4Was Mariah Carey Lip Synching And Do You Care?

Mariah Carey, in a diabolical feathered gown, sang her face off last night in the season finale of American Idol — or DID she? A lot of people are freaking out, pointing fingers, saying she was actually lip synching her Mariah’s greatest hits medley. Maybe she did, considering she and everyone else on the judging panel got fired, and this is her way of saying, “Thanks, bye.” Like maybe she doesn’t even care. Or maybe she actually was singing. I can’t tell. It looks like she’s singing but there’s something very smooth about it. But maybe that’s because she’s a professional who has been singing since she was but a wee child in a diabolical feathered gown.

Watch it and tell us what you think.

May 17, 2013 at 5:30 pm by Catherine St. Ives

3Pretty Much Everyone On American Idol Got Fired

Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj, Randy Jackson, and…who is the other one? Ah, Keith Urban. Yeah all of them are fired and won’t be coming back for the next season of American Idol. And Jennifer Lopez isn’t coming back either. Or Nigel Lythgoe. That’s what they’re saying. So spin it away, boys! Here’s most of the report. It contains the delicious quote “No more big checks for big divas.”

From The Wrap:

“All four are gone,” [an] insider told TheWrap. “They feel they’ve lost their core audience and they want it back.”

A Fox spokesperson declined to comment for this story.

All four judges have options to return for another season, but Fox won’t be picking them up, according to the knowledgeable individual, who said: “No more big checks for divas.”

The network has resolved to stop paying the huge salaries it has been shoveling out for its big name talent, i.e. Carey’s reported $18 million package, Minaj’s $12 million salary and former judge Jennifer Lopez’s $15 million.

The show’s format will also change. Its look will be redesigned and the dated tribute nights will be a thing of the past. But the show’s trademark audition episodes will continue.

Behind the scenes, Fox Broadcasting chairman Kevin Reilly is charged with “fixing Idol.” And one of the first changes will occur at the top of the food chain: Longtime executive producer Lythgoe is expected to be replaced. What that means for the show’s producers, FremantleMedia, remains to be seen.

Fox’s meltdown has everything to do with the talent competition’s declining viewership. Its ratings are already down 22 percent this season and it hit a series low for ratings last Thursday, when it attracted only 11 million viewers and a 2.4 rating/7 share in the ad-coveted 18-49 demographic. The ratings slide is especially problematic during May Sweeps, where ratings numbers are used to dictate advertising rates.

Viewing has been in decline for several seasons now. At its height during Season 6, “Idol” attracted about 30 million viewers an episode.

So, why not just cancel the show?

“Idol” is still a huge revenue generator for Fox, bringing in $836.4 million in ad revenue last year, according to Kantar Media. Plus, it has nothing to replace it. Simon Cowell’s “The X Factor” is far from being “Idol’s” heir apparent after failing to meet ratings expectations over its first two seasons. It, too, is undergoing another round of changes for Season 3, with pop star Britney Spears and record executive L.A. Reid not returning.

“Idol’s” problems are compounded by the success of NBC’s “The Voice.” Currently airing its fourth season, the show recently crossed a milestone when it beat “Idol” (and everyone else on the small screen for that matter) in both total viewers and the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic. Additionally, “The Voice” took “Idol’s” spot in the Emmy race last year, replacing it among the nominees in the Outstanding Reality Competition category.

I haven’t watched American Idol in years. It got boring as hell. And it really wasn’t the same after Simon left. Remember when they tried Ellen? And Steven Tyler? They had no idea what they were doing and neither did the audience. I’m surprised it still generates so much ad revenue.

Anyway, EFF YEAH, because it is EFFING RIDICULOUS to give people that much money to essentially cohost a talent contest. I guess they’re keeping Seacrest though.

May 9, 2013 at 3:30 pm by Catherine St. Ives

1‘American Idol’ Producers Are Kinda Behind the whole Nicki and Mariah Feud

Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj don’t get along, in case you hadn’t noticed – though chances are you have, since they seem to always be at each other’s throats during every American Idol broadcast and Nicki won’t stop trying to fan non-existent flames on Twitter. Turns out, that’s sorta the producers’ fault, as they really egg the bickering on – this according to Mariah’s husband Nick Cannon.

Nick stopped by The Talk on Monday, where he was of course asked about his wife, since no one cares about what he’s doing.

“It’s kind of unfortunate. I ain’t got time for that … When you see someone like my wife, who tries to remain classy and tries to take the high road, it feels like everybody else around it — including the network and the producers — feed into this whole sound bite drama. It feels like it lacks substance.

“You can’t even blame Nicki Minaj or her team. I feel like they fed into that. They wanted to see the drama. I think America in general is tired of seeing the mean judges and people be mean to people. They’re over it … In the book of Mariah Carey, American Idol will be a footnote.”

That’s true enough – American Idol is going to be a footnote in pretty much everyone’s lives, except for like, Kelly Clarkson and probably Simon Cowell. Why can’t this show just die already?

As for the “feud”, I’ve aired my thoughts before. Nicki needs to sit the hell down and know her place and Mariah just needs to get off this sinking ship. (I seriously typed “sinking shit” accidentally, at first.)

May 7, 2013 at 12:30 pm by Jennifer

10Oh, Snap: Nicki Minaj Calls Mariah Carey “Bitter” and “Insecure”

Guys, listen. I think you should sit down because I have something really important and extremely shocking to tell you. Are you ready? Okay, well… Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey don’t get along. You see, sometimes in Hollywood, celebrities get massive egos and think that in order to prove their own greatness, they need to try to start fights with other celebrities who have had success beyond the troublemaker’s wildest dreams even though no one really cares. It’s all very stupid, as you can see.

Okay, in all seriousness, let me just say this. Mariah Carey is a fucking legend. Music Box was the first cassette tape I ever owned as a 7-year-old, the MTV Unplugged session was like, my lifeblood and there’s not a single person who doesn’t STILL count ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ as the absolute best Christmas song written in the history of the world. The same can’t be said for Nicki Minaj, who bragged her way to the top of the rap game and then… stopped rapping. Somehow, I can’t see any Gen Y’ers sitting around with their teenage kids in 15 years to reminisce about ‘Super Bass’.

All of this is neither here nor there, though. Mariah’s probably a total bitch just like Nicki, but there’s one slight difference: Mariah’s earned it. People need to check themselves before they wreck themselves – an important message Nicki obviously missed out on since she tried to pick another on-air fight with Mariah on Wednesday and Thursday night’s episodes of American Idol. When Perez Hilton wrote one of his bullshit stories about the incident (which I won’t even bother to link because I can’t stand him that much), claiming that Mariah had “burned” Nicki by saying she had more #1s or something, Nicki took to Twitter to respond:

Right, I get that you’re proud of your rap roots, Nicki (though I would hardly call whatever it is you do anymore rapping), but what’s your point about being a black female. Mariah Carey is a half black female. Isn’t her accomplishment just as valid? It makes it mighty hard to even like Nicki Minaj on a basic level anymore when she starts talking utter garbage like this (and this is from someone who loved the Beam Me Up Scotty mixtape).

Anyway, Nicki also had a dig at the rumours that Idol producers wanted to replace Mariah with J.Lo mid-season (not realising, of course, that her place at the judges’ table doesn’t exist past this season, either).

May 3, 2013 at 6:30 am by Jennifer

0Did Mariah Carey Almost Get Sacked From ‘Idol’ For Jennifer Lopez?

Mariah Carey was a big get for American Idol, a dying show that no one really cares about anymore. By all measures, her presence on the judges’ panel should have made the ratings skyrocket – especially given her “feud” with Nicki Minaj, which has been far less exciting than we’d all hoped. In any case, higher ratings have been elusive and apparently, Idol producers considered getting rid of Mariah in favour of bringing back former judge Jennifer Lopez. Oh, snap!

Team Mariah caught wind of this, apparently, and threatened to sue the show, which threw a wrench in the whole operation. Of course, Nigel Lythgoe over at Idol has denied this was ever in the works, but I think we all know better.

From The Hollywood Reporter:

“This is just another ridiculous Idol judge rumor, likely started by talks of Jennifer performing on the finale,” a Fox spokeswoman tells THR in a statement. Producer Fremantle NorthAmerica declines to comment. A rep for Carey denies these allegations. Idol producer Nigel Lythgoe tells THR: “I have not been included in any conversation regarding replacing Mariah with Jen this season.”

American Idol kicked off its 12th season on solid enough footing. Earning a 6.0 rating with adults 18-49 and 17.9 million total viewers in its January return, the 17 percent dip was less precipitous than some of the bigger drops in recent years. But the months since have been less kind. The Wednesday performance show is currently averaging a 4.3 rating with adults 18-49, its worst performance since its inaugural season in 2001. And it is dropping nearly every week.

Well, obviously it’s dropping every week – no one gives a shit about American Idol. It’s a dated format now that produces very few stars anymore and people aren’t watching because of it. Obviously shows like The Voice are doing well (though they don’t fare well with producing real-life stars at all and never have) because it’s a shake-up of the traditional talent show genre, but whatever.

Apparently Idol producers want to gut the entire panel for next season, which begs the question: WHY IS THERE GOING TO BE ANOTHER SEASON OF AMERICAN IDOL? Christ almighty, let it die.

April 24, 2013 at 9:30 am by Jennifer

17Nick Cannon Wants to Spank His Children

Nick Cannon, actor/rapper and Mariah‘s husband, is really psyched about spanking his kids. As he told US Weekly,

I got my belt out already! It’s ready.

Chill out dude. Their twins, daughter Monroe and son Moroccan, turn two the 30th of April. Mr. Cannon shared more of his parenting techniques with the magazine:

On who’s the tougher parent: “Who do you think? Me! I don’t play that!”

On when his kids can listen to his music: “When they can go to the club!”

On when they can start dating: “Oh, no, my son can date at, like, 3 if he wants, but my daughter, never.”

Ahhhh gotta love those double-standards. Ugh.

Do you spank your kids? Were you spanked growing up?

March 10, 2013 at 10:30 am by Catherine St. Ives