The professionals creeping into "American Idol" have turned the auditions into a good time to Google. As I mentioned in the "Wednesday Notebook" post below, reporters found plenty about a contestant on Tuesday's San Diego telecast. And tonight, from South Carolina, there was news to be had in a search for London Weidberg. …
Considering the renewed emphasis on personalities and contestants' stories, I have to think that the people in San Diego were a bit dull. Thirty-one were selected for the Hollywood round, but the footage on tonight's telecast didn't make for all that interesting an hour. (And last week's two audition cities, Philadelphia and Dallas, got two hours apiece.)
I know, they also have to get in the freak shows, but even those were ho-hum. And, aside from the single dad early in the telecast, there wasn't much in the way of tugs at the heart. And while some singers were OK, an hour after watching I cannot remember anyone who really knocked me out. So either "Idol" is holding back some really good stuff for Hollywood and beyond, or San Diego consisted of a good number of competent but unmemorable singers.
I know, it's a scary picture. I yam what I yam.
Notes after the jump …
Coming off Tuesday's heart-tugging in Philadelphia, Dallas was a letdown. It sure opened with a big story, recovering meth user Jessica Brown; she started Pretenders' "I'll Stand By You" very well, then hit some rough patches that might have eliminated her some days. But with the meth story, and considering the ho-hum quality of a lot of Dallas, she would have had to be really bad not to go to Hollywood.
I was surprised the show didn't do more with Antoria Gillon, who had a baby right after her audition, but they may not have had a lot of footage. According to the Fox press site, she went into labor before her first, Texas Stadium audition and had contractions during the audition itself, but the show doesn't record much during those performances — since there are thousands and thousands of them. ("Idol" continues to present stadium footage and narration as if everyone gets a shot in front of Simon/Paula/Randy, when the there are a couple of rounds of auditions before the judges weigh in.)
So we get to the end, and the way-overage (44) Renaldo Lapuz. The outfit was bizarre, of course, and gave "Idol" something to promote relentlessly. But the song wasn't as nutso as the outfit; I could see "We're Brothers Forever" getting recorded in some sappy, adult-contemporary way and, as Simon said, becoming a hit. So the whole business was less about the contestant than Randy and Paula going giddy about it. This year, the judges aren't just being nicer to the contestants, they're apparently having more fun with each other.
Besides the opening and ending segments, though, the show was kind of a snore. Lots of middle ground, and someone like car-crash survivor Kayla Hatfield had an OK story but wasn't that good a singer; her Hollywood card was obviously based on personality. "I just like you," Randy said, while Paula — who has been pretty lucid in the two shows so far — was more the voice of musical reason. And the sweaty guy was disturbing, but not as much as the stalker-song fella from Philadelphia.
It's time for the seventh season. Malcolm X Abram and I recently collected some thoughts about the show, which you can find here.
The season begins with four weeks of auditions.(You can find a schedule here.), followed by the Hollywood round on Feb. 12-13.
Viewers start voting after performance shows featuring the top 24 contestants (12 men, 12 women) on Feb. 19-20, with the first results show on Feb. 21. The Top 12 total will be announced on March 6.
I expect to be blogging on a regular basis starting with tonight's show. Malcolm and I are also discussing podcasts but haven't scheduled anything yet.
Annie Lennox at the 2007 "Idol Gives Back"
Here's today's announcement:
After raising an astounding $75 million last season, AMERICAN IDOL will once again host IDOL GIVES BACK, a music celebration raising awareness and benefiting various U.S. and international charities.
The two-hour concert and fundraiser will air Wednesday, April 9 (8:00-10:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed) on FOX.
In 2007, IDOL GIVES BACK raised $75 million for various U.S. charities that deliver support to underprivileged children in some of the most disadvantaged areas of the country, providing them with medical care, food and grocery products, health and life skills, literacy programs and obesity prevention, among other important initiatives. In Africa, funds were dedicated to organizations that support efforts to battle poverty through various health and education programs, including delivering medical supplies and providing clean water.
The brainchild of Simon Fuller, last season’s IDOL GIVES BACK special featured performances from the AMERICAN IDOL stage, where Ryan Seacrest hosted alongside AMERICAN IDOL judges Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell. The special was also broadcast from the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles where Ellen DeGeneres served as host.
The night featured performances and appearances by some of Hollywood’s biggest stars and culminated with Bono and Dave Stewart’s specially commissioned song “American Prayer,” performed by the Top 6 finalists.
As entertainment, last year's show wasn't that great. But at least it involved a commercial venue putting its success to good use. "Idol" certainly makes plenty of money for itself, through commercials and other means (it topped a recent Nielsen list of shows with product placement). It's good that it also believes in using its ratings power to raise money for causes.
So I was talking to Kellie Pickler on Friday …
The season's final "American Idol" podcast with me and Malcolm X Abram is here:
http://www.ohiomm.com/podcasts/american_idol/20070523.mp3
And my review of "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" is here:
http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/17269837.htm
I've been watching the pre-finale show on Fox (Teri Hatcher's on the red carpet right now) and both Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson have pretty much declared Jordin the winner. …
Notes apres le jump …
After I finish up some projects, I want to talk more about how good "The Office" was (the look on Pam's face at the end, Jan in Michael's car, Ryan to Kelly … ) and what a drag "Grey's Anatomy" was (except any time James Pickens Jr. and Loretta Devine were working). But until I have time to elaborate, you can check out my review of "Shrek the Third" and a tale of the tape for the "American Idol" final two, where you can find a link to my latest podcast with Malcolm X Abram. (And hear what I sound like with a cold.) Also some reminders of the people "Idol" left behind – until, that is, the tour starts.
Live stuff after the jump …
Podcast links over at www.ohio.com. Live posting, after the jump ..
A day late, and almost entirely based on the performances alone, but here we go …
Ryan sounded as if the theme was "boogie music" on Wednesday's show. He must have meant "Bee Gee music" based on this "Idol" announcement:
Next week, television’s most popular show heats up when the Top 4 finalists (Melinda Doolittle, LaKisha Jones, Blake Lewis and Jordin Sparks) compete head-to-head again on Tuesday, May 8 (8:00-9:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed). Barry Gibb will mentor the contestants as they prepare to sing songs he made famous with the Bee Gees. Tune in the following night to see Gibb perform, and find out who receives enough votes to stay in the competition and who must go home on the live results show Wednesday, May 9 (9:00-10:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed) on FOX.
So, after some conversations at the office, I'm thinking that Blake should try "Jive Talking." LaKisha could tackle "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" — starting from the arrangement on the Al Green version. Melinda, of course, could probably pick anything. Which leaves Jordin a question mark. "Too Much Heaven"?
We've got podcast with me and Malcolm X Abram this week:
Listen - http://www.ohiomm.com/podcasts/american_idol/20070502.mp3
Subscribe - http://www.ohiomm.com/podcasts/RSS/idol.xml
After the jump, my live post with show in progress…
Jon Bon Jovi and other things, after the jump …
No podcast tonight. As for the show, not an auspicious start …
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