American Idol Scandal! (Um, Or Not)

My lovely and talented colleague Sharon Fink just got off the phone with American Idol producer Nigel Lythgoe. Her full report on the chat runs tomorrow, but here's a quick snippet about the latest brouhaha. Take it away, Sharon...

The first big Idol sniping of the year has been about the number of hopefuls, including members of the Top 24, who have a track record in the music industry.

Robbie Carrico was in an Orlando-manufactured boy band, Boyz N Girlz United, that opened for Britney Spears on a 1999 tour. Sixteen-year-old David Archuleta was a Star Search winner at 12.

But the biggest target has been Carly Smithson, the Irish belter with the sob story about her visa problems. (WATCH her audition.) Under her maiden name, Hennessy, she released an album in 2001, Ultimate High, and according to one report, MCA backed its promotion with $2-million.

So what, Idol executive producer Nigel Lythgoe said in a conference call Friday. "Nobody said this is an amateur competition. (That) is something people are making up for themselves," he said.

"The rules of the competition say you can’t be in contract now....Kelly Clarkson had a professional contract (before Season 1). Bo Bice had a deal (before Season 4). We’re doing everything about who they are and what they are now."

And don’t ask him about it again. After taking a couple of questions about the issue and repeating the same points, he got a bit cranky and semi-wailed, "I honestly don’t know what the angle is."

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