Idol Me Blog

WTB?

And the next thing I knew it just went off!

One hundred twenty minutes and I feel empty. Everybody wins, nobody goes home. The past two days of Idol had nothing to do with Idol.

The entertainment factor of these shows was nil.

Was this just a drug induced hallucination?

Couldn’t Idol have just given the $$$ without staging this passion play?

I think it’s terrific that the show is using its clout to bring awareness to poverty and hunger in Africa; poverty, homelessness, and illiteracy in the United States; and the continuing suffering of Hurricane Katrina victims. Even though producers went for melodrama by setting one of the segments to Coldplay’s “Trouble,” the footage of poverty in Africa was moving. “Oh, this is just intolerable. This is terrible conditions,” Simon said, looking truly upset. “It’s just unbelievable. It’s just wrong. This is quite literally hell on earth. I have never seen anything like this in my life.”

But $5 million? Let’s be honest: It’s a generous donation, but is not that much relative to how much cash the show is pulling in. Fortune estimated that each Tuesday performance show makes an average of $16.39 million in advertising, and each results episode pulls $14.19 million. So, that’s $30.58 million per week. Even if those averages are generous or overestimate the actual revenue (since many ads are from show sponsors such as Ford and Cingular), $5 million is nice but not exactly bank-breaking—especially considering that the entire Idol franchise is worth more than $2.5 billion.

Oh and one other thing…..
The guest appearances were mostly a waste of time.. and what happened with Borat, Pink, Gwen Stefani and other “stars” that were mentioned in the promos but failed to show? Idol may as well advertised that 100’s of Hollywood stars would be appearing if all it was going to be was a bait and switch to get us to watch. Would it have been that difficult for them to film a five second appearance?

Francis L.

It’s billed as American Idol Gives Back.

What did American Idol take from us that they feel a need to giveback? Oh yes, I remember, our attention span. With a dearth of talent throughout the participants of this years’ competition, the Idol powers that be have decided that distractions are the order of the day.

Distractions like the Antonella Porn Scandal, the A.I. song writing competition, the American Idol baby boot camp for the children of frustrated stage mothers’ in training, the “Let’s Milk it For All It’s Worth Hatred of Sanjaya For his ruining the “Integrity”(Oxymoron), of American Idol” scandal, Multiple generic theme nights of non-relevant recording artists feebly attempting to resurrect their fading popularity by pretending to coach Idol singers while trading away any remaining remnants of their self respect.

All I ever wanted American Idol to “Give Back” to me was an hour of escape. Escape from the realities of the world, by entertaining me for a few hours each week. Allowing me to check my brain at the door and just listen and enjoy.

But what does Nigel give me?, He gives me starvation, malaria, flies crawling on toddlers, people living in cardboard boxes on the streets of L.A., and life in the Appalachian mountains. We see Ryan Seacrest and Simon Cowell making the most of their photo ops.

We see a heart warming video montage of Simon’s “Awakening” to the distress of the world’s poverty stricken inhabitants.

My favorite, shed a tear moment was Simon declaring that he “Had no idea” that places like the L.A. Second Harvest Food bank even existed.

On to the Secondary reason for tonight’s broadcast, the Singers.

The First to interrupt the night’s festivities was Chris R.

Singing Eric Clapton’s “If I Could Change The World.” Performing in his best “Deliberately Nasally” voice, Timber-Fraud systematically dismantles this Clapton Classic by “Making It His Own.” The judges shower him with feel good praise. It’s apparent that the producers have put shackles on the amount of negative feedback that the judges will be dispensing tonight. Everyone gets a “Get Out of Jail Free” card. Bottom TWO

Treading Water Until May

Next up, the soon to be, American Idol final runner up, Cock-a-Doodle Mee Doo.

Her choice for “inspiration” is Faith Hill’s “A Change is Going to Come.”

She puts her signature bluesy R&B feel to the Lyrics.

It’s another middle of the road performance for this career back up singer.

She is consistent, but she continually fails to soar above the talent equator.

This song, by the way, was done on the “Tribute to Heroes” telecast after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
A song that literally brought me to tears when I heard Faith sing it live.

Something that The DooDoo could never DooDoo.

Blake Lewis

Imagine if this kid had stage presence. My early season Dark Horse has failed to progress and will soon be gone. Unless he does something dramatically unexpected he’s done.

Stop Yelling!

Once again, she shouted her way through another performance. This time it’s a redux of a Fantasia song. She should be the other of the bottom two and my choice to be going home.

VFTW’s Posterboy

Phil’s still hanging around. He seems to have gone underground. He will survive another week. He chose a Garth Brooks tune and did a good job. See you next week.

Let’s Pretend That It’s Still a Race

Not Jones, not Stacey, not Lewis, not Richardson, not even Dolittle can stop Her now. This competition is over. Jordin gave a standing ovation performance of You’ll never walk alone.

Now that the contest is OVER, Fox will need to come up with more distractions to cover the last month of shows.

Maybe something lame and stupid, like a make believe duet of Celine and a Dead Elvis…..Nah…they would never do that would they?

Francis L.

Closet ‘Idols’?
America’s most popular TV show has a gay headache
APR. 20, 2007
Ryan Lee

http://www.southernvoice.com/

Pent up for almost five years, steadily simmering just beneath the surface of America’s top-rated television show, the gay undertones and subplots that have been a part of “American Idol” from the beginning appear to be erupting into an all-out queer circus during season six.

From Ryan Seacrest and Simon Cowell gay baiting one another ad nauseum, to a California lawsuit filed last month alleging a former male contestant sexually harassed a male “Idol” employee by masturbating in a bathroom near the shows stage, it’s been a nasty, messy year for gay issues on “American Idol.”

Not to mention the biggest source of queeny chaos to ever blanket the show: the awkwardly androgynous Sanjaya Malakar. The hula-hooping half-talent has been called everything from “sweet” to “vaguely effeminate” to “the hottest woman on the show,” and his religious resistance to wearing the same hairdo for two episodes of “Idol” have caused gaydar systems to go off nationwide.

“Clearly Sanjaya is not a straight man,” says R.J. Helton, who made the Top 5 in the first season of “American Idol” and announced he was gay on a Sirius radio program last year.

“But people love him,” Helton continues. “He’s by far the most talked about Idol ever. I have found myself tuning in every week to see what Sanjaya’s going to do — what he’s going to wear, what he’s going to sing, how he’s going to wear his hair.”

Gay or not, Sanjaya is a part of “American Idol’s” lengthy, checkered relationship with gender conformity and sexual orientation — a past that convinces Helton that an openly gay contestant could never be crowned America’s idol.

“I think America would probably be OK with it for the most part, but I think the producers of the show would be against it,” Helton says. “Producers have a say so in everything that goes on with the show, and they’re able to determine the outcome in certain ways.”

DESPITE THAT CONTROL OVER the show, producers have been unable to insulate “American Idol” from gay gossip since the show debuted in 2002.

The first season featured at least two gay contestants who were closeted at the time (Helton and Jim Verraros), and season two finalist Clay Aiken is Barry Manilow reborn in the way he is widely perceived as an asexual gay man.

The gay rumor mill kicked into high gear again during season four, first when a personal profile on BlackPlanet.com for “Idol” finalist Anwar Robinson allegedly indicated he was gay, then when finalist Mario Vazquez abruptly dropped-out of the show for “personal reasons.”

Vazquez’s departure set gay bloggers ablaze with hopes that the sexy singer liked boys, a rumor Vazquez flirtatiously addressed when appearing on “The Late Show with David Letterman” to give his “Top 10” reasons for leaving the show.

“No. 6: Ryan Seacrest is all hands,” Vazquez mockingly said. “No. 5: I started liking when Ryan Seacrest was all hands.”

Vazquez’s exit from “American Idol” is decidedly less humorous two years later, since a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court alleges that the Top 12 contestant made unwanted sexual advances toward Magdaleno Olmos, a former accountant for Fremantle Media, the company that produces “Idol.”

Vazquez and “American Idol” executives did not respond to repeated interview requests by press time.

OLMOS’S WRONGFUL TERMINATION lawsuit also names as defendants Fremantle Media, Fox and “American Idol,” for having allegedly “condoned and ratified the sexual harassment perpetrated by Vazquez.

But the picture painted by Olmos of “Idol” bigwigs rallying to the support of a contestant whom they knew were gay doesn’t square with Helton’s recollections of his experience on the show.

“I kept [my sexual orientation] very quiet because at the beginning stages I wasn’t even comfortable with myself yet,” Helton says. “They did also say if you happen to be gay, we think it’s best for you and the show to keep it quiet.”

Helton offers a less tolerant depiction of the shows driving force, host and co-producer Simon Cowell.

“Simon is very, very homophobic and you can see that with each contestant,” Helton says. “It doesn’t matter how good you are a singer, if he even senses you might be gay, he’s going to have an issue.”

“American Idol” observers also have a hard time imagining the show and its parent company nurturing an openly gay contestant to victory, let alone support him in the face of sexual harassment allegations.

“Fox? Not a chance,” says Frank Harris, a blogger for Idolme.com. “Are you kidding? I don’t think they would ever allow it [for an openly gay contestant to win] … except for ratings.”

PROBABLY THE MOST CONSISTENT gay buzz around “American Idol” over its six seasons has been about Ryan Seacrest’s sexual orientation, and the endless speculation that he his gay.

“Is Ryan Gay?” In Touch magazine flatly asked recently. Despite such evidence as “Ryan flirts with men,” “He loves to shop” and “He cares about his appearance,” 62 percent of respondents to an In Touch poll said they don’t believe Seacrest is gay.

Someone not as convinced of Seacrest’s heterosexuality appears to be Cowell, as hardly an episode has gone by in season six without the two men descending into awkward, pointed verbal exchanges about things like high heels and paying to watch each other dance. The gay-baiting shenanigans peaked during the March 13 episode, which featured this doozey of an exhange:

“Simon, any advice on the high heels?” Seacrest asked.

“You should know, Ryan,” Cowell replied.

“Stay out of my closet, Simon.”

“Well, come out.”

The non-stop homo-erotic banter confuses and offends Harris.

“Are they trying to be funny?” Harris asks. “I think it’s offensive because you’re taking a whole section of society and labeling them.”

The verbal jousting between Cowell and Seacrest has always been a funny part of the show, but Helton agrees that the gay-themed conversations have been excessive this year.

“I think this season has been overly awkward,” Helton says. “It’s like, ‘OK guys, what’s really going on?’ But I think it’s all fun and it makes for good television.”

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***Much thanks to Ryan Lee @ SoVo for being so gracious and friendly.***

Francis L.

With a resounding thud, at 9:00 P.M. EST. April 18, 2007, season six of American Idol, ended.

With the removal of 17 year old Sanjaya Malakar, American viewers pounded the proverbial wooden stake though the Heart of the only thing that made watching this season interesting.

Day after day, night after night, the name Sanjaya, was repeatedly mentioned by every cable news show, all Late Night Talk Shows, radio personalities, newspaper and magazine writers, Bloggers, police, Incredibly wealthy and generous Internet moguls, firemen, doctors, bricklayers, lawyers, factory workers…………………..well you get the gist.

There was the “Crying girl”, our welcome to “Sanjaya’s Universe”, the “PonyHawk”, His Hot sister Shyamali, VFTW, Howard Stern, and Anti Sanjaya movements that rose up from the ashes everywhere.

I found it both amusing and frightening the amount of malice and disdain that the general public was levying upon this kid. You would have thought that he had kidnapped the Lindbergh Baby. The saturation of media coverage directed towards and driven by Sanjaya was actually staggering. Cries of indignation rang out from viewers bemoaning the fact that every week that Sanjaya advances, a much more talented singer is sent home. Please! Except for Jordin Sparks and occasionally, the cartoon-like munchkin Moo Doo, the rest of the field falls far short of being remotely entertaining.

Whether or not you loved him, hated him, or didn’t give a damn about him, Sanjaya gave us a reason to be interested, and interactively involved in the outcome.

Now that the “caring factor” has been eliminated from this seasons show, what we are left with is the unfulfilled blandness of a prearranged marriage.

And one last thing, exiting with Sanyaya through the back door is someone that I will miss ogling…

“The Jaya” has left the building……

So here is your countdown to the finals.

6. Chris Richardson

5. Lakisha Jones

4. Phil Stacey

3. Blake Lewis

2. Moo Doo

1. Jordin Sparks

Francis L.

I love this guy

Thanks to ultra-conservative conspiracy wacko web reporter Matt Drudge, expect to hear Simon Cowell back peddle and apologize tonight for his “Rolling of Eyes” incident.

During the judges critique last night of Chris Richardson’s Country night performance, Simon was caught live rolling his eyes as Richardson shamelessly interjected a “Heartfelt” shout out to the Va-Tech community, in an apparent effort to deflect criticism, and beg for sympathy votes.

Richardson seemed as sincere as Game Operator at a Carnival.

This pathetic attempt at a heartfelt apology was desperate and offensive. Simon only reacted as any of us would have.

As bad as Sanjaya was last evening, and he was terrible, Richardson should be the one eliminated tonight.

Francis L.

Your Next American Idol

The lack of talent on this season’s show becomes more glaringly apparent as we make our way to the final week.

Unfortunately the producers, the judges, and Fox itself has sold their collective souls for this season’s early monstrous ratings. What served Fox so well in February has come back to bite them in the ass in April.

This competition, In my opinion, is OVER. Forget about the Bald, the Loud, the Posers, the screamers, and the incredibly untalented.

Jordin Sparks is the only singer left in this competition that has Real star quality, likability, and charisma. She has the greatest upside of everyone left. She is going to win. You may disagree, but then you would be wrong. Now that I have gotten that out of the way, let’s look at tonight’s………………….

Opening Act

Phil Stacey opened tonight’s festivities with Keith Urban’s “Where the Blacktop ends.”

To me it sounded like Harry Connick Jr. meets Travis Tritt. The judges, and Phil himself, all agreed that this genre of music is now the “Wheelhouse” for Mr. Stacey.

Maybe I just don’t get it, but I don’t see this guy setting the Contemporary Country Music charts on fire, like say a Carrie Underwood.

I will say that his performance was the second best tonight behind Jordin. But then we are entering into “Winner of the Tallest Midget” contest area. He’ll be safe.

Impressing the Mentor

Jordin chose to do Martina McBride’s “Broken Wing” She, unlike the evenings remaining singers, actually entertained me.

She is beautiful, poised, and deserves the accolades. I have been saying for weeks now that I believe Jordin has been building momentum towards the final and I will reiterate that position now,
she will win.

Now we find Out

Tonight we find out the power of VFTW and Howard Stern. I do believe that the “Sanjaya Experience” has now gotten to the point of irritability. Sanjaya has flat lined.

His performance of “Let’s give em Something To Talk About”, was brutally awful. He was off key, flat, and tonight, gave every indication that he may be tone deaf.

I am of the opinion that he deserves to be in the bottom three. But if VFTW saves him this week, I hope that his casualty is our next screamer…I mean singer, Koo Koo Jones.

WHY DOES THIS WOMAN HAVE TO SCREAM EVERY SONG SHE PERFORMS?

Tonight, Ms. Koo Koo chose to do a Carrie Underwood Hit, “Jesus, Take the Wheel.” It was blasphemous. Lisp-Shouting her way through this song was brutally annoying.
Like Simon said, “It’s Like Having Hamburger for Breakfast.”
Time to go back to Flint dear.
Bottom Three

This Idiot Poser

This Dumb-ass decides to mysteriously develop a Southern accent, (Which he exhibits before he sings) while Martina mentors him. He supposedly chooses to “Deliberately” give the old Nasal treatment to some song that I didn’t recognize.

It had all of the professional vocal quality of a gurgling open drainpipe. When confronted by Simon with the fact that his performance sounded Nasally, Poser C.R. decreed that it was done on purpose!

Then Realizing that he just got hammered by critique on national TV, this idiot blurts out a half hearted message of sympathy directed towards those involved with the tragedy at Va Tech.

He apparently thinks that this will cover his putrid performance by showing his compassionate side.

He deserves to be booted off the show for this alone!

There’s a reason why Country Stations don’t play Nsync tunes……

Bottom Six

Yeah Tina Turner……

The song that Doo Doo did do, was what she done did?
Just because you back up a singer with a slide guitar and a fiddle, doesn’t make a song country.

She sang a Blues tune under the guise of being a country song. She has been doing this all season long and to tell the truth, it has become tiring. She skirts around the theme of the night by choosing a song that always has a style that fits what she does best, R&B.

And with the way that this years show has been pimping her as the winner, she could choose to sing the National Anthem on Bon Jovi night and they would let her. She may make the final….

Closing this Gem

It was up to Blake to stop tonight’s’ hemmoraging.

He chose to sing Tug Mcgraw’s kid’s,
“When the Stars turn Blue.”

More and more, week to week, this kid seems to be morphing into a hip hop version of Pat Boone.

He seems to have peaked and shown us all of just what he has left in the tank. He will be safe because of Seacrest’s’ introduction surrounded by hot teenage girls…….

Did all you teenage Girls catch the subliminal messaging aimed at you?

Now Go vote your asses off!

Francis L.
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He should be on the show