What a difference 8 months makes. Last we saw American Idol, it had just completed its 9th season and was limping toward its 10th. The show was looking toward 2011 without its biggest star, Simon Cowell, who reportedly turned down an offer of over $130 million to stay. After failed  experiments with a famous star of dubious credentials (Ellen DeGeneres), and a no-name with bona fides (Kara DioGuardi) as judges, AI faced the daunting challenge of finding judges with credentials and star power. Well, at first blush, I think they succeeded.
On the surface, pairing an aging rock star with a movie star whose music career seems to be mostly behind her (no pun intended), seems odd. But if the premiere of year 10 is any indication, American Idolâs future and its reputation are in good hands, for this season at least. Steven Tyler brings the energy and indisputable credibility of experience that only 40 years of being a rock star can give. Jennifer Lopez brings knowledge and a certain sweetness and compassion to the show that I think was missing last year. Both of them have been stars for so long, that they donât have to prove anything to anyone and theyâre obviously comfortable in their own skins. This should prevent the show from slipping into the adolescent bickering that I think has hurt the show in recent seasons. (Unless Ryan Seacrest goes insane like he did a few times with Simon.) Yes, you need conflict for a show to stay interesting, but conflict can come from many different situations besides petty squabbling. I mean, the very format of the show creates conflict: every week contestants fight for their artistic lives out on that stage while the world watches.Â
The other thing that struck me while watching last night is that contestants will be hard pressed to tell a judge that they donât know what theyâre talking about. You know the ones, âYouâre wrong, I know Iâm a starâyou just canât see it.  People have been telling me all my life that Iâm a star.â Really? This is Steven Tyler youâre talking to; lead singer of Aerosmith, arguably Americaâs greatest rock band of all time. And Jennifer Lopez whoâs sold over 50 million albums in her career; a reigning movie star who has spent most of her adult life in the limelight. Now thatâs credibility. Throw in Randy Jackson, who heretofore has been the most legitimate musician of AIâs original judges, and youâve got quite a formidable panel. The addition of legendary record mogul and talent expert, Jimmy Iovine, as in-house mentor completes the talent evaluators for the show and brings back some much needed credibility.Â
The first stop for auditions for 2011 was in New Jersey just across the Hudson River from New York City. The Big Apple did not disappoint. 51 contestants were given the Golden Ticket to Hollywood. Idolâs concerted effort to make the show younger was evident. A number of teenagers were selected to move on. Most notable:Â
Kinsey Palmerâ15 year-old Performing Arts School student did a powerful take on a Carrie Underwood song.
Robbie Rosenâ16 year-old did Backstreet Boys take on the Beatlesâ âYesterdayâ.
Victoria Hugginsâapt last name. 16 year-old was the most huggable contestant of the night with her South Carolina twang. Belted âMidnight Train to Georgiaâ and won an early plane ride to California.   Â
My favorite who might even have a shot to win the whole thing:
Kinsey Palmerâhas the whole package: looks, personality, talent. Just needs a little more stage presence which will get worked on before the Hollywood phase.
Next stopâNew Orleans!
Itâs summer and that means there are tons of new releases from some of our favorite artists here at The Buzz. Hereâs whatâs new on The Buzz this week:
Misery by Maroon 5. First release from their upcoming c.d. âHands All Overâ which drops on September 21st. The band is attempting to forge new ground by adding Robert John âMuttâ Lange as producer. Lange produced Nickelbackâs âDark Horseâ to great effect. Lange, of course, produced some of the greatest albums of all time: AC/DCâs âBack In Blackâ, Def Leppardâs âPyromaniaâ and âHysteriaâ, and ex-wifeâs Shania Twainâs hits. Frankly, when I heard Lange was producing I was looking for something a little edgier from Maroon 5, but Misery hews true to their trademark sound. Adam Levineâs vocals are front and center in another jaunty blue-eyed soul ditty.
I Run To You by Lady Antebellum. This song has already been a huge hit at the Country format, and was actually the first single that Capitol Records released to the Pop format. When most radio stations did not respond to it, Capitol released Need You Now which has become the biggest hit at Pop stations so far in 2010. I thought I Run To You was a smash the first time I heard it, so Iâm glad weâre able to bring it to you now.Â
King Of Anything by Sara Bareilles. Bareilles proves that âLove Songâ wasnât a fluke, and she wonât be added to the long list of One Hit Wonders. (If âLove Songâ doesnât ring a bell, the full chorus line was âIâm not gonna write you a love song.â Remember now?) Bareillesâ voice is pure honey on this Pop gem. All the way down to the hand claps in the chorus, King Of Anything is one solid hook that will be rattling around in your head after the first time you hear it.
To get info on all the songs we play on The Buzz including bios, lyrics, and videos click the Playlist icon at 1053thebuzz.com.
No matter your opinion of American Idol, you gotta hand it to 'em, they know how to put on a show. Tonightâs Season 9 finale was a veritable cavalcade of stars, albeit some really old stars. From the showâs kickoff with Alice Cooper and âSchoolâs Outâ, to its final performance celebrity performance with Joe Cocker and âA Little Help From My Friendsâ it was basically one classic rock/oldies act after another. Check these out: Barry and Robin Gibb, Michael McDonald, Hall & Oates, and Chicago. Janet Jackson made a rare appearance, but even she hasnât had a hit in a long time. Christina Aguilera put on a stunning performance, which she always does. The best performance of the night was from Season 4 winner Carrie Underwood who blistered through her new single âUndo It.â
Dud of the night was Dane Cookâs lame segment.Â
The tribute to the departing Simon Cowell was poignant. It was very cool seeing most of the past Idol winners and top runners-up come back to honor him. (David Cook was conspicuously absent.) Paula Abdulâs monologue was a little awkward, but it added to the pathos of the moment. I, for one, am sad to see Simon go; itâs going to be hard to replace him.
Have to say that I was really disappointed in the outcome of this season. Crystal was clearly the more talented of the two finalists. Her performances the night before were leagues above Leeâs. But, as Iâve said all season, American Idol is a popularity contest, not a talent contest.Â
My final assessment of Season 9 remains unchanged from what it has been most of the year. This year was really weak. I began to lose interest when we got down to the Top 7 or so. Havenât decided whether Iâve got the intestinal fortitude to blog about it next seasonm; but, Januaryâs a long way off and by that time I might catch the Idol bug again.
I donât know that thereâs ever been such a mismatch in a final on American Idol. If last nightâs competition were a boxing match, Crystal Bowersox scored a final round knock-out of Lee DeWyze. And weâre not talking a TKO. This was a lights-out pile driver that sent Lee straight to the canvas.
But, itâs not a boxing match; itâs a talent competition and the result will be left up to the judges.
Each contestant sang three songs last night:
Song #1:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Contestantâs personal choice
Song #2:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Producer Simon Fullerâs choice
Song #3: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The contestants winning song, which would be released as their fist single.Â
Crystal deferred when she won the pre-show coin flip, so Lee was the first to perform. He and Crystal then alternated performances.Â
Lee still seemed like he was bored by the whole thing. His rendition of âThe Boxerâ was lackluster, and âEverybody Hurtsâ was a debacle. He really needed a homerun with his âwinningâ song, but it was a complete whiff. In Leeâs defense, the song chosen for him is not exactly stellar AND ITâS A REMAKE! âBeautiful Dayâ is a decent song, but it wasnât even that big of a hit for U2. Its lyrics are somewhat meandering and Lee mumbled his way through most of them. The judges even said he sounded lost.Â
From her initial performanceââMe And Bobby McGeeââyou knew it was Crystalâs night to shine. Her performance of âBlack Velvetâ wasnât outstanding, but the song suited Crystalâs bluesy style. Then there was her final performance. If ever a performer rose to the occasion, this was it. In the most stirring moment of the entire season, Crystal soared to the pinnacle of her talent on âUp To The Mountainâ.   THIS is how you rise to the challenge. And THIS is how you win American Idol.
This will be my shortest blog ever for American Idol, cuz there just ainât much to say about last nightâs snooze-fest.
Kara DioGuardi can rationalize the choice all day, but the fact remains that she and Randy Jackson essentially sabotaged any chance that Casey James had of winning Season 9 of American Idol. John Mayerâs âDaughtersâ is a fine song, but an anthem itâs not. With Caseyâs disastrous personal choice of âOK, Itâs All Rightâ by Eric Hutchinson (who?), he needed to finish strong with the judges' choice. Instead he all but guaranteed himself a 3rd-place finish tonight with his tepid performance of âDaughtersâ, and I blame Kara and Randy.
So, I think that Crystal Bowersox and Lee DeWyze are your A.I. finalists this year. Ho-hum.
Saw the ending coming a mile away.
Michael Lynche is out and weâre down to the Top 3. Notice I said âdownâ to the Top 3, as in the opposite of âupâ to the Top 3. Nothing great is going to come out of this season.Â
So, Crystal Bowersox, Lee DeWyze, and Casey James will be visiting their home towns this week. As a matter of fact, Casey is going to be live on Kidd Kraddick In The Morning tomorrow at 7:30 on 105.3 The Buzz. The American Idol cameras will be in tow.Â
Decent performances from former AI contestants Chris Daughtry and Fantasia, although Fantasiaâs voice is somewhat like Butterfly McQueenâs. (Butterfly McQueenâs big hit was âI Donât Know Nuthinâ âBout Birthinâ No Babies!â) Bon Jovi sang their new single âSuperman Tonightâ. Say what you will, Bon Joviâs best days are behind them and this song is hum-drum.
If youâre an American Idol contestant, your goal is to get into the Top 5. From that lofty position you should immediately proceed down the fast track to stardom. Right? Not this year. Last nightâs AI episode should have been called âGoldilocks and The Three Somnambulists.â These were the best movie songs available to sing? What a collection of forgettable performances. They oughta just call this year a draw and put America out of its misery Â
Are you beginning to see the light? Lee DeWyze is a flash in the pan. Now he just looks like heâs bored with the whole thing. And âKiss From A Roseâ? Quick! Name which movie itâs fromâand no googling. It was an add-on to the âBatman Foreverâ soundtrack. Sure it won the 1996 Grammy for Song Of The Year, but talk about sleepy. Lee was on pitch about one-third of the song and should be in the Bottom 2 tonight.  Â
What would possess Michael Lynche to pick a Michael Jackson song from âFree Willyâ of all things? That choice alone should get him sent home. Even had his performance been stellar, you knew he was going to get ridiculed by the judges. âMichael Jacksonâ and âFree Willyâ? I bet you can think of about 5 bad jokes right now. Thatâs what the whole thing was: a bad joke.  Â
Poor olâ Casey James. He gets to put a guitar back in his hands this week, and itâs Mini Me. (Easy joke there, too.) The judges spent more time laughing about Kara being Caseyâs Mrs. Robinson than they did evaluating his performance of the Simon and Garfunkel classic from
"The Graduate". Canât say that I blame them. Not much to talk about with Caseyâs performance.Â
Crystal Bowersox culminated the evening with a rousing performance from that all-time cinematic classic âCaddyshackâ. âSomebody step on a duck?â All I could think about when Crystal was performing âIâm Alrightâ was a dancing gopher.Â
The duets were good, but I was so bored by then I didn't care.  Â
Bottom Two
The only thing I know is that Crystal wonât be one of them. She was the only one awake by the end of the show.
Iâm finally starting to believe my wife. Sheâs been calling me an idiot for years, and after last night, her diagnosis is confirmed. I am an idiot! Iâm certainly not sane by Einsteinâs definition: continuing to do the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. Iâm idiotically insane because I keep expecting America to vote rationally on American Idol. Think about it. Casey James is in the Bottom 3 for two weeks in a row, and he doesnât even make the Bottom 2 last night; Michael Lynche, Sinatra Weekâs best performer, does; along with Aaron Kelly, who had one of the better performances Tuesday night. Ultimately, little Ed Norton, Jr., got the heave-ho.Â
Cathy, our wonderful receptionist, encapsulated the entire show this morning. She said, âThey paid Lady Gaga $250,000 for that?!â Yep, and for a lame remake of âLa Isla Bonitaâ at that.Â
American Idol is officially off the rails now. Tuesday nightâs audience of 17 million was the lowest since 2002. I, for one, am not inspired by any of the remaining contestants. But, as the intrepid blogger that I am, Iâll continue to slog through to the bitter end. Donât you know that Simon is just itching to be out of there? And it looks like just in time, too.
How I Rank Them (Idiot That I Am)
Lee DeWyze--Only because heâs the judges' pet.
Crystal Bowersox--By all rights should be the winner.
Casey James--Only because heâs so cuteâwhatever.
Michael Lynche--Still the most talented of the bunch.
Told you it was a crap shoot! The over-the-top finish that Siobhan Magnus did on âAny Man Of Mineâ was over the line for much of America. So, sheâs out and Little Edward Norton is still in. Heck, Aaron Kelly wasnât even in the Bottom 3. The only one I actually got right was Michael Lynche. This is the second time in as many weeks that Casey James has been in the Bottom #3, so he may be on his last leg. That means Casey may have one more âat the batâ next week.  Â
Incredible show last night with great performances by Lady Antebellum and a new âCountryâ act called Sons Of Sylvia. Sons Of Sylvia is a new band thatâs touring with Carrie Underwood and theyâre close cousins to Kings Of Leon. Have no idea why anybody would classify S.O.S. as âCountryâ, cuz they sound like the second coming of U2. I guess itâs because the lead singer held a fiddle the whole time he sang. He didnât even play it, but if youâve got a fiddle, dagnabbit, then yer Country. Yee-haw!Â
Rascal Flatts performed last night, too, but Gary Vox was not in his best vox. I donât know if there was a problem with his in-ear monitors or what, but he was pitchy, Dogg. Besides that, the guy creeps me out. He has what a psychologist would call âflat affect.â The dudeâs facial expression never changes. He never smiles, frowns, wincesânothinâ. Weird.
And did you notice how smoothly the show moves without the mind-numbing chatter of the judges?
Hereâs the Fab Five and how I rank âem on talent alone:
Crystal Bowersox
Michael Lynche
Casey James
Lee DeWyze
Aaron Kelly
Hereâs how I rank âem on how I think America will vote:
Now weâve got a horse race. Tim Urbanâs Teflon coating finally wore off, and he got stuck with the American Idol pink slip. He caught a break when he didnât have to sing himself off the show because of how long Idol Gives Back ran over. It was about 9:20 when the announcement was made, which meant that all the Gleeks missed the last half hour of the ensuing GLEE episode when they DVRâd it. (FOX got so much invective in the social media that they decided to re-run GLEE on Friday night.) Ryan Seacrest had said Tuesday night that the show would run long, so I allowed an extra half-hour for my recording and was able to catch all of Idol Gives Back. The highlight was the performance of âStairway To Heavenâ by an all-star band of Steve Vai and Orianthi on guitars, Travis Barker from Blink 182 on drums, A.I.âs Randy Jackson on bass, and the incomparable Mary J. Blige on the lead vocal. Mary J. is quite possibly the coolest person on the planet. Sheâs one of the few artists who can step between genres and perform each with authenticity and integrity. If youâve never heard her version of U2âs âOneâ, do yourself a favor and Google it right now. Carrie Underwood once again proved why she is the superstar that she is when she sang âChangeâ. Thatâs how you take ownership of a song. Carrie wrings every bit of emotion out of every song she sings. Canât wait to see her here in October. (BTWâTickets for Carrieâs concert at INTRUST Bank Arena go on sale Saturday.) Joss Stone and Jeff Beck blazed through âI Put A Spell On Youâ. Stone is todayâs preeminent Blues singer. Talk about an old soul; sheâs only 23 and she sings like sheâs lived decades of hard times and pain. Incredible.  As far as the other performances go--Black Eyed Peas were terrible, Elton John was so-so, and Alicia Keys was solid. George Lopezâ roasting of the judges was funny and on the money; and Wanda Sykesâ skewering of the whole Idol process was really good, too. Overall, I thought the show was excellent, but I do have an admission to make: I fast-forwarded through all the charity vignettes. Come onâyou did it too! Admit it!
I was pretty much dead wrong in my predictions yesterday. Itâs like the only time I didnât have Tim Urban getting the boot, and the one time I donât list him, he gets hosed. âBout time. Wasnât that surprised to see Aaron Kelly in the Bottom 3, but was pretty stunned when Casey James joined the bunch. Teflon Timâs finally gone. Look for him in a Brady Bunch revival coming to your town soon!Â
How I rank the remainder:
As Iâve said all along, as soon as Tim Urban is gone, weâll have some semblance of a competition on American Idol Season 9. After last nightâs performances though, Michael Lynche may get booted before Tim does. Hereâs my take on Inspiration Night:
Itâs obvious to me after last night that the judges just donât get Casey James. Theyâre always worried about his âconnectionâ to the song like heâs supposed to go all deep and emotional every time he performs. Theyâre over-thinking it. On Fleetwood Macâs âDonât Stopâ Casey sang great, he ripped up the guitar, and women swooned. Screams âRock Starâ to me.  Â
I also donât get why the judges fall all over themselves for Lee Dewyze. His performance of Simon and Garfunkelâs âThe Boxerâ was decent, but it wasnât epic like they made it sound. A lot of the song is âLie La Lieâ so heâs just singing a recurring refrain over and over again. Just like he did in âHey Judeâ which is all just âNah Nah Nah Na Na Na Nahâ. Whereâs the deepness in that?Â
Teflon Tim may just slide by again. His performance of âBetter Daysâ by Goo Goo Dolls was pitchy, but at least the song suited his ability as a singer. Thatâs contrary to the song that Michael chose which weâll get into in a bit.
Simon had an off night last night. He missed the boat on Casey and made a bone-headed observation about Aaron Kellyâs performance. After Aaron did a bang up job on R. Kellyâs âI Believe I Can Flyâ, Simon said, âIf I heard that song on the radio, Iâd turn it off.â That might be good advice in the early rounds of the competition, but at this point itâs not the point. In fact, Simon couldâve said that for virtually every one of the performances last night. Would you keep your radio on The Buzz if you heard Crystalâs version of âPeople Get Readyâ completely out of context? Youâd hit scan in a nanosecond. How did Aaron stack up against the rest of the competition is the real question; and the answer is he did just fine, thank you.
The show was running short on time at the end, and itâs largely due to Siobhan Magnusâ inability to speak coherently. She was trying to explain why she chose to sing Mariah Careyâs âWhen You Believeâ and only succeeded in convincing me that she doesnât exactly have both oars in the water. Her performance wasnât stellar, but sheâll be back next week.
Michael Lynche is in trouble tonight. He picked a song that didnât suit his ability, and although heâs immeasurably more talented than Teflon Tim, he may get the boot tonight. Michael sang âHeroâ by Chad Kroeger of Nickelback, and it just didnât work.
Crystal Bowersox knocked another one out of the park with a sublime rendition of Curtis Mayfieldâs âPeople Get Readyâ. Now, thatâs inspiration!          Â
And speaking of inspiration, canât wait to see Carrie Underwood, Black Eyed Peas, Sir Elton John, and Alicia Keys perform tonight on Idol Gives Back.
Your Bottom 3
Siobhan Magnus
Tim Urban
Michael Lynche
It pains me to say it, but I think Teflon Tim survives. There will be no reprieve for Michael tonight.
Adam Lambert once again proved why heâs the true American Idol from Season 8. Kris Allenâs a nice guy, but he will never electrify a stage like Adam. Adam is one daring performer. He makes those really high screeching notes sound effortless, but, trust me, theyâre not. You gotta have confidence that your voice wonât crack, because if it does, you end up sounding like a doofus. Adam nailed those notes in âWhataya Want From Meâ, making it the highlight of the evening.
My big question is, âWho told Justin Gaston he could sing?â (Probably his ex Miley Cyrus. Like sheâs an expert on singing.) On the other hand, Brooke White sounded better than she ever did when she competed on Season 7. The producers shouldâve just let her do a solo. As it was their duet on âIf I Can Dreamâ was a nightmare.
I canât brag too much about being correct in my prediction that Andrew Garcia and Katie Stevens would be the ones getting a ticket home. Based on their performances, they were the obvious choices. But, you never know with AI voters. It was heartening to hear that Michael Lynche wasnât even in the Bottom 3 after being saved last week.
Here are my rankings as we go into the round of 7:
I get Lennon and McCartney night. Most of their songs are timeless. But Elvis? Donât get me wrong, Elvis will always be the progenitor of rock ânâ roll. He started the rock revolution by bringing to white audiences what had heretofore been exclusively Black music. Most of us arenât old enough to remember how scandalous Elvis was to many Americans, especially in the segregated South. Frankly, Iâm glad I missed that shameful part of our history. All I can say is, âLong live rock ânâ roll!â But, letâs face it, most of Elvisâ music just isnât relevant anymore, outside of its historical context. So, for a show thatâs all about youth Pop culture to require its contestants to modernize these songs is a tall order. Last night could be the single worst night in American Idol history. It was that boring. The only bright spot was Adam Lambertâs expert coaching. Of the mentors so far this year, Adamâs criticisms were the most constructive.Â
Crystal Bowersox had the best performance of the night, largely because she performed an obscure Elvis movie song called âSavedâ. This was really smart because the audience has nothing to compare her version to. Again Crystal picked a song thatâs right in her wheelhouse and she solidified her position as the frontrunner.
Andrew Garcia turned âHound Dogâ into âWienie Dogâ. If this guy isnât gone tonight Iâll be surprised. âPutridâ was the first word that came to my mind last night.Â
Believe it or not, I donât think that Turban will be in the Bottom 3 tonight. King Cheesy picked the Kingâs cheesiest song, so it fit him like a glove. I know, I knowâ¦âCanât Help Falling In Love With Youâ is a classic. But, come on. These may be the cheesiest lines ever set to music:
 Like a river flows
Surely to the sea
Darling, so it goes
Some things are meant to be.
Iâm sure they were cool in 1961, but in 2010?
Lee Dewyze had another strong performance thanks to Adamâs tips. Lee looked like he was having fun singing âA Little Less Conversationâ. He turned what was probably the most dated song of the night into something almost relevant.
The judges gave Aaron Kelly a hard time about being less than convincing on âBlue Suede Shoesâ, but they missed the point altogether. Any 16-year old doing that song is not going to be convincing. There hasnât been anything like that song in popular culture since The Stray Cats in the â80âs, which Aaronâs parents are almost too young to remember. Perfect case in point for why Elvis should be banned from AI forever.
Call me crazy, but I loved Siobhan Magnusâ take on âSuspicious Mindsâ. I donât care if it sounded like two different songs. The judges thought that was a problem, because? Would they say the same thing about Queenâs âBohemian Rhapsodyâ? I think there are four or five songs in that one. I almost always agree with Simon, but he got this one wrong.
I hoped someone would do my favorite Elvis song. (Yes, I have one.) Mac Davisâ âIn The Ghettoâ remains to this day one of the most poignant songs ever written and Elvis gave it the most heartfelt, mournful vocal of his career. Michael Lynche did it proud. I just donât think that it will resonate with the Idol audience. The song was especially apt when it was released in 1969, but the word âghettoâ has been out of our vernacular since the â70âs.  Â
Katie Stevens sang âBaby, What Do You Want Me To Do?â Well, Katie youâre cute as a button, but I want you to go home.Â
The Wizard Of Oz had its Tin Man. American Idol has its Wood Man. His name is Casey James. Could he have been any less excited to sing âLawdy, Miss Clawdyâ? If he doesnât show some emotion, Casey is going to be running third behind Crystal and Lee.
Hereâs how I rank âem from last night:
Crystal Bowersox
Lee Dewyze
Michael Lynche
Siobhan Magnus
Tim Urban
Aaron Kelly
Casey Jame
Katie Stevens
Andrew Garcia
Two people are going to be ousted tonight, since Michael was saved last week. Hereâs who I think should be going home:
Andrew GarciaKatie Stevens
Notice that I said âshould beâ. Iâm offering my opinion as if American Idol were a talent show. Silly me.
If before last nightâs episode you were still one of the naïve few who thought that American Idol was a talent contest, you now know that you were delusional. (Actually, if you still thought AI was a talent contest, then you must have started watching the show after season 6. That was the Sanjaya season.)  American Idol is a popularity contest, and the general public has no clue as to what true talent is. Talent is a gift, and so is the ability to recognize it. Thatâs why there are people like Simon Cowell who make millions of dollars discovering talent simply because they know it when they see it. If this were a talent contest Tim Urban would no longer be on the show. The fact that he wasnât even in the Bottom 3 last night was preposterous. The single most talented person on the show was booted last night, but thankfully, the people that do know true talent saved him. The judges used their one save of the season to rescue Michael Lynche. Michael was in the Bottom 3 with Andrew Garcia and Aaron Kelly. If you caught my blog yesterday I predicted that Andrew and Aaron would be in the Bottom 3; they just should have been there with Tim, not Michael.Â
To prove my point that true talent is a rare commodity, I offer up Jason Derulo. Derulo is a testament to what outstanding production can do for an artist. His voice is weak and his dancing is a cheap imitation of Michael Jackson. Moonwalkâcheck. Flourish with a gloved fistâcheck. Finish words with âCha!ââcheck. The only thing he didnât do was go âHeee!â and grab his crotch.Â
Donât quite know what Rihanna was doing. Sheâs a rock star? I donât think so.Â
David Archuleta from Season 7 returned to the Idol stage to cap off Lennon & McCartney week with âImagineâ. David still doesnât have much stage presence, but thereâs no denying he has one of the purest, sweetest voices around.Â
My new prediction? Tim Urban wins American Idol and goes on to star in the Broadway production of Glee. Fox would love that, wouldnât they?
Fox is trying to milk every bit of viewership they can out of Idol. That was not a two-hour show last night. There was way too much of nothinâ going on including blathering judges and a cameo on-stage appearance by a hecklerânow thatâs entertainment! And Iâve come to the realization that Ryan Seacrest is basically a second-rate host. If AI werenât the juggernaut that it is, he would not be helping the show at all. His bantering with Simon is petty and heâs got zero charisma. Contrast what he does with Jeff Probst of âSurvivorâ or Tom Bergeron on âDancing With The Starsâ. No comparison. Now, back to our show. Surely this is the week that Tim Urban gets the boot. But, who knows. And stop calling me Shirley.
I said yesterday on the air that Adam Lambert was going to be the mentor for this week, but I got my wires crossed. He wonât be on until next week. They actually didnât even have a mentor this week.Â
Last night was Lennon and McCartney night, and Katie Stevens and Casey James had breakout performances. Hereâs my take on each performance in its order of appearance:
Aaron Kellyâs act is wearing thin. I even predict that heâll be in the Bottom 3 tonight. To put it short and sweet, âThe Long And Winding Roadâ was straight-out boring.
Finally Katie Stevens displayed why she made it to the Top 24 in the first place. She seemed much more confident in her ability and belted out a strong version of âLet It Beâ. I certainly liked her version better that Kris Allenâs whiny version a few weeks ago. She might not even be in the Bottom 3 this week which would be a big break for her.
Andrew Garciaâs corny version of âCanât Buy Me Loveâ bought him a ticket back to the Bottom 3 again this week.Â
Whether he wins American Idol or notâand I donât think he will--Michael Lynche is undoubtedly the most multi-faceted talent in this competition. Big Mike can handle every thing form R&B, to Pop, to Broadway with aplomb. Loved his Broadway-esque take on âEleanor Rigbyâ. The song lends itself to melodrama, so I think it was entirely appropriate, contrary to what Simon said about it.
Didnât love her version of âCome Togetherâ by Crystal Bowersox, but at this point sheâs got first or second locked up so it doesnât really matter what she does.
Then thereâs Tim Urban. And again I say, âGimme a break.â I didnât think it was possible to make a 60âs song sound even older, but I could see Potsie singing Timâs version of âAll My Lovinââ on Happy Days. Talk about cheese! It had more than a chili dog at Arnoldâs!
Casey James is the man! The man to beat in this competition, anyway. âStudlyâ delivered his breakout performance of the competition, channeling Bob Seger on John Lennonâs âJealous Guyâ.Â
I love Siobhan Magnus. Sheâs quirky and bold. Who else would try to sing âAcross The Universeâ as a soaring diva ballad? The phrasing alone on the song is almost impossible to pull off, and Siobhan did it admirably. Problem is, sheâs just too weird to win.
Lee Dewyze rivals Casey in talent, but ultimately I donât think he has the charisma to win. âHey Judeâ was a bad song choice. The song quickly devolves into âNaaah Naaah Naaah Na-na-na-naahâ and when the bagpipe player came down the stairs it was just too much. I give this one a big raspberry.
Hereâs how I rank âem this week:
Casey James
Michael Lynche
Crystal Bowersox
Siobhan Magus
Katie Stevens
Lee Dewyze
Andrew Garcia
Aaron Kelly
Tim Urban
Next week the show cuts back to an hour-and-a-half which is still too long for 8 contestants. Expect much filler.
Finally! I actually got it right. Nailed the bottom 3, and as I feared, Di Di Benami is out. Sheâs one of the sweetest, cutest contestants ever, but sweet and cute can only take you so far. Thatâs why Tim Urban is next, soon to be followed by Katie Stevens. Did you see Ruben Studdard? He lost like a whole person. Still hear that heâs a huge prima donna, though. Where that comes from I donât know. Heâs never even had a hit! He needs to take a few lessons from Usherâtalent to burn, and one of the true class acts in show biz.
You gotta figure Tim or Katie is out next week, though if Andrew Garcia regresses back to Bad Andrew, he could be in trouble, too.Â
What do you think?
I think this season of American Idol is salvageable. The talent of the Top 24 has been the worst in the showâs history. But as soon as the four remaining pretenders are gone, we might have a real competition between some real talents. You know who the 4 pretenders are: Didi Benami, Katie Stevens, Andrew Garcia, and Tim Urban, andnot necessarily in that order.
Last nightâs breakout performance was by Lee Dewyze. Siobhan Magnus made her first misstep, and Di Di crashed and burned. Hereâs a rundown of the performances in the order they occurred:
SiobhanMagnus has been one of the most consistent contestants throughout the Top 24 competition. She sang Chaka Khanâs âThrough The Fireâ which for some reason has become a modern classic, and I canât quite figure out why. Itâs one of those sappy Roland-keyboard-heavy numbers that were so prevalent in the mid-80âs, and there were many others during that time that were much better. It peaked at #60 on the Billboard Hot 100, and at #15 on the R&B charts, which means it wasnât even a hit. So Siobhan tackled a mediocre song originally sung by an incredible singer and the confluence of those two events conspired to spell her doom. She made things worse by reacting poorly to the lambasting she took from the judges--she tried to argue with Simon and then pouted as the show went to commercial. She continued to mope after the break when the cameras went behind the scenes into the green room. Somebody call a waaaambulance!
Casey James had a breakout performance with his rendering of Sam & Daveâs classic âHold On, Iâm Cominâ.â He wasnât as wooden as he has been in previous shows, and showed tremendous control and grit with his vocals. Simon was right when he said that Casey has a ways to go in his on-stage development, but Iâm going to go out on a limb and say that he ends up in the final two of the competition. The guyâs simply got the goods, and heâll only get better with experience.
Michael Lynche went back to his strength and shed the kitschy image he had portrayed in his last two performances. I had never heard India Arieâs âReady For Loveâ prior to Michaelâs performance last night, but checked it out on You Tube this morning. Michaelâs rendition is a spot-on duplication of the original, but thereâs no denying that he can deliver a heartfelt, poignant song. Still donât think heâll win, but this performance didnât hurt him.
Poor Di Di Benami. Her lack of range is now painfully obvious. If it isnât something she can turn into a Sixpence None The Richer sound-alike, then sheâs completely lost. âWhat Becomes Of The Brokenheartedâ was a disaster. I can answer the songâs question for DiDiâthey get booted off the show. Maybe even this week.Â
Tim Urban. Gimme a break. The guy is a complete joke. Heâs in the Bottom 3 for sure, and with any luck, heâll be gone tonight.
Andrew Garcia completely surprised me. After picking him in the Bottom 3 for just about every show, I donât think heâll be there tonight. He was finally able to recapture the magic that he brought to his seminal performance of âStraight Upâ during Hollywood Week. He reworked Chris Brownâs âForeverâ into a classic R&B song and heâll live to fight another day.Â
Itâs the Bottom 3 for Katie Stevens again this week. Her vocals on Arethaâs âChain Of Foolsâ were OK, but she just looked silly trying to be all sexy and sultry. Sheâs just too sweet to pull that off. Sheâs adorable, but sheâs also not going to make it.
Even though he still has that deer-in-the-headlights look, Lee Dewyze made his finest showing to date. He was finally able to let down his guard enough to render a scorching version of the classic Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose tune, âTreat Her Like A Ladyâ. Now if he could just connect his voice with the rest of his body into a cohesive performing unit, heâd have it made. Still looks like he doesnât quite know what heâs doing up there.
I applaud Crystal Bowersox for stepping out of her comfort zone. She shed the guitar and sat down at the piano for the start of Glady Knight and The Pipsâ âMidnight Train To Georgiaâ. And even though she looked a little out of her element when she stood up to finish the song, she still managed to pull it off. I agree with Simon thoughâshe doesnât really need to prove that she has other facets to her performing repertoire. She can make a living off of doing what sheâs already proved she can do in the competition. Why mess with a good thing?
Itâs to the point now that if I ever hear âAinât No Sunshineâ on American Idol again, Iâm going to change the channel. Somebody should have told Aaron Kelly to stay away from that song. Itâs been done to death, and much better, e.g. Kris Allenâs performance from Season 8. Still, he definitely didnât hurt himself and heâll be back next week.
MY BOTTOM 3Katie StevensDiDi BenamiTim Urban
If thereâs any justice in the world itâll be the dreadful Tim Urban, but the girls think heâs cute, so who knows. And you thought this was a talent competition!Â
You can take the girl off the Disney Channel, but you canât take the Disney Channel off the girl. Mylie Cyrus'/Hannah Montana's performance last night on American Idol was certainly animatedâlike a straight-to-DVD cartoon movie. Despite her protestations to the contrary, Mylie Cyrus is a product, and one of the most smartly marketed products ever. How do you promote your new movie that just happens to be opening in theaters on March 31st? Well, you get a slot as a mentor on the #1 TV show in America. Never mind that your qualifications as a singing coach are somewhat dubious. Now, teaching young girls how to dress and act inappropriately for their age? At that you excel. But I digress. So, Mylie starts off at the piano singing âWhen I Look At Youâ from her new movie âThe Last Songâ in that unusually husky voice of hers. OK, Iâm starting to buy inâa little. Then Hannah takes over. When the guitarist ârips into the guitar soloâ Hannah starts "banging her head". âLook America, Iâm not Hannah. Iâm Mylie and I can rock. No, really, I can rock! Look, I got hair extensions and everything!â Hannah, honey, itâs a BALLADâfrom a teeny-bopper movie. And Mylie certainly does not rock. Now, âParty In The U.S.Aâ, I believe. At least thatâs pure, honest commercialism. Trying to sell yourself as a true rockinâ artist is pure baloney.
Oh, by the way Paige Miles got the axe last night. Shocker. The only thing shocking was that Andrew Garcia wasnât in the bottom three. His place was taken by Katie Stevens. Tim Urban was in there, too, as predicted. So hereâs how I rank the Top Ten going into next weekâs round:
During Kidd Kraddickâs interview this morning with Adam Lambert, Kellie Rasberry asked the question thatâs been foremost in my mind during this season of American Idol. âWhy are the contestants having such trouble picking songs that most suit their talent and give them the best chance to win?â (Or something like that.) Adam said that part of the problem is that contestants can only choose from songs that have been properly licensed and cleared for performance. Then thereâs the added pressure from producers who want songs that will resonate with viewers. Whatever the reason, the songs from the last few weeks have been so mediocre that Season 9 may go down as the worst ever on American Idol. 5 of the last 11 contestants have no chance of winning, and there is not a break-out star in the bunch. Last nightâs theme was Billboard Hot 100 #1âs. Here are the performances in chronological order with my take on âem:
I found it ironic that Lee Dewyze performed The Box Topsâ classic âThe Letterâ just one week after their lead singer died. Alex Chilton was only 16 when he sang âThe Letterâ, and he passed away March 17th at the age of 59. Chilton is regarded my many artists as one of Americaâs most influential rock musicians. Dewyze is no Chilton, but at least he didnât have that deer-in-the-headlights look as bad as he had in previous weeks.
Paige Miles is one of those suffering from bad song choices. I still think sheâs having problems with her voice, but that still doesnât excuse her horrendous performance of âAgainst All Oddsâ. âPitchyâ doesnât even begin to describe it.Â
Would somebody please tell me why Tim Urban is still on this show? His performance of Queenâs âCrazy Little Thing Called Loveâ was like watching one of those horribly contrived Brady Bunch musical numbers. Come to think of it, with that hairdo, Urban is a dead ringer for Bobby Brady!Â
With each week Aaron Kelly keeps getting better and better. Even with a touch of laryngitis, his version of Aerosmithâs âI Donât Want To Miss A Thingâ was one of the best performances of the evening.
Crystal Bowersox is the one contestant that has consistently picked songs that are perfect for her. Kris Kristoffersonâs masterpiece âMe And Bobby McGeeâ never sounded better. Janis Joplin wouldâve been proud. The only thing she lacks is charisma. Where Janis was raw emotion, Crystal is yeoman workmanship.Â
I donât completely agree with the judges on their assessment of Michael Lyncheâs rendition of Percy Sledgeâs âWhen A Man Loves A Woman.â It may have been a tad loungey, but I liked how he pulled back and didnât belt it out like itâs usually done. Remember Michael Bolton wailing all the way through his version? Iâd take Lyncheâs more delicate approach any day.
Andrew Garcia is gone sooner or later. He sang âHeard It Through The Grapevineâ in military cadence. âDonâtâYouâKnowâIâHeardâItâThroughâTheâGrapeâVineâHupâTwoâThreeâFourâ. Abominable.
The innate talent that I thought Katie Stevens had doesnât appear as if itâs going to materialize. She shows none of the power she exhibited in her audition, and she seems like a fish out of water. She sounded like she was singing âBig Girls Donât Cryâ at a school assembly. Sheâll be gone soon.Â
With just a little more animation Casey James could have a chance to win this thing. Heâs got the whole packageâgood voice, great looks, killer guitar licksâbut he looks like heâs having about as much fun as he would at the dentistâs office. His performance of Huey Lewisâ âThe Power Of Loveâ rocked harder than the original, I only wish Casey acted like he really believed what he was doing. He just doesnât seem engaged.Â
Didi Benami is the most charming contestant on the show; sheâs just not a great performer. Though her performance of âYouâre No Goodâ was cute, it was contrived. Unless she does something spectacular, and soon, sheâll be gone in the next couple of weeks.Â
"Superstitionâ wasnât her best performance, but Siobhan Magnus is still a strong title contender. She certainly has a voice that could crack a mirror, but she needs to rely less freely on that screech that she does in every song. Iâd like to see her do a straight ahead rock song like Heartâs âBarracudaâ. That would be right in her wheelhouse.
Hereâs how I rank the performances last night, though itâs anybodyâs guess as to who gets the boot. Â There are 5 solid candidates for that honor.
So, what is up with Ryan Seacrest? Looks like his ego is getting the better of him. Surely the producers arenât telling him to get into these confrontations with Simon, are they? I guess it ramps up the conflict and gets people talking, but it just makes me squirm. And then Ryan ticked off everybody on the West Coast when he tweeted right after the East Coast show and revealed who got voted off. The result was that American Idol had itâs lowest watched regularly scheduled in-season showâEVER! I donât care who you are, you canât do that and not catch some serious flak from the muckety-mucks. That kind of stunt could cost FOX millions in advertising revenue! We might hear more about this as the days go by. I think it just shows that Mr. Seacrest may be short a few synapses in the cerebral cortex, if you know what I mean.Â
Two of my picks yesterday for the bottom three were correctâLacey Brown and Tim Urban. I can understand Paige Milesâ inclusion in this bunch, but I still think she has a lot more upside than Andrew Garcia. Letâs face it--Andrewâs still living off the one performance of âStraight Upâ. He hasnât topped it and I donât think he will.Â
Final result? Lacey gets the boot.
If you haven't heard my interview with Kris Allen, click here.
This week the finalists are cut to 11 as we enter the long home stretch of American Idol Season 9. It was Rolling Stones week. Donât know if itâs because of performance rights negotiations or what, but the producersâ choices of really old bands like the Stones are ironic because theyâre the favorite bands of some of these contestantâs grandparents.Â
Here are my evalutions in performance order:
Simonâs critique of Michael Lyncheâs âMiss Youâ was dead-on, as usual. (Simon consistently has the most constructive criticism of all the judges.) Michaelâs dancing was indeed âcornyâ. My wife liked it, but one of her favorite artists of all time is Barry Whiteânuff said. Oh, and the singing was---whatever. A far cry from last weekâs slam dunk.
Didi Benami was at the bottom a couple of times early in the competition, but sheâs safe this week after her performance of âPlay With Fireâ which is a really obscure Stones song Iâd never even heard before. She struggled with the awkward lyrics, some of which are arcane references to London landmarks. Way too British for an all-American girl.Â
Loved Casey Jamesâ take on âItâs All Over Nowâ, but I think Simon nailed it. Heâs just a guy with a guitar standing on a stage. Sure, he can play; but there are thousands of great guitar players in this country who will never be stars. Caseyâs eventually got to have that âmomentâ or he wonât win. Unless, of course, only women are allowed to vote.
Ellen had one of the best lines of the night when she told Lacey Brown that because of her fondness for sitting on the edge of things she should not visit the Grand Canyon. Once again, Lacey sat down on the edge of the steps and did a ho-hum version of a song. This time it was âRuby Tuesdayâ. Good song choice, but lackluster performance.
Andrew Garcia tried to break out of singular-caper equine territory with a soulful take on âGimme Shelterâ but he was like a Shetland out of his pasture.Â
Youâd think that with her obvious talent Katie Stevens is bound to have a breakout week at some point. Sheâd better do it fast; her version of âWild Horsesâ was way too tame.
Tim Urban. Who?
Like I said on Friday, I look forward to every one of Siobhan Magnusâ performances, and last night she didnât disappoint. Simon has been talking all season about having âa momentâ where your star quality shines through, and Siobhan had a blazing moment with âPaint It Blackâ. She started off in dulcet tones, crescendoed into a raking screech, and then pulled it back to a silky sultriness all in a minute-and-a-half. By far the best performance of the night. Sheâs an odd duck, but with her supple voice and interpretive gift she can make any song her own.Â
I caught a glimpse of the great voice the judges have been ascribing to Lee Dewyze during this competition. âBeast Of Burdenâ has never been one of my favorite Stonesâ tunes, but Leeâs decision to take it acoustic really worked for him. He showed more vocal range and emotion than in previous appearances. Still, I keep thinking, âBeen there, done thatâ.
I knew Paige Miles was sick! I had commented to a couple of people around the office that she sounded hoarse when she was singing âSmileâ last week. It was revealed last night that she has been battling laryngitis which explains why she struggled last week with what is basically a simple song to sing. She battled back this week with a strong performance of âHonky Tonk Womenâ.Â
Aaron Kelly (aka Little Edward Norton) was a little less creepy last night. âAngieâ was the perfect song for him. Itâs one of Mick Jaggerâs best vocals, and Aaron did a nice interpretation.
Crystal Bowersox did the exact same song she did last week, or at least thatâs what it sounded like. Sheâs going to have to change it up some or sheâll be moving into one-trick pony territory.
So, hereâs how I rank âem, strictly on last night's peformance.Â
Siobhan Magnus
Lee Dewyze
Crystal Bowersox
Casey James
Aaron Kelly
Michael Lynche
Didi Benami
Paige Miles
Katie Stevens
Lacey Brown
Andrew Garcia
Tim Urban
The last two are a toss-up, and I wonât be sad to see either one of âem go.
Predicting who the American public will vote for on American Idol is a foolâs game. After Tuesday nightâs performance there is no logical reason why Paige Miles is still in it. Her rendition of âSmileâ by Charlie Chaplin was one of the most abysmal performances EVER in the round of 16. On the menâs side, Andrew Garcia has no star potential whatsoever. Like Kara said this week, he peaked in the Hollywood auditions when he did âStraight Upâ. His attempt to turn another female Pop song, âGenie In A Bottleâ, into a cool acoustic interpretation seemed like an act of desperation.  âHey, you really liked âStraight Upâ, so hereâs another Pop song just like it. Donât you like this one, too? Donât ya? Please?â  Pathetic.Â
Turns out that I wasnât that far off in my predictions, as I had named KatelynEpperly and Lilly Scott as possible boot-ees. They both were shown the door last night. Katelynâs wooden performance of âI Feel The Earth Moveâ obviously didnât move anybody. I feared that Lillyâs song choice might do her in. âI Fall To Piecesâ is just too old and her take on it was too kooky. Still, one of them should still be in the competition because itâs a joke that Paige is still in. And I picked her to win the whole thing!
Song choice probably did Alex Lambert in, as well. That âTroubleâ song sounds like something from Hee-Haw. âGloom despair and agony on meâ¦.â And my gut was right on Todrick Hall (see yesterdayâs blog). Thereâs just something inauthentic about him. And in the Hollywood team competitions he came off as petty and catty which canât have helped him.Â
So, hereâs your Top 12 and how I rank âem, like that means anything. Whatâs your ranking? Would love to see your comments below.
Michael LyncheâHe and Crystal Bowersox are in a dead heat at this point.
Crystal BowersoxâSee above.
Siobhan MagnusâCanât wait to see what she does next. Best singer in the competition.
Lee DewyzeâI donât get this guy at all, but the judges love him.
Casey JamesâHis movie star good looks and guitar playing are what keep him in the chase. Certainly isnât his singing.
Aaron KellyâCreepy Edward Norton rides again.
Katie StevensâI think sheâs going to have a break-out performance next week; I know itâs in her. If she doesnât, she may be out.
Paige MilesâIf she can get back to her up-tempo, belting ways she could be in the Top 10, at least.
Tim UrbanâWhoâda thunk it? From afterthought to the Top 12. Even heâs surprised.
Didi BenamiâGot back in the competition with her excellent version of âRhiannonâ. Donât know if she can pull off two in a row.
Lacey BrownâSheâs adorable and talented, but her performances have been erratic.Â
I take back what I said earlier this AI season. Two things, actually. I had said that the winner this year would be a woman because the men were so lame. I also said that Michael Lynche didnât have a chance to win; not because of his talent, but because he is so burly and imposing. After last nightâs performance of âThis Womanâs Workâ, not only did Michael throw down the gauntlet for the men, but he also staked his clam to be the rightful heir to Luther Vandross. High praise, yes, but it was absolutely one of the best performances on American Idolâever.  Â
THE GOOD
Todrick HallâHis performance of Queenâs âSomebody To Love was, as Simon said, made for Broadway; but, thatâs not a bad thing. Just donât know if heâs stand-out enough to make it.
Tim UrbanâIâve thought all along that this guy was a joke, but gotta give him props on Leonard Cohenâs âHallelujahâ. The songâs been done to death, though.
THEÂ SO-SO
 Andrew GarciaâHis âI-Can-Turn-Teeny-Bopper-Dance-Songs-Into-Acoustic-Dittiesâ act has worn thin.Â
Lee DewyzeâReally? Do we need another gravelly voiced male singer on the radio?
Casey James--If I were a psychologist judging his performances, I'd say that Casey exhibits a flat affect. Absolutely no emotion. Sings like he's made of wood.
BUH-BYEAndrew Garcia for sure. Lee Dewyze or Casey James would be my other pick, but it just might be Todrick Hall.
I have a theory as to why Idol is so lame this year. Thereâs a reason why there are only a handful of true music superstars. As simplistic as it may sound, itâs because thatâs all there is. There is only one Celine Dion. There's only one Billy Joel. Thereâs only one U2. Thereâs a couple of Kelly Clarksons and maybe a couple of Carrie Underwoods, but thatâs it. Sure, there are talented people in the world.  Itâs intriguing to believe that there is an endless supply of Susan Boyles out there just waiting to be discovered. But the truth is superstar talent is rare. So, after 8 consecutive seasons I believe that the sea of superstar talent in the US has been fished dry--for now anyway.  Â
Last night the women brought us another pedestrian show as a couple of contestants walked through their performances.Â
FRONTRUNNERS
Crystal BowersoxâContinues to be the class act of this show.
Siobhan MagnusâWeird duck though she may be, sheâs the best singer in the competition.
PEDESTRIANS
Katie StevensâPreviously one of my favorites, but she has faltered in the last few weeks. I thought Kelly Clarksonâs âRunawayâ would be right in her wheelhouse, but au contraire. Yawn.
Katelyn EpperleyâTalkinâ about a walk-through. If she was feeling anything on âI Feel The Earth Moveâ you certainly couldnât tell.
REBOUNDERS
Lacey BrownâThis was Laceyâs first truly good performance since she got to the Top 24. Her problem is that the only style she seems able to do competently is âSixpence None The Richer.â I donât think thatâs going to get her much farther.
Didi BenamiâSee Lacey Brown.
DONâT KNOW WHAT TO THINK
           Lilly CoxâHer performance of âI Fall To Piecesâ was spotty, and I really didnât like it. Donât know what the public at large will think, but at least sheâs taking risks.
BUH-BYE
Paige MilesâIn our in-office pool that started when the Top 24 were announced, I picked Paige to win the whole thing. Her earliest performances displayed powerful vocals and a comfortable stage presence. But the last two weeks did her in. Last nightâs version of Charlie Chaplinâs âSmileâ was BRUTAL.
Katie, Katelyn, or LillyâI guess picking three is a little bit of a cop-out, but they each have their strong points. Katie and Katelyn could survive because theyâre both adorable. Lilly comes off as a little kooky, so that may not help her even though her performance was better than the other two.
Three out of four ainât bad. My predictions were 75% accurate. Haeley Vaughn is goneâFINALLY! John Park has been, well, parked. Jermaine Sellers is not a happy feller. Theyâre all out. But I really didnât see Michelle Delamorâs ouster coming. That was kind of a shocker. I bet she gets a second chance though, as the judges will be giving a couple of dispatched contestants another try.Â
One of my favorites from last year performed last night. Danny Gokey, as predicted, is putting out a Country album, but I was nonplussed by his first single, âMy Best Days Are Ahead Of Meâ.Â
Hereâs whoâs left and how I rank them:
Crystal Bowersox
Michael Lynche
Katelyn Epperley
Katie Stevens
Casey James
Siobhan Magnus
Paige Miles
Aaron Kelly
Lilly Scott
Todrick Hall
Alex Lambert
Andrew Garcia
Didi Benami
Lee Dewyze
Lacey Brown
Tim Urban
I am really looking forward to next week. Not for the performances, but because the show's are only going to be one hour! Those two hour shows filled with complete mediocrity were just too much.
Well, it wasnât worse, is all I can say. Thatâs not saying much. The girls were decidedly less than scintillating last night. This crop of Idol hopefuls is turning out to be lackluster.Â
There were a couple of outstanding performances:
Crystal BowersoxâOf all the contestants, Crystal is displaying the most raw, natural talent. Her belting of CCRâs âLong As I Can See The Lightâ was effortless. She isnât awed in the slightest by the big stage, and looks like she belongs there. Donât know how much of a market there is for bluesy female singers these days, but thereâs always one in every AI competition. Could Crystal be the one to finally break through? Iâd lay even odds on it.
Siobhan MagnusâSimon nailed it when he called her a strange little person. Iâm not sure if sheâs strange or if her elevator doesnât go all the way to the top. When she was taking her criticism from the judges, she spoke up to respond to something Kara said. At that point the camera flashed to Siobhanâs mother and she had this look of apprehension on her face that said, âOh, pleeeez donât say anything stupid.â All that aside, this girl can WAIL! She was dressed like a high school kid from the â50âs, and she launched into a scorching version of Aretha Franklinâs âThinkâ. Donât know what the public is going to make of her in the long run, but simply based on talent, Siobhanâs a contender.
One To WatchKatelyn EpperlyâThis girl from West Des Moines has serious talent. If she can realize how good she is before the competition ends, she could walk away with the crown. Sheâs got the look, the smile, the self-composure. She just needs to exude confidence on stage.
Whoâs OutHaeley VaughnâThis has got to be the week. Talk about bad karaoke! Her version of âThe Climbâ was execrable. She needs to go home and have a slumber party with her Miley Cyrus wannabe friends.
Didi BenamiâShe almost didnât make it last week, and her performance of âLean On Meâ wasnât strong enough to save her this week. Itâs a shame, cuz I think she really can sing. She just keeps picking the wrong songs.
Iâm gonna go out on a limb and say that Lilly Scott didnât help herself last night. The judges loved her version of Sam Cookeâs âA Change Is Gonna Comeâ, but I thought it was boring and annoying. The song is just not going to resonate with the average AI viewer.
Who do you thinkâs gonna get the heave-ho tonight?
It may be a little early in the competition for predictions, but Iâm gonna be bold and make one. A girl is going to win, because the guys are totally LAME! Watching last nightâs performances was painful! Watching a quilting bee would be more exciting.Â
The only really interesting performance was the first one of the night. Michael Lynche did a surprisingly strong rendition of James Brownâs âItâs A Manâs World.â
Front-runner Casey James turned into a zombie on Gavin Degrawâs âI Donât Want To Beâ.
Alex Lambert came out of his shell and actually did a respectable version of John Legendâs âEverybody Knowsâ. If he keeps growing with every performance, he might be in the Top 10.
WHOâS OUTJermaine SellersâHe managed to take a classic and turn it into pabulum. Donât see how he can survive two awful performances in a row.
Toss Up:John ParkâIâm not a fan of John Mayer anyway, but Park's version of "Gravity" had absolutely none.
Tim UrbanâItâs only a matter of time before Tim gets the boot.  Heâs a karaoke guy at best, but his looks and smile will get him some female votes.      Â
The girlâs will undoubtedly be better tonight. The bar is so low that they couldnât do worse if they tried.
I've been a Program Director in music radio for quite a few years. Iâm pretty good at spotting a hit song and/or talented artist that will resonate with just about everybody. I mean, thereâs a reason why we call them âhitsââthey hit with everyone around the country, and often, around the world. When I watch American Idol, I must be clueless, cuz I completely missed on the first eliminations out of the Top 24. What I wanna know is, âWho the heck are the people who vote in this thing?!â
 Ashley Rodriguez gets the boot over Haeley Vaughn? Are you kidding me? Just watching Vaughn talk is annoying enough, but listening to her sing? A bleating sheep would be better.
And Simon was spot on when he said that they made the right decision on Tim Urban in the first place. Joe Munoz wasnât going to go all they way, but he was way better than Urban. Those who donât sing do not realize how hard it is to sing a Jason Mraz song, which Munoz did admirably. But he gets voted off instead of a hack like Urban? What a joke.
Tyler Grady was the other guy to get the boot, and I canât say that I disagree. Alex Lambert who was in the bottom two with Grady will be the next to go.
Janell Wheeler was the second gal to go. Her shaky rendition of Heartâs âWhat About Loveâ did her in.
After the first eliminations, my frontrunners are Paige Miles and Casey James. Paige has the best voice in the competition and Casey has the most star potential.
Please, oh, please, can we get Haeley Vaughn off the show? Please? Anyone? Can you help a brotha out?
Bummer! I was really looking forward to the Top 12 guys performing last night on AI, especially since the gals were so uninspiring the night before. Alas, it was not to be. Not one single performance was a barn burner. A couple were downright pathetic.
 Best of the Blah
Casey JamesâKaraâs gushing aside, the guyâs the real deal. I closed my eyes during a replay of the video, and swore I could hear Bob Seger singing âHeavenâ by Bryan Adams. Heâll definitely be in the Top 10 and on the tour this summer.
Joe MunozâHeâs not going to win by any stretch of the imagination, but heâs a good singer who did a commendable job with Jason Mrazâs âYou And I Bothâ. Anybody that would even try to cover that song has my respect.
 On The Bubble
Alex LambertâPainful to watch. He was so uncomfortable he looked like a guy whoâs singing in a karaoke bar one night then goes home, passes out,  and wakes up on a national stage the next day. Should go back to the bars.
Lee DewyzeâThis guysâs gonna be my whipping boy until he proves he deserves to be there. He was so off key all the way through Snow Patrolâs âChasing Carsâ, I thought I was watching Taylor Swift perform. (Oops, did I say that out loud?)
Buh-Bye
Tim UrbanâFinally got the scoop on why he was such an afterthought on the Top 24 announcement show. He was an afterthought! Seems that Chris Golightly actually had a spot in the Top 24, but it was discovered he was under contract with a record company, even though he denied it. So Golightly got the boot, and Tim Urban slid in. After his pathetic performance of âApologizeâ he should apologize to America and slink home.
John ParkâUh, that was pitiful. I think John is a little off in the head because no guy in his right mind would attempt Billie Holidayâs âGod Bless The Childâ.Â
Kris Allen is scheduled to perform tonight. Hear Kris talk about his visit to Haiti and what itâs like to be an American Idol in my exclusive interview with Kris that youâll find in my February 19th blog below.
Ho-hum. Thatâs the best way I can describe last nightâs performances by the Top 12 girls on American Idol. As usual, I agreed with just about every one of Simonâs assessments. These included âboring,â âbland,â and âdreary.â I took copious notes last night, and I neednât have bothered. There was not one memorable performance, though I think a couple of contestants crashed and burned.
Crispy Critters
Haeley VaughnâDonât know how this annoying screecher made it in the first place. Her ghastly performance of âI Want To Hold Your Handâ should put us out of our misery.Â
Lacey BrownâIâm really bummed about this one. I really thought Lacey was a sleeper to win this whole thing, but that desecration of âLandslideâ was unbearable.
Best of the Rest (and that ainât sayinâ much)
Paige MilesâShe was the first performer, and who knew sheâd be the nightâs one bright spot. I think sheâs now the frontrunner.
Michelle DelamorâAt least she stayed on key (pardon the pun) through Alicia Keyâs âFallinââ. Solid, but not stellar.
Siobhan MagnusÂâNot the brightest bulb on the billboard. Simon called her a âdark horseâ in the competition, and she asked âWhatâs a âdark horseâ? (Maybe sheâs just sheltered, cuz she is kinda weird.) I liked her version of Chris Isaakâs âWicked Gameâ. Her voice is pure gold.
Coulda, Shoulda Woulda
Janell WheelerâHeartâs âWhat About Loveâ was absolutely the wrong song for her. Anybody who does that song is gonna sound lame compared to Ann Wilson.
Katie StevensâSheâs still one of my favorites, but that mom-ish version of Michael Bubleâs âFeelinâ Goodâ was painful. Ellen was exactly rightâsheâs got to âyoung it upâ or sheâll be out.
 Letâs hope the guys put on a better show tonight.
I had the pleasure of talking to Kris Allen on the phone on Tuesday. Kris called from Los Angeles where heâs spending a lot of time these days. (Canât imagine why.) Kris gave me the scoop on his upcoming visit to Haiti which will be broadcast next week on American Idol. He will also be performing on the show that night.
Kris Allen interview
Not too many surprises when the remainder of the Top 24 were picked on Wednesday night. A few that I thought would get in didnât make it: Tasha Layton, Angela Martin, and Thaddeus Johnson. The moment that Kara spent breaking the news to Angela was especially poignant. I think that Thaddeusâ appearance had a lot to do with him not making it. American Idol is first and foremost a television show and personal presentation is key. With a little polish and another yearâs maturation, Thaddeus could come back and make it next year. Donât have a clue what happened to Tasha since they never mentioned her.
Did anybody see them make any mention of Tim Urban anywhere in the process? They showed his picture briefly in one segment, but I never heard his name until the very end. Heâs been an inconsequential participant this entire season, so I didnât even know who he was from his picture. I had to wait til the very end of the show when they announced his name. Kinda strange.
So hereâs the final 24:
Michael LyncheâToo overbearing physically to win it all.Â
Didi BenamiâOne of my favorites from day one. Radiates sweetness.
Katelyn EpperleyâSleeper.
Casey JamesâIf he doesnât make in on AI, he could be a movie star. The epitome of âruggedly handsomeâ.
Aaron KellyâCreepy.
Lee DwyzeâCould be one of the first to get the boot.Â
Todrick HallâHeâll go deep into the competition, but the drama queen thing will wear thin.
Tyler GradyâLove his whole â70âs vibe. The ladies will love him.
Janell WheelerâSheâs just likable and that counts in this competition.
Lacey BrownâHasnât gotten a lot of screen time up until this point, but sheâs a contender.
Ashley RodriguezâKnew sheâd get in from her first audition. She has charm, poise, beauty, and talentâthe whole package.
Alex LambertâBuh-bye.
Joe MunozâHavenât seen much of him, so I donât know what to think.
Crystal BowersoxâStyle and talent to burn. Think sheâs just a little to rough to be a serious threat.
Katie StevensâKeep your eye on this 17 year-old. Has the talent and charm to win it all.
Lilly ScottâReminds me of Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland. Has a swagger and cuteness thatâll take her to the final rounds.
Paige MilesâAgain, not much screen time, so who knows. Simon really likes her, so that will help.
Siobhan MagnusâHuge voice. Arguably the best singer in the competition, but will that be enough?
Michelle DelamorâShe looks like a star, but I havenât heard enough of her to make a guess as to how far sheâll get.
Jermaine SellersâHeâs annoying, so heâll be gone pretty quick.
John ParkâThis yearâs Anoop Desai?
Tim Urban--Who?
Haeley Vaughn--Boy, I really don't get this one. I know she's sweet and all, but she's going to get annoying really quick.
Andrew Garcia--He made it with his reworking of "Straight Up" early in Hollywood Week. Solid contender.
Can they possibly drag this out any more?! This is one of my pet peeves with Idol: they take a one-hour show and stretch it into two. I mean, does it really take two hours to announce 7 of the 24 finalists? The whole scenario with the contestants in three separate rooms is getting old. The judges come in and do their obligatory stall to ratchet up the tension, then everybody either jumps up and down and screams, or they collapse into sobs. Ho-hum.Â
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Hereâs whoâs in so far, and some of my picks are in the group:
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Michael LyncheâMuscle-bound softy who will survive a few rounds. Donât think heâs mass appeal enough to go the distance, though.
Didi BenamiâOne of my favorites from day one. She has that indefinable winsomeness that shines through. Could be the next American Idol.
Katelyn EpperleyâDecent singer with great back story and cute face.Â
Casey JamesâJust call him âKaraâs Petâ. She swoons every time he shows up. Heâs got the musical chops to be a star, too.
Aaron KellyâDonât know how this 16 year-old got through. He forgot the lyrics in his Hollywood audition and he reminds me of Edward Norton--the creepy Edward Norton in âPrimal Fearâ.
Lee DwyzeâDonât get this one either. The guyâs Hollywood audition was terrible and he doesnât stand a chance to win.
Todrick HallâHeâs the goods. Tons of charisma and talent. Bit of a drama queen which might actually help him.
 Tonight the final 17 are announced. Here are my picks to get in:
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Tasha LaytonâSheâs got a style all her own and she has good presence.
Siobhan MagnusâEllen told her that she had to lighten up, and she did in her final audition. Incredible pipes.
Crystal BowersoxâNo-brainer. This year's blues chick.
Thaddeus Johnsonâ16 year-old from Oklahoma City is wise beyond his years and knows how to connect with an audience.
Angela MartinâThird timeâs the charm for Angela. Her personal story is so tragic that Iâm rooting for her. Her father was murdered during the first competition which left Angela too grief-stricken to compete. This time around her mother is missing. Police found her abandoned car outside of Chicago on New Yearâs Eve and they havenât found her. Terrible.
Ashley RodriguezâObvious star qualities.
Janell WheelerâShe picked the wrong audition song in âLove Storyâ by Taylor Swift, but sheâs displayed enough talent that I think she gets through. (Rumored to be dating Tim Tebow.)
Andrew Garcia--Remains to be seen if he's got the range to win the whole thing, but he's definitely in the Top 24.
Donât have a clue about the other 9, so Iâm looking forward to tonight.
I donât get it. Group Day on American Idol. I guess itâs just the producersâ way of seeing which contestants might fit in to those cheesy group numbers they do when the show gets down to the Final 24. But all the bickering, posturing, and crying makes my teeth grind. The show couldâve been 10 minutes long and it would have been more interesting. They donât call it Hell Week for nothing; stretching it out into an hour is torment for the viewer.
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None of the individual performers stood out in the group competition, so thereâs not much to comment on.
Suffice it to say that 25 more contestants were winnowed out, and 71 remain. Next week the Final 24 are chosen.Â
OK. I admit it. Ellen DeGeneres was a great choice to replace Paula Abdul on the judgesâ panel. The show needs some comic relief and Ellen can actually be funny on purpose. Paula was justâ¦you knowâ¦funny, as in âYoo-hoo! Anybody home? Earth to Paula!â Like all great comics Ellen demonstrates the ability to cut right to the heart of the matter. For example, her likening of the on-stage demeanor of the annoying âSkiboskiiâ to that of a leopard stalking back and forth in a cage was perfect. Ellen seemed totally at ease and in her element. And I think that her criticisms will be much more creative and genuine than âThat was a little pitchy, dogg!â Or, âOh, honey, Iâm sorry, youâre just not gonna make it.â Or, âThat was terrible!â You know what I mean?
Â
The first night of Hollywood week demonstrated that while everybody thinks theyâve got talent, only a handful really do. Thatâs why true talent is rewarded as highly as it isâitâs extremely rare. Numerous people crashed and burned miserably last night. But there were a few contenders.
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Hands down, the most electrifying performance was Andrew Garciaâs reworking of âStraight Upâ by Paula Abdul. I was ready to cringe, but Andrewâs acoustic arrangement was one of the most daring performances Iâve ever seen on Idol.Â
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Other notables:
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Crystal BowersoxâJanis Joplin reincarnated. She even has that rugged, hard-partying look like Janis. Idol fans love these bluesy females to a point, but they just never make it at the end. Sheâll have a good run, though.
Lilly ScottâDid a cool version of an Ella Fitzgerald song. Risky, since Ella was one of our true American artists. Lilly put her own spin on it and it really worked.
Michael LyncheâJust goes to show you that you canât judge a book by its cover. The guyâs built like a defensive lineman, and he comes out with an acoustic guitar and does a sweet version of âWaiting On The World To Changeâ by John Mayer. Donât think heâs got the goods to make it to the final 24, though.
Casey JamesâThis yearâs ruggedly handsome, blue-eyed blues guy. Women will swoon over him. Plays a pretty mean guitar, but it remains to be seen what his vocal chops are.
Didi BenamiâMy personal favorite so far this year. Didiâs a natural beauty with a sweet personality that just exudes grace and charm. She has a real shot to be in the final 24.
Tonight we start the group competition which is always interesting.
After all is sung and done in the auditions for the 9th season of American Idol, 181 contestants will by vying for the Top 24 in Hollywood. Last nightâs episode was a blatant attempt to squeeze a second show into the week. They billed it as âsaving the best for lastâ, but if these were the best, then this season is going to be lackluster indeed. Granted, you can only do so much in an a cappella audition. Adding music and audio processing can transform a mediocre singer into a pretty decent one. (In the case of Taylor Swift in can turn mediocrity into big bucks!)Â
Last night the show shined the spotlight on a crop of talented 16 year-olds. One or two of them could even turn up in the Top 24:
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·        Genesis Moore did a nice version of Carrie Underwoodâs âI Told You So.â Genesis is the second African-American female to audition with a Country song in this competition. Thatâs a niche that A.I. has yet to fill, so it may give her an edge.
·        Thaddeus Johnson of Oklahoma City was one of the best males to audition this season. The comparisons with Ruben Studdard are obvious and since Ruben has been one of the least successful winners, Thaddeus doesnât have much of a chance in the long run.
·        Aaron Kelly picked a pretty daring song in Miley Cyrusâ âThe Climbâ, and pulled it off with panache. Has a nice presence and the girls will love him.
My two favorites from last night were a couple of understated singers who just exuded star power. Their beauty and grace combined with their heartfelt vocals put them in my Top 5 for the entire audition process.
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·        Di Di BenamiâThe first thing that impressed me about Di Di was that she chose âHey Judeâ as her audition number. Thatâs gotta be a first for A.I. Di Di is dedicating her singing career to her best friend who died a couple of years ago and the emotion that comes with that is palpable in Di Diâs singing and carriage. She reminds me a lot of Brooke White from Season 7.Â
·        Hope JohnsonâHope had the distinction of being the final audition for this year. Sheâs from Arlington, Texas, which is a good thing since all of the past American Idols, except one, are from the South. (Jordin Sparks is from Arizona.) And though sheâs not one of those powerful belters that Idol fans love, her interpretation of âI Hope You Danceâ had a very personal quality to it that I found moving and endearing. (Besides that sheâs a real cutie-patootie.) Â
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Outside of the aforementioned two, there werenât really any impressive guys last night.Â
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Now comes the fun part. The Hollywood competition starts next week and Ellen joins the judgesâ panel.  Iâll have my barf bag handy since I find it hard to stomach Ellen, but I suspect it probably wonât be all that bad. Sheâs pretty good at dancing with herself; letâs just see if she shows any expertise in judging talent.
A total of 26 contestants made it through to Hollywood from the Denver auditions on American Idol last night. Most of them were kinda lame, though, so I donât think any of them stand a chance of winning. A.I. is doing something unusual tonight. Theyâre taking the best of the best contestants from all the auditions and showing them in one show. And theyâre apparently performances we havenât seen yet. Makes me wonder if these arenât some plants they recruited because most of the people that have made it through so far just arenât that good. Â
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The Good
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Mark LabriolaâI think he mainly got through because of his strange childhood experience. Seems he was abducted by his mother in a custody battle and lived all over the country from Alaska to Hawaii. When he was in his teens, his father found him in Hawaii and got him back. Now heâs married and got a child of his own. His performance of âTemptedâ by Squeeze was decent but not stellar.Â
Tori KellyâPrecocious 16 year-old did a solid version of âGravityâ by John Mayer. Iâm not a Mayer fan; his songs donât require much vocal prowess. Still, Tori made it her own which is important in this competition.
Nicci NixâI dub thee âHelium Girlâ. Her voice would make her completely annoying if it werenât for the fact sheâs so darn cyute! Plus, she flew 14 hours from Italy just to audition. I didnât even recognize the song she sang, but it was perky and not awful.Â
The Bad
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Austin PaulâTwo strikes against him already for doing a John Mayer song. Third strike was that Austinâs a dumb jock whoâs way too cocky, and sang âBigger Than My Bodyâ which is a really dumb song.Â
Mario GalvanâHis performance of Elvisâ âJailhouse Rockâ should have landed him in jail.
The Ugly
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Kenny EverettâAnother one of these deluded individuals who has proclaimed himself a âsingerâ with no evidence to back it up. Tried to pull of a Mary J. Blige tune, but it came out Mary J. Blecch.Â
Can they possibly drag this out any more?! This is one of my pet peeves with Idol: they take a one-hour show and stretch it into two. I mean, does it really take two hours to announce 7 of the 24 finalists? The whole scenario with the contestants in three separate rooms is getting old. The judges come in and do their obligatory stall to ratchet up the tension, then everybody either jumps up and down and screams, or they collapse into sobs. Ho-hum.Â
Hereâs whoâs in so far, and some of my picks are in the group:
 Michael LyncheâMuscle-bound softy who will survive a few rounds. Donât think heâs mass appeal enough to go the distance, though.
Didi BenamiâOne of my favorites from day one. She has that indefinable winsomeness that shines through. Could be the next American Idol.
Katelyn EpperleyâDecent singer with great back story and cute face.Â
Casey JamesâJust call him âKaraâs Petâ. She swoons every time he shows up. Heâs got the musical chops to be a star, too.
Aaron KellyâDonât know how this 16 year-old got through. He forgot the lyrics in his Hollywood audition and he reminds me of Edward Norton--the creepy Edward Norton in âPrimal Fearâ.
Lee DwyzeâDonât get this one either. The guyâs Hollywood audition was terrible and he doesnât stand a chance to win.
Todrick HallâHeâs the goods. Tons of charisma and talent. Bit of a drama queen which might actually help him.
 Tonight the final 17 are announced. Here are my picks to get in:
Tasha LaytonâSheâs got a style all her own and she has good presence.
Siobhan MagnusâEllen told her that she had to lighten up, and she did in her final audition. Incredible pipes.
Crystal BowersoxâNo-brainer. This year's blues chick.
Thaddeus Johnsonâ16 year-old from Oklahoma City is wise beyond his years and knows how to connect with an audience.
Angela MartinâThird timeâs the charm for Angela. Her personal story is so tragic that Iâm rooting for her. Her father was murdered during the first competition which left Angela too grief-stricken to compete. This time around her mother is missing. Police found her abandoned car outside of Chicago on New Yearâs Eve and they havenât found her. Terrible.
Ashley RodriguezâObvious star qualities.
Janell WheelerâShe picked the wrong audition song in âLove Storyâ by Taylor Swift, but sheâs displayed enough talent that I think she gets through. (Rumored to be dating Tim Tebow.)
Andrew Garcia--Remains to be seen if he's got the range to win the whole thing, but he's definitely in the Top 24.
Donât have a clue about the other 9, so Iâm looking forward to tonight.
I donât get it. Group Day on American Idol. I guess itâs just the producersâ way of seeing which contestants might fit in to those cheesy group numbers they do when the show gets down to the Final 24. But all the bickering, posturing, and crying makes my teeth grind. The show couldâve been 10 minutes long and it would have been more interesting. They donât call it Hell Week for nothing; stretching it out into an hour is torment for the viewer.
None of the individual performers stood out in the group competition, so thereâs not much to comment on.
Suffice it to say that 25 more contestants were winnowed out, and 71 remain. Next week the Final 24 are chosen.
