On the two year anniversary of Michael Jackson’s death, shocking new revelations have surfaced regarding his behavior around young boys.
It all unfolded in an interview with Ok! Magazine and now 23-year-old Aaron Carter – the younger brother of “Backstreet Boys” Nick Carter.
Aaron told interviewer Daphne Barak,
"I never talked about it, this is the first time. I do miss Michael - I have spent such incredible times with him. I did things with him that nobody else did but I was also troubled about what he did to me."
Aaron went on to tell of some of their most intimate moments, and about the times Michael gave him drugs and alcohol saying,
"I never talked about it… This is the first time. I do… I miss Michael… I have spent such incredible times with him. I did things with him that nobody else did… But I was also troubled about what he did to me."
While only 15-years-old, Aaron talks about spending hours and hours on the phone with Jackson saying they talked about everything you could imagine.
Michael and Aaron would spend several days at a time at Jackson’s Neverland Ranch working in the studio making music, and then watching movies for hours inside the main house.
"Yes, he gave me wine. I mean, I could have refused, but I was 15. And he gave me cocaine. I felt weird about that and other stuff. I admired Michael, but his behavior bothered me a lot. Then my mother called the police…"
Are you kidding me?
Aaron Carter at 15
While the entire article is only available in the news stand version of the magazine, it seems that this teaser info given on their web site is a bomb shell.
While no time table is discussed, if Aaron’s Mother contacted police about Michael giving her 15-year-old son drugs and alcohol perhaps they were one of the “mystery” accusers that never appeared in public during Jackson’s child molestation case in 2005.
Aaron would have been 16-years-old at the time of the trial.
Perhaps Aaron will be just another young celebrity, like Macaulay Culkin, who will go to their grave without sharing what really happened behind closed doors.
Since Jackson’s death in 2009, we may never truly understand the bizarre world he lived in or the strange activities that took place at Neverland.
For Aaron’s part, we know that since his teen years he has dated and been connected to actresses Hilary Duff, Lindsay Lohan, Amanda Bynes and Adrianne Curry.
He was also briefly engaged to Playboy model Kari Ann Peniche in 2006 but called it off shortly after the announcement saying he had acted prematurely.
Aaron’s last public appearance with Michael Jackson was after the 9/11 attacks when he worked on Jackson’s charity tune “What More Can I Give?”
Unfortunately, Sony Music refused to release the song and the project never moved forward.
However, always one to be skeptic, we can’t help but disclose that Aaron has a new album coming out this year – his first since 2002.
We would hate to think this “leak” of information could in anyway be connected to drumming up hype for a career that stalled out almost ten years ago….
But then again, anything is possible out of Hollywood.
Move over Justin Bieber – there’s a new kid on the block.
13-Year-Old Greyson Chance stormed the world after being discovered on YouTube playing Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi” and has quickly turned into a rising star.
Of course the inevitable comparisons to Bieber are to be expected, but Greyson is a lot more “rock” with a little pop, where Bieber is nothing but “pop” and very little rock.
As it turns out, Ellen DeGeneres took young Greyson under her wing and is producing his album and managing his career after creating her “eleveneleven” record company and signing Greyson as her first artist.
Now, after his two hit singles “Waiting Outside The Lines” and “Unfriend You”, he is preparing his first full length album due this August.
As a tease, Chance released the cover art for the highly anticipated album titled “Hold On ‘Til Night”.
Greyson Chance's New Album Cover
Greyson says it’s not just art and there is meaning to it saying,
“The album cover is not just about art – it’s mainly about words. Words mean everything in this world and can both help and hurt people. The words on the piano, and all over the cover, are happy words, positive words. I like to think of my music as a way to convey positive words to the entire world.”
Okay, maybe a little deep coming from the mind of a 13-year-old but we definitely get the idea.
Greyson credits Lady Gaga and Michael Jackson as his two main influences because they have amazing music and are (were) not afraid to be who they wanted to be regardless of who the world felt they should be.
In a tribute to Jackson’s two year anniversary since his tragic death, Chance covered one of his favorite Michael Jackson and The Jackson 5's song “I Wanna Be Where You Are.”
Watch Greyson Cover Michael Jackson
And if Greyson wasn’t busy enough, he is currently traveling around North America with his friend and tour mate Cody Simpson on their “Waiting 4 You” tour.
And here we are. Seven hours of fluff to give us 12 seconds of news. Rock on.
THIS IS THE AMERICAN
IDOL
FINALEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Sez Amarylis By Morning (up from san antone): American Idol 10 (its Season 9-d$) is the biggest snoozer since Jordan Sparks won it. There is zero anticipation for me.
8p... Yes, this show started at 7pm tonight, and yes, its 8pm, and we just started. The Lovely Steph Leann and I decided on dinner first, and we headed to The Purple Onion over here on 280. The owner of our favorite location on Hwy 31 is apparently owning this one too, because he was sitting there in the cafe. And it was awesome. I love me some Purp'O, and I'm happy a great location has opened up less than 3 miles from The Cabana, instead of the 10+ mile trek we have to usually make.
The judges are introduced, and The Lovely Steph Leann's first question: "What in the bejeebers is Randy Jackson wearing??"
8:04p... The finalists come down the steps, and we both notice that Lee and Crystal are all wearing Preparatory Outfits. We are confused, until the Top 12 are introduced and I realize they are doing "School's Out" by Alice Cooper. Glee this ain't.
About to fast forward through the group song when I notice none other than Alice Cooper himself, Christ Follower (no, seriously) and staunch Republican, come out.
Fast Forward through Commercials
8:08p... About to fast forward through Kris Allen and The Lovely Steph Leann tells me to put down the remote as he is about to sing his new single, "The Truth". As Seacrest sends it to Kris, and Kris begins, we still hear Seacrest and some backstage chick talking. Really, Fox? Your the biggest show in the country for what, 7 years running? Get this right.
8:11p... A montage of Simon Cowell clips, as this is his final Idol. Many of these audition clips I actually remember. A great appearance of Paula the Flake... I miss Paula.
8:13p... Siobhan Magnus and Aaron Kelly. Doing us the Bee Gees.
8:13p... The Lovely Steph Leann tells me I can fast forward, but I'm intrigued by the fact that Siobhan and Aaron are singing "How Deep Is Your Love"... and then , the curtain rises, and out comes Barry Gibb, and another guy I can only assume is another Gee. The last time Barry Gibb was on this show was really, really bad... a few seasons back, they did Bee Gees week, and Barry performed "To Love Somebody", and it was so bad, so terribly bad, that years later, I still randomly break out with a "there's a.light. some kinda light." in mockery--and it still sounds better than that night.
8:16p... Barry Gibb sounds marginally better
8:16p... The camera pans to David Hasselhoff in the audience. The Lovely Steph Leann pipes up, "There's The Hoff! He's in every one of these finales! The camera just finds him!"
Fast Forward through Commercials
8:18p... Big Mike comes out, singing a song that I cannot place... I don't know the lyrics, but I know the music... what is it... what is it....
8:19p... "Takin' It to the Streets"! And here comes Michael McDonald! The Lovely Steph Leann says, "I still have a hard time realizing this guy is white..."
8:20p... Michael McDonald is awesome. "Sweet Freedom" from the '86 Billy Crystal/Gregory Hines piece of crap "Running Scared" was awesome. "Keep Forgettin'" was awesome. His lead on "What a Fool Believes" by the Doobie Brothers. Awesome.
8:22p... I have a hard time disliking Dane Cook. I only say that because he's now onstage singing a comedic song dedicated to Simon. Most people I know aren't Dane Cook fans, and certainly, if you've ever seen "Good Luck Chuck", you'll know why. However, his movie "Employee of the Month", as terrible as it is, I'll watch it everytime its on, and laugh all the same. Anyway, this Dane Cook bit tonight? Pretty crappy.
Fast forward through commercials
8:25p... Lacey Brown singing Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful". In the first five notes, we are reminded why she was kicked out in Week 12. We fast forward through, til we see Xtina herself appear, leading the group in "Stronger"
8:26p... Christina Aguilera sings a new song. We fast forward.
8:27p... Ricky Gervais appears via satellite to say goodbye to Simon the Cowell.
Fast Forward through Commercials
8:29p... Lee DeWyze is on stage to sing Hall & Oates "I Can't Go For That (no can do)", which sounds really, really good. It sounded great til Andrew Garcia joined him. Casey James then leads us to "Maneater". Now I'm wondering if Hall & Oates will make an appearance. That would rule.
8:30p... Aaron Kelly singing this song is funny, because you know he has no concept of what this song even is, and who the artists are. And he wouldn't even get the joke 'Ah, its Jeffrey Dahmer's theme song'.
8:31p... HALL AND OATES!!!!! I just told The Lovely Steph Leann that if they came anywhere near here, I'd totally go see them. And they start singing "You Make My Dreams Come True". About three lines in, The Lovely Steph Leann pipes up and says, "Dude. Darryl Hall. You are obviously too old for this."
8:32p... Law #8,878 I'm forcing through when I become president in 2028... John Oates is required to sport his 80s 'stache at all times. At all times. Shaving it is a punishable fine of $100,000 and/or up to ten years in maximum security prison. Just sayin'.
8:34p... Crystal Bowersox comes out and sings "Ironic". And then, as now expected, Alanis Morrisette herself comes out, starting out with "You Oughta Know". How can I fast forward through this darn show when I actually want to watch the performances!? Crystal changes a key line in the song, "Would she go down with you to the theater". You know your old when you see that line, and immediately know what the original line is. Hey, "Jagged Little Pill" was a college icon album for me, one of those "what CDs would you take with you to a deserted island" kind of albums. Even The Lovely Steph Leann likes this CD, which is saying something, because a rocker chick she ain't.
8:36p... Alanis/Crystal duet. AWESOME. The Lovely Steph Leann is even singing along to "You Oughta Know".
Fast Forward through Commercials
8:42p... The Lovely Steph Leann and I have this quick, spirited discussion about whether "Jagged Little Pill" was a rock album or not. I say yes, she says it was more alternative, to which I say, "Yes, alt rock." I'm right. Again
8:42p... Carrie Underwood comes out. She's singing "Undo", a song I'm not a huge fan of. I like Carrie, though, because she really shows how appreciative of Idol--she comes back all the time, and shows her gratitude frequently. Unlike Kelly Clarkson, who seems like she wants to forget Idol is the reason she has a career.
8:44p... Typing that last paragraph, almost missed fast forwarding through the Ford Commercial. Made it, though!
8:45p... Casey James introduced singing "Every Rose Has its Thorn", which makes me throw my hands up, saying "Bret Michaels is coming out! Yeah!!" How can you not like this guy, and this song? Seriously.
8:47p... Okay, so Bret Michaels is having the best year ever. I mean, "Rock of Love", "Rock of Love 2", "Skank of Love", "Rock of Love Bus", "Venereal Disease of Love 5" and all those shows, while it make him a punchline of sorts, made him relevant again. And then, with the Celebrity Apprentice having such a great season this year (and it was awesome) and him doing so well, plus his medical issues--don't get me wrong, I don't wish ill on him at all, but everyone has felt for him, and learned to love him... he can do just about anything right now.
8:50p... Lee DeWyze is out now, joining the band Chicago for a medley of hits. If I were to even think about fast forwarding, The Lovely Steph Leann would be on the phone with Brad J. Latta, Atty at Law, discussing divorce. She loves loves loves her some Chicago. Even the old crap.
8:52p... Reality hits bigtime, as they start "If You Leave Me Now", and I say, "They sound unfortunate". The Lovely Steph Leann pipes up, "Yeah, they sound a little like Hall & Oates. Maybe Lee should sing the whole time..."
8:54p... Another Simon montage. Then Seacrest says the magic words... "Pants On The Ground". The Lovely Steph Leann pipes up, "Ohmigosh... they are actually doing this song on the stage? Oh dear..." They bring out the barely alive Bee Gees, then redeem themselves with Alanis, then a little off-key Hall & Oates, which I still love, and then they go all awesome with Michael McDonald and Bret Michaels. And now? The Pants guy... and William Hung. No joke.
Fast Forward through Commercials
8:59p... Remember, we started this at 8pm, and we've got 30 minutes left to get through. Another Simon montage... and here's Paula the Flake herself, looking absolutely gorgeous for the first time since, I dunno, 1994 and the "Rush Rush" video...
9:02... And now that she's talking, and I remember why I call her "Paula the Flake". I'd like to think she's stumbling and bumbling because she's not reading from a prompter, but I can almost guarentee that she IS reading from a prompter... and she still sounds like this.
9:05p... So, I guess the producers said, "Hey, Lee and Crystal can sing... but they have no personality... lucky for us we can concentrate on Simon's leaving and make the finale about that! Hey, someone call Shady Oakes Retirement Village in Irvine and see if Barry Gibbs and John Oates and that singer from Chicago are available next week!"
9:07p... Here comes Kelly Clarkson! And then Ruuuuuuben! And Fantasia! And then Carrie! And then Taylor! And now Jordin! And now Kris! Where's David Cook??
9:08p... They are doing a song that's something about "look what we've become..." or something. I'm happy to see Kelly Clarkson here, though she looks like "I really don't want to do this..." Anyway, the Idol winners are dressed in black, and out walks, in white, a ton of former Idol standouts, like Blake Lewis, David Archuleta, Ace Young, Mikaylah Gordon (okay, I said standout, but I guess anyone can come), Jason Castro, and.... PICKLES!!! I love Pickles.
9:11p.... "Hey, fellow producer, let's remind America that this show CAN be great! Let's get a whole bunch of former Idols up there to remind America what we've done!"
9:12p... Simon gets up, says a few words, and gets misty eyed
Fast forward through commercials
9:13p... The Top 12 start out with "Again" by Janet Jackson, a lovely little ditty that I have on cassette singles. And of course, here comes Janet... I do love this song. My favorite Janet songs, starting with 5, is "Escapade"... 4) "Again"... 3) "The Best Things in Life Are Free", a duet with the late, great Luther Vandross from The Dave100 movie "Mo' Money"... 2) "Miss You Much"... and my favorite Janet song is "Love Will Never Do (without you)". I love that tune.
9:15p... As Janet Jackson sings solo, we have this exchange: Me: Ya know, she sounds a lot like Michael did towards his end there The Lovely Steph Leann: That's exactly what I was thinking!!! I almost wonder if maybe she was doing his singing...
9:17p... I fast forward for just about 4 seconds before I stop it, realizing she's going to another song... and when I realize its "Nasty", I just set the remote down. That's right. Don't call me baby. Its Janet, Jackson, if you're nasty.
9:20p... Seacrest: Tonight... its about Lee and Crystal Me: No, no its not. Its about Simon The Lovely Steph Leann: Lee who? Who's Crystal?
9:22p... Lee and Crystal come out together to sing "A Little Help from My Friends", as made famous by The Beatles, but popularized by Joe Cocker on my #2 favorite tv show of all time, "The Wonder Years", recently supplanted from the top spot by "LOST". And on cue, Joe Cocker comes out to sing a little. And I think he just missed a line. But man, he can still wail, even at the ripe old age of 104.
9:25p... After a brief debate on The Beatles version vs Joe Cocker's version, I go to the source. Wikipedia. Lennon and McCartney did it in 1967, but Cocker did a radically different version in '68, one that he performed at Woodstock, and it went on to be the version used by "The Wonder Years".
Fast forward through commercials
Its 9:25p. There is about 6 minutes left recorded on the show. We are now concerned that we will miss the winner, unless Seacrest gets to it.
Its 9:27p... Dim the lights! After the nationwide vote... the winner and new American Idol is...
...is...
...is...
...Lee DeWyze.
Okay, so there's that.
Lee is emotional, and its kinda sweet to see him almost speechless. They pan to the judges and Simon looks bored, like he knows the wrong person won (and really... after last night, Crystal should have won this) The Lovely Steph Leann says, "He should be bored and ready to leave. Lee shouldn't have won... that should have been Crystal."
The Lovely Steph Leann is not upset at Lee's win because she doesn't think he's good enough, she's upset at Lee's win because "We needed a female to win. Suck it."
And what a fitting phrase to end a disappointing season of Idol. Suck it. Well said, The Lovely Steph Leann, well said.
Casey James... Big Mike Lynche... Crystal Bowersox... Lee DeWyze... who will join the next Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, David Cook, Kris Allen, Taylor Hicks, Fantasia, Jordin Sparks, or Ruuuuuben Studdard as the next American Idol?
THIS IS
AMERICAN
IDOL
Its worth noting that at no time have I attached "My Next American Idol" to any of these guys, an honor bestowed upon dignitaries as My Girl McPhee, Alison Iraheta and Brooke White... and no one has the honor of being the second "The Lovely Steph Leann's Next American Idol", much like The Lovely Steph Leann's Next American Idol Kris Allen.
Why?
No one deserves it. Let's face it, neither one of us are buying any of the albums put out by any of the Idols this year. And you probably aren't either.
Tonight, the mentor is Jamie Foxx, star of such hits as "Ray", "Miami Vice", "Stealth" and "Booty Call". The Lovely Steph Leann comments on "The Man Hug" demonstrated by Jamie Foxx and the guys in the group.
Favorite Jamie Foxx movie? "Collateral". Also starring Tom Cruise, Jada Pinkett Smith and Mark Ruffalo, it features Foxx as Max, a cab driver who picks up Vincent (Cruise), a hitman who forces Max to drive him around to do his dirty work. Fantastic film, directed by Michael Mann, its dark, its smart and its great to see Cruise in a bad guy role. Rated R for language and violence. I'm trying to decide if this is an addition to The Dave100 as I rethink those last few movies for presentation this summer...
Jamie is giving each contestant a shirt--it is black and either says "CONTESTANT" or "ARTIST". You want the latter, not the former. Jamie gives Lee the "ARTIST" shirt, but that was in the rehearsal video. Tonight? He's hit a few pretty rough notes.
Lee DeWyze is singing "Kiss From a Rose." By the way, love this song, the original that is. Seal was the man back in the 90s... "Kiss from a Rose", "Crazy" (not the Gnarls Barkley one, but the one that goes "Yeah I'm never gonna survive... unless... we get a little crazy..." which was like a college anthem for me my freshman year), "Prayer for the Dying"... rock on. Not sure what most of them means, but awesome stuff.
Randy the Dawg suggested he should have done "Blaze of Glory" from Bon Jovi, because he didn't like the song this time. Ellen DeG gives him a compliment anyway. Kara the New Hotness says that everyone loves Lee, but the song is just too difficult tonight. Simon the Cowell says that there are so many brilliant songs to choose from, but this version was verging on karaoke.
Not good, Lee, not good tonight.
Seacrest says something ominous before sending it to commercial. "Coming up, Michael Lynche sings Michael Jackson!" And so I rack my brain to come up with MJ songs in the movies... I came up with two... "Ease on Down the Road" from "The Wiz" and "You Are Not Alone" from "Free Willy". And both are bad ideas. Bad, bad ideas.
Tonight he's singing "Will You Be There?"... what is that from? Big Mike forgets the words in the run-through, and Jamie gives him a "CONTESTANT" shirt. I stand corrected... I Wiki'ed it, and this is the song from "Free Willy". Not as bad of an idea, then. Not a bad song... and not bad tonight for Big Mike.
Randy the Jackson says it was just "aight" for him. America's Favorite Lesbian Ellen DeGeneres says it was from the great, classic film, "Free Willy". Then she says the song was predictable. Kara the New Hotness didn't care for it, and Simon the Cowell is having a hard time connecting "A whale called Willy and that song". Insert obligatory "willy" joke here, which they do.
Tonight begins the duet portion of the season. C'Bosox and Lee DeWyze are doing "Falling Slowly" from the movie "Once", which is the song that defeated the nominated songs from "Enchanted" in the 2008 Academy Awards. Personally, I think its because "How Do You Know" and "Happy Working Song" split the vote. That awards show featured both Amy Adams, whom I'm in love with, and Kristin Chenoweth (ahh)... good times.
This song tonight? Pretty good. Both on guitar, singing to each other, and it was very well done. Randy the Dawg loved it. Ellen DeG called them "the new Captain & Tennille". Kara the New Hotness said it was one of the best moments of the season. Simon the Cowell says it was fantastic.
Seacrest teases us and says ,"Up next, Casey James with a song from 'The Graduate'!" I am predicting "Mrs. Robinson", The Lovely Steph Leann is going with "Sounds of Silence". And like usual, I'm right. Jamie Foxx pulls an Usher and says, "Sing to me. Seduce me." Then hands him an "ARTIST" shirt.
Sitting on stage, CJ busts out a mandolin, tones it down a little and plucks out "Mrs. Robinson". I do like this song... its not one of my favorites.
By the way, the more I think about it, the more I'm convinced.--"The Graduate"? Overrated. Pretty good film, but shouldn't be ranked in the Top Ten Best Film Ever In The History Of The Entire Earth and Hollywood Combined! lists that come out from time to time. Also terribly overrated? "Shrek" and its sequels, "Meet the Parents" and its sequels and "Gone with the Wind". Just keepin' it real, yo.
Randy the Dawg asks him what made CJ choose the song, and immediately points to Kara the New Hotness, which embarrasses CJ and Kara the New Hotness at the same time. Says it was pretty good. Ellen DeG liked this week, and how different it was. Kara the New Hotness says this performance is him fighting to stay in the competition. It was a good choice. Simon the Cowell didn't think the song had much substance and a little lazy for CJ.
The Lovely Steph Leann points out that we've already heard "Don't Wanna Miss a Thing" and "I Believe I Can Fly" this year, so those are out.
Crystal Bowersox is doing the "Caddyshack" classic, "I'm Alright". What? Seriously? This could either be fantastic or horrible, much like the new A-Team movie. Jamie Foxx is talking about the song, and it might be the first time the words "Kenny" and "Loggins" have ever passed through the lips of Jamie Foxx.
And as 80s sounding as the original song, C'Bosox does it almost rock to rockabilly... and it sounds great. I would think to fully appreciate this song, you'd have to be very familiar with the original... and if Simon Cowell was struggling with what "Free Willy" and "The Graduate" was, this song might be beyond his comprehension.
Randy the Dawg says it wasn't his favorite performance, but liked how she changed it up. Ellen DeG says the song is better now. Kara the New Hotness says Ellen DeG is right. Simon the Cowell says she's back in the game.
One more duet, and its "To Really Love a Woman" as done by Casey James and Big Mike. Though it starts out pretty good, CJ is a little breathy. And then Big Mike kicks in... and to me, brings the song to another level. On this classic Bryan Adams song, Casey James sounds good. Big Mike sounds great. I'm digging this song performance.
Randy the Dawg says they sounded really good. Ellen DeG says, "As a matter of fact, yes I have loved a woman". America's Favorite Lesbian, everyone! Kara the New Hotness says the duets tonight were incredible. Simon the Cowell agreed.
Seacrest says that tomorrow night, Daughtry and Fantasia come home to Idol, and then says that Bon Jovi is performing, to which The Lovely Steph Leann throws both hands up and screams "BON JOVI!!!". Looks like there is at least one song we won't be fast forwarding through.
For me tonight... Crystal & Lee's duet... Big Mike & CJ's duet... Crystal Bowersox's "I'm Alright"... Big Mike's "Will You Be There"... Casey James' "Mrs. Robinson"... Lee DeWyze's "Kiss from a Rose".
Aaaaaaaaaand.....
We're back for some results
Our top four, singing songs from the movies. This is what they were born to do. This is so important to them. This is what they have been dreaming about their whole lives, and it means everything to them, to heal the world with their music.
THIS IS AMERICAN IDOL RESULTS!!!!
Seacrest is out onstage, telling us that 37,000,000 votes came in last night. And tonight, Bon Jovi is onstage, plus Fantasia is here, and Daughtry is here to sing too! Erin the Marine Wife is squealing in her corn flakes right now.
So let's get it started, right? And how do we do that?
The Lovely Steph Leann is deliberating on whether I can fast forward through Fantasia
She gives the okay
Fast forward through commercials
Fast forward through Ford commercial
And here we are, seeing Big Mike, C'Bosox, Lee and CJ sitting upon the Silver Stools of Safety. We get a quick recap of how big of a deal it is to have the Idols go home, as we see The Widower Danny Gokey, Bo Bice, Taylor Hicks, Carrie Underwood, Kris Allen and more in their seasons as they are in their hometowns.
The camera cuts to the families of the Idol Four, sitting on the Big Blue Couch onstage, as Seacrest is continuing to kill as much time as he can. Dim the lights! Big Mike and CJ are announced first. Then C'Bosox and Lee. After the nationwide vote, Casey James is.... safe and in the Top Three! He heads to the Big Blue Couch and joins his family.
Fast forward through commercials
Now, for my prediction to come true, with Crystal Bowersox beting eliminated two weeks from the finals, putting Casey James and Lee DeWyze eventually into the finals, C'Bosox would have to go home tonight.
Daughtry comes onstage... if you just cocked your head a little and flinched from an ear piercing scream, that was Erin the Marine Wife seeing this. That girl loves loves loves her some Chris Daughtry. Then again, who doesn't?
Not fast forwarding through Daughtry, as commanded by The Lovely Steph Leann
Halfway through, she gives the okay
Fast forwarding through Daughtry
Fast forwarding through commercials
Back to results... dim the lights! Big Mike stands up. Lee DeWyze stands up. And then to Crystal Bowersox. After the nationwide vote... Lee DeWyze is in the Idol Three with Casey James. He goes to the Big Blue Couch with DeFamily.
Fast forward through commercials
And we're back... and who's rocking the stage? How about Bon Jovi. I don't even try to fast forward through this one... Jon Bon Jovi is a card carrying member in good standing in The Colin Firth Club and probably one of the longest tenured members to boot.
Seacrest (on screen): So you guys have been around 25 years! Jon Bon Jovi (on screen): We've crossed generations at this point The Lovely Steph Leann (on couch, in a whisper): That's right. That's right.
Fast forward through commercials
Now, let's get to results. Dim the lights. The person in the Idol Three is... Crystal Bowersox. Big Mike goes home tonight. The Lovely Steph Leann is "awwww...."ing at the camera focused on Big Mike's babymama in tears.
So next Tuesday, its Lee vs Casey vs Crystal... the Idol Three.
Last night during the Olympic Game Opening Ceremonies we had the opportunity to see the world premier of the new "We Are The World."
A multi-national broadcast also took place at 2:00 in over 50 countries on Saturday.
The video is well done, and young pop sensation Justin Bieber had the task of starting things off by singing the first line. Other stars joined in on queue and the end result was impressive.
More than eighty-five artists lent their talent to the three-minute video including Jennifer Hudson, Nicole Scherzinger, Sugarland, Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion and Fergie. Josh Groban, LL Cool J, Nick Jonas, Lil Wayne, actor Jeff Bridges, bad guy Kanye West, Miley Cyrus and Haitian-American singer Wyclef Jean participated.
The video is introduced by Jamie Foxx who told viewers they can go to World25.com to purchase the iPhone version and to donate to the Haiti releif effort.
Word has leaked out that Michael Jackson's personal physician will be charged with manslaughter within the next two weeks.
A law enforcement employee told a reporter that Dr. Conrad Murray could be arrested as soon as next Wednesday, and that police are going to serve one more search warrant to a Los Angeles pharmacy.
The LAPD is in talks with investigators about whether they will give Murray the choice of surrendering in Los Angeles, or be arrested in Houston, where he is currently living.
Murray is suspected of facilitating Jackson's death by using the intravenous anesthetic propofol to help him sleep just hours before he died. _
It's no secret I dug Michael Jackson. For all his eccentricities, the guy was talented. His music was awesome, his beats were awesome, his dancing was not only incredible to watch but impossible to duplicate, and he was one of my favorite artists of all time... at least, from the era of about 1969 to about 1992.
American Idol did a Michael Jackson themed night, and here's what I wrote on March 11th, 2009, in a column entitled "When Michael Jackson Was Awesome"...
We get the Michael Jackson montage, the King of Pop. Whats sad is that kids today just don't get it. They don't understand how big he really is... or was. "Thriller" was for almost 20 years the best selling albums of all time, and still in the Top Four. He invented the modern moonwalk. He invented the dance moves that are now employed by Fergie, Justin Timberlake, most R&B artists and more.
He was The Junk back in the 80s and 90s. When NBC did a Motown 25th anniversary special in 1983, MJ reunited with his brothers for the first time in 8 years, first performing with them, them on his own... he did "Billie Jean" and did the moonwalk for the very first time... and its like, everything was different. He broke out as the superstar phenom. Mocked now as a silly foot move, he did moves no one had ever seen, no one could do. He was like poetry on stage, the limber way he danced, moved, went all over the stage... MJ was unstoppable.
My personal favorite MJ song is "Say Say Say", but I do have a love for "Remember the Time", and "Wanna Be Startin' Something" and "The Way You Make Me Feel" and even his ballad, "I Just Can't Stop Lovin' You" was awesome, because back then, it wasn't creepy.
Now? Its creepy.
He practically invented the long-form music video too... a new Michael Jackson video was not just a premiere, it was an event. Back when MTV played, you know, music, and actual videos, you would wait up to see the new Michael Jackson video... when he introduced "Thriller", holy crap, it was amaaaaay-zing. Later on, videos for songs like "Remember the Time" and "Bad" and "Black or White" became these epic stories... though "Black and White" was kinda in the beginning of MJ's creepiness era.
Now, all anyone remembers of MJ is the little boys at Neverland Ranch, and the fact that he went from dark to medium black to pasty white in ten years, and that he's bankrupt and he has this high pitched voice and that he might just be a pedophile and he has two kids by surrogate moms and remember that uncomfortable kiss with Lisa Marie Presley at the MTV Music Awards some odd years back? Wow.
Okay, now that I've praised him, and you understand that I have always been a fan, let's get to the reality of what bothers me about this whole thing... well, I mean, other than the fact that, you know, he's dead and all.
If you said "Michael Jackson" around most people in, say, their upper 20s, early 30s and beyond, you'd probably get a few responses... "Thriller"... "Jackson 5"... "Neverland"... "Pedophile"... "Little Boys"... "Pasty White".
If you said "Michael Jackson" around those younger, maybe up to their mid-20s, you'd hear just a few things... "Thriller"... "Little Boys"... "White Guy". This is who Michael Jackson had become... a punchline. From the mid to late 80s, to the early 90s, he was a punchline of sorts, doing weird stuff like his skin treatments, his plastic surgery, trying to buy the bones of the Elephant Man (!), building his Neverland Ranch and so on... but at least he has his music to fall back on. People would say, "Yeah, he's odd, but have you heard the latest single? 'Dirty Diana' is awesome!" or "I heard what he's up to, and he's kinda weird... but man, 'Smooth Criminal' is off the chain!" (not sure "off the chain" was a common phase in 1992, but anytime I can use "off the chain", I think I'll take that chance).
Then came "Black or White", off of the "Dangerous" album. The CD itself is great, featuring two of my favorite Michael Jackson tunes, "Remember the Time" and "Jam", but "Black or White" is the song that did two things... first, it featured Macauley Culkin in the video, and set up this weird friendship between them... when Culkin started visiting--and spending the night--at Neverland Ranch, it was the first time that people started paying attention to this entire situation. Little boys, being given full permission by their parents, mind you, hanging out and spending the night with Michael Jackson.
It wasn't as if a group of them was goofing off and sleeping in a rec room--they were IN HIS ROOM. By his own admission, the kids were sleeping in the same room with Michael Jackson, some of them in his bed. Culkin has gone on record in 2005 in saying that nothing ever happened between he and MJ, and its true that nothing may have gone on with him, or for that matter ANY of the kids... but some things just aren't right. Some things just aren't acceptable.
Secondly, at the end of the "Black or White" video, MJ did this weird... well, it was a... he... uh... okay, he jumped on this car, grabbed his package about 65 times and smashed the car with a crowbar, yells "HOOOOO!!!!" alot, all before turning into a panther. No, I'm not making this up. In my mind, it was then and there that MJ had gone from eccentric but gifted artist to just flaky. David Bowie, Freddie Mercury, they were eccentric but gifted, towing that fine line and never became flaky and nuts. MJ spilled over that line and kept dancing toward pop culture absurdity.
Keep in mind, the video for "Black and White", a remarkable-for-its-time video that premiered in November of 1991 on MTV, BET, Vh1 and Fox simultaneously, is over. The video is done. Now, we just see MJ being... well, what would become MJ. This is a censored version of what the final four minutes were--there is a version on YouTube that shows racist graffiti in the background and MJ smashing up the car, but all the codes were unavailable to post. But in this clip, you get the idea.
(Sidebar... how about after I posted this, then came back to make a small, quick correction I noticed that the still shot of the video, before you press play, is a shot of The King of Pop with his hand on his crotch. I feel like I'm back at Neverland Ranch again)
Suddenly, the hits stopped coming. Unless you are a diehard fan (which I am not, at least of his later work) you could probably name the albums up to "Bad", and some can get "Dangerous", but many would be hard pressed to come up with "Invincible", or even "HIStory: Book I", the first of several greatest hits packages. But the oddities kept on truckin'...
He married Lisa Marie Presley, in an act that most people saw right through. Maybe there was love there, maybe not. He married one of staff chicks, and had a couple of kids, probably through artificial means. He dangled one of them over a fourth story balcony. He had more skin treatments done.
And then there was the child molestation trial. He was acquitted in the court, settling with the kid for something reported to be like $20, maybe $25 million dollars. But in the "court of public opinion", he was tried, convicted and hung. No, the verdict in the real court wasn't "guilty", but the verdict in the OJ trial was also "not guilty", and you see where that went.
And MJ's death didn't surprise me in the least. Not at all. Matter of fact, I've said before that I never saw him getting old, and I wouldn't be surprised if it was some sort of suicide. What did surprise me a little, though, was the acceptance of MJ's legacy in such a positive light.
Yes, yes, it was expected that people would praise his music (see first five or six paragraphs above) and his talents, but I've heard very little about the last 17 years. It seems that those times never happened... there is all sorts of revisionist history going on in the mainstream media, discussing how great he was, but not how strange he was. Don't forget, folks... whether it was all innocent fun or darkly perverse, this is a guy who had 7 and 8, through 11 and 12 year old males sleeping in his room, that when girls of the same age would sleep over, they would sleep in other rooms.
Stanley "Tookie" Williams was a co-founder of the Crips street gang, and was convicted in 1979 for four murders, being executed in 2005 for one of them. Later in his life, he renounced gang life, wrote children's books, and spoke out in anti-gang activism. All good things he did as he got older. Whether the good outweighs the bad I'm not going to discuss, that's another topic, but I myself have to be careful not to smirk scornfully about someone like Tookie, and think he could never make up for his crimes and wrong deeds, while at the same time, gloss over the wrong deeds that Michael Jackson did by looking at how good his "good" was. Make sense? Its late.
Don't get me wrong, in recent days I have seen and heard a few people in the media begin to raise the question of his true legacy, but not like I thought I would. Maybe its a good thing. Maybe its good to remember him in his greatness.
Anyway, those are my thoughts on Michael Jackson. Personally, I don't know that anything really happened in Neverland. I think the kid was really just wanting money, and I don't say that lightly, as crimes against children are reprehensible. I think Michael Jackson grew up without a chance to "grow up", and spent much of the late 80s and early 90s listening to the wrong people, the wrong people who delighted in helping him spend his bajillions, being naive about the way the world works, and wondering why everyone though he was so weird. And I don't think his comeback would have lasted too long.
But... his music lasts forever. And its awesome.
By the way, the secret to "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'"s famous "ma ma se mama sa ma ma coo sa" line is revealed... its actually a term used by a guy named Manu Dibango, an artist in Cameroon who recorded a song in 1972 called "Soul Makossa", a funk driven hit. "Makossa" is a Cameroon native dance, and in the song, Dibango stretches out the word to "Ma-mako, ma-ma-ssa, mako mako-ssa", which ended up being sampled by Michael Jackson. The interesting story is right here...
Here are some random thoughts while (re)watching the Season 1 finale of LOST on dvd...
This show is so amazing. Seriously.
The Lovely Steph Leann and I are working our way through it, and are finishing the first season. We'll work on the 2nd season in a few days, perhaps get through it in a week or two, then go to the 3rd, then the 4th. We'll wait for the 5th on DVD, probably in December or so, and then be ready for a week by week take on LOST, the final season.
I might even blog it episode by episode, to coincide with American Idol. I will say, though, there has never been a more impressive, more amazing series first episode than LOST.
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I was surfing the interweb this afternoon, a relaxing Sunday afternoon, while The Lovely Steph Leann worked on computer. While we were doing our tasks separately, yet still in the same room, the Enzyte commercial came on. You know, the "once a day pill for male enhancement" commercial? Bob is all smiles because... well, he takes Enzyte, and Enzyte... well, it... um... it makes... makes men happier, which in turn, judging from the look on Mrs. Bob's face, makes the wife happier. Do we really need to explain this?
Anyway, I was curious about Smilin' Bob. Hold your imaginations until I get this paragraph finish, okay? I did a Google search on Smilin' Bob and in the process, I found out that not only is the actor named John Larson, which apparently is the name of a congressman (D-CT) as well. The company that owns the brand Enzyte, a place called Berkeley Premium, had thousands of complaints against it to the Better Business Bureau because... well, it didn't work. Plus there was everything from credit card fraud, bank fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy against at least five of their CEOs.
Says Wikipedia: On February 22, 2008, Steven Warshak was found guilty of 93 counts of conspiracy, fraud and money laundering. On August 27, 2008 he was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Arthur Spiegel to 25 years in prison and ordered to pay $93,000 in fines. His company, Berkeley Premium Nutraceuticals, along with other defendants, was ordered to forfeit $500 million. His 75-year-old mother, Harriet Warshak, was sentenced to two years in prison.
They have changed the company name to Vianda.
You think thats weird? In my searching, I also discovered that apparently, John Larson (the actor, not the congressman) was in a boating accident off the coast of Martinique, and has been missing since May. Apparently, around June 12th, he's been presumed dead.
How 'bout that for random, huh?
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Watching Vh1 Classic this afternoon, they had a Michael Jackson retrospective with a ton of videos. We watched a few, like "Billie Jean", complete with this cool, balance on your toes while posing dance move. I tried it many, many, many times over as a child. Didn't work.
Another video we watched? "We Are the World". Its a total list of 80s Former Mega Stars... Huey Lewis. Cyndi Lauper. Lionel Richie. Diana Ross. Peabo Bryson & James Ingram (I actually am not sure which is which, but I'm pretty convinced they are the same person). Daryll Hall AND John Oates. And Dan Aykroyd, who somehow made into this group of superstar singers.
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At church today, that being Valleydale Church (an sbc fellowship), we had a presidential impersonator. His name is John Morgan, and he came out and deadpanned former President Dubya. The laugh was the same, the mannerisms were the same, the voice was the same... it was pretty close to being spot on.
And he was really, really funny. The great thing was, though, he didn't stay in character the whole time. He came out character about 3/4s of the way through, enough to introduce himself and share the gospel.
On his own website, georgebushimpersonator.com, you'll see video of him with Tony Danza, doing his own music (as Dubya) and more. Its a hoot. If you have a chance to see him, go.
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AND FINALLY... I WANTED TO GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO BILLY MAYS, WHO DIED TODAY. I CAME HOME FROM VALLEYDALE CHURCH (AN SBC FELLOWSHIP) AND AS WE SAT DOWN TO RELAX, I HEARD THE LOVELY STEPH LEANN SAY, "WHAT HAPPENED TO BILLY MAYS?"
"I DUNNO," I SAID, BUT AS I SURFED THE INTERWEB A LITTLE MORE, I DISCOVERED THAT YES, HE IS DEAD AT AGE 50. DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, BUT I COULDN'T THINK OF A MORE RANDOM PERSON TO HAVE DIED... WELL, RANDOMLY.
WHEN WE USE OXICLEAN HERE AT THE CABANA EXTENDED STAY SUITES AND RESORT SPA, I'LL MAKE SURE I POUR SOME IN THE WASHER FOR ME, SOME ONTO THE GROUND FOR MY HOMIES. OR FOR BILLY.
WHY AM I TALKING IN ALL CAPS? CAUSE THIS IS A WRITER'S WAY OF YELLING. AND BILLY WOULD HAVE WANTED IT THAT WAY.
Pop star Michael Jackson has died. He was 50 years old.
The singer was found unresponsive at his home in California Thursday afternoon. He was rushed to the UCLA medical center but could not be revived. A Los Angeles Fire Department source told reporters that Jackson was in full cardiac arrest when rescue units arrived on scene.
Aides told a doctor that Jackson collapsed after receiving a shot of the drug Demerol. His breathing grew weaker and weaker and suffered a heart attack. Police have opened an investigation into the arrest but stress they do not suspect criminal activity.
His mother, sister Janet Jackson, and other family members rushed to the hospital. This sad news comes the same day we learn that actress Farrah Fawcett has passed away. Michael was best known for his signature moon walk, thriller video and album, the smash hit song Billy Jean, massive plastic surgery, and his encounters with law enforcement for suspected child molestation at his now famous Neverland Ranch.
Jackson was planning to appear in a sold-out series of concerts in London next month that would have run until March. Promoters of the concerts had recently said that the singer had passed a physical examination to remove any concerns about his health.
Michael is survived by his three younger children, Prince Michael Jackson, Paris Michael Katherine Jackson, and Prince Michael Jackson II. _
The big bomb last week that I missed was them allowing a 13th contestant into the Finals, instead of just the Top 12. Our judges, The Dawg Randy, Hot Kara, Flaky Paula and Cranky Brit Simon come out, followed by Seacrest, as we begin another season of finding a star who's album you won't buy and who will be forced to sing a crappy song in the final show of the year...
One of my favorite songs of all time, "Say Say Say" with Paul McCartney, back when Paul was cool, MJ was black and they both were speaking to each other. Someone pieced together this little jewel, though, starring JT and Usher....
They'll be singing Michael Jackson songs tonight. This could be easy, it could be tough, simply because MJ songs are so different from tune to tune... "Rock With You", which killed one guy's chances, is much different than "Say Say Say", one of my favorite songs ever. What about "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough", which is quite a disco'esque tune, and different than "Black or White"...
Well, anyway, let's see who will be singing tonight... Lil Rounds, Scott the Blind Guy, Danny Gokey, Mike the Oil Rigger, Jasmine, Kris Allen, Allison Itahera, Anoop Dawg, Jorge the Latin Lover, MJC, Adam Lambert, Matt G and Alexis Grace.
Simon gives us the news that two of them will be going home...
We get the Michael Jackson montage, the King of Pop. Whats sad is that kids today just don't get it. They don't understand how big he really is... or was. "Thriller" was for almost 20 years the best selling albums of all time, and still in the Top Four. He invented the modern moonwalk. He invented the dance moves that are now employed by Fergie, Justin Timberlake, most R&B artists and more.
He was The Junk back in the 80s and 90s. When NBC did a Motown 25th anniversary special in 1983, MJ reunited with his brothers for the first time in 8 years, first performing with them, them on his own... he did "Billie Jean" and did the moonwalk for the very first time... and its like, everything was different. He broke out as the superstar phenom. Mocked now as a silly foot move, he did moves no one had ever seen, no one could do. He was like poetry on stage, the limber way he danced, moved, went all over the stage... MJ was unstoppable.
The first time Michael Jackson did his trademark moonwalk, right around the 3:50 mark. Effortless.
My personal favorite MJ song is "Say Say Say", but I do have a love for "Remember the Time", and "Wanna Be Startin' Something" and "The Way You Make Me Feel" and even his ballad, "I Just Can't Stop Lovin' You" was awesome, because back then, it wasn't creepy.
Now? Its creepy.
He practically invented the long-form music video too... a new Michael Jackson video was not just a premiere, it was an event. Back when MTV played, you know, music, and actual videos, you would wait up to see the new Michael Jackson video... when he introduced "Thriller", holy crap, it was amaaaaay-zing. Later on, videos for songs like "Remember the Time" and "Bad" and "Black or White" became these epic stories... though "Black and White" was kinda in the beginning of MJ's creepiness era.
Now, all anyone remembers of MJ is the little boys at Neverland Ranch, and the fact that he went from dark to medium black to pasty white in ten years, and that he's bankrupt and he has this high pitched voice and that he might just be a pedophile and he has two kids by surrogate moms and remember that uncomfortable kiss with Lisa Marie Presley at the MTV Music Awards some odd years back? Wow.
Anyway, I'm excited for the Michael Jackson night, because just for a minute, he's treated like a respectable, memorable artist, not just a guy you would never leave alone in a room with Junior.
Up first? Of course, Lil Rounds singing "The Way You Make Me Feel". She gets the First Remember Me Slot. Its not that I don't like Lil Rounds, its just that I hate the way she's been tossed in our face over and over with a "You WILL love her!" attitude.
Paula is, predictably, up dancing. Lil Rounds got some real pipes and she's wailing away tonight, singing well. Randy says what I think he'd say, "This is the way to start the show, that joint was hot!" Kara says she (Lil, not Kara) sets the standard for the night. Paula loves Lil's look. Simon thought it was good, but was slightly disappointed because he thought it was slightly safe--and he hates her outfit. Me too.
Scott the Blind Guy comes up, and he'll take on Michael Jackson. Apparently he has some sort of severe tunnel vision, and isn't completely blind, just mostly blind... that makes sense, because when Seacrest is talking to him, he looks at Seacrest. When he's on camera, he looks at the camera.
"Keep the Faith" is the song of choice, and Scott the Blind Guy is sitting behind a piano for his music. Homeslice has a pretty decent voice, I just don't know that I'd buy an album from him, in the same manner I can agree that Josh Groban has an excellent voice, but I'd probably never go out and own a Josh Groban CD.
Kara starts, and she is amazed that Scott the Blind Guy learned that song in the same week. She likes the song choice too--its such a hopeful song choice. Paula loved it, pointing out Siadah Garrett, who helped compose the song, loved it, and she did. Simon hated the song. Scott the Blind Guy says he was trying to be artistic, and Simon says that this show isn't about being artistic, its about performance. Randy says the song was good, but just safe.
Now, we head to Wisconsin to learn about The Widower Danny Gokey. Most chicks I know love this guy... how will he handle Michael Jackson? Should I have worded that better?
And he's singing... "P.Y.T."? Really? Here's how excellent the "Thriller" album was... "PYT" was a great, great song... and it was still like, the fifth best song on that whole album. "Thriller" was amazing.
The Widower Danny Gokey starts off as a ballad, but then kicks in. Paula is up and dancing. I like this version, by the way... he's not trying to re-create MJ, he's doing his own spin on it, albeit not perfect.
Paula says, "Since you're now single, here, come see me. Room 417B." She's practically crying, and she's predicting a finals appearance for him. Simon thought the vocals were brilliant, like Michael McDonald, a white guy with soul. The dancing? "Hideous". Randy loved it. Kara loves his joyous appearance.
Could The Widower Danny Gokey be on the David Cook road to success?
Mike the Oil Rigger might be one of the least likely people to be doing some MJ, but he's gonna try with "You Are Not Alone", one of my least favorite MJ songs. This was from his "I'm really weird now, I have hints, allegations and things left unsaid all around me, but you can't prove anything" phase in the late 90s, right before his career careened into the precipice of The Neverland Ranch evils.
And by the way, why would you EVER send your kid to spend the night at The Neverland Ranch? Who does that? I don't care how rich you are, I would never let my kid spend the night with you, Mr. Famous Celebrity who owns a monkey and is extremely weird.
Simon liked it well enough, as did Randy. Kara liked it. Paula liked it, and is trying to use big words she can't anunciate, and its really kinda funny. Mike the Oil Rigger kinda looks like a more polished Dale Jr.
My picks after four... The Widower Danny Gokey, Lil Rounds, Scott the Blind Guy, Mike the Oil Rigger
Jasmine Murray is next... you know, there is just something I don't care for with Jasmine. She seems like a nice girl, she's even from Mississippi, so she's a southern girl... I just ain't a Jazz fan.
Jazz Murray is going to sing "I'll Be There" by MJ, but really by The Jackson Five. Personally, I dig this song more when it was done by pre-skank Mariah Carey, back in, what, '92? It was on the live MTV Unplugged EP, which is excellent. The background vocals was done by this dude named Trey Lorenz, who then had a follow up song called "Someone to Hold", one of those songs that popular for like, two weeks then disappeared. But I not only have the cassette single, I also have the song on my iPod. (Randy just admitted he helped produce Mariah's version).
I miss pre-skank Mariah Carey
As far as Jazz Murray goes, I wasn't a fan of the song. Or her. Randy liked it okay. Kara says it should have been done in a half-key down. Paula tells her how talented she is, not a good sign... Paula tells her that the puppies aren't as cute, and the rainbows aren't as bright. Simon? He says it was a good attempt, decent control, a little robotic.
From Conway, Arkansas, it's Kris Allen! He and his wife Kate are about as cute as a bucket full o'puppies.
Oh, and he's taking on "Remember the Time", with a guitar. I know so little about this guy, its hard to make an assumption, but hey, I really, really, really like this version. Go Kris! You know what this sounds like? This sounds like when local artist Derrick Harris did cover songs when we held DeuceFest music festival in 2000, when Factor 2 opened for them.
Dude... this guy is awesome. Except for that last note. That brought it down a notch, but overall... pretty good.
Kara observes that the screaming girls love Kris. She also reveals that Kris Allen helped other contestants this week... Paula talks about clouds and flowers and lovely things, and tells him that The Widower Danny Gokey has her key, and Kris Allen can get it when he's done. Simon says it was just okay, while Randy says it was an interesting song choice. Very Jason Mrazzy. Dude, I thought it was great.
Unfortunately, all the links to the awesomely awesome "Remember the Time" video have been disabled, so click this link, and enjoy Eddie Murphy, Iman, Magic Johnson, some award winning effects and Michael Jackson's strangely cool hair.
Sixteen year old Allison Iraheta is redheaded, seems a little flaky and rocked the hizzy out when she did "Alone" several weeks ago. She spends time at home singing at what only equivilates to a Mexican Costco, located right off of Lorna Road.
"Give In To Me" is her song. Another one I am not that familiar with. Its kinda weird hearing songs like this now, because back then, they were really cool... but knowing now what we know, its like those songs take on a different meaning.
Its like Elton John singing, or maybe George Michael... were they singing to chicks when their music was new, or were they always singing to dudes, and they were just trying to mask it for a while? And MJ? Was he singing "Give In To Me" to chicks at the time, or was it always directed at Webelos Scouts?
Red Head Allison just screamed that song. Paula loved that song. Simon liked it too. Randy says, "You got it, you can sing! You are one to watch! Check it out!" Kara liked it too. For me, it was just pretty good. I liked "Alone" better.
Anoop Dawg is doing the Thriller dance before commercial, which makes me wonder if this is what he's taking on tonight... Anoop was the 13th contestant (with his left and right eyebrows being the 14th and 15th) added last week.
Ah, not "Thriller"... its "Beat It". Anoop has his collar actually turned up. There takes a bit of street cred to successfully pull off this song, and to me, he just doesn't have the cred to do it. Yeah, MJ weighed about a buck'o five soaking wet, but he managed to dance his way into cred. Anoop? This just doesn't suit him.
Paula speaks slowly, trying to find the words to criticize, even getting booed. She didn't like it, while Simon called it horrible. Randy says it was totally the wrong song, echoing the others in saying karaoke. Kara wanted some variation in his voice. Simon adds that he regrets adding a 13th, 14th and 15th on the basis of that song. Seacrest reads quickly as they seem to be running behind.
My picks after eight... Kris Allen, The Widower Danny Gokey, Lil Rounds, Red Head Allison, Scott the Blind Guy, Mike the Oil Rigger, Anoop Dawg, Jazz Murray.
Jorge the Latin Lover is going to sing MJ. The Puerto Rican Don Juan is going to bust out on some King of Pop. He'll be singing another Jackson Five classic, "Never Can Say Goodbye".
I was bored. Completely. Randy didn't like the song choice. Kara said he should have gone with "She's Out of My Life", which I think would have been great with that accent going on. Paula asks him why he picked the song, and I cannot understand 97% of what Jorge the Latin Lover says. He mumbles, "...I didn't want to sing 'Bad' by Michael Jackson", and Simon pipes up, "Well, you sorta did."
Ah yes, here is Megan Joy Corkery, the hottest chick on the show. MJC is from Sandy, Utah, and loves the spotlight. Even her mom, who looks 35, is hot looking... a grandmother! We see MJC's kid, Ryder (who names their kid Ryder? Was 'U-Haul' taken?)...
"Rockin' Robin"? Really? You have this entire dearth of Michael Jackson, and apparently Jackson Five, classics to choose from and you go for the hokiest in the entire collection (except for maybe "Childhood"... well, no, that's not hokey, that song is creepy)... really? Really?
Two points for hotness, but seriously, this song is annoying. If this were Kid Nation Idol, it would be great... but MJC, I expected better.
Kara liked her personality that was "injected into the song". Paula stammers, mumbled, fumbles and is trying to hate her for being so good looking. Paula looks really old. Simon says, "What a stupid song choice!" I told you! Randy liked it.
Here is Adam Lambert--the chicks that aren't full on The Widower Danny Gokey are full on Adam Lambert.
And he's singing "Black or White"... a little history about this song. Back in the early 90s, Fox liked to do stunt promotions, like premiere a Michael Jackson video on a Thursday night, November 14th, 1991 at 735pm or something. So this video premiered, and I remember seeing it on television, and I enjoyed it, it was fine, it had Macauley Culkin in it, but after the video was over, MJ starts doing this dance thing--no music, mind you--and grabbing his crotch. Alot. Then he starts dancing up and down this alley, he jumps on a car, then he somehow procures a baseball bat, and starts smashing up the windows.
Then he turns into a panther.
No, I'm not making this up. Perhaps that was the very first, or at least first "we shoulda seen this coming" clue to MJ being a little too bizarre and freaky for the public to withstand.
Adam Lambart annoys me. He screams the song into the mic... he's like... well, if Axl Rose were gay, and sang slightly more affiminate, then this would be him. Adam Lambert. The Gay Axl Rose.
And the judges are going to love him, I'm sure. Paula is going nuts. She's transfixed on him, she tells him how they've never had anyone in Idol history as seasoned as he. Holy crap... she might just do him there on the stage. She then predicts he'll be there with The Widower Danny Gokey. Simon says it was in a totally different league. Randy calls him the most current artist in the show. Kara loved it. Sigh... I thought it was crap. He's talented, but still...
Matty G has the unfortunate position of following Paula's Next American Idol Adam Lambert. In his video, he's wearing a terrible K-Fed hat, which doesn't endear him to anyone.
"Human Nature" is the song he's going to sing, another one of my favorites by MJ. Matty G sits at a piano, singing "When they say why... why... tell them that its human nature... why... why... does he do me that way... when they say why... why... tell them that its human nature..."
How is possible that two of my favorite performances of the night are by the two guys I didn't think I could pick out of a lineup. I thought that was awesome.
Randy says a little pitchy, but he liked it. Kara wants to see him week after week. Paula throws out several positive adjectives. Simon liked it too. After the Adam Lambert Loveapalooza, they are running out of time for talking, so the judges zip through the comments.
Finally, Alexis Grace is up. I really, really like this chick, and though I'm not ready to crown her with the coveted "My Next American Idol" title, she's in the running. And like most of the contestants, she's a mom.
"Dirty Diana" is the song she'll sing... this is one of those odd MJ songs that I forget exist, but when I hear it, I remember how much I liked it. I. Love. Alexis. Grace. And with that outfit, you can easily sing "Dirty Alexis... naw... Dirty Alexis... naw..." Loved that song. Love this chick. Rock on.
For whatever reason, I always think of Stephanie Phillips when I hear this song--not because she was evil or dirty, but because her middle name is Diana. Go figure.
And here they go, hurrying through the comments. Kara says, "Your a naughty girl, and I liked it..." Paula says to watch the oversinging, but good. Simon says it wasn't as good as Alexis probably thought it was. Randy liked it too.
My picks for the night... Kris Allen, Alexis Grace, Matty G, The Widower Danny Gokey, Lil Rounds, Paula's Next American Idol Adam Lambert, Red Head Allison, MJC, Scott the Blind Guy, Mike the Oil Rigger, Anoop Dawg, Jorge the Latin Lover, Jazz Murray ________________________________
And here are the results!!
We skip from Tuesday to Wednesday night, where two, count 'em two people will be eliminated. This show is always quicker, as I can speed through the group song, and Kanye West and Kelly Clarkson performing--I can fast forward through those too.
Our judges are here, and Seacrest hosting. He now is introducing a new twist... in response to previous seasons when future superstars like Jennifer Hudson and Daughtry went home, they have introduced a "Judges Save". The judges can unanimously choose to save one contestant during one show, but only once per season. And that night, no one will be eliminated... however, the next week, two people will go home. Interesting...
I fast forward through the video and the group song, and I'm sure there will be a Ford commercial coming up at some point. Now, the video montage from last night, which I'll forward through because heck, I just saw it.
They are all sitting on The Couch of Anxiety... if I had my drethers, I'd punt Jorge the Latin Lover and Adam Lambert, though I think Lambert would cause a stink, so let's get rid of Jazz Murray.
And the Ford video. And we skip through it.
The music is in the background, so it looks like Seacrest has some news. Mike the Oil Rigger stands up upon command. He is safe to rig another week. Allison Iraheta stands. Itahera? Either way, she's safe til next week. What about Jazz Murray? She's up on her feet. America voted... and she comes down to the center of the stage. Matty G stands, starts to walk to the stage, and Mike the Oil Rigger pulls him back. Matty G's fate? He's safe too.
Kris Allen stands up. He sang my favorite of last night, so naturally, he's probably in the bottom three. MJC stands, who stunk last night, but I hope she keeps around. Kris Allen has a seat, MJC comes down to the center of the stage, joining Jazz Murray. One is safe, one is going home. After the vote... MJC is safe. Jasmine Murray says goodbye... soooo see ya.
She'll sing, while the judges chat as to whether they'll save her or not (I think not). They have to save this little "save rule" for that quirky week when Adam Lambert gets booted, or Lil Rounds gets inexplicably punted in Week Six.
Randy gives her the news that she'll be going home. Bye! Seacrest tries to quietly comfort a crying Jazz Murray. As we take a look at her journey via video, I will fast forward through it. And here's another fast forward, I'll zip through Kanye West's performance. Not my fault! Dubya told me to do it, cause he hates black people.
Does Kanye have another album dropping, or something? He just released 808s and Heartbreaks... maybe Nigel Lythgoe, the producer, has a tape of him smoking pot with hookers or something, cause Idol is not really Kanye's demographic...
Back to the Couch of Anxiety, and I'm picking Jorge the Latin Lover to be the next to go... and Jorge is sitting next to Adam Lambert and Lil Rounds on the end of the couch--not a good sign. Scott the Blind Guy stands up. He's safe. Alexis Grace stands. She's safe! The Widower Danny Gokey stands up. He's safe. We knew this.
Which brings us to Anoop Dawg... he stands up. He just came back from White Castle with Harold and Kumar. He starts walking toward the center of the stage without a word from Seacrest, who finally says, "Yeah, go ahead." Adam Lambert stands up, though its pointless. He sits down. Leaving us with Jorge the Latin Lover and Lil Rounds. Jorge stands up first, then Lil Rounds stands. And as expected, The Puerto Rican One joins Anoop Dawg.
Could this be the first time two non-black/non-white guys have stood together on Idol in the Bottom 2? I fast forward through commercials, and then through Kelly Clarkson. Seacrest says that every week, they'll be bringing back a former Idol to perform--maybe we'll see Pickles!
I love Pickles!
Okay, well I didn't really forward through Kelly Clarkson--her song "My Life Would Suck Without U" is actually pretty fun. I am going to download it from iTunes soon enough.
Anyway, Anoop Dawg and Jorge the Latin Lover stand, and Anoop Dawg is safe, unless the judges want to save Jorge... and again, there's not a shot they would use the Adam Lambert Rule on Jorge. He never really should have made it... I liked Ju'not Joyner much, much better.
There's your Idol... and the dismissal song? Carrie Underwood covering "Home Sweet Home", a song done by Motley Crue. I kid you not.
And just cause I want to...
This is the complete video to "Smooth Criminal". The gravity lean he does here is done by special boots that actually got Michael Jackson a patent for development.
Here's the result update... for a recap of the performance show, just skip down past the line....
Left the television on as I was at church tonight, Valleydale Church (an sbc fellowship), for KidStuf rehearsal and other fun and frivolity. As I came in tonight, whatever channel I left it on was current showing "Barb Wire", the Oscar winning epic starring one of the greatest actresses of our generation, and a first ballot entry into the Silicone Gone Wild Hall of Fame, Pamela Lee Anderson. As I sat, I checked my email real quick, found comments made about Disney pictures I posted (more to come on Facebook and here as well), and started to turn on the DVR, when I got IMs from my buddy Langer and from Erin the Marine Wife.
Now, since I don't talk to either very much, I was cool with chatting with them for a few, but as I was, I felt myself getting dumber and dumber because Pamela raced around the screen in her black leather, shooting things and blowing things up (no, not THOSE things, I mean like helicopters and cars and stuff) and what have you. I feel like I need to call up The Dainty Steph Halpert and talk to her husband, Matt Halpert the Science... Guy... pert... to help regain those lost IQ points.
So, if I wake up tomorrow and forget how to tie my shoe, I blame you, Langer, and you, Erin the Marine Wife for forcing me to watch fifteen minutes of "Barb Wire". In fact, I lost three IQ points just typing that name.
THIS IS
AMERICAN IDOL RESULTS!!!
Seacrest comes out, reminding us that there will be three people advancing... the top chick, the top dude, and whoever has the next highest amount of votes. I like it because our top 12 isn't necessarily going to be a mandatory 6 guys and 6 girls, it might be 8 guys, 4 girls, or 5 guys and 7 girls or whatever.
During the "how they got here" recap montage, I like the fact they are playing "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough" by Michael Jackson, perhaps to make up for Stephen Fowler's bad performance of "Rock With You"...
Can I just say, no one under 25 or maybe more fully how understands how magnificent of a performer Michael Jackson used to be. Now, he's a punchline, he's a joke, when you say his name, is automatically associated with little boys, or no nose, or the high pitched stupid voice.... but back in the 80s? Back in the days of "Thriller", when it first came out, or when "Bad" was first released... I mean, Michael Jackson was a bad, bad man, and holy crap he could dance.
I'll have to explore this further soon... but it helped me miss the usually terrible group performance, this time butchering Jason Mraz's hit "I'm Yours".
And now, we get the clips from last night... Jackie T dancing, The Ballad of Ricky Braddy ballad, Mike the Oil Rigger over doing the overdone "I Don't Wanna Be", Stevie Wright's disaster, Casey Carlson's facial twitch nightmare, Stephen Fowler's "Rock With You" that upon a 2nd viewing was terrible, some guy I can't even remember his name to tell you how boring he was, Tatiana the Annoying, Anoop Dawg's melancholy, Ann Marie's bad Aretha decision, Alexis Grace taking the show until... Danny Gokey takes the stage.
They are all on the Couch of Destiny now, as Seacrest grills them about how they are feeling and such. Cindy Warner told me tonight she just wanted some time to pluck Anoop's eyebrows. Now that she said that... holy smokes... those things might be their own Idol contestants.
My predictions are... Alexis Grace... Anoop Dawg... and Danny Gokey...
Tatiana the Annoying is just that. Get rid of her! Seacrest points out the three seats who will hold the top 12. Casey is up first... and she has to know there is no way she's going to get to sit in those Stools of Destiny. And its revealed--she is done. Stephen Fowler comes up next. And he's not in the Top 12.
Alexis Grace... she actually reminds me of what Gwen Stefani would have looked like at 21. And I think one of those Stools of Destiny has her name on it. And now... it has her booty on it, cause she is in the Top 12. She actually gets to sing her song again...
Jackie T and The Ballad of Ricky Braddy both walk up. This has to be tough, because this early in the show, they just had one girl move to the Top 12, you have to think that they won't have another finalist awarded this quickly. The Ballad of Ricky Braddy is not in the Top 12. Jackie T is also not in the Top 12.
Anoop Dawg and Mike the Oil Rigger come down next. So who makes it? Going on to the Top 12 is Mike the Oil Rigger. Dude! Rock on! I really like this guy, singing voice or no, he's a great guy to have around.
Just as well with Anoop. If he would have won American Idol, the terrorists win.
Speaking of which, there was a movie that came out a few years ago called "American Dreamz", which had the backdrop of a talent show much like Idol... one of the plots featured this Muslim kid who was pushed through to the finals only to suicide bomb the president, who was making a special appearance. Well, with Anoop gone, that's now out, I guess.
They are doing a feature of the new attraction at Hollywood Studios, called "The American Idol Experience". Its really a fun show, and I'll talk more about that in an upcoming post.
Coming down to the stage now is Carly Smithson and Michael Johns... what happened to her? She was so rockin' pretty! Now she looks like she planted her face into a paint tray of makeup. Time to fast forward.
Seacrest calls down Ann Marie Boskosomething. Brentoby Keith stands up as well. Stevie Wright stands up. Seacrest is calling them out all at once. And who makes the Top 12? None of them. This leaves Tatiana the Annoying and Danny Gokey, with one spot remaining. I would say that this country couldn't have possibly voted in Tatiana the Annoying... but seriously, look who our president is.
By the way, chicks love Danny Gokey. I heard a few people talk about Idol at church tonight, and the females I heard all talked about how much they loved Danny. So, I think this gives alot to The Goke. So, one is in, one is out, and... its... The Goke! Danny Goke knocks off Tatiana the Annoying, who is crying onstage, almost with a "that should have been me!!!" face.
So, its Alexis, Mike the Oil Rigger and The Goke who are now in the Top 12. No mention of how they'll choose the wild card singers. We do see the ones singing next week, and I recognize like, four of them.
The moment of the night, though... watching everyone onstage after The Goke finishes his song, clapping, celebrating, congratulating Alexis, Danny and Mike the Oil Rigger... and they flash to Tatiana, who is bawling her eyes out, her face in a "This sucks! I'm better than all these people! I am better than that blonde chick and that big fat oil rigger guy and that guy who the only reason he won is cause you stupid people out there fell for his whole sympathy 'my-wife-died' thing! I'm better than all of them! I deserve this!" Love it.
____________________________________________
THE PERFORMANCE SHOW FROM TUESDAY NIGHT
They've made it through auditions... they made it through Hollyhell week... they made it through the Final Judgement... they've made it through The Lovely Steph Leann and her deadly face coverin' blanket... and now, here they are, the Top 36... they'll perform 12 at a time, and the top three from each group will move on to the American Idol Finals.
THIS
IS AMERICAN IDOL!!!
This time, there is no second chance. The guy with the highest vote, the girl with the highest vote, the next guy or girl with the highest vote all get slots in the Finals. The final three spots are chosen by the Wild Card Show... Seacrest just introduced the 12 performing tonight, though the names were spoken too fast for me to even type 'em down.
Jackie Tohn is first up... she's 28, and unlike Nate the Pansy, she really, really wants this. She'll be singing "A Little Less Conversation" by Elvis Presley. You might know this from "Ocean's 11", which took a very little known Elvis tune and made it famous. Personally, I love the song, its probably one of my two or three favorite Elvis songs. And Jackie isn't killing it, she's putting a bluesy tone on it... but not my favorite.
The Lovely Steph Leann just "mm"s me when I mention this, though that "mm" might be more from the cotton candy she's nibbling on, cotton candy that I bought for her at the Main Street Confectionary in The Happiest Place on Earth last week, along with the peanut brittle that she might get to tonight as well. I'm such a good husband.
Randy says it didn't blow him away, but he liked it. Kara loved Jackie working the stage. Paula enjoyed the fact that Jackie got her up dancing. Simon, with a smile on his face, still thinks Jackie played a "clown" tonight, with a gimmicky song. I totally agree with Simon.
To top it off, The Lovely Steph Leann hates Jackie's shoes. Oh the indignity!!
Ricky Braddy is next. Who is this guy? Hearing his montage is the most I've ever heard him speak. His family is holding a sign that reads, "The Braddy Bunch". I make fun, but really, if my name was Braddy, I'd totally be playing the Brady Bunch card. His song is "A Song for You" by Leon somebody, to which The Lovely Steph Leann pipes up and says, "I love Karen Carpenter's version of this." Of course she does. The Lovely Steph Leann loves all things Karen Carpenter.
Or instead of the Brady Bunch, maybe I'd call my website "Birmingham Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Braddy". That's funny! Once again, he's got a good voice... but the song kinda bores me. The Lovely Steph Leann says, "Good stuff!"
Randy says, "This is the start of season 8! Unbelievable!" Kara says, "You killed it! Amazing!" This guy is shaping up to be Elliot Yah-meen Part 2: Good Teeth Strike Back. Paula loves him. Simon says, "Very good... I'm not jumping out of my chair... but you don't have any star quality."
And they spew the whole "this season is the best ever!" What are they going to say? "You know, we got some good people, but ain't none of them nearly as good as two years ago... but stay tuned anyway!" And when Seacrest is interviewing him, Ricky Braddy doesn't have his mic on. So no one knows what he just said.
Here comes Alexis Grace. She's cute, she's got flippy pink hair, looks comfortable in animal print clothes and is singing "Ain't Never Loved a Man" by Aretha. Oh geez... she's taking on Aretha. And instead of just copying Aretha, she does her own slinky, sexy take on it... and hey, it sounds great. And the little black dress doesnt hurt either.
Dig it! I loved it!
Randy said, "you done found the dirty and the soul! you worked it out!" Kara throws some forth some cliche, while Paula begins her tirade of butterflies and rainbows. And she almost cries. Is this really the chick I had on my wall in 9th grade? Eesh. Simon loved it as well.
So, after three... I pick Alexis Grace by a mile, followed by The Ballad of Ricky Braddy, and Jackie T.
And in the audience, we get a shot of Neil Patrick Harris and Ted Danson... I'm guessing they are in a movie or show coming up, because otherwise, that would be the most random pairing ever.
Idol goes country, with Brentoby Keith up next. And when they cut to do Brentoby Keith's montage, they screw up and show a still shot of some chick. Finally, the montage works. He's singing a song called "Hicktown", naturally, and from the first note, he's gone.
I look at The Lovely Steph Leann and simply say, "He's gone" and she doesn't even look up from her blanket. She just slightly nods her head to agree. I mean, Brentoby Keith isn't doing too bad... but its karaoke. Or like an opening act of a country band with some country term as a name, like "Jar of Pickles" or "Pork Rind Band" or "Tractor Pull". The kind of opening band that will be forgotten quickly, after Kenny Chesney or Martina McBride takes the stage.
Kara and Paula both wanted him to take a bigger risk, Randy says it was pretty good, and Simon? Paula says, "You are a country star, look what happened to Bucky Covington" and Simon asks, "What has happened to Bucky Covington?" My thoughts exactly.
Who doesn't love a chick named Stevie Wright? She's cute as a button, despite having about 103 teeth in the front top part of her mouth. Very, very toothy.
She's doing "You Belong With Me" by Taylor Swift, a great song choice, because Stevie and Taylor are only seperated by a year or two... and both I and The Lovely Steph Leann cringe when Stevie starts singing. Perhaps its nervous, The Lovely Steph Leann says she's flat, but either way... this is terrible.
Wow. She just blew the biggest audition of her life. Randy didn't like it. Kara didn't like it. They both tell her she went way, way too safe. I think the song was fine, she just did a terrible version of it. Paula searches for clouds and puppies, but can only come up with fog and a milkbone. Simon says, "It was terrible. There's no point booing, it was really terrible."
The Lovely Steph Leann is still "uuhhh" and "uugghhh" about the whole song.
Anoop Dubai, or Anoop Dogg as we might start calling him, comes up now. He sang "My Perogative" by Bobby Brown in Hollywood week, which was just weird, made even more weird by the fact it sounded good.
Anoop Dogg is taking on Monica's "Angel of Mine"... I gotta tell you, as much as he doesn't look like anyone who can sing such a song, he is a great singer.
Sometimes I wonder about the backup singers. Typically its three or four black chicks who sometimes sing better than the actual contestants... but do you think that they ever get the song they'll be backing up, and laugh amongst themselves, "I know that crazy white boy ain't even gonna try to sing James Brown, is he? I mean, its our job to back him up, but still..." So when they get this from Anoop Dogg, they think, "I know that crazy Indian boy ain't even trying to sing Monica, is he?" And he is. And did. I liked it.
Randy liked it. Didn't love it. Kara liked it. Didn't love it. Paula liked it. She just likes him. As for Simon, he thought the song was too grown up.
After half the contestants have gone, I gotta say its Alexis, Anoop Dogg, The Ballad of Ricky Braddy, Jackie T, Brentoby Keith and Stevie Wright. I can only hope someone is better than The Ballad of Ricky Braddy for that 3rd spot.
Here comes someone with "I Love Pickles!" potential, that being cutie-patootie Casey Carlson. She's even got a superstar name. I mean, I'd buy a Casey Carlson CD before I'd buy a Stevie Wright CD.
"Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" is the song she's going to sing... tough order. Go Casey. The first note is harsh, but she picks up quickly. Holy crap she's hot. But her song is not. It's just pretty good... but not great. The Lovely Steph Leann can't figure it out either, maybe its the music, but whatever, it just doesn't click. However, Casey Carlson is still frickin' hot.
Randy and Kara both sing, "Everything about that song was wrong..." and Kara says, "You picked the Police! No one goes after those songs!" and Paula tries to say something good by telling her how pretty she is (never a good sign), but that it didn't work. Simon says, "you look good, but the singing was atrocious, and you could not have chosen a worse song and arrangement."
And here comes Michael the Oil Rigger, from Jasper, TX. Mike from "Dirty Jobs" did the oil rigging once, and yes, its a dangerous, dirty job. Michael the Oil Rigger is doing Gavin McGraw's "I Don't Wanna Be", a song that really is... well, its overdone.
I think I've heard this song more on American Idol through the years than I ever heard it on the radio, especially in the last few years. Mike the Oil Rigger is rockin' out with it, looking like he's having a good time and all. I mean, its not awesome, its not great, but its good and it looks fun.
Randy says, "Yo, you can sing, but it started rough for me." Kara agrees its a crowd pleaser, but wanted more from him. Paula liked it lots. She got confused by watching the mic go from hand to hand as he sang, sort of like following the ball atop the words in a Sesame Street singalong. Simon says, "We like you. This wasn't the best vocal, but you might get through."
The Lovely Steph Leann likes him lots.
And here comes Ann Marie Boskovich who has "hot potential". She's the one who sang in her auditions, got sent out to find a better song, came back and made it through. She's also taking on Aretha, "Natural Woman", so we'll see if she can take out Alexis Grace in the top spot.
"before the day I met choo..." is what she sings, and The Lovely Steph Leann laughs. Ya know, its a good rendition. Again, not fabulous, but better than most. And as the song is winding down, she's getting better... wow, two Arethas done right in the same night. Remarkable. Ted Danson loved it.
Randy says it wasn't a good song choice. Kara agrees that the song feels old fashioned. Paula stumbles around, ending up at, "you did better than you've done before..." and Simon? "If we were searching for the best hotel singer in California, that would have been quite good. But your voice isn't good enough for that song."
For me, I thought it was great. The Lovely Steph Leann says, "if you do that song, you have to strip that song, do it different, you can't do Aretha."
With three left... here's my picks... Alexis Grace, Anoop Dogg, Ann Marie Boskovich, The Ballad of Ricky Braddy, Mike the Oil Rigger, Jackie T, Brentoby Keith, Casey Carlson, Stevie Wright.
Just saw the trailer for Wolverine: Origins. Just peed myself. I'm as giddy as Michael Jackson in a daycare.
Stephen Fowler, big, stocky and afro cool, he's the guy who forgot his lyrics during a song in Hollywood week and walked off stage. And he's singing "Rock With You" by Michael Jackson... he has the potential to blow me away right here. I love this song.
This is a song that the backup chicks probably went nuts over. Dude, Stephen is doing it! It's different, its not the same old boring ballad, its Michael Jackson when he was black, back before he was all weird and Chris Hansen's dream project.
The vocals weren't even that good, the song wasn't great, but heck, I liked it. Randy didn't like it. Maybe its because it was so different is why I like it... Kara didn't like it either. Paula actually chides him for getting a second chance and blowing it. Simon hated it, calling it the word of death: "Corny".
During commercial, I comment that Tatiana the Annoying is up next, and The Lovely Steph Leann groans. "Oh... she's gone. Oh, I hope she's gone." Seacrest even pokes fun at her laughter. She was all kinds of psycho annoying in Hollywood Week, with this terrible laughter.
"Saving All My Love For You" by Whitney. NO! NO! YOU DON'T DESERVE TO SING CLASSIC PRE-CRACK WHITNEY!!! EVER!!!
You know that scene in Spaceballs when Princess Vespa is in the prison cell, and singing a very low "Nobody Knows" and Barff says, "She's a bass!" That kinda reminds me of Tatiana the Annoying at the beginning of this song... however... admittedly... she's not bad. Both I and The Lovely Steph Leann really wanted her to be... but compared to most of the performances tonight, she's not bad.
She might even be good. I might have to rank her in my top three tonight. Crap.
Randy says, "you had some moments in this song that was like 'you can sing!'" Kara says, "Your like a roller coaster!" Kara asks where she fits? I say the exit door is good. Paula sounds like she's about to cry with every word. Beautiful and pitchy is Paula's description. Simon calls her a drama queen, and tells her she's completely, desperately trying to be famous. They all tell her to be annoying again!
Finally, its Danny Gokey, the guy who was best buds with Jamar. He's a church music director who lost his wife a month before he auditioned. The Lovely Steph Leann really likes this guy too. And then he sings, "Hero" by Mariah, and The Lovely Steph Leann actually shakes her fists and says, "No! I hate that song!"
Entertainment Weekly calls him Robert Downey Junior Jr, which is what she's been saying for weeks. Seriously though, I like this guy. The song is boring, one of my least favorite Mariah songs, but Danny Gokey is at least doing it, doing it, doing it right.
Randy is throwing his fist up, Kara is yelling, Paula is standing, Simon is just there. Randy says, "That was blazin' hot!" Kara bangs the table, Paula says, "I have two words... sold-out arenas!" Simon? "Back to the real world... it was good."
So, finally... I choose Alexis Grace, Danny Gokey, Anoop Dogg, Tatiana the Annoying, Stephen Fowler, Ann Marie, The Ballad of Ricky Braddy, Mike the Oil Rigger, Jackie T, Brentoby Keith, Casey Carlson and Stevie Wright.
I'll discuss the results show on this posting tomorrow night...
