AI 7 - 4/29/08 - You Didn't Bring Me Flowers Neil

Last night’s American Idol has to have been one of the most uncomfortable to watch in ages. It was all about hurry up and go, go, go. I thought I was watching “Speed Racer”. It was just completely strange.

Neil Diamond was the guest mentor and how surprising he has an album coming out on May 6th. I will probably shock many but I actually like Neil Diamond and have quite a few of the albums from his catalog. There are some great numbers and I suspect as always song choice will be interesting and scary at the same time.

Each contestant is going to do two Neil Diamond numbers which should be interesting. We didn’t get much with two weeks of The Beatles theme so I don’t hold up much hope for tonight. Luckily I am watching it on tape so I get to fast forward through so it will help and I will only have about an hour or so to vote.

On with my comments:

Jason Castro

While is he still here? Jason has chosen “Forever in Blue Jeans” and how cute he is wearing blue jeans. Given how high he is “Cracklin’ Rosie” would have been a better song choice, I realize it is about alcohol but high is high.

There is Jason doing the same ole thing, strumming his guitar, not really playing it, it is just a prop and standing center stage. The vocals were better than last week but not by much. Jason was pitchy and he had his eyes closed for most of the number which is a total disconnect with the audience and if he wants that popular vote he better be flashing those blue eyes because he won’t win based on talent. It was barely okay and was just good karaoke. There was nothing new or exciting about it.

Randy – just okay

Paula – love your lower register and then she starts rambling about his second song which he hadn’t even done, scary!

Simon – forgettable

David Cook

David was looking good. He chose “I’m Alive”. While Jason uses the guitar as a prop David actually plays. I enjoyed the performance but I don’t think the vocal was that good. His vocals were sloppy at best and he was mumbling and his enunciation sucked. It was a rocking arrangement and his performance which was full of energy and enthusiasm sold it but for me it wasn’t his best.

Randy – very good

Paula – loved it (this was after Simon asked her who her favorite was after her going on about Jason’s second number)

Simon – just above average

Brooke White

I ask again, why is she still here? Brooke was dressed pretty good tonight, two weeks in a row, hell has frozen over.

Brooke went with “I’m a Believer”. Oh come on there weren’t better songs you could choose. There is Brooke playing the guitar and she does actually play. Brooke was so overpowered by the band and back up singers I am not sure if the vocals were good or not. I think the key was a bit too low. Brooke and movement are not good. Up-tempo numbers are not her comfort zone and she did look totally uncomfortable. She was bouncing up and down; just plain strange and to see Paula up and dancing was a bit weird as well. This was barely good karaoke.

Randy – better than last week but kind of karaoke

Simon – it was a nightmare

David Archuleta

Oh god please don’t let me believe he chose “Sweet Caroline”. The kid is 17 years old he doesn’t have the life experience to make this song work. David was way too happy and bouncy for my tastes. There wasn’t an ounce of sex appeal in this song. On the one hand I will give him credit; he kept his eyes open for most of the number so he was connecting with his fan base. I thought he started off a bit rough but improved as he went along. I did like the arrangement and he seemed to be having fun and he moved more than he ever has before. It was just okay. It was safe and it was very good karaoke.

Randy – loved it

Simon – amateurish

Syesha Mercado

Wow does she look great tonight. I loved her hair and simple dress. The bare feet were over the top but oh well.

Syesha chose “Hello Again” and she brought some real emotional passion to the song. She started sitting on the stage. The mosh bit girls were there waving their hands and we couldn’t see her very well. Syesha’s vocal was the best of the night so far. She did overdo a couple of the notes but she sold this number.

Randy – strong

Simon – old fashion

Round One ended with Simon advising the contestants they are lucky they get a second chance for being the top 5 he is expecting a performance of a life time

Jason Castro

Jason’s second number is “September Morn”. This time Jason is sitting on one of those uncomfortable stools with no guitar. There is no variety in his performance. I thought Jason butchered the melody, there was no emotional impact and he looked like he was in pain the entire time he was singing. Jason is certainly not wowing me and it irritates me he is still here.

Randy – just okay

Paula – your two songs sounded too much alike, it was too safe, you need to get outside of your comfort zone

Simon – I don’t recognize you, this is not the Jason we put through, you have struggled over the last two weeks, you are not putting your stamp on anything, this was forgettable

David Cook

David has gone with “All I Really Need is You”. David started out a little rough but greatly improved. This is the David I liked, he had a rich tone to his voice, there was passion, and he was cooking on all cylinders. This was a great performance and so far the best of the night. The falsetto in this number brought chills to my spine. This was a good way to end the night for David, he took Simon’s advice.

Randy – I am a huge fan, you rock, that was hot, blazin’

Paula – I am proud of you, you pick two unknown songs and pulled it off, I am looking at the American Idol.

Simon – the first song was okay, this song was brilliant, it was like it was written today, you changed up the arrangement, current, very smart

Brooke White

Brooke is back behind the piano with “I Am I Said”. This is clearly her zone and she was better but not great. Her audible breathing is totally annoying. It was nice she took Neil’s advice and substituted Arizona for New York. Overall her sincerity sold the emotion of the song but her vocals were sloppy and she was shrieking a lot. Better than the first song but no wow.

Randy – I like your vulnerability, tough song to sing, you did well, nice job

Paula – the first song didn’t work but what you just did showed your vulnerability and who you are as an artist

Simon – I hated the first song, this was better not incredible

David Archuleta

I just knew David would pick this song. He went with “America”. I am not sure the shorten version worked for me. There wasn’t a lot to work with except for repeating the chorus. While I hate to use the often used Cowell expression but this was a total theme park performance. David’s voice is very good but he is hampered by his song selection and his youth. David had a lot of pitch problems and he didn’t need all those runs. He was not selling this song. I think this was his weakest performance of the night.

Randy – you are in your zone, another good performance.

Paula – your voice is on point, love you, your brilliant

Simon – smart choice of song

Syesha Mercado

Syesha ended the night on a high note with “Thank the Lord for the Night Time”. This was one kick ass performance. She was clapping, playing off the band and the background singers. Her vocals were spot on and she was having a great time on stage, her joy was infectious. This was my favorite of the night. Syesha just keeps improving week after week.

Randy – loving it, you are in the zone

Paula – the first song showed your vulnerability, the second song showed a different side of you, loved it

Simon – this is officially the strangest show we have ever done, you are a good actress/singer but you may be in trouble because this was not memorable


I have to totally agree with Simon it was one of the strangest shows ever. I am not sure Neil was the best mentor and he should have made several change the songs they chose.

I only voted for David Cook and Syesha last night.

Personally based on performances Jason, Brooke and David A deserve to be in the bottom 3. Clearly David Cook and Syesha are the most consistent performers now. I know David A’s fans are way too many for him to fall into the bottom 2.

I am predicting Jason and Brooke will be in the bottom 2 and I believe Jason is finally going home although Brooke is vulnerable.

AI 7 - 4/23/08 And there were now 5, the wrong 5 there they are

I can't even say how disgusted I am with America after last night's show. The fact Jason and Brooke were safe after giving what has to be two of the worst performances of the night while Syesha and Carly were in the bottom just astounded me.

I can't print what I was actually shouting to the television in my hotel room last night.

I was in total shock and tried to black it out. I don't even have the energy to talk about the rest of the show outside of the ridiculous bottom 2 and elimination it was just boring and it felt like they really were stretching it out.

Let us just say that Carly being eliminated before Brooke or Jason is flat out wrong and Randy said it all with his "this is a popularity vote" while of course this is a singing competition.
There is no doubt in my mind now that we will be having the two David's battling it out for the crown.

Next week Neil Diamond makes his appearance as mentor.

Until then….

Below is the information about The American Idol Tour. They are coming to Portland on July 11th and luckily I will be in town and will be there of course.

American Idols LIVE! Tour 2008
Date / Location
July 1 Glendale, AZ jobing.com Arena
July 2 San Diego, CA San Diego Sports Arena
July 3 Fresno, CA SaveMart Center
July 5 Las Vegas, NV Thomas & Mack Center
July 7 Los Angeles, CA Staples Center
July 8 San Jose, CA HP Pavilion at San Jose
July 9 Sacramento, CA ARCO Arena
July 11 Portland, OR Rose Garden
July 12 Tacoma, WA Tacoma Dome
July 14 West Valley City, UT The "E" Center
July 18 St. Louis, MO Scottrade Center
July 19 Rosemont, IL Allstate Arena
July 20 Columbus, OH Schottenstein Center
July 22 Indianapolis, IN Conseco Fieldhouse
July 23 Cincinnati, OH US Bank Arena
July 24 Detroit, MI Joe Louis Arena
July 26 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre
July 27 Rochester, NY BlueCross Arena
July 29 Pittsburgh, PA Mellon Arena
July 30 Newark, NJ Prudential Center
August 2 Atlantic City, NJ Boardwalk Hall
August 4 Long Island, NY Nassau Coliseum
August 6 Albany, NY Times Union Center
August 8 Hartford, CT XL Center
August 9 Worcester, MA DCU Center
August 10 Manchester, NH Verizon Wireless Center
August 12 Baltimore, MD 1st Mariner Arena
August 13 Philadelphia, PA Wachovia Center
August 14 Washington DC Verizon Center
August 16 Lexington, KY Rupp Arena
August 17 Charlotte, NC Charlotte Bobcats Arena
August 18 Duluth, GA Arena at Gwinnett Center
August 20 Sunrise, FL BankAtlantic Center
August 21 Tampa, FL St Pete Times Forum
August 24 Houston, TX Toyota Center
August 25 Dallas, TX American Airlines Center
August 26 Bossier City, LA CenturyTel Center
August 28 Oklahoma City, OK Ford Center
August 29 Kansas City, MO Sprint Center
August 31 Minneapolis, MN Target Center
September 2 Green Bay, WI Resch Center
September 3 Grand Rapids, MI Van Andel Arena
September 4 Cleveland, OH Wolstein Center
September 6 Bridgeport, CT Arena at Harbor Yard
September 7 Providence, RI Dunkin Donuts Center
September 8 Wilkes Barre, PA Wachovia Arena
September 10 Ft. Wayne, IN Allen County Memorial Coliseum
September 11 Evansville, IN Roberts Stadium
September 13 Tulsa, OK BOK Center

AI 7 - 4/22/08 - Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber Pays A Visit

Musical theater is one of my passions but it is also one of my greatest fears when it comes to theme nights but This is … American Idol and Andrew Lloyd Webber is here to offer his mentoring skills on their song choices.

I will anticipate song selection will be the key to everything. How lucky for the contestants to get to go to Las Vegas and work with Andrew on the set of “The Phantom of the Opera”. I certainly hope they got to see the show.

It must have been nerve wracking for the contestants to actually have Andrew Lloyd Webber in the audience watching.

This will be a truly interesting night so on with the comments:

Syesha Mercado

Oh my god Syesha is looking hot tonight. Her simple red dress, killer shoes and the great hairdo were so working in her favor.

Syesha chose “One Rock & Roll Too Many”. I so loved her starting while standing on the piano, then sitting, and ultimately getting down on the stage. This was a performance of a life time. Syesha was having fun. She delivered a good vocal although there were a couple of pitch issues and she was shouting some of the chorus. It was the actual performance which sold this number. Her interactions with the band, her expressions, her smile, it was a kick ass performance. It was memorable.

Randy – tonight you were in your element, you could be a big Broadway star, best performance of yours so far

Paula – this is your happy place, you were real good, you rocked the house down

Simon – that was very sexy, the whole Michele Pfeiffer vibe, it was definitely your strongest performance so far, you were comfortable and showed masses of personality.

Jason Castro

Regardless of whether or not you enjoy musical theater how could you not have at least heard of “Cats”? I can’t believe Jason chose a song he knew nothing about. I disliked him before he totally lost points with me tonight. Jason’s choice of song was the absolute worst. I had to laugh when Andrew said he never thought he would ever hear a man with dread locks sing this song. Has hell frozen over?

Jason went with “Memory”. Yes folks, “Memory”. A haunting power house song dripping with emotion.

Jason’s performance was flat out horrible. It was the bottom of the barrel. First of all he sat totally still showing no &*^% emotion. What was up with that breathing? Every breath obnoxiously audible, it was like he was gasping for air. It was painful just listening to his breathing let alone the whiny, flat vocals totally devoid of any emotion. Clearly Jason is afraid of letting go and trying for the power notes.

Luckily I have a great version of this song on my IPod so I was able to get Jason’s version out of my head quickly. The entire performance was my fingers down the chalkboard moment of the night.

Randy – vocally it was a little bit of a train wreck for me, this was not your thing, the song had too much melody for you, to big of a song

Paula – most people are use to hearing this song from female power belters, it was a wise choice for you, you are unique as an artist

Simon – it felt like the longest two minutes of my life and I suspect you felt the same way, it reminds me of a young man forced to sing a wedding by his parents and not wanting to do the song


Wow, Courtney Cox was in the audience with her daughter but I digress.

Brooke White

Brooke looked very nice today. I approve of her wardrobe choice which is rare for me.

Brooke went with “You Must Love Me” and once again how could someone not understand what this song was about. I am ready to blow a gasket.

Brooke did step out of her element by just standing and singing, no piano. She unfortunately forgot the lyrics and wanted a do over. It has got to be one of the most painful moments ever. I was totally uncomfortable after that as was Brooke. This vocal was not very good, she was totally nervous, visibly shaking which I think created issues for her. There was some nice emoting at the end and she rallied for a good finish but the beginning and middle were an utter mess. Brooke may have understood what the song was about after Andrew explained it to her but she could not sell the emotional impact of the song.

Randy – for me it wasn’t great, parts were okay, it was vocally tough, you have to believe what you’re singing about

Paula- you know it is bad when Paula has to search hard for something to say and goes with never start and stop, trust yourself to pickup the pieces, I loved that you didn’t over act

Simon – I love live TV, this was a dramatic moment, your voice was straining, you looked uncomfortable and you will be disappointed when you watch it back

David Archuleta

I have to say I feel vindicated when Andrew told David he had two pieces of advice, open your eyes and open your eyes. What have I been saying for 7 seasons, if you want to connect with the audience look at them.

David chose “Think of Me”. Interesting choice another song written for a female but I do kind of like the arrangement. David turned in a pretty good vocal, hitting the high notes but there were some rough moments at the beginning especially in his lower register. It wasn’t the train wreck I thought it could be but it wasn’t totally wonderful either. It was just okay. There was no wow moment for me but I didn’t have to go to my IPod to hear the original either.

Randy – really cool, when you can sing, you can sing anything and you can sing, you changed it up a bit and threw in some Stevie like rifts, it was da bomb, you are the one to beat.

Paula – absolutely perfect, took a risk and you turned it into a pop ballad

Simon – it was pleasant, it was one of your weakest performances, it was forgettable but it was good enough to put you through to the next round

Carly Smithson

Carly looked fantastic and thankfully she listened to Andrew about her song choice and interpretation.

Carly went with “Superstar”. This was a fantastic choice and Carly put on a fantastic performance. This was the first time we really saw her have fun. She took command of the stage and worked well with the band and background singers. She was smiling and having fun. There were a few rough spots and she did shout a bit of the chorus but her performance sold the number. This was one of her best performances ever. Carly was in her element.

Randy – the bigger voices are doing the best tonight, not you’re best but definitely good, love the outfit

Paula – so unexpected, loved what you did in the chorus

Simon – it was a bit shouty in the middle but it was my favorite performance of the night.

I totally loved the T-shirt – Simon Loves me” (this Week)!

David Cook

I was floored when I heard David choose “Music of the Night”. This is one beautiful song and how amazing that David did a straight up version of the song, not karaoke by any means. This was one very hot, sexy and powerful performance. Who knew he could sing this well? He hit the high notes and while they weren’t perfect it was amazing. I was totally into this performance. This was very well done and a total surprise to me. It was the best vocal of the night.

Randy – an amazing vocal performance, it was molten hot

Paula – you proved again how well rounded you are, it was fantastic

Simon – you made the most of it, I like the grittier you


How fascinating that the night wasn’t the total train wreck it could have been outside of Jason and Brooke. Syesha put on the best performance while David Cook had the best vocal.

I have to once again put down how much I hate those people in the mosh pit and their &*^% arm waving. It so ruins watching the performances, they should all be forcibly removed and flogged! I hate them, I hate them, I *&(& hate them!

Since I was on Eastern Time I got to vote for four hours; two hours on Eastern Time and two hours on Pacific Time with two numbers for each contestant. I managed a whopping 1,535 votes last night and they were pretty much distributed equally between the David’s’, Syesha and Carly.

There is no doubt based on performances Jason and Brooke deserve to be in the bottom 3 but what will America do.

I think the bottom 3 will be Jason, Brooke and Syesha.

If we follow the boy-girl elimination pattern this year then it appears Jason is on the way out the door but I somehow expect his fan base is bigger voters than Brooke.

I am predicting Brooke is going home tonight but I won’t shed any tears if I am wrong and Jason heads home (he of the I didn’t realize it was a Cat singing the song)!

Until tomorrow…

AI7 - 4/16/08 And Now There are 6

Last night we had another interesting results show. It is amazing how they can drag this out for one hour.

The opening group number of "One Sweet Day" was not that great and poor Jason was so off pitch at the beginning it was torture listening to it. Kristy Lee Cook wasn't much better and then she was tapping her mike. Don't even get me started on the mosh pit girls. I thought the whole group was off and finding it hard to be connected with the music.

We had a long montage about Tuesday's show which I thought went on forever before they started the lining of contestants. They did the put 3 on one side and 3 on the other and than made poor David Archuleta try and decide which side he should be in. I laughed that he did what the other contestants have done by sitting in the middle.

I enjoyed the Ford commercial last night, it wasn't as great as last week's but it is in the 10 ten. It is probably because I live in cubicle hell so using the song "I Want to Break Free" was pretty ingenious.

Elliott Yamin was on stage to perform "Free". It was the first time he performed where his mother wasn't on the stage, she died recently. I thought he did a very nice job but he was having severe breath control problems but the vocals were great. He looked good except for the stupid scarf.

I hate the question and answer period but I did have to laugh during the question about what was the first album the judge's bought and Simon indicated he was 10 and bought Paula's "Straight Up" and then the disguised sexual banter and Paula's excellent retort that she would never be his "Forever Girl".

Mariah Carey sang a song from her new album "Bye Bye". Mariah looked hot in that very short black dress and low neck line as well as those killer shoes. It rivaled my favorite from her Grammy appearance oh so long ago performing "Vision of Love". I enjoyed the performance but she had some breathing problems and her end note was hideous.

The bottom 3 was Syesha, Brooke, and Kristy so I was .667 percent correct.

I missed on the elimination as Kirsty Lee Cooke was sent home which was surprising because her vocals were better on Tuesday not perfect but absolutely better than Brooke who clearly came close to going home as Syesha was safe.

America definitely has some strange voting patterns. I was just happy to see all those extra votes I dialed for Carly paid off because she was safe. Yeah!

Well until next week. I will be in Washington DC so once again I will get to vote for 4 hours!

AI7 - 4/15/08 - Mariah brings her "Vision of Love" to the Idol Stage

Mariah Carey paid a visit to American Idol last night and it was another evening of very mixed results. The show was not a total and utter train wreck as it could have been.

It is unfortunate we don’t to get to see more of the actual session with the celebrity coaches because surprisingly I thought Mariah made some very good suggestions to the contestants last night.

On with the review of the performances:

David Archuleta

Tell me it isn’t so, leather pants, come on David it was just way too much and what was up with his hair, did he just get out of bed in time to perform?

David chose “When You Believe”. Not a surprising choice and it worked much better for him then “Hero” which is really the song I thought he would choose but then maybe Brooke got there first.

David had some pitch problems at the beginning but then his voice really got into the groove and he has the gift of being able to sing sustained notes with great passion and this song definitely played up that gift. I was happy to see he did try to reach for the falsetto as Mariah suggested but it wasn’t very strong but at least he went for it. Overall I thought it was a very good performance and some of his normal mannerisms which irritate didn’t show up.

Randy – you took on a tough song, I was worried about tonight and boys taking on “girl songs” but if you can sing, you can sing anything and you can sing that is da bomb.

Paula – Mariah would be very proud of you

Simon – I would have bet a million dollars you would have chosen that song, it was very, very good, you have set the bench mark, performed it very well. We are not in for a lot of laughs tonight and I think it will be easier for the guys because there won’t be any comparison going on

Carly Smithson

Well thank the heavens above, Carly is dressed exceptionally well and she covered up her tattoos. The dress wasn’t that special but she looked good in it although the low neck line was pandering for some votes from the male audience.

Carly went with “Without You”. I found this to be an interesting choice because while Mariah had a hit with it, it was not a Mariah song. This is one of my favorite songs but it was Nilsson. I am sure most of the target audience wouldn’t remember that version though; oh there I go aging myself.

I also enjoyed the simple arrangement and Carly just singing in front of the piano. The performance started off beautifully but then it kind of fell apart. It was disconnected from the rest of the vocal. I also thought Carly was straining for the power notes; it was like she was holding back for some reason. There was a great note just before the bridge I really liked. It was also interesting to note the band must have done something different then at the rehearsal because Carly was thrown off for a moment and then came back to finish.

Overall I thought this was better than last week but there wasn’t any wow for me.

Randy – I like that you continue to challenge yourself, it started off rough until the middle when you got to the power notes, you need to believe in yourself, it was kind of loose, trust in your lower register, it was pretty good

Paula – I liked that you showed vocal restraint, then you swelled and soared with the chorus, I love the sound of your voice, you need to trust yourself

Simon – I wanted to hear you sing this song but I don’t think you pulled it off, I think you are over thinking everything, you are holding back

Syesha Mercado

Syesha looked great, loved the dress and the killer shoes. I am not a fan of the “fro” but at least it was tamer than usual.

Syesha chose “Vanishing” and overall did a fairly good job. She looked very comfortable on stage. I thought the vocal started off kind of rough at the beginning because her lower register was weak but then it improved as she was able to reach the higher register and her transition was smooth. Syesha can definitely sustain a note. The great note at the ending was beautiful. This performance was one of her best.

Randy – you tackled another tough song, I like that you are bold and you go for it, you did a good job, there were a couple of pitchy moments.

Paula – it was a smart choice to pick a song not many people know so you can’t be compared to it, you changed it up, it was unbelievably magical

Simon – technically it was very, very good but I think you will be hampered by song choice and run a risk.

Brooke White

Brooke actually looked very nice tonight. I see she is back sitting at the piano again. I don’t think this is a good choice for her.

Brooke went with “Hero” and she slowed the arrangement. I first have to say her breathing was a total distraction during the entire number. I totally hated the entire performance. The song was too big for her, she was all over the place, her voice was cracking and she was clearly nervous, her lips were trembling. She sounded nasally throughout and her enunciation was not very good. The unplugged version did not really help her and I think it hampered her performance. Brooke was not in control of her voice.

Randy – I liked the singer-song writing sound until the bridge, you lost confidence towards the end, it was pretty good

Paula – you are totally authentic which is wonderful, I liked the unplugged version, there were a few off notes but you can’t let that get to you, just keep challenging yourself

Simon – I don’t think you had much of a choice in doing what you did but it was like ordering a hamburger and getting just the bun, the vital ingredients were missing, the song was too big for you and you voice is not strong enough

Kristy Lee Cook

Kristy’s dress was okay but what was up with that hair, those were big time extensions and the padded bra, come on.

Kristy chose “Forever” which I thought was an interesting song choice. Kristy started rough, she has trouble with her lower register but the chorus was actually really good which surprised me. I totally hate how she is constantly blinking her eyes and what is up with the strange head bobbing. She also had an awkward stance while standing on the stage. Kristy also had some trouble reaching for those high notes. The performance was good, not outstanding but she does continue to surprise me.

Randy – it wasn’t amazing, there were some pitchy notes in the first part but towards the end you were stepping up and the note at the end, very good.

Paula – It was just the end where you stepped it up, you blew me away, I am proud of you, that could be a country hit for you

Simon – I wasn’t excited about this, you didn’t give me chills, you did the best you could but it was whiny at times, but you were quite smart with the choice of song, it wasn’t great

David Cook

David was looking good and he made a wise decision to lose the guitar and use the band.

David went with “Always Be My Baby” and boy did he do an original take on it. I truly enjoyed the arrangement. Overall it was a truly moving performance. There were a few rough notes in there but he doesn’t let it faze him, he is a great performer. I loved the ending of the song and David hit the power note, it was flawless.

His emotional reaction at the end to the song, the moment, his brother in the audience was truly heartfelt and not put on.

Randy – you are ready to make an album right now, brilliant performance, I haven’t given a standing ovation yet this season but you get one

Paula – awesome, this could be in a movie soundtrack, you are it

Simon – we went from karaoke hell to a breath of fresh air, it was original, daring, you took a risk, you have great potential

Jason Castro

Well, Jason is there doing the same old thing. He is sitting in a chair. I did not like his outfit at all. Jason was once again noticeably high.

Jason chose “I Don’t Wanna Cry”. I just didn’t get this choice or the performance. There were some very rough notes, it was boring and Jason also has breath control problems. He constantly was singing with his eyes closed as well. You have to see your audience to truly connect with them. It was just okay, a middle of the road outing.

Randy – I didn’t really like it, it was being at a weird beach luau

Paula – I would love to be at that luau

Simon – I agree with Paula, it wasn’t the best vocal of the night but it was a cool version. The guys won the night.


This was a strange evening of song selection and performances. David Cook was clearly the winner of the night with Mr. Archuleta coming in second. I would give Syesha the edge for the women.

At this point of the competition picking the bottom 3 becomes more difficult. Performance wise I would select Brooke by a mile as her performance was the worst, then Carly, Jason and Kristy.

My prediction for the bottom 3 is Carly, Syesha, and Brooke.

I believe Syesha will be heading home tonight but if there is a surprise it will then be either Carly or Brooke.

Until tomorrow…

More Comments on Idol Gives Back - Not Mind

Thank goodness Ryan Seacrest kicked off tonight's edition of Idol Gives Back with the reminder that, at its heart, the event is all about raising money for disadvantaged children. In doing so, he gave me the perfect excuse to send my inner cynic to bed early, so he wouldn't pester me all night with snarky asides like, ''Why does Fox insist on putting subtitles on the screen for foreigners who are speaking perfectly understandable English?'' Or, ''If American Idol really wanted to give back, couldn't they have shaved a half-hour off the telecast and not forced us to turn on our TV sets at 7:30?'' Or, ''And why do folks continue to encourage Robin Williams?''

Okay, so yeah, clearly my inner cynic walked through the living room a couple times during the 150-minute telecast — he said he needed to get to the kitchen and refill his water glass. But for the most part, tonight was about sitting back and appreciating some pretty terrific musical performances — and the fact that I've been born into a life where I've got the luxury of doing so.

Heck, who didn't get a perspective check during that package with Forest Whitaker and his wife Keisha visiting a hospital in Angola, where that baby girl Maria was fighting a brave battle against brain swelling caused by malaria? The producers, of course, stacked the emotional deck by playing Sia's ''Breathe Me'' in the background, but I think I would've gotten choked up from the footage either way.

(Which reminds me: If you'd intended to make a donation and haven't gotten around to it, you can end your procrastinating by clicking here. As someone who spent 99 cents to download Alexandrea Lushington's semifinal performance of ''Spinning Wheel'' off iTunes back in March, I figure I've got no excuse for failing to pony up myself.)

Oh, and speaking of ''show me the money!'' plugs, I kind of enjoyed how Idol managed to appeal to pretty much every possible demographic with its pre-taped messages. You had George Lopez speaking in Spanish and appealing for the Latino dollar, Jimmie Johnson talking directly to the NASCAR crowd, and Kylie Minogue on the scene to ensure no gay wallet would be left unopened.
The musical guests, on the other hand, represented a slightly less diverse pack. In fact, if it weren't for all the Idol Gives Back banners, you might've thought you'd stumbled across Fox's Night of a Dozen Divas (and Snoop Dogg). (Someone get Jody Watley and Taylor Dayne on the line with Fox's reality programming chief Mike Darnell! America needs this show!)

Anyhow, back to the event at hand, I have to admit: I went into the evening wondering if any of the big-name artists on the lineup might end up sounding a little, well, pitchy. I mean, come on, we've spent the last eight weeks dissecting every note, every song choice, every second of on-stage banter from the season 7 finalists. And starting next Tuesday, we'll do it again for 12 more episodes. But, to go all Randy on you for a second, most of the performers did their thing, made it their own, worked it out.

The highlights:

Carrie Underwood breathed new life into George Michael's ''Praying for Time,'' slowing down the tempo just a hair, and delivering her vocal with exquisite restraint and feeling; it was like hearing every word of the lyric for the first time, all over again. I'm predicting an iTunes stampede similar to last year's ''I'll Stand By You'' rendition.

My only complaint, actually, was the fact that Nigel Lythgoe & Co. didn't call on additional former contestants to populate the program. (Yes, I probably need to quit fantasizing about a Fantasia-Elliott duet, a dream that's been percolating in my brain ever since the duo paired up for that Idol Gives Back package during results night a few weeks back.)

Annie Lennox, who like Underwood, was back for a second year of Idol Gives Back, was equally tremendous on ''Many Rivers to Cross,'' which was all the more powerful since it followed the piece about the Eurythmics' singer's visit with a family of four young brothers orphaned by AIDS in South Africa. Watching Lennox break down at the end of her trip, expressing her heartbreak that the eldest boy, at only 15, had to stoically carry the weight of his family's burdens, was one of those all-too-rare televised moments that got past the celebrity-as-do-gooder veneer, and made you feel like she'd formed a true bond with the people she was visiting. (I also loved Alicia Keys' remark during her video piece about how the world should spend as much time discussing the AIDS pandemic as it does celebrity drama. Tell it!)

Moving from emotionally gripping to just plain enjoyable, I was stoked by Heart and Fergie's rockin' rendition of ''Barracuda.'' Ann Wilson's glorious banshee wail hasn't lost an iota of power over the decades, and Fergie Ferg more than held up her end of the number, delivering a pair of one-handed hand-springs in the process. Carly Smithson: I hope you took notes!

Speaking of Idol inspirations, upcoming mentor Mariah Carey was the final diva on the scene, delivering ''Fly Like a Bird'' with a full Gospel chorus. I sensed a little raspiness going on, which made me skittish that Mariah would either flub or avoid the dog-whistle note at the end of her number, but girlfriend made it happen.

And who knows, maybe I got infected by all the charitable feelings in the air, but I was pleasantly surprised by Teri Hatcher and Band From TV taking on ''Before He Cheats'' — right down to the goofy, Desperate Housewives-themed intro.

Also, side note to Gloria Estefan: We appreciated your efforts tonight, and that unexpected jolt when Sheila E's cymbals went crashing to the floor, but you still have a ways to go before you make up for ''Gloria Estefan Night'' back in season 3.

The only thing that had me a little befuddled was the fact that Miley Cyrus got to perform not one, but two numbers over the course of the evening. I know, I know, she's popular with the kids, and she sang decently, but did she really deserve more screen time than the top eight contestants (and season 6 winner Jordin Sparks, relegated to seat-filler status) combined? I mean, aren't those kids more important to Idol than the Disney Channel star?

As for Brooke, Carly, Syesha, Kristy Lee, Michael, Jason, and the two Davids (plus the four other booted finalists), well, it was a little strange seeing them get relegated to silently answering phones through the live portion of the pre-taped telecast. Wouldn't it have been more fun to put some of those callers on speakerphone and hear how the Idol hopefuls dealt with some unscripted banter?

As for their all-too-brief musical moments, who'd have thunk they'd be most successful tackling Rihanna's ''Don't Stop the Music''? Seriously, Rocker David sounded unexpectedly at home on the dance-pop confection. Maybe he was just happy to be performing something that wasn't written before 1990?
And the group performance of ''Seasons of Love'' was pretty solid, though I got completely distracted when one of the ladies went completely off pitch about 20 seconds into the performance. I have a sneaking suspicion who it was, but in the spirit of giving back, I shall make like Paula and give this songbird a free pass.

I shall not be quite as kind to the comedians who showed up this evening, providing a mixed bag of yuks and yucks. Jimmy Kimmel gets the gold star for the night's funniest bit, as he mercilessly skewered Simon on everything from his wardrobe (let's set money aside and buy a shirt that fits him'') to his dreadful crewcut (''who parts that for you, Moses?''). And Simon managed a nice zinger back, expressing his love of competitor Jay Leno, prior to introducing a surprisingly tender segment on his visit to New York City to observe a mobile medical unit.

Kimmel's girlfriend, Sarah Silverman, managed to tone down her own brand of shock humor while still scoring a couple laughs of her own. I howled when she threw in the afterthought about how Forest Whitaker's wife ''could be a nightmare,'' and her post-performance critique of Gloria Estefan.

Still, if this were Comedy Idol, the bottom two tonight would have to be comprised of Billy Crystal and Robin Williams. The former's exceedingly lame shtick about confusing Miley Cyrus for an unknown musical hopeful went on for freakin' ever, but it breezed by compared to Williams' interminable routine as Russian Idol ''Ivan Popinoff.'' Bad enough that he didn't score a single decent laugh from his routine, but the joke about a Russian reality show called Meal or Not Meal seemed in particularly poor taste on a night devoted to helping the world's neediest kids.

Then again, on a night where Brad Pitt, Alicia Keys, Reese Witherspoon, Gordon Brown, and Eli and Peyton Manning all teamed up for a common (and worthy) cause, how much complaining do you really want me to do? Hey, no need to answer that. I'm gonna zip it, and send you directly to part 2 of my Idolatry interview with recently ousted Ramiele Malubay, where I give her a chance to explain why she covered ''Alone.''

Idol Gives Back Review not mind from the net

HOLLYWOOD — A lot of musical guests have made their way to the "American Idol" stage over the show's seven seasons, but did anyone ever expect to see Snoop Dogg on the squeaky-clean show? Couldn't this hurt his street cred?

"Why could this hurt me?" the hip-hop heavyweight asked backstage at the Kodak Theatre during Sunday's "Idol Gives Back" taping. "This is beautiful, man."

Apparently even Snoop gets sentimental when it comes to the second-annual charity event — which raised $76 million last year for organizations in the U.S. and Africa — and on Wednesday night, the two-and-a-half- hour episode attempted to top that total.

Snoop hit the stage with Charlie Wilson early in the show to perform his new Ego Trippin' street anthem, "Can't Say Goodbye." Kids from Snoop's youth football league took the stage as well, and he said being a coach is his way of giving back.

"These kids are at risk," Snoop said backstage. "And it's so easy to join a gang, so easy to get drugs, but it's so hard to do something right with yourself. I'm trying to give them an opportunity to do something right with themselves."

Snoop also had his own kids in tow — one of whom was a little confused about a certain Disney teen queen.

"My daughter thinks Miley Cyrus and Hannah Montana are two different people," Snoop laughed. "She took a picture with her, and I was like, 'Who did you take a picture with?' She says, 'Miley Cyrus.' And I said, 'Where's Hannah Montana?' She says, 'She's not here yet.' "

No word on whether Hannah ever made it, but Miley hit the "Idol" stage a handful of times, to the highest-pitched — and longest-lasting — screams of the night (well, Brad Pitt's surprise appearance was right up there too). Cyrus performed a pair of songs, riffed with Billy Crystal about who he is and visited a needy family in the South with dad Billy Ray. Meeting with the family really affected Miley — especially since it was in her own backyard.

"I know some people are like, 'It's America. [Poverty] doesn't exist,' " Miley said backstage. "But it does. It does exist here, and that's something that gets overlooked. It's great if you can go to all the different countries, but ... there's things that you can do right here."

John Legend seconded that idea, urging young "Idol" fans to get involved in any way they can.
"It's a good example for young people to realize that when you have the ability to help somebody, you should help them," Legend said backstage. "I think it's a great message that a small donation can go a long way, and that even if you're not rich, you can be a philanthropist."

Legend kicked off a string of performances during the show, starting with his latest, the understated- but-powerful "Show Me." He then accompanied Fergie on their co-written song, "Finally," before Fergie brought Heart's Ann and Nancy Wilson onstage to perform "Barracuda." The Black Eyed Pea did some pretty impressive cartwheels toward the end of the performance, to the befuddlement of Heart and possibly the audience.

Also surprising to the Wilson sisters is their newfound fanbase, thanks in part to the popularity of their songs with "Idol" contestants. "We see the result when we play live," Nancy Wilson said backstage. "All these younger and younger kids ... have been coming out, which has to be 'American Idol' — and 'Guitar Hero' — at work."

Carrie Underwood, who can also attribute some of her success to "American Idol," hit the big stage once again, but this time, there weren't any discouraging words from Simon Cowell — not that she ever had a problem with that.

"That's what he's there for," Underwood said of the often-grouchy Brit. "It always drives me nuts when contestants sit there and argue with him. I'm like, 'That's what he's paid to do! I took it! You stay up there and you take it! Take it like a man!' "

The country superstar was a little bit calmer when she performed George Michael's "Praying for Time," keeping herself from crying near the end.

"That's a song that I've always loved, and I've always loved the message," Underwood said. "It took me forever to be able to sing that through without crying, and I know if that song made me feel that way, maybe it will make a few other people feel that way as well and maybe make them feel strongly about doing something."

The edited version of "Gives Back" did not include, among other things, the much-hyped, pre-taped packages featuring the three presidential candidates — Republican John McCain and Democrats Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

The producers did find time, however, to promote Daughtry's visit to Africa, and mention the names of each and every multinational corporation involved in the fundraiser (the companies were the first to contribute a combined $15 million).

The night also included a message from U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who committed to funding 20 million mosquito nets that would be distributed to help prevent the spread of malaria throughout Africa.

And in a video segment, a stone-faced Cowell met with a recently evicted family, beleaguered by chronic illness, in a ramshackle Harlem, New York, apartment.

By the end of the two-plus-hour telethon event, during which the Beckhams, Tyra Banks and Bono implored Americans to open their wallets, "Idol Gives Back" brought in around $22 million in pledges.

And some — although not many — of those pledges were recorded by this season's top 12, including Chikezie, Amanda Overmyer, Ramiele Malubay and David Hernandez. The contestants were live, and so was host Ryan Seacrest, who used the chance to speak with an actual Idol as a reason to call. At times, even he hopped on the line to talk to the fans. "Yes, that's really him," he said as he handed the horn back to David Cook. (Meanwhile, cuddly David Archuleta was scolded for spending 30 minutes with one caller.)

During the program, the remaining Idols — who were probably happy to be staving off the elimination that usually follows their Tuesday night performances — also tackled the "Rent" song "Seasons of Love," which will be made available for download on iTunes, with the proceeds earmarked for various charitable organizations.

And now, in the spirit of giving back, we'll offer up some highlights from the big night:

» The show opened with the top-eight "Idol" contestants performing Rihanna's "Don't Stop the Music" with a "So You Think You Can Dance?" crew busting a move behind them. (BTW, we weren't entirely convinced that Jason Castro thought our aura was incredible.)

» Annie Lennox's visit with four orphaned African brothers and her mesmerizing performance of Jimmy Cliff's "Many Rivers to Cross" were definitely the emotional highlights of the night. "I think people are really hungry for a kind of consciousness shift, where we feel the connectivity between our different countries," Lennox said backstage.

» Jimmy Kimmel focused a little too much of his stage time on Cowell's nipples, likening them to pepper mills and saying it looked like the judge was "smuggling the Olsen twins" in his shirt. Simon's simple response was priceless: "Jimmy Kimmel, I'd just like to say how much I like the Jay Leno show."

» And the winner for the celebrity guest who overstayed his or her welcome is Robin Williams, who severely overacted the part of "Russian Idol" Ivan Popinov. The comedian even ogled Paula Abdul's chest and told her to "let the puppies off leash" in his rip-off Borat accent.

» Randy Jackson proved that he does, in fact, know Mariah Carey when he played bass for the diva on "Fly Like a Bird," the final guest performance of the night. Carey was at her over-the-top best, with a full gospel choir and the high notes that made her famous.

American Idol 7 - 4/10/08 - And There were now 7

I honestly was speechless last night when I learned who was eliminated. America always finds a way to surprise and usually not in a good way. It just boggles my mind how people think when they are voting.

I guess it is why the show succeeds, build your hopes and crush them down.

Last night's results show dragged just a bit for me. I think it was the continued clips from "Idol Gives Back" which they couldn't fit into Wednesday's 2 1/2 hour fest.

I must admit the opening group number of "Shout to The Lord" was an interesting song choice given the more religious nature of the song on a fairly secular show. There were plenty of inspirational songs that could have been done.

My favorite moment of the show was Jordin Sparks appearance, she is looking very hot. She had some killer shoes. Her duet with Chris Brown is really good and there was definite vibes between the two of them.

Last night's Ford commercial was my favorite to date. The song choice was good and I really liked the artistry of the video. Excellent job.

I was two-thirds correct about the bottom 3 but totally off on who was leaving. Michael Johns hopes for the title was dashed.

I thought the judge's comments to him were very heartfelt and Paula was certainly showing it during the end credits. Simon was very gracious and there were genuinely surprised because I could tell they thought Syesha was leaving.

It has been a very interesting Idol week. I will be in Texas next week so I will see it early and can vote for 4 hours versus two because I can use the phone there and then my cell phone. Yeah!

Until next week….

American Idol 7 - 4/8/08 - Inspiration My Foot

This is….American Idol. Last night the Idol contestants hit the stage with inspirational songs. I believe the night was filled with strange song selection, bickering among the judges and a night of very little inspirational music or performances.

I applaud the producer’s of Idol for what they want to do with “Idol Gives Back”. When you have a machine like this one raking in the dough and a very big audience it is important to use the voice for the good but sticking these contestants with such a theme is asking for trouble and tonight was not any different then last year’s.

On with my thoughts about the performances from last night:

Michael Johns

First of all I have to say Michael the ascots are getting to be way too much, they look ridiculous, stop wearing them. Michael’s selection of song “Dream On” for whatever reason was stupid. He clearly does not understand what this song is really truly about. This song is about someone at the end of their life dreaming about what might have been because it is all they have left. It doesn’t really inspire me it is almost pathetic actually but what do I know.

I totally enjoyed Michael’s performance overall, it was engaging and fun. The vocals though were not as good as last week. There were several sharp and pitchy moments. Michael’s first attempt at the high notes was my fingers down the chalk board moment but he rallied at the end for the high note but just barely. Changing the arrangement would have helped avoid that issue. It was good but there was no wow.

Note to Michael – don’t get in a pissing match with the judges, you came across as an indulgent little brat, give the audience credit, you told them why you chose the song but the judges are right, this is a singing contest regardless of the inspiration theme.

Randy – this is an important week, we need the contestants to show us who they are, there were some pitch problems, it was alright. This is not about dreams, it is about singing.

Paula – I couldn’t disagree with Randy more, it was a perfect song choice for you, you sound as good as you look and the high notes were unbelievable, my dogs will be joining you on stage

Simon – it was a very good performance but I have to slightly agree with Randy, it came across as an impersonation of a rock star, wannabish

Syesha Mercado

I see the “fro” is back although it didn’t seem as out of control as usual. Oh tell me I didn’t just hear her say she is performing Fantasia’s “I Believe”. What is wrong with these contestants? Never and I say never sing a prior contestant’s signature song. You are asking for the worst type of comparison and almost begging to be sent packing.

I have to throw out I was never a fan of Fantasia, I did not vote for her to win and I really did not like her version of this song. If there was ever an indulgent singer it is Fantasia, her dropping to the ground and practically spasming out is very distracting. I thought Diana DeGarmo sang the song much better when they were battling for the winner spot during Season 3.

I have to give Syesha credit because I thought this was a technically flawless vocal. I actually liked what she did with the song. She was definitely in diva mode and that last note was killer and I am not sure in a good way. She hit it and sustained it and it was on pitch but it was almost too high and it painful to the ear, she could have broken a glass. She was pitch perfect and had very impressive phrasing as well. The choir (good heavens) was overpowering her quite a bit though.

Randy – I will give you credit for taking on another tiger in the room. Fantasia is one of the best singers ever to be on the show (oh give me a break). There was no connection to the song like Fantasia. It was okay.

I have to totally disagree here with Randy and while comparisons were absolutely going to happen you can’t say Syesha didn’t connect to the song she did, if you compare her to the recorded version as opposed to the live version after Fantasia won then I might agree. Come on the woman just won American Idol of course she would friggin’ be emotional, every winner has been. Poor Jordan lost it when she was singing. More on this comparison issue later about how the judges are inconsistent.

Paula – Fantasia is your idol, you flipped the song a little bit and made it your own, it was one of your most shining nights

Simon – it is inevitable to have a comparison, technically you sang it well but it lacked the big wave of emotion, I want you to stop tackling the divas and show us who you are.

I will agree with Simon about showing us who you are as an artist but as has been pointed out already, this is a singing competition so if you technically sang it well then let’s move on.


Jason Castro

I am going to say this is the performance of the night which one will either love or hate. I am in the later category for several reasons.

Jason is once again in his comfort zone, sitting and instead of a guitar we have a ukulele, yes a ukulele and I know it is so wrong but all I could think about was Tiny Tim.

Jason chose “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” which I also think is a very strange song selection and given the fantastic version that Katherine McPhee had not a good idea.

I thought this was just a ridiculous performance. The choppy arrangement was irritating and it was boring. I have heard this version of the song and if any performance last night was an exact carbon copy it was this one. There was nothing new or original from this performance. It was just the same thing week after week. Outside of Jason’s audible breathing which is so distracting he was in good voice. Once again Jason was so clearly high on something it was crazy although this might be a perfect song choice if you want to be high when you are performing. I was just bored by the whole thing and I just didn’t get it.

I have to insert my disagreement with the judges, they pick apart others for not being original or compare them to the artist but yet for Jason’s performance they did not say anything about how this was an exact karaoke rendition of this version of the song.

Randy – dude Jason Castro is back in the hunt, hot, blazing molten hot

Paula – you have a definitive sound, perfect song, great job

Simon – fantastic


I also have to break away from my comments on the performances to say how much I really hated the AT&T go phone commercial with Meatloaf, I guess he is desperate for cash, it was just stupid.

Kristy Lee Cook

Kristy was looking pretty good last night I have to say.

Kristy chose “Anyway”. I at least understood this choice although I still think the song was a bit too big for her. Overall I liked her vocal performance. There were some pitch problems especially in her lower register. She started out really good, sucked during the chorus but on the other hand she was so overpowered by the choir it didn’t matter but her ending was superb, the best notes I have heard from her in a long time. The one problem I have with Kristy is she lacks emotion, she can’t sell the song. She is like a robot up on stage; she almost looks awkward, like a deer in the headlights.

Randy – a few pitchy moments, loved it, cool for you

Paula – best by far, excellent

Simon – it was very, very good indeed; you looked like a star tonight, smart choice appealing to your audience

David Cook

I liked David’s outfit. David went with “Innocent”. I am not sure this was an appropriate choice of an inspirational song and it really is not a song to showcase your voice. It is almost one note; the words were repetitive, like there is only one verse. For the first time David too was overpowered by that stupid choir. It wasn’t a good vocal performance as he was all over the place. David though is an accomplished performance; he sold the number via the performance not the vocal. This was not his best showing.

Randy – I am a huge fan but this is not your strongest week, I didn’t get it

Paula – you are well defined, you are the total package, I believe in you

Simon – I didn’t like this performance; it was a teensy bit pompous, it was your weakest performance, not nearly as good as the last 2 weeks

Carly Smithson

I didn’t like Carly’s outfit but she definitely proved she is not pregnant in that outfit. It appears she has lost some weight as well. It was a pretty tight outfit; it left nothing to the imagination.

Carly chose “The Show Must go On”. This is a song I very much love. This is a very personal song from Freddie Mercury he was dying and it is a love song to his audience not to grieve for him because the show will go on. I always choke up and cry when I hear Freddie singing this song. I understand why it is important to Carly but I don’t believe she really sold the true emotional impact of this song.

Overall her performance was good but her vocals were just so so. In the verses her pitch and phrasing were perfect but then when she reached the chorus, oh my god it was awful. It also totally fell apart at the end. I give Carly credit she doesn’t let that affect her, she just barrels through. I have to agree with Simon Carly did come across as angry which was a disconnect from the theme of the week.

Randy – started good, middle a little pitchy, ended okay, you were disconnected

Paula – your voice is pretty perfect but I will agree slightly with Randy – I didn’t feel engaged by your performance but your voice is amazing

Simon – you look good tonight, it was an unusual choice of song, you over sang it and lost control of it, it was an angry performance

David Archuleta

David is back in his element, inspirational songs seem to be David’s theme regardless of the actual theme.

David chose “Angels”, a song I have on my IPod. David playing the piano worked with this song overall and David gave one of his usual very heartfelt and truly moving performances but there wasn’t any wow and nothing original about it. Outside of the very rough start the vocals were excellent. David can definitely sing.

Randy – awesome, the refrain and the runs you threw in, this was the hottest moment of the whole season, loved it, loved it

Paula – fantastic

Simon – This was the best song choice of the evening, it is a great pop song, I don’t think it was your best vocal, it was a little nasally, I liked the first part better than the end but it doesn’t matter you will sail through to the next round

Brooke White

Oh my heavens who picked out this horrible outfit, that dress was beyond bad. It made her look like matronly. It did nothing for her. It was just plain scary.

I was happy to see Brooke actually just singing and it is good she doesn’t move around too much. Brooke chose “You’ve Got A Friend”. This has got to be one of the weakest and strangest endings to a program ever. I totally did not like this at all. Brooke sounded like she was whining and I didn’t feel any emotional impact from the song. The vocals were okay but nothing special, there was no wow. It was basically very good karaoke.

Randy – not your best, okay, alright

Paula – My sister use to play this over and over, it was a perfect way to end the night, I love you

Simon – it was like a pleasant walk in the park, nice, not original, you won’t remember it


It was another very uneven night. These contestants are having a hard time picking the right song. With all the great inspirational songs out there we end up with some of these. Why don’t they consult me about song selection?

I really can’t say anyone truly shined last night. Everyone was overpowered by the orchestra and that choir at least once some more then others. I certainly wasn’t inspired outside of finding a version of the song I like and listening to it so I could forget all these numbers.

The question isn’t who will be in the bottom 3 but who shouldn’t be there and I think they all could end up in the bottom 3.

Based on my view of the performances the bottom 3 should be Carly, David Cook and Jason.

I believe the bottom 3 will be Carly, Syesha and Jason. Kristy Lee could slip in there though.

Syesha is packing to go home on Thursday.

I swear to god, if I watch the entire results show and the producers don’t send anyone home I will be royally pissed off.

I probably will write my comments about Idol gives back after Thursday’s result show so I end up with just one blog instead of two more.

Until later…

American Idol 7 - 4/2/08 And there are now 8

Well last night's results show was chuck full of surprises and most in a good way, thankfully.

I love how they can stretch the results to a full hour and except for the ridiculous questions from the viewers I was at least entertained.

Oh my a group number of 9 to 5, how original and outside of the cheesy ending with the judges it wasn't too bad and for the most part those with solo parts did well. I did notice though that Jason's voice cracked during his solo and what was up with that stupid dance move he did on stage. Brooke also should not be doing much movement because she is always awkward. Paula was loving David Cook standing behind her, shame on her.

I thought the Ford commercial last night was pretty lame but the song they picked wasn't good either.

I wasn't keen on the performance by The Clark Brothers (winners of Fox's The Next Great American Band), it was boring and I didn't think they were that good but they may have been out of their element with the song.

On the other hand Dolly Parton still has it. I also thought Dolly had the best line of the whole evening when talking to Ryan - "I have Jesus, you have Simon". I totally laughed out loud. It was priceless.

I only got one of the bottom 3 right when trying to pick what America would do; however, I was totally right about the bottom 3 and the one going home based on my personal choice. I guess I will just have to go with my instincts versus what I think America might do.

If you haven't heard Ramiele has been sent home!

I did not hear any announcement about next week's theme, I am just hoping they don't do what they did last year during Idol Gives Back week with the theme of inspirational songs, I hope they spice it up a bit.

Until next week!

American Idol 7 - 4/1/08 - Dolly Visits with the Top 9

Oh my, Ryan tried to pull an April’s Fool’s joke and not that well either although I did laugh about Simon being on “The Moment of Truth” a show I haven’t watch but the commercials alone show it to be the absolute dregs of entertainment but I digress. This is ….American Idol!

Country theme week is normally a train wreck and I wasn’t really expecting much. I adore Dolly Parton and I have pretty much the majority of her albums but as is usual the celebrity coaches are way too nice for their own good and Dolly is no exception but it is clearly part of her nature. I realize we only see bits and pieces of what occurred but I have really never heard a celebrity coach say anything truly negative. It is staggering the amount of songs she has written and the fact she remembers each one, what she was thinking is amazing. It will be all about song choice tonight.

I can’t wait to hear what Dolly sings about on tonight’s result show. Her new album is great but on with my thoughts on last night’s show and the top 9 performances.

Brooke White

I so called Brooke choosing “Jolene”. It is quite frankly the one song of Dolly’s that I absolutely totally hate, come one, what kind of woman would beg another woman not to take her man, come on fight for the bastard if you really like him otherwise good riddance and find a better man. Take a lesson from Loretta Lynn, “You’re not Woman enough to take my man”, also the screeching of Jolene always caused needles to go down my back. This is the one song you won’t find on my IPod.

Brooke is back in her comfort zone, sitting on a stool with her guitar but I did in fact dig the blue grass approach to the song. There were a few bum notes but overall the vocals were okay. My problem was there was no excitement in the performance, I didn’t feel any emotional impact, and there was hesitation in the beginning of the song.

Randy – the music suits your voice, it was not a stellar performance, it was pitchy and you rushed the music at times, alright

Paula – you are consistent, you connect with your heart and soul, excellent, wonderful (what are you drinking tonight Paula?)

Simon – I disagree with Paula, the song lacked emotional connection, all of you looked strange together, not one of your best

David Cook

Good heavens and praise the lord, David washed his hair and got it cut! David looked great tonight.

David went with “Little Sparrow” and tonight came up with his own arrangement and I totally loved it. This was a very haunting performance and the vocal was outstanding. There were subtleties I hadn’t heard before in his voice and that falsetto was unbelievable. This was a very hot performance.

Randy – the arrangement showed your range, that falsetto, wow, hot

Paula – “love your haircut”, this is the first time I have heard a guy sing that song, fantastic

Simon – not as good as last week but if you can make a song about sparrows good, congratulations. (Good grief, that is not what the song is about, give me a break)

Ramiele Malubay

Killer shoes but what is up with that horrible outfit, how can someone so cute choose outfits that make her look terrible, it boggles my mind. I also totally hate that damn hair over her eyes.

Ramiele went with “Do I Ever Cross Your Mind”. All I can say is I can’t say anything because I could not hear her at all, the band and back up singers so overpowered Ramiele that she was lost. The performance itself was kind of fun in how she was connecting with the audience but her movements were awkward. This was totally forgettable for me.

Randy – I was not jumping up and down but I was not mad at you either, pretty good, 6.5 out of 10

Paula – proud of how you are connecting with audience

Simon – I won’t remember that in 10 years, it was cute, you sang it quite well but it was like a cruise ship performance

Jason Castro

Jason chose “Travelin’ Through” and for those trivia folks it was nominated for a best song Oscar from “Transamerica”. I think it was a good song choice but the performance was just okay. Jason was just the same, back in his comfort zone although it was a bit more up-tempo. I thought his voice was very soft and he definitely appeared to be rushing the lyrics as if he was off tempo. It was definitely better than last week but there is no wow for me.

Randy – it started rough but by the middle of the song it picked up, pretty good, you worked it out

Paula – one of your strongest performances, you let go, confident, loved it (Paula is definitely high on something)

Simon – I am going to lose my season pass to Dollywood but I didn’t like it, you sang it well but it doesn’t suit you

Carly Smithson

Oh my, what is she wearing, Carly so needs to hire me as her stylist, it was a hideous outfit and tonight probably because of the song; the arm tattoo was a bit distracting.

Carly chose a great song “Here You Come Again”, how sad that I have this in a 45 version. I am old but I digress. I totally adored the acoustic arrangement and it allowed Carly’s vocals to soar. The tone of her voice is unbelievable and she has incredible breath control and there was so much feeling in this performance. The held note towards the end was brilliant.

Randy – this was one of the better performances of the night, nice job

Paula – it was glorious, your voice is beautiful, you have amazing talent, and you look great

Simon – good but not great, you need to talk to the people who are dressing you, at this stage you need to look more like a star

David Archuleta

David chose “Smoky Mountain Memories” and David pulled it off. This was an absolutely brilliant vocal performance; he connected with the song and was able to sell it to the audience. My one complaint is David’s breath control; his heavy breathing was a bit distracting. Another problem was he was constantly closing his eyes and he does this quite often. Perhaps the mosh pit girls swinging their arms is distracting him but if you want to connect with the audience, look at them for crying out loud!

Randy – David is back, that was the best performance of the night

Paula – your voice is beautiful, amazing tone, glorious

Simon – I had a problem with your song selection last week, this week “absolutely on the money”

Kristy Lee Cook

What is it with the stylist’s? I thought Kristy’s dress was horrible and the bare feet were way too over the top.

I so called Kristy’s choice of song this week. On the way home last night I was singing “Coat of Many Colors” to myself knowing it was going to be sung tonight and by whom.

The performance was okay for me. I can’t really call it karaoke because they changed up the arrangement but it was pretty damn close. Overall she sang it well but there were a few moments that were way over the top. The back up singers overpowered her during the chorus and I don’t think she really sold the emotional impact of what the song is about.

Randy – country music is your wheelhouse, this was a very nice performance

Paula – you look stunning, beautiful, it was your best performance

Simon – I disagree, last week was better, this was pleasant but forgettable

Syesha Mercado

Syesha looked totally hot last night. I loved the choice of sitting on the piano; it kept her from getting too out of control. I also love her hair in the style of last night versus that horrible out of control afro she usually has.

I was surprised Syesha chose “I Will Always Love You” but I have to give her chops, it was a great vocal performance. Dolly was right she did combine the simplicity of Dolly’s original version from the film “The Best Whorehouse in Texas” with Whitney’s more over the top style and she pulled it off. I will say it now I think Simon was totally off on his comments. I thought this vocal was perfect and that sustained note at the end was nothing short of amazing. This is a singing contest and Syesha can sing.

Randy – you took on “the biggest tiger of the night” and it was pretty good too, you did alright

Paula – your voice has a velvety tone, you are growing, connecting with the audience

Simon – the first part is good, the second party paled in comparison to Whitney, good but not fantastic

Michael Johns

Now Michael came on to that stage and looked every part the star, great choice of an outfit except for the stupid scarf.

Michael chose “It’s All Wrong But It’s All Right” which was a perfect choice. Who would have thought he could pull off the whole bluesy/soul type number? This was a great arrangement and a totally awesome vocal. Michael has shown the total package and he finally had his wow moment. This was my absolute favorite performance of the evening. Outstanding job and totally changes the dynamic of the top 4 now.

Randy – blazing hot vocal

Paula – these songs have great melodies and great hooks, you’re a star, you’re gorgeous (Paula come on, old down the lust girl)

Simon – best I have heard you sing


I was pretty ticked off that Michael did not get the time he deserved from the judges because of the time of the show on a night when he should have gotten more air time, Chef Ramsey could have waited a couple of minutes to open Hell’s Kitchen.

I have to get on my soap box again, the mosh pit has to go, those girls are totally ruining some of the performances and those damn waving arms are sending me to places I don’t want to go.

I have to say this is the best season ever for the tackling of country week, not everything hit the mark but it wasn’t the total train wreck I was expecting and there were some seriously great performances tonight.

I was hot last night in voting, I managed to get in 523 votes on my land line and cell phone last night. All my votes went to Michael, Carly, Syesha, David Cook and David Archuleta.

Trying to pick the bottom 3 is harder not from the standpoint of who I think should be in the bottom 3 but trying to figure out how America will vote and who seems to have the stronger voting block.

My personal choices for the bottom 3 would be Ramiele, Brooke, and Kristy with Ramiele going home.

I think the actual bottom 3 will be Ramiele, Syesha and Jason. My pick for who is going home is Syesha which will sadden me but I don’t think she has the support that Ramiele and Jason apparently have. I hope I am wrong but America usually disappoints me.

Until tomorrow…