Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Top 5 Sing Neil Diamond (Right In Front Of Me)


I have to say, contrary to what I anticipated, it wasn't much different watching the performances live versus on TV. It might have been because we were very close to the floor monitors that the judges listen to. It all sounded much the same (just louder) as it does at home. The difference is that the judges comments and Ryan's remarks are harder to hear because they drop the sound level down on those in the studio. So we heard the performances loud and clear, plus we got to see the contestants sing up close and personal.

First up was Jason Castro and my goodness, the guy is gorgeous. He looks even better in person. I loved his first song, "Forever in Blue Jeans." I thought it was classic JC, and I think he is at his best when he plays the guitar and sings songs that are kind of folksy. That's what he does. I loved it. The judges didn't like it much, but they don't seem to like much of what anyone does except for the two Davids these days. Now, I really didn't care for JC's second song, "September Morn'." He seems uncomfortable when he has to stand on the stage with just a mic in his hand. His vocals were not great but who cares. The guy is smoking hot.

David Cook was my fave of the night and Jen P. was out of her mind for him. She was woo hooing him during both of his songs. He did rock the house, but Jen P. was not happy with the reversal trend that his hairstyle is exhibiting. I wasn't familiar with either of the songs that he did, but I thought both were good, the first better than the second.

Thirdsies for the evening was Brooke White. Her husband was sitting right behind the judges and they kept smiling and waving at each other when she came on stage. It was really cute. His hair is quite long at this point, I wonder if this is the week he'll go for a hair cut. (Sidenote to Brooke: 1974 called...They want their pants back.) Brooke made an odd choice for her first song with "I'm a Believer" which is more famous from the Monkees TV show than from Neil Diamond but for me will be forever associated with the movie Shrek. It wasn't very good, but when you're standing in that pit uptempo songs are better than slow songs, so it was OK for me in the studio, but not a great performance for her. I do love Brooke though and her second song was fabulous. She sang "I am, I Said" while accompanying herself on the piano, and it really worked for her. The judges all seemed to like the second song much better than the first.

Finally the moment all the young girls were waiting for arrived and David Archuleta took the stage to sing a very odd arrangement of "Sweet Caroline." This is the song Carly was to have sung this week and I'm telling you she would have done a great job. But all we had was the robotic and emotionless David A. rendering the song nearly unrecognizable. Randy, of course, thought it was "'Da Bomb." We never got to hear Paula's thoughts on that performance (more on that in a minute) and Simon, thankfully, deemed it "Amateurish." (I think Danny Noriega must have gotten a hold of Simon because last night everything was -ish: Nightmarish, Amateurish, etc...) Follwing in the boot tracks of KLC, David's second song was the cheesy and patriotic "Coming to America." Very smart Papa Archuleta, very smart indeed. It was OK, I still think he's overrated. Nothing he has done over the past two months has come anywhere near to his heart wrenching performance of "Imagine" back in February. I felt bad for Simon because right after he get's done skewering David A. on a stick he has to get up and walk right in front of his parents. They seemed to take it in stride though and Simon did say something to them but I didn't catch what it was.

Syesha was pretty good in both of her performances. Her voice sounded pitch perfect in the studio during "Hello Again" even though I couldn't see her for most of the song because she was sitting down on the edge of the stage. And her hair was so pretty but I wish she would have put some shoes on. Enough with the bare feet already. I thought her voice was better on her first number, but her performance of "Thank the Lord for the Nighttime" was much more fun for us arm-wavers in the pit. I loved that the backup singers were down on the stage with Syesha, and she was energetic and theatrical, which is annoying but entertaining all at once. Sometimes when I'm watching her that baby noise of hers flashes in my head and it's all I can think about. But she was good and deserves more praise than she gets. I think the judges have already written her off as "Broadway Actress" rather than "Recording Artist."

Last night's show was a bit chaotic due to the whole judging snafu. The judges were supposed to watch both performances and then critique at the end of the second song instead of critiquing at the end of each song. I think that came as a surprise to all the judges who were being given instructions in a whispered conference with one of the producers at the beginning of the show. Then a PA brought out blank notepads and pens for Simon, Randy and Paula in case of sudden short term memory loss. Paula seemed to be the only one taking notes during the performances, but as we all now know, it didn't help. What also didn't help the flustered Paula was the apparent last second decision by the producers to do a quick judging recap after all the Idols had sung their first song. I think they may have been running ahead of schedule and needed to fill a minute or two because Ryan seemed unsure of what was going on and the Idols had to be quickly rounded up to get on the stage. In what has now been termed Paulagate (thanks Michael Slezak at EW) when it came time for Paula to give her speed critique she mistakenly referred to Jason Castro's second song, even though he had only sung one at that point. Paula was definitely embarrassed and unable to recover her composure so Simon stepped in and quickly crushed everyone's hopes and dreams before the show mercifully cut to a commercial. I will say also that I never once detected a whiff of alcohol coming from Paula's direction, even when she was speaking to me. I have long suspected that her Coke cup was filled with Strawberry Daquiri, but maybe it really is just Coke.

So today the internet is alive with Idol conspriacy theories. Some say the producers gave her notes to follow or the judges had cue cards to read. Or Paula was confused and referring to the rehearsal performances, which is a no no. I can tell you, since I was right next to the judges during the show, that they had no notes or cue cards of any sort to read off of. I think the rehearsal theory may be closest to the truth, but honestly, I don't understand what all the controversy is about. Paula never makes sense. Ever. I think she was just having a loopy Paula moment which was brought on by the total confusion of last night's judging procedure. Give her a break.

I think everyone is vulnerable this week except for David/David. The weird thing is that Dial Idol shows David A. with lower votes than David C. or Syesha! Can't wait to see the results tonight.


BTW watching the show live was amazing, I will definitely try to do it again next season.

Oh My God I Touched Simon's Stomach!

Yesterday morning Jen P. picked me up at 7:30 am and we headed on down to Hollywood. We made great time and ended up at the CBS studios with food in our hands at 11:00-ish. We saw that there was one line on the street starting at the studio entrance and after almost getting my butt kicked for getting in the front of the line instead of the back, Jen P. had directions from the guard at the gate and she herded me off the the end of the line. So all the people who were there to see Dancing With The Stars, the AI rehearsal and the AI live show were in one line.

At about 12:45 this guy that looks like Kurt from Metallica came out and seperated everyone out into the right places and we ended up on the other side of the studio entrance in a new line for the live show, but about 10 people back. Me and Jen knew we had a wait ahead of us so we sat on the ground and started playing movie games back and forth while the day became hotter and hotter and my feet became more and more pinched in my shoes (the sacrifices we make to look good for Simon Cowell...). Meanwhile, lots of scuffling and grumbling were going on because people with priority vouchers kept showing up and did not have to wait in line, and even though we understood why, it was frustrating to those of us who were sitting in the dirt under a very prickly shrub roasting in the sun. At one point we saw Jason Taylor drive up and turn into the lot in a Bentley. Then at about 3:10 there was some excitement when Simon Cowell drove by in this:

Not too long after that Kurt from Metallica came back and started checking our vouchers and made a huge deal about everyone having ID. Thank you Jesus I had put my drivers license in my pocket that morning and didn't have to run all the way back to the parking garage at The Grove to get it like another lady in line had to. So we're all lined up and Kurt gives us all numbers on our vouchers and then some time later, as the blister on my toe was growing larger and larger, they herded us through the CBS lot to another check in point, all the while telling us to have our ID's ready. We then go through a metal detector and end up on a covered patio-type area where we are directed to some benches to sit on. Not once during entire check-in procedure did anyone look at our ID's so I never did figure out what the big deal was. Also, once we got onto the benches all semblance of our numbered places in line was gone, giving Jen P. quite a bit of anxiety. We weren't even sure what the point was of numbering the vouchers and all that because we were just thrown together in the holding area. It was nice, though, to sit in the shade after 6 hours of sitting in line outside. Finally this young dude with crazy hair got out attention and gave us instructions as to our behavior in the "pit." We were told to go crazy for every performance whether we liked it or not, clap our hands over our heads, and if someone starts doing the slow song arm wave we all had to join in (under penalty of death I think). So next time you're watching the show and you think, "Look at those douchebags waving their arms," just remember that the people in charge force them to do it.

Finally, finally we headed into the studio. At that point I was exhausted, my feet were killing me, and I was feeling a bit nauseous from my long day. But we turned and walked through a door into the studio and suddenly we were in the American Idol set and it looks just like you see it on TV and all my tiredness vanished. It was so surreal. The studio itself is MUCH smaller than it looks on TV. The stage is as small as something you would see in a high school auditorium. The first person I noticed was Brooke White's husband sitting right behind the judges table.

We filed into the pit area and I ended up standing directly adjacent to Randy Jackson's chair. I mean 2 feet away from it. David Archuleta's family was right behind us. Rita Wilson, otherwise known as Mrs. Tom Hanks, was sitting right behind the judges table and just feet from where we were standing. Then a couple of those girls from "Girls Next Door" were seated next to Rita and during the show everyone made a point of hugging them. Ryan Seacrest went up to them a few times. There is a warm-up comedian who worked the audience before the show and during commercials and he was not funny at all. The stage manager brought the Idols out onto the stage and everyone went nuts. Jason Castro is so hot in person. We were told that if the judges came in ahead of time to clap for them, but most of the time they run late and come in just as the show is starting and if that were to happen to be very quiet. I turned and was saying something to Jen P. and suddenly I heard applause and I felt something brush my hand. I looked to see what it was and realized it was Simon who brushed me as he went to his seat. And then Randy came by and I stuck out my hand and he high-fived me. It was so exciting! I have always thought that if I ran into someone famous I would play it cool and be like, whatever, love your movie, cool. But no. I was giddy after Simon touched me. Paula ended up walking in just as the show was starting and we were all completely silent while Ryan was saying his intro into the camera, but when he said "THIS is American Idol" the crowd in the pit went nuts. I wish I could adequately capture how odd it is to be standing in the middle of the TV show that you watch every week and just feet away from really famous people. Surreal is all I can say. And it was really fun watching the Idols sing. The kids that were right in front of the pit had opportunities to chat with the Idols and give high fives. I would have just loved to high five Jason Castro. I tried to figure out some way to maneuver myself next to him but it wasn't happening.


The judges left the table at every commercial break and each time they walked just in front of me. A bodyguard would come over and kind of tell me to step back, but they were just right there. During the first break as Paula walked past I said, "You look pretty tonight, Paula." She said, "Thank you Sweetheart," and rubbed my back. She did look pretty too. Her dress was a bit prommy but she had some fierce heels on. She is incredibly tiny, also. Just very petite. Ryan would dance around on stage during the commercial or chat with whoever was singing next, or meander around the studio.

The main excitement of the evening was when Paula made that comment to Jason Castro about his second song, when he had only sung once. The audience was tittering and chattering as soon as she said it and the producers were rushing around trying to figure out what to do. Paula was embarrassed, but the media seems to be making a bigger deal out of it than they should be. She's Paula, she never makes sense anyway. I'll go into this more in my next post.

Anyway, they wrapped up the show and I knew I had to take my shot at speaking to Simon, so as the judges were filing by me I looked at him and said, "Simon - Love You," and kind of went in for a hug but didn't quite make it. Instead I ended up rubbing his stomach, which was quite firm by the way. Simon smiled at me and said, "Nice to see you," winked and walked off. I was so verklempt.

The whole thing went by very quickly. It seems like it just rushed by in a blur. Jen P. and I made our way out of the studio, exhausted but exhilerated. It was well worth the drive and waiting in line. Especially after all my judge interaction! Thank you Thank you Thank you Jen P.! It was a blast!



Monday, April 28, 2008

Me and Jen P. Are Heading To Idol

Thanks to the very crafty Jen P., we have vouchers to be in the studio audience for this week's AI. We are leaving fairly early tomorrow morning to drive down to Hollywood and get in line to hopefully see the show live. There is no guarantee that we'll get in, but Jen P. went last year and did get in to see the show, so the odds are very good that we'll be in the live audience tomorrow. Woo hoo! I'll TIVO the show and then play it back at an infinitesimal speed to see if I can't catch a glimpse of me and Jen on television. I'll have the scoop on our live show experience later this week...

Thursday, April 24, 2008

This Is Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong

I have long been a supporter of the American Idol voting system. I don't believe that there are American Idol conspiracies or any tampering with the voting. I've always said that people should vote for their favorite and if someone doesn't get enough votes that that's just the way the cookie crumbles. But today I really have to wonder what is going on. Last night the talented Carly was voted off of AI and I am furious. More so than when MJ went home, because this seems very wrong. I never expected Carly to win, 'cause we all know how the finale is shaping up, but she should have finished in the top 4.

And I want to know, how is it that the two performers that gave the best performances on Andrew Lloyd Webber night are the two that have lowest amount of votes? Why did that happen? Why is Carly, who, I'm sorry folks, has the best voice on the show, on the road back to her pub-slash-tattoo shop today? I don't get it. And I am having one of those I-AM-NEVER-GOING-TO-WATCH-AI-AGAIN moments this morning. I like Brooke, I've been a Brooke fan all along, but I can't believe she got more votes than Carly and Syesha last night after her train wreck of an Evita movie soundtrack song. Even Jason (and you know I love me some Jason Castro) deserved to be in the bottom 2 more so than Carly and Syesha after his half-ass rendition of "Memory" from Cats (let me not even go into his bizarre song choice and how he did not know that song was from Cats). Are the guys over at VFTW actually making a dent in the votes? Because Brooke is their heroine since the exit of Kristy Lee. I don't know. But I wish someone would explain it to me. Because I don't get it. I really don't.


And I was really looking forward to hearing my girl Carly sing "Sweet Caroline" or "Delirious Love." I've got a bad AI hangover today and I don't know when I'll recover. This is all wrong. Goodbye Carly, best of luck.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Odd Night For The Top 6




I'm a bit under the weather this week, so here are my thoughts on the mixed bag that was Andrew Lloyd Webber week in condensed form:


Syesha Mercado - Outstanding


Jason Castro - (I hate to say this) Not Good


Brooke White - Not Good


David Archuleta - Good, Not Great


Carly Smithson - Really Great


David Cook - Good


Looks like either Brooke White or Jason Castro will be getting off of the the Starlight Express this week.

Thursday, April 17, 2008

America Got It Right





Last night's results show was once again a half hour too long, fitting in performances by Elliot Yamin and Mariah Carey, as well as the "viewer" phone calls. I haven't been a fan of these call-in segments up to now, but last night a crazy gal from Paula's erstwhile reality show called in and took the whole thing off the tracks. Paula, who had what looked like a rose bush growing out of her neck, seemed distinctly uncomfortable as the girl said, "Paula this is Megan from your show..."Hilarity ensued as Ryan lost control of her right from the start. She had shout outs for all the guys on the show and Ryan got her onto her "question" with some difficulty. They all looked happy when she finally hung up.
Then Mariah sang a song that I understood to be about her dead grandma? Maybe I misunderstood. I don't normally listen to Mariah, but I thought she was pretty good. Her legs looked amazing, I wonder if that's from Pilates. I'll have to check that out. Of course they have to talk about how Randy knows Mariah and is instrumental to her success. Ryan congratulated Mariah on her success and told her, "We're so proud of you." Thanks Ryan, that's the validation she's been waiting for all these years. You are proud of her. She's Mariah Carey you dumb ass, not a contestant from season 3.

While all this was going on, Ryan had been seperating the contestants into two groups on either side of the stage. Ryan asked Carly after she came out onto the stage if she thought she had held back the night before. And Carly replied that no she hadn't and furthermore she thought the judges were being a little hard on her. And I was so glad to hear Simon explain himself.
"You know Carly, you know why I am, " he admitted, " I think you're potentially great. I do, and I just wanna give you that extra push sometimes."
That must have felt great to hear, I know I was happy to hear it and I'm not the one up on stage singing every week. Anyway, as the groups were sorted I was sweating because at first the group to the left was KLC, David Cook and Syesha, and the group to the right was Carly, Brooke and Jason Castro. And I knew David C. was safe, so I thought uh-oh. I was worried that Carly was the one going home. But my husband said, "Don't worry, they're just messing with you." And he was right, after David Archuleta came out and was sent to safety (of course he was safe, how could he not be), Ryan had Brooke and David C. switch places and I breathed big sigh of relief. Then Ryan asked David A. to move from the center of the stage to whichever group he thought was safe. I hate it when they do that, how can they expect these contestants, especially some sweet kid like little David, to do that? And good for David, he refused to play Ryan's sadistic game and pulled a Bo Bice, sitting down right in the center of the stage. After Ryan finally determined that Carly, David C., and Jason Castro were safe, I breathed another big sigh of relief because my last two remaining favorites were going to live to sing Andrew Lloyd Webber songs.
So, Ryan sent Syesha to safety, which she absolutely deserved. I am not a big fan of hers, but she has done really well the past few weeks. Brooke had the biggest, saddest frown on her face I have ever seen. When Ryan announced that Brooke was safe, sending Kristy home to ride her horse I will admit a did a dance of happiness.


My feelings about Kristy have been well documented in previous posts, so I will only say that it was her time to go home. She got really far, farther than she should, largely due to her own willingness to work hard and, after the two week Beatles fiasco, shrewd song selections. I think even she knew that she had nothing to be sad about, she noted that "At least she made the top 10." She went out in a great way, with class and humor, sitting at the judges table and singing the opening verse of Mariah's "Forever," "Those days of love are gone, our time is through...still I burn on and on, only to hear a good comment from you," to Simon. Good for her. I'm not a fan, but that was the perfect way to go out, it was memorable and she didn't break down hysterically. Ryan's proud of her, I'm sure.



Now that KLC is gone, each week from here on out, someone really good has to go home. Everyone remaining is talented and authentic. The contestants have to fight it out week after week to stay alive and there could still be some surprises in store. Go Carly go!

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Please Let There Be Some Cosmic Justice Tonight

So, do I dare make a prediction for tonight's bottom three? In the past I have been very, very wrong. And, I am so afraid that it might be Carly at the bottom that I almost don't want to speculate. Who do I think should be in the bottom 3? Kristy Lee, Kristy Lee and Kristy Lee. Who do I think will be in the bottom 3? Syesha, Carly and Brooke. The guys were the clear frontrunners last night, even though I think Carly and Syesha both gave great performances, I doubt any male contestants will be sitting in the metal stools tonight. Kristy Lee seems to be made of some sort of bulletproof material that keeps her safe even though she gives subpar performances week after week after week after week. Dial Idol is predicting that KLC is safe tonight, but Zabasearch shows her in the bottom. I don't think either of these predictions is all that accurate given the sample size and margin of error, not to mention neither of them predicted MJ to go home last week. I would hate to see Brooke go, but it may be the end of the road for her. I just hope it's not Carly. And if it is, I hope Ryan Crapcrest doesn't make her cry.

Missing MJ? Listen To This

Dry your tears, MJ fans. Follow this link and fast forward to 3:50 to hear a smidge of a teaser to what the Michael Johns Mariah week performance would have been.


Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Top 7 Do Good, Judges In My Dawg House


All right American Idol, tonight you have really ticked me off. Actually, it's the judges that I have a beef with. First off, opening the night is little David Archuleta singing "When You Believe." He gave a great performance, definitely better than last week and actually showed a little emotion. The leather pants were a bit surprising but, hey, he's trying to step it up a bit. The judges went nuts, just loved it, as per usual with David A.

So now here I'm going to rant a little but. After David came Carly, singing "Without You," the Harry Nilsson song that was so famously covered by Mariah. And you know what, she nailed it. I thought she was fabulous, she looked stunning, and she really restrained her voice nicely until that first big power note. She was really, really good. At least as good as David A. And the judges crapped all over it. Even Paula had that kind of pained look on her face, you know the one, when she's saying nice things when she really wants to say mean things but she doesn't want to hurt anyone's feelings. And then Simon says, "Could you pull it off...I don't think you did." Poor Carly looked like she was holding back tears and who could blame her? The girl is singing her heart out week after week and just can't seem to please Simon and Randy. The judges all chimed in together before she walked away with Ryan to say, "You can do it, Carly, trust yourself." What? What does that mean? She DID do it, these judges just have their favorite in David A. and don't want my girl Carly getting in his way. It's like each week they set her this invisible hurdle to jump over, and each week she does what she can, but the hurdle is invisible and they keep moving it and she can't ever quite get over the hurdle because it's impossible for anyone to get over it. Because it's invisible...get it? (Come on, it's better than Simon's hamburger metaphor). So I'm pissed off. I doubt my measly little votes are enough to save her, but I hope she's not in the bottom 3 this week.

Ok, I'll move on now to Syesha, who sang "Forever," a song that I didn't recognize. She was fantastic, I loved the song and it should be enough to keep her around next week.

Sweet little Brooke did the only thing she could do: she sat at the piano and sang "Hero" with in her Carole King-ish way. I liked it, I thought she did really well. She knows that she can't sing a big Mariah song with big notes and so she put her coffee house spin on it, and I thought it worked. I like her anyway, it wasn't going to blow anyone away, but she did the song justice. I just worry for her; it may not be enough to keep her there next week.

And then there was Kristy Lee. KLC sang "Forever." It wasn't great, but it wasn't total crap. The girl is actually improving. I wanted her to fall flat on her face this week, just because she gets votes that might otherwise got to someone I really like, but she didn't. She's not a great singer by any stretch of the imagination but she does enough to keep herself in the competition. And she may have done that again this week. I mean, last week she wasn't even in the bottom 3 while someone really talented went home and two far more talented singers were in the bottom. So who knows, looks like she might stick around another week. And yes, Kristy, we get it. You gave Mariah goosebumps. Do you want me to do a cartwheel for you? The thing is, the judges were practically doing cartwheels for her. She got more praise than Carly. I don't get it.

The big song of the night, for me, was David Cook. He took the syrupy pop hit "Always Be My Baby" and turned it into a brooding emo classic. I loved it way more than the original version. He was so great, he completely wiped out the memory of last week's strange performance. Simon said it was like, "Coming out of a karaoke hell into a breath of fresh air...It was original, it was daring, it stood out by a mile." And David had tears in his eyes, it was very cute. I think this guy has a lot more going on emotionally than he lets on. Anyway, he really kind of made you forget all the performances that came before him. The funniest thing about it is that the audience boo'd Simon as soon as he said the word "karaoke" even though he was working up to a compliment. The audience is on "karaoke" alert.

Jason Castro wrapped up the show with "I Don't Wanna Cry," and his was the performance I had been looking foward to all evening. I was hoping he would really do it in a sort of sexy, slow, traditional ballad but of course that didn't happen. He was accompanied by conga drums and it had the same sort of world music flair that his Sting song had a few weeks ago. I guess the sexy singer thing is my own personal fantasy, but gee it would have been nice. He did pretty good, not as good as last week. Randy compared it to Luau music and I almost had to agree. Almost. Paula made absolutely no sense in her critique of Jason and Simon actually liked it a lot. I didn't love it, but I still voted for him because I need to see those blue eyes again next week. I can't take any chances after the MJ fiasco (I feel very guilty about that as though my votes were the ones that could have kept him on).

All in all, not a bad week for the top 7. No one really blew it, which was nice for them, but boring for us at home. I still say MJ would have done so great this week. Ah, c'est la vie.

Hard to say who is in the most trouble this week. I'm really worried for my girl Carly. I will be eagerly awaiting tomorrow's results show. Oh crap, I was so mad at the judges while typing this up that I forgot to watch the Tuesday night rerun of Bones. That David Boreanaz is super hot. Darn you judges...Darn you straight to heck!

Tonight's Song List

Aha! TMZ has the song list for tonights show...Stop reading now if you don't want to knw.

Syesha Mercado -- "Vanishing"
David Cook -- "Always Be My Baby"
Carly Smithson -- "Without You"
Brooke White -- "Hero"
Jason Castro -- "I Don't Wanna Cry"
Kristy Lee Cook -- "Forever"
David Archuleta -- "When You Believe"

I haven't really listened to Mariah Carey since her first album came out, so I have no idea what to expect from most of these songs. I have a feeling though, that KLC may eat a big old sh** burger tonight. I am quivering from anticipation to hear Jason Castro sing "I Don't Wanna Cry." That was on the aforementioned first album and I know it's going to be full of sexy falsettos. Damn you Comcast, can't we get some east coast feed here? Can't wait.

Is This Sexy?

So, there is something undeniably attractive about Simon Cowell, no? I know it's not just me. At some point during the first few seasons of American Idol I had a series of racy dreams about our favorite judge and for a while I really thought he was hot. But, now I am wondering what I have seen in Simon. I mean, what's with the haircut and all the chest hair all the time? Is that a British thing? Do the Brits love chest hair? 'Cause here in America showing this much chest fuzz hasn't been in style since the Bee Gee's were on top of the charts. And the guy's a gajillionaire, can't he find a better hair stylist? So while I once thought he and his ego were smoking hot, now I'm not so sure...

So is he hot? Or not? Is it all wrong, but it's all right? Answer the poll and we will all find out together...

Mariahlicious!

It's Mariah Night! I am breathless with anticipation...Who will sing which songs? What will Carly wear? How many times will Randy mention that he's worked with Mariah? Will Paula's boobs finally pop out? I can't wait to learn the answers to these questions and more on tonight's show!

What's Wrong With This Picture?

I meandered over to Vote For The Worst to see if they had the song list for tonight's show yet, and after about two minutes of reading with this picture of Jason Castro in my peripheral vision, it slowly dawned on me that I wasn't seeing what I thought I was seeing. Thanks, VFTW, for putting this disgusting image in my head.

Saturday, April 12, 2008

The Idols Are Singing Mariah...WHAT?


So next week the top seven are singing Mariah songs and being mentored by MiMi herself. I have to say, I'm sort of surprised that the show would have Mariah Carey night, because the judges are always telling the contestants (and rightfully so) that it is a bad move to take on a Mariah song. That's one of those cardinal AI rules: Thou shalt not sing Whitney, Mariah or Celine becuase thou shalt never live up to the original and shall suffer a great plague of low votes.


I actually can't wait for Mariah week because for one thing it will be great to see them sing songs that were popular in the last 20 years. With a few exceptions, it seems like this has been the season of oldies. Also, it will be great to see who does a giant Mariah belly flop. Some people, like Jason Castro, David Cook and Brooke will have to do something other than the traditional take on a Mariah Carey song because they just can't do that kind of diva-singer performance. (I actually think David C. has the pipes for it, but you know he will do something unusal with the arrangement.) The rest of the top 7 (Syesha, Kristy, David A., Carly) will probably just belt out their song the way Mariah did and do the best they can with those high notes. Someone is bound to blow it, and someone is bound to rise to the challenge. I can't wait to see who falls into those categories.


Is Mariah actually performing on the results show? There's been some controversy about her lip synching lately, I wonder if she will sing on the show.
Dammit, American Idol, Michael Johns would have done GREAT during Mariah week. He was going to do a bluesy version of "Vision of Love." Aaaarrrrggghhh...The agony...

In Other TV News...


Let's all wish Shannen Doherty a happy 37th birthday! The former Charmed one and 90210 cast member we all love to hate is edging toward 40. It's funny because I'm sure Gabrielle Carteris and Luke Perry celebrated their 37th birthdays while still on 90210. Anyway, have a good one Shannen!

Friday, April 11, 2008

MJ Discusses The Cravat and Ryan's Cruelty

EW has an awesome Michael Johns exit interview. Here are the highlights...

On whether he was surprised by the results:

Backstage he thought, ''Okay, I get what's going on. This is going to be a shocker week.'' I hadn't been in the bottom three before, and everyone is due for that. I didn't think I was going home, though. It just goes to show you that you never know.

Did he think Ryan was unecessarily cruel:

You know what? I'd be lying if I didn't say that was pretty cruel. That one was a tough one. When Ryan said I had the lowest number of votes, he gave me this look as if to say, ''Mate, you know I don't want to say this right now.'' But it's a TV show, and at the end of the day, it's entertainment.

Was it hard to sing after the results were announced:

I wasn't, like, destroyed or anything. I probably would have been more sad if I felt I didn't sing the song as good as I could, and if I didn't hit those high notes. There was a moment when I took a really deep breath in and I saw my wife, and she said, ''I love you.'' I just exhaled then. If you re-watch, you'll see I just switched then. I thought, ''Just suck it up. This is the last time you're going to perform on this stage.''

And what's the deal with the cravat:

[Show stylist] Miles had been wanting me to step up the fashion for a while. I thought you can't come out wearing leather jackets after two weeks, because people will say, ''Who is this idiot?'' I wanted to do a Tom Petty-meets-Scott Weiland look. The week I did ''We Are the Champions,'' Miles wanted me to do that kind of look, but I wanted to wait until the right time, which was Dolly week. I absolutely dug it. Miles is so talented. I have a saying: In Miles We Trust.

What was he going to sing during Mariah Carey week:

I was going to do a really cool, bluesy version of ''Vision of Love.''

Read the full article here...

Jen P.'s Morning After Email

Jen P. Goes On A Rant This Week:


I think I need to make a chiropractic appt today due to the whiplash I suffered from my reaction to Michael John's exile last night. There are so many times during the shows that I want to call you and rant & rave and last night was no exception....I just wanted to call and co-miserate. I wonder how big of a margin he lost by. I'm not going to complain since I've been a non-voter this season. At this stage the votes are normally split between contestants of the same sex, so I'm going to place all the blame on those damn Dave boys and Jason Castro. Freakin' losers!

So as MJ is off crying in his man scarf, I'm almost thinkin' that AI must have read your blogs and made your wish come true by not giving someone a pass on Idol Gives Back week. Hmmmm...maybe this is YOUR fault after all. And yes, I do have to concede that Ryan was abusive last night. Maybe I just see it when he does or says something to someone I like. I was already emotionally exhausted due to the previous segment about the kids in Angola, so I could barely take it when Ryan had us teetering on the edge of hope. Not cool, Ryan. Not cool at all! I noticed that Jason Castro didn't even stand as the other couched idols gave MJ an applaud. Plus, Carly looked in some serious pain as he sang his farewell song. I didn't see tears, just this scrunched and wrinkled face. That was just odd.

Other comments: I think Jordin Sparks is following in Jen Hudson's shadow and going after an Academy Award herself. Did you see how she took on "the role" of the song?! It was kind of intriguing at first, but when she was obviously trying to get all up on Chris Brown and he wasn't reciprocating back it became quite hilarious. And was that black nail polish I spied? I wouldn't want those paws coming at my face either. She really is a beautiful girl, but the performance was just not balanced in the theatrical sense. She should stick to singing on the stage and save the acting for the videos.

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Shock and Dismay


What the...Wait a second...What?! NNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! How can this be? How can Michael Johns be going home while Syesha and the sequined Kristy Lee are safe yet again. I'm having flashbacks of last season when Sanjaya was safe week after week while really good contestants were sent home.


I know, I know. Just a couple of days ago I wrote that MJ was no longer my favorite due to his inconsistent and irresposible song choices. That doesn't mean that I wanted him to go home. I was hoping against hope that he would have at least another week to sing something great. I am just totally shocked.


Mephistopheles, or Ryan as they call him on the show, hit a new evil low tonight when breaking the news to MJ. He tells him that he has the lowest votes that week, then, with his arm comfortingly around his shoulders, reminds MJ and the viewing audience that last year they didn't send anyone home the week of Idol Gives Back. I could see a look in the sexy Australian's eyes that said maybe he might squeak out of this. The Mr. Evil says nope, this year we ARE sending MJ home. That's so unecessary. I know Lucifer is instructed to play it that way by the producers, but he takes way too much pleasure in torturing the contestants. Especially on a night where the results are a bit shocking and emotional.


In a way, this is what makes Idol so compulsively watchable; the possibility that the results will be shocking. It's fun week after week when the crappy ones get voted off, but when someone really compelling, like MJ or Daughtry, gets the boot it really makes for great entertainment. That shock factor, the suspense and the last two minutes of the results show are what keep us coming back week after week.


The fact is that I will really miss that hot Australian. Even with his weird gyrations on the stage, unattractively pretentious neck cravats, and horribly bad song choices I loved watching him. His "Across the Universe" is on repeat on my ipod right now, and his "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "It's All Wrong But It's All Right" are two of my favorite Idol performances of the past 7 seasons. I hope to see him go on to do something great.

iTunes Has Idol Gives Back Downloads

Apple iTunes

Will Anyone Go Home Tonight?

I only watched about 5 minutes of Idol Gives back, so I have no comments to make about last night's show (other than to note how FABULOUS Carly looked in that white suit at the end of the show. Fitted pieces work great on her, I hope she takes note).

The real issue today is whether or not anyone will get the old bootaroonie tonight. Last year no one went home during Idol Gives Back week, so I wonder if this year will be the same. Dial Idol shows Carly and Syesha in a dead heat for last place, and anyone of Brooke, MJ or David Cook could join them in the bottom. My feeling is it will probably be Brooke. Kristy Lee is predicted to be completely safe tonight, so no wisecracky repartee between the sequined one and Ryan.

I hope that it is Syesha going home and not Carly or Brooke. Carly is so much better than Syesha, I hope she gets a chance to redeem herself. Brooke will not win this competition, but she's as cute as a kitten and I like her.

Will they all get a free pass to next week's show? We'll find out tonight...

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Top 8 Don't Inspire


Michael Johns, you're out. Jason Castro, you're in. I officially have a new AI favorite, if only for the fact that MJ is so incredibly frustrating with his refusal to sing songs that he can sing well, rather than songs that he likes. I thought he had turned a corner last week with his fantastic, soulful reimagining of a Dolly Parton song. But no. This week, the week of "Inspirational Songs" he kicked off the show with Aerosmith's "Dream On." Seriously, MJ? Aerosmith wrote and recorded "Dream On" while in a haze of drugs, sex and alcohol. What could possibly be inspirational about that? MJ would have ROCKED with some Aretha Franklin. He does soul so well, and the Aretha catalogue is chock full of gospel tinged soul. He tried to defend his song choice to Randy, who by the way was incredibly hateful tonight, by saying the song is about dreams, and he's living his dream, or something like that. As Simon would say, his song choice was self-indulgent. He's not in it to win it, he's there to enjoy himself. I completely agreed with Simon, he is much better as a soul or R&B singer and much more believable than when he tries to play Rock Star.



Syesha sang a Fantasia Barrino song, once again breaking a cardinal AI rule, Thou Shalt Not Sing A Previous Idol's Signature Song. Randy felt that she suffered in comparison to Fantasia. I don't know about that because I can't really remember what Fantasia sounded like, either way Syesha didn't sound great. She didn't hit half the notes, and her voice just wasn't up to that kind of vocal. I think she could be really vulnerable this week.

After Syesha came my new fave Jason singing the Israel Kamakawiwo'ole version of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" and playing the ukelele. Words cannot describe. It was so great, absolutely the best of the night for me, and one of my favorite peformances of the season. Right toward the end of the song he went up into his falsetto range and just nailed it. A great performance of a great song, and the perfect song for him and his gorgeous blue eyes (I had to fit those eyes in somehow). The judges also loved it, Paula actually managing semi-coherent criticism, saying that Jason has a "definitive sound." Then of course she rambled back into her usual gibberish.

Kristy Lee actually surprised me last night by singing pretty good. Unfortunately she is still clinging to the sequined tank top and jeans as if they are a life raft and she is in the middle of the ocean rather than a stage in Hollywood with paid wardrobe people nearby. KLC sang the song that Martina McBride sang on the show last year and she sang it pretty well. I would't go overboard with praise the way Randy and Paula did, but it wasn't bad. I'm not a fan, I don't like her whole thing, the sequins, the fingernails, the odd bullfighters stance, any of it. But props to her tonight, she is definitely fighting for her place on the show.

David Cook...What in the H-E-Double Hockey Sticks happened there? He sang "Innocent" by Our Lady Peace, noting that they are his favorite band, and the whole thing was bizarre from beginning to end, and badly sung. That first note of the song caught me off guard and it never improved. I did hear some lyrics about cancer, so maybe the song really means something to him because of his brother who is ill. I can understand that, but it wasn't sung very well. Paula must be listening to something different than the rest of us because she loved it. I think the rest of us were left scratching our heads. I guess he's entitled to an off week. I hope it doesn't land him in the bottom 3 this week.


Carly also picked a song that I felt was an odd pick for "Inspirational" week, Queen's "The Show Must Go On." It's like she's trying to get voted off. Here's a song that wasn't great when Queen sang it, and it didn't improve much with her super-intense vocal stylings. It definitely wasn't inspirational, it wasn't uplifting, it was actually depressing because it just makes me think about Freddie Mercury and AIDS. Carly's my girl, I want to see her win, but she won't do it with these kind of songs. She's the girl who could actually pull off a diva song but she refuses to sing something from Celine or Mariah. This crapper could get her voted off.


Then came David Archuleta, singing a vaguely familiar Robbie Williams song called "Angels." I listened to a snippet on iTunes and it sounds good as a Robbie Williams song, but once again, I feel like Little David is not living up to his hype. His voice was nasally and shaky, he can hit the big notes for sure, but I didn't think it was all that good. But the judges, even Simon shame on you, are relentlessly promoting this guy. They obviously want him to win and heap praise on him far beyond what he deserves. Then they crap all over better singers (usually Carly). It's so irritating. It was OK, it wasn't his best performance of the season, as Randy claimed. It will be no surprise when this kid whens the whole thing because the judges are so obviously biased.


Wrapping things up was Brooke White, with Carole King's "You've Got A Friend." It was OK, not her best performance. She could also be vulnerable this week, because she hasn't knocked anything out of the park in a few weeks. I like Brooke, she's different than most of the female singers who have come through the show before, I hope she can stick it out a couple more weeks.


I don't know about everyone else, but the only thing I was inspired to do during the show was fall asleep. The most excitement we had was wondering whether or not Paula's boobs would spring free from the top of her dress. The show was boring, the songs were odd, for the most part, and it seemed like maybe this Top 8 is having a bit of a mid-season slump. Hopefully the show will spring back after this whole "Idol Gives Back" thing is over and find some real inspiration.

Monday, April 7, 2008

Jason Castro Fever

If you love Jason Castro (like me, I do find that I love him more and more each week) someone has a bunch of pre-American Idol videos from his Mtv reality show days posted on You Tube.

He's so dang cute, but very awkward when interacting with others. I downloaded a couple of his AI songs on itunes and he really is so good. The studio version of "If I Fell" is great, he has a heartbreaking falsetto that makes me want to forget that I'm married and go to LA, hang out outside the AI stage, and stalk him. Don't tell my husband.

See the You Tube videos here.

These Gloves Are Worse Than Paula's


I didn't think it was possible, but someone owns a pair of gloves more hideous than the ones Paula was wearing last week. Sadly, it's Drew Barrymore, a celebrity that I actually really like. TMZ has a video of her stumbling around wasted over the weekend, and she is wearing what appears to be my mom's workout socks from the 80's on her hands. She must have been drunk to think these were a nice complement to her otherwise completely normal outfit. Poor Drew, it's hard to out-tacky Paula Abdul, but she has succeeded admirably here.
See the video here.



Thursday, April 3, 2008

Jen P. Takes Me To Task

Jen P.'s morning after email made me laugh this morning. Here are her thought's on last night's show:

As I watched the AI show late last night via the wonderful invention called TIVO, I couldn't help but feel sorry for Ramiele. Not because she was voted off the show, but because she had to endure a good 3 minutes being cleaved into KLC's breasts. Maybe she was crying because she was being smothered by yet again another dreaded sequined tank top. I believe I did notice little round circle marks embedded in Ramiele's face now that I think about it...

I fast forwarded through Dolly's performance, although at first I thought Glenda the Good Witch was on the show.

Come on, Jen, there was in fact a highlight on last night's show: The Clark Brothers! I was a viewer of Fox's The Next Great American Band and I was extremely excited to see them on the show last night. I had spied one of them in the AI band before and had wondered if The Clark Bros had fallen apart and Fox exiled him to play w/Ricky Minor. Good to see they're intact and strong and strummin' & pickin' the hell out of their guitar strings.

Water cooler talk this morning went straight to KLC and her seat sign. The concensus was that it was a tacky, tacky move and even though she's not as strong, she shouldn't be presumptious.

Brook White needs to stop being so "perfect". I SO wish she'd just watch an R rated film and be like the rest of us already! It's like she knows when to cry, to pout, to go barefoot when it'll do the most for her. I genuinely like her, don't get me wrong. I just can't relate to her.

....and your girl, Carly....she got the fashion beat-down the previous night and then she comes out wearing yellow?!

I checked out the website you sent over regarding the predictions based on the busy signal measurements (Dial Idol). I was sad to see that the frontrunner (overwhelmingly!) was David A. I knew he'd be the top, but that's a big margin to overcome. I think David A might get the Melinda Doolittle virus and people will be tired of his coy ways and consistant performances.

Hey I was checking out YouTube yesterday to relive MJ's performance because my TIVO cut off Simon's critique and I noticed that there was a video posted of his band The Rising. I watched the beginning and he sounded really good. Not sure about the long hair, but he still had his signature mannerisms.

Jen

It's A Vocab Lesson

I read a comment on a message board that noted how Simon and Randy like to use new words that they've learned over and over again, and I realized how true that is. Iv'e noticed Randy proudly using the word "Wheelhouse" lately, and now Simon is getting in on his act with the word "Busking."

Merriam Webster defines Busking as, "chiefly British : a person who entertains in a public place for donations."

Wheelhouse is a bit more complicated. It seems to be a seafaring metaphor. At MW Wheelhouse gets redirected to Pilot House which is defined as, "a deckhouse for a ship's helmsman containing the steering wheel, compass, and navigating equipment."

At Wikipedia I also got nautical definitiions, but I found another blogger who says that Wheelhouse is a metaphor for a "hitter's power zone, among other things." So I guess Randy is just trying to say that when a song is "in your wheelhouse" that you are playing to your strengths, or hitting from your power zone.

There you go, new words to add to your vocab.

Let's see if we can find some other new words to learn before the finale.

Define Inspirational

Next week's AI theme is "inspirational songs." What does that mean? A week of gospel? I don't quite get it. Oh no, you know what this means? KLC will sing "Amazing Grace." It's the one song she actually sings well. That means she'll be safe again. That girl is bulletproof. Inspirational songs...pffttttt.

Ramiele Is Going Home


As I write this the morning after the AI results show, I'm trying to remember if there was anything interesting that happened last night. Let's see...Nope, nothing. I did notice that Kristy Lee had her sequined tank top and jeans back on again. Other than that, and Dolly's strange outfit of pedal pushers and sequined train, nothing comes to mind. Even the devil, er, Ryan, seemed pretty toned down last night. Oh wait, that reminds me...I am so sick of KLC's smart alecky remarks to Ryan and Simon, and her little note that showed she knew she was in the bottom 3 was stupid. Hey Kristy, if you know you suck, then do better. Don't get huffy at the people on the show. It's not Simon's faut you can't sing.


Anyway, no suprise to anyone, Ramiele was voted off last night. She should be happy, she got pretty far and she'll be able to go on tour. Then for Pete's sake I hope she goes to college and gets a real job. I don't want to see a Ramiele album in the bargain bin at Target in 4 years.


The thing is, that once KLC get's voted off (hopefully next week) everyone remaining is really good. So it's going to be people that we love in the bottom 3 every week from now on. My prediction is that the next two will be Brooke and Jason, even though I would rather see Syesha go than either of them. Syesha is kind of a wild card, I don't think she'll make the top three but she has really gained some momentum recently. Then MJ, and the finale will be a David extravaganza. And David A. will win because all the teenagers and moms love him. And the teenagers vote.


But don't be sad Ramiele fans. I'm sure we'll see her in audience of next week's show. Good luck Ramiele, I bet you'd make a great dentist.

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

This Is What I Meant To Say...

I know I praise Michael Slezak's EW Idol recap on a regular basis, but I have to say he really got it right this week. Particularly when he said:

...How come certain contestants get credit for taking risks with song stylings, and yet when Carly strips down a well-known mid-tempo romp and turns it into a searing acoustic ballad, none of the judges even mentions the arrangement? And what's more, her risk paid off. The way she held back on the gale-force belting, taking care with every word of the lyric until she built to that final, wondrous glory note, I barely had time to take note of her ho-hum red jeans and bulky black blouse. I realize Simon's inner record exec is sizing up Carly, and her tattoos, and her imperfect teeth, and her not-size-zero physique, and it makes him say things like ''Have a word with whoever's dressing you.'' But seriously, dude, Ashlee Simpson is about to release her third major-label album: Why are you hell-bent on crushing the self-esteem of a gifted vocalist right at the moment she should be basking in the afterglow of her best live performance in seven weeks?

My thoughts exactly, stated with much more eloquence and wit than I am capable of. Loves it!

Jen P. Discusses Dolly Night

Here is an excerpt from my Morning After Idol email with Jen P. We always discuss Michael Johns:

MJ now stands for MoJo. Whew! As soon as he gave a little moaning "yeah" afer the first line he sang, my head was in a fog. And then when he broke into the 5 or 6 "wrong"s at the end, I was happy that my husband wasn't there to see the perspiration start to bead up on my brow. I wanted to grab that ascot off of his neck and tie him to my bedposts! Lordy! MJ is definately back in my book.

I liked David Cook, too. Paula actually made some sense when she said she liked his new haircut. His head doesn't look so wide now and his hair doesn't look so red, either. Kudos to Cook's stylist.

Speaking of stylists, I was completely thinking what Simon had the guts to say aloud to Carly. Her clothes are just horrid week after week. Well, I did kinda like the blue dress thing she wore when she sang that Heart song, but otherwise thumbs down on the wardrobe. When she started singing last night, I thought to myself "What the hell pants is she wearing?". Maybe Simon could have pulled her aside and gave her the business instead of National TV....'cause I was sort of afraid her husband was going to make a rush at the judging stage. Speaking of her husband, did you notice that he looked like he was the only one giving her a standing ovation? Creepy...just creepy.

Syesha was impressive. I liked her interpretation of the song, but as you predicted you just can't take on a Whitney song without a whole bunch of criticism. When will the contestants get it? No Celine, no Whitney, no Aretha....ever.

For Dolly week it wasn't so bad. I was pleasantly surprised. Good songs, good vocals. My bottom 3? KLC, Ramielle, Carly....should be Jason, but I think he's got too big of a fan base right now. Who will get the boot? Ramielle.

David Cook Went To Hospital After Last Night's Show


TMZ is reporting that David Cook was taken to the hospital last night after the show due to excessively high blood pressure. He was treated and released but apparently is still not feeling well. I guess this is not the first time he has been ill during the competition and once collapsed before a performance. Interesting.


Who's Gettin' The Cowboy Boot?

Aaah, Wednesday. Ryan Seacrest's favorite night of the week. It's what he sold his soul to Beelzebub for, the opportunity to break the hearts of young, talented singers on national TV. Although, I use the word talented loosely, especially if it's KLC or Ramiele getting their due tonight.

The best performances last night were 1) Michael Johns 2) Carly Smithson 3) David Cook. The worst were 6) David Archuleta 7) Syesha 8) KLC 9) Ramiele. Brooke and Jason are tied for the middle ground.

So of course I think the bottom 3 should be some combination of those 4 that I listed as the worst, but every week I am surprised by who actually ends up in the dreaded metal stools. The scary part is that KLC and Ramiele seem to have really strong fan bases that keep voting heavily for them week after week, otherwise they wouldn't still be there. I think that some of the other more talented contestants, like Jason, Brooke and Carly, have fans that are of the type who watch the show and love it but may not necessarily vote to keep their fave on. Which means that someone really good could end up going home again this week, while the dynamic duo rests comfortably on the velvet bleachers.

I think Jason, Brooke and Carly could all be vulnerable tonight. If any of those three end up sent home tonight, I may have one of those "I'LL NEVER WATCH AI AGAIN" crises.

Anyway, here is my best guess at tonight's bottom 3: Ramiele, Syesha, Kristy Lee. I think Kristy Lee will be safe because she was a country gal singin' country music last night and all her down home peeps voted to keep her on. So I think it will be Ramiele going home tonight. No bets, because I've been wrong about this week after week, but my feeling is that she's at the end of the AI line. I hope Dolly comes out and kicks her off with a rhinestone encrusted boot!

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Hello Dolly!



I love Dolly Parton, she's such an amazing songwriter and human being. I am familiar with some of her songs, but it's not like I'm listening to Dolly records all the time. I just knew she is really country, like twangy opry country. I really wondered how certain contestants, like MJ and David Cook, would handle these songs. But for all my worrying, it turned out to be a pretty good night, no one gave a disastrous performances, although a couple people almost bored me into a coma.


First up, Brooke White, looking adorable as usual. She chose to sing "Jolene" and shared the stage with a backup singer and fiddle player while she strummed the guitar. I actually got a chill as she started singing. I thought she did great, but the judges didn't like it. I just don't know what they want from Brooke, she has a definite style, she sings well and she's so charming. Give her a break.

David Cook sang "Little Sparrow," a song that has never been covered by a rock band or alternative artist previously and he had to depend on his own arrangement of the song. When I was listening to the song on Amazon earlier today I thought it might be a tough choice for him, but he did pretty good. He hit a bad note or two, but overall the performance was solid and he sailed through Dolly night easily. I just wish the judges would call him out on his bad notes and "pitch" problems the way they do with everyone else.

Then came Ramiele with a craptastic version of "Do I Ever Cross Your Mind." Not one of Dolly's best songs, and certainly not improved upon by Ramiele. It was OK but just completely boring. I think Ramiele has hit a wall on AI, and doesn't seem to be living up to the promise that she showed the first couple of weeks.

Jason Castro sang "Travelin' Thru" with his guitar, and it was good but all of his performances are just starting to blend together at this point. Like Brooke, he definitely has his own style and really doesn't deviate from it. I really like him, I have from the beginning, but he is really losing momentum in this competition. He's so cute though.

My girl Carly chose a great song, "Here You Come Again." Totally reminds of being about 8 years old, driving in my grandma's old T Bird. I did have a problem with the echo that was happening in the beginning of the song. I don't know if it was done on purpose or what, but it was distracting. She has such a voice though, she blew the song away. Simon's main criticism was about Carly's wardrobe. I wanted to be mad at him, because it's just so rude, but I kind of agree with him. I mean, what's the deal with the boots? It's like boots boots boots all the time. She could use a bit of styling. But Simon could have taken that up with her privately, right?

David Archuleta sang "Appalachian Memories." What? Of course he sings the sappiest song of the night, and I don't really think he sang it that well. He really hit the wrong note at one point, but yet the judges ju'st overlook that and act like it's the best thing since sliced bread. It's so obvious that they are pushing for certain people to win. I'm kind of over him. Sorry all you D. Arch fanatics out there.

Someone else I am so sick of is Kristy Lee. Of course this was the showcase night for her and she picked a good song for herself, the great autobiographical Dolly classic "Coat of Many Colors." It was OK, she just isn't a great singer. And why was she barefoot? No one could find a pair of shoes for her? I wish she would go home but looks like that won't happen this week.

Syesha won the "I Will Always Love You" catfight, and I really felt like she probably couldn't pull it off if she were to go the Whitney Houston route. In the end she kind of split the difference, starting off like Dolly and ending with a big Whitney finish. It was pretty in the intro but then seemed disjointed when she switched it up, and she really couldn't pull of those big notes at the end. Had she kept it soft and pretty it would have been much better. It just didn't really work for her. Her hair needed some help, too.

The final performance of the night came from Michael Johns. I was really worried about this because when we listened to the song, "It's All Wrong But It's All Right," on Amazon earlier today it seemed way too country for MJ. But he slowed it down and put a soul spin on it, and I luuuurrrvved it! Finally, the soul performance I have been waiting for from him, and when he sang the line about "sexy lovin' lies" I got a little flutter (don't tell my husband). He was absolutely the best of the night, and the judges finally got an opinion right and gave him the accolades he deserved. Not sure how I felt about his cravat scarf or whatever it was about his neck, but he still looked cute!

Dolly week was better than I had hoped for, definitely. Much better than Birth Year week or whatever it was last week. So excited about MJ. Can't wait to see who gets a cowboy boot in the ass tomorrow.




Dolly's On Tonight!


So it's Dolly night tonight and we are all breathlessly awaiting the show so we can find out who's singing "I Will Always Love You." I'm sure there was some serious catfighting over that one. I just hope whoever managed to snag it follows Dolly's formula and not Whitney Houston's. No one on the show could pull that off. I would love to see Jason Castro or Brooke sing it with an acoustic guitar. I bet KLC will sing "9 to 5". Other than that I can't even imagine what some of these contestants are going to sing tonight. I've looked around the web to see if anyone has a leaked list of the song choices for tonight, but I guess the show really has it under wraps. Don't forget to watch what could be one of the biggest messes on AI since Elton John night a few years back.