• "Cupid" girl Lisa Shannon to begin her $1,000,000 perfect mate search on May 19th

  May 12, 2003
  CBS has announced that "Cupid," a new relationship reality series from "American Idol’s" Simon Cowell that challenges America to find the perfect mate for one eligible young woman, will begin production on May 19 for broadcast later this summer. Lisa Shannon, a 25-years-old Detriot-area advertising agency copywriter, will be the “Cupid girl.” Along with her girlfriends Kimberly and Laura, Lisa will soon begin a nationwide search to find the man of her dreams. She has the "full package" – looks, personality and brains. However, Lisa has been unlucky in love and is looking to her friends to serve as judges to help find Mr. Right and weed out Mr. Wrong.

• 'American Idol' finalist Clay Aiken gets advice from N.C. governor

  May 9, 2003
  One sure way to tell that a TV show is hot -- politicians want to stage photo opportunities with the stars. According to the Associated Press, American Idol finalist Clay Aiken learned this lesson Thursday in Raleigh, N.C., as he posed on the steps of the state capitol building with N.C. governor Mike Easley.

• 'American Idol' judge Simon Cowell to guest on 'The Simpsons'

  April 30, 2003
  The Fox network has been relentlessly using American Idol to plug its new reality show Mr. Personality. Now another cross-promotion is planned, with a little more appeal than Monica Lewinsky.

• Coming soon: 'American Idol' video game

  April 3, 2003
  The runaway popularity of Fox's American Idol series has led a British company to turn it into ... a video game? Reuters reports that Codemasters will release versions of American Idol and its British inspiration, Pop Idol, this fall for the PC and the Sony PlayStation 2.

• 'American Idol' finalist Lashundra Cobbins (aka Trenyce) has arrest record

  March 28, 2003
  American Idol 2: forget the past.

• Junior Kiddie version of 'American Idol' planned

  March 7, 2003
  Remember Shirley Temple? Would she stand a chance in front of Simon Cowell? We may get our chance to find out this summer. Variety reports that Fox has greenlighted a version of American Idol featuring child singers between ages 6 and 12 for this summer's TV schedule.

• Fox stands ground on Frenchie's 'American Idol' ban

  February 13, 2003
  E! Online reports that Fox is standing its ground in banishing Frenchie Davis from American Idol over her faux kiddie porn pictures, taken five years ago when she was 18.

• 'American Idol' ratings rocking the television industry

  January 25, 2003
  It's official: Simon-mania has swept the country.

• "American Idol"'s Simon Cowell creates new 'Cupid' dating reality show

  January 14, 2003
  Reuters/Variety reports that American Idol judge Simon Cowell and producer FremantleMedia have teamed up to create a new dating reality show, entitled Cupid, that will air 11 hourlong episodes this summer on CBS.

• Angie Martinez quits 'American Idol 2' judging gig

  October 31, 2002
  Angie Martinez has quit "American Idol 2" after only five days on the job. She issued a statement saying that it was "too uncomfortable for me to tell someone else to give up on their dream, especially when I realized that many of them have supported my musical career. I thank everyone at Fox for the opportunity and wish every contestant the best of luck."

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