The smile on Simon's face that you see in the photo didn't stay around too long as the auditions hit Seattle. Not to worry, Minneapolis, Seattle brought about even a worse day of auditions according to Simon. In one day, Minneapolis put through 17 contestants to Hollywood. In two days in Seattle, only 14 made the cut.A few things remained constant between both audition cities. The level of the talents, both the highs and the lows, are a bit disappointing for me this season. Why the heck are they keeping the left door of the double doors locked in place? It was another evening of "the other door." Not everyone is righthanded, American Idol. I was waiting for someone to run out in horror after a Simon scowl, hit the locked lefthand door, and slither down to the floor like in a cartoon.
There were no guest judges on the panel and Paula seemed to hang in through both days without really odd behaviors. The niceness that Simon seemed to exhibit last night was gone for the most part and Randy wasn't as harsh. Well, except for the ones who really didn't have a clue or were silly to even think of auditioning. I felt sorry for some of the contestants, as I did last night. But, when you think about it, they know the show. They chose to go on national television. They signed releases for the footage to be shown. Me? I'd never want to be a star that bad... and I know I can't sing. Or dance. I shouldn't even really hum.
Tonight's Most Notable of the Odd
Oh, how apt is this? A candidate for the Darwin Awards in relation to American Idol, we endured Darwin "Misha" Reedy accompanied by her Mom. Holding to the idea that she was bringing sexy back, I think her shirt was too sexy for her and not vice versa. And, it was a huge floppy shirt. Like mother, like daughter and she performed much like she portrays herself. She frightened me. Justin Timberlake may never sing his song again if he saw her mention of it.
I have no idea what's going on with this woman's skin color, but it can't be healthy. They asked her if it was a sunburn, but she didn't really say much. But, since she dressed the way she did, she knew it would be commented upon. She's Melissa "Carlene" Stavros and Simon basically said she sounded like a goat. What did goats ever do to Simon?Her performance didn't really remind me of a goat. I thought more along the lines of a cacophony of sound and motion. If she had been on much longer, my head may have started to spin.
Nick Zitzmann (pictured on left) brought about thoughts of a young Kyle Secor gone bad. Now, I like Kyle Secor, but not when he's gone bad and thinks he can sing.
He tried to sing "Unchained Melody" which is a tough song even if you can sing. Oh, my. He may think he's a leader, be he ain't no singer. While Simon referred to him as possibly not human, I think he's wrong. This could be a zombie situation. You may want to alert the GhostBusters. Even Nick said watching the performance might scare himself.
Hopefully it will be a lasting friendship between Jonathan Jayne and Kenneth Briggs. Neither should have tried out for the show, Jonathan more so than Kenneth. I'm glad the judges weren't cruel to Jonathan and I'm also glad that Kenneth (for the most part) took Simon's comments in stride. And, he knows a bush baby is a kind of monkey! These two are the Odd Couple of Tonight's Most Notable of the Odd.
Why, oh why am I hearing "Dueling Banjos"? Like a character from Deliverance, Stephen Thoen likes to try "cro-akie." He likes to be called "Red." See, he's not representative of all redheads. My hair is a similar color (thankfully a different style and I have no beard) and I always hated to be called "Red."He likened himself to Freddie Mercury and absolutely slayed "Bohemian Rhapsody." He also seemed just a tad dangerous. He was the last contestant of the day and I bet the judges had security escort them out.
There were other bad acts, but they didn't make my Most Notable list. Brandon Groves, the one who sang "I Shot the Sherriff" while dressed as a cop last year returned this season all decked out like the Apollo Creed guy in Minneapolis sans boxing gloves. David Mills had an epiphany and a wake-up call. There was a Taylor Hicks clone, Eric Chapman, who couldn't sing a lick.
Friends and relatives of AI wannabes, please don't let your loved ones think they have talent when they don't! Stop them before they sing again! I beseech you, I beg you... confine them to the shower. I beg you, tell them. Spare them the public humiliation. Friend don't let friends go without talent on American Idol.
There Were Some Good Ones
Tommy Daniels has tried twice before to make it on the show. He slept by trashcans awaiting his Seattle audition. He fluffed his 'fro and he put on a show. Blake Lewis, a champion beatboxer, showed off his "skillz" and proved he can sing, too. The Malakar siblings (brother and sister) both made it through shining. I liked how Sanjaya wouldn't admit that the judges said he has a better voice than his sister.
Rudy Cardenas took a chance with a Journey song (Randy was a band member) and was passed through to Hollywood by Randy and Paula, but not Simon. Anna Kearns, a lofty lady at 6'3" without heels, passed through although I wasn't too impressed with her singing. 16-year old Jordin Sparks whose father is NFL's Felipe Sparks, is going to Hollywood.
Me? I'm just waiting for the Memphis auditions we'll see next week.
9 comments:
"What did goats ever do to Simon?" LOVE IT!!!! You and your sense of humor are PRICELESS Jackie!
Ok the darwin chick and the Mom ...scary very scary....was it just me or did "Blondie" not have a bra on ??? They were hanging down to her stomach. Seems strange to me that no one told her that you should wear a bra when you go on national tv!!!
I think AI has finally gone TOO FAR. Making fun of someone for their looks is beyond cruel. This is a singing contest. If they can't sing, then don't show them on TV. Stop trying to make this a comedy when it's tragic.
Simon telling him he looked like a creature from a cave was beyond cruel.
It's easy to spot that some of these contestants are mentally challenged. They should be treated with kindness. I pray these kids do not commit suicide over such harsh remarks. These kids have been taught to feel good about themselves no matter what. Simon squashed that in just a few seconds.
I have to say, unless it's hype, I heard on one of the many entertainment shows that AI had 2 million MORE viewers tuning in this season than last --and last year was recordbreaking in itsself.
I haven't tuned in the last few years for the audition part of it. While I can watch Flav of Love and chuckle, it's a whole different ball game. I'm totally turned off by the people they show that are funny looking or don't have the talent, and that these grown up judges -- not just Simon but all 3 of them, make mega millions off being totally horrible to them.
While I understand that they did this initially for added entertainment value, seems a few seasons ago they started making this a big part of the show as a whole -- taking up the first several weeks. They since have stetched it to it's limit and I think have totally cheapened themselves in the process.
The show is a legitimate nail biter just from what they put these kids though -- from little or no experience to learning songs they've never heard before, getting new images, learning to sing and dance and play to a 5 camrea show, then going in front of a live audience while being broadcast to most of the world, with judges and mounting stress and lack of sleep with each week. THAT"S A LOT and takes talent enough. Plenty of drama, highs and lows, etc.. for us to feast on, no need for the rest.
I do think a lot of folks show up just to get their faces on TV, in the hopes of getting a bit of cash in their pockets and 12 minutes or so of fame like that one contestant -- He got to record a single of She Bangs and did 2 national commercials and I'm sure was paid for a bunch of local appearances and probably got to go on Leno. I'm sure many of these not talented folks figure if they make a big arse out of themselves on TV maybe THAT little turn of events might also come out of it for them.
Either that, or the truth is that there are millions of folks out there who really are that mean spirited and like watching this happen, like Jerry Springer, just like they did on the playground. Live and let live, but what worries me is these same people VOTE for who gets to be president too.
Sydney and Anonymous, it was refreshing to read that your posts are in tune with what I've been thinking. It's no wonder why so many of the youth in our culture seem desensitized. TV just keeps sinking to new lows for the all important ratings. Btw, I'm usually rather liberal in my thinking. ;)
Have a good week all!
Zoetawny~
xoxo
Me too Zoe-- REALLY liberal. I actually was reading my own entry and hoping it didn't come off like a crochety old stick in the mud, and was a little shy of printing it, so thanks for putting in your 2 cents as well! ;-) You too Anon 4:59 PM
BTW--Lyss-- re: the shrit change: I wasn't watching so I didn't catch that but it takes a sharp eye to do so!
I, too, feel bad for the way some of these kids are treated. And then Paula shows up drunk on an interview. I saw the clip and there's no way she's anything but d-r-u-n-k!!! I don't care how many interviews she'd done or what her day consisted of... if you're going to be in the public eye, then be a role model. If she wants to get soused, do it somewhere private, that's her business. American Idol is a tremendous opportunity for those who would not have an avenue to be discovered otherwise. It would be sad to have it discontinued because of the judges. Even Randy disappointed me this year.
To give some of these kids their due...they really think they are carrying a tune and that they sound good. I have a friend who can't carry not even one note of a whole song. She is so bad. We tell her that she can't sing in tune and she believes us because we tell her, but she can't hear it. She thinks she's singing in key. Yet she can tell these kids who can't carry the tune on Idol. Weird!
I'll be glad when they get to the actual competition... while some of this is fun, most of it is sad!
Finally,sane people whose opinions I respect concur with the way I feel about AI. As I stated in earlier posts,I think those three(or four w/Jewel)are some of the cruelest,most disrespectful people I have ever seen.This show has made them richer than God and they sit there acting like two year olds,mocking and making fun of people. Some of these people auditioning are fragile people with out friends or loved ones to help them cope with some of the awful nasty things those three say to them.
My brother has been in show business since college and spent many years touring and auditioning for gigs and you have to have either a healthy ego or a very thick skin.....and he is wildly talented and was very successful. A LOT of these people are just poor souls and don't need to be ridiculed for ratings!!! I was also glad to hear that Rosie stood up for them today on The View.
I am afraid it says bad things about a good portion of the population when they get off on this kind of "entertainment"....Springer and "Jackass" are all just frightening examples of the sad state of morals and lack of empathy for our fellow man that exists today. If that makes me an old "stick in the mud",so be it!
Loved "Ugly Betty" tonight and who would have thunk it?? The chick in the bandages is Daniel's brother Alex......now "Alexis".....YIKES!!!
Here I thought it might be Faye who wasn't really dead but never guessed the other.And on MIT...what is Jack thinking,bedding Lynn when we all know he and Marin are made for each other?????? I am soooo loving Thursday again!!!!!
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