Top 24!!

I missed last week's blog posts and this week's will be weak. You see, I'm on vacation - and although I watched the three shows this week, I just can't sit down and indulge all you faithful readers (3!!!) with my latest Idol thoughts. Here are some of the highlights however..... I thought it was absolutely ridiculous they sent that Black Country girl through and denied for the THIRD TIME the black girl with the daughter with disabilities. And to pour salt onto the wound, Kara tried to be all "sorry, you're good,but" while she took her seat and made the contestant sit on the armrest. That was a bunch of crap!! Boo! I think that was my only surprise on the 24. Simon even said that country girl was annoying and it has been proven with her performance of "I want to hold your hand" this week. "You were like a wind up toy"... my thoughts exactly. I am not digging her at all.

The first go around of the performances were just alright... but if you look back over the years, generally the first Live performances are shaky and just not that entertaining... You've got to weed out the ones with NO confidence, and the ones then, who truly want to be the Idol begin to emerge with gusto as they gain experience and comfort on the stage. The competition actually shows and the ones with the fight move forward. As for those kicked off last night,,,

I was disappointed with the two girls who left and also felt that that kid they brought back to fill the boy spot should have gone. His version of "apologize" was just plain awful. The girls were nervous, and wrong song choices as usual. Janell Wheeler was better and I have no clue why she didn't use her guitar...? Duh! The other girl,,, Rodriguez?, I was a little surprised she got the boot. Now Tyler Grady, the kick back to the 70's, yes he was weird, but was he the Sanjaya factor that will be missing this season? The one who we look forward to see how they will do on the stage. What they will wear? What will they sing? What will the dance like? You never know,,,

I really liked that Siobhan girl, sang the Chris Isaak song "I wanna fall in love"... i thought she had great control of breathing and phrasing. She stood out for me. And the chick with the white hair was different and confident.

So, we've got 10 and 10...next week, more thoughts will be posted, and perhaps a little live bloggin!

Hollywood Week

I had the WORST catastrophe last night. All the kids were settled in for a long winter's nap. I then ran downstairs to sit down on my couch to watch my show. Well, I grabbed my little remote to go to menu on the DVR and found American Idol. I clicked 'select' and nothing happened!! The DVR did not record the episode I have been waiting for all season!!! It was like a horrible horrible joke someone was playing on me. Our DVR has never done anything this ridiculous and of course, it happened on the ONE show I've been wanting to watch....... grrrr

Luckily a blog I read about Idol had videos posted and a description of all the action. Phew... so I watched last night's show on my laptop, didn't catch everything, but it's better than nothing. I'll be checking tonight's episode the minute it starts to see if the DVR works this time.

So onto the talent. Now this is the first season that they filmed Hollywood week this late in the season. The filmed it within the last month, so there was no time to push the people who would really be good in the audition episodes. Case in point - the 'good' singers they focused on with their back story's and what not, disappointed the judges during the first round of Hollywood auditions. The country girl with the horrible accent - GONE, the missionary who survived cancer - GONE, (and he even made it to group rounds in season 8) the 16 year old with the down syndrome brother's, - GONE!! for a few examples. The ding bat Skiboskii is thankfully gone. I don't know why they even sent him to Hollywoood. Oh, and the splits pants guy..

• Loved Andrew Garcia! He sang Straight Up - Paula Abdul, with a guitar! I liked his 'musicality' (word used frequently by the judges,,, is that a real word?)
• Loved Janell Wheeler who strapped on that guitar and sang very well. She's cute too.
• Haley Vaughn (African American Country girl) - not a fan, but they'll push it because she's different.
• Mary Powers the rocker mom, again, not a huge fan.
• Lilly Scott - who we didn't see audition, finally gets to wow us during this episode. She sang Ella Fitzgerald's "Lullaby of Birdland" and did a really good job. I was impressed.
• Miky Lynche- big body builder who's wife went into labor right before he sang - meh,, still did not like his voice or style. His higher notes were squeezed if felt like to me.
• Casey James- the poor sucka who had to take his shirt off during his audition, is REALLY good. He has a soulful raspy thing going on and he wailed on the guitar. The auditioners were all into his performance too. Much better audition than his original one.
• Didi Behnami - this girl I liked during the auditions, a lot.... and I still REALLY like her. She can sing man! She went with 'Terrified' which was written by Kara, not a bad song, Katherine McPhee is singing it now.
• Crystal Bowersox with the dreds and majorly yellow teeth, sang 'Natural Woman' with the guitar and man she has it. Very good stage presence, got the crowd in it, and the judges were impressed. I like her.

It seemed we have a lot more girls this year that they are focusing on, since Randy says a girl will win this season.... hmmm. But if they are doing the same format this year as previous,, Top 6 boys and 6 girls will comprise the 12 on the big stage, then it's up to the voters. Tonight is the Group rounds, which I really really hate..... American Idol is not about singing in a group, it is a solo act, so they shouldn't stick people in with a bunch of fools who have totally different singing styles. Just my opinion. And did we like Ellen? I like that she adds humor after something serious, it lightens up the room a bit. I think she is not going to take any of Simon's B.S. like Paula did. I like her already....

Best of the Rest

Finally, the last show of auditions. They sort of went through a montage of good and bad from all the cities. So here goes:

• We had a girl sing a simon cowell song.. I didn't know he actually wrote music? So she's better than last year, has spruced up her look, and you gotta give her props for trying out again.
• Then the annoying actress girl... she is an ok singer, but she might get on my nerves!
• The last year girl who sat next to megan Joy in the top 50... she sang somewhere over the rainbow.. i liked her phrasing. She seems like she wants this!
• That tall dude with the girl voice? What was that? I've never seen anything like that. He's gotta have some sort of genetic disorder.
• The muscle guy is not all that, but they sent him through.
• I really REALLY liked the girl who sang for her friend who died 4 years ago. She sang Hey Jude, and she nailed it. I was impressed.
• Then the other poor boy adopted by his aunt, sang "The Climb" a little countryfied,, he'll be a cutey with all the teen girls.
• Then there was the girl who was born to sing, but could not find the notes in the Alicia Keys song. I bet the judges are so dang sick of that song.
• Then the girl who didn't know her family was poor and missed dinners,, I thought she was beautiful. She could be a model if this doesn't work out. Huge smile, and she can sing. I liked her a little.

So here we go folks. Next week. It. is. down. to. business! I can't wait.

Denver Auditions

I am sooo sick of auditions weeks!!! Thank heavens we start Hollywood week next week and get to see Ellen as the new judge. This should be an interesting upcoming week for sure. Let's see if I can remember any thoughts on the shows this week.

• I thought the black girl who sang country was interesting. They might be pushing her for her 'different' style.
• The Jack Black look alike guy I felt so bad for. Simon kept drilling him on his back story of being kidnapped by his mom etc. Enough I just kept saying. He sang pretty good.
• Then Simon making fun of someone's laugh.,,, sometimes he is a jerk!
• The girl who does karaoke and had a daughter.. she sang melissa Etheridge, and it's a raspy powerful voice.
• Then the blonde guy goes up, has to take his hair out of his pony tail, then unbutton his shirt, then take it off.. COME ON... way to humiliate someone in front of America. I hate that they do that to people. He was alright.
• Oh gosh, the football player. Give me a break. So not good, so not good looking, and ug. He needs to be gone.
• Then the helium girl was a little weird. Her voice was soo high, and then she sang, I was not blown away, but they send her through.
• Then we had bikini boy. Please don't give him his 5 minutes of fame. Please!

The next night we have the best of the rest.. whatever that means.