American Idol Season 8

[Arles]

I completely understand why the judges want Adam in the finals. If it's Danny-Kris, it becomes whether you want a T-Bone or a rib eye. Both can be good and most people would be OK with either. If Adam's in the mix, it's whether you want spicy Mahi Mahi or a rib eye and there's atleast a clear distinction.

Last night, I felt Adam went back to his "vocal gymnastics" performance that became more about showing his insane range and inflection and less about what a listener would enjoy. Kris was the most consistent with Danny having the best overall performance. At this point, I'd be happy with either Kris/Danny vs Adam. If I had to choose, I'd go Danny as I think he's had a better overall season.

A couple final points, it is a little ridiculous how in the tank they've been for Adam (esp Simon) and how they have completely sandbagged contestants like Kris and Allison. I think "judging" pretty much stops at the final 6-7 and it becomes more of an effort to grease through their top 2-3 favorites (which, IMO, were Adam, Danny and Matt). I also think Kara has added nothing this season and is the main reason the show's production quality has been abysmal. Going 3-4 minutes (or more) over each week to fit in her shilling is making the show even more of a joke. I would hope they keep Paula as atleast she consistently over embellishes each performer, compared to Kara who goes overboard on her favorites and rips good performances with nonsensical comments just to keep her favorites safe.

[lordscarlet]

It's not just going over 3-4 minutes. They have greatly reduced the number of performances and STILL go over.

[RedKingGold]

I don't care if Katy Perry is a shitty singer or has a big ass, I'm still in love with her.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by RedKingGold

I don't care if Katy Perry is a shitty singer or has a big ass, I'm still in love with her.

Maybe we were over reacting but my wife and I both thought it was shitty that she had Adam Lambert written across her cape.

[rowech]

Originally Posted by Lathum

Maybe we were over reacting but my wife and I both thought it was shitty that she had Adam Lambert written across her cape.

You weren't. It's yet another crap thing the producers let get by. I've never seen such complete bias from a TV show as to who they are trying to get win. If he wins, I'm not even sure I can believe the voting wasn't adjusted to make it happen.

[Ksyrup]

Gwen Stefani is one of my least favorite singers in the world, but I'll be damned if Katy Perry didn't do one of the worst Gwen Stefani impersonations I've ever had the misfortune to witness. That was Lady GaGa painful to watch.

Glad DialIdol finally nailed one. I knew they were going to make Kris the first safe one, assuming he was safe. Dude looked like he was going to pass out at one point, when he bent over. In what appeared to be one of the few genuine moments this entire season, it looked like the judges were legitimately shocked that Danny lost. You could almost hear them thinnking, "How the fuck did this happen, after we did everything in our power to pimp Danny and screw over Kris?"

[PilotMan]

I have absolutely no problem with the judges or the producers or anyone else for that matter pimping who they like or not. Honestly, it's Simon's show, and his label, and he should get to throw his weight around about who he wants or doesn't want.

Adam would be a money maker and he can see it. The Kris may as well be Justin Guarini.

[wade moore]

I don't get the issue with Perry pimping for Adam. Is she running the show? Have mentors not clearly had favorites? Who cares - she has every right to pimp her favorite.

[Mustang]

Originally Posted by wade moore

I don't get the issue with Perry pimping for Adam. Is she running the show? Have mentors not clearly had favorites? Who cares - she has every right to pimp her favorite.

I don't get it either. People get more fired up about which way the producers are trying to sway voters on American Idol than we do about things like politics.

[Lathum]

Then why have a vote at all ( I know it is a huge revenue generator).

They always pimp it a a singing contest, then they should let the singing decide it and not biased judges and guest performers endorsments.

[Ksyrup]

I don't care about the Katy Perry thing - the votes were already in for this week, no one will remember her performance next week, and it's obvious the audience she was targeting with that probably already vote for Adam anyway. The judges and producers' attempts to sway the entire competition, OTOH, suck.

[lordscarlet]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

I don't care about the Katy Perry thing - the votes were already in for this week, no one will remember her performance next week, and it's obvious the audience she was targeting with that probably already vote for Adam anyway. The judges and producers' attempts to sway the entire competition, OTOH, suck.

+1

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by Lathum

Then why have a vote at all ( I know it is a huge revenue generator).

They always pimp it a a singing contest, then they should let the singing decide it and not biased judges and guest performers endorsments.

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

I don't care about the Katy Perry thing - the votes were already in for this week, no one will remember her performance next week, and it's obvious the audience she was targeting with that probably already vote for Adam anyway. The judges and producers' attempts to sway the entire competition, OTOH, suck.

KSyrup answered it for me...

I have an issue with the producers/judges/ryan steering the vote. I have zero issue with some performer on the results show steering the votes. I have no problem if Shaq wants to pimp Danny on his twitter (I know this didn't happen). I have no problem if Donald Trump pays to have the side of his building painted with a picture of Kris Allen (shocker, this didn't happen).

Point being - I think it's crap that the show itself tries to steer votes. But anyone else that does it, who cares?

[PraetorianX]

The Katy Perry thing didn't annoy me as much as her actual performance, which was dreadful.


And does Kris Allen actually have fans that are legal adults? Aside from parents of Kris Allen fans, I mean.


However, if there were only a million or so votes separating Kris and Adam, I can't help but think Kris will win as I think Danny's voters will be more likely to switch to Kris than to Adam.

[MJ4H]

Originally Posted by PraetorianX

However, if there were only a million or so votes separating Kris and Adam, I can't help but think Kris will win as I think Danny's voters will be more likely to switch to Kris than to Adam.

This. I think Kris wins now. Depends on finale performances, though, but I agree with you on why I think Kris actually has a slight advantage now.

[LoneStarGirl]

I live in Conway, Arkansas, home of Kris Allen, and everybody in this town is nuts about him. You can't walk 5 feet without hearing his names. Old people, young people, the kids i teach, everybody adores him.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by wade moore

I have an issue with the producers/judges/ryan steering the vote. I have zero issue with some performer on the results show steering the votes. I have no problem if Shaq wants to pimp Danny on his twitter (I know this didn't happen). I have no problem if Donald Trump pays to have the side of his building painted with a picture of Kris Allen (shocker, this didn't happen).

Point being - I think it's crap that the show itself tries to steer votes. But anyone else that does it, who cares?

I don't care is Shaq or whoever pimps him on their blog or whatever, but she is a guest of the show performing on the show.

I think it's a shitty thing to do and a slap in the face to the other contestants.

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by Lathum

I don't care is Shaq or whoever pimps him on their blog or whatever, but she is a guest of the show performing on the show.

I think it's a shitty thing to do and a slap in the face to the other contestants.

FWIW I see where you're coming from, I just disagree.

[Arles]

The wonderful production continues. I set it like 2 minutes past and still missed Simon's final comments after Danny sang. I checked the Tivo and they didn't make the final announcement until 56 minutes after the hour. I mean, come on, it's a little nuts to make people sit through 55 minutes before they know and then have no time for reaction (esp from the judges).

[IrishHand]

Originally Posted by MJ4H

This. I think Kris wins now. Depends on finale performances, though, but I agree with you on why I think Kris actually has a slight advantage now.

I think the advantage is significantly bigger than "slight". If the "top 2 w/i 1M votes" thing is accurate, Allen has got to be a clear favorite at this point. Say the voting was 25/24/16 (million votes for Lambert/Kris/Gokey). Assuming that Gokey's demographic is what we would expect - with a disproportionate amount of conservatives and Christians (relative to the Allen/Lambert voting blocs) - then one would have to assume that a significant majority of his votes go to Allen or simply go away. Lambert's become increasingly open about his orientation (which I consider irrelevant, but those voting demographics likely won't) and his over-the-top, giving-head-to-the-mic routines are also likely to alienate those demographics for similar but not identical reasons.

As long as Kris doesn't get adventurous in the Finale (and no reason to suspect he will given the past few months), I've got to think he's a 60/40 favorite or better at this point.

[Ksyrup]

FWIW, when Adam promised to "give you every inch of my love," I could swear he wasn't talking to me.

[rowech]

People who are just tuning in for the finale and voting for the first time will almost entirely go to Kris. Felt all along Adam would finish 2nd.

[weegeebored]

Originally Posted by rowech

Felt all along Adam would finish 2nd.

That would be best for his career. He wouldn't be saddled with the AI music requirements for his first release. Have you heard David Cook's CD? Pathetic. What a waste of talent.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by weegeebored

That would be best for his career. He wouldn't be saddled with the AI music requirements for his first release. Have you heard David Cook's CD? Pathetic. What a waste of talent.

Wouldn't matter. AI has all of the top 10 under contract if it wishes, IIRC.

[Ksyrup]

#1 is contractually bound to 19 Entertainment no matter what. Or, technically, the winner "wins" a contract with 19. 19 has 90 days to decided whether to sign the rest of the top 10 or 12. If they don't, then they are free to sign elsewhere.

[Arles]

You really think both Danny and Adam won't be tethered to their contract? After what happened with Daughtry, I think the top 2-3 will all be given contracts from here on out.

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by Arles

You really think both Danny and Adam won't be tethered to their contract? After what happened with Daughtry, I think the top 2-3 will all be given contracts from here on out.

Especially this year. I think the top 4 will all be signed this year by AI.

[Ksyrup]

Finale rumors/spoilers (assuming these are true):

Spoiler

Jason Mraz has announced via his official website that he’ll be a “special guest performer” on this Wednesday’s American Idol finale.

Mraz joins a list of artists who’ve already been announced: David Cook, Lionel Richie, Carlos Santana, Cyndi Lauper, Queen Latifah, Black Eyed Peas and Keith Urban.

Rumors are currently flying around the internets that Idol producers are trying to set up David Bowie to duet with Adam Lambert.

*Fingers Crossed*

The band KISS is also rumored to appear.

UPDATE: Keith Urban will be dueting with Kris Allen, Cyndi Lauper with Allison Iraheta.

[mh2365]

Bowie and Lambert doing "Under Pressure" would be fantastic ... for most of the male winners it all comes down to if they can write a song or not. The winner will have really crappy pop tunes written for them on their first CD because the first CD from the winner usually sells okay no matter what. But second place will have to help out for sure.

Daughtry is where he is at because he can write. The first CD he wrote or co-wrote all but two songs and from what I understand his cowriting consisted more than the "Kelly Clarkson show up change one word and get a song writing credit". Plus "Home" one of the biggest hits on the CD he wrote by himself.

I think Daughtry is a special kind of animal. I doubt you will see any male from the show be as successful as he is. Kris has a shot if he goes the country route because as we all know very few country acts write their own songs. Hell Fat Chris Sleigh from Idol a couple of years ago wrote a song for Rascal Flats.

My guess is that when all is said and done girls will own 7 to 9 of the top 10 sales chart spots from Idol contestants.

[mh2365]

Dola ... let me add that while I really like Adam and want him to win I don't believe he will be able to sell a CD after the first one. If he wants to be a popular music artist then his best bet is to finish second and then tell 19 that he wants to be lead singer of a band and to surround him with good musicians.

Emo is the only shot he has at being a popular music artist. My guess is he ends up on broadway like Gaye Aiken and Old Man Hicks. I also would imagine he has some acting experience in his past so there is a chance he could end up on TV or in a movie. Danny will be the white Ruben Stoddard ... he will be gospel or not at all.

Kris & Allison will be the two top sellers from this years Idol. Allison has a shot at being a top 5 all-time IMO

[wade moore]

Kris going country?

Um, no.

And I say that as a country fan. Look no further than one of the rumored performers for the finale as to what route will sell records for him.

[Ksyrup]

Yeah, not a huge surprise there. Although it might be overkill, no?

[mh2365]

Originally Posted by wade moore

Kris going country?

Um, no.

And I say that as a country fan. Look no further than one of the rumored performers for the finale as to what route will sell records for him.

My guess is he will be in the Mraz, Mayer, The Fray genre ... but if he can't write a song then he will need to go country to succeed.

[TurnerONU22]

Perhaps Kris's duet is a 'trial' of sorts, just to see how well he performs with an established country star, and see how the fans react.

As an aside, I think this talk of 'country stars can't write' sounds like it should be back in the 90's. I would argue that more country acts write their own music than pop acts, especially compared to 5, 10 years ago.

And Kris's duet partner is probably one of the best at it (although I'm not biased at all, considering I've taken my wife to numerous concerts and feels that this act puts on fantastic concerts )

[Ksyrup]

Blech!

According to Reuters, the Kara DioGuardi penned winners song, “No Boundaries” will get it’s first airing on AOL’s Popeater, moments after the winner is announced…

[Thomkal]

Round 1-Was happy to see Adam do Mad World again-its my favorite performance from him. Was initially disappointed Kris picked the song he did because I liked the one he did from that movie I can't remember the name of right now better. But this song really showcases his voice and ability to make a song seem almost brand new. Slight edge to Adam.

Round 2: Hated both song choices-neither of these guys are R&B artists, and thought Adam's in particular was a poor choice. I agree with the judges though about Kris's song choice was just not a good fit for the situation and size of the building. Tie because both song choices turned me off.

Round 3: Yet another Idol's "winner song" that was anything but. Didn't suit Adam's style at all because he sang it as a pop song, was really expecting something over the top and with a rock feel. The wording of the song was more of a Kris Allen kinda song, but he really strained to sing it. Slight edge to Kris because the song suited him more and with some time to work on it, could make something out of it. They REALLY need to let say the top 5 or 6 the chance to sit down with a well-known quality songwriter/songwriter team and work on a song together that suits their vocal style and isn't yet another version of a song about their journey to stardom.

Disappointed that song choice robbed the finale of really good performances after their first songs.

[Raiders Army]

Voted for the first time. 10x for Kris.

[MJ4H]

Well, we know for sure it's not rigged if Kris wins. My god.

[Danny]

Lame finale, first performances were great by both of them. Second songs were solid by both, but not great choices for either. Third song sucked for both of them.

[Danny]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

Was initially disappointed Kris picked the song he did because I liked the one he did from that movie I can't remember the name of right now better.

That was my favorite studio recording of the season out of anybody (also one of my favorite songs), but it wasn't as marketable as ain't no sunshine.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by mh2365

Dola ... let me add that while I really like Adam and want him to win I don't believe he will be able to sell a CD after the first one. If he wants to be a popular music artist then his best bet is to finish second and then tell 19 that he wants to be lead singer of a band and to surround him with good musicians.

Why would this matter? Are we still laboring under the misapprehension that 19 is only guaranteed a contract with the winner?

Bo Bice finished 2nd as well... and that really went well for him.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Arles

You really think both Danny and Adam won't be tethered to their contract? After what happened with Daughtry, I think the top 2-3 will all be given contracts from here on out.

Exactly. I bet they'll both be signed within 10 days. Probably Allison & Matt as well.

Though have they ever failed to exercise their option on the #2 (at least)?

[Arles]

Pretty disappointing finale. I agree that the first song for both was very strong. I enjoyed the original artists of both (have them on my IPod) and we knew they could sing them from earlier shows. The second songs were OK, but I didn't buy Adam doing Sam Cooke at all - but it wasn't dreadful.

The last performance by both were a combination of a brutal song with very sloppy performances. From Adam over-singing a couple parts to Kris forgetting the words at one point and being unable to hit the key, just awful. The song is also terrible on its own. The bunched wording with the odd melody wasn't a great combo. Factor in the Boston-esque key and you have to think that Kara wrote this with Adam in mind (which explains why she was pulling so hard for him). In the end, we had a song suited for Kris' style but set in Adam's key. Well done, AI, it's the first finale song that was failed for both performers from the start.

I'm not sure who wins American idol, but I can tell you it was certainly not the audience tonight - which is a shame as both these guys had strong seasons but were put in bad spots by the show.

[Solecismic]

This odd, wayward, uncomfortable and over-processed season of American Idol came to an uneventful end this evening.

A rather welcome end, one that has me wondering if the producers themselves are tired of the show and are secretly hoping that Coca Cola will no longer pay millions to place its garishly logoed water cups in front of the judges, or Apple will no longer promise Steve Jobs' unborn children to shill iTunes at every opportunity.

It's not that the performances were bad. In fact, from a purely quality standpoint, you could hold this season up to any past season. It's just more lifeless. Whether it's the cynical addition of judge Kara DioGuardi, who made Paula Abdul look sentient by comparison. Or the myriad of messy production problems, which had the show cutting off one of the finer performances of the season as they repeatedly struggled to fit 7 or 8 two-minute songs within a one-hour framework.

Or maybe it was the lifeless addition of the judge's save, which placed far too much attention on these tired judges when Idol has gained success by focusing on, well, the kidlets doing the actual singing. And then there was the elimination of dozens of performances in the new format, subjecting us to far more judge commentary and a semifinal round that was completely short-circuited by the judge's second-chance additions who finished 5th, 6th, 9th and 12th.

I don't think the formula needed so much change. I'm left not really trusting the results, and finding it's more and more necessary to watch using TiVo, even zipping past much of the judging. A new coat of paint wasn't necessary. Especially when it was a half-assed coat of paint. Simon Cowell illustrated this perfectly tonight - finally wearing a nice button-down shirt instead of his trademark tee-shirts, only it was sloppily unbuttoned to his waist. Who needs to see that?

So Adam Lambert and Kris Allen faced off in tonight's final. Adam, who will either front the next Queen or will spend his career on Broadway, was a huge favorite from day one. He was born to sing. And while versatile and a very good actor, he's not terribly versatile in terms of what would play on mainstream radio.

Kris surprised me, perhaps more than any other contestant in any season. He can carry a tune fairly well. I have no doubt he has a lucrative career waiting for him in that soft alternative format that you see a lot of these days. Jason Mraz, for one. But for the life of me, I can't tell him apart from the stage furniture. I was constantly predicting his departure. And now, he has a decent shot of winning the whole season.

So it's time to present the final Season 8 Solecismic Ratings for American Idol. I've enjoyed this over the years - this is my fifth season providing full coverage. It's been a difficult season with all the changes, but there have still been plenty of quality moments. I just need to remember that I can't watch all the audition shows and I absolutely need TiVo to zip past all the fluff.

1. Adam Lambert. In the end, Adam ranks right up there with Carrie Underwood. What he does, he does very well. I don't think I'd ever listen to one of his albums - I've never been an Aerosmith fan, and, while I loved Queen, it's not something that could ever be repeated.

He opened the evening with a reprise of his Mad World performance from a few weeks back. This time, he toned it down, let his controlled singing voice and acting skills take the forefront. It was memorable. While I wouldn't buy one of Adam's albums, I would definitely listen to this song again. I think it was the best performance of Season 8.

The second song was Idol founder Simon Fuller's choice, which had a bluesy feel that didn't fit Adam at all. He was a little sharp in places. Again, he stayed under control and did the best he could with this, but I can't help feeling the song choice was a message that producers don't see him as commercially all that viable.

Adam's final song was an abortion of music allegedly co-written by Kara herself. Like many songs that are supposed to be uplifting, it sounds like it belonged on the soundtrack of one of those endless movies where some skier or ice dancer or biathlete or decathlete or mathlete overcomes incredible hardship to win a gold medal, or maybe vanquish the Cobra Kai from the All Valley Tournament (isn't Wikipedia wonderful?). Adam tried not to over-sing this (and I'm being generous here) song. It just didn't work at all. I feel bad giving him his lowest score of the season, but it wasn't pleasant.

Scores of 96, 78 and 69. Average score for the season of 84.

2. Kris Allen. Kris opened with his choice, Ain't No Sunshine. I thought he, too, put his best performance of the season out there. Simon was right that he's showing more confidence, and it's paying off. Still, he isn't soulful enough to give a soulful interpretation to this type of song. He sang on-key, really should drop the falsetto, and, as always, failed to be memorable.

Simon Fuller's choice of What's Going On fell flat, badly, and here's where Adam won the night easily. Kris had his customary trouble with his lower register. Then, somehow, he managed to find an arrangement of the song where he rambled on for a long time as if he was rapping with a set of bongo drums. If I could fall asleep spontaneously from a two-minute performance, I would have.

Kris closed out the night with Kara's abortion, which is called "No Boundaries" in an apparent attempt to prove to the audience that Idol will go to any length to call attention to itself. Kris also struggled with the lower register, but, since this song was far better suited to his voice, it was only duller than dirt, rather than Adam's rather discomforting take on this non-classic.

Scores of 85, 66 and 72. Average score for the season of 71.

Who Should Win: Adam.

Who Will Win: I think Adam will pull this out, though I've been wrong many times this season.

[Ksyrup]

The finale of Idol is ALWAYS terrible. There have been a couple of seasons I haven't watched the last 2 episodes because they are just worthless, IMO. For the big finale, you get...a repeat of songs we've already heard, songs picked by a guy no one knows or has even seen, so who cares what he wants to hear, and TWO renditions of a song that promises to be so dreadful that when the 3 other judges discuss the performances, they purposely leave the song out of it and just talk about how great the contestants have been throughout the season, in an effort, I assume, to avoid embarrassing the 4th judge who somehow was happy to have her name associated with that miserable piece of dreck.

I'm not sure who won the night and I don't really care. The only thing that really stood out to me was the ridiculousness of calling out Kris for performing an acoustic number simply because it didn't fit with the "grandness of the event and the theater." Really? You're calling the guy out for giving the kind of perfornance that got him to the finals, solely because this is the finale and you expect him to be shitting trumpets out of his ass in an attempt to elevate his performance to the level of a finale? What would have happened if he saved last week's "breakthrough" performance until last night? Would you have shit all over that, too, because the finale is no place to be interpreting a hip hop song as an acoustic song?

I thought that was total crap and, in my cynical eyes, a pre-planned criticism so that, in classic Hell's Kitchen-like style, each of them could "win" a round so that it would appear even going into the final performance. Even giving Kris the edge in round 1 was dubious, since Adam's Mad World was considered one of the top 2 or 3 performances of the entire season, and they simply repeated them last night. So what did Kris do in his repeat of a decent performance that suddenly made it better than Adam's? He left out the dry ice and trench coat? Got it!

BAH! I'm so looking forward to Nigel's SYTYCD, so I can enjoy a reality show that doesn't insult its audience and is genuinely authentic feelling by comparison to AI. Then again, Pam Anderson's chest is genuinely authentic feeling compared to Kara gushing about how Kris's performance touched the audience. When she said that, I turned to my wife and said, "He makes me tingly down there."

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

BAH! I'm so looking forward to Nigel's SYTYCD, so I can enjoy a reality show that doesn't insult its audience and is genuinely authentic feelling by comparison to AI.

+1

As much as I enjoy Idol, this time of the season makes me realize how much I prefer SYTYCD.

[Ksyrup]

Apparently, Steve Martin will be playing banjo on tonight's show. I know he's a serious player and all, but...really? Does he have a new Pink Panthaster to schill for or something?

[mh2365]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Why would this matter? Are we still laboring under the misapprehension that 19 is only guaranteed a contract with the winner?

Bo Bice finished 2nd as well... and that really went well for him.

Nope I know 19 has a contract with the winner ... my point is that IMO Adam is better suited to be the lead singer of a band and there is no way of that happening if he is the winner.

[Mustang]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Apparently, Steve Martin will be playing banjo on tonight's show. I know he's a serious player and all, but...really? Does he have a new Pink Panthaster to schill for or something?

Be thoughtful and trustful and childlike,
Be witty and happy and wise,
Be honest and love all your neighbors,
Be obsequious, purple, and clairvoyant.

[Arles]

This is the first AI I can remember where I really don't care who wins. Maybe this means the show is finally passing me by or it's hit the ER/House/Survivor stage of being so overdone and recycled that the charm is completely gone. I think I will try and watch next season, but I wouldn't be surprised if I simply stop watching in the early stages (esp if this 4-judge panel and same production stumbling occurs).