‘American Idol’ on the scene for the Top 13: Jimmy Iovine cheers Stefano, sits for Scotty
“Do I need my earplugs?” This was the question a kind woman asked of me as I sat down next to her before the Top 13 performance show of American Idol. It turns out that not only was it her first trip inside the Idoldome, it was the very first time she had ever seen American Idol. Seriously, ever. I imagine this must be akin to never having seen a baseball game and then going to Yankee Stadium, or trying Mexican food for the first time by biting into a dozen jalapeño peppers at once. At one point, the kind woman turned to me, and in all earnestness asked, “So, is that all Ryan Seacrest does? Stand there and introduce people and say numbers? I thought it was somehow more involved.” I am not totally embarrassed to admit that I felt a pang of protectiveness for widdle RyRy in this moment — after observing him in action for going on five seasons, the guy really is great at his job.
***
‘American Idol’ Recap: Seven Things You Didn’t See on Wednesday’s Show
American Idol’s first night in which fans got a chance to vote was taped Tuesday for broadcast a day later. Here are seven things you did not see on TV:
1. Executive producer Nigel Lythgoe, sensing some lethargy in the crowd, led the hand-clapping during Paul’s performance. He also got the crowd going during Scotty McCreery’s performance of Garth Brooks’ “The River.”
***
More Recaps after the JUMP…
***
‘American Idol’ recap: Let’s Hear It for the ’90s
Last night, the Top 13 figured out who their musical heroes were and, with Jimmy Iovine’s help, proceeded to copy them. Songs from the mid-’90s — the era in which most of these kids had first begun to fully grasp the concept of a “song” — ruled the school. Seacrest kept thanking us profusely for sticking with American Idol, as if we were ever going to change the channel. At least that’s what his mouth appeared to be saying as I sped through his segments on my DVR. Naima Adedapo proved she can dance, and Jacob Lusk became the new James Durbin. These things happen. Let us proceed.
***
American Idol Recap: Unlucky 13
Eighty-four years from now, Thia Megia will celebrate her 99th birthday, the last “Charlie Chapman” movie in existence will crumble into dust, and the University of Reality Television at Seaside Heights, NJ, will replace Harvard as the nation’s most prestigious house of higher education. When students at said institution open their History of American Idol: Season 10 textbooks to the chapter on Top 13 Performance Night, they may be surprised to find only murky recollections of the actual musical numbers.
***
American Idol Salutes itself
Last night America got its first glimpse at the finalist pack of American Idol, and overall things were pretty OK. No singer had a perfect performance—everyone either went off-pitch or got super-boring at least once—and the pacing of the show seemed slightly off, perhaps because it was taped on Tuesday night and there were a few awkward edits.
***
‘American Idol’ Recap: The Top 13 Stun And Stumble
The theme for Wednesday night’s (March 9) Top 13 show: “Personal Idols.” They included a man who was tried (and acquitted) for peeing on a 13-year-old, a famous adulterer and a dude who once uploaded eight free albums from kooky alter egos with song titles as varied as “Get Scared, Throw Up, Die, ” “Drunk as a Pile of F—” and “Passed Out In AA – F—.” Perhaps producers should have added the word “musical” in the theme’s title, because I seriously doubt Thia Megia’s manufacturers programmed her to adopt a chimp and hang out with Webster.
***
Naima’s explosive performance wakes up ‘Idol’
Because of the way the semifinals took place this season, three singers entered Wednesday’s performance show with a lot to prove.
Wild-card entrants Naima Adedapo, Stefano Langone and Ashthon Jones are still here not because the viewers like them, but because the judges do. None were among the top five vote-getters of their gender just last week, so they all knew that to stick around, they had to make up some ground on the competition.
***
‘American Idol’ ‘Finalists Compete’ Recap
Naima Adedapo may have been a bit misguided, going with a heavily produced, dance track for tonight’s performance but I’ll be damned if I can’t get the song or her reggae-rap/dance breakdown out of my head.
A couple things will take you all the way on ‘American Idol.’ Getting pimped by the producers is one and putting in an unforgettable performance that sticks in people’s heads like Paula Abdul telling David Archuleta she wants to squeeze his head off and dangle him from her rear-view mirror.
***
‘American Idol’ Top 13 Perform Spirited Tributes To Personal Idols
It may not have been live, but Wednesday night’s (March 9) pre-taped “American Idol” top-13 performance show was lively, with plenty of surprises as this year’s baker’s dozen sought to solidify their onstage personalities off the bat.
That meant that bearded lady-killer Casey Abrams served up some more gritty soul, Naima Adedapo showed off her reggae flair and Scott McCreery, well, let’s just say he stuck with the “good ol’ boy” songbook.
***
‘American Idol’: The Idols Perform Their Idols
For favorites like Jacob Lusk, Casey Abrams, Pia Toscano, and James Durbin, Wednesday night’s “American Idol” was time to solidify their holds on the verge of Thursday’s live elimination show, though fellow front-runner Lauren Alaina seemed to lose some ground this week.
For underdogs like Ashthon Jones, Haley Reinhart, Karen Rodriguez and Thia Megia, it wasn’t quite so successful, as they dropped a little further from the race.
***
‘American Idol’ 2011: Top 13 perform
The 13 Idolettes sing tunes by their personal idols Wednesday night. Or, tunes by people the judges told them they were just like, during previous weeks of American Idol” 2011.
In honor of the first actual night of finalists competition, “American Idol” in-house mentor Jimmy Iovine is unveiled. Iovine, CEO of Interscope record label, has brought with him his merry posse of celebrity producers, who plan to foist their various visions on the Idolettes.
***
‘American Idol’: Finalists Take on Shania Twain, Rihanna
Tonight on “American Idol” the freshly-named “final 13? started the real competition and they did it by performing a song of their own personal idols. Singing for votes, they got some performance help from some of the biggest names in music – Jimmy Iovine, Ron Fair, Jim Jonsin and Rodney Jerkins to name a few.
***
“American Idol” embarrasses the greats
All performers are shaped by their idols — the greats who struck a chord in them and helped shape their sound and style. But performers only become true artists when they absorb and transform those influences into something new and personal. When a listener says, “She sings like Diana Ross, ” they’re complimenting mimicry. But when they say, “She reminds me of Diana Ross, ” they’re complimenting artistry. They’re saying a performer has the potential to be as good as Diana Ross, but in her own way.
***
American Idol, Season 10, “Idols” Week: Ryan Adams Shout-Outs And Soaring Volcanoes
This was the first week we really got to see a lot of Interscope honcho Jimmy Iovine, whose role on American Idol is supposedly to mentor all the kids, but it’s already clear he’s only going to show up for five-minute weekly sit-downs with them and unconvincingly say nice things while sitting at an angle that lets the camera catch his Beats By Dr. Dre headphones. But Iovine’s involvement also gives the contestants opportunities to work with actual big-name producers like Jim Jonsin and Polow da Don. Those guys rarely seem to have much impact on the actual performances, but it’s fun to see them get camera time, just like it’s fun to see the show acknowledge that music has been made since 1995 or so. This week’s concept: Everyone singing songs from their idols. Get it? It was a smart enough way to plan out the show, though, since it actually us gave some idea who these people are. And this was, overall, a very strong episode of American Idol, since any episode with at least three good performances is a very strong episode.
***
Top 13 Recap: Ooh, Fire! This Night Was a Total Vote for the Worst Victory
OK, I’m going to say it. For just one night, American Idol was a good fucking show. I know, right? The top 13 this year is so VFTW worthy, I think I peed my pants about 10 times watching this thing. I couldn’t take how entertainingly awful it was. I mean, I knew there would be a lot of possible picks this season, but they tore the roof off tonight. In the end, the pick came down to Naima and Paul. So as I giggled like a schoolgirl and couldn’t actually make a pick, Deb called me and told me to flip a coin. So I did, and Paul came out the winner. Honestly though, I could go for about half of these people on a weekly basis, so let’s hope they stick around. If the show can stay this terrible, I will kiss Nigel Lythgoe’s deformed British face and be a loyal viewer.
