THIS is AMERICAN IDOL!

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

IDOL IS BACK!!!

Friday, May 27, 2011

Not Fiddle Guy

Man....I wish I was better at posting links and pictures..... (Dr.L/K)

I tracked down and have a new facebook friend: Nathan Stoops.....Hot fiddle guy

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pages/Nathan-Stoops/224841937529989


There is a really cute picture of him and Lauren Alaina in his pics!

Thursday, May 26, 2011

New Dirt from Rickey.org on Post-Idol D-baggery!


Click on title above to link to the story.

Apparently, the last year's ("reigning"?) Idol is supposed to present the New Idol with some kind of trophy. Except Lee DeWyze refused to present it to Scotty so JLo had to! Ha!
I pointed out to Dr. L, as we watched the finale last night, that DeWyze seemed to be cranky about something.
If you look at the pic

he's right in the camera line behind the judges so he's visible a lot, and Ryan was in the row right beside him in one particular shot later in the evening.
I don't have a capture of it, but if you rewind last night's show and find that shot (and maybe others), Lee's wife has an Eat Shit look on her face as Ryan is babbling about whatever's coming next on the show. She then leans over and says something to Lee about it, and he looks like he wants to club a baby seal.
I just figured she was miffed that they weren't paying proper respect to Lee, and basically ignored his existence as last year's Idol the entire finale. Maybe that's part of it; but the word is there's some kind of feud between DeWyze and Nigel.

What a D bag, acting like an infant and probably making it awkward for Howdy Doody to get on with being irrelevant, like he had a year to do on Idol's dime.

-- K

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Idol Crowns the Season Ten Boat Anchor!



-- who will sink into oblivion faster than you can say Lee DeWyze... or Kris Allen... or Taylor Hicks...

hard to believe we went through ALLL those folks this season, only to get down to Scotty and Lauren Alaina! At least Hot Fiddle Guy got to burn up some strings there at the end :)

122 million votes! We heard a rumor that at most of those went to Scotty… 2 to 1...
Randy taking a break from his gig at KFC to work the Idol finale tonight - WTF is that outfit??

Oh poor Lauren, they could not have made her ass look bigger if they had tried! Needed some silver stripes or something on those pants to create a slimming effect. 

Some good old Idol-cheestastic choreography! I do love that Lady Gaga song though :) K says - the parade of people who should have gone farther…was Jacob suffering from diva-deprivation  -cause he was laying the ham on thick every time he got in front of the camera. 

James - with Judas Priest! Wow - go James! K says I must have been in a coma   - cause the finale just started tonight - THAT was a finale performance. james was able to peel the paint off space stations for the past ten weeks and never blew a vocal chord, hmmmm??

The 'in it to win it' montage! Side note - J , you were correct the alcohol is making this show quite entertaining :) We have been putting the Jimmy Buffet-approved Margaritaville Frozen Concoction Maker to good use.


Jacob and the gospel moment… and he gets Gladys Knight! Suddenly we are now donating to the tornado victims - (which is great!) but that came out of nowhere?? this is the best jacob song - where he is in the background. K says typical Jacob - the first part was great, and then he went off the rails! 

Two shows we need to see so far - Gladys at the Tropicana, and Judas Priest farewell tour 'Epitaph'. both likely much more entertaining than the Idol tour. 

Casey - and Jack Black! OMG - that was hilarious - LOVED it! K says it was totally worth a plug for Kung Fu Panda 2 to hear Jack Black. L wants to watch that again - I loved it! So funny that both J & RT hated it, we are big fans of Tenacious D so it was musical candy.

Idol loves the Beyonce songs! Side note  - K says, while the ladies of the Top 13 perform, it was the right call to kick Ashthon out 13th. Sux. BTW, are they purposefully keeping Pia off center stage? She has barely had any solo moments so far. Ugh on the slow song! And now for the real singer - here's Beyonce! She's got a face like here's how you do it, JLo!
Agree with RT, though, when they do give Pia a "moment" -- she is either in don't give a F mode, or she was never up to the hype in the first place.

Steven - bringing the house down - and he did last night too. the audience LOVED him. 

Tony Bennett - Haley. Can't imagine that most of the people at home or in the audience know who he is? And, imagine that, Tony has a new album coming out. This song will be a big hit on the time traveler radio station , K says he doesn't know what good it will do in the 21st century. 

Lil Jon? for like 5 seconds and TLC? K says, only the colored girls get to sing on this montage? They should have had a hologram of Lisa 'left eye' Lopez to sing with them. Noticed JLo is missing from the judges panel during that. Nice creepy comment from Ryan - eww and oh no! 

Scotty and Tim McGraw! Wonder if Tim is still plugging 'Country Strong'? Maybe Tim is just plugging his hotness tonight - and that works just fine for L, although he is probably bald under that cowboy hat. Good upper register there Scotty! 

Idol comedy relief section…

Marc Anthony, Sheila E!  cutting loose with JLo - that was great! JLo saying to Beyonce -- let's see you shake that ass like THIS in 15 years, beyotch.

Okay, I'm guessing maybe the purple one is about to grace our presence?! Oops, wrong guess, how about ….Tom Jones! Heading further into cheestastic land. Jacob that is just wrong - ewww, please make him stop. all the old folks in the audience, get up and dance! K's sister has a handkerchief she handed Tom Jones after a show in 1970, he wiped his brow - and she put it in a frame! He was the shit 40 years ago! 

Man, Paul's hair and dance moves so remind me of Heat Miser -- anybody remember him?

Ughh on the final Ford commercial - and another creepy comment from Ryan. And here's your brand new car!! LOL! What do you want to bet Lauren picks the Expedition Stegasaurus-sized SUV?

and Lady Gaga - K says, the flashback from the acid he took twenty years ago just kicked in. Did this just get kinda PG13 or beyond? Fun, diving off into the volcano - how about that production number! 

Carrie Underwear thankfully comes to rescue Lauren from completely butchering that song. She is so skinny it looked Lauren drained four pints of blood out of her before she came on stage. Did Lauren just completely bail out on the end of that song?

Beyonce gets two performances? Okay the Spiderman stuff is just ridiculous. We had to fast forward through that. This show is like a microcosm of the whole season: started promising and gets more ludicrous as it gets closer to the end.


Steven Tyler - 'nuff said - pretty embarrassing Idol contestants - when a 60-something year old dude wipes the floor with you. Dream on that you will have that kind of career! 

And the RESULTS…….Scotty !
K says Lauren might be be wondering  how that statue might look up Scotty's ass?! PRICELESS - the Jack Black snub during the Scotty family hugs.
Go Lil Tasters!! What a surreal season of AI! 

-- Dr. L & K

J retains the Lil' tasters crown

Congrats to J.....retaining the little tasters' crown.


A couple additional thoughts:

-What started out as a promising season....fizzled out about mid-way through. Neither Scotty nor Lauren were all that great. Lauren was a major disappointment, although she did show some good potential in the finale. But watching her sing with Carrie Underwear.....you could see that Lauren was a weak comparison.

- James should have won

- Seeing Pia on the finale made me think that America got it right....she is really bland and boring.

- The latina girl got voted off too early....her voice really shined in the group numbers....its too bad that we didn't see more of her.

- Casey is a freak....his performance with Jack Black was by far the worst of the night

- Lady Gaga is a stunning performer

- Paul should definitely not have made the top 12

- Stefano really is hot

- I completely forgot who Ashton was

....Finally the best thing to come out of Idol Season 10............

HFG.......HOT fiddle guy!

The Finale: Which of the Undeserving will Prevail?





THIS is your finale . . . and THIS is AMERican Idol

Not sure who's finale he's talking about, but I don't claim it. I'm only going to make brief notes . . . 122 million votes . . . a record . . . . 3/4 of a billion votes over the season.

I don't think I have ever been swayed by a finale like I was last night . . . I was SO irritated by the Lauren pimpage that I actually voted . . . ugh . . . for Scotty.

I might as well say it again . . . what in gay hell is Lauren wearing . . . oh my, as well as Scotty . . . again, Idol's stylist needs Jesus.

The Top 13 are singing "Express Yourself" . . .er, I mean "Born This Way" Hello James Durbin :)

Idol finalist, er, I mean top 4 idolist, James Durbin with Judas Priest - who'd a thunk that Judas Priest would ever be on Idol . . . An aside . . . I am so turned on right now I kinda can't see straight . . . um, I mean gay . . . :)

Here comes Jacob with Kirk Franklin . . . where is Idol's stylist ... cuz they are gonna bring Jesus. Oh Lawd, it's Ms. Gladys . . . Jacob is currently peeing all over himself. I don't love Jacob, but I do love being taken to church by the Idol choir!

Here comes Casey singing "Fat Bottomed Girls" . . . I'm sorry this song belongs to another Casey . . . Casey James . . . Oh Lord, and he's singing it with Jack Black . . . one word to describe that performance . . . ridic . . . that's all.

Here come the ladies of the Top 13 . . . pimping, er, I mean singing Bey Bey's "Single Ladies" and "Irreplaceable" and some other song which I'm sure is Bey Bey, but with which I'm unfamiliar. and "If I Were A Boy" . . . Oh look, its Bey Bey! Singing with My Haley! There's Pia . . . looking like she's ready to bite the head off a puppy. I should have entitled this section Bey Bey's greatest hits.

Here comes a tribute to La Tyler . . . I heart La Tyler and hope he graces us next season :)

Here is Haley and Tony Bennett, WTF? Ok, y'all know I've got the Haley love, but I'm a little in love with this performane.

Here comes a tribute to JLo . . . I kind of hope she stays around too. :)

Here come the ladies of the Top 13, TLC, and Lil John . . . I'm hoping this means that TLC is coming out with something new . . . LOVE IT!

Here comes Scotty with "Live Like You Were Dying" with Tim McGraw . . . Mr. McGraw is the essence of country hotness with that cowboy hat and those jeans :) I can't even pay attention to Scotty with Tim McGraw on stage.

Marc Anthony . . . blah blah blah

James vs. Casey . . . but here comes Pia . . . funny stuff. :) Top 13 guys singing Prince's "Kiss" . . . yikesies . . . There's a reason Stefano went home. Then comes Paul singing a song from Too Wong Foo . . . RT is dying . . . James singing something about a pussy cat . . . TeeHee . . . Oh Scotty . . . stop . . . I was just kidding, keep singing . . . stop Jacob. Why, Why, Why, Casey . . . why does he remind me of Lee DeWyze. Oh God, it's Tom Jones . . . there are no words . . .

Where are the contemporary artists, Idol. I feel like I say the same thing every season.

Here comes Lady GaGa with "The Edge of Glory" . . . Say what you will about her . . . the Lady can sing . . .

Here comes Lauren and Carrie singing the song that Lauren should have been signing last night . . . and Ms. Underwood dressed by the same Idol stylist that needs Jesus. They attempted harmony . . . Lauren could take a lesson from the former Carrie-Bot . . . Not to increase the pimpage talk, but this is a MUGH better duet than Scotty and La McGraw. MUCH BETTER.

Again, Pia looks like she could bite the head off of a puppy.

Good God is this a Bey Bey concert . . .she's trying to take the sting out of how horrible Rule the World (Girls) was . . .

Here comes Bono and The Edge with something from "SpiderMan After Dark" . . . here's hoping that there are no injuries . . . I wonder who was in the SpiderMan costume that made JLo jump . . .

Ok, so, the results have to happen after this commercial break ... Who is the Idol? Scotty or Lauren . . . do we care . . .

Oh, btw, I will be starting the Lil Tasters a #TheVoice blog next week so we can start blogging during the live shows . . . . I hope all of the Lil Tasters are up for it! I also think, in the Fall, we should do an XFactor blog.

It looks like Idol will not end on time . . . as here comes Steven Tyler . . . thank goodness I'm watching live and not depending on DVR.

Here are the official results: The Winner of American Idol 2011 Isssssssssssssssss . . . Scotty McCreery! I NEVER thought I would say this, but I'm happy he won . . . neither of them should have been in the finale, but, of the two of them, Scotty had the better voice.

Can't wait to hear what everyone else has to say . . . look RT, I'm still here. :)

It's Howdy Doody Time!

Just realized we never officially made our prediction. If the votes are actually counted, we predict Scotty is the next American Idol.
In which case we will probably see this

"The Bitchface"


or this

"The Waterworks".
Either way, we will see this


DOODY IS IN IT TO WIN IT! And does.

--K

Dr. L & K Put An Ear On It


Okay Lil Tasters, here is a recap of our trip to the Idol Season Ten Finale Performance Night:

We had never been to the Nokia before, but we were pleasantly surprised how easy it was to park (if you aren't from LA this might not seem like a big deal). It was a pretty daunting line to get in, stretched WAY around the corner, and we were there early. We parked at the L.A. Convention Center deck @ 1pm, the show starts @ 5pm PST.

We entered the line behind a nice family, a woman and her three daughters. They had signs for both Lauren and Scotty: "Scotty is a Hottie" might not be so original but "Lauren is Roarin'" cracked us up. An anorexic blonde PA with a headset gave us the standard speech that "you might not make it in" but we assured the worried girls this is what they always say. You get a pass, but it's first-come, first serve. As an hour passed, some stragglers DID get the heave-ho and they walked by us, pissed. Early bird gets the worm, ladies.

The line crept around beside the Staples Center. A group of energetic teens were all gathered on the L.A. Convention Center steps -- we realized they were the "Pit" people( and later on, we pitied them for having to be on their feet THE ENTIRE FREAKIN' show).
Here we learned the Nokia Finale is much better than the usual CBS lot Idol scene: once we passed a certain checkpoint, we were given tickets with assigned seats, so we could leave to do whatever we wanted until showtime.
We walked over to the YardHouse and got a Hefeweisen and some avocado chicken while we waited. Yum.

When it got closer to 3:30, when the Nokia opened up, we walked into the courtyard next to it. Thousands of Idol fans were milling around. Tents were set up for interviews with past & present Idols and Judges: we saw Kimberly Caldwell, Didi Benami, and I swear I saw Elliot Yamin.

Dr. L saw one of her students with her mom, and we chatted with them as we got into line for the Nokia. They had bumped into Jason Castro earlier. We were at a point in the line where people passing crossed either right in front of or behind us. Who should pass (literally brushing by us) but Lauren Alaina's mom! She smiled and said hello as we recognized her. Dr. L commented on how much her hair looked like her sister's -- we'll call the cut the "pookie" style LOL. She also had a GIANT purple spangly purse that said "LAUREN", ha. More on this brief encounter later.

So we entered the Nokia. Very efficient crowd control. We never take our phones because they take them away from 99% of the audience -- but we can say inside we saw some BOLD peeps videotaping the entire show. We just leave the phones in the car, so we breeze past Security. Makes the exit lighting fast, too.
Dr. L decided we should get some Idol Swag. We noticed there was not an enormous amount of traffic at the booths. T-shirts, $20-25, much better than Charlie Sheen's Torpedo Tour. We got an Idol coffee mug, $10 :)

We made our way to our seats just after 4pm. in the Mezzanine, which we learned is actually closer than some floor seats even though it is higher. Great view. The crowd took all of the way to 5pm to fill in. LOTS of teen and tween girls, which is what the Idol Voting Bloc is supposed to be comprised of, mainly. As Corey, the warm-up guy got the crowd going, we realized: many, if not most of these girls, were here as fans of LAUREN. We were surprised. Even the girls we met in line brought signs for both but only cheered for Lauren. Hmmm.

Corey was really funny, hauling audience members up and having them shake their booty like fools. We thought we saw Nigel, but it was actually a Mystery Man In A White Suit, as we later saw Nigel wearing a silver suit talking with the judges. Whoever this Mystery Guy was, many people from the show and crowd wanted to talk with him. (Simon Fuller? Pat Boone?)

As 5pm neared, Corey's shtick got interrupted by wild applause as the castoff Idols (looked like everyone from the Tour) entered. Holy shit, Stefano is a ham, he was waving his arms like he was signaling a passing plane from a desert island. Corey named them all off, and Paul was last; Rubbertoe, we thought of you.
We also saw Lauren's mom again, hugging people, be-bopping around on the front row.

Interesting note: Corey had us practice a part of a song for Scotty: the part of his 1st song where he says "bang-bang". They even flashed it on the screen so we could get it perfect. I wonder if this seemed spontaneous on the actual show, or if you could even tell. Nothing like this for any Lauren song....Then Debbie the Stage Manager started counting down, and the Show was On!

Seacrest came out, and it was as you saw at home. Since we had been in line since 1pm, we had no idea about the DRAMA with Lauren Alaina's voice. As they talked with the Doctor, Dr. L and I said this seemed like some bullshit. A sympathy ploy? (Note: they should have given her drugs all season if she would belt out the songs like this.)

A commercial break. Scotty seems low-key. I thought about my theory that Idol sticks the contestant they want booted in the most casual garb -- Scotty fits the bill in the intro, but then whips on what appears to be a standard Idol gray leather jacket for the song.
During all these breaks, Randy usually sits like a bump on a log, JLo kicks to the side and 2-3 people work on her hair and makeup, and Steven stands up, walks around, a girl pats his nose and women in the crowd scream his name (in fairness, they scream JLo's, too). Corey gives out prizes, mostly to kids, like posters and shirts.

Then BAM they were into the 1st song with Scotty. We did our little "bang-bang" part. It was okay, but we've heard him sing before and this was not his best. Nerves? He didn't look into it, especially when the cameras weren't rolling. Seacrest puts his arm around his shoulder. No judging. Another commercial. We started to realize, "they're hauling ass, must only be an hour". Nigel sighting.

We're back. Lauren Elaina sings. And we realize the tone of the night is set: not only does she NOT sound like her voice is impaired, she sounds more powerful than usual. More production value on her clothes/graphics/backup musicians. We were sitting towards the back but you could hear her loud and clear. At first we thought she was just "bringing it" more than Scotty, which was partly true-- but it was a little "augmented" on Idol's end, too.
After Lauren sang, and there was a commercial, this time Nigel spent time at the judges' table and he gave them a little speech, complete with hand gestures. I forgot to mention that, just before the show went live, a PA carefully sat out sheets of paper at every judges place on the table. Instructions, or script even, from Nigel?

In our opinion, in the room, the only halfway decent performance (sound quality mainly) from Scotty was his second song. But there was no comparison to how Lauren sounded. I can't wait to see how it sounds on TV.

The main thing we took away from Taio Cruz singing in the middle of the program was, Thank God we weren't at eye level, because those muthafucking lasers were BRIGHT. Jesus H Christ, I am not exaggerating, they were like green Death Beams shooting below us. The song sounded like Robot Pop, entertaining in a synthetic way, but instantly forgettable.

Scotty and Lauren sang their last songs. Up until then, the mood in the room was, Scotty could still win it. Then, Lauren sang the freakin' Mother song, hugged her, etc. and Dr. L & I looked at each other and said, "it's over." Then, of course, the judges creamed all over themselves about it, and JLo had the balls of Titanium (for the 2nd week in a row) to basically proclaim Lauren the winner. We knew the fix was in, at least Idol had tipped its hand, anyway. Maybe America has different plans, but Nigel & Co. sure made it clear they want Lauren to win.

(For the conspiracy theorists, when we saw Lauren's mom before the show, she sure as hell didn't seem like someone whose daughter had any chance of blowing it so close to the finish. In fact, she seemed incredibly relaxed and happy -- I don't know if I would if my daughter had just blown out a vocal cord, Idol Finale or not.)

So, David Cook came out and sang the Season Ten Exit Song. Man, was he awesome in person! We rocked out and --No wait, actually, the stage went black and a freaking VIDEO of David Cook played, pre-recorded from earlier. Did it look on TV like he was there? Psych! We had started to clap and get excited, I think the crowd was pretty disappointed. The judges got the F out, never to return. So, Ryan came back out and said, if you haven't voted all season, now's the time. Lauren hugged Scotty, then the two of them stepped to the side of the stage for what looked like some additional video that maybe will air tomorrow night? As we filed out, we heard several audience members saying how "beautiful" Lauren's voice was, so "powerful", etc. If it was up to the Mezzanine, she had already won.

It was a lot of fun, even though we weren't super thrilled by either contestant going in. A woman behind us had a sign that said "Bring Back James!" I forgot to mention that before the show, out front of the Nokia, we saw the guy from Hollywood Week, the tall black fellow who was in the group with Scotty that kicked the chubby kid out (the super conceited guy, can't remember his name). I wondered, if many of us viewers are a little bumfuzzled by this matchup of Scotty and Lauren in the finale, what about the actual contestants who busted ass round after round, only to be eliminated? From the thousands, down to the hundreds, then down to the Top 13? I'm guessing there was easily 10-20 that could have made this a more dynamic finale. But, hey, this is the one we got, and the one Dr. L & I saw. From where we sat, Lauren Alaina plain outsung old Scotty on the last night. We'll see what America thought!

-- K

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Lauren v. Scotty: The hoedown/showdown

OK....so the show starts out with some serious pimping of Lauren....drama drama drama...and perhaps some sympathy regarding her voice to give her a little push?

Scotty won the coin toss (as least that's what I thought I heard...and but then I thought they said he chose to "defer"....but then he sang first...I'm confused)

Scotty - Gone...hot fiddle guy is back. Scotty gives a so so performance. I don't get the impression from his performance that he wants it. It wasn't his best performance but solid (7)

Lauren - Flat on the floor.....Wow....hot fiddle guy two in a row....Lauren is ON tonight. She sang this much better than she sang it earlier in the season....and she looks incredibly gorgeous (9).

No Judges comments?....hmmmm.strange.

Round 1 - Lauren by a wide margin. She clearly had the energy and the better performance....Scotty came flat out of the gate, but I suspect that he will bounce back.

Scotty - Check yes or no - Hot fiddle guy....3 for 3. Scotty has a much better presence when he has his guitar. This is a great George Strait song...and maybe I'm being a bit harsh because Strait's Version is much better...for me...this was just another so so Scotty performance and seemed to lack the passion of someone who really wants the title. I am getting a strange feeling that Scotty is throwing this because he thinks it will be better not to have the idol label...hmmmmm (7)

Lauren - Maybe it was Memphis ...great Pam Tillis song- HFG....4 for 4. Doen't love her dress. Great song choice for her...but the low range of the song is not doing her any favors....but when it kicks into the chorus...she is in her comfort range. Lauren is just singing with more passion and energy than Scotty...this one wasn't great (7)....

Round 2 - Closer..but I'm giving the edge to Lauren.


Scotty - "I love you this big" - Scotty is doing a good job with an on otherwise weak song...in the tradition of "This is my now"....another poorly written idol finale song....but it plays to his base and probably will win him a number of votes (8)

Lauren - Like my mother does - First song tongiht with HFG.....good....not great. (7)....Emotional moment that probably will help with some votes.

Round 3 0 goes to Soctty by a sliver.




Final Rubbertoe Scotty score - 22
Final Rubbertoe Lauren score - 23

Rubbertoe gives the title to Lauren by a close decision.....however.....I think America will give it to Scotty. My rationale is that they wrote a song especially for Scotty and talked about releasing it "if he wins"....my guess is despite Idol really wanting it to be a girl at the start of the season.....the realized early on in the voting that Scotty was going to win.

The Next American idol....will be Scotty.

The Top Two: Some Singing, Some Drama, And a Conspiracy Theory?

What will happen? Lauren Alaina has reportedly lost her voice, and Haley has reportedly rehearsed in case she has to step in. I'm writing approximately five minutes prior to the finale and no official statement has been made. If Lauren performs, is this a way to gain sympathy for her so that she has a shot against Scotty the Body? I could def get behind that conspiracy theory . . . .
Here we go . . . We are seeing vids of Carrie Underwood and David Cook . . . and they are showing Lauren and Scotty . . .looks like Lauren is going to perform.

La Seacrest looks cute in his tux . . .

They are announcing Scotty vs. Lauren . . . her voice must have recovered. I wonder if they will say anything about it?

Again, I will say, what in gay hell is Lauren wearing. Oh, wait, here is the doctor telling us that during the rehearsal Lauren blew out one of her vocal cords. She's been given a lot of meds and he is confident that she is going to do great.


Three rounds: 1)Contestants favorite performance, celebrity picks (Carrie Underwood and George Strait), and the Idol singles.

1. Scotty - He is singing "Gone". I'm not sure I remember this performance. They all tend to blend together. He is interacting with the band very well, and his voice sounds very, very good indeed. I will say the first little bit of the song was a bit rough, but he has recovered nicely. Might I say, he has learned how to work a stage very nicely. He doesn't seem a bit nervous. Very very good start.

Oh, they are going back to season 1 where the judges do not comment. Very interesting.

2. Lauren - she is singing "Flat on the Floor" - again I don't really remember this one. She is being a little bit overpowered by the band. However, she does sound really good. It's almost as if she is pulling away from the mic at times and is, as usual, running out of air. Very good start, but . . .


Round One easily goes to Scotty.

3. Scotty - George Strait picked his song. He has picked "Check Yes Or No". Again, I do not know this song. Scotty is in his comfort zone with the guitar. What are these weird eyebrow things he is doing? I'm so curious to hear from Dr.L&K how this is playing in person. I think this is a boring song. Scotty is definitely in his comfort zone, but I do not thing this song was a very good choice for the Idol finale. I'm underwhelmed.

4. Lauren - Carrie Underwood picked her song. She has picked, "Maybe It Was Memphis" . . . ditto on not knowing the song. She's behind the music. . . why isn't she singing "Before he cheats"? She is strangely struggling on the lower notes but doing much better on the high notes. This was a better song choice than Scotty's. And she did a much better job than in round one.


Round Two goes to Lauren by a hair

Randy - Round One to Scotty and Round Two to Lauren
JLo - ditto . . . SHOCKING
Steven - Round 1 and 2 to Lauren because she is prettier

Funny side note: My grandmother just called and called bullshit on Idol for what she considers to be an unfair advantage to Lauren. My 85 year old grandmother just called a conspiracy theory!

Why is this fool performing in the middle of an Idol finale?

1. Scotty - the single is "I Love You This Big" - Might I just say that I love Jimmy Ivine. A little Scotty video in the background. A very typical Scotty song. I wonder if the background will be the actual video that is released. This song is waaaaay underwhelming so far. I'm not sure if it's the song or if Scotty is just not bringing it. It didn't have that Idol crescendo. It was just ok for me.

Randy - In it to win it . . . blah blah blah
JLo - Thinks he did an amazing job
Steven - Thinks he nailed it again

2. Lauren - the single is "Like My Mother Does" . . . again, Kristy Lee Cook originally sang this song. If Lauren hits this out of the park, she could win the night. So far so good . . .is her mother getting blessed? Her scratchy voice just got a hold of her . . .oh good Lord, she sounds good, but I'm not sure about her going and hugging her mother. A little bit of an ugh factor. However, her singing was quite good. Not the Idol moment I was looking for, but a very, very good performance indeed.

Randy - thinks she finally arrived
JLo - thinks Lauren may have just won the competition
Steven - also thinks that Lauren is the American Idol

Round Three for me goes to Lauren Alaina

My Rankings:

Lauren #3
Scotty #1
Scotty #3
Lauren #2
Scotty #2
Lauren #1


I think that Lauren had both the best and the worst performance of the night. However, if I'm being honest, I think Lauren wins the night by a hair. Man, I never would have thought I'd have said that. I think Lauren had the better song choices and performed them better. That being said . . .

For the night, my pick: Lauren Alaina
America's pick: Scotty the Body

Is Lauren Out and Haley In for the Finale?????







MJsBigBlog has picked up a story from TMZ about Lauren Alaina. Apparently, Lauren has lost her voice . . . and, if she is unable to perform, Haley will be reinstated to compete against Scotty. Check out the story

Monday, May 23, 2011

In It To Win It, A Response Part Two: The Revenge, in 3D


Okay, first off thanks RT and J for such great posts leading up to the finale! I often enjoy reading the blog more than the show itself, LOL. Especially leading up to THIS particular finale.

The GINORMOUSLY UNDERWHELMING finale for Season Ten.

Dr. L is perhaps not as into the conspiracy theories about Idol as I am, but I think we all agree that some bus-throwin' and song-choosin' has been going on to not-so-subtly nudge certain contestants here and there towards a cliff. It is a little too coincidental that, like RT said, the show touted the "youngest contestants ever" and "a girl's going to win" so early, and lo and behold, it worked out so nice for them. Especially since it looked like a girl didn't stand a snowball's chance in hell the first few weeks.

But we do have some Big News: Dr. L and I will be GOING TO THE FINALE!!! Yay! Should be fun even if we don't give a rat's ass about either of the two Idols competing. RT, if you want to meet us there, let me know.

As to J's post about the Kristy Lee Cook song, it is true, it COULD be a Dope blazin' molten hot in it 2 win it (fill in the blank with more Randyisms) song for her -- just like a perfect pitch thrown down the middle and across the plate. But for a ballplayer to knock one out of the park, they have to swing hard!!!! Otherwise, that opportunity could just be a whiffle ball, whistling by.

As for Scotty, I read some interesting criticism last week from some Country music critics who are not as enthusiastic about Scotty having career legs. Many felt he was going to be a "one and done" kind of artist. One said, "we already HAVE a Josh Turner (babylockthemdoors), we don't need another." But, can't you say that about a lot of music? It sure seems like someone likes him. I haven't checked iTunes to see who was selling, have any of you guys?

I almost feel like this season doesn't have all that much to do with who "brings it" on any given night. So many contestants brought it 110% and then got their ass handed to them, it must be more about personalities. 95 Freakin' million votes? how is that even possible? When I think about, on our best night, Dr. L & I maybe texted or called a couple hundred votes, it seems ridiculous to think we can influence anything. Maybe a group like VFTW can.
Scotty is their pick, which at first might sound counter-intuitive, since I agree with J that Scotty probably pulled in 90 of those 95 million last week. But at this point, I would give anything for Lauren not to win. Part of it is because of her loafing through the performances, part because she's a teenage version of the Toddlers and Tiaras girls, part is her mom seems like a beyotch (and won't her mom LOVE that KLC song? Jeez).

But it's mainly because Idol has been telling us how great she is week after week in defiance of reality, and they are on a streak of "white boy with guitar" winners they'd like to break. Whatever the outcome, I'll be ready for a new batch next year!

Dr. L and I will have to get to the Nokia EARLY tomorrow, and then have to drive home from the show, but we will give our ReCrap of the show after that.

-- K

In It To Win It: A Response




Ok, let me start by saying that in ten seasons of watching Idol, I believe this is THE. WORST. FINALE. EVER. Now, let me explain. In the past, there have been one sided finales ... Fantasia v. Diana, for example, comes to mind and seemingly one-sided finales, for example, Jordin vs. Blake and Crystal v. Everybody hurts when Lee sings . . . however, even in those finales, there was something compelling about one or both contestants. In this finale, we have Scotty the Body who I believe to be one hell of a singer . . . and one hell of a boring contestant. I have no doubt that he has a future in country music, but he does not NEED to win. Then, we have Lauren. Sweet, little, Lauren, who had so much potential, but has never lived up to it. I don't believe in her because she doesn't believe in herself. I have become so done with her that I don't even root for her anymore. I think she's a nice girl and could carve herself out a decent career, but blah . . . BLAH BLAH BLAH. Thus my reasoning for calling this THE. WORST. FINALE. EVER.

That being said, I don't buy into the conspiracy theories . . . I never really have. I do think that the judges (sans La Tyler) did make every effort to throw Haley under the bus. IMO, I have never seen a contestant turn herself around in the way that Haley did. I did not give a flying flip about her in the beginning. I thought she was just a pretty face without much of a voice . . . Then, performances like "Rolling in the Deep" happened and I started to wonder. Then, she started to show some personality . . . and then suddenly, without even knowing it was happening, I began to care about her safety each week. I truly believe that this finale would be better if Haley were one of the finalists . . . don't even get me started on the presence of Pia and/or James.

Whew . . . that was a lot to type . . . Anyway, I believe that Scotty the Body has this one wrapped up barring some kind of meltdown on Tuesday OR some miraculous "Coming Out" by the real Lauren Alaina. I think that he has probably been winning or close to winning the voting each week. I think he plays into all of the things that the majority of the red state (whoops, did I say that out loud), voting public loves. I think kissing the cross to bless himself after GaGa may very well have sealed his fate as the winner.

I don't know how or if I will root tomorrow night. I just don't have any feeling either way. . . and that, my friends, is a first. Hopefully, that opinion will change during the show.

Little Tasters Game: RT continues the comeback

Ok, Lil Tasters, here is where we stood last week

1. J = 48 points
2. RT = 41 points
3. Dr.L%K = 38 points

Here's what happened this week

J - one of two of the bottom 2 correct (1 point)
RT - two of two of the bottom 2 correct and the eliminated contestant (5 points)
Dr.L&K - one of two of the bottom 2 correct (1 point)

I knew my heart was gonna get me on this one . . .

Updated standings

1. J - 49 points
2. RT - 46 points
3. Dr.L&K - 39 points

What will happen? Will RT complete the comeback? Will J hold on? Why is J referring to himself in third person? Will Dr.L&K figure out a way to pull it out? All these questions and more will be answered in a couple of days. :)

Two Idol Finale Songs Revealed

Courtesy of MJsBigBlog the two original songs that Lauren and Scotty will sing have been revealed. Of interest, Lauren Alaina's song isn't an original . . . RT is going to DIE . . . it is a song that was originally recorded by . . . wait for it . . . KRISTY LEE COOK! Look below to hear it. . .

Update: Let me just say, I listened to KLC's song all the way through . . .and . . . if Lauren sings it like KLC did then she may just have an Idol moment on her hands. This song is definitely an Idol finale song . . . pretty bland through the first half, but then it hits the crescendo, and man does it allow the singer to hit some pretty serious notes. If Lauren holds back this will be another failed effort, but, if she lets loose . . . she could have a radio hit on her hands . . . and, possibly, the Idol crown. Take a listen.



Friday, May 20, 2011

In it to win it?

So....Lauren v. Scotty in the finale....I agree with DrK/L...who would've thunk it. I had high hopes for Lauren and she has failed me so far. I still think that she has it in her, but she continually holds back when she's on stage.

A lot of conspiracy theories are floating out there. Did AI rig the outcome? From day 1 they pimped the year of the Youngest contestants. Is it coincidental that the two youngest are in the finale? Especially a year after ratings were way down in the younger viewing categories?

Was Haley thrown under the bus?

I'm not sure that I believe any of the conspiracy theories but they are definitely interesting to contemplate.

Who is going to win? Here is my theory. I think that Scotty is probably going to win, however, there is a scenario that I can see Lauren winning.

#1 - Conspiracy Theory - AI has not only been calling this the year of the young performers, but early on, were calling it the year of a female AI. If you buy the conspiracy theories....this one could be rigged for a young female Idol this year.

#2 - The 50 state strategy - Interestingly enough, both Scotty and Lauren are from the South. The South is and always has been a strong AI voting bloc. You could count on the Southern performed getting a big push from the South. However, does one of the two have the South locked up? I don't think so, I think that Lauren and Scotty are both appealing to Southern voters. So who appeals to the rest of the country. I suspect that Scotty will do very well in the red states, while Lauren will appeal a lot more to the blue states...and this is where I see Lauren's advantage. Lauren is going to do better in the red states than Scotty will do in the blue states. Unless the blue states are turned off by the all-country finale...I can see Lauren walking away with the crown...but the question is whether they will turn out to vote.

What are your theories...and do you see any scenario in which either candidate wins?

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Which Idol Will Go Down On You In A (Nokia) Theater?

Sorry, couldn't resist the pun. The Bowdlerized version of "You Oughtta Know" was the a-ha moment of the night for me: I was thinking crazy, like "wow, Haley is kicking ass tonight. Maybe she could edge out Lauren..." and then I remembered the judges gave Haley the "angry" song, which can't even be sung to full effect because they take out all the dirty talk. So it was TPTB's final Cobra Kai leg sweep on Haley, designed to take her out. We'll see in the results tonight.

Full disclosure:Dr. L is at a conference in a different time zone, so we had to "watch" Idol by text and computer! Still, I will try to give y'all our take on Top Three night.

1st impressions: this is always the show where they recrap audition clips, to show "how far we've come". Man, Lauren had even frizzier hair and thicker eyeshadow than I remembered. But when she had nothing to lose, she sang so much better.

Showed snippets of home visits, and even James got one; is it me, or was his crowd even bigger than some of the top three's?

SeaCrestWhiteStrips says next week is Tues-Wednesday. Wonder why? Tonight, round one is contestant pick, round two is Jimmy Iovine (which spellcheck keeps making Bovine on my phone, so now, he will be named that here, too) and then the judges' picks.

Idols come out: I always say one of TPTB sabotage methods is outfit. And....Wtf is Lauren wearing? Looks like someone took Captain Kangaroo's jacket and made a Kountry Hooker outfit out of it, complete with 1970s white boots.


Beyonce is mentor. I recently learned her hair is almost 100% wig, so can't help but notice this (blonde helmet effect). Show the judges, and I get impression Randy looks like Mr. Rogers tonight, while JLo looks like Riff Raff in the last 5 minutes of Rocky Horror, or maybe Cindy Lou Who from The Grinch. Steven looks like Steven so I guess it's 70s night.


ROUND ONE

Scotty picked Lone Star song: popular, good choice to pander to fans. But a theme begins: wtf did Scotty pick TONIGHT to test his upper register? It ain't happening, and even Beyonce says she's scared. BTW, he looks like he's en route to a hayride here, not national stardom.
Background singers mask how weak his high notes are, but you can tell. Won't affect his core voters. Judges mostly praised, which was also the theme of the night. Softballs for everyone.

Lauren looks like a kid on a field trip when she meets Beyonce.

She's doing Faith Hill Wild One -- never heard it. But it's a fast song -- which is trouble for Lauren. And... she's sharp all the way through, trying to keep up. Out of breath. Sounds like a round 2-3 song to me, not Top Three night. Ran out of juice on big note at end. Judges give her Idol code "you're having fun", which means "we have nothing good to say". She thinks she did great. BTW, Lauren's mom has on a shirt that looks like a Barbie Camper from the (again) 70s. Wish I had snapped a pic of that.

Haley is singing Led Zep, What is and What Should Never Be. Yep, it's 70s night. Contrast her standing next to Beyonce with Lauren: see the difference?
Haley's Dad is playing guitar. Sweet. This is great -- OH SHIT, she fell. Good recovery. Audience is so proud of her for bouncing back, and JLo says same kind of thing happened to her last week. They liked it, and it was the best of the first round by a mile. I like her spirit: so much more pleasant than Lauren's Kountry Princess, I wish this girl could make it to next week, but she's probably doomed.


ROUND TWO


Bovine chose something for Scotty I couldn't make out: Thompson Square? Captions weren't working. Never heard of it, he compared it to Tom Petty. I guess I can see that, though a more corn-pone version. Generic Kountry. Man, he's trying too hard, singing outside his range. But hey, he could literally take a crap onstage at this point and win. Judges lick his boots, for a karaoke performance. JLo wants Scotty to buzz his hair again: what do you think? Early Scotty reminds me too much of Banjo Kid from Deliverance. Randy compared him to Garth -- give me a fucking break.

Lauren split her panty hose so she's given an embarrassing moment as Makeup knocks the shine off her legs. Weird. The ripped hose would have completed the Kountry Hooker look. WTF?!!! They always say shit to Lauren like "Can you beleive you're almost to the finale?" This is Brainwashing, America, don't be sheep. Bovine picks a song from Perry (?), If I Died Young. Again, never heard of it. Sounds Emo, the opposite of Lauren. She predictably has zero connection to the song, it's bland, she cuts off the last note (as always) to grin and say "thanku!!!. Finish the song first, Honey. She's like a Nascar driver that cuts the engine on the last lap and then the better drivers blow by her. She flubbed a key change mid song and judges call her on it but use the "you're a Trouper" defense, comparing it to Haley. I call BS. So if you "feel it" you can suck?

Haley: Bovine picks Riannon by Stevie Nicks. Interesting: a popular, "moment-y" song? She gets a smoke/wind machine. I have to say, I was really excited for this to blow me away, and the first part kinda did, but then it just stayed "spooky" and never really soared. Still, IMHO, miles better than the others. In typical Idol fashion, the judges "mix it up" and pick different "winners" of the round. Watch how they consult their "notes" when stuff like this happens. Nigel laid down a script :) But watch back, how the crowd was hesitant to applaud Lauren when Steven said she won 2nd round-- I think they disagreed.

Beyonce's new video is ridiculous, Mad Max meets Cleopatra or something.

ROUND THREE

Funny moment as Scotty gets the text back in Garner about singing an ancient Kenny Rogers song as judges pick. See pic. He hates it, but knows he's "gotta do it". AND... his upper register blows even more chunks on this song than before. It's a cavalcade of Fail for me with Scotty tonight. He wisely refrained from picking songs like this all season. JLo even sorta admitted as much when she said she didn't have faith he could hit the chorus :"you showed us!" Yeah, he did -- just not the way he should've. Still, they heap praise on him. God damn it, he's going to win this thing. Ah, well, at this point I would take Howdy Doody over Lauren.
Scotty's dad had a cute moment, and Scotty shows sense of humor on the break, saying Dad is "In it to win it!" Seems like nice family.

We see Lauren again, surrounded by makeup artists. What is the message here?
Funny, Lauren's "package" is her at a freaking strip mall, in front of an AT&T store, LOL. The judges text her pick is Lee Ann Womack, I Hope You Dance, and she says smarmily "Y'all think I can kill that?" I don't want to hate on her but, lawd help me, I would love it if we saw her melt down on stage tonight, just when she thinks she's won it. I'm a bad person :)
She busts out her best Under The Sea Prom dress AND... powers out an "aa-ight" version of the song. Somewhere in there is a great singer, strangled by youthful ignorance and inexperience. Typically, she can't help herself, and ends by rushing a "thanku" out instead of holding a glory note. Judges shamelessly pimp her. JLo even goes so far as to say "Lauren already won this round!" Wow, nice fair play there. Thanks, but we have one contestant to go.

We see Haley getting some makeup touches, too: but take note Lil Tasters-- she has half the makeup staff and she's standing up, LOL.

Haley's in a limo getting her text, alone. Hmm, she had a big homecoming reception, yet they show her here. Idol mindfuckery always working y'all, I swear.
AND... JLo was right. Lauren kinda wins already. I realize this, because I was fooled into thinking they gave Haley good songs earlier to connect with the crowd. They only did this because they knew this last one would be a clusterfuck on a good day (see above). Almost seems like she knows it, too. It's a thankless song to have to perform on Idol. Consider this: Scotty got a song from 1978. Haley's was from 1995. By comparison, Lauren's song is downright contemporary at 2000. At least the average Idol voter was ALIVE then. Whatever, Haley stumbles in the middle but powers out some nice finishing touches. The judges don't fall out of the chairs with praise but also refrain from bashing her. At least she looked nice, like someone from the 21st century.
They should have had empty chairs tonight, or maybe sat some cardboard cutouts of Simon, Paula and (old) Randy. The judges were worthless.

I don't even know how to make a pick! Scotty seems like a lock for the finale. Dr. L and I enjoyed Haley more than Lauren so we would pick her.

But, I don't know if this is going to pan out. The only thing (even beyond VFTW) that could save Haley, IMHO, is if she picks up James Voters in a backlash against Lauren. God knows they picked Rocker-y songs for her to play to this. That, combined with Lauren and Scotty splitting the Kountry vote... well, maybe Haley could make it after all.

You know, J is the only one who could get a pre-season pick right tonight, with Lauren. I hope he's right! I fear, however that Rubbertoe might prove to be a prognosticating Genius and actually have picked the winner weeks ago in Lauren!

What the hell. America's pick in the finale: Scotty and Haley in a shocker.

-- K

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Who's "In it to win it"?

The Top 3 - Round 1

Scotty - Lonestar. Scotty at his best. I still don't understand the fascination that many have with Scotty (especially after going to youtube and seeing how much better the original guy sings the "Lock the doors and turn the lights down low" song)...but this is definitely going to rock his base...and the strongest of the competition has been eliminated. (7)

Lauren - Faith Hill (Wild one). She sounds horrible on the song during the Beyonce' rehersal...I'm afraid of how this might turn out. Yep....another Lauren performance that didn't quite meet expectations... she sounded like her breathing was off the entire song.(6)

Hailey - Singing Led Zepplin. Not sure that I believe this is a good choice. Starts out in the old Hailey cheesy fashion... She looks beautiful. I actually thought the performance was really good once it got going, but I'm not sure that this is going to woo the AI voting base. (9).


Round 1 - Goes to Hailey...but America will give it to Scotty.
(I disagree, however, with letting her Dad perform with her...I think that was an unfair advantage that shouldn't have been allowed).


Round 2

Scotty - Very good song for him - "Are you going to kiss me or what". Another solid Scotty performance (8)

Lauren- "If I die young" - Much Much better...almost reached the expectation level...almost (8).

Hailey - Stevie nicks was a great song choice for her...but she did nothing with it. Weak Weak Weak....(6).

Round 2 - Close one b/w Scotty and Lauren....but the edge to Scotty.
Rubbertoe score after 2 rounds...Scotty and Hailey 15, Lauren 14.

Round 3:


Scotty - She believes in me. Scotty's high range is not there...this was the weakest of Scotty's songs tonight....only a 6. Scotty final score - 21

Lauren - "I hope you dance" - Great great song choice for Lauren. Hot fiddle guy is there too...I'm liking this one. I'm hoping that Lauren brings it in the climax of the song. This is the perfect tailor fit for Lauren and the first time she has lived up to expectations in a long time...a solid 8. Laurens final score 22.

Hailey - Sybil performance. Verses were absolutely horrendous. Chorus was really good. 3 for the verse 8 for the chorus...averages out to a 5. Hailey's final score 20.

Round 3 - Hailey by a long shot.


So who goes to the finale....It so hard to say because America gets it wrong almost every time... By Rubbertoe's votes....it is Lauren and Scotty in a very close 3-way race...

And I'm guessing that America will vote the same.

The Top 3: What Is And What Should Be . . . The Theme of the Idol Season

Here we go with the Top 3 . . . they are giving us a little taste of the hometown visits. Who in the name of Pia Toscano would have thought that this would be our Top 3. I still don't know what to think. And why is there a guy in a puppy suit in the audience?

How in hell are they going to stretch 3 contestants over 2 hours. Are they going to sing 3 songs each? Guess we'll see. Here they are: Haley, Scotty, and Lauren. What in gay hell is Lauren wearing? Ok, they are doing contestant's choice, Jimmy Ivine's choice, and judge's choice. I'm sorry this effort to make Beyonce look grounded is almost as successful as me not bein fooled by the rocks that J-Lo got . . .

1. Scotty - he's singing his favorite song by Lonestar . . . I'm a little surprised they put Scotty first . . . Shocked it's not Haley. He is singing, "Amazed". Bey Bey loves his charm. I'm already liking this song during practice . . . I think his high range is better than the lower range. Damn that twang . . . I'm a little bored by this song. His voice sounds good so far, but I'm a bit bored. His upper register is much more appealing for me, but I will say he's not quite as solid vocally as he usually is. Overall good job.

Steven - Thinks he keeps getting better and better
JLo - Thinks he's grown so much as a performer
Randy - Drop the names Randy . . . thinks he was a little pitchy, but knows where his lane is.

2. Lauren - she is singing her favorite song from Faith Hill . . . She is singing, "Wild One". This sounds like it could be brilliant or . . . er, um . . . yikesy. Beyonce thinks she needs to watch her nerves. Does Lauren have trust in herself? Ok, this is not good. She's working the stage well, but her voice is all over the place. Almost like she's out of breath . . . and she's pulled back her voice again . . . not going for it. Again, on the positive side, she has better stage presence.

JLo - Thinks she attacked it
Randy - Thinks it was a nice song choice and had fun
Steven - Thinks she owned the song

JLo and Randy were SO easy on her . . . wonder what they would have said if that had been Haley . . .

3. Haley - She is singing her favorite Led Zeppelin's "What is and what should be". Bey Bey thinks she has strength and conviction. I think the judges are gonna get her for not singing something current. Bey Bey thinks she is original. Here we go. I never thought I would hear myself say this . . . but I think Haley has the best voice of the remaining contestants. I think she chose the perfect song for her voice. She is rockin this little ditty out. Go girl. But let's see what the judges say . . .

Randy - Thinks THIS is what it's all about
Steven - Thinks it was superb
JLo - Thinks she is a professional and knows what's going on up there.

It's funny, I didn't even notice that she fell until the judges brought it up.

Round 1: Haley, Scotty, Lauren
Judges: Randy
ROUND TWO

1. Scotty - Jimmy Ivine has chosen "Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not" by Thompson Square . . . I don't think I'm familiar with this song. Scotty's got his geeetar. MUCH better song choice for Scotty. This song has got some country umph to it. He also seems so much more comfortable when he can stand still with the guitar - eliminates the cheese factor. Weird middle note in there. Great Great Job!

Steven - Thinks he never heard him deliver a chorus like that before
JLo - Thinks he was in the zone
Randy - Thinks he is in it to win it - via La Seacrest

2. Lauren - Her pantyhose ripped during the break . . . cute moment :) Somewhere Pia Toscano is biting the head off a puppy . . . Jimmy Ivine has picked "If I Die Young" by Perry . . . Again, I'm not terribly familiar with this song. Again, this is a MUCH better song for her. Jimmy is 2 for 2. She is even projecting a little better in this song. She still seems a little awkward with something that I just can't put my finger on . . . but a much better performance.

JLo - Thinks that Lauren has the most beautiful tone of the finalists
Randy - Thinks that she got "right back up" after her "fall"
Steven - Thinks she got caught up in the moment, but thinks she nailed it

Man, they are pimpin Ms. Lauren . . .

3. Haley - Jimmy Ivine has picked "Rhiannon" by Stevie Nicks. This could be another moment for Haley or it could go a little off . . . she's not used to singing something so recognizable. First part was nailed . . . the wind machine is a bit much . . .the middle part is leaving a bit to be desired . . . I'm not really sure. Her vocals are spot on, but I'm not sure about the song choice. This is song that is tough to keep the energy up, and I'm not sure it suits the Idol stage . . . hmmmmmmm. Very, very good ending.

Randy - Thinks she did a good job and had perfect pitch
Steven - Thinks it reminds him why he fell in love with Stevie Nicks to begin with
JLo - Thinks it was a beautiful moment, but didn't take it quite far enough at the end.

Round 2 - Scotty, Haley, Lauren
Judges: Randy & JLo say Scotty and Steven picked Lauren

ROUND THREE
How are they going to get through these 3 songs so fast . . .
1. Scotty - The judges have picked "She Believes in Me" by Kenny Rogers. All of the judges picked for each contestant . . . interesting. Do they remember that Scotty is 16 years old? Oh goodness, this may be Scotty's weakest performance. He's a little off key, and the song, strangely, does not seem to fit his voice. I don't think he was meant for sweeping ballads . . . even if they are country. A little bit of a yikes moment for Scotty.

Steven - Thinks he put it over the top
JLo - Thinks that he hit the big chorus
Randy - Thinks he was sweet and tender in the front and hit the chorus
His father is a little bit adorable. :)

2. Lauren - The judges have picked, "I Hope You Dance" by LeeAnn Womack . . . This could be a really good choice if she puts her ALL into it. Her pitch is good, but she's still a little weak. I feel like they've dressed her for a 1965 "Under the Sea" themed prom. She had a nice growly moment in the middle. . . and some very nice runs towards the end. Overall, a good performance, but still not finale worthy . . . In my opinion.

JLo - Thinks that she gave her gooseys from head to toe
Randy - Thinks she slayed it
Steven - Thinks she walked out here like she owned the Grande Ole Opry

3. Haley - The judges have picked, "You Oughta Know" by Alanis . . . OH MY GOD . . . this could be sooooo good . . . or . . . Now wait, did they pick this to sabatoge her because of the lyrics? Huh? The first verse was a bit weak, but man did she pick it up during the verse . . . Amazing ending . . . my commentary to follow the judges words.

Randy - Thinks those were some amazing choruses
Steven - Thinks it was amazing
JLo - Thinks there's no one who can match her in the choruses but then busted her on the middle part.

I think it is VERY suspect that the judges chose the sweet inspirational song for Lauren and the angry slutty song for Haley . . . Just my opinion . . .

Round Three: Lauren/Haley (tie) and Scotty
Judges: Steven - Haley; JLo - Lauren; Randy - Lauren

So, in typical fashion . . . Randy/JLo - picked each of them to win a round & Steven gave two rounds to Haley and one to Lauren

My rankings:

1.Haley #1
2.Scotty #2
3.Lauren #3 (tie)
3.Haley #3
5.Haley #2
6.Lauren #2
7.Scotty #1
8.Scotty #3
9.Lauren #1

If I add up the points of their standings, here is my order . . .

Haley (9), Scotty (17), Lauren (18) . . . my eliminated contestant would be Lauren
I think America will eliminate . . . ugh . . .I'm going with my heart and say Lauren.
I think I might relinquish the Lil Taster lead after tomorrow. :)

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Idol Top 3 Homecoming Article


Click on the title above for the link.
Nice article with video and news about the Idol Top 3 going home, with some info on the Judges Song Choices.
Wonder if there's an old list somewhere with song choices for James and Pia crossed off?

Friday, May 13, 2011

Little Tasters Point Game: Didn't Nobody Get Nothin

I think the title says it all . . . we all picked America to pick Lauren and Haley in the bottom 2 and we all picked Haley to go home. WE. WERE. ALL. WRONG. In addition, none of us had James going home fourth. So, lil tasters blew this week . . . or wait, did America blow this week? Yes, I think it was America . . . Here are our unchanged standings

1. J = 48 points
2. RT = 41 points
3. Dr.L%K = 38 points

We'll see if we can guess better next week. :)

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Little Tasters Point Game: The Race Tightens

Ok, Lil Tasters, here is where we stood last week.

J = 44 points
RT = 31 points
Dr.L&K = 28 points

Here were our Top 5 predictions

J = 1 of bottom 2 correct and picked eliminated contestant (4 points)
RT = 2 of bottom 2 correct, picked eliminated contestant, and got the original #5 correct = 10 points
Dr.L &K = 2 of bottom 2 correct, picked eliminated contestant, and got the original #5 correct = 10 points.

Updated standings

J = 48 points
RT = 41 points
Dr.L&K = 38 points

The race is getting tighter . . . let's see what madness occurs tonight. :)

Don't Stop Believing

The final four show is always one of the best because with it...comes the hometown prize. Can you imagine being the one sent home tonight...when you were 1 show away from being a hometown hero?

With that said....it will absolutely be one of the two women going home.

The overall winner of the night: James

Round 1 - James, Scotty, Lauren and Hailey.

James....Don't stop believing - was great. Smart song choice and fit him to a t.

Scotty ....very smart song that completely played to his base, perfect timing with what's been going on in the world...he gets mega votes for this one.

Lauren - Dress was absolutely hideous....and he performance was blaise (I'm not sure if that's how it is spelled).

Hailey - Let me down. She's been growing on me, but all she did was scream the song.

Round 2 - James, Hailey, Scotty, Lauren

Lady Gaga was a great mentor. I loved her interactions with each of the contestants, especially Scotty...and I thought her suggestions were 100% correct.

James - again fantastic

Hailey - Good...but undeserving of the praise that was lavished upon her. (If you want to REALLY see how the song should be sung Google "I who have nothing - Shirley Bassey). This is what Gaga was trying to get Hailey to do..and she didn't do it very well at all.

Scotty - Cute...and again, plays to his base, but I thought it was kinda corny

Lauren - Dress again was hideous, but she looked gorgeous in the hair/face category...but performance was once again weak.

So who goes home: Easy call that it will either be Hailey or Lauren. My instinct tells me that it will be Lauren going home because of two things....sympathy for Hailey on the first song (I think AI played it up that the judges were hard on her and she will garner sympathy votes for that)...and second, become of the amount of praise they gave her for the second song.

However....I have to believe that the Southern vote is going to come through for Lauren....so my guess is that Hailey doesn't get the hometown welcome.

Don't stop believin' in the Top 4!

American Idol Top 4!

It is hard to believe that we are getting close to the end of the American Idol season -and I am sure none of us Lil' Tasters thought THIS was the top four we would be looking at!

James - Don't Stop Believing - what a great Journey tune, and a great choice for his inspirational tune! It is memorable and his performance was spot on! K says: Brilliant song choice because it is the right mix of a popular song, but also is hard to sing. He sang it perfectly!

Haley - Michael Jackson tune - I really liked this song, even though I didn't know it very well. I thought she chose it from a personal standpoint, but maybe to a fault as it might not resonate with the crowd as the most memorable tune. The judges seemed harsh - but she took it pretty well. K says - thought it was smart to pick an MJ tune, but of all the songs he has in his catalog - could have picked a more recognizable tune. Started off really well, but then had nowhere to go with the song - so it ended with about 2/3 of the song with her shouting and stomping around.

Scotty - Alan Jackson tune - is it me, or does his voice startle you each time he starts singing? I should be used to it by now, but it is so low! I don't know this song either, but I have a feeling that lots of folks that love country music do, and that should help him tonight. K - never thought I would say this - but Scotty is a GENIUS - because the week after Osama Bin Laden was killed - he managed to work in 9/11, Jesus, and even gave a shout-out to fried chicken and sweet tea, so everyone in America is gonna burn up the phone lines to keep Scotty through to the finale. He did a good job with the song, and it was heartfelt - but it was just fucking genius!

Lauren Alaina - Martina McBride song - K says - complete emotional disconnect with that song. She clearly has a great voice, but she doesn't have any life experience that makes the song meaningful. Her interpretation of the song just didn't fit, the timing was off and awkward. No emotional connection means a misfire for K. I thought that she had several missed opportunities with this song (as she does with most songs). She has a great voice, but I think she is still struggling to belt out those notes and hold them. At the end of the song, she seemed to rush through - just to be done with it. Apparently…the judges completely disagree with us! K - says incredible over-pimpage. Yikes, what's up with the dress??

Round 2
Lady Gaga as a mentor - how fun!

Haley - I Who Have Nothing - Great mentoring advice for Haley from Gaga and she seems to really have taken it to heart (that facial stuff is freaking me out - so can't really watch Gaga give the advice). Everything she didn't do in Round 1 - she did it and more in this song. K- says this was a big fuck-you to Randy and JLo! What a perfect song and fantastic performance - she really had a moment. LOL - Steven - his comments are sooooo funny! She just Reinharted herself into the middle of next week! Thankfully it was a 180 and not the 360 that Haley discussed after her song.

Scotty - Youngblood - okay….this is just pure cheese! Yikes, those theatrics were so silly. K says that this was like another 'Swingin' - he has no idea how ridiculous he looks. Gotta watch out for those performances where they wander around and try to bring the crowd in - to draw attention away from the song. Thank you Steven for keeping it real with the Pat Boone comment!

Lauren Alaina - Elvis tune - Another dreadful outfit -the 1980's called and they want those shoulder pads back….K says that was about a Top 11 level performance for him. Best part of the performance in the first 10 seconds, and went downhill from beginning to end. If she could have sustained that first part of the song, it could have been pretty good. For me, I thought that it was okay - but the first part of the song was much better than the last half. I had to laugh when I realized she was going to be saying 'evil' throughout the whole song….

James - Love Potion No. 9 - that was great - I had not idea what he would do with that tune, but that was really fun! The holding out at the end - seemed like the audience loved it. K says it wasn't as good as his first tune tonight, but it showed how consistent he can be.

Rankings of all performances

James #1

Haley #2

Scotty #1

James #2

Lauren#1

Haley#1

Lauren#2

Scotty #2

Our Bottom two:
Lauren and Scotty, Lauren goes home

America's bottom two:
Lauren and Haley, Haley goes home (she shouldn't but she probably will)

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

The Top Four: Who's the Meaning in Your Life? Who's the Inspiration?




Who will be "Comin Home" . . . We'll decide tonight on AMERican Idol!

La Seacrest is sporting Clark Kent hair . . .

I think the Idol stylist needs Jesus . . .



1. James - he's singing "Don't Stop Believing". This song seems like it fits right in his range, but could tend towards the cheesetastic. James, as per usual, sounds great. He is, as usual, better in his upper register. He's still a little bit Lambert-Lite (LL); however, I think he is enough LL that America could make him the next American Idol (read: He is straight and therefore more palatable.) Very Good performance.

Steven - allows Randy to name drop, and curses, and then tells James he did a good job.
JLo - loves the vibrato in his upper register
Randy - pick that name up you just dropped, Randy . . . he thinks he embodied Steve Perry

Can I just say, "THANK GOD JACOB IS GONE!" Ok, I'm done. :)

2. Haley - She is singing what I think is called "The Earth Song" by Michael Jackson. Shaky start with the quiet notes . . . Still kind of struggling . . . I'm not sure this was a smart song choice from Haley. It's kind of boring . . . and then she unleashes the growl and the Idol choir. The ending was far superior to the beginning, but that was a little rough for me, dawg.

JLo - felt she picked a song that inspired her, but thinks it wasn't quite the right song.
Randy - he's keepin it real . . .and that is never good. Haley fought back a little . . . good for her.
Steven - thinks they are both wrong and is telling Randy to shut up . . .

That critique reminded me of a few seasons back when Randy and Paula went after Katharine McPhee and then Simon schooled them.

3. Scotty the Body - Stop calling him that, Ryan. I didn't hear what he is singing . . . It is of course, some twangy, whiney, country ditty. He's just a singer of single songs or something to that affect. He is pulling a Scotty. Perfect pitch, doing his country thang to perfection, but I need it to stop, NOW . . .NOW, I SAY! Oh Lord, he knows Jesus . . .unlike the Idol stylist. Good Job.

Randy - thinks it's a great song, and he thought it was the perfect song choice
Steven - dittos what Randy said
JLo - is in love with him

4. Lauren - Can a song both be contemporary and a classic? All I can say is that Lauren looks like an 18th century harlot . . . Oh Lord, RT is having an attack right now (Paul sighting). She is singing something by Martina McBride. Oh Lord, it's "Anyway" . . . not to give RT another attack but I'm not sure she can match Kristy Lee Cook's performance. I will already say she is not . . . KLC belted this song from her gut . . .and Lauren is pulling that typical falsetto singing. I WANT to LOVE her, but she's just not doing it. Where is her choir? She's hitting the notes better at the end . . . a solid performance, but still under her potential.

Steven - loves the buckles on her shoes
JLo - thinks she is listening to their advice
Randy - thinks she is in it to win it

Round 1 to James by a mile.
JLo - Goes with no one
Randy - thinks it's a tie between Scotty, James, and Lauren
Steven - doesn't get a chance to talk

5. Haley - I hope she blows this song away. She has gone from someone I didn't like to someone I am really rooting for . . . Gaga is giving advice . . . Oh Lawd, help me. She has drawn on the biggest Cindy Crawford mole on her cheek. Haley is singing, "I Who Have Nothing" . . . GaGa loves her, but wants her to bring the drama. Here she goes . . . if Haley moves to much, her naughty bits will show . . . nice start . . . Haley is doing what I wish Lauren would do . . . just let go. She is def bringing the drama! LOVED IT! LOVED IT! LOVED IT!

JLo - won't take it easy on her, because THAT was one of the best performances of the year
Randy - thinks she came back and had an Idol moment
Steven - Classic moment with classic Haley

6. Scotty - He is singing "Young blood" . . . Gaga wants his to get right in the center of "that hotdog". Gaga wants him to "make love to the microphone" . . . cracking me up. Gaga wants to corrupt that boy. Oh Lord, this song is CHEESE! I'm trying to be impartial, but seriously, yo. I know America will like this performance, but the only descriptive I'm coming up with is LAME!

Randy - loves that he did a fun song . . . he is pimping Scotty
Steven - thinks he made Gaga's yaya go lala . .
JLo - thinks he hit his stride . . .

7. Lauren - Here comes the endless pimping of Lauren . . . who is now dressed like a 40 year old Vegas showgirl. Again, idol's stylist needs Jesus. She's singing "Trouble" by Elvis Presley. Lauren doesn't want to be called "evil". FINALLY! It looks like she is gonna bring it! FINALLY! FINALLY! FINALLY! She's singing! And . . . then we've moved into this hideous arrangement in the second part of the song . . . where she sounds less than evil. The first half was AMAZING! The second half kind of blew.

Steven - doesn't know if he believes it, but he liked it
JLo - saw a different side of her
Randy - saw a fun side of her . . .

She's reminding me a bit of Carrie-Lite (CL).

8. James - He's singing "Love Potion #9" . . . I kind of love this song choice. I'm loving GaGa with James. She worked his hips. :) I'm hopeful for this performance. This is classic James. He's not really moving his hips per GaGa, but his voice is selling it. A little drama at the end never hurt anyone . . . very, very, nice job, James! :)

JLo - thinks he can sing anything
Randy - thinks he is now peaking at the right time
Steven - My, my, my, my, my . . . it's a beautiful thing.

Ok, so I think that Haley and James clearly had the two best performances of the night. I think Lauren and Scotty were just so-so . . . However, even so-so was good . . . here are my rankings by round and overall

Round 1:
James
Scotty
Lauren
Haley

Round 2
Haley #2 (Haley's vocal were slightly better than James' performance)
James #2
(Huge Space)
Lauren #2
Scotty #2

Overall
Haley #2
James #1
James #2
Scotty #1
Lauren #2
Lauren #1 (by a hair)
Haley #1
Scotty #2


My Bottom 2: Lauren and Scotty
America's Bottom 2: Lauren and Haley
Going Home: Undeservingly I think . . . Haley