Image Credit: Michael Becker/Fox; Solarpix/PR Photos
We’ve finally gotten our first glimpse at the new, revamped American Idol judging panel. And it has Annie Barrett wondering: Could the show have actually improved with the loss of Simon Cowell? Crazy, right? You know what’s even crazier? Tim Stack is kind of thinking the same thing! They’re in cahoots, these two! On the latest edition of the TV Insiders podcast, I tell Annie and Tim just how wrong they are while explaining what’s missing from the kinder, gentler Idol. The one thing we all can agree on, however? Too many teenagers! (And yes, we’re talking to you, Victoria Huggins.)
And since we’re already in New Jersey for the Idol auditions, we’ll also drop by Jersey Shore to discuss whether the show traded up by losing Angelina and adding Deena. Plus, which side are you on in the big Jersey Shore feud: Team Sammi or Team JWoww? We tell you which corner we’re in. But that’s not all! Tim was also on set for filming of Glee‘s big post-Super Bowl extravaganza and tells us why we should prepare ourselves for both dancing zombies and boobs that shoot fire. No, that is not a misprint: boobs that shoot fire! In non-flaming boob related news, Tim will also be giving up some intel on when we may finally see Kurt and Blaine become a couple.
To join in the fun, just click on the audio player icon below. Or, since we’re now on iTunes, you can subscribe for free right here and take the TV Insiders with you on the go. No iTunes? No problem. You can also download the entire podcast right here. And to send a question to the TV Insiders team, follow us on Twitter @TVInsiders.
[AUDIO http://pdl-stream.timeinc.net/EW/podcasts/audio/2011/01/ew_podcast_01-20-11.mp3]
Better off without Simon? Check the Ratings, they re the answer
Hey Simon
Zero entertainment, Simon was a realist, I really don’t want to hear a judge nicely tell contestants they can’t sing, I want the honest truth put brutally, that’s why Simon was the best judge. The ratings are sinking and there’s a good reason why… The intro was so funny though, Tyler selling 150 million records then JLO selling 50 million, I don’t know why but the massive jump is just hilarious… They should have got a vicious judge to replace Randy, I really don’t know why he’s still there unless he’s taking pay cuts year over year.
These guys are like 3 Randy’s. No one really has an opinion. Once one says something , they all agree. Simon may have been snarky, but he was intelligent and honest.
I agree and miss him dearly
I agree. Steven Tyler comes off perverted. Jennifer Lopez “acts” too sweet (makes my teeth hurt.) And, Randy is his same wishy washy self.
I do agree
I agree. Also Simon knew when to move things along and didn’t allow the begging, etc. to go on embarrassingly long. I don’t mind Jennifer Lopez but Steven Tyler is really creeping me out with his comments bordering on pedophilia. Eeewwww.
Shut up! all you guys do is bit** bit** bit**. I think Steven is very funny and entertaining and Jennifer is fun and girly. I don’t care that Simon is gone.
I’m not mad. But for all you who are, why don’t you just ask him to make a talk show called Simon Says or something like that!
Simon had checked out by Season 8.
you hit the nail on the head
Fan in Canada
I am with you CJ.
to IDEA, you have NO idea, the majority wins, thanks for that
Simon was the BEST judge. To me it’s just not the same without him.He never sugar coated anything he had to say to the contestants. He called it as he heard it!!!
Annie Barrett and Tim Stack are delusional. Once again, the EW snap judgement takes over (remember “the show is so much better and ratings are higher with Ellen DeGeneres” debacle?). Regardless of ratings, the show is NOT better without Simon Cowell, and it is going to get much worse. Simon was the one who said the HONEST things that the non-delusional fans were thinking, even if his words stung at times.
Annie just wants the MONEY from having an extra show to blog about, so it’s in her best interests that the show continues to thrive.
I agree with you. He keep the show going and it was so much more interesting.
Okay, I’m one to be surprised that the show is still enjoyable so far (we’re still very far from LIVE shows). But these comments on the ratings…REALLY? 26 Million Viewers in this day and age of TV is seen as a failure because it dropped from last year’s hugely unsuccessful season? Come on. 26 million is 26 million. lol I haven’t seen last night’s numbers on a crowded Thursday night though. That should be interesting.
I don’t think the judges are “nicer”. They’re just less honest. Simon told you to your face if you are terrible. These 3 act like they’re taking you seriously, which is worse, because they’re just trying to up the humiliation factor. That’s not nice, it’s slimy.
They said yes to average singer with no star-quality just cuz they cried n please. Ppl who cant take criticism cant handle that final idol stage. :/
Being honest is not the equivalent of being mean. Simon was mostly mean. It’s no big secret that all the bad singers are there there because producers want them to be brutally ridicule just to make people laugh about other’s misery. J.Lo and Steven know that and they don’t fall to that. It’s a waste of time. Honest was Kara and she wasn’t mean IMO.
the ratings were dropping with Simon. after years on top, the show is bound to start sagging. the numbers are no different that what Idol was putting on last season towards the finale.
and your source is?
They have won every nite they are on..tripled the number of viewers from other networks..for a show 10 years old…thats amazing.And its the only show everyone talks about the next day.Its a phenomenon…26 million viewers?and that doesnt count all of us without a neilson box.#1 show again
Do you realize Fox purposely moved it from Tuesday to Wednesday? Tuesday was the Idol night, it ruled. I think that has a lot to do with it.
ARE YOU INSANE!!!!!!!!!!!!! What an absolute slap in the face — simon made this show, i’m not saying that saying that the show is bad but to say the show is better without him, especially this early is just so crazy, that I think my head just exploded.
I love it. I think it just might be the best season yet. I love how funny and how REAL Steve Tyler is. He’s honest without being mean & rude, but he looks truly interested in the contestants and he really listens to them & is a really likable guy. And JayLo is beautiful and sweet, has a good personality and it looks like it hurts her to be honest when they are not so good, but she is honest in the end, and Randy is Randy & that’s a good thing too.
NO! I DON’T MISS SIMON AT ALL! And I do think it is going to be better without him. It already is!
I have to agree with you. I started watching Idol about three years ago, so I’m a little late to the game. I liked the Simon-Paula-Randy mix, and was really disappointed with the panel last year. Kara *and* Ellen was just too much and the whole show became a joke.
I had zero intention of watching this year, not so much because Simon left, but because last year was so horrible. But after hearing that the new panel was so good, I thought I’d tune in. I’ve seen two episodes so far (TiVo will rescue me this weekend) and I have to say I’m very pleased. The chemistry is good between Tyler-JLo, and Randy is– in my opinion– the lame duck this year (although I never really liked him anyways).
As much as it pains me to say this… Steven Tyler is my favorite. He’s authentic. Respectful. Hilariously funny. Encouraging. And most of all, he seems to realize how important these auditions are for the kids– no matter how bad they are. I have yet to see him laugh during an audition or make fun of someone, which I like. He actually forced a vote on a horrible contestant the other night, not because he thought it was vote-worthy, but because he knew it was important to the singer.
I’ll keep watching. And so far, I think the change is a good one.
NO,Idol needs tough love, I could have auditioned and made it to Hollywood. I’m afraid Idol is on it’s way out.
The show was sooooo much better with Simon. This show is painful! Simon was honest and the show moved better.
agreed. it definitely moved faster with him n we got to see much more auditions unlike now one contestants get 10+ mins screentime
The show became more about the judges than the contestants.
very true!
Deena is so ugly. No, idol is not better w/o Simon.
That’s an insane answer.
So after 40 minutes the ratings will tell us the answer for 10 years?
Please.
America is so afraid of change. So whenever a show depicts a new cast everyone is going to throw their arms up in the air and cry out that they have been wronged in some way because there is a little bit of change.
Give it a few weeks before you can say that Simon was the be all and end all of this empire. He may have helped create it but every mother has to let the child grow up.
AMERICA is afraid of change?????? Why is this crapfest still on the air. I want change.
There’s a big difference between being afraid of change, and being outraged at a change for the worse. The new Idol judges are definitely the latter. They should have pulled the plug when Simon left instead of continuing the show with these pathetic replacements.
i like how people sya they should have ended it. with all the hype do you people really think they would end it? even if it tanks it will still make a BUTTLOAD of money in advertising. everyone knew it would drop, but even if people check out in the next month, i DOUBT the show will pull in AT LEAST 17 million each week. which, as said, is great for a 10 year old reality show. the younger demo may be checking out, but not enough for fox, the show and the advertisers from not cleaning up. now maybe next season (if there is one) we can say, why are they doing season 11, but for now, the money keeps rolling in, so don’t even worry about a fox panic, they’re doin just fine.
i meant i the show will pull in at least 17 million viewers each week
Kinda reminds me of the first time I watched CSI without Grissom. I watched one episode, realized it was not the same, and quit watching.
You are right! And the show has never recovered. A real shame.
Totally agree, I feel the same way. Grissom left and so did I. Burke was kicked off Greys and I never watched again. Just not the same w/out Simon.
You’re missing out on Grey’s. It’s been fantastic since last season’s finale.
Better without Simon? No. Without Kara? Maybe. Without Ellen? Yes. I’m pleasantly surprised by Jennifer and Steven. Jennifer get tougher. Steven…stop being a creepy uncle.
American Idol sucks and the irony of it all is that it’s trying to appeal to the high school/college students by hiring Lopez and Tyler yet the ratings for that age group dropped the most so far. AI has become another Star Search. I’m glad Top Chef is on Wed. nite so I can watch that instead. Go Dale!
Agree. I like JLo much better than Kara and Ellen. Steven Tyler is okay, but he and JLo do not make up for Simon’s absence. Also, it might have been more interesting if they replaced Randy as well.
Naw, having Simon on with Steven Tyler wouldn’t work. I get the felling that Tyler would have just said, “Whatever.” if Simon was “honest” to a contestant. He said that he played for years before being “discoveres”. I imagine his attitude would be, “Life’s tough so let’s be professional. Okay?”
Now with JLo/Randy/Simon? I’m thinking that while JLo is nice to the contestants, she’d have B8tchslapped Simon if he was cruel to a favorite. Maybe not at first but as the season wore on? Yep, might have been a good betting pool to see how long it would’ve taken her to loose it.
.
I’m glad Idol got a new judging panel. Simon’s schtick was completely played out–even he was sick of it. I just wish they would get rid of Randy already.
I watched AI both nights, and I have to admit Steven Tyler is hilarious!
Saying the show is better without Simon is like saying Hershey’s is better without chocolate. Simon was the show’s main attraction, with his unique brand of Brit wit, brutal honesty, devastating good looks, and intense sex appeal. Steven Tyler is ugly and looks like he’s on something. I don’t care if Simon left of his own accord, he was a terrible loss to the show, and Tyler was put in out of sheer desperation to fill an empty judge’s seat. J Lo is also nothing but a celebrity seat filler. Without Simon, the show has no more spice, no more flavor, no more excitement. And if viewers who are so ecstatic over Tyler and J Lo continue to throw him under the bus, it could spell trouble for X Factor.
“…devastating good looks, and intense sex appeal.” I NEVER got the physical appeal of Simon. He’s average-looking and his hair always looked kind of ridiculous. But that’s just my opinion.
Plus I didn’t like looking at him massaging his nips!
Even if you don’t like Simon’s looks, he’s still worlds better looking than Steven Tyler.
Amazing. There isn’t a single sentence in this post that I agree with.
Really do we need a fowl mouthed old rock star to replace simon? He deserved a better replacement.
Definitely. Replacing Simon with Tyler is a huge insult, and even worse is calling him “the new Simon” or saying that he’s better than Simon. There is none better than the original, often imitated, but never duplicated.
I don’t believe he was intended to be a “replacement for Simon.” He was intended to be himself. And who really wants another Simon anyway. I liked him but don’t want a duplicate of him on the show.
Yes, better without Simon. Like Rusty said above, even Simon was sick of being on the show and his negative, bored energy dragged the show down.
I agree. I liked Simon but he had gotten very negative. His negative energy was starting to drag the show down. Not to mention the bad choices in Kara and Ellen. Although I liked Ellen she would have been a perfect fit for host but never a judge. I think we need to give it time on these new judges. Although I think they are getting off to a good start. Steven is showing intelligence in his judging. And showing he can be very tough. And I happened to agree with him on that one he didn’t want to let through. He will need to get tougher with JLo and Randy and go with his own assesement of the contestants.
Simon wanted out since season 8. I think he totally hates Kris Allen becoming the idol.
Steven is knowledgable but he say yes too easily. They said yes to a lot of average voices that lack of ‘possible’ star appeal. Season 8′s finalists were the best in celeb worthy faces.
I agree, too. I don’t miss Mr. Grouchypants at all. The last couple of years, he seemed blatantly contemptful of his own show, and I think that brought everybody down. Plus, I really like J Lo and S Ty. They seem comfortable in their own skins and genuine, and that’s fun to watch.
ugh Sharapova is really annoying me right now.
what?
the most important thing: i like that the producers this year have really listened to viewers and concentrated on the good auditions. from what simon fuller is saying, it sounds like this emphasis is going all the way to the choice of finalists. something terrible happened last year and very little talent emerged, but i can see already that this year will be back to form.
Yes!!!! I’m glad to see they are taking their own show seriously again. It was an insult to the viewers and costed them a lot of veiwers. But I’m glad to see so far they are recovering some of their viewers and hope to see the ratings continue to go up. When this show first came on the air. I didn’ watch it. I didn’t think they would actually find real talent and that it would be little more that a ‘Gong show’. I’m glad they proved me wrong and hope they will do it again this year. Please AI no more ditzy blond types with no talent etc. And definitly no more ditzy blondes period!!(fingers crossed)
Is the VoteForTheWorst web group still going?
Cause they may disagree.
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rating has nothing to do with quality- Jersey Shore is riding high on idiots who embrace narcissistic behavior- AI is better- i stopped watching after season 1 Kelly Clarkson is by far the best – Jennifer and Steven actually provide feedback not backlash and put downs- its what kara should of been – Im on VIVA IDOL !!!!
They didnt provide feedbacks. When they pass the ones who made it thru, they didnt tell them what they should work on.
And when they sucked, they didnt tell them what went wrong except ‘sorry sweetie’.
Yea man they should have had Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus replace the old judges. They would have been great! Then we can see some love freaky freaky connection with the contestents. Would be great TV! Sezxy Sexxxy sells!
Sum-kok?
LOL
I love the new idol! Simon who? I loved Simon, but Steven Tyler is awesome!
I am enjoying Steven Tyler as well. People need to give the new judges a chance. The show is more about the contestants anyway.
Absolutely! I’ve watched every show so far, and my reaction is ‘Simon who?’ Don’t miss his nastiness at all!!