It's time to start the "American Idol" finals. Yay. It's always fun to see how the themes mess with the contestants. This week's theme is "the Sixties". Bo: "Uh, can we pick a rock song?" Awesome. I wonder if he'll ask that when they get to "Salsa Week".
Jessica Sierra gets to start this week's performances with "Shop Around". She must have felt good enough about it to not unleash the twins on us this week. I think they messed with the microphone to try to give the vocals more of a "CD sound" instead of a "live sound", because I swear it sounds like she's lip-synching to me. Maybe that will get better as the show goes on. I think the judges all thought Jessica was pretty nervous, but she didn't sound BAD, she was just kind of OK, I think.
Anwar gets to follow Jessica, and he picks "A House is Not a Home", as I shake my head in frustration. If Anwar was a football team he'd have mad passing skills but INSIST on trying to grind it out all the time. The guy got mad props last week for his rendition of "Wonderful World", but he goes back to a softer song that does NOT showcase his voice this week? Who is giving this guy advice on song choice?
Mikalah Gordon starts off REALLY badly on "Son of a Preacher Man". Ugh. She looked REALLY pretty (almost like Gina Gershon, I thought), which was almost distracting that it was HER, but then she sounded SO BAD that THAT was really distracting. Once she took the mic off the stand and started moving around, she sounded much better on the second-half of the song, but all-in-all this was "pack your bags"-bad. Randy is not happy: "Yo dawg, I thought this would be POPPIN', but you guys aren't bringing it." And I think Paula's still numb from the apparent tooth pull she had earlier in the day. Could her face be any more plastic? Weird.
Constantine is up next with "You've Made Me So Very Happy". I'm cringing at the thought of this, but he's actually the best so far. Simon mentions that if it were "Smoldering Idol", he'd win in a landslide. Jeebus, I HATE the smoldering! He actually kept that to a minimum, though, and I thought the weird sound-thing helped him immensely as he didn't sound like he had in previous weeks. Four singers down, and Constantine's the best? Am I on CRAZY PILLS here?
Lindsey is up after the break singing "Knock on Wood". Izzy Jo is spending the week out of town, and she called just as they were coming back from the break. Based on the judges comments apparently that's a good thing. I didn't think what I heard was THAT bad, but these judges are NOT having a good time tonight.
Anthony Fedorov is after Lindsey and he chooses "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do", an "Idol" staple. I wonder if these guys have watched previous year of the competiton, because I swear I've heard almost all of these songs on "Idol" before. (I mean, "Son of a Preacher Man"? Again?) I thought this was OK, too, but the judges absolutely throw Sergei under the bus, with Simon comparing it to the end of the company Christmas party. Yeesh.
After the break, FINALLY there's a memorable performance by Nadia Turner, doing "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me". She's a little too preoccupied with the roaming camera, even doing a double-take at it once, but singing-wise she was all good. I think she's most likely to be the first "Idol" contestant to ever have a wardrobe malfunction. Plus, she picked a song I hadn't heard on "Idol" before, so points to Nadia for that, as well. And I think she saved the world from a Dusty Springfield ass-kicking-for-the-afterlife, because if she'd been as bad as Mikalah I'd have expected her to "accidentally" fall off the stage or something.
Bo Bice follows Nadia with "Spinning Wheel", to which I'm wondering if the song is about Vanna White until I hear the first few notes, a common problem for me when the songs are forty-plus years old. Bo immediately wins the "Idol" award for "Coolest 'Off the Stage' Antic", as he climbs the barricade behind the judges in mid-song. You had to figure this was going to be pretty good, and it didn't disappoint as Bo brought the rock-goodness, as usual.
Vonzell tries to keep the good vibe going with "Anyone Who Had a Heart", and I think she ends up on the "OK" list. She seems like she'd be good in a "girl group", but he's pver her head by herself. The judges are down on Vonzell, as well, and I'm seriously wondering if they're dealing with the audio weirdness or something, because now they're just being downers.
Scott Savol is next and he sings a good performance on "Ain't Too Proud to Beg". At least, I'm thinking it's good, and the judges agree. Clearly Simon doesn't like Scott, but even he has to admit that it was one of the night's better performances.
Carrie Underwood is the final girl and she sings a countried-up version of "When Will I Be Loved?" It's pretty good, but Carrie's yet to step out of her range at all, and when frickin' Paula calls you "safe and boring" you've got troubles, although Simon counters that with a compliment that "three people in this competition know who they are and you're one of them." I'd assume the other two are Nadia and Bo.
Mario Vazquez Nikko Smith brings us home with "I Want You Back", an energetic performance that had kind of a "well, you've already sent me home once, America, so now I'm just having fun"-vibe to it. I thought it was pretty good, and Randy and Paula agreed but Simon thought it was 'horrible". I'm definitely not missing Mario, who's gay porn-past surely would've come back to haunt him had he signed the contract.
That certainly was interesting. Was Constantine really one of the best performances of the night? Really? I'd have to put him, Nadia, Bo, and Scott as the top four, with Lindsey and Mikalah as the two worst ones. Hopefully it will get better next week now that they've got a week of the finals under them.
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It sounds liek this season is a total bust. I am glad O have not taken any time out to tune in. I watched season 1 and thought it was great. I was totally sucked into season 2 and the whoel Rueben/Clay battle. The show definately peaked then as both guys broguht the goods each week, along with a few others who were a step below. Season three was OK from what I saw but not as good as season 2, or even season 1 since season 1 had the whole it's brand new factor going for it. Sounds like season 4 is a bomb.
I think you're an asshole. No, no, let me correct that, an immature asshole. Which is fine, except that you're marrying my daughter and I'm afraid that my grandchildren are gonna be little assholes.
JJD's analysis of the passing/running attack with Anwar is exactly right. He should be blowing these people away with his voice and look. He's got the whole package and he sings this crappy-ass song? Come on, dude.
I hate to say that Constantine was good tonight, but he was. I really wanted him voted off earlier, but he really did a fine job tonight. He might have been helped by the fact that nearly everyone else was pretty bad.
Nadia is not a big favorite in our house. There's something about her that doesn't seem quite right. I am sure Randy Jackson would say she was great if even if she really stunk up the joint.
We're on the Scott Savol bandwagon up here, though. My wife really likes him, though she didn't convince me enough to vote for anyone this week. I think there were enough lousy performances from Mikalah, Anthony and Lindsey that Scott should be safe.
And JJD - what's this crack about forty year old songs, you youngster?
And that "countrified" version of "When Will I Be Loved" is the ORIGINAL Everly Brothers version, wiseguy.
I'll agree with most of what's been said already. We really didn't like Mikalah (with my wife referring to her as the "mini-nanny"). Anwar was not very good either...why do they pick these meandering songs?
As for Lindsey, my wife is convinced that she was channeling Justine Bateman in Satisfaction. Both in looks and performance.
I expect Nikko to go, but wouldn't be surprised if Mikalah bites the dust.
...and thanks JJD...I knew ALL those songs and feel really old now...
Originally posted by JayJayDean I'm definitely not missing Mario, who's gay porn-past surely would've come back to haunt him had he signed the contract.
I'm hoping Mr. Dean was being facetious in his speculations about Mario's departure...if not...yuck.
I've heard mention of everything from family problems to trying to get out of the contract with Simon's production group...it'll probably shake out somewhere like Drudge.
Rumor has it Mario Vasquez left because P. Diddy already offered him a deal. At least that's what PageSixSixSix says, and even though the place is relatively new, it's proven to be remarkably well-informed. (It's also shut down at the moment.)
If there are any skeletons in the guy's closet, this is certainly the smartest way to avoid getting dirtied by the certain shame spiral that would accompany being kicked off of "American Idol" over some sort of scandal. Bonus: What might be too seamy for "Idol" is undoubtedly just fine and dandy with Bad Boy.
Was it just me, or did anyone else here Mikalah say something awfully close to "Oh, fuck!" when Seacrest said "Mikalah, bad news...we'll find out in 3 minutes..."
Originally posted by Ruby TraxRumor has it Mario Vasquez left because P. Diddy already offered him a deal. At least that's what PageSixSixSix says, and even though the place is relatively new, it's proven to be remarkably well-informed. (It's also shut down at the moment.)
If there are any skeletons in the guy's closet, this is certainly the smartest way to avoid getting dirtied by the certain shame spiral that would accompany being kicked off of "American Idol" over some sort of scandal. Bonus: What might be too seamy for "Idol" is undoubtedly just fine and dandy with Bad Boy.
DEVELOPING!
At the very least, it's starting to look like SOMEONE whispered some advice to him. This is one of those "could be nothing, could be everything" articles, but he's now hired Clay Aiken's management firm, who were successful in breaking Aiken from his Idol contract, which by most accounts is a bad deal for the talent even by first-contract standards.
I am kinda worried that this great plan of the original YJ team has literally blown up in their faces. It does make sense to see how bad Aqualad will go, but I get the feeling the Partners ie Darkseid and the Apoko Gang can see through it.