American Idol Top 10 - R&B Night

My buddy Sean thinks I'm obsessed with American Idol because as he says, it's the only thing I seem to blog about these days.  Well, he's half right.  Yes I've been blogging about AI a lot lately, but if I'm obsessed about anything, it's Evil Russ, Boston Rob and all things Survivor!

However, in honour of Sean (or perhaps in spite of him - heh heh), I feel I must comment on last night's Idol show.  So, here we go.....

One week ago I couldn't imagine a Season 9 show in which Siobhan Magnus wouldn't be one of the top two performers of the night, but last night I was in for a shock.  It's not that Siobhan was particularly bad, but in comparison to her performances of the last two weeks, and some spectacular performances by some of the other competitors this week, I have Siobhan finishing in a solid sixth place out of ten.  I know, how crazy is that?!??

I have to give the performance of the night to Lee Dewyze who performed Cornelius Borthers' "Treat Her Like a Lady".  The dude FINALLY came out of his shell and Simon told him that this was the night that may change his life forever!

A close second was Casey James who performed Sam and Dave's "Hold On, I'm Coming".  His vocals were fantastic and for the first time on this show, I bought him as a rock star.

If Casey was 2, then 2a is most definitely Crystal Bowersox.  MamaSox sang one of my favourite songs, "Georgia on My Mind".  She looked gorgeous (well, as gorgeous as she can look), and sounded incredible!

Big Mike (Michael Lynche) gave what I think was his best performance of the season (sorry Kara, his version of "This Woman's Work" just wasn't that good), and Andrew Garcia returned from wherever the hell he's been hiding with a brilliant rendition of Chris Brown's "Forever".

Teenagers Katie Stevens and Aaron Kelly sang ok (at least they were both in key), but their performances left me bored - as they ALWAYS do.

Megan 2.0 was very disappointing.  Didi Benami performed "What Becomes of the Broken Hearted", and if I'm being honest, I have to say it really wasn't good.  But, seeing as how there's a good chance she could be the Other Other Future Mrs. Meanie, how can I say anything negative about her performance??  Uhhhh, I think I kind of just did.  Whoops.

Tim Urban.  My God, can we just get rid of this dude already??  He can't sing.  He can't dance.  He can't even take constructive criticism.  I can only hope that this is the week America finally wakes up and tosses him off the show!

Ok, here are my predictions:

Bottom 3 - Tim Urban, Didi Benami, Katie Stevens

Voted out - Tim Urban (there will be no judges save wasted on this guy)

Sucks To Be You.....

Sucks to be you.  That is the message that Bonnie Preece had for her ex-husband after winning a 20-million-dollar jackpot in Canada's Lotto 6/49 draw this past weekend.

Preece's story is fantastic!  Here is a 49-year old woman, struggling to make a living working as a cashier at No Frills, takes the bus to work because she can't afford a car, and had $80.17 in her bank account as of Sunday.  From all accounts, she sounds like a wonderful woman - she works with seniors, rescues animals, and is well respected by her employer - in other words , exactly the type of person you hope would win the lottery.

And let's be honest, who among us hasn't dreamed of sticking it to our ex-spouse by winning the lottery and then saying something really mature like, "Na-na Na-na Naaaa-na" or even better, "sucks to be you"?!??

I know I would love to, but for now I'll have to live vicariously Bonnie Preece.

The New Future Mrs. Meanie?

Is it too soon for me to start looking for a new Future Mrs. Meanie??  I suppose there's no right or wrong answer to that, but while I have been on a few dates already - some good, some not so good, some down right puzzling, I'm a firm believer in seizing opportunity when it strikes!  Which is why now is the perfect time to be "on the prowl", as over the last week, two Oscar winning actresses have suddenly become available!

That's right, apparently both Kate Winslet and Sandra Bullock are both single - or in Sandra's case, she's about to be.  Oh, and that sound you heard??  That was the sound of thousands of men around the world letting out a collective - "woo hoo"!

I'm not sure why it is that as a gender we men automatically think we've got a shot anytime a Hollywood Starlet becomes single, but then again, who can explain why we think it's funny to teach our kids to pull our fingers?  The reality is though, we stand a better chance today than we did a week ago!

Kate and her husband (American Beauty director Sam Mendes) have split amicably after 7 years of marriage, while Sandra was "Blind Sided" by her husband's (Monster Garage star Jesse James) alleged affair with a tattoo model! 

But, at the end of the day methinks the "why" is not nearly as important as "how" - as in, how exactly does a regular guy go about picking up an Oscar winning actress?? Any thoughts?

American Idol Top 12 - Rolling Stones Week

One week after the shocking departure of Lilly Scott, Alex Lambert and Katelyn Epperly, the Top 12 Idols took to the big stage to perform the hits of the Rolling Stones.

Now, I must tell you, I'm not a big fan of the Stones (blasphemous I know) but I was interested in seeing how badly this (mostly) untalented group of Idols could botch  the tunes from one of the most iconic bands in the history of rock n' roll.

But you know what?  For the most part the Idols (with a few exceptions) weren't too bad this week.  For my personal reviews, read on.

Un-Freakin'-Believable!

Siobhan Magnus

Siobhan sang Paint It, Black and what can I say other than Wow?!!?  Her performance was dark and haunting and her big note at the end was incredible!!  How the hell does she do that??  I was already a big fan of this girl but after this performance, I am an uber-fan and am really really rooting for her!  I honestly got chills listening to her sing!  Unbelievable!  Simon said it was the standout performance of the night while Kara said she was having Adam Lambert flashbacks.

The Other Standouts

Didi Benami

Megan 2.0 had her second strong week in a row, and in my humble opinion had the second best performance of the night.  She showed off her darker side singing Play With Fire.  She stumbled a little bit with the lyrics but managed to recover nicely.  I'm really hoping Didi sticks around for a while because I think she has real potential!  All the judges seemed to be in agreement that this was a great performance.

Crystal Bowersox

Can Crystal do any wrong??  I think of all the Idols, Crystal is the one most ready to be a star!  In fact, while I was watching her perform You Can't Always Get What You Want, I was thinking it's like watching a rock star already!  She actually kind of reminds me of a Rock n' Roll Jewel.  Weird comparison I know.

Lee Dewyze

Simon is bang on with Lee - if he only realized how good he is, he could own that stage!  Lee sang Beast of Burden which I thought was a bit of an odd song choice for him, but, he made it work.  I still think Lee is a dark horse that will only continue to gain momentum each week.  While I'm kinda sorta moving into the Siobhan camp, I still have one foot firmly planted in Lee's corner.  I love this dude - in a non icky kind of way of course.

Pretty Good

Aaron Kelly

Aaron surprised me this week.  I have not been a fan of this kid at all, as I find he's been brutal week in and week out - a poor man's David Archuletta if you will.  But, he actually did a good job this week singing Angie.  It certainly wasn't a star making performance, but miles better than anything he did in the semi-final rounds.  It should be enough to keep him out of the bottom three this week.

Casey James

I have to admit, I just don't get this dude.  I want to like him, I desperately want to like him.  Seriously, what's not to like??  He's a rocker, plays a mean guitar, has a great voice, and women love him!  But, while he's got all the tools to be a great rock n' roller, somehow he just doesn't make it work.  He sang It's All Over Now, and the performance was pretty good, but I just don't buy him as a blues rocker.  Randy, Ellen and Kara all loved him, but Simon (clearly the voice of reason) agrees with me and said it was like an "audition performance". 

Michael Lynche

I thought Big Mike did a pretty good job with Miss You, but his performance (and I mean specifically the dancing) was a wee bit weird.  When I watch Idol, I'm looking for a star, and while Michael sounded good, he didn't do anything with the song that would make me want to purchase his performance.  Again, Randy, Ellen and Kara all loved him while Simon found his performance corny.

Paige Miles

Considering Paige was suffering from laryngitis, I thought she did a great job singing Honky Tonk Women.  Here's a thought - maybe Paige should suffer from laryngitis EVERY week as this was easily her best performance!!  Having said that, she still has a looooong way to go in order to catch up with the likes of Crystal Bowersox and Siobhan Magnus.  Just sayin'.

Could Have Been Better

Lacey Brown

Oh Lacey.  Lacey, Lacey, Lacey.  Lacey has an awesome look (what's with those eyes???  Wow!), and I desperately want her to give us a performance to remember.  At times her version of Ruby Tuesday was very good, and at other moments it was a train wreck.  I really believe she has so much more to offer, but for some reason she's not giving it to us.  I can only hope that she gets another chance to show us what she's got, but I have a hunch that her goose is cooked.  Just out of curiosity, does anyone know why she keeps sitting on the edge of the stage during her performances?  Anyone?  

Katie Stevens

Katie - the girl who should never even have been in the Top 12 (yes  I'm still pissed that it's Katie and not Lilly) - had her best performance of the season so far.  The problem is that Katie had set the bar so low for herself it really wasn't all that difficult to top her previous performances.  Her version of Wild Horses was ok at best, but she should be safe from elimination as she generally received positive feedback from the judges.  

It Just Wasn't Good Dawg

Andrew Garcia

Andrew at one time looked like an early front runner for the Idol crown, but since the live performances started, he really hasn't been that good.  This week his version of Gimme Shelter was especially bad.  He stripped the excitement right out of the chorus and turned a great song into a boring song.  I'm predicting a trip to the bottom 3 for Andrew this week although I do think he'll live to sing another day.

Made My Ears Bleed

Tim Urban

I don't think there are enough adjectives in the dictionary to describe how bad this dude was.  His reggae version of Under My Thumb (which isn't a great song to begin with) was Gawd Awful!  I think Simon said it best - Rolling Stones fan across the world were turning their TV sets off.  While Tim is clearly the weakest and least talented of this group, he'll probably be safe from elimination.  In fact, I don't even think he'll be in the bottom 3. Damn teenage girls.

Predictions

Bottom 3 - Lacey, Paige, Andrew

Who will go - Lacey

Who should go - Tim

American Idol Top 12 - America Gets It Wrong

So, the American Idol Top 12 is set.  My question is, how did America manage to screw up the vote so badly??  Does anyone really think that Katie Stevens is better than Lilly Scott??  Anyone???

And Tim Urban over Alex Lambert??  Now I know that Alex Lambert ain't exactly Adam Lambert, but Tim Urban isn't exactly Keith Urban either.

In fact I think all 4 contestants that were voted out this past Thursday deserved spots in the finals (Lilly, Alex, Todrick Hall and Katelyn Epperly).  The four that should have gone were Katie, Tim, Aaron Kelly and Paige Miles.

America's vote isn't the only thing screwed up this season - what the hell is going on with the judges??  Kara has not only inherited the seat abandoned by Paula Abdul, but she seems to have inherited her bizarre personality as well.  And what's with the conflicting advice the judges are giving the contestants from week to week??  One week the judges are complaining that the contestant didn't bring anything different to a song, and then when somebody does change up an arrangement (hello Todrick), they're squawking because the song didn't need to be changed.  Is it any wonder that their performances have been flat??  They don't know what to do!

Oh, and isn't it great that the judges love all the contestants so much??  I mean, it seems like after every performance the judges say, "I didn't like your song choice, it didn't work for me (dawg), but I really like you"!  That's wonderful - but next season, maybe you could pick people you don't really like all that much but that actually have a little thing called talent??  Just sayin'.

Ok, here are my predictions for the remaining 12.

And the winner of American Idol Season 9 will be......

Lee Dewyze!  This dude doesn't have the greatest voice, or the greatest stage presence - yet.  But, he reminds me of David Cook.  That is to say that his voice is good enough and he is one of the most well rounded performers in the competition.  He's also making smart song choices by picking songs that young Americans are familiar with and like.  Plus, he's someone that the teenage girls and the predatory American Cougar can really get behind.  He's my choice to win this season and has been since the first week.

If not Lee then......

Crystal Bowersox.  Crystal is hands down the best all around performer in this competition and in my opinion should be the winner.  The only thing that could possibly get in her way of the Season 9 crown are the teenage girls and Cougars of America.  See above.

Siobhan Magnus.  In my humble opinion, Siobhan has the best voice in the competition!!  This girl may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but her voice is like a gift from God!  Her problem will be that she is not as well rounded as either Crystal or Lee, but, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see her put everything together over the next several weeks and win the whole thing.

Won't win, but my personal favourite.....

Didi Benami.  Didi is like a cross between The Other Future Mrs. Meanie, Megan Joy (Season 8), and Brooke White (Season 7) who were two of my personal favourites in their respective seasons.  And no, I didn't just like them because they were hot, but, it certainly doesn't hurt.  Didi has an interesting and unique voice, and I'm really hoping she can get deep into this competition.  She has no chance of winning, but a top 5 finish certainly isn't out of the question. Oh, and from here on in she shall be known as - Megan 2.0.

Overated, and eventually America will clue in......

Casey James.  Quick, somebody buy this dude a personality!!  He may be a great guitar player (some are saying the best the show has ever seen), but his voice isn't great.  It's not bad, it's just bland I suppose.  But the real problem Casey has is his stage presence.  His smile on stage looks nervous and fake, and he is incredibly wooden when he performs.  The fact that Kara and the rest of the female population in the States thinks he's gorgeous will carry him into the top 6, but, I think he'll get weeded out by the true talent in this competition.

Michael Lynche.  His version of Maxwell's, This Woman's Work, had the judges raving and brought Kara to tears.  Oh please Kara, must you be so dramatic??  It actually wasn't even that good.  It was super pitchy and his falsetto was atrocious.  Having said that, America loves Big Mike!  And I must admit, I think this cat is Uber-Cool, and while I'd love to hang out with the dude, I just don't think he's a great singer.

Straight Up - Needs another hit, and fast.......

Andrew Garcia.  I feel sorry for Andrew.  Everything he does from now on will be compared to his Hollywood week performance of Paula Abdul's Straight Up.  He actually hasn't been all that bad during the semi-final rounds, in fact he's been much better than most of the guys, but he hasn't come close to duplicating his Hollywood Round performance and that seems to be hurting him.

Underrated, but America won't clue in......

Lacey Brown.  This girl has a great look and a great voice, but she hasn't been picking the right songs.  I think her failings in the semi-final rounds could be her undoing during the final rounds, however I do think she deserves to crack the top 10 and secure a spot on the Idols Tour.

Shouldn't even be in the finals.......

Aaron Kelly, Katie Stevens, Paige Miles and Tim Urban. 

Of these four young contestants, I think Paige and Katie have wasted their potential, while Aaron and Tim have simply wasted my time.  Katie looked incredibly promising in her audition (and had the pre-requisite American Idol sob story to all but guarantee success) but has stumbled ever since. Paige Miles has a great voice, but she is an awful performer. Aaron Kelly has been compared to David Archuletta, and while I agree that Aaron is just as boring to watch as David, at least David could, you know, sing. And as for Tim Urban, this dude is simply a train wreck! But, he's cute, and in America it's more important to be adorable than talented.

It would be wonderful if Aaron and Tim were the first two voted out, but sadly I don't think that's going to happen.  It will most likely be Paige and either Katie or Lacey.  Pity.