Surprise: NBC’s America’s Got Talent premiered lower in the ratings this year despite the high-profile addition of Howard Stern as the show’s new judge.
Monday’s two-hour Got Talent returned to 10.3 million viewers and a 3.6 rating, down 16 percent from last year. EW’s Ken Tucker suggested Stern’s performance was almost too nice.
Before everybody points fingers at Stern, however, here’s a big mitigating factor: Last year Got Talent premiered at the very end of May and was paired with The Voice. This year, Got Talent faced a full boat of competition from rival networks, so the talent competition might have returned lower in the ratings due to the scheduling change. NBC points out last night’s rating matches Got Talent‘s performance two years ago. At 10 p.m., NBC’s Smash (6.1 million, 1.8) finale was steady. [NBC, ABC and Fox's 2012-13 fall schedules posted here]. READ FULL STORY »
When American Idol fan favorite Colton Dixon placed in the bottom three for the first time, the rowdy room that had party rocked with LMFAO minutes earlier fell silent. You could hear pins drop (the ones so recently used to pop balloons from the group number). Next jaws dropped, followed by gasps, boos, a supportive sister’s tears, and the swish of Jennifer Lopez’s ponytail as she shook her head in disbelief. Rumor has it a journalist let out a scream in the press room when her favorite was revealed as the lowest vote getter of the final seven. Even former winners Kris Allen and Taylor Hicks informed us afterwards that they didn’t see Dixon’s fall from favor coming.
Dancing With the Stars resident hot tamale and frontrunner William Levy was injured during rehearsal, reports 
