Can’t wait until January 19th for the American Idol premiere? Neither can we, although the latest promos still don’t have a crazy audition in sight. It looks like Idol is really playing up its inspirational side, since we have yet to see a single outlandish audition costume or negative comment. We want our crazy back! Here’s the latest from FOX, this time focusing on the judges:

Meet Steven Tyler all over again!

And see the softer side of Jennifer Lopez:

Just when you thought you knew enough about Randy Jackson:

Doesn’t he seem kind of relieved in a way? More relaxed? This is a whole new Idol, as the changes just keep coming! So far, we know that the show is moving to Wednesday and Thursday nights, and that they’ve opened the auditions up to 15-year olds. Now TooFab has learned that the Top 12 will be living together in an L.A. mansion, as the show hopes to produce more “behind-the-scenes” content.

Whyyyyyyy? Was the weekly Ford commercial not enough? Now it’s got to go all Big Brother? And didn’t they already try this, much earlier on? Footage of contestants jumping in their giant pool with their clothes on is just not that interesting.

Here’s the rest of the dish on Hollywood Week, which is happening RIGHT NOW:
324 hopefuls were sent to Hollywood Week, where it appears they are finally making cuts. Among the hopefuls cut on Day 2 are an unemployed female contestant from New York, and a guy whose wife is about to give birth. We’ve seen it before, and its name was Big Mike!

On Day 1 the contestants performed in groups, singing songs from The Jackson 5 and The Black Eyed Peas. I’m assuming they can’t use auto-tune. [TooFab]On Day 2, the remaining hopefuls moved into the solo round, in which they sing for seven to thirty seconds for the judges without critique.
Ryan Seacrest, back from his “Twitter Death” is tweeting up a storm. [TooFab]

Are you excited for the new season of American Idol or do you miss the way things were before everything changed? Is it too different now?

(image and video courtesy of FOX)