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Carrie Underwood has come quite far since winning American Idol in 2005—and it’s safe to say the show has made good on its titular promise.Underwood tops this year’s list of the highest-paid Idol alums, pulling in $31 million thanks to platinum-selling Blown Away, extensive touring and endorsement deals with the likes of Olay. Not only is that more than any Idol contestant, but it exceeds the annual earnings of last year’s judges Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj and Keith Urban.All in all, Underwood has earned $83 million over the past five years, and she’s one of many acts continuing to profit...

As American Idol begins its 13th season with a new judges' panel, new producers and a whole new slew of hopefuls, the show's business practices are under scrutiny as a discrimination lawsuit filed by 10 black former contestants continues to wind its way to court. The plaintiffs, all of whom were disqualified from the show over six seasons for reasons other than singing -- including criminal history -- were recently issued notices of "right to sue" by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, allowing the 429-page lawsuit they filed in July to move forward. In response, American Idol, FOX and the...

<p>The singer joins Keith Urban and Jennifer Lopez on the upcoming panel.</p> <p>Harry Connick Jr. is returning to American Idol -- this time, in a judge's seat.</p> <p>The singer, who has appeared on the Fox reality competition multiple times as a mentor and performer, is inking a deal to serve as a judge alongside Keith Urban and Jennifer Lopez on the upcoming 13th season, a source close to the show tells The Hollywood Reporter.</p>

Ten black former American Idol contestants from various seasons have filed a lawsuit against the show, claiming that they were eliminated from the competition due to a racist ratings scheme, TMZ.com reports. New York attorney James H. Freeman, representing the plaintiffs, says he began investigating the show after Jermaine Jones was kicked off on March 15, 2012, because he didn't inform producers about multiple outstanding warrants for his arrest. Freeman then discovered that throughout Idol's then-11-season run, only nine other people had been publically disqualified. And as it turns out, all of them happened to be black.

"They that can give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." Ben Franklin is much quoted in today's debate on the trade-off between freedom and security, as we learn about the National Security Agency's easy access to our phone records and emails. Yet we Americans have often sacrificed liberty for safety. In World War II, Korea and Vietnam, we conscripted millions of men and sent hundreds of thousands to their deaths fighting against Italians, Germans, Japanese, Koreans and Vietnamese. The greater antagonist of liberty is not the quest for security, but our insatiable...

On May 4, the town of Beverly, Massachusetts threw a huge parade and concert for 19-year-old “American Idol” contestant Angie Miller, who made the top three in the competition. “It’s a great chance to show off our fair city,” Mayor Bill Scanlon said. The city spent $31,200 on security, cleanup and other costs associated with the events, he said. So it must have looked like an odd contrast in American values when the town of Beverly, Massachusetts then canceled its parade for Memorial Day 23 days later, a tradition for more than 100 years. Thousands turned out for the pop...

<p>Short AP articles must be excerpted to 50% of content.</p>

The bad dream of a season for Fox’s “American Idol” ended Thursday with a ratings nightmare, as the singing competition lost a staggering 7 million viewers from last season’s finale. Thursday’s finale, in which Candice Glover won the coveted prize, averaged 14.3 million viewers, according to overnight ratings. That’s down a third from more than 21 million last year — and the news gets worse. Two years ago the finale had more than 29 million viewers, meaning “Idol” has shed half its audience in two years. And from Fox’s viewpoint, that’s not even the worst number. Thursday’s share of the...

Even if the reports are true that Fox wants to replace all four judges on American Idol next season, it doesn't matter to Randy Jackson. Jackson tells E! News exclusively that he's done with the show. "Yo! Yo! Yo! To put all of the speculation to the rest, after 12 years of judging on American Idol I have decided it is time to leave after this season," he says. "I am very proud of how we forever changed television and the music industry. It's been a life changing opportunity but I am looking forward to focusing on my company Dream...

Did Mariah Carey almost get voted off “American Idol”? According to report from The Hollywood Reporter, “Idol” execs were considering replacing the singing sensation with veteran judge Jennifer Lopez mid-season in an attempt to boost ratings. But the plan fell apart when Carey’s team threatened to take legal action against the show, “knowledgeable sources” told THR. A rep for Fox denied the report, told FOX 411: "This is just another ridiculous ‘Idol’ judge rumor, likely started by talks of Jennifer performing on the finale." Carey’s rep also contested the report, as did “Idol” producer Nigel Lythgoe. "I have not been...

It's the David and Goliath of television: an obscure religious miniseries has beaten television's former top show in the ratings.The premier of the History Channel's The Bible attracted 13.1 million viewers, topping American Idol's 12.8 million viewers on Wednesday of the same week. The ratings have confounded Hollywood's biggest decision-makers. Overt religious programming can be a notorious tough sell to the public, while American Idol has dominated television for the past eight seasons.Scroll down for video Tastes are changing? History Channel's The Bible beat American Idol in the ratings last week, drawing in 13.1 million viewers The about-turn is evidence...

Speaking with host Michael Yo, Obama gave his take on the strained relationship of American idol judges Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey.

@ClayAiken Playing drinking game with my brother now. We drink every time we see a black person on screen at the RNC convention. #soberasamormon

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — Mariah Carey will join “American Idol” as a judge next season, Fox announced Monday, bringing her star power to the show that remains a ratings leader but has seen its viewership and pop culture status diminish. “I am so excited to be joining ‘Idol,’” said Carey, addressing the Television Critics Association via Fox entertainment chief Kevin Reilly’s cell phone, which he put on speaker for the hotel ballroom meeting. She couldn’t be on hand with the group because “this kind of all just happened really quickly,” Carey said in her brief remarks. “I can’t wait to...

FOX is confirming that Steven Tyler is leaving American Idol! Wow. Here’s the press release, with quotes from Steven. Well, he and his band got the career boost they needed, at least. I have to wonder, though, if he left or was pushed? In the end, except for a few lulz, he was pretty useless as a judge. It will be interesting to see who takes his place. Steven Tyler has decided to depart his role as a judge on AMERICAN IDOL. Tyler served as a judge during the 10th and 11th seasons of IDOL. “After some long…hard…thoughts…I’ve decided it’s...

The ever so modest Phillip Phillips won "American Idol" Wednesday night, and while some say it was well deserved others have insisted that the show is "rigged." After the Georgia hometown boy won "American Idol" Wednesday night, many came forward and insisted that that enough was enough on the singing show, which according to some is clearly "racist." "[In the] last 3 in finals, one was black, who was the best singer, one was brown who was also great singer, one was white who was a karaoke singer; guess who won, the white one of course, when will America stop...

This year’s “American Idol” is Phillip Phillips, the 20-year old from Leesburg, Georgia, who seemed to have had a lock on the title at, well, hello. He’s been compared to Dave Matthews and some critics have said he had the advantage of a female-voting-base, but his performance of “We’ve Got Tonight” last week, and “Home” last night proved his voice and talent as an artist might have a little something to do with it as well. It was a star-studded and sequin-heavy finale at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles with performances by Rihanna, Jennifer Lopez, John Fogerty, Chaka Khan...

You wouldn’t know it from the role he plays as kindly “mentor” to the promising young musical talent vying to be the next “American Idol,” but Jimmy Iovine has done as much to coarsen our popular culture as anyone on the planet. His biography boasts that the 59-year-old music producer has worked with such acclaimed acts as John Lennon, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Nicks, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and U2. What it doesn’t say is that Iovine almost singlehandedly brought so-called “gangsta rap” from the outer fringes of the music industry – where it belonged – to right smack dab...

What do Scott McCreery, Kriss Allen, Jordin Sparks and Ruben Studdard have in common? All are past or present Christian musical artists. And all are past winners of “American Idol.” That’s why is doesn’t make sense that the producers of the popular FOX television show, now in its 12 season, have warned Colton Dixon, one of this year’s “Idol” finalists, that he needs to keep his devout Christian faith on the down low. “When we first started the Twitter and Facebook stuff,”Colton told Today.com, “they said beware of political or religious tweets. Just because it can turn off voters or...