Idol Auditions Get Cooking in Cali
The ink is barely dry on David Cook’s record deal, but the search for the next overbearing stage father American Idol is on!
Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and man of a thousand job titles Ryan Seacrest are packing their toothbrushes for an eight-city receiving line of wannabe superstars next month, when auditions for the eighth season of American Idol kick off in San Francisco.
Although Cowell publicly toyed with the notion of lowering the minimum audition ageand increasing the personality requirementfor contestants last season, males and females ages 16 to 28 will once again be the range for eligible crooners.
And while the Idol crew is hitting one repeat citySan Franciscoit is otherwise going after untapped talent reserves in new locations, like Phoenix, Salt Lake City and Louisville, Ky., and, for the first time, traveling outside the U.S. for a stop in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Here’s the complete list of audition cities:
- San Francisco: July 17
- Louisville, Ky.: July 21
- Phoenix: July 25
- Salt Lake City: July 29
- San Juan, Puerto Rico: Aug. 2
- Kansas City, Mo.: Aug. 8
- Jacksonville, Fla.: Aug. 13
- East Rutherford, N.J.: Aug. 19
American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance judges: How do they compare?
The Daily News has put together an article comparing the judges from American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance which confirms what I’ve been feeling all along: So You Think You Can Dance is the superior competition show.
Take a look at the comparisons after the jump.
The Mean British Judge: Simon Cowell Vs. Nigel Lythgoe
Both judges are respected because they never sugarcoat their critiques. But when a performance is undeniably good,they give credit where credit is due. But the difference lies in Cowell’s “delight in squashing the dreams of pop hopefuls,” a sadistic pleasure Lythgoe doesn’t enjoy himself. The article points out that Lythgoe is genuinely interested in getting the contestants to improve. I agree with that. Nigel wants those who don’t make the Top 20 to take classes and get better, then come back and try again next year. Twitch on this season’s show is great example of that. He didn’t make the Top 20 last year as the judges opted to go with beat boy b-boy Hok. But after taking some dance lessons, Twitch is on the show and Nigel never misses a chance to congratulate him on his growth.
There is one thing I can’t stand about both these judges. I hate how frequently hey both use superlatives in their comments. “You just won the competition.” “You’re the person to beat.” “You’re the best hip-hop dancer I’ve ever seen.” It takes away from the compliment when it’s used too often.
The Halfwitted Brunettes: Paula Abdul Vs. Mary Murphy
The Daily News says that the one thing Paula Abdul and Mary Murphy share is that they both comment too much on the contestants’ appearance. I’d like to add that they’re both completely annoying. I’m still trying to perfect my timing on the mute button for when Mary screams or tells someone they’ve got a ticket on the mystical “hot tamale train.” What the hell is hot tamale train and where does it take you? And then there’s Paula — if she could find it in herself to do a taping sober, she might give some good feedback. John Rich of Nashville Star thinks she’s downright disrespectful to contestants with how nonsensical her commentary is.
The main difference between the irritating brunettes is that Murphy actually criticizes the performances when she thinks they were, er, hot tamale trainwrecks. The article sums it up, “Murphy is a ballroom-dancing champion, so she actually knows what she’s talking about. Abdul sang “Opposites Attract” next to a cartoon of MC Skat Kat.” Ouch.
The Third Wheel: Randy Jackson Vs. The Rotating Third Judge
Lastly, the article compares Randy Jackson to the rotating third judges on SYTYCD (i.e. Mia Michaels, Dan Karaty, Shane Sparks, Wade Robson). According to the Daily News, the purpose of these judges is “to help the viewer understand the technical aspects of what the contestants have accomplished, whether it’s singing off pitch or dancing too flexed.” After all, Randy Jackson is an accomplished producer who knows talent when he hears it. And the rotating judges on SYTYCD are at the top of their industry. All of them are highly sought-after choreographers. They give master classes all around the country. And some of them even have their own dance companies. Debbie Allen, a dance icon, has her own dance academy in Los Angeles. Mia Michaels founded and is the artistic director for her company RAW. Hunter Johnson and his wife/dance partner Maria own their own school in Houston, TX.
Here’s the difference though: those choreographers on So You Think You Can Dance make their living mostly by choreographing or teaching (not just by cashing in on a summer reality show). All of those choreographers are serious working performance artists — all of them embedded in the trenches of their industry. Yes, I know Randy Jackson had an album come out this year (it debuted at 50 on Billboard and sold 13, 000 copies its first week). But it seems to me like Randy got on the Idol gravy train (another train!) and focused his talents elsewhere. For example, he produces America’s Best Dance Crew for MTV.
Just one more thing … Cat Deeley is way better than Ryan Seacrest.
So, I put it to you for discussion. Which show has the best judges? Which are more helpful? More entertaining?
Paula Says She’s Straight-Up Single
Paula Abdul is back on the market.
Abdul’s publicist, Jeffrey Ballard, confirms exclusively to News that Abdul and her boyfriend, restauranteur J.T. Torregiani, have been not together for at least two months.
“They broke up months ago,” Ballard tells E!, adding that the couple, who moved in together last year, are no longer cohabitating. has learned that J.T. is now living with a friend in the Hollywood Hills.
Abdul, 46, announced she was dating Torregiani, who is 12 years her junior, last July.
The American Idol judge told the Today show’s Matt Lauer at the time that Torregiani was “a good guy” and that her personal life was “looking upwards.”
“Things are looking good right now,” Abdul said.
Torregiani is one of the partners of the Dolce Group, a restaurant and nightclub enterprise, which includes Los Angeles hot spots Les Deux, Geisha House, Bella, Ketchup and Dolce.
They were last spotted together celebrating Torregiani’s birthday at Beso restaurant in Hollywood on May 19. According to Abdul’s publicist, the couple still remain on good terms.
They “still are friendly, though,” Ballard tells E!
But apparently someone hasn’t gotten the memo from Paula’s publicist.
When contacted by for comment, a rep for Torregiani insisted they are still dating.
Fergie Rocks Wilhelmina
Fergie Rocks Wilhelmina
Last night, Black Eyed Pea vocalist Fergie lent her musical stylings to the 40th Anniversary Celebration of Wilhelmina Models at The Angel Orensanz Foundation in New York City.
The “My Humps” singer wore a fabulous black mini dress, showing off her great legs as she performed for the event.
She’s had quite a year as a solo act, nabbing 5 top ten songs from her debut album. According to Billboard, she’s the first female solo act to do that since Paula Abdul’s “Forever Your Girl” album came out.
“London Bridge” hit number one, along with “Glamorous” and “Big Girls Don’t Cry.” “Fergalicious” only made it to number two, and “Clumsy” is currently hanging out around number eight.