"The Phenomenon Continues ... "

AMERICAN IDOL returns for the much-anticipated eighth season on January 13. Hosted by Ryan Seacrest, the No. 1 hit series empowers contestants and viewers to share their voice in deciding who will be America's next singing superstar. This season promises to be one of the best yet with new talent, a new judge and plenty of surprises along the way.

Every year, tens of thousands of hopefuls from across the nation audition for a shot at stardom. The show's judges – Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and recent addition Kara DioGuardi - traveled to East Rutherford, NJ; Jacksonville, FL; Kansas City, MO; Louisville, KY; Phoenix, AZ; Salt Lake City, UT; San Francisco, CA; and San Juan, Puerto Rico, in search of the next American Idol. They winnow down the competitors to a select group of semifinalists who sing their hearts out each week for a studio audience and television viewers.

The judges have their say after every performance, but it's the viewing public that determines who will advance to the next round of competition and who will go home. Voting via telephone and text-messaging begins immediately after each performance show, and the results are announced during the following night's broadcast.

Eventually the competition is narrowed down to two finalists who compete for a major recording contract and the American Idol title. Past winners Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, Fantasia Barrino, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Hicks, Jordin Sparks and recently crowned David Cook have become household names and have risen to the top of the recording industry.

Emmy Award-winning AMERICAN IDOL is created and executive-produced by Simon Fuller, founder of 19 Entertainment. The series is executive-produced by Cecile Frot-Coutaz, CEO, FremantleMedia North America, Inc.; and Ken Warwick, Executive Producer, FremantleMedia North America, Inc.

source: Article from the American Idol Official Website and Picture from Google Image Search.

Wassup, Dog!

Biography:

Jackson was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the son of Julia, a homemaker, and Herman Jackson, a plant foreman. He has been married twice. His first marriage, to Elizabeth Jackson, ended in divorce in 1990; they had one child (Taylor) together. Since 1995, he has been married to Erika Riker, with whom he has two children Zoe (age 13) and his son Jordan (age 11). In 2003, Jackson lost 114 pounds (52 kg) following gastric bypass surgery. He stated in a February 2008 television commercial that he has Type 2 diabetes.

Career:

Randy Jackson, a Grammy Award-winning producer, is a 20-year music industry veteran. He started out playing bass at the age of 13, and got his big break when he joined the band Journey. Randy also spent eight years as Vice President of A&R at Columbia Records, followed by four years as Senior V.P. of A&R at MCA Records.










Randy has recorded, toured and performed with the likes of: Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, *NSYNC, Madonna, Elton John and Destiny's Child, among others. He has worked on over 1,000 gold and multi-platinum albums. His contributions have helped to sell over 200 million albums worldwide. With his talent, immense studio knowledge and record company experience, Randy is one of today's most highly regarded music industry experts.


Last fall, Randy launched his own radio countdown show, Randy Jackson's Hit List, for the Westwood One Radio Network.


Randy lives in Los Angeles with his wife and three children.

Credits:

• America's Best Dance Crew
• Randy Jackson's Hit List
• American Idol

source: American Idol Official Website and Wikipedia.org (Article) , Google Image Search and Wikipedia.org (Pictures).

" The Kindest Idol - Judge.... "

Biography:

Paula Abdul was born in the San Fernando Valley, to Harry Abdul, a former livestock trader and owner of a sand and gravel business, and Lorraine Rykiss, a concert pianist who once worked as film director Billy Wilder's assistant. Her father, a Syrian Jew, was born in Syria, raised in Brazil, and subsequently immigrated to the United States Abdul's mother, also Jewish, is originally from Saint Boniface (now part of Winnipeg), Manitoba, Canada. Her mother's birth in Canada makes Abdul a Canadian citizen.

An avid dancer, Abdul was inspired towards a show business career by Gene Kelly in the classic film Singin' in the Rain as well as Debbie Allen, Fred Astaire, and Bob Fosse.
Abdul began taking dance lessons at the age of eight and showed a natural talent. She attended Van Nuys High School, where she was a cheerleader and an honor student. At 15, she received a scholarship to a dance camp near Palm Springs, and in 1978 appeared in a low-budget Independent musical film, Junior High School.

Abdul studied broadcasting at California State University, Northridge. During her first year, she was selected from a pool of 700 candidates for the cheerleading squad of the Los Angeles Lakers — the famed Laker Girls. Within three months, she became head choreographer. Six months later, she left college to focus on her choreography career.

Career:

Paula Abdul is one of the most recognized pop singers and choreographers of our day. Her celebrated work in choreography for television includes Emmy-winning contributions to The Tracey Ullman Show, Paula's own performance on The American Music Awards and her choreography for The Academy Awards, for which she earned an Emmy nomination. Paula's choreography contributions in feature films include the Academy Award-winning American Beauty, working with Cuba Gooding Jr. on his Academy Award-winning performance in Jerry Maguire, and transforming Val Kilmer into Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone's The Doors.

Paula's music career encompasses worldwide album sales exceeding 30 million records, two No. 1 albums, six No. 1 singles, a Grammy Award, seven MTV Awards, two Emmy Awards, two People's Choice Awards and two Kids' Choice Awards. She has been honored with a star on Hollywood Boulevard, and was inducted into Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Hall of Fame.
Contestants and viewers alike praise Paula's positive feedback on American Idol. She has even designed good-luck jewelry for the Idols, which provided the inspiration for her Paula Abdul Jewelry Collection on QVC, which opened to record-breaking sales. The collection consists of charms, pendants, earrings and bracelets adorned with meaningful phrases.

Other triumphs include her award-winning work with Janet Jackson, which garnered two MTV Video Awards; and working with such music legends as Aretha Franklin, Heart and Prince.

Paula continues to honor her roots by running dance and cheerleading camps, competitions and scholarship programs throughout the country. She lives in Los Angeles.

Credits:

• American Idol
• The X Factor (UK)
• Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography

source: American Idol Official Website and Wikipedia.org (Article) , Google Image Search and Wikipedia.org (Pictures).

" The 100 % Honest Idol Judge.... "

Biography:

Simon Phillip Cowell was born in Brighton, East Sussex, England and brought up in Elstree, Hertfordshire. His father, Eric Philip Cowell, was an estate agent developer and music industry executive, and his mother, Julie Brett (née Josie Dalglish), is a former ballet dancer and socialite. Cowell's paternal grandparents, Joseph Cowell and Esther Malinsky, were English Jews, and his maternal grandfather was Scottish. He has 1 brother and 2 half-brothers; younger brother Nicholas Cowell, half-brother Tony Cowell, and half-brother Michael Cowell. Michael is the oldest, followed by Tony, Simon and Nicholas (in that order).

Cowell attended the independent school Dover College as did his brother, but left early before attending the sixth form. He took a few menial jobs—including, according to Tony, working as a runner on Stanley Kubrick's The Shining—but did not get along well with colleagues and bosses, until his father who was executive at the recording giant at EMI Music Publishing, managed to get him a job in the mail room.

Career:

Simon Cowell's honesty on American Idol has made him a household name in America. His U.K.-based production company, SYCO, produces the BAFTA Award-winning show, The X Factor, which has also topped the charts in the U.K. Additionally, Simon created and served as executive producer on American Inventor and America's Got Talent.

As a judge, Simon is notorious for his unsparingly blunt and often controversial criticisms, insults and wisecracks about contestants and their singing abilities - or lack thereof. He is often parodied in pop culture. He is known for his work in both the television and music industries, having promoted singles and records for various artists, including television personalities.

In 2008, Simon was named No. 22 on Forbes Magazine's "Celebrity 100 Power List" and No. 29 in 2006. He was named one of People Magazine's 25 Most Eligible Bachelors in 2004, while Entertainment Weekly named him one of the Top Entertainers of the Year. A 20-year veteran of the music industry, Simon is an executive with Sony Records, and has helped to shape the modern pop music industry. Over the last 15 years, his acts have achieved sales of more than 100 million albums, and he has had over 70 No. 1 records.

Simon lives in Los Angeles and the U.K.

Credits:

• Britain's Got Talent
• The X Factor (UK)
• American Idol
• Pop Idol

source: American Idol Official Website and Wikipedia.org (Article) , Google Image Search and Wikipedia.org (Pictures).

" Ryan Seacrest : The Idol Host ... "

Biography:

Ryan Seacrest was born in Dunwoody, Georgia, the son of Constance Marie née Zullinger, a homemaker, and Gary Lee Seacrest, an attorney. He has a younger sister, Meredith, and is of Swiss descent. At a young age, he knew he wanted to be a DJ, and idolized radio personalities like Casey Kasem and Dick Clark. Ryan hosted the morning announcements at his high school, Dunwoody High School, from which he graduated in 1993. During his academic career, Seacrest was a staff writer with the school paper, a member of the model UN club and captain of the Dunwoody High School Swim Team ("The Wet Wildcats").

After graduating from high school, Seacrest went on to attend the University of Georgia in the fall of 1993. There, he would host his first radio show at a local Athens station. Seacrest left UGA at age 19 and moved to Hollywood to continue his broadcasting career.

Career:

With his thriving broadcasting career and multiple ventures in media, it's no wonder Ryan Seacrest is at the forefront of entertainment. While hosting and producing multiple television and radio programs, building his Ryan Seacrest Production Company (RSP) into a viable entity that creates content for all media platforms, and investing in a myriad of restaurant ventures, Ryan is redefining what it means to be an entrepreneur. Ryan was bestowed a star on the prestigious Hollywood Walk of Fame for his work in radio. In 2006, 2007, and 2008, Ryan was included in Forbes Magazine's annual "Celebrity 100 Power List," joining the likes of Tom Cruise, Oprah Winfrey and Tiger Woods.

With his winning personality, the American Idol series has continued to climb in ratings to become a bona fide cultural phenomenon, making Ryan Seacrest a household name in the process. He also currently serves as managing editor and lead anchor for "E! News," with Giuliana DePandi.

Ryan took over the most coveted radio position in L.A. four years ago on its Top 40 radio powerhouse 102.7 KIIS-FM. Since the February 2004 debut of "On Air with Ryan Seacrest," the program has become the No. 1 most popular morning show in L.A. Ryan has also doubled listenership for American Top 40 since he inherited it from radio legend Casey Kasem.

Television veteran Larry King has even named Ryan as his first choice as his successor when he decides to step down from hosting Larry King Live.

Credits:

Radio:

• On Air with Ryan Seacrest: Host, executive producer
• American Top 40: Host
• 2003 Radio Music Awards: Co-host
• Star 98.7: Former Afternoon Drive Deejay at the Adult Contemporary Los Angeles station.
• 102.7 KIIS-FM: Current Morning Drive Deejay with co-host Ellen K on the Top 40 Los Angeles station.
• 100.3 Z-100: Co-Host
• 987FM broadcasts On Air with Ryan Seacrest in Singapore via satellite feed.
• 93.9 WLWD Hosts mid-days
• The Voice Radio Denmark
  

Film:

• Knocked Up as Himself
• Get Smart as Himself (Host of American Top 40)
  

Television:

• Channel 1 News: News Anchor/Reporter. Co-anchor Maria Menounos
• CNET Central: Co-Host
• Miley & Mandy as Himself
• Super Bowl XLII (2008) Host for pregame and halftime shows
• Gladiators 2000: Co-Host
• Wild Animal Games: Host
• The New Edge: Host
• Ultimate Revenge: Host
• Fear Factor: Contestant
• Reality Check: Jack Craft
• The NBC Saturday Night Movie: Host
• American Idol: Co-Host (season 1); Host (season 2-present)
• American Juniors: Host
• Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve: Co-host, executive producer
• Hey Arnold!: Fighting Families Host
• E! News: co-host
• Larry King Live: Guest host, substitute host
• Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade: (2005) Host
• America's Party: Live from Las Vegas: Host
• Good Day Live: Guest host
• Disneyland 2000: 45 Years of Magic: Host
• Robot Chicken: (2005) Himself
• Click: Host
• 59th Primetime Emmy Awards: Host
• Mind of Mencia: (2005) Himself
• Blind Date: Himself
• Punk'd: Himself
• Keeping Up with the Kardashians: Executive Producer
  
  
  

*In 2008 it was announced he has 2 new shows: Bromance, a reality show on MTV featuring Brody Jenner, and an untitled scripted series he is producing with Paris Hilton.

source: American Idol Official Website and Wikipedia.org (Article) , Google Image Search and Wikipedia.org (Pictures).

"Simon Fuller : The Creator of New Idols"

"Simon Fuller : The Creator of New Idols"

Simon Fuller (born 17 May, 1960 in Hastings, East Sussex, England) is an artist manager, television producer and creator of the Idol franchise, first seen as Pop Idol in the UK and over 100 other versions including American Idol, Australian Idol, Canadian Idol, Deutschland sucht den Superstar, Indian Idol, Nouvelle Star, New Zealand Idol and World Idol. Simon Fuller is also the co-creator and executive producer of the Fox TV reality show So You Think You Can Dance and other US and European TV shows. He is an executive producer of Little Britain USA, a TV show that he signed to HBO and BBC TV in 2008. He is the manager of performers and entertainers including David and Victoria Beckham, Claudia Schiffer, Annie Lennox, Andy Murray, Spice Girls, Cathy Dennis, Carrie Underwood, Will Young, David Cook and others. His brother is comedy writer and director Kim Fuller.

Fuller's first venture into TV took place in 1999. He auditioned over 10,000 people to form S Club 7 which became a No.1 pop group and a BBC TV show which was seen in over 100 territories around the world. The group has since split up with former members Rachel Stevens, Jon Lee and Hannah Spearritt going on to enjoy solo success in music and film, although Jo O'Meara attracted controversy during the TV series Celebrity Big Brother in 2007. An offspring of the show 'S Club Juniors' and its spinoff TV drama series 'I Dream' established a blue print for squeaky clean teen TV.

In 1998 Fuller came up with an idea that would prove to be one of the definitive television and music brands of the 2000s when he created the television show formats of Pop Idol, American Idol, World Idol, Australian Idol and Canadian Idol. plus other spin-offs. Pop Idol broke TV records when it was broadcast over two series in the UK, as well as uncovering a major new talent in Will Young. Fuller sold the show to the Fox network in the States, and American Idol quickly became a No.1 rated show. The show has made stars of its presenters Ryan Seacrest, Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell as well as many of its performers. In Australia "Network Ten" purchased the format and to this day Australian Idol is one of the most "original" Idol shows from around the world. In Canada, the show, like in Australia has become an original format.

Now in its eighth series American Idol is claimed to be the most valuable TV format in the world with a value of over $2.5 billion, made up of revenue from sponsors, merchandising, telephone, music sales, broadcast and advertising sources. Over 90 million viewers saw David Cook win the seventh season of American Idol in May 2008 on a night where over 90 million votes were cast. According to the Sunday Times the show has made Simon Fuller the most powerful man in American TV.

In 2005 Simon Fuller, along with co-creator Nigel Lythgoe, launched So You Think You Can Dance on the Fox Channel in the USA. The show has grown over four seasons to become a regular summer hit. In 2007 Fuller has signed a deal to represent comedians Matt Lucas and David Walliams with regard to developing their award winning BBC TV show Little Britain for the United States , called Little Britain USA.

source: wikipedia.org (article and picture) and google image search (pictures).

"American Idol...."

American Idol (titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar in the first season) is a reality competition to find new solo musical talent, created by Simon Fuller. It debuted on June 11, 2002, and has since become one of the most popular shows on American television. Part of the Idol franchise, it is a spinoff from the reality program Pop Idol, which was created by British entertainment executive Simon Fuller and first aired in 2001 in the United Kingdom.
The program seeks to discover the best singer in the country through a series of nation-wide auditions. The American public decides the outcomes of the later stages through phone voting. The judges give critiques of the contestants' performances: Grammy award -winning record producer and music manager Randy Jackson; Grammy award-winning pop singer and Emmy award-winning choreographer Paula Abdul; award-winning music executive and music manager Simon Cowell; and Grammy award-nominated singer-songwriter and record producer Kara DioGuardi. The format originally featured three judges with DioGuardi added in the eighth season.

source: wikipedia.org.