Randy Jackson

Who Should the New American Idol Judges Be?

This past week, when American Idol concluded its twelfth season by crowning Candice Glover (who edged out Woodville's Kree Harrison), it was also announced that the show's latest lineup of judges is kaput. Randy Jackson went first, followed by Nicki Minaj. We're guessing that leaves Keith Urban and ... More >>

5 Easy Ways to Spruce Up American Idol

You may not have noticed, but American Idol started a new season last week. If you're like most people, you apparently didn't watch because the ratings are way down. This could be for any number of reasons. Idol has been on the air for what feels like forever, with pretty much the same formula all ... More >>

Top 5 People Who Should Be Judging American Idol

Over the weekend American Idol, struggling to remain relevant in the face of the televised singing-competition series it spawned like The Voice and X Factor, announced its final judges' panel for the upcoming 12th season that begins in January. According to Entertainment Weekly, joining the previous ... More >>

The 10 Most Rocking Songs In Children's Entertainment

Here's the thing about children's entertainment, it's designed to appeal not only to the lowest common denominator, but the toughest audience known to man. Don't believe me? Try playing your favorite song to a toddler, even something that is an acknowledged classic like the Pretenders' "I'll Stand ... More >>

The X Factor: Mentoring, Mentoring & More Mentoring

Last night I was officially annoyed with The X Factor. To be fair, the show suffered from my having to wait until the Yankees lost, and my husband was done swearing and stomping around the living room, so I had to stay up really late (for me) to watch. And then I realized that the show went from 90 ... More >>

Football! This Weekend's Best Bets, A Salute To TV Season Premieres

DWTS = this week's Philly-Giants game?​Television fascinates me. It seems like a new station pops up onto my channel grid every day to the point where I'm actually a little disappointed I haven't been approached by anyone to televise the Sean Network. I mean, doesn't everyone have their own ne ... More >>

Idol Beat: The Beginning Of The End

Billboard.com/Fox"Are these two really the best from this season?"​7:07 p.m.: Okay, so the sir who typically writes this column - Pete Vonder Haar, or, as he's also referred to: the Television Demigod - has a bit of personal business to tend to, so we're stepping in for him. I have seen exactl ... More >>

Idol Beat: Durbin Warfare

It's James' world; we just live in it.​That wonderful sound you heard last night - that distinct lack of atonal screeching that used to climb up your spine like a mongoose wearing stiletto heels - was the sound of a Jacob-free American Idol. What a beautiful thing. I'm not sure which was more ... More >>

Idol Beat: Langone Daddy Gone

We'll always have "Hello."​In what is surely a testimonial to my following, someone obviously heard yesterday's plea to show some love for the rest of Aerosmtih's catalog (there was a "Sweet Emotion" sign in the audience at the Nokia). My people...you never disappoint. In other news, what's t ... More >>

Top 10 Led Zeppelin Songs Not Constantly On The Radio

​Of Led Zeppelin's nine stellar (OK, Presence was just all right) studio albums, it's hard to pick the five best. There are no dogs in the bunch, and unlike the Duran Duran Top 5 we did last week, it's harder and more heart-wrenching to limit them to just five. We can chop up the Durannies lik ... More >>

Idol Beat: Idol Worship

Fox​The Daily Beast had a story up yesterday about how this season of American Idol might be the best ever: This year, the contenders have already proven energetic, and the audience is responding, with half a dozen developing breakout followings across the Internet, even before the finals hav ... More >>

Top 10 Louisiana Bands Of All Time

​Pardon the geographical pun, but besides Texas, our neighbor to the east may be the most musical state in these United States. And in terms of per capita, Louisiana, which ranks 25th in population to Texas' second, is probably second to none. Outside Nashville's Grand Ole Opry, the program m ... More >>

Idol Beat: Still In Hollywood

​While I was avoiding er, preparing this entry, I found myself watching a bunch of punk rock videos as sort of a palate cleanser. It got me wondering if Idol could ever do a punk/alt-rock show. Would the show attract a new demographic if they trotted out the elder statesmen and women of hardc ... More >>

Idol Beat: Say Goodbye To Hollywood

​You know, I had my misgivings about covering Season 10 of American Idol. I've already mentioned my concerns that, contrary to what David Hasselhof would have us believe, American doesn't necessarily have talent. At least, not enough to fill ten seasons worth of programming. I also feared the ... More >>

The Week in TV: Ellen Degeneres Realizes American Idol Sucks

Rob Lowe will soon join the cast of Parks and Recreation.​The dog days are upon us, the networks are planning for fall, and there's always money in the banana stand. This was the week in TV Land: • The Television Critics Association summer press tour has been going on for the past few days ... More >>

Idol Beat: Hell Hollywood Week Continues

"Welcome back to Hell Week," Ryan Seacrest intoned at the top of last night's American Idol. It's pretty ballsy for a singing competition show to compare itself to SEAL training, since I'm pretty sure none of these kids will be carrying logs or dealing with being drowned. But that's just what Holl ... More >>

American Idol: Hell Hollywood Week Continues

"Welcome back to Hell Week," Ryan Seacrest intoned at the top of last night's American Idol. It's pretty ballsy for a singing competition show to compare itself to SEAL training, since I'm pretty sure none of these kids will be carrying logs or dealing with being drowned. But that's just what Holl ... More >>

Inside the MasterMinds

The Houston Press honors three local arts groups on the city's cutting edge.

Idol Beat: A Lot of Hot Air In the Windy City

​So here we are with our pants on the ground, in the second week of American Idol, and it'll be another month before auditions end. At first I was pleasantly surprised to find that last night's episode was just an hour: I did my time in the trenches with Dancing With the Stars and assumed tha ... More >>

American Idol: A Lot of Hot Air in the Windy City

​So here we are with our pants on the ground, in the second week of American Idol, and it'll be another month before auditions end. At first I was pleasantly surprised to find that last night's episode was just an hour: I did my time in the trenches with Dancing With the Stars and assumed that ... More >>

Pop Rocks: American Idol -- What The Hell Is Wrong With You People?

​The ninth season of America's national karaoke showcase -- also known as American Idol -- premiered last Tuesday. The show that has contributed such legends as Jordin Sparks and Taylor Hicks to the world of music continues to chug along in spite of the absence of original judge Paula Abdul and th ... More >>

Idol Beat: Here We Go Again...

Last night's guest judge: a bobblehead doll Victoria Beckham​I've never watched a whole season of American Idol before, but that's a minor detail. Actually watching this show doesn't seem to be necessary to know as much about it as the most devoted fans: Amateur singers judges = quasi-drama. ... More >>

American Idol: It Begins

Last night's guest judge: a bobblehead doll Victoria Beckham​I've never watched a whole season of American Idol before, but that's a minor detail. Actually watching this show doesn't seem to be necessary to know as much about it as the most devoted fans: Amateur singers judges = quasi-drama. ... More >>

Idol Beat: The Top Seven

Michael Becker/ Fox Somehow Still Hanging Around: The bloom is off Lil Rounds' "Rose."Perhaps delusionally, I nursed a desperate hope that this week's American Idol theme would be "songs used in Quentin Tarantino movies." Seriously, I even worked up a sort of dream list of songs I thought the ... More >>

Idol Beat: The Top Ten

Photos by Michael Becker/ Fox Michael Sarver couldn't patch Motown's soul.Man, Sarvernator! What happened? When first we met, you were so dope, flexing serious white-soul chops - minus a soul patch - and you had the sort of blue-collar backstory that seemed to make you a lock for the Top Seve ... More >>

Tonight: Journey, Heart and Cheap Trick at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

The Return of the Kashmere Stage band

Houstonian Kady Malloy = Early American Idol Front-runner

We’re Getting the Band Back Together! Or Should We?

Been a Long Time

But the Houston Symphony Wants to "Rock and Roll"

Keith Reynolds

A Howling Howitzer

Carrie On!

The American Idol finals inspire Beatlemania-like frenzies on the Richmond Strip

Flyin' Alone

After a bout of Arrested Development, Dionne Farris' moment has arrived

Aggie Alchemy

John Bockris was known around Texas A&M as a chemist interested in "weird science." Joe Champion gave him all he could handle.