American Idol Has A Surprising Rule Contestants Must Meet Before Auditioning – You Won’t Believe What It Is!
American Idol has a strange rule that could keep some contestants off the stage before they even begin. Find out what’s behind this bizarre requirement.
If you’ve ever caught an episode of American Idol, you recognize it as a giant in the realm of vocal showdowns. We’ve witnessed icons like Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood soar to fame, and even runner-ups like Jennifer Hudson and Adam Lambert have transformed their Idol runs into huge professions.
Yet here’s a detail you possibly haven’t discovered. According to US Weekly, American Idol has some seriously bizarre rules that contestants have to follow, and one of the most jaw-dropping ones is all about criminal records. If someone has a criminal record, they better spill the beans to the producers before they even think about stepping on that stage.
But not all criminal records are a deal-breaker. Minor offenses might slide under the radar, but if any contestant has a violent crime on their record? Well, they don’t even bother auditioning. And if they fail to disclose their criminal history and it comes to light, they are out. No second chances. American Idol doesn’t mess around when it comes to this rule.
It makes sense, though. The last thing the producers want is to find out one of their shiny new stars has a shady past that could spark controversy. So, yeah, honesty is the best policy here. The Idol judges take this very seriously. Just ask Corey Clark from season 9 and Jaered Andrews from season 2. Both were booted off the show for hiding their criminal pasts.
Let’s move on to the fun stuff—the Idol winners. After all the sweat, tears, and intense auditions, winning American Idol doesn’t exactly mean a one-way ticket to musical freedom. Winners have to sign some serious contracts. And those contracts are not always in their favor. Take Phillip Phillips, for instance. The guy won season 11, but his experience after the win wasn’t exactly a fairy tale.
Phillips had to battle his record label in court. Why? The label forced him to perform free concerts and gave him zero creative control over his music. He sued 19 Entertainment in 2015, claiming they manipulated him into performing countless shows for no pay and hijacked his artistic vision.
He even went so far as to warn other contestants about the harsh realities of the Idol system. However, it was later settled (per The Hollywood Reporter). The moral of the story here? While American Idol might make you famous, it doesn’t always come with the happy ending you expect.
