American Idol 2007 - discussion ***possible spoilers***

But you're confusing a pop music recording career with acting and stage performing.

Haven't seen Dreamgirls yet and I hear she's swell in it, but all that proves is that Hudson has gotten better since her time on Idol (3 or 4 years ago?). What do her current abilities on stage and screen have to do with how she performed then? (And she was good back then, too; I liked her and thought she was voted off too early, but the show is all about popularity and votes so you have to take the good with the bad.) Saying Fantasia can't act or perform on a Broadway stage is equally irrelevant - that's not what the Idol contest was about.

And don't mistake winning Idol (or more importantly, not winning) to be some absolute barometer of talent. It's not; it's all about the number of votes you get on a certain day after singing a certain song. By the time you get to the top five or so, almost any of them could win and/or cut a hit record with a little luck and the proper grooming.

 

Except for Scott Savol. Remember when he said if you go to Shaker Heights it's a "bunch of people who look just like him"? *shudder* It explained everything...he clearly had a doppelganger army voting for him week after week, I honestly couldn't figure out how he kept getting through until that moment.

Actually, Jasmine Trias couldn't do anything either- I wondered how she got voted in at all until I saw her audition! I wondered how she stayed at all until I found out about the Hawaii phone advantage...

I'd say those are the only two real top 5 anomilies in 5 seasons though.

 

I always thought Jennifer Hudson could sing but she was a little overweight back then (as Simon commented) and had a bit of "tude".

Randy and Paula loved her and it was America that voted her off.

 

I thought the gal who did "Somewhere over the rainbow" was pretty decent last night. She's cute, and can actually sing. She'll make it pretty far I bet.

 

Even though Shaker is on the other side of town (east side) and even though I'm a lifelong west-sider, I can assure you that Scott's wrong. Still can't explain how he got as far as he did. Clevelanders do stick up for the local guys though.

 

Jamie, all I'll say is that I was otherwise occupied, so I couldn't see that particular person. It was like listening to the radio. So, I only listened to the melody (on key), hitting the notes, pitch, etc. All I should have said was that he? sounded good or did a good job staying on pitch and singing the song well. I have no idea what that person looked like!

 

"Urban Amish"

CLASSIC!

While I do enjoy the show, I am by no means an expert, but I do have to say Kelly Clarkson is the real deal. They got that one just right.

 

I can just imagine the collective jaws of Tourism Cleveland hitting the floor after that statement. Nice to know they aren't all Savol, maybe I'll visit sometime now.

 

yes yes they did! back then (first season) Canadians could vote too ... and i voted for her each week ..I've bought both albums she has (Avril wrote a lot of her second album - I like her too) ... and went to her concert here last year

Other than that , I only like Taylor hicks as past winners ... Carrie Underwood has some GREAT singles out right now .. Taylors new CD is great to dance too

 

I just got back from her "Before He Cheats" #1 party.

 

Come in the summer. Winter's brutal.

 

GREAT song! Great Video! you work for music row? or ascap/bmi?? I go to #1's that's how come I ask! lol

 

I thought she started out well, but oversang the heck out of the last half of her performance.

 

I suspect that quite a few of the more bizarre contestants are specifically aiming for William Hung-like fame and fortune far more than they let on.

 

Avril Lavigne has one shared writing credit on one song on Breakaway. A far cry from "a lot of the album" Clarkson herself has shared writing credits on 6 tracks, 3 of them written with Chantal Kreviazuk.

As far as AI successes, Chris Daughtry's album is the fastest selling debut rock album in SoundScan history; and it's pretty damn good too! It's Not Over is a great track.

 

^ yeah that's right!

didn't Agulara do something with her first album too? don't like kreviazuk

I heard that on AI yesterday about Daughtry ... funny tho I watch 3 music channels all day at work, have yet to see that video they had up ... though I mostly watch the country video station

 

Well, Miss Independent was supposed to be a Christina Aguilera song (she co-wrote it) but she changed her mind. It was then offered to Kelly (who got a co-writing credit as well), and the rest is history.

 

I cringed watching that girl sing Queen & Bowie's "Under Pressure." How can a normal functioning human being not realize they are a wretched singer. She said she has a degree in vocal training! This can't be true. I'm so confused; how can people really be like this?

 

It just shows us how many are playing with less then a full deck.

 

It's true. Believe me, self-delusion is a powerful thing. I don't deal with singers/musicians but with writers/screenwriters and it's truly shocking how many people think they are talented when they don't have a clue.

 

We can agree to disagree. Fantasia's vocal style is not my cup of tea. The few moments she was featured in the Sly Stone tribute at the 2006 Grammy Awards, I thought she was going to damage her vocal chords.
_____________

Off to guitar class. Don't have to sit thru 2 more excruciating hours of these horrible wannabe singers tonight. As previously noted, some of these so called performances are painful to watch.

No wonder Simon from time to time gets up and walks out. Must be difficult sitting there for some 12 hours listening and watching all of that.

Idol should have some sort of pre-screening process where they weed out all the crazy people and very poor singers, such as William Hung.

Final comment for this evening, parents have to stop encouraging their kids. That odd blonde girl that was just on with her mother. Come on. That was terrible. And the mother is telling the panel that she has faith in her daughter. Sheesh.

 

Another night of train wrecks, it appears.

 

They do. But rather than weeding out the "crazy" people, they weed out the boring people.

You need to remember that this is a TV show first and foremost.

 

Yes, all the mediocre people are winnowed out before anyone sees Simon et al. Which makes Simon's complaints about how bad the contestants are more than a little disingenuous. According to some accounts the bad people are perfectly aware they're not going to make it any further and are told to play up their awfulness/freakiness.

 

"what the bloody hell was that?"