Well, that was fun! Gwen Stefani is a breath of fresh air. It's nice to have some hip, contemporary stuff on AI. It's about time, too.
Chris Sligh. No big surprise. I thought it would be Haley, but he'd be my next guess anyway.
My favorite part of the evening is when he hugged Phil and said -- in the middle of his song -- "You owe me 50 bucks!" ROTFL!
Sligh's gone. No shocker there. He'd lost his edge or mojo or something since we've been seeing him weekly. He seemed like the kind of guy who's hiding a lot of insecurity behind a facade of self-depricating humor. That stuff is great when you're Tommy Boy, but not as an Idol. I had higher hopes for him, and apparently much of America did as well. I am slightly surprised that Haley's got one more week in her, but then again, Sanjaya's far from the last position so anything goes!
So I have only a handful of unanswered questions:
1. Did Akon say anything besides, "C'mon y'all. Like this!" That big necklace was distracting, too. It reminded me of Flavor Flav's clock.
2. Why, Ryan? Why? Did you need to wear the hair?
3. Why do the producers and writers of A.I. feel the need to give extra air time to those clearly out of their league? Think Sanjaya and Kevin "Chicken Little" Covais.
4. Is it just me, or did Lakisha seem a bit overconfident tonight?
5. Did Paula and Gwen Stefani shop at the same place for the show tonight?
6. Do people really spend $10 to enter those contests 10 times? And do they ever get the wrong answer?
I'm excited for Tony Bennett week. He's 80 years old and still putting out relevant material. Any doubters should see the work he did on his Duets
Here we go...!
Ryan's Sanjaya hair is a trip! Sanjaya took it with good humor.
Phil and Haley hit rock bottom. Chris or Gina will join them. I'm thinking Sligh.
Gwen gives the best celebrity performance of the season (admittedly not too hard to do, but really, very good).
Sligh slides down to the bottom. Phil is safe, again. I don't know who it will be...
It's Sligh (and the family moaned).
I think this will still give him a leg up if he chooses to continue singing, and I hope he does.
Phil owes him $50 - apparently Chris bet on his own demise with accuracy.
See you next week!...
...John
Urgh, when is cool Seacrest coming back? The guy who's "been Ryan Seacrest" is too dweeby! Where's the Ryan we love? If Simon can dress the way he does week after week, surely Ryan can go back to inside out T-shirts and sports jackets. Please?
So, Gwen Stefani seems so . . . normal. It was kind of weird. But interesting.
Lakisha - "Let's Dance" by Donna Summer
Well, I have officially forgotten her last name. Isn't that sign #1 of a diva? Um, so, I like her hair. She does seem younger. I've noticed Simon really does remember his advice to them from the previous week and watches to see if they'll follow it. But Donna Summer? Blech. She was great, but the song was just a'aight for me for her.
Sligh - Does it matter any more? But for the record, he sang "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic."
He was out of breath and all over the place. He was off on his rhythm and he's too accommodating of whatever the judges tell him ("Chris, your hair is green tonight." "I know. I should work on that. I'll try to make it less green next time and more some other color that will please you."). You just want to throw a pair of cojones on the stage for him to use next time. So, I'm bored with him now. His voice is too Broadway to pull of anything by The Police. And the echo thing that was going on all night was totally distracting (okay, that's not his fault, though if the judges told him it was, I'm sure he'd profusely apologize and promise America that instead of knitting or crocheting on his down time, he'd talk to those sound guys). I was super uncomfortable for him. And Simon has the same facial expression he's had with Taylor. He dislikes Taylor. And he dislikes Sligh. Simon likes some spitfire in the contestants. I bet Simon wants to toss a pair on stage for Sligh, too.
Gina Glocksen - "I'll Stand By You"
Wow! Great song for her! I love it! Weird outfit, but great vocal! Nice personality, too. She has a lovely smile and such nice teeth! Wow, she got mad praise tonight. I'd like to see her go far and do well. I doubt it'll happen, but hey, maybe it could--I think a Gina-Blake finale would be interesting.
Sanjaya Malakar - Something by No Doubt
Oh. My. Gosh. What in the world did he do to his hair? I suppose since his dignity has been all but flushed down the toilet, why fight it. It gave me bad Nadia Turner flashbacks. You know, the kind of thing where you're grimacing in confusion as you watch the TV, half wanting to fast forward, but too sickly fascinated to hit the button? Yeah, that was his hair for me for him. GREAT comments by Simon. I totally agree. Being totally real about the vocals, though, I kind of liked it! Except for the part where he forgot his lyrics (I'm amazed they didn't say anything, but then again why bother). He was better than Sligh tonight.
Haley Scarnato - "True Colors"
Boring song. Boring performance. And I bet those girls get sick of hearing that Paula thinks they're pretty right after they mucked up a performance.
Phil Stacey - That Stalker Song by the Police
"Every Breath You Take" worked well on Phil. 1. He sounds good on it. 2. He kind of looks like a stalker. I so prefer him with the goofy knitted hats. I'm totally distracted by his chrome dome for some reason. He's good, but he annoys me and I'm bored with him now, too.
Melinda Doolittle - Something else by Donna Summer
Great hair and outfit (despite Simon's opinion). She looks pretty. Boring song. Very good vocal, blah, blah, blah. It's not her fault, but she's good every week. So what is there to say?
Blake Lewis - Love Song by the Cure
First of all, I totally called that he'd sing The Cure. And he even dressed the part (except for no crazy hair, which is fine with me). Cough. Sanjaya. Cough. I love the Reggae arrangement. I'm always glued to his performances to see what he'll do. I love that he teases us by not always doing beatbox stuff. I love this guy. He's contemporary. He's hip. He has a great voice for this kind of thing. He's different. He's unique. He's original. He's daring. He's interesting. He's great. More on this later.
Jordin Sparks - "Hey Baby, Hey Baby, Hey Baby, Hey!" or something like that
It was a little boring and weird for me. The whole naughty school girl uniform doesn't work on her. She's too cute and adorable and likeable. It wasn't "performed" enough for me. It wasn't bad, but I didn't love it either. But I do like her a lot. So, she's forgiven. :P
Chris Richardson - "Don't Speak"
LOL at Gwen Stefani's "vocal olympics" comment! I usually like the cross gender songs (you know, when a guy sings a girl's song and vice versa), but this was just okay for me. He messed up his lyrics, too. Why is no one calling them on this?! When it's the first week on the big stage, the judges jump ALL OVER the contestants telling them that "at this point in the competition, there is just no excuse" yadda yadda. But for the top 10, it's suddenly not an issue?? And BOY was he MIFFED when Ryan interviewed him about Blake being told he's the top guy. That tight smile and "Hey, Blake and I are friends. If he's the front runner, great!" was just soooo believable.
Okay, I have something to say about "style over substance." That's what I'm liking this year. Don't get me wrong, Lakisha and Melinda are great, but a finale with both of them in it and even EITHER of them in it is just kind of boring. I don't know that I'd buy an album by either one of them even though they are technically and vocally AMAZING. Isn't that interesting? And why not? For the same reason we don't buy many Whitney, Celine, and Mariah CDs. They're AMAZING, yes, but that's not our style. It's kind of predictable (not a bad thing) and boring (a bad thing). Blake is not technically as good, but he's INTERESTING. He's different. He's unique. He's contemporary. He keeps your interest. You watch JUST to see what he'll do. He's a phenomenal and smooth performer. And while he may have less substance in terms of vocal ability and perfection, his style trumps that for me. I'd buy his album over a diva's any day. So, there's my spiel on why I like Blake more than more polished singers.
Top 10 performances, best to worst, in my opinion--keeping it real:
Gina Glocksen
Blake Lewis
Melinda Doolittle
Lakisha Jones
Phil Stacey
Jordin Sparks
Chris Richardson
Sanjaya
Haley
Sligh
Bottom 3 (or is it 2 now? I'm confused. Makes you wonder why they didn't mention the 3rd bottom a week ago): Sligh and Haley
Leaving: Haley
And I'm still not thrilled. Or as Simon says, "I'm not jumping out of my seat." When we answer the phone as we're sitting down to watch A.I., you know this season's not quite as exciting as past seasons, but we're not giving up on something amazing happening.
RANDOM THOUGHTS: They randomly told us titles of songs tonight. I guess they figured we should know them all. It makes for interesting comments later. This was the first short show for the finals, and you can tell: no titles, brief comments by Gwen Stefani, cutting off Simon "Oscar-style," less brainless banter (a good thing), etc. Now not only do you need the massive, dope, crazy, insane, yo-factor song, but you also need to be in the pocket. Paula looked like she was going for the Gwen hair tonight. She should have made it blond to complete the effect. And did you all like her ring pop she was sporting tonight. What was that thing? Why oh why do people pick Donna Summers songs when you don't have to? My rule of thumb is "disco when they make you, but ditch it when you can." They grouped contestants 4 and 5 together as part of their half-off advertising promotion. I was waiting for an ad for Crazy Eddies discount autos at one point, but it never happened.
LAKISHA JONES ("Let's Dance" but not Gwen Stefani style): Of course it was a strong start, and I hadn't realized it until Randy said so, but this was the first real up-tempo joint she's chosen. It was pretty good, but I just don't like Donna Summers disco songs. In the end I think this type of song choice when you don't have to (there were so many better songs from which to choose) will hurt her popularity tonight. But I was totally surprised when the song started out slow and then picked up in the middle.
CHRIS SLIGH ("Sting Had Magic. I Have Bunions"): Chris can sing. He cannot dance. Oh, and he doesn't have rhythm. And he said the song was hard. Even if it was, find a better way to frame it, like "I wanted to really challenge myself" or "It's a great song and I wanted the audience to hear the Police" or "I may have been sleeping when I picked this one." When Paula told him the audience wanted to groove but may have had a tough time, she meant "Chris, your moves on stage were so off beat and distracting that people were having visceral reactions to your performance, and now the staff has a lot to clean tonight." Not a great showing by Sligh.
GINA GLOCKSEN ("I'll Stand By You" but not in Sligh's mess): Great performance. It was the right style without being over the top. She kept gyrations to a minimum and focused on the song itself. I was impressed more than usual by her this week. And there was so much chalk and cheese I don't know what to do about it.
SANJAYA MALAKAR ("Rubber Duckie"): Or something about bathwater. I thought the song was kind of cool. His hair was a bit surprising and I was waiting for a Simon smackdown, like when Ricky Smith wore an afro wig to sing some Earth, Wind, and Fire in Season 2. But you can tell the judges don't really think there's any point in saying anything. I can tell because Simon actually said that. He still has good tone, poor projection, and really no business competing at this point, but this is a voting, ahem, singing (?) competition so hats off to Sanjaya for going for it each week, even if this week he looked like a slightly more disturbing version of Marvin the Martian.
HALEY SCARNATO (I've never heard this song before, so I'm not sure of it's title): They already filled the contractual obligation to the guitar player to appear on stage once each season, so this week we just see his hands. It was a nice arrangement with the acoustic guitar, but she really didn't "bring it." This is a song that can be incredibly boring or quite emotional. Hers was the former.
PHIL STACEY ("I'll Be Watching You" so I can keep kissing up): Good song choice for him. He actually did a decent job. My big beef is that I'm now trying to shake the visual of a crazed Phil Stacey actually watching me and my every move. And he almost avoided the idiotic behavior Simon has been alluding to, and then he does that annoying scream.
MELINDA DOOLITTLE ("Heaven Knows" why people keep singing Donna Summers): Melinda needed to go a bit more contemporary this week since most everyone else did. No disrespect to the influence Donna may have had on Gwen Stefani, but the song was sort of boring next to some of the other performances. Melinda is the most talented performer they've ever had on A.I., and will likely win this thing, but I'd like to see her push herself a bit more with the (gasp!) song selection. The fact that she can pick a loser song and still be the front runner speaks volumes to her abilities, though.
BLAKE LEWIS ("I Will Always Love You"--didn't Whitney sing that?): I love what he does each week to make songs new and entertaining. I actually like that the beat boxing was left behind this time, and I really enjoyed the new rhythm he put on this very recognizable song. Stacy looked at me at the beginning of the show when Ryan said someone picked The Cure, and she said, "I bet it's Blake." He's the one who finds the songs that are off the beaten path, and then does it well. Technically not the best singer, but like Simon said, Blake's individuality and overall package makes him the top guy right now.
JORDIN SPARKS (I didn't catch the song title. I don't think she sang it enough): Number 1, good song choice in that it is hip, young, contemporary, and energetic. Like Jordin. Number 2, poor song choice because even Gwen was surprised at how melodic it can be. It's a good performance song, but the real magic is probably in the whole persona that Gwen Stefani brings to the stage. It's hard to really upstage that, but Jordin did a decent job overall.
CHRIS R. ("Don't Speak" especially if you didn't like it): Sing the runs. Don't sing the runs. The runs are cool. The runs take away. Melody. Runs. Lyrics. Runs. I feel like I have to go the bathroom now! Poor guy doesn't know what to do. He needs a week with Justin Timberlake as the mentor so he can get advice he cares about. Overall Chris did adequately, but I'm not impressed overall by what he's done to date. This week I will give him the bronze for Vocal Olympics, however.
MY TOP THREE: Gina, Blake, Melinda? Honestly, I didn't enjoy a third one that much more than the rest.
MY BOTTOM THREE: Sanjaya, Sligh, Haley
NOT SPEAKING ANYMORE ON A.I.: Haley
So tonight I think Gwen Stefani performs. Finally a contemporary artist with the potential to truly entertain. I think it will be much like Shakira's performance on A.I. recently. Should be good.
Getting right to it...
Lakisha Jones - 'Let's Dance' - very nicely done, but not spectacular, for me.
Chris Sligh - 'Every Little Thing She Does' - I liked it a lot! Nice song choice. I missed the rhythm problems noted by the judges.
Gina Glocksen - "I'll Stand By You' - WoW! That was a moment for me (major chills)! Awesome connection with the song, and her best performance ever! Paula agrees. Simon messes with her, but agrees. She just moved up a couple of notches, and it was the best so far tonight, as Simon noted. I now have great respect for this girl.
Sanjaya Malakar - Don't know the song, but I thought he did a decent job on it, though he's back to being weak. He seems intent on keeping the focus on the hair, eh?
Haley Scarnato - Here's Dr. Mark's jingle... ; ) - 'True Colors' - I thought she made it her own and sang it uniquely and with some surprisingly good dynamics. It was good, but it didn't grab me any more than it did Randy.
Phil Stacey - 'I'll Be Watchin You' - No Phil Collins, and a little weak in the softer sections, but I liked it very much when he hit the chorus. Very good. Paula picks up on exactly what I'm hearing.
Melinda Doolittle - Blew Gwen away, so I'm expecting the usual excellence. Sure enough, chills start early and don't go away. A poll of viewers on the Ellen Degeneres' website has her at the top by a large margin, with Lakisha next, but a long ways down.
Blake Lewis - 'I Will Always Love You' - Randy says it for me. Not the song that best showcases his talent, but, as Paula points out, it does showcase his tenderness. I agree with Simon that he's the front-running guy. The judges took the words out of my mouth.
Jordin Sparks - Low notes are weak, but a solid performance overall, with some chill-giving spots toward the end. Very good. Simon gives her "most improved".
Chris Richardson - 'Don't Speak' - Maybe his best performance yet, but, for me, still in the middle of the pack.
Nobody was really bad tonight, so picking the bottom won't be easy...
Tops: Melinda, Gina, and Lakisha
Bottoms: Sanjaya, and if the judges are right, Chris S., but I don't really agree, and no one else stood out for me as not so hot, tonight.
...John
Are you kidding me?? Is this "news?" This is a real article! Some worry that his song choices don't reflect his Christian faith. Oh, and he only mentioned Jesus once in his bio (as his #1 hero, by the way). Seriously, ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! That's the kind of talk that makes me crazy. Isn't one's faith personal and not to be worn on their sleeves anyway? Had he mentioned Jesus on every line of his bio, would that really have made him "more Christian?" Honestly, it would've bugged me. If someone really has a good relationship with God or anyone else for that matter, they can shout it from the rooftops if they want to, but doing that doesn't make it so or more so. It simply IS. Give me a break. He's in a singing competition, for crying out loud. He can love Jesus all he wants, that's his personal business. But it BUGS me when people make an issue of it. (Rant Off).
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/185417/is_american_idol_chris_sligh_christian.html
So the only thing that would have made this night even more authentic would be to have shown that little girl (the one who was crying) using grainy file footage type film. She looked like someone straight from the JFK airport when The Beatles first arrived in the 60s. Classic! Oh, so many things to say. I hope I remember them all!
RANDOM THOUGHTS: The intern must have been doing the directing in the beginning because there were a lot of bad cuts when they introduced the contestants. Now you see them, now you don't! If the performances tell us about the mentors, then back in the day Herman's Hermits and Lulu were infinitely better than Diana Ross was. Their coaching was so much more helpful, and it showed. I can't believe someone actually referenced Kilroy tonight. How authentic! Randy's got a new cosmetic line he's pushing: Yo Factor. Why did Ryan have two mics so conspicuously placed tonight? He looked so dorky, but not as dorky as his toss the cell phone, "Oops! I broke it!" fake runaway routine. Ryan, you're better than this. I feel like I'm watching the Miss U.S.A. pageant (and not in the good way, if there is such a thing) with these Cola-Beverage-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named (but recognized by the swirl and bubbles) questions each week. What would you do for world peace? Sing good.
HALEY SCARNATO ("Tell Him" I paid way too much to be missing this much fabric): But seriously, where the hell are the clothes? No back, no legs, too much heel. This time Simon told us exactly what he was looking at. Overall, a solid performance. She seems more confident, and she must really, really want to go on tour.
CHRIS RICHARDSON ("Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying" after Simon's comments): Peter Noone did a great job with Chris. He is the first one to get Chris to sing the melody. He borrowed one of Daughtry's tricks and brought out the guitar guy. He sang on tune, brought in his own style. Nice. Now if only Chris could stop singing through his nose!
STEPHANIE EDWARDS ("You Don't Have to Say You Love Me," especially since you don't): Ouch! This was a bad night for Stephanie. I have never liked her, but I've never doubted her singing talent. She is just too serious about this thing. Like her Miss U.S.A question. The hardest thing? "Picking the song" is the obvious and boring answer. Spice it up a little. Walking in this dress, sitting on these crappy stools, looking at Simon's mug each week--any of these would show more personality, which is what she needs right now 'cause the singing was off this week. Lulu may be reminded of Beyonce, but sometimes people look at me and are reminded they left the toilet seat up. Memory is a funny thing.
BLAKE LEWIS ("Time of the Season" where we break dance): The judges must have read our blog (and every other blog with any sense) because all of a sudden contemporary and individuality work. Blake made it his own, sang it well, and really "performed." It was a "Cool vibey massive yo factor edgy tasty super size quarter pounder version tonight, dawg!" Simon's right, it is a singing competition as this show was conceived, but Peter Noone hit the nail on the head: it's become more of a voting contest in reality. People should vote for Blake this week.
LAKISHA JONES ("Diamonds are Forever" they are, and if you don't believe me, I'll sing it ad nauseum): Being a huge Bond fan, I was excited at the prospect of a "shaken, not stirred" performance, but this song is not one of the best Bond themes. Lakisha can sing, blah blah blah, but the bling was the most exciting part of the performance. I did enjoy her comeback to Simon. Simon liked it, too.
PHIL STACEY ("Tobacco Row," isn't that in Virginia?): So he had fun up there. He was really feeling it. It was bad. Not terrible, but bad. And his excuses and camera mugging and pathetic kissing up and incorrect math--your number was 6, not 5!--it's old already. He seems to be trying to beg his way into the upper eschelon of this year's contestant pool, but it's not working. You never know who will end up leaving each week, but he's a strong candidate.
JORDIN SPARKS ("I Who Have Nothing" but plenty of years ahead): This was a great performance. She's got some real talent, and it shows. The fact that she's "so excited" doesn't hurt, either. If she can keep it up she'll be a legitimate contender for a while yet. She is definitely the best, young contestant we've had in 6 seasons of A.I. Wow!
SANJAYA MALAKAR ("You Really Got Me" makin' a fool of myself): Hey, if you're going out, go out having fun. When the judges don't even want to make fun of you any more it's a bad sign. I'm actually really shocked that Randy and Simon didn't rip him to shreds up there. Mad props to Sanjaya for having the cajones to do what he did, and to make no apologies for being around. If America, and by "America" I mean that sweet little girl he hugged, wants Sanjaya here, all he can do is keep on keepin' on.
GINA GLOCKSEN ("Paint it Black" and it's still crap): At least the laser show lights were hot! The thing about the Rolling Stones is they can't sing, but they have style. It's not one I particularly care for (and I understand people enjoy it better stoned out of their minds), but they do have "it" or "yo" or "dawg" or whatever it is these days. So, it's not surprising that the song is repetitive, boring, monotonous, loud, tonally impaired, etc., etc. Simon was right (gag!) on this one: it was style over substance tonight. Gina's a better singer than this song showed.
CHRIS SLIGH ("She's Not There" but I'll find her here somewhere): I'm a fan of sauntering about at a leisurely pace. It's good for digestion. But I got distracted very quickly by Chris's stroll through the crowd. He did pick the perfect song. He did sing it well. He did impress me this week. He did wear his glasses. He did fix his hair. He did enough to stick around another week or two.
MELINDA DOOLITTLE ("As Long As He Needs Me" to give him chills, I'll do it): Melinda always gives me chills, even on a song that is a bit boring. I rarely like it when singers choose songs from musicals on non-Broadway nights, but given the lack of Melinda's 1960s global awareness I'll cut her some slack. She is a consummate performer and there is no way she will not have a successful career ahead of her. Even an adequate performance from Melinda beats 99% of what A.I. shows week in and week out. She. Is. Amazing.
MY TOP 3: Blake, Chris S., Melinda/Jordin
MY BOTTOM 3: Sanjaya, Phil, Stephanie
PURCHASING A TICKET TO SEE IDOLS ON TOUR 2007: Phil (you've got a young one at home anyway--enjoy.)
So, the invasion is over. Who will be our casualty tomorrow night? Who will miss out on the opportunity of a lifetime? Tune in tomorrow--
Enough of that.
Well, that was much better, wasn't it. And the audience was on one. Geez-a-loo. I like Ryan (always have), but I like sarcastic Ryan. He's getting a bit too cheesy and dweeby for my liking. Too much "Vegasness" in his hosting. Blech. And calling that crying tween to the stage? Were they trying to give that girl an attack?
Haley Scarnato - "Tell Him"
Good song for her, you would think. But eek. It was all over the place and her outfit was distracting (Is she wearing a bra? How does one wear a bra in a shirt like that?). The look on her face after Simon's comment tells me she knows full well what she's doing when she wears those ridiculously short outfits. I think she likes her legs. And her back.
Chris Richardson - "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying"
It got better throughout. I don't really care for Chris. For some reason, I can't get into him. Not sure what it is. But I can give credit where it's due--he did a good job.
Stephanie Edwards - "You Don't Have To Say You Love Me"
What. Did she do. To that song? She was off. I haven't ever liked her. It's not her "fun" that's "missing" (I mean, has that ever shown up? Does it even exist?). I say it again. She's got the LaToya London syndrome. She thinks she's better than everyone else. Nothing wrong with confidence, but cockiness? It kicked LaToya right out of the competition. It kicked LaToya's CD (according to a reliable source) right to the .99 cent rack. A .99 cents, by the way, my friend couldn't bring herself to spend. Could Steph Stink Eye be on the way out?
Blake Lewis - "Time of a Season"
That was a PERFECT match for his voice! He's PERFECT for that genre. And his performance was HOT. I LOVE him. Very good, very sexy, very fitting, very likeable, very, very top 2 for me for him. This guy is a musician and a singer and a performer and he is tops. I can't really put this better than Randy, so I'll just repeat: "This week, you've put together a very cool, vibey, edgy, massive yo factor version of a song!" What could I possibly add to that?
LaKisha - "Diamonds are Forever"
She should've listened to Lulu and sung the other song. It was monotonous, old, boring, and a bit too Broadway for me. Though I love her comeback to Simon (so did he). Lakisha was actually bottom 6 for me tonight.
Phil Stacey - "Tobacco Row"
He has quite a range. It was a bit pitchy. I agree with Simon about him needing more "grit." Every time I start liking Phil, he kisses up to America and it BUGS me. "Did you enjoy it? I love singing for you." Bleh. Just sing, shut up, and hold up your fingers. I was liking it until he opened his mouth with that comment. I don't, however, agree with Simon about his insinuation that Phil could be headed out tomorrow. I mean, bottom 3 maybe, but if there's any mercy at all in this competition, Sanjaya will go and spare him and us all. Mind you, I thought that before hearing him sing tonight.
Jordin Sparks - "I Who Have Nothing"
"I'm So Excited!" How could anyone NOT like her?! And, while we're at it, Lulu is SO freaking adorable. Jordin is hands down the BEST "youngest contestant" this show has EVER had. That was PHE-freaking-NOMENAL. She's 17?! She's AMAZING! And so stinking cute. "Omigosh, that was so empowering and I don't even have a boyfriend!" LOL! You go, girl!
Sanjaya Malakar - "You Really Got Me"
What in the bloody hell was that? That was bloody awful, that's what that was. British Invasion indeed. To the pained girl crying in the audience: "Oh, Honey, I know. I'm crying, too. It hurts, doesn't it. Just try to block it out and have a nice glass of warm milk before bed tonight and think happy thoughts."
Gina Glocksen - "Paint It Black"
She was off. And you know it's bad when Randy starts with, "Gina, Gina, Gina, you having fun?" While we're on the topic of "fun," IS it about fun?? I get SO sick of the phrase almost always preceded by a shrug, "Well, I had fun!" As if that's enough to make us forget or not mind all the awful notes. Ohhhhh! She had fun! Well then, who cares about all of those sucky notes and uncomfortable moments! Singing competition? Bah! She had fun!! Can you hand me the phone, dear? Give me a break. What a better response would be, I don't know, but ANYTHING is better than (shrug), "Well, I had fun!" It's Season 6. Please someone come up with something better than that. Or at least something else.
Chris Sligh - "She's Not There"
That was great! Perfect on him (except for the jumping around on the stage part which would've been fine if it hadn't winded him for the next part of the song). I agree with Simon that he worked the audience fine and did indeed not need to "lick them." I kind of like hearing Simon talk Randy. "You did your thing." Well then. All right!
Melinda Dolittle - "As Long As He Needs Me"
I got chills and it was fantastic, no question. I'd like to see her do some fun stuff to mix it up. She always sings with such conviction and power that I don't want that to get old. She could sing the phone book and the look in her eye would say that in her heart of hearts and in the deepest depths of her soul she really DOES believe that if you feel you've been poorly treated by a medical professional, you really should call Schulster, Simon, and Schulster. 10 more weeks of that might get tiring and I really don't want to tire of her, because I like her a lot. Let's see some more "W-O-M-A-N!" Oh, and I think it's hilarious that Simon's in shock over meeting such a genuinely nice person. Though I know it's not the first time. Remember Season 5? Elliott? Yeah, it's my post, so I can make whatever shameless plugs I want. We got his CD today and it's fantastic and HE'S fantastic. LOVE it. Oh, and love Melinda, too.
Here's my ranking for tonight:
Jordin/Blake (Toss up for me)
Melinda
Chris R
Chris Sligh
Lakisha
Phil Stacey
Gina
Haley
Stephanie
Sanjaya
Bottom 3 - Same as my list: Haley, Stephanie, and Sanjaya
If there's any mercy at all, leaving is Sanjaya so that there's at least a decent touring Top 10.
Hi all!
Sanjaya must have heard of my Michael Jackson remark...now he's wearing a half-glove?
Simon undressed?! Please, no, Paula! If that's what she thinks about, no wonder she needs 'medicinals'... ; )
The British Invasion, eh? Isn't Simon enough?
Haley Scarnato - It was just okay for me. One of her better performances, but I didn't like the song choice as much as Randy and Paula. As dirty ol' Simon noted, her outfit helped her out a lot.
Chris Richardson - 'Don't Let The Sun Catch You Cryin' - one of my favorite songs - he starts off very weak and stays there until near the end...ramps it up to where he should have started off, and lets it die. Not good, for me. Someone singing in the dorm shower. Randy and Paula see something different. Even Simon liked it. Am I in a bad mood, or being too picky? No! This is American IDOL! You'll see what I mean when Melinda hits the stage...
Stephanie Edwards - 'You Don't Have To Say You Love Me' - another favorite, and another weak start, though she recovers fairly quickly, and takes it up a notch in the bridge. Bringing it up a notch makes her pitchy, though. A little better than Chris R and Haley. Finally the judges seem to be hearing what I'm hearing. Are they more forgiving of Chris R and Haley based on personality?
Blake Lewis - I hope for something interesting on this. 'Time Of The Season' - Good song choice if he can handle the register changes. I like it! Gives me some chills. Just enough beatbox. A smidge pitchy in spots, but overall, the best so far tonight. Paula seems to agree, by her gestures. Randy loved it, too. Simon, too, approves, even if he can't say he 'enjoyed' it. Is he capable of such a thing? Now we know why Ryan is an emcee and not a performer. Yikes!
Lakisha Jones - 'Diamonds Are Forever' - Combined with her outfit, I think it was a great song choice for showcasing her big voice. She could have used her performance for the sound track. Perfect, and lots of chills. Randy's hard on the would-be winner, but Paula makes up for it. Simon ages her along with the song, which seems absurd to me. I'm glad she can shrug it off. Randy finally gives some concrete advice about risking some runs, which she could have done.
Phil Stacey - 'Tobacco Road' - Good song choice, and he owns it pretty well. He risked losing some of his connection with the audience by running around a bit much at times, but hung in there and ended very well. Randy and Paula like it, and, of course, Simon is more critical. There's some truth in that Phil could use some grit in his voice for that song, but I don't think it's as bad as Simon says (oooo - Simon says - let's not play, shall we?).
Jordin Sparks - She's so excited! - 'I Who Have Nothing' - Lulu wants her to scream...let's see how that goes over. This is a big song, and she's a wee bit shakey until the bridge, but she really owns it from there on. Very, very good! Actually better than Lakisha tonight, and Randy agrees. Paula likes it, and Simon is disturbed because the song made him feel something. That's the point, you rube!!!
LOL at the few non-positive Brits moving over here!
Sanjaya Malakar - Wild side? This should be different. 'You Really Got Me' - OMG, the teeniebopper crying in the audience makes it clear where his votes are coming from! It's a glimmer of the Beatles effect on the female population, and he definitely picked the right song to change his image! Completely different performer, and the judges agree. Simon sees dollar signs in the tearful teeniebopper, and is completely satisfied. If he can keep it up, he'll stay in the top 6, where that performance put him. Quite a jump up the ranks!
Gina Glocksen - Gina's looking very hot tonight. Let's see if her performance matches, and she presents better than she did in the interview with Ryan. 'Paint It Black' - She starts pretty far off key, but gets back quickly. She doesn't have the tension in her body to project the song with the power it needs. She definitely improves towards the end, but it wasn't enough for me. Simon overkills the criticism, but there's some truth in what he says.
Chris Sligh - I'm thinking he'll do well with this theme. 'She's Not There' - a pretty limited song, with a lot of repetitive words and chords. But Sligh OWNS the song, and connects well with the audience. Very good, but not the best tonight, which is what Simon finally pronounces, as well.
Melinda Doolittle - saving the best for last, eh? Good move, and they know it. 'As Long As He Needs Me' - another favorite of mine, and very challenging, but if anyone can do it, Melinda can. Right from the start, her enunciation and phrasing are excellent. Starting seated, she is clearly aiming for a 'moment', which is very ambitious with this song. But she pulls it off and makes the teeniebopper and me both tearful. Simon's 'impeccable' is the right word.
My tops for the night: Melinda, Jordin, Sanjaya (believe it or not), and Lakisha, in that order.
My bottoms for the night: Stephanie, Haley, Gina, Chris R, in rough order.
Letting the sun catch him crying: Chris R, though the judges think differently.
Later days!
...John
Hallelujah, it's my favorite part of this show - theme weeks and top 12! Okay, let's start with random thoughts and questions.
1. Have the judges always had those skinny mics on their table? Those seemed new.
2. Diana Ross. Sigh. She seems nice at least, but bleh songs, if you ask me. GSITKU or not.
3. How cute that Ryan's Nana was there tonight.
4. Randy Jackson is so *#$#%@ condescending! And it really irritates me.
BRANDON ROGERS - "Can't Hurry Love"
Blechy song. Snore. I cannot believe that someone hasn't said, "Melinda has proven herself as a back up singer who should be up front. You have not." He just doesn't have it. He hasn't the WHOLE TIME either! I'm not shocked that Sanjaya made it into the top 12. I'm shocked that Brandon has! It reminds me of Anwar - great guy, great singer, great smile, but just not cut out for the stage. Is he sick? It was flat. He was drowned out. He forgot his lyrics right after that John Travolta leg move. I'll grant him that it's GOTTA be rough to be first, but ugh. He is polite!
MELINDA DOOLITTLE - "Home"
She's genuine and phenomenal. What more really needs to be said? Yes, Melinda, I think goosebumps are good. Just crown her now.
CHRIS SLIGH - "Endless Love"
I'm gonna go ahead and disagree with the judges. I rather liked his interpretation of the song. I liked it even more than (gasp!) Blake's. They're just different. Blake's was more techno and Sligh's was more contemporary. I love the U2 piano syncopation during his song. He's a musician and he did a great job, very original. Geez, judges. They can't make up their minds. Don't be a copycat. Oh wait, DO be a copycat. Don't be original. That's what we meant.
GINA GLOCKSEN - "Love Child"
So, Miss Ross thinks she should "pronunciate." Okay. Great choice. I really liked it.
SANJAYA MALAKAR - "Ain't No Mountain High Enough"
Argh. He's just too quiet and sweet for this. Gotta give him A LOT of credit though because this was his best performance so far and it was on the big stage, so big props for that. And see what I mean about Randy? He laughs, sighs, groans, laughs, tears the kid down (again), and then says, "But your hair is rockin'!" Fool. He sounds like an ignorant baboon when he does that. Just stick to the music and shut up. Grrrrrr. And the dumbing down of America was apparent tonight, was it not? Let's have a lesson on homonyms, shall we? Whale vs. Wail. One is a mammal of the sea. One is a scream or cry. Apparently, most Americans are NOT smarter than a 5th grader. So you can just skip the next show.
HALEY SCARNATO - "Missing You"
Other than forgetting the skirt that goes with that shirt that was tied with a big ribbon under her backside, she did pretty well! Very nice emotion and stage presence. I was surprised, because before tonight's show, I pretty much thought she'd be the next one to go. She does have a great studio voice. She forgot the lyrics (urgh). Those squats made me VERY nervous. Why in the world would anyone choose that night and that stage to wear something so dangerously short?? In high heels no less! Have you read these people's interviews on the American Idol site? They all fall! She showed some personality tonight and I think people will warm up to that. She may not even be in the bottom 3. And yay to Simon for remembering her name.
PHIL STACEY - "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me"
Is he? I haven't been liking Phil recently, but tonight he did a nice job!
LAKISHA JONES - "God Bless the Child"
Okay, well the finale is set. Melinda and LaKisha. That was fantastic! Great control, great vocals, great look. Well done!
BLAKE LEWIS - "You Keep Me Hanging On"
I love Blake. But for me that was good, not great. And that jacket flippy thing? A little overdone. But it's true what Simon says, he'll be fine. Did you hear the audience? I think it's going to be a challenge for him when it comes to song selections if they keep having horrible weeks like this one. Diana Ross??
STEPHANIE EDWARDS - "Love Hangover"
Or something. That was pitchy all over the place. I haven't ever really liked her and apparently the judges don't either. And you know what? She is royally pissed off, because she thinks she's a diva and that she's in the running with Melinda, Kiki, and company. But America has news for her--we didn't like LaToya either. The attitude is WAY too off-putting.
CHRIS RICHARDSON - "The Boss"
Damn. I thought he meant he was going to screw the theme week all together and sing some Springsteen. I know I haven't ever been a big fan, but he's already getting old for me. That sneer thing he does when he sings? Yawn. He's good, but it's old already. It was pitchy. I do give him credit, though, for making it his own without messing too much with the integrity of the song, which tonight came across much smoother than Sligh's or Blake's efforts.
JORDIN SPARKS - "If We Hold On Together"
She is the complete antithesis of Stephanie Edwards. And that's why we like her. How can you help BUT like her?! Wow! That was some mad praise. And she accepts it so adorably. Dang, 3 girls pushing for the top spot! Way. To. Go.
Magistra is right about that old Stink Eye. Competitors beware. I think Stephanie is TICKED off.
Tops tonight for me: Lakisha and Melinda
Bottom 3 tonight for me: Brandon, Sanjaya, and Chris Richardson
Bottom 3 predictions: Brandon, Stephanie, and Sanjaya
Going Home: Brandon
We finally made it to the really big stage, and a lot of the contestants looked like they wanted to run back to Little Big Stage. Lackluster is the word I'd use for tonight, with a few notable exceptions.
RANDOM THOUGHTS: So, Taylor, Ruben, Clay, and a few others weren't good enough to warrant inclusion in the opening montage. Thanks for the memories guys. You've had your day in the sun. The Dog tried to use every cliche he knows . . . in the first 30 seconds! My new "favorite" may be "in it to win it." Maybe because it rhymes. I'm easily amused sometimes. Randy was asking a lot of questions like "how do you think you did" tonight. Not a good sign at all. I was glad to see the cast of "Bones" in the audience tonight. They've gotta find some way to get around us fast forwarding the Tivo during commercials. This may be Diana Ross night, but any Marvin Gaye connection seemed to be worth a few compliments. There goes that crazy Brit giving us lessons in English again in the form of near homophone pair whale and wail. Diana Ross should be in the same class as Stevie Wonder as far as songs that must not be sung on A.I. I think the judges were waiting for a Diana-like performance, but then no one can sing like her, no one. So, Catch-22, here we come. At least she was very kind to the contestants. I was glad to see that.
BRANDON ROGERS ("Can't Hurry Love" but please hurry the song): This guy just blends into the background. He has talent, but for whatever reason he looks ill at ease in the forefront. He did seem very nervous tonight, and it's tough to be first in a new venue. I don't like the song in the first place, and he didn't make me love it any more tonight.
MELINDA DOOLITTLE ("Home," from The Wiz, not the good one by Michael Buble or the other good one by Chris Daughtry): I'm with Simon--I think the song is boring but Melinda made me like it. She is incredible. She seems like she shocks herself each week. At some point she needs to realize that she is IT and can win this thing if she keeps things fresh. Ricky Minor sure was digging the performance! And all the guys are wearing sneakers, so she should, too! And Simon, that feeling you were trying to shrug off with poor humor and juvenile antics? You were being moved!
CHRIS SLIGH ("Endless Love" with a loveless end): I'm a bit upset. Chris did a very cool arrangement and got no love for it. Even if the judges didn't like the arrangement because it's a Diana joint and sing it like it is and don't touch the arrangement, blah, blah, blah, they have to give him props for originality. "Be original" they say. "Hey, stick with the original" they say next week. Boo! Most of Chris's fans probably know this as the song being lip synced by the Zamboni driver on Happy Gilmore, so this version will top whatever impression they've had up until now. Regardless of the judges' comments, Chris's fans will love it!
GINA GLOCKSEN (The children's classic "Love Child"): She was edgy, and good enough, but a bit boring for my liking. It was the right song for her, and she didn't do anything to deserve being booted this week. I was a bit disappointed that she didn't pronunciate very well. She didn't really enunciate either for that matter. But it's not like Diana Ross has the best diction in the world!
SANJAYA MALAKAR ("Ain't No Mountain High Enough" to project his voice): Sanjaya gets drowned out by the backgrounds and band each week. He's a sweet kid, and he has a great voice, and this week was actually his best. I was disappointed in the way Randy treated him. He can be so condescending, and this does nothing to improve any performer's skills. And even if his hair is the dopest, don't mention it after raking him through the coals and laughing at him. Low class all around.
HALEY SCARNATO ("Missing You" kind Randy): Haley was so nervous our television was actually shaking before, during, and after her performance. But all in all she did a pretty good job. I'll admit that it was better than I expected. Less Belle, more good. I was glad to see Simon give her some praise, and after the negativity from the other stooges Haley looked a bit shocked. I'm also glad we didn't have a Brittney Spears moment with that dress. Yikes, that was close!
PHIL STACEY ("Love and Affection" and something else nice): Phil started out better than he usually does, sang the low notes more in tune, and screamed less. Notice I didn't say "not at all?" Overall it was a nice performance from him and he should be safe another week. I feel like I'm playing "She loves me, she loves me not" with Phil each week. This week, "I liked it."
LAKISHA JONES ("God Bless the Child" and Kiki, too): Wow! This is a two-woman contest right now. It's early, and crazy things happen, but Lakisher and Melinder are in a different class by themselves. The trick is to keep improving and keep it fresh. I was worried in the early weeks that Lakisha might end up being like Mandisa: a lot of power and screaming. But Kiki has proven herself as of late.
BLAKE LEWIS ("You Keep Me Hanging On" wishing no one ever sang this song): Now, I'm a Blake fan, and I'm glad he went original on us. But why did he get praise for the attempt while Paula took a second shot at Sligh? I don't see a huge enough difference in the two tries to do that. It was an okay performance tonight, but Blake definitely did not put out one of his best efforts tonight. And I would rather see Blake go out early, but hang on to his originality than see him conform for the judges. I don't see that being a problem, really.
STEPHANIE EDWARDS ("Love Hangover," but I wish I had the real thing right now): So she looked mad again. Stephanie, don't get mad, just sing well. She was pitch all over the place, and the song is boring. Don't blame the arrangement, because that's you, too. On the one hand I cringe when contestants say things like "I really forgot my lyrics" or "I sang like Randy on Xanax" or "Why do you keep voting me through when I stink like this," but I liked how many people sincerely took credit or blame for what happened tonight. Stephanie will win more supporters if she knocks the chip off her own shoulder before someone does it to her.
CHRIS RICHARDSON ("The Boss," but not Springsteen): If you had "Chris Richardson in the first week" in your office "first person on the risers behind the jugdes" pool, you collect the pot tonight. Well, Diana told him to work the audience. Can I just tell you how I hate that little stage behind the judges. So few people make it work, and so many more just lose their breath trying to smile, sing, mug for the camera, shake hands, kiss Paula, climb the steps, remember your lyrics and not to fall, sing a bit, run down the stairs, climb back up on the stage 4 beats too late, and then almost pass out at the end. Chris did maintain his style, and didn't embarrass himself. That's it.
JORDIN SPARKS ("If We Hold On Together" little dinosaurs will have a happy ending): I'm not ready to put her with Melinda and Lakisha, but Jordin was really good tonight. The performance was a bit "young," but I suppose that's okay since Jordin is a teen-ager. One thing is for sure--she can sing! I can see her being a major factor in this year's competition as long as she keeps improving with each week. It will be interesting to see how she progresses through this season.
MY QUICK HITS
BRANDON: Slow start, quick exit.
MELINDA: Whaddya say to skipping this whole thing and cutting an album now?!
CHRIS S.: Your fans will love tonight, but you need your glasses back.
GINA: Congratulations! You've survived Diana Ross week!
SANJAYA: Would somebody please turn up the volume on this guy?!
HALEY: Simon loves me! He really loves me!
PHIL: Cue him up for another week.
LAKISHA: You can skip this thing, too if you want.
BLAKE: I think I'm suffering from BBDS (Beatbox Deficiency Syndrome).
STEPHANIE: Want some dip with that chip?
CHRIS R.: Less "working" next week, more singing.
JORDIN: And you're only 17?
MY TOP THREE: Lakisha, Melinda, Chris S.
MY BOTTOM THREE: Stephanie, Sanjaya, Chris R.
FINDING STRENGTH IN ADVERSITY: Sanjaya
I'm interested to see how voting goes now that the guys and girls are consolidated. I also hope this week cures the judges of their "Girls vs. Guys" mentality. It's everyone for his or herself from now on. It's on now!
So we finally have a Top 12. There were a few surprises that weren't really surprises, and the usual assortment of Ryan's "psyche" moments! They're mean, by the way. Anyway, here is a list of "highlights" from tonight's show.
*In a surprise twist America has decided to ditch Antonella and instead keep Haley, another contestant that hasn't really shown us much to this point. It just goes to show how extremely negative comments from the judges can provoke the fans.
*Sadly, I was right about Sabrina Sloan. She just didn't ever evoke an emotional response for me. I know she's a talented singer, but no yo!
*Simon decided to give his traditional "you just don't sing well" send-off to the losers of tonight.
*Paula actually identified the undeserving male singer in the bunch by name (Sanjaya) and then added the oh-so-helpful, "nothing against you" to throw us off the track.
*We were treated to another emotionless, robotic performance by Carrie Underwood, reminding us why we grew to love her so much during her A.I. run. At least fame hasn't changed her any. And at least couldn't they have chosen a better song for her to sing tonight?
*It was announced that we will be treated to the diverse and fantastic world of Dianna Ross next week.
*We were told that 36 million people voted over the past two nights. That's just over 1 vote per viewer. Who says it's unfair, John?
*A.I. Gives Back was announced and we saw Ryan and Simon visiting impoverished children in Africa. I think this is a really cool idea. Sending Cowell there was probably good for the guy. He can use a little more depth in his life.
Here's what I'd like to see next week, aside from the obvious desire for good performances:
1. Brandon Lewis actually brings some yo and it with him.
2. The guys finally perform well enough so the judges don't have to keep saying how rotten the guys are compared to the girls this week.
3. Ryan sticks to suits and shuns turtlenecks.
I am really interested to see how everyone does with the themes each week. It's one thing when you can pick any song, but quite another when you are limited.
I always love getting into the finals because theoretically the performances get better, and we get to see the cream rise to the top. Plus next week we'll be back home watching on the Tivo, so I may actually get half of the
song titles right. Oh! And they put the titles on the screen! That will probably help a little, but I make no guarantees.
Alrighty then!
More mind-messing-with postponements til after the commercials by Ryan. Poor Sligh! But we knew he would make it.
Jared is out! I didn't see that coming, though I wouldn't have expected him to last much longer anyway. He needs some vocal training and he'll have a great careeer. I'm just a little surprised that some others weren't voted off instead.
I haven't been following Carrie Underwood's brilliant career (she's country, after all *smile*), but it was certainly nice to hear her perform.
Bye Antonella...we'll always remember how purty you are... ; )
Wow! They've dialed back the cruelty and are asking the losers if they'll sing a final song! Maybe they'll only do that with the ones that are tearful...LOL!
Sabrina's out - not too surprising, and again, Haley's performance last night was her best so far, so maybe she can continue to improve.
The special sounds very cool!
Bye Bye Sundance...Sanjaya should be next. I'm really surprised that judges are acting surprised...even Simon. I thought he liked kicking them when they're down. But then again, he has been backing Sundance from the start.
Now we can get down to bidness... ; )
...John
So, it's the usual, isn't it? A Top 12 with the obvious first 2 to get the boot (Haley and Sanjaya) and the others doing the tour. My favorite part of the evening, truth be told, is the big announcement. It's about time a show of this magnitude step up like that. I think it's fantastic and I'm all the prouder to be a fan of this show. I bet that trip was good for Simon. I enjoyed the clips. Having lived in Africa myself, I know those kids. The announcement brought tears to my eyes. I think it's great.
Blake needs shorter cuffs. I thought he'd broken both arms. But I'm thrilled (and not surprised) that he's top 12.
Blake, Lakisha, Sligh, and Doolittle. Duh. No-brainers.
I still fall for Ryan's antics--he can get my tummy flipping with his "You are NOT . . . [big pause] . . . ." He made me nervous with Sligh. PHA-EW! I mean with this show, who knows?!
Jared Cotter. I'm sad. I like him. Darn it. I wonder how it would be for people like him, Nikko Smith, Rickey Smith, and other ousted idols to get together and form a band like "Take 6." That's be awesome.
Carrie Underwhere is not likeable and is getting too skinny. What happened to her healthy weight?
Antonella's not in the Top 12?! That's a shocker really. But good. I'm so glad I don't have to hear her again. She reminds me of someone who sings along to the radio and belts it out thinking they sound just like the voice coming out of the speakers when in reality, they don't. She's already been offered $250,000 by the "Girls Gone Wild" people and Playboy is after her, too. I think she'll be okay. Ta-tas (pun totally intended).
Haley vs. Sabrina. Crap. That is just SO wrong. Mary Poppins over a dang good diva. And if one of those two good "middles" is getting the boot, I would've preferred Stephanie, to be honest. Her LaToya like-ness is off putting.
Again, VERY cool project. April 24th and 25th. I think it's great. Way to go, American Idol people.
Sanjaya vs. Sundance--good set up. Either one getting in is a shock at this point, truth be told. I love Sundance's plea, "Somebody, give me a job!" Maybe Fuel is still looking for a lead singer.
I'm missing X-sentrikk right about now. This competition could use a guy that is not only a singer, but a dancer, choreographer, philosopher, poet, songwriter, busboy, bank teller, fashion designer, scale model maker, and comedian. Unfortunately we got a bunch of performances tonight that could have me screaming, "Bring back Ian Benardo!" Well, maybe not quite, but still I, like Randy and Simon, am not jumping out of my seat. For the record, I have never seen Simon move with anything but a methodical saunter, and I am guessing Randy hasn't jumped for anything since hearing the song with the same title in 1980-something.
SPOLED KID RANT: Being out of town I am working at a distinct disadvantage. First, I didn't have my Tivo to pause to write song titles (like I let that affect me). Second, I got to hear our son ask me "is it done yet" after seeing each 866 (not 800) number appear on the screen, and yes, it started soon into Blake's performance. Third, I had to wait an hour and a half after the show ended to get to the computer since we are away from our dining room network megaplex, thus severely hindering my ability to remember anything constructive from tonight's performance. And fourth, I'm working on a network that is connecting at "only" 36 mbps rather than the 54 mbps to which I have grown accustomed at home. OK, I'll stop ranting. And for the record, I'm really not that spoiled.
RANDOM THOUGHTS: I'm afraid to ask what the D in Randy D. Jackson stands for. Donut comes to mind, but I'll not be that rude tonight. What happened to nice Paula? She usually saves her nasty comments and hesitation for the ladies. I even found myself missing her generic "you look good" and "I love you" comments. Tonight Simon seemed almost cordial. I kind of wish I still didn't know a lot of that stuff about the guys tonight. Somebody save Sanjaya from his hair--three performances, three hairstyles, three thumbs down. Did Chris Richardson seem upset after having his weight loss pointed out excessively after his performance, or did I miss something? I'm tired of the advice to just "bring it." This is generic, useless advice at this point. Unless there is a secret item they are supposed to bring on performance night, I assume the contestants know they have to do their best. Let's give some constructive advice on a consistent basis. At the end of the show the guys looked like they'd just been chewed up, spit out, then stomped on, picked up by a stray cat, toyed with, chewed up some more, and left on the back porch for the dog to chew on in the morning. Rough night. At least only 2 of you have to leave.
BLAKE LEWIS (Something by 311): I, like the judges, enjoyed it. The song was a bit boring in the middle, but he did a great job of mixing his own flavor into it and making it interesting overall. I was looking for something with a bit more "wow" tonight from Blake, but he's Top 12 and we all know it.
SANJAYA MALAKAR ("This is a Crappy World--Whatcha Gonna Do About It"): As Randy says this year, "First, the pluses." This was Sanjaya's best Big Little Stage performance to date, but I think he's suffering from Phantom Sibling Pain. It's as if half of him is missing, and it's the half with charismer. I honestly wonder if he's having difficulties without his sister at his side. I feel badly that he's coming off as so young and inexperienced, and that the judges are pouncing on him so much. I hope he doesn't make it to the Top 12 because we'll just have another Camille Velasco situation where people kept voting her through although her eyes said "please put me out of my misery NOW!"
SUNDANCE HEAD ("Jeremy's Smokin' Crack Tonight"): A bit cocky he has gotten, hmm? I don't know what Randy was listening to, but he wasn't in tune until the last few notes, and even then it's debatable. Don't confuse edgy tone with being in tune. His performance was alright, but nothing to write home about.
JARED COTTER (Stevie--need I say more?!): Why? Why? WHY? Why do people insist on picking not only "joints" by The Best Artist in the Known universe, but stupid songs by TBAitKU? It makes no sense. I said halfway through that his performance was solid, and Randy used the same word. I don't have a Magic 8 Ball, but I'm glad Randy's is working. And after all that silliness about the J.C. Face Rake he didn't do it? At least that would have been a bit more interesting.
CHRIS RICHARDSON ("Tonight I Wanna Cry"): I love this song, and now I wanna cry for all the wrong reasons. Chris did an okay job, but again, no jumping up here. Simon's right, his voice was nasally, and he was in and out of tune throughout. Here he goes, trying to distance himself from the whole Justin Timberlake vibe, and it didn't work. Give in. It's who you are.
BRANDON ROGERS ("I Just Wanna Celebrate"): I hated his performance from the start because all I could picture was some 2007 model pickup being sold at 2006 prices. How a guy on the brink of elimination, coming off two so-so weeks, can pick a song that was more exciting for the backup singers than the rest of us is beyond me.
PHIL STACEY ("I Need You"): Like I need a hole in the head. That was painful. His high notes were screams, his low notes were out of tune. If this were week 1 he'd be packing tonight, but he's lucky his first two showings were a bit stronger. And stop being such a kiss up. It's sickening, and a bit off putting. You can't take the same things seriously that you are taking with a grain of salt at the same time. Make your picks. Own up to the response. Improve next time. 'Nuff said.
CHRIS SLIGH ("We All Need Love" or something like that): Best of the night. But that's not saying much. I enjoyed it a bit more than the judges, but on a lackluster night I was hoping for a bit more luster from Sligh. I think part of the ambivalence the judges showed Chris tonight was because they had lost interest after Blake's performance. And stop apologizing!
MY QUICK HITS
BLAKE: Out of obscurity with obscure songs. Love it!
SANJAYA: At least your performance was better than last week's.
SUNDANCE: One good week doesn't a star make.
JARED: Fight the urge. Boycott Stevie!
CHRIS R.: Solid performance--Top 12.
BRANDON: I know "it" is in there somewhere. Better find it quick!
PHIL: Betcha can't grow it back now!
CHRIS S.: Best on a night of crap. "Bring it" next week!
MY TOP 3: Chris S., Blake, Ricky Minor and the Band
MY BOTTOM 3: Sanjaya, Phil, Brandon
OH SO CLOSE TO THE BIG STAGE, BUT NOT QUITE: Brandon, Jared
Honestly I have no idea what will happen, but I'm fairly certain Sanjaya will make it through even though the experience will likely end up stripping him of a lot of confidence in himself. They are brutal to him! For what it's worth, our daughter wanted me to vote for Sundance and Chris S. I got through on the first try for Sundance, and couldn't get through on two separate phone calls for Sligh. I also couldn't get through on my one try for Blake. I'm no Dial Idol, so you can draw your own conclusions.
Oh boy, TV minus Tivo. I don't like it.
Ryan's on one tonight. Weight loss, extensions, etc. I've never seen so many guys discuss hair
care and weight in one show before. And I've seen David Letterman interview Richard Simmons. No comparison.
Blake Lewis - I have no idea what that song is either, but I don't care. I love him, I love
his voice, he will be here next week!
Sanjaya Malakar - He hulas? That and the hair? A little effeminate, though that seems to be the theme of the evening, if you ask me. But I'm digging the John Mayer sound on him. I mean, he is so not my favorite, but it was his best week yet and a good song choice. That poor kid. Just once, I bet he'd like to hear some praise from that troika. I think even he could tell it was better. They couldn't cut him the slack to acknowledge that?
Sundance Head - Yikes. Jeremy has spoken? I loved his interview about the fat suit--LOL! But the performance was way, way off. Those background singers are loving life with the song choices this season, though I bet it's tough to sing back up when someone is way off. I wonder if they'd like to try out for American Idol. Now, there's a backstory! Oh, and too much makeup for Sundance. Eek.
Chris Richardson - He did make it his own, but too many runs for me. I don't like that guy that much.
Jared Cotter - Oh no, a Stevie song! But he pulls it off! Pretty solid that for me. Geez, Paula's harsh on him!
Brandon Rogers - Classical pianist, too, eh? Huh. Cool. Simon called him Travis. Did you catch that?! LOL! What a dork. He so doesn't get very close to people, does he? Okay, big pet peeve of mine when the contestants say, "I just want to have fun!" Really? Is that all you want to do? Okay, well that's easy. Goodbye. Only one guy has to get the boot on Thursday. Hello?!?!
Phil Stacey - What is going ON this season?! He's top 24? Yikes, he's scaring me. Weird voice for me. "I Need You" by LeeAnn Rhimes? Too much make-up. Eek, it's like someone hit the transpose button for the band and they're 2 octaves too low, oh wait, and too high for him. He's yelling, it's strange. NOT good. His kissing up really bugs me, too.
Chris Sligh - More hair talk! UNreal. Chris just wants to be loved. He's doing the Chris Daughtry mic thing. Kind of funny when Sligh does it, but MAN OH MAN that was awesome! Best one tonight! He has a great falsetto, too. I like that. But what the hell is wrong with Paula tonight?! That was fantastic!
My tops - Blake and Sligh
My least favorites tonight - Phil Stacey and Sundance Head
What I want to know is who are the "4" to which the judges refer? It's Blake, Chris, Chris, and ?????? Who?? I have no idea. Of those that are remaining, I like Jared Cotter best.
Blake Lewis - Unfamiliar song, and not my personal genre, but quite well done, I thought. But perhaps not up to Idol standards. The judges agree, seeming to have read my mind, including Simon, even!
Sanjaya Malakar - Come on, boieeeee....shock me, surprise me, wake me up! Not so much. "Raise you game", indeed. Hair extensions? Only their hairdressers know for sure. Speaking of which, Sanjaya may have a shot as spokesperson for the sponsor, Garnier Fructis if he
Sundance Head - Fat suit - funny! Not my genre, not my style, unfamiliar song, but well enough done. Caution is warranted, as Simon agrees, quipping, "careful".
Chris Richardson - A little bit weak and pitchy through much of the song, making me a little nervous. He did some good runs though. I was hoping for more. Simon agrees, but is being uncharacteristically generous.
These guys need to crank it up a notch in view of what the girls have shown and are likely to bring tomorrow.
Jared Cotter - Oops - a Stevie song. Jared's voice isn't quite up to it, though he does a decent job of connecting with the audience. It's not bad, not great - just good enough. Randy was generous. Simon mugs for the camera during Paula's turn, explaining next that she was not understandable, and translating for us. Thanks, Simon. I feel edified...or maybe simonized?
Yep, it's too late to kiss up.
Brandon Rogers - Let's see how the classical piano player does. About equal to Jared, to me. I agreed with Randy that he didn't hold up well through the end of that song. Brandon just wants to have fun, until Ryan nails him with, "how bad do you want it?".
Phil Stacey - Starts a little too breathy, but kicks in with a little more bite later, and connects well. A little above the rest for me, tonight, or about even with Blake.
Chris Sligh - Another unusual song choice, for me, but strongly performed! Best performance tonight, though that doesn't say a whole lot. Randy agrees. Paula doesn't. Chris steals a hug from Ryan. Simon signals 'cut'. Okay.
Overall a bit disappointing.
Tops: Chris, Blake, Phil...in that order.
Bottoms: Sanjaya, and Chris or Sundance.
Ready to sign up as spokesperson for the sponsor, Garnier Fructis: Sanjaya, if the teeny boppers and grannies don't save him once again.
Tomorrow should be better...
John
So I'm sitting on the couch with Stacy thinking, "I wonder if anyone will be any good this week," and by the end I have no idea who isn't moving on (well, I know one person leaving, but #2 is a bit fuzzy). I am so glad the guys got the jitters out last week because now we have an actual competition to watch in the foreseeable future.
RANDOM THOUGHTS: I learned a lot of math tonight. You need 6 guys and 6 girls to add up to 12; 866 vs. 800 numbers; joint = illicit drug, but also joint = song; and the attributes of geometric shapes (trapezoids have 4 sides, 2 of which are parallel lines). Now who's the "Geek in the Pink?" Tonight, it's actually blue. So does Jeff Foxworthy really like American Idol, because if not, what a way to spend an evening waiting to plug your show. I'm not going to watch "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader" for 3 reasons: (1) I don't need another show to watch, just when I'm scaling back; (b) The last Fox show that had a premiere with multiple episodes just ended up making me feel dumber (anyone remember Ian Bernardo, Crouching X-sentrikk Hidden Talent, et. al.?); and (4) I'm pretty sure that whether or not I am smarter than a 5th grader, I don't need Jeff Foxworthy to validate that. Simon seems a bit silly tonight. Sometimes I wonder what show he's watching. Some comments seemed alright, but he appeared to be stretching for some ridiculous analogies. What the hell are they drinking?! And I guess girls aren't in the Dog Pound yet. I'm a bit confused because in the past they have been. Keep an eye on that one.
OK, one by one, song titles, maybe they're correct, blah, blah, blah . . .
PHIL STACEY ("Missing You"): This was actually a good song choice for him in that his voice came through quite well. The song itself is just OK, but he did a good enough job to stick around. First can be the worst spot in the order because I always find myself saying, "Oh yeah! That's right," when I see the numbers played back. He got 2 + 1 (that's 3) yo's, too!
JARED COTTER ("Let's Get It On"): I did say he was one of my 2 "something to prove guys" tonight and I think he did. I'm with Jared: the Love Boat would have been something with that guy singing. Great performance. Much better than last week.
A.J. TABALDO ("Feeling Good"): First off, I have real difficulties with anyone singing anything Michael Buble has done because I think he's one of the recent great artists, and he has such a great sound it's hard to beat it. With that, I think A.J. did a great job switching it up this week (overhead helicopter notwithstanding).
SANJAYA MALAKAR ("Steppin' Out"): Sanjaya is a nice kid with a million-dollar smile, but he has no power and he seems young out there. I had the same thoughts as the judges, with a bit more tact and compassion however. He did seem like a performer in a high school talent show. He'd win, no doubt, but he's just not quite there as far as A.I. goes.
CHRIS SLIGH ("Trouble"): Great song choice! These were the vocals I was waiting for. It's as if he was actually reading this blog! Big improvement on last week. Brilliant dedication. Show the talent and the rest is taken care of.
NICK PEDRO ("Fever"): I was glad he picked this song since that's the kind of thing that got him to Hollywood in the first place. I breathed a huge sigh of relief when we knew he would not be singing another Richard Marx song. Maybe Jon Heeter can get him a few votes to keep him around. Oh! And the happy drummer should be good for a half dozen or so more as well.
BLAKE LEWIS ("Virtual Insanity"): Cap on sideways = beatboxing tonight (more math!). I knew he'd do it, but I loved that he kept it short, blended smoothly into a dope scat solo, and slid right back into his vocals. Awesome! It actually gave me a younger, hipper Al Jarreau type vibe, which is a good thing in my book since I like the older, less hip Al Jarreau as well. I think Simon was right in that he was out of tune in a couple of spots, but as far as originality of moves? I checked out the Jimiroquai video to see for myself, and unless I missed cockroaches, ravens, sliding couches, and enormous fuzzy top hats in Blake's performance, tonight's was quite different from the original!
BRANDON ROGERS ("Time After Time After Time After Time After . . ."): OK. My most frequently accessed memory of this song is of a Japanese guy I met when I lived in Japan, playing his guitar, and singing this song with the most stereotypical accent possible. And that version is the most interesting I've heard, including Brandon's tonight. I don't agree with Simon that sentimentality is "rubbish," and I'm not surprised that Simon can't get beyond the surface of real emotion. A heartfelt song can be quite powerful. But Simon's point is well taken: he has got to do more to stand out, or his stay will be a short one.
CHRIS RICHARDSON ("Geek in the Pink"): A few good things. Not a song done by Elliott Yamin (you're no Elliott, right Stacy?). Great song choice for him. And he had a lot of fun up there. He definitely has that boy-band, front guy type vibe, just like Justin Timberlake. And if Chris ever says that he doesn't try to look or sound like Justin, I think he's lying.
SUNDANCE HEAD ("Mustangs, Driving, Wax On, Wax Off"): The other of my 2 guys to watch this week really did his thang! I am glad to see Sundance return from the nearly dead. You can see the relief on his face to finally be out of the "box." As a father I can relate to the distraction and difficult emotions he must be feeling while he's away from his son, but it looks like he finally realized what he needed to do to stick around. If he keeps singing like this, I'll forget all about the "between auditions and week 2" period of his life.
MY QUICK HITS
PHIL: Better start this week = see you next week
JARED: Way to step it up. Now you gotta keep it up
A.J.: Unless you're planning to land on the roof of the building, your arm motions are just distracting.
SANJAYA: It's been a pleasure hosting you on A.I.
CHRIS S.: Keep picking songs like tonight, and you have a way to go.
NICK: What a shame that your best performance coincided with so many other bests.
BLAKE: Perfect blend of talents to keep that degree of difficulty up.
BRANDON: Maybe backgrounds are better for you. Prove me wrong if you get the chance.
CHRIS R.: What a geek.
SUNDANCE: Way to advertise for Ford. You'll get the check at the end of the week.
MY TOP 3: Blake, and the 2 C's (kind of like my freshman Physics classes!)
MY BOTTOM 3: Sanjaya, Brandon, and Nick (too close to really tell)
STEPPIN' OUT TIME AFTER TIME: Sanjaya and Brandon.
Admittedly, the guys are mostly on even footing in my mind, and there is no way to really differentiate them in my mind. Tweeners and Grannies make the difference tonight in Sanjaya's life. Even the Top 6 are tough to pick at this point. At least the guys brought it this week!
