It’s St. Patrick’s Day and according to Ryan Seacrest, the luck of the Irish would only be with 11 people this evening. This year they’ll be doing the judge’s save again. One time and one time only, the judges can save someone who gets voted off. The decision to save must be unanimous. If even one judge says no then it ain’t gonna happen. The save goes away when it gets down to the top 5. After that the fate of each American Idol is totally in the hands of the voters.
David Cook, the winner of American Idol season 7, performed the Rolling Stone’s song “Jumpin’ Jack Flash”. He can definitely rock it and he did the Stones proud. David is working on a new album and he’s really excited about it. He was invited to participate in Idol Gives Back and he’s going to Africa for the event. David was the winner of the Castro/Noriega season, beating out the judge’s favorite, David Archuleta. I was voting for Cook that season. Brooke White was my second fave that year.
The results started rolling in with Paige Miles as the first in the bottom 3. Lee Dewyze was pronounced safe. Simon nodded as if pleased. Siobhan Magnus was pronounced safe. Ellen made the comparison to Adam Lambert as she’d done before.
After comparing Aaron Kelly’s hairdo of the previous night to Ellen’s, he was declared safe. He and Siobhan hugged. Andrew Garcia somehow made it through to safety while Tim Urban went sent to the second seat in the bottom 3. What a bummer! That put me at two wrong for my predictions.
Results were put on hold for Australian singer Orianthi to take the stage with her song “According To You”. Apparently she was slated to be the guitarist for Michael Jackson’s “This Is It” concerts.
The results continued with Didi Benami, who shared that she follows her intuition when picking songs. Her intuition led her to the safe seat along with Crystal Bowersox.
Katie Stevens was up next. Ryan talked about Kara’s prediction from early on that Katie could be the ultimate winner but now, Kara wasn’t sounding quite as enthused. Kara sees her as a pop R&B singer while Simon sees her doing country. It wasn’t clear whether Simon was serious or joking. Either way, she was declared safe.
Michael Lynche was sent to safety after telling us, “I’m here for the people. I love the people!” I think the people love him back.
Casey James was sent to safety leaving Lacey Brown to round out the bottom 3.
Lacey, Tim and Paige were the bottom 3 for the week. The first one sent back to safety was Tim, who had a look of utter shock as before. Nobody could ever accuse Tim of thinking he had it in the bag!
Lacey and Paige were left hanging while Ke$ha, who they called a “breakout star”, sang her song “Blah Blah Blah”. Definitely not my cup of tea. ‘Nuff said.
Ryan finally announced the name of the Idol who didn’t have the luck of the Irish this day. Paige went to safety while Lacey got the bad news. She sang “The Story” in the hopes of being saved but no big surprise, the judges didn’t use their one save. I don’t think anyone would expect them to use it up so early in the game.
I know that somewhere there is a place for Lacey. You don’t have to win to make it big as past Idols have proven. If I were going to put Lacey somewhere, it would be surrounded by children. I see her entertaining children in some way. I’m sure that’s not how she sees herself but I think she’d really be good at it. Perhaps a singer/storyteller?
Tags: aaron, aaron kelly, alex lambert, american idol, andrew, andrew garcia, benami, bowersox, casey, casey james, cowell, crystal bowersox, degeneres, dewyze, didi benami, ellen, ellen degeneres, kara dioguardi, katie stevens, kesha, lacey brown, lambert, lee dewyze, lynche, magnus, michael jackson, michael lynche, miles, orianthi, paige miles, ryan, ryan seacrest, seacrest, season 9, simon, simon cowell, siobhan magnus, stevens, tim urban, urban
Week 1 of the battle for America’s vote for the ultimate American Idol payed tribute to the Rolling Stones, one of the greatest Rock and Roll bands of all time. Can this group of idols rock it out to such legendary songs?
Michael opened the show with Rolling Stone’s song “Miss You”. Big Mike definitely showed his pipes on this song, adding a good bit of falsetto and totally changing the dynamics of the song. My favorite so far of all of Mike’s performances. Randy thought he slayed it. Ellen said, “At some point I’m going to be disappointed but not yet.” Kara thought he delivered the swagger and attitude of Mick Jagger. Mike definitely delivered, but I wouldn’t compare it to Mick Jagger. Their styles are radically different. Simon poked a hole in Mike’s balloon, agreeing that he “sang it well” but added that the dancing was a little bit corny and overall the performance was “a tiny bit desparate”. Leave it to Simon to end with such a positive note.
Didi was next up. For me she’s been struggling through the weeks, never quite making herself believable as a pop singer. As with all the Idols they showed childhood mug shots and family clips including “Mommy Benami” in tears saying she couldn’t bear to watch her Didi get judged so she turned down the volume when the judge’s started to talk. Didi sang the Rolling Stone’s song “Play With Fire”. She definitely lost her innocence with this performance attempting to show her bad boy side but for me, it didn’t work. The song was sleepy. The judges didn’t agree. Randy said she was on fire for the first time in weeks. Ellen noticed that she made the word “fire” into two syllables. Kara thought that the sweetness of Didi’s voice coupled with the eerieness of the song was a good combo, adding that Didi took two steps in the right direction. Simon called it a “solid performance”.
According to Casey’s mother, he could hum before he could talk. Casey wasn’t humming for this song, however, giving us a country version of the Rolling Stone’s song “It’s All Over Now”. I’m not a country fan but I absolutely loved it. I believe Casey would make a great country singer if he wanted to go down that road. He hasn’t quite offered up his chosen direction but then, most of the Idol’s haven’t. The few exceptions really stand out. Randy called it “bluesy, stonesy, rocky” and thought he could make a career out of it. Ellen called it fantastic. Kara said it was his best performance since they day he auditioned and called him a “rock star”. Simon, however, thought it was more like an audition performance and said he didn’t use the stage. For the most part, the Idol’s aren’t owning the stage which is something they really need to do. The exceptions stand out. Casey, who played his guitar, expected the judges to eat him up for his guitar. They didn’t.
Lacey followed Casey with the Rolling Stone’s song “Ruby Tuesday”. She definitely sported a dangerous look but the song came out more like a sweet lullabye to the string quartet that accompanied her. So far, her voice has lacked the power needed to grab my ears. She has such a beautiful voice but she sounds like a little kid singing, getting lost in the background. She needs to belt them out a little harder. For Randy, there wasn’t a wow moment but he was pleasantly surprised and called her “the most interesting one of the night”. With so many contestant’s left to perform we couldn’t know if he still thought that by night’s end. Ellen noticed that Lacey liked to sit on the edge of things and offered up the advice that Lacey shouldn’t ever go to the Grand Canyon. Kara liked the drama but said she didn’t hit the notes quite right. Simon thought she performed more like an actress than a singer and said she was in danger of doing the same thing week after week.
Andrew came out with Rolling Stone’s song “Gimme Shelter”. Interesting that 8 of the 12 songs chosen were off the Hot Rocks double CD. (I caught that as I happen to own the CD set. They missed my favorite song from the set, “Mother’s Little Helper”.) While it was one of Andrew’s better performances I couldn’t connect with it. I can’t put my finger on what was wrong but I just felt totally disconnected from both Andrew and the song. Randy thought it was pitchy everywhere. Ellen thought it was one of his better performances. Kara and I were on the same page. She said it was missing the connection and that she just didn’t feel it. Simon said it was obvious that Andrew had given it 100% and hoped he’d stick around another week, but thought he’d done much better with the song in rehearsal. Maybe Andrew is battling nerves. I tried Karaoke once totally expecting to nail it but when I got up there, it was HARD singing in front of the people. My friends could only say that I had “picked a hard song”… gentle speak for “you suck, man!”
As you all know, I’m not a Katie fan but if she’d nailed it, I’d tell you that. Katie came out dressed like a little girl in a lacy dress getting ready to perform at a children’s recital to sing a Rolling Stones song. The combo was a complete failure for me. Katie has a good voice but it’s really hard to take her seriously. She sang “Wild Horses” sitting on a stool. I could hear echoes of Simon’s comment last week about the boring songs sung by contestants sitting on stools. The judges were a little softer. Randy thought she “sang it well” and that it was a “strong performance”. Ellen thought that once Katie got into it that it sounded great. Kara said that it was never technically perfect but that she’d done better than last week. Simon said that this was the only week where she’d chosen a “really strong song”.
Our favorite underdog Tim Urban sang the Rolling Stone’s song “Under My Thumb”. Not that I’m rooting for him to win because that spot should be for Crystal or Siobhan, but there’s an appeal for this fellow who Simon thought was a mistake. Tim has fought hard to earn his right to be on the stage and he’s made incredible progress. This week he reminded me of the teenage heartthrob’s of the 70s such as David Cassidy of the Partridge Family, Davy Jones of the Monkees, Leif Garrett and others. His style, voice and hair were totally reminiscent of the look and songs of that day. He offered us a great pop version of the song with a bit of a reggae twist. I thought it was interesting and I enjoyed it.
For Randy it didn’t work, he didn’t get it. Ellen felt like she was at a resort drinking a pina colada on the beach, relaxing to a cool song. I’m not sure this was intended as a compliment. Kara applauded him for doing something different with the song but she wasn’t gushing with the praise, either. Simon said it didn’t work and that Stone’s fans would be turning the TV off. I’m a Stone’s fan and I wanted to hear more. Isn’t it all about changing up a song so that it appeals to different people? Wasn’t that part of Adam’s winning strategy last year? (Yes, Adam didn’t actually win but his fame far surpassed that of the actual winner.) Tim’s defense was that he knew he couldn’t be a Rolling Stone so he played it to his own abilities.
Siobhan offered one of the most interesting performances of the night. She brought an actual stage set to the mix with a long staircase as her backdrop. Siobhan treated us to an usual version of the Rolling Stone’s song “Paint It Black”. Instead of making the song dark as you would expect, she started out with a sweet, almost Tinkerbell sound like a music box. While there were a couple of pitchy notes here and there, she took a song that’s hard to change and she really changed it up. I loved the changes. She ended with the screechy note that got everyone’s attention last week followed by a soft, sweet ending.
Randy said she brought drama to the night and called it “hot”. Ellen said that she rises above “like Snookie’s poof”. Apparently Snookie is a soap opera character with very big hair. For Ellen, she stands out. Siobhan gave Kara flashbacks of Adam Lambert. Simon called it the “stand out peformance of the night”. He said people would either love it or hate it and that was a good thing, because it was far better than indifference.
Lee sang the Rolling Stone’s song “Beast of Burden”. He added more believability to the song than the Stones themselves had. I totally felt the song. Lee didn’t offer much activity on stage and if you were watching him, you’d lose sight of the song itself. You had to close your eyes and hear the song as you would on the radio and this way, he totally nailed it. Randy thought he “came home” with this song and compared him to Rob Thomas and Dave Matthews, calling it one of his better performances. Ellen was expecting more from him, and said the song didn’t quite come together, sort of like a hospital gown. Kara thought he was growing faster than any other contestant. Simon noted that Lee’s personality (or lack of) didn’t shine through but that he had an incredibly good voice. Simon hoped he’d be back next week.
Paige sang the Rolling Stone’s song “Honky Tonk Woman”. She was obviously having a lot of fun with it but there was a lot of pitchiness. Paige added a country twist and for some reason, the song sounded off. So far, Siobhan was the only contestant to own the stage with only two left to perform. Randy wished Paige had shown more energy. Ellen thought she had “star quality” and made sure we all knew that Paige had voice issues this week. Apparently she was suffering from laryingitis so voter’s should take that into account. Kara said this was the Paige we originally fell in love with. Simon said she still hasn’t connected but that there were moments of the big voice we loved in Hollywood.
Aaron sang the Rolling Stone’s song “Angie”, taking more ownership of the stage as Siobhan had done with the rising staircase as his backdrop. By far this was his best performance yet. I thought it was better than the original version. He totally connected with the song and sang it with so much emotion that I forgot how young he was. For the first time ever, I saw genuine talent in him. For the first time, I actually hope he comes back. Randy said he was “born to sing”. Ellen said that he and Siobhan were the two stand out performances of the night so far. Kara commented on her earlier negative opinions of Aaron and said, “You showed me!” She called it “very powerful”. Simon had originally feared for him, not believing he could handle a Rolling Stones song. Aaron “cleverly” pulled it off and had chosen the “100% right song” according to Simon, who called it one of his strongest performances so far.
Crystal closed out the show with the Rolling Stone’s song “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”. She was my favorite of the night which was pretty amazing since I’d totally loved several of the previous contestants. It’s refreshing that Crystal doesn’t scream songs like so many singers with powerful voices. She lets the power of her voice flow naturally. I’d buy the song exactly as she sang it. For me, she had the wow factor. The judges however, were sailing on a different boat.
Randy said it wasn’t her best but that even so, she didn’t disappoint. Ellen echoed Randy that it wasn’t her best but added that Crystal was born to be on stage. Ellen noted that for the first time, Crystal showed her personality. I agree. Crystal really shined this week actually smiling as she sang it and appearing to have fun. Kara said it was good to see her “let loose” but made a pretty big deal that previously, it felt like Crystal had the attitude that she was already the winner. I never felt that from Crystal. I always felt like she didn’t care whether she won or not until later in the competition. I believe she was protecting herself from an expected rejection but once she thought she actually had a chance, she could start opening up and let loose. Crystal defended herself to Kara by saying she never believed that she owned the competition but thanked Kara for saying it. Simon said the song didn’t have the drama and for the first time, Siobhan beat her. He’s right that the performance wasn’t as dramatic as Siobhan’s performance, but drama isn’t Crystal’s style or strength. She’s more down to earth and I truly believe she has a bright future regardless of the outcome of American Idol.
Who’s in danger? None of the judges really made a prediction. However, I believe that the weakest singers are: Didi Benami, Lacey Brown, Andrew Garcia and Katie Stevens. I expect the bottom three to come from this group and that Andrew will be voted off.
Tags: aaron, aaron kelly, alex lambert, american idol, andrew, andrew garcia, benami, bowersox, brown, casey, casey james, cowell, crystal bowersox, degeneres, dewyze, didi benami, ellen, ellen degeneres, epperly, kara dioguardi, katelyn epperly, katie stevens, lacey brown, lambert, lee dewyze, lilly scott, lynche, magnus, michael lynche, miles, paige miles, rolling stones, ryan, ryan seacrest, scott, seacrest, season 9, simon, simon cowell, siobhan magnus, stevens, tim urban, todrick, todrick hall, urban
Who is out: Katelyn Epperly, Todrick Hall, Alex Lambert, Lilly Scott
Who is in: Didi Benami, Siobhan Magnus, Paige Miles, Casey James, Tim Urban, Lee Dewyze, Crystal Bowersox, Michael Lynche, Lacey Brown, Aaron Kelly, Andrew Garcia, Katie Stevens
If you’re looking for mainstream opinion on American Idol, you won’t find it here. I, for one, am glad that none of the current contestants appear to be Whitney Houston or Celine Dion wannabes. I’m not a big fan of that. This year we’ve got different and I like different. Didi, Siobhan, Crystal and Lacey, they promise to entertain us with unusual song choices in a unique voice. Lilly should have been among them. I liked her style. Mainstream thinking voted her out.
The boys aren’t really in the race yet. Now that they’re faced with this gangbuster group of girls, they’re in trouble. The boys are going to have to seriously turn up their game.
Does anybody ever wonder how the final choices are made? Of the tens of thousands who try out, only a few make it to Hollywood and you know that so many others had the talent. How do they pick which talent to support? I’m sure looks are a factor. The person has to either be very likeable, very sellable visually or entertaining in some other way. But what else?
I believe that names are a factor. Consider the year that Jason Castro and Danny Noriega both made it to the finals. Castro and Noriega? As in Cuban dictator Fidel Castro and South American dictator Manuel Noriega? While there was not likely an actual connection to the dictators, it seemed unlikely that the choice to include the two was coincidental. Perhaps it just simply amused the judges who hoped to spark some sort of controversy.
This year it was Alex Lambert. C’mon, are you serious? No way this is a coincidence. Sure, Alex can sing but no doubt others could sing better. In some way American Idol was riding the coattails of Adam Lambert with this choice. Alex Lambert didn’t make it to the top 12 in spite of his name and I genuinely felt bad for him. Like Alex, Danny Noriega from Season 7 didn’t make it to the top 12 either. I’m sure if Ellen had been a judge back then she’d have called Danny a “cocky banana”. He definitely had the attitude.
That brings me to Ellen. I’ve grown quite fond of her as a judge in spite of my earlier misgivings about her lack of musical background. However, there is something I worry about. Ellen’s fans. She’s a powerhouse of fans and if she says “I hope you’ll stick around another week” I fear that her fans will intentionally make it so. That really tips the scale with the voting and could cause a lot of upsets this season. She appears to have a soft heart and if she feels sorry for a contestant, even if they should be outed, and accidentally says those magic words, they could end up like Chicken Little of Season 5.
Chicken Little (Kevin Covais) was the nerdy, little boy contestant who couldn’t sing very well but all the grandmas wanted to pinch his cheeks and somehow, he hung in week after week. While he didn’t last long once he made it to the top 12 he did prevent other, more talented singers from making it to the top 12 such as Stevie Scott and Gedeon McKinney. Ellen has the power to catapult the weaker singers just by feeling sorry for them.
With a new judge and several singers bringing styles we haven’t heard on American Idol before, it promises to be an interesting season. The question is, will you vote? Or will you let your phone sit idle while your favorite gets voted off, like what happened to Lilly?
Tags: aaron, aaron kelly, adam lambert, alex lambert, american idol, andrew, andrew garcia, benami, bowersox, brown, casey, casey james, chicken little, cowell, crystal bowersox, danny noriega, degeneres, dewyze, didi benami, ellen, ellen degeneres, epperly, jason castro, kara dioguardi, katelyn epperly, katie stevens, kevin covais, lacey brown, lambert, lee dewyze, lilly scott, lynche, magnus, michael lynche, miles, paige miles, ryan, ryan seacrest, scott, seacrest, season 9, simon, simon cowell, siobhan magnus, stevens, tim urban, todrick, todrick hall, urban
Ryan started the night by asking, “Who do YOU want in the top 12? We could be in for a surprise or two…” Surprises usually mean that someone who we expected to stay, is out. Surprises on American Idol are usually bad.
Didi Benami was the first to get her results. She’d been pretty nervous through the weeks because she’d never performed in front of so many people before. Well it looks like she’s going to get a lot more practice because she made it. Randy’s advice to her was to be more consistent.
Siobhan Magnus was the next up. Simon had pegged her as the dark horse during Hollywood week. The definition of a dark horse is “a little-known person or thing that emerges to prominence”. I don’t know about Hollywood week but Siobhan has consistently kept me wanting more since the top 24 emerged. She isn’t emerging, for me she has already emerged. The good news is that I’m going to get to see more of her which makes me really happy. Ellen’s advice to Siobhan was to keep on doing exactly what she’s been doing.
Paige Miles and Katelyn Epperly were next up. Of the two, I couldn’t predict who’d be out. Simon said that Paige had the most potential of the two and sure enough, America agreed with Simon. Katelyn is out and Paige is in. Katelyn’s parting words were, “I’m not stopping now!”
Casey James was the first of the guys to get the news. No big surprise here, Casey made it in.
Tim Urban was up next. Usually the first two called don’t get booted and against all the odds, Tim Urban did indeed make it into the top 12. I’m guessing this was one of the surprises that Ryan hinted at before any results were given. What a happy surprise!
Lee Dewyze and Todrick Hall were called up next. One of the two would be outed. When asked which one should get the top spot, Randy thought that Lee had been the most consistent. America agreed and Lee made it. After the Queen song I actually hated to see Todrick go.
We were treated to a piano duet by two previous idols: Matt Giraud and Scott MacIntyre. Playing back to back pianos they sang Billy Joel’s song “Tell Her About It”.
Crystal Bowersox was called up next and for the first time during the entire competition, she looked worried. She’d always appeared so composed, almost as if it didn’t matter to her, seeing Crystal worried was a big surprise. The worry was short-lived as they gave the good news. Crystal is in. Simon said, “It’s yours to lose.” Crystal for me has been one of the most consistent singers, never failing to give a virtually flawless performance in a style that perfectly suits her.
No more just the guys or just the girls, Michael Lynche was next up for his news. Ryan asked if Big Mike thought he could fit onto one stool. Mike said yes and the stool was his. No surprise here, Mike made it.
For Lacey Brown this was her second shot at American Idol. If at first you don’t succeed, try again because you might be like Lacey, who secured the next spot in the top 12. I was surprised that both Didi and Lacey made it. I thought maybe one of the two had a chance but surely not both.
Aaron Kelly was up next. I just knew he’d be outed. I predicted as much after his last performance. Aaron grew up watching American Idol and now he gets to be one, because the next big surprise was that he made it.
That left Alex Lambert and Andrew Garcia for the last male slot. I guessed that it would be Andrew, who’d had so many bad weeks. Apparently the genie hadn’t come out of the bottle too late after all because much to my surprise, Andrew got in and Alex was out. I felt so badly for Alex. Try as he might he couldn’t stop the tears from flowing in front of millions of viewers. That’s gotta be hard on a guy. He believed that nervousness was his downfall and he was probably right.
By then both Siobhan and Lilly were in tears. Siobhan cried for those who hadn’t made it and Lilly just cried. Her fate was still hanging over her. The only two left were Lilly Scott and Katie Stevens. Katie had been looking like a deer caught in the headlights for most of the results, as if she knew she was out. By the time everyone else had been given the word, Lilly’s head was hung low as if she knew the bomb was going to be dropped on her. Katie appeared a little more confident standing next to Lilly.
The results were given and my immediate reaction was to let loose a four letter word. This must have been the final surprise that Ryan hinted at. My darling Lilly was out and the only girl who I was hoping wouldn’t make it, took Lilly’s spot. Lilly who always made me smile was gone. The only other idol who made me smile with every song was George Huff, of Season 3.
Lilly was devastated. I wish she’d shown more of her heart through the weeks as maybe it would have helped her. She and Crystal always seemed so closed emotionally. I don’t think Lilly expected to be voted out just yet. She said, “I don’t know what America wants to hear, but I know there are definitely people who want to jam with me.” Yes Lilly, there are. And we will miss you terribly!
It was a very emotional night. Even Crystal cried at the end when Lilly got outed. Katie cried though I imagine it was more for relief. Tears flowed everywhere and so did the hugs. For those who made it, the Rolling Stones will be the first theme to tackle. Welcome to American Idol’s top 12! Didi, Siobhan, Crystal, Lacey, Paige and Katie. Casey, Tim, Lee, Mike, Aaron and Andrew.
Tags: aaron, aaron kelly, alex lambert, american idol, andrew, andrew garcia, benami, bowersox, brown, casey, casey james, cowell, crystal bowersox, degeneres, dewyze, didi benami, ellen, ellen degeneres, epperly, kara dioguardi, katelyn epperly, katie stevens, lacey brown, lambert, lee dewyze, lilly scott, lynche, magnus, michael lynche, miles, paige miles, ryan, ryan seacrest, scott, seacrest, season 9, simon, simon cowell, siobhan magnus, stevens, tim urban, todrick, todrick hall, urban
Tonight was the last chance for the dudes to make it into American Idol’s top 12 for 2010. The show started with a dialog about Simon being away from his fiancee and Ryan said that Kara was Simon’s binky. Simon clearly had no idea what a binky was and whispered to Kara for clarification. Even after she told him, he didn’t quite get it but I’m sure he won’t live it down for the rest of the season. They finally gave up the binky to let the guys sing. Here’s the lowdown for the top 8 guys.
Lee sang the Owl City song “Fireflies”. It wasn’t my favorite of his performances though he sang it quite well. For me it was forgettable. Randy thought it was a “strange song choice” but that Lee made it work. Both Ellen and Randy thought it had pitch problems while Kara offered much higher praises, stating that he’d “made it a better song”. Simon thought it was nothing to rave about and that Lee was better than that version of the song. Simon did predict, however, that Lee would make it into the top 12. I agree. Not only do I hope to see him there, I expect to see him there.
Alex has made incredible progress through the weeks and showed so much more confidence. Alex is finally starting to shine through. His soulful rendition of Ray LaMontagne’s “Trouble” ended with a standing ovation. Randy wasn’t wowed but thought it was a good song choice. Ellen thought that he was ripening into a “mushy banana”. Ellen said he was getting better every week but warned him not to become a “cocky banana”. Kara told him to let go. She told him that “the only person standing between you and winning is YOU.” Simon also told him to relax and let go and said he had a distinct voice.
I had not experienced Ellen prior to American Idol so initially I had no idea what to expect from her. I wasn’t thrilled for the newest judge to be devoid of a musical background. It didn’t seem right. However, Ellen has totally worked her way into my heart and I look forward to her strange comments and quirky personality. She’s definitely a ripe banana in my book.
Tim Urban was an unexpected surprise with the song Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen. Being the underdog who slid into the finals with the outing of Chris Golightly, Tim had a lot to prove. He didn’t wow the judges in the first weeks or demonstrate why he’d made it to Hollywood. For the first time with Hallelujah, Tim showed sparks of what the judges had seen initially. This was his best performance by a mile and he sang it with feeling as it should be sung. Randy said he was walking in some pretty big shoes but that he’d done a good job. Ellen ran out onto the stage and hugged him, apologizing for being so hard on him in previous weeks. Kara had originally predicted he’d quickly be sent home but that this song put him at the “top of the boys”. Simon took full responsibility for Tim’s progress, saying that his criticisms were what motivated Tim to improve. Simon thought he was “very, very smart with that song” and that it was by far the strongest performance he’d given. I agree. He might surprise us by sliding into the top 12. I wasn’t a fan initially but I think it would be interesting to watch him progress.
Andrew tried to recreate his earlier magic from “Straight Up”, this time with the Christina Aguilera song “Genie in a Bottle”. The interesting thing about Andrew is that his best songs are girl songs, first by Paula Abdul and now with Christina. Girl songs seem to work best for him. He added a Spanish flair to the song and I loved it even though it was a little pitchy here and there. This is the zone he needs to stay in. The judges weren’t as enthused as I was. Randy said that Andrew made the whole song feel like it only had three notes. Ellen thought it was a great song choice but that the genie had come out of the bottle too late. Kara said he’d been chasing after that moment ever since the Paula song and never quite got there again. Simon thought it was “a little bit desperate” and that Andrew was going backwards.
Casey sang the Keith Urban song “You’ll Think of Me”. I felt like I was listening to someone who was already there, already successful. There was no singing competition, just Casey singing us a song as if he’d always been singing. I’m glad he reconnected with his happy place because I’d hate to see him leave. Randy thought the song choice was too safe and that he should have chosen an edgier song. Ellen really liked it. Kara was “kinda back on the Casey train” but thought he was missing that spark. She did add that it was a move in the right direction. Simon thought it was his second best performance so far but like Randy, he wished Casey would have chosen a different song.
Aaron totally lost my vote with his rendition of “I’m Already There” by Lonestar. I cringed almost all the way through it. If I had to choose between Aaron and Tim, I’d go with Tim as it’s refreshing to watch his progress after such a rough start. I’m really happy to see Tim grow every week. While I wouldn’t vote for Tim to win the whole enchilada, I’d like to see him stick around just to watch him prove Simon wrong as to his worthiness. As for Aaron, he probably slammed the door on his chances for the top 12. From the beginning I’ve felt that Aaron, Alex and Tim were the weakest of the guys battling each other for last place. I think Aaron won the last place slot. Randy offered a more positive outlook with “job well done” but said that Aaron still had more work to do. Ellen started with “I love you!” and ended by saying it was too much song for him. They were really throwing the L-word around for Aaron because Kara started with “I love you” as well, but told him that the song was all wrong for him. She said this was a song about a man wanting to come home to his kids, and that for someone so young to sing it, someone who wasn’t a father, it just felt all wrong for her. Simon admonished Kara that it didn’t matter if someone sang a song their life didn’t mirror and said the judges shouldn’t be confusing the contestants with this type of comment. Simon thought it was the right type of song and it was obvious that Aaron was trying hard, but it just wasn’t a good vocal. I vote him out and I’m betting that America will, too.
Todrick took on the Queen song “Somebody to Love”. All throughout the competition I wanted him out for the business issues surrounding him prior to American Idol. It just didn’t feel right for someone who left a wake of angry folks to go forward and succeed. He does, however, show talent and he really showed his range with this song. Todrick added a strong dose of gospel to the song and it was a good mix. I didn’t want to like it but I couldn’t help myself, he nailed it and I liked it. Randy thought it was one of the best male vocals of the last couple weeks and said that “Todrick is back!” Ellen agreed with me that adding the gospel worked. Kara called it dramatic like Godspell. Simon wasn’t impressed. He said that Todrick showed who he really was, just another Broadway singer. He commented on the boring songs sung by contestants sitting on stools (Andrew, Casey) and said the song may have saved Todrick.
Big Mike dropped a peg this week with the song “This Woman’s Work” by Kate Bush. Clearly the song was in honor of his wife and full of his love for her but for me, it was too sleepy. He started and ended in falsetto which were the good parts, and ended with the words “make it go away”. I agreed. I was bored and wanted the song to go away. The judges must have heard a different song because Randy thought it was hot and Ellen felt like the show had just begun and that Mike was the “one to beat”. The song brought Kara to tears. She had a hard time regaining her composure and leaned against Simon who was happy to offer his shoulder. Simon called it an incredibly difficult song, said that Mike had nailed it and that it was by far the best performance of all the live shows. No way! The girls hold those top spots as far as I’m concerned and the guys are just runners up right now.
I believe that Aaron and Alex will get the big brush off and not make it into the top 12. Andrew is dicey and has been on shaky ground through most of the competition. It was up to the genie to save him.
Tags: aaron, aaron kelly, alex lambert, american idol, andrew, andrew garcia, casey, casey james, dewyze, lambert, lee dewyze, lynche, michael lynche, season 9, tim urban, todrick, todrick hall, urban
by Shari Coxford
The devil began his journey on Route 666 in Arizona and New Mexico, paid for with tax dollars and officially called the Devil’s Highway. The name has since changed but the legends live on.
His visit to Utah was equally inspiring. Report Number 666 of the Utah Foundation in May 2004 discussed Utah’s tax situation, announcing that Utah had the third highest state and local tax burden of all the Mountain States with the promise of more.
Nevada wasn’t quite as joyful with its ban on state taxes. Even property taxes took a hit. The 2001-2002 Statistical Analysis of the Roll for the Dept. of Taxation of Nevada showed 666 tax exemptions for fully disabled veterans. Nevada rolled the dice and the devil wasn’t pleased.
He went looking to Idaho in search of his taxes. House Bill 666 was introduced by the Revenue and Taxation Committee in Y2K. The goal of the bill was to reduce the devil’s taxes.
Neither did Montana offer up their proper taxes. In 2005, House District 53 received 666 tax returns claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit. This did not bode well for the devil. Tax exemptions, reduced taxes and now tax credits? Removing the devil’s name from their very highways? The nerve of the peons in these Mountain States!
Wyoming made a feeble attempt to appease the devil in 2001. The Department of Audit for the State of Wyoming conducted 666 audits to ensure state revenue compliance and collected $21.6 million in gross revenues. Things were looking up for the devil’s tax coffers.
It wasn’t until the devil visited Colorado that he was promised his proper taxes. The State of Colorado was proclaimed to have the unlimited power of taxation in Parsons v. People, 32 Colo. 221, 76 P. 666, 670 (1904). The devil was quite pleased to see unlimited taxes in his honor and bestowed upon the Mountain States the devil’s seal of approval.
Tags: 666, Arizona, Colorado, devil, devil's highway, devil's road, humor, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, number of the beast, number of the devil, route 666, tax, tax humor, taxes, Utah, Wyoming
by Shari Coxford
If you want to grow your business, there are three simple concepts that will propel you toward success: set action goals and success goals, reward yourself, and follow the money. While it may sound cliche, it really does work.
Set Action Goals and Success Goals
In order to reach the big goals you need a road map to follow. If you were driving from New York to California and you didn’t have an actual road map, you’d blindly drive southwest and hope that sooner or later you’d arrive in California. It would be easy to miss the goal if you weren’t familiar with the roads.
That’s where your road map comes in. It tells you which road you’re on at any given time and you can see when you’ve steered off course. Road maps also tell you when you’re near an interesting place that might be worth a detour.
Action and success goals help you in much the same way. Deciding that you want to make $100,000 a year is an excellent goal but how do you get there? The first step is to create a series of action goals and success goals. Action goals are actions you can take. Success goals are markers that you’ve moved closer to the big goal.
Here are a few examples of action goals: distribute 100 flyers, call 10 potential new clients, place an ad in a newspaper, add a web page to your website, create a Google Adwords ad, or create a referral program that offers an incentive to existing clients who bring you new clients.
Sales and giveaways are a different type of action goal. If you sell a product, put it on sale for a week or offer a freebie with a minimum purchase and make sure to get the word out.
Success goals break the ultimate goal into smaller success points. An ultimate goal of $100,000 a year breaks down to $8,333 per month. Set a success goal of $1,000 a month and once you achieve it, up the goal to $2,000 a month then $3,000.
Set action goals to move you from $1,000 to $2,000. An action goal is like stepping on the gas pedal to propel you forward to the next success goal. Every success goal you set is another location on your road map.
Reward Yourself for Goals Achieved
Once you’ve set up your action and success goals, the next step is to implement a reward system for yourself. For every goal achieved there should be an associated reward.
Set up small rewards for an action goal such as distributing 100 flyers. Set a bigger reward for a success goal such as earning $1,000 a month.
A reward might be to treat yourself to 10 new songs for your MP3 player from iTunes or Amazon.com. Perhaps you’d rather take yourself out to lunch, a movie, a trip to the beauty salon, bowling alley or ball game. Splurge on yourself. Buy a new shirt, book, plant for the garden, necklace, stamps for your stamp collection or a $30 bottle of liqueur that you wouldn’t normally treat yourself to. These are all ways to reward yourself.
Rewards can be very motivating. The most effective rewards are treats that you wouldn’t get except as a reward. In other words, don’t buy yourself a new book except as a reward for a goal you’ve achieved. If it’s just another book and you’ll get books anyway, the reward is diluted. It loses the power to motivate you.
Follow the Money
Sometimes the concepts that bring the most profit aren’t the ones you originally counted on. The best way to determine which aspects of your business are paying off and which are wasting your time is to divide your business into departments and then analyze the profits from each department.
Virtually any business can be subdivided into departments. For example, an appliance business might have the following departments: appliance repairs, washer and dryer sales, kitchen appliance sales, small appliance sales such as vacuum cleaners and toasters, and possibly even outdoor appliance sales such as BBQ grilles.
Perhaps you envisioned making a bundle selling refrigerators but if you keep track of the individual departments of your business, you might discover that you’re making a lot more money repairing appliances or selling outdoor BBQ grilles. You’re near an interesting detour that might be worth investigating.
Profits help you to navigate forks in the road. A departmental analysis might tell you that outdoor BBQ grilles are profitable and refrigerators are just old inventory taking up space. You’ve reached a decision point, a place where you must decide whether to go straight or take a turn.
The straight road will most likely take you off course, away from the $100,000 success goal. You know that refrigerators aren’t selling. The side street of BBQ grilles offers more profit potential so turning onto the side street makes the most sense. Start selling BBQ utensils, cookbooks, sauces and other related merchandise. Give the BBQ section prime real estate in your store and on your website. Try a few related side streets and offer a small selection of patio furniture. Move the refrigerators to the back, perhaps offering a refrigerator clearance sale.
Profits are your navigation system. Divide your business into departments and the profits will guide you. Other business departments might include different product lines, corporate customers versus individual customers, repairs versus new sales, selling products as an addition to a service business or vice versa.
Even internet businesses can be subdivided. Affiliate income, selling advertising space, selling your own product, designing web pages for others, all of these are separate portions of an internet business. Affiliate income can be further subdivided by the actual companies you do business with. Google is a single affiliate. So are Amazon and Commission Junction. If you find that one affiliate is more profitable you can focus your time and energy on that affiliate, making them more prominent on your website.
Product sales on the internet can be tracked regardless of whether the product is yours or affiliated. Which products bring the most commissions? This is a more important question than which product sells the most. If selling bumper stickers brings a profit of 50 cents each versus one e-book at a profit of $2.50, you’d need to sell 5 bumper stickers to equal the profit from a single e-book.
If you regularly sell 20 bumper stickers a day for a profit of $10 and only two e-books for a profit of $5, then you should focus on the bumper stickers. Try to sell 40 bumper stickers a day. Add more slogans and increase your marketing for bumper stickers. However, if the e-book wins out then you should consider adding other e-books on similar topics.
Set action goals and success goals so that you have a road map to follow. Set up a reward system for goals achieved. Analyze which aspects of your business bring the most profits and then follow the money. Expand the profitable portions of your business. Consider dropping departments that just aren’t paying off. Success might be found down a side street you never would have dreamed of.
Tags: action goal, action goals, build a successful business, business, business goals, business success, follow the money, goals, grow your business, reward yourself, set business goals, set goals, setting goals, small goals, smaller goals, success, success goal, success goals, success in business, successful business
Tonight was the last chance for the girls to make it into the top 12. Some performances were just “peanut performances” that “kinda sucked the energy out” while others had wow moments for their entire performance. Here’s the lowdown for the top 8 girls fighting to be in American Idol’s top 12.
Katie sang the Kelly Clarkson song “Breakaway”. For me it was flat. The key didn’t suit her voice. She made no attempt to change the song and as Simon likes to say, it wasn’t as good as the original. The crowd, however, seemed to love it. Randy agreed with me and said that it paled in comparison to the original. Ellen didn’t think it was the right song choice. Kara said that tonight especially the singing needed to be perfect and it wasn’t. Simon thought she “kinda sucked the energy out of it and made it a little bit gloomy”, but he gave her a 10 for effort.
Siobhan totally wowed me with her rendition of “House of the Rising Sun” by The Animals. She started out a capella and immediately had me mesmerized by putting her haunting twist on a favorite old song. For me, this performance definitely had the wow factor and yes, I’d buy her singing this song. The crowd agreed and she got a standing ovation. Randy said she wasn’t very good at listening to their advice, and that she should keep on doing exactly what she was doing because it was HOT. Ellen said that music is supposed to move you and it did. Kara called her an “unlikely character” and said she was unique and different. Simon, however, surprised me. He’s typically the downer but I really expected a standing ovation from him. Instead, he “didn’t get it” and was “underimpressed”. Simon didn’t think Siobhan had that wow moment and I totally disagree. For me, she’s the bomb. My favorite performance of the night.
Lacey got a standing ovation with “The Story” by Brandi Carlile. It wasn’t a strong performance for me but her voice does have an interesting lilt. Randy called it “sleepy” and “boring” but thought it was her best song in a long time. That’s pretty bad when you think about it. For your best song in a long time to be sleepy and boring? Ellen also thought it was her best song to date. Kara said she was back on her path and Simon didn’t love the song but thought she sang it very well. He said that this performance was “in danger of being forgotten.” I think she might be in trouble.
Katelyn sang the Carole King song “I Feel The Earth Move”. What a brave song choice. This song is so well known and loved that you better not take it on unless you can really do something different with it. Katelyn didn’t. She attempted to clone the original and the effort totally failed. She did have fun singing it and even attempted to clone the Carole King hairdo from the Tapestry album cover. Randy thought it was “sleepy” and “boring” putting her neck and neck with Lacey for the night. Ellen said it was “not the song to choose to wow people to pick up the phone”. Kara didn’t feel that Katelyn was competing and Simon said that “this might have been a mistake for you tonight”. Was he predicting her downfall? In her own defense, Katelyn said she was trying to be “less corny”.
Didi did the Fleetwood Mac song “Rhiannon”. She definitely changed it up and added her uniqueness to it. However, I don’t think she’s strong enough for this competition. She’s like a mouse whispering in the background. I do like her voice but I wouldn’t have bought the song and that’s what it’s all about. You have to ask yourself, would you actually pay money to buy this song as you are hearing it right now? Randy hopes she stays awhile longer but said it wasn’t her best. Ellen said “yes indeedy, Didi”. Kara said it was one of her favorite moments of the show and Simon agreed with Kara. He said it was the best performance of the night and that her wow moment was the whole performance. Nope, I don’t agree with Simon. That’s a compliment I would have given Siobhan.
Paige sang the song “Smile” by Charlie Chaplin. I didn’t know he wrote songs! I had no idea what to expect until she started singing. Smile is a song we’ve all heard: “Smile though your heart is aching, smile even though it’s breaking…” It was obvious that Paige put a lot of feeling into it but I didn’t feel the connection. It seemed a little shaky and I’m thinking she may be in trouble. Some of the notes just got away from her. Randy agreed with me. He said it just didn’t work and that it went completely flat for him. Ellen said that this song was supposed to be uplifting, not sad. Kara thought it was all wrong and Simon thought it was a horrible song choice. Simon called it a “peanut performance”. He said it was the sort of performance where you’d see people sitting at the bar eating peanuts, totally ignoring the song. Simon predicted the end of the road for Paige.
Crystal rocked it with another awesome performance, this time singing “Give Me One Reason To Stay” by Tracy Chapman. She sang with soft notes and salty notes, totally infusing the song with soul. I definitely felt the connection between Crystal and the song and I could easily hear it on the radio just as she sang it. For me, it was better than the original. For Randy, this is what the show is all about. He loved the honesty. Ellen said she needed new adjectives and that it was the best performance of the night. Kara sees it as the type of record that Crystal should be making. Simon said that “one million billion percent” this would put her in the top 12, and that Crystal was the one to beat. I put her number two to Siobhan for the night, personally, but then again, I happen to favor Siobhan’s song choice over Crystal’s.
Lilly totally lost me this week. My heart broke into pieces to see her fall so flat on one of my favorite songs. Lilly sang “I Fall To Pieces” by Patsy Cline. Taking on a Patsy song is a huge risk because Patsy was so uniquely memorable. Lilly definitely changed it up but for me, it just didn’t work. Randy, however, thought she was “in the zone”. Ellen loved the originality and style. Kara said it made Patsy Cline feel current. Simon thought she was very brave to choose that song on a night like this. He thought it was cute and quirky, but very risky. He wasn’t clear as to whether this was a prediction or not. I’m hoping not.
This week it’s easier to pick two to stay than it is to pick two to go. My top two picks are Siobhan and Crystal. I can’t put Lilly in the number three spot but I do hope she makes it through. Katie I’m hoping is outed but I can’t pick another one to out.
Tags: american idol, benami, bowersox, brown, crystal bowersox, didi benami, epperly, katelyn epperly, katie stevens, lacey brown, lilly scott, magnus, miles, paige miles, scott, season 9, siobhan magnus, stevens
The results are in. Of the girls, Haeley Vaughn and Michelle Delamor were voted off. Of the guys, it was John Park and Jermaine Sellers.
I’m okay with the choice except for Jermaine. There were at least two other guys who should have been the ones to go. It wasn’t his time but America voted and disagreed with me. Was it the onesie? At least he was gracious in his goodbye leaving the world on a positive note. His parting words were, “With God there is no failure.”
As for Michelle, I’ll be surprised if doors don’t open for her. If not for her singing, surely her incredible smile will open up doors. If not, she can count on the promise made by Maria in The Sound of Music: “When the Lord closes a door, somewhere he opens a window.”
Didi appeared to be in shock that she wasn’t voted off. Not quite as vividly surprised as Tim Urban had been last week. It was almost worth keeping him in to see the absolute, utter shock on his face. However, he is one of the weakest guys so he’ll need to fight a lot harder if he wants to stay.
I was happy that Big Mike, Casey, Lee and Andrew will stick around. Andrew really needs to pick up his game, though. I’m totally with the judges. He wowed me with his rendition of the Paula Abdul song “Straight Up” and I keep waiting for him to wow me again, but so far he’s left me hanging. Without the memory of that song, he hasn’t offered much.
My biggest beef was Simon’s comment that after watching the show, the compliment he’d given to one of the girls wasn’t deserved. He wouldn’t say who. While on the surface that might seem honorable not to point the finger, it was a really rotten thing to say. He left every single girl who’d gotten a compliment wondering if she was the one who didn’t deserve it. All the compliments given were thus diluted. He should have either pointed the finger or kept it shut.
Who am I hoping makes it into the top 12? Casey, Andrew, Big Mike, Lee, Aaron, and not Todrick, whose bad press really turned me off. For the girls it would be Crystal, Lilly, Siobhan, Didi, Paige and the last is a toss up between Katelyn and Lacey. Katelyn has shown stronger talent so far but I keep thinking Lacey has it and is just too nervous to let it out.
Tags: aaron kelly, alex lambert, american idol, andrew garcia, benami, bowersox, casey james, crystal bowersox, delamor, dewyze, didi benami, epperly, haeley vaughn, jermaine sellers, john park, katelyn epperly, katie stevens, lacey brown, lambert, lee dewyze, lilly scott, magnus, michael lynche, michelle delamor, paige miles, season 9, siobhan magnus, tim urban, todrick, todrick hall
I’m a bit late coming into this season but I’m so full of thoughts I have to let it out. I definitely agree that it’s the girl’s year. Overall the girls are much stronger and more memorable than the guys. Several of the guys are very weak and leave me wondering how they got in. Even my favorites for the guys left me empty this week. The girls however, gave some strong performances.
She’s been one of my favorites from day one. She’s different and she’s fresh. You’re not going to hear the same worn out songs that past idols have chosen. I enjoy listening to Crystal and she’s believeable. While I wasn’t fond of tonight’s song “Long As I Can See the Light” by Creedence Clearwater Revival, I thought she really nailed it. I much preferred last week’s song “Hand In My Pocket”. I hope she stays. I was surprised that both Simon and Ellen saw her as THE potential winner. Crystal is not the type of singer they usually stand behind. Most often it’s what I call the “Whitney Celine” style that the judges love. I much prefer different.
Didi has a unique sound and I do enjoy her, but I’ve already forgotten her song choice and had to look it up to write this. Turns out it was Bill Wither’s song “Lean On Me.” A bold choice but one that just didn’t fit her voice or her look. I thought she did much better last week. She may be in trouble this week.
I understand the appeal. Haeley is bubbly and there’s an air of innocence about her. However, her voice tends to wobble and her words don’t come out as clearly as they should. If she stays, it’s probably more for the likeability than the talent. While I doubt she’ll get voted off this week, she would be one of my picks for someone to go.
I totally agreed with Ellen. The song “Scientist” was way too slow and it didn’t keep me hooked. I much preferred Katelyn singing last week’s song “Oh Darling”. However, neither song really showcases her as a current pop artist.
I do hear the potential in her voice. However, for some reason she just doesn’t appeal to me. She hasn’t hooked me once so far although I thought she really connected with last week’s song “I’m Feeling Good”. Katie reminds me of an actress on a TV show only I can’t remember who. If I were going to vote someone off, she’d be one of my picks. She sang “Put Your Records On” and I couldn’t help hearing the echoes of the song as it was sung last season. Katie did a much better job but it just didn’t click for me.
I love the sound of her voice and she is picking songs that match her voice, but they aren’t working. Last week’s “Landslide” was a total disaster. Her voice was a good fit but it sounded wobbly and pitchy. She may have been too nervous. This week’s “Kiss Me” was a big improvement and for the most part she did a much better job with it. However, her version was a replica of the original and not quite as good. While I’m not ready to see her go yet, there are several others who rank higher for me and I wouldn’t want her to stay at their expense.
She’s another of my favorites and I was very unhappy that Simon compared her unfavorably to Crystal. Lilly is not the same. She has a very unique sound and whenever I watch her perform, I find myself smiling. She’s the only idol who has that affect. I usually don’t enjoy songs I’ve never heard before but last week’s “Fixing A Hole” really sucked me in and this week’s song “Change Is Gonna Come” by Sam Cook really showed her talent as an artist. She totally made that song her own and connected with it. I believed it.
I disagreed with the judges yet again. I really enjoyed her performance last week of “Falling (In and Out of Love With You)” but this week she fell flat for me. Apparently it was the exact opposite for the judges. Her rendition of “With Arms Wide Open” might have appealed to the judges, but it didn’t appeal to me.
This was the first time I connected with Paige. Last week I’d hoped for her to get voted out but this week, we connected. I thought she did a great job with Kelly Clarkson’s song “Walk Away” and I disagreed with Kara that Paige lacked the anger needed to pull it off. Her version was just different enough to play on a different type of radio station and I enjoyed her performance. She does need to work on owning the stage.
Another favorite for me. I’ve enjoyed every performance she’s done and tonight was no exception. Her rendition of Aretha Franklin’s “Think” would have put me on the dance floor. While she didn’t change it up as they often tell the contestants to do, it didn’t matter because she totally nailed it. I did disagree with one of the judge’s comments, however. I thought she totally aced the song except for that one note, which sounded a bit screechy to me. Apparently, the judges and I didn’t agree. They preferred that one note to the rest of the song.
I can’t offer up a favorite but if I had to pick two to go, I’d pick Katie and Haeley. However, my picks don’t usually match the rest of the world so if I were going to predict who is going to get voted off, it would be Didi, Lacey or Michelle.
Tags: american idol, benami, bowersox, brown, crystal bowersox, delamor, didi benami, epperly, haeley vaughn, katelyn epperly, katie stevens, lacey brown, lilly scott, magnus, michelle delamor, miles, paige miles, scott, season 9, siobhan magnus, stevens, vaughn
