Simon Cowell to Quit American Idol in 2010

Simon Cowell will leave "American Idol"

American Idol judge Simon Cowell has decided to quit the top-rated TV talent show when his contract ends in 2010, according to a report in British tabloid The Sun, which would deal a blow to the Fox network. Cowell, 50, has been with the TV juggernaut since the start of "American Idol" in 2002 but his contract expires after the end of Season 9, which starts in January and ends in May 2010, and in the past he has hinted at being bored with his role.
His insults to tone-deaf singers are a key factor in luring viewers to the competition that over the past three years has seen its ratings slip, and this season already sees the departure of another original judge, popular Paula Abdul.

Cowell's brother Tony, who hosts a weekly radio podcast called "The Cowell Factor", said in a broadcast on Tuesday that Simon was preparing for his last season of "Idol".

"A press statement is being prepared which will confirm what everyone expected -- Simon will leave 'Idol' at the end of 2010 to concentrate on bringing the American version of 'The X Factor' to US TV in 2011," Tony Cowell claimed, according to Britain's Sun newspaper.

The Sun, like Fox television, is part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp media empire. The podcast could not be found later on Tuesday. The Sun report said Tony Cowell had "blurted out the claim" and that the podcast had since been removed.

Cowell's publicist and the Fox network in Los Angeles, where "Idol" is produced, both said they had no comment on the reports. Cowell, who has his own record label and produces three other TV talent shows, hinted repeatedly earlier this year that he was growing bored with his stint on "Idol".

Abdul quit earlier this year, and she will be replaced on the upcoming season by talk show host Ellen DeGeneres.

While still America's most-watched TV show, "Idol" audiences slipped in 2009 to an average 26.3 million per twice weekly episode from a high of about 30.8 million in 2006.

Cowell, one of the biggest earners on U.S. television, spoke in a British magazine interview earlier this month of his plans to bring his own "The X Factor" British talent show to Las Vegas in a global pay-per-view Internet venture.

American Idol Season 9 will be different according to Simon Cowell

You must have seen the commercials and heard the news:
American Idol returns to dominate the TV landscape on January 12!

But will it be the same Idol fans have fallen in love with over the years? Not exactly, says Simon Cowell, and he points to new judge Ellen DeGeneres as the reason why.

“She’s going to be very different than Paula,” Cowell told Extra. “I think she’s probably quite nervous... She’s smart, but make no mistakes: this will be a very different kind of show than what you’re used to.”

Hey, as long as it produces the next Adam Lambert, Kelly Clarkson or Carrie Underwood, we'll be happy!

Simon was also asked about Susan Boyle, the singing sensation he helped discover. He's in the process of producing a documentary about her life

“It’s her story... so you hear it all in her words,” he said. “It’s fascinating seeing it through her eyes.”

Are you excited for the return of American Idol? What about the overabundance of Simon Cowell chest hair above?

American Idol tops the Ratings for 2009

American Idol has broken all records from Season 1 through to season 8, when it comes to ratings.

Not only is Idol ranked on top of the Nielsen ratings for 2009 it actually grabbed the top two slots. Wednesday night’s results show came in on top – obviously people want to see who gets the boot even if they missed the performances the night before.

American Idol averaged 30.074 million in the overnight numbers and how incredible is that!
“Idol” also helped Fox claim its fifth consecutive season as the No. 1 network among adults 18-49.

American Idol Katharine McPhee gives back at The Forgotten Harvest Food Bank

American Idol runner-up Katharine McPhee is getting into the holiday spirit by attending a donation event at the Forgotten Harvest Food Bank.
To celebrate Chase's donation of $5 million to the Feeding America organization, Katharine McPhee joined the Forgotten Harvest Food Bank in Detroit, MI in helping raise awareness about hunger in Michigan and all across the United States.

Katharine is a member of Feeding America's Entertainment Council, which is chaired by actor David Arquette and includes other celebrities like Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, Marcia Cross, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Sheryl Crow, Josh Groban, Ali Larter, other "American Idol" Kimberly Locke, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Rachael Ray and Alison Sweeney.

If you'd like to know how you can help fight hunger this holiday season, visit the "Take Action" page of the Feeding America website.

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Jordin Sparks and Justin Bieber with “No Air” duet let down...

On December 10th, Jordin Sparks was set to perform “No Air” at the Kiss 108 Jingle Ball in Boston. However, for obvious reasons Chris Brown was not invited to the show. The problem is that “No Air” is a fantastic duet but doesn’t carry over well as a solo song.

In order to fill in the part normally done by Chris Brown, they got Canadian singer Justin Bieber to attempt the duet with Jordin. And I use the word “attempt” for good reason. With all due respect, it just didn’t work.



To be fair it wasn’t just Justin; Jordin was pitchy as well on several occasions, but Justin just really can’t keep up with Jordin’s vocals. On top of that, it doesn’t seem like they got much rehearsal time in before the show because Justin and Jordin seem to be out of sync and sound like it was their first time ever singing together.

I will be honest; I couldn’t even listen to the entire clip. By the end of the first chorus I was done and that was being generous. Poor Jordin deserves better than that performance, what do you think?

Idol Stalker News

Kris Allen and Adam Lambert to Perform on So You Think You Can Dance

Season 8’s winner and runner-up, Kris Allen and Adam Lambert, will perform on upcoming episodes of FOX’s So You Think You Can Dance.

On Wednesday, December 9 (8:00 – 9:00 PM), Kris will take the SYTYCD stage during the live results show to perform his single, “Live Like We’re Dying.” This song is Kris’ first single off his self-titled album; it has received rave reviews and is currently climbing the U.S. radio charts.

Adam Lambert will perform on the live season finale of So You Think You Can Dance on Wednesday, December 16 (8:00 – 10:00PM). He will perform his latest single, “Whataya Want From Me,” off his debut album, For Your Entertainment. This will be Adam’s first performance on FOX since the American Idol season finale in May. For Your Entertainment debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard Charts with 198,469 albums sold in the first week.

Currently, both Kris and Adam are up for People’s Choice Awards. Voting ends tomorrow, December 8, so be sure to vote for them!

Recently, AmericanIdol.com caught up with Kris and Adam separately to learn more about their life since the Idol finale, their new albums, and what the future holds. Watch part one and part two of our exclusive Kris Allen interview. View part one and part two of our candid interview with Adam Lambert.

americanidol.com

American Idols Get Grammy Nominations

6 Former Idols Get Nominated
Congratulations to Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson and Mandisa, who all received Grammy nominations Wednesday night. Carrie got two nominations, one for Just a Dream in the Best Female Country Vocal Performance category, and one with Randy Travis for I Told You So, a Best Country Collaboration With Vocals nominee.

Kelly picked up a Best Pop Vocal Album nomination for All I Ever Wanted. Mandisa received hers for Freedom, up for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album.

Also, the cast recording of Ain't Misbehavin' that features Ruben Studdard and Frenchie Davis received a Best Musical Show Album nomination, but it's my understanding that the award goes to the album producers, lyricists and composers in that category, not the artists.

You can see the full list of nominees here. Take a look, and let us know which Idols you think should have received nominations. And be specific -- tell us which song (or album), the category in which it should have been nominated and (just for kicks) which nominee you'd kick off the list to make room for your favorite Idol.

Best Pop Vocal Album
All I Ever Wanted
Kelly Clarkson


Best Female Country Vocal Performance
“Just A Dream” from Carnival Ride
Carrie Underwood


Best Country Collaboration with Vocals
“I Told You So”
Carrie Underwood & Randy Travis


Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album
Freedom
Mandisa


Best Musical Show Album
Ain’t Misbehavin’
Includes Ruben Studdard

American Idol 2010 Season 9 Premiere Date Revealed

Fox has announced the premiere date for American Idol 2010!

Season 9 of Idol will debut on Tuesday, January 12th at 8pm (ET/PT) with a 2-hour launch followed by a 1-hour episode the ext night, Wednesday. After that American Idol will air each Tuesday and Wednesday night with a 1-hour episode.

Don’t forget that Paula Abdul will not be returning to the judges’ panel this season but will be replaced by Ellen DeGeneres. Welcoming Ellen will be Simon, Randy, and Kara. But before Ellen sits down to join them there will be many guest judges to help across the country for the audition phase.

Excited for the return of American Idol? Sound off below with what you are looking forward most to seeing this new season!

Adam Lambert: 'Carried away' on AMAs

"American Idol" runner-up Adam Lambert has admitted he got carried away during his racy American Music Awards performance as furor over his singing and dancing stoked a wider controversy in the U.S. gay community.

More than 14 million people watched the gay, glam rocker close the live AMA telecast on Sunday with a performance that included Lambert kissing a male keyboard player and pushing the head of another performer into his crotch.

Complaints poured in to ABC, aired the show, and it canceled Lambert's appearance on its "Good Morning America" news and chat show set for Wednesday.

Yet rival network CBS put him on its "The Early Show" program, where Lambert claimed he had not intended to provoke audiences but declined to apologize, saying: "I'm not a babysitter. I'm a performer."

"I admit I did get carried away, but I don't see anything wrong with it. I do see how people got offended, and that was not my intention," he said. (Watch the video clip here.)

"If it had been a female pop performer doing the moves that were on the stage, I don't think there'd be nearly as much of an outrage at all," Lambert added. "I think it's because I'm a gay male."

The "Early Show" also ran video footage that blurred Lambert's male kiss, and doing so caused the network its own problem. Gay rights groups accused CBS of hypocrisy by also playing unedited video of a kiss between Madonna and Britney Spears at 2003's MTV Video Music Awards.

The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation said the CBS decision "reinforces an unfortunate double standard that is applied to openly gay performers."

CBS said it had thought hard about the issue. "The Madonna image is very familiar and has appeared countless times including many times on morning television. The Adam Lambert image is a subject of great current controversy, has not been nearly as widely disseminated, and for all we know, may still lead to legal consequences," a CBS News spokesperson said.

The broadcast of material deemed obscene or indecent can leave U.S. TV networks open to fines.

Some members of the gay community also scorned Lambert.

Jennifer Vanasco, editor in chief of Web site 365gay.com, said his performance hurt the cause of gay marriage in the eyes of mainstream Americans "who think gay life is exactly what (he) portrayed on the American Music Awards."

Lambert, 27, took a flair for showmanship, powerful vocals and sexual ambivalence all the way to the finals of top-rated U.S. TV show "American Idol" in May.

But his weekend performance at the AMAs has drawn mixed results. ABC received more than 1,500 complaints, but sales of Lambert's debut album "For Your Entertainment" are strong.

Released on Monday through Sony Music Entertainment, "For Your Entertainment" was No. 3 on the iTunes U.S. album chart by Wednesday night. Music industry sources told Billboard magazine it is outperforming expectations and could sell about 225,000 units in its first week. Adam Lambert: 'Carried away' on AMAsVIDEO: Singer declines to apologize for racy
More than 14 million people watched the gay, glam rocker close the live AMA telecast on Sunday with a performance that included Lambert kissing a male keyboard player and pushing the head of another performer into his crotch.

Complaints poured in to ABC, aired the show, and it canceled Lambert's appearance on its "Good Morning America" news and chat show set for Wednesday.

Yet rival network CBS put him on its "The Early Show" program, where Lambert claimed he had not intended to provoke audiences but declined to apologize, saying: "I'm not a babysitter. I'm a performer."

"I admit I did get carried away, but I don't see anything wrong with it. I do see how people got offended, and that was not my intention," he said. (Watch the video clip here.)

"If it had been a female pop performer doing the moves that were on the stage, I don't think there'd be nearly as much of an outrage at all," Lambert added. "I think it's because I'm a gay male."

The "Early Show" also ran video footage that blurred Lambert's male kiss, and doing so caused the network its own problem. Gay rights groups accused CBS of hypocrisy by also playing unedited video of a kiss between Madonna and Britney Spears at 2003's MTV Video Music Awards.

The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation said the CBS decision "reinforces an unfortunate double standard that is applied to openly gay performers."

CBS said it had thought hard about the issue. "The Madonna image is very familiar and has appeared countless times including many times on morning television. The Adam Lambert image is a subject of great current controversy, has not been nearly as widely disseminated, and for all we know, may still lead to legal consequences," a CBS News spokesperson said.

Adam Lambert asks and answers 'Whataya Want From Me' on 'The Early Show'

Adam Lambert didn't think he needed to redeem himself today on CBS' "The Early Show." But he may have done just that and a little bit more.


At the same time he was reminding his "American Idol" fans what they loved about him in the first place, Lambert probably managed to instill some regret over at ABC headquarters over Tuesday's decision to disinvite him to perform on "Good Morning America" after his controversial, highly sexual appearance at the American Music Awards on Sunday night.

This morning, Lambert was relaxed and articulate as he answered questions about his decisions on Sunday night to improvise kissing a man on stage and simulating oral sex with another. Later, he took questions from fans who attended his live performance and capped the morning with two strong vocal performances of his new songs, "Whataya Want From Me" and "Music Again."

In his interview, Lambert admitted that performing in front of many of his favorite pop artists "got the best of me" and that the controversial parts of his Sunday night performance were not rehearsed. Having a background in theater, he said, doesn't automatically make him think of the audience at home when he is on stage, he said.

"Honestly, it didn't even cross my mind — children," he said. "It was almost 11 o'clock. I was there in the audience full of mostly adults. Sometimes I forget, oh, there's a camera on. I come from the theater and I'm programmed to look at who's in the live audience, and that's kind of where I come from, and so I was looking out into the crowd and saw some of my favorite pop stars and thought I want to let loose. It just kind of got the best of me. I had a really great time. Unfortunately, there are people that are really upset, but there are also people that enjoyed it. So, like "Idol," I guess I have a tendency to divide people. Apples and oranges. You either like it or you don't."

Later he added: "It got the best of me. I'm obviously learning. This is my first performance post-"Idol" on television. The song lyrically is sexual, and I was just performing the lyrics of my song. I think in the future I will probably make a little bit more of an effort to stay consistent with what I do during rehearsal to what I do during the show. That's something I'm learning now, and that way if anyone has a problem with what I'm doing, it can be explored during rehearsal."


But Lambert also pointed out that he was not the only artist who included racy behavior in his performance, and he believes the fact that he is a gay male is behind the negative reactions to his performance.

"Just to play devil's advocate with you: Lady Gaga smashing whiskey bottles. Janet Jackson grabbed a male dancer's crotch, Eminem talked about how Slim Shady had 17 rapes under his belt," Lambert said. "There was a lot of very adult material on the AMA's this year, and I know I wasn't the only one. I am not using that as an excuse, and I didn't take any offense with those performer's choices. I'm just saying I think it's up to a parent to watch the television. It was almost 11 o'clock at night. If they're concerned with certain material, maybe TiVo it and preview it before your small child is watching it."

Lambert said he hoped fans and viewers would keep in mind that his Sunday night rendition of "For Your Entertainment" accounts for only one performance and his album is broader than that. (Eight fans were given the opportunity to ask Lambert questions before he performed, and none of them covered anything that happened on Sunday night).

"This is one song," he said. "It's one production number. This song on the album is one of the few songs that really explores risque, dangerous, edgy kind of sexuality. There are other songs on the album that are completely different. So, for me, I hope people don't put me into a box and say, 'Oh, he's nasty. And he's going to be that way all the time.' "

Then he took to the stage at CBS and proved just that.

American Idol and 24 will return just days apart in January

Fox Lines Up Midseason Premieres
American Idol and 24 will return just days apart in January, Fox announced Tuesday in unveiling its midseason schedule.


Idol's ninth season — the first with Ellen DeGeneres taking over Paula Abdul's seat at the judging table — will premiere Tuesday, Jan. 12 and Wednesday, Jan. 13 at 8/7c. Wednesday's first Idol episode will be followed by the series premiere of the new reality show Our Little Genius. The quiz show will then move to Tuesdays at 9/8c the following week.

As previously announced, 24 will return for a two-night premiere on Sunday, Jan. 17 at 9/8c and Monday, Jan. 18 at 8/7c before it replaces Lie to Me at Mondays at 9/8c for the rest of its run. However, Fox announced it has picked up the lie-detecting drama for the rest of its second season and the show will return sometime in the spring.

Lie to Me isn't the only show fans will have to part with, at least temporarily. Freshman hit Glee will take a four-month-long vacation following the show's Dec. 9 winter finale. The musical dramedy will move to Tuesdays at 9/8c when it returns April 13. Glee's extended break is at least partly due to its shooting schedule, which won't resume until January.

Fox will also use January to close up shop on the recently canceled Joss Whedon series Dollhouse. Dollhouse's final new episodes will begin Friday, Jan. 8 at 9/8c before the series finale on Jan. 22. Instead of 'Til Death, Dollhouse will air encore airings of Bones. However, the Brad Garrett comedy will come back sometime in the spring. After Dollhouse's final bow, the new season of Kitchen Nightmares will take over on Jan. 29 at 9/8c following House encores at 8/7c.

Watch full episodes of Dollhouse

Fox has three new scripted series premiering in early 2010. Human Target will debut first, with a preview airing on Sunday, Jan. 17 at 8/7c before the series' official premiere Wednesday, Jan. 20 at 9/8c following Idol.

In February, Fox will bench ratings struggling sophomore drama Fringe for seven weeks following its Feb. 4 winter finale. New series Past Life will take over Fringe's Thursday 9/8c timeslot the week after it's two-hour series premiere, Thursday, Feb. 11 at 8/7c. Fringe will return Thursday, April 1 at it's regular time.

New family comedy Sons of Tucson will premiere Sunday, March 14 at 8:30/7:30c. The live-action comedy will will step in for The Cleveland Show, which will move to American Dad's 9:30/8:30 spot. American Dad is set to return at a later date. The animation block's longest running staple, The Simpsons will celebrate its 450th episode with a very special episode Sunday, Jan. 10 at 8/7c, followed by "The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special: in 3-D! on Ice!" at 8:30/7:30c.

Are you excited for Fox's new shows and the new seasons of American Idol and 24? Will you miss Glee and Lie to Me?
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Adam Lambert on Out Magazine Controversy: "Not Every Gay Man Is The Same Gay Man"

American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert has finally spoken out on the controversy concerning him and his recent cover on Out magazine--well, to be more exact, about the allegations from the magazine's editor, Aaron Hicklin, that Adam and his management had many conditions surrounding the cover shoot.

To backtrack a bit, Adam was included in the magazine's Out 100 list, honoring the most successful gay people today. He was named, in fact, as Breakout Honoree of the Year by the magazine. But Hicklin later posted an open letter on the magazine's website, complaining that the management had qualms about putting Adam on the cover of the magazine. "Apparently, Out was too gay, even for you," he wrote. He then alleged that Adam's management would not let the singer do the cover unless a straight woman is included, and that the singer wouldn't look "too gay". He also claimed that Adam refused offers from the magazine to appear on its cover while American Idol was still underway.

The writer who interviewed Adam, Shana Naomi Krochmal, wrote a separate open letter, saying that the singer's publicists asked her not to make the interview, "you know, gay-gay," and not to ask him questions about political topics, such as the March in Washington that was yet to be held at the time.

Hicklin went on to say that Adam, as a gay person, should represent the LGBT community in getting more acceptance. "You're a pioneer, an out gay pop idol at the start of his career," he wrote. "Someone has to be first, and we're all counting on you not to mess this up. You have to find your own path and then others can follow. We just hope it's a path that's honest and true and that you choose to surround yourself with people who celebrate your individuality."

The argument bled out to Twitter, where Adam first responded. "Guess ya gotta get attention for the magazine," he wrote. "You too are at the mercy of the marketing machine. Until we have a meaningful conversation, perhaps you should refrain from projecting your publications' agenda onto my career."

Now, Adam spoke to Entertainment Weekly and reacted in detail to Hicklin's comments. "I am managing my own image, more than maybe the editor of Out magazine likes to give anybody credit for," he said, adding that his management have been supportive of him from the beginning. "I didn't want to jump onto a gay magazine as my first thing, because I feel like that's putting myself in a box and limiting myself. It was my desire to stay away from talking about certain political and civil rights issues because I'm not a politician. I'm an entertainer. That is not my area of expertise."

"I didn't feel comfortable talking about the March on Washington. ... so I asked my publicist to ask the interviewer to stay away from the political questions," he added. "I take full responsibility for that. I think that the editor has his agenda and has his opinions, which I respect, but they're not necessarily my opinions. And I wish there was a little respect for that. Not every gay man is the same gay man."

Adam also felt that Hicklin's open letter contributed more to separate than unite people towards the gay cause. "The letter that Aaron wrote is holding us back," he said. "Because it's recognizing the big difference as opposed to letting us all ignore preference and just be people. So I think in attempt to champion a cause he's actually taking a big step backwards."

Adam added that the use of the phrase "gay-gay" was taken out of context. "If there are things going on behind the scenes with my management, it has nothing to do with my interview with them," he concluded. "He really crossed a line."

Idol Gives Back Returns for 2010

American Idol will once again host Idol Gives Back, the Emmy Award-winning television event and musical celebration raising awareness and funds to benefit various U.S. and international charities, during the Top 7 Results Show Wednesday, April 21 at 8/7c on FOX. Children’s Health Fund, Feeding America, Malaria No More, Save the Children’s U.S. Programs and the United Nations Foundation are confirmed beneficiaries.


“I am very pleased to announce that we will be doing our third Idol Gives Back on April 21, 2010,” said Simon Fuller, Idol creator and CEO of 19 Entertainment. “This is our opportunity to reach out and support the people of America and around the world who need our compassion and generosity to improve or even save their lives. America will undoubtedly prove once again what a remarkable and generous nation it is. For American Idol to be able to facilitate this kind of initiative makes me very proud.”

“In today’s tough economic times, it’s more important than ever – but more difficult than ever – to raise money to help those in need,” said Mike Darnell, President of Alternative Entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Company. “With this year’s Idol Gives Back, we’re focused on raising awareness about the challenges that so many children and families currently face and demonstrating how even small donations can make a difference and help save lives. Every little bit counts.”

“There’s never been a more important and appropriate time to give what we can to help those less fortunate,” said Cecile Frot-Coutaz, executive producer of American Idol. “We all have less to give, and we may not raise as much as in previous years, but with the power of the Idol platform and the generosity of our viewers, we hope to extend a much-needed compassionate hand to those children and families who need us the most in these trying economic times.”

Idol Gives Back has made history by raising over $140 million for charity to date. Viewers will once again be able to make donations during and following the show. In addition, the week’s voting results will be revealed, sending one of the finalists home.

The brainchild of Simon Fuller, this year’s special will feature performances and appearances by some of Hollywood’s biggest stars – as well as a few surprises – live from the American Idol stage. In previous years, Idol Gives Back has welcomed President Barack Obama, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, former President George W. Bush, Brad Pitt, Bono, Reese Witherspoon, Miley Cyrus, Eli Manning, Peyton Manning, Annie Lennox, Daughtry, Carrie Underwood, Mariah Carey, Gwen Stefani, Josh Groban, Pink, Céline Dion, Robin Williams, Ben Stiller and others.

Kara DioGuardi Wants to Hang with Ellen Before Idol Returns

American Idol comes back in January, and judge Kara DioGuardi says there is some important prep work necessary before Season 9 starts: bonding time!

DioGuardi said she plans on spending some quality time with new Idol judge Ellen DeGeneres this December, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

"I'm hoping the chemistry with Ellen will be great and a great start to the season," she said at THR's Media and Money conference on Friday.

Randy Jackson, Kara DioGuardi are glad to have "mad cool" Ellen on Idol

DioGuardi also praised DeGeneres' predecessor at the conference, saying that Paula Abdul was "the heart of the show" who "nurtured and empathized. That was her role, and she was great at it."

In addition to establishing a relationship with DeGeneres, DioGuardi is also focused on establishing her own Idol persona this year, her second on the show.

Kara DioGuardi signs deal to return to Idol
"You have to know on the show who you are and have a vision of yourself," DioGuardi said at the conference. "What am I trying to represent? You'll see more of this branding myself."

Idol returns this January.