WOMEN YES, MEN NO
Before I start on the show, I want to encourage you all to put in a test ballot on our new voting system. I mentioned it last week, but it was at the bottom of the post. So now I'm giving it top billing.
Go to http://www.theblinkcompany.com/idolizing_form.html and put in a fake name and vote. We want to test out the system and see if there are any glitches. Last week, I think only Kathy did it (or was that Kathy's bulldog?)
Okay. Commercial over, now onto idol.
I'd have to say that so far, America has done a decent job of voting on the women. Not so much the men.
I said last week that if at least four black women do not make it to the finals, there is no chance America will elect Barack Obama. Based on early evidence, Mr. McCain may want to start working on his concession speech. So far, all five black women continue to survive. And the three white women who survive with them contain probably the two best white singers plus the prettiest girl who probably also got a sympathy vote this week.
I'm not going to argue with Antonella's continued presence. America is allowed one brain fart, and as long as we get to keep the five best singers, I'm okay with a terrible singer who is nice to look at. Though nobody on the show mentioned all the photos (real or fake) that are circling the internet, Ryan did comment on it somewhere and I have to assume that's a factor. According to Dialidol, she has done quite well last week and this week, but I'm not so sure I trust their numbers this early. If she sticks around for the finals, I may start to grow tired of her.
I don't love Haley's singing style, but she can sing. It's a toss-up if she deserved to outlast Nicole last week and Leslie this week. Nicole had a voice, but she was screaming and Leslie is weird, though I thought in an interesting way. I don't think the judges really got her.
I would say that Haley was hurt by singing the same song as AJ, and not as well, but AJ got the ax too. Maybe America just hates that song. I know how they feel. Actually, I don't, I like that song, particularly the way AJ sang it.
A little shocked at AJ's departure. I thought he was great on Tuesday and even better on Thursday. For a minute or two, I felt bad for Alaina, crying too much to sing her song, but I didn't stay sympathetic. The fact that she made a snide remark about Simon's critique shows me she didn't get it. Simon was spot on, and not nearly as mean as he's been to others. Plus, let's face it, the only reason she is semi-famous right now is because 30 million people happen to watch the show she sang poorly on, and Simon is as responsible for that as anyone, so she should keep her self-pitying remarks to herself.
Plus, that exit song is the last chance most/any of these people will have to sing before a big audience ever again. These are terrible circumstances under which to sing, but it's a small price to pay for a shot at stardom. Years from now, I will remember that when AJ Tabaldo was unjustly ousted from Idol, in spite of probably feeling crushed, he got up and sang his heart out and actually made me believe that at that moment he really was feeling good. The other singers were moved by both Alaina and AJ, but with Alaina, it was pity, with AJ it was inspiration.
And what was up with Sundance and all those waterworks?
Change of topic for a second... I thought Jerry Seinfeld was hilarious at the Oscars. Was up there about two minutes and was just plain hysterical and on-topic for a guy who has little to do with movies. I thought Ellen did well and I'll be surprised if she's not back at some point, but if you're the Oscar guys, you have to be thinking about giving Jerry a shot now.
Anyway, he was really funny talking about how if it turns out you're not the best, we want to see the look on your face when you get the news. Idol takes that moment and stretches it into an eternity, but forcing these people to sing... the song that got them booted. But every once in a while, somebody holds it together and knocks it out like AJ and I have to say I feel the emotion of the moment. Makes it worth watching those overlong result shows.
And what about Pickler. When did she turn into Dolly Parton? I'm actually kind of surprised that Ryan made a joke about her new boobs. I didn't think she looked good. First, considering that she was already pretty and had a great body, I can't beleive she wasted money on inflating her chest instead of getting singing lessons. Then, she seems to have gained weight, and she cut her hair like a much older woamn, so that the boobs just contribute to making her look matronly. And the judges seemed to be ignoring her singing and just talking about her. What a weird awkward moment.
Okay, back to the contestants. I thought Nick was a good singer and I like his tone, but I'm not surprised he's going and I doubt I'll miss him. Simon was right. He lacked a memorable quality. I think at this point, America has sent home four pretty good singers... Rudy, Paul, Nick and AJ. But none of them was truly distinctive. They've also sent home two Latinos and an Asian, leaving, I think nobody of those ethnicities behind. So the Idol is making progress in accepting black singers, but maybe not all ethnicities.
Oh wait, Sanjaya's Asian, right?
Other than Sanjaya, I don't know if there was anybody else among the men who were crying out for rejection. Unlike last week, Sundance finally lived up to his audition, though I find him unappealing. According to DialIdol, he and Sanjaya have been the two top vote-getters these last two weeks. For the first time, I saw the judges scolding the audience for not voting for their favorites. It's weird but basically, they were saying it's America's duty to vote Sanjaya and Antonella off. Ryan even gave AJ a chance to say he felt he deserved to stay over Sanjaya and AJ didn't take the bait.
It's funny how the show will turn on somebody (just cause they can't sing) even though they were the ones who put those people in the top 24. One of the girls, was it Alaina, dissed the judges for eliminating Jennifer Hudson early, and Simon defended himself saying he had put her there to start with. But he also put Sanjaya and Antonella there.
It will be interesting to see what happens with the men next week. I don't think Sanjaya is capable of singing better. Will he survive another week? I have to assume that Blake and both Chrises are safe. I think Phil has a following, and if Sundance sings well, I don't see him going either. So that leaves Brandon, Jared and Sanjaya. Two have to go and without a clear distinction between the best and the worst, like the women have, it's a real crapshoot.
They also haven't been telling us who is the lowest vote-getter of the survivors, so we don't know who's on the bubble. Should make the pool wide open this year.
Comments
Sad to see AJ go -- didn't deserve it. But I loved the reaction shot from Sanjaya. Priceless.