And THIS... (is The End of ) "American Idol"
Dim the lights - and here we go. On Thursday, April 7th, FOX will be crowning one last "American Idol". This will mark the end of an incredible 15-year run of the show that defined Pop Culture Phenomenon status and ushered-in countless reality, live TV and singing competition shows.
I remember watching the 2002 inaugural "Idol" finale, with Kelly Clarkson as the champ and the Season 2 finale the following year, when Ruben Studdard beat-out Clay Aiken. But I didn't get hooked on "Idol" until Season 3. Audition Weeks became must-watch TV. The chemistry between judges Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and the always unpredictable Simon Cowell was legendary. And the awful singers were always priceless.
Then, there were the live shows and the concept of voting over the phone to keep your favorite contestants alive. Host Ryan Seacrest quickly established himself as a TV staple and entertainment force, with "E! News", "New Year's Rockin' Eve" and other gigs just down the road. Seacrest was actually the first legitimate celebrity I ever met, at a local telethon, in January 2005 as "Idol" was entering Season 4 (and soon to turn Carrie Underwood into a superstar). I met Randy Jackson at the telethon the following January, and trust me, the atmosphere was much more chaotic. Forget "Top 40" - by then "Idol" had reached No. 1.
Remember when "American Idol" attracted more than 30 million viewers every week? That included the 2007 season, when one of my favorites, Jordin Sparks, was crowned the winner. David Cook kept it rolling in 2008 (with rival David Archuleta). But when '09 hit, everything changed for the, until then, unstoppable TV powerhouse . Little-known music producer Kara DioGuardi was brought-in as a fourth judge. Abdul got some criticism over whether she gave "legitimate" criticism and left the show.
Then, Ellen DeGeneres was added to the panel. She had been a big fan of "Idol" since the start, always bringing the contestants on her show. But how in the world did she (or her people) think that someone with such a nice persona and "Be Kind to One Another" motto would work as a judge? She realized it a little too late, then departed with DioGuardi at the end of the 2010 season.
And so did Cowell, who began to see the show as much more of a popularity contest than authentic talent search. He turned his attention to bringing his own UK "X-Factor" to America on FOX. It debuted in Fall 2011 (with Abdul alongside Cowell as judge/coach/mentor), but thr show only lasted a disappointing three years (many thought it should've been gone after just one). The public didn't care about Cowell's "comeback" or Abdul's attempt with "Live to Dance" on CBS, which only lasted a few weeks in early 2011. ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" and NBC's "The Voice" and "America's Got Talent" (which Cowell is joining this summer) were growing in popularity, along with various Cable competition shows.
Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez were brought-in starting in '11. Two years later - Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj - and all they did was fight with each other. This is about the time when I, and much of the nation, decided to end the weekly relationship with "Idol". This also marked the end of Jackson's run as a judge, though he would stay on for awhile as a mentor. Keith Urban got through the Carey/Minaj debacle and would join J-Lo and Harry Connick, Jr. for the next, and final, three seasons.
Even though "Idol" has been a sinking ship for the last half dozen years, Seacrest has stayed with the show that has made him a household name and help to build his media empire - quite a respectful and honorable decision to stick it out to the end.
Without the success of "American Idol", it's likely we would not have ANY of the competition shows currently on TV. It's arguably the second most successful show in the history of the FOX Network, only behind "The Simpsons". Watching "American Idol" one last time will be bittersweet for millions of viewers and longtime fans. In some ways it's sad to see the run of this iconic program come to and end. But after 15 years, and all those golden tickets, it's time to say goodbye.
LCJ Out.
