I admit I was mesmerized by American Idol at first but now....

ugh http://gs.cdnow.com/graphics/COVERART/local/L/98/08/00469808.jpg

http://www.armchairempire.com/Miscellaneous/brady-bunch-3.jpg

I had the misfortune of seeing parts of the American idol Las Vegas thingy.
It left me feeling confused and dazed, how did that get so big?
Sure the blond was attractive and the redhead quirky and the smiley boy with fro was smiling with his fro but even the the LIVE studio audience didn't seem to be digging their Raining Men and friends medley.

American Idol always had that push-pull between commercialism (the industry machine) and personal expression: craft vs art, if ya like.

unlike most TV, the art thing held its own during most of the series, but I'm not surprised that the 'live revue' is occasionally, well mostly, tacky. I'm still enjoying American Idol, in spite of and sometimes even for its tackiness, but most of all for the way we got to experience individual vocalists, many of whom are strong talents and lovable.

best about last night was the chance to hear again (all too briefly) the talents that didn't make it - for me that meant Alexis, Rodesia, Angela and a few others like Tenia and Jasmin, etc (those first 3 are better singers than some top 10ers)

but whaddaya know - the ensemble version of "Boogie Wonderland" was BETTER than Earth, Wind & Fire! an exception, it's true...

(Dan Perry to thread)

ARGH I missed this because of a rehearsal. I have nothing to add besides ARGH I wanted to see it. (Oh, and what Paul said regarding its appeal AND the merits of some of those who didn't make the final ten is completely OTM.)

BTW, AJ = Cindy Brady: HAHAHAHAHA!

If I see Justin flash that dumbass smile of his one more time I'm gonna punch his f*ckin' teeth out. Does he think he's Tom Jones or something? Bitch, please!

The first two episodes were the best. Some of the the "bad'' singers that didn't make it were totally crazy. If they released an album of all the worst contestants, I would by it.

I think I actually had a comment about this on the American Idol thread before it got lost. The show really was most interesting in the very beginning and the middle - first when it was brand new, and then when you knew the remaining people well, but they still had enough variety in personalities to make it interesting. Here's an ARGH as well for missing last night's concert.

I wish Nikki had won; imagine her shrieking "A Moment Like This" all across the airwaves... CLASSIC!

just imagine for future shows, though: people will now audition and deliberately be nutty just so they can get on TV...

re: Justin

yeah, but that's really all Justin has going for him - he's an entertainer not an incredible singer. in a way that was one of the most bittersweet aspects of the show - Justin chastened by the realisation that no matter how hard he tried he was never going to be a singer on the level of Kelly or Tamyra. I say more power to him, let him enjoy doing what he can.

it seems strange how lopsided the gender thing has been in this competition. I don't rate the guys at all, in fact I feel sorry for them much of the time. of the guys, ultimately the sweetest vocals have come from RJ and AJ (albeit weakly), occasionally eclipsed by Justin (but only at his best). EJay, like Justin, is a good singer but a great entertainer. makes a lot of sense, since that was what those two did for a living...

There were four guys in the final 30 who were worth anything as singers: RJ, Ejay, Justin and Chris. Chris was deemed too boring to make the final 10, Ejay was too ugly and RJ and Justin couldn't hang with Tamyra or Kelly (or Nikki and Christina on their good days). They could easily have had a top ten of all women (Angela, Jazmin, Tenia, Alexis and Natalie) and had a much stronger competition for the final prize. Tenia and Angela in particular would have really made things interesting for Tamyra and Kelly.

Angela got quite a long spot on the show last night - in a clip filmed in the desert (at 112 degrees!). her voice is mesmerizing - she sings like she's choked up, but with delicacy and sweetness.

Rodesia only got 2 lines (in another desert sequence that followed) but man did she work it - going from bottomless gospel intensity to an exquisitely cascading falsetto - probably the cleverest, virtuoso move of the night (like - I got all this, your loss, but I luv you just the same).

Alexis blows me away now, she's a knockout and her vocal tone is one of the best on the show, straightup passionate.

honestly I enjoyed watching them have fun, but I prefer hearing 'em separately ... aside from "Boogie Wonderland" which they really got into!