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American Idol kids, here's the way you cover Neil Diamond. It might not be the best singing but it's definitely more entertaining than any performance on
American Idol yesterday or tonight.
I guess I'm so used to Paula Abdul being nutty that last night's screwup didn't even register with me. Everyone on the
radio and TV are talking about it, some saying that American Idol is fixed and she read too far on her script but I think that Paula was just a little "distracted" and she heard the
rehearsals. All the contestants get to rehearse both of their songs on the big stage before the show and I'm sure Paula and the other judges are around during this time. It's not hard
to believe that Paula got confused and thus the mix up. The best part is Randy and Simon hearing her screw up and not stepping in earlier. They know it's good TV when Paula gets
goofy.
Wow. Neil Diamond. How many kids are into Neil Diamond? How many adults below 20 or 30 even know who he is? Let's just face
facts here. This season is weak. As much as I respect Dolly Parton, Neil Diamond and Andrew Lloyd Weber, I think they weren't smart picks for the show. They should have current acts from
every genre coming in so we can see how well the kids match up to them. And speaking of this season's contestants. I like them but not a single one really stands out.
David Cook: Clearly being groomed to be one of the top two. I've never heard such gushing by all the judges before. Go back and watch Chris Daughtry and then come back and tell me that Cook belongs on the same stage. Daughtry sang great all the time and he had charisma. Cook... Well, I'm not a fan even though he seems to have become more modest as of late.
David Archuleta: Well on paper, he should win but his song selection doesn't do it for me. He's a nice kid but to be honest, I think he's boring.
Syesha Mercado: Sweet, pretty but hasn't improved at anything since being on the show. Needs to show vulnerability but she'll be in the bottom 2 for sure.
Brooke White: I'm pretty tired of her by now. One of the 2 technically weakest singers on the show, Brooke relies on her smile and charm to get through. I like her but she's shown very little versatility or range in her performances.
Jason Castro: Please can we send Sanjaya Jason home yet? Why is he still here? He sings every song with that breathy voice
and watery eyes. He's a one trick pony that has said 4 words the whole season. He's my pick for going home this week but it'll probably be Syesha instead.
 In past seasons I've said that American Idol has missed the mark with which themes they chose and tonight was not too different. Since
AI is aimed mostly at the youth market, I'm not sure why they think show tunes, even as popular as Andrew Lloyd Weber's would appeal to youth. Possibly there's the thought of
introducing a new generation to these songs but I could do without hearing music from Cats again.
Tonight's show featured something I don't recall seeing in any previous season, a contestant, Brooke White,
restarting the whole band. Wow, that's one of the worst things you can do in a live performance and this is the second time she's restarted a song. The first was when
she was on piano but it was much more awkward when she requested that the band start again. A screwup supreme to be sure but only sweet Brooke could get away with this.
I thought Carly Smithson did really well tonight and I'm glad that she's changing her look more from week to
week. Jason Castro turned in a pretty weak performance. All I could concentrate on was how loud he sucks in a breath before singing each line. Go back
and listen and you'll never be able to ignore it. David Archuleta gave a predictably good performance but it would be nice to see him dress better.
 So who do I think will be going home tomorrow? If I had it my way, it would be Jason Castro. I don't think he's a strong
singer and he has yet to show any real personality. Sorry kids, I just don't like him. Realistically, I think Brooke, Syesha and Jason will be
the bottom three with Syesha or Jason going home. I don't think the show would let someone as popular and marketable as Brooke go home just yet. There's a small
chance that I'm wrong and Carly Smithson could go home but I like her so I didn't want to put her in my bottom three.
 Former American Idol contestant, Carmen Rasmusen claimed that certain people got
preferential treatment (duh). Let's face it, the show isn't exactly fixed but there are just some that require or request more coaching or help. It was widely reported
that Sanjaya got a lot of time getting his hair done but he personally requested it.
I think it's clear that the show knows which contestants to back in order to create the best show. Remember,
this isn't really a singing competition, it's a TV show that's trying to be as entertaining as possible.
From TMZ: Rasmusen was on "Idol" back in
2 aught 3, going head to head (pun intended) with Clay Aiken. She told the Deseret News, most finalists were given "minimal voice coaching," but Clay's coach was on him like
white on rice. To add insult to vocal injury, they had the same coach. Carmen says she threw a Hail Mary and hired her own coach, with pathetic results.
Since Kristy Lee Cook went home last week, VoteFortheWorst.com has thrown its support behind
Brooke White. I actually think Brooke has a good chance to win the show so VFTW could help her win.
 Hmm... Interesting show. Even my 16 year-old guitar student voiced my thoughts, "Dolly Parton? Why are they having Dolly
Parton music?". Most of the songs with the exception of Dolly's hit made more famous by Whitney Houston, "I Will Always Love You", were unknown to most of
the audience. Sure there's some people who grew up listening to Dolly's music but I think this was a bad choice.
The Performances:
After what might be the worst April Fool's Day prank by the unfunny Ryan Seacrest, we got to see all the singers work with Dolly. Dolly seems incredibly fun and
nice and all the kids show her respect.
The first up was Brooke White. I have to agree that the stage performance was a little odd with too much going
on onstage. The most rocking of Parton's songs, "Jolene" seemed a little neutered here. Good performance but not very memorable.
David Cook was up next and he made sure to give respect to the artists he "borrowed" from in past weeks and he actually did a good version of "Little Sparrow".
I heard he had to go to the hospital after because he wasn't feeling well. You wouldn't know from his performance. Very good but he should just sing and not
play guitar. You'll also notice that his hair was better. He'll be safe for a while.
Ramiele Malubay did a good job singing but her
personality just doesn't come through well on TV. Look for her in the bottom 3.
Jason Castro came out and did another Disney-safe
performance. I hope he's in the bottom 3. No change, no growth, just the same performance week after week.
Carly Smithson came out and gave a great vocal
performance but Simon made a great comment about her image. She wears similar black clothes all the time and shows off her tattoos. She needs an image makeover to match her great voice.
David Archulta gave a good singing performance but this time I think it was boring. I disagreed with the judges and I wish he picked a better song. Don't worry, he should still be safe.
Kristy Lee Cook looks like she's getting a bit of an attitude. Her performance of such a personal song to Dolly, "Coat of Many Colors" rang a bit empty. Kristy
doesn't look like she's spent a single day hungry or without great clothes so the song wasn't very effective. I think she felt extra safe because she'd be singing a
country song but I think she'll end up in the bottom 3. No patriotic song to save her this week. Also a bit of sarcasm with her "I love you Simon" should assure a
bottom 3 showing. I thought she was underrated in the beginning but now I want her to go home.
Syesha Mercado has been one of my favorites from the
start of the competition but I didn't care for her performance of "I Will Always Love You". This was the first night I thought her image was off. I hated her
hair and she should've moved around. I know she thought this song would be a home run but if you can't sing it as well as the Whitney Houston version, don't bother.
Michael Johns' performance was my favorite. It seemed sincere. I hope he wins the whole thing.
Bottom Line: So who do I think is going home? I
predict the bottom 3 will be Syesha, Kristy and Jason with Kristy Lee Cook packing her bags.
 We're still at the point where anyone could go home but I'm predicting the bottom three will be Jason Castro for a lackluster
performance, Kristy Lee Cook (despite a manipulative song pick) and in her debut in the bottom 3, Brooke White (don't worry she's safe). My pick to go home
will be Jason Castro because of Kristy Lee Cook's ingenious, manipulative pick of "God Bless The USA". You can't criticize a song that's so pro-America and
Simon even acknowleged the smart song pick. It just might save her another week.
Vote For The Worst has thrown its support toward country cutie, Kristy Lee Cook. I actually think she has
potential if she can sing ANYTHING other than country. This isn't Nashville Star, show some versatility!
From VoteForTheWorst.com: We love your
hilarious tactics to get rednecks to vote for you. Brilliant! Maybe you'll be funnier than we thought after all. But we still don't like you.
To start off, let's talk about the magic three components that make up an American Idol winner. I'll use the
following equation to measure each contestant up against each other.
- Image: This includes look, style and personality. Like it or not this is 33% a popularity contest.
- Talent: This includes singing talent and stage presence. Even though this is a "singing" or "talent" show, this is still only 33% of the
equation.
- Progress: Is there any improvement from start to finish? This includes improvement in singing, image, stage presence and personality and
accounts for the final 33%.
In no particular order, the contestants are:
 Brooke White: Brooke has
a great personality and good image. She isn't the best singer but she more than makes up for it in other areas. She's smart and really knows how to pick
the songs that fit her voice. As of tonight where she performed the Police song "Every Breath You Take", even though she didn't sing the song as good as she
should've, I think her makeover with her hair straightened and better makeup will help in the "progress" portion of my formula.
 Carly Smithson: Carly has one of the strongest voices
we've seen this season. She consistently delivers vocally but her image has remained unchanged. If she doesn't show some improvement in her image or choose different songs,
she'll go the way of Amanda Overmeyer who gave the same performance every week. I think Carly has a great chance at winning but in many ways, this is her
competition to lose. She needs to change it up quick by doing a makeover and choosing better songs.
Kristy Lee Cook: Kristy is this year's requisite country girl. She has a great look and seems sweet but her
voice hasn't been matching up well against some of the stronger female singers. While I think the judges have been harsh in judging her,
I don't think there's any way she can make the top 5 unless she really steps up her singing game. Kristy really needs to pick better songs (non-country) and show
some singing versatility to stay in this game.
 Ramiele Malubay: I think Ramiele is "technically" the best singer of all of the girls. She's cute as a button too but I think her shy
personality makes her come off as a bit too cold and could possibly cost her the spot she deserves in the top 5. I feel bad for her because she's vocally talented but it
doesn't seem like she ever gets a great response from the judges. She'll need to lower her guard and show some personality in order to keep America voting for her.
 Syesha Mercado: Of all of
the women, I think Syesha has the best image. She dresses great, looks great and aside from the creepy baby voice she does, her personality just shines.
Syesha also has a very good voice but her performances haven't been consistent. Early on I predected that Syesha had a great chance to win the
show but she's already ended up in the bottom three and the judges don't seem to like her as much as I do.
 Chikezie: Chikezie is one of the more likeable guys in the competition. He has a good attitude and is very
personable. His song choices however are a different story. The decision to play the harmonica makes it very difficult for me to want to see him even in the top 5. Although Chikezie
has talent, I just can't picture him ending up in the top 5 unless he totally destroys every song until the end which isn't going to happen.
 David Archuleta: David was the early favorite to
win it all but he's faltered quite a bit in the last few weeks. He's just too young to be as mentally strong as he needed to be but with a
few years more of experience he could totally dominate the show. But for now his chances of running away with the show have dropped. He needs to keep growing
and trying different songs and David might just end up in the top 2 but I don't think he can afford to have any more bad weeks.
 David Cook: I'm actually not a fan of David Cook. I think he looks like he's
trying too hard to be a rocker. Wearing the rocker clothes, messing up his hair with what looks like a comb over and having a strategically placed soul patch.
Ugh. Also, he shouldn't play guitar at all when the show already has Paul Jackson Jr., a fantastic player. The first time Cook played guitar I wasn't looking at the
screen and I thought Paul didn't tune his guitar and he just played some bad notes but it was Cook. His voice on the other hand is his saving grace. He can sing but
not near as good as Chris Daughtry. Even though I don't like him, I'll give him a fair chance at the top 3.
Jason Castro: I'm not sure what to say about Jason Castro. Much like David
Cook, Jason shouldn't play the guitar. It's just a prop that disguises Castro's limited singing ability. He seems like a really nice kid but he hasn't improved since the
beginning and hasn't grown in personality or style. He's really going to have to do something drastic to stand out if he makes it another week. His chances of winning? None.
 Michael Johns: Michael is
my favorite of the guys. He has a strong voice and a great personality. His weakness is that his performances haven't been consistent. In order to get a
top 3 spot he'll have to pick really, really great songs. I also think he's one of the few singers who can afford to sing and act with more confidence. He'll definitely make
it to the top 5 but we'll have to see how much the others progress too.
Jordin Sparks talks about how she was rejected the first time she auditioned, the finale and more. She also sings a song. Click here to comment.
Here's one of the first interviews with the new American Idol, Jordin Sparks. Blake Lewis comes in too. She talks about the show and what she wants to do with her upcoming CD. Click here to comment.
 Even though American Idol 2007 had a nice, sweet ending it had a feel that it was also very controlled
. If you're going to have a reality TV show, you have to really let it be reality. I don't for a second believe that Sanjaya Malakar went from being
the top vote getter to getting voted off the very next week. It was obviously planned by FOX to get rid of him before the big charity event since sponsors were
giving according to the number of votes. They didn't want Sanjaya's votes to affect their sponsors in a negative way and I can just picture their sponsors
seeing the show being turned into a joke and saying they might pull out if it went that way.
This whole year seemed too corporate, not that last year wasn't. The special guest spots seemed to go to
people who were friends with the show and not the most current artists. That's the only way we can explain Lulu and Peter Noone. Let's have some current stars
and some real rock legends come on next year. At least they had Gwen Stefani and Jennifer Lopez on but both of them weren't necessarily great coaches. Jon
Bon Jovi did a pretty great job with the contestants and I'm not even a fan of his.
 Going back to the whole Sanjaya thing, this is exactly what killed the UK version of Idol. Fans started
to vote on things other than voice and skill and instead of letting it make interesting TV, they stopped the show and started the X-Factor which allowed the judges to pick.
I think reality TV starts to suck when the producers try to steer the outcome of a show like this year's American Idol. I can understand that they don't want
their shows to become a mockery but you can't fool the audience for long. After a while, the show will become overly predictable and plain and viewers will drop off.
There were drops in viewers after Sanjaya and Melinda were off the show. You see, people aren't idiots, they can smell something fishy but they're just not as
suspicious as I am. Yet.
So the producers will evaluate this year's show and make changes for next season. Will they try to rule out
any Sanjaya's early or will there be more. We'll have to wait and see but I'm predicting a more bland, sterile American Idol in 2008. Click here to comment on my comments.
 It was one of those honest, sweet moments in television when Jordin Sparks was announced as the new American Idol. Even though I'm sure
she knew she'd win, you can never be 100% sure so when Ryan said her name, all the emotion she was holding back came out. Jordin is a beautiful and
talented girl and I'm sure she'll do well. I wish her the best in her career! Click here to comment on Jordin's win.
 It seems that all signs are pointing to Jordin Sparks as being the winner of American Idol 2007. She has the look, youth and singing style that make her
the best contestant on paper but clearly Blake Lewis' confidence and performance ability are at a much higher level. If Blake wins, it would
definitely be considered an upset at this point.
Various American Idol Finale News: (I'll be updating this all day so keep checking back). Dial Idol is predicting Jordin will win.
TMZ agreed that Jordin "wiped up the floor" with Blake.
Last night, Paula waited until a minute before the show started to be make her diva entrance escorted in by Idol
producer, Nigel Lithgoe.
Celebrities in the audience last night: Denise Richards, Greg Grunberg (Matt Parkman from Heroes), Ricky Schroder and Marlee Matlin.
Click here to watch an odd interview with
Paula Abdul as she tries to explain her broken nose.
Blake says he wasn't crazy about the last song and said that "I would never have a song like that on my CD".
Sanjaya was spotted filming a bit for the finale.
Don't forget the Dreamgirls performance rumor from yesterday.
Kelly Clarkson is rumored to perform.
Green Day is also a rumored performer.
Breaking News - Britney Spears is the new rumored performer!(this rumor is probably not true)
Melinda, LaKisha and Gladys Knight will perform together.
TMZ reports that Antonella Barba, Haley Scarnato and Gina Glocksen have been urging fans to vote for Jordin and not Blake.
Smokey Robinson will perform.
All of the previous winners of American Idol except Fantasia Barrino will perform. (Fantasia is busy performing the Color Purple on Broadway)
Aerosmith will perform with Sanjaya doing "You Really Got Me".
Melinda Doolittle will perform with the Winans.
Blake Lewis is rumored to do a beat
boxing duel with Doug E. Fresh but it would be funnier with Biz Markie.
Click here to comment on these rumors
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