Idol Watch

Idol Results Show: 4 gotta go

American Idol ditches four contestants tonight (two men, two women) and though most of us probably would like to see most everyone go after the two nerve-wracked duds from the dudes and misses from the lasses, that's all they can send at once.

Kris Allen (above at Dolphins game) and Allison Iraheta return to the stage tonight at 8, too.

Twenty-four million votes came in last night and I'd bet 23.9 million went to Casey (right.)

Show starts with a somewhat stodgy group performance of a song called American Boy. Kinda reminds me of Manhattan Transfer nostalgia I'd find on my grandmother's TV set on Lincoln Road 35 years ago. Like a Glee number but with mediocre singers.

Happily, Miami's Michelle Delamor lives to sing another week. She's safe and so is Haeley Vaughn, despite an embarrassingly lame performance of the Beatles oldie. But she got the quirky vote, not surprised or even upset. If she gets back in her country niche I could enjoy her as I did during auditions.

The first victim of the lack of vote blues is Janell Wheeler whose cover of Heart's What About Love had viewers crying, What about the voice? Of the two, tho, I would have cut Katie first.

Who kidnapped last season's Allison Iraheta and replaced her with this boring lookalike? Bad song. Performance no better than Tuesday night's girls.

Landslide Lacey is safe? That landslide of vocal mud must have clogged America's ears. Instead, Ashley Rodriguez, promising during auditions yet off-key Tuesday and again tonight on a customarily awful Leona Lewis song, gets the boot.

Tim Urban looks as shocked as the peeps in this household that he lives to sing another week. Joe Munoz, who was far from the worst, is kicked off instead. Problem with Joe is he has no star quality and his voice isn't strong enough to compensate.

Kris Allen, the least inspiring Idol winner yet, went to Haiti to "help out" and, forgive the cynicism, but this really smacks more of yet another self-serving pop singer taking advantage of a tragedy to shed some light on his own fast fading career. He's an Idol winner with one Top 20 pop single and a poor-selling and poorly-reviewed album. I have to question his sincerity. That said, if his proceeds from his (dreary) performance of Let It Be on tonight's Idol via iTunes' sales truly goes to help those in Haiti, then I guess that's a plus.

Tyler Grady totally lost me when he blamed the judges for not giving him "enough constructive criticism in Hollywood." He has the stones to blame the judges because he's a mediocre singer playing dressup in Jim Morrison's old clothes? He has the gall to say that that's why he gets an early dismissal tonight? Had he not done that, I would have felt America got it wrong in keeping Alex Lambert over him. But that display of arrogance and self-entitlement play-the-blame-game just screams out loud that we really don't need a jerk who blames professionals for his failings in the cast this season. So long bad 70s wannabe Tyler, you blew it.

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American Idol's Top 12 Men

 For two months we've heard the judges predicting a female's taking the Idol title this season. After last night's less-than-stellar showing from at least six or seven of the 12 female finalists, tonight's Top 12 men could either prove distressing if that's true the men can't measure up to the bar set last night -- or uplifting if the judges are wrong. I sure hope it's the latter. Let's go and for more follow on Twitter, too, @HowardCohen

"The girls blew it out," last night Randy Jackson lied to the guys in his bid to offer advice.

Todrick Hall shows how to turn Kelly Clarkson's smash Since U Been Gone into something that could never be a hit. A tuneless mess. An even more inauspicious start to the show than Paige's last night. "It was verging on stupid what you did," Simon said. Todrick transformed a hit into something that rhymes with hit.

Aaron Kelly courts dismissal by singing a song with a title like Here Comes Goodbye, a piece of typical Rascall Flatts maudlin tripe, but the 16-year-old kid has charm to spare and a big voice that can approximate the original vocalist but transcend it through personality and likability -- not to mention a pretty big voice for the youngest contestant. No goodbyes for a couple months. He's a Top 5 finalist, no doubt. Now he just needs to avoid becoming samey and too ingratiating like David Archuleta two seasons ago.

Is Jermaine Sellers' mike on? Oh yes, there it goes. Now he's screaming Oleta Adams' ballad at us. He's a near certain early dismissal. Please. Charmless and just dreadful. "Totally blown your opportunity," Simon says. From your lips to God's ears, Mr. Cowell.

"If the sound was down and we were just looking at you we'd vote for you because you're adorable," Ellen DeGeneres said of Tim Urban, then used a season's worth of "adorables" to let the hapless kid know he just doesn't have what it takes. Urban, who was cut in Hollywood but saved in the 12th hour when Chris Golightly was disqualified due to a contract he had, has that early 70s Tiger Beat-Bobby Sherman look going on but there's nothing else there. The One Republic song has a high vocal range he can't scale and his vocals just aren't "adorable" enough. Sorry Tim.

Joe Muñoz finally gets airtime and doesn't hit anywhere near a Wow factor but improves the quality of tonight's Idol a bit after some rough spots. His Jason Mraz performance was safe. OK. Not memorable. Not bad. Pretty much a description of Jason Mraz's music when you think about it.

The judging on Idol this season is much improved with the addition of Ellen. Case in point: the criticicisms of 70s wannabe Tyler Grady and his lacking performance on the 1970 The Guess Who hit, American Woman. Ellen particularly nailed it when she noted that he had all the poses but never really owned any of his Jim Morrison moves and lacked the charisma and star quality of the stars he emulated in his bedroom. Tyler didn't do his cause any favors when he said, in response, that he'll just have to "go to the mall" to find his next look should viewers vote for him. Tyler seems to think one can pick a persona as easily as grabbing a coat off a rack at Banana Republic. I think he'll be back, and should get another chance, but he needs to improve his singing and presence. Adam Lambert was able to bring the 80s into the 00s. Tyler needs to do the same with the 70s and make it seem as fresh if he hopes to advance much more.

Maybe a girl WILL win Idol after all. What a bunch of lifeless guys tonight, the worst of which thus far is Lee Dewyze. Generic voice. No persona. No range. Beyond boring. Simon??? What's in your cup and can I have a sip?

John Park proposes marriage to auditions judge Shania Twain who admired his "bottom end." Tonight, after this dreary God Bless the Child (really? Where ARE producers finding these outdated, bland guys? Century Village?) Shania would decline. Especially if she was faced with hearing this flat, boring, remote performance at the wedding party. Song choice. Song choice. Song choice.

Michael Lynche is a personal trainer? What's he use for a dumbbell? A toothpick with Whoppers on either end? I wouldn't take instruction from this guy. Not sure I'd run to the CD store or iTunes to buy his derivative song stylings either. But in a really lame night Michael is probably second to Aaron. Ellen, meantime, is now becoming Paula Abdul with her effusive overpraise. She's more lucid, but c'mon Miss E. Not everyone is "amazing." Tonight, no one was "amazing."

Alex Lambert is no Adam Lambert and that's too bad. If anyone is the opposite of born-to-the-stage Adam, it's this nervous young man. Ellen needs to eliminate the word "adorable" from her vocabulary.

Kara DioGuardi is in Heaven after Casey James' performance of the Bryan Adams' 1984 hit. And for good reason. Finally a performance tonight that came over as live, honest, personable, genuine -- pick an adjective, they all apply. By far, the only real performance tonight.

Andrew Garcia could win Idol but, like Kris Allen, he can't become a star. He has a "recording quality" voice but he lacks the IT factor a star needs. Vocalwise, he's Top 3 tonight though.

Casey wins the night hands down. Aaron and Andrew next in line. The rest could all be voted off en masse and that would please me.

An Adam Lambert-Sarah Palin Summit

 

By golly Adam Lambert is the scheduled musical guest for the second episode of the reformatted Tonight Show With Jay Leno on March 2 -- the same night former Alaska governor Sarah Palin is a guest. Flashy Adam's set to sing Music Again. Wonder if the conservative Sarah will be nodding in agreement with the catchy song's refrain "You make me want to listen to music again."

Speaking of Adam, I read on a blog, rickey.org, he's criticized Susan Boyle's debut album, you know, the one that sold almost 10 times as many copies as his CD has. He was particularly making fun of Boyle's version of the Rolling Stones ballad, Wild Horses according to the site.

 Hey, I prefer Adam's For Your Entertainment, too, (and I like Boyle's Wild Horses track, one of the few,) but memo to Mr. Lambert: You haven't been in the industry long enough, or have been successful enough, to become bitchy with your public opinions. Save that tiara territory for Elton John who at least has paid his dues to mouth off on other celebs. 

Photos: Adam/AP; Palin/NYT

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Tuesday Idol trumps Olympics for gold ratings.

American Idol's first live show of the season earned Fox 24 million viewers for its 2-hour all girls performance show (a light bump from last week.) The Winter Olympics, which had bobsled, figure skating and downhill skiing events, earned NBC 21.21 million viewers.

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American Idol's Top 12 Women

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 American Idol's 12 female finalists face off tonight on the first live show of the ninth season. Crystal Bowersox is a favorite going in and Miami's Michelle Delamor hasn't received nearly so much screen time. To inject a little hometown rah-rah, here's hoping Michelle shows America her best tonight.

"This stage of 24 will launch one of these faces into superstardom," Ryan Seacrest crowed at the start of the live show. Superstardom? You mean like Kris Allen?

Idol takes a page from The Jay Leno Show and borrows one of his site gags to spoof the reason why Ellen is no longer sitting near Simon on the judge's panel like she was during Hollywood week. "Simon wants me," she quipped. "He has wandering hands." Then they showed a mock clip of a hand stroking Ellen's thigh under the panel. Amusing.

Don't even have to watch the rest of Paige Miles' take on Free's rock classic All Right Now. She doesn't have the voice for this testosterone laden '70s rocker. She's on first and she'll be the first of two voted off when results are revealed Thursday. Pitchy too. Shockingly, the judges liked that performance. (If she's spared, it's only because the night's outright disasters were Haeley Vaughn and Lacey Brown who are coming up as fans' least favorites on some polls and two get voted off after tonight on Thursday's Results show.)

Ashley Rodriguez was a frontrunner but by picking a tuneless and forgettable Leona Lewis song (Happy) she proved unmemorable, was a bit pitchy, and squandered some of her lead. Disappointing. The judges finally stopped sipping happy juice and pretty well nailed the problems in that dispiriting, poorly arranged performance.

A girl is supposed to win this season? We're not seeing ANY evidence of this tonight so far. Janelle Wheeler took on Heart's What About Love, a gargantuan song Janelle just doesn't have the voice for. "You're well on your way to the top," is a lyric within the song but it won't apply to her, I'm afraid. Janelle cites Fleetwood Mac as one of her musical inspirations. She would have been wiser to attempt one of Stevie Nicks' songs because she might be able to pull one of those less rangey songs better. (Dreams might have worked.) Ann Wilson's piercing voice on a power ballad is just too much for her to handle.

Well, the judges say to do something different and that's what Lilly Scott did with the Beatles' Fixin' a Hole, an odd song choice but done with a quirky originality, played guitar on it, and she has an interesting look. Not sure I'd buy one of her albums yet but she is worth watching. The show can begin now. Best so far.

I'm with Simon and Ellen on Katelyn Epperly. Some of that Oh! Darling Beatles cover lost me vocally but I kept coming back to the screen. Katelyn has a firecracker vibe, the hair, the dress, and she proves compelling.

I want to hold Haeley Vaughn's hand and tell her nicely to never sing another Beatles' rock and roll song. Her vocals were behind the beat of I Wanna Hold Your Hand and this was totally the wrong genre for her. Her market is hers alone in country and this 16-year-old really needs to rethink her choices. "A complete utter mess," Simon says. He's right. She needs to stick to Taylor Swift-style country where she can be in her comfort zone. Tonight, she's bought herself a ticket to ride back home.

The backing chorus is throwing Lacey Brown off tune on overly stylized and drunken sounding take on Fleetwood Mac classic Landslide. Indulgent as Simon said and disrespectful to the song. The Stevie Nicks composition is a simple, poetic statement and doesn't need or stand up to vocal ornamentation. What is it with singers destroying Stevie Nicks lately? First Taylor Swift's off-key Grammy duet of Rhiannon, now this bomb.

Miami's Michelle Delamor finally gets some screen time and interview portion with Ryan. She delivered the "classic" American Idol voice and look on a stately, rich-voiced run at Alicia Keys' hit Falling. Technically the best voice of the night so far and yet I agree with Ellen that if she shakes it up even more she'll elicit the wow factor. Still, a true singer and hopefully one who sticks around and grows on this stage. I heard a little Diana Ross in that tone. Perhaps stronger.

Didi Benami, are you talking to us or singing? Just awful. The night's most dreary, unmusical, and lifeless performance. She needs to be one of the two sent home for that affected, boring style. We don't need one Adele, certainly don't need this pitchy amateur.

Siobhan Magnus has a nice voice, there's talent there. She sang the most difficult song of the night (Chris Isaak's Wicked Game) and though her rendition wasn't nearly as smoldering and sensual as the original, she hit all the notes with strength and display's the night's widest range of the Top 12. "She can blow," Randy says. Uh, whatever, dawg.

"Mama needs a bigger paycheck," says Crystal Bowersox about why she needed to go onto Idol. What happened to making music because you HAVE to get it out of you? Thankfully, Crystal did showcase a fresh take on melodramatic Alanis Morissette song, Hand in My Pocket, and stripped it of its hysteria. I disagree with Simon's initial take. She's promising.

Katie Stevens, forget it. Feeling Good is way too big a song for such a tiny talent. Hannah Montana taking on Michael Buble. Fail. Simon's right, too. Pageanty. Stodgy, as well. And, sorry, Randy, she doesn't have a "huge" voice. Adam Lambert does and that's why he nailed this song with flair last season and gave Buble a run for the money.

Overall, the sanest judge's panel we've seen, maybe ever. No Paula loopiness, no hostility or rudeness. We're not used to this civility on the panel. Ellen seems a good addition as a judge. No fireworks among the panel ... yet.

See you Wednesday for the guys.

Miami's Michelle Delamor brings choir training to Idol stage tonight

Miami represents tonight on the first live show of American Idol's ninth season.

Here's a profile on Miami's Michelle Delamor, a choir director for Unity by the Bay who gets her shot as a Top 24 finalist at 8 tonight on Fox.

Read the story by clicking here.

Michelle's friend on Twitter wants to let everyone know there is an American Idol viewing party to support Michelle at Cafeina Lounge, 297 NW 23rd St. Miami, FL 33127 at 8 tonight. (305) 438-0047.

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Idol takes the silver; Olympics snags gold

 

For the first time in six years of head to head competition, American Idol found itself on the losing end in the ratings battle.

Wednesday's Olympics broadcast on NBC, featuring Shaun White's gold medal halfpipe runs, easily beat the Idol Top 24 revelation show. Olympics earned a 30.1 million viewers number, Idol had 18.4 million.

No surprise, really. Fugly Andrew Garcia vs. Shaun White? No competition.

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Idol Top 24 revealed

Tonight we hear the words we've been looking forward to since January: American Idol's Top 24 finalists have been selected and no more taped shows. The fluff is done, let the games begin...

Live blogging commentary here and on Twitter @HowardCohen begins at 9 tonight.

Janell Wheeler steals her way into the Top 24 slot Shelby should have had last night. Janell's pretty, but bland vocally. Simon likes the pretty but banal blonds so I guess that slot needed filling.

The decidedly non-bland Tyler Grady, a 70s rocker aspirant who cites Robert Plant and Jim Morrison as inspirations, easily sails into a Top 24 slot and fills our need for a rocker boy on Idol.

Lacey Brown's in, too.

"Mainstream music needs a little pick me up right now," Crystal Bowersox says -- and she might have the goods to kick it up a bit on Idol. Mama Sox is in. Naturally.

Ellen's fakouts are starting to get a bit old already. She does deliver -- finally -- the good news to Katie Stevens ("my grandmother has Alzheimer's") for the 15th spot in 24. She's cute and can sing but I hope she doesn't turn into another ho-hum Kat McPhee.

Wow. Idol's first real shocker of the season finds Angela Martin out of the Top 24. Poor girl had tried out for Idol before but one time her dad died, the next she went to jail for a traffic infraction and even now her mom's gone missing (after this show was taped.) Kara sat with her and gave her a long, compassionate speech, and I thought for sure she had good news to give. This is a disappointment. Angela had a rich voice and enough hardships to give producers a season's worth of shilling.

I like Lilly Scott's look a bit more than her faux-passe jazz vocal stylings but if she drops the affectations I might get into her. She looks like Christine McVie's daughter if Christine had a child.

That was no competition between Haeley Vaughn (top photo) and Tori Kelly. Haeley is unique, Tori is dime a dozen. Judges made the correct decision in sending country oriented Haeley into the finals. Even if she doesn't make it into the Top 10 if I were a label executive in Nashville I'd be eyeing her. There's no one out there quite like Haeley.

Meantime, this Kris Allen car stereo commercial is really grating. His monotonous speaking voice is like aural Ambien. What a dull individual. I sure hope we're not investing another 4 months only to wind up with a boring Idol winner like that one. What a waste of effort that turned out to be.

Attention Idol hopefuls: Procreate and win your slot in the Top 24. How else to explain woefully non-X factor Andrew Garcia earning a slot over Thaddeus Johnson? Andrew sang Paula Abdul's Straight Up well but, c'mon, this guy's no Idol. He made a baby. Big deal. Bad call, judges.

Despite the few disappointments -- fewer than in year's past -- Idol has a relatively decent Top 24. Hopefully Lee, Andrew and Janell drop out before the touring Top 10 (unless they pick up their game).

Your top 24 (with ONE exception: Chris Golightly, pictured, is a late dropout it appears, Tim Urban is in, instead) are:

  (Tim Urban, of Texas, is now in the Top 24)