Made it home from a day of attending various CBS upfront-related events just in time to catch the final five minutes of the "American Idol" results show. Uber-brief spoilers coming up after the jump...UPDATE: After posting this, several people suggested I go back and check out Fantasia's performance -- and, specifically, Simon's befuddled/horrified reaction to it. I think the picture above kind of speaks for itself. Splendid. Sanjaya never even puzzled him as much as that number did.
In a surprise to absolutely no one, including the eliminated Syesha, we're going to have the David vs. David finale.
Feel free to discuss anything interesting that happened during the results show. I'm going to spend a few days ruminating on exactly how much, if anything, I want/need to retract from my "David Archuleta is going to win" column from the start of the finals.
I missed it, but apparently Fantasia gave a really weird performance, enough to freak out Simon.
ReplyDeleteAs for your Archuleta prediction, there was no way you could predict that he would do the same performance over and over and over again. I also think his idiot dad has tarnished his chances, with many not wanting him to win so that he can escape and live a normal teen life not in his father's clutches.
I wish I'd had a "Gosh!" counter handy, Napoleon.
ReplyDeleteIt was a weird Fantasia performance. Simon looked like he trying not to burst out yelling at her.
ReplyDeleteHmm, now I wish I hadn't fast forwarded through the Fantasia performance.
ReplyDeleteI gotta say, of all the filler they do on Idol, this week is always my favorite. It's so nice to see these kids (usually kids) go home and get all that attention and be so overwhelmed. I know it's cheesy and goofy (especially me being a guy) but I just enjoy it, makes me feel good.
Even if Archuleta doesn't win, you noticed a runner-up from the start, not too bad.
ReplyDeleteI think AI producers didn't see David Cook could be Daughtry 2.0 at first, but since the semi-finals he has been pimped non-stop. Guess those iTunes sales matter after all.
Alan, you let me down. During the show, I said to myself, "Alan Sepinwall is going to write something like 'American Idol spoilers coming up just as soon as I fire up my Chaka Khan's Greatest Hits album.'" Oh, well.
ReplyDeleteI was really hoping David Archuleta would be eliminated tonight, but at least it's not David Cook going home. I'm really rooting for him.
I finally saw Fantasia's performance on YouTube and it was awesome. I don't think I understood a word that she "sang" but finally someone wasn't a robot.
ReplyDeleteUm, yeah. I had the same expression as Simon.
ReplyDeleteFantasia, WTF?
That was Fantasia? I swear to God, I thought it was Dennis Rodman.
ReplyDeleteFantasia, WTF?
ReplyDeleteFantasia FTW! The song sort of went nowhere, but the performance was about 30,000x more interesting than this entire season.
I dread the David Cook version of the Finger Eleven cover of that Fantasia song.
What was weird about Fantasia's performance was that she hardly sang in it. She let the background singers and a guy I've never seen before handle most of it, while she sang or rapped a few notes here and there and danced around the stage. And for someone who became known for having a fantastic voice, it made no sense at all. I had a similar befuddled look on my face when I heard it, and I actually burst out laughing when I saw Simon looking the same way.
ReplyDeleteAs for Little Dave and Big Dave going into the finals -- does their rapport remind anyone else of Speed Racer and Racer X? (I'm going by the old cartoon when I say this, of course -- like most everyone else, I haven't seen the movie.)
Simon's reaction to Fantasia's performance may have been my favorite moment of the season. Partly because I was sitting there with my mouth open too wondering WTH was going on, and partly because he seemed genuinely flabbergasted and speechless, which is rare for him!
ReplyDeleteAs for the Davids, I think Cook is going to take it.
And- was it just me, or did Archuleta actually seem just a tad more relaxed this week? Maybe having Dad banished did the kid some good.
I skipped Fantasia as well. She was always one of those winners that didn't make a lot of sense to me. But I think she's just not my taste. The pic of Simon's face is priceless...
ReplyDeleteI think it would actually work in David A.'s favor if he won, because he would have the automatic contract and all that stuff set up for him right away. If he gets number two, guess who's going to get involved in the negotiations? The dad. And he will be awful and terrible and be this super-control freak. David will go along with it until he is 20 or 21, then he will be found lying in a puddle somewhere OD'ed on coke or something.
Maybe if he wins, the AI people can't 'save' him from the dad...? God, when does that kid turn 18, so they can just tell the dad to taking a flying leap?
Of course, I definitely want David Cook to win, but I'm just speculating on the fate of 'Little' David.
Fantasia was a hot tranny mess thats for sure!
ReplyDeleteLike the song or not, Fantasia showed these two boys and all the also-rans how to project and deliver energy with a performance.
ReplyDeleteAI is just about making money and pushing a product, but really they should raise the age to 18 so that parental guardians aren't necessary in any capacity. It still won't eliminate the "childstar" whose parents have put him/her in every contest possible until that age, but at least some independence can be asserted when on the show. Archie is irritating because he has no personality. He has been doing this pagent experience for ages, doing the "right" song to get more votes or win the contest but he gives no indication that he understands what he is singing or that he is doing what he really wants to do. He needs to take a break, go to college and socialize with real adults and then come back and do something he cares about. His parents are horrible people for turning him this way, and while Dadzilla is getting the bad press, his mother also permitted his childhood to be robbed, so she must be blamed too. I think those who dislike him have sensed this on some level and that is what is more repelling than his actual singing. (okay the breathing is annoying too)
ReplyDeleteIt's actually a bit sickening that we all know the meltdown that awaits him, yet we still keep him in this circus, knowing he is not mentally ready for it.
Cook isn't the most original thing ever, but at least we know his Nickelback inspired rocking is his own.
Fantasia was the unintentional comic relief on last nights show. I could not help myself, when they panned to Simon's face I lost it.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I really do not think whoever is doing the mixing board on AI knows what they are doing. They seem to always have the back-up singers mics louder than the main act, her song reminded me of when Kelly Clarkson first came back and preformed Miss Independent, you could not understand a word she sung on that either. Whoever is in control really does stuck at the board.
As for lil David, I still do not see what is so great about his singing. For all his years of coaching you would think one teacher would have addressed his lack of breath control, his annunciation problem and his complete lack of being able sing anything other than a ballad.
Yet, it is so obvious that he is Randy's little pet. Randy has yet to say anything negative about him, while he is constantly criticizing the other contestants for being predictable he seems to have blinders on when it comes for lil David. My friend was in the audience on Tuesday Night and she said that during every commercial break Davids father would go up and talk to Randy and Paula, no one else's parents did. Seems to me that parents and friends should not be allowed to interact with the judges.
Simon on the other hand did not speak to Jeff A.
Why is Dadzilla allowed to speak to the judges? Randy and Paula are too nice to tell him to buzz off, but the producers should stop him from doing this.
ReplyDeleteAnd you are right in that YDA has been in this business for so long he should actually have technical singing ability down pat. However, I suspect he has more managers than singing coaches, and with Dadzilla there all the time, I wonder if criticism is allowed. He did play the trumpet or something, so that must make him an expert in all things music.
I wish Donny Osmond would adopt this kid, although he was pimped out too, he can at least help him how to deal with it.
One more thing, does it make me a bad person if I want Big David to win just so I can witness the look on Daddy Dearest?
ReplyDeleteAnd as bad as Fantasia was last night she managed to use more of the stage than all of the top 12 combined. It was almost like they were under orders not to move, would explain why everytime Seyesha did move they cut away from her.
Kendra...to answer your question: YES!
ReplyDeleteI love David Cook anyway, but I really want to see David A's dad lose it when his precious little snowflake (a.k.a. meal ticket) doesn't win the AI title....
Oh, am I mean!
Oh, whooops...it doesn't make you a bad person...I meant to AGREE with you! Ooops!
ReplyDeleteOne more thing, does it make me a bad person if I want Big David to win just so I can witness the look on Daddy Dearest?
ReplyDeleteOn the one hand, I'd enjoy the hell out of Jeff Archuleta's meltdown. On the other, I feel sorry enough for Young David as it is; I really don't want to imagine the hell his dad will put him through if he loses.
I heard a very interesting story on NPR yesterday morning about how reality shows (they mentioned Project Runway and that "Top Model" thing) intentionally sleep-deprive their contestants, to up the emotion, drama, and likelihood of meltdowns. I'm gonna go way out on a limb and say that's happening here too.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I don't need backstage drama. I'm here to listen to the pipes. Inject a little humanity and drop the inane crap like trips to Vegas to see Cirque du Soleil (oh, you know Big David just loved that one) and dump the Ford commercials.
(Tho the matador one will go down as one of my favorite TV moments of all time. Jason was clearly born to wear satin....)
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ReplyDeleteI agree. On my list of ways to improve AI, cutting out some of the extracurricular stuff to permit the singers to, y'know, focus on the singing, is way up there. My guess is, of the seven days between the end of Top 4 performances and the start of Top 3 performances, the contestants lost a minimum of 2 days to various things, leaving only 5 days to identify (or learn about) 3 song choices, arrange them, learn them, and try to perfect them.
ReplyDelete"Yet, it is so obvious that he is Randy's little pet. Randy has yet to say anything negative about him, while he is constantly criticizing the other contestants for being predictable he seems to have blinders on when it comes for lil David."
ReplyDeleteHe constantly criticizes David Cook? Hmm, I must be living in a parallel universe because from what I've gathered, Randy seems to heap nothing but praise on the guy (calling David Cook "predictable" once hardly constitutes a constant criticism). It's totally applicable with regards to Syesha though.
No matter who Randy does or doesn't criticize, it looks to me as though he has some irrational need to hype everything that David A. does. Maybe he's afraid of Daddy A.
ReplyDeleteDavid A. is younger than his years, and he seems to be very shy and very sheltered. It's easy to make fun of all the "gosh"es, but I think that's who he really is. Is it such a terrible thing to be naive and innocent at his age?
I can't hold his father's crazy behavior against him. That poor kid doesn't have a chance if he doesn't move without leaving a forward address as soon as he turns 18.
Fantasia? Awesome in an insane kind of way. Who cares what Simon thinks?
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