TV Newsy Bits - Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Yes, the town of Bound Brook, New Jersey, is still all but cut off from the world. Trains are bypassing the train station, roads are closed, flood-ravaged business and home owners are still trying to clean up. I took this shot of the State Farm Catastrophe Services mobile unit set up in a Home Depot parking lot just outside of Bound Brook. None of my friends and co-workers who were evacuated from their homes over a week ago have been allowed to return as of yet.

But, television goes on. That's actually a good thing as entertainment can get our minds off of troubles for a while, at least.

Here are today's TV Newsy Bits:

• Celebrity Spider has very mild location and other spoilers (nothing to ruin it for you) for the next The Amazing Race 11: All Stars as we head towards the season finale (May 6).
• Ousted Apprentice wannabe Nicole says love (for Tim) is worth losing the position. Do you think that will last?
• Did anyone catch Ivanka Trump on Letterman last night? She wasn't listed on the guest list when I made my weekly post on Sunday morning. I discovered that when allowed to talk freely, she has Frank's disease. What do I mean? I believe she said "at the end of the day..." six times (or more) during the interview. Actually, it was nice to see her really smile and not be a stiff Mini-Me of her dad for a change. But this "at the end of the day" stuff is as annoying as the "like" and "you know what I'm saying." I'm crossing it right out of my vocabulary. You know what I mean?
• Blog readers are buzzing about Heather Mills getting the boot on Dancing With the Stars. Gee, I would have thought she'd have a leg up on the competition! Join in on the conversation in the blog discussion post for the show or check out all the articles on the show's SirLinksAlot page. I've only been catching the show now and then, but have those childhood "Paul is the cute Beatle" memories stuck in my mind. So I was happy to hear of the boot.
• Huh. Ellen DeGeneres will be hosting the Idol Gives Back concert tonight. I don't recall hearing that on the show, but I hope that's not the "shock" promised to us by Ryan.
• The finale of Survivor 14: Fiji will mark the 200th episode of the long-running show which really set the reality television genre in motion. The finale reunion show will air on May 13 from the Ed Sullivan Theater in NYC (where The Late Show with David Letterman is located). Hey, Survivor staff... I'm local. I like tickets! (Yeah, like that will work.)
• Celebrity Spider has the skinny on the upcoming episode of Heroes. Oh, Hiro and Ando are in for an adventure!
• And, Bachelor fans... remember to drop by the blog discussion post for the show! Lots of great folks are dishing on the latest episode there!

'American Idol 6' - The Final Six "Idol Gives Back"

Tomorrow night is the big two-hour results show and star-studded concert night for "Idol Gives Back." But the voting tonight is what counts, not only for the contestant of your choice, but for the cause. Several corporations have joined in to support the event and News Corporation is giving 10 cents for each vote up to 50 million votes.

Each contestant has two phone lines tonight and the time you can vote has doubled to four hours after the show. They've also formed a MySpace page for the event.

The contestants were asked to choose a song which fits the theme of helping others and inspire folks. I thought that, overall, they all made good song choices and tonight the performances came across as professional.

Here's the skinny:
Chris Richardson was the first to perform, singing Eric Clapton's "If I Could Change the World." While I thought it was a good performance for him, no way could he have come close to how I feel about the original version. He was less nasally than in previous weeks, I'll give him that much. I don't think the song needed his little Chris Richardson hand jive bit.

But the judges liked it. Randy said he was in it to win it. (I beg to differ!) Paula is proud of him and said it was exciting and fantastic. Simon said it was a good vocal and a good start to the night. Um. Okay.

Melinda Doolittle was up next with Faith Hill's "There Will Come a Day." It's actually not my favorite song choice for the night, but she sang in true Doolittle Style. Not a missed note, not a missed emote.

The judges felt the same way as I did. Randy started with "Yo, yo, yo... check it out." Anytime he leads with three yo's, he likes the performance. He called her the "resident pro" again. Paula told her, "There's no one like you. It was magical." Simon loved it, said it wasn't a copycat performance and it was a vocal master class.

Blake Lewis sang John Lennon's "Imagine." Even more than the Clapton song, I find it hard to "imagine" anyone singing it other than the original artist. I thought he was a bit off at times and it definitely wasn't his best performance. Blake is more of a faster-paced song kind of guy. I hope it doesn't hurt him in the long run as he's my favorite male contestant left at this point.

Randy seemed to think along the same lines as I did. He thought it was a good song choice, but it just ended up being "all right" and "okay." Paula thought it was sensitive and emotional. Simon thought it was sincere.

LaKisha Jones chose Fantasia's "I Believe." Mistake number one in song choice. I was a big LaKisha supporter but I think she's fallen off her game the last few weeks. I think she's a lot more talented than others we've seen on the show, but she seems to be growing weary... or something. She hit a few bad notes here and there and I just wasn't feeling the song.

Again, the judges reacted as I did. Randy mentioned pitch problems, said he liked it but it wasn't her best. Paula said she was a powerhouse, but it's hard to sing a Fantasia song. Simon all but came out and said he preferred Fantasia's version. He mentioned the shouting again, too.

Phil Stacey chose Garth Brook's "The Change." It's a bit of a draggy kind of song, but I think he may have sang his best performance ever on the show. I didn't care for Phil some weeks back, but he seems to have gained confidence.

When he's on his game, I think he has the best voice (richest and most versatile) of the remaining guys. It's just that he's often been not on his game and I think he's got one of those heads that probably looks best with something on it. But kudos to him -- he did very well tonight.

The judges were also impressed. Randy thought it was his second strong performance in a row. Paula thought it was his best performance. Simon would have liked a bit more "country" in the song as now he's decided country is Phil's genre. He says he now has the confidence; if he could connect the two elements, it would be great. "People like you."

Jordin Sparks closed out the show tonight with "You'll Never Walk Alone."

Magnificent. She also looked very pretty once again this week. She sang the song like a seasoned pro -- adding her own personality to it and making it amazing.

The judges loved it, too. Randy once again mentioned her age and followed it with "this was one of the best vocals ever on the show." Paula said it was amazing and lovely. Simon thought it was fantastic. "That song is about 60 years old. You could have a hit record with it today."

And, there you go. Once again, I think Melinda and Jordin were in a class of their own and those two deserve to battle it out at the end... in my opinion, at least. I think Phil outsang Blake and Chris tonight, but I would like to see Blake stay on the show. I think LaKisha should really worry this week.

How about you?

TV Newsy Bits - Saturday, April 21, 2007

Although the TV has been good, this is one week that will be good to put behind us. Flooding still affects many of my friends and co-workers with some still not able to return to their homes. The horrible tragedy at Virginia Tech reminds us of what horrors can happen in today's world. Even though I focus on escape -- television shows -- it's a real world in which I live... and sometimes not such a pretty one.

Ah, but there was a monumental moment in television this week -- Sanjaya's off of American Idol! Here are today's TV Newsy Bits:

• What? Sanjaya Malakar's gone, right? He's more present than ever at the moment. On Monday night he's slated to deliver the Top Ten List on The Late Show with David Letterman. And, he's given us all "something to talk about" as the articles and interviews pile up.
• Sunday night at 10 PM ET/PT we'll see the only one-hour long season finale of the rather lackluster The Apprentice: L.A. -- if I were a betting woman, my money would be on James. But the Final Four aren't that impressive at all to me.
• On Monday night, Heroes returns! Woohoo!
• The most recent Survivor castoff, Edgardo, went the interview route. His The Early Show appearance is transcribed by Reality News Online. RNO also has an interview with Edgardo online. Huh... we're not seeing the booted stand in the Hello Deli this season. What's up with that?

'American Idol 6' - 4/18 Results Show - East Coast Update

This post will be updated as the events of the evening go on. So, please return throughout the hour.

9:20 PM EDT: As I write this, Fergie is singing. We've seen some "insider" clips into the show, Simon explained his eye-rolling was in a discussion with Paula regarding Chris claiming that "nasally is a form of singing." Oh, and the group sang a song, too. No announcements on who's safe or not yet.

9:30 PM EDT: Still no boot news, a segment on next week's Idol Gives Back is done and over. Into commercial.

UPDATE: Sanjaya and Phil sent to opposite sides of the stage. Jordin joins Phil. LaKisha joins Sanjaya, Blake joins both of them. Chris goes with Jordin and Phil. Ryan talking to Melinda. Melinda is safe.

UDPATE: Ryan wants Melinda to pick which group - Chris, Jordin and Phil or LaKisha, Sanjaya, and Blake - is safe. She sits in the middle.
Ryan declares Chris, Jordin, Phil, and Melinda safe.
Blake, Sanjaya, LaKisha are bottom three.
Simon is smiling. He must think Sanjaya may go home.
Into commercial.

UPDATE: They're dragging the results out with a Shrek movie segment. Now dragging it out more with a Martina McBride performance. Right now (9:48 PM EDT), all we know are the bottom and top three.

UPDATE: Blake is safe

38 million votes - Sanjaya is going home. The Sanjaya Universe has ended!

'American Idol' Results Show Starts Soon

Just a reminder -- the American Idol results show starts at 9 PM (a few minutes from now) here in the NYC area. As news comes in, I'll post an East Coast Update which I'll keep updating throughout the show. You can find the latest American Idol post on this blog by hitting the American Idol 6 link under Categories in the right sidebar or using the link at the bottom of this (and any show-related) entry after Labels.

'American Idol 6' - The Final Seven Go a Little Bit Country

Often only a few can successfully handle the country genre when it comes around on the show. I think tonight's show stuck to that very theory.

The show opened with Ryan mentioning the VT massacre. But when a contestant (Chris) mentioned it, I noticed Simon's eyes rolling. Simon himself mentioned it at the end of the show along with the fact that the contestants had a "tricky week." I can't help but wonder if they told the contestants not to mention it.

Country singer Martina McBride was the mentor for this week. On the whole, her main advice was to be believable, connect with the lyrics, and tell the story. All good advice, I think. But did they all follow it?

Phil Stacey was first on stage singing a Keith Urban song, "Where the Blacktop Ends." Martina had told him to start as powerfully as he ends. I'm not a huge Phil Stacey fan, but I thought he did well. If I don't look at him, his voice sounds better. He still tends to creep me out and seems to get paler each week. The Roswell Alien and Uncle Fester like to watch him, though.

Randy thought it was really good. Paula thinks it's his genre. Simon said it only took ten weeks for him to show some personality.

Jordin Sparks was next with "Broken Wing" by Martina herself. She was a bundle of nerves as she worked with Martina. She needn't be. Martina thought she was "awesome" in rehearsal and I think she was awesome on stage. In addition to a WOW performance, I thought she looked exceptionally pretty tonight.

Randy said, "Dude, that was the bomb!" (A good thing, y'know.) Paula bubbled and gushed. Simon said she showed that she could win it all based on that performance.

Sanjaya Malakar, the monster we've created, was next singing "Let's Give Them Something to Talk About" by Bonnie Raitt. Oh, his singing sucked, an expression I don't often use.

But I think Randy hit the nail on the head last week -- this kid is very smart. He knows the controversy and is playing into it full force. It's like he wants to be a William Hung who can actually sing a bit. (Notice I said "a bit.") He's nowhere near the league he should be to still be in the competition, but he's working his Malakar Monster Mojo.

Randy said the performance was karaoke. Paula said he's a lovable guy who enjoys adversity. Simon said it was "actually horrendous." Ryan accused Simon of never liking him and verbal fisticuffs ensued... or something like that.

LaKisha Jones sang "Jesus Take the Wheel" by Carrie Underwood. She told Martina she chose it because she connected with the lyrics. Well, um... she had a really off night for her. Her eyes looked weird to me like she had been crying or not feeling well. Technically, she sang fine hitting the notes. But there was no Kiki Kickin' in this performance.

Randy said it wasn't his favorite performance of hers. Paula agreed with Randy but added that even though she screamed, she was still "brilliant." Simon claimed she didn't connect with the lyrics and likened it to "eating a hamburger for breakfast." Now, I have nothing against hamburgers for breakfast, but her game was definitely off tonight.

Chris Richardson proclaimed his talent for country music and chose Rascal Flatt's "Mayberry." Martina thought it was an unusual choice, but he's a "good country singer." Say what? He got on stage and sounded all nasally once again! Randy said he sounded nasal with no connection and no emotion. Paula said he didn't show his love and joy of the stage. Simon said it was nondescript, nasally, tinny, completely and utterly insignificant.

That's when we got a lesson from Chris. "Nasally is a form of singing." @@ (Sorry... had to roll those eyes!) Chris actually defended his nasality claiming he does it on purpose! Well, that shines a new light on things, doesn't it?

Melinda Doolittle sang "Trouble is a Woman" by Julie Reeves. Martina had never heard of the song, but was dazzled by Melinda. So was I when she sang it on stage. Her voice is always superb, but tonight she also threw a lot of personality in into her performance.

Randy yo-yo'd and declared it a "solid performance from our resident pro." Paula said it was the right song for her and she sang her heart out. Simon told her not to act surprised (lose that) and then said she was fantastic. That, she was.

Blake Lewis took the stage last. He chose a good song -- "When the Stars Go Blue" by Tim McGraw. Martina told him to relax, so it's not surprising that he looks like a deer caught in the headlights in this photo I took early in the performance.

I don't think he was all that comfortable with the genre. He did okay, but it wasn't my favorite Blake performance. I think he's the most talented of the guys left, but Phil out-sang him tonight. I don't think he has to worry about going home and we all know that if this kid starts selling records, they won't be in the country genre.

Randy liked the performance -- "the right song" and "you know who you are." Paula said he had the whole package. Simon said it was okay, not a "jumping out of the chair" performance. I know what Simon means.

So, who's going home? Well, it should be Sanjaya and I predict he'll be out of there soon. I think Phil, Chris, and LaKisha should worry this week.

TV Newsy Bits - Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Before I get started, I'd like to offer my condolences to those touched by the tragedy at Virginia Tech. Such an incredible loss to the families and friends... words cannot express my sadness. My thoughts and prayers are with them.

And, if you noticed, my usual TV Newsy Bits graphic has been temporarily replaced. This is a shot I took of the underpass I must walk beneath to get to the eastbound commuter train (towards Newark/New York City). It has a 13'6" warning for low trucks. Well, um... if I lay down on an inflatable raft, I might just clear the bridge. Blame the Raritan River. Needless to say, the station is still closed. Yet, I made it to work. (Sigh.) The devastation I saw in Bound Brook today was unbelievable. I saw it on TV, but seeing it in person is very different.

Onto TV Newsy Bits:

• Interviews with the most recent America's Next Top Model eliminee (is that a word?), Whitney, can be found in these articles -- RealityShack and Reality TV World.
• Country superstar singer Martina McBride will be coaching the American Idol 6 contestants tonight. Hmmm... what will Sanjaya sing?
• This week's American Idol contestant will be Number Seven. I found a blog with an interesting look at previous Number Sevens on the show. Jennifer Hudson was a Seven.
• Whether really spoilers or just a writer's predictions, this Reality TV Calendar article may or may not have real spoilers for next week's Survivor 14: Fiji. You've been warned.
• Tonight is the elimination show for Dancing With the Stars. Since I don't watch, if someone could get the eliminated announcement in the comments of the blog discussion post for the show, I'd love you! (Well, a platonic kind of love, you know.)

TV Newsy Bits - Saturday, April 14, 2007

It's April 14th. Do you know where your taxes are? Mine are already done, but it seems we actually have until the 17th this year for procrastination fans. Monday is a holiday in D.C. and the 15th is a Sunday, thus the change in deadline.

Here on the East Coast, we'll have a nice day, albeit a bit chilly. But a nor'easter will arrive a bit out of season tomorrow bringing us torrential rain, high winds, and perhaps even a bit of snow. I'm about ten miles inland and not directly near small rivers (closest one is two blocks away), and I live in an upper floor of an apartment building. I'll run errands which need running today and plan for one of those days that I look out the window from my cozy apartment and say, "looks nasty out there."

Here are the TV Newsy Bits of the day:

• Celebrity Spider has a promotional peek at this week's Survivor 14: Fiji while Inside Pulse has an interview with castoff Lisi.
• The Globe and Mail has an interesting interview with Jeff Probst.
• An interview with the most recent castoff, Michelle, can be found here. A rather poorly-written transcription of her Early Show appearance is here.
• American Idol reject Haley Scarnato doesn't want to be remembered just for her skimpy clothing.

'American Idol 6' - 4/11 Results Show - East Coast Update

At this point (9:25 PM EDT), there have been performances and lots of stuff, but no results.

Stop on back as I'll be posting the news as it airs here on the East Coast.

Update:
Three with the lowest number of votes:
Phil Stacey
Haley Scarnato
Chris Richardson

Safe:
LaKisha Jones
Jordin Sparks
Melinda Doolittle
Blake Lewis
Sanjaya Malakar

UPDATE:
Chris is now safe. Bottom two, Haley and Phil.

FINAL RESULTS UPDATE:
Over 35 million votes, Haley Scarnato is history and Phil is safe.

'American Idol 6' - The Final Eight Go Latino... Kind Of, Sort Of

Oh, my gosh. Put a bunch of young non-Latinos singing to a Latin beat and Sanjaya comes up smelling like a rose out of Spanish Harlem?

Yikes.

Coached by Jennifer Lopez, the contestants had the chance to turn the beat around this week. And, for the most part, they reminded me of Billy Crystal doing the "white man's overbite" in When Harry Met Sally.

Melinda Doolittle was first up on the stage. In my opinion, her voice itself is impeccable, even incredible. She sang "Sway" by Pablo Beltran Ruiz. On key, professional, but it just didn't grasp me the way I know she can. The judges seemed to feel the same was as I did to some extent. Technically, it was very well done. Randy said it was a solid performance. Paula called it "smooth, subtle, and sexy." Simon didn't care for it much. He said it was lounge, cabaret, lazy, and wooden.

LaKisha Jones sang Gloria Estefan's "Conga." Again, she did fine. She hit the notes, she even danced to the beat. But, it wasn't a LaKisha bring-down-the-house kind of performance. Randy thought it was hot and she had a good time. Paula thought it was a safe performance. Simon agreed with Paula. I agree with the both of them.

Chris Richardson sang a song I actually own and enjoy -- "Smooth" by Carlos Santana and Rob Thomas. I wasn't impressed at all. I think he was a bit less nasal-sounding this week and it was a good performance for him. But if I heard his version of the song first, I never would have bought it. But the judges disagreed with me. Randy thought he did a good job, very cool. Paula thought it was a hot performance and sexy. Simon preferred it to the first two as it wasn't
"cabaret."

Then it was Haley Scarnato's turn. Yipes. Can her skirt get any shorter? And what's with that little sexy kick she keeps doing? She sang "Turn the Beat Around" by Gloria Estefan. I think she flirted more than sang it, but that may just be me. She's bugging me more each week. If her sex appeal to the guys doesn't rock the vote this week, she's a goner tomorrow night. Randy said the performance was karaoke. Paula said it was a fun song. (Say what?) Simon said her tactic is to wear the least amount of clothes. (Spot on!) Haley gave Simon the evil eye, but I agree with him.

Next up was Phil Stacey, wearing a hat this week. He doesn't creep me out as much when he wears a hat, but I wasn't in love with the performance, either. He sang "Maria, Maria" by Carlos Santana and The Product G&B. I think he, for the most part, sang it okay -- his voice cracked a bit twice. But I also think it's a boring song for a show like this. I personally would rate his performance better than Chris Richardson as he shows he can have a real voice where as Chris seems to be a nasal "package" of a pop singer. Randy said it lacked passion and he didn't quite connect with the song. Paula said it was a good vocal. Simon said it was a good song choice, but lifeless and his voice cracked. I say we'll see Phil in the bottom rankings again this week and he may go home.

Jordin "Can't Go Wrong" Sparks sang Gloria Estefan's "Rhythm is Gonna Get You." Are we sure she's only seventeen? Really? She has such a professional stage presence that belies her years. She also looked very pretty tonight -- I think I prefer the straighter hair look for her. Oh? Did she sing well? Why, yes she did! Although I'd be more likely to actually buy something like a Melinda Doolittle CD of old classics, I'm leaning more towards Jordin winning this each week. Randy said she had the "yo factor." Paula said she was adorable and had a great time. Simon wasn't stunned. He mentioned the lack of progression tonight (and I think he may have meant overall, not just Jordin).

Blake Lewis sang "I Need to Know" by Marc Anthony. That's a song I sort of enjoy, but Blake didn't rock my world with it this week. He did okay and I certainly think he's still the best of the remaining guys. If any of the guys make it in the final four, it should be him. But it wasn't my favorite performance of his this week. Randy said it was a good song choice and hot. Paula said it was an excellent choice. Simon called it the best song choice and best performance of the evening. Okay, they liked it more than I did. He's safe, anyway.

Then there was Sanjaya Malakar, the kid who couldn't get words in English straight actually sang in Spanish. Now, my Spanish isn't good enough to know if he screwed up lyrics. But if he did, he recovered without skipping a beat. He sang "Besame Mucho" by Consuelo Velazquez. I think it was his personal best so far this season and may have been one of the more believable and better performances of the night. Shoot me now. Randy called him the smartest contestant and said it was really good. Paula said it was nice. Simon said it wasn't horrible.

Tomorrow night's results show has been expanded to an hour. As usual, I'll be posting East Coast Spoilers on this blog as the show airs here in the NYC area.

Was it just me not moved tonight? Can I get a witness?

'American Idol 6' East Coast Update - April 4, 2007

Three groups of three.

Sanjaya, Chris, Blake - Middle Three
Phil, Haley, Gina - Bottom Three
Melinda, LaKisha, Jordin - Top Three

Return to this post as I'll update as the show unfolds.

UPDATE: Tony Bennett has the flu, so Michael Buble is performing in his place.

UPDATE AGAIN: Phil is safe.

GOING HOME TONIGHT: Gina Glocksen

Welcome to the Sanjaya Universe... As If!

Tonight I'll post East Coast Updates on the results of the voting on American Idol as it airs here in the NYC area. We all seem resigned that the Reign of Sanjaya Malakar will continue on for at least a few more weeks.

Just what is it that he's got? Well, he certainly has attention. He has the Fanjayas, the support of shock jock Howard Stern and Vote for the Worst. He's got rhythm. Oh, wait... he has no rhythm. I've seen him dance. Last night when Simon tried a different tactic and just said, "Incredible!" -- Sanjaya's comment to him was "Welcome to the Sanjaya Universe." Whoa, a bit cocky for a kid who was so shy and polite at his audition, huh?

I believe we've created a monster.

According to the AOL American Idol Poll, which called the Chris Sligh boot last week (as did I when I feared we'd lose him), Sanjaya is Number Two in the polls this week. What? Only Number Two? Oh, don't tell us that means he'll try harder (to annoy us) next week! Their latest is a bottom three of Phil, Gina, and LaKisha this week. Hmmm... I think that Haley is going to be in there. At least, she should be. Oh, d'oh! If Sanjaya is Number Two, then Haley's legs and cleavage probably are getting big voting numbers, too. Silly me! At least the Number One is spot on with my own tastes -- Melinda Doolittle.

AOL also has a rather tongue-in-cheek tribute to Sanjaya with their photo page Top Reasons We Love Sanjaya. You can tell they don't have me editing the photos!

Fan sites have sprung up all over the place and girls have gone wild. Some men, too, I would think. I'd say we live in scary times, but then I think back to Leif Garrett and "Greg Brady" singing as "Johnny Bravo" on The Brady Bunch. The more things change, the more they remain the same.

Remember, the results show airs here tonight starting at 9 PM EDT. As they make vital announcements, I'll be posting them here on the blog and updating the entry as the show goes on. It's only a half-hour show, so the boot will be posted by 9:30 PM EDT. Who are your bottom three?

'American Idol 6' - The Top Nine Sing the Classics

Tony Bennett likes all of the contestants. Tony Bennett even admires Sanjaya.

Uh-oh.

While some of the contestants I perceive as the weaker amongst powerhouses performed well tonight, I feel this is still a powerhouse race. It's also a girl-fueled powerhouse race, I think. The girls out in the lead would be Melinda, Jordin, and LaKisha. I think the only guy at this point with any chance of getting near the finals at all would be Blake. That is if the voters actually stop voting for Sanjaya!

Blake Lewis chose "Mack the Knife," a song which really hit for Bobby Darin. For me, no one will ever be able to out-do his version. But I thought it was a good choice for Blake. Tony gave him some advice I don't think he heeded too much -- it's a song about killing and such. I found Blake's version interesting, but he seemed to come across a bit too soft.

The judges were wowed, though. Randy thinks he's funky jazzy cool. Paula called him a hepcat. Simon thought the song choice was good and that he sang well, but judged the band better than Blake. So did I. The band was hot!

Phil Stacey was up next with a Frank Sinatra hit, "Night and Day." It didn't move me. Phil doesn't move me even though Tony Bennett thinks his voice is so fantastic. It was a dull rendition and he ain't no young Sinatra. Randy thought there was no connection, no passion, and he came across as disconnected. Paula thought he was reminiscent of a young Frank Sinatra which got a look of shock from Simon. Simon called it "reminiscent of a funeral parlor, gloomy, dark, no life." Simon called it right.

Melinda Doolittle sang "I've Got Rhythm." Once again, I'm awed by her. An excellent performance and tremendous vocals. Randy said she could give the other contestants a lesson in singing. Paula said she was "master class" and flawless. Simon said the problem is they can't criticize her (because there's nothing to criticize). Of course, he's crestfallen at the missed opportunities.

Chris Richardson chose Duke Ellington's "Don't Get Around Much Anymore." I still think his voice is too nasal-sounding and he doesn't thrill me at all. But, that said, I think this may have been a personal best for his run on the show. I wasn't as impressed with his performance as the judges, but he did well for him.

Looking at this photo I took, he's reminding me of Lee Harvey Oswald. Oh, my. That's not a good thing. It was better when he reminded me of Justin Timberlake. Hopefully it's just the hat of the era and that particular facial expression. Randy thought it was his personal best of the season. Paula said he has artistic integrity. Simon thought it was very good and one of the strongest performances so far of the evening. Say what?

Then Jordin Sparks hit the stage. Like Melinda and LaKisha, she's one who wows me. At seventeen, she has the performance skills of someone who's been singing to audiences for years. She sang "On a Clear Day." She was once again, simply delightful. Randy thought she was hot. Paula called her a "magnet of joy" -- whatever that may mean.

Gina Glocksen chose Charlie Chaplin's song, "Smile." I'm not a big Gina fan, but I thought she really looked pretty tonight and performed very well. I think the song choice showed she can sing songs besides hard rock. I don't think she's up there with my top three women, but I was pleasantly surprised by her this evening.

Randy thought she nicely-controlled her voice. Paula said "flawless" once again. Simon told her that Melinda and Jordin out-sang her. Well, they always will. They're better at singing and performing. But Gina did well tonight.

And, then there's Sanjaya Malakar. I'm just sort of speechless. Tony Bennett thinks he's interesting, terrific, dares to be different, and can sing. Um, okay. He's different and he's certainly a lot more brave each performance. He chose to sing "Cheek to Cheek." He played all the girls in the audience and whirled around Paula (who I noticed was shoved to dance by Simon and Randy).

Oh, I just had to edit his photo a smidgen. I don't know what came over me. Randy said he was an entertainer. Paula thought he was charming. Simon said he was going to go for a different tactic this week... "incredible!"

Haley Scarnato, dressed in an extremely revealing low-cut skin-tight green dress (can't wow them with the singing talent, go for the sex appeal), sang "Ain't Misbehavin'." Okay, she can go away. It was like she vamped the whole song. The judges commented on her looks rather than her singing. And, as we all know, this is a singing contest.

LaKisha Jones was the last performer, singing "Stormy Weather." With her voice and that particular song, she couldn't go wrong. And, once again, she didn't. I haven't cared too much for her song choices the past few weeks, so I totally understood when Simon said she was back on form. Randy loved it and said it was "the bomb." Paula said she looked gorgeous and Simon also said she was sassy and delivered a great performance. She did.

I think Haley and Phil are in deep doo-doo this week and one of them will go home. We all know Sanjaya should go, but probably won't. Who do you think will be voted out tomorrow night?

TV Newsy Bits - Monday, April 2, 2007

Just a reminder - if you wish to talk about Dancing With the Stars with a cordial group of folks, there is a blog discussion entry for the show.


In other TV News Bits:

• Buddy TV has an exclusive interview with Joe and Bill, Team Guido, eliminated on last night's The Amazing Race 11: All Stars.
• Reality News Online has an interview with America's Next Top Model's Diana.
• TVGuide.com has an interesting interview with ousted American Idol finalist, Chris Sligh.

TV Newsy Bits - Sunday, April 1, 2007

In huge television news, I'm talking huge news here... tonight's Amazing Race 11: All Stars will be airing on time here in the NYC viewing area! For the first time in weeks, there aren't any sports and all is running as per the schedule. It's a two-hour episode slated to start at 8 PM EDT. I'll blog East Coast Updates as events air here and a full review/recap should be posted late tonight.

In other TV Newsy Bits:

• Former WCBS 2 news anchor then reporter Reid Lamberty can now be seen anchoring FOX 5 Weekend News. I guess that's the cornfield for many. There have still been no Roz Abrams sightings. The Gothamist found a source which hints that Maurice DuBois might be wished to the cornfield and replaced with Chris Wragge on the early news show. And, long time a-coming... Sue Simmons has finally left the WNBC 5 PM broadcast. Now if she would leave the 6 and 11! I like her as much as as I do Roz Abrams. That's not saying much. Hey, who needs local news when you have such great drama?
• Is American Idol's Sanjaya being supported only by the Fanjayas? Or, is there a more evil plot in the works? Check out the skinny on the Howard Stern angle and VoteForTheWorst.com in this AOL article. Thanks, DLA for the heads up!
• AOL's American Idol feature page also has some very cool things like exit interviews with those voted off and, if you check under the recaps tab... you'll even see this blog listed under Best of the Web (scroll all the way down on the left). You don't need to be an AOL Member to access any of the content there.
• The lone woman on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list, Shauntay Henderson, was caught last night just prior to America's Most Wanted's featured segment on her. The show still has a good record. I never know any of the people, though. That, of course, can be looked upon as a good thing indeed.

'American Idol 6' - 3/28 Results Show East Coast Update

Bottom three:
Phil Stacey
Haley Scarnato

To commercial...

This post will be updated as new information airs here on the East Coast. Either Chris Sligh or Gina Glocksen will round out the bottom three. All the others have been declared safe.

UPDATE: Chris Sligh joins Phil and Haley in the bottom three.
Phil is safe.
Haley is safe.

Chris Sligh is gone.

UPDATE: Did anyone catch what Chris said to Phil? It sounded like "you owe me big bucks." But it was so fast and I didn't tape.

Whatever Will I Watch Tonight? - Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Of course, I'll be watching the American Idol 6 results show at 9 PM EDT tonight, then posting a quick East Coast Update entry with that oh-so-vital information about who gets voted off. So, if you're in another time zone and just have got to know -- check back here about 9:30 PM EDT. Hitting the American Idol label at the bottom of this entry will bring you to the latest entry.

Ah, but there's a lot of good stuff on the tube tonight besides American Idol!

At 8 PM ET/PT, there are all new episodes of Jericho (CBS), Friday Night Lights (NBC), Bones (FOX), The Great American Dream Vote (ABC), and America's Next Top Model (CW).

At 9 PM ET/PT: A Criminal Minds repeat on CBS, a new Crossing Jordan episode on NBC, the American Idol results show followed by a new 'Til Death on FOX, new episodes of According to Jim and Rules of Engagement on ABC, and a repeat Pussycat Dolls on CW.

Come 10 PM ET/PT, my choice for watching and blogging is the new Lost episode on ABC. CBS has a repeat C.S.I.:NY while NBC has a new episode of Medium.

What will you be watching tonight?

'American Idol 6' - The Top Ten Perform Mentored by Gwen Stefani

I didn't find tonight's show as entertaining as last week's, but it could be just me. The stomach virus I've been avoiding caught me this morning and I'm way under the weather.

I thought Gwen Stefani had sage advice for all of the contestants. I loved how blown away she was by Melinda Doolittle.

She was impressed by LaKisha Jones, the first up to the stage this week. LaKisha belted out the Donna Summers song "Let's Dance." It wasn't my favorite performance of hers, but I'm measuring it against her own performances, not those of others. She did fine vocally, but it didn't move me the way I know she is able to move me. All of the judges enjoyed it.

Chris Sligh sang "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" by the Police. That's one of my least favorite Police songs. I wish he had done "Driven to Tears" or "Murder by Numbers." Gwen warned him to watch the tempo and that was indeed the problem with his performance. Randy and Paula talked about the tempo while Simon declared it was a mess, all over the place. I like Chris Sligh, but it wasn't good.

Next up was Gina Glocksen going for yet another Pretenders song, this one "I'll Stand by You." I'm not a huge GG fan, but I thought that her performance may have been her best yet on the show. Simon agreed with me about it being the best while Randy and Paula were also very positive. Simon also said something confusing about chalk and cheese, so I had to look up the saying. Ah, interesting... from that site: "As different as chalk and cheese is an old proverbial phrase to suggest that two things, superficially alike, are totally different in their qualities." Huh. I never heard the phrase before and it dates to the 1500s.

Then there was Sanjaya Fauxhawk Malakar. Like Randy, I'm a bit speechless. It's like Sanjaya knows that he'll get the vote -- he's gone bizarre, plays up like he's all that (and remember how shy he was in auditions), and does weird stuff with his hair. He sang "Bath Water" by No Doubt and I was so agog at his hair that I couldn't tell you how bad he was. He told Simon that he was just jealous (the typical juvenile response) because he couldn't pull it off. I'm assuming he meant the hairstyle. He didn't seem to forget the words, but Gwen Stefani was indeed right to worry about him.

Haley Scarnato was next, singing Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors." Eh. I wasn't impressed. I think she might have bought her ticket home with that one. Simon was right -- it was forgettable.

Phil Stacey, who kind of creeps me out to begin with, sang the perfect controlling man, stalker song -- "Every Breath You Take" by the Police.

I'm scared now.

He actually sang it pretty well, perhaps one of his best vocal performances on the show. The judges were favorable.

My personal favorite, Melinda Doolittle, sang "Heaven Knows" by Donna Summer. Gwen Stefani is amazed by her and so am I. It wasn't my favorite performance of hers, but she is so darn good. Simon hated her outfit, I thought she looked good.

Blake Lewis was warned by Gwen to watch the beatbox and not to lose the melody. She didn't have much to worry about. He sang The Cure's "Love Song." It was tender, it was touching. Paula thinks he'll make the finale and Simon called him the front-runner of the guys. Although I actually like Chris Sligh's voice more, I do enjoy Blake's Take.

Then there was Jordin Sparks. Gwen seemed as impressed as I am that she's just seventeen years old and has such control. She didn't let me down as she sang No Doubt's "Hey, Baby." The judges were happy except for Simon who loved the vocals, called her most improved, then said it was copy-cat-ish.

I think she did very well, once again!

Ending the show was Chris Richardson. Not sounding as nasal as some past weeks, he sang No Doubt's "Don't Speak." Eh, okay. This guy will never be my favorite. I just don't enjoy his voice all that much. Randy said it wasn't his best vocal. Paula loved it. (Um, okay.) Simon told him it was a better song choice, but he needs to pay more attention to his vocals.

So, who's going home this week? I always put Sanjaya on my I Want Him To Go Away List, but I bet he's safe again. I think Haley might be gone or... heaven forbid... Chris Sligh. Who do you think will be leaving?

TV Newsy Bits - Saturday, March 24, 2007

Oh, I'll be so happy when March Madness is history. It's been wreaking havoc with the schedule of my favorite CBS shows. Plus, the gentleman who lives downstairs, usually a quiet retired single man, has been having friends over and I keep hearing random cheering and booing during the game times. Another man and I were entering the elevator the other evening when we heard loud whoops. We turned to each other and said, "March Madness."

One good thing about the schedule changes on CBS this past week is that I actually watched the season one finale of The Wire on BET at 9 PM on Thursday. I generally don't catch it at that hour as I'm either watching C.S.I. or writing about Survivor. The episode of The Wire was so powerful, I think I'll be taping it when it re-airs at 1 AM tonight.

I am so hooked on the show! When the season two (in real life season four recently ended on HBO) starts, I noticed its start time is 10 PM (April 5). Now, that might be a doable time for me to watch the show without hunting it down in the middle of the night to tape it. I admit to cheating and have read ahead on the episode recaps on the main HBO site. I just can't get enough! I'm also looking forward to theme song change to Tom Waits from the Blind Boys from Alabama. I think that's such an interesting touch -- the same song, "Down in the Hole" by Tom Waits, sung by a different artist or group each season. Also, I now relate "The Farmer in the Dell" to Omar. Yikes.

Here are the TV Newsy Bits I found out and about on the web:

• Reality News Online has an interesting interview with self-proclaimed Survivor nerd/geek, Anthony Robinson. What does he really think of Rocky? An excerpt: "He lives on planet Rocky. In his world, he equates being an aggressive jerky loud in-your-face person with being a man. In my world, it’s just not. I live on a different planet than he does. There are some big men in the world who are quiet, calm, collected, and prefer to deal with people in a rational, civilized way."
• Heather Mills has placed her own wager that her artificial leg will stay on just fine during her time on Dancing With the Stars according to the Celebrity Spider. She thinks the websites with the bets are a lot of fun.
• Zap2It.com is reporting that this coming Tuesday's live performance show of American Idol will run overtime -- seven minutes into the the next hour, thus trying to take some of the Dancing With the Stars audience. They (FOX) claim it's because the show just won't fit into a mere hour. Yeah, right. Oh, it's a dog-eat-dog world, isn't it? Gwen Stefani (hey, someone who's popular now and someone whose talents I actually like) will be mentoring the top ten contestants.
• How did Tallahassee take to being the focus of the con man image on Lost this week? The local paper (online) has the reactions of men (and women) from Tallahassee. Also, Celebrity Spider has a detailed promo for next week's episode -- mild spoilers within.

'American Idol 6' - 03/21 Results Show - East Coast Update

Peter Noone sang "A Kind of a Hush."

Phil, Melinda, Blake not bottom three.
Chris Sligh, Lakisha, Jordin not bottom three.
Sanjaya, Haley, Gina not bottom three.
Chris R and Stephanie bottom two this week.

Lulu sang "To Sir With Love" -- YAY!
(I love that song. She jazzed it up too much, argh.)

Stephanie Edwards was voted off.