Finale Week

Next week's finale begins at 8 pm both nights, Tuesday and Wednesday. I am eager for the results, and it appears we won't know until nearly 10 pm. The season finale is TWO HOURS long, too lengthy for even this very avid fan!
My votes are torn between the two finalists as I have enjoyed seeing and hearing both of them perform. That said, I believe that voting at my house will go Blake's way.
For early predictions visit here: http://www.zabasearch.com/ai_stats.php

The Winning Ways of Youth

Isn't that what this year's final is all about? The airwaves are full of shock that Melinda got sent home last night. For me personally (and a few others who've expressed opinions), I am glad she's gone. I have been looking forward to a Jordin - Blake finale. Yes, I believe that Melinda is an extraordinary singer and performer... I just wouldn't pay to see her or buy her recordings. I may take that back when she does release something and it wows me on the radio, okay?

I do believe this finale is about youth. Melinda's experience (29 years' worth!) hurt her in the end. Jordin and Blake are just more interesting. Unlike some other pundits, I do not believe that Jordin is a shoe-in winner, either. Blake has a contemporary edge that can't be ignored.... and it has garnered him some tremendous attention. The beat-boxing doesn't hurt him either... he's different.

Can't American Idol, in its sixth year, use a little "different". Vive la difference!

Where've you been??!?
Well, yes, I've been gone too. Gone from the blogosphere for the time being. I didn't realize till I logged in here that it's been more than a couple of weeks since I posted. I have been faithfully watching American Idol, but I have also been faithful to family and work commitments. Hence, my absence here.

I can't say that I own any Bon Jovi albums, but isn't he a pretty awesome artist? I was quite familiar with the selections performed last night. It was a very impressive night. While the judges felt that Jordin was far out of her league as a "rocker", I still thought she put on a strong vocal performance.

Confession -- I left the room while Phil was performing as I find him to be a bit too much a screamer for my taste. No, I have not liked him from the git-go. I don't even know what the judges said about him last night.

Blake delivered a veritable masterpiece PERFORMANCE last night. Not only did he make a highly impressive vocal showing, but his entire performing presence on stage was quite incredible. He got my phone votes, as did Jordin.

So, who's going home?
First, who SHOULD go home -- Phil and Chris.
Who WILL go home -- (who knows!) -- Chris and LaKeisha, most likely.
Phil's got a fan base out there -- maybe it's more like a few "naval bases".

All Right-y Then

Well, at least Haley went home this week! The B-list is dwindling which shows that the voting DOES work overall. Maybe some of us are just being a bit impatient, ya think? That said, can Sanjaya stand against the A-list of Melinda, Lakeisha, Jordin and Blake? That may very well be his undoing. Tell me what YOU think about my guessing.

I didn't find this week's music that exciting. I did know and like some/most of the songs, but the performances were just so-so to me. Jennifer Lopez appeared to be a good mentor, but she's no singer either. What do you think about next week's country music theme? :-) I love Martina McBride!

I did look around online after hearing something on MSNBC tonight. Here's what an Idol producer said last week:

“American Idol” executive producer Ken Warwick, in a print press conference today, said he’s “pretty confident” Sanjaya Malakar won’t win. He sounds bemused by the Sanjaya phenomenon.
“He always changes things up,” he told the press. “He’s a talking point. He changes his hair. He’s a good looking kid. And young girls love young good looking kids. He’s of the moment. He’s not as bad a singer as people make him out to be. Part of this business is your communication with your audience. He’s certainly good with that.”

Okay, he's really a Kool-aid drinker of the first order -- he's not as bad a singer as people say????!!!!! Uh Ken, I gotta break it to you. Sanjaya is a terrible singer.

The Broken Record

Yes, I am starting to feel very much like a broken record. My interest and enthusiasm for AI has waned in recent weeks, if you hadn't noticed. I still love the music and the guest artists each week. I just do not like the path this show is taking. I'm curious to hear how you feel about the prospects for the FINAL TWO contestants. Do you think that Sanjaya will be one of them?
I fear too that some will quit voting. What are AI's chances in Season 7 -- can they (should they, would they) alter the voting process to avoid this problem in the future?
Please leave your comments here in the Blog. I'll get them posted for our other readers. A new survey is coming!

Sigh ..... Huge sigh.....

I didn't post last week. After the first night, all I wanted to say was "Sanjaya go home!". I knew that was fruitless even after I somewhat feverishly voted for a few favorites. These many vote-for-the-worst campaigns are really taking the fun out of this. Do you think so?

So, when Wednesday night came and Chris Sligh went home, I was not particularly surprised... He'd never make it to the final 5, anyway. Doesn't make the sting of Sanjaya not even being in the bottom three any better, though! Yes, I am really trying to get over Sanjaya.

A faithful reader has provided us a window to the hair salon frequented by "the worst one". Go check it out, it's found under the previous post below.

So are you looking forward to Tony Bennett? I've always liked him...even as a "youngster".

As someone on an old sitcom once said....

"Good gravy, Marie!" Well, here's the thing... Sanjaya stayed.. again! Arghhhh...!!!! Stephanie has been sent home. Not that I expected her to make it to the top six, but like many other AI fans, I continue to anticipate Sanjaya's deserved but delayed departure.
Have you heard? There is a site called votefortheworst.com advocating Sanjaya votes AND shock-jock Howard Stern is encouraging listeners to vote for Sanjaya, whom he has called the LEAST TALENTED on the show. Sigh.... (shakes her head).
I am disgusted by this games-playing, but actually have a life outside this blog and AI, so I'll just move on and wait for some great and substandard performances next week. Wonder what the music genre will be... anyone out there know already?

Heading to the Top Ten!

I loved last night's music. While I was not a teen during the 60s, I am very familiar with that music era. My mother was a big Dusty Springfield fan, and I've always loved the song Stephanie sang. All in all, I believe the music selections served each contestant well. A few glitches along the way, but it was quite an entertaining night. Besides, I love my namesake, Lulu. (When my little sister couldn't say my name properly, I became "Lulu" briefly.)
Here's the song run-down from last night:

Haley – Tell Him - Well, didn't she just "bounce" all over the stage! Much better singing tonight.
Chris Richardson – Don’t let the sun catch you cryin’ - He really is whiny/nasal-y sounding. Still, he's quite a perforner
Stephanie – You don’t have to say you love me - Boring!
Blake – It’s the time of the season (Superb arrangement and performance!)
Lakisha – Diamonds are forever (Interesting, and I agree with the judges in that it was not her best overall)
Phil Stacey – Tobacco Road - Ho-hum
Jordin – I who have nothing - Wow!
Sanjaya – You really got me - Okay, so he "performed" but he still doesn't have a great voice.
Gina – Painted Black - Performer, she is. I agree that her vocals needed some attention. I really love the song, though.
Chris Sligh – She’s not there - Another very good vocal from "Fro Patrol" Chris.
Melinda – As long as he needs me - She leaves me speechless every time....

I was too tired to vote, so who should go home tonight? Oh, yeah, we're still waiting for Sanjaya to leave, right?

What do you think? I'd like to hear! By the way, I'll be putting up a new poll soon. Let's see if the voters did the right thing this week.

Idol Voters Do it Again!

They kept Sanjaya in the running. Now, granted, Brandon Rogers' days were numbered -- surely no one believed him destined for the last six. Still, he should have outlasted Sanjaya.
Interesting that the little boy has gone from one of the top 4 vote-getters several weeks ago to membership in the bottom three. Hallelujah! Maybe the odds will start doing their work and he'll be gone pretty soon.
I think it's getting close to time for a new poll over on the left. What should we try to divine from Idol fans?

By the way, make a quick stop over at the American Idol official website and listen to Carrie Underwood's latest single, the one she performed on the show last week -- "Wasted". You can even watch the video! That's one talented AI winner -- and they all have not really delivered, have they?

The Twisted Twelve

It's no secret that I'm not thrilled with the composition of the "Twelve". Last night's marginal performances by my least favorite contestants was proof of the bad pudding American Idol voters are creating. Here's what I wrote down during the agonizing two hours...
Brandon - Can't Hurry Love - wrong song choice, boring performance; adorable guy, awesome hip shake :-) Forgot the words!! He should not be voted off yet.
Melinda - song from The Wiz... didn't know it, but she made me want to look it up. Simon said, she made a boring song fantastic
Chris Sligh - Endless Love -- (Sorry, only Diana and Lionel should do this one!). Weird arrangement, but his vocals delivered. Still, he is not in my top six.
Gina - Love Child -- fun song, great choice for her. I like her rocking style and the look she carries off so well..
Sanjaya - Ain't No Mountain High Enough -- Oh gross, too weird.. my notes say UGH! The curly hair was over the top and I couldn't get past the sparkly earrings he wore. He just looked like a girl. Lovely smile, but weak voice. Wrong song choice yet again. GO HOME Sanjaya! Oh, and he cannot dance either!
Haley - bad bad bad. Too nervous to have star potential. Pretty forgettable -- here's the only one about whom I'd quibble with Simon's remarks last night. She should go home after Sanjaya!
Phil - he hasn't been a favorite throughout the season so far, but I thought Phil Stacey was pretty impressive last night. Great song choice for him, and he belted it out. I didn't find him too "scream-y" either.
Lakisha - Soulful, bluesy, incredible. WOW! She continues to impress and kick it up a notch. Seldom do we get to see "flawless" at this stage in the competition... she about near did it.
Blake - Don't remember the song, but it was a familiar one. He remade it considerably. I like his performing style. Here's a beef I have with the judges. They tell contestants to put their stamp on a song, but tonight "Motown is just fine as it is, leave it alone". Sigh.... Poor contestants.
Stephanie - Love Hangover - I was kinda waiting for it to be over. Maybe I never liked the song, but her performance was just okay.
Chris Richardson - I should be cheering for this Virginia native, but last night... I just wanted him to finish. He was really quite squeaky and his enunciation was not great either. I didn't know the song, and didn't pick up on many of the lyrics. He'll make it through tonight though.
Jordan - what an impressive girl! I do like the very sweet song she sang, having fond memories of the video being played over and over when my kids were little. Never grew tired of this one. Jordan picked a great song, and she delivered it incredibly well.

As always, your views are welcome in the comments section.

Gasp! What?!?!

If I were Sanjaya, by now, I'd be pretty aggravated for being so used as dramatic effect by the show. He gets tagged at the end of each show, expecting to be sent home...and incredibly, tonight he gets a seat with the 12. Part of me isn't surprised, as he clearly has a large fan base. It doesn't bode well for the other 11, then again, as the numbers whittle down, more votes get concentrated on favorites.
And how the anemic-sounding Haley beat out Sabrina I'll never understand. They both looked shocked by the results.

The surprise announcement about the two-night IDOL GIVES BACK program. Raising money to fight hunger is a great concept. It is also refreshing to see Idol venture into some new and so meaningful. I will be thinking about how I can help between now and the late April shows.

Now, leave some comments and don't forget to vote in the poll over there on the left!

The last highly scripted elimination is tonight.
Two guys and two girls will go home. Next week, we'll have the run of all 12 and ANYONE can go home from the big stage and studio. Won't that be so much more interesting? I'm not sure I completely agree with a coworker of mine but after Tuesday's guy's night, she said all eight guys should go home. That said, the contrast (hear me agreeing with the judges) between guy's night and girl's night is quite stark. The girls overall are infinitely better singers. But... there are some very talented guys in this competition and I think American Idol voters WILL keep some of the guys on for a while. (No predictions forthcoming as I will wait to see how the final 12 perform in the first co-ed show next week.)
Now, who do I want to go home tonight? (I am writing this just over an hour before the show begins.) I screamed for Antonella and Sanjaya to go home last week, it's past time for them! Haley should also go home as should Phil. Yes, even Sanjaya was better this week (but the hair.. whoa!). As my son observed, "he's a pretty good singer, but he's so boring". No album sales forthcoming, eh? We'll see very shortly! I can't wait!!
There have been questions about how to post a comment on my blog. Just below each post is a brownish link that reads "0 comments" (until someone leaves one!). Click that and you will be taken to a text box. If you click the "Anonymous" option you can publish your comment without registering with Blogspot. You can always sign your post, if you wish! I'd really like to hear from everyone!!

Unbelievable!!!!!
If you read my guy's post from earlier in the week, you'll know why I am exasperated. Of course, the exasperation is directed at the voters. And I mean, both ways... "we" should vote for those singers we think deserve to stay in the competition. It's the only way to offset the votes for the contestants who really can't sing. Sanjaya should have gone home last night, as he has been given two chances by the American public and he's bombed. This week's performance by this cute fellow was positively awful... "weird" as Simon aptly stated. Visiting some other AI blogs, I found screams of racism and gay bashing when it comes to "picking on" Sanjaya. Gimme a break! The judges were judging his performance and they were kind, to say the least. Yes, he's just 17 but so is Jordan and she can stand on her own very talented feet!
I found it interesting that the judges stated clearly that all the right people didn't go home last night, and voting for SINGING talent was the true objective. That said, the female side of the voting is going along pretty well. Is it because the female group has the most appealing and powerful voices within the entire competition? Perhaps NONE of the guys are talented enough to stand up over the long run.
Consider this question... when the voting comes down to whole group performance comparisons in a few weeks, will the contest be narrowed down to a mostly female group of contenders?
Finally, more unbelievability on AI - Kelly Pickler, whoa! Was Ryan Seacrest's question to her in bad taste? Do you think the dimwit "got it"? Your comments welcome below -- click the Comments link and comment anonymously if you prefer; registration is NOT required.
Participate in the weekly poll on the left, please!

Oh, those girls!
I had high hopes for last night's female performers. The show was a real yawner. Yes, there were a few very good performances. I'm feeling rather like Simon and am waiting to be Wow-ed.

I'm forecasting no winners yet, but how about the losers? Let me ask, do you agree with my "must-go-home designees"? (Leave your comments by clicking the Comments link under any posting)
Must go soon, in no specific order: Antonella Barba, Alaina Alexander, Haley Scarnato, Leslie Hunt, and, of course, Paula Abdul.

Guy's Night Out on Stage - Who should go?

I'm hesitant to predict who might go home tonight. I thought Sanjaya would go home last week, but according to Seacrest's comment during the elimination show, this teeney-bopper was in the top 4 vote getters. Oh puhhlease! He must go home tonight, otherwise the voting system will be exposed for what it really is - a joke; a popularity contest based on non-musical appeal! Sanjaya did not redeem himself from last week's performance but may have instead been even more vacuous and boring. Having recorded the show for later viewing (basketball practice AGAIN), I found myself fast forwarding during his performance.

His was not the only performance I fast-forwarded through; it WAS late at night and I was tired. You're dying to know who I listened to full-on, aren't you? Chris, Blake, Nick, Brandon, and even Sundance (who I thought might/should go home last week). Yes, even I am a fickle Idol worshipper!
Absent from the list is Phil. He needs to go. I can't stand to look at him. I've been advised not to post a martian drawing on this blog as that would be just plain mean, however, he looks like a space alien behind the microphone! Ugh...

Who else should go? PAULA! Geez-Louise, she's getting on my nerves.

First Elimination Week - Feb 20-22
Well, that is what I am calling it! This is the first official week of major disappointment for the participants as well as their small (but growing) fan bases. To get to the final 24 must be the start of "Idol Dream"... read, 'I CAN BE THE NEXT AMERICAN IDOL!!!' OMG!!
Anywho, I wish the shows this week had been only 1.5 hours. They were way too long. While I do enjoy the personal stories/journeys of the contestants.. I'd rather hold the lengthy shows for later. What do you think?
While Simon made his very own final prediction last night (that is, the other 23 of you can get your plane tickets because LaKisha is going to win this thing), I'm not going that far yet. I predicted something different last week... but, hey, things do change. They can change significantly so I'm holding out for some major surprises along the way. Do you remember the look on Chris Daughtry's face when HE was standing by Kathryn McPhee, certain in his standings with the fans.... and he got sent home!
More of that to come, I am certain. We can only hope for an exciting, surprising season of AI.
I found a site making predictions for the final dozen here: http://www.queersighted.com/2007/02/22/predictions-top-six-american-idol-guys--
Ahem... I "googled" and found it. It's not my home page, I assure you.

A Dozen of Each

http://www.americanidol.com/contestants/season6/
Read all about them on the Idol website!
So, now they're down to 12 guys and 12 girls. How many of you were surprised by the results? I can't say that I was particularly surprised except for the very last selections. I thought Tommy was a far better singer than Sundance. Were they going for variety in the dozen, perhaps? Happiness reigned at my house when Brandon Rogers made it through. I noticed also Chris Richardson made it through, and isn't he the fellow from Chesapeake, VA?

I can't say that any of the female singers have made an overwhelming impression on me. When they showed the performances of the final two gals, I believed the one sent home was the better singer "at the time". Is it me, or do many of the girls just look the same --- boring! I kinda think that about my daughter's friends, so perhaps it's a generational thing.

I must say that I was very happy that Lakisha made it through -- for her little girl! Now, she really can belt it out. (I don't think she'll make it to the final 3. That's my first prediction.)

Great news! The real competition has begun. And.. I got to see the Tuesday night show for a change this season. My favorite part of the show was the group auditions/workouts. As a teacher, I put my college students in groups fairly regularly. Sometimes it is for a grade, other times, not. I think the group auditions on AI are an ingenious test of the character of the idol-wannabees.
I noticed in the final group of 40 tonight that there are several singers that I liked in the early shows. One guy is named Brandon, and the other is the Indian boy, whose sister also sang but was cut in the final cut. I'm curious to see how far they get.
Tomorrow, we will see the talent more closely... at least that is my hope!

As entertaining as they can be, I am happy that the preliminary audition shows are over. Now the real competition can begin. In my mind, the auditions allow the prospects to compete with themselves. From here on out, they compete with each other. I'm curious to learn how many have already been bumped due to criminal charges or personal issues. 172 contestants are far too many for me to keep up with.
Let the competition begin and whittle that group down to an interesting and manageable 24 singers!

This week's shows were far less freaky than the Seattle venue. Not that there weren't a few characters in NY.
I was happy to see the Virginia fellow get through to Hollywood. His name is Chris and he's from Chesapeake.
I heard on a radio program that a young lady from Tuesday night, Melissa, could make it to the final five. Interesting prediction so early on!

Last night in Seattle, well.... I'm rather speechless (a feat in, and of, itself!). Do these people not have family and friends who are protective and honest? "Total freak show" is the consensus out there.... so much for talent in Seattle. It left with Frasier! Heh!
A moment brought tears to the eyes of me and my daughter. She shed more than I did. Any guesses what prompted such tears? It was a freak show, but still we do have hearts at my house. Simon can be awfully cruel, and the other sometimes just can't contain their laughter. Hey, up close and in person, I don' t know that I couldn't contain it either. My kids and I had a few good giggles ourselves.
So, it's Memphis and NY next week for two more nights. I believe that leaves Birmingham, San Antonio, and Los Angeles for the third and fourth weeks. We'll see! Such excitement and entertainment to anticipate!

So... I didn't see any of the opening show. However, word on the street has it that of 10,000 auditions, only 17 were selected.
I heard two funny (pathetic) clips on the radio this morning. No doubt, tonight will provide a redux of sad stories and appalling behavior by rejected auditioners. Makes for funny, if unfortunate, entertainment, yes?
There's this German word ....schadenfreude..which according to dictionary.com means "satisfaction or pleasure felt at someone else's misfortune". Somebody's feeling a lot of that, don't you think? (Simon, for instance?)
What's your take on the evolving Sixth Season? What are you anticipating most ?

Tonight's the night! My son has basketball practice starting at 8. (What is wrong with his coach, you ask?!??) Doesn't he KNOW what tonight is?
Well, I'm going to record it if I can, but if not I will rely on the word of others to find out how goofy the early auditions were.