Napping at Red Lights

Top 2 Perform

Top 3 Perform and Results

7 Comments | American Idol, Music, Pop Culture, Television | Tagged: Amanda Overmyer, American Idol, Ben Stiller, Brooke White, Bryan Adams, Carly Smithson, Carrie Underwood, Chikeze, David Archuleta, David Cook, David Hernandez, Donna Summer, entertainment, finale, Fox, George Michael, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Graham Nash, Jack Black, Jason Castro, Jimmy Kimmel, Jonas Brothers, Jordin Sparks, Kristy Lee Cook, Michael Johns, Mike Myers, Music, One Republic, Paula Abdul, Ramiele Malubay, Randy Jackson, reality shows, Renaldo Lapuz, Risky Business, Robert Downey Jr., Rock Star, Ryan Seacrest, Seal, season 7, Season Finale, Simon Cowell, Syesha Mercado, Television, Time of My life, Top 12, Top 2, tv, ZZ Top | Permalink
Posted by vacelts

Davids Duke it Out for Idol Title

May 21, 2008

Tonight the Davids faced off in the finals of American Idol in a battle that pit a rock star versus boy wonder. But who will pull away with the title?

Going into this final night of competition I still believe that David Cook is the better choice for the Idol winner because he offers the whole pop star package. Even in the cheesy eight-minute Ready-to-Rumble introduction David Archuleta couldn’t muster up enough character to make the whole “fight night” ambiance believable.

This final battle was fought in three rounds before 7,000 fans in the Nokia Theatre with Clive Davis and Andrew Lloyd Webber helping the Davids prepare.

Round 1 – Clive’s Choice

Songs for Round 1 were chosen for the contestants by Sony BMG Worldwide Chief Creative Officer Clive Davis.

In the first round, Cook proved that he was in it to win tonight, opening with a slowed-down rendition of U2’s “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” that started the show off on a high note and caused Randy to forget the year when he called this the Dual of 2007.

But if you liked Archuleta coming into this show, then you loved his version of Elton John’s “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me.” It was his every performance personified, then amplified. I’ll agree that it was one of his best performances.

Although the judges gave this round to Archuleta, I’d say that Cook won it. While both sang well, Cook worked the stage and the crowd better.

Round 2 – Songwriter Contest Choice

This round was for those of you that wanted to see what the contestants could do with something original.

And what Cook did was rock a song with only mediocre lyrics. In fact, I think his rendition of Emily Shackleton’s “Dream Big” could actually become a hit for him despite second-rate words. The arrangement was likable, fun and easy to rock out to.

The lyrics of “In this Moment” by Ryan Gilmore might have been better, but for me Archuleta’s performance was forgettable. As I listened, I kept wondering what Cook could do with this song. We all knew what Archuleta would do – sing it as a ballad, squint his eyes and hold out his right arm as he sang.

While I thought it was cool to see some original work, I have to wonder at the wisdom of choosing from songs that weren’t good enough to win the songwriting contest. The judges also gave this round to Archuleta. But was it because they liked the lyrics better? I still think that Cook did more with what he had.

Round 3 – Contestant’s Choice

The songs selections in the Contestant’s Choice round were better than last week.

Cook showed his versatility by slowing things down with Collective Soul’s “The World I Know.” For me, his performance felt intimate despite the venue. I think it was a cool move on his part that, even on the last night with the title at stake, he didn’t take the easy way out with a song he’d already performed. Instead he challenged himself with a new song.

On the other hand, I was not impressed with Archuleta’s “Imagine” the first time he sang it. And an encore performance did nothing to improve his standing with me. But on a similar note, I wouldn’t have been more awed if he’d chosen a new song since I think all of his performances sound the same.

Again the judges gave the round to Archuleta, but it was Cook who proved his range and his flexibility with his choice.

If anyone had any doubt that Archuleta was being set up to win had to just listen to the judge comments tonight for proof.

Cook clearly out sang Archuleta showing his versatility and originality while Archuleta’s songs were all alike – right down to the hand gestures. But still he got the praise.

What do you think? Who sang better? Who deserves the title?

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Top 3 Perform and Results

5 Comments | American Idol, Music, Pop Culture, Television | Tagged: American Idol, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Clive Davis, David Archuleta, David Cook, Emily Shackleton, entertainment, finale, Fox, Music, Nokia Theater, Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson, reality shows, Ryan Gilmore, Ryan Seacrest, season 7, Simon Cowell, Songwriter Contest, Syesha Mercado, Television, Top 2, tv | Permalink
Posted by vacelts

The Davids to Battle it Out in Idol Final

May 15, 2008

And then there were two. In a very predictable finish to the American Idol Top 3, Syesha Mercado is eliminated leaving David Cook and David Archuleta to vie for the title next week.

While the pairing of the Davids in the final is something fans have been predicting for weeks, I am surprised by Syesha’s third place finish. For several weeks in the middle, I was sure that she was marked for an early exit. But the last few weeks, we have seen Syesha pull out all the stops with Broadway-worthy performances.

Although I’d much rather see Syesha over Archuleta in the final, I’m not surprised to see her go. Cook has stood out as a favorite among fans looking for originality and the complete package while Archuleta is a favorite of the judges and teenage girls.

In addition to the group number to “Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now” – an appropriate title for the night if not a mediocre performance – the Ford “Heaven” video and a performance by Idol winner Fantasia, we were treated to videos of each contestants tearful homecoming.

Archuleta headed home to Murray, Utah where he performed at his high school and, of course, visited the mall where he was surrounded by – what else – throngs of teens. His big concern – where did they all park?

Syesha was so welcomed in Sarasota, Florida that the mayor was doing handstands. She rounded out her very emotional visit with stops at Bradenton and her alma mater Booker High School.

Cook’s trip to Blue Springs, Missouri read like a wish list – he did the weather on the local TV station, gave a concert downtown where even the rain didn’t dampen the spirits of the masses, got to thank his elementary school music teacher for inspiring him to get into music and threw out a pitch to for the Royals.

It should be interesting to see how next week pans out. I still think that Cook deserves the title more, but that it’ll be Archuleta walking away with it.

What do you think? Was Syesha the right person to send home? What are your predictions for next week?

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Top 3 Perform

2 Comments | American Idol, Music, Pop Culture, Television | Tagged: American Idol, David Archuleta, David Cook, entertainment, finale, Fox, homecoming, Music, Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson, reality shows, Ryan Seacrest, season 7, Simon Cowell, Syesha Mercado, Television, Top 3, tv | Permalink
Posted by vacelts

Idol Top 3 Fail to Wow with Lackluster Performances

May 14, 2008

American Idol is down to its Top 3 contenders and the contest should be heating up, but the competition tonight was uninspired and predictable. With three songs a piece, did any of the contestants really stand out?

Tonight each contestant got to sing one song chosen for them by one of the judges, one song of their choice, and one song chosen by the producers. Let’s just say that the producers should stick to producing and not selecting song (as if the themes from this season are proof enough).

The sole bright spot tonight was David Cook, but even his performances weren’t top shelf.

Simons’s choice of a Roberta Flack song for Cook seemed off the wall at first. But I have to give Simon credit for picking something outside of the box and let’s just say that once again Cook rose to that challenge with a tear-jerking performance of “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.” I had no idea how was going to pull of such an old-fashioned song, but he not only did, he made it sound current and hip.

Next was Cook’s song choice. The fact that he picked a Switchfoot tune didn’t surprise me, but it did disappoint me. His rendition of “Dare You to Move” sounded exactly like something I’d expect to hear from Cook. But I was hoping for more – more originality, more extraordinary – another “Hello” or “Billie Jean.” And I didn’t get it.

And as for the producer’s choice, Cook definitely served up the best performance in this category. I’m pretty sure that an Aerosmith tune wouldn’t have been what I would have picked for Cook, but he nailed the performance of “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” and did songwriter Diane Warren (who was in the audience) proud.

Syesha Mercado, on the other hand, didn’t fare as well.

I can see why Randy picked an Alicia Keys balled for her. Syesha definitely has the voice to carry off a powerful song like “If I Ain’t Got You.” And Syesha even gave the number a little pizzazz. But just like the Whitney Houston and Celine Dion songs that she gravitates to, it’s hard for Syesha to stand out against the originals.

Now Syesha made an excellent song choice for herself. Tunes like Peggy Lee’s “Fever” are a perfect fit for her. Not only does she get a chance to showcase that nice bluesy-soul sound with her voice, but she gets to flaunt her stage skills. I know the judges didn’t like this performance, but I think it played to her strengths.

Now the song that the producers picked for Syesha did just the opposite. The tune from the movie Happy Feet was a nice dance number. But when you get up and dance it’s easy to forget who’s performing and unfortunately that’s exactly what happened with Syesha’s rendition of “Hit Me Up.” It was fun while it lasted, but it was easily forgotten.

And finally, David Archuleta showed us all the same moves he’s been using all season.

Archuleta was right about one thing – the Billy Joel song Paula chose for him is a pretty song. And Archuleta’s rendition of “And So it Goes” wasn’t bad. But the performance wasn’t really any different that every other song he’s every performed on the show – nice, but forgettable.

Picking a Chris Brown song was a smart choice for Archuleta if he was trying to appeal to his teenage fans. But unfortunately Archuleta is not Chris Brown. He lacks Brown’s smooth moves and performance skills, leaving his version of “With You” looking and sounding like bad karaoke.

Archuleta concluded his set with another uninspired choice – the producers chose yet another ballad for the 17-year-old – “Longer” by Dan Fogelberg. As expected, Archuleta performed the song in exactly the same format that he’s performed all the rest of his ballads – no surprises and no wow factor.

I thought Archuleta was the least impressive tonight. It’s not that he doesn’t have a nice voice; it’s just that every song sounds the same with him. But since he’s a favorite of the judges, I’m going against my better judgment and predict that Syesha will be going home on Wednesday.

Who do you think had the better night? Who should go home?

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3 Comments | American Idol, Music, Pop Culture, Television | Tagged: American Idol, David Archuleta, David Cook, entertainment, Fox, Music, Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson, reality shows, Ryan Seacrest, season 7, Simon Cowell, Syesha Mercado, Television, Top 3, tv | Permalink
Posted by vacelts

Bones’ Big Finish Leaves One of their Own in Danger

May 13, 2008

I thought last night’s Bones was going to be a fun episode in which Bones and Booth poked fun at wannabe singers and shows like American Idol. However, I was not prepared for the episodes’ serious ending that left one of their own in peril.

$Bones sings \$ After watching the final seconds of “Wannabe in the Weeds” all I can say is Oh. My. God. And that’s not even the season finale. I can only speculate how exciting the finale is going to be.

****The following contains spoilers if you didn’t see the episode****

With former Idol contestants Ace Young and Brandon Rogers guest starring, I was all prepared to write about Bones and Booth’s banter about people’s need for fame and acceptance, and why they would participate in open mic nights and reality contests like American Idol. I was even prepared to talk about how much fun it was to see Brennan cut loose with her rendition of “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” or what a surprise it was to find out that Zach had such a nice voice.

But in all honesty, the rest of the show is shadowed by the final moments. I still can’t believe that Booth was shot! I totally didn’t see that coming. I’d even read spoilers that said there would be a death in this episode, but since someone dies every episode, I didn’t put much stock in that tidbit.

But even more shocking than Booth’s injury (he was after all being stalked by the creepy Pam) was Bones reaction. Without hesitation, she picked up Booth’s gun and fired a kill shot. This might be a woman you make fun of for not knowing who Kelly Clarkson is, but she’s definitely someone you don’t want to mess with when her life or the lives of her friends are in jeopardy.

So is Booth a goner? I doubt it, but the shock value of his shooting was still stunning. He was shot in the shoulder and with immediate medical attention he should survive without incident. Or maybe his past life as a vampire left him with some extra healing powers.

Seriously, I can’t imagine one of the leads of the show being offed so easily and the gang is going to need Booth back on his feet to help find the Gormogon killer next week.

But Booth’s plight gives Pam Nunan (Jennifer Hasty) a notch up on the creepy factor. Even before she gave Booth socks, my husband said she reminded him of Kathy Bates in Misery. And I have to say she’s no less dangerous. Who knew Sweets was going to be so right about Pam?

Let’s hope Booth heals well and quickly because I’m very excited about the season finale next week.

While I’ve been enjoying all the episodes since the hiatus, I thought this episode was one of the best this season. What did you think of the episode?

3 Comments | Bones, Television | Tagged: Ace Young, American Idol, Bones, Brandon Rogers, David Boreanaz, drama, Emily Deschanel, entertainment, Eric Millegan, Fox, Jennifer Hasty, Jonathan Adams, Michaela Conlin, reality shows, season 3, T.J. Thyne, Tamara Taylor, Television, tv | Permalink
Posted by vacelts

Ding Dong, The Dreads are Gone on Idol

May 8, 2008

As a relief to much of America (or at least this American), the dreadlocked Jason Castro was finally given the boot as American Idol dwindles its numbers to three.

I don’t know if people vote more when the field narrows or if the record-setting nearly 51 million votes was a testament to how many people really wanted Jason off the show, especially when Ryan added how close the Top 3’s numbers were – with in a million of each other.

I, for one, am glad that Jason’s time is up. I would have been sorely disappointed if he’d made it to the next round.

And I’m really not surprised to find Syesha Mercado landing in the jeopardy seat. I think David Archuleta deserved to be there, but given his standing with the judges I never really questioned his safety.

As for the rest of the show, did anyone else think that the opening number “Reelin’ in the Years” reminded you of those Brady Bunch episodes where the kids tried their hand at a singing career?

On the other hand, the Beetle’s Cirque de Soleil LOVE show looked awesome. I want to make a trip to Vegas just to see it now. And I have to admit that the Fab 4 looked pretty good after their makeovers, especially David Archuleta – he actually looked like he wasn’t 12.

In the caller questions, we saw David Cook get hooked up, had Jason admit that his “brain is dead” (big surprise there) and learned that Simon not only wants to be knighted but that he’s also willing to be the next James Bond.

Performances by Maroon 5 and Bo Bice rounded out the evening.

Is there anyone out there that didn’t think America got it right this time?

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Top 4 Perform

2 Comments | American Idol, Music, Pop Culture, Television | Tagged: American Idol, David Archuleta, David Cook, entertainment, Fox, Jason Castro, Music, Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson, reality shows, Ryan Seacrest, season 7, Simon Cowell, Syesha Mercado, Television, Top 4, tv | Permalink
Posted by vacelts

Syesha Proves She’s Still in the Running on Idol

May 7, 2008

Tonight the Top 4 had the songs from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at their fingertips on American Idol. But could the contestants make the best of these great tunes?

American Idol Top 4

Leading off the night and topping my list was David Cook. I was very interested to see what he could would do with “Hungry Like the Wolf.” But I was a little let down. I was expecting more originality. While Cook’s version was a bit edgier that Duran Duran’s, it didn’t stand out as being unique. With the catalogue of music available, I have to admit that Duran Duran wouldn’t have been my first choice for Cook.

The Who’s “Baba O’Riley,” Cook’s second song, was more like what I’d come to expect from him. What else can I say? When Cook is in his element he can rock any song.

And proving she’s still in the contest is Syesha Mercado. She is at her best when she adds some personality to her performances. So I was really happy that she picked a song like “Proud Mary” where she could let loose. Even if Syesha’s vocals aren’t top notch, she compels you to enjoy her performance when she looks likes she’s having a good time like she did with this song.

If she highlighted her performance skills with the first song, she showcased her voice with Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come” and reminded us of her flair for ballads. And when she doesn’t sing them every week, I can enjoy a good one from her. But if I’m honest, I liked the first performance better.

David Archuleta was deemed the winner of the night by the judges, but I was not so impressed. I love the song “Stand by Me” by Ben E. King. But Archuleta took a simple song and ruined it with all of his typical Archuletaisms – the outreached hand, the unnecessary runs and the campy mic moves. Seriously, the vocals weren’t that bad, but the performance was marred with his signature moves that are not only trite, but boring and a sign of his immaturity on stage.

That said, I have to admit that Archuleta’s version of “Love Me Tender” wasn’t that bad. Of course, he’ll never compare to Elvis, but it was one of his better performances. My complaint is that every Archuleta performance looks and sounds alike – just insert different lyrics.

And finally, I have so lost patience with Jason Castro. Not only did he prove that he was absolutely no originality with a really poor imitation of Bob Marley’s “I Shot the Sheriff.” But he also performed rock and roll blasphemy during his interview. When he talked about choosing a song from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame repertoire, he said “There’s a few songs on the list that I knew.” A few songs? Seriously? This guy has no business being in the Top 4.

And his second song was further proof. Oh. My. God! Did Jason really forget the lyrics to “Mr. Tambourine Man?” And it was one of the few songs he knew. What else can Jason do to get himself sent home?

Obviously my pick to go home is Jason. And apparently, it’s Jason’s wish too. I think Archuleta should join Jason in the bottom two. But given the unconditional praise rained on him by judges, I’m guessing that Syesha will keep Jason company.

Who do you think had the best night? Is there anyone (actually listening to his performances, not just looking at his face) out there that doesn’t think Jason should get sent home?

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Season Mentors Announced

6 Comments | American Idol, Music, Pop Culture, Television | Tagged: American Idol, David Archuleta, David Cook, entertainment, Fox, Jason Castro, Music, Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson, reality shows, rock and roll, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Ryan Seacrest, season 7, Simon Cowell, Syesha Mercado, Television, Top 4, tv | Permalink
Posted by vacelts

Paula Deemed Safe, Brooke Sent Packing as Idol Dwindles to 4

May 1, 2008

While the fate of one of the Top 5 hung in the balance of this American Idol results show, Ryan felt the need to reassure us that Paula’s status as a judge is secure despite her mishap in the bizarre judging format on Tuesday night.

Brooke White Does anyone really think Paula mistake would cost her her job? This woman has flakiness down to an art form, having cultivated it for seven years on this show. Why would they can her now? While I think her flightiness is genuine, I think the producers gladly play it up to juxtapose Simon and Randy – the ditzy flower between to thorns.

But that was just the beginning of a night full of surprises. The biggest shocker of all was that lackluster Jason Castro was deemed safe right from the beginning. Everyone I talk to or read comments from think it’s well past time for dreadlocks boy to depart.

This guy can barely string two coherent sentences together for the interviews and looks as if he can’t be bothered to even try when performing. But apparently a significant number of the 45 million votes don’t agree with me.

All I have to say is – what are these people smoking? Are they not watching – and more importantly listening to – the same weak ass performances I am? Surely that charming little smile that he pulls out when he knows that he can’t compete with the others isn’t winning that many votes.

I probably wouldn’t be so animated about his unjust success if I felt like he was taking the contest seriously. His other four co-contenders are busting their butts each week (albeit not always successfully) to put their best efforts forward, while Jason continues to just coast.

With both Davids continuing with safe passage, that left Brooke White and Syesha Mercado in jeopardy. And choosing from this pair was not an easy feat. Syesha outperformed Brooke on the first song Tuesday night, while Brooke clearly took the lead with the second song. In the end, Brooke was sent packing, leaving Syesha as the only female in the Top 4.

I liked the format last week where they let the bottom two sing their songs one last time before announcing the elimination. This week, not only was Brooke too emotional to sing by the end, but her swan song was abruptly cut off when the program ran over time.

But aside from the voting results we (or at least I) learned a few new tidbits.

For example, we learned when Ryan announced the winner of the Coke cup design (chalk this up to more needless promotion) that Randy used to be a model. I can’t find anything to back up this claim so I don’t know if it is legitimate (if so, what did Randy model for?) or if Ryan was just running off at the mouth.

And we also learned during the fan call in segment (which I had hoped would continue to be overlooked for other programming like last week) that Simon got his first kiss from a girl name Tara when he was nine. Although it was the most interesting call of the season, I can’t help but wonder if it was staged.

In the end, I’m still reeling from the fact that Jason was granted immunity so early in the show. What do you think? Did America get it right? Did Jason deserve to stay?

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Top 5 Perform

Season Mentors Announced

4 Comments | American Idol, Music, Pop Culture, Television | Tagged: American Idol, Brooke White, David Archuleta, David Cook, entertainment, Fox, Jason Castro, Music, Neil Diamond, Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson, reality shows, Ryan Seacrest, season 7, Simon Cowell, Syesha Mercado, Television, Top 5, tv | Permalink
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Cook finds a Hit Among Diamond’s Offerings on Idol

April 30, 2008

Tonight Neil Diamond offered the Top 5 American Idol contestants variety with songs from some 25 albums to choose from. In fact, the contenders each got to select two Diamond songs, but did they make the right selection?

Out of all the mentors, I was looking forward to Diamond the most because of the number of great songs that he had to offer the Top 5. However, I think the results were a mixed bag. Only one competitor stood out with both songs. And the other four made one performance better than the other – for two it was the first song and for two it was the second song.

Leading the pack tonight was David Cook with two of Diamond’s lesser known songs.

Picking the more obscure “I’m Alive” was a smart choice for Cook. It allowed him more flexibility with the song and less comparison with the original. As always, I was impressed with his performance. However, I’m wondering if there was any significance in this song choice for him?

Cook steps up to the plate again outdoing his first outing of the night with a version of “All I Really Need is You” that not only rocked but showcased his ability to truly own a song. I’d never heard this song before, but I’d buy Cook’s single.

The girls didn’t do too shabby this week either although I think their second songs were much better matches for them.

“I’m a Believer” wasn’t a bad song choice for Brooke White. I think she started out a little tentative, but picked it up towards the end, looking like she truly was enjoying the performances. Unfortunately, I can’t help but compare her to the Monkees’ version and she didn’t quite measure up.

However, “I Am … I Said” was a much better song choice for Brooke. It seemed to fit her personality and her voice much better. I think it was one of her better performances and reminded me of what I like about Brooke. I understand that she wrote a critical lyric on her hand to prevent a reoccurrence of last week’s mishap, but I have to wonder how she planned to read it while she was planning the piano.

At first I was afraid we’d seen the last of the personable Syesha Mercado from last week. For her first song, we had Syesha barefoot again (does she not like shoes?) singing yet another ballad. But in actuality I don’t think she did a bad job with “Hello Again.” While it was pleasant, it did nothing to stand out from the rest.

But Syesha rebounded the second time around with “I Thank the Lord for the Night Time.” This type of song suited her much better than the ballad. It gave her a chance to showcase her personality, not just her voice. I like this upbeat Syesha better that the crooner.

Also splitting his song choices tonight was David Archuleta. I’m not surprised that Archuleta chose “Sweet Caroline.” Not only did the song seem to fit his tastes, but he handled it very well. My only complaint is that the ending didn’t seem natural (I understand that’s an artificiality of the time restraint). All in all, I thought this was one of Archuleta’s better performances.

As much as I liked his first performance, I disliked the second. I know I’m in the minority, but I didn’t like his versions of “America” at all. I think it lacked the power that Diamond brought to the song. I’m not sure if it’s because of Archuleta’s voice or because he seemed to slow the song down. Either way, I didn’t care for it.

And then there’s Jason Castro, slacker extraordinaire. “Forever in Blue Jeans” was a nice safe choice for him – a song that didn’t require him to put forth much effort (and obviously that’s his mantra – anyone else would have been mortified to forget the lyrics in front of the song writer). The performance itself was forgettable.

But his first song was nothing compared to the train wreck that was to come. Jason’s second song “September Morn'” did absolutely nothing for me. I can’t even find a silver lining here. I was just left wondering – did he try at all?

My pick to go home is definitely Jason (let’s see if I’m right this week). I would like to see Archuleta join him in the bottom two, but even if Archuleta wasn’t a favorite, he’d earn points with his patriot song choice.

It’ll be one of the girls joining Jason. My guess is Syesha, after all forgetting the words didn’t earn Brooke a bottom slot last week and she performed better this week.

Who did you think performed the best? Who’s your pick to go home?

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Season Mentors Announced

7 Comments | American Idol, Music, Pop Culture, Television | Tagged: American Idol, Brooke White, David Archuleta, David Cook, entertainment, Fox, Jason Castro, Music, Neil Diamond, Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson, reality shows, Ryan Seacrest, season 7, Simon Cowell, Syesha Mercado, Television, Top 5, tv | Permalink
Posted by vacelts

Even Webber Couldn’t Save Carly Smithson on Idol

April 24, 2008

Popularity won out over talent as the results of the American Idol Top 6 sent the Irish rose Carly Smithson home after Tuesday’s solid performance of “Jesus Christ Superstar.”

I would have really liked to hear Andrew Lloyd Webber’s thoughts on tonight’s elimination. He, after all, was the one the mentor that has really provided the contenders with the best and most honest advice. And we saw firsthand how his advice improved the performances of those that took it and how those that didn’t resulted in a train wreck (I’m looking at you Jason Castro).

Except for the shocking news of the Bottom 2, Webber stole the results show. First he performed with the contenders in the opening number “All I Ask of You.” Then he bantered with Ryan and the judges with wit and graciousness.

While the theme of musicals was a poor choice for the contestants, Idol was all the better for having Webber as a mentor. And to top it off, he saved us from another dreaded round of call in questions.

So how is it that the two competitors that brought down the house with performances that embraced Webber’s advice ended up in jeopardy tonight?

No one expected either of the Davids to be anything but safe this evening – Cook because he’s talented and Archuleta because he’s a favorite.

But then that’s when the results when awry. First false-start Brooke White was declared safe, sending Syesha Mercado to the stools. Then Jason’s charm won him a spot in safety despite his disastrous performance of “Memory” that left fans wanting to forget and Carly in peril.

Even before the elimination was announced, I was shaking my head and mumbling “this is all wrong.” Last week or the week before, I would have gladly said goodbye to either Syesha or Carly, but after Tuesday’s performances – their best by far – I’m stunned.

But alas, there is no fairy tale ending for Carly.

So what do you think – did America get it right? Who should have gone home?

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Top 6 Perform