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Thursday, January 30, 2014

TGIO

Thank God its...no not Omaha...but over.  Let us hope the chamber will be shattered along with the dreams of those who entered its hallowed walls in hope and came out in despair.  Actually, I do feel compassion for many of the hopefuls.


Tonight is pretty much an anti-climax and blessedly only an hour long.  There were only a few contestants which are blog-worthy, in my opinion.  And, only one was worthy of the Zoanette scale. 


The show starts with a legacy.  The son of Joline of Joline and the Wanted.  I have never heard of Joline or the Wanted but they evidently opened for Keith Urban many many years ago.  Coit or Quaid (not sure what his first name is) was not horrible but that is about all you can say about him.  Joline got him through to Hollywood but I don't think he will be staying there very long. 


The little 15 year old blonde who looked like so many others (I cannot read my writing...so all I know is her last name is Walker) didn't impress me but she was the total package with the judges.  She was followed by Elissa Fremont with a nose  but not a voice approaching Streisand's.  She is not the total package.  She went through without Harry's vote but I doubt if she lasts long either.  I was sorry she wasn't better because I wanted her to be good to offset the hair extension brigade.


Next up is a sort of dorky guy, Tyler Gurwicz from Vermont.  He sang Adele which did not impress Harry and struggled for a moment to come up with another song to sing despite his claim that he has been singing for 10 years.  I didn't like either of his songs...his voice was all over the place to me.  Zoanette scale:  6. 


Tyler Marshall, the happy guy, sang Proud Mary.  I liked him fine but he is not that unique so I'm not sure how well he will do.  E.C. Jones, who sang Stand By Me (with Harry standing by him) was good but so very odd looking.  A little like Humpty Dumpty with hair. 


The Double D's (as I call them) Dayjontea (dear Lord his mother should be shot for naming him that) and Dylan were featured very briefly and I wanted to hear more.  Especially from Dylan.  I probably won't, unfortunately.


Paula Hunt was a lovely woman who is in the Air Force Entertainment Group.  They gave her a bit of a back sob story so maybe she is going somewhere in the competition.  Its hard to criticize her voice but I wanted to PULL that song out of her she sang it so slow.


I like Andrina, who they said was scared.  I don't think she will last in Hollywood though. I got a kick out of the auctioneer but he was really terrible.  Tessa Kate was fine. 


I don't expect too many finalists to come from the Omaha auditions.  I'm glad all of it is over.  Up next is Hollywood Week which I also hate because of the drama on group night.  From the previews, it looks like an early favorite of mine (last name Mues) with the blue hair streak is at odds with her group.  I hope she wasn't a biotch because even if she makes it to the voting, the public won't vote for her.  This is what these kids don't understand.  Yes, you might get a bunch of camera time in Hollywood week if you are part of some big drama, but the public will hate you if you are not nice and no matter how talented you are...you won't get the votes.  So play nice kids! 


They gave away 212 golden tickets.  Lots of dreams to shatter. 

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Tequila Sundown, Perfect Packages, and Producer Manipulation

Tonight's show opens with the camera panning in on a ramshackle trailer in a barren yard.  Inside the trailer is a young man holding a baby.  I believe the voiceover says something about little towns and big dreams.  I believe the young man talks about wanting to do this for his kids.  And then...


A pretty blonde girl with hair extensions who is not named Brittany or Tiffany or Amblee or Asher is introduced.  Her name is Austin Wolfe.  She sings Radioactive.  The judges love her.  She is the *total package* according to JLo.  Translation:  She is pretty, thin, and dressed well.  I thought she had a whiny almost harsh tone in her voice but I am learning that I am evidently just plain musically challenged because she is called a force to be reckoned with by either Keith or Harry.  She gets a golden ticket to match her golden hair and smile. 


When I hear the term *total package* I think of Toddlers and Tiaras.  They are always looking for the *total package* in 6 mos. to 15 year olds,  which means a fake smile with fake teeth, fake nails, more makeup than Tammy Faye Bakker, fake hair, and big old ugly bedazzled dresses for beauty.  If they wag their fingers at the audience, hold them to their lips, and then shake their fannies a lot, they have the total talent package.  Which makes you wonder...was Miley Cyrus a child pageant contestant?  But, I've digressed. 


After Austin, Haley the Lumberjack auditions.  I liked her better than Austin but she didn't have hair extensions and was a little zaftig to be the total package so I suspect we won't hear much more from her. 


After a montage of three who get the golden ticket and are praised profusely but of whom I suspect we will never hear again and a forgettable girl named Samantha (to me anyway), Alex Preston appears.  He has been holding court in the holding area, explaining to his groupies how he cannot do anything but play his guitar.  He tells the camera he is really shy but was in a band or something and that helped him overcome it.  He goes in and tells them he wants to *start* with an original (like this is his concert and they will want to hear several tunes from him).  His original is faux angst driven drivel as far as I'm concerned.  He bangs on his guitar because he also plays drums.  Harry is impressed with something he does with his chords.  Alex says he wants to *grow as an artist*.  I find him arrogant and full of his own importance.  He was pushed by the PTB on Facebook and I suspect will be pushed in Hollywood week.  I will be finding fault with him whatever he does because I think he is a phony.


Another girl named Samantha from Louisiana comes in.  She wore a fanny pack.  She is not the total package.  She also sings an original which starts off with her sing talking like Rex Harrison in My Fair Lady.  The song is not memorable and Harry looks chagrined because he wanted this Louisiana girl to be good.  So, she gets to sing another song and chooses The Jefferson's theme song.  Ok, it wasn't horrible but when they play the soundtrack from the Jeffersons right after she exits with a golden ticket, you realize it wasn't that great either.  She is fodder.


Then we get a montage of people with odd names. Ellie Duke (they don't tell us what happened to her of if they did, I missed it), Fish from Hawaii, and Julie (Judy?) Awful.  The Awful girl did not awe me and I cannot remember whether she went to Hollywood or not.  Fish does go to Hollywood which makes his family of 50 very happy but I suspect that is the last time they will be celebrating.


JLo likes this kid called DJ Bradley.  He shows up with messy hair and in wrinkled shorts.  He sings without emotion.  JLo thinks he is quirky.  Keith and Harry are on the fence but let him go through.  I think JLo has been flying around on chartered planes and living in gated communities and staying in 5 star resorts too long.  What she thinks is quirky is what every slobby teen boy looks like these days.
   


After Kenzie, a 16 year old screamer with hair extensions who I kind of liked, Hazely Van Patten, a reformed alkie country singer, auditions.  She was all set to be a child prodigy in Nashville at 14 or 15 but in a year she lost it all due, she explains, to her addiction.  Keith is rooting for her and so am I but after hearing her sing I'm thinking that her failure to make it in Nashville may have had as much to do with her mediocre voice as it did her addiction. She better improve if she wants to make live TV.
 


At about this point in the program, my mind started straying and they were all starting to sound alike.  I have a list of about 4-5 people who I cannot for the life of me remember now with notes like *blonde hair extensions*, *screamer*, *mediocre*.   However, CJ Harris is unusual in that he is a black country singer.  They tell us his father died which may mean we will see more of him as time goes on.  He also gets the pimp spot before the hour break which is another good sign for him.


Day 2 opens with Tequila who announces her presence to the holding room with what some would call a joyful sound and others would call an obnoxious bleat.  Her story is that she sings in church and for the dead at a funeral home.  The judges must have thought she was the second coming of Zoanette (I haven't forgotten about her) crossed with Candace Glover.  Nope...not nearly as ridiculous as Zoanette and way not as talented as Candace.  I looked to see if she made the top 31 and I will spoil it for you and tell you she did not.  I'm relieved. (Although she seemed like a nice enough person and I wish her well in her future endeavors).


Ok, I have to confess my notes are all mixed up so I'm not commenting on any of these in any particular order.


The girl whose father is somebody Mike from the Sugar Hill Gang was not very good.  I think they let her through so they could see her dad.  Sort of like they let Jim Carrey's daughter through a year or so ago and then sent her packing the first day. 


Kimberly the opera singer was a Zoanette scale contender at 8.  Harry suggested she would be more successful at opera.  I do not think so but what else was he going to say as she clearly thought she was giving them a killer audition.  Ouch.


Briston, the 15 year old from Nashville impressed them a lot more than he impressed me.  Particularly when he bragged about his great grandfather being a Nashville recording star and inheriting his Gibson but didn't know what his name was.  WHAT???  If you are going to use your family legacy to get points at least learn what it is before you go shooting your mouth off.  If he goes very far, I may not like him very much.


I thought Dexter, the country singer from Alabama, who wore the hat with the BBFF initials on it (for Bang Bang Flop Flop Kennels) was pretty good.  I'm afraid he is a bit chubby to be the total package, however.  If he gets very far, I predict sabotage to make way for someone more photogenic. 


And, we end the show where we began.  The young man with the baby is Jason Crasher from a small town somewhere in the South (of course he is...the trailer gave that away).   He lives in the trailer with his aunt for now and has another baby we meet.  I'm beginning to think he actually lives in a 3 bedroom 2 bath ranch house and just moved in for a day or 2 with his aunt to make his story better.  They love him.  He gets the Marielle treatment....he opens and closes the show.  They will give him a better hairdo and some better clothes and he will be the total package.  Count on it. 








Thursday, January 23, 2014

Mamma Mia

Ryan Secrest is going home to mama. It seems like Ryan is not nearly as much of a presence this year as he usually is in the auditions but we now know he has a mama and that she is a ham.  Good for her.  I saw her interviewed once and she really is a firecracker.   So yay for mamas (as opposed to momagers but more on that later).


The show opens with more chamber drama.  You would think they had discovered penicillin the way they are hyping this lame chamber concept.  Lets hope it is just for the auditions.  If it goes into the live shows and wastes air time I will not be a happy blogger. 


The first contestant up tonight is Majesty Rose.  Despite her affected name, I liked the way she sang.  No frills. 


Jesse from Kentucky drove all night and I was glad he got a golden ticket for his trouble.  I don't think he has the *total package* they talk about (he isn't good looking enough) to get much attention or a push from the PTB so I suspect the poor guy will end up tending the counter at the all night gas station again soon, but we can hope. 


After the girl with the pink hair is justifiably rejected, the show enters another dimension for me for quite awhile.  The next three contestants are, in my opinion, not ready for afternoon viewing.  Chris Medina brings his dog.  Really?  I hope that poor dog doesn't have to go to Hollywood with him.  I thought he was terrible.  They all loved him.  Were they afraid to disappoint the dog?  Then, the sweet nurse Kristen O'Conner (we see her practicing in THE CHAMBER...OOOOH) comes out and gives a pretty pedestrian performance which will put her at the bottom of the pretty girls with hair extensions going to Hollyood pack.  Finally, Emily, the 17 year old who has been watching idol since she was 2 or 3 did a performance which made me cringe for her.  They all got through.  


The next two contestants were fine...actually I wrote good by Ben Briley but now I don't remember him.  Is he the one with the wife who pushed him to pursue his dream?  And Nika LaShay was super confident if super loud singing Natural Woman.  But then they send Jordan, the 15 year old cook (who needs to cook because he likes to eat...hey he said it not me) through.  When he sang all I could see was his tongue and I thought he was pretty bad.  


Harry said no to the Phil Phillips clone, Sam from Athens. I bet this is the last we see of him.  Then someone really interesting to me came on.  Jessica Muse from Slapout Alabama.  She did an original which made Angie Miller's sappy original sound like a 3rd grader wrote it.  I really liked her even if her pink/purple hair streak was a little out of date if she wants to be outrĂ©.  


I thought the dressed up in a costume country girl was just OK but they seemed impressed with her.  Then the retreads, Nico and Caleb made it through.  I don't think they will fare any better this year.  


Finally we end with Bria with the sparkle lips who is only 15 and belted out some song.  I cannot remember.  I didn't like her or her mother the momager.  Shades of Kris Jenner (who will be changing her name back to Kardashian soon).  Maybe Marielle, the producer's next Lauren Alaina, will cut them both down to size.  


Things I thought about after I wrote last night's blog.  They have been eliminating most of the sob stories (thank goodness) but they did include Marielle's sob story.  This is a sign she is the chosen one.  I really did not read Michael Slezaks blog before I wrote mine last night but was gratified to see he got the Alaina similarities too.  


And...one more thing I have noticed the past 2 nights.  JLo no longer uses the word *pitchy*.  Thanks to Harry saying its not a word, she now says that people are *out of tune*.  Of course, she would never acknowledge that it was Harry's influence...not with all the sui generis stuff coming out of her mouth.  I'm not a JLo fan. 


And now I'm slap out of things to say. 


 



Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Detroit Deficit

I swear sometimes that there is a person at Idol whose job is to read all the obscure blogs like mine and then torment their authors.  Last week I mocked the Chamber and this week they mocked me by starting the program featuring the Chamber.  I know they really weren't mocking ME, but how is that for prescience on my part.  They really are hawking that stupid Chamber to the point of nausea.


OK, we all know Detroit is a bankrupt city that is literally falling down in front of its residents.  It appears that Detroit not only is running a deficit on its balance sheet but that it also is running a deficit in talent.  About half way through, I noticed that no one auditioning was actually from Detroit...or anywhere near Detroit.  There was Kansas, Indiana, Georgia, Miami.  Heck, even the one gal from Detroit now lives in Hollywood.  They gave away 40 golden tickets and only 20 went to people who were from any where that could be considered Greater Detroit or even Michigan.  Of course, what happened was that when they had the cattle call auditions in Detroit, they came up short of worthy contestants so had to send it people who first auditioned in other cities for the judges two day stint.  Or at least that is what I'm thinking.  It makes sense considering people have been leaving Detroit in droves. 


I made notes on nearly all the auditions but only starred a few for comment as I think there was quite a lot of fodder presented tonight. 


My first star went to Malaya, the 16 year old tuba player.  I normally am not a fan of these young things.  I think the show is too slanted toward them as they try to find the next Justin Bieber or Miley Cyrus and end up with Angies and Jessicas. Malaya is the anti-Angie/Jessica.  She just made me smile.  I hope she does well. 


Right after Malaya, Brian Watt (aka *Superman*) auditioned.  I didn't really make notes on his talent but he was one Ken doll look alike wasn't he?  If he makes it to the live shows, I think he might be a favorite based on his looks alone. 


My Z scale came out with Christiane (no last name because she uses only ONE name like Rihanna and BeyoncĂ©).  She is clearly a legend in her own mind and cannot wait to perform for millions and get all the glory and fame she believes she is entitled to.  She has an accent even though she was born and raised in America because her father is Sicilian.  I called her accent fake right then just like Tatiana's accent was.  She sang poorly.  I didn't see anything redeeming in her voice and neither did Keith.  I don't know what Jennifer was thinking putting her through and I really don't know what Harry was thinking as he clearly pegged her as a big old fake when he noted her accent went away. I have a feeling we are looking to a huge Hollywood Week meltdown from her.  Boo! Z scale score:  7.5


Another Z scale score went to the hefty guy who loved Harry Connick and sang Sinatra.  His voice wasn't horrible but it wasn't really a moving performance and as Keith noted he lacked sex appeal.  I almost felt sorry for him except for his bragging to his fellow contestants and his sour grapes response when they said no.  He is a jerk and therefore he is not entitled to sing Sinatra.  Z scale score: 7.


Damon from last year made it through again.  He is the one whose wife Nikki sassed during Vegas week.  She hated him and I think it was because he had a wife.  I hope he does well but I wonder if he has the charisma to go all the way. 


The highest Z scale score has to go to Carlita and Riquita, the dynamic identical twins who boasted of their natural talent.  Oh..that was painful.  It wasn't even a question of not being quite ready yet.  J Lo was kind when she compared them to a high school talent show act.  Their alternating solos were horrific enough but they couldn't even harmonize!  Z scale score: 8.5.


One contestant I really liked, because she reminded me of Hailey Reinhardt, was Melanie from Kennesaw, Georgia.  I noticed that JLo was less impressed with her probably because she saw the resemblance to Haley, who she treated abominably during Haley's season.  Sometimes JLo has a bit of the evil stepmother in her and you wonder if she goes back to her dressing room and asks the mirror who is the fairest of all.  (I don't take credit for that comment...I will refer you to the genius who originally said it shortly). 


Ethan Harris, the Keith Urban fan, is one to watch I think.  I actually thought this before I looked at the spoilers and you will just have to take my word for it that I did.


The final Z score goes to Ryan with the Pompadour who lost a lot of weight.   OK...he is *sui generis* (isn't JLo smart...take your Pentatonic scale Harry and shove it) in an obvious way.  This pompadour thing must be a new in thing because even the guy from Kansas had one but I have to admit that Ryan's was bigger.  I was not impressed with his song choice (Arms of an Angel is a song whose lyrics make no sense to me...does the person die in their sleep?  Does a ghostly angel watch over them as they sleep? What the heck is the song about?) and I want to relegate that song to the *never sing on Idol again* along with Hallelujah, I Who Have Nothing, and anything sung by Whitney Houston.  I don't know why they put him through.  I thought he was an 8 on the Z scale.


Finally, we get another teen, Marielle Sellars.  I think she is going to be pushed pushed pushed on us much in the same way as Lauren Alaina was.  I didn't hate her.  I just don't think I'm going to be a fan of hers as time goes on...I'm rooting for the Tuba girl.


For those of you with time on your hands and an enough interest, there is a great video recap of Idol episodes done by a guy named Michael Slezak.  You will have to google him.  He and Melinda Doolittle (one of my favorite ever on Idol) do commentary and together they are hilarious.  They don't always agree and they have great rapport with each other.  I haven't read this weeks recap but here is a link to it.  http://tvline.com/tag/american-idol/ 


Ok, I don't know where they are going next.  I've had enough auditions and we are probably not even half way through them.  ARRRGH. 
 

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Chambers of Mediocrity

That Chamber is stupid.  (I tried to find a more adult word that would convey the same meaning but I am sticking with stupid).  Yes, producers, having the contestants stand in a gray box which makes them claustrophobic (and the viewer vicariously so) is the way to get the 18-35 age group to turn off Duck Dynasty and turn to Idol.  Hey have you heard?  Idol is really cool this year...they put the contestants in a CHAMBER...lets watch! Again, reverting to language which is on the same maturity level as the Chamber, I wonder what stupid head came up with the idea.


Well, this head sort of forgot to turn on Idol tonight until it was half way over.  Looking at other recaps of the show online, it appears the only memorable moment I missed was my man Harry chastising a contestant for disrespecting the process.  I ,gather that contestant would have scored high on the Z scale so I'm sorry I didn't see it.


So, I turned on the 2nd half and have to say that the only remotely interesting contestant to me was  David Lunig, the guy who sang the *dark* original song.  I have no idea how he will fare going forward but he was the only one to offer anything that wasn't what everyone else had to offer this week. 


The girls were particularly boring.  *My name is (Britney, Ashley, Tiffany, Briana, Selena) and I am  (16,17), I have long (blonde or brunette) hair, and I'm going to sing something you will not remember in 5 minutes*.  Perhaps there was a gem contestant or two in the quick montages they ran between the long-haired teens, but we caught only a glimpse of them.


I don't remember many of the other men.   We had the two weepers.  Emmanuel wept because he was chosen (he was nothing special) so I gave him an 8 on the Z scale just for the tears.  Then, Ronald James Reed came on screen advising the others in the holding room that he was going to bring world peace, end famine, and cure disease AFTER he won American Idol.  I smelled a big Z score coming on at that point.  I wasn't disappointed.  His breakdown was pretty revolting.  He hits the floor and moans and mourns and you and I both know he was paid to be a pompous ass brought to humility by the judges.  If his act wasn't so contrived, I would have given him a 9.5 on the Z scale but...he wasn't serious.  


And then of course, the man in white.  The sound therapist or guru or whatever he called himself.  First, he sings Hallelujah which should be banned forever and ever on this show.  Then he sings it badly...yelling out the Hallelujah part as if he is at some Oklahoma revival meeting watching the preacher play with snakes.  He is a fake as JLo noted and believe me, I don't think she is the most perceptive human alive.  I also don't think he will last long.  


Now...if you want, you can see who makes the top 13 by going to MJS Big Blog.  Just google it and you will find a link.  I read the list and no one popped out to me.  I'm hoping there is some interesting woman who is over 18 who has a distinct style who I can get behind.  If all we get are the little girls with hair extensions belting glory notes on the female side, I'm going to go for the cutest WGWG this season. 


    





Season XIII Begins and I'm Just Wild About Harry

Maybe Season 12 of Idol will go down in history with that one season of Dallas.  The one where Bobby Ewing was dead (because Patrick Duffy was in a contract dispute with the production).  Then, the next season, he's in the shower and we find out Pamela Ewing had a season long bad dream and nothing that happened that season really happened after all.  All of last season was a bad dream for me and anyone else I know who is an Idol fan.  I was ready to throw in the towel.  In fact, I don't know if any of the 4 or 5 people who read this blog will watch this season.  On the off chance that one or two will, I'm going to blog again and hope that my partner, KK, will have the desire to watch Idol and join in (in her blue typeface).

All is happy pappy with the judges this season.  I was not thrilled about J Lo's return.  She says she loved doing Idol and missed it last year.  She missed the money and the attention I think and you KNOW her agent was smart enough to put in her contract...no other women on the panel... because that woman will not be caught like poor Mariah in a dueling diva scenario.  So...she's in an enviable position between 2 really cute and nice men who will flatter her ego all season long and she can appear to be really sweet, modest and *just one of the guys*.   They do all seem to get along and handle their disagreements in a good-humored adult way so that is a nice start.
 


I wish Keith Urban were my little brother.  I wish Harry Connick, Jr. was my other little brother.  They will keep me and the other frauen (ladies of a certain age who love Idol) happy this season.  But I'm especially wild about Harry.  He is so smart and he agrees with me that all the vocal histrionics are not that impressive.  And he has an IQ of 143 (don't you love the way he shut down that Mensa braggart contestant?) and knows about the pentatonic scale (I didn't know about it so I googled it and here is what I found http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentatonic_scale.

Speaking of scales, I have my own for these auditions.  The Zoanetta scale.  You all remember Zoanetta don't you?  That absolutely atrocious contestant that Nicki Minaj championed into the top 20?  Our little lark?


 

Only 2 even approached the perfection that is Zoanetta tonight and the concept didn't occur to me until half way in,  but I think it will be a useful guide going forward. So 10 Zs is absolute Zoanetta perfection.

We start in Boston with Mariel singing Grenade.  I thought she was a little flat emotionally but her voice was nice enough.  So, she gets 6 Zs.  Next up is Trey who thinks he is a 100 on whatever scale he is working with.  He ruined the melody of Over the Rainbow and for that he gets 8 Zs.  

Sam from Florida was next.  He lives with his grandparents because his parents are out of the picture (sob story).  If he survives Hollywood, the young girls (assuming they are not watching Duck Dynasty) will love him and probably some frauen will too.  He did fine  but didn't blow me away so I'll give him4 Zs.

Three or 4 more contestants run by us in a fast montage. Some of them might be really good but not enough time to tell.  I'll reserve their grades on the Z scale if and when we ever see them again.  

Up next is Taylor *freakin* Hillback.  Right away I know if she goes to Hollywood I will develop an irrational hatred of her.  She is studying jazz singing at a community college and hopes to be accepted to a more prestigious music school once she gets her associates degree. (I believe she looked meaningfully at Harry at this point).  I don't think Harry is going to be recommending her to Julliard.  Instead of singing Jazz, she goes into a horrific rendition of Carrie Underwood's Before He Cheats. Jazz/Country whats the diff?  JLo said yes.  The men said no, despite her cuteness. I think they could tell she is used to getting by on her looks and ditziness and decided she was full of Z.  She gets 7 Zs.

At some point, the audience is asked to guess whether a boho looking girl singing House of The Rising Sun makes it to Hollywood.  We don't hear much but what I heard I found approaching 9Zs.  She made it to Hollywood.  I like to think Harry voted no. 

About this time, another theme surfaces.  The *I've worked so HAAARD* theme we hear from the contestants and their families.  Stephanie, who is 17 and a huge JLo fan has worked hard.  I found her and Morgan, another JLo fan pretty high up on the Z scale.  I give them both 6 Zs. Harry was freaked out by Morgan's song choice as she is only 16. I'm afraid Ooh la la might be the song of the season.   

Finally, we get to James Earl.  He is cool.  I like him right away.  And he is up to the Z scale!  He is only marginally less perfect than Zoanetta (and enunciates just as clearly as she did) so I give him 9.5 Zs.  Sadly, this is the last we will see of him.  

Oh no...a Bieber clone with a stage mother.  Austin with the mother who cries and has light bladder control issues.  I'm glad she is not going to Hollywood because I can imagine the havoc she would wreak on Group night (she might slap one of those snotty girls up the side of the head with her Poise Pad). I'll give him 5 Zs because he is just so middle of the road.  I'm not too fond of him really.  Maybe he will be my object of irrational hatred this year.

Catelyn is up next and is singing an original song.  A song she wrote about her grandfather who had a heart attack while she was singing at some state fair opening for some artists I have never heard of but by whom the panel was supposed to be impressed.  Grandpa survived for awhile but died the day after she wrote the song.  Harry said afterwards *she is smart*.  Yep, a smart move.  How are they going to turn her away  when her grandpa suffered his fatal mishap watching her sing?  This sob story was enough for the panel to overlook her glory notes which sounded awfully familiar to me as my cat just had blood taken at the vet's and emitted almost the same exact glory notes (my cat was quite a sensation at the vet's).  I give her 7 Zs. 

Keith London is up next and to me he was just blah.  I give him 5Zs.  And then there was the obvious joke plant contestant, Sam somebody.  At least there was only one tonight.  I'm not going to bother grading him.  The point of Z perfection is to be  in the Z zone giving what you believe to be a legitimate performance.  Sam knew he was joke. 

And so we go.  None of the rest of the group tonight was that especially good or bad with the exception of....Savion Wright who actually HAS been working so hard to get to this point.  First, his song was good and intelligent.  And he sang it well. I think he is one to watch out for.  If I can only resist calling him Sauvignon Blanc.  He gets 1 Z.  Maybe even a .5 Z. 

I really hate the auditions.  I'm not going to be so wordy for the rest of the audition blogs.  For that, I'm sure the one or two people who read this will give me 1 Z.

And, keep our fingers crossed.  Maybe this year like every year, it will be all about the judges but in a good way.