American Idol Commentary - Playing It Safe

Tuesday night's guys' performances were pretty much what is expected for the first night of the final 24 performances, with many people playing it safe, at least one being clueless, and a few people taking chances, with only one of them being honored for it. But after all is said and done, who is it we're talking about at the water cooler?

First and foremost, we're talking about the odd exchanges between Ryan Seacrest and Simon Cowell. Last year they continued to get more and more odd, and this season, they're starting out eyebrow-raising from the get go. What it amounts to is this: Ryan asked Simon for an explanation of his comments after Chris Sligh's performance, Simon got mad, called Ryan "Sweetheart," and Ryan got mad.

This was furthered after the always witty dry-humored Chris Sligh told Simon he thinks it can be entertaining even if it isn't Il Divo or Teletubbies, two projects that Simon has his hands in. Simon wouldn't even look at the camera, Chris, or Ryan after this, and looked visibly hurt. Ryan said an adult version of, "You can dish is out, but you can't take it," to Simon, and he told Ryan he was making the situation very uncomfortable.

It will be interesting to see how this one plays out. For one, even though it's been widely reported that Simon and Ryan are friends offscreen, this one wasn't a joke to Simon. What will happen to their on-air banter after this. Moreso, how will Simon treat Chris? They both admitted they really do like each other, so I don't think it will change much, because they are both adults. But will Simon still hand down criticism to Chris, and will Chris feel the need to keep slamming him? Fox is probably hoping so, as it will make the show extremely popular. Just as they kept feeding the Kellie Pickler/Simon Cowell exchanges, they'll keep feeding this.

We've also been talking about Chris' performance itself, Typical. He rocked it out, and while Randy and Paula liked it, Simon of course didn't. Chris spent his intro clip complaining about having to sing Sweet Home Alabama which he's always disliked and Taylor Hicks' Do I Make You Proud. You're not going to get the norm from this guy. He's different, unique, and unusual, and is that way on purpose, not accident. He's not ever going to do what is expected, and will be willing to be voted out to not have to do it. Theme nights could get very, very interesting.

Also unique is beat boxer Blake Lewis, who came out this week not beat boxing, but with a Keane song and wearing a sweater vest. Yes, a sweater vest. The beat boxer was wearing a sweater vest. I expected him to sit halfway through the song and exchange his sneakers for a set of loafers, and then don a suit jacket and leave, waving goodbye. But instead, he was just very, very good. He proved what he needed to last night, that he is there not because he can beat box, but because, as Randy would say, "He can blow."

We're talking a lot about Sanjay Malakar, too, but it's mostly not good. He's been told since the first audition that he was better than his sister, yet now that she's been eliminated, he takes song advice from her. What is he thinking? He auditioned with a Stevie Wonder song, but that doesn't mean we want to hear another one. Plus, he's 17. He should be singing SexyBack or something. Never mind, I can't see that working either. He just needs to pick something that doesn't make him uncomfortable, because if he is, so are we.

Also panned by the judges was Sundance Head, who can't seem to catch a break since arriving in Hollywood, and now it's created a confidence problem with him. The guy can definitely sing. He proved that in his audition. Singing Nights in White Satin was a bold choice, and while the judges didn't like it, I did. And it didn't seem nearly as out of tune as they were saying. They just want to see the guy that auditioned for them, and they haven't. If he makes it through to next week, and he should, he just needs to go back to his Texas bluesy roots, and all will be well, with the judges, the viewers, and his confidence.

Brandon Rogers seems to be struggling with confidence, or creating a struggle with confidence. As a former backup singer, it's his chance to shine, yet he sings Rock With You? For gosh sakes, if you're going to sing Michael Jackson, at least make it one of his good ones. ABC would have probably even been better. As a backup singer, he was stuck in everyone else's genres all the time. Now it's his chance to show who he is as a singer, and this one just made him sound like a karaoke singer that isn't drunk. (Yes, I think there are a few of them out there.)

Also being talked about is the barefoot Paul Kim. He's trying to create a "thing" like Ace Young's beanie, but Ace backed it up every week with good tunes. Paul brought it later in the song, but the beginning was incredibly shaky. Then again, he was singing Wham! I think he'll most likely stay, but only because the barefoot thing is kind of kitschy. But if he comes in next week singing Wake Me Up Before You Go Go, he's gone, gone, and we'll be the ones sleeping.

The ones we're not talking about will wish we were, as they'll be on the bubble on Thursday, and two of them will leave. The ones that did nothing to make us notice them, and haven't been seen on the show before, have much to worry about. At least one of either AJ Tabaldo and Jared Cotter have sung their last song on Idol. AJ tried out five times before making it this far. Perhaps they let him in this time, only because it now makes him ineligible to try out again, and they can finally wrap it up with him.

Wednesday night is ladies night. I expect more of the same from them. Safe, one not getting it, and a few taking chances, with only one being successful.

For more on American Idol, see Reality Shack and My HubPage

For more American Idol information, see SirLinksalot: American Idol

American Idol - Not Wowed Yet Over Final 24?

Okay, a lot of people are really ticked off and/or disappointed about this year's top 24, but I'm willing to give this new crop of Idols some time to impress me. Is there a standout favorite yet? No, but I didn't really ever have that before coming out of Hollywood. I had people on my "to watch" list, but no one I was completely wowed by. So, to me, it seems right on target.

I'll tell you who is on my "to watch" list, though. First and foremost, my short list includes Chris Sligh. This show seems to celebrate unique, and he's very funny, and has talent to boot. Simon came right out and said he was one of the most popular people on the show this year, despite the fact he isn't one of the most talented. Yet, the guy brings it.

In Hollywood, during group performances, he and the other three guys definitely brought it. They worked hard, and it showed. Let's not forget this industry is looking for someone to sell records. Having a great voice isn't all there is to the equation, as there are a lot of boring people with great voices. So they take a look at Chris who has a great voice, but may not stand out above others, plus he always leaves them laughing, and he works hard.

Aside from all that, he's working his way into a great camaraderie with the remaining two guys from his group night. Blake Lewis and Rudy Cardenas teamed with Chris and another guy that has since been cut, Thomas Lowe, and brought the house down with their rendition of How Deep Is Your Love. Looking through the bios of the contestants on americanidol.com, I see that when Chris is asked to name his favorite male pop artists, the list that names Freddie Mercury and Paul McCartney, also includes Blake Lewis and Rudy Cardenas. Asked who is personal American Idol is, Chris names Bo Bice and Blake Lewis. Rudy Cardenas names Chris, Blake and Michael Bolton as his personal American Idols, and Blake names Chris and Rudy as his Idols.

I think having people you get along well with carries you far in this competition. You're cut off from the rest of the world in a house with a bunch of strangers, and getting critiqued weekly on national TV. It has to get a little lonely, so if you can find a couple of like-minded people that you get along well with and can turn to for a shoulder to lean on when you just can't take another minute of it, I think it has to carry you pretty far.

One guy that everyone is all up in arms about is Sundance Head. He started out being a favorite of many, but after he did poorly last night, and made top 24 above Tommy Daniels, many are crying foul. For all we know Sundance did amazing with his last song. Or, for all we know Tommy Daniels was impossible to work with. It's just hard to tell what their reasoning was, but instead of crying foul, I'm going to give Sundance a chance to prove to me why he's there. I want to see it. And because people are already upset with him making it, he needs to bring it already next week, and impress everyone all over again. Otherwise he could fail like Sway Penala last year. He was touted as great and all, but never really showed us, only the judges, and he was gone a few weeks into the semi-finals.

And, of course, there's all sorts of rumors out there. One states that Tommy was disqualified because he talked to the media and that he has some criminal charges against him, and was possible replaced by Sanjaya Malakar. Would he have been sitting next to Sundance if this was the case? I just don't know about that one. There's another one out there that Philip Stacey was disqualified and brought back for some reason. All are unsubstantiated, and we'll never know, as Fox likes to leave us stirring the rumors instead of putting an end to them.

Sanjaya is another one I'm watching. He's very, very young, and I think if he fails, it will be because of his youth. But he has a certain naturalness that combined with his naivete is very refreshing. And many saps, like me, feel for the guy after his sister didn't make it. I don't think he'll be gone the first few weeks, but I'm not sure if he'll make it to final 12.

I'm not really overly excited about the girls. Many of them are unknowns that we haven't seen before. I'm rooting in particular for Lakisha Jones and Melinda Doolittle. Lakisha just seems like such a what-you-see-is-what-you-get type of person. And she brought down the house after her audition singing Think, which happens to be my favorite Aretha Franklin song, and one I always wished I could hear Kelly Clarkson do. Melinda has a thing about her that makes everyone root for her, after choosing to be a backup singer. You just want her to do well.

I admit I like Gina Glocksen, too, although many others don't. They see her as a little bitchy and hard-edged. This girl is determined, tough. She just missed out on it last year, and was so focused to not miss out again, and it's worked for her. Some think she'll be gone the first week since she isn't well-liked, but I don't see it. It's never the unliked people that are gone the first week. Look how long Brenna Gethers lasted last year. The first week the people that leave are usually ones that not only do we not see before, but they also don't do well.

The first guys to leave then, are going to most likely be in the group of AJ, Jared Cotter, and possibly Chris Richardson, as he isn't that memorable. The first girls to leave then, will most likely be in the group of Alaina Alexander, Amy Krebs, Leslie Hunt, Nicole Tranquillo, Sabrina Sloan, and Stephanie Edwards. People don't like Antonella much better than Gina, but again, she's a known and not unknown, so she'll stick around for awhile.

I'm anxious for it to start, though, as I really would like to hear and watch those people we haven't heard too much from yet. From what I heard from the clips they showed of them and why they made it to final 24, I'm not overly enthused. So I'd really like to see why the judges thought they needed to be there. Enlighten me, please. They don't seem very unique either.

Am I the only one that noticed that we have no country people in the final 24 this year? What's up with that? Not that I'm big into country, I rarely listen to it, but where are they this year? Are we country-ed out? Could this then be the year that a rocker finally wins?

For more on American Idol, see Reality Shack and My HubPage

For more American Idol information, see SirLinksalot: American Idol

American Idol Commentary - In Need of 'Tude Checks and Caring Parents

I'm not exactly sure why American Idol decided to cram it's whole time in Hollywood into just one hour. It wouldn't be so bad if the feeling was because they wanted us to have more performance weeks, but instead it seems they had more auditions. Personally, I look forward to Hollywood. I like the drama and excitement, where the bad auditions got a little tedious after awhile. Why not three weeks of auditions and two weeks in Hollywood? Or at least expand to two hours on that night, since several of the auditions were expanded to two hours.

And of all times to try that, when they have a record number of people making it to Hollywood with 172. After watching all these people make it to Hollywood that past month, it just leaves me wishing I would get to see why they didn't make it, whereas I only feel I got to see that with very few. It left all of us fans this morning asking did so and so make it, could you tell? How about so and so, I didn't see them. I feel a little cheated after investing all that time into the auditions.

A lot of the ones they showed getting cut I didn't have much hope for anyway. I know many people expected Baylie Brown to become one of the final 12, but I wasn't feeling it. She had a great image, yeah, but I felt force fed her whole "I don't belong on the farm" thing from the beginning. And she was so young. While she sounded good, but not great, she needed to have the maturity to go along with the voice, and didn't. She couldn't remember her words, and blamed everything on the others. She should come back in two years with her voice even stronger, without the act, and ready to feel a little humility. It might look as good on her as that French manicure she was sporting.

And as far as I'm concerned, the two best friends, Amanda Coluccio and Antonella Barba, can go find themselves a bale of hay to sit on next to Baylie as well. Amanda showed her true colors after their first audition when she heard the judges say that Antonella was better than her. This leaves both of them feeling they are the privileged of the two, meaning they then fight over which song to sing, both thinking they know best. Amanda spends her time flirting with guys, then accuses Baylie of the same thing. She also thinks she made it through because God likes good people. It would have taken a lot for me to vote for that personality. Besides, their song This Old Heart of Mine was our wedding song, and these girls weren't doing it justice.

Gina Glocksen came out a little strong as well, but not quite as irritatingly. If she can calm it down a little, she has a shot of making it. I'd like to see her do well, as she's from my general neck of the woods in the Chicago 'burbs, and it's great that she's looking out for number one, but she needs to keep a check on a 'tude that could get away from her. Not that Perla didn't deserve Gina's wrath. At any point I expected her to break into a hoochie koochie a la Charo.

I had less complaints with the guys last night. Yet, the first I need to mention is Sundance Head. He was a favorite going into last night, but sung horribly on his first song, and forgot a few words in the group round. So why is he still there? Because he has something. There's some star power there. That's why he forgot words and is still there. Maybe he could pick up some techniques in remembering from his famous dad.

Another that I was looking forward to was Chris Sligh, and he did not dissapoint. Of course, we didn't get to hear him other than in the group round, but that group song was amazing, as he combined with Rudy Cardenas, Thomas Lowe, and Blake Lewis, the Beat Box guy. Chris had auditioned signing Kiss From a Rose, but here he is singing a Bee Gees tune. If that doesn't prove versatility, I don't know what does, other than the fact Blake is able to seem beat boxing into How Deep Is Your Love. These four guys worked together, worked hard, and didn't have the cat fights many of the girls had. Best of all, they were exciting, and something you could see actually winning. I think Chris and Blake carried the other two some, though, as I'm guessing alone they weren't as good.

My heart bled for Matt Sato and his un-supportive parents. They wouldn't come support him at his audition, lest he not make it, and they find they wasted their time and money. Once he made it to Hollywood, he cried when he told his mom, and last night we learned when he got home, she even hugged him which she rarely does. After he makes it through the first round there, she says she loves him, and he cries, saying she never says that to him. What the hell is that? Support your kid! It's his dream! But above all that, hug him and kiss him, and tell him you love him as many times as you can, even when he's not succeeding on national TV.

Another tender moment was watching Sanjaya Malakar realize his sister didn't make it to final 40, and that she was going home. While all are up there hootin' and hollerin', celebrating their good fortune, he runs down the stairs to console his sister. Maybe he can go console Matt Sato too.

Wednesday night, is the big reveal, the Green Mile walk, when we find out which 24 singers we'll be watching and listening to next week. I'm hoping to see Sanjaya, Sundance, Chris, and Blake. As for the girls, I'm not too sure who I'd like to see, other than a few we don't know if they made it anywhere or not, like Ebony the roller skater, and Latisha with the 3 year old daughter.

For more on American Idol, see Reality Shack and My HubPage

For more American Idol information, see SirLinksalot: American Idol