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'American Idol' EP Ken Warwick: 'Maybe we change the voting system slightly next year'
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Ken Warwick, executive producer of "American Idol," spoke with the press Wednesday (April 20) about the show's 10th season so far and what changes might be made going forward.He says first and foremost that the people involved with "Idol" are well aware of the voting issues.
"It's no secret that most reality shows are female driven, either by mums or by young girls. It does mean we're going to get a heftier amount of female votets and it's always bent towards the boys, obviously," says Warwick. "We are very much aware that the voting can be skewed towards the boys. It's something we're going to have a long discussion about once we finish this [season]."
"We're going to have discussions on how we can keep it fair ... Maybe we change the voting system slightly next year. Maybe we limit the number of SMS votes or the number of online votes, but it will remain the way it is for the rest of this [season]," he continues. "It's the public that vote and that's the end of it and that's what the show's all about."
There have been people placing part of the blame for the voting this season on the judges not offering any actual critiques of the contestants.
Warwick responds, "The truth of the matter is these kids are very good and I wouldn't influence the judges to say anything they don't absolutely believe ... They are trying to keep things on the straight and narrow. What they feel are genuine feelings, that's all I can ask them to do."
And as far as the other shows out there like "The Voice" or "The X Factor," Warwick considers "Idol" still to be the standard-bearer for shows of this ilk.
"I'm not about to change dramatically to keep up with something I haven't even seen yet and hasn't been proven," states Warwick.
"American Idol" airs Wednesday and Thursday nights at 8 p.m. ET on FOX.
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Too late, I've stopped watching and dvr'n Idol, after the Pia fiasco. It's been biased since day 1 after Daughtry was sent home, you've finally lost this follower for good.
We don't need "sappy, high on sugar octane judging." I disagree with the EP's in suggesting that "all the contestants are good this year!" I don't know AI programming he's listening to, but I obviously am hearing a different melody and tone each week. Pia's departure was a complete disaster. More power should be given to the judges to safe a contestant if necessary. They used their only "one save vote" for Casey. It was far to early in the season to be using the one save vote!!!!
Pia went because she didn't win over enough of the voting public including myself. This idea that women only vote for men stuff is nonsense. How did Kelly Clarkson, Fantasia and Carrie Underwood win their seaosns, then? I vote for who sings best and who entertains me the most. This year that is James, Scotty and ( gasp a girl) Lauren.
Headline: Idol EP tackles important subject; Has NOTHING to say!
Blah, blah, blah. We have known this for years. 14 year old girls run the show. Boys - scratch that - CUTE boys get the votes.
Millie, things have changed since texting emerged. It is so much easier to vote 200 times than it used to be.
Easy solutions, suggested many times before: Use the Dancing With the Stars system, in which each phone number, email address or text account gets as many votes as there are contestants (9 contestants = 9 votes per). OR, charge .50 per call and donate all of it to Idol Gives Back.
Reason Idol will never do either of these things: Their lucrative contract with AT&T, of course.
All the voting is messed up anyway I stopped watching after Daughtry, and the videos that I seen of Toscano weren't that great. She will be fine so let it go.
It's not "America" voting when Becky from Cleveland can use a robo-dialer to vote for the the cute guy 3700 times. If Mr. Warwick wants to make the votes fair he needs to set controls. One vote per phone number. One vote per ISP. Maybe then the disillusioned viewers will begin voting again, and the results will mean something.
Here's a better idea...how about CXLing this show!
Sylvester, you're funny...They aren't gonna cancel the number 1 rated show. As long as people watch, it'll go on and on and on.
Judges already have the "save"vote & their words influence viewers. They convinced the world that Casey is good. They are hard selling James right now. James or Casey will win because of the judges and Ryan's words.
I agree the judges have been hyping the boys especially James,
Casey and Jacob. You don't see them jumping up and down for any of the girls. They have been pushing the boys all along. None of them can judge especially JLO with all her flirting and wanting attention. Check them out after the boys performances they clap a long time with the girls they clap a little bit and some times just talk to one another.