THIS is AMERICAN IDOL!

<i><b>THIS</b> is AMERICAN IDOL!</i>

IDOL IS BACK!!!

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

To J, With Love



...please enjoy this delectable martini as we all bid farewell to Idol's blonde siren, Brooke White.

Another SHOCKER pick tonight!

I am going with another upset pick!
Bottom 2
Brooke
Jason
In a huge shocker BROOKE goes home!

If this is the best diamond that I receive, then I am giving it back...

Everyone knows that diamonds are a girl's best friend, but I think I would rather see what my enemies offer up...

Tough night for the Idols (or at least the audience -- especially Paula!). Not much stood out, but here are the my unofficial rankings of the performances:

1. No question David Cook song #2 was as good as it was going to get last night. He seems hip and relevant to music today. Even little David - as good as he sounds - is niether hip nor relevant.

2. Brooke's song #2: As Josh knows I have been off the Brooke band wagon the last several weeks because she wasn't giving us anything. but this performance is why I liked Brooke during the top 24 rounds and why I want to like her now.

3. David C. song #1: see above

4. Little David song #1: I love sweet Caroline.

5. Little David song #2: There is not a lot to say new on little David. The kid can sing. The second song was kind of a mess in parts (the arrangement, not the vocals). Little David has nothing in the world to worry about. Don't we all wish we were 17 again with nothing in this world to worry about.

6. Syesha #1: Hello. Hello. Syesha made a mistake in putting this song first. I really liked her, but I am not sure about the random standing up at the end for 4 notes. And what happened to her shoes...

7. Jason #1: I would forever wear my blue jeans (or at least my denim skirt) for him.

8. Brooke #1: I am a believer. I am glad that Robert is on board with me about this. I thought it was a mess and cheesy and ugh... My apologies, Joshua. (At least I am little sister and not your straight girlfriend so I am not so easily replaced!)

9. syesha 2: Alright already, you need to be on broadway with Clay A.

10. Jason #2: Yikes.

Bottom 3: Jason, Brooke, Syesha
Going home: Jason :( (but if I am right I am in line for a bonus point)

Just Say No -

- to drinking out of Paula's cup, people. Seriously - but we'll get back to that train wreck later.

Idol REALLY needs to say no to the mentor idea; it's obviously just become a way to sell more records for the mentor, probably with some kickback for Idol.

But from the asteroid of truly unpopular opinion, spinning deep in the cold reaches of space, say no to Brooke White.

The breakdown:

David C: Cookie brought it, but maybe we're so used to him bringing it week in/out it didn't elevate the night in a "Billie Jean" way. Still, far and away the best, and I so agree the 2nd song could get serous airplay today - who else did that last night? (Crickets chirp)

Syesha: come on, a good first performance, maybe not great, but equal to the theme and the second was a -real- performance. If you're older than thirteen, it worked better as a whole than:

David A: A competent theme park performance. The shameless choice of heartland-manipulating American iconography in "America" made it even more Six Flags/Heritage USA. I KNOW he can sing, I KNOW he'd sell a mazillion records if he won - but who'd buy them? Not me, and if you look deep in your hearts, not you. I can't even call his "lean forward while you demonstrate a refrigerator on Price Is Right" stage gestures a performance.

Castro: you have to feel for the dude. His soul has been BA-ROKEN (to quote the crazy ass Brittenum twin) and it shows. If he was phoning in his performance, it was on a coffee can and a string. Especially after the sabotage that was perpetrated by Paula before his second song. But it was eminently more listenable than:

Brooke: Seriously, I thought Kristy Lee was back singing "Eight Days A Week" with Brooke's frenetic rendition of "I'm A Believer". And I really think we've become so conditioned to warbly notes, fast sloppy playing, forgotten lyrics and arguing with the judges that even a mediocre performance like her "I Am, I said" seems pretty good by comparison. And where exactly are those shores of Arizona?

The real performance of the night belongs to Paula, though. Her reveal to the world of some of the obvious staging of Idol was mind-blowing. If you buy into the explanation that her "2nd song" comment was meant for Cook, listen again: she says it lacked personality, and that the two combined made it seem he wasn't trying hard enough to make the final four. WTF? And then she says, "oh, but David, you were fantastic!" Obviously, the comments were meant for Jason, because the judges parroted basically the same thing when he ACTUALLY SANG a second song. Poor Jason had to sit there, knowing his judgement was pre-ordained, and sing anyway. What the hell? It was, as Simon said, one of the weirdest nights on Idol evah.

We didn't know if we had to have a bottom two, but here's our guess if we did:

K's Bottom two, Jason and Brooke. Brooke is sailing away to that Arizona coastline.

L's bottom two, the same, with The Cuteness going home.

Diamond night is no gem

So Neil Diamond night lived up to my worst nightmare (save...Phil Collins night)....as the judges put it....it was just a weird show overall.
What did we learn from it....first of all, these theme/mentor nights are something that should be limited next year (if not eliminated) and there is no question it will be a David v. David finale. They were far and away the only two in the competition last night.

It was hit and miss with most of the contestants last night

David Castro: Was it lack of confidence or just lack of drive to win? Completely lackluster and dull. I mean....I love the guy, but this made two really really bad weeks in a row. Forever in Blue Jeans wasn't horrible. It was kind of cute...but September Morn....pathetic. First song: 6 Second: 3. Overal: 9

David Cook: Overall....the winner last night. Although I have to say that he has a certain smugness that is starting to bother me a little. He has lost some of the down to earth personality that I liked from him in the beginning....and I'm starting to wonder if part of why he might win might be a Daughtry sympathy factor. I mean....David Cook is no Daughtry...but he has a similar sound and I think there has always been this lingering factor that AI really did Daughtry wrong. Could David Cook be benefiting from this. I think he might. Don't get me wrong. The guy is talented and deserves much of the praise that he gets. I'm still a fan, but I'm beginning to question my feelings a bit. Last night was 100% better than last week. His second number was as Simon put it "Brilliant". I thought it was one of the best Idol numbers of all time...that's how much I liked his performance. As they say, that could be a #1 hit tomorrow. Scores 7/10: 17

Brooke:

There was no one that was more inconsistent last night than Brooke. Her first song "I'm a believer"....cheeseball! and boooorring. However, her second number was actually quite good. Scores: 3/8: 11

David Archuletta - David being David. Doing what he does....which is very good. The kid cuter than ever.....he was toned down a little bit...which I thought was good. His voice was fantastic......his stage presence/hand gestures are typical of his other performances. I still think that he is by far the best singer in the competition. The question is: When he wins, can they mold him into an idol? Both of his songs were strong and consistent. Scores: 8/8: 16

Syesha: First off....I hated the look. I did not like her hair at all. She is a beautiful girl but I did not like the look on her...at all.....
Hello again? Eh......forgettable (as Simon says)....Second number started off really really weak...but then Syesha did what Syesha does best....through in a little Diva/Drama.....and she pulled it out. Scores 5/8:13

So....based on last night....Final Scores

David Cook: 17 (wins by a nose)
David Archuletta: 16
Syesha: 13
Brooke: 11
Castro: 9

I think Syesha is in danger......but I think Simon's little push for her (Telling her that she is in trouble)...might just motivate enough of the vote to push her through.

Bottom 3: Brooke, Castro, Syesha

Sadly......Jason Castro leaves us tonight.

Rubbertoe.....out!
(P.S.: Do we REALLY have to hear Neil Diamond sing tonight? Argh!)

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

J's Rankings: I'm Just Going On My Gut, Yo!

Here we go . . .

1. Rocker David - Thought his first performance was on the good side of "Ok", but his second, for me, was the best of the night . . . Good Job on vocal/performance 2 . . . on a subpar night . .

(Small Space)

Two and Three are pretty interchangeable . . . but here it goes

2. Brooke White - As with Rocker David, the first performance was just ok, not great/nor the nightmare that Simon categorized it, however, her second performance was the second best of teh night for me. Brooke, with some confidence, at the piano, just sat right for ME. Smart song choice, well sung, well performed, brought her back to the competition, FOR ME . . .

3. Lil David - Opposite from the first two, his first performance was the BEST of the first round and the third best of the night for ME. I thought "America" was great from the second half on . . . Lil D is the only performer capable of erasing all bad thoughts with the brilliance of his pimp notes. That being said, the first half of "America" was rough . . .

(slight space)

4. Syesha - Lo as I walk through the isle of unpopular opinion, I shall fear no evil . . . her first performance should have been her second. That being said, I thought both were littered with randomly performed vocals. Her first performance was MUCH more consisitent . . . her second was much better PERFORMED, but vocally, ehh, go back and listen, the first two thirds of that last performance were ALL OVER THE PLACE, the last two pimp notes were brilliant, but otherwise, just eh, vocally, for me.

(Massive David Cook FiveHead Circa Baby Pic Space)

5. The Cuteness - Y'all know I love him . . . but, seriously, yo. He just looked so bored to be there on both performances. Number 2 was better vocally, but both just kind of sucked hardcore. . . we'll see if his fan base will move him through and upset the Idol Machine plan of 2 boy and 2 girl . . . we'll see.

Not my Bottom 2: Brooke and The Cuteness

Eliminated: The Cuteness

Top 5, An Overview: Diamonds In the ROUGH!

Um, again, I'm gonna say, if you want to produce relevant, current, artists in today's pop, altpop, singer songwriter element, why, IN THE NAME OF WAYNE NEWTON, would you make these teens and twenty somethings sing TWO, YES TWO, NEIL DIAMOND songs. Make them sing one ND song and one current top 40 song OR one ND song and one HOT 100 song from the NEW MILLENIUM! SOMETHING! UGH!

Anyhoo, tonight was Nizzle Dizzle night! And, overall, the idols did not do a half bad job picking songs that were good for their range. I think it is fairly obvious why the instrument players make up 4 of the top 5 finalists. They KNOW their vocal range, and have a better idea of what they are comfortable/sound good singing.

A teensy weensy editorial to follow (INDULGE ME!)

I may have a different take than others, and may be over analyzing, but I believe that the Idol Machine has learned from its AI 5 mistakes, and that is why we saw the order of performances we saw tonight. Now, Y’all know I HEART American Idol, but, I think the VERY LAST THING they wanted was to end up with three guys and one girl in the final four. When that last happened in AI 5, they set up a final 4 just ripe for an upset (Taylor, Daughtry, Elliot, Katharine). But, if they end up with 2 guys and 2 girls, AI 7 could very well end up with the David vs. David finale they and WE so much desire. . . Only the second finale in AI history that had the two best performers/vocalists together (Rueben vs. Clay being the other). Therefore, the current night’s lineup was inevitable. In my very humble opinion ((IMVHO), Syesha was the most vulnerable coming in . . . they had to place her in the “pimp spot” to insure she stayed around . . . Castro has a stronger fan base and needed to be first . . . Brooke has a stronger fan base than Syesha but maybe equal to Jason . . . The Idol Machine plays around with three contestants who are NOT going to win this competition so that they can try to get the finale they want. In addition, they pimp Syesha further to try and get her a Broadway career . . . CLEARLY the girl’s venue . . . thus insuring that about six to seven of the 12 idol finalists find careers in the industry . . . thus, keeping the Idol Machine very culturally relevant.

Let's face it . . . whether or not this is the most talented Top 12, it definitely has the potential to be the MOST recorded/contracted group in Idol history. The following have a very nice possibility of finding SOME level of recording success in some area of the industry: Lil David, Rocker David, Brooke White, Syesha Mercado, Jason Castro, Carly Smithson, Michael Johns, Kristy Lee Cook (who'd of thought). . . 8 of 12 could very realistically obtain recording contracts . . .

All that to say, the Idol Machine was very smart tonight . . . I would have bet prior to the performances that Syesha and a Brooke OR Jason would be in the Bottom 2 . . . however, Syesha in the pimp spot and performing adequately very likely means a JASON and a Brooke/David/David in the Bottom 2 . . . and, I think almost guarantees a TWO guy TWO girl final four . . .

Of course, if Brooke or Syesha gets voted out tomorrow, I reserve the right to print a statement that compeltely retracts this post as being inpsired at gun point or by drugs administered by insurgents . . . :)

A set of rankings to follow

Syesha: Hello and Thank the Lord!

Syesha – Hello Again – She looks scared to hug La Diamond . . . . We have some extensions in da house . . . and the damn waving hands from the freakin mosh pit . . . .I’ll need to listen to this one again, it feels like she got off the music for a minute . . . . overall good vocals, but a wee bit pitchy at times. Good job, but a wee pitchy. . . . I’m a little worried for her that she has put the wrong song first . .

Thank the Lord for the night time is next . . . Ok, Syesha is smartly . . . I guess . . . going to het her Broadway on again . . . um, I can already feel my peeps slipping away, and that me AND my cat Dave AND my Friends DVD Collection are going to be alone on the isle of unpopular opinion . . . BUT, the first um 4/5ths of this song was, vocally, ALL the F OVER THE PLACE . . . . she did hit the two PIMP notes at the end of the song . . . Great Acting Performance, but only a sub-par vocal performance for me . . . .


Randy thought her first was pretty cool, but her second found her "in the zone" which I'm pretty sure gave her the "yo" factor . . . LaCrazy thought she hit vulnerability in the first and found her "element" in the second . . .Simon thinks she is a good actress/stroke/singer . . . but could be in trouble tonight . . .

Lil David: Sweet . . . America ! Proof that AMERICA hearts a SWEET pimp note!

David Archeletta – Sweet Caroline – only one without an iffy lower register or smartest contestant to start the song in the right key. One iffy upper register note . . . overall, the best performance of the first songs, but, I’m still not lovin this theme . . but the best of the first. . . .

Second song – America – Ok, y’all know I am a proud rider of the Lil David train, but the first half of this song was a BIG MESS. He was just all over the place. However, Lil David takes the second half of the song to remind us that he has THAT voice that can hit the PIMP notes that might make you forget that the first half of the song was a big MESS. Overall, the second half of the song worked . . . and was probably better than the whole song of most of the other performers . . .

Randy thought Lil David was the bomb diggity on both performances . . . La Crazy is drunk, but hearts him, Simon thought the first song was ok and that the second song was a “very clever choice”.

Brooke White: I'm a believer . . . I AM, I SAID . . .

Brooke – I'm A Believer - The guitar is back . . . but, yet another iffy lower register . . . I kind of loved the second half of the song . . . she looked a wee bit awkward throughout, but her vocals were more solid than we’ve seen recently, and she seems to have regained a wee bit of the performance confidence . . . . nice to see the guitar again. . .

I am I said – Excellent Start - this is the Brooke I remember. . . . I could smack Ryan with that skinny tie for mentioning the lyrics on her hand . . . Ugh on his faux hawked head! Gots to say, I think MY Brooke is back. This piano playin singer song writer vibe is why I love her. The first time since “Let it Be” that I truly BELIEVED what she was singing. . . .

Randy thought she did a nice job with all of the key changes . . . Paula thought she had fun during the first one, but the second one she connected . . . Simon reminds us that he hated the first song, but the second one was the Brooke WE love. . . .

Rocker David: All I Really Need Is . . . A New Jacket . . .

Rocker David – What is that jacket??? I’m Alive . . . The guitar is back. Thank Goodness . . . lower register is still iffy . . . Upper register is much better . . .high energy is very nice for Rocker David . . . upper register is much better. Much, much better than The Cuteness . . . .

All I Really Need Is You – sexy little side grin . . . . growly voice is on key . . . kind of a strangely awkward song at the beginning . . . and cue ROCKER DAVID . . . wait, dammit, where’s my lighter . . . I’m trying to have a Bon Jovi moment here . . .trying to walk that fine line between belting and screaming, tough to "Walk the Line" . . . odd little high note . . . Overall SO much better than the first. . . . actually thought it was the best I’ve heard thus far. Great Job!

Randy thought that he was ok on the first, but "hot, hot, hot" on the second . . . LaCrazy thought he was good and stuff . . . Simon, thought the first was kind of "eh", but the second was brilliant . . .

Forever Bored in September . . . .

Because my blog is a bit LIVE but tape delayed, I am going to reveiw both performances for each Idol in the same snippet . . . Here comes the Cuteness . . .

The Cuteness – Forever in Blue Jeans – Um, so, he sang the lyrics to the second song during the rehearsal for the first . . . Here we go . . . First thought, kind of boring . . . his vocals are ok, but his lower register is a little iffy . . . Joe Cocker like facial expressions are a wee bit strange . . . Overall, a pleasant but forgettable performance . . .

September Morn – The Cuteness is in trouble if he doesn’t blow it out the box here . . . lower register is better . . . pleasant but forgettable, again . . . Ugh, there was a moment he could have captured when the song elevated and he got off the stool . . . he missed it . . . he just looks bored . . . Quite frankly, he has looked a wee bored in both performaces . . . me too . . .

Randy thought that both performances were just kinda ok . . . La Crazy felt like he took the same “safe” liberty with both songs. . . Simon thought he was lazy and forgettable . . .

Live Blog . . . A Wee Bit Delayed . . .

This is AMERican Idol!

First thing I’ve got to say is . . . What is Paula Wearing? Random gold flecks everywhere . . . YIKES! So, Here are our Top 5 . . . of note . . . WHERE ARE OUR MAKEOVERS . . . every year, around this time, we get a couple of good makeovers, UGH. Brooke kind of got made over earlier in the season by introducing her to the flat iron, AND Rocker David got a makeover by getting that innovative thing called a haircut, BUT, no one else. UGH! What happened to the days of Kelly Clarkson coming out with a new hair color OR Clay Aiken being remade from geek to geek-sheik? Ugh. At least we have Syesha with some knew extensions . . .

Here come the Idols . . . in what I fear will be a very rushed hour of Diamond . . . um, er, fun . .

Early Song Spoilers

DJ Slim over at Idol Blog Live is beginning to report spoilers. I will update as they become available.

Jason Castro: Forever in Blue Jeans AND September Morn



Y'all, I can not believe they are singing 2 Neil Diamonds songs . . . .

Entertainment Weekly Preview: The Songbook of Neil Diamond

Michael and Dawnie over at Entertainment Weekly have provided us with their weekly videoblog on their ideas for the Top 5. I must admit that although I'm sure I am familiar with the Neil Diamond songbook, most of the titles leave me stumped. Nevertheless, they have some interesting choices for our Idols and give them the sage advice to stay away from the following: Cherry Cherry, Sweet Caroline, and Cracklin . . . something . . . it escapes me. They tell the Top 5 to avoid these three ditty's because they consider them to be "karaoke classics" Click the link to enjoy their spirited idol hijinks!

Michael and Dawnie's Diamond Picks

What do y'all think?

Monday, April 28, 2008

2500 Hits: A Quarter of 10,000, Y'all!

In honor of our 2500th hit, I thought I would play off of the Top 4 Curse, and post, what I think are the best performances of the victims of the Top 4 Curse . . .

First up, Tamyra Gray . . . L and I used to sit in the car round about 2am and listen to this song on the AI 1 compilation CD . . . May I present, "A House Is Not A Home"



Next up, LaToya London . . . Again, L and I LOVED her . . . I can remember in the Top 32 of Season 3 when Ms. London showed up - without any pimping during the auditions - to sing in the pimp spot of one of the "weeks of 8" . . . May I present, "All By Myself"



Finally, Chris Daughtry . . . Also, a clip from the Top 32/24 section . . . Most of us first took notice of The Daughtry when he channelled Fuel . . . May I present "Hemorrhage"

The Top 4 Curse: Will It Continue?

I know, I know, we are just in the Top 5, but Rubbertoe's previous post with the inclusion of the name Jasmine Trias made me think of the American Idol Top 4 curse. Then, I really started thinking about it . . . The Top 4 curse has only happened every other year.




In American Idol 1, Tamyra Gray was booted in the Top 4 before her rightful place in the finals. The Kelly & Tamyra finale seemed a foregone conclusion. This upset left Justin Guraini and Nikki Mckibbon to fight for runner up status to Kelly Clarkson.



In American Idol 3, Latoya London was unceremniously dumped in the Top 4 depriving her of her rightful place in the finals. Leaving Jasmine Trias and Diana DeGarmo to fight for runner-up status . . . though L & I might argue that Ms. DeGarmo performed well enough in that finale to pull an upset. . .



Finally, in AI 5, the now multi-million selling Chris Daughtry was booted in the Top 4 when, well pick from Taylor, Katharine, and Elliot, were left behind to fight it out for the crown. An aside: We all knew that Taylor was going to win at this point . . . in retrospect any, and I do mean ANY, of the other three would have been a preferential choice to Taylor - fun on stage, but I believe Idol's market cred took a hit. . .

I never really thought about it before, but the Top 4 curse has skipped a year, and only on odd years has reared it's ugly head. Now, we are heading towards the Top 4 in AI 7 . . . the curse is due to strike again. If it goes according to form one of the Davids will be at risk - as they are the two CLEAR frontrunners. What do y'all think? Will the Idol curse strike again?

Just curious . . .

Camile Velasco sighting

So....my friend Rudy went to a fundraiser for some Filipino Group and ran into Camile Velasco. Apparently our Hawaiian waitress from season 4(?)....is still in LA trying to get a recording contract.

I thought she was kinda cool....although I was more of a Jasmine Trias fan. But....best of luck to her!

Musings on Neil Diamond Week


Short post here, y'all. Just scanning the internets, and noticing that there are all kinds of articles on Neil Diamond week, but no mention of singing two songs. It appears as if our Top 5 Idols will be picking from a pre-selected list of songs from the Neil Diamond catalog. From what I am seeing, I would imagine that means the songs will be either ones performed or penned by Diamond Neil. I would think that would be mostly originals with a few famous duets or covers thrown in for good measure. And it really makes me wonder . . . if I ever gave a f*** about you . . . er, sorry. Slipped into Maroon Five mode for a moment. Anyhoo, it does make me wonder if they are performing two different songs from the catalog.

What do y'all think?

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Lil David and The Cuteness!



A little Sunday delight, as I tripped over a picture of Lil David and The Cuteness as they were visiting "The British Invision" a Nigel Lythgoe event discussing up and coming British entertainment.

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Top 5 Song Choices: Diggin For Some N Dizzle tunes

I'm a little stuck about the possible choices for Neil Diamond week. So, I went and did a little research on Amazon. Even after looking at serveral "Best of" CD's, I could only come up with possible choices for three of five Idols. . .

The Cuteness - "Red Red Wine" (Of course he could choose to change the words to "Good Good Weed"
Rocker David - Girl, You'll be a Woman Soon - I'm gonna need him to do this!
Brooke White - Play Me (Although she will probably sing I'm a Believer)


I'm stuck on Lil David and Syesha . . .

So, I went to Secondhand Covers to see who else had covered Neil Diamond songs. Interestingly, they also had a long list of songs that Neil Diamond has covered. Since they let Carly (sniff sniff) sing "Without You" on Mariah Carey week, I wonder if the Top 5 will be extended the same luxury for Neil Diamond week. If so, here are more suggestions

Syesha - My Heart Will Go On - Oh yes, people, he covered Celine; Spanish Harlem; River Deep Mountain High (This could be quite ROCKIN)

Brooke White - The Way You Look Tonight ( I HEART this song ); I Think Its Gonna Rain Today (Beaches Soundtrack)- this pick could REALLY work for her.

Lil David - Unchained Melody - A HUGE RISK because of the Simon OBSESSION with this song. But I think Lil David could BLOW IT AWAY! In the Still of the Night;

David Cook - Can't Help Falling in Love - he could do a rockingly scary emo-death march out of this one. OR Groovy Kind of Love - Could turn this into another "Hello" experience.

Brooke White - I also think she could do a good job on "Groovy Kind of Love" - could redeem herself on piano.

What do y'all think?

Carly's Blasphemous Controversy

The New York Times has written a story about the "controversy" surrounding Carly Smithson's song choice for ALW week. I'll let you read the story and develop your own opinion. I was very concerned when she chose this song. From my perspective, not a big deal at all. She chose a song from a VERY POPULAR and VERY WELL KNOWN broadway play. However, I was very unsure as to whether the AI voting public would read it like that . . . mix that with the tattoo and the accent, and it all makes her seem very "unamerican". Completely ridiculous . . . Carly should be in the Top 5. Ugh on America. Click the link to read the story.

Carly's Blasphemous Controversy

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Friendly Little Comptetion: Week 7

Ok, so, we've had to alter the friendly little game just a wee little bit. We all predicted a bottom three for this week . . . however, the Idol Machine decided to only provide us with a bottom two . . . therefore, the fact that ALL of us got at least one of the Bottom Three wrong will be somewhat forgiven . . .

A reminder of last week's standings:

1. Rubbertoe: 14 Points
1. Josh: 14 Points
3. Allison: 13 Points
3. L: 13 Points
5. K: 12 Points
6. TtownIdolFan: 10 Points

Our predictions:

Rubbertoe: (One of the Bottom two correct)
Josh: (One of the Bottom two correct)
Allison: (One of the Bottom two correct)
L: (Two of the bottom two correct)
K: (One of the bottom two correct)
TtownIdolFan: (One of the Bottom two correct)

None of us got the blasphemous elimination correct . . . UGH!
None of us got the pre-top 12 pick correct . . . UGH!

New Standings:

1. Rubbertoe: 15 points
1. Josh: 15 points
1. L: 15 points (New Tie For Number 1)
4. Allison: 14 points
5. K: 13 points
6. TtownIdolFan: 11 points

Congratulations to L! For being the big winner this week! Hooray!

I gotta go now and find some Neil Diamond 45's . . .

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Top 6 Results: The Elimination of Blasphemy

So, it's time for another version of extend the results . . .

A group sing, a new celeb sing, possible ugh inducing questions, a ford commercial, and much endless banter will no doubt ensue . . . therefore, I will skip over that shizz . . .

To the results . . . once again, we have our Idols back stage . . . I really don't get this manner of presenting the results . . . much prefer the couch and the separating into groups of three . . .

Anyhoo, we're gonna bring em out two at a time . . . Noah's ark style . . .

The presumed finale . . . er, um, the two Davids are up first. We review the fantabulous comments that these two frontrunners received during the ALW performance night. Could there possibly be a surprise? Hell to the no . . . the wonder twins are very safe . . . wonder twin powers activate, form of an emo death march . . . form of an inspirational, message inducing ballad!

Next up, Brooke and Syesha. I gotta tell ya, the Idol Machine is really making me think that Ms. White is safe because they are REALLY playing up in an oh so over the top kind of way how controversial the start & stop from the previous evening was. Yes, it was bad. Yes, she is cracking under the pressure. We get it. Idol is only this obvious when it's trying to create a "shock" moment. I've been watching this show too long... Brooke and Syesha are shocked when Brooke is declared safe.

Finally, The Cuteness (who the camera caught yawning back stage - was that a bag of cheetoes I saw in his hand . . . chronic anyone?) and Carly SUPERSTAR! So, banter ensues and The Cuteness doesn't wanna sing tonight . . . and HE WON'T HAVE TO . . . The Cuteness is safe . . . er, um . . . am I the only one who finds this result more shocking than the last?

PLEASE STOP MAKING NERVOUS CONTESTANTS SING BEFORE THEY FIND OUT IF THEY'VE BEEN AXED!

The results: ENDLESS BANTER! And, Carly you are . . . going home . . . what the feck? Um . . . Ugh . . . Yikes . . . Ickypoo! Bitter, party of one, my table is ready. Strangely, I am more bitter than Carly.

I'm 3/4 shocked and outraged . . . from my predictions blog, I had a sinking feeling that Carly might go to the bottom 2 . . . It NEVER occurred to me that she would go home.

Neil Diamond, up next . . . seriously, y'all Neil Diamond . . .

P.S. I could not believe the Massive Bitch Slap that ALW put on The Cuteness. It was well-deserved, but, yo, what up with that . . . almost like The Cuteness is his ho and did not cough up all of the nightly profits to Pimp Daddy Webber . . .

Possible Top 6 Results Spoiler

Our buddy DJ Slim over at IdolBlogLive is reporting a possible spoiler for tonight's result show. I won't post it on the blog, but I'll provide the link for all you curious kittens . . .

Possible Elimination Night Spoiler

one toke over the line

We've had Diva night and (ALW) Broadway night -- now we're looking forward to Karaoke night and Drunk Uncle Night!

Why do they keep picking the themes that they tell contestants to avoid like the plague? Sorry this is last minute, but we have had a dickens of a time trying to decide who America (in its insanity) will pick to go home.

Our rankings:

Cookie - kept it real
Syesha - yeah, we were surprised, too
Carly - had the excitement
Archie - pop, but solid
Mr. Castro - sick (we read from a mole at rehearsal)but Seacrest chose not to help him by mentioning it, and it showed in the lethargy
Brooke - how many mulligans can you get?

K's bottom three:
Syesha
Brooke
Castro, one toke over the line for him (Castro leaves)

L's bottom three:
Castro
Syesha
Carly, Castro says buh-bye

Allison's Quick Picks

Allison is having a REALLY BUSY WEDNESDAY . . . busy in that it feels like it's next Thursday, but it's really only this Wednesday kind of way . . . So, the J has been selected to pinch hit . . . Short and sweet today . . .

Bottom Three - Brooke, Carly, The Cuteness

Eliminated - The Cuteness . . . it pained her to write it down as much as it does for me to type it.

I "dred" this but I think I am right!

I am going to do my thing with just the bottom 3!
Syesha
Brooke
Castro (dred boy)
Castro in an upset goes home!

One Rock n' roll too many

SO who goes home tonight:

As I indicated previously if you base it on last night's performance alone....Castro by a landslide...However I think Castro slides through and avoids elimination despite his disaster of a performance last night. He's got a strong base because of his good looks and charm.
Brooke avoids elimination because she is the prettiest girl left....she has a fairly strong base and her vocals were actually pretty good, albeit uncomfortable
Carly avoids elimination by the skin of her teeth. I think her performance last night was good and I liked her more upbeat/rock edge. It would have been a wreck if she had gone with her first choice "Music of the night".

Bottom 3: Castro, Brooke, Syesha

Syesha's number is up....one rock n' roll too many.......

Was this the look Castro was going for

So.....Everything about David Castro last night was just weird.
I was wondering....was this the look he was going for last night:

http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images;_ylt=A0oGkkOfNQ9Iq2cBu7lXNyoA?ei=UTF-8&p=matrix%20albino%20twins&fr2=tab-web&fr=yfp-t-501

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Comedy and Tragedy

So I was so excited for ALW week....and it turned out to be a flop.
I also think I watched a completely different show than J, after reading his review. Here is my take.

There were 2 really really good performances, 3 good performances and 1 horribly pathetically awful one.

Lets start with the best:

The REALLY good

1. David Archuletta. I was so afraid when I heard he has doing this song. But his version of it was incredible. Far and away the only truly incredible performance of the night.

2. Syesha. I wasn't familar with the song. I googled it earlier. I haven't seen Starlight Express...but I do know some of the numbers...but not this one. For once....a SMART choice....a perfect number for her and it was sung really really well.

Big SPACE

No HUGE SPACE.......

3. David Cook - When it was good it was good....but when it was not...it just wasn't great. I agreed with Simon completely. David really went down more rungs on the ladder for me....(And I am a David Cook fan)....his choice of song calls into question his judgement. There were so many better songs to choose and he chooses this....it just wasn't very good. Good enough to get through....but I expect sooooooooooooo much more from him.

4. Carly - Smart song choice. Pretty good....but out of her range and her safe performance without going for the high notes affected the performance. She looked fabulous....and I liked her upbeat energy....but it once again reeked of desperation.

5. Brooke- Beautifully sung but without the passion and heart of the Madonna version. She looked incredibly beautiful....but her screw-up at the first affected the entire performance. She just was completely off the entire song.


Another HUMONUGOUSlLy HUGE SPACE

6. Castro - I know.....it pains me......and I agree with J here.
I knew he was in trouble when I saw he was doing this song. It was painful.....no....it was more than painful.....it was downright torture. I couldn't stand the gasps for air every 5 seconds......I couldn't stand the whiney nasaly tone of the song......I like his whiney (pseudo enrique eglasias) sound...but this was just bad.....and to make it worse....it lacked all of the charm and cuteness that we like David Castro for.

So I am torn. I need to sleep on this one. I agree with J....this weeks elimination will be more complicated...

Based on performance this night alone....Castro by a landslide.
But.....there are other things that are going to factor in. Safe to say.... David and David are safe.....but Syesha, Castro, Brooke and Carly are all real possibilities......my predictions in the morning......

tonight.....I will sleep and try to forget this nightmare of a show.

Sir Andrew Llloy Weber: The Rankings and a Wee Little Synopsis

Ok, as per usual in the world of American Idol, I think that any Broadway-ish-esque type week is going to be the most iffy week of all . . . I don't have a problem with these types of songs, but, if we're looking for pop stars . . . and we hate "broadway" type performances, then why are we giving the kids this theme . . . just don't get it . . .

That being said, here are the rankings from the isle of unpopular opinion.

Number 1 and 2 are interchangable for me, but if I must . . .

1. Rocker David - He made the most of this VERY UNFAIR theme . . . he gets the number one nod from me because he picked a more difficult tune than number two. . . He kind of pulled off the romantic, sensual side of the song, even if I include the over the top wailing note at the end . . . overall, great job for a bad theme.

2. Lil David - Again, these two are interchangable for me . . . only ranked as such because I feel it necessary . . . and because I think Lil David's arrangement was a little less taxing than the Rocker. Repeat the same review as I have every week . . . one of the cleanest, clearest voices ever to grace the Idol stage.

(Small Space)

3. Carly - ALW did the right thing by pushing her towards JC/SS. She had quite possibly her second best vocal of the season. She looked great, and for only the second time, she looked confident. The only issue I have has nothing to do with Carly or her performance . . . I am worried about her choice of song in accordance with the voting audience. I don't think she is going home in the slightest, however, I do think there is the wee slimest of possibilities she could unexpectedly go to the Bottom three . . . just as a shocker . . .

(Baby David Cook's Forehead type space)

4. Brooke - I know, I know, she screwed up at the beginning, and I have a huge soft spot for her . . . but, I went back and watched the clear bottom three again. And quite frankly, I thought that Brooke's vocals were the best of the three (I know, the isle of unpopular opinion). I'm not like jumping up and down talking about how wonderful she was, I just thought that her song choice was good, and that her "actual vocals" were fairly solid and "Brooke like"

5. Syesha - Girlfriend needs to get proprs because she connected with a song better than she has in the entire competition . . .hands down . . . no doubt . . . but strangely, her connection with the song equalled her vocals dropping down a couple of notches. Its like she can either be good vocally OR connect with a song, but not both. Very strange. Based on tonight's performances she should be safe . . . based on the whole season, she should be . . . GIZONE!

6. The Cuteness - I HATE putting him here. Y'all, really, even with my love of the Brooke, I HATE putting him here, but even Brooke's restart cannot compare, FOR ME, to the awkwardness of The Cuteness in his performance. It was the wrong song. The performance was beyond awkward. . . and what's worse . . . it was sooooo forgettable.

I sooooooooooooooo don't want to predict a bottom 3 or an eliminated idol. I think this pick may be MUCH more tricky than it might appear on its surface. On the surface, the Brooke/Syesha/Cuteness trio is SO far separated from the Top 3 . . . however, I think there is an odd possibility that one other could sneak in there. . .

Bottom Three: (Though I don't want to pick it): Brooke, Syesha, and The Cuteness
Eliminated: Syesha

(Those are my official picks . . . Unofficially, I think Carly could go to the Bottom two . . . just thought I would add that).

Looking forward to the other opinions . . .

Rocker David Does ALW?!

Rocker David is last . . . Y'all know I heart him . . . but, I'm sick of My Davids getting preferential treatment . . . UGH! That being said, I hope he does this really sexy song justice . . . he has the smoldering eyes . . . here's crossing my fingers . . .

Randy thinks he can sing anything . . . Paula thinks he is well rounded and has a, ahem . . "a beautiful instrument" . . . Simon doesn't love this side of David but thinks he made the most of it.

My take: I think Rocker David was definitely one of the best of the night. I kind of feel about him like I do about Lil David . . . they are great on the high notes, but struggle a wee bit on the low notes . . . Overall, he was great! He really made the most of this week. I don't like this theme for him . . . obviously, but I think he did the most he could do with the theme he was given. Very, very good!

Synopsis to follow!

Is Carly Smithson a Superstar?

Next up, Carly Smithson . . . First off, I gotta say, WHY OH WHY WONT THEY GIVE HER THE PIMP SPOT . . . must that spot ALWAYS go to one of the Davids? Jeez! This just infuriates me . . . I'm probably the most worried about this performance . . . she's in the fifth spot and singing a GREAT BIG SONG . . . one of two things will happen. If she hits it, she will return to Top 3 status. If she falls flat, she could go home. She is in control of her own fate here. . . . I'm crossing my fingers, here we go . . .

Randy says the bigger voices tonight are doing better, not her best, but VERY GOOD! Paula thought the chorus was GREAT! Simon thought it got shouty in the middle, but one of his favorite performances of the night . . . and then she pulls out a t-shirt that says "Simon liked me (tonight)" . . . very cute.

I definitely thought it was the second best vocal of the night. I know I'm on the island of unpopular belief here . . . and I HOPE I'M WRONG . . . but, I worry about Carly singing a song that shouts the words "Jesus Christ" over and over again. Just a thought . . . for me, clearly the second best "vocal" of the night.

Lil David wants you to Think of Him!

Next up, Lil David . . . being hugged by inappropriately young girl children . . . What was that? Anyhoo, ALW can't imagine how a boy could sing "Think of Me". He kind of hearts him . . . . and wants Lil David to open his eyes. He even called him Little David . . . Here we go . . .

Randy thinks that David can sing anything and gave it Stevie riffs everywhere . . . Lil David thought it was perfect and took a risk . . . Simon thought it was pleasant, but one of his weakest performances, all a bit forgettable.

I gotta say, good bad or indifferent, Lil David's performance is about 10 miles above the ceiling of anything I've seen so far. He is so far superior vocally that it's hard to believe it is the same ocmpetition. That being said, I think he struggles a wee bit in the lower register, and is clearly just hanging around vocally til he gets to the big notes. Overall, simply awesome. I wonder if I would think if it was as awesome as I do if the others didn't pale so much in comparison. Hmmm . . .

Brooke White says "I'm Sorry" You Must Love Me?

Up next, Brooke White . . . singing the ONE song that I wanted anyone to sing . . ."You Must Love Me" from the theatrical release of Evita . . . I originally picked Syesha to sing this ditty, but I'm just so glad that someone did it. Here we go with "Betty" and La Seacrest introducing Brooke . . . ALW says that Brooke didn't know what she was singing about . . . but then, he told her the back story of the song . . . Oh shit . . . she has forgotten her lyrics . . . THANK MADONNA that Ricky Minor and the band are professional enough to realize what has happened and they circle back around to the beginning . . . ok, she seems to have regained herself.

Randy thinks that she improved with understanding the song, but it was not her best vocal . . Paula thinks she should never start and stop, but compliments her on her emotion. Simon is . . . surprisingly kind. He thinks this is "difficult", but that she did the right thing by starting again.

I'll say this, for once and for whatever reason, Brooke did not speak during the judges critique and only answered a question when asked by Ryan. That did her a world of good. For me . . .y'all know this is hard . . . the mistake was bad, BUT, I think she recovered fairly well. Separating the mistake, the song stretched her vocally, and I think she "got" what she was singing. Strangely, I still don't think it was as awkward as The Cuteness . . . I'm trying to be impartial here, but it is so difficult because, for whatever reason, I really "feel" her . . through three, none were terribly impressive.

The Cuteness hopes to produce a Memory!

Up next, The Cuteness! He's singing "Memory" from Cats! Homo say what? ALW said he never thought he would see a dred locked man sing this song . . . and he wants The Cuteness to let go in "a way he's never done before" . . . Homo say what?
Anyhoo, here he goes . . . Um . . . I don't quite know what to say through the first part of this song . . . very restrained might be the best I can come up with . . .

Randy says um, wow. He liked that vocally it was a train wreck, but the dreds made it interesting. Paula thinks that people are used to hearing it from a female powerhouse, but thinks it was a wise choice and "further identifies his unique being" . . . and stuff . . . Simon thought it was the longest two minutes of his life.

On the positive side, he was on pitch the entire song. On the other side, in my opinion, it was SUCH THE WRONG SONG FOR HIM . . . yikes for me. However, like last week, I think this is an unfair theme. Two weeks in a row, the Brooke, Rocker David, Cuteness train is left trying to figure out what the frack to do. The Cuteness is also in a bad position in the lineup. Could be very vulnerable with that performance.

Is Syesha One Rock and Roll Too Many!!!

THIS is AMERican Idol! Here we go . . . the songs of Andrew Lloyd Webber. The theme that Rubbertoe is so looking forward to . . . :) Holla to our West Coast Contingent. So, here come our idols . . . Thank Goodness Lil David has avoided the leather!!

Let's have the judges discuss ALW . . . none of them seem terribly convinced that tonight is going to be a stellar week. Even Ms. Abdul seems to think that this week might not progress any of the idols forward . . . but, she mentions that "there are still a few strong performers left" . . . a little negative from Ms. Pollyanna!

Ms. Syesha is up first. She is singing "One Rock and Roll too Many" from Starlight Express. I must admit that I'm not familiar with this particular ALW classic. To start, she looks amazing . . .ugh, that was very Randy of me. She's on the piano! This is more personality than I'm used to from Ms. Syesha.

Randy thought that these types of songs were Syesha's element. Paula agreed. Simon thought that this was her best performance to date, and that Broadway is her nitch.

Very up and down for me. I thought the first half of the song was just ok, and the second half was somewhat better. At the same time, she has never connected more with a song. Strangely, when she connects, her vocals decline. Death spot might be a rough one for her.

Official Spoilers from the folks at TMZ

The folks at TMZ have provided us with our weekly spoiler list. . . . interesting . . . potentially disasterous and potentially wonderous . . . we shall see.

1. Syesha - One Rock And Roll Too Many - Starlight Express
2. David Cook - Music of the Night - Phantom of the Opera
3. Carly - Jesus Christ Superstar - JC/SS
4. Brooke - You Must Love Me - Evita (Film Adaptation)
5. The Cuteness - Memory - Cats
6. Lil David - Think of Me - Phantom of the Opera.

TMZ's Offical Story

Rumor has it that this is the offical order of the evening. So, whatcha think?

I'm kind of bubbling about Carly, Brooke, and the Davids. IM SO HAPPY SOMEONE IS SINGING "YOU MUST LOVE ME". I didn't care who sang it, I just wanted someone to do it. YAY! This is not about me riding the Brooke train, y'all . . . I just REALLY love that song.

Let's hear some comments!

Very Interesting Top 6 Spoiler

DJ Slim over at IdolBlogLive is reporting the following two spoilers for tonight:

1. The Cuteness - Memories (Cats)
2. Carly - Something from Jesus Christ Superstar
3. Lil David - Think of Me (Phantom of the Opera)

Interesting, I would have pegged Memories for Lil David or Syesha . . . Lil David to do "Think of Me" - not terribly surprising. I don't have high hopes for this evening, but . . . maybe it will surprise me . . . La Carey and her theme night certainly did.

The Entertainment Weekly Hopes for ALW

Michael and Missy from Entertainment Weekly have once again provided us with their hopes and wishes for the Top 6 and their attempt at Andrew Lloyd Webber. I am sad to see that the theme is actually limited to the songs of ALW and not a full on broadway theme. Much like the folks at EW, I am always confused by the inclusion of this theme week when we are trying to produce pop stars . . . Anyway, the picks are interesting and are full of Evita and JC Superstar. I'm quite interested to see what our Idols actually pick . . . Click the link to watch the video

Entertainment Weekly Picks for The Top 6

Monday, April 21, 2008

The USA Today Coaches Weigh In On ALW Week!

So, the USA Today Idol Coaches have weighed in on what they think the Top 6 Idols should sing . . . how they think they will finish in the competition (all assume A Tail of Two Davids will happen). . . one even thinks forward to Neil Diamnod week (Oh for the love of monterey jack) for the Top five. Take a look at the coaches thoughts by clicking the links . . .

USA Today Coach 1
USA Today Coach 2
USA Today Coach 3
USA Today Coach 4

Ace Young

Ace Young's album comes out July 15.

If you wanna hear the first single...here is the link. Its actually kinda catchy. I may have to get this album to add to my Idol library.

Hear Ace's first single!

David Hernandez sighting

Ok....so I went to the dentist today and as I was passing the 24 hour fitness gym in West Hollywood (commonly known as WeHo)...none other but David Hernandez and some other guy come walking out. So apparently after being eliminated #12....stripper boy has not left LA...I'm not surprized.....he could easily get a job in WeHo like he had in Arizona....and he can pursue his career. Good to see the Stripper Boy is still hitting the gym keeping that lap dance machine in good order.

Jordin Sparks Cancels Tour Dates

Entertainment Weekly is reporting that AI 6 Winner, Jordin Sparks has had to cancel all April and some May dates of her appearance as the opening act for Alicia Keys. Jordin is suffering from a "throat injury", but her doctors expect her to make a full recovery. Yikes! I hope Jordin will be ok. I would hate for her to have to miss such a great opportunity!

USA Today visits Idol

Rona, a reporter/blogger for USA Today visited the Idol performance show during Mariah Carey week. The link below will direct you to the story. She gives us the inside info on what it is like prior to the beginning of the show. Sounds a lot like Rubbertoe's experience. I will be interested to hear his comments on this article. Hit the link to read the story!

USA Today visits Idol

Our Kelly Croons for the Pope!

When I heard that Ms. Clarkson was going to sing Ave Maria for the pope, I about died. How awesome is it that the original Idol has become so popular and well-respected that she would be chosen to perform. That rocks. She, of course, is awesome throughout the song, but towards the end, she really kicks it into high gear and hits some oh so Kelly Clarkson notes - think "Natural Woman" season 1. Click the link to enjoy the magic!.

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Please tell me this isn't me

OK. I was on Youtube this morning and I came across this link. I was laughing hysterically. Compare what this queen says and what I have written regarding ALW week. His thoughts/predictions are almost exactly the same as mine. When he got to Castro...I about died.

Check it out:


And please tell me that I don't talk like this!!!

Friday, April 18, 2008

sweet news for kristy lee!


Hey Y'all - Kristy Lee's getting hitched! I saw the article above and thought I'd share it with the blog. (I think you can click on it to make it big enough to read.) At least there's a silver lining to Kristy's departure from Idol - and doesn't she look great here?
- K

Gethsemane for David Cook

OK...one last post on this topic (I promise).

I've been searching for a good version of Gethsemane...but could only find the audio.
I didn't like any of the video ones.

Maybe for Carly?

I could see Carly doing this one:

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Tell me on a Sunday

Ok....I've over stimulated......(I've had a few beers....can you tell)....but here are the haunting lyrics to "tell me on a Sunday". Its such a tragically sad song....but so beautiful. This could be a perfect moment like last year when Jordin did "I who have nothing" (by.....who else....Shirely Bassey).....

"Tell me on a Sunday"

Don't write a letter when you want to leave
Don't call me at 3 a.m. from a friend's apartment
I'd like to choose how I hear the news
Take me to a park that's covered with trees
Tell me on a sunday please

Let me down easy
No big song and dance
No long faces, no long looks
No deep conversation
I know the way we should spend that day
Take me to a zoo that's got chimpanzees
Tell me on a sunday please

Don't want to know who's to blame
It won't help knowing
Don't want to fight day and night
Bad enough you're going

Don't leave in silence with no word at all
Don't get drunk and slam the door
That's no way to end this
I know how I want you to say goodbye
Find a circus ring with a flying trapeze
Tell me on a sunday please

Don't want to fight day and night
Bad enough you're going
Don't leave in silence with no word at all
Don't get drunk and slam the door
That's no way to end this
I know how I want you to say goodbye

Don't run off in the pouring rain
Don't call me as they call your plane
Take the hurt out of all the pain
Take me to a park that's covered with trees
Tell me on a sunday please

Another suitcase in another hall

For Jason Castro:

Any dream with do

For David Archuletta:


I am so excited

I am so excited for Andrew Lloyd Webber week (but then again I am one of the few who thought the last broadway week was Fab-u-lous)....Call me cliched....but I think this week has some great possibilities.

I searched the web for some clips of Shirely Bassey (one of my faves) doing Andrew Lloyd Webber (seriously...if you are looking for a great CD....Shirely Bassey sings the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber is one of my all time favorites)....youtube didn't have much...and this wasn't encoded....but its worth a look if you cut and paste: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Le0Vta79TtU
If it doesn't work...go to youtube and type in Shirely Bassey "Starlight Express".....

I would love to see Syesha do this song....but I don't think she is smart enough to choose it. The girl has shown that she has no brain and no originality. I completely expect her to do "Memory" from Cats.

Carly: Although I would love to see the cuteness do "I don't know how to love him" from JC Superstar....I would love to hear it from Carly.

David A: Something from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.....

Brooke - Tell me on a Sunday - A beautiful haunting melody with incredible lyrics.....if you don't know this song...google it and read the lyrics...its such a great song.

David Cook.....I would love to hear "Gethsemene" from JC Superstar...but its probably a touch religious...but he would do an incredible job with this song......http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQConWOZ4QE&feature=related

Castro: Evita - "Another suitcase and another hall"....this would fit his style perfectly......

Top 6: The Songs of Andrew Lloyd Webber . . .yo!

Alright, y'all, so, we are half way through this obsession we call Idol . . .

I thought I would post a couple of links to Andrew Lloyd Webber . . . just in case y'all are just as uneducated about this topic as I am. Also, here are a list of the broadway plays of Andrew Lloyd Webber to give everyone an idea of the songs from which the idols could choose . . .

I'm posting these links even though I think there is a distinct possibility that this theme is simply "Broadway" and not specifically Andrew Lloyd Webber . . .

If it is just "Broadway", Allison and I are requesting the songs of "Mama Mia" Yay, Abba! Specifically, can I request that Carly Smithson - whom I love - remove the stick from one of her orafaces and get her groove on with a little "Dancing Queen". She may be uptight, but only she and The Hotness have proven that they can actually work that massive stage . . . remember her during "Come Together" . . .

Check it out and we'll make a posting about what we hope they sing.

Word to yo ALW! :)

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

2000 + Hits, Y'all!

Seems that our traffic has picked up a bit . . . thank y'all for checking in with us. We so started this blog as a way to hang out cross country and discuss a show we love! In the grand scheme of the web, 2000 hits is small, but, I think that we all agree that it's kinda cool. Hope y'all will keep checking in!

In celebration of our 2000th hit, I want to post clips of my favorite performances for the Top 6. Hope the other taste of idol folks will follow suit. Of note, 4 of my 6 perfomances were from the Top 24 . . . not a coincidence . . . Also, these performances ARE in a paricular order . . . for me . . .

1. Lil David – “Imagine”



2. Brooke White – “Love is a Battlefield”





3. David Cook – “Hello”




4. The Cuteness – “Hallelujah”




5. Carly Smithson – “Without You”




HUGE SPACE



6. Syesha Mercado - “If I Were Your Woman”

Friendly Little Competition: Week 6

Time for an update on our Friendly Little Competition!

Last week's scores:

1. Josh - 12 points
2. Rubbertoe - 11 points
2. Allsion - 11 points
2. L - 11 points
5. K - 10 points
6. TtownIdolFan - 8 points


This week's predictions:

Josh: Bottom 3: Syesha, Carly, Brooke. Eliminated: Syesha
Rubbertoe: Bottom 3: The Comeback Kid, Syesha, and Carly. Eliminated: KLC
Allison: Bottom 3: Carly, Syesha, and Brooke. Eliminated: Syesha
L: Bottom 3: Syesha, Carly, and Brooke. Eliminated: Carly
K: Bottom 3: Syesha, Carly, and Brooke. Eliminated: Brooke
TtownIdolFan: Bottom 3: Syesha, Carly, Brooke. Eliminated: Carly

This Week's Points:

Josh: 2 Points. (Two of the Bottom 3)
Rubbertoe: 3 Points (Two of the Bottom 3 and Elimination!)
Allison: 2 Points (Two of the Bottom 3)
L: 2 Points (Two of the Bottom 3)
K: 2 Points (Two of the Bottom 3)
TtownIdolFan: 2 Points (Two of the Bottom 3)

New Standings:

1. Rubbertoe: 14 Points
1. Josh: 14 Points
3. Allison: 13 Points
3. L: 13 Points
5. K: 12 Points
6. TtownIdolFan: 10 Points

DAMN YOU RUBBERTOE . . . I think he has an unfair advantage for actually being in the "Mosh Pit" . . . At this point, Rubbertoe should throw his head back and laugh raucously!

Update: So, the rubbertoe pointed out that I made a mistake in his favor for the competition . . . very big of the Rubbertoe . . . I guess y'all can tell that we have been watching this shizz for a hot minute . . . scores are close . . . we are pretty good at this game . . . I just wish that one of the six of us could have figured out a way to keep The Comeback Kid for one more week and send the Syesha on to the next step in her career . . . UGH!

Josh is out . . . and off to sleepytime! :)

:)

Top 7 Results: One Bittersweet Day!

Ok, so, I had an entire post that LiveBlogged the Results show . . . but it disappeared . . . most of you are probably cool with that because my posts tend to be a wee bit . . . er, um . . . wordy . . .

Anyhoo, THIS is AMERican Idol! And, the Top 7 did a little mix of "One Sweet Day" . . . The Cuteness was a bit nervous . . . The Comeback Kid looked HOT . . . and, er. . . what was Syesha wearing? And why was her hair so Scary Spice circa 1996 . . . "Yo, I'll tell you what I want, what I really really want"

Let's start the eliminations . . .

The Cuteness comes out first, and might I say, that chrnoic was PRIMO tonight . . . and, La Seacrest and his shiny sportscoat, sends him to the far side of the stage

Yay . . .we're doing a three on three with one safe block . . .

Rocker David comes out next and is sent to the other side of the stage . . . um, wait . . . a surprise for this evening?

Carly up next and she goes over towards the cuteness . . . Simon says some very nice, and deserving, things about Carly

Next up, The Comeback Kid . . . she heads over towards her Cook brother . . .

Cue the one Idol performer who inspired my favorite Idol sign of all times "Vote Like YAMIN It! . . . Elliot Yamin RULZ! Go dental work!

Next up is is Syesha who joins The Cuteness and The Tattoo . . . what is going on here . . .

Finally, Ms. Brooke (y'all, I am alone on the BW bandwagon . . . it is so lonely here . . . don't think that I won't send out "Let it Be", "Love is a Battlefield", and "You're So Vain" youtube clips out to Rubbertoe, TtownIdolfan, and Allison this week . . .I'm lonely here and L&K have never been here with me . . .so lonely, so cold . . . Ms. Brooke, of course, goes with The Cooks!

Lil David is alllll alone . . . massive suspense would ensue had I not viewed six prior seasons of the Idol . . .

Lil David is, of course, SAFE and is FORCED to go to the group he thinks is safe . . . A LA MD circa AI 6, Lil David sits down and will not choose . . .Ryan switches Syesha and Rocker David and the brings The Rocker, The Tattoo, and The Cuteness to Nigel Lythgoe's Winner, er, um, I mean Lil David and declares them all safe. That leaves Brooke, Syesha, and The Comeback Kid as the Bottom 3. Y'ALL, I honestly think all 7 are awesome . . . but, I need Syesha to relieve me of her presence.


Ugh. Not so much. Syesha is not vanishing . . . she lives on for ALW . . . My Brooke and The Comeback Kid are on the block . . . Suddenly, everyone in the studio thinks this is a foregone conclusion . . . and, it is. KLC is history, yo. I hate that . . .for a performer that I didn't want in the Top 12, she really won me over. She is so cute with Simon at the end. LOVE HER!

Ok, if I'm being BRUTALLY HONEST, KLC was the weakest vocalist of the remaining seven . . . I just HEARTED her for her hutzpah! This is the most talented top 7 in my history of Idol . . . and, I think we have the most vocally talented top 6 EVER! I'm a touch (read A TON) more worried about ALW week than I ever was about Mimi . . .

See y'all in a while!

A "fowl" night

So the night started off with the contestants being woken up by an announcement and a flurry of feathered fowl running around the rooms. The contestants had to catch and chicken and then proceeded downstairs only to find the host holding a cleaver and telling them that they were going to learn how to "respect" the food. It ended with Chef Ramsey telling Jean Claude to "shut it down"...no winners tonight. One person from the red and the blue team to be nominated to be eliminated....

Oh....sorry.....wrong show. Where were we? I think I am recovering from a hangover....took the advice to have a couple of cocktails before the show. Turns out...didn't need them. In fact, my greatest fear (that Jason Castro would have a horrible night) not only didn't materialize, IMHO he was the third best of the night.

Here is my quick breakdown:

1. David Archuletta - As Randy put it....when you can sing...you can sing anything. Another idol cliché "He could sing the phone book". I thought Lil David once again far outdistanced the others.

2. David Cook - Also very good....but not as good as HE thought it was. He was moved to tears by the judges comments. Randy's praise was a little over the top. I had to agree with Simon.

3. Jason Castro - Very Very good. I especially loved Simon's comments when he did the little suspense thing: "I'm gonna have to agree with...............................................................................Paula.

4. Syesha - Although there is a big gap between Castro and the girls, I thought Syesha was the best of the bunch from the girls. She missed a few notes, but overall it was good.

5. Carly - A little strange. Not as good as it should have been. The power notes were good, but overall I agreed with the judges...she missed the opportunity to really blow one out and I think she is vulnerable tonight.

6. KLC - What can I say....the girl has clearly overstayed her welcome. Although it was not as bad as here performances of weeks past, it was definitely down....way down from her performance last week.

7. Brooke - What happened here? She started off OK...but midway through it became bizarrely uncomfortably. She seemed to lose complete confidence and the song fell apart.


So who goes home?
Bottom 3: SHOULD be: Carly, KLC and Brooke
Will be: Carly, KLC and Brooke

Predication: Leaving us tonight after being long overdue........KLC.

Rubbertoe.....out!

I did not feel Mimi but I think our idol's did!

I am not a fan of MIMI but I think it was a Great Night for Idol. I am going to skip the play by play and go straight to the bottom three!

Syesha
Carly
Brooke
Carley goes home!

L's Musings on Mariah

What a weird week (for me) and I am guessing the rest of us Idol bloggers! It is really odd - to have the judges say, time and again, don't choose Mariah, Whitney, Celine - because you don't want to be compared to that..... So then, what the hell, let's just have Mariah as a mentor and then sing only Mariah songs?!

I don't listen to much Mariah - but I did like "Vision of Love" and "Fantasy" (mainly because she sampled Tom Tom Club's "Genius of Love"). So....no one sang the first one (I am not sure who could have, anyway!) and then - no takers on Fantasy? Oh well.

I struggled with the rankings too - but here is my take:

1. David C. - cool arrangment for me, loved the "stalker-ish" vibe! Great performance
2. David A. - I thought much better than "Angels", more mature performance - yay! didnt seem like a little kid and that's why I ranked him above.....
3. Jason C. - so if "The Hotness" was at J's house, then "The Cuteness" left for TX as soon as he finished that song - fun!

The guys rocked! and then, there's the gals: (Who I think had it much harder than the guys, because of the obvious comparison factor)

4. Carly - no one can outdo Ms. Kelly on this one - but she tried. LOVED the first part, not so much the end. But she was confident throughout.
5. Syesha - didn't know the song, but she was consistent throughout the song
6. Brooke - Loved the first part - really thought she was going along beautifully, then she just lost all confidence and it fell apart for me.
7. Kristy Lee - Probably unpopular here with my thoughts - but didn't like it at all, I was distracted by the need to make it sound more country. She has been doing so well lately and maybe she tried too hard?

It was hard to pick the America bottom three, I thought it should be an all girl bottom three though.

America's bottom three: Carly, Brooke, Syesha - going home: Carly (due to position, and the "7" tattoo she got)

K's Take On Top 7 Mariah Madness

(Sorry this is so long - it was a strange show last night, and like you guys have said, other than the top 2-3, it's hard to pick the order. L is teaching a class right now, so she will post her thoughts in a little while.)

I have to say this, especially this week: For best 2nd/3rd analysis of the Idol performances, I suggest listening to the sound through high-fidelity speakers, and take YouTube with a grain of salt - the digital compression algorithm YouTube uses distorts the sound terribly. You might not catch how TERRIBLE Brooke sounded in the 2nd half of her song, for instance.
Also, I am by no means a Mariah fan, though anyone would have to admit she really could really, really sing, back in the day. Now, I imagine there are some "fresher" singers out there (Kelly C?) who could blow her off the stage.

Let's all have a drink from Paula's cup, AND:

David Cook - he's at the top for me because he does what no one else seems willing to do - try something different. There's a lot of bitching on the internet that Cookie "steals" his arrangements - which I say is bullshit. Not that he doesn't lift inspiration from various sources, but who else on Idol is subject to this kind of scrutiny? Do any of the others catch hell for adbdicating the arranging to Ricky, or just going with the same, tired version as the originals? I say, give Cookie props for making the songs sound like something a modern listener would respond to.

David A - maybe the best he's sounded since the Top 12. His voice was strong, he put on a confident show - the only reason he wasn't # 1 was he gave us exactly what we expected. It was very good, a "wow" on the singing, not a "wow" on the star power. Maybe I'm just getting tired of the whole "Up With People" vibe to his performances every week.

Jason C. - the Idol download king, and heir apparent to the Jack Johnson stoner-hippie singer-songwriter empire. Jason did a great job, I would download it off iTunes, but did it really sound any different than last week, or the week before that? (See 1 & 2 above.) Still, love this kid.

Then, after a several-story drop, the ladies.

Syesha - come on, she didn't try to blow out a lung (see Carly), she didn't take us into Bizarro land (see Kristy), and she delivered it with confidence (see Brooke). Still, it was blah. After the cardinal mistake on the Whitney song, and then another on "I Believe", she again commits an Idol faux pas: singing a forgettable song. She knew she was in trouble, going into this week, because did you notice she was working the cleavage? Still, you have to give her cred for taking the $ Idol doles out for clothing and making it seem like more.

Carly - tough week. She looked great, the first part of her song was surprisingly tender - and then she tried to blow the roof off the studio. Not that she doesn't have power - but as Spiderman says, "with great power comes great responsibility". She has to learn to apply the power with a deft touch. She cranked up to 11, however, and kept it there, even through the completely gratuitous end note. We may see another shocker exit a la MJ last week - and her #7 tattoo on her finger might turn out to be prophetic.

Brooke - the only reason I didn't place her at the bottom was the beautiful 1st half of her song. I have to admit, I wasn't expecting much from her: I am coming to expect less from Brooke every week, I know, them's fightin' words. But Brooke out-Jasons Jason in the week-in, week-out clone of her last performance. But this week, I was amazed to find myself drawn in - until after the bridge, not quite when Randy said, but close. Listen to it again: at approximately the mid-point, Brooke either misses a pedal-push or gets caught up in the chord change, but she VISIBLY and AUDIBLY freezes up. L & I were cringing. The entire rest of the song was flat, too fast, and warbly. Her last note, and the tearful look in her left eye, were almost like a surrender, not a glory finish. I don't think she's gone, but she'll be sweating it out in the B3.

Kristy - the Kountry twang was just weird, and it made the song seem twice as long to me. You can't say she wasn't confident, and she didn't really sing badly, it was just odd. Maybe you guys aren't aware of this, but she's the voting pick for a certain subversive Idol group, however - VFTW - so she has made it further than perhaps she should. We are heading into the second half of the 12, and blondes Kristy and Brooke might start looking alike to middle America, so she may soon be in trouble, as well.

America's B3: Syesha, Carly, Brooke - Man, it's competely a toss-up, but I'd say Brooke goes home, if only because Syesha is the last African American left, and the producers might want to keep her in.

- K

Top 7 -- Ms. Allison is emancipated (until ALW takes her hostage next week)

So in fairness, I will admit that I am not a HUGE Mariah fan. Obviously she is a great singer, but that just is not my style of music. I really wasn't familiar with several of the songs so I couldn't tell if the idols reworked those or what was happening there. I really had a hard time with ranking this week because other than 1 and 2 the others didn't stand out to me. My 3-7 could have been in any order.

With that caveat, I give you my picks of what I liked the best:

1. Jason C. -- I kinda was digging the arrangement. Sting-like vibe. I'd be at that luau with Paula!
2. David A. -- The boy can still sing, but I really did not like the song.
3. Carly -- I liked her version of this song. And I knew the song so I felt better about it. (But Kelly Clarkson's version was much much better. ) She will suffer in the voting this week because of the judges' harsh words.
4. David C. -- I am ok with the song and performance. His singing has been better, but he had a tall order for this week.
5. KLC -- She may be the best comeback story in idol history. Mark another safe week down for this future country star.
6. Brooke -- LOVED the first half of the song. Not sure what happened the second half, but she looked terrified and didn't sing or play the second half of the song well.
7. Syesha -- I just didn't like it.


America's Bottom 3: Carly, Syesha, Brooke
Going Home: Carly

P.S. I like ALW a lot but I remember a few seasons ago a Broadway night where Randy made the statement that they shouldn't do a broadway night ever again.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Top 7: A second look and J's predicitons

Might I say before we get into the rankings that La Carey completely surprised me . . .much like La Lopez did last season. I assumed from all that I have read that Mimi was a diva . . . and she might be . . . but girlfriend worked it OUT as an Idol mentor. Not only did she come off as genuine, but she gave them substantive tips that could help them with their performances . . . excellent job!

1. The Cuteness – “I Don’t Wanna Cry” – I was really, really worried about The Cuteness this week. . . .particularly after I saw his choice of song. However, sweet goodness, the boy did a good job. For the first time, The Cuteness stretched his vocal range and kind of, sort of . . . ish . . . esque . . . embraced his romantical troubadour side. WHICH HE SO NEEDED TO DO! Certainly not the best vocal of the night, but this performance puts the #7 bookend just above the #1 bookend for me. Great Job on a night that wasn’t for you.

2. Lil David – “When You Believe” – David A. was the one contestant I wasn’t worried about . . . the boy can indeed “sing” anything. Eleventy times over, the boy has one of the best “voices” to ever grace the idol stage. He still lacks the stage presence, but he has far and away the best voice in the competition.

3. Brooke White – “Hero” – The first half of this song was a big ball of awesome. However, I don’t agree with Randy that the “bridge was bad” . . . I thought she hit all of her notes well, but something happened in the middle of the song. On a second listen, I didn’t hear a problem . . . my guess is that for someone who plays the piano and sings, something happened in her head (missed a pedal push, thought she missed a note, lost her fingers on the piano, etc.) . . . and, the result was, the last half lost something. I think she did what she had to do . . . . she should be safe. . . .but, could be in danger.

4. The Comeback Kid – KLC did a very nice job. She is still the most clever competitor of all seven AI seasons. It is hard for a girl to when Paula over . . . Paula so did not heart her in the first two weeks, and now she loves her. . . Not quite as good as last week, but she was the reverse of Brooke. The first half of the song was not great . . . she was clearly waiting for the middle bridge so she could kick it up a notch . . . but, when the notch was kicked, she was frackin brilliant! I put her third because Brooke’s first half was great with piano . . . but KLC’s vocals ruled, again. Just great.

5. Carly Smithson – “Without You” – I was SO looking forward to this performance. I HEART this song, and it takes me back to Kelly Clarkson in Season One. I LOVED the first half of the performance. She was restrained and new her limits. However, as I listened to it back on youtube, I think that she sounded great in the second half and was relaxed, but I don’t think she let loose like she could have. The second half of that song so needs to be overflowing with emotion like Mt. St. Helens . . . but, on second listen, she hit the notes, but didn’t have the confidence . . . Still a better performance than last week.

6. David Cook – Again, thank buddah for Youtube . . . . a second listen gave me a wee different perspective than the first run through. Don’t get me wrong, I still didn’t love this remix. I appreciate that I think he did this one himself . . . unless we here differently later . . . but, my problem with this remake still is that all he did was slow down the vocals. The arrangement was GORGEOUS! But, the band overshadowed his vocals and his vocal version made me think of the original . . . which made me wonder why it was slowed down and why there was no beat. Translation . . . didn’t quite work for me. I still HEART Rocker David . . . and he is SO safe (particularly with his position in the line up) . . . . just not my cup ‘o tea remix . . .

7. Syesha Mercado - "Vanishing" - Ok, so, I HEART youtube., second listens are good. I kept wondering during the performance what was missing . . . she was vocally almost pitch perfect. . . . for doing a Mimi clone performance. However, on second listen, technically she was GREAT . . . but, there was no feeling behind it. Almost seems like she concentrated so hard on hitting the notes and the vibrato that she forgot to infuse this song with the emotion it needs. The song is about a love who is “vanishing”, going away, leaving you . . . and it just kind of left me cold.

My Bottom Three will NOT be America’s Bottom Three.

My predictions for America’s Bottom 3: Syesha, Carly, Brooke
Going Home: Syesha



Andrew Lloyd Webber on deck . . . .

Dial Idol Results

Check out DialIdol.Com to see where our Top 7 Idols are ranking. I'm trying to figure out how to link to the actual predictions page, but I haven't quite gotten there yet. Anybody know how to do it?

Anyhoo, overview to come soon . . . I'm still not sure, but, after reading many reviews, I'm VERY certain that I'm living on the island of unpopular opinion about Rocker David . . . don't get me wrong, I have no thoughts of him being in the bottom three, I just didn't love him . . . P.S. I think Allsion just might reside on the island with me . . . thankfully for us, I brought The Hotness with me! :)

The Top 7's Venture Into Mimi Land

I don't think I can craft a synopsis yet. I'm so unclear as to how to rate anyone . . . I must retreat to my youtube refuge to review the performances and figure out where the hell to place everyone.

The only early prediction I will make is that the bookends are safe. Lil David and The Cuteness will safely move into the Top 6. Otherwise, I'm unclear . . . I shall return.

The Cuteness In The Pimp Spot, Yo!

The Cuteness will close us out . . . And, he is singing "I Don't Wanna Cry" . . . I'm quite a bit nervous about this song choice . . . don't know what to expect . . . palms are sweaty . . . very much in yikesville here . . . Here we go.
I heretofore promise to never doubt The Cuteness again. I gots to tell y'all, The Cuteness did a very solid job. He effectively stretched his vocals, and actually, for the first time, kinda sorta embraced his rightful spot as a romantical troubadour. I'm impressed.

I Kinda Thought David Cook Would "Always Be My Baby" . . .

Rocker David - Always Be My Baby - I'm scared . . . yikes . . . I don't really understand this song choice, but maybe he'll death march it out and make it brilliant . . . Mimi likes Rocker David and is looking forward to his performance. Let's take a listen . . . Um . . . er . . . I have no doubt that I am going to be existing on the island of unpopular opinion here, but . . . I really did not like that performance. For me, it was a great big mess. A positive note, the arrangement was absolutely beautiful, but . . . Rocker David's vocals, IMO, just sucked. The song was set to low, and, despite the beautiful arrangement, he did not really alter the vocal arrangement . . . he only slowed it down . . . which only made me think of the original when I listened to this version. I just didn't like it. But, I do love the David Cook.

Randy, Paula, and Simon thought it was amazing. However, during the comments, Simon said that it was like going from bad karaoke to a concert . . . Um, don't diss on The Comeback Kid! Yeah, I said diss, what of it? :)

The Comeback Kid Continues to Prove That She Could Be "Forever"

The Comeback Kid is up next. . . She is singing "Forever" . . . I am unfamiliar with this song, but Ms. Carey got chills from her performance. . . . Here comes KLC . . . She looks beautiful and has finally lost that sparkly shirt . . . Ok, so, The Comeback Kid has got to be the smartest contestant to ever grace the idol stage. She picked the most simple song with the best high notes at the end. I kind of think she looked like she was waiting for the middle part of the song to hit before she got going. . . but that is my only complaint . . . pitch perfect!

Randy thought that she was a little pitchy but good. Paula thought she did a great job and that she was very, very clever in her song choice AND that she just gets better every week . . . strangely Paula is the most accurate judge . . . Simon thought that she was just ok.

Is Brooke White Your "Hero"?

Next up, Brooke . . . shiney, sparkly Brooke . . . she looks more grown up and more, maybe, sophisticated than she has before. She's singing "Hero" . . . I'm hopeful for this performance . . . and Ms. Carey hugged her. Here we go . . . Brooke's at the piano . . . Nice job, Ms. Brooke . . . Nice job. I really liked the different take on the song. Thought she hit a couple of high notes very nicely. Good Job.

Randy thought she was great until the bridge. . . (which I liked) . . . Paula thought she did a Great Job . . .minus a few pitchy spots . . . Simon thought she was a bun withouth the hamburger . . . I think Brooke did a good, solid performance, in what I consider to be an unfair theme week . . . She's got some confidence problems, but, I think Brooke did what she needed to do to get through this trying week.

Syesha . . . Do I See Her "Vanishing"

Syesha up next . . . she has chosen "Vanishing" from Mimi's first effort . . .

This song is a good choice for her . . . if she can restrain her inner fauxdiva. Let's listen in . . . I know this song very well . . . I really kind of like this song . . . I kinda think she did a . . . might I say . . . kind of good job (for Syesha). A few pitch problems when she's in her "lower register", but man, the high notes really vascillated between strong and gentle . . .

Randy thought she did a good job, but some pitch problems. Paula thought she was brilliant. Simon thought she was technically brilliant, but could suffer from America's lack of familiarity with the song.

I think it was Syesha's best performance thus far . . . but, she and her shiney hair could be in trouble due to her penchant for the bottom three and her position in the roster.

Carly Can't Live If Living is Without Us!

Up next, Carly . . . missing The Hotness . . . Hey Carly, he says hi!
Carly thinks Mariah is a little ball of sunshine.

Without You - I'm just gonna let this one play. I really want her to rock it. Completely awesome! I'm thrilled for her. She just rocks the house. It was a BIG BALL OF AWESOME for me.

Randy thought that she did a Great job on the second half of the song, but needed to blow it out on the first part. Paula liked her restraint in the song and thought she did a great job. Simon didn't think she pulled it off. . .

I really hope they watch this over again, and hear what I heard sitting here with The Hotness. I just thought she did a great job. She showed the appropriate restraint at the right times, and really did a great job.

I also think she just looked great. The best I've seen her look.

Lil David BELIEVES!

And . . . THIS is AMERican Idol!

Here are "our" American Idols! And, might I say . . . Brooke looks, um, well . . .almost flashy and tasteful. And, Lil David looks, well, like a wee little powerhouse. And The Hotness, well, The Hotness looks very nice sitting on the sofa RIGHT NEXT TO MOI!

Mariah Carey Pimpage! Touch Her Body, y'all . . .

Um, Ryan asks Randy about the idols singing songs they warn them against singing . . . Randy says that they just have to be themselves . . . And this MoFo is the worst offender!

Up first, Lil David . . . doing "When You Believe" . I'm hopeful for this song. Um, is Lil David wearing leather pants . . . anyhoo . . . so far in good voice. And Lil David does his thing. Very solid performance. He rearranged it a bit and kind of worked it out. Good voice and good performance . . . and a little more edgy look . . .

To the judges . . . Randy thinks he can sing anything and that he was "the bomb". Paula thinks he was great and Simon thought that he really did a great job. . .

I gotta say, as per usual, Lil David just has one of the most solid vocals to ever grace the Idol stage. Love him or hate him . . . just solid.

TMZ Top 7 Spoiler Link

It may have just been me, but I couldn't link to the Top 7 Spoiler List earlier, so I am reposting a spoiler link here from TMZ! Just click on the title above to get there.

We got an early start preparing for the night - by having frozen Sangria with dinner. I would say that Allison was right about a 2 drink minimum for tonight - but we have a 2 drink minimum EVERY Tuesday and Wednesday with Idol - so I guess we will have to step it up tonight! What are y'all partaking of??

The First Spoilers Are Rollin In . . .

DJ Slim over at IdolBlogLive has posted the first spoilers for tonight's Top 7 foray into the world of Ms. Carey. Very . . interesting . . . choices.

Carly Smithson - "Without You" - we already kinda knew this one
Jason Castro - "I Don't Wanna Cry"
David A. - When You Believe (Originally a duet between Mariah and Whitney)

A few comments here . . .

Again, I think Carly could create a bit of a moment here . . . if she'll just chillax

The Cuteness - Er . . . Um . . . Ok, this song is from La Carey's first cd, and it is a little less divaesque than some of her other ballads . . . but, um, I'm unclear on how this one is going to go . . . He's gonna have to unleash his romantical side and show us some passion. Goofy looks and cute smiles will not sell this one . . .

Lil David - A message song, but not the one I, or many others, thought. I hear there is an alternate version to this song that the wee, little one could be using. I'll try and find it.

Of note, Lil David choosing "When You Believe" could free up Hero for The Comeback Kid.

Hit the link to check out the story . . .

Top 7 Spoilers

More later . . .