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“American Idol” Pares Field to Ten on Feb. 25, 2010

On February 26, 2010

In Music, Pop Culture, Reviews, Television

What’s to be said about the “American Idol” Thursday night program, where 2 boys and 2 girls were axed?

General observations: I was glad to see Tyler Grady go, but, in a way, he was right when he said that the “advice” to quit being a Jim Morrison poseur came “too late” to help him. Kara absolutely crowed about how “cool” he was during the early stages of the competition, and I think Tyler had enough of a big head before that. The film of him practicing in cowboy boots, white socks and a bathrobe pretty much says it all. I was not sorry to see him go. The “cuteness” and “humbleness” factor saved the other lowest vote getter, Alex Lambert. It is poor Alex who had only performed about 3 times in local coffee shops, before his Idol audition. Obviously, Tyler has been posturing as the Lizard King and others for a while. Simon said he acted as though he had gone to “Rock Star School” on the boys’ night. So, good-bye, Tyler, and don’t let the door hit you in the fake leather pants on the way out.

The other boy eliminated was Joe Munoz. He seemed like a genuinely nice guy, but that didn’t work for him. He needed some of the animal magnetism of Casey James or the cute fresh-faced attractiveness that kept Tim Urban in the competition, when he was definitely one of the weakest, vocally.

Now, as to the girls’ elimination. Big mistake there. Eliminating Ashley Rodriguez, one of the prettiest of the girls who had the “total package” and who can be found singing as Ashley Benami online, seemed unfair. I have to admit, after saying that, that her farewell song did not really move me. None of the girls really stood out much (although I liked Crystal Bowersox), except that Katy was way off key during her entire performance and seemed to be channeling her elderly grandmum. I do not understand how she was able to stay, while Ashley was voted off.

Last girl to go was the blonde rumored to be Tim Teabow’s (Florida quarterback) girlfriend, Janell Wheeler. There was a quick shot of Janell making a funny face, which just made her appear unattractive. Then a quick shot to Mom. Janell was never going to win this thing, so I can live with her sudden death in the competition, but she seemed better, to me, than some others.

As I was driving all the way across the state of Illinois (width, not length), I was listening to Adam Lambert’s album and to Melinda DoLittle’s album. I was immediately nostalgic for last year’s great talent, especially after both Allison Irahito and Chris Allen performed. This year’s crop looks very pale and dull, by comparison. I looked forward every week to seeing what outrageous thing Adam would do THIS week. And Allison, the gutsy Hispanic rocker chick, was equally intriguing. I even pine for the days of the Dueling Davids: David Cook and David Archuleta.

Even the “hits” on AC are down this year, which may be due to the Olympics in Vancouver, or it may just be that this year’s crop isn’t cutting it

There is no one in the entire crowd, with the possible exception of Crystal Bowersox (for the girls) and Lee DeWyze (of the boys) who I really even care to hear sing again. I’m not that “ga ga’ over Casey Jones. Big Daddy Mike Lynche isn’t doing anything much for me. I did enjoy watching Todrick Hall own the stage, but I had no idea what he was singing (and, as the judges said, neither did they).

I was happy to see 2 things I had said echoed by Simon Cowell: 1) Angela Martin should never have been cut and (2) this year, the girls are stronger, which he was quoted as having said in the New York Post. After mentioning that, however, I am very disappointed in almost all of the girls, so far. I do think that Katelyn Epperly will step up, as Crystal Bowersox already has, but I really pine for the Dueling Davids and/or Adam Lambert/Allison Irahito days. And when Simon leaves? What then?

Girls’ Night at American Idol (2/24): Dull, Dreary, Depressing

By Connie Wilson

On February 24, 2010

In Music, Television

Thinking back over Wednesday night’s “American Idol” girls-only show from Hollywood, my overall impression? Dull. Dreary. Mostly boring.

That doesn’t mean that there weren’t some strong voices on display, but the ones that were strong chose songs that the judges almost universally pronounced to be “the wrong song” and the entire energy of the show just felt washed-out, dried up, blown away.

THE GOOD

The singers who impressed me this night were Siobhan Magnus, who sang “Wicked Game” by Chris Isaak. She began the song in a nice, very low register and soared to the “I don’t wanna’ fall in love” refrain with a lilting voice that was great. Ellen DeGeneres probably echoed my thoughts the best when she said, “I loved it. I really liked it a lot.” Simon followed up saying, “You really are a funny little thing, aren’t you?” He asked her why she had chosen that particular song, and she responded that she found it “haunting” and “memorable” and “I have a softer side, too.” Simon called it “a very, very dark song,” while Randy encouraged her to “reach for bigger things, but the short snippet that showed her being whispered about as “ a dark horse” were interesting, because Siobhan said, quite disingenuously, “What’s a dark horse?” as though she had never heard the term.

Another singer who has consistently impressed me was the multi-talented Crystal Bowersox, age 24, from Elston, Ohio, who auditioned in Chicago. Crystal sang a song by Alanis Morissette, accompanying herself on guitar and harmonica. The best summation of her performance was, “You were good tonight, but you have greatness in you.” Ellen DeGeneres said: “We are lucky that you auditioned for ‘American Idol.’ You add something fresh to the show.” This on the heels of Crystal’s admission that she had not been a big fan of the show in prior years. Other comments: “Originality. I loved the honesty. I like what you do. I like that honesty. I’m a fan,” from Randy. Crystal, A.I. watchers will recall, is the mother of a young son and got his name tattooed on her back after winning. Her back-story is interesting, too. The only negative remarks were, as usual, from Simon, who, while saying, “I really, really like you. I think you’re refreshing,” urged her to try a song by someone like David Bowie, to present herself in a different light.

Another standout performance was that of Littleton, Colorado’s Lilly Scott, who said, “It means so much to be here right now. Everything I’ve done musically has led up to now.” Lilly has the gray hair and the look of a vampire bride, but she sang, quirkily, with her guitar “Fixin’ a Hole” by the Beatles. She wears eye shadow that makes her resemble a raccoon, but she has a very different quality. Ellen said, “I think that’s what we’re talkin’ about. You sounded great.” She praised Lilly’s “random song choice” but other less positive comments were: “I’m still not feeling much Star Power.” Both Simon and Randy commented on Lilly’s honesty and believability. Simon: “Best so far. Well done. You’re believable. You come from your heart.” “ I could feel you were comfortable in your performance,” said Kara and Randy chimed in with, “I love the honesty. I thought it was great.”

THE BAD

Worst of the night, for me, was final contestant Katie Stevens, singing Michael Buble’s “Feelin’ Good.” Katie was way sharp when she went up for the high notes. When she sang, “Birds feelin’ high”,that was the sharpest off-key note of all of the many. She was pitchy and off-key throughout the song, (Grandmother with Alzheimer’s or not, she seemed to be channeling Granny this night in her performance and her appearance). She looked “old.” Her hair was done in an old-fashioned way, her dress, her demeanor: antique. Ellen DeGeneres said, “I want to see you be 17. The song was a little old for you.” Simon agreed, saying, “I totally agree with Ellen. So much so that it started to become annoying. Very pageant-y.” Kara finally pointed out the elephant on the dining room table, saying, “You were all over the place” on the pitch, and Randy finished up the same critique I would have given her singing saying, “You were pushing so hard that all the notes were going sharp.” Another comment: “Wow! That was not on key.” (Kara) This is never good in the finals of an “American Idol” competition.

Others that were not good: Lacey Brown (Dull. Bad outfit.) Simon said, “It was quite depressing. After about 15 seconds I wondered how much longer we’d have to listen to this. It was just boring. Sorry.” The Dixie Chicks need fear nothing here.

Haeley Vaughn: I have not been a fan of Haeley’s since the would-be black C&W singer made it through to the Final 24 over the far superior (vocally) Angela Martin. I found her song, her voice, her rendition of the Beatles “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” to be just a little too chipper. I made the note, “Painful” at one point, and then Simon started in saying, “I’m being honest. For me, it was verging on terrible. A complete and utter mess. It wasn’t very good.” (Don’t hold back, Simon. Tell us how you really feel.) Ellen DeGeneres countered, “If it was a mess, it was a hot mess,” as she had previously praised Haeley, the person, saying, “Sixteen and so much presence. You just shine.”

Ashley Rodriguez, who was so promising initially, disappointed with a Leona Lewis song. Kara pointed out “Moments that weren’t great. I couldn’t really see you take a risk.” Simon called her performance “clumsy” and said he “didn’t like the arrangement.” He accurately said, “I think you are going backwards from the first time we met you Just someone who sings other people’s songs not that well” was how he characterized the Chelsea, Massachusetts college student’s performance (Ouch!). Ashley had said in previous clips, “This is the dream. It’s the opportunity of a lifetime.” The dream may have to be deferred to another year if Ashley doesn’t step up her game.

Paige Miles, 24, from Naples, Florida had the dubious honor of going first. It wasn’t a memorable performance and telling us that she was sewed into her black dress with the white sash and had been “waiting 5 hours to pee” was a little bit TMI for me. She sang “All Right Now” and, although she was told she “had the best voice out of all the girls” by Simon, and told “You’ve got a ridiculous voice, girl” by Kara, the consensus seemed to be “It’s about self-belief. You have to believe you’re a star.” Paige was not a star this night, but, in all fairness, she had to sing first (always a disadvantage, I feel).

THE OKAY:

Janell Wheeler, 24, of Orlando, the wine representative who is supposed to be quarterback Tim Teabow’s girlfriend tried a “Heart” song while wearing skin-tight black leggings of some sort. Randy felt that “the song choice didn’t work for you. I like your voice.” Ellen said, “I like that song. I thought you sang it well and I like you.” Simon brought some reality to the bleating of “What about love?” by saying, “You gave it 100% effort and delivered 65%. (Leave it to Simon to articulate the thoughts of the masses.) He did say there were “moments in the song when I did like your voice,” while telling her she had gone off-key at times. He advised Janell, a fairly attractive (but not stunning) blonde, to “try to do something that makes you original” and both Simon and Kara warned her that taking on an Ann Wilson song was “too big” for her voice.

Katelyn Epperly, age 19, from West Des Moines, Iowa is a personal favorite (as an Iowa native). I put her in the “okay” category tonight, because she adopted a black strapless dress with a chanteuse look, a thing in her hair (feather, I think), big earrings, and a much “dirtier girl” look. I liked her better when she first auditioned with her wild fly-away “Witches of Eastwick” hair, and so did Kara, who commented on her look. Simon said, “I actually like you. You’re quirky, interesting, brave. I like you a lot.” Kara said, “You know your voice very, very well, you switched it up in a way,” but Kara was the judge who (also) pined for Katelyn’s fresh-faced look. Katelyn defended the many facts of her personality to Kara’s desire that she be “a little bit more natural.” Randy said, “Here’s the thing I really, really like about you. You concentrate on tone, not runs. I think you can go places and do stuff.” Ellen found her performance “interesting,” but said, “I felt like it was pushed, but you have an amazing voice.” Has the potential to be in THE GOOD category next time out. I think she will stay around.

For me, Didi Benami was also “okay.” She sang in a terrible outfit…a multi-colored vest-like garment, but the judges did not find her memorable, as she wanted the audience to “Take Me the Way I Am.” Her performance was pronounced, “Dreary. Missing a spark. In the real world, I think that would be totally forgettable. You’re just so sleepy for me.” Ellen probably phrased it the most diplomatically, saying, “First impression: A little low key.” I definitely liked her better than the judges seemed to like her.

Michelle DelaMor described herself as “a corporate singer” prior to her selection by “American Idol.” She is tall, dark and sexy. She is 23, from Miami and works at a clothing store.” I’m so excited because I know my family will be there in the audience, and I just hope to make them proud.” She sang Alicia Keys’ “Fallin.” She wore a cute black top and gray pants, but was criticized for mainly doing a cover version of the song that was not unusual or original. (I, in fact, couldn’t remember her at all and had to go back on my TVO and watch her performance for a second time, which means that she wasn’t very memorable.) She has “the look” and is a beautiful girl. Ellen said, “That was fantastic. I feel like it was safe and it seemed so easy for you. I feel like you have more in you. I think that you were great, but I know that you can do better than that. I thought it was amazing.” Simon said, “It sounded close to the original. Not as good as the original. There wasn’t one moment in the performance that I went, ‘Wow!’ I think you’ve done enough to get through to the next round, and you look fantastic by the way.” Kara said, “There were moments that it wasn’t great.” She urged Michelle to be technically immaculate every time she stepped on the stage and she felt that Michelle lacked believability but could “get there.’ Randy said, “You actually did a pretty good job doing it. You’ve got a great voice and a great look. All that is hot and dope and cool. But take some risks. Show me something nobody has showed me yet.”

I think that Simon’s comment about things being “a mess” (countered by Ellen DeGeneres’ saying, “But a hot mess,” followed by Simon’s saying, “Seems to be the way it’s going tonight”) was accurate for the entire program. The girls—who seem stronger than the boys this year— (even Simon was quoted this way in the New York Post) didn’t deliver. It may have been nerves, as the talent is definitely there. My top 3 for the evening may soon be joined by the likes of Katelyn Epperly or Michelle DeLaMor, but, overall, the evening was disappointing, and, without Simon’s caustic honesty, the comments of the other judges would have been fairly insipid.

Top 24 Idol Contestants Announced on Feb. 17, 2010

By Connie Wilson

On February 18, 2010

In Music, Reviews, Television

My impression that the female singers, this year, are stronger than the male singers, was seconded by the Judges on Wednesday, February 17, 2010, as the Final 24 were selected to be this year’s “American Idol” contestants.

In predicting, in fact, I even found it difficult to come up with the names of 12 strong male singers and was laboring under a couple of misperceptions:

1) Stories abound on the Internet that “Big Mike” Lynche was disqualified because his father let it slip that he had made the top 24. It’s a rule that is controversial and selectively enforced, like kicking Kevin Smith off an airplane for being too fat. So far, Mike Lynche is still “in,” as far as I know, but the stories persist that his mother works for a newspaper in Orlando and his father confirmed his presence among the top 12 male singers. (His brother made it pretty far in a previous Idol competition.) Supposedly, Dad’s phone number is now disconnected. I’m wondering what gives?

2) Another misconception I had was that Tim Urban was gone after group week. Tim Urban made the final cut, and that was good news, to me.

Others among the men who made the Final 24 contestants were:

Tyler Grady – a Jim Morrison wannabe who said, “This is huge.”

Alex Lambert

Joe Munoz

Jermaine Sellers

John Park

Tim Urban

Alex Lambert

Andrew Young

Honestly, this year’s crop of men is far less memorable than the women. I do remember John Park, Jermaine Sellers and Andrew Young. It was hard not to remember Thaddeus Johnson. He spent most of this night sobbing on his mother’s shoulder. The judges generally lauded his onstage performances, but he was not the most physically appealing of the group. Tyler’s comments in leaving: “I killed it. I just thought it was my time.” When asked if his being cut was a big shock, he said, “Yes, it’s a big shock, because they acted like they loved me, but it was kind of fake.’ (Ouch!)

I found myself focusing more on this year’s female contestants, so much so that I only gave readers a “reminder” of which females were “best,” so far. My list was not too far off the mark (8 of 12). The ones I missed, were, quite frankly, almost unheard-of and not given any airtime as they auditioned. Those unheralded contestants, who made the list for the women were:

Paige Miles

Siobhan Magnus

Michelle Delamour (she was predicted to have made the cut on some Internet websites)

Those who made the cut who had been featured prominently and nearly all of who (m) I predicted were:

Lilly Scott

Janell Wheeler

Lacey Brown

Ashley Rodriguez

Crystal Bowersox

Haeley Vaughan

And Katie Stevens

I did remember Katie’s back-story about her grandmother with Alzheimer’s disease, and I did remember Tory Kelly, (who did not make it). I accurately predicted nearly all the contestants that we, the at-home audience, had been allowed to see.

The notable exception to my predicting would be the elimination of Angela Martin. Privately, I wonder if the 6 days in jail she did for “traffic violations” was an influence on the judges’ decision, but, again, it’s hard to comment on young women like Paige Miles, Siobhan Magnus and Michelle Delamour, whom none of us at home saw. [I was paying close attention, Folks].

So, admitting that the men, this year, are not as compelling, I’m feeling okay about predicting the following contestants: Janell Wheeler, Lacey Brown, Ashley Rodriguez (again, check her out on the posted Internet video), Crystal Bowersox, Lilly Scott, Haeley Vaughan, Didi Benami and Katelyn Epperly.

That’s 6 correct female picks—8 if you accept my hand-on-heart contention that I had picked both of the 2 announced on Tuesday night (Didi Benami and Katelyn Epperly). I missed 4 out of 12 for 2/3% accuracy.

The question can legitimately be asked whether Angela Martin should have been cut. Angela’s comments after her elimination, which involved an almost full-out counseling session with Judge Kara sitting with her in one chair, were “Music heals me. I can’t give it up.”

The judges obviously knew they were doing something that would be viewed as controversial when they cut Angela. Some savvy music executive might still pick Angela up as a client, and she could be one who has a career despite being eliminated (Jennifer Hudson, anyone?). While Thaddeus Johnson did not have the “look” that the judges are seeking, and was far too dependent on dear old mom for support at every turn, making him seem less than adult, Angela had been through a lot and deserved a shot. For me, she was far superior to Haeley Vaughan (black C&W singer), who made it through. I had speculated that Courtney Vance might make it through, but, in my notes after her first appearance, I commented, “Very small voice. Will not go far.” That last part proved accurate.

[*Note to self: must start paying more attention to the male contestants, even if they aren’t as good as the girls.]

Predictions for Top 24 in “American Idol” (2/17/10)

By Connie Wilson

On February 17, 2010

In Music, Pop Culture, Television

Tuesday, February 16, 2010, “American Idol” from the Kodak Theater in Hollywood and there are 71 contestants still standing. In the 2-hour Tuesday show, the 71 were to be pared down to 24 Finalists.

While we, at home, are, no doubt, being denied complete exposure to every single “comer” (i.e., all the good singers are not revealed early on; it took a while for “American Idol” to let us get a good look at Adam Lambert last season, for example), sometimes we get a quick glimpse of a contestant who will possibly be one of the Final 24, like Genesis Moore or Ashley Rodriguez.

One Orlando contestant (male) was booted from the show when his father couldn’t keep his mouth shut and blabbed it around town that his son had made it through to the Final 12. The contestant (Nicci Nix) who claimed to have flown 14 hours from Florence is no longer seen onscreen. Danielle Hay, who was really a very good singer, was booted for failing to reveal some troubles with the law. There was also a contestant in Chicago (male) whose visa or green card from Northern Ireland posed problems for the show, so he was out.

To try to make a prediction of the Final 24—12 male contestants and 12 female contestants—is, therefore, almost impossible at this point in the competition, but it’s fun to try. The Final 24—-or, I should say, the remaining 17, since we already know 7 of them after Tuesday night’s show— are going to be announced Wednesday, February 16^th’s show. I am going to make predictions right now, much as is done prior to the announcement of the Oscar nominees.

Please bear with me as I scour my notes and my not-always-that-great memory. Please forgive me my spelling errors of names, early on. Most of the last three weeks’ worth of auditions I watched without benefit of TVO, as we were moving around in Florida (see previous AC articles).

Let me go out on a limb and we can all saw it off tomorrow night when I am way off the mark. If you’d like to make your own predictions, see if you can do better. And let’s not forget: by the end of Tuesday night’s show, we knew the names of 2 of the female final twelve and 5 of the male final twelve.

Who will the remaining Finalists be, following on the heels of the 7 announced tonight?

By show’s end, the male contestants who had made it through were:

1) Michael Lynche, the 26-year-old personal trainer from Astoria, New York, whose wife just had a new baby girl (“Big Daddy”).

2) Casey James – I like to call Casey “Mr. Shirtless.” (If you’ve been following the auditions, you’ll know what I’m referring to.)

3) Aaron Kelly – Aaron’s continued presence surprised me, since he forgot his words at one point, but his back story (Aunt and Uncle had to raise him) and likeability made him a finalist.

4) Lee Dewyze – [Do you remember him?]

5) Todrick Hall – Todrick has danced and sung on Broadway with Fantasia in “The Color Purple.”

Female Contestants Named on Tuesday, Feb. 16:

1) Didi Benami – The Nashville songstress’ story is primarily how the death of her best friend is motivating her.

2) Katelyn Epperly – I’m pulling for the West Des Moines native with the “Witches of Eastwick” wild blonde hair. Her backstory is less compelling: Dad left Mom and she wants to prove that there is life after divorce.

So, those are the 7 contestants (out of 24) that have been announced as I write this. I’m going to predict some sure things for tomorrow night, and some strong possibles.

Female Contestants (in no particular order, but bold-faced are the stronger bets) to be announced on Wednesday, Feb. 17: (#3 through #12):

#3 – Angela Martin

#4 – Lilly Scott

#5 – Crystal Bowersax

#6 – Haeley Vaughan

#7 – Charity Vance

#8 – Ashley Rodriguez

#9- Janell Wheeler

#10- Genesis Moore

#10-Lacey Brown

#11-Christian Spear

For #12, some whose names were dropped (after which they disappeared) are; Tory Kelly, Kimberly Carver, Dawntoya Thomasen and a girl whose first name was Megan (did not get her last name). There are some fine male singers this year, but there seems to be more female talent this year.

Male Contestants: (#6 through #12):

#6 – John Park

#7 – Jermaine Purefory

#8 – Lloyd Thomas

#9 – Andrew Garcia

#10-Thaddeus Johnson

#11-Chris Golightly

#12-Dave Pittman

What? You say you don’t remember these names. Let me give you a quick refresher course on the Best Female Bets so you’re ahead of the game on Wednesday night.

#3) Angela Martin: Angela made it to the Top 40 in Season 8. She said, “I’ve seen a lot of dreams die. I can’t give up until I touch my dream.” Angela sang a Mary J. Blige song. The 28-year-old native of Chicago lost her father just before being cut in Season 7 and, in Season 8, missed out because she had a traffic court citation. She was described as “really talented” and the phrase “try and try again” was used. Get the picture? If you watched on Tuesday, Angela was wearing a fake leopard-skin one-shouldered dress and looked great. She ended up in Room 3, and Room 2 was the room where contestants went to die.

#4) Lilly Scott – Lilly was described as “a sandwich-maker from Denver.” She has distinctive gray-white hair and wore long peacock earrings. Kara said, “Everything about you is refreshing.” Would seem to be a shoo-in.

#5 – Crystal Bowersax – If Crystal, a 24-year-old from Chicago, doesn’t get in, there is no justice. From Chicago, she both played guitar and harmonica while singing, totally charming the judges. Crystal describes herself as a musician and a mother. Simon said of her, “You’re infectious. People will like you,” That, plus she is a very good bluesy chanteuse Sheryl Crow-like singer.

#6) Haely Vaughan– Haeley is the would-be black C&W singer. I honestly don’t think she’s that good, but Randy, in particular, really seems to like her.

#7) Charity Vance – Charity got the second gold ticket in Chicago singing “Summertime” and talking about her mother and father’s beauty shop. A pretty blonde, she had a small, soprano voice with a nicely lilting vibrato. Charity was a member of the female trio “Faith” during group week, along with Ashley Rodriguez, and all 3 of the members of this trio made it through.

#8) Janell Wheeler – Janell sang “House of the Rising Sun” and is rumored to be Tim Teebow’s girlfriend. Look for her to make it through to the top 24 for that reason, alone.

#9) Ashley Rodriguez – One of the trio called “Faith” during group week, Ashley has a video online under the name Ashley Makailah (“Gravity”, by Sara Bareilles), which is worth checking out. She is a true beauty who can really sing and Simon has said she has “it.” A lot of the videos of Ashley have been “pulled,” so she is one they’re keeping under wraps to spring on us.

#10) Genesis Moore – There is video of young Genesis at age 13 blowing the judges away in a talent competition singing “Summertime.” We hardly saw her at all during the auditions. This black chanteuse is one who can blow.

The last 2 spots may well go to any one of these names: Christian Spear, Tory Kelly, Kimberly Carver, Dawntoya Thomasen, Megan ?. I think the “best of the best” (i.e., the best of the female talent) is already listed above.

Since the girls are the strength area this year, I’ll remind you about the male contestants after they are announced on Fox tomorrow night, Wednesday, February 17^th, 2010.

“American Idol” from Los Angeles: January 26, 2010

By Connie Wilson

On January 26, 2010

In Music, Pop Culture, Television

Los Angeles, California, described by Ryan Seacrest as “the epicenter of entertainment” was not uniformly entertaining during Tuesday, January 26^th’s “American Idol” auditions. (As usual, CAPITAL LETTERS mean the contestant made it through, while lower case means the contestant was rejected.)

Neil Goldstein

The very first contestant out-of-the-box was a weird guy named Neil Goldstein, 19, who, ironically, forgot the very first line of a song (by Meat Loaf) about not forgetting (“Rock ‘n Roll Dreams Come True”), causing Simon to utter the word “ironic.” Simon cautioned the would-be singer—who said he had an I.Q. of 168—“You’ve got to have a reality check.” He was less-than-macho, had a long girlish page-boy bob (which changed during the try-out film, however) and kept insisting that he was not going to leave. Neil’s response to Simon’s suggestion that he realize his singing was not that great with a “reality check”, “There’s no reality but what we make for ourselves.” Neil refused to leave the stage, until Simon threatened to have him escorted out. Guest judge Avril Lavigne said, “That was really bizarre,” when the contestant finished.

Neil Goldstein, after being cut, declared, “In the greater scheme of things, ‘American Idol’ is going to be the greater loser.

JIM RANGER

Contestant #5054, the 27-year-old married father of 3 from Bakersfield, a worship pastor, sang a song of his own entitled “Drive.” Although the judges wondered, aloud, how he was going to both tour and be a pastor, he was voted through to Hollywood.

Jayson Wilson (19, Seattle): a screamer. Jesse Cheng, 23; Martin Perez, 19: All rejected.

Damian of the sandwich store came in, declaring that “pepperoni” was the favorite sandwich at his shop and then forgot the name of the Righteous Brothers song he planned to sing. It turned out to be “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling.” It turned out, also, that Damian had lost any ability to sing well, in addition to the name of his song selection. Simon: “Damian, you should just go.” Damian’s response? “On my way.” (At least he left without a fight.)

MARY POWERS

Mary, from Burbank, did a Joan Jett impersonation which Simon found clichéd. The mother of an 8-year-old daughter, she still got a golden ticket. Short black hair. Punk look. Pretty. Daughter came in and Simon said, “Are you sure this isn’t my daughter?” when she turned out to have a bit of attitude.

A.J. Mendoza

A.J. sang “The Cult of Personality” by Living Color. From Upland, California, the 20-year-old was bad. Simon said, “It sounded like you’d gone to the dentist about 10 minutes ago and your anesthetic had worn off.”

Austin Fullmore

Austin Fullmore, 19, of Glendale, California, sang “Surrender” by Cheap Trick, complete with weird posturing. Beforehand, he said, “This is my purpose in life, I think.” After Austin’s audition, Simon said, “That is one disturbed young man” and Katy Perry, who was the guest judge at this point in the program asked the question of my last column, “Are these people frisked before they come in here?”

ANDREW GARCIA

Andrew could really sing. His parents, George and Mary Garcia, who were involved with gangs in Compton but moved the now-23-year-old father of a small boy to Moreno Valley was praised as “a genuinely good, good singer” by Simon. Katie Perry said of his audition, “You gave me chills,” Kara passed him on “110%” and Randy declared, “You’ve got mad vocals.”

TASHA LAYTON

The Pasadena resident who said she was a personal assistant by day and a minister by night sang Joss Stone’s “Baby, Baby, Baby” and, after getting her golden ticket, said, “I’m going to Hollywood. Now what?”

Jason Green

Jason Green, 21, a student sang Divinyls “I Touch Myself’ and was generally effeminate and disgusting. He ended up on the floor on his knees, causing Simon to say, “I knew you’d get down there eventually.” After that crack, Jason hit on Simon obliquely, causing Randy to protest, “Don’t hit on my friend.” Katy Perry, who was attired in a tight, red, low-cut dress, said, after Jason’s audition, “I feel dirty.” The catty Jason then said, “I’m sure it does…especially with that top.” (Snap!) As he left, doing ballet moves on his way out, he said, “But the point is, I’ll be back next year.” When he encountered Ryan Seacrest outside the door, Jason commented, “They (the judges) did enjoy this,” and proceeded to give Ryan his phone number, telling him to “call me any time.” Ryan took the folded phone number over to a very butch-looking individual, commenting, “Don’t believe everything you read” as he gave it to the bodyguard, who looked like a prison inmate.

CHRIS GOLIGHTLY

Foster child Chris Golightly, who entered foster care at age 18 months and grew up with 25 different foster families, had reddish mop-like hair and a good voice. A Los Angeles shoe salesman, Chris said, “Music is where I always felt comfortable” and sang with a sweet tenor that seemed to polarize the panel. While Kara declared, “There’s something very interesting about you,” commenting on “your story and your pain,” Chris did not impress Katy Perry as much, as she turned to Kara and said, “This is not a Lifetime story, Kara.” Eventually, Chris Golightly earned 4 “yes” votes, 2 with a small “y,” one with a big “y,” and one (Randy) with a giant “Y.” Chris said, rather plaintively, “I’ve had nothing in life.”

All-in-all there were 22 contestants passed on to Hollywood from the Los Angeles Rose Bowl Stadium crowd of 11,000 hopefuls who made it past the regular judges, plus either Avril Lavigne or Katy Perry. We saw a few of the other “yes” votes jumping about: the cute guy, the chubby blonde, and the black guy.

On another note, one Orlando contestant (an African American) also had his golden ticket revoked when he confided to his father that he had made it through to the Final 24 and his father blabbed. Apparently, all contestants are sworn to the strictest secrecy and Dad’s loose lips sank his ship.

“American Idol” Auditions in Atlanta on January 13, 2010

By Connie Wilson

On January 14, 2010

In Humor and Weird Wilson-isms, Music, Reviews, Television

[*With thanks to all the hard-working English teachers who collated and contributed the actual analogies and metaphors from their high school students’ essays into one hilarious article, which I am going to “lift” for my analysis of January 13, 2010’s “American Idol” Atlanta tryouts. If you are the nameless student, condolences and apologies.]

Mary J. Blige joined the regulars as guest host. Ellen DeGeneres won’t join the judges until February 7^th, when the contestants reach Hollywood.

First up this night was a 27-year-old African American singer (I use the term “singer” loosely) named Dawon Robinson who said that his uncle had discovered Gladys Knight and the Pips and his father was known as Motown Bobby. Dawon kept pronouncing the word “lady” (while singing) as “lay tee.” The free associating thoughts Dawon shared tumbled in his head “like underpants in a dryer without Cling Free.”

Another black male singer who sang in an extremely high voice, like someone who has undergone castration, followed Dawon. We were saved by the appearance of Keia Johnson, who wore bright lime-green pants and was once named Miss Congeniality in a preliminary to a Miss America contest. (Simon ventured that, were it him, he’d rather win the beauty part.) Keia sang the love song from “Titanic” and she sang well. Keia was given a golden ticket to Hollywood and was followed by singers named Meriam Lemnoumi and Noel Reese.

Then came one of the diamonds of the day, Tisha Holland, 18, of Georgia, a waitress. She was followed by another star, Germaine Sellers from Joliet, Illinois, a 17-year-old church singer who cares for his mother, who suffers from spina bifida. The comments? “I think that’s the best we’ve seen all day.” Germaine sang Joan Osborne’s “What If God Is One of Us.” He’s going to Hollywood. Mary J. Blige said, “You’ve got skills. Best we’ve seen of all the cities. That was incredible. It was anointed.” Plus, Germaine has the all-important back-story that this year’s competitors seem to need. (Talent, alone, isn’t going to be enough, it seems.)

A TV hostess from “Hotlanta,” Christy Marie Agronow, then regaled the group with a Pat Benatar song. The revelation that the judges did not share her feeling that she was a great singer hit her “like a guy who goes blind because he looked at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it and now goes around the country speaking at high schools about the dangers of looking at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it.” She left in a huff. (“How dare they!”)

Next up was Vanessa Wolf, who shared the news “I jump bridges.” She is either from Baltimore, Tennessee or Vonore (population 658) and shared this sad statement: “I’m stuck in Vonore. I can’t get out.” She had purchased her dress for $4.50 at a Dollar General store in Smyrna, which I seem to remember was Julia Roberts’ birthplace. Tennessee must be so proud, at this point in time, of the way their state is being portrayed. Vanessa was very likeable, but “her vocabulary was as bad as, like, whatever.”

Jessie Anison, 26, of Alabama, #99342, shared several near-death experiences he had recently endured, which allowed “American Idol” to make several “cheap dramatizations” related to Jessie’s riveting stories. Jessie grew on us “like he was a colony of e coli and we were room temperature beef.” As for his audition, it didn’t help that Jessie couldn’t remember any of the words in the song he had selected and had never before sung in public. Mary J. Blige collapsed in helpless mirth and had to be comforted by Kara. Jessie had a mind “like a steel trap, but one that has rusted shut.” ”The whole scene had an eerie, surreal quality, like when you’re on vacation in another city and ‘Jeopardy’ comes on at 7:00 p.m. instead of 7:30 p.m.” Jessie, also, left in a semi-huff. He traveled down the 47 stories in the elevator, “hitting the pavement like a Hefty bag filled with vegetable soup.”

After Jessie and the “cheap dramatizations” (once, at band camp, Jessie was almost hit by a stray bullet or a falling flute or some damned thing) we were treated to Holly, age 27, who sang Loretta Lynn’s “You Ain’t Woman Enough to Take My Man.” Holly proclaimed, “I’m the next great thing.” She was as modest as Donald Trump during one of his Rosie O’Donnell rants. “She had a deep throaty voice like that sound a dog makes just before it throws up.” Holly made it through to Hollywood.

At one point, Simon actually said, to one contestant, “You sound like a cat barking; it shouldn’t happen.” The gargling noise of contestant Hansel Enriquez was not well received. Blake Smith of Covington, California came to his audition attired in a tee shirt that read “Britney Spears Changed Her Life.” (It didn’t change Blake’s). “Guitar Girl” (attired in a guitar outfit with guitar glasses) lucked out. She caught your eye “like a wet nose hair glistening after a sneeze.”

Tony Skiboski, contestant #91870, actually could sing, but his attempts to make himself sexually appealing, in the process of singing “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” by Marvin Gaye were about as enticing as “ maggots just before you fry them in hot grease.” When it was pointed out to Tony Skiboski that he was missing a letter on his shirt, he replied, “That’s what they’ve got discounts for.” Skiboski actually made it through, which seemed “as unlikely as a little boat gently drifting across a pond, exactly the way a bowling ball wouldn’t.”

We were treated to Loren Sanders, age 19, of Baxley, Georgia, and her BFF Carmen Turner, 19, also of Baxley, Georgia. Unfortunately, only Carmen sang well. The news that she was being cut from the competition hit Loren as a rude shock, “like a surcharge at a formerly surcharge-free ATM machine.”

Police officer Bryan Walker sang “SuperStar” and earned a golden ticket to Hollywood, but he looked very old. “He looked as old as a 60-year-old retiree.” (Or as old as General Larry Platt).

Lamar Royal sang Seal’s “Kiss from a Rose” song. Before he went up in the elevator for his audition, Lamar was quite pleasant, saying how much he was looking forward to meeting Mary J. Blige. After Lamar delivered the loudest version of a Seal song ever heard and would not shut up (security had to be called to stop his audition), he changed his tune considerably and uttered the night’s most hostile remarks, yelling, “F*** Y’all” as he left. This earned him a round of applause from a passing carful of motorists. (At least Lamar said “Y’all”).

Last, and certainly least, General Larry Platt, age 62, sang his own original composition “Pants on the Ground.” “General Larry was simple, like my brother-in-law Phil. But, unlike Phil, General Larry actually works.” General Larry earned praise for his attempts to break dance for the judges, although, in his case, the word “break” is meant literally.

And congratulations to former contestant Jason Castro, who, in addition to his budding career as a performer, got married. I noticed his smiling dreadlocks on the “American Idol” website while scoping out the schedule, and it reminded me that I heard this news somewhere. Ah, young love. “Jason fell for her like his heart was a mob informant and she was the East River.” Imagine “the star-crossed lovers racing across a grassy field toward each other, like two freight trains, one having left Cleveland at 6:36 p.m. traveling at 66 mph; the other from Topeka at 4: 19 p.m. at a speed of 35 miles per hour.”

Stay tuned for next week’s shows on Tuesday, January 19^th, from Chicago and on Wednesday, January 20^th, from Orlando

“American Idol” Rock Week Rocks the House

By Connie Wilson

On May 5, 2009

In Music, Television

Last week, Adam Lambert was announced as being in the bottom three. How did this happen? Beats the hell out of me. He was nothing short of brilliant on May 5 (Cinquo de Mayo) singing Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta’ Love.” His duet with Allison Irahita on “Slow Ride” was exceptional, as well, and Allison’s rendition of “Cry, Cry Baby” (Janis Joplin) was gutsy and great.

Kris Allen and Danny Gokey, by contrast, were just too soft and twinky, as they are not rockers, but more crooners or ballad singers. This was the first week that Danny Gokey might need to fear the bottom of the barrel. His excruciatingly high ending note on the song he chose (“Dream On”) caused Simon to say, “That last note was like watching a horror movie. A little over the top. With Adam, it worked. With you, it didn’t work tonight.”

If there is any justice, Danny will get to experience the bottom of the barrel that he has, heretofore, escaped. Yes, American likes him. Initially, I thought the final would be a mano-a-mano duel between Danny and Adam, but last week’s close call for Adam, plus Allison’s growing self-confidence onstage could spell a finale that features Adam and Allison not dueting, but squaring off against one another for the Grand Prize. Or not. Danny still has massive numbers of fans and the backstory of his recent status as a widower, and Allison still does not have the most riveting personality of the quartet, but the girl can sing. She has the pipes and, I suspect, the most on-air experience of the four, after Adam. (Check her out on YouTube).

The fact that this isn’t turning out to be a Grand Slam for Adam and Danny is interesting and a pleasant surprise. Stay tuned for Wednesday night’s results, which could be surprising. Or not. My prediction, as before: Kris goes back to Conway, Arkansas. He’s a nice guy, a cute guy, a crooner, but does he have the staying power to make it to the Top Two? My guess: no.

Megan Corkrey Misses with (Bob) Marley on “American Idol”

By Connie Wilson

On March 31, 2009

In Music, Pop Culture, Reviews, Television

On March 31, 2009, the final 9 contestants in this year’s “American Idol” performance took the stage and it appeared, to me, that those who earned a “pass” were Scott MacIntyre, Kris Allen, Danny Gokey and Adam Lambert.

Those whom the judges dissed included Anoop Desai, Allison Iraheta, Megan Corkrey and Lil Rounds. The judges also did not seem to like Matt Giraud, but I have a feeling that the public may.

What were the songs and the comments on this night? And who were the “best” and the “worst?”

The very best, for me, as always, was Adam Lambert strutting his stuff while singing “Play that Funky Music, White Boy,” by Wild Cherry from 1976. I have always loved this song, and some may remember that Craig Kilbourne, who disappeared from the late-night airwaves a few years ago, used it as his theme song. Adam used a light show backdrop, did some fancy footwork, and had amazing vocals, as always. He also generously gave credit to Ricky Minor and the band, for, as he said, “hooking me up with that arrangement.” The judges were universal in their praise of Adam’s incredible vocal skills, with comments like “true genius shatters expectations” (Paul Abdul), “You worked it out. Definitely in the Star Zone.” (Randy) and “I cannot wait to get to the show to see what you’ll do” from Kara. Simon, also, declared Adam’s performance as “original’ and said, “Good for you.”

If we rank below Adam (in order from “good” to “weak”) second, for me would be a tie between Scott MacIntyre, who sang Billy Joel’s “Don’t Go Changin'” and Danny Gokey—one of the front-runners—who did a stripped-down version of “What Hurts the Most.” For me, Scott lapped Danny for 2 reasons: 1) I had never heard of Danny’s song; therefore, I did not enjoy it as much as Scott’s and (2) Scott looked better than Danny, with a newly “pouffy” hair-do, black leather jacket and a good, clean look and performance. The judges said, of Scott, “One of the best performances of the night” (Randy) and “Your best performance by a country mile” (Simon). Simon also chose the occasion to point out that Paula’s advice, given on an earlier program, that Scott should step out from behind the piano, was poor advice (which led to the two squabbling at the table, as usual, with Simon telling people to “rewind” to prove his point.

Of Danny Gokey’s stripped-down song (violin accompaniment front and left) the judges said, “This is where you thrive,” (Paula); “Your best performance so far. So much better than the first two. Get a great song. Sing it brilliantly. And do your version.” (Simon). Kara said, “You moved everyone in this room emotionally,” and said she had goosebumps (I wasn’t that “moved,” at home, but I’ll take Kara’s word for her goosebumps.) Randy said, “I felt that the competition starts right now. Very nice.”

I’m puzzled by Matt Giraud’s standing. Last week, he was a standout, doing a great song, and yet he ended up in the bottom three! This week, the judges did not like his rendition of “You Found Me” by the Fray. About the only judge’s comment(s) I agreed with was the one uttered by Kara, who said, “You are a talented guy and you don’t deserve to go home.” I actually liked the way Matt took his keyboard(s) right out into the audience and had adoring fans (mostly girls) surrounding him. However, Randy said it was “Just the wrong song for you” and Simon felt it was “just uncomfortable.” Paula did not like his lack of riffing and falsetto, calling it “more of a sound alike” and saying, “This wasn’t a great performance for you.” Simon said, “I didn’t get it at all,” and added that his performance was “uptight. Not a good commercial song.” Last week, when the judges declared him to be one of the best of the night, he almost bit the bullet. I hope that the fact they didn’t like him this week works in his favor, because he is really good. He didn’t deserve to be in the bottom three last week, and he doesn’t deserve to be in the bottom three this week.
So, who does deserve to be in the bottom three tomorrow night?

Megan Joy Corkrey has been hanging on by her fingertips for weeks now. Why she is still there can be attributed to one judge, Simon, and she seems to have lost favor with him. Megan sang a Bob Marley song “Turn Your Lights Down Low” and was robotic and looked uneasy. The song had about a 3-note range, which reminded me of “Send in the Clowns,” which was written specifically to cover a very limited range because the female lead in “A Little Night Music” couldn’t reach notes beyond those 3 or 4 notes. When Megan sang her Marley song, I was bored and felt it was typical of her last few performances. Randy said,” It was like watching paint dry.” (I don’t think that is a positive comment.) Simon called it “indulgent, boring and monotonous.” Kara declared, “I really like you, but I think you’re in trouble,” suggesting that Megan should have tried some Adele and used her falsetto. I think Megan should try packing, and that she should have been sent packing about 3 performances back, which Simon confirmed with the statement “You’ve been selling that every week.”

I also didn’t like the new aggressive sex symbol side of Anoop Desai and neither did the judges. Anoop selected an Usher song (“This girl’s got a hold on me”) and, while most of the judges felt the vocals were good, and Randy said he had “picked up his swagger,” Simon nailed it when he said his performance was something that seemed ‘as though a bunch of frat guys dared you to get up and sing Usher.” Simon said it was ” a complete and utter mess, if you want my honest opinion. It actually gave me a headache.”

Another usually good performer who was so-so this night was Allison Iraheta. She looked horrible, wearing a red flared dress that had white bands down the bodice that were criss-crossed and which she wore with leggings and fake hairpieces (red) that made her hair look like straw. Simon compared her appearance to Halloween and even Randy, who is hardly a fashion plate, had questions about the outfit. Simon said it looked like something from “The Addams Family.” For me, singing “No Doubt” with guitar, which Simon said “she shouted,” was overpowered by her really ridiculous get-up. Plus, I want Allison to sing biker chick stuff by Joan Jett et. al. However, Allison was, as always, a strong performer vocally, bringing remarks from Kara like “Not your best, but good.” Paula declared Allison’s intonation and delivery to be “masterful,” so I think Allison can probably keep this odd wardrobe hanging in her L.A. digs for another week, but, were I one-armed tattooed girl, I’d be getting ready to pack my bags.

The other low vote getters will, as always, be surprising, but 2 of the 3 should be Megan and Anoop. It’s difficult to predict if Lil, who the judges declared to have sung an “old-fashioned” song will have been saved by her tears and the appearance of her adorable twins, but I’m guessing that will be the case and that means that Allison will end up in the bottom three….again. She really doesn’t deserve to be sent home, but I could live with her being dissed for the outfit alone.

Kris Allen did a very good job on “Ain’t No Sunshine” (When You’re Gone) and Randy declared him to be “in the zone” with Simon chiming in that it was ‘a very good arrangement” and Kris’ “best so far.” Simon added a “well done.” I think that Kris is firmly established as heartthrob material for America’s millions of teen-aged girl voters, so I would expect him to make it through. I’m hoping that Matt’s foray into the crowd will bring him closer to his fans both figuratively and literally, as I’d hate to see him go.

But Megan? Elimination overdue.

Final Group Performs; Wild Card Picks Named on “American Idol” on Wednesday, March 4th

By Connie Wilson

On March 5, 2009

In Music, Pop Culture, Television

american-idol-judges2 “American Idol” has spoken, and Lil Rounds, the blind contestant Scott McIntyre, and Jorge Nunez from Puerto Rico, who did do himself some good by showing naked emotion in crying after his rendition of “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me” have advanced to the final twelve contestants.

I agree with the selection of Lil and Jorge, and it’s always nice to see handicapped individuals excel, which is why I wrote an entire piece on Oscar Pistorius, “the Blade Runner,” who was born with no legs but sought to compete on artificial limbs in the Olympics. It’s inspirational to have someone triumph over seemingly overwhelming odds. I only wish that Scott had a better voice, but, hey! There were plenty of bloggers who really dug his voice and delivery. I just didn’t happen to be among them, because, as someone who lived with a blind person for over a year, I know that most of the visually handicapped want to be treated “just like everybody else” and that is what I tried to do during my year as Susan Willoughby’s roommate. And that is what I am trying to do in objectively judging the voices of the remaining contestants and not pandering to one over another simply due to hardships they may have endured.

The “wild card” survivors who will live to fight again another day…(tomorrow, in fact) were announced after Lil and Scott and Jorge had once again sung their songs from Tuesday night. The wild card finalists who will compete against one another for the final three spots included: Von Smith, Jasmine Murray, Ricky Braddy, Megan Corkrey, Tatiana DelToro, Matt Giraud, Jesse Langseth and Anoop Desai.

Undoubtedly the selection of Tatiana will cause the most Internet buzz. She lived up to her Drama Queen image by crying and thanking all in the most emotional way possible. Then, apparently overcome with emotion, she began to walk the wrong way off the stage and had to be snared back by those who had already made it through the eye of the needle and were seated to the left, not the right.

Of those “wild card” contestants who made it through, I have come to the conclusion that Jasmine Murray made it through to the final group to compete on the basis of her looks and Jesse Langseth also seems like a long shot (although, as a native of Minneapolis, Minnesota, I’m rooting for her). Megan, the tattooed lady from Utah, has been an obvious judges’ favorite since the beginning, and Anoop has immense likeability. The better singers in the group, however, are Von Smith (whom Simon compared to Clay Aiken), Ricky Braddy (who lacks much charisma, unfortunately) and Matt Giraud, once you get him behind his piano doing his bluesy thing.

The other big scandal rocking the competition seemed rather delayed in coming out (pun intended). That was the revelation (if anyone who watches YouTube wants to call it that) that Adam Lambert is gay. A photo of him smooching another male seems to have caused more buzz than his scorching hot rendition of “Crazy,” which took place in what appeared to be some sort of gay “Zodiac” revue. The minute Adam appeared onstage, with his black eyeliner and his dark black geometric cut, it seemed pretty obvious that, if he weren’t openly gay, he was in the closet (like Clay Aiken was for a very long time).

The question is now being posed: “Will America vote for an ‘American Idol’ who is openly gay?” I can’t speak for the rest of America, but I sure will. What a talent Adam Lambert is! He is in a class by himself, in more ways than one. Good luck to the church choir directors in competing against that! And, for those of you who haven’t checked Adam’s YouTube work out on video yet, I suggest “The Zodiac Show” for the openly sexual prancing and Adam with blonde hair; “Dust in the Wind” for a very stripped-down but touching vocal under conditions that can only be described as less-than-optimal; “Is Anybody Listening” for a campy look at Adam playing a part in a Biblical-era musical that reminded of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat;” and “Crawl Through Fire” for some of the campiest outfits and posing.

We just elected our first African American president. Maybe it’s time to elect our first openly gay “American Idol.”

“American Idol” of Feb. 26th Promotes Adam, Allison & Kris

By Connie Wilson

On February 27, 2009

In Music

The results are in for this week’s “American Idol” competition, as announced on Thursday night’s February 26^th program on Fox.

Ryan Seacrest announced that there were 25 million votes, up a million from last week’s voting, and all of the would-be finalists sang a group song (“Closer”) before the results were announced, Norman Gentle/Nick Mitchell got off one funny line when asked by Seacrest what he would do if he were cut. He said, “I’m looking for employment always.”

There were no surprises. Sixteen-year-old Allison Iraheto, who sang “Alone” by Heart, was the best of the girls, and she was given her ticket to ride first. She then re-sang her Tuesday night song selection. Clad in a dress that was too tight, with high, thick red heels and a black dress with a red-and-white polka dot top, she comes across as a biker chick who can really sing.

As I had speculated on AC in my article yesterday, America’s teenaged girls vote for teenaged boys. Therefore, Kris Allen beat out Megan Joy Corkrey this night, but I would not be surprised if Megan were to be brought back for the “wild card” competition, and I feel the same way about Matt Giraud the piano-playing Kalamazoo, Michigan native

The most accomplished, most talented, most confident performer of the entire competition, Adam Lambert, made it through and if you take a look at his previous work (on YouTube) you’ll see why. Not only does he have range and talent, he is an experienced pro when compared to, say, a church music director from Wisconsin. His rendition of “Crazy” online is, well, crazy. A performance of “Dust in the Wind” (also a Youtube video) shows me that we are at least going to have some really wonderful entertainment to look forward to on future “American Idol” programs. I would pay money to hear this guy sing right now, as he has the polished sheen of a professional performer, which is due to the fact that he IS a polished performer, who has appeared in “Wicked” on Broadway, among other gigs. As another interesting sidelight, you can find some interesting Youtube video footage of Allison Iraheto singing in Spanish. Check that out online before next week’s show.

So, for me, I’m doing better with my predictions, so far, this year. So is “American Idol”, as the attempt to vote Nick/Norman through by the online site “Vote for the Worst” failed.