American Idle

There was a lot at stake on tonight’s Top 11 results show, namely a spot on the American Idols Live! Tour for all the singers.

Ryan Seacrest wasted little time sending two singers, Allison Iraheta and Michael Sarver up from their chairs and into the bottom three. Later, after saving about five singers, including Anoop Desai–who has been in the bottom three more times than I can count–Alexis Grace was sent to center stage with Adam Lambert.

Man, I would have been mad if they sent home Lambert, but he was spared. So with Iraheta, Sarver and Grace in the bottom three, Ryan sent back Iraheta to safety. (Of course, there were songs played by non-Idol 8 contestants in the interim, but who cares.)

And with Sarver and Grace remaining, Ryan sent Sarver back to safety (after a commercial break and a song by Carrie Underwood and Randy Travis).

That left Grace up on stage, who was handed a microphone after the judges said they might consider saving her with their one judges’ save for the season. So she was forced to sing for her supper.

And Grace sang her heart out alright, but Simon said it wasn’t good enough. So the Top 10 are set for the American Idols Live! Tour sponsored by (your name here): Michael Sarver, Allison Iraheta, Anoop Dog, Adam Lambert, Kris Allen, Matt Giraud, Lil Rounds, Scott MacIntyre, Danny Gokey and Megan Joy.

Alexis Grace decided to come out and tell a story, a touchy move since each singer only has about two minutes to tell their side.

While Alexis did sound like a country singer and it was a good song choice, Randy said “it didn’t work.” Kara added she lost her edge.

Paula said it was more effective than in other weeks, leading me to believe the judges are going to try to talk Alexis into becoming a country singer.

Simon said it was a copycat performance and forgettable. While I do think Grace may have found her comfort zone, she might be in danger. We shall see.

It’s Grand Ole Opry week on American Idol. Yee-haw! (Or something like that.) Anyhow, this week is gonna be interesting for the simple fact that there aren’t any country singers in the bunch. Two that are, Carrie Underwood and Randy Travis, will be performing Wednesday during the results show.

Before that happens though, I don’t have a pea-picking idea who’s singing what, but Vote For The Worst is so mad Tatiana didn’t make it in that they have spoiled the whole thing and given us a list of songs the singers can choose from. So that narrows it down just a tad.

Them are some rootin-tootin humdingers, I tell ya. So let me tell you what I think is goin‘ down at the saloon where Simon packs a six-shooter.

Adam Lambert - It has already been established that the dude can sing the phone book. Also, the identification of Lambert as a dude is correct, especially for this week. (For the record, a dude is a gay cowboy, which Lambert will most certainly be tomorrow.) I think he’s gonna sing something off-the-wall, like “Crazy” by Patsy Cline. He could also really freak people out by singing Carrie Underwood, but I doubt that’s happening. More likely that he’d sing Dolly Parton, actually. He’s a big Dolly fan.

Scott Macintyre - Scott can also sing the phone book, as long as he’s in front of a piano. And he will be this week, singing Garth Brooks’ “Shameless,” which was originally sung by (drum roll please) the Piano Man himself, Billy Joel. That said, there might be some fisticuffs between Macintyre and this guy below:

Matt Giraud - The other piano player is in the fight of his life to try to steal this song from Scotty Mac, because it’s the only piano song out of the approved song list. Uh-oh…me smells twubble…Huh-huh-huh…Yeah, it’s possible one of the two pianists could go home.

Lil Rounds - She’ll sing something big, like Dolly Parton, but don’t be shocked if she sings Martina McBride or Reba, either.

Alexis Grace - This week has Alison Krauss written all over it. An alt-rocker singing a Krauss tune. Hey, somebody pass me a microbrew.

Allison Iraheta - The brown version of Overmyer will rock the hell out of a country tune. But she might also surprise everyone, throw on a blonde wig and bust out some Dolly Parton. It’s up in the air.

Danny Gokey - Garth Brooks would be perfect for him, but don’t be surprised if he takes a few risks this week and goes for something more, like Randy Travis.

Kris Allen - If he brings his guitar, this could be his week, since there are some Johnny Cash songs on the list. That said, there are also some Hank Williams tunes. If he doesn’t bring his guitar he is dumb. Plain and simple.

Megan Corkrey - It’s gonna be a weird night for Megan, who is hard to classify. I think she’ll sing some Carrie Underwood and if she doesn’t sing it well, she will be the one going home.

Michael Sarver - This week, simply put, is make-or-break for Sarver, who comes from Texas but apparently doesn’t sing country. WTF? I think he’ll sing some Travis Tritt, or perhaps Trace Adkins. He’ll try to play this week up since country is not his strong suit. It will either be spectacular or a spectacle.

Anoop Desai - Anoop Dog is gonna have to really sing his butt off this week, or he’s out. Luckily for him, there are other singers who will probably struggle with country, so if he can sing some Garth Brooks or even some Travis Tritt, possibly “T-R-O-U-B-L-E,” he could survive the week.

Whatever the Idols may sing, count on it being entertaining. And only one person will be eliminated this week, so choose your Idols wisely.

Oh, no! Alexis got the dreaded 13th spot of the night, which if you the dialer are not careful puts you through to a porn/phone sex line advertising “hot, horny girls.” But only if you dial 1-866-IDOLS-13, so don’t dial that number!

Anyway, she did well enough to get through to next week–if people remember not to dial that number. If you dial 1-866-IDOLS-36, you’re good to go.

As if getting the dreaded 13th number wasn’t enough, then Kara said she’s a “naughty girl.” And a comment like that would definitely have added meaning tonight. Simon added her performance was “over-the-top.” But I liked it! She’s here to stay!! (I hope.)

And then Ryan announced that there would be a twist to this year’s competition and that it will be announced tomorrow. Can’t wait to see what that will be.

It was announced today that the Top 13 will sing Michael Jackson songs tomorrow night as American Idol 8 rolls on. Well, that’s gonna be interesting. Jacko’s songs aren’t easy to sing, especially his newer ones. But let’s look at who’s gonna shine and who won’t tomorrow night:

Adam Lambert - Lambert should be the easiest one to pick, since he’s all about theatrics and the boy can sing. I could see him choosing something daunting, like “Rock With You,” and making it his own. But I can also see him singing “Thriller,” so it’s hard to say. I’d say “Billie Jean,” but David Cook owned that song. Anyone stupid enough to sing it (and there will be one) could be eliminated.

Anoop Desai - Anoop’s style is perfectly suited for a Jackson song, like “Smooth Criminal.” Or if Lambert doesn’t choose “Thriller” Desai might choose that. Or “Leave Me Alone.”

Danny Gokey - This performance has “Heal The World” written all over it. If not that one, then something that is inspirational. It would be a huge mistake for Gokey to go big.

Lil Rounds - Look for Rounds to make her move on Lambert’s top spot tomorrow night. She will choose something obscure and sing the hell out of it. It could be something like “Butterfly,” a newer song that is one of my faves.

Jasmine Murray - Notice a trend here? You should, because Jackson songs are hard to sing. That said, I think Murray is gonna have a good week.

Jorge Nunez - He has a big enough voice to tackle “Rock With You.” While I think it would be utterly stupid for him to do such a thing per Paula’s warning, he just might. And if he hits it, he could be the next breakout star on the show. I can also see him singing “The Way You Make Me Feel.”

Michael Sarver - The Texan is gonna move up this week, because he has that big voice that Jackson songs are suited for.

Kris Allen - He may not be singing “Man In The Mirror” but I’d bet money he will be. If he falls flat, though, he could be going home early.

Alexis Grace - She has enough soul and voice to pull off one of the trickier songs, but I think she’ll go the Danny Gokey route and choose something safe.  

Scott Macintyre and Matt Giraud - This is a tricky week for Scott and Matt. Neither of their voices are suited to this type of music and with a bad week, Matt could be going home.

Allison Iraheta and Megan Joy Corkrey - I think one of them could be in trouble this week, especially if Anoop Dog or Matt blows the roof off. That would open the door for a shock elimination. Look for something off-the-wall with these two girls.

Stay tuned tomorrow night for the show! Should be the best one yet.

The Top 13 has been set for American Idol 8 and now it’s time to talk about the contestants. The funniest thing about the decision to make a Top 13 is that it wasn’t decided upon until the show actually had already started.

Idol producer Ken Warwick talked to Simon Cowell during a commercial break and the two went with their gut instincts, which told them it was okay to make history.

But Anoop Desai was well-deserving of the historic 13th spot, having come up just 20,000 votes short of being in the Top 12 during the semifinal round.

Also, expect a double-elimination this week even though it hasn’t been officially announced. It won’t be the first time Idol has eliminated two contestants during the final round.

Also anticipate some other surprises. What might those be? Here are some ideas:

- There has been some talk about the finalists living in a mansion, a la Canadian Idol. Of course, let’s hope that American Idol outlasts its brethren, which was cancelled this year.

- Guests at the afore-mentioned Idol party–which Bikini Girl was at for some odd reason–got cardboard Top 13 cards, all of which had boxes of pictures of the Top 13, as well as red X’s. But here’s the catch: two types of cards were printed, telling me some more shenanigans are in store.

Whatever way things turn out, it’s obvious we’re in for some surprises we haven’t seen before on American Idol 8.

After the Top 13 (not the Top 12) were announced, it was time to go out and party like it was 2009. Except for all of the usual faces (you know, the ones who had earned their way into the finals) there was one, in particular, who crashed the party.

What in the hell was Bikini Girl (above photo) doing there? Was she a guest of someone? Like, maybe Simon? LOL It’s possible, and I guarantee that because we saw her last night at the post-wrap party, we have not seen the last of her.

God, no! I thought we were rid of this broad. She’s more annoying than Tatiana!! I thought Kara had a hit out on her. Just kidding. She doesn’t, but apparently I (and the rest of America) were wrong. We aren’t. She’s back.

And she looks like a damned turtle–or a mermaid, take your pick–in that shimmery green metallic getup. And look at her boobs, all mismatched like one is bigger than the other. Other than that, she’s just a hot mess, obviously someone Simon would get with.

And other than that, half of America is cheering right now, particularly those with a pulse and a penis. The other half is throwing things at their computer screen.

If what JoesPlace (an ultra-reliable Idol source) is reporting is true, then we’ve already found out who one-third of the WildCard singers will be when American Idol airs tomorrow night. In the above photo taken last night, you are indeed looking at Anoop Desai, Ricky Braddy and Matt Giraud near the Grove in Los Angeles.

And I, for one, couldn’t be happier. I called all three of these guys (pictured above with Kris Allen and Alexis Grace, who are already in the Top 12) after they performed, so it’s nice to see I’m somewhat right in my predictions.

If I’m not right, then that also means that several other blogs with the cojones to print this story have also been wrong, which wouldn’t make sense to me.

So there they are, America: quite possibly the first three contestants of tomorrow night’s WildCard round, which I’m excited about. What do you think about this latest development?  

Adam Lambert is the breakout star of American Idol 8, without question. The question is, now that he has a solid fan base, can he repeat the performance he had singing “Can’t Get No Satisfaction” by the Rolling Stones every week?

Because that’s what it’s gonna take, now that he’s set the bar so ridiculously high that even his two compatriots who made the Top 12, Allison Iraheta and Kris Allen (above photo with Lambert) have a lot of catching up to do.

And that doesn’t even mention the first group, including Danny Gokey, Michael Sarver and Alexis Grace. Gokey is alrady receiving negative publicity based on his family members passing around a photo of his late wife. Sad, but it seems like a bit too much, don’t you think? As far as Sarver is concerned, he should make the Top 10, but that’s about as far as he’ll get. And Grace has a unique sound in a top-heavy mens’ draw this year, but I have a feeling some females will make it through from the WildCard round to make it all the more interesting.

This video below shows us what Lambert is capable of doing and is proof positive that he is truly a one-man show.

Now that group one led by Danny Gokey has come and either sang their way into the Top 12 or went home (for now, anyway) the fact of the matter is, who out of the group still has a shot during the WildCard round?

Umm-kay…first things first. Stephen Fowler and Stevie Wright have about as much of a chance of being a WildCard as Ricky Braddy (above photo) does being straight. That said, anything is possible and Sanjaya is living proof. There is a very good reason why Sanjaya hasn’t put out one album and that’s because he can’t sing.

Fortunately for us, there are WildCard hopefuls, pros included, who can.

Anoop Desai will obviously be a strong candidate to make it into the WildCard round, because he lost out on the opportunity to make the Top 12 by only 20,000 votes. Not having Anoop Dog in the WildCard would be not only surprising, but also irritating. Anoop obviously deserves a shot at winning American Idol 8 and there are those out there who still believe he can.

Another one who will likely be selected based on her notoriety is Tatiana Del Toro (second photo), whose nauseating laugh made me want to kill myself. I know other Americans feel the same, but the truth is we’ll probably hear from her again. I wished I had a gun. And in case you didn’t know, Del Toro is also an accomplished actress. Oh, God, no.

The judges may have been down on Ann Marie Boskovich and Jackie Tohn (third photo), but to me they are just as much of a threat as Alexis Grace, the only girl from group one selected for the Top 12. Both Boskovich and Tohn have labored in the musical hells of Nashville and Hollywood, finding that Idol may actually be their ticket to a music career. Tohn may have looked like an 80’s hooker last night, but if she makes it on as a WildCard, watch out. She’s got the musical chops; you just didn’t see them last night. So what if they’re pros already, you know? LOL

Ricky Braddy would be another logical choice for the WildCard round, since he is already developing a massive following from his dance, which is a hit on YouTube. Braddy can also sing and if it weren’t for the fact that America hardly knew him at all before he hit the stage this week, Braddy might have given Sarver a run for his money, too.

And don’t count out Casey Carlson (bottom photo), the eminently likeable brunette from Minnesota who probably raised the blood pressures of about half of America’s hard working men. Even though she’s ticketed for a career in something other than music, the chance for people to see Carlson butchering another song in anything is cause for celebration. Look for a potential country album from her, though.

Speaking of country, another country pro who might make it on the WildCard round is Brent Keith (Smith), a singer who is already a country artist; he’s just one who fell on some hard times after getting a tour sponsored by Wal-Mart. Heh. The problem for him is he told America what he did was just a business. Oof! Hopefully that comment didn’t kill his chances for a comeback.