by Ruth Anne Boulet

Welcome back, American Idol fans. I haven’t been blogging this season, but now that Ellen is making her debut, I have to weigh in.

Let me start by saying I like Ellen. I remember going to a house party when she came out on her sitcom. However, I wasn’t thrilled when she was selected as the new judge on American Idol. I want actual singing critiques, not wisecracks. I don’t want to see her do her little dance or crack one-liners. I’m hoping she’s got something to say about how people sing.

So we’ve got 181 people in Hollywood. Hollywood week whittles that down to 24. That means I almost have as much of a chance being in the Top 24, and I’m not even there. [Read more →]

Categories: Reality TV by windupdoll
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Tags: American Idol, Ellen Degeneres, Kara DioGuardi, Randy Jackson, Ryan Seacrest, Simon Cowell

Jamie Oliver is here to start a revolution.  The impassioned chef, TV personality and best-selling author is determined to take on the high statistics of obesity, heart disease and diabetes in this country, where our nation’s children are the first generation not expected to live as long as their parents.  Oliver is inviting viewers to take a stand and change the way America eats, in our home kitchens, schools and workplaces, with the thought-provoking new series, Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, debuting Friday, March 26, (9:00-10:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. The series is produced by Ryan Seacrest Productions and Fresh One Productions.

In the series, Oliver heads to Huntington, WVa. — which has been called the unhealthiest city in America — to start his new cooking initiative. He hopes to help get Huntington off that list and start a chain reaction of positive change across the country. Oliver says, “The time is right for people to rediscover the sense of pride, satisfaction and fun you can get from cooking for the people you love. There’s an incredible community in Huntington, and I want this experience to be a celebration of what we can achieve when people come together. I want to prove that turning around the epidemic of obesity and bad health doesn’t have to be boring or dull in the slightest. Wonderful stories will unfold in Huntington, and hopefully this will inspire the rest of the States.”

Needled by local naysayers, challenged by ingrained unhealthy habits and government bureaucracy, and welcomed by some of the most surprising youngsters, families and local leaders, Oliver shows how, in just a few short months, he tried to transform Huntington as a template for the entire country. The stakes — simply the health of our country’s citizens and the legacy for its children. [Read more →]

Categories: Reality TV by sharrison76
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Tags: ABC, Craig Armstrong, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Huntington, Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution, Ryan Seacrest, Stacey Harrison, TCA, The Naked Chef, West Virginia

Ellen DeGeneres replaces Paula Abdul as "Idol" judge this season

From FOX:

What is your all-time favorite Idol moment? Who is your favorite Idol? Who is your favorite judge? What has you most excited for the return of American Idol?

American Idol fans, now is your chance to sing the praises of Idol by creating a video testimonial and uploading it to fox.com/idolfans. FOX is inviting Idol fans 18 years of age and older to submit video testimonials sharing what they love about American Idol, to be evaluated for possible inclusion in an American Idol promotional campaign. For complete rules and submission guidelines, please visit www.fox.com/idolfans. [Read more →]

Categories: Music, Reality TV, TV News & Program Updates by RabbitEars
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Tags: American Idol, Ellen Degeneres, FOX, Idol, Kara DioGuardi, Randy Jackson, Ryan Seacrest, Season 9, Simon Cowell

by Ruth Anne Boulet

*Sigh*

Really, I didn’t think it would come to this. Paula is really, truly out. Replacing her is Ellen DeGeneres.

At the risk of repeating what several other bloggers are saying, I will concur that while I like Ellen, she’s no Paula. Paula was on the panel to be really upbeat and spout the crazy salad. Will I hear Ellen tell contestants they are ‘authentic’ or ‘original?’ Will I believe her if she does?

One thing I know is that Ellen won’t have the ‘is-she-drunk-or-high-or-WHAT?!’ that Paula gave us, consistently, week after week. That’s what made her, in Paula’s own words, original & authentic.

There are reports that Ellen wants to give “the people’s perspective.” Sigh. Ellen, you’re not “the people” anymore. You’ve got your own very successful daytime show. And anyway, I don’t want “the people” out of my judging panel. That’s what I have my friends & the Internet for. That’s where I get “the people”’s reaction. I don’t want a representative of us non-singing folks on the judging panel. Sorry, Ellen.

I truly hope I ‘m wrong and Ellen DeGeneres brings something new to American Idol. I have a feeling, however, that she won’t and this next season we’ll see the slow death of a successful reality TV show. Maybe then American Idol will finally get an Emmy — like so many, after it’s gone.

Photo credit: © 2008 by Jeff Frank

Check out Ellen on SYTYCD and decide for yourself after the jump.

[Read more →]

Categories: Reality TV by windupdoll
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Tags: American Idol, Ellen Degeneres, Kara DioGuardi, Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson, Ryan Seacrest, Simon Cowell, So You Think You Can Dance, SYTYCD

By Jeff Pfeiffer

Oh, to be as deliciously open and uncensored as Kathy Griffin, star of Bravo’s My Life on the D-List (which airs its season finale this Monday). At an outdoor shindig thrown by NBC/Universal during the Television Critics Association (TCA) tour, Griffin gabbed with a small scrum of reporters and let her thoughts fly on various topics of the day, never missing a wry, often tongue-in-cheek beat even as she managed to throw in ironically glamorous poses for passing photographers during the conversation:

On Paula Abdul Leaving American Idol
Griffin: This is a very tough time for me emotionally. I cannot imagine my life without Paula, in the way that Paula cannot imagine her life without, let’s say, Vicodin. Grief. Denial. It was the seven stages of death for me [on hearing Paula was leaving], and I don’t believe it yet because I don’t want to believe it. And I think they’re going to have the auditions in like Boise or something, and then there’s going to be a ray of light like heaven opened up its doors, and Paula’s going to stumble in and pick up where we left her.

On Wanting To Take Paula’s Place
I would only consider replacing Ryan [Seacrest]. Then that would make me king of the universe, because he apparently runs the whole universe and we’re just living in it. [Read more →]

Categories: Reality TV by RabbitEars
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Tags: Al Sharpton, American Idol, Barry Manilow, Bill O'Reilly, Book Club Selection, Bravo, Campbell Brown, Carol Channing, Cher, Christiane Amanpour, CNN, Comedy Central, Creative Arts Emmy, D-List, D-List season finale, Dirty Jobs, Emmy, Emmy Awards, fox news, Glenn Beck, Jeff Pfeiffer, Joan Rivers, Joan Rivers roast, Kathy Griffin, Kathy Griffin My Life on the D-List, Michelle Malkin, Paula Abdul, roast, rush limbaugh, Ryan Seacrest, Sarah Palin, Suzanne Somers, TCA

by Ruth Anne Boulet

I’ll be splitting this blog posting into The Awesome, The Fantastic, The Mediocre, The Awful, The Expected, and The Actual Results. And so we begin.

The Awesome

What Adam Lambert was wearing when he sang “Beth.” The platform boots; the studded cages around his shoulders; the bedazzled eye makeup and then … KISS. Awesome. It’s so Spinal Tap, I love it. Even the platform that KISS descends to the stage looks like a little Stonehenge. There’s pyrotechnics! Explosions! Long tongues! The realization that none of the members of KISS sing all that well. Mom Lambert is way into the KISS medley. Paul Stanley does a poor Pete Townsend impression & ‘breaks’ his guitar really cleanly.

The Fantastic

David Cook’s performance was pretty good, but mostly because of the circumstances of why he wrote it. Didn’t like him that much during his season, but he’s kind of growing on me.

Cyndi Lauper & Allison Iraheta’s duet on “Time After Time.” Love both of them. [Read more →]

Categories: Reality TV by windupdoll
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Tags: Adam Lambert, American Idol, Kara DioGuardi, Kris Allen, Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson, Ruth Boulet, Ryan Seacrest, Simon Cowell, WindUpDoll

by Ruth Anne Boulet

So last Friday, I was one of the throngs who made their way down to the Summerfest grounds in Milwaukee to see Danny Gokey. Not because I’m a fan, but because I wanted to see just how crazy it would be. And it was quite crazy. I couldn’t see anything, and really couldn’t hear anything either. But I can say I was there, and I saw the ‘Cougars for Danny’ T-shirts. My only disappointment is that the one, repeat, one beer vendor was on the other side of the crowd from the entrance, so there was no way I could get to it. I learned later that a friend of mine was also there. Apparently I just missed frustration, because the beer tent was not well organized. There were no kegs, just servers pouring from bottles of beer. I’m glad I went & got decent beer in the Third Ward instead.

So I caught a little of the Night at the Museum tie-in at the beginning, and a bit of Alicia Keys, but then my power went out. I caught a little of the kid performing, but I wasn’t properly introduced. If anyone could introduce me, that would be super. My satellite also went out, so my DVR didn’t get America’s Next Top Model. I did catch the last bit, so I know who won. Thanks for the concern. [Read more →]

Categories: Reality TV by windupdoll
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Tags: Adam Lambert, American Idol, Danny Gokey, Kara DioGuardi, Kris Allen, Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson, Ruth Boulet, Ryan Seacrest, Simon Cowell, WindUpDoll

by Ruth Anne Boulet

We’re finally winding down this, the 8th season of American Idol. If I listened to the judges, tonight might seem superfluous. Why bother having a top 3 when the finale of Adam vs. Danny has been preordained? That’s the thing with American Idol. Sometimes what’s expected doesn’t occur. Can Kris Allen really break out & stay around another week?

I live right here in Milwaukee. We’ve actually got someone in the finals this year. It was pretty crazy on the lakefront last Friday when Danny Gokey came back to town. Am I a fan? No. Nothing would make me happier than to see him go home tomorrow. However, I was glad for the city of Milwaukee. It was a gorgeous day, and I’m hoping that we get a ton of good press out of this. For that, I’m thankful for Danny.

I’m not thankful for Danny’s voice, however. Because I think Milwaukee has milked all it can out of this, it’s time to send that boy home. Danny’s up first & we get footage of him getting his text from Paula. His judge’s choice song is “Dance Little Sister” from Terence Trent D’Arby. [Read more →]

Categories: Reality TV by windupdoll
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Tags: Adam Lambert, American Idol, Danny Gokey, Kara DioGuardi, Kris Allen, Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson, Ruth Boulet, Ryan Seacrest, Simon Cowell, WindUpDoll

by Ruth Anne Boulet

Tonight’s results show is a whole ton of filler for a 5 second show. I know that all results shows are a ton of filler, but with this episode, American Idol is shoving as many performances as possible to keep our interest. That’s probably a wise move. As the season draws to a close, viewers get more & more emotionally invested in the outcome. There’s less tolerance for stupid patter between the judges.

Like a really stupid Ford commercial. Wow. Does American Idol want Ford to go away? It seems like it with the amount of effort, or lack of effort, that has been going into those thing lately.

Group number, featuring Slash! Schools out for swine flu kids! Way to keep it topical American Idol! Slash is playing like he’s barely paying attention to the kids singing. He just wants to riff it many. Danny and Kris look so uncomfortable. Ryan also looks like Slash told him before the show not to violate his personal space or Ryan would get pummeled. I would not be surprised if that conversation occurred. [Read more →]

Categories: Reality TV by windupdoll
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Tags: Adam Lambert, Allison Iraheta, American Idol, Danny Gokey, Kara DioGuardi, Kris Allen, Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson, Ruth Boulet, Ryan Seacrest, Simon Cowell, WindUpDoll

by Ruth Anne Boulet

Paula Abdul was addicted to painkillers for years. Shocking. It’s like finding out Clay Aiken is gay.

Ryan tells us that there was an accident right before the show started with glass exploding everywhere. That’s putting it mildly. To get the on the scene reporting, check out MJ’s Twitter account.

We get a Slash package, which omits that David Bowie was a father figure. I learned that this weekend. Seriously, check out Wikipedia.

For those of you who may not approve of the Rock and or Roll, let me share a little something with you. Rock can be learned to teach the impressionable youth about many things.

[Read more →]

Categories: Reality TV by windupdoll
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Tags: Adam Lambert, Allison Iraheta, American Idol, Danny Gokey, Kara DioGuardi, Kris Allen, Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson, Ruth Boulet, Ryan Seacrest, Simon Cowell, WindUpDoll