Talk about life imitating art. After two days of reading about co-dependency, I watch Thaddeus' mom follow a clearly disappointed Thaddeus into a men's room stall. The fact that there was a camera following them around is also quite disturbing but this is reality TV and it's what I sign on to when I watch the show in the early weeks.
So now the voting begins! I find this whole process really awesome - going from 100,000+ people down to 24. I can't imagine not watching it. It's obvious some belong - Katie and Crystal for example - but it surely makes for some hard calls. Last year I thought Danny Gokey's friend deserved a spot. Based on what we saw - admittedly far, far less than the judges - I liked Kelly more than Haeley and NOT because Haeley is country (attempting to preempt comments from certain Scottsbluffians). And despite Thaddeus' very annoying mom, I liked him more than a bunch of guys. It bears keeping in mind that while they keep telling us "it's a singing competition", a pure singing contest would be boring. So I believe they make a choice to entertain and engage us with a compelling mixture of talent, stories, styles and looks.
During the roll call at the end I did a personal vote of "I like" and "I don't like". I said "I like" a lot during the girls and maybe only a couple times for the guys - omitting a vote for Casey since what I or any other guy thinks about him is completely irrelevant. I can't see how a girl doesn't win but we have a lot of votes, a lot of surprises (the Unspeakable One) and a lot of disappointments (yes, still bitter about early exits for Sabrina, A'siah and Alexis) to experience. And I just love it so!
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
MOST INCREDIBLE IDOL EVER!!!
THE MOST AMAZING PERFORMANCES IN THE HISTORY OF MUSIC!!! THE GREATEST COLLECTION OF MUSICAL TALENT EVER SEEN!!! YOU WILL BE BLOWN AWAY!!!! KARA MAKES OUT WITH CASEY IN THE BACK OF HER LIMO!!!!
So, is anybody else as tired as I am of the SUPERLATIVES!!! (I actually like the word "hyperbole" better but this is why my children think I am a geek.)
At this stage my critical ears (and, fine, my eyes - see Grace, Alexis) are starting to put people into three categories: Can Win; Good but Can't Win; Should Not Be on the Show. Eventually, there will be a fourth category: Should Be Shot on Sight - for example Ace Young, Kristy Lee Cook and the Unspeakable One; sorry new readers, I cannot allow myself to type his name just think hair and name begins with "S" and I feel dirty having even thought about him this much . . .
It's too early to put any of tonight's seven into Can Win although Casey certainly will garner his share of the female vote. I like Didi, too, but she has got to stop crying all the time. Todrick is interesting, also. But if I am right about who we've seen so far, they have saved some big guns for tomorrow especially Crystal Bowersox. So it's premature for me to put anybody in Can Win for now.
So, is anybody else as tired as I am of the SUPERLATIVES!!! (I actually like the word "hyperbole" better but this is why my children think I am a geek.)
At this stage my critical ears (and, fine, my eyes - see Grace, Alexis) are starting to put people into three categories: Can Win; Good but Can't Win; Should Not Be on the Show. Eventually, there will be a fourth category: Should Be Shot on Sight - for example Ace Young, Kristy Lee Cook and the Unspeakable One; sorry new readers, I cannot allow myself to type his name just think hair and name begins with "S" and I feel dirty having even thought about him this much . . .
It's too early to put any of tonight's seven into Can Win although Casey certainly will garner his share of the female vote. I like Didi, too, but she has got to stop crying all the time. Todrick is interesting, also. But if I am right about who we've seen so far, they have saved some big guns for tomorrow especially Crystal Bowersox. So it's premature for me to put anybody in Can Win for now.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Hollywood Like You Shouldn't
Every year I go into Hollywood Week with great anticipation but forget how much I hate Group Night. No, it's not the drama - in some capitalistic way, I rather like seeing people implode in groups because dealing with that is a big part of how I make a living. So I can watch all of that in a very detached and clinical fashion.
No, the problem with Group Night is that every year they only get rid of like 20 people - this year from 91 to 71. So we get all this build up about how brutal it is only to send just 20 people - who weren't any good, anyway - home. Thankfully, potential Tatiana-channeling Drama Queen Amanda was one of the 20 sent packing.
The only thing that stood out for me tonite was - sigh - Casey James who is sure to get plenty of TV time as I can't see how he misses Final 12. Which assures me that I have to listen to how hot he is all year. Diandra says he is kind of like Ace Young from years back who knew he was hot and played to that. Since Ace couldn't sing, he needed to keep unbuttoning his shirt one more button each week. Alas, Casey appears to have some talent so I can't be so dismissive.
No, the problem with Group Night is that every year they only get rid of like 20 people - this year from 91 to 71. So we get all this build up about how brutal it is only to send just 20 people - who weren't any good, anyway - home. Thankfully, potential Tatiana-channeling Drama Queen Amanda was one of the 20 sent packing.
The only thing that stood out for me tonite was - sigh - Casey James who is sure to get plenty of TV time as I can't see how he misses Final 12. Which assures me that I have to listen to how hot he is all year. Diandra says he is kind of like Ace Young from years back who knew he was hot and played to that. Since Ace couldn't sing, he needed to keep unbuttoning his shirt one more button each week. Alas, Casey appears to have some talent so I can't be so dismissive.
Quick Update
Watched last night's show again with Christine who had missed it. No major changes of mind but on further reflection:
I liked Andrew better
I didn't like Rocker Mom as much
Didi I liked even more
Crystal brought tears to my eyes
Ah, but what Horrors and Drama await us on Group Night?
I liked Andrew better
I didn't like Rocker Mom as much
Didi I liked even more
Crystal brought tears to my eyes
Ah, but what Horrors and Drama await us on Group Night?
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Hollywood Like You Should
(Like the Kool and the Gang reference in the title? Hollywood Swingin' for the uninitiated.)
First this: forget record sales and radio spins. The true measure of Adam Lambert’s stardom is this: signed underwear he gave to Ellen to raise money for Haiti were auctioned off for $8,500! There is no truth to the rumor that my wife bought them (“I love him and everything but I’m not buying his underwear.”)
So you know Idol season has officially begun when Diandra and I do an intense and critical fifteen-minute appraisal/comparison/debate about the pre-Idolists (only the finalists get the formal title of Idolist). So much so that we didn’t even talk about Ellen who I thought was fabulous ("Step forward. Step back. Step sideways."). And the fact that there were far too many weak singers who should not have been brought to Hollywood (later, Skii Bo Ski, baby).
Tonight was heavy on the talented females balanced out on the male side by hot, bluesy Casey James who sang I Don’t Need No Doctor. (Women everywhere are lining up to get a list of what his exact needs are.) On the female side we had more than credible versions of Aretha (Crystal Bowersox) and Ella (Lilly Scott) who were my standouts of the night along with Didi who Diandra thinks is good but will be annoying like Brooke White was in Season 7. Diandra seems to have far less tolerance for cute females than me . . . .
OK, my list, which is tentative given the trials and tribulations of the group round that lies ahead:
Katy – 17 year old with Idolist potential
Andrew – did an incredible re-arrangement of Paula’s Straight Up. Didn’t she used to be on this show? But is his voice going to be good enough?
Janelle – pretty and did a nice arrangement of American Boy
Rocker Mom Mary – good but more than a few women are better and the look is a gots-to-go situation
Lilly Scott – previously cited for her fabulous Ella and Lullaby of Birdland
Michael the big, new daddy personal trainer – I see some real potential there plus a lot of personality
Casey – impressive audition but is he talented enough to pull off all the genre switches or creative enough (like Daughtry and Carrie) to do his (bluesy) thing each week, anyway? The ladies will certainly like him!
Didi – singing a Kara song was my favorite of the night until . . .
Crystal – ARETHA!!!! Wow!! Whoa!! Whew!!
Group Night always sends some good people packing so tomorrow night will be interesting. Especially since I’m sure they have held back on some possible Idolists.
First this: forget record sales and radio spins. The true measure of Adam Lambert’s stardom is this: signed underwear he gave to Ellen to raise money for Haiti were auctioned off for $8,500! There is no truth to the rumor that my wife bought them (“I love him and everything but I’m not buying his underwear.”)
So you know Idol season has officially begun when Diandra and I do an intense and critical fifteen-minute appraisal/comparison/debate about the pre-Idolists (only the finalists get the formal title of Idolist). So much so that we didn’t even talk about Ellen who I thought was fabulous ("Step forward. Step back. Step sideways."). And the fact that there were far too many weak singers who should not have been brought to Hollywood (later, Skii Bo Ski, baby).
Tonight was heavy on the talented females balanced out on the male side by hot, bluesy Casey James who sang I Don’t Need No Doctor. (Women everywhere are lining up to get a list of what his exact needs are.) On the female side we had more than credible versions of Aretha (Crystal Bowersox) and Ella (Lilly Scott) who were my standouts of the night along with Didi who Diandra thinks is good but will be annoying like Brooke White was in Season 7. Diandra seems to have far less tolerance for cute females than me . . . .
OK, my list, which is tentative given the trials and tribulations of the group round that lies ahead:
Katy – 17 year old with Idolist potential
Andrew – did an incredible re-arrangement of Paula’s Straight Up. Didn’t she used to be on this show? But is his voice going to be good enough?
Janelle – pretty and did a nice arrangement of American Boy
Rocker Mom Mary – good but more than a few women are better and the look is a gots-to-go situation
Lilly Scott – previously cited for her fabulous Ella and Lullaby of Birdland
Michael the big, new daddy personal trainer – I see some real potential there plus a lot of personality
Casey – impressive audition but is he talented enough to pull off all the genre switches or creative enough (like Daughtry and Carrie) to do his (bluesy) thing each week, anyway? The ladies will certainly like him!
Didi – singing a Kara song was my favorite of the night until . . .
Crystal – ARETHA!!!! Wow!! Whoa!! Whew!!
Group Night always sends some good people packing so tomorrow night will be interesting. Especially since I’m sure they have held back on some possible Idolists.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
The Best Audition Show of the Best Audition Season
The resident geniuses at Idol outdid themselves tonight with easily the best audition show ever, likewise concluding the best audition season ever. Best, to me, meant they had an ideal combination of entertainment – the good and the tragi-comical – along with interesting stories and clever production. The use of guest judges during the audition rounds really “spiced” things up, too. Seriously, did you even give Paula’s absence a single thought?
Clearly tonight was a warm-up for Hollywood Week as we saw and learned about more talented singers than any prior show. This highlight reel from all the cities was a correct response to the problem of past years when the show moved to Hollywood and we saw a bunch of people we had no prior connection to.
There were many standouts tonight and the ones I had Diandra asterisk for me on her ever-present list were: Crystal Bowersox who sang Janis Joplin; Didi Benami who sang “Hey Jude” in honor of her girlfriend who passed away; and 16-year old Aaron Kelly that Diandra thinks sounds like Keith Urban. In spite of the country sound he goes into Hollywood as one of my favorites. Cute with a great back story and a great smile, the girls and ladies will love him meaning he will be a force to be reckoned with IF he survives the tortures of Hollywood. I’m rooting for him.
While we thankfully did not get a repeat of Bikini Girl, the producers evidently realized that having a Designated Drama Queen is money. So we get Amanda Schectman to play this year’s version of last year’s Tatiana who delighted me and horrified my mom. At least this year’s version is a better singer and she is destined for some serious airtime. Begin praying for my mom now.
Next week Ellen!!!! I CANNOT wait.
Clearly tonight was a warm-up for Hollywood Week as we saw and learned about more talented singers than any prior show. This highlight reel from all the cities was a correct response to the problem of past years when the show moved to Hollywood and we saw a bunch of people we had no prior connection to.
There were many standouts tonight and the ones I had Diandra asterisk for me on her ever-present list were: Crystal Bowersox who sang Janis Joplin; Didi Benami who sang “Hey Jude” in honor of her girlfriend who passed away; and 16-year old Aaron Kelly that Diandra thinks sounds like Keith Urban. In spite of the country sound he goes into Hollywood as one of my favorites. Cute with a great back story and a great smile, the girls and ladies will love him meaning he will be a force to be reckoned with IF he survives the tortures of Hollywood. I’m rooting for him.
While we thankfully did not get a repeat of Bikini Girl, the producers evidently realized that having a Designated Drama Queen is money. So we get Amanda Schectman to play this year’s version of last year’s Tatiana who delighted me and horrified my mom. At least this year’s version is a better singer and she is destined for some serious airtime. Begin praying for my mom now.
Next week Ellen!!!! I CANNOT wait.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Somebody for me to root for
I really enjoyed tonight’s show a lot and while I am quite ready for Hollywood next week and the emergence of Ellen, I have liked this year’s audition season better than any. I think the guest judges have had a lot to do with that as well as their usual top notch and clever editing. Some random thoughts from the show in no particular order:
Move quickly. Their last free download was only available for a short period of time. http://www.wearethefallen.com/freedownload /
Finally in Billboard Top 40 action, both Kris and Adam are enjoying success. Kris' Live Like We're Dying is #26 with a bullet. Adam's Whataya Want From Me jumped from 55 to #37 with a bullet.
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