After seeing the first two nights, it's amazing to me how lenient they've been in letting people go thru to Hollywood. Perhaps because JLo and Tyler have voted first much of the time -- but some of them were just not good at all. 50+ from NJ and 30+ from New Orleans alone?? Many didn't deserve it. But it's funny how many who DID deserve it were so young!
CHICAGO (MarketWatch) -- Wednesday night's 10th season premiere of Fox Broadcasting's "American Idol," the first without former judge Simon Cowell, was seen by an average of 26.1 million viewers, more than double the audience of its nearest competition in the 8 p.m.-to-10 p.m time slot, the network said Thursday. Viewership did decline 13% from last season's debut. The telecast, featuring new judges Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler, garnered a 9.7 rating and 26 share in the coveted 18-49 demographic, according to data from Nielsen Media Research. One ratings point is equal to 1% of the estimated 116 million television households in the U.S. Share is the percentage of TV sets in use that are tuned to a specific program. Fox is owned by News Corp.
Still watching via DVR, but thought I should start the thread.
First impressions: Tyler is a bit annoying, JLo isn't too bad. But it's still early yet.
And this whole Jersey theme is killing me, after 10 years of them calling us New York, they're trying to bring in that "Jersey Shore" crap...
You mean....the Situation isn't a typical Jersyian/Yorker?
Not like there's a difference or anything, right?
EDIT - as for IDOL itself, technically Tyler is more qualified to judge singing than Simon Cowell, who's "credentials" amounted to boy bands and producing the WRESTLEMANIA album. Though to be fair, Cowell did co-found and run the Fanfare label so there's that.
Of course people didn't watch Cowell for his expertize. They watched him to be a dick, especially to the blooper reel-quality contestents. IDOL can' replace that.
And I guess this says something about J-Lo's current career that she's doing IDOL now.
Although I am not a regular viewer of AI, it seems to be quite the talk on the radio the last couple days. They had "call-in" vote on whether they liked to new judges and by quite a majority most people did like them. Many surprised by Steven Tyler saying he was "awesome" and actually thought J-Lo was good too.
On a funny note, when talking about attracting the younger generation, and in regards to Tyler, it was commented that "it's not a good sign when the Supreme Court Judges are younger than the AI judge.
I don't watch the show at all, never have never will.
But have heard several people say over the past week that it alot more than a judge was lost when Simon left the show.
Just last night Robin Leach claimed in a radio interview that Simon Cowel alone had the guts to tell people outright if they did not belong there. And let's face it part of the fun of the show was seeing him being honest (and yes, a dick) to the untalented. And if you as the viewer sitting on your couch feel that way about someone, you WANT to hear it told to them by a judge. It's what people loved to hate about Simon.
Their choice of judget shows the producers are trying to re-create the Simon/Paula dynamics. They tried w/ Ellen Degeneris, among other 'Paula' replacements...failed miserably.
Long live American Idol, makes no difference to me...from what I understand, contestants remain on the show more through audience voting anyway so they better find a way to keep the ratings going.
I'm pretty much sick of Idol... I saw the season premier (more because my mom wanted to watch it than me lol) and it was pretty good, but I just don't care enough to follow it. I'm sure J-Lo knows a lot about the music industry and how things work and all that, but as a singer I think she's just ok...It's weird that Randy is the only original judge left.
For me, Idol has lost something seriously special with the departure of Simon. Tyler and Lopez are fun and add something different to the show, but I feel a big void with Simon's absence. That brutal honesty is gone, replaced by JLO not wanting to say no to ANYBODY, and Tyler hitting on every girl that walks through the doors.
Simon's departure signaled the end of an era, but probably not the end of the show. It's just too popular. Hopefully it gets better.
For me, Idol has lost something seriously special with the departure of Simon. Tyler and Lopez are fun and add something different to the show, but I feel a big void with Simon's absence. That brutal honesty is gone, replaced by JLO not wanting to say no to ANYBODY, and Tyler hitting on every girl that walks through the doors.
Simon's departure signaled the end of an era, but probably not the end of the show. It's just too popular. Hopefully it gets better.
The only reason Simon left was so he could come back. You wait and see. He'll be back.
Apparently Simon walked away from a $150 million pay day. As entertaining as he is, I doubt FOX will offer that much again. Any anyhow, he's off making his own show, where he'll probably make even more money. He may come back as a guest, but I don't seem him coming back in any sort of permanent capacity. But who knows?
OK, thanks to Idol, I want to stand up and admit that, yes, my emotions are obviously manipulated quite easily. That singer at the end, damn! When Steven Tyler bent over to kiss his girlfriend and told her that her boyfriend sings so pretty because he always sings to her, I started to cry like an idiot.
Yes, SB I admit...I cried too. But I started crying when I saw the girl in the wheelchair.
I like Tyler on the panel. He adds a quirky perspective and he is humorous. J-Lo is a bit too reserved and Randy really hasn't changed. Strangely, I don't miss Simon. I think his time was up. The show definetly has a different personality, and I like it.
I thought being in the Ryman Auditorium was cool except they kinda ruined it with the American Idol backdrop (but I guess they had to do that). I visited the Ryman - it is now a museum - and it was an interesting visit to a piece of Americana. It is occasionally used for performances. Neil Young staged a film there - Prairie Wind, a very cool production of the folk-country style of Neil.
OK, thanks to Idol, I want to stand up and admit that, yes, my emotions are obviously manipulated quite easily. That singer at the end, damn! When Steven Tyler bent over to kiss his girlfriend and told her that her boyfriend sings so pretty because he always sings to her, I started to cry like an idiot.
I guess no one is watching the Idol this year. I love Tyler. He's a character. J-Lo is cute. Randy got better being away from the overbearing Cowell. I don't miss him. Some great talent with this group; some are quite different. I hope I'm not writing to myself.
I guess no one is watching the Idol this year. I love Tyler. He's a character. J-Lo is cute. Randy got better being away from the overbearing Cowell. I don't miss him. Some great talent with this group; some are quite different. I hope I'm not writing to myself.
i totally forgot about this...usually i dont post in here unless geoff posted
There's some seriously good singers in this group. I was in awe when I heard some of these voices. The guy to look out for is Jacob Lusk, amazing singer coming straight outta Compton.
Damn! James Durban, Jacob Lusk and Casey Adams were incredibly, jaw-droppingly amazing. Wow!!! Let's just crown them now and move on. The others? Meh. With the exception of a few truly BAD performances (Usher? Really?), the other contestants were just boring.
I missed the guys on Tuesday. Got back from a very long business trip; watched Ashton (great pipes, but a little too cocky), fell asleep. I'll be out tonight.
Mamma Mia how about Pia? Sorry to see Ashton make it. What an obnoxious bitch. The only thing bigger than her ego is her ass. She'll be gone in round one. Unless some of these people have brain farts or their voices crack, the competition should be very good.
Had 7 hrs of Idol on the DVR to catch up on, just have to watch last night's episode then I'll be caught up.
The guys were great! The girls, not so much. I swear (again) the judges heard them quit differently than I did -- the ones that I thought sucked the judges praised! Maybe because they "have to" start with 12 guys and 12 girls, and not the best Top 24 regardless of gender.
I can't stand Ashton, but the judges just love her for some reason. I feel like she was just shouting "And I Am Telling You", a song which very, very few people should attempt. I would have much preferred to see Robbie Rosen put through. At least that little guy with the big glasses didn't make it. He's just incredibly annoying.
Pia and Thia are the most talented girls, although I love Naima. Not sure if I love her as a performer, or if I love her story more, but I do like her. I hate that Randy Jackson compared her "Summertime" to Fantasia's. Yes, Fantasia did it beautifully, but Naima's was an upbeat and jazzy version. Totally different. But I usually am annoyed by what comes out of Randy Jackson's mouth.
As for the guys, I'm still loving James, Casey and Jacob. Stefano has moved up the list considerably as well after his Wild Card performance.
I really hate it with a fucking passion when they start sharing some stories about how fucked up their lives are. Sure I got sympathy for the less fortunate, but people are getting sympathy votes. This is a singing competition. How unfair is this to the people who don't have fucked up lives.
Anyway I think Jacob Lusk is the biggest talent in this competition. Pia Toscano is the best girl singer.
After XX years can Ryan come up with a better question than, "What does this mean to you?".....and then the innane answer, "this means everything to me!"
A- James "Maybe I'm Amazed" (McCartney)
B+ Scotty "The River" (Garth Brooks)
B Casey "With A Little Help" (Joe Cocker)
B Stefano "Lately" (Stevie Wonder)
B Pia "All By Myself" (Celine Dion)
B- Haley "Blue" (LeAnn Rimes)
B- Karen "I Could Fall In Love With You" (Selina)
C+ Thia "Smile" (Michael Jackson)
C Lauren "Any Man of Mine" (Shania Twain)
C- Jacob "I Believe I Can Fly" (R. Kelly)
C- Paul "Come Pick Me Up" (Ryan Adams)
D+ Naima "Umbrella" (Rihanna)
D Ashton "When You Tell Me That You Love Me" (Diana Ross)
In order of appearance:
Lauren was a bit boring, didn't blow me away. Steven: More kick-ass; J-Lo: Kick it into higher gear; Randy: Sang well, didn't shine
Casey was good, but nothing special. J: Wow, blew me away; R: Unbelievable, exciting; S: Rainbow of talent, plethora of passion
Ashton was bad, really bad karaoke. Looking like Diana Ross doesn't mean you can sound like her. Bye-bye. R: Liked it; S: Have confidence in you; J: You're awesome, pulled it back in when it got away
Paul I like, but was off/breathy. Was he drunk?? S: Little pitchy; J: Hope America gets it; R: Love who Paul is, huge fan
Pia was pretty good, some flat parts, but some big notes. J: There it is, really beautiful; R: Love it, natural gift; S: Slammed it
James is my favorite. Effortless and perfect. R: Can do anything; S: Good job; J: Can really actually sing
Haley's yodeling was pretty cool, but otherwise meh. S: Beautiful, good; J: Special voice, good job; R: Little boring, can do anything
Jacob disappointed me, I had high hopes, but pitchy. S: Pure passion, so good; J: Amazing; R: Signature sound, kinda lost it, end was unbelievable
Thia wasn't great, wasn't terrible, flat. R: Little pitchy, good; S: Like it, pitchy; J: Sing like an angel
Stefano, another fav, was pretty good, but a little flat in spots. S: Beautiful; J: Really you; R: Wow, wow, wow
Karen was okay, but boring and a bit flat. J: Little problems; R: Fighting the song, sleepy; S: Lacking energy
Scotty does what he does very well, but needs more energy. R: Love it, don't change it; S: Did Garth justice; J: Embraced audience
Naima was off. S: Little pitchy, brought flavor; J: Got fire, girl, work on control; R: Care about pitchy
I liked all the performances except for Paul,Loren and Ashton. I really like Scotty this season. I just hope they don't have Hannah Montana as a mentor this season.
Did I hear that Adam Lambert is singing tonight? I wonder if James will sing with him?
Paul and Ashton were horrible. I cannot believe that the judges wasted a Wild Card pick on her. As for Paul, I'm with you, JG. He was drunk or stoned or SOMEthing.
Casey and James are just amazing and I they haven't disappointed me yet. As for Jacob, I don't know if he was spooked by the big stage or what, but this was not nearly as good as past performances.
I liked all the performances except for Paul,Loren and Ashton. I really like Scotty this season. I just hope they don't have Hannah Montana as a mentor this season.
Did I hear that Adam Lambert is singing tonight? I wonder if James will sing with him?
"Over 30 Million votes" / "One-time Save in effect" "Casey sick at hospital" Group Song: A decent Michael Jackson medley Ford music video ("The World") Idols at "Red Riding Hood" premiere
Jacob, Karen, Stefano...
"All Safe" ... except for Karen, who's in the Bottom 3
Adam Lambert performs "Aftermath" (unplugged)
Lauren, Ashton, Haley...
Lauren is safe. Ashton and Haley both in the B3 - Everyone else is safe!
Diddy-Dirty Money perform "Coming Home"
B3: Karen, Ashton, Haley...
Karen's safe. Haley's safe.
Ashton sings Diana Ross again for her life. Terribly, again.
J-Lo: "Not this time, baby, I'm sorry"
Ashton's video tribute to the tune of David Cook's version of "Don't You Forget About Me"
It was a toss-up. They both sucked. However, I've always disliked Ashton's singing, so there you go! And her whole diva attitude, without the voice to back it up, undoubtedly turned off a lot of people.
Btw, anyone betting that she went commando under that satin gown she was wearing??
I'm with you SB, good riddance Ashton the Attitude Girl. As my wife would say, "she thinks who she is"! I hope Caleb is OK. And as the judges used to say ... PITCHY!
Why is everyone ganging up on Ashton like that. I think she could very well be a a star in the making. She's a great singer, she's got the looks and pretty much the whole package. The only thing that I'd like to see is more energy. More heart. Her last performance wasn't her best. She definitely needs to sharpen her tools, but I know she can do it. Her leaving wasn't a shocker to me, but I thought Loren and Karen were much worse than her.
The guy I'm rooting for is Jacob Lusk. What a voice. What a performer. Anyone taking bets here? It's between him, Pia and Casey.
Do you think that country singer Scotty has a chance?
He's a seriously good country singer. I see great things in his future. I would be surprised if he wins this, simply because of the country thing and American Idol is definitely more pop than country. I know you're rooting for him Mignon. That's a good thing. Keep voting for him. But I really like him. A cool kid.
Sorry Vin, your Ashton fixation is wasted. She had a nice butt, and that was it. She tried to cry when they told her she lost, but even that was lame. Mig, I never vote. The whole show is fixed. The producers pick the winner. They are trying to make money, they can't rely on the public. Yes, I'm cynical.
Sorry Vin, your Ashton fixation is wasted. She had a nice butt, and that was it. She tried to cry when they told her she lost, but even that was lame. Mig, I never vote. The whole show is fixed. The producers pick the winner. They are trying to make money, they can't rely on the public. Yes, I'm cynical.
The show is fixed? I'm not buying that. Well not, unless Don King is in involved and he isn't. Where did you get that? Do you have source on the inside or something? Kris Allen won over Adam Lambert. What kind of an idiot would fix that.
Sorry Vin, your Ashton fixation is wasted. She had a nice butt, and that was it. She tried to cry when they told her she lost, but even that was lame. Mig, I never vote. The whole show is fixed. The producers pick the winner. They are trying to make money, they can't rely on the public. Yes, I'm cynical.
The show is fixed? I'm not buying that. Well not, unless Don King is in involved and he isn't. Where did you get that? Do you have source on the inside or something? Kris Allen won over Adam Lambert. What kind of an idiot would fix that.
Just a hunch. Do you think its coincidental that all the ethnicities are represented when the judges pick the 24? Cover the ethnic backgrounds and you're sure to capture more viewers. Have we ever been told the demographics of the voters? Sometimes it looks a little suspicious. As far as Kris Allen over Adam Lambert...Adam was a little too far out there for the producers.
American Idol is very mainstream. It's pop and it's the most watched reality show in the world. Most of the people I know that watch it are just regular Joes and Janes. I think the majority of these people want the best singer to win. What would the producers gain by going against the audience? As far as them picking people based on race, so they can represent all the ethnic groups, I think that's ridiculous. What bothers me is sympathy votes. People are sometimes getting in because they have a sad story to share. And why do you say Adam was a little too out there for the producers? Do you know the producers personally? Almost all of the top music producers in the industry talked about how good Adam Lambert was. They definitely had their money on Adam Lambert. Yet, Kris Allen wins. It made absolutely no sense. I don't know why it happened, but I can't help but wonder if all the homophobes in the South got together and made a pact to vote Kris Allen.
I don't know why it happened, but I can't help but wonder if all the homophobes in the South got together and made a pact to vote Kris Allen.
I bet they schedule their annual convention around the American Idol finale so they can come to an agreement on which performer to endorse, just in case there's an openly gay contestant.
This was a fairly disappointing week overall. And wow, do I feel old! Besides the Top 2 and bottom, ranking was difficult:
Code:
A- Stefano (1989) "If You Don't Know Me By Now"
B+ Scotty (1993) "Can I Trust You With My Heart"
B Pia (1988) "Where Do Broken Hearts Go?"
B Lauren (1994) "I'm The Only One"
B- Thia (1995) "Colors of the Wind"
C James (1989) "I'll Be There For You"
C Casey (1991) "Smells Like Teen Spirit"
C Jacob (1987) "Alone"
C- Paul (1984) "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues"
C- Karen (1989) "Love Will Lead You Back"
C- Haley (1990) "I'm Your Baby Tonight"
D Naima (1984) "What's Love Got To Do With It?"
Naima was simply horrible and needs to go next. S: Loved it, beautiful; J: Consistently pitchy; R: Vocals a mess, all over
Paul's quirky voice is great for Rod Stewart, but it's getting old. J: Sounded good, struggled; R: Pitchy, made it your own; S: Distinctive voice
Thia was kinda boring, some rough notes but not bad. R: Vocals okay, boring, safe; S: Beautiful, but is that you?; J: Vibrato needs work
James, my favorite, seemed off tonight - wrong key? S: Don't be too poppy; J: Loved it; R: Couple of pitch spots, tastefully done
Haley didn't start out great, meh. Was in B3 last week. J: Amazing vocals but tense; R: Gotta find out who you are, not great; S: More blues
Stefano did a great job, made it his own. R: Best of Night, slayed it; S: Beautiful phrasing; J: You can take this thing
Pia didn't move me, but not bad, kinda boring. S: Why this is called American Idol; J: Perfect for you; R: Pia in it to win it
Scotty can freakin' sing, but needs to expand his repertoire more. J: Right there, keep it up; R: Did Travis Tritt proud; S: Really good, going places
Karen wasn't strong enough, Zzzzzz, still had to add Spanish lyrics? B3 last week. R: Started rough, welcome back; S: Love ethnic-ness; J: Play to your strengths
Casey was a little off, was expecting much better but it was off. S: So good, crazy, talented; J: Parts a bit screamy screechy; R: Not best performance, but fearless
Lauren, with the flu, was pretty good in her higher register. J: Very nice; R: Very nice, liked it; S: Shining star
Jacob was interesting, but too many misses/too high/over-the-top. R: Lost modulation, but found it, genius; S: On fire; J: Amazing to watch, we have a competition
--
Karen and Haley were in the B3 last week, but need another chance. Naima needs to go first.
– 2 hrs 8 mins ago LOS ANGELES – "American Idol" finalist Thia Megia could be gone with the wind come Thursday.
The breathy 16-year-old high school student from Mountain House, Calif., didn't dazzle the Fox talent competition's judges Wednesday with her rendition of Vanessa Williams' "Colors of the Wind" from Walt Disney's "Pocahontas."
Megia defended her choice on the evening of birth-year songs, but Steven Tyler questioned whether it defined her as an artist.
"I felt like I was at some pageant somewhere," blasted Randy Jackson.
Other wannabe divas also failed to impress. Jackson admitted he was still confused by Haley Reinhart, the 20-year-old college student from Wheeling, Ill., who pummeled Whitney Houston's "I'm Your Baby Tonight." Reinhart, a victim of a "lipstick massacre" during her performance, received her critique as "Idol" host Ryan Seacrest wiped a smudge off her chin.
"I feel like you're still a little tense in your body," Lopez told Reinhart.
The diva judge also advised bilingual 21-year-old college student Karen Rodriguez of New York to stop being nervous after taking on Taylor Dayne's "Love Will Lead You Back" in English and Spanish. She also wasn't in love with the version of Tina Turner's "What's Love Got to Do with It" from Naima Adedapo, the 26-year-old dance instructor from Milwaukee.
"You're consistently pitchy," Lopez said. "That's hurting you, and it makes me worry."
Illness didn't stop several singers from pleasing the panel. After battling ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease, in the hospital last week, Casey Abrams, the 20-year-old film camp counselor from Idyllwild, Calif., boldly tackled Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Jackson told Abrams he loved "that you're putting art first then commerce."
Lauren Alaina, the 16-year-old high school student from Rossville, Ga., battled through the flu to infuse Melissa Etheridge's "I'm The Only One" with her country twang. Paul McDonald, the quirky 26-year-old singer-songwriter from Nashville, Tenn., also overcame his raspier-than-usual tone for Elton John's "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues."
"You define a cool dude in a loose mood," Tyler told an ill McDonald.
Other performers were effectively consistent. James Durbin, the unemployed 22-year-old rocker from Santa Cruz, Calif., rocked his signature wail at the end of Bon Jovi's "I'll Be There For You," and Pia Toscano, the 22-year-old make-up artist from Howard Beach, N.Y., didn't break down with her up-tempo take on Whitney Houston's "Where Do Broken Hearts Go."
Scotty McCreery, the 17-year-old high school student from Garner, N.C., turned in another trusty country performance with Travis Tritt's "Can I Trust You With My Heart," while Jacob Lusk, the commanding 23-year-old spa concierge from Compton, Calif., pumped his gospel style into Heart's "Alone."
Jackson lauded Lusk's makeover of the classic rock song.
"This was a tough one for you because you did step out of your comfort zone," he said.
However, the most praise Wednesday was reserved for Stefano Langone, the unemployed 21-year-old crooner from Kent, Wash., who powered through "If You Don't Know Me by Now," the soulful ballad written by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff and covered by Simply Red in 1989. Jackson said Lagone "took a song with the highest degree of difficulty and slayed it."
One of the top 12 singers will face dismissal Thursday. ___ Fox is a unit of News Corp. ___ Online: http://www.americanidol.com
Top 12 performed a mash-up of "Born to be Wild" and "Born This Way" (to commemorate the years they were born)
Ford music video inexplicably entitled "Val Kilmer"
"10th anniversary" / "250 million downloads so far"
Top 12 video montage of things we didn't know about the contestants.
Jacob, Lauren, Casey... Safe.
Haley, Paul... Paul's safe, Haley isn't.
Lee DeWyze sings his single, and I swear, I had totally forgotten about him! What a bad Idol year last year was, wow. Very weak. Hopefully this year will be better.
Scotty, Pia, James... Safe.
Stefano, Naima...
Stefano safe, Naima B3 - of course...
Thia, Karen...
Thia safe, Karen B3....
The horrendous Black Eyed Peas perform "Just Can't Get Enough" and suck almost as bad as they did during the Super Bowl. Ugh.
B3: Karen, Naima, Haley....
Naima's safe?!?!?!?! WTF??!?!!? So is Haley...
Karen sings for her life, and much better than Naima ever did, but... "Not unanimous, but, we're not gonna use the save tonight"
Was that really Fergie or a Fergie impersonator, or a Fergie plastic surgery. They were pretty dull; just standing there, no hip-hoppin'.
Karen was the right pick to go. The bottom three were the right pick. I think Haley has the talent and voice, but she picks the wrong songs and then has an attitude. Too bad. Tyler is starting to look a little disinterested.
Shame to see Karen go. She was good, just not good enough. Smokin' hot, though!
I hope they do a Journey week sometime this season. I wanna see someone do "Lovin' Touchin' Squeezin'". Hopefully Pia. Even if she doesn't sing it that well, I just wanna see her gaze into the camera and talk about lovin', touchin', and squeezin'.
This week was certainly better than last week, and some I had written off had surprisingly good performances. No real duds this week....
Code:
A James "Living for the City"
A- Paul "The Tracks of My Tears"
B+ Lauren "You Keep Me Hanging On"
B+ Naima "Dancing in the Street"
B Casey "I Heard it Through the Grapevine"
B Stefano "Hello"
B Scotty "For Once in My Life"
B Jacob "You're All I Need to Get By"
C Pia "All In Love is Fair"
C Thia "Heat Wave"
C- Haley "You Really Got a Hold on Me"
In order of appearance:
Casey was great in the middle, but I didn't like beginning or ending. S: Perfect entertainer; J: Can carve a niche for yourself; R: True original, great
Thia wasn't terrible, but not good enough for Top 10, IMHO. J: Get it in you; R: Take some chances, continue; S: Great, I'm good with it
Jacob held back a little, so better; good. R: Best performance of yours on this stage; S: Beautiful; J: You made us beg for those notes
Lauren was flawless until the end. S: Beautiful; J: So much attitude, really good; R: She's ready
Stefano was good, but cruise-ship-ish/theatrical. J: Intensity should come from heart; R: Missing connection, can sing; S: Voice is so beautiful
Haley wasn't good enough, B3 again, but a little better at the end. R: Started a little rough but came back; S: Beautiful [his favorite word]; J: Effortless control, most soulful girl
Scotty went total country - did that help or hurt? Help probably. S: Beautiful, ripped it; J: Great version, not strongest vocal; R: Young lady killer
Pia is consistent, but Zzzzzzzzzz. J: You kill us, need stage presence; R: Hit the notes but ballad/ballad/ballad; S: Closest star in this AI universe
Paul was much, much better - great version! R: So unique, but cool; S: Different, love it, great; J: Complete package
Naima was a surprise, better than usual, but how to make this song kinda boring? S: Whole package, great; J: First goose bumps of the night; R: Finally all of Naima showed up
James has amazing vocals, wow! J: OMG, OMG, OMG; R: Started a little rough but then unbelievable; S: Great, incredible, nailed it
J-Lo's hubby, Marc Anthony, mentors the contestants re: performing live
Top 11 sing "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and then sing back-up to:
Stevie Wonder performs "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" and then "Happy Birthday To Ya" to Steven Tyler, who turned 63 ( )
Ford Music Video "All This Beauty"
Lauren, Pia, Scotty -- All safe
Sugarland performs "Stuck Like Glue"
Video of professional wrestling with "Crazy" James Durbin and other contestants
James, Paul are called up. Then Hulk Hogan comes out, saying they're both "safe", by Ryan isn't, and gets fake-tackled and thrown into the audience. Wrestling fan James is beside himself.
Jacob, Thia, Stefano -- Jacob is safe. Thia and Stefano in B3.
Naima, Haley, Casey -- Naima is safe. Casey isn't.
Season 3 seventh-place finalist and Grammy and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson performs "Where You At?"
B3 = Thia, Stefano, Casey. Thia safe?!?! Ugh.
B2 = Stefano, Casey -- Casey is #11, Stefano is safe.
Casey begins to sing "I Don't Need No Doctor" and is stopped short by the judges. Casey nearly has a heart attack when the judges use their one-time Save for Casey!
While 2 will need to go home next week, the Top 11 will be going on tour!
--
America didn't get this right this week. Haley or Thia should've gone home, and neither would've been saved. But good for Casey!
B2 = Stefano, Casey -- Casey is #11, Stefano is safe.
Casey begins to sing "I Don't Need No Doctor" and is stopped short by the judges. Casey nearly has a heart attack when the judges use their one-time Save for Casey!
good thing he was saved because if he wasn't i would have been done with idol.
He really lost it. I know he's been hospitalized a few times with stomach issues, and it looked as if he might actually barf on Ryan Seacrest. Bam, sorry you missed it, because it was one of the best moments in Idol's history. Here's the clip of the results and the save.
Someone compared his reaction to Susan Lucci's after finally winning the Daytime Emmy after 19 nominations!
His run to his parents was too sweet for words, especially when his mike picked up his mom saying, "I love you so much!". I didn't realize how young he is. I guess the beard ages him, but my daughter told me that when they sang a song from the year they were born, his song was from 1991!
I'm not a regular viewer of the show and just tuned in midway. I hear its Elton John songs tonight. Cool!! I saw the guy sing Rocket Man and although his voice is different and not bad, I wasn't crazy about his version. My two cents. I'm only watching cause everything else is a repeat or lousy.
This week was tough, too. I had to go by past performances and personal (subjective) enjoyment more than ever to rank them. Elton John is one of my favorites, and "Your Song" is one of my favorite songs. And "Bennie and the Jets" is one of my least favorite, but I tried to ignore that and base it on performance.
Code:
B+ James "Saturday Night's Alright"
B+ Jacob "Sorry Seems To Be the Hardest Word"
B Stefano "Tiny Dancer"
B Scotty "Country Comfort"
B Casey "Your Song"
B- Pia "Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me"
C+ Thia "Daniel"
C+ Lauren "Candle in the Wind"
C Haley "Bennie and the Jets"
C Paul "Rocket Man"
C- Naima "I'm Still Standing"
In order of appearance...
Scotty, of course, picked Elton's one country tune. Same ol' from him, and I wanna hear something different for once. S: You did it again for me; J: Have amazing instinct, good; R: Sounds like it could be on your record
Naima's reggae version was interesting, but WTF was with the fake accent, and how's raggae have anything to do with Africa?? J: Love you, but not sure about this song; R: Kinda corny; S: Picked a song that fit you
Paul was breathy and never really kicked in. I want to like him, but he makes it difficult. R: Little pitchy, go all the way; S: I like the (imperfect) character; J: Push, push, push
Pia was typical, old-school Idol. A little pitchy, and a bit Zzzzz. S: Nailed it, complete full sentence; J: Felt you, crazy; R: Ballad every time, slayed every time, we know, mid-tempo next time
Stefano I liked, Stevie-Wonderish, still a little theatrical. J: Amazing, really good; R: Started connecting, very nice; S: Sweet thing with voice
Lauren was okay, kinda country but Zzzzz with some odd phrasings. R: One of your best, very hot; S: Just perfect; J: Amazing, that was it baby
James -- I just LOVE this guy! A ridiculous showman - and Fire!! S: Beautiful; J: Forget it's a competition; R: You enjoy yourself, great great great performance
Thia wasn't terrible, but I didn't feel it. J: Beautiful; R: Interesting, safe; S: Sang great song well
Casey was good, but I wish it was great. Was it enough after last week's save? R: Absolutely brilliant, well done; S: Sing different every time, true artist; J: Didn't lose sleep after saving you
Jacob I really felt. Not quite as over-the-top, but borderline. Blew me away. S: Blew me away, slayed me; J: Congratulations; R: First half brilliant, pick *1* shining spot in a song
Haley doing "Bennie" I thought had to be a joke, but it wasn't terrible. J: That was it Haley! All came together; R: Best performance of the night! [sic.]; S: You sing sexy
I wish it had been Paul instead of Thia. I've never seen in him what the judges do, and just don't get it. Thia, although boring at times, is far more talented. In addition to the fact that he often seems like he's ingested some illegal substance about 20 minutes prior to performing, Paul gives off a very creeperish vibe. I expect that we'll find out he's got a skeleton in his closet, and I mean that quite literally.
I wish it had been Paul instead of Thia. I've never seen in him what the judges do, and just don't get it. Thia, although boring at times, is far more talented.
I agree 100%. Paul has a nice tone to his voice, but there's nothing special about him. And he is a little creepy, as you say
I continue to be blown away by James every week. He is the front runner in this competition, for sure.
I'm a big fan of Casey's, as well, although my girlfriend can't stand him. She refers to him as "that curly headed fuck" (thank you Will Ferrell and the film STEPBROTHERS )
Paul was actually pretty good as a backup singer in "Band on the Run" -- I don't hate the guy, but his voice just doesn't fit a lot of songs. Wonder if he'll do Rod Stewart again for R&R HOF Week next week.
Wonder what Scotty will do... Johnny Cash? Hank Williams?
Paul was actually pretty good as a backup singer in "Band on the Run" -- I don't hate the guy, but his voice just doesn't fit a lot of songs. Wonder if he'll do Rod Stewart again for R&R HOF Week next week.
Wonder what Scotty will do... Johnny Cash? Hank Williams?
i can see johnny cash in the rock and roll hof, but hank williams?
Wow, this week was tough - everyone did well, and most were surprisingly very good!
Code:
B+ James "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"
B+ Stefano "When a Man Loves a Woman"
B+ Lauren "Natural Woman"
B Casey "Have You Ever Seen The Rain?"
B Scotty "That's All Right, Mama"
B Jacob "Man In The Mirror"
C Paul "Folsom Prison Blues"
C- Haley "Piece of My Heart"
C- Pia "River Deep, Mountain High"
In order of appearance...
Jacob was pretty good, love the song, but less "groovy" than MJ. S: Beautiful, well done; J: Perfect in every way; R: Moments all over that
Haley started okay, but lost it at the modulation. J: You're a contender; R: Welcome back; S: Nothin's wrong with that, nailed it
Casey's version I liked better than CCR's original, some weird affectations, tho, but great upright bass. R: Definitely did it justice; S: True musician, full package; J: Right where you belong
Lauren is the best girl -- some great spots in there. S: Natural born woman, great; J: Yes, she's amazing; R: Good job on difficult song
James, well -- beautiful voice, perfect pitch, doesn't need to scream. Toned down was a good move for R&R week. J: Loved it, great choice; R: Very nice; S: Proud moment for you
Scotty can sing (said it before), nice to hear something less country. R: In it to win it, amazing; S: All hat and no cattle (what??); J: Love it
Pia didn't fool me - maybe should stick with power ballads. Sounded Glee-ish but worse, a little pitchy. S: Killed it, great; J: Can sing up-tempo, spectacular; R: Work on movement, but in it to win it
Stefano was nice and pleasant as always. J: Knew you had it in you, beautiful; R: Liked it; S: Nailed it, passion
Paul's performance was weird, an odd choice for the voice. B3. R: Three words: I Loved It; S: Perfect imperfect boy; J: Loved it, good job
--
GREAT night overall!
My Top 3 prediction is Lauren, James, Casey -- the others just don't have enough.
Tho I sometimes like Paul, he won't win, so needs to go -- along with Haley and (sorry) Pia...
Wow, this week was tough - everyone did well, and most were surprisingly very good!
Code:
B+ James "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"
B+ Stefano "When a Man Loves a Woman"
B+ Lauren "Natural Woman"
B Casey "Have You Ever Seen The Rain?"
B Scotty "That's All Right, Mama"
B Jacob "Man In The Mirror"
C Paul "Folsom Prison Blues"
C- Haley "Piece of My Heart"
C- Pia "River Deep, Mountain High"
In order of appearance...
Jacob was pretty good, love the song, but less "groovy" than MJ. S: Beautiful, well done; J: Perfect in every way; R: Moments all over that
Haley started okay, but lost it at the modulation. J: You're a contender; R: Welcome back; S: Nothin's wrong with that, nailed it
Casey's version I liked better than CCR's original, some weird affectations, tho, but great upright bass. R: Definitely did it justice; S: True musician, full package; J: Right where you belong
Lauren is the best girl -- some great spots in there. S: Natural born woman, great; J: Yes, she's amazing; R: Good job on difficult song
James, well -- beautiful voice, perfect pitch, doesn't need to scream. Toned down was a good move for R&R week. J: Loved it, great choice; R: Very nice; S: Proud moment for you
Scotty can sing (said it before), nice to hear something less country. R: In it to win it, amazing; S: All hat and no cattle (what??); J: Love it
Pia didn't fool me - maybe should stick with power ballads. Sounded Glee-ish but worse, a little pitchy. S: Killed it, great; J: Can sing up-tempo, spectacular; R: Work on movement, but in it to win it
Stefano was nice and pleasant as always. J: Knew you had it in you, beautiful; R: Liked it; S: Nailed it, passion
Paul's performance was weird, an odd choice for the voice. B3. R: Three words: I Loved It; S: Perfect imperfect boy; J: Loved it, good job
--
GREAT night overall!
My Top 3 prediction is Lauren, James, Casey -- the others just don't have enough.
Tho I sometimes like Paul, he won't win, so needs to go -- along with Haley and (sorry) Pia...
idk why but i thought that scotty would do a cash song and paul do a rod stewart song
This was one of the best nights of AI that I can remember. I thought all of the performances were good, except Paul, who just grates on my nerves.
Pia is technically very good, but she did NOT have the attitude to pull off a Tina Turner song. The same with Stefano. That song is supposed to be about a guy who is willing to have his woman rip his heart out and dance the fandango on it as the blood spurts out of his chest. Stefano, while he sang nicely, didn't bring the proper angst.
That song is supposed to be about a guy who is willing to have his woman rip his heart out and dance the fandango on it as the blood spurts out of his chest.
That happened to me once but I don't think I was willing.. No, no definitely not.
Casey, Stefano, Lauren... Lauren's safe, and so is Casey; Stefano in B3
Sixth-place finalist of Season 4 Constantine Maroulis, star of now-touring Broadway's Rock of Agaes, butchers one of my favorite songs... "Unchained Melody" (F)
Gwen Stefani gives the remaining girls fashion advice
Paul, Scotty, Pia Scotty's safe, so is Paul; Pia in B3
TMZ does "Media Training"
James, Haley, Jacob... James is safe, but so is Haley?! Jacob B3
Unforgivably shirtless at 64, Iggy Pop performs "Wild One" (C+)
B3 = Stefano, Pia, Jacob
Jacob's safe Pia isn't! (GOOD!) Stefano is safe
J-Lo is "shocked" and "angry"; Randy is "mad", "one of the best in this" is going; Stephen says "America's wrong" -- they can all STFU as far as I'm concerned. They really gotta make Stefano feel like a piece of crap??!
Pia butchers "I'll Stand By You" one last time... Good riddance!!
I thought Pia had a great deal of talent, and while I don't know if she should have won, she sure as heck shouldn't have been voted out at this point.
Amen to that. Maybe David Foster will latch on to her like he did with Catherine McPhee and Michael Johns.
Pia should not have tackled a Tina Turner song; too raw for her, but she may have fallen victim to the voter malaise - I won't vote for her, she'll get plenty of other votes.
My unbiased and unabashed evaluation: Stefano - a little too animated and forced; for his voice he doesn't carry the sex appeal. Looks like he's on the toilet working one out. Caleb - krazy kat, talented, but not mainstream enough. Looks like he could be cast in B-horror movie. Jacob - The voice is beginning to sound like fingernails on a chalk board. A little too femme. Character on PeeWee's Playhouse Paul - White Noise,go away. Scotty - Head 'em up, move 'em out and as Elvis would say, "Thank you, Thank you very much"., BUT, that boyish C&W charm could carry him to Underwood Land. Lauren - Sparkly blue eyes, pure voice, a little chubby, but now that Pia is gone....? Haley - She actually sings quite well, but she seems too caught up in trying to sing well and admiring how well she sings. How Great Thou Art. Her eyes are too close together and you know what that means.
It's Top 8, it has to be special, right?? Guess not. This whole "different genres" thing makes it difficult. And I love all kinds of music. But this is American Idol, and after a decade, I'm still gonna rank as such. So you might disagree....
Code:
B+ Stefano "End of the Road"
B James "Heavy Metal"
B- Jacob "Bridge Over Troubled Water"
B- Scotty "I Cross My Heart"
C+ Paul "Old Time Rock 'n Roll"
C- Haley "Call Me"
C- Lauren "The Climb"
C- Casey "Natural Boy"
No easy feat. Practically everyone did a different genre, and I like or at least appreciate them all -- but this is American Idol, so that's how I judge.
In order of appearance...
Paul had a low degree of difficulty; Rod Stewart singing karaoke? S: Liked it, crazy wild abandon; J: Every week a little more polished; R: Doing it hard up, definitely an artist there
Lauren I was disappointed by, my favorite girl so far, but weak, flat, and basically almost horrible. J: Love the tear in your voice, beautiful; R: Amazing job; S: Move me beyond tears
[Um, am I hearing the same thing they where??]
Poor Stefano, after being humiliated last week! I like him, and he was good. Just maybe not quite powerful enough. R: Slayed the song, your best vox to date; S: Just the beginning for you; J: That was the [shit]
Scotty's back to country -- we know and get it. But not his best. S: Did it again; J: Wow, really good; R: If it ain't broke...a star is born, hot
Casey didn't do "In The Air Tonight", and at first I didn't get it. I thought it might be a joke, with the annoying affectations. It was loungy, and just not "AI", but he got a standing-O! J: Nervous at beginning, but bring special thing; R: There's a place for this, brilliant; S: True sense of 'artist', so good
Haley, it's the Top 8 in American Idol, not a karaoke competition. Not terrible, but sometimes flat. R: Didn't love the beginning, not a singer's song; S: Chorus beautiful; J: Not the best, song choice
Jacob was same ol'. One of my favorite songs. A bit Zzzz like the others, but good ending, tho! (He almost did "Impossible Dream" FFS) S: Angelic, God bless you; J: Pulled chills out of me; R: Perfect, great job
James, with freakin' Zakk Wylde -- enough said. Perhaps a bit too much, tho no fire this time, but maybe brilliant (Metal). Getting votes, tho? J: Felt really really really crazy here tonite - country, pop, jazz, metal: American's choice; R: Unbelievable, you did you, Durbin Rocks!; S: Outstanding, excellent as usual
--
So as I said, WAY different styles tonight, so it's hard. My rankings, tho, have to be based on my enjoyment + my decade-long perception of American Idol. Many risks taken tonight, but my B3 is still Haley, Lauren (shock), and OMG Casey (not gonna win anyway)
Paul's performance last night was quite possibly the worst performance I've seen on American Idol since the show's inception. He came across as "that drunk guy at the bar doing bad karaoke." I changed the channel as soon as the judges began fawning over him. Apparently they were drinking the same thing he was last night.
Thankfully, I changed it back, and it seemed to get better from there.
Best of the night: Stefano and James, hands down. Stefano is definitely (as Randy would say) in it to win it, and James picked the perfect song to just go bat shit crazy on. Zakk Wylde playing guitar on James's performance just gave that kid a ton of credibility.
Hated Paul's performance. I'm definitely NOT a fan. He gives me the creeps.
I agree that Stefano and James were the best of the night. However, unlike Don G, I loved Lauren and Casey. I've seen Miley Cyrus sing that live on Idol and my ears were seriously bleeding when she was done. Lauren sang it beautifully, IMO. And Casey's performance was the first, and hopefully not last, cool jazz performance I've ever seen on Idol.
I would rank the performances as follows:
James Stefano Jacob Casey Lauren Scotty Haley Paul
Thank God he's gone. Btw, did anyone hear what Casey said to Haley when he gave her a hug?? We rewinded it to make sure, but when it was announced that she was B3, he gave her a hug, reassured her that she would be joining him on the couch soon, and then said, 'I love you."
Thank God he's gone. Btw, did anyone hear what Casey said to Haley when he gave her a hug?? We rewinded it to make sure, but when it was announced that she was B3, he gave her a hug, reassured her that she would be joining him on the couch soon, and then said, 'I love you."
it was rumored that their might be a romance between the two on vftw.com (which is a toss up in believing in the first place)
o yea has anybody checked out tmz lately? a couple days ago they showed jacob's mug shot a day after his audition
First off, the Bottom 6 (of 13) performed Pink's "So What", and I'm still wondering why. There's a reason why they've been voted off -- do we really need to be subjected to that again?? Awful.
Anyway, it's getting really difficult now. I really think this is the best batch overall than any other season. I have my favs, and I have my least-favs, but they all do so well, it's almost impossible to rank them without questioning myself. So again, I have to go by my initial impression and how they overall entertain ME, and, a little bit of how far I think they might go. So without further ado, my probably-controversial but actually very close rankings (IMHO):
Code:
A James "Uprising" (Muse)
B Haley "Rolling in the Deep" (Adele)
B Scotty "Swinging" (LeAnn Rimes)
B Stefano "Closer" (Neyo)
B- Lauren "Born to Fly" (Sara Evans)
B- Casey "Harder to Breath" (M5)
B- Jacob "Dance w/My Father" (Luther V)
In order of appearance...
SCOTTY was good as usual, a tiny bit Zzzz, but sounded very pro. S: Liked it, good; J: Pull out the big guns; R: So safe, kinda boring
JAMES, just wow. J: Really amazing, wow; R: Unbelievable, probably best of the night; S: Crazy good
HALEY wasn't bad, a bit pitchy in spots, but this surprised me. R: Good choice, well done; S: Middle was beautiful; J: Moments of Haley
JACOB was status quo, okay, but a bit turned down. Too Gospelly? S: So good; J: Emotionally beautiful; R: Didn't jump up and down, don't hold back
CASEY was okay, a bit 'thin', started well, but Top 7 material? J: Loved it, great; R: Enjoyed it, keep taking chances; S: So fucking good (bleeped)
STEFANO was a little flat in the begging, but still a fav. R: Very good job, took your time; S: Really good; J: Very good, swag going on
LAUREN started a little rough, but she's good -- probably Top 3 -- but didn't blow me away. S: So good naturally; J: Special voice, take a chance; R: You must believe you can do it
--
Again, this was VERY tough. Everyone did well enough! But again, I have to rank by my enjoyment and initial reactions...
B+ James "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow"
B Scotty "You've Got A Friend"
B Casey "Hidey-Ho"
C+ Lauren "Where You Lead"
C Haley "Beautiful"
C Jacob "Oh No, Not My Baby"
JACOB was not as good as usual, pitchy, time to go. S: 'Bout time you shook your tail feathers; J: Killed it; R: Brought yourself back, Scatting incredible
LAUREN wasn't terrible, a little Zzzzz, but not a Top 6 performance. J: Proud of you, you pushed; R: A little safe/boring, but came with a vengeance; S: Saw you shine tonight
DUET: Haley & Casey (A couple): "I Feel The Earth Move" ... Haley actually a little better?!! Not great harmonies... (B-) S: Really good, great...
SCOTTY has perfect pitch, but maybe a bit too low? R: Beginning was flawless, excellent, don't fall off high notes, in it to win it!; S: 'Just Right' song; J: Getting better at reaching notes, told story beautifully
JAMES has (still) a ridiculous voice, but the right song? Awesome, but was the music full enough? S: So beautiful, rock part grew on me; J: Magical, star of the night; R: Proved you're a great singer, incredible, Best Of -- months! [Then Randy jumps on stage for a hug]
DUET: Lauren & Scotty: "Up On The Roof" (One of my favorite songs) (B) J: OMG, beautiful
CASEY does "Hidey-Ho" , quite well, but his shtick might be getting a tiny bit old. R: Song written for you, Casey Show & Revue; S: Definitely found your niche; J: Really worked, but loosen up legs a little bit
HALEY wasn't that great, a bit flat, and a bit cruise ship-ish S: Just saw/heard God, nailed it; J: Beautiful, amazing; R: Didn't love beginning but loved the end
DUET: James & Jacob "I'm Into Something Good" (B) S: Both having fun
LOVE Carole King. Her "Tapestry" album is one of my all-time favorites. I agree with your assessments, although I'm a bit more sick of Scotty than Jacob. At least Jacob has tried some different things, while Scotty has been same old, same old...
I kinda liked Casey, but only sometimes. I think he's a great talent, and a tremendous bass player, but he has too many affectations, and they became a bit annoying after a while. Scotty in B2 is BS, but I understand that half of them had to be in the B3 this week. Next week, more than half will be. But either Jacob or especially Haley needs to go next, and they should've before Casey.
James is looking like a front runner as Randy said. The guy has a very pure tone to his voice and now he proved he can sing a ballad. I think the producers will find him very marketable.
Each contestant performed two songs, one recent and one classic. They all did fairly well, and one IMHO did the best and worst the same night:
Code:
B+ Haley "House of the Rising Sun"
B+ James "Without You"
B Scotty "Gone"
B James "Closer To The Edge"
B Lauren "Unchained Melody"
B Scotty "Always On My Mind"
B- Jacob "Love Hurts"
C+ Lauren "Flat On The Floor"
C Jacob "No Air"
C- Haley "You And I"
JAMES has been my favorite all along. He wasn't perfect tonight, but he's already a star. "Closer To The Edge" not perfect: S: Kicked that song's ass; J: It's yours to take; R: In it to win it. "Without You" was moving: R: Emotionally perfect, yours to lose; S: As beautiful as it gets; J: A true, true artist.
JACOB wasn't terrible, but averaged out last. "No Air" was a little pitchy: J: Pick songs you want as direction; R: Corny, sharp, not right song; S: Waiting for niche, great job. "Love Hurts" was probably his personal best, but emotionless. S: Kinda got lost, but beautiful thing; J: Brought it home at the end; R: Redeemed yourself.
SCOTTY I like as well, but he wasn't 100% tonight. "Gone" he rocked, and was a showman for once: S: Danced with the devil tonight; J: Owned the stage; R: "Concert Scotty", in it to win it. "Always On My Mind" was sweet, but a bit Zzzz. J: Can do anything; R: If it ain't broke, love it; S: Beautiful, beautiful.
HALEY was the best, and worst, of the night. "You And I" wasn't good enough: J: Some good moments, not sure about song (an unreleased Lady Gaga tune); R: Great singer, but risky; S: One perfect song away. "House of the Rising Sun" was surprisingly really good: R: Best performance of the night; S: Sold everybody tonight; J: Great job.
--
So IMHO...
1) James (B+/B, #2/#4) 2) Scotty (B/B, #6/#6) 3) Haley (B+/C-, #1/#10) 4) Lauren (B/C+, #5/#8) 5) Jacob (B-/C, #7/#9)
20 votes for James, 20 for Scotty, and 5 for Haley
These last 5 or 6 have been pretty darn good. The talent goes deep this year. Unless he screws up, I think James could take it. Lauren has a nice pure voice, cute face, humble, innocent, but she just seems a bit unsure of letting loose. Haley "thinks who she is", as Mrs. MC would say. Great voice, but...something is missing. Scotty might be just a little to laid-back country.
Talent-wise, I do think this is the best season ever. Nobody is bad (now that Paul is gone), and I think it will come down to whoever projects to the audience.
Top 5 sing "Happy Together" with sucky harmonies (D)
Ford Music Video "Be Yourself" (neat)
Idols on HELL'S KITCHEN making omelets! Haley's was "pitchy", and pitched into the trash; Jacob made a "plate of vomit", James' was "hard as a Rock"; Lauren's was "quite nice, well done"; Scotty was asked "what is that?" and Gordon spit it out. Lauren won, Jacob second. More to come....
Lady Antebellum performed "Just A Kiss"
Video of contestants re: Song Choice & Wardrobe
James... stage right Lauren... stage left
Back to HELL'S KITCHEN for blind taste challenge with Lauren and Jacob. Jacob got beef correct, Lauren didn't. Lauren got tofu, Jacob didn't, spitting it out. Lauren got the hot dog, Jacob didn't (calling it sausage). Lauren wins.
J-Lo performs (lip-synchs) "On The Floor", then we see a teaser of her new video, "I'm Into You"
Jacob... stage left Haley... stage right
Scotty is safe. Ryan asked him which other two he thought was safe, but Scotty wouldn't budge. Ryan drags him to Stage Right.
James, Haley, Scotty are safe. Jacob & Lauren in Bottom 2.
Leaving is... Jacob, who sings "A House Is Not a Home" (much worse than Glee's Kurt), ...and didn't cry.
"A House Is Not a Home" is one of my favorite songs, and it was Luther's signature. Figures Jacob had it as his farewell song.
I think Lauren cried enough for both of them! When James and Lauren were separated and had to stand there, it was a tossup (no pun intended) as to which one of them might actually vomit on-stage.
Top 4 - Inspiring Songs & Leiber/Stoller Songs (with advice from Lady Gaga)
I was with two friends, and they disagreed with my rankings of the women. So, IMHO:
Code:
B James "Love Potion No. 9"
B James "Don't Stop Believing"
B Haley "I Who Have Nothing"
B Scotty "Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning"
B- Scotty "Young Blood"
C Lauren "Be That Way" [?]
C Haley "The Earth Song"
C- Lauren "Trouble"
JAMES
"Don't Stop Believing" was good, but kinda safe (for him)? S: Did it right; J: Really great job; R: Highest degree of difficulty, and you did it.
[So I thought it was safe for James, and Randy thought it wasn't. Also, I'm curious why James went first and last, rather than stay in order?]
"Love Potion No. 9" reminded me of an 80's hair band (not a bad thing); he's a total, ready performer. J: You can sing anything, really great; R: Having a moment every single week; S: Beautiful thing.
HALEY
"The Earth Song" wasn't bad, but too much screaming. J: Felt your feeling, but think about song choice; R: Confused me as to who your are, screaming, not your vibe; S: They're both wrong, nailed it.
"I Who Have Nothing" sounded gritty w/o screaming, but premature orgasm. J: Look what you're capable or, amazing, one of the best of the year; R: You just had a moment, one of your best ever; S: Beautiful.
[Guess the judges really want a girl in the finale]
SCOTTY
"Where Were You..." was good, but I question song choice. R: Perfect song choice, you're ready for super-stardom; S: Beautiful, keep that up; J: I'm in love with you, you know who you are, meant to do this.
[So I thought it was the wrong song choice -- especially after Haley got reamed -- but the judges disagreed again]
"Young Blood" was pretty fun/funny, but enough? Kinda karaoke. R: Saw both sides of a Scotty concert, I think he's ready; S: Loved the humor; J: Really hit stride, but do something different next week.
LAUREN
"Be That Way" I didn't like, thought she missed some notes. S: Did it again, vocals so pure/perfect; J: Very good, exactly what we're talking about; R: Lauren's back in it to win it, hot.
[Again, I disagreed w/ the judges. I'm hearing things differently, apparently]
"Trouble" wasn't strong enough, worst of the night, goodbye. S: Well done; J: Vocally really really great; R: Saw fun side, out of your element, nice one.
I liked Lauren from the beginning, but she's been falling off the past few weeks for me. And I didn't like Haley at all most of the time, but the past couple weeks she's been ahead of Lauren. Regardless, one of then should go this week.
Looking forward, I like Scotty, but don't think he can beat James. I'm hoping James wins this, but, both will do fine....
I smell a rat. On Wednesday, Ryan said something about this being the night that Rocker Chris Daughtry was sent home! Coincidence? I think not! Grassy Knoll! Conspiracy Theory!
I think my Conspiracy Theory still holds water. The votes don't count. The producers pick the winners. Consider this. Who is the biggest star to come out of AI? - Carrie Underwood. Musical genre - C&W (or Country PoP). The past three winners have been commercial duds - Cook, Allen and Deweyze. The pop genre is saturated and frankly losing its mass appeal. Country PoP is taking over. Pia, great voice - Pop. Stefano - Pop. James - eh, talented, but maybe a little out there and a gamble on making money. Where's Lambert these days?
Way back in my high school days I took a Journalism class. The teacher asked us what is the main goal of a newspaper. Of course being brilliant 10th graders we were saying "to tell the truth", "report the facts", etc. Nope. #1 goal - MAKE MONEY. Same is true with AI. They almost lost the show as the past three duds proved America wrong. Winning formula - Country PoP; Lauren, Scotty, Haley (semi-pop). .... and the winner is ?? American Idol $$$$$$$$$$.
Three songs each tonight: 1) Contestants' choice (w/ Beyoncé), 2) Producer Jimmy Iovine's choice, 3) Judges' choice.
Code:
B+ Scotty "Amazed"
B+ Haley "What Is And What Should Never Be"
B Lauren "Wild One"
B Scotty "Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not"
B Lauren "I Hope You Dance"
B- Lauren "If I Die Young"
B- Scotty "She Believes In Me"
C Haley "Rhiannon"
D Haley "You Outta Know"
SCOTTY had a pretty decent night.
"Amazed" I mostly loved, good to see some range from him. Like the song even after all those weddings I taped. S: Better and better; J: Grown so much; R: Few pitchy spots, but money.
"Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not" was good, but I didn't get into it, a bit Zzzzz. S: Real character showing through; J: So good, in the zone; R: Approaching that Garth level.
"She Believes In Me" is a good Kenny Rodgers song, but I think the song's bigger than Scotty. S: Put it over the top; J: Good job, baby; R: Very nicely done.
LAUREN was middle of the road tonight.
"Wild One" was almost there, but a little weak for Top 3. J: Very good; R: Have fun, nice; S: So ready for this.
"If I Die Young" sounded good, she looks the part, but again not 100% there. J: Most beautiful tone of finalists; R: Missed modulation but back up; S: Did it again.
"I Hope You Dance" was okay. J: Gave me gooseys head to toe; R: Sang it great; S: Good going.
HALEY, as usual, does great AND sucky each night.
"What Is And What Should Never Be", with her dad on guitar, was good. Thought it'd be worse, not sure of song choice. R: What it's all about, one of your best ever; S: Superb; J: [Must've missed her comment]
"Rhiannon" had some weak spots, no moments. Did she forget some words? R: Good job, somber, in the zone; S: Beautiful; J: Thought you'd take it further at the end.
"You Outta Know" was okay high, but lower register was horrible. R: Some rough parts; S: So nailed choruses; J: Strong parts were choruses [but no comment on verses??]
---
According to the judges:
ROUND 1 went to Haley: R: Hands down; S: Got her freak on; J: Moment was created. ROUND 2 went to Scotty: S: Lauren; J: Scotty, Scotty, Scotty; R: Scotty, Scotty, Scotty. ROUND 3 (of course, gotta keep it equal) went to Lauren: S: Haley; J: Lauren; R: Lauren.
Apparently Steven likes his girls.
We were also "treated" with a teaser of Beyoncé's new video for "Run The World" that apparently (as I fast-forwarded) was created in post production, even beyond Auto-Tune.
James should've been here instead of Haley. Obviously. But it was nice to see James on Fallon last night, making a guest appearance with Randy, performing "Any Way You Want It" by Journey. I'm glad he had a big, well-deserved, homecoming from the few seconds they showed of it.
By DERRIK J. LANG, AP Entertainment Writer – 2 hrs 45 mins ago
LOS ANGELES – The lights aren't out for Scotty McCreery on "American Idol."
The deep-voiced 17-year-old country crooner of Garner, N.C., who first became known to "Idol" viewers this season for bellowing the lyric "baby, lock the doors, and turn the lights down low" from Josh Turner's "Your Man," flawlessly performed a trio of tunes on the Fox talent contest Wednesday, while his two competitors briefly botched their songs.
"You're approaching that Garth (Brooks) level," judge Randy Jackson told McCreery.
The finalists were tasked with performing tracks chosen by the show's judges, mentor Jimmy Iovine and the singers themselves. McCreery launched with his personal pick of Lonestar's "Amazed," following it up with Iovine's choice of Thompson Square's "Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not" then sealing it with Kenny Rogers' "She Believes in Me" from the judges.
"You put it over the top for me just now," judge Steven Tyler said after McCreery's last performance.
It wasn't as effortless for Lauren Alaina, the twangy 16-year-old ingenue from Rossville, Ga., and Haley Reinhart, the feisty 20-year-old fatale from Wheeling, Ill. Alaina missed a key change on The Band Perry's "If I Die Young" from Iovine, while Reinhart slipped on the stairs — but kept on rockin' — during her pick of Led Zeppelin's "What Is and What Should Never Be."
"It's not about how many times you fall," Tyler advised. "It's about how many times you get up."
That moment didn't seem to trip up Reinhart, who's appeared as a low vote-getter four times. She won praise from the panel for her moody, wind-swept rendition of Fleetwood Mac's "Rhiannon" from Iovine and her energetic take on Alanis Morrisette's "You Oughta Know" from the judges, though the panel noted that Reinhart struggled with the wordy verses.
"I think we all heard the same thing in the middle parts," judge Jennifer Lopez mildly scolded.
Alaina's flub on "If I Die Young," which Lopez dubbed "a very honest moment," didn't deter her from later taking on Lee Ann Womack's "I Hope You Dance," chosen by the judges. Lopez said Alaina, who's appeared at the bottom once, gave her goosebumps, and Tyler noted that the pop-country princess waltzed onto the stage like she "owned the Grand Ole Opry."
One of the three finalists will be eliminated Thursday with the other two advancing to next week's finale, where one will win a record contract and be crowned the 10th season "Idol." McCreery, who's never appeared at the bottom, is the presumed front-runner, likely leaving Alaina and Reinhart to duke it out to sing in the final round next Tuesday. ___ Fox is a unit of News Corp. ___ Online: http://www.americanidol.com
I haven't yet watched the performances, but I think that Scotty, while sweet and talented, has outstayed his welcome. Every song of his has sounded the same. He should have gone home last week instead of James.
Lauren and Scotty both seem like very talented kids, but I think Haley brought something different to the competition. I'm sorry to see her go home. Lauren and Scotty are a bland and generic, and a bit of a snooze. There aren't many singers who would be brave enough to tackle Led Zeppelin, and do it so well. She was one of a kind.
I switched over only to watch the elimination, as I don't think I have the stomach to watch an entire episode anymore. After James' elimination last week, I've realized that this show has become a joke.
And Haley being eliminated last night was only slightly less ridiculous. Haley can sing circles around Scotty AND Lauren.
I could give a horse turd about who wins now (ironically, the competition has come down to a duel between two horse turds.)
I try to picture which of the contestants are performers I would actually pay money to see or buy their music. Probably the only 2 would be James and then go back to Pia. The others kind of bore me.
My Conspiracy Theory seems to be holding up nicely. We have an all Country-Pop final. AI can't lose. They can bring Carrie Underwear in to congratulate the winners and guarantee some big pay days. Cha-Ching!
Too bad Haley has that bit-o-arrogance about her. The Dad routine didn't help.
Anyone here seen the new singing competition on NBC called THE VOICE? I think it's pretty great. They seem much more interested in finding GREAT singers, due to the fact that the 32 chosen singers are chosen through BLIND auditions. It's a pretty neat premise.
I'm leaning toward Scotty. I think the producers will see him as more marketable. Lauren could be that second tier of CW performer, but Scotty could be in the $$$ bracket with Carrie U.
I think Scotty's better than Lauren, overall. He never had a bad week, while she has. She looks the part more, though. I'm rooting for Scotty (meaning Lauren will win).
I think Scotty's better than Lauren, overall. He never had a bad week, while she has. She looks the part more, though. I'm rooting for Scotty (meaning Lauren will win).
Still true.
Final 2
The 2 youngest (16/17) finalists ever.
Lauren had vocal chord issues during practice, but is "good to go"
Three songs each: 1) Contestant's favorite; 2) Idols' idols choice (Carrie Underwood for Lauren, George Strait for Scotty); 3) Their potential first single
Judges didn't comment until after the second round
Code:
B+ Lauren "Like My Mother Does" (3)
B Scotty "Check Yes or No" (2)
B Lauren "Maybe It Was Memphis" (2)
B- Scotty "Gone" (1)
B- Lauren "Flat On The Floor" (1)
C Scotty "I Love You This Big" (3)
The repeat songs were compared to previous versions
SCOTTY
"Gone" wasn't as good as the first time "Check Yes or No" was good, but not very original
LAUREN
"Flat On The Floor" was a bit better than first time "Maybe It Was Memphis" was okay, raspy okay, but not 100%
After Second Round:
Randy: Fine choice America, Round 1 slight edge to Scotty, Round 2 to Lauren J-Lo: Explosive start, R1 Scotty, R2 Lauren Steven Pig: Both rounds to Lauren "cuz she's prettier than you" (wtf?!)
Tyler Cruise sings the winning Coca-Cola competition songs, "Positive"
Round Three:
SCOTTY
"I Love You This Big" wasn't great, should've been faster tempo to end it
R: Great range, in it to win it, not sure about song; J: Great story teller, amazing job; S: Nailed it again
LAUREN
"Like My Mother Does" was a better original - emotional, so points there, shaky, but good
R: Wow (x3), amazing song, Lauren has arrived, amazing (Standing-O); J: You may have just won with that song; S: You are in [as American Idol] in my eyes
So basically, Lauren gets a better song to end the competition. Wonder if it's fixed??
After Third Round:
R: Round 3 to Lauren J: Tough to choose, tight race [but you already did choose] S: Lauren hands down
David Cook performs the go-home song "Don't You Forget About Me"
--
Lauren B+/B/B- (1,3,5) Scotty B/B/C (2,4,6)
Lauren, to me, wins the night. And as I said, she looks the part and can improve to be a star. Scotty was more consistently good, though. I gave my 20 votes to Scotty, but, Lauren will probably win this. Tho I'm always wrong anyway. But AI won't lose either way -- they made sure of that.
Poor Scotty. Could they have tried to manipulate the audience much further?? Let's get Lauren the sympathy/drama vote with the doctor and the vocal chords. Then, we'll have her sing to her FREAKING MOM!!
And damn you AI Machine for manipulating me to tears in that moment.
Poor Scotty. Could they have tried to manipulate the audience much further??
You got THAT right! I was disgusted with what I saw last night. And then the report on TMZ that the Idol producers were scrambling to track down Haley, just in case Lauren was unable to sing for the finale. I'd bet my left buttcheek the whole story was a load of BS, and AI reps put the story out there just to garner sympathy for Lauren. It's clear who they want to win.
Hell, ALL season the judges have avoided giving Lauren any kind of meaningful criticism. IMO, that's the ONLY reason she made it to the finale.
And her "AW SHUCKS" southern belle schtick REALLY bugs the SHIT out of me!
For some reason, the judges hated Haley, maybe because they wanted a Carrie Underwood 2.0, something Lauren would fill nicely. The truth is, this is NOT a singing competition. I don't think they make nearly as much money from the singers and their success or lack thereof as they do from the show itself and all its advertising dollars.
Once the competition is over, who have we really seen be successful? Where's Taylor, Reuben, Kris, any of the others? The only three that enjoyed any real success are Carrie, Jennifer and Kelly, and where's Kelly been lately?? Chris Daughtry and Elliott Yamin had a few hits, but again, where have they been? Given the fanbase that these performers built, I can't imagine that it would be difficult to promote them, but AI doesn't really seem that interested.
What I thought was touching was that for her recent AI appearance, Jennifer Hudson had her fellow AI alum George Huff as her backup singer. She hasn't forgotten her roots, has she?
This season of AI has been such a disappointment. The best singers are long gone. Anyway, I still applaud the producers for pulling off that little stunt with Lauren and her mother. It was beautiful. The last thing I want is to see that annoying hillbilly country boy win American Idol .
This should prove once and for all that American Idol isn't fixed. I don't know anybody who wanted to see that idiot win. I couldn't help but burst out laughing when the winner was announced.
A record 122 million votes cast, 3/4 of a billion over the season
Top 13 perform Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" (C)
James performs "Living After Midnight" and "Breakin' The Law" with Judas Priest (B+)
Video Recap, "Randy: The Veteran"
Jacob performs "I Smile" with gospel singer Kirk Franklin & Gladys Knight (C-)
Casey performs "Fat Bottom Girls" with Jack Black (B-)
Top 13 Ladies perform a Beyonce medly (C+)
Video Recap, "Steven: The Loose Canon"
Haley performs "Steppin' Out with my Baby" with Tony Bennett (C-)
Video Recap, "J-Lo: The Most Beautiful Woman In The World"
Top 13 Ladies perform with TLC & Lil Jon (C)
Scotty performs "Live Like You're Dying" with Tim McGraw (B-)
Video: "Idols' Unsung Heroes" (best of the worst)
Marc Anthony performs with wife J-Lo and Sheila E (B+)
Video: "Eliminations suck" with Casey & James, and Pia
Top 13 Guys perform a Tom Jones medley (D+)
Ford Music Video: "Whenever You Remember" -- Top 2's two favorite teachers are presented with a new Ford Focus. Top 2 are presented with their choice of new Ford vehicle.
Lady Gaga performs "The Edge of Glory" (meh)
Lauren performs "Before He Cheats" with Season 4 winner Carrie Underwood (B)
Video: Contestants' thoughts on the Top 2
Beyonce performs "One Plus One" (FFWD)
Bono sound-alike Reeve Carney, from Broadway's "Spider-Man," performs "Rise Above 1" with Bono and The Edge (FFWD)
Steven Tyler performs Aerosmith's "Dream On" -- without James!
RESULTS...
The winner is... Scotty! (Wow!)
Scotty sings his first single, "I Love You This Big" -- well, he sang some of it. He was (understandably) choked up and hugging everyone.
Thanks for all the synopsis, reviews and critiques. I didn't get to see all the shows or all parts, so your notes were great Cliff Notes. Until next year.....
What started out to be a great season ended with a whimper. Boooooring. Since the two contestants were so alike, it really didn't matter which one of them won.
I did notice the Scotty/Lauren kiss last night and heard him say, "I love you, baby" to her. However, this morning he was all, "We're just good friends."
JG, good synopsis, but I would have given higher grades to the Tony/Haley duet. I was charmed.
Edited to add: I think you gave Marc Anthony's performance such a high mark because of JLo and that fringed dress. Or should I say, how JLo made those fringes move???
I think you gave Marc Anthony's performance such a high mark because of JLo and that fringed dress. Or should I say, how JLo made those fringes move???
Maybe a little ...I do like Marc Anthony's voice, though - I "discovered" him years back on Paul Simon's Songs from The Capeman CD.
By MESFIN FEKADU, Associated Press – 2 hrs 43 mins ago
NEW YORK – In their own style, Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina are the newest duo on the country scene.
Just a week following the season finale of "American Idol," the teenagers are together doing press like a team — and this team doesn't roll alone: They're equipped with publicists, security guards, managers, record label extras and their real bosses — their mothers.
McCreery beat Alaina to become the season 10 champ, but the fact that they are both young country singers with similar goals puts them on the same career track.
Ahead of their "Idol" Top 11 tour — which starts next month — they will visit Nashville to begin prep on their debut albums.
"We're going to work with the record people down there and get some songs straightened out and hopefully I'll get to listen to them, get to learn them," McCreery said.
"American Idol" — the No. 1 rated show on TV — can make you a star, but not all of the show's winners actually come out on top. Remember Taylor Hicks? What about Ruben Studdard?
Alaina, 16, thinks country music fans are what kept her and McCreery in the running.
"Well, country fans are really loyal, so I think that's why Scotty and I did so good," she said. "We're young and so we appeal to a younger crowd, and I think that the combination of those two things really helped us out."
McCreery, a 17-year-old from Garner, N.C., said growing up his friends listened to Backstreet Boys and `N Sync, while he jammed to Elvis and Johnny Cash.
"I guess you could say I was the weird one. But, no, I was the one who listened to good music," he said. McCreery says that uniqueness — along with his baritone-styled voice — is what led to his victory.
McCreery and Alaina are also on same page about recording pop music: While there's interest, staying true to their country roots is their top priority.
Alaina wants to follow in Carrie Underwood's footsteps, while McCreery is hoping to maintain a classic country sound with a "contemporary twist to keep it up-to-date."
"With the album I just want to establish myself as an artist and put my stamp on that album," he said. "My main focus is going to be country music, that's what I grew up with and what I love."
So far, the country world has been accepting: McCreery and Alaina's first singles have hit the Top 40 on the country charts and the Top 20 on the pop charts. Their label, Mercury Nashville, ran an ad in the Billboard Country Update, a web newsletter, welcoming the singers and thanking "Country Radio for a great start."
But McCreery may already be on the pop route: His song, "I Love You This Big," was co-written by Ester Dean, who's writing credits include No. 1 hits for Rihanna ("S&M," "Rude Boy," "What's My Name?") and Katy Perry ("Firework"). Dean has also written for Nicki Minaj and Usher.
"(Dean has) written a lot of other pop and R&B songs as well so ... if we can get that kind of flavor in my songs and make it country and still make it current, then that would be fine with me," McCreery said.
When asked if he felt pressure to match the success of Carrie Underwood — or surpass the disappointing sales from albums by Lee DeWyze and Kris Allen — the teen seems unfazed.
"I wouldn't call it pressure," he said. "I want to go out there and make the best record that I can, and I think if I do that people will buy it. It's just up to me to put good songs on the album and get songs on that thing that people want to hear."
Then he paused, and said: "I guess that's kind of pressure." ___ Fox is a unit of News Corp. ___
Maybe because they "have to" start with 12 guys and 12 girls, and not the best Top 24 regardless of gender. 
...then he performs "Lately" (quite well)
...I do like Marc Anthony's voice, though - I "discovered" him years back on Paul Simon's Songs from The Capeman CD. 