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Monday, July 7, 2008
7/7: Top 40 who missed top 24 now eligible for 2009
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In years past, “Idol” did something I thought was unfair and locked out some potentially great talent. They’d make it so folks who made the top 30 to top 44 were ineligible to compete again even if they missed the top 10 to top 24. In other words, some folks we barely see (and that’s fairly common) get screwed while folks who make it to Los Angeles and the top 150 or so but get cut early (see Gina Glocksen) get multiple shots.
That’s completely unfair. So finally “Idol” has changed the rules to allow those 16 who missed the top 24 last year but made the top 40 a second shot, as long as they haven’t been signed like Josiah Leming or aged out. The most memorable person for me was Kyle Ensley(right), the goofy yet endearing political wannabe supported by Simon Cowell but not by the other two. We here on this blog suspected the producers didn’t want another Sanjaya or Kevin Covais and locked him out.
MJ reported this originally. Honestly, I don’t really remember anybody else, can you? But maybe we’ll see a few gems in the rough.
-I learned a bit more about the “Idols in Concert” event in San Francisco at the Hotel Nikko. It is a rotating crew of 16 different “Idols” created by show pianist and arranger Michael Orland. Here’s the list: Anwar Robinson, LaKisha Jones, Jon Peter Lewis, Gina Glocksen, Rickey Smith, Mikalah Gordon, Julia DeMato, Trenyce, RJ Helton, Constantine Maroulis, Jasmine Trias, Vonzell Solomon, Brandon Rogers, Christina Christian, Leah LaBelle, Camile Velasco and a special Idol to be announced later. Most of them are also doing the Branson show. Saddly, despite the hotel locale, no Nikko Smith!
He’s also planning a holiday show on the road (perhaps coming to Atlanta?) with folks such as Diana DeGarmo, Kimberly Caldwell, Constantine Maroulis and David Hernandez. More details here.
-And here’s Doug Elfman, an “Idol” hater forced to cover the “Idols Live” tour in Las Vegas.. And boy, did he have to grit his teeth through this ordeal!
But if you’re interested in the human race moving forward, “Idol” and this tour lets you down by breathing new life into gramophone and jukebox songs in the age of the iPod. It’s like when vampires suck blood out of children so they can live forever. It’s exactly like that.
