American Idol ramblings....

First, I am so glad that Carly is gone. For those who didn't hear the on-air rants, I thought she should have never been allowed on the show. She had a major label deal...here's something from the Huffington Post...

After moving to L.A., Smithson and her booming voice caught the attention of longtime composer Steve Dorff, father of actor Stephen Dorff.

"I discovered her," Steve Dorff told the AP. "I heard a CD that my manager sent. I called him back and wanted to meet with her. I assumed she was 25, 26."

Dorff said he was impressed by the "absolutely motivated" and "very cute, young, tiny and bubbly, fun kid" with curly hair.

He recorded some demos with Smithson, who had taken leave from high school, and introduced her to then MCA President Jay Boberg, who "flipped out" and signed her, Dorff said. Dorff was also parental, taking Smithson to Disneyland for the first time, along with his kids.

However, Smithson's "Ultimate High" was fraught with contentiousness. Dorff said he had creative differences with her and left the project. MCA spent $2 million trying to sell it, reported The Wall Street Journal in a 2002 story on Smithson.

"I thought she was more of a pop singer and better suited to that niche than rock. That was the direction she wanted to go. I didn't feel that was the direction I could serve her," Dorff said. "I let her do her thing and she did. ... It was not the album I would have made."

That album included the bouncy track "I'm Gonna Blow Your Mind" and a 2002 slot opening for Bryan Adams in Dublin, playing to more than 100,000 people. Photos on MCA's site feature Smithson in rock 'n' roll sleek belly baring tops, leather pants and wind-blown hair.

Dorff, who has worked with Celine Dion and Barbra Streisand, among others, did note that he had no regrets. For Smithson, he said, "it just wasn't the right time."

Hmmm.....

We are looking forward to another week of broadcasting from the Idol finals. This year they are relocating from the Kodak Theater to the new Nokia Center downtown. We adding a day to our broadcasting so we can catch Simon, Paula and Randy. If I get to talk to Nigel Lithgoe (sp?) I am going to ask him about Carly.