Schedule News

While viewers are developing favorites this season, such as Tami Gosnell and Sundance Head, is there any doubt that an American Idol All-Star show would be a ratings bonanza?

The idea has veen brought up, says executive producer Nigel Lythgoe:

“Yes it has. It’s something that I’m trying to make work this season.”

This is Lythgoe’s idea for an All Stars version: a special with ten former finalists occurring during this season of American Idol.

“They’re talking about doing a song competition on the Web, and have people write songs for the next American Idol finale," he said. "Because whenever they come out and sing a song on the finale, the only criticism Randy Jackson can do is, ‘I don’t like that song.’ That’s not very helpful. They’re going to be putting it out next week and trying to sell it, and here’s you saying, ‘I don’t like the song.’”

Lythgoe continued:

“So the way to do it ... why don’t we let America choose the song they’re going to sing, as well as their Idol? Then, we sort of encapsulate the whole thing. My idea was, okay, well give me ten songs, and I will bring back ten Idol finalists to sing them on a special, and then America can really see them rather than just have them on the Web and download them or whatever.

Let’s see Constantine Maroulis again, let’s see Ace Young, let’s see Vonzell, Tamyra Gray, and all of the great people that we voted for over the years. I’d love to do that. And with good reason at the end of the day for doing it, which is to produce the song that the next American Idol is going to sing.”

So will an American Idol All Stars edition actually happen?

According to Lythgoe: “I’ve pitched it to Fox, and Fox hasn’t come back to me yet and said yes or no.”

We already talked about the big surprise.

Now, TMZ.com has exclusively obtained a script and production schedule for the new season of American Idol. Season Six contestants who make it to Hollywood will be put into singing groups and judged on their performances.

Contestants for the new season were asked to perform various musical numbers, including songs by the Bee Gees, Beach Boys, The Supremes and The Four Tops. Wannabe Idols are tossed into a film-style schedule, starting their day at 6:30 a.m and wrapping at 5:30 p.m.

One of the songs they are judged on? California Dreamin'. Seems apt for American Idol hopefuls, doesn't it?

If you think the Thursday TV lineup already has too many can’t-miss shows scheduled at the same tim, don’t finish programming your TiVo just yet.

According to the L.A. Times, Fox is openly dangling the possibility of moving American Idol to Thursdays when the show comes back in January.

Wasn’t this season already insanely competitive enough? Starting this week, ABC’s gutsy move of Grey’s Anatomy to 9 p.m. Thursday will set off a fierce ratings battle with CBS’ hit whodunit, CSI.

But Fox Entertainment President Peter Liguori said he believes that the top three networks could still profit with their respective No. 1 series airing on the same crucial night -- maybe even at the same time.

“When you have a number of great shows on the same night, the audience expands,” Liguori said last week, openly broaching the possibility of a regular Thursday slot for Idol when it returns in January.

Fox isn’t ready to commit, and in fact, it may not nail down plans until Christmas rolls around. Is it all just Idol speculation? Maybe.

After all, Fox made similar rumblings about moving its singing contest to Thursday last year and never did it, although the gossip helped knock NBC off stride: The network waited to move My Name Is Earl to Thursdays last season until it was sure Fox would not put American Idol on that night.

But Fox is, again, openly mulling the risky move for TV’s most popular show this year. It shows how crazily competitive the business is becoming, with no firmly entrenched leader among the adults aged 18-49 demographic group that advertisers covet (CBS has for years been No. 1 in total viewers, a distinction that means little on Madison Avenue).

By moving American Idol, Fox could conceivably control the most lucrative ad time in prime time -- and also foil rivals’ efforts to dominate that night with their own top shows. Suffice it to say, we'll be following Ryan Seacrest (pictured) and company wherever they go.

Auditions for the sixth edition of Fox's American Idol kick off August 8 at The Forum in Los Angeles, and will then continue at the following venues/dates:

• The Alamodome, San Antonio, Tx. -- August 11
• Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, N.J. -- August 14
• The BJCC, Birmingham, Ala. -- August 21
• FedEx Forum, Memphis, Tenn. -- September 3
• 
• Target Cente, Minneapolis, Minn. -- September 8
• Key Arena, Seattle, Wash. -- September 19

Think you've got what it takes to be the next Kelly Clarkson? Or Carrie Underwood? Well, you don't. Who are you kidding. But, there's no harm in giving it a shot. Everyone has the right to dream. Maybe you know a friend whose talents are just waiting to be discovered. Or maybe you're the next William Hung and can snag your 15 minutes of fame. Just go!