American Idol is not pleased that not quite everyone has found a reason to be ticked off at the show. If you aren't irked that your contestant didn't win, aren't getting overly bored wondering what the hell Paula Abdul is still doing on the show, didn't get kicked off yourself, or... well, the list goes on forever actually, then you have a new potential outlet.
Josiah Leming barely got his EP out, and I barely finished telling you to give his songs a listen, when American Idol sent official word to Josiah that he could be facing legal trouble if he releases his album at the beginning of the year.
The New York Post, MTV, and Rolling Stone all have their take on the story.
It seems contestants have to sign a contract which, apparently, states that they can only release an album with Sony, and that Simon Fuller's company has first right of refusal to manage... and whatever else.
Josiah's attorney has apparently kicked out a reply, and we'll have to see what happens. Josiah, who isn't especially interested in waiting around to see where things fall because his mother is dying of cancer, may get forced into the weird world of waiting around as two record companies figure out what to do.
No one has reported what the exact terms of the contract are, but this seems like an odd move for American Idol. I don't know about the "record only with Sony" clause (forever?), but kicking my ass off your show feels vaguely like exercising your right of refusal.
Whatever the contract might say, Josiah's had a record deal since May, and I don't think he kept the idea under wraps. American Idol is playing a weird game sitting around letting the guy spend months recording an album so that they can complain afterwards. They're also playing a weird game by stirring up this nonsense, which is only going to make more noise for the next two months, just as they are supposed to be working up fans into remembering that American Idol is really fabulous.
By the way, I have the EP and it's really pretty good. Jealous much AI?
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About Marc Eastman
Marc Eastman is the owner and operator of Are You Screening? and has been writing film reviews for over a decade, and several branches of the internet's film review world have seen his name. His reviews have brought him personal praise from the director of a major motion picture, and have been used as required reading in a course at a major University. These priceless rewards, along with just bags of cash, keep him from straying from freelance writing. He is also a member of The Broadcast Film Critics Association and The Broadcast Television Journalists Association.
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