BuzzSugar

"American Idol" Elimination: Later, LaKisha

BuzzSugar — Thu, 10 May 2007 09:15:30 PDT

In the end, the first person Simon predicted to win "American Idol" this season didn't end up making the final three. Early favorite LaKisha Jones got voted off this week after a few so-so performances. I don't think LaKisha ever quite matched the intensity of her performance in the first week, and a lack of versatility and an unwillingness to listen to the guest mentors might have hurt her in the end. She does have a powerful voice, though, and I wouldn't be surprised if she goes on to have a decent recording career. Plus, LaKisha, look on the bright side: You got to kiss Simon Cowell. OK, maybe that's not such a bright side.

But LaKisha's ouster might be second only to another big announcement: The "Idol" producers will be spinning off the show into a nationwide search for a band, which will follow the "Idol" format of televised auditions, live performances and phone-in votes. The show - currently called "The Search for the Next Great American Band," how inventive - is expected to debut in September. The producers will be the same, but Seacrest and the judges won't be making the trip over, so we can look forward to a whole new group of crazies. I've got to say, I'm not sure about this trend of shows launching spinoffs on the heels of their weakest seasons (you hear me, "Grey's Anatomy"?). What do you think? Meanwhile, to hear some of my other thoughts on Wednesday's results show,

Oh, Seacrest: "You can really tell we have an hour to fill tonight," he said, after an extended segment of making random folks on the street sing "Staying Alive."
Pink was wearing ... a spider? Blake, meanwhile wore a T-shirt meant to look like the front of a tuxedo, and Jordin wore some earrings the size of her head.
Finally, we got to learn a little bit about the "Idol" contestants personally! Doesn't it seem like the "meet the family" bits came earlier in the other seasons? Among the revelations: Three of the final four (all but Jordin) are only children; Melinda was a goody-goody in school while the other three were troublemakers; and little-kid Jordin looked exactly like teenage Jordin.
Pimpomercial: A "Hard Day's Night"-ish homage, set to "You Really Got Me," with the four remaining Idols running away from a throng of cheering children.
The group sings are a guilty pleasure of mine, but the Barry Gibb medley really did drag on, didn't it? The best part was Seacrest referring to the four of them as "The Lewis Sisters."
Barry Gibb's voice = nails on a chalkboard. Seriously, ow.
"The top three get to go home!" Seacrest gushed to the final four. Actually, Ryan, all four of them get to go home - just three of them will be followed by an "American Idol" crew the whole time.
Cuteness of the night: The contestants huddling together and refusing to face Seacrest when he (finally) got around to reading the results.
About 45 million votes came in this week, down from last week but well above the pre-"Idol Gives Back" average.

Fox

"American Idol": The Final Four Boogie, Bore Me

BuzzSugar — Wed, 09 May 2007 09:20:51 PDT

How many times have I said this "American Idol" season that things will get better once it really starts to matter? Because wow, was I wrong. It's down to the final four, and yet I'm still waiting for even one of these contestants to deliver a performance that really wows me. Is it sad that my most memorable moment of the season so far is still the Blake/Chris R/Chris S/some other dude boy band from Hollywood Week?

This week, we got eight uninspiring Bee Gees songs, coached by Barry Gibb, who looked every bit the aging hippie. The two most remarkable parts of the evening: 1) Seacrest gave us our first "Seacrest out!" of the season, and 2) I found myself agreeing with Paula on a number of occasions. Don't forget to vote on which contestant is going home, and to read my take,

read more Melinda Doolittle - First song: "Love You Inside Out." Melinda does the '70s disco thing so well, but she didn't really put any interesting spin on the song. It was pleasant to listen to but nothing special, and once again, she seemed old to me. Simon called it a backup singer's performance. Then there was some weird Simon vs Paula banter while poor Melinda stood on stage looking baffled. Second song: "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart." This performance started out slow, but it built into something big and impressive by the end. Her huge power notes alone should be enough to move her through till next week, I'd bet. Paula babbled something about Melinda needing to throw her technique away and surprise us, and I think there was a point hiding in there somewhere. Melinda's been consistently good, but she hasn't done anything crazy or risky yet, and I would love to see her really go for it next week.
Blake Lewis - First song: "You Should Be Dancing." What a weird performance. I thought Blake would be all over the Bee Gees' dance music, but the off-key falsetto and the beatboxing combined for something fairly awful. That was maybe the first time I haven't found a little something redeeming in one of Blake's performances. Randy didn't like the beatboxing; Paula didn't like the rest of it; Simon hated everything. Second song: "This is Where I Came In." You know, I appreciate Blake's commitment to making plaid sexy again, but it really just seemed like his sweater was missing a sleeve. I liked the first half of the song; then I realized it was just repeating the same couple of notes over and over again. Simon called it "tuneless," and I don't know the song well enough to know if that was Blake's fault or the song's. The highlight, though, was Blake's cute dancing, which just might give him enough votes to overcome the weak performances.
LaKisha Jones - First song: "Stayin' Alive." I don't know what happened over the past few weeks, but I've started to find her voice fairly unremarkable. Also, once again, LaKisha managed to totally blow off a mentor's advice (this time ignoring Barry Gibb's points about using falsetto on the chorus). Girl doesn't listen, does she? Paula thought the slowed-down tempo killed the audience's energy; Simon said the performance was "scary in parts," which I thought was overly harsh, but I didn't like it either. Second song: "Run to Me." Yawn. Better than her first performance, but there still wasn't anything grabbing me about it. Her voice really cracked on the last note, too, which I guess is what you get for shouting through your first song. Paula told her she's still a champ, while Simon said LaKisha and Blake seemed most vulnerable after their performances.
Jordin Sparks - First song: "To Love Somebody." Barry Gibb said that of all the hundreds of people who have done this song, he's never heard a better version than Jordin's. Wow, I bet there are a lot of professional singers above the age of 17 who were pretty offended by that, huh? She was back to form after last week, and even the show-offy, Mariah Carey-ish stuff she threw in toward the end of the song managed not to be too annoying. The judges and I all declared her the winner of round one. Second song: "A Woman in Love." I think Barbra Streisand tends to be on the list of "artists one should never imitate on 'American Idol,'" right alongside Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey - so I suppose I should give Jordin kudos for trying. She sounded so consistently off-key for a lot of the song that I actually wondered if it was intentional, but I'm still impressed with how much emotion she puts into every song she sings - she really goes for it every time.
Who should be in the bottom two: LaKisha and Blake Who will be in the bottom two: LaKisha and Jordin. Who's going home: LaKisha. Blake had a bad night, but I think his fans realize that and will have called and texted in force. That's why I put Jordin in my bottom two instead of him, and it's why I think LaKisha will be on her way home tonight. Photos courtesy of Fox

"American Idol": The Top Six Rock Me (Gently)

BuzzSugar — Wed, 02 May 2007 09:14:06 PDT

With no rockers left in this year's "American Idol" crew, I expected Bon Jovi night to be a bust - especially once I learned that everyone had to pick Bon Jovi songs, many of which have been ruined forever for me by too many nights of awful karaoke. Surprisingly, though, I thought this was one of the better all-around performance nights on "Idol" this season, even if the rocking was mostly mild. I don't forsee any of these kids having a sparkling alt-rock career, but it was fun to watch them try.

Two quick "Idol Gives Back" notes: The event has now raised $70 million, and George and Laura Bush popped in via pre-taped message to thank everyone for their generosity.

Now, onto the RAWK! Don't forget to cast your vote for which two singers are going home, and to hear my take on the night,

read more Phil Stacey: Phil said he was the kind of kid who sang "Blaze of Glory" into his comb in front of the mirror. Why he needed the comb in the first place remains an open question. He gave the song a little country twang for "Idol," which was a good call, and Randy and Paula both thought it was great. I didn't think it was Phil's best performance (though it was also far from his worst), and his consistent position near the bottom of the voting plus drawing the unlucky first performance spot on Tuesday might mean he's going home this week; I agree with Simon that he didn't do well enough to get another chance. Jordin Sparks (at right): Well, it had to happen sometime - Jordin was really not very good this week. It could be her age finally showing through, because she seemed like a little girl playing rocker dress-up, from the big Diana Ross hair with red streaks to her out-of-tune "Living on a Prayer" that did absolutely nothing to show off her voice. She got points with me, though, for admitting that she knew the performance hadn't been good and confessing that rock week was hard for her. Simon called her shrieky and accused her of oversinging, but I thought she actually should have done more with the song. LaKisha Jones: LaKisha picked "This Ain't a Love Song," which Jon Bon Jovi called a soul singer's rock song. I thought the first half was a snoozer, but in the final chorus she actually started strutting around the stage and showing some personality and really performing, which she hadn't done for a while. It made me remember why I liked LaKisha way back when. Simon told LaKisha he could kiss her after that performance, and then he ... did. On the lips. And then kept absently rubbing the bits of her lipstick off his lips. Nice. Blake Lewis (at left): Dude, Blake went brunette! Jon Bon Jovi was not sold on Blake's beatboxing rendition of "You Give Love a Bad Name," but I thought it was totally awesome. Sure, it was risky, and a lot of people might feel it's messing with a classic, but if you don't take risks with that song, you remind people of that time they had one too many mai tais at the karaoke bar, you know? At least his version sounded fresh and fun, and I'm glad he showcased his beatboxing after several weeks without it. Somewhat shockingly, the judges all praised him - even Simon, who said his willingness to take chances is what will bring him back next week. Chris Richardson: He was not at all amused by Seacrest introducing him as Justin Timberlake, was he? Then he totally flubbed his answer to one of those stupid audience questions. Dude, grow a sense of humor. Anyway, he seemed comfortable singing "Wanted Dead or Alive," and though his boy-band bouncy-dancing bugged me during the performance, he didn't sound so bad when I closed my eyes. The judges said vaguely nice but not enthusiastic things that essentially amounted to "too little, too late." Melinda Doolittle (at right): Her "I'm so not a rocker" speech was adorable, flubbed "rock on!" sign and all. Then she came out singing "Have a Nice Day" by strutting all over the stage, dancing with the guitarist, and, dare I say, totally rocking. It occurs to me that she's truly a student of music, altering her style and performance to each week's theme, but not in a fakey way. It was great to see her showing more attitude, too. Who should be in the bottom three: Based only on tonight, it should be Chris, Phil and Jordin Who will be in the bottom three: Based on both last week and this week, it will be Chris, Phil and LaKisha Who's going home: Chris and Phil (in, uh, a "Blaze of Glory")
Photos courtesy of Fox

"American Idol": The Top Six Try to Inspire

BuzzSugar — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 09:08:10 PDT

Tuesday's "American Idol" was one of the most earnest hours of television I've ever seen. From Seacrest's intonation - "This Is 'Idol Gives Back.'" - to the videos from Africa to the "songs of inspiration" theme, "Idol" went to great lengths to prove that "Idol Gives Back" is Very Important. How important? For what might be the first time, the performance show was taped in advance so producers could spend more time on Wednesday's benefit.

Really, though, it's tough to be snarky about "Idol Gives Back." I appreciate that "Idol" picked a charity that will help both in the U.S. and abroad, in inner cities and rural areas. And hey, maybe this will encourage people to seek out other organizations that could use their time or money.

But because I can't be nice for this whole recap (unlike the judges, who were unusually sweet on Tuesday), I've got to harp on a couple of things:

In one of the taped segments, Simon visited a food bank and discovered that - shock! - there are poor people in America! And there are kind-hearted volunteers who help feed them! Either he exaggerated his surprise, or he needs to get out more.
News Corp. is donating 10 cents per vote for the first 50 million votes. Now, $5 million is nothing to sneeze at, but I just wonder how that $5 million compares to their revenues from just one episode of "Idol."

Onto the performances. Don't forget to tell me who you think should go home, and you can get my take on the matter if you

read more Chris Richardson (at right): Chris sang "Change the World" that way he does, which is to say nasally and oddly high-pitched and boy-band-ish. We even got a little Backstreet Boys-style dancing breakdown about halfway through. The judges seemed pleased - Simon thought it was sexy, even - and I'm going to bet that if you generally like Chris, you probably liked this, and if you don't, you didn't. Melinda Doolittle: I didn't think her version of Faith Hill's "There Will Come a Day" was her most compelling performance, but I could also imagine it being on the soundtrack at a Starbucks right now, and I mean that as a compliment. Honestly, now that she's looking better and more comfortable with herself, I'm not sure anyone (including Jordin, this year's dark horse) can beat her. Blake Lewis: Blake rocked the popped collar - well, as much as a popped collar can be rocked - while singing John Lennon's "Imagine." Not gonna lie, I thought the performance dragged on a bit, but that's what "Imagine" does, and it was cool to see him try a straightforward take on a classic. It's maybe the most pure singing we've heard him do, and it wasn't bad. LaKisha Jones (at left): OK, this is LaKisha's third time singing a song made famous by another "Idol" contestant: "And I Am Telling You" (Jennifer Hudson), "Jesus Take the Wheel" (Carrie Underwood) and now "I Believe" (Fantasia). Hey Keesh? Put the iPod on shuffle next time; we're tired of the "Idol" songbook. I've got to admit, LaKisha's worn out her welcome with me, and I wouldn't be surprised if she's the one going home tonight. Phil Stacey: Phil (who's now being backed by Vote for the Worst, if you hadn't heard) went country again this week, singing Garth Brooks' "The Change." I'd started to come around to Phil after last week, but this performance reminded me of all the things I don't like about him (wobbly notes on verses, awkward stage presence). It also felt like it was about 20 minutes long. The judges must have been listening to someone else, though, because they said it was his best outing on the show. Simon even said he had a "spring in his step." Jordin Sparks (at right): As we've seen several times already, Jordin's quite the crier, so I'm going to blame her emotions for all those wobbly, super-quiet notes at the beginning. By the chorus, though, she was on. I hate to keep hammering on the "she's 17!" thing, but ... dudes, she's 17, and she's miles more mature than the other "Idol" teens of the past (Diana DeGarmo and Paris Bennett come to mind). I wouldn't say this was one of the best "Idol" performances ever, like Randy did, but it was pretty great. Who should be in the bottom three: Chris, LaKisha and Phil Who will be in the bottom three: It's hard to say - will the Idol Gives Back incentive incite more people to vote? and will they spread their votes around or pick favorites? But I'm actually going to go with Chris, LaKisha and Phil Who's going home: I have a pet theory that nobody's going home; it would spoil the charitable mood. But if someone does, I'm guessing it will be LaKisha. Her support seems to be waning (only our national frustration with Sanjaya saved her last week) and her "Idol" copycat behavior might doom her this time. Photos courtesy of Fox

"American Idol" Elimination: See Ya, Sanjaya!

BuzzSugar — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 09:06:09 PDT

Y'all, what are we going to talk about now?

Sanjaya - he of the ponyhawk, the creepy smile and the possible deal with the devil - ended his "American Idol" reign of terror on Wednesday after giving one of the only truly boring performances of his "Idol" career. No, I'm not kidding. That sound you heard was America gasping, then cheering. His tears at the end were oddly reassuring; I think he really did want to win and wasn't just treating the whole thing as a joke. He also gets points for changing the chorus of his farewell song to: "Let's give 'em something to talk about - other than hair."

Now I suppose the biggest question is which contestant Vote for the Worst will pick next.

Joining Sanjaya in the bottom three were LaKisha and Blake, each I believe making their first appearance there. I'm not too worried about Blake yet; he has devoted fans, and I believe they'll turn out even more in force next week. But I do sense the tide turning against LaKisha somewhat - especially since Jordin stepped it up - and she's certainly not a lock for the final anymore. For the rest of my thoughts on the show - including a possible resolution to EyeRollGate -

Seacrest asked Simon to explain his side of EyeRollGate, and he repeated basically what the producers said earlier Wednesday: "I may not be the nicest person in the world but I would never, ever, ever disrespect those families or those victims." They also played back a cut of the judges' table that showed Simon indeed talking to Paula about the "nasally" comment all through Chris' Virgina Tech shoutout. Here's my feeling: 1) I do believe Chris was sincere in what he said, 2) I think it looked bad because he said it only after getting slammed by the judges and sniping at Simon, and 3) no matter how mean Simon has been, I truly don't think he would roll his eyes at a tragic shooting.
Seacrest's intro was almost exactly the same as last week, complete with pregnant pause and meaningful glance at Sanjaya.
What, exactly, was that thing on Randy's head?
The "Idol" challenge hit a new low tonight: The question was about this season's finalists, and one who got voted off just a couple of weeks ago at that.
In one of the better segments of the hour-long results show, Seacrest asked the Idols what they listened to this week. If you were wondering, Melinda's been "getting my Jesus on," while Sanjaya listened to country, Blake to Incubus, Jordin to Fergie, Chris to Jason Mraz (and, at least a little jokingly, Herman's Hermits), Phil to Willie Nelson, and LaKisha to Yolanda Adams.
My boyfriend, upon Fergie taking the stage: "She's gonna wet her pants!" Also, that girl who got called on stage during her performance apparently forgot to take her dose of Ashley Ferl Crying Powder; she just looked stoic.
The Pimpomercial was heist-themed and set to "I Ran" with some cool black-and-white special effects. Meanwhile, the group sing might have actually been one of my favorite group sings ever; I'm aware that this kills my street cred, but I'd download it.
For the elimination, Seacrest did the divide-into-two-groups trick, with Sanjaya, LaKisha and Blake on one side and Chris, Phil and Jordin on the other. Melinda was the "lucky" one to get to choose between the two, and she elected to just sit down in the middle of the stage - totally appropriate for her.
Anyone catch Seacrest saying after his chat with Antonio Banderas that they were short on time? Yeah, that two-minute-results-show-with-58-minutes-of-padding totally isn't long enough.
Martina McBride's performance of "Anyway" was simple and straightforward, quite a contrast to J. Lo's flashy outing. Her little girl appeared on stage with her and told Seacrest he thought all the singers were good, to which Seacrest responded: "Thanks, Paula."
Ratings be damned: 38 million votes were cast this week, the highest ever for a Top 7 week.
Next week: A little thing we like to call Idol Gives Back. Apparently, two superstars will be singing an improbable duet together. Who's it going to be?

Photos courtesy of Fox

"American Idol": Not Much Twang in Country Night

BuzzSugar — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 09:31:35 PDT

Country night is typically one of my least-favorite "American Idol" theme nights. It's not that I don't like country music - I just don't like bad country music, and amateur singers butchering the songs by attempting maximum twang certainly qualifies as bad country.

At the same time, it's always been a little awesome to watch, just because the potential for disaster is so high. So I couldn't help but be disappointed by Tuesday night's mostly boring performances. Nobody came out in a 10-gallon hat. Nobody tried Shania Twain. And the singers who wouldn't be good at singing country got around the rule by singing the least-country arrangements they could find.

Martina McBride - who amazed me with her ability to look both 25 and 55 over the course of that opening montage - proved herself an intelligent mentor, but the show itself was a little odd, with several awkward mentions of the tragedy at Virgina Tech. I suppose if there's any time for overwrought emotions, it's country night, though. And reality TV must soldier on. Don't forget to vote on the singer you think is heading home, and to see what I thought of the performances,

read more Phil Stacey (at left): I did not have Phil pegged as a country singer - in fact, I increasingly wasn't pegging him as a singer at all - but he sounded awesome on "Where the Blacktop Ends." He also took Martina's advice and loosened up, showing more personality in this one performance than in all his other final-round outings put together. The judges were fans, but I don't know how they formed their opinions, given that Paula and Simon were apparently playing "who's got your nose?" while he sang. Seriously, anyone else see that? Jordin Sparks: I was worried Jordin was becoming forgettable: Before Tuesday's show, I was trying to name the Idols off the top of my head, and her name was the last I remembered. I have a feeling her "Broken Wing" performance will change that. She sounded so awesome, she even made herself cry. She was also wearing what appeared to be a duct-tape dress, but I'll let that go under the circumstances. Simon said he can see Jordin winning "Idol." Sanjaya Malakar: I had my fingers crossed for a cowboy hat and chaps, but I just got a red bandanna. He sang "Something to Talk About," and it was weird, because maybe for the first time, he didn't really give us much to talk about. No weird hair, no faux-Sinatra, no bilingual choruses - just lots of dull, bad singing. Maybe his lack of freakiness will finally spell the end for him? Hey, a girl can hope. LaKisha Jones (at right): I am way biased here, because I hate "Jesus Take the Wheel" with a deep and all-consuming passion, but I seriously despised this performance. I will limit my "Jesus should have taken the wheel there" jokes to one and just say that I think she lost the song completely on the chorus. It didn't help that the styling department let her down bigtime (bad hair! big gold boots!). The judges were harsh, but I think accurately so. Chris Richardson: Martina McBride called Chris "versatile," which made me question her taste severely, because I didn't realize "versatile" meant "everything sounds the same." Timberfake is bringing monotone back. Usually he can perform his way out of a bad song, but he seemed totally bored on Tuesday. Minus five points for sniping back to Simon that "nasally is a form of singing - I don't know if you knew that." Minus a million points for mentioning Virgina Tech - no matter how honest a sentiment, it comes off like a dig for votes.
Melinda Doolittle (at left): I'm against fake hair generally, but extensions were a good choice for her - she looks at least five years younger, and her neck issue (shall we say, neckless issue?) is less apparent. Her "Trouble is a Woman" sounded more soul than country, but that's such a blurry line anyway, and when Simon compares you to Tina Turner, you must be doing something right. This week I finally started believing that she'd be a great "Idol" winner - and I loved Simon telling her to ditch the humility. Blake Lewis: He covered a Tim McGraw song, but it wasn't very country-sounding. Not that that's a bad thing, necessarily. The trouble is that it sounded a lot like his Keane song from earlier in the competition, and like a lot of his other performances, and I'm getting worried that we're losing what made him Blake to begin with. Meanwhile, Simon picked Blake's critique to give his own Virgina Tech shoutout, which was just awkward. Who's safe: Jordin and Melinda. After that, anything's possible, though - and I never thought I'd say this - I hope Phil makes it through this time. Who should be in the bottom three: Sanjaya, LaKisha and Chris Who will be in the bottom three: LaKisha, Phil and Chris Who's going home: Chris Photos courtesy of Fox

"American Idol" Top 10: Rockin' With Gwen Stefani

BuzzSugar — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 09:42:03 PDT

You'll never hear me say this again, but I actually wish "American Idol" had been a little longer last night. Gwen Stefani dropped by to get the crew to sing songs by No Doubt and artists who had inspired her, and she seemed like a great guest coach. Unfortunately, since they were powering to get through 10 performances (plus banter) in 67 minutes, we didn't get to hear much of Gwen working with the singers. It would have been cool to see more of that, a la Peter and Lulu from last week.

Most of the performances seemed a little lackluster, though, which made way for Sanjaya's hair to make a big splash yet again. Seriously, there's no stopping him, is there? To see what I thought of the singers, and my prediction for who's going home,

read more
LaKisha Jones (at left): First of all, she looked awesome. Second, it was nice to hear her do something upbeat and come out of her shell a little bit. Her "Last Dance" was fun, and the judges loved it. Man, it's rough to start with someone I can't make fun of. Chris Sligh: Gwen picked on his troubles keeping up the tempo of "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic" in the rehearsal, and the problem definitely carried over into the live performance. I love his personality, but all his high notes sounded yelpy. Simon just called it a mess. Gina Glocksen: Don't you get the feeling that Gina sat in her room singing Pretenders songs through her teenage years? I thought she totally rocked "I'll Stand By You," so I've got to pick on that metallic rubber band she was wearing. I assume she stayed by the microphone the whole time because she couldn't move without showing us things we didn't need to see. Sanjaya Malakar (at right): This was a joke, right? His hair - oh, his hair - was up in a kind of mohawk-y thing make up of a lot of little ponytails along the top of his head, and then he kept flopping his head to make it sway. He tried No Doubt's "Bathwater" and didn't sound gut-wrenchingly terrible, but I cannot possibly sanction anything the kid does at this point. Haley Scarnato: I thought "True Colors" was the kind of soft, sweet song she would actually have a fighting chance of doing well, and at least it wasn't cringe-inducing. The judges weren't thrilled, though, and Simon went back to calling her forgettable - presumably because she didn't shake her boobs in his face this week. Phil Stacey: Phil picked "Every Breath You Take," which instantly made me think of him as a creepy bald stalker. Way to go, Phil. But this performance made me remember what's good about him, because it was right in his range. Again: Don't sing verses, Phil, just choruses. Melinda Doolittle (at left): Melinda, honey, can you pick a song from this generation just once? I'm being picky, because I think she has the best voice and stage presence in this competition by far, and she did the disco queen thing well on Tuesday, but I'm afraid she's making herself seem too old to be an "Idol." Blake Lewis: I got nervous about him doing a Cure song, but it was nice to hear him try something slow and simple (even though I'm not sure he got all the notes). He also toned down the fauxhawk, probably because he knew it couldn't compete with Sanjaya's. I'm surprised that the judges chose to criticize him for being boring, because I think it was the most out-of-character song he's done. Jordin Sparks: I don't think there's anything she can't sing. (I typed that before Randy said it, I swear!) So far we've heard her do goopy Disney songs, Pat Benatar, and now No Doubt. I'm not sure I know who she is as a performer, but hey, she's 17. Chris Richardson: Are there only two notes in "Don't Speak"? Because I think he sang the same two notes for most of the song. He just doesn't do anything for me. Paula and Randy liked his performance, but I side with Simon, who said it wasn't great. Who's safe: LaKisha, Melinda, Blake, and Phil Who should be in the bottom three: Chris S., Chris R., and Sanjaya Who will be in the bottom three: Chris S., Haley, and someone totally surprising like Gina or Jordin. Chris R. had a scare last week, so his fans will be out in force, and Sanjaya's not going anywhere for a while. Who's going home: It's a dead heat between Chris S. and Haley for me, so I flipped a coin, and the coin said Haley. Photos courtesy of Fox

TV Tonight: Gwen Stefani on "American Idol"

BuzzSugar — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 00:01:29 PDT

It's Gwen Stefani night on "American Idol" - but that doesn't mean we'll be suffering through renditions of "Hollaback Girl" and "Underneath It All" (though the idea of Sanjaya singing "Underneath It All" makes me giggle). Word is that the 10 remaining contestants will be performing songs by artists who have inspired Stefani. Some have speculated that the theme will bring lots of ska and new wave, but given that Stephanie said she would have done a song by Cyndi Lauper, Prince, or Donna Summer if she hadn't been voted off, it sounds like a broad selection.

Also, I hope someone lets LaKisha up front the next time the "Idol" contestants gather in a group. Look at the poor girl straining to see Gwen Stefani in that picture. Everyone else looks delighted; LaKisha looks like she's about to say "Hey, guys, I can't see!" Plus, who knew Sanjaya was so tall?

Remember, "Idol" is running seven minutes long tonight, so set your TiVo accordingly.

Photo courtesy of Fox

TV Tonight: Diana Ross on "American Idol"

BuzzSugar — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 11:20:51 PDT

When I heard Diana Ross would be a guest coach on "American Idol," I figured her turn would come much later in the season. No way they'd unleash her on a full dozen fragile "Idol" hopefuls, right?

Wrong. The diva to end all divas coached the contestants this week, and tonight, we'll get to hear two hours worth of the results. Now, I admit I'm honestly curious to hear Ross's advice for LaKisha, Melinda, Stephanie, Jordin, and even Gina, the big-voiced belters left in the contest. But Diana Ross coaching Sanjaya? Anybody else have a feeling he's going to be the one singing "Stop In the Name of Love?" This is gonna be rich.

Photo courtesy of Fox

Snap Judgment: The "American Idol" Girls

BuzzSugar — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 09:22:07 PST

Is there any chance there will be a male "American Idol" winner this year? (OK, besides maybe Blake?) The girls are just a thousand times more exciting to watch than the guys, and even though not every performance was a winner on Wednesday, at least they were lively.

I think tonight's elimination might have an unpleasant surprise, though - Antonella doesn't seem to be going anywhere, and that means another more-deserving singer will be sent home in her place. If you think you know who's gone, fill out this ballot, and to see who I think is out,

read more Jordin Sparks (at right): The only reason I know she's 17 is that nobody older could possibly have that much energy. Her version of Pat Benatar's "Heartbreaker" was crazy fun, even though the backup singers overpowered her chorus. And wow, she is so much taller than Seacrest - who was sporting an ill-advised turtleneck-and-sport-coat combo. Sabrina Sloan: Maybe an "American Idol" recap isn't the best place for me to admit I'm basically tone-deaf, but I thought her performance was a little shrieky. Even a not-great song from her should be good enough for the top 12, though. And she could teach some of the other girls a lesson in being sexy without being skanky. Antonella Barba: Poor Antonella said in her video introduction that she hasn't had time to practice her violin since starting college. I guess she's too busy getting naked for incriminating photos (allegedly). It pains me to admit that this was her best performance out of her three on "Idol," but she's still so out of her league. Haley Scarnato (at left): What was this song? Anyone? She's pleasant to watch, but her voice just never sounds strong. Randy wins the award for most bizarre critique by telling her she has no "yo," and her utter plainness probably spells the end of her "Idol" run. Stephanie Edwards: I haven't liked her quite as much since the first week, but I always look forward to her performances. She seems to pick songs with tricky rhythms that are tough to sing, which doesn't do her any favors, but the judges agree she should be in the top 12. LaKisha Jones: Well, I suppose it was only a matter of time before she broke my No Whitney rule. She's one of the only contestants with a good enough voice to pull it off, though. I think the judges painted themselves into a corner by anointing her the next Idol during the first week, but she shouldn't have any trouble making the top 12. Gina Glocksen (at right): She may be the most divisive contestant this year, a total love-her-or-hate-her singer. I love her, mostly because it's fun to watch an "Idol" contestant rock out, even when she picks an Evanescence song - why isn't she doing Pat Benatar, huh? She didn't sound her best on Wednesday, but I hope she makes it through. She has, shall we say, "yo." Melinda Doolittle: Have I mentioned that I love her? She has so much presence and the voice to back it up. I didn't know the song she sang, but I have it stuck in my head now, which must mean something. It would be good to hear her try something more modern one of these weeks, though; all of her songs have had a very classy - but very old - feeling. Who should go: Haley and Antonella Who will go: Haley, for sure. As for the other elimination, I have a bad feeling that we're not done with Antonella yet, and Gina, Stephanie or Sabrina could be the sacrifice. If forced to pick, I'd say Stephanie's gone ... and then I'd go sob into my pillow for a while. Photos courtesy of Fox