Idol Chatter - Another Idol Sent (Rat) Packin'

A night after channeling Frank, Dean, and Sammie, the Idols are set to face the music--aka the voter counts to find out how they fared with the American voting public and whether they had a slot in the Final Four.


Before kicking off the elimination show Ryan asked Simon for his thoughts on last night's performace show. Simon said it was the best Final 5 show ever! And I think there are a lot of people who agree with him.

Ryan also introduced the night's guest entertainers who happened to be Natalie Cole, Season 5 American Idol, Taylor Hicks, and last night's mentor, Jamie Foxx.


Now that you have the rundown of the show, let the lip synching begin...the Idols lent their lips to a couple of jazz/scat numbers including "It Don't Mean a Thing if It Ain't Got That Swing" and "I Got Rhythm".


After they finished the medley we were sent to commerical break and then treated to some behind the scenes footage of a food fight at the Idol Mansion. Oh the fun these kids have when they aren't being judged by Randy, Kara, Paula, and Simon. But would the fun continue when the elimination process begins?


Twelve minutes into the show, the reason for tonight (and every elimination night) is finally here. Ryan invited the five remaining Idols to center stage and began the painful process of ending one of their dreams by recapping Matt's night with the judges.


With tears forming in his eyes, Ryan gave Matt an opportunity to tell everyone how he felt he did last night. When he was done, Ryan asked him to stand on the right side of the stage--that is right if you are facing the audience; if you are watching on your couch at home, it would be on your left.


Next on the block was Danny who was asked how he has dealt with past critiques from Simon regarding his performing style. Danny said he watched other people's style, but wouldn't name names...any guesses as to whom he is referring? When the light banter was over, Danny was sent to the opposite side of the stage--that would be the left side if you facing the audience and your right if you are watching from home...hope that helps!


Allison was Ryan's next victim. He did the normal dance by reminding everyone about the judge's comments and then sent her over to stand next to Danny.


Kris went through the same process and was asked by Ryan whether he feels he's "in it to win it". Like a good Idol contestant, Kris answered in the affirmative. And for his honesty, he was asked to join Matt--which, if you are keeping track of at home, Matt (and now Kris) are on the right side of the stage if you are facing the audience; the left if you are watching from home...is that "joke" getting old yet? :)


To screams of joy, Ryan turned his attention to Adam. When he was done doing his thing, Ryan pulled Adam down stage a few feet and then did the "Final 5 thing" where he asks him with which group he thinks he belongs. After a few moments of hesitation, Adam said based on last night's performance, he walked over to Danny and Allison....but not so fast, Adam. Ryan took Adam by the arm and led him over to Matt and Kris because the three of them, including Adam made up the Bottom 3! A bit shocking, but as Simon said, with only five contestants left, someone has to go.


So let me recap what just happened...Danny and Allison have secured their place in the Final Four while Adam, Kris, and Matt are left to sweat out the rest of the show to find out if they will be around another week or going home to rest before taking part in the Idol tour this summer.

But before we are able to find out how America spent their votes, Ryan brought out Natalie Cole to entertain the audience with a performance of "Something's Gotta Give" from her Unforgettable album and recorded by Frank and Sammie from the Rat Pack.


While the Bottom 3 Idols chatted amongst themselves back stage, Taylor Hicks hit the stage with his trademark salt 'n pepper hair more salt than pepper, broke out the moves that won over America three seasons ago and sang his song "Seven Mile Breakdown". It was a spirited performance and one that we all came to expect from the leader of the Soul Patrol, but it seemed a bit misplaced on Rat Pack week. I guess this was the only week Taylor could get out of his Grease committment.

After chasing Taylor off the stage, Ryan brought the B3 out and sent Kris to safety leaving Adam and Matt to ponder their Idol future. And before they can find out who's going home, Jamie Foxx was introduced and rocked "Blame It"--another song/performance that doesn't quite fit the week's Idol genre, but I guess if 19 is going to ask Mr. Foxx to lend his expertise to the Idols, they have to let Jamie do his thing for the fans and sell some records.

For the record, I didn't get the song. It had a nice beat, but it sounded like Jamie was singing into one of those boxes that makes your voice sound electric. I guess I'm not his audience. Oh well, the song is over and now we can find out who the final member of the Final Four is.

After Jamie finished, he and Ryan talked about his mentoring experience with the Final Five. On more than one occassion, Jamie implored the viewing audience to support "these cats" regardless of who is eliminatied tonight because he thinks these five Idols are "some of the most talented performers (he) has been around in 10 years". Coupled with Simon's praise from earlier in the evening, these Idols are going to have trouble getting their ever growing heads through regular door jams.

But enough of that stuff, are you ready to find who's going home? So am I, so here goes....

A very nervous looking Matt and a surprisingly calm looking Adam found themselves on center stage waiting to learn the results. Ryan asked for the lights to be dimmed and then said that Adam got more of the 47 million votes than Matt and therefore Adam is the final member of the Final Four. So Matt's Idol run is finally over, but not before he won over millions of fans and showed the world that he deserved to be in the Idol Final 5.

So as we say goodbye to the Michigan native, we prepare ourselves for what is sure to be a great final three weeks of the competition that will decide who wears the crown of American Idol for Season 8.

Tune in next week, when the Final Four sing Rock and Roll songs under the watchful eyes and ears of Slash.

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

Peace!

Idol Worship - The Fantastic Five Go Rat-Packin'

We're down to the Final 5 Idols and at this point in the contest, it's anyone's game to win....wait, scratch that, we all know we are but three weeks away from crowning Adam as the Season 8 American Idol. But since Fox has already sold ad time for the next three weeks, we will continue to be entertained by the Idols as they sing for second place.

Tonight the Idols selected songs made famous by the Rat Pack--Frank, Dean, and Sammie. To help the Idols capture the era and sound, Idol asked Jamie Foxx to mentor the Top 5. Foxx's resume is filled with comedy, big screen, and music, so he was a great choice to help the kids this week.

• Leading off the show was Kris Allen who donned a skinny tie and steel blue suit. Kris chose a wonderful Frank Sinatra classic, "The Way You Look Tonight" and without hearing him sing a note, I knew it was going to be a great selection. Kris slowed the tempo a bit in the beginning which allowed the audience to hear and enjoy every run. About half-way through, he picked up the pace and he sounded simply awesome. Randy said it was his best performance of the season; Kara keyed in on his technical capabilities; Paula called him a "sophisticated gentleman" and a "crooner"; Simon thought it was "a little bit wet" (which we learned is the opposite of being dry) and compared him to "taking a well-trained spaniel for a walk" and then went on to say he didn't think Kris could win the competition. Duh! If you read my intro, Simon, you'd know Adam is going to win; the rest of the Final 5 are just trying to not spike themselves and get a recording contract.
• Allison, who turned 17 yesterday, selected "Someone to Watch Over Me". Jamie noted that Allison is too young to be in love, so he gave her a tip on how to perform the song and remain believable which would be a challenge if Allison didn't sound like a 40-year-old lounge singer--and I mean that in a good way for all of your Allison fans. Randy said Allison looked like Britney Murphy, sounded like Pink (but with more octaves), and was dope to boot! Kara rambled on about who knows what and then said Allison deserves to be in the finals--really, Kara?! Simon wasn't convince either because he asked Allison if she thinks she could win and then predicted she could be in trouble tonight--primarily because he didn't feel she was commited to the song. Kara and Randy stood up for her, but I am going to side with Simon--Allison has been in the B3 a number of times and she will likely find herself there again come tomorrow night, which isn't all that shocking since 60% of tonight's performers will make up the B3. The big question is whether she will get enough votes to live to sing another day...stay tuned....
• Matt Giraud, aka the Cat with Nine Lives, was next and went with the Jazz standard "My Funny Valentine". Before hitting the stage, Matt told Ryan that he has been waiting for this week because of his love of Jazz--a class he got a B in while studying music at Western Michigan. When he hit the stage, Matt was wearing his trademark JT lid and dudded out in a nice blue suit and tie--he looked the part and sounded like he walked off a Vegas stage with The Pack. Randy didn't think it was a great performance and gave him a "6 out of 10"; Kara said he lacked the emotional connection to the song--Matt didn't agree with her assessment and neither did Paula. For his part, Simon disagreed with Randy which shocked everyone--including Matt! He said it was the only truly "believable, authentic" song of the night; he even said he "heard a little Nat King Cole" in the performance. Sounds like Simon wants Matt to stick around another week which would justify the controversial Judge's Save from a couple of weeks ago.
• In the penultimate position, Danny Gokey sang "Come Rain or Come Shine". Jamie got all up in Danny's grill during their session together which helped Danny really feel the song. But would it translae to the stage? Looking quite slick in a black suit, skinny black tie, and french cuffs, Danny was welcomed to the stage with the help of one of Ricky Minor's trombone players. As has been his style, Danny started the song in a somewhat mellow fashion and built the song over the 90 seconds, finishing with the power that we have all come to love during these finals. The crowd loved it and kept the Dawg from getting his comments out, but when the crowd finally settled enough for him to be heard, Randy said Danny is the only one (so far) who could make a record of standards. Kara complimented Danny's creativity with the melody. Paula called it "stellar". And Simon echoed Kara's comment about Danny having a "Rat Pack swagger". He called the performance "outstanding", the arrangement "superb", and offered a "special thank you" to Jamie Foxx for bringing out the best in Danny.
• And the performance that all of America has been waiting for is finally here. Adam Lambert went with "Feeling Good" and promised to give it a bit of a Rock edge. One week after performing a song from the "Saturday Night Fever" soundtrack, Adam was wearing a white suit remenicient of that worn by Tony Manero. Adam started out the song walking down the Idol steps which were aglow in red. When he made his way down to center stage, the audience was all fired up and loving every second of the performance. When he finished, the audience (and Paula) were just getting started. Randy thought it was a "little too theatrical"; Kara thought it was "sleazy" and "over the top", but she really liked it!; Paula called him "our Michael Phelps"; and Simon took exception to Randy's comments about it being too theatrical, comparing it to complaining about "a cow mooing". He pretty much gave the crown to Adam--as have the rest of us and then said Adam's entrance was the best of the season and then forbid Ryan from using those stairs again.

With all five performances in the bag, it is now time to predict who is going to find themselves in danger of going home tomorrow. I've already said that Allison will be one of the three members of the bottom three--the others will be Matt and Kris, but only because Danny and Adam are likely untouchable until the finals when one of them is going to have to go. And speaking of going home, I believe Allison has performed for your votes for the final time.

And with that, I bit you adieu. Tune in tomorrow when we find out who will make up the Fantastic Four. Until then, I will continue watching TV so you don't have to...

Peace!

Idol Chatter - Two Must Go!

It's Elimination night and no one is safe from exiting the show after the judges used the first ever Judge's Save last week to extend the Idol career of Matt Giraud. We start the evening with seven Idols, but by the time you finish reading this entry, there will be but five vying to join Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, David Cook, and the other who came before them. I'm predicting double the tears of a normal elimination show and to help the tears along, Idol has invited last year's runner-up, David Archuleta, to sing one more time on the Idol stage.

A night after singing Disco songs as solo artists, Ryan brought on the Idols to shake their groove things while lip-syncing to "Shake Your Body Down (to the Ground)" by The Jackson 5--dance steps courtesy of Idol judge and famed choreographer, Paula Abdul. As far as elimination night group sings go, it was alright, but they have to get rid of the lip-syncing--this is a singing contest and the Idols should be allowed to sing. But it's over now, so I'll just have to let it go because there is so much more to report from the show--we're less than 10 minutes into the 60 minute snooze-fest.

At minute 14, Ryan asked to dim the lights and then he had Lil Rounds stand up to get the recap from last night (not good) and learn her fate (even worse). Ryan escorted her to the far end of the stage and then dropped the bomb--that her Idol journey ends right here, right now. Wow! I'm not shocked that she is gone--I predicted it during last night's show and I pretty sure Lil knew it was going to happen as well, but to be booted so early in the show has to be a huge blow to the ego. If it's any consolation for all of you Lil Rounds fans, she sounded the best she has since the first week of the finals. The judges all offered Lil encouragement as she moves on to new things--including the Idol tour this summer. Hopefully Lil finds herself, hooks up with a record company, and puts out a killer R&B album. She's got mad singing chops, she just forgot to use them the last several weeks.

So with a half-dozen Idols sitting nervously on the sofa, Ryan introduced Disco Diva, Freda Payne to sing "Band of Gold". Looking quite nice in her sparkly floor-length dress, Freda pretty much made a mess of the song--I'd say she's lucky America wasn't voting for her survival on Idol because she would be sharing a ride home with Lil.

Once Freda was done butchering her song, she introduced Thelma Houston who looked pretty much like Big Bird in a yellow frock and Jason Castro-inspired dreadlocks piled upon her head. Like Freda, Thelma didn't sound that great as she performed her Disco-era anthem, "Don't Leave Me this Way". It appeared that she couldn't hear the band, the background singers, or herself for that matter--not good.

Let's see what KC of KC and the Sunshine Band can do with "Get Down Tonight". Looking a little chunkier than in his heyday and wearing a bright--and I mean BRIGHT, red shirt, KC was flanked by four dancers/back up singers who helped him sound a whole lot better than he really did. Nice move, KC, draw attention away from your has-been vocals and "steal" the night from the Disco re-treads.

I'm not ashamed to admit that I am a big fan of Disco-era songs, but after watching those three destroy their most famous songs, I'm rethinking my allegiance to that genre of music.

Back to the elimination process and the darkened studio. Ryan asked Kris to stand up and quickly sit back down because America still likes him. Adam was next and after chatting with Ryan about his decision to rework the fast-paced song into a power ballad, he took a seat--no big shock. Danny was also safe and lives to sing another song and try to impress Simon next week.

As happened last week, Anoop found himself in the Bottom 3--which has turned into a B2 with Lil's early exit. The final member of the B2 was going to be either Allison or Matt. Would judge's favorite Allison be sent to the stools or would Matt be facing double jeopardy? Ryan did his thing and quizzed Allison on her choice to make crazy changes to her song--she felt she had to to avoid the dreaded Karoake label. Ryan also asked Matt if he made the most of being saved by the judges last week--he said "yes"...but what was he supposed to say?!

After building up the drama, Ryan finally announced that the second member of the Bottom 2 was...Allison! That's right, America saved Matt and put Allison in danger of being sent home. Talk about drama--and a bit of an upset. But just because she is in the B2 doesn't mean she's going home...or does it?! We'll have to wait to find out after Archie sings a little song for his fans.

Looking even younger than he did last season when he made it all the way to the final 2, David had the tweens in the crowd clapping and singing along with him as he smiled his way through "A Little Too Not Over You" which was definitely not written by David's English teacher. When he finished, he and Ryan shared a hug and some mindless chit-chat. David sounded out of breath as he told his adoring fans he was headed to the UK for some concert gigs and then he offered some advice for Anoop and Allison before we were mercifully sent to commercial.

When we returned from commerical, Ryan told Anoop that he didn't receive enough of the record 45 million votes and he is going home. I think the only person surprised at this turn of events was Anoop who, if nothing else, is one confident Tar Heel. As is the Idol custom, Ryan gave Anoop the microphone to sing one last time on the Idol stage. Anoop looked rather casual with his hand in his pocket as he delivered an irony-filled version of "Dim All the Lights"--and quite well at that.

And because Idol managed their time better tonight than in recent weeks, we got the chance to watch Lil and Anoop's Idol journey which reminded everyone of why these two made it as far as they did on America's #1 show.

Now there are five Idols fighting it out for a chance to wear the Season 8 Idol crown. Tune in next Tuesday to hear what songs they sing for your votes and a chance to make it one step closer to their dream.

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

Peace!

Idol Worship - The Final 7 Hit the Disco

One week after the Idol judges saved Matt Giraud from elimination, the Top 7 Idols take to the stage with the added pressure of not only singing Disco songs, but knowing that two Idols will be sent packing tomorrow night.

• With precious little time to waste, Ryan started the performance show by introducing Lil Rounds. Lil chose to sing Chaka Kahn's "I'm Every Woman". Lil poured herself into a black jumpsuit that was very reminsent of an outfit you saw in the Disco-era movie, "Thank God It's Friday". As I listened to Lil sing for her Idol life, I was struck by the fact that she finally started incorporating some of the judge's comments--going with a true R&B song that should be perfectly suited for Lil's vocal stylings. Unfortunately, the judges didn't feel it--Randy thought it was all over the place, Kara still isn't sure what type of artist Lil is trying to be, Paula thought Lil was "hot tonight, but didn't hit the boiling point", and before Simon could offer his comments, Lil said she had fun...and then Simon said she likely won't be around next week. Cue the boos, but I agree with Simon (and the rest of the judges). Lil should pack her extensions and fancy clothes tonight because she is definitely going home tomorrow.
• Kris Allen was next and made a very strange song selection, "She Works Hard for the Money" by Donna Summer. As Kris made his way to the stage, Ryan assured us that we were going to like it...and I must admit Kris caught my attention with his toned down version. He was joined on stage by a couple of bongo players, Ricky Minor on the bass guitar, and his own acoustic guitar. It was an interesting interpretation that the audience seemed to enjoy. Kara had trouble breaking through the hootin' and hollarin', but when she did, she gave him serious props for the arrangement. Paula thought it had a "Santana feel" and complimented him for "shopping in the women's department"--what? Simon called it a "complete polar opposite" performance to Lil's. He thought it was original and anything but Karaoke. Randy broke it down and said Kris is "ready for the big time" because he knows who he is. Fine marks for the Arkansas native.
• Danny chose to sing one of the greatest songs of the '70's, "September" by the elements (Earth, Wind, and Fire). Danny hit all of the right notes from an R&B/Disco perspective, but about half-way through he went all gospel on us and that's when I thought he caught fire and slammed it into another gear. His dancing left a little something to be desired, but he can sing and I thought he did great. Randy thought Danny turned the song into something he could really deliver. Kara called him an "incredible vocalist" and said his pitch is right on, but cautioned him that it may not have been memerable...what is she talking about?! Paula said he has "one of the sexist voices" ever--that's our Paula, always there with an inappropriate comment to keep things interesting. Simon agreed with everyone else's comments (including Paula's?), but said he didn't get any star performance out of Danny--he said it was a bit clumsy. Danny is definitely no Adam, but he can sing!
• Dressed in a bedazzled black leather dress with a white jacket, 16-year-old Allison Iraheta sang Donna Summer's "Hot Stuff". In an attempt to make the song more her own, Allison started out lounging on the Idol stairs behind the stage. After about 16 bars, she got to rockin' and the crowd really enjoyed it. The judges all thought she did a nice job--Randy said it was a bit "indulgent", Kara thought it was the right song, Paula said the final note was the perfect capper to the song, and Simon said it was "brilliant".
• A very dashing Adam Lambert dressed in a black suit and with his hair swept up in a pompadour similar to that worn by John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever put his special spin on "If I Can't Have You" from the SNF soundtrack. Adam slowed the song down significantly from the original version and pretty much slayed it like he does every week. Randy said Adam is "ready right now"--meaning he is set to record...duh! Kara was all gaga over his performance, his look, and his abilities. Paula "felt his pain, his vulnerability" and said he would be in the finals--along with Danny who she predicted earlier in the show. Simon didn't go quite as crazy, but still found it memorable and the vocals "immaculate".
• With irony dripping from the stage like syrup on pancakes, Second Chance Matt picked "Staying Alive" by the Bee Gees. Doing his best impersonation of Justin Timberlake, Matt gave everything he had in his performance to make sure the judges (and the voters) feel good about last week's Judge's Save. Randy didn't care for the song selection, but said Matt can sing--and then he said Season 8 has the best singers ever. Kara was happy that Matt brought Disco back for the night. Paula compared Matt's song selection to her bowling game--sometimes it's gutter balls, other times it's strikes...and she felt tonight was a strike. Simon called the performance "desperate" and said it lacked originality. Matt may be in a bit of trouble come tomorrow night.
• Putting a wrapper on Disco night, Anoop Dogg Desai serenaded us with his take on "Dim All the Lights" by none other than the Queen of the Disco floor, Donna Summer. Anoop was styling in a pink cardigan with a pink and blue striped tie, but I'm not sure it was his best performance of the season. Randy wasn't a fan of the arrangement, but thought Anoop sounded good. Kara said it was a great song choice and "could be on the radio". Paula complimented Anoop on his look and said he sounded good. But Simon agreed with me and said it was "mediocre at best" and then dropped the "worst performance" bomb. Sounds like there might be a bit of rift between Mr. Crabby Pants and the new judge.

For the second week in a row, we were treated to seven performances, but this week only five Idols will survive once all of the votes are counted. Who's in danger? Read on and find out...

As happened last week, the bottom three will be made up of Lil Rounds (going home), Matt Giraud, and Anoop Desai. Joining Lil on the Greyhound bus out of town will be...Matt Giraud. And it looks like the recipent of the first ever Judge's Save won't last another week.

Tune in tomorrow to see how things fall out once they tally up the phone calls and text messages. As an added bonus, David Archuleta will perform for your pleasure.

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

Peace!

Idol Chatter - Someone's Gotta Go, Right?!

It's Wednesday night and that means that by the time you are done reading this entry, we should be down to a six-pack of Idols. That's right, it's Elimination Night on Idol and you can thank me for saving you an hour of your life by watching the show while you do whatever it is you do on Wednesday nights.

In the event you decide to read not watch what happened, you missed Miley Cyrus (OK, "missed" may be a bit strong) and former Idol contestant and Oscar winning actress, Jennifer Hudson perform while the seven remaining Idols sweated it out on the Idol couch.

For the group performance, the Idols lent their lips to the '80's club standard, "Maniac" from the Flashdance soundtrack. There were no Jennifer Beals sightings, but Allison did her best to channel the Flashdance look by wearing purple stretch pants and Matt did a little Michael Jackson twirl as the Idols (finally) ended the song.

As often happens on Elinination night, the Idol producers pack the show with time wasting events. This week we followed the Idols as they attended the world premier of 17 Again, the Zac Ephron/Matthew Perry remake of about a million"back in time" movies including Big, 13 Going on 30. and Like Father, Like Son. But this one is different!--really! If you want to find out for yourself, hit the multiplex on Friday because I am not likely to make it there for you.

At the 16 minute mark, Ryan asked Allison to stand up and face the music. He ran through Paula and Simon's comments from last night, built a little lame drama, and then told her she was safe. Adam was put through the usual Elimination Night treatment before he was invited to sit back down. Anoop, as predicted (by me), was ushered to the Bottom 3 stools where he was to be joined by two more Idols in due time.

While Anoop wondered what he has to do to remain in the contest, Ryan introduced former Idol finalist and Grammy award winner, Jennifer Hudson. Before she could hit the stage, we watched a retrospective of all of Jennifer's success starting with her turn on Idol. When she finally graced the stage, she was flashing a huge engagement ring and sang "If This Isn't Love" off of her first album which included a spelling bee (L O V E) and instructions to "put your hands up" to which the audience did--but I'm not sure they needed the encouragement because, like the Idols who preceeded her, Jennifer sounded awesome and very Grammy worthy.

In an effort to find playmates for Anoop, Ryan asked Kris and Lil to stand up. While Ryan rehashed the comments that Randy made after Kris' performance last night, Simon spoke up and said Kris was "brilliant"--which may or may not be too late. Then he turned his attention toward Lil and they chatted a bit about her exchange with Simon at the end of the performance show. Nothing new was offered or explained and in the end, Kris was asked to take a seat...on the couch and Lil was sent to the stools.

The final pair of Idols, Matt and Danny rose from their comfy seats and Ryan ran through the normal drama before he sent Matt to join Lil and Anoop meaning that Danny was safe--as expected.

BTW: For those keeping track at home, I was three for three in picking the B3 this week! Anyone want to go to Vegas?! :)

Ryan gathered the B3 to center stage, asked the judges if the voters got it right--Paula and Kara hemmed and hawed before Ryan sent Anoop to safety meaning the end of road is coming for either Lil or Matt. Anybody's palms getting sweaty? Well take a minute to gather yourself because up next is Billy Ray's little girl herself performing for your pleasure, but not your votes--which is a good thing because I'm not sure she would be able to out sing any of our Idols.

I could only make it through about a minute of her performance before fast forwarding to the end of the song, but before Ryan sent us to the break, he asked Simon if the judges would consider using the Judge's Save for either Matt or Lil. Simon said they might for one of them, and he added a bit of drama and mystery to the situation by saying that the person on whom they would use the safe might be a bit surprised...but he stopped short of saying which Idol might benefit from the judge's clemency. It's starting to read like an Agatha Christie novel, isn't it!

After 54 minutes of mostly wasted activities, Ryan told Lil she was safe and that Matt was the one who received the fewest votes this week--I was a bit shocked, but Matt was completely taken by surprise. But before he had time to process the news, Matt was given the microphone and another chance to remind the judges why he is in the competition. So sans piano, Matt reprised his previous night's performance of "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?" As Matt tried valiantly to sway the judges, the only swaying that seemed to be happening was Paula, Kara, and Randy moving from one foot to the other behind their judges table.

Matt finished the song, the judges huddled, and Simon started down the "you're probably not going to win the contest..." line before the rest of the judges interceded by pleading with Simon to use the coveted save...which he did! Meaning that no one if going home tonight, but two people are going home next week...and to add serious insult to injury, he told them that next week is...wait for it: DISCO NIGHT!

So break out your polyester pants, platform shoes, and gold medallions and get ready for some Night Fever! It is going to be like Studio 54 in Studio 57...you have been warned.

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

Peace!

Idol Worship - The Top 7 Go to the Movies

Hello and welcome to American Idol--the show where unknown singers perform songs with the hope that you will call or text your approval in the form of votes in an effort to be named Season 8 American Idol. Tonight the Idols chose songs from the cinema and were mentored by that musical icon, Quentin Tarantino...yep, you read that correctly, the Idols are going to get singing tips from none other than the man who brought you such silver screen hits as "Pulp Fiction", "Resevoir Dogs", "Kill Bill Vol 1 & 2" and other such RomComs.

Quentin is no stranger to the Idol scene as he logged time during Season 2 back when they used to employ guest judges on performance night. During his intro, Quentin informed us that he is going to leverage his skills as a movie director to guide the Idols through their preparation for tonight's big performance show.

Before getting to the actual performances it should be noted that because of last week's timing snafu where most of us missed Adam's performance, this week the Idols will only receive critiques from two judges at a time meaning that not everyone will be the beneficiary (or butt) of Simon's comments. Should make for an interesting show...

And speaking of the show, here come the Idols...

• Up first is Allison who selected Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" from Armagedon. In recent weeks Allison's style choices have garnered more attention than her powerful vocals and as I look at her in an oversized black top and red and black pinstriped leggings, I have a feeling if time weren't an issue, she might receive more unflattering comments. As for the singing, I didn't feel it, but my opinion doesn't really count as far as the official Idol show goes. Paula was the first judge to weigh in and called her "authentic" and Simon said she was "the girls only hope left in the competition". He went on and wrapped her in compliments normally saved for front-running Adam Lambert, so I guess I don't know much...oh well, at least I have this blog...take that Mr. Cowell!


• Anoop Dogg hit the stage next and shared his version of "Everything I Do For You" from Robinhood: Prince of Thieves and recorded by Canada's own Bryan Adams. Quentin encouraged Anoop to dig deep when performing the song. As he has done before when performing his signature ballads, Anoop seemed a bit sleepy--at one point he paused so long, I thought they might need to set an alarm clock to get him going again. This time it was Randy and Kara's turn to offer their thoughts. Randy thought he did a really good job and Kara agreed. She thought it was "one of the best vocals of the night"...really, Kara?! Two performers in and Anoop has already landed the "best vocal of the night" comment?! I guess Kara subscribes to the "go early or go home" theory.


• Next up was Adam Lambert who selected "Born to Be Wild" by Steppenwolf and from the Easy Rider soundtrack. Before hitting the stage, Quentin gave Adam his seal of approval calling him a "rock star" and then Adam and his eyeliner exploded on stage and got the crowd all excited--I'm pretty sure it doesn't matter what Adam performs anymore, the crowd, the judges, and, most importantly, the voters love this guy and with good reason. If he doesn't win this silly little contest, the fix will most certainly be in. Paula called him "brave" and heaped piles of compliments on him. Before Simon told Adam how great the song was vocally, he encouraged him to learn to express himself a bit more--oh, humor from Mr. Salty-Dogg!...and then Simon took it all back by saying "it was a bit like watching the Rocky Horror Picture Show"--which wasn't a compliment. Simon went on to say the performance wasn't as good as last week's--you know, the one most of us missed, but we get it, Simon, keep him humble and continuing to strive for the elusive perfect performance.


• Piano man, Matt Giraud, picked the second Bryan Adams song of the night--"Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman" from Don Juan DiMarco. When it came time to perform, we were treated to Matt sitting comfortably at the Idol baby grand and accompanied by Ricky Minor and the Idol Orchestra--who set up shop on the stage for the evening. Matt had a bit of rough start to the song, he hit the bridge strong, but his growling vocals never really got the chance to soar. Unfortunately he didn't exactly sound like the Matt we have grown to love (and expect). Randy called the performance "interesting" saying Matt was all over the place with the melody. Kara sensed that Matt struggled with doing a rock song or an R&B tune and his vocals suffered. While Kara was sharing her thoughts, we were able to see Simon making funny faces and goofing with Paula--no doubt he is showing his displeasure with tonight's reduced judging role as well as his pretty much being annoyed by Kara and her meandering and pointless critiques. Either way, Matt may be in trouble come tomorrow night's elimination show.


• Channeling Lionel Richie, Danny Gokey chose "Endless Love" from the movie of the same name. Before his mentoring session with Mr. Tarantino, Danny said this was the one song that he connected with the most on the show this season--which says something because he has sung some pretty personal and emotional songs. Danny was joined on stage not only by the Idol Orchestra, but also a lovely harp player. He sounded a bit rough in the beginning, but as Randy likes to say, he worked it out. Paula thought he gave his usual strong performance. Simon also said he sounded good, but was disappointed that he did such a straight up version and thought it was a little "boring", but also said that he understood the emotional connection with the song and couldn't fault him for singing it the way he did. When all is said and done, I'm fairly certain Danny will garner enough votes to sing another week.


• Rising star, Kris, chose "Falling Slowly" from the movie Once--if you haven't heard of the song or the movie, you're in good company because neither have I. But that shouldn't matter because Kris sang it with such passion and emotion, I quite enjoyed it. There were even a few tears shed by one of his family members. Randy broke out the "pitchy" card--What?!, but Kara thought it was one of Kris' best performances which says something because he has had some killer performances these past few weeks.


• Closing out the show, Lil Rounds chose Bette Midler's "The Rose". Quentin encouraged her to commit to the entire song and promised she'd hit a home run if she did so. Lil tried to blend her R&B sound with some Gospel, but in the end it was a pretty pedestrian performance. Paula was fairly positive in her praise for Lil's performance, but Simon thought she missed the mark and wasn't "the singer we met 7 or 8 weeks ago". Lil tried to offer her thoughts, but then was cut off by my DVR for the second week in a row...but this week I thought ahead and set it up to record the next show on Fox, "Fringe", just in case things went long again. The only thing those of you who weren't fortunate enough to plan ahead like me missed was Lil trying to convince Simon (and herself) that she is an R&B singer and not doing such a good job of it, unfortunately.
  

And with that, the performance part of the show ended and now it is my turn to predict who is going to be in the bottom three once all of your votes are tabulated and who is going home tomorrow night.

Before doing that, let's talk about who is safe:

• Adam - untouchable (and deservedly so)
• Danny - not the strongest performance tonight, but still a favorite to challenge Adam for Idol supremacy
• Allison - strong endorsement from Simon puts her in near-Adam territory

That leaves Kris, Anoop, Lil, and Matt to battle out for a place out of the B3 and next to the other three. And speaking of the B3, I believe we'll see:

• Lil - she's lost the judges and the voters aren't far behind
• Anoop - a strong performance, but not enough to keep him from joining Lil
• Matt - too many mis-steps over the past few weeks to save him from B3 territory

So that means that Kris is likely safe and will be around next week to sing for your votes. Not coming back will be Lil who just hasn't found her groove since week one of the Finals.

And if my prediction is accurate, that will leave Allison as the only girl left amongst the Final 6 Idol contestants...

Tune in tomorrow night to see how things unfold. Until then, I will continue watching TV so you don't have to...

Peace!

Idol Chatter - And then there Were 7

Tonight we say goodbye to another of our beloved Idols, but before doing so, I have to tell you, I am still miffed about Fox wasting so much time during last night's show that those of us who recorded the show and then watched it sans commercials missed Adam Lambert's performance. From what I understand, it was something to behold--even Simon gave him a standing ovation! Hopefully Fox's timing issues don't affect Adam's vote totals--remember Ryan gives out the phone numbers after the Idols perform...if by some reason Adam finds himself in the bottom three and is forced to sing for his Idol life, I'm guessing the judges are going to use their Judge's Save. Hopefully it doesn't come to that.

But that was last night, let's move on to tonight and the elimination show. Set to perform tonight, not for your votes of course, is Season 5's Kellie Pickler. Anyone remember the last time Kellie graced the Idol stage as a former contestant? Well if you do, you remember that Ryan made some very awkward comments about how Kellie spent her money--she said on shoes, Ryan "suggested" something a little higher on the anatomy. Oh Ryan, you should save your silly innuendo-filled comments for Simon--they go over so much better.

OK, so the show begins and Ryan introduces the judges as normal then he and Paula have more fun at Simon's expense--they show a photo shopped picture of Simon babysitting Paula and then introduce a song from Simon's birth year (1959)...none other than Frankie Avalon singing "Venus" from what looks like a clip from American Bandstand. Then they switched back to today and Frankie emerged from the back of the stage and finished the song in front of the judges. It was pure magic...not really, but at least it delayed the group lip-sync...but not for long as Ryan introduced the remaining Idols who looked almost as uncomfortable performing as a group as I was watching it.

Ready for some more time wasting? Fox "treated" us to a behind-the-scenes look at how the Idols make their clever little Ford videos--OMG! These things are awful. Can't they just cut the show to about 10-15 minutes and let us know whose dream is over?!

Over 18 minutes into the show and the elimination process FINALLY begins! Ryan started by asking Adam, Kris, and Anoop to stand up. Before telling them of their fate, Ryan gave Randy, Kara, and Paula a chance to comment on Adam's performance last night since they didn't get a chance to do so because Simon "spoke" for all of them with his standing O. They agreed that Adam was "da bomb!" and then Ryan told Adam to sit down--he is safe! Anoop wasn't quite so fortunate...the Dogg was sent to the bottom 3 stools and Kris (one of my picks for B3 land this week) joined Adam in the safety zone.

The rest of the Idols are going to have to wait a bit longer to learn how they stacked up in the vote count because it was time to welcome Flo Rider to the stage. If you don't know who Flo Rider is, don't feel bad--neither do I, but apparently he is a hip and happening rapper/singer who, in Ryan's words, is "no stranger to the top of the charts". Must be good, but not my cup of tea--I must be getting old! I did know the song, however, which was a remake/remix of "Spin Me Right Round" by Dead of Alive.

Sixteen more minutes and it's time to find out who else is in the B3. Ryan spoke with Danny, recapped his performance and the judges comments, and then told him to sit back down! Matt stood up next and Ryan ran through the usual BS and tried to fool him into thinking he was in the B3, but Ryan messed up the gag before finally spitting out that Matt was safe. Scott was next and he went through the same shtick and then Ryan sent him over to Anoop and the dreaded stools.

With two of the three spots filled, Ryan turned to the remaining Idols, Allison and Lil. He told Allison she was still in the competition and Lil was in jeopardy of going home. As Lil made her way to the stools, Ryan asked Simon if he would consider saving any of the three Idols. Simon said yes, but left open the question as to which one (or two) out of Anoop, Scott, and Lil.

When we returned from commercial, Ryan introduced Kellie Pickler who charmed the crowd and playfully flirted with Simon and Randy at the judges table while singing "The Best Days of Your Life"--a song she co-wrote with her BFF, Taylor Swift. I didn't think Kellie sounded all that good, but she is fun, has a wonderful personality, and is adorable as ever. After she finished, Ryan chatted with her for a minute or so and then booted her from the stage and brought over the B3.
Ryan started by sending Lil back to the couches leaving Anoop and Scott to sweat it out over the commercial break.

At minute 52 or so of the telecast, Ryan told Anoop and Scott that only 30,000 votes separated them and then he lowered the boom on...Scott! He then handed Scott the microphone and told him to sing for his Idol life. Scott didn't have a chance to grab his guitar which probably will help him especially as far as Simon is concerned. While Scott sang, the Idol judges huddled to discuss whether they were going to use their Judge's Save--Ryan informed us that if they don't use it tonight, they only have three more weeks in which to do so.

With my interest peaked, Scott finished his song (much better tonight!) and Ryan turned to the judges--and, more specifically, to Simon who told Scott that the judges were split: two of them think he should stay, the other two believe he should go home. While the judges deliberated a little more, Scott pleaded with the them to give him another shot...but it wasn't going to happen as Simon made the final decision and told Scott it was the end of the road.

So we are down to seven Idols vying for the coveted crown of American Idol. Tune in next week when the Magnificent 7 sing their hearts out in hopes that you call and text enough to keep them around another week.

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

Peace!

Idol Worship - The Idols Sing their Age

It's Tuesday night and that can only mean one thing--I'm watching eight would-be pop stars sing for your votes. This week our Idols get to pick songs released the same year they were born--or as I like to say: my college years!

As anyone who watches Idol (or better, reads this blog) knows that the number one thing our talented Idols struggle with is song selection. So tonight should be interesting--I'm not a betting man, but I would definitely like to know the odds in Vegas for how long it will take for the judges to complain about poor song selection and then to rattle off the song the Idols SHOULD have chosen. Again, why don't they just tell them what to sing and then focus on the performance?! Redundant, I know. Anyway, let's see what songs they pick and how they perform them.

• The first performer of the night is also the oldest of our remaining contestants, Danny Gokey who was born in 1980. Danny kept with the country theme for which he has drawn strong praise from the judges and did his version of Mickey Gilley's version of the Ben E. King classic, "Stand By Me". Danny did the first part of the song accapella and then went into a bit of scat followed by an R&B feel. Randy said he didn't care for the arrangement, but loved Danny's vocals. Kara complimented Danny for making the song his own. Paula said he set the bar so high that the rest of the contestants are going to have to run to catch up to him. Simon said the begining was good, the middle lazy, and the end terrific--overall score: Great!


• Born in 1985 in Jacksonville, AR, Kris Allen took the stage next. Before singing his song, we learned that Kris' dream job as a child was to be a taxi driver. I'm pretty sure that isn't happening after your Idol success, Kris. But how would he do with Don Henley's "All She Wants to Do is Dance". Kris took a page out of Matt Giraud's playbook and performed his song on the mini stage to the right of the judges table and amongst his adoring fans. Kris gave the song a little jazzy feel--and Kara picked up on it as well. She felt he went with a Jazzy-Funk style and missed the mark. Paula thought he did a nice job of transforming a one-note song and giving it a melody that played to his likability. Simon wasn't quite so nice calling it indulgent, saying he appeared to be a guitar player trying to sing, and was a "stupid, stupid" song selection! I guess it only took two performances to get to the song selection zinger! If you had #2, pick up your prize on the way out!


• Let's see what Lil can do with her choice of song from her birth year 1984. Lil danced her way onto the stage in Tina Turner style and asked the musical question: "What's Love Got To Do With It?" I've never been a big fan of the song and Lil's performance didn't change that feeling. Paula kicked off the judging and let Lil know that she needed to step up this week and didn't--she even went so far to say it sounded Karaoke...Miss Paula is getting a bit salty now isn't she! Simon went further and called it a "ghastly, copy-cat version". While Paula and Simon argued about who gave the better critique, Randy stepped in and said Lil needs to start listening to the judges. Kara poured even more salt onto the gaping wound saying Lil sounded bad at the low end and neededto take a leap to higher things--something she hasn't done in a long, long time.


• Still riding high from watching his North Carolina Tarheels massacre the Spartans of Michigan State in last night's NCAA championship game, Anoop "Dogg" Desai went back in time to 1986 and chose Cindi Lauper's "True Colors". A week after finding himself in the bottom three for, as Kara said, accepting a frat boy bet to sing hip-hop, Anoop was back in his sweet spot singing a ballad. Dressed in a Kelly green striped sweater and seated on a stool on the stage, Anoop was back to performing like the great singer that he can be. Randy, Kara, and Paula were all impressed with his performance, crediting him with taking control of the song instead of letting the song control him. Simon, as usual, summed up everything by calling Anoop a "singing yo-yo" meaning one week he's up, the next he's down. Well this week he was up and Simon noted that Anoop did what Lil can't: make a song his own.


• Half-way through the Idols and next up was 23-year-old Scott MacIntyre who was born in 1985 and said when he was younger, he wanted to be a train engineer. But Scott's mad piano skills likely have put that dream to bed which is ironic because tonight Scott appeared on stage not seated at a piano, but standing on center stage with an electric guitar in hand. To entertain the crowd, Scott chose "The Search is Over" by Survivor. Kara and Paula were both surprised that Scott ditched the piano in favor of the guitar, but their surprise only masked their disappointment as the song and the style weren't Scott. Simon said the singing was atrocious, the guitar playing not much better, and said he needs to get back to the piano where he is much better.


• Allison, the youngest Idol contestant, chose Bonnie Raitt's 1992 hit "I Can't Make You Love Me"--one of my favorite songs of all time. As I awaited her first note, I wondered if Allison's big voice would be able to mellow enough to add the necessary warmth needed to really deliver the song. Paula thought she added some tenderness to the song and kept the arrangement the same, but delivered in a very Allison style. Simon liked the performance, but said Allison needs to develop more of a personality. Randy agreed with Simon on both parts--sounded good, needs to get America to love her. Kara simply said "let's go make a record".


• Born in 1985, Michigan native, Matt Giraud went with Stevie Wonder's "Part Time Lover"--not a song I would have selected for Matt, but this guys has talent, so I was interested to see how he would put his special spin on it. He started out strong, channeling his inner Justin Timberlake and just go stronger. The judges were short and sweet with their praise: Randy - "vocally one of the best of the night", Kara - "incredible on every level--unbelievable", Paula - "two words, Standing O", and Simon - "a million times better than last week, well done".


• Adam Lambert was in the usually enviable position of closing the show tonight, however since Fox ran long and my DVR stopped recording before his performance, I was forced to go to You Tube to search for his performance and the only one I could find was audio-only version--I can't tell you if he was wearing eye liner, had his nails painted goth-black, or was wearing his hair in an 80's perm. What I can tell you is Adam's song choice from 1985 was "Mad World" by Tears for Fears and from the sound of the crowd on the recording I heard, they loved him. It's really academic at this point in the contest as to what the judges think about Adam--they love his originality, how current he makes every song sound, and the risks he takes to be an artist, so I'll make the educated guess that they were kind to him, Ryan gave out the number to call to vote for him, and the show ended with a recap of everyone's performances plus their respective numbers. If anyone saw/heard something different, please add your comments below.

So with all eight performances out there for all to see and hear, it's time to talk about who's in trouble come tomorrow's elimination show. I predict that Kris, Lil, and Scott will find themselves questioning their song selections and performances once Ryan sends them to the B3 stools. And the Idol whose journey has reached its end will be Lil Rounds who took too many punches from judges tonight to survive another week.

Tune in tomorrow to see how close I am in my prediction as well as the usual Elimination night time wasting stuff--you know, group sing, Ford commercial, special guest singers, blah-blah-blah!

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

Peace!

Idol Chatter - The Cast is Cut to 8

As I prepared myself for tonight's elimination show, I watched last night's performance show over again with my children. While we watched, my daughter, Ava, asked was if the Idols are judged on how they look--she noticed that a number of the judges comments included critiques about their appearances (Scott and Adam went with terrible '80's do's, Allison's get-up got more attention than her vocals, and Lil Rounds miraculously grew hair). It was definitely a night filled with forgettable clothing and odd hair choices, but I found the singing better than I remembered it when I watched the show the first time.

Having said that, I thought I'd take a stab at ranking the Idols based on last night's performances--and before watching the results of America's vote. So here they are, your Idols and where they would finish if they were to crown a champion tonight:

1. Adam - the most current performer and clear leader of the pack
2. Danny - will make a fine recording artist--probably Christian Rock or Country
3. Kris - a late bloomer who is winning over fans with his artistry
4. Matt - a bit of a stumble last night and in the bottom three last week, but he has talent
5. Allison - the youngest contestant, strong vocals, need to lose the guitar and stylist!
6. Lil - make better song choices, stick with your R&B roots
7. Scott - great musician, not enough vocals to really contend
8. Anoop - likes hip-hop, but a better balladeer
9. Megan - unique sound, but if she survives tonight, she won't next week

And now it's time to find out what America thinks of the last nine Idol wannabes--they must be liking what they hear because Fox tallied over 36 million votes, but was that enough to save your favorite Idol? We'll have to wade through the quicksand that is Idol Elimination night before learning which Idol has sung their last song on the Idol stage.

As is the case on nights like these Ryan asked a series of rather pedestrian (and time sucking) questions of the judges. I don't usually pay much attention to this normal exchange, but I couldn't help but listen as Ryan asked Simon who he thought was in trouble tonight. Much to my surprise, Simon agreed with my assessment from last night's post. Simon picked Anoop, Matt, and Megan although he stopped short of saying which one would be in danger of going home (provided the judges opt to NOT use the coveted Judge's Save).

Another elimination night staple, the group sing, took place next and the Idols lent their lip syncing skills (or lack thereof) to the Journey classic, "Don't Stop Believin'". Things were going well until Scott (standing behind an electric keyboard and appearing to be playing) sang his solo section of the song. Scott sounded good, but unfortunately he was about five feet from the microphone. From that point on the performance pretty much swirled the tank.

Finally, after 17 minutes of wasted time which we will never get back, Ryan asked to have the lights dimmed and began the elimination process. As in year's past, Ryan divided the nine remaining Idols into three groups of three.

• Megan, Matt, and Kris were the first group
• Lil, Allison, and Adam were the second group
• Scott, Danny, and Anoop made up the final group

The question on everyone's mind: which members of these three groups are in the bottom three? In keeping with the Idol tease-a-thon, we won't know who occupies the B3 until we listen to a little live entertainment. First up is Season 7 Idol, David Cook. David took the stage flanked by his bandmates and sang his new single, "Come Back to Me", off of his self-titled, debut album. David sounded even better tonight than he did when he stomped that Archuleta kid last May on the Idol Finale.

After performing his song, Ryan presented David with a shiny, framed record signifying that his album had gone platinum--meaning he sold over 1,000,000 copies of the album. Pretty impressive and well-deserved.

But that's not why we are here, we're here to find out which Idol is going home. So back to the process.

Ryan started with Kris who was safe and sent back to the couch. Next up was Matt who was April Fooled by Ryan and started walking toward the B3 stools before Ryan directed him to the couch. Megan wasn't so lucky--she was sent to the stools where she awaited the other two members of the bottom three.

On to the second group where Lil found out she was safe. Allison wasn't and joined Megan on the stools. So how would Adam fare? No surprise, Adam will be around next week (and likely 'til the end).

In search of the missing member of the B3, Ryan moved over to the final trio of Idols. Danny quickly got the good news and slapped high-fives with the other couchees. That left Anoop and Scott--before sharing the results, Ryan asked Randy for his opinion on who was going to join Megan and Allison. Randy said Anoop and the Dogg agreed--and then Ryan pulled Scott over to the couch and directed Anoop to the stools.

While the B3 sweat it out, Lady Ga Ga was welcomed to the stage to sing her hit "Poker Face"--a peformance which started out quite bizzare with pink lights flooding her plexiglass piano and platinum blonde Wendy O. Williams locks. A closer look revealed a rather questionable facial accessory--a zipper which had been applied to her left eye giving her a very surreal appearance.

After Lady Ga Ga finished her song, Ryan asked Simon whether any of the bottom three were worth saving. Without hesitation he said "one"--and I'm pretty sure he isn't referring to Megan or Anoop.

Back from commercial, Ryan sent Allison to the safety couch and then announced that Megan is going home and Anoop lives to sing another song. So it looks like the Judge's Save is still available--and to confirm it, Simon said the judges weren't even going to evaluate Megan's final performance tonight. And it's a good thing they didn't because it was very awkward watching her move on the mini-stage in front of the judges table and mess up the lyrics a couple of times.

I know there are those in the Idol Chatter world who are going to miss Megan (sorry, Paul), but I'm pretty sure she went about as far as she could go in the contest and has much to look forward to after the show including the Idol the Idol tour this summer and her young son at home, so no tears from this observer of Idol.

Tune in next Tuesday when the Elite 8 perform like trained seals and dine on viewer votes for survival. Until then, I will continue watching TV so you don't have to...

Peace!