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'Idol' owes apologies

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Fair | 12:32 a.m. May 26, 2008
Finally someone with a clear mind has spoken. I already saw this the moment the "news" started by saying it was from anonymous source. How lame could that be? I feel that not only apology is warranted, someone must be made to pay in the name of justice and all fairness to the Archuleta family.
Ryan | 12:32 a.m. May 26, 2008
That was VERY well put. BRAVO Mr. Pierce!
anti-clueless | 1:19 a.m. May 26, 2008
"When Abdul talked about a song Jason Castro hadn't sung on air yet, it was because she had already seen him perform it during the dress rehearsal. That's standard procedure for the show."

No it's not. The story they told after the fact was that it's standard procedure; before that - no one, including the contestants had any idea. Every contestant that wasn't named David Cook was hung out to dry in one way or the other. And it is reprehensible.
Comments continue below
Meleah | 1:28 a.m. May 26, 2008
I couldn't agree with you more. Archuleta was robbed of the title - and I think Idol knew that would happen. I'm done watching that show.

Meanwhile, Jeff deserves a HUGE apology from a lot of people. Poor man.
melanie s | 3:15 a.m. May 26, 2008
i completely agree. i'm a big fan of Idol but this season more than any i have been sickened by the stuff they've tried to pull. for instance their "producer's choices" were just so biased -- giving Archie an AWFUL song to peg him as a "ballad" guy & giving Syesha a Happy Feet song that was completely forgettable - while Cook got one of the biggest hits of the last decade... ridiculous.

the theme weeks were awful, and in the finale they urged simon to overpraise archie in order to ensure cook's fans would vote up a storm.

i do like both of the finalists & have nothing against them (my favorite is Archuleta). but the producers (and maybe simon - i'm still trying to decide if he's a total shadester or not) make me want to vomit.
Robert | 4:22 a.m. May 26, 2008
American Idol has the moral responsibility to the masses to explain everything in a very honest way about Jeff. It was American Idol's plan all along to have a rocker win this year and they have orchestrated a dirty scheme to the expense of the Archuletas just so their plan will come into fruition. The people who run American Idol are crooks. Folks, you should know that by now.
janet | 5:23 a.m. May 26, 2008
It is not a good enough explanation that Paula had watched rehearsals. Maybe in rehearsals you do a great job and then forget lines in the actual performance or vice versa. Nobody should be given a final judgement on rehearsals. Imagine a gold medal olympic pole vaulter or someone on the parallel bars, slips in rehearsals, but does a perfect round on the day, are you going to take off points for what happened on rehearsals. Insane and unfair
Anonymous | 5:32 a.m. May 26, 2008
Oh no. Please...not another persecution complex for the people of Utah.

We are soooooo picked on.

Give it a rest and don't be a sore loser.

David A seems to get that.

Why can't the people of Utah?
Anonymous | 5:49 a.m. May 26, 2008
you are all taking this way too serious, everyone got what they wanted out of it . David and David all the publicity they needed and ever could of hoped for, The show lots of viewers , trust me they all will be ok
grow up | 5:52 a.m. May 26, 2008
Live by smarmy publicity, die by smarmy publicity.

Fox giveth and Fox taketh away.

Idol is not about talent.

It is a scripted soap opera with "real people" not unlike MTV's Real World.

You love it when your "Idol" gets good press, pout when it is bad.

NEWS FLASH- it is phoney either way!

You are like pro wrestling fans; squealing with delight when your guy bodyslams the villian, horrified when your guy gets smashed over the head with a folding chair.(That isn't real either, or didn't you know.)

You people act like David is some jilted Musical Messiah. Please stay away from koolaid for at least a month, for your on sake!

Idol has been over a week, when are we going to move on?

Seriously.
Anonymous | 6:58 a.m. May 26, 2008
Good call there Scott. Thanks for pointing it out.

Ive accepted the result, but the damage has been done.

Moving on doesn't mean you cannot analyze what has transpired. You can move on, without turning a blind eye on things.

But some people just think moving on is all about going to "lalala" land. Naive.



Kathy | 7:05 a.m. May 26, 2008
I doubt that Idol will offer an explanation or an apology, but I believe that they should, and not only to Jeff Archuleta. Their treatment of several contestants was shoddy. To me, it seems that this year I became quite certain about who the producers/Simon were supporting. Great performances were panned, mediocre ones were praised.

Although I am very happy that Idol brought me David Archuleta, I am finished with the show. The only way they could win my viewership would be to have David Archuleta come on as the fourth judge and sing all of his comments. LOL.
mandy | 8:28 a.m. May 26, 2008
great article. i said it all season they used these terrible rumors to help their ratings at an innocent boys expense. i really hope by some miracle they get cancealed. if people would really open their eyes, david is too normal to have an abusive father. this was my first season to watch and never again. they set it up the whole time for a rocker to win and i don't care how orginal he was he has nothing vocally on archie. america really got it wrong.
Non-believer | 8:34 a.m. May 26, 2008
Oh please. Poor David, Poor Jeff, Poor church, Poor Utah. Will you people please live in the real world. The weeping and crying that is going on is childish and immature. Pierce you don't know anymore than anyone else. Your facts are just as inaccurate. Could we please just put on big boy pants and big girl pants and just move on. Like they care if "you are finished with the show." Only people without a life watch it anyway.
Anonymous | 8:40 a.m. May 26, 2008
I happen to know a music producer who refused to work with David Archuletta BECAUSE of Jeff. He said Jeff was extremely rude and unkind, and could see why some people have called him "the stage dad from hell". I wish David A. well in his career, and I certainly hope he finds proper representation. Fortunately for David, he will be turning 18 soon.
To anti-clueless: | 8:54 a.m. May 26, 2008
Actually, Simon has said repeatedly over the years that the judges all do watch the dress rehearsals and figure out what they're going to say, unless there's a major difference in the performances. They may not sit front and center like they do for the actual live show, but they do watch the rehearsals.
mrk | 9:06 a.m. May 26, 2008
We have been played...
The producers, the judges and, of course, the source have really sold their souls. If anyone witnessed abusive behavior to a minor, you report to Child Welfare authorities. However, first call went to TMZ. Sure ridicule and embarrassment from millions of public, media, and of course Naomi Judd, is so much more healthy for a child isn't it? I give no credit to this story until an eye-witness can stand up and do the right thing.
Regarding the producers banning Jeff; if he was interfering, then fairness should have started from day one. It was only a problem until it cost the producers money? What about fairness to the other contestants along the way. We don't quite have the whole story.
And then the judges. I'll skip over the whole Paula thing... Simon campaigning on all the talk shows supporting David Cook and then to shove Archie down the viewer's throats during the finale. We have seen how Simon's harsh comments have kept contestants on the show in the past haven't we? Sorry people, Simon the 'honest' judge? Get real!
Cathy | 9:06 a.m. May 26, 2008
As far as cinnebts regarding Jeff Archulta, I would hardly call Naomi Judd "anonymous" for her recollection of Jeff's behavior when David was on "Star Search."
ajarizona | 9:08 a.m. May 26, 2008
Slow down folks.

Simon has always said this is a
"Singing Competition".

By any objective standards, including the judges, most experts, general consensus, and even Cook himself, Archuleta has the best pipes.

Simon's backtracking started before the final show, when he found out that Cook received more votes. Therefore, it was time to patch up with the guy he's going to own for the next three years.

This is not Truman over Dewey. This is not the equivalent of winning the Super Bowl or March Madness. Anyone using these analogies sounds silly and stupid.

This is not democracy, unless Chicago style politics is your game. Vote and vote often.

There is no "one man one vote" in this dynamic.

No, there were two competitions in one here.

The "Singing Competition" was won by David Archuleta.

And the "Popularity Vote, (based upon speed dialing, multiple dialing of 11 digits and phone banks with computers dailing numbers)", was won by Cook.

America has not spoken here, at all.

Time will tell.

I'm pulling for both of them.

The humility and brotherly love these guys have for each other is the real achievement here. Two first class guys, who deserve success.

ajarizona
Owl | 9:12 a.m. May 26, 2008
Remember its only entertainment.
booooring | 9:32 a.m. May 26, 2008
Do you people realize that all these accusations you're making against AI with all these so called "facts" (The show is scripted, these contestants were jilted, I know a producer who refused to work with archie, blah blah blah) give us, the readers, zero facts to back your claims up?? You are, in essence, as bad as AI. Get a clue everyone. Quit being the hypocrites we are well known to be in utah. If you want your claim to be respected, give us a reason to believe it.
MoJules | 9:46 a.m. May 26, 2008
Fact: Fox didn't do anything to stop the gossip about Jeff A, which makes you wonder if they themselves didn't plant that rumor. I found it really tacky when the Idol show that interviews everyone asked David A about all the gossip, it put the poor kid on the spot. It was a tasteless question and not the right time to ask that.

Speculation: Simon was all for Cook all season, last show he was very negative, man, I better vote for Cook, cause those comments really were harsh. Oh, how sweet, Simon said he was sorry.

Fact: I think it was tacky to let the loser know that he lost by 12 million votes, sure if it had been like Clay and Ruben, then that is a big deal, but it was kind of tasteless to me.

Speculation: I am really burned out with AI, it was great to watch Brooke and David, I do like the contestants, but I think the judges and Ryan are all getting annoying, you watch Survivor, it is about the contestants, not all about the host and the judges.

Fact: They need to name it the Ryan/Simon hour, cause it is about them.
Certified Voting | 10:07 a.m. May 26, 2008
AI really needs to rise above suspicion by having an outside accounting firm certify all voting. That may lend a little more credibility, and the mystique of producer manipulation for ratings, however, we will never know for sure.
LuLu | 10:24 a.m. May 26, 2008
Idol did speak publicly about Jeff's banning, Nigel Lythgoe openly said that Jeff was banned so David could be more relaxed when rehearsing backstage. And Naomi Judd confirmed Jeff had been banned from Star Search. And as for Paula, maybe her watching rehearsals would be a logical explanation for you, but early on she denied that she watched that day.

What we all don't know is the vote totals, but in an interview with Extra days before the final showdown, Paula indicated that Archuleta had been losing his young audience to Cook. Furthermore, Lythgoe told a Fox affiliate after the finals that the reason they don't give out vote totals each week is because it would lessen the drama, such as believing Archuleta would win, when in fact Cook had been ahead in the votes for some weeks. Sorry, if you think AI owes you an apology for your own naivete. If I were you, I wouldn't hold my breath.
KW | 10:23 a.m. May 26, 2008
It's about fair play. Remember a few decades back when game shows became big and then it hit the news that the game shows were cheating left, right, and center to get the winners they wanted? And there was outrage all over the country because, guess what, we don't like cheaters.

There are lots of things in life where the winners aren't that important, but how you play the game is. If the local little league got together at the beginning of the year to decide who they wanted to win and then played every dirty trick just this side of legal to get that outcome, including starting gossip campaigns against the people they didn't want to win, we'd be upset.

And why would we be upset? Because it really does matter how you play the game, because little league is supposed to be about letting kids have fun while teaching them fair play and sportsmanship. The last thing we want is for the people in charge to sabotage the whole point of it.

It's the same with American Idol. We want to see someone win by playing fair. We don't want to see the rating board's prescripted show.
Mike | 10:38 a.m. May 26, 2008
I know that reality shows are cost effective the same way Candid Camera was cost effective and I hope they all wear out the same way. AI is particularly nauseating. My observance is limited to periodic viewing to see if I might not throw up. DWTS is an exception.
By extension | 10:51 a.m. May 26, 2008
Now that you have all figured out what Fox does on Idol, please apply what you have learned to the truth standards used by their "news" division.
Dave Baichu | 10:54 a.m. May 26, 2008
I completely agree Archuleta was robbed the title-and I think idol knew THAT would happen.
Jeff deserves aHUGE apology from a lot of people.
Alison | 10:55 a.m. May 26, 2008
Scott, thanks for the piece. Running on rumor and gossip shouldn't be considered news. I'll take the word of David and his voice teacher--both of whom know the father better than any of those writing--that there isn't a problem with the dad.

For the record, I agree that the producer selections were more than absurd. Dan Fogelberg's "Longer"???? Get me my shoulder pads!
Idol? | 11:07 a.m. May 26, 2008
I've never watched an episode yet. I wouldn't mind watching a music competition, but a whining contest? I think it's pretty unlikely I'll watch in the future, either.
Wendy | 11:13 a.m. May 26, 2008
Great piece Scott! American Idol was unfair to Jeff Archuleta. David has a wonderful family.
The Spirit | 12:01 p.m. May 26, 2008
American Idol is a waste of time. Don't watch it. It's just karaoke singing.
re: Owl | 12:01 p.m. May 26, 2008
And that is why I don't watch this lame show. I can get far better entertainment elsewhere. I just clicked on the article because it was a most read one, and wanted to see what the big deal was.

This show is a complete joke. I saw it once or twice long ago, and realized how pathetic it really is. I see articles like this all the time, and it makes me happy I don't waste my time with such unbelievable human behavior.

May I also add that none of the judges are the sharpest tools in the shed.
BOBBI | 12:03 p.m. May 26, 2008
I ENJOYED THE SERIES. BOTH DAVIDS WERE "FANTABULOUS:. ARCHIE IS A HOMETOWN BOY, SO I WAS PULLING FOR HIM, BUT COOKIE IS A WONDERFUL SINGER,TOO. GOOD LUCK IN THE FUTURE, DAVID(S).
Ing | 12:15 p.m. May 26, 2008
I'm with the people who have already said that this show is a complete and utter waste of time (as are almost all "reality" shows").

I don't watch Idol, and never will. I saw 5 minutes of it once a couple years ago, and that was 5 minutes too many. I won't bother to point out all the things that are wrong about that show; the people who don't watch it already know, and the fans won't care.

Suffice it to say that I looked at this article expecting just another bit of celebutard reporting, but (surprise) found that it had something insightful to say about the nauseating mess of "reality" TV via American Idol.

It's not just American Idol that owes an apology--the entire TV industry should apologize for all the garbage they've foisted on us. But I guess it's our own fault, really...as long as we eat it up, they'll keep shoveling it in.
Dirt | 12:21 p.m. May 26, 2008
It seems AI was grasping for straws on DA and his father. The nice squeaky clean Mormon boy was boring to many on the show, so they went with the crazy stage dad theme.

Pearce is right about AI integrity. They just let the rumor float out until it stuck.
It was a bit mind numbing to see all the shows run with the rumor (including the Today Show). I watched everything from The Soup to The View run with this false information.
best performer | 12:23 p.m. May 26, 2008
depending on your taste,either one of the davids could of been considered the best vocalist (in reality Syesha was the best singer and performer in my opinion as a professional musician myself)David A. sang nearly flawlessly but always the same and predictable with very little personality injected into his performances, where David Cook was the most diverse and polished idol to date definitely ready to be a huge star. I don't like how the fans decide the outcome because they have definitely failed miserably at least once before (see taylor Hicks). but 12,000,000 more votes for david Cook was by far the biggest route yet. He deserved the win.
Anonymous | 12:26 p.m. May 26, 2008
This is my first time watching & voting for AI. I don't believe for one minute that DC really fair & square. There was so much manipulation & pimping DC and stacking the deck against Archie. The producers should be ashamed of how they treated David A and his family. I for one will not be watching it again. Why should I, it's rigged.
jennifer | 12:28 p.m. May 26, 2008
FINALLY,
The story started at TMZ, the other sources 'quote' TMZ and so it goes........

This season is the most manipulated and strategic EVER.

Let'e be happy for Archie. He has signed a bigger contract thatn the winner!!! Is that possible?? Yes! And it seems he has all the big names working with him on his ablum!
Brenda | 12:44 p.m. May 26, 2008
Thank you for an awsome article on Idol.Finally an article different than everything else I have been reading.Idol does owe some apologies.How ironic that ,that was the title of the song David Archaleta sang in the finale.(Apologize)David has maturity way beyond his years and I guess Idol feels that he (David) has to pay for their help at launching his career.
nameless | 12:44 p.m. May 26, 2008
I agree AI does a lot of stupid things to gain publicity.

As for Jeff A being a stage dad, it wasn't the AI people saying he was one. It was Naomi Judd. I don't recall what show I was watching when I heard her say it. She said when David A was performing on Star Search, she was one of the judges and Jeff A was a stage dad.

I'm glad to hear David doesn't feel his dad is that way.

I agree that if he wasn't being a stage dad, AI should have cleared that up as well as Paula's big mistake right away.
jabo | 1:04 p.m. May 26, 2008
Thanks for your insight Scott. I'm glad to see so many comments that were right on the money. I might have been happy for Cook, but so many of his fans kept the lies about Mr. Archuleta alive in comments all over the web, and it was awful the way they accused David A of some of the most awful things you could say about another human being. I hope David never reads those sick lies. And I really don't like gossips like Naomi Judd, who has admitted that she and Wynonna would cuss and fight from one end of their touring bus to the other end. She is about as phony as Simon Cowell. To Mr and Mrs non-believer and anonymous, I am not a Utahan, although I wish I was.
Exactly | 1:40 p.m. May 26, 2008
I think that what they did to Jeff Archuleta and to David for that matter was abusive.
Henry Drummond | 1:43 p.m. May 26, 2008
American Idol reminds me of Robert Redford's movie "Quiz Show" which was a dramatization of how the Quiz shows of the 1950's were manipulated to boast ratings.
I wonder if the whole thing isn't a setup and the "votes" are really manipulated by the producers. Maybe Scott can look into that for us.
Anonymous | 1:46 p.m. May 26, 2008
AGAIN> PLEASE STOP WITH THE IDOL ARTICLES> THE SHOWS BEEN OFF FOR OVER A WEEK
ANONYMOUS YOU GO AWAY | 1:50 p.m. May 26, 2008
ANONYMOUS.............MOVE ON. WE WILL STOP WHEN WE ARE GOOD AND READY. THAT IS WHAT BLOGS ARE FOR..........HELLLLLOOOOO !!!!!!


THANKS SCOTT........GREAT JOB !!
Carol A. | 2:00 p.m. May 26, 2008
It was not David C. that beat David A. but machines. It was the multiple voting machines that made Cook the winner. Maybe Cook fans have more resources than Archie's fans. After all it was reported Archie had the tween votes. This show does not prove how many fans a contestant has, but how many total votes a contestant receives. If you want your favorite to win you got to get up to speed. Phone votes will not do it. I heard there are ways to vote 500 times in so many minutes. That's why to be fair at elections you have only one vote per person.
Go Jazz | 2:43 p.m. May 26, 2008
I'll be honest, I really don't care that David Cook won. He's probably just as deserving as Archuleta. But, it shouldn't be a surprise to us that Idol seeks ratings and therefore exploits its "opportunities". Idol has been doing this since the beginning by humiliating prospective Idol candidates when they audition. I don't mind if the person is a clown and is just trying to get attention but Idol has on numerous occasions made obviously oblivious candidates look stupid on T.V. Did anyone notice on the finale when Idol was showing the "bad" singers and one of the singers had an obvious speech disability? Idol showed the judges just laughing... That's not funny. That's not the first time that 's occurred either. So, even if we have gripes about Idol, we shouldn't be so naive to think that Idol will be T.V's moral compass. After all it is on FOX...
linda a | 3:24 p.m. May 26, 2008
IMO Idol owes more than apologies. They ruthlessly stole a career he could have had. I don't know if he can recover his image or his family's reputation. First, Simon steered voters away by disclosing his favorite on various talk shows mid-season. Then Monster Dad started. What pressure at the most critical time. Then the Idol Coache's comment about David being unspontaneous and "programmed". Was this to remind us of Mormons? The next effort was to make David into a little, overwhelmed boy by making sure to string every "gosh" together for effect. Seacrest and everyone else draped arms around him, drug him around like a ragdoll soliciouly asking "you OK?", "are you overwhelmed", "it's OK to show emotion", etc. etc. The Guru/body hair thing was digustingly inappropiate. Next, the myth of only Tweenies going for David A started. I'm not one. I'm a female electrical engineer and I know what I like in music. I'd buy David's albums in a heartbeat. Talent like his is rare. By the way, I got 6 diverted votes to #1 on my repeat dial. Multiply that "double whammy" by 1M and you get 12M.
Lily | 3:43 p.m. May 26, 2008
David Archuleta was robbed..He is the American Idol. This was the first and only season of me watching American Idol, because that shows is rigged.
I will always always support David Archuleta for the rest of my life. Through the roughs and thoughs I will stand by him. Go Archie!!!Luv from one of your Archy Angels!!!!

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