Exclusive Interview With American Idol Judges: Part Deux, Why they Like Savannah, The South and ME !

SEASON SEVEN OF AMERICAN- IDOL IS JUST TWO MONTHS AWAY.
AUDITIONS WERE HELD IN SEVERAL CITIES---WHICH INCLUDED ATLANTA AND CHARLESTON.
SO DOES THAT MEAN WE'LL SEE MORE SOUTHERNERS NEXT SEASON OR MAYBE ANOTHER FINALIST FROM OUR AREA?

"It's a good party town."
RANDY JACKSON SAYS THATS WHY HE LOVES SAVANNAH.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE HE'S NOT OUR ONLY FAN.
"Ryan dont we love Savannah, were southerners. The south shall rise again."
NOT ONLY DO THE IDOL JUDGES LOVE SAVANNAH BUT THEY LOVE THE SOUTH...AND THEY HOPE THIS REGION IS REPRESENTED A LITTLE BETTER IN SEASON 7'S FINALS.
"I didn't like the finals last year because I think I like to see the south represented in the final of the show, " said Simon Cowell.
THERE WERE FOUR SOUTHERN CONTESTANTS IN SEASON 6'S TOP 12... CHRIS SLIGH FROM SOUTH CAROLINA, MELINDA DOOLITTLE FROM TENNESSEE, PHIL STACEY FROM FLORIDA AND OF COURSE SAVANNAH'S OWN STEPHANIE EDWARDS.
BUT THE FINAL TWO WERE JORDIN SPARKS FROM ARIZONA AND BLAKE LEWIS FROM WASHINGTON.
"I think it's important that we do get a great contestant from the south because without that contingent I don't think the show works as well, " added Simon.
SO THIS YEAR THREE OF THE SEVEN AUDITION CITIES WERE IN THE SOUTH.. AND RANDY JACKSON SEEMS TO FEEL PRETTY GOOD ABOUT THOSE CHOICES.
"We just feel that the south is coming back stronger than ever."
HISTORICALLY .. SOUTHERN CONTESTANTS HAVE BEEN QUITE SUCCESSFUL...IN FACT, ALL SIX IDOL WINNERS HAILED FROM SOUTHERN OR SOUTHWESTERN AMERICAN STATES..
KELLY CLARKSON FROM TEXAS, RUBEN STUDDARD AND TAYLOR HICKS BOTH FROM ALABAMA, FANTASIA BARRINO FROM NORTH CAROLINA, CARRIE UNDERWOOD FROM OKLAHOMA AND JORDIN SPARKS FROM ARIZONA.
AND WHILE SOUTHERNERS HAVE DOMINATED THE COMPETITION VOCALLY.. ONE THING THAT WAS MISSING AT THIS YEARS CHARLESTON AUDITIONS WERE THE SUPER CRAZY COSTUMES... RANDY AND RYAN HAD THEIR OWN THEORY TO WHY THAT WAS THE CASE.
"Are you saying that the people in the south are smarter, that they dont have to act like bufoons. They don't have to dress up cause they have great personalities. I like this girl."
AND I LIKED RANDY TOO.. AFTERALL HE'S PULLING FOR THE SOUTH.
"AMERICAN IDOL" RETURNS WITH A 2-NIGHT, 4-HOUR PREMIERE TUESDAY, JANUARY 15TH, AND WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16TH RIGHT HERE ON FOX 28.

Exclusive Interview With American Idol's Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Ryan Seacrest Part One

ITS NEVER TOO EARLY TO TALK ABOUT AMERICAN IDOL?
THE NEXT SEASON STARTS AIRING IN JANUARY, BUT THE ROUNDS OF AUDITIONS HAVE ALREADY SWEPT THE COUNTRY.
AND, IT SEEMS THERE WILL BE SOME CHANGES TO THE FORMAT OF THE SHOW ACCORDING TO SHOW PRODUCER PATRICK LYNN.
"At some point during the season they are gonna let people play instruments. It's not gonna happen in the early rounds. There gonna decide probably at the studio shows and let them do down the road."
BUT WHEN I SPOKE WITH SIMON... HE DIDNT SEEM TO BE ON THE SAME PAGE.
"It's not going to happen."
SO I'M NOT SURE WHO'S IN CHARGE HERE BUT IF THIS CHANGE PANS OUT IT COULD SKEW THE PLAYING FIELD IN FAVOR OF MORE INSTRUMENTAL-FRIENDLY GENRES LIKE ROCK AND COUNTRY.
ALSO NEXT SEASON THERE WILL BE FEWER CELEBRITY MENTORS LIKE BARRY MANILOW AND DIANA ROSS BECAUSE PRODUCERS SAY THEY TOOK ATTENTION AWAY FROM THE CONTESTANTS....AND OF COURSE FROM SIMON.
"According to Ryan I was the reason the ratings went down so I'll be there less,"said Cowell.
"We also hope Randy's new look will help this season," added Ryan.
AND SPEAKING OF LOOKS....WE DIDN'T SEE TO MANY CRAZY COSTUMES IN CHARLESTON... BUT NO WORRIES..YOU'll STILL BE ENTERTAINED BY CRAZY'S FROM OTHER CITIES.
"There was one guy who waxed his entire body and brought in a bag of hair," according to Paula Abdul.
BUT YOU'LL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL JANUARY TO SEE HIM.
IN REAL TIME, THE SHOW IS ABOUT TO PULL INTO ITS HOLLYWOOD PHASE.
160 HOPEFULS WILL BE GOING TO TINSELTOWN AT THE END OF THIS MONTH.
FROM THERE THE FIELD WILL BE NARROWED TO THE TOP 24 -- EVENLY SPLIT BETWEEN THE BOYS AND THE GIRLS.
AND NEXT SUMMER, THE ANNUAL "IDOL" LIVE TOUR MAY BE COMBINED WITH THE "SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE" TOUR - TO CREATE A SHOW WITH BOTH SINGING AND DANCING.
LOTS OF CHANGES AND LOTS OF ANTICIPATION FOR THE SHOW THAT GETS MORE VOTES THAN A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.