13 Things That Happen on the 'American Idol' That Are Totally Fake

American Idol's Orchestrated Drama Behind the Music

While American Idol has launched the careers of musical superstars, the hit reality singing competition has long been dogged by allegations that it's more fiction than fact. From manufactured feuds between judges to pre-determined contestant roles and suspect voting results, former participants and industry insiders have pulled back the curtain on the show's sordid production tactics. Contestants have spoken out about being manipulated, misled, and even sabotaged by producers hellbent on fabricating high-drama storylines and controlling every aspect of the intense competition - all for the sake of rating gold.

1.  Fabricated Drama Behind American Idol's High-Stress Moments

There have been reports that the production staff heavily manipulates and fabricates a lot of high-stress scenes. Even Mariah Carey, a previous judge, talked about her experience on the Kyle and Jackie O radio program. Though Carey didn't like it when two women were put against each other, she claimed that her feud with Nicki Minaj was widely promoted since it was made for entertaining viewing. The American Idol judges have had disagreements throughout the season, although the original conflict on the show was between Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul, despite the well-known American Idol rivalry between Minaj and Carey.

2. Selective Spotlights

That's exactly what happened to country singer Kate Watson. During Season 19 of American Idol, she sang a song that Richie had written. Despite making it to the end of Hollywood Week, she was never featured on the show. This is proof that, rather than showcasing each competitor equally, the competition show has always favored some and featured particular individuals depending on their notoriety or heartfelt tales. Some competitors that make it to the main stage are handled carelessly, while others don't have their auditions or stories featured on the show.

3. The Controlled Song Selections

As of 2008, contestants are given a CD with about fifty songs to select from, according to Today. It is surprising to hear that candidates have little alternatives for audition music selections, even while it is logical as only specific works are approved by artists for use in the event. Things for the show altered when American Idol moved to ABC, although their audition options remained restricted in the new chapter of the show's history. There are still a lot of restrictions during the audition stage, even though more competitors can perform original songs and the options seem to be a little more varied.

4. Behind the Hurdles and Hopes of The Auditions

On the day of the auditions, American Idol contestants face multiple rounds of selections; at times they must perform in front of the judges. Even after multiple rounds of auditions, which have altered throughout the years, some singers are still not guaranteed a slot to sing on camera before they reach the panel of celebrity judges. The contestants on American Idol share a common experience: they aspire to meet the judges, perform, and gain exposure in the music industry through the show. However, most of their initial interactions with the show are with producers.

5. American Idol's Secret Ratings and Production Control

The inner workings of the show are revealed by a novel called Elimination Night, which says, "Producers use a secret rating system to vet contestants before they even make it to the judge’s table and then, as the season progresses, manipulating and even sabotaging the singers they want to see rise or fall," according to the New York Post. The book goes so far as to claim that judges may be used as manipulators without their knowledge, demonstrating the immense influence that production has over the event's outcome. Throughout American Idol's history, there have been documented examples of producer manipulation; however, a greater number of these cases occurred at the beginning of the series than in more recent years.

6. The Unseen Auditions and Fillers 

The American Idol auditioners are put through a succession of different auditions to determine whether they should advance in the competition, even though they came hoping to sing in front of the judges. In the interim, cameras are prowling the grounds in search of material for the series to serve as filler in between casting calls. While some candidates may not even get into the audition room, they don't mind appearing on camera, others aren't interested in doing a free performance. Numerous videos of American Idol hopefuls who were not selected for the audition stage are available, and they have contributed free content to the show.

7. Scripted Tears

The reality show American Idol doesn't even fact-check sob stories because they are so popular—as long as they generate high viewership. According to HuffPost, one competitor in particular, Matt Farmer, was even exposed for fabricating his military background. Even while the series has always featured sob tales, a lot has changed when the show moved to ABC. With lengthy, meandering storylines woven throughout the audition episodes, the applicants' backstories have grown to be an essential component of the show now.

8. Golden Tickets and Broken Promises

Sadly obtaining a golden ticket does not ensure that a person will make it further in the competition. Former American Idol candidate Akron Watson shared his experience on MySpace, stating, "A golden ticket, but no plane ticket!!!" as reported by E! News. Watson claims he was fired by the show for "unknown reasons," even though he had just received a golden ticket a few days earlier, which was intended to secure him a trip to Hollywood. Despite being distributed throughout the season, the golden tickets have had a meaningless purpose as some candidates have revealed that they did not truly transport them to Hollywood.

9. Pre-Determined Roles and Harsh Judgments

The experience of discovering how scripted the show was and how they had already made a decision about her before she even auditioned was shared in a TikTok by a competitor who had previously tried out for the show, @colbykatreisinger. The performer remarks that Katy Perry "didn't learn her lines," but she also highlights how the show first portrayed her as a villain. The judges' responses to the performances in previous seasons of the show were far more direct and harsh, especially when the original panel of judges was in charge.

10. Blurry Contestant Eligibility Rules

Even though it can be difficult to define exactly what the rules are, some competitors have been eliminated from the competition simply because they have prior professional experience in the field of music and performing. Those who have previously opened for or performed with signed acts on tours were not allowed to return to American Idol in its early seasons. Though backup vocalists for signed musicians have occasionally appeared on the show, most record contracts prohibit former performers from participating in competitions.

11. Controversial Voting History

Season 8 produced one of the most controversial vote outcomes ever—a dubious event that will always be referred to as "textgate." As the only two competitors remaining, Kris Allen and Adam Lambert emerged victorious, with Allen having been the "unwitting beneficiary of tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of illegal block votes cast," according to NZ Herald. A furious Twitter user, who was shocked to learn that the show's remade version for ABC did not feature fan-favorite Gabby Barrett. The furious fan commented, "Not only is American Idol rigged but Gabby not winning is the biggest upset of 2018."

12. Accused Of Creating A Hostile Workplace

Past contestants, such as Arthur Gunn, a season 19 favorite on American Idol, have admitted that they didn't feel comfortable on the show. The artist informed US Weekly that it was a "last-minute decision but I couldn’t help but say no cause of some personal morals and values due to unpleasant environmental experiences." When he decided to postpone a performance he was supposed to have it with Sheryl Crow on the series. Gunn refused to go into detail, citing the setting in which he was performing as an issue.

13. The Post-American Idol Struggles

Even though the show has produced some incredibly successful winners in the past, such as Kelly Clarkson, the winner of American Idol season 1, many singers have failed miserably in their attempts to win. Some past winners attribute their lack of momentum post-show to the songs they're given as their first single. The singles that the artists are usually handed aren't usually amazing for the mainstream, however some are better than others. Some American Idol winners have blamed a bad lead single for their careers not taking off, even though many artists have problems other than their lead songs failing.