Now that Lazaro Arbos has been eliminated, he’s been talking to the press about his experience on American Idol. And not everything he’s saying is positive — he’s calling one of the remaining contestants “crazy.” Also in today’s Roundup, tour dates have been announced for American Idol Live! Tour 2013. And producer Nigel Lythgoe is finally addressing the lack of chemistry among the season 12 judges.
American Idol Recap: A Top 5 Waste of Time? >>>
Lazaro Arbos Calls Fellow Contestant “Crazy”
Remember back when Burnell Taylor and Devin Velez threw Lazaro Arbos under the bus (without naming names, of course) after their trainwreck group performance? Well, Lazaro is doing the same thing, but instead is directing his attack at one of the five girls left in the competition. He told ABC News Radio, “I’m not gonna say names and I don’t wanna sound rude. But I think that one woman in particular is cra-a-a-a-zy and she wants to win!” He doesn’t want to sound rude, but calling one of his fellow contestants “crazy” is very rude.
He went on to say, “She thinks that we’re in The Hunger Games and she’s fighting for her life. She needs to realize that it’s not about winning: it’s about what you do after the show. The people that win are sometimes less successful than the people that don’t win.”
He won’t reveal who he’s referring to, but we can probably rule out Amber Holcomb, as he mouthed the words “Vote for Amber” while appearing as a guest on Live with Kelly & Michael this week.
It very well could be Angie Miller, considering she may have revealed her unhappiness with Lazaro staying on after Burnell was eliminated by retweeting some fan tweets that didn’t have the most positive comments to say about Lazaro.
Whoever it is, what is clear is Lazaro continues to annoy Idol fans at every turn. He has tried making poor excuses when he delivers a bad performance and even dissed the judges by saying they’ve made “horrible records.” And it’s not just Angie and Lazaro. Some of the other contestants are not being very subtle in their disdain: Curtis Finch, Jr. angrily tweeted recently that it should be him on the Idol stage instead of someone like Lazaro who constantly forgets his lyrics.
It’s not like everyone parts ways after being eliminated. These finalists will have to reunite this summer for the tour. Things could get a little awkward on the bus and backstage.
Why a Voice Kids Version is a Bad Idea >>>
American Idol Tour Dates Announced
Speaking of the tour, dates have been announced for this summer’s American Idol Live! Tour 2013. The Top 10 plus Aubrey Cleland (who was voted by America to take the 11th spot) will travel the country and Canada this summer, hitting 40 stops along the way. (This is down from 45 in the past couple years.)
The tour kicks off in St. Louis, MO, on June 29, which means the contestants will have about a month and a half to rehearse after the season ends in mid-May. Other cities they’ll hit include Detroit, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Houston, New Orleans, Orlando, Newark, Boston and Toronto. The tour is set to end on August 31 in Nashville, TN.
For each ticket sold, $1 will be donated to The Melanoma Research Alliance.
Tickets go on sale on May 3 at 10am. Visit American Idol’s official website for a full list of tour dates and information.
Should American Idol Replace the Judges’ Save with a Judges’ Veto? >>>
Nigel Lythgoe: The Judges Don’t Have Chemistry
Usually, executive producer Nigel Lythgoe is very open and willing to talk to the press or on Twitter and reveal bits of information. But he’s finally admitting that the judges this year don’t have any chemistry.
In an interview with Zap2It, he says of the tension between Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey, “That got off to a bad start and didn’t help anything.”
Nigel had nothing bad to say about the male judges, though. “The guys themselves are, goodness me, I don’t think you could find two nicer men. Randy is loved by America, and Keith is the nicest man you could hope to meet. Individually, every single one of them has something to offer.”
However, he admits when you look at the judging lineup as a whole, “For me it is a bit like a jigsaw puzzle that doesn’t quite fit. I don’t think we have good chemistry with the judges. And that saddens me. They are good individually, but I miss the camaraderie we have had in the past.”
Nigel believes the talent this year is “brilliant,” despite low ratings this season.
Aside from admitting the lack of chemistry, he also revealed something fans should pay attention to: “FOX books the judges and has the last few years.” He’s essentially saying that if the panel isn’t working, don’t blame him, it’s the network who hired them. Based on this comment, FOX must have had a hand in bringing Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez on board, and there was great chemistry during those two seasons. So maybe they can make it right again after an off season this year.
Want to add American Idol to your very own watch-list? Download BuddyTV Guide for free for your phone.
(Image courtesy of FOX)
Staff Writer, BuddyTV
Jeff Dodge, a graduate of Western Washington University, has been a TV news editor for many years and has had the chance to interview multiple reality show stars, including Randy Jackson, Nick Cannon, Heidi Klum, Mel B and John Cena.
