Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Kelly Clarkson tries to lure a singer to her team on The Voice Season 29. (NBC Photo)

It’s official, folks. Fans at home will not decide who wins The Voice this spring.

There won’t be any voting from home in Season 29. Heck, Season 29 won’t include a single live show.

Executive producer Audrey Morrissey broke that news in an interview with Gold Derby last week.

It came as she explained Season 29’s gimmick-laden format.

The season will end with a four-singer finale. To quote the Gold Derby story: “The winner will be decided by an in-studio voting block made up of super fans and former contestants.”

Translation: If you’re watching from home and have a favorite you’d like to support, too bad. You will have no say — absolutely none — in the Season 29 outcome.

During an interview to promote the new season, Kelly Clarkson called the change “exciting.”

I have lots of words to describe it.

Guess what?

Not a single one of those words is a synonym for exciting.

Look, The Voice has been heading in this direction for a while now, becoming more pointless season after season.

Season 28 marked the first time coaches hand-picked most of the finalists. And the first time there was only one live show. And the first time fans got to determine the results just once.

But the timing of this change is truly odd. It comes as American Idol and The Voice go head to head on Monday nights for a full season. That’s another first.

I’d remind fans of The Voice that fan voting on American Idol will start soon. That there will be plenty of chances to vote over the course of the season.

And that American Idol is a much better showcase for talented artists who make the voting rounds. Not to mention a much better show all around.

After all, The Voice is sending the message loud and clear. It doesn’t need the fans at home in Season 29.