To celebrate the finale of American Idol's first season on ABC, Jimmy Kimmel Live answered a question many longtime fans may have: Where have some of the series' most famous contestants been, and what do they sound like now? To answer this burning inquiry, Jimmy Kimmel hosted a slew of American Idol's most viral stars, including some of the champions, to give fans an audio and video update with a special reunion song. See the video for yourself below:
For a roughly four-minute song with numerous singers, this music video on Jimmy Kimmel Live packed in a lot of information. Don't worry, there won't be any spoilers as to what they are up to in this story, since the delivery in which the updates are given is key to the enjoyment.
However, it is important to note that the song leaves out some crucial details about some of the stars they featured.
For instance, back in 2011, Time reported that William "Not Ricky Martin" Hung had joined law enforcement as a statistical analyst for Los Angeles County Sheriff Department. As for Sanjaya Malakar's post-American Idol experience, he went on to compete in the second season of NBC's I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! He finished fifth in the competition, and the kindness he showed to his fellow contestants throughout the season left an indelible impression.
For what it's worth, Haley Reinhart's cover of Elvis Presley's "Can't Help Falling in Love" is a personal favorite, and she was a legitimate standout in the reunion video. It is cool that after all of these years, these memorable personalities from American Idol's original run on Fox were willing to return to that time in their lives with Jimmy Kimmel. It goes without saying that one would hope it was all made in good spirit...Jimmy.
In its later seasons on Fox, American Idol seemed to veer away from spotlighting the intentionally and accidentally awful auditions that were extremely unlikely to get a vote from the judges to go to Hollywood. It is a tradition ABC appeared to have continued with, though Katy Perry and shameless puppies still made the auditions viral-worthy.
American Idol just recently crowned its first winner on ABC, and all things considered, the revival has been a success for the alphabet network, even if there were setbacks. Time will tell, if fans remember the contestants on ABC's revival as sharply as they remember everyone featured in Jimmy Kimmel's video. It's great to learn so many are still singing. It is hard to believe it has been almost 15 years since the world was introduced to some of them for the first time, and based on the video, it seems everyone is still enjoying their legacy, as it were.
Jimmy Kimmel Live airs weeknights, starting at 11:35 p.m. ET on ABC. Having been renewed for another season, American Idol will return to ABC this fall. For a comprehensive look at what other shows have been cancelled and renewed, check out our 2018 network TV rundown. For what to watch over the summer, check out our guide to TV's summer premieres.
