOX will want to get as much mileage out of the show as possible...but I am so ready to move onto Hollywood I could vomit, and it's not out of sheer anticipation built by weeks of audition footage. It's because I'm bloody SICK of them!

Heart: Well, Clyde, next week we finally DO hit Hollywood...so, as pointless as it may have seemed, let's take one last look at some of the try-outs that didn't make it on-air the first time around!

Funk: It wasn't the strongest night, I thought. The past few cities have actually turned out some decent talent, after a few disappointing stops...but this kind of random night really didn't have a ton of great, new stars.

Collins: There's a reason they didn't make the original broadcasts from those places. A 6 week-old puppy was the star of the night, I thought. But, let's get on with it...maybe you two can help me see the light and convince me that it was the greatest spectacle of pure talent ever collected in one hour...

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 2-7-08: Best of the Rest...or Give It a Rest?" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 10:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
TAGS: American Idol, Artie Funk, Auditions, Best of, Clyde Collins, Idol Chatter, Julie Heart, recap

Collins: Okay, I'm officially bored with the audition phase. I couldn't stomach sitting through all of the supposed ups and downs of the Atlanta hopefuls. I found myself flipping away to political coverage every once in a while, it was so tiresome. And now they're dragging it out FURTHER into Wednesday before starting the Hollywood round?! Come ON, Idol, let's get moving!

Heart: Yikes, Collins...tell us how you REALLY feel!

Funk: Ha ha...welcome to Atlanta, everybody!

Heart: Let's take a look at last night's show and give you our thoughts on the best and the worst!

Collins: There were a few quality singers in Atlanta, but let's start out with Joshua Jones...

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 2-5-08: Hot-lanta...or NOT-lanta?" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 9:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
TAGS: American Idol, Artie Funk, Atlanta, Auditions, clyde collins, Idol Chatter, Julie Heart

Funk: Yo! Miami was SPICY, dogg!

Collins: I think what Artie means by that is that it was a much better audition city, with talent that outshined the past few lousy locations.

Funk: Yeah. Pretty much.

Heart: I liked it. I thought it was good, and we can finally stop complaining about only seeing losers, because they're showing more of the good singers, and that's a very good thing for us fans.

Funk: The Miami Vice open was HOT! It set a great tone, and set it RIGHT...with all the flamingoes and that girl falling in the surf. Just fun, man.

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 1-31-08: Miami Spices Things Up" »

Posted by JT at 5:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
TAGS: American Idol, Artie Funk, Auditions, Clyde Collins, Idol Chatter, Julie Heart, Miami

Collins: What a weird audition Omaha was! I mean...19 people were put through to the next round, which is actually FEWER than the Charleson total.

Funk: It was a better EPISODE, but not a better city. Can't really explain that, but...all that matters it we find the GOOD talent and have fun finding them!

Heart: Overall, better than Charleston. We saw more of the good singers, which is what I wanted.

Collins: I was surprised, being out in the "Heartland," that there was so many...well, seemingly-homosexual contestants. You might expect that in a big city, an L.A. audition, you know?

Funk: Not that there's anything WRONG with that.

Collins: Of course there isn't. Just an observation.

Heart: Maybe American Idol just brings that particular personality out? They always draw flamboyant, over-the-top people. This is no different.

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 1-30-08: Oh, Omaha..." »

Posted by JT at 4:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
TAGS: American Idol, Artie Funk, Auditions, Clyde Collins, Idol Chatter, Julie Heart, Omaha

Collins: It was the "Night of No" in Charleston, South Carolina. A beautiful city full of friendly people, it was the backdrop for last night's American Idol audition episode. And, as much as like the city...I have to say, it was a bit rough!

Heart: Yeah, it was a weird night. Only two more audition cites, though. We're almost at Hollywood!

Funk: Charleston didn't have a lot of highlights, but a few decent singers made it through to the next round. It was all about BIG personalities, really.

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 1-24-08: A "Night of No" in Charleston" »

Posted by JT at 11:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)
TAGS: American Idol, Artie Funk, Auditions, Charleston, Clyde Collins, Idol Chatter, Julie Heart

Collins: There's a LOT to be said after last night's San Diego auditions, and not all of it's particularly nice. There were a few high points, several surprises...Heart, Funk, what did you think?

Heart: There were over 30 singers put through to Hollywood! It was a good night, I think.

Funk: We saw some really decent talent come out of it, definitely. 30 PEOPLE...well, not that we SAW much of them. But, promising.

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 1-23-08: Soulful San Diego Auditions" »

Posted by JT at 2:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
TAGS: American Idol, Artie Funk, Auditions, Clyde Collins, Idol Chatter, Julie Heart, San Diego

Collins: Hello, fans. Your favorite FOX43 Idol Expert, here, with a quick comment on some American Idol News. Our youngest and most recent Idol champion, Jordin Sparks, appeared on FOX's Talkshow with Spike Feresten, this weekend. They had a friendly chat, and Miss Sparks performed her hit single, "Tattoo." Well, I have it on good authority that we'll be seeing more of our past winners on actual Idol broadcasts, this season.

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 1-22-08: Idol's Future May Be Its Past" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 10:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
TAGS: American Idol, clyde collins, guest stars, Idol Chatter, Jordin Sparks, Simon Cowell, Spike Feresten, Talkshow

Heart: We've got a full house of FOX43 Idol Experts, tonight. Welcome back, Artie!

Collins: I assume you had some pressing mullet matters to tend to that absolutely couldn't wait until after the PREMIER OF THE SHOW WE'RE ALL PAID TO REVIEW?!

Funk: I know, I know. I was called to sit in with Hair Supply during a concert that night, and those guys are my BOYS. Only thing that matters is, the Funk is back for night two, and it was a huge night for me.

Collins: The American Idol crew pulled into Dallas, Texas, for two strange days of auditions. And we have the play-by-play...at least we do about anyone worth remembering. My opinion matters most, so I'll start things off.

Funk: Now I remember why I didn't bother showing up to review the Philly auditions...I needed more time to mentally prepare myself for working with you, Clyde.

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 1-17-08: The Trio Talks Dallas" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 5:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
TAGS: American Idol, Auditions, Dallas, Idol Chatter

Collins: Well, it's back. We can all breathe a sigh of relief...for now.

Heart: I don’t know about you, but I was glad to get my Idol fix last night with the first episode. I think sometimes the first episodes are the best, because it’s just pure entertainment. You’re either happy for the great singers that are getting through, sad for the losers that really think they can sing, and laughing at the weirdos that are willing to shave their chests and dance half naked.

Collins: Hm. Something for everyone, I suppose. But, more importantly, let's talk about what was in the two-hour trip to Philadelphia for ME.

Heart: What about me?

Collins: Let's find out. Start it off, Julie. Your thoughts on night one of Idol?

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 1-16-08: Julie & Clyde on Philly!" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 5:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
TAGS: American Idol, Idol Chatter, Philadelphia

Tonight's the big Idol Premiere and I couldn't be more stoked to get this season under way! I also wanted to respond real quick to a couple of things that Clyde said in his last post...

I'm glad to hear that those who have already been deemed "celebrities" will be taking a backseat to those seeking to be discovered this year. I hope the talent pool is indeed a bit deeper than it was last season. And, as soon as we get through the sticky, yet highly entertaining, business of thinning the herd, I expect to see some seriously great performances.

All of these cats who are trying out, like the folks in the videos posted here, need to realize that... sure, attitude and heart are very important things to have in this competition. But, to the contrary of what our friend Salotta said, not everyone "has a chance". At least not in the sense that the phrase was intended...

Everyone has a chance to try out, yes. However, not everyone has a chance at making it all the way to the top. Those who lack talent have very little chance at the brass ring. And that's what the competition is about: weeding out those who think they do have a chance at the big prize.

Of course, there's an exception to every rule, and our pony-hawked pal from last season may be the exception. And sadly, despite being the most interesting thing about last season, he was NOT the most talented. But I digress.

Growing an emotional connection to these kids will add another dimension to our little competition, and should spice things up a tad.

That all being said... let's get this thang goin', y'all!!

WOO!!

Posted by JT at 5:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
TAGS: American Idol, Artie Funk, Premiere, Salotta

American Idol fans, it's almost here! Tomorrow night, January 15th, TV's hottest show blasts back into your living rooms, with a new collection of singers hoping to become the next pop phenom.

The first few weeks of Idol, as always, follow the team around to various cities across America and focus on try-outs. You'll see the best of the best and the best of the worst, and while the next William Hung may be hiding in Philadelphia, Dallas, San Diego, Omaha, Atlanta, Charleston or Miami, we'll find plenty of truly talented singers who you could send to the finale this May!

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 1-14-08: Season 7 Preview" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 11:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
TAGS: American Idol, Idol Chatter, Premiere, Salotta, sneak preview, Video

With the 7th season of mega-hit American Idol just around the corner, FOX43 is proud to announce the start of its new weblog feature…

We've found three top-notch experts to give their (sometimes controversial) thoughts on the ups and downs of each week's performances! They'll give their own picks on who should leave, who will win it all and who just isn't cut out for superstardom…

…and you can leave your own comments and predictions for the FOX43 Idol Experts and all the other fans to read!

(In fact, we want to hear your opinions! Signing up is easy, and leaving a comment is as simple as typing it in and clicking a button!)

Continue reading "Idol Chatter 1-9-08: Meet the Experts!" »

Posted by Prisoner No. 24601 at 10:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
TAGS: American Idol, Idol Chatter