Photo: Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman
They say "everything is bigger in Dallas." Let's hope that cliche applies to the talent we see in tonight's American Idol auditions show from Dallas, Texas as we offer live commentary here and on Twitter @HowardCohen.
I sure love me some Willie Nelson, George Strait and Don Henley. Any other great Texan musical folks out there, Idol? ...
However, first a newsbreak: A St. Pete woman has been charged with attempted first degree murder after stabbing her boyfriend five times in the back following a fight Tuesday night over American Idol. And here I thought my Idol Watch fans took Idol seriously. Whew!
http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2010/1/27/575554.html
Now back to regularly scheduled programming:
Neil Patrick Harris is shaping up to be a really tough guest judge on American Idol. And I love it, thus far. Neil not only criticized a returning contestant's off-key Black Velvet, but slammed her homemade sign, too! Julie tortured LaBelle's Lady Marmalade in season one auditions. Eight years later, she did the same to Allanah Myles' overused old hit. "That was just annoying," he complained. Go Neil!
Dockworker Lloyd Thomas looks to be the whole dock, but he's got a voice in there, too, as he took on Stevie Wonder's banal Overjoyed and sang it quite well. He brings to mind a Ruben Deux but may have a better voice. The season will tell.
Then more fireworks betwixt smarta-- Neil and a bored Simon as Simon inexplicably failed to be charmed by Kimberly Carver's original song audition. Simon doesn't want "Jazz TV." Neil steamed. I'm with Neil. I found her audition song and performance much more interesting than yet another blah rendition of Stevie Wonder or Allanah Myles.
Nashville songwriters, pay attention: It's Not Worth My Tears, I Don't Even Know Why I'm Crying sounds like your next country hit. Credit a failed Idol contestant for the line. And me for bringing it to your attention.
Barney Girl Erica Rhodes should have stuck with the Barney tune because she sounded fetching like Janet Jackson -- if Janet could sing a little better. Unfortunately, her voice gave out midway through the decidedly more adult EnVogue tune. That said, there's something contemporary and fun about this girl and she earned four yes votes. Maybe it was the whip.
Dave Pittman lassos a ticket to Hollywood with the night's first Lifetime tale (he's got Tourrettes Syndrome, but alas, not the variety that makes one curse uncontrollably ala the character on that old TV drama -- LA Law?) and a golden voice.
Wow, I really liked Maegan Wright and her little brother. Such delightful people. But why such a dreary song choice? That To Make You Feel My Love Dylan song is depressing enough to wipe out all the goodwill he's earned as a songwriter over the decades. Thankfully, she gets another shot in Hollywood. Here's hoping she picks more upbeat songs.
Toddrick Hall is this season's Broadway performer (he was on stage with Fantasia in The Color Purple.) He delivers the night's most memorable audition thanks to an original song that cleverly namechecks all the judges and he does so with a good voice.
Would guest judge Joe Jonas even recognize bad singing? Just wonderin'.
Dallas auditions end with a leukemia survivor, Christian Spear, singing another old, old Etta James song. All I Can Do Is Cry, she sings. All I can do is hope Idol is hiding the real superstar talents to spring on us during the finals because so far even Dallas proves tame.
Next up, Obama's State of the Union speech.
hi guys, I am here tonight!
Posted by: Lane | January 27, 2010 at 07:58 PM
NPH!
Posted by: Lane | January 27, 2010 at 08:02 PM
Welcome back, Lane!
Posted by: HoCo | January 27, 2010 at 08:10 PM
Hey Lane! We just arrived. ETM will will along shortly. NPH, sweet!
Posted by: MrsEvans | January 27, 2010 at 08:12 PM
I like Ruben Jr.
Posted by: Lane | January 27, 2010 at 08:12 PM
did Randy Dawg just say "you can blow" to a girl?
Posted by: Lane | January 27, 2010 at 08:15 PM
Haha, he sure did! Idol is very classy this season.
Posted by: MrsEvans | January 27, 2010 at 08:17 PM
he should have sang "Clap your hands, everybody, and everybody clap your hands..."
Posted by: Lane | January 27, 2010 at 08:23 PM
He's singing about a brown eye all right
Posted by: MrEvans | January 27, 2010 at 08:24 PM
He looks like a gay 2Pac - GayPac.
Posted by: MrEvans | January 27, 2010 at 08:24 PM
Leave it to my boy NPH to bring back the sweater-vest...
Posted by: MrEvans | January 27, 2010 at 08:25 PM
Yikes! I bet she can blow too :)
Posted by: MrsEvans | January 27, 2010 at 08:26 PM
What is Randy doing that he has a sweaty pit stain on his shirt?
Posted by: MrEvans | January 27, 2010 at 08:28 PM
I don't get IDOL at all this year. The people they keep putting through are hardly what I would consider American Idols...
Posted by: MrsEvans | January 27, 2010 at 08:29 PM
That girl's mom looked like Pam Grier.
Posted by: MrEvans | January 27, 2010 at 08:29 PM
Idol has way jumped the shark...
Posted by: Lane | January 27, 2010 at 08:31 PM
another sob story..what a surprise
Posted by: MrsEvans | January 27, 2010 at 08:34 PM
a tourette's idol is my dream contestant
Posted by: Lane | January 27, 2010 at 08:34 PM
It'd be awesome if he gets an attack in front of Kara... s l u t! dirty s l u t!
Posted by: MrEvans | January 27, 2010 at 08:35 PM
ball hair!
Posted by: Lane | January 27, 2010 at 08:36 PM
my favorite tourette's story... when I was in Israel, one of the fellow students had Tourette's, but he didn't curse, just random phrases..
so we're in this hall listening to Netanyahu speak, and in the middle of this speech, you hear "APES SUCK" from across the room
Posted by: Lane | January 27, 2010 at 08:37 PM
LOL
Posted by: MrEvans | January 27, 2010 at 08:38 PM
Where do we live blog the SOTU after Idol?
Posted by: MrsEvans | January 27, 2010 at 08:38 PM
Neil: I think you're crazy brave
Tourette's Guy: Thanks... HOMOOOOOO
Posted by: Lane | January 27, 2010 at 08:39 PM
I'm not watching the SOTU
Posted by: Lane | January 27, 2010 at 08:40 PM
I'm cracking up!
Posted by: HoCo | January 27, 2010 at 08:41 PM
the guy sang on Broadway, doesn't that count as a ringer?
Posted by: Lane | January 27, 2010 at 08:44 PM
This girl coming up has a really big forehead... Lane, how big is her forehead?
Posted by: MrEvans | January 27, 2010 at 08:48 PM
her forehead is so big, it's a five head
Posted by: Lane | January 27, 2010 at 08:49 PM
her forehead is so big it has it's own wikipedia page
Posted by: Lane | January 27, 2010 at 08:51 PM
GMTA
Posted by: MrEvans | January 27, 2010 at 08:51 PM
Etta James was steamed that Beyonce sang that song, she may get a gun and hunt this girl down
Posted by: Lane | January 27, 2010 at 08:53 PM
Santa Maria!
Posted by: MrEvans | January 27, 2010 at 08:53 PM
SantaMaria!!!
Posted by: MrEvans | January 27, 2010 at 08:54 PM
I've been censored for writing s a n t a m a r i a!
Posted by: MrEvans | January 27, 2010 at 08:54 PM
I'm going to hell for calling this girl five-head...
Posted by: MrEvans | January 27, 2010 at 08:56 PM
Nice Evan..making fun of the cancer girl.
Posted by: MrsEvans | January 27, 2010 at 08:56 PM
yes you are
Posted by: MrsEvans | January 27, 2010 at 08:58 PM
She has a big natural gift, and I hear John Edwards does too...
Posted by: MrEvans | January 27, 2010 at 08:58 PM
Was that Jason Castro's brother again?
Posted by: MrsEvans | January 27, 2010 at 08:59 PM
Yawn
Posted by: AsandraGuide | January 28, 2010 at 07:50 AM