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Tuesday, March 20, 2007
‘American Idols’ step it up tonight!
I started watching tonight thinking, “Boy I sure hope this season gets better.” I really want the anticipation and excitement of last season and so far it’s falling short but tonight I think it went in the right direction. Not perfect, but better than the last couple week. Let us know how you feel about tonight’s performances by voting in our DDN.com American Idol Poll.
I didn’t know who Peter Noone and Lulu were but they apparently they were somehow involved in the British Invasion of the 1960s. There were some just amazing songs during this period in our musical history. Great songs. Lulu worked with the girls and Peter the guys.
By the way, before I forget… each of the contestant’s full length studio recordings of tonight’s songs will be available for download tomorrow on AmericanIdol.com. Wonder how many I’ll want?
Haley Scarnato
Haley did much better with Tell Him than she has in recent weeks. If only she didn’t have to walk in those heals. Bu as far as her performance, she did great with the audience and judge interaction this week and the perfect amount of sexiness. I really enjoyed this performance. Randy said the performance had the “Yo” factor all over it. Simon called her a bit “naughty” and commented that people would be talking about much more than her singing tonight.
Chris Richardson
Chris wants to finally nail a song so he can prove himself. So his song choice tonight was Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Cryin.’ I loved the beginning with the acoustic guitar, then the strings come in…nice. I think Chris did a really great job. It showed off his voice and nice falsetto…oh yeah, and he’s cute. The judges all had favorable comments and the crowd goes wild! BUT, there’s one thing that really bugs me about his voice. Sometimes it feels like he’s sliding into tune. It’s like when he first sings a note, it’s out of pitch just slightly so he then he slides into it. Tell me if I’m nuts, but it’s distracting to me.
Stephanie Edwards
Singing You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me was a good song choice even though she was a little pitchy tonight. Stephanie has a very strong voice and this song showed a bit of her softer side and also gave her the opportunity to showcase the bigness of her voice. But I can’t help think she she has even bigger in her. She lacks passion or she doesn’t feel the song or something I can’t quite put my finger on. Not so wonderful comments from the judges…Simon misses the passion and rawness of Stephanie’s earlier performances and he says she’s lost her “soul.”
Blake Lewis
Blake made Time of the Season from 1967 sound like it could have been written and recorded yesterday. Last week I didn’t like what he did to modernize the song but this week he got it right. I really didn’t expect to love this as much as I did. I don’t always appreciate the beatboxing being thrown into almost every song but this week it really fit. And as much as it makes me feel like a dirty old woman, I think Blake was just sexy and hot tonight. The only problem was a couple of high notes that he just didn’t quite hit. Randy loved it and said it had the “massive Yo” factor. Paula and Simon both agreed that this was the strongest performance so far. I predict Blake will be the last MAN to go! It will be a final four of Melinda, LaKisha, Jordin and Blake.
LaKisha Jones
Diamonds are Forever and You’re My World were LaKisha’s choices and LuLu wanted her to sing You’re My World but LaKisha stuck with her gut and went with Diamonds. Since I’m not familiar with either song I cannot say which one would have been better but this was good. It just didn’t knock me off my feet. I thought it sounded a little like a James Bond song and my husband shouted from the other room that it was. It was wonderful as usual but not Randy and Simon’s favorite…and it wasn’t mine either. Perhaps she should have taken LuLu’s advice.
Phil Stacey
Peter thought he had never heard Tobacco Road sung as well as Phil sang it. I wish we could have heard it the way he did. In the studio a little more relaxed. I don’t know if it’s nerves or just adding the running around to the performance, but it lost something from the rehearsal room to the stage. He did have a couple moments in the performance, but it wasn’t my favorite tonight by a long shot. Simon thought it wasn’t believable and it sounded like a 3rd rate bar performance. There was a couple boo’s from the audience but not a ton. Oh no, Phil may go tomorrow.
Jordin Sparks
LuLu thought Jordin was amazing. I Who Have Nothing was the perfect song for her huge voice. Oh my, she was incredible. With a little maturity and real life under her belt she is going to be unstoppable. The truth of the matter is that Jordin would make a better American Idol (from an image point of view) than either LaKisha or Melinda. Simon said he felt gloomy and depressed after the song - he just wanted some sunshine or something - which says to me she communicated the tone of the music and lyrics very well and with the intent that it was written.
Sanjaya Malakar
You Really Got Me is a super fun song and Sanjaya is not going anywhere this week. He worked this song with a good mix of sexy and raw. Loved the earrings and his wardrobe fwas perfect and young. In fact, I’ll bet this is he reason he is still in this thing. Randy and Paula were surprised, as was I, by this performance and Simon just didn’t comment. Like I said, he wont be in the bottom three this week.
Gina Glocksen
What a great new haircut Gina has. Short and sassy! It really suits her. She sings Paint It Black by the Rolling Stones. I think this was a great song for her but I think she struggled with the lower octave a bit. Simon thought that there were moments of torture in her performance and as much as I hate to admit it, I fear I have to agree. Gina could be in trouble tomorrow too.
Chris Sligh
She’s Not There by the Zombies is a great song for Chris although I wonder if he has enough punch and grit for it. I loved the verses but he sounded as if he were forcing it through the chorus. A little shouty for me but the kid has talent and he’ll be around another week, no problem.
Melinda Doolittle
As Long As He Needs Me was way out of her comfort zone says Melinda but you would never, never know. All I can say is “shivers.” Once again, she was magnificent. She has overtaken LaKisha in my book now and she is truly in a league of her own. But can she sell pop records?
Okay, now it’s time to vote for your favorite on our DDN.com poll. Who is going tomorrow night?
TweetToo tired to work out - watch “Work Out” instead
If you thought watching Bravo TV’s “Work Out” is an easier than actually working out, you might be wrong. Tonight marks the return of “Work Out” Bravo’s hit reality TV show - back for a second season. The show features 7 trainers all working for Jackie in a Hollywood call Skysport. Jackie Warner, th owner of the gym and star of the show, is a native of Fairborn and 1986 graduate from Fairborn High School.
Clips for upcoming episodes include her return trip to Fairborn High School last summer to talk to the student body about her success.
Photo - BravoTV.com
Along with eye-candy galore, the show also includes boot Camps, boy friends, girl friends, workouts, pain and Jackie’s drama queen and the sometimes people biting girlfriend (MiMi) and more. One of the star clients this season is the Amazing Race team member Rebecca Cardon.
The premier episode airs tonight on Bravo at 10 p.m. and this season is dedicated to one of the trainers, Doug Blasdell, who passed away in January
Show web site: BravoTV
If you don’t get BravoTV in your cable package - you can still watch the first episode online by clicking here.
Tweet‘The Fat One’ rules opening of ‘Dancing’ season 4 …
Season 4 of Dancing with the Stars is off to a pretty good start. The 2-hour live show was a bit long in places and wore you down towards the end, but Heather Mills was worth the wait. Her leg didn’t fall off. We can all cheer and the village is saved. “Whoopie!”
Did anyone really think it would fall off anyway? Come on, that probably won’t happen, though it would make for some very interesting TV.
The male stars danced the cha cha and the female stars danced the foxtrot.
Onward …
IAN ZIERING The first dancer was Ian Ziering and the FINE Cheryl Burke (who was partner to winners of season 3: Emmitt Smith and season 2: Drew Lachey). Ian is a good dancer. Not only is he tall and sleek but he glides well and was very fluid and has the charisma to win over the judges and even some of America’s votes. However, he had the unfortunate task of going first so it is easy to forget how good he was. I look for Cheryl to bring out some great moves with this guy when it counts.
I gave Ian and Cheryl’s first performance a 7. I wanted to go 8, but he was good and fluid but didn’t really make the impact needed for one going first in a 2-hour live show. I wanted more.
Score: 21 (Bruno Tonioli: 7; Carrie Ann Inaba: 7; Len Goodman: 7).
PAULINA PORIZKOVA Next up was the 80’s supermodel Paulina Porizkova with partner Alec Mazo. Blah, blah, blah. They were OK. The performance was all but forgettable. They had smooth and crisp dips in the Foxtrot and their steps were on point, but they failed to fizzle past a 19 total score (Len Goodman: 6, Carrie Ann Inaba: 6, Bruno Tonioli: 7). But can you fizzle with a foxtrot? Apparently so. I gave her a 7.
Score: 19 (Len Goodman: 6; Carrie Ann Inaba: 6; Bruno Tonioli: 7)
BILLY RAY CYRUS Then we have Billy Ray “achey-breaky” Cyrus with the wonderful Karina Smirnoff. Where do I start? This guy immediately begged the question: Why is he trying to look like KEITH URBAN? (compare Billy Ray Urban to the real Keith Urban and tell me if I’m wrong! LOL!
He has a awesome partner but still came off looking like Larry The Cable Guy. Seriously, he’s gone next week if he doesn’t have a miracle. He’s the weakest link. He’s terrible. He showed way too much rock star and at the end of the dance he botched the part where he was supposed to pull of her wig. LMAO!!! I think he actually got a paw full of her real hair. Talk about wardrobe malfunction!
Bruno Tonioli gave the line of the night at the end of Urban’s I mean Cyrus’ dance: “You look like a crazy bear lost in a swamp.”
‘nuff sed.
Score: 13 (Carrie Ann Inaba: 5, Bruno Tonioli: 4, Len Goodman: 4); my score 4.
LEEZA GIBBONS Snooooooorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Is she done yet? She just lost my interest. I was looking forward to her because she’s LEEZA GIBBONS. One of the hottest tv personalities Entertainment Tonight has ever had. Plus, she was representing for the 50-something crowd. I think that got to her because she was as about as smooth on the floor as a Volkswagen Camper Van. Were her hips botoxed or something? Because there was no motion. She looked too concerned about whatever … and was very unnerved.
The judges were merciful with her: 15 (Bruno Tonioli: 5, Carrie Ann Inaba: 5, Len Goodman: 5). And so was I: 5, hopefully she brings the noise next week. Oh, and her partner was … maybe we’ll care more next week.
JOEY “Fat One” FATONE Joey was good. In hindsight, it shouldn’t be very surprising but it is. I for one totally forgot who Joey Fatone was. I had him with NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK (LMAO!!!) and NOT N’SYNC. It was said that his hip-hop dancing with N’Sync may help him … anyway, N’Sync was NOT a hip-hop dance group, for the record. More pop than anything.
But he danced the Cha-Cha something fierce. He had spark, flavor and you couldn’t take your eyes off of him or his hot partner Kym Johnson. The two had chemistry and were sleek and confident.
Score: Carrie Ann Inaba: 8, Len Goodman: 8, Bruno Tonioli: 8. I gave them an 8, too. Carrie Ann was right, the competition started with this guy. Sorry Ian.
LAILA ALI Then we have the enchanting Laila Ali. Daughter of the baddest man alive: Muhammad Ali. The original Sweet Feet. The Greatest. But can she dance? Yes she can and something nice. I think she may be the sleeper among the ladies. She not only was graceful and fluid and had great form, but she oozed sexiness and confidence. She looked OUTSTANDING just the same. She brought the pain. I gave her an easy 8. Kudos to her partner: Maksim Chmerkovskiy
Bruno Tonioli: 8; Carrie Ann Inaba: 7; Len Goodman: 8
JOHN RATZENBERGER Then we have everyone’s favorite pig from Pixar’s Toy Story, that hilarious mailman from Cheers: John Ratzenberger. He had almost as much energy as the Fat One, but not lacked in execution. Hey, he was a late entry and had only two weeks to prepare (the others had a month). Partner: Edyta Sliwinska.
Score: 17 (Carrie Ann Inaba: 6; Len Goodman: 5; Bruno Tonioli: 6). My score: 7.
SHANDI FINNESSEY Partnered with Brian Fortuna this combo really did look like Ken and Barby (another Tonioli wise crack). Finnessey is very gangly. Beautiful and long. I think she had problems with the extensions because she was either too tall or not flexible enough. If looks could win this thing, they would probably take it home.
Score: 19 (Bruno Tonioli: 7; Carrie An Inaba: 6; Len Goodman: 6). My score: 7. And what was up with her sounding like a typical American with that comment about the Russian trainers? Not very funny at all.
CLYDE DREXLER Clyde “the Glide” Drexler, known more for awesome dunks than dips is NOT a baseball player. But he will not be known for dancing if he doesn’t show that BIG is beautiful. The judges gave a sympathetic and well deserved dump on the big guy. I’m interested in seeing how he and partner Elena Grinenko sell their next performance. I gave them a 6. Score: 16 (Carrie Ann Inaba: 6; Len Goodman: 5; Bruno Tonioli: 5)
HEATHER MILLS They were selling this one big time. Putting her next to last of a 2 hour show was smart but dumb. I kinda got tired of them selling her disability like it was impossible. I doubt very seriously they would let her get on television and be so ill-prepared and equiped that her prosthetic goes flying off into the band section (hey she did bring a spare). But we bought it hook, line and sinker. Partner: Jonathan Roberts.
On that note, Mills wasn’t bad at all. She was graceful and nice to look at. Score: 18 (Len Goodman: 6; Bruno Tonioli: 6; Carrie Inaba: 6). My score: 6.
APOLO ANTON OHNO The guy who can’t make time to practice and has a skunk on his chin disguised as a “soul-patch,” did an OK job. He has an enourmous upside and could win this thing if he would only MAKE time to learn the dances. He’s an Olympian and is competing while doing this show. A first. But if you are gonna do it … you have to try. I don’t think he was trying and STILL he got lucky 7s. Partner Julianne Hough.
Score: 21 (Bruno Tonioli: 7; Carrie Ann Inaba: 7; Len Goodman: 7). My score (yessir): 7. He has that much potential.
So what do you think? Do you think the show needed to be two hours? Were the judges unfair? Did they lean too much on the lady with the artificial leg? Let us know?
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