The Bottom Three: Alexis Grace Michael Sarver Allison Iraheta Eliminated:Alexis Grace Ryan Seacrest opens the show by telling us there were 31 million votes this week. Hmmm, that's 2 million less than last week. Normally, the vote totals go up as the season progresses, not down. Is the public's enthusiasm for Season 8 on the wane because of the contestants or because of all the rule changes? Will more fans defect after seeing the results of tonight's show? Probably.
Seacrest also says tonight's results might shock us. Well, no. We've seen DialIdol.com and the results are actually right in line with what they predicted. What will shock -- and dismay -- us is the cruel way that Alexis Grace is forced to "sing for her life" and then told by Simon Cowell she is good, but not good enough. You gotta be kidding. They'd rather kick Alexis to the curb this week than let her stay and hopefully eliminate Michael Sarver, Megan Joy or Scott MacIntyre from the tour next week? One thing's for certain: They've saved us the ticket price of this year's tour. Bleh.
The group number, Travis Tritt's "T-R-O-U-B-L-E," once again focuses on Scott's limitations, as he plays piano while the guys first gather round him and then take to the dance floor with the girls. There are no solo vocals and the entire thing comes off as lip-synced. In fact, we're pretty sure we notice Scott not singing in a couple of shots.
We waste no time getting to the Ford video this week, sung to OK GO's "Here It Goes Again" and involving water balloons. While introducing it, Ryan tosses a water balloon at Simon. After the video Ryan tells us it went over Simon's head and hit a studio audience member. Cool. Does she get free tix to the finale for getting drenched tonight? On second thought, would she even want tix after tonight?
Before the night's cruel- ness begins, it's time for a heart- warm- ing spot and a few hints to who is going to land in the Bottom 3. Ryan presents a clip of the farewell dinner held for Jasmine Murray and Jorge Nuñez. It opens with *surprise* Alexis Grace talking about how she hates Result Night because in the back of your mind you always think it is going to be you. Ha! After the clip, Ryan goes directly to Alexis and asks her, "Did you ever think it would be this emotional?" Why is he toying with her? He couldn't ask someone who was obviously safe? His next victim is Michael. Do you see a trend here? Those are the two who with face the chopping block at the end of the show. Everyone chokes up and gets teary when Ryan asks, "Michael, how is it being away from the family and the kids," and Sarver says his 3½ daughter, who doesn't understand why he is away, asked him last week, "Why don't you want to be with me anymore?" Of course, Michael then has to follow that with, "So being away from your family is really tough. It's worth it in the end and I still want to go on real bad." Ryan then encourages Michael to say hello to his daughter McKenna, on camera. It's a Hallmark moment, as he says, "McKenna I love you ... with all my heart." The audience audibly "aaaaahs." Ryan then goes to Megan to ask how she's feeling and shows a clip of her from that day with her head enshrouded and other contestants wearing face masks to protect them from her germs.
Now it is time to start the torture. Ryan begins with Danny Gokey, who, of course, is safe, as are Lil Rounds and Anoop Desai. Allison and Michael are asked to stand. Allison is told she's in the Bottom 3 and to take a stool onstage. Michael, thinking he has escaped danger, sits. Ryan has him stand again and tells him that he, too, is in the Bottom 3. So now, before we're told, we know who is taking the third stool. Alexis had the lowest vote total on DialIdol.com. But Ryan won't reveal Alexis' fate just yet.
The first guest performance of the night is by Brad Paisley who performs his new single "Then." We like Paisley, but restlessly wait for the results to continue. It feels like a long night already.
Back to the nail-biting. Scott MacIntyre and Megan Joy are safe and we're wishing they were in the Bottom 3 along with Michael. But, after all, this is "Idol." Also safe are Matt Giraud (yea!) and Kris Allen. Alexis and Adam Lambert are asked to stand. Ryan asks after watching back on TV, whether Simon still thinks Adam's performance was "horrific, indulgent rubbish." Simon says after watching it back, he thought it was even worse. Ha! Randy says he loved Adam's "Jeff Buckley take" on "Ring of Fire," a version that only seems to exist in Randy's head, not on video or MP3 anywhere on the Internet. Do we even need to type that Adam is safe and Alexis is heading to her doom? Alexis joins Allison and Michael onstage and Ryan immediately decides to send one back to safety on the couches. It's Allison. We're relieved.
Back from the break and it's time for the second guest performance of the evening, by Carrie Underwood and Randy Travis. But before that, Ryan presents a video tribute to Carrie's career to date, from Oklahoma farmgirl to country superstar.
Before their performance, Underwood and Travis chat with Ryan. Carrie, who looks awful in a modern-day Minnie Pearl getup, says she is flattered that the contestants sang her songs (and happy for the royalties, heh). The red dress is bad enough, but we can't stop staring at the bouffant hair and what looks like a black lacy wrapping- paper decoration sitting on her head. The duo perform "I Told You So." Carrie's vocals soar and we are reminded why she won Season 4. Her voice never fails to impress. That's why Lil should never have attempted "Independence Day," and Danny sounded lame on "Jesus Take the Wheel." They can't touch Carrie's vocals. Travis even looks over in amazement a time or two at the notes Underwood hits. She's an "Idol" treasure. Right before the break, Ryan asks the judges if they'd consider saving either of the Bottom 2. They say, yes, there's one they'd consider saving. Any question who it is folks?
It's the time of reckoning. And, sadly, Michael is safe. He really needs to be back home with his daughter. Simon tells Alexis that, yes, she was the one they were thinking of saving, but first she has to sing for her life. And she does, turning yesterday's softer version of "Jolene" into one of desperation, pitchy power notes and cracking vocals. The words take on a new meaning as they echo Alexis' own situation, begging the judges not to take her out of the competition. It's so sad, especially as we get the feeling that this was all predetermined and the show the judges make of deliberating are probably, in reality, just them making dinner plans. In the end, Simon, with a seriously contrite look on his face, tells Alexis that "We're kind of unanimous on this. It was good, but it was not good enough. Sorry. It's the end of the line, I'm afraid." Emulating her last name to the end, Grace tells the judges "I wish I could have done better. But things happen for a reason, so, you know ..." We watch her journey video. We cry. The end.
Next week, "Idol" will air on Wednesday and Thursday, as the show is pre-empted on Tuesday for a presidential press conference. The theme will be "50 Years of Motown," with the contestants performing classic Motown songs (sigh, Alexis would have done great with that). Berry Gordy, the man behind the Motown sound, appears on Wednesday. On the results show, Motown legend Smokey Robinson performs and Season 2 winner Ruben Studdard sings his new single, "Together."
Watching Season 8's Grand Ole Opry Week, mentored by country great Randy Travis, was an exercise in futility and mediocrity. Frankly, we saw better performances on the just concluded Season 3 of CMT's "Gone Country," wherein such unlikely contestants as 62-year-old former Monkee Mickey Dolenz, master of funk George Clinton, former Miss USA Tara Conner and actor-turned-singer Richard Grieco attempted to "go country." Even Season 1 Idol Justin Guarini shined in comparison to the current crop of Idols. We hope "Idol's" producers aren't relying too heavily on that iTunes income, 'cause there wasn't a single performance we'd consider shelling out 99 cents for.
No doubt, the most talked about performances will be those of Anoop Desai, who rose like a phoenix from the ashes with one of the best numbers of the night, and Adam Lambert, whose bizarre Middle Eastern take on a Johnny Cash classic was simultaneously mesmerizing and repellent.
Also worth discussing: Paula Abdul's inability to complete a coherent sentence all evening. Yet, she wouldn't shut up and babbled on incessantly. Almost as unbearable was the bickering among the judges. But worst of all is this trend of the contestants to talk back when they are being judged. Last season Brooke White turned her critiques into discussions and, much to our distaste, the idea seems to have taken wing. On Tuesday, nearly every singer felt the need to explain themselves or make a wisecrack. Lil Rounds might have spoken even more than the judges during her critiquing period. As Judge Judy would say, "This is not a give and take." So contestants, shut up and listen. You're there to sing, the judges are there to evaluate. And speaking of the judges, can we lose their la-de-dah entrance from behind a curtain at the top of the show? That, as well as Ryan Seacrest descending the grand staircase as if he was a god descending from the heavens, is way too precious and pretentious.
Opening the show was Texas oil-rig worker Michael Sarver. We were betting that he would do great with this genre, but his song choice -- Garth Brooks' "Ain't Goin' Down Til the Sun Comes Up" -- baffled us. Instead of showcasing Sarver's voice or range, it demonstrated that he has a great ability to memorize lyrics, as the song contains perhaps a thousand words sung at rapid speed. There was very very little melody involved. Bleh. Randy Jackson thinks it is a fun song but doesn't bring out Michael's vocal capabilities. Kara DioGuardi likes that we got to see Michael's personality but misses his big notes. At that point, Michael's smile goes flat. He decides to jump in and answer back, saying, among other things, that "country music is about fun." Well, Michael we didn't have much, and your remarks make it even less so. Paula combines about 42 half-thoughts into one sentence, concluding with "this is the genre that suits you well." Simon Cowell says he couldn't understand a single word Michael was singing (Michael interjects again here) and that he could have been singing in Norwegian. Another interjection. Simon continues, "I thought it was a bit clumsy ... and this could have been karaoke night at a country-western club." Michael retorts, "If we were all perfect, we wouldn't need this show." The audience goes wild and Randy says, "Good one," while we're thinking, SHUT UP Michael. Ryan asks Simon, "Did you like it or not?" Simon answers, "On a scale of 1-10, I'd give it 1.2." Michael feels compelled to open his mouth one final time. He turns to Ryan and says laughing, "It wasn't zero." Whoa, way harsh, Simon. We'd give it at least a 2.2. Though, considering Sarver's back talk, perhaps Cowell was being generous.
Allison Iraheta is like an uncut, unpolished gem. She has great vocals, but the voters can't see through to them because her song selections tend to be obscure and her appearance needs refining. For example, we loved her version of Patty Loveless' "Blame It on Your Heart," but her DialIdol.com score is second to last and she stands a strong chance of being eliminated tonight. It's a shame, as there are few females left and her distinctive, rock-tinged voice alone makes a compelling argument for her to remain in the competition. Kara says she is beginning to think that Allison could sing the alphabet and sing it well. It's a stupid twist on the phone book analogy when you think about it, Kara, 'cause every child sings the alphabet. She adds, "You bring your own spin to everything and you really made that song your own." Paula, in a lucid moment, calls it "Another rock solid performance by Allison," but encourages her to experiment with other sides of her vocals that make her more vulnerable. Simon calls it good but a little tuneless in parts, and thinks it looked as if Allison was struggling to remember the words. He asks, "Were you?" Allison tells him, no, that she's known the song since she was 8 years old. He concludes by calling her "rock solid verging on precocious," whatever that means. Randy says, "I didn't think it was precocious at all. I thought it was dope!"
Kris Allen left his guitar behind to sing Garth Brooks "To Make You Feel My Love," a ballad which made good use of his sweet tender vocals. Yet, it left us wanting something more. Truth be told, we were a bit bored by the end of his performance. The judges however were more enthusiastic. Paula calls it an honest, pure and vulnerable performance. Simon says it was terrific, that it was a great choice of song and that Kris was completely in control of the song. But Cowell saves his highest praise for last: That for the first time he thinks Kris has a really good shot at doing well in the competition. Randy likes that Kris showcased his vocals, calling it "tender moments from my dawg Kris." Simon seems amused by this, changing it to "tender dawg" and later to "tender puppy." Kara says, "I didn't even know it was Opryland when I was hearing that. It wasn't even country, it was just beautiful." What is wrong with Kara? Does she not know that country is comprised of many sounds, not just twangin' geetars? Ugh!
Lil Rounds wants to show everyone that she's more than just an R&B artist, she wants to prove she can go country. We just wish she hadn't chosen to do it with Martina McBride's "Independence Day." It's one of Carrie Underwood's great performances that is etched into our head. So though Lil soared on the second half of the song with its power notes, the first half left a lot to be desired. Randy felt the same way, saying he found himself struggling with the front part but that it got a little bit better when she hit the power zone, concluding with, "It didn't feel comfortable for me on you." Lil interjects to explain her choice of song. Randy answers her, and Lil turns it into a discussion. Kara says, "You did what you felt and that's part about being an artist -- standing your ground." Well maybe it is, but it didn't work too well for Kelly Clarkson with "My December," and she's well-established and a far better singer than Lil. Kara ends with, "So I give you props for that. Is it the best performance? Not your best. But good for standing your ground." Tell Lil that when she stands her ground and her first LP sells 10,000 copies. Paula says everything's going right for Lil tonight, that her vocals are spot-on (not even close) and that the hair, makeup and clothing are beautiful (agreed). She then contradicts herself by saying that Lil should have sung only one verse instead of two (which is so wrong, 'cause this is a story song), so that she could have hit the soaring vocals earlier. So, then, perhaps everything wasn't going right for Lil tonight, Paula? Then Simon totally stuns us by calling Lil "Little." Paula stops him and says, "Little?" He answers, "Lil, Little, it's the same thing." Er, no it's not, Simon. He then starts with Little again, Kara says "Lil," he says "Little, Lil, which is short for Little." No, it's not. Her name isn't Lil', or Li'l it's Lil, which is most likely short for Lillian, if it's short for anything. She's not Li'l Abner, or Lil' Kim or Lil Wayne. Ugh! What is wrong with Simon? He then compares her to a wedding singer who has to sing a song request she's not comfortable with, saying what they originally liked about her was her Mary J. Blige rawness. Kara starts to respond to this and then Lil jumps in again, too. Enough! Can each judge not state an opinion without being argued with by the other judges and the contestant? We had to smirk, though, when Simon raised his hand during Lil's unending remarks (and his critique time) with, "May I talk, Little?" He went on to say "I thought that just wasn't you."
The night's most bizarre performance award goes to Adam Lambert, who, as we noted above, did a Middle Eastern sitar-driven turn on Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire." Randy Travis had good reason to have trepidations about this. When Adam told Travis he had found a different take (Dilana's from "Rock Star Supernova") on the song he wanted to do, we immediately thought of Chris Daughtry's wonderful transformation of Cash's "I Walk the Line." But, no. Even something like Dilana's version (and we love everything Dilana does) was way too pedestrian for showman Lambert. Way before Simon got the chance to say "self-indulgent" we were thinking it, along with over-the-top theatrical and WTF. The high notes were ridiculous. Yet as we sat there mesmerized, we couldn't decide whether we liked it or hated it. It certainly held our attention. Kara *shock* finds it all a little strange and got so flustered trying to critique it she finally just gave up, saying it left her confused but kind of happy. Paula calls Adam true to himself as an artist, and says she loves the Middle Eastern sitar sounds. Simon brings things back down to earth with "I think there are a lot of people throwing their television sets out their windows at this point," then calls it "absolute indulgent rubbish" and "really really horrific." But Randy jumps in to defend Adams and says if Nine Inch Nails did a country song this is what it would sound like. He deems it current, young, fresh and hot. Well, alrighty, then.
What are the chances that Scott MacIntyre can go just one week without singing about faith or angels? Our guess? Zero. Every week, it feels like the same saccharine-sweet inspirational song and we weren't loving it the first time we heard it. It makes us hope that they'll have a Satan theme week, just to put an end to it. This time round it was Martina McBride's "Wild Angels" (whoa, is Scott getting reckless, LOL). Even Randy Travis seems to think it's an ill-advised choice. We tuned out through it, but Paula calls it a lovely performance and tells Scott that he's one of the hardest-working performers on that stage (patronizing). However, she's concerned that the piano is becoming a bit of a crutch now, and that it separates Scott from the audience. Scott retorts, "We can move it closer." Paula's remark was not meant to be insensitive to Scott's sight problems with working the stage, but Simon seems to take it that way, telling Paula, "What do you expect him to do?" and then "It was a stupid thing to say." They then call each other disrespectful and get into an annoyingly protracted argument. Simon tells Scott that his song last week and this week are very similar and that he's not choosing good-enough songs. Scott interjects(!) "I've also lost a lot of hat picks" (hmmm, so the performances are based on song choices picked from a hat? That kinda sucks, doesn't it?). Simon continues saying that Scott is picking songs "that just do a little bit of that [making a hand motion over his head], going over my head and I forget them afterwards." Paula jumps in with "That's disrespectful," apparently referring to the hand gesture Simon made and that Scott couldn't see. Simon misunderstands and says, "That's not disrespectful" and their argument begins anew. But what has truly gone over Simon's head is the fact that Scott is saying he doesn't have a lot of freedom in choosing his songs. Randy says it's not the song choices that bother him, he's missing the hot crazy vocals that he hasn't seen from Scott the past two weeks because "this is a singing competition," to which Simon chimes in, "thank you." Well bust my buttons and call me shorty. When did it become a singing competition again for Simon? Two weeks ago, during the Wild Card round, he told us it wasn't just a singing competition. Kara tells Scott, "What everyone is saying is that we want you to up your game a little bit" but that "you bring class and poise to that stage" (patronizing) as Paula yells out, "Yes, you do!" (patronizing). Oy!
Alexis Grace says she wants to show her softer side with Dolly Parton's "Jolene," and we think she did a pretty nice job of it, though we did miss some of those knock-it-out-of-the-park notes. The rest of America apparently missed them a lot more than we did. Alexis surprisingly sits at the bottom of the DialIdol.com pile. We can't believe the producers will let her escape the summer tour, so our thinking is if she is the one to be eliminated tonight, the judges' save will be employed and they'll gloatingly ask us, "Now aren't you happy we have a judges' save?" To which we'll reply, "No." If America thinks Alexis isn't worthy of moving on, then she shouldn't, regardless of her talent. Certainly nobody held back from voting last night because they were confident she was safe. If she's in last place it's because America thought she should be. Randy says he wasn't sure if she "hit the notes quick well," noting there were pitch problems and that Alexis tried to bend the song too much in a bluesy way that didn't work. He also says it was a good song choice but not a great performance. Of course, Alexis has to interject an explanation here (shut up, shut up, shut up). Kara says, "I think you lost your edge a bit" and then makes some of her stupid song suggestions that she thinks would have been better. "Before You Cheat"? Give us a break. Kara says she wants something edgy that brings out the angst in Alexis. We repeat: "Before You Cheat"? She ends with, "It was just a little flat for me." Paula thinks it was a good song choice and enjoyed the vulnerable soft side of Alexis. Simon rolls his eyes during her critique. Another interjection by Alexis. Simon says, "I thought it was OK. I thought it was a little bit sound-alike." Alexis asks "What does sound-alike mean?" Duh! What does low IQ mean? What does she think it means? Simon explains, "It means you sound like the person you're trying to sing." She says "Oh, OK." She should have asked for the English translation: It sounds like the same version of the song as the artist who originally performed it. Simon also tells her he thinks it's one of those performances that's going to be forgotten in about 10 minutes. She pleads, "No, please don't. Please don't forget about it." But America did.
We wonder why Danny Gokey tends to select songs popularized by female artists -- Lee Ann Womack's "I Hope You Dance" during Hollywood Week, Mariah Carey's "Hero" during the Top 36 Round 1 and this week's "Jesus Take the Wheel" by Carrie Underwood? Is it so the ladies will love him? Or so he can't easily be compared to the original? Whatever the reason, it seems to work for him. (And yes, we know, Scott sang a Martina McBride song.) We thought he had moments during his rendition, but much prefer the original. For us, it was probably Danny's weakest performance. Yet, the audience went wild and there he is once again on the top of DialIdol.com's results. He remains America's No. 1 widower. Kara says, "The front half of that performance for me was not spectacular, but halfway through it was 'Here comes Danny' ... and went straight up. And I wish I had 10 minutes of that and not the first half." Paula disagreed, saying "I love when artists build a story," adding that he was brilliant (not) and that Carrie Underwood would not only approve, she'd go out and buy that record. Paula, reality check. We wouldn't even go out and buy that record. Simon, surprisingly after their earlier tiffs, agrees with Paula, saying, "You can't start a song full on, you've got to have a little bit of light and shade." Simon's only problem is with what Danny is wearing. Danny, as usual with Simon, is self-deprecating, making fun of his own outfit, much as he made fun of his own dancing last week after Simon bashed him for it. Randy splits the panel by agreeing with Kara, saying that the verses were pitchy and that Danny didn't support them enough (we need our Randy-English dictionary for the last), but that he was blazing through the rest of the song.
Next came the biggest surprise of the evening. Just as we were about to write off Anoop Desai as the mostly likely contestant to be voted off the show, he comes back like gangbusters with a compelling and different interpretation of Willie Nelson's iconic "You Were Always on My Mind." It was the best we've ever heard him sing and he finally convinced us that he was more than just a really likable guy. He actually possesses as good a voice as the rest of the contestants, and better than some. He doesn't need to rely on posturing and gimmicks to survive. He can use his voice. Paula announces, "Anoop is back!" She tells him she is proud of him for picking a song that allowed him to have his own interpretation of it and that it fit him like a glove, adding that his "tender, amazing, sweet vocals" touched her heart. Simon says, "Anoop, you just managed to go from zero to hero. That was a good choice of song. Actually, in a way, that was one of my favorite performances of the whole night. You know what, Anoop? Good for you that you can take a bit of a kicking last week -- which was thoroughly deserved -- By the way I take back what I said, you definitely deserve to be in this show. But you didn't kind of whine about it. You just took the good advice [pointing to his own chest], did something about it, chose a great song, delivered a great vocal. Glad to have you back, Anoop." Randy says Anoop really showed his vocals skills and that he liked the arrangement. Kara calls it the best performance of the night, because it was the biggest surprise.
Megan Joy Corkrey had the flu this week, did, in fact, go to the hospital, and even missed the dress rehearsal. So we must be forgiving in that respect. But she knew what to do to support a flagging voice -- she brought the girls out, big time. Were they really that big every other week, or was it that the halter dress with side embroidery that gave the appearance of hands holding up those boobs made them look so big? Either way, sorry, we still didn't like her rendition of another iconic song, Patsy Cline's "Walking After Midnight." Talk about quirky. For us it was flat, sharp and everything in between. Kellie Pickler's version of the song ran rings around Megan's and Kellie's not that great a singer. The judges, however, thought Megan sounded even better than usual! Maybe it's that sensation where things sound different in the studio than they do on TV. In any event, most of America agreed with us. Megan placed third from last on DialIdol.com. Randy tells her he thought it would be a trainwreck (it was), but it was actually quite good (it wasn't), that it all really worked (it didn't) and was the perfect choice for her (it wasn't). Kara says, "perfect song, perfect look," then praises her inordinately for performing with the flu. Apparently Kara didn't watch last season when half the contestants performed with the flu. Paula continues with Kara's praise, calling Megan a fighter and a consummate professional. Simon tells her, "You should have flu every week, because you were better this week than you were last week. And you look gorgeous."
Matt Giraud captured the pimp spot, and other than Anoop, probably deserved it. His was our second favorite performance of the night. Again, a guy chose to sing a song popularized by a woman, in this case Carrie Underwood's "So Small." Even Randy Travis was a bit disconcerted by the choice, but got with the program after listening to Matt's bluesy version of the song. It wasn't a perfect performance -- Matt doesn't have a perfect voice and there were pitchy parts. Yet, there was something so appealing about the arrangement, the piano playing and, yes, his falsetto, that we really enjoyed it. Kara said, "Matt, there ain't nothing small about you." (Why does everything she says sound so suggestive?) "You're an artist, you're a true talent, your heart pours on that piano, you work the dynamics of that song. Amazing. I love you. I just do." Paula then had trouble trying to spit out the word authenticity. Nevertheless, she applauds the authenticity and honesty Matt brings to his delivery and tells him he has pierced her heart (hope it's not fatal). Simon says, "I don't think you've had enough credit, actually, for your vocals in this competition so far because everyone's been talking about Danny and Adam. I think you're quite similar to Danny. Tonight, I think you outsang him. I genuinely do. It was a great performance. You remind me of Michael Bublé. So I thought that was a terrific performance. One of the best tonight. Well done." Randy calls it his favorite performance of the night because he loves Matt's vocals and says he has mad skillz, ending with, "You got it goin' on, baby."
Our Bottom 3: Megan Joy Corkrey Michael Sarver Scott MacIntyre
Who should be eliminated: Megan Joy Corkrey Who will be eliminated: Allison Iraheta
Tonight, Randy Travis and Carrie Underwood sing "I Told You So" (previously a hit for Travis and now a hit single for Underwood), and Brad Paisley performs his new single, "Then."
DANNY GOKEY'S GLASSES
Want to know where Danny Gokey gets his glasses? Watch this video:
To my readers: I was in the hospital last week and unable to blog. Although I'm still recovering, I'll try to play catch-up and provide you with videos and photos and as much critiquing as possible, even though it is a week old.
Thanks for your continued support.
Idol Addict
Eliminated: Jorge Nuñez, Jasmine Murray,
Ryan Seacrest opens the show by telling us that there were nearly 33 million votes this week, the highest vote total ever at this stage of the show, whatever that mean (for 13 finalists, or for 12 or for what?). Next he explains "The Judges' Save" rule, and we know immediately we're going to hate it. After flashing pictures of Tamyra Gray, Michael Johns, Jennifer Hudson and Chris Daughtry, Ryan asks what they all had in common? Er, they were contestants that didn't win? No! He tells us many of you believe they were booted too early, so the producers decided to create a new rule (it's really not new, they use it on the French version of "Idol"), wherein the four geniuses judges who selected the mess we now call finalists can elect to override the decision of the American public one time during the season before the final 5 are chosen, by saving a contestant who has the received the lowest vote total. The following week, two contestants will be eliminated.
So what is wrong with this rule? Well, to begin with, the theory as presented by the producers. When Ryan asks Simon Cowell if that rule had existed when Chris Daughtry was a contestant might he not have won? Well, no, Ryan. Chris Daughtry came in fourth -- as did Tamyra Gray -- which means the judges could not have used the rule to save either of them. Ha! And Michael Johns? No way he was beating out the Davids. Sure, had he been saved, he might have placed third, fourth or fifth, but who cares? What did that matter. Same goes for Jennifer Hudson. Fantasia or Diana DeGarmo weren't placing after her.
Secondly, how is the selection of the American Idol a mandate of the American people, when the producers judges keep insinuating their choices instead of ours? The Wild Card round was bad enough. This is worse. Can't we decide who we want? Losing "Idol" probably helped Daughtry's career, not hurt it. Obviously, we'll buy artists' CDs if we like them regardless of whether they win or not.
Finally, after seeing the rule exercised for the first two times Wednesday night, it seems even crueler to dangle this carrot in front of a person who really has no chance of receiving a reprieve. In fact, Simon was downright cruel and cold when rebuffing Jorge for the second time in the same evening. Nice going moron producers.
We are then "treated" to a view of the mansion that the con- testants are living in. Yes, it is gorgeous. Matt Giraud remarks that his studio apartment doesn't come with a gate. We're guessing it doesn't have an indoor pool, bowling alley, steam room, basketball court or movie theater, either, heh.
Next was the group number to a medley of Jack- son 5 songs. While Danny Gokey got a little bit of a breakout dance solo (despite Simon's negative remarks about his dancing the night before), we're betting that after blog comments the choreographers decided they needed to get Scott MacIntyre on his feet. He was up to the challenge, with one contestant or another gently guiding him by the elbow to the next mark he needed to hit. The camerawork was crafty enough to keep him out of most shots so you couldn't focus on him constantly. The group sounded OK. We've certainly heard worse.
After a recap of the previous night's per- for- mances, Ryan chats up the con- testants. Michael Sarver tells Seacrest he liked working on the Ford commercial, which, of course, is a segue into it. As a Ford Fusion drives through the city, the contestants faces are featured on skyscrapers as they sing Queen's "We Will Rock You."
It's time for the results. Michael and Allison Iraheta are safe, but Jasmine is told to step down to the stage. Matt and Kris Allen are also safe, but Ryan tells Megan Joy Corkrey to join Jasmine. Jasmine is eliminated and is asked to sing once more while the judges "deliberate" whether to save her (as if! Are they serious with this?) After her performance, Randy Jackson tells Jasmine it's the end of the road. She breaks down. Now, was this double torment and humiliation really necessary? Jasmine's journey is played out against Carrie Underwood's remake of Motley Crue's "Home Sweet Home."
We take a break from the eliminations for a guest number by Kanye West, who sings his No. 1 hit "Heartless." It was obviously taped during the dress rehearsal, as the judges were not in their seats during the performance.
Time for some more contestant torture. Not surprisingly, Ryan tells Scott, Alexis Grace and Danny they are safe. However, Anoop Desai is told to go to the stage. Adam Lambert and Lil Rounds join the safe contestants, leaving Jorge to join Anoop. One is safe and one will be eliminated. But not yet. First, there will be a commercial and another guest performance.
Ryan tells us that starting with this results show, every week a former Idol will appear to perform, beginning with Kelly Clarkson, whose CD dropped on Tuesday. She sings her current hit, "My Life Would Suck Without You." She sounds goods and the audience is very responsive. The judges stand to applaud her at the end, but rather rudely talked to each other throughout her performance. We realize as we listen to her that Allison Iraheta's voice is the heir apparent to Kelly's.
It's finally time to end the torture. Ryan makes short work of it, telling Anoop he is safe. Jorge gets another chance to sing, during which the judges will again "deliberate." This time it's a bigger farce than the first. Paula immediately stands up and dances the second Jorge starts, Kara grooves in her seat, while Randy and Simon chat behind Paula's back. When Jorge's done, Ryan asks Simon if the judges have chosen to save Jorge. Arms crossed in front of him, Cowell brusquely and dismissively gives a one-word answer: "No." It is followed a tic later by "sorry." We'll bet you are.
Tonight, the remaining 11 finalists perform songs popularized by members of The Grand Ole Opry. Randy Travis joins the Idols as Season 8's first mentor.
Tomorrow night, Randy Travis and Carrie Underwood sing "I Told You So" (previously a hit for Travis and now a hit single for Underwood), and Brad Paisley performs his new single, "Then."
To my readers: I was in the hospital last week and unable to blog. Although I'm still recovering, I'll try to play catch-up and provide you with videos, photos and as much critiquing as possible, even though it is a week old.
Thanks for your continued support.
Idol Addict
So the producers decide to make the theme for Week 1 of the Season 8 finals "The Songs of Michael Jackson," one of the artists that the judges always tell the contestants they shouldn't touch unless they can perform the songs better than The King of Pop. No one does Jackson better than Jackson, but much to our surprise, Adam Lambert gives a performance nearly as good. Woulda thunk it? It's just one week into the finals and we've already doing a complete 180 on Adam. His performance was so strong, he is the clear front-runner, despite solid jobs by Danny Gokey and Matt Giraud. Trailing just slightly were the girls: Allison Iraheta, Lil Rounds and Alexis Grace. As for the rest, they can go home now, 'cause they're not making the Top 5.
The evening looked promising when Lil Rounds led it off with "The Way You Make Me Feel." Her outfit seemed attractive, but on closer examination was a bit bizarre. The "blouse" looked as if it was the top part of a dress that the wardrobe people had cut down, paired with white slacks. It didn't work perfectly, but was not as horrible as Simon Cowell would have you believe. As for the performance, the vocal was strong but had some pitch problems. Though not karaoke, we would have liked if it had been a bit more interesting. And, yes, the last note was great. Randy Jackson thought Lil made the song new again with the bluesy, R&B, old soul vibe she gave it. "I loved it!" he proclaimed. Kara DioGuardi said, "I hope we get to hear you on the radio, because you are great." Paula Abdul called her "a force to be reckoned with." Simon thought it was good, but a bit of a lazy song choice and that the second half was better than the first half. He ended with, "and I hate what you're wearing."
What can we say about Scott MacIntyre that we haven't said before? Well, nothing. Is he horrible? No. Is he great? No. Is he mediocre? Absolutely. He brings to mind bland dentist's office music and sedatives. And must all his music always be so inspirational? From his audition song, "And So It Goes," to tonight's "Keep the Faith." In the past, Kara said he moves mountains when he sings and tonight Scott is singing about climbing the highest mountain. Enough, already. We get it. It's all about you, Scott. The judges had promised that another side of Scott would be revealed when we got to see him singing and playing piano. In fact, Kara says it again tonight. Yet, the only thing revealed was him playing piano. The singing was as boring as ever. Kara, however, loves the hopeful message of his song. She also says, "Was it the most dynamic performance? No. But what I love about you is that you're always true to yourself." (Would that be boring?). We can't help but smirk along with Simon when Paula says, "Scott, it's magical seeing your instrument at your fingertips." She also calls it "a lovely performance." Simon says, "I hated the song ... because nobody knows it." Scott answers, "I wanted to be a little artistic." Simon retorts, "Scott, it's fine being artistic, just not on this show." Heh! Randy says the performance was good but too safe, adding, "I want to see more sparks from you, 'cause I know you got 'em, Scotty." He does?
What people should admire about Danny Gokey more than his singing is that he is a master at marketing himself for "Idol," starting with his playing the dead wife card (which he has admitted he threw out there to help him get on the show). Add to the mix that he can work a stage almost as well as Adam Lambert and his "white soul" Michael McDonald voice, and he is one of those packages that Kara is always talking about. He will own the evening with his rendition of "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" until Lambert takes the stage later on. Having Adam nipping at his heels must be a thorn in Danny's side. We get the impression that he doesn't take to be one-upped all that well. Paula tells him, "I'm going to go out on a limb and says 'I think you're on you're way to the finals.' " Simon can't help but laughingly remark, "We're only three contestants in on the first show, and you've already won." He then adds, "I thought the vocals were brilliant. You are one heck of a singer ... However, the dancing was hideous." No Simon, it wasn't. The question is, since Taylor Hicks was also compared to Michael McDonald and Simon thought his dancing was hideous as well, will Simon's love for Danny turn to same hate that Cowell carries for Taylor to this day? Randy said, "The dancing for me and the singing, I loved it all. You know why? Because the dancing wasn't choreographed, it was passionate. It was just the way you felt (shades of Taylor!). I liked it baby, I liked it!" Kara said, "You have joy when you step on that stage. You're just joyous."
There's something solid and comfortable about Michael Sarver, if not terribly exciting. And everything about the blue-collar oil-rig worker with the Siberian husky eyes screams U.S.A. all the way. His vocal of "You Are Not Alone," is fine but nothing more. To use a Simon Cowell line, you can hear a similar version on any cruise ship or hotel lounge in the country. Which is not to say that Michael is a bad singer, he just isn't a standout. Simon, who has always seemed particularly enamored with Sarver, says, "You're not the best singer in the competition ... but you made up for it with passion, heart and you gave it 110 percent." Randy says, "Tonight, so far, you're definitely one of the best in this (out of four? Randy also loved Lil and Danny, so that leaves Scott holding the cheese)." Kara says, "Tonight showed me that you really can sing." Hey, Kara, you mean he got to the finals and you weren't sure? She continued, "I thought you did a great job. ... You are serious. You bring your game every time you step out on that stage and I really like that about you." Paula says he picked a simple song that he colored up and sounded really lovely.
Jasmine Murray shows potential, but much like Season 5 finalist Lisa Tucker, at this point she is way out of her league. Her rendition of "I'll Be There" lacked any punch or originality. Plus, there were moments of pitchiness. And we have to agree with the judges when they say she comes off as a young girl trying to appear older. There was nothing youthful about her song choice and her dress looked more like a dreadful nightgown. Randy says she did a pretty good job on it and he was actually impressed. Kara says she sold it and has great stage presence. Paula says she had some bright moments, but at other times she was under. Simon tells her she made a good attempt, but it was a little bit robotic and that she has a lighten up a little bit and start acting her age. He's right.
We go back and forth on Kris Allen. Every time we think there's nothing much to him, he shows some creativity which makes us change our mind. His performance of "Remember the Time" was better than his previous attempt at Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror." He accompanied himself on guitar, though his strumming looked almost phony. But the guitar made him look better than just standing there singing. His vocals were pleasing, yet not very memorable. What will help him in the competition is his cuteness factor, though Simon told him he wasn't sure he would have brought the wife out so early [in his video] -- he would have waited another couple of weeks. Kris' wife, sitting in the audience, didn't look too pleased at that suggestion. Kara says when Kris plays his guitar it's a whole other side of him that really helps him performance-wise. Paula calls him engaging and adorable-sexy and tells him he did a great, great job. Simon said he didn't know whether it was a song that fit the guitar which made the performance a bit clumsy but the vocal was OK and that he's very likable. Randy says it was very Jason Mraz-y, ending with, "very well job done [sic], baby."
Allison Iraheta is the only true rocker in the competition this year and she has an amazing voice. However, she needs to work with a stylist on her massive head of hair and think more about her song choices. Though her performance of "Give in to Me" was spot on, it is a song that few people know and that hurt her badly in the voting. That she wasn't eliminated was a near miracle according to dialidol.com, which placed her next to last between Jasmine Murray and Jorge Nuñez, the two contestants who were booted the next night. It would be a pity to see this very talented 16-year-old eliminated early, as she is one of the bright lights in the contest. Paula tells her to stay authentic to who she is and that she knows they'll be seeing a lot more of her. Simon tells her it was a good performance and the good thing about her is that at least they know who she is. Randy tells her he thinks she can sing anything. Kara encourages her to keep being a rocker girl, that she distinguishes herself being the rocked-out girl with those vocals and that she did a great job.
On the opposite end of the spectrum is Anoop Desai, who is so likable that he will stay way past the point when he should have been eliminated, which was this week. To date, he has not proven that he has the vocal chops to be in this competition and his choice as a Wild Card, along with fellow unworthys Megan Joy Corkrey and Jasmine Murray is a travesty when much better singers were not given their shot. His vocals on "Beat It" were awful as compared with the original. And speaking of original, Anoop didn't even attempt to try to make the song his own, something that is necessary when singing such an iconic tune. It was karaoke at its worst. Paula tells him she thinks the song is untouchable and that anything other than the original artist sounds karaoke. Simon terms it horrible, saying there was no aggression, it was all very lightweight, karaoke and that it actually looked a bit stupid because it was like a really bad impersonation. Randy calls it the wrong choice, karaoke and adds that it didn't work for him. Kara says the biggest problem was that we didn't get to see Anoop do any variation on the song and that for the first time she felt disconnected from him as a performer. Ryan Seacrest asks Simon whether he regrets now making it a Top 13 by adding Anoop to the mix. Simon replies, "On the back of that, yes. I do actually. I didn't like that performance at all."
We liked Jorge Nuñez 's voice the first time we heard it during his audition and were glad when he made the finals. And although it wasn't sparkling with creativity, we thought his version of "Never Can Say Goodbye" was pretty decent. He was on key and the tone of his voice was great. So we were surprised and disappointed when he was eliminated the next night, especially when there were others who sang far more poorly. The judges had no mercy for him. Randy tells him he has vocal chops, but calls the song choice old-fashioned and says their were pitchy points. Kara didn't feel that Jorge had an emotional connection to the song. She would have preferred a song like "She's Out of My Life." When Paula asks him why he picked the song, Jorge says it wasn't his usual style of song, but it fit his voice and he wasn't going to sing "Bad" by Michael Jackson. Simon jumps in with, "Well, you sort of did." Paula hopes American will remember that he is a brilliant vocalist because this wasn't the right song for him. Simon tells him it was corny, that he was out of his depth and that the arrangement was absolutely awful. It was so old-fashioned that Simon said he couldn't wait for it to end. Sadly for Jorge, it was the end.
OK, we'll be the first to admit that Megan Joy Corkrey is one of the most beautiful women we've ever laid eyes on. Her looks rival those of Charlize Theron. However, that is no more reason for her to be a finalist that Scott's blindness is. Her rendition of "Rockin' Robin" was literally laughable, especially the "caw! caw!" at the end. (And, yes, we know that robins don't caw, but there is a brief mention of a crow at the top of the song: Every little swallow, every chickadee/Every little bird in the tall oak tree/The wise old owl, the big black crow/Flapping them wings sayin' go bird go). Though it was more toned down this week, perhaps Megan related strongest to this lyric because her dancing resembles a bird flapping its wings. In any event, despite her "quirkiness" and the interesting tone of her voice, her phrasing and timing are the pits and she doesn't belong on the stage. Kara tells her she has a way of putting her signature ("lousy singer"?) on everything she touches. (Kara needs to go, big time.) Paula loves the quirky and unique tone of her voice, but felt disconnected and didn't hear the sound she loves until the end. Simon says "We like you, we've established that, but what a stupid song choice. The vocals weren't very good, the dancing was verging on ridiculous; the whole performance was just clumsy and awkward." And this would differ from last week -- the week you picked her as a Wild Card -- how? Randy says the song choice didn't really allow her to be Megan. Uh-huh.
Megan's lack of skills only made the next performance that much more impressive. Yes, Adam Lambert is the king of musical theater on the "Idol" stage, but he used it to great advantage in his Axl Rose-ish shrieking rendition of "Black and White." Though to this point we've neither been a fan of his theatricality nor his high-range voice, it just all worked in this number, making it the most interesting and memorable performance of the night. It was hard to sit in your seat and not want to get up and dance (even in a hospital bed). The arrangement, the swagger, it all flowed beautifully together. The standing O was HUGE. Our only question: what's going to happen to his popularity with all those little girls shrieking "Adam, we love you!" when they finally find all those pictures of him Frenching guys on votefortheworst.com? Paula says, "Never in the history of 'American Idol,' all seven seasons leading up to now, have we ever -- and I believe this truthfully -- seen someone so comfortable, seasoned on that stage -- I don't even notice that 'cause my eyes are transfixed on you. Your innate ability to know who you are as an artist, and marry fashion with music ... You've got the whole package going on, and I believe with all my heart we'll be seeing you running all the way to the end, in the final." After that oral orgasm, we thanked Simon for asking her, "But did you like him?" Simon tells him that he was in a totally different league compared to everything else that night, adding that to make Michael Jackson work, you've got to be over the top. Cowell cited that it was an original version, the vocals were terrific and that it was something that people were going to talk about. Randy tells him that he could make a record right now that would go straight to the top of the charts. Kara says "You hit notes that I didn't even know they existed." (Kara says this a lot) and that she hopes Michael Jackson is watching this tonight. Adams seems to like that comment better than any other. His eyes light up and he mouths, "Oh! I love him." Hmmm, bet he would love you, too.
As Simon would point out, following Adam was no small feat, but Matt Giraud held his ground, accompanying himself on piano to "Human Nature." It might not have generated as much excitement as Adam, bringing the pulse of the room back down to normal, but the playing and sweet vocals meshed beautifully with the high notes soaring out of the auditorium. It was the best performance we've seen Matt give. Randy calls it a really good performance with a couple of pitch spots and says Matt has that Robin Thicke/Justin Timberlake thing coming off. Kara says, "You are a talented guy and I hope I see you for many many weeks." Paula babbles, "You are talented, sexy, amazing, authentic. I'm blown away." Simon calls it a meat and potatoes solid good performance.
Closing the show is Alexis Grace, dirtying herself up for the judges one more time with her sultry, sassy R&B version of "Dirty Diana." The vocals are, as usual, almost on point (we heard a couple of pitch problems), but for us it was somehow missing some of the sparkle we would have liked, especially in the pimp spot. We know she owns one of better voices in the competition, yet we never get quite as excited about Alexis as everyone else seems too. Also, we wonder if her voice is distinctive enough to pick out on the radio. Listening to the audio without watching the video, we're doubting it. Kara tells her, "You're a naughty girl, and I liked it." Paula tells her to watch her oversinging. Simon calls it "Very over-the-top and probably not as good as you thought it was." Randy says, "I thought it good, it wasn't great, but it was good. Like the attitude." But, boy, can that girl wear a pair of hot pants.
Alexis got stuck with the oddball phone number ending in 36, as "Idol" only owns 12 consecutive lines, but it won't hurt her in the end.
Our Top 3: Adam Lambert, Danny Gokey, Matt Giraud Our Bottom 3: Megan Joy Corkrey, Anoop Desai, Jasmine Murray
Ryan announces at the end of the show that on Wednesday they will announce a new rule that will change the way "Idol" operates. Uh-oh! Haven't we had enough ill-thought-out changes -- going back to Wild Card selections, sing-offs in the choosing the Top 36 -- already this year?
The Bottom Three:
Eliminated: Alexis Grace
The group number, Travis Tritt's "T-R-O-U-B-L-E," once again focuses on Scott's limitations, as he plays piano while the guys first gather round him and then take to the dance floor with the girls. There are no solo vocals and the entire thing comes off as lip-synced. In fact, we're pretty sure we notice Scott not singing in a couple of shots.
We waste no time getting to the Ford video this week, sung to OK GO's "Here It Goes Again" and involving water balloons. While introducing it, Ryan tosses a water balloon at Simon. After the video Ryan tells us it went over Simon's head and hit a studio audience member. Cool. Does she get free tix to the finale for getting drenched tonight? On second thought, would she even want tix after tonight?
Before the night's cruel- ness begins, it's time for a heart- warm- ing spot and a few hints to who is going to land in the Bottom 3. Ryan presents a clip of the farewell dinner held for Jasmine Murray and Jorge Nuñez. It opens with *surprise* Alexis Grace talking about how she hates Result Night because in the back of your mind you always think it is going to be you. Ha! After the clip, Ryan goes directly to Alexis and asks her, "Did you ever think it would be this emotional?" Why is he toying with her? He couldn't ask someone who was obviously safe? His next victim is Michael. Do you see a trend here? Those are the two who with face the chopping block at the end of the show. Everyone chokes up and gets teary when Ryan asks, "Michael, how is it being away from the family and the kids," and Sarver says his 3½ daughter, 
who doesn't understand why he is away, asked him last week, "Why don't you want to be with me anymore?" Of course, Michael then has to follow that with, "So being away from your family is really tough. It's worth it in the end and I still want to go on real bad." Ryan then encourages Michael to say hello to his daughter McKenna, on camera. It's a Hallmark moment, as he says, "McKenna I love you ... with all my heart." The audience audibly "aaaaahs." Ryan then goes to Megan to ask how she's feeling and shows a clip of her from that day with her head enshrouded and other contestants wearing face masks to protect them from her germs.
Now it is time to start the torture. Ryan begins with Danny Gokey, who, of course, is safe, as are Lil Rounds and Anoop Desai. Allison and Michael are asked to stand. Allison is told she's in the Bottom 3 and to take a stool onstage. Michael, thinking he has escaped danger, sits. Ryan has him stand again and tells him that he, too, is in the Bottom 3. So now, before we're told, we know who is taking the third stool. Alexis had the lowest vote total on DialIdol.com. But Ryan won't reveal Alexis' fate just yet.
The first guest performance of the night is by Brad Paisley who performs his new single "Then." We like Paisley, but restlessly wait for the results to continue. It feels like a long night already.
Back to the nail-biting. Scott MacIntyre and Megan Joy are safe and we're wishing they were in the Bottom 3 along with Michael. But, after all, this is "Idol." Also safe are Matt Giraud (yea!) and Kris Allen. Alexis and Adam Lambert are asked to stand. Ryan asks after watching back on TV, whether Simon still thinks Adam's performance was "horrific, indulgent rubbish." Simon says after watching it back, he thought it was even worse. Ha! Randy says he loved Adam's "Jeff Buckley take" on "Ring of Fire," a version that only seems to exist in Randy's head, not on video or MP3 anywhere on the Internet. 
Do we even need to type that Adam is safe and Alexis is heading to her doom? Alexis joins Allison and Michael onstage and Ryan immediately decides to send one back to safety on the couches. It's Allison. We're relieved.
Back from the break and it's time for the second guest performance of the evening, by Carrie Underwood and Randy Travis. But before that, Ryan presents a video tribute to Carrie's career to date, from Oklahoma farmgirl to country superstar.
Before their performance, Underwood and Travis chat with Ryan. Carrie, who looks awful in a modern-day Minnie Pearl getup, says she is flattered that the contestants sang her songs (and happy for the royalties, heh). The red dress is bad enough, but we can't stop staring at the 
bouffant hair and what looks like a black lacy wrapping- paper decoration sitting on her head. The duo perform "I Told You So." Carrie's vocals soar and we are reminded why she won Season 4. Her voice never fails to impress. That's why Lil should never have attempted "Independence Day," and Danny sounded lame on "Jesus Take the Wheel." They can't touch Carrie's vocals. Travis even looks over in amazement a time or two at the notes Underwood hits. She's an "Idol" treasure. Right before the break, Ryan asks the judges if they'd consider saving either of the Bottom 2. They say, yes, there's one they'd consider saving. Any question who it is folks?
It's the time of reckoning. And, sadly, Michael is safe. He really needs to be back home with his daughter. Simon tells Alexis that, yes, she was the one they were thinking of saving, but first she has to sing for her life. And she does, turning yesterday's softer version of "Jolene" into one of desperation, pitchy power notes and cracking vocals. 
The words take on a new meaning as they echo Alexis' own situation, begging the judges not to take her out of the competition. It's so sad, especially as we get the feeling that this was all predetermined and the show the judges make of deliberating are probably, in reality, just them making dinner plans. In the end, Simon, with a seriously contrite look on his face, tells Alexis that "We're kind of unanimous on this. It was good, but it was not good enough. Sorry. It's the end of the line, I'm afraid." Emulating her last name to the end, Grace tells the judges "I wish I could have done better. But things happen for a reason, so, you know ..." We watch her journey video. We cry. The end.
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