Did 'Idol' Use Pia and Mark to Mess With 'The Voice'? If So, It Didn't Work

By Rob Shuter Posted Apr 27th 2011 02:15PM

Head-scratching TV insiders are wondering today, did 'American Idol,' which controls every appearance of every finalist with an iron fist, deliberately allow kicked-off Pia Toscano to appear on 'Dancing With the Stars' last night to mess with a competing talent show? We're of course talking about NBC's 'The Voice,' which debuted the same hour as 'Dancing' on ABC.

"Of course they did," one NBC producer not directly tied to 'The Voice' tells me. "'Idol' has not allowed any of its talent from the present season appear on 'Dancing,' and all of a sudden they book Pia!"

My industry source believes FOX may have been worried about another singing competition "stealing their thunder, so they did everything they could to sabotage it."

Well, if it's true then mission not accomplished. Via the Hollywood Reporter: "With a 5.1 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 11.8 million viewers overall, it is the top-rated series premiere on a major network since CBS' Undercover Boss debut following the 2010 Super Bowl."

More importantly, 'The Voice' bested 'Dancing' -- which saw the departure of Chris Jericho -- in the 9-10 p.m. time-slot. Ouch!

Sabotage theories aside, Pia's performance was also great due to the rumors that she is dating professional dancer Mark Ballas, who performed while she sang. At the end of her number, host Tom Bergeron slighly asked Pia about her status with Mark. "He's a wonderful person," she replied.

"This was too good an opportunity to miss," a past 'Idol' winner who asked to remain anonymous tells me. "The connection between Mark and Pia was perfect to ensure great ratings for 'Dancing With the Stars' at the expense of the new show."

The former 'Idol' likens the show's efforts to take on its competition as a war game, adding, "If you think for one minute that the producers of 'Idol' are not thinking everything through like a chess game, then you don't understand why this show is such a monster success."

We only wish Simon Cowell's new competition, 'The X-Factor,' was debuting during an 'Idol' season. Now THAT would be war!

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Tags: American Idol, Dancing With the Stars, Mark Ballas, Pia Toscano, The Voice

Comments

(174)

Wednesday 27 April

By Owen

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Are you serious? Donald Trump is that you writing that nasty racist letter...You should be ashamed...I think Dancing is one of the worst shows on TV but to be so hateful is so Donald

By chris

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ROFL I have found you....I told people you exsisted but...they doubted! you should be excited folks. you have just seen the elusive white racisit man pig LOL....Colored??? LOL OK!!! I hear banjoes folks paddle faster.

By Barb

Coloreds??????????????????????????Buddy you have a big and I mean Big problem. You are the reason there is so much prejudice in this country. People like you should be ashamed of yourself but it is ignorance that makes you and others to think like this... Coloreds? I haven't heard that for many years..That's how backwaters you are --freak!!!!
A white lady here.

By MetsFan

Colored? you have alot of nerve even showing up here and slandering blacks but also slandering the good name of David Wright. Go away and never show your ignorance here ever again you jerk.

Thursday 28 April

By sara

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YOU ARE ONE OF THE HATERS SORRY GET A LIFE

By Jim

I am glad they did bring Pia onboard, she is hot and has beautiful voice.

By DaveW

She is a phony and was lipsyncing !

By zookeeper536

Pia sang the same old tired song she sang twice on AI. Big deal! I still don't think her voice is THAT great or that she has all that much talent. Isn't there supposed to be something about they can't make money singing until the AI contract is done after the tour?

By Pat

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Pia has a beautiful voice..but she makes the ugliest faces when she sings... its hard to watch her. She would have had a better chance on THE VOICE instead of IDOL.

By Mary

I agree with you Pat. I can barely stand to look at Pia when she sings. She has an ok voice until she starts screeching those high notes. There is nothing about that sound that is attractive and she sure does make ugly faces when she sings. It looks like she is in pain most of the time. I guess she would do better on a show where you didn't have to look at her. I bet Simon would have had something to say about how she has the vocal cords of a very large cat. I really don't care about her personal life. She is supposed to be a performer. The line stops there with regard to who she is or is not dating.

By the way, Dancing With The Stars did get more viewers last season than American Idol so if someone does not like the show, simply don't watch.

By mmm2011

If Pia could sing she would have made it all the way.And no she is not that good of a singer. Get it thru your heads and Pia u are not as good as u think. She might have the looks, but that is all ppl look at these days. Now she is with mark, what was wrong with the boyfriend she had. oh that is right, cause she dumped him for mark.

By sunchld0

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Why do you think you can sing better than Pia? I bet you couldn't sing for your supper or breakfast. I have a first cousin who has the same range as Pia and is an excellent singer. So is Pia.

By MsNancy

Guess this has all gone to her head...she thinks who she is now...so sad she dumped her boyfriend..shows what type of person she really is...she has a good voice but was a very boring performer...as someone else said,"a real snooze fest".

Well any station can beat DWS. This years lineup is pathetic.

By mm

ballas is trying to leach on the pia ride of fame/success because she will be making records and some big mony soon. I see her being next whitney houston. her voice is amazing. dancers have short careers and he isnt stupid he want some of that. i will be weary of him since ballas men are known to be sleazy cheaters.

By Shannon

MM... just a heads up, Ballas is a musician in his own right. He's successful all on his own. He doesn't need attach himself to Pia's coat tails, who, by the way, is JUST starting out. Ever stop to think that maybe SHE'S the one looking to bolster herself by being involved with him??

In my opinion Pia's a piece of trash. To simply blow off the guy she's been in a relationship with for 4 years, with no warning, for a shot at possibly dating Ballas... total trash.

By Renee

The "next Whitney Houston", as in COKE FIEND?

By Nutsack

Obama should appear on Dancing With The Stars.

By Joyce Mouillesseaux

"Slighly"? Really? Isn't it "slyly" and shouldn't people who write this stuff know it?

By Camille

Pia sucked on Idol, and I'm sure she sucked equally on DWTS. I wouldn't waste my time watching it. In fact, I usually watch DWTS but I didn't watch last night just because she was on!

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