And some changes are afoot while assurances that the next season of American Idol will look a lot the same.
Paula, Randy and Simon will be back as a team. Undoubtedly they will be joined by those ever-present, ever-pleasant, ever-annoying guest judges, but the trio that we love to love or love to hate will remain intact through AI4. Season four. Wow. Does time fly or what?
The big change? Well, okay, so the change isn't that big, and it's not at the end I was hoping for but...the age range has been altered. In the first three seasons, the cut-off age was 25 -- 26 if a contestant wannabe was 25 during the tryouts. Of course, the minimum age, as we saw in abundance last season was 16.
Many, including myself, were hoping the producers would increase the minimum age limit after last season, after a final 12 that was so heavily high school. The minimum age remains the same, but the maximum age has increased from 26 to 28. Hopefully this small change will allow for much greater diversity in the contestant pool. Unfortunately, it might also allow Scooter Girl to try again. Oy.
Try-outs for AI4 begin next week -- August 4 -- in Cleveland, Ohio. From there out intrepid band of judges will have their ears toasted in Las Vegas, Orlando, D.C., Anchorage, and three other cities.
The first episode of American Idol, Season 4 is scheduled for January on FOX. Can't wait!!!
