American Idol Season 8 Official Thread.

[Marx]

Ironically enough, Kara IS coming back.

Kara Dioguardi is no Paula Abdul.

 

[carrrnuttt]

Sources say Abdul asked for about $20 million to continue with the show. She even rejected a 30% raise which would have given her an eight-figure multi-year deal.

The production company started a bad precedent, when they agreed to pay Cowell in the 9 figure range, and Seacrest 44 million. I understand that 20 million is still a lot of money, but these kinds of people usually have bigger egos than business sense.

I can see where she feels disrespected. I think the production company was hedging on the fact that they already have a built-in "replacement" for the position of Token Female Judge on the show.

I can't stand Kara though.

 

[DIRECTOR]

next season is going to suck without Paula

 

[Raiden]

I don't watch AI, but I think the show will suffer without Paula. She seems a bit too quirky and unstable at times, but at least she's different than the other two judges. Kara is a female Simon, mostly, and she's rather uninteresting from what I've heard. I think Fox made a mistake negotiating with other 3 people before they did Paul's; they even paid Seacrest a ridiculous sum of money, so I can understand why she felt slighted and disrespected. I doubt the show will be the same without her, but adding Kara was like writing on the walls for Paula already since 4 judges are too many.

 

[SuperT]

Why couldn't they have gotten rid of Randy instead? He's the most the useless of the four judges.

 

[Marx]

Why couldn't they have gotten rid of Randy instead? He's the most the useless of the four judges.

YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH DAWG!!!!!! That was bangin' hot! That was teh dopest dope I've ever seen man. YO! HOT!

I cannot stand Randy Jackson.

:facepalm

 

[Spider-Man Luvr28]

Off TMZ:

Our sources at "American Idol" say the show made Paula Abdul two offers ... and then she just went and quit by tweet.

As we already reported, we're told Paula was pulling in somewhere between $2 and $3 million a year and she wanted more. Our sources say "A.I." made her an offer that she didn't like at all. Paula countered but producers didn't want to pay that much, so they countered with another offer.

Rather than responding to the second offer, Paula shocked everyone by tweeting her goodbye. The weirdest thing ... "A.I." took the tweet seriously and responded with an official sayonara.

We're told Paula made it especially difficult during the negotiations because she changed management twice.

One person at "Idol" called her reaction "an emotional tweet."

As for what she'll do, we're told producer Nigel Lythgoe has given her a standing offer to be a guest judge on "So You Think You Can Dance." Here's what we're thinking -- he'd kill to make her a regular.

 

[Jennifer Walters]

Paula Abdul should have made more than Seacrest to begin with. Seacrest is the worst host on any sort of reality television show right now. He just stands up there puts on a *****ebag smile and says *****ebag things. Yet they can work a deal with him and not Paula?

 

[DIRECTOR]

If Paula goes to "So You Think You Can Dance", I will be pissed. I really really hate that show. I can never get into it, because the result/the winner will never do anything where I will be waiting for. At least american idol winners makes music, the winners of So You Think.... amounts to nothing where it's tangible for me or a fan of the show

 

[Primal Slayer]

You cant have AI without Paula, just like you cant have AI without Simon. Should be interesting to see how the new season will do without her since she was the good cop to Simons bad cop with Randy and Kara as inbetweeners.

 

[Spider-Man Luvr28]

In the wake of Paula Abdul's surprise exit from American Idol, Simon Cowell has called on a old friend to join him on the judging panel - one Mrs Victoria Beckham.

The former Spice Girl has so far agreed to make one guest appearance on the show for a rumoured £155,000.

Her spokesperson told Mail Online: Yes Victoria will be making a "one off" appearance as a guest judge.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbi...-lands-dream-role-new-America-Idol-judge.html

 

[Jennifer Walters]

That's the daily mail and if I know anything about them from being a Doctor Who fan it's that they are RARELY, no scratch that, NEVER right.

 

[Spider-Man Luvr28]

Multiple "American Idol" insiders are telling TMZ there is a chance Paula will come back to the show. Reality -- better than a good chance.

We're told the conflict is ultimately all about money ... and buzz leading up to season 9.

But for now, "A.I." is full speed ahead -- auditions for the show are set for tomorrow ... without Abdul.


Let's hope she comes back.

 

[Spider-Man Luvr28]

Simon Cowell will be a judge on "American Idol" for at least three more seasons.

During the second-quarter earnings call of CKX, parent company of "Idol" co-producer 19 Entertainment, CKX chairman and CEO Robert Sillerman indicated that Cowell is finalizing a deal with Fox to continue on the top-rated reality show.

Cowell, heading into the final year of his current "Idol" contract, hinted in the spring that he might leave the show at the end of his deal. But early in the summer, he entered negotiations with Fox for a new two-year pact.

"We've heard from Fox, who has asked us for approval for Simon Cowell to appear for three more years on 'Idol,' " Sillerman said. "They, in their negotiations with Cowell, have asked us to pre-approve him not only for 'American Idol' '09, which has begun taping, but they have also asked us for approval for '10 and '11, indicating to us that they're finishing their negotiation with Cowell. We did grant approval for that quite obviously."

Sillerman didn't mention any financials of Cowell's deal with Fox, but the uber-judge reportedly is poised to earn $45 million under the new pact, up from $36 million a year under his current contract.

Fox declined comment Monday.

On the call, Sillerman also shed light on the mechanics of hiring "Idol" judges, with 19 and co-producer FremantleMedia proposing their choices to Fox, which signs off.

It's Fox who pays the judges' salaries, Sillerman noted.

The network's recent negotiations with "Idol" judge Paula Abdul, Cowell's favorite sparring partner on the panel, had a dramatic resolution when Abdul walked away over a salary dispute. She reportedly was seeking more than $10 million a year and was offered about half that.

Fox, meanwhile, picked up the option on freshman judge Kara DioGuardi. Randy Jackson is under contract through this coming season, and "Idol" host Ryan Seacrest recently signed a three-year, $45 million deal with 19, which covers other services beyond "Idol."

Celebrities including Victoria Beckham and Katy Perry have been tapped as guest judges for the "Idol" auditions, with Fox brass indicating that they are planning to find a permanent replacement for Abdul.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3ice2557e822899daae3054fe45772bf6a

 

[SuperT]

The Victoria Beckham rumors are true, she's been on set as a judge for the audition rounds.

People are saying she's coming off as a total ice queen, which isn't a surprise. lol