Idol Worship - The Top 9 Sing Anything!

It's Tuesday night and that can only mean one thing: American Idol is on TV and the remaining 9 Idols are set to sing for your votes and the chance to move one step closer to the coveted Idol crown. Tonight's the Idols can sing any song they want to sing as long as it is downloadable on iTunes.

• Anoop "Dogg" Desai started things off with "Caught Up" by Usher. After a couple of weeks of hitting high notes with wonderful ballads, Anoop decided to go up tempo tonight. He worked the stage a bit, but nothing like Usher does. The judges weren't overly impressed with his song selection or his stage presence, but Randy, Kara, and Paula agreed he sounded good if not a bit of a copy cat. Simon went the other way and called it a "complete and utter mess" and thought he sounded like a "wannabe"--which is exactly what these guys are, right?! They "wannabe" the American Idol.
• How would Megan Joy comeback after a poor performance last week? To begin she decided to sing "Turn Your Lights Down Low" by Bob Marley and covered Lauryn Hill. Dressed in a green foam bustier, dark blue jeans, and a ton of chains and necklaces, Megan seemed quite comfortable singing a song with a tempo more suited to her bluesy/jazzy voice. But after the song, all comfort went out the window when Kara started her critique--including a bit of a yelling match with the audience who booed her. Kara ridiculed her song choice, Paula suggested sitting on a stool, Simon called her monotonous and boring (cue the boos), and Randy thought it took forever...then he gave her a list of artists that she should have selected including Duffy and Amy Winehouse.
• So with two very subpar performances tonight, can Danny get things back on track? If he is able to do so he is banking on his interpretation of "What Hurts the Most" by Rascal Flatts. Accompanied by a fiddle player on stage, Danny stood behind the mic stand on center stage and tried to channel Gary LeVox...and he hit a home run. Danny is a wonderful singer with a soulful voice and he sounded great. Paula said she would "hit rewind" if she were listening to the song in her car. Simon thought it was Danny's best performance of the season! Randy and Kara rounded out the love fest--Kara said she got goosebumps.

BTW: Celebrity sighting--"Rules of Engagement" star and TV funnyman, David Spade was sitting behind the judges table and enjoying the show and the judges comments.

• Back to the singing competition and 16-year-old Allison who chose No Doubt's "Don't Speak". For tonight's performance, the auburn haired teenager strapped on her guitar and accompanied herself on the first part of the song. When she hit the chorus the guitar became merely a prop around her shoulders. It is no secret that I am not really a fan of Allison's, but tonight she didn't really have it going on. She sounded a bit rough in my opinion. Randy opted to critique her outfit which included a black and red dress with black tights. Kara thought the outfit took away from her strong vocals--which weren't that strong tonight. Simon continued the clothing comments saying she looked like she was from the "Addams Family". He (like Kara) thought she tried too hard to play the part of a rock star and said she shouted the song. Definitely not her best performance.
• Up next was Scott MacIntyre who chose "Just the Way You Are" by Billy Joel. With his hair swept up in an 1980's white man 'fro and wearing a tough-guy leather jacket, Scott went unplugged playing the piano with no orchestral support. Kara thought he did a great job on the song and complimented him on his new look. Paula made a few awkward comments about Scott's sight impairment and then mumbled on about nothing in particular. Simon said it was Scott's best performance "by a country mile" and Randy thought it was one of the best of the night. After being in the bottom three last week, Scott may have saved himself from the slow walk to center stage come tomorrow night.
• The other member of last week's bottom three who is still on the show, Matt Giraud, tried a new techique for connecting with the audience as he performed "You Found Me" by the Fray. Instead of taking his usual seat at the Idol baby grand on stage, Matt played the electric piano on a mini stage to the side of the judges table surrounded by a group of adoring fans. Matt did a nice job of imitating The Fray, which was not welcomed by the judges. Paula and Simon were disappointed in the performance with Simon confused about what kind of artist Matt is going to be. Randy and Kara agreed that he picked the wrong song by the wrong artist. Kara said he is a great performer and doesn't deserve to go home--which was a not-so-subtle plea to the voters to cast their ballots for Matt.
• Lil Rounds tried to rebound from a very questionable performance last week with Celine Dion's "I Surrender". Lil started out a bit weak on the song, but hit her stride mid-way through it. Randy wasn't convinced it was the right song for her, but thought she sang it well--then he encouraged her to go a bit younger and do something from artists like Mary J. Blige or Mariah Carey. Kara agreed with Randy about her strong vocals, but implored her to make better song selections. Simon thought it was a safe song/performance and one that she chose to "stay in the competition".
• With a tunnel-testing pompadour and no black fingernail polish, music man Adam hit the stage and offered his version of "Play that Funky Music" by Wild Cherry. Where so many of the other contestants merely doing karaoke tonight, it was nice to see someone take a chance and interpret a song in such a unique way. The judges all loved it and the crowd simply went crazy for the one Idol who has consistently brought something fresh to the show. Adam is definitely putting some distance between himself and the rest of the Idol wannabes.
• Kris got the opportunity to klose the show with his version of "Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone" by 70's recording artist Bill Whithers. Kris ditched his usual guitar in favor of a keyboard and was joined by a string quartet on stage. After a slow start in the competition, I must admit that the Arkansas native is growing on me. Randy thought it was one of the best performances of the night, Kara complimented his artistry, Paula thought the song could be on his debut album, and Simon confirmed that it was his best performance of the competition.

So now it is time to predict who is going to find themselves in the dreaded bottom three tomorrow night. Taking up residence in the B3 will be Anoop Dogg, Megan Joy, and Matt Giraud. Going home will be...Anoop who will sing for the judges one last time, but because of poor song selection will not be rewarded with a judges save.

Tune in tomorrow night to see how the voting goes and how Fox wastes an hour of your life you will never get back.

Until then, I'll continue watching TV so you don't have to...

Peace!

Idol Chatter - The Field Gets Trimmed to 9

One night after singing the songs of Motown, it's time to find out which Idol is going to be run out of Tinsel Town--thus ending their hopes and dreams of becoming the next American Idol.

Welcome to Elimination Night on America's top show! Would tonight be the night when the judges used the all-new Judge's Save to stave off elimination for a deserving Idol contestant or would they let the people's voice be heard and send them packing?

Before we could find out, we had to endure yet another awful Idol group medley. But this time, I feel somewhat vindicated in my complaining about this waste of Idol time.

It was clear during tonight's Motown medley that these wanna be Idols are lip syncing! Did I miss something? Is this a singing contest or a tryout for a Britney Spears backup singer?

OK, I'm a little calmer now and just in time to enjoy a nice performance by the Velvet Teddy Bear himself, Season 2 Idol winner, Rueben Studdard. As Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood did the past two weeks, Reuben showed off the chops that vaulted him past the rest of the would-be Idol contestants during Idol's sophomore season.

Nineteen minutes into the show, we finally started the elimination process. Ryan was on the hunt to find the bottom three vote getters. Here's how things went:

• Adam: Safe
• Matt: Bottom 3! A bit of a shock especially since the judges gave him such high praise--what is that going to do to Simon's ego?!
• Kris: Safe--but not before Ryan played a little goof on him.
• Michael: Bottom 3--as predicted (and expected by everyone including Michael himself)
• Lil: Safe

So with the bottom three two-thirds of the way to reaching capacity, it was time for a little more outside entertainment. As promised, we were treated to an unlikely duet from Joss Stone and Smokey Robinson. Wearing a floor-length blue dress and barefoot (as usual), Joss started the song on her own. But it wasn't long before Smokey joined her--with eyes wide open...and by wide open, I'm talking PIE-EYED! It was a little creepy--there is no denying Smokey still has the voice of a Motown legend, but he now has a face better suited for radio.

After Joss and Smokey finished their song, it was time to find out who is joining Matt and Michael...

• Allison: Safe after being in the Bottom 3 last week
• Anoop Dogg: Safe
• Danny: Safe much to the delight of the audience
• Megan: Safe! A very big shock to everyone including Megan!
• Scott: Bottom 3! Not pleasing to the crowd, but probably deserved after delivering a very Manilow-esque performance

Ryan gathered the bottom 3 to center stage, asked Randy "the Dawg" who didn't deserve to be there (he said Matt), and then Ryan walked Scott back to the couch. So it is down to Michael and Matt--could this be the night that the Judges use the first Save in Idol history? We will have to wait awhile because Stevie Wonder was coming on stage to sing a medley of some of his biggest hits.

Stevie started off with "My Cherie Amour", then transitioned into "Supersititious", followed by "Overjoyed", and wrapped up his set with a moving version of "All About Love Again"--punctuated with Stevie declaring his love for Barack Obama, positivity, and American Idol.

Stevie was great, but it was time to turn our attention to the two Idols in trouble. Ryan asked for the lights to be dimmed and then told Michael that he didn't have enough votes (out of the more than 36 million) to continue in the contest. Matt was sent back to the couch and Michael was given a microphone with a chance to gain a stay from the judges--a daunting task indeed and one that is hard enough on it's own, but to have to follow the great Stevie Wonder, well that might just be too high a moutain to climb.

As Michael sang for his Idol existence, Randy and Simon talked about something (probably where they were going to eat dinner) while Kara and Paula danced and sang along with Michael. The judges had a suprisingly difficult time this week making their decision, but in the end, Simon sent him back to the oil rig...at least until the Idol tour begins this summer.

And with that, there are but 9 Idols left to battle for the crown. Tune in next Tuesday when the remaining Idols sing for your votes.

Until then, I will continue watching TV so you don't have to...

Peace!

Idol Worship - The Top 10 Sing Motown

With a plethora of great songs from which to choose, it was time for our Idols to "get ready" and start "shopping around" for the perfect song to get the people "dancing in the street" as they peformed the songs that launched the careers of many superstars in the Motor City back in the 1960's.

To prepare for their performances, the Idols were whisked off to Detroit for a tour of Hitsville, U.S. A. and some special bonding time with Smokey Robinson and Motown founder, Berry Gordy. When they returned to the Left Coast, they were mentored by Mr. Smokey Robinson himself--a musicial genius who penned many hits for the Motown label.

• Kicking off Motown night was Michigan native, Matt Giraud, who selected the Marvin Gaye classic, "Let's Get it On". Smokey was impressed enough with Matt's interpretation, he predicted that Marvin would approve--if his father hadn't shot him some 25 year ago. Matt started the song in his usual spot behind the piano, but once he set the tone for the song, he was up working the crowd as he moved around the stage. The judges all gave him serious props for strong vocals and a great performance--even Simon who thought Matt's song selection was perfect and liked the performance with the exception of a few moves he made in front of the judges table. When is Simon going to figure out that he isn't judging "So You Think You Can Dance"?--another of my guilty pleasures, but that's for another time.
  
• Kris Allen stepped into his session with Smokey and announced that he was going to do the second Marvin Gaye song of the night. The song, "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)". Smokey was quite impressed with Kris' ability to play the guitar and sing at the same time--really Smokey? Haven't seen that before, huh? I guess they pulled a bit too tight the last time you had some work done--you know it's true. But enough about Smokey, I know you're dying to know how the boy from Arkansas did with the song from the Motor City. Well, it actually was pretty good--could this relatively unknown contestant be growing on me? As I noted in my blog yesterday, Kris could be ready to move into my Top 5. The judges seemed to really like it as well--Kara and Simon commented that he sang the song as Kris and not James Taylor or Marvin Gaye. Simon also advised Kris to add a dash of conceit to his act and to believe in himself a bit more.


• With two strong performances in the bag, could Scott MacIntyre keep things moving in a positive direction? Scott selected "You Can't Hurry Love" by Diana Ross and the Supremes (and covered by Phil Collins in the '80's). Once again, Smokey had no constructive feedback--makes you wonder why he's even there as a mentor. Back on the Idol stage, Scott took his familiar seat at the baby grand to play, sing, and win your votes. Scott updated the song to make it a little more contemporary, but I must admit I'm not a big fan of the song--and neither was Simon who called the piano playing "honkey tonk"...which probably would have been more appropriate last week. He went on (and on and on) to say song selection was poor--and Randy "the Dawg" agreed. But Kara rescued him a bit noting he brought a little tempo to his performance which made her happy. However she wasn't pleased with the liberties he took with the melody. After the judges comments, Scott said he was torn between two songs--this one and "Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)" to which Simon said that would have been better. And then Paula went under the desk and pulled out crayons and coloring books for Simon--an event which Ryan had to verbally describe for the vision impaired Idol.


• Megan Joy decided to add her vocals to Stevie Wonders's "For Once in my Life". As with the previous three singers, Smokey had little to offer in the way of advice or constructive criticism--perhaps they will ask me to be a mentor next week ;) When it came time to hit the stage, we were greeted by Megan in a Hawaiian looking mini dress, flats, and some weird stuff in her hair--Randy liked the outfit, but called the performance a train wreck...stole the word right out of my keyboard. Before offering her criticism, Kara said Megan should have sang "My Guy" or something a little slower that would fit her voice better. Paula and Simon both liked Megan's look, but Simon hated the performance and told her she is likely in serious trouble with the voters.


• Trying to continue the magic that he created last week, Anoop "Dogg" Desai decided to go kiss-ass and chose the Smokey Robinson and the Miracle classic "Ooo, Baby Baby". After Anoop finished his performance, Kara continued the ass-kissing calling the song one of the best ever written and then she told Anoop he did a nice job with the song. Paula added her lips to the kiss-fest and then dropped all of the usual buzzwords--spot on, vibrato, pocket, etc. Simon liked the song selection, thought Anoop did a great job with the song, but commented on how Anoop appeared to be asleep while he was singing. Picking up on the lack of energy offered by Anooop, Randy encouraged Anoop to turn it up next week--provided he accumulates enough votes.


• After failing to impress during Country week, Michael Sarver had an opportunity to redeem himself and chose "Ain't to Proud to Beg" by the Temptations. Michael said he was going to "church it up"--whatever that means. Smokey, for the first time all evening, made a suggestion--he wanted Michael to punch tbe song up a bit. Watching Michael gyrate around the stage and shake hands with a few lucky and adoring fans, I found myself disappointed in the performance. And Paula saw it the same way--going so far as to call it "Las Vegas-y". Simon said he couldn't wait for the song to end--and told him he has no chance to win the contest if he is going to continue with these subpar performances. Randy and Kara finished him off saying the song wasn't right for him and he showed nothing about himself as an artist. I guess "churching it up" wasn't the right thing to do. Oops!
  
• Lil Rounds was next up and decided to take on Martha and the Vandellas' "Heatwave". If there is anyone who should kill it this week, it is Lil Rounds. So with expectations high, Lil took to the state in a fancy flapper-looking dress and hair extensions. Paula was up dancing with Lil within a few bars and the crowd was loving the performance. Randy didn't like it so much noting that the song has a few too many words for her big voice. Kara was equally disappointed because she felt Lil screamed the song. Paula heard something quite different saying she sang a classic song, but made it sound new--really, Paula? And what did the rest of us hear? Simon thought she could have had a moment with a different song (he suggested "Heard it Through the Grapevine"), but he didn't completely through her under the bus saying she still has one of the best voices in the Top 10.


• Adam Lambert decided to interpret another Smokey classic, "Tracks of my Tears". Smokey was quite happy with Adam's song choice as well as how he decided to sing it, but nothing could prepare us for what we were treated to when we got back to the Idol stage. With his jet-black hair slicked back in a mini-pompadour and dressed in a shiny, gray suit with a black open neck shirt, Adam looked nothing like the musical theatre performer he has been throughout the competition. He looked great and sounded awesome as he was flanked by an acoustic musical group. The audience, including Smokey and Berry Gordy, gave him a standing ovation--and Kara joined them on her feet. She called it one of the best performances of the night--I'd say it was THE best, so far. Paula ran on about how much she liked it. And Simon agreed with me that it was THE best performance--and then complemented Smokey on a great song. What was left for "The Dawg"? To call it "hot"!


• So how would Danny follow up such a strong performance? Well, to begin he selected "Get Ready" by the Temptations. And then he took to the stage, got everyone all revved up, and delivered a strong performance. He made a few goofy moves on stage including a classic Temptations step with the back-up singers, but moves aside, Danny nailed it. Simon thought it was clumsy and amateurish--what?! Randy, Paula, and Kara all thought it was good. And that's as much as we got because time was running out and we still had one more vocal to go.


• Seizing the honor of closing the show, Allison decided to sing "Papa Was a Rolling Stone". The song started off a bit rough for me, but when she hit the middle of the song, I thought she did a pretty good job. Randy called it a "blazing hot" performance, Kara gave her a standing O and thought the performance was "for God", Paula (who was sporting a black marker mustache courtesy of Simon) mumbled something though her fingers, and Simon gave Allison credit for coming back after a tough performance last week.

With all 10 performances complete it's time to predict who is in trouble and who's going home come tomorrow night. I predict sleepless nights for Megan Joy and Michael Sarver. It wouldn't surprise me to see either of them go home when the votes are counted, but if I was a betting man, I'd say it will be...Michael Sarver.

Tune in tomorrow night to see how the voting goes, watch a little Idol entertainment (Reuben Studdard, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson and Joss Stone are scheduled to appear), and see who is sent packing one week after joining the Idol Summer Tour.

Until then, I will continue watching TV so you don't have to...

Peace!

Idol Chatter - Handicapping the Top 10

With an extra day before the Top 10 performs this week, I was asked for my opinion about who I thought will contend for the Idol crown. Here's what I wrote:

• Danny Gokey has been one of my favorites from the start. Even without his tragic storyline, he is a great singer and when he get's going on a song, it is pure magic.


• Lil Rounds had an off night during Country week, but should be back in her comfort zone this week with songs from the Motown songbook. I like her powerful voice and her pure R&B sound.


• Adam Lambert is fun to watch. I was watching last week's performance show with the family the other night and was struck by how Elvis-like Adam is--from the jet-black hair to the way he looks at the audience and seducing all of us just like Elvis...it is EERIE!


• Scott MacIntyre is a great talent. Forget that he is legally blind--this guy is a great piano player and has good enough singing chops to make a strong run for the title. He does need to do better with song selection, but overall, he's a winner.


• Matt Giraud is the black horse in the race. He plays the piano effortlessly, has a really nice voice, and is the second coming of Justin Timberlake--right down to the tight 'fro and two-day facial hair. I like Matt alot and am pretty sure he will be around for a while.

The rest of the Top 10 are good, but I don't expect them to make much of a push:

• Kris Allen could break into the Top 5. He certainly surprised me last week--and who can deny him now that he has a new nickname, Tender Dogg, courtesy of the original Dawg, Randy Jackson?!


• Anoop "Dogg" Desai is fun to watch when he's on, but I fear he may be a bit inconsistent and song selection is going to play a huge role in his success or failure.


• Allison has a big voice, but I haven't fallen in love with her just yet--and I'm not sure I'm going to do so.


• Megan Joy is another entertaining watch--interesting voice, awkward moves, and the crowd loves her, so she should be around for a few more shows before her voice completely becomes her undoing.


• Michael Sarver is another good story--who goes from oil rigger to pop icon? No one and that is why he won't win the contest. But I like his voice--as long as he is singing, not what he did last week which was more Country-rap. As with a number of the remaining contestants, song selection isn't his strong suit. But he's still around, so he must have a fan base.

Those are my thoughts. As the list of candidates gets whittled down, I'll get a little more attached to one or two (or three) singers, but for now, I can only talk about my fav five.

Tune in Wednesday to hear them sing and Thursday to watch one more Idol walk the plank back to reality.

Until then, I'll continue watching TV so you don't have to....

Idol Chatter - Elimination #3

Another Wednesday night and another elimination of a once promising Idol. After tonight's elimination, our Top 10 will be set and the remaining Idols can cancel any plans they may have had this summer because they will be hitting the road on a concert tour in a city near you.

With the Idols sitting on the elimination couch, Ryan told us that over 31 million votes were cast last night--and for one unlucky Idol, that won't be enough. He also teased the night's entertainment: Brad Paisley and an extra special duet delivered by Randy Travis and Season 4 American Idol Carrie Underwood.

OMG--for the group number tonight the Idols are singing Travis Tritt's "T-R-O-U-B-L-E". When are the Idol producers going to start reading my posts and heed my advice and get rid of these ridiculous group songs? I'm not sure what I detest more: the group sing-along or the elimination night Ford music video. I guess it doesn't really matter because the folks at Idol are listening to me. WHATEVER, 19!

Elimination time: Up first, Danny. Ryan ran through the normal judges comments recap and announced that Danny will be going on tour this summer. Lil Rounds was next and got the same treatment including an invitation to join Danny (and eight others) on the tour bus. Anoop Dogg was the third Idol to learn his fate...and that was to sit his behind down on the couch and celebrate the fact that he is singing with his peeps.

When Ryan asked Allison and Michael to stand up, the tour bus suddenly seemed so far away because both of them were escorted to the bottom three stools at the other end of the stage.

With two-thirds of the bottom three filled out, Ryan sent us to commercial. When we returned, Brad Paisley graced the stage with his band. Brad is a good singer, but his song choice was a real snoozer--if Simon would have been allowed to pass judgement on him, I'm pretty sure Brad would have found himself filling in the last third of the bottom three.

But alas, that's not the case, so we must turn our attention back to the remaining Idols on the couch to see who is hitting the road and who is going home.

Scott MacIntyre was the next member of the Top 10 and was joined by Megan Joy, Matt Giraud, and Kris Allen. So that left Alexis (or Allison as she was called by Randy the Dawg) and Adam--one was in the bottom three and the other was in the Top 10. And the unlucky one was Alexis who made her way to center stage to meet Michael and Allison. Ryan told the group that Allison was safe and sent her back to the couch and, by extension, onto the tour bus.

Before learning who is going home and who is joining the other nine members of the Top 10, Ryan brought out Carrie Underwood and Randy Travis to sing a song together. As they walked on stage, my eye immediately went to the mess that was in Carrie's hair as well as the Frankenstein stitching on Randy Travis' sporty country-western style jacket.

But the magic really began when Carrie sang the first line of "I Told You So" with Randy strumming a guitar while they sat on stools on the stage. As was the case last week, the remaining Idols could learn a thing or two from this former Idol winner. Randy seemed to be struggling with his voice--maybe he picked up some of the flu bug that Megan Joy suffered from last night.

With all of the extracurricular activities over, it was time to find out who lacked the votes to join the Top 10. With Michael and Alexis looking on, Ryan asked Simon if the judges would consider using their save tonight--to which Simon said "yes" if need be.

When Ryan announced the voting results, Michael Sarver was....SAFE!!! Meaning if Alexis is to warrant the judges save that Simon essentially promised, it would all depend on how Alexis did with this final performance of "Jolene". As the judges huddled right in front of her, Alexis struggled with the song and made it rather easy for them to say "no".

Your Top 10 touring Idols are: Danny, Lil Rounds, Scott MacIntyre, Kris Allen, Allison, Michael Sarver, Matt Giraud, Megan Joy, Anoop "Dogg" Desai, and Adam.

Programing note: We will have to wait until next Wednesday to get our Idol on as President Barack Obama owns the airwaves on Tuesday. On Wednesday, the Top 10 Idols will select songs from a catalog made up of 50 years of Motown.

It promises to be a very exciting night provided the remaining Idols make good song selections.

Tune in on Wednesday and see how it all unfolds--or wait to read about it later. Either way,...

I will continue watching TV so you don't have to...

Peace!

Idol Worship - The Final 11 Go Country...Yee Haw!

It's Tuesday night, St. Patrick's Day, and our Idols are going to vie for your votes singing songs from the good ol' boy's country club--aka the Grand Ole Opry. Tonight is especially important because for those who make it through this week are in the Top 10 and that means they get to go on tour this summer and get even more exposure to their beloved fans.

But enough of the pre-amble, let's check out how they handled their song choices under the tutelage of Mr. Randy Travis--a true legend in this genre.

Up first was Texas oil rigger, Michael Saver, who selected the Garth Brook's classic, "Ain't Going Down til the Sun Comes Up". Accompanied by a harmonica player seated on the edge of the stage, Michael labored to get all of the words into a very short period of time. It was a bit uncomfortable watching Michael struggle to keep his breath during the performance, but it was hardly a singing song and Randy called him on that very point. Kara also commented on the lack of big notes that Michael has come to be known for as the competition has progressed. Michael said he had fun and that's what country music is all about--but Simon didn't see it the same way. Simon found it clumsy and karaoke in a country western bar--to which Michael said "if we were all perfect, we wouldn't need this show"...and cue the cheers from the audience.

Off to a rather dubious start, Ryan introduced young Allison who selected "Blame it on Your Heart" by Patty Lovelace. Randy Travis was impressed with Allison's song selection and her big voice, but warned her to NOT do a cute little dance move she showed Randy during her session with him--sounds like someone has been listening to Simon's critiques. When she finally hit the stage, Allison got the crowd going, seemed to be having fun with the song, and opted to take Randy's advice and worked the stage without doing her silly dance. I didn't really get into the song as much as Kara did who credited Allison for making the song her own--sounds pretty cliche, right?! Paula blabbed on about her big talent, but Simon kept it real and said it was just alright--however Randy summed it up in one word calling it "Dope!". I guess the Dawg is taking it to the mean streets! You go, Randy!

Kris Allen was next and chose the second Garth Brooks song of the night "To Make You Feel My Love"--like Kris, I know nothing about this song. Without his guitar, Kris pulled up a stool on center stage and actually did a nice job singing a ballad that the crowd seemed to really enjoy. Paula called it an honest and vulnerable performance with a few pitch problems (sounds like the Dawg has been influencing her). Simon called it "terrific" and complimented Kris on his song selection and the way he performed it--he even said he has a chance of going far in the competition, but he's going to have to get a little more interesting to grab my attention. After Simon finished slobbering all over him, the Dawg called Kris a "Tender Dawg"--a nickname that is sure to stick.

Resident R&B Queen, Lil Rounds, tried to go country with Martina
McBride's "Independence Day". Lil was nervous about her performance, but Randy Travis was confident her big vocals would get her through. Looking good in a red dress and appearing a bit more subdued than last week when she rocked the stage, Lil started out a bit sluggish, but by the time she got to the chorus she found her stride and was able to finish the song better. The Dawg thought she did an alright job, but seemed out of sorts--and then he gave her some song selection choices she SHOULD HAVE made like "I Will Always Love You" by Dolly Parton (and covered by Whitney), but Lil made the point that she wanted to show she could sing more than R&B. Paula babbled on and on and on...annoying Simon which was entertaining as usual. When he finally got his chance to offer his thoughts, he called her "Little"--because Lil is short for Little according to Simon! Gotta love Simon. Song selection was Simon (and the rest of the judge's) primary complaint, but Lil is money and will be back next week.

Sporting St. Patrick's Day green highlights in his jet black hair, musical theater star, Adam Lambert set out to scare Randy Travis with his version of Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire". Adam was already creeping Randy out with his black nail polish and then he sprung the idea of performing the song with a Middle Eastern flavor--complete with Sitar. Listening to Adam sing this new version of a nearly untouchable song by a legend in the industry, I quite enjoyed it. Kara called it strange, but she kind of like it...ambivalent, I'd say. Paula credited him with being true to his artistry and said the song had a bit of Led Zepplin sound. Simon suggested Adam stay as far away from Nashville as possible, he called the performance "indulgent" and "horrific". The Dawg thought it was "current, fresh, and hot" and thought it would sound good on a Nine Inch Nails album.

Scott MacIntyre sang the second Martina McBride song of the evening. He selected "Wild Angels"--to which Randy Travis wanted to tell him it was a bad song choice. By the end of his mentoring session with Scott, Randy was pretty impressed with our rather gifted Idol. Seated at the Idol Grand Piano and slowing the pace of the song, Scott played and sang the country out of the song and made it sound like a fresh recording of a song people think they know. The audience went crazy--even Simon gave it a couple of claps. Paula complimented Scott on his performing, but noted that the piano might be a crutch and tends to separate him from the audience. Simon stepped all over that critique and defended Scott's decision to play the piano because there have been a few who have actually sat behind the piano and sang--like Elton John, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder!...and they've moderate success in the music business, I guess. Havind defended him, it was time for Simon to offer his critique. He thought while Scott's performance was good, it was also very safe. All four judges encouraged him to pick better songs.

Memphis native, Alexis Grace, chose Dolly Parton's "Jolene"--a song choice that Randy Travis had very little to offer in the way of criticism. But how would she do on the Idol stage? Starting off the song on one of the spiral staircases, Alexis made her way to the stage in a very Opry looking black dress complete with sparkles and big hanging earrings. She definitely looked the part, but I didn't think she was as good this week as she was last week. She's got a great voice, but her breathing seemed to be off a bit and that ruined my enjoyment of the song. The Dawg noted her pitch problems as well as some questionable singing decisions. Kara thought she lost her edge and made a few suggestions that would have worked better--begging the question: why don't the judges help the contestants pick their songs? It's not like these guys are going to pick their own songs when/if they get a recording contract. Back to the judging: Simon called it forgetable...which pretty much sums it up. Alexis did promise to get dirty if she is around next week...which should please the judges.

Danny struggled through his mentoring session with Randy Travis. As a front-runner in the contest, it was painful watching him stumble on Carrie Underwood's "Jesus Take the Wheel". With his nerves hopefully behind him, Danny took to the stage in an odd get up: faded blue jeans, puple oxford, and a white jacket that seemed better fitted for a ski lodge. But you have got to give it up for Mr. Gokey--when it's go time, he can sing! I thought he did a great job on the song and the crowd seemed to agree--so much so that the judges had to wait for them to settle to give him his props. Kara thought the first half of the song was forgettable, but loved the second part because it allowed him to soar to the end. Paula thought the whole thing was good and wagered that Carrie would run out to buy the record--if you are reading this blog Carrie, you can download it on iTunes tomorrow. Simon thought Danny's performance was good, but hated his outfit--told you, he wasn't dressed for success so much as for a polar exploration.

North Carolina native, Anoop "Dogg" Desai spent some time with Randy Travis getting tips on how to do justice to Willie Nelson's "Always on my Mind". Randy had his doubts about his song choice, but as they ended their time together, Randy predicted that Anoop's performance would change people's mind about the Anoop Dogg! Standing under the spotlight on center stage with only a mic stand, Anoop preceeded to prove Randy's point and garner good reviews from the judges and collect votes from the viewing audience. I wouldn't say Willie is in any danger of losing his identity over Anoop's version, but he did a nice job with a beautiful song. Paula was first up and thought he delivered the song with tender, sweet vocals. Simon said Anoop went from "zero to hero" with a very good choice of song and Simon's favorite performance of the night. And then he took back his comment from last week when he said Anoop didn't deserve to be in the Top 13--talk about eating some serious crow. The Dawg loved the Dogg's arrangement and Kara called his performance the biggest surprise of the night. Anoop Dogg is officially back in the hiz-ouse!

Megan Joy met with Randy Travis to work on "Walking After Midnight"--a song Randy thought had been done every which way it could and she would really struggle to make it memorable. He found himself surprised with her arrangement, going so far as to call it unique. My first thought when I saw Megan's brown and green floor length dress was that Simon is going hate her outfit and then she started to do some Hula-like moves which I'm sure will earn her some nasty words from judge Crabby-pants. Randy liked the jazzy/bluesy version of the song and Kara complimented her on pushing through the flu and doing a fine job. When it came time for Simon's comments, he shocked me by saying Megan looked beautiful--but with every Simon compliment comes a zinger and the zinger was that she looked like she was going to prom! He did suggest she have the flu every week because he thought she sounded good with it...another backwards compliment from the master himself.

Matt Giraud, the dueling piano player, closed the show with Carrie Underwood's "So Small"--yet another song choice that surprised Randy. I'm beginning to think Randy isn't much of a mentor and certainly suffers from a lack of creativeness when it comes to young talent looking for their sound. Looking like he was born at a piano, Matt started off slow, but eventually gained steam and got the audience into the song. Kara called him a true talent, said he was amazing, and then she professed her love for him. Paula thought his performance was authentic and stumbled through a few more comments. Simon said Matt outsang Danny and Adam tonight and compared him to Michael Buble. And The Dawg thought it was the performance of the night!

With eleven more performances in the books, it's time to predict who will find themselves in the bottom three come tomorrow night's elimination show. My picks are: Michael Saver (picked a poor singing song), Alexis Grace (didn't impress tonight), and Allison (lacked uniqueness). And going home will be Michael Saver--which means he won't be invited to the tour with the Idols this summer.

And so ends another night of Idol peformances. Tune in tomorrow to see Randy Travis and Carrie Underwood entertain the viewers and watch another Idol's dreams get crushed.

Until then, I will continue watching TV so you don't have to...

Peace.

Idol Talk - Elimination #'s 1 & 2

One night after rocking the stage, our Idols were back to learn how they stood with the fans--that's right, it's elimination night and two of our Idols are going home...or will they?

Before the show really got under way, Ryan introduced a new rule for saving contestants from elimination--let's call it the Chris Daughtry-Tamara Gray-Jennifer Hudson rule and here's how it works. If any of the contestants being voted off is deemed by the judges to deserve one more chance to win America's votes, that contestant will be saved from elimination that night and no one will be sent packing.

Here are the twists: the judges must be uninamous in their decision to save the contestant, they can only save a contestant one time for the entire season, on the night of said save no one will be eliminated, and the next week two Idols will be shown the door. Should be interesting to see who the judges would deem "savable" and when they would use the save.

But enough of the twists, let's see who's performed for the last time as an American Idol contestant.

As America was letting the new rule sink into their collective brains, we took a trip to the place where the Idols will rest their weary heads in between singing for their beloved audience. The new Idol Mansion is quite a sight, complete with a pool, hot tub, bowling alley, basketball court, movie screening room, and more rooms than most of us will ever see in any one residence.

After the tour was complete, the Idols assembled on the stage and performed a medley of Michael Jackson hits. I really wish they would eliminate this practice from elimination night--it serves no purpose and pretty much goes against the very idea of Idol: to find a solo superstar.

But all of my complaining isn't going to take away from the excitement of this Idol season, so let's see who is going to continue on the show.

Ryan addressed the Idols on the elimination couch, made small talk, and started the elimination process. Up first was Michael Sarver who was relieved to learn that America likes him enough to keep him around for another week. Allison was next and found out she was safe as well.

Unfortunately for Jasmine, she didn't fair quite so well and was invited down to the stage because she didn't inspire enough voters to call in on her behalf.

Dueling piano player Matt G. was safe and allowed to stay on the couch. Then Ryan pulled the old Idol host trick and asked Kris and Megan to stand together before announcing that Kris was safe and that Megan needed to join Jasmine at center stage.

Ryan wasted little time letting Megan know that she could rejoin the rest of the Idols on the couch and Jasmine was given the mic and asked to sing "I'll Be There" one last time while the judges deliberated whether to employ the "save" rule for the young Mississippi native.

Randy delivered the news that Jasmine Murray was the first Idol to go home on Season 8. It's kind of a shame because she really had a lot of talent, she just did a terrible job last night and didn't build a fan base during any of the earlier rounds. Remember she was one of the lucky singers to make the Final 13 via the Wild Card round.

To give everyone a chance to dry their tears after Jasmine's dismissal, Ryan invited Kanye West to the stage to sing "Heartless"--I'm sure Jasmine saw the irony in Mr. West's song selection. It was a pretty hot performance, but this isn't the Kanye West show, this is American Idol and I want to know what other Idol is going to join Jasmine on the bye-bye train.

Back to the drama...

Scott was asked to stand up only to be told to sit back down as were Alexis, Danny, Adam, and Lil Rounds. That left Anoop and Jorge to wonder who was going to get another chance to impress the judges and America and who was going to take a long plane ride home, thereby dashing their hopes of becoming the eighth American Idol.

While the boys sweated it out, they watched the original American Idol, Kelly Clarkson, perform her latest hit, "My Life Would Suck Without You"--an ode to Ryan or Simon, no doubt! Listening to Kelly sing, the Idols who are back next week can certainly learn something--she sings effortlessly and she good! It's no wonder she was the first American Idol.

Back to reality...

Looking quite scared and ready to cry, Anoop was informed that he was going to be around for at least another week meaning Jorge is going home. As he did with Jasmine, Ryan handed him the mic to sing "Never Can Say Goodbye" which seems appropriate, right. What isn't appropriate is the fact that while Jorge is singing, the judges are supposed to be deliberating about whether they wanted to save him or not--instead Paula was up dancing and singing while Simon and Randy chatted about something other than Jorge. When the music stopped, Simon was asked to deliver the verdict--which he did in the most succint manner: "No!" And so ends Jorge's ride on the Idol train.

So, just like that two Idols were eliminated and we are down to 11 hopefuls. Tune in next week when the Idols sing another song in hopes of winning your votes and a chance to have Simon insult their clothing choices and poor dance moves.

Until then, I will continue watching TV so you don't have to...

Peace!

Idol Worship - The Final 13 Sing the King of Pop

With anticipation normally reserved for opening day in Major League Baseball, the energy on the Idol stage was electric. As has been the case all season, the producers of Idol added a special (but not unexpected) twist to tonight's gala event. As you recall from my previous post, this year's Final group consists of 13 Idol wannabes vs. the usual 12. To get things back to normal (at least for Idol), Simon informed the rather stunned finalists that two of them would be going home tomorrow.

So with everyone feeling like they just got kicked in the privates, it was time to start singing for your votes. And here's how things went on the first night of Idol.

Leading off the festivities is Memphis native and mother of three, Lil Rounds. Lil is an early favorite and she opted to sing "The Way You Make Me Feel" from Jacko's "Bad" album. Lil worked the stage, the crowd, and, of course, the camera not to mention belting some mighty strong vocals. Paula was loving the vibe and wasted little time getting up out of her seat and doing her thing much to Simon's chagrin. The judges were all about Lil--Randy and Kara (new judge) gushed over Lil's singing and Paula complimented her outfit while Simon was a bit disappointed calling the song a bit of a lazy choice...and then told her he hated what she was wearing.

After listening to such glowing remarks, it was time for Scott MacIntyre to hit the stage. The intro piece on Scott reminded us that he is sight impaired, but that hasn't stopped him from winning over the judges and, more importantly, the fans. Seated comfortably behind the Idol grand piano, Scott sang a little known (to me) Michael Jackson song called "Keep the Faith". Kara and Paula loved the performance. But Simon hated the song and encouraged Scott (and, by proxy everyone else) that they need to pick good songs and Randy called the performance safe. But never fear, Scott will be back next week because his story is good and he is a talented entertainer.

Church music director from Milwaukee, Danny Gokey, took to the stage next and thrilled the crowd with his version of "Pretty Young Thing (PYT)". He took a page out of Season 7 Idol winner, David Cook's book by starting the song in a very low key manner--and then just ROCKING THE B-JESUS out of it. As I watched Danny work the stage, I could see Simon's face cringe because of his long-standing hatred for dancing singers--anyone remember Mr. Salt 'n Pepper, Taylor Hicks?! Well Danny has much more talent than Mr. Hicks, so I'm guessing he's going to get a bit of a pass--plus he got Randy, Kara, and Paula to sing a bit of back up for him and that can only lead to some positive feedback. Paula was near tears when she announced that Danny was on his way to the finals. Simon brought things back to reality, reminding Paula that they were only 3 singers into Season 8...and then gave him credit for great vocals and awful dance moves!--shocking! Randy called the dancing just passionate movement.

Three for three so far...but how will Michael Sarver, the oil rigger from Texas, match this unbelievable pace? To start, he selected "You Are Not Alone"--a rather sensitive song from such a roughneck kind of guys. Michael didn't curry any favors with me by starting the song seated on the stage--I've never liked that move, but Michael isn't just any singer and I thought he sounded good and looked comfortable on the big stage. Simon noted that Michael isn't the best singer, but credited him with delivering a strong performance. The rest of the judges pretty much echoed Simon's thoughts, but in a much less concise or entertaining manner.

BTW: A few Idols of old were in the audience--Season 1 runner-up, Justin Guarini and Ace Young from Season 4 were prominently positioned near the judges. I guess Justin is taking a break after having "Gone Country" and Ace is still wondering what happened after Queen week.

Up next and trying to keep the streak alive was 17-year-old, Jasmine Murray. The young lady with commercial appeal selected Jackson 5 classic, "I'll Be There". Jasmine started off looking and sounding a little wooden and the arrangement didn't help. As she got to the chorus, I was really pulling for her to hit her stride, but her voice didn't seem to want to follow. Before critiquing Jasmine's performance, Randy bragged on himself (as usual) because of his connection to the song (he worked with Mariah when she remade the song about a million years ago). Randy and Kara were impressed with Jasmine, but Paula actually started down the path of being a bit critical, before she reversed herself and avoided saying something mean. Simon told her she needs to start acting her age--which, in this case, might mean she should have picked a song from a different time in the Jackson songbook because I think Michael was about 10 when he recorded the song originally!

Kris Allen, the unknown Idol, grabbed his guitar and performed "Remember the Time". Dressed in a green, black, and white short-sleeved button-up shirt, Kris gave the song all he had, but struggled to grab my attention. Unless the voting public saw or heard something I didn't, Kris might be one of the two Idols booted from the stage tomorrow night. Kara complimented Kris on his guitar playing and noted that most of the ladies in the audience were loving him. Paula called him "adorably sexy"--but gave him little performance critique. Simon thought the guitar was a bit distracting and then gave him some seriously surprising relationship advice about it being a bit early to introducing the Idol voters to his wife--which made absolutely no sense. Randy said Kris' performance reminded him of Jason Mraz--which is a compliment (as my son, Parker, is keen to say).

This year's youngest contestant, Allison Irahetta, lent her big voice to "Given to Me"--yet another song from the Michael Jackson collection that isn't familiar to me. As Allison made her way through the song, I just wanted it to be over. I didn't like the song and I wasn't crazy about her performance and that's a bad combination. The judges saw things a bit different that me--Paula loved it, Simon suggested she lighten up a bit, and Randy said she can sing anything and called her one to watch.

Anoop "Dogg" Desai, a 22-year-old Tarheel (that's a North Carolina grad) who made it to the Finals as the 13th member of the group, hit the stage and "Beat It". I've been a "Dogg" fan since he first auditioned so I am really rooting for Anoop to do well, however I wasn't exactly blown away with his vocals. He did work the stage and seemed to have a good time, but ultimately this is a singing contest. First up with judges comments was Paula who said the song was "untouchable" and called the perfomance Karaoke; Simon thought it was horrible; Randy picked on song selection; and Kara said he showed no range. Anoop may not be long for the contest unless there are enough voters up and down tabacco road to save him.

Traveling all the way from Puerto Rico and singing "Never Can Say Goodbye" was Jorge Nunez. Jorge has quickly become a judges and fan favorite throughout the many stages of the Idol season, but tonight was a rare off-night for Jorge. He tried to inject his usual passion and energy into this classic song, but failed in the judges eyes and ears. Simon summed up how awful it was saying he couldn't wait for the song to end--calling it corny and slaying the arrangement. Oh well, unless the voters save him, it could be a long trip back to the Island.

Trying to get things back on track, 23-year-old Megan Joy Corkrey sang "Rockin' Robin"...WHAT???? I wasn't sure I heard Ryan correctly when he said "Rockin' Robin", but sure enough, the edgy girl from Utah put on her own version of High School Musical and really surprised...because I can't believe ANYONE would ever pick that song. Simon and Randy questioned her song selection (Paula and Kara actually liked it!) and she got dinged a bit for her awkward dance moves, but she'll likely be fine because she is entertaining.

Adam Lambert, the Hollywood resident with a musical theatre background, chose "Black and White". About half-way through the song, he seemed to go all "Bad" on us and proceeded to kick things into a different geas as well as karate kick imaginary villians in a stage production only he can see. The crowd loved the performance. Paula noted how comfortable Adam looks on the stage which brought tears to Mr. Theatre's black-eye-liner eyes. Simon said the performance was in a totally different league to anything we have seen so far tonight. Randy told him he could make records right now. And Kara was left with nothing to say...thank goodness because she doesn't say much anyway.

The penultimate slot belonged to Matt Giraud, a dueling piano player from Michigan. Matt, tickled the ivories and sang "Human Nature". I loved the performance so much I rewound my DVR and watched it a second time. I thought he sang the song well, added his special blues/R&B feel, and played a great piano. My only complaint was the way it ended...it seemed to just end which is because these performers are only given 90 seconds to make their case. Rushed for time, the judges all agreed that Matt is talented and did a good job. Simon called it a "meat and potatoes" type of performance which sounded good to me--I like a nice steak and baked potato, so count me in, Mr. Cowell!

Closing the show was Alexis Grace,a 21-year-old mother who has a big voice and a huge future if given the chance. Hoping to win your votes, Alexis rocked a black mini, pink highlights in her Wendy O'Williams platinum blond locks, and cranked out a very hot "Dirty Diana". Kara thought she was "naughty" in a good way; Paula cautioned her about over-singing; Simon said the performance probably wasn't as good as she thought it was (uh, yes it was, Mr. Cranky Pants!); and Randy thought it was good, not great, but loved the attitude.

So with all 13 finalists vying for 11 slots in next week's show, it is time for me to pick the bottom three--and ultimately predict who's going home after only one performace.

I believe the bottom three will be an all-male review: Kris, Anoop, and Jorge. Going home will be Kris (not enough exposure throughtout the early rounds) and Anoop (poor song selection and an even worse performance).

Tune in tomorrow night and see how your Idols fared when all of the votes are counted. Until then...

I will continue watching TV so you don't have to...

Peace!

Idol Worship - A Baker's Dozen!

Hello and welcome to Season 8 of American Idol! It's been roughly 10 months since the Battle of the Davids crowned Cook the winner of Season 7. Since that time, many wannabe Idols have auditioned in front of the Idol judges, survived Hollywood Week, were split into three groups of 12 contestants, and then sang for your votes and a spot in the final 12--which, for the first time in Idol history is now a final 13...ergo the clever title of this blog.

Before meeting the final 13, let's address a few of the unique twists and turns that Season 8 has offered so far.

First of all Randy, Paula, and Simon have company on the judges panel. Joining the trio is singer/songwriter Kara DioGuardi. Kara was brought on board to balance the XX/XY ratio and a fresh perspective on what makes an Idol. Unfortunately, Operation Kara has yielded little thus far beyond her wondering aloud what it would be like to go shopping with a contestant who could sing, but had little personality.

The rest of the judges are pretty much the same: Randy's vocabulary hasn't improved...EVER! Paula has taken to calling contestants "relevant" even though few have shown any unique qualities such as good song selection. And Simon has been...well, he's been Simon--wearing the same wardrobe as in season's past and skewering just about everyone save a couple of obvious favorites.

As for how we arrived at a top 13, let's take a brief trip back in time...a time when auditions were held in a number of music-rich cities across the U.S. including New York, San Francisco, Kansas City, Louisville, and one U.S. territory--San Juan, Puerto Rico. Many talented unknowns waited for hours and sometimes days just for a chance to sing for the judges--a chance that usually ended with Simon telling them to give up on their dreams of ever becoming a singer. But for the lucky few who got 3 or 4 yeses from the judges, they were rewarded with a golden ticket and a trip to Hollywood for what is arguably the most difficult thing most of these kids will ever encounter.

As usual, Hollywood week was filled with catfights, poor behavior, and forgotten lyrics. But in the end the judges selected their top 36 to move on to the next round. Those 36 contestants were divided into groups of 12 who sang for your votes over the past three weeks with only three singers being voted into the final 12. If you're good with math, you figured out that three groups of three only make nine and at the start I told you there were actually 13 who made it into the finals.

To get to the final tally, the Idol judges invited eight of the previous contestants to sing in a Wild Card round where the judges would round out the final cast.

So who are these Final 13 singers?

1. Alexis - a 21-year-old single mother who isn't much bigger than a minute, but has a powerful voice and who Simon believes could be a dark horse in the contest
2. Mike - an oil rig worker who looks like he'd be more comfortable tossing people out of a nightclub than singing in one, but with good song selection will garner praise from the judges and votes from America
3. Danny - a church choir director who lost his young wife four-weeks before auditioning for the show and who is an early favorite to win it all
4. Allison - one of the youngest contestants at 16 years of age, she sings much older than her years, the question will be how she will deal with the pressure
5. Kris - a very non-descript Finalist about whom I can't remember a single interesting thing...if he makes it past tomorrow night, I'll do a little research on him
6. Adam - Hollywood native with a musical theatre background--and a penchant for inappropriate self-manipulation...awkward! He's talented, so in spite of his moves, he could go far
7. Lil Rounds - a powerhouse singer with attitude and moxie who will challenge Danny for the title if she makes good song choices
8. Scott MacIntyre - born nearly blind, mad piano skills, and a decent voice, Scott has a chance to capture America's heart and votes...plus the judges LOVE him--including Simon!
9. Jorge Nunez - Puerto Rico native who sings with passion and a Spanish accent--which initially Kara, the new judge, thought might hold him back...apparently she's never heard of Ricky Martin!
10. Jasmine - a very young and talented singer from Mississipi who made it to the Finals via the Wild Card round. Jasmine won't win, but she will impress
11. Megan - sporting a tatoo "sleeve", Megan is cut from the same mold as some of the current female singers who aren't necessarily blessed with a great voice, but who draw you into their world. Megan was one of the contestants that Paula called "releveant"--and Simon agreed with her
12. Matt - a dueling piano entertainer from Michigan with a fabulous blues and R&B voice who reminds me of one of my all-time favorite Idol finalists, Elliott Yamin
13. Anoop Desai - referring to himself as "Anoop Dogg"--for Randy's sake, of course, Anoop was the Lucky 13th member of the Finals cast

So that's what you've missed so far on Idol. Tune in tomorrow to watch the Final 13 sing their first song, vie for your votes, and try to make it to next week. In case you can't--or rather WON'T watch, I'm always there...

Watching TV so you don't have to...

Peace.