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Buzz about American Idol — Season 8
By Dr Matt
Top 10 Contestants
Dr Matt's weekly review of American Idol from the Top Thirty Six Singers to the Final Two:
36 - 1 36 - 2 36 - 3 Wild Card 13 11 10
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 Final 2
Dear Amazing American Idolaters:
This week, America is crystal clear about the fact that Megan's performance was a major Train Wreck. Both Dial Idol & AOL Poll have Megan in the Bottom Three this week. Curiously, based upon the "positive" popular vote, Megan is #8 in the AOL Poll (3rd from the Bottom) — but when America is asked "Who should go home?" . . . AOL has Megan the #1 contestant that "should" be kicked to the curb.
This points up the fact that framing Poll Questions slightly this way or that, will change the answer. For example, if the AOL Poll would have asked "Who do you think is going home?" . . . I'm positive that America would NOT predict Megan as the most likely goner.
Again, based upon "positive" popular votes, Megan is NOT in last place — yet America is clear that Megan's singing performance "should" be last place.
Stylish Megan Joy dresses up with a color-coordinated outfit to match
her tattoo! But look close: what's up with the white ankles?
Wednesday, March 26th, 4:00 pm EDT
America Online Poll
The Popular Vote — from Lowest to Mowest:
13. Jasmine Murray
12. Jorge Nunez
11. Alexis Grace
10. Michael Sarver + 1
9. Lil Rounds - 1
8. Megan Corkrey - 3
7. Scott MacIntyre + 3
6. Anoop Desai = 0
5. Kris Allen - 2
4. Matt Giraud + 5
3. Allison Iraheta +1
2. Danny Gokey = 0
1. Adam Lambert = 0
Dr Matt's Red-Hot Reflections:
Michael Sarver continues to be Bottom Three in the AOL Poll — and dead last through the first three weeks of competition (poll-wise), yet in Top 11 week, Sarver was NOT in the REAL Bottom Three at all — surprisingly Allison Iraheta received that dubious award.
Competitors whose stock has risen recently: Scott MacIntyre and Matt Giraud. Matt showed America that singing in the #1 spot is only the kiss of death when you sing in a forgettable fashion. Matt moves up five (5) spots from #9 to 4.
Sliding in the Polls: Lil Rounds, Megan Corkrey, and Kriss (spelled with 2 s's). Kriss has NOT necessarily slid backwards in his abilities or performing, but has simply been out done by likes of Allison and Matt who have come ahead of him, and deservedly so!
Singing performances DO make a difference! Megan's train-wreck performance cost her 3 popularity spots in the AOL Poll; and Lil's strained/screaming performance slid her backwards into the 2nd to Bottom Spot.
Last week's elimination:
11 - Alexis Grace — "Jolene"
Home Town: Memphis, Tennessee
The thrill is gone! Alexis lost her shine for me and America. Simon thought it was too "sound-alike" for him. (Meaning, sounding like Dolly Parton — adding no new angles). Her personality fell flat, she doesn't offer any fascination, like Megan Joy.
Alexis shows us that a person can sing very well, and still be very boring! She's Gone with The Wind! Ba Bye!
Dr Matt's Red-Hot Rankings from Less to Best
* Motown Week *
10 - Megan Joy Corkrey — "For Once In My Life"
Home Town: Sandy, Utah
Pitch problems galore! Megan's singing ability is limited; she's one contestant that absolutely needs the right song to sell her mediocre singing ability. Poor girl sings with a straight tone (which strains your vocal chords over time), and then, when she TRIES to add vibrato . . . it comes out in a machine gun shake—strangely, that's how Cher's vibrato technique too.
On the bright side, at least she didn't pull a pickle-sucking face (like Lil) as the Judges gave the night's harshest critique. In fact, in classic Megan form, she shined her radiant smile as the Judges were hammering her.
9 - Michael Sarver — "Ain't Too Proud To Beg"
Home Town: Jasper, Texas
This "Cat" from Texas must have nine lives, because he keeps dodging elimination from week to week, when so many in America thinks he's the most likely candidate for going home.
8 - Lil Rounds — "Heat Wave"
Home Town: Memphis, Tennessee
Welcome to Lil Rounds' Shout-fest! Wrong song for sure! This song comes in the same category, along with "Jolene," as one that a great singer just CANNOT show off great singing ability! Simon was exactly right: if Lil sang a song like "Heard It Through the Grapevine," . . . she could have had a shining moment!
Re-Run: Lil made the same two mistakes tonight, as she did last week: 1) she tried to "honor" the genre by giving a genre-like performance that did NOT have her signature Lil Rounds' R&B flavor on it . . . and 2) she tried to justifying why she did a "Motown" imitation and tribute, rather than expressing her own original style.
And then, when the Judges gave their thrashing feedback, Lil looked like she had just sucked on a pickle — poor pouting Lil. Again, very BAD song choice, because it didn't "breathe" enough (as Kara pointed out) to allow space for interesting interpretations and emotional expression. Because of the rapid, unrelenting pace of the song, Lil had no chance to finesse this song with her unique embellishments.
From week to week, America (and myself) can always say "Lil's a great singer" — but when it comes time to vote, . . . the actual singing performance has to make a difference, and so I'm rating her DOWN for NOT doing what Adam and Allison and Danny did . . . pick a song that would express their singing talents to the maximum.
7 - Anoop Desai — "Ooh Baby Baby"
Home Town: Chapel Hill, North Carolina
I don't understand why the judges are drooling over this performance. Yes, if you close your eyes the singing was in-tune, and on rhythm, technically excellent, but HELLO this performance just didn't entertain! In fact, I think that playing this song would put an insomniac to sleep quite effectively.
This tidy performance really put me to sleep, and bored me to tears . . . ah . . . the tracks of my tears.
6 - Scott MacIntyre — "You Can't Hurry Love"
Home Town: Scottsdale, Arizona
I really like Scott's performance. Part of it has to do with the fact that I can clearly see his talent for creating his own unique arrangement, both vocally and in his piano playing. I disagree with the Judges, on this one.
He may end up in the Bottom Three, but I predict he will NOT go home.
5 - Kriss Allen — "How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You"
Home Town: Conway, Arkansas
This week, I was impressed with Kriss' ability to put his personal style into the singing of this song. It was a very good performance, and I can't say anything bad about it. Yet, I'm MORE impressed by four performances that exceeded this one.
4 - Matt Giraud — "Let's Get It On"
Home Town: Kalamazoo, Michigan
Matt is totally benefiting from being put in the Pimp Spot. He's moved up 3 spots in the Polls 24 hours post-performance. Great performance worthy of the Pimp Spot too!
Matt transformed this "country song" into something that sounded nothing like country. Simon and Randy mentioned the "Michael Buble" parallel that I brought up last week. Matt has moved out of the Bottom 3 and will easily make the American Idol Top 10 tour. Season prediction: 10 to 7
3 - Danny Gokey — "Get Ready"
Home Town: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Kara commented that Danny should choose songs that gets into his power range more quickly. Differently, I agree with Paula and Simon on this one: we better appreciate the impact of "power-singing," when it is contrasted against softer and sensitive moments. Simon says a song needs "light and shade."
Excellent performance! Danny sang the chorus of "Jesus take the wheel," with great passion. Season prediction: Danny is destined for Top 2-dom: between 2 or 1
2 - Allison Iraheta — "Papa Was a Rolling Stone"
Home Town: Los Angeles, California
Is it painfully obvious, that the A. I. Producers want to make sure that Allison moves on in this competition (considering that she was in the Bottom Three last week). So, she's put in the Pimp Spot, and she delivered a fantastic performance deserving of it!
1 - Adam Lambert — "The Tracks of my tears"
Home Town: Los Angeles, California
I rate Adam's performance ahead of Allison, because the way he san this song requires extraordinary talent and skill. Smokey Robison and Kara DioGuardi give him a standing ovation! The ending note that he expanded into a crescendo . . . WOW!
On a funny note: Kara says "I've got 6 words for you" . . . "One of the best performances of the night!" (I believe that 8 words . . . Kara obviously does NOT count the preposition "of" as a word). Then Simon disagrees with Kara by saying, "No, not one of the best . . . but the best performance of the night!"
Michael Sarver delivers a forgettable performance
and America kicks this "Cat" to the curb.
Who's going home tonight?
Bottom Three tonight: Michael Sarver, Megan Corkrey, and Scott MacIntyre. Based upon the performance only, Megan deserves to go home, but I'm predicting . . . she won't. She may be in the Bottom (2) Two, but it should be Michael Sarver's time to go.
Scott MacIntyre will live to sing another day.
Here's how this works: Even though Allison blew every one (but Adam) off the stage with her dynamite performance, STILL . . . if you ask most people who'd they rather invite to a party . . . Allison or Megan Joy? . . . It wouldn't even be close: Megan Joy has captured the fascination of America, and that's the ONLY thing that keeping her around from week to week. Even after her Train Wreck performance, I believe America will have be morbidly curious to see what song Megan Joy will sing NEXT week — meaning, they've got to keep her around.
* * * * * * *
Top 10 Results Show: the Contestant Tossed in the Trash
A. I. loves to FAKE OUT the audience, so after saving the most obvious contestant in the field, Adam Lambert, . . . another obviously safe contestant stands up, Matt Giraud.
But NO . . . Matt is NOT safe, and he's chucked into the Bottom Three. I listened carefully to Ryan Seacrest's words: He DID say that Matt was in the "Bottom Three." I'm wondering if "word games" are being played: . . . Bottom Three within what context? Bottom Three in terms of age, or height, or Granola consumption, or last night's Monopoly Game?
It's hard to imagine Matt Giraud actually had the 2nd lowest popular vote total? I was also thinking that A. I. might have applied the "word game" this way: Bottom Three (among all the guys) — thus removing Megan Joy and Lil from this more narrow definition of "Bottom Three."
Lil Rounds and Michael Sarver stand up together, and it's pretty much a no-brainer figuring out who's in the Bottom Three between these two! But Seacrest toyed with Lil's emotions, stating that both Jennifer Hudson and Kimberly Lock were booted into Bottom Three-dom after singing "Heat Wave." Ryan jerked Lil's chain pretty good with the words, "amazingly, Lil you too . . . sang the song Heat Wave" — as Lil was expecting . . . amazingly, Lil you too are in the Bottom Three).
So Sarver sings for his life, while the Judges are a completely disorganized with their deliberations to the question: "shall we apply the new SAVE RULE with Michael Sarver?" When Ryan asks for a "decision," Simon retorts, "we haven't discussed it yet?" Then with the close of the show just minutes away, and Randy, Kara, and Paula all huddled around Simon. But, time was up and an executive decision needed to be made; Simon made it, booting Michael Sarver off the show.
Simon's reasoning was likely thus: since the vote has to be unanimous, and Simon knew that he personally would not save Michael, hence, the vote could NOT be unanimous!
Michael Sarver bites the dust! Texas boy tossed in the trash! Ba Bye!
:o)
Dr Matt
Read next week's American Idol review -----> Top 9
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