In case your Tivo cut off the last 9 minutes of American Idol (like mine did), here's a video of what happened, including the winner singing "Time of My Life," the new song written for the competition. Even if you've already seen it, it's worth watching again.
And can I just say go David... (spoiler continued below)
You can read my recap of the American Idol finale here, but here are my Ten Best and Five Worst moments from last night's show.
Best Moments
1. Blake Lewis jamming with Doug E. Fresh
This was like nothing that has ever been seen on the American Idol stage. Blake finally got to really show off his skills, and the excitement on his face was adorable. Definitely the highlight of the show.
2. Jordin being named the winner and singing "This is My Now"
Sure, there wasn't much suspense, and I didn't cry like I did when Kelly and Fantasia were named winners, but it was moving, nonetheless, to see Jordin's beaming face and the familiar confetti burst at the key change. Another Idol has been crowned.
3. Kelly Clarkson singing "Never Again"
Proving once and for all who the real American Idol is, Kelly growled her way through her fantastic new single. She sounded amazing! And to all those who claimed she was "fat" after "Idol Give Back" -- how 'bout that outfit? Smokin'!
4. Melinda Doolittle singing with Bebe and Cece Wynans
You gotta love Melinda, and you gotta love seeing her jam with the pair who she used to sing back-up for. This girl's gonna do big things.
5. Beatles medley
It was a little drawn out, and neither Taylor or Carrie got the chance to really shine, but Kelly's "Sgt. Pepper" rock-out with Joe Perry was fierce. It would have been cool to see some of the former Idol winners sing together, but this was a nice reminder of the kind of talent the show has produced.
6. Jordin Sparks and Blake Lewis dueting on "I Saw Her Standing There"
Totally playful and charming -- you gotta love these kids.
7. Jordin Sparks and Ruben Studdard dueting on "You're All I Need"
Yes, I wish Jordin had gotten the opportunity to sing with a bigger or more exciting star (Jennifer Hudson was in the audience -- she couldn't be convinced to join in on the festivities?), but they sounded absolutely fantastic together on this song.
8. Green Day singing the John Lennon song
I love Green Day. No more need be said.
9. Top 6 boys singing with Smokey Robinson/Top 6 girls singing with Gladys Knight
I could do without seeing Smokey and Gladys on the Idol stage again, but it was great to see Stephanie, Chris Sligh, and Gina Glocksen, all voted out before they should have been. On the other hand, it was not so great to see Haley or Sanjaya, who stuck around much longer than they should have. It was especially cool to see Gladys Knight flanked by Melinda on one side and LaKisha on the other -- I wish they had gotten the opportunity to do some even more wailing with Gladys.
10. Carrie Underwood singing "I'll Stand By You" -- Not the most exciting performance Carrie has ever given, but very solid, nonetheless. And 6 million albums sold? Wow.
Worst Moments
1. Golden Idol awards -- I hated every single second of these, and they didn't even result in a trainwreck-esque so-horrible-it's-amazing moment like last year's Michael Sandecki/Clay Aiken debacle. Painful.
2. Bette Midler -- Oh Bette, what happened? I've seen the Divine Ms. M in concert, and she is amazing, but this performance sounded terrible and was even more awkwardly interpreted. Bette, Bette, Bette.
3. 10 minute over-run
Luckily I was watching the show live, but if I had Tivo'ed it and discovered I had missed out on the announcement of the winner I would have been pissed. I mean, people spent four months of their time investing in the show and then missed out on the chance to see it all come to a close --not a very respectful way to treat the show's loyal viewers.
4. Sanjaya and Joe Perry -- I never need to see Sanjaya perform again, and I certainly never need to hear him sing "You Really Got Me." I was embarrassed to be watching it, and even more embarrassed for Joe Perry. Luckily he got play for a real musician (Kelly Clarkson) later on in the show.
5. Gwen Stefani -- Totally pointless, and totally uninspired. And not even live? Gimme a break!
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Like KellyClarkson, Ruben Studdard, Fantasia Barrino, Carrie Underwood, and Taylor Hicks before her, Jordin Sparks has won American Idol.
Jordin is very deserving of the title, and will no doubt go on to join Kelly, Carrie and the others in selling millions of records. Blake, too, will likely have a very nice career, and he was humble and gracious in defeat.
I was happy for Jordin as Seacrest announced her name at 10:05PM (those who Tivo'ed the show were probably pissed), but I couldn't help feeling the coronation felt a little anticlimactic. If there was any doubt that Jordin was going to win this competition after Melinda was eliminated, it was removed entirely once Blake opened his mouth to sing "This is My Now" on last night's show. There was practically no suspense and no build up to the announcement, which took a bit of fun out of the proceedings.
And that was the other problem -- last year's festivities were so fun, in a circus freakshow kind of way (remember the Clay Aiken lookalike? I mean, that is genius television), and the talent level was so high (Mary J. Blige singing with Elliott? Prince?), that this year's finale was bound to suffer by comparison.
I did love that almost all of the former winners were back (Fantasia couldn't get out of The Color Purple), and they were all in fine form. I was especially pleased to see my girl Kelly Clarkson rocking out and doing her thing -- she sounded amazing on "Never Again" and was definitely the highlight of the Beatles medley. It was also nice to see some of the Top 12 again -- I realized I had almost forgotten about Brandon and Stephanie, and I also realized I wish I could forget about Sanjaya (poor Joe Perry must have wondered what he got himself into when Sanjaya started to sing).
I didn't love, however, the random performances from Tony Bennett and Gwen Stefani. This is a night about Idol, and the two of them just felt boring and out of place (even Dancing with the Stars was able to resist the temptation of having out-of-place musical guests). I'm also sick of Smokey Robinson and Gladys Knight -- does Idol have them on retainer? They seem to show up at almost every Idol event.
Green Day I didn't mind, because I love Green Day, and the African Boys Choir were just as adorable as they were on "Idol Gives Back," but Bette Midler -- oy! I was prepared to be psyched for The Divine Ms. M, but she really disappointed me. She sounded awful, and seriously, Bette, enough with miming the wings. That performance was kind of a disaster.
Melinda Doolittle fared much better singing with Bebe and Cece Wynans, and, although Jordin and Ruben gelled really nicely on "You're All I Need to Get By," I can't help but think she got cheated out of singing with a bigger star, or someone cooler. I mean, Blake got jam with Doug E. Fresh (which was fierce), they couldn't find someone else to sing with Jordin? And how come Sanjaya got to sing but LaKisha didn't? These are questions I will probably never get the answers to.
All in all, it wasn't a painful evening (unless you count the horrible Golden Idol awards, which I am choosing not to think about), but it wasn't quite the electricity-filled night last year's finale turned out to be.
Having said that, we've got a great, deserving winner, and a great, deserving runner-up -- in a season of crazy ups and downs, that's all we can really ask for.
Congratulations Jordin, and thanks to the whole crew for one helluva season.
Even though Idol is over, there will still be news on former contestants (including this year's group), sales and radio information, best-of lists, and recaps of summer shows like So You Think You Can Dance and Big Brother. Bookmark Idol Thoughts now!
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Jordin!
No need for Green, Yellow and Red Zones this week -- Jordin Sparks will be the winner of American Idol Season 6.
Jordin had an edge over Blake Lewis coming into last night's show, and by the end of the night she had the title all sewn up.
It wasn't without a battle from Blake, though -- his "You Give Love a Bad Name" was totally electric, and his "She Will Be Loved" was sweet and well-sung.
However, it all comes down to the final song, "This is My Now." While Kelly & Justin, Fantasia & Diana, and Carrie & Bo all had to perform the same song, last night's show was the first time the contestants have had to sing the same song back-to-back. And by having the performances immediately follow each other it became abundantly clear whose rendition was better -- far, far better, in fact. As Jordin wailed the high notes, singing about leaving behind her "yesterdays," it was practically a coronation right there on the spot.
I'm sure the young girls voted their fingers off last night for Blake, but it simply won't be enough. Not only has Jordin amassed her own large fanbase over the course of the season, she likely picked up most of the votes that had been going to Melinda, along with the votes of casual viewers who wait to be blown away to pick up the phone. Jordin blew them away last night -- and she will be rewarded with a victory.
Yes, Jordin Sparks will be named the American Idol.
Gulp.
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Remember, even after American Idol comes to an end for the season, there will continue to be updates on former Idol contestants (including this year's crew), along with recaps and commentary on summer shows "So You Think You Can Dance," "On the Lot," "Top Chef," "Big Brother," "Pirate Master" and more. So bookmark Idol Thoughts now!
Ok, so Blake grabbed Round 1, but just by a hair. On to Round 2...
Blake Lewis - "She Will Be Loved"
When I first heard that Blake had chosen this song, I rolled my eyes. "Another Maroon 5 song?" I asked myself.
Well, consider my eyes un-rolled. I now think this was the ideal song for Blake to have chosen. Perfectly evoking his very first semifinal performance, where he also rocked a cute sweater and purely sang Keane's "Somewhere Only We Know," he reminded the part of the viewing public that finds beatboxing as pleasant as nails on chalkboard that he can really sing. Sure, he can't hit dazzling high notes like Jordin can, but his tone is sweet and his interpretive skills are impressive. And he looks natural and credible.
I disagree with Simon -- it's made an impact on me. Very nice, Blake, very nice, indeed.
Jordin Sparks - "Broken Wing"
Is Jordin's favorite song of the season really "Broken Wing," or did she sing her favorite song last week? Just wondering.
Frankly, it doesn't much matter, because this performance was amazing! I mean, Jordin's higher register is just thrilling -- those high notes are so crystal clear they send a shiver up my spine. She has a tendency to get a little dramatic, but with vocals that spectacular, I'm more than willing to look past it. Brilliant.
Round 2 Goes To...
Both contestants were in fine form in this round, but since it was a round purely about singing, the clear edge goes to Jordin.
Click to read American Idol Finale Performances: Round 3
Click to read American Idol Finale Performances: Round 1
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It was an appropriate end for a bummer of a season -- a bummer of an ending.
Practically start to finish this season of 24 has been a disappointment -- weak or annoying new characters, annoying changes to characters we've come to love, repeating plot points from previous seasons, and the list goes on.
Sure, the finale had it's moments -- I enjoyed seeing Bill Buchanan getting some field action and get to play the part of the hero; it was nice to see Tom Lennix become a redeemable character; and the action sequence with the helicopter and the oil station where the Chinese and Jack's father were holding Jack's nephew was very well executed.
But there was so much to hate! Let's start with Chloe, who, appropriately for how her season has gone, spent most of the episode lying in a hospital bed. What happened to the fiesty Chloe that we've fallen in love with over the past few years? Is this lame Morris/Chloe/pregnancy story really the best the writers could have come up with?
And why blind poor Mike Doyle? They never figured out how to use Ricky Schroeder on the show, and the "fake contraption blows up in his face" device was just lame, no two ways about it.
Then there is the miraculous redemption of the Vice President. In the course of half-a-day, he went from being an evil schemer (I'm still not convinced that he wasn't behind the attack on President Palmer), to an even more-evil schemer (trying to oust the President once he had "recovered" from his attack), to being a dupe (with the wool pulled over his eyes by blonde baddie Lisa Miller), to an actual good guy (choosing to release Karen Hayes). That's quite a journey in just 12 hours or so! His redemption was so complete, in fact, that Tom Lennix thought it appropriate to return the incriminating tape? If Richard Nixon was alive I bet he would have wished he was a character on 24, so he too could be so quickly and easily forgiven for his actions.
The most egregious part of the episode for me, however, was the final 15 minutes. As Jack dramatically waves good bye to Bill and heads off in pursuit of Audrey, I had hopes that something really dramatic would happen, setting up this "reboot" next season that the producers keep talking about. Instead, we found ourselves on the set of "One Life to Live," with Jack tearily realizing that he is not able to provide for Audrey in the way that he wants to, and that she is actually better off without him. Blah blah blah. The writing was so heavy-handed that even Kiefer Sutherland, who I generally love, couldn't make it work. The entire sequence screamed "emmy bait!" so loudly that I was almost offended. And are we supposed to believe that Jack, as he stares down into the water at the end of the episode, is contemplating suicide? Jack, who survived years of Chinese torture, is now considering ending his own life? I don't buy it.
I love 24, I do, and I really hope that the writers find a way of breathing some new life into the series next year. But for now, I'm not sorry to see Jack walk off into the sunset...or dive of a cliff, as the case may be.
Click here for more Television News/Commentary, including thoughts on the season finales of Grey's Anatomy and Brothers & Sisters
After auditioning in various cities around the country, making it through Hollywood week, three weeks of semifinal auditions, and ten weeks of the Top 12, Blake Lewis and Jordin Sparks have made it to the Top 2. So what is in store for them on Tuesday's show?
Details are being leaked as to what the format will be -- one song that they have sung previously in the competition, one new cover song, and then they will each sing the winning song from the songwriting contest.
SPOILER
Rumor has it that Blake will (not surprisingly) reprise "You Give Love a Bad Name," his showstopper from Bon Jovi week, while Jordin will bring back "Broken Wing," which she originally sang during country week.
Blake's new song is apparently Maroon 5's "She Will Be Loved' (making it three Maroon 5 songs in two weeks on the show) and Jordin will attempt Christina Aguilera's "Figher" (good luck on that one!) If they turn out to be true they are interesting choices indeed.
As for the new single, American Idol music director Michael Orland calls it "very pretty" and says that "Jordin loves it" in an interview with ew.com. He said he has yet to speak to Blake about it, but that it is "positive and uplifting."
Stay tuned for more details on the finale, and click to read more American Idol News/Recaps
Dancing with the Stars finale! Woo hoo!
Ok, before we get to the performances, I have to say that I think it's a little lame that past "celebrities" from the show (I'm talking about you Rinna, Hamlin and Springer) come to the show each week seeking some tv face-time, and other "celebrities" (I love ya, but I'm talking about you Lance Bass) think appearing in the audience each week is just as good career-wise as, oh I don't know, actually doing something. Get a job people!
Ok, on to the performances...
Laila and Max - Judge's Choice (Paso Doble)
Laila is definitely in it to win it this week, and her paso doble is fiery and very well-executed. I felt flames -- but I think I was hoping for a forest fire. It had aggression, but I can't say it was an aggression I found particularly sexy. Still, a solid start to the show.
My Grade: 9
Apolo and Julianne - Judge's Choice (Rumba)
"They made love on the dance floor. They could have conceived a baby."
Bruno Tanioli, May 21 2007
That, my friends, might be the quote of the season. And, for all of it's hyperbolic glory, it is actually sort of accurate. Apolo and Julianne are dynamite together-- their chemistry is palpable, and Julianne's choreography is dramatic and fabulous. I can't say I totally disagree with Carrie Ann -- something about it did feel a bit rushed and even, dare I say, sloppy. But still, they are so cute, the two of them, I can hardly stand it.
My Grade: 9
Joey and Kym - Judge's Choice (Cha Cha)
Wow, the judges are really a buzzkill tonight. That was such fun to watch -- clever, funky, and sharp. Ok, maybe it wasn't cha-cha enough (whatever the heck that means), and for all of the cheekiness it actually felt a little stiff to me at parts, but it wasn't nearly as bad as the judges made it to be.
My Grade: 9
Looks like I'm calling the first round a tie.
Click here for Dancing with the Stars Finale: Round 2
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With this year's two-part American Idol finale set to begin in about 33 hours, it's time to take a serious look at who deserves this year's crown. Many of you have probably already made up your minds as to who deserves your vote on Tuesday evening, but for those of you who haven't (I include myself in this category), I thought I would take a look at five reasons why each of the remaining contestants deserves to win this year's top prize, and five reasons why they don't (in a sort of point/counterpoint form). I have tried to be as objective as possible on both sides -- not an easy task!
Click here to read Five Reasons Jordin Should Win American Idol...And Five Reasons She Shouldn't
Here we go with Blake Lewis...
Reason #1 Blake Should Win: He is hands down the most original and current contestant American Idol has ever seen. Think about it -- "Time of the Seasons," "You Give Love a Bad Name," "This Love" -- can you imagine any other contestant on the show giving performance like these, and actually pulling them off? Blake is much more than a singer -- he is an entertainer.
Reason #1 Blake Should Not Win: No matter how good an entertainer he is, Blake is far from the best singer in the competition, and when it comes down to it, American Idol is a singing contest. Can we really give the prize to a guy whose vocal chops are not his strongest attribute?
Reason #2 Blake Should Win: He is the most musically adventurous performer of the season, taking liberties with his performances that no former contestants would have dared even attempt. And he can beatbox like a champ!
Reason #2 Blake Should Not Win: Consistency is not his strong suit -- for every beatboxing success he has had, he has also had a beatboxing failure ("Keep Me Hangin' On"? "You Should Be Dancin'"?) He's had moments of sheer genius, and also moments that were almost embarrassing.
Reason #3 Blake Should Win: To answer critics that call him a one-trick pony with the beatboxing, he has provided a few stellar non-beatboxing vocal performances, notably "Somewhere Only We Know" and "I Need to Know."
Reason #3 Blake Should Not Win: Unfortunately, for every "Somewhere Only We Know" there has been an "Imagine," and every "I Need to Know" is offset by a "Stars Go Blue." His voice is pleasant and inoffensive, but he isn't exactly capable of real vocal dynamics. And when he doesn't beatbox, he loses a lot of his originality.
Reason #4 Blake Should Win: It is easy to see the kind of music that he will produce, and because he is current and fresh, he is likely to be very marketable. Little girls (and some big girls -- and boys, too) love him!
Reason #4 Blake Should Not Win: Beaboxing seems fresh and new on American Idol -- but is there really a place in the current market for a white beatboxer? Even Justin Timberlake gets ribbed when he gets down with the beatboxing -- will Blake be able to credibly pull it off in the real world?
Reason #5 Blake Should Win: There has never been a cute boy winner of the title (I'm sorry, Ruben and Taylor don't count), and it could be fun to have a hearthrob as the American Idol. When he gets the fashion right, he's just as adorable as his bestie Chris Richardson, making him a slam-dunk for teen magazines.
Reason #5 Blake Should Not Win: He could actually be better off not winning the title, which would allow him a bit more artistic freedom and credibility, minus the pressure of being the American Idol. And in terms of style decisions, for every argyle sweater-vest triumph, he has a fake tuxedo shirt disaster!
Click here to read Five Reasons Jordin Should Win American Idol...And Five Reasons She Shouldn't
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Remember, even after American Idol comes to an end for the season, there will continue to be updates on former Idol contestants (including this year's crew), along with recaps and commentary on summer shows "So You Think You Can Dance," "On the Lot," "Top Chef," "Big Brother," "Pirate Queen" and more (see Summer TV) So bookmark Idol Thoughts now!
I came into this season of Dancing with the Stars begrudgingly, thinking that I might just be over the whole thing. Boy, was I wrong.
I fell hook, line and sinker for Apolo and Joey, Laila and even Heather. Sure I have my gripes about the show (I can't stand that Samantha Harris!), but some of the dancing was so entertaining I was able to look past even the biggest of my complaints (those bloated results shows!) Adding to the excitement if that we've got a final 3 that actually deserve to be there. I'm looking forward to a real fight to the finish.
So who's gonna win this thing? Each has their strengths and weaknesses, but I kinda think any of the three would be worthy winners:
Joey is undeniably entertaining -- he just turns it on as soon as he hits the dance floor, and he manages to add some serious showmanship into all of his routines. Whether he wins this thing or not, I have no doubt he'll back on Broadway by year's end.
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Laila has proven herself to be much more versatile than I would have thought she would or could be -- she is graceful and elegant one moment, sexy and kittenish another. As the only woman left in the competition for the past few weeks, she has definitely had a harder task, having to compete with the professional ladies, but she has more than lived up to the challenge. I would put her up there with Stacey Kiebler as one of the best female dancers ever to be on the show.
And then there is my boy Apolo, adorable Apolo. His determination and passion is clear every time he performs, and he's managed to really infuse his personality into his performances, which is all the more impressive because he is an athlete and not an entertainer. I mean, that is a movie star smile, people, and he's not even a movie star! I think he and Julianne are the best matched couple, as well as the most ambitious, and personally, I'm hoping they take home the prize.
Even though Apolo will get my vote on Monday night, I don't actually think he's going to walk away victorious. The judges seem to be very '10' happy these days, but if they are likely to slip a '9' into the batch it will be for Apolo, whose dancing sometimes loses a sense of sharpness in the midst of all of the tricks he attempts. Laila is almost sure to grab all '10''s, as is Joey, which would leave Apolo at a disadvantage going into the voting round.
So who's gonna win? My prediction (before having seen the final predictions) is Laila -- I think she sealed the deal with the blown kiss to her father, and her dancing really is spectacular.
But, really, any of this could change once the contestants take to the floor on Monday evening -- Apolo just might come out and blow the other two away! Whatever happens, it should be exciting!
Remember, even after American Idol and Dancing with the Stars come to an end, there will continue to be updates on former Idol contestants (including this year's crew), along with recaps and commentary on summer shows "So You Think You Can Dance," "On the Lot," "Top Chef," "Big Brother," "Pirate Queen" and more (see Summer TV) So bookmark Idol Thoughts now!
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Perezhilton.com is reporting that a rumor is circulating that Britney Spears will be performing on this week's American Idol finale. Could it be true? I mean, the president deigned it a worthy platform to try and redeem his public image a few weeks back by appearing on the show, why wouldn't Britney use the same platform to announce to the world that she is back and better than ever?
I'll believe it when I see it. But, lest we forget, last year at this time there were rumblings about Prince -- and look who showed up in the final moments of Season 5. If Britney does decide to lip synch and dance for the country it would be quite the watercooler moment, that's for sure.
All of this talk gets me thinking -- what surprises are in store for us this week? Last year, in addition to Pince, we got Chris Daughtry and Live duetting on "Mystery" (a track that has gotten many a spin on my ipod), Meat Loaf and Katharine McPhee doing a totally bizarre duet of Celine Dion's "All Coming Back to Me," Mary J. Blige nearly eating Elliott Yamin for lunch singing U2's "One," and Toni Braxton sexin' it up with Taylor Hicks on "In the Ghetto." How can they possibly top that?
I've heard that both Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood will be returning to the Idol stage, and I would imagine Taylor Hicks and even Katharine McPhee or Chris Daughtry might make appearances. I've also heard an unsubstantiated rumor that Jordin Sparks will be performing with the Dreamgirls. Although I'm skeptical Beyone would show up, Jennifer Hudson does have an album with Clive Davis coming out later this year.
Will there be exciting duet partners this year? A Melinda/Gladys Knight duet would be fierce, and whipping out Jennifer Holliday to sing with LaKisha would bring the house down. And how entertaining does a J-Lo/Sanjaya pairing sound? The possbilities are endless!
Stay tuned to Idol Thoughts for more news on the finale as it trickles in. Remember, even after American Idol comes to an end, there will continue to be updates on former Idol contestants (including this year's crew), along with recaps and commentary on summer shows "So You Think You Can Dance," "On the Lot," "Top Chef," "Big Brother," "Pirate Queen" and more (see Summer TV) So bookmark Idol Thoughts now!
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