American Idol 2006--Live Thread (Part III)

Fox ^ | 5-8-06

[silent_jonny]

always for Tammy

[Sue Perkick]

You're not the only one. I would rather have seen the contestants do more songs together or the 2 finalists do an extra song or two. I will give some credit to Al Jarreau. He at least put some effort into it. Can't say that about a couple of female performers. There should be a big finish. Whoever wins should be able to at least finish their song and have a moment or two to bask in it. It's the winner's night.

[GraniteStateConservative]

USA Today misses the key part-- that everyone watching feels qualified to render a judgment about the competitors.

[silent_jonny]

The American Idol Live Thread is like Free Republic's version of the Algonquin Round Table -- some of the wittiest, classiest and most urbane of FR gather to discuss matters of utmost cultural importance, such as Constantine's tongue and the proliferation on melisma in modern singing.

Oh I'm saving that one! Don't be surprised if you see it on next year's threads :)

[Wolfstar]

Agree with you about the celebs they had. Would rather revel in the moment for Taylor. I really like this photo of Taylor singing his winners song. Simon was clapping, but didn't look especially happy. Paula and Randy were thrilled. :)

COME ON, AMERICA! I'M LIVING THE AMERICAN DREAM.

I was grinning from ear to ear.

[Wolfstar]

There should be a big finish. Whoever wins should be able to at least finish their song and have a moment or two to bask in it. It's the winner's night.

I'm so glad someone else agrees. Truly. I thought all the guest celebs were way overdone. It isn't about them. It's about the contestants, the runner up and, most of all, the winner.

[silent_jonny]

Thanks so much :)

[Wolfstar]

USA Today misses the key part-- that everyone watching feels qualified to render a judgment about the competitors.

Who better to judge than the people who are going to buy the CDs? In the end, they're the ultimate judges anyway -- on the show or in the stores and online music download sites. The genius of AI is that it brings the public into a place they've never been -- the auditioning process.

[Netizen]

Speaking of not looking happy. Did you notice the shots of Carrie in the audience, where she looks angry or pissed?

[silent_jonny]

His "Bat out of Hell" album was actually quite good, but that was 20-25 years ago.

Don't forget, he had a HUGE hit in 1993 with "I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)"

[Wolfstar]

Speaking of not looking happy. Did you notice the shots of Carrie in the audience, where she looks angry or pissed?

I did. Don't know if she was angry, but I've always had trouble trying to figure out Carrie's personality. She has a beautiful voice and is also physically beautiful. But to me she's kind of cold and empty. The biggest knock on her when she was a contestant last year was that she's kind of a wooden performer. I honestly don't know if these assessments are accurate or fair, but what can ya do. We react the way we react to performers. Usually it's visceral, not conscious.

About mid-way during the top ten, she came out looking like a grown-up Jon-Benet Ramsey. It was creepy. Before that, I liked her alright, but after that I was just totally turned off her. Have never been able to warm back up to her since. Even so, I'm happy for her success.

[silent_jonny]

Evening, Wolfstar :)

If Clive Davis and his schlock-pop inclinations don't get in Taylor's way, we could be in for something really special when his album comes out.

From what I read about Carrie and Bo's experiences making their albums, Clive & Idol gave them a lot of freedom to choose what they wanted to do. But in Bo's case, he invited way too many "pros" onto his album and the result is a big mess.

If Taylor presents a clear idea of what he wants to do (and I'm sure he will), I think Clive will let him do it. But of course, his album will have to include at least one schlock-pop tune--that's mandatory :)

[NinoFan]

I think so too. Kinda sad (and more than a little disturbing :o)

In a way, Peisha probably IS living vicariously through her daughter. However, she is a vocal coach in her own right, and she is actually one of the better cabaret singers I've heard, so it's not like she doesn't have some talent. She coached Kat for years, and I'm guessing Kat got a lot of her fashion sense from her mother. Kat does have the better set of pipes. Boy, can she sing!

[Netizen]

The Jon Benet may have been the wonderful AI stylists. So, I cut her some slack on that. She was smiling before the show, and did great during the show. I'm going to attribute the odd 'pics' to being just a snapshot in time, and maybe they were taken during Braxton's ruining of the duet or something similar. She seems to have loosened up a bit since last year.

[GraniteStateConservative]

Likable judges (the show's judges are larger than life characters who make the show a soap opera-- it's very important that the judges be mockable, which is why Paula Abdul can show up to work as drunk as she wants to be) and contestants (they have to be people you want to succeed-- or at least love to hate), features music people are generally acquainted with and mostly like, the first few weeks are schadenfreude and that's popular in the US, the following weeks feature people who are talented singers for the most part (we DVR the shows and watch them delayed and zip through the occassional really bad ones-- but AI knows that really bad singing in the voting rounds is not good for business, because people don't want to listen to 90+ seconds of really bad singing voluntarily so they try to get good singers through) and people like to hear talented singers, and finally the show needs the audience to help and the audience feels qualified to help (which is why this show is more popular than dance shows or whatever that are basically the same format-- this is very critical to the show's popularity).

AI tries to keep the show moving, which is important, too, for our ADD culture. They tweak things some every year, too, to keep it fresh.

[NinoFan]

Did you notice the shots of Carrie in the audience, where she looks angry or pissed?

Perhaps the rumors were true that she was wanted Kat to win.

[silent_jonny]

Prince was one of the worst parts of the show, IMO. The only thing worse was Mary J. Blige's rudeness toward Elliott.

[Wolfstar]

If Taylor presents a clear idea of what he wants to do (and I'm sure he will), I think Clive will let him do it.

Crossing fingers. :)

I'm hoping for something soul/bluesy with a little of the southern rock we thought we'd get with Bo but didnt. Some harmonica. Some guitar. Taylor's "whiskey tenor" voice. Heaven.

BTW, there are Carrie/country fans who post on the music boards I frequent who aren't thrilled with her album. Some -- not all, certainly -- but some think it's too pop. Just goes to show it's impossible to give everyone what they want.

[silent_jonny]

Then the interviewer asked her what she has changed about herself since she has got this contract. She said, "Not a damn thing."

LOL!

[GraniteStateConservative]

That looks like a "kiss" kiss.

[NinoFan]

Prince was one of the worst parts of the show, IMO

I remember hearing that there was a surprise that only Kat and Taylor knew about. It turned about to be Prince. Gee, was I disappointed.