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Posted: 6:28 PM- David Archuleta's vocal coach confirmed today that the "American Idol" singer's father, who has been accused of being "the stage dad from hell," has been prohibited from working with his son on the show.
Coach Dean Kaelin said the move to keep Jeff Archuleta from helping with David's songs was based on "fairness," not about allegations that Jeff has been a distraction or because he told his son to use additional lyrics that cost producers extra money.
Kaelin was referring to news reports that Jeff Archuleta was booted from rehearsals because he disobeyed producers' orders. The Associated Press, along with Internet tabloid site TMZ.com, reported that Jeff Archuleta had his son ad lib partial lyrics from Sean Kingston's "Beautiful Girls" during last week's performance of "Stand by Me," forcing producers to pay for rights to two songs. According to the stories, that led to the ban.
"This whole things with the words is ludicrous," said Kaelin, who has been working with David and his father during the show's run. "[David] easily would have sung that in front of producers, directors [during rehearsals]. Why wouldn't anyone go up to him and say, 'You can't sing that,' or go to Jeff? And nobody did."
Fox, which airs "American Idol," declined to comment today and said David and his family - under a nondisclosure agreement with the network - cannot talk to news media. Messages left for Jeff Archuleta via e-mail and on his cell phone were not returned.
"I have spoken to Jeff about all of this, and what he said to me is he is not 'banned' from the show," Kaelin said. "What he was banned from - and I wouldn't even call it that - is from the arranging sessions."
During these sessions, the singers decide how they will perform songs and what vocal changes they will make. It's how the 17-year-old singer from Murray came up with well-received renditions of songs like "Imagine" and "Love Me Tender."
Kaelin said Jeff Archuleta won't be allowed to work on arranging songs anymore because producers believe it's not fair for David to have access to musical expertise from outside the show while the other contestants don't. (Jeff Archuleta has to be with his son in Los Angeles because, unlike the other contestants, David is a minor.)
The vocal coach said Jeff has been working closely with his son for two reasons: David - unlike the other contestants - has to devote time each day for school, and Jeff himself is a musician who has trained his son for years.
"David has been going to school, so Jeff looks through the [song] list. Then they go through it together, and they start talking about them. Then they ask my opinion," Kaelin said. "But ultimately . . . David has always made all of the decisions as far as what he will or will not do."
The backstage ban follows tabloid reports that Jeff Archuleta is an overbearing father who has pushed his son to tears and upset people during rehearsals.
Earlier, television entertainment show, "Entertainment Tonight," quoted a source who said Jeff Archuleta badgered his son so much during one recording session, he made David cry. Meanwhile, singer Naomi Judd, who was a judge on the CBS talent show "Star Search," which David won several years ago, claimed the father was "the worst stage dad."
"I don't think any of this is true," said Kaelin, who noted that in the six years he has coached David, he has never seen Jeff act like a "stage dad."
"He can be focused and very intense and very protective of David when he thinks David is being treated unfairly," he said. "But they read into it and say these things. He's just trying to do the best thing for David."