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Reality TV

Dress like an Idol: This week’s performance show

By Lori Acken Fashionistas, you may not have their stylists or their budget, but you can still have their clothes with a little online or shopping mall searching and this info sent our way by American Idol male contestant stylist Miles Siggins and female contestant stylist Soyon An. Lauren (right) Jovani dress Earrings & bracelet by Martine Wester Shoes by Chinese Laundry Pia Mint collection dress Earrings by Bijou Tresor Shoes by Christian Louboutin Thia Leyendecker white dress Necklace from CC Skye Ring from CC Skye Blush Wedges by Rachel Roy Haley (right) Ema Savahl dress Earrings & rings by […]

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Reality TV

Two contestants go home on American Idol

by Ruth Anne Boulet Over 55 million votes were tallied in last night’s American Idol voting. Oooh! Big numbers from Ryan Seacrest. First up for cheesy is a duet between Scotty and Lauren. Scotty is in full-head-tilt performance mode. It’s super irritating. And Scotty, I know you’re a guy so you can sit with your crotch open, but I’d rather not see it. Thank you. I had to fast-forward through most of their number. Too much twang for this girl. The judges are all up & excited. Scotty & Lauren get pulled center stage. The intro to the show promised […]

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Reality TV

American Idol explores the songs of Elton John

by Ruth Anne Boulet So this week’s performance episode of American Idol starts with Shock! Surprise! Tears! Elation! and veiled threat. No more second chances, kids. The save is gone. From here on out, the people that go home will just go home. And then come back for cheesy group numbers during the finale and to go on tour. I, for one, am glad the save is out of the way. The judges don’t need to pretend anymore and we don’t have to put the qualifier on the contestant’s final performance. Now the excitement will come from a favorite going […]

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Reality TV

American Idol: Clothes Call

By Lori Acken Want to dress like your favorite American Idol? Or your not-so-favorite American Idol whose style you covet anyway? Then these are labels you’re looking for from Wednesday night’s performance show, courtesy of Idol’s male contestant stylist Miles Siggins and female contestant stylist Soyon An. Thia Lipsy dress Chinese Laundry Shoes Tarina Tarantino custom collection jewelry Lauren Mint Collection Melrose Dress Vintage Cowboy boots Martin Wester earrings and ring Haley Marciano custom button Vest and Short Marciano Heels Zara Jacket Phillip Audiberre Jewelry Pia ABS Dress Stuart Weitzman Shoes XIV Karat diamond Jewelry Naima Kizmit custom top Pants are from Church […]

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Reality TV

American Idol uses the one save on…

by Ruth Anne Boulet So just before watching tonight’s elimination episode of American Idol, I got my geek on and saw Michio Kaku on Rachel Maddow talking about the Japanese nuclear situation. He’s my 2nd favorite physicist, right behind Neil DeGrasse Tyson. Physics actually came into play with this episode of American Idol. The contestants get a lesson on how to use the in-ear monitors with Marc Anthony. Get it? Sound? Physics? Whatever. The Idols found that helpful, apparently. What probably wasn’t helpful was Marc Anthony contradicting the judges’ critiques, including his wife.

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Reality TV

American Idol takes the Top 11 to Motown

by Ruth Anne Boulet Finally, American Idol throws its fans a theme week. The songs of Motown, as an Idol theme, is not unexpected. It should favor contestants like Naima, Haley and Casey and seriously challenge contestants like Scotty. While I don’t think Idol is going to really challenge the contestants too much, hopefully we’ll hear a few of them finally break out of their safety zone. We’ve only got 11 singers left on Idol, so we’ve got some time to kill. Ryan is a pro at killing time with packages about ‘history’ and ‘influence.’ I’m not paying too much […]

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Comedy

TV programs cash in with product placement

By Tom Comi While the creation of the DVR has made life much better for TV viewers, advertisers and networks have had to be creative about how they offset the fact that so many people are bypassing commercials. This has led to ads being inserted into the actual shows, whether it’s for a scripted drama or a reality program. And the interesting thing is viewers oftentimes don’t even realize they are being pitched on an item. Fox’s American Idol has been at the forefront of such blatant product placement, with on-air promotions for AT&T, Coke, Ford and Apple’s iTunes. Extreme […]

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Reality TV

Idol cast-off Karen Rodriguez: “Latinos are back!”

By Lori Acken She seemed like just about the nicest young woman in the whole wide world on the show — and during a Friday conference call with journalists, American Idol‘s latest ousted contestant, Karen Rodriguez, did nothing to dispel the notion. Sounding relaxed and thrilled by her Idol experience, Rodriguez made two things especially clear:  She has no regrets about her much-discussed trademark of singing her selections in a mixture of English and Spanish, and she is thoroughly confident about her future career. “I’ve always had a vision of myself as a Latin American artist,” the 21-year-old New Yorker said, […]

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Reality TV

American Idol cuts the contestants down to 11

by Ruth Anne Boulet Steven Tyler has chosen to mark this American Idol results show with a glittery Grimace trenchcoat with some St. Patty’s Day beads. Nice touch Steven. He looks like a St. Patty’s Day/Fat Tuesday float all wrapped up into one. Ryan tries to convince us that the Idol contestants are now going to perform live for us. I don’t think Ryan’s lying this time as Jacob Lusk’s microphone was off when he started singing. How refreshing! A live performance that’s at least partially live! It’s a weird mash-up of Lady Gaga’s Born This Way and Steppenwolf’s Born […]

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Reality TV

American Idol: The year these kids were born

by Ruth Anne Boulet Oy. Nothing makes me want to get out my walker more than the annual ‘the year they were born’ edition. I was generally either in college or graduate school when this year’s crop was born. (And isn’t that master’s degree in journalism doing me well?) But to begin Idol acknowledges the tragedies happening in Japan. Proceeds from downloads of tonight’s songs will go relief efforts. So if you want a song, buy it tonight. Or even better, just donate to the relief agencies directly, would ya? Naima Adedapo — What’s Love Got to Do With It […]