Idol Chatter & Voice Views

If you haven’t heard, American Idol ratings are down this year?

Well, of course you’ve heard.  That news has been broadcast all over the place.

With Hollywood Week beginning Wednesday night, Nigel Lythgoe didn’t seem all that concerned when he addressed the media in a conference call Tuesday afternoon.

He noted that back in Season 1, no one was certain Idol would be on for more than three weeks.

“Am I worried about the ratings?  I’m more worried about getting the show right,” Nigel said.

“The rest of the world would love these ratings.  We should be saying, ‘Isn’t it great that we’re still America’s number one show?'”

That said, part of the ratings decline might be attributable to the fact that Idol isn’t the only game in town anymore.

The Voice debuted last spring and is going head-to-head with Idol this year.   The X Factor premiered in the fall, making it seem like two seasons of Idol on FOX per year, Nigel said.

That means some loss of audience, just as would happen if there are too many science fiction shows or too many hospital dramas on TV, he said.

He also took a couple of mild shots at the other TV singing competions.

Of The Voice:  “I think it’s a fun format. Very gimmicky … I particularly like the relationship between Blake (Shelton) and Adam (Levine).  Other than that, I think they need stronger talent.”

And as for whether all these singing shows could wind up diluting the talent pool … well, Nigel said reducing the age limit on Idol to 15 helped.  The Voice, he said, seems to be focusing on performers who haven’t made it or who are trying to “re-make” it.  The X Factor did a little of both.

“I just feel blessed that America is so big and has such wonderful talent,” he said.

Among the other topics touched on during the conference call:

* Ryan Seacrest’s future with the show:  “There can always be an Idol without anybody,” Nigel said, adding he’s a little surprised that question comes up given the departure of Simon before Season 10.  “That said, I believe (Ryan) is best host in business. I hate to think of him leaving.  He’s the glue that sticks it together and moves it along.  I hope he doesn’t leave.  I hope they try to sort out a deal.”

* About the shortage of bad audtions in Season 11:  “We haven’t had, in truth, that many bad ones that were bad fun,” Nigel said. “William Hung was bad fun.”  He added that Idol has “become a lot more wary in the way we treat people.  I think we’ve decided we’d like to feature the talent.  At end of the day, it’s about the talent.  We are as strong or as weak as the final talent we present.”

* About this year’s talent:  “What I loved last year was that we had such a diversity of talents and allowed them to stay in their genres,” Nigel said.  That diversity — like the inclusion of  a jazz singer like Casey Abrams — encouraged a more diverse group of auditioners. “I think the diversity of talent (in Season 11) is terrific.”

* About the judges not being tough enough:  Nigel said it’s very easy for a music executive like Simon to criticize a contestant because he’s thinking in terms of whether that contestant can make money for a record label. It’s tougher for artists like Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler because they likely remember times they’ve been criticized and because they worry people won’t like them if they’re too critical.

‘If all people want is negativity, then don’t watch.  If what you want is real good talent without gimmicks, watch American Idol, because that’s what you’re going to get.”

* There will be no major changes to the Idol format this year.  Jimmy Iovine will be back in the same role as last year.  And, yes, guest mentors will again be featured on the show.

* On “Smash:”   Nigel thought Katharine McPhee was “fantastic.”  “It will be interesting to see if the public stays with it,” he says.  Nigel’s not sure that will be the case “without the camp-ery of Glee.”