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American Idol Elimination: And Our Finalists Are . . .

BuzzSugar — Thu, 14 May 2009 07:00:00 -0700

Wednesday night was a big one on American Idol, as we learned which of the final three guys would advance to next week's big finale. Would it be the perpetually safe Danny Gokey? The longtime favorite Adam Lambert? The dark horse Kris Allen? With more than 80 million votes, and only a million between the top two, it was quite a struggle for the final two spots. To talk about who got them, just read more.

So Danny's first time in the bottom was also his last time in the competition. The finale will be a battle between Kris and Adam, while Danny heads home to Milwaukee. And I'm OK with that: Danny's certainly a good singer, but I've been feeling like I've already heard everything he can do, while Adam and Kris (especially Kris, actually) continue to surprise me. Danny has a compelling backstory and enough fans to have kept him safe for 95% of this Idol season, though, and I'm sure there will be a market for his music.

Meanwhile, an Adam/Kris finale is about as shocking as it gets in the Idol universe - neither Pop nor I even had Kris making the top 12. It's nice to see a contestant who didn't get a ton of screen time in the early rounds break through. And while Adam would seem to be the favorite, knowing there were only a million votes between them this week complicates things a bit. Who do you think has the edge going into next week's finale?

Some thoughts on the rest of the show:

Kris's reaction to getting into the finale was great, but it was nothing compared to the judges, who looked genuinely shocked. Simon even did his crazy-eyes "whoa" thing.
Love the animated Danny, Adam, and Kris from the Ford ad. I wonder if you really know you've made it when you become a cartoon.
Whose hometown visit do you think looked like the most fun? Danny's reunion with Jamar was sweet, and Adam's little theater group kids were adorable, but Kris's dad getting emotional was the only one that made me want to cry.
Going back for a second - JAMAR! Love that snappy green tie. I still wish he'd made the live shows.
I'm starting to think Jordin Sparks is my favorite Idol winner after Kelly Clarkson. It's been fun to watch her grow up.
Katy Perry generally bugs me, but with those costumes and backup dancers, I can understand why she might be fun to see live.

What do you make of these results?

Photos courtesy of Fox

American Idol Elimination: Season Eight's Top Three!

BuzzSugar — Thu, 07 May 2009 05:30:25 -0700

Where has all the time gone? We're down to this year's top three on American Idol! As expected, Adam basically kicked rock night's butt on Tuesday, while the rest of the contestants had their highs and lows (I can't get that Gokey scream out of my head). But because Adam was in the group with the lowest number of votes last week, it felt like anything could happen going into Wednesday's results show. So did Kris's "meh" performance get him kicked off? Did Allison's sassy talk-back earn her some more votes? Did Adam's voters get lazy and leave him in danger? You can find out and talk about it if you read more.

I'd picked Kris to go home, but right off the bat, Ryan told him he was in the top three! That was genuinely exciting, and his wife and family were totally adorable when they got the news. What can I say? I just like rooting for Kris. Then, of course, Adam was safe. His fans must have gotten a wake-up call last week that even when something seems fated, you've still got to dial in.
So that left Danny and Allison in the bottom two. People, I cannot believe that after Danny sang that awful note, he's still in this competition. And it's sad to see Allison - the last girl! - head home. I still can't believe that amazing voice comes out of a 17-year-old. Maybe Simon was right and Allison should have showed more personality all along. Personally, though, I think she showed plenty of sass - and, as Paula might say, this is only the beginning for her.

A few more thoughts on the show:

OK, I totally loved seeing Slash take the stage in his famous hat and go nuts on the guitar. Why is he so cool?
Ryan reminded us that Adam got to sing a Led Zeppelin song for the first time on Idol. The band's licensing fees are legendarily high, so I wonder what made Idol pony up - or, even better, I wonder if someone Zeppelin-related is actually a big Adam Lambert fan.
Danny Gokey said his now-infamous "Dream On" scream was his funniest moment on Idol. Ha! You know, I can't actually argue with that. I cracked up when he started talking about it, but he almost seems proud of that wretched note. Never forget.
Paula. Idol stage. First time. Yes, please! Although that was a pretty boring song (and she could probably use some lip-syncing tips). I wish she'd done a classic like "Straight Up" or "Forever Your Girl."
Speaking of which, Gwen Stefani brought her effortless style and boundless energy to "Just a Girl" and reminded me why it really might be worth seeing No Doubt on tour.
The more Ryan talks about visiting hometowns, the more I think of hometown dates on The Bachelor.

It's boys only now, folks. What do you think of the top three?

Photos courtesy of Fox

American Idol Elimination: The Fabulous Four!

BuzzSugar — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 05:30:41 -0700

I can't believe we're down to the final four on American Idol! Where does the time go? So was Wednesday the night our last lady standing headed home, leaving an all-male competition behind? Or is Allison Iraheta still hanging in? To find out who went home and discuss the rest of the show, just read more.

Well, folks, I think this elimination was one of the hardest decisions we've had to make in a long time - I mean, as far as voting for TV talent shows goes - because everyone did such a great job singing standards on Tuesday. Even Simon called performance night the "best show at this stage I've ever seen." Right off the bat, we learned that Allison and Danny were safe, while Kris, Adam, and Matt were in danger. Weird! The judges seemed genuinely stunned. I think they were a little worried Adam could go home.

In the end, they had nothing to worry about, because Adam was, of course, safe (did anyone really think that guy would be out?), as was Kris. Thank goodness - I was way more worried about Kris, as he's really grown on me and I would be sad to see him go just yet. That left Matt, who's had his ups and downs and even a judges' save this season, so I'm not surprised it was his time to go. How sweet/sad was it that he had tears in his eyes? Poor guy. I think Matt has a really good shot at making an album lots of people will want to buy, though, so he'll be OK. Farewell, Matt!

A few more thoughts:

The slow motion made me laugh in the Ford pimpmercial.
The top five bakes a cake! That food fight was pretty epic. Danny was a little touchy feely with Allison, don't you think? I wonder if it's weird for these four guys to have kind of inherited a little teenage sister.
During the tense elimination part when Ryan was splitting the singers up into groups, Danny talked way too much. But now I'm curious: what performers do you think he's studying?
I don't think Jaimie Foxx's single, "Blame It," translates very well live. What do you guys think?

Shocked Adam was in the bottom? Or was it bound to happen? Are you sad to see Matt go?

Photos courtesy of Fox

American Idol Rundown: The Final Two Revealed

BuzzSugar — Thu, 15 May 2008 09:13:16 -0700

American Idol said goodbye to one of the final three on Wednesday which gives us our 2008 top two finalists. Of the three above, many could have predicted two of them would make it this far (ahem! Davids) and one has shocked many by fighting her way to the top. So was there an Idol upset? Or do the top two look the way many of us expected? To see some of my thoughts and discuss, just read more.

And Idol rolls along as expected with Syesha singing her final song of the competition. She was gracious and thankful for the experience. I can only imagine how proud she must feel to get this far - and she should be. No one really expected it and the girl pulled out some fight in the end to stay alive (though it was a little hammy sometimes).

"The math is very simple, but the reality is hard to swallow." This is how Ryan kicked off the "drama," aka the elimination business of the night. And from that eloquent introduction we traveled with the top three Idols to their respective hometowns. David Archuleta was full of "gosh!"s and all three shed some tears.

Here are some more of my thoughts:

Why do the producers of Idol insist on boring us with soft-rock hits? That opening group performance could not have been a more anti-climactic start to the final elimination show of the season.
David Archuleta's head in the pool of his Ford commercial dream sequence made me spit out my drink in laughter.
I loved that Fantasia busted onto the stage with a crazy amount of energy and some pretty funky moves. Her back-up dancers were fun too. Despite how you may feel about the song (and overall performance), there is no denying the girl's got charisma. Did anyone happen to catch the shot of Simon's face near the end? Priceless.
Those little girls screaming themselves blue in the face back in Utah gave us all a little glimpse into what's been fueling little David along in this competition. Well, that and talent. But the girls, they love this guy.
How cute were the brothers Cook on stage? That was nice of Ryan to bring David's brother up there. Also, upon viewing Cook's "Idol Journey" segment I've decided he definitely wins most improved in the image department. What do you think?

So Simon got his wish for a "humdinger" of a finale with a David vs. David match-up. Syesha was sad, of course, but she took it like a champ and probably knew it was practically inevitable. So what did you think? Excited for next week?

Photos courtesy of Fox

American Idol Elimination: The Top Three Revealed

BuzzSugar — Thu, 08 May 2008 05:30:03 -0700

American Idol cut its field to three on Wednesday, meaning one of the singers we've come to know and love – or, well, at least know - has reached the end of the competition. Which of the singers above bid Idol a fond farewell? To find out and talk about it, just read more.

Well, after a few lackluster weeks, and a night of forgotten lyrics, Jason Castro was dunzo on Wednesday - and it was probably no surprise. He'd said in an interview a week ago that he was ready to go home, and that seemed obvious in everything he did. I'm glad his fans sort of let him go, rather than voting in double the numbers they did on Tuesday; it seemed like the merciful thing to do. He didn't seem the least bit shocked, or even sad, which I think means it was the right call.

Idol basically removed any potential drama the night could have had by sending the two Davids to safety immediately. Yawn. Seacrest faking that he was going to reveal the winner at the 25-minute mark seemed exceptionally cruel this time around.

Some other thoughts on Wednesday's show:

Jason's video montage reminded me that we didn't see him at all during the auditions. Considering the lack of early exposure, it's pretty amazing that he got this far.
"Reeling in the Years"? Yeah, that's a way to show that this crop of Idol contestants can sell records in the modern climate. Yeesh.
Who made a more ridiculous bullfighter: Syesha or David Archuleta?
Tuesday's Idol performance show had astoundingly low ratings by the show's normal standards, and yet it was the highest vote total of the season - 21 million viewers vs. 51 million votes.
Archuleta has had nothing to overcome. Shocking! Also, maybe all the stoner comments would stop if Jason Castro would stop asking like such an obvious stoner. (That said, his "someone told me I shot the tambourine man" line was pretty good.)
The final four arriving in Vegas = the Beatles arriving in America? I . . . don't think so.
I'm not a big Maroon 5 fan, but Adam Levine kind of won me over with his personality. Didn't see that coming.

What did you think? Was it good to see Bo back again? Was Jason the right pick to go home? And is there any way Syesha can make the finale over one of the Davids?

Photos courtesy of Fox

American Idol Rundown: Who's in the Top Five?

BuzzSugar — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 05:30:46 -0700

There comes a point in every American Idol season when it begins to occur to me that America and I must not be watching the same show. And in this season, that point came Wednesday night. Anyone else feel like they were in bizarro world? To see who's safe for Neil Diamond week and who headed home, just read more.

There were weeks - like, say, last week - when I would have said it was no surprise had Carly gone home. But this week? After one of her best performances of the season, when she finally seemed to be relaxed and rocking and having fun? Carly obviously had a tough time connecting with voters; she was ending up in the bottom three when there were far, far worse singers still in the competition. But her personality was finally starting to show through, and she was looking cute and acting delightful. So why now, America?

In fact, everything that happened after the Davids were proclaimed safe made no sense to me. Syesha (whom I liked for the first time on Tuesday) and Brooke (of the False Start Heard 'Round the World) paired together - and Brooke's the one who was safe? And Carly's adorably up-tempo "Superstar" got trumped by Jason's warbling "Memory"? All of my predicted bottom three were safe, and the two performances I liked best landed in the bottom. Did this make anyone else feel a little out of sorts?

Carly seemed like such a wreck any time she'd ended up in the bottom earlier this season, but she handled her departure with class on Wednesday - and she should be proud of herself. At least she went out with a strong performance, and I honestly hope her second real crack at a music career works out better than the first.

Some other thoughts:

Does anyone else think Syesha has been trained to know exactly where the camera is at all times?
This week brought in 38 million votes, which I think is the highest total we've heard this season.
Some of the harmonies on the "All I Ask of You" group sing were awesomely bad. There were some notes that I don't know if any of the six of them could hit individually - and they were being asked to hit them together. Disaster!
Ryan called Brooke's false start the first time anyone had ever stopped and started in all of Idol history. Except that's a lie, cause Brooke did it a couple of weeks ago.
While the show was really mostly filler (why on earth are they still an hour long?), I actually enjoyed the chat with Andrew Lloyd Webber, especially when he called Jason's decision to sing "Memory" the "most curious song choice" of his career.
Why does Young David always get the most boring role in the Ford Pimpomercials?
Hey, that was President Bush's second appearance on TV this week! But it didn't do much to boost ratings for Deal or No Deal.
If that was your first time hearing or seeing Leona Lewis, did you think she lived up to the hype?
I totally crack up every time I see a scene from season one that has Dunkleman in it.
I think I prefer the sing-out ending to the awkward standing around that happened last night. Why diminish the last moment in the spotlight?

So, are any of the rest of you baffled by America at large? Can anyone take out the two Davids? And who's going to sing "Sweet Caroline" next week?

Photos courtesy of Fox

American Idol Rundown: Who Made the Top Seven?

BuzzSugar — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 05:30:33 -0700

Well, there were no charitable surprises on American Idol this year. Someone went home during Idol Gives Back week on Thursday, and the announcement literally made my jaw drop. Which of these eight folks couldn't get past the inspirational-song round? To find out and talk about it, just read more.

Michael Johns! Wow. You know, a couple of you pointed out that he was due for a bottom-three scare, and I also wasn't surprised to see him end up there - but out? Like out of the competition? And so soon? And wasn't it mean of Ryan to, just for a moment, pretend like he was going to let everyone stay in? Michael seemed truly stunned - as did his family, as did most of the audience. I didn't picture him staying all the way to the end, but past Syesha and Kristy Lee, for sure.

Speaking of Syesha, she too was in the bottom this week, along with Carly - nothing too remarkable there. It's interesting to note, though, that all of those three have had a hard time with song choice and/or with connecting with a particular fan base. Was it a personalty issue? Did Michael's hotness just stun everyone into complacency? How surprised were you?

As for the rest of the show, it was an hour filled mostly with leftovers that somehow didn't fit into Idol Gives Back. Here are some more of my thoughts:

So, Idol Gives Back has raised more than $60 million so far, despite the lower-than-expected viewing numbers and the lack of a pay-per-vote incentive. Not bad. I'm guessing the iTunes downloads helped a lot, especially that top-selling opening number.
How can you not love Forest Whitaker after his Africa videos? It's nice when the people in Hollywood who you thought would be good people turn out to actually be good people, you know?
Jordin Sparks is adorable. I'm really rooting for her to succeed, and "No Air" seems to be helping her more than "Tattoo" did.
I know we're at the point in the season that Ryan starts getting all tricky with the eliminations and the who's safe/who's out pattern and all that, but I still didn't expect the first five safe, last three in the bottom outcome.
Uggghhhhh, John McCain really made a Michigan and Florida delegate joke?
So, I kinda liked the "Stayin' Alive" goofy dancing montage. Of all the Idol Gives Back leftovers, that's the one I would have most liked to see on Wednesday, just to lighten the mood a wee bit.

Your thoughts on Thursday's show? Were you surprised by the elimination? And who's got some work to do?

Photos courtesy of Fox

American Idol Elimination: Down to Nine!

BuzzSugar — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 06:30:19 -0700

American Idol cut its field from 10 to nine on Wednesday, the first of that long stretch of eliminations between when the tour is set and the top three is chosen. Which singer won't be moving on? Was it the person you predicted? To talk about it, just read more.

Awww, Chikezie! Man. I can't claim to be surprised, of course, given that I predicted he'd be headed home. But I'm still a little bummed, because when he was his fun-loving, bluegrass-y, rollicking self (as opposed to his orange-suit-wearing, lounge-singer self), he was fantastic. Unfortunately, something kept pulling him down Lounge Singer Way, and that got him booted. I get a little annoyed when the judges harp on song choice, but I think contestants like Chikezie are the reason why they do it.

I was way off in the rest of my bottom three predictions, though: Joining Chikezie in the hot seats were Syesha and Jason Castro. In the case of Castro, I suspect it's just the same kind of scare Carly got last week. He was worried for about 17 seconds before Seacrest sent him back to safety; if he has even an OK week next time out, he should be fine. In the case of Syesha, though, I suppose I wasn't the only person who had the "huh, she's still on this show?" reaction when she started singing. That can't bode well for her future.

Some other thoughts on Wednesday's show:

Best group sing moment ever: Michael Johns and David Cook doing a little midair chest bump.
Huh: Seacrest claims that while the Idol songs aren't allowed to be on the iTunes chart (in case they'd bias the vote), they'd take up the top five positions if they were allowed. Of course, he won't say which five.
Who remembers Buzz's old electric blue pants? I'm pretty sure Brooke White does!
I should have known Carly was going to be safe; nothing rallies the fans like a bottom three scare. The way she attacked Brooke on the Safe Couches made me like her more.
Apparently being called the dark horse is a curse this year. I'm pretty sure that's what Simon said to Alaina just before she got kicked off, and then it landed Syesha in the bottom three.
Why was Kimberly Locke wearing a costume from some rags-to-riches Broadway musical?
Kristy Lee got one of her few moments out of the bottom three, and she didn't even get to enjoy it! Instead, she looked shell-shocked sending Jason over to face the wrath of Seacrest.

So, we're down to the nine who will be mentored by Dolly Parton next week. Who needs to step it up? Who's safe for a while? And what will David Cook do with country?

Photos courtesy of Fox

American Idol Elimination: Who's Headed Home Now?

BuzzSugar — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 09:30:08 -0700

Wednesday's American Idol finally brought out the first big prize of the season: the 10 spots up for grabs on the summer tour. As I said a while back, getting to the top 12 is nice and all - but finding out you'll have a job as a working singer for at least a few months must feel like such a dream come true.

So who's not heading out to stadiums with the Idol hopefuls this year? To find out and talk about it, just read more.

Amanda, Ms. Rock-n-Roll Nurse, was sent home Wednesday - a decision that probably wasn't terribly surprising, given how divisive she can be (witness: my feelings about her vs. Pop's!). She wasn't going to win. But I'm still bummed that she won't be on the tour, and I'm going to miss her on the show. She truly did bring something different to Idol: a voice and a persona that were highly unusual, especially on the female side. For those reasons, I would have preferred to see Kristy go; poor girl's got to know her days are numbered.

The night also brought what I think was the first real surprise of the season: Carly ending up in the bottom three, which neither Pop nor I (nor DialIdol, for that matter) saw coming. Seacrest slipped it in so quickly that I almost thought it was a joke. Do you think her fans just got complacent? Or is she not as loved as we've been led to believe?

Some other thoughts on the show:

So far in this season's finals, only one guy has been in the bottom three. Just thought that was interesting.
Three revelations from the group sing: First, the five guys' voices sounded surprisingly awesome blended together. Second, all 11 of them sounded pretty decent together, too. And finally, Amanda can carry a tune! Even if it was just for a second.
Michael Johns on his work in the Ford music video: "A Susan Lucci type of performance." Also, that behind-the-scenes segment went on forever, but I do love me some cheesy Ford videos.
"Simon said you looked a little smug last night. How do you react to that?" Smugly, that's how.
Simon has no ego? Ha. Ha. Hahahahahaha.
Best of the night: "We have time to get to second base right now." You know, every so often, Seacrest busts one out that actually makes me laugh.
Kellie Pickler: "A contestant who's grown in so many ways since she left us." Heh.

Did the right person go home? And who really needs to step it up next week?

Photos courtesy of Fox

American Idol Elimination: Down to 11!

BuzzSugar — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 06:30:00 -0700

It feels like our American Idol contestants just got to celebrate their status in the top 12, and already one of them is heading home. Whose Beatles song wasn't enough to push them foward into the next round? To find out who's missing from the picture above, just read more.

That would be David Hernandez who's sung his last song on the Idol stage. His "desperate"-sounding "I Saw Her Standing There" got him booted first from the finals on Wednesday night. Well, that's one way to get rid of a controversy. Farewell, David. I'll think of you next time I go to a "pizza bistro."

Some other thoughts on the show:

I had the right bottom three, but the wrong person going home. Nice one, Pop!
Just for the record: There were 29 million votes this week. I think last week went over 30 mil.
Because there were so many votes - or, at least that's the reason according to Seacrest - next week will feature yet more songs from Lennon/McCartney. That strikes me as a bad idea. At least spread it out!
First Ford ad! A politically themed spot set to "The Distance." Best moment: Chikezie holding the big sumo wrestler baby. Man, I love those things more than I should.
Um, nice Horton Hears a Who ad disguised as a "Contestants try to grapple with going Hollywood" video package.
Snap judgment: Was Jason Castro actually stoned while trying to answer the question from that 12-year-old?
I remember liking Katharine McPhee a lot more when she was actually competing on Idol. Good to know she's recording again, though, what with all that business about being dropped by her label.
How are we liking Reuben's farewell song?

Were you surprised at David's elimination? Still think Kristy should have gone? And how do you feel about a second round of Beatles tunes so soon?

Photos courtesy of Fox