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 Beyoncé). 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.
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
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.
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.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
The Good, The Bad, the Indifferent, The Infuriating and Thank Goodness Its Over!
Congratulations to Candice Glover who deserved to win tonight. Of course, Kree did too. Couldn't be a wrong result with those two and while I wanted Kree to win, I will count Candice's win as #1 on the *good* things about tonight's show. So ironic that with the Idol production melting down before our eyes all season, one of the good ones took the title. Almost as if America was trying to save Idol in spite of itself.
Other *good* things about tonight's show, in as Ryan says *no particular order*:
The Band Perry with Janelle Arthur. I had never heard of them but they are evidently a rising country group. I thought Janelle was great with her dancing and moving along with the lead singer and I was very proud of her. The song *Done* grew on me as the performance went on. I did google them to find out more about them and...interesting fact...one of their hits is *Better Dig Two*, the song they gave Kree to sing as *producers choice* in the top three. I'm wondering if there was some sort of deal between The Band Perry and Idol to feature their song and Kree was the victim. It suits Janelle, did not suit Kree (and not only because she buried 2 in real life).
Top 5 Men sing a Medley of Four Seasons songs with Frankie Valli. Hardly current fare, but I enjoyed it since I grew up on those songs and I especially loved watching Keith sing along with *I Love you Babeee*. Not much featuring of the individual men finalists but really who cares. If Lazaro screwed this one up it wasn't evident.
Candice and Jennifer Hudson singing *Inseparable*. This was probably THE performance of the night. I loved it, got a little teary and at that moment, if I didn't know it before, I knew Candice had won the title.
Mariah in her mermaid dress. This was taped beforehand and I'm thinking she may also have been lip syncing but it was good to see her perform a medley of her hits (which I have not followed) and well...I'm glad they featured her after the crap she has had to endure this season.
Keith and his new single...haven't we heard this before? I'm not sure this was a mind-blowing performance but he is so cute dammit...he could have stood there for 2 minutes and I would have enjoyed watching him.
Making fun of the judges. Really, the only good thing about it was the last shot of Devin's padded butt as he mimicked Nicki but that is enough to get it up here in the good category. Nicki seemed like she wanted to appear amused but really was not.
Nicki hardly said a word. In fact, I'm not sure she said anything at all! Have the producers seen the light and put a zip on her lip or was she just pouting because Mariah, Keith, and Randy all performed tonight and she didn't? Lets hope reports that she won't be back are accurate.
The Bad
The Boys Were Sabotaged sequence. I suppose it was somewhat humorous if not side-splitting but it was bad because it was true. These 5 WERE sabotaged not by the girls, obviously, but by being put in the top 10 to begin with when better guys were eliminated to avoid having a white guy with guitar win this season. I still think the guy with the titanium leg showed promise and he didn't even make it to Hollywood! Who knows who they threw away to come up with the final line-up of men who had no sex appeal for straight women (or gay) and zero charisma for gay men.
Jennifer Lopez. Why do we need to see her and some rapper named Pit Bull sing a song about JLO? I seriously hope this isn't a precursor to bringing her back to the panel. Performance so autotuned you could literally hear the system working. Also probably lip synced.
Psy(I?) Ok, kimchee is not the worst product of South Korea anymore. Psy, of whom I had heard before tonight, has been dubbed by MTV as the *viral star of 2012*. Viral indeed and where is my vaccine? He is supposedly sort of a joke but not really a joke but to me of course he is a joke and I'm ticked off that air time was wasted on him. I would rather eat a pound of kimchee than see him and his *gangnam* crap. I actually have never tasted kimchee but according to Mr. Auntee, who spent time in South Korea, it is vile.
Lazaro hogging the camera after Candice was crowned. What was with him? I'm thinking he's not as nice as he pretends to be. Its not like they were particularly close, like Candice and Burnell. He was EVERYWHERE the camera was.
The Indifferent
Amber and Emili Sonde. I like Emili but couldn't get into Amber even in her snakeskin pants which seemed to fit her funny in the crotch. She was just kinda all over the place in uncontrolled vocal gymnastics and not with the song really.
Angie, Adam, and Jessie C. More on this later. Adam was good but I could have done without more Angie. I hope someone in the UK likes her and she stays there never to be heard from again.
Tribute to Randy. Ok, it was probably nicely done. Goodbye Randy.
The Infuriating
Yes, everyone said that Candice was the runaway winner and I'm not saying she didn't deserve it but did Kree need to be treated like typhoid Mary tonight?
Lets start with Aretha who may or may not have known the winner but who basically spilled the beans when she went on and on about Candice. (I liked Aretha's performance but I was seething already at that point about short-changing Kree so I didn't enjoy it as much as I should have).
Then, Ryan introduces Angie and talks about her *shock* elimination which of course everyone knows means *she should have been in the finale instead of Kree* and then they proceed with the most infuriating part of the show to me which was giving her more time than Kree.
I am also pretty sure that Amber got more voice time than Kree and of course Angie...with 2 songs each of which seemed longer than Krees, did. Its almost as if they scripted the finale 4 weeks ago on the belief that their plan to shovel Kree off the show in 4th place would work. Then, while it was nice to sing with Keith and have Randy play back up, the sound of the guitars drowned out both her voice and Keith's so you couldn't really enjoy the performance. It was really more about Keith and Randy than Kree. Why not give her a little more glory time? She was robbed of face time tonight in favor of Angie and that pisses me off. Basically, we heard as much of Janelle as we did of Kree tonight. I'm still livid about it frankly.
So...at last this season is over. I have no idea if I will watch next season. It depends on how stupid they are with the judges selection. Keith has said he would love to come back and I think most viewers would be fine with that.
And, thanks for reading me this season. Its been a hard slog for all of us I think.
Other *good* things about tonight's show, in as Ryan says *no particular order*:
The Band Perry with Janelle Arthur. I had never heard of them but they are evidently a rising country group. I thought Janelle was great with her dancing and moving along with the lead singer and I was very proud of her. The song *Done* grew on me as the performance went on. I did google them to find out more about them and...interesting fact...one of their hits is *Better Dig Two*, the song they gave Kree to sing as *producers choice* in the top three. I'm wondering if there was some sort of deal between The Band Perry and Idol to feature their song and Kree was the victim. It suits Janelle, did not suit Kree (and not only because she buried 2 in real life).
Top 5 Men sing a Medley of Four Seasons songs with Frankie Valli. Hardly current fare, but I enjoyed it since I grew up on those songs and I especially loved watching Keith sing along with *I Love you Babeee*. Not much featuring of the individual men finalists but really who cares. If Lazaro screwed this one up it wasn't evident.
Candice and Jennifer Hudson singing *Inseparable*. This was probably THE performance of the night. I loved it, got a little teary and at that moment, if I didn't know it before, I knew Candice had won the title.
Mariah in her mermaid dress. This was taped beforehand and I'm thinking she may also have been lip syncing but it was good to see her perform a medley of her hits (which I have not followed) and well...I'm glad they featured her after the crap she has had to endure this season.
Keith and his new single...haven't we heard this before? I'm not sure this was a mind-blowing performance but he is so cute dammit...he could have stood there for 2 minutes and I would have enjoyed watching him.
Making fun of the judges. Really, the only good thing about it was the last shot of Devin's padded butt as he mimicked Nicki but that is enough to get it up here in the good category. Nicki seemed like she wanted to appear amused but really was not.
Nicki hardly said a word. In fact, I'm not sure she said anything at all! Have the producers seen the light and put a zip on her lip or was she just pouting because Mariah, Keith, and Randy all performed tonight and she didn't? Lets hope reports that she won't be back are accurate.
The Bad
The Boys Were Sabotaged sequence. I suppose it was somewhat humorous if not side-splitting but it was bad because it was true. These 5 WERE sabotaged not by the girls, obviously, but by being put in the top 10 to begin with when better guys were eliminated to avoid having a white guy with guitar win this season. I still think the guy with the titanium leg showed promise and he didn't even make it to Hollywood! Who knows who they threw away to come up with the final line-up of men who had no sex appeal for straight women (or gay) and zero charisma for gay men.
Jennifer Lopez. Why do we need to see her and some rapper named Pit Bull sing a song about JLO? I seriously hope this isn't a precursor to bringing her back to the panel. Performance so autotuned you could literally hear the system working. Also probably lip synced.
Psy(I?) Ok, kimchee is not the worst product of South Korea anymore. Psy, of whom I had heard before tonight, has been dubbed by MTV as the *viral star of 2012*. Viral indeed and where is my vaccine? He is supposedly sort of a joke but not really a joke but to me of course he is a joke and I'm ticked off that air time was wasted on him. I would rather eat a pound of kimchee than see him and his *gangnam* crap. I actually have never tasted kimchee but according to Mr. Auntee, who spent time in South Korea, it is vile.
Lazaro hogging the camera after Candice was crowned. What was with him? I'm thinking he's not as nice as he pretends to be. Its not like they were particularly close, like Candice and Burnell. He was EVERYWHERE the camera was.
The Indifferent
Amber and Emili Sonde. I like Emili but couldn't get into Amber even in her snakeskin pants which seemed to fit her funny in the crotch. She was just kinda all over the place in uncontrolled vocal gymnastics and not with the song really.
Angie, Adam, and Jessie C. More on this later. Adam was good but I could have done without more Angie. I hope someone in the UK likes her and she stays there never to be heard from again.
Tribute to Randy. Ok, it was probably nicely done. Goodbye Randy.
The Infuriating
Yes, everyone said that Candice was the runaway winner and I'm not saying she didn't deserve it but did Kree need to be treated like typhoid Mary tonight?
Lets start with Aretha who may or may not have known the winner but who basically spilled the beans when she went on and on about Candice. (I liked Aretha's performance but I was seething already at that point about short-changing Kree so I didn't enjoy it as much as I should have).
Then, Ryan introduces Angie and talks about her *shock* elimination which of course everyone knows means *she should have been in the finale instead of Kree* and then they proceed with the most infuriating part of the show to me which was giving her more time than Kree.
I am also pretty sure that Amber got more voice time than Kree and of course Angie...with 2 songs each of which seemed longer than Krees, did. Its almost as if they scripted the finale 4 weeks ago on the belief that their plan to shovel Kree off the show in 4th place would work. Then, while it was nice to sing with Keith and have Randy play back up, the sound of the guitars drowned out both her voice and Keith's so you couldn't really enjoy the performance. It was really more about Keith and Randy than Kree. Why not give her a little more glory time? She was robbed of face time tonight in favor of Angie and that pisses me off. Basically, we heard as much of Janelle as we did of Kree tonight. I'm still livid about it frankly.
So...at last this season is over. I have no idea if I will watch next season. It depends on how stupid they are with the judges selection. Keith has said he would love to come back and I think most viewers would be fine with that.
And, thanks for reading me this season. Its been a hard slog for all of us I think.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Power Up
I must say, it was so nice to turn on Idol tonight and know that I didn't have to see or hear from Miss Angie Perfect Apple Pie Polygamy Hair. According to the entertainment press (or at least the few writers who are bothering to write about Idol), hers was a big shocking elimination and she was destined to win this season. I never really bought into that and obviously, America didn't either.
So, we have two very different singers performing tonight, each of whom is stellar in their own way. I didn't take many notes but simply enjoyed the show. In my mind it all depends on whether you are wowed by the power notes or appreciate subtlety. I'm in the latter camp but you have to agree with Randy that Candice can sing.
I was hoping for an underdog upset but after seeing Dialidol.com, it looks more likely than not that Candice will win. I have thought the past two or three weeks that Kree's support was greater than Idol producers wanted the audience to know and think it was highly likely she got the most votes last week. But once Angie is gone, its hard to say where her votes will go. Since Angie was a big power diva wanna bee I'm thinking that most of her fans will vote for Candice for that reason but perhaps even more because they think Kree edged Angie out of the finale...when in fact...I think it was Candice who edged Angie aside.
Be that as it may, I won't be upset with either result and that is a first for me for several years. This season, which has been a travesty in so many ways actually ended tonight on a good note. The judges were somewhat subdued although all but perhaps Keith, gave the night to Candice. I think they tied on the last song, I give Kree the 2nd song, and Candice the first song (although really I'm with Randy that Fuller's song choices were lame for both contestants).
So...this is the 2nd to last post of the season...and maybe the 2nd to last post ever on this blog. If they bring back Minaj or do something stupid like hire Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez or equally lame judge choices, I won't be watching next season.
Update: Just read an article saying that Minaj will not be back next year and that *she was only going to do one season anyway*. Yeah...right. Just hope the article is accurate.
So, we have two very different singers performing tonight, each of whom is stellar in their own way. I didn't take many notes but simply enjoyed the show. In my mind it all depends on whether you are wowed by the power notes or appreciate subtlety. I'm in the latter camp but you have to agree with Randy that Candice can sing.
I was hoping for an underdog upset but after seeing Dialidol.com, it looks more likely than not that Candice will win. I have thought the past two or three weeks that Kree's support was greater than Idol producers wanted the audience to know and think it was highly likely she got the most votes last week. But once Angie is gone, its hard to say where her votes will go. Since Angie was a big power diva wanna bee I'm thinking that most of her fans will vote for Candice for that reason but perhaps even more because they think Kree edged Angie out of the finale...when in fact...I think it was Candice who edged Angie aside.
Be that as it may, I won't be upset with either result and that is a first for me for several years. This season, which has been a travesty in so many ways actually ended tonight on a good note. The judges were somewhat subdued although all but perhaps Keith, gave the night to Candice. I think they tied on the last song, I give Kree the 2nd song, and Candice the first song (although really I'm with Randy that Fuller's song choices were lame for both contestants).
So...this is the 2nd to last post of the season...and maybe the 2nd to last post ever on this blog. If they bring back Minaj or do something stupid like hire Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez or equally lame judge choices, I won't be watching next season.
Update: Just read an article saying that Minaj will not be back next year and that *she was only going to do one season anyway*. Yeah...right. Just hope the article is accurate.
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Up Your Nose Nigel Lythgoe!
As I seethed intermittently today over last night's show and the brazen insensitivity of making Kree sing about grave digging for her last chance to win votes, I realized I didn't have to watch this show any more any more and I didn't watch it tonight. However, I had to go to MJ's website and see what happened and to my surprise (and evidently to the surprise of all of the judges who had been paid to get America to dump Kree) Angie was eliminated. Fortunately, MJ's site also has clips of the crucial moments and I was able to see what happened when Angie's dreams didn't come true.
Kree looked shocked, the judges looked shocked, Nicki was having some sort of sidebar with Keith (demanding a recount or plotting how to screw Kree in the finale?) and Angie cried her way through her swan song.
Was it the hometown video that swayed the voters? Was it the blatant favoritism that made them vote hard for the underdog? Did America just like the girl who hugs everyone and didn't act like a prima donna? Who knows. The right two are in the finale and I don't care now how it ends because both deserve the title.
And, in the meantime, Idol is still tanking in the ratings and came in second to the voice among the key demographics Wednesday night. Realizing they have a disaster on their hands and that their crown jewel is turning to coal, Fox reportedly is doing a total revamp and canning all 4 judges and Nigel for next season. http://www.thewrap.com/tv/article/insider-american-idol-firing-all-four-judges-getting-massive-makeover-90256
Randy has reportedly already issued a statement that he won't be returning. I would like to see Keith come back but I suspect that all the drama this season has made him want to hit the bottle again and that he will go back to Nashville, Nicole Kidman and his two little girls with relief that this nightmare is over. Mariah will be fine. Randy has made a bunch of money over the past years and he will be fine too. As for Nicki, well, if Idol doesn't return, or if next season is its last, she will forever be remembered for tanking the show. Which is in some ways unfair but in other ways not so much.
And, I find some real joy in knowing that America ultimately didn't care about what boots or short shorts or leather pants and skirts people were wearing, what color their lipstick or eyeshadow was and whether or not they had lost weight. It just voted for the singers it liked the most. Yay for America.
Kree looked shocked, the judges looked shocked, Nicki was having some sort of sidebar with Keith (demanding a recount or plotting how to screw Kree in the finale?) and Angie cried her way through her swan song.
Was it the hometown video that swayed the voters? Was it the blatant favoritism that made them vote hard for the underdog? Did America just like the girl who hugs everyone and didn't act like a prima donna? Who knows. The right two are in the finale and I don't care now how it ends because both deserve the title.
And, in the meantime, Idol is still tanking in the ratings and came in second to the voice among the key demographics Wednesday night. Realizing they have a disaster on their hands and that their crown jewel is turning to coal, Fox reportedly is doing a total revamp and canning all 4 judges and Nigel for next season. http://www.thewrap.com/tv/article/insider-american-idol-firing-all-four-judges-getting-massive-makeover-90256
Randy has reportedly already issued a statement that he won't be returning. I would like to see Keith come back but I suspect that all the drama this season has made him want to hit the bottle again and that he will go back to Nashville, Nicole Kidman and his two little girls with relief that this nightmare is over. Mariah will be fine. Randy has made a bunch of money over the past years and he will be fine too. As for Nicki, well, if Idol doesn't return, or if next season is its last, she will forever be remembered for tanking the show. Which is in some ways unfair but in other ways not so much.
And, I find some real joy in knowing that America ultimately didn't care about what boots or short shorts or leather pants and skirts people were wearing, what color their lipstick or eyeshadow was and whether or not they had lost weight. It just voted for the singers it liked the most. Yay for America.
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
I Don't Like Angie Miller and I'm Not Kidding...and Nigel Lythgoe is an ASS
The Final Three performed tonight after a weekend of hometown festivities and it was pretty clear that Kree is the third wheel as far as the producers and Jimmy go. They really didn't want her here this week and the song choices they made for her proved it. This is just Idol's annual way of sabotaging the one they don't want to win and it should have come as no surprise that Kree got the shaft on song choices. But more on that later.
Let us start with our clapping seal, Angie Miller.
She went home to Beverly, Massachusetts, after a stop in Boston and we had to be reminded that she was Boston's great inspiration in the aftermath of the terrorist bombings...perhaps she even invented the term *Boston Strong*? Well, no. She lands clapping her hands and heads out the door with open arms to meet her public and GASP no one is there. The limo goes down empty streets, she goes to a coffee shop where no one knows her but her friends and then we see her and her friends in a limo travelling on more empty Boston streets. Finally she gets to Beverly and there is a crowd of maybe 100 people at her family's home and Angie greets her adoring public. Clap clap clap some more. Her brother, who they bring on stage with her to watch the hometown video, has grown a beard for the *play offs* (do you suppose he has been watching reruns of Duck Dynasty instead of Idol like most of America?). Whatever, he looks like a dork. The grade school is full of kids (aren't all grade schools...I mean of course they are happy they don't have to be in class) and the concert has a decent but not overwhelming crowd. She plays the piano with one hand (I wonder if she even plays the piano or just hits a dead keyboard) and emotes all over the place and blessedly the video ends.
Jimmy has given her Elton John's *Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word* on the belief she will sit at the piano. She doesn't want to learn the chords so she stands there and sings it and its ok but not a moment, particularly when she screams out some off key glory notes. Her idea this week of *being in it to win it* appears to involve singing every note as loud as she can. The judges and Jimmy, blinded by her teeth, and deafened by her clapping hands, praise her effusively. Jimmy thinks she won the first round.
Her second song is an upbeat song and she prances around the stage somewhat. I have heard this song but didn't write down the name of it because I really didn't care at the point. She is given great praise for doing 2 songs without her piano. More effusive praise. I am so sick of Angie at this point I am near tears of frustration.
Finally, she sings Maybe at the piano and goes all out having eye sex with the camera, humping the piano stool, and screaming the notes at the top of her lungs. Again, effusive praise for this fake girl. Seriously, between her and and Nicki Minaj I don't want to watch this show any more any more.
Candice goes home to Gullah country and you cannot help but be happy for her, her family, and her little community and all the genuine love surrounding them all. She seemed genuinely humbled by all the hoopla as opposed to Angie who kept looking around for more praise and more people to idolize her.
Jimmy's choice for her is U-2's One which I should know but I have never really followed U-2 or Mary J Blige who covered it. It gives Candice an opportunity to show off her amazing voice and the judges like it but are not effusive.
The judges choose Next To Me, a song I also did not know but I thought she did a great job with it. I don't think it let her really soar, though so I'm wondering why they chose it...except to make the playing field with Angie more even.
One of the few criticism's (unjust) of Candice has been that she may be too old-fashioned and unable to make a record that would be marketable to current audiences. So, the producers make sure she appeals to the young votes by having her sing *Somewhere* (!!!!!) as opposed to Angie's more current (by about 50 years) producer's choice. Now this is what I love about Candice. It is like she knew what their game was and she just flat knocked that song into outer space. I loved it, and I love her and I hope she wins (because I don't think Kree has a chance). At some point during the criticisms of Candice, Nicki has to comment about her self-confidence and what a role model she is for all women...subtext...*even though you are fat.* Shut your piehole Nicki...your butt is not quite of Kardashian proportions but it is getting there and as for the rest of you....ugly is as ugly does.
And now for Kree. Some people might have cringed at the focus of the homecoming on her dead parents but I'm grateful for all the sympathy votes she gets as this point because she is certainly not getting a fair shake from the judges or the producers or Jimmy. After praising her for the first 2/3 of the season for her understated performances they turned on her and told her she was bland and lifeless. They are all horrible.
Since Kree is a country singer and of course the object is to choose a song that will showcase the contestants' strengths, Jimmy chooses a pop song by Pink, *Perfect*, for her to cover. Keith cannot find anything good to say except that she is clearly a country singer, Randy and Mariah thought it left something on the table and so the producer's have accomplished their objective to make her look like the one who doesn't belong on the stage with the other two. At least the judges acknowledged that Jimmy's song choice was not ideal.
The judges do appear to have given some thought to their song choice and she kills Rascal Flatt's *Here Comes Goodbye*. Jimmy even has to give her the round. As a side note, this song was co-written by American Idol alum, Chris Sligh.
The producers, however, give her the equivalent of Janelle's *Dumb Blonde* to sing. Yes, lets get something with a fast tempo but why this stupid song? Its like the found the most unappealing uptempo country song ever written and pulled it out for her to sing. And, as another critic pointed out...what is with giving this woman, whose mother buried her father and then died herself...a song about a woman saying if they dig her husband's grave they better dig two? (I admit...I didn't catch this myself but once it was mentioned you have to wonder). That was just deliberately callous and designed to make her fail. At least the judges acknowledged the song choice was awful. And, I will give Nicki credit for saying whoever chose that song should be stoned because I think SHE got the naked insensitivity of it. I think Kree did about all you could do with that song which is NOT a vote-getter having no glory notes or even a good story behind it. But that was the point. Have her close out on a weak song that no one can relate to (and which, on second thought, makes her relive the worst time of her life) .
So, it looks like next week will be Angie the Seal and Candice going for the title and this season cannot end soon enough for me. I voted for Kree tonight, will not watch the finale unless she is in it, but I will vote for Candice next week.
Evidently, the producers of Idol are trying to figure out *what went wrong* this season. Let us start with the Nicki/Mariah debacle. Nicki is more than polarizing...90% of regular viewers commenting on the show hate her. Throw in questionable choices like Zoanetta. Add the elimination of any human with an ounce of testosterone in their system. Mix it with erratic judging and over praise of certain contestants (Amber) and throwing others under the bus (Kree and Janelle). Result, a disastrous season. I would be surprised if the tour even sells 1/4 of its seats this season. I suppose they will give it one more season. I don't want Simon back...I don't want JLo back...I would take Steven back...but for goodness's sakes get rid of Nicki.
In the meantime, I watched the Voice last night and I must say that all of the women competing in the top 12 could have been in the final three tonight and not been out of place.
Candice for the win, Kree for 2nd place, and how I wish Angie's brother would have to cut off that stupid beard!
And after this season of Nigel ruining Idol, I am seriously considering boycotting So You Think You Can Dance.
Let us start with our clapping seal, Angie Miller.
Jimmy has given her Elton John's *Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word* on the belief she will sit at the piano. She doesn't want to learn the chords so she stands there and sings it and its ok but not a moment, particularly when she screams out some off key glory notes. Her idea this week of *being in it to win it* appears to involve singing every note as loud as she can. The judges and Jimmy, blinded by her teeth, and deafened by her clapping hands, praise her effusively. Jimmy thinks she won the first round.
Her second song is an upbeat song and she prances around the stage somewhat. I have heard this song but didn't write down the name of it because I really didn't care at the point. She is given great praise for doing 2 songs without her piano. More effusive praise. I am so sick of Angie at this point I am near tears of frustration.
Finally, she sings Maybe at the piano and goes all out having eye sex with the camera, humping the piano stool, and screaming the notes at the top of her lungs. Again, effusive praise for this fake girl. Seriously, between her and and Nicki Minaj I don't want to watch this show any more any more.
Candice goes home to Gullah country and you cannot help but be happy for her, her family, and her little community and all the genuine love surrounding them all. She seemed genuinely humbled by all the hoopla as opposed to Angie who kept looking around for more praise and more people to idolize her.
Jimmy's choice for her is U-2's One which I should know but I have never really followed U-2 or Mary J Blige who covered it. It gives Candice an opportunity to show off her amazing voice and the judges like it but are not effusive.
The judges choose Next To Me, a song I also did not know but I thought she did a great job with it. I don't think it let her really soar, though so I'm wondering why they chose it...except to make the playing field with Angie more even.
One of the few criticism's (unjust) of Candice has been that she may be too old-fashioned and unable to make a record that would be marketable to current audiences. So, the producers make sure she appeals to the young votes by having her sing *Somewhere* (!!!!!) as opposed to Angie's more current (by about 50 years) producer's choice. Now this is what I love about Candice. It is like she knew what their game was and she just flat knocked that song into outer space. I loved it, and I love her and I hope she wins (because I don't think Kree has a chance). At some point during the criticisms of Candice, Nicki has to comment about her self-confidence and what a role model she is for all women...subtext...*even though you are fat.* Shut your piehole Nicki...your butt is not quite of Kardashian proportions but it is getting there and as for the rest of you....ugly is as ugly does.
And now for Kree. Some people might have cringed at the focus of the homecoming on her dead parents but I'm grateful for all the sympathy votes she gets as this point because she is certainly not getting a fair shake from the judges or the producers or Jimmy. After praising her for the first 2/3 of the season for her understated performances they turned on her and told her she was bland and lifeless. They are all horrible.
Since Kree is a country singer and of course the object is to choose a song that will showcase the contestants' strengths, Jimmy chooses a pop song by Pink, *Perfect*, for her to cover. Keith cannot find anything good to say except that she is clearly a country singer, Randy and Mariah thought it left something on the table and so the producer's have accomplished their objective to make her look like the one who doesn't belong on the stage with the other two. At least the judges acknowledged that Jimmy's song choice was not ideal.
The judges do appear to have given some thought to their song choice and she kills Rascal Flatt's *Here Comes Goodbye*. Jimmy even has to give her the round. As a side note, this song was co-written by American Idol alum, Chris Sligh.
The producers, however, give her the equivalent of Janelle's *Dumb Blonde* to sing. Yes, lets get something with a fast tempo but why this stupid song? Its like the found the most unappealing uptempo country song ever written and pulled it out for her to sing. And, as another critic pointed out...what is with giving this woman, whose mother buried her father and then died herself...a song about a woman saying if they dig her husband's grave they better dig two? (I admit...I didn't catch this myself but once it was mentioned you have to wonder). That was just deliberately callous and designed to make her fail. At least the judges acknowledged the song choice was awful. And, I will give Nicki credit for saying whoever chose that song should be stoned because I think SHE got the naked insensitivity of it. I think Kree did about all you could do with that song which is NOT a vote-getter having no glory notes or even a good story behind it. But that was the point. Have her close out on a weak song that no one can relate to (and which, on second thought, makes her relive the worst time of her life) .
So, it looks like next week will be Angie the Seal and Candice going for the title and this season cannot end soon enough for me. I voted for Kree tonight, will not watch the finale unless she is in it, but I will vote for Candice next week.
Evidently, the producers of Idol are trying to figure out *what went wrong* this season. Let us start with the Nicki/Mariah debacle. Nicki is more than polarizing...90% of regular viewers commenting on the show hate her. Throw in questionable choices like Zoanetta. Add the elimination of any human with an ounce of testosterone in their system. Mix it with erratic judging and over praise of certain contestants (Amber) and throwing others under the bus (Kree and Janelle). Result, a disastrous season. I would be surprised if the tour even sells 1/4 of its seats this season. I suppose they will give it one more season. I don't want Simon back...I don't want JLo back...I would take Steven back...but for goodness's sakes get rid of Nicki.
In the meantime, I watched the Voice last night and I must say that all of the women competing in the top 12 could have been in the final three tonight and not been out of place.
Candice for the win, Kree for 2nd place, and how I wish Angie's brother would have to cut off that stupid beard!
And after this season of Nigel ruining Idol, I am seriously considering boycotting So You Think You Can Dance.
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Not Forever, Amber
They revamped her, they pimped her, they coddled her, they put her in short shorts and short skirts nearly every week, they saved the save for her and they lied for her but all of that was not enough to get Amber (*Little Rihanna*) Holcomb into the final 3. So, she goes home in tears tonight as America finally says enough of Amber. Now, in truth, I wish America had had enough of Angie but that wasn't going to happen to little Miss Angie Apple, even though, all told, she had the worst night of all of them last night.
I wasn't going to watch tonight but I'm glad I did because for once, I thoroughly enjoyed all three of the guest artists. Always wonderful to see David Cook and while that song will need to grow on me a little bit, he is the same slightly offbeat but down to earth gentleman we fell in love with in Season 7. He lives in Nashville now and I wanted to shove him and Kree together and make a new dynamic duo along the lines of George and Tammy, Johnny and June, Tim and Faith, and Blake and Miranda.
Is Will I Am a rapper? My gosh I loved that performance! He was doing real dancing! He even tapped! Of course, the 1920's to me is like the 1970's is to kids today and like the 1980s will be to KK's kids so I loved the 20's vibe to the song.
And of course, Harry Connick, Jr., whom I would like to marry. He doesn't seem nearly has high maintenance as Jimmy and hasn't sold his soul to the Idol devil (Nigel) to push mediocrity to the masses. And I really think he doesn't like Angie very well.
Jimmy was not a fan of Angie Apple last night but had to preface his comments with praise for her over-rated performances last week (I really saw no big difference in the two weeks...same old Angie Apple posturing and polishing the audience with her faux flirtation and faux smile.) He thought Amber's My Funny Valentine was extraordinary and I thought it was not but he acknowledged that her first song was not up to par. He excused it because *she didn't have time to learn it*. Funny...he wasn't letting Lazaro get away with that excuse and she certainly had as much time as anyone else and probably could have learned it if she wasn't practicing the overdone runs for My Funny Valentine all week. I'm with Harry, the runs were stupid and ruined the song. Jimmy rightfully praised Candice....but had a hard time when it came to Kree and basically had to say *she could do more* (this is the man who told her not to oversing, remember?). So, her two *good* performances got her in last place in Jimmy's eyes because Amber had My Funny Valentine, Candice was great, and Angie Apple was Angie the apple of America's eyes (and her own).
You know, I was feeling bad for Amber (not because she is better than the other 3...well she is better than Angie) but because she seems like such a sweet natural girl. Then we see her comments about how she is so excited to walk the red carpet and be in movies and magazines and I'm thinking this girl is not in it for the music...she is in it for the perks and that turned me off. Also...I think she used the phrase *give back* which I don't think meant she was going to head up a charity like David Cook and Crystal Bowersox. I think she wants to give back by giving her glorious talent to the world and we should be grateful, dammit!
So, Angie, Kree and Candice are going home to celebrate. Candice's trip should be a hoot...I've spent some time in her neck of the woods...and I'm looking forward to seeing it televised. Kree should get a good old fashioned Texas welcome. I have no idea what Boston will do for Angie since Boston is a bit preoccupied at the moment and I don't plan to pay any attention to it. I just hope she doesn't sully Fenway by singing the National Anthem, or god forbid, Sweet Caroline!
On another note, I guess Nicki was tweeting trash about Mariah today since Mariah evidently made some comment which I didn't catch about *when you have a number one record* in their little spat last night. Man...get rid of Nicki!!!
Update: well.i.am....complete oblivious to today's music because I did not know will.i.am. is a member of the Black Eyed Peas ( I have heard of them...KK where are you when I need you?). Also, from reading the other recaps of the show, I gather I was the only one in America who liked his performance! Maybe I cut him a break because I just thought he was some rapper and was surprised he could dance? Also, Harry Connick, Jr. is being panned by the critics. OK, he is old fashioned and sort of sappy. That's why I love him.
I wasn't going to watch tonight but I'm glad I did because for once, I thoroughly enjoyed all three of the guest artists. Always wonderful to see David Cook and while that song will need to grow on me a little bit, he is the same slightly offbeat but down to earth gentleman we fell in love with in Season 7. He lives in Nashville now and I wanted to shove him and Kree together and make a new dynamic duo along the lines of George and Tammy, Johnny and June, Tim and Faith, and Blake and Miranda.
Is Will I Am a rapper? My gosh I loved that performance! He was doing real dancing! He even tapped! Of course, the 1920's to me is like the 1970's is to kids today and like the 1980s will be to KK's kids so I loved the 20's vibe to the song.
And of course, Harry Connick, Jr., whom I would like to marry. He doesn't seem nearly has high maintenance as Jimmy and hasn't sold his soul to the Idol devil (Nigel) to push mediocrity to the masses. And I really think he doesn't like Angie very well.
Jimmy was not a fan of Angie Apple last night but had to preface his comments with praise for her over-rated performances last week (I really saw no big difference in the two weeks...same old Angie Apple posturing and polishing the audience with her faux flirtation and faux smile.) He thought Amber's My Funny Valentine was extraordinary and I thought it was not but he acknowledged that her first song was not up to par. He excused it because *she didn't have time to learn it*. Funny...he wasn't letting Lazaro get away with that excuse and she certainly had as much time as anyone else and probably could have learned it if she wasn't practicing the overdone runs for My Funny Valentine all week. I'm with Harry, the runs were stupid and ruined the song. Jimmy rightfully praised Candice....but had a hard time when it came to Kree and basically had to say *she could do more* (this is the man who told her not to oversing, remember?). So, her two *good* performances got her in last place in Jimmy's eyes because Amber had My Funny Valentine, Candice was great, and Angie Apple was Angie the apple of America's eyes (and her own).
You know, I was feeling bad for Amber (not because she is better than the other 3...well she is better than Angie) but because she seems like such a sweet natural girl. Then we see her comments about how she is so excited to walk the red carpet and be in movies and magazines and I'm thinking this girl is not in it for the music...she is in it for the perks and that turned me off. Also...I think she used the phrase *give back* which I don't think meant she was going to head up a charity like David Cook and Crystal Bowersox. I think she wants to give back by giving her glorious talent to the world and we should be grateful, dammit!
So, Angie, Kree and Candice are going home to celebrate. Candice's trip should be a hoot...I've spent some time in her neck of the woods...and I'm looking forward to seeing it televised. Kree should get a good old fashioned Texas welcome. I have no idea what Boston will do for Angie since Boston is a bit preoccupied at the moment and I don't plan to pay any attention to it. I just hope she doesn't sully Fenway by singing the National Anthem, or god forbid, Sweet Caroline!
On another note, I guess Nicki was tweeting trash about Mariah today since Mariah evidently made some comment which I didn't catch about *when you have a number one record* in their little spat last night. Man...get rid of Nicki!!!
Update: well.i.am....complete oblivious to today's music because I did not know will.i.am. is a member of the Black Eyed Peas ( I have heard of them...KK where are you when I need you?). Also, from reading the other recaps of the show, I gather I was the only one in America who liked his performance! Maybe I cut him a break because I just thought he was some rapper and was surprised he could dance? Also, Harry Connick, Jr. is being panned by the critics. OK, he is old fashioned and sort of sappy. That's why I love him.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Psychological Warfare
Were the judges and producers shamed by the reaction of nearly every TV critic to the travesty that was last week's show? No, I think not. I think they are just engaging in a bit of psycho war on the viewers.
Tonight's theme is Then and Now. Harry Connick, Jr., a big favorite of mine, is a mentor this week to help guide the group through the *then* songs. The group comes out and for once you cannot tell the order of performance from the way they are standing. Psych ops trick #1.
Angie sings first. In her mentoring session on the hit song choice, Harry Connick says his family all loves her but he doesn't...something about her doesn't click with him. She pretends to walk out. She thinks he has a great sense of humor. He probably does. I'm not sure he was really kidding. I'm thinking he really doesn't like her very much and was trying to convey a message to her self-entitled ass that she isn't the sun the moon and the stars that her high school yearbook editors told her she was. Whoosh over Angie's polygamous hair head. She is singing another Rihanna song, Diamonds, and...big surprise...playing the PIANO (such a talent she is...no other contestant has ever played the piano but her and if they did well they were not ANGIE). The performance is typical Angie....coy looks at the camera (one commenter described her camera technique as *eye f...ing the camera*)...maniacal pounding of keys on the big notes... squirming and shoulder posturing to appear sexy...and in my opinion.... a vocal full of off-pitch notes. (I am not alone in this assessment...nearly every critic who actually has an ear for music has said she missed notes badly in this performance). She was really going for votes here. The judges did not praise her which I'm sure shocked her hair extensions to the stitches..as she basically repeated the same performance she did last week with a different Rihanna song and they considered that the second coming of Adele. Ryan questions here and she goes into pageant girl mode...I swear she should run for Miss Massachusetts when this is over. Nicki said *this wasn't like listening to Angie playing the piano in her room...you were performing to the camera*. Angie has never played the piano like she wasn't trying to seduce every living thing in sight. Oh well...
Amber, who was given one or two or maybe even three standing ovations last week for what were decent but not outstanding performances, is up next. Keep in mind that Amber is *current* according to the judges...the most *current* of all of them. So, she sings Pink's *Just Give Me a Reason* and it is one hot mess. She hadn't learned the words in time for her mentoring session with Harry but he is kind to her about it. She cannot really sing an up tempo song...or maybe she cannot really sing a current song. The judges say it wasn't *stellar* but Keith and maybe Mariah are full of excuses for her. (Its really hard to learn a song and perform in front of a live audience with TV cameras and stuff). So Psy Ops #2...feel sorry for Amber folks. Amber seems to know she wasn't that good even before they start judging. You get her away from *current* artists like Celine Dion and Whitney Houston and the girl just falls apart.
Candice comes out with a vengeance. She's singing Bruno Mar's *When I Was Your Man* and she is out to shove last week's critique up some judge's heiny-holes. This wasn't just smoke up the hole...this was fire in the hole and I hope those judges felt it. Well...according to the critiques they did. I admit that at one point, I got tears in my eyes. I had not had any wine either. Her voice just made me cry. The judges gave her lots of praise...probably because they really didn't want her to be in the bottom 2 and realize they almost messed up last week. Nicki says Candice took her advice and so within a week has magically transformed into a *now artist*. Nicki also asks her if she has lost weight which reveals what is REALLY bugging the producers here.
Kree is very gracious about the totally unfair critiques she got last week and said she was going to try to connect with the audience this week. She is singing the new Carrie Underwood single *See You Again.* Harry loves Kree. Kree sits on the stool with a guitar guy next to her and pours her heart into this one...and I start bawling because I realize that she is not singing about some guy she will see again but her dead parents. She almost loses it at one point. Keith...who is beginning to get on my shit list...criticizes her for not standing up and moving around (even though every time she does they tell her to stop trying to perform and just sing the song...Psy Ops#3). The other three judges give her rave reviews but since Keith is the country guy...will the audience just remember his? Do you suppose the judges drew straws before the show to determine who was going to have to follow Nigel's dictum that Kree be elimated and Keith drew the short straw? Something is going on there. Harry is backstage and I think doing a slow burn at Keith's remarks and he comes out and basically gives his *best performance of the night so far* blessing to Kree. Psy Ops #4.
So its time for the *Then* songs:
Harry says once again that he doesn't like Angie. He thinks she is mean. I'm beginning to think he really hates her even though its all posited as a joke. Or maybe I just cannot fathom someone as cool as Harry Connick, Jr. thinking Angie is anything but an averagely pleasant singer. Angie sings *Someone to Watch Over Me*. When Alison Arehata sang this song, I bawled like a baby. Angie left me cold despite her ball gown and visible boobs. I do remember thinking while watching it that she didn't give off one bit of a vulnerable vibe during that performance...in fact...I was thinking whoever is dumb enough to hook up with her is going to need someone to watch over HIM because she will eat him alive. She puts all sorts of runs and frills on the end because she cannot resist the glory notes. The judges say this was better than her first performance but are not effusive. I'm betting Harry really is hating her for screwing with the melody. At this point Nicki and Mariah get into a fight just to be fighting about something but I think Mariah got the best of it by saying that *as a singer* she knows what she is talking about! Take that Nicki rap talker!
Amber reprises *My Funny Valentine* and completely ignores Harry's advice and adds even more runs and trills and high notes where low notes should be than she did in her first peformance. Well, its time of Psy Ops #5 because she gets a standing ovation. In addition, we get another *poor Amber...its so hard being you* critique. Amber starts crying...this is getting ridiculous.
The only thing about the critique given to Kree that I thought was remotely valid was that she should have chosen a different song. That said, I thought her version of Stormy Weather was great...even if she too couldn't resist mucking with the melody too much. The judges aren't impressed at all...praising her flawless vocals almost as an afterthought. (Early in the show Randy was saying its all about singing...now its not so much... Psy Ops #6). The judges use this opportunity to bash Harry's mentoring and he is not having it and he and Randy get into it. I'm with Harry....don't mess with the standards. I am really sick of all the melisma and glory runs being done on these vocal talent shows. I know the audience eats it up but what do they know? These old standards are all about phrasing...a concept completely alien to young singers today.
So...I turned off the TV at that point. I didn't see the last group number....did they say everyone but Kree was wonderful?
I'm not sure I will watch the results show tomorrow...
I'm thinking that Amber should go home. I suspect she will but I may be wrong.
Tonight's theme is Then and Now. Harry Connick, Jr., a big favorite of mine, is a mentor this week to help guide the group through the *then* songs. The group comes out and for once you cannot tell the order of performance from the way they are standing. Psych ops trick #1.
Angie sings first. In her mentoring session on the hit song choice, Harry Connick says his family all loves her but he doesn't...something about her doesn't click with him. She pretends to walk out. She thinks he has a great sense of humor. He probably does. I'm not sure he was really kidding. I'm thinking he really doesn't like her very much and was trying to convey a message to her self-entitled ass that she isn't the sun the moon and the stars that her high school yearbook editors told her she was. Whoosh over Angie's polygamous hair head. She is singing another Rihanna song, Diamonds, and...big surprise...playing the PIANO (such a talent she is...no other contestant has ever played the piano but her and if they did well they were not ANGIE). The performance is typical Angie....coy looks at the camera (one commenter described her camera technique as *eye f...ing the camera*)...maniacal pounding of keys on the big notes... squirming and shoulder posturing to appear sexy...and in my opinion.... a vocal full of off-pitch notes. (I am not alone in this assessment...nearly every critic who actually has an ear for music has said she missed notes badly in this performance). She was really going for votes here. The judges did not praise her which I'm sure shocked her hair extensions to the stitches..as she basically repeated the same performance she did last week with a different Rihanna song and they considered that the second coming of Adele. Ryan questions here and she goes into pageant girl mode...I swear she should run for Miss Massachusetts when this is over. Nicki said *this wasn't like listening to Angie playing the piano in her room...you were performing to the camera*. Angie has never played the piano like she wasn't trying to seduce every living thing in sight. Oh well...
Amber, who was given one or two or maybe even three standing ovations last week for what were decent but not outstanding performances, is up next. Keep in mind that Amber is *current* according to the judges...the most *current* of all of them. So, she sings Pink's *Just Give Me a Reason* and it is one hot mess. She hadn't learned the words in time for her mentoring session with Harry but he is kind to her about it. She cannot really sing an up tempo song...or maybe she cannot really sing a current song. The judges say it wasn't *stellar* but Keith and maybe Mariah are full of excuses for her. (Its really hard to learn a song and perform in front of a live audience with TV cameras and stuff). So Psy Ops #2...feel sorry for Amber folks. Amber seems to know she wasn't that good even before they start judging. You get her away from *current* artists like Celine Dion and Whitney Houston and the girl just falls apart.
Candice comes out with a vengeance. She's singing Bruno Mar's *When I Was Your Man* and she is out to shove last week's critique up some judge's heiny-holes. This wasn't just smoke up the hole...this was fire in the hole and I hope those judges felt it. Well...according to the critiques they did. I admit that at one point, I got tears in my eyes. I had not had any wine either. Her voice just made me cry. The judges gave her lots of praise...probably because they really didn't want her to be in the bottom 2 and realize they almost messed up last week. Nicki says Candice took her advice and so within a week has magically transformed into a *now artist*. Nicki also asks her if she has lost weight which reveals what is REALLY bugging the producers here.
Kree is very gracious about the totally unfair critiques she got last week and said she was going to try to connect with the audience this week. She is singing the new Carrie Underwood single *See You Again.* Harry loves Kree. Kree sits on the stool with a guitar guy next to her and pours her heart into this one...and I start bawling because I realize that she is not singing about some guy she will see again but her dead parents. She almost loses it at one point. Keith...who is beginning to get on my shit list...criticizes her for not standing up and moving around (even though every time she does they tell her to stop trying to perform and just sing the song...Psy Ops#3). The other three judges give her rave reviews but since Keith is the country guy...will the audience just remember his? Do you suppose the judges drew straws before the show to determine who was going to have to follow Nigel's dictum that Kree be elimated and Keith drew the short straw? Something is going on there. Harry is backstage and I think doing a slow burn at Keith's remarks and he comes out and basically gives his *best performance of the night so far* blessing to Kree. Psy Ops #4.
So its time for the *Then* songs:
Harry says once again that he doesn't like Angie. He thinks she is mean. I'm beginning to think he really hates her even though its all posited as a joke. Or maybe I just cannot fathom someone as cool as Harry Connick, Jr. thinking Angie is anything but an averagely pleasant singer. Angie sings *Someone to Watch Over Me*. When Alison Arehata sang this song, I bawled like a baby. Angie left me cold despite her ball gown and visible boobs. I do remember thinking while watching it that she didn't give off one bit of a vulnerable vibe during that performance...in fact...I was thinking whoever is dumb enough to hook up with her is going to need someone to watch over HIM because she will eat him alive. She puts all sorts of runs and frills on the end because she cannot resist the glory notes. The judges say this was better than her first performance but are not effusive. I'm betting Harry really is hating her for screwing with the melody. At this point Nicki and Mariah get into a fight just to be fighting about something but I think Mariah got the best of it by saying that *as a singer* she knows what she is talking about! Take that Nicki rap talker!
Amber reprises *My Funny Valentine* and completely ignores Harry's advice and adds even more runs and trills and high notes where low notes should be than she did in her first peformance. Well, its time of Psy Ops #5 because she gets a standing ovation. In addition, we get another *poor Amber...its so hard being you* critique. Amber starts crying...this is getting ridiculous.
The only thing about the critique given to Kree that I thought was remotely valid was that she should have chosen a different song. That said, I thought her version of Stormy Weather was great...even if she too couldn't resist mucking with the melody too much. The judges aren't impressed at all...praising her flawless vocals almost as an afterthought. (Early in the show Randy was saying its all about singing...now its not so much... Psy Ops #6). The judges use this opportunity to bash Harry's mentoring and he is not having it and he and Randy get into it. I'm with Harry....don't mess with the standards. I am really sick of all the melisma and glory runs being done on these vocal talent shows. I know the audience eats it up but what do they know? These old standards are all about phrasing...a concept completely alien to young singers today.
So...I turned off the TV at that point. I didn't see the last group number....did they say everyone but Kree was wonderful?
I'm not sure I will watch the results show tomorrow...
I'm thinking that Amber should go home. I suspect she will but I may be wrong.
Monday, April 29, 2013
Judges For Sale?
I told you I was not alone in my disgust with last week's performance show and the judges trashing of Kree and Candice in favor of the skinny young girls. Here is a great video clip of Slezak and Melinda Doolittle judging the judges: http://tvline.com/2013/04/29/idology-american-idol-season-12-amber-angie-candice-kree-biased-judges/
We will see if they reverse course this week after their blatant attempt to push Kree out of the contest failed with the audiences and may result in Candice going home. I swear if that brat Angie wins this season, it is my last. The word is that she is hauling in the votes ala Scotty McCreery way ahead of the others but I don't know how anyone can know that. PFFFT!
We will see if they reverse course this week after their blatant attempt to push Kree out of the contest failed with the audiences and may result in Candice going home. I swear if that brat Angie wins this season, it is my last. The word is that she is hauling in the votes ala Scotty McCreery way ahead of the others but I don't know how anyone can know that. PFFFT!
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Actions Have Consequences
I confess, I didn't watch the show tonight. Instead I played video games and read the live blog by MJ, who seems to share my aversion for Angie but is not quite so vocal about it. MJ seemed to get a kick out of Angie thinking for a moment that Jessie C, who tweeted her, was actually there in person. That is the only moment I read about that I wish I had actually seen! She really has an insufferably huge ego!
So, I missed nothing much I gather. Everyone is safe. However, the producers and judges may want to reconsider their pimping approach as the designated dud, Kree, was in the top 2 with their darling Angie and either Candice or Amber was in last place. So they will combine votes from tonight and next week? I'm thinking Kree got a bunch of Janelle's votes. Good for her!
Bad news that Angie is in top 2 but it was to be expected after the tongue bath they gave her last night. Bad news that Candice is in the bottom 2. I'm wondering if the audience is sick of Amber being pushed down their throat.
I'm also wondering if Angie and Amber are getting extra coaching from the production staff.
But as for consequences....the bad choices made by Idol producers....and I am talking to you Nigel Lythgoe...have resulted in Duck Dynasty getting higher ratings Wednesday night than Idol did in the important 18-49 demographic. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/tv-ratings-duck-dynasty-tops-446567.
I have never seen Duck Dynasty...but evidently its quite the rage. A family of good old boy Cajuns have a business making duck calls and this is the story of their lives. I may need to check it out and it might replace Idol in my weekly schedule.
I guess Nicki sounding like a duck call just doesn't cut it when audiences can watch the real thing.
I was SO not alone in my assessment of last night's show. Every commentator I have read (ok...only about 4 others) has remarked that the pimping of Amber was insufferable and the treatment of Candice and Kree unfair. And every commentator I've read thinks the show is on its very last legs.
So, I missed nothing much I gather. Everyone is safe. However, the producers and judges may want to reconsider their pimping approach as the designated dud, Kree, was in the top 2 with their darling Angie and either Candice or Amber was in last place. So they will combine votes from tonight and next week? I'm thinking Kree got a bunch of Janelle's votes. Good for her!
Bad news that Angie is in top 2 but it was to be expected after the tongue bath they gave her last night. Bad news that Candice is in the bottom 2. I'm wondering if the audience is sick of Amber being pushed down their throat.
I'm also wondering if Angie and Amber are getting extra coaching from the production staff.
But as for consequences....the bad choices made by Idol producers....and I am talking to you Nigel Lythgoe...have resulted in Duck Dynasty getting higher ratings Wednesday night than Idol did in the important 18-49 demographic. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/tv-ratings-duck-dynasty-tops-446567.
I have never seen Duck Dynasty...but evidently its quite the rage. A family of good old boy Cajuns have a business making duck calls and this is the story of their lives. I may need to check it out and it might replace Idol in my weekly schedule.
I guess Nicki sounding like a duck call just doesn't cut it when audiences can watch the real thing.
I was SO not alone in my assessment of last night's show. Every commentator I have read (ok...only about 4 others) has remarked that the pimping of Amber was insufferable and the treatment of Candice and Kree unfair. And every commentator I've read thinks the show is on its very last legs.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
I'm Crying A River
I have a horrible sense of foreboding that for the THIRD year in a row, the contestant I like the least is going to be in the finale. According to the judges, tonight was Angie's night and I suppose someone more objective than I would concur that she had a very good night.
The themes were contestants' choice and one hit wonders (very loosely interpreted). Before the show there was an article in TV Guide suggesting that the judges were pushing Amber because she seems very marketable and based on the judges comments, the third theme tonight was who is the most marketable. The voice doesn't matter at all anymore...its all about styling...emotion...charisma...star power. Me thinks they do protest too much. The Voice (a show premised on the theory that the voice is all that matters) is trouncing Idol in the ratings. Heck, even reruns of The Big Bang Theory are trouncing Idol in the ratings. Seriously...its true.
I'm not going to go performance by performance. After Amber performed her first song (which she did well and did look beautiful doing so) and was praised profusely, I wrote in my notes: *they are going to trash Kree tonight*. Candice took a risk with the Drake song and they were a bit lukewarm about it. Then poor Kree does her blues thing and they decide to hate it. I really don't know why because I thought it was as good as Candice's song. Nicki basically yells at Kree and tells her it was no good (or at least I think thats what she said as half of her last comment was bleeped). Angie plays the piano and we have a collective celebration of Angie.
They do duets, and Kree is shoved aside again as they praise Amber's new found confidence. Nicki talks about how divas should perform together and Ryan does some nonsense between Nicki and Mariah which just highlights how horrible this season is. Candice and Angie evidently know how to sing a duet right.
The one hit wonders were interesting. My hope that disco died with Donna Summers was dashed when Amber does MacArthur Park disco style like Donna Summers did. How this song is a one hit wonder I do not know because it was covered by about everyone back in the day including Anthony Newley who was indeed a one hit wonder. The BeeGee's were hardly one hit wonders but maybe the original artist was...anyway Emotion is a song that was played to death during disco fever. I thought Amber lost complete control of MacArthur Park and was horribly off pitch on the glory notes and that Candice was ok but not remarkable. Kree does Whiter Shade of Pale which maybe was a one hit thing for Percy Sledge? I don't know and the judges like it slightly better than her first song but Nicki talks about her going home tomorrow which really does suggest that this whole season is one big rigged fraud. And Cry Me A River? Hardly a one hit wonder except for the one person they said sang it along with about every other unknown who sang it. By that criteria, *My Heart Will Go On* is a one hit wonder because I'm sure some obscure artist somewhere covered it on some CD which sold 45 copies. When I think of one hit wonders I think *My Boy Lollipop*.
Ok, Angie is the star tonight. Kree will be up for the save which they may or may not use.
The hospital scenes were inspiring but I couldn't help but notice that when Angie and Amber entered that one hospital room, Angie jumped in like *surprise here I am...I know you will be thrilled to see me* and Amber walked in like a regular person. Angie also fell in love with Morrison because *he recognized ME ME ME* while Candice introduced herself to the one little boy very humbly and Kree was asking questions of the staff about the programs and patients. I really do not like Angie.
I must say however, that I'm not just subjective about Angie, I have really been dismayed at this season and Idol's downfall and can no longer be objective about the show. Last night, I got my days mixed up and thought it was Wednesday and sat down with my pen and pad with dread and foreboding because I had to watch the show. Then I realized it was NOT Wednesday and that I could watch The Voice instead. Which I did and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I'm sorry Idol...when you have lost me, you've lost America...so many friends and relatives have abandoned the show over the past two years and I hung in there hoping for a magic season with contestants like David Cook, Jason Castro, Adam Lambert, Haley Reinhardt, Crystal Bowersox, or Melinda Doolittle. Not to mention Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and Jennifer Hudson. Instead we get Lazaro and Zoanetta.
I doubt I will watch tomorrow's show until the very end. As I understand it they are showcasing Lee DeWyze. You know they are depressed in Idol land if they are bringing back a guy whose face they have never even posted on the backround montage on the show's opening as an Idol winner and whom they didn't bring back to perform the season after he won! Maybe he will sing Hallelujah and make my week complete!
Update: After googling Whiter Shade of Pale I discovered it was originally released by Procol Harem, a British band, in the late 60s and was something of an anthem for The Summer of Love (1967). It appears Percy Sledge covered the song. I should have known that. But as the song was named, along with Bohemian Rhapsody, as one of the best songs by British songwriters for a certain time period....I would not call it a *one hit wonder* either. But glad Kree got to sing it as its a song I like which I'm not sure I have ever heard on Idol.
Update 2: I am seriously slipping in my analysis and a reading of another blog slapped me right in the face with the obvious! It was apparent from the beginning when you saw the order of performance. They were going to push Amber and Angie down our throats no matter what. (You know...I don't think Kree has EVER had the pimp spot this whole season). They want a young, thin, idol this year. Plump ladies need not apply. So...when Amber does a Celine Dion song...she is called *current*. When Candice does a Drake song...I don't know him but I gather he is much more current than Celine since Celine isn't known for her hip hop...she is called *old fashioned*. Angie's theatrics, which were criticized as phony 4 weeks ago, were just great tonight but Kree's restraint, praised all season and encouraged by Jimmy, was *not worthy of a top 4 performance*.
Ack...they want Rihanna....they want....hmmm...who is Angie....cannot think of anyone current she is like except for the contestants in the Miss America pageant and just like a typical New England pageant queen she is sorta homely and horsey looking with those big teeth. They all play the piano too!
We see this season after season. They decide that the best talent isn't marketable enough so they turn on them. Thus lets push that insipid Lauren Alaina over Haley and James Durbin. Lets push that paint salesman over Crystal.
If its an Angie/Amber finale...I won't be watching again but will probably put in some votes for Amber since I don't hate her. She is just so lame compared to Candice and Kree.
The themes were contestants' choice and one hit wonders (very loosely interpreted). Before the show there was an article in TV Guide suggesting that the judges were pushing Amber because she seems very marketable and based on the judges comments, the third theme tonight was who is the most marketable. The voice doesn't matter at all anymore...its all about styling...emotion...charisma...star power. Me thinks they do protest too much. The Voice (a show premised on the theory that the voice is all that matters) is trouncing Idol in the ratings. Heck, even reruns of The Big Bang Theory are trouncing Idol in the ratings. Seriously...its true.
I'm not going to go performance by performance. After Amber performed her first song (which she did well and did look beautiful doing so) and was praised profusely, I wrote in my notes: *they are going to trash Kree tonight*. Candice took a risk with the Drake song and they were a bit lukewarm about it. Then poor Kree does her blues thing and they decide to hate it. I really don't know why because I thought it was as good as Candice's song. Nicki basically yells at Kree and tells her it was no good (or at least I think thats what she said as half of her last comment was bleeped). Angie plays the piano and we have a collective celebration of Angie.
They do duets, and Kree is shoved aside again as they praise Amber's new found confidence. Nicki talks about how divas should perform together and Ryan does some nonsense between Nicki and Mariah which just highlights how horrible this season is. Candice and Angie evidently know how to sing a duet right.
The one hit wonders were interesting. My hope that disco died with Donna Summers was dashed when Amber does MacArthur Park disco style like Donna Summers did. How this song is a one hit wonder I do not know because it was covered by about everyone back in the day including Anthony Newley who was indeed a one hit wonder. The BeeGee's were hardly one hit wonders but maybe the original artist was...anyway Emotion is a song that was played to death during disco fever. I thought Amber lost complete control of MacArthur Park and was horribly off pitch on the glory notes and that Candice was ok but not remarkable. Kree does Whiter Shade of Pale which maybe was a one hit thing for Percy Sledge? I don't know and the judges like it slightly better than her first song but Nicki talks about her going home tomorrow which really does suggest that this whole season is one big rigged fraud. And Cry Me A River? Hardly a one hit wonder except for the one person they said sang it along with about every other unknown who sang it. By that criteria, *My Heart Will Go On* is a one hit wonder because I'm sure some obscure artist somewhere covered it on some CD which sold 45 copies. When I think of one hit wonders I think *My Boy Lollipop*.
Ok, Angie is the star tonight. Kree will be up for the save which they may or may not use.
The hospital scenes were inspiring but I couldn't help but notice that when Angie and Amber entered that one hospital room, Angie jumped in like *surprise here I am...I know you will be thrilled to see me* and Amber walked in like a regular person. Angie also fell in love with Morrison because *he recognized ME ME ME* while Candice introduced herself to the one little boy very humbly and Kree was asking questions of the staff about the programs and patients. I really do not like Angie.
I must say however, that I'm not just subjective about Angie, I have really been dismayed at this season and Idol's downfall and can no longer be objective about the show. Last night, I got my days mixed up and thought it was Wednesday and sat down with my pen and pad with dread and foreboding because I had to watch the show. Then I realized it was NOT Wednesday and that I could watch The Voice instead. Which I did and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I'm sorry Idol...when you have lost me, you've lost America...so many friends and relatives have abandoned the show over the past two years and I hung in there hoping for a magic season with contestants like David Cook, Jason Castro, Adam Lambert, Haley Reinhardt, Crystal Bowersox, or Melinda Doolittle. Not to mention Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and Jennifer Hudson. Instead we get Lazaro and Zoanetta.
I doubt I will watch tomorrow's show until the very end. As I understand it they are showcasing Lee DeWyze. You know they are depressed in Idol land if they are bringing back a guy whose face they have never even posted on the backround montage on the show's opening as an Idol winner and whom they didn't bring back to perform the season after he won! Maybe he will sing Hallelujah and make my week complete!
Update: After googling Whiter Shade of Pale I discovered it was originally released by Procol Harem, a British band, in the late 60s and was something of an anthem for The Summer of Love (1967). It appears Percy Sledge covered the song. I should have known that. But as the song was named, along with Bohemian Rhapsody, as one of the best songs by British songwriters for a certain time period....I would not call it a *one hit wonder* either. But glad Kree got to sing it as its a song I like which I'm not sure I have ever heard on Idol.
Update 2: I am seriously slipping in my analysis and a reading of another blog slapped me right in the face with the obvious! It was apparent from the beginning when you saw the order of performance. They were going to push Amber and Angie down our throats no matter what. (You know...I don't think Kree has EVER had the pimp spot this whole season). They want a young, thin, idol this year. Plump ladies need not apply. So...when Amber does a Celine Dion song...she is called *current*. When Candice does a Drake song...I don't know him but I gather he is much more current than Celine since Celine isn't known for her hip hop...she is called *old fashioned*. Angie's theatrics, which were criticized as phony 4 weeks ago, were just great tonight but Kree's restraint, praised all season and encouraged by Jimmy, was *not worthy of a top 4 performance*.
Ack...they want Rihanna....they want....hmmm...who is Angie....cannot think of anyone current she is like except for the contestants in the Miss America pageant and just like a typical New England pageant queen she is sorta homely and horsey looking with those big teeth. They all play the piano too!
We see this season after season. They decide that the best talent isn't marketable enough so they turn on them. Thus lets push that insipid Lauren Alaina over Haley and James Durbin. Lets push that paint salesman over Crystal.
If its an Angie/Amber finale...I won't be watching again but will probably put in some votes for Amber since I don't hate her. She is just so lame compared to Candice and Kree.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Nicki Minaj Says She's Carrying Idol
According to this article: http://www.kiss925.com/2013/04/20/is-nicki-minaj-to-blame-for-poor-american-idol-ratings/, Ms. Minaj thinks she is the one carrying the show this season. Sources quote her trashing her fellow judges and blaming them for the shows low ratings. This was posted on Facebook for the world to comment on and you can see for yourself that the commenters are running about 20 to 1 against Nicki.
In fairness to Nicki, 4 judges is 1 judge too many and 1 diva and 1 diva wanna bee are 1 diva wanna bees too many. The fact that Idol keeps changing its format regarding the top 10...top 20...each year, the save that will never die, and the farce of contestant selection (Zoanetta anyone?) had to turn viewers off too. Also in fairness to Nicki, she is often on point in her critiques but putting up with the rest of her nonsense hardly makes the occasional gem worth sifting through the fecal matter that has become her shtick! And, as with Zoanetta, she if often profoundly wrong! I swear that Zoanetta fiasco nearly turned me off the show and I bet it did a lot of other people...no matter how nice a person Zoanetta ultimately seemed to be...her talent was non-existent.
So there is blame to pass around...but Ms Minaj gets more than her fair share of it. Ultimately, the person whose bright idea it was to add her to the mix should be fired...but it might not matter. If Idol keeps going the way it has so far, I think that person will be looking for other employment anyway.
Update: A source is reporting that the Idol producers wanted to fire MARIAH and bring back JLo for the rest of the season in order to boost plummeting ratings. OMG. These people are nuts. Do they not READ what the audience is saying about Minaj? They are so out of touch with the viewers that the show deserves to die.
In fairness to Nicki, 4 judges is 1 judge too many and 1 diva and 1 diva wanna bee are 1 diva wanna bees too many. The fact that Idol keeps changing its format regarding the top 10...top 20...each year, the save that will never die, and the farce of contestant selection (Zoanetta anyone?) had to turn viewers off too. Also in fairness to Nicki, she is often on point in her critiques but putting up with the rest of her nonsense hardly makes the occasional gem worth sifting through the fecal matter that has become her shtick! And, as with Zoanetta, she if often profoundly wrong! I swear that Zoanetta fiasco nearly turned me off the show and I bet it did a lot of other people...no matter how nice a person Zoanetta ultimately seemed to be...her talent was non-existent.
So there is blame to pass around...but Ms Minaj gets more than her fair share of it. Ultimately, the person whose bright idea it was to add her to the mix should be fired...but it might not matter. If Idol keeps going the way it has so far, I think that person will be looking for other employment anyway.
Update: A source is reporting that the Idol producers wanted to fire MARIAH and bring back JLo for the rest of the season in order to boost plummeting ratings. OMG. These people are nuts. Do they not READ what the audience is saying about Minaj? They are so out of touch with the viewers that the show deserves to die.
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