This is the first year that I will NOT watch American Idol. I just can't do it after last year. I'm disappointed that it's turned into a popularity contest instead of a singing contest. When Scotty won last year instead of Lauren I thought, Yep, he's more popular than she is! I'm so disappointed in how this show has turned out. Even James sang better than Scotty (in my opinion,) and he was a showman compared to Scotty who just stood there and didn't even try to work the stage.
No, I won't watch AI in January and probably won't watch it in the future either. It's become too commercial in my opinion. I don't like it and won't watch it. I guess that frees up an hour for me to watch some other reality show.
I wasn't going to watch AI anymore because the judges all left (except Randy) and last year was boring (but it seems like every other year is boring). I'm pleasantly surprised by how much I like the new show and have been hooked since the season started. I watched out of curiosity, as probably most of America did, to see the new judges and I like them! Jennifer and Steven bring a freshness to the show that it needed.
There are so many things I like about the show like: less swearing and stupid people, Jennifer and Steven are performers and give good advice, the contenstants are good singers!, there was only one week before the judges cut the contestants down to 13 instead of eliminating two people each week until they got down to the top 10, no small stage after Hollywood...contestants perform on the big stage, the judges actually give good advice instead of "that was the worst song ever" or "you look really great", and it seems like the judges actually care.
It was touching when Jennifer broke down after she told Chris Medina he wasn't in the Top 24 (whose single I bought and the words are very touching). She said she didn't want to do this anymore, but did anyway and showed America the true professional she is. I have never been a fan of JLo's music although I like her as an actress but I have to say she's really gone up a few notches in my book. I loved it when they showed her new video (On The Floor) on one elimination show and bought the song on Itunes. I think her exposure on the show has let America know her as a person where we really didn't know her before.
Steven is so nice to the contestants, it's refreshing! He's like their dad and the way he treats them says a lot about him. I've never been a fan of Aerosmith or his singing but I sure do like him! His expressions and the things he says are so funny - and real! It was great when Stevie Wonder sang him happy birthday and they gave him a cake. I could tell he was really surprised!
Since Randy move over to the other side of the judges table he's been more real - but not mean. I like Randy but thought he was kind of a pushover in previous seasons. With Jennifer and Steven being new I could really see that he had been on the show for 10 seasons and was used to letting people down. Sometimes when he critiques contestants and Jennifer doesn't agree it reminds me of Simon and Paula. But with one important difference, Randy's critique doesn't tear the person down.
Ryan has grown on me too and I think it's great they give him props at the beginning of the show when they announce him (even though I fast forward to the singing!) He doesn't seem annoying - I don't know if that's because they have new writers or because Simon left. If I had to say one word about those guys it would be - NICE.
Now to the contestants... My early likes are Pia, James and Casey. I love James even though I don't listen to his kind of music. He's a good singer and a good entertainer. I hope he makes it to the finals so that Steven Tyler sings with him. Pia is a downright good singer. And she looks great too! She reminds me of Rachel on Glee and I imagine her liking gold stars too. Casey is creative! He always surprises me.
Let me just say all the contestants are good singers! But being a good singer doesn't make a person a good performer. The people I mentioned have a star quality I can't describe but I'm not sure about the rest of them. It seems like the music industry changes so fast. One day people like someone, the next day they don't. It seems pretty cut-throat too. Maybe the way Simon was is an indication of that. Whether or not a person is nice they have to be able to handle the brutal honesty of the industry. This show reminds me that most people are nice until someone dashes their dreams.
American Idol delivers. There was a 62 year old man who sang this for the auditions. One of the funniest, and true, things I've ever heard. I just became a fan of Larry Platt on FaceBook:
Pants on the ground Pants on the ground Lookin' like a fool with your pants on the ground
With the gold in your mouth, hat turned sideways Pants hit the ground, call yourself a cool cat Lookin' like a fool, walkin' to the town With your pants on the ground!
Give it up! Hey, get your pants off the ground Lookin' like a fool, walkin', talkin' with your pants on the ground! Give it up! Hey, get your pants off the ground Lookin' like a fool with your pants on the ground
Gold in your mouth, hat turned round Pants hit the ground, call yourself a cool cat lookin' like a fool Talkin' with your pants on the ground!
Boom! Bam! Pants on the ground! Lookin' like a fool with your pants on the ground With the gold in your mouth, hat turned sideways Pants hit the ground, call yourself a cool cat
Okay, I'll be the first to admit I LOVE AMERICAN IDOL (when it's good). I've watched since the first season, although I didn't start watching the first season until it was almost over. I'm glad Kelly Clarkson won. I never did like Justin Guarini, but I did watch the movie with Justin and Kelly and thought it wasn't half bad.
The second season I wanted Clay Aiken to win. I liked Ruben's voice but thought Clay sang better. In the end, Clay Aiken became a bigger star or....idol. I'll amit, I have the first album Clay made and his Christmas album. When they had that Christmas special and Ruben was on there, I was like "I want to see Clay" I think everyone else thought so too.
Season three, I wanted Fantasia to win...and she did! I thought the "summertime" performance was really great, it was really believable. So were her tears (believable) and she was just so grateful to be there and doing this for her son....I was touched. So she won, and I hated her final performance. It was all gospel and she sounded like she was yelling, I didn't like it but I was glad she won. I think she went on to Broadway and did "The Color Purple" and did a good job. I know she wrote a book and I'm glad she is able to provide a better life for her son.
Season four, I mean come on...Carrie Underwood, he-llllllloooooo. But it was a tie for me between her and Bo Bice. Bo did some really great performances, and it was the first time a "rocker" was on the show. Carrie has truly become a star and I'm happy for her. I think this was the season that Kelly Clarkson came out with her Breakaway album, and it will forever remind me of Colette. I also liked Constantine's steamy looks into the camera and his singing. And Vonzelle, talk about a transformation. She went from being shy and unsure of herself, to singing well in the top three. I don't know how she walked in those heels, but I really liked HER.
Season five, I didn't like so much. I didn't like Taylor Hicks at all, I hated watching his twitches on TV and I hated his performances. I didn't like Kathryn McPhee either. She was too...trained, and yet she had no personality. She just didn't do it for me. I liked all the other contestants better. I was shocked, like all of America, when Chris Daughtry got voted off. But look where he is today. Kelly Pickler is too cute and not a bad singer either. Who didn't love Elliott Yamin's mom and want her to overcome her cancer? And Elliott sang well too, even though I'm not a fan of R&B. I would have rather one of those guys won, compared to Taylor Hicks.
The season six winner was one of my favorites. In fact I've watched her finale on YouTube, and it makes me cry every time. In fact, here it is, watch it for youself.
I loved her innocence and her voice! I especially liked her "I who have nothing" and "broken wing" performances. Here they are:
I just love her voice, and, yes, I do have the Jordin Sparks album. I liked Blake Lewis and thought his beatboxing was cool and I planned on buying his album when it came out, but I haven't. I thought it was great that Simon kissed Lakisha, but I couldn't stand to watch her sing. Melinda Doolittle had an amazing set of pipes but she was not a frontman, she sang background and you could tell she felt more comfortable there. I liked Sanjaya's performances. When that little girl cried, it was awesome. But, I'm glad Jordin won. She was the best!!!
Season seven, I didn't really care who won. I guess I wanted David Cook to win more, but I thought David Archuletta would win. To be honest, I don't really like either one of them. I'm not into rocker music, and David Archuletta's pop songs, are a little cheesy for me. I definately didn't want Scott McIntyre to win but I was glad that he made it to the final ten. I liked Brooke's songs and I could forgive her for starting over once, but the second time she did it on live TV, I lost all confidence in her. Everytime she performed, I was nervous that she would start over again.
Now we come to season eight. I wanted Adam Lambert to win. He clearly had a better voice than Kris Allen. I loved it when he sang "Ring of Fire" for country week. Randy Travis' wife was clearly not amused and Simon said "what the *bleep* was that?" it was great. I wanted to watch every week to see what he would do. When he sang tracks of my tears, I thought he was awesome. I bought every 0ne of his performances (that you could buy) on iTunes, both the studio and video recordings. And I was soooo bummed when he didn't win, but I have my theory on that. Here are some of Adam's performaces that I really liked:
Ring of Fire
Tracks of My Tears
Mad World
I will watch AI again this year but I'm not sure it will be as good as last year. I mean they had Queen and Kiss at the finale. No other final contestant has commanded that kind of performance. One thing I do appreciate is that they have really tamed down the lame people on the auditions. And really cut down on bleeping out the swearing, if not eliminated it completely.
I don't really like their new judge, Kara. I know she is supposed to know the idustry more, but for some reason I don't like her. Give me Paula Abdul even if some of the things she says are out there, at least she's nice. I think it's hillarious when she comments on how nice the contestant looks instead of coming out and saying their singing wasn't good. Ellen will be a good addition to the show. She is hillarious and I really like her.
Yes, I will watch American Idol in January. But I'm still Bummed that Adam lost.
