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Buzz about American Idol — Season 8
By Dr Matt
Top 9 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
Hello American Idolaters:
Lil Rounds is in last place in the American Online "Who Should Win" Poll. Because of Lil Rounds' pathetic popular appeal, the Am Idol Producers gave her a boost by showing her three children, and having Lil's toddlers give Randy Jackson a hug — very touching. It should be worth a few thousand sympathy votes.
While Lil Rounds' popularity is down, Kris Allen's popularity is UP. Kris was given the coveted Pimp Spot to perform in, and he didn't disappoint! His performance was especially commendable, in light of the fact that he followed a beyond-fantastic performance by Adam Lambert!
Talented Kris Allen plays both the guitar and piano, and
delivered in a great performance in the Pimp Spot!
Wednesday, March 31st, 8:00 pm EDT
America Online Poll - Pre-show
The Popular Vote — from Lowest to Mowest:
13. Jasmine Murray
12. Jorge Nunez
11. Alexis Grace
10. Michael Sarver
9. Lil Rounds = 0
8. Scott MacIntyre - 1
7. Megan Corkrey +1
6. Anoop Desai = 0
5. Kris Allen = 0
4. Matt Giraud = 0
3. Allison Iraheta = 0
2. Danny Gokey = 0
1. Adam Lambert = 0
Dr Matt's Red-Hot Reflections:
At American Online, they have both a popular poll (who should win?), and a poll that captures a negative rating (who should go home?). Megan Joy is the leading vote getter on the "Who Should Go Home" Poll. She has TWICE as many votes as the #2 contestant that viewers think "should go home."
This means, if people could Vote Against a contestant, Megan would be gone tonight (and would have been gone last week too — she was #1 on the Negative Poll a week ago).
BUT, American Idol voting is based upon "positive" votes from fans, and Megan has a substantial number of them. Last week, afte a horrendous performance, Megan was NOT even in the Bottom Three.
Based upon who's Telephone Voting Number is MOST busy, here's the 97% accurate Dial Idol results for the Top 9 contestants:
Dial Idol Results for Top 9
from Less to Best:
9. Megan Corkrey - 2
8. Allison Iraheta - 5
7. Anoop Desai - 1
6. Matt Giraud - 2
5. Scott MacIntyre + 3
4. Lil Rounds + 5
3. Adam Lambert - 2
2. Kris Allen + 3
1. Danny Gokey +1
When Dial Idol factors in a statistical "margin of error," then it is predicted that Matt and Scott could be also be in the Bottom Three, and possibly eliminated. Dial Idol's margin of error also suggests that Adam Lambert and Lil Round could land in the Bottom Three, but they would be in the #7 and #8 postions, respectively -- and NOT eliminated.
Last week's elimination:
10 - Michael Sarver — "Ain't Too Proud To Beg"
Home Town: Jasper, Texas
This "Cat" from Texas used up his "nine lives." He dodged elimination in the first couple of weeks of competition. Give him props for making the Top 10, and the American Idol Tour!
Dr Matt's Red-Hot Rankings from Less to Best
* Motown Week *
9 - Anoop Desai — "Caught Up"
Home Town: Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Technically a good singer, when you break things down to individual elements. BUT the gestault (the whole) of what he brings . . . is pretty boring. I completely agree with Simon, he comes across as a "wannabe" performer. When I watch his sing, especially in this Top 9 show, he looks like a college student doing an imitation of a Pro Singer. For me, he's super karaoke!
Yet, Anoop has a lot of fans, and he might survive a couple more weeks!
8 - Megan Joy Corkrey — "Turn Your Lights Down Low"
Home Town: Sandy, Utah
She hit her pitches this week. Her performance was moderately entertaining. I make my mind up on how I appraise a performance BEFORE the judges open their mouths. So, I didn't GET the same thing the judges were GETTING. I rank her #8, not because she did BAD, but because there were 7 performances that were better.
Based upon this formula, Megan's time will soon be up. If she sings NEXT week, she really needs the right song choice. Megan, different from Adam Lambert and Allison Iraheta, CANNOT sing the phone book — Megan needs just the right song to fit her narrow and unique abilities.
If her fans want to see her pretty face next week (never mind the singing), she may well survive elimination again. Remember: She wasn't even IN the Bottom Three last week. It was Anoop and Matt, who joined Michael Sarver in the Bottom Three.
7 - Lil Rounds — "I Surrender"
Home Town: Memphis, Tennessee
Lil Rounds' scream-fest! Bad song choice again. Last week, she sang "Heat Wave" and the tempo was so fast that Lil could not put her personal touch into it. So this week she slows things down, only to SCREAM the song. I'm thinking: "give me a little light and shade." Lil needed to change things up using different dynamics — instead, she just tried to BLAST her way into the hearts of America.
It didn't work for me, and the same old theme continues: "We all know that Lil is a fantastic singer . . . BUT." In the mean time, just look at what Allison is doing. In the end, I think Lil can sing about as good as Allison, but her artistic sense of which song to sing, and exactly how to perform it is lacking. Also, consider the fantastic choices Adam Lamberts been making in the same weeks that Lil Rounds' has been flaundering!
6 - Danny Gokey — "What Hurts The Most"
Home Town: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Great performance by Danny. Problem is . . . it looks and sound just like his previous ones. I'm getting a little bored, because he's not bringing the innovation and surprises that Adam is bringing, and this week, Kris changed things up by getting behind his piano.
I'm still a Danny Gokey Fan, but I'm hoping he will take a risk or two in coming weeks.
5 - Matt Giraud — "You Found Me"
Home Town: Kalamazoo, Michigan
Again, I make my mind up on how a performance lands upon me, BEFORE the judges say what they say. I thought Matt' performance was sooooo much better than the Judges gave him credit for. Yet, I agree that Matt's zone is a more soulful sound, he sung this "rock song" just fine in my book.
The Judges are under a little pressure to say something succinct and insightful in a short amount of time. Sometimes, I think their reactions are choreographed during the dress rehearsal, and thus, they fail to feel how the song is working in front of the live audience. For the most part, Randy Jackson stays "in the moment" with his comments — he's usually "keepin' it real, baby!"
4 - Allison Iraheta — "Don't Speak"
Home Town: Los Angeles, California
Not liking Allison personality, . . . yet, she puts in great singing performances compared to the rest.
3 - Scott MacIntyre — "You Can't Hurry Love"
Home Town: Scottsdale, Arizona
Scott really showed his artisty this week, with his un-plugged performance of a Billy Joel classic! At first, he sung the song about how Billy sings it, . . . but then he really added his own embellishments — and they really worked. It was entertaining and impressive. His keyboard artistry was excellent!
2 - Kris Allen — "Ain't No Sunshine"
Home Town: Conway, Arkansas
Nice job singing in the Pimp Spot! Lost of feeling, and who knew he could play the piano, as well as being an excellent rhythm guitarist?
1 - Adam Lambert — "Play That Funky Music"
Home Town: Los Angeles, California
Adam's performance was unbelievably amazing. He takes command of the stage better than many seasoned professionals. If you didn't know he was a contestant, you would think he was the "guest star" hired to entertain the troops in between the karaoke that the other 8 are delivering, in comparison.
Anoop gives America another installment of
Karaoke-Cruise-Ship Singing.
Who's going home tonight?
Bottom Three tonight: Megan Corkrey, Anoop, and Matt Giraud. Based upon her singing and song choice, Megan probably deserves to go home; Dial Idol has her as most probable to be kicked to the curb; and she has the highest "negative" rating in the "Who Should Leave" AOL Poll.
I hoping that Anoop goes. I'm having a super snore-fest everytime he sings!
Dial Idol has Allison Iraheta in the bottom Three? What's up with that? I guess they didn't like her outrageous outfit, and possibly her "Pebble's Flinstone" hair-do! Like me, maybe America is NOT connecting with her personality.
Scott MacIntyre is also hoovering around the bottom dwellers. Curiously, Lil Rounds, who is in DEAD LAST on the AOL Poll . . . is predicted to finish no worse that #8 -- hence saved in the end.
I will be very surprized if Megan makes it through this week? However, Megan did beat the odds last week. Dial Idol had in IN the Bottom Three and the 2nd most likely to leave, after Michael Sarver (who actually did leave).
Go Megan!
* * * * * * *
Top 9 Results Show: the Contestant Tossed in the Trash
Bottom Three this week: Megan Joy, Allison Iraheta, and Anoop Desai. The Judges declare that they would use the one-time-save rule on only ONE of these three: Allison Iraheta. But they didn't have to, because Allison is the 1st to be sent back to safety!
Anoop is totally sweating this one out. It seems like Megan has reconciled herself to going home, and is ready to be a total goof-ball as she receives the news that Anoop is safe, and She is tossed in the trash.
When Ryan Seacrest asks Megan what she thought of a particular comment by Simon Cowell, she replies: "I don't care!" And when it came time for Megan to "Sing for her life," Simon turned her flippant words back in her face, saying "you don't care, and nor do we." So the judges despensed with any drama as to whether Megan would be the beneficiary of the one-time-save rule.
NOPE, not this time, completely kicked to the curb: Megan Joy, the kooky tatooed chick from Sandy, Utah.
:o)
Dr Matt
Read next week's American Idol review -----> Top 8
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