Monthly Archives: April 2008

‘Dream On’ outta here

April 10, 20088:27 p.m.

michael.jpgLet that be a lesson to all you hot Australian men out there tempted to launch an asinine scarf trend on a national singing competition.

Seriously, though, I think it goes without saying that tonight’s elimination was totally insane. No, Michael Johns was not the most talented of the bunch. But he’s far more talented and appealing than about half the people who just outlasted him.

I never thought he’d get too far, what with his limited range and one-pony rock star act. But I at least thought he’d outlast the obvious offenders like KLC and Syesha.

Still, I didn’t think tonight was his night, and his premature ejection was odd for a lot of reasons.

Did it seem to anyone else that Ryan was PARTICULARLY pleased with Thursday’s surprise eviction? There was genuine glee in his voice as he informed poor MJ that even though they gave all the contestants a pass on last year’s “Idol Gives Back” week, he wouldn’t be afforded the same courtesy. Now get OUT, tall hot guy!

Also, how did Michael go from never being in the bottom three to being kicked out over much less talented competitors in just one week?

I know, I know. These things happen at this point in the competition. SOMEONE has to go, after all, but don’t we all know who those someones are? Until they’re gone, no more kicking off the good guys. Ya hear?

So what did you think? Why is Michael gone? Did he even care? And how awkward was it when Brooke accidentally admitted she was planning to stay past Saturday?

By Denise Neil | Filed under C-ya | Comments (31)

Idol Gave Back… again

April 9, 20088:50 p.m.

Now, someone help me remember… When “Idol” gave back last year, didn’t they include an elimination at the end, causing for some terribly uncomfortable moments??

I can’t recall exactly, but I think they did, and if I’m right, thank goodness the producers wised up. Hollywood Excess and starving children are already an awkward enough combo. I’d hate to add a weeping-cuz-she’s-in-the-bottom-three Brooke White to the mix.

At any rate, I watched the show… sort of. I actually watched it with my finger firmly pressed on the fast-forward button, stopping only when I saw a star who interested me. For the record, I stopped:

*For part of Miley Cyrus and for a few seconds of her “banter” with Billy Crystal.

*For most of Fergie (at least long enough to watch her excellent Ann Wilson impersonation AND her amazing double front-walkover trick.

*For two seconds of the finalists’ “Rent” ditty.

*For all of Teri Hatcher and her all-star backup band. Hilarious.

*For all of Jimmy Kimmel and my personal heroine, Sarah Silverman. Though, sorry, I thought she was really trying to crack a joke about malaria. Normally, you see, she would.

*For all of Brad Pitt. Duh.

Okay, that’s about it. I’m truly glad that “Idol” is giving back, but I’ll be glad when they get back to kicking people off.

See you tomorrow.

By Denise Neil | Filed under Uncategorized | Comments (14)

So cheesy I need a cracker

April 8, 200810:13 p.m.

Well, sue me, but I really don’t care for inspirational songs. In fact, the only one I can really embrace is “One Shining Moment,” and only then when it’s played over clips of the JAYHAWKS WINNING THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP! ROCK CHALK, SIMON! ROCK CHALK!

But we digress.

My aversion to songs — so adeptly described by Brooke as “feel good songs that make you feel happy” — is hard to explain. I guess I can only say that when a song sets out to make me happy, it’s already trying too hard. That makes me unhappy.

Maybe that’s why one of my favorite performances of the night was by Michael Johns, who chose Aerosmith’s “Dream On,” a song that is really only inspirational in the loosest of classic rock terms. Though he didn’t add much of an original twist to the song, at least it wasn’t sappy or syrupy. Plus, M.J. seems to have discovered a little confidence over the past few weeks, which is translating into much more convincing on-stage rockouts. (Granted you are able to ignore the sissy man-scarf trend he is apparently trying to launch.)

The only other performance I truly enjoyed was delivered by Jason Castro, a man who knows how to work a ukulele. And how many men can say that? His island version of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” was effortless and unforced, qualities that really set Jason apart from the rest. He never seems even slightly rattled, which is an appealing quality in a professional performer. And is there a voice more radio ready than Jason’s left on this show? The correct answer, students, is no.

The rest of the performances … eh. Even Brooke White, one of my favorites, disappointed with her deadly dull “You’ve Got A Friend.” Let’s see. … You’re in the bottom three for the first time. It freaks you out thoroughly. So your course of action to save your hide is … a hippy-dippy James Taylor/Carole King song? Brooke looked petrified up there, and she should be.

David Cook, another one of my favorites, was off this week. His “Innocent” was random and strange, and the background singers were drowning him out through 50 percent of the song. He gets a pass, though, in my opinion. He’s been so good and so original for so long, eventually he’s not going to be able to completely live up to his own standards.

I also wasn’t wild about David Archuleta’s “Angels,” which was OK but pretty shaky in spots. This little prodigy creeps me out more every week, and more every week, I get the sneaky feeling that the judges are instructed by that frizzy-haired guy who “hired them all” (and was, um, sitting on Simon’s lap???) to keep pushing Mr. Teen Dream through.

Still, I say the bottom three are Syesha Mercado, Kristy Lee Cook and Carly Smithson. I know it’s predictable, but the trio terrible failed to impress this week.

Syesha proved with her “I Believe” that she’s no Fantasia, and Carly proved with her “Show Must Go On” that she’s no Freddy Mercury (even when she raids his costume closet).

And don’t be fooled by the faint praise the judges gave Kristy Lee and her take on Martina McBride’s “Anyway.” Translation: “Kristy! You weren’t nearly as awkwardly awful as in past weeks. You’re ever-so-slightly less bad, which for you is actually pretty good. Bravo!” Though I wouldn’t crown her my “American Idol,” I would gladly support her being appointed Queen of Sparkly Tops.

So what did you think? Was the mini-gospel choir slightly overused? Was Paula slightly over-corseted? And who will be in the bottom three?Speaking of, I might pop in on Wednesday to make a few observations about “Idol Gives Back,” then I’ll see you back here Thursday for the results.

By Denise Neil | Filed under Top 12 | Comments (21)

The River Malubay

April 2, 20088:50 p.m.

ramiele.jpgWhat a tearful hour of television!

Between Ramiele crying for herself, me crying for the Ethiopian children, and Brooke crying for Ramiele, herself, the Ethiopian children, Dolly Parton and Jesus, there wasn’t a dry eye in the… world???

Yes, it was a bit of a sad installment of “American Idol” tonight. I was not sad to see Ramiele Malubay go. She was — and I can’t believe I’m about to type this — even more deserving of the “Idol” ax than Kristy Lee Cook (who despite limited levels of talent at least ATTEMPTS to inject a little soul into her singing). But poor Ramiele. A good singer, she nonetheless saved every iota of the emotion in her teeny tiny body for each week’s evicted singer. For that person, she would weep as though she was sending her grandma to the gallows. But when it came to showing emotion during performances, poor Ramiele was a mother board away from robot citizenship.

But make no mistake. Just because I think the right person was booted does not mean I’m happy about tonight’s results. Brooke in the bottom three? Come now. The cynic in me hopes that the producers occasionally put a marketable front-runner in the bottom three just to drum up voter support and ensure they’ll stick around. Surely that’s the case here. On a side note, although I do love Brooke as a performer, I wish the girl would SHUT IT when on stage. She talketh too much. Blah blah blah blah blah IT’S OKAY! blah blah blah blah blah.  

So what do you think? Was it Ramiele’s turn? Is Kristy the most gracious soon-to-be-loser you’ve ever seen? And will you buy our boy Phil Stacey’s album when it comes out on the 29th, granted he shaves that dreadful beard-thing between now and then? 

By Denise Neil | Filed under C-ya | Comments (31)

Whew!

April 2, 200810:25 a.m.

David CookDavid Cook was apparently hospitalized for stress-related heart palpitations last night, but I’m relieved to report that he’s doing just fine.

I hope it stays that way. I’d hate to lose one of the most watchable of the remaining contestants. Especially one who regularly dons a KC Royals cap.

By Denise Neil | Filed under Idol links | Comments (1)

Hello, Dolly

April 1, 200810:05 p.m.

Something about “American Idol” is making me a little bored. Thank the Smoky Mountains that little pint-sized powerhouse Dolly Parton was around to keep things interesting this week.

Why am I bored?

I think it’s because every week for the past three weeks, the judges have had more or less the same criticisms of each contestant. And for the past three weeks, the contestants have sung more or less the same kinds of songs.

And for the past three weeks, the miserable and CLEAR bottom three — Syesha Mercado, Ramiele Malubay and Kristy Lee Cook — have just kept hanging and hanging and hanging on, and there’s no indication that Ramiele is going anywhere. Ever.

I think my boredom could possibly go away if those three did.

But since that outcome is iffy, let’s discuss the same-old-same-oldness that Tuesday night brought, with one exception…

Carly Smithson: I’ve been waiting and waiting to see just a small glimmer of the wonderfulness Carly purportedly possesses, and I think tonight I finally did. Maybe it’s just because I love “Here You Come Again,” (one of five Dolly songs on my iPod.) Her arrangement was modern and heartfelt, and her delivery finally didn’t feel all that desperate. There’s still something slightly off-putting about her. (Though, unlike pot-calling-the-kettle-poorly-dressed Simon, I don’t think it’s her fashion sense.) She grew on me this week. That’s all I’m saying.

Brooke White and Jason Castro: My two favorites were still good this week, though both are letting their acts get a little stale. For Brooke, her soulful but safe “Jolene” was a bit too reminiscent of too many past performances. And it took just a few strums of Jason’s “Traveling Through” to hear that he had defiantly ignored the judges’ advice last week to mix it up a little. If he doesn’t try something new soon, I’m going to have to replace him with…

David Cook, who continues to impress with his originality and rock-star believability. Plus, he gets the award for Most Improved Hair. I was starting to wonder if that moppy, moppy top was hiding an atrocity more severe than just a gargantuan forehead. I’m relieved to see that all is well under there.

Michael Johns, meanwhile, managed to deliver a memorable performance for the second consecutive week, bluesin’ up “It’s All Wrong But It’s All Right” (another of my Dolly iPod selections.) His voice is finally showing some range, though I hope he didn’t injure his instrument with that tightly wrapped scarfy thing. Slap a Burt Reynolds mustache on that guy, and he could have been a character in one of Dolly’s cheesy ’80s movies.

David Archuleta: The judges seemed to love his delivery of “Smoky Mountain Memories” and commended him on his song selection. But I didn’t buy it. Pretty sure the closest he’s ever been to the Smoky Mountains was that Josh Groban Piano camp he attended last summer. I like little Davey less every week.

Those girls who need to go: I don’t have much more to add about Kristy Lee, Ramiele and Sysesha except to ask them to please leave that mega tub of glitter eye shadow in the dressing room area when they go.

So what did you think? Was Carly much improved? What does Simon have against sparrows? And will one of the outclassed three finally go on Wednesday?

By Denise Neil | Filed under Top 12 | Comments (20)