After weeks of rumors that Nigel Lythgoe would not be returning to American Idol as an Executive Producer next season, he confirmed the news on Twitter today. He Tweeted, “just had 10 days in the Bahamas, rain everyday. I get back to the States and get fired. Sad! Monday we choose our top 20. I’ll smile again.” Then he added, “Yes, don’t worry I’m on #SYTYCD. FOX still loves me. It’s not a personal thing they just feel IDOL needs new leadership after 12 Seasons.”
My theory is that if the ratings for So You Think You Can Dance don’t pick up soon, that show will be a goner because he doesn’t have American Idol to protect him/it anymore. I used to love both shows, but the judges turned me off from them. Hopefully American Idol will have better luck this upcoming season.
After just one season Mariah Carey is saying goodbye to American Idol. Her publicity firm PMK*BNC Tweeted her departure by saying “W/ global success of ‘#Beautiful’ (#1 in 30+ countries so far) @MariahCarey confirms world tour & says goodbye 2 Idol.” The news is no surprise, but how she did it is because she didn’t do it herself. They buried the lead in a Tweet.
So that means that in the last few weeks the only original judge Randy Jackson, Mike Darnell, who ran Fox’s Alternative Programming, and Mariah Carey have all quit the show after a disastrous season in the ratings. The show hit several series lows and lost over half the viewers they used to get at it’s peak.
When it comes to fixing Idol? I think they really need to cancel The X Factor because the singing competition fatigue has gotten to people like me. They also need to not make the show about the judges any more and focus on the contestants. They really just need to get back to what they were and not what they are now. Can it be done? Yes. Will it be done? Probably not.
UPDATE: Nicki Minaj is also leaving American Idol. She Tweeted, “Thank you American Idol for a life changing experience! Wouldn’t trade it for the world! Time to focus on the Music!!! Mmmuuuaahhh!!!” No one is surprised, and I am not sure if anyone is really upset by her departure. She is the reason I didn’t watch this season.
So now it is up to Keith Urban to stop singing The Clash’s Should I Stay or Should I Go? and just go!
The X Factor announced its two new judges today for next season and they are Kelly Rowland and Paulina Rubio. Who? Rowland was in Destiny’s Child and Rubio is a Latina pop star. There really isn’t much to say about them because there hasn’t been much said about them in general.
I just don’t think Simon Cowell has his finger on the American pulse. He doesn’t get what Mark Burnett gets. He keeps picking hasbeens and/or the other person that no one cares about. While The Voice picks current stars that we care about. It’s almost like Cowell is just copying The Voice with the lesser version of the NBC show’s mentors, Voice got Xtina he got Britney, Voice got Shakira he got Paulina.
If he is thinking these two new hires will get him the big ratings he thought he could get with the show, he is sadly mistaken. How long will Fox let this show go on? If Fox were smart, they would cancel The X Factor and bring Simon back to Idol. But that is just me.
Nicki Minaj is following Randy Jackson out American Idol’s door according to Us Weekly. A source told the mag, “She’s okay with it. She had a great time but was only going to do one season anyway.” Can’t say I will miss her because she is the reason why I opted not to watch the show show this year.
It will be interesting to see what American Idol does to redeem themselves next year after this disastrous season. Maybe Fox will consider doing a Dancing with the Stars and a So You Think You Can Dance and cancel the results show.
Next week the networks will announce their fall lineups, but today they are already saying which shows will be back and which ones won’t. CBS picked up it’s 20th show (which is about as many as NBC cancelled) for next season and that show is Criminal Minds. The CW still feels that Nikita has a fighting chance and The Carrie Diaries is still fashionable for them. NBC voted for another season of Parks and Recreation, but they impeached 1600 Penn, put Up All Night to sleep permanently, decided we don’t want to see any Guys with Kids and finally put Whitney out of our misery. When it comes to Fox, Randy Jackson told E! News that he voted himself off of American Idol after 12 seasons. Fox also decided that Kiefer Sutherland no longer has the Touch for them.
I always hate this time of year, my shows always get the bad news…:(
