Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Idol's easy pickings

This American Idol competition is utter nonsense, but it's such an easy blog we can't resist. Ducks on the pond.

We have to say it's refreshing to see the judges rediscover brutal honesty as a feedback tool. Last night we heard comments like "terrible" and "corny" and "pointless" and "silly" and they were all pretty much tack on. At one point Ellen Degeneres, who is just plain nicer and more tactful than her judging comrades, told Paige Miles to look at the bright side: "You didn't fall down." Unfortunately Paige DID fall down; she'll be gone when the group is whittled to 10 Wednesday night unless Tim Urban beats her to the exit.

Here's how SSS handicaps the talent (or lack thereof -- this is a very ordinary group) after the latest round:

FAVORITES (STILL)
1. Crystal Bowersox, reaffirms top ranking by nailing "Me and Bobby McGee"
2. Big Mike Lynche, slides a bit with uninspired "When a Man Loves a Woman"

CONTENDERS
3. Casey James, if his voice matched his guitar playing he'd be a threat
4. Katie Stevens, would win if it were a beauty pageant (so she still could)
5. Lee Dewyze, nudges into sleeper role with "The Letter" (see Alex Chilton blog)

THEY WISH
6. Aaron Kelly, pet squirrels and cute kids are hard to get rid of
7. Siobhan Magnus, should save that scream for Space Mountain
8. Didi Benami, must be a reason she chose "You're No Good"

WOULDN'T LAST 15 SECONDS ON GONG SHOW
9. Andrew Garcia, letting him go after "I Heard It Through the Grapevine"
10. Tim Urban, should've been given the gate by now
11. Paige Miles, we wish her the best

Who wants to be on that stupid tour anyway? Lacey Brown, who was knocked out of the competition last week, appeared on Letterman Monday night while this group was receiving pointers from Miley Cyrus. It ain't the end of the world; it is what it is: to date Idol contestants have generated 261 Billboard No. 1 songs.

2 comments:

  1. Dude did a decent job on "The Letter," ala Joe Cocker, but I was surprised nobody gave a shoutout to Chilton.

    Crystal is the only one I can imagine making a good record. Rest of them are nightclub talent at best.

    Simon and Kara should just get a room already.

    disclaimer: I watch this show because it's one of the few things on TV a parent can watch with an 11 year old.

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  2. Hello from a fellow displaced newspaper journalist who's also discovered blogging as an alternative means of gaining public attention and acknowledgment of our high level of creativity and intelligence. Whew! How's that for a lead? Bit of a run-on and a clear case of too much information, if you ask me. I wandered in here after clicking on "Blue Mountain" to see if anyone else thinks they're one of the best bands they've ever stumbled upon in the I-Tunes Store. Apparently you worked at a newspaper large enough that you weren't expected to write and take your own photos as well. Too bad. I always liked taking pictures better than anything else. But it was all, in retrospect, quite a fun way to make a living despite being a bit stressful at deadline time. Your blog is a rare find. Nice to meet you and glad to see you out here in the Blogosphere.

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