Tuesday, Jan. 12 (8:00-10:00 PM) Season Premiere, Part 1 Boston Auditions Episode
Wednesday, Jan. 13 (8:00-9:15 PM) Season Premiere, Part 2 Atlanta Auditions Episode
Tuesday, Jan. 19 (8:00-9:00 PM) Chicago Auditions Episode
Wednesday, Jan. 20 (8:00-9:00 PM) Orlando Auditions Episode
Tuesday, Jan. 26 (8:00-9:00 PM) Dallas Auditions Episode
Wednesday, Jan. 27 (9:00-10:00 PM) Los Angeles Auditions Episode
Tuesday, Feb. 2 (8:00-9:00 PM) Denver Auditions Episode
Wednesday, Feb. 3 (9:00-10:00 PM) “The Road to Hollywood” Auditions Episode
Tuesday, Feb. 9 (8:00-9:00 PM) Hollywood Round, Part 1
Wednesday, Feb. 10 (9:00-10:00 PM) Hollywood Round, Part 2
Tuesday, Feb. 16 (8:00-9:00 PM) Hollywood Round, Part 3
Wednesday, Feb. 17 (9:00-10:00 PM) Hollywood Round, Part 4 Top 24 Semifinalists Announced
Tuesday, Feb. 23 (8:00-10:00 PM) Top 12 Female Semifinalists Perform
Wednesday, Feb. 24 (8:00-10:00 PM) Top 12 Male Semifinalists Perform
Thursday, Feb. 25 (8:00-9:00 PM) First Results Show (ET live/PT tape-delayed) Two Male and Two Female Contestants Eliminated
Tuesday, March 2 (8:00-10:00 PM) Top 10 Female Semifinalists Perform
Wednesday, March 3 (8:00-10:00 PM) Top 10 Male Semifinalists Perform
Thursday, March 4 (8:00-9:00 PM) Results Show (ET live/PT tape-delayed) Two Male and Two Female Contestants Eliminated
Tuesday, March 9 (8:00-9:00 PM) Top 8 Female Semifinalists Perform
Wednesday, March 10 (9:00-10:00 PM) Top 8 Male Semifinalists Perform
Thursday, March 11 (8:00-9:00 PM) Results Show (ET live/PT tape-delayed) Two Male and Two Female Contestants Eliminated; Finalists Revealed
Tuesday, March 16 (8:00-10:00 PM) Finalists Perform (ET live/PT tape-delayed)
Wednesday, March 17 (9:00-10:00 PM) Results Show (ET live/PT tape-delayed) One Contestant Eliminated
TOP 24 IS BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :pompom:
Naughty Or Nice: Ellen Replaces Paula On American Idol!
This is a tough call!
So, we all know what happened - Paula Abdul's contract for American Idolwasn't renewed due to salary disputes... but it seems like the creators were actually angling for Ellen DeGeneres to replace her the whole time!
And on the one hand, everybody loves Ellen, the former stand-up turned talk show host. She might not have a musical background, but she certainly is sweet!
But what about poor Paula? She's half the reason people like watching the show! Who's gonna act all gushy slash spaced out now???
Cowell says he's leaving 'Idol' for 'X Factor'
By LYNN ELBER, AP Television Writer
Mon Jan 11, 3:53 PM PST
Simon Cowell, the acerbic Brit who has helped give "American Idol" some of its sharpest — and nastiest — moments, will leave the hit TV singing contest after this season.
The cantankerous judge said Monday that "The X Factor," a talent show he created and which is popular in Britain, will join Fox's schedule next year. Cowell will be a judge on "The X Factor" and its executive producer.
Cowell's decision is the biggest threat yet to what has consistently been the country's top-rated TV program and a true cultural force. This season, original host Paula Abdul has been replaced by Ellen DeGeneres.
But Cowell, with his caustic commentary, has long been seen as the big star of "Idol."
He said it would have been difficult for him to do both shows. While he makes a reported $36 million a year to be on "American Idol," he owns "The X Factor" and could make much more if the show takes off.
Cowell and top Fox executives made the announcement to reporters in Pasadena at a meeting of the Television Critics Association; they said they had reached an agreement only a few hours before.
"I was offered a lot of money to stay on," Cowell said. "But that wasn't the reason behind it. I wanted to do something different. I wanted a new challenge."
But an even greater challenge is posed for Idol producers. Without the show's biggest attraction and most critical judge, will "American Idol" lose steam and plunge even more in ratings? At least one analyst, Shari Anne Brill of Carat USA, said the "Idol" audience probably will decline next season.
"I think it's that brand of sarcasm combined with professional know-how that makes Simon the audience magnet that he is," she said. "I really believe the show revolves around him. He's the linchpin of the show's success. He has tremendous influence on how the audience votes. He's interesting to listen to. He's brutally honest."
That said, even without Simon, she predicts the show "will still be a formidable player on Fox's schedule."
Kevin Reilly, Fox entertainment president, said Cowell's departure from "Idol" isn't necessarily a win for the network's competitors.
"I think it would be premature to be popping corks. Maybe they can say this gives us a little bit of wiggle room, but that's a big maybe. On the other hand, we're not losing Simon Cowell, we're potentially gaining another big headache for them in the fall," Reilly said.
Peter Rice, chairman of entertainment for Fox, added a dramatic touch to the news conference by asking Cowell to sign his new contract. Cowell's deal with "American Idol," which returns for its ninth year Tuesday, will end with the season.
Cowell said launching a show that doesn't put an age limit on contestants — and allows groups along with individual singers — makes it very different from "American Idol." The top age for "Idol" singers is 28.
Susan Boyle, 48, who was discovered on "Britain's Got Talent," is an example of why age should be irrelevant, said Cowell, a judge on the British show he created and executive producer of "America's Got Talent" on NBC. Boyle became an unlikely sensation and released one of the year's top-selling CDs.
Rice wouldn't speculate on possible replacements for Cowell on "Idol."
"We have to take our time on that," he said. "We have to make sure the chemistry of the judges is as good as it can be."
Cowell said there are many who want the job. But while everybody is talking about the judges, he added, "Fundamentally, the most important reason we do this is to find talent."
Asked about bringing in Abdul as a judge on "X Factor," Cowell replied: "I adore Paula. Whatever happens, I will be working with her in some capacity, because I miss her." But Victoria Beckham, a guest judge this season on "Idol," won't be joining his new show, Cowell said without explanation.
Cowell apparently carefully chose his time to resign, saying he didn't want to leave "American Idol" at a time when it was fading in the ratings.
"You want to leave on a high," he said. "I'm very proud of what the show has achieved."
"American Idol," which is entering its ninth season this week, has been the country's most popular television program for the past five years and has launched such stars as Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and Chris Daughtry.
Yet viewership for "American Idol" has been shrinking since its 2005 peak when it averaged more than 30 million weekly viewers, according to research chief Brad Adgate of Horizon Media; last year's weekly audience averaged just under 25 million. The median age of viewers has shot up, from nearly 32 years old in the first season to about 44 last year.
Rice and Cowell said "Idol" and "The X Factor" would complement each other, not detract.
Airing the network's talent shows throughout the season — "The X Factor" in the fall, "American Idol" from January through May and "So You Think You Can Dance" in the summer — will be a "source of strength" for Fox's schedule, Rice said.
MEMANG tidak dapat disangkal lagi, American Idol (AI) merupakan rancangan realiti yang paling berpengaruh di dunia.
Kali pertama ditayangkan pada tahun 2002, tiada siapa yang menyangka AI mampu mencetus fenomena yang cukup luar biasa melangkaui jagat raya.
Dan, populariti rancangan itu juga telah membawa revolusi baru dalam penerbitan rancangan televisyen di Hollywood dan individu yang bertanggungjawab kepada fenomena ini ialah Simon Fuller.
Hanya selepas AI, kita dapat melihat bagaimana semua stesen televisyen baik di Hollywood waima di negara ini sekali pun, berlumba-lumba mahu menghasilkan formula yang sama.
Apa yang membanggakan untuk lima musim berturut-turut, AI berjaya mengekalkan rating tertinggi sehingga meletakkan rancangan itu sebagai rancangan nombor satu dan jenama isi rumah yang paling diminati.
Kejayaan itu sekali gus meletakkan AI setanding dengan siri televisyen All in the Family dan The Cosby Show yang berjaya mencipta rekod sedemikian.
Sesudah lapan musim bersiaran, AI kini kembali untuk musim kesembilan bagi mencari bakat baru yang mampu meletakkan diri mereka sebagai seorang bintang handalan.
Akan memulakan siarannya secara eksklusif di Star World (saluran 711, Astro) bermula esok (13 Januari) tepat pukul 6 petang secara langsung dari Amerika Syarikat, ramai yang mahu melihat sejauh manakah musim ini mampu meninggalkan impak.
Ramai yang mula berkata-kata adakah peserta kali ini mampu berdiri setanding dengan lapan juara lalu atau hanya mengecapi populariti seketika sebelum dibawa angin lalu?
Masakan tidak. Selepas lapan musim bersiaran, ramai yang mula melihat AI sebagai sebuah rancangan realiti yang saban tahun tidak mampu memberikan sengatan yang berbisa.
Apatah lagi, daripada lapan juaranya, hanya dua sahaja yang dilihat benar-benar menjadi dan berupaya mengikis imej AI sekali gus meletakkan diri mereka sebagai penyanyi yang cukup disegani.
Mereka yang dimaksudkan ialah Kelly Clarkson iaitu juara AI yang pertama dan Carrie Underwood (juara AI4) yang memiliki karier seni yang begitu cemerlang dan memiliki kekayaan berjuta-juta dolar.
Selebihnya seperti Ruben Studdard (juara AI2), Fantasia Barrino (juara AI3), Taylor Hicks (juara AI5), Jordin Sparks (juara AI6), David Cook (juara AI7 dan tahun lalu, Kris Allen tidak berupaya mencipta kejayaan gemilang.
Kerana itu, peminat dan pengikut setia rancangan popular ini mahu apakah kejutan dan kelainan yang dibawakan dalam AI9 untuk terus memancing mereka melekat di kaca televisyen setiap minggu.
Mahu atau tidak, stesen televisyen Fox sudah merangka strategi terbaik bagi memastikan musim kesembilan ini akan terus mendominasi carta penontonan yang paling tinggi di Amerika Syarikat.
Ini diakui sendiri oleh salah seorang juri AI, Randy Jackson yang menjanjikan musim ini mampu memberikan sesuatu yang berbeza berbanding musim-musim terdahulu.
Jelasnya, peserta yang dipilih menerusi uji bakat seluruh Amerika Syarikat itu akan membuatkan penonton dan pengikut setia teruja untuk terus mengikuti AI9.
"Bukan mahu menabur janji tetapi itu adalah realitinya dan saringan kali ini memang benar-benar ketat sehingga membuatkan kami pening kepala untuk memilih mereka yang terbaik," ujarnya.
Malah, Randy juga sempat memberikan buah fikirannya terhadap rancangan itu yang dikatakan semakin hari semakin suram kerdipan sinar popularitinya.
"Memang benar rancangan ini mampu membawa seseorang itu ke puncak populariti hanya semalaman.
"Tetapi kita harus melihat apa yang rancangan ini mampu lakukan dan itu kelebihan AI yang saya anggap rancangan terbaik di muka bumi ini dan mampu untuk kekal dalam tempoh yang lama," katanya yang setia dengan rancangan tersebut dari musim pertama lagi.
Seperti mana yang semua sedia maklum, sebelum bermulanya musim kesembilan ini, pihak produksi berdepan dengan kesulitan untuk mencari salah seorang juri, Paula Abdul yang telah meninggalkan rancangan itu tahun lalu.
Ramai yang melihat pengunduran Paula dari rancangan itu akan menggugat serta menggoyahkan rating dan populariti rancangan itu.
Tetapi, tidak bagi Fox kerana mereka mahu meneruskan apa yang telah dimulakan dan sesekali tidak akan tunduk mengalah dengan situasi tersebut.
Maka dengan itu, mereka sepakat untuk memilih pengacara dan pelakon komedi popular, Ellen DeGeneres untuk menduduki kerusi juri menggantikan Paula di samping Randy, Kara DioGuardi dan Simon Cowell.
Populariti Ellen itu dilihat mampu menarik lebih ramai lagi penonton untuk terus setia bersama rancangan itu sementelah Ellen juga merupakan peminat setia AI.
Sungguh pun begitu, di sebalik pemilihan itu, ada juga yang mempersoalkan rasional dan kemampuan Ellen untuk menilai persembahan peserta setiap minggu.
Manakan tidak, melihat pada profil seni Ellen, penglibatannya di dalam bidang hiburan hanyalah tertumpu kepada bidang lakonan serta pengacaraan dan tidak mempunyai latar belakang dalam bidang muzik.
Jadi, adakah percaturan Fox melantik Ellen sebagai pengganti Paula sebagai satu pelaburan yang mampu membawa keuntungan atau sebaliknya?
Dalam hal ini, Randy sekali lagi memberikan pandangannya terhadap rakan sekerjanya yang sebenarnya memiliki karisma tersendiri untuk membawa perubahan kepada rancangan tersebut.
"Pada hemat saya, Ellen layak untuk menjadi juri pada musim ini memandangkan dia seorang yang begitu meminati dan mencintai muzik.
"Dan, sebagai seorang penghibur yang bijak dan berbakat, jadi tidak salah dia menduduki kerusi juri dan menilai persembahan peserta setiap minggu.
"Saya yakin dan percaya Ellen mampu menggalas tanggungjawabnya dengan baik serta menarik perhatian penonton untuk terus bersama AI," katanya penuh optimis.
Bagi Ellen pula, dia tidak mahu ambil pusing kata-kata orang yang mempersoalkan kredibilitinya sebagai juri musim ini.
Apa yang penting baginya adalah penghormatan yang diberikan kepadanya untuk menggalas tanggungjawab besar itu.
"Saya teruja dengan tugas ini dan saya memang mengikuti perkembangan AI sejak mula lagi.
"Biarpun ada yang kata tentang pemilihan saya, tugas saya adalah untuk mencari seorang penghibur dan bukannya penyanyi semata-mata.
"Jangan fikir saya tidak mempunyai latar belakang dalam bidang muzik, saya tidak tahu tentang dunia muzik secara keseluruhan," ujarnya yang menggemari semua genre muzik.
Untuk peminat AI dan Ellen sendiri, pemenang anugerah Emmy itu tidak akan muncul pada episod pertama musim kesembilan ini.
Sebaliknya, dia hanya akan memulakan tugasnya pada pusingan Hollywood untuk memilih bakat terbaik untuk di bawa ke pentas AI.
Untuk itu, penonton dan peminat akan dapat melihat beberapa nama popular yang menjadi juri jemputan pada setiap uji bakat yang telah diadakan.
Mereka termasuklah Victoria Beckham, Mary J. Blige, Kristin Chenoweth, Neil Patrick Harris, Joe Jonas, Avril Lavigne, Katy Perry dan Shania Twain.
Pastikan anda tidak melepas peluang bagi menyaksikan siaran secara langsung American Idol musim kesembilan bermula esok (13 Januari) pukul 6 petang.
Jika tidak dapat menontonnya pada waktu tersebut, usah bimbang kerana siaran ulangannya adalah pada pukul 8 malam pada hari yang sama secara eksklusif di Star World (saluran 711, Astro).
Lepas ni you all can find me on the X-Factor thread, OK.... Next year with some guest visits to the AI thread of course, especially kalau himbo2 (term by Kak Bedah) masih ada.
Simon Cowell Worries It Could Get "Uncomfortable" With Ellen Us Magazine - January 7, 2010 11:19 AM PST
The week of Feb. 9, Ellen DeGeneres will make her American Idol debut alongside notoriously tart-tongued judge Simon Cowell – and she says she'll have no problem putting him in line if he gets too mean.
"Simon really is, in my opinion, mean to people sometimes," DeGeneres, 51, tells the new issue of Entertainment Weekly. "So I think I'll be hard [as a judge], but if he's rude, I'm going to let him know he's rude.
"And I may disagree with you," Cowell, 50, tells her in the joint interview. "If everything is 'After you,' 'No, after you,' that's uncomfortable."
DeGeneres says she is more nervous about fans disliking her than Cowell.
"Yeah, sure. And I understand it," she says when asked if she's worried about harsh fan reactions. "I was one of those people that was skeptical, like, ‘Why are they adding a fourth judge? I don’t understand this.’ But I do think that Kara [DioGuardi] adds a lot to the show now. And also, it’s not just a new judge. It’s a new judge in the place of someone that they loved. I mean, a lot of people loved Paula, and I don’t want to be the person that took Paula’s job away from her. Which I wasn’t. I’m not going to be able to please everyone. I gave up trying to do that a long time ago.
As for rumors that Cowell might leave the show after his contract is up in 2010, DeGeneres says: "If Simon goes, I go!"
EW notes that Cowell laughed and squirmed when she said that before adding: "Oh, Ellen! ... That’s quite a tricky situation you’ve put me into! I think right now we have to concentrate on the next season and just get through that and worry about everything else afterwards.”
Ai, kata nak leave if Simon leaves the show.... and I quote "If Simon goes, I go!"
Ellen DeGeneres "Very, Very Sad" Simon Cowell Is Leaving Idol
Monday – January 11, 2010 – 6:48pm
Ellen DeGeneres jokes that she's to blame for Simon Cowell quitting American Idol.
"He announced he's leaving on my first day!" the new judge says in an episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show to air Tuesday. "I'm trying not to take it personally."
DeGeneres continues, "But seriously, I am going to be very, very sad to see him go, because I think he's made the show what it is. He's a huge part of that show but he wanted a change.
"I wish him all the luck in the world hosting The Tonight Show," she quips.
Cowell announced Monday that the 9th season -- which debuts Tuesday on Fox -- would be his last. He plans to focus on bringing his UK hit The X Factor stateside.
"I felt like doing something different," Cowell explained at Fox's Winter Television Critics' Association press event in Pasadena, Calif. "I want to leave Idol this year bigger and better than it's been before."
Lepas ni you all can find me on the X-Factor thread, OK.... Next year with some guest visits to the AI thread of course, especially kalau himbo2 (term by Kak Bedah) masih ada. ...
nanu_nanu Post at 12-1-2010 13:11
Post time 22-12-2009 03:13 PM
变色卡
Author
Post time 10-1-2010 04:45 PM
with some guest visits to the AI thread of course, especially kalau himbo2 (term by Kak Bedah) masih ada. 
