Idol Chatter & Voice Views

I got a little miffed when we started hearing critiques from Jimmy Iovine  Thursday  night on American Idol.

I mean, a lot of good this does us, American Idol — feedback after all the results are in.

As the night wore on, I realized the other reason I was miffed.

Jimmy Iovine was delivering the type of honest, on-the-mark, no-holes-barred critiques American Idol has been missing since Simon Cowell left two years ago.

Jimmy pronounced Eben Franckewitz “not ready for primetime.”

Two nights after judges tried to pretend Eben’s ill-advised rendition of Adele’s “Set Fire to the Rain” was satisfactory, indeed even “very good” in the words of Jennifer Lopez.

Jimmy praised Joshua Ledet’s vocal ability, but said it would be the mentors’ job to make sure his performances don’t turn into “Sister Act 3.”

In other words, week after week of gospel-like performances aren’t likely to take the Idol crown.

About Heejun Han, Jimmy says, “This isn’t American Comedian.  It’s American Idol.”

Someone had to say it.

Someone’s likely to have to say it again before Season 11 is over.

So the obvious question becomes:  Why isn’t Jimmy saying these things from the judges’ table during the live shows?

It’s not as though executive producer Nigel Lythgoe doesn’t know the problem, though there’s some question as to whether he considers it a problem.

Asked in a recent conference call about the Idol judges’ reluctance to criticize, Nigel pointed out that they are performers.

“An artist like Jennifer or Steven go, ‘Oh, God, I remember when I took criticism for this or I took criticism for that.  I don’t want to be too harsh,'” Nigel said.

On the other hand, a recording executive like Simon is more likely to be critical “because his thought behind everything is: ‘Can you make me money?’

“Jimmy Iovine’s exactly the same:  ‘If I invest in you, will you make me money?'”  Nigel added.  “And that’s how their brains work.”

So why not let his brain work, for the good of Idol and for the good of viewers at home trying to separate the pretenders from the contenders among the final 13?

I know, it’s probably too late to make a major change for Season 11.

We’ll have to hope the judges continue Wednesday’s trend of being at least slightly more honest with contestants, though their feedback is often too technical for viewers at home to follow.

But for Season 12 … Jimmy Iovine in the seat currently occupied by Randy Jackson … just the thought makes me smile.