Hi All.  Even though I haven’t had the time to track the American Idol 11 contestants – or spoil the top 24 – doesn’t mean that it hasn’t been spoiled.  My spoiling partner, Idol Maniac, has kept up. He has released 10 of the top 24 so far over the last few days, and will have a big reveal after tonights Idol Episode – where he has nearly all of the top 24.  He legit people.  Tweet hashtag #idolspoilers,

Twitter – http://twitter.com/idolspoilers
Blog – http://theidolpad.blogspot.com/

Hi all.  Here’s a link to a live east coast feed for tonight’s premier of THE X FACTOR.  Watch it at 5:00 Pacific at:

http://tvpc.tv/Channel.php?ChannelID=3073

I am so excited to see Simon and Paula together again.  Don’t forget that you can CHAT with us here or, if you prefer full screen it is

http://joesplaceblog.cbox.ws/

FYI: I haven’t began to trakh Idol contestants this year.  Sorry….I just couldn’t force myself to do it.  It’s waaaay too much like a job.  LOL

….and so it begins…

American Idol 11 Contestant Listing

If you, or anyone you know, made it to AT LEAST Round one of American Idol 11, send me an email at jp@joesplaceblog.com.  All tips are held in strict confidence.  I never reveal my sources, and it really helps to get your name out as early as possible.  Fan pages start way early!

Also, If you know where and when Round TWO will be in any audition city, drop me an email at jp@joesplaceblog.com

Announced Auditions
Tuesday, June 28th: Saint Louis, Missouri
Saturday, July 2nd: Portland, Oregon
Friday, July 22nd: Charleston, South Carolina

Contestants that Made it Past AT LEAST Round One

Adis Sahbegovic

• Age:
• Hometown: St. Louis, MO
• Audition City: St. Louis
• Facebook: http://facebook.com/adis.sahbegovic

Alyssa Schwartz

• Age:
• Hometown: Jackson, MO
• Audition City: St. Louis, MO
• Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=501357141

COURTNAE’ SINGLETON

• Age:
• Hometown:
• Audition City: St. Louis, MO

David (Pookie) Jackson

• Age:
• Hometown: St Louis, MO
• Audition City: St. Louis
• Facebook: http://facebook.com/david.v.pookie

Dean __________

• Age:
• Hometown: Chesterfield, MO
• Audition City: St. Louis, MO
• Facebook:

Ethan Jones

• Age:
• Hometown:
• Audition City: St. Louis, MO

Jacqui Rogers

• Age:
• Hometown: St Louis
• Audition City: St. Louis
• Photo: http://www.stlbeacon.org/images/stories/diversions/television/AIrogers150jacqui.jpg
• Source: http://www.stlbeacon.org/arts-life/music/111306-idol-brings-excitement-to-st-louis

Joe Banua

• Age:
• Hometown:
• Audition City: St. Louis, MO
• Facebook:

Kalyn McNeil

• Age:
• Hometown: St. Louis
• Audition City: St. Louis
• Facebook: http://facebook.com/kalyn.mcneil

Lauren Gray

• Age:
• Hometown:
• Audition City: St Louis

Lauren Margraves

• Age:
• Hometown:
• Audition City: St. Louis
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1000915503

Madeline Viilo

• Age:
• Hometown:
• Audition City: St. Louis
• Facebook:

Mary Beth Johnson

• Age:
• Hometown: St. Louis
• Audition City: St. Louis
• Source: http://www.stlbeacon.org/arts-life/music/111306-idol-brings-excitement-to-st-louis

Morgan Boeckel

• Age:
• Hometown:
• Audition City: St. Louis
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/morganboeckel

Nathan Alles

• Age:
• Hometown:
• Audition City: St. Louis
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1304550444&sk=wall

Nick Powers

• Age: 23
• Hometown:
• Audition City: St. Louis
• Facebook: http://facebook.com/thenickpowers

Trevor May

• Age: 16
• Hometown:Olney
• Audition City: St. Louis
• Audition Song: Heard it Through the Grapevine
• Source: http://www.bnd.com/2011/06/28/1766929/i-just-lost-it-hopefuls-give-their.html

Simon Cowell last night broke his silence to explain why he killed off Cheryl Cole’s American dream.

The 51-year-old claimed he thought she would be happy to move back to the UK version of The X Factor but admitted he bottled out of telling her.

Instead, he sent X Factor’s executive producer Richard Holloway to deliver the bad news.

Cowell said: “The hardest thing to accept is that everyone has painted me as a monster because I embarassed her, but the truth was I was protecting her. I just want people to be in the best place at the right time.”

Earlier, bosses confirmed that after failing to respond to their offer to come back, she had been officially replaced on the US panel by ex-Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger – who arrived for an interview in London for the Graham Norton Show.

Cheryl filmed just four episodes of the US version of X Factor last month. » Read more: Cheryl Cole: Simon Cowell breaks his silence on why she has been axed from US X Factor

Introducing the Group 4 Auditioners performing on MyndJack Radio Idol Season 3 with special guest judges Kristen Baldwin, Michael Slezak and Season 2′s TJ! It all kicks off Tuesday, June 7th at 9 pm EST on www.AllDigitalRadio.com!

Also for your listening pleasure: Group 1 Audition show with Kristen McNamara & Dr. Lulzington , Group 2 Audition show with Kiirsten Kuhi & Chazz Timmer , and Group 3 Audition show with Alex Nester & Griff Heartfield .

Here are some audio links:
Group 1 Audition show: http://www.alldigitalradio.com/?q=node/2913
Group 2 Audition show: http://www.alldigitalradio.com/?q=node/2929
Group 3 Audition show: http://www.alldigitalradio.com/?q=node/2934

Introducing the Group 2 Auditioners performing on MyndJack Radio Idol Season 3 with special guest judges Kiirsten Kuhi from Verity In Stereo and Season 2′s Powerhouse Finalist Chaz Timmer! It all kicks off Tuesday, May 31st at 9 pm EST on www.AllDigitalRadio.com!

It’s over. American Idol Season 10 has come to a very strong conclusion with, what I consider, one of its’ strongest Finale nights ever. We had music legends from every genre represent themselves on the Nokia stage and I got to be there live to watch it all go down. The lights, the sound, the pseudo-celebrities, and the incredibly weird people that always find a way to sit one row in front of me. It all made the experience that much more exciting! I’m going to try and make this a tradition because Idol Finale week was absolutely the nerdiest thing I’ve ever done in my life and I intend to get nerdier every year. So… who won?

Scotty McCreery took the crown away from reigning champ Lee Dewyze (who we barely saw except for a few seconds sitting behind Ryan) to become the tenth American Idol. In ten years, we have accomplished quite a bit. Kelly Clarkson, the first pop star. Ruben Studdard, the R&B Velvet Teddy Bear. Fantasia Barrino, the R&B teen with a distinct voice. Carrie Underwood, the Country diva. Taylor Hicks, the throwback Soul singer. Jordin Sparks, the second pop star. David Cook, the rocker. Kris Allen, the Singer/Songwriter. Lee Dewyze, the current champ. This show has a history. We all are a part of this history, and we have all had our fair share of victories and disappointments along the way because that’s what it means to be invested with this program. We want to see dreams come true.

So, we crowned our very first male Country artist. Carrie Underwood has shown us the power of Country music, as she is the most successful American Idol of all time. Can Scotty replicate that career trajectory? We’ll see. I am willing to make one prediction that I think many will agree with… Hate him or not, Scotty McCreery will be the most successful male American Idol. He’s a young kid with a good heart and a strong head on his shoulders and he is going to be pushed hard by Jimmy Iovine and Idol producers. I can definitely see him making quite the impression. Good luck to him, and good luck to the runner-up, Lauren Alaina, who will probably also do very well in the Country genre. These kids, if they play their cards right, will never have to work again. » Read more: The NGH Report – The Finale of American Idol Season 10

It’s the fact that I won a bet and for an entire YEAR Nibble must start each and every sentence with “IMO…”.

“IMO, the sky is blue…”

“IMO, A girl can win Idol…”

“IMO, I have to go to work…”

and on and on and on…for 365 full days….

And just for the record, as I’ve said for an entire year…a girl will never again win American Idol unless Idol finally gets wise and limits the votes.  Agree now, Nibs?

“I’ll be fine.” Truer words were never spoken. We learned that Lauren Alaina sings better when she’s drugged up and fighting for her very survival. She should be thanking her vocal chords for blowing out a bit because without that little bit of terrified, back to the corner, attitude she would have never stood a chance against Scotty McCreery. We will go through each round one by one and decide who came out the winner, but first let me tell you a little bit about what it was like to actually be sitting in the Nokia theater rooting for these young adults.

I arrived in the morning to stand in line and wait for my ticket with a few friends, and then had about five hours to kill before the show started. I got a beer, relaxed a bit, and then went into a courtyard FULL of insane American Idol fans. I love this show, but not like these people. It was like walking into an asylum. Idol contestants from years gone by wandered around like the undead with a mixed look of trepidation and excitement to be noticed apparent on their faces. Hey, look! Paige Miles! Who the hell cares? Seriously, what is going through these alumni’s heads when they see sweaty, loud, mouth breathing fans shuffling forward, arms reaching out asking for autographs, eyes desperate and determined?

» Read more: The NGH Report – American Idol 10’s Top 2: “I’ll be fine.”

TMZ: Lauren Alaina may not get her shot to be the next “American Idol” because she has lost her voice …spies on the set tell TMZ … and it could be the break of a lifetime for Haley Reinhart.

We’re told during the rehearsal this afternoon, Lauren — who has been losing her voice — was supposed to sing three songs.  She got through the first, struggled through the second and was unable to perform the third.

Our spies say a doctor on the set has ordered Lauren not to sing or speak, but there is a “real possibility” she will not be able to perform on tonight’s show.

We’re told if Lauren is unable to perform, producers will reinstate the third place finisher — Haley Reinhart who will then compete against Scotty McCreery for the title.

Producers are trying to find Haley right now.

Simon Cowell and Jimmy Iovine didn’t fare as well as Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler and Fox network, experts say.

By Gil Kaufman

Though it has ruled the TV for much of the past decade, there were no guarantees that “American Idol” would lord the airwaves when season 10 kicked off in January. But with a champion about to be crowned in the battle of the country teens between Lauren Alaina and Scotty McCreery, we thought we’d convene a panel of experts to sift through this year’s other winners and losers.

The Winners Fox Network: The most obvious winner, according to The Hollywood Reporter‘s music editor Shirley Halperin is the Fox network itself. Coming into a season of vast uncertainty following the departure of three-quarters of the judging panel, including anchor Simon Cowell, not to mention a ratings dip, the network had every reason to be concerned.

“The first big winner would have to be Fox, because everyone predicted complete doom for ‘American Idol’ season 10,” Halperin said. “Not only are the [ratings] numbers stable, they’re just as strong as last season and I have a feeling the finale will top last season.”

Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez: Other winners, according to Richard Rushfield, author of “American Idol: The Untold Story,” are new judges Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez. Surely the two music veterans have achieved exactly what they wanted with their unlikely new roles. For Tyler, the reinvention as America’s wacky, loving uncle after four decades in the spotlight fronting hard-partying Aerosmith has not only helped his band move tons of back-catalog songs and albums, but also provided the perfect launching pad for his just-released memoir and debut solo single. » Read more: ‘American Idol’ Season 10′s Other Winners And Losers

Despite predictions of doom following the exit of Simon Cowell, “American Idol” proved resilient this year, remaining a ratings monster for Fox while shoring up the vitality of the brand that, in recent years, had lost some of its luster. This year, unlike the last three seasons of “Idol,” there will be no mopey, soft-rock-inclined, wounded-boy winner. Instead, the final two are both young country singers: Scotty McCreery, 17, and Lauren Alaina, 16.

The similarities end there, though. Mr. McCreery began with a deep-voice gimmick and developed into one of the show’s most mature singers, and an electric, sometimes goofy performer. Ms. Alaina began the season as a favorite but struggled with nerves and has only just begun to reclaim her status, and her big voice. » Read more: Live: ‘American Idol’ Finale

Sadly, I nailed it. I would have loved to see the results go a different way but that’s the name of the game, folks! We are now down to our final two contestants and I will be reporting next week from the Finale! But, before I get into tonight’s episode, I’d like to make a serious comment…

Quit complaining. No, seriously, it makes you look cheap. This is a competition. I’ve seen comments tonight that range from disappointed (rightly) to insulting and derogatory (no excuse for this). I’m from Texas, and I’m also a fan of Country music, and to read comment after comment about “Hee Haw Idol” or “Hick Idol” is incredibly stupid and insulting. We are human beings too and we don’t deserve to be stereotyped by bitter fans. Quit this mindless drivel about the South. It makes you look like children. Next week will be Country Idol and people will complain. Personally? I’m excited about it! It’s something new that we haven’t seen before on this show! We have only had ONE Country winner in the past nine seasons: Carrie Underwood. She, to this date, is the ONLY Country Finalist to ever grace the Top 2. So, please, stop this ridiculous notion that we hear so many Country singers on this program when, in reality, next week will mark our second Country winner.

You want to know why Scotty and Lauren made the Finale? They’re likeable. It’s an easy explanation. America voted for two kids that represent something new and bright. They’re easy-going teenagers who say “please” and “thank you” and are friendly to those they meet. They aren’t the devil’s spawn. Get over yourselves.

» Read more: The NGH Report – Thoughts on American Idol 10’s Top 3 Results