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 With the end of the "American Idol" season, it's time to say goodbye to the "Eye on Idol" blog for a while.
As you might have noticed over the past several months, most TV-related stories on Comcast.net have been residing on our sister Web site, Fancast.com. Starting now, the same will be true for "Idol" coverage.
You can follow this link to Fancast.com's "Idol" news page to keep up with the latest from the world of "Idol." With judges' contracts up in the air and auditions taking place all over the country, there are bound to be some headlines in the off-season.
Thanks for reading "Eye on Idol"!
-- Victor
Click here to comment!
Message Edited by Victor_Balta on 07-01-2009 06:19 PM
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 I reported here last week that "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell was working with British retail billionaire Sir Philip Green to create a new entertainment company that would handle all of Cowell's affairs, including "Idol," and his British shows, "Britain's Got Talent" and "The X Factor," according to the Financial Times of London.
The company's first order of business for the new company is a new contract for Cowell with "Idol" that would presumably extend beyond next season, which he has been saying might be his last. At the time, sources said the deal was so big it would likely make Cowell the highest-paid person in television, bumping Oprah Winfrey off the top of the heap.
Now The Guardian is reporting that the deal is three to four times as much as the $36 million Simon earned on "Idol" last season, which would put it in the range of $108 million to $144 million.
Other reports this week have said that Simon is working on a five-year deal with Fox that would give the network the first chance at any show he wants to develop in the United States, which means it's looking more and more likely that he'll eventually import "The X Factor," the show Simon started after Britain's "Pop Idol" ended, which produced Leona Lewis.
*** Click here to comment! What do you think? Should Simon stay for a 10th season, or more? Is it better to leave when the show is still on top?
Message Edited by Victor_Balta on 06-30-2009 05:07 PM
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 In a live chat here on Comcast.net's "Eye on Idol" blog Thursday, "American Idol" winner Kris Allen spilled some plans for his debut album, revealed a little-known childhood ailment and talked about grandmas trying to kiss him in public.
Scroll down to check out the complete transcript of our 30-minute live chat, but here are some of the highlights.
Kris was asked pretty quickly whether he felt short-changed by the judges, considering they threw their support behind other singers, such as Adam Lambert and Danny Gokey.
"You know, I never felt like that because I felt that the people that did get the credit were very deserving of it," Kris said. "The people getting all the praise were really good. I felt like I was getting enough praise, as well. For me, I'm very hard on myself, so even if they would've told me I was the best ever, I would've gone back and listened to it and thought I could've done better. So I'm way harder on myself than they would've been on me."
Asked about plans for his debut album, Kris said there was little he could reveal about it -- including song titles -- but that it might surprise some fans.
"I think it's going to have that acoustic feel, but not too much," he said. "It's going to have probably a little more rock feel than people think it's going to, which is cool. But also good stuff that people will want to listen to. More along the lines of pop rock."
*** Click here to follow me on Twitter! ***
After runner-up Adam Lambert posed on the cover of Rolling Stone with a snake slithering around his nether region, Kris had a good time with a question from a fan asking which animal he would pose with if given the chance.
"That's a funny question,' Kris said. "Me and my friends always joke around, and they say if I was going to be an animal, I would be a koala bear, so maybe a koala."
Keeping with the media thing, Kris was asked about the funniest tabloid rumor he's seen printed about him.
"I think the funniest thing was that me and my wife were getting divorced and she's pregnant," he said. "Yeah... she's pregnant and I can't deal with it and we're getting a divorce. I thought that was hilarious. She's not... and we're not getting a divorce."
After so many interviews in the wake of winning "Idol," Kris was asked for one thing people don't know about him.
"I don't know if people know this or not: I actually had a tumor when I was 13," he said. "I had to have one of my ribs removed. I don't think a lot of people know that. And I have a sweet scar now. It's awesome."
And after all the media and the attention is done, Kris said he still has to contend with grandmas laying their lips on his cheeks (we presume). Asked about the funniest thing he has to deal with from fans, Kris said, "The funniest thing is that most of the -- I will call them the grandmas -- older ladies, they come up to you like you are their grandson. So they, like, kiss you and it's totally cool.
"That's definitely the funniest thing. But you have to roll with it. They're grandmas. They're not trying to hit on me or anything, so I don't think there's anything to worry about there."
*** Click here to comment! What do you think of what Kris had to say?
Message Edited by Victor_Balta on 06-19-2009 12:59 PM
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 In his first live online chat since the "American Idol" finale, Adam Lambert took some time to catch up with his fans and clear up a few things about his plans for the summer tour, his reaction to criticism from Kiss bassist Gene Simmons and -- perhaps most importantly -- whether he has a real Twitter account.
The chat happened right here on Comcast.net's "Eye on Idol" blog and more than 8,000 people turned out to participate.
First things first, Adam confirmed that after several people's attempts at creating fake Twitter accounts claiming to be him, he is now using the site. Here are some highlights, but you can click on the full transcript below to see the entire 30-minute chat.
Asked if the new username "TheRealGlambert" is actually him, Adam said, "It is TheRealGlambert. That is me. Finally, I got a Twitter!"
Spilling a little bit of info about his plans for the "Idol" tour, which begins July 5 in Portland, Ore., Adam said he will be performing "Mad World," but will not be doing "Ring of Fire" at the shows.
Later, he told fans to check out the tour because "there's definitely some new music that was not on the show. And wait until you see my outfit. It rocks!"
On a slightly more serious note, Adam was asked by a fan for his response to Kiss bassist Gene Simmons' claims that Adam was talking about his sexuality too much, that nobody cares that much and he should "shut up" about it.
"I disagree with him. I think that by him saying people don't care in America, I think he's grossly misinformed, because that's what everybody was talking about incessantly," Adam said. "That's why I chose to talk about it, because it was all anybody was talking about. I also find it very hypocritical, considering that he talks about his sex life constantly. But, that's OK. I think he's a very talented guy and I love Kiss."
Adam said it didn't bother him that his sexuality became such a topic for discussion, but that he would have preferred to talk about the music more.
"I'm sure that it's interesting to people, but I do think that we should focus more on the music," he said. "Because, ultimately, my sexual preference really doesn't have anything to do with me as an entertainer."
*** Click here to follow me on Twitter! ***
Adam went on to say he agreed that the media took his off-the-cuff remark about having a "crush" on winner Kris Allen out of proportion.
"Yeah, I think that's kind of how the press works," he said. "They tend to sensationalize every little thing you say, and repeat it and repeat it. Sometimes, it's like the game of telephone... what you say gets exaggerated and changed. But I find it all very funny and I'm not upset by that at all. That's just the way it goes."
And to all the die-hard fans of his who have said they'll never watch the show again, Adam had a message.
"I think that Kris won because he got more votes, fair and square," Adam said. "It doesn't really make much of a difference as far as my career is concerned, if you're a fan of mine. I'm still on the Idol tour. I'm working on an album, set to release in the fall. That was yesterday, let's focus on tomorrow."
*** Click here to comment! What do you think of what Adam had to say?
Message Edited by Victor_Balta on 06-18-2009 11:26 AM
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 In a live chat right here on Comcast.net this afternoon, "American Idol" finalist Danny Gokey cleared up some big questions about who he is, where his career is headed, his beliefs on homoesexuality, and whether or not he's actually considering a run on "Dancing with the Stars."
Danny's live chat was the eighth in a series of live chats with the entire Top 10 from "American Idol's" Season 8 hosted here on Comcast.net's "Eye on Idol" blog. It was a packed 30 minutes. You can see the entire transcript below, but here are some of the highlights.
One big question on fans' minds was whether Danny had a record deal lined up. He played a little coy, but gave more information than he has in the past.
"Today I'm supposed to be talking with 19 Records. There's something in the works right now, and I'm not going to say anything until it's final," Danny said. "But there's something going on behind the scenes."
Danny mostly shot down recent rumors that he'll be participating in the next season of "Dancing with the Stars."
"I have not heard of anything," Danny said about reports connecting him to the show. "The way I look at it is like this: My first passion is my music and my foundation. That's my priority. If, in the future, it works out to bring awareness to my foundation and my music, I would do it. But I don't want to do any distractions at this point."
Things grew a little serious when the subject of runner-up Adam Lambert came up and Danny was asked to clear up the topics on which he and Adam "disagree."
"Religious beliefs, and... I think that was the main topic," Danny said. "But we did it in a very respectful way. It was cool because we would never argue or frustrate each other, we'd just like to hear the other opinion on the conversation. And at the end of the conversation, we'd respectfully disagree and we have a great, strong friendship. It was mostly religion."
*** Click here to follow me on Twitter! ***
But when the subject of an exchange between Danny and fellow "Idol" finalist Michael Sarver was broached, Danny opened up a little more. Asked if he had a response to some of the anger that came up over a behind-the-scenes video he did with Michael that seemed to mock homosexuality.
"Yes. I accept gay people, but people have to accept my beliefs," Danny said. "We have to accept their beliefs, but they have to accept my beliefs. We agree to disagree. I don't judge people, but at the same time, if they believe in what they believe, they have to accept me and what I believe. But I accept anybody as they come. That's my character and my personality."
Click on the transcript below to see more of what Danny had to say about his biggest challenges on the show, his plans for the "Idol" tour, and how he responds to people who allege that he's exploiting the tragedy of his wife's untimely passing.
*** Click here to comment! What do you think of what Danny had to say?
Message Edited by Victor_Balta on 06-17-2009 09:44 AM
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 The long-awaited and ultimately anti-climactic quote that finally puts to rest the speculation over the "American Idol" runner-up's sexuality will appear in the issue of Rolling Stone that will hit newsstands this week.
“I don’t think it should be a surprise for anyone to hear that I’m gay,” Lambert says in the magazine.
“I’m proud of my sexuality,” Lambert adds. “I embrace it. It’s just another part of me."
According to Us Weekly, Lambert goes on to say that he didn't want to come out during the show because it would have overshadowed the reason he was there in the first place. He did say that "Idol" producers gave him the freedom to handle it however he wanted, but he thought it would have been over-sensationalized at the time.
"I’m trying to be a singer, not a civil rights leader,” he says in the Rolling Stone interview. "I'm an entertainer, and who I am and what I do in my personal life is a separate thing. It shouldn't matter. Except it does. It's really confusing."
Adam talks about his mansion roommate and eventually "Idol" winner Kris Allen, recalling his reaction when the rooms were assigned.
"I was like, `Oh, (bleep), they put me with the cute guy,'" Lambert says. "Distracting! He's the one guy that I found attractive in the whole group on the show: nice, nonchalant, pretty and totally my type — except that he has a wife. I mean, he's open-minded and liberal, but he's definitely 100 percent straight."
You'll get your chance to ask Adam about this and the rest of his experience on "Idol" next week, when he visits Comcast.net for a 30-minute live chat as part of our string of chats with the "Idol" Top 10 that continues today with Scott MacIntyre at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT.
*** Click here to comment! What do you think? Does this change your perception of Adam? Are you glad he came out?
Message Edited by Victor_Balta on 06-09-2009 11:43 AM
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 Constantine Maroulis made "American Idol" history last month when he earned a Tony nomination for his lead role in the Broadway hit, "Rock of Ages," and Thursday night I had a chance to see why.
Just three nights before he finds out whether he'll also become the first "Idol" finalist to win a Tony, I checked out "Rock of Ages," and it was a tremendous display of '80s nostalgia. Packed with songs from the likes of Journey, Bon Jovi, Poison, REO Speedwagon and many more, the show is set on Los Angeles' iconic Sunset Strip in the mid-'80s. The story itself is a little thing: A German strip-mall developer is proposing to pave over the heart of L.A.'s rock history while Constantine plays Drew, a too-nice aspiring rocker who also gets wrapped up in a love story.
Regardless of whether Constantine wins the award Sunday night (you can watch the broadcast of the Tony Awards, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CBS), his nomination is another huge step toward proving the talent that has come out of "American Idol" in its eight-year history.
During the awards show, Constantine and his castmates will perform with Poison.
"Billy Elliott" leads the nominations race with 15 of them, and is probably the heavy favorite to win in pretty much every category. But if you're looking for nothing but a good time, "Rock of Ages" is the winner.
"I haven't had that much fun on Broadway since..." I overheard someone saying on the way out of the show, before finishing the sentence, "... probably ever!"
"Rock of Ages" is not your typical Broadway show. The moment you walk in, the 1,000-plus-seat theater is decorated from the floors to the ceiling with Sunset Strip nostalgia and filled with smoke (the sweet-smelling, fog-machine kind). You can order beer at your seat, and the audience is encouraged to sing along and wave lighters in the air for the power ballads.
But it's the sweet story-telling and the clever use of hair-metal tunes that give this show its unique quality. The familiarity of the songs, placed in the context of the show, evokes an emotional reaction, at times. Constantine leads a terrific cast that starts with his co-star Amy Spanger as his love interest, Sherrie, and continues through virtually every supporting cast member. The hilarious narrator Lonny, played Mitchell Jarvis, would steal the show if not for the tremendous vocal performances.
For more information, check out www.rockofagesmusical.com
*** Click here to comment! Have you "Rock of Ages"? Are you pulling for Constantine to win a Tony?
Message Edited by Victor_Balta on 06-05-2009 05:50 PM
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 What would the "American Idol" season by without yet another "controversy"? And this one has the full weight of The New York Times behind it.
The Times ran a story on Tuesday suggesting that behemoth "Idol" sponsor AT&T may have swayed the voting in the "Idol" finale by providing some phones at two parties in winner Kris Allen's home state of Arkansas so that people could text votes.
"There appear to have been no similar efforts to provide free texting services to supporters of Adam Lambert," The Times' story says.
But popular "Idol" news source MJ's Big Blog says there's no story here. AT&T has sent representatives to "Idol" viewing parties in the past as a way to try to introduce its products to potential new customers, MJ's reports.
UPDATE: Fox and AT&T have issued separated responses to the "controversy," published by The Hollywood Reporter. For its part, Fox simply defended the voting process, which it says is equipped to look for irregularities in the voting (it flags a phone number when more than 1,200 votes come from it).
"We have an independent third-party monitoring procedure in place to ensure the integrity of the voting process. In no way did any individuals unfairly influence the outcome of the competition," the Fox statement said.
AT&T acknowledged the issue and says that it was basically a couple of rogue AT&T employees who were "caught up in the enthusiasm of voting for their hometown contestant."
"Going forward, we will make sure our employees understand our sponsorship celebrates the competition, not individual contestants. That said, it’s quite a leap to suggest that a few individuals could have impacted the final results," AT&T said.
*** Click here to comment! What do you think? Is this just a last-ditch "foul" cry on the part of Adam fans? Is it a legitimate question that should be asked?
Message Edited by Victor_Balta on 05-27-2009 04:02 PM
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 As the clock rapidly winds down on Katrina Darrell, a.k.a. "Bikini Girl's" 15 minutes, she took a parting shot at new "American Idol" judge Kara DioGuardi, who upstaged Katrina during the season finale on Wednesday night.
While Katrina was singing Mariah Carey's "Vision of Love," trying to prove she could actually do it -- while in a bikini on television in front of 30 million people watching live -- Kara burst onto the stage from behind Katrina and took over, doing a pretty admirable job on the rest of the song.
If that wasn't enough, the 39-year-old Kara put an exclamation point on the performance by snapping her dress open to reveal her own frame in a bikini -- a move she later said she did to win a bet for charity.
RadarOnline.com caught up with Katrina afterward and asked her what she thought of Kara's appearance.
Katrina said Kara "just made herself look stupid" and poked fun at the judge's fair skin.
"I'm not 50 years old, and I spray tan," she said.
Check out RadarOnline.com for the full video interview.
*** Click here to comment! What did you think of Kara's move Wednesday night? What do you think of Katrina's response? Are you tired of "Bikini Girl"?
Message Edited by Victor_Balta on 05-22-2009 11:30 AM
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 Want to know where Clay Aiken stands on this year's "American Idol" result? He'll tell you. For $29.95 a year.
In a subscription-only part of his Web site where users can see Aiken's blog posts and responses to forum questions, Aiken went on a massive rant about "Idol" runner-up Adam Lambert and about the direction the show has taken in the past few years, according to Gawker.com. Aiken was asked, simply, what he thought of this year's result. What came next was a 700-plus-word response that took on everything from Adam's "Ring of Fire" performance to the public's desire for the show to return to its roots.
It's worth mentioning that there were reports a couple of weeks ago that Aiken paid an unannounced visit to "Idol" in alleged hopes of collaborating with Adam on a duet or tour. Aiken was reportedly whisked away with an unidentified "Idol" staffer saying he was "persona non grata" around the show because he was the first contestant to cut ties with 19 Entertainment.
*** Click here to follow me on Twitter! ***
Here are the highlights of Aiken's response:
"Now that it's all over, and for the record.... I couldn't be happier about the way AI ended this year. I only turn the show on once a season, and only to see what the set looks like each year. This year, I happened to turn it during the minute that Adam Lambert was singing "Ring of Fire" and, at that moment, thought my ears would bleed. Contrived, awful, and slightly frightening! I wasn't really a fan and found myself surprised whenever folks told me that they liked him. Granted, I never saw another performance (and many folks who I trust said that he was great) but I can't imagine I would have enjoyed it. Just not my cup of tea at all."
Aiken went on to say he never saw Kris perform, either. What he took issue with was what he called the over-hyping of Adam Lambert.
"However, this year, there was an obvious bias. Not even having watched the show, I can tell you that I was WELL aware of the bias from the judges as to who should win. In my opinion, that is awfully unattractive. I don't think I am alone."
Aiken wrote that Adam likely lost because the final is the first chance voters get to cast their opinions against a specific singer. But this was where he turned his focus toward the show and how it's changed over the years.
"The show was different then, and folks made it in seasons 1-3 because they were 'real' people who happened to sing/entertain well. But, somewhere along the way, AI stopped being about real people."
"In a battle between David and Goliath, my money is on David! I think many voters got sick of being 'told who to vote for.' I think many were turned off by the blatant favoritism shown towards one contestant. Therefore, on that last night, they used their votes against a contestant that they were tired of hearing about and for the contestant who had been written off. And, at the same time, I think they voted AGAINST an American Idol that has, for four years now, been more about the slick productions and polished contestants than it has been about finding the raw talent that it did in its first three seasons.
Those votes for Kris were also votes to return the show to its roots of finding 'real' contestants with undiscovered talent and giving them the chance to grow and shine. They were votes that said 'we're tired of seeing contestants who already seem to know it all.'"
*** Check out another former "Idol's" thoughts on the winner in the video below! ***
*** Click here to comment! What do you think of what Clay had to say? Do you agree that the show has changed? Is it for the better or worse?
Message Edited by Victor_Balta on 05-22-2009 11:33 AM
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