American Idol? That’s the show with William Hung, right? I haven’t watched the show with any regularity for nearly 10 years. I saw 10 minutes of Idol the other night and I felt relieved that I’ve missed absolutely nothing in that span.
American Idol is a dead TV show that keeps walking somehow. It hasn’t produced a major superstar since Carrie Underwood in 2005, and it stopped being culturally relevant when Simon Cowell left. It set off a chain of events that somehow led to Clay Aiken running for public office. FOX can keep propping AI contestants up to sing the national anthem at NASCAR tracks all they want, but it doesn’t change the fact that it doesn’t matter who wins this thing. Look at the list of Idol winners. I couldn’t pick most of them out of a two-person lineup.
Season 1 (2002): Kelly Clarkson
Season 2 (2003): Ruben Studdard
Season 3 (2004): Fantasia Barrino
Season 4 (2005): Carrie Underwood
Season 5 (2006): Taylor Hicks
Season 6 (2007): Jordin Sparks
Season 7 (2008): David Cook
Season 8 (2009): Kris Allen
Season 9 (2010): Lee DeWyze
Season 10 (2011): Scotty McCreery
Season 11 (2012): Phillip Phillips
Season 12 (2013): Candice Glover
Season 13 (2014): Caleb Johnson
The only thing keeping AI in the public consciousness is the constant tinkering with the judging panel or mentors or whatever they have now. Still, it was somewhat interesting to listen to the AI Television Critics Association panel approaching their jobs with such enthusiasm, like they’re groupies for the musicians on the Titanic.
I’ll lazily let my colleagues on Twitter share the highlights of the happenings on the panel:
https://twitter.com/tvoti/status/556596822051790848
I remember when there used to be excitement in the room about #AmericanIdol. But then I've been doing this for a very long time. #TCA15
— Scott D. Pierce (@ScottDPierce) January 17, 2015
It wasn't so very long ago when "American Idol" panels were the biggest thing Fox put on at press tour. Not so much now. #TCA15
— Roger Catlin (@rcatlin) January 17, 2015
https://twitter.com/AnthonyMaglio/status/556597426497527808
#AmericanIdol panel includes Jennifer Lopez, Harry Connick Jr, Keith Urban, Ryan Seacrest. #TCA15 #Fox
— Kristi Turnquist (@Kristiturnquist) January 17, 2015
"In the other markets [aside from NYC and L.A.], you get the sense the the stakes are really high." – @RyanSeacrest #idol #FOXTCA #TCA15
— American Idol (@AmericanIdol) January 17, 2015
J-Lo hasn't spoken, and yet she still owns this #AmericanIdol panel at #TCA15
— Michael Schneider (@franklinavenue) January 17, 2015
.@HarryConnickJr says #Idol is "one of the most grueling entertaining experiences I've ever seen" #TCA15
— Hanhonymous (@Hanhonymous) January 17, 2015
Keith Urban: I don't even know what the definition of a superstar is today. #AmericanIdol #TCA15 #Fox
— Debra Birnbaum (@debrabirnbaum) January 17, 2015
Thing learned this afternoon at #TCA15: I have in the neighborhood of 85 pounds on Ryan Seacrest.
— Rick Porter (@rickporter) January 17, 2015
Ryan Seacrest just revealed he weighs 149 pounds. Clearly he hasn't been spending enough time at #TCA15. #cakeballs #dylanscandybar
— Debra Birnbaum (@debrabirnbaum) January 17, 2015
.@JLo, @RyanSeacrest, @HarryConnickJR have taken stage at #AmericanIdol #TCA15 panel http://t.co/uxSfHnKHy1 pic.twitter.com/dekVIXTGNM
— Variety (@Variety) January 17, 2015
#Idol wierdness @RyanSeacrest says was once told, "You dated my friend" by contestant & says people pick him up — all 149lbs of him. #TCA15
— Kellie Freeze (@KellieFreeze) January 17, 2015
Ryan Seacreast says he still loves to see the family's reaction: It never gets old for me. #AmericanIdol #Fox #TCA15
— Debra Birnbaum (@debrabirnbaum) January 17, 2015
#AmericanIdol EP says they reduced the number of bad auditions because "people know when they're being manipulated." #Fox #TCA15
— Debra Birnbaum (@debrabirnbaum) January 17, 2015
"Most of the world thinks Adam won." #Idol's new mentor, Scott Borchetta, on Adam Lambert #TCA15
— Jarett Wieselman (@JarettSays) January 18, 2015
why do judges think ratings fell last season? Ryan Seacrest: the show is successful because it's the sum of all parts #AmericanIdol #TCA15
— Diane Gordon (@thesurfreport) January 18, 2015
Seacrest attributes last year’s rating drop to the audience not really connecting with the contestants. #TCA15 #AmericanIdol
— The TV Junkies (@TheTVJunkies) January 18, 2015
Photo: Credit: Matthias Vriens-McGrath FOX. © 2014 FOX Broadcasting Co.
