The girls pick songs as well as David Hernandez . . .

. . . Picks his nose, and listening to his embarassing moment the other night you know how well that is. Honestly, how can one group of people pick so many bad songs. I feel like I've heard the phrase "song choice" way too many times. And everyone seems to have some very personal or touching reason for picking the songs. Great reasoning for a video tribute. Poor reasoning for a singing competition. I sing the typical Daddy repertoire pretty well (ABCs, Rubber Duckie, etc.). I could not sing anything by The Dave Matthews Band even though I like it.

Again, people wasted the 1980s. This was a decade with a lot of great music across a lot of genres. With a few exceptions I felt like I was listening to a who's who of American musical crap. There I go again. Song choice. Rant off.

Randy gave more love to the Other Dawg Pound this week than he's given to his usual Dawg Pound, and even Paula's talking like Randy. If I were the AI doctor I'd do an overhaul on Paula's medications. And check the Coke cup. What was with the judges this week? They messed around so much that they didn't say anything to Syesha, who deserved more of an assault than she got. Whitney? Are you kidding me? Why the woolly scarves and short sleeves on the guys. I don't know if I can get on board with that style. Danny Noriega looked like someone's Abuela with those glasses on. Can I boot 3 girls and keep an extra guy this week? (Sorry Luke, you're gone either way.)

OK, rant on again. Why do people insist on picking songs (and not even the best ones) by such artists as Whitney Houston? Don't they know that only one of two things is likely to happen. Number 1, it is an adequate replica of the original, which means nothing. Number 2, there is no way to even come close to the original (this is more common, by the way) and thus it is a catastrophic failure and waste of a minute and a half. Sure, other things can happen: they can do an original arrangement, which ends up falling into category 2 more often than not. They can actually "slay" the song, but I've seen that maybe one time in 7 seasons. It just doesn't happen. That's why those divas have a lot of hits and millions of dollars and why these contestants had to go through the cattle call auditions and subject themselves to public scrutiny and ridicule. Phew! Rant off, I think.

We'll have another matching test for the girls this week. There will be two versions so stay sharp!

1. Asia'h Epperson
2. Kady Malloy
3. Amanda Overmyer
4. Carly Smithson
5. Kristy Lee Cook
6. Ramiele Malubay
7. Brooke White
8. Syesha Mercado

a. Missed the memo on singing anything Scott Savol did, among many, many, many other idols.
b. Did her best with it, but just doesn't have "it."
c. Along with David Cook, performed the most original arrangement this week, and was (shockingly) one of the most entertaining.
d. Missed the memo on singing anything done by anyone who can be identified by one name only.
e. Missed the memo on singing anything done by anyone who can be identified by one name only.
f. Gave her best performance so far, but is so uninteresting I don't know if I can stand it any longer (it doesn't appear that she can either).
g. Picked a very strange song to "countrify," but was obviously looking for a few dawg treats.
h. Still proves she is the one to beat, even if she hasn't found "her song."

Key: 1-d or 1-e, 2-b, 3-f, 4-h, 5-g, 6-a, 7-c, 8-e or 8-d


Top 8 Girls for Dummies

1. Asia'h Epperson
2. Kady Malloy
3. Amanda Overmyer
4. Carly Smithson
5. Kristy Lee Cook
6. Ramiele Malubay
7. Brooke White
8. Syesha Mercado

a. Tops for the night with an original performance.
b. Actually could give the guys a real contest.
c. Blah, blah, blah. Ordinary. Adequate. Poor song choice. Blah. Blah. Blah.

Key: 1-c, 2-c, 3-c, 4-b, 5-c, 6-c, 7-a, 8-c

MY TOP THREE: Brooke White, Carly Smithson, ???
GOING WHERE SONG CHOICE DOESN'T MATTER: Kady Malloy, Syesha Mercado
EARLY EXIT ALERT: Amanda Overmyer

* * * * * * * * * *

EARLY PREDICTIONS UPDATE

Here's another look at my early Top 12 picks based on basically nothing. People already gone in bold. Predicted to go are underlined. No italics yet.

David Archuleta
David Cook
Michael Johns
Robbie Carrico
Chikezie
Danny Norriega

Asia'h Epperson
Brooke White
Carly Smithson
Kristy Lee Cook
Ramiele Malubay
Joanne Borgella

* * * * * * * * * *

I'm on pins and needles here! I wonder what the group will sing tonight, and whether or not Amanda will look like she just had a root canal.

Moth Balls and Melon?

Sigh. To be blunt--the girls, collectively, suck compared to the guys. However, there are a couple of bright shining stars in this group of x-chromosomes. The entire group, collectively, is full of unique talent, too, so let's hope *that* is who makes it into the oh-so-coveted Top 12!

Asia'h - Her name is pronounced like the continent. Why is there an apostrophe and an "h" in her name? I'm with "The Troll" who posted on our blog today--"I feel if . . . mothers are going to throw together meaningless random combinations of vowels and consonants and call it a "name", I have no obligation to validate that inane decision." (edited for PCness) :) So, seriously, are the contestants deaf, stupid, or simply not listening? The judges say "Don't sing Whitney" and "Don't sing Celine" yet these divas consistently charge ahead. And for me, it's not just that they're stupid, it's that they're BORING. There are so many boring, boring diva songs. And I tire of them. "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" has got to be one of the most boring songs on the planet. So, this didn't do it for me. And I like Asia'h, so that's not good.

Kady - A Stepford Wife! Brilliant! Perfect description. I'm tired of her. I was tired of her 2 weeks ago and then again a week ago. As they say on Friends, "I'm bored with you now. Goodbye."

Amanda - Omigosh. Omigosh!! I'm so mind-numbingly bored with her voice and what happens? She does a good job. And the judges praise her to the hilt. Even during the credits. So, we have to sit through more. If you ask me, she was hoping to get booted 2 weeks ago. I was hoping she'd be done this week, but now I doubt it. I predict everyone tires of her rapidly when she's in the Top 12.

Carly - I like her. I like the way she says "Hoosband." And I think she's cute. And she can sing. And she's unique. And I feel like I'm watching World Idol when I watch her and Michael Johns, so it's fun. She'll sail through to the finals, methinks.

Kristy - They tell her to do country so she "countrifies" Journey?? I thought Randy would hate it, but maybe he was just excited to name drop. Again. Seriously, was he the only sober judge tonight? It was interesting and okay, but I don't think it was great. I'm a bit bored with her, too. Can we cut 4 girls and send more guys through?

Ramiele Malubay - Heh. Her name is fun to say. It sounds like all one word or like I'm fluent in Tagalog. "RamieleMalubay." Tee hee. Boring, boring song. And she's better than that. My gosh she's tiny! And way to prod, Seacrest. I love her answer. "ST-uff!" You go, girl.

Brooke White - I loved it! Best of the night, IMHO. She did a wonderful job. She's refreshingly original and fun and unique and she has a personality and good voice to boot. I love her. I love it. I want to see much more of her. Best of the night, no question (despite the judges' mad stupid praise of the nurse).

Syesha - (Reference The Troll). She's a diva and I've tired of her. I spent the entire time confused about her outfit--are those shorts? Is it a skirt? And is it made of a Hefty bag? I don't know why they raked Asia'h over the coals for singing Whitney and then gave her a "Good. Good. Predictable, but Good." Idiots. They were running out of time because we spent precious air time talking about mutts and moths and melon balls. Seriously, I do love Paula, but I think her meds are ridiculously off this week. Tonight at one point it was actually painful to watch and I had a visceral reaction to the extreme awkwardness. Why don't they stop her from talking? It was horrible. There simply isn't enough "positivity" to counteract the pain and discomfort.

Best of the night for me for her: Brooke White
Going Home: Kristy and Kady? Asia'h and Kady? I go with the first 2.

Top 8 Girls! - 80s Theme

Asia'h Epperson - Big song, but she handles it well. The judges agree but Simon is obligated to bring everyone down to earth. Again.

Kady Malloy - The song is unfamiliar to me, so I have no point of reference. She sings it pretty straightforwardly, and seems to do a fair job, though still weak in the softer notes. Randy agrees, Paula likes the softer spots. Simon calls her straightforward delivery "Stepford wifish and unemotional."

Amanda Overmyer - Another unfamiliar song in the rock genre - good for her vocal style, but confirming her narrow range of skill, for me, though she does it very well. Randy and Paula like it. Simon loves it. Apparently I'm of the belief that an American Idol should have a broader skillset. I'll try to let that go.

Carly Smithson - Another unfamiliar song. I'm very impressed with how professional her stage skills are, not to mention the power of her voice in every place she puts it. Brilliant! Randy calls it "picking off targets." Simon points out that it wasn't "the" song for her, and I agree, but it was very well done.

Kristy Lee Cook - Great song choice. It feels good right from the start. Not perfect, but well done. Both Randy and Paula (when Simon lets her surface from a strange hug) agree that it could be a country hit. Simon is less optimistic, but didn't not like it.

Ramiele Malubay - Huge song, but worth the risk. She's a bit too loose with the phrasing through the first half, but she brings it to a great climax and close. Randy chalks it up to lack of confidence and overthinking it. Paula eventually gets around to swishing her into the top 12. Simon is not impressed. Danny is wearing her glasses? She's in L O O O O V E! Perhaps that's the "stuff" she was thinking about during the song that's TMTH. They would make a too cute couple!

Brooke White - A sitting start for this big song. Will it be a moment? The beginning is skillful enough, but she never stands up and never changes gears, and was a little pitchy toward the end. The judges like it all for different reasons. I think adding the band later to build it up, per Paula, would have made it better, but Simon liked it mainly because she stuck with only the acoustic guitar. Due to my crush on her, I'm inclined to overlook the pitchiness.

---

I thought the girls would bring it tonight and offer some real competition to the boys last night, but it hasn't quite happened.

---

Syesha Mercado - Her voice is way off tonight, at least in the softer opening. She handles the louder parts okay, but this was not at all her night for me. Judges are mysteriously brief, perhaps due to time constraints, but they all give her top 12.


Tops and Props: Carly, Brooke, Ramiele, Kristy, Asia'h, and, okay, Amanda, roughly in order.

Bottoms: Well, that only leaves Kady and Syesha (and Amanda. Ha!)

Interesting site

I was looking for proof that David Cook did not borrow a cover version of Lionel Richie's "Hello" (inspired by Magistra's reference to Daughtry and his "accidentally" unreferenced Chile Peppers cover of "I Walk the Line") and came across this site. Looks as though none of the covers listed here would quite resemble David's. Dean, the winner of Begium's Idool 2007 even covered it recently, in case you were wondering.

How many thumbs do they have?!

Today is the quickly becoming traditional AI Rebroadcast in our home. Oh, to be young and so positive!

Luke Menard: two thumbs up (plus one from the boy)
David Archuleta: one thumb up, one thumb sideways (bonus from the girl--see, 7-year-old girl demographic. His vocal "prowness" helps, too)
Danny Noriega: two thumbs up (bonus from the boy)
David Hernandez: one thumb up, one thumb sideways
Michael Johns: two thumbs up (plus one from the boy, likely for manly sport references)
David Cook: two thumbs up + two more (guitars, rock--it's got all the makings for greatness)
Jason Castro: two thumbs up (plus an extra one because he recognized this song from Shrek, one of his all-time favorite movie soundtracks)
Chikeze: two thumbs up (that's all)

Anyway, there it is. Enjoy.

Mmmm-hmmm.

Sure, you didn't notice the highlights, Ryan. Mmmmm-hmmmm. Here's a very quick run down:

Luke - Yuck, not powerful enough, Buh-bye.
David Archuletta - Loved it, he's so good at playing with the melody in a professional way.
Danny N. - I really like this kid. You either love him or hate him, I guess. I think he's refreshing.
David H. - Seemed nervous (probably because his skeletons hit the news) but it was okay, a bit off.
Michael J. - Great song for him! He'll sail into the Top 12.
David C. -LOVED it. Best of the night. WOW! True rocker, so so good. Loved the arrangement. And I love that he's a word nerd.
Jason - Loved this, too. I love that song and I love his gentle and vulnerable voice. I like him a lot.
Chikeze - Not great, but not awful.

Tops: David C., David A., and Jason C.
Leaving: Luke Menard and either David H (despite what Simon says) or Chikeze

I'm excited for the TOP 12 and ONE elimination per week!! I think girls will drop like flies compared to the boys for a while. The boys have SUCH unique voices--let's hope those are the ones moving forward. Very exciting. Even Paula is a little drunk with excitement (I really do like her).

At this rate, we'll run out of decades

We are almost there! Paula was absolutely giddy about the fact that the Top 12 is around the corner. Either that, or she was overmedicated. Simon is as cranky as ever, but he still managed to get his last-minute plugs in for his Top 6. Other thoughts . . . I'm so shocked we did 80s week. I'm also so shocked that with so many great songs, Wham! made an appearance. Doesn't Luke know by now that lyrics are the key to elimination? It's interesting how David Archuleta comes off as older than he is, but has maturity appropriate for someone older than he is. He isn't picking songs to seem adult--he actually has depth to appreciate the meanings in these songs. And Simon just doesn't seem to have depth enough to truly get that. So Lionel Richie likes Whole Foods. Maybe they got an ad campaign idea from tonight.

Simon: Lionel, that cereal is dreadful. Simply dreadful.
Lionel: I was just trying to have some fun with breakfast. You know, show my taste out here.
Simon: I'd be surprised to see you here next week after a purchase like that. You might as well be eating Malt-o-Meal from a bag, drunk, at a wedding.

They can fix the script later. Oh, and does anyone else think the guys are stronger this year? Unless a few people wow me tonight, I do. On to the performances.

This week you need to match the contestants to their reviews. Good luck!

1. Luke Menard
2. David Archuleta
3. Danny Noriega
4. David Hernandez
5. Michael Johns
6. David Cook
7. Jason Castro
8. Chikezie

a. Showed how in a pinch he can balance out the guy-girl ratio on future Ford commercials.
b. Will provide the awesome track for that aforementioned Whole Foods commercial with Lionel Richie (best of the night for me).
c. Showed his James Blunt/current alternative vibe tonight--in a good way.
d. Proved once again that if you've got it, you've got it!
e. As my wife said, even his embarrassing moment came off as more manly than the others. Although he was in a kangaroo costume . . .
f. Seemed quite uncomfortable to be singing and dancing fully clothed. Maybe AI is orchestrating an understated goodbye to avoid controversy?
g. Just fits in better on the college a capella tour. Wham? "Wake me up before you go-go"? Honestly.
h. By now you should know who the last contestant is, plus how many others could be our yearly Donny Hathaway/Luther Vandross/Ruben Lite contestant?

Key: 1-g, 2-d, 3-a, 4-f, 5-e, 6-b, 7-c, 8-h

MY TOP THREE: David Cook, David Archuleta, Jason Castro
CORRECTING THE BALANCE IN THE UNIVERSE: Luke Menard, David Hernandez (one of the Daves has to go--Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss)
CAUTION--EARLY EXIT DANGER AHEAD: Chikezie

Bring on the 90s! Or something else. I don't mind.

Top 8 Guys! - 80s Theme

Luke Menard - Okay, but the performance was a bit weak, and certainly no improvement over last week. He has some charisma, but seems slated to leave sooner rather than later. Simon agrees.

David Archuleta - Plays piano, which I think weakens his opening a bit due to distraction from his focus on singing. Not his best performance, but good. Simon encourages more liveliness, which is a good point.

Danny Noriega - Pitchy and off-timing make this performance depend almost entirely on looks and charisma. Randy agrees, but is encouraging. Paula has a crush and encourages him. Simon is straight and brutal with him, and didn't like it at all, but he's right, in my view.

David Hernandez - Strong start and good skillz, but he loses some power in the softer phrasing. Good song choice. Overall, very well done, and it should move him along. Randy agrees. Paula agrees. Simon liked last week better, but agrees he's through to the finals.

Michael Johns - Puts his own twist on this song with some success. Randy and Paula give him props. Simon likes him, didn't love the song, and is waiting for him to find just the right song.

David Cook - Puts a rock slant on this popular Lionel Ritchie ballad. Owns the stage, again. Gives me some chills. Another winning performance. The judges all loved it.

Jason Castro - The song is unknown to me. Poor timing, at times. Flubs the tender ending. Not so much, for me, but he has appeal and charisma, so will likely stick around. Randy and Paula are more forgiving. Simon loved it. I'm surprised.

Chikezie - Great power in the strong parts, a little weak on high and soft notes. Good song choice. Randy and Paula liked it. Simon disses it 'cuz Whitney Houston made it a girly song, never mind that males have sung it too.


Tops and Props: David C., A. and H., in that order.

Bottoms: For me, Danny and Luke.

Leaving: Luke Menard

Top 10 Minus 2 + 2

I'm glad they called Simon on the hand antler. I was wondering about that, too.

Michael Johns is safe, and so is Jason Castro - two of my picks for getting kicked. The only one I got right was Jason Yeager, who I thought had more of a chance to stay than the other two. But I am indifferent and unattached to these early outcomes.

Asia'h is safe, as is Amanda, so again, two of my picks are safe. Alexandrea is leaving, but to be fair, I did judge her as about equal to Alaina, who was one of my picks. I just neglected to include her. Maybe I was reluctant to pick four, or maybe I unconsciously didn't want to name all four of the female contestants beginning with 'A'. Eh?

Kady and Alaina are the other two in the bottom three. Alaina is out, so I wasn't too far off. She and Danny take it pretty hard. I really admire her courage to sing after that.

---

I wonder if Simon's angrier impatience with the top 24 contestants this year is based on the new policy of kicking two each per show, thus decreasing the number of possible appearances in which to shine or screw up. Perhaps his sense of urgency for them to excel stems from that. My guess is they'll be doing this again to get to the top 12 faster and stay there longer.

Yeah, that seems to fit in with the renewal of Idol Gives Back in the next segment, and all the other goodies they have in store for us. They're cutting to the chase.

---

Robbie Carrico and Luke Menard are the others in the bottom three. And Robbie is out. Again, I'm indifferent.

See ya next week!

Tale of the Thumbs--Top 10 Girls Edition

If you ever want to feel really good about yourself, come over to our house and have our children critique anything. They are positive children who apparently see a lot of good in people. Ways to score bonus thumbs with my son include screaming rock-and-roll style and using a guitar. My daughter likes songs appropriate for dancing and people who can sing loud.

Carly Smithson: two thumbs up
Syesha Mercado: one thumb up, one thumb down
Brooke White: two thumbs up (she used a guitar, so bonus from The Boy, and The Girl really likes her in general so bonus there, too)
Ramiele Malubay: two thumbs up
Kristy Lee Cook: two thumbs up
Amanda Overmyer: one thumb down, one thumb up (there was definite screaming, so bonus from The Boy)
Alaina Whitaker: two thumbs up
Alexandrea Lushington: two thumbs up (Bonus from The Boy for her skater shorts?)
Kady Malloy: two thumbs up
Asia'h Epperson: two thumbs up (The Boy yet again gives a bonus thumb--he's just in the habit by now)

Sometimes I just don't care . . .

Take last night's performances from the "Top 10" Girls. Bleh. I'm unenthused, and like Simon I find myself picking at my own hair to find something interesting to do while they screech their way through the 70s. There are a few gems there, but nothing that exciting. I think Ryan was the first to mention the Dog Pound by name. To this point Randy has been more interested in trying to hang the moniker "Mr. Happy" on Simon than in pointing out the Dog Pound. I noticed a lot less booing last night when Simon would criticize the contestants. Either last night's crowd was more brain dead or they don't like the girls as much. I don't know. Just my random thoughts.

Since I can't even bring myself to put much effort into reviewing the evening's happenings, I will give my Top 3 and Bottom 2

MY TOP THREE: Brooke White, Carly Smithson (who, in my opinion is critiqued heavily because they expect so much from her, not because she is doing poorly), and ____________ (name of female contestant here).

MERCIFULLY RELEASED FROM THE TOP 24 TO TOP 12 LIMBO: Amanda Overmyer and Kady Malloy

The other 3 or 4 girls could just as easily be sent home tonight or next week so it's all on the line now!

* * * * * *

CHECKING IN ON ORIGINAL PREDICTIONS

Here are my original Top 12 predictions, based on very little (those already elimintated are in bold). Predictions for elimination this week are underlined. I should add italics to something just for confusion's sake.

David Archuleta
David Cook
Michael Johns
Robbie Carrico
Chikezie Eze
Danny Norriega (think, Sanjaya)

Asia'h Epperson
Brooke White
Carly Smithson
Kristy Lee Cook
Ramiele Malubay
Joanne Borgella

Top 10 Girls! - Classic 70s Theme

Carly Smithson - Very good! I thought she owned it pretty well. The judges liked it well enough. I think Simon's right about her needing to find the perfect song to win.

Syesha Mercado - Her baby cry imitation is good, but it's just strange watching her while she does it. Her voice is great when it's louder, but it loses all power in the lower ranges. It was okay, but not a winner. Both Randy and Paula comment on the same thing. Simon points out that it's also a song for a male singer, but has to call it silly. Like Bush, he sorely lacks in diplomacy.

Brooke White - The Carly joint 'You're So Vain'. She's not quite big enough for the song, and gives it a country ballad flava, but it was very enjoyable overall. I'm actually amazed that Simon liked it as much as he did, but then, he probably thought the song was about him. Oh. Surprise. He did.

Ramiele Malubay - The song is unfamiliar to me, or is it just the way she is singing it? It seems like a nice, tight performance to me - well-modulated. Randy and Paula acknowledge her talent but dis the song. Simon agrees as well.

Kristy Lee Cook - Another decent performance. As I hinted at yesterday, all the girls' performances seem better than the typical guys' performance. She didn't kill with it, but it was very well done. Randy agrees. Paula approves. Even Simon gives it the nod.

Amanda Overmyer - She can kick it when she's belting, but I don't like her voice in the softer passages. Simon's "contrived" comment may have some merit. I can empathize with the judges' frustration with attempting to give winning advice to an almost certain loser of the contest at hand.

Alaina Whitaker - Great. An obsessive eater. Nice voice on a nice song. Somewhat better when she kicks it into gear, but it left me feeling she needs a couple of more years of training. Again the judges do their best to build her up (even Simon!).

Alexandrea Lushington - Some nice, original changes, but she felt strained, like she was holding back a bit, and slightly pitchy in spots. Like Alaina, she might benefit from a couple of more years of experience. The judges think it was the song, but I'm not sure.

Kady Malloy - I don't think she owns this rock genre song (Magic Man). It doesn't impress me. Randy agrees.

Asia'h Epperson - A shaky start to a HUGE song. Low and slow is not working. She also grinds the gears going into second. She manages to throw it into third and finishes big, but I was soooo scared for her. Randy and Paula give it to her, but Simon brings her down to earth.


Top Cats - Carly Smithson, Brooke White, Ramiele Malubay, Kristy Lee Cook, roughly in order.

In The Litter Box - Asia'h / Amanda / Alaina

See you tommorow...

The Tale of the Thumbs

I rewatched the show with the kids and got their opinions today. My daughter was feeling a bit like Simon--tough critic this week. My son had the "I love you all" Paula vibe going on. I remain unchanged as to my opinions from last night.

Michael Johns: one thumb up, one thumb sideways
Jason Castro: one thumb up, one thumb sideways (my son liked his performance mostly because it sounds like this song from the Curious George movie)
Luke Menard: one thumb up, one thumb sideways
Robbie Carrico: one thumb up, one thumb sideways
Danny Noriega: one thumb up, one thumb sideways,
David Hernandez: two thumbs up
Jason Yeager: two thumbs up
Chikeze: one thumb up, one thumb sideways (extra props from the boy)
David Cook: two thumbs up (more extras from the boy)
David Archuleta: two thumbs up (apparently David rates well in the 7-year-old girl demographic, too)

Start trimming the waste . . .

Predictably, we've arrived at the 1970s. In my opinion the 70s offer more hope for stardom than the 60s week did, but apparently the contestants saw things differently. Overall the song choices were off with a couple of exceptions. The theme for this week actually seemed to be 180 Week since a lot of the guys came off quite differently than last week. Or, maybe it was 360 week. Randy, and thoughts? Simon is plain nasty this year, like he's bored or something. "All this crap for 7 years and only a few superstars compared to so many wannabes?"

Anyway, other than the Davids, no one really impressed me all that much. Michael was a let down--get it out now--as was Jason Castro. David Hernandez did a great job this week. Robbie Carrico tries too hard, although I do feel badly for him a little. David Archuleta is amazing! I agree with Randy completely about his place in AI history with that performance. The most amazing part to me is that he embellished the melody just enough to sound 100% fresh on a song so many people have interpreted. Just awesome! True confession time: his performance brought a tear or two to this old softy's eye, and that only happens once or twice in an AI season.

Alright, on to my impressions this week. No awards this time. Just sushi.

Michael Johns--California roll. Fantastic taste, but it can get old if not carefully prepared.

Jason Castro--Spider roll. Have you ever seen all the little legs sticking out of the roll? Now look at his hair.

Luke Menard--Those tuna rolls you get at the grocery store with cooked tuna from the can. It's an attempt, and in a bind it might do the trick, but somehow it's just not sushi-ish enough. This is not unlike my wife's canned tuna on rice with soy sauce fiasco--it only happened once . . . years ago.

Robbie Carrico--Philly roll. Do smoked salmon and cream cheese really belong anywhere besides a bagel?!

Danny Noriega--Inari sushi. Sounds sort of weird at first, but it kind of grows on you.

David Hernandez--Shrimp nigiri. It tastes good, but I'd rather have something else when I get my sushi plate.

Jason Yeager--Tamago (egg) nigiri. Why? Why? Scrambled eggs on sushi rice. Why?

Chikezie--Unagi (eel) roll. Strong flavor, and either you like it or you don't.

David Cook--Spicy tuna roll. Great taste, but too much is too much.

David Archuleta--Tuna sashimi. Pure. No frills. Just great!

* * * * *

MY TOP THREE: David Archuleta, David Hernandez, Chikezie

GOING HOME: Jason Yeager, Luke Menard

JUST KILLING TIME UNTIL NEXT WEEK'S GOOD-BYE: Robbie Carrico

Top 10 Guys! - Classic 70s Theme

Michael Johns - Not so much, I think. His voice cracks in spots and it simply didn't impress me. Randy and Paula let it slide, but Simon is with me on this one.

Jason Castro - The opening is a bit weak, but it gets better. He certainly will appeal to the ladies, but the performance, for me, was just okay. Randy agrees. Paula, being female, responds to the sex appeal, and is more forgiving. Simon is detailed and precise. He also seems considerably less insulting than the last two weeks, so far. That's a welcome change.

Luke Menard - He is magnetic and strong from the start. The song is difficult, and perhaps not the best choice, though it does showcase his ability to handle it. Randy and Paula acknowledge this. Simon is a bit more critical but makes some relatively valid points about being compared with the original. I think he did a bit better than Simon believes.

Robbie Carrico - A little more wow than some of the others, but not enough for an Idol. Randy agrees, especially given that it's a rock song. Paula is vague and supportive. Simon gives it a thumbs up, though seems relatively unenthusiastic.

I'm just not seeing anything close to a star performance so far, and keep wishing I could be listening to the girls.

Danny Noriega - He tackles a BIG song - Long Ago And Far Away - He handles the low register opening fairly well, but doesn't kick it to high gear effectively at all. Add some minor pitchiness, and I didn't like it. Randy didn't feel it, either. He's riding on his looks and personality so far, to me, and that won't take him to the finals.

David Hernandez - Much better. Good song choice, good presence, good skillz. That's what I'm talking about. All the judges agree. My Idol for the night, so far.

Jason Yeager - I like how he personalizes the song, and I think he does a decent job, but it's a safe choice with a very limited range. I like his energy better than most tonight, but it wasn't the best song choice as a showcase. The judges essentially agree and Simon gets back in his comfort zone with an insult about the ending, which wasn't that bad, and was somewhat creative.

Chikezie - The song is totally unfamiliar to me, but it seems to offer a good showcase, and his voice and style are quite exciting. Number two for the night, so far, for me. The judges love it, too. Oooooh! He really lands one on Simon wearing the same clothes!

David Cook - He pretty much owns the stage with this performance. I could easily believe I was looking at the winner of AI. Randy believed him, too. Paula loved it. Simon cites a lack of charisma, and I can't disagree that the crossword-working "word nerd" segment didn't lend him any, but I'd rather he be honest than manipulative in letting us get to know him.

David Archuleta - Chills right from the start! I love this guy! He owns the song and does it better than the original. Beautiful and powerful. Definitely #1 for me, and the one to beat. The judges completely agree.


Top Dogs: David Archuleta, David Hernandez

In the Doghouse: Michael Johns, and one of the Jasons

I had no picks for the guys, but bye bye, Garret Haley.

I called Amy Davis, whose parting song was painful to experience.

I didn't realize we were losing two of each tonight, so let's see what's next.

Wow! Paula Abdul's track on Randy's album is hott! Props to the judge that walks the walk!
True, it's not a live performance, but it's very good!

Well, it's between Joanne and Amanda. I thought Amanda might last longer than this. Joanne's voice wasn't big enough for the song last night, but I thought she had decent control, and might grow into it or pick better songs, but she is more forgettable than Amanda, so it's hard to guess.

It's Joanne, so I guess Amanda's appeal to viewers outweighed other factors.

Ha! It seems Simon has been forced to replace his coffee mug with a Coke cup - and sarcastically pointed it out. LOL!

Chikezie wins out over Colton. Simon has to try to bury his dreams along with his hopes for this competition. His parting performance isn't really that bad. Well, I guess both Simon and Colton will be true to themselves.

And so it goes...

Thumbs Sideways for Me

Borrowing a line from my 5-year-old I am able to sum up my feelings on these early weeks. I usually prefer male vocalists in general so the Top 12/10/8 Girls is not my favorite. With that said, there were some bright spots and even some positive awards to hand out. First, my random thoughts . . .

Wardrobe must love Simon. Did he actually sleep in his clothes last night? Oh wait, it was a v-neck last night. These guys from last night are pretty duddy in general. They hardly get into the girls' performances. I remember in past seasons the constestants seemed to actually enjoy the others. This has been a rotten cold and flu season. I understand what the judges are saying about being sick is no excuse, but at this stage of the game do we really want to see legitimate "I can stand to watch you for 14 more weeks" talent go by the wayside because someone's on day one of a Z-Pak? C'mon. I'm glad Randy the mathemetician showed up because thanks to the professor we now realize that 360 degrees is not only a complete circle (meaning, we get back to where we started), but it is also a turnaround that is twice as powerful as the 180. Also, the professor astutely noted that 3 boys and 3 or 4 girls is not the exact same number. Next week, grammar. And did Paula actually say "dope"? School must have been in session because we even learned a thing or two about foreign culture--washing-up liquid.

MILLION-DOLLAR SMILE/TWO-BIT PERFORMANCE AWARD: Amy Davis

SUDAFED-INDUCED ZOMBIE AWARD: Kristy Lee Cook

DIDN'T WE HEAR THIS CHEESE LAST NIGHT AWARD: Alaina "Buy Me Some New Shoes" Whitaker (Although, it was better than last night's serving)

LATOYA LONDON SPIRIT AWARD: Syesha Mercado

STOP SCREAMING AT ME AWARD: Amanda Overmyer

HOW DID WE NOT HEAR MORE ABOUT YOU BEFORE NOW AWARD: Alexandrea Lushington

SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE HOLDING HANDS AWARD: Brooke White

HOW ARE YOU SO BORING AWARD: Kady Malloy

WHY DO YOU KEEP SAYING "PLUS-SIZED" AWARD: Joanne Borgella

IF YOU START PACKING NOW IT WILL SAVE TIME NEXT WEEK AWARD: Kristy Lee Cook

GOOD THINGS IN TINY PACKAGES AWARD: Ramiele Malubay

BAD NEWS FOR THE OTHERS WHEN I'M HEALTHY AWARD: Carly Smithson

MY TOP THREE: Carly Smithson, Ramiele Malubay, Asia'h Epperson
WHO'S GOING HOME: Joanne Borgella, Amy Davis
ON DECK FOR NEXT WEEK: Kady Malloy

Since I'm watching today with my 5-year-old and 7-year-old I'll give the recap in terms of thumbs:

Kristy Lee Cook: two thumbs up
Joanne Borgella: one thumb sideways, one thumb up
Alaina Whitaker: two thumbs up
Amanda Overmyer: one thumb up, one thumb down
Amy Davis: one thumb sideways, one thumb sideways
Brooke White: two thumbs up
Alexandrea Lushington: two thumbs up
Kady Malloy: two thumbs sideways
Asia'h Epperson: one thumb up, one thumb down
Ramiele Malubay: two thumbs up
Syesha Mercado: one thumb up, one thumb sideways
Carly Smithson: one thumb up, one thumb sideways

Most of my son's thumb ratings were based on whether or not each song was rock and roll. My daughter likes "happy music."

Please, no themes next week. (I'm not holding my breath.)

Top 12 Girls!

Kristy Lee Cook - Likable, and competent, and an animal lover. What's not to like? Good but not great. I'm glad Paula brought out the fact that she has bronchitis. Simon is still colored black. Maybe he's just committed to equal opportunity slamming of the girls as well as the guys.

Joanne Borgella - Her voice was well controlled, but wasn't big enough to wrap around this song.

Alaina Whitaker - Hard to believe she's only seventeen, the way she's decked out tonight. The first part feels a bit too slow, and pitchy, but she certainly brings it when it goes to high gear. Her precision and power definitely bring on some chills, but I'm not sure if she can handle slow tunes adequately to make it to the top. Best yet tonight, though, and I can easily see another Jordin Sparks in her.

Amanda Overmyer - If she does Joplin (Janis, not Scott), I'll be disappointed but not surprised. She's got talent, but a voice which is only good for a narrow range of songs, so I'm actually surprised she got this far, but maybe she'll surprise me. Oh good - no Joplin. Her performance is good, but the song doesn't really offer a good showcase for vocal skillz. She passes muster with the judges, but so far is not singing the kind of music I personally like, and I think her style will only appeal to a smaller proportion of fans. She'll stay around for awhile, but eventually be surpassed by contestants with a broader appeal, like Alaina. So says I.

Amy Davis - Badly pitchy. Randy agrees. Paula deflects, but agrees. Simon drives the stake into her chest.

Brooke White - I love this girl's smile and eyes, so I'll try my best to be objective and not be hypnotized. Slightly shaky start. Another well controlled voice but, as with Joanne, not quite big enough to wrap around the song. If Simon's "niceness" equates to lacking the slightly angry edge it might take to give her the power to really "slay" this song, as Randy called it, then Simon might just have a point.

---
Now my stomach is growling and I'm ticked off at my muse for sucking me into this instead of cooking. : (

Now I realize why I had pizza so often on AI nights.
---

Alexandrea Lushinton - I completely agreed with Simon (what?) on this one. She had good presence and moves, but I didn't think the vocal artifacts she threw in worked. I don't agree with Randy and Paula that she nailed it, and it was kind of cabaret for me, as Simon said. Still, she's got a very appealing personality and good looks, so those may carry her further than I'm inclined to think she rates, or she may grow into it.

Kady Malloy - I really wanted her to nail this, but she was unhappily pitchy in spots. Randy says it well. It was constrained, and she never really kicked it into gear.

Asia'h Epperson - She DID have a big enough voice for this Joplin joint, and gave it her own twists. Very enjoyable. Even Simon agreed. Kudos!

Ramielle Malubay - Another song requiring a big voice. She handles it well in low gear and keeps it together when she kicks it up. I think she could have taken it up yet another notch, but it was good the way it was. Randy says precisely the same thing. I may agree with Simon's "best of the night," so far.

Syesha Mercado - I'm looking forward to hearing this girl sing without any hoarseness going on. Her song choice is unusual (Tobacco Road), but she handles it very well. She's definitely a contender.

Carly Smithson - I'd hate to be last tonight. Good luck, Carly. Ohmigod. She picks one of my favorite songs of all time, The Shadow of Your Smile, and sings it like my soul knows it - major chills. One or two tiny pitch problems, but very, very well done, overall. Randy totally agrees, as does Paula. Simon's on his own on this one.

Favorites: Carly, Syesha, Ramielle, Asia'h, and Alaina, in no particular order.

Going home: Amy

Season 7 - Top 12 guys

I watched all the auditions and checked in here several times. When I didn't see y'all bloggin', I wondered if you were skipping the whole deal this year. I also got quite comfortable being able to cook while watching, without having to worry about blogging live, which is how I preferred to do it.

So I'm gonna minimize my reviews this year and not concern myself with predictions until the field is a bit narrower. G'head, call me lazy... ; )

I pretty much tend to agree with what you guys have said, anyway, both historically and now, and you both say it so much more colorfully.

---

As for the show, David Archuleta is, of course, wonderful, though I was actually surprised that Simon quit his mood and said he liked him. The other favorites y'all picked were admirable, as well, for the reasons mentioned, but nobody really blew me away, and I'm already thinking it'll be like last year, where the girls blow all the guys out of the water.

Sadly, the most memorable part of the show was Simon hassling Paula about her language and ranting about how there were no performances worthy of a recording artist. His color was definitely black.

But I'll watch faithfully, of course, and see if and when the muses move me to resume blogging while I'm watching - like tonight, maybe... ; )

Season 7 - Top 12 Guys!

What a night! What variety! What vocals! What is with theme nights already? And what is with so many guys that look like girls!? Where was the Irish chick? She wasn't in the audience. I hope she's not sick. I like her!

Here's a brief run down. Expect more detail when we get down to our overall Top 12.

I'm rewatching it with the kids and my opinions are pretty much the same (M and I are agreeing like crazy on our thumbs up and thumbs down ratings).

David Hernandez - In the Midnight Hour
I liked it. I'm not blown away, but I like it.

Jacuzzi - I Love You More Today Than Yesterday
If he's going to lose his cool last name, then he may as well be a hot tub. Yikes. The suit, the vocals, yikes. I thought I could get past all of that. Until he wouldn't shut up ingratiating himself to the judges. Too soon and not good enough for that. Moving on.

David Cook - So Happy Together
Not sure why he has a plastic bag sticking out of his back pocket, but I really like this guy. I think he's more rocker than the one who thinks he's a rocker. He reminds me a bit of Constantine.

Jason Yeager - Moon River
A little Donny Osmond for me for him (hey, if Randy can do it, so can I). I like his voice and I'd like to see more of his colors. I love the song but don't think it was a smart choice.

Robbie Carrico - One
Awesome. Loved it. I like him. I'm, too, not convinced that he's a rocker. Maybe he shouldn't have mentioned touring with Britney? I do love this song--he did a great job making it contemporary.

David Archuleta - You Better Shop Around
Omigosh, he's SO CUTE!! I can't stop smiling when I watch him--he's freaking ADORABLE! And he's so GOOD! I could gush and gush about this kid. I love him--he's awesome!

Danny Noriega - Jailhouse Rock
I was a bit surprised at how much I liked it. I liked it (and him) more than I thought I would. He seems like someone who might really annoy or bother me with his personality, but I liked it. And I liked his snappy comeback to Simon. It works on him.

Luke Menard - Everybody's Talkin' At Me
What a cute boy. Luke Perry is back, y'all. I LOVE his voice. I hope he gets more opportunity to sing to us. It's a good song and I like his falsetto, but it really was a bit forgettable. I like how Paula says he's Kenny Loggins-like. That's it exactly. And that's not a bad thing. He's got a nice, gentle sound, if a bit off at first. Pretty pitchy. Not great, but not horrible.

Colton Berry - Suspicious Minds
I love his voice and he wasn't as theatrical as I'd expected based on interviews and such. I really, really like him. I want to see more of him. Nice job, fun personality. Reminds me of Federov. I like him.

Garret Haley - Breaking Up Is Hard To Do
Michael Bolton? What the . . . ? He looks like my cousin. Melinda. He seems a bit sedated but he's got a nice voice. A bit too mousy for this, methinks. Anyone could've predicted Simon's dislike. You can tell it's coming when he rolls his eyes, picks at his hair, and looks annoyed and bored. Tell tale signs. Like when Randy starts with a question--not usually a good thing. Hmmm, I wish Kyle was in the competition.

Jason Castro - What a Day for the Daydream
What a pleasant surprise! He's a little deer-in-the-headlights and weird to look at for me for him for some reason. But I REALLY like his voice! I really like his voice a lot! I hope to see more of him. I think we will. I love this song and his style. Very hip. Very James Blunt. Very contemporary.

Michael Johns - Light My Fire
Great song. Love it. Love him. For his voice and because he says, "G'day Mate." What a doll--he looks like a cross between Colin Firth and Mark Ruffalo--yum. Amazing performance. Clearly seasoned. I'd like to know more about what he's been doing for the past 10 years, because he is REALLY good and looks extremely comfortable up there.

My Top 3:

David Archuleta
Michael Johns
Robbie Carrico

Going Home:

Anyone but those 3

Best Talent Ever!

Well, I actually think they say that every year as part of their usual hyperbole, but it was a pretty good night. Last season I spent way too much time analyzing the Top 24, and half of them are gone in the first few weeks, so this season I'll be saving my detailed analysis for the actual Top 12. First, my random thoughts . . .

Where can I get one of those spare tire coffee tables? Oh wait! I'll just add some plexiglass to the old tire I have in my trunk. Seriously, where do they get this stuff? Do we really need themes right now? If using up the 1960s this time means we're going to have to have One-Hit Wonder week in the future then I say let them go back to choosing whatever they want for now. I think making them choose from every song known to man actually really weeds out people that will make poor choices down the road. Did anyone else catch Simon drinking from his coffee cup instead of those enormous Coke glasses (thank you to my wife for catching that one)? I'm wondering if they pick a couple of people knowing they have no hope of progressing beyond Week 1. Simon seemed particularly ornery this week. He's probably still steaming at Kyle being left out. I wonder which of this bunch he'd rather have seen leave. Randy must not like these girls that much because he didn't refer to them as the Ladies Dog Pound. Also, at one point there were 11 of the girls in the crowd, and then at the end I think there were only 10. Wonder what that means. I didn't know they could keep using instruments now, but I'm glad Jason did. Nice touch. I know exactly what Simon is saying about Robbie Carrico. He may be a rocker at heart, but he doesn't fit in with rockers we've seen up until now. It doesn't mean he's not a rocker, just that he's a peculiar one.

This week I'm handing out awards, but unlike your Junior High School Talent Show, not everyone will necessarily get an award. Don't worry, you'll (probably) have your chance.

YOU'RE NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO GET COCKY YET AWARD: Chikezie

SURPRISE IN A GOOD WAY AWARD: Jason Castro

HE CAN SING BUT HE STILL ANNOYS ME AWARD: David Hernandez

NOT AS BAD AS I EXPECTED AWARD: Danny Noriega

YOU'RE SO GOOD I HOPE THEY EVENTUALLY STOP MENTIONING YOUR AGE AWARD (A.K.A. KEVIN COVAIS WISHES HE WERE ME AWARD): David Archuleta

SURPRISE IN AN UNDERWEAR FOR CHRISTMAS KIND OF WAY AWARD: Chikezie (Ruben Lite is now 100% Ruben Free)

HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE JOURNEY AWARD: (Tie) Jason Yeager and Garrett Haley

WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT SONG AWARD: Luke Menard

KEANU REEVES (OR PERHAPS JACK BLACK) LOOK-ALIKE AWARD: David Cook

ARE YOU SURE YOU HAVEN'T DONE THIS BEFORE AWARD: Michael Johns

MY TOP THREE: Michael Johns, David Archuleta, Jason Castro
WHO'S GOING HOME (NOT NECESSARILY MY BOTTOM TWO): Jason Yeager and Garrett Haley
BE GLAD ONLY TWO LEAVE THIS WEEK: Luke Menard

On to the girls!

The Top 24 are here!

The Top 24 are finally here, and now it's time to post. I couldn't bring myself to care too much about the auditions since historically it has been a waste of time to get invested at all, but in a strange twist this year, we actually got to see a lot of good auditions, and even learned at least a little bit about most of the Top 24. This bodes well for more people this year. No more "I didn't get enough exposure so there is no way people are going to vote for me over the less talented hack that got a lot of air time because (he's cute, she and her father don't get along, I sold my ring to get here, my baby was born in line while I waited to audition, I sing in the Air Force/Army/Navy/Marine/Coast Guard/etc. band, Simon called me a muskrat, fill in other excuse here)."

On to my one liners on this year's Top 24 so far. I reserve the right to change my opinion soon and frequently until we really get to see more of them.

Alaina Whitaker--I don't remember you, so good luck.

Alexadrea Lushington--You are the runner up in the "Unexpected Extra Punctuation in Your Name" award.

Amanda Overmyer--This one could get old really fast.

Amy Jean Davis--She seemed quirky enough to be interesting for a while.

Asia'h Epperson--She wins the aforementioned "Unexpected Extra Punctuation in Your Name" award, and seems like a lock for Top 12 status.

Brooke White--She is talented and unique enough to make it a ways, but we need a stylist, STAT!

Carly Smithson--Definitely a front-runner at this point--can you say "Irish (American) Idol."

Chikezie Eze--He dropped off the map after his initial audition, but I'm glad to see Studdard Lite on the menu.

Colton David Berry--I'm not sure about the three name bit (a la Jon Peter Lewis), and I wonder if he'll recover from that whole Kyle deserves to be here fiasco.

Danny Norriega--I have nothing against effeminate guys, but honestly, this guy could be in the Top 12 Girls and we wouldn't bat an eye; this one is already old for me.

David Archuleta--If I were going out on a limb here, I'd say this guy could legitimately challenge for top 3 or 4 overall.

David Cook--His picture on the AI website is a little scary, but he has the stuff to hang around for a while.

David Hernandez--This guy can sing, but I don't know if he's got "Top 6 Guys" written all over him.

Garrett Haley--The Michael Bolton lookalike act won't help him, as well as the essentially absent coverage so far.

Jason Castro--We found the lead for that upcoming Milli Vanilli retrospective, but not a Top 12'er.

Jason Yeager--Who are you again?

Joanne Borgella--She is talented and refreshing, but I don't really need another Mandisa this year.

Kady Malloy--She has a great name for a pop star, but I don't remember her at all.

Kristy Lee Cook--If she can pull off something other than "Amazing Grace" she could be a competitive contestant.

Luke Menard--This guy looks like a boy bander, and he's another the producers have not spent much time plugging.

Michael Johns--The rest of the contestants are probably wishing this early potential Top 3'er had tried out for Australian Idol.

Ramiele Malubay--Is this girl the Philippines answer to Paula Abdul?

Robbie Carrico--A little Bo, a little Bucky, a little tight to make the Top 6 Guys.

Syesha Mercado--This girl has it all, and should make it to the final half or better.

So, my early Top 12 predictions based on virtually nothing but guesswork at this point are:

David Archuleta
David Cook
Michael Johns
Robbie Carrico
Chikezie Eze
Danny Norriega (think, Sanjaya)

Asia'h Epperson
Brooke White
Carly Smithson
Kristy Lee Cook
Ramiele Malubay
Joanne Borgella

And if I were a betting man, I'd put money on Michael Johns at this point, but as they say in the sporting world, "That's why they play the game."

Counting down to next Tuesday . . .

Season SEVEN!

Is that right? It's Season 7, right? I must say that I used to not like audition weeks, but they've redeemed themselves this year with more GOOD auditions and less horrible ones. And I LOVE what they're doing with Hollywood this year!! Tonight is the Walk of Shame!! HURRAH! We get our top 24!! Anyone have any early favorites? I'm digging the cute 16 year old boy who can "sang!"

Elliott Yamin's Christmas Album!!

Read more here, including list of songs:

Elliott's Christmas Album

I just had to post this so I could get an image on my profile - thanks! :)

I Heart Fantasia

She remains my favorite Idol Winner to date. Hands down.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/Music/08/21/theater.fantasia.ap/index.html

American Idol MOVIE

From the great IMDB.com:

Cowell Writing 'American Idol' Movie

Music mogul Simon Cowell is bringing TV show American Idol to the big screen, promising the upcoming movie will be "very, very realistic" like 1976 Oscar winner Rocky. Like American Idol itself, Cowell plans to cast the lead roles in the film - called Star Struck - through open auditions across the U.S. He tells American news show Extra, "It is called Starstruck. We're writing the script as we talk. It is about 10 contestants who enter a gigantic singing contest. It's like Rocky. It's about good versus evil, and it will be very, very realistic. I'm going to cast the lead parts through an open audition process across America. So if you get through the auditions, and you get a part in this movie, it's a huge, huge deal."

Finale! The New American Idol: Jordin Sparks!

I wrote my headline before the show started: Finale! The New American Idol: Jordin Sparks! If I have to change it, I'll be very surprised, but not unhappy at all.

Now on to a star-studded show!

The judges all look spiffy, and Simon Cleavage is clinging to his fashion statement.

The 'I'll Never Dance With Another' duet is a collaborative challenge for Jordin and Blake, but they carry it off.

Gwen Stefani's performance is wonderful, of course.

Kelly Clarkson was 'shouting' a little...LOL!...but showed them how it's done.

The Golden Idols?! Is this new? Ah - just another version of "those who sucked". What a farce! But it was pretty funny when Margaret 'Big Bird' Fowler smothered Ryan with a full-body pressed kiss.

The Top 6 Guys performed some great harmony! Smokey Robinson joining them was a lovely treat! Now that's some good production! Excellent!

Blake's beatboxing duet with Doug E Fresh was just hott, but his mic could have used some more volume. Still, he clearly has a huge future.

The Top 6 Girls and Gladys Knight production wasn't quite as hott as the guys, but they made it work!

Tony Bennett's performance was surprisingly powerful! Incredible how much passion he can still muster at his age.

They had to replay the whole 'monkey boy' fiasco? Gag me with a backhoe. I guess they think that giving them an award will somehow make up for it. It was, however, very nice to see that the guy was able to evolve to the point of being able to forgive and thank Simon for making him famous.

Melinda and company was awesome. I'll say again that a finale between Jordin and Melinda would have been the contest to hear.

Carrie Underwood was stunning, singing 'I'll Stand By You'. What a treasure AI bestowed on the world in discovering her. Her energy is a pure blessing to all who hear her.

Clive Davis' review of the AI achievements to date was pretty impressive, and Carrie Underwood's sales of 6 million albums, along with her other awards, is truly a testament to AI.

The African Children's Choir was a breath of pure joy.

The tribute to Sanjaya would have been almost funny if he hadn't done such a good job hanging with Joe Perry of Aerosmith. He performed smartly, as usual. Of course the girl who cries hysterically was featured prominently in the audience.

John Lennon's 'Working Class Hero' was surprisingly potent and relevant to our times, and very well done.

Taylor Hicks brought the house down with his bad self, and I loved the harmonica!

Ruben Studdard and Jordin Sparks' duet was wonderful!

Overall, this has been one heckuva finale show! Can it get any better!?

Yes! Bette Midler, one of my very favorite stars, sings 'Wind Beneath My Wings'. She seems a little off tonight. I think she may act better than she sings at this point of her life, but I love this woman's spirit!

The 'Seargent Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' tribute was a hoot. Taylor Hicks singing 'I Read The News Today' was trippy. Carrie Underwood was more than competent, as usual. Ruben Studdard had fun with 'Lucy In The Sky'. The Top 12 definitely 'Get By With A Little Help' from their friends.

The big moment has to be next, with 2 minutes left in the show...and that's before the commercials. My computer registers 9pm halfway through the commercials. I guess Fox News will have to wait...

74 million votes don't lie. Randy names Jordin, Paula waffles, Simon gives it to Jordin. Jordin's facial expressions and body language say she already knows. And sure enough...but then the awesomeness of it starts to sink in, and she starts to fall apart. Can she pull it together enough to sing the schlocky contest winning song? Yeah, she gets it together by the bridge and owns it!

But then she almost loses it again...that's gotta be rough! Talk about a moment of emotional honesty!

Hail Jordin! Long live the Idol!

FINALE!!!!

I was prepared to watch the performances tonight, then say how they were both awesome, both great, both deserving to win. They'll both have great careers no matter what. I believe all that is true. HOWEVER, after watching the show, I came away strongly rooting for JORDIN. She is an incredible singer!!! BLAKE is a great performer (Simon's comments were *spot on*... :) ), but in this type of show, JORDIN wins, hands down.

The single was cheesy as in years past, which I was surprised at. I thought with the viewers contributing the songs, we'd see something a lot better. But alas, it was the same ol', same ol'. It was totally *not* BLAKE'S type of music, but it shows JORDIN'S versatility. Blake needs to perform to be great, but Jordin's voice is enough in and of itself. I think Blake will be popular in his niche, while Jordin has a wider appeal.

What a great season!!!!

The Blake and Jordin Show

So, bigger stage, bigger audience, bigger advertising budget--this is the American Idol finale!

RANDOM THOUGHTS: Whoever wins, I'm fine with that. They both deserve to be in the finals and both came off well tonight. Why was Simon the only one dressed for the Big Show? Paula gets a free pass since she had the canine incident. Randy does not, even if he is sporting something straight from the "I played with Journey for a short time in the 70s" collection. "This is My Now" is not the song I chose, and I listened to all 20 entries (and cried since mine wasn't there). America complained about A.I. finale songs and then promptly selected a song just like the others. Kudos to the writers for giving the people what they (secretly) wanted. Why do the sound guys have such a hard time moving from the CBS Theater (didn't realize Fox filmed anything there) to the Kodak Theater? Here's my quick fix: turn up the background mics. Turn up the singers' mics more. Seems simple, right? I don't think either finalist was at his or her best tonight, but it was still a great show. In fact, one of the more truly entertaining finals so far. Plus, Constantine was there giving his nods of approval. What's not to like?!

BLAKE LEWIS ("You Give Love a Bad Name," "She Will Be Loved," "This is My Now"): Blake's appearance in the finale hearkens back to the Bo/Carrie finale. Blake's style is just not conducive to this type of show. Remember Bo singing "I Wanna Be Inside Your Heaven?" Not great. Blake's first choice was obvious, and definitely a crowd-pleaser. He gave a great performance with serviceable vocals. We all know Blake's not the best singer, but he's pretty darn good. And his second choice, while maybe not "exciting" like the typical finale fare, was the perfect type of song for his style. He has that alternative/current flair and picked the right song for him. Which brings me to the final selection for the night . . . There is no way Blake could pull off this song. Wrong style. Wrong lyrics. Wrong everything for Blake. Now, there were half a dozen other songs among the 20 finalists that would have been much better for Blake, and quite frankly, a refreshing change from the usual A.I. nonsense. Most of the finale songs get released, overplayed after the finale hype, and then disappear into relative obscurity where they belong. This one will, too, no matter who wins. Anyway, at least Simon gave Blake a bit of credit and directed the audience to not shoot the messenger on this song. And Blake kindly held his tongue, even though he was thinking, "I wrote 15 songs on my computer that kick 'This is My Now's' a--!"

JORDIN SPARKS ("Fighter," "Broken Wing," "This is My Now"): Jordin can sing. I'm not sure if anyone mentioned that little tidbit tonight, so I'm saying it now. She made good song choices and did a great job. I did think her voice was a bit off for her tonight, and it sounded like the weeks of strain caught up with her, but nothing to get too uptight about. Choosing a Christina song was a blessing and a curse. It was young and hip, and she was up to the challenge overall, but I thought the song got away from her somewhere in the middle, almost like, "Oh crap! I chose a Christina Aguillera song!" Her second selection was great. I'm not ready to declare it "better than the original" like Randy did, but she did a great job. As far as her final selection, her voice was definitely better-suited to the song than Blake's. That's just the luck of the draw. She was off a bit, probably tired and emotionally drained, but let's just say that she did everything she could to win this competition. Hats off to Jordin.

In the end, both Jordin and Blake did a great job tonight, representing their respective genres perfectly. Ultimately fans will do what they always do: vote for their favorites. Really, one of the finalists would have had to fall over mid-song, and then scream racial epithets while gyrating and making lewd gestures to even make a dent in their voting blocks, and unless I missed that part tonight I wouldn't worry. Granted, I did step out right after the wrap-up and just before Daughtry. The Chinese place was closing in 10 minutes and I still needed cash to pick up our won-ton soup!

This was probably the most balanced and entertaining finale since Clay/Ruben and I'm glad two nice and genuine people made it to the end. I'm pretty sure Jordin will win tonight as she seems to appeal to a broader audience, but surprises do happen. Tomorrow should be a good one, as long as I don't have to see too much Phil.

Final 2

Oh my goodness! They haven't had this good of a finale since Ruben and Clay, in my opinion. Possibly Bo-Carrie, but with a TON more likeability. They are both SO GOOD!!

Let me rate them, not against each other, but just on how well it was sung/performed. 1-10, 1 being abysmal and 10 being phenomenal.

First song:

Blake - Bon Jovi song- 9
Jordin - Christina song - 8

They're both SO GOOD!! I'm so glad he chose that one as his favorite. They always say you shouldn't do Christina, but she rocked.

Second song:

Blake - Maroon 5's She Will Be Loved - 9
Jordin - With A Broken Wing - 8

I'm so glad she chose that as her favorite (it's mine, too, of hers) and omigosh ANYTHING Maroon 5 on Blake totally works. Love them both!

Third song (finale song):

Blake - 7
Jordin - 8

Ugh, that song doesn't fit Blake, but he still did well and the guy has a lot of class to not get negative about it, especially after 2 guys just got congratulated for writing the song. And big kudos to Blake for letting Jordin choose after the coin toss, too. Jordin is phenomenal, there's no question, but she was actually off quite a bit in that song! I do think she's amazing and totally deserves the win, though it's anyone's ball game and they're both CLEARLY successful and rightly so. It's really a matter of taste on this one. I like them both. :) The band was loud, the judges were fine tonight. Great finale!

Chris Daughtry (who I like) was off tonight, too. What's the deal?!

I love seeing the finalists all excited about the big stage and audience. THEY ARE SO CUTE!! Woohoo! I *think* Jordin's going to win, but I really don't know. This is a FUN finale!! It's about time!

Top 2! And The Winning Contest Song!

Ryan has fun calling Simon "Simon Cleavage", given his open shirt. Simon has fun pointing at Paula's recently-broken nose.

I get chills just seeing images of Jordin, and take that to mean she'll be winning the whole shebang, and it's already in her aura. There, I said it.

Blake gets to choose first or second and bows to Jordin's preference to go second.

Round 1

Blake Lewis - 'Shot Through The Heart' - the Bon Jovi song that brought the house down earlier. A masterful performance, as he holds nothing back from the power of his unique beatboxing style. The crowd loves it, and won't shut up long enough for Randy to give the criticism of his singing which is certain follow the, "Yo, check it out, dog." Paula gushes. Simon also noted the singing wasn't the best, but praised the performance.

Jordin Sparks - Christina Aguilera's 'Fighter' - Has she done this one before? She seems to be trying to appeal to the age group which got her where she is. She does it very well, but it wasn't the best song for her, in my opinion. Simon calls the vocals "shrieky in the middle", and this is part of what I'm talking about.

It's very hard for me to call a winner of the first round, and the judges have difficulty too. Simon gives it to Blake. Paula calls it a tie. Randy gives it to Blake for performance and to Jordin for singing.


Round 2

Blake Lewis - 'She Will Be Loved' - A new one for Blake. His pitch is seriously off in spots, but his fans seem willing to ignore it. His falsetto is a bit weak, as well. Not a good performance, for me, and the applause afterwards seems a bit timid, as well. Neither Randy or Paula heard what I heard. Simon at least agrees that it wasn't a good song to impact the audience.

Jordin Sparks - Martina McBride's 'A Broken Wing' - This is the Jordin I love. She owns the song, the stage, the audience and the show. It was recordable as is. Randy gives it "better than the original". Simon loved it too.

Jordin is the clear winner of this round, for me. There was no comparison between the two performances. Jordin simply outshone Blake.


Round 3

Blake Lewis - 'This Is My Now' - The contest winner. I remember auditioning it on the website and rating it fairly well as having apt lyrics for an AI finale song, but downgrading it for its repetitive lyrics and limited range and dynamics. Randy and Simon are willing to let him slide, since it wasn't his choice of songs, and it didn't suit him. It really was just a tolerable performance, and there really were better songs submitted.

Jordin Sparks - 'This Is My Now' - Jordin owns it right from the beginning and gives me massive chills. She overpowers the song's limitations and turns it into an AI classic. Awesome! She just won the show, for sure. She sings rings around Blake's weak effort. She clearly believes the song, her voice cracking at the end as she verges on tears, knowing that this is her now. Simon even apologizes to her for his lack of faith last weak and says she wiped the floor with Blake. The audience doesn't significantly object to any of this.

No question in my mind that Jordin is our next Idol.

See you tomorrow!

...John