American Idol 411

Separated At Birth?

2008-05-22T13:28:00.001-07:00

At left is "Captain Kangaroo" Bob Keeshan. At right is Randy Jackson.

Funny Photos Part Deux

2008-05-22T12:44:00.000-07:00

I found a few more that tickled me...

I see that Constantine subscribes to the Simon Cowell school of chest hair exposure.

These two look like they got lost on their way to a Zena: Warrior Princess convention.

"Hey kids! Try to look like even bigger idiots. Thanks!"

Newsboy cap? Check. Earpiece? Check. Futuristic sunglasses? Check. Pocket Square? Check. Overblown sense of self importance? Check.

Here he is again. I don't know why.

Boy, Chris Sligh is really hanging on to that 'FroBob he's got.

I guess it was pretty hot out there...

Funniest Photos From Last Night (Part 1?)

2008-05-22T12:17:00.000-07:00

Here is my own personal photo gallery of the funniest photos from last night's red carpet. Please to enjoy...

Jerry was there just in case David Cook's Baby Mama showed up and tried to hit David Archuleta over the head with a folding chair. Just kidding, but what the heck was The Springer doing on that red carpet?

I hate Constantine. I really really do.

This picture makes me really sad for Ace. I smell a whiff of desperation.

Oh, no...Wait a second. That desperation was coming from Janice Dickenson. Sorry Ace.

Oh look, it's Sanjaya's sister.

I don't know why this is funny. It just is.

Simon is wondering why the eff Randy is dressed like Captain Kangaroo.

David Cook and David Archuleta Guitar Heroes

2008-05-22T12:01:00.000-07:00

Here are both of the guitar hero commercials, top one David Cook, bottom David Archuleta. Decide for yourselves which is better...

I Just Watched The Guitar Hero Commercials...

2008-05-22T11:56:00.000-07:00

...both Cook's and Archuleta's. I have to say, I was a little disturbed. Cook's cute but I wasn't prepared for the sight of him dancing around in his underwear. A little too much skin for me. And Archie's just felt wrong. I felt like a schoolteacher flirting with a student.

But I must say, commercial vs. commercial, Cook's was much better. He really committed, you know. Archuleta just couldn't quite pull off the underwear dancing. Plus, his boxers were so big they looked like they would swallow him whole. Funny concept, though. I hope they got nice paychecks from that. Tad bit embarrassing.

I prefer Sitar Hero myself...

Yyyyyeeeesssssss!!!!!!!!!

2008-05-22T07:06:00.000-07:00

Mariska Hargitay, everyone. At least, that's how I originally planned to open this post about the American Idol season finale. I was going to throw out a pithy opening, use a few lines to discuss why Randy was dressed like a riverboat blackjack dealer, and move on to Ryan's strange and awkward dancing during the Donna Summer number. But once the results were announced, that plan flew out the window. Because as soon as Ryan said, "David Cook," I was so flabbergasted, so shocked, so speechless, and so THRILLED that the rest of the American Idol season 7 finale extravaganza seemed inconsequential.

I absolutely did not expect David Cook to win last night. If you read my post yesterday I really put forth what I thought was a quite sound postulation on the imminent win of David Archuleta. I seriously thought the guy had it. I didn't want him to win, but I didn 't imagine that he could be beat. Because if you read the message boards and blog comments you know that Archuleta has huge amounts of support. But I completely underestimated the will of those Cookie Monsters out there. Cook supporters turned out to vote in droves, and they must have kept at it all four hours, because he won by 12 million votes, according to Ryan Seacrest.

I think it's amazing that Cook, who has been a bit different, who represents the rock end of the music spectrum rather that the cheesy ballad singer end won American Idol. Cook really connected with the American Idol audience because he really can sing, he seems authentic, and he is such a nice guy. After the results were announced, you could see he wanted to be cool about it but just couldn't keep it together. Cook and his family are going through this crazy triumphant moment on television while another of the Cook sons is losing his battle with terminal cancer, and it seemed overwhelming for them all. I was touched by Cook's tears, and by his interaction with his mother and his brother, and by his brother's looking into the camera and saying, "That's my brother."

I guess what I'm saying is that this win couldn't have happened to a nicer guy and a nicer family. I'm so happy it turned out this way. David Archuleta will be fine. Nothing could stop that kid or his father's ambition, so I'm sure we will be seeing an album from him quite soon.

Anyway (deep breath) back to the show last night. Wow. I really don't have much snark in me this morning (other than to point out again Randy's really odd jacket/cravat situation). The show was absolutely the best finale in American Idol history. They jam packed that thing with celebrities and great musical numbers with cool performers. It was really entertaining. In past years I remember watching the finale and just wishing they would get to the end, but the show last night was really well done. The musical numbers where the Idol contestants sang with other acts were particularly great. Here are some of my favorite moments from the finale (and there are quite a few):

Mike Myers as Guru Pitka trying to shave David Cook's beard. Now I'm going to have to see that movie even though I can't stand Jessica Alba. Darn you Myers and your funny characters.
Seal singing with Syesha. When Seal came out, I knew that they were going to have some great talent show up.

Ryan dancing during the Donna Summers number. I had to mention it again, we were rolling on the floor laughing. The guy has no rhythm.
The guys singing with Brian Adams and especially Michael Johns singing "Summer of '69."

Jason Castro singing Hallelujah again, with such confidence. He did it even better this time.

Brooke White singing "Teach Your Children" with Graham Nash. I loved it when he kissed her hand at the end.
David Cook rocking with ZZ Top. I wonder what the teenagers in the pit thought about those old guys with their beards. I kept saying to my husband that I wished they had rocked some songs like this earlier in the season.
Gladys Knight and the "Pips" as reinvented by Ben Stiller, Jack Black and Robert Downey, Jr. I had tears streaming down my face. This is off topic but it's so fantastic that R.D. JR has made such an incredible comeback. I've always loved him and am happy to see him off the drugs and back in the movies.

David Archuleta singing "Apologize" with OneRepublic. Again, this would have been a great song for him earlier in the season. This type of song is exactly what he should be doing. I was blown away. (But still bothered by his closed eyes.)
Simon Cowell apologizing to David Cook just before the results were read. He admitted that the previous night's competition had been closer than he thought, and that his comments were disrespectful. I was shocked, because Simon doesn't admit he's wrong very often, as certainly not as forcefully as he did last night. Pretty classy.
Of course, the announcement of the winner. We went nuts at my house.

I still haven't taken it all in. I'm sure it will take a couple of weeks to sink in that the show isn't on. With the season finales of Bones, House and AI I'm preparing myself for the deep TV depression that will sink in next week when there is nothing on to watch. For now though, I'm just basking in the post-Idol glow of a well deserved victory for a worthy Idol contestant.

David vs. David

2008-05-21T08:18:00.000-07:00

When the show started last night, for a minute I thought Ryan Seacrest had been fired and replaced by that "Let's get ready to ruuuummmmbbblllleee..." guy. But no, it was the beginning of a whole boxing theme that they carried on throughout the show. David One and David Two came on stage in satin robes and boxing gloves, and the boxing announcer got to say, "This...is American Idol!" I wonder how furious Seacrest was to be upstaged in this manner.

Anywho, I thought the boxing theme was a bit odd, and somewhat inappropriate considering that, in true physical combat, Cook would kick Archuleta's ass without breaking a sweat.

OK, before I go any further I have to say something that I've wanted to say all season. This will make some of you angry, but...I HATE David Cook's boots. What's the deal with those cowboy boots he always wears? They make his feet look humongous. It's like he's all head and feet. Can't they get the guy a more streamlined pair of shoes?

In other clothing news, Kristy Lee Cook was sitting in the audience (next to Michael Johns!) wearing a shirt that looked like it had been slashed by Freddy Krueger.

All right, all right. I'm done with my sartorial snarking. But here is something else that's weird. During Ryan's voiceover in the introductory video package, he says that the two Davids are going after, "A heavyweight title reserved only for superstars," and on the screen flashed a picture of Chris Daughtry. What??? I played it back to be sure, and yep, they show Kelly Clarkson, Daughtry, and Carrie Underwood. Chris Daughtry did not win American Idol, remember? He was voted off in what was probably the most shocking send-off in the show's history. How can they include his face in that montage when he did not win the title? I seriously don't know what is going on with the producers this season. That just seems sleazy to me.

Also kind of dirty in that video package, Ryan calls Archuleta "a 17-year-old phenom," while he refers to Cook as a "25-year-old bartender." Ouch. Why couldn't he have been a 25-year-old rocker, or a 25-year-old sensation? Archie is a phenom while Cookie is just a bartender. It's like a not so smooth subliminal message.

And why is Andrew Lloyd Webber back? I know why Clive Davis gets to chime in, but why Sir Andrew? I don't like that guy. He's rude, but doesn't seem to care that he's always insulting people.

After the weird video package that included Jim Lampley, the guys were up on stage with Ryan and they showed what nice guys they both are, with Cook stating that the competition was already over as far as he was concerned and all they were doing last night was "having fun."

Fourteen minutes into the show the singing finally started. Round one songs were selected by Clive Davis. Cook, having lost the coin toss, went first with U2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For." He did great, as he usually does. It wasn't a "Billie Jean" kind of performance, and I wasn't blown away, but it was good.

Then came Archuleta, who was given Elton John's "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me," and that's when the musical ass whoopin' began. If you've been reading my blogs at all, you know that I have never been much of an Archie supporter, but last night the guy was in it to win it. He showed more emotion in that first song than we've seen out of him all season. When I saw that performance I knew that Cook had no chance. Archuleta was just fueling the fire of his fans and anyone who may have been on the fence about who to vote for. It wasn't "flawless" like Randy wanted to pretend it was, he definitely tanked a couple of notes, but it was fantastic and it came at the crucial moment. I have to hand it to the kid, he did a great job. So round one went to Archuleta.

I'm going to pretend that round two never happened. The guys had to pick songs from the songwriter contest, which I think is completely unfair. I wish they would stop doing that songwriter contest, the songs are always terrible, and it puts the contestants at such a disadvantage to have to sing them. Cook had no chance to regain some of his momentum in round two because of the song. So for me, round two was a draw. I have emptied it from my mind.

The Davids got to pick their own songs for the third and final round. David Cook sang Collective Soul's "The World I Know" and again, he did a great job. I loved the song and at the end he teared up, which makes me love him even more. I wanted to punch Paula when she told Cook he was "Standing in your truth." What does that even mean? Simon was right though, when he said that Cook should have sang "Hello" or "Billie Jean," the truth of which was borne out when Archuleta came out to sing his last song. Not that the Collective Soul song wasn't good, because it was, and any other night he would have killed with it, but what Simon was saying is that he should have used his last opportunity to remind voters of the amazing things he had done during this season. Which is exactly what Archuleta did.

For his final song, Archuleta reprised his performance of John Lennon's "Imagine." That was the performance early in the competition that made everyone say, "Here is the next American Idol." And when he sang it last night, even though it wasn't as good as the first time he performed it, it did exactly what he planned. We were all reminded of that moment when we first really took notice of him. So it was a very smart move. Cook really should have done the same thing. Instead of wanting to create a "progression" with a new song, he should have used some strategy and brought out one of his showstoppers from earlier in the competition. When Archuleta came out and sang "Imagine" for the second time, he guaranteed his win. Simon summeed it up when he said, "What we have witnessed, is a knockout."

I have to tell you, I voted for Cook last night. I've liked him all season and he did a great job last night, so I wanted to give him my support. But I don't think the results tonight will be a surprise to anyone. Archuleta has to win after the performances he gave last night. I can't see any way for Cook to pull a TKO out of this one.

Cooks Ill Bro Will Attend Finale. Cue Tears.

2008-05-20T14:39:00.000-07:00

According to Extra, David Cook's brother Adam will attend the American Idol finale this week.

Extra says that, "The elder Cook flew into California yesterday morning accompanied by a nurse. Due to Adam's cancer battle, it is an unexpected surprise that he is able to attend the show."

Adam will be at both tonight's show and the big results show tomorrow. How awesome if D. Cook wins the show with his sick brother watching from the audience. I better go pick up some kleenex, stat.

Simon Explains His Fantasia Face

2008-05-20T14:32:00.000-07:00

Check out this video of Simon Cowell on the Ellen show where he is completely candid about his reaction to Fantasia's performance on American Idol last week. It is a great interview and Simon comes off as a total sweetheart, which is a nice change for him!

It's All You David...and David

2008-05-15T08:32:00.000-07:00

Just when I think i'm completely over American Idol, the show sucks me back in. Last night me and my husby were sitting on the couch crying along with David, David and Syesha during their video packages detailing their trips home. When little David broke into tears on stage at his High School I just wanted to wrap him in a swaddling blanket, put him on my shoulder and rock him until he felt better.

Last night was the best results show of the season, with no call-in bits or uncomfortable time filler (not counting the horrible group number and bizarre Ford "music video"). We got our best laugh of the evening during Fantasia Barrino's frenetic performance of "Bore Me" when we noticed that Simon had a look of complete disbelief on his face:

I was also pleased to note that Simon had on a white button-up instead of his usual grey T Shirt, although he had about two too many buttons undone.

So they get to the end of the show, and the results are revealed...No shocker, it's going to be a David/David finale. Poor Syesha was not in the least bit surprised or even distressed. She knew what was coming. She handled it nicely, sang her song and made a classy exit. She should be proud of herself. She made it to the top 3 after having been at the bottom of the voting results like 14 times. Not too shabby.

I'm actually looking forward to next week's show. At least the results are not easily predicted, both Davids have a lot of support and it could easily go either way. I've been voting for Cookie since all my faves have been gone, but I almost hope for his sake that he doesn't win. He will still get a record deal, and he won't be saddled with whatever horrible songs the 19 entertainment people will make him record.

So, I'm suddenly feeling revitalized with AI excitement and looking forward to next weeks showdown.

Nigel Lythgoe Speaks About Archuleta's Stage Dad

2008-05-14T14:44:00.000-07:00

Here is what American Idol producer Nigel Lythgoe has to say regarding David Archuleta's dad Jeff being banned from show rehearsals:

"He has been asked not to participate in the choice of music with David or be in the room when David is working out his routines that he wants to sing. He's fine to be in the studio -- nothing wrong with that. We just want David to be able to be free like everybody else to get on and do what they want to do.

There was a lyric change that happened that was a total misunderstanding. Just another, um, step along the way of us saying, 'Okay, this is what we want to happen from now on.'

...Let's take some pressure away here, you know? It's like anybody appearing in front of their mom and dad. Let's just open up the pressure cooker, release the pressure, and you just get on and do what you gotta do."

Pics are from VFTW...

Top 3 Show Leaves Me Bitter and Depressed

2008-05-14T11:27:00.000-07:00

Jen P. just emailed me and said, "Where the hell is your Idol critique?" I told her that I'm having a hard time summoning enough enthusiasm to write anything about last night's show. I'm feeling some Idol burn out. It's been a long season, and things really aren't turning out the way I imagined they would 3 months ago. And the show last night, which should have been a top 3 spectacular, was really just so-so. And I'm sick of the David Archuleta hype. Randy is so obviously biased toward him that he can't say anything nice about anyone else. And their desire to get rid of Syesha is obvious to everyone. So, I feel that the show is letting me down. And I feel that the show has lost any integrity that it ever had this season. But I will perservere and try to articulate my thoughts.

Everyone gave their best performance during round one. Simon chose David Cook's song, "The First Time Ever I saw Your Face" by Roberta Flack. I thought this was a bizarre choice until I heard Cook belt it out. It was really good. He didn't change it up much, but his voice and rock edge made it sound fresh. I guess that Simon really knows his stuff.

Paula chose "And So It Goes" by Billy Joel for David Archuleta. It was OK. He sang it nicely in his usual manner. I just have a really hard time watching him perform. He's a sweet kid, but he does absolutely nothing for me. Speaking of Archuleta, did anyone but me think it was odd that during the video package, when David was being celebrated by his hometown, that his Dad was up on the stage right next to David just basking in his son's triumph. That guy lives totally through his son. I get the feeling that if the AI people would allow it, Jeff Archuleta would be on the American Idol stage during his son's performances. Sad.

Anyway, Syesha was given an Alicia Keys song by Randy, doesn't matter which one, and doesn't matter that she sang it well. They don't want her in the top two, so no one has much nice to say to her.

For round two, in which the contestants picked their own songs, they all flopped. Cook sang Switchfoot's ''Dare You to Move'' (which was different than the Collective Soul song Vote For The Worst's spoiler predicted. Of course that has now been changed to reflect actual events). It was one of his rare flat performances. I was hoping he would finally sing a Depeche Mode song for his brother, but maybe they couldn't get clearance (According to my reliable source Jen P., Cook's sick bro wants him to sing Depeche Mode on the show). Anyway, it wasn't good.

Syesha picked the classic Peggy Lee song "Fever" and I thought it was pretty good, other than the choreography with it's hint of striptease. Personally, I enjoyed it, but the judges all said it was the worng song for her, and not what they wanted to hear. The girl can't catch a break.

Archuleta had me squirming uncomfortably with his second song, Chris Brown's "With You." His voice was shaky and off key during the whole thing. And the poor kid cannot pull off lyrics like, “I need you boo” and “Hot little figure, yes you a winner.” I don't think I'm alone in my discomfort. Shockingly, the judges gave him the poor reviews he deserved. Even Randy couldn't call that performance, "A hot one."

For round three the producers should have come on stage to receive the critiques instead of the singers. Poor Syesha, the girl sang what they told her to, did the best she could with a song from an animated penguin movie, and the judges unanimously told her they didn't like the song. It didn't show them "Who she was." SHE DIDN"T PICK IT! Get off her back, geez. She's never been my fave, but the blatant bias against her is ridiculous.

Archuleta was given a Dan Fogelberg song, "Longer." Snore. Not his fault, but so boring.

Cook actually did great with Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing." I've never liked this song, but I liked his performance of it. I thought it was better than Aerosmith's.

Note to Simon: I know Diane Warren is your friend but "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" is NOT one of the best songs ever written. Give me a break.

Simon was right when he said David Cook won the night, and I place Syesha second. The only thing that can wake me out of my Idol lethargy would be a top 2 shakeup with Syesha edging out Archuleta. Unfortunately she doesn't have a popsicle's chance in hell to make the final. I'm sure she'll go home tonight, and I'm sure I couldn't care less. Phlurrgggg....

More Tears For Castro, Tonight's Songs

2008-05-13T09:28:00.001-07:00

This week should be a great week on Idol. The contestants sing three songs each, one of which they choose themselves. Usually this turns out well, since the judges and producers are picking songs for the contestants which removes the possibility that they will pick out something really unsuitable for themselves, at least for two of the songs.

For me this week is bittersweet because in his EW exit interview Jason Castro says that he was going to sing Cary Brothers "Blue Eyes" this week. Seriously, that would have been a FABULOUS song for him. It's fresh, somewhat familiar but not too well known, it was written in this decade, which is nice, and it is in a nice range for his voice. If only he had been able to sing something like this instead of Andrew Lloyd Webber or Bob Marley. He still may not have made it to the top 3, but he maybe he wouldn't have come to such an ignominious end.

Jason cleared up some other issues and rumors in his exit interview with EW. On saying he wanted to go home:

"The fact of the matter that day was I was in a bad mood. I was frustrated with a lot of things. Then I got on the phone...I was just not in a good mood. I couldn't find a quiet place to talk...I couldn't focus...I don't even remember much of what I said. There are some days that are just like that. You just don't want to do what you are doing."

Did he say, "Don't Vote?"

"What I said was, 'Vote. Vote.' I said it twice trying to emphasize it. Then, when I was sitting down, I thought about it, and I thought it was going to look like I said, ''Don't vote.'' So the next time the camera came to me I just said, 'Vote.'''

Did he sabatoge himself so he could go home?

"I did not want to go home. But at the same time, now that it happened, I'm kind of glad. It all worked out like it was supposed to. I was reaching the point where I couldn't do it anymore. I wasn't able to keep up and it all caught up with me."

On whether or not Simon sometimes rewrites music history to suit his own purposes:

"You know, sometimes he says things that are obviously wrong. But no, I wouldn't have said that to him. My mom taught me never to make a person look wrong. I am just respectful. It's my place to sing a song and his place to judge."

Even though the show is somewhat hollow for me now that all the contestants I was rooting for are gone, I still can't wait to see what everyone is singing tonight. I am putting all my vibes behind David Cook now, and he should have an interesting night. Vote For The Worst has somehow gotten a hold of some of the songs for tonight, so stop reading now if you don't want to know...

Archie:

His Choice: "With You" (Chris Brown)

Paula's Choice: "And So It Goes" (Billy Joel)

Nigel's Choice: "Longer" (Dan Fogelberg)

Syesha:

Her Choice: Unknown

Randy's Choice: "If I Ain't Got You" (Alicia Keys)

Nigel's Choice: Unknown

D. Cook:

His Choice: "The World I Know" (Collective Soul)

Simon's Choice: "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" (Roberta Flack)

Nigel's Choice: Unknown

Roberta Flack? That should be, uh, interesting.

Here's the link for the Castro interview.

Oh Ace, I Forgot Just How Cute You Are

2008-05-13T09:02:00.000-07:00

Last night was one brillianty wacky Monday night of television on Fox. Starting with my new favorite "Bones," which guest starred both Ace Young and Brandon Rogers, past American Idol contestants. I love it when TV shows cross over. Like when the guys from Happy Days showed up on Laverne and Shirley, or when Briscoe and Curtis helped out the SVU team.

Neither Ace not Brandon actually spoke on the show, although they both did some singing (Does that earn them their SAG cards? Something to look into...). Ace smiled a lot and looked real pretty but, lucky for him, didn't actually have to play a corpse. The whole episode was peppered with references to AI, with Booth calling Brennan "Paula" at one point. At the end they all converge on a cabaret bar where Brennan gets on stage and starts singing an atrocious version of "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" until Booth gets shot by a crazy stalker. Thankfully, it's not the season finale and we'll see next week whether Booth lives or dies. I can't imagine that they would kill him off since that would basically end the show.

The music theme continued on "House" where Fred Durst from Limp Bizkit (remember them?) played a bartender. He wasn't half bad. The show was fantastic and trippy, with an injured House slipping in and out of a hypnotic state to try and figure out a medical mystery related to a bus crash that he was involved in. I was holding my breath the last five minutes as House finally figured out that he was trying to remember Dr. Wilson's girlfriend Amber (cutthroat bitch) who had been seriously injured in the accident. It was so great! Can't wait for next weeks season finale.

I Think I've Dreamed This Scenario

2008-05-12T11:20:00.000-07:00

To use some of that text-message lingo all the kids are using, OMG! It's a season finale collision of Bones and American Idol!

Two of my favorite shows have their wires crossed this week as Ace Young, the hottie from AI's fifth season, is guest starring on the season finale of Bones. Ace doesn't have to stretch much in his role as a dead rock musician whose murder is being investigated by Booth and Brennan. Ah, the irony.

Ace must have one heck of an agent because this guy hasn't been seen or heard from since his AI tour ended 2 years ago.

You can see Ace on the Bones season finale tonight at 8:00 pm on FOX.

UPDATE: My bad...This isn't the season finale.

Archie's Awful Stage Dad Is Out

2008-05-12T08:09:00.000-07:00

Jeff Archuleta, father of American Idol favorite David Archuleta, has been banned from show rehearsals after meddling with a song that was to air after he had been warned by producers not to.

According to MSN, "Jeff Archuleta's intense backstage involvement had become a source of concern for the series, the person connected with 'American Idol' said — but it was a lyric change on Tuesday's show that pushed producers to act. Despite a warning, Jeff Archuleta insisted on altering 'Stand by Me,' one of two songs his son sang on the show Tuesday. By adding a verse from Sean Kingston's 'Beautiful Girls,' the father incurred additional costs for 'American Idol,' the person said."

The producers then told Archuleta he would no longer be allowed to help his son prepare for the show.

No one from either camp has commented publicly about the situation. We'll see this week how this will affect little David's performance.

9021 Uh Oh

2008-05-12T07:56:00.000-07:00

Uh oh, Tori Spelling is gonna be pissed. Jennie Garth has signed on to reprise her role as Kelly Taylor in the updated Beverly Hills 90210 spinoff that's in the works. She'll play a guidance counselor at good old West Beverly High. Spelling was recently very open in the media about her desire to land a role in the new show, but was told "Don't call us, we'll call you." Meanwhile, the low-key Garth seems to have had no problem landing the job. Spelling must have turned the producers off with her breast milk and desperation.

You're Grossin' Me Out Madonna

2008-05-08T19:12:00.000-07:00

I love Madonna, I do, but isn't she too old to be calling her tour "Sticky and Sweet"? Ugh, gross. She'll be 50 this year, maybe she should call it "Sweaty and Hormonal." Give it up lady, do your music, go on tour, fine. But don't try to entice us with albums called "Hard Candy" and tours called "Sticky and Sweet." Leave that to the young gals. And P.S. Stop making out with girls 30 years your junior. It's creepy.

Jason Castro Explains It All

2008-05-08T16:11:00.000-07:00

In a Reuters interview a relieved Jason Castro on Thursday attributed his exit from American Idol to inexperience and the pressure of trying to learn two new songs every week for the hit television talent show.

Jason denies that he was trying to get booted from the show, but he said he was "freaking out" over having to learn three new songs for next week's show.

"I guess people were thinking I didn't want to be there, but that was never my mind-set," Castro, 20, told reporters in a conference call the morning after being voted off the show.

"It has just really been hard ... I was starting to fear the week ahead. Like, how can I do three songs?. I can't even do two ... I was freaking out about it.

"I really felt relief, like the pressure was off. I loved my time on there, and I would have liked to go farther, but I don't think I could have handled it," he said.

The guy only began learning guitar a couple of years ago and had played only a handful of performances before making it onto the show.

"It was just my inexperience," he said about forgetting the lyrics to "Mr. Tambourine Man" Tuesday.

"I am as raw as it gets. I have not done much of anything singing-wise ... I really had a hard time when it got up to two songs a week. I wasn't connecting to either one. I couldn't fall in love with them, and you need time for that," he said.

We know Jason, we know. We love you anyway...

He said, "Vote, vote."

2008-05-08T12:11:00.000-07:00

Another week, another American Idol controversy. The internet is a-buzz with video of Jason Castro supposedly saying, "Don't vote," during Tuesday night's show. I don't get this. I watched for myself and it's pretty obvious that he says, "Vote, vote."

See the clip for yourselves here...

I Have Loved You Jason Castro

2008-05-08T08:51:00.000-07:00

Last night's results show opened with a typically horrible dance number rendered all the more surreal due to the fact that the kids were singing "Reelin' in the Years" by Steely Dan. Did Donald Fagen approve that? I have to wonder. The thing is, for a few seconds when Jason Castro and David Cook were sing their solo parts of the song, it was awesome. They sounded better in that 20 seconds than they did in both of their songs the previous night. Had Jason only chosen a song like that, I might have been typing about a different elimination result right now.

But Jason didn't sing Steely Dan, he sang the Bobs (Marley and Dylan) so he's spending the day doing exit interviews and I'm spending the day drinking cosmopolitans and watching all of his You Tube videos one by one (they're virgin, I have little kids running around here).

Yes, Jason has been voted off. And he seemed happy about it. I have never seen him so full of energy. After he was given the bad news, he was laughing and smiling as if he had won the whole show. And during his swan song he was laughing maniacally. I honestly think he was relieved. I heard him say to Ryan, after Ruben was done celebrating him home, "It was three songs next week...I don't know what I would have done."

Well, you know what Castro, I don't know what I will do without your hotness to watch for during next week's show. I like David Cook and all, but for me, now it doesn't matter. All my faves are gone, the hottest piece of eye candy to ever grace the Idol stage is gone, and I feel very, very empty. Thus the (virgin) cosmo's. Jason, if you can hear me, I love you. Yours may very well be the very first Idol contestant CD that I purchase.

Other thoughts from the results show:

I hope Kristy Lee was watching, because Syesha could give her some pointers on how to put an outfit together that includes a sequined tank top (hint: you shouldn't wear it with cowboy boots).

The producers could have put together a tight half-hour show had they cut out the stupid call in bit and Maroon 5.

Bo Bice rocks!

Farewell Jason...I'm toasting you today!

It's Jen P.'s Morning After Email

2008-05-07T14:16:00.000-07:00

Jen P. knows we're all waiting..."for my thoughts on last night's 'Rock & Roll Hall of Shame' night. Here goes:

I knew my David Cook was in rough waters after the first chorus of "do-do-do-do...do-do-do...do-do-do...do-do-do...do-do". For one, I didn't realize that Duran Duran had a spot in the Hall of Fame and I was flabbergasted that David didn't even know the damn song. What?! What kind of jukebox did they have in that bar he worked at?!

So, as I was watching the show via TIVO at 9:15, I just picked up the phone as soon as they announced David C's numbers to call. I dialed the "05" number about 50 times...getting through EVERY time. Uh-oh! I'm worried that this will be a bad replay of the Michael John's catastrophe. $#@&!!!!

And my prediction was wrong about David A. I did like his arrangement of "Stand By Me", but I can't stand the whole mini-Joe Cocker shaking thing he does. I notice that once he gets a few yelps and woo-hoos from the crowd that he starts closing his eyes and singing a little bit stronger. I even had an absolutely eerie moment after watching his performance; I turned to my husband after the judges comments and said that its become so annoying and predictable that when David gets praise, he acts like he's going to pass out from shock....AND THEN RYAN SAID THE SAME THING! What the hell? I should be hosting the show! I'm Ryan's Dunkleman! My husband tried to test me and paused the TIVO and said "Ok, smartie pants, what's Ryan going to say next?" My reply?: "Duh...If you want to vote for David, the numbers are..." I think he's a believer now, too...lol.

After the show was over, I had a lot of fun re-enacting Syesha's moves during her hair throwing, circle turning performance. AND THE TEARS?! This is not the finale, sister! Is she really gonna cry over a bad review? I thought her tears started when Paula gave her the standing "o". I'd have cried too, I guess, if the crazy judge was in my corner. Anyway, I thought there was way too much airtime spent on Syesha and her crying.

I really liked Jason Castro's first song and was surprised to hear the judges rip him apart. I don't think he's leaving, though.

It'll be an interesting results show. Cross your fingers for David C, ok?"

The Top 4 -- A Festival Of Mediocrity

2008-05-07T08:27:00.000-07:00

The thing that really stood out for me during AI the Rock and Roll show was how incredibly biased Randy Jackson is toward David Archuleta at this point. Little David could sing Happy Birthday while taking a crap on the AI stage and Randy would pronounce it 'Da Bomb. At least if D. Arch did sing Happy Birthday while taking a crap it would be interesting. It would keep my attention. It would keep me awake during the show.

Instead he chooses to sing the oldest, most tired chestnuts he could dig up and the judges loved it. The kid is 17 years old, the theme is Rock and Roll and he sings Elvis and Ben E. King. Can't he sing something a bit more comtemporary, a bit more uptempo? It's like he's determined to be a 45 year old lounge singer. Maybe they should just let him win, right now, since he is the only one who will do justice to whatever schlocky single the 19 media people will want him to record.

What can I even say about his two songs? They were OK. He has a good voice, we know that, although I think it's nasally and overrated. He leaves me completely unimpressed.

And yes I'm a little cranky about last night's show. I can't help it after watching the last favorite that I have remaining on the show crash and burn. During Jason Castro's video package leading in to his second song, he mentioned that he was going to, "Stick with the Bobs...You can't go wrong." Well, sorry Castro, but you can go wrong. Very, very wrong.

His version of "I Shot the Sheriff" was a mess, there was no real vocal to speak of, he did nothing new to the arrangement. It was awful. And the second song, "Mr. Tambourine Man," was even worse. He forgot the lyrics, and he just didn't sound good. I don't know why he thought these two stoner anthem would be good song selections for American Idol. Especially at this crucial point in the show. I can only conclude that whether he realizes it or not, he is sabatoging himself. He really doesn't want to make it into that top 3. And I am sure that his wish will be granted.

David Cook was pretty good, as usual. He gave Duran Duran's "Hungry Like the Wolf" a hard edge that it didn't have in the original version. But there was nothing new or unexpected about it. With David Cook we've come to expect the unexpected, and when he just sings a song in the traditional arrangement I for one am a bit let down. Same with his "Baba O'Riley" (the song that I always thought was called Teenage Wasteland, not really a big Who fan). I mean, I liked the way he sang it, as I like the way he sings almost everything. It just wasn't anything new. No worries for D. Cook, I'm sure he will be in the big finale, and rightfully so.

For me, the shining light of the night was Syesha. I have really resisted Syesha this season. I was surprised that she made it as far as she did, but I have to give the girl props. She has really brought the heat in the last few weeks, just getting better and better and better. Her "Proud Mary" was a little over the top with all of the Tina Turner dancing and whatnot, but as Randy would say, "She worked it out." But I thought she outsang everybody with her rendition of Sam Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come." So I was really surprised and suspicious when Randy slammed her in his critique, saying that she was, "Trying for things that weren't there." Hello? What about that final note dawg? What does the guy want? I'm willing to bet if David Archuleta wasn't there Randy would have done a back flip over Syesha's performance.

Luckily, the other two judges are quite so obviously in Little David's back pocket and gave Syesha the accolades she deserved. Paula called it "beautiful" and Simon reassured her that "Randy got that utterly wrong."

And Syesha, in what for me was an incredibly touching moment, broke down and cried on the stage during Paula and Simon's critiques. It was so real and gave us a glimpse beyond Syesha's "actress" facade. I felt it made her all the more likeable to know that she is feeling the pressure like everyone else. And as Randy sputtered and tried to defend himself, Ryan (who as you may have noticed has redeemed himself a little in my eyes lately) cracked the best joke of the season, urging Randy to hurry up because "We're running out of time, Hell's Kitchen is gonna start."

All in all, I was incredibly disappointed by Rock and Roll night. I was just expecting so much more. And the beautiful Jason will probably be packing his bags later tonight. What more can I say. Phlerggg.

It's Rock and Roll Night

2008-05-06T17:29:00.000-07:00

I know it's close to showtime, but if you don't want to know what the four remaining contestants are singing tonight, skip this post.

Tonights theme is Rock and Roll Hall of Fame or somthing to that effect. Thanks to TMZ, here is tonight's song list:

David Archuleta -- "Stand By Me" by Ben E. King and "Love Me Tender" by Elvis and Norah Jones.

David Cook -- "Baba O'Riley" by The Who and "Hungry Like The Wolf" by Duran Duran.

Jason Castro -- "Tambourine Man" by Bob Dylan and "I Shot The Sherrif" by Bob Marley as covered by Eric Clapton.

Syesha Mercado -- "Proud Mary" by CCR /Tina Turner and "A Change is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke.

So, it's pretty clear to me that, barring something crazy happening, David Cook will kick everyone's ass tonight. He picked great songs that are perfect for his style (Although I am wondering what he will do to update "Hungry Like the Wolf"). Jason Castro is not doing anything to help his pothead image by picking these two stoner classics. I am looking forward to hearing them though. I am wondering a little why David Archuleta would choose "Stand By Me." I really wish he would sing something more contemporary, not this tired old retread. "Love Me Tender" has some potential if he sings it at the piano like Jen P. predicted. Syesha will rock her songs I'm sure, but it doesn't matter because she won't win.

Anyway, looking forward to 8:00 p.m.

What Does Jason Look Like Under That Hair?

2008-05-05T13:43:00.000-07:00

It's a younger Jason Castro sans dreads. Cute, no?

Whoa!

2008-05-01T18:20:00.000-07:00

Can you guess who this is?

It's Anna Chlumsky, the girl who played Vada Sultenfuss in the "My Girl" movies. All grown up and seriously gorgeous. She's back in the Biz and making a movie with James Gandolfini.

Man I feel old.

Jason Castro Wants To Go Home?

2008-05-01T18:00:00.000-07:00

In an EW interview Jason Castro hints that he wants to get voted off.

"I'll get around to practicing," he promised the EW reporter, after noting that his brother and a friend had visited over the weekend and that his Saturday meeting with Diamond had gone "really bad" because he didn't yet know his songs. "What happens happens. I'll sing and if people like it, they like it. And if they don't, they don't. I'm kind of ready to go home.

"It's been overwhelming," Castro continued. "I got 150 balloons yesterday delivered to the studio because people heard I was sick last week. That's cool, but that's just weird."

Please don't do this to me Castro. Stop yawning, start practicing, and try to make it to the top 3. I get what you're saying, I totally do. I think you are a shy guy for whom this whole experience has been a bit overwhelming, but you gotta try. For me. Please.

I'll stop crying now...

Goodbye Brooke

2008-05-01T09:58:00.000-07:00

At the half-way point of last night's results show I really thought that they were going to keep it at a crisp 1/2 hour instead of the hour long schlockfest they've done all season. Ryan had kept up a brisk pace, quickly sending all the guys over to safety on the sofa (I had a moment of worry when Jason was waiting to hear his fate) leaving the two gals on the chopping block. He even took a few minutes to quickly "clear up" the PaulaGate situation, in the process confusing everybody that much more.

(What were the rumors? Was Paula supposed to be fired? What if instead of the contestants Ryan brought Paula onto the stage and told her she would be the one leaving us last night? That would have been fantastic.)

Anyway, by 9:28 Brooke and Syesha were standing on the stage with Ryan apparently about to learn who was heading home. I was whispering to myself, "Say it, Ryan, say it," but of course he didn't say it. We had to sit through Natasha Bedingfield singing some crap song and attempt to make out illegally with David Archuleta, Neil Diamond doing his arthritic thang, and a really, really lame call-in bit. Does anyone believe that Tara Miller, Simon's first kiss at 9 years old just happened to call in to the show all on her own? I didn't think so. I have to give it to Ryan, though, he pointed out to all the kids at home that 9 years old is too young to be kissing, getting the best laugh of the evening.

Finally we came to the moment of truth, and Brooke was sent home to Nannyville. It wasn't a surprise, especially not to Brooke herself, but I was still a bit sad. I have loved Brooke since the auditions. She doesn't have an amazing voice by any means, but sometimes it's not about that. When she get's it right ("Love is a Battlefield," "You're So Vain," "Let It Be") you get a feeling of authenticity from her. And even when she gets it wrong ("You Must Love Me," "I'm A Believer") she's just so sweet and self-effacing that you can't help but like her. I'll miss her interrupting the judges and I'll miss her adorable husband sitting in the audience cheering her on. So good luck Brooke, and here is my tribute to you:

Jen P. Chimes In On PaulaGate

2008-05-01T09:45:00.000-07:00

Jen P. shares her thoughts on the Paula flap:

I was there, you were there....there was no scripted sequence of events when Paula became an even bigger idiot on television on Tuesday. She had NO previous notes from the dress rehearsal, but I do think that she was reading someone's live performance notes and thinking of Jason's rehearsal performance. I think she was just way flustered by having to wing it...she's always at a loss for words anyway. If she'd have only stuck to commenting on their wardrobe, eh?..... I could tell that she was a bit anxious when the subject was broached during the results show last night. Her posture and expression immediately changed; like the crowd was going to burst into chants of "Paula's Cukoo" or start throwing rotten tomatoes at her. This kind of thing makes Idol more fun and much better water cooler talk, and to think we were present for PaulaGate is very, very cool! It may become one of those "point in time" references where every single person in America knows exactly where they were when it happened and we can say that we were just feet away from the moron herself!

On another Idol note, Brooke's been ousted this week. My first thought: what's Syesha to do with no more roommates? I was actually very surprised that Brooke got voted out. I would have thought her to have a much bigger fan base than Syesha...which now really worries me. Who the hell is voting for Syesha? Are there that many Broadway and cruise ship people?

I could have knocked Natasha B out last night when she just had to go over and hug David Archusickofmeyet. She could have done all that after the show, had her private moment or whatever...so why the heck make a fool of her 26 year old self by side hugging little David like a new pet? So weird. Hate her now. I still predict a David vs David finale. I hope they let Cook change up the predictable/sappy/top 40/fan written finale song to his liking. Otherwise, there may be an unfair advantage like last year's song that was absolutely not suited for Blake. They should let the contestants write their own damn songs for the finale....now that would be some entertainment!

Top 5 Sing Neil Diamond (Right In Front Of Me)

2008-04-30T12:28:00.000-07:00

I have to say, contrary to what I anticipated, it wasn't much different watching the performances live versus on TV. It might have been because we were very close to the floor monitors that the judges listen to. It all sounded much the same (just louder) as it does at home. The difference is that the judges comments and Ryan's remarks are harder to hear because they drop the sound level down on those in the studio. So we heard the performances loud and clear, plus we got to see the contestants sing up close and personal.

First up was Jason Castro and my goodness, the guy is gorgeous. He looks even better in person. I loved his first song, "Forever in Blue Jeans." I thought it was classic JC, and I think he is at his best when he plays the guitar and sings songs that are kind of folksy. That's what he does. I loved it. The judges didn't like it much, but they don't seem to like much of what anyone does except for the two Davids these days. Now, I really didn't care for JC's second song, "September Morn'." He seems uncomfortable when he has to stand on the stage with just a mic in his hand. His vocals were not great but who cares. The guy is smoking hot.

David Cook was my fave of the night and Jen P. was out of her mind for him. She was woo hooing him during both of his songs. He did rock the house, but Jen P. was not happy with the reversal trend that his hairstyle is exhibiting. I wasn't familiar with either of the songs that he did, but I thought both were good, the first better than the second.

Thirdsies for the evening was Brooke White. Her husband was sitting right behind the judges and they kept smiling and waving at each other when she came on stage. It was really cute. His hair is quite long at this point, I wonder if this is the week he'll go for a hair cut. (Sidenote to Brooke: 1974 called...They want their pants back.) Brooke made an odd choice for her first song with "I'm a Believer" which is more famous from the Monkees TV show than from Neil Diamond but for me will be forever associated with the movie Shrek. It wasn't very good, but when you're standing in that pit uptempo songs are better than slow songs, so it was OK for me in the studio, but not a great performance for her. I do love Brooke though and her second song was fabulous. She sang "I am, I Said" while accompanying herself on the piano, and it really worked for her. The judges all seemed to like the second song much better than the first.

Finally the moment all the young girls were waiting for arrived and David Archuleta took the stage to sing a very odd arrangement of "Sweet Caroline." This is the song Carly was to have sung this week and I'm telling you she would have done a great job. But all we had was the robotic and emotionless David A. rendering the song nearly unrecognizable. Randy, of course, thought it was "'Da Bomb." We never got to hear Paula's thoughts on that performance (more on that in a minute) and Simon, thankfully, deemed it "Amateurish." (I think Danny Noriega must have gotten a hold of Simon because last night everything was -ish: Nightmarish, Amateurish, etc...) Follwing in the boot tracks of KLC, David's second song was the cheesy and patriotic "Coming to America." Very smart Papa Archuleta, very smart indeed. It was OK, I still think he's overrated. Nothing he has done over the past two months has come anywhere near to his heart wrenching performance of "Imagine" back in February. I felt bad for Simon because right after he get's done skewering David A. on a stick he has to get up and walk right in front of his parents. They seemed to take it in stride though and Simon did say something to them but I didn't catch what it was.

Syesha was pretty good in both of her performances. Her voice sounded pitch perfect in the studio during "Hello Again" even though I couldn't see her for most of the song because she was sitting down on the edge of the stage. And her hair was so pretty but I wish she would have put some shoes on. Enough with the bare feet already. I thought her voice was better on her first number, but her performance of "Thank the Lord for the Nighttime" was much more fun for us arm-wavers in the pit. I loved that the backup singers were down on the stage with Syesha, and she was energetic and theatrical, which is annoying but entertaining all at once. Sometimes when I'm watching her that baby noise of hers flashes in my head and it's all I can think about. But she was good and deserves more praise than she gets. I think the judges have already written her off as "Broadway Actress" rather than "Recording Artist."

Last night's show was a bit chaotic due to the whole judging snafu. The judges were supposed to watch both performances and then critique at the end of the second song instead of critiquing at the end of each song. I think that came as a surprise to all the judges who were being given instructions in a whispered conference with one of the producers at the beginning of the show. Then a PA brought out blank notepads and pens for Simon, Randy and Paula in case of sudden short term memory loss. Paula seemed to be the only one taking notes during the performances, but as we all now know, it didn't help. What also didn't help the flustered Paula was the apparent last second decision by the producers to do a quick judging recap after all the Idols had sung their first song. I think they may have been running ahead of schedule and needed to fill a minute or two because Ryan seemed unsure of what was going on and the Idols had to be quickly rounded up to get on the stage. In what has now been termed Paulagate (thanks Michael Slezak at EW) when it came time for Paula to give her speed critique she mistakenly referred to Jason Castro's second song, even though he had only sung one at that point. Paula was definitely embarrassed and unable to recover her composure so Simon stepped in and quickly crushed everyone's hopes and dreams before the show mercifully cut to a commercial. I will say also that I never once detected a whiff of alcohol coming from Paula's direction, even when she was speaking to me. I have long suspected that her Coke cup was filled with Strawberry Daquiri, but maybe it really is just Coke.

So today the internet is alive with Idol conspriacy theories. Some say the producers gave her notes to follow or the judges had cue cards to read. Or Paula was confused and referring to the rehearsal performances, which is a no no. I can tell you, since I was right next to the judges during the show, that they had no notes or cue cards of any sort to read off of. I think the rehearsal theory may be closest to the truth, but honestly, I don't understand what all the controversy is about. Paula never makes sense. Ever. I think she was just having a loopy Paula moment which was brought on by the total confusion of last night's judging procedure. Give her a break.

I think everyone is vulnerable this week except for David/David. The weird thing is that Dial Idol shows David A. with lower votes than David C. or Syesha! Can't wait to see the results tonight.

BTW watching the show live was amazing, I will definitely try to do it again next season.

Oh My God I Touched Simon's Stomach!

2008-04-30T10:36:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning Jen P. picked me up at 7:30 am and we headed on down to Hollywood. We made great time and ended up at the CBS studios with food in our hands at 11:00-ish. We saw that there was one line on the street starting at the studio entrance and after almost getting my butt kicked for getting in the front of the line instead of the back, Jen P. had directions from the guard at the gate and she herded me off the the end of the line. So all the people who were there to see Dancing With The Stars, the AI rehearsal and the AI live show were in one line.

At about 12:45 this guy that looks like Kurt from Metallica came out and seperated everyone out into the right places and we ended up on the other side of the studio entrance in a new line for the live show, but about 10 people back. Me and Jen knew we had a wait ahead of us so we sat on the ground and started playing movie games back and forth while the day became hotter and hotter and my feet became more and more pinched in my shoes (the sacrifices we make to look good for Simon Cowell...). Meanwhile, lots of scuffling and grumbling were going on because people with priority vouchers kept showing up and did not have to wait in line, and even though we understood why, it was frustrating to those of us who were sitting in the dirt under a very prickly shrub roasting in the sun. At one point we saw Jason Taylor drive up and turn into the lot in a Bentley. Then at about 3:10 there was some excitement when Simon Cowell drove by in this:

Not too long after that Kurt from Metallica came back and started checking our vouchers and made a huge deal about everyone having ID. Thank you Jesus I had put my drivers license in my pocket that morning and didn't have to run all the way back to the parking garage at The Grove to get it like another lady in line had to. So we're all lined up and Kurt gives us all numbers on our vouchers and then some time later, as the blister on my toe was growing larger and larger, they herded us through the CBS lot to another check in point, all the while telling us to have our ID's ready. We then go through a metal detector and end up on a covered patio-type area where we are directed to some benches to sit on. Not once during entire check-in procedure did anyone look at our ID's so I never did figure out what the big deal was. Also, once we got onto the benches all semblance of our numbered places in line was gone, giving Jen P. quite a bit of anxiety. We weren't even sure what the point was of numbering the vouchers and all that because we were just thrown together in the holding area. It was nice, though, to sit in the shade after 6 hours of sitting in line outside. Finally this young dude with crazy hair got out attention and gave us instructions as to our behavior in the "pit." We were told to go crazy for every performance whether we liked it or not, clap our hands over our heads, and if someone starts doing the slow song arm wave we all had to join in (under penalty of death I think). So next time you're watching the show and you think, "Look at those douchebags waving their arms," just remember that the people in charge force them to do it.

Finally, finally we headed into the studio. At that point I was exhausted, my feet were killing me, and I was feeling a bit nauseous from my long day. But we turned and walked through a door into the studio and suddenly we were in the American Idol set and it looks just like you see it on TV and all my tiredness vanished. It was so surreal. The studio itself is MUCH smaller than it looks on TV. The stage is as small as something you would see in a high school auditorium. The first person I noticed was Brooke White's husband sitting right behind the judges table.

We filed into the pit area and I ended up standing directly adjacent to Randy Jackson's chair. I mean 2 feet away from it. David Archuleta's family was right behind us. Rita Wilson, otherwise known as Mrs. Tom Hanks, was sitting right behind the judges table and just feet from where we were standing. Then a couple of those girls from "Girls Next Door" were seated next to Rita and during the show everyone made a point of hugging them. Ryan Seacrest went up to them a few times. There is a warm-up comedian who worked the audience before the show and during commercials and he was not funny at all. The stage manager brought the Idols out onto the stage and everyone went nuts. Jason Castro is so hot in person. We were told that if the judges came in ahead of time to clap for them, but most of the time they run late and come in just as the show is starting and if that were to happen to be very quiet. I turned and was saying something to Jen P. and suddenly I heard applause and I felt something brush my hand. I looked to see what it was and realized it was Simon who brushed me as he went to his seat. And then Randy came by and I stuck out my hand and he high-fived me. It was so exciting! I have always thought that if I ran into someone famous I would play it cool and be like, whatever, love your movie, cool. But no. I was giddy after Simon touched me. Paula ended up walking in just as the show was starting and we were all completely silent while Ryan was saying his intro into the camera, but when he said "THIS is American Idol" the crowd in the pit went nuts. I wish I could adequately capture how odd it is to be standing in the middle of the TV show that you watch every week and just feet away from really famous people. Surreal is all I can say. And it was really fun watching the Idols sing. The kids that were right in front of the pit had opportunities to chat with the Idols and give high fives. I would have just loved to high five Jason Castro. I tried to figure out some way to maneuver myself next to him but it wasn't happening.

The judges left the table at every commercial break and each time they walked just in front of me. A bodyguard would come over and kind of tell me to step back, but they were just right there. During the first break as Paula walked past I said, "You look pretty tonight, Paula." She said, "Thank you Sweetheart," and rubbed my back. She did look pretty too. Her dress was a bit prommy but she had some fierce heels on. She is incredibly tiny, also. Just very petite. Ryan would dance around on stage during the commercial or chat with whoever was singing next, or meander around the studio.

The main excitement of the evening was when Paula made that comment to Jason Castro about his second song, when he had only sung once. The audience was tittering and chattering as soon as she said it and the producers were rushing around trying to figure out what to do. Paula was embarrassed, but the media seems to be making a bigger deal out of it than they should be. She's Paula, she never makes sense anyway. I'll go into this more in my next post.

Anyway, they wrapped up the show and I knew I had to take my shot at speaking to Simon, so as the judges were filing by me I looked at him and said, "Simon - Love You," and kind of went in for a hug but didn't quite make it. Instead I ended up rubbing his stomach, which was quite firm by the way. Simon smiled at me and said, "Nice to see you," winked and walked off. I was so verklempt.

The whole thing went by very quickly. It seems like it just rushed by in a blur. Jen P. and I made our way out of the studio, exhausted but exhilerated. It was well worth the drive and waiting in line. Especially after all my judge interaction! Thank you Thank you Thank you Jen P.! It was a blast!

Me and Jen P. Are Heading To Idol

2008-04-28T13:50:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the very crafty Jen P., we have vouchers to be in the studio audience for this week's AI. We are leaving fairly early tomorrow morning to drive down to Hollywood and get in line to hopefully see the show live. There is no guarantee that we'll get in, but Jen P. went last year and did get in to see the show, so the odds are very good that we'll be in the live audience tomorrow. Woo hoo! I'll TIVO the show and then play it back at an infinitesimal speed to see if I can't catch a glimpse of me and Jen on television. I'll have the scoop on our live show experience later this week...

This Is Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong

2008-04-24T08:09:00.000-07:00

I have long been a supporter of the American Idol voting system. I don't believe that there are American Idol conspiracies or any tampering with the voting. I've always said that people should vote for their favorite and if someone doesn't get enough votes that that's just the way the cookie crumbles. But today I really have to wonder what is going on. Last night the talented Carly was voted off of AI and I am furious. More so than when MJ went home, because this seems very wrong. I never expected Carly to win, 'cause we all know how the finale is shaping up, but she should have finished in the top 4.

And I want to know, how is it that the two performers that gave the best performances on Andrew Lloyd Webber night are the two that have lowest amount of votes? Why did that happen? Why is Carly, who, I'm sorry folks, has the best voice on the show, on the road back to her pub-slash-tattoo shop today? I don't get it. And I am having one of those I-AM-NEVER-GOING-TO-WATCH-AI-AGAIN moments this morning. I like Brooke, I've been a Brooke fan all along, but I can't believe she got more votes than Carly and Syesha last night after her train wreck of an Evita movie soundtrack song. Even Jason (and you know I love me some Jason Castro) deserved to be in the bottom 2 more so than Carly and Syesha after his half-ass rendition of "Memory" from Cats (let me not even go into his bizarre song choice and how he did not know that song was from Cats). Are the guys over at VFTW actually making a dent in the votes? Because Brooke is their heroine since the exit of Kristy Lee. I don't know. But I wish someone would explain it to me. Because I don't get it. I really don't.

And I was really looking forward to hearing my girl Carly sing "Sweet Caroline" or "Delirious Love." I've got a bad AI hangover today and I don't know when I'll recover. This is all wrong. Goodbye Carly, best of luck.

Odd Night For The Top 6

2008-04-23T08:07:00.001-07:00

I'm a bit under the weather this week, so here are my thoughts on the mixed bag that was Andrew Lloyd Webber week in condensed form:

Syesha Mercado - Outstanding

Jason Castro - (I hate to say this) Not Good

Brooke White - Not Good

David Archuleta - Good, Not Great

Carly Smithson - Really Great

David Cook - Good

Looks like either Brooke White or Jason Castro will be getting off of the the Starlight Express this week.

America Got It Right

2008-04-17T08:59:00.000-07:00

Last night's results show was once again a half hour too long, fitting in performances by Elliot Yamin and Mariah Carey, as well as the "viewer" phone calls. I haven't been a fan of these call-in segments up to now, but last night a crazy gal from Paula's erstwhile reality show called in and took the whole thing off the tracks. Paula, who had what looked like a rose bush growing out of her neck, seemed distinctly uncomfortable as the girl said, "Paula this is Megan from your show..."Hilarity ensued as Ryan lost control of her right from the start. She had shout outs for all the guys on the show and Ryan got her onto her "question" with some difficulty. They all looked happy when she finally hung up.

Then Mariah sang a song that I understood to be about her dead grandma? Maybe I misunderstood. I don't normally listen to Mariah, but I thought she was pretty good. Her legs looked amazing, I wonder if that's from Pilates. I'll have to check that out. Of course they have to talk about how Randy knows Mariah and is instrumental to her success. Ryan congratulated Mariah on her success and told her, "We're so proud of you." Thanks Ryan, that's the validation she's been waiting for all these years. You are proud of her. She's Mariah Carey you dumb ass, not a contestant from season 3.

While all this was going on, Ryan had been seperating the contestants into two groups on either side of the stage. Ryan asked Carly after she came out onto the stage if she thought she had held back the night before. And Carly replied that no she hadn't and furthermore she thought the judges were being a little hard on her. And I was so glad to hear Simon explain himself.

"You know Carly, you know why I am, " he admitted, " I think you're potentially great. I do, and I just wanna give you that extra push sometimes."

That must have felt great to hear, I know I was happy to hear it and I'm not the one up on stage singing every week. Anyway, as the groups were sorted I was sweating because at first the group to the left was KLC, David Cook and Syesha, and the group to the right was Carly, Brooke and Jason Castro. And I knew David C. was safe, so I thought uh-oh. I was worried that Carly was the one going home. But my husband said, "Don't worry, they're just messing with you." And he was right, after David Archuleta came out and was sent to safety (of course he was safe, how could he not be), Ryan had Brooke and David C. switch places and I breathed big sigh of relief. Then Ryan asked David A. to move from the center of the stage to whichever group he thought was safe. I hate it when they do that, how can they expect these contestants, especially some sweet kid like little David, to do that? And good for David, he refused to play Ryan's sadistic game and pulled a Bo Bice, sitting down right in the center of the stage. After Ryan finally determined that Carly, David C., and Jason Castro were safe, I breathed another big sigh of relief because my last two remaining favorites were going to live to sing Andrew Lloyd Webber songs.

So, Ryan sent Syesha to safety, which she absolutely deserved. I am not a big fan of hers, but she has done really well the past few weeks. Brooke had the biggest, saddest frown on her face I have ever seen. When Ryan announced that Brooke was safe, sending Kristy home to ride her horse I will admit a did a dance of happiness.

My feelings about Kristy have been well documented in previous posts, so I will only say that it was her time to go home. She got really far, farther than she should, largely due to her own willingness to work hard and, after the two week Beatles fiasco, shrewd song selections. I think even she knew that she had nothing to be sad about, she noted that "At least she made the top 10." She went out in a great way, with class and humor, sitting at the judges table and singing the opening verse of Mariah's "Forever," "Those days of love are gone, our time is through...still I burn on and on, only to hear a good comment from you," to Simon. Good for her. I'm not a fan, but that was the perfect way to go out, it was memorable and she didn't break down hysterically. Ryan's proud of her, I'm sure.

Now that KLC is gone, each week from here on out, someone really good has to go home. Everyone remaining is talented and authentic. The contestants have to fight it out week after week to stay alive and there could still be some surprises in store. Go Carly go!

Please Let There Be Some Cosmic Justice Tonight

2008-04-16T15:11:00.000-07:00

So, do I dare make a prediction for tonight's bottom three? In the past I have been very, very wrong. And, I am so afraid that it might be Carly at the bottom that I almost don't want to speculate. Who do I think should be in the bottom 3? Kristy Lee, Kristy Lee and Kristy Lee. Who do I think will be in the bottom 3? Syesha, Carly and Brooke. The guys were the clear frontrunners last night, even though I think Carly and Syesha both gave great performances, I doubt any male contestants will be sitting in the metal stools tonight. Kristy Lee seems to be made of some sort of bulletproof material that keeps her safe even though she gives subpar performances week after week after week after week. Dial Idol is predicting that KLC is safe tonight, but Zabasearch shows her in the bottom. I don't think either of these predictions is all that accurate given the sample size and margin of error, not to mention neither of them predicted MJ to go home last week. I would hate to see Brooke go, but it may be the end of the road for her. I just hope it's not Carly. And if it is, I hope Ryan Crapcrest doesn't make her cry.

Missing MJ? Listen To This

2008-04-16T09:46:00.000-07:00

Dry your tears, MJ fans. Follow this link and fast forward to 3:50 to hear a smidge of a teaser to what the Michael Johns Mariah week performance would have been.

Top 7 Do Good, Judges In My Dawg House

2008-04-15T22:44:00.000-07:00

All right American Idol, tonight you have really ticked me off. Actually, it's the judges that I have a beef with. First off, opening the night is little David Archuleta singing "When You Believe." He gave a great performance, definitely better than last week and actually showed a little emotion. The leather pants were a bit surprising but, hey, he's trying to step it up a bit. The judges went nuts, just loved it, as per usual with David A.

So now here I'm going to rant a little but. After David came Carly, singing "Without You," the Harry Nilsson song that was so famously covered by Mariah. And you know what, she nailed it. I thought she was fabulous, she looked stunning, and she really restrained her voice nicely until that first big power note. She was really, really good. At least as good as David A. And the judges crapped all over it. Even Paula had that kind of pained look on her face, you know the one, when she's saying nice things when she really wants to say mean things but she doesn't want to hurt anyone's feelings. And then Simon says, "Could you pull it off...I don't think you did." Poor Carly looked like she was holding back tears and who could blame her? The girl is singing her heart out week after week and just can't seem to please Simon and Randy. The judges all chimed in together before she walked away with Ryan to say, "You can do it, Carly, trust yourself." What? What does that mean? She DID do it, these judges just have their favorite in David A. and don't want my girl Carly getting in his way. It's like each week they set her this invisible hurdle to jump over, and each week she does what she can, but the hurdle is invisible and they keep moving it and she can't ever quite get over the hurdle because it's impossible for anyone to get over it. Because it's invisible...get it? (Come on, it's better than Simon's hamburger metaphor). So I'm pissed off. I doubt my measly little votes are enough to save her, but I hope she's not in the bottom 3 this week.

Ok, I'll move on now to Syesha, who sang "Forever," a song that I didn't recognize. She was fantastic, I loved the song and it should be enough to keep her around next week.

Sweet little Brooke did the only thing she could do: she sat at the piano and sang "Hero" with in her Carole King-ish way. I liked it, I thought she did really well. She knows that she can't sing a big Mariah song with big notes and so she put her coffee house spin on it, and I thought it worked. I like her anyway, it wasn't going to blow anyone away, but she did the song justice. I just worry for her; it may not be enough to keep her there next week.

And then there was Kristy Lee. KLC sang "Forever." It wasn't great, but it wasn't total crap. The girl is actually improving. I wanted her to fall flat on her face this week, just because she gets votes that might otherwise got to someone I really like, but she didn't. She's not a great singer by any stretch of the imagination but she does enough to keep herself in the competition. And she may have done that again this week. I mean, last week she wasn't even in the bottom 3 while someone really talented went home and two far more talented singers were in the bottom. So who knows, looks like she might stick around another week. And yes, Kristy, we get it. You gave Mariah goosebumps. Do you want me to do a cartwheel for you? The thing is, the judges were practically doing cartwheels for her. She got more praise than Carly. I don't get it.

The big song of the night, for me, was David Cook. He took the syrupy pop hit "Always Be My Baby" and turned it into a brooding emo classic. I loved it way more than the original version. He was so great, he completely wiped out the memory of last week's strange performance. Simon said it was like, "Coming out of a karaoke hell into a breath of fresh air...It was original, it was daring, it stood out by a mile." And David had tears in his eyes, it was very cute. I think this guy has a lot more going on emotionally than he lets on. Anyway, he really kind of made you forget all the performances that came before him. The funniest thing about it is that the audience boo'd Simon as soon as he said the word "karaoke" even though he was working up to a compliment. The audience is on "karaoke" alert.

Jason Castro wrapped up the show with "I Don't Wanna Cry," and his was the performance I had been looking foward to all evening. I was hoping he would really do it in a sort of sexy, slow, traditional ballad but of course that didn't happen. He was accompanied by conga drums and it had the same sort of world music flair that his Sting song had a few weeks ago. I guess the sexy singer thing is my own personal fantasy, but gee it would have been nice. He did pretty good, not as good as last week. Randy compared it to Luau music and I almost had to agree. Almost. Paula made absolutely no sense in her critique of Jason and Simon actually liked it a lot. I didn't love it, but I still voted for him because I need to see those blue eyes again next week. I can't take any chances after the MJ fiasco (I feel very guilty about that as though my votes were the ones that could have kept him on).

All in all, not a bad week for the top 7. No one really blew it, which was nice for them, but boring for us at home. I still say MJ would have done so great this week. Ah, c'est la vie.

Hard to say who is in the most trouble this week. I'm really worried for my girl Carly. I will be eagerly awaiting tomorrow's results show. Oh crap, I was so mad at the judges while typing this up that I forgot to watch the Tuesday night rerun of Bones. That David Boreanaz is super hot. Darn you judges...Darn you straight to heck!

Tonight's Song List

2008-04-15T16:00:00.000-07:00

Aha! TMZ has the song list for tonights show...Stop reading now if you don't want to knw.

Syesha Mercado -- "Vanishing"
David Cook -- "Always Be My Baby"
Carly Smithson -- "Without You"
Brooke White -- "Hero"
Jason Castro -- "I Don't Wanna Cry"
Kristy Lee Cook -- "Forever"
David Archuleta -- "When You Believe"

I haven't really listened to Mariah Carey since her first album came out, so I have no idea what to expect from most of these songs. I have a feeling though, that KLC may eat a big old sh** burger tonight. I am quivering from anticipation to hear Jason Castro sing "I Don't Wanna Cry." That was on the aforementioned first album and I know it's going to be full of sexy falsettos. Damn you Comcast, can't we get some east coast feed here? Can't wait.

Is This Sexy?

2008-04-15T15:32:00.001-07:00

So, there is something undeniably attractive about Simon Cowell, no? I know it's not just me. At some point during the first few seasons of American Idol I had a series of racy dreams about our favorite judge and for a while I really thought he was hot. But, now I am wondering what I have seen in Simon. I mean, what's with the haircut and all the chest hair all the time? Is that a British thing? Do the Brits love chest hair? 'Cause here in America showing this much chest fuzz hasn't been in style since the Bee Gee's were on top of the charts. And the guy's a gajillionaire, can't he find a better hair stylist? So while I once thought he and his ego were smoking hot, now I'm not so sure...

So is he hot? Or not? Is it all wrong, but it's all right? Answer the poll and we will all find out together...

Mariahlicious!

2008-04-15T14:43:00.000-07:00

It's Mariah Night! I am breathless with anticipation...Who will sing which songs? What will Carly wear? How many times will Randy mention that he's worked with Mariah? Will Paula's boobs finally pop out? I can't wait to learn the answers to these questions and more on tonight's show!

What's Wrong With This Picture?

2008-04-15T14:39:00.000-07:00

I meandered over to Vote For The Worst to see if they had the song list for tonight's show yet, and after about two minutes of reading with this picture of Jason Castro in my peripheral vision, it slowly dawned on me that I wasn't seeing what I thought I was seeing. Thanks, VFTW, for putting this disgusting image in my head.

The Idols Are Singing Mariah...WHAT?

2008-04-12T11:16:00.000-07:00

So next week the top seven are singing Mariah songs and being mentored by MiMi herself. I have to say, I'm sort of surprised that the show would have Mariah Carey night, because the judges are always telling the contestants (and rightfully so) that it is a bad move to take on a Mariah song. That's one of those cardinal AI rules: Thou shalt not sing Whitney, Mariah or Celine becuase thou shalt never live up to the original and shall suffer a great plague of low votes.

I actually can't wait for Mariah week because for one thing it will be great to see them sing songs that were popular in the last 20 years. With a few exceptions, it seems like this has been the season of oldies. Also, it will be great to see who does a giant Mariah belly flop. Some people, like Jason Castro, David Cook and Brooke will have to do something other than the traditional take on a Mariah Carey song because they just can't do that kind of diva-singer performance. (I actually think David C. has the pipes for it, but you know he will do something unusal with the arrangement.) The rest of the top 7 (Syesha, Kristy, David A., Carly) will probably just belt out their song the way Mariah did and do the best they can with those high notes. Someone is bound to blow it, and someone is bound to rise to the challenge. I can't wait to see who falls into those categories.

Is Mariah actually performing on the results show? There's been some controversy about her lip synching lately, I wonder if she will sing on the show.

Dammit, American Idol, Michael Johns would have done GREAT during Mariah week. He was going to do a bluesy version of "Vision of Love." Aaaarrrrggghhh...The agony...

In Other TV News...

2008-04-12T11:06:00.001-07:00

Let's all wish Shannen Doherty a happy 37th birthday! The former Charmed one and 90210 cast member we all love to hate is edging toward 40. It's funny because I'm sure Gabrielle Carteris and Luke Perry celebrated their 37th birthdays while still on 90210. Anyway, have a good one Shannen!

MJ Discusses The Cravat and Ryan's Cruelty

2008-04-11T13:40:00.001-07:00

EW has an awesome Michael Johns exit interview. Here are the highlights...

On whether he was surprised by the results:

Backstage he thought, ''Okay, I get what's going on. This is going to be a shocker week.'' I hadn't been in the bottom three before, and everyone is due for that. I didn't think I was going home, though. It just goes to show you that you never know.

Did he think Ryan was unecessarily cruel:

You know what? I'd be lying if I didn't say that was pretty cruel. That one was a tough one. When Ryan said I had the lowest number of votes, he gave me this look as if to say, ''Mate, you know I don't want to say this right now.'' But it's a TV show, and at the end of the day, it's entertainment.

Was it hard to sing after the results were announced:

I wasn't, like, destroyed or anything. I probably would have been more sad if I felt I didn't sing the song as good as I could, and if I didn't hit those high notes. There was a moment when I took a really deep breath in and I saw my wife, and she said, ''I love you.'' I just exhaled then. If you re-watch, you'll see I just switched then. I thought, ''Just suck it up. This is the last time you're going to perform on this stage.''

And what's the deal with the cravat:

[Show stylist] Miles had been wanting me to step up the fashion for a while. I thought you can't come out wearing leather jackets after two weeks, because people will say, ''Who is this idiot?'' I wanted to do a Tom Petty-meets-Scott Weiland look. The week I did ''We Are the Champions,'' Miles wanted me to do that kind of look, but I wanted to wait until the right time, which was Dolly week. I absolutely dug it. Miles is so talented. I have a saying: In Miles We Trust.

What was he going to sing during Mariah Carey week:

I was going to do a really cool, bluesy version of ''Vision of Love.''

Read the full article here...

Jen P.'s Morning After Email

2008-04-11T11:41:00.000-07:00

Jen P. Goes On A Rant This Week:

I think I need to make a chiropractic appt today due to the whiplash I suffered from my reaction to Michael John's exile last night. There are so many times during the shows that I want to call you and rant & rave and last night was no exception....I just wanted to call and co-miserate. I wonder how big of a margin he lost by. I'm not going to complain since I've been a non-voter this season. At this stage the votes are normally split between contestants of the same sex, so I'm going to place all the blame on those damn Dave boys and Jason Castro. Freakin' losers!

So as MJ is off crying in his man scarf, I'm almost thinkin' that AI must have read your blogs and made your wish come true by not giving someone a pass on Idol Gives Back week. Hmmmm...maybe this is YOUR fault after all. And yes, I do have to concede that Ryan was abusive last night. Maybe I just see it when he does or says something to someone I like. I was already emotionally exhausted due to the previous segment about the kids in Angola, so I could barely take it when Ryan had us teetering on the edge of hope. Not cool, Ryan. Not cool at all! I noticed that Jason Castro didn't even stand as the other couched idols gave MJ an applaud. Plus, Carly looked in some serious pain as he sang his farewell song. I didn't see tears, just this scrunched and wrinkled face. That was just odd.

Other comments: I think Jordin Sparks is following in Jen Hudson's shadow and going after an Academy Award herself. Did you see how she took on "the role" of the song?! It was kind of intriguing at first, but when she was obviously trying to get all up on Chris Brown and he wasn't reciprocating back it became quite hilarious. And was that black nail polish I spied? I wouldn't want those paws coming at my face either. She really is a beautiful girl, but the performance was just not balanced in the theatrical sense. She should stick to singing on the stage and save the acting for the videos.

Shock and Dismay

2008-04-10T21:09:00.000-07:00

What the...Wait a second...What?! NNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! How can this be? How can Michael Johns be going home while Syesha and the sequined Kristy Lee are safe yet again. I'm having flashbacks of last season when Sanjaya was safe week after week while really good contestants were sent home.

I know, I know. Just a couple of days ago I wrote that MJ was no longer my favorite due to his inconsistent and irresposible song choices. That doesn't mean that I wanted him to go home. I was hoping against hope that he would have at least another week to sing something great. I am just totally shocked.

Mephistopheles, or Ryan as they call him on the show, hit a new evil low tonight when breaking the news to MJ. He tells him that he has the lowest votes that week, then, with his arm comfortingly around his shoulders, reminds MJ and the viewing audience that last year they didn't send anyone home the week of Idol Gives Back. I could see a look in the sexy Australian's eyes that said maybe he might squeak out of this. The Mr. Evil says nope, this year we ARE sending MJ home. That's so unecessary. I know Lucifer is instructed to play it that way by the producers, but he takes way too much pleasure in torturing the contestants. Especially on a night where the results are a bit shocking and emotional.

In a way, this is what makes Idol so compulsively watchable; the possibility that the results will be shocking. It's fun week after week when the crappy ones get voted off, but when someone really compelling, like MJ or Daughtry, gets the boot it really makes for great entertainment. That shock factor, the suspense and the last two minutes of the results show are what keep us coming back week after week.

The fact is that I will really miss that hot Australian. Even with his weird gyrations on the stage, unattractively pretentious neck cravats, and horribly bad song choices I loved watching him. His "Across the Universe" is on repeat on my ipod right now, and his "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "It's All Wrong But It's All Right" are two of my favorite Idol performances of the past 7 seasons. I hope to see him go on to do something great.

iTunes Has Idol Gives Back Downloads

2008-04-10T15:40:00.001-07:00

Will Anyone Go Home Tonight?

2008-04-10T12:46:00.000-07:00

I only watched about 5 minutes of Idol Gives back, so I have no comments to make about last night's show (other than to note how FABULOUS Carly looked in that white suit at the end of the show. Fitted pieces work great on her, I hope she takes note).

The real issue today is whether or not anyone will get the old bootaroonie tonight. Last year no one went home during Idol Gives Back week, so I wonder if this year will be the same. Dial Idol shows Carly and Syesha in a dead heat for last place, and anyone of Brooke, MJ or David Cook could join them in the bottom. My feeling is it will probably be Brooke. Kristy Lee is predicted to be completely safe tonight, so no wisecracky repartee between the sequined one and Ryan.

I hope that it is Syesha going home and not Carly or Brooke. Carly is so much better than Syesha, I hope she gets a chance to redeem herself. Brooke will not win this competition, but she's as cute as a kitten and I like her.

Will they all get a free pass to next week's show? We'll find out tonight...

Top 8 Don't Inspire

2008-04-08T21:15:00.000-07:00

Michael Johns, you're out. Jason Castro, you're in. I officially have a new AI favorite, if only for the fact that MJ is so incredibly frustrating with his refusal to sing songs that he can sing well, rather than songs that he likes. I thought he had turned a corner last week with his fantastic, soulful reimagining of a Dolly Parton song. But no. This week, the week of "Inspirational Songs" he kicked off the show with Aerosmith's "Dream On." Seriously, MJ? Aerosmith wrote and recorded "Dream On" while in a haze of drugs, sex and alcohol. What could possibly be inspirational about that? MJ would have ROCKED with some Aretha Franklin. He does soul so well, and the Aretha catalogue is chock full of gospel tinged soul. He tried to defend his song choice to Randy, who by the way was incredibly hateful tonight, by saying the song is about dreams, and he's living his dream, or something like that. As Simon would say, his song choice was self-indulgent. He's not in it to win it, he's there to enjoy himself. I completely agreed with Simon, he is much better as a soul or R&B singer and much more believable than when he tries to play Rock Star.

Syesha sang a Fantasia Barrino song, once again breaking a cardinal AI rule, Thou Shalt Not Sing A Previous Idol's Signature Song. Randy felt that she suffered in comparison to Fantasia. I don't know about that because I can't really remember what Fantasia sounded like, either way Syesha didn't sound great. She didn't hit half the notes, and her voice just wasn't up to that kind of vocal. I think she could be really vulnerable this week.

After Syesha came my new fave Jason singing the Israel Kamakawiwo'ole version of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" and playing the ukelele. Words cannot describe. It was so great, absolutely the best of the night for me, and one of my favorite peformances of the season. Right toward the end of the song he went up into his falsetto range and just nailed it. A great performance of a great song, and the perfect song for him and his gorgeous blue eyes (I had to fit those eyes in somehow). The judges also loved it, Paula actually managing semi-coherent criticism, saying that Jason has a "definitive sound." Then of course she rambled back into her usual gibberish.

Kristy Lee actually surprised me last night by singing pretty good. Unfortunately she is still clinging to the sequined tank top and jeans as if they are a life raft and she is in the middle of the ocean rather than a stage in Hollywood with paid wardrobe people nearby. KLC sang the song that Martina McBride sang on the show last year and she sang it pretty well. I would't go overboard with praise the way Randy and Paula did, but it wasn't bad. I'm not a fan, I don't like her whole thing, the sequins, the fingernails, the odd bullfighters stance, any of it. But props to her tonight, she is definitely fighting for her place on the show.

David Cook...What in the H-E-Double Hockey Sticks happened there? He sang "Innocent" by Our Lady Peace, noting that they are his favorite band, and the whole thing was bizarre from beginning to end, and badly sung. That first note of the song caught me off guard and it never improved. I did hear some lyrics about cancer, so maybe the song really means something to him because of his brother who is ill. I can understand that, but it wasn't sung very well. Paula must be listening to something different than the rest of us because she loved it. I think the rest of us were left scratching our heads. I guess he's entitled to an off week. I hope it doesn't land him in the bottom 3 this week.

Carly also picked a song that I felt was an odd pick for "Inspirational" week, Queen's "The Show Must Go On." It's like she's trying to get voted off. Here's a song that wasn't great when Queen sang it, and it didn't improve much with her super-intense vocal stylings. It definitely wasn't inspirational, it wasn't uplifting, it was actually depressing because it just makes me think about Freddie Mercury and AIDS. Carly's my girl, I want to see her win, but she won't do it with these kind of songs. She's the girl who could actually pull off a diva song but she refuses to sing something from Celine or Mariah. This crapper could get her voted off.

Then came David Archuleta, singing a vaguely familiar Robbie Williams song called "Angels." I listened to a snippet on iTunes and it sounds good as a Robbie Williams song, but once again, I feel like Little David is not living up to his hype. His voice was nasally and shaky, he can hit the big notes for sure, but I didn't think it was all that good. But the judges, even Simon shame on you, are relentlessly promoting this guy. They obviously want him to win and heap praise on him far beyond what he deserves. Then they crap all over better singers (usually Carly). It's so irritating. It was OK, it wasn't his best performance of the season, as Randy claimed. It will be no surprise when this kid whens the whole thing because the judges are so obviously biased.

Wrapping things up was Brooke White, with Carole King's "You've Got A Friend." It was OK, not her best performance. She could also be vulnerable this week, because she hasn't knocked anything out of the park in a few weeks. I like Brooke, she's different than most of the female singers who have come through the show before, I hope she can stick it out a couple more weeks.

I don't know about everyone else, but the only thing I was inspired to do during the show was fall asleep. The most excitement we had was wondering whether or not Paula's boobs would spring free from the top of her dress. The show was boring, the songs were odd, for the most part, and it seemed like maybe this Top 8 is having a bit of a mid-season slump. Hopefully the show will spring back after this whole "Idol Gives Back" thing is over and find some real inspiration.

Jason Castro Fever

2008-04-07T18:43:00.000-07:00

If you love Jason Castro (like me, I do find that I love him more and more each week) someone has a bunch of pre-American Idol videos from his Mtv reality show days posted on You Tube.

He's so dang cute, but very awkward when interacting with others. I downloaded a couple of his AI songs on itunes and he really is so good. The studio version of "If I Fell" is great, he has a heartbreaking falsetto that makes me want to forget that I'm married and go to LA, hang out outside the AI stage, and stalk him. Don't tell my husband.

See the You Tube videos here.

These Gloves Are Worse Than Paula's

2008-04-07T11:58:00.000-07:00

I didn't think it was possible, but someone owns a pair of gloves more hideous than the ones Paula was wearing last week. Sadly, it's Drew Barrymore, a celebrity that I actually really like. TMZ has a video of her stumbling around wasted over the weekend, and she is wearing what appears to be my mom's workout socks from the 80's on her hands. She must have been drunk to think these were a nice complement to her otherwise completely normal outfit. Poor Drew, it's hard to out-tacky Paula Abdul, but she has succeeded admirably here.

See the video here.

Jen P. Takes Me To Task

2008-04-03T11:06:00.000-07:00

Jen P.'s morning after email made me laugh this morning. Here are her thought's on last night's show:

As I watched the AI show late last night via the wonderful invention called TIVO, I couldn't help but feel sorry for Ramiele. Not because she was voted off the show, but because she had to endure a good 3 minutes being cleaved into KLC's breasts. Maybe she was crying because she was being smothered by yet again another dreaded sequined tank top. I believe I did notice little round circle marks embedded in Ramiele's face now that I think about it...

I fast forwarded through Dolly's performance, although at first I thought Glenda the Good Witch was on the show.

Come on, Jen, there was in fact a highlight on last night's show: The Clark Brothers! I was a viewer of Fox's The Next Great American Band and I was extremely excited to see them on the show last night. I had spied one of them in the AI band before and had wondered if The Clark Bros had fallen apart and Fox exiled him to play w/Ricky Minor. Good to see they're intact and strong and strummin' & pickin' the hell out of their guitar strings.

Water cooler talk this morning went straight to KLC and her seat sign. The concensus was that it was a tacky, tacky move and even though she's not as strong, she shouldn't be presumptious.

Brook White needs to stop being so "perfect". I SO wish she'd just watch an R rated film and be like the rest of us already! It's like she knows when to cry, to pout, to go barefoot when it'll do the most for her. I genuinely like her, don't get me wrong. I just can't relate to her.

....and your girl, Carly....she got the fashion beat-down the previous night and then she comes out wearing yellow?!

I checked out the website you sent over regarding the predictions based on the busy signal measurements (Dial Idol). I was sad to see that the frontrunner (overwhelmingly!) was David A. I knew he'd be the top, but that's a big margin to overcome. I think David A might get the Melinda Doolittle virus and people will be tired of his coy ways and consistant performances.

Hey I was checking out YouTube yesterday to relive MJ's performance because my TIVO cut off Simon's critique and I noticed that there was a video posted of his band The Rising. I watched the beginning and he sounded really good. Not sure about the long hair, but he still had his signature mannerisms.

Jen

It's A Vocab Lesson

2008-04-03T10:14:00.001-07:00

I read a comment on a message board that noted how Simon and Randy like to use new words that they've learned over and over again, and I realized how true that is. Iv'e noticed Randy proudly using the word "Wheelhouse" lately, and now Simon is getting in on his act with the word "Busking."

Merriam Webster defines Busking as, "chiefly British : a person who entertains in a public place for donations."

Wheelhouse is a bit more complicated. It seems to be a seafaring metaphor. At MW Wheelhouse gets redirected to Pilot House which is defined as, "a deckhouse for a ship's helmsman containing the steering wheel, compass, and navigating equipment."

At Wikipedia I also got nautical definitiions, but I found another blogger who says that Wheelhouse is a metaphor for a "hitter's power zone, among other things." So I guess Randy is just trying to say that when a song is "in your wheelhouse" that you are playing to your strengths, or hitting from your power zone.

There you go, new words to add to your vocab.

Let's see if we can find some other new words to learn before the finale.

Define Inspirational

2008-04-03T10:02:00.000-07:00

Next week's AI theme is "inspirational songs." What does that mean? A week of gospel? I don't quite get it. Oh no, you know what this means? KLC will sing "Amazing Grace." It's the one song she actually sings well. That means she'll be safe again. That girl is bulletproof. Inspirational songs...pffttttt.

Ramiele Is Going Home

2008-04-03T09:35:00.000-07:00

As I write this the morning after the AI results show, I'm trying to remember if there was anything interesting that happened last night. Let's see...Nope, nothing. I did notice that Kristy Lee had her sequined tank top and jeans back on again. Other than that, and Dolly's strange outfit of pedal pushers and sequined train, nothing comes to mind. Even the devil, er, Ryan, seemed pretty toned down last night. Oh wait, that reminds me...I am so sick of KLC's smart alecky remarks to Ryan and Simon, and her little note that showed she knew she was in the bottom 3 was stupid. Hey Kristy, if you know you suck, then do better. Don't get huffy at the people on the show. It's not Simon's faut you can't sing.

Anyway, no suprise to anyone, Ramiele was voted off last night. She should be happy, she got pretty far and she'll be able to go on tour. Then for Pete's sake I hope she goes to college and gets a real job. I don't want to see a Ramiele album in the bargain bin at Target in 4 years.

The thing is, that once KLC get's voted off (hopefully next week) everyone remaining is really good. So it's going to be people that we love in the bottom 3 every week from now on. My prediction is that the next two will be Brooke and Jason, even though I would rather see Syesha go than either of them. Syesha is kind of a wild card, I don't think she'll make the top three but she has really gained some momentum recently. Then MJ, and the finale will be a David extravaganza. And David A. will win because all the teenagers and moms love him. And the teenagers vote.

But don't be sad Ramiele fans. I'm sure we'll see her in audience of next week's show. Good luck Ramiele, I bet you'd make a great dentist.

This Is What I Meant To Say...

2008-04-02T09:55:00.000-07:00

I know I praise Michael Slezak's EW Idol recap on a regular basis, but I have to say he really got it right this week. Particularly when he said:

...How come certain contestants get credit for taking risks with song stylings, and yet when Carly strips down a well-known mid-tempo romp and turns it into a searing acoustic ballad, none of the judges even mentions the arrangement? And what's more, her risk paid off. The way she held back on the gale-force belting, taking care with every word of the lyric until she built to that final, wondrous glory note, I barely had time to take note of her ho-hum red jeans and bulky black blouse. I realize Simon's inner record exec is sizing up Carly, and her tattoos, and her imperfect teeth, and her not-size-zero physique, and it makes him say things like ''Have a word with whoever's dressing you.'' But seriously, dude, Ashlee Simpson is about to release her third major-label album: Why are you hell-bent on crushing the self-esteem of a gifted vocalist right at the moment she should be basking in the afterglow of her best live performance in seven weeks?

My thoughts exactly, stated with much more eloquence and wit than I am capable of. Loves it!

Jen P. Discusses Dolly Night

2008-04-02T09:34:00.000-07:00

Here is an excerpt from my Morning After Idol email with Jen P. We always discuss Michael Johns:

MJ now stands for MoJo. Whew! As soon as he gave a little moaning "yeah" afer the first line he sang, my head was in a fog. And then when he broke into the 5 or 6 "wrong"s at the end, I was happy that my husband wasn't there to see the perspiration start to bead up on my brow. I wanted to grab that ascot off of his neck and tie him to my bedposts! Lordy! MJ is definately back in my book.

I liked David Cook, too. Paula actually made some sense when she said she liked his new haircut. His head doesn't look so wide now and his hair doesn't look so red, either. Kudos to Cook's stylist.

Speaking of stylists, I was completely thinking what Simon had the guts to say aloud to Carly. Her clothes are just horrid week after week. Well, I did kinda like the blue dress thing she wore when she sang that Heart song, but otherwise thumbs down on the wardrobe. When she started singing last night, I thought to myself "What the hell pants is she wearing?". Maybe Simon could have pulled her aside and gave her the business instead of National TV....'cause I was sort of afraid her husband was going to make a rush at the judging stage. Speaking of her husband, did you notice that he looked like he was the only one giving her a standing ovation? Creepy...just creepy.

Syesha was impressive. I liked her interpretation of the song, but as you predicted you just can't take on a Whitney song without a whole bunch of criticism. When will the contestants get it? No Celine, no Whitney, no Aretha....ever.

For Dolly week it wasn't so bad. I was pleasantly surprised. Good songs, good vocals. My bottom 3? KLC, Ramielle, Carly....should be Jason, but I think he's got too big of a fan base right now. Who will get the boot? Ramielle.

David Cook Went To Hospital After Last Night's Show

2008-04-02T08:36:00.000-07:00

TMZ is reporting that David Cook was taken to the hospital last night after the show due to excessively high blood pressure. He was treated and released but apparently is still not feeling well. I guess this is not the first time he has been ill during the competition and once collapsed before a performance. Interesting.

Click here to read the TMZ post.

Who's Gettin' The Cowboy Boot?

2008-04-02T08:05:00.000-07:00

Aaah, Wednesday. Ryan Seacrest's favorite night of the week. It's what he sold his soul to Beelzebub for, the opportunity to break the hearts of young, talented singers on national TV. Although, I use the word talented loosely, especially if it's KLC or Ramiele getting their due tonight.

The best performances last night were 1) Michael Johns 2) Carly Smithson 3) David Cook. The worst were 6) David Archuleta 7) Syesha 8) KLC 9) Ramiele. Brooke and Jason are tied for the middle ground.

So of course I think the bottom 3 should be some combination of those 4 that I listed as the worst, but every week I am surprised by who actually ends up in the dreaded metal stools. The scary part is that KLC and Ramiele seem to have really strong fan bases that keep voting heavily for them week after week, otherwise they wouldn't still be there. I think that some of the other more talented contestants, like Jason, Brooke and Carly, have fans that are of the type who watch the show and love it but may not necessarily vote to keep their fave on. Which means that someone really good could end up going home again this week, while the dynamic duo rests comfortably on the velvet bleachers.

I think Jason, Brooke and Carly could all be vulnerable tonight. If any of those three end up sent home tonight, I may have one of those "I'LL NEVER WATCH AI AGAIN" crises.

Anyway, here is my best guess at tonight's bottom 3: Ramiele, Syesha, Kristy Lee. I think Kristy Lee will be safe because she was a country gal singin' country music last night and all her down home peeps voted to keep her on. So I think it will be Ramiele going home tonight. No bets, because I've been wrong about this week after week, but my feeling is that she's at the end of the AI line. I hope Dolly comes out and kicks her off with a rhinestone encrusted boot!

Hello Dolly!

2008-04-01T20:21:00.001-07:00

I love Dolly Parton, she's such an amazing songwriter and human being. I am familiar with some of her songs, but it's not like I'm listening to Dolly records all the time. I just knew she is really country, like twangy opry country. I really wondered how certain contestants, like MJ and David Cook, would handle these songs. But for all my worrying, it turned out to be a pretty good night, no one gave a disastrous performances, although a couple people almost bored me into a coma.

First up, Brooke White, looking adorable as usual. She chose to sing "Jolene" and shared the stage with a backup singer and fiddle player while she strummed the guitar. I actually got a chill as she started singing. I thought she did great, but the judges didn't like it. I just don't know what they want from Brooke, she has a definite style, she sings well and she's so charming. Give her a break.

David Cook sang "Little Sparrow," a song that has never been covered by a rock band or alternative artist previously and he had to depend on his own arrangement of the song. When I was listening to the song on Amazon earlier today I thought it might be a tough choice for him, but he did pretty good. He hit a bad note or two, but overall the performance was solid and he sailed through Dolly night easily. I just wish the judges would call him out on his bad notes and "pitch" problems the way they do with everyone else.

Then came Ramiele with a craptastic version of "Do I Ever Cross Your Mind." Not one of Dolly's best songs, and certainly not improved upon by Ramiele. It was OK but just completely boring. I think Ramiele has hit a wall on AI, and doesn't seem to be living up to the promise that she showed the first couple of weeks.

Jason Castro sang "Travelin' Thru" with his guitar, and it was good but all of his performances are just starting to blend together at this point. Like Brooke, he definitely has his own style and really doesn't deviate from it. I really like him, I have from the beginning, but he is really losing momentum in this competition. He's so cute though.

My girl Carly chose a great song, "Here You Come Again." Totally reminds of being about 8 years old, driving in my grandma's old T Bird. I did have a problem with the echo that was happening in the beginning of the song. I don't know if it was done on purpose or what, but it was distracting. She has such a voice though, she blew the song away. Simon's main criticism was about Carly's wardrobe. I wanted to be mad at him, because it's just so rude, but I kind of agree with him. I mean, what's the deal with the boots? It's like boots boots boots all the time. She could use a bit of styling. But Simon could have taken that up with her privately, right?

David Archuleta sang "Appalachian Memories." What? Of course he sings the sappiest song of the night, and I don't really think he sang it that well. He really hit the wrong note at one point, but yet the judges ju'st overlook that and act like it's the best thing since sliced bread. It's so obvious that they are pushing for certain people to win. I'm kind of over him. Sorry all you D. Arch fanatics out there.

Someone else I am so sick of is Kristy Lee. Of course this was the showcase night for her and she picked a good song for herself, the great autobiographical Dolly classic "Coat of Many Colors." It was OK, she just isn't a great singer. And why was she barefoot? No one could find a pair of shoes for her? I wish she would go home but looks like that won't happen this week.

Syesha won the "I Will Always Love You" catfight, and I really felt like she probably couldn't pull it off if she were to go the Whitney Houston route. In the end she kind of split the difference, starting off like Dolly and ending with a big Whitney finish. It was pretty in the intro but then seemed disjointed when she switched it up, and she really couldn't pull of those big notes at the end. Had she kept it soft and pretty it would have been much better. It just didn't really work for her. Her hair needed some help, too.

The final performance of the night came from Michael Johns. I was really worried about this because when we listened to the song, "It's All Wrong But It's All Right," on Amazon earlier today it seemed way too country for MJ. But he slowed it down and put a soul spin on it, and I luuuurrrvved it! Finally, the soul performance I have been waiting for from him, and when he sang the line about "sexy lovin' lies" I got a little flutter (don't tell my husband). He was absolutely the best of the night, and the judges finally got an opinion right and gave him the accolades he deserved. Not sure how I felt about his cravat scarf or whatever it was about his neck, but he still looked cute!

Dolly week was better than I had hoped for, definitely. Much better than Birth Year week or whatever it was last week. So excited about MJ. Can't wait to see who gets a cowboy boot in the ass tomorrow.

Dolly's On Tonight!

2008-04-01T10:48:00.001-07:00

So it's Dolly night tonight and we are all breathlessly awaiting the show so we can find out who's singing "I Will Always Love You." I'm sure there was some serious catfighting over that one. I just hope whoever managed to snag it follows Dolly's formula and not Whitney Houston's. No one on the show could pull that off. I would love to see Jason Castro or Brooke sing it with an acoustic guitar. I bet KLC will sing "9 to 5". Other than that I can't even imagine what some of these contestants are going to sing tonight. I've looked around the web to see if anyone has a leaked list of the song choices for tonight, but I guess the show really has it under wraps. Don't forget to watch what could be one of the biggest messes on AI since Elton John night a few years back.

WTF?

2008-03-27T10:03:00.000-07:00

I guess next week is Dolly Parton week on AI. What????? Listen, I love Dolly Parton, this is nothing against Dolly Parton, it's just that I can't quite wrap my head around a whole week devoted to Dolly Parton music. It's like the producers are trying to keep KLC on. Some of the contestants are going to be at a real disadvantage with this. It seems like an odd choice. This season is starting to be the season of ridiculous producer decisions. Two weeks of Beatles, bizarre birth year songs and now Dolly Parton. The show doesn't seem to be picking up any momentum, but instead is mired down in these wierd song weeks. It wouldn't surprise me at this point to have Marilyn Manson week or Alvin and the Chipmunks week. I do not get it.

Speaking of things I don't get, did you see Constantine in the audience last night? I seriously hate him.

I Think Your Wish Will Come True Next Week

2008-03-27T10:00:00.000-07:00

Here's some comments by Jen P., via our email AI converation:

Man, someone needs to do a DNA test on John Travolta, because I think Jason Castro is his missing offspring. Crazy similiarity. I can't stop looking at Castro waiting for him to do Travolta's Sweathog laugh. Creeping me out.

I read your blog to Dave prior to us watching the Tuesday night show via TIVO. He wanted to fast forward through Ramiele & Chickeze, too (see the power you have!) and we both decided to forward through Syesha as well. I declared that I really do not like her, although Dave says he does. "Why?", I asked. He says because she's confident. That's exactly why I DON'T like her. Her confidence comes off as arrogance to me. Yuck. I was crossing my fingers for her to get the foot to the ass, but God was not smiling on me last night, I guess. He must have been mad at me for lusting after MJ, being a married woman & all.

I have a feeling it'll be Brooke, MJ, and the 2 Davids in the end. Then, I think little Dave & MJ will split their votes, so it'll be Brook and Dave C in the finale. They'll probably bring John Mayer on for the finale show to do a duet w/Brooke now that she's said he's her dream duo partner and maybe they'll hook Dave C up with Pink....oooo..I'd like to hear that!

How come they haven't had the damn guest performers work w/the contestants yet?

I'll Miss You Chikezie Eze

2008-03-26T21:49:00.000-07:00

It's a stream of consciousness post tonight, I'm watching as I type. OK, bottom 3: Syesha, Chikezie and Jason Castro. I'm kind of surprised about Syesha.

Man, this sucks. Someone good is going home. There's both Kristy and Ramiele safe on the couch while 3 better performers are sweating it out. Even Kristy looks guilty because she knows she's taking the spot from someone more deserving...Oh wait, Jason is safe. Phew...Ryan (the devil) has gleefully announced a commercial break, so a few more minutes before we know. I like Syesha but I would rather see her go than Chikezie.

Here we go...OH NO! Chikezie is going home...I like Chikezie so much, I am so upset that KLC is still there and he is going home. My husband just said, "They got it wrong" and I totally agree. Goodbye cheerful Chikiezie, we'll miss ya.

Who's Gettin' The Boot Tonight?

2008-03-26T12:30:00.000-07:00

I am the worst at predicting who gets to go home each week. It's never who I think it will be. I've been waiting for Kristy to go home week after week, but she obviously has a legion of fans voting for her, and will probably be safe after last night's patriotic country song. Not to mention that she has Vote For The Worst promoting her since the departure of Amanda last week. The bottom three will almost certainly include Ramiele and Chikezie, but the third spot could really go to anyone. My money is on Carly or possibly (gasp) David Archuleta, who's baby chick freshness is wearing off. My head says Chikezie will probably go, my heart hopes it's Ramiele. Please please let Carly be safe this week.

Top 10 Snoozefest

2008-03-26T09:53:00.001-07:00

First of all, what the frick was Paula wearing last night? She was waving those gloves around more than a mime on a street corner would. Yes, honey, we see them. In other fashion related Idol news, I was relieved to see that the stylists have finally talked some sense into Kristy Lee Cook. She actually looked cute last night. The jeans weren't ripped, there wasn't a sequin in sight and the blue eyeshadow has mercifully disappeared. Everyone's hair also looked great last night. Carly and Brooke both had very smooth and pretty hairstyles. Although, did you see the kid pics of Carly in her intro video? She had a bigger 'fro than Dr. J. I would love to know how they get that mane straightened out.

As far as the singing goes last night, I was very bored by the whole thing. Maybe I am still exhausted from the Easter festivities that took place at my house, but I just could not muster up one bit of enthusiasm for the show last night. The contestants picked songs from the year of their birth (with quite a few coming from 1987) and some of the song choices were really strange. I fast forwarded through some of the performances, including Ramiele and Chikezie. Not surprisingly, those are the two that seem to be in the most trouble heading into tonights results show. KLC actually had the unanimous approval of the judges last night with her rendition of country anthem God Bless the USA. I thought it was a pretty odd song to sing on a show that is supposedly about creating pop idols, but hey, it seemed to work for her. Simon thought it was a pretty shrewd move on her part, keep the country folks voting for the patriotic gal. Looks like she may not be in the bottom 3 for the first time in weeks. Here are my brief thoughts on the rest:

David Cook - Best of the night with a cover of a cover of Michael Jackson's Billie Jean. Randy calls him original, but I disagree. Usually he is just covering a song that someone else has already covered in an original way. He was good though and really hit that big note at the end. This guy could win the whole thing.

Michael Johns - 2nd best, finally! Did a great job with Queen's We Will Rock You/We Are The Champions. Hit the notes and really sang his patoot off.

Brooke White - I love her every week and this week was no exception. The judges gave her performance of The Police's Every Breath You Take mixed reviews, but I though she was excellent. Except for the beginning where she flubbed the note then started over. She got kudos from all of the judges, and it was cute in a very Brooke way, but I wondered to myself if that little "mistake" wasn't planned by her ahead of time. It seemed too well done. Like she wanted to show them she's a pro and isn't it cute how she can pull off even a mistake. I'm probably reading way too much into it, and like her either way, but that was my feeling about it.

My gal Carly - Sang Total Eclipse of the Heart, a song I lurve from the eighties. She was great but the judges seem to want to hate on her for some reason. The girl is outsinging everyone else on the show but they seem to pick her apart every week. She was good, leave her alone. Her husband scares me though, I wish they wouldn't spotlight him in the audience.

Syesha - Great, again, but somehow she always gets eclipsed by the other contestants and their wacky songs.

David Archuleta - He sings good, obviously, but what song was that? Randy didn't even recognize it which is not a good sign. These contestants need to understand that they should sing songs that are recognizable, otherwise you end up in the bottom 3. People at home want to sing along, and they can't sing along to some obscure, hokey song that was never on the radio. Simon was exactly right when he said it sounded "theme-park." David A. needs to be very careful in the weeks ahead to pick songs that are right for his age and not too preachy. He seems to want to preach to us about the environment and peace and homeless people in his songs and that is not why we watch American Idol. We watch to forget about all that stuff and if he keeps this up he may find himself off the show.

Jason Castro - I love this guy, but his cover of Sting's Fragile was a little too laid back, even for Dreadlock Guy. He's just so dang cute, but I have a feeling he will be on the chopping block soon.

Chikezie - Poor Chikezie. I really like him but his song was boring, like I said earlier I tivo'd right through it. He is very vulnerable again tonight.

Ramiele - Time to go home.

Man, I wish the producers would come up with a good week of songs for these contestants because I for one am losing interest fast.

Fare Thee Well Skunky, er, Amanda

2008-03-19T22:10:00.000-07:00

I am sincerely hoping that the results shows will be a 1/2 hour in length from here on out. There's just no need for a full hour to give us 10 seconds of news. The viewer calls, and the recaps of old contestant's charitable works. I'd prefer to skip it. Kellie Pickler was cute though.

And Simon, please. No ego. Oh, ok, sure, whatever you say. I love ya, but give me a break.

Anyway...I had quite a moment when my gal Carly was in the bottom three. Oh my. At least it wasn't Michael Johns. I really just want to smack him out of this idea that he should choose songs because it's so cool that he gets to sing them on that stage. I keep hearing him say that. Just pick song you can sing well, not necessarily songs you like. Once you win you can sing whatever you want.

But I digress yet again. So the bottom 2 were Amanda and KLC. Not surprising and they are the two weakest links. Thankfully Ryan kept the gleeful torture to a minimum got down to business. And Kristy Lee, the luckiest girl in the universe tonight, lives to wear another awful outfit on TV whilst Amanda goes back to nursing and honky tonk bars. Ah such is life. Such is American Idol.

Why why why?

2008-03-19T21:18:00.000-07:00

Ack! What is happening? Carly is in the bottom 3. How did this happen?!!!!!

More later...

Jen P. Speaks

2008-03-19T17:46:00.001-07:00

So I am always mentioning my friend Jen in this blog because we are both Idol fanatics and we discuss it quite a bit. And she organizes our friendly Idol Pool. I have asked her to contribute to my blog but can't get her to do it. However she sent me her thoughts on last nights show and I thought it would be good to have another opinion here. So here is the wisdom of Jen P.:

Ok, I barely stayed awake to watch the whole show. Dave went to bed @ 8:15, so I was left to fend off the kids by myself. I had to rewind a couple times but I managed to complete last night's show. My thought: Not to give your ego a push, but my favorite was Carly Smithson. I'm coming around to liking her, although she needs to STOP with the tattoos. Last night's shirt with the ruffle collar was a little odd with the ink sleeve going down her arm. I thought she sounded really good, with a deeper sound that I hadn't heard from her before. I really liked her last night, which made me wonder why the judges didn't. I guess that's why I work here and not in the recording industry.

KLC wasn't so bad last night, but I think its just too late for her to redeem herself to America. She looks so cute in her montages, but then she has all this poofy hair on her performance nights. Yuck! I see her as a very wholesome American girl, but the stylists keep giving her beehives and big curls.

Sayesha's new look was great last night. I've found her to be very obnoxious (the "I'm an actress" line is starting to grate on my nerves!) and I've wanted her to go every elimination night, but I had to step back a bit yesterday. Her hair was darling and her boobs looked perfect in that dress. I didn't like her glitter eyeshadow, though, becuase I kept thinking she was crying during the performance.

Chikeze was whack! WTH? The switch from slow to fast in the song was awful and OH when he pulled that harmonica out, I was seriously pleading "No, no" out loud. I think he took the bluegrass remark from last week to a whole different level...a really wrong level.

Ramiele...bottom 3

Amanda, Amanda, Amanda. She just looked downright dirty; like she just got off work at the tire shop. I thought her outfit was horrid (no style at all) and her hair!!....(gasp)....looked flat & greasy. It seriously looked like she rolled out of bed, put on her biker boyfriend's outfit, walked on the AI lot, just put out a cigarette and stepped on stage.

David A & Jason C....they're getting overrated for me.

David C...I was wondering the whole time what was up w/the 2nd mic. I was kinda hoping that Daughtry was gonna run on stage and they were gonna rock the house, but I was left with just a weird mouth harp performance. When they kept egging Ryan on to try out the harp, I was cringing with the whole saliva issue so I was glad to see Ryan decline. Speaking of Ryan, he did a good French accent himself.

MJ? "He's got a way about him...and I don't know what it is". It's that damn INXS or Bono-ish movement he does on stage that is starting to make me want to look away. He reaches for Heaven now & then and that makes me nuts, too (in a bad way). I'm starting to think he does the same movements, just sings a different song each week. He just needs to sit his ass down and hold the mic with one hand and put the other one on his leg and just sing the damn song. I feel like I'm watching the guy from Simple Minds...just that MJ has better hair. I'm sure next week we're gonna hear about another favorite song of friend that died or a neighbor's dog that was run over or his sister's cousin's brother's baby's daddy if he gets bad reviews from the judges.

Bottom 3 for me?...I'm kinda w/you....Amanda, KLC, & Ramiele or Chickeze.

Adios, Jen P

Check me out!

2008-03-19T16:12:00.001-07:00

So, I usually post my weekly reviews over on a blog at AmericanIdol.com and today my blog is in the spotlight! Woo hoo...If only there was a cash prize involved. You can see it here.

Beatles Night Part Deux

2008-03-19T07:57:00.000-07:00

True story: Last week after David Archuleta sang, I looked at my husband and said, "He should have sung The Long and Winding Road." So, I feel somewhat responsible for his triumph last night, almost as if he really was listening to me.

Little David was back on form last night and did an amazing job with the song mentioned above. He was without a doubt the best of the night, followed by Syesha, who finally found the right song for her with Paul McCartney's Yesterday.

Other than those two, I think Simon was right when he said that they shouldn't have revisited The Beatles this week, and just kept the memory of last week's great performances. This was a wierd week, no one (except for Archuleta) was at their best, and they picked odd songs. No one sang Hey Jude. Wouldn't Michael Johns or Jason Castro done a fabulous Hey Jude? Instead Michael trashed A Day in the Life by chopping it up into a furiously manic arrangement. Jason did a really cute Michelle, and he gave my heart a little pitter patter when he sang in French, but it wasn't his best.

I was also disappointed by Carly Smithson's rendition of Blackbird. I wish she would have slowed it down and sang it softly with just an accoustic guitar beside her.

I liked Brooke's version of Here Comes the Sun better than the judges did. I felt they were way to hard on her. She picked good song for herself, and other than the strange dancing, she was pretty good.

Amanda was Ok. She picked a good song, Back in the USSR, but it just seems like the same ol' same 'ol. She also would have done a great job with Helter Skelter.

Not to sound too much like Randy, but Chikeze was just OK for me. He tried to do the same thing he did last week, but much less successfully.

I liked David Cook's Day Tripper better than I liked last week's Eleanor Rigby, although I seem to be the only person in America who feels that way. He is really good, though, I could see him going to the final.

Ramiele was pretty good, her I Should Have Known Better was definitely better, for me at least, than last week. She seems to have a fan base, but I wonder if it was enough to keep her out of the bottom 3.

And finally, Kristy Lee Cook, or KLC as my friend Jen has nicknamed her. What to say, what to say...I guess I just wonder what in the H-E-double hockey sticks she is thinking. She picked the song from the title. I mean, why not listen to some of the songs and find one that has a key and melody to suit your voice? One that you can sing well? Of all the songs in the Lennon/McCartney and George Harrison catalogs she picked You've Got To Hide Your Love Away, a dark Lennon ode to insecurity and forbidden love. Uh, what? And she did not "work it out" to quote Randy once again. It wasn't good. She does not have a clue who she is, musically, and it shows. And please get a stylist, you are on national TV. I would imagine that she is pretty vulnerable tonight.

I won't even try to predict who's going home tonight, because I am always wrong, but I would say that in addition to KLC, Ramiele is vulnerable as well as Amanda. And maybe Chikezie. We'll see tonight.

Simon Truly Hates Ryan

2008-03-18T10:48:00.001-07:00

I caught a little bit of Simon Cowell on Oprah Winfrey yesterday, and he flat out told Oprah that he doesn't like Ryan at all and he has nothing to do with Paula. He said he used to be OK with Ryan, you know they went to Africa together, but that Ryan has changed and is unbearable at this point. I was a bit surprised that he was speaking so frankly. I wish I could find a clip of that part of the show, if I do I'll post it.

I Lurve Joel McHale

2008-03-18T10:14:00.000-07:00

"Congratulations Yoko Ono, assassins, cancer and one-legged gold diggers. You're no longer the worst thing that's happened to The Beatles."

This whole video is funny, but fast forward to about 2:00 to see Joel discussing David Archuleta's performance.

Fresh Hatched Chick Has Horrible Stage Dad

2008-03-13T09:49:00.000-07:00

So, conspiracy theorists are saying that David Archuleta may have intentionally tanked his performance on Tuesday in order to cool his hype a bit. Some of the bloggers and AI watchers can't believe that someone who has been singing in front of an audience as long as David would forget his lyrics, or be so utterly unprepared as he appeared to be. Others have called in to question his statement that he didn't know anything about the Beatles or their songs, given that he sang "Imagine" just 3 short weeks ago. It does seem odd, and out of character for this kid who seems to have been born in front of a micropohone. But I don't think there is a "conspiracy"and I'll tell you why. His hype was already cooling. Remember last week, his dour performance of Phil Collins "Another Day in Paradise"? Simon panned it, none of the judges were thrilled, he didn't lose any fans, but his momentum was stalled. Also, look at him. Does he look like he machinating any plots? Maybe I am completely fooled by his childlike appearance, but Little David doesn't seem like he is capable of any sort of dastardly deeds.

His dad, on the other hand, is apparently some sort of evil stage parent. ET is reporting that Little David's dad, Jeff, was once banned from the Star Search set for underhanded behavior. He hangs around the AI set yelling at David to the point of tears. So maybe the Dad thought that by haranguing his kid to the point that his performance suffered, he would cool his hype, thereby preventing him from peaking too soon? Sounds complicated, no? Regardless of any theories, conspiracy or otherwise, this guy Jeff sounds like a jerk. How could you make that sweet little kid cry?

Check out the ET story here.

Take That Dead Horse And Beat It, AI

2008-03-13T09:38:00.000-07:00

So, I'm hearing that the remaining 11 contestants will be singing the Beatles again next week. WTF? Something must be up. Are they trying to get Paul McCartney for a surprise appearance and couldn't pull it off this week, so they're trying again? I don't get it. My love for the Beatles has been well covered in a previous post, but this is ridiculous. Producers, do your job. Find a different theme each week.

1 Down 10 To Go - The Shocking Results

2008-03-13T08:55:00.000-07:00

Actually, Ryan did not make Kristy Lee cry in last night's results show. KLC took control of the situation and preempted Ryan (the Devil) Seacrest's sadistic delay tactics when she asked for the mic so she could move herself down into the bottom 3. She knew what was coming and she wasn't going to play Seacrest's reindeer games. Good for her. I love that she showed some spunk.

I really thought for sure that KLC was heading home last night. The bottom 3 included KLC, Syesha and David H., and when asked if America got it right Simon said the voting was "spot on", prompting Paula to ask "What does that mean?" Seriously, Paula. Dump out whatever it is you're drinking in that cup and get it together. I agree with Simon, the voting was right on. But it was David H., and not KLC, getting his pink slip last night. I am bummed for my friend Jen who was knocked out of our Idol pool so early, but I am not sad to see him go. I was not a fan.

So Kristy gets a reprieve and I hope she is more careful about her song choice, and uses a stylist next week to get away from the sparkly tank top/ripped jeans combo she has been wearing week after week.

I just wish Jim Carrey could be on the show every week. My favorite part of last nights show was him sitting in with contestants while Ryan, perhaps sensing that he was being upstaged by Jim, tried to shoo him off the stage.

I also liked Kat McPhee's little number. I had completely forgotten what her voice sounded like. And Sanjaya and his sister were in the audience! We all got a kick out of that at my house.

Well another week of idol is over. My world will be colors of gray and unpleasant textures until next week.

Will Ryan Make Kristy Lee Cry?

2008-03-12T12:57:00.001-07:00

So, no debate right? Kristy Lee will be given a swift, hard kick in the patoot tonight. She seriously deserves it after that blasphemously horrible rendition of "Eight Days A Week" last night.

Check ya later sister. Back to farm for you.

Thank You Perez Hilton

2008-03-12T12:54:00.000-07:00

Aahhh, Dreadlock Guy. With no shirt on. Only Perez Hilton could dig up bare chest photos of the AI hottie.

Brillz

2008-03-12T12:34:00.000-07:00

I feel like I am promoting Entertainment Weekly too much here in this blog, but I love Michael Slezak's Idol recap. In last night's article he calls David Archuleta "The human equivalent of a fresh-hatched baby chick." Incredibly accurate. Also calls him out for the grossly irritating lip-licking thing. Slezak has also written an article offering very good advice and song choices for each of the top 12. I hope the contestants are reading it, because the song suggestions are right on. I do disagree, however, with his love of David Hernandez. I guess they are like gay brothers-in-arms, but David H. sucks. There is no way he "has more to offer" than Michael Johns.

Anyway, check it out if you love Idol.

The Top 12 Sing The Beatles

2008-03-11T18:28:00.000-07:00

Well, Jai Guru Deva, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Om.

First of all, Ryan, no one gives a crap about the "new set." Get over it.

Now, I was really worried about how American Idol's Lennon/McCartney week would go down. My brother and I were spoon fed the Beatles in the high chair. My parents were teenage Beatlemaniacs and it was all we heard in our house growing up. To say I am a fan of their music is an undestatement. It's part of my psychological makeup, the soundtrack of my growing up years. So, like any fan of great music, I feel protective of it. It seems wrong to let just anyone sing those songs. But, for the most part, I was pleasantly surprised.

The Good:

Chikezie sang "She's a Woman" with an interesting bluegrass/rock arrangement. He pulled it off and he certainly wowed the judges.

I loved Jason Castro (Dreadlock Guy) again this week. He sang "If I Fell" with his guitar and cute vocal inflections. I was surprised that Randy was so down on him. I thought he was excellent. Randy seemed extra cranky tonight. He didn't seem prepared to like any of the performances. Is Paula's mindless parroting of his reviews finally driving him over the edge? Was he offended by the amount of chest hair Simon was exhibiting? It's a mystery.

Carly Smithson belted a great version of "Come Together." She makes the other contestants look like amateurs. She said in the bio tape that she sings the song on a regular basis in her usual venue, and you could see that confidence and preparation in her performance. Come Together has been covered a lot, most notably by Aerosmith, so it isn't so jarring to hear it sung by an unfamiliar voice. I drew Carly in our AI pool, so I was happy to see her blow the other gals out of the water. Take it all the way baby.

Looking extra-hot tonight, Michael Johns was back on form with "Across the Universe." None of the judges seemed to like his performance much, but I LOVED it. He was so good. I loved his gentle, melodic take on the amazing lyrics.

Brooke White was so great again this week. She sang "Let it Be" at the piano, putting her indie-rock folksy vibe on it. Great song for her. She really knows her strengths and picks great material. And she was so cute when she came up to the judges with her feet bare.

The OK:

Syesha sang "Got To Get You Into My Life." She did a good job, the song was good, the arrangement was nice, but she just doesn't stand out.

I was horrified by Ramiele's version of "In My Life." This is one of those songs that is just sacred to me. We played it at my Grandma's funeral. For me to have to listen to this child just say the words as if they mean nothing was really difficult. I hated it. I mean, I know that the Beatles are not popular in the Phillipines. I'm just saying.

I am saddened to say that I did not like David Cook's "Eleanor Rigby." I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt after last week's Lionel Richie cover, but I just really hated it. And I was shocked by how much the judges liked it. Eleanor Rigby should not be used as an emo rock anthem. Have some respect. Hated it.

Amanda, Amanda, Amanda. What to say about Amanda? It was OK. I didn't particularly care for her performance, but it didn't make me vomit.

The Ugly:

I was so happy to see how bad David Hernandez was doing because I want him voted off (sorry Jen). I'm not sure what he was thinking when he decided to sing "I Saw Her Standing There." Of all the great songs there were to choose from that would have allowed him to really sing, he chose a boppy dance number. Idiot.

But my happiness only lasted until I heard the opening notes of Kristy Lee Cook singing "8 Days A Week" Hee Haw style. As soon as I heard that heinous atrocityI knew without a doubt that she will be going home. I know Simon advised her to keep going with the country thing, but girlfriend, no. Why not something like "In My Life" with a gentle country lilt? Kiss her goodbye, because she will not be back next week.

Shockingly, I have to put David Archuleta in this category. He sang Stevie Wonder's version "We Can Work It Out" and he really blew it. He forgot the lyrics, he seemed to get off on the timing, and appeared to be lost most of the way through. Like Randy, I could only hear Stevie singing in my head. Lucky for him, other contestants were much worse, and he has done enough in the past to keep him safe, but he'd better pull it together next week.

So, no bleeding ears, no John Lennon spectre rising ghostlike from the grave to kill Ryan Seacrest. Nothing bad happened when AI sang the Beatles. It was better than I hoped, and it renewed my love for MJ.

Looking forward to Ryan torturing Kristy Lee tomorrow night. Hee hee.

Top 12 - Big Sigh of Relief

2008-03-07T08:18:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I was reading this blog back and noticed that I start many posts with the word "Well." In fact, I almost did it again when I started typing this post. So, that is irritating and I will endeavor to do better. I know it's also irritating to begin sentences with "Ok" and "So" but I can't help myself there.

Anyway...I was so worried that Michael Johns was going to get the axe last night. But luckily he is safe. I was also really worried for Chikezie. I think he is great, so I was happy to see him make it to the top 12. I just wish it had been dirty stripper David Hernandez going home instead of Danny Noriega. Finally, and happily, Luke was also booted off last night.

I was happy to see Kady go, she has been consistently awful. And not surprised about Asia'h. She's sweet, but hasn't really lived up to the promise she showed in her audition. These were my picks yesterday:

Luke Menard, Chikezie, Kady Malloy, Kristy Lee Cook

I actually wasn't too far off, but it also was a pretty easy week to predict. It seems like the most talented people in the competition made it through to the top 12. Although I wish they would stop saying that this is the most talented season yet. It's not. Really, Paula, stop saying it.

It gets exciting now for me because we do an American Idol pool every year. Last year my guy Blake went all the way to the finale. I'm hoping to win it all this year!

Who Does Ryan Get To Humiliate Tonight?

2008-03-06T16:51:00.000-08:00

Well, after last week I am very reluctant to venture any guesses as to who will get the boot tonight. I was very wrong. I will hope against hope that Luke Menard and Kady Malloy will be included in the group going home. I'm actually very scared that my Michael Johns will be going. He just hasn't done anything that great to keep himself on. I think Chikezie is also vulnerable and also David Hernandez. David Cook and David Archuleta are the only guys that are completely safe. Danny Noriega is so fun to watch and also he has VFTW helping him out, so he is probably safe also. I hope Dreadlock Guy is safe.

On the girls side, again, it has to be Kady. And maybe Asia'h. Syesha is also vulnerable as is Ramiele. Ramiele is very talented, she's just so boring. I think Amanda may have redeemed herself enough to be safe this week, and she also has VFTW on her side. Kristy Lee should be worried, though. Brooke has been so solid that she should make it through just fine.
So let's see, I'll venture some firm predictions:

Luke Menard
Chikezie
Kady Malloy
Kristy Lee Cook

Just don't ridicule me tomorrow...

Wake Me Up Before You...Oh No

2008-03-06T16:18:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm really falling down the job (such as it is) this week. I did finally watch both shows last night. I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. I expected much much worse from 80's week.

Of course Luke was horrifically bad, but what's new with that?

I actually loved Danny Noriega's rendition of Tainted Love. She is really growing on me, if only for entertainment value. And she's so pretty. Sadly, my poor Michael Johns is really vulnerable this week. He picked a great song in 80's anthem Don't you Forget About Me, but really didn't deliver a great performance. I want him to do that whole soul thing again, like at his first audtion. I would love to see him do Try A Little Tenderness.

The big surprise of Tuesday night was David Cook singing Lionel Ritchie's Hello. At first I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I sat through most of it with my mouth open in shock, and a string of drool forming between my lip and chin. It finally dawned on me that his performance was awesome. Totally. He has absolutely nothing to worry about tonight.

Chikezie did pretty good and of course Dreadlock Guy was great. He sang that one Leonard Cohen song, we all know it but I can't remember the title. The one from Shrek. You know. Anyway, he hit a few bum notes and I thought he would have been better with his guitar, but he was good. David Archuleta depressed the crap out of me with some Phil Collins song. I agree with Simon, he needs to perk it up a bit. I hate David Hernandez. I hope the gay stripper thing gets him sent home.

The girls were also OK. The big shocker on Wednesday was Amanda Overmyer actually singing a song with some intelligible lyrics and doing a great job. Also, they have put some sort of smoothing serum or hot oil treatment in her hair. It still looks skunkish, but she's headed in the right direction. You could tell though, that she just hates the judges and feels like she is selling out or something by acting on their criticisms from last week. She looked like she was saying "Eff You" in her head while they were talking.

And I guess these girls don't read this blog because both Syesha and Asia'h came out singing Whitney Houston. Why why why? Don't they watch past seasons of the show? Syesha was OK, Asia'h not so much.

Carly was great.

I knew someone would sing Pat Benatar, I just didn't think it would be the folksy Brooke White. She put her own spin on it, singing a very stripped indie-rock version accompanied by only an accoustic guitar. It was very cool. I like her more and more every week. Those idiots Randy and Paula of course found a way to criticize it, even though it was the best performance of the night.

Kady - Horrible
Ramiele - Blah
Kristy Lee - Eck

Oops

2008-03-05T07:45:00.000-08:00

Well I missed Idol last night. I saw about 10 horrifying seconds of Luke Menard singing "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go" and I knew we were in for a real treat. Anyway, we Tivo'd but I still haven't watched it. I'll watch the guys and girls back to back tonight then recap it all.

Separated At Birth?

2008-02-29T09:26:00.001-08:00

Is it just us? During Girls night my husband said, "Doesn't she look like Barf from Spaceballs?" And she does.

x

Eight Down, Sixteen To Go

2008-02-29T08:43:00.000-08:00

So, the results are in and I was pretty surprised. After another embarrassingly uncomfortable musical number Ryan settled down to the business of crushing people's dreams.

Happily for us all, Jason Yeager was given the boot and hard last night. My husband and I were laughing so hard at his little goodbye video when he said, "I hope this works out because I will never hold down a 9 to 5 job." And then they ask Simon should he continue trying to make it in the "industry." Are you kidding me? Dude, go get a job at a grocery store or cell phone kiosk because you are NEVER going to be a famous singer. Give it up and do some actual work to put food in your child's mouth. It's over.

I did have a scary moment for a second when I thought Jason Castro might be eliminated. I seriously love Dreadlock Guy. I know he won't win this thing, but I want to see what he does the next few weeks.

Poor Danny Noriega, he gets so upset during the elimination episode. Every time he finds out he's safe his little eyes get so big and you know he's thinking that it should have been him.

But then, instead of Luke Menard, Robbie got sent home. I was surprised only because his performance wasn't that bad. Luke's was definitely worse. I guess people are just absolutely sick of that scarf headed poseur. Seriously, it's 2008. It's not cool to look like Brett Michaels little brother.

I am happy that Michael Johns was safe, because he didn't do great this week. Please please let him knock us out with something next week.

I was very surprised by the girls results. I gues Vote For The Worst must be doing a bang up job because Amanda Overmyer was safe this week. I though for sure that she was gone after that horrible rendition of Wayward Son. I really hope that she takes this opportunity to do a better job next week. Pick a better song and for Pete's sake do not wear chaps. At least her hair looked a bit better last night. She had some extensions and it was pulled off of her face. But they need to get a colorist down there STAT.

Instead of Amanda it was Alexandrea Lushington getting the shove off last night. I have to say it really did surprise me. She wasn't that bad. I think she was out of her league vocally, but so have many other Idol finalists. I guess she just didn't connect enough to get people voting.

And the other shocker was poor little Alaina sobbing her heart out after she was sent home. And Kady Malloy gets to stay after that absolutely atrocious performance. I can't believe that. I don't love Alaina but she was better than Kady. At least that tool Ryan gave Alaina the choice to sing or not because she was so emotional.

Next week should be interesting.

And I did eat my hat this morning. Well, not my hat, but one of my hubby's old baseball caps. It was gross.

Noooooooooooooooooo!!!!

2008-02-28T09:45:00.000-08:00

I don't know where Vote For The Worst gets their info but according to them the top 12 contestants will be performing Beatles songs. I may have to stab myself in the ear. I am seriously considering skipping that show. Otherwise some of my all time favorite songs will be ruined forever. Who authorized this travesty? I see Yoko Ono all over this. Oh my god, I am breaking out in a cold sweat. I can only pray to sweet Jesus that someone has been misinformed.

Amanda Overmyer Busted For DUI

2008-02-28T09:38:00.000-08:00

I found this on Vote For The Worst, it was actually broken by TMZ. Amanda Overmyer was arrested for DUI in October 2006. The pic above is her booking photo. The shocking thing is that the mug shot shows she has had that hair style for at least two years. She has deliberately maintained that hideous two-toned 'do for years. Someone get Stacey London on the phone.

Who Will Go Home Tonight?

2008-02-28T09:18:00.001-08:00

Tonight there seem to be some pretty clear cut losers. I will eat my hat if Kady Malloy and Jason Yeager don't get sent home. The other guy has to be Luke Menard. As for the other girl, my guess is Amanda Overmyer. She is interesting, but she did everything she possibly could to alienate viewers. So again, here's my list:

Jason Yeager
Luke Menard
Kady Malloy
Amanda Overmyer

Right?

EW does a great Idol recap, check out today's here. Michael Slezak says that Alaina Whittaker is Skipper to Kristy Lee Cook's Barbie. That gave me a little giggle. Check it out, it's really good.

Top Ten Girls - What A Mess

2008-02-28T08:47:00.000-08:00

What to say about last nights performances? Once again, the only word that comes to mind is crap. Total crap. Carly Smithson did great with her heart song but almost everyone else completely sucked. Kristy Lee Cook was actually much better this week, she did pretty good by Linda Ronstadt's "You're No Good." She looked so much better also, without the tons of eye makeup and false lashes. Brooke White charmed the judges with "You're So Vain," which was a great song choice for her, and she is a really likeable contestant, but I didn't feel like she sang it as well as the judges thought she did.

In the What Was She Thinking Category, Amanda Overmyer sang Kansas, and not well. I was actually proud of Paula for doing something that was pretty uncomfortable but necessary, telling Overmyer to tone down the hair and makeup. Seriously, it's just too much with the eyeliner, the bride of frankenstein hair, and the chaps. She looks 15 years older than she is. It may not matter in this competition though, because she will probably go home tonight. It's too bad, because she is an interesting aspect to this season, but she just can't let go of that "I'm a rocker" thing long enough to make a sensible song choice. How great would she have done at some Eagles? Hotel CA or New Kid in Town. Or, even some Aretha Franklin, you know, mix it up a bit. Oh well.

Kady Malloy will also get her walking papers tonight. She also sang Heart, but was never once on key. It was so very very bad. And she is just not an engaging or likable contestant. I seriously hope this is the end for her.

Syesha Mercado also made a terrible song choice. She sang Me and Mrs. Jones, but changed the pronoun and sang it about Mr. Jones. So irritating. It really rubbed the judges wrong, and I'm sure many voters felt the same way I did. It wasn't cute. I like her, but come on.

Alaina Whittaker actually sang "Hopelessly Devoted to You." Like, she's probably seen Grease 100 times and it's like her favorite song and she was like so excited to sing it. Well, she like, sucked. She can sing, no doubt, but why why why would you sing a song from Grease? Find a great song from the 70's and sing it. How hard can that be? It just shows how young she is.

And here's a tip for Asia'h Epperson and all the female contestants: DO NOT SING WHITNEY, CELINE OR MARIAH. Just don't. Don't these contestants ever learn? You cannot sing as good as they do and no matter what you will suffer in comparison. Epperson closed the show with "All By Myself" which has been done by both Celine Dion and Mariah Carey. The song was way too much for her and she and her ridiculous hair extensions got spanked by the judges.

As for Alexandrea and Ramiele: Eh. That's it. Eh. Not good, not bad.

Next week should be good for some laughs since it's gotta be 80's week. Can't wait.

Top Ten Guys - It's 70's Week

2008-02-27T14:34:00.000-08:00

Well, I am sure everyone is talking about David Archuleta today. The guy basically won the whole thing last night with his version of John Lennon's Imagine. I mean, you almost wish they would just give it to him and send everyone else home. Almost. Because there is always the chance that the kid will really screw one up at some point in the competition, which would be horrible and wonderful all at the same time. Anyway, last night's performances were better overall than last week's. It's just that everything paled in comparison to Archuleta's amazing performance and humble acceptance of the judges accolades.

Here are the rest of my critiques in order of best to crap:

Chikezie: Sang "I Believe to my Soul." Complete turnaround from last week. I loved it, he did a fabulous job.

Jason Castro: Sang the Bee Gee's "I Just Wanna Be Your Everything." Maybe that's an Andy Gibb song, not a Bee Gee's. Anyway, I really liked it. The judges tore him a new one, but I thought it was pretty good. I really like him a lot and of all the contestants he seems the most authentic. And his eyes are beautiful.

Michael Johns: Gave us some Fleetwood Mac. He's in my top three (after D.A.) just because I still love him, but he has got to step it up a bit. He did such a good soul song at his San Diego audition, belting out Otis Redding, that it makes me wonder why he wouldn't choose something more along thos lines. For Pete's sake, the seventies were chock full of of groovy souls songs. I like Fleetwood Mac as much as the next person, but he really didn't do himself any favors with that song.

David Cook: "All Right Now." It actually was all right now. He was kind of cute and I liked him with the guitar.

David Hernandez: "Papa Was A Rolling Stone." Well, I have to give the guy some credit. He can sing, he does stay in key. I just don't like him or his voice.

Danny Noriega: This guy is actually starting to rub off on me a little. His performance of "Superstar" was so much better than last week's Elvis mess, and he actually got some props from Simon. They're going to have to change their focus at Vote For The Worst if this keeps up.

Robbie Carrico: Really, who cares?

Luke Menard and Jason Yeager: It's a tie between these two crapsters this week. I hope Jason has his bags packed because he is outta there this week. His Doobie Brother's was horrible and his dance moves made me vomit. Luke ruined one of my favorite Queen songs. I will never again be able to hear "Killer Queen" without a little shiver of disgust. It was atrocious. He is good looking for sure, but just so blah. And he is in some sort of traveling singing group so I guess he can sing good sometimes, maybe just not on this show.

So it seems like there are some clear frontrunners among the boys. I just really hope that MJ does better next week. I guess it will be 80's week next week, which can bode no good. Lots of Pat Benatar and Whitney Houston.

Also, Vote For The Worst has a leaked list of what the girls are singing tonight. If it's accurate there looks to be a great mix of good and crap.

Garrett Haley Forced To Sing Awful Song

2008-02-26T10:28:00.000-08:00

Garret Haley told Entertainment Tonight that he was forced by producers to sing that horrible song last week. Here is the quote:

"We are allowed to choose three songs from a list," he tells reporters. "Every contestant is for sure to get one of the songs; I didn't get any of my songs, because they had given them out to all the contestants before that, so I just ended up with having to choose from the list again. I didn't get to choose. They threw the song at me and said, 'Sing this one.' I took what I got and I did what I could with it. It is hard to make a ballad song pop out at the beginning. I did the best I could and I am happy with what I did."

That sucks. I hated his performance and couldn't stand looking at his wan face and fluffy hair, but now I am forced to wonder if he might have done better with another song of his own choosing.

J Lo Exclusive!

2008-02-22T22:06:00.000-08:00

After about four years of pregnancy Jennifer Lopez has finally squeezed out those damn babies. I swear to god her gestational period was longer than an elephants. What are the odds these two crackheads will name the babies Jennifer and Marc Jr.?

Here are the first pics of the twin babies:

Weird

2008-02-22T08:15:00.001-08:00

This is kind of odd. The last two put on the show are the are the last two kicked off in the first round. Well, it's not as cool as I type it as it was in my head. But it's got a nice symmetry to it.

Check out I'm Bringing Blogging Back for a hilarious minute by minute recap of the results show.

Four Down, Nineteen To Go

2008-02-21T20:58:00.000-08:00

First thing I noticed was Michael Johns hair cut. He is looking HOT.

Ok, are The 60's getting advertising dollars from American Idol, because they are just running it into the ground. I really hate the group singing numbers that they put together, and the one tonight is one of the worst they've ever done. The mod outfits on the girls are just too over done. Some of the more legit contestants must feel like total idiots doing that choreography.

Anyway, they have to fill the whole time slot before they kick people off so they played Paula and Randy's new "video." I had enough of this at the Superbowl. Paula is just recycling dance moves from her "Opposites Attract" video from 1988, who cares. And who else is on Randy's album anyway? Never mind, I don't care.

Then Ryan brings Garrett Haley up to the stage and without any preamble or separating the guys into groups, nothing at all to soften the blow, says "You're going home." Ryan is such a douche. I know the producers make him do it, but he takes such obvious glee in crushing the souls of these contestants. Not that I wasn't happy to see Leif Frampton and his cloud of hair depart. I really couldn't watch another week of that. How did they get that hat to stay on his head?

Then Amy Davis got the old heave ho, no surprise there at all, and Joanne Borgella. I'm a bit disappointed about Joanne, I know she could have done better than she did last night, but you know what, she blew it. You have to go out on that stage with a good song and sing it well.

Finally Colton Barry was given his walking papers. Jason Yeager should be counting his lucky stars tonight. I really thought it would be him. Or Luke Menard. I'm not surprised the Chikezie was in the bottom 3, but I think he can do better. I'm glad to see Colton go, he was not good. I was sick of that hair in his face.

I have to say there were no surprises with the voting, I guess it's so early that it's pretty easy to eliminate all the crappy ones first. I have to say again that I hope they get better song choices next week. Please do not let it be Broadway week.

Who Will Go Home Tonight?

2008-02-21T11:27:00.001-08:00

So tonight two girls and two guys will be eliminated. In the guy's corner so many of them are vulnerable due to their weak performances that it's kind of hard to say who will be going home. If I have to predict my money is on Luke Menard and Garrett Haley. I also think Jason Yeager should be really worried. Maybe Chikezie, but I hope not because I think he will only do better as the weeks go on. David Archuleta and Michael Johns will definitely be safe. Also, Jason Castro should sail through.

It is harder to predict the girls because no one stood out as really really bad. It just all kind of blended together. I really think no one is truly safe among the girls, except for maybe Carly Smithson. But I will make a prediction and say Kady Malloy and Amy Davis will get the boot. I think Kristy Lee Cook and Joanne Borgella are also really vulnerable.

Can't wait for tonight to see who it will be!

Top Twelve Girls

2008-02-21T09:36:00.000-08:00

As with the top twelve guys I was incredibly disappointed with the collective performances of the top 12 girls. With just a couple of exceptions the girls were just boring. The songs choices were awful. I know for a fact there were some good songs in the 60's, I guess the Idol contestants have decided not to sing them.

Kristy Lee Cook started off the evening with what looked like a whole head transplant. There was so much makeup on her face that I would not have recognized her had Ryan not said her name. She sang Rescue Me, and she sang it OK, but it's an uptempo song and she seemed wooden throughout her time on stage. I am starting to think that Amazing Grace is the only song that she can actually sing well. Apparently she had a bad case of the flu that ran through some of the female contestants. That does suck, the most important thing you've ever done in your life and you can barely walk because you're sick.

She was far from the only disappointment for me. Amy Davis, Alaina Whittaker, Kady Malloy and Joanne Borgella were all completely forgettable as far as I was concerned. The judges all seemed to love Alaina Whittaker's performance of More Today than Yesterday, but I didn't get it. She's a pretty girl with a cute little personality but the song itself was just whatever. I did really like her outfit. And can someone please tell Kady Malloy to lay off the Britney impression. We get it, you can sing like Britney. Enough already. The sad thing is if she could inject as much personality into her Idol performances as she does those Britney impressions she might do OK. I totally agree with Simon who told her, "When you do Britney, you’re brilliant. And then when you do you, the light goes off."

Amy Davis sang Where the Boys Are, and not well. That song was a piece of crap when it was a new release, it certainly hasn't aged well. I was really disappointed by Joanne Borgella with her rendition of Say A Little Prayer. She really didn't sing up to her abilities. I kept expecting her to really belt something out, and she just didn't do it.

I actually thught Brooke Davis did a really good job with Happy Together. David Cook sang the same song on Guy's night and tanked it, but I thought Brooke's arrangement was good and she was totally charming. It was one of the few performances that was engaging and it was one of my favorites of the evening. The judges didn't like it, even Paula kind of gave the thumbs down, and I was really surprised. I like Brooke more and more as time goes on.

I also really liked Alexandrea Lushington's performance of Spinning Wheel. Simon was right when he said the vocal wasn't great because she did have some really shaky spots, but the performance was good. She was interesting. It was like having a cool drink of water after walking in the desert. She did something other than stand and sing into a mic and at my house we were loving it. I do think Randy and Paula were a bit overboard in their praise, but I can understand that. She also looked cute and sassed Ryan, which I loved.

I know Amanda Overmyer is like the rocker chick and that's her thing, but she sang Baby Please Don't Go, a song with completely unintelligible lyrics. I like Van Morrison as much as the next person, but last night was a really important night for her and she should have sung something with a vocal that people can understand. Past seasons show that scat style vocals do not go over well with the voting audience. The song was OK, it was certainly different than what the other contestants are up to, but what is Amanda going to do when Barry Manilow week comes around? And for pete's sake, will someone please do something with her hair. I suspect she is a pretty girl, but it's hard to tell under the black eyeliner and two-tone hair.

Syesha Mercado, Asia'h Epperson, and Ramiele Malubay had the best vocals of the night, but... Syesha did not sing to her full potential. It was pretty good, but forgettable. As for Asia'h, I love her, she is great, but enough with the Janis Joplin already. The show's producer's should forbid anyone from singing any more Janis Joplin for the rest of the season. And yes, Ramiele sang it great, although I wouldn't give her the rapturous praise that the judges did, but again it was fairly forgettable. Maybe it was the song, a slow moving Dusty Springfield, but it just didn't wow me.

Carly Smithson is the contestant we were waiting for all night. Unfortunately for her the producer's have hyped her so much, and there has been so much in the news about her previous recording contract that we have all these expectations built up about her abilities. I think she would have a much better chance of winning if she were under the radar a bit. She sang Shadow of Your Smile, which most of the audience (me included) probably wasn't familiar with. She sang it just fine, hitting some good notes at the end, but I think whe would have done better with a more mainstream song. Randy and Paula loved it so much they were practically doing cartwheels on the judges table but Simon felt differently.

"Everything about it, to me, was a letdown. I was genuinely expecting something fantastic," Simon told her.

I kind of agree with Simon, but it's not Carly's fault and she is almost at a disadvantage now that she had no part in creating. She sang so great through the auditions and the producers and media have showcased her so much that we do expect something realy fantastic from her. I'm sure she will be safe for next week's show, and I hope she connects with the audience and judges a bit better.

I really hope these girls pick it up a bit next week. I hope the producers come to their senses and let them sing something more contemporary. Please do not let it be disco week.

More Reality Show Pro's Come To Light

2008-02-20T09:37:00.000-08:00

So, we've already talked about the musical pasts of Carly Smithson, Michael Johns, and Robbie Carrico in previous posts on this blog. Now an article in the Baltimore Sun is shedding some light on other Idol Contestants with previous recording industry/reality show experience.

Kristy Lee Cook was recording in Nashville long before her first Idol audition. Her deal with Arista didn't last, but her debut CD, Devoted, is still available online.

Syesha Mercado was on ABC's The One: Making a Music Star for the two episodes before it was canceled.

Jason Castro was dating singer Cheyenne when she was on MTV's reality show of the same name, which followed her attempts to make it as a singer.

Joanne Borgella won the 2005 season of Fat Chance, a plus-size beauty pageant hosted by Baltimore's Mo'Nique.

Jason Yeager was a Top 25 finalist on Making the Band.

David Archuleta won Star Search at age 12 - and later sang "And I Am Telling You (I'm Not Going)" on Jenny Jones, which can now be seen on YouTube.

Brooke White released an album called Songs From the Attic on the indie label New Millennium Records Group in 2006, but she's no longer under contract

Top Twelve Guys

2008-02-19T20:18:00.000-08:00

Ryan opened last night's show by mentioning that this year's talent is the best ever. Well, sorry Ryan, but you couldn't tell from most of the performances given last night. There were only a couple of guys who stood out from the pack. Unfortunately, this group was not helped by the songs they were forced to choose from, all from the 1960's. Only 3 out of the twelve were up to that challenge.

First up for the night, David Hernandez. It was just so blah. He hits the notes, but I hate his voice. So boring. Then came Chikeze, who is a contestant that I have been rooting for all along. But I was incredibly disappointed. For one thing, what the frick was he wearing? He looked like a giant orange Tic Tac. Then the song was awful, of course Paula acted like she loved it. I wonder if Simon will fulfill my fantasy this season and slap her across the face on air.

Then came a couple more awful, boring performances by David Cook and Jason Yeager singing Happy Together and Moon River, respectively. Seriously, Moon River. Ugh. Robbie Carrico actually did pretty good, I was surprised. Simon is right though, he doesn't have any credibilty because of the whole boy band thing, and also because of the scarf on his head. He has to lose that. A scarf on your head doesn't make you a rocker, it just makes you tacky.

After Britney's ex came the first ray of hope with David Archuleta. He did a great job with Shop Around, although not as good as he did in Hollywood, and he is just so cute that you can't help but like him. But from that performance things went downhill fast. Danny Noriega was hideous, I hope he goes away quickly, but I am afraid there will be a voting contingent that will keep him alive for a while. Then Luke Menard - Blah. Colton Barry - Blah.

I was curiously awaiting Garret Haley's performance because we've never seen him sing before throughout the auditions. I have renamed him Leif Frampton because he looks like a cross between Leif Garret and Peter Frampton. And, oh dear, the song was painful. He is hard to look at with that cloud of hair and piercing eyes. Also, he looks very feminine but he has a bit of a mustache, which is odd. Does he think those nearly invisible wisps of hair will bring some masculinity to his overall appearance? I can't even remember what he sang, but it wasn't good and then Simon just told him the painful truth. Simon suggested that he get some sun, which Randy and Paula ridiculed, but he is right. The guy looks like a wraith. I swear Simon called him a young girl at one point. This guy can't last.

The last two performances were the best of the evening. I was blown away by Jason Castro, or Dreadlock Guy . I had no expectations of him and was very pleasantly surprised. He sang What A Day For a Daydream and played his own guitar on stage. When I saw the guitar I thought it was certain disaster, but Dreadlock Guy totally pulled it off. He was so great. He also comes across as very authentic, you know he is for real about playing and singing, or whatever. And he is really cute when those dreads are out f his face. He was my favorite of the night, even over Michael Johns.

But - Michael Johns also did really well, certainly top 2 of the evening. He didn't knock me out like he did with Bohemian Rhapsody, but it was very good. He is a great performer to watch, he is comfortable on the stage and he sings really well. Plus, he's hot.

So overall, a craptastic show. I hope the girls pick it up a bit tonight, or we might be in for a loooong season.