1. So?

They got to see it before signing it. There are people out there who work 16 hours shifts for 5 bucks an hour.

Quit complaining.

Posted at 5:58PM on Jun 4th 2008 by Bash

2. Considering that Archuleta was under 18 when it was signed he might be able to get out of it with a decent contract lawyer.

Contract law gets interesting when dealing with minor children - the adults who sign the contract are bound to it, but the minors can back out with some exception. Contracts where the minor benefits significantly (such as necessities like medical, food, lodging) cannot be gotten out of so easily.

Archuleta could argue that he's not benefitting from the contract (especially if AI doesn't do anything to further his potential career) but no one's really going to know that for a few more months and he's that much closer to 18...

Posted at 6:11PM on Jun 4th 2008 by WhizGidget

3. Who is complaining? Its just stating a fact I think. Also, I heard Taylor Hicks tried to rally the contestants in Season 5 to not sign and have the contract re-done because it was so restrictive. The contestants did not join him in his "rebellion". In return AI gave him very little support for his career once he ended up winning and they continue to pretend that he didn't win (they seem consider Daughtry the winner of Season 5). The AI machine does not like hell raisers of any type. The two Davids would do well to smile and play the game until their careers get off the ground. Unfortunately Taylor showed his cards too early and he is paying for it now.

Posted at 6:16PM on Jun 4th 2008 by Tracy

4. "They seem consider Daughtry the winner of Season 5"

As do a lot of people as they should. But kudos to Hicks for trying to change the contract. That took guts.

Posted at 7:16PM on Jun 4th 2008 by Ryan

5. The absolute hardest thing for an entertainer to do is build a fanbase. American Idol has the best platform for doing that. It is a big trade-off. You can run your own career and spend a decade doing what AI can do, or you can take their deal. There are risks in life. Archie is my fav, and I hate that he had to cancel his contract. But, you have to take the good with the bad.

Posted at 8:15PM on Jun 4th 2008 by Paul

6. 2008 American Idol Songwriting Contest
The following is a quote from USAToday.com
http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2008-05-20-idol-songwriter_N.htm
"The song was among "tens of thousands" submitted and combed through by 19 Entertainment's more than 60 Artists & Repertoire staffers, who winnowed the list to a manageable pile before Idol creator Simon Fuller and his team pruned to 20 semifinalists, says Jeff King, 19's U.S. head of digital entertainment." End quote.

So if 60 different people were choosing ...then how did we end up with so many people with ties to A.I.?

1. 2008 American Idol Songwriting Top 20 Finalist (Andy Zulla) is an engineer on Clay Aiken, Kelly Clarkson, Diana DeGarmo CD's.

http://music.msn..com/album/?album=48916207

http://music.msn..com/album/?album=29457472

http://music.msn..com/album/?album=40445061


2. 2008 American Idol Songwriting Top 20 Finalist (Wendy Wagner) is a backup singer on the new Clay Aiken CD.
http://music.msn.com/album/?album=55098458&menu=credits&ipp=100



3. 2008 American Idol Songwriting Top 20 Finalist (Ryan Gillmor) wrote the song "Hey" which is the theme song for Fox Television's show "Unhitched".
http://www.thedailychorus.com/index.php?subaction=showcomments&id=1208104726&archive=&start_from=&ucat=1&



4. 2008 American Idol Songwriting Top 20 Finalist (Dan Yessian) wrote jingles for Ford Motors.
http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080418/ENT04/804180372



5. 2008 American Idol Songwriting Top 20 Finalist (Luke Ebbin) is a producer on Austalian Idol 1st place runner-up Shannon Noll's CD.

http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/store/artist/album/0,,4418575,00.html



6. 2008 American Idol Songwriting Top 20 Winner (Regie Hamm) is a co-writer on the new Clay Aiken CD.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_My_Way_Here

7. 2008 American Idol Songwriting Top 20 Winner (Regie Hamm) is a co-writer and personal friend of 2007 American Idol Songwriting Winner Scott Krippayne.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/artists/scottkrippayne.html







False Advertising Or Bald Face Lie? You Decide
I'm posting this May 30, 2008, 9 days after the American Idol Grand Finale.

I watched American Idol both nights of the grand finale waiting for the announcement of the winners name of the 2008 American Idol Songwriting Competition....and I'm still waiting.

http://www.americanidol.com/


The following quote is from the only link American Idol.com has concerning the songwriting contest. (It's under the Show Guide Link....American Idol Songwriter) "The Nation Has Decided"

"Who Has Won? Tune in to the American Idol Finale on May 20th and 21st 2008 to find out." End quote.

http://www.americanidol.com/

http://songwriter.americanidol.com/



Like I said....I watched. And here's the only thing said about the winner. Ryan Seacrest......"Ladies and gentlemen singing the winning song of this years competition...Time Of My Life..this..is..your American Idol David Cook, Goodnight. End quote.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhN1T3pmuIo

(5 minutes 10 seconds into video)



9 days later American Idol has yet to name the winner. It's not in the American Idol news section, not on the American Idol homepage..............Nothing.

http://www.americanidol.com/news/

http://www.americanidol.com/



Last year the winner's were introduced on camera by Ryan Seacrest. This year nada.

The following is from the Myspace blog page of the winner of the 2008 American Idol Songwriting Competition....... Mr.. Regie Hamm..........and he does not seem happy.

"AMERICAN IDOL, MAGIC RAINBOWS ...AND DOTTIE"

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=54139274&blogID=398962053

"The guy in the feather suit who wrote the song for Simon had his own photo stand where you could have your picture taken with him. Hmmmm, maybe next time I'll write a song so campy it simply must be performed in front of fifty million people with the USC marching band. At least then I might have my name mentioned or my face shown ...but I digress." End quote.

American Idol made a lot of money off this contest and the ONLY thing we got in return was a thanks for the $10.00 email.

americanidolexposed.weebly.com

Posted at 8:27PM on Jun 4th 2008 by SimonSays

7. Enough of this crap. Nobody cares. No one even cared when the show was airing.

Posted at 9:41PM on Jun 4th 2008 by doug

8. I can understand that, I would understand it more, if they officially signed him to a cd.

Posted at 10:19PM on Jun 4th 2008 by jake

9. Agree with Bash -- if you don't have some sort of clue as to what you're getting yourself into by being on American Idol, you deserve to get screwed.

This reminds me of some of the contestants on other reality shows like those house cleaning or wardrobe changing shows. Five minutes after being on the show they're rebelling against the rules -- they don't want to give up their favorite jeans or that 'beautiful' (read ugly) table lamp. Come on. They've seen the show. We all know what happens. What makes them think their experience was going to be any different?

Posted at 6:55AM on Jun 5th 2008 by Tom

10. Too bad for all of the Utah fans. I couldn't attend because of the distance, but I am proud of Archie for trying. I think he's got the right attitude to go very far in the business after he finishes with obligations to Idol.

Posted at 10:08AM on Jun 5th 2008 by LM

11. You reap what you sow.

If Archuleta didn't want to be beholden to American Idol, he should not have been on the show in the first place.

Posted at 12:34PM on Jun 5th 2008 by Jimmy

12. The fact that Clay Aiken got out of his contract is the reason AI hates him now. They cannot stand the fact that someone got out of their contract. Clay had all kinds of offers after AI. but AI kept the info from him and THAT is how he was able to break it. Good for him.

Posted at 12:48PM on Jun 5th 2008 by MKS

13. It's not American Idol who won't let him do the thank you concert. It's the booking agent. As long as the 2nd Idol show isn't sold out, they aren't going to allow him to have a concert in the same venue for $1. It's part of standard contracts when you book a venue.

Posted at 7:58PM on Jun 5th 2008 by Gingerly

14. http://youtube.com/watch?v=eF_o5vb5GJ4

Posted at 3:11AM on Jun 29th 2008 by Anet