May 25 2009
Let’s Talk About Kara: Stay or Go?
If Kara DioGuardi had not made a splash on American Idol prior to the season finale, she sure has now. Sharing the stage with Bikini Girl Katrina Darrell, DioGuardi left a memorable impression upon viewers, who now wait to see if the fourth judge will return next season. (photo courtesy of wire services)
To some viewers, the highlight of American Idol’s finale was not Kris Allen’s coronation, but rather judge Kara DioGuardi’s bikini-flash.
DioGuardi and Bikini Girl Katrina Darrell famously sparred during the Idol season eight auditions, when the bikini-clad Darrell waltzed into the audition and proceeded to tell DioGuardi that her singing was no better than hers. On Idol’s finale, the two sang bits of Mariah Carey’s “Vision of Love” together (Darrell later said she stopped singing at one point because the show turned off her mic), but DioGuardi upped the stakes when she ripped her dress open and revealed her own bikini-clad body. No enhancements, no spray tan- just her own nicely toned self.
Quickly covering up, DioGuardi humbly said that Darrell had the better body, with Darrell later saying that DioGuardi made herself look stupid. No matter, as DioGuardi’s strip-flash arguably goes down as her most memorable moment on Idol all season. And the question becomes: Was it enough to convince FOX to bring her back for season nine?
Prior to DioGuardi’s addition, Idol had functioned just fine with its three-judge panel of Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson. The show tried adding a fourth judge before (New York radio’s Angie Martinez bowed out, as she was uncomfortable shattering hopeful’s dreams). Plus, there have been plenty of guest judges through the years. The core three functioned so strongly, though, that there was no need for a permanent fourth member of the panel.
However, Idol producers decided to pump up the panel this past season, which was just one of several tinkerings to the Idol format. Upon announcing a fourth judge, FOX insisted that it was not grooming DioGuardi to replace Abdul once her contract expires- and despite Abdul’s desire to do many other things besides Idol, we hope that she stays on as long as possible, as the show would not function the same without her over-praising, let-down-easy, bafflingly odd, off-on-tangent remarks.
On paper, DioGuardi seemed a qualified addition- as a professional songwriter, record producer and A&R executive, she knows a thing or three about the music business (she and Abdul lived together at one point and ended up co-writing Kylie Minogue’s international hit, “Spinning Around”). Once season eight commenced, we noticed Kara’s comments often were insightful, even on the mark. Throughout the season, she’s functioned as a mix of her panel peers- while she probably shares the most in common with Randy (middle-ground reactions), we sometimes see a little Paula emerge (over-the-top gushing or gentler reactions), as well as Simon (sharp criticisms- audience members even booed her, which she welcomed).
However, DioGuardi has found her own niche by claiming ownership on the word “artistry” and sometimes messing up the facts: Telling Danny Gokey he should have performed early Aerosmith rather than “Dream On”(that song is early Aerosmith); referring to Studio 54 as 57; telling Matt Giraud during disco night that he was like that guy from Saturday Night Live (rather than Saturday Night Fever) and declaring she had six words following an Adam Lambert performance (”One of the best performances of the night!”- that’s eight words).
DioGuardi has a sense of humor about her blunders, though, telling the New York Daily News, “It’s OK. I’ll poke fun at myself and I’ll look like an idiot on that front. But I want to make sure that what I’m telling them makes sense and it has meaning.”
While Cowell recently told Ellen DeGeneres that all four judges will be back next season, FOX has made no formal announcement. DioGuardi says FOX asked her to come on board for just one season, but that she would love to return. Viewers, on the other hand, may not be so cordial: a recent TVGuide.com readers poll reveals that the majority of viewers (59 percent) she should not come back, with the major complaint being that there are too many judges.
Even Abdul is not too fond of having a fourth judge on the panel, saying that the format does not work, and that it takes enough time as it is for three judges to voice their opinions. (DioGuardi told Access Hollywood that she was disappointed and hurt that Abdul didn’t discuss her opinion directly with her.).
Time and judges’ rambling (notably the gals) became such an issue in early April that the show ran over by eight minutes, resulting in DVRs cutting off Lambert’s much-heralded performance of “Mad World.” The following week, judges had to critique in pairs, so the show would not overextend itself again.
FOX undoubtedly knew that adding a fourth judge would be a challenge, in terms of time-crunch matters and viewer adjustment. Whether DioGuardi’s “striptease” antics raised her buzzworthiness and popularity enough to secure a spot on the judges’ panel come season nine, time will reveal.
Why not bring her back, FOX? With Paula actually improving coherency this season (while still uttering some rather off-the-wall stuff), we’ve come to depend on Kara’s factual flubs for entertainment value. And who knew she had that body?
Music knowledge, vocal ability and a good bikini body? Take it all in, Bikini Girl, take it all in…
