American Idol Week #6

There will be no elimination post tomorrow evening (Wed 4/19/06 Week #6); however, anyone please feel free to post one if you like.
I will be on the road from Augusta to San Antonio to visit my aunt and of course, the Alamo. As my relatives are well aware, I have been on a genealogy quest for the past 18 months and my aunt has 10 extra large scrapbooks that include pictures of my grandfather, a famous brewer and bread production expert...Arnold Spencer Wahl's accolades, patents, and stories will require their own separate blog...and some day...he shall have one.

American Idol Week #6: The constestants sung "classics" tonight and in general, they sung them well.

For the guys out there, we are down to Yul Brenner and his Magnificent Seven (girls...its a western from 1960, that we guys have seen a hundred times...but it is still a "CLASSIC"!!! Yul Brenner, Steve McQueen, James Coburn, Charles Bronson, Robert Vaughn...and Eli Wallach as the bad guy...Poor Mexican's being bullied (current events?) and they hire some interesting characters to teach them to fight...one of them brings a "knife to a gunfight" and WINS!...And some great lines...almost Simon Cowellesk..."Do you have an older, grateful sister at home?"...The way he was gushing over Katharine this evening, I was was beginning to wonder!

Of course, Paula was starry eyed and slurring a bit herself...My audience guessed it was pills and booze all afternoon and possibly the make-up people had snooted a bit too much themselves...Paula had a bit of the Michael Jackson look this evening...YIKES!

#1...Chris Daughtry (playing Yul) sung a slow song "Wonderful World" and did very well. Randy said "The Bomb". Paula was pleased to see him "out of the mold" (methinks she was pleased to see him and wants to take him "out") and Simon patted himself on the back and told Randy and Paula that Chris had followed his advice and "changed his style" and Simon was very pleased. The "Entertainment Weekly" magazine had a huge article this week on Idol and has picked Chris the favorite (2-1) (projected winner). He did nothing tonight to diminish those chances.

#2...Paris Bennett...sung "Foolish Things"...This music is Paris' genre and she hit it perfectly. Randy said it was her greatest night ever...He dropped another "Bomb"...Paula said it reminded her of her audition (which we all know made her the favorite way back when) and Simon also made some comments about her talking voice versus her singing voice, but he was very pleased with her performance. The "Entertainment Weekly" magazine had Paris at 10-1. (5th place)

#3...Taylor Hicks sung Nat King Cole "You Send Me" and Randy said "That would be Hot" and Paula said she loved blah, blah, blah...but his ending was good...and Simon said "Magic"...."Entertainment Weekly has Taylor at 4-1 (4th place)

#4...Elliott Yamin..He sung "It Had To Be You" Randy and Paula said "Good song choice, and Paula said blah, blah, blah. Simon was worried that he lacked personality, but he said "good vocal". "Entertainment Weekly" 12-1 (6th place).

#5...Kellie Pickler...She sung "Bewitched, Bothered, & Bewildered"...and Simon said she should have skipped the first two words in the title and left it at "Bewildered". Kellie agreed and admitted that she did a poor job...My opinion...Good move. She sung badly and out of tune, but she looked good and had on a nice looking dress. This is where my theory on Carrie, last year...and Kellie, this year...will be tested. My theory...nothing she does will put her in the bottom 3 at this juncture of the competition...(later yes...but not with 7 to go)....

She was terrible and certainly deserves to be in the bottom 3...I don't think she'll be there. We'll see if my theory is correct.

Her Mom ran away and deserted her. Dad's in jail. She was raised by her granddaddy. She is sweet. She is genuine. America likes her. She should be safe from the bottom 3 and definitely not going home until near the end, if at all.

Is she the American Idol...Who knows? She is definitely Top 3.

"Entertainment Weekly"...3-1 (second place)...Methinks that Katharine is charging with Simon beginning to push her, but this genre was not Kellie's genre and it was Katharine's genre. Kellie did great on Country Night. Katharine did great tonight.

Katharine is a trained professional singer. Kellie is not.

Katharine is pretty...and possibly prettier than Kellie.

Kellie has "IT"...Katharine does not. Katharine just sings, which is O.K., but is it American Idol?

Katharine has no stage presence...Kellie exudes personality and stage presence. We'll see.

#6...Ace Bandage...Ace sung "That's All" (Appropriate song choice)...He dressed up in a suit and slicked his hair back and Randy and Paula and Simon loved him. Simon actually said he was "charming". Paula said blah, blah, blah and Randy advised Ace to sing entire songs in falsetto "False is your money"...I say True or False...Ace is Young... True or False...Ace is a Bandage.

I don't care what the three stooges say...Ace has got to be gone pretty soon. "Entertainment Weekly" 100-1 (last place...should have been gone before Bucky 50-1). Don't get me wrong. I like Ace, just not as the next Idol. He needs to go.

#7...Katharine McPhee looked great and sung great. This is not unusual for Katharine. Simon was drooling all over himself and rightfully said that Katharine made all the contestants look like "good amatuers" compared to her (as a singer). The girl is gorgeous and sings beautifully, but she lacks "IT" and no matter how hard Simom pushes...she better develop some "IT" or she'll be gone before this thing ends...and I like the girl. "Entertainment Weekly" 7-2 predicts final placement (third place).

Final prediction...and tonight is tougher than normal:

Ace, Elliott, (Paris or Taylor)I know...we all love Taylor, don't throw rocks at me. I love Taylor too. He's probably safe, but he's an entertainer and Idol wants record deals and songs and Taylor is 3 people (Michael McDonald, Joe Cocker, and ???).

Elliott Leaving and I hope I am wrong and Ace take his place.

(I predict the safe 4 are Chris, Kellie, Katharine, Taylor) in that order...Taylor is likeable and fun, but he does not sing well enough to be the American Idol. American Entertainer...but not Idol! I think he may be the first one in the Bottom 3 of Chris and Kellie and Taylor.

Based on tonights performance, I think Paris should be safe and Kellie or Taylor should be in the Bottom 3 (still safe) and Taylor would probably be in the bottom 3...Paris safe; however, I really don't know. Paris sung so well, I don't think she belongs in the bottom 3, but the demographics have not been voting for her as expected. Possibly because the country music winner last year and the runner up being a rocker.

I think with Bucky gone, the country crowd will gravitate more towards Kellie than Taylor. So my final third runner up...Paris or Taylor...Too close to call...I will be in the car and won't find out until I call my daughter from the road and she tells me...Paris doesn't deserve to be in the bottom 3...but my theory on demographics has been holding up pretty well this year. I think Paris is one of the most improved over the past several weeks...but I don't tabulate the telephone calls...and Idol Producers want to continue being "politically correct"...may put Paris in the bottom 3...to hype the audience rating for next week...

I don't trust any of them.

Roger Wahl
Augusta, GA