David Archuleta is American Idol's bitch. Like the other contestants, he signed an incredibly restrictive contract. All of his public appearances and performances are closely monitored and approved by AI managers.That became painfully clear for Archuleta and his rabid fans in Salt Lake City this week when the runner-up was forced to cancel a 'Thank You' concert. It was to be this Friday night and the proceeds were to go to charity. But American Idol nixed the whole thing because of Archuleta's "contractual obligations" to the show. It was an Idol-sanctioned event. Plus, Archuleta is scheduled to begin touring with his co-contestants on Saturday.
American Idol has a notorious contract. Clay Aiken was able to get out of his, but only with the help of a tough attorney. And remember Mario Vazquez? He was Top 12, but then quit the show reportedly because of the contract that, among other things, wouldn't let him sign any deals until at least three months after the winner was crowned.
A few years ago, a writer at Salon.com reviewed the first season contract and concluded it was so restrictive that the contestants' careers were "literally not their own."












Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-04-2008 @ 5:58PM
Bash said...
So?
They got to see it before signing it. There are people out there who work 16 hours shifts for 5 bucks an hour.
Quit complaining.
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6-04-2008 @ 6:11PM
WhizGidget said...
Considering that Archuleta was under 18 when it was signed he might be able to get out of it with a decent contract lawyer.
Contract law gets interesting when dealing with minor children - the adults who sign the contract are bound to it, but the minors can back out with some exception. Contracts where the minor benefits significantly (such as necessities like medical, food, lodging) cannot be gotten out of so easily.
Archuleta could argue that he's not benefitting from the contract (especially if AI doesn't do anything to further his potential career) but no one's really going to know that for a few more months and he's that much closer to 18...
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6-04-2008 @ 6:16PM
Tracy said...
Who is complaining? Its just stating a fact I think. Also, I heard Taylor Hicks tried to rally the contestants in Season 5 to not sign and have the contract re-done because it was so restrictive. The contestants did not join him in his "rebellion". In return AI gave him very little support for his career once he ended up winning and they continue to pretend that he didn't win (they seem consider Daughtry the winner of Season 5). The AI machine does not like hell raisers of any type. The two Davids would do well to smile and play the game until their careers get off the ground. Unfortunately Taylor showed his cards too early and he is paying for it now.
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6-04-2008 @ 7:16PM
Ryan said...
"They seem consider Daughtry the winner of Season 5"
As do a lot of people as they should. But kudos to Hicks for trying to change the contract. That took guts.
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6-04-2008 @ 8:15PM
Paul said...
The absolute hardest thing for an entertainer to do is build a fanbase. American Idol has the best platform for doing that. It is a big trade-off. You can run your own career and spend a decade doing what AI can do, or you can take their deal. There are risks in life. Archie is my fav, and I hate that he had to cancel his contract. But, you have to take the good with the bad.
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6-04-2008 @ 8:27PM
SimonSays said...
2008 American Idol Songwriting Contest
The following is a quote from USAToday.com
http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2008-05-20-idol-songwriter_N.htm
"The song was among "tens of thousands" submitted and combed through by 19 Entertainment's more than 60 Artists & Repertoire staffers, who winnowed the list to a manageable pile before Idol creator Simon Fuller and his team pruned to 20 semifinalists, says Jeff King, 19's U.S. head of digital entertainment." End quote.
So if 60 different people were choosing ...then how did we end up with so many people with ties to A.I.?
1. 2008 American Idol Songwriting Top 20 Finalist (Andy Zulla) is an engineer on Clay Aiken, Kelly Clarkson, Diana DeGarmo CD's.
http://music.msn..com/album/?album=48916207
http://music.msn..com/album/?album=29457472
http://music.msn..com/album/?album=40445061
2. 2008 American Idol Songwriting Top 20 Finalist (Wendy Wagner) is a backup singer on the new Clay Aiken CD.
http://music.msn.com/album/?album=55098458&menu=credits&ipp=100
3. 2008 American Idol Songwriting Top 20 Finalist (Ryan Gillmor) wrote the song "Hey" which is the theme song for Fox Television's show "Unhitched".
http://www.thedailychorus.com/index.php?subaction=showcomments&id=1208104726&archive=&start_from=&ucat=1&
4. 2008 American Idol Songwriting Top 20 Finalist (Dan Yessian) wrote jingles for Ford Motors.
http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080418/ENT04/804180372
5. 2008 American Idol Songwriting Top 20 Finalist (Luke Ebbin) is a producer on Austalian Idol 1st place runner-up Shannon Noll's CD.
http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/store/artist/album/0,,4418575,00.html
6. 2008 American Idol Songwriting Top 20 Winner (Regie Hamm) is a co-writer on the new Clay Aiken CD.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_My_Way_Here
7. 2008 American Idol Songwriting Top 20 Winner (Regie Hamm) is a co-writer and personal friend of 2007 American Idol Songwriting Winner Scott Krippayne.
http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/artists/scottkrippayne.html
False Advertising Or Bald Face Lie? You Decide
I'm posting this May 30, 2008, 9 days after the American Idol Grand Finale.
I watched American Idol both nights of the grand finale waiting for the announcement of the winners name of the 2008 American Idol Songwriting Competition....and I'm still waiting.
http://www.americanidol.com/
The following quote is from the only link American Idol.com has concerning the songwriting contest. (It's under the Show Guide Link....American Idol Songwriter) "The Nation Has Decided"
"Who Has Won? Tune in to the American Idol Finale on May 20th and 21st 2008 to find out." End quote.
http://www.americanidol.com/
http://songwriter.americanidol.com/
Like I said....I watched. And here's the only thing said about the winner. Ryan Seacrest......"Ladies and gentlemen singing the winning song of this years competition...Time Of My Life..this..is..your American Idol David Cook, Goodnight. End quote.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhN1T3pmuIo
(5 minutes 10 seconds into video)
9 days later American Idol has yet to name the winner. It's not in the American Idol news section, not on the American Idol homepage..............Nothing.
http://www.americanidol.com/news/
http://www.americanidol.com/
Last year the winner's were introduced on camera by Ryan Seacrest. This year nada.
The following is from the Myspace blog page of the winner of the 2008 American Idol Songwriting Competition....... Mr.. Regie Hamm..........and he does not seem happy.
"AMERICAN IDOL, MAGIC RAINBOWS ...AND DOTTIE"
http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=54139274&blogID=398962053
"The guy in the feather suit who wrote the song for Simon had his own photo stand where you could have your picture taken with him. Hmmmm, maybe next time I'll write a song so campy it simply must be performed in front of fifty million people with the USC marching band. At least then I might have my name mentioned or my face shown ...but I digress." End quote.
American Idol made a lot of money off this contest and the ONLY thing we got in return was a thanks for the $10.00 email.
americanidolexposed.weebly.com
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6-04-2008 @ 9:41PM
doug said...
Enough of this crap. Nobody cares. No one even cared when the show was airing.
6-04-2008 @ 10:19PM
jake said...
I can understand that, I would understand it more, if they officially signed him to a cd.
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6-05-2008 @ 6:55AM
Tom said...
Agree with Bash -- if you don't have some sort of clue as to what you're getting yourself into by being on American Idol, you deserve to get screwed.
This reminds me of some of the contestants on other reality shows like those house cleaning or wardrobe changing shows. Five minutes after being on the show they're rebelling against the rules -- they don't want to give up their favorite jeans or that 'beautiful' (read ugly) table lamp. Come on. They've seen the show. We all know what happens. What makes them think their experience was going to be any different?
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6-05-2008 @ 10:08AM
LM said...
Too bad for all of the Utah fans. I couldn't attend because of the distance, but I am proud of Archie for trying. I think he's got the right attitude to go very far in the business after he finishes with obligations to Idol.
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6-05-2008 @ 12:34PM
Jimmy said...
You reap what you sow.
If Archuleta didn't want to be beholden to American Idol, he should not have been on the show in the first place.
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6-05-2008 @ 12:48PM
MKS said...
The fact that Clay Aiken got out of his contract is the reason AI hates him now. They cannot stand the fact that someone got out of their contract. Clay had all kinds of offers after AI. but AI kept the info from him and THAT is how he was able to break it. Good for him.
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6-05-2008 @ 7:58PM
Gingerly said...
It's not American Idol who won't let him do the thank you concert. It's the booking agent. As long as the 2nd Idol show isn't sold out, they aren't going to allow him to have a concert in the same venue for $1. It's part of standard contracts when you book a venue.
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6-29-2008 @ 3:11AM
Anet said...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=eF_o5vb5GJ4
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