David Archuleta ran away with the top spot on the list of Idol Thoughts reader favorites for the second straight week, followed (at a distance) by fellow Davids Hernandez and Cook. Carly Smithson, meanwhile, leapt from #6 to #1 in Week 2, with last week's #1 girl Ramiele Malubay slipping to #3.
Here are the results of the Idol Thoughts Readers' Favorite Polls:
GUYS:
1. David Archuleta, 68%
2. David Hernandez, 12%
3. David Cook, 6%
4. Jason Castro, 4%
5. Chekezie, 4%
6. Michael Johns, 3%
7. Danny Noriega, 2%
8. Jason Yeager, 1%
9. Luke Menard, 1%
10. Robbie Carrico, 1%
GIRLS:
1. Carly Smithson, 33%
2. Brooke White, 26%
3. Ramiele Malubay, 18%
4. Alaina Whitaker, 4%
5. Kristy Lee Cook, 4%
6. Kady Malloy, 4%
7. Amanda Overmyer, 4%
8. Asia'h Epperson, 3%
9. Syesha Mercado, 2%
10. Alex Lushington, 1%
Friday, February 29, 2008
David Archuleta and Carly Smithson are Week 2 Idol Thoughts Readers Faves
Lincoln Center Theater's South Pacific Starts Performances Tomorrow!
Lincoln Center Theater's production of South Pacific (the first-ever Broadway revival!) begins performance tomorrow at the Vivian Beaumont Theater, starring two-time Tony Award nominee Kelli O'Hara and Brazilian opera star Paulo Szot.
By all accounts the show looks and sounds amazing, and tickets are going fast, so be sure to order yours now. And if the music of Rodgers & Hammerstein doesn't interest you, perhaps hot guys do? If so, check out the pics of Matthew Morrison (Lt. Joe Cable) and Szot (Emile de Becque). Smokin!
To order tickets, visit www.telecharge.com.
Photos by Joan Marcus
More David Archuleta Videos: Performing "You're All I Need" on Star Search and Dreamgirls' "I Am Telling You (I'm Not Going)"
Here's a couple youtube videos of American Idol frontrunner David Archuleta performing on Star Search. Both songs ("You're All I Need to Get By" and "And I Am Telling You (I'm Not Going)") were also sung by contestants on American Idol -- Kelly Clarkson (and later Jasmine Trias) belted the former, while Tamyra Gray, LaKisha Jones, and, of course, Jennifer Hudson have wrapped their voices around the latter.
Enjoy!
Singing "And I Am Telling You (I'm Not Going)" (vocals only)
BIG BROTHER SPOILER: The Nominated Couples Are...
SPOILER! SPOILER! SPOILER!
Stop reading now if you don't want to know the nominated couples from Big Brother
SPOILER! SPOILER! SPOILER!
Sharon and Joshuah, this week's HOH, have nominated Matt/Natalie and Ryan/Allison for eviction.
Rumor: The OC's Mischa Barton to Join Cast of Gossip Girl
According to Michael Ausiello over at TVGuide.com, The OC star Mischa Barton has been approached to join the cast of Gossip Girl.
Noooooooooooooooooooooooo! When will be people learn this girl can't act?
Click here for the article
Picture: Justin Timberlake In a Speedo!
This picture, of Justin Timberlake in a speedo and sportin' a porn-stache, is from the upcoming film The Love Guru.
I mean!!!
America, What Are You Thinking? Alaina, Alex, Jason and Robbie Eliminated from American Idol
Ok, I am now officially worried about what this year's American Idol Top 12 is going to look like.
Sure, Jason Yeagar and Robbie Carrico were good choices to go (although I, personally, would have sent pretty boy Luke Menard packin'), but Alex Lushington and Alaina Whitaker? What?
True, neither gave a stellar performance last night, but there's no way either girl wouldn't be way better in the Idol long run than Kady Malloy or Kristy Lee Cook. In fact, I had started to believe that Alaina could do some real damage in this competition, and Alex was the closest thing the show had to an artist who could actually have some radio relevance. There was no way either was gonna win the competition, but the Top 12 will be weaker because of their absences.
And how heartbreaking was Alaina's reaction to her dismissal? Poor thing, I think she had taken Simon's words about her being a dark horse in the competition to heart.
As for the rest of the show -- well, there wasn't much else going on. (I'm choosing not to focus on that abysmal group sing -- 20 people is just way too much to have perform simultaneously). Oh yeah, there were the announcements that the Top 12 will be singing songs by the Beatles and that Ruben Studdard has recorded an exit song, and we got clips of last year's "Idol Gives Back" in anticipation of this year's reprise (which will apparently feature Brad Pitt, Mariah Carey, Snoop Dog, Carrie Underwood, Reese Witherspoon, Daughtry and more). 'Cause, ya know, Idol is generous and stuuuuuuuuuuuff.
Just not to Alaina, Alex, Jason and Robbie.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
American Idol Top 12 Will Sing Beatles' Tunes
David Archuleta may have hit it out of the park by singing "Imagine" on this week's American Idol, but it won't be the last tune written by a Beatle we hear this season.
Idol producer Nigel Lythgoe announced on Ryan Seacrest's radio show this morning that the theme for the Top 12 finalists (airing March 11) will be Beatles songs. They've been trying to get the right to the Beatles catalogue for years, and it looks like they've finally succeeded.
Even though we've got one more week of semifinals, it's fun to start thinking now about who might sing what -- Smithson taking on "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club"? Johns crooning "I Wanna Hold Your Hand."
Which songs do you think the contestants should tackle?
American Idol Elimination Prediction: Jason, Luke, Kristy and Kady in the Danger Zone
I've ranked the contestants (click for the BOYS and for the GIRLS) -- now it's time to figure out who's going home!
Years of Idol history have shown that, especially during the first few weeks of the show, having the worst performance doesn't necessarily mean you're getting the boot. In fact, it's often better to get lambasted by the judges than to fall somewhere in the middle of the pack. Keeping that in mind, here's my take on where the Top 20 stands:
Green Zone - Safe by a mile!
Boys: David Archuleta, David Hernandez, Jason Castro
Girls: Carly Smithson, Ramiele Malubay, Brooke White
Archuleta, Smithson, Hernandez, and White all gave very stand-out performances this week, and should be in no danger. Castro and Mulabay, meanwhile, still have enough good will from last week that they should be fine as well.
Yellow Zone - On Shaky Ground!
Boys: David Cook, Michael Johns, Danny Noriega
Girls: Asia'h Epperson, Syesha Mercado, Alaina Whitaker
This group was not necessarily good enough for shoo-in status, but they are also not in extreme danger of imminent elimination. Though Johns, Epperson, Mercado and Whitaker have performed better in the past, there were far worst performances this week, so they should stick around for at least one more week.
Red Zone - Danger, Danger, Danger!
Boys: Luke Menard, Jason Yaegar, Chekezie, Robbie Carrico
Girls: Amanda Overmyer, Alex Lushington, Kristy Lee Cook, Kady Malloy
Chekezie stepped up his performance vocally, but he's still doesn't seem to be strongly connecting with the audience, so there's a chance he could get the boot. Carrico, meanwhile, gave a ho-hum "rock" performance, and as such could easily fall through the cracks. What do we know about this guy, other than that he used to date Britney Spears?
In more danger, however, are pretty boy Menard and bland Yeager -- both were pretty bad on Tuesday night, and will likely be shown the door.
As for the girls, Alex and Amanda had disastrous performances, but I think they still have enough fans to remain in the competition...for now. That's not the case, however, with Kristy Lee Cook and Kady Malloy, who continue to disappoint.
Thus...
Elimination Prediction
Boys: Luke Menard and Jason Yaegar
Girls: Kristy Lee Cook and Kady Malloy
Thoughts? Agree? Disagree? Let me know!
READ: Ranking the Top 10 Guys -- David Archuleta Wipes the Floor With the Competition
READ: Ranking the Top 10 Girls -- This is the Best Group of Finalists Ever?
Ranking the American Idol Top 10 Girls: This is the Best Group of Finalists Ever?
Ok, what's going on in Idol-land? Is it just me, or did the girls kinda suck tonight?
I'm starting to get a little concerned that what a few weeks ago seemed like "the best group ever" is now looking like a big bust. I'm not giving up hope yet, and I still think the themes (the 70's?!?) are preventing the contestants from really showing us what they can do, but if they don't start stepping it up, and soon, we could be in for a rough couple of months.
Having said that, there was at least one stand-out performance this week. Here are my rankings of the Top 10 girls...
1. Carly Smithson
(Last Week: #1)
I know some of y'all hate this girl, or think she's a "ringer" or something, but I just love her. I mean, her voice is spectacular, and, though it's possible she's pulled the wool over my eyes, she comes across as extremely genuine to me. Amazing as she was, Simon is right -- she hasn't yet chosen the song that's given her the moment. But when she does...
Grade: A-
2. Brooke White
(Last Week: #4)
Who's surprised that Brooke chose a Carly Simon song during 70's week? Anyone? Anyone? I'm not sure "You're So Vain" showed anything in Brooke's voice that we haven't seen before, but by choosing this song she probably secured the Boomer vote, and likely bought herself at least a few more weeks in the competition. Now the big question -- if this girl went to beauty school, why is her hair always such a mess?
Grade: B
3. Syesha Mercado
(Last Week: #2)
This girl is gorgeous, and she's got the high notes, but her voice is not nearly rich enough to pull off a song like "Me and Mr. Jones." You need a Jennifer Hudson-esque instrument to really hit this one out of the park. Still, she's definitely got presence, and I'd be shocked if she doesn't make it to the Top 12.
Grade: B-
4. Alaina Whitaker
(Last Week: #5)
This girl has the potential to do real damage in this competition, but she's gotta learn to pick less cliched songs (and be a little screechy when performing). Is it a rule every teenage country singer has to perform this song? (Perhaps Carmen Rasmussen, who sang it back in Season 2, has the answer to that question.) Still, I think she's adorable, and she definitely has a strong voice -- if she chooses better songs, she could find herself going far in this competition.
Grade: B-
5. Asia'h Epperson
(Last Week: #6)
If you're gonna take on the song that Latoya London hit out of the ballpark back in Season 3 (Latoya's performance tops my lists of the Ten Best Semifinal Performances of All Time), you better bring it. Let's face it -- the song is all about the big note, and, despite what Randy and Paula said, Asia'h just didn't nail it tonight. On top of that, her voice actually disappeared at one point during the low notes early in the song. Definitely not the triumph Asia'h must've imagined she'd have. (And, as a side note, even if she had been 100% healthy, she still wouldn't have been able to pull this one off).
Grade: B-
Continue Reading for #'s 6 through 10
READ: Ranking the Top 10 Guys -- David Archuleta Wipes the Floor With the Competition
POLL: Which of the Top 10 Girls Was Your Favorite? Who's Going Home?
Josh and Sharon Win HOH, as as Chen-Bot Teases "New Chapter" of Big Brother 9
Operation Condor is now complete.
The Big Brother 9 mission to remove each of the houseguests from the top row of the Memory Wall was a success, as Amanda and Alex were sent packin'. Sharon and Josh, who won the Power of Veto last week, are the new HOH's.
What's more interesting, however, is Julie Chen's big tease at the end of the episode -- that a "new chapter" of Big Brother will begin after next week's elimination. By that point four couples will have been eliminated from the game, leaving 8 houseguests still around -- the perfect chance for the show to return to it's individual player roots.
And can I say -- not a moment too soon! This season has been difficult to get into, partly because there has been so much going on already (a houseguest leaving, oral sex, orgies, trips to the hospital), and partly because the "'Til Death Do Us Part" theme is making it hard to really invest in any one player. I loved Alex, but he didn't stand a chance with Amanda as his partner; ditto Parker and Jen. I'm hoping that if (or when) they do make the change to an individual competition, it'll seem more like the Big Brother I know and love.
Of course, with Big Brother you have to "expect the unexpected," so perhaps the "new chapter" is not the dissolution of the couples. I guess we'll have to wait and see!
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Ranking American Idol's Top 10 Guys: Archuleta Wipes the Floor With the Competition
CLICK HERE FOR SPOILER: TOP 10 GIRLS SONG CHOICES
Is David Archuleta gonna run away with this whole thing?
Right now, it's looking like American Idol's 17-year-old wonder boy is gonna wipe the floor with the competition, as his rendition of John Lennon's "Imagine" was head and shoulders better than any of the other Top 10 guys. (They also showed an adorable video of David performing in front of Season 1 contestants, including Kelly Clarkson -- click here to see that video).
As was the case last week, and again perhaps due to the restrictive 70's theme, there were very few stand-out performances, and lots of solid-but-not-spectacular showings from the rest of the guys. Some improved over last week's performances; others fell short of the promise they've showed in prior rounds.
Here's my rankings of the Top 10 guys:
1. David Archuleta
(Last Week: #2)
I mean! This kid is just unbelievable, with a voice so pure it defies description. After hearing Ruben Studdard and Jennifer Hudson sing this song on this show I was waiting to be let down -- and that was so not the case! The purity of David's voice (so pure!) elevated it to levels of true greatness (at least greatness within the realm of Idol). This is actually my favorite non-Lenon version of the song I've ever heard. Though I do think David is gonna win this competition and will become a huge star, I would advise the judges from anointing him champion too quickly -- there's still months left of the competition, and we know what happens to frontrunners (ahem, Senator Clinton).
2. David Cook
(Last Week: #4)
Why don't more of you like David Cook?? He's got an understated charm, he's not all me-me-me, and he sounds freakin' fantastic every time he sings. Fall in love with him, people! I thought tonight was actually his best performance yet, though I would advise against taking extended guitar breaks during a 90 second song. Still, definitely a triump, and a Top 12 without him would be a real shame. (And as for the "film" that Simon hated -- I loved it! The geeky rocker? Perfection!)
Grade: A-
3. David Hernandez
(Last Week: #7)
Wow, this kid is sure hot and cold -- his Hollywood week audition was great, but last week's show-opener was stiff and awkward. Tonight he was back on form, showing off great vocals and even a dash of panache. If he keeps this up, he could find himself Phil Stacey-ing his way into the Top 10.
Grade: B+
4. Chekezie
(Last Week: #9)
Far and away the most improved guy of the week, Chekezie finally lived up to the billing I've been giving him for weeks. Despite another questionable outfit and some awkward dance moves, he greatly improved his stage presence and vocals, sounding, actually, quite excellent (if not as good as Elliott Yamin, who sang this song back in Season 5). Will it be enough to overcome that rough first performance (and even rougher suit that he continues to defend)? I guess we'll have to wait and see.
Grade: B+
5. Michael Johns
(Last Week: #3)
The guys does have charisma, he's cute, and he can sing, but there's something almost too effortless about his performances. It might end up backfiring on him -- the contestants who end up doing the best on this show are the often the ones who seem like they are really working (think Fantasia or Taylor Hicks). If he had sounded a bit better I might be more forgiving, but this was, as Simon said, definitely his weakest performance by a mile.
Grade: B-
Continue reading for #'s 6 through 10
AMERICAN IDOL POLL: Which of the Top 10 Guys Was Your Favorite? Who's Going Home?
CLICK HERE FOR SPOILER: TOP 10 GIRLS SONG CHOICES
VIDEO: David Archuleta's "Imagine," David Hernandez' "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" and David Cook's "All Right Now"
Read American Idol's Ten Best Semifinal Performances of All Time
Video: David Archuleta's "Imagine," David Hernandez's "Papa Was a Rolling Stone," and David Cook's "All Right Now"
Relive the Top 20 performances of the David's...
David Archuleta, "Imagine"
David Hernandez, "Papa Was a Rolling Stone"
David Cook, "All Right Now"
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Who Are the Next Four to Go on American Idol?
One week does not a star make. However, on American Idol, a good first performance could propel you all the way to the finals, and a poor one could mean you're finding yourself trying to catch up for weeks.
So how will the first week of performances impact this week's results? I'd say, based on the strength of their 60's performance (in addition, of course, to what they did during their initial auditions and Hollywood week), David Archuleta, Michael Johns, Carly Smithson and Ramiele Mulabay will all cruise into the Top 12. Jason Castro, who had no screentime coming into last week, will also most likely be a finalist, barring a major meltdown in the next two weeks.
David Cook, Brooke White, Syesha Mercado and Asia'h Epperson also performed well last week, and with ample airtime during the initial stages of the competition, they are also looking good to make it at least one more week. Alaina Whitaker was a wildcard coming into last week, and she really delivered, so if she follows it up with another strong performance she should be okay as well.
David Hernandez, Robbie Carrico, Danny Noriega, Amanda Overmyer and Alex Lushington are all on the fence -- they could slip through the cracks if they don't come out and give memorable performances. While any one of them could go home, I'd say there's a few other contenders in more serious danger.
Yep, I'm talkin' about Jason Yaegar, Luke Menard, Chekezie Eze, Kristy Lee Cook and Kady Malloy. While Yaegar's biggest sin was being boring, Menard and Eze were borderline painful (despite Luke's cutie patottie-ness). Jason's going to have to prove he's more than a cheesy cruise-ship singer with a B-grade voice, while Chekezie better remind us all that he can really sing. As for Luke, I can't imagine a scenario in which he does enough to impress -- basically he's gotta hope for a Jason and Chekzie meltdown.
On the girls side, both Cook and Malloy were pretty much trainwrecks last week (with Kristy Lee being the slightly worse of the two), so they'll both have to step it up this week to survive. Hopefully Kristy Lee has recovered from her "illness" (and learned a song other than "Amazing Grace"), while Malloy one more chance to prove she has personality beyond a killer Britney Spears impresion.
So, going into the performances I'm guessing Luke, Jason, Kristy Lee and Kady are most in danger. Of course, anything could happen, and all of this could be irrelevant in less than 24 hours. Guess we'll have to wait and see...
Monday, February 25, 2008
Video: Jennifer Garner Being Attacked by Gary Busey on the Oscar Red Carpet
I was watching Ryan Seacrest do his thing on the Oscar red carpet last night on E!, and lo and behold -- the sh*t hits the fan. This is one of the most awkward live television moments I have ever seen -- and I love it!
Video: Jimmy Kimmel is F*cking Ben Affleck
Not quite as funny as Sarah Silverman f*cking Matt Damon, but pretty hysterical nonetheless (the 'We are the World' part is my favorite!)
Enjoy!
IDOL MADNESS Final Four Results -- Finals Now Set, Vote Now!
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The results from the Final Four of IDOL MADNESS are in, and the Finals are now set!
Competing for the title of IDOL MADNESS winner will be Clay Aiken and Elliott Yamin. Clay took out Bo Bice in a heated battle, while Elliott fended off a surge from Carrie Underwood. Carrie and Bo will repeat their duel from Season Four in the consolation round to determine 3rd and 4th place, while the battle between Elliott and Clay in the finals should be epic!
Ace Young took the top spot in the Consolation Round, and therefore gets the #5 spot. Constantine Maroulis took 6th, followed by Jasmine Trias in 7th and Josh Gracin in 8th.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
BIG BROTHER SPOILERS: Two Houseguests Rushed to the Hospital, Veto Winners Decided
Drama in the Big Brother house -- and this time it's real!
TWO Big Brother contestants were rushed to the hospital last night -- Amanda, who fainted and had seizures after going into anafalactic shock (she is hypoglycemic), and Allison, who had a severe allergic reaction to something she ate.
They have both since returned to the house, so I guess they are okay, but be warned, the video below of Amanda fainting is pretty scary.
In other Big Brother 9 spoiler news (STOP READING IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW), Joshuah and Sharon won the Power of Veto. They are planning on not using it on either Matt/Natalie or Alex/Amanda, and at the moment, it seems as thought the house is planning on evicting Matt and Natalie.
Stay tuned for more info...
Friday, February 22, 2008
Ten Best American Idol Semifinal Performances of All Time
As we finish up the first week of this year's American Idol 7's Semifinal round, I thought it might be interesting to take a look back at what I see as the Top 10 Semifinal performances through the years.
A couple of notes on this list:
-This year's performances are not included
-Starting in Season 4, the format changed from voting contestants into the Top 12 to eliminating the lowest polling contestants from the competition, so Season 4 and 5 contestants had 3 Semifinal performance, versus just 1 for contestants from Seasons 1-3.
And, the list...
1. Latoya London, "All By Myself" (Season 3)
I can still remember the moment when I literally fell off my bed as Latoya hit the impossibly high note in Eric Carmen's ballad. "Anymooooooooooooooooooooore" -- Jaw. On. Floor. Aside from Kelly Clarkson's first performance in the Top 10, this may be the most surprising performance I have ever seen on the show, made all the more so because we had not seen Latoya onscreen for even one minute leading up to the semifinals. Her personality ultimately ended up disappointing me later in the competition, but her vocal work in her first performance is truly unforgettable.
2. Melinda Doolittle, "My Funny Valentine" (Season 6)
Talk about a class act! Melinda showed what a pro she is, effortlessy giving this classic her own bluesy, soulful spin. Every note in this rendition was letter-perfect, and she couldn't have come off more humble or likable. If she ever gets around to making a CD (come on, where's the Melinda record deal announcement??), this is what the music should sound like.
3. Kelly Clarkson, "Respect" (Season 1)
I know, I know, how could I not put Ms. Kelly at number 1, especially when this was the very first the audience was seeing of the sassy Texan? Her vocal work and irrepressible personality were astoundingly clear as she wailed the Aretha classic, all the while missing which camera she was supposed to be looking into. (If you can get your hands on this performance, it really is a must watch, as Kelly adorably, and consistently, is looking anywhere but where the camera is). Coming into this week, Justin was the one to watch. At the end of the week, it was Kelly people were talking about.
4. Chris Daughtry, "Hemmorage" (Season 5)
If Bo Bice started the rock trend on American Idol, Chris Daughtry hammered it home. After a solid cover of Bon Jovi's "Wanted Dead or Alive" in the first week of the semifinals, Daughtry stepped it up about 8 notches on this Fuel song, transporting himself and the viewers to the middle of a slammin' rock concert. Bice may have been credible within the world of AI, but Daughtry took it to another level. It's no wonder he's had such a successful post-show transition into the rock music world.
5. Clay Aiken, "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me" (Season 2)
His initial audition was shocking for the discrepancy between the way he looked and sounded, and his semifinal performance of the Journey classic "Open Arms" was great, but it was his stunning Wildcard rendition of the Elton John tune that really put Clay Aiken on the map. Standing tall in the center of the stage, looking confident but not cocky, he saaaaaaaaang his way into the hearts of millions. This was the moment, I believe, that Clay Nation really began to take shape.
6. Fantasia, "Something to Talk About" (Season 3)
That voice. Those lips. That sassy personality. Ms. 'Tasia announced her presence to the world as the final performer of week 1's semifinals in Season 3, and never looked back. Flawless.
7. LaKisha Jones, "And I Am Telling You" (Season 6)
Taking on the Dreamgirls classic just a month after Jennifer Hudson had been awarded the Oscar for singing the same song, LaKisha fearlessly tore into this tune, making it clear she was a force to be reckoned with. The power of this performance, however, may have been her ultimate downfall -- she may simply have peaked too soon. Still, one of the most passionate performances the semifinal round has ever seen.
8. Kimberley Locke, "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" (Season 2)
Sure, she sang this song in her initial audition, and by the time she reprised the performance in the second week of semifinals (which also featured Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken) there was already some "Rainbow" fatigue, but her controlled and beautiful rendition of the Judy Garland chestnut made clear Season 2 wasn't just going to be a boy's race to the finish.
9. Bo Bice, "Whipping Post" (Season 4)
Until Bo Bice picked up that mike stand and went to town on the Allman Brothers Band tune, the closest thing AI had to a rocker was Justin Guarini (and that ain't too close). With this performance Bice, who had received very little screen time coming into the semifinals in favor of fellow "rocker" Constantine Maroulis, established himself as a showman, a vocal talent, and the "credible rocker" of Season 4.
10. Katharine McPhee, "Since I Fell For You" (Season 5)
Although she was dressed rather plainly in jeans and a top for her first Semifinal appearance, the effortless way Katharine handled the runs on this Barbra Streisand tune made it clear she was gonna be a contender.
Honorable Mentions:
Blake Lewis, "Somewhere Only We Know" (Season 6)
Chris Richardson, "Geek in the Pink" (Season 6)
Melinda Doolittle. "Woman" (Season 6)
EJ Day, "I'll Be" (Season 1)
Jennifer Hudson, "Imagine" (Season 3)
Tamyra Gray, "And I Am Telling You" (Season 1)
Ruben Studdard, "Superstar" (Season 2)
Ace Young, "Father Figure" (Season 5)
Thoughts? Agree? Disagree? Did I miss something? Let me know.
American Idol 7 Top 24 Videos: David Archuleta, Jason Castro, Michael Johns, Ramiele Malubay, Alaina Whitaker and Carly Smithson
Enjoy these videos of the American Idol Top 24 performances of Idol Thoughts reader faves David Archuleta, Jason Castro, Michael Johns, Ramiele Malubay, Alaina Whitaker and Carly Smithson.
David Archuleta
Jason Castro
Michael Johns
Ramiele Malubay
Alaina Whitaker
Carly Smithson
American Idol: America Gets It (Mostly) Right, as the Producers and Simon Lay it on Thick
Oh, American Idol elimination episodes, how I have missed thee.
I say that with only a little bit of sarcasm. The beauty of four eliminations, however, is there isn't too much time for padding, so the show didn't feel overly bloated this evening. In addition, America got it (mostly) right, eliminating Garrett Haley, Amy Davis, Joanne Borgella and, ahem, Colton Berry.
I'm consciously choosing to focus on the postivie, since the elimination of Haley means the closest thing this season had to a Sanjaya is now gone, and the ouster of Davis and Borgella means America is actually voting with their ears and not their eyeballs (the pretty Davis, who so could have become this season's Haley Scarnato) or hearts (the lovable Borgella, whose early exit proves America likes it's plus-size black girls to be able to wail -- or at least sing on key).
Then there's Colton. The kid wasn't gonna win the competition -- I get that. But I'm still gonna miss him just a little bit, and I'd certainly rather see him perform next week than either Luke Menard or Jason Yaegar. The truth is, he wasn't either good enough or bad enough to make a solid impression Tuesday night, and that was his downfall. Ah well.
But why did Simon have to go and be such an as*hole? The kid's not going to be the next Justin Timberlake, fine, but he could have a career in musical theater. In regional musical theater, but still! Did Simon have to be so mean?
Speaking of hearts of darkness, what's with the spotlight on the eliminated contestant's parent? Does it get any more tragic than watching parents experience their child's dream being crushed in extreme close-up? This device has got to go.
Amongst other notable moments from tonight's show:
-We got our first "group sing" of the season. 24 people is a lot of people to work into a number, and this one goes right up there with most awkward ever. Congrats Season 7!
-The tears! My goodness these contestants are starting early. During the clip packages this week it was all "This is the biggest opportunity of my life" and "I can't believe how lucky I am to be here" BS, and now they are already weeping for each other? What's going to happen by the Top 12 -- seizures?
-Finally, we got to watch the "world premiere" of Paula Abdul's new video for "Dance Like There's No Tomorrow." Shockingly enough, she didn't embarrass herself, and the song is actually pretty catchy. I could have used a little more dancing, and Simon and Ryan's "cameos" at the end couldn't have been any more cheesy, but all in all I'm a little impressed she was able to get herself together like that. Is America ready for a 21st century dancin' and "singin" Paula Abdul?
Schizophrenic Survivor: Fans vs. Favorites Sends Yau-Man Packin'
No doubt, this season of Survivor: Fans vs. Favorites has been entertaining. The problem is, I feel like I'm watching a show with multiple personality disorder!
At times, I'm watching a show with old favorites -- hey look, it's James! Awwww, Cirie made a funny! But then, suddenly, I'm watching a show where I don't recognize half of the people. What's going on here?
Clearly the airtime of this season was going to weigh in the favor of, well, the favorites -- the audience knows and wants to see them. But aside from Joel, Cathy, Mikey (I think) and Chet, I couldn't name another fan. Oh, Tracy -- there's one more. I'd like to know these people -- I'm just not being told anything about them. It's an odd thing for a Survivor fan -- I'm used to rooting for the underdog, and now I'm rooting for the titular "favorites." But, seriously, how can I not? They are much more dramatic and interesting!
Speaking of the faves, they eliminated Yau-Man tonight, thanks to Cirie commandeering the game. It's too bad he's been eliminated so early -- he really didn't get the chance to show off his charming quirkiness this season as much as he did the last time he was on the show. The logic for his elimination is slightly shady -- apparently, as Jonathan Penner said, "he's either the weak link or the biggest threat, I'm not sure which." Bottom line -- the foursome needed to vote with Cirie or risk losing one of their own, and Yau-Man took the hit.
Cirie's power play was slightly out of character for the hysterical "couch potato," and, if I'm being honest, was ill-advised at this point in the game. She's still going to be the low man on the totem pole of the Ozzy/Amanda/James/Parvati alliance, but now she's made a power play and created a stink when a stink wasn't necessary. Why the two alliances didn't turn to each other and say "Let's just vote off Cirie" is beyond me.
Ultimately, I'm glad they didn't -- I like Cirie, and it looks like she's determined to make her presence felt in the game this go round. I'm not sure she chose the sturdiest alliance to join, but I'm curious to see how things will turn out.
AMERICAN IDOL
BIG BROTHER
DANCING WITH THE STARS
SURVIVOR
PROJECT RUNWAY / TOP MODEL
BIG BROTHER 9 SPOILER: This Week's Nominated Couples Are...
SPOILER! SPOILER! SPOILER!
SPOILER! SPOILER! SPOILER!
Stop reading now if you don't want to know who this week's nominated couples are.
SPOILER! SPOILER! SPOILER!
Head of Households James and Chelsia have nominated Matt/Natalie and Amanda/Alex for eviction.
Stay tune for more...
AMERICAN IDOL
BIG BROTHER
DANCING WITH THE STARS
SURVIVOR
PROJECT RUNWAY / TOP MODEL
IDOL MADNESS Final Four: Friday Report
Reminder: Voting in this round ends February 24 at 11:59PM EST
All totals are as of Friday 2/22 at 5PM EST
Vote away!! (Click on any match-up to vote)
Elliott 470,863
Carrie 393,442
#2 Clay Aiken vs. #5 Bo Bice
Clay 371,288
Bo 234,718
Consolation Round: Jasmine, Ace, Josh, Constantine
Ace 82,612
Constantine 34,821
Josh 3,271
Jasmine 7,875
Thursday, February 21, 2008
American Idol Poll Analysis: David and Ramiele Are this Week's Idol Thoughts Readers' Favorites
Vote in the Top 12 Girls Polls
Vote in the Top 12 Boys Polls
The people have spoken...kind of.
I've had polls running here on Idol Thoughts over the past few days, trying to figure out who y'all love and who you're ready to say goodbye to.
The 'Big 3' of the boys seem to be David Archuleta (37%), Jason Castro (23%) and Michael Johns (18%), who together amounted to 78% of the 'favorite' votes. Conversely, Garret Haley is the clear choice to go home with 32% of the vote. He's followed by Chekezie Eze (23%), Luke Menard (15%) and Jason Yaegar (13%).
In terms of the girls, it seems Ramiele Mulabay was the runaway favorite, grabbing 38% of the vote. Alaina Whitaker is currently in second place, with 18%, followed by Syesha Mercado, Asiah Epperson, Carly Smithson and Brooke White. Hugging the bottom are Kristy Lee Cook and Amy Davis, with just 1%, and Joanne Borgella, who didn't receive a single vote!
Not surprisingly, then, Amy and Joanne topped the list of who should be voted off this week. Amy grabbed a whopping 49% of the vote, with Joanne taking 22%.
Voting will stay open -- it'll be interesting to see how Idol Thoughts readers' favorites change from week to week. Should be fun!
American Idol Top 24 Elimination Prediction: Amy, Joanne, Luke and Jason in the Danger Zone
I've ranked the contestants (click for the BOYS and for the GIRLS) -- now it's time to figure out who's going home!
Years of Idol history have shown that, especially during the first few weeks of the show, having the worst performance doesn't necessarily mean you're getting the boot. In fact, it's often better to get lambasted by the judges than to fall somewhere in the middle of the pack. Keeping that in mind, here's my take on where the Top 24 stands:
Green Zone - Safe by a mile!
Boys: David Archuleta, Michael Johns, Jason Castro
Girls: Carly Smithson, Ramiele Malubay, Brooke White, Syesha Mercado, Asiah Epperson
The members of this group has either large existing fanbase (Archuleta, Johns, Smithson, White) or gave stand-out debut performances -- none of these folks are going anywhere.
Yellow Zone - On Shaky Ground!
Boys: David Cook, David Hernandez, Robbie Carrico, Danny Noriega
Girls: Alaina Whitaker, Alex Lushington, Amanda Overmyer
Not good enough for shoo-in status, but not in extreme danger of imminent elimination, expect this group to last for at least one more week. (Whitaker is an exception here- she was excellent last night, but may suffer from lack of screen time.)
Red Zone - Danger, Danger, Danger!
Boys: Garrett Haley, Luke Menard, Jason Yaegar, Chekezie Eze, Colton Berry
Girls: Amy Davis, Kristy Lee Cook, Joanne Borgella, Cady Malloy
Garrett Haley was definitely the weakest of the boys, but his wispy looks (and Simon's harsh comments) probably earned him some sympathy votes. Chekezie talked back to Simon (never a good idea, especially this early in the game), but he's different enough from the other contestants I think he'll stick around. I'm worried about Colton -- his middle-of-the-road showing may spell doomsday. However, I'm predicting bland and boring Jason Yaegar and Luke Menard will be the first two to go.
As for the girls, Amy was easily the weakest of the Top 24 -- it's a no-brainer that she'll be sent packin'. Cady Malloy and Kristy Lee Cook made terrible song choices and may end up joining her, but I think it's more likely to be Joanne Borgella, who threw away the good will she'd engendered over the past few weeks with a totally off-key (and off-base) performance.
Thus...
Elimination Prediction
Boys: Luke Menard and Jason Yaegar
Girls: Amy Davis and Joanne Borgella
Who do you think will get the boot tonight? Take the polls now!
Ranking the Top 12 American Idol Girls -- Same-Same Won't Win the Game
Ok, it needs to be said -- 60's music sucks.
Perhaps that's unfair to blame it on the decade. Maybe and it's more accurate to say -- American Idol contestants singing 60's music sucks.
What the heck was Nigel Lythgoe thinking? As I said in my discussion of the boy's performances yesterday, the semifinals used to be the round where the contestants got to show what kind of artists they pictured themselves as. Not anymore -- tonight, we got a whole bunch of same-same performances of a deceptively limiting genre. As was the case with the boys, a few of the girls showed promise and potential, but none busted out in a big way tonight.
And it's a real bummer, because there was more excitement going into this year's Top 24 than I can remember in years. People were psyched about what this year's crop had to offer, and instead of wow'ing us, they were held back by their choice of songs.
Of course, the songs aren't entirely to blame -- many of the contestants appeared cripplingly nervous and certainly didn't show themselves off in the best light possible. Not all were terrible -- in fact, several were in the "quite good" range, falling somewhere right in the middle of spectacular and total trainwreck. But I can't help but be disappointed by the performance of even my favorite of the night's girls, Carly Smithson -- she sounded great, but what the heck was that song?
I'm not quite ready to declare this group overrated -- yet -- but they are gonna have to really step up their games next week to keep America's interest. We've seen hundreds of auditions in the past six years of this show -- some were amazing, and some were nightmares, but what we've definitely seen too much of is same-same auditions. We need something to make our jaws drop and our backs stiffen. Lets see if this crew can bring it.
Here's my rankings of the Top 12 girls:
1. Carly Smithson
Grade: B+
Simon's right -- there has been a buzz about this girl, and not all of it good. Carly needed to really step up and show what she's got this week, and she did -- to an extent. Vocally, she was off the charts -- song choice and personality-wise, not so much. Still, she tops the list for sheer vocal prowess, and I have no doubt that when it comes time for her to wrap those chords around a better song, it'll be the chill moment I've been waiting for.
2. Syesha Mercado
Grade: B+
This girl bugs me, she just does. However -- she can saaaang. She tempered a bit of her yelling, and gave a solid (if, at time, slightly tuneless) performance. She's gorgeous -- if she would just now shut her mouth.
3. Ramiele Malubay
Grade: B
I didn't fall in love with this girl instantly, but she won me over tonight with her well-considered performance. I can't say I'm ready to go on the campaign trail, but I'm becoming a bit of a believer.
4. Brooke White
Grade: B
Brooke is another one I wasn't initially so fond of, but she projected an air of unpretentious joy during her performance tonight, and sold me on the fact that she might just be a Carly Simon Jr. Her voice isn't as great as some of her competitors, but if she can carve out her own niche in the competition, she might go pretty far.
5. Alaina Whitaker
Grade: B
Alaina was the biggest surprise of the night for me -- I fell for the charm of her youth and the power of her voice. Not to mention the fact that she looks just like Carrie Underwood -- it's eerie! If the voters give her a chance, she could be a force to be reckoned with.
6. Asiah Epperson
Grade: B
There's a throatiness to Asiah's vocals that I can't decide whether I like or not, but there's not doubt the girl can sing, and she does appear to be having a good time. I'm not loving the personality, but perhaps she'll grow on me...or not.
Click here for #'s 7-12
Ranking the Top 12 Guys: Jason Castro Makes Quite a First Impression
POLL: Which Top 12 Girl was the best of the night? Who's going home? Vote now!
POLL: Which Top 12 Guy Was the Best? Who is Going Home? Vote Now!
IDOL MADNESS Final Four: Thursday Report
sReminder: Voting in this round ends February 24 at 11:59PM EST
All totals are as of Thursday 2/21 at 4:30PM EST
Vote away!! (Click on any match-up to vote)
Elliott 294,508
Carrie 252,507
#2 Clay Aiken vs. #5 Bo Bice
Clay 330,194
Bo 211,689
Consolation Round: Jasmine, Ace, Josh, Constantine
Ace 54,629
Constantine 26,169
Josh 3,214
Jasmine 6,107
Ranking the American Idol Top 10 Girls: #'s 6 through 10
6. Ramiele Malubay
(Last Week: #3)
When you take on a song like "Don't Leave Me This Way," you've got to really tackle it, and while Ramiele is still "the little girl with the big voice," she just didn't deliver tonight. It's a tough song, at least partly responsible for Latoya London's ouster in Season 3, but even so, it was a strangely tepid performance, especially for a girl who has displayed oodles of personality in earlier rounds. Definitely a disappointment.
Grade: C+
7. Kristy Lee Cook
(Last Week: #10)
Sorry Kristy, but like the song you sang tonight says -- you're no good. Though definitely an improvement over last week, there's just nothing special about this girl, and there's others in the competition who do what she does better -- Alaina's a better country singer, and Brooke's got the folk market covered. If only she could sing "Amazing Grace" every week she'd sail through to the Top 12.
Grade: C
8. Amanda Overmyer
(Last Week: #8)
I want to like this girl, I really do -- she's certainly unique, and she's showed moments of real vocal inspiration in earlier auditions. Tonight's performance, however, was a trainwreck -- she was behind the music, her voice was all over the place, and she looked lost on stage. I'd like her to stick around for at least another week to see if she can get back on track, but right now she's on shaky ground.
Grade: C-
9. Kady Malloy
(Last Week: #9)
This girl can sing opera and do a killer Britney impression, but will she ever be able to actually sing a song well on the Idol stage? This was a terrible song choice (her second straight), and her pitchiness, of course, did her no favors. How long is this girl gonna coast on the fact that she can imitate other people's voices?
Grade: D+
10. Alex Lushington
(Last Week: #7)
What a mess, and, what makes it even worst, she knew it! After last week's strong showing Alex was primed to make herself a real contender in the competition, but a terrible song choice and totally tuneless performance may be her undoing. Her outfit was cute (if not totally appropriate for the song), but next to Carly, Syesha and Asia'h, this girl's starting to look like an also-ran.
Grade: D
READ: Ranking the Top 10 Guys -- David Archuleta Wipes the Floor With the Competition
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Ranking American Idol's Top 12 Guys: Jason Castro Makes Quite a First Impression
Maybe my expectations were too high. Maybe 60's music as a theme just didn't work. Maybe the guys were nervous. Whatever the case may be, tonight's Top 12 guys on American Idol just didn't blow me away.
Don't get me wrong -- there is a lot of potential in this group, and some of the guys were actually quite excellent. Even better, there's only one potential Sanjaya in the bunch (we'll get to Garrett Haley in a bit). But all in all, I think I expected a bit more from what many (including myself) have referred to as the best group of finalists ever. I'm willing to cut them some slack, however -- it is the first week, and as far as first weeks go, it definitely could have been much worst.
I do think the theme was at least partly to blame for the lack of fireworks on the stage. Usually in the semi-finals the contestants can choose any song they'd like, giving us the chance to see how they view themselves as artists. Gina Glocksen singing an Evanescence song, for example, defined her as the "rock girl" for the season, while Chris Richardson's performance of "Geek in the Pink" let us know what kind of artist he aspired to be. Restricting the contestants' choice of song so early in the competition is a bummer, and their choice of mostly ballads even more so.
However, many overcame those obstacles; others -- not so much.
As for the judges -- Simon was mostly right on, Paula was puffier than usual (sober? pilled up? I'm not quite sure), and Randy was, well, Randy. That about covers that.
As I will do throughout the season, here's my rankings of the Top 12 guys:
1. Jason Castro
Where did this kid come from? Having not heard him sing a single note so far this season, I didn't know what to expect, but he came out with and performed with originality and such effortless charm that I was instantly won over. He looked like a natural with the guitar, and though he's certainly no vocal powerhouse, he definitely posseses a distinct style. Does he have the chops to survive week-in-week-out of this competition? I'm not sure. But for now, I'm happy with what we've got.
Grade: A-
2. David Archuleta
How freakin' adorable is this kid? I just want to squeeze his cheeks! "Shop Around" was an interesting choice for young David, and it took me a minute to get used to seeing him bop around the stage, but he ultimately pulled it off with aplomb. And that voice! Sounding much more mature than his 17 years, the kid showed he's really got the goods. Expect to see much more of him in the next three months.
Grade: A-
3. Michael Johns
This guy's good. I knew he was good going into tonight's performance, and I believe he was good having seen it. Unfortunately, he chose to sing a song we've seen him sing before. Why, Michael, why? This was his chance to really set himself apart from the pack, and although it was very well sung, it was the same song we saw sung last week about a dozen times, at times better than Michael sang it tonight. He's still a frontrunner, but he lost some originality points in my book.
4. David Cook
There's an understated charm to this guy, and his unconventional take on "Happy Together" brought a refreshing dose of originality to the stage. And while his vocals aren't perfect, he's a credible rock singer with what seems to be a pretty versatile instrument. I dug it.
Grade: B+
5. Colton Berry
I can't quite put my finger on exactly what it is, but there's something about this kid I really like. His voice is great, and he's got a soulful stage presence that, at least for the moment, is on the right side of too theatrical. But more than that, there's a lightness and genuineness to him that I find quite endearing. I hope he sticks around a little while.
Grade: B+
6. Robbie Carrico
This performance was pretty good, however, while I can't say anything bad about it, I can't say it was particularly memorable either. What's special about this guy? He may tap into the Bo Bice/Bucky Covington fanbase and ride that wave for awhile, but American Idol? I don't see it.
Grade: B-
CONTINUE READING FOR #'s 7 through 12
Who was the best of the Top 12 guys? Who will go home? Take the polls now!
Hysterical Youtube Video: "Charlie Bit My Finger"
I'm not a big viral video guy, but this is literally one of the funniest things I have ever seen. No joke.
In fact, I find it so ridiculously hysterical, I've watched it every day for the past week every time I needed a pick-me-up. It's better than drugs.
Enjoy...
IDOL MADNESS Final Four: Wednesday Report
sReminder: Voting in this round ends February 24 at 11:59PM EST
All totals are as of Wednesday 2/20 at 5PM EST
Vote away!! (Click on any match-up to vote)
Elliott 147,324
Carrie 134,102
#2 Clay Aiken vs. #5 Bo Bice
Clay 242,207
Bo 181,766
Consolation Round: Jasmine, Ace, Josh, Constantine
Ace 32,574
Constantine 13,074
Josh 2,223
Jasmine 1,983
In the Heights Parodies Rihanna's "Umbrella"
Check out this hysterical parody of Rihanna's "Umbrella" by the creators of the new Broadway musical In the Heights. The show is fantastic -- fresh, original, and full of passion. I saw it last summer Off-Broadway and am going back next week to see it on Broadway...
Also check out In the Heights parody video of High School Musical and Zac Efron
Enjoy!
SPOILERS: American Idol Top 10 Girls' Song Choices
SPOILER! SPOILER! SPOILER!
SPOILER! SPOILER! SPOILER!
STOP READING NOW IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE TOP 10 AMERICAN IDOL GIRLS WILL BE SINGING TONIGHT.
1. Carly Smithson, “Crazy On You” (Heart)
2. Syesha Mercado,“Me And Mr. Jones (changed from Mrs. to Mr.) (Billy Paul
3. Brooke White, “You’re So Vain” (Carly Simon)
4. Ramiele Malubay, “Don’t Leave Me This Way” (Thelma Houston)
5. Kristy Lee Cook, “You’re No Good” (Linda Ronstadt)
6. Amanda Overmyer,“Carry On My Wayward Son” (Kansas)
7. Alaina Whitaker, "Hopelessly Devoted To You” (Olivia Newton-John)
8. Alexandrea Lushington, “If You Leave Me Now” (Chicago)
9. Kady Malloy, “Magic Man” (Heart)
10. Asia’h Epperson, All By Myself" (Eric Carmen)
At first glance, I'd say this is a much more exciting group of songs than what the boys delivered. Carly tackling Heart sounds fantastic; ditto Amanda on Kansas and Syesha going with "Me and Mr. Jones." Brooke singing Carly Simon is a no-brainer, as is Alaina doing Olivia Newton John (young country girl Carmen Rasmussen did the same song back in Season 2). Asia'h is whipping out the old Idol standard "All By Myself," meaning she'll have to compete with the ghost of Latoya London's classic performance (which ranked #1 on my list of Ten Best Semifinal Performances of All Time). "Don't Leave Me This Way" also has an Idol precedent (Latoya and Melinda both sang it), but Ramiele should be able to put her own spin on it. I'm not sure Kady or Kristy Lee's song choices will be doing them any favors, and I'm curious to see what Alex will do with the Chicago tune.
Should be an interesting show!
What do you think? Good choices? Anything stick out?
VIDEO: David Archuleta's "Imagine," David Hernandez' "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" and David Cook's "All Right Now"
Spoilers courtesy of Joe's Place blog
Ranking the Top 10 Guys: #'s 6-10
6. Jason Castro
(Last Week: #1)
His interview package couldn't have been more charming, but unfortunately his performance lacked some of that sparkle. I still dig him, and this performance was far from a trainwreck, but I'm starting to wonder if he's a bit of a one-trick pony in a competition that requires nothing if not versatility. He is adorable, though, and does seem to have a strong sense of himself as an artist, so I'll cut him some slack for less-than-stellar vocals this week.
Grade: B-
7. Robbie Carrico
(Last Week: #6)
Maybe if Robbie was more distinctive, or, well, better, I would be more understanding of his "rocker" defensiveness. As is, however, he's a B-grade Bo Bice, and I'm not sure I have much use for him. He's not bad -- in fact, his voice is pretty good, and if he was rockin' at the local karaoke bar I'd probably be pretty into him. But rocker or not, he's just not original -- and that's a pretty big Idol sin.
Grade: B-
8. Danny Noriega
(Last Week: #8)
I wanna love Danny so bad -- as the first sassy gay boy the show has ever had, he really is breaking new ground. And as his "-ish" comment proved, he's funny! The problem is, I kinda hated his vocals tonight --the whole song felt just off-key to me. I know the boy can sing, but he's yet to wow me with a performance. When that happens, I'll definitely jump right on board.
Grade: C
9. Jason Yeager
(Last Week: #10)
He can sing, and if he chose the right song he might actually be a contender in this competition, but as is he's nothing but cruise-ship. And American Idol ain't no cruise ship.€
Grade: C-
10. Luke Menard
(Last Week: #11)
Ok, I hate this kid. I know, that's harsh, and two weeks ago I was ready to fall in love with him based on nothing but his photograph, but there's something about his high pitched voice and cheesy smile that's driving me crazy. Yes, he sang mostly on pitch, but the admission of his a capella roots means I now can't help but picture him snapping his fingers and creating fake drum noises. Yuck. Here's hoping America voted this wanker off.
Grade: D
Read American Idol's Ten Best Semifinal Performances of All Time
AMERICAN IDOL POLL: Which of the Top 10 Guys Was Your Favorite? Who's Going Home?
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
BIG BROTHER SPOILER: Message From Departed Houseguest
SPOILER! SPOILER! SPOILER!
Stop reading now if you don't want to know!
SPOILER! SPOILER! SPOILER!
As I reported last week, Big Brother 9 houseguest Neil Garcia has left the house due to family reasons (click here to read the full story). He has issued a statement, which doesn't do much to clarify the reason he left, but here it is:
"Thank you so much for the outpouring care, support, and concern from all the BIG BROTHER fans. This has been a difficult time for my family, which I am dealing with privately. The drama is slowly being resolved, and all is headed to a brighter place.
I am now happy to say, that I am spending time with close friends and family. I wish Joshuah the best of luck and hope that he keeps up our brilliant strategy to win the big prize with my replacement, Sharon. Please know that I will NOT be back to the BIG BROTHER house and contrary to some web speculation, I was not let go for health reasons. Eeek! Again, thanks to each and every one of you for your support during all of this Big Brother business.
All my Love,
Neil Garcia, BIG BROTHER 9
P.S. -Shit Happens- >: O"
There you have it. Thoughts?
IDOL MADNESS Final Four: Tuesday Report
Reminder: Voting in this round ends February 24 at 11:59PM EST
All totals are as of Tuesday 2/19 at 4PM EST
Vote away!! (Click on any match-up to vote)
Elliott 44,045
Carrie 27,284
#2 Clay Aiken vs. #5 Bo Bice
Clay 132,978
Bo 114,641
Consolation Round: Jasmine, Ace, Josh, Constantine
Ace 10,125
Constantine 9,811
Jasmine 1,055
Josh 784
New Dancing with the Stars 6 Cast Announced: Will the Women Rule?
The new cast of Dancing with the Stars cast was announced tonight on Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann, and, as usual, it's quite the eclectic group!
Here's the list (with professional partners in parenthesis):
Actress Marlee Matlin (Fabian Sanchez)
Magician Penn Gillette (Kym Johnson)
Broadway actress Marissa Jaret Winokur (Tony Dovolani)
Talk show hot Adam Carolla (Julianne Hough)
Figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi (Mark Ballas)
Actor Christian de la Fuenta (Cheryl Burke)
Tennis player Monica Seles (Jonathan Roberts)
R&B singer Mario (Karina Smirnoff)
Actor Steve Guttenberg (Anna Trebunskaya)
NFL star Jason Taylor (Edyta Sliwinska)
Actress Shannon Elizabeth (Derek Hough)
Actress Priscilla Presley (Louis Van Amstel)
At first glance, I'd say the women have the advantage -- I'm guessing Yamaguchi will have the technical skills thanks to her years in skating, Winokur has tons of performance experience, and Matlin will have the mature elegance that Dancing voters seem to love.
In terms of the guys, Mario has some fancy footwork, but his experience is in the R&B field, while de la Fuenta is gorgeous -- but can he dance? Taylor could surprise (as athletes Emmitt Smith and Apolo Anton Ono have in the past), but as much as I love Monica Seles, it's hard for me to imagine her having the grace it would take to win this competition. As for Gillette, Carolla and Guttenberg -- forget about it, they don't have a shot.
What do you think of this motly crue? Any early favorites?
AMERICAN IDOL
BIG BROTHER
DANCING WITH THE STARS
SURVIVOR
PROJECT RUNWAY / TOP MODEL
Monday, February 18, 2008
Team Bruno Wins Dance War in the Longest Two Hours of TV Ever
I'm sorry, but a show that was only on for six weeks does not need a two hour send-off. I'm just saying.
Team Bruno was awarded the mysterious grand prize in the finale of Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann in two of the loooooongest hours of television ever. There were only six performances, and two of them we had already seen before! Drew Lachey embarrassed himself "crooning" "Steppin' Out" and dancing like a fool, and there were probably eight different clip packages "reliving the journey." Gag me.
Don't get me wrong -- there were parts of this show that I really enjoyed, and with a little tweaking I think it could actually be really good. As for this season, Zach, Phillip, Qis and Chris were cute, Lacey and Mariel could really sing, and there were a few numbers that actually featured some inspired choreography. But all in all, I just didn't become invested in these groups -- while all of the individuals were talented, none, to me, were real superstars. Luckily, we've got a great season of Idol about to kick into gear, Dancing with the Stars starting in a few weeks, and So You Think You Can Dance and Step It Up & Dance right around the corner, so, really, as a two month diversion, Dance War could have been much worst.
In the end, it turns out the "recording contract" that's been promised all season is for the whole group (I had thought, perhaps, it went to just an individual), and the two groups debuted their singles this evening. I'm not sure the last time a co-ed group of adults singing and dancing like show choir was anywhere near relevant in the contemporary music scene, but good luck to Team Bruno, I'm sure they'll find tons of success (read as much sarcasm into that as you'd like).
The episode was most notable for announcing the new cast of Dancing with the Stars (which you can see by clicking here), which reminds me -- Carrie Ann and Bruno have day jobs. Will they have lost some of their credibility as judges now that they've exposed their own work to the public, and even blubbered on national TV (I'm talkin' to you, Carrie Ann!) It's probably a silly question, considering they didn't have much credibility to begin with, but seeing them take this cheesy show so seriously makes me look at them slighly differently, I must admit. Maybe with Len back sitting in between them everything will seem like Dance War never happened.
Team Bruno's hoping that won't be the case.
DANCE WAR: Inside Contestant Info, Including Zach and 'Dancing with the Stars'' Julianne Hough are Dating!
AMERICAN IDOL
BIG BROTHER
DANCING WITH THE STARS
SURVIVOR
PROJECT RUNWAY / TOP MODEL
Big Brother Spoiler: Power of Veto Winners
SPOILER! SPOILER! SPOILER!
SPOILER! SPOILER! SPOILER!
If you don't want want to know who has won the Power of Veto cermony this week, stop reading now!
SPOILER! SPOILER! SPOILER!
Matt and Natalie won the Power of Veto, and elected not to use it. Therefore, Jen/Parker and Ryan/Allison remain on the block, and one of the hometown sweeties will be sent home.
Stay tuned for more...
The Sh*t Hits the Fan on Big Brother: Is Joshuah the New Dick Donato?
Wow -- it took at least a few weeks into Big Brother 8 for the sh*t to really hit the fan, but already in week 2 this season's houseguests are going to the mat!
It appears as though the house has some animosity toward Amanda, and they (especially Joshuah) were not afraid to express it. Chelsia also doesn't seem to have a problem biting her tongue. In fact, the arguing gets so nasty, this video clip is definitely not safe for work.
Did Joshuah really need to use language that nasty? Are there shades of Dick Donato lurking underneath his sunny surface? Will this outburst come back to bite him in the ass, or is the house so vehemntly anti-Amanda that they won't care?
Watch the video below and let me know what you think.
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IDOL MADNESS Final Four Voting Now Live!
We're down to the Final Four of IDOL MADNESS -- who should make it to the finals??
Voting in this round ends February 24 at 11:59PM EST
You MAY vote multiple times in each match-up
Vote away!!
IDOL MADNESS Elite 8 Results -- The Final Four is Now Set!
The Elite 8 round of voting in IDOL MADNESS is now over, and the results are in!
Bo Bice and Carrie Underwood made huge last-minute comebacks, ousting Jasmine Trias and Josh Gracin to make it into the Final Four. Bo will play Clay Aiken in the next round, after Clay took out Constantine Maroulis after a heated battle. Carrie will face off against Elliott Yamin, who pulled ahead of Ace Young in the last couple of days for the win.
Again, the Final Four match-ups are:
Bo Bice vs. Clay Aiken
Carrie Underwood vs. Elliott Yamin
Anthony Fedorov and Kellie Pickler, meanwhile, took 9th and 10th place in the consolation round.
Voting for the Final Four will begin tomorrow, Monday February 18. Check back for the final four matches, as well as the Elite 8 consolation round between Jasmine, Constantine, Ace and Josh for the #5 through #8 spots.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Inside Info on the Dance War Contestants: Zach and Dancing with the Stars Julianne Hough Are Dating!
The entertaining yet illogical Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann comes to an end on Monday, and in addition to seeing Drew Lachey perform the song of the opening dance routine, we'll also find out who wins this damn thing.
Here's some scoop on the contestants, according to an inside Dance War source:
-Zach is dating two-time Dancing with the Stars champ Julianne Hough!
-Chris and Elizabeth have known each other for years -- in fact, Chris' picture was on Elizabeth's MySpace profile from way back.
-Chris has a serious girlfriend that he doesn’t want anyone to know about, but he "follows Elizabeth around like a puppy-dog."
-Chris hates criticism. His feelings are easily hurt. Often times the others will try to correct him, and he takes it offensively.
Elizabeth, Zack, Mariel and Lacey all take part in a bible study. Zack leads it.
-Phillip has plans to marry his girlfriend after the show is over.
-Lacey is annoyed by Kelsey's cattiness. According to my source, "I've seen her roll her eyes at her several times. "
-While everyone loves Bradley, neither Kelsey or Alyssa was a favorite of their respective groups.
CLICK FOR MORE HEADLINES IN THESE IDOL THOUGHTS CATEGORIES:
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Friday, February 15, 2008
Why It Doesn't Matter That American Idol's Carly Smithson Used to Have a Record Deal
In the span of just a couple of hours this morning I got e-mails from 3 different friends alerting me to the fact that American Idol contestant Carly Smithson at one point had a record deal with a major label. I knew this information, of course (I referenced it in my post Eight Burning Questions About the Top 24), but, due to the fact that this information seems to be traveling quickly through the Idol-sphere, I thought I'd give my $.02 on the topic.
I just don't care.
Before I get to why I don't care, a bit of background, in case you don't know the story...
Smithson (or Carly Hennessy, as she was known at the time) got a major record deal around 2000/2001. The label put a lot of money into promoting her as the next big thing (reports indicate it may have been as much as $2 million). The album sold less than 500 copies (ouch!) She was dropped by the label.
Fast forward a few years, and she auditions for American Idol, makes it through to Hollywood, and is disqualified due to Visa restrictions.
Fast forward a couple more years, and here we are, with Smithson in the Top 24 and some Idol folk freaking out.
Now, Smithson is not violating any Idol rules by competing -- in order to be eligible to compete, you simply cannot have a recording contract at the time you audition. Smithson didn't -- so no problem there.
Where some folks do seem to have a problem, however, is that this information seems to have been hidden from the audience. (This is not entirely accurate -- the producers have acknowledged her history in interviews, and have reiterated the rules of eligibility). During the multitude of screen time she's received through the initial stages of the competition, however, there has been no mention of this part of her background. (To be fair, she's not the only one who's had a musical part of their past unaddressed on the show -- there has also been no mention thus far that David Archuleta won Star Search several years back). We heard about Carly's Visa issues, and how much this opportunity means to her, but until now there has been no televised mention of her professional history.
The truth is, however, is that the Idol producers have a habit of not focusing on contestants' professional music history, and they do it for a very specific reason -- they want the viewers to believe they are the very first to discover each of the artists. Think about Clay Aiken or Elliott Yamin -- the thrust of their show-created narrative was that they were just "normal" kids with amazing gifts who basically stumbled into American Idol. The "normal Joe" storyline, it seems, is often a succesful one, as they audience feels personally invested at lifting these kids from a "nobody" to a "somebody." The lower on the musical totem pole they start, the more they are capable of rising.
What this has meant in the past is that backstories are creatively re-told. It's happened year after year -- Kelly Clarkson, for example, was always referred to as a "cocktail waitress," when she had been in Los Angeles for some time recording demos and trying to get a record deal. Taylor Hicks, Chris Daughtry and Bo Bice are just some of the other former Idol contenders who had recorded CDs or worked in the music industry in some capacity, but their actual pre-Idol experience was only hinted at, but never fully discussed.
So, Carly had a major record deal. It was a failure. Who knows why -- these things happen. What matters is that she's picked herself up, and is clearly grateful to have the chance to try again. Do I think all of this should have been explained on the show? Yes, I do. However, I'm not surprised it wasn't, as Idol history has shown any professional music background tends to be obfuscated by the producers. If the full story had been told, some may have been turned off by her professional experience, while others may have actually sympathized with her more. Does she have an unfair leg up in the competion? Since her CD only sold about 390 copies, and thus she does not have a pre-existing fanbase, I'd say no.
Ultimately, come Wednesday night when she takes the stage to sing, I don't think it will matter what she has done in the past-- her success or failure on the show will come from her ability to deliver, not what her professional experience level is.
Tell me what you think -- do you care that Carly had a record deal? Do you think the producers should have been more open about it when discussing her backstory?
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Will David Archuleta, Michael Johns or Luke Menard Be This Year's American Idol Hearthrob?
Hearthrobs -- nearly every season of American Idol has had one. So which of this year's male contestants will make the ladies (and some of the fellas) swoon?
By hearthrob, I'm referring to a performer whose success on the show is predicated as much on their looks, swagger and sexiness as much as it is on vocal prowess. As laughable as it seems now, the archetype for the Idol hearthrob is none other than Justin Guarini. Back in Season 1, he made Paula cry with the "beauty" of his singing, and even caused Simon to say "Watch out Justin Timberlake, there's a new Justin in town." Yes, in retrospect it seems a bit ridiculous that the curly haired singer inspired incredibly passionate shrieks and screams, but it happened!
Surely the show has produced unlikely hearthrobs in the past -- think Clay Aiken or even Sanjaya Malakar, for example. But for the purposes of this discussion, I'm thinking more along the lines of the Chris Richardsons, Ace Youngs and Constantine Maroulis' -- men whose performance style is not necessarily to everyone's taste, but who develop a rabid following (based on both looks and talent) nonetheless.
So who will inherit the throne from last year's lust-inspring Chris Richardson? I'm predicting three of this year's guys seriously competing for that title will be David Archuleta, Michael Johns and Luke Menard. Let's take a look at the hearthrob merits of each:
-David Archuleta is just 16 years old, but if he can tap into the All American cutie-pie-ness that Zac Efron has mastered, inspiring fan sites and the fluttering of little girls' hearts in the process, he could end up launching himself into the stratosphere. Plus the kid can really sing! (Click here to see video of David on Star Search and singing to Season 1's Idol contestants)
-We haven't seen Luke Menard sing a single note, mind you, so it's possible he could flame out before being given a chance to gain a following, but based solely on his looks, I'd say he has a shot at the hearthrob title.
-Michael Johns, with his lovely biceps, gorgeous face and delightful Australian accent, is something Idol doesn't often see -- a real man. Most of the show's male contestants are either quirky (Taylor Hicks, Blake Lewis) or distinctly boyish (Anthony Fedorov, RJ Helton). Johns is more like Bo Bice, Chris Daughtry and Constantine Maroulis, in that he's older and more conventionally "manly." And let's face it -- the fact that his voice is great certainly won't hurt.
I'm guessing Johns and Archuleta are going to split the hearthrob vote, with younger girls more likely to jump on the Archuleta bandwagon, and 20-somethings and up going for John's darker appeal.
Who do you think will be this year's hearthrob? David, Michael or Luke, or someone else? David Cook? Jason Castro? Leave a comment and let me know!
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Valentine's Day Nookie: Big Brother 9's Matt and Natalie Get Frisky Under the Covers
Well, that didn't take very long!
Just a week into the game, we've had our first major Big Brother hook-up, as Natalie provided some, um, oral servicing to her "soulmate" Matt -- and the cameras kept rolling!
It was Valentine's day after all!
I can't say it's a particularly romantic moment, however -- after Natalie um, finishes the "job" (I'm trying to use euphemisms here!), Matt resists Natalie's touch (saying "Don't touch me. You're all sweaty"), and then proceeds to turn away from her and flash a huge grin at the camera.
Can you say PLAYER???
Below is a clip of Matt and Natalie's extra-curricular activities. While there is no nudity, it is definitely NSFW.
Enjoy! (though not as much as Matt seems to!)
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Idol Notes: Taylor Hicks Plays B-Ball, Kimberley Locke on Don't Forget and Jordin Sparks On Tour With Alicia Keys
Here's a bit of an update on what some former Idol contestants are up to:
-Season 5 winner Taylor Hicks will participate in the All-Star/Celebrity Basketball game , which is taking place tonight. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.
-Season 2 third place finisher Kimberley Locke will appear on a special celebrity version of Don't Forget the Lyrics. Locke, who will be competing for charity, will be on the show on a TBD date in March.
-Finally, Season 5 champ Jordin Sparks will go on tour with multi-platinum Grammy winner Alicia Keys. This will surely provide Jordin with exposure to a new audience.
AMERICAN IDOL
BIG BROTHER
DANCING WITH THE STARS
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Survivor and Supermodel Recaps Delayed
As I spent last night with my Valentine's Day sweetheart not watching reality TV, recaps of Survivor and Make Me a Supermodel will be delayed until this weekend.
Sorry!
IDOL MADNESS Elite 8: Friday Report
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Voting in this round ends Sunday February 17 at 11:59PM EST
Going into the last two days of voting in the Elite 8 round, 3 of the 4 matches are separated by less than 1%. Holy cow!
Jasmine maintains a very slight .6% lead over Bo Bice, while Elliott Yamin and Ace Young are tied (after more than 7000 votes) at 50%-50%. Carrie Underwood, meanwhile, has gained 1% since yesterday, which is enough to give her a very slim lead over Josh Gracin. These matches are going to come down to the wire!
Clay Aiken is still enjoying a healthy lead over Constantine Maroulis, while Anthony Fedorov and Kelly Clarkson are leading the pack for the #9 and 10 spots.
All numbers as of Friday 2/15 at 5:30PM EST.
Click on any match-up to vote.
#5 Bo Bice vs. #6 Jasmine Trias
Feb. 10: Jasmine 50.4%-Bo 49.6%
Seacrest Bracket
#2 Clay Aiken vs. #9 Constantine Maroulis
Feb. 11: Elliott 50.5%-Ace 49.5%
Feb. 12: Josh 51.9%-Carrie 48.1%
CONSOLATION ROUND: Determining the 9th and 10th place finshers
#1-Anthony, #2-Kelly C, #3-Bucky, #4-Kellie P
Thursday, February 14, 2008
High Quality Photos of American Idol 7's Top 24
Click here to see photos of the Top 12 Girls
Click here to see photos of the Top 12 Guys
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Watch Video of American Idol 7's David Archuleta on Star Search and Singing to Kelly Clarkson
If you've developed a little crush on 16 year-old American Idol contestant David Archuleta, you've got to watch these videos!
Here is footage of a very young David wailing "Who's Loving You" on the television show Star Search. Not surprisingly, he won!
Here's one of him singing to Season 1 Idol contestants Kelly Clarkson and Jim Verraros...
And here's a video of David singing "Oh Holy Night" at a Christmas recital last year. The quality of the video is terrible, but his voice is amazing!
What do you think -- will he add Idol champ to his resume?
IDOL MADNESS Elite 8: Thursday Report
Voting in this round ends Sunday February 17 at 11:59PM EST
No major changes on this Valentine's Day, with Jasmine gaining .2% in her lead over Bo, and Elliott picking up more than 3% in his race against Ace. Josh Gracin's lead over Carrie Underwood has slimmed down to less than 2%, while Constantine Maroulis gained 3% in his war with Clay Aiken, though he remains down by a significant margin.
All numbers as of Thursday 2/14 at 5:30PM EST.
Click on any match-up to vote.
#5 Bo Bice vs. #6 Jasmine Trias
Feb. 10: Jasmine 50.4%-Bo 49.6%
Seacrest Bracket
#2 Clay Aiken vs. #9 Constantine Maroulis
Feb. 11: Elliott 50.5%-Ace 49.5%
Feb. 12: Josh 51.9%-Carrie 48.1%
CONSOLATION ROUND: Determining the 9th and 10th place finshers
#1-Anthony, #2-Kelly C, #3-Bucky, #4-Kellie P
Top 12 Girls: #'s 7-12
7. Alex Lushington
Grade: B
I like this girl's youth and her energy, and her voice has a very nice tone, but, like Simon, I'm not yet convinced she's the real deal. It's possible she's a fresher version of Melinda -- also possible she's not. Guess we'll have to wait and see.
8. Amanda Overmyer
Grade: C+
I was curious what Amanda was going to choose to sing, and I'm not sure I think her selection was the wisest. I thought the performance was all over the place, and since I wasn't familiar with the song, I had no interest in following along with the scary girl who was yelling at me. I think Amanda can be amazing in this competition -- but she's gotta start picking the right songs.
9. Cady Malloy
Grade: C
This girl does a killer Britney impression, is gorgeous (doesn't she look like Maggie Grace from Lost?) and has a lovely tone to her voice, so why she chose to go uber-Debbie Downer on us tonight is a mystery. My initital concern with Cady was that she didn't have the high notes -- that concern has yet to be alleviated.
10. Kristy Lee Cook
Grade: C-
You know that same-same thing I was talking about? This performance defines it. Kristy had such spunk in her initial audition -- tonight she really was robot-esque. Granted, going first is always difficult, and, as we heard, she's sick, but girl you gotta suck it up! She's a shoo-in to make it through the week, but if she doesn't come back firing next week she's in serious trouble.
11. Joanne Borgella
Grade: D+
This was probably the biggest disappointment of the night for me, as I had high hopes for the likable plus-size model. Unfortunately, she savaged her song and even acknowledged the fact that she's not a soul singer. Well then, what use do we have for you Joanne?
12. Amy Davis
Grade: F
Quite possibly the worst semi-final performance in history, this was tragic from beginning to end. The song choice, the voice, the make-up -- wrong, wrong, wrong. Hope you enjoyed your brief trip to Idol-land, Amy, 'cause it's about to come to an abrupt end.
Ranking the Top 12 Guys: Jason Castro Makes Quite a First Impression
POLL: Which Top 12 Girl was the best of the night? Who's going home? Vote now!
POLL: Which Top 12 Guy Was the Best? Who is Going Home? Vote Now!
GAME-CHANGING BIG BROTHER SPOILER
To read this major game-changing Big Brother spoiler click here
(To give more details would be to give too much away to those who would rather not know.)
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BIG BROTHER SPOILER: Trouble Is Brewing For Hometown Couple
SPOILER! SPOILER! SPOILER!
SPOILER! SPOILER! SPOILER!
Don't read if you don't want to know the second round of eviction nominations for Big Brother 9
SPOILER! SPOILER! SPOILER!
Alex and Amanda, this week's HOH couple, have nominated Jen/Parker and Ryan/Allison for eviction. This means that unless one of the teams manages to win the Power of Veto, at least one half of Columbus' hometown couple will be sent packin'.
With the elimination tonight of Sharon and Jacob, and now the possibility that the (formerly) undercover lovers will be separated, what must CBS be feeling? As a viewer, I think it's far more interesting to see total strangers playing this game, and the idea that either Jen or Ryan will have to survive in the house without the other one is an entertainingly tantalizing prospect.
As a side note, as more houseguests have learned their "secret." Jen and Ryan have begun to become open about their relationship in the house. This surely made them targets, as even a theoretical four-person alliance between Jen/Parker and Ryan/Allison would be hard to beat.
Power of Veto will determine what happens. Stay tuned...
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Eight Burning Questions About American Idol 7 Top 24
American Idol 7's Top 24 has been announced (click here to see photos of the Top 12 Girl and Guys), and I've been left with some burning questions:
1. Are they ever going to mention the fact that David Archuleta won Star Search? (Watch video of David on Star Search here) I mean, I love this kid -- he's freakin' adorable and he's got a great, pure voice, but at the moment we're being led to believe he's never set foot on a stage before, and that's very much not the case. I'm just saying.
2. By the same token, how 'bout the whole deal with Carly Smithson? They are painting her Visa problem and subsequent earlier ineligibility from Idol as the biggest setback of her life, but how about that record deal several years back that crumbled all around her? Like David, I love this girl (she's probably my pick to win the whole thing at this point), but it'd be nice if Idol gave us the whole story.
3. Where's the love for Chekeieze Eze, Alex Lushington and Kady Malloy? All three were shown in their initial auditions, and they made it to the Top 24, so how about giving us a glimpse of how they did in Hollywood? We got a few moments of Colton Berry and Robbie Carrico, but certainly not enough to gage what they're going to bring to the table.
4. Speaking of, who the heck are Alaina Whitaker, Amy Davis, Garrett Haley, Jason Castro, Jason Yeager and Luke Menard? If we've seen them before, I don't remember!Menard and Davis are adorable, and Jason Castro's dreadlocks certainly set him apart from the crowd, so how come we weren't given even the slightest hint as to what these people sound like durng this week's episodes?
5. Is Brooke White too much of a hot mess to survive in this competition?
6. Is Danny Noriega too sassy for this competition?
7. How adorable is Joanne Borgello? Love her!
And finally...
8. How happy am I that we avoided two potential Sanjaya's? Josiah Leming and Kyle Ensley both had the potential to wreak havoc on the competition, and I am not sorry to see them sent home. Better luck next time, guys!
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Project Runway Shocker: Four Will Go To Fashion Week, With Two Facing Off In One Final Challenge
Well, I didn't see that coming!
It was a shocker of an ending to tonight's episode of Project Runway -- not because Sweet P was auf'ed, of course, as that was a long time coming. Nope, the surprise came from the mouth of Mrs. Seal herself -- after telling Christian and Jillian that they had made it through to the final round of competition, Heidi gleefully announced to Chris and Rami, the remaining designers, that they had both made it through, but would have to compete in one final challenge to get to "officially" show at Fashion Week.
Wowza!
I put "" around "officially" because, even though only three designers will be competing to become Project Runway champ, all five remaining designers (including Sweet P) actually got to show their collections at Fashion Week, in an effort to maintain the secrecy of who the Final 3 truly are. Chris and Rami, it seems, will have to present their three best pieces from their collections, and whomever the judges determine did better work, that designer will get to compete for the grand prize of Project Runway.
Tricky!
The rest of the episode was pretty much par for the Project Runway course, with Christian even bitchier and Jillian surprisingly less whiny than usual. I'd say the most notable aspect to the whole thing was the fact that Chris took a nap (during the final challenge!) and still managed to make it through. This, of course, on top of the fact that he was already eliminated from the competition. Does this guy have good juju or what?
As for Rami, he's lucky for this little twist, because the judges (and I!) are so over his draping. Come on dude -- how could you not know picking the Grecian chick as your inspiration was gonna get you in trouble? By all accounts his collection at Fashion Week turned out pretty well -- now we'll just have to see if it was "officially" in contention.
PS. Can I just say that I am lovin' on Bravo these days. Project Runway and Make Me a Supermodel are fierce (to use Christian's favorite word) as all get-out, and Top Chef and Step It Up & Dance are waiting in the wings. Love!
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It's Official! American Idol 7's Top 24
Those of us who caved and looked at the spoilers weren't shocked by tonight's announcement of the American Idol 7 Top 24, but for those who resisted the temptation, here is the official list (with photos and burning questions soon to come):
Top 12 Girls
Asia'h Epperson
Alaina Whitaker
Alex Lushington
Amanda Overmyer
Amy Davis
Brooke White
Carly Hennessy Smithson
Joanne Borgella
Kady Malloy
Kristy Lee Cook
Ramielle Malubay
Syesha Mercado
Top 12 Guys
Chikeze Eze
Colton Berry
Danny Noriega
David Archuleta
David Cook
David Hernandez
Garrett Haley
Jason Castro
Jason Yeager
Luke Menard
Michael Lee Johns
Robbie Carrico
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BIG BROTHER
DANCING WITH THE STARS
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Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Bravo's Step It Up & Dance Will Premiere April 3
You gotta love Bravo -- they've got a gift for taking a pre-existing idea and turning it into magic. While Project Runway is a true original, Top Chef and Make Me a Supermodel put Bravo's standard classy twist on the cooking and modeling competitions we've seen before, and the result is unadulterated goodness.
Well, get ready for them to do the same thing to the genre of the dance show, because Step It Up & Dance premieres April 3!
Picking up where So You Think You Can Dance leaves off, the show, hosted by Saved By the Bell and Showgirls actress Elizabeth Berkley, will feature 12 dancers trying to make it in the cuthroat dance industry. According to Bravo's press release, "Whether it's a music video one week or a Vegas spectacular the next, [the show] will feature weekly challenges in which the dancers audition for a range of parts, designed to showcase their versatility and moves."
Tony Award-winning director and choreographer Jerry Mitchell (Hairspray, Legally Blonde) will mentor the dancers, with world-renowned director and choreographer Vincent Paterson (Madonna's "Blond Ambition" Tour, Michael Jackson's "Bad" Tour), and choreographer Nancy O'Meara ("Hannah Montana," "High School Musical Tour") serving as judges.
Can't wait!!
AMERICAN IDOL
BIG BROTHER
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IDOL MADNESS Elite 8: Wednesday Report
Voting in this round ends Sunday February 17 at 11:59PM EST
The newly started Clay/Constantine match-up (please click here to read a note about this match-up, which has been re-started due to voting irregularities) is heavily going toward Clay at the moment, while all other Elite 8 matches are still separated by less 3%. Keep on voting for your faves!
All numbers as of Wednesday 2/13 at 5:00PM EST.
Click on any match-up to vote.
#5 Bo Bice vs. #6 Jasmine Trias
Feb. 10: Jasmine 50.4%-Bo 49.6%
Seacrest Bracket
#2 Clay Aiken vs. #9 Constantine Maroulis
Feb. 11: Elliott 50.5%-Ace 49.5%
Feb. 12: Josh 51.9%-Carrie 48.1%
CONSOLATION ROUND: Determining the 9th and 10th place finshers
#1-Anthony, #2-Kelly C, #3-Bucky, #4-Kellie P
BIG BROTHER SPOILER ALERT: First Eliminated Couple and Second HOH Couple
SPOILER!! SPOILER!! SPOILER!!
Click here to see who the first evicted couple from Big Brother 9 is, as well as the second HOH couple.
The Models Get Dramatic and Prison Ben Defends Ronnie on the Preview for Make Me a Supermodel
Looks like they are amping up the drama on this week's Make Me a Supermodel, as the contestants are sent to acting class. Making out and fighting ensues!
In addition, the clip shows Prison Ben defending his "bromance" Ronnie. Adorable!
American Idol: Best. Hollywood Week. Ever. (Ranking the Top 12 Contenders)
MAJOR SPOILER: American Idol Top 24 Finalists Revealed!
Wow, the American Idol folks were not kidding when they said this year's Hollywood round would be better than ever. It was amazing!
There was no drama. None. (Okay, just a little). But what there was in spades was singing. And singing. And more singing.
And I loved it!
Forgive my enthusiasm, but I'm now more convinced than ever that this is going to be the strongest year of Idol yet (read my post Seven Reasons This Season Really Might Be Better Than Ever). )While we're accustomed to fumbled lyrics and off-pitch disasters in Hollywood, what we got was at least a good dozen people who have the potential to be really good.
Based solely on what we saw tonight, here's how I'd rank the Top 12 contenders:
*Note: We did not see several performers tonight who have made it into the Top 50 (Chikeize Eze and Alex Lushington, for example). In addition, some were on for such a small amount of time (Colton Berry, Robbie Carrico) I didn't include them in this list.
1. Carly Smithson has the kind of thrilling voice that there's always a place for on American Idol. Sure, her rendition of "Alone" doesn't compare to Carrie Underwood's Idol-definitive version a few years back. But those high notes! And she wants this bad, which means she's going to push herself -- that's always fun to watch.
2. David Archuleta may just have this thing all sewn up. First off -- he looks like Zac Efron (definitely not a bad thing when teenage girls both watch this show and have cell phones with text messaging capabilities). Second of all -- he's got a great voice. Really great. And, thirdly, he won Star Search a few years back, so he has experience performing on live television. Top 10, easy.
3. Michael Johns' rendition of "Light My Fire" was solid, but his performance of "Bohemian Rhapsody" showed this guy's got serious star potential. And that Australian accent ain't gonna hurt one bit.
4. David Cook has a lowkey charm, coupled with a hot rock voice. My current dark horse fave.
5. David Hernandez was a nice surprise, effortlessly crooning "Love the One You're With" and showing an ease on stage that many of his peers were lacking. Not too shabby.
6. Amanda Overmyer sounded great singing "Light My Fire," but I have to admit, I share Simon's concern that all of her songs are going to sound the same. For now, though, I'm still smitten.
7. Asia'h Epperson had such a tragic backtory I failed to notice this girl could really sing. And she's hot. Not a bad combination.
8. Danny Noriega, quirky as he may be, has an amazing voice. Does he remind anyone else of Christian from Project Runway? I can't wait to see what happens with this kid in the competition.
9. Kristi Lee Cook gave another solid performance of "Amazing Grace," but I'm going to have to hear her sing something else before I can really get a sense of what she's capable of.
10. Syesha Mercado definitely has talent, but she also has a habit of shouting. Girl, I'm right here, you don't have to scream!
11. Brooke White's take on "Beautiful" was interesting, in that she definitely does have a Carole King/Joni Mitchell vibe to her, but I remain unconvinced that she can hit the power notes that really make an Idol contestant soar.
12. Ramiele Mulubay is gonna work that "little girl with the big voice" thing, but she's gonna have to start wailing if she's gonna get my vote.
Potential Sanjaya Alert:
Josiah Leming is adorable, and heartbreaking -- in the kind of way that I want to take him home and feed him a cup of soup. Do I want him to be my American Idol? Not so much.
Kyle Ensley is the new Kevin "Chicken Little" Covais. I'm just saying.
AMERICAN IDOL
BIG BROTHER
DANCING WITH THE STARS
SURVIVOR
PROJECT RUNWAY / TOP MODEL
Ranking the Top 12 Guys: #'s 7-12
7. David Hernandez
This guy's got a great voice, no doubt, but he's gotta take a deep breath and relax! Granted, the first performance spot of the night (and the season) is always a challenge, but I'm a little worried this guy doesn't have much charisma, and if he doesn't at least start looking like he's having fun he's not going to be around much longer. Plus, that last note was painful.
Grade: B-
8. Danny Noriega
What an Idol oddity Danny Noriega is -- a flamboyant, bitchy, very talented young man. I've said it once and I'll say it again, he's the Idol version of Project Runway's Christian. His performance tonight was definitely not his best (he didn't show off the range we've seen in his prior performances), but I'm curious to see how America will respond to him. I'm hoping they give him another chance to show what he's got.
Grade: B-
9. Chikezie Eze
Barry White whaaaaat? I've been a Chikezie champion from the start, but I was let down by my guy tonight. Sure, he sounded great once he hit his stride in the song, but that suit was a travesty, and arguing with Simon the first week is never a good idea. If he starts picking better songs he might be a contender in this competition, but tonight's performance was a non-starter.
Grade: C
10. Jason Yaegar
Booooooooooring. If you haven't gotten any screen time on the show, you've got to make sure your first appearance blows people away. Jason Yaegar -- not so much. His competent but snooze-inducing performance of "Moon River" reeked of cruise ship singer, and I'd be shocked if this guy makes it through the week.
Grade: C-
11. Luke Menard
I was prepared to love Luke -- I mean, have you looked at him? But about 10 seconds after he started singing, I was over him. This guy may make it through a week or two based on his looks, but there's no way he's making it to the Top 12.
Grade: D
12. Garrett Haley
I love this kid's story -- that he was vacationing in San Diego and decided on a whim to audition -- but unfortunately I hated his performance tonight. Tinny and whiny, this kid just can't hold a candle vocally to his competitors. Hopefully the voting public won't be wowed by his Sanjaya-esque hair and get any crazy ideas of keeping this kid around much longer.
Grade: D-
Who was the best of the Top 12 guys? Who's going home? Take the polls now!
First Impressions of the Big Brother 9 Houseguests: Sheila Is So Not My Type
Big Brother is back!
Click here to read SPOILER: Big Brother 9's First Eliminated Couple and Second HOH Couple
It's always a little tricky to get into the first few days of the show, as you first have to figure out who everyone is. Complicating the matters is the much-discussed "soulmate twist," which will certainly have an impact on the game unlike any other twist in the past. While it does appear to be a slighly less vapid group than in year's past (c'mon, it's all relative!), I do think it's curious that most of the houseguests seemed more concerned about their possible sexual chemistry than how compatible they are to play the game together. But hey -- I guess there's plenty of time for that. Right now they have to check out each other's bodies.
Also -- does anyone else think that the potential for drama impacted the "soulmate" descisions as much as the "extensive personality tests and interviews?" I wonder...
Anyhow, here's my first impressions of the teams:
Adam and Sheila
Nightmare, nightmare, nightmare. As the oldest woman in the house, you would hope that Sheila would show signs of maturity, but no such luck -- she made a fool of herself lamenting how Adam "wasn't her type." Get over it, girl -- did you come to win $500K or find a boyfriend? I feel badly for Adam, and give him credit for biting his tongue instead of fighting back, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't hoping they are the first team to go.
Jen and Parker/Ryan and Allison
So I guess we've figured out the mystery of the myspace photos (click here to read Myspace Photos Reveal Two Big Brother Houseguests Know Each Other From Home) This reeks of the twin stunt in Season 5 and America's Player in Season 8, but it should be fun to watch Ryan and Jen squirm as they are forced to watch their significant others share beds and secrets with other players. Parker and Allison are both wildcards as well -- he's a TMZ photographer, she's a professional gambler. If Ryan and Jen are smart they'd convince their teammates to form a four-strong alliance early on. We'll see how that works out.
Shannon and Jake
Ooooh, this one's tough. You just know CBS is hoping these two exes will be the Dick and Daniele of the season, bringing their outside laundry into the house. He seems like a sweet enough guy, although it's unclear how exactly their relationship ended (he cheated -- I got that -- but did he leave Shannon for this other girl? I'm definitely curious to see this one play out.
Joshuah and Neil
Not much to say at this point, except that I'm thrilled we'll get to watch the dynamic of two gay men working together. Though Ivonne and Beau were both gay a few seasons back, there have never been two gay houseguests of the same gender. Will they be considered a threat in the challenges because they are both male?
Matt and Natalie
The Staten Island pretty boy Guido and the bikini barrista -- that actually might be a match made in heaven. He's the ultimate straight guy (every season's gotta have one), and couldn't resist the opportunity to comment on every single woman's body. Time will tell if he's charmingly smarmy -- or just a snake.
Alex and Amanda
I kinda like these two, although they haven't received tons of airtime yet. She's likably ditzy in a Janelle sort of way (and, as a paralegal, she must be smarter than she's letting on), while he has an endearing lowkey quality, not to mention he's adorable!
Crazy James and Chelsia
Again, I haven't been able to glean too much about these two (although Chelsia's comment about the bikes shows she definitely has a sense of humor). I didn't like James' response to losing the HOH challenge -- is it a sign of more of a temper to come?
AMERICAN IDOL
BIG BROTHER
DANCING WITH THE STARS
SURVIVOR
PROJECT RUNWAY / TOP MODEL
Watch the Video For Idina Menzel's New Single "Brave"
Here's the official video for "Brave," the first single from Tony Award winner Idina Menzel's new album I Stand.
Yes, it's a bit American Idol finale-esque, but I love the song and I love the concept of the video!
PS. This song is now in the Top 30 of the Mainstream Adult Contemporary Radio Chart. Go Idina!
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Has Carrie Underwood Been Too Successful For Her Own Good?
Is there such thing as too much sustained success? Ask Carrie Underwood.
There's no question the former Idol champ is a superstar -- in fact, she's arguably country music's reigning queen. She sold more than 6 million copies of her debut album, has picked up every imaginable award (including a couple more Grammys this past weekend), had a song on a hit movie soundtrack (Enchanted) and continues to produce hit after hit (her newest single, "All American Girl," is currently in the Top 10 and rising on the Country chart). In addition, she looks gorgeous and is a fixture in the gossip magazines and blogs for who she's dating (Tony Romo? Chace Crawford?)
So what's the problem?
The problem is that her sophomore CD, Carnival Ride, is not performing at quite the clip her first CD Some Hearts did. Don't get me wrong -- having been certified double platinum in December, the album is very far from being a failure. And the album's first two singles ("So Small" and "All American Girl") have both had major success on the country charts.
However -- this past week the album posted sales of just 20K, and she has slipped to number 29 on the album sales chart. And although they are operating in totally different musical genres, it is noteworthy that she has fallen behind fellow Idol alum Daughtry on the chart --despite the fact that Daughtry's album came out a full year before Carrie's did.
Now, the winter months are traditionally a slow sales period (the #1 album of the week, Alicia Keys, managed sales of just 63K), so there is certainly no need for Carrie (or her many loyal fans) to worry. But I have to wonder -- why is this happening at a time when Carrie is getting more publicity than ever?
The only answer I can come up with is that she's simply been too consistently successful. There hasn't been a period of more than a few weeks without an Underwood song on the top of the charts, and the overlap between Some Hearts disappearance from the charts and the arrival of Carnival Ride was minimal. Are people so used to Underwood's success at this point that they don't feel the urgent need to run out and buy her album? If they are going to purchase an Underwood CD, are they just going to grab the one with "Before He Cheats" and "Jesus Takes the Wheel," instead of picking up the new one? Because she never disappeared from the spotlight and then returned, are people not even aware she has a new CD?
Obviously there is no way to know the exact reason her sales are not exploding, and, as I said, she is still so successful that there is not really huge cause for concern. However, I did think it was worth noting, and I'm curious -- what do you think is the reason Carrie's album sales seemed to have slowed down a bit? Leave a comment and let me know!
AMERICAN IDOL
BIG BROTHER
DANCING WITH THE STARS
SURVIVOR
PROJECT RUNWAY / TOP MODEL
CUTE BOYS OF POP CULTURE
IDOL MADNESS Elite 8: Tuesday Report
Voting in this round ends Sunday February 17 at 11:59PM EST
Please click here to read a note about the Clay Aiken vs. Constantine Maroulis Elite 8 match-up, which has been re-started due to voting irregularities
Aside from the Clay/Constantine match, there's not much change in the Elite 8 match-ups -- in fact, they are closer than ever! There are now less than 3% points separating each match!
All numbers as of Tuesday 2/12 at 5:25PM EST.
Click on any match-up to vote.
#5 Bo Bice vs. #6 Jasmine Trias
Feb. 10: Jasmine 50.4%-Bo 49.6%
Seacrest Bracket
#2 Clay Aiken vs. #9 Constantine Maroulis
Feb. 11: Elliott 50.5%-Ace 49.5%
Jackson Bracket
#1 Carrie Underwood vs. #7 Josh Gracin
Josh 51.9%-Carrie 48.1%
CONSOLATION ROUND: Determining the 9th and 10th place finshers
#1-Anthony, #2-Bucky, #3-Kelly C, #4-Kellie P
Important IDOL MADNESS Note Regarding Clay Aiken vs. Constantine Maroulis
Due to repeated gaming/scripting attempts to manipulate the results of the IDOL MADNESS match between Clay Aiken and Constantine Maroulis, vizu.com, which operates the poll, has had no choice but to close the poll.
As such, all results up until this point in that match only will be null and void.
The new poll for the Clay vs. Constantine match-up can be found here.
If this happens again, I will have no choice but to remove this match from consideration, and the winner of the Jasmine/Bo contest will receive a free pass to the Final 4.
Please vote fairly!
Big Brother 9 And Live Feeds Start Tonight!
This is the best of all worlds -- the writer's strike is over and we get a winter edition of Big Brother. Holla!
The fun kicks of tonight on CBS at 9PM. Live internet feeds begin directly following tonight's show. To sign up for a two week free trial that will allow you to watch uncensored Big Brother action 24/7, click on this link:
More Big Brother News:
MYSPACE PHOTOS REVEAL TWO BIG BROTHER HOUSEGUESTS KNOW EACH OTHER FROM HOME
BIG BROTHER 9 HOUSEGUESTS: BIOS AND PHOTOS
WHAT IMPACT WILL THE 'DONATO EFFECT' HAVE ON BIG BROTHER 9
AMERICAN IDOL
BIG BROTHER
DANCING WITH THE STARS
SURVIVOR
PROJECT RUNWAY / TOP MODEL
Dance War Is Officially the Campiest and Least Sensical Show on Television
I've been watching Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann since the premiere episode, and I'm now ready to say...
This is the campiest and least sensical show on television!
Don't get me wrong -- I initially fell for the concept that seemed to merge the best of American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance. I'm a Broadway freak, so getting to watch cute kids singing and dancing seemed nothing but a treat. And there have been moments of semi-greatness on the show -- last night's second number choreographed by Carrie Ann came close to being one of them.
There have, however, also been a whole of lot of moments of "eh" on the show. Being able to both sing and dance spectacularly is something very few people in this world can do, which means by it's very nature this show is going to have an amateur feel to it.
It seems the producers have recognized this, and, as such, they have gone totally over the top to try and ramp up the entertainment value. Think about it -- Bruno and Carrie Ann's sniping at each other? Bruno collapsing to his knees after finding out his team has won? Carrie Ann crying through the last 10 minutes of the show as she had to cut a member from her team? The hysterics are overwhelming!
(And that's not even accounting for the performance by the High School Musical Tour cast!)
But the real problem with everyone (the judges, audience, Lachey, and contestants) taking this show so seriously is that we have no idea what the stakes are! I've heard talk about a "record contract" for the "winner," but is the "winner" one person? A group? How will this "winner" ultimately be decided? By Bruno and Carrie Ann? By the audience?
It's nearly impossible to keep a straight face when the contestants say "Dance War means everything to me. If this was all to end, my dreams would be shattered." Huh? First of all, the show's season finale is next week, so you best be preparing for your "dreams to be shattered." Second of all, how can it mean everything to you when you don't even know exactly what you are competing for?
Thus, the best way to watch this show, I've decided, is to simply not think about it. It is what it is. Let the high stakes come into play on Idol --this one's not about logic, it's about ridiculousness (with a bit of singing and dancing on the side). And truth be told -- there's worst things than that.
AMERICAN IDOL
BIG BROTHER
DANCING WITH THE STARS
SURVIVOR
PROJECT RUNWAY / TOP MODEL
Monday, February 11, 2008
Dancing with the Stars 6 Cast to be Announced on Tonight's Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann
The rumors about the cast of Dancing with the Stars 6 will either be confirmed or denied tonight on the finale of Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann. Will Adam Carolla really be paired with Julianne Hough? Will Marlee Matin, Sean Hayes or Monica Seles be a part of the cast? Check back around 9:30PM EST for the full and official list!
UPDATE
Now confirmed:
Actress Marlee Matlin
Magician Penn Gillette
Broadway actress Marissa Jaret Winokur
Talk show hot Adam Carolla
Figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi
Actor Christian de la Fuenta
Tennis player Monica Seles
R&B singer Mario
Actor Steve Guttenberg
NFL star Jason Taylor
Actress Shannon Elizabeth
Actress Priscilla Presley
IDOL MADNESS Elite 8: Monday Report
Voting in this round ends Sunday February 17 at 11:59PM EST
Not much change in the Elite 8 match-ups, with one notable exception -- Clay Aiken has taken the lead in his battle with Constantine Maroulis. Jasmine Trias, Elliott Yamin and Josh Gracin continue to hold slim margins against Bo Bice, Ace Young, and Carrie Underwood, respectively, although there is still plenty of time for that to change.
All numbers as of Monday 2/11 at 5:45PM EST.
Click on any match-up to vote.
#5 Bo Bice vs. #6 Jasmine Trias
Feb. 10: Jasmine 50.4%-Bo 49.6%
Seacrest Bracket
#2 Clay Aiken vs. #9 Constantine Maroulis
Feb. 10: Constantine 51.1%-48.9%
Abdul Bracket
#3 Elliott Yamin vs. #9 Ace Young
Elliott 50.5%-Ace 49.5%
Jackson Bracket
#1 Carrie Underwood vs. #7 Josh Gracin
Josh 52.2%-Carrie 47.8%
CONSOLATION ROUND: Determining the 9th and 10th place finshers
#1-Anthony, #2-Kelly C, #3-Bucky, #4-Kellie P
American dol 7 Top 24 -- Can You Tell Who is Who?
The above photograph is American Idol's To 4 contestants. Can you tell who is who behind those Simon Cowell masks?
Click here for SPOILER: American Idol 7 Top 24 Revealed
Saturday, February 09, 2008
Myspace Photos Reveal Two Big Brother 9 Players Know Each Other From Home
With just four days until the start of Big Brother 9, clues are starting to leak out as to how this year's "soulmate" twist will work.
Thanks to a couple of web sleuths, myspace pictures of contestants Jen and Ryan (seen above)show not only that they are both from Columbus, Ohio, but that they like posing for photos in each other's arms! Yep, the two appear to be hometown sweethearts.
Does this mean they'll be partnered up in the game? Likely not. According to the press release there was some "formula" that was used to pair up the houseguests, so I'd imagine the hook is "See what happens when a real-life couple is paired up with someone who is their soulmate on paper!" Oh, Big Brother.
I also have to wonder -- with a male bisexual and an openly gay man in the house (Joshuah and Neil), should we automatically assume they will be paired together? (I know I'm hoping that will be the case!)
I guess we'll have to wait until Tuesday to see how these questions will be answered. Either that, or until the next clue surfaces on the internet!
Source
Friday, February 08, 2008
Posh Spice Will Guest Judge on Final Project Runway Fashion Show; All Five Designers Show at Fashion Week
Several details about the final Project Runway fashion show of the year have emerged -- and some of them are pretty "spicy!"
Victoria Beckham, aka Posh Spice, will be the celebrity guest judge for the final fashion show, joining Heidi Klum, Michael Kors and Nina Garcia on the judging panel.
In addition, all five remaining designers (Sweet P, Chris, Christian, Jillian and Ramy) showed their work at Fashion Week. The previews for this week's episodes reveal that two designers are eliminated, so only three of the designers will actually be in contention for the win. (Will it be the three I predicted? Read Is the Project Runway Final Three Now a Foregone Conclusion?) The reason for having all five designers show their work is to maintain the secrecy of who actually makes it to the Final 3.
According to some (clearly subjective) reports, Christian received the best response from the audience.
Stay tuned for more details...
Source: After Elton
Dancing with the Stars Casting Rumors: Sean Hayes, Priscilla Presley, Marlee Matlin and Marissa Jaret Winoker
The Dancing with the Stars casting rumors continue to flood in, with a few relatively well-known celebrities joining the mix.
Star magazine is reporting that Will and Grace Emmy winner Sean Hayes, ex-wife of "The King" Priscilla Presley, Oscar winner Marlee Matlin, and Tony Award winner Marissa Jaret Winoker (Hairspray) will hit the dance floor this spring. Others who have been previously mentioned include Charlie's Angel Cheryl Ladd, Trump ex-wife Marla Maples, tennis player Monica Seles and Mrs. Brady herself, Florence Henderson.
Of course, this is all speculation until the cast is officially announced. But by the looks of it, it sure seems like it will be an interesting group!
Seven Reasons Why American Idol Really Might Be Better Than Ever This Year
SPOILER: American Idol 7 Top 24 Revealed!
Let's face it -- after the "thousands" who audition, the 164 who make it to Hollywood, the 24 semi-finalists, and the 12 finalists, the success or failure of an American Idol season comes down to 3 or 4 contestants.
Every year since the show's inception there have been a few truly gifted performers, and a whole bunch of mediocre-to-good performers. It's not the Haley Scarnatos and Phil Staceys that make a season work or not work -- it's the Fantasia Barrino's, the Melinda Doolittle's, and the Elliott Yamin's that do.
Consider the past seasons -- most of Season 1's finalists were, quite frankly, pretty bad (AJ Gil, anyone?), but the season was totally driven by Kelly Clarkson vs. Tamyra Gray (with Justin Guarini thrown in for good measure). Though Constantine was a factor early on, Season Four was, from the get-go, a contest between Carrie Underwood and Bo Bice. The top contenders challenge each other to raise their game, while the others are there for, let's be honest, filler.
In fact, even those seasons of Idol that are considered the deepest (in terms of talent pool) only had three or four singers really in contention for the title -- Season 2 had Ruben Studdard, Clay Aiken, and Kimberley Locke (with Josh Gracin and Trenyce representing the second tier), while Season Five, considered by many to the be the deepest season ever on Idol, had only five legitimate contenders (Taylor, Katharine, Elliott, Chris and Paris).
Yes, all it takes is a handful or truly special performers to make a season soar or collapse, and as far I can see, there is at least . If even 2/3 of the contestants I discuss below make good on their potential, I feel confident that we may actually have, as the judges and producers have promised, the best season yet.
Here are seven reasons why:
1. Carly Smithson
Ladies and gentlemen, I think we've found a frontrunner. This girl is amazing! Part Kelly Clarkson, part Pink, she sounded awesome singing "I'm Every Woman," hitting notes that most of the other girls we've seen so far wouldn't even dream of trying to hit., a capella no less. And how lovely and genuine does she seem? Speaking up for her tattooed boyfriend, and declaring how hard she's going to work and how she hopes that this is her year? I love her already.
2. David Cook
Laying down "Living on a Prayer" flawlessy (and without breaking a sweat), this rocker has a quirky appeal, and based on what I've heard, I'd guess he'll actually be able to tackle different style of music with ease.
3. Amanda Overmyer
Idol has never really had a genuine rock'n'roll gal (I'm sorry, Kimberly Caldwell or Gina Glocksen don't count), so this Joplin-esque diva may be the unique, original talent this show is looking for. I love the huskiness in her voice, and she seems like a real, natural talent.
4. Chikezie Eze
Quite simply the best male voice I've heard this season.
5. Kristi Lee Cook
After the success of Carrie, Bucky and Kellie, you'd think last year would have been flooded with country hopefuls, but there was nary a country crooner in the bunch. Perhaps this year will be different, especially with Kristi, who is a bit like Carrie Underwood with more of an edge, in the mix. Clearly the producers think she's something special, as they teased this "cage fighting singer" throughout the Philadelphia episode. It was worth the wait -- her gorgeous rendition of "Amazing Grace" easily made her the city's best audition. Expect to see this girl in the Top 10.
6. Perrie Cataldo
Sure he has a rap sheet, but who cares when he's got a voice like that! In fact, this single father's voice as he sang "I'll Make Love To You" vaguely reminded me of Elliott Yamin, which I mean as a very high compliment. His heartbreaking backstory (and his adorable son) won't hurt him one bit -- this guy seems like a definite Top 10 contender.
7. Michael Johns
I've never heard Otis Redding's "I've Been Loving You Too Long," so I have no idea if that is what the song is actually supposed to sound like, but to my ears (and eyes), this guy is the real deal. He also seems like he'd be versatile -- he'd nail the country and soul themes, and could probably rock out as well. And that Australian accent? I approve.
And lets not forget Joanne Borgellas, Danny Noriega, Robbie Carrico, Ramiele Mulaby, Syesha Mercado, and David Archuleta, who could also make a serious dent in the competition.
Yep, I'd say we have a potentially very exciting season on our hands!
Conspiracy Theory: Did Jeff Probst Engineer Jonny Fairplay's Exit on Survivor: Fans vs. Favorites?
Let me be honest -- I am no fan of Jonny Fairplay. I have no problem when Survivor contestants lie and deceive, but I have no respect for the way Fairplay plays the game, and his appearances on other reality shows have shown him to be a real-deal headcase. Yeah, I'm just not into him.
But there's something fishy about the way he became the first tribemate eliminated on Survivor: Fans vs. Favorites. Within the span of what seemed like hours he went from being in a position of power (the swing vote between the two alliances of four), to the pawn in the plan of Parvati, of all people. There may have been some self-sabotage in there, and the feeling that he couldn't live up to his infamous name. Maybe he really did miss his now-wife and mother of his child Michelle (the lesbian from America's Next Top Model). And perhaps he had already convinced everyone to vote for him by the time they got to tribal council and it just was not shown on tv.
But then there's Probst.
It's been well documented that Jeff Probst and Fairplay don't get along, and that he objected to Fairplay's casting on the show. In fact, from the first moment the favorties were assembled, Probst shot a zinger at Fairplay ("I like to know that you have aspirations to get out of your current place in life") that was a personal assault, masked as playful jibe.
But at tribal council, it appeared to be his mission to call Fairplay out. 90% of the questions Probst asked (that were shown on tv) were to or about Fairplay, as he tried to uncover whether Fairplay was interested in quitting the game. In fact, he essentially challenged him to quit the game, forcing himself to defend his ability to be a good father. Consider the following (kinda hysterical!) exchange:
Fairplay: "All I think about is my little baby Piper okay. I mean, am I being a crappy father by being here?"
Probst: "But...you're not a father yet."
Fairplay: "Yeah, I'm this close."
Probst followed that up with "So you wanna go home?" and every subsequent question he asked was about Fairplay -- whether he was making an excuse and wanted to go home, or if his tribemates thought it was a scheme, peppered with comments like "Fairplay has a reputation of pulling scams and lying," which seemed to be subliminal suggestions to vote him out. And, of course, he asked Fairplay straight out "So it's a quit?"
Perhaps I'm just being a conspiracy theorist -- there is obviously a lot of footage that is not televised, and what happened in tribal council may have had no effect on the end result.
But still...I'm watching you Probst.
IDOL MADNESS Elite 8 Matches Now Live!
Voting in this round ends Sunday February 17 at 11:59PM EST
See the results of the IDOL MADNESS Sweet 16 Match-Ups
Here are the Elite 8 match-ups. Vote away!
#5 Bo Bice vs. #6 Jasmine Trias
Seacrest Bracket
#2 Clay Aiken vs. #9 Constantine Maroulis
Abdul Bracket
#3 Elliott Yamin vs. #9 Ace Young
Jackson Bracket
#1 Carrie Underwood vs. #7 Josh Gracin
CONSOLATION ROUND: Determining the 9th and 10th place finshers
IDOL MADNESS Sweet 16 Results -- Upsets Galore
Voting for the Sweet 16 round of IDOL MADNESS is now over, and the results are in!
Let's be honest -- this is a fan club war. To be fair, each of the contestants' fan communities seem to have been alerted to the contest, so it is an equal playing field in that respect, and who wins is determined by how actively their fan club is working to get out the vote. However, it should be acknowledged that were the general public voting on these match-ups, the results might be different.
Having said that -- several shockers in the Sweet 16, leaving us with some very interesting Elite 8 match-ups. Voting starts later tonight or tomorrow, so keep an eye on Idol Thoughts and get ready to vote!
Here are the results...
#5 Bo Bice def. #1 Kelly Clarkson
#6 Jasmine Trias def. #10 Kellie Pickler
Seacrest Bracket
#9 Constantine Maroulis def. #13 Bucky Covington
Abdul Bracket
#9 Ace Young def. #5 Blake Lewis
Jackson Bracket
#7 Josh Gracin def. #3 Latoya London
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Ricky is Gone and All is Right With Project Runway
It took the dumbest challenge of the season to get Ricky auf'ed from Project Runway, and for that I say hallelujah!
I admit, I've been tough on the guy from the beginning. Maybe it was the incessant waterworks, or perhaps it was the steady stream of terrible dresses he sent down the runway, but I just could never embrace the guy, and I'm not afraid to admit that I'm happy to see him go. Yep -- I went ahead and said it.
Speaking of going ahead and saying it, Christian was not biting his tongue last night, giving me that many more reasons to love him. I mean, every word out of his mouth is comic genius! And when he backs it up with fierceness like that leather and lace number, how can I not pull for him to come out on top. (On a side note, how hyseterical is his face each time he comes in second place in a challenge. I love it!)
What I did not love was the challenge itself. At this point in the competition, we've got to see what the designers can really do, not how well they can put together a purposefully tacky outfit. WWE Divas?? Michael Kors deserves better than that.
For the second time in the last few weeks Ramy's outfit was a complete eyesore, but luckily for him Ricky and Sweet P's creations were worse. As usual, Sweet P was a big hot mess, completely overhauling her design at the last minute for what seems like the sixth week in a row. How she has managed to skate through this long is totally beyond me.
Although Chris definitely pulled it together in this challenge (which seems tailor made for him), I still believe what I wrote in my post Is the Final Three Now a Foregone Conclusion? -- that Jillian, Ramy and Christian will be the last three designers standing. With Ricky finally gone, there's now just two designers standing in the way of that happening. Bring. It. On.
Wacky Judges and the Best Male Voice of the Season on American Idol's "Best of the Rest"
SPOILER: Top 24 Finalists Revealed!
Yippeeeeeeeeee!!
That's the sound of glee that escaped from my mouth the minute last night's American Idol ended. No more bad auditions!!
Yes, the beginning of Hollywood week marks the beginning of what Idol purists (like myself) consider the real start of the competition. Of course, due to the spoiler list that was leaked, the surprise of who will make it and who will not is not as present this year -- still, there's much more fun to be had in Hollywood than there is with a costumed Santa in Dallas. I'm just saying.
As for last night's episode, labeled "the best of the rest," we did get some glimpses of real talent, along with, of course, more annoying people and wacky judges behavior. Simon can't pronounce people's names -- it's crazy! I do have to admit, though, that his reaction to Alicia Stelzl's performance of "Islands in the Stream," after having been given a second chance by Paula and Randy ("I hate to admit it, but you were right!") was pretty classic. In fact, next to the guy who sang "Go Down Moses," it may have been the funniest moment so far this season.)
While Cardin McKinney is so musical theater, and Amy Davis is nothin' special, plus-size model Joanne Borgella is gorgeous, totally charming and has a sick voice, and the presence to match. Mandisa and LaKisha have spoiled us -- we gotta have a big black girl in the finals!
Chikeze Eze may have the best male voice I've heard this season. Yeah, I said it. His version of "All The Woman I Need" was flawless! While the judges seemed less than enthused, I was blown away by this guy.
And what to make of Danny Noriega? His voice is fierce, and there was something endearing about his desire to overcome his meltdown from last year. I also love that he's "trying to be myself this year." Is that his way of saying he's gay? (It did appear to be his boyfriend who accompanied him to the audition). Perhaps I'm being presumptuous, but I think it'd be awesome to have an openly gay contestant on the show.
So, that's it for the Season 7 audition tour. See ya in Hollywood!
SPOILER: Top 24 Finalists Revealed!
Photos of American Idol 7's Top 12 Girls
Alaina Whittaker
Alex Lushington
Amanda Overmyer
Amy Davis
Asiah Epperson
Brooke White
Cady Malloy
Carly Smithson
Joanne Borgello
Kristy Lee Cook
Ramiele Malubay
Syesha Mercado
AMERICAN IDOL
BIG BROTHER
DANCING WITH THE STARS
SURVIVOR
PROJECT RUNWAY / TOP MODEL
Photos of American Idol 7's Top 12 Guys
Chekezie Eze
Colton Berry
Danny Noriega
David Archuleta
David Cook
David Hernandez
Garrett Haley
Jason Castro
Jason Yaegar
Luke Menard
Michael Johns
Robbie Carrico
AMERICAN IDOL
BIG BROTHER
DANCING WITH THE STARS
SURVIVOR
PROJECT RUNWAY / TOP MODEL
SPOILER: Houseguest Leaves the Game
According to the live feeds, Neil has left the Big Brother house.
Joshuah was given the option of choosing either Sharon or Jacob to come back as his partner. He chose Sharon.
Wow.
Jacob and Sharon, you'll remember, were exes forced to live in the house. They were eliminated by Jen and Parker in the first elimination of the season.
Speculation is running rampant in the house as to why Nick left. It is presumed to be family issues, but there are rumors flying that he was attracted to Joshuah and couldn't handle it. Based on some photos I've seen of the guy, I'd doubt that would cause him to give up a shot at $1 million.
Stay tuned for more details...
AMERICAN IDOL
BIG BROTHER
DANCING WITH THE STARS
SURVIVOR
PROJECT RUNWAY / TOP MODEL
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Ferras' "Hollywood's Not America" Will Be American Idol Exit Song
Get ready for the next "Bad Day" and "Home".
According to a post on his myspace page, the song "Hollywood's Not America," by new artist Ferras, will be the next American Idol exit song. Following in the footsteps of Daniel Powter's "Bad Day" and Daughtry's "Home," the song will be played as contestants are eliminated from the show.
The song is off Ferras' upcoming album Aliens and Rainbows, which will be released this spring. While it is not currently available for download, you can hear the whole song by clicking here. According to Ferras' myspace page, the song will first be featured on Idol on February 12.
I gotta admit -- I like it. Your thoughts?
Idol Thoughts' AMERICAN IDOL CENTRAL
IDOL MADNESS Wednesday Report -- Only One More Day to Vote in the Sweet 16 Match-Ups!
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Voting for all Sweet Sixteen matches ends Thursday February 7, 11:59PM EST.
It looks like it's going to come down to the wire for several Sweet 16 matches.
Kelly Clarkson has lost her lead to Bo Bice -- she's now down by 4%! Elliott Yamin and Jasmine Trias, meanwhile, have managed to crawl back after falling behind yesterday in their matches against Anthony Fedorov and Kellie Pickler, respectively. Ace Young has gained .3% since yesterday -- will he manage to hold onto that lead and upset Blake Lewis?
Elsewhere, Clay Aiken, Constantine Maroulis, Josh Gracin and Carrie Underwood held onto their significant leads.
Here are the results for the Sweet Sixteen match-ups as of Wed. Feb 6 at 3:30PM EST.
Click on any match-up to vote!
Feb. 3: Jasmine 54.7%-Kellie 45.3%
Full List and Bios of Big Brother 9 Houseguests with Photos!
Click here to read about the Big Brother 9 "Soulmate" Twist
Watch video of Janelle introducing the houseguests
Here are the houseguests for Big Brother 9!
Adam, 29
Single
Public Relations Manager
Del Ray Beach, FL via Cherry Hill, NJ
Alex, 24
Staten Island, NY
Single
DJ Entertainment Company Owner
Allison, 28
Single
Pharmaceutical Sales Representative
Boston, MA
Amanda, 23
Single
Paralegal
Fridley, MN
Chelsia, 21
Single
College Student
Cedar Falls, IA
Jacob, 23
Single
Electrician
Dallas, GA
James, 21
Single
Riding Bicycle around the World
Sarasota, FL
Jen, 26
Single
Bartender
Columbus, OH
Joshuah, 25
Single
Advertising Media Buyer
Dallas, TX
Matt, 23
Single
Roofing Foreman
Charleston, MA
Natalie, 28
Single
Bikini Barista
Salem, OR
Neil, 29
Single
Realtor
Los Angeles, CA
Parker, 26
Single
Paparazzo
Northridge, CA
Ryan, 27
Single
College Student
Columbus, OH
Sharon, 23
Single
Realtor
Olathe, KS
Sheila, 45
Single Mom
Former Model
Reseda, CA via Memphis, TN
SPOILER: Big Brother 9 "Soulmate Twist" Revealed
Lots of Big Brother news today!
Check out the Full List of BB9 Houseguests with Bios and Photos and the Video of Janelle Introducing the Housguests
And now comes word what the "twist" of Big Brother 9 will be! According to the press release from CBS:
"When this group of 16 singles enters the house, they will be told they are being matched up with their "soul mate," a stranger who may prove to be their true love or their worst nightmare. Whether there is a love connection or not, once paired up, the Houseguests' life in the game depends on their partner. They must strategize, plot and scheme together as a couple for a chance at the prize. These "lovebirds" will live together as a couple meaning they will sleep in the same bed, hold Head of Household as a couple, be nominated for eviction as a pair, and if the time comes, say their goodbyes together upon eviction."
Hmmmmmm...interesting. Thoughts?
Video: Janelle Introduces the Big Brother 9 Houseguests
The Big Brother 9 houseguests have been announced!
Click here to see the full cast list with bios and photos
Watch the video above to see former contestant Janelle introduce this year's 16 houseguests.
Is Project Runway's Final Three Now a Foregone Conclusion?
Doesn't it seem like months since we last had a new episode of Project Runway? I miss Nina Garcia!
When the show returns tonight, six designers remain in the competition -- Jillian, Ricky, Sweet P, Christian, Chris and Ramy. Looking at this list, the question arises -- is the final three now a foregone conclusion?
The three designers I'm referring to as likely Fashion Week finalists are Jillian, Ramy and Christian. Each has won at least one challenge, has been in contention to win others, and has only spent one week in the Bottom 2. Yes, Jillian is incredibly whiny, Christian is young (and a bit immature), and it's unclear whether Ramy can do anything other than drape, but as far as I'm concerned, these are also the most talented and consistent designers (an underrated skill on Runway), and, as such, are in a completely different league than their three other competitors.
Speaking of Chris, Ricky and Sweet P -- what are they still doing here? Chris has literally already been eliminated from the competition, and although he's churned out some respectable designs in the past couple of weeks, I just don't see him having a real shot at winning this thing. Sweet P, despite producing a few cute outfits, is responsible for the season's single most disastrou design (that horrible ill-fitting shirt from week one), and she continues to completely overhaul her designs at the last minute in a state of total panic. As the pressure continues to build these last few weeks, I have no doubt she will continue to unravel.
Which leaves us with Ricky. Oh, tragic, tearful Ricky. Yes, he won the last challenge, but he's also produced some of the ugliest and most boring dresses sent down the runway this season. If he wins this thing, or even makes it to the Final 3, something is wrong in Runway-ville.
Yep, it's pretty clear in my mind who the Final 3 will be. What do you think? Are Jillian, Christian and Ramy shoo-ins for Fashion Week, or can Ricky, Sweet P or Chris sneak in? Leave a comment and let me know!
More Project Runway