My Name is Kris and I Blah-g

7 @ Yahoo! Video“>I wasn’t going to comment this week because frankly, I am losing interest in Idol this season. I didn’t even watch last night. But I went back and found the performances online this morning. Crystal’s performance was the best. You can watch it here:

Who will go home? Well, who cares? I think it’s time for Tim to go… next will be Aaron followed by Michael or Casey. The top 3 is shaping up to be Crystal, Lee and Siobhan. I’d be satisfied with a Lee or Crystal win as I like them both.Is it me or have the last 2 seasons of Idol been kind of a bore? There just hasn’t been a contestant to be excited about since David vs David.

First off, last night’s Idol didn’t suck. There really wasn’t one performance that was cringe worthy. I found the whole thing enjoyable…but…it wasn’t perfect.Aaron Kelly – Long and Winding Road – This was Aaron’s weakest performance to date. I am not really feeling the love for Aaron although a part of me thinks I should root for the guy because he’s from my husband’s neck of the woods. But it’s just not there for me. I don’t really care for his voice most of the time and last night just fell flat. There were lots of bum notes and the song would never end. It was not horrible but it wasn’t great. Easily forgettable. I’m predicting a bottom 3 for tonight. Katie Stevens – Let It Be – This was Katie’s BEST performance to date. The vocals were so good. I liked everything about it. She deserves to stay this week and hopefully avoid the bottom 3 because she was that good. The thing is…she’s been in it 2 weeks in a row. Can she avoid it this week? Andrew Garcia – Can’t Buy Me Love – Poor Andrew was kinda beat up again by the judges. I don’t know why. It was a solid performance. I like his voice. I like him. He looks like the heat miser from The Year Without a Santa Claus and who doesn’t like that guy? The thing is that the song was Can’t Buy Me Love..it’s a happy peppy song that he changed up a bit which showcased his artist skillz but it just wasn’t a wow vocal which I suppose was the point of the night. In terms of THAT, I think Andrew may be looking at a bottom 3 visit this week – unfortunately. Michael Lynche – Eleanor Rigby – I was not a fan of this performance. It was just weird. I didn’t think it sounded that good and it was kinda dramatic and gospely or something. It was just alright. And like Andrew, he could face a bottom 3 visit. Crystal Bowersox – Come Together – Crystal is just great. She can even make the Didgeridoo cool. Simon thought having that instrument was distracting and perhaps in person it was. But on TV, they didn’t show the guy playing it THAT much. So as a viewer I wasn’t really put off by it. This was a solid performance. Tim Urban – All My Loving – I am confused as to why the producers would ask this guy back if all they intended was for him to be a punching bag for the judges. There were lots of other really good singers to choose from but why him? The only thing I can think of is that he’s good looking and kinda has that Sanjaya innocence about him that makes for an interesting show. People freak out as to why he’s still there. He’s fodder for the blogs and certain websites that aim to undermine the Idol voting but whatever…last night he sang a song that fit his voice. He sang it well. He was in key. And he was pretty good. Will he hit bottom 3? Probably. But judging on that performance alone, he may just stick around another week. Casey James – Jealous Guy – Whoa. This was good. People are underestimating Casey…could be his good looks but whatever. He hit it spot on with the vocals last night and it was the best performance of the night! Siobhan Magnus – Across the Universe – I think that my daughter should critique these performances. I asked her this morning about the show and who she liked best. She said Lee’s was WEIRD. And she said that Siobhan had a nice background (she was diggin’ the disco ball effect) and she was dressed all sorts of crazy. Michaela thinks that if Siobhan were to be in a fashion contest she would totally lose. What a funny kid. Anyway, Siobhan tried the understated approach this week and although she gave a pleasant sounding vocal, the performance was a snoozefest. Seriously. It was boring. I kept waiting for a big moment but it never happened. Lee Dewyze – Hey Jude – Lee wins the WTH award for the night. As if the Didgeridoo wasn’t enough, Lee had to one-up Crystal by introducing the bagpipes complete with a player in full Scottish dress and it was so out of place. It was so random and weird, I didn’t know if I should laugh or cry. Lee single-handedly let the air out of his big ol’ balloon that he blew up last week with his fabulous performance. Had it not been for this, he would have ranked right up there with Casey, Katy and Crystal for the night. That was out there…Who’s going home? I suppose I should phrase it as to who SHOULD go home….based on last night’s performances I would say Aaron as his was the weakest. Based on a whole, probably Tim because how much more of this farce can we take? That being said….usually these guys who turn into the season’s clowns last until about top 7 or 6. He could be with us a wee bit longer. Bottom 3 will probably be Aaron, Tim and Andrew. Aaron goes home.

I was pretty busy this week so I didn’t have time to watch Idol live. Thank goodness for TiVo and the internet. I kinda cheated. I read some reviews before I watched the performances. In fact, by the time I actually started to watch the performances, I already knew who the bottom 2 were – Paige and Lacey – both of whom I was not shocked to see there.So, the performances….First let me say that the judges seemed particularly NICE this week. I don’t know if it’s suppose to give them all confidence because they’re on a bigger stage in front of more people or what. I didn’t think there was ONE performance that was a WOW. Maybe it was the music. I am not a Rolling Stones fan. So, to me the music kinda stunk…but that’s just me….

Michael Lynche – Miss You

I was underwhelmed. Although technically, OK, the performance was sloppy and awkward. It was kinda uncomfortable for me to watch. It’s just weird to me to watch a body builder dance. One part of the body moves and the other part doesn’t. It sounds almost unfair to say because Michael is a really good singer and I like his voice a lot. It’s just not easy to look at. Simon had a valid point about it looking desperate. He was absolutely right. It was good enough, obviously to get through but at some point it won’t be.On a side note…that stupid confrontation between Ryan and Simon was totally lame. Ryan should be chained to the stage. I am sick of the judges and Ryan thinking this show is all about them.

Didi Benami – Play With Fire

Didi was given rave reviews for this performance. I guess it was somewhat warranted because it was dark and haunting and she’s got a voice that should be singing about kittens and butterflies. I wasn’t that enthused though. It’s not a song that I’d ever buy, let alone listen to. I thought her vocals were shaky at best and it’s all just a little warbly and weird for me.

Casey James – It’s All Over Now

I blame Kara for making this harder on Casey. He’s too beautiful to look at and it’s obvious to the judges that they just can’t get past the fact that they have an adonis standing in front of them who could not only sing and sing well but play the guitar too. I think it’s kinda weird too but the fact that I can actually stand to hear him sing while I undress him with my eyes is really a bonus. Still, this performance was really good. There isn’t much moving around while playing the guitar unless they let him totally go and rip out a guitar solo which they won’t let him do. So, what else is there? It’s time for him to sing some sort of sultry ballad and walk the stage. They have enough girls now at the foot of the stage that he could totally play that up and turn himself into a total rock stud. He’s got the sex appeal. He may as well use it. By the way, I don’t recognize most Stones songs… so to me it was like hearing some of them for the first time which is great because I can’t compare to the original. So far, this was the only song that I actually thought was good enough to be a hit based on how one of the Idols sang it.

Andrew Garcia – Gimme Shelter

Poor Andrew…he is just totally pigeon holed into that one performance of Straight Up. I didn’t think this particular performance was as bad as what the judges said it was. It’s obvious that they hear something totally different live than we do at home. I think it was smart of Andrew to step away from the guitar and try to spotlight his vocals. He really tried and it wasn’t horrible. He’s got the voice. He just needs the material to deliver it and the Stones are not it.

Katie Stevens – Wild Horses

Meh. I don’t knock Katie for this…her voice sounded great. The song is a stinker. Yuck.

Lee Dewyze – Beast of Burden

I like Lee. He’s a honky version of Hootie. He’s got a great commercial sound and since this was a Stones song that I could remember, I thought it was even better than the original which isn’t saying much because Mick Jaggar can’t sing.

Paige Miles – Honky Tonk Women

The song was “ok” and Paige finally showed off her vocals which are really good. It may have been a little too late though…I don’t think she can surpass the momentum that Lee, Crystal and Siobhan have.

Siobhan Magnus – Paint It Black

Yeah…meet this year’s Adam Lambert (according to Kara)…SORT OF. This was dramatic, I suppose. But this was another one that was highly praised by the judges that sounded kinda all over the place to me. It was flat in many places and just weird. Her lower register seems to cause her problems. And Simon is right, she can’t scream every week. Last week was as WHOA…this week was a WHAT?! If she does it again next week, hide your fine crystal. There has to be more to her than that one note. Still…she’s come out of this from being obscure to being a front runner. Not too shabby…

Aaron Kelly – Angie

Meh… again.. The song was boring…it really was. He sounded ok… I’m just not getting it with him…

Lacey Brown – Ruby Tuesday

Another Stones song that I actually knew. And I didn’t like it. I didn’t like the sound of her voice. I didn’t like the flow of the song. I just didn’t like it. She’s a cute girl but I’m afraid there isn’t much room for a wide variety of song material. Kinda boring, if you ask me.

Tim Urban – Under My Thumb

Chalk this one up to another song I didn’t know so I had no expectations about it. I didn’t see the point of the harsh criticism. He obviously did something to the song that made it very different. I think the song itself is ridiculous but I liked the reggae sound he gave it. I didn’t think it was uber-suckage but it wasn’t great either. I wouldn’t worry about him getting too far if you’re one of those who is freaking out about why he’s still there. I am willing to bet that enough people like him “enough” to get him into the top 10 so he’ll be on the tour. But I doubt he’ll go much further than top 9.

Crystal Bowersox – You Can’t Always Get What You Want

Quick! Someone tell Crystal that you don’t divulge too much information about how you were feeling – in particular you don’t tell people that you just aren’t into it or you aren’t focusing on the competition, etc. They’ll start to think that you just don’t care. Crystal has a non-chalant attitude and in some ways that’s cool because her performing seems effortless. But then it’s annoying because if she’s not in it to win it then why is she there? I like her voice. I like her sound. She’s very good. But it’s starting to sound a little one dimensional and the same each week. She needs to change it up and I don’t know if that means losing the guitar like Andrew did or doing a different instrument or what. She needs to show MORE.The Results…So, who left? At the beginning I mentioned that when I actually sat down to watch the performances, Lacey and Paige were named the bottom two. If I had to guess at that moment who would go, it would have been Paige because there just wasn’t a whole lot there to go with in terms of her performances and what we knew about her. Idol seemed to pay more attention to the others. But after watching the performances, it was Lacey who should have gone because her vocals just aren’t that strong, at least for the material she’s been singing. Her performance this week was really pitiful compared to many of the others. It ended up that she was the one sent home and it was the right choice.

Now that the auditions are over, I guess is time to start talking Idol. I don’t know about the rest of you but for the past couple of seasons I have been underwhelmed. There really hasn’t been that one person (to me) that has stuck out – at least not like Carrie Underwood did way back when and David Archuleta two years ago. Last year my favorite was Danny Gokey and we all know that he went home placing 3rd – not too shabby and his new song is currently one of my favorites. Well done, Danny.This year brings another “the most talented group of kids we’ve ever seen” or so the judges tell us. Um, really? I’m not so sure. I agree for the most part with who they put in despite the limited view we had of most of them. It is true that they seem to give more airtime to certain performers. It’s pretty annoying. There are at least 2 that are in the Top 24 that I have absolutely NO recollection having heard sing. However, I’ll run down them individually. Please keep in mind that these opinions are based on the limited viewing of these guys – some I don’t recall AT ALL so I can’t really forge too much of an opinion. But for now, here they are… Aaron Kelly – Reportedly this kid won at Walt Disney World’s American Idol Experience. I got to see this (not his particular performance but I attended this attraction) and it was really fun. It does a good job of making you feel like you are part of a live AI crowd. So good for him for trying it out and succeeding. I wasn’t sure if someone would actually win there and actually make it to the front of the line to not only audition for the judges and get very far. He did. So cool. However, I’m not that impressed. Yeah. He’s young. Inexperienced (I think..who really knows these days) and he could probably be the next big Disney “thing” but any more than that? Not feeling it. Alex Lambert – I don’t remember him. Well, I sorta do. But what I remember is that things were all messed up for him on Group Day and he got yelled at by that obnoxious chick. I *think* he’s gotten more air time than that but I honestly don’t remember him. He doesn’t stick out. Andrew Garcia – This guy is cool. He has genuine talent with singing and making songs his own. I love his rendition of Paula Abdul’s Straight Up. It was way beyond words better than hers ever could be. It was really good and he will be in the top 10. Ashley Rodriguez – Everyone I have read is singing her praises. Really? Not memorable. Is she good? Did we hear her sing? I dunno. Casey James – He’s CUTE. Seriously. He would have the Ace vote this year just because he makes looking at the TV something very easy to do. The difference between him and Ace though is that he can SING!! And he can play guitar. So, that is enough right there. His voice and style of singing is not what I expected. I honestly expected country music out of him. He probably could sing it. But he’s blues all the way. Top 10 material if anything to get him on the tour so all the girls out there can totally freak out when they see him. Crystal Bowersox – This girl is very talented. It’s raw and uncensored. So are her teeth. Just kidding….she’s going to move forward enough that “her people” will fix that one flaw…She is quite good. Top 10. Didi Benami – She will probably make Top 10 but honestly, the only thing I can remember about her is her crying. Haeley Vaughn – Haeley is cute. I like her. I love the idea of a female black country singer. We need more of those. I am not sure how well she’ll stand up to the pressure of certain genres though. Her speech impediment kinda brings her down. Usually you don’t hear an impediment like that when someone sings. Even the tourettes guy could get through a song and you’d never know. She really needs to work on her annunciation. She won’t win but she could possible make Top 10 because she’s likeable. Janell Wheeler – I honestly don’t know why she’s in the top 24. Cute maybe? We heard many other better singers in my opinion. What we heard from her from Hollywood Week fell flat in my opinion. She wasn’t that good. Jermaine Sellers - I don’t remember him. So I don’t know!

John Park – I only remember his initial audition and it was good. And he sounded different than I pictured him sounding but it was a good different. I would like to see him make Top 10 if only because it would give diversity to the group. Katelyn Epperly – Not to rain on her lil’ sob story parade but who cares? I dunno. That’s really mean. I am sure that it’s not her fault that AI thought that focusing in on her little story about her parents getting divorced would make the rest of us believe that she has a voice that kills. I don’t see it. Her voice is mediocre at best and not anything new. Her review so far? Meh. Katie Stevens – No doubt about it. She can sing. Her voice is very mature. I wish I could sing like her. It’s really good. She’ll make Top 10 even if all the Alzheimers Homes in America vote for her and then forget about it. I know…I stink… Lacey Brown - Good ol’ Lacey.. She so deserves to be in the Top 24 if only because she was totally screwed over last year when AI chose that warbling what’s her name over her. Lacey shows poise and maturity and above all else a great voice. I hope she sticks around a while. Lee Dewyze - I have no idea why he’s in the Top 24 other than to give it some versatility. He’s a’ight.. I suppose but unless he can show some David Cook cajones then I don’t see him getting far much less the Top 10. Lilly Scott – Our female Taylor Hicks, ladies and gentlemen…with out the weird tick, of course. She is ok. I dunno. She doesn’t scream star to me…another MEH. Michael Lynche – Good ol’ Michael…HUGE ol’ Michael. Who cares. He’s got himself a good voice. I read that he almost got himself disqualified because his dad blabbed about him being in the top 24 before it was officially known. That would have sucked. He deserves to be there and despite his papa’s big mouth, the public would have found out anyway…that’s just how it is now.. Michelle Delamor – Who? Yeah…nuff said. She’ll have lots to overcome to make top 10…such as making sure she sings her butt off and stays in front of the camera..nobody will know who she is, remember her or care. Paige Miles - See Michelle’s comment. I have absolutely NO idea about this person. I can’t even remember the sight of her. How fair is that? Siobhan Magnus – She annoys me… I don’t know why. Maybe it’s the nose ring. I don’t know. Maybe it’s how she spells her name (yeah, I know it’s Irish). Randy says a girl will win this year. I am not so sure about that, dawg. Tim Urban - Another, WHO? I feel sorry for some of these guys. I really don’t know how they could even dream of making the Top 10 unless they get equal air time. Todrick Hall - Here’s the difference between Todrick and Tim Urban..I know absolutely NOTHING about Tim Urban  but I know that Todrick is a dancer who thought he’d giving singing a try and was in The Color Purple with Fantasia. How do I know this? They show him on TV all the time!! Is he good enough to win? NO! But he’ll get his face out there for sure. He’ll maybe get a lead on Broadway and not a bit player role. Maybe we should just cut to the chase and go with the top 3 – Andrew, Katie and Crystal…yeah…I’m saying it right here. Now.Tyler Grady – Can we say ew? He weirds me out. Jim Morrison weirded me out too and that’s who they compare him to…him and Mick Jagger…another winner in the creepy rock singer category. He’ll probably make Top 10 just despite me and I’ll probably have to vote him as my bathroom break guy when they go on tour.

With a dramatic tweet about her love for all mankind, puppies and pussy willows, Paula Abdul announced last night that she was leaving American Idol. This comes after weeks of speculation about will she or won’t she? Her public rants about her contract were nauseating. In this day of economic hardship, she had the nerve to cry about her measly millions not being enough to sustain her. Although she had a legitimate gripe about the obscene amounts of cash being thrown at Simon Cowell and the even less deserving Ryan Seacrest, Paula seems to have forgotten that it was the Idol show that pulled out of obscurity – much like the people who go on to win the show. And much like those former winners of the show, Abdul will eventually blend back into the background. Because just what does she have to offer the world? I am not saying this to be mean…but seriously? Will her singing rule the day? Hardly. She attempted a comeback album not that long ago and it seemed to go nowhere. It was almost laughable, to be honest. She hocks her goddy jewelry on QVC and maybe that can help for a while….but it seems to me that she’s looking a gift horse in the mouth. I am curious about what Idol offered her. At the rate she’s going, any raise would have been a good one and she’ll probably be kicking herself later.As for the show itself, I see it on the decline as it has been heading that way for the past couple of seasons. Sometimes producers just don’t know how to not mess with a good thing. The format changes, the new judge – all mistakes. And now with Paula gone, Kara will be back and even more annoying because she won’t be competing for face time with Paula and I’m guessing that she’ll want to use Paula’s talk time as her own – as if she doesn’t talk too much as it is anyway. At least with Paula, we had the unknown to look forward to. We never knew if she’d be loopy, crying, thoughtful or what. That in and of itself is worthy of a raise. Frankly, if they could have ditched Kara and used the money they spent on her and gave it to Paula, maybe the show could have stood a chance of being good again. I think Idol may survive another season or two but if Simon decides to follow suit, say bye bye to Idol. Because only then will the show not be worth watching anymore.