Still on top, ‘American Idol’ honchos rib their rivals

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Steven Tyler (from left), Jennifer Lopez and Randy Jackson are back to judge another season of “American Idol,” which still leads in the ratings among televised talent shows. | Danny Moloshok~AP

Updated: February 19, 2012 8:17AM

As the country’s most popular TV show embarks on its 11th season, you can expect some heated competition both on and off the “American Idol” stage.

This marks the first time the grand poobah of singing contests will share the same time frame as “The Voice,” which charged out of the gate last spring with an impressive debut. The NBC hit kicks off its sophomore season after the Super Bowl before settling into a Monday night slot.

The Mark Burnett-produced show may have netted only half the 23 million viewers “Idol” got, but “The Voice” clearly struck A Nerve among the “Idol” posse at the recent Television Critics Association’s winter press tour.

During a TCA panel devoted to the Fox program, “Idol” judge Randy Jackson fired off several barbs at “The Voice,” calling out the show’s winner, Javier Colon, for having had a previous deal with Capitol Records that went nowhere and characterizing the contestants as “second-chance people.”

Jackson, who must have downed a handful of feisty pills that morning, took another swing at the competition for ripping off “Star Trek’s” spinning chairs.

“ ‘Idol’ is still the best TV show of its kind anywhere,” Jackson said. “We are the original. We kind of invented this whole game that everybody is now copying.”

When “Idol” first came on the scene 10 years ago, it had the playing field to itself. Now you can barely channel surf without hitting a televised talent search: “The X Factor” (from former “Idol” judge Simon Cowell, no less), “America’s Got Talent,” “The Sing-Off,” “The Voice.”

Despite the increased competition, “Idol” has held onto its alpha dog position as TV’s top-rated series since 2006. And while it’s seen some erosion in its massive ratings over the years, last season saw an uptick in viewers — the first time that’s happened since season five.

“Idol’s” resurgence in popularity had a lot to do with an overhaul at the judges’ table that put Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler and pop diva Jennifer Lopez alongside veteran judge Jackson. The result was a kinder, gentler “Idol” than the show spearheaded by the sharp-tongued Cowell.

Compared to “Idol’s” facelift last year, this year’s changes are more like a shot of Botox. Some minor tinkering has been done to the middle rounds, so when competitors reach the Hollywood stage, they’ll be asked to go “completely out of their comfort zone” and sing 1950s-era songs in a group, producers said. The following round will have them belting out a solo while being accompanied by one instrument.

Interscope Geffen A&M Records chairman Jimmy Iovine will be back to mentor “Idol’s” finalists.

Meanwhile, over on “The Voice,” Kelly Clarkson has signed on to be a mentor for season two.

The irony of an “Idol” champ on the rival show wasn’t lost on Fox’s reality guru Mike Darnell, who told TCA members that “Idol” isn’t interested in raiding “The Voice’s” talent stash, and it’s a compliment that “other shows want to use our superstars.”

There’s no denying that “Idol” has catapulted some major hit-makers out of obscurity during its tenure. Before “Idol,” Clarkson was a waitress from Dallas, Jennifer Hudson was singing on cruise ships, Carrie Underwood lived on a farm, Chris Daughtry punched a time card at a car dealership, and David Cook was mixing margaritas in Missouri.

Meanwhile, Leona Lewis, winner of the U.K. version of “The X Factor,” was a “one-and-a-half-hit star for 10 minutes,” quipped “Idol” executive producer Ken Warwick at the lively TCA panel.

“None of these shows are producing the stars that we are,” Warwick said of his long-lived series, whose alumni have cranked out a cumulative 314 No. 1 Billboard hits.

Touche.

Maybe a little of the “Idol” folks’ defensiveness is due to Ryan Seacrest’s uncertain future with the show.

Seacrest’s contract is up after this season, and if we learned anything from “The X Factor,” it’s choose your host wisely. We also learned that Nicole Scherzinger is useless — oh wait, we already knew that — and you don’t let little kids compete unless you think it’s cute to watch them collapse in a puddle of their own tears.

Darnell said he “can’t imagine the show without [Seacrest],” and he sounded confident that both sides will reach an agreement to keep him on board.

Darnell voiced just as much confidence about “Idol’s” future.

“Let’s not forget that last year, we all sat here and a lot of this group — and a lot of the world — was suspicious that we couldn’t come back with this television show, and it came roaring back,” he told TCA members. “This is the show the audience loves, and this is the show the audience wants to come back to.”