| This thread has been locked, it will not receive new replies. |
|
Locked on 05/08/2006 4:49:37 AM PDT by Admin Moderator, reason:
Continuing here: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1628490/posts |
Posted on 03/24/2006 9:00:43 PM PST by silent_jonny
I'm pretty certain there are no limitations other than that they must do the week's genre and, of course, must do songs AI has bought the rights to for the week.
They are handed a list/songbook of songs that fit those criteria. Other than that, the choice is entirely the contestant's.
That's right--I keep forgetting about that. He takes over in 2009 right? Can't wait.
Letterman and Leno were very funny once, now not so much--especially Letterman. It's one Bush-bashing bit after another with him. It's old.
That's the thing, Jonny. Someone like Bocelli is so far afield from what AI is all about that it almost seems unfair to the contestants to have them coached and, on some level, critiqued by him.
I'm not complaining about him being on the show and performing. He's got a magnificent voice and, although I'm not an opera fan, I can enjoy that kind of voice. It just seems that mixing Bocelli and the AI contestants is like trying to mix oil and water.
I'm sure he will try to be kind and helpful, it just seems to me the gulf between his caliber of singer and theirs is just too great for him to say complimentary things about all of them without being dishonest. Know what I mean?
"by the end I felt that Diana was the better vocalist and performer and that she was robbed."
Well said! I'm in total agreement.
Let's pause from the Season 5 drama and move back to Season 3 for a quick review:
In the beginning (Hmmmm...I've read something that started like that...), it appeared that the "Finals" would be between what Idol had dubbed, "the 3 Divas" - Fantasia, Latoya London and Jennifer Hudson.
I liked all 3 at first, but I liked Jennifer the best. I thought she was the most "real" and had the best pipes.
There were a few "dudes" who looked promising at first as well. George Huff was the "Ben Vereen" of the group. He had a contagious smile and seemed like a nice guy.
Simon liked a kid named John Stevens because he thought a "crooner" was "different." I liked him at first, but as weeks went on his "youth" and "inexperience" proved that he wasn't the Idol. Not by a longshot.
Back to the Divas. When Jennifer was voted off, I was upset because I really liked her. But I didn't throw an Elton John tantrum. Life goes on. Latoya became my favorite. Simon saw the battle of three turn to the battle between two. I don't think he had a favorite between them, but the NAME "Fantasia" gave the "screecher" a slight edge. I mean, you at least can remember it.
As the competition went on, something happened. Simon (and probably everyone else watching) didn't expect this little girl with a beauty pageant smile to suddenly show that she has real talent. Diana DeGarmo, previously know as "Diana who??" was a great singer in spite of her age. She also had a nice, sweet and "perky" (Sorry Katie) personality. But Simon was not a fan. He had already picked out his winner after Fantasia sang "Summertime."
Summertime was her best vocal of the season, but Latoya could out sing her any other night.
For some reason (week 9, I think) there was a vote spilt between Fantasia and Latoya, and Latoya went home. Fantaisa was the "chosen" winner by Simon and the Idol staff once Latoya left and they went into total PUSH mode.
Diana could out sing her in her sleep, but she didn't stand a chance.
When the "Finals" came, 3 things happened....
1) Most of Latoya's votes went to Fantasia
2) The "Idol song" for that year was written as an R&B tune (conspiracy to let Fantasia win or possibly just because the writers thought it would be Latoya and Fantasia in the finals.)
3) The last straw for Diana was when her "in ear" monitor went out during the finals and she flubbed a note. (Diana was pretty much "perfect pitch" all season long but a bad monitor can screw up even the best singers)
A combo of those 3 things sent Diana home in 2nd place and "her screechiness" Fantasia as the winner.
But that's just what Simon wanted. He thought Diana's youth and "pageant girl" image was "wrong" for the "American Idol."
Singing competition indeed!!
I saw an interview with her dad (I think his name is Clyde) and according to him they have a much closer relationship than either Kellie or Idol have let on.
He's allowed to watch the show in prison and he asks the guards to "pick Pickler" and vote on his behalf (he's can't use the phone at that time of night).
He seems like a nice enough guy, even in prison orange.
Then it'll probably be pretty open and include country. Pickles might survive the week yet.
I have DIRECTV and they have a channel with a show called "Idol Extra."
It's a bit silly with Ty Treadway as "host" and several "Idols of voted off past" acting as co-hosts. Matt Rogers from Season 3 and the annoying Makayla Gordon from Season 4 are the most prominent.
Anyway....Ty interviews the "Voted off" contestants and it's done on the night of the results show. (They still have the same outfits on so you can tell then film the show just afterwards)
I've only caught it the past 2 weeks but the interviews are pretty good.
Bucky came across as a really nice "down to earth" guy last week. He had all good things to say about everyone else in the competition and is looking forward to going home and taking a break. One of the best quotes was something about being "glad it was him going home instead of one of the others."
He also said he's looking forward to the tour as well.
Ace's interview was pretty good too. I wasn't a big fan of his because I didn't care for his voice as much as some of the other guys, especially the falsetto stuff.
That said, I still thought he seemed like a nice kid and he came across like a "regular guy" in the interview.
Here's something interesting....Ace's real name is Brett Ace Young. Brett is after George Brett of the Kansas City Royals. Ace was born (and named) in 1980.
Guess who was working for the Royals in the 80's??? Yep...None other than Rush Limbaugh. So if you think about it, there's a Rush - Ace connection!
Now I'll bet you never put those 2 in the same thoughts!!
I've always wondered about the ear monitor bit. Do they 'need' the ear monitor? Did Diana rely on it too much? I mean, if she hadn't relied upon it so much, could she have survived its malfunction?
Fantasia was in the bottom three once I think.
It'll be pretty open, but may or may not include country love songs, depending on what they obtain licenses to use for the week.
Pickle can do anything as long as it's fluffy, has about a five-note, one-octave range and a beat her limited ear can't miss. Other than that, the girl has no limitations. ;-)
BTW, Netizen, if they were doing great breakup songs instead of great love songs, Pickle probably could do a pretty decent rendition of "You're Cheatin' Heart." :)
Simon is nothing if not totally inconsistent in his appraisals of the contestants -- from year to year, from week to week and even from performance to performance on the same night. In interviews, Randy Jackson often says Simon doesn't know what he's talking about. I agree with Randy.
Simon appears to know what he's talking about, but it's an illusion. He usually states the obvious in a blunt way. When there isn't anything obvious to say, he usually says something snarky and/or off the wall. He also does that when he doesn't want to praise a good performance by a contestant he doesn't like.
Clay was "too Broadway." Diana was "too young." Remember when he asked Taylor after a performance earlier this year, "Are you drunk?!" This year Simon has ditched, "it's karaoke," for "it's indulgent."
And as long as she doesn't have to walk down stairs and sing at the same time, too. ;)
Sounds like it.
Thanks for the explanation. It makes sense.
Oh I know :) Inviting Bocelli probably has more to do with ratings than with helping the contestants.
There are a couple of Bocelli fans here on FR that have told me they don't like Idol, but they might tune in for the first time next week and get hooked.
"I am bebutchering it" LOL!
http://www.americanidol.com/videos/?cat=14
The Top 7 Ford commerical.
The first four introduced-- Taylor, Elliot, Kellie, and Kat were the Top 4. The last 3-- Ace, Chris, and Paris (in opposite order of going back to the seats)-- were the Bottom 3. And in the final billboard shot, all 7 are performing and Ace is right in the middle of the 7, and he got the boot.
errrr... "commercial."
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.