[Nippy4eva]

What??? So sad...........



Simon Cowell might have to learn how to criticize in different languages.

The producers behind Britain's "Pop Idol" and "American Idol" will hold a "World Idol" competition on Christmas and New Year's Day in London, FOX announced Friday (November 14).

Kelly Clarkson will vie for the inaugural title against the U.K.'s Will Young and nine other singers from different countries. What the prize will be has not been announced, and only winners from first seasons of the "Idol" shows are eligible, so Ruben Studdard will have to wait until the next "World Idol" competition.

A panel of judges with one representative from each country will critique the performances, and viewers around the world will vote. Details on the voting process have not been released, but FOX said it will be set up so singers from larger countries do not have an unfair advantage.

The other competitors will be Belgium's Peter Evrard, Canada's Ryan Malcolm, Germany's Alexander Klaws, Lebanon's Diana Karazon, Netherlands' Jamai Loman, Norway's Kurt Nilsen, Poland's Alicja Janosz, South Africa's Heinz Winckler and an Australian contestant who will be selected Wednesday. Shows based on Britain's original "Pop Idol" are seen in more than 20 countries.

Whether or not Cowell will be one of the judges has not been announced, but he could represent the United States or the U.K.

"World Idol" will air at 8 p.m. ET on December 25 and 9 p.m. ET on January 1.



—Corey Moss

~Jason
"Shame, Shame, Shame. Shame on You"~Whitney

[Lisa]

I don't even watch these shows and I'm sick of them. SMH.

[Terrence]

I would be highly upset if I were Kelly or any of the winners from past shows. Here you are, released an album, established yourself as the first winner and may have a little career brewing, and now you have to compete again for your crown? This sound like some WWE Royal Rumble mess...

[hey]

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 15-11-03 AT 01:17 AM (EST)]LOL, ok I can see it now! Exactly what countries are participating? If it's viewers vote alone and if you consider patriotism and biasness, then say if China is a contender along with India and the US, then one of the person representing that country is likely to be the winner... Then again of the what? about 500 million population of between China and India, exactly how many people have televisions to watch and telephones (etc.) and other means of voting to vote? So in that sense, US has the edge... I want to see what the other contenders have to offer compared to Kelly the other dude from UK.

[Tiffany P]

This is just a ploy for rating, dragging on the coattails of the second year AI success.

[Tiger]

>Lebanon's Diana Karazon

This is Jordanian Diana Karazon.

I don't know about other contestants, but I don't think this is fair to her. Diana Karazon is an amazing voice and talent, but she mostly shines in classic Arabic singing. This might not render well with the rest of the "pop themed" songs of the evening which will be given by the US and Europian countries.

Like everyone else here, I am not watch this, it is becoming too much. The next thing you know they will get the AI from Mars and have a Unversal Idol.. SMH :SMH

[whluver]

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 15-11-03 AT 07:48 AM (EST)]This is so sad. Kelly Clarkson's people and she herself are idiots. It's bad enough that this show has sabotaged her career in the form of her being hooked up with the AI staples like Babyface, who runied her album. It is a built-in image problem to overcome, and now, as a supposedly established artist, she jumps right back into the karaoke fray. Her CD already didn't exactly breaky records. She played the county fair back home in Buffalo in August. You really have to be small time for that.

[steomccabe]

http://www.will-youngonline.com/images/ind...ndex_01p_02.jpg

hi well this is Will who won the Uk version. he is a really great singer. i am not kidding you guys. his voice is so unique and he deserved to win the show. Will and his rival GE Ge Ge Ge gareth (private joke) battled it out and Will won. however after the competetion Will kind of went quiet and kinda went into seclusion. Gareth was so overexposed that his career is a good as dead, wereas will is now back with a second album which is critically acclaimed. the point is that the music is all that matters. Will was not into celecrity so he didnt embrace it. he is actually a graduate of politics.,

[Camille]

you'll laugh even harder wen you see and hear the loser known as the Canadian Idol. Its embarassing for my entire country that this loser won the competition when there were many more derserving contestants who didn't get enough votes.

[steomccabe]

whose laughing at will? HMM not me lol

[ijsboerke]

To hey:

I highly doubt that countries will be able to vote for their own contestant. That would be utterly stupid.


Anyway, I can't believe Peter Evrard (Belgium) will be participating...But he's quite a good rock singer, so maybe he'll do okay. He might get the vote of those who dislike the traditional balladeers.

[Terrence]

>This is so sad. Kelly Clarkson's people and she herself are
>idiots. It's bad enough that this show has sabotaged her
>career in the form of her being hooked up with the AI
>staples like Babyface, who runied her album. It is a
>built-in image problem to overcome, and now, as a supposedly
>established artist, she jumps right back into the karaoke
>fray.

Preach the truth!!! Her CD was decent at best. I really liked one song from the album, but I have not played it in so long I forgot what it was. She has a good voice, I still loved her remake of that old Mariah Carey song she did towards the end of the competiton. In my opinion that sealed the victory for her...

Her CD already didn't exactly breaky records. She
>played the county fair back home in Buffalo in August. You
>really have to be small time for that.

She did the county fair? That's a shame... lol... The rise and fall of an idol. Her fifteen minutes are just about over.

[hey]

But the article stated that viewers from around the world will be able to vote, along with the panel of judges. It was just a thought, just a thought...

[ijsboerke]

Well yeah, but I think all the participating countries will be able to vote, just not for their own countries.
It's how they do it for the EuroSong Countest as well, so I figured it would be the same for this show as well. Otherwise everyone would vote for their own country, and the country with the most inhabitants would win.

[Serge]

Dont they have a similar thing to this already? the Music festival or whatever..somewhere... I know Celine has won it, and Regine Velasquez (she's filipina)..and xtina aguilera joined and LOST it to Josephine Roberto (filipina final winner on star search)..it's worldwide singing contest...so wassup with that? i'd still watch it tho. kelly should win. hehe