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American Idol Rundown: The Top 12 Girls

BuzzSugar — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 09:34:01 PST

Maybe it was all the hype about this being the best Top 24 ever. Maybe it was all the promises about things being different this year. But after watching the first two performance nights of this season's American Idol, I'm awfully let down. Maybe there's still some great talent hidden away in there - and it is possible, if the voters do the right thing in these early rounds, that we'll end up with a strong Top 12. It's just that after the boys failed to wow me on Tuesday, I wanted something more from the girls on Wednesday, and I didn't get it.

There were some good performances tucked away in there, though, among all the disappointments. Speaking of disappointments: With all the hype about Carly Smithson's former career (which might have even included working with Randy Jackson), why did Idol decide to give her the prime spot at the end of the night last night? You'd think they'd be a little more careful about how that might look.

Don't forget to vote for which girls are going home, and to see my take on the night's performances, just

Kristy Lee Cook - First of all, she's been really styled up since her audition. She looks good! Her rendition of "Rescue Me" was very cutesy, though, with a lot of twitching and winking and playing to the camera. It also wasn't a song that required much from her voice, and she seemed to only give it the minimum. I know she was sick, but she still hasn't wowed me since her audition. Randy said it wasn't great, Paula said part of being a performer is making sure to never show how you really feel, and Simon said there wasn't much to remember her by.

Joanne Borgella - I was looking forward to hear her take on "Say a Little Prayer," even though it seems like a song for a soul singer (which is exactly what she said in her interview package that she's not). Parts of it were OK, but it was hard to hear her on the quieter and lower parts, and her voice didn't have much richness to it. Randy said she seemed nervous, Paula seemed to agree, and Simon thought the beginning was OK but hated the end. Of course, Randy hated the beginning and loved the end, so thats not much for poor Joanne to go on.

Alaina Whitaker - I didn't remember her from the early rounds, and she seemed very young talking to Seacrest, so I was worried about her taking the stage. I didn't need to be. Her rendition of "I Love You More Today than Yesterday" - a holdover from guys' night; are there only 20 songs from the '60s? - was energetic and fun, and she can really belt it out more than I was expecting. The judges just seemed happy to see someone look alive up there, with Simon ragging on the song but saying if she can make an awful song good, she'll be great with better material.

Amanda Overmyer - Amanda's not going to be everyone's cup of tea, but I really like her, and I'm glad she took a risk on this first night. Her song was a little weird, with a lot of muttering and scatting, but I don't think that was her fault, and she seems really committed to her rock-ness (ahem, Robbie Carrico). Randy liked her bluesy rock voice, Paula called her the real deal, and Simon thought it was all over the place but praised her anyway. Also, her talking about her awkward dancing in the Top 24 video made me a fan for life.

Amy Davis - Ohhh no. At the risk of sounding like Paula, Amy is a gorgeous girl, and she had this cool swoopy hair thing going on, and I'm sure she's very nice, but this song hurt my ears. She always seemed just a little off the note, either too high or too low, and it seemed to go on for five minutes. Randy called her on the pitchiness, Paula babbled about her looks, and Simon said it was dull and cabaret.

Brooke White - Quick poll: Is Brooke's good-girl attitude cute or grating? I'm leaning cute so far, but I could see myself shifting to the other side. Her "Happy Together" was way peppy, with a cool twangy thing to her her voice; I just wish she'd moved around and really tried to sell it rather than staying put at the mic. Randy said she made him like it by the end, Paula said she knows Brooke is an original, and Simon praised her but said he doesn't want her to be so nicey-nice the whole time.

Alexandrea Lushington - So, OK. I'm of two minds on this one. On the one hand, after seeing so many nervous singers, I'm glad Alexandrea decided to really go all-out with her performance, from outfit to intro to strutting around the stage. On the other hand, I kind of wish she'd just been a little more still, because her voice is definitely unpolished and I'm not sure she was concentrating on the singing. Randy loved it, though, and Paula was glad Alexandrea thought out how to present the song. Simon came down hard, though, saying it reminded him of a bad '60s musical.

Kady Malloy - Impersonation girl! She started in a chair, because nobody's listening to me when I say that's the ultimate Idol red flag. Just don't sit down, OK? It's always bad news. She actually started out fine, but about halfway through the song seemed to go very, very wrong and pitchy and warbly and weird. Randy said it seemed like she lost concentration, Paula said she's still looking for Kady's real personality, and Simon said it's weird that Kady has so much energy impersonating others but the only thing that could impersonate her was "a pencil." Oof.

Asia'h Epperson - Can we talk about her high, high hair in the interview package? OK. She toned it down on stage, though, and I really liked her energy on "Take Another Little Piece of my Heart." Her voice isn't what I expect to come out of her, but it's very husky and deep and cool and made "heart" sound like "art." Randy was impressed that she did her thing with the song, Paula was into it, and Simon was glad to see her let go and called it his favorite of the night.

Ramiele Malubay - I wish I'd recognized this song sooner, because I spent the first half just trying to figure out what she was singing. She seemed competent enough on the verse, though, and by the time the chorus kicked in, she was definitely on. I get the whole "big big voice in teeny teeny body" thing, and it's going to get old, but I bet she'll be safe for a good long while. Randy love-loved the way she held back at first before the power notes, Paula called her a force to be reckoned with, and Simon said she outsang everyone else on stage.

Syesha Mercado - I initially had a theory that either Syesha or Asia'h, but not both, would make it to the Top 12. Now I'm starting to think there's room for both. I still think Syesha gets screechy on the power notes, but "Tobacco Road" as interesting and even got Paula drumming at the end. Randy said it wasn't his favorite but was still good, Paula applauded her for being consistent, and Simon called her one of the most talented in the competition.

Carly Smithson - As I mentioned, she got the pimp spot, and it seems like a bad idea, because what a letdown. She seemed like a lounge singer (or, worse, a hotel bar singer), and she seemed to be missing some of the bigger notes (but I've thought that about her the whole time, and the judges haven't said anything about it, so maybe I'm wrong). Randy called it "the best vocal of the Top 24," which is enough to make even a non-conspiracy theorist into one; Paula also said everything was perfect. Thankfully, Simon said he didn't get it and was let down.

My favorites: Alaina, Amanda, Asia'h, Syesha

In trouble: Kristy Lee, Joanne, Kady, Amy

Going home: Joanne, Amy

Photos courtesy of Fox

Link Time - Married Life After an Affair

Annie Scudder — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:05:55 PDT

How to stay married after an affair - HuffPost Wedding
7 essentials for the ultimate girls' night in - CollegeCandy
12 Facebook friends who are fun to stalk - The Frisky
Jennifer Love Hewitt gets vajazzled for special occasions - YourTango
Tyra Banks's open letter to models - The Daily Beast
The top OMG moments from Gossip Girl's season finale - BuzzSugar
31 percent of people lie to their partners about their finances - The Jane Dough
There's a one in three chance you sleepwalk - Newser
Weird sex in Snooki's new book - Yahoo! Shine
Questionable celebrity portraits - theBERRY
Why weddings can be hard for single people - Betty Confidential

Link Time - How Warmer Weather Heats Up Your Sex Life

Tara Block — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 12:58:00 PDT

Top 10 ways that warm weather is good for your sex life - Em & Lo
What it's like watching Titanic at 26 vs. 12 - Huffington Post
Why journalism suffers when morning shows seek salvation with celebrity - The Daily Beast
Lena Dunham addresses Lee Aronsohn's "labia saturation point" comments - The Frisky
What your American Girl says about you - College Candy
Learn about pheromone parties and the trend of dating by smell - YourTango
Check out Sofia Vergara in her Hunger Games skit on SNL - BuzzSugar
Study finds economic inequality linked to rise in teen pregnancy rates - The Jane Dough
On- and offscreen celebrity couples - theBERRY
A jealous hubby kills a man over Facebook flirting - Newser

The Hunger Games: A Satisfying Adaptation and a Stunning Movie

Shannon Vestal — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 14:20:28 PDT

If you've been holding your breath about The Hunger Games, it's time to let it out, because the movie fulfills any and all hopes you could have. Not only is the adaptation loyal to its cherished source material, as a film, it's simply incredible.

Based on Suzanne Collins's novel, The Hunger Games portrays a dystopian future in which what's presumed to be North America has been broken up into 12 districts surrounding an ultra-rich, powerful Capitol. To remind the districts of their subordination, the Capitol holds an annual event in which one teen girl and boy (known as tributes) from each district are forced to fight to the death (until only one remains) as a televised show. At the center of all this is Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), a 16-year-old from one of the poorest districts, who volunteers to participate in the place of her younger sister, Prim. The movie follows Katniss from her hardscrabble life at home with her family and best friend Gale (Liam Hemsworth) to the flamboyant excess of the Capitol and into the action-packed arena as she does everything she can to survive. The story is already well-known to legions of readers, and director Gary Ross brings Collins's novel to life as a visual treat, with an emotional punch as strong as the film's heroine.

To find out why I thought The Hunger Games is so fantastic, just keep reading.

What to TiVo: Monday

BuzzSugar — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 23:59:00 PDT

8:00 Dancing With the Stars (new, season premiere)
10:00 Castle (new)
11:35 Nightline (new)
12:00 Jimmy Kimmel Live (new, with guests Jessica Simpson and Gael Garcia Bernal)

8:00 How I Met Your Mother (new)
8:30 2 Broke Girls (new)
9:00 Two and a Half Men (new)
9:30 Mike & Molly (new)
10:00 Hawaii Five-0 (new)
11:35 Late Show With David Letterman (new, with guest Michelle Obama)
12:37 The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson (new, with guest Anne Rice)

8:00 House (new)
9:00 Alcatraz (new)

8:00 The Voice (new)
10:00 Smash (new)
11:35 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, new with guests Jamie Lee Curtis and Armie Hammer
12:35 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon (new, with guests January Jones and Jeffrey Tambor

8:00 America's Next Top Model: British Invasion (repeat)
9:00 Hart of Dixie (repeat)

What to TiVo: Monday

BuzzSugar — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 23:59:00 PDT

8:00 The Bachelor (new, season finale)
10:00 The Bachelor: After the Final Rose (new)
12:00 Jimmy Kimmel Live (new, with guests Dr. Phil McGraw and The Bachelor runner-up)

8:00 How I Met Your Mother (repeat)
8:30 2 Broke Girls (repeat)
9:00 Two and a Half Men (repeat)
9:30 Mike & Molly (repeat)
10:00 Hawaii Five-0 (repeat)
11:35 Late Show With David Letterman (new, with guests Will Ferrell and Jon Bernthal)
12:37 The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson (new, with guests Leslie Bibb and David Milch)

8:00 House (repeat)
9:00 Alcatraz (new)

8:00 The Voice (new)
10:00 Smash (new)
11:35 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno (new, with guests Jessica Simpson and Adam Carolla)
12:35 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon (repeat, with guests Joan Rivers and Stacy Keibler)

8:00 America's Next Top Model: British Invasion (repeat)
9:00 Hart of Dixie (repeat)

Hwae Dup Bap (Korean Sashimi Salad)

OnSugar Blog — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 13:26:00 PST

As a self-professed experienced eater, Yoo Eatz tells us the story of her introduction to Korean food, and, boy, does it sound delicious.

By the time I entered college, I thought of myself as a rather experienced eater. Born and raised in a multicultural family in the San Francisco Bay Area, I had been exposed to all sorts of foods from the get-go and was rarely fazed by anything "weird" (Chicken feet? Sure. Alligator tail? No problem. Crab innards? Give it to me over rice.) And my young adult self was certain that there was no cuisine I had yet to conquer.

Then I met the guy who is now my husband, and he proceeded to rock my world with the marvels of Korean food. Yeah, I had experienced plenty of barbecue and jjigaes (stews) by then, but one night he took me to a Korean-owned sushi joint tucked away in a tiny Oakland strip mall, and he ordered us two heaping bowls of hwae dup bap that seriously changed my life.

According to my loose understanding of the Korean language, hwae dup bap translates to raw fish over rice, and while it lacks the orchestrated beauty of Japanese chirashi, you can think of it as chirashi's untamed cousin. Everyone has their own version of this dish (my husband remembers his mom making a simple version with just sashimi and rice for church picnics), but the general equation is as follows (from the bottom up): sushi rice, greens, chopped raw fish, fish roe, and a quail egg, drizzled with sesame oil and a vinegary gochujang sauce. It's refreshing, light, but incredibly filling, and it will change the way you think about sashimi. The Japanese girl in me still enjoy a slice of toro delicately dabbed in shoyu and fresh wasabi, but my newfound Korean side absolutely melts for hwae dup bap.

I based this recipe on our spot in the East Bay which included seaweed salad to round out its from-the-sea flavor. If you have access to good quality sashimi and an Asian grocery store, then you'll have all the ingredients you need for this explosive dish.

For the recipe, read on.

What to TiVo: Monday

BuzzSugar — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 23:59:00 PST

8:00 The Bachelor: The Women Tell All (new)
10:00 Castle (repeat)
12:00 Jimmy Kimmel Live

8:00 How I Met Your Mother (repeat)
8:30 2 Broke Girls (repeat)
9:00 Two and a Half Men (repeat)
9:30 Mike & Molly (repeat)
10:00 Hawaii Five-0 (repeat)
11:35 Late Show With David Letterman (repeat, with guest Woody Harrelson)
12:37 The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson

8:00 Alcatraz (new)

8:00 The Voice (new)
10:00 Smash (new)
11:35 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno (repeat, with guests Michelle Obama and Mark Harmon)
12:35 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon (repeat, with guest Donald Trump)

8:00 America's Next Top Model: British Invasion (repeat)
9:00 Hart of Dixie (repeat)

Meet the American Idol Season 11 Semifinalists!

Shannon Vestal — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 09:17:21 PST

The American Idol judges have selected their top 24 for season 11 - but there's a catch. While it's usually 12 girls and 12 guys, this year the judges decided to put through 13 guys, but they didn't narrow it down to 13 just yet, so there are four extra "second chance" contestants in the mix. Get to know them and the semifinalists with this slideshow - and get a preview of who you'll be rooting for later in the season.

Photos courtesy of Fox

From the Fit Community: Get Ready For Spring With These Tennis Whites

Fit Community — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 02:11:21 PST

Tennis, anyone? With OnSugar Blogger girl meets fit's suggestions, you'll be the most stylish girl on the courts. Check out her picks for must-have tennis gear.

Clockwise from top left: Nike Woven Jacket ($84); Nike Feather Light Visor ($20); Prince O3 Hybrid Spectrum Oversize Tennis Racket ($70); Tennis Cap Sleeve Tee ($60); Adidas Tennis Performance Skirt ($95); Thorlos Tennis Mini-Crew Socks ($12); Clinique Continuous Coverage SPF 15 ($23); Penn Tennis Balls ($3); I Love Tennis Water Bottle ($34); Nike City Court VII ($55).

Make sure to follow girl meets fit for more fun workout gear-shopping suggestions. And why not start your own OnSugar blog? Your posts may be featured here on FitSugar!