You could be forgiven for assuming Simon Cowell’s upcoming American version of his hit British talent show, The X Factor, won’t be any different than the show he’s leaving, American Idol. But “Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby),” the debut video from Jedward, twin brothers who made it to week 7 on the UK series’ 2009 season, makes painfully clear Simon’s program will offer more than just wanna-be Kelly Clarksons and Kris Allens. Along with the young solo dreamers we’re used to, The X Factor lets a number of older singers and groups compete as well. Imagine, on American Idol, these guys would have never been allowed to sing together, denying us the sight of two massive pompadours bouncing to a mash-up of Queen and Vanilla Ice (who raps in the video as well). Who knows what freaks Simon will find in America once he doesn’t have to play by Idol’s rules? You’ve been warned.
Get a better look at the magic that is Jedward in the gallery below.
With the Idol-popularized “Pants On The Ground” making its way into locker room speeches and political debates, it’s not a big surprise that someone has come forward to accuse the song’s creator, “General” Larry Platt, of plagiarism. A Detroit duo by the name of The Green Brothers told MyFox Detroit that Platt’s anthem is a “takeoff” of their 1996 recording “Pockets On The Floor.” As it says on their YouTube clip, “the General’s song [has] the same intent, idea and in part the same message. YOU BE THE JUDGE AMERICA!!” Having watched the video clip above, we’ve come up with two possibilities.
Platt, a 62-year-old civil rights hero and community activist, somehow came across this obscure, awkward jingle and, over a decade later, performed a poorly remembered variation at an American Idol audition as part of his Machiavellian plan to achieve fame and wealth.
More than one middle-aged man has been struck with the brilliant idea of rapping about slovenly youth fashion over the last decade and a half.
Thankfully, The Green Brothers merely want some attention and have yet to file any kind of suit. Besides, it’s not like Platt has seen any cash from the cultural saturation “Pants On The Ground” has achieved. Maybe he can hire the Green Brothers as back-up dancers when he finally takes the song on tour. [via HuffPo]
“General” Larry Platt may be enjoying some unexpected fame for the instant classic “Pants On The Ground,” debuted on last night’s American Idol—remixes like the one above are already beginning to pile up—but he’s already more than earned his name in Georgia. As learned by USA Today, Platt was heavily involved in the desegregation movement since his teens, taking part in the infamous Bloody Sunday march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama and earning his “rank” from civil rights leader Rev. Hosea Williams after organizing multiple sit-ins in Georgia.
Still a community activist today, he was honored with his own day by the Georgia General Assembly on Sept. 4, 2001, which noted “it is highly fitting and proper that this body recognize the significant contributions of this esteemed man…commending Larry Platt for his great energy and commitment to equality and the protection of the innocent.” At the very least, the rest of us can pay tribute by keeping our pants up.
American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi was responsible for penning the universally loathed season 8 finale song “No Boundaries.” We’ve spent countless hours thinking about how bad this song was, and we clearly weren’t alone — even Kris Allen opted to cut it from his set list during the Idol Summer Tour. Seems like Kara isn’t willing to let us forget the craptastic ballad though, she has re-recorded it on her own and released it on YouTube so America will have yet another version to deal with.
To be fair, her version sounds better than either Kris Allen or Adam Lambert’s renditions. However, let’s face it, it’s still a pretty sucky song. What say you, does her rendition give the song the respect it deserves, or is it superfluous and pointless to release this three months after the fact? [Photo: Getty Images]
America voted … and the loser of American Idol is “No Boundaries.” This season, as with all other seasons on Idol, the winner has sung a theme song written specifically for the show. Think “A Moment Like This,” the song Kelly Clarkson sang at the end of the first season, which became a best-seller. This year, the song “No Boundaries,” co-written by superfluous judge Kara DioGuardi, was that special song and it’s safe to say no one took to it. Not even DioGuardi: during the finale she actually told winner Kris Allen that the song wasn’t written for someone with his register, which is probably one of the reasons the song has been canned from the Idol tour this summer.
Apparently, the song was getting such a poor response during the live concerts that producers told Allen to find something else to sing to replace it. We hope Kara doesn’t feel too bad about it — if anything, she should take a lesson from her own overly-optimistic lyrics. Let nothing stand between you and your dreams, Kara. [Source: NY Post]
VH1 News was at last night’s American Idol finale. We’re posting some of their interview chats with Adam Lambert and Kris Allen, as well as some celebs who turned out. Here’s Kris below. After the jump, find a clips of Adam and Jason Mraz talking about the show.
And you thought his scream was bad—Danny Gokey’s performance of “Billie Jean” during his Milwaukee homecoming would have steam coming out of Simon Cowell’s ears. Blaming a lyric sheet that blew away, Gokey stands silently at first, before arguing with the back-up singers (one announcing “I’d leave it to the professionals!”), messing up the arrangement (”but the key changed!”) and basically getting run over by a merciless band that refuses to let him find his place. Were they big Allison Iraheta fans?
“That’s all I got for you, Milwaukee—I don’t know the words!” If that’s the case, why was he singing it in the first place? Hopefully he’ll learn the words if he’s performing it again for Tuesday’s Top 3. [video via VFTW]
If Bill O’Reilly had a problem with Adam Lambert’s gay makeout photos, wait until he sees the Idol front-runner’s take on the national anthem. In a clip shot at the Burning Man Festival, Lambert interrupts his sarcastic rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner to bleat along with a group of men dressed like farm animals. Pointed commentary!
The footage has been on the web for a while, but—if Christian favorite Danny Gokey survives the scream heard around the world—it could still be used to rally up some anti-Lambert sentiment among conservatives. Can Lambert wail his way past such issues (he’s the only contestant rated safe on DialIdol this week), or will Ryan Seacrest have him apologize to Old Glory before the season’s over?
David Cook announced the death of his older brother Adam at the Race For Hope marathon this Sunday in DC. Adam’s struggle with cancer was regularly referenced over Season 7 of American Idol, with Adam getting to visit the show after friends and neighbors raised $45,000 for a private plane with a nurse. Cook’s team raised almost $100,000 for brain cancer research at the marathon. “I will be here every year that they will have me,” he told the runners.
Watch David’s performance of “Always Be My Baby,” which Adam saw in person, after the jump.
O.G. Idol runner-up turned TV Guide network commentator Justin Guarini has a song he’d like to get on the soundtrack of the Twilight movie sequel, New Moon. But, apparently, he has no idea how to make that happen. Maybe you do? As he announced on his website:
Here’s a song that Tammy Hyler, Shaye Smith, and I wrote specifically for “New Moon”. I’ve set it to some stills, and slapped my vocals on it. If you like it, make sure to spread the word and ask Stephenie Meyer to put it on the soundtrack.
What, no one at the TV Guide Network will give him Stephenie’s digits? Doesn’t he have an agent or something? Check out his fang-baiting power ballad after the jump.
