2008-05-22T12:09:00Z tag:blog.washingtonpost.com,2008:/tvblog/190 Copyright (c) 2008, WashingtonPost.Newsweek Interactive 2008-05-22T12:09:00Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-05-22:/tvblog2008/05/american_idol_david_slays_davi.html

A record 97.5 million votes were cast for the Two Davids Tuesday night, "American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest says at the top of Wednesday's two-hour finale. That's the same, he explains, as if every single person in Canada, Spain, Ireland and Australia had cast one vote. And what an infomercial it was! Only four minutes in, the Idolettes are already shilling for the Fox network's summer series "So You Think You Can Dance." Carrie Underwood...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Rose Jacobius 2008-05-21T16:26:55Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-05-21:/tvblog2008/05/american_idol_the_two_davids.html

For the first time since Clay vs. Ruben, two guys are competing for the "American Idol" tiara. To mark the occasion, "Idol" producers have dressed up the show like a boxing match. Yeah, preteen girls and middle-aged women -- the program's core audience -- they love boxing. Particularly ringmaster Michael "Are You Ready to Rumble?!" Buffer, who introduces the two remaining Idolettes: David "Sugarfoot" Cook and David "Babyface" Archuleta. Contestants David Cook and David Archuleta...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Rose Jacobius 2008-05-15T10:15:08Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-05-15:/tvblog2008/05/american_idol_2.html

While Lisa de Moraes is watching the television networks unveil their new season schedules in New York, Designated "American Idol" Pinch-Blogger Teresa Wiltz gives a play-by-play of this week's results show. Another season of "American Idol" rapidly approaches its denouement. Scratch the rapidly. Watching the penultimate results show is the mental equivalent of wading through a pond of marshmallow fluff with patches of peanut butter. Those would be the "gooey" (thanks, Simon, we couldn't have...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Rose Jacobius 2008-05-14T13:13:52Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-05-14:/tvblog2008/05/american_idol_1.html

While Lisa de Moraes is watching the television networks unveil their new season schedules in New York, Designated "American Idol" Pinch-Blogger Teresa Wiltz gives a play-by-play of this week's Final Three singing competition. Rough week for David Archuleta on "American Idol," what with all that Stage-Dad-possibly-banned-from-rehearsals hoo-ha. (Was Stage Dad behind last week's lyric change? Ooooh, the scandal!) Contestant Syesha Mercado performs. (Ray Mickshaw/FOX) But the Cherubic One rallies on last night's performance show, electing...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Rose Jacobius 2008-05-08T15:20:50Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-05-08:/tvblog2008/05/american_idol_perfectly_dredfu.html

Never in this season of "American Idol" has it been so clear who should get the old heave-ho on results-and-product-plug night. The previous night, Jason Castro mutilated Bob Marley's "I Shot the Sheriff" and forgot lyrics on Bob Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man" -- two songs he said he chose to sing because he knew them well. Jason Castro gets eliminated. (Frank Micelotta/FOX) It was one of the most dramatic "Idol" shows ever, Larry King's presumptive...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Lisa de Moraes 2008-05-07T16:17:59Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-05-07:/tvblog2008/05/american_idolbaby_elmo_rockin.html

Rock-and-roll night on "American Idol" should be a slam-dunk for this year's token rocker, David Cook, right? He starts off Round 1 of this week's competition with Duran Duran's "Hungry Like a Wolf" because, he notes, it came out the year he was born. Contestant David Archuleta performs at the "Idol Gives Back" show at the Kodak theatre in Hollywood, Calif. (Reuters) He promises to add David Cookian twists to the song but if he...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Lisa de Moraes 2008-05-01T12:28:01Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-05-01:/tvblog2008/05/american_idol_i_am_nanny_brook_1.html

After frightening us with word that we know more about this year's five remaining Idolettes than about any other contestants in "American Idol" history, show host Ryan Seacrest says he's "still out of breath" from previous night's Paula Abdul Goes Psychic Show. "I don't know if it's the strangest we've ever had, but certainly the fastest," he says. Wrong. It was the strangest, but the usual length. Brooke White (center) is eliminated from the...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Lisa de Moraes 2008-04-30T18:57:22Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-04-30:/tvblog2008/04/american_idol.html

"American Idol" comes unhinged on Neil Diamond Night. For starters, each of the remaining five Idolettes gets to sing not one but two Diamond tunes. Then, to save time, the show's judges -- Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell, won't get to critique the Idolettes until each has performed both tunes. "Bring those perky contestants in," Diamond says in a taped bit, giving us hope this week might be as good as last week's...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Rose Jacobius 2008-05-14T00:25:48Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-04-24:/tvblog2008/04/_andrew_lloyd_webber_week.html

Andrew Lloyd Webber Week Results Night on "American Idol" is a shocker from start to finish. Show host Ryan Seacrest kicks things off by kissing judge Simon Cowell, after which he assures Simon, "Relax -- it didn't mean anything." Even though it was only a kiss on the head, Simon is so stunned he reflexively moves his chair closer to judge Paula Abdul and puts his arm around her. Paula is observing Andrew Lloyd Webber...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Lisa de Moraes 2008-05-14T00:25:48Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-04-23:/tvblog2008/04/american_idol_phantom_of_the_i.html

Because "American Idol" hasn't yet lost enough of its 18- to 34-year-old viewers, Andrew Lloyd Webber is this week's guest judge and the Idolettes are being forced to sing his show tunes. And yes, that means we, the viewers, must sit through two songs from "The Phantom of the Opera" and -- gak -- "Memory" from "Cats." Which reminds me how much I used to admire the distinguished gentleman who played the piano in the...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Lisa de Moraes 2008-05-14T00:25:48Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-04-17:/tvblog2008/04/american_idol_countdown_to_six.html

In a suspicious show of collegiality and generosity, our real TV columnist once again has given the keys to "American Idol" blogdom this week to Tamara Jones, auxiliary backup Designated Idol Watcher. Sell the horse, suffer the consequences: Kristy Lee Cook is headed back to the Ponderosa, leaving six wannabe American Idols still standing. Or not. Actually, they're sitting -- cross-legged, in the middle of the stage -- in the first-ever live "American Idol" protest,...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Rose Jacobius 2008-05-14T00:25:48Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-04-16:/tvblog2008/04/in_a_suspicious_show_of.html

In a suspicious show of collegiality and generosity, our real TV columnist once again has given the keys to "American Idol" blogdom this week to Tamara Jones, auxiliary backup Designated Idol Watcher. Yep, Simon and Randy were right all along: These girls are no Mariah Carey. The boys are. With the herd culled to seven Idolettes, the guys may be outnumbered now but they aren't about to be outsung as the five-time Grammy winner stops...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Lisa de Moraes 2008-05-14T00:25:48Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-04-11:/tvblog2008/04/_after_a_days_delay.html

After a day's delay so "American Idol" could bring you the Miley Cyrus Queen of All Media Telethon, one of the Idolettes is gonna go. First, show host Ryan Seacrest, who's hair keeps getting pointier, takes us on a walk down memory lane in re the night before. Ben Stiller wants to raise a googillion dollars, Robin Williams grabs judge Simon Cowell's heinie, Jimmy Kimmel makes fun of Cowell's man-breasts, Annie Lennox acts like an...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Lisa de Moraes 2008-05-14T00:25:48Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-04-10:/tvblog2008/04/american_idol_give_til_it_hurt.html

Last year's "Idol Gives Back" fundraiser was so successful the number of celebu-saints wanting to jump on the Do-Gooder Wagon skyrockets to nearly 70, forcing Fox to start the show 30 minutes before prime time, just to fit them all into what turns out to be a 152-minute celebu-thon. They fall into two categories -- the Caring (real or well-performed) and the Clueless. Many made only the briefest and most straightforward of appearances, urging viewers...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Lisa de Moraes 2008-05-14T00:25:48Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-04-09:/tvblog2008/04/american_idol_8_stabs_at_inspi.html

This week, the Idolettes are charged with singing inspirational songs to warm up the crowd to drop some serious coin less than 24 hours later on "Idol Gives Back," which, judging by the number of celebs who've signed on, promises to be the greatest orgy of excess in the history of television. It's gotten so out of hand Fox is going to have to start the show 30 minutes before prime time even begins. Michael...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Lisa de Moraes