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- American Idol 11 Recaps
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Jordin Sparks looked exactly as I pictured her in the moment of her Idol victory. Her win was certainly no surprise after Tuesday’s show, where Blake proved to be no match for Jordin’s prowess for power-emoting treacly lyrics. Personally? I think it’s as it should be. Jordin is the perfect winner. Too bad the show ran so long we could not get some extended moments of Jordin revelling in her triumph with her fellow Idols. The confetti machine appeared to be on the fritz, too. Damn.
The show begins, of course, with the first of many product placements. Ryan explains that Ashton Michael and Badgley Mischka designed the outfits worn by Blake and Jordin as a segue-way to introduce their duet, The Beatles’, “I Saw Her Standing There.” Hmmm, I wonder why they picked this song? I vaguely remember hearing a rumor that Jordin might be 17….
Speaking of which, Kelly Clarkson is up next to sing HER new single. As it should be. I like “Never Again” a lot more live than I do the record. She’s made some unfortunate fashion choices tonight. A mini-skirt and thigh-high boots? Kelly yer a cutie, but that ain’t your look. She manages to look sufficiently pissed off as she sings her pissed-off girl anthem. It’s like Alanis without the blow jobs.
The first “category” the “Best Presentation” pits that bizarre cat guy, X-centric, the weird chick with the cowboy hat, Isadora Furman, and yellow bird lady, Margaret Fowler. Bird Lady wins. As Nigel Lythgoe himself helps her up to the stage, the band plays the Sesame Street theme.  She plants a big wet one on Ryan, dropping him to the floor. Really, that should have been the end of the segment. It woulda been perfect. She goes on to yammer crazily and then read an even crazier poem. Where’s that big ole hook when you need it?
Ok, this is what I’m talking about peeps. The top 6 guys take the stage to sing the Miracles, “Ooh Baby Baby”, arranged specially for the show by David Thomas of Take 6. Who said the boys can’t sing? Bitch please. They sound fantastic. They all sound awesome, but special shout outs to Chris Sligh and Brandon Rogers who should have lasted longer in the competition. Very nice falsetto from Phil Stacey and Chris Richardson. Phil introduces Smokey Robinson. Falsetto? Oh yeah, it still sounds might fine. The Temptations-like choreography cracked me up.
Next, Blake Lewis duets with Doug E. Fresh with Barry B doing the DJ thing. Ahhhh! This was a total gas. Blake and Doug E do the rap/beatbox face off deal and it’s really wild, fun and a total blast from the past. Blake gets to show off his impressive beatboxing skillz, while Doug E. performs in front of a huge audience, probably for the first time ever. I don’t think Idol will see anything like that ever again.
Here are your Top 6 girls! They enter the stage in white 60′s style dresses singing “Heard it Through the Grapevine.” Melinda Doolittle introduces “Miss Gladys Knight.” Like Smokey Robinson, she still sounds good. She gets all fierce and ends up with hair in her eyes. Melinda and Lakisha Jones do a fine duet with Gladys on “Midnight Train to Georgia.” Lakisha sounds great. Unfortunately, this is the closest she’s going to get to her own duet like the 4th place finishers got in finales past. TPTB suck.
The Master, Tony Bennett performs next. This is probably a do-over for him. He got sick and wasn’t able to sing on the results show of his mentoring week, so I’m not really ticked he’s here performing without the Idols. Ryan introduces him. For Pete’s sake, it’s Constantine Maroulis’s smarmy mug again. How is it that he’s gotten so much camera time this week? Tony is 80 years old and he still has it. He sings, “For Once in My Life” and shows the kids how to REALLY sing a Stevie Wonder song. Whoa! Check out Tony hitting those glory notes! Paula begins to swoon. Simon looks happy to be listening to music he doesn’t find confusing.
It’s Golden Idol time again. This category is “Best Buddies.” Best Buddies? Who could possibly fit that category? Why, it’s the pretense to bring back Seattle’s own Jonathan and Kenneth. The next two nominees are 1. An excuse to see Antonella Barba in a bikini one last time, and 2. More homoerotic goodness from Simon Cowell and Ryan Seacrest. Ha ha, great line when Ryan tells Simon, “You don’t have an Emmy and you don’t have one of these either.
Next, Melinda Doolittle takes the stage with gospel duo Be Be and Ce Ce Winans. She used to sing backup for them.  Melinda matches the Winan’s note for note on the rousing tune, “Hold Up the Light.” This is just fabulous. The Winans and Melinda raise the roof and tear it up right here. As I listen, I’m thinking Melinda would have blown Jordin’s butt off the stage if she’d made it into the Top 2. It wouldn’t have been a contest. Sorry Jordin fans…
For what feels like the 5 billionth time, Carrie Underwood is back, yet again, on the show to sing YET AGAIN, “I’ll Stand By You.” She’s wearing jeans and this…weird top that’s like a prom dress with the front chopped out. Memo to Carrie: Time to eat a sandwich.
The African Children’s Choir is next. They are adorable. Actually, it’s a bit of an insult to call them merely adorable, because they are extremely talented singers and performers. I have no idea what they sang, what language it was in, or what it was about, but it was sensational. These kids deserve the spotlight.
Sanjaya is introduced with what’s supposed to be a tongue and cheek film clip that mixes Sanjaya up with Einstein, Babe Ruth and Ghandi. Maybe I B dumb, but I don’t get it. Sanjy reprises “You’ve Really Got Me” but this time with a wind machine blowing his lustrous locks and Joe Perry of Aeorosmith on guitar. 
Green Day came by the studio earlier in the day to tape a performance of John Lennon’s “Working Class Hero.” They are here to promote 
Next, it’s the man who needs NO introduction. Really, he doesn’t people, so chill out. Taylor Hicks takes the stage to perform his new single “Heaven Knows.” It’s an upbeat throwback to 60′s soul music. I think it’s a good song. It’s pretty damn awesome on his live tour, which I’ve seen twice. Really…Taylor Hicks in concert is great. Even if ya aren’t crazy about the record, check out his tour. He puts on a great show. Tonight, the music feels a little canned, but Taylor aims to please, and he does. I hope the song gets some traction on the radio. Unfortunately, Taylor’s old-school style does not seem to be translating to the current radio market.
This is a sweet surprise–Jordin Sparks’s duet partner is Ruben Studdard. Considering that Jordin is an admitted AI junkie, paring her with a former winner is a great idea. Ruben has been out of the spotlight the past few years, and his sophomore album made only a brief appearance on the charts. It’s nice to see him back and looking good. They sing the Marvin Gaye Tammi Terrell Motown classic “You’re All I Need to Get By.” It’s practically a carbon copy of the original, but it comes off as more of a homage than a copy cat. Good stuff.
Ryan introduces a tribute to the Beatles’ “Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” Blink. Unpopular opinion ahead: “Sgt. Pepper” came out of a very specific time and place. It was revolutionary in it’s era, but it sounds dated today, in my opinion. Sgt Peppers performed Brady Bunch-style by a slew of Idols is just…well, I don’t think it works. It would have been much better to perform some of the more timeless Beatles classics that translate well to any era. Even a “Rubber Soul” medley would have faired better. But uhhm, no one would have gotten that, I guess. 
Still, it is very cool to see all the Idols together on one stage as they introduce each other. Joe Perry is back to play guitar. Kelly Clarkson, in another unfortunate fashion choice, channels her best Janis Joplin for “Sgt Pepper.” Taylor Hicks takes a crack at the difficult “Day in the Life.” It’s a weird song out of context, but Taylor gives it the old college try. Carrie Underwood sings “She’s Leaving Home” and sounds a bit breathless and shouty. Ruben Studdard sings “Lucy in the Skies with Diamonds” as if he has no idea what he’s singing. Yeah, I’m not really digging this.
Back from the break, and it’s finally time to 
Ryan asks the judges if they have any final thoughts before he announces the winner. Randy says, “I gotta say Jordin, baby.” Paula babbles, “I’m just proud of both of them, they both have come a long way. It’s hard doing what they do. STOP IT SIMON. ” Ryan tries to move on, and Paula says, “I’m not done, I’m not done.” Sigh, we’re already WAY over Paula. “Congratulations to both of you. Jordin, you are a star through and through. Blake, you are another star of musicality. You are both winners.” Didn’t she say almost the exact same thing last night? Simon finally says, simply, “It was a good night last night. But if I’m gonna call it, based on the last song, (never mind that Simon said Blake should be judged on his first two songs only) congratulations, Jordin.”
“Dim the lights.” says Ryan, “Here we go.” Jordin and Blake smile at each other. Blake whispers something in her ear. Ryan says, “After a world record vote of 74 million…” Blake steps back and he and Jordin laugh. “The winner, of American Idol…” Blake looks at Jordin. “…2007 is,” Ryan stops for the big dramatic pause as he opens the envelope. Jordin looks at Ryan warily while Blake grins ear to ear. “JORDIN SPARKS!” yells Ryan.
“Your new American Idol,” says Ryan. Jordin is nearly speechless, but she manages to thank her family. In the audience, Smokey Robinson hugs Jordin’s father. Jordin tries not to cry. Ryan thanks the viewing audience,  judges and Rickey Minor and the band. Ryan tells Jordin, “You should be emotional right now, it’s OK.” Jordin continues to try to compose herself.
