Idol Review – Blogging American Idol 9

Results night: Return of the Pickler

The night starts with a photoshopped photo of Paula and Simon’s heads on babies.

Frankie Avalon was on top of the charts the year Simon was born (1959) and of course, is in the house for an impromptu performance.

The group song is Kylie Minogue’s Can’t Get You Out Of My Head. Tonight, folks, we are LIP-SYNC FREE! (I think. Do you agree?) Holy crap, my wish has been answered. Thanks Ken.

We get a bonus Ford music video behind-the-scenes before the real thing, all to the tune of Britney’s Circus. This was my favorite Ford Video yet!

Adam is up first. He gets his missing critique from last night. He is obviously safe.

Kris is up next. As is Anoop. But Kris is safe, and Anoop takes a walk to the stools.

After the break, Flo Rida, from my neck of the woods (The 3-0-5), performs his single Right Round. There was lost of hopping and jumping. And because he wanted to feel like he just won idol, there was confetti, as well.

After the break, Danny is up, and he is safe. Matt follows suit, and is also safe.

Scott is up next, and not surprisingly, takes a trip to the stools. This leaves the girls. Allison is safe this week, and Lil makes her first trip to the bottom.

After the break, Kellie Pickler is up, who gets the screechy McScreecherson award for the evening (borrowed temporarily from Adam, of course.) I was not a fan of the performance or the song. Don’t get me wrong, I generally don’t mind her stuff, but this one was bad.

The bottom 3 are brought center stage, where Lil is sent back to the couch.

The lowest vote-getter is Scott. Anoop is safe.

This is no surprise. The judges “debate,” and Simon tells us that two judges voted to use the save, and two voted against. Ultimately, however, Simon decides to let him loose.

It was definitely his turn to go, and I think the other two in the bottom group are foretelling, because I see Anoop in line to leave next week, with Lil shortly thereafter. I am starting to see a Allison/Adam finale. Maybe that is just optimism in terms of Allison sticking around that far, but I can always hope. Until next week, au revoir.

9 comments April 8th, 2009

Top 9 results: Caw Caw edition

This over-produced nonsense is getting worse and worse.  Seriously, Ken Warwick, this has to stop. Nigel wouldn’t go for this.   The opening video is just too much for a reality show.

Simon predicts Anoop, Matt, Megan will be in trouble.  I concur, but I fear Allison is in the bottom, too.

The Ford Commercial was earlier in the episode than usual and was “Mixed Up.”  *Yawn* unimpressive.

The group song is Journey’s  Don’t Stop Believin’ - I think they are getting better at lip-syncing, because I  have to say, this was the least painful group song yet.  Except Scott, who looked terrified the whole time.  Way to go, producers!  The group number has gone from sucking, to royally sucking, to this week? Slightly better than sucking. Maybe by the finale it will be adequate!

The filler video du jour is “A day in the life of the Idols.”  The best part was getting to see Kris’s sexy face, and Matt’s impression of Gokey.

Ryan eggs on more live impressions out of the idols…which get a little out of control.  I was disappointed, however, that no one did the Megan!!  I do a pretty good impression of the Megan dance, myself.  It’s helpful for loosening up the shoulders.

On to the killings: The kids are divided into 3 groups of 3.
Kris, Matt, and Megan in group 1.

Allison, Adam, and Lil in group 2.

Scott, Anoop, and Danny in group 3.

I’m pretty sure they will pull one from each group (Megan, Allison, Anoop).
David Cook is up next, singing his new single Come Back To Me.  I am reminded how last season spoiled us.  David, come back!

Back to the results, Kris is up first, and he is safe.  Matt is up next, is faked out by Ryan, but is safe.  Megan is the last from group 1.  And she cawed her way to a stool.

In group 2, Lil is up first, and is safe.  Allison is up next and is headed to the stool as well.  She appears to flutter in homage to Megan.  And finally, Adam is obviously safe.

Group 3 has Danny up first, who too,  is obviously safe.  This leaves Scott and Anoop.  Anoop gets a stool, while Scott heads to the couches.

Lady GaGa (She wanted her name to be able to be pronounced by the infant population?) performs with smoke, a pink transluscent piano, and seizing dancers. Yikes!  Even Megan, aka CawCaw, was pointing in amazement.

Sending one back to safety: Allison.   There is justice!  And the one with the lowest amount of votes is Megan.   Anoop is safe.   Thank the Idol Gods!

Simon is over the whole “act” of the judges contemplating their save, and they give Megan a big fat no.

Megan sings her swan song just as awful as last night, and bawls throughout her exit montage.  And with that, Caw Caw to you, too.

Next week is “Songs in the year you were born.”  In other words, 80s week, with one 90s song from a certain pink-haired girl.

Caw Caw.

10 comments April 1st, 2009

Results night, Motown legend + Ruuuben edition

36 million votes, which means I have already lost my first bonus point question on predictify.

Tonight we will get a Stevie medley and a Smokey/Joss duet.

Obligatory recap ensues.  With crayons. (Or as Ryan says, “crowns.”)

Medley!  Medley!  And while I love the effort, I want real singing.  That was way over-produced, and not only was it lip-synced, but I’m pretty sure pre-recorded (did you see the way they cut to Adam near the end?)  Why?  WHY?  Can’t we just kick it old school like this medley?  Or maybe this one?

After the break, the Ford Commercial to Pocket Full of Sunshine.  It was pretty blah this week.  But next, and not so blah, is Ruuuuuuben, singing his new single.

Now, on to the killings:

Adam is up first, and is most certainly safe.  Matt is up next, and he is in the bottom three.  WTF?  I guess the Dead-man’s spot will really do it to you.  Kris is up next, and gets faked out by Ryan, but is safe.

Lil and Michael both stand up together.   Lil, despite choosing to sing the unlucky Heatwave, is safe, which sends Sarver to the bottom 3.

After the break, a (surprisingly) live performance by Joss Stone and Smokey Robinson.  It was pretty good, but not exciting.  I am guessing by the order they are sitting on the couches that it will come down to Allison and Megan, sending Megan across the stage.  We’ll see if I am right.

Wrong.  Allison goes first, and is safe.  Then Ryan switches to the other end with Anoop, who is safe.  Danny Gokey (Gokey Dokey!) is up next, who is safe, as well.  This leaves Megan and Scott.   And Scott is sent to center stage.  Megan is safe.

And as soon as he is sent center stage, he is sent back to the couches, because he is still safe.  After the break, we get Stevie Wonder singing some sort of medley.  I hope Ken Warwick has enough faith in him to not pre-record his performance.

Stevie Wonder sings his medley, and the antics by both Kara and the kids were hilarious.  Danny and Anoop’s enthusiastic dancing.  I’m not sure that Allison knew any of the songs.  But the best part was Megan’s pseudo narcoleptic moves at the end.  It was like she fell asleep and was startled back to reality, and the camera caught the best facial expression.  That’s so Megan!

And finally, the results.   The person with the lowest votes tonight is Sarver.

OUT TONIGHT! Michael Sarver

He sings his swan song, and the judges to not choose to save him, even though they had so much fun dancing that they couldn’t make a decision.  These judges’ antics are too much for me.

Michael seems happy.  At last he will get to spend some time with the kids before he returns to LA in May.

Well, this was inevidable for me.  Thoughts?

5 comments March 26th, 2009

Results show, Randy/Carrie Edition

Ryan teases a “possible surprise” tonight. All my money (i.e. all my funofficepools.com points) are on Sarver. I am concerned that it might be Corkrey, or worse, Allison or Alexis, both of whom I voted for last night. But one must be bold if one wants to get ahead in the pool.

Trouble by Travis Tritt is the group song. The best group song this season, though the lip-syncing is still annoying.

obligatory recap….

After the break, the Ford Music Video is to “Here We Go Again,” which I have sung/played a number of times on the Rockstar game.

Next, a behind the scenes video shows the emotion of the often-referenced-but-never-shown farewell dinner. Jasmine is a cute girl. I hope the Disney channel picks her up.

Now onto the killings…

Danny is up first, and he is obviously safe. Lil is up next, and is way safe as well. Anoop up third, and he is safe, too.

Allison and Michael are both asked to stand. And both are in the bottom 3.

After the break, a Brad Paisley performance, and another break. There are more commercials than normal, aren’t there?

Scott is safe.  Megan is also safe.  Matt and Kris are both safe.  This leaves Alexis and Adam.  Obviously Adam is safe putting Alexis in the bottom 3.

Ryan immediately sends Allison back to safety, leaving Michael and Alexis to wait it out another 15 minutes.

Princess Carrie and Randy Travis are here to debut their duet I Told You So, Randy’s song that Carrie recorded on her last album.  Someone should tell her there is something black and sparkly growing on her head.

Ryan asks if they would consider using the judges save on any of the two contestants, and they said yes.  (I’m guessing Alexis.)  So, did anyone think of the remifications of the tour if the judges use their save tonight?  Then we would have a top 11 next week, and two would be eliminated to 9.  How would that work?  NO ONE THINKS OF LOGISTICS!

Alexis is out, and Michael is safe.  She is now singing for her life, because the judges are considering saving her.  But it wasn’t good enough, so the judges are letting her go.

This is a blow to both my predictions and my pool picks this week.  Ouch and Ouch.  I voted for you Alexis!  She is just a casualty of people thinking she is safe, and the perfect example of someone for whom the judges save was made.  I guess they are saving it for Lambert.

Shocked, or blah?  What do you think?

2 comments March 18th, 2009

After 5 years, the Wildcard finally returns!

Anoop gets the pimp spot–not that it matters much tonight. Not that singing order matters much without the voting, but symolic nonetheless.

01. Jesse Langseth		“Tell Me Something Good” by Rufus & Chaka Kahn – The backup singers are let out of their cage tonight.  The song was just ok, especially at the beginning, but, like Kara said, she has a swagger.
02. Matt Giraud	Rating:	“Who’s Loving You” by the Jackson 5 – Wow!  MATT!  That was fab-u-lous! And honestly, that might be the best performance of the whole semi-finals! Also, let it be known that this is the first smiley-with-teeth I haven given this season.
03. Megan Corkrey	Rating:	“Black Horse and the Cherry Tree” by KT Tunstall – She has style, but if she does get through, I think she is going to get eaten alive by the big stage. She does have a knack for song-choice.
04. Von Smith	Rating:	“Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word” by Elton John – blah – I didn’t love this. I have never been a Von fan, but on a good note, his monkey-like facial expressions were restrained.
05. Jasmine Murray		“Reflection” by Christina Aguilera – I thought it was fantastic.  She didn’t go for the money note, but she came out and gave 100%.  She has a big voice and can sing, and I could see her going the Jordin route.
06. Ricky Braddy	+1/2	“Superstition” by Stevie Wonder – This was just an OK song for me. It was more of an entertainment song, and he didn’t show off his vocals.  I’m not sure that this was enough of a performance to make it.
07. Tatiana Del Toro		“Saving All My Love For You” by Whitney Houston – The song was the EXACT SAME as before– her personality is abrasive, that’s all. Gah.
08. Anoop Desai		“My Prerogative” by Bobby Brown – I thought it was great and very energetic.  I like his instincts, he has such a huge fanbase, how can they NOT pick him.

The results!

Jasmine is IN!

Ricky is not.

Megan is IN!

Tatiana is not.  I am so sad [/sarcasm].

Jesse is out, and I think it was due to song choice once again.

Von is out.

Matt and Anoop are up last.  And Matt is IN! but the internet rumors are true, and there will be a top 13!  Anoop is IN too!

I hope someone remembered to buy 1-866-436-5713.

Go Idol! Way to change it up.  Off to do some prediction analysis.

2 comments March 5th, 2009

Results show #3: see, we don’t need an hour results show

First off, we are tempted with wildcard deets, but not until later, I guess.  They can’t put it off much longer!  But first the season recap for the final group of 12.

Then the group song, to Katy Perry’s Hot and Cold.  UGH!  These group song choices are so annoying this year!  Pick a good song! Have a good arrangement!  Good Lawd!

After the break, we get an obligatory recap.  Then Ryan talks to Nathaniel sans-headband, Jorge who is cold, Felicia who is glad to be back, and Ju’Not who had an athsma attack.

First up is Lil Rounds, and without any adieu, sails into the top 12.

After her song, Ariana, Taylor, Alex, Kendall, and Scott stand up.  And Ryan tells us that one of them is making it through, after the break, of course.

First up, Ariana, Taylor, and Alex are all give individual “nos.”  This leaves Kendall and Scott.  And Scott is through to the next round.

Nathaniel and Kristen are up next, and both are told they are out.  Felicia and Von are up next, with the same results.

This leaves Jorge and Ju’not.   And Jorge finds out he is through!

Jorge is asked to put of the singing of his encore performance in lieu of wildcard fodder.

The judges called back 12ish people who “made an impression” on them.  We will find out what this wildcard process is post-break.

Ryan announces that eight people will perform tomorrow night.

Von Smith is the first person to get a wildcard spot.  SAY WHAT?  ugh, bad choice #1.

Jasmine Murray gets the next spot.  I was just so-so with her and think a few others deserved it before her.

Ricky Braddy gets spot #3.  Good for him–he seems super pumped and deserves it.

Megan Corkrey gets spot #4, which is another given.   I hope she makes it through so I can constantly immitate the butt bump dance.

Pick #5 is Tatiana Del Toro.  And I just might vomit right here.  I am frustrated that this spot could have been given to someone more deserving.

Matt Giraud gets the 6th spot, and I do look forward to seeing him again.

Yay!  Numbers 7 is Jesse Langseth!  I  look forward to hearing her again, too.

And the last person who gets it, with little surprise, is Anoop Desai!

People I feel are missing from this group are Felicia, who should have gotten Tatiana’s spot, and Ju’not, who should have gotten Von’s spot.  I also was missing Mishavonna, but I don’t know if she would stand out in this crowd.  I am mad about Felicia – I really liked her.

Well, see you tomorrow where these kids need to bring their A PLUS game.

4 comments March 4th, 2009