American Idol 2008

[NavarreMan 10]

I loved Jason's response when asked what was the most difficult thing to overcome while on AI and he answered something to the effect of "getting his brain to work". Kind of summed it all up right there. Of course, to be fair David A. just giggled and said he did not know... Syesha did not hesitate when she answered "stage fright".

Glad to see Jason gone at last. His performance Tuesday showed without a doubt that he was in way over his head. He even admitted that he took Simon's advice and packed his bags. A metaphor I think but the point was made.

Of all of them I think that David C. is the only one I'd buy music from. I am an old rock & roller and the other two just don't do it for me. I think that is the very reason that people can be so divided over their favorites. It is hard to separate personal taste from true talent. Maybe the others are better but I still like Mr. Cook.

[Jenn! 918]

jason took that very well... he looked like he was having fun!!

And on a show with 95% filler there is no excuse for running long and cutting off his last performance!

[morocco4ever 63]

It was time for Jason to go. He truly is over his head. I would have preferred the last 3 to be Carly and the David's, but it wasn't meant to be I guess. Sayesha has improved greatly (although I don't see what is wrong with her body, I think she looks great). As far as David A being gay, come on now, he is boyish because he is still a boy.

I really am torn between both David's. David C has a much better stage performance, but David A edges him with a better voice and consistency. I would be happy really whichever one won.

Who knows what the next theme is?

Oh yes, just curious. Do any of you like the show "So you think you can dance?" I am looking forward to that. Some of these people really blow me away with their talent, and I am secretly hoping to see "Sex" again. Not that he is good, but rather rediculous...fun to watch.

[Jenn! 918]

We'll have to have a SYTYCD thread this summer, yay!

Next week will be three songs each, one chosen by the judges, one by the producers, and one free choice.

I was happy to hear that my Dad is also rooting for David A. It made me feel less like a preteen or grandma. He's a sucker for sappy ballads too!

Edited May 9, 2008 by Jenn!

[morocco4ever 63]

David A is from the state I live in. He came home and they had a huge party at his school. We watched a little of the coverage, you would be shocked at the amount of people that were there.

Of course there was plenty of the teens and preteens swooning. I just didn't get that attitude when I was that age, and I certainly don't get it now. He is just a boy with talent. No different from anyone else.

[Jenn! 918]

'American Idol' Front-Runner David Archuleta Speaks Out About His Dad: 'I Don't Really Care What People Say'

'I've heard some weird things that people have been saying, and it's kind of a bummer,' singer says.

By MTV News staff

"American Idol" front-runner David Archuleta has spoken out in support of his father, amid reports that Jeff Archuleta has been banned from the show's backstage.

"I don't really care what people say, but I know it's affected him and stressed him out," the younger Archuleta said in the newest issue of TV Guide, according to UsMagazine.com.

The final straw appeared to be a lyric change Jeff Archuleta reportedly insisted on during last week's performance show. Despite being warned against it, David's father is said to have requested alterations to the lyrics of Ben E. King's "Stand by Me" in order to slip in a verse from Sean Kingston's "Beautiful Girls," a move that reportedly cost the production additional song-clearance costs.

"I've heard some weird things that people have been saying, and it's kind of a bummer," David reportedly told the magazine. "I think I, of all people, would know what's going on, and he's been great.

"He's given me a lot of good advice and helped me from making any dumb decisions," Archuleta continued. "He understands more than anyone what I want in music, and I've felt really blessed to have someone like that."

David also addressed rumors that his father withheld water from him during a recording session.

"That's kind of stupid," he insisted. "I'm 17! I think I'd be able to stand up for myself if he were to take my water away."

Jeff Archuleta recently told Us that he is not the domineering stage dad people seem to think he is.

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1587406/20080513/id_0.jhtml

[Zee Bee 61]

Each of the performers had an "OK" performance tonight but I was feeling David C tonight.

And I need to comment on David A's rendition of "With You". The boy needs to understand that you need to pronounce the words right. I mean, come on. He said "boo" like he was a ghost, not like he was talking to his sweetheart.

[Eveline 9]

David A bores me to tears....i'm rooting for david C. Hope he wins.

[Mary Lou 681]

We'll have to have a SYTYCD thread this summer, yay!

Next week will be three songs each, one chosen by the judges, one by the producers, and one free choice.

I was happy to hear that my Dad is also rooting for David A. It made me feel less like a preteen or grandma. He's a sucker for sappy ballads too!

Cant wait for SYTYCD

As for tonights Idol....David Cook deserves to be the next American Idol.

[amiquechu 0]

I've never seen an episode of American Idol but I'm pulling for David Cook. He grew up in the town just outside of Kansas City that I grew up in He's a mega-celebrity in Kansas City these days.

[morocco4ever 63]

I didn't get wowed tonight by any of them. I think Sayesha was the most consistent, but not American Idol type. I didn't care for David C's version of Roberta Flack's song. It was a poor choice, but even then he didn't make it the best he could have. David A's "With you"....NOT. He did the best he could, but still NOT. I can see what he was trying to do but it didn't work.

I think Sayesha will go tonight.

[Jenn! 918]

I loved David A. singing "And So It Goes". That was my favorite performance of the night. Why on earth would the producers have chosen that awful Longer Than song for him???

I'm growing a little weary of the David C. "formula" to covering old songs.

[*julez* 124]

David A bores me to tears....i'm rooting for david C. Hope he wins.

I'm right with ya, sister!

[Jenn! 918]

May 14 2008 8:37 AM EDT

'American Idol' Recap: David Cook Continues To Sizzle; Syesha Mercado Finally Fizzles Out

Show's three-song night points to long-predicted 'David vs. David' finale.

By Jim Cantiello

Tuesday night's penultimate "Idol" performance show reminded us that after three long months, the seventh season crown will go to either "a high school student," "an actress" or "a barrrrtender." (Considering who we started with this year, it's a good thing America voted the way it did, otherwise Seacrest would have had to refer to a male stripper, a sushi waitress, a horse whisperer, a Rastafarian, a failed major-label pop star or a bald failed pop star instead.)

The remaining contestants each had three songs to perform: judge's choice, contestant's choice and producer's choice. (I hope Nigel Lythgoe allowed executive producer Cecile Frot-Coutaz in on the conversations. Going by her name alone, I bet she has a lot of #######.)

Before I start ranting about how excited I was to see my celeb crush in the audience -- How you doin', Emily VanCamp? And, um, Marilu Henner? -- let's get right to the performances!

Round One: Judge's Choice

David Archuleta: Billy Joel's "And So It Goes"

Syesha Mercado: Alicia Keys' "If I Ain't Got You"

David Cook: Roberta Flack's "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"

Winner: David Cook

Perhaps taking a cue from my top-three recap last year, "Idol" finally ditched the outdated "fax-the-contestants" conceit and had the judges "texting" the singers their song choices instead. Notable exception here was David Archuleta, who received the news from Murray, Utah's current mayor, ####### Dastardly. But I understand why Paula didn't text David A. Last time she messaged a young male contestant, it came back to haunt her. (Cue "Paulatics.")

Abdul's pick for the young whippersnapper was Billy Joel's heartbreaking "And So It Goes," because, as she explained, "[it] shows the level of difficulty in the melodies that I know you can handle." Say what you will about Joel, but a difficult-melody writer he is not. I think somebody switched Paula's Storm Front CD with the score to Sondheim's "Company."

The musically emancipated Archuleta was adventurous with the arrangement. Instead of going the obvious piano-man route, the prodigy went a cappella (or as I will now call it, Arch-Cappella) and landed in a sea of lush strings. I know a lot of critics are going to gripe that a 17-year-old doesn't have the life experience to convincingly sing lyrics about "wounds from lovers' past," but all things considered, I think Li'l David connected to the tune shockingly well, save for an unfortunate lyric slip that turned one line into "[sneeze] so will you soon, I suppose."

Next up was the show's ultimate fighter, Syesha, who, despite being in the bottom more than a proctologist, still thinks she has a chance at winning this damn show. Note to self: When your "Idol" homecoming is so uneventful and desolate that the only usable footage is you, alone in the back of a limo, it might be time to hang it up. Syesha took a serviceable, if forgettable, stab at Alicia Keys' soulful lament, but I got a sneaking suspicion that the judges worked harder in selling Syesha than she did. Although, in Simon's defense, he called out Randy for picking a song that didn't allow Syesha to show us something new, (an especially good point, since Syesha belted this tune the last time she was on a reality show).

Which brings us to Simon's choice for David Cook, Roberta Flack's "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face." Cook's performance was like a 90-second greatest-hits reel. Drastic re-imagining of a pop song? Check. Surprisingly tender vocals? Check. Heart-stopping high note that leaves you slack-jawed? Check check check. Plus, thanks to the gratuitous cutaways to his mother in the audience, he debuted a new song called "Oedipal Undertones"! No wonder Simon called this Cook's "best performance to date." But I could have done without the bonus track, when David blurted out post-judging, "Oh, by the way, Mom -- happy belated Mother's Day." Dude, admitting that you forgot Mother's Day is not the way to win over America. I'd expect a vapid mood-killing comment from Syesha, but not my Cookies!

Round Two: Contestant's Choice

Archuleta: Chris Brown's "With You" (seriously)

Mercado: Peggy Lee's "Fever"

Cook: Switchfoot's "Dare You to Move"

Winner: Argh, nobody!

Tuesday night was the first time this season that the contestants were allowed to pick a song without any contrived limitation. We finally got to see how each singer wants to market him or herself once the show's over, and after enduring round two, it's safe to say that all three of them proved that they need major career advice.

First, Ar-boo-leta showed America that after he wins "Idol," he aspires to be the next Chris Brown (Chris White?), by choosing Brown'####### "With You." Like the judges, I give the kid credit for taking a chance and not going the Josh Groban route, but watching the mini-Mormon bop back and forth while singing to his "boo" was a lot like seeing your 5-year-old nephew perform "Baby Got Back" -- unintentionally hilarious and mind-meltingly depressing. At least the irony wasn't lost on Archucutie, who told a perplexed Randy, "I understand. It's pretty weird to see a white guy [sing that song]."

It was also weird to watch Syesha audition for the Pussycat Dolls ... and fail miserably, by singing the sultry (and ancient) "Fever." Syesha brought a chair onstage -- I guess the season-seven rule book allows the contestants to use instruments and props! -- but unfortunately never really did anything with it. She sat on it, walked around it and then pointed at it. Shouldn't she have, like, kicked it over or something? It was the least sexy performance of "Fever" since I had that "Bea Arthur sings Peggy Lee" nightmare. Simon's right. This oddball song choice will most likely be the final nail in her "Idol" coffin.

And lastly, there was David Cook who apparently thinks the winning formula for a hit song is 90 percent low moan-y voice and 10 percent off-key shouting. If that were the case, Tom Waits would dominate "TRL."

Round Three: Producer's Choice

Archuleta: Dan Fogelberg's "Longer"

Mercado: Gia Farrell's "Hit Me Up" (from "Happy Feet")

Cook: Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing"

Winner: David Cook

It's one thing to be frustrated with young performers who don't yet know how to pick a song. It's a whole different ball of wax to be livid with television producers who have at least seven years' experience and yet are so completely off the mark. Dan Fogelberg was bad enough. (Even the earnest Archupuppy looked bored to tears warbling that dreadful song.) But to force Syesha to sing a deep cut from the "Happy Feet" soundtrack? Inexcusable! I'd say "Idol" producers just hate Syesha, but somebody's keeping the girl in the competition, and if message boards, Yahoo searches and iTunes sales are any indication, it sure as hell ain't America.

Comparatively, the "Idol" peeps did marginally better choosing Aerosmith's 90th comeback single for Cook. Thankfully, he replaced the Aerosmith stank with chamber-orchestra grace, but just as it was shaping up to be another "wow" moment, the full band returned in all its cacophonous glory and crapped all over the stage. Boo! (And not the kind Chris Brown likes.) Paula and Simon lapped it up, though, with one acting like their body was made of Jello and slurring, "See ya in the finals!," and the other proclaiming Cook as the night's big winner. (I'll let you decide which reaction came from which judge.)

In the end, round three demonstrated several things. It proved that "Idol" producers have no idea what they're doing. (No wonder ratings are down!) But more importantly, it showed that Cook could pull off a Diane Warren-penned cheesefest with most of his integrity intact, which will serve him well next week when he's forced to sing "This Is My Destiny Right Now" or whatever insipid ballad "America" picked as the winner's first single.

Hasty Predictions

Sorry, Syesha. You've had a better-than-expected run, but it's time for you to face reality and drop out of the presidential race, er, I mean, leave "Idol." Thanks to hideous song choices and a good-enough showing by ArchuWunderkind, your momentum died faster than that guy Serena van der Woodsen "murdered." (Don't even get me started on that one...)

So it looks like producers are going to get the David-squared finale they've been angling for since week three, after all. I don't blame them for wanting this particular showdown. It's a marketing goldmine. ArchuChild has the tween vote (and the Claymates) furiously texting, while Cook has everyone else in his corner (including, apparently, cougars).

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1587431/20080514/id_0.jhtml

[chri'stina 190]

I think Syesha is pretty and sings pretty well...BUT...I hated her "Fever" act, it almost looked like Paula was even like "what on earth?". She was trying too hard to be sexy, and it was just weird IMO and cheesy. I wondered if she is trying to show off "acting" skills in hopes of landing a Broadway show if she thought she wasn't going to win against the Davids.

I still think David A is adorable, but did think the "boo" thing was funny! I like David C most, when he has to sing a song that shows off his vocal range like the first song, it's really nice sounding.