Idol Headlines for 3/23/08

I agree with that study on underdogs to a point. I think if you don’t have a pony in the race, there’s a tendancy to go for the underdog. That’s what I do when I don’t care about a sport or even a reality show. I always have favorites in AI and David A isn’t one of them so the only thing the frontrunner status or the judges slathering him with complements does is firm it up. I don’t actually dislike him because he’s just a young kid.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/03232008/tv/hear_no_idol_102950.htm

HEAR NO ‘IDOL’
WHY SIMON COWELL IS FED UP WITH HIS OWN SHOW
By ROBERT RORKE

March 23, 2008 — Like Rodney Dangerfield, Simon Cowell can’t get no respect on “American Idol” this season – and Mr. Nasty is obviously over it.

In his seventh season as the all-influentual “final word” judge on the hit Fox show, Cowell continues to endure the boos of a crowd which has long labeled him as impossible to please and overly harsh in his negative feedback.

But add to that this season a group of contestants unafraid to give some attitude back to him, two co-judges increasingly ganging up against him and a host who baits and badgers him about everything from his unbuttoned shirt to the bizarre way he rested his hand against his head in at least one episode.

The result: a side drama in which Cowell seems to be wanting to explode, “I’m an ‘American Idol’ judge. Get me out of here.”……

In the six seasons à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Idolà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  has been on the air, the performer deemed by either the judges and/or the press as the front-runner has only gone on to win the singing competition once: Carrie Underwood in 2005.

Yes, because Simon, Randy and Paula couldn’t find anything good to say about Ruben, Fantasia or Jordin. Randy was particularily rough on poor little Jordin and NEVER took into account the fact that she was only 17. That was really unfair of him. And then there was Ruben. He couldn’t even get his name on ET if he had paid them.

I hate it when people put forth a theory without bothering to consider even half the facts. The only two seasons that got away from TPTB were Season 1 (when they didn’t know what they were doing) and Season 5. TBPT are good at what they do and generally get the winner they want.

Pffft.

I will say this is the first year that I keep seeing articles where they feel sorry for the plight of the front-runner. Hmmm….off to make myself a tin-foil Easter Bonnet.

I’m not sure that Simon ever really enjoyed doing American Idol. I’ve seen clips of him from the British version and he seems more engaged there. I also think that he’s at a disadvantage when they do some of the theme weeks because he doesn’t know some of the music that was very popular here. His critique at times doesn’t make sense to us like when he didn’t know Heart songs and thought Carly shouldn’t have done the one she did.

His critique at times doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t make sense to us like when he didnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t know Heart songs and thought Carly shouldnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t have done the one she did.

Simon thought she did a good performance of a big, big song, but that she didn’t just connect with it (or were you refering to how he said she shouldn’t have sung “Blackbird”….because he has no excuse for not knowing that song…The Beatles did have a hit or two in the UK). The Heart Song he did not know was Kady’s.

Strangely, Carly is from the same region of the world as Simon (one island over) and she has not only heard of Heart, but she loves them and “Crazy On You” is her favourite song ever.

To use an analogy, Simon’s problem is that some people think he’s a chef, but he’s really the guy who designs the French Fries for MacDonald’s. He’s not a foodie. He doesn’t relish the ingredients and appreciate the ability of other chefs. It is not his goal to make an exquisite meal. He just wants to perfect a process for making French Fries so that you get exactly the same product whether you buy them in Australia or Hungary or China or Egypt or Brazil or the good old US of A. The French Fries are a widget.

For Simon, music is a widget. He’s only interested in perfecting the process to move units. He does not care one little bit about the context of that widget. So, he’s not interested in the music. Just the product. So, that’s why he comes of as a musical moron. He is one. And it must be painful for him to sit through all that music, especially for themes or from singers he thinks are not commercial. Normally, he would just boot the singer out of his office, but on the show, he has to sit through a 90 second of the performance. It’s torture for him.

So, he amuses himself by daydreaming, making moose ears, whispering to Paula, thinking up ways to insult Ryan, etc.

BTW I think Paula is a saint. SAINT. If some guy was leaning his arm on the back of my chair for half the season, I would have decked him by now. No wonder she self medicates.

“Yes, because Simon, Randy and Paula couldnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t find anything good to say about Ruben, Fantasia or Jordin.”

Nothing good to say about Ruben or Fantasia!!! If my memory serves me correctly, Ruben was THE MOST PIMPED contestant EVER on Idol. I still believe to this day that had there been no judges during season 2, Clay would have walked the competition. Clay got soo much criticism from Simon especially because he looked like a dork.

And Simon Cowell raved about Fantasia. He told her midway through the competition that out of all the idols he has done, he believed that she was the best one so far.

Having said that, I don’t believe the article posted about the curse of the favs is true. For instance- the favorite coming into the top 12 (according to the judges/media) was Ruben- and he won…The favorite coming into the top 12 during season 3 was Fantasia (noting that Simon called her the “real deal” when she sang something to talk about )- and she won…I don’t even think that Carrie underwood was the runaway favorite in Season 4 coming into the top 12, but she was deff wayy up there….season 5 was deff between quite a few people- i thought chris, katherine, and elliot were top 3…and season 6 it was melinda- but we all know how that turned out.

And in season 1 (I think people always forget to mention season 1, including me, because there is something really different about it) it was tamyra, but i think by top 7/8 week kelly and tamyra were neck-neck.

anyways, there is my knowledge du parte on the topic. and i continue to get angry at media people who write articles about anything related to Iold because first of all, singing/Idol is very subjective, and second of all, they probably dont watch the show enough to comment about it.

but i would say that there has never been such a runaway at this point in any season of idol and i just don’t see it going awry for mr archy. and i still predict he will do incredible in sales, radio, and touring.

and i do love the hell out of this cheesy show

Nothing good to say about Ruben or Fantasia!!! If my memory serves me correctly, Ruben was THE MOST PIMPED contestant EVER on Idol.

Duke, we are in violent agreement on this subject. I was just being sarcastic because the author was so completely off base on the subject, he was in another ballpark.

I heart Kirsten.

Happy Easter all.

The Beatles did have a hit or two in the UK). The Heart Song he did not know was Kadyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s.

I’m pretty sure that Simon said he’d never heard either of the Heart songs.

In the six seasons à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Idolà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  has been on the air, the performer deemed by either the judges and/or the press as the front-runner has only gone on to win the singing competition once: Carrie Underwood in 2005.

Because six is a great sample size to base your prediction on.

I think the most telling piece of information so far is dial idol which shows David A consistently crushing everyone week after week. Granted dial idol is certainly not perfect. And things could certainly change, or David A just might not be as good at picking up the votes of departed contestants. But right now he certainly is the safest bet as far as who will win.

Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m pretty sure that Simon said heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢d never heard either of the Heart songs.

I checked the instant replay before I posted what I posted.

His exact words after she sang were:

“Uh, Carly, first I thought it was a much better performance than last week. You’re panting. You’re really out of breath, aren’t you? {Randy: Big song] Yeah, a yes, big, big song. Um, I still don’t think [Half a Bullwinkle] yet, you’ve chosen or connected with THE right song yet. I think you are, I’ll put in on record, an incredible singer. In fact, I don’t think any of these girls can touch you vocally [Half a Bullwinkle], but what you haven’t done is chosen that one song that’s going to give you the absolute moment and at the point you do, and I think you are going to be around for a long time, I think you are the girl they all have to beat. I geniunely do”

Youtube is my friend.

gottcha kirsten

I pretty much agree with what has been said, with one caveat, the TCO must deliver or not be overshadowed by another or he/she is no longer TCO. Present season example, coming out of auditions Michael and Carly were considered by many to be TCO’s. Then the ringer/stolen song mess started flooding the press they were toast. Was it the curse of TCO, or was is simply that Michael J peaked in Hollywood, and Carly was possibly overpraised unjustly in the first place? If either of them had fulfilled their promise they would be getting the drubbing little David is getting now. That is the true curse of TCO. If David stumbles again, look for Jason/David to acquire said title.

Justin Guarini was possibly first thought of as TCO more because of his look than his voice. Ruben gets bashed, not because he wasn’t good, but because so far he hasn’t fulfilled his potential and Clay stole his thunder, but in retrospect the judges and public were probably correct as Clay still hasn’t truly found his musical identity. Fantasia is an oddity for the show as I feel that she was too edgy and less mainstream for the show. It has and will continue to serve her well as her star will continue to rise, Simon got that one right, she is the real deal. Carrie was right on and this is from someone who can’t listen to her sing without yawning, but Bo was so ahead of the curve for this show, he made top two by the sheer will of his talent, very little pimping, or fanfare. Taylor, I won’t get into, I just think his skills speak for themselves, as for me it’s not about widgets, but talent.

Last season, I have no idea, I think of it as the lost season. I mean coming out of auditions Sundance was suppose to be the one to beat, he fizzled, the some thought Chris Sligh was the curly headed person I believe Randy alluded to, the public didn’t quite warm to him. Then it was Chris Rich, the JT clone, fresh hip, he got the boot. I never saw Mindydo as front runner because I knew style would trump substance, and something else I have noticed is that after Taylor, another “old” contestant will have a hard time winning.

Wow long winded, verbose and scattered, but this is how I feel about TCO’s. You really have to earn it, navigate a fine line between obsequeousness and bravado, and other unknown minefields.

The thing is that Simon is saying what a lot of average AI viewers are thinking and saying to their friends and families. I did not know the Heart songs either. I also did not like Carly’s rendition of “Blackbird”. I don’t really like the song,”Blackbird”.

A lot of the times, I’m scratching my head and wondering what the heck Randy and Paula are hearing that I’m not hearing. Simon comes on and he has heard what I heard and expresses it. IMO, that’s why the voting usually reflects Simon’s opinions. It’s what a lot of the audience thinks also.

Or..could it be…that they have chosen little D as TCO only to then quietly have Carly and Michael John come from behind and be final two.. Now THAT would be the biggest shock ever..more so than the Tamyra being cut before Nikki and Daughtry before Taylor. Perhaps that is exactly what their plan is and little D will be eliminated say top 3 or 4 and all his uber-fans will go nuts and buy everything under the sun for him.. giving them a win win situation.

Ok…my 2 cents… Happy Easter… and I heart all on MJs!

I on the other hand do not agree with Simon most of the time. If you cut thru all of Paula’s ditzyness and comments on appearance and just listen to what she says about performance, style and talent and she’s good. She has actually been a performer. Simon has done nothing more than make money off other’s musical talent (I have to admit he’s done well at that) He only appreciates what he feels will make money. He has $ in his eyes. I have never thought that anyone who performed on Idol acted like they were drunk, had a hideous performace or were a complete mess, to repeat a few of Simon’s trademark comments. For me his rudeness has gotten old and really makes me wonder why he’s there. I feel if he left he could be replace without a problem IMO. With all the bad manners by judges, and bickering with themselves and the host it cuts down on my enjoyment which is listening to young performers trying to make a career out of their talent.

“We seemed to be more critical of top dogs.”

While I believe in the whole à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“top dogà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  concept, David Archuleta doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t fit in that category as well as he fits in the other category of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Never compete against puppies or little children.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  :laugh_tb:

He is considered the top contender because he IS the top contender.
As Simon has said, heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“got ITà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ .
I don’t fear for him at all.
He deserves to win.
His shyness and giggles commend him.

Kirsten, I also checked youtube and you were right that Simon said after Kady’s song, Magic Man, that he’d never heard that song. I thought later on he said he hadn’t heard either before but am just going on my memory which could be faulty. :smile1_tb:

I agree they probably have a few that they hope will do well and it depends on the actual performances who becomes the TCO. I doubt they would put all their eggs in one basket in case of a disaster/meltdown. Doesn’t stop them from pimping bad performances, of course. They’ve done a fair amount of that this year.

As far as I’m concerned, Randy is the most useless judge, even though he’s the one with the most musical talent. He’s soo predisposed to belters and rockers. At least Pauler tries to be constructive. “It was just aii’right for me” isn’t helpful, Randy. And no, Simon doesn’t care about the music. He cares about the $$$. That is exactly what this show is about, which is why I refused to watch it when it first started. A friend sucked me into watching in season 4, and I saw some potential artists and have been hooked ever since. TPTB seem to have realized what went wrong with the public last year, and are back on track. As much as we may despise them, they’re good.

ETA: Sciencefan, I don’t believe anyone deserves to win yet. We have a whole lot of performances to go!:-)

Tamyra Gray was the season one TCO, not Justin. The other problems with the front runner article’s premise are 1) the definition of the front runner has changed over the seasons and 2) AI voting is cumulative, not static.

In season two, Clay was the top vote getter every week except the last (as a former Claymate, I don’t want to get into alleged “voting irregularities” from the AI2 finale, okay?). That’s because enough of third place finisher Kimberly Locke’s votes went to Ruben Studdard. For the same reason, season five might have had a different outcome if Taylor Hicks faced Elliott Yamin instead of Kat McPhee. I remember how s-s-scared were some of Tay Tay’s fans at Gray Charles that Elliott would have divided the soul fans and won the underdog voters.

This season I foresee some overlap of Jason Castro’s fan base and the fan bases of Brooke, Michael, David Cook, Ramiele, and especially David Archuleta. If Jason can last long enough, I think he stands to benefit week after week from fan bases looking to vote for a new contestant after their favorite is eliminated, especially if Archuleta falters or his fans become complacent (see the “shocking eliminations” of Tamyra and Daughter).

Regarding the definition of a front runner, the judges and producers seemed to be of one mind during the first three seasons. In season four, they were split between Bo and Carrie and Simon was the only one really promoting her above him.

In season five, Daughtry was the clear TCO of the judges and producers. If anyone was the season six TCO, it was Melinda after Sligh took a quick nosedive (I’m writing that as a huge Sligh fan). But AI6 is probably the exception to all the rules.

Kirsten, you make excellent points and I used to agree with you about Simon’s widgets. In seasons one through three, he was looking for a breakout R&B star to go straight to radio and that never happened. In season four, he wanted a country Idol. In season five, he wanted a rock Idol, albeit a top 40 version of rock. In season six, I think he just wanted out of his contract.

This year he praised Jason’s performance of a Leonard Cohen song and cited Jeff Buckley’s rendition as one of his all-time favorites. Last week he praised Syesha for performing a la Eva Cassidy. Since season four, Simon tends to get most excited about each season’s new flavors, unless he disdains the genre like Blake’s beatboxing.

Maybe Simon thinks folk rock is ripe for top 40 revival, but aren’t you surprised that he has heretofore unseen layers of musical depth? I know I am.

Ealbino, it could happen as it would be a win, win, situation for me. Michael and Carly are growing on me, and I am a David A fan. They would hit the trifecta!

JoJo, while I usually agree with Simon, I have always seen Paula as the most honest judge. If you cut through the ditzy mist, she is usually dead on.

Sciencefan, I too believe that David A is the top contended because he deserves to be. Other’s see a polished, trained seal. I just see a kid who was gifted with a good voice and wants to use it. He does have something no other kid has. Jordin never seemed like a kid to me. Her poise belied her youth, imho.

Maybe Simon thinks folk rock is ripe for top 40 revival, but arenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t you surprised that Simon has heretofore unseen layers of musical depth?

Simon has always liked music. Most people do. The guy who perfected the MacDonald’s Fries probably likes to eat normal food too. Occasionally, we see glimpses of Simon’s personal taste when he comments what his favourite song is (“Unchained Melody”) or when he mentions he likes such-and-such a song.

But there is a difference between just listening to music when it happens to be on and being truly interested in the subject. To carry on the cooking analogy, I cook. I have my favourite foods. I have my favourite restaurants. Sometimes, I even have a lot of fun cooking. But I would never call myself a chef. I do no pour over recipe books or take cooking classes. I do not get up at the crack of dawn to meet the fish boats. I cannot tell from tasting a sauce what all of the ingredients are. I’ve never made 23 batches of cookies to find out which is the best recipe. I just cook dinner. I’ll try something out new every once and a while, but mostly I just cook to eat.

So, yes, Simon likes some music. He’ll listen to it on occasion. But just because he works in the biz doesn’t mean he has any more interest in it than the average Joe. His majority interest is in moving units. If he suddenly realized that he had developed a flair for something else (say, picking hit television shows or which horse was going to win a race or knitting), he wouldn’t mind switching if he was still able to make a lot of cash. He’s the total French Fries dude.

I don’t follow the folk-rock genre at all and I’ve loved Jeff Buckley’s version of that song for years (I heard it on the West Wing). So, Simon does win any points from me there either. He probably heard it when he was watching the OC.

Randy, besides preferring belters an rockers, also prefers those who can sing those runs and riffs.

Patrick Langston, Ottawa Citizen – was awfully unkind to Carrie Underwood! Too much belting for his taste!

I’m curious to see those “tacky costumes” Simon disliked. I looked around the internet but didn’t find any pictures. I did however find a blog with some ranting about how awful “Britain’s Got Talent” is. You couldn’t BELIEVE what some had to endure!
http://forums.itv.com/thread/658917.aspx

Randy, besides preferring belters an rockers, also prefers those who can sing those runs and riffs.

True, and I’m NOT a fan of vocal gymnastics, so perhaps that’s why I find him useless. Well, part of the reason. :wink_wp:

I don’t mind Randy although I get tired of the name dropping of singers I don’t even like. Paula has become someone I tend to fast forward through. At least Simon can be interesting even if it’s just to disagree with him.

Kirsten, I very much enjoyed – and agreed with – your explanation of Simon, music, and widgets.

And speaking of Pauler, I noticed her, TWICE – I think it was last weekà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s video tape I was watching – she was behind her back, using her hand to encourage the audience in their BOOING of Simon!! I was so surprised she was being so naughty! But how can one really put up with Simonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s shenanigans all these years without finally giving in to retaliation? Did anyone else see it? It was one of the Beatles weeks – while Simon was talking.

Dukesterathlete, I admire and respect your personal knowledge of the show. I have only watched since season 4, and then only when they got to the Top 12, except for this year, which I decided to watch all the way from the beginning. Thanks for sharing.

What does TCO stand for?

One thing that is making me really uncomfortable lately – I read that if TPTB think youà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢re using some special electronic machinery to do your voting, that they can discount your votes! This bothers me because I have a really fast phone, and I have it down to a science as far as voting goes. I can push redial, wait for the guy to say thanks, hang up and redial in about 6 seconds! I can do that for about 40 minutes before my arms get tired. Are my votes counting? Or are they automatically discounting my votes because they think theyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢re not à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“realà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ? How do I know? And doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t that mean that in reality, they can kick out whoever they want?

Sciencefan, TCO = The Chosen One

Does anybody notice that Simon “occasionally” makes the comment about “hearing the contestant on the radio?” I believe he stated that about Jason C. That he’s good to look at, but if he were on the radio he would turn JC off.

That, in a nutshell tells you where Simon is coming from. What can he promote and who can he make a star? What sounds good on the radio. Think about Leona Lewis. She’s not THAT great looking a girl, she’s biracial yes, but she has a clunky body that needs a lot of do-over work. She has stringy hair that needs styling, but the girl can sing. She’s got a great personality, and she’s the epitome of what he looks for.
She has a long career ahead of her.
Remember — he owns a piece of whoever ends up the winner. And remember — Simon can turn on you on a dime. And I believe David A’s turn is coming soon.

Kim Locke is so level-headed. She reminds me of Amanda. Says what she thinks regardless of what others think.

sciencefan
Mar 23rd, 2008 at 5:50 pm

What does TCO stand for?

The Chosen One

Are my votes counting? Or are they automatically discounting my votes because they think theyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢re not à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“realà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ? How do I know? And doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t that mean that in reality, they can kick out whoever they want?

Yes it does and they have

For those who are interested Chris Richardson new single ‘All Alone’ is now available over at Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/All-Alone/dp/B00160ZGAM/ref=dm_ap_alb1

:shock_tb: LOOK WHAT I JUST FOUND AT TMZ IN THE COMMENTS!!

17. CARLY SMITHSON IS PREGNANT!!!!!! You’l notice she’s gained weight and has been wearing loose fitting tops that conceal her bump alla J-Lo! Congratulations to Carly and her husband!!!!!!

Posted at 12:29PM on Mar 19th 2008 by Sean Esteves

What do you think?! :shock_tb:

Well, if Carly is pregnant that’s either going to get a sympathy vote — or a negative vote. People will feel, she’s going to be a mom, she can’t go on tour, she needs to stay home with the kid.
Interesting! Scandal and news all the time with Idol. I too noticed she had gained weight.

Maybe that’s why they’re courting the idea of bringing back one of the previous cast-offs for the tour?

I just had a weird thought about all the Idols and their appearances. Does it seem that they’re the ONLY ones working in the music business? Honestly, it seems like the IDOLS are touring and on everybody’s TV show.

Science fan: Very perceptive.

Are my votes counting? Or are they automatically discounting my votes because they think theyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢re not à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“realà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ? How do I know? And doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t that mean that in reality, they can kick out whoever they want?

Yes it does and they have

American Idol is considered an entertainment show, they don’t have to follow the same guidelines as game shows. They can legally throw out votes.

There is speculation by some fans that the producers have thrown out votes in order to advance their TCO. However, it’s never been proven conclusively.

What do you think?!

That it’s a comment on TMZ and, at this point it’s a total rumor. Anybody can post anything over there. I’d take that with a grain of salt.

If it’s true, however…congratulations to Carly and her husband.

TMZ is pretty unreliable. The comment section is probably worse. I would take that with a HUGE grain of salt.

I think Leona Lewis is a knockout, so I don’t buy your theory, Chicago-Sally. I’ve also come to love “Bleeding Love”. I think they’re looking for the total package. Kellie Pickler didn’t get signed on her vocals alone. With her, it was about looks, PERSONALITY, and a decent (if not spectacular) voice.

PJ: You prove my point. I didn’t say Leona was Ugly, I just said she wasn’t “all that” and if you look at her body, she needs a Mariah makeover, Just IMO. And her vocals are very very good.

Kellie has such an engaging personality, it overtakes her singing. I believe Fox is trying to develop a TV show for her.

Happy EAster everybody!

I think “front runner” is an interesting term and varies depending on who is using the term.

According to anecdotal evidence (DialIdol, my kid’s squeals, etc.) the front runner is David Archuleta. He will win even if he goes out and sings boring ballad after boring ballad no matter how many comments the judges make about him getting boring. He could croak on stage for 10 weeks and still win because he’s got all the raw material to be the next Disney-style TeenBoyPopStar.

As it turns out, Simon the french fry chef (TM-Kirsten) will pimp the one who causes the most Dollar signs to float spontaneously across his eyes. In this case, because Archie does have all the raw material to be the next Disney-style TeenBoyPopStar, which is lucrative, therefore, Archie gets pimped, even if Simon doesn’t personally find him most interesting (and I’ll bet it goes a little way to making it less interesting for Simon to sit at the judges’ table).

Randy will dutifully pimp the PTB’s favorite like a good little corporate lapdog. It’s as obvious as it is over the top. Paula is there to confuse people between the corporate shill Randy and the real judge (and sometime loose canon) Simon (and I agree, Kirsten – she’s a saint). Simon will pimp the PTB’s favorite to an extent (or at least remain neutral) but there are moments where his frustration or true feelings show.

Simon often has a personal favorite who may not be the winner or the potential cash cow, usually someone cute, bubbly and/or sweet. For example, in Season 5 it was Kellie Pickler. Season 6 it was Melinda. This season it’s Brooke. It was top 3 last season when Simon gave his plea to save Melinda, despite the season of pimping Jordin because he knew she was likely to be eliminated.

The Media parrots will declare the front runner to be whoever the PTB pimp. Season 5, almost nobody in the Media spoke about Taylor as the front runner until Chris was eliminated, even though the PTB and the fanbase knew who was out front every week in the voting. I don’t know if it was that the PTB were in denial about Taylor’s popularity, or if they were hoping the media would sell TCO as the front runner so it would get some traction. Last season the Media singing Jordin’s praises despite consistently better vocal performances by Melinda, because that’s what the PTB were doing.

So, in my opinion, “front runner” is in the eye of the beholder.

This year, the front runner is obvious to everyone, but it doesn’t mean Archie’s the bestest singer even though that is the hype about him.

ETA about Carly and Michael –

*dons tinfoil hat*
My theory about Carly is that the PTB believe they’re own rightness when it comes to picking talent. Randy, especially, thought she was a star even though her album flopped and thinks she needs a little exposure to be the big star that they thought she was. The problem is, adding 7 years of age doesn’t mean she’s 7 years more exciting.

I think Simon realizes that having a good voice isn’t going to make her a winner or a big seller if there’s no spontaneous buzz. I’m not sure Randy gets that yet.

Michael – Has the looks the be a star. He could be in movies or TV with that face. He’s got a nice voice but like Ace Young seemed to have peaked early. I think he was cast more for his sex appeal (and potential as a “rocker”, now overshadowed by David Cook). Now, he sort of doesn’t fit and they’re ready to throw him under the bus because he’s not “choosing the right songs” (not distinguishing himself?) and he’s too old to be marketed to the Hannah Montana demographic.

One thing that is making me really uncomfortable lately – I read that if TPTB think youà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢re using some special electronic machinery to do your voting, that they can discount your votes! This bothers me because I have a really fast phone, and I have it down to a science as far as voting goes. I can push redial, wait for the guy to say thanks, hang up and redial in about 6 seconds! I can do that for about 40 minutes before my arms get tired. Are my votes counting? Or are they automatically discounting my votes because they think theyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢re not à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“realà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ? How do I know? And doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t that mean that in reality, they can kick out whoever they want?

They count. This is probably not much help at all, but I read somewhere that Nigel said the show hasn’t had to throw out any votes yet.

Thank you. That DOES make me feel better.

Looking around, I get the impression people are thinking Carly’s trying to hide something with the baggy shirt she had on last week, and they’re imagining that she’s gained some weight.

Probably just a stupid rumor.

This season Simon praised Jeff Buckley’s “Hallelujah” and Eva Cassidy, which surprised this Cowell critic. As a fan of both artists before they passed tragically early, I have a sense that the general public was still largely ignorant of Buckley before AI7 and that Simon’s mention of Eva Cassidy last Tuesday went unnoticed because she remains an under-appreciated unknown, except by music zealots.

I assume that MJ’s regulars are more music-savvy than the average AI spectator. I know MJ is.

So, how many of you had ever heard “Hallelujah” before Jason sang it?

How many of you knew who Jeff Buckley was before Jason sang “Hallelujah”?

How many of you know who Eva Cassidy is (without checking Wikipedia first)?

I’m only trying to prove the point that Simon Cowell of the boy band mediocrity and four tenor schmaltz actually values interesting music other than top 40 pap and should get credit for it. Not only does he appreciate it, but he encourages contestants who are stretching the AI catalog in previously unimagined ways. Yes, he seems unaware of interesting American music other than top 40 pap that was recorded before he reached adulthood (i.e., Heart) and that is lamentable.

Michael – Has the looks the be a star. He could be in movies or TV with that face. Heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s got a nice voice but like Ace Young seemed to have peaked early. I think he was cast more for his sex appeal (and potential as a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“rockerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ , now overshadowed by David Cook). Now, he sort of doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t fit and theyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢re ready to throw him under the bus because heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s not à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“choosing the right songsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  (not distinguishing himself?) and heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s too old to be marketed to the Hannah Montana demographic.

I was thinking this too–that Michael is the Ace of this season. He’s not meeting the potential he displayed in Hollywood, his looks aren’t enough to hold the viewers interest, TPTB are pretty much over him at this point. I expect Michael to go out around mid-pack, just like Ace, who also had that early potential, but then didn’t deliver on it.

Well, I checked out Carly’s videos for the last 5 weeks.
She wore a baggy shirt last week for Blackbird, but for the two weeks before that, she wore rather snug clothes around the middle.
I think people are just looking for drama.

I actually think Micahel Johns peaked earlier than Ace. Father Figure on top 24 night got everyone’s attention, as opposed to BoRap for 20 seconds in Hollywood. Of course, I’m an Ace fan, so take that with a grain of fangirly salt. I also think MJ is hot. LOL. But yes, the comparison works.

I do think Ace had some other good performances (not DOJ and the scar, though!)

Terrie, I knew of Jeff Buckley and Eva, but didn’t own either of their music, to be honest. I had Rufus W’s “Hallelujah” though. I did download “Grace” after Jason’s performance. It’s spectacular.

ETA: I also never watched auditions previous to season 6, so pimping early on didn’t factor in for me.

For me, Michael peaked in his first audition. However, he’s far from being terrible and I would keep him over four of the girls and two of the guys. I still think he could last further than mid-pack if he has a really great performance in the next week or two. He potentially has some great song choices available to him from 1978. I wonder why he hasn’t performed with a guitar yet? Is it because Pauler loves his hopping and arm waving and he thinks he should keep doing that?

And I hope David C has been taking Charming Facial Expressions 101 from Jason this week. If he gets another smug comment from Simon, he’s probably going to leave before his time regardless of how well he performs. An acoustic stool of seriousness performance is exactly what he needs right now.

I had never heard of Buckley either. I had heard the song though because I have kids, and it was in the movie, Shrek.

After Jason Castro sang it, I listened to it by Cohen and Buckley, and didn’t like either version. Apparently, Rufus Wainwright sang it in Shrek, and I preferred his and Jason’s versions best.

Was Eva Cassidy’s name mentioned last year? Sounds familiar.

Cheese, I agree. David needs a ballad. He has it in him. Let’s see it.

That said, Jason needs something different, too. I’m just not sure that he has much different in him. I heart him dearly, though.

Someone I work with claims that he heard from a very reliable source that the voting during Season 4 wasn’t even close and that Carrie had 80% of the final vote. Of course, I have no proof that this is true, but if it is, I am wondering if David Archuleta is that far ahead of the pack even at this early stage. It wouldn’t surprise me judging from the amount of people I encounter who are gah-gah over him and find him utterly adorable including my mother’s idol obsessed hairdresser.

It wouldn’t surprise me judging from the amount of people I encounter who are gah-gah over him and find him utterly adorable including my mother’s idol obsessed hairdresser.

It wouldn’t surprise me either. And like you said, Beesims, it’s not just the tweenies who love David. His appeal is straight across the board. Read the boards and you’ll find middle-aged women who are obsessed with him. Guys like him too. The other Idols appeal to segments, they don’t have that kind of broad base of support that David seems to have.

I can’t imagine him not winning at this point. But, stranger things have happened.

So, how many of you had ever heard à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Hallelujahà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  before Jason sang it?

I had. I am a big Leonard Cohen fan so I was most familiar with the original. I had heard the Buckley version (and the John Cale version) after hearing the Rufus Wainwright version on the Shrek soundtrack and poking around some back then.

How many of you know who Eva Cassidy is (without checking Wikipedia first)?

I did, but mainly because she was mentioned several times on various idol blogs back during season 5. Many people said (probably at least somewhat correctly) that the arrangement of Over the Rainbow that Kat sang borrowed from Eva’s (and from Jane Monheit’s). I have bought five or six of her CDs since then. Good stuff.

Simon does have a fairly decent knowledge of music. But he certainly does have some blind spots.

Jason needs something different, too. Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m just not sure that he has much different in him.

I think Jason needs to stick to what he does best for a few more weeks. His acustic, heart-felt ballads are pleasing this fan just fine. But “Michelle” had me diving under my afghan in embarassment and peering cautiously through the weave. Although his stage presence is improving, he needs more time to develop the comfortablity needed to pull off anything different and make it believable.

I really think Michael Johns still has potential to impress people.

But of course, the clock is ticking, the next couple of weeks are pretty much his last chance. Poor guy, people just expect so much from him, I hope he quiets all those haters next week. I actually think he has a strong fan base, not as much as some others, but still pretty strong.

Also, I am sorry, but you really can’t compare Michael with Ace.
Ace was a sweet cute guy I guess, but that’s about it.

Michael is a million times better singer and way more talented. Have you guys heard his PRE-AI songs with his former band? The guy can bring and rock it. HIs I-Tunes recordings are awesome. Great recording voice.

I really think he has a great future ahead whether he wins or not. He just hasn’t had his moment on the show since Hollywood. Maybe the themes haven’t been right for him. I dunno. Maybe he is having a tough time choosing songs within those limited constraints of 25 songs or so.

I think Michael is extremely talented and is way underrated. Simon was a huge fan in the beginning and I really don’t know what he wants from him. Give the guy a break Simon, just saying.
Go MJ! I still believe in you.

Um, Ana, those are fighting words. Ace doesn’t hop and flail. J/K
I was being nice by comparing him to Ace.

I do believe MJ can rebound if he has a moment.

Simon was a huge fan in the beginning and I really donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t know what he wants from him.

Um, perhaps a breakout performance that proves that the hype and praise that was heaped on him early is warranted?

I liked Michael in the beginning based on his audition and Hollywood performances and even voted for him some in the semis – along with 3 or 4 others. But over the past 5 weeks of live performances, he’s slowly been losing me, to the point that I haven’t cast a single vote for him since the top 12 started. Some of my other faves (namely David Cook) have been stepping it up and actually giving me a reason besides “you’re so hot!” to vote for them.

IF Michael steps up to the plate and actually starts living up to his hype and so-called potential, he might get my vote again.

I was being nice to MJ for comparing him to Ace.

Hey, pj it’s just my opinion. To each her own I guess. I was never a fan of Ace during the show, sorry, but I think he is a super sweet guy.

Anyways, I just really like Michael’s soulful voice and style. I enjoy his stage presence. Great recording vocals.

I know I am in the minority here, but I am a firm believer of his talent. He has so much potential, it really is just a bonus that he just happens to be HOT.

Watching many Pre- AI videos of him I know what he can do with the right song. He can bring it, but he hasn’t been able to show that and maybe never will.

At this point… I realize he won’t win or anything close, although I wish he would make at least Top 4. Still very far fetch, I know.

The problem right now with him, is that he is not making the smartest of choices. IMO He is thinking with his heart, not with his head.
Maybe AI is not the right vehicle for him. I dunno. At least, he is getting some exposure from all of this.

I hope something good happens to him after the show. I am already anticipating his debut album. Maybe I will wait forever, but I still have hope that someone will give him a chance.

Simon gave Michael plenty of chances and was more than fair to him even through some very mediocre performances. Sure he’s talented, but he isn’t the first person that had a great audition and was impressive in Hollywood but struggled on the big stage. It usually happens every year. The whole thing with AI is you have to proof you can handle the pressure, you need more than talent to get through this competition. For his age and the fact that he was even considered a plant I don’t blame them for expecting a lot out of him.

Maybe he is having a tough time choosing songs within those limited constraints of 25 songs or so.

I seriously doubt it. The last two weeks he sure seemed to be lucky in findings songs that had some deep meaning to him.

After watching every season of American Idol……I think that the judges sometimes “Lie” during their critiques of a contestant…

Great comments here today. I wish we could pin down some comments that are stated as fact, when I am sure they are not. In any season have they ever admitted to throwing out votes because of electronic dialing? I mean and if that were the case, isn’t it fair? Just askin’.

I think it is too early to count anyone out, especially Michael Johns, I really think he might have a big performance in him. It’s funny I thought that this big stage would be great for him, when in fact not so much. The only two that really seemed comfortable have been Amanda (goodbye) and David Cook. Brooke and Jason don’t have a clue when they don’t have their security blankets and it showed them up last week. How will they adapt?

I’m with you, Maracaibo. I love Michael’s songs from his previous band and am enjoying the mp3s from his last 2 performances. His recording voice is really good. I don’t expect him to win but think he can stay for a few weeks longer if he makes better song choices. Other than Light My Fire, I think he’s made the mistake of doing songs he likes or mean something to him instead of what makes his voice standout. His fans may not equal David A fans or even David C but we’re pretty fangirly over him. :wub_tb:

Whether you’re known as a plant, the chosen one, the gay, the true rocker, the anti idol, the posuer, or the klingon (sawry, that’s mine for Kristy), this year’s Idol will have had to endure a lotta crap along the way.

His fans may not equal David A fans or even David C but weà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢re pretty fangirly over him. :wub_tb:

Yeah bean… At least we are very loyal and fangirly. And that surely counts.

Thanks for your comment, it made me feel better that I am not the only one here who thinks MJ has talent and can bring it. Let’s hope he has at least one moment before he gets the boot.

I don’t think Michael is in as much danger as people seem to think. He’s been pretty steady, though not particularly spectacular (with the exception of iTunes recordings, on which I think he shines) and that should buy him a few more weeks.

Is it a deathblow to Michael that Simon’s turning on him? Not at all! Simon changes him mind faster than Paula puts a sentence together!

Did you see on the TV guide channel yesterday? When Simon was asked who was his money was on to win it all, he said, “I like the kid with the dreads. He’s good. Yeah, I think he’s one to watch, maybe.” (Yes, this was after Jason’s performance of Michelle…) THEN when Randy said he liked the boy with dark hair, Simon agreed that David was the one to beat.

In some ways, Simon’s just as fickle as Paula. Just you wait, if Michael has a stellar performance this week, the winds of Idol will change.

Fear not, MJ fans, fear not.

I think David A has won it already. Almost everyone I talk to about idol is picking him to win. And it’s like MJ said – his fan base spans many age groups. Since Ai says this is the best talent evah, I’ll eb curious to see how many 19 signs after the season is over.

Count me in as someone who sees a lot of potential in Michael. I really liked his version of “Across The Universe” and preferred it to the David Cook’s bombastic version of “Eleanor Rigby”. There was a moment where his voice just took flight. I didn’t get Randy’s comment that it was “sleepy”. Sleepy was Ramiele doing “In My Life”. Sorry PJ, but I think his voice is stronger and more interesting than Ace’s with less Velveeta. That said, I don’t seem him getting past Top 6 unless he has a breakout performance a la Chikezie.

Signings:

David A
David C
Jason
Carly
Brooke
Michael

Possible signings:

Ramiele
Chikeze
Syesha

Improbable:

Kristy

My turn.

Signings:
David A- I would bet money on this one
Michael (if he makes it into the Top 5)
David C (if he makes it into the Top 5)
Brooke (if she makes it into the Top 4)
Jason (if he makes it into the Top 3)

Possible signings:
Carly (it depends on how the voters take to her)
Kristy (it pains me to put her beside Carly)

Improbable:
Ramiele
Chikeze
Syesha

Re: Michael Johns and Ace

(pj, you know I heart you, but…) I also submit that Michael is a much, much better singer than Ace. I do get the comparison regarding the peaking early aspect, but that is about it. I know I would buy a Michael Johns album (if ever there is one post-AI) but I’m not too sure I would get Ace’s. Ace is mighty pretty, though (although I don’t even recall ever swooning over him). Of course, Michael is not bad-looking either.

It really surprises me how much I have come to like Michael. I didn’t really like the guy (I even disliked him a little because of the reports and the overhyping) in the beginning, but his voice has completely won me over. I’m also hoping he gives that standout performance soon.

I do agree with you, though, pj, that Leona Lewis is gorgeous. I have also come to like her Bleeding Love. Heh. Oh, also, I was at a friend’s birthday/housewarming/Easter party last night and some of us there got to talking about AI and Jason Castro in particular. In the end, the peeps prevailed upon me to do Michelle on karaoke, but everytime I get to the “Mee-shelle…” part, everybody would suddenly just join in. It was a hoot! (Thanks for the laughs, Jason!)

And pj, LOL at the Texas heat.

Also…..I am really “impressed” when the 3 stooges aka judges pretend not to know the contestant’s name.

So, heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s not interested in the music. Just the product. So, thatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s why he comes of as a musical moron. He is one.

Kirsten, whether this is true or not, this is how Simon comes off on the show. At one time, I thought the show could not survive without Simon; however, the last two years I have felt he just does not enjoy his work. JoJo’s assessment is correct. The show could go on without Simon, but his replacement would have to be unique.

As PJ says, “Randy is the most useless judge, even though heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s the one with the most musical talent.” I also think Randy is replaceable. His dawg act is wearing thin. In American Idol Rewind, I appreciated Lionel Richie’s comments – that’s the kind of judgong AI needs. To be honest, I wish he would just disappear.

I have been requesting a folk rock theme for years. This is the season that it would fit in with the singers’ voices. Oh, I also think MJ will come through with a break-out performance. And, I still feel there should be more guys on the tour than girls.

I think Michael is more this year’s Brandon Rogers – great audition (we didn’t see Brandon in Hollywood), then done in by song choice. Good thing he hasn’t forgotten the words. (Love ya, Brandon! ) Also, thanks to the early hype, Michael has a pretty solid fanbase. But he’s not going to pick up other votes if he doesn’t have a “breakout” performance.

This is why I’ve been saying for about 3 weeks now that Michael has GOT to stop picking songs that either a) mean a lot to him or b) that he just likes, and pick songs that he can sing and perform well. It seems like he’s actually overthinking his choices.

I don’t think a breakout performance is out of his realm, because I know he’s talented. I’m just saying that without one, I fear he’s in danger of being a premature boot along the lines of Mandisa, simply because he’s not GROWING his fanbase like some of the other contestants are.

ETA: FWIW, I personally would love to see a top 3 consisting of CCJ (Cook, Castro, & Johns).

If Brooke can keep it together, I could see them signing her no matter when she finishes (the higher the better). Her kind of singer is getting popular again. She needs to avoid the meltdowns. I could see David Cook getting signed to front a band. David A. is a lock and I’m not sure about anyone else.

Sarah, a top 3 of CCJ would make me a very happy woman. Odds of it actually happening…well, I’ll have to ask Nigel

Lots of things to chew over in the above commentary. I esp. liked Kirsten analysis of Simon.
I had heard of both Jeff Buckley’s and Eva Cassidy’s tragic deaths before tis season of Idol. But I had seen Shrek and totally can’t remember “Hallelujah”. I think I first heard of Cassisy due to someone on Canadian Idol doing her version of SOTR, which would have been BEFORE Kat’s.

Interesting if Carly is pregnant. I did think she looked puffy last week. I immediately thought: “Aha! That’s why they are thinking of bringing in an ‘extra’ person for the tour”.