David Archuleta's father banned from backstage at Idol

TMZ is reporting that "stage dad from Hell," Jeff Archuleta, has angered American Idol producers to the point that he has been banned from backstage for the remainder of the competition. That means he is no longer granted access to the rooms where son David would be learning and rehearsing songs with the vocal coaches and band, as well as general backstage areas.

TMZ says that AI producers are arguing now that although David is 17, all they are legally obligated to provide is backstage access to a teacher, a not a parent, thereby cutting David's reportedly meddling father off from the inner workings of the show.

Jeff Archuleta angered producers this week when he continued to encourage son David to sing a line from another song during his performance of Ben E. King's classic song "Stand By Me." He was told not to add the lyric by Idol lawyers, but it is believed Jeff Archuleta encouraged his son to do it anyhow, and this move forced the Idol execs to pay royalties to two artists for the same performance. The line was lifted from the Sean Kingston song "Beautiful Girls."

TMZ sources say that Jeff Archuleta has badgered singing coaches, the band, producers and even other contestants (who also seem to be fed up with the father). These are the same behaviors that had him banned from the set of Star Search, which David competed on as a 12 year old, a few years back. Former Star Search judge Naomi Judd confirmed the Star Search problems during a Today show interview last month.

In an interview also last month with MTV News, Jeff Archuleta denied he was a stage dad from hell. But reading the Entertainment Weekly story about the Top 5 week preparations, it sure sounds like it.

We'll see how this affects Little David's psyche and performances as we come down to this weeks performances of the Top 3, consisting of Archuleta, David Cook and Syesha Mercado.

-- Dave Valenzuela