Ryan Seacrest

Christian Contestant Ignores American Idol Producers, Says 'God, Use Me' on Live TV

By Noel Sheppard | March 22, 2012 | 02:11

As NewsBusters reported last Friday, the producers of the hit show American Idol warned contestant Colton Dixon to tone down his overtly Christian references if he wanted to win the competition.

Dixon clearly didn't heed their advice, for after his incredible performance of Billy Joel's "Piano Man" Wednesday, he told host Ryan Seacrest, "I’ve been praying before this whole thing because tonight was a big moment for me, and I was just collecting myself and saying, 'God, use me.' I want Him to shine through first and foremost." (Video follows with commentary.)

American Idol Pays Tribute to...Barack Obama?

By Noel Sheppard | March 15, 2012 | 01:54

Is it possible to turn on the TV today without being told how wonderful Barack Obama is?

Apparently not, for on Wednesday’s American Idol – yes, the nation’s premier musical competition – the Commander-in-Chief was gushed and fawned over like a rock star (video follows with transcribed highlights and commentary):

Ryan Seacrest to Interview Joe Biden on the Radio

By Tim Graham | January 18, 2012 | 07:54

Does Ryan Seacrest have a liberal bias? Maybe he's gunning to be the next Matt Lauer. On his national radio show, Seacrest announced he'll have Vice President Joe Biden on his show on Monday. Seacrest's online announcement lists the other significant political leaders he's interviewed include the late Ted Kennedy, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Barack and Michelle Obama, and Bill and Hillary Clinton. Politico noted that despite this left-wing list, Seacrest tweeted on Tuesday: “Throughout 2012, I'm welcoming political leaders from all points of the spectrum.”

Seacrest touted how "the Vice President has been touring the nation holding Town Hall meetings in an effort to discuss the administration’s efforts to educate students on how to make college more affordable and student debt more manageable." He added Biden told students in Florida, “A college education is almost a prerequisite or a ticket to the middle class. It’s also a prerequisite if we’re going to lead this world again.”

American Idol's Ryan Seacrest to Replace Matt Lauer at Today Show?

By Geoffrey Dickens | August 15, 2011 | 12:03

Could Ryan Seacrest go from interviewing pop star Katy Perry on American Idol to just announced GOP presidential candidate Rick Perry on the Today show in the very near future? If some execs at Comcast, which owns NBC, have their way it could happen.

According to Colby Hall at Mediate.com "rumors have persisted" that longtime Today show co-anchor Matt lauer will leave his duties after his current contract ends in 2012 and "Mediate has learned that the top choice of certain key Comcast and NBC execs is American Idol host Ryan Seacrest."

Obama to Give Election Day Exclusive to 'American Idol' Host Ryan Seacrest

By Lachlan Markay | November 01, 2010 | 19:00

In case you didn't know, the President really doesn't like Fox News. Why? Fox is "not really a news station," in the words of White House advisor David Axelrod.

Barack Obama hasn't given the most highly-rated cable news channel an interview in eight months. But he apparently has no problem sitting down for an election day exclusive with the b-list host of "American Idol", Ryan Seacrest.

Seacrest announced the interview in a Monday Facebook post on his fan page:

Obama Idol: 'American Idol' Goes Out of the Way to Pay Tribute to Current President

By Erin R. Brown | January 20, 2010 | 19:29

Has it come to this that now even pop culture platforms like "American Idol" are in the tank for President Barack Obama? It appears so.

Season nine of the popular Fox show "American Idol" found itself in Chicago where nearly 12,000 people auditioned to become the next winner of the singing talent show. But the "Idol" producers took the opportunity to link the Chicago auditions with the most visible and most recent "winner" to emerge from the windy city; President Barack Obama.

It is standard practice during the audition phase of "Idol" to introduce viewers to each new city with a brief video package highlighting the city's most famous landmarks and unique features. However, no less than two minutes into the Jan 19 broadcast of the Chicago auditions, the show took a more serious and political tone.

Video embedded below fold

American Idol Contestant Mocked for Christian Beliefs by Idol Host

By Warner Todd Huston | January 21, 2008 | 20:32

Now, I have never seen this show, so you'll have to excuse me if I am misunderstanding the whole American Idol "thing," OK? As I seem to recall, the deal is that you sing for a washed up 80s pop star, a fat guy no one ever heard of and some English dude and they rate you on your talent. Right? Or is it that they are supposed to rate you on your sex life and moral beliefs? Because, it seems that host Ryan Seacrest has given some unwanted "advice" to a recent contestant that offered that at 19 he'd never kissed a girl. In response, Seacrest told him to "go kiss some girls," and hoped that once he came back to audition again he'd "come back less a boy and more a man." This did not amuse contestant Bruce Dickson who says the reason he'd never kissed a girl was because of his Christian moral convictions.

So, is being a Christian with closely held moral convictions now a disqualifying thing to be a proper contestant on TV's American Idol? If Seacrest has anything to say about it, it would seem so.

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