On the heels of news that Ellen DeGeneres is leaving, 'Idol' rumors fly.
The revolving door on the "American Idol" judges' table may be starting to spin out of control. On the heels of Thursday's shocking news that Ellen DeGeneres would be leaving "Idol" after just one year on the panel, TMZ reported later in the day that two-season veteran Kara DioGuardi had been fired from the show.
Filling Simon Cowell‘s seat on American Idol was already a tough task –- now another chair is there for the taking.
Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, who became a full-time judge on the show during its ninth season, is bowing out of the series, PEOPLE has learned.
“A couple months ago, I let FOX and the American Idol producers know that this didn’t feel like the right fit for me,” she says in a statement. “I told them I wouldn’t leave them in a bind and that I would hold off on doing anything until they were able to figure out where they wanted to take the panel next. It was a difficult decision to make, but my work schedule became more than I bargained for.”
Oh Em Gee, you guys! I am so excited about Fox’s new reality show, The Search for the Next Justin Bieber, which is set to premiere January 2011. Contestants will be judged in four categories: Awesomeness of Voice; Floppiness of Hair; Dreaminess of Smile; and Ability to Induce Scrawling of Name All Over Trapper Keeper. And the good news is, there won’t be any need for pesky phone- or text-voting: Instead, an army of tweens will be employed to squeal approval after every performance. The boy who receives the lowest-decibel response each week will have his luscious locks shorn on stage by Ryan Seacrest, then be sent back to freshman algebra class 4-Eva.
Both 'American Idol' finalists inked deals for major-label debuts on Thursday.
That was fast. Less than 24 hours after winning season nine of "American Idol," Lee DeWyze signed a record deal with 19 Recordings Limited and RCA Records, while his pal and runner-up, Crystal Bowersox, inked a contract with 19 Recordings Limited and Jive for her debut major-label album.
According to Billboard.com, the pacts were signed on Thursday and will have DeWyze joining the label that houses such "Idol" luminaries as Chris Daughtry and Adam Lambert. Bowersox will rub elbows with the likes of Kris Allen, Jordin Sparks and Allison Iraheta.
They auditioned together in Chicago last summer, and they've become good buds in the nine months since. They're both 24 years old and were vying to be the first Midwesterner to win the "American Idol" title. One, Ohioan Crystal Bowersox, was the odds-on favorite to win it all for most of season nine, while the other, low-key Illinois-bred Lee DeWyze, came on strong down the stretch and threatened to pull out an upset victory.
On Wednesday night (May 26), when all the hoopla, oldies acts and teary goodbyes to departing judge Simon Cowell were finally said and done, it was DeWyze who emerged victorious in an "Idol" upset for the ages.
While Bowersox hugged him and looked loose and relaxed, DeWyze seemed gripped by nerves as he awaited word from host Ryan Seacrest. When the verdict was read, the former paint-store clerk and high school dropout with a musical dream bent over and looked like he was going to be sick. He was quickly swarmed by the top 12, emerging with a smile and the outburst: "Oh my God!"
Read more: 'American Idol' Finale: Lee DeWyze Takes The Crown
Got to hand it to James – he took it extremely well, smiling and accepting his fate as the third-place finisher on Season 9, probably the most gracious farewell this season.
“I’m so thankful for the opportunity,” he said. “It’s been an amazing, amazing journey. I’m so honored that I’m here.”
Read more: 'American Idol' Finale, Lee & Crystal Showdown is Coming!
It's down to three, and if this season (or any season, frankly) of "American Idol" has taught us anything, it's all about song choice. Left to their own devices, the top three mostly blew it on Tuesday night with their selections, with only Lee DeWyze earning lukewarm praise for his pick, while Crystal Bowersox and Casey James both elicited tepid responses. Things turned around in the second half when all three got thumbs-up from the judges (who also happened to pick the songs), and DeWyze sprinted ahead of the pack with a powerhouse performance of the oft-covered Leonard Cohen soul-stirrer "Hallelujah," which has been the savior of many an "Idol" contestant.
Read more: Top 3 Battle Toward the Finale on 'American Idol'
"American Idol" continued down the path to a probable Lee DeWyze-Crystal Bowersox final round with the Wednesday elimination of Michael "Big Mike" Lynche.
Read more: All 4 Head Home on 'American Idol' Only 3 Return!
Crystal earns an Excellent grade for her 'Caddyshack' cover; Big Mike's 'Free Willy' fails.
The numbers in our "American Idol" classroom are dwindling, and that's forcing producers to get creative. Thus Tuesday night's Songs of Cinema theme introduced a dose of group work into the live show, as the top four contestants sang a couple of duets in addition to their familiar individual efforts. The ensembles proved to be the night's saving grace.
Before we dole out the grades, we've got an extra credit question for the "Idol" conspiracy theorists among you: What was the thinking behind pairing Crystal Bowersox with Lee Dewyze and Michael Lynche with Casey James? Hmmmm. And how about a bonus extra-credit question: What does it mean that for three out of the four contestants, their duets were far superior to their solo performances?
Harry Connick Jr. was the real star of the show this week. The New Orleans crooner provided some genuine comic relief with a pre-taped bit in which he irreverently "mentored" each of the remaining contestants.
Afterward, he sang a lounged-up version of the Beatles' "And I Love Her," the title track off his newest record and the Top 5 performed a little mix-mash of Connick's music.
Finally, the audience had to bid farewell to someone. And this evening that someone was Aaron Kelly.
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