American Idol 2008

[Jenn! 918]

Jason Castro is in trouble I think so I've been voting for him nonstop.

[Kazan' Tiger 1]

Although I do not care for David Cook, his singing was flawless and professional.

[Cassie 8]

Ramiele – oye vey. So out of tune, so boring.

Jason Castro – good but predictable. He's a great singer, but he's not doing anything different, and he'll get voted out eventually because of that

Syesha – this is the first week I really liked what she sung. Great song choice!

Chikeze -- boring, oh so boring

Brooke -- very nice, but I am with Randy and Simon in that she should have done the whole song herself without the band

Michael -- It's risky to take on songs by someone as iconic as Freddie Mercury, and actually get away with it. This was the perfect song for him.

Carly – I was scared when I heard her song choice, but she pretty much pulled it off.

David A. – oh sweet Lord, what the heck was that? Bad bad bad song choice. I agreed with Simon, it wasn't good.

Kristy – Didn't get to hear much of it because my hubby hates the song she picked. What I did hear, all I could think was "meh"

David Cook – perfect perfect PERFECT song choice. I love Chris Cornell's version, and this was amazing, even more than what he did with Lionel Richie's song. I loved this song so much, I had to rewind the DVR three times to listen to it. Love this guy long time! And if he doesn't win the whole dang thing, I will be ticked off.

[hoosier 0]

Jason Castro is in trouble I think so I've been voting for him nonstop.

He totally stunk this week, why vote for #######? There were several Obviosly better performances. His total pfft attitude is sad, Simon was right it was like he didn't even care or take this week seriously. I'm beginning to think maybe he has partook in a few too many of Colombia's pharmaceutical exports.

[Jenn! 918]

Jason Castro is in trouble I think so I've been voting for him nonstop.

He totally stunk this week, why vote for #######? There were several Obviosly better performances. His total pfft attitude is sad, Simon was right it was like he didn't even care or take this week seriously. I'm beginning to think maybe he has partook in a few too many of Colombia's pharmaceutical exports.

Simmer down. We all have opinions.

[Jenn! 918]

EW's recap:

'American Idol': Rock of Ages

Choosing songs from their birth year, most of the contestants do way better (Michael Johns) or way worse (David Archuleta) than we expected

By Michael Slezak

If you had told me a month ago that in this week of the American Idol finals, Jason Castro or David Archuleta would be in the bottom three while Kristy Lee Cook, Syesha Mercado, and Michael Johns looked on from the comfort and safety of those hideous blue chenille couches I'd have said you were crazier than the bespangled, black-leather half gloves that Paula pulled out from the back trunk of her closet tonight.

And, yeah, while the above scenario is about as likely to happen as Simon wearing a rainbow-hued button-down to Wednesday night's results show, it wouldn't be the most shocking turn of events - not after a bizarre set of performances on the bizarre ''Songs From the Year You Were Born'' theme night.

Then again, it's been that kind of season with momentum zipping among the contestants in wildly unpredictable fashion. Except, of course, for the one man who despite a decided lack of early-season hype is looking more and more like a potential champion every time he takes the Idol stage. Ladies and gentlemen, let's hear it for...

...David Cook and His Steadily Improving Hair!

Indeed, the man whose baby pictures made him look like a supervillain from a Marvel Comic (thank God he said it so I don't have to!) gave the performance of the night, twisting the highly danceable 1982 smash ''Billie Jean'' into a dark and stormy ballad.

We now interrupt this paragraph to note that, as Ryan Seacrest pointed out, Rocker David was actually reinterpreting Chris Cornell's 2007 take on Michael Jackson's original. Which means Rocker David will likely be fending off ''rip-off'' and ''copycat'' accusations regarding his performance. And while on some level I do wish that Idol contestants would (or could) rearrange well-known hits without relying on someone else's recipe, that might not always be a realistic request, given the fact that each one of 'em has to pick and learn a new song (while getting the Idol band on board and recording a version for iTunes) every seven days.

Either way, even if you stripped Rocker David of any extra credit for originality, there's no denying his vocal on ''Billie Jean'' tonight. The physical and emotional power of his glory note toward the end of his number alone exceeded anything sung by any of his nine rivals this week. As Simon succinctly summed it up, Rocker David was ''amazing.''

I'm not sure I'd dole out an adjective quite that strong to describe either Syesha Mercado or Michael Johns, but I've got to give credit where it's due and rank them as the evening's second and third best performers despite the fact that I've never been a huge fan of either one of them.

Syesha boldly chose the super-size ballad ''If I Were Your Woman'' the third time in six weeks she's sung about her yearning for a man who's otherwise engaged and for the second straight performance, she hit practically every note, without resorting to flat-out shouting. There's still something slightly off-putting about Syesha's interview packages I can't shake the weird feeling that she's been programmed from birth to hunt down fame like Anton Chigurh going after double-crossers but there's nothing Idol voters like better than contestants who show week-to-week growth.

Michael, meanwhile, received some help this week, getting bathed in a blinding glow of Nigel Lythgoe's love or was that merely some extraordinarily blinding ''I am rock star, hear me roar!'' lighting as he sang ''We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions'' (coincidentally, a wise suggestion by my colleague Kristen Baldwin on this week's Idolatry). But the lighting and collective hand claps from Rickey Minor and the band didn't detract from the fact that for the first time in six weeks of live performances, Michael delivered a number with gobs of charisma and (as with Syesha) barely a note out of tune. No, he didn't really color outside the lines of Queen's template, but you've got to start the momentum-building somewhere, right?

With Rocker David, Syesha, and Michael looking pretty secure to advance to the top nine, that leaves seven other contestants scrambling for the coveted middle ground that'll keep them out of the bottom three. And you can bet your mother's apple pie (or perhaps your actual mother) that the oft-maligned Kristy Lee Cook will be sailing into Dolly Parton week thanks to her inspired choice of ''God Bless the U.S.A.'' (complete with an American flag backdrop, American flag lighting, and a shirtless beefcake shot of Kristy Lee's dad, circa 1984). I loved watching Simon grapple with his words as he began his critique of the performance. Obviously, Lee Greenwood's ballad is a gargantuan slab of government cheese, but a lot of folks love the taste of it. So allow me to translate Simon's remarks (''the most clever song choice I have heard in years'') into British (''behind that nice Oregon-gal smile lies a shrewd yet limited vocalist who knows that playing the patriotism card is a surefire way to buy another week in the competition'').

And Kristy Lee's safe passage could spell an anxious results night (and a dreaded trip to center stage) for one of these sometime front-runners: Brooke White, Carly Smithson, Jason Castro, and David Archuleta.

Of that quartet, Brooke probably has the least to worry about, considering the opening half of her cover of the Police's ''Every Breath You Take'' gave off the kind of surprising alternative vibe you might expect from Tori Amos (if Tori Amos had spent her entire life inside the protected bubble of an animated Disney classic). Sadly, as Randy and Simon pointed out, the band arrived at the midway point and turned Brooke's vaguely stalker-y performance into a fluffy adult-contemporary soufflé.

Carly, by comparison, probably delivered a stronger all-around vocal than Brooke, but she appeared so overwrought during ''Total Eclipse of the Heart'' that I worried she might collapse as she attempted (and failed) to turn that final vocal run into a showstopping momentum booster. The weird thing about Carly is that I'm probably more likely to go out and buy her album after Idol than any other finalist's, and yet, as Simon noted tonight, something's just not working when she gets on the stage (and not just because she picked a song previously covered by season 1's Nikki McKibbin and season 4's Jessica Sierra). As our reader call-in guest on last week's Idolatry noted, Carly ought to be having the time of her life out there, but instead she's giving off an air of desperation that's becoming the central theme of her story arc. (Also, she should be aware that Bonnie Tyler's lyric references ''a powder keg,'' not ''a power keg.'')

Still, I'm guessing Carly's flirtation with elimination last week will motivate her fans to speed-dial her to safety; that could leave Jason Castro or David Archuleta as this week's bottom-three shocker.

Jason's probably the most likely candidate, but not because his cover of Sting's ''Fragile'' was any more or less effective than any performance he's previously given on the Idol stage. (As Paula noted, it was all very lovely, but not different from his last five live performances.) But Jason's utterly unconvincing attempt at telling Ryan Seacrest that he was actually interested in taking home the Idol title could be the beginning of a downward spiral in momentum for the Dreadlocked One. Yeah, yeah, I know Chris Daughtry and Jennifer Hudson have done just fine without cracking the top three but I never got the sense that either of them wasn't coming out on the stage every week and doing their damnedest to solidify their growing fan bases.

Little David, on the other hand, would've probably had to choose a raunchy 1990 hit like ''Do Me!'' or ''Rub You the Right Way'' to alienate the legion of tweens (and their moms) dialing on his behalf. Still, why for the love of all that's holy did he pick a slice of Up With People treacle like Guy Sebastian's ''You're the Voice'' I'm with Simon: I half expected a herd of Julie Taymor-created puppets to come dancing out of the wings midway through the number. Except, well, Little David's actual vocal performance wouldn't have cut it on a Broadway stage. The cracked high note, the wobbly opening lines in his lower register, the oddly static bopping, all passed unremarked by the judges, but to me, the performance was another sign that the season's youngest remaining contestant is way outside his comfort zone on anything but ballads.

Still, fret not, Arch Angels; while I think a one-week scare might be good for your boy and jolt him out of his recent complacency, there's no way he's in any danger of going home anytime before May. I'm betting this week's ouster will either be Chikezie (no!) or Ramiele (go!).

Poor Chikezie! From his interview package, it sounded as if he'd fretted about his choice of a ballad (Brenda Russell's ''If Only for One Night'') all week, and sure enough, Randy and Simon pounced (somewhat correctly) on the lack of energy, the cabaret quality, of his rendition. But Paula, lucid aside from her choice of hand garment, made an excellent point: Chikezie has some amazing textures to his vocals â۠I'd argue more so than almost any of his remaining opponents. From that low, rumbling growl to the satiny falsetto, the guy has it goin' on and he hasn't had previous reality TV competitions (Syesha, Little David) or record-label experience (Michael, Carly, Kristy Lee) to help him hone his talent. Which is why I really want America to give Chikezie a couple more weeks, so we can see just how good he can (or can't) be.

Conversely, I am completely and unequivocally ready, without even a hesitant scrunch of the nose, for Ramiele's exit. The way she keeps rehashing worn-out Idol standbys like ''Don't Leave Me This Way,'' ''Against All Odds,'' and now ''Alone'' makes me think the woman (not girlchild) is secretly working on a book titled Every Song I Ever Learned I Learned From Watching Idol. And why pick the one number that most clearly defined Carrie Underwood's meteoric rise to the top of the season 4 heap? Did Ramiele really think she could improve on the classic Heart anthem and deliver a more on-point vocal than the reigning Idol sales champ, or even one-up Gina Glocksen's decent season-6 rendition? Not in that unspeakable combo of high-waisted shorts, knee-high boots, and a Flashdance-esque knit tank. Not with the lethargic tempo and arsenal of flat notes. And so what if ''big talent, small package'' (as Paula calls her) had a cold? Ramiele herself noted she'd have to do better than a karaoke-party performance, and she failed. And I think Simon's telling her she was safe this week was merely a ploy to convince her fans that they needn't speed-dial on her behalf. Here's hoping the sly Brit's reverse psychology worked. Viva Chikezie!

Source

And Dial Idol's bottom three are:

Ramiele, Jason, and Chikezie

Edited March 26, 2008 by Jenn!

[eau_xplain 2]

DialIdol's predictions:

David Cook....................16.69

David Archuleta..............10.29

Carly Smithson................7.95

Michael Johns...................6.41

Kristy Lee Cook................6.25

Brooke White....................4.92

Syesha Mercado................4.92

Ramiele Malubay...............4.91

Jason Castro.....................4.08

Chikezie Eze.....................3.57

[morocco4ever 63]

David Cook took it for me. Very brave choice, but he rocked!

Carly is normally a favorite, but this was just average in my opinion.

David A. is a favorite too, and he did good, but he has always done better.

Kristy, can't stand the girl, but I have to admit this one was good.

I can't stand Jason either, but this was a better song than last week.

Chikezie.........boring

I don't know what happened to Brook, but her song was bad. Not bad enough to go, but by far her worst performance.

I either want Kristy or Jason to go (sorry Jenn).

[Jenn! 918]

I either want Kristy or Jason to go (sorry Jenn).

LOL, no need to apologize. I don't take it personally!

My aunt called me after the show and told me how she couldn't wait to see Jason go, and she seemed upset that I didn't agree! Come on, we all like different contestants - otherwise the show would be pretty boring.

[*julez* 124]

Davd Cook was excellent, once again!

I do hope Ramiele is the one to go. She is the one who has yet to put forth a wow performance this season.

[Jenn! 918]

Davd Cook was excellent, once again!

I do hope Ramiele is the one to go. She is the one who has yet to put forth a wow performance this season.

I'd like to see Kristy go the most, but I'm pretty sure she's safe this week after her desperate patriotic song. After that, then I'd agree that Ramiele should go...while I do think she has a good voice, she's too karaoke for me. However, she has lovely lips.

[*julez* 124]

Davd Cook was excellent, once again!

I do hope Ramiele is the one to go. She is the one who has yet to put forth a wow performance this season.

I'd like to see Kristy go the most, but I'm pretty sure she's safe this week after her desperate patriotic song. After that, then I'd agree that Ramiele should go...while I do think she has a good voice, she's too karaoke for me. However, she has lovely lips.

I totally agree about Kristy's desperate patriotic song, but as Simon pointed out - it was a brilliant song choice. (Though I personally loathe it, many Americans don't!) So, I wouldn't be sad to see Kristy go either! Then we'd have one more week of Ramiele's lovely puffy, shiny lips!

[morocco4ever 63]

Davd Cook was excellent, once again!

I do hope Ramiele is the one to go. She is the one who has yet to put forth a wow performance this season.

I'd like to see Kristy go the most, but I'm pretty sure she's safe this week after her desperate patriotic song. After that, then I'd agree that Ramiele should go...while I do think she has a good voice, she's too karaoke for me. However, she has lovely lips.

lol

[Kazan' Tiger 1]

I concur!

Davd Cook was excellent, once again!

I do hope Ramiele is the one to go. She is the one who has yet to put forth a wow performance this season.

I'd like to see Kristy go the most, but I'm pretty sure she's safe this week after her desperate patriotic song. After that, then I'd agree that Ramiele should go...while I do think she has a good voice, she's too karaoke for me. However, she has lovely lips.

I totally agree about Kristy's desperate patriotic song, but as Simon pointed out - it was a brilliant song choice. (Though I personally loathe it, many Americans don't!) So, I wouldn't be sad to see Kristy go either! Then we'd have one more week of Ramiele's lovely puffy, shiny lips!

[sereia 0]

Ramiele – HATED IT! If I were the one to choose, I would pick her to be voted off this week. Sorry glossy lips lady!

Jason Castro – good but not as good as I think he could be. Don't want to see him go yet though..

Syesha – this is also the first week I've even remotely liked her. She was awesome...yet... nothing was different about her.

Chikeze -- he did a good job but also nothing special about him either.

Brooke -- i love her. even if it wasn't the best performance (i agreed with simon/randy) i just want to see her go further in this. she's in my top 3 favs.

Michael -- LOVED IT! also in my top 3.

Carly – HATED IT. although i have liked her in the past... so i don't want her to go yet. but it really was awful imo.

David A. – i had no idea what that song was. i kept thinking "is this some christian rock song or something!?" but he still did a good job even though it was a weird song.

Kristy – i hate her...but i admit she did sing it pretty well. and was smart to choose that. i'd still like to see her go more than anyone else...but ramiele would be okay too.

David Cook – THE BEST! he is in my top three...probably my #1. really awesome.