I’ve been a fan of American Idol since day one and I’ve been enjoying season seven a great deal. However, the news I just read is giving the producers a major headache and has left a sour taste in my mouth. I can’t believe what is going on this season. A major controversy among the fans is brewing regarding the contestants who made the final 24. It even involves some of my favorite performers such as the adorable 16 year old David.
Yahoo’s Music Blog started the controvery with this Valentine’s Day present about Carly Smithson/Hennessy.
They then added more fuel to the fire with this information:
On American Idol, Simon, Paula and Randy whittled it down to the final 24 contestants Wednesday night, and some of their casting decisions caused more controversy than Amy, Natalie, and Aretha combined. Not only were a few surefire fan favorites (Josiah Leming, the teary-eyed teen who lives in his car; Kyle Ensley, the geeky aspiring politician) inexplicably cast aside, but some of the contenders who made it through actually have extensive past industry experience, causing message boards to buzz with conspiracy theories about an allegedly fixed competition.
Among the suspicious singers in the Idol season 7 running are Carly Smithson, who was once signed to MCA Records under the name Carly Hennessy; Michael Johns, who used to front the major-label rock band the Rising under the name Michael Lee; onetime Star Search winner David Archuleta; former Boys N Girlz United boyband singer (and Britney Spears‘s ex-boyfriend!) Robbie Carrico; Cheyenne cast member Jason Castro; Making The Band also-ran Jason Yeager; former Arista Nashville signing Kristy Lee Cook; and Mo’Nique’s Fat Chance plus-size beauty pageant winner Joanne Borgella. Poor Josiah and Kyle never had a chance, fat or otherwise, against these pros!
Here is much more about this controversy.
I am still letting the information sink in so I don’t really know if this will ruin my enjoyment of this season or not yet. Is American Idol about finding NEW undiscovered talent? Or is it all right if it becomes a place for second chances at fame like it has for former recording stars like Carly, Michael and others who failed in their first shots at the big time? I tend to lean towards being a place for new talent who’ve never had a chance to make it big. Sort of like the Olympics used to be for amateurs until they allowed professionals in and totally destroyed the spirit of the games. I hope the same thing doesn’t happen to American Idol.