There’s news this morning that ABC didn’t work out their “American Idol” deal with Ryan Seacrest before he arrived at “Live with Kelly” and the network signed Katy Perry to be a judge on the revived series.
(No one wants “American Idol” to come back, by the way. It’s way too soon. But that’s another story.)
So Seacrest faces getting paid a lot less than Perry. His team obviously planted this story for negotiations purposes. I’m sure he figures, they can’t have “American Idol” without him.
There’s also a story going around that one time “Idol” winner Chris Daughtry was signed to be a judge.
But wait– Adam Lambert wants in. At a recent ASCAP event honoring songwriter Diane Warren, our Leah Sydney asked Adam if anyone from “Idol” had called and if he’d do it.
Lambert’s response: “it could be cute and it could be huge.” Lambert told Sydney that he’s on the road with Queen this summer, but still would want to be a judge on “Idol,” and that ”it could be worked out.”
What we don’t get is why they don’t ask Diane Warren to do it. She’d be the best “Idol” judge ever– and the most qualified. At the recent 34th annual ASCAP Pop Music awards, LeAnn Rimes performed Warren’s signature hit (among her 1000 signature hits) “How Do I Live?” ASCAP President and hitmaker Paul Williams cheered the songwriter crowd on, as they sang her songs, and Snoop Dogg kept puffing away in the Wiltern Theater.
Warren, whose talent and productivity in music is unparalleled and is still as strong as ever, was honored with the Founders Award. Relative newcomer Meghan Trainor received the Vanguard award. Snoop presented Diane (they have collaborated before) with her award to which she quipped, “Is that a spliff you’re holding?” then asked the crowd for a light for laid back Snoop. Rimes literally stole the show with her and Warren’s mega hit, “How Do I Live.”
Trainer recalled that her parents took her to an ASCAP Expo as a 16 year old, and thanked the group for “looking at me as a person, not just a pop star or a dollar sign.” Sony/ATV was awarded publisher of the year. Their greast CEO Martin Bandier noted, “ It’s a great time for the music business with streaming driving up revenue. But I don’t have to tell you songwriters are not yet sharing in this growth.” “Love Yourself” written by Ed Sheeran and Benny Blanco, was Pop Music Song of the year, and Max Martin — who writes the hits Diane doesn’t– took the Songwriter of the Year.
