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With Fewer 'Puppets' Among Finalists, Cowell Predicts Stronger Season For 'Idol'

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By WALT BELCHER, The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 15, 2008

Look for "American Idol" to have its best ratings ever this season.

We can make this prediction based merely on the lack of competition.

Because of the writers strike, dramas and comedies are in short supply, and ratings are up for even the most mediocre reality shows such as "American Gladiators" and "The Celebrity Apprentice."

On Monday, NBC announced it will renew "Gladiators" for a second season but didn't disclose how many episodes there will be or when it will start.

Fox's "American Idol," which saw its ratings dip slightly last season, will kick off its seventh season at 8 tonight with clips from the audition process. These are usually entertaining, alternating between deserving young hopefuls who get to advance to the next round and dreadful wannabes who should confine their singing to the shower stall.

The audition episodes continue until Feb. 13, when 24 finalists will be announced. The field will be narrowed to 12 by March 6, and the winner will be crowned May 29.

Look for a new set and some other "tweaks," such as fewer musical guest celebrities and more background profiles of the finalists.

Judge Simon Cowell is predicting a better season for "Idol," based on his belief that there's a better crop of finalists coming our way. In a teleconference last week, he said we will see the kinds of quirky individualists who post their own music videos on YouTube.

They are younger and "more current," he says. They can't get any younger than Jordin Sparks, who was 17 when she won last year. But her style wasn't unique.

Simon says several of the finalists are "more interesting as people" and are not "talented puppets" from the singing-school, cookie-cutter mold.

"I will go on record this year in saying it is one of the strongest lineups we've had," he says.

He also notes that "Idol" has good years and off years as far as marketable talent goes. Winning "Idol" is like winning a high school popularity contest. It doesn't always translate into a successful career (see the chart on Page 1).

TARNISHED GOLD: I caught enough of NBC's patched-together-at-the-last-minute coverage of the Golden Globe Awards on Sunday night to know that it wasn't worth watching the whole thing.

"Access Hollywood" regulars Billy Bush and Nancy O'Dell looked as though they had been assigned to cover the funeral of someone they did not know.

They "reported" on the winners shortly after the names were announced at a news conference that was carried live on E! and TV Guide Network.

NBC's pre-award special was equally as laughable, with Matt Lauer and other NBC reporters doing softball interviews with some of the nominees without asking about the strike that had caused this abysmal "special."

Overnight ratings from Nielsen Media Research indicate NBC tanked Sunday night, coming in fourth behind Fox, CBS and ABC.

UNREAL REALITY: Bracing for what could be a long strike, CBS has ordered three new reality shows. No debut dates were announced, but they could be on the air within weeks.

"Secret Talents of the Stars" will feature celebrities who have talents outside their area of entertainment, such as Charo, who is a flamenco guitarist.

"America's Top Dog" is a search for the country's best trained pooch.

"Game Show in My Head" involves getting people to perform stupid stunts in public for cash prizes.

GOING WIDE: On Monday, WTSP, Channel 10, finally started broadcasting its local news in high definition. The station debuted a new studio and graphics package, too.

WFTS, Channel 28, started broadcasting its news in HD in July. WFLA, Channel 8, followed in August.

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