Monthly Archives: May 2008

The Blue Springs parade is on!

Wednesday9:29 p.m.

jason_c.jpgOohhhhh, but the one in Rockwall, Texas, is off.

As predicted by the mince-no-words Sir Cowell, Jason Castro’s packed bags will come in handy tonight because he’s out, a victim of his own doing. Give an accuracy award to whichever friend told Jason that he “Shot the Tambourine Man” on Tuesday night.

This means that David Archuleta, David Cook and Syesha Mercado are in the top three. It also means that all the Cook-related festivities planned in the Kansas City area will go on as planned on Friday.

What to make of the final three? I’m glad David Cook is in it. I still think it’ll be a David-David finale. And I still say that if Cook doesn’t win, “Idol” will have officially jumped the shark. I’ll try to stop short, though, of the predictable behavior of swearing “Idol” off for good when my favorite contestant is cut.

One comment before we finish. Who, I demand to know, is responsible for those dreadful, ill-fitting matador outfits the contestants were forced to pour themselves into for this week’s Ford commercial? My screen was suddenly filled ALL KINDS of sides of those four people I did not need to see. Furthermore, can we please cut the cheesy choreography of the opening results night number once the finalists are a rocker, a dreadlocker, a teenbot boy and one poor girl who has to carry the whole number herself? AWKWARD!!!!!

So what do you think? Who’s going to win it all? Who’s getting cut next week? And who’s ready for a roadtrip to KC on Friday?

By Denise | Filed under C-ya | Comments (18)

David Cook’s homecoming

Wednesday5:07 p.m.

david_cook2.jpgJUST IN CASE David Cook advances to “Idol’s” final three tonight, a big homecoming is planned for him in the Kansas City area.

According to an article in The Kansas City Star, a whole slate of appearances is planned for Cook on Friday, including a mini-concert in the new Power & Light District, a parade in Blue Springs (where he’s from), and a performance of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” at a Royal’s game.

If he’s voted off tonight, though, all plans are off.

The city of Blue Springs has set up a David Cook hot line: 816-655-0490.

By Denise | Filed under Uncategorized | Comments (0)

Final four jitters

Tuesday9:47 p.m.

Brooke White is gone, but apparently her soul-crushing, bone-shaking stage fright stayed behind and leapt, Oda Mae style, right into the body of Jason Castro.

Freed from the bonds of Andrew Lloyd Weber and Neil Diamond, Jason was free to choose practically any old song he wanted from the Rock-N-Roll Hall of Fame library. So he chose (”go figure,” and I’m quoting the singer himself) Bob Marley and Bob Dylan. And he massacred ‘em.

On the first song, “I Shot the Sheriff,” Jason overplayed it, obviously caving momentarily to the judges’ suggestion that he “bring it,” or at least bring SOMETHING different to the stage. The result was a messy, off-tune, uncomfortable mess of poor Jason Castro trying too hard.  Song two, “Mr. Tambourine Man,” would have been better if Jason  — perhaps shaken by Simon’s first-round tongue lashing — hadn’t lost an entire line of lyrics. Or four.

And so, sadly, I think Simon’s advice was accurate — pack your bags, Jason, because top four is as far as you’re going. I do love him, and I will miss him. But I don’t get the feeling he’s really all that into it anymore, anyway. Maybe this is as much exposure as he thought he needed, and now he’s off to bigger, dread-ier things.

Jason really is toast, I fear, because the evictee of choice — Syesha Mercado — actually did “bring it” on Tuesday. Her “Proud Mary” was pretty believable, and her “A Change Is Gonna Come” was pretty moving … that is, after I recovered from her comparing her “Idol” journey to the CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT. By the way, love her sleek, sleek new do — even though I’m pro-curls.

David Cook was good as usual, but I agree with Randy. Something wasn’t quite on. He wasn’t bad, with his “Hungry Like the Wolf” and markedly better “Baba O’Riley.” He’s not in danger, but he needs to — well, “bring it,” next week.

And as for David A., well, what can I say? I renew my previous objections to his safe, vanilla always-the-same performances and the judges’ subsequent salivation over said safe performances. Although I thought his “Love Me Tender” was better than most of his past songs, I still wasn’t blown away. In fact, I can’t remember much at all about his “Stand By Me.” I was thinking about something else.

So what do you think? Was Paula particularly coherent tonight? Isn’t her hair looking pretty fab these days? And does Jason have any hope at all?

By Denise | Filed under Archuleta worship, Top 12 | Comments (31)

Paula-gate

May 2, 200811:10 a.m.

paula.jpgPaula Abdul’s big mess-up this week — when she critiqued both of Jason Castro’s songs even though he’d sung just one — has become quite the big deal. Since the incident, critics and fans of “American Idol” have been wondering just how scripted, set-up and fair the show really is.

No doubt, this is one of the worst week’s of Paula Abdul’s life — maybe even worse that the week she tripped over her puppy and fractured her…whatever. But according to her bosses at “Idol,” her job is not in jeopardy.

Should it be, though? Discuss…

By Denise | Filed under Uncategorized | Comments (9)