BEING THERE: ANATOMY OF AN AMERICAN IDOL REHEARSAL 4/14/2009

This is for all of you who have never, and probably will never experience a live visit to American Idol as broadcast on FOX (which is the majority of us). I hope I can capture the essence of this, so you feel what I felt. What you see on TV really is totally different from the studio experience.

First and foremost, thank you to MICHAEL ORLAND who is the genius pianist you see playing for all the Idols in rehearsal, auditions, and when they appear on other shows, for inviting me to the Dress Rehearsal. This man has been playing his fingers off for YEARS before he hit Idol and his great success to the show and because of the show is really unsung (if you'll pardon the pun). HE is one of the glues that bring it all together, but in a way that is important and essential. Trust me.....he is INUNDATED with requests from people to go to the studio live, and I am not high on the list of his friends, but happy to be on the list at all.

2nd.....the other unsung hero of this show is someone you also do not realize is there, because you only hear her occasionally and she has been seen in some tease spots before the show. She is THE GLUE of what pulls this well oiled steamroller of a show to be #1 on television. Her name is DEBBIE WILLIAMS, and she is the stage manager of the series. She is the QUEEN, the MOM (as is her most proud role in life as mom to young Dylan... and Taylor, star of Jersey Boys on Broadway) and the person who during rehearsal, does double duty as the stage manager, warm up lady and today, stood in for Ryan Seacrest who was getting his jet lag on having come back from Paris yesterday, so he was not at the rehearsal. In television, the stage manager IS the person who runs the studio...the stage, and to people in the "know" in the biz, Debbie Williams is the 1st choice to have running your show. It's an honor for someone like me who grew up in the business as the son of a Producer/Production Manager, to see a virtuoso at work. Style, grace and talent....and all done behinds the scenes. Also, in the interest of FULL DISCLOSURE.....I have to tell you that I am a personal friend and supporter of Adam Lambert and have been for years. I was not there as his guest, as like with Michael.....I am NOT high on the pecking order of people who Adam would invite before other friends and family (or necessarily at all). The last time I saw Adam was the week before the top 13 started, and as I hugged him, I told him, wistfully, that this will be last time I see him as a "civilian". You have to watch what you wish for in life, as sometimes......you get it! We have exchanged e-mails since......and please note that I could not be more proud of this kid if I tried.

Now.......what I attended was called the "Dress Rehearsal" of the show. Its full out except for the added string section who didn't have their "black dresses" on. My karaoke producing partner John Williams(JW) (who has a better singing voice than most Idols of ANY season) and I arrived at the famous CBS TELEVISION CITY at 1:15pm (most people in the world who ever heard "From Television City in Hollywood....."...it's not. It is not in the city of Hollywood at all...near...but not. Fairfax & Beverly Blvd. is the City Of LA. Hollywood is about 3 miles away. Also being done from there, "Dancing With The Stars," "The Price Is Right," "The Young & The Restless" and many other CBS shows). Even though we were on Michael's list, we still had to wait in a special line. Beautiful day....no problem. I have been to Idol 3 times before in previous years and it looks sooo much bigger on TV. Hugged Michael, and Debbie (who has become my Facebook buddy, and I'm like her biggest fan...if you haven't guessed that)....and watched Debbie field questions from the audience which was a packed house....not an empty seat. Many Many kids from schools, friends of Idol employees and I saw Kathy Najimy (from Sister Act) and Bob Garret (who was one of the original 70's stars of the Broadway show "Grease" of which I am a member of the Grease cast family from other companies than Bob was in at the time). Debbie answered questions like "Who picks the singing order?" which she told the kids that it was the Executive Producer who based on the his idea of show flow, decides (by the way, in previous years, it was EP Nigel Lythgoe who did the warm-up. You know Nigel as one of the judges (or is it jiges) of "So You Think You Can Dance"....another of the Fremantle juggernaut shows. He has left Idol, and I'm not sure why, but, I can tell you that his absence is felt in the production of the show. The show HAS lost something more than one of it's EP's.

Before the show, they recorded the opening tease of the Results Show where the Idols walk up to the front of the stage. They had to do it 10 times, and Debbie was getting quite pissed, as she knows this is wasting her precious rehearsal time. It was almost 2:45 and they go live at 5 to the East Coast. Someone in the booth (the director,or one of the Chiefs also known as producers)....didn't like what they were getting, and did it over and over. Finally, they decide on an out of focus to in focus individual shot of each. In the meantime, the audience is yelling at their favorite Idols who are in order of popularity, Adam, Danny and Kris. The others got a smattering of yell....but really....um....not. Someone behind me was saying nasty things about Anoop (the guy was visiting from Iowa I was told) and I was getting pissed as there could be family and fans of Anoop near him. JW said to me, "that's a Fantard." By the way, Debbie had to make sure that everyone was serious faced for the shot (as that is what the producers wanted) and told the audience that Allison is the "class clown" of the group. She laughed and so did the audience. She IS the 16 year old here after all!

They bring out the judges.....who are stand-ins for the real ones. A skinnier black man, 2 women with similar hair colors to Kara and Paula, and a kinda look alike for Simon. They sit......and Debbie FINALLY gets her rehearsal underway, with her reading the prompter as Ryan. She told the audience that there was going to be a difference in this show in that only TWO of the judges would comment after a performance (because they ran long last week and caused such a stir with everyone's Tivo's, and many people missed Adam's performance ...which was the only time Simon has given a standing ovation on Idol as far as I know).

They run the show in real time, minus the commercials which they do stop for in space, and here is how the rehearsal was and differed from what you saw on the air.

I am not gonna comment on Tarentino's participation in the show cause my mother once told me if you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything......but....I never took the advice...so..my question is WHY??? Whomever the dumbass is who thinks that having more tape of Tarentino talking and less time for Simon is a good idea, should be fired. And if you think that Simon looked a little pissed off during the broadcast, he was and rightfully so. He produces "America's Got Talent," "Britain's Got Talent" and the UK version of Idol called "The X-Factor" which are all FAR better produced, written, lit, edited and directed than ANY episode of Idol.....Simon knows his stuff and if you haven't noticed, for most, is, arguably, as vital a reason to watch Idol than the singers.

First up is ALLISON singing "I Don't Want To Miss Thing". She sounded hoarse during rehearsal and during the broadcast....but the gurl can SAANG!!!!! She is the 2nd best thing on Idol this season, and for 16 is amazing. I wish she would switch up on the red hair thingy and show versatility as Adam has done though. As Simon has also said....she's not a big personality....but that will come. She is totally reminiscent of Kelly Clarkson when you see her in person, as she does on the broadcast. The fake judges comment trying to emulate their parts and the Kara fake was HILARIOUS in her imitation of Kara....spot on. The Simon look alike doesn't have a British accent, and is.....um.....boring. The "Kara" really tries as does the "Randy."

Next up....ANOOP who looks much more handsome in person than he photographs on TV. Debbie calls him "Noopy" on stage. He sang "Everything I do, I Do It For You." JW and I were stunned that the arrangement for time purposes took the guts out of the song, and made it pointless to sing. He was good in rehearsal, but during the broadcast , he displayed a Richard Nixon sweat on his upper lip. Remember what that did for Nixon during the Nixon/Kennedy debate? No of COURSE you don't! Most of you haven't a clue what the hell I'm talking about. (someone hand me the Geritol). Go see "Frost/Nixon" though....good film!

Here comes ADAM..and the screaming from the audience starts. Adam sings "Born To Be Wild" and the string section is waving their bows in the air as he sings on the parts they are not playing. You really didn't get that from the broadcast so much. It looked amazing in the studio, and Adam KILLED.....KILLED this performance actually a little better than the broadcast. There are all the other contestants my friends (I sound like John McCain), and then there is Adam. It is two separate shows you see in person AND in broadcast. He has won this show whether he wins the contest or not. Not a star.......a SUPERSTAR is what he will be....and like I said....you have to watch what you wish for. I hope he is happy and is getting his dream.....cause if you know this boy.....he is sweet, talented and totally deserving. A GOOD person......GOOD! What was different in rehearsal.....he held the last high note of the song to the end and sent chills down everyone's spine. On the broadcast.....he made the last note a "run" and for me....was not as thrilling, but thrilling nevertheless. Some people have commented that his high notes get "screechy".....not when you hear it in the studio!!! By the way.....one of the problems with going full out in a rehearsal.....sometimes.....you can blow it out there.....but you have a full audience, and a director who needs to see what you are gonna do. Trust me......it's happened to me MANY times when a director told me to go full out.....and when it was show time.....I screwed myself. Pacing a voice is a separate talent from any other.

MATT is next singing "To Really Love A Woman" and I'm thinking, is this Bryan Adams catalog night?? Matt seems very sweet in person, and when he went into his falsetto in rehearsal....went really off key. In the broadcast.....it was worse. He was off key way more than at the rehearsal. Wrong song for him, and he is lacking a charisma factor. Look everyone needs to be in it to win it, and to do that.....you have to be better than Adam. This was not even a weak attempt to be a star. NEXT! (My mother is turning in her grave about now)

DANNY is singing, as Bette Midler once said on an Oscar broadcast.....the endless song from the endless movie, "Endless Love." During the rehearsal, the audience was screaming out for Danny 2nd to Adam. They were yelling how much they loved his glasses, and tonight....no glasses today for the first time. This boy has singing skills, but that's it. There is no, "there" there. He is not a star or close....just a great singer. It ain't enough. (sorry mommy). His performance at rehearsal was, again, better than broadcast. Debbie calls him "Gokeyman" by the way. The stand in playing Randy Jackson said...."Dawg...this was originally done by Barbra Streisand....." and all the queens in the audience groaned because they know it was Diana Ross originally. It's the LAW....you have to know these things! Jeez.......straight men!!!!

KRIS singing "Falling Slowly" steps on stage with the collar of his jacket turned up. The Idol stylist had adjusted it earlier as this was the "edgy" look he wanted from Kris who is much smaller in person. He is actually a little shorter than Ryan Seacrest (who, if I had HIS money...I'd burn mine.....and it would be a small fire!). CUTE CUTE CUTE...please. Kris Allen has a star face....but again.....good singer......great face.....and during the rehearsal & broadcast, was outsung by the backup singer who hit a DIVA high note in the song....CHECK PLEASE!!! He can be on the CW.....not ITunes (although....trust me...he has tons of fans).

Finally.....LIL ROUNDS who never looked better than she did when she stepped on the stage this afternoon. Man....that gurl looked like STAR personified. The stylists had her done up the BEST she has ever looked. Then she sang "The Rose" and shows that she has NO DIVA skills. She has a voice....but not a star voice. She was WAY better in rehearsal than broadcast....but has nothing in her arsenal that is "star"......but....like I said......looked AMAZING!!!!!!

Show over........Debbie thanks everyone for being there, and now it's 3:45 and they have to get everyone out and the broadcast audience in there by 4:30. It's not easy as almost everyone brought a cell phone which they had to leave with security and now they have to get it back, AND they have an Idol kiosk to buy stuff. JW and I leave CBS to go eat and talk about what we saw and how it differed from the last time we both were there (and one time...JW sat next to Nigel and gave him advice on stuff during the live show cause JW knows his stuff about singers....I told him to get a job there......unfortunately....he didn't).

What you see on the air is never the same as BEING THERE for any show...and Idol is no different. It was much more fascinating to go to a rehearsal than the live show as you see the difference between the two.....and for that.....again.....I thank Michael Orland, and every member of the Idol staff who all contribute in their own way to the undeniable success of this show, regardless of MY opinion of anything. Now.....if someone will just re-think the stupid packages and let the judges have their say like always......better. Yes...it can't ramble on and on, but that's part of being a producer. Tell the cast what they have to do to accomplish time constraints. Show timing is the art of producing as much as any element of the show.

If it takes a village...........overall......the townspeople of Idol have nothing to regret.

I hope you enjoyed this.

Kenny