An Idol April Fool's

One of the pleasures of living in the capital of Idol Nation is getting to drive past the giant American Idol billboard on Pico Boulevard, about half a mile from the Fox lot.  Hung each year on the first day of the final rounds, the billboard features a row of headshots of the Top 13.  Each week after the elimination, a heartbreaking giant red X is placed over  the face of the newly eliminated, bringing gasps to fans as they drive past and are forced to confront the reality of a world with out Jasmine, Jorge or Alexis on such a gigantic scale.

Below is a shot of what the billboard looked like at season's open:

But today, on April 1, the pranksters at Fox have pulled a little switcheroo on the Pico Boulevardiers.  This morning, drivers glanced up to see who remained in the top 9 and saw the billboard below instead:

-- Richard Rushfield

Photo:  Richard Rushfield

Image of billboard courtesy of Fox

iPhone gets an American Idol App

Over at the LA Times' technology blog, Michelle Maltais has a review of the iPhones new American Idol application.  She writes:

Whoever said that dreams don't come true just doesn't know the "American Idol" spirit.

I had a dream that one day iPhones and iPod Touches everywhere would have an application that tapped into the unstoppable and inspiring marketing monster that is AI. It's finally here.

An iPhone app seemed like a gimme since the show has a tie-in with AT&T (the device's sole wireless carrier) and sells the performance videos and songs through iTunes. (Ryan Seacrest -- or the Angel of Death, as Idolizer Richard Rushfield calls him -- did a ham-handed in-show commercial last season, but still no app.)

Although some people wait a lifetime for a moment like this, "Idol" worshipers had to wait only eight seasons (yeah, the iPhone wasn't around for all of them, but you know what I mean).

For those who don't get the allure, AI is like MLB is for music fans. And baseball fans had several apps of their own.

Finally, connected fans can have "Idol" hands -- and so far without the intrusion of Ryan, Randy, Kara, Paula and Simon.

Read the full review here.

"Idol" burnishes that squeaky-clean image

Throughout its history, the "American Idol" machine has shown brilliance at taking lemons and making them into lemonade. Now it's parlaying its sudsy public image to make soap.

Tying its image for "good clean fun" to an appeal to college students and the younger demographic, the show announced today in a press release that it will hand out "Idol"-brand detergent to laundry-room-bound undergrads. The release follows after the jump.

AT&T texts 'Idol' promos

"American Idol" sponsor AT&T took its advertising a little too far this week, some consumers apparently believe. According to the New York Times, text messages were sent reminding AT&T subscribers to tune in to the Season 8 premiere Tuesday night.  Many recipients were not amused.

The online service Twitter had a steady stream of complaints. “AT&T just sent me a text message advertisement about ‘American Idol.’ Evil,” a Twitter user named Joe Brockmeier wrote on Tuesday. “The economic downturn definitely means a spam upswing."

The telecommunications giant's wireless division felt it an appropriate tactic to promote a show based on such modern communication. Past "Idol" voters and heavy texters alike were selected as recipients.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins