After last week's surprising elimination of presumed front-runner Pia Toscano, decade-old American Idol is once again making the kinds of headlines that most shows would kill for at half its age. Seriously, people are suddenly so worked up about the injustice of it all that this week's competition show is arguably the season's most eagerly anticipated Idol installment yet, perhaps because it now seems that nobody is safe (except maybe James Durbin, currently the most talented performer, in my humble opinion).
So what in blazes happened last week? Why send pretty Pia and her powerful pipes packing? Heck, I thought she would be in the top four, or maybe the top three, if the very talented Scotty McCreery or Lauren Alaina had proved to be one likely future country star too many.
There are two dominant theories as to why a contestant as strong as Pia was the victim of premature elimination, and why even the most gifted of the remaining eight should be on edge. One involves the Idol voting system, which now incorporates online votes and thus favors the younger and more digitally tireless viewers of the program. It's not about which contestant might have the most fans. It's about which contestant's fans are likely to spend one or two hours after the show relentlessly voting for their favorite singer through multiple technologies. In other words, the collective voice of the audience no longer means as much as it once did.
The other popular explanation for Pia getting the boot (and, two weeks earlier, for the audience trying to toss Casey Abrams, like Pia one of the judges' favorites) is that this new incarnation of Idol that's all about loving and supporting the contestants is starting to fall apart, the victim of its own repetitive sweetness. New judges Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez earlier this season did much to reinvigorate Idol's audition episodes, which some years ago had grown tiresome. They weren't being all that judgmental, in the grand tradition of the mighty Simon Cowell and, to a lesser extent, the under-appreciated Kara DioGuardi, but they were having a lot of fun, and that made the auditions more entertaining for home viewers than they had been in a long time.
As swell as they were during the auditions, though, Tyler and Lopez haven't stepped up as true judges during the actual competition, and that may be as big a problem as the current mindless voting system. To listen to them these last few weeks, all of the singers in the top thirteen have been wonderful beyond compare, and each and every one of them has delivered at least one award-worthy performance. Anyone who has been watching at home would tell you those assessments are far from true. (For a time, veteran judge Randy Jackson occasionally tried to challenge the Tyler and Lopez Love Machine, in the process showing more chops than in the previous nine seasons. But Tyler and Lopez politely rolled right over him with such consistency that he has pulled way back.)
Some questions for the judges: If everyone's so friggin' wonderful, how are any of them supposed to stand out? Are you going to get pissed off every week when one of the contestants is sent home, as one must be every week? Do you think if you were more critical of the performers overall that the more gifted singers, like Pia and Casey, might not be prematurely dumped by the audience? What were you so angry about last week (especially you, Ms. Lopez)? How did it feel to sit there helpless while viewers ignored your preferences and made up their own minds?
This latest development in the ongoing story of American Idol has left me feeling somewhat justified, because last year, when it became clear that the show was cleaning house, I suggested that it look for music professionals who aren't afraid to uncompromisingly judge even the nicest contestants. My recommendations fell on deaf ears. More recently, in writing about this season's unexpectedly enjoyable audition episodes, I cautioned that Tyler and Lopez might not prove as effective in the true heat of the competition as they had been earlier on.
What to do about all this? The judges aren't going anywhere, so let's focus on the voting. I have heard one suggested change that I hope is roundly rejected by everyone involved: That the judges be allowed to decide which of the bottom three vote-getters is sent home. American Idol remains the out-size success that it is expressly because of its powerful interactivity. The viewers determine the fates of the contestants, and that's that. Take that away and the audience will go away, too. Better to fix the ridiculous voting system than to compromise audience involvement. I vote for one vote per person via phone or text only, if such a thing is possible anymore.
I can't wait to see how everyone conducts themselves this week in Idol's new, wholly unpredictable environment. It may not be by design, but this show is suddenly essential again, perhaps for the wrong reasons.
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And Steven Tyler has become like the crazy sweet Uncle...he has been moved " beyond tears" by some fairly lame performances. Simon could be a dick...but....his voice brought some reality to the judges table.
The same goes for Paul, who butchered Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues". What was up with the smiley face while he was singing this line - I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die! Huh? Oh, I forgot, it was because the girls love his beautiful white teeth! Please! He had no sense of what the song was about, what the words were, and didn't interpret the song in any way that made sense. There he was, jamming it up with his fellow guitarist and waving his arm like he was singing - Don't Worry, be Happy! He has hit more flat notes than all the other contestants combined. Did the judges call him out for any of it? NO!
The judges were a joke that night!
But seems like u can be messy now, as long as u have fun.
I'm also aghast at the love given to Paul. (I do love his Graham Parsons outfits, though).
All in all, I don't find this season as awe-inspiring as so many people seem to, and the judges really do need to start giving constructive criticism, not just praise.
But, Jennifer as a judge, looking fabulous!..got her America's sexiest on the cover of People; she'd not have had the exposure without AI (and she is more beautiful than ever)
She really needs to work on that if she wants to have a future in the business.
The fact that Pia was the ONLY contestent who got criticised last week, even though she was obviously one of the most talented says one of two things about Lopez (The one who critisized her)
1. She will only criticise people she thinks have no chance of going home
2. or, She wants to be the prettiest girl there and didn't like the fact that Pia looked like a younger Jennifer Lopez with a much much better voice.
The JUDGES need to tone it down. They did their part by bringing them to us - they used their 'save' NOW IT'S up to AMERICA to decide who is our next American Idol.
I stand with many that say "Let's have something different".
Scotty is different giving that country tone to his performances.
Haley is not only more ummm 'pretty' than Pia but most importantly has a style that is 'new' and interesting.
Lauren - has a very appealing sound to her voice, I like that she appears humble.
Karen Rodriguez, I believe, would have done well but then She began to suggest She should be the next Idol because she is Latin. What?! Karen voted herself out . My vote changed immediately with that remark.
I don't get how the judges compared her to Whitney Houston or Celine Dion.
None of them screech their high notes.
It kinda killed my hearing to listen to her high pitch.
But I do think it was too early for her to leave. I'd rather have Stefano or even Jacob to leave.
Yes, the judges also thought they are wonderful and fantastic singers.
Jacob is good, I agree, great technique, but I don't really like the sound of his tone.
And Stefano, well, he seemed to shout the whole thing up.
Unfortunately, I can't vote, but if I could, I would vote for Scotty.
It has been a very long time since the last heard a voice that can go that deep.
As Randy said, it's a lady killer :D
I REALLY hate to say this, but even boot-worthy Paul out performed her that night.
Anyhow, there's another article here on the Huff that explains why winning is not the best option. At this point, all of the contestants are going to have careers. It's splitting hairs about some of them as to who is really the best. The AI contract is, apparently, quite strict. You have to remain with their production company for 7 years. Ewww. I would probably throw the competition at this point just to avoid that contract.
So many feel sorry for her - disapproval here.
Not everyone was great last week, as far as I was concerned. There are any number of issues the judges should be addressing. How else are these young amateurs supposed to grow professionally? Their reactions were beyond absurd when Pia was sent home. What did they think was going to happen, given the lack of serious and relevant judging.
If the lovefest continues this week, God only knows what kind of a result we will have. I will say that I don't have any confidence that the producers will fix the deeply flawed voting system.
You Nailed It Ed Martin! That article was PERFECT in every way........
And that about sums up what the JUDGING or the lack of it on American Idol.......and I think America's Most Famous Ventriloquist's Puppet aka Alfred E Newman aka Scotty McCreery will take the title......
Hallelujah........
I think it will end up
1. Scotty - he has a huge fan base
2. James - he also has a huge base not big enough to overtake scotty
3. Lauren - but she could end up like Pia with a shocker.
4. Casey - Might slip in to 3rd, I don't like his singing at all but I understand why others do.
Remember the American Idol must have the complete package!
Didn't like Lamber wanna-be James at first but he's truly grown on me. He's got a beautiful voice. Casey is an awesome performer (which is equally as important as voice) and Jacob... just magical in my book. I'm getting really really torn the closer we get.