American Idol Week #8

Good morning Colchester High School...( for members of this blog who are unaware of these young adults who live in the state of Vermont.)

This evenings American Idol was ho-hum and sort of boring...nothing earth shattering and not too spectacular. We are down to the final 5.

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#1...Elliott Yamin started off the evening with a song from his birth year (1978) "Broadway"...and finished with "Home" by Michael Buble. Simon was not too pleased with his performance on the first song and thought choosing the song title "Home" was not too wise for his second song and Paula did say that the second song showed the "richness of your voice". Randy said blah...blah...blah.

I really don't think that the audience is paying as much attention to Simon as in past years. I may be wrong about my picks, but I am pretty certain that I am correct that the judges roll in the competition is fading...They have been so wrong lately (Katharine last week for example)...and I think the audience is becoming wiser...or the voters are becoming wiser...for example...kicking Kellie off last week (she was popular, but sung so badly two weeks in a row that the audience was finally fed up) and the audience kicked off Mandisa early in the competition after a marginal performance one week and then a bad performance the next week.

(For those of you in Vermont...I think it was a racist move by the audience...I think the blacks left us last year because the country music singer and the rocker were in the finals (Carrie and Bo)...Early this season, Bucky should have never made it to the final 12...and because the blacks may have been disillusioned (aren't they always), a really deserving contestant was let go and Bucky stayed...(of course this is my redneck opinion)...(smile Jamie!)

#2...Paris Bennett for the year of her birth (1988) sung a "Prince" song and Randy said blah...blah...blah and Paula liked it and Simon said "screechy and annoying". The song was not screechy and annoying and Simon doesn't have a clue. If Paris doesn't sing a Billie Holiday song, and if she dances, then the song stinks as far as Simon is concerned. Again, he is clueless.

Her second song was a Mary J. Blige song...Of course, I don't listen to Mary J. Blige, but the people who I watch American Idol with do, and they said Paris sung very well. Randy Jackson liked it and Paula said blah...blah...blah. Paula is very consistent...If the singer has pants on, she loves them. Simon disagreed with Paula and actually liked Paris this time and said that she sung the song very well.

I really don't think this will help Paris at all. America has had Fantasia. I really, really like Paris Bennett...but I hate her music...hate it...hate it...hate it...I hope she goes. Her phone line has been busy...we'll see.

I don't think she's winning American Idol.

I don't think Elliott is winning this thing either. I like them both...I like Paris better than Elliott, but I like Elliott's songs better than the crap that Paris sings. Paris' smile and attitude are contagious.

#3...Chris Daughtry...Chris sung one song and screamed through another. Everyone still says he is the favorite. He is certainly likeable and probably is going to win this thing. After his first song, Simon said he was "a million times better than the first two." Randy said "we have a real hot one tonight" and Paula said "outstanding". After his second song, the judges agreed that he was straining his voice, except Paula...she said "I love you". Chris had pants on.

#4...Katharine McPhee...Her birth year (1984) song was not sung well at all. She knew it and the judges all noticed it. Her second song was much, much better. Simon said he much preferred it and Randy said it showed her personality and Paula said blah...blah...blah. As much as I like Katharine, she just doesn't WOW like she should with her looks, personality and professionally trained voice. She has the ability to win this thing, but won't take it. Week after week, she sits back and doesn't grab it. Carrie had some great performances and improved and took it...Katharine has not done it. I thought she would be in the final 2...I have now taken that opinion back...She has the ability to be back in the final 2...but now I think Taylor has taken it.

5...Taylor Hicks...He sung "Play that funky music White Boy"...I know he sung that for me and for all you people in Vermont. Did you see him wink for Senator Leahy?

Randy Jackson said "Wow!"...Paula said "Authentic Taylor" and Simon, who as I said earlier "doesn't have a clue any longer"..."Horrible Wedding Performance"...I think the audience loved it and I think that the voters will love the performance too. Taylor danced and fell as if dying at the end...smiling and enjoying himself the entire time. His telephone line was busy all evening. Again, Simon just doesn't get it. I feel that Taylor may be the top vote getter this evening. His second number was by the Beattles "Something" and even Simon said that Taylor was a "good singer" and Paula said that he sung a very hard song choice "tenderly".

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Now for the predictions....Only 5 choices...Of course...don't bank on my selections. The worst performance tonight was Katharine song 1. Elliott, who I picked to be in the bottom 2, sung pretty well on both songs. Paris' second song was very good. Who knows?

Bottom 2: Elliott and Paris (Katharine could have been here) Chris and Taylor safe.

Paris going home because she seems to have always been in the bottom 3 and then she made the bottom 2...This means she is not getting the votes. She still wins because she is getting a record contract and she can certainly sing and she will gain experience while on tour. She sings Mary Blige as well as Mary Blige.

Elliott was in the bottom 3 several times and then Ace and Paris and Kellie jumped in to keep him out. I hate to see him go because he is so nice and likeable, but so is everyone else. I think he is gone next week, but then again, he could go tonight even after his good performance.

I think he sung better than Katharine this evening and Katharine could take his place, but Paris should be the one leaving not because she sung badly, because she hasn't shown she has the votes.

If Katharine has a night next week like tonight...then she will be leaving very soon.

My final 3 at this time is Chris, Taylor and Katharine...Your guess is as good as mine.

I find it hard to believe that a rocker will win...but only Taylor has the popularity to beat him, but Chris has significantly more ability and just as much "IT"...maybe not as much raw charisma.

Roger Wahl
Augusta, GA