A version of this story first appeared in the print edition of TheWrap Magazine’s The Race Begins Emmy Issue. “If people knew how unplanned and spontaneous this show was, they wouldn’t believe it,” said “American Idol” stage manager Debbie Williams. “But it was so much fun.” Williams should know: For the entire 15-year run of the show that changed reality television, and also changed the way music stars were made, she worked side by side with host Ryan Seacrest — and for the first 12 of those years and then the final few weeks of this year’s final season,...
- 5/29/2016
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Wednesday night’s American Idol brought the drama alright, but much of it came before the show even started. That’s when rumors began flying (thanks to the insatiable TMZ) that host Ryan Seacrest was “Mia” with only minutes left to show’s start. In truth, he did miss dress rehearsal, and executive producer Nigel Lythgoe had to step in for the contestant banter. Photos: Hollywood Honors Ryan Seacrest at La's Promise Gala Stage manager Debbie Williams told the half-filled audience that Ryan was feeling “under the weather,” but as sure as the sun rises every day, so does Seacrest when
read more...
read more...
- 4/26/2012
- by Shirley Halperin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Yesterday’s result show sent former jazz student Haley Reinhart packing while setting up Idol’s youngest finale ever. To give you an idea of how young we’re talking, Lauren Alaina and Scotty McCreery’s combined age of 33 is still three years younger than the eternally youthful Ryan Seacrest. In my opinion, Haley deserved a crack at the title more than Lauren, but at least Haley’s elimination paved the way for an exuberant farewell rendition of Elton John’s “Bennie and the Jets.” Overall, the hour-long program flew by in a hurry, but there are quite a few...
- 5/20/2011
- by John Young
- EW.com - PopWatch
Lusk hopes to audition for Broadway and films, as well as make an album.
By Gil Kaufman
Jacob Lusk
Photo: Michael Becker / Fox
Jacob Lusk was pretty sure his "American Idol" journey was going to end Thursday night, and he was Ok with that. But what kind of stung were the harsh comments made by mentor Jimmy Iovine in a taped package that ran before Jacob got his news, in which the Interscope Geffen A&M boss said Lusk appeared to lose his confidence and said the singer's voice "closed down."
"I wouldn't call it soul-destroying. It definitely hurts a lot to have someone who is supposed to be mentoring you and it feels like every time you turn around, [he's] tearing you down," Lusk said of Iovine's cutting comments. "But what you have to remember is that you're not doing it for him, you're doing it for the people out there in America.
By Gil Kaufman
Jacob Lusk
Photo: Michael Becker / Fox
Jacob Lusk was pretty sure his "American Idol" journey was going to end Thursday night, and he was Ok with that. But what kind of stung were the harsh comments made by mentor Jimmy Iovine in a taped package that ran before Jacob got his news, in which the Interscope Geffen A&M boss said Lusk appeared to lose his confidence and said the singer's voice "closed down."
"I wouldn't call it soul-destroying. It definitely hurts a lot to have someone who is supposed to be mentoring you and it feels like every time you turn around, [he's] tearing you down," Lusk said of Iovine's cutting comments. "But what you have to remember is that you're not doing it for him, you're doing it for the people out there in America.
- 5/6/2011
- MTV Music News
From James Durbin’s militaristic take on Muse’s “Uprising” to Jacob Lusk’s shaky start with Luther Vandross’ “Dance with My Father,” once again, American Idol vocal coach and arranger Debra Byrd and associate music director and arranger Michael Orland are here to give their peerless insights into the Idol Top 7′s attempt at 21st century music. For a decade, Byrd and Orland have been on the front lines with the contestants, from Hollywood Week to the grand finale in May. The two work with the contestants on their respective songs, helping them shine on the Idol stage and...
- 4/21/2011
- by Adam B. Vary
- EW.com - PopWatch
American Idol stage manager Debbie Williams switches on her microphone and trumpets the night's marching orders to a packed-to-the-rafters crowd of more than 800: "There's gonna be stuff you agree with, stuff you disagree with. Let us hear you! Spit it out!"
But Williams doesn't really need to pump up this crowd. Inside a massive studio at CBS Television City in the heart of Los Angeles, this season's electrifying new crop of singers, along with the unexpected, lightning-in-a-bottle chemistry between judges Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler, has created so many good vibrations that the infectious, light-hearted energy has already super-charged the audience. "Lightness! That's the word," says veteran Idol vocal coach Debra Byrd, who says she's in love with the changes to the show (including getting to the Top 10 much faster) wrought by executive producers Nigel Lythgoe and Ken Warwick.
Read More >
Take the poll for this article at TVGuide.
But Williams doesn't really need to pump up this crowd. Inside a massive studio at CBS Television City in the heart of Los Angeles, this season's electrifying new crop of singers, along with the unexpected, lightning-in-a-bottle chemistry between judges Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler, has created so many good vibrations that the infectious, light-hearted energy has already super-charged the audience. "Lightness! That's the word," says veteran Idol vocal coach Debra Byrd, who says she's in love with the changes to the show (including getting to the Top 10 much faster) wrought by executive producers Nigel Lythgoe and Ken Warwick.
Read More >
Take the poll for this article at TVGuide.
- 3/4/2011
- by Deborah Starr Seibel
- TVGuide - Breaking News
The first thing you need to know about this season of American Idol — the very first thing — is that the members of the audience who sit behind the stage of the newly redesigned-to-actually-resemble-a-dome Idoldome are rowdy. They whistle. They catcall. They whoop and cheer when a wannabe diva points at them during her song. They demand Cory the Warm-up Comic trek up to their row so they can shake their moneymaker with enough middle-aged gusto that Jennifer Lopez is forced to smile and point. I’m thinking of calling them the peanut gallery. Smirkelstiltskin my snark demon is thinking of calling them the nosebleeders.
- 3/3/2011
- by Adam B. Vary
- EW.com - PopWatch
The first thing you need to know about this season of American Idol — the very first thing — is that the members of the audience who sit behind the stage of the newly redesigned-to-actually-resemble-a-dome Idoldome are rowdy. They whistle. They catcall. They whoop and cheer when a wannabe diva points at them during her song. They demand Cory the Warm-up Comic trek up to their row so they can shake their moneymaker with enough middle-aged gusto that Jennifer Lopez is forced to smile and point. I’m thinking of calling them the peanut gallery. Smirkelstiltskin my snark demon is thinking of calling them the nosebleeders.
- 3/3/2011
- by Adam B. Vary
- EW.com - PopWatch
Now that we have our Top 24 singers, American Idol finally kicks into full gear on Tuesday, as the Top 12 Guys perform, and America gets to weigh in for the first time and vote for its favorite singers. But the show won’t be live; the show actually taped last Friday, and EW was on the scene in the redesigned Idoldome to take in the whole spectacle. We’ll have a detailed on-the-scene report early Wednesday morning, but there are a few brief things we can reveal right now about the new stage, how many contestants America will be picking this round,...
- 2/28/2011
- by John Young
- EW - Inside TV
Ryan Seacrest is reportedly being plagued by a love-struck ghost. Female crew on "American Idol" are reportedly living in fear of the spirit, nicknamed Phyllis, after stage manager Debbie Williams suffered a nasty accident.
A source told National Enquirer magazine: "The women on the show say they could feel the ghost's passion for Ryan - and believe she got insanely jealous as Debbie followed him down the staircase. That accident was just the weirdest thing - the stairs just retracted suddenly. It caused an instant gap between Debbie and Ryan. Nothing like that has ever happened before."
"And seconds later, a huge tower mysteriously crashed down, spraying glass shards everywhere. Debbie was badly hurt and rushed to hospital."
Following the accident, crewmembers are petrified of spending too much time with Ryan in case they become the next victim of Phyllis' passionate jealousy.
A source told National Enquirer magazine: "The women on the show say they could feel the ghost's passion for Ryan - and believe she got insanely jealous as Debbie followed him down the staircase. That accident was just the weirdest thing - the stairs just retracted suddenly. It caused an instant gap between Debbie and Ryan. Nothing like that has ever happened before."
"And seconds later, a huge tower mysteriously crashed down, spraying glass shards everywhere. Debbie was badly hurt and rushed to hospital."
Following the accident, crewmembers are petrified of spending too much time with Ryan in case they become the next victim of Phyllis' passionate jealousy.
- 5/29/2009
- icelebz.com
Ryan Seacrest is reportedly being plagued by a love-struck ghost. Female crew on 'American Idol' - the Us TV talent show he presents - are reportedly living in fear of the spirit, nicknamed Phyllis, after stage manager Debbie Williams suffered a nasty accident. A source told National Enquirer magazine: "The women on the show say they could feel the ghost's passion for Ryan - and believe she got insanely jealous as Debbie followed him down the staircase. That accident was just the weirdest thing - the stairs just retracted suddenly. It caused an instant gap between Debbie and Ryan. Nothing like that has ever happened before. "And seconds later, a huge tower mysteriously crashed down, spraying glass shards everywhere. Debbie...
- 5/29/2009
- Monsters and Critics
A rehearsal before last night's American Idol live show was cancelled after a stage manager was injured on the set. Debbie Williams was taken to hospital after falling from the top of a retractable flight of stairs and crashing to the floor, reports People. A crew member later claimed that Williams had sustained "a very deep gash down to the bone" which had required stitches. In a statement, Idol's makers said: "A crew member had a mishap on set and was immediately taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure. We have no further information at this time." Writing on (more)...
- 5/6/2009
- by By Lara Martin
- Digital Spy
Filming of American Idol was thrown into chaos on Tuesday after a crew member plunged from a staircase onset.
Stage manager Debbie Williams fell from the platform just two hours before cameras were due to start rolling on the live show, hosted by Ryan Seacrest.
Seconds later, a large tower - used as part of the set - toppled over, spraying glass across the stage.
Williams suffered a deep gash in her leg and was taken to hospital for treatment, according to People.com.
Programme-makers at Fox, FreemantleMedia North America, and 19 Entertainment said in a joint statement, "During rehearsal today a crew member had a mishap on set and was immediately taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure. We have no further information at this time."...
Stage manager Debbie Williams fell from the platform just two hours before cameras were due to start rolling on the live show, hosted by Ryan Seacrest.
Seconds later, a large tower - used as part of the set - toppled over, spraying glass across the stage.
Williams suffered a deep gash in her leg and was taken to hospital for treatment, according to People.com.
Programme-makers at Fox, FreemantleMedia North America, and 19 Entertainment said in a joint statement, "During rehearsal today a crew member had a mishap on set and was immediately taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure. We have no further information at this time."...
- 5/6/2009
- WENN
American Idol's episode on Tuesday night got off to a potentially tragic start, after an accident on set left stage manager Debbie Williams with an injured leg just two hours before the show aired. People magazine reports that Williams fell from the lighted retractable staircase after it moved too quickly, leading to "a very deep gash down to the bone" that required stitches, according to a crew member. In a joint statement, the Fox network, FreemantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment announced, "During rehearsal today a crew member had a mishap on set and was immediately taken to the hospital as a.
- 5/6/2009
- by Celebuzz
- Celebuzz.com
A stage manager at the "American Idol" incurred injury during the Fox reality show's rehearsal on Tuesday.
Debbie Williams fell from the platform two hours before cameras filmed the show live when the stairs where host Ryan Seacrest walks on during the start of the show became malfunctioned.
The staircase was supposed to retract as soon as Seacrest walked down on it. However, it allegedly folded too soon during Tuesday afternoon's rehearsal, sending Williams tumbling down the stairs after trying to hold on.
She suffered a "nasty gash" on her leg and was taken to a local hospital.
Debbie Williams fell from the platform two hours before cameras filmed the show live when the stairs where host Ryan Seacrest walks on during the start of the show became malfunctioned.
The staircase was supposed to retract as soon as Seacrest walked down on it. However, it allegedly folded too soon during Tuesday afternoon's rehearsal, sending Williams tumbling down the stairs after trying to hold on.
She suffered a "nasty gash" on her leg and was taken to a local hospital.
- 5/6/2009
- icelebz.com
Resident rockers join forces for a duet, as do Danny Gokey and Kris Allen.
By Gil Kaufman
Adam Lambert and Allison Iraheta on "American Idol" on Tuesday
Photo: R. Mickshaw/Getty Images/ Fox
When it gets down to the top four on "American Idol," there is no need to add any extra drama to the equation. But, just hours before Danny Gokey, Allison Iraheta, Kris Allen and Adam Lambert took the stage for Tuesday night's (April 5) rock-themed show, the program's stage manager, Debbie Williams, was rushed to the hospital after tumbling down the iconic center stairs, and the studio was evacuated when a set piece collapsed and sent glass flying everywhere.
The result? The top four didn't a get a chance for a proper run-through of their songs, but as Seacrest said at the top of the program, "The show must go on." And, frankly, they didn't sound any worse...
By Gil Kaufman
Adam Lambert and Allison Iraheta on "American Idol" on Tuesday
Photo: R. Mickshaw/Getty Images/ Fox
When it gets down to the top four on "American Idol," there is no need to add any extra drama to the equation. But, just hours before Danny Gokey, Allison Iraheta, Kris Allen and Adam Lambert took the stage for Tuesday night's (April 5) rock-themed show, the program's stage manager, Debbie Williams, was rushed to the hospital after tumbling down the iconic center stairs, and the studio was evacuated when a set piece collapsed and sent glass flying everywhere.
The result? The top four didn't a get a chance for a proper run-through of their songs, but as Seacrest said at the top of the program, "The show must go on." And, frankly, they didn't sound any worse...
- 5/5/2009
- MTV Music News
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.