‘American Idol’ on the scene for Top 5 performance night: The details on Jennifer Lopez’s hot-hot-hot (and hidden) heels!
• Jacob Backlash: Sadly, the crowd seemed averse to Jacob from the get-go inside the Idoldome. Ladies around me in the audience were complaining about everything from his attitude to his singing chops well before he even started singing Chris Brown and Jordin Sparks’ hit “No Air.” His choice to sing both parts of the duet, too, didn’t help lighten up the mood around me any, but I could have just been somehow sitting in the Anti-Jacob Area.
• James’ Cougar Contingent?: During James Durbin’s tear-filled performance of Badfinger’s oft-covered “Without You, ” two older-looking ladies in the row in front of me tried to start the whole swaybot thing up in the rafters to no success at all. And a question popped into my mind for the first time: Does James have a big cougar-type voting block? These extremely mature ladies were extremely into him.
More recaps after the JUMP…
Live at American Idol: Is Jacob in It to Win It or Lost in Translation?
Being on American Idol is no walk in the park, and it seems that the pressure is getting to Jacob. When cameras are rolling Jacob has a big smile on his face, but prior to his first performance, he sat with a glum look while wardrobe de-linted his jacket and Ryan Seacrest prepped him for the opening of his segment.
While Jacob’s studio video packages played, he seemed nervous. He was pacing back and forth, not looking at anyone or anything. It was a stark contrast to the easy confidence James and Scotty display week after week as if to say, Hey, this Idol thing is no big deal! We got the impression that Jacob has pretty much given up on the competition, and tonight was his last attempt to garner votes from fans committed to more popular contestants.
Read more at EOnline
American Idol Recap: ‘Rising’ and Shining
At the end of American Idol‘s Top 5 performance show, I wasn’t sure whether I should pick up my phone to text-message votes on behalf of Haley Reinhart or use it to dial 911. On one hand, I wanted to reward Haley for getting up on the Idol stage and delivering the single best musical moment of Season 10 — and a second performance that would probably rank only a few slots behind. Conversely, though, I had just witnessed the judges’ panel committing criminal acts of foolery, vandalism, and perjury — and I wanted them hurled headlong into Reality TV Prison to rot indefinitely alongside disgraced former cast members of Joe Millionaire, Flavor of Love, Real World-Road Rules Challenge.
‘American Idol’ recap: In It to Spin It
“One thing is certain. This is American Idol.” Oh cool, thanks Ryan. That is so good to know. Do you know who will win, too? “Who is it gonna be? One of ’em, that’s for sure.” Wow, so helpful this week. He wants it, readers, he wants it. RYAN IS IN IT TO WIN IT TONIGHT.
For “Now & Then Night, ” the top 5 sang one tune from the last few years and one from “back in the day, ” with an assist from guest mentor and former Michael Jackson backup singer Sheryl Crow. “Everybody on this show is amazing, ” someone told Sheryl to say, “but the cold hard truth is somebody’s going home.” Could it be the guy in the baseball cap with a huge skull on it who’s trying to eat her alive? Nope.
Guest Blogger and ‘American Idol’ Alum Constantine Maroulis: ‘James Will Win’
There has been so much hype this year for American Idol and I think it’s well deserved. Nigel Lythgoe is back and he is a slayer, Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez are smashing it and the rest of the crew are doing their part – rock and roll, holdin’ it down.
The show’s production always improves year-to-year, which is pretty great, but this season, the camera work and quality is next level. Megan Michaels and the other producers kick so much butt and Miles Siggins is an amazing stylist. I can go on and on…
As for the contestants? They’re great. The best ever? Hmmm… moving right along.
‘American Idol’ Recap: Will Lady Gaga Lead Haley to Victory… or Home?
This week also saw our Idols — notably Haley Reinhart — taking big risks. Some worked, others didn’t (like that flower in Jennifer’s hair — first time I despised the ’do all season), and it was all served with a nice chianti, some fava beans, and Anthony Hopkins in the audience. Also in the house: Kelly Preston and her daughter, Idol season 6 alum Lakisha Jones, and Dax Shepard and Dane Cook, who were big James Durbin fans, according to Idol Worship’s Shirley Halperin, who was in the studio.
American Idol: Everyone’s In It to Win It
Last night on American Idol there was crying, drama, and obvious producer machinations. There was Randy giving a pep talk to the contestants that fell way short of, say, the Gipper speech (“Who of you is gonna take it? I wanna see, we wanna see, and America wants to know. Now’s the time to do it.”), then telling pretty much every contestant that they were “in it to win it.” There was a declaration that this week’s designated Jimmy Iovine assistant Sheryl Crow was “music royalty, ” which, oh, hasn’t music had a crappy enough decade, American Idol? There was Jennifer Lopez in a high-necked blouse and pulled-back hair, a getup that made cutaways to her during the contestants’ performances look extra schoolmarmish. (It was pretty funny, actually, especially when at one point Ryan said that the audience could see how she felt “on your face.” Not necessarily in a good way!)
‘American Idol’ 2011: Haley shines but judges still say James has won
As befits the occasion, the three judges are already seated when the show opens – none of “Idol’s” infamous nine-minute overruns this season! But this makes it hard to see what they’re wearing. Randy Jackson may have gone Italian, in a black tee shirt and silk jacket –Randissimo! Jennifer Lopez wears a demure white top and has a small white bouquet planted in one ear, in an apparent homage Kate Middleton, Steven Tyler has on a shiny red jacket jauntily thrown open with a white boutoniere on the lapel, like a British guardsman after the royal bachelor party. We sense a theme – or at least two thirds of one.
2 songs means 2 chances to screw up on ‘Idol’
Each of the five remaining “American Idol” finalists sang twice on Wednesday night, and both Jacob Lusk and Haley Reinhart had particular reason to be grateful for that built-in second chance.
Both made curious choices in their initial effort. Lusk picked the Jordin Sparks-Chris Brown “No Air” duet and elected to sing both parts. It sounded very strange, and even Steven Tyler didn’t offer his usual 100 percent praise, saying he’s still waiting for Lusk to find his niche. It’s one of the rare times the judges seemed to be stepping back and wondering what kind of single Lusk might release if he won — but a “No Air” remake would definitely not be it.
Sad Love Songs + Aural Malarkey: American Idol 10 Top 5 Go Classic & Contemporary
Who is in it to win it? Sigh…we’re already down to 5? Where has this season gone? Tonight on American Idol, the remaining five contestants will do two songs — one from the 1960s and one from the present. Sheryl Crow is helping Jimmy Iovine out and she seems actually…involved in the process. I kind of like Sheryl Crow. She’s from Missouri and she keeps looking better as she ages. She also has stuff about recycling on her tour riders. Plus she sang My Favorite Mistake. Not a bad woman to have around.
Top 5 Recap- Are You In It To Win It?
James Durbin chooses a song by tool Jared Leto’s band 30 Seconds to Mars. He wears a shirt that says “give metal a chance” and anyone who likes heavy metal music at home… isn’t watching this show right now so they don’t care. He needs to stop trying to show off his flabby arms, or at least start working out. Dude, sleeves. The song is completely tuneless and a terrible choice. James seems to know this as he goes through the motions and acts like he’s just rehearsing the song rather than performing it on a stage. His commitment to vocals is equally tentative as he barely sticks to the correct key. It’s easily one of his worst performances ever, yet Randy remarks how James is “in it to win it.” Steven says James works the audience like a pro. Now hopefully James will work his arms like a pro because I can’t take seeing those sagging sausages any longer. Hopefully viewers get apathetic and forget about James by the time the show is over.
“5 Finalists Compete”
This week, the contestants each sang two songs: a contemporary tune and then something from the ‘60s or ‘70s, which for some reason always ended up being a ballad. Sheryl Crow coached the contestants tonight. Based on her song catalog and experience, she’s one of those people who seems like she should have been a mentor by now if she hasn’t. She was actually a good mentor, obviously a fan of the show, who sang with the contestants more than maybe other adviser.
American Idol: No Judging, Please, We’re Only Being Paid Gobs Of Money To Do So
Hey, remember when enough people would get voted off American Idol and the show would go down to a much saner 60-minute running time? That was nice. Now, with only five people left, we still get a 90-minute show, with all the contestants singing twice. Maybe Fox is just determined to make Breaking In happen. Whatever the case, everyone sang a newer song and an older one, and Sheryl Crow showed up to sit next to Jimmy Iovine and help say stuff. This made me wonder: Does Sheryl Crow have a greatest hits album? After Googling, yup! She does! And I am going to illegally download the shit out of it! “Everyday Is a Winding Road”? That song is the shit.
