"Idol Gives Back" Cuts The Presidential Candidates, Gives Miley Cyrus Two Spots And Gordon Brown One

The juggernaut that is "American Idol" aired their two and half hour "Idol Gives Back" special Wednesday, with a bevy of celebrities (Watch "Idol Gives Back" clips), but cut Senators Obama, McCain and Clinton for time. Despite two segments with Miley Cyrus, including a long, painful exchange with Billy Crystal, ones with UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Maria Shriver, and dozens of other celebrity appearances, the presidential candidates' touted cameos got the ax.
The NYT reports:

Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton, Barack Obama and John McCain made taped appeals for charity on a special edition of "American Idol" on Wednesday night that didn't make the cut. The telethon for needy children around the world entitled "Idol Gives Back" drew the likes of Fergie, Bono, Brad Pitt, Mariah Carey and Miley Cyrus, and went too long. The candidates' contributions were kicked back to Thursday night's episode.

It was Simon Cowell, the "Idol" judge, who admonished the nation about the health care crisis in the United States, narrating a short, gauzy film that showed him visiting and consoling a low-income family with no insurance. It was Reese Witherspoon who spoke on behalf of the Children's Defense Fund, the organization for whom Mrs. Clinton worked as a young lawyer. It was Brad Pitt who praised the American can-do spirit in rebuilding New Orleans and received a standing ovation.

Daughtry in Uganda closed the show.

Comments

[LIBERALandProudOfIt]

My wife was watching Idol and she mentioned something about a woman singing. Don't remember who it was but she sang just before Miley Cyrus. I looked up from my PC and watched her sing. As a retired television photographer, I noticed that almost every shot was a close-up.

When Cyrus came on, from what I SAW, (not heard), I'd bet a bunch that she was lip-synching. Why do I say that? If you looked at her camera angles, almost everyone of them were wide shots, I think only one close up was shown and then she turned her head back to the band.

[lilya01]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Senators Obama?? hohoho, I saw her profile on the celebrities/rich men seeking affairs
site http:// w w w .s u g a r m a t c h m a k e r . c o m last week. It said she is interested in seeking a rich man for sugar daddy on that site!

[writerforhire]

OK. After Thursday Night's opening debacle I was offended, appalled, stunned and that was just after the very off key beginning to "Shout to the Loud."

What really shocked me was the choice of song presentation. It mocked God. It wasn't the provocative swaying of the females, (remember we don't sexually seduce Christ) nor was it the attempts to pull down the house with a secular rendition of a very special worship song. It wasn"t the genuine lack of feeling, emotion and understanding of the song lyrics. It was all the above.

These kids had absolutely no idea what they were singing. Technically, the tune was off-key, the kid's missed the beat more times then they hit the beat. There were many mix up's, and hog the camera attempts (pride, vanity).

A better song choice would have been something from "Jesus Christ Superstar" or songs from "The Price of Egypt" soundtrack. Let me give them credit the "Seasons of Life" from Wednesday was their best performance.

I turned off the tube and then back on and alas no bolt of lighting had struck the stage. So will American Idol suffer the same fate as the Israelites who wander aimlessly in the desert of their own making?

PS: I hope they get someone other than PriceWaterhouseCoopers or Deloitte to administer the money. We all remember the much raided September 11, fund administered by PWC " Every corporate law firm in New York arranged for those private loans.

[rikkirighteous]

Jesus Christ Superstar doesn't mock God???? If I remember, the musical is basically God as fallible hippie.

Better to have them just sing some popular puff piece than try to pull the heart-strings (and bible-strings) to induce people to give.

[janmperry]

Oh yes ... let's ALL rush forth and give millions to very-very-commercially-run international relief funds. Who cooked up this idea? I suppose these very unfortunate people will be forgotten in a few months and corporate greed will reap the "administrative" costs of the campaign. They will be fortunate to get 10 cents on the dollar -- very fortunate. I need say nothing about the intelligence about the actors or the reasons (exposure) -- do I? When was the last anyone was in New Orleans - that's the worst example. There's a reason why when we get in an airplane we are instructed to put our air mask on before helping others --- because we --as Americans CANNOT help others until we help ourselves. IT'S AMERICAN IDOL why are they asking for money for needy children around the world? We have children in need here -- in need of food, shelter, education, health-care, we have a lot of people in need here. When we make a difference in our backyard, then we can venture out into the world .. not to make war and hate, but to make a change.

[Libsrule]

It's not like it was any major loss for the candidates since AI's audience probably never votes anyway.

I've met far too many young people who have NO idea of who is running for president. My niece's friends who come over ever so often and are in the young college age group of 18 to 20 have absolutely no idea of why any of the three are but can quote chapter and verse of every idol contestant as though they are the most important people on planet Earth.

Oh well, like I said it was no big loss to the candidates.

AND BY THE WAY, I finally got to hear Miley "sing". The people are right, she can't. She is all Special vocal effects. Reminds me of the first time I actually got to hear Ashlee Simpson sing and my ears STILL won't forgive me for that lapse of judgment!!!

[Casanavelaw]

MAybe this would have introduced the candidates to the audience. That would not have been a bad thing.

[AmbivalentGuy]

I have met plenty of 18-20's with Obama buttons and no idea of who's on Idol.
I've never seen it - wouldn't even read this if not for the "Candidate..." caption.

I suspect you are right about the correlation between Idol viewers and political awareness, but there is a larger group of college students debating politics than I have seen in 20 years, and most of them are discussing which Dem they support.

Unfortunately I agree with the post above that decries these marginally charitable events.

[Triangle1]

The Idol target audience is not the same as people who would tune in for presidential candidates. They would risk losing their audience, which is why Miley is a much better choice. Younger people are much less likely to be involved in anything political, which is why Obama may be in trouble in the general election.

[whiteboyblues]

People still watch American Idol?

[Daniel8168]

Miley Cyrus officially cannot sing worth crap. I'd never heard her singing before, and now that I have, I wish I'd remained ignorant of it.

I think that as far as celebrities, the highlight of the show was Robin Williams. He was almost back to his old form. I particularly loved that he got away with saying on TV that his name was Ivan Yakinoff. And then his Alexy knock-knock joke was great too.

I was never much of a Fergie fan, but when she belted out those parts of Barracuda with Heart, I was instantly a fan. When Fergie was introducing Heart, I was thinking, "Oh yeah, sure they were a big influence on you, right . . . uh huh . . . sure . . ." And then she sang with them and I was hooked.

[BardEric]

She (Fergie)sure as hell suprised the hell out of me..It takes GUTS to duet with Ann and Nancy WIlson.( ask Wynonna who didnt fare as well on a recent episode of CMT crossroads).And she held her own beautifully. If there was a grammy award for the most surprising live performance on a variety show, she'd get my vote

[Zenobius]

I will not comment about the entertainment choices of the show. On the other hand, I'm glad to see they cut the presidential candidates. God knows, the candidates are overexposed. Also, they, their staffs, and the political media all seem to think we should regard the difference between Hillary and Obama as the most important thing ever. No, it isnt'. Most of what the President does, he or she will do in response to outside forces anyway. These outside forces will not be affected by which candidate is elected. All presidential candidates draw their advisers from a limited assortment of potential advisers. Almost all of these advisers believe that the US should support multinational business interests {including oil companies}; export arms on a huge scale; and intervene to push its way of life, by force, on other countries. So in general, at a high level of abstraction, all Presidential candidates will make the same mistakes. Why not give the kids a little extra Miley Cyrus instead? Better for the ratings, and a humbling experience might not be so bad for the candidates.

[coolaid]

Who cares? I have better things to do than watch the judges pump up their over-inflated egos on American Idol.

[gg3]

Thanks for taking the time Zenobius. Precisely my feelings. This wasnt about politics.
AT ALL!

[the964kid]

Well this event should have been non-political - so it probably was a bad idea to even have the candidates on it in the first place. Also, if time was running short it was more fair to cut all of the presidential hopefuls then to only cut one or two.

[jneems]

Last year, during this Idol charity show, they cut to George and Laura Bush. It seemed totally inappropriate to see this mass murderer sitting there telling Americans to help the poor. Maybe Idol had a lot of feedback over that and thought twice before mixing with politics again?

[CammyV]

It was great to see Heart, but my only question about this moderately talented, super teen phenom, Miley Cyrus, is WHY? I bet she wouldn't make it to Idol's top 24.

[Changeling]

Agreed on all counts. At 57, Ann still has the pipes. Barracuda was the performance highlight of the night. No one in the current crop could rock the house like that.

Miley? Honestly, I'd never heard her sing at all before last night, and to be honest, she's mediocre at best. I saw here kinda peter out in the middle and the choir take up the slack and her turn her head away so that people couldn't see she wasn't singing.

Pathetic.

[BardEric]

Ann Wilson is one of the greatest voices of her generation..It was great to see her prove it again last night on IGB. I wonder if anone out there really grasps HOW impressive it is to still have THAT voice when she is creeping up on 60?!?

[happycat]

I agree. I am so thrilled that my 7 year old daughter has enough taste not to be a Miley Cyrus fan. Its amazing the following that girl has? Revolting, yes!

[speakyourmind]

Annie Lennox was the best part of that show BY FAR! What a class act. Truly lovely woman.

[BardEric]

Agreed...Annie's performance was very moving..

[CammyV]

It's heartening to see celebrities step up and really get involved. It's great when they write a check, but means so much more to see them give of themselves.

[speakingtruth2power]

It would have been unfair to give equal time to two strong candidates and one old codger.

[GAC1]

I am pleased to see that AI is raising awareness and money again for worthy causes. I have also read that they have been extremely dilligent in using best business practices to make sure that money goes where it is supposed to. My only question is when are they going to include awareness and raise some $$ for the Pine Ridge Reservation and Rosebud in South Dakota. I don't know how I present this to AI, but I think that next year they need to do something for the Pine Ridge and the Rosebud. If anyone knows how to contact them, I would be glad to do so.