With the news that Ellen DeGeneres is leaving American Idol close on the heels of Simon Cowell, the conversation surrounding the show is all about who’ll replace who, and when. I have an alternative idea: Why not just cancel American Idol, since it’s looking more and more as though it’s going to be a hollow shell of its hollow shell?
Oh, I know, that’s not really going to happen — the show is still too popular, despite its dipping ratings — but it’s something to consider. The speculation that Jennifer Lopez might become the next judge probably won’t solve the problem Ellen articulated, which was that she (and, I’d say by extension, any well-established celebrity) tends to be reluctant to criticize a contestant with the same sharpness that a, y’know, real music critic might.
And that’s what made Cowell invaluable: He was the only judge who was both specific and thick-skinned enough to offer at least a little bit of useful, entertaining advice to and analysis of any singer’s strengths and weaknesses.
Increasingly, Idol seems like a big machine that must keep going, regardless of the quality of the judging or the finalists. A really bold move would be for the network to acknowledge that the show has run its course, and offer Randy Jackson all the free therapy he might need if he had to go back to his previous career.
As I said, I know: Ain’t gonna happen, dawg. But I’m throwing it out there as a constructive suggestion for the health of American TV, singing, and idol-making.
Agree? Disagree?
Follow: @kentucker
Many sites are also reporting that Kara has been fired, and replaced with Steven Tyler.
I saw that too, if its true, they killed the show a little more
This writer is just mad because that jerk Kara got fired. Season 9 was still the number 1 show that got the most viewers this year. American Idol is helping the economy. And I love Steven Tyler!!! So I say bring on season 10!!!!!!!!
I love Steven too but I’m still not watching this show. I’ve long held that the problem isn’t the judges (even though they’ve been pretty bad across the board) but the format of the show. The show’s about 60% filler on a good night.
I agree! This writer is lame!
Tanya probably buys Justin Bieber records too. Bleck. There’s too many people with dreadful taste in this forum to even begin a thoughtful discussion. CANCEL IT!
Way too much filler – clean it up, condense it down, would make for a show I could really plug into.
Put the show down. Put it out of its misery. The party has been over for a while and this season is going to be undignified.
It’s already dead! Can’t believe it’s still on the air! I haven’t watched it in 4 years!
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dd
According to the tv charts-American Idol was STILL the #1 show this year because it had the most viewers. So why don’t you people and the writer just grow up?! Try to think about something clever to write about Ken!
But, dear, we ARE grownups. Which is why we want this show to end … and you don’t.
@ Tanya, How does American Idol help the economy, when its owned by a British company? Just because it has “American” in the title, doesn’t make it so….
Ken Tucker, you are the MAN! I’m glad you said that, my feelings exactly. Just cancel it already. J-LO and now Steven Tyler? Turn off. My guess is that the ratings for AI next year will fall dramatically.
Once again, you are the man for having the guts to say that!
Ken is right! Cancel this dead horse.
I stopped watching this show a couple of years ago anyway. But without Simon, they might as well cancel the show. Sorry for those who disagree, but Simon was the heart and soul of this show, and he was the main reason the show was so successful. People tuned in to see just what Simon would say, and without him, this is a dud.
CANCEL THE SHOW.
No. Tucker is not right. They need to fix the voting so it limits the # of calls from any one phone. And go back to a 3 judge format.
I don’t always agree with Ken, but he is bang on with this one. This show is boring, old and been there-done that. Unless they radically, RADICALLY change the format, style and rules, I say that this upcoming season should be its last.
Mr. Tucker,
Firstly, as an avid fan for over nine years, I was so glad that you, a professional TV reviewer, recognized and succinctly described Simon Cowell’s abilities on AI. For too many years, we’ve had to listen to thin-skinned, whiners, complain that Cowell was cruel and hurt so-and-so’s feelings. If the contestant can’t take his kind of honest criticism (spiced up for TV), then they better go home…fast. The only person who should be coddling the contestant is their mother.
More importantly, I disagree with you completely that AI should be cancelled, especially at this juncture. Even though last year was admittedly a disaster for a myriad of reasons, Nigel Lythgoe WILL turn it around. I’m looking forward to him cleaning house and kickin’ some a**. The emphasis WILL BE on the young, aspiring, singers of our country, making it another great decade of AI!
I knew before I even clicked on this item on the EW mainpage that Michael Slezak wasn’t the writer for this piece. Would have shocked & surprised me if he was, so sad to know I was right.
Amen to that. I’ve been saying this for 2 years. It’d be one of the best things that ever happened to prime time TV.
I totally agree. The season wasn’t really that great last year and I am not looking forward to it.
As someone who doesn’t watch, I’m totally on board with cancelling it. And before you jump on me and say, if you don’t watch what do you care if it’s on, let me explain. Certain pop culture phenomenons are so pervasive in our culture that it’s hard to get away from them. During the Olympics, for example, even if you never tune in to NBC and stay out of sports bars for those two weeks, you are INNUNDATED with Olympic information – it’s everywhere. It’s mildly annoying, but it’s only two weeks every couple of years. However, American Idol (similar to Twilight) is freaking EVERYWHERE and you can’t get away from it even if you try. For that reason, please dear god put this dinosaur out of it’s misery. Now, I’m not stupid – this franchise makes way too much money for it to happen, but I love considering the notion anyway. Thanks, Mr. Tucker for suggesting it.
So agree with Ken! Why keep on AI when X-Factor has a fresh look and Simon?
This crap never should have been on the air in the first place.
One could say the same thing about 95% of the shows that have ever made it on the air. What is your point?
I think his point is that he agrees it should be cancelled.
I use to watch the show and enjoyed it,especially the difference in Paula and Simons oppions because they both knew their stuff.When they came up with a fourth judge it seemed to knock things off balance, and the judge seemed to be a bit of a snot.Tension seemed to build ,trouble not far behind. When Paula left that was the first crack, Ellen was the major crack.Simon made it plain he would not work with her and the man was know for speakinking his mind. Did anyone think he was joking! The first judges did great with the contestants, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. They should have never have never messed with the original judges and especially tried to push Simon and Deginerests together, get real.
in other news, never let ken tucker run a television network…
seriously. even if you don’t like the show, it’s the highest rated show on television and fox would be stupid to cancel it (not that they haven’t made stupid cancellations before). they haven’t even announced their official panel, and once they do you won’t know if it was a good decision until the season actually unfolds. seriously people, give it a rest. and if you don’t like idol then change the channel. even after a bad season they found at least two artists i’m sure we’ll be hearing on the radio. i’m glad that they are returning to three judges but i’m hoping kara stays and randy goes. we’ll see. either way i’m going to withhold judgement until i actually SEE how it plays out.
I actually agree with Ken (for a change). Cancelling a show while it’s still on top is not always a bad thing. Does that mean it should for another 20 years as long as it’s rated in the top 50? I think Idol has jumped the shark and gone past its prime in a big way. At the very minimum, I say put it on hiatus for a few years, wait for some new young talent to appear. I am really bored now with Idol. Really bored.
I agree with Ken too. I think it should be canceled BUT have an alternative to consider… I think the show isn’t special anymore because it has become lost in the noise of reality television. There are so many other shows like it out there, most of which have probably been designed to deliberately kill the category or at least muddy the waters.
So to help make it special again, instead of doing it every year, do it every three or four years and make it bigger than ever before. Have the final shows be in a large stadium in NYC or LA, being televised live to the world or something. Make it big. Make it special. Make it less often. Make it mean something again.
I have a feeling that Jlo and Tyler are on board for the short-term, just to give the show a kick. I can’t see Jlo sitting at the table for 3-4 seasons….she’s using this to kickstart her career…and she’s a fan of the show.
As for killing the show — it still has some life — IF and a big IF the judges pick a STAR or STARS and not karaoke singers like they’ve been doing. I made a suggestion that they should reconsider the 2nd chancers….you know the guys/gals that were once signed to a label and it fizzled out? Like Michael Johns? But AI definitely needs another Carrie Underwood BIG star to come through, and maybe these new judges w/ Randy will be able to really let the true talent get through.
I have a feeling Kara’s fingers were all over the finalists last year and before…because she likes the guitar strumming white guys who are also songwriters. IMO Simon got bored with the same-o same-o clone winner.
Last year’s crapfest was in large part due to Simon’s having the most say. When Paula and Randy disagreed with Simon, we got David Cook and Chris Daughtry. Simon vetoed both of them and was overruled. With Paula gone last season Randy caved and we got a mess. We need 3 judges who know music.
J.Lo sitting on the judges panel is just an excuse for Sony to finally issue a J.Lo “Greatest Hits” package this holiday season, and will expect sales to pick up in January when Idol debuts.
Surprised Mr. Tucker didn’tention that Idol has TRIED unsuccessfully to replace TRL by having many of these up & coming pop performers grace the Idol Stage with many shakey & not-quite-ready-for-Prime-Time-performances. Thats Idol’s biggest sin, not only were they showcasing up & coming talent this past season like Travis Garland & Sons of Sylvia (regardless of their ties to Carrie Underwood), but no name pop ‘stars’ with sub-par contenders at top 10 didn’t help anyone’s cause or the ratings. It doesn’t matter if Madonna is on the judges panel, the show’s DONE.
Yes, EW.com is quite slow to report on Kara being fired. Ausiello is always making quick scoops (that are often wrong), so why is he so slow this time?
In her defense, Kara was a pretty good judge compared to Randy or Ellen. Her constructed criticism was better than even Simon. Yes, she could be annoying at times, but what really matters is that the contestants come away with positive feedback. And btw, I don’t they should cancel the show. The judges just need to pick better talent.
Positive feedback? Like when Kara said “I wouldn’t buy your album” to Siobhan? Kara is lame.
Sorry to get nitpicky, Nancy, but it’s constructive criticism. Not “constructed” criticism.
Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler? Call me done. Its definitely time to say bye to this show, its definitely over.
Ellen was fired too. They just let her to the graceful thing and say she decided to leave herself.
Ellen sucked as a judge. She had nothing remotely constructive to offer as a judge. It was all about her lame one liners like she was trying to do a stand-up routine.
I agree. Idol was fantastic in it’s early run, say the first 5 years or so. But the last two years the wrong person won, end of story. I have been a die-hard fan, voted every single week, but I have no loyalty left no that Simon (the one t rue voice of reason and taste) has left.
STEVEN TYLER!!!! I would get out of my death bed to watch Steven Tyler on the AI panel. I see him as a seasoned musician and a savy business person. Not to mention a very charasmatic entertainer. He would be a great addition!
I’ve seen these rumors. Wouldn’t surprise me. Seen Tyler in concert three times. I dunno if I want to hear him talk over his sing-shriek thing he does so well. But he’ll be able to kill someone for this. That’s a plus. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOAKLuAcOXA
I saw this headline and literally leapt out of my chair and screamed, “YESSSSS!!!”
calm down. it its that big a deal then change the channel. drama queen.
Well, the rest of us agree with Melissa. And if they cancel Idol, I too will jump out my chair and there’s nothing you can ever do to stop me. We will continue jumping out of our chairs until the day we die. You will never get the better of us and we will prevail in a violent revolution over your ghastly pro-Idol mantra.
Thanks @AJ!!!
@sachmo – I don’t need to change the channel because I don’t watch that garbage, thank you very much!
I didn’t leap out of my chair and scream “YESSSS!”, but I did nod emphatically and said “Yes!”. So I agree with Melissa.
I screamed a “Hallelujah” when I saw the headline. (Melissa where your tiara with pride! Drama queen or not you are right on.)
AI jumped the shark and should retire gracefully. All we need is J. Lo to do a Ted McGinley and try to “save” a show that was should have died two seasons ago.
I did the same thing! Just tired of it taking up 2 nights a week of primetime tv and overlapping into a show I really want to see. PLEASE cancel it already!
Like FOX can come up with quality programming in its place? Go try one of the other networks. I hear NCIS is pretty big on Tuesdays at CBS.
Idol just need some amazing talent, one that would someone to youtube nest day searching for that performance , and they cant cancel the highest rated TV show
Season 8 was HUGE. Season 9 blew as Simon had checked out, and Ellen stunk, and many of the more interesting talent didn’t make the Top 12. Season 10 will probably be the last year as X Factor will probably become a huge hit, and Idol will want to replace AI with XF so it can run in the February and May sweeps ratings periods.
everyone keeps saying that, but I thought American Idol was supposed to BE the American version of Xfactor. What exactly would the difference be between Xfactor and American idol.
That the summer tour is tanking tells you that the judges didn’t have the talent pool.
Exactly. Last year’s tour was considered a bright spot in the touring doldrums of last summer while this year, they’re giving away tickets at half-price or $10 and STILL had to cancel two weeks of shows.
Amen!
My Point Well Taken!
Gonna have to agree w/ you on this one. Time for it to be over. Steven Tyler and J-Lo? Hell no!
id rather it die a slow and painful death so then by the time x-factor comes around, everyone will be burned of stupid singing shows and it wont have a chance…
Ken Tucker, you are the MAN! I’m glad you said that, my feelings exactly. Just cancel it already. J-LO and now Steven Tyler? Turn off. My guess is that the ratings for AI next year will fall dramatically.
Once again, you are the man for having the guts to say that!
I barely watched last season, when in past years AI was a must-watch for me. I don’t know if I’ll watch it on a regular basis during the upcoming season either, but I’ll at least tune in to see how the new judges do.
I don’t know that I would vote to ax the show, but it does seem to have run its course. I’ll give it one more chance, and if it still holds no interest for me, then I’d say cancel it.
As usual … right on the money. Now, it’s become just another crappy talent show. Amazingly, Randy is now the music buisness authority. I’m in the business and JLo and Tyler, though they have paid their dues, have no idea how the whole thing works. There’s no producer among them all. No credible business authority. So sad; a shell of it’s former self. Where’s Brian Dunkelman when you need him?
It’s always been a crappy talent show. The same season that brought us Kelly Clarkson also brought us Nikki McKibbon and Jim Verraros. Fantasia was also accompanied by Jasmine Trias and John Stevens.(and to be frank, I loathed Fantasia as well). Why do people take these things so seriously? Every Tuesday night for the past 5 years, I’ve had gatherings with friends on Tuesday nights. We cook dinner, have a few cocktails, make fun of Paula or Randy and have a good time. We know that this isn’t the best talent America has to offer. We don’t waste our time voting. Last season was horrendous, but we still had a blast in the company of friends. I hope it lasts for another 10 years.
Steven Tyler doesn’t know how it works? Preposterous.
I’m with you, Ken. Just cancel it already!
Simon was most always the truthful one but even some of his comments were just part of a routine because that was what was expected. I have moved on and will only watch the finale and if the next finale turns out like this years, I won’t even be doing that.
Agreed. Though many of Simon’s comments were accurate, he wasn’t always right and many of his comments were not useful at all. None of Randy’s, Ellen’s or Paula’s were useful to help someone improve. Kara, however, often did provide some useful comments as to how someone could improve a performance.
Indeed
Ken Tucker, I just gained so much respect for you, for writing this article. This utterly stupid show should’ve been cancelled after the first season. I hope it’s over.
Let it DIE! I barely watched last season and am set on not watching next season without Simon. When the rats are bailing from the ship it is going down. /wave
People said that in S6 and S7, then Adam Lambert came along. So, you never know.
TV is a business, and they can’t just cancel shows that make $$ to please picky purists.
With all the people who still line up to sing in public, let it keep going. Don’t like it, read a frigging book.
Uh, Ken’s job is watching TV and then writing about it (hence the column name).
Ken’s job is also to be logical.
Are you kidding? Lambert’s a big part of why Idol’s crashing and burning in the first place.
Um.. and why do you suppose that is? let me guess, because he’s gay and was on Idol, now the show is crashing and burning. Man, I hope you never reproduce.. that level of bigoted, homophobic stupidity has no place in society. Are you a tea bagger as well?
Why do you automatically assume that mott says he crashed and burned because he is gay? How about the fact that his sales suck and he is not a very engaging performer to people who buy music. He has crashed and burned because his material and records are not likeable. You should only attack someone when they actually MAKE derrogatory comments. Do NOT assume what YOU think he meant and then attack a person for it. This is why this country is in the shape its in now.
Funny how a single statement can be interpreted so differently depending on your point of view. I agreed with mott because to me Lambert set new standards for performances that made the following season just plain boring. Couldn’t be interested to watch much this year. Hope for better with the next season.
It’s crashing & burning after Adam Lambert cause no one in the following season was even close to being as exciting as he was. People got so turned off that he didn’t win, that they no longer trusted the system to pick the best, so they tuned out.
Texangal, ITA with you. I started tuning out when Chris Daughtry was eliminated the season he was on. I know it’s just my opinion, but I thought he should have at least made it to the final, and when he didn’t, I really started to give up on Idol. I stopped watching during the season after that, and I don’t miss the show at all.
Give it another year, I say. Ellen leaving is a good thing. She wasn’t right for the show. The new judging panel might be great, you never know. It’s all worth it if Idol discovers another Adam Lambert!
I say good riddance to Cowell. He badmouthed a lot of kids with more star power than Dimwyze and Dirtysox. Siobhan should have been in at least the top three. He pushed his favorites and creamed anyone he perceived as their competition. the show must go on to get rid of the stinking mess Simon made of last season.