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May 2006
So they think they can dance?
When I watch American Idol I think that no one could humiliate themselves more than these so called singers. I am wrong. Some of these dancers are out of their minds and some I’m sure just want on TV.
Tonight from the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles, judges Nigel Lithgow (producer), Brian Friedman (hip hop and jazz choreographer) and screaming Mary Murphy (several championship titles in ballroom) had their share of nut cases.
The show opened with several losers that I cannot believe even tried out. An American Idol reject, stalker face tap dancer Courtney who was just scary scary. And one of the worst was ballet dancer John Arviso who was incredibly awful for someone who should be amazing. Icky.
Then there were some shining stars that I can’t wait to see dance more.
Although the diamond stud in her upper lip was terribly distracting, Donyelle Jones from Studio City, CA was fabulous.
One of my favorites was the son of the King of Swing, Benji Schwimmer. He was wonderful and I loved his facial expressions even though the judges didn’t.
Then the Six Step Crew was back with Ryan Conferido, one of the crew that made it to the finals last year, along for support. It’s tough, but after the choreographed number only two move on to Vegas. Will Hawk and Chris follow in Ryan’s footsteps? I can’t wait to find out.
Another favorite of the evening was sweet little baby face Ivan. He looked more like a clumsy kid than a dancer. I was shocked when he started dancing. Then to hear he can also dance jazz, ballroom, and more? Wow.
And another heart warming story, Henry Graham, who is one part of a family comprised of adopted foster kids, was probably one of the most inspirational dancers of the evening.
Good night of dancing! Tomorrow night they are in Chicago…I hope there are as many great dancers with neat stories. I’m a sucker for those heartwarming personal stories. Aren’t you?
Tweet‘AI’ Taylor difficult off stage and is Kat movie bound?
The hype is dwindling and America is moving on to the next guilty pleasure; however, the American Idol news and gossip doesn’t stop.
According to a backstage mole, Taylor’s off stage personality got on the nerves of at least one of the producers. Rumor has it that not all of the Idol big wigs are happy with this year’s winner.
And speaking of his off stage personality, according to one reporter, Taylor is calling himself Tay Tay and has turned his name into a verb.
On the Katharine side of things…The look on her face when Taylor was announced American Idol was not one of shock or dismay but relief. After she received a call from Steven Spielberg asking for a meeting, she shared with a couple of her Idol friends that she wasn’t sure winning this thing was the best thing for her.
Looks like they both won!
TweetThe new season of ‘Dance’ doesn’t disappoint with fun and freaks.
I quickly remembered tonight why I enjoyed this show so much last season. I must admit watching the ridiculous people who think they can dance is amusing just like with American Idol, but I thoroughly enjoy watching the kids who can really dance. It’s amazing people can move their bodies that way.
The first day of auditions in New York introduced us to Sex. I really can’t remember his name other than he want’s to be known as Sex. Everything about that guy was wrong. Those awful movements he called dance aside, he and his mom (yes, mother of Sex) were just odd and delusional. Icky.
I was thrilled that the adorable ballroom dance couple of Russian Stanislav Savich and Ukranian born Juliya Tamarkina went right through to Vegas. They are going to be awesome but what was that outfit she had on? The long fringe hanging off her bosom was just strange.
I know that tap is still considered dance and it should be. But what do tap dancer’s do anymore? Naive of me I’m sure, but in main stream America, don’t see too many of them anymore. Jason Luks, tap dancer, was amazing. Wow. It will be interesting is to see what he can do with liturgical dance or hip hop. I’m glad he went through to Vegas.
Weirdest of the weird in New York was large lipped Ian Benardo. What a character. Since Ian is with himself 24/7 he really understands himself and he understands that he’s probably better than Janet Jackson and as good as Gene Kelly. This man was scary and should be locked in an institution. No kidding. Fantasticisms aside, Ian take your mink coat back to the Bronx and get to know yourself better.
I absolutely loved the Warshaw family and their offspring Dave who is taking his shot at disproving the stereotype of a modern Orthodox Jew. His brother is a DJ and his parents obviously love to dance themselves. Mom’s got some rhythm. Dave, who will occasionally bust a move while in the synagogue praying, attempted to bust his face with a very scary dive into the audition floor. They kept replaying it. Smack, smack, smack. I can’t believe this guy got up at all. Sorry Dave, but keep practicing.
Poor Jason Perez, a little person and free style dancer, could definitely bust a move but didn’t get to stay. I can appreciate the judges concerns about whether or not this kid could even compete in ballroom style dancing. It would be a joke. It’s not fair, but it’s a reality.
On the second day of the New York auditions I fell in love with dance troop member Rob Williams from West Hartford, CT. I wanted him to be better because he was just so cute and was brave enough to choose swing music for his audition. But alas, he just couldn’t bring it.
New Yorkers have definitely taken break dancing to all new levels of popping and locking. So cool. Michael Kim proved himself to be the pop king. As Dan the judge said “Ridiculous.� I was thrilled he handled the choreographed number and made it through to Vegas.
Watching Oprah may have helped gender chameleon Joseph “Jamieâ€? Greco prepare for his audition but it certainly didn’t help prepare the judges for the flying wig and removable bra stuffing tissues. It was just scary. Seriously scary. What was worse is that I don’t think he even expected to move on and made us all suffer through that anyway.
Moving on to Charleston…
Oh no, southern girl Jessica Wheeler from Rockingham, NC had the potential of being Dance’s Kellie Pickler but the clogger/ hair stylist just couldn’t cut it.
18 year old Travis Wall looks to have some mad skills when it comes to dance. I never appreciated this kind of free style or liturgical dance until I watched this show last year. He was really quite amazing.
Claire Callaway is taking a year off after high school to dance. She’s so young, and cheerleaderish, but obviously talented and now going to Vegas.
My heart went out to recovering alcoholic James Payne. Sixty days sober and he is getting another shot at him dream. I hope he can keep it together once he goes to Vegas. I enjoyed his dancing very much.
Okay, what do they win if they make it all the way? A car, $100,000 in cash, and a year long contract in the hottest show in Las Vegas Celine Dion’s A New Day at the Coliseum. So You Think You Can Dance (created by Simon Fuller and will air Wednesdays and Thursdays at 9PM ET/PT.
It’s going to be a fun season and I’m looking forward to when they get through Vegas and start competing.
TweetBest finale show ever…Prince comes and Taylor wins!
The Best American Idol Finale ever! This is not by any means an empty statement. I expected a really good show, but didn’t expect this.
Favorite moment #1 After the horrible montage about the tryout of the pitiful Clay wanna be having to pee, etc. He sings, doors open, a tremendously handsome, tremendously missed Clay Aiken surprises him.
This will lose something in the translation but we are watching this kid just freak out on stage with Clay and one of my Idol Finale guests Kyle says, “I’ll bet he has to pee now!� I’ll tell you this room full of people laughed so loud I’m a little surprised the cops didn’t come to break us up. A side note: love his new look and I really do miss him. I wish he would start recording again.
Favorite moment #2
Prince. Need I say more? After all the negative press he got for shunning the show, I would have never, ever, expected that. The way it played out with Ryan saying the guest star portion of the show was over, then the Purple One. Brilliant.
Favorite moment #3
The winner is announced… David Hasselhoff cries.
I loved the guy’s and girl’s sets. There will be people that I disagreed with throughout the season who will eat this up but I missed Bucky. I watched the guys perform and realized how talented and completely different they all are. I have my tickets to the summer concert and I cannot wait!
I enjoyed these so much more than the typical group number. A couple observations, Kellie still can’t walk in heels although the hair is a huge improvement and Mandisa should have made it so much further.
Rather than two hours of clips from the season I thought it was great that they kept those down to the Golden Idols, which I hate to admit I enjoyed.
Having the Idols sing with some of their Idols was pretty cool even though some of the parings were a bit odd.
Paris gets to sing We’re in This Love Together with Al Jarreau. It was nice.
Chris comes back to play Mystery with Live. Were these two bald men separated at birth? Chris fans are going to be angry, so brace yourselves, but all the talk about his being original? He’s a clone. But an extraordinary talented clone who in my opinion was better than the guy he was singing with. He looks so natural up there.
The Kellie Pickler-Wolfgang Puck thing…kind of cute, kind of stupid.
The Meatloaf-Katharine duet rumor turned out to be true. It’s All Coming Back to Me Now was an odd song with an odd pairing. To quote a text I got “Meatloaf…you are not going through to Hollywood.”
Elliott sings or should I say stands at the sidelines and watches Mary J. Blige sing One. Mary J. this is American Idol not one of your concerts. Nevertheless, I’m sure it was a thrill for Mr. Yamin.
Here’s where dread set in…at 9:00 p.m. on our Fox affiliate, they start replaying the first hour with a message on the screen about being previously recorded. Panic ensues, cell phones flip, text messaging at feverish speeds. It was probably the worst eight minutes of the entire season.
Burt Bacharach. You hear the name and think he’s an icon, but hearing all the songs, and it probably only represented a small number of them, and you realize what an amazing talent. The lyrics are so amazing…they still hold up today. Timeless. Wonder what he’s doing these days? The over 30 crowd at my house was all singing with the songs and the under 20 crowd were all staring like we were nuts. Burt who?
I said I was okay with whoever won and I am thrilled that Taylor won. Whoever would have thought at the beginning of the season we would be here? That said, on tonight’s show Katharine McPhee carried herself in such way that made me sad there couldn’t be two of them. But then Chris should be there…three of them? But what about Elliot? Four. Mandisa? Okay, the best Top Ten ever!!
Thanks to all the American Idol readers and bloggers. You really have made my first Reality Bytes blogging season unforgetable. But don’t forget to check back occassionally, I’ll be keeping you up on all things Idol even in the off season. Who has signed contracts, who gets arrested at what airport, who Ryan Seacrest is dating…well, you get the idea. Thank you all so much!
Don’t forget to check out So You Think You Can Dance tomorrow night at 8:00 p.m. Think singers are the only folks that humiliate themselves?
Tweet‘American Idol’ could be won by a nose.
What a show! Both finalists had to be flawless tonight to win this season. It looked so close at the end of round two and then both kind of tanked their third song. I think Katharine’s was worse than Taylor’s but with the phone lines open for four hours (a great idea) this could be a close one.
Katharine McPhee opened the show performing KT Tunstall’s Black Horse and a Cherry Tree, a fan favorite and fun way to open the show.
Sporting a purple velvet jacket Taylor Hicks started his evening with Living For the City. It’s a good thing he’s being judged on his energetic adaptation of the Stevie Wonder song and not the wardrobe.
Round One to Taylor
Katharine was utterly hypnotic with Somewhere Over The Rainbow, the song that probably put her in the finals. Inarguably the best performance of the entire season.
For Taylor’s second song he choose Levon, the Elton John song originally performed early in the season. It may very well been the performance that propelled him into the Top 12 and eventually to the finals. It just couldn’t hold up to the brilliance of a rainbow.
Round Two to Katharine
A pitchy performance by Katharine on her first single called My Destiny. It could be the thing that losses the competition for her. Okay song and probably a good single when recorded in the studio but she did not even come close with it tonight.
Surprisingly enough, Taylor also struggled with pitch on his first single Do I Make You Proud? The song was better than Kat’s and he infused his Taylorness which just might have won him the whole enchilada.
Round Three to Taylor by a smidge.
Six phone lines, three for each contestant, four hours. Then an amazing finale results show Wednesday night.
The show will be packed with performances by this season’s Top 12 and a few veteran Idol guests. It’s no surprise that last year’s winner Carrie Underwood will perform her current single Don’t Forget to Remember Me but it was a surprise this week when they announced that season two runner-up Clay Aiken was added to the line-up. And how’s this for an unusual pairing? Kat and Meatloaf. Looks like this is set to be the best and most unusual finale show ever.
Tweet‘AI’s’ battle tonight…this just in ! !
Tonight is it! The final battle for the title of American Idol 5. Will 29-year-old Birmingham, Ala., native Taylor Hicks be making the South Patrol ecstatic or will the 21-year-old Los Angeles’ native Katharine McPhee be giving her fans the McPheever? Based on all the media gossip it could go either way, although I think Taylor will be the clear winner.
“They are singing three songs each,” says executive producer KEN WARWICK. “Two will be their favorites from the series. Taylor is doing Levon, the Elton John song, Stevie Wonder’s Living For the City and what will be his new single if he makes it: It is a song called Do I Make You Proud. Katharine will sing Somewhere Over the Rainbow, which she was just fabulous with last week. It is probably the song that put her in the finals, to be honest. Also, Black Horse and Cherry Tree, and her single is called My Destiny, quite appropriate really. Read More
Looks like rumors. Circulating on the web have the original song Make It Real written by Nick Lachey and Tamyra Gray being tonight’s original. I guess “they” were wrong.
After reviewing my favorite Kat songs I think she would be wise to perform Somewhere Over The Rainbow and Black Horse And The Cherry Tree both fan and judge favorites. Taylor is tougher because he had more great performances to choose from but I would like to see him do Levon and Try A Little Tenderness.
The countdown has begun and the time is almost here. It’s amazing to think that me and 30 Million of my close friends will all be glued to their TV’s for the next two nights. Boy do I love American Idol. If there was ever a time to be tenacious in your voting efforts, tonight would be it! And don’t forget to vote on our DaytonDailyNews.com Idol Polls tonight either!
For a couple little fun facts and tidbits about American Idol, check out the other blog I posted today!
Tweet‘American Idol:’ Did you know…
A little Idol fun on the last day of competition in season five:
Did you know…
Chris Daughtry actually tried out for Rock Star: INXS before trying out for Idol. Since he didn’t do well I guess he was destined to win the hearts of millions of American Idol fans.
The final 12 contestants, who get about $450 to spend with the stylists each week, also get to keep all the clothes they wear.
Before Idol, McPhee had been bitten by the acting bug (still is if you ask her). She had bit parts in an Indie film Crazy and the hair-metal musical Rock of Ages. “It was all this ’80s fun music that I actually didn’t know and got to learn,” McPhee recalled. “People were like, ‘Oh my gosh, you can belt, you should totally audition for American Idol.’ “
Much thanks to fellow blogger Sir Critic for this interesting tidbit. Katharine’s mother and vocal coach Peisha McPhee’s album Out Of The Blue (released in 1998) can be found on both Amazon.com and iTunes. As one reviewer says “Her classically trained, strong, clear voice of operatic proportions doesn’t always fit well with the songs on the play list, songs that require somewhat more vocal dynamics than McPhee gives… McPhee needs more than just a piano to provide an adequate framework for her exceptional voice. For the pure pleasure of hearing a lovely voice, this album is recommended.â€? Personally, I like daughter better than mother.
Co-executive producer Ken Warwick said. “…I can honestly say we pulled two of the most entertaining auditions this year. One wasn’t offensive in any way and was probably the funniest audition I’ve ever seen, but we found out afterwards that the kid had had a history of mental illness…The truth of the matter is we do care about these kids.”
Producers care so much, in fact, that they bring in psychiatric help for the round of the auditions when the singers first perform for Cowell and company. “We do realize it’s very stressful and nerve-wracking,” Warwick explained. “So we try to be as super-sensitive as we can and we openly admit we are going to make mistakes.”
Ryan Seacrest likes to tease the judges about what’s in their Coke glasses. Apparently it’s Coke because no alcohol is permitted in the studio where Idol is filmed.
Despite its record viewers and huge commercial success, Idol has never won an Emmy. Amazing Race seems to have a lock on in recent years. This year I sincerely hope Idol can beat them to the finish line.
Have you ever thought Simon looks like he’s not really paying attention during the performances…looking at the desk in front of him? Well each judge actually has a TV monitor located under the glass table that displays what is actually on TV. That way they know how the singers are being portrayed to the audience.
TweetWho SHOULD be in the ‘AI’ final 2?
OK, we all know that Katharine McPhee and Taylor Hicks are the last ones left standing in Tuesday’s (5/23/06) American Idol finale.
But my question is, who do you think SHOULD have been the final two? Need a refresher course? Here were the final 12. Look them over, then send in your favorites and why. Need more help?
Ace Young Bucky Covington Chris Daughtry Elliott Yamin Katharine McPhee Kellie Pickler Kevin Covais Lisa Tucker Mandisa Melissa McGhee Paris Bennett Taylor Hicks
As for me, my favorites, based purely on voice and stage presence, were Mandisa and Chris Daughtry. The song choice is important, because it affects how you present your voice. But as the winner will soon find out, the AI machine will probably dictate which songs are chosen and how they are presented anyway, so I don’t give it as much importance. And I confess I was just about as shocked at Mandisa’s departure as I was Chris’.
Enough about me — who would YOU have taken to the final two?
TweetBittersweet finale week on ‘American Idol’
Oh my goodness fellow American Idol fans it’s Finale week.
As anxious as I am to see who wins (although I think we all know who that’s likely to be), I’m so sad it’s almost over for the season. Bittersweet. I asked a couple friends not too long ago to define the term “bitter sweet.� Most of them struggled finding an example. This is the perfect one.
I love to see good sportsmanship in any arena where people compete. Taylor Hicks and Katharine McPhee have shown a lot of class in that area. Regardless of all the hub bub about Katharine’s parents smiling when Eliot got the boot, both finalists have nothing but encouraging and kind words to say about each other. (Read More) I know, what are they going to say…he’s an epileptic dancing bumpkin or she’s a spoiled brat from LA? Of course not, but the interaction between them seems genuine.
Looks like Princes William and Harry are secret fans of American Idol. They call it American Pop Idol, but it’s the same show. Nice to know we fans are in the company of royalty.
Never fret though I will keep up with all the Idol news and gossip even throughout the off season. News about deals being signed, Fantasia’s Lifetime movie, CD’s being released, the antics of Paula Abdul and the dating life of Ryan Seacrest. Oh yeah, the best one…The American Idol tour. I’ll let you know what it’s like to see them all in person. Especially what it’s like to get a kiss on the cheek from Ace Young. Well, a girl’s gotta dream.
During the off season if any of you amazingly resourceful Idol fans find juicy gossip or just any interesting news, please post or email me (click on my name at the top of any blog or in any comment that I’ve made to send email) and I’ll make sure to share it with the group.
Ohhhh, it’s finale week folks!
Tweet“Top Chef” the best reality show ever!
Whilst (a reference from last week’s Apprentice) I’m sure there might be one or two of you who wouldn’t agree based on the success of American Idol, Bravo TV’s reality show Top Chef is really one of the best on TV.
This week’s episode (May 17) narrowed the field to the final two contestants through a series of quick fire challenges. For the quick fire challenges the chefs are asked to create food to match the requests of the guests staying in the hotel within a 30 minute time limit and were judged by the recipients.
This show is quick paced and entertaining and for all your reality TV lovers, there is always a drama or two ready to boil over.
The final two contestants are: Tiffani and Harold. Tiffani is full of vim and vinegar and ready for fight at the drop of a spoon while Howard is mellow like an aged merlot and has a go-with-the-flow attitude.
The finale should air on Wednesday, May 24 at 10 p.m. But don’t worry if you miss it live, one of the coolest things about BravoTV is that they rerun the shows so you don’t miss anything!
You can also check out the show’s website to find recipes and details about the show.
http://www.bravotv.com/Top_Chef/
TweetHooray! The Hippies cross finish line first
The hoopla surrounding American Idol these days — first controversy surrounds Chris being sent home, then Elliot’s out, leaving Katharine and Taylor to duke it out in next week’s finals — overshadowed the finale of one of the best installments of my favorite reality show, The Amazing Race.
When BJ and Tyler crossed the finish line first Wednesday (5/17/06), I cheered. These guys were just so wacky and had so much fun — I can’t imagine anybody enjoying the race any more than they did. Even host Phil Keoghan couldn’t help laughing when they arrived at the pit stop in various installments.
When Phil gave BJ and Tyler their $500,000 checks this morning (5/18/06) on The Early Show, a little more info on the race came out, like BJ and Tyler didn’t worry too much about bathing. (No wonder some of the other teams wanted to keep their distance.) BJ, who always struck me as the quiet one, was decked out on the show in Elizabethan garb.
Though everybody claimed to be friendly now, the Frat Boys still didn’t seem like the most gracious of runners-up. Still, in a good bit of self-deprecation, Jeremy blamed the loss on the last challenge depending on his brain. “You made me use my mind, Phil…”
It’s going to be a cliche soon enough, but third-place Ray stole the spotlight by proposing on-air to Yolanda. She seemed to be the only person there who was surprised. The set immediately broke into an engagement party.
All in all, a great season. In the fall, The Amazing Race will move to Sundays at 8 p.m. It’s really struggled in the ratings this year, first because of the family edition last fall. I also think the American Idol juggernaut hurt it, even though they usually didn’t go head-to-head on Tuesdays or Wednesdays. (Though the last hour of Race Wednesday night did go against Idol’s results show — and I’m sure got clobbered in the ratings.)
Did anybody else in the Miami Valley watch the Race conclusion? What did you think of the outcome?
TweetGood luck ‘AI’s’ Elliot. Deep breaths Kat and Taylor.
The worst Ford commercial yet! ‘Nuff said.
Can you believe how close this was? I never expected that. 50 Million votes came to 33.06% 33.26% 33.68% with Elliot Yamin leaving. No surprise. Okay Kat. You have to be flawless to stand a chance next week. I think it’s Taylor’s to lose.
Something to ponder. Who would have ever thought young kids would be spraying gray in their hair in support of a potential American Idol?
I fell a little more for Taylor Hicks tonight. I’ve always felt he was just…well…just Taylor. He won me completely when he kept inviting his Idol friends to dance with him while he sang, with no regard for his own “face� time. I would be proud to call him our American Idol.
Aw, Elliot. The world’s best son. He gets so touched. If you were not touched by his homecoming in any way, I have to wonder ‘bout you. He’s another humble kid who deserves a chance. Paula, Paula, girlfriend, you got it bad! By the way, the stylists have done an amazing job with him. You wouldn’t think there was much to work with, no offense, I just mean it’s easier with women I think, they have done a great job giving him the confidence to let his personality just shine. Elliot, you’ve got a lot of women swooning young man.
Oh my. I almost feel sorry for Katharine compared to the reception Taylor and Elliot got. I heard Governor Arnold even snubbed her. I get a feeling young miss Katharine is getting a large heaping helping of humility through this.
How did we do in our American Idol voting? It’s pretty clear what we all think and we are right on with the rest of the country.
Favorite this week:
Taylor Hicks 53%
Katharine McPhee 30%
Elliot Yamin 17%
Go home:
Elliot Yamin 44%
Katharine McPhee 43%
Taylor Hicks 13%
Who will win:
Taylor Hicks 66%
Katharine McPhee 24%
Elliot Yamin 10%
Next week. I can’t stand it. Not only is it going to take forever to get here, it’s the last week of the season. I may go into withdrawal. OR NOT. I’m going to shamelessly going to plug So You Think You Can Dance. It starts Thursday, the day after the Idol winner is crowned. And guess who is going to blog it? Of course, me.
This has been so fun I hope to convince the loyal American Idol readers and bloggers to come along for the ride.
TweetCan I just say WOW? ‘Idols’ best final three show ever
Half way through the show I didn’t know who I would vote for tonight. Now? It’s just so tough. Bottom line, I think it will be Taylor and Kat in the finale. This breaks my heart because I am such a huge Elliot fan. But let’s move on with the play by play.
I guess I knew Clive Davis was a big wig in the music industry, but I didn’t know how enormous and that he can still uncover such hot talent. His mile long laundry list of stars is quite impressive. Just a few…Janis Joplin, Billy Joel, Aerosmith, Aretha, Christina, Luther, Dave Mathews, Maroon Five and Alicia Keyes, Usher, and of course Whitney. Amazing and intimidating. I can understand why they all looked scared (expletive)-less when they spoke to him. By the way, it must be nice being Clive, “Hey Boss, can we use your song? Want to pop over for BBQ this weekend? I’ll send the jet.â€?
Elliott Yamin
Open Arms by Journey chosen by Clive
Okay…for a short time this was “ourâ€? song when my hubby and I were a fledgling couple in college, slow dancin’ on the flashing disco floor (and for the record it was at the end of the disco era 1982ish) so I have a certain nostalgic fondness for it. The lyrics weren’t strong enough to stand the test of all time great love songs, but it served its purpose for a young woman in love. And I think it served it’s purpose tonight for Elliot. I didn’t really expect to enjoy it because I’m a huge fan of Steve Perry. Huge. But once again I was pleasantly surprised. Not a wow, but pretty good.
What You Won’t Do for Love by Bobby Caldwell wisely chosen by Paula
Heavy sigh. I knew when I read that Elliot was singing this he could hit it out of the park and he did for me …heavy sigh. To choose this song for Elliot was the single most sober, clear headed thing Paula Abdul has done all season. A friend pointed out that he thinks she’s got it bad for Elliot and the song choice was a message. I may have to agree. She’s definately seems smitten with the kid.
I Believe To My Soul by Donnie Hathaway chosen by Elliot
Don’t think he connected with this song, but I’m not crazy about this style of music. Definitely not my cup of tea, but he performed it very well.
Score: Elliot 1 hit
Katharine McPhee
I Believe I Can Fly by R. Kelly chosen by Clive
Never been a fan of the song, which surprises me because I like sappy hopeful songs. Katharine made it more interesting for me than R. Kelly. I think she rose to the occasion, with the exception of a couple little slips near the end. Under less stressful circumstances it could stand up to most of today’s top divas.
Over the Rainbow a classic from the Wizard of Oz wisely chosen by Simon
Kat was brilliant. I immediately backed up the DVR and watched it again. Hair raising, tears welling, brilliant. If she could perform to that level all the time, there would be no doubt in my mind who would be the next Idol. She’s just been so inconsistent lately.
I Ain’t Got Nothin’ but the Blues by Ella Fitzgerald chosen by Kat
When Kat started I thought, wow, she picked the right song. But in the end it lacked the recognizabilety factor. Oh, I made up a new word. Many better songs out there for Kat. She played it a bit too theatrical. Like I’ve always said…Broadway bound.
Score: Elliot 1, Kat 2
Taylor Hicks
Dancing in the Dark by Bruce Springsteen chosen by Clive
Go Taylor! I’ve never been a Springsteen fan, but I loved this performance, I loved his vocals. Hey, did I mention that I loved it! Good move dancin’ with Paula. The original music video set him up for that…good move Taylor.
You Are So Beautiful by Joe Cocker chosen by Randy
Beautiful, tender performance. Kind of low key for him but he snuck his Taylor magic in there. Outstanding.
Try a Little Tenderness by Odis Redding wisely chosen by Taylor
Great song choice. Even thought it felt like he was holding back a bit, until the end that is, I enjoyed it. It wasn’t the wow, and I wanted one, but it was pretty good.
Score: Elliot 1, Kat 2, Taylor 3
As I said before…it’s a Kat and Taylor final. Don’t ya think?
Tweet‘American Idol’ nail biter tonight as final three perform three
Sorry about the late post folks. Unfortunately life gets in the way of American Idol sometimes and I just don’t like it!
Let’s begin by stipulating that Chris Daughtry went too soon. Let’s also stipulate that life isn’t always fair and it’s time to move on. There are still three extremely talented contestants left battling for the title of American Idol. Tonight they will sing a song of their choice, one chosen by the judges and one chosen by their potential future boss Clive Davis.
The top three, Elliot Yamin, Taylor Hicks and Katharine McPhee, took a quick jaunt home this weekend for a nice relaxing weekend before the last couple of weeks of the competition. Yeah, right! Did you see the press? Lunch with governors, grits with mayors and other officials, newspaper & TV interviews, visits to their high schools. AND they were supposed to be practicing their three songs for this week. I’ll bet these three are living on pure adrenaline.
Song choice. Here’s what I’ve seen.
By the judges:
Paula Abdul selected Bobby Caldwell’s What You Won’t Do For Love for Elliot. She could not have chosen a more ideal song for him, it’s so…Elliot.
Randy Jackson chose You Are So Beautiful by Joe Cocker for Taylor. Looks like Randy is looking for strong vocals here instead of showmanship.
There’s no confirmation on Kat’s song but rumors have Simon choosing Somewhere over the Rainbow. Of the three, this one worries me the most. Of course she can sing it but can she emote?
Clive chose:
Journey’s classic Open Arms is the song for Elliot. I Believe I Can Fly for Kat. Dancing in the Dark by Bruce Springsteen for Taylor (first time ever for “American Idol” to get permission to use a song by the Boss)
No word on what they are choosing. Anyone out there know? Katie? Karen? You two are always great sources for this stuff.
Here’s an interesting bit of Idol trivia. In all four seasons, a female has been eliminated in this round. Will that trend continue this year? We’ll all have to wait until Wednesday to find out.
After you vote by phone tonight, remember to vote on our Idol Polls at DaytonDailyNews.com.
PS – Okay, once more comment about Chris. Apparently Clive has already met with the rocker and the two will meet yet again to see about working together on a solo album for Chris. Clive has also expressed interest in Paris Bennett, so stay tuned for news from that front, as well.
TweetAras: The final ‘Survivor’
Aras Baskauskas has become the latest Survivor million-dollar winner, beating out Danielle DiLorenzo in what seemed to me to be the most civil competition in a long time. Yet his name is likely to be a footnote to Survivor Panama: Exile Island. He’ll pale next to three fellow contestants: pilot Terry Deitz, maybe the most deserving contender ever not to win, Cirie Fields, among the most beloved, ranking right up there with Rupert; and Shane Powers, certainly one of the most wacko.
Before getting to the final twosome, Danielle had to beat Cirie in the fire challenge tie-breaker. Then she won the final immunity challenge, which involved balancing on ever-shrinking circular platforms on the water. Terry lost his balance and a million bucks, then Aras agreed to jump, believing Danielle would take him to the final two.
Aras, however, did star in one of the strangest last days as he and Danielle took a last walk to the beach. He slipped on a wet rock, fell, cut himself and needed stitches in his finger, palm and back. Ouch! Didn’t his mother ever tell him not to carry a champagne bottle while walking barefoot on slippery shores? Guess not.
What are your thoughts? Did the best player win? What should have been done differently?
But this may be the most important question: Has Survivor run its course? Is the thrill gone? Did you watch Survivor Panama: Exile Island? Will you watch the show in the fall?
Tweet‘AI’ Chris Daughtry conspiracy theories abound
Conspiracy theory #1
It’s all Paula’s fault. She recently admitted to Teen People Magazine that she would like American to wake up and see Elliot’s talent and that she would really like to see him win. Yes Paula, we’ve all seen your teary support of Elliot and we all know that he “moves” you. Then on Elvis night after Chris’ performance of Suspicious Minds she unemotionally told him, “See you in the finals.â€? The theory is that Paula knew the affect this statement would have on the voters. They would think Chris was safe and vote for another contestant. Even Chris himself has given theory a nod in a recent conference call telling reporters “it didn’t work to my advantage.â€?
Conspiracy theory #2
Reality TV Magazine uncovered another more sinister possibility. Fox didn’t want an all male final three so they manipulated the vote to assure that Katharine stayed in.
Conspiracy theory #3
In an effort to reassure America that the winner is not predetermined, they got rid of Chris. If that’s not ludicrous enough, still others say that Idol creators were grooming him all along, all season, fully planning on pulling the rug out from under him near the end. All in an effort to show that the show is not a set-up. But if this were true, is this not a set-up in itself?
Conspiracy theory #4
The most prevalent rumor still remains that one of the phone lines for Chris had Katharine’s greeting on it. This caused one of two things to happen. Those votes were actually credited to Kat or people stopped voting for Chris fearing their votes would go to Kat. According to Fox and the Idol producers this did not happen. Apparently they immediately confirmed with AT & T and the independent company that oversees voting that there were no issues with the phone lines Tuesday night.
Conspiracy theory #5
Perhaps the strangest of all theories quotes New York disc jockey Maria Milito as saying that “an anonymous source” reported that Daughtry had been eliminated by the American Idol producers, not the votes. Milito said on Countdown with Keith Olbermann that Daughtry stated on his MySpace page that his band already had a current record contract, which of course is a very, very bad thing according to the rules of American Idol. Fox has responded by saying that Daughtry does not have a MySpace page.
Who knows what actually happened. I subscribe to the Occam’s Razor theory here. The principle states that “Entities should not be multiplied unnecessarily.” In other words, all things being equal, the simplest explanation is probably the correct one. I think people thought Chris was safe and either didn’t vote for him at all or spread their votes around more than usual.
Check back Tuesday for a preview of this week’s show. I often say that anything can happen on this show, but now we know ANYTHING can happen on this show and I can’t wait.
TweetChris D. voting controversy brewing on ‘American Idol’
During a week when plenty of American Idol fans are outraged about favorite Chris Daughtry being eliminated there are once again rumors and accusations that there were massive voting problems Tuesday night.
The brouhaha started yesterday afternoon. My retired father began seeing reports around 3:00 p.m. on the “all news� stations that one of the phone lines given for Chris actually had Kat’s voice saying “Thank you for voting for me.� One fan said they just thought they had misdialed and tried again only to get the same message from Kat and finally gave up. Yet other fans reported they tried all night and could never get through on either of the Chris lines. Still others say they voted for Chris on both numbers and had no problems. Rumor has it that Chris and Kat were very close in the vote and depending on the number of calls miscounted…well, it could have been a very different outcome.
One online petition has around 16,000 names and is asking Fox for a recount.
So how would that work anyway? They couldn’t possibly quantify all the people who gave up voting on Chris’ line because they thought the vote was going to Kat. How do they deal with that; have another voting show? But could they really do that? Would that be fair? The vote would be swayed dramatically in Chris’ favor because of this mix-up and that could change things for any or all of the other three contestants.
I wonder what Chris would want. He had said that he thinks it was just voter laziness that was at fault. Everyone assumed he would be okay so they either chose not to vote or voted for someone else. Would he really want a recount after one of his favorite bands Fuel offered him the lead singer’s job last night on the TV Show Extra? Daughtry himself admits there are several offers out there already but couldn’t comment on them yet. “I’m a songwriter myself,” the 26-year-old said. “To be able to launch my own career would be a dream come true.”
My opinion, anyway you slice it, Chris Daughtry comes out a winner and that suits me, and another several million fans, just fine.
What do you think? How should they handle it if there was indeed a miscount?
TweetCan it get any better?
WOW! Yesterday (5/10/06) and today have to be heaven for reality TV fanatics.
The big quake, of course, was the shocking — yes, I know it sounds like a TV promo, but this really WAS shocking — ouster of Chris Daughtry on American Idol. Kelle Fraser has done a great job of analyzing it (see next item) for Reality Bytes. This is probably the biggest Idol upset ever, and TV and radio (and Reality Bytes) is buzzing with comments.
Then there was the Hippies great recovery on The Amazing Race. BJ and Tyler went from no-shoes, no-pants to winning the Fast Forward and first place, plus evil Mo-Jo were sent packing.
That’s not all, though. Tonight Survivor will winnow the contestants down to the final three. Terry seems pretty much assured, with his hidden immunity idol, but who will join him? Aras? Danielle? Or the new game master, Cirie?
Lay it on us … tell the Miami Valley what you think about any of these shows. What’s the best rumor you’ve heard? Was Idol fixed? Who’s going to win now?(I’m going with Taylor.) What about the Hippies? Can they stave off the Frat Boys and Ray and Yolanda and win? (No.) And is Terry unstoppable? (I wish he were.) We want to know YOUR opinions. So comment now!
Tweet‘American Idol’ shocker! The favorite Chris is outta there.
Oh how splendid American Idol is. I love that it can still be unpredictable, although many people will not like this week’s surprise.
Who would have ever thought that Chris Daughtry would go in fourth place? I don’t think either Chris or Katharine expected it. Did you see their faces? I rewound it and watched again. Neither one could believe it.
I would encourage you real Chris fans to calm down for a moment, take a deep breath and realize that this really the best thing for him. Now he will be able to get down with his bad rocker self and make the kind of record he wants rather than being tortured for a year or so of a watered down “pop� version of what he does best. No doubt he will have a deal soon. In fact, I’ll bet there are several waiting in the wings to sign him as we speak.
I would have bet cash money that Kat was going tonight. It doesn’t upset me that she’s still around because I’ve always thought she has loads of talent (Nods & smiles to Sir Critic). But Chris. Wow. I’m also tickled that Taylor and Elliot were #1 and #2. The power of the fans. Wonder who gets Chris’ votes next week? Based on the passionate opinions on our site, I couldn’t even begin to guess.
Speaking of passion. Comments from the Soul Patrol and the E-Train fans, from the McPheevers and don’t forget the Daughtry gang have flooded in. I love the zeal with which Idol fans express themselves. We have those who decide by personalities and who they like the most, who is the most deserving and then those who take a more analytical approach. They derive their enjoyment from playing judge and evaluating the performances and ranking them.
There’s room for all approaches, and there’s plenty of room for strong opinions, declarations of undying love for your favorite finalist and loads of sarcasm. I want to thank everyone for keeping things civil regardless of their passions. That does not happen on every blog. Bravo.
Now for our polls. There was an extra poll this week if you noticed. Checking out the number of votes placed for Best and Worst this week, we blew away our record number of votes with 3,176. If you add the third poll, who is going to win, it takes us to 4,676 votes. We have a lot of dedicated Idol fans in Southwest Ohio!
How did we do against what really happened? Well, we sucked! Fifty-one percent of us picked Chris to win the whole thing. Only 10% of us thought he would go home tonight. Taylor and Chris were neck in neck with 32% and 31% of us calling them our favorites and 53% of us thought Katharine was going home. Including me. Wow, I still can’t believe it.
Next week. Has anyone heard what they are singing next week? Is it really five whole days before we can see what happens next? That is torture. But I’ll bet the remaining three appreciate all the time they can get to rehearse. Every pitchy note, goofy dance, and criticism from a judge makes a huge difference now more than ever. Just ask Chris.
TweetCould Elvis have turned things upside down on ‘AI’?
Okay, who else thinks Priscilla Presley looks like some kind of surreal ad for plastic surgery gone very, very wrong? Her face doesn’t even look like flesh and blood anymore. It’s like a mask…and not even an attractive one. She used to be pretty. A question. Would you rather look like an attractive older woman who is aging gracefully (i.e. Annette Bening) or a stretched tight and ugly plastic Star Trek character? (For you Trekkies, doesn’t she remind you a bit of the So’na from Insurrection?)
I’ll say this upfront. The tables may have turned tonight. In my humble opinion Taylor and Elliot outperformed the favorites Chris and Katharine and I can’t wait until the results show tomorrow. One other little aside before we talk about the show. The judges fake arguing is really starting to get on my last nerve.
Taylor Hicks
Jailhouse Rock
I think Taylor did an admirable job at resisting the urge to do an Elvis impersonation on this song and it suited him perfectly. He performed really well and he obviously had a lot of fun.
In The Ghetto
Another wonderful job with this song, but I must say that there was some quality in Taylor’s voice that was missing. It didn’t touch me like Elvis did. But come on…we are talking Elvis. Can anyone really touch us like that?
Chris Daughtry
I love you Too Much Baby
Chris chose wisely with his first Elvis song. It was a good song for him given his choices. Didn’t blow me away, but I didn’t necessarily expect him to do really well this week so I’m pleasantly surprised.
A Little Less Conversation
Again, there was nothing wrong with Chris’ performance. He sang it well, in key, which we would expect at this stage of the game, but both songs tonight lacked the “Chrisâ€? factor we’ve come to expect.
Elliot Yamin
If I Could Dream
Elliot looks more comfortable on the stage every week and tonight was no exception. If being the most improved could win this competition, he would have it hands down. Enjoyed this performance very much.
Trouble
Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about! I would hate to repeat what the judges said, but that was most definitely one of Elliot’s best performances. He came to win and I’m wondering if he may be able to bump Katharine right out of the competition this week.
Katharine McPhee
Hound Dog
Hound Dog? By a woman? I was concerned for Kat, but she was pretty good. Much better than I anticipated. However, I would normally say it’s no big deal that she forgot the lyrics, but at this stage in the game, you need to be flawless to move on.
Can’t Help Falling in Love
I love these lyrics. I’ve lived these lyrics, more than once, and I just didn’t think she communicated the emotion of it. Plus she was once again singing right on the edge of her range. I don’t know Kat, and I hate to say this, you might just want to consider pakcing your bags.
Predictions? Your guess is as good as mine. I don’t think this is cut and dry by any means. It may just boil down to favorites. Opinions are starting to polarize on all the remaining Idols. You can see it among our regular blog comments and I can see it in my office and among friends.
TweetIt’s Now or Never for ‘American Idols’ that sing Elvis
In a season where the American Idol contestants have been mentored by music royalty, how could this week be anything less than the best, creamiest, buttercream icing on the proverbial cake? Elvis week is here.
As enthralled with the scene as the fans, the four final contestants waved and took pictures of the screaming crowd as their sport utility vehicle inched through the famous gate of Graceland. Swapping stories over lunch at Graceland with Priscilla and Lisa Marie Presley had to be the next best thing to hangin’ with the King himself. Exactly where music producer Tommy Mottola fits into this equation I’m not sure, but getting in front of inarguably one of the most powerful men in the music industry had to be a thrill as well.
I’ve been searchin’ the internet for spoilers on the songs for tonight to no avail. However, I know there are many trusty bloggers that can ferret out the most super secret Idol buzz, so hopefully someone will discover it for us sometime during the day.
For weeks the feeling around the virtual water cooler has been Chris Daughtry and Katharine McPhee had the final two locked up. Some of us are in for a big surprise. The internet is buzzing with a Taylor Hicks fan uprising. It’s Now or Never and anything less than perfect performances this week could see any of the final four fall, but Elliot Yamin regrettably is probably the next to go.
TweetCould the Donald hear the words, “You’re Fired”?
The end might be near for the once strong ratings powerhouse, The Apprentice, if reports moving around web are correct.
The Mercury News published a story on Friday raising doubts about continuation of the series, citing sliding ratings. This in spite the fact The Apprentice 6 is currently being cast.
This season of The Apprentice, has been pretty lame and needs and injection of something to jump-start it. Perhaps views are suffering from Donald fatigue. I mean really, just how many times do we have to hear how successful he is? ummmm?
Tonight’s episode (May 8) will send the remaining 6 candidates back to college to host a tailgate party for Outback Steakhouse and the team that generates the most revenues will win.
I hope this episode sizzles a little more than the rest of the season.
TweetPreview songs on ‘American Idol’s’ CD: Encores
Last week Ryan Seacrest announced that the Season Five CD Encores will be released on May 23, coincidently enough, the very day the final two compete for the ultimate title of American Idol. I immediately, and I literally mean immediately, went online to pre-order it and much to my dismay, it was not there yet. I couldn’t wait to see which songs each would perform.
It won’t surprise most of you that I own the past two season’s compilation Idol CDs as well as the American Juniors CD. And yes, I still listen to all of them. I’ve been thrilled with the song choices they have made for each season and in the past it has been a preview of some of the songs the final 10 will perform on their summer tour.
So I checked Amazon this morning and it’s there! Wanna know who sings what on this one? I am tickled with most of the choices and I’m confident that I’ll burn up the CD player and iPod with this one.
Chris Daughtry - Bon Jovi’s Wanted Dead or Alive
Kellie Pickler - Patsy Cline’s Walkin’ After Midnight
Taylor Hicks - Doobie Brothers’ Takin’ It to the Streets
Paris Bennett - Gladys Knight & the Pips’ Midnight Train to Georgia
Kevin Covais - Nat King Cole’s When I Fall in Love
Katharine McPhee - Aretha Franklin’s Think
Elliott Yamin - James Moody’s Mood for Love
Mandisa - Chaka Khan and Whitney Houston, I’m Every Woman
Bucky Covington - Stevie Wonder’s Superstition
Lisa Tucker - Stevie Wonder’s Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m Yours
Melissa McGhee - Heart’s What About Love
And worth the price of admission, at least for me is…
Ace Young - George Michael’s Father Figure
The proceeds from the sales of these CD’s alone could probably feed several small countries. The first four American Idol compilations have sold a combined total of 2.4 Million copies. Counting all of the contestants who have released albums since the series debuted in 2002; the American Idol franchise has sold over 19 million albums and 4.5 million singles. I, proudly and gladly, have contributed to these figures.
Check back Tuesday morning for a preview of Elvis night. Can Elliot and Taylor out perform the favorites Chris and Katharine? Anything is possible at this point. I’m up for a good surprise, how about you?
TweetIt was predictable, ‘AI’s’ Princess P de-throned.
I have been among those who mock the variety show numbers that American Idol has done with the contestants. I liked this song. The lyrics of Together We Are One may seem cheesy, but appropriate to the situation.
The contestants were hysterical after they had seen their Ford commercial. Made me wonder if this was their first screening of it. As stupid as the ads are…I watch every one of them. Anyway, I love the little doggie on the skateboard.
Simon bragged to the other judges that 78% of Americans favored him. He wasn’t kidding. This is just one of the interesting stats released yesterday by Pursuant, Inc. of Washington, DC.
In reality, AI viewers value Simon’s opinion nine times more than Paula’s and twice as much as Randy’s. A couple other fun facts include that one in 10 of the entire United States adult population has voted for at least one contestant on the show in 2006.
35% of all respondents believe that their votes on American Idol count as much as or more so than voting in a Presidential election and 73% of voters are women.
American Idol viewers are more likely to be from the South (39 percent) versus viewers from the Northeast (21 percent), North Central (21 percent) or from the West (19 percent)
Top 3 reasons adults voted for a contestant:
Contestant has a great voice
Contestant has star quality/potentially successful
Liked a specific contestant/wanted him or her to win
View the full report at www.pursuantresearch.com
Click on the box at the upper right of the website.
Okay, the results. No big surprises here.
Taylor is safe and Chris is safe. Princess Paris is in the bottom two. Elliot and Kat are left and Elliot is in the bottom two. At least it doesn’t seem as cruel to ask them to sing before they know if they are leaving or not. These are always some of my favorite performances because they seem so much more relaxed. The pressure is off.
Princess P goes home. No surprise.
Once again, a young person with such a huge disappointment handled herself with grace and class. She has a future in show business, no doubt about that. Hopefully she’ll finish High School before she jumps into that lifestyle but I imagine her phone will be ringing.
Close to 3,000 votes on our Idol polls and again, we seem to be in sync with the rest of the country.
Our Favorite
Chris Daughtry 35%
Taylor Hicks 27%
Katharine McPhee 20%
Elliot Yamin 11%
Paris Bennett 6%
Vote Off
Paris Bennett 60%
Elliot Yamin 15%
Katharine McPhee 12%
Taylor Hicks 9%
Chris Daughtry 5%
Looks like the rumored Elvis week comes to fruition next week. The contestants are jetting off to Graceland to meet music great Tommy Motola. I think this theme favors Taylor & Elliot but clearly Kat and Chris are wildly popular so anything can happen. Any way you slice it someone with mad skills goes home.
TweetVariety and surprises from the final five on ‘American Idol’
We wanted variety and we got it! Even though the hour failed to produce ten fantastic performances, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I like the two song format because there is not so much fluff filler stuff.
Elliot Yamin
On Broadway – George Benson 1978
I think Elliot started off nervous but it didn’t him take long to settle into the rhythm of the song. It was a great song selection even though it was not his best vocals. The wardrobe enhancements the last few weeks have been wonderful. I love the jacket and tie on him. I don’t think Elliot will win it all, but I have grown to be a huge fan.
Billboard Hit Home by Michael Buble’
Oh man Elliot. I adore Michael Buble’s version so this hurts me to confess that this wasn’t a good song choice for me. I kept flashing on Buble’ so it was really tough to enjoy. Let me say this though, I think Elliot has been connecting more with the audience than ever and that’s a very good thing.
Paris Bennitt
Kiss - Prince 1988
Prince? You have got to be kidding? I’m not a huge Paris fan and I hate to admit it but she was better than I expected…as long as I didn’t think about the original Prince version. Couldn’t hold an itsy-bitsy-teeny-weenie-tiny candle to him. But she didn’t totally suck.
Billboard Hit Be Without You by Mary J. Blige
Figured out something else I don’t care for with Paris. She’s a little to over the top with her facial gestures. She’s performing, I realize that. But…argh, she did better than I expected on this song too. I’ll give props where props are due; but now for the pettiness, I can’t stand all the Thank You, Thank You, Thank You.
Chris Daughtry
Renegade 1979
This is the kind of music I really appreciate from Chris. Edgy, deep rock riff but not heavy metal. I think this was a perfect song choice for him. Just incredible.
Billboard Hit I Dare You by Shine Down
I didn’t care for this song or this performance at all. I know his voice was giving out and he had to scream most of the song, but it was a little pitchy as well. But he’s Chris and I don’t think it mattered at all.
Katharine McPhee
Against All Odds 1984
I’ve always been a huge McPhee fan, right from the beginning, and it pains me to say it but this just didn’t cut it. Far from her best. It was really pitchy and I just didn’t feel it from her. There was no communication of the emotional, aching nature of the lyrics. Not good.
Billboard Hit Black Horse & The Cherry Tree
Singing a current Billboard hit forces a comparison with something that has been burned in my eardrums for the last several weeks. I’ve belted this out in my office and in my car everyday and I love the vibe of KT Tunstel’s original version. Katharine, Katharine, I didn’t really care for the arrangement although I know you were trying to make it your own. I did; however, enjoy the reintroduction of your personality again. This close to the end all of the contestants need to show us that they can sell videos and records and I think she accomplished that tonight if nothing else.
Taylor Hicks
Play That Funky Music White Boy 1976
I loved this. I just loved it. I guess you love Taylor or you hate him and I loved him. Classic Taylor moves and I knew he would take this song to the next level when I heard he was doing it. Simon, I guess I am just a sucker for “horrible wedding performances.�
Billboard Hit Something by The Beatles
I appreciated this rendition of the Beatles classic. I would actually have to say that Taylor was kind of sexy tonight. In fact (don’t kill me Kim) but I think Taylor may have moved up the “man-o-meter” tonight.
Okay, I had this all figured out. Earlier this evening at my hair salon they were all asking me who I think would go next and who would win. I confidently predicted Paris next, then Taylor, then Elliot, with Kat and Chris in the finals with Chris winning.
I’m not too proud to admit that I may have to rethink this. The only two that had two solid performances were Taylor and Paris. My bottom two. Elliot did pretty well on both (it’s just that Buble’ comparison that bothered me), Chris had one great performance and Kat was iffy on both vocals.
Paris may have a chance to survive this week. But at whose expense?
Predictions? Opinions? Bottom two.
Tough song choices on ‘American Idol’ tonight
It’s May sweeps and American Idol is quickly approaching the finale On May 24. Tonight the remaining American Idol finalists will sing two songs, one from the year of their birth (between the late ’70s and late ’80s) and one from the current Billboard Top 10 charts. The last few weeks have been entertaining but I’m ready for a little variety again, aren’t you?
With less than a month before the finale, solid song selection is imperative. One bad choice and you can be next. They should perform tunes that are somewhat mainstream, that showcase their vocal range, and NOT just songs they love to sing. Big mistake to choose something that you’ve sung in the shower since you were a wee wat. That said, I hope to see Chris be a sexy rocker, Taylor be a wild blue’s man, Elliot to be funky soul, Kat to be a pop diva and Paris, well Paris will be whoever she is singing.
I’m looking forward to a fascinating show tonight. Looking at the Billboard Top 10 songs (this does not include the various charts, just the Top 10 of the Billboard Top 100) my guess is that Chris will be doing Red Hot Chili Peppers Dani California, although I would like to see him to something different like Dem Franchize Boyz Featuring Lil Peanut & Charlay Lean Wit It, Rock Wit It. Now that’s entertainment.
Can you see Taylor doing Sean Paul’s reggae/rap hit Temperature? Probably not because I don’t know about you but I have never heard of half of the songs on the Billboard Top 10 this week and I am a pop music fan.
One that is familiar is Daniel Powter’s Bad Day but who is going to do that one? Have you ever heard the word Jinx?
Then there is Natasha Bedingfield’s Unwritten. That one has a dark cloud as well because Ayla Brown was kicked as a result of a less than adequate attempt of that song.
I think it would be interesting to hear Elliot try James Blunt You’re Beautiful but I don’t know if he has the vocal range. Now Ace with his falsetto may have been able to pull that one off, but alas, he’s gone.
Any way you cut it, it’s going to be an interesting show tonight!
P.S. Internet security experts are warning fans of American Idol contestants to be wary of downloading screensavers featuring their favorite performers. A recent article mentioned that screensavers for Taylor Hicks and Ace Young are nothing more than spyware.
TweetBudding romance on “The Apprentice”?
Budding romance on The Apprentice? Well I have no idea if this is for real or it is just an attempt to increase declining ratings, but watching the trailers for tonight’s episode (MAY 1) we are given the impression that two of The Apprentice candidates might be hooking up.
The season has been a little lackluster or perhaps it’s just the move to Monday night or perhaps it is me, with my all too important, over scheduled schedule, so over scheduled that I can’t get to watch the show until the following Sunday night reality TV watcher. Whatever the case I’m looking for something to heat up this series… NO DONALD, please don’t go on another talk show and tell me that your series is the best ever, I’m ready for actions to speak louder than words… please?
So, the DVR is fired up and ready to go… I’ll try to watch it before next Sunday!
Show airs Monday nite at 9:00 p.m. on NBC
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