Anyone watch "American Idol"?

[markydefad]

Entertainment Weekly has a little item about "American Idol" this week.

They speculate whether the producerS are playing with the vote tallies in order to create "DRAMA". Case in point, Justin's near last finish the week before last. Now, he did give a lackluster performance (Donny Hathaway's "Someday We'll All Be Free") BUT few would have predicted the cocky alwAys-asking "what do the fans think?" guy to finish that low. Producers swear no manipulations are possible.

BUT--the Christina to the hospital/Christina gets the boot incident has made me a tad suspicious, also.

Lastly, the final show is gonna consist of the two finalists singing two new songs, (currently being penned by the likes of Diane Warren, Desmond Child, and Cathy Dennis) and one cover of their choosing. That's Sept 3. The winner's single will be released Sept. 24. LA Times rock critic, Robert Hilburn says this is all a bunch of hooey--no one can manufacture a star!!! Hmmm, we'll see. Hilburn is Mr. Cool Cutting Edge or else Springsteen Rules--so I don't give a shit what he thinks. He voted Cher's "Believe" as the WORST single of it's year of release. So fuck him. :razz:

[DanceMan]

That critic also called Eminem a Star for the New Millenium...so I have to disagree with anything he says.....Both Kelly and Tamyra sing rings around most anyone else on today's Top 40, so more power to those who help shape either one of them in the weeks to come to achieve that goal....hey, everyone deserves their 15 minutes of fame and both of those girls are deserving of that and more!

[markydefad]

Hey Danceman,

Yeah, Hilburn is really hated in LA. Every week, the readers of the LA Times roast him for his most recent diatribe, BUT he still has his job. He loves The Eminemster (BUT lotsa critics DO) and , above all, his Trinity: Dylan, U2, and, especially, BRUCE.

Older and often younger readers feel Hilburn is just trying to maintain his "cutting-edge" credentials by embracing the Gangsta Rappers and the newest Punksters of the moment (The Strokes, White Stripes). I just know if I had to listen to a steady diet of his "picks" I'd be so depressed and bored, I'd gladly listen to most anything on Graham's "Hells Playlist" on non-stop rotation. BUT then, I usually LIKE lots of the stuff on Graham's list. :razz:

[Outsider]

Robert Hilburn thinks that rap is the greatest thing to ever happen in music. But then again, I don't pay attention to him (or any music critic for that matter). Yeah, he can't stand most of my favorites, but it's just an opinion. Well, I do agree with him about that Cher song (I can't stand it either), but that's one of those few times that I do at all. I don't let the critics dictate my taste in music. I do that on my own.

As for the contestants on "American Idol", if that's what it takes for them to get a music career, that's fine with me. Sure, it's better to form a band, play in clubs, pass out flyers for their shows, etc. (you know, the old-fashioned way), but the ultimate goal is to make music, so the only thing that matters is indeed the music. How many times have I made that point? I lost track a long time ago.

[markydefad]

Tonight, on Access Hollywood, I heard that Tamyra Gray has also been hospitalized since Christina went last week. Don't know what really happened. They're hyping the "stress" the kids are under to jack the ratings, I'm sure. Christina was interviewed and said, after seeing a doctor, she was ready to come back for the show taping last Wednesday...BUT the powers that be, said "no".

Create that "Drama", FOX. :roll:

[markydefad]

Well, Gramps laid down to take a little nap before "American Idol" tonight and woke up 17 minutes into the damn show!!!

So, I totally missed Kelly's rendition of Burt Bacharach & Hal David's "Walk On By". I only saw the recap at the end of the show. Damn!!! And, of course, this had to be BURT BACHARACH night with the MAN himself doing rehearsal piano for the contestants. The black chick seen standing next to them was series vocal coach Debra Byrd (a client of our NY office). Byrd has performed in lotsa musicals and many Barry Manilow LP's and concerts.

Anyway, the rest of the kids sang:

R.J.: "Arthur's Theme"
Tamyra: "A House Is Not A Home"
Justin: "The Look Of Love"
Nikki: " Always Something There To Remind Me"

NOT having seen Kelly, I'm not sure how to rank #1 ...BUT

1) & 2)(TIE) Tamyra & Kelly
3) Justin
4) R.J.
5) Nikki

Just the way they were last week except that Christina is gone. BUT, tonight the recently ousted Ryan Starr & Christina were sitting right behind the judges--giving them them the middle finger when the cameras were NOT on them, I'm sure. :razz:

_________________
Make My Feet Wanna Dance!

Markydefad

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: markydefad on 2002-08-14 01:02 ]</font>

[nrgbeat]

I don't think Nikki is that great of a singer and I find her wildchild look (tattoo, Kelly Osborne hair, tongue ring)rather repulsive.

Maybe she can get a career in biker dyke porno films.

[Jeff H]

I was going to post my review last night right after the show, but I didn't want to spoil anything for our West Coast posters. (I'm assuming it's not shown live there, right, Marky?)

I feel they rank in exactly the order they performed last night: Kelly > R.J. > Tamyra > Justin > Nikki.

Kelly really tore into "Walk on By," and R.J. sang with confidence this week. Tamyra was good, but added way too many diva histrionics for my taste (but I'm sure the voters will eat that up). Justin was boooooring, like a third-rate lounge singer. And although I've liked Kelly all along because she wasn't trying to be another Mariah clone, she was really bad last night: singing off-key, lazy performance and unfortunate arrangement. (Dionne Warwick or Naked Eyes? Pick ONE, girl!)

And I loved the fact that these kids had to sing REAL songs, thanks to Burt Bacharach.

Kelly [oops--I meant Nikki; thanks Nrg!] is gone tonight for sure (despite the "awwww" factor of her son's appearance; how desperate-looking was that?!). But she apparently has another job to fall back on: the National Enquirer reports that she used to work as a topless singer in a strip club!

_________________
"...a once in a lifetime feeling that returns every week..."

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Jeff H on 2002-08-14 10:32 ]</font>

[nrgbeat]

Jeff, I think you are getting Kelly and Nikki mixed up.

[DanceMan]

Jeff...I agree with your order, for the most part....I really felt that R.J. had definitely improved over the preceding weeks and he seemed more confident and, for a change, didn't go crazy with his Whitney Houston-ish warblings at the end of each note
....As far as Kelly, she was Superior last week with her "Stuff Like That," (her best performance yet), however, last nite she seemed a bit preoccupied with the audience and her staging - I guess quite natural as the end gets closer. Tamyra still gives me goose bumps, she got better toward the end, but also seemed nervous for the first time, and the judges picked up on that as well, she got a little too "carried away" for a song like "House is Not a Home," but fared OK to stay in the Top 3....Nikki shoulda taken a note out of Ryan Starr's page and opted out of that rock-tinged vocal which she seemed to have ad-libbed. Very ill-prepared, although she has a future in a local strip-punk-dyke band, I agree....Justin was just in it for the dimples and hair, he is getting tired and stale as the competition moves on...nothing at all original about him...I would like to see him get the boot this week, but it probably will go to Nikki as all the judges hated her this time around....Did you see how Ryan totally was in outer space when Kelly was being interviewed, she didn't even applaud...what the hell is she even doing there if she cannot be a good sport?...should be interesting tonight...by the way, what is wrong with Burt? Were his dentures slipping or did he have a recent stroke?

[Jeff H]

On 2002-08-14 09:57, nrgbeat wrote:
Jeff, I think you are getting Kelly and Nikki mixed up.

Oops, you're right, Nrg. In that last paragraph I meant to say Nikki, not Kelly. That's what I get for trying to post while talking on the phone.

[Outsider]

I think that Kelly gave the best performance of the night with her rendition of "Walk On By". Her voice fits that song. I'm also glad that she's not another Mariah Carey clone. There have too many of those. Nikki, on the other hand, shouldn't have bothered with "Always Something There To Remind Me" (a song I always thought was lame). She seemed to be straining with some of the notes. And I don't care that she's trying to be like Pink with her looks.

My prediction: Nikki's a goner tonight.

[markydefad]

I heard Burt Bacharach say that he would take Tamyra into the studio and record her in a heartbeat (I'm paraphrasing). What, if anything, did he say about Kelly???

Inquiring minds want to know. Burt certainly has show biz credibility--I wish he'd been a judge from the get-go.

[DanceMan]

Well, while I am not shocked that R.J. was given the Boot tonite, I was kinda hoping that they would have given it to Justin....he is too damn smug and I feel he is only a decent singer. He is there on dimple appeal alone and that isn't what this show is all about!
I think he must be sleeping with one of the judges....hmmmmm....

Next week for sure, the final two will be
Nikki and Justin....this is one case where Nikki has been the bridesmaid and never the bride and she better pick an over-the-top tune that will blow 'em all away!....what is the theme next week, Mr. EntertainMARKYDEFADment!?

[Outsider]

I'm surprised that R.J. was voted off the show. I thought he did a decent version of that Christopher Cross song. His performance was much better than Nikki's. Well, I was obviously wrong about who would get the boot this week. We'll see what happens next week. I'm pretty sure that Nikki won't win the contest, though.