100% with GrantDawg on all of this - so you're not alone!

I think my top 4 last night were David H, Jason C, David C, David A.

I think David A did very well, but I think he's already going to be hurt by not being "up to his standards". Being SO good early on can hurt you in the voting (right or wrong). He's not getting kicked off or anything, but he has to step it up next week and probably do something a little more "made for radio".

DialIdol has been really disappointing this year so far. Maybe it's accurate, but it's essentially useless.

I actually agree with all of this. My bottom 3 would be Michael, Chikieze, and Luke with Chikieze and Luke going. My wife thinks Jason C should go because "he ran out of breath twice during his song which is unforgivable."

I'm finding Noriega increasingly entertaining but less and less capable as a singer. It'll be interesting to see how long VFTW can keep him around.

Agreed.

Typically around 7-8 until the 'serious' voters catch up.

It's really a shame they don't release voting numbers. It would be very interesting to study them, especially over multiple seasons imo.

I know why they don't - it would largely kill the suspense/drama they try to create for their weekly one-hour, 5-minutes-of-content voting-off show. I suspect it would also butcher their beloved, gaudy "30 million votes this week!" if viewers realized (hypothetical example) that Archuleta was getting 15M votes a week and their "favorite" was getting 800k. Not much point in voting/caring at that point really.

I agree though - it would seem that it takes until final 8 or so before the real voters are able to overcome the VFTW crowd (at least historically - that seems about right).

What in the HELL is Paula babbling about this season???

Put Jewel in the middle please...

Her Vicidan is really kicking in. Or maybe it is Teamocil.

Good night over all. The bottom three is hard to pick, but my safe guess is that Kady is going home. She just never really shined. A'shia is my second guess, but could be one of a couple of others as well. Loved Carly and Brooke. I would buy both of those songs.

Carly has a great voice to do 80's music

I think it's hard to pick the losers from tongiht. It was pretty evenly spread. I didn't love Carly and I normally do, I hope she's safe....

syesha - She closed the night like rivera in his prime. nothing really innovative here but the talent is clear and evident. I thought she nailed it.
Kristy - I liked this performance a lot. She owned the song and she has a lot of talent.
Remyel - she sung the heck outta this one and it was a tough one.
Brooke - gave it her own stamp. she countrified as well. I think this would have been even cooler a capella
Kady - good song choice for her. Doing Mercury is tough but it's sort of an operatic pop song and she showed the big voice we haven't heard yet.
Asia - solid performance of tricky song given original artist. She's talented but not Whitney.
Carly - a little flat in the choruses. I like Carly but I also expect more from her.
Amanda - better song choice. last week she was atrocious this week she's just bad.

Wow.

Paula sounds CRAZY! She needs to be cut from the show two years ago.

Were you high? Syesha and Remyel (sp for both?) in the top 3? Amanda at the bottom? Carly second from bottom?

Asia'h and Ramyel are in danger of going home.

I think it was more like:

Top group:
Brooke
Amanda
Kristy

Middle group but still very good:
Carly
Kady
Syesha

Danger:
Ramyel
Asia'h


I think tonight was one of the better nights of the season so far.

No.

Uhhh yeah.

I somehow missed tonight and am very pissed because I want to see what how in the hell AMANDA of all people made a 360 - I caught the end where Simon said she was his favorite! You gotta be kiddin

she sang a song where its ok to sound like crap

I think Kady is the only definite to go home. That was a Sarah Brightman version of that Queen song she was doing, and she just doesn't have that kind of voice. Amanda still should be going home, yes she found her niche, but it such a small niche. Anything outside of it is going to be bad as we've already seen.

Asia'h is another possibility to go home, she always sound hoarse to me, and her performance was pretty forgetable being first on. Remyel also is another possibility but probably has a large enough fanbase to save her. The first half of her song was pretty rough.

Brooke and Kristy get my top votes tonight. Both took songs that definitely did not fit their style and made them work for them.

are there two amandas on the show? was he talking about skunk-girl?

Why is no one talking about how red Kristy Lee Cook's tongue is? Last week, I thought maybe she just had a popsicle right before she sang. This week, it is super-red again. And I mean, holy shit red. RED.

WTF??

Yeah I saw that Matt, I think she was sick-Ryan made some comment after her performance. I'm thinking she had a cough drop or some kind of medicine before she went on.

Column posted on the Football Frontier:

http://www.solecismic.com/frontierblog/?p=239

Overall: An excellent night for the girls, raising the bar just a bit as we get into the top 12. I have a feeling this is going to be Idol's best year yet after all. Unlike the guys, however, we've yet to have the top performers truly separate themselves.

Heh - that's funny, because my wife and I noticed a few weeks back that Carly had a purple [popsicle] tongue.

I'd say Kady and Rameile should go, with Asia'h also being near the bottom. I thought Brooke, Syesha, and Carly were the best (though Carly not as good as the first two).

Is there some trendy new flavored and colored product singers are spraying in their mouths to save their vocal chords?

During Hollywood week, there was a day when several people seemed to have grey-blue tongues.

Nowhere as good as the guys, but they had some solid performances. What's disappointing is that David H (70s), David A (70s) and Cook (80s) all have had defining performances. I can't recall any real defining performances (save maybe Brook last week) from the girls. This leads to a lot of conjestion in the middle of the pack. Here's the rankings:

1. Brook - Nice performer and really knows what she does well. She takes some chances, but really doesn't leave here element which makes them safe risks. Her consistency makes her the best on the women's side so far.
2. Carly - She has a nice voice and wasn't in top form tonight. Still, she is a top 2 girl on talent and has been strong so far.
3. Syesha - Pleasant surprise, but it was pretty much a straight Whitney copy job down to the last note. She pulled it off for the most part, but it was a little robotic. I'd like to see a little more "making it her own" from Syesha.
4. Amanda - She was dreadful last week but got back in her element. Because she sounds so different, if she can simply be on tune with a little energy - she will always overachieve expectations. This is really the best she can hope for, though, and it's a middle of the pack finish.
5. Kristy - Nice work adding in a country style to Journey. I still feel nervious everytime she builds up to a note and I'm not sure why. You would think that would subside, but it really hasn't since her first night. She really needs to nail a song to be a factor - but she should be safe.
6. Remyel - She was technically better than Kristy and Amanda, but just was very Blah for me overall. She needs to get a little energy into her performances or just be technically brilliant to have a chance. She didn't do either tonight.
7. Asia'h - After Syesha, her performance looked pretty ordinary. It's never good when you get upstaged in the same night on a Whitney song. It's even worse when you were one of the bottom two before that performance. She's not a terrible performer, but will probably be going home.
8. Kady - Speaking of robots, she is like a statue on each performance. She hits most notes, but struggles on many others. To make it into the top 12, you need to have a unique sound, be a great performer or technically proficient. She struck out on all 3 and will be heading home.

IMO, only Brooke would have made the top 4 of the guys so the gals need to pick it up a bit.

I think it's packaged with the trendy sparkle lip gloss.

Brooke White is DA BOMB.

I have been watching the girls performances everytime just to listen to her. If she keeps it up, I would be extremely happy if she won.

Agreed. Completely unbearable.

And the guys being better than the girls? IN WHAT WORLD. Scott Savol could run roughshot through the guys if he was in this season. The chicks are eons ahead of the guys.

MJ4H and I can definitely agree on Amanda's craptasticness. Doing a pale imitation of Janice Joplin doesn't mean you can sing. There's more to a rock song than a raspy voice and a little attitude.

BTW you guys are all retarded

She spells it Ramiele

I think the issue is that the guys have clearly delineated themselves into the haves and the have nots, and the guys on top are clearly a cut above their competition. The girls, on the other hand, are much closer to each other in terms of talent. I tend to believe that the top guys ARE more talented than the top girls (Cook and Archuleta, specifically), but that in general, the girls have more talent overall. We'll see much better when they're all thrown together.

Some songs needed to stay in the 80's.

Honestly, I believe that all 3 judges are completely played out.

Paula blathers on forever and never says ANYTHING.

Randy & Simon contradict themselves CONSTANTLY. And most often appear to be completely out of touch with today's music industry. I didn't believe this to be the case a few years ago, but I think they've been caught up in the whole audition process and it has warped their minds as to who they think would be successful artists.

One second they criticize you for playing an instrument, and the next week they criticize you for not playing it.

They talk about not needing the "Starsearch" moment in each song, but this year if you don't have the "big note", they'll trash you.

If you pick 90% of the songs you're being "safe", but if you pick the other 10% you shouldn't be taking on "Celine or Whitney" because it will always come across as a copycat performance.

I'd love to see this show with some new judges who aren't quite as bitter about the process as these 3. How many auditions / performances have they seen in the last 8 years? They've all become caricatures of themselves.

I think the girls are very much up in the air.

For my personal tastes Brooke White is at the top right now with Carly and Kristy in the next tier.

If it was my choice Amanda and Ramiele would go home. Both of them for similar reasons - no matter how well they performed tonight, I know exactly what the next 5 performances of theirs will sound like. Amanda will pick the rockiest song she can in the theme and sing it like a poor man's Janis. Ramiele will find a ballad and try to show that she's a little girl with a big voice.

But anyway, as for what AMERICA will say. Like everyone else, I think Kady is gone. Outside of that I think that Brooke White may be the only one that I would call completely safe - but I think the likely victims outside of Kady are Ramiele, Asia'h, and Syesha.

If I had to rank the top 16 based on this week, it would be:

1. David Cook
2. Jason Castro
3. David Hernandez
4. Brooke White
5. Michael Johns
6. Carly
7. David A
8. Syesha
9. Amanda
10. Kristy
11. Ramiele
12. Chikeze
13. Danny
14. Asia'h
15. Luke
16. Kady

Again, this is all subjective, but having 5 of the top 7 being guys seems to indicate to me that this is a pretty strong guys group.

Kristy Lee Cook is overrated in both the looks and vocals department

+1 on the vocals, for sure.

I must be the only one who thought she butchered that Journey song last night.

The chest is rockin' though and will keep her from getting knocked off, most likely.

Brooke owned last night. I'd buy that version of the song right now - great stuff.

Obscure reference, but she reminds me a little bit of Tanya Beyer.

I noticed it and made the mistake of commenting on it. I figured it was safer than commenting on other body parts. My wife called her performance "disgusting."

Anyway, my only safe bet is that Kady is going home. I think Amanda should go as well even though last night's performance was her best in a few weeks (still a bottom 3 type performance in my opinion.)

My order from last night:

1. Brook - Great performance that played to her strengths
2. Carly - The best overall singer from the girls.
3. Syesha - Best combination of looks and voice last night.
4. Kristy - Maybe I'm biased, but I liked her performance last night and thought it was one of her best. She deserves to be back another week.
5. Asia'h - An ok performance, nothing special.
6. Amanda - Her best performance since joining the top 12, but nothing special.
7. Ramiele - She sounded bad last night, but she has had so many good performances that I think she is safe.
8. Kady - Another bad performance. I'll be surprised to see her last another week.

I would rate Kristy Lee Cook as the worst from this week out of the females. I love that Journey song and I cringed throughout her performance.

I agree with you about the guys. There are good ones, and there are really bad ones. As for the girls, there are good ones, and mediocre ones. I think some of the better guys fell off a little this week (a lot of pitch problems and missed notes).

Most dissapointing for all of them: there isn't anyone who stands out as a whole package (looks/singing/performance/personality). I don't remember seeing that in the three seasons I've watched (3,4,5), I remember someone really standing out before the top 12.

As each week goes by I really miss the Carrie / Bo season where you could expect a great performance from both of them almost every week.

Whew, I've never like Asia or however you spell it.

I like her voice a lot, but her song selection has been TERRIBLE for her vocal style since the top 24 started.

So for that, no surprise or big loss.

I think it says a lot for this season that we're heading into the top 12 and VFTW is pretty much hosed.

I'd say they could latch onto Amanda, but based on DialIdol she was doing quite well enough on her own.

Proud of Luke Menard. He definitely made it farther than I thought he would. Hopefully something can come from this for him. I am just happy Norriega went too.

Noriega was just to over the top

Luke was a very good vocalist imo - just not right for this competition.

I am PISSED that Asia'h went home.... by far my favorite girl. now i dont know who to root for on the girl side, probably brooke..

also, somewhat disappointed to see Danny go home, as much as i didnt want to admit it he puts a smile on your face. but speaking of bad song choices, he always went for some crazy song where he could "rock out", when he really does have a good voice and should have worked a ballad in to show that.

oh yeah - and i cant wait to see how badly amanda destroys a Beatles song next week.... yikes

Think the Marilyn Manson cover of "Revolution." She'll be fine.

Beatles week is next week or were you just making a joke?

I was being serious. It's a song that's been covered by metal artists a few times over the years. STP maybe? And yes, they have permission to use the McCartney/Lennon song book next week.

She could probably do Back In The USSR fairly well too.

edit: and Come Together, covered by Aerosmith...

I hope to hell that David A. does not do Yesterday.

Not that he couldn't sing it, but more for the 'Jesus kid, you're 17.. lighten the f' up.'

Now that Danny is gone there is absolutely no reason to watch this show.

Well, time to the delete this mutha.

Yesterday is my all-time favorite song, and I was really hoping he would sing it, but given the comments this week probably better that he passes on it. I just hope someone sings it now.

Not too surprised at who went home, other than Amanda staying over Asia'H. Like others I would have liked Danny to stay just for the fun factor in his performances if nothing else, especially over Chikezi. But he wouldn't have won, and given the talent left, likely wouldn't have survived past next week anyway.

There are probably six contestants fighting over that song right now. You'll know who Fox wants to win by who is allowed to sing it.

Helter Skelter?

Didn't get to see any of the performances this week, although I caught the recap of the girls. I'm traveling, and this is a horrible week to be traveling. Right now, I'm stuck in San Diego. Supposed to be in Dallas. Lost my luggage getting out here and had to give 2 presentations earlier in the week in the same clothes I wore on the plane. This blows.

Anyway, from what I read last week from an interview with Nigel, this week's Beatles songs are supposed to be only from their "early" period, meaning none of the songs Amanda could arguably sing will be included (if that's correct). Aside from some of the non-Lennon/McCartney songs from their first few albums that might work (Twist and Shout, etc.), I'm not sure what she'll sing. She has no ability to sing melodically when she's not screaming herself hoarse. From the recap, all I heard was the backing vocalists singing over her, which is a long-standing AI trick to disguise bad vocals. I think it will be hard to "top" her Kansas debacle, but she'll give it a shot.

Did anyone else think Amanda looked miserable when she was told she was in the top 12? I think she desperately wants out of the show.

Actually, she looked completely distracted the day of the performance. Something might be up with her.

Let's hope so.

Yeah, something was really weird with her, and I don't just mean her hair. i mean, she seemed to have some energy in her performance, but afterwards... I dunno, I actually felt bad for her, even after the judges said such good things. She looked like something was terribly wrong.

The sooner Jacuzzi is off, the better. That guy is a total hack.

She knows she doesn't belong. I think she has been trying to throw the competition for herself.

You just wanted to say Jacuzzi.

I'm just bitter about Kady being voted off. Idol is dead to me now.

I REALLY wanted her to stay - but I can't fault her being off TOO much. She didn't do that well despite what I think she is capable of.

*shurg*

She sure looked motherfucking good Thursday night. She was the right one to boot, but damn I was sorry to see her leave.

Yes, she did.

For what it's worth, my wife and I had to endure seeing Carrie Underwood live last night as she opened for Keith Urban at the Pepsi Center. She really has a weak voice that needed to be carried by her backup, not to mention that 45 minutes into her set, she completely ran out of gas. She was all dolled up like some Paris Hilton-wannabe, awkward in her movements and well, acting like she's still on Idol.

and she can't dance at all

oh hey look this thread is still here
go figure

all this in depth analysis is a good balance to the enourmous amount of testosterone you bring to the board

if you delete this thread, i'll get so pissed off, i'll pull my own tampon out and throw it across the room

OK, so those of you who want to try to figure out what Amanda is going to sing, there are only 25 Beatles songs they get to choose from - and no one is allowed to repeat another's choice. The list ends with Revolver - nothing from Sgt. Pepper's forward.

Amanda could try a blusey version of "Twist and Shout". I'm sure that'd be on the list... she may have to fight others for it... who knows?

That was my first guess, but realize this is all about Lennon/McCartney and that's obviously not an original. Technically, this isn't Beatles week, this is John & Paul week.

thank god i dont have to endure danny noriega any more...when that alexandrea chick was still around, he was more feminine that she was...if i had to see him shaking his hips and strutting around like a hooker, i was gonna vomit. FTR, i am not a homophobe, that kid just drove me nuts...i dont believe that at his age, you can actually be that effeminate unless its all an act, which i believe it was, which is why i wanted to choke him.

eh, I have no response to this

when i was a senior in college, one of my roommates, who is gay, started hanging out with a freshman (also gay), who was the most over the top "queen" i have ever seen in my life whenever there were any heterosexual people around...according to my friend, he never acted that way when the only people he was around were other gay guys...it was like he had to put on a performance to annouce that he wasnt just gay, but he was some sort of super-sized homosexual....to me Danny was the same thing.

so are like the real tough guys over the top heteros?

yes...absolutely the same thing, and equally as annoying to me.

some of those guys are gay:D

Touche! LOL

I am in the camp that can't believe anyone thought Danny was entertaining. He was annoying and more fit with the girls camp than anything else... if you are gay, fine, don't try to shove it down my throat though (ugh, no pun intended).

So you must be a big David Hernandez fan. Perhaps Clay Aiken. Maybe Seacrest too.

Danny didn't bother me, and I thought he was entertaining. I actually thought he was a far better singer than he turned out to be, so that was disappointing. He definitely was this year's Sanjaya, without the big fanbase. What I don't get from some of the comments here is why he would want to come off as "over the top gay"...how exactly would that help him on the show, or IRL? What's the incentive for acting that way?

There's incentive in a way. I believe what you saw is him but if one was so inclined you could ramp it up in a karson kressly sort of way as a blueprint for success. There are many examples actually. I can see how in some way you might believe the gay "queen" is more loveable to the general hollywood public. See Will and Grace.

But in a competition where he's depending on votes not from the "hollywood public" but historically, from the south (that's where most of the votes come from), I don't get the idea that acting like a queen would garner him any fans. It's hard to compare David H and Danny because one has performed much better than the other, but David H is, by all accounts (not just the dancing thing, but the info that he's had a steady boyfriend) gay as well, and has done much better not making an issue out of it.

As far as the Will and Grace thing...I agree, to an extent. The difference is that the character on W&G was essentially comic relief, and I have to believe that Danny really wanted to compete and do well, not just be the comic relief for the show. But who knows. Maybe he saw the attention that Britney defender dude got on Youtube and decided the only way he'd make a name for himself on AI is to play a part that the show was eager to cast. I guess it's possible.

I think you got the real danny on the show. I'm just saying that in and of itself isn't 'bad' and I could see someone taking an over the top approach.

Heck, I thought he was entertaining and in a way what entertainment needs in terms of artistry if you know what I mean. I'd rather interesting and different than technically superior and cookie cutter.

danny couldn't sing well enough and of course there's a baseline so that's too bad.

simon loves to use the word "forgettable". this show breeds that in a way.

He certainly has better moves than at least 75% of the remaining girls.

Back in my day madonna humped stages, david lee roth was a jigalo, michael jackson lit his hair on fire and we liked it.

Times have changed my friend.

I thought Danny could actually sing during Hollywood week and might have done well at first. But, then he went over the top with his song choices (Elvis, Soft Cell, ...) and I think that made him more of a caricature than a singer. All that said, I don't know that he wins the contest either way, so maybe this route was the better long term strategy. At least he is memorable. I already couldn't tell you the difference between Alexandrea and Asia'h and they've only been gone for 2 weeks. I'm guessing that Colten and Garret are the same way. I doubt anyone that watched the show more than a week will forget Danny anytime soon.

Damn, VFTW went OFF on Carly Smithson here:

hxxp://votefortheworst.com/20080311/lies_carly_smithson

I do find it interesting that she changed her name not when she got married 2 years ago, but at the end of last year, and actually went through the AI auditions as Carly Hennessy. Then spoilers got out, she realized people connected the dots, and voila - Carly Smithson!