* And the awkward middle
phase of the show, between the horrifying (and high-rated auditions) and the beginning of the live shows, has been revamped, so, according to producer Cecile Frot-Coutaz, "we've extended Hollywood Week by one week, and we've added some musical and performance challenges to really give the kids that extra experience or that extra chance for us to really see what they're like or the judges to see them before we get to that you know, our Top 20 effectively."
The biggest change, though, might be a shift in attitude.
"This year it's been much more of a collaborative table," Lopez told reporters in Pasadena, Calif., last week. "We talk about it. We discuss things. And we put forth to [contestants] what we think could help them to grow as artists, and it's been a lot of fun."
Fun it may be, but as Season 10 opens tonight with the usual selection of good, bad and ugly auditions, there's a sense the judges and producers know it's time "Idol" launched another career like Carrie Underwood's, found the next Justin Bieber - or at least ended up with a winner whose name we'll still remember by the time the album comes out.
"I think the mistake that people make is they look at the show and they think, 'If I win or if I get into the Top 5 or the Top 10, I am guaranteed to be a success,' " Jackson said.
"No. It just puts you in the brass ring with those people that you love, that you idolize. If you are a dance artist, guess what? You're going into the ring with Gaga. May the best song win. End of story."
That's where Jimmy Iovine's supposed to come in.
Iovine, chairman of Interscope-Geffen-A&M, the record company that's replacing Sony as the distributor for "Idol" albums, is the contestants' "in-house mentor" this season.
