American Idol Extra (Courtesy Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
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American Idol Extra was a television show that was shown on the Fox Reality Channel and Star! and billed as "the show that picks up right where American Idol leaves off". The program featured the first full-length interview with the most recent eliminated contestant and various behind-the-scenes material.
It was hosted by Jillian Reynolds and co-hosted by Ace Young, a former contestant of the show. Jillian interviewed each week's eliminated contestant as well as Idol contestants from years past. The show included exclusive behind the scenes packages from the Idol show as well as live, in studio, performances by former Idols. Judges Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Kara DioGuardi were periodically interviewed after the results show tapings.
The show premiered in 2006 and was shown on both Fox Reality Channel and The 101 Network (the DirecTV owned and exclusive programming service). Ty Treadway was the host that season and Mikalah Gordon and Matthew Rogers served as cohosts.
The second season (2007) brought some changes. JD Roberto became the host and the show became exclusive to Fox Reality Channel. In addition, the show is now taped on a stage of CBS Television City adjacent to the Idol studio in front of a live studio audience (the stage was also used for The Price is Right).
In season 4 (2009), Jillian Reynolds replaced Roberto as host and Ace Young replaced Glocksen and Maroulis as co-host.
The program did not return in 2010 because Fox Reality was in transition to National Geographic Wild. The exit interview moved to The Ellen DeGeneres Show, hosted by DeGeneres, who was a judge that season. DeGeneres has since left the show and the first exit interview is now conducted on Live with Regis and Kelly. No other elements of this program have survived.
Show rundown
Weekly segments include interviews with audience members who watched the performance show, interviews with past Idol contestants, a trivia contest, and a viewer question submitted by text messages from AT&T (formerly Cingular) subscribers.
The final 8 talk about what country means to them, and also how they would sum up Mandisa.
Mikalah talks to hairstylist Teena Allen, makeup artist Mezghan Hussainy, and Patricia Clark of craft services.
Garet Johnson, the Wyoming cowboy eliminated in the Hollywood rounds, travels to New York City, gets to see Frenchie Davis in Rent, and meets with students at LaGuardia Performing Arts High School.
The top 6 are asked to give their first thoughts on Rod Stewart, asked what they were doing a year ago, what 3 words they would use to describe Randy Jackson, and how they would describe Ace.
Behind the scenes footage of the top 6 Ford commercial.
Ty interviews guest coaches Andrea Bocelli and David Foster.
The top 6 are asked what title they'd use if they had to write a love song about their life. The top 5 are asked 3 words to describe their time on American Idol, and for their opinion on Kellie.
The top 4 talk about the worst birthday present they could ever get, a CD people would be surprised they own, and their thoughts on Paris.
Season 2 top 6 finalist Carmen Rasmusen talks about her struggles to get a record deal and her first album.
Mikalah talks to wardrobe stylist Miles Siggins about the clothes worn for the top 5 performance show.
Ty talks to season 1 runner-up Justin Guarini and season 5 top 10 finalist Lisa Tucker, and Lisa returns to the children's theater where she got her start.
Kristy Lee Cook stated her song choice for Andrew Lloyd Webber week had she not been eliminated had already been selected and would have been "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina" from Evita
Michael Johns made a special surprise for Carly Smithson. He also interviewed about his thoughts from the judges, his previous appearances, his upcoming appearance for the White House Correspondents' Dinner, and his song choices that he should have sing after he got eliminated.
Like Michael Johns, Kristy Lee Cook made a special surprise for Brooke White. She also interviewed about her previous appearances, and her song choices that she should have sing after she got eliminated.
JD Roberto had an exclusive interview with Paula Abdul about the controversy between her and Jason Castro after the first performance.
The 10 eliminated finalists were congratulated to David Archuleta and David Cook for being the Final 2, and JD Roberto finally interviewed Syesha Mercado as the last eliminated finalist on the show.
JD Roberto had last interviews with the eliminated Top 12 Finalists about their finale performances and feedbacks for the Final 2. He also had an exclusive one-on-one interview separately with David Archuleta and David Cook.