Even reality shows that aren't currently on the air are continuing to make news in the summer. On the eve of "American Idol's" first audition day, the LA Times reported that the show would be to the program.
Viewers have bitterly complained about the songs that have been professionally written for singers to perform. Now it's your turn: Can you do better? Very few details have been released yet about who is eligible to compose a song for the show, what the prize will be, and how to submit a composition. As we hear more information, we'll reveal it.
One wonders if "Idol" creator Simon Fuller really didn't mean to let that bit of news slip in the interview. The LA Times didn't seem to recognize it as very newsworthy, either, burying it 15 paragraphs into the story.
Q: Are there any record deals in the works for Elliot Yamin? He deserves it. —Anonymous
A: Poor Elliot: In an , he reveals that he will not be signed by 19 Entertainment, the company that produces “American Idol” and has the option of signing any of the finalists.
19 decided not to sign him, even though he placed third, and even though they signed Taylor Hicks, Katharine McPhee, and . (It hasn't gone unnoticed by Yamin's vocal online fans that Daughtry and Pickler didn't place as high on the show as Yamin.)
However, this news is not upsetting to Elliott, who says he is “close to signing a deal” with another label. And that will let him “make the music I want to make.”
Specifically, that’s an album that will “have a funky, R&B vibe to it,” and will “Not [be] too watered down, not too overproduced. Just good music.” —A.D.
Q: On “Big Brother,” could you tell me who was voted in by America and who CBS let in? —Jeanne
A: According to the July 6 premiere, America voted in Janelle, Erika, Nakomis, Diane, Howie, Kaysar, James and Jase; leaving CBS choosing Will, Danielle, Marcellas, Alison, Mike, and Chicken George.
If you're a little suspicious about those choices, you're not alone. Would America really vote in Diane and Jase over Evil Dr. Will? Linda Holmes, who contributes to MSNBC.com and covers "Bg Brother" for Television Without Pity, summed it up well in her , saying "you will never, ever convince me that Jase and James received more votes than Will and Marcellas in any remotely fair voting process."
Ree Hines once they were announced, and updates our as well. It's updated every Thursday after the latest eviction. —G.F.C.
Q: Where is “Extreme Makeover”? —Anonymous
A: One of the shows that viewers are anxious to see return is “Extreme Makeover,” the show that preceded Ty Pennington’s home-makeover version. It was the original plastic-surgery show, hitting TV screens even before the and could be both captivating and revolting all at once.
After being off the air for a year, “Extreme Makeover” was scheduled to return last week with “four all-new specials” that ABC said would “feature the shared makeover journeys of deserving candidates who suffered hardship in their lives due to medical conditions and the stigma associated with their looks.” In other words, no more makeovers for people who just wanted bigger pecs or a smaller nose.
The first episode was to air Thursday at 8, but less than a week before that, ABC has replaced the show and filled its timeslot with reruns of “Grey’s Anatomy.” ABC did not return a call for comment about why the show was pulled from the schedule.
However, ABC also recently cancelled its failure of a summer reality series, “The One.” Perhaps the network got cold feet about summertime reality shows. that “Extreme Makeover” “will now presumably be used as a midseason replacement on the network’s 2006-07 season schedule, however nothing has been confirmed.” —A.D.
Gael Fashingbauer Cooper is MSNBC.com's Television Editor. is a writer and teacher who publishes , a daily summary of reality TV news.