AI 8 4-29-09 And now there are Four

Who will get the shock tonight, THIS IS AMERICAN IDOL!

To hell with the contestants, Ronald was shocked and was having a very hard night but more on that later.

Last night’s results show opened with the video highlights from the evening before and then Ryan can walking down the stairs (I guess he forgot what Simon had told him).

We learn that over 47,000,000 votes were cast last night.

We have lots of time to fill this evening so Ryan spent time talking to the judges asking Simon how he thought last night went. Simon indicated after watching it again last night that every one was very good, he feels this has been the best contestants ever at this stage in the competition.

Time to cue this week’s Ford commercial. I did not like it at all.

We are ready for this week’s group number that I did like and these five really worked well together.

Cue next video montage of the contestants bringing a little Martha Stewart to the kitchen because of the birthdays from last week, which included both Danny and Allison. This was just a total waste of time but we do have an hour to fill. I am not sure it is wise to show them having a food fight. The only thing I enjoyed was the gag with Danny getting the bill for the clean up, I did laugh when he said, “Idol doesn’t pay for this with all the money they earn?” Priceless!

It is time for the results (NOT) but we are presented with the bottom 3, which caused me to jump out of my seat and scream bloody murder.

Matt – right side
Danny – left side
Allison – left side
Kris – right side

Ryan then asks Adam to pick the group he feels he should be part of which I believe really blows but Adam choose the left side. Ryan then moves him to the right side and declares Danny and Allison safe with the rest in the bottom 3.

Natalie Cole is up next and she was wonderful. I totally loved her performance and she brought a little swing to the stage.

Taylor Hicks is up next and despite the fact I hate he won the performance was actually good. I think his voice has improved.

We now have Ryan asking the bottom 3 to come out and he is going to send someone to safety. This contestant is Kris. What the f*^k!

Matt and Adam are in the bottom two.

Jamie Foxx performs his number one hit and I thought it sucked big time. Was he even singing given the ridiculous devices to make his voice sound strange? This is not music I enjoy and I still do not feel he provided any great advice other mentors have said.

It is time for the big reveal. Adam is safe, Matt is going home, and Ronald was finally able to breathe.

America is whacked with Adam being in the bottom 2, it appears people were complacent and thought he would be safe. America you have to remember no one is safe and you had better vote, vote, and vote. Please use me as an example. I may have to consider actually texting, which is something I never do.

Next week the theme is Rock and Roll and Slash is the mentor. Oh, heaven save us.

Until next week…

AI 8 4-28-09 The Top Five set the standard for future seasons

For the people who remain on this stage the intensity of the competition is a constant evolution, tonight they take on some of America’s most famous classics of all time but who will set the “standard” – these are your top five and this is AMERICAN IDOL!

Very exciting news because we get two numbers to vote for each contestant and my fingers were itching.

Oh, crap we are having another mentor, cue the video montage so we can learn whom this mystery mentor is. I laughed out loud when Kris said the Rat Pack is dead so who could it be. The big dramatic reveal has Jamie Foxx entering as Matt is singing “Georgia on My Mind”. Exactly how will Jamie Foxx help them with these standards and why is he here? I know he has an album and movie to promote. This should be an interesting night.

I guess that is enough of my ranting about the useless mentors and on with the dish.

Kris Allen – “The Way You Look Tonight”

Kris was styling tonight in the suit and tie. As Rosie O’Donnell would say, he definitely is a “cutie pootie” and those screaming women and tweens explain it all. Personally, I say his moustache needs to go. Kris took the right approach with this song by focusing on the vocals. You could really hear the raw purity of his voice especially at the beginning of the number. It was beautiful. The transition in to the up-tempo beat was very rough. Once Kris was there this was an extremely great vocal. The nice pause before the last note was brilliant and it redeemed the horrible transition in the middle. My other problem was the use of the mike. In my opinion he should have just stood there and sang as if he was on an old time radio show, walking around with the mike stand is too rock and roll, it was distracting.

Randy – I am looking to see who is in it to win it and who can take it all the way. Dude your best performance ever, you took your time, you told a story, you gave it some R&B styling, mad nice vocals.

Kara – songs of this era give singers a chance to show their technical ability and tonight you have set the technical standard really high, you had impeccable phrasing, diction and timing; you are truly the dark horse in this competition

Paula – you have made the transition from adorable boy next door into a handsome sophisticated man, your quiet confidence makes you a contemporary crooner, impeccable

Simon – It was good but I am not falling over like the others because it was a bit wet (excuse me!), you are like taking a well-trained dog for a walk it will be safe and nice but not incredible. I don’t think you can win. (This was just a stupid whacked evaluation.)

Allison Iraheta – “Someone to Watch over Me”
I thought Allison chose a perfect song for her and this was one of her best performances. I am still of the opinion her stylist is a jerk and she needs to fire them. What is up with these outfits every week? The girl just turned 17 and the big bustier and that feathery skirt was a disaster. What was not a disaster was Allison’s vocal talent. Given the genre, we actually got to hear what a great voice Allison had with little distraction. Allison showed great control and her diction was spot on this week. This is the first of Allison’s performances where I really got those chills Kara is blabbering on about. This was a truly fantastic vocal performance.

Randy – I thought this genre would be tough for you but dope this was good, you look like Brittany Murphy but sing like Pink only with more octave, dude that was da bomb, loved it, you were vocally on point

Kara – I was worried for you because you have been in the bottom three when you shouldn’t have been but I am not worried any more, you converted some new fans and showed you are not a one-trick pony, this was a gut-wrenching deeply emotional way beyond your years rendition, if that doesn’t land you in the finals I don’t know what will.

Paula – I have been waiting for you to do a ballad and you delivered, your vocals brought an innocence and tenderness to the song

Simon – Allison do you think you can win? Allison says yes everyone has a chance. I don’t believe you Simon replies. I would give the performance 7 out of 10, you didn’t show confidence. I have a horrible feeling you are in trouble tonight, I really do.

Matt Giraud – “My Funny Valentine”

I will give credit to Matt for tackling a very difficult song but the best rendition on this show has been Melinda Doolittle. She had a home run and Matt did not even come close. There was no wow moment and the performance was boring over all. I did enjoy the jazz flavor and he had some good phrasing but he spent his time trying to show vocal prowess but not selling the song itself. Matt once again had difficulties with his falsetto it was pretty rough.

Randy – this is one of the hardest songs to sing and while you were up to the task, it was a little bit pitchy and not all the runs landed, I would give it 6 out of 10, it didn’t all come together like it should

Kara – you need to be the leader of the pack, while I appreciate what you tried to do with the runs you weren’t emotionally connected to this song

Paula – I loved what you did with the song and the advice you took from Jamie, it was simple, pure and impressive.

Simon – I disagree with Randy because this was the only authentic believable song I have heard so far tonight, I could hear how you loved this music, you had some Nat King Cole type phrasing, this was brilliant (I am not sure what Simon is on but he heard something I certainly did not)

Danny Gokey – “Come Rain or Come Shine”

Danny is definitely back. Tonight’s performance got me excited again about Danny whereas many of the last few performances had not. Danny looked good and luckily chose not to move around too much. The first half of the number was rather safe but vocally good but when he hit the second half of the number and the up-tempo portion began, he had his WOW moment. Danny was hot tonight. I also loved the bluesy feeling of the arrangement. This was an inspired choice of song.

Randy – you can sing, you are the only singer tonight who could release an album of standards and then he was rambling on forever without every really finishing a thought, the bottom line was Danny can sing

Kara – I was missing the Rat Pack swagger and tonight you had it, the ending of this performance was the most creative you have ever been with the melody, unbelievable

Paula – stellar

Simon – I agree with Kara about the swagger and confidence, you proved my point about the first two contestants, you gave a great vocal performance, your best in weeks. A shout out to Ricky Minor for the outstanding arrangement and to Jamie Foxx for what he did for the contestants (oh please how much did the producers get paid for that comment)

Adam Lambert – “Feeling Good”

Adam delivers week after week and does not seem to be slowing down or taking anything for granted. I cannot even put into words how truly spectacular the opening of this number was. The stair case lighted red, Adam in the white suit and his walking down the stairs after first staring in the middle. If you want to talk about swagger, Adam frigging had it in spades. This was just one totally awesome, fantastic vocal performance. What was up with that incredible insane note at the end? I was up on my feet for this performance and I love this song. Michael Buble does a fantastic rendition of this song as well.

Randy – it was kind of theatrical but you are consistently in the zone, another great performance.

Kara – my mouth drops every time you perform because you never know what you will do, it is shocking but in a good way, over the top, love you, it is just crazy

Paula – you make me feel better than good, this is like the Olympics and you are Michael Phelps.

Simon – Randy saying you are theatrical is like complaining that a cow moos (this was very funny!), every year people say winning isn’t important but I feel like you want both to win and entertain, that was the best entrance of any one all year and Ryan you are barred from using the staircase for the rest of the season


I have some more ranting and bitching to do before I sum up my feelings about the show. I had rehearsal again last night so I was under the gun to watch my tape and be able to vote. I initially fast-forwarded to the performances so I could hear the contestants and vote. How much time do you think that took me? There was barely ten minutes of singing during the entire episode, yes ten minutes. I was friggin pissed. Normally when we get to the top five they do two songs, what is up with only doing one. As Randy kept blabbering on and on about, this is a singing contest so let us hear them sing. I also found nothing Jamie Foxx had to say as very illuminating or helpful to the contestants, as with every other mentor, they are going to blow everyone away. Come on it was simply a waste of time.

In my opinion if they were, going to have a mentor it should have been Michael Buble. Good heavens, he actually sings these types of songs.

On the other hand this has to be one of the best top five ever. This genre could have been a train wreck but it was not. These contestants have talent and they can sing. While not everyone pulled, it off no one totally sucked which is very unusual. These contestants are on their A game and I have found this season to be one of the most exciting.

Given I had two numbers to be dialing with three phones I managed 1,003 votes. I voted for everyone but Adam, Kris and Allison received the bulk of my votes.

There is no doubt in my mind that Allison and Matt will be visiting the bottom two again and Matt’s journey will end tonight.

I am very excited about Natalie Cole singing tonight. I love her and have all her albums. One of my favorite live concerts was Natalie Cole and Lou Rawls.

On the other hand I could care less about Taylor Hicks and Jamie Foxx singing but oh well, I must take the good with the bad.

Until tomorrow…

AI 8 4-22-09 and now there are five

Get ready for a double elimination. No one is safe. THIS IS AMERICAN IDOL.

Oh my there were 45,000,000 votes cast last night but who will be going home.

First up is video montage when the top seven will be introduced to the world famous choreographer who will help them with their group number, who will it be? It is Paula Abdul, what a surprise? NOT! Paula is going to put them through their paces but they will be great naturally.

Over all I enjoyed the number but the outfits were too much. They were not perfect but for the most part, they seemed to have learned the steps.

Next up is our weekly Ford Commercial. I did not like this one as much as those presented over the last few weeks. The song was boring as was the commercial.

It is time for some elimination so dim the lights. Let us start with Lil Rounds and Ryan asks her to go to the far side of the stage, the journey ends tonight. Wow, that was quick and abrupt. Lil gets a chance to sing again and she was better, however, not as much as Paula was blabbering about.

It is time for a big disco medley by some big artists. First up is Freda Payne with Band of Gold. I do love this song but I do not want to be cruel to my elders but this was a down right horrible vocal performance. She was off key a lot, her diction sucked; she had some horrible breath control issues, her movements were bad, and do not even get me started on the dress.

Next up is Thelma Houston. Oh my freaking god, what is going on? What was Thelma thinking? Her dress was totally ridiculous, come on she looked like tweety bird; you cannot relive your glory days, give it up and act your age. I totally loved Thelma’s song as well but once again, it was not a perfect vocal. She did better than Freda did but it still did not wow me. I think I would rather take a time machine and visit Earthquake Ethel’s and listen to recording of the song. I did love her shout out to Simon, though.

Finally, we have K.C. of K.C. and the Sunshine Boys. Time has not been good for K.C. He certainly could not dance as well as he did and do not get me started on his horrible singing. He is lucky to have those backup dancers and singers. I was not feeling the “Get down Tonight”.

As soon as the show was over, I had to listen to the original recordings to get these nightmares out of my mind.

It is time to build the balance of the bottom 3.

Kris – safe
Adam – safe
Danny – safe
Anoop – is in the bottom 3
Matt – safe
Allison – is in the bottom 3 (oh my god what is up with America you crazy idiots)

David Archuleta is up with “Touch My Hand”. I do have his album and I really like this song. I am pleasantly surprised to see David has learned some performance skills and lo and behold, his eyes were open for the majority of the song. This was a good vocal but poor David had some breath control issues. I see he is just as nice as always.

Drum roll please, our second elimination is … Anoop Desai.

My, my, my – Ronald only managed to get two of the contestants in the bottom 3 but I called the two who would go home correctly.

Now there are only five with the finale only 3 weeks away. Wow time has flow by.

Until next week…

AI 8 4/21/09 or why do we care who shops in the women's department

The stakes are double, two will be heading home this week, and no one will be saved. THIS IS AMERICAN IDOL!

It is with much trepidation when I tune in for the Disco theme week. It was my era and for the last 7 seasons, it has usually been a train wreck. I am looking forward to this week more then any other show because we have some contestants this year who I think will really step up their game. Time will tell of course.

Oh my freaking god, there are no ridiculous introduction videos, no mentor, no filler, can it be true – yes it is, Ronald is doing his happy dance, the producers have finally heard all my bitching, my dreams have come true, tonight is going to be about the singing. What a novel concept for a singing competition.

Lil Rounds – “I’m Every Woman”

Well, well, well, Lil Rounds wants to find her inner Chaka Kahn by way of Whitney Houston. This was just a totally freaking bad performance. The band was excessively loud (this might be considered good as Lil was so off pitch) and it is sad when the back up singers have better pitch then the lead. Lil needed to blow us away this week and she did not. I noticed she had some horrible breath control issues as well. Week after week, she has blow away any advantage she had and struck out big time tonight. The only thing that was her redeeming quality is she was having fun. While her vocals were off her performance was hot because finally there was joy. It is too bad she could not combine them both. P.S. I hated the outfit she was wearing.

Randy – you got the party started, the song sounded too wild, you can sing, this didn’t let us know what kind of artist you would be or what type of vocal control you have

Kara – I think all of America including me has been waiting for you to do Chaka Kahn or an artist like her; I am not sure honey if it was worth the wait. I have to agree with Randy, you have been every woman on stage except yourself, you look great

Paula – I have to say I was with Lil yesterday and she was on complete vocal rest, I applaud you for where you came from

Simon – you look sad (Lil’s response – I was having fun out here), I am glad you had fun because I think this is the last week we will see you because there was no originality, it was very copy cat

Kris Allen – “She Works Hard for the Money”

Wow, what a truly inspired song choice! I loved the whole stripped down acoustic arrangement. This decision showed what a great artist Kris could be. Kris took a very big risk and he delivered a powerhouse vocal performance. The clarity of his tone was beautiful. Kris sold the song. This was pure and simple one of the best vocals from Kris. My only problem is he looked so sloppy in that tacky t-shirt. He could not bother putting on a real shirt or sweater. It was almost as if this was the only clean item left in his closet.

Kara – you took a real risk, it paid off big time, I am so impressed, this could go on your record today, props.

Paula – it had a classic Santana feel about it, many women shop the men’s department but not many men who will shop in the women’s department, you not only shopped but found the perfect fit, this was original, and shows why you are a contender.

Simon – I need a translation. Are you saying he like’s women’s underwear? This was the polar opposite of the first performance, it was original, well thought out, not karaoke, I do not care if you like women’s underwear, this was a fantastic performance.

Randy – you know who you are

Danny Gokey – “September”

Danny definitely stepped up his game this week. While I do not think, he took many risks he did not try to imitate the original, he put in enough of his own stamp to make it work. Outside of the horrible shrieking at the beginning this was an impressive vocal performance. Danny still cannot dance so most of the movement was awkward but if you close your eyes the vocals were stellar.

Randy – I was worried about the song choice, there really isn’t much melody but you turned it in to something, you worked it out.

Kara – incredible vocal, your pitch is right on, a very solid performance

Paula – every time I think you have hit the top of your range, you take it one step higher, you chose to show off your vocals versus changing the arrangement, you showed your ability and brilliance, as a woman I can say it, you have the sexiest voice ever

Simon – I agree with everyone else, you can’t fault the vocal but I didn’t see any star power, at this point we should be seeing something special, the performance was awkward and clumsy

Allison Iraheta – “Hot Stuff”

I just have to say the opening of her performance as she sat on the stairs, the way it was lit and her very mesmerizing first note was a brilliant piece of staging. There were some off notes in the transition from the slow to the up-tempo portion of the song but when she hit the tempo her rich, raw rock voice went higher then they have before. The last note was nothing short of amazing. I have two complaints, her diction was atrocious and what is up with her clothes. Who is dressing her? She is 16 years old; she should not look like she is performing in an S&M video.

Randy – two things – I did not like the arrangement (it was overindulgent) but you are one of the best singers in this competition, I love you

Kara – I agree with Randy about the arrangement, you picked the right song, you are one of the best singers, just from a vocal perspective I would give it a 9 out of 10.

Paula – compromise is not in your vocabulary, your edgy and authentic, that last note was off the chart

Simon – you came into this show as the underdog – it was a brilliant performance

Adam Lambert – “If I Can’t Have You”

Did you see the Saturday Night Fever poster someone had on a stick with Adam and Paula’s face pasted over John and Karen’s, too funny!

There is not much you can say about this stunning vocal rendition. This was just a beautiful emotional performance. Adam has such vocal range and he knows how to control his voice. Adam is bar none the best contestant this show has ever had. This song along with Kris and Allison is already on my iPod.

Paula’s crying was over the top but Ryan’s comment afterwards sent me into a pool of laughter – “Adam, you melted her into a Poola Abdul”. I do not know where it came from but it was one of the best puns ever.

Randy – you are ready right now, we have a hot one tonight

Kara – what more can I say but brilliant, every week you up your game, this was the most memorable, you look like a cross between the guy from Saturday Night Live and Clark Kent. This was very emotionally inspiring.

Paula – I have such a visceral (oh my god, Paula used a big word and correctly) response to your singing, you took disco and did not make it a cliché, I felt your pain and vulnerability, you are fascinating, brilliant, we will see you in the finals

Simon – I would have bet $10,000 you would have gone with Donna Summer but you did the unexpected, I loved it, it was original, you will remember it, and the vocals were immaculate.

Matt Giraud – “Staying Alive”

Matt was definitely sending out the Justin Timberlake vibe last night including the hat. The opening note of this performance was utter perfection. I enjoyed the arrangement and the performance. I loved how he really engaged with the back up singers. My only complaint was his falsettos were falling flat last night but there were still moments of greatness in his vocal performance. Matt was singing from the heart and overall it was the most disco song of the night but the R&B vibe felt right.

Randy – I didn’t like the song choice or the arrangement but you can really sing, this is the most talented top 7 we have ever had

Kara – you brought disco back, the vocals were very good, solid performance

Paula – you pick songs like I bowl, you throw some gutter balls but then you have strikes, this was a strike, last week the judges saved you, this week you saved yourself.

Simon – I have to disagree, I didn’t like the performance, Matt you need to leave Idol Land, this was a bit desperate, the vocals weren’t good, there was no originality,

Anoop Desai – “Dim All the Lights”

I was not impressed by this performance. I thought it was boring. Where was the emotional connection to the song? Anoop was not selling this song. This is a seduction song and there was no way he would succeed in his seduction with this vocal. The vocals were lackluster and his transitions were lazy. There was absolutely no energy in this performance and his attempt at dance moves was stupid. Do not get me started on how bad his last note was. It was my fingers down the chalkboard moment.

Randy – that was a rough note at the end, I didn’t love it but you can sing, nice, very nice

Kara – great song choice, I think your performance last week and this week is your best two

Paula – you look fantastic, real men know how to wear pink, you need to smile more

Simon – I disagree, your worst performance by a mile, it was mediocre at best, horrible version of the song


Overall, I thought this was one of best disco theme nights. Given how most contestants were original and tackled the songs in a different way helped immensely. I also thought there were some inspired song choices as well.

It was a strange night to say the least where Paula made sense and what was up with all that 5 o’clock shadow for all the male contestants, is Fox so poor they can’t spring for a shaver?

Once again, I had rehearsal last night so I watched the show via tape as I was voting. I managed to get in a respectable 1237 votes. All my votes went to Adam, Kris, Allison and Matt.

It is getting tougher to pick someone to go and we have two going. My prediction for the bottom 3 is Lil, Matt and Anoop.

I believe Lil and Anoop will be heading home tonight.

David Archuleta is singing tonight.

Until tomorrow…

AI 4-15-09 And now there are Seven again

Is this a trailer or the real thing? It is a short film about QT and last night’s Idol. Everything is on the line – THIS IS AMERICAN IDOL!

July 5, 2009 will find The Season 8 Idol tour starting on July 5, 2009 right here in Portland, Oregon. Ronald was out of his seat and doing his happy dance. This is going to be a hell of a season 8 tour. I have made it to every concert tour except Season 3; I just could not deal with Jasmine, Jon Peter, et al. I am clearing my schedule now.

Next up is this week’s Ford Commercial to the tune of “Freeze Frame”. It was good but not as great as last week’s.

Time for the group number, “Maniac” from “Flashdance” and over all it was a great number. Poor Anoop stumbled coming down the stairs.

More time filler via a video montage of the contestants attending the premiere of “17 Again”. I am looking forward to seeing the movie this weekend. Oh my, how surprising Zac Efron is in the audience – NOT! He is clearly pimping the opening of the film this Friday.

It is time to build the bottom 3:

Allison – safe
Adam – safe
Anoop – visiting the bottom 3 again

It is time for Jennifer Hudson to perform. I so enjoyed watching the video of her journey. Take that America for voting off the best female singer and leaving us with a very uneven Season 3.

Kris – safe – I loved Simon indicating Kris was brilliant. Take that Randy.
Lil – visiting the bottom 3 again

Matt – Bottom 3
Danny – safe

Time for Miley Cyrus to sing a song from her upcoming movie and I am so excited – NOT!

After over 36,000,000 votes, Matt is going home but luckily, after singing for his survival the judges have used their save! Halleluiah!

Well I was only two-thirds correct about the bottom 3 but I did call the judge’s save for Matt.

Simon tells the contestants not to be too excited because next week two of them will go home and it is Disco night next week.

How exciting it is time for Disco, I love it. Let us “Boogie Down” while we “Turn the Beat Around” on the way to the “YMCA” for the “Last Dance”. Disco will be getting heavy rotation on my iPod.

Until next week…

AI 8 4-14-09 or why oh why is QT a Mentor

They have dominated the small screen for weeks but tonight they go big time. Our top seven takes on the music from the movies under the watchful eye of a legend; this is Quentin Tarantino (QT) and QT finishes with and THIS IS AMERICAN IDOL.

I enjoy Ryan’s way of saying THIS IS AMERICAN IDOL; I did not need QT who just did not have the same flair.

It appears because of last week’s overage tonight will be “historic” because each contestant will only have two judges provide comments. Give me a break, if we did not waste so much time on other trivial crap there would be plenty of time. I did not like the two-judge comment only. It was off quilter for me. This is a damn singing competition and I want more singing.

Next, cue the QT montage or should I say fake movie trailer. I will take bets on who put this together - NOT! I realize QT has a movie coming out but I suspect Brad Pitt will be the draw not QT. I can respect QT has a filmmaker and his artistic vision but there are really only three of his movies I have actually enjoyed. QT is just a creepy individual and in my mind, I still see no reason for him to be a mentor. I do not believe he added anything at all. He might have talked tough but like all mentors before him, every contestant was brilliant and will blow us away. GIVE ME A BREAK!

Allison Iraheta – “I Don’t Want to Miss A Thing”

Allison’s outfit was still a bit strange but it was not as bad as the last two weeks. She was definitely giving off the rock vibe. I am convinced she was not feeling well, she sounded ill especially at the beginning. The opening part of the song was off, really off but by the chorus, she hit her stride. I love the rich rawness of her voice and frankly, rock is messy so the performance worked for me. I thought the arrangement was interesting. What I love about Allison is she puts her heart and soul into each performance and it shows.

Paula – I have championed Adam from the beginning but you have the same “special sauce” (good heavens, my mind leaped where it should not go on that comment), you are authentic; your authenticity shines through, whether your 16 or 60 you are one remarkably talented young lady.

Simon – the “special sauce” is hot, spicy barbeque (enough with the special sauce, this is a family show), you are the girls only change for the competition, you are stronger and more confident, and what is important is you are beginning to believe in yourself.

Anoop Desai – “(Everything I do) I Do It for You”

Anoop needs a better stylist, what is up with his weird wardrobe choices, that jacket and outfit, ridiculous. I thought the arrangement was very bizarre. The first note of this performance was very rough, sharp and off-key. After this moment, the vocals were good. Tonight I believed Anoop; he sold the emotional meaning of the song. It was very soulful. Out of all of his performances, I liked this one the best. Anoop still needs to learn some performance skills. His vocals were stellar after the first note but the performance was boring.

Randy – Noop dog you found your zone, not only was it in tune, it was emotional, you did a really good job.

Kara – you found your place, a pop song plus soul, one of your best performances, the changes in the melody came from the heart, this is the first time I have connected to you, you did a good job.

Adam Lambert – “Born to be Wild”

What can I say? I totally loved this performance. Adam can sing anything. He is a totally solid performer. Adam has star quality. The way he was able to interact with the audience and the band without missing a beat or a note, it is almost as if he has been doing this for years. Adam definitely has charisma. A truly stunning performance. Adam frigging kicked butt. The song is already on my iPod.

Paula – Take in the audience screams, the reason you have shaken up this season is you dare to dance in the path of greatness, fortune rewards the brave and you are one of the bravest performers we have ever had, period.

Simon – you need to learn to express yourself more. Vocally it was incredible but parts of the performance were like the Rocky Horror Picture Show (What the f*^k!) This is a very well loved rock song and half the audience will love it and half will despise it. I do not think it will be as popular a performance as last week. I liked it.

Matt Giraud – “Have you ever really loved a woman”

Matt is back behind the piano and I thought it worked for this song. I like both the song and the movie it came from. Matt has a very pleasant/soulful voice. I am not sure this was his best performance but it was not the train wreck as outlined by Randy and Kara. The beginning was brilliant but towards the middle there were some really sharp notes and his falsetto was off tonight but I thought it rallied for a great ending. Personally, I think his nerves got the best of him.

Randy – this was an interesting performance, the start was cool, the bridge was pitchy, you can really sing but you can’t do all those runs, you don’t always have to dress up simple melodies too much, it makes them fall down, every run as to be perfect, it wasn’t your best

Kara – you struggle between soul songs and rough songs each week, I appreciated your soul twist and the R&B but it took away some of the melody which makes this song nice. You do have vocal chops.

Danny Gokey – “Endless Love”

Of all the great movie songs, he chooses this one. I can understand the significance but this is not a song that tests your vocal ability. I have to say I was thrown off by the no glasses look because Danny looked weird to me. This was a very uneven performance, there were some nice moments but there were some really weird notes and extremely awkward phrasing. The very beginning was brilliant and then the rest was to borrow from Simon – “forgettable”. This did not wow me at all.

Paula – from the opening I wasn’t sure, it appeared the key should have been lower but half way through you pulled it together, a beautiful rendition.

Simon – I can’t fault the way you sing but I was slightly disappointed in the performance, I did not like the harp and it was too traditional, it was a bit of a bore, clearly the song means a lot to you, the emotion was there, it appeared difficult to sing so I congratulate you for that.

Kris Allen – “Falling Slowly”

I loved this, I loved this, and I loved this. Kris gave my favorite performance of the night. This was a truly inspired song choice. The opening moments of this, song was brilliant; I got those goose bumps Kara is always talking about. I found this to be one of the most heartfelt performances by Kris. The pitch perfect harmonies with the back up singers were beautiful. I actually got tears in my eyes. This was a great vocal performance.

Randy – for me, it was pitchy

Kara – it is difficult to pick a song that not everyone knows (excuse me it won the academy award for best original song last year you idiot) but this was one of your best moments.

Lil Rounds – “The Rose”

Give me a break, another ridiculous song choice. Lil looked great, one of the best looks she has had in the competition but the singing was a mess. I hated the arrangement and I do not believe the gospel helped her at all. There were some serious pitch issues, she lacked support for some of the higher notes, and her enunciation sucked. This is a truly beautiful song but Lil did not connect to the message of the song and she could not sell it either. This was her weakest performance ever.

Paula – the song is beautiful and then she was blathering something about the road in the song and on the show, I was tuning her out.

Simon – you are getting it completely wrong, it was too soft, too middle of the road, there were some nice moments but you are not the artist we met many weeks ago.

Note to Lil, stop with the temper tantrum, it was unprofessional.

I had rehearsal last night so I had to watch the show via tape so I did not have the full two hours to vote. I did manage to get in 873 votes. All my votes went to Kris, Adam, Allison, Matt and Danny. I did vote once for Anoop.

My guess for the bottom three are Matt, Allison and Lil.

Lil is going home tonight and there will not be any judges’ save for her either. If for some strange reason Matt is left standing, the judges will use their save.

Unbelievably Miley Cyrus is singing tonight (oh that is right, she has a movie and soundtrack to plug) but the great news is Jennifer Hudson will be singing. Yeah!

Until tomorrow…

AI 8 4-8-09 And Now there are Seven

As the show opens with a montage of the top eight and bits of interviews and moments from last night’s show we hear Ryan over it all – They left it on stage, whose dream is on the line – THIS IS AMERICAN IDOL!

There is Ryan walking down the stairs and he is introducing the judges. I did enjoy his announcing Simon as Darth Vader. We then have some wasted filler as Ryan speaks with the judges.

Randy answers the question of how this week went with his response it was a disappointment, it was flat, felt off, song choice

Kara has to talk about who is evolving and she indicates some early front-runners are having an identity crisis while others are not; it is an unpredictable competition this year.

Paula apparently went through her photo album and found another picture, how cute; it is a fake mock up of two kids with Simon and Paula’s faces imposed – NOT!

Simon has to deal with hearing the song at the top of the charts in the year he was born and we get a clip of a very young Frankie Avalon singing Venus and the doors open and out walked Frankie Avalon singing Venus. This was a nice touch. Frankie was looking good and sounded even better.

Oh no the horror of it all, Simon was born the same year I was. Good heavens, scary!

Time for the group number, which is from the year American Idol started which was 2002. Here they are with “I can’t get you out of my head”. I actually thought this was a great group number. They all worked well together.

Cue next montage, the behind the scenes shooting of the Ford Commercial. It was good. The commercial is to Brittany Spears “Circus” – how contemporary. This was a great commercial. My favorite of the season so far.

It is time for the results.

Adam is up first and Ryan asks the other judges what they thought of his performance.

Randy – you were da bomb, you are always consistent, you work it out

Kara – the standing ovation was perfect, there was nothing else to say

Paula – I am entranced every time you are on the stage, you showed great restraint when you pulled back and became small

Adam is safe.
Kris and Anoop stand up. Kris is safe. I was torn between Kris and Anoop so this is one of my bottom 3 choices I got wrong.

Next up is Flo Rida who I do not know. It is a stupid rap performer. I could not understand one word of what they were saying. The girl back-up singers who came in on the chorus I could understand. This was a waste of airtime. The whole number was ridiculous and what was up with Flo’s pants hanging down only in the back – give me a break. Oh, he is hawking his album and tour, how surprising? NOT!

More results:

Danny is safe.
Matt is safe.
Scott is in the bottom 3. This pick was correct.
Allison is safe.
Lil is in the bottom 3. This pick was correct so I was 2/3rd correct on my selection of the bottom 3.

Time for the next performer, which is Kellie Pickler. I am so excited. NOT! While Kellie looked good, (she has had work done), I did not like the song and her delivery was terrible. There were many moments she was shouting to be heard over the background track. Cheesy move sitting my Simon. Oh another artist hawking their new album and tour. Kellie is name-dropping my saying she wrote a song with Taylor Swift or as Kellie says my sis. Give it a rest. How stupid, she cannot remember how to exit a stage. Give me a f*^king break!

Lil is sent back to safety.

As we go to a commercial Ryan indicates we will find out which contestant must sing for their life.

We are back and after 34,000,000 votes there are only 30,000 votes separating the two so who will be going home.

It is Scott. Yeah, my prediction is correct.

Scott sings again and there were moments, which were better then last night, but there were some really horrid notes in there.

Ryan goes to Simon and he indicates two judges say stay and two judges say no. They deliberate but in the end, Simon indicates it is the end of the journey for Scott.

Cue his exit montage.

We now have seven and the competition is heating up.

Until next week…

AI 8 4/7/09 The Year They Were Born

There are eight people on the stage who were born dreaming of being a star and the life of their dream is in your hands – THIS IS AMERICAN IDOL!

I guess the producers finally took heed of my complaints and threw out the separate announcer of the judges and Ryan because there is Ryan walking down the stairs without an announcement of who he is. Yeah!

Since the theme tonight is the year, they were born cue the montage of cute kid pictures of the contestants but wait we also get kid pictures of the judges and Ryan. How cute? NOT!

There are eight singers and one hour or so Fox thought to get through the fray. Let us get to dishing the contestants because after all this is what this blog is all about.

Danny Gokey “Stand by Me”

Danny is the oldest of all the final eight so he unfortunately gets to go first. We must respect our elders. Danny is stretching the year of his birth given this song is from 1961 but was covered by Mickey Gilley in 1980. Frankly, I do not remember ever hearing his version and I did not really like the arrangement of this song. Danny on the other hand can sing and he did a great job. I thought he looked great and he has seemed to settle down on one pair of glasses. I really liked the shirt, loved the color. Danny was on tempo, had clear enunciation, and he took the simple melody and added some brilliant vocal runs. It was a very simple and lovely performance.

Randy – When you started, I wasn’t sure because the arrangement was unusual. You are an amazing singer. You made me love it even though I didn’t love the arrangement. Your vocal talent shows through, you have it.

Kara – You just killed it. It just kept going and going. You turned it on its head. You did your own thing and you did it well.

Paula – All I can say is, Wow! You have set the bar high and you will have everyone else running to catch up. What you did with the chord substitutions, brilliant, very amazing.

Simon – The beginning was good, the middle was lazy and the end of it was terrific. Overall good.

Kris Allen – “All She Wants To Do Is Dance”

Good heavens what are those producers thinking sticking Kris in the middle of all those girls and those damn waving hands? Do not try to recreate the mosh pit I hate it. Kris was looking very good last night. I do not think this was a good song choice but Kris can sing and he put on an interesting performance. I am not sure the guitar was helping him and I really could not hear the guitar over all that very loud band and the synthesizers and big brass. Overall, Kris can sing but this was not the song for him.
Kara – I am a huge, huge fan but I liked you went with an up-tempo song but this jazz/funk arrangement sounded like something from a music class. You lost some of your youth.

Paula – This was heartfelt and genuine. You took a melody and you made it your own. You have to be one of the most likeable contestants we have ever had.

Simon – You are likeable but this was indulgent, boring and forgettable. The song choice was stupid. You are a singer but you came off as a guitarist who wants to sing.

Randy – You didn’t need to change the arrangement. It was self-indulgent. I lost you. You are the singer; you are in the competition, not the song.

Lil Rounds – “What’s Love Got To Do With It”

Lil looked hot but from the clothes to the performance, there is nothing, which screamed karaoke more then this performance. I thought it before Paula said it. Lil gave a stellar vocal performance but when you chose a Tina song, you will be compared to an original artist like Tina Turner. Lil even used her same movements from the video of this song. I think choosing a song by Tina was a mistake. There is no question of Lil’s vocal abilities but this was just a very copycat performance. There was no wow moment.

Paula – You look very hot tonight, this was an important week, we need everyone to take liberties, to show us who you are. You are a brilliant vocalist, you need to take the reins, show us your niche, I am worried because this was a beautiful karaoke version.

Simon – We are not looking for a second or third-rate version of Tina Turner. It became a ghastly copycat performance. I am not sure if you are getting bad advice or you are making stupid choices but it’s literally, as if we’ve lost you.

Randy – I love you, you have mad, mad talent. Tina is not you, you’re not listening to us, it is not clicking.

Kara – You are a singer/artist but your lower register suffers, it isn’t all about the power notes.

Anoop Desai – “True Colors”

Oh good heavens, what is going on tonight. What is up with some of these song choices? Anoop singing Cyndi Lauper. I love this song but I totally hated this arrangement and while Anoop was in tune and his enunciation was good, I did not like this performance at all. Anoop is getting boring because in order to sound good he has to sit and just sing. I realize this is a singing competition and the vocals were good he did not move me and he was not selling the emotion of the song. I was really looking forward to the song ending.

Randy – when you pull it back, you can sing, it was a very nice vocal, you displayed nice control.

Kara – you controlled the song, you didn’t let it control you. You took a pop song and re-interpreted with a little soul (I do not think so) congratulations.

Paula – the song choice was flawless and the performance overall truly magical and fantastic. Your best performance so far.

Simon – you are like a singing yo-yo, one minute you’re down and the next you’re up. I didn’t think it was fantastic but good.

Scott MacIntyre – “The Search Is Over”

This week Scott tried to change it up by moving away from the piano and just standing to sing while playing the guitar. This was not the right song for Scott and I did not like this performance at all. Scott was sharp, flat and he could not reach those high power notes. This was just a totally awful performance.

Kara – I have to commend you for stepping away from the piano and using the guitar, who knew you could play but it was a very difficult song, there were good moments, off moments and the power ballad was overambitious.

Paula – I give you credit for moving away from your comfort zone of the piano but I was confused about an electric guitar vs. an acoustic guitar, you have a wonderful sense of humor, when you were reaching the high notes it sounded screeching. Overall – bravo.

Simon – I suggest next week you go back to the piano, the song was horrible and atrocious and the guitar playing wasn’t much better, it didn’t go together, you were trying to be someone other then you.

Randy – it was okay, the vocals were okay, it just didn’t show you as a star.

Allison Iraheta – “I Can’t Make You Love Me”

What is up with the stylist? She looked ridiculous in that Spanish flamingo dress and the whole leather jacket and chains. On the other hand, Allison gave a true ridiculous beautiful vocal performance. The raw talent Allison has is unbelievable for her age. This was one of the richest and beautiful vocal performances she has given this season. She sounded great and provided a bit of edge to the vocals. This was the best performance so far tonight.

Paula – it doesn’t matter what you sing, all we have to hear is one note and we know it is Allison. There is no price tag on that. There was such tenderness, you put your entire heart into the song, you made it your own.

Simon – It was very good but you need to work on showing more of your personality.

Randy – you remind me of Kelly Clarkson, she could sing her face off and so can you. You can engage, you really can sing.

Kara – you took a very adult song and made it very believable and young, that is talent you can’t just find, let’s go make a record.

Matt Giraud – “Part Time Lover”

Wow, Matt is back. I noticed the hat was back but I will give it to him this week, it worked. Matt was looking good and sounded awesome. Stevie Wonder is usually a train wreck for most contestants but Matt showed us how it could be done. The arrangement was great, the vocals stellar, and he had his mojo back because he commanded the stage and provided energy and fun to the performance. The second half of the show is providing some great moments.

Randy – vocally the best of the night

Kara – incredible on every level

Paula – I have two words for you – Standing O

Simon – this was a million times better than last week, well done

Adam Lambert – “Mad World”

Jesus, Mary and Joseph this performance has to be the best performance ever by a contestant of this show during its entire run. Everything about this performance worked including the very interesting lighting. I totally loved this arrangement and Adam gave one of the most haunting and beautifully vocal performance. Adam deserved the final pimp spot and he delivered big time. All those goose bumps Kara is talking about all the time I had them myself last night. I was moved by the performance, it was utterly a killer star making moment. It happens every season and this is the performance where I am now predicting that Adam is going to be the next American Idol.

Simon – the bad news is we are running out of time and I am the only one who will comment, the good news is you are getting a standing ovation. This is something Simon rarely does. It was a beautiful end to the show.

Last night’s show was very uneven which is usually the case with songs from the year you are born. Naturally, I always feel old during this show given the years these contestants were born. The last half of the show made up for most of the first part and it ended on a very good note.

I got in 4 hours of solid voting and managed to get in 2,005 votes. All my votes went to Kris, Matt, Allison and Adam.

I am predicting a bottom three of Lil, Scott, and I am torn between Kris and Anoop. I am going to go with Kris (I am worried but I hope the judges will use their save).

My prediction for elimination is Scott.

Until tomorrow…

AI8 4/1/09 And now there are 8

Nine faced the judges and your vote; one could lose it all … THIS IS AMERICAN IDOL!

It is time for how can we drag out the reveal of elimination to one hour.

Once again, there were over 36,000,000 votes.

Ryan spent more useless time with the judges before cueing up the Ford commercial. It was interesting but lame, the song was not very good either.

It is time for another infamous group number, “Don’t Stop Belivin” by Journey. I am surprised Randy was not up on the stage with them. I actually liked this number. It is probably my favorite so far of the season. I thought everyone did a great job and I loved Allison and Kris. I see they had Scott at the keyboards until the last little bit of the number when he moved in line with the rest. Lil was looking good last night. Megan cannot move she looks like a fool with her “signature” moves.

Cue the second montage of the evening about what the Idol experience during their time on the show. I was disappointed we do not get more shots of the mansion. The time waster when they were all trying to mimic each other was funny but unnecessary.

It is time for the reveal, NOT! Ryan breaks them up into groups of three:

Megan Adam Scott
Matt Lil Danny
Kris Allison Anoop

How cute, there is someone from each group going to those uncomfortable stools, who will it be.

Oh happy day, Megan is on her way to the bottom 3. I do not believe I have ever seen a contestant as happy and cheery as she was in moving to the chair. She was skipping and what was up with the cawing and arm flapping. Did she think she could fly or something. It was very strange behavior. Megan must not have read my blog or paid any attention to this show for the last seven seasons. Do not mouth off to the judges. Her I like the judges but I do not care what they have to say. You are a fool.

It is time for David Cook to sing – yeah! I love his album and “Come Back to Me” is a great song. It is funny David was not actually there last night. It was taped live last week. It was a nice touch to give him his Platinum plaque on the show. David has great performance skills. He works well with his band. Totally loved it!

The rest of our bottom 3 is announced Allison and Anoop. I only predicted one of the three.

It is time for Lady Gaga to perform. I love her. This was a great performance.

Time to send someone back to safety; Allison is heading to the comfortable seats.

We are down to Anoop and Megan. Megan is going home. Ronald was out of his chair jumping up and down with joy (no pun intended). I was yelling and screaming and doing my happy dance. I will still be stuck with her at the concert this summer but she will not be hurting my eardrums for the next few weeks anyway.

Megan’s words came back to bite her when Simon explained since Megan did not care neither did they. This is your swan performance there will be no judge’s save.

Can we say I thought last night’s version of this song was worst then on Tuesday? It was horrible. Her moves have to go down in the record books as the worst dance movement ever. I finally had to mute the sound because she was irritating me so much.

Next week’s theme is songs from the year of the contestant’s birth. It should be interesting.

Until next week…

AI 8 3/31/09 iTunes Hell

Each week the pressure mounts – this is their moment – THIS IS AMERICAL IDOL!

I am getting monotonous but enough with the big announcement of the judges and Ryan, it wastes time and we could perhaps give the contestants more time to sing. What a novel concept given this is a singing competition.

We have more wasted time with Ryan conversing with the judges. Ryan asks Randy how the Top nine are doing. According to Randy, they brought it last week but it is getting tougher, tonight we will see who can go the distance. Ryan asks Kara what artistry means. Give it a rest; I am sick of “artistry”. Kara indicates artistry is taking a song million of people know and doing it in a unique way, something that gives you goose bumps. Give me a frigging break! Ryan asks Paula if she has any props under the table, her answer all clear. Finally, Ryan asks Simon what he is looking forward tonight. He responds with you being amazing.

Tonight the contestants can pick any song from the popular download list from iTunes. This has to be one of the lamest theme weeks ever. It is also very scary considering what potential song choices there are.

Cue another boring montage. How very cute we get to see Ryan on the radio taping his American Top 40 show. NOT! I miss Casey. This wasted more time when we only have 80 minutes. I want to hear the contestants sing.

Well enough of my raving let us get to dishing the contestants.

Anoop Desai – “Caught Up”

This has to be one of the most ridiculous performances I have witnessed. The whole beginning with the back-up singers in front of him, just plain lame. This was a really bad song choice. I thought the vocals were off; he was either talking or shouting. In addition, Anoop’s enunciation was horrible; it was hard to hear the actual words. He picked a song, which relied on the back-up singers to bare the brunt of the work. This was cheesy and all over the place. I second Simon’s comment about this was an utter mess.

Randy – I like you have picked up your swagger but this was not the right song choice, the vocals were good (excuse me), but I am torn

Kara – if you are going to do Usher this requires lots of riffs and range, you played it safe, it feels like a bunch of frat boys dared you to sing this song.

Paula – I wasn’t sure about this song but I liked you showed your playful side again after just focusing on your vocals the last two weeks, you need to work on your stage presence and arrangement.

Simon – this was a complete and utter mess, you came over as a wannabe rock star, there was no originality, the arrangement was bad, it gave me a headache.

Anoop it does not do any good to talk back to the judges. Your remarks were childish and make you look like a chump.

Megan Joy – “Turn Your Lights down Low”

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, this was just plain freaking bad. Once again, Megan picked a blouse, which matched her tattoo color, just cover it up. What was with all those chains? This was a stupid song choice. I simply cannot stand her voice. She butchered the melody, was sharp and had some really weird phrasing. This was a train wreck and it was another finger down the chalkboard moment. I got Goosebumps but it was not the artistry it was the horrid of it all. I can’t resist and all I can say is I don’t give a rat’s ass about the lights but please turn the sound way down low – like totally off! Megan shaking your money tree is not going to help you.

Kara – I like you but you are in trouble girl, this was not the song choice for you, you used the wrong part of your register, your voice was irritating to me tonight. You should have gone with “Chasing Pavements” by Adele.

Paula – at this stage you need to surprise us, step out of your comfort zone, this is where beauty develops, just sit in a chair and sing

Simon – the problem was the song, it was not you, it was boring, indulgent, and monotonous, I do not think many people will like it.

Randy – it was boring, it was like watching paint dry, just because you like a song doesn’t mean you can sing it.

Megan please take some advice; do not argue with the judges. You did not do yourself any favors. The behavior is unprofessional. I just do not like you. Please go away.

Danny Gokey – “What Hurts the Most”

This was an interesting song choice. I think the arrangement made it more pop then country but overall it was a good performance. Danny was wearing the same glasses as last week. What Danny does best is he can sell a song, the emotions, and the power of a song. This was a beautiful heartfelt powerfully emotional performance. There were some rough patches (i.e. sharp) and there were moments of shouting but compared to the first two performances this was magic.

Paula – this is where you thrive, from the first note to the cadence, you left us wanting more, I would hit the repeat on this song

Simon – your best performance of the competition, so much better than the first two, it is like snails competing with a racehorse, great song and you sang it brilliantly

Randy – this is where the competition starts tonight, you have crazy mad vocals

Kara – you moved everyone emotionally, which is very hard to do, you sang from your heart and soul, those goose bumps I was talking about, I had some.

Allison Iraheta – “Don’t Speak”

As the camera panned Allison all I could say is “what the f*^k are you wearing and what did you do with your hair”. It was like a combination of Minnie Pearl and Phyllis Diller. It was freaking distracting. I say shoot the stylist. I did love the song choice. I loved her playing the guitar but the vocals were not her best. There is “No Doubt” she can sing (pun intended) and I like the way she started but when she gave up the guitar with the transition from verse to chorus her voice was sharp. There were also moments when her voice went flat as well. Allison’s voice is made for rock and she has good performance skills. This was good but not as great as last week.

Randy – you were ahead of the beat for most of the song, I have mad love for you but I didn’t get it. What are you wearing?

Kara – the rock comes out in everything you sing, you don’t need to dress like it, it seemed forced, good performance but not your best

Paula – you brought your “axe” out, your vocals were great, effortless, you are skating to the finish line

Simon – I can’t ignore the outfit, it is like the Addams Family, like a precocious daughter dressed like a rock star also you shouted the song

Scott MacIntyre – “Just the Way you Are”

Interesting look for Scott, I liked it better than last week. I am still having nightmares about the plaid shirt and the stripped sports jacket let alone those pink pants. Scott is a nice guy. My problem is he sings the same song week after week. While I enjoyed this stripped down version with just him and the piano his vocals were not good. I do not know what the judges were smoking or drinking but he was sharp and then flat. There were some nice vocal moments but the bad out weighed the good. There was nothing original about this performance.

Kara – smart decision picking this song, you stripped it down, it came from an honest place, I love the new look

Paula – of all the contestants I am most proud of you, you make us forget about your challenge (way too politically correct for me), it was a big risk but it paid off

Simon – your best performance by a country mile

Randy – one of the best of the night

Matt Giraud – “You Found Me”

Wow very awkward opening, it took awhile for the camera to even find Matt surrounded by those ridiculous arms. I did not like his placement out there in the middle of the crowd. Matt’s vocals at the beginning were very rough but by the second half, he had found his groove. He does have a great falsetto and he hit the high notes. Last week his performance was stellar and he was in the bottom 3. Tonight he was not as great as last week. There was something off about the whole song.

Paula – you aborted what we love about you, we need more riffs/falsetto, you were a sound-alike, it reminded me of the Cold play number, this was not a great performance

Simon – you should be happy we don’t like you given last week. I didn’t get it at all, it seemed all so put on, the growl, you seemed uptight, not a good commercial song, it felt uncomfortable

Randy – wrong song, One Republic would have been better, this was not you, you have more vocal chops, you let all the flavor out

Kara – you swing between rock and R&B, you need to commit, you are a talented guy and you don’t deserve to go home

Lil Rounds – “I Surrender”

Oh, please god not Celine Dion. What is up tonight with the song choices? I did neither like what Lil was wearing nor the hair do. The song started off key and she was way too low. She was able to build and hit the money notes but this was not a very good performance. In my opinion, this was one of her worst performances of the competition.

Randy – not a good song choice, you sang it well and you have vocal skills

Kara – when you go up it is effortless, tonight we had a glimpse of who we saw at the beginning, you can sing but you have to let it out, you need to wow us

Paula – I don’t want to hear adult contemporary, you have joy and can sing

Simon – you were singing to stay, it was safe, it was similar to a wedding singer, your voice sounds great but it was old-fashioned, your personality is being sucked out

Adam Lambert – “Play That Funky Music”

I am surprised a song from 1976 is so very popular on iTunes. I do love this song. I actually play this album quite a bit (yes, I know a real LP). This was a totally freaking great performance. Adam has such incredible range. There is so much joy when he is singing. I loved the entire performance. I loved his killer moves, the insane vocals. I was up and dancing during this number. I have downloaded it from iTunes. My only criticism was there was a bit of shrieking in the middle but oddly it worked for the song but still it was unnecessary given his skill.

Paula – true genius shatters expectations, there have been some unique geniuses – Mick Jagger, Steven Taylor and Adam Lambert.

Simon – this was a very brave choice, it broke the mold of the more karaoke stuff we have heard tonight, it was original, I don’t think it will be as popular as last week but you don’t have anything to worry about

Randy – I was afraid this was going to be corny but you worked it out, you are in the star zone

Kara – I look forward to you every week to see what you are going to do, that is a big compliment, it was like Studio 57 in here tonight. (Kara – please it was Studio 54 – you idiot – I actually got into Studio 54 in August 1979, it was wild – oh enough about me).

Megan and Anoop you need to take lessons from Danny and Adam. Danny was very gracious about what the judges said last week, took it to heart, and accepted what happened and Adam showed great professionalism by acknowledging the assistance he had from Ricky Minor and the band. This is the way too go, not your sour grapes!

Kris Allen - “Ain’t No Sunshine”

Kris continues to surprise me every week. This was a beautiful heartfelt performance. I loved the stripped down version with Kris, the keyboards, and the string quartet. This was an absolute great vocal performance. It was my favorite performance of the evening.

Randy – right now you are slaying this, you are so in the zone, one of the best

Kara – I have three words for you – that is artistry

Paula – you are playing to your strengths, you took a 30 year old song and made it new, this could be the first cut on your album, your best vocal to date

Simon – I am pleased by the confidence you showed, it was a good arrangement, your best performance so far.

I had a read-through last night of the play I am directing so I made it home just as Scott was singing. I then had to rewind my tape to watch the first four performances but at the same time, I was voting. It was a slow night last night because the lines were busier then usual which is good for the contestants I was voting for. I still got in 984 votes. I voted for Kris, Matt, Adam, Danny, and Allison.

It is tough trying to predict a bottom three. Based on the performances it should be Megan, Anoop, Matt and Scott (yes I know this is four so sue me).

My prediction is Megan, Scott, and Lil.

There is only one choice for tonight’s elimination and that is Megan. The girl has to go!

Tonight we are going to have Lady Gaga and David Cook. This should be fun.

Until tomorrow…