American Idol – Here comes season ten

So … you think Fox’s juggernaut American Idol has lost its steam, huh?

You never really were on board with the four-judge format. (“It’s too slow!” News Flash: None of us were.) You never really were on board with the addition of Kara Dio Guardi. (“She’s too whiny!”) You never really were on board with Paula Abdul’s replacement Ellen DeGeneres. (“Cripes! She’s worse than Randy Jackson!”) You never really were on board with the instruments being thrown into the mix, either. (“It’ll take away from those who have real singing talent! This is a singing competition, not a musician’s forum!”)

And, come on: Enough with whining about Simon Cowell “being the entire show” and everything going downhill from here on out because he’s gone, daddy, gone. You sound like a broken record.

Let me tell you something: Until we get into the whole menagerie of the show, you’re just not going to know what American Idol has in store for us this season. You can nay-say all you want … complain Idol isn’t going to live up to what’s come before … bitch and moan about its rating’s woes (AI has consistently been nothing less than a #2 show in it’s time slot since Season 5 of 2006) … but mark my words: There will be fun, frolickry and plenty of jaw-dropping moments when it launches January 19th, throughout the auditions and right into the main competition.

You already know some of the changes coming: The lowering of the age of the contestants from 16 years of age to 15 … the addition of Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler to the judge’s panel … and the switch from Tuesdays and Wednesdays to Wednesdays and Thursdays in the schedule.

But … did you know there will no longer be guest mentors on the program this season? Instead, record producer and music executive Jimmy Iovine, chairman of Interscope Geffen A&M Records, will be on hand to dole out tidbits of musical knowledge to aid the contestants in their advancement each week to the later rounds of competition. We’re talking a major innovator and powerhouse in the industry giving it a go this time around. And, while Jimmy’s no Harry Connick, Jr. (who was monumentally enjoyed by all of us last season, even by our very own Idol-spurner Ivey West who doesn’t dig the show), he certainly has the potential to make some waves in the coming months.

And don’t even think about missing the audition rounds, folks. How many times do I have to tell you not to skip these shows?

Look: I’m just as skeptical as you are about the addition of JLo and Steven Tyler this season, not to mention what the formatting and other surprises The Powers That Be over at Fox have in store for us. It’s a well known fact I can’t stand Ms. Lopez, but I don’t doubt she’ll surprise me a time or two during the coming months. (Hell, I might even find her engaging every once in a while.) And Steve-O’s going to be loads of fun … take my word for it.

So, put on your big boy pants, plant your carcass in your favorite viewing spot with your Cheeze Doodles at hand and let’s all feel the love of Idol together in this brand new decade.

I mean … if Ivey can get into it every once in a blue moon, it’s not going to do you any major damage.

Clacked by Michael Noble
on Jan 02, 2011 @ 11:00 EST5EDT