It's Stevie Wonder night on "American Idol," which is both good news and bad news for the contestants depending on who will be singing what.
On the one hand, it gives the singers a chance to meet a true musical legend, and that overwhelmed many of them. Kellie Pickler and Elliott Yamin were openly crying when he walked in the room to meet them. Ace Young said, "I'm overjoyed and overwhelmed, and today I am very satisfied with my life." (c'mon man, Stevie Wonder might be a legend, but he isn't the Messiah you know ).
Eliott Yamin added, "The fact that I actually got to sit down by the man himself … that's something I'm going to be able to carry with me forever." ( to which I say -- I once had the chance to shake hands with Jackie Chan in Taiwan and ended up thanking God that I am not that short, but that's another story. THAT I will carry for the rest of my life as well :) ).
Let's put it this way .... Stevie Wonder is the sort of artist that contestants are well-advised to avoid trying to copy. His vocals are intricate, and the standard he sets is very hard to live up to. His style in unique and YOU KNOW IT IS HIM JUST BY LISTENING TO HIM SING.
The inevitable result is that people who try and sing his songs get slammed by the judges for their efforts (as Katharine McPhee was for her rendition of ALL IS FAIR IN LOVE). It seemed like a recipe guaranteed to cause headaches for judges and contestants alike, particularly since the show itself was two hours long. One of you sent me an e-mail and stated that 90% of Stevie Wonder songs performed in American Idol are not done well. AMEN TO THAT.
However, it is a tribute to the man that people find his songs worth performing. That means that they ARE ENJOYABLE and WORTH SINGING. But --- Many a would be idol have fallen by the wayside ( both male and female ) trying to reach his standard. TPTB ( That's The Powers That Be to folks from Rio Linda ) finally realized that they have to accept the inevitable and invite the man himself and celebrate his music. But this isn't going to be the last of it I can guarantee that.
LET's SUMMARIZE THE NIGHT ....
The first half of the night lived DOWN to those expectations, as many struggled to come close to the Wonder standard. But the singers improved as the night wore on.
HERE IS THE BLOW BY BLOW....
Ace Young, 25, Denver, Colo.: Ace opened the show with "Do I Do." The last one who did this song was the guy who could have won had he not left prematurely last season --- MARIO VASQUEZ. Mario absolutely did Stevie proud and Ace would be compared to that performance if people remembered it. Question --- DID ACE LIVE UP TO IT ? In a word --- NO. NOT ONLY DID HE NOT TOP MARIO, HE DISAPPOINTED ( BIG TIME as Dick Cheney would say ).
Right from the start his vocals are strained and flat, consistently on every single top note in the verse. Many, many clunckers. Ace reminds me of J.J. Reddick's off night shooting for Duke University.
It got better at the chorus, but the bridge was just plain odd and not good at all. He is a good performer. I will give him that much, but honestly, he really does not have a better voice than Constantine ( the guy he's being compared to ). And Mario beats him by a wide mile. The song was just too big for him. His vocals took a vacation to Aruba. Whatever it is, If Ace continues like this ( and he's had several off nights already ), his good looks can only take him so far. This is a singing contest, not an ogling one.
Kellie Pickler, 19, Albermarle, N.C.: In fairness, this theme is not a format that was designed to showcase her voice.
Before she went onstage she said, "I have no idea what I'm doing." Of course, Wonder has sang and written an awful lot of songs, so it's hard to imagine Pickler couldn't have come up with something that worked a little better for her. C'mon girl you don't live far from the city, is Stevie Wonder so unknown and unplayed in your part of the woods ? She is, of course, not that familiar with Stevie Wonder, or anything that wasn't under the large, countrified, rock she's been hiding under.
However, she still cried tears of excitement when she met him. She admits to having no confidence in herself in this genre. Honestly, if you are a singer, you should be able to have some kind of fricking variety. If you have no variety, you can be called a one trick pony, but not a singer. There's something very cunning and wiley about Kellie that gets to me --- IT's THE BE-KIND-TO-ME, I'M-JUST-A-POOR-NAIVE-COUNTRY-GIRL -- routine she plays on us every week. This works for guys like me most of the time. I'm a sucker for poor underdogs and helpless, pretty women ( especially the New York kind who pulls your heartstrings on the subways ). You can part me and my money very easily with this kind of trick but I'm slowly learning but am not very good at it ( YET).
Anyway, about the song. She has an okay start, she looks BEAUTIFUL, but it is just a weird song on her voice. Like trying to fit a two outlet plug into a 3 outlet socket.
She isn't even attempting to stifle the country twang at all. I'm kind of uncomfortable, but at the same time, it isn't awful. She has a really nice, smoky moment on "what I am feeling," but it is just that, a moment. She attempted to connect emotionally, but it was just all VERY ANTI-CLIMACTIC, and strange. The key was awful for her.
If there is any justice, hers was one of the worst performances EVER on this season. However, I'll predict this --- Kellie is going to skate through on her one liners for some time, she is the funniest thing to hit AI ever. For example, she got her shoes on sale, she's trying not to bust the seam of her dress, she has false eyelashes and they feel like tarantulas (sp), etc etc etc.
But I'm getting to be a little wary. She uses the word -- ARACHNOPHOBE. She knows the word yet does not know what Calamari is ? Can you believe this naive schtick she's trying to play on us ???
The thing with Pickler is that even when she doesn't sing well, she has that disarming charm that gets people to forgive her. Guys will vote for her if only she makes them feel protective, manly and in control. That is why WOMEN ARE REALLY THE STRONGER GENDER.
Elliott Yamin, 27, Richmond, Va.: Eliott was the most emotional at the whole Stevie Wonder experience. Elliott obviously adores Stevie, and it was nice to see that Stevie was quite impressed by Elliott. This is the Elliott, you must remember, who absolutely knocked me off my feet ( the song he will sing tonite ) with his outstanding rendition of the same Stevie Wonder's ---- IF YOU REALLY LOVE ME.
That said, I have to say that I was not excited with the song choice -- KNOCKS ME OFF MY FEET. Let's summarize ---- This was not Elliott's best performance ( blame it on the song ), but still light , he beats Ace and Kellie by a country mile.
Let me say this ---- Elliott has a voice that rivals Clay Aiken's. Right from the start there were way cool runs. There was perhaps one or two uncertain notes , but I just love listening to his soothing voice and he had a dynamite ending.
THE KID CAN SING. What Eliott lacks is stage presence. He has to work on being comfortable on stage. I think the big stage just overwhelmed him. That will come with experience though. BUT HIS SUPPORTERS MUST BE RABID ENOUGH TO KEEP HIM. I voted for him a few times.
But then to have the great Stevie Wonder tell you that : "You should definitely do this as a profession," is probably enough to make the whole experience worthwhile.
I hate to agree with Simon when he said it the best so far but it didn’t have the wow factor.
BOTTOM LINE L It was a good rendition of a Stevie Wonder song but not great. Unfortunately, YOU HAVE TO BE GREAT TO BE UNFORGETTABLE. Espcially if you are Eliott Yamin and you don't look like Ace Young.
Next, we come to the girl who Simon says needs a bigger stage -- WELL SHE's GOT IT. WHAT'LL SHE DO NOW ??
Mandisa, 29, Antioch, Tenn.: Mandisa chooses the song ---> "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing," and was clearly the best of the pack of first 4 group of singers. You don't need to study quantum physics to know that Mandisa would not have to fear tonight. She grew up on Stevie, and we now know she has well moisterized ankles. Thanks Ryan. Ryan proceeds to help her by taking off herhigh heels ( which she was afraid would break because of her --- HOW SHALL I PUT IT NICELY --- Girth ). That's what the viewers get for allowing Fox to get away with a two-hour show. From then on -- she performed BARE-FOOTED ( How I would have loved to see her break the heels though ).
In the practice session, Stevie was very impressed with Mandisa and thinks she can sing anything. Can't disagree with that.
She looks gorgeous (in a heavy sorta way ) and while she started low, she pumped it up later with a magnificent jump to a high belt. She turns up the heat in the middle, and it is finally much better than the initial verse.
OK folks, this isn't comparable to her "I'M EVERY WOMAN" performance the other night. But thus far, she was the best ( as Simon puts it ). Mandisa is in no danger of being booted off. CONSISTENCY is her name and we'll be seeing more of her till late May ( I predict ).
Of all the adult contestants I feared for the most this night, it would be Bucky Covington. His style is southern country rock and how that would melt to Stevie Wonder's songs is something only American Idol can offer. YES FOLKS --- GARTH BROOKS MEETS STEVIE WONDER -- Only in AI folks, only in AI.
Bucky Covington, 28, Rockingham, N.C. : The bar was set pretty low for Covington, since Stevie Wonder tunes don't exactly fit into his country-rock library. Bucky admits that stuff like this doesn’t happen everyday in his hometown. He has never owned a Stevie album or even listened to them. He heard ‘Superstition’ & wanted to go buy the album. Stevie gives him great constructive criticism and told Bucky when he gets excited he gets a little sharp so watch that.
SUPERSTITION WAS A CLEVER, CLEVER CHOICE Bucky my man ( are you sure it isn't his twin covering for him ?? ).
Amazingly, the man worked it out. Heck right from the start he was already better than Kellie or Ace. Bucky tried to rock it out. Some of it worked but most did not. However, Like Tim Mcgraw he knows how to work the stage. The growl in his voice fits the song too. After all, country folks can be superstitious.
And Simon --- enough of the Jessica Simpson hairstyle comment. It wasn't Bucky's idea.
let me admit to you folks, I ENJOYED THIS PERFORMANCE. Not because it had great vocals, but because you don't get to see things like this occur everyday. Let's put it this way --- Do you ever see Tiger Woods play basketball and play it quite passably without making a fool of himself ? PRECISELY WHAT I THINK OF BUCKY's PEFORMANCE.
The man was one of the lowest vote getters though and isn't on a very secure footing. The fact that he does not know how to pull the heartstrings like Kellie does isn't a harbringer of good things.
AHH WHO DO WE HAVE HERE --- THE SURVIVOR HERSELF ....
In the intro clip, Melissa said it has been insane working like 17-hour days. It is a roller coaster she doesn’t want to get off of. Her voice has been sore but has been gargling olive oil. She said it is intimidating to sing in front of Stevie but messing up one of his lyrics was mortifying. Stevie caught it right away & stopped her. She chose ‘Lately’ & hopes to overcome her nerves. Remember who sang LATELY last ? Well well well, MARIO VASQUEZ got into HOLLYWOOD singing this song A CAPELLA.
Melissa must be nervous because unlike Gedeon, who promised not to forget his lyrics after a disastrous audition, she forgot some of the lyrics to "Lately" in her rehearsal with Wonder, then promptly went out and did the same thing onstage when it mattered. This is like giving her the free throw when the clock has one second left and her team is losing by 1. A clutch performance, it wasn't.
That said, there's this thing with Melissa where despite it all, you end up liking her. Despite some shaky notes and lyrics, and a couple rocky moments, she fights through it and you want to root for her. She does have a good HUSKY voice.
Think of yourself as a teacher in class... you've got a student who isn't the brightest but who has the enthusiasm to do well and tries her darndest to impress and somehow, does well in the end -- THAT's MELISSA FOR YOU. She isn't the most talented vocally, but BOY DOES SHE TRY and DOES SHE GET BETTER !!
I agree with Paula here .... Paula said she should wear dresses more often. She messed up the lyric but when she opened up her mouth to sing there is something very soothing about her voice & she loves it. Her voice is different from any other voice in the competition.
Now I want you to notice the REVERSE PSYCHOLOGY Simon Cowell is playing.... He says : "In my opinion, this was your best performance so far." Nope, it's not that Simon suddenly likes her by complimenting her on a night she forgot the lyrics to her song.
NO -- SIMON LEARNED HIS LESSON BY NOT BEING CRUEL AND TALKING ABOUT TICKETS BACK HOME. He is now reversing the psychology -- hoping to be a little nice and hoping that the fans pick up from there and REALLY send her home and not give her the anti-Simon vote.
EVIL is EVIL, even when they're trying to play nice ( see the witch in Narnia for instance ).
Now who do we have next --- THE DEFINITE COVER GIRL FOR SEVENTEEN MAGAZINE HERSELF -- THE LOVELY AND GRACIOUS AND SOOO POISED 16 YEAR OLD LISA TUCKER.
Lisa tells us that she has watched AI from the 1st season but didn’t put 2 & 2 together & didn’t think she would meet Stevie. She chose ‘Signed, Sealed Delivered’. Stevie asked her what she normally sings & she said Whitney songs. Well of course... All Lisa has done thus far is do SLOW BALLADS. Let's see how she does with up-tempo songs.
OK, the youngest lady in the competition looked very polished singing "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours."
OK, She is a good performer, but I mean, what else do you expect from a girl who has been doing it since she was 10 ?
But her transition from high to low , which was supposed to sound soulful was awkward, throaty, and pitchy. Her vibrato did not deliver (the third word of the title ) at all. Compared to Paris, the other precocious teenage girl, I think she is begining to pale in comparison.
The title of the song was SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED. She did the first two but didn't do the last.
Karl Malone, THE MAILMAN, DELIVERS, Lisa still needs to work at the vocal post office to learn how to do it.
Lisa will stay on, if only because her's was not the worst performance tonight. BUT IT LEAVES MUCH TO BE DESIRED. If it's any consolation, I LOOOVE TO SEE HER SMILE.
Next, we come to the kid with the most number of monickers. He's the youngest of the group of males and has been called everything from a "sex symbol" to chicken little. Yes, I'm talking about my Long Island neighbor -- Kevin Covais, the SINGING BABY.
It's bizarre, but somewhere along the way, with all the accolades and hype being heaped upon him, it's as if Covais has actually started to believe that he's really a gangsta. He talked about being a sex symbol.
And here's a lesson to you folks out there -- FAME HAS A WAY OF GETTING TO YOUR HEAD, Especially when you get it too young. You think all the adoration heaped on you makes you worthy and you begin to harbor delusions of grandeur. Kevin is begining to believe all his hype ( just as George Clooney is beginning to think his films can change the world simply because he got nominated 4 times).
Kevin said the whole experience is amazing & the best is having fans in the audience with signs. Some little girls come on stage & give him their sign. Kevin said it was incredible meeting Stevie & he was in awe. He was a bit nervous. Stevie told him to relax & just breathe.
And what song does he choose ? HECK, a song that does not fit his age -- PART TIME LOVER !! What an icky song choice for him. Do you really want to hear him sing this song knowing that he and his girlfriend connived to "break up" so that he can "look" available to the rest of America and get more teen votes ?? I hear someone say -- YES ( because that may be what the song is about and the kid is learning from the lyrics ).
On second thought, I think this may be a good pick for his voice. Stevie said Kevin brought fun to the song.
Well there's a difference between FUN and FUNNY. For me, it was the later. There are some sharp notes and a couple of nice moments in the middle. Then at the end there were some surprising, actualy soulful, solid runs. But his dance and moves jut reminded me of the DANCING BABY video from Ally Mcbeal.
GREAT CLASSIC EXCHANGE :
Simon Cowell : "This is the part in the show where Stevie Wonder turns down the sound. It was appalling." – Simon Cowell.
Kevin's response: "That's OK. I wasn't expecting much out of you anyway." – WHOA, THE REJOINDER OF THE SEASON !!!
Please folks, let the kid go now. He's had a good run ( but my bet is no one will listen and I dread him being the John Stevens or Scott Savol of this season ).
Now folks -- IF THERE IS ANY GIRL WHOSE IMAGE *AND* TALENT FITS SIMON's MARKETING IDEA OF THE AMERICAN IDOL -- IT's GOT TO BE Katharine McPhee, 21, Los Angeles.
She has the looks, the personality and the talent and voice to boot. But America is getting to be wise and slowly looking past the PHYSICAL ASSETS to look at QUALITY.
Katharine said if asked out of anyone in the industry who would she want to work with she would say Stevie. She was in awe ( why am I repeating this word ? I guess I gotta look up a thessaurus ) when he walked in.
Katharine chooses the song ‘Until You Come Back To Me’. Stevie thinks she has a lot of potential.
FOLKS, Let me tell you this. My Neighbor lent me a copy of the record made by the Idol contestants of Season 3 and guess who absolutely LIT UP THIS SONG AND IMPRESSED ME ??? Wanna take a guess if you didn't hear the record ? ANSWER -- THE MUCH MALIGNED Hawaiian -- CAMILLE VELASCO. What spunk, what attitude and what hip-hop. Camille's version of this song made me want to hear it over and over again.
But note -- Camille was RECORDING IT IN STUDIO. That's VERY DIFFERENT from singing it live before 30 million people and on a wide stage. In this venue, There are NO TAKES and every single mannerism is scrutinized and pikced on NO END. So, Having heard that from another Idol contestant, I was curuiously anticipating Kate's version of the song.
FIRST UP ---- HER WARDROBE DOES NOTHING TO DISPEL THE RUMOR THAT SHE's PREGNANT. Fire your stylist girl !!
Back to her performance.
IMHO, She didn’t seem nervous at all & was the best of the night so far. This was a very strong performance from someone who was bashed earlier in the competition for daring to sing a Stevie Wonder song. I NEVER WORRY FOR KATHARINE. She's always on key and she could never sing a bum note even if she tried.
Simon tries to compare her to Kelly ( UNFAIRLY ) , but then he's tried to compare Kellie to Carrie. THEY DON'T MATCH.
Don't get me wrong -- Kate is VERY BEAUTIFUL. If she does not remind you of Kate Holmes, she reminds you of Catherine Zeta Jones ( notice the similarities on their first names ? Something about the name Katherine or Katharine, or Catherine makes you go up to be sultry looking. BUT BEWARE THE NAME KATRINA !!!! ).
The problem Ihave with Katharine is she's trying for this cutesy personality, and Kelly naturally is just that way.
How do you compare Kathraine and Kelly ? HMMMM... I believe that Kelly has more OOOMPH and Soul in her than Katharine could muster. We'll have to see the next few weeks because Katharine is in NO DANGER of going home.
Let's here it for the man who I still think isn't leveling with us about his true age ( Am I going to be in trouble with the PETGHA ? ( People for the Ethical Treatment of Gray Haired Artists ) ? Talyor Hicks, 29, Birmingham, Alabama ( with a question mark after the 29 ).
First of all, Taylor gets brownie points from me for pointing out that Stevie Wonder actually is an American Idol, and not in the reality television sense of the word. If there's anyone in this competition who FITS the Stevie Wonder mold -- IT's HIM. HE HAS ALREADY DONE THE HEAD BUBBLING BACK AND FORTH THING. SO WHY NOT ? All Taylor has to do is choose the right song. Stevie remarked after hearing him that he was BORN TO DO THIS.
The gray-haired wonder picks, "Living for the City" — he's a genius at getting the crowd rocking. I totally knew he would sing this! Stevie believed him and I did to.
This venue ( THE BIGGER STAGE) was made for Taylor and Paris. IT GIVES ROOM FOR THEM TO UNLEASH THEIR LATENT ENERGY. The little stage of the pre-top 12 competition is really too SMALL for them as Taylor AND Paris are PERFORMERS FIRST AND FOREMOST.
How to explain the performance -- IT STARTED GREAT AND THE AUDIENCE WERE CLEARLY INTO IT. But 3/4 of the way , the whole "nanana' section was useless for him, as was spinning instead of singing. He was the most comfortable so far. He definitely was fearless. He puts his whole heart into every performance. And notice this ---- HE HOLDS HIS HARMONICA JUST RARING TO PLAY IT ON THE SHOW !!
LET ME ASK YOU -- THIS IS SIMON COWELL's IDEA OF A COMPLIMENT, DO YOU AGREE :
"Your appeal is, you're like every dad who goes to a wedding, gets drunk, goes onstage and sings. The difference is, you can sing."
Now, let me tell you why I am rooting for Taylor Hicks. BOTTOM LINE ---- OF ALL PEOPLE IN THIS SHOW, HE DESERVES FAME THE MOST.
Here is a man whose dad adviced to get into a profession that pays the bills ( and his dad, a dentist was ready to pass on his practice to Taylor if only he'd study the profession ).
Taylor refused simply because HE LOVES HIS MUSIC AND WANTS TO PERFORM. For 10 years, the man spend blood, sweat and tears going to every joint trying to get his voice heard. He wrote songs about traveling all these years barely getting by....he rents a small apartment and sleeps in an old couch and tells us that that's the first thing he is going to upgrade if he wins enough dough to have a better lifestyle.
He spends his own money to produce a CD of his own written songs.
ALL FOR WHAT ??? FOR THE MUSIC OF COURSE !!
He just loves his music and wants to share it with the world. HOW CAN YOU NOT SUPPORT THE MAN ? If American idol is all about finding the best undiscovered talent in the country, you can't get any better than Taylor Hicks.
Taylor must have spent many frustrating years trying to get people to hear his CD until he said to himself, ENOUGH WITH THIS --- IF I WANT TO BE HEARD, I GOT TO GO TO THE VENUES THAT GIVES THE BEST CHANCE FOR THIS TO HAPPEN.
IF AMERICAN IDOL's GOAL IS TO PICK THE BEST UNDISCOVERED TALENT, YOU CAN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS -- A MAN TOTALLY FOCUSED AND DEDICATED TO HIS MUSIC.
Put it this way --- Have you ever busted your buns working for your company for years and then suddenly, out of the blue, some young punk who has an MBA from Harvard is hired for top management with stock options to boot and starts uprooting the company in order to boost the price of his stock options. How would you feel about the man ?? How would you feel if he got wealthy and you lost your job and you see him LIONIZED in the cover of FORTUNE MAGAZINE ?
That's how I feel about young upstarts getting fame and fortune over talented and dedicated guys like TAYLOR who has REALLY BUSTED HIS BUNS TRYING TO MAKE A NAME FOR HIMSELF.
TAYLOR DESERVES FAME and IN FACT, I WANT HIM TO WIN A GRAMMY AND SELL ALBUMS AND GET THE FAME THAT JOE COCKER AND RAY CHARLES HAVE. That will show that America still rewards talent and hard work.
NEXT, WE COME TO THE OTHER PRECOCIOUS TEEN WITH THE ROYAL SINGING PEDIGREE FROM THE SOUTH -- PARIS BENNET.
She owns one of the few best pre-Hollywood auditions ever, but in the ensuing weeks, managed to underwhelm.
Stevie tell us he is reminded of Fantasia, but honestly, I like Paris's voice better, or at least I did in Hollywood.
This stage is made for an electric performer like Paris. Though she's only a teenager, Paris sings like she's been onstage since birth and feels no pressure at all. She did a stellar job with "All I Do," and did nothing to lose her status as one of the favorites to win the competition.
Tonight she won me back over with a solid vocal, and an exciting performance. My initial faith in her has returned now. This girl is on tonight. I thought it was really good. I guess they saved all the good performances for the end of the night.
Unlike the previous weeks, I don't think her grandma made any serious attempt at influencing her song choice. SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU GIVE SOMEONE THE FREEDOM TO CREATE ?
Between Lisa and Paris, Paris is the better performer, the more versatile and easily the more fun to watch. Paris will outlast Lisa the longer they last.
FINALLY, WE HAVE THE SECOND COMING OF BON JOVI ----> Chris Daughtry -- he of the bald head.
Chris closed the night again ( the second time this season ). He tells us that when he found out it was Stevie Wonder night he was worried he wouldn’t find the right song for his genre. But then came across ‘Higher Ground’ and remembered the Red Hot Chilli Peppers’ cover. Stevie said Chris sounded sincere. Chris hopes to take both versions & blend them together to make something unique.
OK, let's give him props for being innovative. But let's not give him props for being unable to get out of his comfort zone. Between Chris and Taylor, the later is obviously the more VERSATILE, able to cross more genres.
But I thought Chris was quiote inventive as I could clearly hear both version in his vocal. Randy said what is cool about him is every week he figures out a way to make it his own and I agree.
Having said that , let me tell you ways that I AM NOT IMPRESSED by this performance inspite of the obvious PIMP ING by the judges --- THE SHOW IS 40% STROBELIGHTS, FLOODLIGHTS and EFFECTS, 20% BACKGROUND RIFFS and just 40% VOCALS ( neat runs are there I admit ).
It is more of an effects performance than any other and for that, he loses points with me. Here is a big IF ----- IF Chris Daughtry can find a way to turn everything into a rock song, and if rock is what the majority of the audience wants, he'll win this competition.
But will the theme nights guarantee that you can rock every night ?
THAT IS THE OVER_RIDING QUESTION.
Here's how the scores go ( FROM BEST TO WORSE ) :
1. Paris
2. Taylor
3. Chris
4. Katharine
5. Mandisa
6. Eliott
7. Bucky
8. Lisa
9. Melissa
10. Kevin
11. Ace
12. Kellie
WHO SHOULD GO : Kellie
WHO WILL GO : Bucky or Melissa
