American Idol

Contestant Katharine McPhee with Kermit

American Idol is a popular reality TV singing competition airing on FOX. Judged by Randy Jackson, Keith Urban,  Mariah Carey, Nicky Minaj and hosted by Ryan Seacrest, each year it narrows down a series of finalists until one of them is chosen as the American Idol. Notable winners and finalists that have worked with the Muppets have included Carrie Underwood, Ruben Studdard, Matt Rogers, and Jennifer Hudson. It is part of the Idol franchise which spans across the world. Past judges are Kara DioGuardi, Paula Abdul, Ellen DeGeneres, Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez and Simon Cowell. Nigel Lythgoe serves as executive producer since the show's inception (except for 2009 and 2010).

Muppet Appearances

Miss Piggy on "Idol Gives Back"

• During the "Results Show" broadcasts aired each week, the remaining contestants are featured singing in a commercial for a Ford automobile. Kermit the Frog has appeared inside the featured car at the end of a few of these spots.

• May 10th and May 24th, 2006, vehicle: Ford Fusion, Kermit's tagline: "I guess it is easy being green."
• April 4th, 2007, vehicle: Ford Escape Hybrid, Kermit's tagline: "Aww, I love being green," as he hangs a tree-shaped air-freshener in the vehicle.

• During the "Idol Gives Back" special on April 25th, 2007, Miss Piggy appeared several times during a celebrity montage video of "Stayin' Alive". Other celebrities included Rob Schneider, Jason Biggs, Helena Bonham Carter, Goldie Hawn, Helen Mirren, Dr. Phil McGraw, Teri Hatcher and Forest Whitaker.

Muppet Mentions

On the January 30, 2007 episode of the program's sixth season (Birmingham, Alabama auditions), a contestant named Margaret Fowler appeared, dressed in bright yellow feathers. She claimed to be 26-years-old (the maximum age for eligibility to compete is 28), but was later revealed to be 50. Host Ryan Seacrest remarked, through voice-over, that she looked like Big Bird, and a few bars of the "Sesame Street Theme" were played.

Statler and Waldorf audition for "American Idol"

Sesame Street's "American I"

References

• Statler and Waldorf showed their audition video for American Idol in episode 22 of From the Balcony only to get insulted and heckeled by the judges.
• Sesame Street spoofed the game show as "American I" in Episode 4142. Prairie Dawn hosts with a panel of judges consisting of Rosita, Oscar the Grouch and Dawg the Dog. Three contestants, a B, a W and an I compete to become the next American I, despite the fact that not all of them are Is. In the end, the panel of judges pick Prairie Dawn as the winner.
• The 2007 book Sesame Street Superstar is a takeoff on American Idol. The book comes with a built-in microphone and mini-karaoke machine. After each song, there's a comment from the panel of "judges" -- Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch and Cookie Monster.
• Deutschland sucht den Superstar, the German version of the show, were spoofed as "Deutschland sucht die Superkuh" in the Sesamstrasse episode 2348. Another reference have been made as "Deutschland sucht die Super Grautsch"

External links

• American Idol Official Website