Dawg Days Are Over!!!

http://www.tmz.com/2012/08/31/american-idol-randy-jackson-judge-nicki-minaj-mariah-carey/


Check out this article from TMZ, it says Randy Jackson will no longer be a judge on Idol, but will instead be a "mentor".  Not that he's got any credibility as a judge, but compared to the incoming judges he's a freaking genius.

From what I have read of the new judge lineup this year, it seems to me that Idol will suck even harder than any year before, which is saying a lot. Mariah Carey? Could be OK, but she's the best of the bunch -- how much empathy could she have? Nicki Minaj? Hopefully that's a scary rumor with no basis.  Kanye? He's out, thank God, but it shows the bottom-feeder direction Idol is going. Flash and bullshit, to try and grab ratings.

We'll be back again to give it one more go, but maybe we should join J and start watching/blogging the Voice instead?

--- K

ARGHHH!!!!

Just got an email from Idol saying we have tickets for the Finale: but we have to be there @ 2:30 PM Pacific Time. It's 12:55  now...WTF, Idol? Even if we hauled ass up the 110, found parking, and got in line, it would be a mile long and... screw it.
We've been trying to get tickets all season, and the one day we absolutely can't go, we get 'em. Oh well, it should be a fun show.

-- K

Season 11 - Please Remember me? Sorry....this is a season that I want to forget

Round 1 - Whitney v. Stand by me Jessica - I thought it was probably one of her best performances of the season. Perfect song for her to show off her range and her power Phillip - Classis Phillip. Destroying the melody of a classic song Phillip style. If you like Phillip you'll love this. If you are a fan of music, it wasn't anything special. Round 1 - Jessica by a mile Round 2 - Jessica - The Prayer. Boring. She sang it beautifully...but it was just a plain boring song. Did nothing for me. Phillip - Oh...no....not his trainwreck Movin out. Horrible. Again....the fools that like Phillip probably love his mutilation of a classic song. Me? I'll take Billy Joel's version a million times before I would ever choose to listen to this garbage. Round 2 - Jessica by an edge (only because Phillip was utter garbage..Jessica was just boring) Round 3 Jessica - "Change Nothing" - At least it was a better song than "This is my now"...or "Do I make you proud"...but not much. It sounded screechy to me. Not a great song and Jessica sound sharp on a number of the high notes Did they just throw Jessica under the bus? Jessica wanted to do something more Urban? God...I hope not. Phillip - "Home" - Song written perfectly for him....hmmmmmmm I wonder who is going to win? But Good luck AI...selling this single and selling this clunker of an Idol. He MIGHT sell more records than Taylor or Lee...but probably not by much OK....really AI? Really? Can you be any more over the top predictable...a marching drum line? Round 3- Phillip. Overall...Jessica was better...but Phillip will win. Jimmy looks defeated I hope AI pulls it out better in Season 12.

Worst Idol Finale Ever

Hey Dr L and K....you got me thinking....is this the worst Idol Finale ever? So I decided to rank the Idol finales from Best to worst Starting the the Best Season 2 - Reuben v. Clay Season 4 - Carrie v. Bo Season 1 - Kelly v. Justin Season 8 - Adam v. Kris Season 7 - David v. David Season 10 - Scotty v. Lauren Season 3 - Fantasia v. DiGarmo Season 6 - Jordin v. Blake Season 9 - Lee v. Crystal Season 11 - Phillip v. Jessica Season 5 - Taylor v. McPhee So, no...this isn't the WORST idol finale ever...but its awfully damn close *emphasis on DAMN"

Is It Me, Or...

Is it hard to care who wins this season on Idol at this point?

I feel like there were a few contestants in weeks past that were Lil Taster favorites, but they're gone and
we're left with these two.

RT, if you are still out there, let us know if you are tuning in! We would love to hear how you think it came down to these finalists.

-- K

No More Drama is right

Flying Solo tonight -- Dr. L is at a conference in another time zone! I'll try to represent.

2 Hrs again?!! This is just abuse, Idol. So you can have three contestants take the same time to perform as 12? No wonder ratings are down.

Phil Phil looks like a PA next to Bb Chez and Joshua, they are all dolled up. Ironic he will win. Top 12 in the crowd. HeeJun acting a fool -- I kind of miss all these people. Can we get a Re-Do?

Is that Pricilla Presley with Nigel? She looks like a wax figure.

ROUND ONE: JUDGE'S CHOICE

This is the point where the "judges" pick a song for the Idols to coincide with the trip home. Randy can't even read his script Nigel wrote for him, what a numbskull. But he "picked" Etta James for Joshua:

This is Joshua's go-to vibe, old soul. He can sing, but this gets as old as any of the other one-note Idols. At least Adele, Wineheezy, Duffy etc. put some kind of modern spin on the old classics. This kid is kind of a simple-minded singing Savant, he'll never be original, just someone's puppet.

JLo picked BB Chez' first song: Mariah Carey? Smoke pimpin' on stage. Smart of them to slow BB Chez down --and yet, is she ahead of the song? A little off-key? It sure sounds like nerves to me. I am not loving this… Joshua was better. It got better in spots, but it was too freaking' melismatic to me -- it sounded like Elise. 

They are trying to put a positive spin on it, but I am beginning to LOVE how Steven Tyler infuses double meanings in his critique. "People hang on (Jessica's) every note" -- yeah, they do, especial when they are cringe-worthy.

I was not familiar with Steven T's pick for Phillip. Wow, this actually sounds like a song we'd hear on the radio, imagine that. This was the most entertaining of the three, to me. He's going to win, no doubt, right? How funny he gives the finger to them week after week. After Taylor Hicks and Phil, Idol is going to ban the color Gray.

ROUND TWO: CONTESTANT'S CHOICE

Joshua goes home to Louisiana. All he talks about is his dad (a preacher), his Church, and Son of a Preacher Man plays behind it. Then he sings "Imagine"? WTF? It's a song about humanism/atheism at it's core, Joshua. Regardless, it's another cookie-cutter performance, good but forgettable. Now it's Randy's turn to couch the truth ("what does this song mean to you?) in a rambling critique. Is Idol Punking us?

Jessica hasn't seen her friends and family in months? Frickin' San Diego is a two hour drive from LA, tops. At least she had a better turnout than Katherine McPhee. She's doing a lame 90s Aerosmith tune. Did she flub the lyrics up front? Wow, this devolved into a shrieky mess to me. The judges should all win Emmys for the bullshit they're selling.

Phillip: irony here is, the guy with the rotten-gut medical condition gets a greasy plate of Nachos free for life. Love how they have his fans corralled in a Dog Run at the airport. Love that his Dad is packing heat in the Pawn Shop! Hot Sax Chick alert! A Matchbox 20 song. Again, a FAR better fit than the others. How out of touch are the judges? The AUDIENCE gave him a standing O, then they want to slam him. So contrived and scripted.

JIMMY'S CHOICE

Joshua gets Mary J Blige. Thank you Jimmy, this FINALLY sounded like a modern song. Too bad Joshua seemed lost for most of it. Do people really just want to see him go batshit on the end of a song? It was a bit anticlimactic. Even the judges couldn't muster the fake standing O. Still, they heap praise on him. What I don't get is, what do TPTB hope to achieve? 

Jessica, with the plug for A T & T. This time, Jimmy goes old school, Jackson's I'll Be There. The song is right in her range, no doubt. Best of the night for her. She needs sing these melodic songs! Jimmy just bought her a few million votes. Jessica gave Randy a great Bitch Face.

Phil: Jimmy picked Bob Seger. Wow, another great pick. Phil truly surprised me -- that was amazing. So tender, and he had a kind of moment. I think he has this thing sewn up. Not much to say, for whatever it's worth, he was consistently good tonight.

Watching the recap, it looks like the Phillip - Jessica show. I don't know if she has the votes, but it's my bet Joshua is gone. 

 -- K

California Dreamin

So...I'm a little unsure of the theme tonight - Songs about California or done by people from California? That seems like a real stretch, I just get the feeling that you can manipulate any song to fit one of those two. Wow...have we really run out of themes? First up - Phil Phillips doing CCR AND he's doing "Have you ever seen the rain", one of my favorite songs..and surprisingly enough I don't hate it. I like the fact that he actually stuck to the melody for the most part...although he was stretching in parts, showing that he doesn't have much of a range. However, the song really showcased his personality which is his #1 selling point. Second - Hollie - Journey - Faithfully. My initial though was this is a great song chice for her, however, when she starts singing, it sounds shaky to me and way under her range. She's struggling. It gets better when we get to the more power ballad elements but overall it was not great. The judges LOVED it....I didn't Third - Joshua - Josh Groban "You lift me up". Total AI type song, although I"m not sure if its been performed before, allthough I have to believe it has. This is a great song and a great choice by Joshua. Perhaps because it is such a Groban iconic song, I don't love Joshua's version...it comes across waaaay too gospelly for me. Fourth - Jessica doing Etta James. Really stupid song choice for her. AI is not a venue for this type of bluesy/jazzy song. She sang it great, but it is going to get lost by most of the AI crowd. I actually thought that she was great, but I'm going to place her second in Round 1. Round 1 rankings - Phillip (Yes....believe it or not, I'm giving round 1 to Phillip), Jessica, Joshua and Hollie Duet #1 - "This love" - Joshua is perfect for this song....not so much for Phillip. Duet #2 - What is this? Reminds me of Dolly Parton in the 70's from her variety show with the swings on the stage. Not as good as the guys. I thought it was quite funny when Joshua and Phillip came out and got in the swings. Round #2 - Phillip - It was good...but not as great as the judges wanted it to be Hollie - By and large I agreed with the judges...it was classic personality-less Hollie doing a big ballad song. I disagreed with Randy though...I thought the song choice was perfect...I just wasn't buying it. In many ways the song told the story of Hollie's journey "I can't make you love me....if you don't". In THAT sense, I think she sold the song. Joshua - absolutely outstanding....THAT was an Idol moment. Jessica - a bit oversung...but still pretty damn good.... Round 2 - Joshua, Jessica, Phillip, Hollie Overall - Edge to Joshua, Jessica, Phillip and Hollie. Hollie is a goner... America's bottom 2 - Hollie and Jessica Computer about to die....so I gotta rush the end here....Rubbertoe....out!

Sing Hard With A Vengeance

Songs from California/Songs You Wish You Wrote? Again with the wacky nebulous themes. Just sing anything, OK? Don't pretend this is a theme. Otherwise, what would Phil and Josh sing?

Phil: CCR , Have You Ever Seen The Rain. First a shout-out to Hot Sax Girl LOL. This arrangement sucked. Phil was Phil, so his core couldn't care less. What's up with JLo's hair and Randy's jacket? Scary. I love how week after week Steven makes back-handed compliments to Phil that actually slam him.

Hollie: wait--did they pull a fast one on us in her audition? I recall the crying rejection was played THIS year, and Dr. L did not remember her wearing a hat. That's some blatant manipulation, Idol, jeez. 

She's doing Journey, Faithfully. When will Idols stop picking these songs that waste half the time on no build? This was shaky and boring for 80 percent, then decent for the end. They praised her, why? JLo is totally reading a script-- and I swear, her emotion is knowing Hollie just blew it.

What's with everyone wearing a "6" pin?

hm, BB Chez gets pimp spot again? Also, what's with Jason D's neck brace? His Coke song still sucks, regardless. 

Joshua: clueless, I suspect, when it comes to real music bizness. He talks like a 10-year old kid, with "feelings"-- get busy winnin' or get busy goin' home, Joshua. A Grobin song. Maybe the best thus far but that ain't saying much. They praise it-- again, weepy JLo and script reading.

Jessica: Hm, over singing even at age 5. Etta James Steal Away. Hot Sax Girl alert!

Incomprehensible lyrics. And, holy shit, could she pick an older song? I think this was a bad choice. They WANT her to stay, but apparently aren't going to help in any way. Now it's Randy's turn with the back-hand compliment: the sing the phone book comment--doesn't that mean 'this song is crap but remember the voice'?

Round Two:

Duet 1: couldn't say, we FF'd past it. I'm tired of the padding.

Duet 2: they slam them? Idol, you won't have a girl win if you don't pimp them.

Adam Shankman seems like a tool. Seacrest's GF has a big part in his film? Then he's a corporate tool! I do want to see this film, though. 

Great fake out with Ryan and the note!

Group song-- FF'd.

Phil: Volcano. Jimmy loved it. I have to agree. The closest to a real moment, maybe all year. I think Phil just won this thing. Randy even spoke wisdom: sometimes the smaller moments speak louder.

Hollie: I Can't Make You Love Me. It was good-- and we cant tell what she's doing any worse than BB Chez-- but they're throwing her under the bus. So, she's gone.

Joshua: yeah he's wacky. HOT SAX CHICK! Ha. James Brown song. Good song choice. He's definitely a throw-back guy. Phil & Josh definitely got the memo this week. He's like a musical savant.

BB Chez: something from Dreamgirls. Oh Jesus, this looks like it could be awful. Parts are good, but a whole lot was shouty. I've heard 3-4 versions on Idol better than this. It would be my dream come true if she DID go home after singing this LOL. But she won't.

B2: Hollie and Jessica. Going home: Hollie.

Gimme A Ticket For An AeroPLAAANe

Idol -- what the hell is the theme? They used to pick easily recognizable ones. This was something about British Pop and whatever.

Little Steven was so fun with Jimmy. I always expect him to whack somebody now, though.

First Round

Hollie: River Deep, Mountain High. Usually, I hate this song, because Idols like it and usually butcher it. I actually liked Hollie's take on it a lot. She really showed the stamina that is lacking in virtually all the remaining contestants, because she shook her money maker and never lost breath (see Jessica). But they put her in the KOD spot, so even though they praised her, she could get forgotten.

BTW, do we have to have this be TWO HOURS, Idol? Didn't they start paring it down by now in seasons past? This is a lot to ask of us, assholes.

Phil: The Letter. We actually liked this. It was in Phil's groove. Funny how Little Steven responded to his don't-give-a-shit attitude as "artistry". But here it clicked.

Skylar: Fortunate Son. She was working her ass off to over-perform a song that she had no idea was about. Total disconnect for me. I told Dr. L she could have been singing the alphabet, and it would have sounded the same. I didn't like it, but maybe it resonated with the Southern voters. She worked it like it was a hoedown, not a protest song.

Jessica: Proud Mary. Ha! This sucked, but was entertaining in the way she hopped around like she was stepping onto a bed of blazing hot coals in those ridiculous heels. It was screechy, and she was completely phoning in a Tina Turner dance thing. Just laughably bad, and you know it when Randy tries to throw the first comment to someone else.

Joshua: Ain't Too Proud To Beg. God Almighty, that outfit is crazy. It's a totally Karaoke performance, not especially bad, but completely forgettable. I will never forget that jacket, however. They praise him as if he's the second coming of Marvin Gaye or something. I don't get it.

BTW, I got a good look at what was on the judges tables, that they read every night now. It's typed up, so it's definitely not "notes". It's Nigel's script, no doubt.

Round Two:

Hollie: Some Leona Lewis song. Dr L says this is very popular, so maybe it's a great choice. I think she did another fantastic job. If the award goes to consistency, then Hollie wins the night. But we all know it's down to personalities now, and she'll be hazily forgotten after the "big" moments coming after this.

Phil: Time of the Season. This is not one of those moments. I applaud Phil for actually toying with a melody for once, but holy crap that was uncomfortable when he tried to hit the highs. The judges were trying not to comment on it it but, I think everybody felt the pain. If he didn't pull the usual Phil faces when he did it we wouldn't be grimacing as hard. Mostly a Fail.

Skylar: You Don't Have To Say You Love Me. The first part was actually good. She can sing, damn it. But then she couldn't stand it, and had to screech out the "power" section. Ironically, she had more real power when she was restrained. Still, far better than her first number. Some medium pimpin'.

Jessica: You Are So Beautiful. Wow, reminded me that she can actually sing. Even though she tried to ruin it at the end with the overblown melisma, she built up so much good will on the front end, it was forgivable. Great song choice TPTB made for her. She should forget the stupid Beyonce/BB Chez bullshit and just try to sing. JLo tried to do a mea culpa about using the save on her, as if this justified it. Yeah, this was great, but we had to suffer though weeks of shitty songs from her to get here again. This, with the smoke, candles, and the reclining pose wins the pimp award of the night.

Joshua: To Love Somebody? Another attempt at a "moment". MUCH better than the first song, but he's been better than this. He and many of the Idols this year degenerate into predictable tics at the end of songs, the same runs, etc. This was no exception. He just throws some generic soul-scat on the end and calls it a day, as his eyeballs get red from the strain. Then they fawn all over it: best singer of the last 50 years? I want some of that crack you're smoking JLo, it's powerful stuff.

Bottom three? Should be Phil, Josh, and BB Chez.
Probably will be Hollie, Skylar and Jessica, though, with BB Chez going home (or maybe that's just my fantasy at this point).

A Tale of two cities: Phillip and the Pimp

Tonight was a clear example of a very good singer and a very poor one. It couldn't have been any more obvious tonight. First up....Hollie. I like the advice that they give her "Act as if the judges don't know anything and that you don't care what people think". This is the best advice that they could give Hollie....and she brings it out and brings it on. Excellent on all levels. Although...the little Hollie sashay is about the only dance move that she knows. Phil - What can I say...Phil does his one note version of a song again....completely bastardizes the song and shows zero originality...just another Phil Phillips version of a classic song. The routine is old. America is getting this one way wrong. I'm also getting really tired of the same face pulling that he does everytime they preview him before the break....Really Phil? Come up with something new....and Randy keeps talking about how "original" this guy is?....two words....c'mon. Skylar - Skylar is the "rebel" in this group? ...um....ok. She seems to be trying too hard in her performance. This is not her genre and is shows. This is not good.....Skylar is going to have to really kick it up in round 2 or shes a goner for sure....wow...the judges praised her. I completely disagree with their assessment here. What...Randy....no "She's gotta have it"? Joshua/Phillip Duet; Um.....this is going to be interesting. Wow....its so obviously in this song that one of these guys can really sing and the other not so much. Was this song picked to expose Phil's lack of musical ability? Jessica - Proud Mary...wow...don't know about this....LOVE LOVE LOVE this dress. This song is starting off very badly for her. oh no...this is really really bad. I love the back up singser and the horns, but this is just not a good song choice for her. There is nothing good about this song...her vocal is bad and her performance seems completely forced. Joshua - This is completely his genre. Joshua has to whole package here. Perfect vocals and he's showing a lot more stage presence each week. I think that he is probably the most talkented one in the competition, but he's not going to win. Round 1 (Best to Worst) Joshua Hollie Phil Skylar Jessica Second Round Hollie - wow...Hollie is on tonight. Beautiful vocal. Very strong performance and a nice contrast to his first song. Great job. She's reminding me of a young Celine Dion tonight. Randy is 100% correct. Hollie has been a dark horse all year, but tonight she seems to be peaking. It will be interesting to see if tonight was the peak. Phil - Time of the season - Ok...people....turn your head and LISTEN to the music without watching how cute he is. THAT was probably the worst singing ever on AI. Absolutely horrendous. That performance alone should send him packing. Skylar - Much better than round 1. What were those two weird people sitting on the bench...ok...that was just weird. Overall performance was good, but probably enough to redeem her here. Jessica - Much better than the first performance. Vocally it was very good. But I think that Jessica is going to be in big trouble tonight. Joshua - Major pimping of Joshua tonight....from the pimp spot the the heaping of praise. I actually liked his first song better. However, he clearly was the best of the night Round 2 - (Best of Worst) Joshua Jessica Hollie Skylar Phil Overall (Best to Worst) Joshua Hollie Skylar Jessica Phil Bottom 3 should be Phillip, Jessica and Skylar America's bottom 3 - Skylar, Jessica and Hollie Going Home - There is no mercy...and America clearly has Zero taste. Should be Phillip by a mile. However, it will either be Skylar or Jessica.....I'm torn...but I'm going to say Jessica. The Best of times....the worst of times.

NEW POST!!! Just wanted to give our Blog buddies the head's-up on how to make posts like the old days :)

FYI: Just learned what was going on with the freakin' suctacular new Blogger layout.

It seems the DEFAULT Blogger setup is "HTML" -- if you look in the upper-left corner of the Post screen you have HTML and "Compose" as options. 

If you select Compose, it has a more normal sized screen, and whatever you type will have normal spacing, too.

Who is designing this new shit, Google? Have they ever USED a blog before?

Anyway, at least we won't have to post giant blocks of text anymore LOL.

-- K

P.S. This new blogger layout SUCKS

what's with the no-spacing thing?

We Will Rock You (Not So Much)

The award for best blog post title goes to Rubbertoe, we died laughing when we read it. Tonight's mentors: Queen! You could tell a couple Idols (Jessica, Joshua) had no idea who these old British dudes were. Wow, Ryan looks rough, but he's earning those millions. Jessica: Bohemian Rhapsody. Weak. Rock is definitely not her strong suit. Kiss of Death spot could hurt her, especially since this was bleh. They didn't know what to say. Skyler: this was fantastic! Who knew she could rock out like this? Made Jessica eminently forgettable. Maybe I'm just amazed she can sound slightly different, unlike some other contestants... Joshua: Crazy Little Thing Called Love: I was kind of whatever on this one. He did FAR better than Jessica, but still paled next to Skyler. What was with the praise? This "judging" is all so obviously dictated from above tonight. Elise: I Want It All. definitely in her element. She should do one of these every week. Maybe still 2nd to Sklyer, but very close. Anytime she scales back the overblown runs is aces with me. Phillip: Fat Bottom Girls! He was cracking up at the beginning. Honestly, it was okay, but subconsciously I had already forgotten it when I wrote this up and left him out. I had to go back and type this. That isn't a good sign is it? Hollie: Save Me. (Not the best song to potentially get voted out on).why did she pick this song? It's just so dull compared to the others. She did okay, again, no one was as bad as BB Chez, but she's bringing up the rear. Anybody notice how much the judges are reading from notes this week? It's like you don't even see their eyes for 2/3 of the judging. Nigel must me pulling the puppet strings hard. Personal Choice: Jessica: Dance With My Father Again. We honestly can't say how she did, because Holy Shit, I can't listen to this damn song again on Idol. We fast-forwarded. I'm sure she did fine, it's her wheelhouse. They slathered praise on her. Give it up, fools. Skyler: Tattoo on This Town? Who knows, some unknown Kountry Song. A little TOO twangy for us. She can sing, but this was a little "indulgent" as Simon would say, for me. Not her best. At least Steven called it right. Two hours is just too long, Idol. Don't be so greedy. Joshua: I'm Ready For Love. Wow, a beautiful song. This was one of his best. Standing O was deserved. This is the kind of moment all the others should be striving for. Makes up for his B-level 1st song. Good styling on him, too. Elise: Bold As Love. I LOVE this song from Hendrix. She sang about 1000 too many runs on it, but it was okay. Only Randy (imagine that!) spoke the truth. Side note: sweet that Idol is letting these contestants bring up bandmates. Philip: Some DMB song. Sounded just like it, I guess, but I didn't know it. Sounds like the judges didn't either. Except Randy who throws in the Nigel praise. Ryan's girlfriend wants to jump him, so he's got that in his back pocket. Hollie: singing Miley. Probably a smart move. It's funny to me, so many Idol wannabes want to sing this song, and they're aways better than Miley to me. But the tweentards probably creamed their jeans when she sang it. Loved watching her dance her little jig when she got the standing O. She really did a good job. Jessica could be in trouble. This is getting to the last few, so anybody who didn't make the top two is in trouble. That's anybody but Skyler and maybe Hollie, and Phillip is the last "cute" guy, so… B3: Jessica, Elise, Joshua. Jessica, this could be it.

6 Idols and a little Queen (and we're not talking Ryan)

So we start tonight's show with a medley of Queen Songs. It was awkward especially for Phil. Phillip just cannot sing anything outside his limited genre and this medley really exposed how limited he really is. First up - Jessica - Bohemian Rhapsody. She was good. Vocal was excellent but the performance seemed awkward. For me...it was just aiiiight. I'd give it a 6 Second - Skylar "The Show must go on". I wasn't sure what to think of this performance. I loved parts, but parts seemed forced to me. Could Randy have fallen over himself more praising the performance? His heaping on the praise seemed entirely forced to me. I'd give Skylar a 7. Third - Joshua "Crazy little thing called love". I actually didn't like this performance at all. It was just weird to me. The genre and him did not mesh with me at all. Obviously the judges disagree...I completely did not get this performance. For me it was vocals 2 checks...performance 2 checks...overal 6. Fourth - "I want it all". This is much more her genre. She looks the part. Vocals are great and performance was very appropriate. My only criticism is that I felt it was a little retrained. 8. Fifth - Phillip. For me this was just painfully bad. He seemed to be straining the entire song. For me...this was one of his worst. I would give him a 3. Sixth - Hollie "Save me" - Is Hollie sending a less than subtle message? I thought the vocals were good but the performance was a bit boring. It was ok....not great. 6 Round 1: Elise, Skylar, Jessica, Hollie, Joshua, Phillip Round 2 Jessica - "Dance with my father". More hit and miss for me. Parts were incredible but parts were overly sentimental to me. 8. Skylar - good...this was classic Skylar 9 Joshua- Song seemed very heartfelt but did nothing for me. Another standing O from the Judges. I thought it was good, but not worthy of being called "speechless" by Randy. 7 Elise - I agrred with Randy on this one. Elise completely oversang that song. 6 Phillip - Much much better than the first song. This is phillip in his element 7. Hollie - Good...but plastic. Another Standing O...really? It was ok...but nothing great. 6 Now I'm convinced that the accent is fake. It totally explains why you can't understand her when she talks yet when she sings, she's all of a sudden completely clear..... The Verdict: Jessica (14), Skylar (16), Joshua (13), Elise (14), Phillip (10), Hollie (12) Rubbertoes bottom 3 - Phillip, Joshua and Hollie Americas bottom 3 - Hollie, Joshua and Elise Going Home: Hollie (Should be Phillip).

Queasy Ryan, not Cheesy Ryan?

Just read an interesting story here about how Seacrest was REALLY sick at the taping tonight, and didn't make rehearsal. We haven't seen it yet here on the West Coast, so it remains to be seen if Ryan does the actual show. Maybe he got a good look at the new Kardashian contract, and started puking his guts. -- K

Yep, Shoulda Held Off On That Save

HA! Bet they didn't see that coming. So, Colton has an "off" night and the Tweetards
throw him to the wolves? Jeez, that is a fickle demographic.
I'm no Colton fan, but when I heard it the first thing I said to Dr. L was,
Idol will be a little more boring next week...

Brilliantly Awkward

First songs: modern soul?

Hollie -- great performance of Adele. KOD spot, so they really want her gone, but to us, once again she sang on the level that they hype Jessica as reaching. This time, they actually praise her -- wonder if this is to thwart the backlash against their slamming of her every other week.

Colton -- weird outfit, cheesy performance, the fact that he had to force the lows so he could reach the highs -- this was pretty boring. He doesn't have 1% the absurd persona and bombastic skills of GaGa. Why does he look like he's wearing a frickin' jester costume every week? He looks like Heat Mizer. Just sing, kid. I think they buried him in 2nd so we'd forget this performance. He's so safe though.

Elise -- Jimmy spoke at length why he thinks Elise is in the B3 every week. I personally think it's the weird, affected jazz-run bullshit she does, because it's her "thang", and America thinks it's off-key singing (because, technically, it is). This was obscured in the Zeppelin song, because she a) didn't do it as much, and b) it was a loud rocker. She should sing Barracuda from Heart or something. This Alicia Keys song was boring already, but it was better than Colton. Wind Machine pimpage.

Side Note: JLo and Randy are constantly looking down all night as they "judge" -- reading from Nigel's notes, much? And JLo's Boob-tacular dress looks kind of slutty sci-fi, like she should be in John Carter from Mars or something.

Phil -- love how his costume shows he doesn't give a rat's ass. Wow! This was great. I don't usually dig his shtick but this all clicked. Standing O from the judges. I could listen to this song again. Randy's "originality" comments are nonsensical. But White Guy With Guitar is probably safe.

Lots of stars in the crowd tonite.

Jessica, she gets the BETTER Alicia Keys song. And, the reminder of the DRAMA from last week. She looks like Oh Mighty Isis in that outfit. What's with the umbrellas -- did they think she was singing Rihanna? She's getting a lot of help from the backup singers, isn't she? Man, Elise would have killed this song. It was okay, but a little scatt-y. The audience is buying the hype, and the judges lay it on thick.

Skyler -- I like how she's amazed when Jimmy has a good suggestion LOL. Hey is that Hot Fiddle Guy -- or a NEW HFG? Skyler shows how to do a GaGa song if you aren't GaGa. This was perfect for her. She could still win this thing! And they do the Idol Winner sparks behind her. I suspect they didn't stand up because it would threaten their pimping of Bebe Chez. But this was the best of the night so far.

Joshua does Fantasia. This should be his week -- I don't know if he has the mental firepower to step it up a notch, though. He's got good pipes but he's even more one-note than Phil in some ways. Dr. L said he looks out-of-it. This was not his best by any means.

Second songs: Old soul?

Hollie -- she's so cute! And how sweet to get the shout-out from the Brits? Too bad soccer doesn't mean shit to Americans. Maybe this means she'll have a career in the UK? Wow, Don Cornelius and SOUL TRAIN! I used to watch this as a kid, even more than American Bandstand. Son of a Preacher Man -- a good idea, maybe not as good as her 1st. I feel like the arrangement was ironically a little soul-less, and it didn't help her sell the song. They are praising her again -- this is definitely Simon Cowell 101 -- an attempt at a psych-out.

Colton -- Earth Wind & Fire? I love this song , but Colton's Coldplay-ish version is pitchy as shit. Wow, I don't like this at all. Deandre would have torn the roof off with this! They're giving him the tough love. Note to Idols -- please put another color streak in you hair besides magenta. ANY color. Thanks.

Elise -- Let's Get It On! Working the boobs -- too bad straight men don't vote. This is actually a great song for her voice. I don't know if she's just dripping with sex like you have to for this to work, but it was okay. Another gutted arrangement. When JLo starts with "Okay baby" then it isn't going to be high praise. This season the mantra seems to be about "personality". Randy is right on with the over-singing though. B3 again for sure.

Phil -- Midnight Hour. This seemed like it went on for 20, 30 minutes. Why pick a song like this that doesn't go anywhere? Aw, who cares, everybody seems to love PP. I would probably enjoy him after 4-5 beers at a bar on Bourbon Street.

Hey, Kris Allen! Generic McCardboard is still alive.

Jessica -- Try a Little Tenderness. Wow, for the most part the 2nd half has been a Bag of Fail. She's screechy and pitchy. WAY oversung. Even the audience shows tepid love. Jesus the judges are reading the notes! Nothing you can SAY can help her, fools.

Skylar -- The California Raisin Song! Fiddle Guy sighting. This is a little busy, but she has the best stage presence of any of them. Is it me or do these arrangements blow tonight?

Joshua -- A Change Gon' Come. The absolute perfect song for his voice. He did a good job, but there was still a disconnect. He's only putting in 70% or so. They're praising it like it's actually Sam Cooke up there.

Best of the night, Hollie and PP's first songs, and maybe Skylar's. Worst, Colton in both songs, but he has a voting block. Jessica was pretty bad too.

B3 -- Elise, Joshua, Jessica

Who goes home? Jessica, "psych"!

The top 7 redux

Ok....so I have to begin this week with a caveat....I feel asleep in the second half and don't think I'll have time to catch up before the results show, so this is based only on the first performance and my overall season projections.



Hollie - I was a little afriad of her doing Adele...but Hollie actually pulled it off. She, for the first time, actually showed some personality

Colton - Bad Romance, Lady Gaga....was a bad choice. I thought it was horrendous. It lacked the vibe that Gaga brings to it. Wow...the judges are being way too nnice to him here.

Elise - With the dress and the wind...it reminds me of the Stevie Nicks videos from the 80's. Jimmy states that she doesn't have the week to week fan base...and he's absolutely right. Elise probably has one of the weakest fan bases. She can't afford any slip ups and even without a major slip she's very likely out this week. This performance I thought was good. She look beautiful and she seemed to be having a lot of fun with the song. Great Smile. Did they REALLY just pimp her dying dog? Seriously? Well...that's gotta be worth a few votes.

Phil - Doing Usher? This is a more polished and refined Phil. I liked it because it wasn't just Phil's one version of a song. He showed a little more a little more diversity here. I still would never buy an album of him...but it was pretty good.
Did Randy actually praise his "Originality"? I'm sorry, but if there is something that Phil is not week to week is original.

Jessica - I didn't like the song choice here. I think this is the genre of music that got her into trouble the last week. Again, she sang it beautiful just like last week, but the result may be the same.

Skylar - Born this way. First question (Where is hot fiddle guy?) The new guy was ok, but not as hot...HFG was on earlier this year, but he's been gone for a while. Awesome version of the song here. Skylar had the energy and personality that really made this song.


Joshua - Might be a big mistake trying Fantasia's signature song....and it was. His version didn't even come close to Fantasia and exposed him as someone who is not worthy of being in the finale. The judges give him a standing O? I'm shocked.



Round 1 (Worst to Best)

Colton
Joshua
Elise
Jessica
Hollie
Phil
Skylar

Round #1 goes to Skylar with Phil a close second.

Rubbertoes Bottom 3: Colton, Joshua and Elise

America's Bottom 3: Joshua, Elise and Hollie.

Going home (If only 1) : Elise

If two: Elise and Hollie

Interesting Analysis About BB Chez' Future On Idol

Article here from TVOverMind -- they make the case that Jessica will hit the bricks Thursday, like America wanted last week.
If I recall, however, Casey The Growler was bestowed The Save last year, which ultimately led to a booted Pia two weeks later, right? We'll see how it shakes out this time.

Wha -- ?

Did we just get bamboozled? That "shocker save" for B.B. Chez looked like the biggest con job Idol has ever pulled.
Randy pretty much admitted it when he implored that America "vote for the best".
Call me crazy, but there are six other contestants who have just as much a shot of winning, if this
thing is fair. He can't tell us who we think is "best" -- we'll vote for the Taylor Hicks all we want LOL!