Screen Rant » american idol

American Idol: Farewell To Sanjaya At Last

Vic Holtreman — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 15:29:20 +0000

He’s finally gone.

The haters will be happy and hordes of 12-13 year girls (and Howard Stern) will be in mourning for a while.

This past Tuesday was country music night and last night’s vote (with the exception of Blake in the bottom three) went pretty much as expected. It was so bloody obvious that Melinda is at the top of the class that Ryan Seacrest singled her out, since it would have been too obvious which group was NOT the bottom half if she was part of it.

I wasn’t suprised to see Lakisha standing next to Sanjaya… her performance was unfortunately pretty weak. I guess it really IS all about song choice, because she has an amazing voice that just didn’t come through this week. I actually correctly had Phil above her based on this week’s performance. But Sanjaya… wow. This week’s performance by the poor guy was so awful that I think viewers went out of their way to cast extra votes for the others to make sure he didn’t squeak through (I know I did).

The sense of satisfaction actually seemed to come off of Simon in palpable waves when he saw Sanjaya in the bottom three: Vindication!

I’ll say it again: I’m not a Sanjaya Malakar hater. I think he’s a really nice kid and it seems like his parents did a great job raising both him and his (ultra-hottie) sister. Speaking of sis, I think maybe the judges flubbed it by choosing him in regards to talent, but he certainly provided the show with ratings this year!

He took it pretty hard but I really think that he’ll find a way to parlay his 15 minutes of fame into something bigger and I say more power to him.

For the group of folks that think he didn’t deserved to win (of which I am a member) and those that despised him (of which I’m not a member), let’s step back and get a little perspective. First, this kid has “American Idol” written ALL over him. He’s got charm and a likeable charisma, he’s a good looking kid, and he CAN sing up to a point and in a certain style that some people seem to like. Are you telling me that there are people out there making millions with a singing career that are really that much better than him? Come on, with some of the people out there now and in the past it’s been all about packaging them and how much an engineer can tweak their performance in the studio.

Second, what would YOU have done in the same situation? Bowed out gracefully because you didn’t deserve to be there? If you say yes, I’ll say give me a break… It was the opportunity of a lifetime and he actually came across far better than he might have.

So I bid a semi-fond farewell to Sanjaya Malakar and I’m sure the producers will miss him since it’s pretty much a done deal that Melinda will win it with Jordin coming in second.

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American Idol: The Sanjaya Factor

Vic Holtreman — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 17:15:51 +0000

In a strange, cosmic confluence of events Sanjaya Malakar just keeps hanging in there as a contestant on American Idol. It’s amazing to me the amount of emotion that this kid is generating on both sides of the equation. I guess it’s a sign that we’re not doing too terribly in our personal lives if we can get this worked up about a contestant on a talent show.

Is it strange? Sure. Should he still be in the competition? Probably not. But somehow he is outlasting contestants who seem to have better singing skills.

How has he been able to mange this…?

I think it’s a combination of factors that have combined to form a “perfect storm” for ol’ Sanjaya:

First, over the last couple of years sites like VoteForTheWorst.com (I think there may be one other similar and very popular site out there) have gained a lot of attention and fans. That is probably what kept Kevin Covais on the show (the geeky little guy from Season 5) on as long as he did last year. I guess it’s kind of the anti-establishment angle that attracts people to vote for people they think are awful. As I type this, that site is so overwhelmed with traffic that I can’t even access it apart from a banner at the very top of the page that offers to deliver Sanjaya’s contestant number to your phone every week.

Second, Sanjaya does stand out from the crowd. Some of the contestants who’ve been voted off (and will be voted off) are just too plain vanilla middle of the road. There’s nothing unique about them or their presence. Disagree with Simon Cowell if you like, but the man is definitely right about the fact that in this competition you have to stand out from the crowd.

Third, let’s face it: He’s a cute kid. He’s kind of good looking (albeit in a wierd, almost feminine way) plus he seems to be a geniunely nice guy. Although I think this whole thing is starting to get to him and it’s starting to show around the edges with a bit of snippy attitude, overall he’s not arrogant and people like contestants who aren’t jerks.

Fourth, combine the factors above and you may start to see a “root for the underdog” mentality start to spread among many voters, where they vote for him due to the fact that he knows what’s being said about him, he’s good-looking, a nice guy and young enough to be considered “wide-eyed.”

So there’s my analysis, and I’m betting that on tonight’s episode he does NOT get voted off. You wait and see.

I doubt the kid can possibly win this season’s American Idol, but I certainly don’t begrudge him riding the wave while he can. Although I find the way he acts and talks a little creepy, I like the kid and I hope he finds a way to milk some cash out of this whole thing so he can not worry about paying for college.

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American Idol: The Haves And The Have Nots

Vic Holtreman — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 17:28:36 +0000

I haven’t written anything about this season’s American Idol, but it’s certainly been interesting so far. To date we’ve had:

- The Antonella Barba photographs story.

- Rosie O’Donell calling the show racist and “weightist” (gotta love those made up words) despite the fact that Lakisha Jones is both black and overweight and she’ll finish no lower than number two.

- A huge disparity in talent between the top two or three contestants and everyone else.

It’s pretty obvious that there will probably be no guys in the final three. I suppose one of them may make it to the final four, but if the public is not clueless (no guarantee of that) it should be either Lakisha Jones or Melinda Doolittle that walk away with the title. Of course regardless of whether either of those super-talented ladies win, their lives are already changed forever since they will get recording contracts either way.

What’s been fascinating to me this season is just how far and above Lakisha and Melinda are over the rest of the competition in singing talent. Overall the women are smokin’ this season and are making the guys look like chumps. Jordin Sparks and Stephanie Edwards are pretty close behind the top two for talent, and if I had to throw a couple of the guys names in there I’d have to say that Chris Sligh has a great voice and although I think Blake Lewis is talented his style isn’t my cup of tea. The problem with Chris is that he just doesn’t have much charisma and that’s going to do him in. Phil Stacey is good, but not great.

But of course the name that’s in the news lately is Sanjaya Malakar.

How in the heck is this guy hanging in there?

Yes, he’s only 17 and I truly think that he’s a nice kid (remember back to his reaction the day he got through and his sister didn’t), but his singing is WEAK. The dude actually creeps me out with his “softness”… the guy is giving me Michael Jackson flashbacks. If I ever had to be in a room with him to hear him talk in that soft voice I think I’d have to leave immediately to stop myself from getting a complete case of the willies or smacking him in the head to get him to talk like he had testosterone somewhere in his body.

He must be getting votes because he’s nice and because girls like his hair. I’ve heard the idea floated that there’s a conspiracy to keep him there since it’s so obvious which contestants are going to make it to the end, and the network wants people to tune in to see if he survives yet another week. I don’t buy it, I think it’s just the hair and the niceness.

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American Idol: Chris Is GONE!

Vic Holtreman — Thu, 11 May 2006 12:41:49 +0000

Wow… say what you want about Simon Cowell, but he’s right when he says that one weak night can send you home.

Chris Daughtry was sent home last night and it was obvious that he was stunned. Truth be told, so was I. My family was really pulling for the guy, and yes, even voting every week.

I thought his performance on Tuesday (Elvis night) was not very outstanding and that came back to bite him. Especially since in a category like that he should have (excuse the pun) rocked.

No worries though as I’m absolutely sure the guy will get snatched up for a record contract, if he hasn’t been already.

So I guess now I’m pulling for dark horse Taylor. I always wanted to see him go at least final three, but who knows? Maybe his unconventional and fun style will win everyone over.

Now Elliot I just can’t figure still being there. Sure, great voice, but American Idol? Naaaah.

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Are those 15 minutes up yet?

Brian Rentschler — Wed, 11 Aug 2004 05:36:12 +0000

It’s funny how the entertainment world works. First, William Hung is singled out on American Idol as one of the worst singers of the past season. Then everybody starts tripping over themselves about his sincerity, his determination and his laid-back, “can-do” attitude. Next thing you know, he’s appearing on just about every talk show you can imagine. I can almost swear I saw footage of him on The Arsenio Hall Show, and that show was cancelled 12 years ago. To say the guy is ubiquitous would be an understatement. Well, lately his TV exposure has dropped to only two or three appearances every day, so it seems his 15 minutes are drawing to a close. Except…

It’s not over yet. People are still reeling about the fact that William was signed to a record deal, despite the fact that many of the people who made it into the American Idol finals weren’t even afforded that luxury. Not only that, but the album has actually sold more than 300,000 copies worldwide. The guy has been lucky, to say the least, but it’s not stopping there. This year, prepare yourself for William’s sophomore effort — a Christmas album. It seems to be an immutable law of nature that every single musical artist must record a Christmas album at some point. I’m still in therapy for the time I accidentally saw one of Mariah Carey’s Christmas videos on MTV.

Oh, but there’s more. William is about to become a movie star. Jackie Chan he ain’t, but William has reportedly been cast in a Chinese movie. Talk about stretching those 15 minutes. It’s tempting to feel really happy for William (and to an extent, that’s okay), but it’s tragic when you consider that people who have spent years perfecting their skills in these areas are being passed over in favor of a guy who admittedly can’t cut the mustard. The message that’s being sent, loud and clear, is that people who go on reality shows wanting to be the next movie star or musical sensation sometimes get their wish. Are the days of working hard and “paying your dues” disappearing? Or is it just that William will end up paying his dues in a different way? Ereka Vetrini, formerly of The Apprentice fame, has reportedly accepted a job as a news reporter for the upcoming The Tony Danza Show, which officially sends a big “thumbed nose” to all the people who were silly enough to actually study the craft of news reporting and try to work their way up through the ranks. Won’t they ever learn?

Sources:
Reuters
Fox News

Brian

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A new low for American Idol?

Brian Rentschler — Mon, 12 Jul 2004 05:32:15 +0000

Oh, Fantasia, showbiz can be so cruel, can’t it? Even if you’re an American Idol winner, life isn’t exactly served up on a silver platter. If you’re wondering what life is like after you win American Idol, the answer would probably be something along the lines of “very stressful.” After all, you have just been crowned the Grand Poobah of the #1 show on TV. For your follow-up work to be anything less than record-breaking is unimaginable. Did Fantasia have anything to worry about? After all, Simon rarely had anything other than tremendous praise for her during the competition. He even went so far as to tell her that she was quite possibly the best contestant ever to appear on any season of American Idol, which is very high praise indeed. The problem is, America didn’t quite agree with him 100%.

In its first week of release, Fantasia’s single “I Believe” sold about 140,000 copies. This was enough to knock Usher from the #1 spot. That’s the good news. The bad news is that her single is the second lowest in first-week sales among all American Idol winners and runners-up. The lowest was Diana Degarmo’s single, “Dreams,” which sold 65,000 copies. In other words, this year’s “winners” performed worse than any other season. The total of Fantasia and Diana’s first-week sales didn’t add up to Kelly Clarkson’s first-week sales of her single. For a long time, the running joke has been that Diana is headed down the same career path as Justin Guarini. (Just to give you an idea, William Hung’s album sold better than Justin’s.) Worst of all, neither Fantasia nor Diana has received much radio play since the release of their singles.

Call it a hunch (okay, call it pure speculation), but I am sure that if the final showdown this past season had been between LaToya and George instead of Fantasia and Diana, we would have seen much more impressive sales during the first week of release. America needed a winner and a runner-up whom they could stand behind and get exicted about, and those two weren’t it. So why did America vote for them? Aside from the oft-publicized screwy voting system, something along the lines of “some people have a clue, and some don’t” would probably suffice.

Overall, this was nothing more than a disappointing finish to a disappointing season. If it hadn’t been for William Hung, LaToya and George, this season would have been extremely dull. (Very few of the featured “bad singers” got an LOL from me, and none approached the musical ineptitude of Derek or Keith.) Next year, we need to make things more exciting by voting for an underdog. If that person happens to be an abysmal singer, so much the better.

Source: Reuters

Brian

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American Idol: Did this surprise anyone?

Brian Rentschler — Thu, 27 May 2004 06:02:38 +0000

I don’t think it came as a surprise to anyone other than 13-year-old teeny boppers that Fantasia won Season 3 of American Idol. Not bad, considering that she barely escaped being voted off halfway through the finals. She is the youngest person to win (she’s 19), as well as the third southerner (she’s from North Carolina). This was a bland, underwhelming ending to a bland, underwhelming season. I didn’t exactly keep it a secret that once George and LaToya were voted off, there wasn’t much excitement in it for me anymore. I suppose I might have liked to see Diana win, but I didn’t think it was going to happen. Despite all the booing in the audience, I think America takes Simon’s comments very seriously when they vote.

Okay, now I will put on my peanut gallery hat and spew forth some choice comments regarding this finale.

1) George, for the love of all that which does not suck, stop singing “Me and Mrs. Jones.” For one thing, it’s about an extramarital affair — not an appropriate choice for a self-proclaimed evangelist to sing. Besides, Billy Paul sang that 100 times better than you. You’re a great singer, but that’s not the right song for you.

2) Matt and Leah, I sincerely hope you are falling on your knees every morning and thanking whatever deity you worship that people who suck at singing as badly as you do can still make it into the Top 12.

3) Ruben, I wasn’t rooting for you last year, but I have more and more respect for your singing ability every time I see you perform. You make it look (and sound) easy. Rock on…

4) Kelly strikes me as someone who’s about to join Mariah Carey and Britney Spears in the “Most Spectacular Breakdowns in History” hall of fame. Poor girl doesn’t seem capable of handling the pressure, even after two years. Scary thing is, she still looks like a former waitress from Texas (which she is).

5) LaToya, you were robbed. Make sure you play your cards right so you can stick it to the rest of the finalists by becoming more successful than all of them.

6) I am tired of repeats. During the results shows, the contestants almost always sing the exact same song snippets they sang the night before. For the finale, Diana and Fantasia sang the sappy song written for the winner (more on that later), plus two others they had already sung in previous shows. That was a mistake. Why do a repeat of something that was your crowning achievement? At best, you’ll do no better than last time. At worst, you’ll send the message that even your powerhouse performances were more the result of luck than singing skill.

7) Three seasons, three sappy songs for the winners. For once, why can’t they write a really good song for the winner, one that you can tap your feet to? Oh, but that wouldn’t be pop, now would it? Yeesh…

Brian

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American Idol: Speed dialing from Hawaii fails

Vic Holtreman — Thu, 20 May 2004 20:08:55 +0000

Well little Jasmine from Hawaii finally took her leave from American Idol last night. I guess viewers wanted the two who really deserved it to go on, and jammed the phone lines to make up for the massive voting from Hawaii that brought Jasmine to the final three.

Really, La Toya should have had a shot last night, but them’s the breaks. I’m not crying over it because I’m sure that she will be getting a juicy record contract anyway. I don’t know that I can say the same about Jasmine. She gave it a great shot, but she’s not in the same league as the others.

As much as I like Diana DeGarmo, I think Fantasia is the next American Idol. It won’t bother me either… she seems to have really toned done the arrogant routine and looks like she’s now geniunely thankful she’s gotten this far.

I say best of luck to all of ‘em.

American Idol Website

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American Idol: Last dance for LaToya

Brian Rentschler — Thu, 13 May 2004 04:26:09 +0000

Wednesday’s American Idol was both interesting and frustrating at the same time. My initial guess was that Jasmine and Fantasia would be in the bottom two, and Jasmine would go home. I was right about Fantasia, but America chose to spare Jasmine this week, and yet again, LaToya was undeservedly in the bottom group. To my (and many other people’s) surprise, LaToya was voted off the show. I’ll come back to that in a minute…

Why is disco night always such a mess for American Idol contestants? There are only a handful of people who have really stood out on disco night; the rest file it under “things I never want to talk about again.” Even the guest judge/performer, Donna Summer, choked a little bit on one of her own songs. I know she’s not exactly a teenager, so we have to cut her a little slack, but I bet Giorgio Moroder was watching that, thinking, “Now people understand the difference a good producer can make.”

Okay, now it’s time for some tough love. Wednesday’s show was a disjointed disaster from start to finish. Towards the beginning, the finalists met with a psychic to lend them moral support. No offense to anyone who believes in that sort of thing, but every time a show features a psychic, I have flashbacks of Dionne Warwick and Erik Estrada. I can’t take that stuff seriously. I would have done a better job of predicting the end. “It’s your future… I see… a stupid video of a cheesy cover tune… wait… followed by… okay, it’s becoming clearer… yes… a bloated, unsatisfying finale!” They went to commercial break every two minutes, it seemed like. I hear there was an actual show in between the commercials, but I can’t get confirmation on that. Besides Donna Summer, who didn’t exactly raise the roof, Clay Aiken was also a guest performer. He performed Fantasy by Earth, Wind and Fire, which isn’t really a true disco song. I suppose that was a smart move, though, because anyone who saw last season knows that Clay doesn’t sing disco well at all. Add a few dozen commercial breaks, and finally we hear that Diana and Jasmine were the top two, while Fantasia and LaToya were the bottom two. I had hoped that the ever-annoying Fantasia would be going home, but sadly, LaToya had to take this particular bullet.

For a long time, I had really hoped that LaToya and George would face off in the final show. That would have been exciting. But as it stands right now, I can’t feel excited about the show anymore. All my favorites are gone, and only wannabes and posers remain. In my heart of hearts, I cannot fathom Jasmine winning this. I honestly believe America has more common sense than that, so it’s down to Fantasia and Diana. Vic has been saying this for weeks, and I haven’t agreed, but tonight I have to concede that Diana might actually win this. Even if she does, though, it won’t be as exciting as if LaToya or George had won. I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say that LaToya is right up there with Dorothy Dandridge and Billie Holliday. She’s that good. Like George, she was one of the finest singers ever to appear on American Idol, but unlike George, she was very savvy about which songs she chose so that her choices would showcase her talents in the best way. We haven’t seen the last of LaToya; in fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if quite a few contestants from this season end up with record deals.

If Diana wins, she will be the youngest of all the winners (Kelly Clarkson was 20, Ruben Studdard was 24 and Diana is 16), and she will continue the tradition of having a Southerner win the competition (Kelly Clarkson is from Texas, Ruben Studdard is from Alabama and Diana is from Georgia). But I’ll say it again: This competition has officially become much less exciting, at least for me. I think the fact that LaToya’s farewell performance was one of her big band songs from a week ago, rather than the traditional repeat of a song she sang the night before (which were disco songs), said it all.

Brian

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American Idol: George bites the dust

Brian Rentschler — Thu, 06 May 2004 14:27:19 +0000

As soon as I heard that the theme on Tuesday’s American Idol was going to be big band, I feared that George was going to choke on that musical style and end up going home. The good news is that he actually did much better than I thought he would. The bad news is that he received the fewest votes Wednesday, helping me to maintain my reputation as the worst oddsmaker on the planet. Vic has been calling them right, while I have been… well, let’s just say it’s a good thing I still have a day job.

Ironically, if John Stevens had lasted another week (heaven forbid), he might have actually shown some genuine musical talent with his big band performances. But compared to LaToya…? No contest.

I was disappointed to see George go, not just because he failed to step up and show us what he could do, but also because there aren’t any guys left in the competition. It feels like the battle of the divas now, and I think I speak for almost everybody when I say that The Apprentice had enough diva nonsense for one lifetime.

I don’t see how Diana or Jasmine will win this. For one thing, Jasmine is not very good. She was the worst singer on Tuesday, hands down. Paula likes her, but the other two judges have lukewarm things at best to say about her. Diana is more talented than Jasmine, but Simon doesn’t want her to win. He thinks she’s too young (she’s 16), and on Tuesday he called her a 16-year-old who sounds like a 50-year-old. He wants Fantasia or LaToya to win this, and I think he will get his wish.

Just for once, I want to see America vote for someone totally off the wall, just to stick it to the judges and let them know who’s in charge. (Actually, that sort of happened two years ago when tone-deaf Nikki McKibbin made it to #3). Sadly, I don’t think that will happen this year. It’s looking like LaToya will win this. Fantasia is just too creepy and annoying in my book, and Diana and Jasmine aren’t good enough. We shall see…

Brian

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American Idol: The bell tolls for John Stevens

Brian Rentschler — Thu, 29 Apr 2004 13:38:47 +0000

At long last, America did the humane thing and put John Stevens out of his misery. Tuesday night’s musical atrocities were committed against Gloria Estefan, who guest judged. All of the contestants were way off their game, painfully proving that Latin music is not as easy as it looks (or sounds).

I have never really been a big fan of Gloria Estefan. I thought most of her songs were overrated and overplayed. It’s partly that I’m not really into that kind of music, but also I didn’t perceive her as extremely talented. I have to say, though, she could run musical circles around any of those contestants when it comes to Latin music.

Remember how I was saying last week that Jennifer kept getting better and better with each passing week? Jasmine has done just the opposite. Every week she seems to get worse and worse. Her performance on Tuesday was downright painful to hear. She should be very thankful that she’s coming back next week. And what a difference a couple of months makes for Fantasia. In the “Final 32″ auditions, Simon couldn’t say enough good things about her. On Tuesday, he told her she sounds like Donald Duck on helium. D’oh! I’m guessing she has a week or two left before she gets voted off. One can only hope…

The dents in George’s armor are starting to show. For the first time in the finals, he was in the bottom three. Incredibly, Jasmine got more votes than he did. Could George be on the way out? Maybe, but this year the voting reminds me of most internet stocks in 1998-1999. Up 20% one day, down 10% the next. LaToya and Fantasia were in the bottom three last week; this week they were in the top three. There’s almost no consistency of any kind in the voting results. For that reason, it’s just downright silly to be predicting a winner, but do you think that’s going to stop me?

I’m still standing by my main man, George, to win this. I think the final showdown will be between him and LaToya. Jasmine and Diana are not talented enough, and Fantasia acts and sounds annoying beyond what mere words can express.

A quick side note about Elton John’s comments about racism in last week’s results: This wasn’t about race. There are two things that matter most to America: personality and singing talent, not always in that order. John Stevens is a cool guy, but he can’t sing, so he had to go. Jennifer is a great singer, but she has an abrasive personality, so she had to go. In a similar vein, I think Fantasia’s days are numbered. She’s a very good singer, but she is one of the most stuck up and obnoxious contestants ever to make it into the finals. Despite what Ryan Seacrest and the judges would have the public believe, it takes more than just singing talent to win.

Brian

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American Idol: Jennifer is history

Brian Rentschler — Thu, 22 Apr 2004 05:51:00 +0000

Those of you who missed Tuesday’s American Idol and Wednesday’s results show really missed out. Seriously. With only a couple of exceptions, all the contestants were in top form. I had guessed that the “Bottom Three” would be John Stevens, George Huff and Jasmine Trias. Generally, it’s not terribly hard to guess at least two of the bottom three, but this time, I was wrong on all three.

I had just spent the past day lamenting my early prediction that George would win the competition. He and John Stevens got their butts handed to them by the judges for lackluster performances, while the women got big points, even Diana. How could George compete against powerhouses like LaToya, Fantasia and Jennifer? (Simon told LaToya he thought she could win the competition.) Incredibly, those three just happened to be tonight’s bottom three, and Jennifer got her walking papers soon afterward. She’s been getting better every week, Elton John called her the best of the group, and she hit it out of the ballpark Tuesday, so of course it made sense that she should be voted off. Yeesh…

The American public is quite fickle, so I’m trying not to read too much into these results, but I remain convinced that America doesn’t want a “diva” to win this year. After that, who’s left? Diana? Please… Jasmine? Don’t make me laugh. John Stevens? America is playing some sort of practical joke on him. He needs to go home. He knows it, we know it, everybody knows it. The only logical choice remaining is George, but he’ll need to seriously polish his singing chops from here on out. Choking once is understandable, twice is perhaps forgivable, but three times could send him packing. He’s already screwed up twice; he’s run out of mulligans. For now, I stand by my prediction that George will win this year.

I had a side note about Tuesday’s theme. I have never been a big fan of Barry Manilow, but I have to say the guy is a musical genius. Not only is he a gifted singer and songwriter, but I was really impressed by how well he directed and coached the singers. He’s the only musical guest star I’ve seen on that show who took the time to work with the contestants and make sure they sang his music the right way. Did my ears deceive me, or did the usually-bland John Stevens actually sound good for about the first 30 seconds before he ran “Mandy” into the ground?

It’s still anybody’s game, but things aren’t looking good for LaToya and Fantasia. LaToya has been in the bottom three twice now, and Fantasia barely beat out Jennifer to survive on Wednesday. Not a good situation for the supposed “odds-on favorites.”

Brian

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A love affair with mediocrity

Brian Rentschler — Thu, 08 Apr 2004 18:27:09 +0000

I don’t think there are too many people who disagree with the assertion that Tamyra Gray should have won the first season of American Idol, rather than Kelly Clarkson. After a few acting gigs, the public started to see less and less of her, and people started wondering if she would ever get the chance to record an album. Nearly two years after she was voted off American Idol, she is finally coming out with an album. In comparison, it took William Hung (who admits he can’t sing a note in tune) less than four months to release his album.

Why is that?

I have read several articles in various publications that dared to postulate that the decline in CD sales over the past few years owes itself less to piracy (which is certainly a factor) than to the outright absence of real, genuine stars. Is Britney a star? Sure… everybody’s watching her Toxic video to see her singing ability. What about Enrique Iglesias? The guy has Anna Kournikova in his videos for a reason… people aren’t watching to see him. (I heard Anna plays tennis on occasion; is that true?) What about Ricky Martin? Please… name a major hit he had in the U.S. other than the infernal Livin’ La Vida Loca. Oh, right… She Bangs, but that was mostly after William Hung sang it. I suppose Norah Jones might be considered a star, but even she is more about musical talent than personality.

Seeing William Hung enjoy this kind of success, as well as the generally mediocre nature of the remaining contestants in American Idol, leads me to believe that this is the year that America has embraced mediocrity. We Americans are having a love affair with all things mediocre when it comes to music. How else do you explain the success of William Hung, as opposed to someone with real singing talent and a likeable personality? How else do you explain why Jon Peter Lewis, quite possibly the least talented of this year’s American Idol wildcard contestants, got the most votes from viewers?

It’s all very puzzling, but the music industry seems to be undergoing a revolution of sorts. I read an article recently that opined that William Hung may end up revitalizing the music industry. Although I would not put it that strongly, I do think that the music industry’s perception of what American music fans want is growing more and more inaccurate every day.

William Hung’s CD, Inspiration, is currently #3 on Amazon. I plan to buy it. That about says it all, doesn’t it?

Brian

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American Idol: Camile is outta here!

Brian Rentschler — Thu, 08 Apr 2004 18:23:50 +0000

It wasn’t very surprising to see Camile voted off American Idol on Wednesday. Ironically, her farewell performance was not too shabby. If she had done that well on Tuesday, she might still be in the running. Pop is obviously not her musical style, so she needed to go. What I found surprising was how poorly most of the contestants performed on Tuesday. Some of the performances were downright embarassing to watch.

Even the supposedly “untouchable” Fantasia gave a substandard performance. LaToya was in one of the top groups Wednesday, but wasn’t it just a week or two ago that she was in the bottom three? Those Americans can be a fickle bunch, can’t they? Diana was deservedly in the bottom three after her horrendous performance. Newsflash, sweetheart: Walking through the audience doesn’t make a bad performance sound any better. Oh, and Jasmine, how does it feel to finally be in the bottom three? Ha! Where was that arrogant, plastered-on smile this time?

If I were John Stevens, I would be really scared right now. He is the worst of the remaining male contestants, and after Simon compared his performance to Ed Wood’s movie Plan 9 from Outer Space, how long can he really expect to stay? Jon Peter Lewis is trying to hold on, but there’s no way he can stand up to George Huff’s talent and popularity. Speaking of which…

You read it here first: George Huff will win the competition this year. He is immensely popular, and he is the only contestant of either gender who has been consistently excellent week after week. Sure, his dance moves need work, but have you seen Ruben Studdard’s or Clay Aiken’s dance moves? Yikes… If I’m wrong, I’ll step up and admit it. I know it’s a little early to be calling this, but I honestly think Fantasia and LaToya (the current odds-on favorites) are headed down the same path as Howard Dean.

Brian

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What would Simon say?

Brian Rentschler — Thu, 01 Apr 2004 21:42:38 +0000

I thought it would be fun to start a thread on what American Idol judge Simon Cowell would most likely say to some of the musical stars we’ve come to know and love (or not) if they tried out for the show.

Here goes… feel free to add your own.

Whitney Houston: “You have a good singing voice, but you can’t dance. Plus, if I’m being honest, you look a bit frumpy, and the kind of star we’re looking for will have the right combination of talent and image. You have talent, but the image isn’t quite there.”

Bono (lead singer of U2): “Terrible. Abysmal. You sound like a goose getting strangled. If I were to put you through to the next round, the music industry would implode.”

Mick Jagger: “You shout all your songs, and you don’t have much in the looks department. There is nothing about you that says ‘Idol’ to me.”

Prince: “Your singing skills are good when you’re not screaming your lungs out. If I’m being honest, you look a little weird; your image needs work.”

Michael Jackson: “You sing everything too high, and don’t even get me started on your image. You look like Joan Crawford two years after the funeral. If I put you through to the next round, Fox will go out of business in a week.”

Sean “Puffy” Combs: “That was one of the worst auditions I have ever had to sit through. You can’t sing, you can’t dance. We’re looking for the best, and if you think you’re even close to that league, you’re delusional.”

Aretha Franklin: “You have a great singing voice, but if you really want to make it in this business, you need to lose a few pounds.”

Britney Spears: “Fantastic. Superb. You are the American Idol. You are a star.”

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