AI 8 - 2/11/09 Hollywood The Final Judgment

This is American Idol’s Final Judgment as Ryan continuously spouts throughout the two-hour episode. This has been the toughest week of their lives and tonight everything will change for some.

We are visiting a big Hollywood Mansion and the walk to the chair of doom is through a beautiful garden and then some nice hallways and into a very large elegant room where the judges are perched on some very large red thrones. I was surprised about how close the chair of doom was to the judges this year.

As promised from last night’s tease, some of the contestants will have to sing for their lives. Oh the tension, the drama, who will be in and who will have their dreams stomped to the ground?

There are 54 contestants sitting in the holding room, this is going to be a long day!

Anoop Desai is the first to face the judges. Kara explains that he has continuously surprised them but he still had some issues in Hollywood but we have unanimously decided to put you through.

Von Smith realizes he has had a tough time but this is why I am alive. The judges ask Von how he feels he has done during the week. Von addresses Simon’s comments from the first round. Von’s parents are singers and he takes their advice very seriously but understands he has to do what he needs to do and his parents were not happy about his choice of song for the final round but he is happy he made the choice. Simon explains his song choice influenced the judges’ decision and he is through.

Next is our first sing-off between Cody Shelton and Alex Wagner-Trugman who through the competition have become very close friends. Cody chooses “Love Remains the Same” and is okay. Alex goes with “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” and he was brilliant. Alex clearly won the sing-off. Oh my I am right, the judges go with Alex.

Adam Lambert who I absolutely believe should be in this competition is next to visit the chair. Simon explains they liked him in Hollywood, but they have to look at his whole journey. They have to consider whether he will win and whether he would make a good recording artist. As if, this is why almost the entire third season contestants have never been heard of since and let us not forget he who should not be named but I digress. Simon indicates the decision was unanimous but not good news, its great news. Adam is through. Freaking yeah!

Taylor Vaifanua is the first female to take the long walk. Randy gives the good news she is through.

We then get a very quick montage of yeses for Jasmine Murray, Arianna Afsar, Casey Carlson, Megan Corkrey, Mishavonna Henson and Stevie Wright.

Next to walk is Joanna Pacitti who is very concerned because of the many times she forgot her lyrics. Paula explains they are not sure who she is as an artist. Joanna responds by indicating she has done her best but she thinks she is improving. Kara calls her out on the fact she has already had her shot in the music industry so when is she going to step out and show who she is. Joanna answers now. Simon thinks she just needs a break. The judges tell her she is participating in Season 8.

We are provided with a quick montage of three men getting the boot. It was so quick I did not have time to write down all their names. One was T.K. Hass.

Kendall Beard is next. Paula tells her she is commercial but her song choices were not good and did not put her where she needs to be but she is through.

Our next sing-off is between Kristen McNamara and Jenn Korbee. Jenn is first and goes with “Not Ready to Make Nice” and it was not very good, she was off pitch and she was not selling the emotion of the song. Kristen goes with “I Will Always Love You” and she sounded better. During the judges deliberation Simon simply asks whether they want the attractive blond (Jenn) or the other. Kara says they might as well just bring in a bunch of models. It is time for Kristen and Jenn to hear the news. Kara tells Jen she made a poor song choice and she has not connected with her songs. Paula tells Kristen her clothes are off-putting and they are not sure who she is. Simon is bored and cuts to the chase telling Kristen she is through and he thinks it is the wrong decision.

Alexis Grace walks next and the judges jump to the chase and tell her she is through.

Scott MacIntyre is next. Kara thinks he struggled during his initial audition because he could not play his keyboard. The judges are unanimous and he is through.

Lil Rounds faces the judges next. Simon tells her sometimes decisions are not as clear-cut as people think and this is one of those situations. She is through. As she leaves, Simon tells the rest she is a “good old-fashioned” singer. I am not sure I agree with that but time will tell.

We then get a quick montage of three female contestants told no.

We get yet another sing-off between Frankie Jordan and Jesse Langseth. Frankie is first and frankly, she sucked, it was just terrible. She sang in a weird lower register. Simon stops her and tells her she has made their decision a lot easier. As she goes, Kara indicates she is soulful and she liked the song choice. Jesse is next and she sounded much better but Simon did not like the song choice. It is time to face the judges and Jesse is going through. Simon tells Frankie, “If it’s any consolation, you wouldn’t have won anyway” and then says he does not think Jesse will win either. Kara tells Frankie she just did not stand out while Jesse does.

Cue the next montage as Ryan explains the final judgment process started in Season 4. We then get a quick round of nos.

Allison Iraheta is next and the judges send her through.

Next up is the montage of best friends Danny Gokey and Jamar Rogers, the bromance. They have been each other’s support. Danny Gokey is up first and the judges ask him how he feels he did. Danny tells them considering the pressure he has been under he thinks he did well. He explains there is always room for improvement. Simon tells him it is about being relevant and different; there are a lot of good singers out there. Danny says he is relevant and different. The judges say that is a good answer and he is through. Was there any doubt on this one?

Jamar Rogers is next. Kara says he took some risks in Hollywood and is not sure they paid off. Jamar is going home. I am not surprised because of the drama it creates but more about this later.

We then get some very quick yeses for Ricky Braddy, Matt Giraud, Ju’not Joyner, Jorge Nunez, and Brent Keith.

Stephen Fowler is next up in the chair. The judges ask him how he did and he says he did not do well. They ask him if he made the right decision leaving the stage and Stephen tells them no, he regrets that decision. He should have just continued playing until he was able to get back on track. Paula tells him he is through based on his talent.

Our next contestant is Nick Mitchell aka Norman Gentle who continues to get way too much wasted airtime. I am over him big time. Nick explains he hopes to go through and promises to do anything the judges want him to do including washing Simon’s car. Nick tells the judges he has had the time of his life. Paula explains they have spent more of their deliberations on him than anyone else. Give me a freaking break, it should be no! Paula likes him because he stuck to who he is because otherwise he should not have auditioned at all. Nick has two passions singing and making people laugh. I do not think he can do either but I do not get to vote, at least not yet. Kara is not sure how to react to this serious Nick. Nick is through. I am sorry, Nick has not shown he can actually sing yet he gets through while Jamar has proven he can sing yet is sent home. This was a ridiculous decision.

Jackie Tohn is next. Randy tells her it was a unanimous decision she is through.

Histrionic Hyena (HH) makes the long walk why we are subjected once again to all the ridiculously annoying video of someone who should not be here at this point. I can at least take comfort when Simon tells her to stop being annoying. HH is wearing a bracelet from Paula’s jewelry collection and we have to hear about the fact the matching ring sold out and she just cried and cried, give me a f*^king break. Oh no, Paula is not taking the ring off her finger and giving it to her. I am seriously going to blow a gasket. Simon snaps it is generous of Paula to promote her jewelry on television. Simon tells HH the decision was not unanimous but she is through. WHAT THE F*^K? OH, MY FREAKING GOD I DID NOT JUST HEAR THAT, THIS COULD NOT BE HAPPENING! I totally let loose with some very colorful phrases, which would have been bleeped as I told the judges what I thought. I know they cannot hear me but it made me feel better. I was so totally pissed off and upset about this that after the show was over I had to mediate for two hours with soft, peaceful ocean sounds playing in the background. I calmed down some but I am still festering about HH getting a chance for America to vote. They have not exactly been rational in their voting habits.

We have our next sing-off between Nathaniel Marshall and Jackie Midkiff. Jackie is first and he does a fair job but it was bland. Nathaniel is next and we finally get his back-story. Nathaniel has moved around between relatives. It appears his mother was in prison for something related to drugs but Nathaniel explains his mother has taught him what not to do. He spent most of his time with his grandmother who is disabled and in a wheelchair. We get the shameless plea from his grandmother that American Idol is his chance to shine. He loves to sing. Nathaniel can sing and he totally nailed his sing for your survival number. Nathaniel wins the sing-off but Randy tells Jackie he was almost through and should try again next season.

We then get another montage of yeses for Jeanine Vailes, Kai Kalama, Annie Marie Boskovich and Kris Allen.

Ryan then explains we are down to the final two and there will be a sing-off between the two blue-collar workers Matt Breitzke and Michael Sarver.

I will digress here to say the producers are whacked. They clearly did not edit these contestants in order nor do they have any quality assurance. At this point I have counted 34 yeses and we have two final contestants, WHAT? It is obviously this is a fake out, come on why waste my time!

Matt sings first and sounded good but not fantastic while Michael sounds much better. Simon explains he likes both of them but he is not sure either could win and Paula agrees. Simon tells them they have put them in the same position and Paula says this means they are both through.

Therefore, the final 36 have been revealed and voting starts next week. The first group of 12 is Casey Carlson, Stephen Fowler, Jackie Tohn, Ricky Braddy, Anne Marie Boskovich, Brent Keith, Alexis Grace, Michael Sarver, Stevie Wright, Danny Gokey, Anoop Desai and HH.

This year we are having three groups sing with each group consisting of six males and six females. The top male and top female vote getter becomes part of the final 12 along with the next top vote getter regardless of gender. We will then have one final wild card episode to obtain the final three contestants of our top 12.

MY ONLY GOAL AT THIS POINT IS TO ENSURE HH IS SENT DOWN IN FLAMES NEXT WEEK! I am asking no I am begging each of you to watch the show next week and I want you all to vote, vote and vote some more. I have not heard them sing so I do not care which three you vote for but we have to ensure there are no votes given to HH. Do not let me down or I will track you down and the consequences will not be pleasant. I intend to get everyone I know to vote next Tuesday night so we can send the annoying HH home.

Here is the final list of the 36 semi-finalists:

Male:

Kris Allen
Ricky Braddy
Matt Breitzke
Anoop Desai
Stephen Fowler
Matt Giraud
Danny Gokey
Ju’Not Joyner
Kai Kalama
Brent Keith
Adam Lambert
Scott MacIntyre
Nathaniel Marshall
Nick Mitchell
Jorge Nunez
Michael Sarver
Von Smith
Alex Wagner-Trugman

Female:

Arianna Afsar
Kendall Beard
Anne Marie Boskovich
Casey Carlson
Megan Corkrey
HH
Alexis Grace
Mishavonna Henson
Allison Iraheta
Jesse Langseth
Kristen McNamara
Jasmine Murray
Joanna Pacitti
Lil Rounds
Jackie Tohn
Taylor Vaifanua
Jeanine Vailes
Stevie Wright

The one positive thing about this episode is we got to hear most of the top 36 sing through video clips, which was really nice. As far as I am concerned, the men have it over the women by a mile. They will be the ones to beat depending on who actually makes it to the top 12.

Until next week…