“American Idol” Delays Its Trip To Hollywood

In American Idol seasons past, the yawning stretch of months between the summer auditions and the winter season premiere were dotted by Hollywood Week, where the roster of hopefuls would be cut down to the semifinalist list, and where spoilers over just which singers had made the grade would inevitably make their way to the Internet. Much like the judges’ table, however, this year things are going to be different—the show has pushed Hollywood Week back to January, in part to make room for new addition Ellen DeGeneres. From a New York Times piece on the Ellen addition:

An array of guest judges will fill the spot vacated by Ms. Abdul for the audition episodes that take up the first few weeks of the season, which begins in January. But it is possible that Ms. DeGeneres will be on hand for “Hollywood Week,” where the top 200 or so performers come to Los Angeles to compete for a spot among the final 36. In past years that week has taken place in November, but this year it has been moved to January, Ms. Frot-Coutaz said, and Ms. DeGeneres “should be there” if logistical arrangements allow.

I’m sure the fact that pushing Hollywood Week to something that’s a bit more real-time was also hastened by the very accurate lists of successful Idol hopefuls that made their way out to the Internet last year and the year before… although I have to say that as someone who watches the show “professionally,” I was sort of hoping the powers that be would have done this all along. Meanwhile, if you’re curious as far as how Ellen will fare when it comes to judging, here is an edited-together reel of her So You Think You Can Dance judging stint:

Schticky McSchtickerson! Oh dear. I’m going to hold off judgment, but did we really need another judge who’d take a lot of time to say not a lot of anything? Choice Of Ellen DeGeneres As “American Idol” Judge Stirs Fans [NYT via MJ] Ellen guest judge on So You Think You Can Dance [Dailymotion via MJ]