A group of 10 former American Idol contestants — including Season 5′s tantrum-throwing Brittenum twins and Season 2′s Corey Clark (best remembered for claiming he had an affair with judge Paula Abdul) — are suing the show and producer Fremantle Media for a whopping $25 million apiece, claiming they were booted from the competition due to racism. The suit was first reported by TMZ.
In addition to Clark (pictured) and Terrell and Derrell Brittenum, the contestants involved in the suit include Season 2′s Jaered Andrews and Jacob John Smalley, Season 3′s Donnie Williams, Season 6′s Thomas Daniels and Akron Watson, Season 8′s Ju’Not...
In addition to Clark (pictured) and Terrell and Derrell Brittenum, the contestants involved in the suit include Season 2′s Jaered Andrews and Jacob John Smalley, Season 3′s Donnie Williams, Season 6′s Thomas Daniels and Akron Watson, Season 8′s Ju’Not...
- 7/25/2013
- by Michael Slezak
- TVLine.com
Last month, while interviewing executive producer Nigel Lythgoe for a story about possible changes to American Idol for its upcoming eleventh season, I proposed the idea that the show should introduce a list of 11 songs that would be banned from the live performance rounds on the grounds that they’ve been done to death in previous seasons. Lythgoe’s response caught me off guard: “Well, Mike, if you want to write down and send me 11 songs that you don’t want to hear again, I will put them through to the committee.”
Well, sir, you don’t have to ask me twice!
Well, sir, you don’t have to ask me twice!
- 9/4/2011
- by Michael Slezak
- TVLine.com
You can’t teach an old Dawg new vocabulary words, but pretty much everything else on American Idol‘s daft, delightful tenth season is subject to frequent, sometimes thrilling change. On Wednesday night’s Elton John-themed performance telecast, Naima Adedapo and Stefano Langone adopted unexpected and unusual accents. Ryan Seacrest got a daring (unfortunate?) new ‘do, and one contestant was allowed to utter the phrase “hardcore bangage” without so much as a bleep. Heck, even Nigel Lythgoe embraced the mood, putting his favorite punching bag Haley Reinhart in the pimp spot and not dousing her with a bucket of...
- 3/31/2011
- by Michael Slezak
- TVLine.com
Wednesday night’s episode of American Idol will see the Top 11 dive headlong into the Elton John songbook — alas, those ’80s Night rumors proved to be untrue — and I’d say it’s even-money that somebody’s going to follow in the footsteps of Bo Bice, David Archuleta, Justin Guarini, Jorge Nuñez, Clay Aiken and Jasmine Trias and break out yet another rendition of “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me.” (Really, Cecile Frot-Coutaz ought to secretly deduct 250,000 votes from whichever finalist dares to go there.)
But hey, ever the optimist, I’m going to go ahead and...
But hey, ever the optimist, I’m going to go ahead and...
- 3/28/2011
- by Michael Slezak
- TVLine.com
Jasmine Murray and Jorge Nuñez tell "The Insider" what it feels like to be the first contestants from the Top 13 on this season's "American Idol" to be sent home -- and they reveal what their plans are after "Idol." "Well, actually, I'm still wondering why is it that I'm so happy," Nuñez tells us. "…What I thought was, you know, I did my best. I worked really hard, and I did something that not everyone does." The 20-year-old contestant from Puerto Rico tells "The Insider" he plans to finish college, saying he has just one semester left to be finished with his degree. Sixteen-year-old Jasmine Murray tells us that being in the Top 13 of "American Idol" solidified her decision to pursue a career in music. "I know that I learned from being in this that this is what I want to do with the rest of my life," she says.
- 3/13/2009
- by TheInsider
- TheInsider.com
American Idol's Jorge Nuñez and Jasmine Murray have something else in common other than being the first two contestants to leave the top 13: They are heading to school. Jorge, who was thisclose to finishing up his law degree before trying out for the eighth season of American Idol, says he plans to finish what he started. But don't worry. Music is in the future for this Puerto Rican singer too. "This show was so amazing and I got so much exposure that I'm going to do both," Jorge said on a press conference call this morning. "I'm going to finish college anyway, but I'm going to keep going with music. Music is my priority now." Jasmine's priority is to finish high school....
- 3/12/2009
- E! Online
Wednesday TV's Big Winner, Besides the Guys Hawking "Anoopdog Millionaire" T-Shirts: Change! American Idol switched up its rules; Fox fiddled with time slots; everybody, except, Jorge Nuñez and Jasmine Murray, won. Compared to last week, Idol, airing an hour later at 9 p.m., was up almost 2 million viewers (24.9 million, per preliminary Nielsen data); Lie to Me, airing an hour earlier at 8 p.m., was up about 1 million (11.1 million). Fringe Benefit: Airing opposite Lie to Me, instead of Idol, America's Next Top Model (4.5 million) was up 15 percent from its season premiere. Etc.: Criminal Minds (14.1 million) was the most-watched scripted show; the new NBC reality series Chopping Block...
- 3/12/2009
- E! Online
Jennifer Lopez looked hot on her way into dinner in NYC last night. Monday evenings are a good time for Jennifer to hit the town considering some others she's busy with American Idol like the rest of us. She and Marc sent a message via Ryan Seacrest to Puerto Rican contestant Jorge Nuñez congratulating him and saying that his singing made them cry with pride. Happy Jorge was overjoyed to hear the news - we'll see if his good luck continues when he takes the stage tonight! View 5 Photos › INFDaily.com...
- 3/10/2009
- by PopSugar
- Popsugar.com
The celebrities el-oh-vee-ee love this season of American Idol! First Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony text Jorge Nuñez. Then Kayne West and Kelly Clarkson sign on to perform on the March 11 show. (Hell to the yeah on that, btw!) And now Miley Cyrus is eyeing 16-year-old redheaded firecracker Allison Iraheta, and Ellen DeGeneres has given Jorge a lucky penny. "I heard that Miley Cyrus wants to take me on tour with her. It's crazy. I'm like, 'Oh my God. Yes! Take me now!' " Allison told us at the American Idol Top 13 (13!?! We're still reeling over that!) party at Area nightclub in Los Angeles last night, after Miley told mtv.com, "I'll make [Allison] an American Idol!"...
- 3/6/2009
- E! Online
"American Idol" has picked its final batch of contestants -- and there are 13 instead of the expected 12. The four wild-card finalists chosen Thursday by the "Idol" judges are Jasmine Murray, Megan Joy Corkrey, Matt Giraud and Anoop Desai. They join Kris Allen, Danny Gokey, Alexis Grace, Allison Iraheta, Adam Lambert, Scott MacIntyre, Jorge Nuñez, Lil Rounds and Michael Sarver in the final stretch of the competition. The Top 13 first perform on the Fox talent contest on Tuesday. On Wednesday, past "Idol" winner Kelly Clarkson returns to sing her new single, and Kanye West will perform as well....
- 3/6/2009
- by Tempo
- The Watcher
"American Idol" went wild Thursday night as three of the eight wild-card hopefuls made it into the Top 12 -- but in a shocking, last-minute turn of events, the judges allowed a fourth contestant through. Jasmine Murray, Megan Corkrey and Matt Giraud became the final three singers to get the judges' blessing -- that is, until Simon Cowell told Anoop Desai right before the show went off the air: "We decided recently we’re going to make this a Top 13." So, this season it will be Jasmine, Megan, Matt and Anoop joining Lil Rounds, Scott MacIntyre, Jorge Nuñez, Alexis Grace, Michael Sarver, Danny Gokey, Allison Iraheta, Kris Allen and Adam Lambert in the Top 13. Watch as they begin their battle to become the next singing sensation next Tuesday at 8 p.m. on Fox! During Thursday night’s show, the eight wild-carders each sang for the judges. Jesse Langseth went first, singing...
- 3/6/2009
- by TheInsider
- TheInsider.com
American Idol finalist Jorge Nuñez—the one from Puerto Rico who doesn't annoy the hell out of us (hello, or hopefully goodbye, Tatiana!)—got a surprise text of support from two of his own idols, Jennifer Lopez and her husband, Marc Anthony. The text came in from Marc's cell phone this morning to Ryan Seacrest, who shared the message with Jorge during his Kiis-fm L.A. radio show. It read: "Hey bro, just finished watching the show. This guy is really special. Please tell Jorge that Jen and I could not be prouder. We were in tears witnessing, honestly. Pure talent." "That [was] so awesome!" Jorge told us in an interview later today. "I mean…if they're famous here...
- 3/5/2009
- E! Online
Sorry to spoil this first American Idol Top 12er here, but really... Was there any doubt that Lil Rounds would sail through? Ryan Seacrest waved her on even before any bad news was doled out Wednesday—and Kara DioGuardi predicted "just ridiculous vocals every single week" from the 23-year-old mother of three. But what of Scott MacIntyre, Kristen McNamara, Jorge Nuñez, Ju'Not Joyner, Felicia Barton and Von Smith, all of whom gave quality performances last night? Only two of that standout group got to advance, while the rest were either relegated to wild-card possibility or...well, obscurity. The action heated up after the top three were revealed, though, when the judges...
- 3/5/2009
- E! Online
On Wednesday night's "Idol," another trio of contestants clawed their way into the Top 12 -- and the judges gave eight more "wild card" hopefuls the chance to scrap it out for the remaining three spots! Lil Rounds, Scott MacIntyre and Jorge Nuñez were the trio of successful singers from Group No. 3 to make it into the Top 12, joining Alexis Grace, Michael Sarver, Danny Gokey, Allison Iraheta, Kris Allen and Adam Lambert. "This is great, thank you!" exclaimed Lil Rounds, who sang Mary J. Blige's "Be Without You." Judge Kara DioGuardi predicted that viewers can expect "just ridiculous vocals every single week" from Lil. Scott MacIntyre, the visually impaired inspiration who crooned Bruce Hornsby's "Mandolin Rain," was second of the night to advance. "I'm just so blessed to be here. I'm having the time of my life," he said. "It feels like a dream come true." Randy Jackson gave Scott his vote of confidence,...
- 3/5/2009
- by TheInsider
- TheInsider.com
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