Vault: Is American Idol broken?

Summary

The Bert Show Podcast: "Vault: Is American Idol Broken?"

Release Date: July 29, 2026

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Episode Overview

The Bert Show panel dives into a spirited discussion about the state of American Idol: Is the iconic singing competition show losing its touch? The discussion revolves around declining ratings, changes in judging panels, show pacing, contestant quality, and whether the format still holds up. The cast shares personal perspectives, industry insight, and plenty of candid humor about Idol’s trajectory.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. American Idol Ratings Decline

• Chris [01:29]: Opens the conversation with the hard numbers: "Ratings for American Idol... down 9% from last week for its lowest 18 to 49-year-old rating since 2002."
• Panel consensus: While the show still makes strong revenue, its prime demographic viewership is in sharp decline.

2. Judging Panel Shake-up

• Emily [02:10]: Expresses her disinterest since original judge Paula Abdul left, skeptical about Ellen DeGeneres’ non-musical background: "I just don't know if... her non musical background is going to be enough to sustain it."
• Chris [02:32]: Acknowledges Ellen's addition hasn't fully met expectations but sees multiple factors in the ratings drop.

3. Contestant Quality & 'Idol Fatigue'

• David [02:40]: Insists the real issue is the contestants: "I think the biggest factor is the contestants."
• Frank [02:43]: Jokes, "They found all the talented people. There's no talented people left in America."
• David [04:17]: Notes: This season lacks those goosebump performances, with only Crystal Bowersox and Big Mike giving standout moments.
• Chris [04:59]: Adds that there are no big personalities or compelling stories this season.

4. Production & Pacing Problems

• Chris [03:10]: References USA Today criticisms: "In nine seasons, they still haven't figured out how to finish a live broadcast on time... sometimes that puts the last contestants at a disadvantage."
• David [03:44]: Points out inconsistent judges’ commentary duration: "They just let the judges go on and on and on. Like, they need to be tighter on those judges."
• Chris [04:04]: Thinks the pacing isn’t the worst issue but agrees improvements could be made.

5. Judges’ Impact (Focusing on Ellen and Simon)

• Chris [06:01]: Reads from critiques: "You'd think providing the contestants with an entertainer's perspective would be the perfect role for Ellen DeGeneres... yet it's less clear what Purpose she thinks she's serving."
• Frank [06:21]: Amused: "Well, she got a five-year contract to figure it out."
• Chris [06:23]: Doubts the show's future: "You think the show's gonna be around five years?"

6. Show's Future & Viability

• Frank [06:27]: Even with lower ratings, Idol outperforms most shows: "It still outperforms a lot of other shows."
• Chris [06:45]: Worried about competition: "It's starting to get beat by Dancing with the Stars."
• Chris [06:58]: Revenue is steady for now thanks to upfront ad sales, but the future is uncertain.
• David [07:11]: Notes cost efficiency compared to scripted series: "It's probably fairly cheap to produce American Idol in the TV world... they have to pay the judges and Ryan Seacrest, but not the contestants."
• Frank [07:37]: Suggests that even cutting big salaries (like Simon Cowell’s) could keep the show viable despite dips.

7. The Role of the Host—Ryan Seacrest

• Chris [08:05]: Quotes a critique: "For some of us, just hearing Ryan Seacrest insert that dramatic pause in the introductory 'This is American Idol,' is enough to set on our teeth on edge... he's running amok."
• Frank [08:41]: Mocks: "He is starting to crack up, I think."
• Emily [08:43]: Seems surprised: "You think?"
• David [08:47]: Defends Seacrest: "I think he's fantastic. I just admire the way he's able to handle all of that and juggle it and host it and make it look really easy."
• Chris [08:56]: Wonders if the host's style is contributing to the show's overdone banter.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Frank’s tongue-in-cheek:
  "They found all the talented people. There's no talented people left in America." — Frank [02:43]

• David on the dwindling 'wow' factor:
  "I think in past seasons, it's been a lot of different people creating those moments... but this year you're sort of trying to look for the best of the worst." — David [04:17]

• On production gaffes:
  "In nine seasons, they still haven't figured out how to finish a live broadcast on time or even worse, how to pace it out so the last contestant isn't subjected to judges that really don't say anything at all." — Chris [03:10]

• On the show's staying power:
  "It still outperforms a lot of other shows... what you're talking about is fixing it to the point where 30 to 40% of America watched it. Like, that's unbelievable." — Frank [06:33]

• On Ryan Seacrest’s effect:
  "He is starting to crack up, I think." — Frank [08:41]
  "I think he's fantastic... I just admire the way he's able to handle all of that and juggle it." — David [08:47]

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Important Timestamps

• [01:29] – American Idol's ratings struggles introduced
• [02:10] – Panel discusses disinterest following Paula Abdul's departure
• [02:40] – Debate over the contestants’ lack of star power
• [03:10] – Critique of show's live production and pacing problems
• [04:17] – Only a couple of contestants provide “goosebump moments”
• [05:45] – Are there any memorable contestants this year?
• [06:01] – Ellen DeGeneres’ value and role as a judge questioned
• [06:27] – Show’s relative strength vs. other network programs
• [07:11] – Cost effectiveness of producing American Idol
• [08:05] – Ryan Seacrest's hosting style debated

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Closing Thoughts

The Bert Show offers an energetic, authentic, and sometimes cheeky exploration of why American Idol may be showing its age. The main culprits: uninspiring contestants, ill-fitting judge replacements, production missteps, and maybe too much Ryan Seacrest. However, the show's earnings (for now) and relative network dominance keep it very much alive—albeit in a more fragile state.
Quote for the episode:
"It's just, it's not going to ever be at the height it was before." — Emily [08:02]

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For more lively radio banter and pop culture takes, visit thebertshow.com.

Transcript

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[Chris]

Birch Show It's a bit broken right now. American Idol ratings for American Idol. Let's check them out. Revenue's fine, at least this year, but the ratings are down. American Idol Adults 1849 for Tuesday night was down 9% from last week for its lowest 18 to 49 year old rating since 2002.

[David]

So that's people that are watching that are between the ages of 18 and 49.

[Chris]

They idol delivered its lowest ratings ever and lowest household ratings, average viewership and adults between the ages of 25 and 54 since August of 2002. So it's not doing so swell right now.

[Emily]

Yeah, I mean at the beginning of the season I just, I'm one of the people that doesn't want, you know, don't watch anymore. And so y' all made fun of me because I didn't want to watch because Paula was gone and I felt they had changed the original formula of the show and she was gone. And you know, everybody thought that Ellen was going to come in and be great and, and I thought, well, I Just don't know if. If her non musical background is going to be enough to sustain it through the season.

[Chris]

And I don't think that's the sole reason why it's down, though. I mean, I think it's a contributing factor for sure that Ellen's not what we thought she was going to be, but I don't think that's the sole factor.

[David]

I think the biggest factor is the contestants.

[Frank]

That's it.

[Chris]

I think. Yeah.

[Frank]

Usa, they found all the talented people. There's no talented people left in America.

[Emily]

Well, I mean, the season that Taylor Hicks won was, you know, still had a lot more ratings than this. And, you know, that was Katherine McPhee year.

[David]

She really got total scrooge that Taylor

[Chris]

won the whole thing.

[David]

Yeah. Catherine McPhee should have won and she would have been a megastar.

[Chris]

Was he one of the worst American Idol winners of all time?

[David]

I think so.

[Advertiser]

Well, he hasn't done anything since.

[Chris]

I know. Jen has that list that we're going to talk about later on too that like who are the best and who are the worst American Idol winners or finalists. And the bottom part of the list is way more interesting than the top part. Yeah. This is what USA Today says, what's busted about American Idol. And we can debate this back and forth, but first they say the producers are jacking this thing up. They say in nine seasons, they still haven't figured out how to finish a live broadcast on time or even worse, how to pace it out so the last contestant isn't subjected to judges that really don't say anything at all. I mean, they're just wrapping it up at that point. And sometimes that puts the last contestants at a disadvantage.

[David]

Yeah. And I think the beginning contestants, they just let the judges go on and on and on and on. Like they need to be tighter on those judges. And remember when they added. What was it last year was the first. It was Kara's first season, Right.

[Chris]

Yes.

[David]

So that was a huge struggle for the producers the first year that they had four. But they've already had a season with four judges. They should be able to figure it

[Chris]

out, you know, and it seems like even when it's time for them to wrap up, then Ryan continues. It's just way too long in the beginning. Right. That's one of the things they say is busted, but I don't see that as a major thing. This is the one right here that you guys brought up the contestants this year, man.

[David]

I don't think they've got the strength that they have in the past, I mean, I just. There's not a lot of those Goosebump performances. You're trying to figure out who's sort of the best out of all of them. But I think Crystal Bowersox is the only one who's really her and Big Mike, I guess a couple of times have given me goosebumps this season where you're at home watching and literally the hairs on your arms stand up watching them hit a note or create a performance. But it's. I could count them on one hand, you know what I mean? And I think in past seasons, it's been a lot of different people creating those moments and some people surprising you with those moments and, you know, just like, constantly bringing you back into the show because the talent pool was so good. And I think this year you're sort of trying to look for the best of the worst.

[Chris]

And I don't think there's any, like, big personalities or captivating, like, personal stories

[Advertiser]

that are going on in their lives. There's nothing about any of them.

[David]

Don't know anything about them.

[Frank]

Like, they produce Olympic broadcasts where they make up a story if there isn't one. And Bowersox stood on her porch and stared into the sunset while contemplating her rough upbringing.

[Chris]

Yeah, the only one that I know this year is Big Mike and the pregnancy his wife delivered while he was auditioning. And that's the only Carrie. It's a great story. It's the only one I remember. What they say here is pretty much what you guys are saying, is that the talent among the four remaining finalists, they have talent, but none of them is a quote unquote artist. They say none of them is an entertainer in the way that love or hate him. Adam Lambert clearly was last year. You just can't love or hate any of them. They're just kind of there.

[David]

Yeah, I think, Chris, I would disagree with that. And then I think that Crystal really is an artist on her own.

[Chris]

I would say that, too. Yeah.

[David]

You know, I think she'll be able to create her own brand. Is it a pop mainstream, you know, pop culture brand? I don't think so. This is going to be hanging out, like, on a jam cruise here soon.

[Chris]

This speaks to Melissa's point. It says, give Ellen a job. And it says, you'd think providing the contestants with an entertainer's perspective would be the perfect role for Ellen DeGeneres, who could be using her comments to help these novices become polished performers. Yet it's less clear now than it was at the start. What Purpose she thinks she's serving other than a smile and tell them that they're great.

[Frank]

Well, she got a five year contract to figure it out.

[Chris]

I don't think this. You think the show's gonna be around five years?

[Advertiser]

No.

[Chris]

I don't know, man.

[Frank]

It's still five years. Even though its ratings are down, it still outperforms a lot of other shows,

[David]

tons of other shows.

[Frank]

Like, it's not. I mean, we're talking, oh, what do you gotta do to fix American Idol? What you're talking about is fixing it to the point where 30 to 40% of America watched it. Like, that's unbelievable.

[Chris]

But the holes that you're starting to see, the holes in the ship, though, you know, like it's starting to get beat by Dancing with the Stars.

[Frank]

Now, there's a. But what I'm saying is there's a lot of shows that do far worse, that have been on the air much longer.

[Chris]

Look, it all comes down to how much money they're making. And this year they're fine. I think the revenue is actually up this year because everybody put their ads in before the season started. So they were assuming it was going to be a huge ratings monster next year. That might be down a little bit

[David]

in comparison to creating a show like a lost or 30 rock or something like that, where you have to pay megastars to be on the show and you've got to create sets and this and that and the other thing. Like, it's probably fairly cheap to produce American Idol in the TV world. I don't know. They don't pay any of those people to be on the show. I mean, they have to pay the judges and they have to pay Ryan Seacrest, but they don't have to pay any of those cast members to be there.

[Frank]

But when you do the math, like you're talking about how much money it can make, when you do the math and take Simon's salary out of it and add that to a revenue dip, like if I'm a producer, if I'm the programmer and I look at the bottom line and removing a big salary, even if it hits the ratings, you still might be able to generate the same revenue.

[Emily]

They'll definitely be around for years.

[David]

It's just.

[Emily]

It's not going to ever be at the height it was before.

[Chris]

This is the one problem that they said that kind of surprised me. It said, muzzle the host. For some of us, just hearing Ryan Seacrest insert that dramatic pause in the introductory. This is American Idol, which I do with him. Every week is enough to set on our teeth on edge. But even those who like him must realize he's running amok. To the long running uncomfortable faux lovers quarrels with Simon Cowell and his equally embarrassing interviews with the singers, he's now added an arsenal of odd behaviors ranging from petulant snits to to flighty over exuberance. Watching him is exhausting.

[Frank]

He is starting to crack up, I think.

[Emily]

You think?

[David]

Really?

[Frank]

Yep.

[David]

He's making some jokes.

[Chris]

Me too. I can watch him a lot.

[David]

Still. I think he's fantastic. I just admire the way he's able to like handle all of that and juggle it and host it and make it look really easy.

[Chris]

But maybe they're saying he's just contributing to that. That banter that they're talking about.

[Advertiser]

Too much.

[Chris]

Too much maybe. But either way it's a little.

[Frank]

If there's one thing this show knows a lot about, it's the too much banter.

[Chris]

The Bird show.