American Idol - Top 36 Group 3

Hello Idol Addicts! One final push this week and we can collectively breath a sigh that the semi-finals are over! I've made it no secret that I'm no fan of this switcheroo back to the semi-finals of old. Our producers seem to have way too much control, and it was yet again on display tonight with the final performance of the night. Tell me, don't you find it a little odd that 3 weeks straight, the final performer of the night will be in the top 12? I'm telling you, this conspiracy is bigger than JFK and WATERGATE! Alas, this is only a TV show. I must say, tonight there seemed to be a few better performances to choose from than week's past. Although, it does seem pretty clear who will be the favorites to get through tomorrow night. Things could get interesting for wildcard night. And I wish for once someone would explain how it's going to work!

But for now, we have some work to do so on with our analysis of tonight's 12. My picks to follow at the bottom!

1. Von Smith - 22 from Greenwood, MO - He can try to lose the name all he wants. But when history looks back at American Idol season 8 and if they even remember ol' Von, he'll be remembered as "The Screamer." Of course, now after tonight's performance he shall be "The Screamer with Ronald McDonald's Shoes." I mean...whaaaat? What on earth was that crazy outfit? The V-Neck with the Suit, and those ruby red Dorothy shoes! His rendition of "You're All I need to Get By" was interesting to say the least. He sang it all in tune. But he seemed too impressed with himself with those high notes. And it's just an annoying voice in my opinion. The judges went easy on him. But do they really think he has a shot? I don't think so. They may try to scare us with a Wildcard night appearance though.
2. Taylor Vaifanua -17 from Hurricane, Utah - Well, now we know why Taylor didn't get much press-time in the earlier rounds. Her performance of Alicia Keys' "If I Ain't Got You" was really "breathy" and she tried to over sing it a bit. The whole thing felt forced. It sounded like a Saturday Night Live character doing an impersonation of someone over singing. Does that make sense? Didn't think so! Well, neither did that performance! Oh, fun thing to note. When Ryan was giving out the phone number for her fans to dial? You know, it ended in 2. So she put both hands up with 2 fingers each and held them together. Um, my dear, that looked like 4!!! So if Arianna Afsar gets in, it's your fault!
3. Alex Wagner-Trugman - 19 from Studio City, CA - Well, our resident fitness champion took a break from muscle beach to bring us a rousing rendition of Sir Elton's "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues." Seriously? He started lifting to get rid of his dorky persona? I felt bad for the guy. I laughed through his entire performance for all fo the wrong reasons. But I think we all did. The theatrics were hysterical. But nothing will surpass the GROWL!!!! I literally screamed out loud when he did it. I couldn't contain myself! And folks, if I can find it on youtube, it might just have to eventually make it's way onto this blog. rooooowl!!!!!!!! And then the Mic Stand fell over (but it soooo looked like it was intentional!) The dude has no shot at all to move on, but man was that entertaining!
4. Arianna Afsar - 17 from San Diego, CA- I'm totally confused by this one. She sang Abba's "The Winner Takes it All" or did she? I couldn't make out a song in any of that performance. Maybe it was the arrangement, but she seemed "off" with the music the entire time. It was pretty boring, uninspiring and well, the judges hated it. I don't see anyone really rallying to her cause!
5. Ju'Not Joyner - 26 from Bowie, Marlyand- A little bit of hypocrisy here with Paula. She told someone earlier that they did the same song in Hollywood week but then complimented Ju'Not for doing the same thing. We heard his spin of the Plain White T's "Hey There Delilah" a few weeks back and enjoyed it then. This was a little more subdued. Apparently he wanted to show respect to the artist and not change the melody up too much. I dunno, he sounded good. His talk about the cortisone shot probably won him some points and showing clips of his kid never hurts either. If anything, he might be back Thursday night for the Wildcard show. I think there was too much talent at the tail end of this night for him to remain in the running. But I like him, for the record!
6. Kristen McNamara - 23 from Napa Valley CA - Well, we've seen quite a bit of drama from Kristen in Hollywood. We've seen some crazy hair style changes. We've seen her butcher Kelly Clarkson (although some would beg to differ including the judges). But this Karaoke host dug up something you might see in Vegas or Simon's favorite "a cruise ship!" If you're gonna do Traci Chapman's "Give Me One Reason" just do it straight up bluesy! Don't turn it into a Disco! Her voice was pretty decent, but the arrangement was a disaster. I think the judges may like her too. I'm really interested to see how Thursday pans out. If they're going to pick one from each semi-final week then it's gonna be tough to figure it out!
7. Nathaniel Marshall - 19 from Malone, NY - I really hope this is the last week we have to see this dude. Ever since we saw his Hollywood soliloquy of how the music "COMES FROM HIS SKIN!!!" people have been forcing their dinner up across America. Well, kids you ain't seen nothin' yet! For his final act, he pulled out all of the stops for the grand workout video that might even get Meatloaf into shape! I'm a little annoyed at Simon and Paula for stealing my thunder on this one. As I was watching I took notes saying how he turned "I Would Do Anything For Love" into a Richard Simmons' video. Darn it all! And a one and a two and a one two three! Move those Hips ladies!!! Man was it bad!! And all of the headband antics and inside jokes with the judges afterwards was a little over the top. I don't think Nathaniel has an ice cube's shot in Hades of making it to the next round (went all Greek Mythology on you for a second!).
8. Felicia Barton - 26 from Virginia Beach, VA - Well Felicia sure looked glad to be there. And she should! She was originally told she was not in the top 36. But then the Joanna Pacitti scandal happened, and she was on the next flight back to L.A. She sang Alicia Keys' "No One" like she was out there with something to prove. (wow, 2 Alicia songs and 2 Elton songs out of 12 total. Crazy!) She did sing it pretty well. I agreed with Simon that it might have been a little "copy-cattish." Again, maybe a wild card, but I think I've already made up my mind on the 3 that get in.
9. Scott MacIntyre - 23 from Scottsdale, AZ - I mean, how can you not like this guy? We all know he doesn't have the perfect voice. But you had to feel for him when all he wanted was his piano. His best alternative was to sing something from a fellow piano guy. I don't know much about Bruce Hornsby's "Mandolin Rain" but I do know that Scotty here loves music. And just like the judges said, you can just feel his enjoyment as he's singing. If the voters are made of stone, then the judges surely will put him in Thursday. But as Simon said, it seems like a foregone conclusion that he's in. Get this man his piano!
10. Kendall Beard - 24 from Lufkin, TX - Well, what do you know? There WAS a Country Girl this season! It was tough not to like her from her interview segment tonight. And tough not to root for her as we now want to see her dad do the alligator dance. Do you smell a BUT coming? Well here it is. BUT!! I don't know if her rendition of Martina's "This One's For the Girl" will be enough to cut it tonight. This would be a case in the past 3 season's top 24's where she'd be safe and moving on to the next week. But when we can only pick 3, she just doesn't quite make the cut. As Simon suggested, there really wasn't much else she could have done better. Maybe they'll want to get a country girl into the competition on wildcard night. But let's be honest. I think American Idol has cornered the Country Market as of late (Carrie, Pickler, Gracin, Bucky, Phil Stacey, etc...). And let's be a little more honest. It only goes downhill after Carrie!
11. Jorge Nuñez - 21 Carolina, Puerto Rico - I am so glad I finally figured out how to type an "ñ" on my computer! Because Jorge just might be sticking around a bit longer. Is there anyone out there that didn't get a little teary-eyed when Jorge was so pleased with the judges' comments that he started crying and "thinking in Spanish?" He sang the heck out of "Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me" and apparently worked on his dialect. I agree with Simon though. Why would they go to Puerto Rico to find a contestant if they wanted them to sound like they had a Standard American Dialect? I wasn't sure if I was going to like Jorge after his audition. I knew that he sang Jon Secada's "Angel" better than Sergei Federov (I just can't call that crazy dude Anthony!) and I still keep bringing it up because of the anonymous disgruntled reader who apparently was offended. (you just don't know where those Sergei fans are hiding these days!) Anyway, Jorge is growing on me. If the performance alone wasn't enough to get him in, then it was his reactions afterwards that will help seal the deal.
12. Lil Rounds - 24 from Memphis, TN - And then here it was. The moment we were all dreading. We knew she'd be 12th. We knew she would get into the top 12 no matter what. We saw the clips of her being compared to Barftasia and Mary J. Blige. She decided to sing a song by the latter "Be Without You." What we got was a ridiculous clone version of Miss Blige's tune. When I say ridiculous I mean that in 2 ways. I meant that she was really good. But at the same time it was an exact carbon copy! We saw the Judges drinking the Kool-Aid and bobbing their heads along. We saw Kara trying to talk like Lil to show how hip and cool she is. We saw how Lil needs to PROVIDE for her struggling family. Ugh....we saw Fantasia 2.0. I was no fan of it the first time around, and it ain't gonna change this time around. Lil Rounds is officially my enemy! And just like I successfully convinced America that David Archuleta was not fit for the Idol crown, I accept the challenge to start my campaign to do the same for LIL! Even though, yes Paula, we will see her for "many 'lil rounds' to come." See my eyes folks? Watch them rooooooollllllllllll!!!!!!!!! (whoops, just thought of Alex Wagner-Trugman again!)

Oh and of course after all of the Judges' praise for Lil, it only egged her on to start her Grammy Thank You's a bit too prematurely. That has to be enough to turn anyone off! But, I've got plenty of time to get back on that soapbox. I gotta dish out some picks! This one is easy to me, which means I've probably got it all wrong!

Top Female Vote: Lil Rounds
Top Male Vote: Scott MacIntyre
Next Top Vote Getter: Jorge Nuñez

Bonus Picks: Ju'Not Joyner, Kendall Beard Long Shot: Felicia Barton

The bonus picks are for my sanity only. I never take credit for getting it right if they're picked! Anyway, here's my first stab at the Wildcard. I will revisit this tomorrow if they give us more information. But if they take one from each week. Here are my picks:

Week 1 - Anoooooooop Desai
Week 2 - Matt Giraud
Week 3 - Kendall Beard

I would've went for Ju'Not for week 3 but that is one Male-Dominated top 12! I don't know if they'd do that or not. Maybe Jasmine Murray gets a 2nd shot over Matt. Maybe Jackie Tohn gets in over Anoop (really??? naaaa). Or maybe it won't be one per week! There has to be some kind of performance Thursday for them to make a final decision. Oh well, I made my early picks and we'll get more information after Wednesday Night's show.

In the meantime, hope you enjoyed my ramblings as always and I'll see you after the results!

This blog can also be read and discussed on Gather.com. Come check it out and throw some votes my way if you have spare time!

American Idol: Top 36 Group 2

Hello everyone and welcome back to Idol, a day late mind you! I've already expressed my sentiments about the pre-empting by the Non-State of the Union Address, so I will say no more on it (except one thing did anyone notice the DOW STILL dropped today?! Stop talking man! Just fix it!) Anyway, so between this and the LOST Blog, I'm double booked tonight. But I will try my best to give both blogs a strong effort! Even if I have to stay up until dawn doing it!

Not sure why I'm wasting my time with the Idol one though. This whole reverting back to season 1 to 3 Semi-Final Format is really taking it's toll on the show. I don't understand why they tried to fix a format that wasn't broken. Sure, they say they had more talent to show America and to have them vote for, but I'm really not seeing it! Out of the past 2 weeks we've seen a couple decent singers and then marginal talent. And the big issue? No one is getting a second chance to sing. So people like Matt Giraud may get hurt, when they would have a pretty good shot of getting through in last year's format. (if they messed up the first week, they'd get the advice, and then do better the next week) Sure, the judges are going to put 3 through next Thursday. But I find that kinda cheap too. I mean, they did that in season 2. And look where Carmen Rasmusen is now!

Anyway, I'm sure all will be forgotten in 2 weeks when we have a top 12 of decent singers and the REAL competition starts. In the meantime, I am still here for your entertainment!

Tonight, we were "treated" to more tunes from Billboard's Hot 100 over the years. But the big buzz on the street...the judges switched their seating arrangements. And not only that, but they changed critiquing orders with each song. Ugh, 4 judges is starting to get old! No fear, my local news is chiming in on the rumors that Paula may be out after this year. But....who on earth would I make fun of next year then?! Riiight, there's still Randy!

Okay okay, I'm boring you guys, let's get onto the performances. My picks for Results show, as always, are below.

1. Jasmine Murray - 17 from Columbus, Mississippi - As most people know from my hundreds of previous Idol blogs, I am not a big supporter of the 16/17 year olds contestants. (Exception being Jordin Sparks in season 6 because she was the only one I could seriously see winning!) Jasmine was starting to grow on me over the early rounds this year. And just when I decided to pick her for the top 12, she decides to mail in her performance of "Love Song." Combine that with going 1st? Not looking good Jasmine! I'd say that maybe she'd get called back for the wildcard night. The judges are big fans, and I'm sure she already has a lot of fans out there. But it's gonna be a packed house with other Judges' favorites from previous rounds. This was kinda disappointing and again a reason why I'm not a fan of this semi-finals format. Oh well, we'll see.
2. Matt Giraud - 23 dueling pianist from Kalamazoo, Michigan - When I saw this guy in Hollywood week behind the keyboard and jamming to "Georgia" I thought this guy was a shoo-in for the Top 12. Now, I'm conflicted. Alright, I get it. Chris Martin from Coldplay is a piano guy too. Hey I'm a piano guy. But that doesn't mean I'm going to jump around and start singing a crazy song like "Viva La Vida" and expect to be taken seriously! Especially, if I'm a bluesy dueling pianist like Matt Giraud. I think he still has a chance for getting some sympathy from America, but I'm not so sure they'll be voting based on tonight's performance! He sang in tune and everything. I thought maybe a little too much vibrato and looked really ridiculous in the whole process! But, I'm still a fan and hope American or the judges bail him out in this crazy season! He needs to get to the Instrument round! Which reminds me, why on earth can they not use instruments in the Semi-Finals? I thought they did last year. The conspiracy continues to if the Band is hidden in this year's semi-finals or if they're cutting costs and using pre-recorded tracks. Could the recession be impacting Idol too?!
3. Jeanine Vailes - 28, Bartender from Washington D.C. - Well, I guess I could just join the judges and talk about Jeanine's legs. I mean, what on earth was this?! She admitted herself that she was trying to overcompensate for lack of publicity. Well, over-singing isn't the way to do it. It just makes you look ridiculous. Her version of Maroon 5's "This Love" was all over the place. And her endless begging of the American Public to vote for her just worsened her chances of getting voted in. And poor Paula. How could they make her do the first critique on this one? That was priceless, but painful at the same time! "Great Legs, it's American Idol season 8! Simon?" classic.
4. Nick Mitchell - AKA Norman Gentle, 27 - Okay okay. I've enjoyed the comedy of Norman Gentle. And I think the producers forced the judges to bring this guy to a Live show. Well, we've done it! Time to move on! The crowd really did dig the performance though, unless it was just applause for the ridiculousness of it. I barely take this show seriously as it is, but I really don't think I'd be able to if Nick makes it any further! However, I'm sure http://www.votefortheworst.com/ is on alert!
5. Allison Iraheta - 16 from Los Angeles - When this girl started her interview segment with Ryan, I just wanted to blow her off. 16 year old, crazy red hair, don't know her too well at this point. Oh, and she's singing Heart's "ALONE." No one has really done the song justice since season 4. And why would you dare want to take on Idol's most successful Idol? Case-in-point:
   
   
   I had already written the girl off. But Allison really brought her game! This girl can SANG! Totally caught me off-guard. Don't get me wrong, no one is gonna top Carrie on the song, but Allison was great at it for different reasons. She brought more of a rock/raspy feel to it. And she immediately made herself a contender this year. I still fear song choice issues with 16 year-olds. But some kids just beat the odds. Let's see how she does down the stretch. But I think she's definitely making it through.
6. Kris Allen - 23 from Conway, Arkansas - Well, what can I say? Kris wasn't BAD, per say, with his rendition of Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror" (apparently written by Glenn Ballard and some other songwriter I don't know!). He did a suitable job on the song. But come on, it's not Michael! This guy, that had barely any screen-time up to now, needed to be great. I thought he was good. Now, based on everyone else that performed tonight, well, maybe it was just enough to squeak by. But if I have to put him vs. Matt Giraud for the next highest vote of the night? I gotta go with Matt. But there's another one in the marginal list that could compete for that 3rd spot. (yes, I already have picked my top guy for the night. I mean seriously, is there any doubt who it is?)
7. Megan Joy Corkery - 23 from Utah - Megan has got some kind of appeal to her. The judges tried to call her a "package artist." They did everything but say "hey, you're a pretty girl, but your voice? It ain't quite there." And that's how you sum it up. Personally, the tattoos were a little too Carly Smithson for my taste! She had some kind of nervous tick when she sang too. Her whole body was shaking like the little girl in The Exorcist or something! I mean, she didn't sing TOO bad. Her voice is very unique (well, in that it sounds like Duffy or Amy Winehouse), but she may just not appeal to the vast population of the United States (tried to think of a different way to say American Public! How'd I do?) I agree with Paula though, she definitely picked the right song for her voice and persona ("Girl, Put Your Records On") I guess she can be content with that.
8. Matt Breitzke - 28 from Bixby, Okhlahoma - Oh poor Matty. I do love Tonic's "If You Could Only See" but Matt kinda just went through the motions on this one. I guess having both of our Blue Collar guys make it to the top 12 was asking too much. We got Michael Sarver, and I guess that's enough. Matty was a good time though. You gotta love the big bald guys singing some tunes on the stage! You never know. There are a lot of people out there that probably like Matt and will vote for him. But, I think there was enough decent talent out there that did better. This is likely the end of the road for Mr. Breitzke.
9. Jesse Langseth - 26 from Minneapolis Minnesota - This was the girl that barely made the top 36 and Simon would've said no to her after her sing-off. She sang "Betty Davis Eyes" and I thought she actually did a decent job on it. The judges weren't so thrilled about it, well except Paula (that makes me feel good about my opinion!). My gut reaction was that Jesse really sang the tune well. But the judges I guess were saying that she was "too cool for her own good." Well I like to think America is kinda cool too. Maybe a lot of people dug it! But, she's another one that didn't get a lot of publicity. So, no judges backing, and only me and Paula supporting her? Not looking good!
10. Kai Kalama - 27 from California - This guy....I don't know what it is, but when he started singing "What becomes of a Broken Heart," I almost fell off of the couch in laughter. He's a likable guy, yes. He's a decent singer, but the way he sang the song so seriously thinking that it was his ticket to the top 12. Oh man, I just couldn't stop laughing! As Simon said, I guess it was just a little bit too corny for my taste. And maybe for most of America's taste. It's not looking good for ol' Kai.
11. Mishavonna Henson - 18 from Irvine, California - Well, you know, it's about time that we start getting nicknames for people. And I hope Mishavonna gets in because, I have already given her a nickname that is SURE to stick! It all started with a typo in the Hollywood Blog. Ladies and gentlemen and fellow Idol Addicts...meet MY SHARONA HENSON!!! Whew, was it worth the wait? I wasn't thrilled with the song choice of Train's "Drops of Jupiter" a contender for most overplayed song in Top 40 Radio history. (I love how My Sharona talked about how she picked the song to be different! Yes, way to pick the most popular song ever! Ugh...teenagers!) And while the arrangement of the song was kinda goofy, I still found that My Sharona sang it pretty well! If anything, I could tell she had a good voice. The judges weren't very thrilled about the performance. I think they were more concerned that Paula sneezed on live TV! (I mean, how does that not happen more on live TV?!) Oh well, it's anyone's guess who the 3rd person to make it through will be, and by the end of this blog I need to make one!
12. Adam Lambert - 27 from Hollywood, California - Once again, placement of the contestants seems intentionally weighted in American Idol's Favor. We ended last week with fan favorite Danny Gokey on an inspirational note with the judges salivating over him. They salivated to the point that I'm not sure if I can even root for him anymore. I really wanted to support him too! Oh well, like I said, once the top 12 starts it's a whole new ball game! Anyway, Adam (aka Mr. Theatrical) pulled out a rendition of the Rolling Stone's "Satisfaction." One indication that we're supposed to like it? Paula was dancing! Call it what you want, love him or hate him, man that boy has some range! This top 12 wouldn't be complete without him. He can sing. He is still very theatrical, but hey, Freddie Mercury was theatrical and one of the greatest live performers in ROCK history. Am I suggesting that Adam can pull of the same kind of career? Surely, not at this point. But, what I am saying is, there is a place for him in this competition and anyone that thinks he will not be getting the popular male vote (some could suggest he might get the top female vote but let's not go there) is off their rocker!

Whew, man, is anyone still reading? Okay, so we know who the top spots are going to. So, the suspense is in my #3 pick. Last week I went 3 for 3 for the first time I think EVER (the Sarver pick being where I impressed myself!). Can I do it again? Doubtful, but here goes nothing!

Top Male Pick: Adam Lambert
Top Female Pick: Allison Iraheta
Next Top Vote Getter: Matt Giraud

Bonus Picks (just in case): Jesse Langseth, My Sharona Henson (but just because of the name!)

I changed my mind on Kris Allen. I gotta stick with my gut. He wasn't "stand-out" enough for his first major appearance to America. So last week, a 2nd guy got in, so does a 2nd girl get in this week by default? Eh, I dunno. It's really up in the air! My vote for Matt is based on what I HOPE happens. If it doesn't, I have faith the judges will bring him back.

Well, that's it folks. Hope you've enjoyed my ramblings as always! And I will be here tomorrow with the my reflection on the results!

One more sidenote of business. I am going to be publishing my blog on Gather.com from now on too. Feel free to check it out and join in any discussions that may arise there! If you don't check it out, then I'll still be here too! See you tomorrow!

American Idol: Top 36 Group 1

Welcome everyone to LIVE Idol! Whew, I'm excited to be back in my element. We start narrowing down the list of people, giving me a chance to grown bonds with our finalists, and find all sorts of ways to make fun of them! And of course, inch closer and closer to my prediction of an Idol winner. Although, the happy news of LIVE Idol comes with some disappointing news as well. For some odd reason, Idol performances will be next WEDNESDAY instead of Tuesday with a results show on Thursday. You have GOT to be kidding me! I can only assume this has something to do with our new president looking for more reasons to put his mug on camera yet again and ruin February sweeps! I went on a rant here about my thoughts on this, but deleted it figuring I'd lose at least 45% of my readership (get it???). My bigger beef with this move to Wednesday is that it will cause me to not give my all to the Idol blog next week. It's just too much to balance a performance blog and the LOST blog in one night! (especially a 2 hour episode of Idol! I have to sleep at some point!) Just so you know...you've been warned!

Anyway, that's next week. Let's talk about what happened tonight! Well it was the first night of 4 judges live. It started off a little rough with Kara just repeating everything Randy said, but she grew a set of her own by the end (kinda). For the most part, instead of Tweedle Dee (Randy) and Tweedle Dumber (Paula) fighting the battle against Simon...we add Kara and her insight to the mix. In the end though, it all seemed to make Simon sound even smarter! Almost like a "THANK YOU someone is finally saying what I'm thinking!"

With that said here was the advice our judges gave to the contestants:

Randy: yo dude...be in it to win it!
Kara: I'm nervous!!! But don't let the nerves get to YOU!
Paula: Blueberries!!! (never gets old!)
Simon: No 2nd chances this year. 3 people going through. Odds are stacked against you! Love the new hair Ryan, you're stalking me.

So we finally got the rules for how these wacky semi-finals are going to work. Highest Girl vote gets a top 12 berth, highest Guy vote the same. Then the next highest vote getter gets in. Huh??? So if 3 guys do great, a girl still gets in? Sounds like we will have a lopsided top 12, but not TOO lopsided. I don't know about you guys, but I'm sensing something very fishy with the way this season is going. And I'm not liking it one bit. The producers seem to have way too much say in who is getting into that top 12. They've arranged the the 3 groups of 12, arranged the order in which everyone sang, and are allowing the "JUDGES" to pick 3 contestants. Hmmm very fishy indeed. All of this is making me not very excited about blogging this season. But since I'm committed, I'll continue. Next year depends on how the rest of the season goes!

Oh and I was told I had to give a shout out to the FLASHY NEW IDOL MICROPHONE! Oooohhhhh Silverrrrrrr. Consider it SHOUTED!

Here is my critique of the 12 performances. Predictions to follow.

1. Jackie Tohn - 28 from New York - I had high hopes for Jackie coming into this week. She was my REVISED 12th pick for the top 12 after Joanna Pacitti was given the boot (she was deemed ineligible...duh I could have told you that!). I'm not going to say Jackie's rendition of Elvis's "A Little Less Conversation" wasn't entertaining. It sure was. But I think the big red belt and High Top sneakers were MORE entertaining. The girl has pep and is a ball of energy. But we got the impression she was going to be a rocker chick. This rendition of the Elvis tune just seemed a little corny. She was giving some flirty looks to the camera and she let out a scream at one point. She might be a wildcard pick. But I think there's going to be someone else that misses the top 3 tonight that they'll want to give another shot. Too many Judges/Producer favorites in this bunch for poor Jackie to make it. Such a shame. But you never know!
2. Ricky Brady - 26 from North Carolina - Could this be the most boring guy we've never met? Sure his voice was practically flawless. But he had no charisma and he told us a boring story about serving chicken fingers. This is not the way to make a first impression after practically no airtime prior to tonight. Then he went and sang a song that Elliott Yamin made his own in season 5? "A Song For You" The kicker for me was that I liked the guy, right up until he sang "THANK YOUUUUUUUUUUUU" for his final note. Really?????? That was just obnoxious. Maybe I forget that this is a lyric to the song, but I think that was Ricky just trying to be spontaneous. And sorry Ricky, it fell very flat.
3. Alexis Grace - 21 from Memphis, TN - Based on the competition, she's going to get through tonight. And I did pick her for the top 12! Why? Because she put pink in her hair, and I'm convinced we need someone with pink hair in the top 12 since we've been lacking it since season 3! I thought she sang Aretha's "Never Loved a Man" really well. Great soul, great voice, bluesy. You name it. But she STILL has a hard time pulling off a star image. And I'm sorry Simon, you jumped the gun comparing her to Kelly Clarkson at this stage in the game. That girl was in a league of her own in season 1. And she still blows away this bunch. And before this blog is over, there will be a You Tube clip of her proving this fact! (As it was also pointed out to me, Simon also said Kellie Pickler reminded him of Carrie Underwood. Okay...both are successful in country music. But come on! Carrie is in a different stratosphere!). I'm reserving my judgement until I see Alexis hold her own with the rest of the top 12.
4. Brent Keith - 29 Blanchester, OH works at a Home Improvement Warehouse -Our resident country boy sang "Hicktown." This was a karaoke performance with a capital CRAP! Had to love that body wiggle he had going on. Bounce up....bounce down...wiggle a bit, back to bouncing. Yikes. Train wreck! He's relying on country music fans to keep him alive. Can I get a show of hands from our Country fans out there who voted for him? (.....crickets.....)
5. Stevie Wright - 17 from Phelan, CA - She wanted to be on show since show began when she was 9. Ouch, that made me feel too old to be watching this show, let alone blogging about it! Here's a funny idea, let's enter a singing competition and perform a lesser known song by a very popular country artist who is known much more for her songwriting than her awful singing abilities. That's right, Stevie possibly sounded worse than Taylor Swift could ever sound on "You Belong With Me." Brilliant Idea Stevie! Are you sure you're not STILL 9? I felt like i needed a hairbrush and a mirror and....well...hair of course! (I'm just about out of that!) This was ABSOLUTELY AWFUL! And I didn't think it could get much worse. (stay tuned)
6. Anoop Desai - 22 from Chapel Hill, NC - What is up with all of the dudes singing girl songs this year? Anoop picks a very bizarre choice in Monica's "Angel of Mine," a late 90's pseudo hit. Does anyone ever remember Monica? For some odd reason, I do. This was the most bland performance ever. Granted, everyone loves Anoop. He got a lot of publicity and is a producer favorite. Were you not sure? All 4 judges were HOPING fans would be merciful and vote for him. This show is disgusting me big time. I don't know though. It's going to be tough. I believe he'll be vying for that "next highest vote count." We'll see. And can I get another show of hands who will be following the judges' lead in continuing to call him Anoop Dawg? (.......................more crickets......................)
   
   Oh and how about Anoop giving mad props to the band? Did anyone see the band out there? Were they hidden somewhere or did they just help with pre-recorded arrangements? Eh, whatever. I'm sure for the top 12 the stage will be even more ridiculous than last year and the band members will be sitting IN FRONT of the contestants this time around. Ryan will be lowered down from the ceiling on some crazy futuristic platform and fly around the studio pointing out all of the new 1080P 1000 inch HDTV Screens all over the room that no one at home will ever see! (ahhh is anyone getting excited? whew...I'm getting sidetracked!)
7. Casey Carlson - 20 Minneapolis, MN Bubble Tea Maker - Yep, worse than Stevie Wright. Lots of people had hoped Casey Carlson was going to be more than a pretty face. Sorry Shania Twain, that's all SHE is! (please tell me someone out there got that!) She tried to pull of The Police's "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic" And she failed with a 60's hairdo, awkward facial expression, 60's dance moves and a very weird smile between lyrics. The singing was bland. I don't have as strong a stance as the judges on Police Tunes. Sure they're a great band and Sting is a famous musician. But come on....the dude isn't GOD as much as he thinks he might be. Casey definitely will not be gracing our top 12 this year. Just awful. Flat out awful!!
8. Michael Sarver -27 from Jasper, Texas Oil Guy! - Well, Mikey's another producer favorite. But I can't lie. The dude IS a likable guy. He's not going to be winning any Idol crowns or anything. But I think people want to see more of him. I think if anything, Anoop doing not so good only helped his changes of getting in. His rendition of Gavin Degraw's "I Don't Wanna Be" was decent. He was kinda off pitch, as Randy said. The judges expected him to be a little more soulful. This is a tough call. Someone has to get in from tonight, so maybe Michael makes the cut? We'll see.
9. Ann Marie Boskovich - 22 from Nashville, TN - I had her picked as a top 12'er based on blog commenters and outside opinions. I should've stuck with my gut on this one. I'm sorry, anyone that watches Idol should know that NO ONE should EVER try to perform "Natural Woman" again on the show. I can never fairly critique anyone that attempts it. That being said, she did not do herself any service by trying to take it on. Why do I react so strongly? See Exibit K.C.:
   



10. Stephen Fowler - 26 from Cleveland, OH - Musician. He promised not to forget the words. And he sure didn't. I really expected to be blown away by Stephen. Not sure why. But when he went ahead and did Michael's "Rock With You" I knew we were NOT in for a treat. Hasn't anyone learned that singing Michael on the show just does NOT work? He wasn't comfortable singing without his piano. So his plan was to rock it out with disco Mike? Sorry, I'm not comfortable writing any more about this!
11. Tatiana Del Toro - 24 from San Juan, Puerto Rico- Okay, what on earth happened tonight? I am scared out of my mind that Tatiana may actually EARN a spot in the top 12 and not just get there because of Vote for the Worst (naturally, they will help her get in). She went from crazy to serious and back to crazy in a matter of minutes. I couldn't help but laugh at the whole thing. And I'm sure that's what the producers are going for. Starting with the moment she picked yet ANOTHER Whitney Houston song "Saving All My Love for You." Here's the thing, if you get past the craziness, she really isn't a bad singer. The whole thing is just bizarre. The judges are encouraging the crazy to come back out. Ryan is enticing the viewers to vote for her to continue her crazy story. And then Tatiana lets out a little speech at the end " Vote for me America. This is my dream and it's up to you to keep it alive." This girl just has some serious issues in the head. Leave it to Idol to endorse it! There is one spot still up for grabs Wednesday night. And I hate to say it, but she and Michael Sarver might be duking it out.
12. Danny Gokey - 28 from Milwaukee, WI - If there was any foregone conclusion for the night, it would be Danny Gokey getting into the top 12. They put the guy last, he's the Season 8 poster boy. And I know, I've had his back since day 1 too. But I have to side with Simon on this one. His rendition of Mariah's "Hero" (another female song, but David Cook pulled off Mariah, although he totally changed it up though!) was very good. But Randy, Paula and Kara's reaction to the performance just made me even more disgusted with how season 8 is transpiring. Clearly, they want this guy around for awhile, if not to win it all. And they just totally showed favoritism towards this guy. Paula even said "I have 2 words with hyphens. Sold-Out Arenas" (ummmm Paula???) Wasn't Paula the one who criticized Simon for declaring Carrie the winner and the one who will go on to become the biggest selling Idol winner ever very early in the top 12? Not only was Simon right about Carrie, but Paula...SEMI-FINALS really? The whole thing just smelled fixed. I'll go on rooting for Danny because he is a good singer. But come on Idol! Tone it down a bit!

Whew. I'm exhausted. And I still have to do my picks! Here goes:

Top Male - Danny Gokey
Top Female - Alexis Grace
Next Top Vote - Michael Sarver
Bonus Pick - Tatiana Del Toro

Probably will Wildcard in 2 weeks - Anoop Desai

I just couldn't do it! I cannot in good conscience put Tatiana in the top 12! And I half expect her to end up there. I have hope in America that they will know she's a nutcase. But I know that there are a lot of people out there that despise Idol and want to encourage Tatiana's appearance on the show for the love of train wrecks. And you know what? I can't say I blame them. Especially this year when the show has shown their hand way too obviously! But those are my picks. I like Michael Sarver and I hope he can continue on.

Well that's it kids. Hope you enjoyed my ramblings and hope you will forgive me next week when I ramble just a tad less!

Please share your thoughts on what you thought of tonight! I'll be here briefly Wednesday night for my take on the results. See you then!