THIS is AMERICAN IDOL!

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

IDOL IS BACK!!!

Monday, May 25, 2009

American Idol 8: Some Post Finale Ramblings

So, what a very strange season of American Idol. I'm tickled by the result. I've liked Kris from day one. So, for me, and the type of music I like, I think America made a good decision. That being said, I'm a bit stunned that it all came down this way. Never, and I mean NEVER, in the history of American Idol has such blatant PIMPING of contestants occured. Adam Lambert and Danny Gokey were consistently given the pimp spot and were judged by different standards than all of the other contestants. Despite pounding into the audiences' head week after week that this should be the finale . . . America rebelled. . . America rebelled big time . . . the result being that Gokey went in the Final Three and Lambert was knocked out in the finals. In turn, the Idol machine has rebelled by not telling us, for the first time in Idol history, the difference in the vote totals . . . we've always gotten percentages or raw numbers . . . but, this year, we gots nothing. Reports are floating around . . . one specific story from Billy Bush at Access Hollywood, that the voting wasn't close . . . in essence, that Kris blew Adam away. When you think about it, that's not too difficult a scenario to imagine . . . mainstream vs. outlier . . . I do, however, continue to be puzzled by the Idol Machine's unwillingness to discuss the numbers. Are they so stubborn and so pissed off that one of their two chosen horses didn't win that they're not going to effectively promote the contestant that America wanted?

I'm going to try and post articles that I can find that deal with this topic . . . and, like last year, will keep updating the blog as often as possible with pertinent Idol stories . . .

P.S. I found Simon Cowell's reaction to Kris Allen's win was completely distasteful and tacky. That boy worked just as hard as Adam Lambert, and for Simon to remain seated and not applaud was complete bullshit.

That's all :)

Thursday, May 21, 2009

No Boundaries!

So...we have a new American Idol - Kris Allen. Congrats to Kris. What a great season this was. Kris is definitely the icon-American Idol. He rose from the pack and grew every week. Looking back, he definitely had some of the best moments of the season - from Falling Slowly to Kayne West, he won over the masses with his simplistic charm. The young man that Simon said had no personality came to find one. Seeing his audition last night to where he is today was everything that American Idol is.
At the same time, Adam Lambert is probably the most talented person to ever appear on American Idol. There has never been a contestant with the same amount of talent and charisma. But when it comes right down to it, talent and charisma are really not what American Idol is about. Certainly, it plays a key role, but if talent and charisma were it, Melinda, Daughtrey and Lambert would have easily taken the crown. American Idol is about talent and charisma but also about growth and hopes and dreams. America doesn't necessarily want to vote for the "Best" person, they want to vote for the person that they can share the journey with and this year Kris Allen fit the bill. I'm anxious to see what AI will do for Kris and I hope that his dreams come true.

So...we come to the end of another season and 7 long months of withdrawl (luckily this year we have GLEE in the fall which will dull the pain).

In closing I just want to give you my top 5 moments of the finale:

#5 - The return of Norman. He was absolutely hilarious last night. I couldn't stand him at first, but he grew on me. SNL or somebody else needs to snatch him up.

#4 - Adam and Kris duet with Queen - it was a perfect staging of why Kris needed to win this year and Adam didn't.

#3 - Allison and Cyndi Lauper - Man...Cyndi is looking old and little freak. But the Time after Time duet was fabulous.

#2 - Adam and Kiss - Amazing

#1 - Kara and Bikini Girl - Best moment of the night. Never saw it coming...and I have to give Kara her props for having the guts to do it...not to mention that she sounded absolutely terrific. Kara showed "NO BOUNDARIES".....

So....everyone....have a great summer and lets meet again in January for Season 9!!!

Rubbertoe.......out!!!

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

We want to Rock and Roll All Night and Party Every Day with Adam and Kris!

We're posting from the phone, watching on the 3" TV, and this is still one of the best Idol Finales ever!
Seriously, who could lose tonight? I think Kris will wear the crown, and after last night he proved it fits--but we've seen the meteoric rise of Adam as well, and he's still on his way up.
We have to keep posting, y'all, this blog is too much fun!
We'll check back in the next couple days--on the road to Rubbertoe's stomping ground.
-- L & K, last post from Austin

The Idol Finale: The War Of The Worlds May Be Too Close To Call . . . But I'll Give it a Shot

I’m just getting here so I’ll just get to it.

Each of the guys has three songs . . . there favorite performance of the season, the producer’s choice, and the Idol song – co-written for Kara DioGuardi. The competition starts here live right after the break.

Here we go . . .

1. Adam Lambert – His parents are talking about how much he likes to yell . . . not much different than he is now . . . His song choice is “Mad World”. Here we go . . . HE sounds GREAT . . . I feel like the music is too loud, but that has NOTHING to do with this wonderful vocal. These kinds of performances are where I think Adam shines because they are understated and show just what a wonderful vocalist he is. That was GREAT . . . simply great. Randy says this is it, and it was an A+. Kara is happy he chose that performance, and that it proves he is an artist. Paula is unbelievably proud of him, and thinks it was a great performance for him. Simon thought the prior version was his best performance, but he thought it was over theatrical.

2. Kris Allen – When he was a kid he was shy about singing, and his parents paid him to sing at family functions. His song choice is “Ain’t No Sunshine” and he’s on the piano . . . here we go . . . Wow, man, smooth vocals that I expect from Mr. Allen . . . as I said before, that was GREAT . . . simply great. Randy loves that he can tell exactly what kind of artist he’s gonna be and that was one of his best performances on the Idol stage. Kara thinks he moves people, and that he creates an intimate bond with the audience. Paula thinks he awakens the spirit in all of us, and that he is a great artist. Simon wants us to remember that this is a competition, and he wasn’t sure last week if America had made the right choice. He takes it back after that performance.

3. Adam Lambert – Producer’s choice . . . “Change is Gonna Come” – The opening part is amazing . . . and he is wonderfully restrained . . . scream at the right time . . . but pull it in boy . . . that was WONDERFUL . . . simply wonderful. Wow, what a competition we have going here. Randy thinks that the real reason he’s here is because he can sing anything. Kara thinks it was his best performance on the Idol stage. Paula thinks it was the best she has ever heard him sing EVER. Simon thinks he is 100% back in the game.

4. Kris Allen – Producer’s choice . . . “What’s Going On” . . . he’s on the guitar . . . sounds good . . . sounds smooth . . . WONDERFUL . . . simply wonderful . . . just love it. Randy thinks it’s a great competition, but the song is a little light for him. Kara loves that he has not wavered throughout the competition. Paula thinks he tore that song up and made Marvin Gaye proud. Simon thinks it was like three friends in their bedroom strumming along to Marvin Gaye.

5. Adam Lambert – “No Boundaries” – This is the Idol theme song . . . I’m having trouble hearing him . . . Whoa, not anymore . . . this is very Idol single sounding . . . better than most, but still with the ultimate cheese factor . . . in some ways it fits his voice, and in others not so much . . . not his fault, his vocals are good as per usual. It’ll be interesting to hear what the judges say about Kara’s song . . . Randy thinks he can sing anything, but that wasn’t one of his favorite Adam performances. Kara thinks she speaks on behalf of her co-writers. She’s moved and she’s proud. Paula thinks that adjectives can’t express what he has brought to the Idol stage. Simon’s not going to judge the song. Over the entire season, he has been one of the best and most original contestants . . . he believes they have found a worldwide performance.

6. Kris Allen – here he comes with “No Boundaries” . . . I’m curious to see if he re-arranged it. Again, I will say, I don’t love this song. I think that it fits Kris’ voice a little bit better, and he did re-arrange the song a bit better than Adam . . . Randy thinks he should be very proud of himself in this competition, and he thinks it fits his voice better than Adam’s. Kara wants him to be judged on the fact that he is an incredible artist. Paula thinks he should take it in, and thinks that this has been one of the most compelling finales. Simon thinks the highlight was the best song, but he thinks that watching him has been incredible, and that he has thoroughly deserved to be standing on this stage tonight.

After all is said and done, this is how I break it down.

Round 1: Kris by a hair – I think that both performances were damn near flawless, but I think Kris gave a more heartfelt performance . . . just by a bit.

Round 2 – Adam by a hair – Again, I think that both performances were damn near flawless, but this time I think Adam’s arrangement was a wee bit better . . . just a bit.

Round 3 – Kris by a dreadful hair – This was one of, if not THE WORST Idol finale song EVER . . . that obvious statement being made, I think that both guys did with it what they could. The key was too high. . . strangely enough, for both of them. Kris just seemed to make a wee bit more of an effort to have that “Idol Moment” than Adam . . . again, just a bit . . . this one was hard to judge because of the basic hideousness of what they were forced to sing.

Overall Rankings: Kris 1, Adam 2, Kris 2, Adam 2, Kris 3, Adam 3

So, what does it all mean? We know that these two guys were within a million votes of each other last week – after 88 million votes were cast. We know that The Gokey’s votes are hanging out there waiting to be assigned – if they re-vote at all. We know that the Idol Machine REALLY REALLY wants Adam Lambert to win. We know that we have two VERY DESERVING guys vying for the title. What we really know folks is that we will have a VERY CLOSE vote. So, again, what does all of this mean? Well, in my very humble opinion, I believe all of this will result in Kris Allen eeeeeeeeeeeeking out a second consecutive upset and taking the Idol crown.

Last statement: Regardless of who wins, it was my favorite Idol finale to date. I believe we witnessed the birth of two very talented artists.

The Guyliner vs. the Guy next door

I loved Ryan's line last night....the guyliner vs. the guy next door. We're down to the dynamic duo.
So, my co-worker and friend Lisa scored us tickets to the rehersal yesterday...)thankfully I have a boss that is so understanding of the importance of all things American Idol).
So me and some co-workers left work and proceeded to the Nokia Theater Downtown LA.
Unfortunately for me, I followed the directions to the lot they told us to park in, but when I went to make the turn, it was blocked off my orange cones. Anyone who knows this area of Los Angeles understands that first of all, the area is under a lot of construction. They are still building the LA-Live entertainment district and hotel...not to mention that it was the first game of the NBA Western Conference Finals across the street at the Staples Center...so it was a madhouse...but certainly there was a lot of buzz and energy. I circled the block a couple of times and eventually found a lot to park in about a mile away....now its 10 minutes before we are supposed to be there...so I hoof it to the theater (and it seems like its about 100 degrees outside...and it probably is)...
Luckily for me, I find the rest of my group right off. The crowd is energetic...lots of "ADAM" signs in the crowd of young girls all "dolled" up in their outfits. FOX is out shamelessly promoting "GLEE" and people everywhere are wearing red GLEE baseball hats. "Idol Tonight", my second favorite TV show has set up their stage in the center of LA Live for the pre=show arrivals tomorrow night (Actually tonight now)...I'm looking around for Brandon, Justin Guarini and Kimberly Caldwell but I don't see them. I do, however, see KAI in the line (you remember KAI...the cute guy that had the sick mother (cancer) who made it to the top 36)...he looked good. Later, I saw him in the theater and told him "I wish you had made it"...he smiled at me and responded "You and me both"!
So we get inside the theater (Beautiful theater by the way) and me and a co-worker are directed to the pit, while the rest of our crew are directed to seats, after a quick second thought, we decide to join them in the seats (the pit is fun, but it is a LOT of standing and we've been standing in line at this point for about 90 minutes).
Anyway, we get GREAT seats, third row just off to the center. They are doing sound checks and finishing the minor details in the lighting and staging.
A band is set up in the middle of the stage, don't know who it is until the stage manager lady tells us that they are going to pre-shoot Carrie Underwoods performance.
Now I realize what the "CU" on the drums stood for. The band is warming up and we hear some rifts of the goodbye song...we debate was it "Guns and Roses" or "Motley Crue" that did it originally? My co-worker sneaks into her purse and recovers her cell phone that we snuck in....googles...it was "Motley Crue". Funny sidenote- while in line outside, we are told that there are no cameras/cell phones allowed. Go put them in your car. Yeah right, like we are going to hoof it back to the car...ah...no. Everyone in line is debating whether to go back to their cars. We decide to hide ours in her boots (steel toed boots???)...can we get away with it? One of my co-workers is extremely nervous about us getting through the metal detectors with the phones..."They are going to wand you...and the wands will find them!"....can I tell you, straight through the metal detectors, not even a flinch!...so much for that security!
Anyway...Ryan comes us...he's especially giddy and joking with everyone in the crowd.
OK...for the show.
Adam - Mad World (Better at the rehersal than live on TV)...watching him in silouhette (or however you spell it) with the blue lights and the fog...incredible. The guy has stage presence and charisma like no other. Even the "haters" cannot deny this. His rehersal performance was intense and incredible. He was more toned down in the actual show, didn't take as many "risks".
Kris - Better live than at rehersal. Round 1 at Rehersal....clearly ADAM....Round 1 live - Edge to Kris
Round 2 - Adam Live show much better than rehersal. We are all thinking...very bad song choice for him. Watching live, I thought he did an incredible job. Kris #2...rehersal 100% better than live performance. Watching him in the theater, we all said that this is going to be Kris' moment that pushes him over the edge....live, it didn't come off as good. Round 2 at Rehersal, CLEARLY Kris...live CLEARLY Adam.
Round 3 - First...let me say, this is why they should let PROFESSIONALS write the finale song...after horrible song "winners" (DO I make you proud....this is my now)...we finally have a song worthy of the finale. The song was clearly written for Adam, and listening to Adam sing it in the rehersal, its a perfect fit for him.
We all say, there is no way that Kris can sing that song...and for the most part, we are right. Thankfully, they put it in a lower register for him and he does better than I expected, but still clearly not his song. Round 3 - definitely ADAM.

So the prediction: I stand on my previous prediction. Kris is be singing "No Boundaries" tonight under the confetti laced bright lights of the Nokia Theater...and it will be a "Should have been moment"...the song will be released on the radio and it will be a misfit song and we'll have to wait for Adam's first single.
If the competition were solely based on talent...Adam would be the clear winner. He is probably the most talented contestant in the history of AI...but AI is and has never been solely about talent...it is about making an Idol...and Kris fits that model perfectly.
If you haven't guessed, I am rooting for Adam. I voted about 50 times last night for him. But secretly, I kinda hoping for Kris to win. Like last year, either way, I won't be disappointed. I like them both. They both deserve a career...and ultimately, it is US that is the real winner in all of this.

Watching the montage of the season, I got teary-eyed, seeing our old friends, Norman...face-pierce boy, bikini girl....even Tatiana. And it once again drove home the reasons why we all love AI so much. It isn't just a TV show...we grow "close" to the personalities...we share in their hopes and dreams, we thrill for their triumphs and we share in their disappointments.
I had Kris leaving #13 - boy was I wrong there...but there is no escaping that we all have enjoyed vicariously, the dream of a mellow young guy from Arkansas...with no confidence of how good he can be...and we've grown as he has grown to become the next American Idol.

One final blog tomorrow......Rubbertoe.....out!

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

A Couple of Finale Spoilers

Mjsbigblog has posted a wee bit of a spoiler and a clip from a press conference given by Adam Lambert and Kris Allen. It looks like for the "Contestant's Choice", Adam Lambert will be singing "Mad World" (remember stunning performance and blue light shooting from Adam's crotch) . . . while Kris is mulling reprising "Heartless" or "Falling Slowly" . . . the blog futher spoils that he is leaning towards "Falling Slowly" . . .

I hope that these spoilers are accurate because I think that "Mad World" and "Heartless"/"Falling Slowly" were three of the best performances of the season. We'll see what happens.

Click the link to read the story!

A Final of Polar Opposites Could Be Too Close to Call



USA Today published a story today outlining tonight's much anticipated Idol Finale between Adam Lambert and Kris Allen. The article plays on the differences of the contestants to demonstrate the possibilities of how the final could play out. Click the link to read the very informative story.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Why Kris will wear the Idol crown

OK.....so I went to a function on Tuesday and haven't been able to catch up. I will say that I agreed completely with J's post as well as L/K.
I would have ranked them Kris2,Adam1,Adam2,Kris2,Danny2, Danny1, and I would have thought America would send Kris home with the possibility that Adam would go home. NEVER saw Gokey going home...but America got it right!

Now my quick analysis of why Kris will win Season 8.

Only 1 million votes out of 88 million seperated Kris and Adam.
Who will Danny's votes go to? I doubt many will go to Adam. Adam/Danny voters have been pretty much in their seperate camps since midseason. Look for Kris to pick up the majority of those votes.
Who NEEDS to win? Obviously Kris. Kris won't go anywhere without the Idol label.
Who benefits most by "losing" - Adam. Adam is going to be a star regardless and maybe in a Daughtery way, not having the "winner" status will be better for him.
Who can the Idol machinery mold more? Kris. They can take Kris, punch him through the Idol machinery...give him a new look and new stage presence and mold him like clay.....(Aiken).

When the winner is announced....I for one won't be shocked when we hear - Kris

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

THERE IS A GOD...

and he is BYOO TEE FULLLL!!!!!!!

Gokey croakeyed, and we have a Kris/Adam finale!

YESSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The irony is seeing Jordin Sparks, quite possibly one of the most boring Idols from one of the most coma-inducing finales ever, on the same night we get the fantastic news that we will get a REAL finale this year where we can get excited about whichever of these two guys wins. Awesome.

Top Three: The Results . . . AMERICA FINALLY GOT IT RIGHT . . . HELLZ YEAH!

Weird opening Ben Stiller movie prop . . . The Idol Desk is in the Smithsonian? Seriously?

Over 88 Million Votes Were Cast and less than one million seperated the Top 2. Seacrest tells us that we think we know the results but WE DON'T.

Alicia Keys pimping an Idol Gives Back type fundraiser . . . and yes Dr.L/K, I totally thought the Carrie Underwood stuff was leftovers . . .

We're back to take some trips back to the hometowns of our Final Three . . . The Gokey is up first . . . Has he done enough to make it next week? Let's hope not . . . But first, let's go visit with Jamar and the rest of Milwaukee, WI . . . Screaming tweens, Local TV, and being reunited with Jamar

Here comes Kris Allen . . . Let's go back to Conway, AK. He went back to his favorite restaurant and got free cheese dip for life . . . they should have given that to The Gokey . . . 20,ooo screaming, yelling, folks.

Next up, is Jordin Sparks and our results . . . LIVE.

Here comes JS performing her new song, "Battlefield". Song is very catchy . . . and you better go and get your armor!

We're back . . . and here comes Adam Lambert . . . with suspenders hanging from his ass . . . hmmm . . . I would swear that Ryan said, "How ya doin, honey?" . . . maybe I misheard that . . . Let's go back to San Diego, CA . . . Um, where are the screaming gay boys . . . no, really, I'm serious. Dim the lights . . . here we go . . .

Katie Perry singing first . . . UGH . . . I was really hoping we would get some drama here, but I'm not sure we're gonna. . . . It's 854 and we're still on commercial. UGH!

Here we go . . . here are our results . . . The first person competing in next week's finale is KRIS! AMERICA GOT IT FUCKING RIGHT!!!!!!!!!! Who will it be Danny or Adam . . . C'MON AMERICA!!!!!! YEEEEEEEEEEEEEES! ADAM VS KRIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'M STUNNED AND I'M THRILLED! That makes me so very happy.

Nothing more to say!!!

Cryin' about the One Beautiful, Heartless, Dance Apology

A Quick Post from Dr. L & K --

Here's our rundown from last night's performance show, because both Dr. L and I have school functions to attend and will have to catch tonight's show on the DVR.

The 1st Round:

Gokey sounded like a cat in a blender. What happened to the cool style Terrence Trent D'Arby put into the song? Oh, that's right, Gokey hasn't got any. He looked like he was trying to blow his way into the finals with lung power.

Kris: the waste of space known as Kara did Kris no favors with this song. It wasn't bad by any stretch (see above) -- just plain forgettable. This is the point of the competition where you have to do more than be good.

Adam was great, on the brink of another "moment" with this song, but it kind of became too much at the end. Still, he easily mopped the floor with the other guys.

Our picks: Adam, Kris, ---------------- Gokey.

(any of you think the shots of Carrie Underwear doing the Looky! Idol Gives A Crap! photo ops were from last year? Sure looked like retread footage to us.)

The 2nd Round:

Chokey actually almost surprised us. I was all ready to hate the song but he started off restrained, and had almost pulled us in...when he BLEW OUR HEADS OFF with the screeching at the end. Totally killed it. Epic Fail.

Kris: I have to say I hate the Kanye song. But Kris did the impossible and actually made it sound good. My only problem with it was it sounded like the same old Jack Johnson Lite© performance he pulls out time and again. But I can't say this enough, it was 1000% better than the original.

Adam: not as strong on the 2nd song, but that was due to several factors. Idols commit this error all the time: they pick a rockin' song, then expect Ricky Minor and the band to sound as awesome as the original artists. Most of the time, they just do an "a-ight" job, but this was one where they fell short. Also, could the backup singers hear the music? The mix of all that, plus the weird arrangement, made the song sound off. I think Adam did still did pretty well though, considering.

Still for us, Adam, Kris, ---------------------- Gokey.

But America...

I have a feeling Gokey has those voters that believe God is on his side, if you know what I mean, and it doesn't matter that Kris cruised easily past him last night. Sadly, it seems more likely Adam will get voted off than Gokey at this point.

So, since life isn't fair, we say America will get it wrong, and vote Kris off.

Top 3 Results: A "Heartless" Move Could Upset The Idol AppleCart.








Alright, I'm ready to make some predictions. I went back and watched the show again with Ttown Idol Fan . . . I've read the reviews . . . I've talked to my peeps . . . and it all backs up what SHOULD happen tonight. What SHOULD happen tonight is that The Gokey SHOULD be shown the door and we SHOULD get an Adam vs. Kris finale. That's what SHOULD happen. And . . . I'm slightly inclined to think that it very well MIGHT happen. I kind of think that Kris Allen's version of "Heartless" was just ballsy and brilliant enough to upset the Idol applecart. That being said, I understand that the percentage prediction here is a Danny vs. Adam finale. However, let it not be said that I'm afraid of the ballsy prediction.




Eliminated: The Gokey


Finale: Adam vs. Kris




Tuesday, May 12, 2009

The Top Three: Will America Get It Right?

They have become heroes in their hometowns but who will garner the support of a nation.

These are you Top 3 . . . and THIS is AMERICAN Idol.

It looks like the order tonight will be as spoiled

Gokey
Kris
Adam

I'm surprised they didn't put Kris first, but am not surprised that they put Adam last.

Say hello to the judges!

Cue the tapes of the screaming fans from the hometown visits . . .

Tonight they are performing 2 songs each . . . a judge's choice and a personal choice . . .

First up, Paula's choice for Danny Gokey . . . Paula has chosen "Dance Little Sister" by Terrance Trent D'Arby . . . Gokey didn't know it. It's a little obscure . . . let's see how it goes . . . we're going all screech all the time with this one . . . I'm having a difficult time with this one because he's screeching so much that it's hard to figure out whether he's actually in tune. He's definitely dynamic on the stage. I'm just not sure about the vocals . . Here come the judges to pimp him out . . . Randy thought it was dope. Kara thought the vocals were good, but the dancing was too much. Paula reminds us that she is a choreographer and thinks he did "real good". Simon thought the dancing was a bit desperate, and thought that vocally it was good.

Next up, Kris Allen with a song from Kara/Randy . . . Let's go south to Arkansas to see what they picked for him. . . they chose "Apologize" by One Republic . . . I'm quite hopeful for this song choice . . . He's playing the piano . . . with a little orchestral accompaniment . . . his voice sounds clear and clean as per usual . . . He stuck to the melody and made a few vocal adjustments . . . I'm quite pleased with Kris . . . Randy thinks that this is the kind of artist that he is. Kara thought it was a competent performance, but wishes he had interpreted it. Paula is used to him taking artistic license and thinks he had a bum note. Simon thinks its a cop out to blame him for doing the song that they chose. Simon thinks that Kara/Randy didn't follow through with their end of the deal.

Next up, Simon Cowell's choice for Adam Lambert . . . let's go to San Diego to see what his song choice is . . . He's chosen "One" by U2. Simon got permission from Bono for Adam to sing this song. Blue light special is back . . . He's slowed it down and toned his look down completely . . . my opinion is going to be unpopular here . . . the first half of this song was brilliant, but the second half was unnecessary . . . why did he feel the need to scream . . . and then the end was brilliant again . . . Randy thought he was in the zone, but that he went off the melody a bit. Kara thinks he is a strategist, and she thinks he changed everything (I'm not sure what she was listening to) Paula thought it was one brilliant song, one brilliant performance from one American Idol. Simon thought it was a brilliant song choice, and if he's not in the final it will be one of the biggest upsets.

After round one, I have them 1. Adam, 2. Kris, 3. Danny . . . I think that we still haven't seen one of them be spectacular yet . . . that being said, I think none of them were awful either . . . I think that Kris is gonna have to blow it away in round two to have a shot at knocking out the douchebaggery that is The Gokey . . .

Here comes an update from Carrie Underwood about Idol Gives Back . . .

Here comes the douchebaggery . . . I mean, The Gokey . . . He's singing, "You Are So Beautiful". . by Joe Cocker . . . I like the onstage arragnement of instrumentalists. . . I like the restrained tone of his voice, but I still don't love his tone. Oh and there is the SCREEEECH . . . The judges will eat this up and try and cement his spot in the final, and it was MUCH better than his first song . . . I just don't LOVE it. Randy thought he showed that he could really, really, really sing. Kara thought he did everything he didn't do in the first performance. Paula was left breathless. Simon loves the song, but wouldn't have done the arrangement, but thinks it was a vocal master class. Seriously, a vocal masterclass. PIMPAGE! PIMPAGE! PIMPAGE!

Ugh, this season of Idol has left me so jaded. I just can't take it anymore.

Here comes who should be in the finals, IMO, Kris Allen . . . he's singing "Heartless" by Kanye West. He thinks it's fun. Here's hoping . . . Now THAT'S HOW YOU REARRANGE A SONG . . . nice, nice, nice . . . I'm loving that re-do. LOVE IT. Randy thinks this is going to be a tough voting night. He likes his version better than the original. Kara thought it was bold, brave, and fearless. Paula thinks this is what keeps him relevant. Simon had written him out of the competition, that has all changed after that performance.

Here comes Adam to round out the night . . . again . . . He's doing "Cryin" by Aerosmith. There's already a problem . . . the girl doing the harmony is TOOOOO loud and is trying to outshout Adam. . . his vocals are solid as per usual. Adam is GREAT as he always is . . . but, this has not been his best night. The end note was verrrrrrrrrrrry good. Randy says he is one of the best we have ever had on this stage. He liked it better than the first. Kara wonders how he hits those notes and talks the next day. Paula thinks he has set the bar so high that he hopes he is collecting frequent flyer miles. Simon's not going to suck up as much as the other three. He thinks he deserves to be there, and that everyone should vote for him.

Here we go . . . in my humble opinion, the final should be Adam vs. Kris . . . but, I'm not ready to make America's choice just quite yet . . .

See you in a bit . . .

Here were my initial rankings

Kris Two
Adam One
Adam Two
Kris One
Danny Two
Danny One

EW's Idolatry: A Review, A Preview, and a Kara Beatdown

EW's idolatry team has produced yet another insightful and truth-filled video post this week. Click the link to see their opinions on the endless pimping of the Gokey, the short-changing of Allison and Kris and the many gaffs of Kara D. P.S. Pay attention and you will hear a lovely and accurate descriptor of The Gokey. :)

This one is definitely worth watching!

Monday, May 11, 2009

Top 3: The Spoilers for the Judge's Choice

Our first spoilers are trickling in thanks to our friends over at idolbloglive. The following songs have been spoiled for our three remaining Idols . . .

Danny Gokey - “Dance Little Sister” (Paula Picks)*
Kris Allen - “Apologize” (Randy Picks)
Adam Lambert - “One” (Simon Picks)

Now, I'm familiar with Kris' and Adam's picks and think they should blow these songs out of the water. However, I'm unfamiliar with Paula's pick for Gokey. I have read that it is a Terrance Trent D'arby song . . . I wonder if it will turn out to be a positive or a negative move to have him sing a less familiar song when the other two are singing VERY familiar songs. We'll see . . .

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Robbed!

I think Simon's expression here sums up how the vote tonight felt to me:



This is Simon looking at the stage after Allison was sent home tonight. I don't know who he thought deserved to go more, but he was definitely not happy with the way it went down. I'm with you, buddy. For my $ 0.02, Allison blew Gokey off the stage last night. Maybe off the planet.

-- K

Top Four: The Results . . . The Good, The Bad, and The Very Very Gokey!

Here comes our Top 4 . . . and THIS is AMERICAN Idol!

Tonight we reveal the Top 3 of Season 8 . . . over 64 million votes were registered. How are the votes divided up and who is headed home?

Did Ryan just call Randy, "The bomb.com"

No Doubt, Daughtry, and Paula Abdul are performing tonight!

Here's our Ford Music Video . . . not loving that one . . . Here's our Top 4 with Slash doing "Schools Our For Summer" . . . This performance is kind of all over the place . . . I like that they are actually singing live and I like the band . . . but the vocals are kind of all over the place. Hmmmm . . . anyway let's go on to the results and Paula Abdul next . . .

Let's check in with our Top 4. . . . Danny thinks Wednesday night is the most tiring. Kris thinks that being in the Top 4 is surreal. This was Adam's favorite theme week, and he liked his outfit. Danny thinks it was "funny" when he listened to his last note. Allison thinks Simon was asking for it last night when she got "feisty".

Here comes Paula Abdul . . . let's see how it goes . . . interesting, on the positive side, I REALLY like the song . . . very Gaga . . . on the negative side, there was no pretense of singing on a show that is all about singing. Hmmmm . . . anyway, we should get some kind of results type thing after the break.

Let's talk to Paula! More music . . . here comes No Doubt with "Just a Girl" . . . which was released approximately eleventy years ago . . . Tutu boy reminds me of Flea from the Red Hot Chilli Peppers. . .

Here we go with some results . . . our Top 4 are backstage awaiting their fate . . . if they get through to the Top 3, they get to go on a hometown visit. Here's how it's gonna work . . . the seats are for the Top 3 . . . the finalists will be announced in random order . . . wtf? Here they come . . . for the first time, I'm actually a little nervous. Dim the lights, yo . . . Allison is up first . . . Danny is next . . . after the nationwide vote . . . we move on to Adam . . . and we'll wind up with humble Kris. He's going to send one person to safety . . . the first person in the Top 3 is . . . Kris! Well, now, isn't this interesting. . . America, IMO, got it RIGHT! But now, the upset factor appears to be rearing its pretty little head.

We're back to hear Chris Daughtry perform . . . they did a nice retrospective . . . and tonight we're gonna hear the first song off the new record called, "No Surprise" . . . Ok, kind of love this song . . . it is lovely pop rock goodness. :) Btw, my friend Michele says that CD was playing a Finder Strattocaster . . . forgive me if I spelled it wrong. :) Next up, Danny, Adam, Allison which one will go . . .

Here we go . . . The second person in the Top 3 and headed to their hometown is . . . ADAM! We're down to Allison and Danny . . . after the record setting vote of 64 million. . . . Danny is safe . . . UGH! Allison is going home. UGH! UGH! UGH! That's some bullshizz . . .

Allison's problem always has been that she hasn't had the voting base. She's been in the bottom two or three way too many times . . . but UGH! THE GOKEY NEEDS TO GO! UGH!

So, we're down to our Top 3 . . . for the very first time, it's an all male Top 3 . . . Kris, Adam, and Danny. Thoughts?

Dr. L & K qwik post!

Hey gang,
Dr L & I are on the road, but didn't want to miss out on the predictions; so here is our breakdown:
Adam
Alison
Kris
Danny

----

America's breakdown:

Adam
Gokey
Alison
Kris

Kris goes home,

A Few Idol Ramblings

Sooooo, I felt the need to post before the results show. I've been scanning the web and it seems that the same sentiment is buzzing around as has been buzzing in my head. I can't seem to shake the feeling that we could be in for an Idol shocker tonight. Stranger things have happened . . . See: Tamyra Grey, Latoya London, and Chris Daughtry. As I thought about this today, a few things occured to me. First of all, Kris, Danny, and Adam all have proven that they have very strong voting bases. However, Allison was VERY strong in the final duet which I believe will keep her safe. Second, The Gokey was smacked in the middle of everything like Kris was . . . and Simon said that, "he should be safe". We know from Idol history that often times "you should be safe" and comments like it tend to make voting bases lazy. Third, the buzz around the net is that everyone is PISSED at the blatant throwing under the bus of Kris and Allison and the blatant pimping of Adam and Danny. All of these things work together to make an unstable voting situation. Therefore, I'm gonna put out a few different scenarios that could be shocking.

1. Allison and Danny in the bottom 2 and Kris and Adam safe. Before you go, "WTF" think about it. Allison has never had a strong voting base and it isn't out of the question that despite going last her peeps just won't come up with enough numbers to keep her safe. The Gokey was HORRIBLE last night, and that, along with his positioning in the line up, could result in this situation.

2. Kris and Danny in the bottom 2 with Danny going home. See the above commentary on Danny and mix that with Kris' very strong voting base. Barring last week's odd bottom 3 in a Top 5 situation, Kris, along with Danny, has always been safe.

3. Danny/Adam bottom 2 . . . granted, I think this is a very unlikely scenario, but could it be that Adam was actually in the bottom two last week because his voting base isn't as strong as we think it is? Just a question . . .

At the end of the day, it will probably be my Kris who hits the road, but what if . . . .

Entertainment Weekly's Weekly Roundup

Entertainment Weekly reporter Michael Slezak has written an article today that so captures my utter irritation with this show this season that I just had to post it. Well done, Mr. Slezak . . . well done. Click the link to read. . . . American Idol: Crime-Scream Investigation.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

I wanna Rock and Roll All night! (and party every day)

Duets? Wh-wh-wh-what?

Allison and Adam look really great!

Adam - "Whole lotta love" - Perfect song choice for Adam. Allowed him to show off his high register. I had a WHOLE lotta love for this performance.

Allison - Why didn't they give her this makeover earlier? I didn't love the first part of the song. But during the chorus she brought it on. Its hard to do Janice Joplin justice. I was thinking exactly what Kara said... "Piece of my heart" would have been a better choice for her.

Kris/Danny Duet: Renegade. Early harmony was great. But when it got to the rock part it was weak for both...moreso for Kris. Danny showed some signs of strong vocals but also showed some weaknesses. I give Kris props for TRYING to add some stage presence. However, he didn't pull it off.

Kris - "Come together" Good job...for once, I saw some actually stage presence from him. Not the vest vocal of all but as an overall package, this was Kris at his best.
The only judge who agreed with me was Randy...hmmmm.

Danny - "Dream on". Oh....I'm afraid of this one. I can already hear the Gokey screech coming up. Horrible song choice. Wow....this was horrendous. I know this wasn't Danny's genre but this one was rough.


Allison/Adam Duet - "Slowride" - This duet was exactly opposite of the first. On the individual parts they were both great, but the actually duet part was not that good.
I agree with Simon...Adam may have pulled through

Do you get the feeling they are pushing an Adam/Allison finale?

Rubbertoes ranking tonight:

1. Adam (Once again my a mile)
2. Allison (pulled up from #3 based on her performance on the duet)
3. Kris (Danny was better on the Duet but Kris was waaaaay better on the solo)
4. Danny (Wow...how the mighty fell. Last Week he was my #1...this week, all the way to the bottom).

Who should go home? If you base it on tonight, Danny. If you base it on the competition overall, Kris.

America's Rankings

1. Danny
2. Adam
3 Allison
4. Kris

I predict like Jason Castro who left #4 last year, our low-key guitar playing pretty boy will go home in the same slot.

--rubertoe....out!

Hey Top 4 Rock-n-Roll . . . Rock On . . . ooooooh I said . . .

THIS is AMERICAN Idol!

Alright folks, we’re down to the Final Four . . . Danny, Allison, Kris, and Adam. Tonight, they are taking direction from mentor, Slash and singing “Rock” songs. In yet another Idol twist, the foursome will sing individually in the first round, and then, sing duets for the second round. That second round could be hot or a hot mess . . . we’ll see.

We had an accident on the set which prevented a complete rehearsal.

Here are the judges! It’s a big week, yo! Paula’s gotta new single.

WHAT THE FRACK IS LAMBERT wearing? I feel like I say that every week. But what in the name of Alice Cooper has gotten into that boy?

Anyhoo, here is the Slash retrospective.

Here we go . . .

1. Adam Lambert - He’s singing “Whole Lotta Love” by Led Zepplin. This is Adam’s favorite
of all the theme weeks. It’s like glam rock exploded. Vocals were brilliant . . . absolutely brilliant. As per usual, he was WAY over the top, but that’s Adam. He was the essence of Adam . . . very, very good. Randy thinks he IS a rock star. Kara thinks he is a ROCK GOD! Paula thinks he is a whole lotta perfect. Simon thought it could be a disaster, but it was one of his favorite performances from Adam.

2. Allison – She’s singing “Cry Baby” by Janis Joplin. I think she looks really cute tonight. Allison went with Adam to his “hair girl” to get her hair done. She’s great when she hits the high notes, but she struggles a bit, as Paula would say, in her lower register. I gotta say that was not as good as it should have been. Randy didn’t love it. Kara thinks that Janis was the right artist to choose, but thought she was nervous. Paula thinks she is fearless. Simon thought it was a terrific vocal, but didn’t see much originality. Allison talks back this time . . . but it comes off better than it did with Lil.

3. The first duet tonight – Renegade by Styx . . . Danny and Kris . . . I will tell you right now, I will download this song . . . they are the PERFECT match . . . the harmony was brilliant and they both sounded great. Randy liked the harmonies, but the individual vocals were ok. Kara thinks the sum of the parts were better than the individual parts. Paula thought it was powerful and compelling. Simon thought Danny was better than Kris.

A comment here . . . again, they want Kris and Allison GONE . . . they are first and in the middle so as not to highlight them too much.

4. Kris – He is singing “Come Together” by the Beatles. He wanted to pee in his pants with Slash there. He sounds good, no problem with the vocals as per usual. He gets props from me for playing the guitar. I very much liked this performance. Randy thinks he picked a good song, and thinks he played the guitar well. Kara thinks he is the softer side of rock, but she didn’t think it was a great performance. Paula thinks its risky to do a Beatles song, but thinks it was a Kris song. Simon didn’t really like it, and thought it was a safe performance. Once again, it could not be m ore clear that they do not want Allison or Kris in the finals.

5. The Gokey - He is singing “Dream On” by Aerosmith . . . which if you will recall sent Michael Johns home last year. This could be a hot mess because I fear the screech will be in full effect. I think this will be a test of where the judges stand because I feel like this was not good. Those last few notes were absolutely HORRIBLE, AWFUL, TERRIBLE. If they say he was great then we KNOW the fix is on. Randy thought it was ok, but gave him an A+ for effort. Kara thought he added more edge, but took it too far. Paula knows it was a tricky genre, and didn’t think it was the right song. Simon thought the last note was like watching a horror movie.

6. Adam/Allison duet – I FEAR for this duet . . . I feel like this could be like the Celine Dion/Barbara Streisand duet . . . who can out scream the other. We’ll see. There singing “Slow Ride” . . . Can we discuss Mr. Lambert’s pants . . . I think I can see the circumcision scar . . . I think this was MUCH better than I thought it would be. Completely different than the first duet . . . the individual performances were MUCH better than the harmonies. Randy thought it was HOT . . . Kara thought they were ROCK gods . . . Paula thought they were great. Simon thinks they won the battle of the duets . . . but once again, Simon has to pimp Adam and say that HE may have given her a chance at staying in the competition.

Individual Rankings: 1. Adam (HUGE SPACE), 2. Kris, 3. Allison (GIGANTIC MASSIVE SPACE), 4. Danny

Duet Rankings: 1. Adam/Allison 2. Kris/Danny

My rankings: 1. Adam 2. Kris 3. Allison (huge space) 4. Danny
My Bottom 2: Allison and Danny
America's Bottom 2: Kris and Allsion
Eliminated: Sniff Sniff . . . Kris

Monday, May 4, 2009

Slash & Burn (Mentors Idols, Blogs About It)



Hey gang,

got this link from the HufPo, but the original article was from the NY Post, so --
if you click on the title above it will take you to an interesting article about Slash mentoring the Idols. Apparently he was most impressed with Adam, but given the Axl-esque quality to Adam's voice on some of the rocker-y tunes, it kind of figures.

-- K