...
..
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is American Idol!"
(The all-time record, set by William Shatner, is unlikely to be challenged by any mere mortal.)
They play up the songwriter competition, and then medley some songs from the contestants' birth years: Maxine Nightingale's "Right Back Where We Started From" (1978) first - and I love the Slap Shot vibe, even if this isn't the best rendition. At least they're having fun. Solos for all the girls. Annnnnnnd - scene. OK, so it was a really SHORT medley.
Now they do some behind-the-scenes stuff with the iTunes songs. I like that they get to do full versions. Ryan says that they can't allow them to be rated, or it would affect the competition. Ha, the engineer is telling someone to watch their pitch! Bet it was Ramiele. Now he's schooling David A, the Crown Prince of Earnest. I like the end, with Carly geeking out about seeing herself on her iPhone. (PLUG.)
Recap. Mike Johns exults off-stage after rocking it out; we need more of those little moments in the recap and not just what we've already seen. Enough people have Tivo, right? Show us a little more behind the scenes. For example - YES it was David A's choice. "It's one of my favorite songs." He's a mortal lock to sing Bruce Hornsby or CSN and make me throw up on the keyboard.
Chikeize is up first, and takes Toadstool #1. No surprise, but I'm sad about it. (BTW: I would like to apologize for inadvertently half-swiping "toadstools of shame." Someone at American Midol coined "stools of shame," though I can't find the citation right now. I subconsciously channeled that while writing one week. Don't hurt me, please! I'm linking and attributing, I swear!)
Then it's Brooke. Will she join Chikeize, asks Ryan. PPFFfffftsskkkrk. Ridiculous. Of course she's safe. Carly is both safe, and not pregnant (despite Internet rumors).
Coming back from break, there's the commercial - one verse of "I Want You to Want Me." I like the moving t-shirts, posters, etc. Mike Johns is first, Dave Cook is last: smart to bookend with strength. A lot of the rest of them were poor: bad song for Ramiele and Jason, sharing a shirt on a rack in the store. (No doubt, that's why our Ford owner didn't buy it.) And they cut out before they got to the "Didn't I didn't I didn't I" bit, which is the best part. Pity. It would have been nice to hear it in the group sing tonight, as long as R and J kept to harmonies.
The Crown Prince is safe. However, Syesha and her personal pan-pizza earrings are not. I'll be surprised if the voters aren't keeping her around. She's a big voice, good range, and clearly has talent; her performing has to come up to speed in order for her to keep in this. We're already at the point where we're risking losing good singers every week. Season 7 is definitely deep, and I think that thus far it's been well-played by the voters. Nobody who's gone, except for Asia'h Epperson, is in the class of anyone left, except for Ramiele; and that may be corrected in the next twelve minutes. While I was blabbing, both David Cook and Michael Johns came up and took a spot on the couch. Ryan mentioned that David's arrangement was done by Chris Cornell (thanks Cullen!) so it's good that someone's doing footnotes.
They skip out, they come back... Constantine pops up to stare directly into a camera for five seconds. The Idols, meanwhile, all get comfy for some awkward questions. First up, Sarah - Chikeize, you're so
When you go to work
When you get the mail
When you walk the dog
I'll be watching you
Second question, for the CP - why'd you pick that song? EXCELLENT QUESTION. He babbles a bit about how he loves it, and rainbows and puppies, and I will have a seizure in about fifteen more seconds. Do not want. Third question, Ari wants to ask Simon how she (Ari) can replace Ryan. "The good news is that you don't need a lot of talent." Ha! Ryan proves it by singing four words of "Straight Up" during the next question, and quickly abandoning it. Final question, does Simon think he's the hottest guy on the show? "It's not what I say, it's what other people say," he replies. Simon's in form tonight.
Kimberly Locke will be performing now. She had been in law school when she auditioned. Now she is the partial owner of Croton Creek restaurant in Croton Falls, NY. Ladybug wants to go. Entrees are $22 - $35 a pop, so we'll have to save up a bit. She also has two albums. I like the filmed segment, very personable. Ryan is sitting next to Brooke and Carly. Well, they're both married, so there's no pressure on him now.
Kim's singing. Ryan looks BORED over there. This is tons better than the Pickle - sort of how tons of bricks are tons heavier than three kittens on a poofy pillow. Not to say that the song itself is all that great. The Idols seem stuck with generic power ballads too often. Even Jordin's "This is My Now," which won a contest with 25,000 other fan-written songs, was no better than the glurge of other seasons. But Kimberly's performance was great. Not too thrilled about the dress, however.
Another Idol gives back clip - some of that $76 million stayed in the States. Oooh, little kids crying. The Crown Prince sings for you, little girl! (Eureka! That's it - David A. is a one-man Idol Gives Back.) But snark aside, everything they're doing is fantastic: mobile immunization centers; books and reading programs; food banks. It's outstanding.
Oh, phoey. Ramiele is out next. Too early to take a Toadstool. Are you kidding me? So Jason and Kristy Lee are here. We may be looking at the same thing I mentioned last week, that people go out the moment they finally improve. I'd be surprised if Jason was out this early. He has been a little slack lately. Ryan says that Lee Greenwood called with his compliments about Kristy's rendition - America was equally complimentary. She's safe and the Dreds take the last Toadstool. He jokes that "I've never been out this late before, so I figured it was a big shocker." Heheheheheh. Ryan immediately sends him to the couch, so it's Chikeize or Syesha, right after this.
"This" includes some "controversy" over David Cook's cover of "Billie Jean." Probably nonsense . (updated: OK, maybe it has legs. Apparently Mr. Cook cribs a lot of people's cleverness. Hat tip to Jess at American Midol. (See? Attribution!)) The lead singer of REO Speedwagon is on "Don't Forget the Lyrics." And Chikeize is bottom three (according to Simon) for not being original. Syesha is bottom three (according to Ladybug) for too many crappy weeks previously.
The bubble bursts for the One Top. Chikeize goes home, a little early for my tastes. Ramiele's going to be this year's Sanjaya. Crapola.
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