American Idle

I knew somebody from American Idol–or a person who has been on the show–would speak on Ju’Not Joyner’s remarks that Idol is “rigged.”

The person was Phil Stacey, and he put up a bulletin on his MySpace page, while promoting his new album, “Into The Light,” which hits stores on August 25. Clever…Anyway, here’s Stacey’s bulletin in its entirety (my comments follow):

Friday, July 31, 2009 

Is American Idol rigged? In light of today’s blogs, I’ve had several people ask me my opinion on if American Idol is rigged, so here is my two cents… .. .. If I own a restaurant, I’m not going to serve people a different dish than they wanted.  It just wouldn’t be good for business.  Even if I gave them a tastier dish, they wouldn’t even try it.  They would DEMAND what they asked for.  So if I want people to come back to my restaurant, I better give them what they ordered.  .. .. It’s the same for American Idol.  They aren’t going to serve you something you didn’t order. .. .. OF COURSE we’d like to think the show’s rigged!  We lost!  Haha…  But unfortunately, in my personal experience, there is no reason to believe it is. .. .. Are the contracts reasonable?  Yes.  They are more than fair.  In fact, I guarantee that if the contract were offered to any of my friends that are trying to break into the business, they would gladly sign it…  And on a side note, all respect intended, if you “understand” the music business and “understand” how recording contracts work, become an entertainment attorney instead!  There’s far better money in it!  As an artist who has experienced and benefited from three major deals, I still have no idea how they work…  A recording contract is full of technical jargon that is meant for lawyers…  That’s why they get paid the big bucks. .. .. Are the lawyers they provide working for Idol or the contestants?  They are working for us contestants.  We are talking about some of the most high profile music attorneys available.  In fact, I continued to work with our lawyers long after my time on American Idol had expired.  Of course, we have absolutely no bargaining chips, no fan base, nothing to bring to the table and 100,00 other people who would gladly take our place, but I felt our attorneys got us a great deal! .. .. Do the judges have favorites?  Let me answer this question with another question…  Do you have your favorites?  If so, than I think it is perfectly fair for the judges to have theirs.  We all have the same opportunity to make them like us.  If we don’t take advantage of the opportunity, should we blame them or ourselves?  I’m just saying… .. .. Am I writing this blog because I want to shamelessly self-promote my new album?  Heck yes!  My new record, “Into the Light” is in stores everywhere August 25th…  you can get it today on philstacey.com for $10 and you’ll pay no shipping….  Haha .. .. Now back to my restaurant analogy.  If I have a favorite dish, I am going to highlight it.  I’ll feature it as the item of the day with pretty pictures and hope people order it.  There’s nothing wrong with that…   Now add me as a friend and I’ll talk to you soon!  :  )

OK, after reading this rebuttal of sorts that is carefully worded, Stacey is saying nothing about the actual process through which the Idols go, and that’s disconcerting.

What he’s saying is that because the system is the way it is, there is no way in which the system can be changed. In other words, he’s saying others are happy with the status quo.

Also, I don’t care much for his blase attitude towards a situation that other musicians and artists find repressive. And it says little about fixing the problem. His bulletin is putting a Band-Aid on a gaping wound.

I’m sure others will speak out in due time; this is probably just the tip of the iceberg. But it’s good to see that dialogue is beginning to take place within the Idol ranks. I’ll bet it’s not pleasing the lawyers, however.

American Idol’s “Glitter Girl,” the unforgettable and irrepressible Alexis Cohen was laid to rest today in Cohen’s hometown of Allentown, Pa.

About 100 mourners attended the funeral service, including Cohen’s ex-boyfriend James Kern, who was “shocked, stunned and mortified” once he heard what had happened to Cohen.

In Idol lore, there will probably never be another like Cohen, who is one of few Idols to have made it on television in consecutive years.

It was reported by her mother that she made the second round of auditions for the third consecutive year in 2010–as Cohen reportedly tried her hand at country–but we may never know if she actually did make it on the show.

Investigations into Cohen’s death are ongoing and suspect Daniel Bark remains in jail in Seaside Heights, N.J. on $150,000 bail.

Ju’Not Joyner took some time this week to talk about American Idol as a show, and I must say, it’s eye-opening. It’s really the first time that a former Idol has come out and talked about the show in such stark terms.

Joyner, a season 8 semi-finalist still under contract with TPTB until September according to his calculations, offers a refreshing view into the world of reality TV, especially the way in which Idol is packaged.

With his new independent album called “The Lover, The Leader & The Lunatic” due in early 2010 and his hit single “Hey There Delilah” hitting stores in September (after his so-called “slavetract” with Idol is up), Joyner is busy.

The transcript, in its entirety, is below. In my view, it’s important to include the entire conversation because it sheds light onto not only what Joyner believes, but what the public doesn’t know about Idol:

TRANSCRIPT

2:09	AI Now Admin Team:  Alrighty….let’s talk Idol.

2:09	[Comment From MATTSTHIGHS] TELL US ABOUT YOUR IDOL EXPERIENCE!

2:09	Ju`Not:  lolol…I bet :0

2:09	[Comment From MacTheMovieguy] Where’s all the dirt? I thought Ju’Not was gonna throw down.

2:10	[Comment From MOREKICKAWESOMETHANYOU] LET’S DO THIS!

2:10	[Comment From LLAMA] LET US IN ON SOME DRAMA?

2:10	[Comment From Angeline] Spill, Ju’Not!

2:10	[Comment From ONTD_AI] DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT

2:10	[Comment From OMG OMFG] BEHIND THE SCENES DIRT!

2:11	[Comment From MATTSTHIGHS] WE ARE READY BABY! BRING IT!

2:11	Ju`Not:  Welll…first of all, let me say that I’m grateful that I was on the show.   Now that that’s out the way, I hated L.A.   I met some cool folks but overall, it’s a fixed thing if I every saw one

2:11	[Comment From BENCHPLZ] I AGREE

2:11	[Comment From Flufffy] LA is, or Idol is?

2:11	[Comment From StickyKeys] ELABORATE BABY!

2:11	[Comment From Liana] OMG WAS IT FIXED FOR KRIS TO WIN THOUGH? NOBODY SAW THAT COMING

2:11	[Comment From SarahP] were you upset when the judges didnt pick you for the wild card round

2:11	[Comment From VoteForTheWorst] Of course it’s fixed. That’s how Idol rolls.

2:11	[Comment From idolaccidentallymylife] SHIT JUST GOT REAL

2:11	[Comment From MATTSTHIGHS] TELL US MORE

2:11	[Comment From SEEKINGPROOF] LOL OMG TELL ME MORE

2:11	[Comment From ONTD_AI] WUT YOU TALKING ABOUT BB

2:12	Ju`Not:  The producers know who they want and they slant it to reflect that.   They fix it in a way that makes you surprised but it’s still manipulated.

2:12	[Comment From Wacky] Obviously Idol is not fixed… but maybe the producers really push what they want to push?

2:12	[Comment From gc] OH MY DAMN

2:12	[Comment From seekingproof] manipulated, you say?

2:12	[Comment From VoteForTheWorst] Is there any manipulation the home audience would be surprised about?

2:12	Ju`Not:  Think about it…ADAM, ADAM, ADAM then…Kris….SURPRISE SMITHCHES!!!!

2:13	[Comment From wearegolden] Can you explain further?

2:13	Ju`Not:  And now…you’ll tune in next year.

2:13	[Comment From hotdiggity] WHO DO YOU THINK THEY PUSHED THE MOST?

2:13	[Comment From bloodbelieve] I DON’T GET IT

2:13	[Comment From HAHACATS] I DON’T UNDERSTAND

2:13	[Comment From BENCHPLZ] MAKES SENSE.

2:13	[Comment From supbench] you think the producers wanted kris to win the whole time?

2:14	Ju`Not:  What I mean is that people think AI is a talent show.   No.   It’s a reality show with writers!!

2:14	[Comment From ONTHEROOF] ELABORATE PLZ BB

2:14	[Comment From cocoghosts] I totally agree…never thought idol actually wanted Adam to win. Did you read that rolling stone article? Him winning a Fox show … Never

2:14	[Comment From Ricky T.] How so?

2:15	[Comment From Bob] Tell us EVERYTHING Ju’Not!!!!

2:15	Ju`Not:  We’re all actors.   All these shows have writers that guide the public opinion.   The Hills, Real World.   All of them

2:15	[Comment From BLLLOLLLU] SO…YOU’RE SAYING THAT VOTES DON’T COUNT?

2:15	[Comment From JUST_PIXELS] ARE YOU SAYING OUR VOTES DON’T COUNT?!?!?! GASP!

2:15	[Comment From a nunmade bed] So do the votes not count or do people vote according to producers’ wishes?

2:15	[Comment From idolaccidentallymylife] SHOCKING.

2:15	[Comment From LLAMA] OH SNAP

2:15	Ju`Not:  Judges comments are scripted (sorta).   It’s a sitcom.

2:15	[Comment From ONTD_AI] WUT ABOUT THE VOTES

2:15	[Comment From wearegolden] GASP.

2:15	[Comment From MATTSTHIGHS] TELL IT JU’NOT! TELL IT!

2:16	[Comment From VoteForTheWorst] How do you think the producers manipulate the votes? Just through judge comments or in other, more deliberate ways?

2:16	[Comment From Wacky] This is a joke!! Complete crap. I’m disappointed!

2:16	[Comment From idolaccidentallymylife] SAY IT AIN’T SO

2:16	[Comment From BENCHPLZ] SO EVEN IF WE WANTED…..DANNY TO WIN, IT WAS RIGGED BECAUSE ADAM WAS MORE POPULAR AND KRIS WAS THE BOY NEXT DOOR?

2:16	[Comment From bloodbelieve] Do you think Kris didn’t deserve to win then?

2:16	[Comment From scornedpanda] what about song choice? How ‘big’ was that list?

2:16	Ju`Not:  I don’t know about those.   They sit us down and tell us it’s fair blah..blah…but who knows.   Do you think a billion dollar enterprise is subject to the whim of the public?

2:16	[Comment From plums14] FOUR FOR YOU JU’NOT, YOU GO JU’NOT!

2:17	[Comment From Angeline] Ju’Not, were you instructed on what to say on camera or to act one way or another that felt “scripted”?

2:17	[Comment From LLAMA] DO YOU THINK THE PRODUCERS WANTED KRIS TO WIN ALL ALONG?

2:17	[Comment From coconutghosts] HOLY CRABCAKES.

2:17	Ju`Not:  I like crabcakes

2:17	[Comment From Nicky] Ju’Not for PREZ

2:17	[Comment From StickyKeys] Do you feel Idol is harder as a black, male performer on Idol? I’ve noticed they don’t seem to have a strong showing in the top 36 or 24.

2:17	[Comment From JUST_PIXELS] THE JUDGES ARE SCRIPTED YET ALL RANDY CAN SAY IS “DAWG”?

2:17	[Comment From Ricky T.] So this is all based on your opinion rather than any concrete evidence of such claims? When you say something, you have to back it up with evidence.

2:18	Ju`Not:  As far as Kris, he’s talented.   He got what he deserved.

2:18	[Comment From avoidthevoid] I’M SHAKING AND CRYING RIGHT NOW

2:18	[Comment From Ricky T.] I’m confused, Ju’Not. I’m sorry. Lol!

2:18	[Comment From Liana] JU’NOT WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE ABOUT IDOL? WOULD YOU GET RID OF BACKSTORY FOR CONTESTANTS?

2:18	[Comment From ONTD_AI] I DON’T GET IT!

2:18	[Comment From Me!] Can you give some better details?!

2:19	[Comment From Angel] omg ricky t…idol is FIXED!!!!!!!!!!!!

2:19	[Comment From kansas] Did Adam get what he deserved? Did you?

2:20

Ju`Not:  As far as being a black man on the show…..I don’t really focus on that.   They wanted too though.   Even though I’m from the hood, they wanted me to put that out to the world and expose my personal business for ratings.   I wouldn’t do it.   Then they pulled me aside and told me I was a trouble maker for asking questions about the gazillion slavetracts we were signing.

2:20	[Comment From MATTSTHIGHS] O SNAP!

2:20	[Comment From lolwat] what a rebel

2:21	[Comment From ONTD_AI] JU`NOT, TELL US ABOUT DRAMA BEHIND THE SCENES

2:21	[Comment From MOREKICKAWESOMETHANYOU] OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHH!!!!

2:21	[Comment From Ricky T.] Are you kidding?! That’s crazy!

2:21	[Comment From jbuddy25] go junot

2:21	[Comment From Guest] YOU WERE SMART TO ASK

2:21	[Comment From a nunmade bed] FIGHT THE MAN, JU’NOT

2:22	[Comment From SEEKINGPROOF] OH YOU SO DANGEROUS

2:22	[Comment From a nunmade bed] YOU STRAIGHT UP GANGSTA

2:22	[Comment From ONTD_AI] ANY DRAMA BEHIND THE SCENES`?

2:22	[Comment From glassesccc] THE THUNDERING OUTSIDE IS ADDING TO THE SUSPENSE IN THIS CHAT

2:22	[Comment From Guest] ANY TENSION BETWEEN THE CONTESTANTS?

2:22	[Comment From Liana] POWER TO THE PEOPLE

2:22	[Comment From Angeline] Did you see Adam or Kris receive any special treatment from the producers?

2:23

Ju`Not:  I debated on telling this but, the hell with it.   They pay for our lawyers to negotiate against their lawyer (which is BS). They make us COLLECTIVELY choose the lawyer, then they act like it’s in our best interest.   Craziest stuff i’ve ever seen.   I have a son to feed.   I HAD to ask questions and know what I was signing.   Plus I write my own songs and I needed to know details.

2:24	[Comment From bloodbelieve] I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU MEAN

2:24	[Comment From Liana] WHAAAAAAAT? YOU ALL SHARE A LAWYER?!

2:24	[Comment From IAMVERTICAL] OH DEER

2:24	[Comment From Guest] OOH, JUICY

2:24	[Comment From nothingissoundd] are you serious?!?!!

2:24	[Comment From HOLD_MY_WEAVE] wait wut?

2:24	[Comment From mostofusaregoodtimes] WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH

2:24	Ju`Not:  Some folks were like “just shutup and sign on the dotted line.”   I know better than that.   They wo

2:24	[Comment From HUSHCATS] WHAAAAT. YOU ALL HAD ONE COLLECTIVE LAWYER?

2:24	[Comment From MATTSTHIGHS] WOW, THAT AINT RIGHT!

2:25	[Comment From GINGERPITS] WAIT…WHAT? I’M CONFUSED.

2:25	[Comment From SEEKINGPROOF] i dont get it

2:25	AI Now Admin Team:  Can you elaborate on the meaning behind that last statement, many people are confused.

2:25	[Comment From LLAMA] …WUT

2:25	[Comment From reoracerJen] OMG!

2:25	[Comment From sh–justgotreal] you shared a lawyer? that’s crazy!

2:25	[Comment From kansas] isn’t that conflict of interest

2:26	[Comment From JUST_PIXELS] SO WUT WAS WRONG WITH THE CONTRACT?

2:26	[Comment From BLLLOLLLU] WHOA MAN

2:26	Ju`Not:  Yeah..we all had one lawyer and a few hours to go over the details of about 6 or 7 contracts, that we didn’t even get a copy of…and we didn’t get an opportunity to send to an outside attorney…and if we didn’t sign, we couldn’t be on the show.

2:26	[Comment From Daydreamingfan] If they treated you so badly then why did you audition again this year?

2:26	[Comment From IAMVERTICAL] SO YOU HAD TO SIGN YOUR SOUL AWAY TO THE DEVIL. BASICALLY

2:26	[Comment From nothingissoundd] YES, PLEASE ELABORATE.

2:26	[Comment From Flufffy] THIS IS SO DRAMATIC

2:26	[Comment From a nunmade bed] THIS MAKES NO LEGAL SENSE, GRASSHOPPER. CONFLICT OF INTEREST.

2:27	[Comment From Angel] so bottom line, u r saying idol is fixed? please answer

2:27	Ju`Not:  So, naturally I wanted to know what I was signing, and I asked good questions (my fiancee is an attorney).   I guess that makes me a “troublemaker” which is complete BS and has nothing to do with my talent.

2:27	AI Now Admin Team:  And how did that affect your time on Idol?

2:27	[Comment From HAHAOHGOSH] OH SNAP

2:27	[Comment From idolaccidentallymylife] I UNDERSTAND PERFECTLY.

2:27	[Comment From Ricky T.] What aspects of the contract had you had concerns about?

2:27	[Comment From nothingissoundd] WELL…YOU HAD THE CHOICE NOT TO SIGN. SEEING WHAT AI IS. IT MADE LOTS OF STARS. I THINK YOU’LL LIVE WITH SIGNING.

2:28	[Comment From coconutghosts] What did the contracts say??

2:28	[Comment From coconutghosts] Did anyone else complain about it, or just you??

2:28	Ju`Not:  I definitely believed that affected my time on the show.   They didn’t like the fact that I wouldn’t sign “just anything” and that other contestants were coming asking me questions.   So I think they ousted me the first chance they could get.

2:28	[Comment From grace] YOU SHOULD GET MONK TO INVESTIGATE

2:29	[Comment From Liana] OH SNAP!

2:29	[Comment From ONTHEROOF] OH SNAP

2:29	Ju`Not:  I wasn’t complaining…I was asking basic legal questions.   There’s a huge difference between the two.

2:29	[Comment From JUST_PIXELS] BUT DIDNT PEOPLE JUST NOT VOTE FOR YOU?

2:29	[Comment From HUSHCATS] SO YOU THINK YOUR ELIMINATION HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH VOTES

2:29	[Comment From HOTDIGGITY] LAW AND ORDER: AI

2:29	[Comment From ONTD_AI] TELL US ABOUT THE TENSION BETWEEN KRIS AND ADAM

2:29	[Comment From idolaccidentallymylife] OHMIGOD

2:30	[Comment From BENCHPLZ] OH MY GOD, MY GOD, MY GOD.

2:30	Ju`Not:  Even if I didn’t get in on votes…how did I not get picked for the Wildcard show when I received comments from the “judges” that were better than most of the contestants who were picked for the Wildcard show.

2:30	[Comment From dailycriscorubdowns] Do you think telling us these things is going to harm your career/public image in anyway, Ju`Not?

2:30	[Comment From Avoidingthevoid] CONSPIRACY~

2:30	[Comment From idolaccidentallymylife] VOTES COULD NOT HAVE SAVED YOU

2:30	[Comment From Liana] YOU TELL THEM JU’NOT

2:30	[Comment From LLAMA] OH SNAP. WHAT DID THE OTHER IDOLS THINK OF YOUR OPINIONS?

2:31	Ju`Not:  I don’t think me speaking on it will harm image…the truth is the truth..I’m a straight up person.

2:31	[Comment From Supersaurus] IS IDOL GOING TO BURN DOWN YOUR HOUSE NOW THAT YOU’VE TOLD US THESE THINGS?

2:31	[Comment From Flufffy] DRAMATIC IDOL IS DRAMATIC

2:31	Ju`Not:  If so….”someone please call 911″!!!

2:31	[Comment From MATTSTHIGHS] LOL I LOVE YOU JU’NOT

2:31	[Comment From bench] I DON’T CALL 911, I CALL 000. THAT’S NOT A JOKE

2:31	[Comment From Kassie] ARE YOU GONNA GET LIKE, GANG BANGED BY IDOL NOW?

2:31	[Comment From plums14] IT’LL BE TOO LATE.

2:31	[Comment From jbuddy25] hahaa ur funny

2:32	[Comment From Angeline] Ju’Not, when are you getting married? Congrats!

2:32	[Comment From Adamlover] Who’ll be the firefighter? Randy?

2:32	[Comment From StickyKeys] Love ya Ju’Not!

2:32	[Comment From Angel] so u r saying idol is fixed and they are just money hungry bloodsuckers? lol . answer!!! lol

2:32	[Comment From bloodbelieve] IT SEEMS LIKE YOU’RE JUST BITTER, I’M SORRY

2:32	[Comment From roofproof] Was anyone else bothered by the contract situation?

2:33	AI Now Admin Team:  Nathaniel Marshall has not signed on yet. So we will continue chatting with Ju`Not until then.

2:33	[Comment From coconutghosts] What about other contestants, did they have a problem with how the contract thing went down?

2:33	[Comment From BLLLOLLLU] NO ONE ELSE IS COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS

2:33

Ju`Not:  I already got gang banged by Idol.   Certain things are supposed to go through Idol’s PR department.   Needless to say, I had opportunities to come up.   I called them and tried to play by “their” rules…and I couldn’t even get a return call.   Then I found out that other Idols were allowed to participate in activities that the expressly prohibited me from….and that’s not me being bitter…once again that’s da truth!

2:34	AI Now Admin Team:  What do you think of new Idol Producer Ken Warwick?

2:34	[Comment From StickyKeys] LIKE WHAT?!? BE SPECIFIC!

2:34	[Comment From avoidthevoid] DO YOU HAVE SPECIFIC EXAMPLES?

2:35	[Comment From MATTSTHIGHS] WELL THANKS FOR GIVING US THE REAL DEAL ON IDOL!

2:35	[Comment From bench] GET YOUR TOWELS READY IT’S ABOUT TO GO DOWN

2:35

Ju`Not:  Noone else is complaining because alot of the contestants don’t understand how this business works.   They’ve never had record deals or seen a record contract…I have.   So I knew what questions to ask.   it’s kinda like ignorance is bliss.   Some contestants may have thought it was just cool to be on TV, but this is my career.   I take this thing “VERY” seriously.

2:35	[Comment From plums14] JU’NOT YOU ARE THE OPPOSITE OF BITTER. YOU ARE SWEET LIKE CANDY.

2:35	[Comment From adamlambertroostergod] TV appearances?

2:36	Ju`Not:  As are you plums

2:36	[Comment From roofproof] Any other backstage drama?

2:36	[Comment From StickyKeys] You can stay all day as far as I’m concerned

2:37	Ju`Not:  Overall, Idol was a “net positive.”   I got exposed and I get to talk to you guys.   It’s certaintly not the fairy tail most think it is.   It’s showbiz.

2:37	Ju`Not:  As far as Ken….I like Nigel. Next lol

2:38	[Comment From Ashley] I auditioned this year…producer’s are SO DAMN PUSHY! And you’re right everything is very secretive!

2:38	[Comment From ONTHEROOF] ELABORATE

2:38	[Comment From StickyKeys] How much do the idols get paid per week?

2:38	[Comment From pocketrocket] Was there any tension between contestants?

2:38	[Comment From plums14] SOMEONE CALL THE BURN UNIT

2:38	Ju`Not:  Ken was the one who pulled me aside and basically told me to stop askin’ questions, shut up and “you’re not going to ruin my show”.

2:38	[Comment From JUST_PIXELS] HOW RUDE! TELL EM, BB

2:38	[Comment From nothingissoundd] Do the idols get paid?

2:39	[Comment From VoteForTheWorst] Sounds like Kenny alright.

2:39	[Comment From roofproof] Were any of the other contestants on your side, even if they weren’t complaining themselves?

2:39	[Comment From ONTD_AI] TELL US ABOUT THE TENSION BETWEEN KRIS AND ADAM PLEEASE……

2:40	[Comment From MATTSTHIGHS] ANY BROMANCES?

2:40	[Comment From cartooncorral] JU’NOT YOU’RE MY HERO

2:40	[Comment From HOTDIGGITY] DID YOU TRY TO START A REBELLION?

2:40	[Comment From HAHAOHGOSH] ANY GOSSIP ABOUT ANOOP & MEGAN?

2:40	[Comment From Justin] look how much worse the show is w/o Nigel

2:40	[Comment From downtownsgone] Do you keep in contact with anybody from the show?

2:40	[Comment From OMG OMFG] WHO HOOKED UP BEHIND THE SCENES?

2:41	Ju`Not:  Other idols complained but I was the only one who asked questions

2:41	[Comment From SEEKINGPROOF] WHICH IDOLS COMPLAINED

2:41	Ju`Not:  Very few people spoke up.   They saw me as the ring leader.

2:41	[Comment From Flufffy] JU’NOT’S THE RING LEADER, HE CALLS THE SHOTS

2:42	[Comment From HUH] GOOD FOR YOU

2:42	[Comment From Bob] WHO COMPLAINED!?!?!?

2:42	Ju`Not:  I’m not naming names.   Because I have nothing against the other Idols.

2:42	[Comment From woah.woah.woah] Ju’Not i’m very proud of u for standing up for that. AMERICAN IDOL GET A LIFE!!!

2:42	[Comment From Anthea] It sounds like the producers treat the idols like crap!

2:42	[Comment From Guest] Are you in breach of an american idol contract for spilling this info?

2:43	Ju`Not:  They do.   I heard some nast stories about how they treated some of the others but that’s in a later chat

2:43	[Comment From BabyDaddy] BREACH! CONTRACT BREACH!!!

2:43	[Comment From radley] YOU’RE LIKE A FIRECRACKER, YOU MAKE IT HOT BB

2:43	[Comment From Guest] did you actually watch the entire season?

2:43	[Comment From bloodbelieve] SLAVETRACT, NOT CONTRACT

2:44	[Comment From kes] so…whens that later chat? LOL

2:44	Ju`Not:  I don’t know if I breached a contract.   They’re sooo thick and they didn’t give me a chance to read it

2:44	[Comment From idolaccidentallymylife] ARE YOU COMING BACK TO SPILL MORE ANOTHER TIME? I DON’T THINK I CAN TAKE SO MUCH DRAMALLAMA

2:45	[Comment From OMGPLAIDNOWAI] JUNOT WHEN IS YOUR NEXT CHAT GOING TO BE I NEED TO MAKE A LIST OF MY SRS QUESTIONS

2:45	[Comment From pocketrocket] Were there any feuds between contestants?

2:45	[Comment From wearegolden] this info is ~blowing my mind.

2:45	[Comment From supbench] are you gonna see the idols on tour this year?

2:46	[Comment From bloodbelieve] I WANT TO KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS ON NO BOUNDARIES, JU’NOT. WEATHER THOSE HURRICANES~

2:46	Ju`Not:  LOL ya’ll are funny.   I’m just telling the truth.   I’m a real person like ya’ll and I’m real about my experience.   I’m pretty sure none of the other contestants went through what I did so I would expect them to have a different account.

2:46	[Comment From plums14] JUNO WE APPRECIATE YOU KEEPING IT REAL. HATERS TO THE LEFT.

2:46	[Comment From PROOFONAROOF] after all of this, do you regret trying out for idol?

2:47	[Comment From MATTSTHIGHS] JU’NOT, WE GOT YOUR BACK WHEN THE IDOL BIGWIGS COME AFTER YOU!

2:47	[Comment From SKORN] WRITE A BOOK ABOUT IT.

2:47	Ju`Not:  I ain’t tryna start nothing.   Just imagine: everyday people tellin you “you got robbed”.   EVERYDAY.   You’d want to set the record straight too.

2:47	AI Now Admin Team:  It appears Nathaniel will not be joining us? We will give him until 3pm ET to join us.

2:48	Ju`Not:  I google my name and “robbed” comes up.   Crazy….

2:48	AI Now Admin Team:  Hahaha. Oh my.

2:48	[Comment From underthebench] Any regrets?

2:48	[Comment From HAHAOHGOSH] DO YOU NEED A HUG?

2:48	[Comment From ONTHEROOF] I CRIED MYSELF TO SLEEP AFTER YOU DIDNT GET THROUGH

2:48	Ju`Not:  No regrets.   Life goes on.   And so will I.

2:49	[Comment From diowhatever] GROUP HUG ON JUNO EVERYONE

2:49	Ju`Not:  I just been focusing on making my project as hot as possible.   Success is the ultimate goal.   They can’t stop that.

2:49	[Comment From OMFGCATSAGAIN] THANK YOU FOR SPILLING DEETS. NEXT TIME YOU WILL BE GIVING US MORE GOSSIP (KRADAM Y/Y?)

2:50	[Comment From guestpt] Good luck on your project!

2:50	[Comment From underthebench] WE’LL NEVER STOP WANTING TO KNOW MORE

2:50	Ju`Not:  LOL.   Well, I ain’t a gossip bug, I’M A BEACON OF TRUTH!!!! Lol

2:50	[Comment From geturtowelsready] TY FOR CHATTING WITH US. WE ‘PERSHATE IT

2:51	AI Now Admin Team:  We thank you for joining us today Ju`Not.

2:51	Ju`Not:  No problem.   Hey…when I’m sued to shit can I come live with ya’ll?

Now that three of the four judges are returning to American Idol 9, it begs the question: Is Paula coming back soon? Kara DioGuardi finalized her new deal with Idol, you know.

From E! Online:

“Her deal is done. There are no ifs, ands or buts,” a source said. “Done. She will be back.”

No surprise, but the source reports that DioGuardi’s new deal doesn’t even come close to what the other judges are getting or, in Paula Abdul’s case, asking for.

So, that settles it. Look for a deal to be done with Paula in the next week, before the judges have to be in place for the start of season 9 auditions.

Sounds like the suspect in the Alexis Cohen hit-and-run murder case is gonna have his day in court, and from the looks of it, it doesn’t look good for the prosecution.

From People:

“There will be a not guilty plea entered across the board for all of the complaints,” says Freehold, N.J.-based lawyer Daniel Glassman, noting that no one has come forward as a witness to the hit-and-run.

“We don’t have anything in regards to the mechanics of how this young woman was killed,” Glassman adds. “There are a lot of unanswered questions regarding how the accident occurred.”

In other words, don’t bother sending any Holiday cards to Glassman, who is probably right. Meantime, Bark is still in jail in $150,000 bail, which was previously raised from a paltry $35,000 initially.

And the lone suspect in Cohen’s death is apparently on suicide and medication watch. Hmm…

Bark’s attorney also brought up a valid point, which is counter to what Cohen’s mom said (she thought her daughter was chilling at Six Flags at 4 a.m.!). And, it does again open up the possibility of Cohen killing herself:  

Glassman says that Cohen, 25, was in a bar called Hemingway’s prior to her death and that it is “under an investigation to determine what Alexis’s activities were before she left.”

“We don’t know what her state of affairs were, her physical condition was, if she walked into the vehicle,” says the lawyer. “We don’t know about the lighting in the area, there are a myriad of factors.”

Oh, no. Is it a suicide, as I predicted?

In case you don’t already know, here’s the scoop: Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic wrote Kelly Clarkson’s “Already Gone.” Okay, but the real controversy? Tedder wrote the same melody for Beyonce’s song “Halo” and Clarkson is pissed, thinking Tedder ripped her off.

Kelly Clarkson - “Already Gone”

Say what? Yeah, that’s what I thought, Tedder. Anyway, Clarkson, knowing that Tedder wrote the same melody for both songs, didn’t want “Already Gone” as her third single on her album.

So, she told CBC that “Ryan and I met each other at the record label, before he was working with anyone else,” Clarkson begins, gritting her teeth. “He’s from Oklahoma, I’m from Texas; we got along really well and had some of the same influences. We wrote about six songs together, four or five of them made the album. It was all fine and dandy. I’d never heard of a song called Halo. Her album came out when my album was already being printed. No-one’s gonna be sittin’ at home, thinking ‘Man, Ryan Tedder gave Beyonce and Kelly the same track to write to.’ No, they’re just gonna be saying I ripped someone off. I called Ryan and said, ‘I don’t understand. Why would you do that?’”

The palpably frustrated Clarkson claims she “fought and fought” to try and prevent her label from releasing Already Gone as her third single, out of respect for Beyonce.

“In the end, they’re releasing it without my consent,” she sighs. “It sucks, but it’s one of those things I have no control over. I already made my album. At this point, the record company can do whatever they want with it. It’s kind of a shitty situation, but.… You know, you learn.”

And here’s “Halo,” the Beyonce song. Notice the similarities?

Here’s Tedder’s uh, reply, I mean, excuse, the one he originally wrote before he thought better of being a jerk and had his PR person write one and deleted this one…or so he thought:

 From his deleted MySpace page:  

Hey everyone, Ryan here. So…..i’m in Europe on vacation with my wife yesterday when I get a flurry of emails with links to gossip sites and media outlets saying “Kelly clarkson throws producer Ryan Tedder under the bus re: Already Gone” etc etc etc… Alleging that I copied myself or “pulled a fast one” on Kelly Clarkson. This couldn’t be farther from the truth and the whole thing is absurd….however, I need to actually read what the hell is going on, make a call or 2, and be fully informed of it, then I assure you I will have a proper, respectful response. I don’t take allegations of this nature lightly- ESPECIALLY when it’s in regards to artists I respect and admire. Nor do I let things like this go unaddressed. So, give me a minute, and I’ll tell u whatsup and what really happened, or in this case, “didn’t” happen.

Then he had his PR hack write a statement, um, better excuse for ripping Clarkson off so that his career as a songwriter doesn’t go in the toilet. Oh, wait, it’s too late for that. But here’s his statement, anyway:

“Already Gone” is one of the best song I’ve written or produced since “Bleeding Love” and stands tall on it’s own merits apart from “Halo”.

They are two entirely different songs conceptually, melodically, & lyrically and I would never try to dupe an artist such as Kelly Clarkson or Beyoncé into recording over the same musical track, the idea is both hurtful & absurd.

I think when people hear “Already Gone” they will hear what I hear-one of the greatest female vocalists on earth giving her most haunting and heart-breaking performance on a song she helped write.

I challenge people to listen and form their own opinions.”

I’ve formed mine and Ryan Tedder is a rip-off artist.

Kris Allen went back to his home state of Arkansas recently and the results were magical, as one would expect from the adrenaline rush you’d get going home. The fans started screaming well before Allen even took to the stage.

Kris Allen - “Heartless”

After the performance and the several minute ovation that followed, you could tell that the fans were genuinely moved by Allen’s performance, which bordered on genius at points.

Paula Abdul and her manager are still playing hardball with only two weeks to go until Abdul would have to take her seat at the judges table for round 2 of the Idol 9 auditions.

The problem, apparently, is money. Isn’t that always the deal?

 From MSNBC:  

“There’s an offer on the table, but it’s not one that Paula is happy with,” said a source close to the singer. “She sees the big money Ryan Seacrest got, she knows that Simon is close to a huge deal, too. She feels like it’s personal that she’s not getting the same big numbers,” said the source. (Abdul’s manager, David Sonenberg, did not return calls for comment.)

Sounds like sour grapes to me. But losing Abdul is something that people close to the show say is a near impossibility.

Also from MSNBC:

“They know she’s irreplaceable, to walk away would be at most, a ratings disaster, at the least, a frightening prospect going into the next season,” according to a source close to the production.

Yes, with the Abdul fans out there, I don’t think Idol wants a walkout at this point in time.

Alexis Cohen’s death was apparently accidental and not a suicide as some including me suspected.  Also, suspect 23-year-old Daniel Bark, may be looking at more charges as this case gets going. Bark had his hearing and things don’t look good from where I’m standing for Bark.

Of course, that’s why they have such a thing as a fair trial. But I’d say things aren’t looking feasible for such a thing.

From NJ.com:

The man accused in the hit-and-run death of Alexis Cohen, a former American Idol contestant, may face additional charges, authorities said today during the 23-year-old’s first appearance in court in Ocean County.

Daniel Bark has been charged with leaving the scene of Saturday’s accident that killed Cohen, 25, of Allentown, Pa. Superior Court Judge Wendell E. Daniels said today he expects additional charges of aggravated manslaughter, death by auto and eluding to be added to the list.

If Bark can somehow make it through this, he’ll then have to deal with Cohen’s mother Mindy, who has already said publicly she’s like to get her hands on Bark.

Any way you want to look at it, it’s a sad deal, and the worst part is we never get to see Cohen singing country. I would have paid a million dollars for that.

Whoa, talk about interesting. Despite numerous reports that Alexis Cohen was met at the door of the American Idol 9 Boston auditions and denied entry, Cohen’s mother Mindy Dallow told a local newspaper the opposite.

In fact, Dallow’s story and the one we previously heard were so different that I’ll just touch briefly on some of the highlights:

- Cohen was given a call-back at the Boston auditions;

- Cohen sang country, particularly a Rascal Flatts song at the Boston audition and was “excited” about her chances for the 9th season of Idol;

- Cohen was also planning a career in stand-up, which sort of explains the two routines she posted on her MySpace page the day before her death;

And finally, she was at the Jersey shore visiting Six Flags amusement park to “escape the heat.”

The main question is: what was Cohen doing at 4 a.m.? Was Six Flags still open at that time of the morning? Cohen’s mother says Alexis was in the process of getting something “to eat” when she was struck by the vehicle.

And why were those video stand-up routines so weird? It all makes you wonder, doesn’t it?

All I know, is that there are lots of questions left unanswered by the death of Cohen, and hopefully there will be some closure soon.