Happy New Year! Thank you for 1.74 million page views last year. That wasn’t quite as big as 2006, arguably “Idol’s” beacon year, but not bad considering how lame the season was overall. Let’s beat that mark in 2008!
Joesplace, registration required, has been collecting intelligence on who the top 50 are. In the past, such spoilers have had a fair amount of accuracy.
At least five are from Georgia so the odds aren’t bad that at least one of the final 24 will be from our fine state. We, of course, won’t know for sure until mid February. Check it out if you’re curious.
Hennessy, a Dublin native now around 25 years old, apparently tried out for “Idol’ in 2005 and Simon liked her, but she had visa issues that kept her from making it to the fianl 24. That’s all cleared up now. AI producer Nigel Lythgoe even alluded to her in a New York Post story recently.]
Her MCA site is still up though it’s obvious she is no longer with them since the last story was from August 22, 2002.
Here’s the video for her song “I’m Gonna Blow Your Mind.” It’s a decent pop tune.
Good Morning and I wish everyone a Very Happy New Year!
Posted by: linnykat on January 1, 2008 10:58AM EST
Happy New Year, Amy.... I'm off to visit family, so see you at week's end or next week!
Happy New Year, Everyone!
Posted by: on January 2, 2008 8:43AM EST
Good Morning and Happy New Year. Wow Rodney, those numbers for hits last year were great. Dont think you will do that many this year, with most of your regular and consistant bloggers were ran off. Have you reached out to any of them to see if there is something you can do to get them back?!?!
They'll come back if they want to, Shaun. No other blog on the ajc throws people out and some of them are far worse than we've dealt with here. I'd give you some examples but I don't want to offend you...they certainly offended me!
I like Hennessey! I wonder if she'll be invited. We have never had a foreign national, as far as I know, in the top 12. It opens all kinds of doors, including the hassle of tracking illegals.
Posted by: kellyfan on January 2, 2008 10:05AM EST
Hi y'all! Happy New Year! I'm back from vacation. (So hard to get up early for work this morning. Why'd it have to be so cold?)
Those are great numbers, Rodney. We shall see. I'm definitely gearing up for the next season...well, the top 24 anyway. The bad auditions really don't do it for me.
I may try to stay away from spoliers...just to see if I get any right. I have a decent track record.
Morning Shaun, Linny and Deirdre, Happy New Year! I agree Deirdre, if they enjoy being here, they will come back, if not, they won't. I don't know that Rodney needs to do anything to get them to come back.
Posted by: on January 2, 2008 10:28AM EST
Amy and D, lets debate this.... lol. This is Rodney's house, Right? Well, if a guest at your house leaves abruptly, is it not the Host duty to followup and see that they are ok, or try to invite them to return? Maybe I was raised differently, but my parents would reach out and try to at least clear the air. But, if that is the way it is, sobeit. But in the end, Rodney's numbers wont reach the milestones it did last year, you can bet on that. So, in the end, it is him that is hurt, not us. JMO.
kellyfan and Amy...Morning! Glad you had a good holiday!
I'm getting very excited about this upcoming season. The ads on TV are starting to multiply and I'm looking forward to whatever is to come. The auditions would be so much better if they focused on the good and gave us 5 or 6 really bad ones. That way, we'd feel like we were accomplishing something other than laughing(and being bored) by the bad singers. The way they do it now is overkill!
I have to take Mom to the doc this morning but I'll be around this afternoon. Mr. Hollywood flies back to Los Angeles tonight so we'll be getting him ready to go.
Shaun, I'm not sure what anybody could do at this point. The name calling on the other blog has hurt both linny and I. I guess they are angry with us for staying here and for talking to flatscreen but they've said some pretty awful things about both of us and it would be very hard to get the old trust back again. What Rodney chooses to do or not do is up to him.
They will always be welcome here but things have changed and I think we'd better get used to it.
If Rodney's numbers aren't the same this year...that's just the way it goes.
Posted by: on January 2, 2008 10:55AM EST
I guess a good thing is never forever. Thanks for your input D, you put it so right in your last statement, so I will just let it go. Is it Greg's desire to be an executive producer?
Also, there is the chance that Rodney has tried to reach out to them, in a more private way and not in such a public forum - at least that's the way I would do it.
Posted by: War Eagle on January 2, 2008 11:30AM EST
Happy New Year, Shaun D., Amy, Kelly Fan., and everyone else. I hope everyone had a great vacation and best wishes in 2008.
Congratulations, to my fellow Tigers out there that read but don't post. Damn good game with Clemson and hopefully some positive signs for next years new offense.
SEC 6 - 2 with one more game to play. I hate to pull for LSU but they are family so I hope they do us proud.
To the Dawg fans great job representing the SEC.
Posted by: who cares on January 2, 2008 11:37AM EST
Who cares if people come back or not.The blog will survive w/o cry babies.I read on here on occasion,and flatscreen cracks me up big time.
Posted by: War Eagle on January 2, 2008 11:40AM EST
Who Cares, Thank you for your comments. Everyone has a right to their opinions. Create a profile and hang around a while if you want to.
Posted by: on January 2, 2008 11:51AM EST
That post from who cares looks very familiar, the grammar and punctuations'... lol
Posted by: on January 2, 2008 11:52AM EST
Morning WE, and happy New year. Hope all is well with you and yours.
Shaun, I think we all need to just let it go. Greg wants to become a Project Developer. His job would be to find scripts, and make decisions regarding directors and studios and how much money the project should cost.
W E LOVE the new avatar.
who cares....War Eagle is right...why not chat with us on a more frequent schedule. You usually have some interesting opinions.
Posted by: War Eagle on January 2, 2008 12:07PM EST
New Years was pretty good Shaun. Kept things kind of quiet. I had to stay away from the bud light for a while because I wanted to remember the game.
Thanks for the congrats D.
Sources close to Kim Kardashian are revealing to OK! Magazine that the 27-year-old Keeping Up With the Kardashians star is now engaged to her boyfriend, 22-year-old Heisman trophy winning football player Reggie Bush.
My opinion is that I think Reggie is a pretty good guy from what I have heard about him. I think it would be a mistake for him to marry this woman. She does have a very nice rump though. I hope he is looking past that.
Posted by: on January 2, 2008 12:12PM EST
Is it just me, or they pushing Idol big time through commercials? I dont remember THIS much advertising in the past.
Me either, Shaun...I noticed that, too! Maybe they finally got the idea that we weren't all that happy last year and they're a bit worried.
I don't watch Kim Kardashian, War Eagle! Maybe I'm just not into female 'rumps' :-)
Posted by: War Eagle on January 2, 2008 12:18PM EST
Shaun I think with the writers strike they are really hoping AI will take off this year. I read an aticle about the networks having a hard time putting together decent programming. I saw where ABC is moving Lost to Thursday nights so they won't have to compete with idol this year.
Posted by: War Eagle on January 2, 2008 12:21PM EST
D, I don't watch Kim Kardashian either. I have just admired some of her pjotos. LOL
We haven't really felt the full impact of the writers' strike yet. The winter season will give us a bunch of new shows that were already finished before the strike began but our favorites', House, Grey's, Desperate, are either done for the season or only have one new episode left.
The new shows are lucky in that they'll get more attention than usual because everybody else is in reruns. Lost and Jericho will be just beginning their seasons, although I don't think they have more than 7/8 episodes of Lost finished.
Posted by: War Eagle on January 2, 2008 12:49PM EST
D, since you have a inside connection with Hollywood, what is happening to all the thousands of little people that are out of work because of this? Camera people, make-up, hair, prop builders, are they just drawing unemployment or something. These are the people that are really being hurt by the strike.
Posted by: on January 2, 2008 12:55PM EST
Good point WE, those people have to make a living too. Is the strike over money?
Exactly, War Eagle. I don't blame the writers' for wanting a piece of the pie..they deserve it, but I DO blame their leadership for not negotiating. As far as Greg knows, there's been no talking for at least 3 weeks. There's something wrong with that...not talking means nobody gets anywhere. They are holding a lot of non-writing people hostage.
The writers want to get paid for their work when someone downloads it on a computer, they also want some of the action on video games and dvr'ed stuff.
They have one Chic-Fil-A in San Diego, which is a 2/3 hour drive. They have one in one of the terminals at LAX but not the one Greg flies out of....he's a Chic-Fil-A fanatic so he's had some almost every day he's been home in hopes that he'll get sick of it and won't crave it in LA.
Posted by: on January 2, 2008 1:54PM EST
Tell greg to get some in and out. Not chik fil a but it is good.
Posted by: Rodney Ho on January 2, 2008 1:55PM EST
I think the new (old) blog format will be back starting Monday so enjoy the avatars while you can! As noted, we will have a new social media site at some point but probably not until after season seven is over. If there is as killer need, we will do it midseason but it might be too disruptive that way.
:-( to the old format! Rodney, tell them we want the new format as soon as possible. We managed to get this one going with only a little trouble...we should be ok with the next one. In the meantime...we're dedicated, determined and dependable:-) We'll stick with the old format until the new one is ready!
W E LOL!!!!!!
shay...Greg is trying his best to set a Chic-fil-A overload record!!!! His flight leaves tonight...he'll probably get it at the airport, too! :-)
OOOHHH Yuck. I hope we don't have to use the old format for too long. I don't think it would be too disruptive (for us - although it might be more difficult for Rodney).
I feel for your son, Deirdre, I have Chick Fil A about once a week, so I understand him missing it while he is gone.
Posted by: War Eagle on January 2, 2008 3:10PM EST
Amy and War Eagle.....let's just hope that the new, future format is even nicer, and in the meantime, we'll live with the old ajcblog format...we're made of sturdy stuff...we can do it (not without moaning and groaning and b*tching and complaining, of course!) :-)
Posted by: War Eagle on January 2, 2008 3:32PM EST
Yea D. The old one is just so plain and inviting to troublemakers. I remember a few times when I checked in a few years ago, season 5 I think, there were several instances of someone claiming to be someone else and there was no way to tell the difference.
I know, War Eagle...that's the worst part! Let's just hope we don't get the malcontents again...and Rodney has promised, if we email him about someone pretending to be one of us...he'll get rid of them. That happened to achin4aiken and I when two teens got on and pretended to be us spouting all sorts of nasty language. They were gone in a flash.
Posted by: War Eagle on January 2, 2008 3:56PM EST
I don't recall that D what happened to A4A? I must not have been around then.
Posted by: flat screen on January 2, 2008 4:00PM EST
I'm back from the Sugar Bowl!!!Flew in this afternoon!!!we kicked some serious ass last night!!!!WE,good win for yall!
Posted by: War Eagle on January 2, 2008 4:19PM EST
Flats, good game. Way to show the country what SEC football is all about. Some people actually thought they had a chance.
We squeeked one out but I will be glad to take it.
I hate to say this but GO LSU
Posted by: on January 2, 2008 4:19PM EST
LOL................
Posted by: on January 2, 2008 4:21PM EST
WE, I agree with what you said about MPD's coming on here, that is my concern too. But D said Rodney will bounce them.
Posted by: flat screen on January 2, 2008 4:28PM EST
Eagle...as far as the blog goes...I love what has happend this past year.Dont worry about MPD's....they'll be dealt with.Shaun...sorry about your concerns man.Flats will handle the ones that get out of line!!Sugar Bowl was a blast!!!
Posted by: War Eagle on January 2, 2008 4:30PM EST
I think we all pretty know each other enough by now and will be able to tell when some one might try to impersionate us. We will be OK.
I would like to make a request for the new blog when it is developed. Is there anyway spell check can be added. I don't know where "grammar cop Linny" is today but i feel like as soon as I goof up she is going to call me out. LOL
Posted by: flat screen on January 2, 2008 4:33PM EST
Eagle....Alot of people bailed on rodney for some reason.They might come back as mpd's this year.lets keep are fingers crossed!
Posted by: War Eagle on January 2, 2008 4:47PM EST
I'm really going to have to depend on this blog to stay up to date on idol this year. I have a Tuesday class next quarter from 5:30 to 9:45. My dvd recorder is broke and I don't have tivo. I'm just SOL.
Posted by: flat screen on January 2, 2008 4:49PM EST
Eagle...Flats will always be here for the public...ALWAYS!!!!
Posted by: War Eagle on January 2, 2008 4:53PM EST
Good to know flats.
I'm out for the day. Everybody have a good evening.
Posted by: flat screen on January 2, 2008 4:59PM EST
GOOD NIGHT ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: linny_kat on January 3, 2008 1:01AM EST
linny-kat is on vacation, WE.... and i'm not ALWAYS a grammar cop (even though that IS what my college degree is.... BSEd/English, grammar specialist, LOL!) but sometimes i get bored and or one or two things will jump out at me and bug me until i just HAVE to say something!!! Lord knows, I'm not always right either, and even though it's my training, i purposely "forgot" some of what i learned way back then... i mean WAY WAY back when, lol!
WE, I didn't get to see the game, but heard it was awesome, and was so proud for you-all!
I'll really miss this format, Rodney, and I too look forward to helping you and the AJC try out something other than the standard AJCblog format, because ... well ... to be honest, the "regular AJCblog format" SUX! for a LOT of reasons, lol!!!
Rodney! I want to say, through thick and thin, through rumors and stories and trailers and spoilers, through results and wannabe contestants, you, Rodney Ho, have been and continue to be one heckuva Host. You've put up with MPDs and jerks and controversies and spats and outright arguments, you've provided information, stories, rumors, leads, videos and links to all sorts of stuff AI-related... and included for your bloggers information regarding OTHER contestant-style shows, SYTYCD, NGAB, etc... to keep us informed in the "talent-reality-contest" arena. I for one thank you for all the effort, all the patience, all the work, that you've put into the American Idol Buzz.
I know it was long, but I had to grab the computer when i could... see you guys next week *sigh* on the Old Format, if that's the way it must be!
