American Idol 2008

[OldDad]

Well, Idol is back and the auditions have been... underwhelming...

One, the judges are being too nice...  I had heard they caught flak for being mean and cruel last year.  Simon was getting back up to form last night when he asked one wannabe, "What in the bloody h*** was that?"

Two, the folks passed on to Hollywood are kind of bland and unmemorable, so far.  Nobody really jumps out of the pack. 

It is early, and I'm sure things will pick up.  I won't start doing any breakdowns until we get to the Hollywood week.

Here are a couple of what I call "train wrecks."  I'm sure these are nice, decent, kind people who are truly wonderful human beings...  But where on earth did they get the idea that they could sing?

Click here to watch James Lewis, and see if you don't walk around a day or tow singing, "Let..my peepull...go-o-o-o"

And here's a little compilation...

[Arkstfan]

I don't know. There have already been a few good moments.

My favorite so far was the really cute gal with the model husband. I'm thinking this totally unfair, good looking, bubbly personality, great looking spouse.... and then she sang   

I loved Simon's "He REALLY loves you" comment. 

As they were walking away and Ryan said "at least she has her soulmate" my 13 year old daughter added "a really hot one". 

[segell]

Looks like a pretty good final 24.  This is the most talented group (at least it seems so on whole) than any of the prior seasons.  Should be pretty good competition.  (Although, there is one particular young man that just rubs me wrong even though he has a good voice.  I will be voting against him as often as I'm allowed).

[OldDad]

The guys are up tonight!

Right now, just based on the snippets we've seen from auditions and Hollywood week, I really like the aussie, Michael Johns, and 17 year old David Archuleta.

We'll break it down tonight!

[Jimbob]

They're both quite good, I agree.  (and neither has a Blake-sized ego, which is a +)

[OldDad]

Great opening night!  The guys did a good job overall, with a couple of standouts...

Here we go:

Here are my rankings for opening night:

1. David Archuleta – sang "Shop Around.

[don has a plan]

Good reviews, OldDad.

I think Michael Johns will win the whole thing.

[Jimbob]

We about spit coffee through our noses at my house when the kid said he wanted people to know he looks like Ellen.  I'd made the remark during auditions that it was weird that a kid would not only look like her, but have the same hair and clothing.  Guess it's a choice? 

----------------

I thought your top four were right on, though I might have them slightly different order...still the same top, though.  Most of the rest were very forgettable.  I do wish Noriega would stop the 13 yr. old teen girl sass act.  It's old already.

[Cross-titled]

Great opening night!  The guys did a good job overall, with a couple of standouts...

Here we go:

Here are my rankings for opening night:


11. Colton Berry – sang "Suspicious Minds.

[Barry]

Is it just me, or is this group of men the most effeminate group you've ever seen?

[zoonance]

I don't get why this show is so popular.  Unless a family member is performing who really couldn't care less about all this?

[marc]

Danny Noriega made Sanjaya look macho.

Didn't see the girls, but I thought the guys were better than last year.  Castro's performance was my favorite. Cook wasn't bad either. I'd like to hear Johns sing some of the stuff they do on Australian Idol, but unfamiliar usually doesn't work.

As to Archuleta, why is a former Star Search winner competing in this?


btw, Carrico (I think he's the one) is originally from West Virginia, so I should be rooting for him, but I think he's fake.

[spurly]

I made it an entire week without being sucked into the American Idol mania.  We'll see how long my good fortune continues.

[Bon Voyage]

I have watched some.  Mostly when the bad singers are on.  I find that fun.

[Big Mike Lewis]

So far, this season has been B-O-R-I-N-G!

And I don't know why they say that this is the most talented group they've had yet.  They're not that good.  Season 2, 3, and 4 were the best so far.  5 & 6 were so-so.  1 was too new to know what would happen with this show...watching the reruns makes me laugh how amateurish it is.

[marc]

I have watched some.  Mostly when the bad singers are on.  I find that fun.

Then you should be watching tonight, the way it's gone so far.

[Barry]

I'm getting really tired of Ryan Seacrest's jibes at Simon. It's getting really old and isn't even slightly funny...especially how he thanks the other two judges and then skips Simon. It just seems really immature to me.

[Jimbob]

Yeah, that is getting old.

[Big Mike Lewis]

The best last night...for the first time, I was interested in listening to someone sing.  He's my choice to win it all...David Archuleta:

[youtube=425,350]6IysOAIh7U8[/youtube]

[segell]

I think there are a couple of the guys who actually have very good voices.  But not many are performers. 

Archuleta blew everyone out of the water last night, baby!  The kid is more than talented - he's gifted.

[marc]

David Cook pulled something off tonight that took me a minute to recognize.  At first, I was yelling at him to put down the guitar.  Then I realized that he was making the song current.  Sure, he was alienating people of my age group, but there are a lot more people of the age group he was appealing to who will actually call and text. 

Besides, he was very good.


Luke and Danuel Noriega should go.  I wouldn't be surprised if Danny stuck around to annoy future audiences, but he was terrible.  Awful. 

Top performances?

1. Cook
2. Archuleta
3. Castro
4. Hernandez
5. Chickizie
6. Johns
7. Luke
8. Noriega

Oh, and Randy, if you happen to be reading this (and I have it on good authority that he does--know how to read, that is, so you never know), Don't You Forget About Me was by the Scottish group Simple Minds not the Australian INXS.  That's why Johns looked so confused when you talked about him "going home" for the song. Thank you. 
6. Johns (

[memmy]

I like everything about David Archuleta.

He is an awesome singer, and as Segell said gifted in every way.

He also is very humble as well as having a wonderful heart.

My pick is for him all the way.

[Bon Voyage]

Who is voting for the guy who strips at gay strip bars?

[marc]

Since I don't tend to hang out at gay bars, I'm not sure who he is....

(actually, I did hear.  I'd rather see him stick around than Noriega.)

[Jimbob]

Don't take this the wrong way, but Noriega needs to start peeing on walls.

[memmy]

 

I would rather have a spewing water out of my mouth emoticon for that one jmg, but since we have none, I'll use the one.

[Weeble]

Here's my final 6

Guys:
David Archuleta
Michael Johns
Jason Castro

Girls:
Carly Smithson
Amanda Overmyer
Brooke White

Unfortunately Amanda won't make it very far. And Jason will struggle a little later in the contest as well.  David might suffer from the Dolittle effect.  Last year Melinda was so great to begin with, but as the others got better she didn't have the same growth. If Brooke can stay with the singer songwriter style she could go along way, but that comes from a guy who lived during the singer/songwriter period.   

[Big Mike Lewis]

I didn't even watch this week.  I will see who gets voted out, but that's all I saw.

[Jimbob]

Saw the guys, but not the girls yet...it's on the Tivo.  My list for the guys would match Weeble's at this point.  I hadn't thought of it, but I think you may be right about David.  If the Dolittle effect doesn't bite him, though, he's probably in the final two (and may be even if it does get him).

[zoonance]

I don't get why this show is so popular.  Unless a family member is performing who really couldn't care less about all this?

I feel like a leper.    Unclean!    Unclean!     Unclean!       I don't get it.  What a waste of time.

[Jimbob]

What?  How can you resist this kind of talent?

[zoonance]

What?  How can you resist this kind of talent?

I do feel like I must be strange.  There is no resistance.  I really could not care less.  What is wrong with me?

[I B 4 Jesus]

that guy is awful but he is better than a few at my Church !!!!Whoa nelly

[Follower the Heaven Bound]

JASON CASTRO FOR IDOL '08!
Keeping with my trend of strange predictions..
06: Kevin Covais
07: Sanjaya Malakar
8: JASON CASTRO!

Or David Cook. But mainly, JASON CASTRO!

[Bon Voyage]

No one.