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Access Atlanta > American Idol Buzz > Archives > 2007 > January > 31
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
1/31: We love LA!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Now it’s time to hit the land where we found Katharine McPhee: Los Angeles. As expected, there were poseurs aplenty. But there was signs of life, too. A whopping 40 people made it to Hollywood (okay, they made it down the street.) Too bad we only saw three of those singers who made it through. Just three! What’s that about???
Olivia Newton-John guested on “Grease: You’re the One That You Want” this past Sunday. Tonight, she’s on Idol. She’s an equal opportunity promoter. And she’s more of a softie than Paula. In other words, she added virtually nothing to the proceedings based on what little we saw.
“Idol” naturally starts with Mr. Nutty. I’m the most exciting entertainer on planet Earth,” proclaims Martik Manoukian. He enters, strips off his shirt and makes some panther moves and sounds. The singing, as Simon says, was “horrendous.” And he’s out.
Sholandric Stallworth looks like Barry White, sounds worse than Jack Black and yelps “If Ever You’re In My Arms Again.” Yes, he yelps.
Marianna Riccio is horrid. That was 16 years of vocal training? “You sounded like Cher after she’s been to the dentist,” Simon notes. She begs on her knees. “Please, please, please,” she said. She brings her mom. “You’re not good enough,” Simon said. Paula rolls her eyes. “Mom was foxy,” Simon noted.
Unlike Birmingham, where politeness reigns, the contestants in L.A. reek of desperation.
Alaina Alexander from West Hollywood has a decent smoky quality to her voice. “I thought that was really really really great,” Simon said. Finally, somebody who goes through.
Phuong Pham fashions herself to be the next Taylor Hicks. Um… no. Her “Dancing in the Streets” would cause people to run away from the streets. “I wasn’t sure what was worse,” Simon said. “The singing or the dancing.”
The best of the show was Brandon Rogers. He was a backup singer for the likes of Anastacia and Christina Aguilera. He’s impressive, wooing Olivia and Paula. “You got a sigh from the ladies,” Randy said. “Of everyone we’ve seen today, this is by far the best audition,” Simon said. “For the first time, I can see this guy making the finals. You have a likability about you which is something you and I share.”
Brian Miller possesses boyish charm and a spiritual tone to his voice. “Forgettable,” Simon said. “Based on the voice, I say yes,” Randy said. The ladies say yah. Three out of four gets him to Hollywood.
Idol then pulls out the tearjerker story, courtesy of Sherman Pore, who has no other reason to be there except for his back story. Part of the problem: at age 64, he’s about 36 years too old for eligibiility. But the producers let him see Randy, Simon and Paula. His wife had just died from cancer and he had a petition with more than 300 names to allow him to compete. The guy sang “You Belong to Me” and he was actually really good, which made it truly sweet. Even Simon was touched. “I won,” Pore said afterwards. “I am a winner.”
Back to the real competiton. Or not. Personality-packed, flirty (to Simon) Cavett “Sparkles” Carr went down, literally.”You’re making me nervous,” Simon said. Her boyfriend Darold Gray (20??? He looks 30!) did even worse. He was flatter than my writing!
Eric Mueller, in any key, was another waste of time. And he used the Randy/Paula guide to singing, which Simon was so amused about, he tried to ask Eric about it after the fact but Randy and Paula shooed him away.
And they didn’t make the folks do the same song — or if they did, they never showed it.
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1/31: Kat McPhee giveaway
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I ended up with two copies of the Katharine McPhee press kit, which includes several color photos of her and her new CD, plus a DVD. Among my favorite bloggers, please email me at rho@ajc.com if you’d like my spare copy. I’ll pick out the best plea on why they like Katharine and you get the gift! I’ll also post the plea so make sure what you write is something you’re willing to show the world.
In my copy of TV Guide for next week, which features our buddy Topher McCain, Katharine McPhee does a Q&A. When asked the hardest part of doing “Idol,” she said oddly, it was the message boards. (Huh?)
“I think those ‘Idol’ forums — like Americanidol.com — should be shut down,” McPhee told TV Guide. “It’s basically just an opportunity for people to say the meanest things without consequence.”
Q: Meaner than the judges?
A: “The judges never made me cry. But their comments hurt. I was constantly fighting the pain and putting Band-Aids over the wounds to keep going.”
Q: How did you manage it?
A: “I was like two people. I was Katharine, standing there, performing, but I was also watching myself perform. And judging myself. That’s something I will have to grow into as an artist. I have to learn how to let go.”
Indeed, Kat, let it go!
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1/31: Who is Tatiana McConnico?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tatiana McConnico, 17, of Austell made an impression on last night’s “American Idol” and went off to Hollywood. We have no clue if she makes the final 24 but regardless, a quick google search of her name and she pops up a few times.
She won, for instance, a teen pageant in the Virgin Islands in 2003. Check this out..
She played Dorothy in the Kenny Leon version of “The Wiz” back in 2005, according to this news item. And our AJC theater reveiw even mentions her positively in a review of the play.
Four years ago, she performed on CBS’s Star Search.. Here’s her head shot from the CBS site: 
She performed in “The Color Purple,” according to this story.. Wendell again namedrops her in his review.
We’ll see in two weeks how far she gets.
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1/30: Can Birmingham bring it?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
“American Idol” finally showed up in Birmingham, the city that gave us Bo Bice, Ruben Studdard and Taylor Hicks. And we know there’s got to be a few Atlantans who drove over there to represent.
I’m amused the producers still give the impression the huge crowds come the same day as Simon, Randy and Paula when in fact that’s not true. Of course, there’s plenty of talent and a lot less wackiness in da South. And being only an hour, it goes by relatively smoothly with many of the ousted contestants being oddly polite, saying “thank you” when given lousy assessments (i.e. Lakia Hill). That’s the South, bless our hearts!
Erica Skye provides us the first impression of Birmingham 2007 with “Unchained Melody,” Simon’s favorite song. Naturally, she’s terrible. “It’s like neverending torture,” Simon said. “You are an absolutely hopeless singer.” Paula even gets up and leaves the table because Erica won’t leave.
We know that “Idol” doesn’t always show the singers in any order so who knows at what point this is during the day.
Katie Bernard is the Orlando gal with the high-pitched talking voice though it’s not as high pitched as, say, Paris Bennett last year. She does a Tamyra Gray song, “A House is Not a Home” and is not bad. Randy says yes. Simon says no. So it’s up to Paula. Paula is standing up again. Unlike Seattle, where she seemed sedated, she’s hepped up today. Katie brings in her husband and Paula says yes. “She made my day,” Paula said.
We’re back from commercial break and here’s a loacl gal and another female teenager, 17-year-old Tatiana McConnico from Austell. She looks adorable. Can she sing? Yes, she can! Randy and Paula look charmed. “100% yes!” Randy said. “Might be the best voice I hear in Birmingham!” I may be talking to her soon!
Diana Walker is from Atlanta, too, but she doesn’t look quite as promising. She’s a little pitchy but entertaining. “I get standing ovations,” she said. “When they stand, do they exit real quickly?” Randy said. Wow. Isn’t that Simon’s line?
Bernard Williams of Pleasant Grove Al. gets a rare no from Paula, two yesses from Randy and Simon. “You have great tone but completely off key,” Paula said.
Then there’s Atlanta’s Margaret Fowler, who hopes to overwhelm the judges. Well, the gal in the bright yellow shirt does. She claims to be 26 but looks much, um, older and the producers even place a question mark next to her name. “I have no idea what this show is anymore,” Simon says. “You look like some Easter bunny nightmare experiment. You’re not 26. Your singing is atrocious. You won’t go to the next round. You might as well own up. How old are you?”
“33.”
“I’m going to ask again. How old are you?”
“I’m 50.”
Case closed.
Now enters Jamie Lynn Ward of Reidsville, N.C., this year’s Kellie Pickler. She’s cute with a passable voice but a stop-in-your-tracks back story. “I live with my grandma and my daddy’s paralyzed,” she said. “My stepmom cheated on him so he shot her, then shot himself.” Paula gives a nuanced take on her voice (cut the nasal) and Simon and Randy look shocked because they all agree. She’s in!
The judges are in a good mood and they have good reason. Next is Jack Osborne. Oh, no, it’s actually Chris Sligh of Greenville, S.C., who says people think he’s Osborne. “I really want to make David Hasselhoff cry,” he said, referencing to the “Baywatch” star getting teary after Taylor won last year. His “Kiss From a Rose” is surprisingly good. “I like you very much,” Paula said. “You have a good sense of humor and you’re different.” He’s in, too.
It’s now day two. Victoria Watson of Gainesville, Fla. shall be known as the gal with the six-foot-long hair. She even brought in her mom with equally long hair. The two male judges (Paula had a “family obligation”) said no to her rather stiff presentation of a Josh Groban song.
Team Nichole (that’s her and her family y’all!) is part of the final portion of this hour’s audtiions. Nichole Gatzman of Muskogee, Okl. does a version of Bonnie Raitt’s “Something to Talk About.” that I thought was better than Pickler II’s audition despite her nasal problems. “You have a lot more work to do,” Randy said. Oh, well. I liked her.
Mouthy Brandy Patterson brings back “Like a Virgin.” She’s not nearly as bad as Keith Beukelaer from season two (remember him?) but they clearly have her on air for her bizarre excuse for singing poorly. “It’s the floor,” she said. So she sings on the carpet. It’s no better, of course. “I take back everything I said,” Simon joked. “You’re hopeless on the floor, even worse on the carpet. It’s absolutely going to be never.”
Onward and upward to Los Angeles tonight!
