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Sunday, August 24, 2008
8/25: New “Idol” judge Kara DioGuardi, Fantasia in Atlanta over the weekend (UPDATED)
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I’ve decided to add this to the existing Fantasia item:
“Idol” is adding a fourth judge in Kara Dioguardi. This is the first time since season two that the show has fiddled with the judge lineup, which will otherwise remain the same with Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell.
This is the show’s first major move since executive producer Nigel Lythgoe stepped down.
I know nothing about this gal but based on a quick look on the Web, she appears to have an accomplished resume. She has produced work for the likes of Kelly Clarkson, Jessica Simpson, Kylie Minogue, Enrique Iglesias, Celine Dion, Clay Aiken, Hilary Duff, Britney Spears, Raven-Symone, Diana DeGarmo, Lindsay Lohan, Bo Bice, Pink, Jewel, Jesse McCartney, Paris Hilton, Katharine McPhee, Miley Cyrus, Avril Lavigne, Jonas Brothers and Christina Aguilera.
Here are two quotes from the press release:
“We are turning the heat up on ‘Idol’ this year and are thrilled to welcome Kara to the judges’ table,” said creator and executive producer Simon Fuller. “She is a smart, sassy lady, and one of America’s most successful songwriters. We know she will bring a new level of energy and excitement to the show.”
“We had originally intended for American Idol to have four judges,” said executive producer Cecile Frot-Coutaz. “We’ve seen from our international series that having a fourth judge creates a dynamic that benefits both the contestants and the viewers.”
There’s a press conference for her at 3 p.m. EST. I’ll create a fresh blog entry for that.
Back in season two, Angie Martinez started as a judge but quit during the auditions, saying at the time “it became too uncomfortable for me to tell someone else to give up on their dream, especially when I realized that many of them have supported my musical career.” Where did that career go by the way?
I caught a short set by Fantasia at the Atlanta Civic Center Saturday night.
She co-headlined with comic Rickey Smiley at the Atlanta Civic Center and proved what made her so appealing to a broad audience on TV. She looked and sounded much better than she did in the spring when she revisited “Idol” and was a hot mess to the point Simon Cowell looked downright dumbfounded.
While she’d revert to “screech” mode on her vocals on occasion, the inspired, energetic Fantasia turned the center into her very own church, capped by a tour de force version of “Free Yourself.”
And showing how connected she was with the audience, she spent almost as much time in the crowd as she did on the stage. She danced and laughed it up with the folks in the first few rows, who got their $94 worth. She even evoked a bit of “Idol” by doing a medley of old classics including “Tell Me Something Good” and a rousing “Purple Rain” that would have impressed the Purple One himself.
I was about 20 rows back and she was such a whirling dervish, it was tough to get good shots with my camera. Here’s the best one I got, of her in the audience:
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