Tuesday, May 22, 2007

American Idol: Who are these people

Today's column previews tonight's not-so-epic showdown between Blake and Jordin by talking about how the contestants have become surprisingly marginalized on the show. (As the great Lisa De Moraes points out again today, there was one results show where the contestants got less than five minutes or airtime.) Of course, this has been one of the more underwhelming talent pools to date (especially among the guys), but even though I've liked different things that Blake and Jordin have done this year, I'm not at all invested in who wins.

7 comments:

Adam said...

I think you're absolutely right to pick up on the short Hollywood episodes as being a large part of why this season has been a bit lacking. We got to see Blake beatbox "How Deep Is Your Love," but do we remember anything about Jordin from then?

I also think they just went too pop/r&b heavy in picking the final 24, and the male side ended up weak.

Anonymous said...

I'm not terribly invested in who wins. I wish good things for both these kids. However, I would much prefer Jordin to win because, as the recapper on TWoP pointed out, it would be terrible for Blake if he wins.

"[T]he first way in which Blake needs to put out an album like Maroon 5 is to actually be in a band rather than a solo act. Blake's talents lie beyond mere vocals; he's a musician, a producer. A teeny(er) Neptunes. Winning this show would be terrible for him, because that means a solo album, produced by the same gaggle of idiots that brought you Taylor's album, and Ruben's album. Blake needs to not win, first of all, and then form some sort of band, even if it's a Trent Reznor style "the band is me and whoever else I let in the studio today" thing. So yes, Blake, this is the kind of music you should be making. And that music is called "s--t you can at least kind of control, provided you don't win this show like a moron." Am I saying it's time for Blake to trump up a scandal and Mario Vasquez his way out of this competition, pronto? Yes I am."

Unknown said...

The "worst thing that could happen for Blake would be winning" argument has me geared up to voted for him multiple times. Even though he's guaranteed $ and a contract, there's nothing I think I'd enjoy more than watching a very meager talent stifled by the process that brought him attention.

Good points all in the Ledger article, though I caught a couple minutes of the Top Three on Leno -- where they got to stare into the big chin of mediocrity -- and they were just three genuinely uninteresting people. The producers may have been wise to focus on distractions.

Kristen said...

I'm not a believer in the "winning ruins one's career" theory, given that Kelly and Carrie are the best-selling Idols to date, and each won in their respective year. I think the album quality and the amount of time it takes to come out is what matters, in terms of sales.

That said, I absolutely agree we haven't gotten to know any of them, and I agree the lack of Hollywood week has a lot to do with that. The other part for me was because so much focus was paid to the "scandals" of Antonella and Sanjaya (by the press and the producers alike), the rest of the contestants got less time.

Anonymous said...

Winning isn't bad for everyone. I just think it would be bad for Blake. I think Jordin would do just the Idol producers.

But I think Blake is different and needs to not do the Idol thing. He needs room to be creative because his creativity is most of his appeal. He is not an amazing vocalist.

Unknown said...

"After the break, Blake will be bringing you some Maroon 5" has to be one of the more ominous phrases in the English language.

Two Miles Molie said...

I think Jordin would do just the Idol producers.

I really hope you didn't mean to write exactly that :P

Personally, I think Jordin started crying at the end of her last song tonight because she overheard the Celtics got screwed in the draft lottery (Again!)