February 2007 Archives

and I'm going to Vons.

Another dedication to granny! Sabrina Sloan, 27, the Studio City gal with an unnatural -- maybe even annoying - amount of hair, did Whitney Houston’s “All the Man I Need.” Gulp! Weird song. Horrible lyrics. Nothing melody. And Saab was far from pitch perfect. In fact, if this bichon was living next to me and tried this, I'd call 911. But please-like-me Paula said she was "fantastic." Simon said she confused power with shouting and should never, ever, cover Whitney, "but you'll be back next week" Ryan: "She's a player in this competition." The outdoor tables at the Starbucks next to Bookstar are safe for another week.

Bordering on the insane (as Simon put it), Haley Scarnato's manic cover of Whitney Houston’s “Queen of the Night” had some of the night's rare rock energy. But as Randy pointed out, it's more a showcase for the background singers than the featured vocalist ("That's why she chose it," Simon sneered). No biggie, but not the worst of Wednesday. She'll last another seven days.

The problem, Leslie Hunt, is "you just got whacked by several other people" in the contest, sez Simon. Like LaKisha and Melinda, for example! But Hunt, 24, is cute as a bug. And nonthreatening to the female audience. She's the niiice one. She won't steal your boyfriend. But she made the mistake of covering “Feeling Good,” which AJ Tabaldo sung in boys competition last night. It was OK, but didn't leave much of an impression. Still, Les is safe for another week.

Antonella Barba, 20, is all over the Internet in a wet t-shirt. Is it her? Who cares? Whatever - it was yet another talking point for the show that finds new ways each week to remain in the public eye. Nobody mentioned a thing about it on the show Wednesday. But Antonella bettah put on that wet t if she wants to salvage her chances cuz Celine Dion’s “Because You Loved Me” was just baaad. Not wicked, just bad. (mitigating factor: Randy called her “drop-dead beautiful”) Maybe she'll get the sympathy vote and stay awhile. I mean, who on this planet hasn't been photographed in a wet t-shirt?

Everyone knows by now, don't they? LaKisha Jones, 27, has it. She's gonna be in the finals. Her throaty version of Gladys Knight & the Pips’ “Midnight Train to Georgia” -- dedicated to her gran -- was predictably solid. The best singer so far this year. Simon said she needed more "force." And added she should really think about dressing better.

She's not Kat, OK?But she looks good. West Hollywood kitten Alaina Alexander, 24, tried to fight back from last week's negative comments from the panel. Her version of the Dixie Chicks' “Not Ready to Make Nice,” wasn't terrible. Simon said her performance was as if Randy Jackson competed in a 100-meter race - but ran out of steam after 75 meters. The panel did agree she was nice to look at. In the next few weeks, West Hollywood is going to once again see Alaina Alexander traipsing up and down Santa Monica Boulevard hoping someone to recognizes her.

"Cop" is on. Who doesn't love "Cops?"

We here at "Idol" HQ wanted Bandon to do OK. The North Hollywood kid is cute. We like his hair. We like his clothes. But we don't need another lame version of "Time After Time." You don't need to be a musicologist or an Amoeba counter clerk to know there are only two versions of that song: Cyndi and Miles. ENUFF SAID. Who liked it? Please-Like-Me Paula liked it. The rest gave it a Lankershim Boulevard thumbs down --- which these days usually meams bloodshed. Bye, Bye, Brandon. He gone be leavin' Las Vegas.

Poor Chris Sligh, 28, Greenville, S.C.. He's a good singer. Yeah, he's OK. Average in real life, but better than average in the "Idol" universe.
And he's got the sort of back story the viewers love. Dedicating his song to his wife, who made sure he stayed with singing even with the WOLF AT THE DOOR, Chris' cover of "Trouble" worked out OK.
Hey, didn't some guy named Taylor pull of the same old tune last year-- WITHOUT the sob story? I can't remember.
Chris was all right. More importantly, he comes with a domestic soap opera attached. Worth its weight in GOLD.

This isn't gonna work. America might be ready for a cute South Asian -- the U.K. has been for decades (the band Cornershop, the hit TV series "Kumars at No. 42") -- but this fella Sanjaya Malakar, 17, just doesn't have IT for the U.S. Malakar's "Steppin' Out with My Baby" was OK, I guess. But compared to WHAT? The kid's got no style, no voice, no poise, no charm. Randy said it was "weak," Paula the TV audience to like her -- and she knows what's expected of her. So, she called Sanjaya an "old soul." Simon hated it. Malakar's going -- either Thursday or the week after.

This is gonna be a very BLAHHHH year for the GUYS -- am I WRONG?? Look at this: tonight, the 10 males were supposed to drum up some emotion. The idea was for them to dedicate songs to the people that most inspired them -- UH-OH! Bad idea in 2007. People don't inspire these robotrons - machines do. Dedicate a song to your cell fone or PS3 - don't evebn pretend any human has inspired you.
So far, it's been a parade of scared kittens where we need some lions. C'mon. By now, "Idol" is so corrupted by the Hollywood establishment that every attempt at sincerity is transparently fake. Totally choreographed.

Last Sunday, while most people were fixated on the Oscars spectacle, newly retired Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan was in Detroit giving what he said was his final speech - and for the first time he actually made a lot of sense (about 80 percent of the time). Striking at the heart of "American Idol," Louis called for blacks to stop calling humans "dogs. " Dogs are a lowly beast, he said, and it's an insult to call people by that name.
RIGHT!RIGHT!RIGHT!RIGHT!
Enough, Randy. It's not cool. It's not cute. It's not "street." It's repulsive. And Farrakhan called him on it.

A soldiers-only "Idol" series, shot entirely on location in Iraq, is probably an impossibility, an "Idol" expert confirms. In fact, the concept has never even been suggested - except in this posting by me. But the idea is still a very exciting one. A six-month look at the vocal talents of our armed forces - also starring our tuneful Iraqi buddies who always seem up for a singsong - could be just the thing to invigorate sagging interest in our overseas triumphs. Bring on "Armed Idol."

Jennifer Lopez is the latest star to sign on to appear on for the current "Idol" season. It's been said Prince and Mary J. Blige and will also show up during the season. As for J. Lo, her current husband Marc Anthony could be joining her on the show. Other guests this season include Diana Ross, Tony Bennett, Gwen Stefani. But we're hoping for Howard K. Stern.

In an effort to squeeze even more nickels out of the franchise, the "Idol" folks have come up with something else. Summer camp for tweeners.vacations for some tweeners. "Idol Camp," a performing arts summer camp for kids who crave more than kayaking and hiking, is opening in Massachusetts. The thing was conceived by series creator 19 Entertainment and co-producer FremantleMedia.
The camp's limited enrollment isn't audition-based and won't guarantee a spot on da show or provide any advantage in the series' audition process. Camp is for those under 15. The show's age limit is 16 to 28. Would-be campers should demonstrate a passion for the arts and desire to perform, a release said. Four sessions described as "noncompetitive" are planned this summer for July and August. Cost is $2,900 per student for 10 days and includes room, board, classes and souvenirs. The experience at the Northfield, Mass., camp will include classes with professional artists, former "American Idol" contestants and others in the entertainment industry. Subjects will include singing, dancing and acting. More familiar camp pastimes like swimming and field sports will also be available.

Thursday's show had a performance by third-season winner Fantasia Barrino, who announced she will star as Celie in the Oprah Winfrey-produced musical "The Color Purple" on Broadway. She'll join the show April 10.

North Hollywood's Rudy Cardenas, 28, a semi-pro singer who sings in a jazz-pop a cappella group, will soon be spotted walking up and down Lankershim Boulvard looking for someone who recognizes him. He got the big boot even after Abdul said his falsetto as "amazing." But Cowell said he was just an "OK singer."
Paul Kim, a 25-year-old from Saratoga, Calif., was cut Thursday after failing to impress Simon, Paula and Randy.
"It hurts, man," Kim told Ryan Seacrest. "It hurts."
The kick-off applied to 22-year-old Amy Krebs, who sang Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me," was down to her wallflower persona. "She didn't sing that badly, she just didn't make an impression," noted Simon, who has earlier said the Federal Way, Wash., resident had "the personality of a candle."
Cowell said NIcole Tranquillo, a 20-year-old from Philadelphia, for her "over-rehearsed" cover of Chaka Khan's "Stay." But Paula said she was "a brilliant vocalist. "You really are."

America was heard - all 32 million votes were counted - and Amy Krebs, Nicole Tranquillo, barefoot Paul Kim and North Hollywood's Rudy Cardenas were sent packing in the first eleminations show of the season.

BEST OF THE NIGHT! Single mom, strange teeth, overweight, black, probably been in a few abusive relationships, believes in the power of prayer - Lakisha Jones, 27, of Maryland, grabbed hold of that bloody "Dreamgirls" anthem “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going.” And, it was written, it was good. Randy said “I do love you.” Paula: “You have so much to be proud of.” Simon: “Just to correct someone earlier on, that’s the right note. I’m very tempted to say to 23 people (the other contestants), book your plane tickets home.” Yeah. Sounds right to me.
She sings like it's sugartime in the old church tonight.

The only laugh of the night was that new Ford Edge commercial, with the song that goes "I want to live on the edge." But the ad, which shows the oversized car or whatever it is riding on the outside edge of a building. Then the ad warns in print below: "THIS IS A FANTASY!" Duhhh. Is everyone really that stupid?

Gina Glocksen, 22, is a big Midwest gal. Her “All By Myself” was pretty average. Randy: “Big girl, big voice, big song, I loved this.” Paula: “It was the right song to sing tonight.” Simon: “I don’t think you hit the big note.”

And another thing - no Aretha and no Pretenders covers, either, OK? The news didn't get to Alaina Alexander, 24, West Hollywood prom queen, whose “Brass in Pocket" was bloodless. Blah. Boring. Below average. Anemic. Go back to Ben 'n' Jerry's. Randy got it right: “It really wasn’t great, to be honest with you.” Paula: “I didn’t feel it.” Simon: “The irony was you kept singing that line 'I’m special,' and it wasn’t.” Alaina was gonna quit music if she didn't make it. I gotta feeling she's gonna be back in junior college very, very soon.

New bumper sticker, t-shirt, web site, catchphrase and red velvet cake recipe: LEAVE ARETHA OUT OF IT!

The third Aretha attempt of the night went over best. Pro background singer Melinda Doolittle, 29, came from Tennessee to sing “Since You’ve Been Gone” and the panel loved it. Randy fed her the usual bromides: “All you need is to have confidence and believe in yourself, because you’ve got the natural gift.” Blah, blah, blah. Paula played well with others: “No more background singing, you are a front runner.” Simon liked her, too: “You are an incredible singer, you have a fantastic story, you are a fantastic person, I really hope you do well.” What's that "fantastic story?" Something about praying a lot. Or something.

...and unfortunately the hunter gets caught by the game. Haley Scarnato, 24, a Texas singer 'n' dancer said she was sooo motivated by the competitors. Her so-so average Broadway treacly cover of “It’s All Coming Back To Me Now" was, according to Randy, "just OK." Paula said she did "a nice job.” But Simon used the old standby, the hotel bar scenario: “It was a bit like being at a reasonable good hotel and that’s the last song of the evening.” Simon said she sounded 40 years old. "Everything about you tonight was old - you should sound a but younger."

Nicole Tranquillo, 20, a Penn. voice major, thrives on "getting no sleep," she sez. She covered “Stay” - done by Chaka, Badu, etc. Too many have done it. Randy said it "wasn’t really working for me.” Paula played nice: “I don’t how many people can hit the notes that Nicole just hit.” Simon: “I thought it was indulgent, it was aggressive, it looked unnatural, it looked fake." Boo hoo. Paula and Simon agreed: Nicole can sing, but wrong song.

Just kidding. Is anyone out there?

She's just 17 and Jordin Sparks of Arizona sang "Give Me One Reason" to stay in the game. Randy sez she has a lotta natural talent: "I don't know if there's any song too big for you - so go there!" Paula: "You really do have natural talent. Go for it." Simon: "Push yourself and you may surprise a few people in this competition.”

Antonella Barba picked "I Don’t Want to Miss A Thing” and everyone areed this Miss Thing missed it. The song was too big for her, judges said. Randy:“It wasn’t good, it was really pitchy, it was really bland.” Paula: “It may not have been great, but it wasn’t bad.” Simon: “The good news is you’re attractive. The bad news is it didn’t work. It was way, way, way to big for you that song.”
The song was just too big for you, Simon said (in the best line so fa)r: "It would be like Ryan doing the news. It just wouldn't work."

Sabrina Sloan, 27, from Studio City is a pro singer. She said she needed to nail "the perfect song." That turned out to be another Aretha attempt. Don't do it, kids. Going for Aretha is big game hunting and few have the ammo. The judges, though, thought differently. Simon said Sloan's "I Never Loved a Man" was the best performance yet. She's in.

Rule No. 1 - don't try Aretha unless you really can do it right. Leslie Hunt, 24, a dog-walker from Chicago proved that right away. She's a cute kid, but not a "natural woman." Judges agreed. Will she last?

Rudy Cardenas, another SHOW BIZ KID, who lives in North Hollywood, sang “Free Ride.” Doesn't anyone have any imagination? STUPID, TERRIBLE SONG. Randy said “You got the party started, but it was corny. ... in any bar.” Paula was nice: “You started out fantastic.” Simon sez: “I’ve never heard you do anything unique.”
Tomorrow, the girls.

Lankershim Boulevard's first "Idol" -- Brandon Rogers -- the 28-year-old BIZ KID who's sung harmony for Aguilera 'n' Anastacia stuck at the edge of the spotlight (don't move or you're fired!) didn't exactly wow the judiciary. He picked the wrong song (that Michael Jackson tune "Rock With You") . "You gotta make an impact," Simon sez. "You're better than that."
OK--but we'll take bets that he's gonna still be here next week!

Awesome voice, awesome hair, this Studio City chicklet's gonna go far. Sorry, guys, she's married. Extra points off for furthering the Simon-is SOOO-honest mythology. " Simon," she says about the judge she most wants to impress. "Because he is devastatingly honest." Uh, sweetie honey, Simon is doing shtick - better ask somebody.

Thats right folks! Rudy Cardenas of North Hollywood made his way into the final 24. It's been a long wait from seeing his first audition in Seattle until now but it was worth it. Rudy sounded great during Hollywood week, wowing the judges in auditions. Then he sang a stunning rendition of "Georgia On My Mind" that got him into the top 24. Be sure to tune in to American Idol this season and "VOTE FOR RUDY!".

Originally from Venezuela, South America, sings alto/tenor as a member of the local a cappella pop-jazz group m-pact. A graduate in vocal performance from the University of Northern Colorado, Rudy focused his efforts on the classical genre while simultaneously performing in musical theatre, the university's top jazz group, and alongside one of the world's best known Latin guitarists, Manuel Molina.

Rudy eventually moved to New York City where he started working in the theatre and club scene. It is that very performance experience that makes him an asset on stage. Rudy relocated to Seattle to join m-pact and the group eventually moved to Los Angeles.

Starting Friday (2/16), AOL Music (www.aolmusic.com), will premiere a Sessions performance from Katherin featuring tracks from her self-titled debut album, as well an exclusive interview. Kat songs "Over It," “Open Toes,” "Each Other," "Love Story," and "Home," all tracks from her debut album. “I always wanted to make a fun, young pop record that has a little bit of an R&B, soulful thing,” McPhee sez during her interview.
Log onto AOL Music (www.AOLMusic.com) to see the complete Sessions performance and interview.

Who are the Big 24?? Four are from Los Angeles! Until they get kicked off.....
The men are — drumroll, please — Sligh, 28, Greenville, S.C.; Sanjaya Malakar, 17, Federal Way, Wash.; Brandon Rogers, 29, Los Angeles; Philip Stacy, 29, Jacksonville, Fla.; Blake Lewis, 25, Bothell, Wash.; Rudy Cardenas, 28, Los Angeles; Paul Kim, 25, Saratoga, Calif.; A.J. Tabaldo, 22, Santa Maria, Calif.; Nicholas Pedro, 25, Taunton, Mass.; Chris Richardson, 22, Chesapeake, Va.; Jared Cotter, 25, West Orange, N.J., and Jason "Sundance" Head, 28, Porter, Texas.
And the ladies: Melinda Doolittle, 29, Brentwood, Tenn.; Gina Glocksen, 22, Naperville, Ill.; Haley Scarnato, 24, San Antonio, Texas; Jordin Sparks, 17, Glendale, Ariz.; Stephanie Edwards, 19, Savannah, Ga.; Leslie Hunt, 24, Chicago; Alaina Alexander, 24, West Hollywood, Calif.; Sabrina Sloan, 27, Los Angeles; Lakisha Jones, 27, Flint, Mich.; Nicole Tranquillo, 20, Philadelphia; Amy Krebs, 22, Federal Way, Wash., and Antonella Barba, 20, Point Pleasant, N.J.

Antonella Barba, a Jersey girl, survived, but her BFF, Amanda, was sent packing. Chris, the Jack Osbourne lookalike, made it, too. But even though tears fell, there were no fireworks tonight. Wish they'd kept the singing Castro clone - but dude got kicked off. Tomorrow, 16 more will be gone to leave the race at 12 guys and 12 girls. After that, starting next week when the show goes live for the first time this season, it's America's turn to vote.

A month into the new series, "Idol" finally got busy cuttin' 'em (172 contestants) back to a final 40. Some shockers: the Bollywood twins from the twin cities were split up after the judges decided they liked Sanjaya Malakar better than his older sister Shyamali. The two said goo'bye in the lobby and Sanjaya headed off to be sequestered like an O.J. juror. Hey, and get a load of this: Robyn Troup, the USC student who was voted on stage to sing with Justin Timberlake at Sunday’s Grammy Awards, was sent back to her downtown dorm. Wow! You figure it out cuz I can't. And Baylie Brown, who we really clicked with last week, got axed. Who was left?

The traveling freak show known as the auditions phase is over. Beginning tonight, the judges stay put in Hollywood, where they start picking 'em off for real.

"Idol" producer Nigel Lythgoe says of the new season:
"I think this is going to be a great season where there isn’t a Kelly Pickler, a Carrie Underwood, or a Clay Aiken, that you know is going to really steal everybody’s votes. This season I think we’ve got a lot of excellent singers. I don’t think I’m going to be ashamed of anybody that gets up there and sings this season. But they are going to have to grow rather in the vane of, and I don’t know if you remember Vonzell, who just came from the back and like a good horse, just steamed to the front and came third at the end of the day. Kelly Clarkson herself, nobody thought Kelly Clarkson was going to get anywhere when the series started. Slowly she just moved forward and won by a majority at the end."

but i hate when they cry. BUT the best moment so far tonight was the tear-stained tryout of Ashlyn Carr. At first the sweet-faced girl with a really good voice was sent packing 'cause of her weird, tortured facial expressions. She's beautiful but she needs to control those facial muscles.
Randy, Simon and Paula agreed and brought her back for a rare (rarer even than an astronaut up on kidnapping charges) second chance. Pick a Gladys Knight song, they say. After she sings it, Simon tells her that she has veddy, veddy bad habits, but the show wants someone "unique." He tells her she reminds him of an old-school singer like Dionne Warwick; Paula tells her to work on those facial tics -- and the judges give her a pass to H-Wood. YAY! One of the best segments of the season so far.

She's from Krum, a Texas town the size of your thumb. She had to fight her mum, who said she was a crumb-y country singer. But Baylie Brown - for it was her - sang well enough for Simon to see dancing dollar signs before his eyes. Cowell pronounced Ms. Brown from Krum both "commercial" and "marketable" - the kiss of death if she was some kind of Marilyn Manson scare-tactics act. But Baylie is not Marilyn Manson.
Cowell lurved her up, saying she's a record label's dream singer. Paula gave Krum ye olde thumbs up, too, saying there's some good fashion sense copming out of Krum these days. We will see Baylie in H-Wood.

Prertty good so far. No reason to plug the ears and run out into oncoming traffic. Tonight's Texas auditions were prerty good, especially after some recent city tryouts. Texas is producing some good young singers, even if they, like all the others, have no imagination when it comes to choosing songs. Where's a little Bob Wills when we need it, honeys?

Did anyone else notice the "big scoop" on "Extra" the other night? You know, the "interview" with Paula about her so-called "strange behavior" (which is really just her natural personality hyped up to keep people talking)? Paula was being "grilled" by "Extra's" Terri Seymour, that ratty little Brit with an accent that could peel paint. FUGLY. Well, they made such a big deal about this big "scoop" -- strange how they never mentioned that Seymour is SIMON'S GIRLFRIEND. Do you really think it took all that much to get Paula on Seymour's couch?