American Idol: Top 3 (Yawn)
The fun weeks of American Idol are over. All the interesting stoners, tattoo ladies, hayseeds, emotional wrecks, biker chicks, foreigners, cretins, cheerleaders, divas, endomorphs, satyrs, and future serial killers have been voted off. Now it's down to three and you know who's going to win so it's kind of like dragging a dead horse across the finish line to shoot it.
Sorry to say but American Idol has jumped the shark. I think it was the night Danny Noriega sang "Jailrock Rock."
The format has gotten tiresome. We're sick of seeing the damn Coca Cola backdrop. Tired of saying "Who the hell is that?" after each audience shot of a so-called "celebrity" (like we're supposed to recognize the great Diane Warren). And bored to tears of hearing "in the zone," "you look gorgeous tonight", and "you could sing the phone book, dawg". At least Paula mixes it up by critiquing performances that hadn't happened yet.
If there was a theme this week it was "going through the motions." David Archuleta, without the benefit of his dad Geppetto (banned from rehearsals by producers -- see my HuffPost rant on that subject) sang one of Billy Joel's lesser efforts, then got down with "With You" displaying a funky side we haven't seen since the Carpenters, and finally - the douchiest love song maybe ever, "Longer." I contend it's impossible to sit through that song if you have a gag reflex.
But the little girls in the Idoldome screamed. So who cares? He's going to win.
The one stand-out performance for me was David Cook singing Roberta Flack's 70s hit, "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" (or, as I used to call it in my disc jockey days -- "The First Time Ever Your Face was Sawed.") Too bad he's going to lose. His other two songs were better than anyone else's. Too bad he's going to lose. I think the Democratic Convention will have more suspense than the crowning of this year's Idol.
Poor Syesha Mercado was just schmuck bait -- someone else to fill out the show. She sang her heart out, vamped, and even danced in slacks. And I'm sure as you read this they're doing the final edits on her "have a nice life" tribute video. But not winning doesn't mean she'll have no career. Former losers have gone on to be huge rock stars, win Oscars, appear on Broadway, and lose ten pounds on the Celebrity Fit Club.
Next week I'll just recap the finale. Although truthfully, I could be like Paula and just review it now.
You can read more from Ken at kenlevine.blogspot.com
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Did you say Manuel Noriega sang "Jailhouse Rock"?! Ooops, wrong Noriega. Still, THAT would have been worth the price of admission!
Are you still watching this nonsense? (Btw, anyone else see Ace Young and Brandon rogers on "Bones" last week? I don't know which I'm more ashamed of -- recognizing these two AI graduates or having an inexplicable addiction to this FOX show.)
I thought is was very exciting..
It is very boring, nonetheless I watched..
It should be Dave Cook, such voice..nic
I was pleased yesterday to find out Cook is from KCMO..
Shyesha has the stunning look, would make a good runaway model !
Runway model...yo
I don't which is more gag-worthyhere,the "writer" or the subject.
What has become of the media or journalists or writers or whatever you want to call yourselves that necessitates the need to be snotty constantly? How can one write like that and not be affected by the negative overtones? There is a way of critiquing with humor without pulverizing a show into nothingness but so few writers are skillful at it. It's far easier to put something down outright then find an intelligent way to write about it.
If everything is so blase, stale, boring, jumped the shark, etc. my goodness it sounds like there is nothing to look forward to in pop culture or at least very little. So very little to get excited about...no wonder there are so many who have too much and yet are still miserable. The culture of greed is being fed the culture of negativity over simple, benign entertainment - remember when entertainment was supposed to be a little fluffy escape from the rigors of life?
My preference? Lighten up, focus on the positive, helpful suggestions for what's not working, find the artful humor in things, have fun and don't take oneself and especially pop culture so seriously. Save the extreme negativity for what truly deserves it.. genocide, war, cruelty. Unless you believe those things aren't as interestin
Cook should win by default- most versatility and risk-taking. They all bore me, though, and sorry- in terms of vocal sound (not gymnastics or phony choreography) and moving her audience (if you listened)- it was over for me when Brooke left.
I think it was clear who the producers want to win - they picked the crappiest songs possible for the Puppy and Syesha and a total softball for David Cook. But Ken, how can you not be psyched to see Marilu Henner? MARILU HENNER!!
You're probably right about Archuleta winning - he definitely has the schoolgirl demographic locked down solid. So he'll win, and probably never be heard from again (like most Idol winners, frankly). He's a great technical singer, but he hasn't done one song that made me go "wow." David Cook has by far the greatest potential this year - he's extremely creative, willing to take chances, and can sing the phone book, Dawg. He's a better vocalist than Daughtrey, but clearly comes across as a nice guy with a good attitude (something Daughtrey doesn't project). And you're right - last night he kicked everybody's ass.
if Archuleta's Dad/Manager is not willing to play ball then the kid is NOT going to win.
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