S15.E22: American Dream

[MarkHB]

Current and former judges and contestants and the behind-the-scenes team members share memories in a retrospective of the singing competition.

[Ohwell]

Justin!!! So happy to see him again.

 

I'm sorry, but I never could stand J-Hud.  Or Kelly Clarkson.

[BogoGog24]

This was a fantastic documentary! I only wish it could have been maybe another half hour just to get even more in depth. But overall it was such a treat to see. I almost teared up by the end. It was so great to see the beginnings of the show and see how big it became and to explore all the various aspects of the show and its impact on pop culture. I'm going to be a mess on Thursday night. :(

[shipmate]

This special helped remind me why I fell in love with the show back in 2002. I agree, would love to see a longer, more in depth documentary.

[LexieLily]

I, too, am going to be a mess on Thursday :((

 

It's amazing to go back and see how much Idol pre-dated. Ryan had to teach us how to text!

[27bored]

Yeah, that was a nice documentary. I will say one thing about Idol's legacy, and it doesn't appear it was lost on many of the former Idols, is that it made the music industry open to people who normally would not have had a shot. Especially people like Adam Lambert, who is massively talented but probably would be some anonymous cabaret/Broadway type actor if it wasn't for Idol. And Guarini was right that Kelly's story is THE story of Idol. She was so cute and plain and wholesome back then.

 

I do and don't miss Simon. I feel like on one hand, and I've said this before, but I feel like his bluntness and harsh criticism pushed the contestants to be better. Like Kelly said, in the real industry people are meaner than him. I think having to just deal with his brutal critiques would make some of these contestants grow up a little. On the other hand, I feel like there was so much going on behind the scenes that Simon's insults felt a bit...contrived? I don't know if that's the right word. But it almost feels like Uncle Nigel was running things behind the scene, and then Simon would bitch about the execution of it. And the contestants bore the brunt of it

 

They didn't really hit on the introduction of instruments, but I think that kinda brought down the show. It was cool at first; you got people like David Cook, who could play guitar but is still a great singer, and Kris Allen, who played an instrument but could "make songs his own" (I hate that phrase). But I think over time it became Coffeeshop Idol and you started getting more shrinking violet singer-songwriter types over moldable potential pop stars. The show got a bit more "serious" in terms of talent, but it also got a little more boring.

[BogoGog24]

I was honestly surprised they wanted to acknowledge the Mariah/Nicki feud and some other unpleasant moments of the show. I'm glad they were candid about it and didn't just sweep those moments under the rug.

Some weeks ago I was in Walmart and picked up the Idol edition of People magazine. I'm saving it to read once the finale is over. It's going to be so hard to let go of Idol once it's all over. :(

[TeeMo]

I forgot just how low rent and low budget the first season really was! I loved Kelly's candor in talking about both the good and the bad parts of the experience. Yikes that they filmed the contestants reading what people were saying about them on the Idol message boards. As if Simon's insults weren't bad enough.

I know the current panel of judges is not super popular with lots of folks here but I think this is the best panel since the first couple of seasons of Randy/Paula/Simon. Seeing clips of all the other judges from the in between years reaffirmed that for me.

Great documentary and as I bonus I now know exactly who to blame for that "go stand with the contestants you think are safe" trickery. That move is one of my most hated Idol moves of all time. I always figured it was Nigel's doing and now I know for sure.

Kudos to Ryan for having the foresight way back in Season 1 to make sure he got the line that actually announced the winner.

[Sparkling Beth]

After all the negative things said about Idol over its run and especially in the last several years (some of it said by me), it was nice to be reminded of what an iconic show it is.  I, too, wish tonight's show could have been longer.  It was so much fun to go back to those memories and see all the people whose careers began with Idol.  Even some that are considered "What ever happened to--?" are probably doing better than they would have had they not appeared on the show. 

 

Man, Kelly singing "Piece by Piece" gets me every time and I have to reach for the Kleenex.  What a heartfelt and beautiful song. 

[Rick Kitchen]

Scotty reacting to the large number of people who showed up for his hometown visit was really sweet.

 

Did they really have to teach Constantine how to eye fuck the camera?

 

A Phillip Phillips sighting!

 

Aw, little Keith Urban.

[Neet]

That was a surprisingly good documentary. At first glance, I expected it to be the typical "Idol changed my life" lip service promo that every contestant gives, but they went into more details than expected. It would have been nice if the people involved talked more about what lead to the show's downfall, as everything about the judges being switched out constantly (and Nicki/Mariah, in particular) was common knowledge and they basically said what everyone in forums has mentioned for years.

Having not seen the first two seasons, I had no clue how bush league the first one was. It looked like a high school talent show with a $500 budget, so the 30 million viewer number of S2 is even more impressive. 

Thank God most of the staff alluded to some type of future incarnation of American Idol, because I'm crushed to see it go. It's one of the few shows I've continued to watch despite the ever-decreasing quality, just "because it's American Idol". I can't help but stay loyal to it, and would definitely be watching next year if they depressingly dragged it out even longer. 

[luvbadtv]

Where was Clay ;)

[designing1]

Clay is singing on the finale.

[Biggie B]

I enjoyed seeing this very much. I didn't watch Season One. I definitely remember hearing people talk about, and hearing about it on the radio, so I finally tuned in for the Finale. What really struck me was how Kelly's coronation song was on the radio the very next day! I found that completely amazing and it was at that point that I recall thinking, wow, this "talent contest" could really change the winner's life in a massive way. To go from pretty much nothing to having your song being broadcast all over the airwaves is the chance of a lifetime.

 

I think this documentary also did a good job explaining how things worked behind the scenes. They did a good job explaining how they went from an arena of 25,000 people down to 600 people down to 60-70 people, and I really got the sense of how tedious yet interesting that must have been for those nameless producers we never saw or knew about. The amount of effort it took to make this show work must have been completely insane.

 

It was also interesting that they touched upon the criticism that the contestants didn't "pay their dues." In some ways I agree. I don't dispute that the contests aren't worked to the bone - they are run ragged! Kelly almost destroyed her voice as a result. Every waking moment of their days are scheduled and packed to the brim, and it is mentally and physically demanding. But as hard and grueling as that is - doing the show, going on the tour (when there was one), making all of the public appearances, etc. - it's not the same as spending years working one's way up through the system: playing the small venues, having no money, suffering one rejection after another. The Idol contestants are guaranteed a place to sleep - meals - a paycheck (for those who did the tour). Yes, they worked very, very, very hard - I absolutely give them full credit for that - but none of them had to book their own appearances, make their own travel arrangements, pay for transportation, pay for their equipment/instruments/costumes. I guess what I'm trying to say is that the definition of "paying one's dues" doesn't necessarily just mean "working hard." It could also mean having absolutely no support system, no exposure, no access to those who could help/influence, no entre into the upper stratosphere. I mean, I listened to Scotty talking about how bowled over he was to have met Beyoncé, I thought, yes, that was amazing, but if he weren't on Idol, that never would have happened. Not that she directly helped his career in any way, but if he even learned one thing from her, that's something he never would have been exposed to if he were trying to make his career happen on his own. Several times last night, it was said, "It's not what you know, it's who you know." You could argue that the Idol contestants/winners had the chance to network with the crème de la crème. Some other singer wouldn't necessarily have that opportunity at such an early stage of his/her career. Perhaps in time - but not straight away. So, I do sort of agree with some of that criticism. The Idol participants do pay their dues in a particular way, but perhaps not in the "traditional" manner that Kid Rock or Tom Petty did.

 

Anyway, I felt quite emotional by the end of the show and could have easily watched more. What a long, strange trip it's been, to quote an oldie but goodie, and I suspect will take a long time for something similar to fill its shoes, if ever.

[perfectstorm]

Meh.  I could have done without rehashing the Mariah Carey/Nicki Minaj.  And what was up with the shade edit that Kris got. 

[Biggie B]

I could have done without rehashing the Mariah Carey/Nicki Minaj.

 

At least it was within the context of Nigel admitting that some of his decisions didn't work out so well.

[Sparkling Beth]

There's another way to refute the argument that Idols didn't "pay their dues" besides just pointing out that Idol is a very grueling experience, kind of like paying your dues on steroids, and that's the fact (mentioned in the show by Daughtry, Lambert, and others) that most Idol contestants had already spent years trying to launch a career. 

 

Contrary to the show's narrative, the vast majority were not just plucked off a farm because by golly, they sing so well in church.  They played in seedy clubs and did wedding gigs and auditioned for roles in musicals and haunted recording companies trying to get someone to listen to their demos.  I read Taylor Hicks's memoir, Heart Full of Soul, in which he described his decade-long struggle to have a career in music.  The entertainment business is fiercely competitive, and even the most talented performer can get lost in the crowd. 

 

I believe that Steven Tyler said, when he became an Idol judge, that if something like Idol had been around when Aerosmith was getting started, they would have tried out for it.  You'd be stupid not to take advantage of every opportunity.  I think it's arrogant for someone like Kid Rock to act all superior and imply that there is only one path to success and it's the path he took.  Personally I think quite a few of the Idol winners and non-winners are more talented and more deserving of stardom than Kid Rock.

Edited April 6, 2016 by Sparkling Beth

[TheFinalRose]

And what was up with the shade edit that Kris got.

 

I noticed that too, along with too much Adam Lambert. I got tired of the adulation of him.  

 

But as hard and grueling as that is - doing the show, going on the tour (when there was one), making all of the public appearances, etc. - it's not the same as spending years working one's way up through the system: playing the small venues, having no money, suffering one rejection after another.

 

I think there were a lot of contestants who had done that work and realized they had nothing to lose by going on Idol.  Kelly had been tossed around by the music industry by the time she auditioned.  Someone like Jordin Sparks who was 16 obviously didn't have to work that hard, but I got the impression a lot of the contestants had done the circuit.

 

 

Where was Clay ;)

 

 

I've been asking that too!!!

 

 

They didn't really hit on the introduction of instruments, but I think that kinda brought down the show. It was cool at first; you got people like David Cook, who could play guitar but is still a great singer, and Kris Allen, who played an instrument but could "make songs his own" (I hate that phrase). But I think over time it became Coffeeshop Idol and you started getting more shrinking violet singer-songwriter types over moldable potential pop stars.

 

 

 

 

Yes.  First two seasons it was fun. By LeeDeWyze it had ruined it.  

 

 

 

I do and don't miss Simon. I feel like on one hand, and I've said this before, but I feel like his bluntness and harsh criticism pushed the contestants to be better. Like Kelly said, in the real industry people are meaner than him. I think having to just deal with his brutal critiques would make some of these contestants grow up a little.

 

My problem with Simon is that while he was entertaining in his critiques, I thought he had an obvious bias toward a certain kind of physical attractiveness in a singer (Tamyra) that he really tried to push on us to the detriment of other equally, or more talented people (Kelly!)  I sometimes felt that Simon's urban London background/preferences were not a fit for the heartland of America voters that made this show take off. He just didn't get us. The obvious "bussing" of candidates was so transparent and it was one of the reasons I lost interest in the show as the years went on.  

 

I'm not sad to see the show go; to me it is a shell of its former self and has kind of outlived its welcome. But it was great back in the day, it really was a blast.  

[Wings]

I loved this episode and wanted it to be longer, too.  Seeing and remembering what it once was, served to confirm the time has come for it to end.  I am not sad to see it go, it is time.  Well it was time when they brought Mariah and Nicki on board,    

 

So onward to watch the wig win.  Gawd.  If she wins we may see enough of her to expose this lie.  It is the smaller things about this show that now give me pleasure!   LOL!  

[ari333]

What shade did Kris get? I missed it. (I was half-watching) :-)

[LennieBriscoe]

I have few friends, all of whom I met via this show, Season 2 and Clay specifically. As much as what the contestants owe to this show, I owe everything. I will miss "American Idol" very much.

Wouldn't it be great if a Retro-network could just re-run it all?

Edited April 6, 2016 by LennieBriscoe

[perfectstorm]

What shade did Kris get? I missed it. (I was half-watching) :-)

It was a segment where they were talking about post show success and was trying to make the point that just because you win, it doesn't guarantee you success and that you don't have to win to be successful.  The way it was edited did Kris no favors.  They did not even include him in the interviews.

Edited April 6, 2016 by ifoundit

[ari333]

It was a segment where they were talking about post show success and was trying to make the point that just because you win, it doesn't guarantee you success and that you don't have to win to be successful.  The way it was edited did Kris no favors.  They did not even include him in the interviews.

 

Yikes. Bummer. I was an Adam fan, still am; but I did like Kris a lot.

[WhosThatGirl]

I liked this a lot. It was nice to see all the moments from the past. To be honest, I haven't watched any Idol this year except for when Kelly came back to guest judge and sing and the last season I think I watched was the Mariah Carey/Nikki as judges year and then I stopped watching. I'm going to watch tonight and tomorrow and feel the nostalgia that I remember feeling when i was 14 years old and Kelly won. 

 

And yes, winning this show gives you a shortcut way to be a singer and get a record contract and on the radio, but the contestants do have to develop a work ethic, in a very short amount of time, and even if they do win, it doesn't mean they are going to be instafamous, the very successful idols had to keep working and working. It's always made me a little mad that certain people in the business think that the contestants were just given something and didn't work for their fame. And some of the idol winners (and contestants) have been flashes in the pan once the idol gleam worn off but others like Kelly, Carrie, etc kept working. 

 

I wish this had been longer like others have said. You don't realize how big the budget has become until they were showing season 1 clips and wow, the fact that they hardly had a songbook that they were FLIPPING COINS for songs because artists weren't giving their rights to a talent show. That explains a lot about the season 1 songs. Now, it seems like AI has a plethora of song choices, which they probably do. Also now they have musical performances on results night. I don't think they had musical performances in season 1. It's so funny what this show has become. 

 

I remember a lot of season 1, because I had the DVD of season 1. It only had a bunch of special features and the last three or five episodes, but they never had any performances from like special musical guests like they do now and they made the contestants do silly little skits and yes, read the comment sections on the website. It was so different from now. 

 

I wonder what the networks budget effective way to bring back the show meant: I mean, it probably is an expensive as hell show, the rights to music, the judges, etc..

 

I might miss this show, actually. But then I don't feel a connection to it, but the special last night made me remember that I did use to vote and how excited I was when Kelly won and how it was everything that everyone talked about. 

[TheGreenKnight]

I've missed the show for a while now. It hasn't been the same for years and I'm glad it's being cancelled, but I did enjoy it very much at one time. The special glossed over everything since Simon left the show. I guess they think most of their audience don't remember or care about what happened after.

 

Cute to see young Keith.

[rlangmit]

It was a segment where they were talking about post show success and was trying to make the point that just because you win, it doesn't guarantee you success and that you don't have to win to be successful.  The way it was edited did Kris no favors.  They did not even include him in the interviews.

 

Yeah, as a fan of Kris, this made me very angry.  For one thing, Kris has actually been quite successful relative to many alums (including recent winners).  He had a platinum hit and, according to Wikipedia, is #10 among alums in terms of digital sales.  (That doesn't mean he's anywhere close to #10 in overall sales or "success," whatever that means, but it's certainly nice to see his name up high.)  He's made four post-Idol albums and tours often--I think he's doing fine with a career he would have never had if it weren't for winning Idol.  It's just that he has become the poster boy for "America got it wrong," as if that's possible in a show which is defined by America's arbitrary vote.  From the very beginning, the show went out of its way to slam Kris, from Simon's look when he won to Ryan's nasty comments on radio the next morning.  I think they should have embraced him, as in "This guy managed to beat the GREAT Adam Lambert," thus promoting both equally (in the industry and on the show in mentions, return appearances, etc.--though Kris was on quite a bit this year).  Instead, they helped propagate the meme that Idol fans didn't always vote for "the voice," which had two effects: (1) A little show called "The Voice" took that to heart and (2) Idol decided it needed to manipulate things even more, to the point where the audience barely voted in season 15.  That didn't work out so well for them, did it?

 

Sorry for the rant.  I don't mind Kris not being interviewed--there are lots of ex-Idols, with busy schedules--but the negativity thrown on his win was totally unnecessary and ruined what was otherwise a very enjoyable and informative documentary.

[27bored]

My problem with Simon is that while he was entertaining in his critiques, I thought he had an obvious bias toward a certain kind of physical attractiveness in a singer (Tamyra) that he really tried to push on us to the detriment of other equally, or more talented people (Kelly!)  I sometimes felt that Simon's urban London background/preferences were not a fit for the heartland of America voters that made this show take off. He just didn't get us. The obvious "bussing" of candidates was so transparent and it was one of the reasons I lost interest in the show as the years went on.

 

I agree. Even though Tamyra is talented in addition to being an attractive woman, people forget that some of the biggest clunkers in AI history had Simon's stamp of approval.

 

As for the Kris shade edit: I noticed that, too. I kind of wished they showed Lee DeWyze more than Kris. For one thing, Kris was under-the-radar even on his season. They showed his win where he said he felt like Adam should've won. He's had a moderate amount of success in the industry, but more than Lee (whom they didn't really acknowledge exists).

 

I think, and this again is why the introduction of instruments was a mixed bag, some people think everyone who auditions for Idol must be looking for overnight success and pop stardom. It might be surprising for some, but there are a lot of people who don't want much more than to make albums and play shows. Idol gives them exposure so they can get gigs, but someone like Kris is probably just happy with an indie label (to forward him the cash to record albums, even though I think he's now indie), management (to negotiate contracts/money), booker (for work/shows), and a touring band. Having all the trappings of a major label isn't something that he probably wants or needs.

Edited April 6, 2016 by 27bored

[Biggie B]

Personally I think quite a few of the Idol winners and non-winners are more talented and more deserving of stardom than Kid Rock.

 

 

Sparkling Beth, I agree that Kid Rock is not the standard by which too much should be judged!! :-)  Indeed, many contestants toiled for a long time trying and doing anything to get a foot in the door. Which is exactly why I always preferred older contestants over the 15 and 16 year olds, who may well have come out of the womb singing, but sure haven't slogged around the country working any gig they could find, and don't have the emotional mileage. In the end, though, I think you have to look at Idol as another resource to be used to get one's career to a higher level. It's sort of like online dating services - those didn't exist a generation ago. Now they do - and while you have to proceed with caution, and there are no guarantees, they really are just another strategy or option you can pursue to find a partner. Perhaps some folks look down their noses at online dating but I'm sure we all know folks who found their life partners online, and it should be regarded as a completely viable method of meeting someone. Similarly, a format like AI shouldn't necessarily be dismissed out of hand as not legitimate. Times change. But I do see where the criticism comes from, and it's not without some merit. Access to a stable of professionals helping you from head to toe - how to hold the mike, how to work the crowd, how to use the stage, what to wear, vocal coaching, etc. - is something most aspiring performers would love to have and don't, not when they're schlepping around from gig to gig, working a day job, going to school, raising a family, struggling financially, and so on. It cuts both ways, it seems, and as for those "old pros," maybe they're a little resentful.

Edited April 6, 2016 by Biggie B

[saber5055]

I really enjoyed this flashback episode. I remember that first Idol, and I watched Kelly win. And Justin got a lot of publicity, too. I remember their movie (that tanked), "From Kelly to Justin." It was good to see Garini, unrecognizable without that hair. I wonder what he is doing now. Anyone know?

 

That very first show was the one to get on since it went crazy popular after that first year. All the backstage stuff was very interesting to me, especially how those initial shows were sort of jury rigged together before they hit their stride. Even the producers were surprised the show became such a hit.

 

Congrats to all the contestants who made it on, and all the winners ... and non-winners, who have gone on to good careers. And good on Jordin Sparks for traveling from town to town to audition over and over again before finally getting approved to meet the judges. How funny was that?

Edited April 6, 2016 by saber5055

[Gemma Violet]

Clay is singing on the finale.

 

Yeah, I read that Clay would be singing live on the finale.  I'm really looking forward  to that.  Lots of Clay on TV this week:  Idol tomorrow and CNN two days this week, doing his political commentating gigs.  I think that makes about a dozen appearances on CNN.  Add to that his appearances on other outlets (MSNBC, Fox, Al Jazeera, Sirius, etc.) and he's really gaining gravitas in his commentating career.

[Rick Kitchen]

 

It was good to see Garini, unrecognizable without that hair. I wonder what he is doing now. Anyone know?

 

Not only is he starring in Dr. Pepper ads, he has a successful Broadway career.

 

His Broadway (and other stage) appearances:

 

http://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Justin-Guarini/

 

One of his commercials:

 

Edited April 6, 2016 by Rick Kitchen

[drafan]

I really did enjoy this and agree it could've been longer.

Some observations:

Kelly really was the 'girl next door'. Only watched the finale in S1, so never really saw her journey. Seemed 25 years younger than she is now.

Carrie was a goobery milkmaid. Lover her answer when Ryan asked her about seeing stars in LA.

Nobody had more fun on this show in the history of ever than Taylor Hicks. Seriously.

Kat McPhee never smiled for the duration of her season.

It seems like the "Big" personalities rarely win.......only Kelly, Fantasia, Taylor, and Caleb. The other 10 are fairly mousy. By this formula, Trent should win S15.

"Big" personalities can do well without winning......JHud, Adam, Kellie P, Constantine.

Bo Bice!!!!! Yes!

Awwww...Ellen.

Missing: Shioban, Krystal, David A, Blake, Kellie P, HeeJun, Sanjaya, Angie, Clark, Lazaro, James. Why??

 

Ryan was so young and cute back in S1.

Edited April 6, 2016 by drafan

[Josiecat]

I noticed that too, along with too much Adam Lambert. I got tired of the adulation of him.  

 

Too much Adam Lambert?  I just watched a fan edit of only Adam's appearances, some of which were segments where his picture was shown but he wasn't actually speaking.  The grand total of his screen time was around 3 1/2 minutes.  That's nothing compared with, say, JHud, who may have had more face time than even Carrie Underwood.

 

Just goes to show that for those who dislike him, any Adam is too much Adam!

[Sparkling Beth]

Sparkling Beth, I agree that Kid Rock is not the standard by which too much should be judged!! :-)  Indeed, many contestants toiled for a long time trying and doing anything to get a foot in the door. Which is exactly why I always preferred older contestants over the 15 and 16 year olds, who may well have come out of the womb singing, but sure haven't slogged around the country working any gig they could find, and don't have the emotional mileage. In the end, though, I think you have to look at Idol as another resource to be used to get one's career to a higher level. It's sort of like online dating services - those didn't exist a generation ago. Now they do - and while you have to proceed with caution, and there are no guarantees, they really are just another strategy or option you can pursue to find a partner. Perhaps some folks look down their noses at online dating but I'm sure we all know folks who found their life partners online, and it should be regarded as a completely viable method of meeting someone. Similarly, a format like AI shouldn't necessarily be dismissed out of hand as not legitimate. Times change. But I do see where the criticism comes from, and it's not without some merit. Access to a stable of professionals helping you from head to toe - how to hold the mike, how to work the crowd, how to use the stage, what to wear, vocal coaching, etc. - is something most aspiring performers would love to have and don't, not when they're schlepping around from gig to gig, working a day job, going to school, raising a family, struggling financially, and so on. It cuts both ways, it seems, and as for those "old pros," maybe they're a little resentful.

I definitely agree about the 15 and 16 year olds.  I would put the entry age at 18, because I think anyone younger than that should be concentrating on school, not a career. 

 

Applause for the bolded sentence.  I think it's especially important to remember that it's not a Get Into Show Business Free card.  I've always said that Idol is a starting gate, not a finish line.  It gets your name out there, which is incredibly important, but unless you're willing to put in the hours to keep your name out there, you're on a fast path back to obscurity.  When Adam served as a mentor in Season 9, he told the contestants that if they thought Idol was hard, they'd better be prepared for the time after Idol because "you work your butt off!"  That's how you succeed, with or without Idol.

[deedee]

 

Just goes to show that for those who dislike him, any Adam is too much Adam!

 

That just goes to show that for those who like him, no matter how much Adam is not enough Adam!

 

I like Adam (although I think most of his post Idol music has been dire), and if going by vocal talent/showmanship he probably should have won Idol. I expected him to win and would have been happy with it. For me Jacob from TWOp said it best-he said something like while Adam had the best voice, Kris had his favorite voice. I never understand why some people can't understand that not everyone has to like the same thing.

Either way all I know is Kris Allen has more class in his pinkie finger than the producers have in all their combined bodies.

 

Btw I'm not saying RCA screwed Kris over because I do not think that at all. They got him a platinum single and gave him a second album (the sublime Thank You Camelia). Mistakes were made but that happens all the time in that industry.  And if Kris keeps making albums like his recent one I'm content.

 

Other than the Kris nonsense, the retrospective was interesting enough. The recent seasons were pretty much ignored, but I guess they figured Idol viewers wouldn't care about them, since so many tuned out.

[TiredMe]

I noticed the Kris shade too but I giggled. Sorry! I never got his appeal and was irritated that he won. Lol

I enjoy the entire show but glad the Mariah Nikki stuff was brief. That season was unbearable. I completely forgot the 4th judge Kara.

Looking forward to many of the past contestants, what's one more eye-fuck from Constantine?

[mojoween]

I saw the "non-winners do better than winners" bit as more a slam on Taylor than Kris because Daughtry was so smug about it.

And while I loathed Taylor on Idol, he seems like a nice, happy guy so Chris can suck it.

Also I love Adam so lalala I can't hear you!

Aha - I can blame Uncle Nigel for that bullshit with Judd.

The show continues, to this day, to have it both ways. Because you can vote for your favorite, and you can vote for the most talented, and more overnight than not those two are not the same thing.

Fuck's sake...John Stevens should NOT have gotten death threats. Some people never liked Jennifer Hudson as a singer and didn't think it was the worst travesty in the history of the world when she was voted off.

Nothing at all against her, and I would never wish what happened to her on anyone, but her voice was not pleasing to me.

Season 3 is my least favorite season anyways. Tied with the all-girl horrorshow.

[rlangmit]

Access to a stable of professionals helping you from head to toe - how to hold the mike, how to work the crowd, how to use the stage, what to wear, vocal coaching, etc. - is something most aspiring performers would love to have and don't, not when they're schlepping around from gig to gig, working a day job, going to school, raising a family, struggling financially, and so on. It cuts both ways, it seems, and as for those "old pros," maybe they're a little resentful.

 

Then they should have auditioned for American Idol!

 

For me Jacob from TWOp said it best-he said something like while Adam had the best voice, Kris had his favorite voice. I never understand why some people can't understand that not everyone has to like the same thing.

 

This is a great way to put it.  Right now I'm listening to these acoustic songs that Kris released randomly today (did you see them?), and I'm still struck by how much I love his voice.  I've loved it since Man in the Mirror.  It may not be Adam Lambert's otherworldly voice, but I just...like it better.  And I like his style of singing, genre, everything better.

 

I saw the "non-winners do better than winners" bit as more a slam on Taylor than Kris because Daughtry was so smug about it.

 

Yeah, but they aired Kris winning directly behind Daughtry.  It was pretty blatant.  Also, there was some positive stuff about Taylor on the show.  (I'm sick of Taylor shade too.  I never followed him after the show, but he was my fave in S5.  Stop creating shows where America picks the winner if you don't like America's picks.)

[27bored]

The thing with Adam is that I think he suffered the same fate as Tamyra and Daughtry and a handful of others over the years. He seemed a little too put together and polished for you to really root for him. Kelly Clarkson showed up with no makeup and an outfit like she was going to the mall. She had a decent voice but it was unpolished. She became a star. She became a star through the show. Adam's stint seemed more like a coronation and after years of Simon slamming contestants for being too cabaret, he sure did love him some Adam. But Adam comes off British -- not impolite or mean, but formal and put together and a little serious. Americans like our stars to be nice and threadbare. USA USA

[Biggie B]

Biggie B, on 06 Apr 2016 - 5:37 PM, said:

 

Access to a stable of professionals helping you from head to toe - how to hold the mike, how to work the crowd, how to use the stage, what to wear, vocal coaching, etc. - is something most aspiring performers would love to have and don't, not when they're schlepping around from gig to gig, working a day job, going to school, raising a family, struggling financially, and so on. It cuts both ways, it seems, and as for those "old pros," maybe they're a little resentful.

 

 

Then they should have auditioned for American Idol!

 

You might have been saying that tongue in cheek - if so, forgive me, and I'll deserve the Captain Obvious award - but prior to 2002, there was no Idol and thus, no access to all of that coaching and support and mentoring.

Edited April 7, 2016 by Biggie B

[TheGreenKnight]

The thing with Adam is that I think he suffered the same fate as Tamyra and Daughtry and a handful of others over the years. He seemed a little too put together and polished for you to really root for him. Kelly Clarkson showed up with no makeup and an outfit like she was going to the mall. She had a decent voice but it was unpolished. She became a star. She became a star through the show. Adam's stint seemed more like a coronation and after years of Simon slamming contestants for being too cabaret, he sure did love him some Adam. But Adam comes off British -- not impolite or mean, but formal and put together and a little serious. Americans like our stars to be nice and threadbare. USA USA

Simon once described the difference between how singing contests played in Britain versus America as America always wanting to root for an underdog, whereas Britain would reward whoever was the best. That's incredibly accurate looking at Idol's history when compared to, say, The X Factor UK.

[drafan]

 Kelly Clarkson showed up with no makeup and an outfit like she was going to the mall. 

 

 

But Adam comes off British

Did I hear it right...did Kelly say she made that denim top from a pair of jeans??? If so......extra points for that.

 

Adam?? British??  Nah, his teeth are too nice.

[WhosThatGirl]

Did I hear it right...did Kelly say she made that denim top from a pair of jeans??? If so......extra points for that.

 

Adam?? British??  Nah, his teeth are too nice.

Yup, she made it out of an old pair of pants! I remember her audition, I also remember up until the final 10 live shows, Simon never liked her much and always made comments about how he didn't remember her and such.  

[mtlchick]

Finally got around to watch this.  What a fun time going down memory lane!  The fashion, the evolution of Seacrest's hair, how to text and using the Cingular network...I was addicted to it for the first 6-7 seasons before I moved on and barely watched past season 9.  To this day, Kelly's win was the only time I've ever cried over a reality show win.  I don't think I would have been that choked up if Justin had won (side note: I enjoy his Diet Dr Pepper ads.) 

And man, if Kid Rock was that critical about Idol back then, I can only imagine what he thinks of those who found fame via social media.