American Idol 2006--Live Thread (Part III)

Fox ^ | 5-8-06

[Netizen]

There might be a harmonica solo or two in the finale."

Cool!

[Netizen]

Maybe 170 is too high an estimate, but I wouldn't be surprised if she weighs about 145-150.

Yeah, I'd say 150-170. She's tall and a little bottom heavy. Solid. Muscle weighs more than fat. I think she is the body type that is going to have to keep a close eye on her weight all her life.

[Netizen]

Hey, thanks! I never caught the extra t, that not being the traditional spelling, but I'll remember it now! :)

[stlnative]

Don't shoot the messenger - I did't write it, but it would be cool to see Chris sing Hemorrhage backed by the band Fuel.

http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/81-05182006-658313.html

American Idol finale predictions

By DAVE McGURGAN
phillyBurbs.com

With the end of season five of American Idol finally in sight, it's time to try and predict what will happen during the show's finale. If the two-hour final show is anything like this season has been, it'll be nothing more than a prolonged snooze fest that lacks a true sense of excitement.

Here are some predictions of what you can (or can't expect) during from the final two performances and the American Idol finale.


Paula Abdul WON'T cry during the finale; she'll be too wasted/tired to do so.

There will be not one, but TWO really awful group performances.

Backed by the band Fuel, Chris Daughtry will perform "Hemorrhage (In My Hands)."

Kellie Pickler's father, Bo, who was recently released from prison, will be in the audience.

Among the celebrities likely to be spotted in the audience: Teri Hatcher, Lisa Rinna, Heather Locklear, Famke Janssen, Abe Vigoda, Frankie Muniz, Brad Garrett, Anna Paquin, Michelle Trachtenberg.

The Brittenum boys will make their triumphant return to Idol and will somehow end up on stage during the finale.

Regrettably, there will be no wardrobe malfunctions. However, Kellie Pickler and Melissa McGhee will show off plenty of cleavage.

Neither Taylor Hicks nor Katharine McPhee will have an "idol moment." In fact, their performances will be mediocre and deemed "just OK" by the judges.

Taylor will slip and nearly fall on the Kodak Theater stage during one of his performances.

Knowing it takes skin to win, Katharine will bare as much cleavage as possible and will go on to upset Taylor and become the next American Idol.

[stlnative]

Many people have been spelling it wrong all season. I am very far from being a spelling wiz or even a grammer wiz, but the guy does deserve to have his named spelled correctly.

[Netizen]

Looks like McGurgan has a lot of wishes in his predictions.

[stlnative]

Read the last paragraph...

http://www.teenpeople.com/teenpeople/article/0,22196,1195405,00.shtml

Paula: I Wasn't the Only One Crying
The American Idol judge talks to TEEN PEOPLE about the tears she shed for Elliott and gives advice to the final two contestants
By Shirley Halperin
May 18, 2006 11:00AM EDT

Fitzroy Barrett/Globe Photos
Paula Abdul burst into tears last week upon hearing that beloved rocker, Chris Daughtry, had gotten the boot. So when the bad news arrived last night that her personal favorite, Elliott Yamin, was leaving the show, there were some who feared a total meltdown in the American Idol studio. But in what was perhaps the closest voting margin in Idol history, Paula took things relatively well, all things considered. "I wasn't the only one crying," she told TEEN PEOPLE after the elimination. "Randy was crying, even Simon had welled-up tears in his eyes. We all agree that nobody has really moved us and captured our hearts quite like Elliott Yamin. It's a tough competition and you gotta be proud." Paula’s parting words to Yamin? "I told him, 'It's not that you're going home, you've arrived. The world is yours.'"

As the ultimate underdog, Yamin, who gravitated towards classic soul, certainly made his mark in the competition, proving to be a more-than-competent crooner or, as Paula likes to call him, "a funky white boy." But in the end, it may have been his song selection that did him in. "Elliot had his choice of five songs, which we all contributed to," Paula explained. "And he picked the Bobby Caldwell song, which he sounded great on, but I actually gave Elliot the option to sing, 'Try a Little Tenderness,' in case Taylor didn't sing it." The Otis Redding classic, as it turned out, may have clinched a win for Birmingham, Alabama's Taylor Hicks, if it doesn't go to Valley girl bombshell, Katharine McPhee.

So how is Paula sizing up the final performances? "If Katharine stays in her natural voice, without belting, that's where her magic is," she said. "But she has to be careful with the power ballads. As for Taylor, I feel like he really knows who he is as an artist. I really am so proud of them."

One last bit of advice for the contestants before their final judging (and future recording contracts): don't sass the man in charge, in this case, SONY-BMG head Clive Davis. "I cannot believe Katharine said, 'Well, I didn't pick the song,'" Paula mused. "Then Simon had to hammer in, 'I think it was the wrong song choice,' and I was like, 'Oh my God!' That was a little embarrassing. But I'm sure Clive doesn't need to worry about what the judges say about his choices."

[stlnative]

Elliott fans... some of Elliott's schedule is in this report...

And, if the Idol castoff schedule holds true, TV viewers can expect to see him make the rounds of a half-dozen talk shows over the next several days, including Monday’s "Live with Regis and Kelly" and "The Ellen DeGeneres Show"; and Tuesday’s "Today" - subject to change.

---

'Idol' hopes over for Elliott
But he'll tour with other 'AI' finalists this summer

By DOUGLAS DURDEN
Times-Dispatch Staff Writer May 17, 2006

Richmond's Elliott Yamin may be out, but he's not down.

Seconds after receiving tonight's bad news from "American Idol's" Ryan Seacrest - "Elliott Yamin, your journey ends"- the Richmonder gave viewers a big smile and a graceful good-bye.

"This is a great catapult, a great stepping stone that most new artists don't ever get to experience,” Yamin said of his 13 weeks in Fox‘s singing competition. "So I am truly blessed and privileged to have taken advantage of this opportunity."

Seacrest, who told Yamin he has a lot to be proud of, then led a round of applause for Yamin's mother, Claudette, who has been a member of the studio audience from the beginning of the contest.

"I'm so blessed to have experienced this with her and my brother and everyone else in my family," said the Richmond singer, his voice trembling slightly.

And so ends Yamin's remarkable journey as a potential American Idol, winner of a $1 million recording contract and the guaranteed publicity that surrounds him or her.

It was close, according to the tally announced by Seacrest, the show‘s host. Out of the 50 million votes cast Tuesday night, Taylor Hicks and Katharine McPhee had either 33.68 or 33.26 percent of the votes - the show didn't indicate which was which - while Yamin followed achingly close behind with 33.06 percent.

But this doesn't end his association with the show.

For starters, he'll be back Wednesday, along with the other 11 finalists, as part of the two-hour season finale that crowns the next Idol, who will either be Hicks or McPhee.

Yamin, as one of the final 10 contestants, is also part of the "AI" summer concert tour that stops at the Richmond Coliseum July 29. (Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday.)

And, if the Idol castoff schedule holds true, TV viewers can expect to see him make the rounds of a half-dozen talk shows over the next several days, including Monday’s "Live with Regis and Kelly" and "The Ellen DeGeneres Show"; and Tuesday’s "Today" - subject to change.

Back in February, when the 24 "American Idol" finalists were announced, Yamin, 27, was considered a long shot.

Unlike some contestants who already had their own band (Taylor Hicks and Chris Daughtry), or a mother who was a singing coach (Katharine McPhee), or pop-idol good looks (Ace Young), Yamin’s previous experience was winning a local karaoke contest.

He has also battled diabetes and told his "AI" audience several weeks ago that he has a pronounced hearing loss in one ear.

But his pitch-perfect style and challenging song choices had won both fans and judges’ accolades.

Judge Simon Cowell referred to the Richmond singer several times as one of the best male vocalists the show has ever had.

But the judge also warned Yamin more than once that he needed to show more personality.

This was one of those weeks.

After Yamin sang Journey’s "Open Arms," his first of three songs on Tuesday, Cowell said that Yamin’s performance was stiff. "You can do better than that," he admonished the singer.

After his last song, Ray Charles’ "I Believe to My Soul," Cowell told Yamin his songs would not carry him through to next week.

Cowell added a compliment, which, in retrospect, may have been his way of saying farewell. "You are a great guy, you are a great singer. And whatever happens, you will make your mum very proud for what you’ve achieved in this competition."

But the judges don’t decide who advances in Fox’s popular singing competition at this level. The viewers do, using a voting system that often depends more upon who can generate the most text messages and whose fans can maneuver busy phone lines than who is considered the best performer.

This week, Yamin and his fans lost.

http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD%2FMGArticle%2FRTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1137836151387&path=!flair&s=1045855936229

[Hetty_Fauxvert]

Thanks for posting that! I was wondering what shows Elliott would be on.

[MarMema]

So is the meatloaf thing for real? He is supposed to be singing It's All Coming Back to me now with Kat?

[gopheraj]

It was a Care Bears stuffed animal. Our 2 and half year old granddaughtrer would be so jealous - especially if it was pink. Her older brother (by a year) wants to be an astronaut and when she was asked what she wants to be she said pink.

[SirLinksalot]

http://www.graycharles.com/index.php/2006/05/20/saturday-open-discussion-double-d-starts-us-off/#more-347

The Tipping Point of Taylor

In Malcolm Gladwell’s book, The Tipping Point, he explains the concept as a “social epidemic” – ideas, behavior and messages that behave as an infectious disease. If you are not familiar with The Tipping Point concept, here’s a link that gives you the abridged version.

The Tipping Point Synopsis

There are many good references here and I believe many of us here are Mavens and Salespeople, with a few like Gray Charles, Wade and James Hudnall being Connectors, who are spreading the epidemic of Taylor.

Gladwell says that once you begin to grasp the concept of The Tipping Point, you begin to see the pattern everywhere. The Tipping Point is really the boiling point of an idea or situation that suddenly goes “over the edge” and then spreads like wildfire. Some provide very lasting and real change. Many marketers are utilizing this premise to market products but the main application I’m talking about here is our little world of American Idol and Taylor Hicks. There are various levels of tipping points, so you’ll begin to get the picture…

First, Taylor, on the whole. I guess you can start with the audition but for some it goes back to the Southeastern bar scene. Then momentum built throughout Hollywood week and into the top 24. First tipping point came at this point. People, albeit a relatively small few, took notice that the boy had some serious, original talent. Mavens began to research and the Connectors started to spread the word…..Salespeople began talking up Taylor….and so it begins. The Soul Patrol starts to roll. Taylor brings a relatively simple idea of back to basic, love of music (no matter what the genre) to a group hungry for a change. Wildfire. People like Gray Charles take that and “connect” others. People start providing songs, ideas, information found in various sources (mavens) and others take this information and begin talking to their groups of friends on the merit of Taylor and his ability to change the music scene (salespeople).

This plays into individual and cumulative performances as well. To me, Taylor’s AI journey experienced its Tipping Point with the Play That Funky Music performance. Although there were moments of brilliance before that (Levon, TI2TS, Trouble, Send Me), there had also been some rough spots (Take Me Home, Not Fade Away, Easy). There were embers smoldering but the fire had been limited still to the core group. Then, the song controversy of Just Once/TALT. At this point, the crescendo started. Taylor then made a very bold and risky decision…”gonna be me, gonna keep it real”. IMO, one of the greatest moments a person could have…the chance to be true to yourself and “stick it to the man” for, and in front of, 30 million people. Paisley shirt, blue-suede shoes, funky dancin’ and laying all over the AI logo ON THE FLOOR!!! LADIES & GENTLEMEN - “THE BOOGIE”. That’s the night Taylor took possession of AI – his Tipping Point. That short 3 minutes may have defined the music industry for a while. From this gigantic “flip off” moment, the epidemic has grown exponentially and continues. Many, many people could so identify with the situation and Taylor did what most of us can only dream of…he didn’t compromise even though the stakes were extremely high. I was a Taylor junkie before, but I became a disciple that night. I’ve totally enjoyed the ride and looking forward to more Tipping Points to come.

[over3Owithabrain]

Great comments! I agree Taylor had a make-or-break moment the night of Funky Music. He was reeling from the AI shenanigans with his song choice the week before. For the first time he didn't appear to be the top vote-getter. AI was poised to choke him off. Then Taylor came out in a full throated cry, saying "I gotta be me". The crowd loved it! He laughed when Simon gave the usual dismissal, thus sending Simon to the dustbin of irrelevancy from that point on. Don't forget, minutes later on the show, Taylor wowed everyone (including Simon) with an ethereal performance of Something, which also was a stick in the eye of AI producers by doing an end run around their desire for a current chart-topper. From that point on, Taylor was untouchable - he called AI's bluff and appealed directly to the public. AI blinked and has not messed with him since; instead throwing up their hands and pretty much giving him carte blanche since.

[Conservative Texan Mom]

I watched Idol Extra the other night and Ty was interviewing Nigel about the finale.
Nigel mentioned Chris like 5 times. He said he had expected Chris to be in the finale, and he expected Chris to win. Then he said that he didn't want to give anything away, but for Chris fans, the finale would be "live". Then Ty said something about now being allowed to vote, and Nigel said, "sure you can. I vote. You could have saved Chis!" Seems like he got another mention or two of Chris in during this 3 minute interview. He may have mentioned Taylor 2 or 3 times, and Katharine, maybe once.

[Wyatt's Torch]

Then, the song controversy of Just Once/TALT. At this point, the crescendo started. Taylor then made a very bold and risky decision…”gonna be me, gonna keep it real”. IMO, one of the greatest moments a person could have…the chance to be true to yourself and “stick it to the man” for, and in front of, 30 million people. Paisley shirt, blue-suede shoes, funky dancin’ and laying all over the AI logo ON THE FLOOR!!! LADIES & GENTLEMEN - “THE BOOGIE”. That’s the night Taylor took possession of AI – his Tipping Point.

Exactly. After "Just Once" Taylor said, "screw it and screw Simon." Taylor just being Taylor, as I've said. He has gone the rest of the way on his terms and it has worked. I expect nothing less next week. He will let it end on his terms with no regrets.

[Wyatt's Torch]

Dang. Simon and Randy give Kat a bit of a reality check. Deservedly so IYAM...

http://www.kfoxtv.com/video/9245522/index.html

[A knight without armor]

"Paisley shirt, blue-suede shoes, funky dancin’ and laying all over the AI logo ON THE FLOOR!!!"


Oh, my goodness that is good! I'm a Taylor salesperson.

Taylor exudes the joy of music.

Taylor stuck it to Simon. Remember Simon said Taylor is like a drunk at a wedding. But Simon has been unable to dismiss Taylor. I've always liked Simon best for his wit but this season I've had it with him. Cute as he is in that black T shirt, Simon is just an empty air bag to me anymore. I used to be eager for Simon's comments but he has been so wrong with Taylor that now Simon is just like a little mouse squeaking in the dust at the edge of the Kentucky Derby track as the hooves thunder past. I dismiss him.

Taylor is what most people would want in a brother, son, husband, best friend. Taylor is the type of person we want our families to watch.

And I do not accept the votes being that close either.

[I'm ALL Right!]

I admit, until I read your post, I have spelled it "Elliot". I didn't know I was spelling it wrong...no disrespect intended.

[GraniteStateConservative]

Did you see mom and daughter cheering as soon as they announced it was Elliot going home.

I tried to grab the names of folks who'd posted recently on the AI threads, and I apologize if you're upset you were pinged, but this topic has been a pretty popular one in the thread, and I wanted to make sure those who would have an interest in this would be pinged.

In regards to the controversy over how the contestants or the parents react during the eliminations (and even if there was editing by the producers-- which cameras to turn on and when-- to make things appear a certain way), I wanted to post this pic, which shows a visibly ecstatic Taylor and Elliott when they were on the safe end of elimination. I don't really care how people react when they learn they are safe. They certainly have a right to be thrilled. It's a zero sum game-- if they win, someone loses (just like in life and just like in show business). They have worked too hard to not be thrilled at reaching their goal, even if they know the other person well and love and respect them. It's actually common sense on a conservative site like FR, actually, where cold-hearted capitalism is understood.

[Echo Talon]

Taylor is gonna win(he deserves it was never in the bottom 3 and has won MOST of the shows)