'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

Yes, I'm Still Watching 'The Black Donnellys'

Blog reader TBC asked if I was still doing The Black Donnellys.

Although I haven't taken on the show as a full blogging endeavor, I am still watching it each week. I'm hooked, but it's more of a time element (another 10 PM show which is fine to watch, but would keep me up too late to write up as I have to get up early for work) thing than anything else which keeps me from writing about it on a regular basis.

I'm intrigued by the main storyline of the show, but a few things are bugging me about it. How can either the bar or Jenny's diner make any money when they never have customers? Now, remember, I know the real bar used for the show. It has a solid business and its upstairs rocks with live bands. The show bar may or may not get a jukebox. Skip that, just get some customers! And, the deposits that Jenny's ill father made in the mailbox instead of the night deposit couldn't add up to $13,000 in a year because... there never are any customers in the diner!

Also, I found an article on Jonathan Tucker, Tommy Donnelly on the show, in his hometown (Boston) news. His overacting on the show is beginning to bug me a bit and, according to the article, he seems to have this thing about acting in movies rather than television. So, he thinks he's all that, eh? Well, I'm kind of tired of his facial expressions. He's beginning to remind me of David Caruso -- posing for effect. I did find it interesting that he's a ballet dancer. (Tucker, not Caruso.) And, that scar on his chin? A motorcycle accident a couple of years ago and 62 stitches. Yikes.

But, yeah. I'm watching.

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?

Whatever Will I Watch Tonight? - Tuesday, April 3, 2007

Well, you know me. Of course, at 8 PM ET I'll be watching American Idol. This week's pro/mentor is Tony Bennett. Whenever I think about that, I wonder if the kids on the show or following it even have a clue why Tony Bennett is "anyone." I could burst into song... "I left my heart in San Francisco..." After the show, I'll post an entry with the lowdown of the events.

I know many folks are into Dancing With the Stars. The results show airs at 9 PM ET tonight. You're all invited to head to the blog discussion post for DWTS, post the results and talk it up with fellow show fans. It's a real good bunch of fans there and the posting is friendly!

At 8 PM ET/PT: CBS has a new NCIS episode. There's a new Dateline NBC (guess what network). American Idol is the new live show for an hour on FOX. ABC has a repeat episode of George Lopez followed by a repeat According to Jim. CW has a repeat Gilmore Girls.

At 9 PM ET/PT: CBS has a new episode of The Unit. I'll be watching a new episode of Law and Order: Criminal Intent on NBC. FOX is airing a new episode of House. The Dancing With the Stars results show is on ABC. The CW has a new Pussycat Dolls episode.

At 10 PM ET/PT: There's a repeat C.S.I.: Miami on CBS, a new Law and Order: Special Victims Unit (my viewing choice) on NBC, and a new Boston Legal on ABC.

What will you be watching tonight?