American Idol Week #5

Tonights viewing audience at dinner included my two mentors, Peggy and Michele, as well as three other guys besides myself and an Emergency Room Physician...called in just in case I had another severe bout of barfing. She also cooked a scruptious dinner for our enjoyment.

This evenings song theme was primarily "ROCK" and my only experience with "Rock" was a man I sat next to on a "Special Bus" one time and his name was "Rock". He had four gold teeth with the intials that spelled "R-O-C-K" engraved on them. I shared my lunch with him (all of it). He looked hungry. He returned the favor by advising me of some friends of his that I could borrow a book from when I got to Atlanta.

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Thankfully, I had a room full of "Rock Music" experts who would comment and I could glean their opinions for my report. Randy, Paula, and Simon have not been too reliable lately.

However, like gambling point spreads in the NFL and the NBA...these telephone votes can and have been fixed in the past (Clay Aiken beat Reuben by 60% to 40%) and although I feel it is too early for Idol Producers to fix the votes again...one of these days it may occur.

Our chief cook and ER Physician said that the outfits tonight were especially well chosen and quite appropriate for the occasion. I agree. However, as Simon so often reminds us, this is a singing competition...so why did he spend so much time complimenting Katharine on her looks this evening?

Let us begin:

#1...Bucky was the final singer last week so he got to start tonight. He sung "Flat Bottom Girls". Randy said "Check it Out"..."It was nice". Paula said "Great job...Good song choice"...and I didn't hear what Simon said, but the audience groaned. You know that I think that Bucky is about done, but I thought he did O.K. tonight, which was a surprise for me. He also has quite a following when he sings O.K. He is not going to be here much longer, but he is friendly and nice...just not the next American Idol.

#2...Ace Young sung "We Will Rock You" and he told the judges that "He thought he rocked!" He told them this while he was being chastised by all three of them. Randy said "I didn't get it" and "he would give him a 5 or a 6." Paula said it was "pitchy and that he took a risk" and Simon said "it was an utter mess" and "that Randy was trying to be gentle" (to which Randy piped in that he was trying to be gentle). Simon finished with "I HATED IT!" By the way, Ace changed the song a bit...to sing it his way...Barf!

You'll never guess who I think will be voted off...whether I know "Rock" or not...GOOD-BYE ACE!...Take your good looks somewhere else...and your beenie on those long locks also.

#3...Kellie Pickler sung a rock song and she surprised everyone. She looked exceptional and she sung it pretty well...for a country girl. She was cute and made some cute comments at the end when Simon said "on paper" you shouldn't have done well....and he was trying to say that as a compliment and Kellie interrupted him "What do you mean, on paper?"...Randy said "check it out" "that's entertaining" and Paula smiling said "Rocker Country" and Simon said "Good" and was well pleased with her performance.

#4...Chris Daughtry...Sung an obscure rock song that had never been sung publicly by Queen and Randy said "you delivered" and obviously loved it and Paula said "loved it" and Simon said it was the Best vocal and best believable vocal but was not a very good song and did not entertain the audience. I agree with Simon...It certainly did not entertain me, but I could sort of tell that the guy could sing well; however, methinks that the general audience is more like me than like Paula and Randy...I loved his song choice last week. He won't win this thing if he continues to "Rock" with songs like this. However, as a rocker, he has already won.

#5...Katharine McPhee sung "Who Wants to Live Forever"...Randy said "Good song choice" and Paula said "Glorious and Great Job" and Simon said she "looked amazing and (I think he said)stood out tonight." He said good things. Call me negative...She did look good, but just stood there and sung...blah, boring. I know the woman can sing...American Idol? Come on...No way...I say bottom 3, but safe because Ace is a sure thing out tonight. Of course Randy, Paula and Simon would disagree. They continue to tout her and promote her.

#6...Elliott Yamin...Still very unattractive. He sung "Somebody to Love"...Degree of difficulty "10"...This isn't diving. However, based on the "degree of difficulty"...Randy said "Hard song to sing...I love you" and Paula said "Best vocal tonight" and Simon said "Tough song...pulled it off".
Roger says...Yuk. My audience was looking at each other and then after the three stooges said what they said, they agreed that it was a very tough song to sing..."Degree of difficulty"...10...Whoopty do...Are we singing or diving?

#7...Taylor Hicks...Sung "A Crazy Little Thing Called Love" and danced too. Randy said "Taylor's back...It was hot" and Paula said "A breath of fresh air" and Simon said "Are you drunk?"...."Ridiculous" I saw Taylor have fun and sing and dance and show the old personality that we've come to love. Will he win this and become the American Idol...I doubt it. Will he make the final 3 with Kellie Pickler and Chris and possibly Paris...probably.

#8...Paris Bennett...She sung "The Show Must Go On" and my audience liked it a lot.
Randy said "Yes...worked it out" Paula said "Powerhouse" and Simon, who obviously does not care for Paris (we think he thinks she is too young for the songs she chooses and he never seems to like any song she sings)...in any case, Simon said "Weird". My group thought Paris did very, very well and she looked good. She is in no danger of making the bottom 3 this evening.

In conclusion:

2nd Runner up (tie) too close to call: Katharine McPhee
Bucky
Elliott Yamin

I think all of the above are safe...I think that Bucky should be safe, but he went first tonight and voters usually don't remember the first performer and voters know that Bucky has been safe for two weeks in a row...This trend cannot continue.

The judges seemed to attempt to force Elliott down our throats tonight. I hated the song so I am putting him in the bottom 3. I have a call into "Rock" (teeth), but he still has 5 years to go. He and Elliott have something in common...Teeth...But I won't tell "Rock" I didn't like his teeth.

Going home tomorrow has got to be Ace...Clearly the worst of the bunch this week and it is his time...Good-Bye pretty boy. He is also very nice and seems kind and genuine. I will not miss his falsetto notes and I'm sure I will not miss him as much as Paula...One less pair of pants for Paula to drool over.

Roger Wahl
Augusta, GA