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April 2008
4/30: Top 5 Idol results show w/ Brooke White gone, Paula Abdul tries to explain gaffe
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jason Castro deserved to go tonight. Heck, he probably wanted to go home, take a little break before the tour and chill! But as recent weeks have indicated, the most obvious person hasn’t been going home. Instead, Brooke White is out.
And for the seventh time in eight weeks, I got it wrong. This is easily my worst year ever making picks. Thank goodness I haven’t staked any cash! You have to wonder if Paula’s flub actually helped Jason out.
I don’t think anyone is shocked or upset. But in the end, the ever tearful Brooke brought a sweetness, a singleness, a uniqueness to “Idol.” We never had anyone quite like her before. She’s the gal who didn’t drink, didn’t smoke, the gal Simon wanted to corrupt during the auditions but ultimately didn’t. She’s the new generation Carly Simon, a singer songwriter with a distinctive flair. She may not have had the best vocal chops but she has a real future ahead of her. I’m looking forward to what lies ahead for Brooke.
And not surprisingly, she messed up her post-elimination “I Am I Said” but she was so sweet about it, so human as she cried, it’s impossible not to feel for a lump in my throat. And as we talked about before here on the blog, I’m glad “Idol” allowed instruments because she truly took advantage of that new rule.
Mike S is right: Syesha wasn’t necessarily in the bottom two. Ryan never says she was and if dialidol.com is correct, she wasn’t. I’d say Jason was though he was the first pronounced safe.
Other parts of the show included a passable group sing (with David Cook doing the closest actual Neil Diamond cadence), a promo with Constantine (yes, Ryan asks him for “the look”) and Gina Glocksen for “American Idol Extra.” And Ryan didn’t address the Paula rumors directly but said she’s still duly employed with “Idol.” I’m surprised they didn’t let Paula explain herself to the viewers. There was a loooong promo for “So You Think You Can Dance” and a contest winner for the new Coke cup.
Natasha Bedingfield was the second Brit the British producers brought in. And an American treasure, Neil Diamond performed a fairly lame tune, then promoted his album in somnolent fashion. The pre-taped Q&A featured the gal he kissed as a nine year old. Can we have pictures?
In other “Idol” news:
-Paula Adbul — in damage control mode — did her weekly call to Q100 a week early to try to explain her, um, confusion last night. But she never really does, still clinging to that “I was reading my David Cook critique” excuse, which doesn’t make sense since she liked what he did. She said she did catch part of Jason’s second performance at dress rehearsal on a monitor. She also said the format change was thrown at the judges at the last second and the entire hour felt rushed and chaotic.
Bert confronted her about her pain medication for her bad back and that the meds affect her more some days than others. Her response: “That’s a very sweet and thoughtful. I do have pain in my neck.I don’t take anything that makes me do anything to act different, especially on show days. I’ve never been drunk in my life. I’ve never done recreational anything in my life… I am a happy workaholic.”
To ETonline.com, she elaborated thusly:
“It got very confusing … the producers come up to us in the dark and said, ‘We are not going to have you guys judge after each performer, we are going to have all the performers go once, then twice and at the end critique them.’”
-The theme next week is the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame. I presume that means songs from groups who are in the Hall of Fame (and get cleared by Idol). Or what?
-MTV talks to some of David Cook’s former bandmates of his band Axium, and they are all kind words.
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4/29: Top 5 Idol performance night with Neil Diamond & Paula’s (ahem) confusion
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
(For you live bloggers, sorry, I was out late tonight and only got around to posting my thoughts at about midnight.)
Neil Diamond is not going to bring in that younger audience “Idol’ is losing, but he sure has written some great songs over the years. And thank God nobody chose his cheesiest song, the ode to “E.T.” “Heartlight.” Then again, check out “America,” courtesy of David Archuleta, trying to pull another Kristy Lee Cook (as if he needs it!)
In the end, it was a pretty scattershot night. There were more than a fair share of clunkers for this point in the competition, a couple of great performances and more proof that David Cook should take this home for consistency, professionalism and vocal skills. Sorry, Archuleta!
Who will be in trouble? Well, Archuleta is fine as usual. I’m not sure at this stage if they even do a bottom three. If it’s just a bottom two, I’d say Jason and Syesha. Jason is going home is my guess only because Syesha was lucky enough to get the pimp spot, even if it was a disappointing final performance.
Dialidol actually has Syesha in the safe zone! You have to wonder if Simon’s comments about her being in trouble helped her, especially since he said them moments before voting started. Jason, Brooke and David A. are in danger.
And let me explain poor Paula Abdul’s belief that Jason sang twice already during the halfway point. (SEE VIDEO) The thing is—she and the others watched the dress rehearsal, where she had seen both performances and had, paraphrasing Ryan, “seen the future.” Then she got confused during the actual performance show. This is no proof that “Idol” is rigged or her comments are scripted. She simply can’t remember what happened 15 minutes earlier versus two hours earlier! In other words, vintage Paula. But very amusing!
I suspect Simon spends a lot of time gabbing with Paula during the actual performances since they had already heard them during dress. That’s also possibly why, if a contestant did great in rehearsal and bombed during the live show or vice versa, the judges’ comments seem way way off. Paula should have immediately explained herself and said she had heard Jason sing earlier during dress. That would have helped 99.9% of the audience watching that has no clue this is the case.
Anyway, at this stage, order of performance probably is less meaningful now that each contestant has to sing twice, especially going first.
So this time, I will rank the 10 performances in order, rather than post them in order. I’ll include judge’s comments when available since they only really talked after the second song (not counting that strange mid-time interlude when Paula’s brain went haywire.)
1-David Cook (“All I Really Need is You”) - Honestly, at this point, it’s hard not to root for Cook to win because he infuses every song with heart. Even if this wasn’t as stellar a vocal performance as usual, his emotional compass keeps everything in check and makes it worth listening to. Randy: “Again, you rocked the house!” Paula: “I feel like I’m already looking at the American Idol.” Simon: “I thought the first song was okay, the second song brilliant.” (seventh performance) A/A-minus
2-Brooke White (“I Am I Said”) - She personalizes the lyrics to Arizona, courtesy of Neil’s suggestion. This is more like it, a song that fits her. Sure, as usual, her vocals are just okay but this is the Brooke we love. I really wanted to hear a longer version, a good sign. Randy: “Nice job.” Paula: “What you did as opposed to the first song. It shows your vulnerability and it works.” Simon: “I really really hated the first song. It was like girls’ night out for karaoke. This is the Brooke we like. It wasn’t incredible but a million times better than the first song. Well done.” (eighth performance) A-minus
3-Syesha Mercado (“Hello Again”) - She does a drop-dead gorgeous version of this rather pensive song, though her big smile doesn’t seem to jibe. I enjoyed it. (fifth performance) A-minus.
4- Jason Castro (“Forever in Blue Jeans”) - This is a nice laid-back song that fits Castro well. He seems more comfortable than he was last week. (Is it just me or is the mosh pit looking a bit thin tonight?). Vocally, the song isn’t much of a strain for him and he imprints it with that Castro vibe and it works well. (First performance) B-plus/A-minus
5-David Cook (“I’m Alive”) - He opted for two lesser-known songs, which is not a bad idea. (Second performance) He’s comfortable and luxuriates in his lower register with a professional sheen that includes just a hint of that Diamond growl. Another solid performance, nothing to complain about. (Second performance) B-plus
6-David Archuleta (“Sweet Caroline”) - David took Carly’s song. He starts the song in a higher key than Neil. In fact, the whole arrangement barely sounds like the original, which is sometimes good, sometimes not so good. This time: not so good. The problem is he really isn’t very good at upbeat (see Brooke White). He even hits a few bad notes. He ends okay, at least, but this won’t win him any new fans. (fourth performance) B-minus
7-Pimp spot! Syesha Mercado (“Thank God for the Night Time”) - Her vocals feel a bit mannered and Broadway for a song that could have used a bit more vocal grit. The actress in Syesha is very much in effect. It feels very staged. Randy: “You finally realize who you are. Could have been on Broadway.” Paula: “First song I thought that vulnerable side is absolutely beautiful. That’s your magic. Your second song shows your other side. That’s your theatrical side.” (She said she’s a cross of Corinne Bailey Rae and Minnie Ripperton.) Simon: “It’s a bit chaotic tonight. You demonstrated again. You’re a good actress -stroke- singer. I think however you may be in trouble tonight. It wasn’t a memorable second song like the others.” [I agree.] (10th performance) B-minus
8-David Archuleta (“America”) - Big mistake picking one of Neil’s cheesier songs and another upbeat song. He lacks the gravitas that makes this work with Neil. It feels lightweight. But hey, it’s patriotic and he gets to hit a final grace note with “let freedom ring” while an American flag plays behind you. Randy: “You are in the zone. Another great performance, baby.” (huh?) Paula: “This was the absolute perfect song for you to sing.” (wah?) Simon: “That was a smart choice of song.. that was clever. It ticked all the boxes.” (ninth performance ) B-minus
9-Brooke White (“I’m a Believer”) - This song requires a really strong voice and she simply doesn’t have it. When she bugs her eyes out, she looks fairly absurd. Why is Paula up there dancing? It’s weak but you gotta give her credit for trying something outside her norm. (third performance) C-plus
10-Jason Castro (“September Morn”) - Paula already said she wasn’t feeling this one (from the dress rehearsal.) Maybe the advance criticism will help him. It’s actually just kinda boring. He does it in really sleepy AC style. His voice sounds lazy and the entire thing feels phoned in. Bleh. Randy: “It was just okay.” Paula: “I felt safe. You need to get out of the comfort zone.” Simon: “We don’t recognize you at the moment. There was no attempt to make the songs your own. They were both forgettable.” (sixth peformance) C
In other “Idol” news:
-The EW power five shows minor shifts with David C. remaining at No.1, David A. back at No. 2, Jason dropping to No. 3, Brooke taking Carly’s spot at No. 4 and Syesha taking Brooke’s spot at No. 5. TV Guide had them ranked the same order with votes as follows: 55.8% for David Cook. 20.9% David Archuleta. 12.7% Jason Castro. 6.7% Brooke White. 3.8% Syesha Mercado. Gambling sites have Archuleta winning, with Cook a close second. The other three are also rans with Jason at 15-1 and both Brooke and Syesha at 20 to 1.
-Michael Johns told an Australian pub how surreal it was to be at the White House Correspondents Dinner this past Saturday.: “Condoleezza Rice came up and hugged me, asked to take a picture and have an autograph,” Johns told Confidential yesterday. “Rob Lowe demanded a recount, everyone thinks I was robbed.”
-I have a spare copy of Phil Stacey’s new CD if anybody wants it. Email me at rho@ajc.com. It comes out today!
-The Ruben/Frenchie Davis take on “Ain’t Misbehavin’” is scheduled to kick off its national tour Nov. 17, 2008 at the Fox Theatre.
-Paris Bennett is performing with her grandma Ann Nesby at the “Songs of Soul & Inspiration” concert at Philips Arena on my birthday, June 21. Patti Austin, Chaka Khan, Yolanda Adamas Queen Latifah and others are headlining.
-Carrie Ann Inaba, a judge on “Dancing With the Stars,” notes that Paula Abdul might have problems if she joins the show:
“She’s [emotionally] fragile. And she’s had physical issues [a neck injury]. She won’t even realize how much pressure is on her until she’s already signed up and can’t get out,” Inaba tells TV Guide magazine (May 5 issue; hits newsstands Thursday, May 1). “I would hate to see her get hurt by something she loves.”
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4/28: Changing “Idol” to stanch the ratings losses, Jordin Sparks medical update
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Personally, I don’t think “Idol” can do much to keep ratings from falling. It’s just a question of stemming the losses. I think they have done a good job this year by getting rid of the “Sanjaya” sideshows, providing us more personal info about the contestants and giving us better vocalists. The instruments were a good new addition. I’m not 100% sold on the mosh pit but I don’t think it’s a detriment. I wish the would keep the band closer to the singers on the new set. It was fun having them near by this past week - their presence really energized Syesha.
Fox is now doing market research asking fans about the show. More info here in Broadcasting & Cable, where you can download the survey.:
“We’re not in denial,” Fox scheduling chief Preston Beckman told me. “It’s still the biggest show on TV, but that doesn’t mean there are things we can’t do. The feedback from this year you’ll probably see on the show next year.”
They have asked viewers if they’d like to see Hollywood earlier in the year with flashbacks to the auditions instead. That could be kind of fun, though there are people who only watch the auditions. In fact, “Idol” has consistently drawn more viewers, often 20 to 30% more, during the auditions than the actual competition.
They ask people for their suggestions on how to improve the obviously graying show. Throw yours out! If I get some good ones, I’ll post them and maybe someone can pass that along to Beckman!
Here’s other “Idol” news:
-Fresh theory on sliding ratings: not enough modern songs. MSNBC points out correctly that forcing themes upon the contestants during the semifinals was a mistake and that only four songs from the past decade have been sung. While this was common the first couple of seasons, more recent songs have become more the norm in recent seasons until this year.
-Fun stuff ousted “Idol” contestants get to do while killing time after being eliminated but before the “Idol” tour starts: I was in DC over the weekend, visiting friends and doing absolutely nothing “Idol” related. Yet I then find out Michael Johns was invited to the White House Correspondents Dinner — and I wasn’t! My friends and I did drive by the hotel where the dinner was held and saw folks in tuxes and fancy dresses but I missed Michael. He was the guest of sports analyst Tony Kornheiser.
-Jordin Sparks is recovering quickly and might be back to singing as early as next week and join the Alicia Keys tour, according to her mom. And she wrote MTV.com to say the same thing.:
“I’m feeling good,” she wrote. “I’m supposed to be on full vocal rest, which means no talking, laughing, giggling, and singing. Can I tell you how hard that is!? I want to tell my fans: Thank you for all the prayers and your concern. You guys are what keep me going, honestly. But not to worry! I’ll be better in no time!”
-Here are executive producer Nigel Lythgoe’s comments from a TV Guide interview about Carly’s departure.:
“I was very sad,” he admitted. “I think Carly is extremely talented, a brilliant voice. I was sorry to lose Michael and I was certainly sorry to lose Carly.” He dismissed the idea that Michael, an Australian, and Carly, who is Irish, were ousted due to having been born abroad. Carly was in the top four last week,” he pointed out. “Most times, America votes for the best performance of the night. I think this week, we saw America getting behind people they’ve supported over a series of weeks.”*
-And Claymates, don’t worry. It’s coming: my Clay Aiken interview later this week! I’ll post it Friday and provide folks info about your May 5 album release party at Manuel’s Tavern that evening. For now, you can read this interview he did with Billboard magazine.
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4/26: Phil Stacey interview, ratings, Carly Smithson fallout
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I’m in D.C. this weekend visiting friends so this will probably have to tide you over until Monday.
Phil Stacey, the Navy family man and “Idol” finalist last year, always struck me as an aw-shucks nice guy without a terribly distinctive persona despite his bald head and decent vocal prowess. But he did have a real passion for country music while on the show.
So Lyric Street Records (Rascal Flatts, Josh Gracin) signed him. His new self-titled CD is set to hit stores on Tuesday.
I readily admit I came into this interview kind of cold, without any prepared questions. But Stacey was conversational, friendly and properly grateful for the opportunity to have a career.
“We go through valleys and peaks where we feel like we’re on top of the world,” Stacey said. “I got to say: this entire thing has been the peak of a mountain. I feel like I’ve been living this dream for a year and a half.”
“I would never make the claim that I’m anything special,” he added, with proper modesty. “I love music… I feel very undeserving of the incredible life I’ve had.”
Here’s the video for his first single, “If You Didn’t Love Me.” The single, a mid-tempo love song, just broached the top 30.
The song is “really what I’m about,” he said. “I’m a man who is where he is because of the loving encouragement of an amazing wife. And I’m thrilled to show my acknowledgment to the world.”
He hopes his album sells. “I’d love to sell a million records,” he said. “But more than anything, I want my music to touch somebody.”
He said he is frequently mistaken for Chris Daughtry given his bald pate. The funniest moment he said was when he was at the Empire State Building during the “Idol” tour last year and a bunch of gals came up to him and one said, “You look like that guy from ‘American Idol.’ ” Then some gal started singing “It’s Not Over.” “I said, ‘Chris Daughtry! That’s awesome.’ I never told them I was on the show. For a sec, he considered pretending to be Daughtry, but “I thought Chris might be offended.”
Stacey said it’s fortunate his wife likes his shaved head, which he’s had since college. So he’s not even 100% sure if he’s balding.
He said though he’s a songwriter, he decided to pick from 600 songs made available to him from Music Row. He tried to pick songs that reflect his own life, which he says is going well. So he had to deliberately pick one break up song. “It was too sunshiney without it,” he said. And he included a couple of Christian-based tunes. He stays in touch with Mandisa and Chris Sligh, both whom also live in Nashville and are in the contemporary Christian world.
“If I Didn’t Love You” was originally tied to Georgian Jason Aldean but Aldean passed it to Stacey. “He graciously gave it to me,” he said.
Stacey - who is picking David Cook as the winner this year — plans to open for different acts, including Kellie Pickler, Randy Travis and possibly Kenny Chesney.
Finally, his favorite celebrity meeting was with Tim McGraw. He was in New York City during the “Idol” tour with his wife at Central Park. She needed to go to the bathroom so she ducked into the Ritz Carlton. There, McGraw came up to Stacey and said he was a fan. “I was starstruck,” he said. “It threw me off.” Stacey and his wife ended up hanging with Tim and his wife Faith Hill. He said he tried to be cool by not whipping out the camera but now regrets missing that opportunity. “It’s a story I’ll tell my grandchildren,” he said.
In other “Idol” news:
-“Extra” asked executive producer Nigel Lythgoe about the declining ratings. His response:
“We’ve had a lot of pressure put on the media this year talking about losing ratings…We’re still number one, number two… It starts to annoy you after awhile. Come talk to me about ratings when we’re not number one on the charts anymore,” he declared.
He added, “I think this is a strange time with the writer’s strike. People said that we would be seen by more people because there wasn’t anything else on television, but it’s not true. People aren’t that stupid. If there’s something on that you don’t want to watch, you don’t turn your television on and you find something else to do which is why I believe all the ratings are dipping this season.”
-Did Carly Smithson get hurt by the song she sang, “Jesus Christ Superstar”? Maybe. The song has some historical controversy more than 30 years ago. I doubt most of the voters were familiar with the song for it to matter much. But it probably didn’t help matters.
Here’s the story from the New York Times.
Since its debut, and particularly following the release of the 1973 film version, “Jesus Christ Superstar” has been railed against by some Christians for its portrayal of Jesus as confused and at times unwilling to accept his role, and because it hints that he had a sexual relationship with Mary Magdalene.
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4/25: Anwar Robinson in Rent at Fox Theatre
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Anwar Robinson, the good-natured New Jersey vocal teacher from season four of “American Idol,” disappeared off the radar screen soon after.
But the smooth-sounding singer has spent the past six months crisscrossing the nation on a “Rent” tour playing Tom Collins, a gay philosophy professor with AIDS. The show arrives in Atlanta this weekend at the Fox Theatre.
In studying “Rent,” he related to the characters and Collins has an especially heavy part, especially since Collins gets attacked during the play. “He’s very patriarchal, by virtue of being grounded and optimistic,” Robinson said. “Collins is a role I can play with little or no anxiety.”
He was flattered when I mentioned that just two days before our interview, I had spoken with Debra Byrd, “Idol” vocal coach, and she said he was the only “Idol” she knew with perfect pitch, which means he can pick any note you say and hit it spot on. “I didn’t always know I had it,” he said. “When I was four, I had a Casio keyboard and I memorized the pitches in there. They always stuck.”
(Robinson said he ran into Byrd in New York City a few months earlier while she was working on a piece for Judge Hatchett. He mentored a gal Byrd was working with.)
In the two years before “Rent,” he said he recorded a bunch of cover tunes and has been seeking a way to release it. “I did a lot of freelance events and I would do workshops. I would be in parades. I’d do private parties and concerts. I was the vice president for a Celebrity Read campaign for Essex County [New Jersey.]” In other words, he kept busy, just not in a way that attracted much attention.
He hopes to venture out to Los Angeles and seek acting gigs. “I have a team who believes in what I’m doing and wants me to branch out and do more than tehater or what I was doing after ‘Idol.’ “
Robinson hasn’t had a chance to see much “Idol,” except during the semifinals while he was recuperating from knee surgery. He saw Jason Yeager sing “Moon River,” a song he sang during his semifinals, a performance I still remember. “It brought back fond memories,” Robinson said. “I loved that song. I loved ‘Breakfast at Tiffanys.’ “
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4/24: Carrie Underwood concert at Gwinnett Arena
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Carrie Underwood, co-headlining with Keith Urban tonight at Gwinnett Arena, proved why she’s already at this vaunted level after just two albums (oh, and that “American Idol” victory.)
Dressed in a demurely sexy black getup with four-inch heel leather boots, Carrie started right on time at 7:30 p.m. with a rabble rouser from her second album “Flat on the Floor.” Barely half the crowd was at their seats but the numbers increased rapidly in the intervening minutes.
She took advantage several times of a runway that ran more than halfway across the arena, giving folks not in the front row a better view.
Personality-wise, Carrie is no Kellie PIckler and she never will be. She’s more poised than she was three years ago thanks to oodles of practice on stage over the past three years, but her patter sounded stagey and scripted, at least in the early going. Her bag of stage tricks are fairly limited to wiggling her legs and waving to individuals in the crowd.
But vocally, she sounds amazing. And it seems so effortless. If she missed a note, she hid it well. The purity of her voice permeates every corner of the arena. She can hold high notes for hours if need be, as it seemed during “I Know You Won’t.”
Despite her rather vanilla persona, “Before He Cheats” proves she can play the tough gal and get away with it. And on her latest single, “Last Name,” the modest Carrie sass comes out in full force. Heck, she somehow got away with covering Guns n’ Roses’ “Paradise City” without a trace of irony or self deprecation.
Near the end, though, she got serious. “I want to thank you guys for putting me on this stage,” she said. Then she stopped and wiped her eyes. “I don’t know why but I’m about to cry.” Pause. “I get to watch ‘American Idol.’ It’s so amazing to think that a few years ago, I was on that stage. You guys helped me through. I can’t believe there are five people left. It’s incredible I managed to survive the next two years that followed. It’s been an amazing, amazing ride. Thank you guys. God bless you for it.”
Then during “Don’t Forget To Remember Me,” she literally stopped partway in tears and could barely finish the song. That truly defines sincere gratitude.
And when she sings “All American Girl,” it’s a title nobody can dispute.
Later, during Urban’s set, she joined him for a rip-roaring rendition of that classic Tom Petty/Stevie Nicks duet “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around.” (above, from the huge high-def screen)
The set list:
Flat on the Floor
Wasted
Get Out of This Town
The More Boys I Meet
Just a Dream
Jesus Take the Wheel
I Know You Won’t
I Ain’t in Checotah Anymore
Last Name
Don’t Forget To Remember Me
Twisted
All-American Girl
So Small
Paradise City (yes, the Guns ‘n Roses song)
Before He Cheats
She performs again Friday night with Urban at G\winnett Arena. Though sold out, on Thursday, they opened up a few extra seats that may still be available at Ticketmaster.
For those of you who came to see Urban, this is the “Idol” blog, therefore I wrote about her. But I’m going to have to give props to Urban, who is a consummate entertainer. He’s not flamboyant, he’s not cheesy, but he managed to bring just enough grittiness and charisma to offset his pretty boy looks. And he pumped it out for nearly two hours after Underwood’s 70 minutes. (Okay, he really was the headliner but she was like a super opening act, as opposed to just a regular one.)
What made the night even more fun was the fact Urban was recording the concert for a DVD, so there were extra hi-def cameras, including one on a crane and another elevated over the runway. He did the acoustic part of act in the round with his entire band, including a wonderful version of my favorite Urban song, “Making Memories of Us.” (above, from the screen, where they showed him in black and white) And he hit pretty much all his big hits, without too much variance from the radio versions, from a pensive “Raining on Sunday” to a delightful “Somebody Like You.”
He did famous guitar riffs at one point to show off that he’s not just a great vocalist. He hit the piano for a couple of ballads, including an aching “Tonight I Wanna Cry” and a song he dedicated to Nicole Kidman, “Got It Right This Time.” He kept the patter to a minimum, though he did note that he rehearsed this set list at the Fox awhile back. During “You Look Good In My Shirt,” he climbed into the stands and sang about 10 feet from me. (photo above) He then signed and gave that guitar to a lucky gal in the audience.
And future reference for single guys: there were at least twice as many women there, due to the Urban Sex Symbol Factor.
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4/24: In defense of Brooke & Jason, Carly Smithson exit interview
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
With Michael and Carly gone, there is building animus toward Brooke and Jason for very similar reasons.
Both are sweet, sweet people with limited vocal skills. Both are talented but fairly one dimensional. Both are more comfortable behind an instrument. Both emote quite nicely and sell their songs when they’re really into it. Both seem mildly awkward when interviewed. Both feel like real human beings on and off camera. The fact is likability over pure singing got them into the top 5. And no matter how badly either do, I have a hard time hatin’ on either of them.
Down the road, I think more people are going buy their albums over those by Syesha, Carly or Michael. I suspect both have those types of dedicated fan bases that can translate into ticket, merchandise and record sales.
And this proves once again the sbow has and always will be a popularity contest, not a pure singing contest. But there’s nothing wrong with that.
Plus, we know it’s going to come down to David & David anyway. Nobody truly expected Carly or Michael or Kristy Lee to make it to the final two. And I can’t see Jason or Brooke making it into the final two either unless something truly bizarro happens. It’d be great to see my early prediction of Syesha in the top 3 come true!
-Anyway, here’s what Carly Smithson had to say during the weekly elimination press conference.
She is, as I recall when I first interviewed her, a sweetheart and articulate, conversational and gabby (so gabby, she took far fewer questions than any other contestant so far this year.) She also has a good sense of humor and is very grounded. She said multiple times how grateful she is for the experience and is happy to be sixth. She’s truly heartfelt about everything she says. After every reporter, she said, “Thank you so much” with real sincerity.
“I think I made enough of an impact to be able to reach a good fan base,” she said. “I get to be me without the theme nights and make a cool record.”
Being sixth: She wants to see her husband and take a break, too. So she isn’t disappointed. As one of the reporters noted, she is far peppier and far sunnier than any prior contestant this year on these interviews. She said if she had finished 10th, she might have been more bummed but she’s cool with sixth.
**On how she changed over time on “Idol.”: “I realized not to take everything so seriously. Early on the show, they set the standard so high for me. They were a lot harder for me than a lot of contestants. It got to me for a few weeks. I think by the time I met Mariah Carey, I had changed my mind. She was just so cool and so normal and so nice. They want us to be stars. I come from a bar. I have no idea what a star is supposed to act like. When we met her, I realize I can just be normal. That’s cool.”
A second chance?: Although she had a record deal years ago, she said this feels like a first chance, not a second chance. “It’s so big and such a different experience,” she said. “It’s such a gift.”
She’s ready to make a record and write her own songs and stop doing cover songs (though she’ll have to do more covers all summer on tour.)
During the show, she said she was the “camp counselor,” consoling others, giving them support.
What she misses most? “I miss the most are my pots and pans. I’m a kitchen gadget nut. I miss my kitchen so much,” she said.
When asked her favorite “Idol” (other than herself), she naturally demurred as they seem to be trained to do. But she said her favorite of those eliminated was Amanda Overmyer, her former roomie.
What would she have sung on Neil Diamond week next week? “Sweet Caroline.” “I wanted to do a ballad version. I did such an uptempo song this week, I wantet to do it with a cello and piano, make it slower. It’s such a big, big song. It’s such a recognizable song. Neil Diamond has such amazing songs, such a huge catalog. We were amazed by the songs he had written but were sung by others.”
Her past: “I kind of started the show with some bad press. And I don’t think it helped me much.”
About fumbling her lyrics and saying she got it right last night, which some perceived to be a diss about Brooke, when in fact she was just talking about herself: “The song was so last minute. When I sang for Andrew Lloyd Webber, I had learned the other song, ‘All I Ask of You.’ There are a lot of works in ‘Jesus Christ Superstar.’ I fumbled on a few of the lyrics… I was so irritated! Last night, I got them all right.”
**Nobody asked if she felt her tattoo hurt her with Middle America. I’m going to try to talk to her Monday and ask some follow ups. But here’s what she had to say about the tattoo on her arm, which everyone (including this week’s mentor Andrew Lloyd Webber) thought was Amy Winehouse?
“It’s a geisha,” she said, with a chuckle. “It’s just not colored in. I love the tattoo but it really bothered me it wasn’t finished. We never got any time… By the time it’s done, she’ll look nothing like Amy Winehouse!”
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4/23: Idol top 6 results show - Carly Smithson is out
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I left the baseball game early to catch the elimination as the Braves were losing. And Carly is a goner, too. MInor shocker: Syesha in the bottom two. But although my initial instinct was for Jason to go (and he deserved it), I knew Carly was in serious danger.
Bottom line: those fans for Brooke & Jason came out in droves after their relatively poor performances last night. And Syesha’s lack of a fan base reared its ugly head (and going first, obviously, didn’t help.). But Carly had a good performance and as recent weeks have indicated (see Kristy and Michael), good is bad. Bad is good. It’s all very George Orwellian!
I predicted Carly finishing sixth when the top 12 were announced and I got that 100% right!
Carly has a wonderful voice but she always had trouble translating her bubbly off-camera personality on camera. She always seemed a bit desperate, a bit needy, shadows from her past failed record. And we all know about the Psycho Bunny From Outer Space look even when she sang sweet, happy songs. (She was only starting to correct that problem recently.) She was seldom horrible but I don’t recall her ever really hitting it out of the park. And you have to wonder if the tattoo factor hurt her just a wee bit.
But in the end, she’s got talent, she’s got a good head on her shoulders and if she can find the right niche, she might get a real second chance at stardom.
“You can leave with your head held high,” Simon said.
“I’m not upset I’m going home,” said Carly, the former Fado Irish Pub waitress here in Atlanta from 2003 to 2005.
Next week’s theme: the final mentor Neil Diamond.
Belatedly, I’m catching the actual full episode, including a respectful group sing of the song Carly was going to sing first (maybe she should have stuck with it in retrospect?). There was a “what’s up with?” piece on Tamyra Gray (“Rent”) and Clay Aiken (“Spamalot”), who got to namedrop his upcoming album to boot. And Brit “X Factor” winner Leona Lewis does a victory lap before the man who “discovered” her Simon Cowell.
In other “Idol” news:
-No answer why David Cook’s little indie recording “Analog Heart” disappeared from Amazon’s MP3 site.
-We’ve talked before about how the vote totals are never released. The Arizona Republic explores the topic.. Here’s the most interesting tidbit—executive producer Ken Warwick had no clue they were never released, even after the season is over:
“If there’s any overt rule that says why (totals) shouldn’t be released, I’m not aware of it,” executive producer Ken Warwick said in an interview last week. “I was under the impression they were open to scrutiny.
“No one is saying you can’t look at them,” he added.
But then the paper got this weird note credited to Fox and show producers Fremantle Media and 19 Entertainment: “The network and producers will not disclose voting tallies for the competition, as the release of such information would only serve to create additional rumor and speculation.”
Huh? Isn’t that backwards logic? Wouldn’t transparency blunt rumor and speculation?
-Do you remember Savannah’s Stephanie Edwards(right), who finished 11th last year? She was distinctly boring and overshadowed by Melinda and LaKisha. According to USA Today, she’s back at school chasing a psychology degree at Armstrong Atlantic State University in her hometown of Savannah, Ga.
“You need that backup and the education behind you,” says Edwards, 20. “It makes you a more well-rounded person.”
She does visit Atlanta to work on a pop/R&B debut, according to the story.
-Carrie Underwood, who will be at the Gwinnett Arena Thursday and Friday with Keith Urban for two sold-out concerts, is doing ads for vitaminwater.
-Tonight, competing with “Idol” is the Dove Awards, the Christian music equivalent of the Grammys. Three “Idols” are presenting: Phil Stacey, Mandisa and Chris Sligh.
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4/23: Idols live tour dates - Gwinnett Arena August 18
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
(I’m creating a separate blog entry for this just so folks can find it easier down the road though it’s going to be quickly superseded by the results show entry.)
Mark your calendars. Locally, the “Idols Live” tour will return to the Gwinnett Arena for the fourth year in a row, this year August 18. Ticket info forthcoming.
“Idols Live” will feature fewer duets and group sings and more solo work, according to a story in USA Today..
From the exclusive USA Today story:
Using extensive lighting and giant video screens, producers are aiming to “create a distinct mood for each singer,” Pirie says. Artists will be “encouraged to play an instrument only if it’s appropriate to them.”
Though some of the 10 have songwriting credits, concertgoers won’t be treated to any of their originals this summer. “We really want the experience to echo the television show, so expect to hear a lot of the songs that did well during the season,” says Iain Pirie, head of 19 Recordings U.S., which organizes the tour.
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4/22: Top 6 Idol performance show
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
If you hate Broadway, you’d happily skip over tonight and watch “The Biggest Loser.”
But despite a true mess that was Jason Castro, he was sandwiched by two great performances, a very good one, a good one and Brooke, who I’d say was a split decision.
My rankings: 1- Syesha Mercado (totally in her element!) 2- David Cook (who woulda thunk he could pull that off?) 3- David Archuleta 4- Carly Smithson 5- Brooke White 6- Jason Castro
The bottom three is pretty easy this week. It has to be Carly, Brooke and Jason, with Jason going home. He really tanked it this week with a bad, bad song choice. He may as well have taken Kristy Lee’s “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina.”
Again, I made these picks without reading any of your comments or checking dialidol.com. What? Syesha is in the danger zone? Not surprising the two Davids are safe.
Anyway, a standing ovation for Andrew Lloyd Webber. He was possibly the best mentor/coach on Idol since Barry Manilow. He gave each person truly useful advice and provided us viewers proper skepticism when need be.
And it was great to have Ricky Minor and the band closer to the contestants, though Syesha was the only one to truly take advantage of it.
Up first in what we shall from now on call the death spot: Syesha Mercado (“One Rock ‘N Roll Too Many” from “Starlight Express”) She has a theatrical feel about her so this could work for her to ham it up. A fetching tight dress doesn’t hurt. She works with the band and hits all her notes. She let it go and had fun. I thoroughly enjoyed it. So people—vote! She deserves it! Randy: “This may surprise you. I feel tonight not only is your element. You could be a huge Broadway star.” Paula: “This is your happy place.” Simon: “That was very sexy… I think this was one of your strongest performances so far. You showed masses of personality we haven’t seen before.” Good sign—at 9:15 p.m., I’m hitting busy signals on the 01 line so I went to 07 and things were clear there. A
Jason Castro (“Memory” from “Cats”) Another ballad for Jason to emote upon. He does it in a very whispery way. It’s rather horrid at points. This song really needs a stronger voice to work, especially the lower registers. (Oh, boy, the hands are waving in the mosh pit.) A nice subtle ending cos really, he couldn’t ever hit the big notes anyway. I sense trouble. Randy: “I thought vocally, it was a little bit of a trainwreck. It’s not the type of song for you. Too big of a song.” Paula: “Everyone is so used to hearing this song by a female power balladeer. That’s not who you are. It was a very wise choice. [huh?] It allows you to put your influence on it. [so?]” Simon: “It felt to me the longest two minutes of your life. Reality it came over as a young guy being forced by your mom and dad to sing a song you didn’t want to sing. You were miserable throughout. I was miserable. It was a struggle.” C
Brooke White (“You Must Love Me” from “Evita”) You have to love Andrew’s frankeness, First he disses Jason (properly) for his song choice, then he says Brooke has no clue what she’s singing, at least at first. He coached her properly on the background of the song about a dying woman’s plea. Oooh. Second time, she had to start over. Wow. Big stumble! Brooke looks really uncomfortable. No piano, no guitar. At least she only has to sit and stand. Vocally, she actually isn’t bad. And she ends strong. I ended up liking it despite the problems early on. Randy: “This wasn’t great. Parts were good once you started. One thing -you listened to Andrew Lloyd Webber. You need to believe what you’re singing. I believed in the vulnerability. Vocally, a little tough.” Paula: “You must never start and stop. You’re strong enough and great enough to pick up the pieces. What I did love is you didn’t overact.” Simon: “It was so dramatic. It completely threw you. You were so tense. Your voice was straining. You will be disappointed when you watch this back.” She chose to stay quiet during the judge’s feedback. Simon was actually kind about her starting over. And you know—I’m cool with that, too. She handled it with dignity and she acted humbly. B-minus
David Archuleta (“Think of Me” from “Phantom of the Opera”) Another song meant for a girl and Andrew was baffled. He did it in a different way from Andrew’s version. He told him to open his eyes. Good advice! This is yet another one of those ballads I tend to hate but David really knows how to make them bearable. And with eyes wide open, he sold the song, brought it home. It was a good week for the young David. Randy: “Dude. It was the bomb. This boy is the one to beat!” Paula: “It was absolutely perfect. You took a risk on a known theatrical song and turn it into a pop ballad.” Simon: “It was a pleasant and one of your weakest performances over the live shows. It was a bit forgettable for me. Sorry” Simon’s earlier promise to stop apologizing has been broken, eh? A-minus
Carly Smithson (“Jesus Christ Superstar”) He’s the first mentor to just veto a song that I can recall. (Someone with a better memory might be able to tell me otherwise.). She started singing “All I Ask of You” from “Phantom” and he said that’s the wrong song for someone with a chest voice. She went for “Jesus Chris Superstar.” Much better pick! Wow. She’s smiling. Only minor Killer Bunny From Outer Space moments. The music mix during the chorus was a bit off and her singing a beat off was offputting. But it’s true. She really is enjoying herself. It was good. Not quite as good as Syesha but good enough. Randy: “I don’t know if it was your best performance. It was definitely good. I like the outfit. It’s kind of fly.” Paula: “I thought it might be too high a range but I loved waht you did in the chorus.” [I didn’t.] Simon: “It got a bit shouty in the middle. It was actually one of my favorite performances of the night.” She held up a T-shirt that says “Simon Loves Me (This Week)” Cute, but surely some might find it over the top. B-plus
The pimp spot: David Cook (“Music of the Night” from “Phantom”) He has done musical theater and Andrew says it’s sensual and he has to sex it up. “It was strange to stare longingly into Lord Andrew’s eyes,” David says, chuckling. Andrew said “maybe it will work.” This is definitely not a David Cook we’ve seen before. If any song tonight feels Broadway, it’s this one. He left the grunge at the door this week. And surprisingly, he pulls it off. He even hits that high note! He sold this to one of the hotter sorority girls in the mosh pit, for sure. Bravo! Randy: “That was an amazing vocal performance.” Paula: “This proved you are so well rounded as a performer. YOu have a beautiful instrument.” Simon: “You made the most of the song. I much prefer the grittier. It was too rounded off.” A
In other Idol news:
-Power ratings. Both ew.com and TV Guide are doing weekly “power ratings” ranking the contestants based on your votes. (I’ve requested we do the same thing but have only gotten shrugged shoulders.) David Cook is No. 1 in both rankings. Jason is No. 2 on ew.com, slipping ahead of Archuleta. Carly is at No. 4, Brooke at No. 5 and Syesha No. 6. At TV Guide,, the rankings are the same except Archuleta is No. 2 and Castro is No. 3. Syesha has been in the bottom two for six straight weeks yet has survived into the top 6. That’s impressive! The gambling sites remain in Archuleta’s camp.
-Have you noticed that “Idol” has been much more amenable for press to sit in the audience and report on how the show operates, at least from the crowd’s perspective? Entertainment Weekly is there virtually every week and even the New York Times stopped by, noting how organized the show is.
“At the end of every performance you will stand on your feet.” That is one of the commandments offered by Cory Almeida, the indefatigable warm-up man who exhorts and instructs the audience for 15 minutes before each performance and during the numerous commercial breaks.
For the audience members who stand in the “mosh pit,” the area immediately in front of the stage, special instructions are required. “When you are applauding after a performance, we need your hands above your head,” Mr. Almeida said before a recent Tuesday performance. “Otherwise we can’t see that you’re clapping.”
-And for your amusement, a Baltimore Sun story bemoaning how irrelevent Idol is, a story that features quotes set up to prove the writer’s point more than anything else.. I don’t agree with all his points but yes, “Idol” is showing signs of strain, the inevitable consequences of middle age. It happens to all of us!
-William Hung’s appearance fees must be finally drying up because he’s gone back to school, according to the California State University Sundial newspaper.. When I interviewed him last year, he said he had made more than $1 million. Not bad!
Before his 2004 appearance on “Idol” that made him the most famous mocked contestant of all time, he had been attending UC Berkeley but never finished his schooling because of the infamy (and cash) he received for singing — badly.
-Jordin Sparks, now resting her voice after an acute vocal hemorrhage, just got lapped on the top 40 charts by Simon Cowell’s “X Factor” discovery Leona Lewis and her song “Bleeding Love.” So “No Air” might end up getting stuck at No. 2 and not go to No. 1. I had a feeling that might happen.
And Mariah, who just appeared on “Idol” last week, should be disturbed—her first single “Touch My Body” is already losing steam on the charts after just 9 weeks and a couple of weeks in the top 10. Madonna’s single “4 Minutes” (with a heavy assist from Justin Timberlake”) jumped into the top 10 in just a month. Daughtry’s third single “Feels Like Tonight” appears to have peaked at 12. Carrie’s “Last Name,” her third single from her current album, is on the verge of the top 10 on the country chart. Both Bucky and Kellie have singles that are now falling off the charts after making it into the top 20. Josh Gracin’s “We Weren’t Crazy” is struggling but still gaining airplay and is at No. 26. Chris Sligh’s “Empty Me” is at No. 19 on the Christian soft rock chart.
-TMZ twisted some of Carmen Rasmussen’s comments last week to make it sound like she was truly peeved. “She went home in sixth place, to lead a life of obscurity and bitterness,” the gossip site noted. But she told [the Deseret News} that’s no the case: “The only point I was trying to make was that some contestants get more attention than others,” said Rasmusen, who — surprise! — was not contacted by TMZ about its story. “I chose that example because Clay is so well-known.” (She had said Clay got more time with the coaches than she did.)
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4/22: Declining ratings, use of instruments, going first
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The addition of instruments has been a boon in particular for two contestants still in the running: Brooke White and Jason Castro. Both are far more comfortable (especially Brooke) behind a guitar or piano. David Archuleta has worked the piano and David Cook, the guitar. But it seems both can handle the stage with just a mike without too much pain. Castro has survived without the guitar but still seems more at home with it. Brooke’s attempt without the guitar or piano during that Beatles week was a minor disaster and she even admitted it.
If they had to adhere to the old “no instruments” rule, would their charisma and sweetness have kept them in the running to this stage? I have a feeling Brooke wouldn’t have even made it to the top 24.
-And the buzz about “Idol’s” declining ratings, which I have chronicled in bits and pieces all season, goes up a notch with this Los Angeles story.. Younger viewers are bailing at a faster rate than the overall viewership, which is typical of an aging show. Among 18 to 34 year olds, this past Wednesday’s results show had its lowest ratings since season two. The fact is most shows start losing steam between seasons five and seven and “Idol” is following suit.
Question: how much time does “Idol” have left? “E.R.” lost buzz six to eight years ago yet it’s still on, drawing just 8 million viewers last Thursday - yet it will have one more season, a 15th. “Survivor” is only drawing 12 to 13 million viewers a week, down from 20 million just three years ago—the show’s first 10 incarnations actually held up well and the slide only began with Guatemala in the fall of 2005. Yet it’s in its 16th edition in its eight year and has been renewed for two more cycles, guaranteeing 18 versions. “America’s Next Top Model” has only started showing a slide in ratings this spring in its 10th edition. (In both those cases, the shows operate two editions a year, while “Idol” only does one.)
At what point in viewership will Fox pull the plug? At this point, the show has a long way to drop before that even becomes a question. I’d guess if average viewership drops below 9 million, then it will probably be close to retirement. And when Simon Cowell leaves, will that hasten the exodus?
Realistically, I think “Idol” can last through 2010 no problem. I figure Simon will stick around until then but after he bails, the show may only have three more seasons left, depending on who replaces him. So I can picture the final time Ryan Seacrest crowns an “Idol” sometime in 2013 or 2014. That would mean the show will have lasted 12 or 13 seasons. That’s very respectable for any telecast.
And how long will this blog last? Well, I can’t imagine it will last that long. Readership is down big time over last year and there is nothing much I can do about that. Casual interest isn’t as strong as it was even a year ago and those are the types who drive up traffic. I’m just glad I was around to capture season five, which can now be considered the peak of the show in terms of its popularity and power.
-We already knew this but someone actually calculated it: going first is a big disadvantage. Michael Johns went first and that may have caused his departure. Out of 69 eliminations, 20 folks going first were voted out, far greater than chance. Going seventh is the most charmed spot. The stats were tracked by USA Today here.. We know that viewership is lower earlier in the show and memories fade by the time the show is over.
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4/21: Jordin Sparks’ vocal problems forces her off tour, Kelly Clarkson performs for the Pope
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jordin Sparks canceled an appearance at Penn State Sunday due to “an acute vocal cord hemorrhage condition.”
Because of the risk of permanent vocal cord damage, Sparks has been ordered to strict vocal rest and will not be able to perform anywhere until her condition improves.
A rep Monday told Associated Press she”l have to miss the first month of the Alicia Keys concert tour. It’s a question whether she’ll be able to make it to the Atlanta date May 28.
“Jordin Sparks is on vocal rest and is expected to make a full and complete recovery,” according to a statement from 19/Jive Records. “Sparks has been going non-stop over the past two years and now she’s going through the normal course of learning how to manage and care for her voice.”
Now here’s quite an honor! Kelly Clarkson (who has had her share of vocal issues, too) sang “Ava Maria” for the Pope at St. Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers Saturday. Do you think the Pope had any clue who Kelly is, much less what “American Idol” is?
And here’s that Michael Johns appearance on Ellen DeGeneres that aired last Friday, courtesy of MJ. Sorry it took so long for me to post it:
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4/18: Finally— the Josh Gracin interview!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
ABOVE: From his appearance last year at a 94.9/The Bull client party.
Okay. It’s a quiet day, a day to finally bring out the Josh Gracin interview!
He was more forthcoming than he was the last time I interviewed him two years ago and seemed to be in a much better place, more comfortable, just happier.
Gracin’s career, post “Idol,’ opened strong with three top 10 country singles and 670,000 copies sold of his first CD in 2004-05. Then he hit a wall as he worked on his sophomore release. Lyric Street released what was going to be the first single of the second album in March 2006, “Favorite State of Mind.” It did okay, breaking the top 20, but wasn’t a breakout hit. So the album got held.
At this stage of his career, all the time he’d been spending on the road promoting his records had taken a toll on his personal life. (He’s married with kids.) And he said he ultimately wasn’t satisfied with the way the album was coming together. He changed producers and he wanted to get more involved in writing his own songs.
Ultimately, he said, if “Favorite State of Mind” had become a massive hit, the album would have come out, an album “I was not happy with, not comfortable with. It should have been better.”
That’s what got him to the current single “We Weren’t Crazy,” an autobiographical song. “I had just gotten off the road,” he said. “I thought about how my parents disapproved of my relationship when I was 16. [He married his high school sweetheart.] I thought about how people thought I was crazy joining the Marines. I’m fortunate it’s worked out three kids and 11 years later. I proved them wrong. I wasn’t crazy!”
He admitted that the post-“Idol” whirlwind meant strain on his marriage. “A lot of those times, I was gone. When you are a high school sweetheart and things are moving so far, you grow up at your own time. It’s hard to really get a chance to figure each other out. A lot of family members around me went through hard times and stuck it through. I wanted to set an example. I believe once you get married, whatever hard times you have, you figure it out and don’t take the easy way out. We try to do anything and everything we can to make it feel like there isn’t a disconnect. Just last night, I finally played around with my Mac. I figured out how to do an iChat. My kids can see me through the computer and I can see them back before I go to bed at night.”
He also wrote a song that he literally placed on the album at the last second, an ode to his wife “Unbelievable (Ann Marie).” He penned it in January and actually played it for the first time at Cowboy’s in Kennesaw:
“I wanted to immortalize my love [of my wife] and our time together,” he said. “It really has no traditional verse and chorus structure. That’s why it’s unique to me. It will be the second single.” When he played it at Cowboy’s, “they loved it. It was definitely a defining moment.” That convinced him to put it on the album.
He said that was his third or fourth trip to Cowboys. “The crowds have gotten bigger and bigger,” he said. “I love going there.”
He wasn’t miffed that “Idol’ skipped over him for their recently Nashville update, which featured Phil Stacey, Bo Bice and Bucky Covington. “I hope that later on down the line, they’ll give me a chance to get back on the show and perform and show how much I’ve changed and grown as a musician.”
Gracin’s current CD “We Weren’t Crazy” has sold 25,000 copies over two weeks. I spoke to him just as he was getting first-week sales of 18,000 (compared to about 57,000 from his first CD.) “Normally, I’d be upset,” he said. “But I haven’t had anything in the marketplace in four years. And everything is going digital. I’m not upset.” He noted that 35% of his sales came from iTunes which is high for a country artist.
His current single “We Weren’t Crazy” is edging up the country chart and is now at No. 25.
I asked him his memories of “Idol” dredged back up courtesy of ‘Idol Rewind” in syndication. He was eliminated Bee Gees week. “It brings back memories of me never singing disco again!” He said he has nothing negative to say about his Idol experience. “I didn’t sing anywhere near as I would have liked but vocal cords are like muscles you have to build and that was a great way to do it,” he said. “You can really hear the changes in my voice from the first to the second album. I’ve grown as a singer.”
He has also lost weight. During his incessant touring, he gained 80 pounds, he said. He has since lost 65 of it. He cut out milk and soda. “You name it, I cut it out,” he said. “I used to drink a gallon and a half of milk a week. That’s a lot of fat grams. I just drink iced tea with Sweet & Low and water.”
In other news:
-Paula Abdul, who canceled on the NBC “Today” show April 25 performance, will be on now August 29, according to the New York Post.
-Carmen Rasmussen wrote a first person piece about how she was not given equal treatment in terms of coaching as others during her season. Fascinating stuff.
I only received minimal vocal coaching from “American Idol” voice instructor Debra Byrd. In fact, I can count on one hand the number of times I actually received applicable, specific advice from her. Most of the time, it was, “You sound good. Just do your thing.” Or, “You need to work on your high notes.”
One day, as I was waiting downstairs for my private singing lesson, Clay Aiken was in the music room. I could hear him going over and over his song, dissecting it.
Finally, after about 30 minutes, the door opened. It was my turn. I walked in and sang my song about three times before being dismissed. Hardly the personal one-on-one attention Aiken had just received.
And this:
But perhaps more than wardrobe or vocal coaching, performance coaching was the one thing we needed the most — and received the least. Besides performing for my mom or in front of the mirror, I wasn’t given any outside perspective on what does and does not come across well on camera.
Some of the contestants this year have received negative comments on looking “overrehearsed” — but how would they know what looks good if no one takes the time to help them out?
-Brian Dunkleman finally admits he was wrong quitting “Idol” after season one. But he still comes off as sanctimonious in this TV Guide interview.
TVGuide.com: You know, I have to ask, what in the world made you quit American Idol?
Dunkleman: I’ve answered it so many times it’s curious to me why I keep getting asked — I wish I had gotten fired, it would be a hell of a lot easier to deal with. I don’t understand why people would think I would lie about it at this point. It was such a big mistake in judgment, it’s embarrassing. I was unhappy on the show, they treated the kids like [crap], I didn’t think it was cool. If I had known it was going to run for 70 years I would have sucked it up and become callous like the rest of them. I had a lot of great experiences on Idol, but I just have a deep philosophical opposition to what they do.
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4/17: Kristy Lee Cook exit interview
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Kristy Lee Cook came across as poised and articulate, largely avoiding the pablum and cliches that came out the mouths of Ramiele and Chikezie. Some have complained she was a bit of a country robot on stage and was not the emotional lump that Brooke sometimes is. But I ultimately liked her for her rather grounded and rationalized approach to the show.
She admitted never having sung much in the way of non-country tunes and was hamstrung by the song choices during the semifinals, when she was also ill. (In past years, she would have had a greater chance to show off her country chops earlier.)
She felt more comfortable post Beatles. And she defended her take on “Eight Days a Week.” When I asked her about that, she felt the judges’ negative comments shaped America’s opinions about it.
*I’ve had mixed feelings on it. A lot of people actually liked it. A lot of people I worked with on the stage and the band. They absolutely loved the version… I thought it was kind of cool and deserved a bit more praise. I did make it my own.” One lesson she’s learned is to ignore the judges when watching the show and making her own judgment.
Cook said picking “God Bless the USA” wasn’t necessarily at attempt to save her own hide by going the patriotic route. Rather, she said her dad, a Vietnam vet, loved the song so she was thinking about it when she saw it on the list of songs the year she was born. Then her sister called and suggested the same song, which Kristy has sung before. “That was an instant yes in my mind,” she said.
Her fiance Andy also proposed to her secretly in a sauna March 15 and did it officially on “Idol” this week, though I don’t think that ended up on camera because I don’t remember it.
She would have sung “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina” for Andrew Lloyd Weber. That would have been a serious challenge!
Cook was naturally surprised she got booted this week. “My performance was pretty strong this past week. I’m happy I went out on that note.”
How about serenading Simon? “He later said, ‘You made it kind of awkward for me.’ I said, ‘Now you know what it’s like!’ “
And being in the bottom three so many times.: “I kind of built up a stamina for it and kind of got a little tougher each time, and finally, kind of learned how to control the emotions that were coming from the whole situation.”
In other “Idol” news:
-I decided to check on my top 12 on March 8 before David Hernandez was eliminated. I’m not doing too badly. I actually had Michael Johns ranked at No. 8. That’s the only one I’ve gotten right so far exactly right. (I had Kristy Lee at 12, Chikezie at 11, Ramiele at 10 and Amanda at 9.) But my top 7 were: 1- David A 2- David C 3- Syesha 4- Jason 5- David H. (whoops!) 6- Carly 7- Brooke. I was clearly optimistic on Syesha but who knows?
-My bud Chris Sligh does a fine job sifting through the Mariah performance show.. He was bored by David A., underwhelmed by Carly, impressed by Syesha, okay with Brooke, enjoyed Kristy, rocked by David C. and pimped Jason C.
-I did want to note that Tuesday’s ratings (23.6 million) for “Idol” were the lowest Tuesday show in five years, since season two, according to Hollywood Reporter. The results show finished at around 23.3 million, down about 23 percent from a year earlier. the biggest gap this year (excluding “Idol Gives Back”). And thanks to Michael Johns, I had my best week last week on the blog in terms of page views at about 60,000 though this blog is still down significantly in traffic from a year ago.
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4/16: Top 7 Idol elimination night. Surprise! Again! Kristy Lee Cook a goner
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Well, we all got it wrong again! Kristy Lee Cook, the country gal I thought was safe, is going home.
Cook started with so much promise (“Amazing Grace”!). Then she went into a long funk yet somehow lasted week in, week out. She was a perpetual bottom three dweller, that stinker of an “Eight Days a Week” still stuck in our craw weeks later. Then she dug out that Lee Greenwood nugget a couple weeks ago, a song pick that impressed everyone (including Simon) for her shrewdness. Her “Anyway” last week was a highlight. The consensus was she was on the rise, that she could even finish in the three or four.
But for the second week in a row, “Idol” threw us for a loop! Her fans again must have figured she was safe while Brooke and Syesha gutted it out.
In her farewell, Kristy Lee does a lovely serenade of Simon of “Forever.” By the time she was out, I liked her more in her departure than for much of her run. And she always looked hot!
Idol did the annual split into threes and try to get a fourth to pick which group to join.
And they faked out Syesha by sticking her in the “safe” group, then swapped her with David Cook, who was obviously safe. They also tried to get David Archuleta to pick which group to join and he did the “sit in.” (Who did that before? I’ll have to go back in my files here to find out what happened the past three seasons.).
Cook helped him out by joining him Indian style in the center. And well, Cook was right. He was safe with Carly (!!) and Jason.
So the bottom three were gals as expected: Kristy Lee, Syesha and Brooke. The bottom two were Brooke and Kristy Lee. Simon says Kristy will go. And he’s right!
Okay, let me re-wind to the beginning. An excruciatingly boring group sing of “One Sweet Day.” A respectable performance by Elliott Yamin. A rather toothless (or let’s say, vocally constrained) Mariah Carey. More jokes between the judges over silly viewer questions. And that weird marionette Ford ad. Did I miss anything?
Oh, yah— Andrew Lloyd Weber is the mentor next week.
In the meantime, here’s other “Idol” news:
The four performers who have played instruments in the top 12 are still alive— the two Davids, Brooke and Jason. Entertainment Weekly notes this phenomenon and you have to wonder—without the guitar or piano, would Brooke and Jason still be in the competition?. Good topic! I’ll pose that question as a lead blog entry later this week or early next week.
Ratings last night were 23.6 million, down 11 percent over the same episode a year ago, the final week of Sanjaya. E! online poses the question—can we blame Sanjaya for the 8 to 10 percent decline in ratings this year or simply a broader case of “Idol” fatigue?
David Cook’s stricken brother Adam, who attended Tuesday’s show, has brain cancer and sat in the front row. More here, courtesy of People.com.
“His brother came to town a few days ago, and he’s not in the best of shape and you can tell it’s affecting David and everything,” says dancer Lacey Schwimmer, of So You Think You Can Dance, who has stepped out with David recently. “But I think it’s a good thing that he’s here because it shows that his brother is still supporting him.”
- If you are a fan of comic Lewis Black, check out his hilarious “debate” show tonight in which two comics argue over two topics and Lewis deems which one is more evil. Last week, it was Dick Cheney vs. Paris Hilton. (Cheney won.). Tonight at 10:30 p.m., it’s high school vs. American Idol. So is getting noogies and wedgies more evil than listening to yet another version of Heart’s “Alone”? Is taking the SAT worse than Paula’s ramblings? We shall see. It’s Comedy Central’s “Lewis Black: Root of All Evil.” I’ll review it tomorrow.
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4/15: Top 7 Idol performance night: Mariah Carey!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
We knew it. Ballad hell. That’s what we got courtesy of Mariah Carey, the theme and the mentor. How about this timing? Her latest album comes out today, too! What a coincidence!
Nobody did dreadfully. David Cook lifted his game, boldly grunging where grunge has never been. David Archuleta was in his comfort zone, did his usual emoting. Kristy Lee Cook is still keeping herself alive with smart song choices. Syesha was, as usual, solid but is solid good enough? Carly didn’t quite hit the heights and will be in trouble again. Brooke i