'American Idol' contestants lip-syncing the group numbers?

Although the veracity of the individual numbers has yet to be questioned, some ears perked up last week at the suggestion -- courtesy of none other than "American Idol"-alum Justin Guarini -- that the group numbers are prerecorded.

According to E!, while hosting TV Guide Network's "Idol Wrap," Guarini confessed, "Every single year, we cannot stand the group performances. I know they can't stand it either. And I think what makes [the group performances] even worse now is that they're lip-synced. They're really prerecorded now."

Guarini reportedly went on to say, "You see them kind of do this with the microphone... and they're not even holding it to their face and they're laughing."

Wowzer. I think it's safe to say Mr. Guarini can expect a frantic call from "Idol's" stable of PR people sometime soon, if he hasn't gotten one already.

How do you feel about this allegation? If the group numbers are in fact prerecorded, would you feel cheated? Or do you think it's only fair to cut these kids some slack, with all the songs they have to learn every week?

-- Stephanie Lysaght

Photo credit: FOX

Comments

[Marie]

I was at the show last Tues/Wed and I'm almost certain they are lip synching the group numbers. I don't really have a problem with it; per se. I think these kids have so much to do in a week that adding all the group work is a bit much. I would however rather see them sit and sing in a few small groups - duets and trios, scattered around the stage - rather than one giant, inanely choreographed medley.

[anon]

Last week it was very obvious the group number was prerecorded. During almost the entire song, the camera kept showing Scott's hands supposedly playing the piano. Then towards the end of the song, Scott stood up to sing with the rest of the contestants but you could still hear the piano being played in the backgroung in the exact same tempo and volume. I seriously doubt Scott had time to learn to play that piece that well in one week on top of all the other duties he had to learn (group number, Ford commercial, his own song).

[Stacey]

I've watched the last 2 weeks, and in both weeks, the group numbers were very obviously (to me) lip synched. I'm very disappointed in that decision. If these are supposedly the "cream of the crop" singers in America, they can certainly learn a group number! If the arrangements are too difficult... they need to simplify the arrangements, not do a pre-record. I don't know if this is related... but Ricky Minor, the AI musical director, was also the musical director for the Superbowl show. I read an interview where he strongly encouraged Faith Hill and Jennifer Hudson to lip-synch... and they did. My feeling is - if you can sing (and they can), do it live!

[Roy From Atwater]

What a bunch of idiots. Either sing if you have talent, or get the 4377 out if you don't. And to the american public...you are a bunch of suckers if you fall for this.

[KJ]

The group numbers have been pre-recorded forever. It's a production logistic and not an "artistic" slight of hand. Because it's not part of the competition, and just for entertainment value, the producers are just producing good television, and ensuring the group number on the live show is technically perfect.

Take a close look, everything at the Super Bowl half-time show is lip-synched... even Whitney's famous performance of "The Star Spangled Banner," years ago. It's just a production thing done for "protection" during a live event.

Get over it, people. It's television.

[Rocco]

Why do y'all keep watching this rubbish?

[Heather]

They are absolutely lip-syncing this season. I called it during the first group number. They just don't look like they're really singing and nobody's perfect at lip-syncing. It's stupid that they're prerecorded for a singing competition, but whatever. I personally wish the group number would go away. It does not add to the broadcast. I TIVO the results show and this is part of the reason. Fast forward!

[exsinger]

Oy, who cares? I love AI as much as anyone, but the group numbers have never added any value otherr than to kill time. So what if they lip sync their vocals to a track they prerecorded in their own voices? At least it's not Milli Vanilli who synched to someone else's vocal track.

[AI Fan]

It's been painfully obvious that they are lip-synching the group routines. I'm actually surprised that this was the first year they've done it, or this group is just worse than previous year at doing it...

[A Benedetto]

Does it matter that these performances are lip-synched? Compared to, say, listening to Kanye West "sing" live on SNL, or watching the Jonas Brothers jump around like preschoolers on grandpa when then "played" with Stevie Wonder at the Grammys (was even a single instrument of theirs plugged in?), I'm happy to watch and listen to AI contestants re-perform something they recorded in the relative peace of the studio. At least it was nearly in tune, and at least they could move without looking like dorks. Which is more than we can say for Kanye and the Jonas children, who have all "made it" whether by talent or bluster or -- well, it doesn't really matter, does it? As long as a performance pulls off the fantasy it pretends, we call it entertainment. In this regard, "American Idol" has nothing to hide.

[Lguin]

I must say that I don't like the group numbers either way. The results show being an hour long is ridiculous. It should last 30 minutes MAX. However, I am disappointed that the contestants aren't actually singing live. Isn't that the whole premise of the show? If the show is a "singing competition" as Randy and Simon constantly remind us, why are they more worried about being able to dance around on stage like it's a musical? I know they will have to eventually perform, but are they going to lip-sync all their songs on tour so they don't dance around "looking like dorks," as someone previously posted? I probably wouldn't go to see the tour anyway, but I surely wouldn't go to see it if I am paying to watch the "Top 10" lip-sync like Ashley Simpson on SNL.

[Paul]

Wow. American Idol contestants really are being prepared for the professional ranks. That's awesome.

[Kay Cap]

The group numbers are for viewers' entertainment, not for competitive purposes....I enjoy them but always assumed they were pre-recorded. I can't believe this is "news" to anyone!

[Tina]

It does not matter what they do during the opening number, as long as they sing live DURING the actual competition. As for the person who though that Scott was piano-syncing, obviously the band's piano took over so that Scott could perform the rest of the choreography, duh! Did you think with all the technology they have going on in the AI auditorium, that it would be impossible to for someone else to pick up where he left off (in the exact tempo and volume) or that this was an "oversight" by the music directors, too obvious. He is a pretty talented person and even with all the other responsibilities he had during the week, I really think he can learn 2 songs on the piano in 1 week, or maybe he already new 1 or both of these pieces by heart. He's been playing the piano since he was toddler.

[Ronnie]

To the person who claims that Scott doesn't play piano, did you ever think that someone in the band takes over? No? Didn't think you did.

[Jan]

Justin Guarini lost his job over this story. Could someone write a story about that? I think he deserves to be given his job back since everyone quoted him. Idol will stop at nothing, including ruining someone's career, to keep their image in tact.

[Colette]

You can definitely tell that they are lip synching the group performance. On tonight's show, Scott was supposedly playing the keyboard and his fingers weren't really moving. Their lips didn't match up to the lyrics either. It is painfully obvious. I think Justing Guarini should be given his job back. All he was doing was confirming the obvious!

[cari]

I'm fairly certain they haven't been lip syncing since the very beginning of the season, actually. I think it just started a week or two ago. I don't understand the purpose of lip syncing when they obviously can do it live, and if they can't do it well enough then they shouldn't do it at all. I understand the point about trying to take a load off of them every week because adding a group performance is too much for them to learn/take on. It just doesn't make sense, because they still have to take the time to learn the music, take the time to record it, and make sure they know the lyrics so the public can't tell that they're lip syncing. Doesn't seem like it would take more time just to perform it live. I disapprove.

[Jvan]

I don't mind watching the group performances, I could take it or leave it. But I do HATE the lip-syncing! It is embarrassing to watch. It would be better to cut the group performances out, then to make us watch them obviously pretending to sing.

[Dan]

I have a problem with the contestants faking it, even if it is just the results night and intended to be "for entertainment purposes only". For one, voting decisions are based on a number of factors, not exclusively on their Tuesday night performances. Everything they do and say is being monitored by the fans including their general personalities, responses to the judges, and yes, their sound within the group. The group songs may not be a major factor in voting, but particularly on "close calls" people remember how someone sounded during group songs especially when they were one extreme or the other (i.e. really good or really bad). The other problem I have with it is that during the group songs we are thinking ahead of what they will sound like live on stage when they go on tour. Fans begin to imagine what it will be like in the third row seeing their Idol(s) on stage singing to them. But wait...it's fake....or at least it is now. Will it be fake then too? Will I pay good money to go see them fake it? It seems to me that it's unfair to AI's financiers (the paying public) to not give them what they are paying for...live, raw talent.

[John H]

It is so obvious that they are lip synching. If you look closely on the "Don't Stop Believin" group number...you can see that Allison lip synchs "Just a small town girl...livin in THIS lonely world..." but what comes out is "Livin in A lonely world..." The MOST OBVIOUS part was when Scott is behind the keyboard and his solo part is to sing "A singer in a smoky room.." He is 4 feet to the left of the microphone looking up and away from it !!!!!!! I am a performing musician...there is NO WAY his voice is picked up that far away from the microphone...totally obvious. To top it off....the word "Room" in this phrase comes through the PA perfectly but Scott never closes his mouth at the end of the word "room"...watch it if you think Im wrong...it will be PAINFULLY obvious...we rewound it a number of times and laughed...

[DAN VINES]

i said they lip synced long ago on blogs, and peolpe said i was nuts