Idolator

The last season of American Idol closed out with the usual pomp and confetti, sure, but it also came with promises of changes; because ratings all season were lower than pretty much ever, Fox told television beat writers that certain aspects of the show would be different for season eight. Change No. 1 was allowing more people who made it through to last season's Hollywood Week to re-audition than in previous seasons. And now, it looks like another big shake-up has come to pass: Executive producer Nigel Lythgoe is leaving the show in order to focus on So You Think You Can Dance. Lythgoe, who has been with the Idol stable since its days as a much more rinky-dink UK production, will embark on a new partnership with Idol creator Simon Fuller. (Perhaps it's finally time for America's Next Baby That's Most Likely To Burp On Cue!) Meanwhile, the audition phase for next season has begun, and apparently taking the whole party down to Puerto Rico wasn't exactly the best idea. More »

In preparation for tonight's American Idol liveblog—which starts at 8 ET!—here are some headlines that have crossed the transom...
• Nigel Lythgoe on the Jeff Archuleta issue: "He has been asked not to participate in the choice of music with David or be in the room when David is working out his routines that he wants to sing. He's fine to be in the studio — nothing wrong with that. We just want David to be able to be free like everybody else to get on and do what they want to do." My head is pounding from the number of lines in that statement that I need to read between. [EW]
• As if it wasn't clear enough that the producers are angling for a David-David final, their pick for Syesha Mercado tonight is Gia Farrell's "Hit Me Up." Never heard of it? Well, it was on the Happy Feet soundtrack, and it went to No. 1 in Hungary and No. 8 in Finland. But it didn't chart in the US, save for a two-week stint in the lower reaches of the Top 40 Mainstream chart. Hear it on YouTube, if you want to spoil the channel-change-inspiring surprise that the producers are clearly hoping for. [YouTube]
• Could this be the night that ratings plummet below the 20 million mark? [AP]