A real look at the live show...

American Idol: Season 5 Forum

Inside the 'Idol' machine
USA Today

While a whopping 30 million viewers tune in to watch American Idol each week, only a few hundred fans get to squeeze into the CBS Studios set where the show is staged. Filmmaker Rich Martini, one of USA TODAY's four American Idol coaches, attended the live broadcast April 18, when contestants tackled standards. Here's his report:

As I navigated the traffic on the Santa Monica Freeway, my wife perused the elaborate regulation sheet that came with our glossy tickets.

"It says we have to be in our seats by 4:30, or the doors will close," she read with alarm.

We took every short cut I could remember, dodged snarled traffic into the multitiered parking structure next to the Los Angeles studios where the show is lensed, and finally ran to a line that snaked through a security system that would make Homeland Security proud. Cell and camera phones were confiscated (to be retrieved after the show), and the throng was ushered into a stage on the same CBS studio lot where The Price Is Right, The Carol Burnett Show and Wheel of Fortune made TV history.

Fortune smiled on me and my wife; we were able to make it into our nosebleed seats just under the wire.

Millions of Americans may be voting, but the soundstage holds fewer than 500 — and the lucky entrants are instantly blinded by the glossy high-tech stage with its blazing lights and spinning logos.

There's a 20-piece band tuning up, as the musical fare this evening includes cellists and violins for the older hits from Rod Stewart's songbook CD series. The three empty judges chairs loom over the crowd like the emperor's white marble seats at the Coliseum in Rome, and those ubiquitous Coke logo glasses are neatly stationed with straws in place before the audience settles in. A stage director with a headset dutifully explains where applause should and shouldn't go, and then does a "sign check," ordering the teenyboppers to stand up and wave their hand-drawn posters and love notes to the Idols and judges so the 10 or so roving cameras can frame them properly. They're admonished not to stand on their chairs; this regulation is routinely ignored and goes unenforced throughout the screaming, chair-hopping hour. The five tweens in front of us leap onto their seats after every commercial break.

Celebs are seated in the best camera locations, as a flock of red-jacketed ushers nudge people into their places. One usherette walks around with a Styrofoam cup, forcing people to spit out their gum (a potential weapon or just bad for close-ups?).

Cory is the 30-something comic who does a journeyman's job of warming up the audience between commercials. Spiked hair, Dunkelman delivery, he runs around the buzzing audience with a mike, asking people where they're from and riffing on the replies. He asks a young boy his age, and when he replies "7," his father, aware of the "no children under 8" rule, tells him to say "8." Cory quips, "78? You don't look at day over 8."

One more regulation goes unpunished; the father and son aren't booted. The logos begin to spin wildly on either side of the stage, and the cameras wheel into place when a voice announces, "Nine minutes."

The judges are then led out one by one, gladiators into the arena. A bodyguard leading him, Randy stops to high-five his various Dawgs and Dawgettes in the pressing crowd. He's followed by the diminutive Paula, who stops to hug and kiss some tattooed friends and wave to the many mini-Paulettes. And finally, there's a surge of screams and cheers for the cashmere-clad Cowell, who stops to smile, wave, and shake hands with delirious fans. In the back, a tour group holds up ping-pong paddles with caricatures of Simon's face.

Then comes the "fourth judge," Ryan Seacrest, who gets an equal measure of screams and swooning as a headsetted handler escorts him to various spots in the crowd where he chats, shakes hands and gives what seems to be genuine face time. All of the judges schmingle (schmooze and mingle), first with the fans and then with each other, so much so that it's apparent to this trained eye that the digs and on-camera jibes are probably scripted.

I'm reminded that the entire package is, after all, a staged spectacle — "All the world's a stage," and this stage reflects the current pulse of the planet; lots of glitz, and a judgment panel weighing in on the merits of starry-eyed amateurs. Seacrest and the judges obviously enjoy their gig; before the show, Simon hugs Paula literally off her feet, and smacks her bum to emphasize how close they really are. A photographer angles to capture a kiss between Randy and Paula and another between Ryan and Paula. My wife notes that she feels we've been dropped into the Shrek bonus feature, where Donkey and Shrek do their own versions of American Idol in front of popping flashbulbs.

The countdown to going live starts, along with admonitions of "no screaming when we start please, because this is the dramatic part of the show" Then "Five, four three, two," and that ubiquitous techno wah-wah music, with Mr. Seacrest pretending to be serious about the teleprompter text he's reading; "This is your American Idol." While the opening promo plays over a huge screen onstage, Ryan quickly moves behind it, only to emerge dramatically through the screen's center moments later. The audience is actually quite sedate when the cameras are off, but when they're on, it's Beatlemania revisited.

Watching the contestants wait offstage for their cue, or to cross and hit their marks, I realize how much rehearsal goes into the show; everyone, not just the lighting techs and remote camera wire runners, is polished.

I'm actually a bit surprised by the aplomb of the singers off camera and on; they not only know when to make eye contact with the lens, but also seem to weather the pressure like seasoned pros.

The sound mix in the theater is dramatically different from the one that airs live; on the set, voices are mixed louder, as is the band, so when an Idol nails a note, it resonates throughout the room. Any pitchy notes seem swallowed by the music, but show up more pronounced on television. The judges apparently attend rehearsals. Ryan points out to a distraught Kellie Pickler after her "butchered" rendition that "You sounded great in rehearsal." Rehearsals also give the judges time to hone the clever bon mots they toss at the contestants.

And then, like a savory Roman dish of spaghetti carbonara, it's over too soon. By the time the final credits run, no one seems to want to exit. Even the Idols stick around to schmooze a bit more, and fans linger to catch one last glimpse of their favorite judge before they disappear into the stretch limos waiting outside.

I became a fan of the show through my wife, who was hooked from the first note Kelly Clarkson let fly. Since then, like the rest of the audience, I've weathered the ups and downs, and now we have other family members addicted. My 9-month-old son was partial to Mandisa, but his affections have switched to Kellie. Despite having no vocabulary, he squeaks happily when she sings. My 21/2-year-old daughter is a fan of Taylor Hicks, and uses his name like a mantra around the house, perhaps because his hair color matches her dad's. Among my colleagues in the film business, seats at American Idol might not rank alongside courtside Lakers passes, but scoring these tickets sure impressed a very discriminating toddler.

For those that think its easy to get in...for those that think that people can hear everything that is being said: This is a view of what happened at a live show by a Taylor fan:


I registered with On Camera Audiences during Season 3 of American Idol. I have been on the waiting list for over 2 years. Three weeks ago an email came that there were seats available. They said to come down at 1:30 p.m. to get in line. They wanted us to be a part of the TV Guide Pre-Show. "

We arrived at 12 noon and were numbers 40 and 41 in line. This was when there were 11 contestants and the show was 2 hours. They explained to us that the theater holds 440 people and that the VIP's would be let in first. I was feeling pretty confident that being #40 in line would get me in somewhere in a theater that holds that many people. Well, to make an incredibly long story short, we were part of the pre-show, we were interviewed by Rosanna Traveres, they got us all hyped up to go in and see the show....we whooped and hollered our brains out...then they seated us on these metal benches outside to wait for two more hours until the show started.

It was freezing cold. Yes, this is southern California, but I am telling you, it was freezing that day. We waited and waited and then all of a sudden the people who distribute VIP passes started to show up--within and hour to 20 minutes or so of the show’s start time. By the time all the family members got in, and the VIP passes (Fox executives, media people, celebrity guests, etc.), they started to pull from the general audience members: that was us. They took only 30 of the regular fans.

So at three minutes to the start of the show we were told, after we had been waiting for more then 5 hours, and all the hyping they did to everyone during the pre-show, that is was all for nothing--we weren't getting in; we missed it by 10 spots.
We were starving (no food all day because it took us 2 hours to get there), freezing and tired, and we still didn't get to see AI. We were so bummed. The good news is that they gave us preferred passes for a future show that meant the next time we could not be turned away, no matter what. So two days later, we talked on the phone On Camera Audiences and they said they had seats available for April 4th.

This week it was POURING... LA stands still in the rain. It took us a long time to get there once again, but this time we didn't arrive until 1:30. We again were a part of the pre-show. I got to talk to Matt Rogers this time. I always liked him; he is a super nice guy. Anyway, at 4:15 p.m. they brought us into to the theater. It was amazing. It is all black and the stage sits up there twinkling like a sparkly jewel.

We were seated in the preferred section they reserve for some fox execs, etc. This is where the little 7-year-old girl who was an Ace fan had sat a few weeks ago. We weren't on camera but we were right next to Kellie Pickler's family and kitty-corner to Chris Rock and Whoopi Goldberg.

As to our seats, we didn't have anyone sitting in front of us. We were just a few inches from the edge of the stage. Someone from the Fox photography crew took a picture of us and our Hicks Chicks sign. I don't know where that will turn up. We had two gentlemen sitting next to us, so what do I do? I hear they too are big fans of Taylor, so I tell them they have to hold my other giant electric blue sign with silver glitter that says, OUR NEXT IDOL IS TAYLOR MADE. I couldn't believe they did it because it had silver glittery hearts all over it, but they were happy to.

About 10 minutes before showtime, the judges come in. Randy was First: he walked in behind our section and up to the judges seats, down the aisle, right next to the judges chairs. We were only about 12 feet from the judges. (It looks much bigger on TV than the studio actually is).

The two guys sitting next to us who took my other sign, said they have been in the audience a bunch of times the stage in the beginning seasons was pretty rickety. He said that this stage was so much more solid now. It is stainless steel and houses the orchestra and all those big screens now. I digress......back to the judges.

Randy came in and he has beautiful skin. His teeth are perfect. Then Paula came in…now I like Paula alright but either she is seriously relaxed or she has no bones....she is really wobbly all over the place. She followed the same path Randy did; she clasped the hands of the fans as she walked by them.

Then came Simon....Simon, Simon, Simon. He is something else. That man has more personality in his little finger than the other two combined, it just pours out of him. (Stopping here for a moment: I have a friend who is a reporter and she has interviewed Simon a bunch of times and she says he is a wonderful person.) I always thought that I would have to take her word for it...well; I see now what she meant. He is very lively, and personable. He walked up the isle right next to us, shaking everyone's hands, looking in our eyes, saying “hello,” “thank you for coming,” etc. He was really sweet, he said hello to us, etc. He went and sat down. He looked over our way again and winked. It could have been meant for Whoopi Goldberg but, if it is all the same to you guys, I am going to keep it as mine. In all fairness, I don't think he saw Whoopi yet, because when he did, he jumped up to greet her.

There is so much more that goes on between commercial breaks than I ever knew. The judges get up at the half-way mark of the show and go backstage for some reason. They also took Chris Rock and his daughter and Whoopi Goldberg and the people with her backstage during commercial breaks.

Nigel Lithgow is up there talking to the judges during commercial breaks too. He almost seemed to be coaching them...it was odd, I think there is more scripted in the show than any of us realize. I think they want it to look random, but it doesn't play that way when you are there. If you think about it, they can't let too much happen naturally, 30 million people are watching, they do have to have some sort of a game plan.

I will say, something I think a lot of people don't realize, I know that I sure didn't, they have security strategically planted throughout those front seats around the stage. I don't know if they were Whoopi's or Chris Rock's people, or AI people, but let's just say they are keeping everyone up there--judges, contestants and celebrities--really safe.

Two minutes before we go live, Ryan walks out and the audience goes nuts. He welcomes everyone. Well, Ryan is one of my favorite people for lots of reasons, I won't get into it now, I will say that I have met him before and did a segment on his show OARS a while back. Ryan is a warm and wonderful human being. I think he genuinely loves this job and the contestants. He didn't interact with the audience as much as I thought he would and as much as I have seen him do in the past. He was, as always, spot on. He could do this job in his sleep. (He did say “hi” after being in our part of the stage before Bucky started, that was fun.) Ok, now to the only contestant who really matters: Taylor! When Ryan said Taylor was going first I almost died. The lights in studio dimmed and they focused attention on the big screen and Kenny Rogers. From our side of the stage, we saw Taylor walk out. He has a presence. He walked to center stage, down the ramp thing to the mike. He stopped in front of it and adjusted the mike stand and then he looked up...it is like his radar was on for our sign because the very first thing he did was see it and read it, that is when he laughed and gave us the thumbs up and smile as if to say, ALL RIGHT.... We squealed. I might throw in here that we are WAY too old to be squealing. (I am a mother and I had my mother with me.) Anyway, it was a moment to remember and I imagine Taylor got a kick out of two grown men holding the other sign I made. I don't know if he did, but I sure did! Let me interject that I am kind of mad that Taylor is so cute because I didn't want to love someone on AI this much.

The lights went back up, and Taylor started to sing. He sounded fabulous in the studio. I wanted to see him move because I love me some moving Taylor, but it was all good. He radiates energy and warmth and I loved his performance. If that is Taylor on an off night, man....I don't know what to say. Don't know if I could keep from running onstage to him on an “on” night. Anyway, he finished singing and turned to the judges. It is VERY hard to hear what they are saying because their mikes don't feed into a normal amplification system, the way they do at a concert. They feed into the cameras. I couldn't even tell some of what was said until we watched it on the playback. All I saw was Taylor's sweet face smiling and taking it and being so gracious. Then he left the stage....then everyone else sang.

At the end of the show while they are running the playbacks and the Numbers, they bring all the contestants out on center stage. They wait for the lights to come up and close the show. They all kind of watch themselves on the big screen behind them and laugh or poke fun at each other...etc. It is obvious they all seem to like each other a great deal. There seems to be a lot of genuine friendship between them.

When they start to play the theme as Ryan closes the show and the second the show is off the air, the theme song stops and everyone starts hugging each other. Then they start to go back stage. There was no interaction between the judges and contestants from the stage after the show. The judges probably talk to them backstage.

As the audience starts to file out, the judges leave. I was waiting in line to get out and I get nudged from behind and hear a very familiar English accent say, "Do you mind if I get through?.?.", in mocking disgust. Sure enough I look at the person next to me who is grinning ear to ear and fully amused with himself by the obnoxious tone to his voice with laughter twinkling out of both eyes, yes, it was Simon Cowell! He was so tickled that he got to act like a jerk to us. It was great. We of course let him through.

Great articles, mystic. Thanks for the share. They were both good reads.

Thanks Mystic. I had read the second one but not the first one until today. Both were very good reads.