<p>Just curious. Does anyone know how much the contestants are getting paid per show?</p>
<p>A google search revealed that they get $30 per day + $500 a week. However, they must purchase their outfits with that as well. Also, the pay goes up the longer you are in the competition (the winner gets a 6-digit amount, top 2 get a new car, etc.).</p>
<p>Not a whole lot for their line of work.</p>
<p>The top ten make a nice chunk of change from the ridiculously grueling summer tour. Not enough to retire on, but more money in a year than any of them have every made before. Many times, they turn around and blow it on a self-funded “vanity” album that sells 2200 copies.</p>
<p>Of course, that could change this year. I suspect that lack of ticket demand will produce an abbreviated tour. Last night’s show was the worst rated American Idol since Season One, when it was a summer replacement series.</p>
<p>I don’t watch American Idol. However, a few people from the show over the years have made it either with albums, singing careers, or some have been on Broadway and continue to get cast there (one just in the past week). </p>
<p>That said, I know so many talented singers in my D’s circle of friends who are soooooooooooo much better than who is on AI!</p>
<p>Interesting tidbit is that my D is currently working on something with the guy who is Clay Aiken’s musical director.</p>
<p>I watch when I can. This year has been slow from what I can gather. Yes, there are many much more talented singers out there, but performing under the gun is what counts. Many of the ones who didn’t make the cut were quite good too.</p>
<p>It really has become a good stepping stone for Broadway shows and other venues.</p>
<p>I love Lady Gaga. That is all.</p>
<p>Soosievt might be interested to know that Lady Gaga was a NYU Tisch music student. Lasted two years before “turning professional”.</p>
<p>I certainly do know that about Lady Gaga. She was actually an NYU/Tisch musical theater student in CAP21 studio, my D’s program. It is not a music program but a musical theater program. My own daughter, who is truly quite involved in musical theater, ALSO is a singer/songwriter (not MT genre) and performs solo shows in venues in NYC and is recording an album. She will not touch AI with a ten foot pole.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Interesteddad, are you comparing this year’s contestants with all of the contestants in the past shows or just with Adam Lambert?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Hi, soozievt-
But why not? It does give great exposure.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Totally agree with Mythreesons! And it wasn’t just the constestants that were painful to watch this week. I had a hard time with Harry Connick, Jr. AND Lady Gaga last night. It makes me question what it even takes to appeal to the masses.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>While my D is trained in musical theater, she actually is very strong in contemporary rock/pop type singing and peers used to say she should try out for AI. And I do understand about exposure but there is good exposure and not so good exposure. </p>
<p>One of my daughter’s closest college friends who also trained in MT with her at her college program, did audition for AI while in college. Let me first say that this girl has an amazing voice. She was leads many times in college (this is a huge achievement given the talent pool at this school) and also was often cast professionally in summers. She was in my D’s a capella group and won awards in competitions with that too for her solo singing. She is one of the most talented girls in a very talented set of MT students at this school (they have now graduated). I don’t want to give too many details to give away her identity, but this girl ended up featured that year on AI in a segment of basically, the worst of the worst type thing. Simon Powell put her down calling her a nightmare. I do not know that she knew this would air as a montage about the worst contestants. The day after it aired, it was the talk of the school. It was all over YouTube and if her name was googled, it kept coming up. Here was the girl that everyone admired as one of the best talents in this competitive program. This exposure was terrible. Not only did it shake her confidence, but she would never be able to get away from the negative publicity on YouTube and so on. My daughter said after observing what happened to one of the most talented girls, she would never subject herself to this possibility. While the girl’s AI audition (I’ve seen it) did not come off well, it just was a shame in every which way and everyone felt sorry for her. I mean this is not someone who can’t sing (like you do see on AI). She had professional credits from a young age. She is hugely talented. </p>
<p>Fast forward to now…soon after graduating, she was cast as a lead on Broadway where she is now performing. When I saw her after she was cast, I told her that she has the last laugh on Simon Cowell. She also has changed her name. </p>
<p>My D did come close to exposure of that type this year, but in the end, was glad she didn’t do it. She was in an acapella group all four years of college, as musical director (and performer), a group that is award winning (my D also won individual awards with this group). Right after graduating, a group of recent alums from the a capella group auditioned for Sing Out, the NBC Reality show for a capella. Turns out that they were finalists, all the way up to the stage of having to sign contracts to be on the show, and have lawyers look it over and so on. There were 8 groups selected for the show and I gather they made a few extra groups sign contracts in case other groups backed out and so her group ended up not on the show, but at that point, she really did not want to be on the show very much, even with all the exposure she would get. She was in rehearsals for a national tour of a musical that was about to start and she did not want to back out of it (and would have had to as she had to sign the contract for the TV show). </p>
<p>Anyway, she saw first hand that the exposure on AI could turn out to be not so good, even for someone very talented (believe me that the girl I am talking about is way way better than anyone on AI this season…I’ve seen clips).</p>
<p>Who got voted off?</p>
<p>Aaron got voted off. They all stink so it really doesn’t matter at this point who stays and who goes.</p>
<p>(I suppose “stink” is a bit harsh. Maybe “average at best” is a better description.)</p>
<p>The kid’s departure means that Lee (David Cook 2.0) has won American Idol. He now inherits the kid’s fans. Mike goes next week, because (uh…) he doesn’t fit “Idol’s profile”. Casey goes in third place, with all of his votes going to Lee. It’s a Lee versus Crystal final with Lee adding new voters every week for the last six weeks of show as contestants go home. Third season in a row with a non-descript charisma-free male singer better suited to being somebody’s nice grandson than a pop star.</p>
<p>I loved Harry C. I just love that kind of music…and he is a funny guy! And Lady GaGa just does not do it for me----maybe she and her show just don’t translate well to TV–at least for me. So that goes to show—there is something for everyone!</p>
<p>Casey is better than Aaron…even though boy did he suck this week. But in his owm element he is good…okay… and really cute.</p>
<p>Glad Aaron finally went home. I thought Casey sounded much better singing last night than on Tuesday. Harry was great - I loved him as a mentor and love listening to his music.</p>
<p>I have so much respect for Lady Gaga and all that she has be able to accomplish at just 24 years old. In our hourse we love her!</p>
<p>It was a fun show yesterday, and because of my age, I didn’t know Harry much until last couple of days, he is so funny! I did enjoy his movies though, he can be scary in those!
GaGa has the IT thing on her, love he, but I can’t afford her tickets, so I was jealous the audience had her for free!</p>
<p>There is another reason DD and her friends would not touch AI, it is their understanding of the VERY restrictive contract you have to sign once you get to Hollywood week. I believe that they own and have to approve everything you do for at least a year, maybe longer depending on how far you go.</p>
<p>Aaron is the luckiest contestant! This is a kid who, at 17, performed a solo backed by some of the best musicians in the world in front of millions. Hopefully, he’ll go to school for acting and/or musical theater. Harry Connick Jr. is amazing, and watching his performance was really a treat. And, for all of them, being mentored by him is a fantastic opportunity. This guy is one of the best musicians in the world. In case you don’t know, Harry Connick Jr. was a child prodigy in classical piano, he was performing piano concertos with major symphony orchestras at age 12. He is a musician’s musician, and I LOVED how he “chastised” the judges. “There is no such word as pitchy…we call that singing out of tune…” loved it. Thank you Harry.</p>