American Idol: past it's prime?

[Live365]

I hate to see Ellen DeGeneres getting blamed for this, and like others, I can't believe that after years of making mince meat out of her, suddenly Paula Abdul was indispensable. They should have thought of that last year when they forced her out. Personally, I think the show has just become formulaic and boring. And they haven't identified a true talent since Carrie Underwood. Anyone else have thoughts on this?
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http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/03/04/a ... tml?hpt=C2

Has 'American Idol' jumped the shark?
By Lisa Respers France,CNN
March 5, 2010 11:33 a.m. EST

(CNN) -- Over the years, "American Idol" has been a lot of things….But never, ever has it been boring. Until now.

Which asks the question, WTF: why the failures? Has the No. 1 show on television, the program its rivals call the "Death Star," jumped the shark?

So who are we to blame? To trace the mess, we have to go even beyond the year B.E., or "Before Ellen."

"Two years ago, before Kara [DioGuardi] came, ['Idol'] felt like a juggernaut, like it was indestructible, and it was going to be the number one show until the end of time, and everyone had to watch it because it was that powerful," said Glenn Gamboa, a pop music writer for Newsday who covers the show. "Once they started tinkering, people started realizing that 'Oh, it's not that powerful, and maybe I don't have to watch, or I don't have to get all that involved.' "

When producers made the decision to bring DioGuardi on board as a judge, fans were leery. Was she there to replace the beloved Paula Abdul?

"I am starting to wonder if Paula was really brilliant and the one picking all of the talent," Della Terza said, adding that he is finding it difficult to narrow the field this season for his Web site. "Even Simon seems like he is a little checked out this year, and he even had his head under the table during one of the performances."

"It started for me when they got rid of Paula," said Emley, the author of a successful series of crime novels. "I like Ellen, I really do, but I still don't understand why they brought her on the show."

Newsday's Gamboa agrees. So far, he said, "Ellen has been bad for the show, and the show has been bad for Ellen." And Cowell being halfway out the door hasn't helped the atmosphere.
Still, Gamboa holds out hope that as the season progresses, "Idol" will evolve.

[Raggedyann]

Idol this season has been a complete bore. As much as I like Ellen I don't like how she is waffling around with her opinions. She seems to be taking her cues from Randy and she is demonstrating that she is clearly not qualified or comfortable in this role. She is a fish out of water. Simon looks flat out angry at this current crew of mediocre contestants. I wouldn't have believed that I could miss Paula so much. They made a huge mistake by dumping her. And I think that Adam Lambert raised the bar so high last season, that it will be hard for anybody to come close to inspiring the same excitement that he generated week after week.

I would say this show has run its course.

[SETIsLady]

Hi Live, I haven't watched American Idol since Season 2, when Ruben Stoddard won instead of Clay Aiken. I thought the whole thing was rigged, so I lost interest.

[Joolz]

I've never watched it at all, other than a few minutes here or there while flipping channels. But I know a lot of people have enjoyed it. Everything runs its course. Maybe the public fascination with this sort of entertainment has simply run its course.

[Biker]

I only watch the show because Miss IG does - trade offs, ya know?

I have no idea why Ellen is on the show. She has no idea what she's talking about. Might as well have Limbaugh judging a beauty pagent. Oh wait...

Biker

[racehorse]

I've never watched it at all

Neither have I.

[Live365]

Biker just needs to wear pink, every so often. (can this happen??? )


How cute is this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLc49QCc6jU

[Raggedyann]

Cute as a hernia!