American Idol Season 5

Taylor Hicks: American Idol 2006

2006-05-25T09:17:00.000-07:00

I gotta say though, I wasn't all that upset when Taylor won last night. I guess it's just because it was pretty much a given that he was going to win so it wasn't really surprising. It certainly wasn't like Carrie/Bo last year. Hopefully he'll actually have a career and not turn into the next Ruben.

I actually thought that the finale was really, really good last night. This was the first time that it was just a big celebration about the whole season and was a great way to cap it off. I loved all of the performances and the Golden Idol awards. But let's talk about the guests that they had. How sad is it that you get 12 unknown kids on stage and they all outsing the so-called "legends" of the music industry. Let's start with Meatloaf. What the hell was that? Singing? I think not. How about creating a vibrato by shaking the mic? I felt so bad for Kat , who clearly sounded much much better than Meatloaf but had to put on a performance with him.

Then there was Mary J. Blige. Someone needs to teach that bitch the meaning of a duet. It's a fucking DUET! That means two people sing together, not you jump in front of him and sing (pretty crappy I might) so no one can see or hear your partner. Elliott was sounding amazing on One (I wish he would have pulled that out during the competition sometime) and Blige comes out and ruins what could have been the best song of the night. I remember she even pulled that shit with Bono and turned their duet into a solo. Bitch, it ain't your song! At least Elliott sounded much better than she did too.

Toni Braxton. Can she sing? I don't know because I couldn't hear a word that was coming out of her mouth. Maybe next time she'll stop dressing like slut and stop trying to molester her duet partner and actually try to sing. She was so out of breath it was sad. At least Taylor got felt up though.

Dionne Warwick. Now this is supposedly a music icon. But when you get 12 young singers standing next to you and you can barely get enough air to get the words out you're not going to sound good. Especially when you go for that last big note and you're FLAT! Oh man was she flat. I don't even know if she was flat, she just may have been in a completely different song (senility sucks!). That note was no where near what the rest of the group is singing. I cringed.

Prince was awesome and was very much a surprise. I know that they have been wanting to get him on the show all season and I was shocked when he walked out at the end of the finale. That was great! I hope that he comes back next season and they do a Prince week. I'm not really a fan of "artist theme weeks" but I think a Prince week would be fun. He's got a lot of great songs to choose from.

I loved the Bacharat medley and was even shocked when Bucky sang. He sounded really good (what?!). I liked the guys/girls medleys as well. It was funny to see Clay's wannabe freak out when Clay walked out behind him on stage (what's up with Clay's hair? I mean, he's gay now. He should have better fashion sense then that.) and it was nice to hear Clay busting out a song again. Damn, that boy can still sing. Too bad his CD sucks though. Carrie sounded amazing on her current single and I loved seeing her sing with Taylor, Kat and the rest of the top 12.

Overall, it was a great show. I'm sad it's over because now I have to wait until Jan for it start all over again. But at least I know my tivo is ready to go. :)

Wanted: Idol or Alive

2006-05-24T23:14:00.000-07:00

Unless you live under a rock you've heard about my little obsession with American Idol. As you may or may not know, the Top 10 American Idol contestants tour after the show ends (which occurred tonight) and every year I have been in attendance, in a wonderful floor seat. To my horror, I missed the 1/2 hour window to get my ticket to the show and now I am left numb and forlorn.

People, let me get to the point.

RYAN NEEDS A TICKET TO THE AMERICAN IDOL TOUR.

Now a gift of this nature would obviously be accepted, but I am definitely willing to pay as well. But I do have my pride and I just can't justify spending equal money on an AI Tour ticket as some people are paying to see Mariah or Madonna (i.e. I'm not going to pay over $100).

So how can you aid in this worthy cause?

Beg, borrow, steal...lie, cheat, deceive...sell your body, soul, mind. Really whatever it takes, you know I'm right there beside you. That's how deep my Idol-sickness runs. So spare me the snide remarks or tepid jokes (I know most laugh at my TV love) and "try a little tenderness" (bonus point if you can name the TWO Idols who have sang a song with this lyric).

But if you have a heart, help a brother out.

:(

The Finale Part 2

2006-05-24T09:33:00.000-07:00

So being at the finale today was pretty fun. I saw a ton of old Idols that were there. Unfortunately, No Pubes wasn't there but Federov was. I saw him a lot. I also saw Nadia, George Huff, LaToya, JPL (so not cute), Constantine, Will Makar and Patrick Hall from this season, and all of the Top 12. It seems like they're all coming out for this finale.

Judging just off of the audience reaction in the room, Taylor won this thing by a landslide. He has so many fans that were screaming everytime he got on stage. There was even a time when people were booing when Simon said that Kat just "tied it up". People definitely want him to win.

Now in terms of tonite's show, I actually think that Kat had the better performance. Taylor won the first round (bad choice for Kat), but she sang circles around him with Over the Rainbow in round 2. Now, round 3 was the important one. Both songs pretty much sucked ass. Kat's was horrid. I can't believe that was what they chose. It may be almost as bad as Inside my Vagina but not quite. you can tell that she didn't even like the song but at least she sounded good on it (except for a couple of bum notes up on top). Taylor's song was a little better but he was all over the place vocally. Watching it back on tv you can't really tell because it was drowned out, but he wasn't on key for the entire 1st verse. And then that horrible high note at the end of the song, yeesh! I would give that round to Kat and call her the winner. However, based on the crowd I am almost 100% positive that Taylor's going to run away with this thing. I don't even think it's going to be close (that's how many fans he had there). Oh well, at least the season was really fun. I'm already looking forward to next year.

The Finale

2006-05-23T09:18:00.000-07:00

So let's do a quick recap of last week. It really sucks that Elliott was eliminated because I sincerely think he wants it the most. He wears his heart on his sleeve and you can tell that he was really touched about everything that was happening to him. He would have been an amazing Idol. But alas, we're left with Kat and Taylor.

So that brings us to tonite. From what I've been reading they each have a different Idol single (like Clay and Ruben) and will sing two previous songs from the season along with their new single. I'm really excited to hear what they come up for the new singles (especially Taylor's). I'm sure Kat's will be a ballad much like "I Believe" from Season 3. I have no idea what they'll give Taylor since his style is so unique. But will these songs help determine the winner? Sappy ballads are easier to pull off for women so I think Kat would have the advantage, but if someone wrote a bluesy kind of song for Taylor he might be able to pull that off even better. It's going to be exciting.

What's even more exciting is that I'm going to be there tonite!! A friend of mine got tickets to tonite's show and invited me yesterday afternoon. This will be the first time that I see the show at the Kodak so I'm really pumped for that. I can just imagine how much more intense it's going to be. I just hope we actually get in (the tickets aren't guaranteed) but since it's the Kodak I think they'll be able to accomodate. I'm just bummed we couldn't get tickets for tomorrow instead but hey, at least all of the Top 12 (and a lot of celebs) will be there tonite as well. It's going to be fun.

My pick? I'm rooting for Kat. From the very beginning I said that she was going to win. Even though I'm not a huge fan of hers I still like her better than Taylor so I'm going to stay with my pick and hope she pulls it off. However, I think Taylor will probably end up taking it all.

IMHO

2006-05-18T17:56:00.000-07:00

If I were in charge of the Season Finale, I would re-unite Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini and do some duets with Katharine & Taylor. Mix it up the four in different combinations... guaranteed success.

And it would be a nice gesture of American Idol to help Justin on a come-back after they did such an awful job promoting his first album.

I'll leave the recap of the Top 3 to the masterful wordsmith Jesse...

Top 12 Compilation CD

2006-05-14T19:50:00.000-07:00

The season is drawing to a close and as always we are treated to the Idols recording some of their best audition/performance songs on the American Idol Season 5 Encores CD, available May 23 (same day as the Finale).

Here's a track-by-track listing (those in bold are the ones I agree with):

1. "What About Love" - Melissa McGee
2. "Superstition" - Bucky Covington
3. "I'm Every Woman" - Mandisa
4. "Wanted Dead or Alive" - Chris Daughtry
5. "Father Figure" - Ace Young
6. "Takin' It to the Streets" - Taylor Hicks
7. "Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)" - Lisa Tucker
8. "Walkin' After Midnight" - Kellie Pickler
9. "Moody's Mood for Love" - Elliott Yamin
10. "Think" - Katharine McPhee
11. "Midnight Train to Georgia" - Paris Bennett
12. "When I Fall in Love" - Kevin Covais

Shocked as Hell!

2006-05-11T09:21:00.000-07:00

Wow! I really can't believe that happened. I mean, everyone was so worried about Kat leaving (or trying to keep Elliott in) that Chris somehow fell through the cracks. In a way, it's good because now people can stop saying that the show is rigged and the producers ultimately decides who leaves each week because everyone knew that Chris was going to be the winner. But it just sucks that the most distinct personality in the competition is gone. I was very shocked and sad last night. And for the first time in all the Idol seasons I almost cried when he voted off. At least Chris is going to get an offer to be the lead singer of a major band tonite on Extra (I'm guessing it's still Fuel) so he's got opportunities already. He'll do well.

So now we have Taylor, Elliott and Kat left. My prediction is that Elliott and Kat are going to the finals and I think Elliott is going to win. I don't see Chris' votes going to Kat since she was the one that beat in him out in the end. And I don't see his votes going to Taylor since they've been pitted against each other from the beginning. So that only means that they're going to Elliott. And that huge fanbase to his constanly growing fanbase and I think that's going to be enough for him to surge ahead and into the finals. Once there, I think he's going to the get the "underdog" vote and come out on top of the competition. He'll be the first dark horse to win the competition.

I gotta say, beginning with this week this competition became very intense and unpredictable. It's going to be really tough next week. I'm excited to see how everyone performs and what ultimately happens.

Poll Results (Elvis Week)

2006-05-10T08:20:00.000-07:00

What's Going to Happen?

2006-05-09T23:19:00.000-07:00

I gotta say, tomorrow is going to be very exciting (and very sad). This is by far the best final four they've ever had. Each of them could easily win this competition and be successful. The great part about it is now we get to watch some good performances each week and really ponder over who's going to go home. Tomorrow is going to be a nail-biter.

Taylor was Taylor on his first song. He sounded alright but his jumping around isn't fun to watch anymore. His second song, however, was just great. I loved the tone of his voice on it and I thought it was the perfect song choice for him. I think he got lucky because if he would have had another bad song he would have been gone. However, I think he'll make it through.

Elliott kicked ass tonite! Damn, this boy really wants to win. I get the feeling that he wants it the most out of everyone left. He's worked his ass off to make it this far. He knows he's squeaking by each week and is really trying to avoid being eliminated. I think he had the best night overall. Both of his song choices were strong. I preferred his first song over the 2nd but he still sounded great on all of them. I just thought that he didn't show the "badass" attitude that Trouble talks about in it's lyrics so it didn't come off that well (I thought Carrie performed it better last year). But he was still great overall.

Chris was Chris. I liked his first song. I thought his 2nd song sounded boring until the end when he finally got up into the higher notes. But he still sounded good.

Kat was all over the place. I really loved the first song until she started with All Shook Up. I felt like the performance just got lost for some reason. She was really rocking and working the Hound Dog part. If she would have stayed with that it would have been a great performance. She started out great with the 2nd song and then went who knows where. It was a mess. Unfortunately, she was the worst tonite.

Now, I'm really sad and torn as to what will happen. Based strictly on tonite's performances Kat should be going home. But I love her. And she's my pick to win so she can't be going home.

Elliott is supposed to be next on the chopping block but I think that his performances tonite may have actually moved him up a little and will allow him to survive another week.

If I had my pick, Taylor would be going home tonite and the other 3 would be fighting it out for the finals. That would be ideal as I feel they're the best singers of the whole. Who knows what's going to happen tomorrow. I'm excited, I'm nervous, I'm sad for some, I'm happy for others. I love Idol!!!

A Little Worried

2006-05-09T21:52:00.000-07:00

Elvis night. Elliott showed his game. Chris was same old, same old. Taylor's 2nd song was great.

Katharine was off. What happened to my bluesy-sultry girl? Please help her and give her a vote, or 50:

1-866-436-5704
or
1-866-436-5708

I could easily take Ryan Seacrest's job. I already have the name and the hair...

Mario Vazquez

2006-05-06T15:02:00.000-07:00

Think back to last season of American Idol (I know, it was a long time ago) and you might recall a very talented young man named Mario Vazquez who stole the hearts of many fans (mine included). Unfortunately, he withdrew from the competition shortly after making the Top 12.

The good news however, is that a little over a year later, he is making good on his word to release music and his first single is available on the iTunes Music Store!

Poll Results (Birth Year & Billboard Charts Song Week)

2006-05-03T22:39:00.000-07:00

Look Familiar?

2006-05-02T09:22:00.000-07:00

It seems that even the young ones have been competing before they get to American Idol:

Top 5

2006-05-01T14:25:00.000-07:00

WAHOO! I am so excited by this final 5. It's finally a real competition now. And this is the best Top 5 they've ever had so from here on out it's going to be INTENSE! This week is going to be a great indicator of what's to come; especially since they have to sing 2 songs this week. It will allow everyone to show a little diversity. Paris is in major danger of leaving (actually, it's almost guaranteed that she's the one going home) so she better pick some kick ass songs. I'm still hoping that it's a Chris/Katharine finale but deep down inside I would love to see a Chris/Elliot finale. I think that Elliot is finale bringing it and is getting better each week. I think his fan base is really starting to grow and that swell of support could push him all the way to the top 3, maybe even 2. He's definitely a dark horse in the running but he's slowly becoming a contender. I am very excited to see what happens with him. I can honestly say that I don't really care who makes it to the final two now because they're all so good and deserve to be there. It's gonna be great!

Reader Info

2006-05-01T08:21:00.000-07:00

Just wondering who out there is reading this blog...

If you're comfortable leaving a comment with your first name and location we'd be very interested.

Thanks!

Top 5

2006-04-29T17:00:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, the remaining contestants will sing 2 songs – one from the year of their birth one from this week’s Billboard’s Top 10 charts.

Paris better bring it.

I'm still betting on a Chris vs. Katharine show-down.

Poll Results (Love Songs Week)

2006-04-27T18:26:00.000-07:00

Top 6 Review

2006-04-26T10:41:00.000-07:00

Katherine - She actually did really well last night. The problem is that the song is so synonimous (sp?) with Whitney that you can't help but compare the two. Katharine was definitely on pitch-wise and was able to belt her way through the song and make it sound good. The problem is that her voice just isn't as strong as Whitney's so it didn't have the same feel to it. But did she sound bad? Not in the slightest. I thought she sounded great I really liked her performance.

Elliot - OMG, this boy is really growing on me. I think he has been quietly improving throughout the competition and I would love to see him step up and make all the way to the finals. He was amazing last night. What was even more amazing was Paula's reaction. Her crying incoherence was an all-time high for her. I think that should be one of the best Idol moments ever. Ralph on KROQ said it best today when he said "she's like one of those drunk girls at a frat party that's crying all over the place, and then later screaming 'I Love You' to someone, and then at the end of the night is found up in someone's room being used like a train by half the house". I busted up laughing.

Kellie - Seriously, do we even need to talk about this two-bit hooker? She was so pathetic. I thought it was amazing that no one even booed when she got such bad reviews. Everyone knew she was horrible. There is no way that she can escape being in the bottom. Even on the boards her fans couldn't help but recognize how much she sucks. One even said "I've seen the light. Watching her tonite made me realize how out of her league she is. Her voice is by far the weakest of them all. I'm not voting for her anymore." Let's move on.

Paris - I'm not really a fan of this song. I thought she was alright. It wasn't a horrible performance but it wasn't great either.

Taylor - I can't remember if I even liked his performance. I don't really remember anything about it. I guess I would remember if I hated it so I guess it wasn't that bad.

Chris - I've never heard of this song but I really liked it. I think I need to start singing while lying on the floor too. That might help me. He was awesome last night. I love when he just sings and doesn't really try to force anything. Best of the night behind Elliot.

So who's in the bottom 3? The women. I think Kat, Kellie (finally) and Paris hit the lows. Who is going home? If the gods want it, the stars are lined up correctly, and Baby Jesus hates U$C then Kellie will go home. In reality, Paris is going the one leaving tonite. I voted for everyone except Kellie last night and all of the lines were pretty busy, except for Paris. I probably got 10 votes in for her and about 1 or 2 for everyone else (in the whole 2 hours). I have a feeling that Kellie is going to squeak by again. But hopefully being so close to being gone will really rattle her nerves and she'll just keep fucking up from here on out.

McTwins

2006-04-22T17:40:00.000-07:00

Poll Results (American Songbook Week)

2006-04-22T17:29:00.000-07:00

Now That's What I'm Talking About!

2006-04-19T15:49:00.000-07:00

I knew this theme would be a good one. You can't really go wrong with these kinds of standards (unless your name is Kellie Pickler) and I had a feeling that everyone would be on their game. I wasn't disappointed at all. This was, by far, the best night of Idol this season. It really showed how talented everyone is and, now that Bucky is gone, how wide open the field is because whoever is in the bottom 3 tonite doesn't deserve to be there (except for Kellie).

Chris. That was so awesome and he sounded so great. I would love for him to put that song on the AI5 CD. I think that could have been his best performance yet!

Paris. I love when she does this jazzy kind of stuff. That's definitely her forte. She needs to be doing the Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald kind of thang. She was working it out! And she didn't need to shake her weave all over the place. I loved it.

Taylor. I loved what he did to the song at the end. I thought it was a great choice and he sounded awesome.

Elliott. I can't believe that Simon said he showed no personality. Had he noticed that just about everyone was just standing at the mic and singing, not really moving around or connecting with anyone? Anyways, he sounded great as well. I am really starting to like him.

Then we have Kellie. She's such a dumb twat. She was way off. It was a boring song, but even if the song is boring you have to sing it well. I remember back in the good ol' days Randy would tell Kelly (Clarkson) and Clay "that song was boring, but you know what? You sang the hell out of it! It was amazing!". Kellie came nowhere near that. She was off key the whole time and knew it. The sad thing is that her voice is so much stronger now than it was during in the beginning. I think vocally, she's the most improved of the bunch and people are picking up on that. She's the one that could carry it all the way through because she's improviing throughout the competition. People like Chris and Katharine were so good and polished in the beginning that people will start to get bored of them now because they know they're going to knock it out of the park each week.

Ace was actually really good. He was a little nasal in the middle of the song but the beginning and the end sounded great. He really needs to start singing more stuff in that lower register because it sounds nice. I think he tends to go nasally when he's right in the middle of the lower and the falsetto. But I really liked him last night (except for the pulled back hair. That looked so bad. Now I know he's straight cuz no gay guy would ever do that.)

And Katharine was by far the best of the night. This is her type of music and she was brilliant. And damn, she's so hot too.

So the bottom 3 will be Elliot, Ace, and Kellie. And if Kellie miraculously doesn't make it to the bottom then I think it'll be Paris. Who should go home tonite? Kellie, by a mile. Who will go home tonite? Probably Ace unfortunately. It sucks because now everyone that's left is really good and could win this so each week is going to be really tough to see someone leave. I just hope that Kellie is the one to go.

The Half Way Point: It's All About Song Choice

2006-04-13T08:55:00.000-07:00

Ok, it's not really the half-way point of the show but I think we still need to stop and take a look at what's been happening. Now, maybe it's just me but I feel like this season is one of the most boring ever. Which I find very interesting because it's also the season with the best overall talent. So how can that be? Song choice (and theme weeks). The themes that the producers have been choosing this season are awful! I've never been a fan of theme weeks that revolve around a band/artist because it doesn't give the contestants enough flexibility. And, it's pretty easy to see who the producers are trying to get voted off because there is always someone who will have a hard time with it. Looking back to Season 1 and 2 there were some really good themes that allowed the contestants freedom to find songs that fit them. Themes like 60s, 70s, 80s, Billboard #1s, Movies, etc. allow for enough variety that everyone can find something they will perform well and still keep the audience entertained. If you don't like a certain artist/band then that entire episode is a chore to sit through (i.e. Gloria Estafan week?!, Stevie Wonder, etc.).

Now, even where there is a good theme these contestants are picking shitty songs. Out of a whole genre of music, they're picking songs that are boring, no one has heard of, or just plain bad (Innuendo, Suds in a Bucket, etc.) This is turn is causing all of their lackluster performances. No one has stepped up and hit it out of the park. By this time last year we already had Carrie's "Alone" performance as well as Constantine's "My Funny Valentine" and (I think) "Bohemian Rhapsody". Next week has an excellent chance of turning in some good performances. With the theme "American Songbook" there are many classic songs that this group would sound amazing on (personally, I'm betting that Elliot and Katharine turn in the best performances). Now's the time to really start picking the right songs because they're all on equal footing now. Any one of the remaining contestants can win the competition (yes, including Ace. It's a longshot but he could do it.).

The really scary thing is that when I was watching Kellie's performance on Tues I suddenly had a vision that she and Taylor were going to be in the final two. Now all along I've been saying Chris and Katharine (and I still hope it's them) but I think Kellie is slowly and quietly improving each week. Her vocals are so much better now then they were in the semi-finals. She's taking some risks and, for the most part, nailing it. Everyone was surprised that she pulled of Bohemian Rhapsody (except for her outfit) and she sounded great on Fancy. I can see her sneaking into the final spot. As for Taylor, with his song choice this week he went back to his normal, dancing self and just had fun with the song. That was the spark that's been missing from the show for the last couple of weeks. No one looks like they're having fun. Watching him this week was very refreshing and I think that if he continues to do that he'll also make it into the final two. This all goes back to song choice. If they find a song that they can connect with and have fun with (or really perform it) then we'll finally get that one break out performance that we've been missing this year. Who is gonna be? When is it gonna happen? I think next week will be a good week and hopefully some of the magic will come back.

Mandisa doesn't like the gays

2006-04-07T08:43:00.000-07:00

So it was a little sad and a lot shocking that Mandisa was voted off this week (but I did correctly predict that one. Not sure how.) And now that she's voted off it's starting to come out that she doesn't really care for gay people too much because it sorta goes against her religious beliefs. However, she says that she loves everyone but wouldn't want to perform at a gay event so I think someone is a little confused. That's pretty sad because she was all set up to become a huge gay icon. Oh well.

http://www.advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ektid29157.asp

Country Shocker Night

2006-04-05T14:36:00.000-07:00

I'll keep this quick. I think tonite will be another "shocker" elimination. So, that means that I think Bucky is staying tonite (because really, anyone leaving besides Bucky at this point is a shocker). I think that the shocker will be the bottom 3 (and who ends up getting eliminated). Based on last night's performances, I think the bottom 4 are Taylor, Mandisa, Ace, and Katharine. I think Mandisa and Ace are bottom 2 but not sure who the 3rd is. I have a feeling that Mandisa will end up going home tonite. Yes, any one of these would end up being a shocker tonite (although Ace is really cutting it close now). Bucky got lucky having this theme this week. I can't believe he's gotten this far.

You Take The Good, You Take The Bad

2006-03-30T14:14:00.000-08:00

There is a lot of talk going around about how bad this week's show (songs from the 21st Century) was and although I am guilty of the same, I have to remind you of this:

In the end, this is a television show. It's about ratings and number of viewers. So, much like the contestants are coached to select good songs/arrangements/clothing, I can't but help and wonder if these "bad weeks" are encouraged by the producers...I don't believe they outright tell the contestants what's going on. But a little nudge here (Katharine, dress like a toy soldier from The Nutcracker), a faint whispered suggestion there (Ace, be more literal: touch your hair when you sing 'hair', touch your scar when you sing 'scar') and a bad performance is born.

Would the show be as talked about if every week was stellar? No, because that is boring. American Idol is, and always will be, about the controversy, the upset, the heartbreak and the bad performances. Why do we endure weeks of auditions at the beginning of the season? Because millions of people love and sometimes even *gasp* prefer those performances! Don't get me wrong, we love seeing our favorite knock it out of the park, but much like real life relationships, our love affair with Idol wouldn't be as compelling (and we certainly wouldn't have remained monogomous this long) if it weren't for the craptastic show like we just endured.

In conclusion: do not fret. We have been setup to see some great performances ahead. Who knows if Country Week will deliver said knockouts, but they are there, just on the horizon.

And personally, I can't wait for all the ups AND downs.

The Most Under- and Overrated Performers

2006-03-29T12:04:00.000-08:00

Entertainment Weekly has listed their top 5 Underrated and Overrated performers from the past seasons of AI. I agree with all of their underrated performers and only agree with some of the overrated (#4 and #2).

From Justin to Carrie
[http://www.ew.com/ew/article/commentary/0,6115,1168457_3_0_,00.html]

Poll Results (21st Century Week)

2006-03-28T23:51:00.000-08:00

Poll Results (50's Week)

2006-03-28T23:47:00.000-08:00

Let's Pick the Shittiest Songs of the 21st Century

2006-03-28T23:39:00.000-08:00

Wow! Tonite had to have been the worst Idol episode of all time. No one was good. NO ONE! I didn't like a single performance tonite. The only one that was mildly entertaining was Paris. But I didn't like her song choice at all so I wasn't all that into it. Actually, I take that back. I enjoyed Taylor a little as well. It was nice to see him just sing a song and not be all Tourette's like he normally is.

Let's talk about Lisa. I figure we might as well because she's going home tomorrow. Seriously, just because you like a song doesn't mean that you can get up on stage and sing it; even if you do have a good voice. And if the song you love and are attempting to sing is Kelly Clarkson then you better sing the hell out of it because you know everyone is going to be comparing you to her. Sorry, but I think people are now thinking of Kelly as one of the untouchables (like Whitney, Celine and Mariah). Lisa was nowhere even close to being able to tackle that song. She was flat on most of the notes and although she tried to show emotion it still came off boring. All that added to the fact that she went first and has been in the bottom 3 the last weeks means you're going home. Bye.

The rest are lucky because they just got a free pass to next week but I dont' think any of them should feel safe because they were all equally bad. It really is going to be tough to pick the bottom 3. I actually think there will be surprises tomorrow.

Lisa for sure. I think Ace will most likely be the 2nd. He just wasn't good. Like I said a long time ago, he's strictly a balladeer. Once he starts doing fast stuff he sucks. The last spot is a tough one. Kellie was pretty horrendous and deserves to be in the bottom but i have a feeling her fans will keep her in. Bucky was pretty bad as normal but I do think that this was one of his better performances and might squeak by. Mandisa was all over the place and it sounded as if she was shouting her song more than anything else. Plus, I think it may be a little too "Jesusy" for tv and might turn off voters. Paris, Chris, Elliot and Katharine were all just ok.

So out of those I am going to go with Kellie or Mandisa for the last spot. I think it will end up being Mandisa, Ace, and Lisa.

And really, I don't care who it is. They all sucked. I didn't even bother voting this week.

Songs Of The 21st Sucky

2006-03-28T21:09:00.000-08:00

I'm not going to even post my thoughts about the show tonight, because it was all boring. But I will say that it feels like reality is eating it's own tail when Idol finalists sing songs by former Idols (Lisa sings "Because of You" by Kelly Clarkson).

Bottom 3: Lisa, Ace & Bucky
Eliminated: Lisa

Here's something more interesting: Idol Curse?

I Walk the Line

2006-03-27T08:48:00.000-08:00

So there is a lot of talk over the fact that Chris Daughtry is "claiming" that his arrangement of "I Walk the Line" was orginal, when in he fact he did the cover version from the band Live. On the show, the judges all said he was original and his arrangement was great and really played to his style. He didn't correct them, but yes, that arrangement DID play to his style and he sounded great on it. However, he didn't do Johnny Cash's version (as everyone thought) he did the Live version that sounds more like his style. So just because he didn't correct the judges he's somehow taking credit for it being his own arrangment? I don't think so! I guess everyone getting pissed off because Chris is running away with this competition and their precious Kellie Pickler is getting on everyone's nerves with her stupidity. How can people claim that Chris is cheating because he's picking songs that fit his style? He's still within the genre of the week, just finding covers that fit him. And besides, the entire competition is about singing cover songs people! The point is to sing a song that everyone knows but add your own twist to it. I remember last year when Carrie Underwood sang "Piece of My Heart". No one was upset that she chose to sing the country version of it rather than the original Janis Joplin version. Chris is doing the exact same thing. Get over it.

50's Night

2006-03-22T10:46:00.000-08:00

Tonite was a great show! There was a good variety of music and everyone sounded amazing. At first, I wasn't all that thrilled that Barry Manilow was the guest of the week. But everyone seemed excited because he had done wonders for the contestants in Season 3. I couldn't really remember any of that except that no one knew who he was and that pissed him off. But this time, I was totally able to see how he helped each contestant find their niche in the song. That man is a genius! If he can make Kevin Cobais sound good then you know he's doing something right. I think he and Byrd should work together every week, each season and really make the contestants shine. That would add a whole new level to the show.

Highlights:
Chris!! Man, oh man. I loved his rendition of "I Walk the Line". I'm not the biggest Johnny Cash fan and I vaguely know the song but I thought Chris' version was amazing. He made the song sound so much more haunting. Now, he actually did the band Live's cover of the song, but still it was amazing. By far, the best performance of the night.

Paris was also really really good. This is the type of stuff she needs to be doing. I loved the tribute she did to Peggy Lee in the first half of the song and then really belted out and made it her own in the 2nd half. That should definitely put her back up into the top half of the field.

Katharine was beautiful, elegant and sexy. I loved her performance. She just keeps getting better each week. I can't wait to see her in the finals.

Lowlights:
Bucky. That was a really underwhelming performance. I think it's about time for him to go. He doesn't really have that great of a voice and I can only see him struggling through most of themes.

Lisa. While she sounded great again, the song just didn't connect with her and the audience. That seems to be her problem. No one is connecting with her at all. Even this attempt to be youthful and fun didn't really work. And red high heels with white capri pants? Yeesh!

Taylor is just boring. People seem to really like him because he's interesting to watch but I just don't get it. His song was average, showed no range, and his performance was pretty bland. You can tell he loves singing and being on stage but I get the feeling that he's doing everything for himself, not really trying to connect with the audience at all. He deserves to be in the Bottom 3 tonite but I don't think he will be.

Bottom 3:
Bucky
Lisa
who knows. It could be Kevin but I think his fans will keep him safe for two more weeks. It should be Taylor but he's staying around for a long time. And people are now talking about Elliot so maybe it's him. I don't really think anyone else did horribly that they should be there. It's going to be intersting.

I think Bucky is finally gone (but would not be shocked if it was Lisa).

Poll Results (Stevie Wonder Week)

2006-03-18T12:59:00.000-08:00

It looks like everyone expected Bucky & Kevin to be joining Melissa center stage, but Jesse pegged it with a vote for Lisa & Ace. It just goes to remind you that you have to be memorable and although Ace wasn't bad, you have to be REALLY good to be remembered if you were the first performer. Also, Lisa was at the beginning of a string of fantastic performances...again, not memorable.

As for the elimination, I would remind everyone to vote how America will vote (consider the middle of the country and who they root for) instead of just picking who you WANT to go home.

Now I give this rant almost every year, but for anyone who hasn't heard it, here is my take on American Idol and specifically this season, thus far:

American Idol is a show about singing, vocal talent and discovering an up-and-coming star. For me (and judging from past season winners, I'd say America feels the same) I want to vote for someone that starts the show with a raw talent and develops over the season. I want them to come into their own, but you know all along that they have something great to showcase. Performers that are polished and perfected before the Top 2 or 3 are to me, in a way...boring.

This season, Chris, Taylor and Mandisa already seemed too seasoned for me. Sure they will give some fantastic performances and I will enjoy hearing them, but I won't get excited to see how they will interpret the song.

Enter my girl, Katharine.

As I said (even before Simon), she is Joss Stone + Kelly Clarkson. She is very unique and each week I am excited to hear her soulful and powerful version of a song. Now, I wanted a guy to win just as much as the producers and I thought Ace might just be that guy, but I am dedicating myself to another girl American Idol: Kathrine McPhee.

Stevie Wonder Night

2006-03-15T17:22:00.000-08:00

Rather than going over everyone's performances I will just quickly cut to the chase and bitch about what I think........Kellie Pickler sucks balls! (and not in that good way either). Seriously, that bitch needs to go. She has no business being in the Top 12 now. There are so many things about her that pissed me off last night but the biggest was her "this is hard because I'm just a country girl and only sing country music" attitude. No shit dumbass! That's the whole point of the show. You're supposed to go out of your comfort zone and see if you can handle whatever they throw at you. If you can only sing country music then you have no versatility and shouldn't be on the show anymore. So go home! Man, I'm sick of her. I hope she's in the bottom 3 tonite and possibly even goes home!

And, as much as Chicken Little sucks, he killed me last night! That was by far the most entertaining performance of the night (but not necessarily in a good way). He's really funny to watch and at least he's playing along. He'll probably stick around for another week or so.

Melissa is actually starting to grow on me. I think she's really pretty and has a good voice. She definitely won't win but I would love to see her last a little longer. I thought she did well last night. And before people start commenting on how she forgot the lyrics, Kelly, Clay, and Carrie also forgot their lyrics during various performances. It's just part of being a performer. Even singers forget the lyrics to their own songs sometimes. I've been to Pearl Jam and Indigo Girls concerts where they needed to ask the audience what they lyrics were.

Chris was the best of the night. With Katharine next. The two of them are definitely the best of the bunch. It's going to be a great top 2. All the rest were just average (with some really bad).

I think the bottom 3 tonite are going to be Ace, Kellie and either Lisa or Kevin.

Poll Results

2006-03-11T11:16:00.000-08:00

It was bye bye for Kinnik (and rightfully so) but it was an unexpected leave for Ayla Brown (except for Jesse who correctly predicted the upset). I do think it is appropriate for us to remember that America, in general, loves their ladies very young (or at least young looking) yet there is no room for such youth with the guys. Clay Aiken could be considered an exception to this rule, but notice that he did not win...

We were all ready for Gedeon to depart but due to his strong performances we were expecting him to stay around a bit. Will would have done better on Season 1 and am I the only one who saw a little homo in him? ;) Kevin, Kevin, Kevin. He IS this season's mystery.

So as far as the claim that Jesse is the better American Idol fan, I'd like you all to consider that aside from a few minutes here and there on a friend's computer (my computer has been in the repair shop), I have had not had the luxury of perusing thousands of articles, websites, discussion forums, etc. and getting the inside scoop from bookies as my fellow Blogger has. Just going off the pulse of America and my own TV viewings I was able to correctly identify only one less eliminated contestant than Jesse. :)

TOP 5: Chris, Mandisa, Katharine, Taylor, Ace

The Chosen Ones

2006-03-10T23:05:00.000-08:00

So we finally have our final 12 to compete for the title of American Idol. There were a couple of surprises along that way. Before we get to that though, I just want to point out that I picked 9 of the correct 12. Ryan picked 8 of the 12. It's safe to say that I'm the better Idol fan. :) Sorry Ryan, it's true.

So let's talk about the shocks of last night. First of all, I was a little surprised that Will got knocked off. I wasn't really expecting him to do very well in the final 12 but I definitely thought he was better than both Bucky and Kevin. So that surprised me. I wasn't suprised (in fact, I was very happy) that Gedeon got knocked off. I think his overconfidant (cocky) attitude, plus his over-enunciation of words were too much for people to handle. However, he did have a better voice than Bucky and Kevin. So I think the real shock was that Bucky and Kevin actually made it in. I am predicting that Chicken Little will be the first person to leave next week.

On the women's side, it was no surprise that Kinnik left. She was horrible on Tues night. What was surprising was how great she sounded last night. I guess once you're kicked off and have nothing to lose anymore you can let everything go and just sing the song. She sounded great last night. If she would have sounded like that on Tues she would've definitely still been in the competition.

And I'm really proud that I called the Melissa/Ayla upset. But not really. When Ayla ended up being the one kicked off I was actually a little sad. I didn't realize how much I liked Ayla. I'm going to miss seeing her in the final 12 and not having her on the CD at the end. Melissa definitely deserves her spot though as she has only grown each week. But I predict her leaving in 3 weeks (after Chicken Little and Bucktooth). Melissa is going to be this year's Jessica Sierra.

I'm so excited that we're really in the competition now. It's going to be intense. I already hate the first theme (Stevie Wonder) because ever song will probably be a ballad but it'll be interesting to see what everyone picks. I'm really curious to see what Chris does.

My top 3 picks are Katharine, Chris and Mandisa.

The Top 8 Women

2006-03-08T17:24:00.000-08:00

Finally! Now that Bitch (I mean Brenna) is off the show we can actually have a good competition going. I'm excited to watch everyone because I think they're all fairly equal in talent.

First up was Paris. First of all, did she (or anyone else) not learn during Season 3 that Gloria Estefan is just about the worst song choice ever? You never sound any better than what you get on a cruise ship. But Paris was able to pull it off. She didn't sound amazing vocally (because the song sucked so much ass) but her personality definitely made it better.

Lisa. She has a great voice but I think she's a boring performer. She keeps picking boring songs as well. She'll easily make it into the finals but I really don't see her getting very far (maybe to #8). She really needs to start singing some current, upbeat songs or she's gone.

Melissa. I thought she was great last night. That was the perfect song choice for her. I really think that if someone stumbles she could sneak into the finals. She reminds me a lot of Jessica Sierra. She's got a great voice but can't seem to find a fan base. Unfortunately, if she does make it into the finals she'll probably be out first or second.

Kinnik. That was pretty bad. If you're gonna sing Alicia Keys then you better have a great soulful voice. Kinnik has a good voice but she definitely have lower tones that dont really sound great when singing something like this. I think this is definitely her last night.

Katharine. WOW! She sang "Think" so easily. She sounded amazing, had good power and control, and had a lot of fun while singing it. The whole thing was, as Simon said, effortless. If she keeps performing like that she'll easily skate into the final 2. I think she realized how much having fun and connecting to a song really matters in a performance so hopefully her song selection will be consistant like that from here on out.

Ayla. This was an ok performance. I'm glad that she tried something a little uptempo but it wasn't the best song choice. I think Ayla has a great voice and really needs to sell it each week. Unfortunately she didn't this time. This could be the one performance that Melissa needed to move into the finals. While Ayla wasn't horrible, it wasn't amazing either. Plus, some people might be getting tired of Ayla being so perfect in everything she does so I can see her "accidentally" getting left behind and Melissa taking her spot in the finals.

Mandisa. HOORAY FOR MANDISA! Now that was a performance! She has an amazing voice, tons of personality and picked the perfect song for her. If she doesn't make it into the top 5 I'd be very surprised. It's between Mandisa and Katharine for being the top woman in this field. Awesome.

Kellie. Ugh. I'm so tired of Kellie and how retarded she is. I can't believe that she's really that naive. If so, then how the hell is she still alive? I'm tired of her cutesy "I ate Sal-mon" and "I'm a mink" sayings. Vocally, the performance was just ok. She has the weakest out of everyone that's left now and I think it should last night. When she goes for the higher notes her votes tends to lose it's fullness and starts to sound a tiny bit strained. It was a good song choice for her but it's getting hard to compete with others that have better voices. Right now, she's skating on her looks and "personality" (which has to be fake. No one can be that dumb.)

So who is going home? Definitely Kinnik. Most likely Melissa. But if there's an upset then I think Melissa is in and Ayla is probably going home. But I don't think that's going to happen.

I can't wait for the men tonite!

Poll Results

2006-03-07T11:01:00.000-08:00

Not surprisingly, you correctly guessed Brenna and Heather to be booted last week. (I do have to admit that I didn't remove the poll once the results were shown so some of you might have submitted your "guess" once you already knew who was going home...shame on you and your family!)

The guys' poll was a little bit closer of a race. I think you, however, that you are accurately predicting this week's results as well. Jose & David left us last week. And next up to leave American Idol Season 5: Bucky, Gedeon or Kevin. Bucky could either find support from country lovers or a lack of interest due to Carrie Underwood's win last year. Gedeon had a very strong vocal performance but might be turning people off due to his ego (myself included). Poor Kevin...

But don't be surprised if he makes it through! Every season there is one contestant who makes it farther than anyone expects, and usually displaces a much better and more deserving contestant:

•Season 1 = Nikki McKibbin
•Season 2 = Josh Gracin (or in my opinion, Ruben Studdard)
•Season 3 = Jasmine Trias
•Season 4 = Scott Savol

Keep on voting and we'll see who truly understand this wonderful beast we call, American Idol!

Long Time Gone

2006-03-07T10:58:00.000-08:00

Due to travel (see my other blog [ryanaceto]) I will be unable to post regarding this week's vital round of performances and subsequent eliminations.

Jesse, who is more than adequately prepared will provide you with recaps and hopefully humor.

:)

Bring On the Men

2006-03-02T09:13:00.000-08:00

Aaaah, we get the boys singing again and, like last week, they outsang the women by a mile. This was definitely huge pick up from last night but once again we got an ecclectic list of song choices. So let's jump right in and see what I thought.

Taylor Hicks. Once again, I found him to be completely average. I know a lot of people really like this guy but I think he's going to quickly start losing fan support. He's got a good voice but doesn't do anything with it. Plus, I don't like his "woos" that come out of nowhere. This performance was completely forgettable. Aside from the fact that he has gray hair I don't think there was anything distinctive about his singing today.

Elliott Yamin. Wow, once again he comes out with a great song and sings the hell out of it. We saw one of the crooners from last season sing this in his audition but I think Elliott really sang it a lot better. I loved the jazzy stuff he added to it and his tone was amazing. This guy is a definite contender!

Ace Young. Wow. A big difference from last week. I've never heard this song before but I didn't like it. Ace really struggled with most of the song but sounded great on his falsettos. I think he's going to have some problems during theme weeks, especially if he has to start singing faster songs. I really think he's just a balladeer. That being said, he has no risk of leaving this week but I think he did get knocked down a few pegs in possibly being in the finale.

Gedeon. I hate this guy. I really do. His smile bugs. His speaking voice bugs. I hate the way enunciates every single thing he says. And then he opened his mouth to sing and I was like "damn". He was really good tonite. I was really impressed and I think he'll stay until next week. But I would really hate to see him make the finals because that means I have to keep seeing him on tv. And dude, he's only 17/18? He looks like he's 25 or so. Again, creepy.

Kevin Covais. OMG, I loved the whole interview. I was cracking up throughout the whole thing. This little kid is gonna get so much action throughout Idol. I bet he'll get the most out of the guys. LOL. I actually really liked his performance. Vocally, I thought it was great. But his dancing looks very much like William Hung. He's a cute kid and I think he'll make it to next week. I loved the Chicken Little reference as well. The whole performance put a smile on my face.

Sway. UGH! If last week wasn't bad enough we had another horrible performance from Sway. At least he wasn't in falsetto the whole time but he was flat. This was abysmal. It's gonna be tough to see if he makes it out of this week.

Will Makar. This kid surprised me tonite. I was like "Lady? That's such a boring song." but I think he sounded great on it. I loved the fullness of his voice tonite. Really good job. That should propel him into next week.

Bucky Covington. I really don't know how much more I can handle of the whole "I'm from the south and don't know a damn thing about anything" routine that we keep hearing from him and Kellie. It's getting really old. He busts out with Garth Brooks. I love Garth Brooks! And "Thunder Rolls" is one of my favorite songs of his! I hated this version! I thought Bucky was all over the place vocally on it. His voice wasn't strong enough to carry the emotion of the song on it. I think this may be Bucky's last week with us.

David Radford. I really like this kid. I think he has a great voice. I just wish it wasn't in that crooner style. It was an ok performance but I dont' think people are going to vote crooners in anymore after John Stevens (thanks John, you ruined an entire genre with your bowel-inducing performances). He's a cute kid but I'm not sure how far that will get him. And he didn't look pleased with the judges comments at all.

Chris Daughtry. OMG Chris Daughtry! I love me some Chris Daughtry. Like Bo last year, this guy knows exactly who he is and what he should be doing to showcase himself. Like Bo, he's on a whole different level. If this guy isn't one of the final 2 then America is fucked up. This was such a great performance. His vocals would fit perfectly on the radio right now. I cannot wait to see what he does next week. And i'm really anxious to see how he handles all of the theme weeks.

So here's my rankings.

Chris
Elliott
Gedeon (damn, I can't believe I put him so high)
Ace
Will
Taylor
Kevin
David
Bucky
Sway

As for who is going home. I really don't know. I think it's between David, Bucky and Sway but I can't nail who will be leaving. Tonite is a hard one and I think there may be some surprises tomorrow. It's gonna be a good one.

The Girls: a completely UNDERWHELMING experience

2006-03-01T17:19:00.000-08:00

For fuck's sake! Tonite was just plain painful to watch. Seriously, do these people want to win or not? Tonite's craptastic episode really makes me long for the amazing stage presence of Carrie Underwood (sarcasm) and the vocal prowess of Kelly. I don't see any of these women even coming close to what the previous Idols have done. Anyways, here's what I thought. They're in reverse order from last week.

Katharine McPhee. After that lame "we're dorks but I love her" montage we get some song that I've never heard of it. She's ok. She sounds a little flat on most of the notes. Her performance is boring. And what the hell is she wearing? Pants? Shorts? A skirt? Luckily she had an amazing week last week. She's still the best vocalist in the competition but this was an awful performance.

Kinnik Sky. I love Gretchen Wilson but this was no where near good. Kinnik's voice is too low. She looked like she was having fun on stage but it didn't sound all that great. I think she might struggle getting past this round.

Lisa Tucker. I actually saw her perform in the Lion King back in the day and thought "that kid has an amazing voice". Now, I still think she's got an amazing voice but damnit stop picking such boring ass songs! This is going to be her problem because she's going to be seen as a boring performer that no one can get behind because of the songs she picks. She really needs to come out with a contemporary song next week or she's really going to have problems.

Melissa McGhee. I wasn't really expecting anything out of Melissa but she actually impressed me tonite. She looked great, she sang in tune and had fun with the song. I like the husky voice she has. She reminds me of Lindsay Cardinale but better. Good for her, I think she earned herself a spot in next week's show. If she does well next week and someone stumbles I can see Melissa sneaking into the Top 12.

Heather Cox. Oh wow. She's taking on Mariah with that voice? That's such a bad choice. She doesn't sound bad (necessarily) but it doesn't sound good either. I think she really needed to knock it out of the park this week to stay in. She's hanging by a thread and this didn't really help her cause at all.

Brenna Gethers. UGH! I can't stand this bitch and all of the mugging to the camera is getting so old. God, she sounds horrible. Please vote for others so Vote for the Worst doesn't keep her in! I can't stand the thought of seeing her again next week.

Paris Bennett. I was hoping we'd have another performance like last week but alas, we get a slow song. She sounds great on it but I think people are really going to want to see her perform like she did last week. This would have been a good "movie song" for that theme week. Oh well. She can redeem herself next week.

Ayla Brown. I thought this was one of the best performances of the night. It was a good song choice for her and she was able to hit all of the notes in it (her voice kinda reminds me of Jessica Sierra's). She showed a lot of confidence as well. She's definitely around for next week and into the finals.

Kellie Pickler. First of all, I'm already tired of her "I'm a stupid country bumpkin" story. "I don't know what cal-u-maree is." I was wondering if anyone still liked her because it suddenly became all about Ace and Katharine last week. Unfortunately Kellie does have the likability factor that will keep her in but I honestly don't think she'll get very far into the finals. That being said, she did have a great performance tonite. She was having fun and sounded good. I think she needed to prove that to herself and her fans after last week.

Mandisa. This was by far the best performance of the night. She sounded amazing, looked great, and had a good time singing it. She is going to sail straight into the finals. I can't imagine the finals without her in it.

So, to rank everyone here is my order...

Mandisa
Ayla
Paris
Kellie
Melissa
Katharine
Lisa
Kinnik
Heather
Brenna

As for who is going home, I really don't know. I feel like Brenna for sure but can't decide if it's going to be Heather or Kinnik. Right now I'm leaning towards Heather.

What Happened To The Talent?

2006-02-28T21:35:00.000-08:00

Possible titles for this post:

"Let's give 'em somethin' to tal....zzzzz"
"'Cause when I'm bad I'm, SO SO awful"
"And then a hero comes along...where? Save me!"

As an Idol Fanatic you might suspect that I only give praise to this show. Yet I will be the first to say that tonight was TERRIBLE. For me, not one stand out performance. Was my TV getting bad reception, was the band playing out of tune or did everyone just sound bad?

I think there are 3 girls who should definitely be worried and 1 who might be sliding through on personality alone.

Katharine: Still amazing and I see the potential. Tonight was vanilla. [SAFE]

Kinnik: Danger! Danger! Vonzell (Season 4 Finalist) tried to work country against real country girls and failed. [BOTTOM 3]

Lisa: One of the better song choices and performances. She feels almost "too polished". [SAFE]

Melissa: Sounded the best to me, but I think she is forgettable as a person. [BOTTOM 3]

Heather: So pretty. So bad. Please leave Mariah to the pros. [BOTTOM 3]

Brenna: We get it. You're the cocky, bad ass, won't take any criticism one. I can get that kind of attitude at my local gay bar. Don't need it from the next American Idol. Goodbye. [BOTTOM 3]

Paris: Cute as a button but Simon was right, she looked like she was playing dress-up in her Auntie's closet. [SAFE]

Ayla: I want to like her. I appreciate her "hard work" but I just can't get behind the girl who gets everything. Sports, money, scholarships, Idol...call me jealous but I think America will grow tired of it to. But not yet. [SAFE]

Kellie: Borderline ditzy. I still want to pinch her cheeks. Or as Paula says "squish". And let me say, after she tossed her hair around I did want to give her something to talk about...hair spray. Girl looked a little slutty. I liked it! [SAFE]

Mandisa: She got the power spot (last of the show). Didn't wow me, but still gave me hope for her future performances. [SAFE]

>>But Ryan, you put 4 girls in the Bottom 3! Are you an idiot or something? Well, math has been a challenge but I am merely saying that those contestants need to be worried about getting the boot.

Agree or disagree? Vote to your right ----->

50%

2006-02-26T11:49:00.000-08:00

Stevie, Bobby (my predictions), Becky and Patrick made their grand departure. Things are going to get tighter after this week. I think there is only one more week of expendable talent. Then it will come down to the "best of the best".

Think you can do better than that? Vote on the right --->

P.S. - My board game wishes have come true!

You Can Be My Father Figure, Ace

2006-02-23T13:57:00.000-08:00

Each time I go to post, Jesse has beaten me to the punch! And really I don't disagree with him on much. So rather than seem repetitive, here is my super-dooper quick recap of both nights:

Girls
Ayla: surprised me too [SAFE]
Becky: considered pretty, decent voice [SAFE]
Brenna: the naughty one, personality saved a bad performance [SAFE]
Heather: trying to hard but another pretty one [SAFE]
Katharine: amazing vocal, got coveted "last spot" performance [SAFE]
Kellie: backstory (we know!), decent vocal (give it another listen) [SAFE]
Kinnik: maybe a man?, not enough screen time [OUT]
Lisa: cute, so polished, interesting song [SAFE]
Mandisa: the powerhouse, enough said [SAFE]
Melissa: another surprise, Jessica Sierra anyone? [SAFE]
Paris: amazing and contagious [SAFE]
Stevie: too much pouting, bad vocals [OUT]

Guys
Ace: swoon, sigh, faint [SAFE]
Bobby: Copa-terrible [OUT]
Bucky: interesting enough for now [SAFE]
Chris: sexy and ready to record [SAFE]
David: don't be sad! I'll vote for you! [SAFE]
Elliott: surprise of the night [SAFE]
Gedeon: amazingly annoying/confident [OUT]
Jose: that Mariah-note saved your Daly City ass [SAFE]
Kevin: one more round, that's all you get [SAFE]
Patrick: tall balladeer? count me in! [SAFE]
Taylor: a true artist, Idol needs him [SAFE]
Will: cute with enough talent to last a few more rounds [SAFE]

OTHER NOTES:
• Between his "model posing" and rubbing sweat off of contestants, Ryan is slowly letting us in on his *ahem* softer side.
• Paula is my favorite judge so far, this season. Balanced comments (though they will always be "artist supportive" but someone needs to be doing that) her own pet name for the girls (Paula's Puppy Pound) plus a little humor (admitting that the gays will love Ace).
• Yay! for updated background visuals (fire is HOT...but don't overuse it).
• Vote splitting (a la, Jennifer Hudson/LaToya London) will be a big factor this year.

Results tonight.

The Guys: The Good, The Bad, and COPACABANA?!

2006-02-23T07:45:00.000-08:00

Alright, tonite we have the guys. I was really anxious to hear what they had because I was a little underwhelmed with the overall performance of the women last night. There were some bright stars but overall they weren't that great. I was hoping that the guys would really come out and show us what they got. The thing that really stood out was their song choices. WOW!

Here's my ranking for the night.

Chris
Ace
Elliot
Taylor
Patrick
David
Will
Sway
Bucky
Kevin
Gedeon
Bobby

First up is Patrick Hall. "Come to My Window" is not really a song I'd expect to hear him singing, especially since he's more of a balladeer and Melissa is a rocker. But he did a good job. It wasn't amazing but it wasn't bad. It was just a good performance. And yeah, he's going to be lumped into the Clay/Anthony category (not that that is a bad thing).

David Radford. I was so scared that he'd be another John Stevens. But he's cuter and has more personality than John so that's already a step up. I think he needs to work on his stage presence because he seemed to be all over the place but I actually liked this performance. I thought he sounded great and it was a good song choice for him. He's definitely going to run into trouble with theme weeks but for now he's alright.

Bucky Covington. Ok, it's a little hard for me to listen to him speak. I had no idea what to expect from his singing and I wasn't really that impressed. I didn't really buy the rocker thing he was going for. It just sounded like a lot of growling to me. I thought the song was boring and he didn't add any spice to it. He really needs to pick it up next week or he'll be gone. I think he's going to squeak by this week.

Will Makar. Yes, he does look like Bobby Brady so you know all of the girlies are going to be into him. He's got a good voice but I don't think this was the best song choice for him. His voice just didn't seem strong enough to carry the song (even though he has a strong voice). I don't think he has to worry though. He's easily make it back next week.

Sway. Wow. This was painful for me to listen to. I'm sure I'm going to be in the minority on this one but I did not like the falsetto stuff (except for that one really high note). He was great when he was in his normal voice but the falsetto was all over the place and since the whole song was in falsetto he sounded horrible. I am sure he'll stay in but man I hope he doesn't try to sing every song with a lot of falsetto because that's going to be hard to take each week. Also, please don't try to be the next Mario Vasquez because I dont' think it's going to work.

Chris Daughtry. I was really nervous for him. He's my favorite of the guys and I think his voice is right on the edge of being amazing or really, really bad. For me, he's always been amazing. WOW, what a performance tonite! This is my favorite performance yet. It's the perfect song choice for him. It was a pretty literal interpretation but I think now that he has this one under his belt he'll be comfortable to start putting his own spin on things. He's going to do really well in the competition and I'm really excited to see what he does next.

Kevin Covais. He looks so small on the screen compared to everyone else. He's got a good strong voice but I think this wasn't a very good choice of song for him. I thought he sounded flat throughout the song. I was actually surprised that the judges liked him so much. I think they just don't want to see him leave yet. I just hope he doesn't turn into the Janay of the bunch and be horrible each week but still make it. He's probably in the bottom 3 tonite.

Gedeon McKinney. Ok, just listening to his montage already makes me not like him. I don't like the way he enunciates. every. single. syllabal. in. each. word. And that smile looks so not-genuine. And his confidence borders on cockiness. And then he comes out with "Shout" as his song choice? Are you serious?! This is not a song you perform on American Idol, it's a song you sing at weddings. And if you do perform it you can't ever do it without looking like a fool. He bugs. Ugh, I hated this performance.

Elliot Yamin. Interesting song choice. We haven't really heard this song since Ryan Starr sang it during the first season. He's got a really good voice. I loved hearing him go for the higher notes and wish he would have done it a little. He's my wild card pick for the 6th spot and I think he definitely became a front runner for that spot. Another week like this and I'd be surprised if he didn't make it. I don't know if I agree with Simon about him being the best male vocalist of all the seasons (that goes to Bo) but he's pretty damn good.

Bobby Bennett. Copacabana?! Are you shitting me? What's up with you guys? You're really singing this on American Idol and want to be taken seriously? He's not even a good vocalist. He's definitely a performer and this one fell right out of a bad Vegas show. Oh god, I'm actually embarassed for him. That was absolutely atrocious.

Ace Young. He's another one that I was really curious about. "Father Figure" was the perfect song choice for him. As soon as he opened his mouth I totally connected with his performance. This is the type of stuff that he should be doing and most likely would sell very well. I'm really impressed with him.

Taylor Hicks. The last of the big three that I was excited to see. I think he's got a good voice but he's really hard to watch because he's so awkward. This was just an ok song choice, I dont' think it really showed his vocal abilities at all. I actually wasn't all that impressed with what he did. You can tell that he really does enjoy just singing a song but I don't think this really did anything for him. It was just an average performance for me. However, there is no chance of him going home so we all get a chance to see what he does next week.

Tomorrow is going to be interesting. I'm glad we finally have a comeptiton again!

Girls: The Good, the Not So Good, and Brenna

2006-02-22T10:27:00.000-08:00

First, here is my ranking of tonite's performances and then I will go over each individual performance.

Paris
Katharine
Lisa
Ayla
Mandisa
Kinnik
Kellie
Melissa
Heather
Becky
Brenna
Stevie

First up is Mandisa. That was a strong, solid performance from her. It wasn't "WOW" but it was good for her. It showed off her powerful voice and personality. Not really sure she outsang Carrie's "Alone" but it was good. You can easily see that she's one of the better singers and will easily move on to next week (and into the Top 12).

Next up was Kellie. For me, this was the biggest surprise of the night. After listening to this performance I think she is NO WHERE near the level that everything thinks she is. This song was way too big for her. She doesn't have a strong enough voice to pull off the power notes. She really started to lose steam towards the end. And seriously, if we have to see clips of her breakdown and cry again I'm gonna be sick. She'll make it to next week but I think that she might have trouble as she gets closer to the top 12.

Becky O'Donahue. Damn, she's so fucking hot! Unfortunately, that's about it. She's pretty TV to see but not really great to listen to. She just has an average voice. It was an ok performance but she will quickly get beaten by the young singers with the power voices. I've said all along that singers with the lower, husky tones tend to have a hard time in this competition because America wants to hear high, power notes. Judging by her last note, she can't hit those notes the way America wants to hear. She should squeak by this week but unless she does a lot better she'll be out next week.

Ayla Brown. I was actually a little surprised by her performance. Her voice was stronger than I thought it actually was. I thought this was a great performance from her, even though she missed a few notes here and there. Listening to her right after Becky proves my point about how people like to hear the power notes instead of the husky tones. I also really liked how she was able to switch from the belting to soft falsetto. Good control. She's beautiful, athletic, talented. Is there anything this girl can't do?

Paris Bennett. DAMN!! This was definitely the performance of the night. It was like Tamyra and Fantasia's first performance. As soon as they were done you knew they were top contenders. She actually surprised me because after hearing her sing songs in the auditions I didn't think she had that much power behind her voice. I was very pleasantly surprised. Plus, I feel like she was the only one that actually performed tonite (rather than just sing a song). She looked like the next Fantasia! Definitely a top contender!

Stevie Scott. Man. Her performance was disappointing. As soon as it started I was hoping she'd quickly put some power behind her voice because everything sounded so soft and weak. Mixed with a slow song and you got a downer of a performance. Unfortunately it never picked up. Instead we hear her voice get weaker and weaker as it goes higher up the scale. For being an opera singer, she completely missed the song. Sorry Stevie, you're going home tonite.

Brenna Gethers. She is this year's Mikalah Gordon. She was annoying coming into the show and really did nothing to dispell that notion. All of her mugging and posing for the camera really made her look like an idiot. All of the attitude and talking back to the judges afterwards made her look even worse. Like Mikalah, you're either going to love this girl or hate her. It just depends on which side America will fall on. For me, I'm on the "I hate Mikalah" side. Vocally, she was just ok. From her attitude I was expecting her to be a lot stronger. Maybe it was the song choice but it didn't do wonders for her. Even some of the notes she hit in the higher parts started to sound like Mikalah as well. So with nothing really outstanding about her you have to wonder if it really was just for "great tv" to have her in the top 24. Well, unfortunately that "great tv" will end this week. I just don't think enough people like her and, despite there possibly being some worse performances, she'll be going this week.

Heather Cox. Bad song choice. All I kept hearing were the Idols from last year singing the song. It's great but too recent to last year's cast to be able to sing it without having everyone think of them. Vocally, she's not bad though. There were a few notes here and there but it was a decent performance. I'd like to see her try and show off her vocals more. Unfortunately, she's competing with Kellie for the "blond girl" role and I think people like Kellie a whole lot more so Heather will most likely go home soon.

Melissa McGhee. She stated what her problem is. She hasn't been seen at all. I think she may be the only one who we didn't know what she sounded like before tonite. That's going to make it hard for her to go through to the next week. I think she should be able to pull it off. It wasn't the best performance but I think it's enough to get by. She's got a good voice. I like her lower tones and she reminds me a lot of Joss Stone. There were some problems throughout but it was decent.

Lisa Tucker. We all know she can sing. That's nothing new. And she just went ahead and proved it again tonite. I thought it was an odd choice for her because it sounded very "old fashioned" but vocally, she was awesome. Another one of the top contenders but I still think Paris is better.

Kinnik Sky. She wins for best look of the night. She was beautiful and elegant. I thought this was a great song choice for her. It showed off the fullness of her voice. Again, a few pitch problems here and there but nothing horrible. She's another one that didn't get a lot of screentime before today but I think she made the most of her time. It should be enough to get her through next week.

Katharine McPhee. Easily the best singer of the women. It comes so naturally and easy for her. She did a great job of controlling everything. I found it a little odd to watch her because she just kind stood there and sang. I would have loved to see her move around a bit and feel free. She is only going to grow in this competition and will get stronger each week. This is why (out of the women only) I am predicting Katharine to win. We'll get a chance to see her grow and become something great. Paris is already great and with little growth throughout the competition she can end up being like Bo.

So Paris and Katharine are the top 2 so far. I am very excited to see what the men have to offer tomorrow because I wasn't as impressed with the women as I thought I would be. Hopefully the men will have a better showing.

triple the pleasure

2006-02-20T21:43:00.000-08:00

Top 12 Prediction (Jesse)

2006-02-17T20:32:00.000-08:00

Here it is, my Top 12 prediction. Ryan will soon (hopefully) post a picture of my Top 12 since I'm lame and don't have the ability to do so. But here is who I think will make it. I have to agree with Ryan, this is the hottest bunch of contestants they've ever had. And, I think that if the right people make it into the Top 12 (i.e. the ones I chose) then it'll be the best season yet! Without further ado, my Top 12.

Guys
•Ace Young: (+) The hottest guy they've ever had. The hot factor will definitely push him into the finals, (-)we haven't seen him sing anything fast yet. He's a great balladeer but what about when he needs to sing a faster song? Does he sound the same?
•Chris Daughtry: (+)has an amazing voice. I love the grittiness of it and I think adding that to songs we've all heard before will make them sound new again, (-)has to compete with Taylor for the "southern rocker" role
•David Radford: (+)another hot kid with a great sounding voice, (-)is he going to be the new John Stevens and be one-dimensional as Paula originally said?
•Elliot Yamin: he's my wild-card of the bunch. The last slot for the guys is kinda hard to pinpoint. (+) I chose him because he does a really good voice. Plus he has a sense of humor so that'll help with the likability factor, (-) we didn't really get to see him all that much during the audition process so people might not really be familiar with him compared to someone like Sway
•Taylor Hicks: (+)has an amazing voice and he's unique, (-) too unique? I think he's socially awkward (or at least appears that way). What's up with the strange movements his body makes everytime he sings or talks. It's like he gets nervous around people. I don't think people are going to like seeing that on tv.
•Will Makar: (+) again, another hot guy with a great voice and nice personality, (-) might be fighting with David and Ace for the hot guy factor.

Girls
•Ayla Brown: (+) beautiful, great voice, and seems like she has a nice personality, (-) seems to get everything she's ever wanted/done. I think America is going to be tired of her really quickly because of that.
•Katharine McPhee: (+) I think she's the next Kelly Clarkson. She has a great voice that I think will easily jump from genre to genre. Plus, I only see her growing as the competition moves on (very much like Kelly), (-) seems to have a lot of nerves and cries a lot. Will it all get to be too much for her?
•Kellie Pickler: (+) beautiful girl, great voice, good backstory, (-) now it's coming out that she's not as green as we've all thought. Apparently she's had a tv show at home and has performed with a band on numerous occasions. Plus, is too much like Carrie?
•Lisa Tucker: (+) great voice and control(+), (-) I get this feeling that people aren't really going to connect with her. She's doesn't have the same type of personality like Diana did for being so young. Too mature for her age?
•Mandisa: (+) finally have a big, black woman that can sing the hell out of a song. We've been missing that since Frenchie. Plus, she told off Simon is such a great way that I think she won many people over., (-) ??
•Paris Bennett: (+) good voice and personality. When she picks the right songs she's amazing, (-) she keeps picking odd songs to sing. Most people don't expect her to sing country and she doesn't sound as good when she does choose that.

Top 12 Prediction (Ryan)

2006-02-16T11:52:00.000-08:00

Guys
Ace Young: "pretty"(+), borderline boy band(-)
Chris Daughtry: sexy voice(+), sweet backstory(+), too Bo-ish?(-)
David Radford: the crooner (+/-)
Patrick Hall: runner-up "pretty"(-), sense of humor(+)
Taylor Hicks: most unique male (+), old looking (-)
Will Makar: Fred Savage-ish (+/-)

Girls
Ayla Brown: sporty(+), "always wins"(-)
Katharine McPhee: Joss Stone/Kelly Clarkson mix (++)
Kellie Pickler: "Pick Pickler!"(+), too Carrie-ish?(-)
Lisa Tucker: Whitney voice(+), inexperience/nerves(-)
Mandisa: single name(+), too motherly?(-)
Paris Bennett: famous family(+/-)

There it is! My prediction for the Top 12 of American Idol Season 5. Overall I'd say this is the best looking group of singers the show has ever had. I keep saying that I'd love for a guy to win, but when I really think about it, I just want to be entertained, moved, excited, etc. etc. And if it is a girl that accomplishes that, then I will be happy.

I'd also like to welcome my good friend Jesse (Cooter's Playhouse) as my Guest Blogger! Jesse has an equal passion for all things Idol and a unique sense of humor...just look at the links he puts on his blog if you don't believe me. Together we will cover the ups and downs of Season 5 and in the process alert you to any other Idol news we deem worthy.

Up next, the Top 12 Prediction by Jesse.

Can I pre-order?

2006-02-10T20:14:00.000-08:00

"American Idol" is coming home in the form of an interactive DVD/board game due in March via a partnership between FremantleMedia Licensing Worldwide and game maker Screenlife.

The game utilizes clips from the show, questions and performance challenges. The game board has players traveling from auditions through to Hollywood to the show's finals. Utilizing an included microphone, player performances are "judged" by the show's Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson.

--via Billboard

It Has Begun

2006-01-20T10:48:00.000-08:00

Yet another Idol season is upon us (yes I said 'upon') and I am very satisfied. I normally am not interested in the "bad" auditions (though I will probably be over it in another day or two) but this year they have been bearable and dare I say...funny. Hearing that guy sing the chorus of "I Shot the Sheriff" about 30 times or the monotone version of "Blue Moon" or anyone singing a Paula Abdul song (do you have NO dignity?) were all hilarious.

Just like last year, I think they are hiding some of the talent so Hollywood should be very enlightening.

Oh and that cutie little cowboy (who looks like he is about 10 years old but could DEFINITELY grow into his looks) should prove to be heartbreaking when he doesn't make the cut.

But I think I feel the worst for The Barefoot Hyper Jumper because I'm afraid he love of life and spontaneous energy is going to be ripped from him when he gets to the next round and realizes he was sent there as a joke. Now if the judges were able to get another audition that he took seriously but they didn't broadcast it, which wouldn't surprise me, I could be pleasantly surprised. That's the true joy of this show for me; seeing a raw, new talent develop over the course of the show.

That was the reason I couldn't get behind someone like Bo Bice: he was good from the start! He has performed for years and just used the show as a vehicle (couldn't resist) for exposure. I realize that everyone uses the show for exposure, but I prefer to root for someone who, when they win or are successful, I can say to myself "I discovered them."

Watch out for the 16 year old with curly hair, she will prove to be a tough competitor in the next round. I am pulling for the crooner. If he can get just a little more confidence so he can truly pull of the Sinatra-vibe, I'll have my first Idol-crush of the season. And if The Bald Rocker can get a little emotion/facial expression worked into his act, he could be another Top 32 contender.

So there it is, my first analysis. I'm looking forward to a fantastic season. And if anyone scores some tickets to a live taping, please let me know!

Starting To Drool

2006-01-17T12:38:00.000-08:00

Tonight's the night!
Make sure to check back to see my thoughts on the first episode of:

AMERICAN IDOL!
***I wish I could make the theme music play on the site because that is what I hear in my head, non-stop.

Countdown

2006-01-13T09:48:00.000-08:00

T-minus 4 days!

You're Early!

2005-04-28T09:40:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the future home of all things American Idol: Season 5!