The American Idol judges and Ryan Seacrest were on Larry King Live last night pretending that everything is fine this season. King asked why ratings were down a bit, and Seacrest and Simon Cowell said for the show’s ninth season, it’s to be expected. Not much was actually said in the clip embedded after the jump: Ryan teased Simon for showing so much heavage (yawn) and King showed his age making a Harry Belafonte joke. We learned that Simon will be watching at home next season when he leaves Idol for The X Factor and that Randy wants a bat phone to reach him. Also that Kara DioGuardi is happy she’s no longer a rookie judge and claps her hands a lot when she talks. Ellen DeGeneres said the only vaguely interesting thing while describing how hard it is to actually sit in front of someone and pass judgment on his or her performance. “Sometimes I hear myself go, ‘I liked it,’ and inside I’m goin’ No you didn’t.”
I’m officially missing Simon already. You?
Read more: EW’s American Idol Hub
When Kara came on is when it jumped the shark. X factor will be the new IDOL with Simon/Paula reboot. Randy is stuck since he signed that contract.
yo, yo dawg, check it out. I didn’t get invited anyway.
Who would want him?
At least Ellen’s honest. Me, I’m watching NCIS tonight, but I’ll check in to find Tim’s order in the line-up to vote.
It’d be nice if she actually brought that patented honesty to the show instead of finding 20 different ways to tell someone they’re “great.”
I agree. I like Ellen but she’s not doing great judging-wise. At least she wasn’t by the time I stopped watching this season…
how can you say she’s honest when she just admitted that she tells contestants that she liked their performance when she didn’t??
Well, she’s honest about lying.
When did this show STOP being about the judges? (At least in the judges’ minds.)
Yeah, seriously. Is that headline supposed to be a joke?
I was reading the headline as sarcasm.
Larry King needs to interview himself…..about the divorce and surrounding scandal…I’d pay to see that sh@#
I stopped watching it because I didn’t really like the contestants that much this season, and then the ones I did like got kicked off! I just found myself detached this season, so I stopped watching. With no Simon next year, I doubt I’ll go back to it. If they’re smart they’ll stop it after 10 seasons, next year. I’m guessing they’ll lose a lot of ratings with Simon leaving.
…and THAT’S why the ratings are down.
I’d believe their line of bull about this being typical of show in its ninth season if “Dancing with the Stars” weren’t getting its best ratings ever in its 10th cycle. (Great job by Larry in bringing up this follow-up point. Oh wait…)
I stopped watching this season for the same reasons. I hardly liked any of the contestants and then the ones I liked the most all got eliminated in the same night…so I stopped watching. I wish Simon & Co. could’ve been honest about why the ratings fell this year instead of just saying that’s the way things go. No, it’s because the talent this season is lacking. Everyone has been saying it. Be honest.
Wow. How can you tell an American Idol judge is lying? The moving lips. The shows ratings are down because the contestants are crap. All you have to do is compare them to Kris/Adam’s appearances this season. Not one of the finalists from this year can hold a candle to those two. Crystal’s good, but she’s a niche artist at best: Lilith Fair Light. Eagerly awaiting X Factor with Simon and Paula’s reunion…
PS: Who knew that Paula Abdul was the dark, evil genius Goddess behind American Idol’s success?? Think about it! The first season without her and the worst season EVER. She clearly knows and fights for talent when she sees it!
Myabe if they would go ahead and say it float out: the top 10 this year stinks because the part of the American public who actually cares about watching quality performances from talented singers didn’t get off its collective a$$ and vote to keep the good people in. Season 9 died the night Tim, Katie, and Lacy stayed in while Katelyn, Lilly, and Alex left. this could have been an exciting season if voters hadn’t chosen mediocrity and good looks over … well … talent and good looks.
of course, by “float out, I mean “flat out”!
OMG!!!!! You really think that Paula is the drving force behind the success and failure of AI?? Please, the woman stayed hopped up on God knows what and never made sense. As far as her being the one who found talent, if I am not mistaken it was all three of the judges who decided who made it through until the public began voting, not Paula. Who particularly did she fight for to stay in the competition? I haven’t missed her at all. I think the problems with AI this season is a lack of extraordinary talent and too much focus on the fake fighting and silliness between Ryan and the judges. When the show started, they were all professional and kept it about the contestants and performances. Not anymore………….
Without Paula, we would not have discovered Kelly Clarkson or Chris Daughtry, two of the most successful Idols. If you watch “American Idol Rewind,” Simon says in Hollywood, referring to Kelly: “I don’t like this girl.” Paula replies, “I do; she has a good voice.” Then, when choosing the Top 30 (as they did in Season One), Simon does not want to put Kelly through, but Paula and Randy fight for her. Kelly was not even in the room containing the first group of 15; she was in the second room with the second group.
Furthermore, Simon did not like Chris Daughtry and did not vote for him to go through to Hollywood. Paula said at his very first audition: “I’m seeing nerves, but I’m hearing talent,” so Paula and Randy sent him to Hollywood.
I do believe that Paula had a very discerning eye and ear for talent.
Just a comment on the coincidence of it is all… she was an early advocate of Adam Lambert and Alison Iraheta… my memory doesn’t go back further than that, unfortunately, but I am pretty sure Sleazak could back that up… but really, don’t read too much into that coincidence.
I think Ryan’s off-the-wall comments this year are very weird – probably not the MAJOR reason for the drop in ratings but I’ve turned to something else more than once this season after being annoyed with him.
Simon is the only judge who calls a spade a spade. I’m tired of the other judges who either put on rose coloured glasses to distort their view or are wearing ear plugs. Simon is right: “He tell what many of the listeners at home are saying.
Dying Fan
Done watching IDOL once Crystal and Simon are gone. To be honest, Simon, who is usually very good television, has become rather trite and annoying. Like he doesn’t really care about this season, his interest is already gone.
No Paula, No Simon, No Idol – poor Randy is stuck – Bring on X-Factor with Simon and Paula, and Randy when his contract is up – Idol is dead!!!
When did the official announcement come that Paula is joining Simon on the X-Factor. I must have missed this news! Can someone confirm this for me?
Dancing With the Stars has pulled a lot of audience from Idol because Idol has become a carbon copy of itself.
I stopped watching after the 4th season, was sick and tired of the long drawn-out format. I have better things to do with my time. Dancing with the Stars, I enjoy, it’s fun and they don’t drag things out.