Idol Chit-Chat
This is your place to discuss all things "American Idol." The performances, the judges, the past contestants — it’s all right here.

Sunday, May 31, 2009

How Did Things Get So Ugly?

Last week, I said that I wasn’t updating my blog as much because I’ve gotten lazy. And laziness definitely has something to do with it. But honestly, I think there is something else at work here.

Usually in the weeks following the finale, all of the news is about show appearances, the tour, and record deals. But last week’s news was all about accusations of vote tampering by corporate sponsors, speculation about sexuality and theories about Christians forming voting blocks.

It’s all gotten so ugly, and quite frankly, I just wasn’t very eager to wade into it.
But, you guys read this blog to get my opinion on all things “Idol” and so that’s what I’m going to do—give my opinions. And you all know that I never discuss religion or sexuality in my blog, but in this one I’m actually going to do both. So if you don’t want to get involved in such a discussion, I suggest you stop reading now…

First, let me address the AT&T controversy. What started out as a simple story in an Arkansas newspaper turned into a huge brew-ha-ha when the “New York Times” got a hold of it. A couple of AT&T employees showed up at Kris Allen parties in Arkansas and brought demo phones with them. They showed the fans how to send multiple texts at once.

So, of course, the Adam Lambert fans cried foul, especially after Billy Bush of “Access Hollywood” reported that his sources told him the margin of votes between Kris and Adam was not close at all. The story dominated both Kris and Adam’s interviews and FOX was forced to release a statement that Kris is “without a doubt” our American Idol.

I have to say that I don’t believe there is anything sinister going on here. These were local employees, not AT&T corporate hotshots. Of course they’re going to support their local boy. And this information that they relayed at these parties is available all over the Internet, so I’m sure that some Adam Lambert fans used it as well.

Let me also once again remind everyone that we have no idea who was in the lead before the final week. For all we know, it could have been Kris. It was the media that declared Adam the front-runner, not the vote total…

A much more likely theory being floated around by Lambert fans—and Danny Gokey himself—is what people are calling the Gokey factor. If I am being completely honest, I have to say that yes, I think the Danny Gokey fans made a difference. I warned you that they could in my “H-D” column. What bothers me is why they made that difference.

Because I think we all know it wasn’t because they wanted Kris to win. It was because they didn’t want Adam to win. And the reality is that religion probably did play a role here. I do believe that “Idol” is, as the Gospel Music Channel documentary called it, the most Christian-friendly show in primetime. How would that be affected if someone like Adam won the title?

Which leads me to the final topic of this post…

Last week, the Internet lit up with Clay Aiken’s comments about Adam. Clay said that when he heard Adam sing “Ring of Fire” he thought his “ears would bleed.” He later apologized for his comments.

And he apologized, why? How was Clay offering his opinion on his blog—as many former Idols do on their blogs—any different than what I do on this one? You may recall I also didn’t like that performance when I first heard it. Clay went on to say—which the Internet didn’t pick up—that Kris won because the audience was sending a message to the show. Isn’t that exactly what I said?

The difference here I believe is that Clay is gay. And he was badmouthing a performer that is most likely gay. So that made it a story. And that my friends, is just completely messed up…

So let me do what I swore I would not do, and address Adam Lambert’s sexuality in this blog with two words…

WHO CARES!

I don’t care what Adam’s sexuality is. I don’t care that he’s probably going to come out on the cover of “Rolling Stone.” I DON’T CARE!!!

Adam has never denied who he is. It’s the media that have been completely obsessed about it. And I believe that the out-of-control speculation helped cost Adam the “Idol” title…

I think everyone should take a lesson from Kris Allen. This quiet former missionary has become very good friends with a guy that is very different from him. If he can embrace Adam and his differences, why can’t everyone else?

My biggest question is how did a singing competition become about religion and sexuality? How did such a fun little show like “American Idol” get so ugly?

And now that I’ve gotten all of that off of my chest, I will now return you to my normal blog…

LaKisha Jones CD Review: Fans Will Like It, But...

As I’ve already told you, LaKisha Jones’ first CD, “So Glad I’m Me,” hit stores May 19th. But you’ve probably been wondering why I haven’t done a review of the CD. After all, I’ve had it since before it hit stores.

But every time I sat down to write it, LaKisha’s smiling face on the CD cover stopped me in my tracks.

You see, I didn’t like it. And LaKisha is such a sweetheart, I just couldn’t bring myself to say it. But I believe you guys take the time out of your day to read this blog to get my honest opinions, not for me to mince words to be nice to someone who was nice to me.

And in all honesty, the CD starts out fine and continues that momentum through the entire first half. But the second half sounds a little too much like the first and things turn a tad bit boring…

And then there’s the fact that the CD is all over the place. It feels like LaKisha is just trying to stuff in as many genres as she can as she switches from contemporary Christian to R&B and back. When LaKisha told me that the CD was “little chapters” in the story of her life, that helped it make a little more sense to me. But I think LaKisha would be much better served sticking to one genre.

Personally, I would make that genre contemporary Christian since those songs are the best on the CD…

LaKisha does sound great, though, so if you’re a fan you’ll still enjoy it. But I think even fans will feel like more could have been done to showcase LaKisha’s talent.

“So Glad I’m Me” is available now…

Jordin Gets Set to Do Battle In The Stores

Jordin Sparks’ new CD, “Battlefield,” will hit stores July 21st…

The heavy hitters helping her out on her sophomore CD include Ryan Tedder (who co-wrote the title track), T-Pain, Dr. Luke, and Stargate.

Jordin will head out on the road with the Jonas Brothers later this month…

Photo Credit: Randee St. Nicholas/Jive Records

Thursday, May 28, 2009

My Apologies...

So I just want to take a moment and apologize to all of you for not updating my blog more this week.

After the rush of everything “Idol,” May sweeps and the Upfronts, I tend to get a little lazy.

Don’t worry, I’ll snap out of it soon and get you caught up on all of the latest news…

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

The Column You Did Not See in Today's H-D

As I mentioned to you guys last week, I started to have a change of heart about the “Idol” outcome and I promised you’d read about in my “Herald-Dispatch” column. So late Friday night/early Saturday morning, I poured my heart out onto my laptop.

But something about it bothered me. It was just too different from what I had written throughout the year. So I got out of bed and wrote an entirely new column. That new column is what appeared in today’s paper and online.

Just like a deleted scene on a DVD, this is the column you did not see in today’s H-D:

Every April, I start counting down the weeks until “American Idol” is over and I can get my life back. But then, at the end, I find myself sitting in front of the TV wiping away tears as we watch the confetti and pyrotechnics shower our newest American Idol.

But for some reason that didn’t happen this year and I don’t know why.

I should have been thrilled that Kris Allen won. After all, I predicted it in my blog, so it made me look smart. And he had been my favorite contestant for much of the season, so I should have been jumping up and down all over the place. I mean, I did vote for him a dozen times Tuesday night. But I just sat there, finished my blog, and then turned the channel over to something else. I decided to blame my apathy on that horrible winner’s single and Kris’ state of shock, which kept him from showing any real emotion.

But Thursday morning, just for the fun of it, I decided to download both Kris’ and Adam’s versions of the winner’s song, “No Boundaries.” Kris’ was okay and a big improvement over what we heard on the show. But then I listened to Adam’s. It was like a punch in the gut. I could actually close my eyes and see the confetti and pyrotechnics flying. But this was not the winner’s version.

And that’s when it hit me. The reason I wasn’t happy that Kris won was because I knew in my gut that America had made a total mistake. In the three and a half minutes it took me to listen to that song, I had a complete change of heart. I was now siding with the Adam fans that were posting angry comments on my blog. I believed that Adam was robbed. And with each listen to the song, the doubts got worse and worse.

All of my thoughts about how this vote was America standing against the “Idol” machine and refusing to accept the choice shoved at them went right out the window. I wanted to rewind the night and see Adam on that mini-stage screaming his heart out about mountains and hurricanes.

I still believed what I wrote last week. That Adam would be fine win or lose, but Kris needed to win. I just felt like a major disservice was done by the best singer not winning. So I spent the better part of Thursday just trying to figure out what I was going to say to all of you on this page.

I told you I take this show pretty seriously.

Finally, it was the voice of Adam Lambert himself coming through my telephone that convinced me my initial instincts were right after all and that America did get it right. In a conference call with the media, Adam was downright jovial talking about his experience. “I really feel like I won by getting to the final,” he told us. “It’s not about the title, it’s the experience. I was able to use ‘American Idol’ as a platform. Now I have a career.”

So did the best singer win? No. But did the right singer win? Absolutely. Adam is going to be just fine, and without the “Idol” title, he may have a little more freedom to do what he wants. Kris needed that title to make a name for himself. Without the win, he would’ve become just another “Idol” finalist. Now we can look forward to hearing what comes next from both him and Adam.

However, I must admit there’s a part of me who would really liked to have seen Adam get that winner’s moment Wednesday. Those pyrotechnics would have worked great with that scream of his.

Thanks to all of you for going on this journey with me this season. It’s been a pleasure. And thanks to all of the people behind the scenes that made me look so good every week.

And because it’s a tradition that someone should continue, let me end this column the proper way…

Henderson, out!

My Final H-D Column

If you haven’t already, you can read my final column of the year here.

Withdrawal?

Is anyone have "Idol" withdrawal yet?

We could start a support group on this blog!

Monday, May 25, 2009

Kris Visits "Ellen"

Our new American Idol Kris Allen will continue his publicity tour by making a stop on “Ellen” Tuesday, May 26th. He will also perform.

You can see when “Ellen” is on in your area here. It airs in the Huntington area at 3 p.m. on WSAZ…

The Idols Speak On "Larry King Live"

I know that he’s a legend and everything, but I’ve never been all that impressed with Larry King as an interviewer—especially when it comes to interviewing current stars of pop culture.

So thankfully, Larry was out promoting his new book when it came time for the two episodes of his show featuring the Idols and we got Ryan Seacrest instead.

And I have to say that Ryan showed why it is Larry has so much faith in him as he didn’t shy away from the tough questions—questions I hadn’t heard asked yet…

If you missed it, here’s a sample of what we got from the two episodes. Friday’s featured Kris and Adam, with the rest of the top 10 joining in intervals. Monday’s show was the top 10 answering viewer questions…

Kris on why he won: “I don’t know. I hope it was about the music”…

Kris on whether being a Christian played a part in his win: “I really hope that it didn’t. The show is not about religion”…

When talking about his performance of “All She Wants to Do Is Dance” in the audience, Kris referred to it as “that dang pit” and “the pit of death”…

Adam revealed that one of his boots (I’m not sure which one) was flown in from Antwerp, Belgium…

There were some awkward laughs when Paula Abdul, who joined Kris and Adam for a couple of segments said that they had “a bromance going on.” Leave it to Paula to say that. However, I do have to agree that Adam and Kris are really funny together. There were times where you thought they were almost communicating telepathically…

When Ryan addressed Adam’s sexuality, Adam said, “My lifestyle, I’m just different”…

Ryan said he didn’t know what the margin of votes was because he “forgot to ask.” Hmmmm…

When Ryan brought up Kara’s moment with Bikini Girl in the finale, he said that Kara was the first judge to perform on the show, but then caught himself to tell Paula “of course since your performance.” He’s a pro, kids…

Allison said that Cyndi Lauper told her not to worry about the words…

On Monday night, Randy Jackson joined the show by phone and said “the whole top 10 has a shot to be huge.” He told Ryan that he thought all the tweaks to the show were “really, really good” and he said Kara “worked out tremendously well” after things “started a little bumpy”…

There was a funny moment when Adam cringed at his slightly off note at the end of his first performance of “Mad World.” He said he started singing the harmony line instead of what he was supposed to be singing…

Randy told Ryan that he thinks all the judges will be back next season. As for the next season, which could possibly go without Simon, Randy admitted that the whole reason he signed on to the show to begin with was Simon. He added, “I think the show could go on, but I don’t know if it would be as successful.”

The discussion of “No Boundaries” got a lot of giggling from the entire group. Kris said it was “hard to sing.” Adam said it had “a lot of words.” Kris said, “I think I forgot the words” on Tuesday night—which he did and Adam said he got “really flustered” during dress rehearsal when he forgot the words. After some snickering about the mountains and hurricanes, Kris said the song had “a good message”…

Michael Sarver confirmed what I had heard once before that if two contestants choose the same song, the contestants have to draw out of a box. The one who gets the song title on a slip of paper gets the song. Michael said he won the draw three times…

Ryan got Adam to admit that Queen did have a conversation with him and they told him they would love for him to come out and perform with them, but Adam said they did not offer him the role as lead singer. Adam was pretty cagey about it because, obviously, he is still tied to 19, but he did admit, “I said I would love to.”

Adam said he felt Kara was “unfairly judged,” adding “I don’t understand why everyone was so hard on her”…

Ryan asked what songs should be banned from the “Idol” stage, and the group agreed
“T-R-O-U-B-L-E,” which they said was very difficult to sing…

At the end of the show, Ryan asked them to name class superlatives:
Class Clown—Matt Giraud
Class Flirt—Matt Giraud
Most Stylish—Adam Lambert
Class Brain—Anoop Desai
Class Rebel—Megan Joy
Most Likely to Run for Political Office—Anoop Desai
Prom Queen and King—Lil Rounds and Kris Allen…

Friday, May 22, 2009

Kris and Adam: A Study in Contrasts

The conference call with Adam Lambert and Kris Allen—not surprisingly—was a complete study in contrasts.

Kris was completely low key, while Adam at times sounded almost jubilant. In fact, if you didn’t know any better, you’d think that Adam was the winner.

And Adam himself would tell you that he feels like a winner, because he can now have the career he’s always wanted.

And after hearing them both talk to us, I feel much better about the overcome. I had started to feel like America had made a terrible mistake, but now—even though I think the best singer didn’t win—I do think the right person did.

Scroll down to see both Kris and Adam’s comments…

Kris Allen: "I have a feeling it was close"

From the moment Kris Allen spoke his first words on today’s media conference call, it was obvious he was exhausted. In fact, it was a complete contrast to the downright bouncy sound in Adam Lambert’s voice.

But considering the schedule Kris has been working under, I think it’s completely forgivable…

And maybe that’s why the reporters on the line seemed to give Kris such an easy time today…

Here’s a sample of what he had to say…

On the performance with Queen: “We had met Queen the night before. It was really, really great. We went through it twice I think. It was the best moment of the year for me. It was just an exhale of everything. It felt great.”

On how he and his wife will handle his new fame: “It’s definitely a topic of conversation all the time. We’ve been getting ourselves ready for everything. We’re really strong, so everything’s going to be fine.”

On why he said Adam deserved it Wednesday night: “I still feel that way. Adam deserved it just as much as I did. He was the most consistent all year. He’s one of the most gifted performers I’ve ever met. I think it could have gone either way. America could not have gotten it wrong.”

On what he learned from his “Idol” experience: “The harder you work for the thing that you love the most, the more likely it is to come true.”

On the vote margin between him and Adam: “I haven’t heard anything. I have a feeling it was close. Adam was a huge frontrunner most of the season.”

On what kind of music he’d like to have for his album: “I felt like I did exactly what I would want to do on the show. ‘Ain’t No Sunshine,’ stuff that kind of has that feel…We’ll see.” When a reporter asked about collaborating with Kara, Kris responded, “It was really fun working with her on the single.”

His message to his fans: “The fans are the reason that we’re here. Thank you, I would not be here without you. I’m stoked and I hope that I don’t let you down with the CD. I know it’s going to be great.”

On how his style has changed: “I’ve always done music the same way. This has been a growing experience. My music is gonna be better than it ever was before. This show gets you ready.”

On “No Boundaries”: “The song is hard to sing. I don’t think me or Adam were happy with our performances. The judges were trying not to judge us on that and judge us on the whole season…I sang it that morning and it was fine. Both of us just got tired. There were some sound issues where we couldn’t hear ourselves…It was a rough night there at the end…The track actually sounds really good. The song is good. There are some stipulations on what they have to do with these songs…To have your first single be something you weren’t involved in is a little weird.”

Kris added that when he performs the song live, he’ll probably do it acoustic with the guitar or just a piano.”

On the future for his wife: “I don’t want her to just follow me around. She has things that she’s passionate about.” Kris said later that she was “passionate about acting. I know she wants to start some foundations and stuff like that.”

When a reporter asked if she will sing with him he responded, “She will tell you she is the worst singer in the world.”

On whether his wife was mad when Simon said Kris brought her out too early: “No, not at all. She had been saying that kind of thing before.”

Kris said that right now he and his wife are “trying to spend any kind of alone time together we can do.”

On what songs he’ll do on the tour: “I’m gonna keep that a surprise. It’s really going to be a blast.”

On his laid back nature on the show: It’s kind of the way I live my life. I’m laid back and low key and every now and then I stick my head out.”

On whether he’d add country to his album after his duet with Keith Urban: “I was actually afraid of that [performance]. It’s not the feeling I’d want in my album. But I think he’s great.”

On his first audition: “My very first audition was really scary. I could not talk, and we were waiting for like 14 hours. I was really impressed that they put me through on that performance.”

On his ultimate goal: “I want to be respected in the music industry and my music be respected.”

On writing music: “I’ve been writing for about six years or so. I love writing music. It’s the way I express how I feel. I’m not a man of many words.”

On whether he can handle what’s in store for him: “I’ve been getting ready for this all my life. I think everything’s going to be great and I’m really excited.”

On having 15-20,000 people in Conway for his homecoming: “It was overwhelming. I didn’t know how to feel. I was completely shocked. Arkansas gets behind something they believe in and they believed in me.”

His final thoughts to the reporters on the call: “Thank you for asking questions and wanting to know more about me. I appreciate you guys as much as anybody else.”

Photo Credit: Ray Mickshaw/FOX

As I’ve told you before, media conference calls can be a very interesting situation. You have no idea what the reporters are going to ask, and quite frankly, it can be a little frustrating…

Such was the case with the Adam Lambert call this afternoon. It was at least 14 questions in before someone asked him about not winning. It’s a good thing that those phone lines are listen only because I was going nuts.

So when the question finally came, what did he say?

“I really feel like I won by getting to the final. It’s not about the title, it’s the experience. I was able to use ‘American Idol’ as a platform, now I have a career. I’m totally okay with it. I couldn’t be happier for Kris.”

And yes, someone did find a way to ask Adam that other plaguing question, and he completely sidestepped it like the pro that he is. When a reporter asked him, “Do you think the constant questions about your sexuality cost you votes?” Adam simply answered, “Um, probably.”

Here’s a sample of the other things Adam had to say today…

On returning to Broadway: “My direction right now is to try to become a recording artist. But I’m not turning my back on it… Of course I could see myself coming there eventually. That’s my family. I in no way will ever forget my roots.”

On being theatrical: “It’s all in the name of good entertainment. I have a flashy, more dynamic way. I’m not saying it’s a better way. It’s just my way.” Adam praised the show for its support since “this was something a little bit new for them.”

On Katy Perry wearing the cape with his name on it: “I was shocked and completely honored. I wasn’t prepared for it.” Adam said Perry gave him a good piece of advice: “Just make sure you keep your friends from before and keep them close to you.”

On whether he’ll front a band or go solo: “Probably solo, but there are options there. I’m not sure yet. It could go either way.”

On his effortless performing: “I don’t think, I do. The thinking comes into play when I’m figuring out what I’m singing. When it comes time to perform, I just go.”

On auditioning in front of Paula Abdul, the first pop star he ever saw in concert: “It was a weird full circle moment for me. There was a lot of symbolism.”

On the post-finale party: “It was crazy. The whole evening was overwhelming. It was so exciting. It was really nice being able to be off the record and interact.”

On his favorite performance: “I really had a lot of fun doing ‘Whole Lotta Love.’ We were really excited it cleared. I felt very empowered.”

On why he hadn’t been discovered before this: “I might not have gone through the proper channels. You have to put yourself out there. Things happened when they were supposed to happen.”

On whether he’ll tone things down for the album: “I never really listen to what people say. In the recordings, things don’t translate as over the top. It’s different. The live performance takes it to a different level…It’s gonna be a really cool album.”

Adam added, not in response to a question, “What an opportunity. I’m so lucky.”

On why he auditioned now: “I just wasn’t satisfied artistically. I said, ‘Is this it? Is this my life? I want more. There’s more I’m supposed to be doing.’ Everything just lined up.”

On the mentors and special guests: “I was starstruck every time. Every single celebrity was coming up to me and they knew who I was. That was weird for me.”

In response to a question about his clothing style, Adam told us about Skingraft, a company owned by some friends of his in LA that designed a lot of his jackets, including the ones for “Ring of Fire,” “We Are the Champions” and “Whole Lotta Love.”

On whether he would change anything: “I don’t have any regrets. I don’t think I would have changed anything.”

On how he’ll “bring it” for the tour: “I’m just gonna do my thing. That will take care of itself on the tour.”

On which mentor he’d like to work with: “I’d really love to work with Slash. I felt so at home with him on stage. I thought, ‘This guy is so rad.’ I was so honored to be on stage with Brian May.”

On his album: “We’re at the drawing board right now. Music, it’s a little too specific lately. They try to draw one box around every artist…Because everyone knows who I am, we don’t have to go about it that way. It can be a collection of different styles with me at the center of it…I don’t want to do one specific genre. I’m more about fusion.”

Later Adam addressed dealing with the Idol machine while working on his album: “I think there’s a bit of a misconception. I think it’s a case-by-case basis. I’ve expressed my desire to have a lot of involvement. I’m about collaboration. I don’t like to be told what to do, but I don’t like to have the reins myself. They’ve been totally supportive of that.”

On his future: “We’ll see what happens. We had ‘What if’ type meetings. I knew that there was interest. I’m just thrilled that now I get to move forward. That’s why I feel like I’ve won, I don’t think the title really matters at this point.”

On whether he would have changed anything about his performances for Tuesday’s show: “No, I had a blast. The ‘Mad World’ thing was really fun. I don’t really like repeating things, so I wanted to take it to a different place. ‘No Boundaries’ is a great song, but it’s hard to sing live. I would’ve liked a little more rehearsal with that song.”

On his Idol experience: “The really cool thing about the show is that they’ve been 100 percent supportive of everything I’ve done. It’s been very positive and creative. Never once for a second did I feel stifled in any way.”

His closing comments: “I’m so fortunate to have had this opportunity. I’m blown away by the support that I got.”

Photo Credit: Frank Micelotta/FOX

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Am I Having a Change of Heart?

I am now on listen number six of Adam's version of "No Boundaries" and, well, I think I'm having a change of heart...

I'm starting to think that America got it very wrong...

Tuesday's H-D column should be very interesting to say the least...

Adam Lambert Makes A Case For "No Boundaries"

Sometimes the studio version of the atrocious “Idol” song actually improves it enough to make us understand why it was chosen to begin with.

And when I downloaded Kris’ version this morning, that was almost the case. It was WAY better but I’m not sure if it was enough.

And then just for kicks I downloaded Adam’s version and listened to it. And something amazing happened. I actually heard it. I heard the magic of the song. I saw the confetti coming down. But then I had to remind myself that this was not the winner’s version…

Adam’s version absolutely saves the song with its moody chords and rock guitar riffs. If we had heard this version Tuesday night, well, I won’t say the outcome would have been different, but I might have thrown a few of my votes Adam’s way.

You can listen to both versions here. I think you’ll agree that the difference is stunning. Both versions are now available on iTunes…



Kris and Adam Join "Larry King"

Both Kris and Adam will appear on “Larry King Live” Friday, May 22nd. Traditionally, the rest of the top 10 join the conversation, but I don’t know if that’s the case this year.

The top 10 will appear on the show Monday, in what has become a Memorial Day tradition for Larry.

“Larry King Live” airs at 9 p.m. on CNN…

Kris Does "Tonight"

Our new American Idol, Kris Allen, will appear on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” tonight (Thursday).

“The Tonight Show” airs at 11:35 p.m. on NBC…

The Morning After

After logging on to my Facebook page last night, I was a little surprised at how shocked everyone was over Kris winning.

Apparently, not as many of my friends read my blog as I thought…

I told you Tuesday night that my gut told me Kris was going to win, but I didn’t know why. So last night, I wasn’t surprised, and I still don’t know why…

The theories from the Adam fans have been plentiful on my blog (I encourage you to read all of them at your leisure.) and I’m not going to go into each one, but I will say a few things…

Yes, Kris did say, “Adam deserved this,” when Ryan interrupted him to try and get him excited. As for that showing a lack of confidence, I totally disagree. I call that modesty. And what would you expect from a guy that when on a missionary trip, gave his guitar to a kid he thought needed it more than he did. He showed no lack of confidence when he sang next to Keith Urban…

There was a mention that Simon didn’t stand up for Kris. He did earlier, but when the camera finally gave us a shot of all four judges, he had sat down. I would’ve loved to have seen Simon’s immediate reaction to the news. But I’m guessing he wasn’t all that shocked either, which is why he started saying so many nice things about Kris. He could see the writing on the wall…

Someone said that Adam had way more YouTube viewings than Kris. But was that because his fans were watching, or non-viewers were just going to the Internet to see what all the fuss was about? I think it was probably more of the latter…

And yes, I do think that Kris got some support from the Danny Gokey fans. But as far as saying that not all of Kris’ votes were for him, I don’t totally agree with that.

I do find it interesting, though, that Ryan said nothing about the margin of victory. We had all expected it to be close, but maybe it wasn’t.

And again, I remind everyone that we have no way of knowing whether Adam really was the front-runner the whole season. We just know that was what the press was saying. It is extremely possible that Kris may have been the top vote-getter last week and many other weeks, as well. That’s the trick with “Idol.” They never tell us…

Honestly, I think it can all be summed up in one thought, a lot of people bought into the hype. Because people had been hearing Adam was the front-runner all season, people believed that he was. And when they weren’t watching, Kris snuck up and took the title. You can spin your conspiracy theories all you want (and I encourage you to keep posting them), but I believe it was as simple as that.

And Adam will be just fine. He only needed “Idol” as a platform to launch his career. Kris needed it to have a career…

I just re-watched the final moments of the finale this morning and I was shocked at what little emotion I still showed. Usually, I’m fighting back tears, no matter how bad the song is. But that wasn’t the case this year. Maybe it’s because the song didn’t really lend itself to that kind of moment. Maybe it was because Kris was in such shock he didn’t really show any emotion. Maybe I’ve developed a stone cold heart when it comes to “Idol”…

Okay, you know that isn’t it…

I’ll just blame the song...

Since this post puts my final stamp on season eight, let me do my usual thank yous that I didn’t do last night…

Thanks to my editors Andrea and Robyn, to Jeramey and the guys in IT, and to all the publicists I’ve worked with this season to bring you the best “Idol” coverage I could.

And thanks to all of you for joining me for the ride. I couldn’t do this without you, so I thank you for your participation and I encourage you to keep doing so…

Because you know I’m not going anywhere as there is PLENTY of news to keep reporting. And I’ll do my best to keep bringing it to you…

Henderson, out!

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Did America Get It Right?

So for the final time this season, let me ask this question—Did America get it right?

Honestly, I have to agree with David Cook on this one. I don’t think America could have gotten it wrong with these two.

Now, I know the Adam Lambert fans will disagree. They’ll tell me that this result makes a mockery out of “Idol” since the most talented singer didn’t win. And no, the most talented singer didn’t win. But the most popular one did…

I know what you’re thinking. What do you mean Kris was the most popular? Adam was the favorite all season long. But of who? The show? The media? While everyone was talking about Adam, Adam, Adam, Kris was slowly gathering an army of supporters.

There are sure to be tons of theories about what happened to Adam tonight—backlash over his personal life, backlash over all of the coverage about him, backlash over the way the show pushed him—but I think the only thing that happened was that Kris proved to be more popular. You saw the bigger crowd in his homecoming video. You saw the bigger crowd tonight. Kris had more fans and they mobilized to make him our American Idol.

And honestly, Kris deserves it. He wasn’t the best vocalist, but he brought a fresh energy to each song he did. And you have to admit he’s a pretty talented musician with the guitar and the piano. I look forward to seeing him on tour.

And don’t worry, Adam fans. He will be just fine. You know that 19 is working on the contract for him right now. And people will be talking just as much about him for losing as they would have if he had won.

I’m sure I’ll have much more to say tomorrow and Tuesday in my final H-D column of the season.

Until then, let me turn it over to you guys. Are you happy with your new American Idol? Or do you think Adam was robbed?

Feel free to start the debate by posting your comments. And thanks to all of you for joining me tonight for what I think was a pretty good show…

Henderson, out!

And Your New American Idol Is...

9:59 We’re back…Ryan, Kris and Adam on the stage…Simon says they were both brilliant and unusually incredibly nice people and they both should be very proud and “the future’s all yours”…Ryan brings out Edward Boddington with the results…Adam moves Kris down to make room for him…Edward says it was a new world record with over 100 million votes…Lights down…Adam looks sick, while Kris looks cool…

10:01 And it’s KRIS!!!...He’s totally shocked, but Adam doesn’t look surprised…The Idols try to run out but I think someone stopped them…Ryan tells him, “You’re a superstar”…He says he doesn’t know what to feel right now. He trys to say something about Adam but Ryan cuts him off…He gets a trophy as well…Kris can’t even talk…Adam comes over to give him a hug. He doesn’t seem all that upset…Paula and Kara seem upset…Ryan introduces Kris to do “No Boundaries” as he and Adam laugh, probably about the song…

10:04 Kris does the song…His family is ecstatic…Allison has her arms around Adam, who seems very happy…I think they might have lowered this for him a little, because he’s handling it better…All of the Idols seem really happy. He’s clearly popular…Kris goes to the mini-stage with the Idols with him…Pyrotechnics start…I think he was supposed to stay on the stage…Justin is totally shocked…Lil is super excited…Jorge got right next to him so he’d get a lot of camera time…Kris’ wife comes on the mini-stage to join him and have a good cry with him. That was sweet…And we’re out…

Final thoughts in a moment...

Let Me Take a Moment...

Okay, let me take a moment here and say I really am okay with either one of them winning. I just think Kris needs it more so he doesn’t turn into another Blake or Bo. But Adam is so talented, it almost seems like it would be a total travesty if he doesn’t win…

And do we have to hear “No Boundaries” again? Couldn’t we hear them sing something else? Last year’s song, maybe?

Adam and Kris "Are the Champions"

9:52 We’re back…Adam and Kris on mini-stage doing “We Are the Champions”…Kris starts it…I think Adam has more fans here tonight…By the way, Queen is looking for a new lead singer…And there they are just as I type this, backing Kris and Adam up…Can’t even hear Kris singing really…Can’t see him either for all of that smoke…The Idols are standing behind the band swaying…I bet the Queen guys will throw themselves at Adam after this…Kris and Adam are having fun…Who are those people at lower stage right swaying back and forth?...Now the Idols are on stage…Paula and Kara are swaying as well…That was pretty cool…Brian May gives both guys a hug…Oh yeah, he’s going to have a chat with 19 about this, you know it…Break…

The Return of Tatiana to the Idol Stage

9:38 We’re back…The Idol guys come out on stage to do “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy”…This choreography is getting complicated…Adam introduces Rod Stewart, who comes out of the floor…He’s doing “Maggie May”…Carrie Underwood is totally into it…Do any of the young girls know this song?...Adam’s mom does and she’s totally rocking out…Rod is alone on the stage as the Idols have left…Bo Bice in the house…It’s a little unfair that he gets to sing his whole song when no one else did, isn’t it? I mean, I know he’s Rod Stewart, but still…He does a little bit of a hoedown (?)…Christina Applegate in the house…Nicole Richie in the house…Where is NPH?!...Ryan plugs Rod’s tour…

9:44 Golden Idols…Outstanding Female…Chelsea Marquette doing “Without You”…Gee, wonder who’s getting this one…Irene Anguelova doing “Over the Rainbow”…Dana Moreno doing ?...Tatiana Nicole Del Toro…And the winner is…Tatiana…She pretends to be shocked…Ryan tells her they’ll give it to her later because they’re running late, she runs past security to the stage, steals Ryan’s mic and does “Saving All My Love For You” after saying, “Simon, you know you want to hear this song for a fourth time”…Security grabs her to get her off, but it doesn’t work…Ruben looks totally shocked like he thinks this is all for real…The Idol bump music plays her out…And yes, I’m pretty sure that was all planned, but it was still funny…Break…

By the way, did anyone else think Rod Stewart was acting a little strange?...

Megan Almost Finds Something She Can Sing

9:25 We’re back…Wow, they cleaned that up fast. Good thing stage manager Debbie is back on the job tonight…Ryan introduces Carlos Santana…He’s just playing the guitar now…Now Matt Giraud is singing “Black Magic Woman”…Transition to “Smooth” and all of the Idols come out, including Adam and Kris…Adam starts it…Jorge…Kris…Big squeals…Danny…They’re all dressed in red…I didn’t see it, could someone PLEASE tell me that Scott didn’t come down those stairs because they practically ran down them…Heather Locklear in the house…Camryn Manheim back in the house…

9:29 Ford Music Video…“I Will Remember You”…Montage of past commercials with Kris and Adam singing in front of them…They sound good together…Best Ford video of the season…

9:30 Video with David Cook meeting up with Kris and Adam. He says there’s a big surprise…It’s, of course, new cars…Adam is totally freaked out…Has he never seen the finale before? They always get cars…

9:31 Ryan introduces Megan Joy, Michael Sarver and Steve Martin?!...Steve is playing the banjo…Don’t know the song…It’s some kind of old bluegrass song…Wow, did we actually find a genre that Megan can sing?...I’m guessing Steve wanted to plug his new album, because he actually looks a little uncomfortable…Megan is completely messing up now, I think. I think she forgot some words or something…Ryan plugs the album and tells us the song is called “Pretty Flowers” and that he wrote it…He tells Ryan he’s hoping he won…Break…

Adam Teams Up With...

9:13 Just an hour more to go, because you know we’ll go until at least 10:15…

9:14 We’re back…The judges just now get back to their seats…Tour plug…Ryan plugs a Winter pass for iTunes downloads that will allow you to be the first to download the debut albums, or something like that. More details at iTunes…Video of Adam Lambert’s journey…Of course they show Randy Travis saying, “I’m speechless”…His video seemed to be a little more dramatic than Kris’…

9:16 Adam’s on the mini-stage in a mega dramatic outfit that I can’t describe with some weird wings on the shoulders…Don’t recognize the song yet…Adam introduces KISS…See aren’t you glad I didn’t spoil it for you?...MAJOR pyrotechnics. I’m a little concerned for the mosh pit…That explains the weird wings on his shoulder…This is “Detroit Rock City”…Now they’re going to do “I Want to Rock and Roll All Night”…Adam is TOTALLY outsinging them…Triple split-screen? WHAT?!...Do Adam’s fans know who KISS is? Just curious….Adam, watch the pyrotechnics, honey. They could seriously scorch your hair…He seems so at home with them…The judges love it…WOW, this is going to take a long time to clean up…Break…

Adam Lambert fronting a rock band? I think that could work…

Danny Gokey Goes "Jammin' in the Street" WIth Lionel Richie

9:00 We’re back…Ryan introduces Allison and Cyndi Lauper doing “Time After Time”…Allison starts it out while Cyndi plays the dulcimer, is it?...Now Cyndi. It’s obviously a stripped down version…They harmonize on the chorus and Allison takes the low harmony and does a great job with it…Cyndi is just as wonderfully quirky now as she was in the 80s as she goes a little crazy with the “hey yeahs”…That was GOOD!...I like them together…

9:03 Ryan checks in with Kris’ parents…Kris’ mom says they’re having so much fun she’s almost forgotten what they’re doing…His dad says it’s a good day no matter what happens and says good things about Adam…Kris’ mom is looking hubba-bubba in that red dress…Ryan goes to Adam’s parents…His mom says she’s nervous…Ryan introduces Danny Gokey…Sounds like “Hello” and it is…I know Lionel Richie is here, but that’s David Cook’s song when it comes to “Idol,” they couldn’t have done another Lionel Richie song?...Danny introduces Lionel Richie…He comes down the stairs...They seem to really enjoy singing together…They’re doing his new one, “Just Go”…I’m not sure that Lionel was at rehearsal, because he didn’t seem to know what Danny was going to do…Now “All Night Long”…Paula’s up dancing…Wow, Danny’s getting a lot of camera time…Lionel is having WAY too much fun…And how effortless does Lionel sound? He looks like he’s barely trying…They both go to the mini-stage…Ruben in the house…I think that’s the best I’ve ever heard Danny sing…Big embrace between the two of them…Break…

Don’t look now, kids, but this is a pretty good show…

Kara Actually Does Something Awesome

8:44 We’re back…The girls are on the mini-stage doing “Glamourous”…Wow, Megan sounds SO bad. Tell me again how she got so far and how we’re now stuck with her on the tour?...And her shorts are so short…Allison introduces Fergie and the crowd goes crazy…Randy stands up…She’s doing “Big Girls Don’t Cry”…I really don’t like her dark hair…The girls are backing her up…Oh no, Fergie just encouraged the people in the mosh pit to sway. What are you doing?...Allison introduces The Black Eyed Peas…They’re doing that new song of theirs that I totally don’t get…What’s it called “Boom Boom Pow”?...We just left them to show a silent shot of the “Idol” logo for several seconds. Is there massive cursing in that song? I don’t know I always turn it off when it comes on the radio? That could have been a directing mistake, but it was a bad one if it was…They have dancers behind them dressed in zebra striped bodysuits…The girl Idols are behind the judges going crazy…Okay those zebra dancers are freaking me out…The girls are dancing with Paula…They do know how to put on a show…Ryan says that’s why they’re number one…Randy gives them a standing ovation…

8:50 Back to the Golden Idols…Best Attitude…Katrina Darrell, aka Bikini Girl…Alexis Cohen. You know, the actressing girl?...Tiffany Shedd, who sang “pee on the safe side” while doing “Because of You”…And it goes to…Katrina Darrell, who’s in a bikini and she has CLEARLY had some work done. Simon and Randy are a little surprised…She kisses Ryan on the lips…Ryan says, I was going to ask you what’s new, but I think I can see” and the audience loved it. NICE ONE, Ryan…Katrina does “Vision of Love” and it’s terrible and then we hear another voice join her…and it’s Kara, who comes down the stairs…Katrina gives up and just stands there…She tries to rejoin her…Kudos to Kara for managing to stay on key during Katrina's wailing...And then Kara rips open her dress and she’s WEARING A BIKINI…Ryan says they’re donating a bunch of money to Kara’s favorite charity for that…THAT was the best thing Kara’s done all season…Break…

Kris Rocks It Out With Keith Urban

Don’t forget that you can jump in here with me by posting a comment at any time. I’ll get it up just as soon as I can…

8:33 We’re back…It’s Anoop doing “I’m Yours”…Alexis joins him…She introduces Jason Mraz who comes down the stairs…Alexis and Anoop do back-up for him…Now they’re all singing together…Now the rest of the Idols come out and join them…Everyone but Kris and Adam…That was a bit of a rip-off for Anoop since we barely heard him…Alexis sounded good with Jason…

8:35 Ryan asks to hear from the Kris Allen fans…Big cheer, but it doesn’t come across as that loud on TV…Video showing Kris’ journey…He auditioned in Louisville…Wonder if the people at 19 will let Kris work with Jamie Foxx?...He’s SO cute…

8:37 Kris and Keith Urban doing “Kiss a Girl”…They’re both playing the guitar…Kris starts out…He and Keith sound good together…Hey, I think Kris did his verse better...Wow, Kris is handling this well and Keith is being very generous in sharing the spotlight…That was AWESOME and I don’t even like country music…Even Simon stood up, but I think that was to give him a head start to his smoke break…Break…

By the way, rumors have been flying on the Internet that Adam will be dueting with a rock band. I won’t tell you who is rumored because I don’t want to ruin your surprise…

Our First Tissue Moment and "Cue the Rain"

8:14 We’re back…Ryan introduces David Cook singing “Permanent.” Wow, the tissue moment so early in the show? And I just realized my box is empty!...I hope Ryan is planning on talking to him after this to tell people that they can download this to benefit David’s brain cancer charity…That rock riff is a new addition to the song. I like it…That was gorgeous and I know not easy for him to do…Ryan comes over to him now and gives him a hug…David admits it’s a tough song but it’s an honor to his brother and everybody else going through things like that…David tells that the proceeds will benefit ABC Squared…David says he doesn’t know if America can get this wrong between Kris and Adam…Justin Guarini in the house…

8:19 Ryan begins the “awards portion”…The Golden Idol Awards for the auditioners…Shot of Kris and Adam spinning the trophy around for the shot. That was funny…Outstanding Male…Will Kunick doing “Mad World.” That’s ironic now…Michael Gurr doing ???...Elijah Scarlett doing “My Everything” in a deep bass voice…Dean-Anthony Bradford doing ? with that wild plaid jacket and big crazy voice…Nick Mitchell, aka Norman Gentle, who gets a big scream from the crowd. Gee, wonder who’s winning this one?...And the winner is Nick Mitchell. Big shock…He comes from the crowd dressed normal…He says he didn’t know he was going to win something so he didn’t dress appropriately, but then he takes off his hooded sweatshirt to perform. I have to admit he’s a good actor…He’s doing “And I Am Telling You”…He goes to the mini-stage behind the judges…And now he’s on the floor inn the middle of the crowd…Back to Ryan who’s wearing his glasses and headband. “God, these are greasy,” he says…

8:25 First duet…Lil Rounds and Queen Latifah doing “Cue the Rain”…They’ve got dancers behind them…Wow, Queen Latifah looks good…They sound pretty good together, but I’m not sure about the song…Latifah’s letting Lil have the spotlight…Now Latifah gets the spotlight and she does it better…Too much backup singers as usual…Break…

Who wants to bet that Tatiana wins the Outstanding Female Award?

The Final Results Show Begins: "So What?"

7:58 So before we start this thing, let me apologize in advance for any names or other facts I might get wrong. Remember, I’m doing this as it happens. It isn’t always easy…

Let’s do this…

8:00 Dramatic Intro…Look at Adam and Kris trying to stay serious while they taped it…And, of course, tonight they’re both in white…Can’t believe that’s the last time we’ll hear Ryan say “THIS is American Idol” until next year!...

8:01 Joely Fisher…Kimberley Locke…Janice Dickinson in the house…Just under 100 million votes last night. Ryan said some couldn’t get through…Total votes for the season 624 million votes…

8:03 Ryan intros judges…Video mocking Randy continually saying “for me.” That’s funny…I hope they take a swipe at Kara too…Randy is wearing a bowtie?!...Ryan introduces Kara as the woman who can sweeten bad news…The video shows her calling everyone sweetie and honey in the auditions. We couldn’t have shown all of her mistakes throughout the year? That would have been funnier…Paula…The biggest vocabulary in show business…Video of all the words Paula has used this year. Funny!...Simon…Video of Simon asking what people were saying, which he does do a lot…Carrie Underwood in HOT pink in the house…

8:05 Kris and Adam emerge down the stairs…Simon looks bored already…Someone forgot to turn on Kris and Adam’s microphones…Uh-oh, hometown check-ins. Mikalah Gordon is in Conway, Arkansas…Mikalah’s out of control as always…Carly Smithson is in San Diego…Is it me or is Kris’ crowd bigger?…

8:08 Top 13 doing “So What?”…This is going to be a long night, because the audio sounds terrible…Jorge looks more lost than Scott…Wow, Jasmine sounds bad…Was that supposed to be good? Sorry, it wasn’t…Kara looks unhappy. Maybe because of all the criticism her song took last night and today?...Break…

Won't Be Long Now...

We are less than a half hour away from the "Idol" season finale.

And I still have no idea who's going to take this thing.

But as much as I'm looking forward to finding out the winner, I am not looking forward to hearing that song again. I think it could be the worst ever...

Let me also take this opportunity to thank the gang in IT for cleaning up the mess I made of my blog last night. Everything is back to normal now...

Be back in a few to take you minute-by-minute through the finale...

DialIdol Predicts the Winner Will Be…

You may remember that last year, DialIdol.com correctly predicted that David Cook would be the winner, when everyone was sure it would be David Archuleta.

So who are they predicting this year?

No one, because it’s too close for them to call.

DialIdol.com makes predictions based on measuring the busy signal for each contestant’s lines. They say that only 1.1% separates Kris over Adam. However, they do say that Kris held that lead pretty much all night instead of alternating it with Adam.

This is going to be interesting, kids…

How Many Votes Were Cast?

So I just now—at 11:42 a.m.—got my text telling me that my votes were received last night.

Usually, the longer it takes me to get the text, the more votes are being cast. So I’m guessing this means there were TONS of votes last night…

Did you vote? And if you did, who did you vote for?

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

So Who's Going to Win?

So if I was scoring the rounds, I would have called the first two for Adam and the third for Kris.

But in all honesty, do the performances even matter at this point? Kris and Adam already have their built-in fan bases and they’re going to vote for their favorites regardless of what happened tonight. The Adam fans will forgive him for his mediocre performance of the winner’s single and the Kris fans will forgive him for almost screaming the same song. The fans will vote their hearts and not their ears.

Notice that Simon completely pulled his punches tonight. Last year he called it a knockout for David Archuleta and ended up with egg on his face when David Cook took the title. So this year he just congratulated both of them for what they’ve done this season. His praise was a little more for Adam than Kris, but not much.

Of course, it didn’t help that he had just heard both of them botch a mediocre winner’s single that even its co-writer, Kara, didn’t seem all that excited about. Up until that point, I believe we were seeing one of the best “Idol” finales we’ve ever seen. Maybe the best since Ruben and Clay in season two.

I think it’s a pretty safe bet that this one will be the closest since that one.

So, now you probably want to know who I think is going to win. And I too am going to ignore my ear and go with my gut. And it says…Kris.

And no, I can’t tell you why. It’s just a feeling I have.

As I said in my H-D column today, I believe Kris needs to win. Adam is going to be fine either way. And I think Kris’ fans know that and will power vote their little fingers off. I also believe that there’s a contingent of fans who planned to vote for Danny that will give their support to Kris.

Now, if I’m wrong, and Adam does win, I’m cool with that. I’m just going with my gut here…

So now I turn it over to you guys. What do you think? Is this a foregone conclusion or can the Kris fans really cause an upset? And what about that winner’s single? Were you as bummed as I was that those were the last notes we heard from either of them? And do you agree with me that Kara blew her last chance at redeeming herself by giving us that song?

Post away…

Carrie Takes Us "Home"

And now, we get a video of clips from the season while Carrie sings “Home Sweet Home”…

But we don't get to hear her do the whole thing because we're running long and we need to get to "Glee," which you should all watch. You won't miss a thing from "Dancing With the Stars"...

Final thoughts in a moment...

Now It's Kris' Turn

Kris Allen, “No Boundaries”: 14
The band was WAY too loud, and yes, I agree he should’ve dropped the key a little. But I think he deserves MAJOR kudos for ditching the backup singers. They would have crushed him. I could almost see confetti falling when he was singing. I never saw it with Adam.

Adam Goes First With the Winner's Single

Adam Lambert, “No Boundaries”: 13
I have a bad feeling that the backup singers might help decide who wins this round. I think that’s the first time I’ve ever heard Adam go off-key, and I don’t think it was totally his fault—though I think some of it was.

And what about Simon sidestepping the fact that he doesn’t like the song?

There’s no doubt it was different from the usual sappy searching for rainbows fare, but I’m not sure if that was a good thing. And it was kind of hard to hear the song with those backup singers screeching at us. They could spell real trouble for Kris…after the break…

Oh, and did anyone else catch the teleprompter to help the guys with the lyrics? I think that’s a good call considering they just learned this thing and the co-writer is sitting right in front of them…

Kris Asks "What's Goin' On"

Cast of “Glee” in the house. Don’t forget to stay tuned for it after “Idol”…

Kris Allen, “What’s Goin’ On”: 14 (out of 15)
I love that he’s not afraid to bring out the guitar. That was solid.

And kudos to Simon Fuller for two good choices, but was he in some kind of protest mood when he picked them?

And, of course, Simon gives round two to Adam. I think I would probably agree…

Round three…after the break…And yes, it appears they will be singing the same song back-to-back with Adam going first. THAT’S dirty…

Adam Brings the "Change"

Adam Lambert, “Change Is Gonna Come”: 14 (out of 15, since he didn’t make the choice)
It was a good choice and a great vocal. But for some reason I just didn’t feel it and I don’t know why.

And Simon said Adam is back in the game. When was he out of it?

Katie Holmes and Suri in the house…

Kris retakes the stage after the break...

Are they really going to make them sing the Winner’s Single back-to-back? That’s TOTALLY unfair…

Simon Gives Round One To...

Kris Allen, “Ain’t No Sunshine”: 19
I had to take a point off for that flat beginning, and I was a little disappointed in the choice because I wanted him to do “She Works Hard for the Money.” But I’m not going to question him because he’s rarely been wrong all season.

But did anyone else notice that he didn’t get any camera angles that showed him looking into the camera?

And Simon not only took back his doubts of Kris, but also gave him round one? What?!

Is Simon smelling some money or is he really coming around? Or are they just trying to hype up the competition?

Round two…after the break…

Adam Comes Out of the Fog...

Adam Lambert, “Mad World”: 20
I think he should get extra points for navigating those steps in the dark and fog. But I didn’t think this one was as good as the last time because the band was too loud. And I love “The Lost Boys” look he’s rocking.

The judges are going to have to SERIOUSLY pick it up. I’m sure they’re hoping for a little overrun into “Glee,” but not that much…

The Final Performance Show Begins...

Here we are, kids. The finale. And I am a bundle of nerves…

Okay, deep breath…Let’s get this thing started…

Camryn Manheim “Ghost Whisperer” in the house…Why does Kara look so serious?...And why is Ryan carrying a handheld mic? Is it because of the noise factor?

And I much prefer Ryan’s dramatic intro to the whole Michael Buffer thing from last year…

Carly Smithson and Annie Wersching (“24”) in the house…

And Ryan warns that tomorrow night’s finale will go a little long…

LET’S DO THIS!!!

After the break…

Michael Johns "Puts a Ring On It"

Michael Johns’ people passed this along to me, and I thought I would share it with you as we close in on part one of the finale…

It’s Michael singing Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” at an “Idol” event for DJs from across the country.

Remember that Michael’s CD comes out June 23rd…










Getting Excited...

I've been so busy today, that I haven't had a chance to get excited about tonight's show.

Well now, I'm excited...

We're less than an hour away now...

Get Those Tissues Ready!

If this story is true, you’re going to want a ton of tissues for Wednesday’s finale…

Our Lady of Peace’s MySpace page is reporting that David Cook is performing “Permanent” during the finale in honor of his brother, Adam.

They also report that a download of the performance will be available on iTunes and the proceeds will benefit David’s charity he set up in Adam’s honor.

Details Emerge About Song Choices...

We’re getting more information about what Adam and Kris are going to sing tonight…

Stop reading if you want to be surprised…

FOX5 in San Diego is reporting that Adam will do “Mad World,” but he will give his earlier performance “a little twist.”

FOX5 also reported that Kris was still trying to decide between “Heartless” and “Falling Slowly,” but that he was leaning toward “Falling.” However, MJ is reporting that her sources are telling her those could be wrong.

I know that the temptation to do “Heartless” is strong, but I’m hoping Kris resists it. I believe it would be a mistake to do a song he just did.

Less than seven hours away now, kids…

Possible Details on the Winner's Single

According to a report from FOX7 in Austin, the coronation song is called “No Boundaries” and is co-written by Kara DioGuardi.

You know I’m a fan of Kara’s songwriting, so I’m hoping for good things here. But the real question will be whether the guys can rearrange it in any way…

Can Kris Actually Win This Thing?

There is a lot of breaking news surrounding the finale and I'll get to all of it just as soon as I can...

In the meantime, you can read my thoughts about whether Kris has a chance to win this thing from today's H-D here.

Monday, May 18, 2009

How Many Judges Will There Be Next Year?

Today during FOX’s presentation of their 2009-2010 schedule, a reporter asked how many judges would be on “American Idol” next season.

FOX Entertainment President Kevin Reilly responded, “I can’t comment on that right now.” He continued by saying that like every year, he would sit down with the producers and look at the whole show.

According to Kara DioGuardi, she only signed a one-year deal with the show, but she would like to come back. Simon Cowell has said in recent interviews that he thinks she will be back.

I’m honestly not so sure. I think if the voters could decide this one, Kara would be out. Maybe she can redeem herself by writing a good coronation song…
And on a side note, the “Idol” results show will once again be an hour next year, although it’s scheduled to move to 8 p.m. Maybe we’ll get lucky and FOX will find some super-hilarious comedy between now and January that they just have to put there…

What Should Adam and Kris Choose?

So we have no idea what Simon Fuller is going to choose for Adam and Kris—although I’ve got to believe it will be a better choice than Clive Davis would’ve made—and we don’t know anything about the coronation song yet.

But we do know that the guys must choose to repeat one of their earlier performances. So which ones should they be?

I absolutely think Adam should do “Mad World.” It was universally praised, Simon gave it a standing ovation and a lot of people didn’t see it live the first time because of DVRs cutting off. I also loved “Ring of Fire,” but I think that one was too polarizing, i.e. you either loved it or you hated it.

Although it was “Heartless” that helped get Kris into the top two, I don’t think he should repeat a performance that just happened. So, I think he should go with the song that first made heads turn toward him—“She Works Hard For the Money.” “Falling Slowly” would be a good choice as well.

What do you guys think? What performances would you like to see again?

Saturday, May 16, 2009

More Details and Rumors About the Finale UPDATED

We’re getting more details and rumors about Wednesday’s finale…

Stop reading if you don’t want to know…

Jason Mraz has written on his official website that he’ll be performing on the finale. I was going to guess that he’ll duet with Kris Allen, but CMT.com is reporting that Kris will duet with Keith Urban.

There is also a rumor that KISS is going to perform Wednesday…

UPDATE: MJ is reporting that Cyndi Lauper will duet with Allison Iraheta. I hope they do "Drove All Night." That would rock!

There's also a rumor on the Internet that the producers are trying to get David Bowie to duet with Adam Lambert...

LaKisha Jones: "I won't let you down"

To say that LaKisha Jones is busy would be an understatement. The Season Six finalist’s debut album, “So Glad I’m Me,” comes out Tuesday, her baby is due in August and she’s still a newlywed, having just married Larry Davis in October.

But fortunately, LaKisha was able to find a few minutes to talk to me about the new album and of course, “American Idol”…

“Sometimes I don’t know what I was thinking taking all these things on at the same time,” LaKisha told me. “The album comes out Tuesday, the baby comes out in August. I already have a six-year-old. I just got married. I am busy, busy, busy.”

But LaKisha knows that it’s a good kind of busy, and she’s excited to see the album hit stores. “I can’t wait until Tuesday comes. I want to go into the store and buy my CD. It will feel so good to do that,” she said.

“I’m excited that finally the CD is coming out, that my message is coming out. I hope it takes us straight to the top.”

LaKisha describes the CD as “a mixture of R&B, gospel and pop all-in-one. It’s the storybook of my life. [The songs] are little chapters. Things going on in my life, things I’ve gone through. The album is titled ‘So Glad I’m Me’ and it’s titled that because I’m glad to be who I am and I hope everyone who buys it, they’re glad to be who they are.”

LaKisha told me the message she hopes to convey with the album is “a message of hope. Everything I went through, all of those things, they all make me who I am. It all makes me stronger.”

We know from LaKisha’s time on “Idol” that she’s more than capable of taking on a Whitney Houston song. But I was curious why she chose “You Give Good Love” as the Whitney song to cover for her album. “[“Love”] was from Whitney Houston’s first album and she’s had a lot of success. It’s my tribute to Whitney and hopefully I’ll do the same.”

After talking about the album, I turned the conversation toward “Idol” and it’s obvious that LaKisha has no shame about being associated with the show. “I’m forever a part of that family. I am really blessed to have had that opportunity, so I have no problem with it at all.”

LaKisha said that fans ask her about the show all the time and she tells them, “What you see is what it is. The judges are how they are on TV.”

So what’s the most popular question she gets about the show? “Who’s your favorite judge? And I always say Simon. He was really rooting for me.” She just laughed when I told her that of course she’d pick Simon because she got to kiss him.

She also admits that there are things that she learned during her “Idol” experience that she still uses today. “People had more confidence in LaKisha than LaKisha had in herself.” She said that now she’s much more confident and is really “learning who I am.”

When I asked you guys what questions you would like to ask LaKisha, I had one friend say “Tell her I love her.” He was only kidding, but when I got the opportunity, I told her that very thing and she was truly flattered and responded “Tell [him] I love him too.”

I then asked her what message she would like to give to him and the rest of her fans. She responded, “I know it’s been a long time coming, but LaKisha is back. I won’t let you down. This is only the beginning.”

“So Glad I’m Me” hits stores Tuesday, May 19th…

Photo Credit: Elite Music, LLC

Who Will Perform During the Finale?

I think you can pretty much guarantee that Norman Gentle and Tatiana Del Toro will be a part of the finale, but who else is going to be there?

Stop reading if you want to be surprised…

The Associated Press is reporting that Lionel Richie, Carlos Santana, Cyndi Lauper, Queen Latifah, Black Eyed Peas and Keith Urban will perform during the two-hour show Wednesday night. If some of these performers are set to do duets with the Idols, I wonder who’s getting Cyndi Lauper, Megan or Allison? I hope for Cyndi’s sake, it’s Allison…

The AP is also reporting that David Cook will perform Wednesday, and Carrie Underwood will perform on Tuesday night. It has become an “Idol” tradition for the goodbye song to be performed at the close of the final performance show on Tuesday, so no doubt Carrie will be doing “Home Sweet Home.”

Stay tuned for more details…

Friday, May 15, 2009

Brooke Gets Some "Idol" Help For Her New Album

Brooke White will release her new album “High Hopes and Heartbreak” July 21st.

The album is executive produced by none other than Randy Jackson. Randy is also co-managing her along with Carl Stubner, the head of Sanctuary Artist Management.

In the official press release, Randy said, “I wanted to work with Brooke from the moment I met her,” says Jackson. “When she sang, I instantly heard the legendary greats that inspired her: Carole King, Carly Simon, Joni Mitchell. She truly is an artist for all ages. And this album is a great collection of songs from a great new artist who was birthed on the stage of ‘American Idol.’ I’m so happy to be working with an amazingly talented artist at the beginning of her career.”

The album, which White entirely co-wrote, will be released through June Baby Records, a brand new independent label formed by Brooke, Randy and Stubner…

Photo Courtesy of BWR

Are the Judges Backpedaling?

So after weeks of pushing Adam vs. Danny, could the judges now be backpedaling?

After Wednesday’s show, Simon Cowell told FOX LA that Kris’ performance of “Heartless” was the best performance of the entire season. And Randy Jackson told “American Idol Extra” that after seeing Kris’ homecoming video that he thinks Kris “could win this thing.”

Can the judges feel the tide turning? Or did they see dollar signs when they saw all those screaming people in Arkansas?

What Are Kris and Adam Going to Sing?

I asked the “Idol” PR people what the song categories for Tuesday would be and they told me that hadn’t been announced yet.

Fortunately for us, Paula Abdul has loose lips…

On the “John Jay and Rich Show” today, Paula said they’ll be singing a song chosen by “Idol” guru Simon Fuller, a song the contestants choose themselves (either a previous performance song or a new one), and the coronation song.

Paula thinks that Kara DioGuardi wrote the coronation song, but she’s not sure if there’s more than one song. Kara confirmed to “TV Guide” last week that she did submit a song for consideration, but she didn’t know if it would be chosen.

You’ll remember last year that David and David did a contestant’s choice, a Clive Davis choice and their choice from the Songwriting Contest finalists. The year before, Blake and Jordin did a contestant’s new choice, a reprise of a previous performance song and the same coronation song (the dreadful “This Is My Now”).

If I were Kris and Adam I would sing new songs instead of reprising old ones. But if they do old ones I would like to see Adam do “Mad World” and Kris do “She Works Hard for the Money.”

Thanks to MJ for the information. I know there will be more as we get closer so be sure to keep checking…

UPDATE (courtesy of MJ): Tonight’s “Larry King Live” featured a roundtable of former Idols talking about the show. Ryan Seacrest called in and clarified what Adam and Kris will be singing Tuesday night:

1) Contestant’s favorite—Their favorite song from the season
2) Simon Fuller’s Pick
3) The Winner’s Single

According to Ryan, there will be only one coronation song. Whether or not rearranging will be allowed remains to be seen, I guess. You’ll recall that Blake Lewis was not allowed to rearrange “This Is My Now” and majorly struggled because of it.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Danny Gokey: "There were times when I didn't want to go out on that stage"

I never thought I would say this again, but I actually feel sorry for Danny Gokey.

It was clear during his conference call with reporters today that there was part of him that wishes the judges had just shut up. That they had not put so much pressure on him by making him the chosen one. That they had just let him do his thing and judged him honestly instead of trying to push him at America.

It was also clear that Danny read WAY too many blogs about him. And though I appreciate Danny taking an interest, I think his time on “Idol” would have been a much better experience for him if he had just avoided them. Then he wouldn’t have felt like he had to be so careful about what he said and did.

Here’s just a sample of the many things Danny had to say today…

On whether “the scream” did him in: “I really wanted to take a risk. I think it could have been one of the variables. And being so late in the competition you really don’t want to have a performance like that. I think everything in that song was good up to that point. And I rehearsed that scream so much that I really hurt my vocal cords. I was sore on my home visit and I’m still sore this week. But it was funny though. It was a funny scream.”

Later, Danny referred to the scream as “hilarious.” I can’t help but wonder (no one ever asked) why if it was hurting him that he went ahead and did it anyway…

On what he learned from the experience: “One of the things that I learned is I learned a lot about myself and how pressure has an effect on a person. I think for me this whole experience I learned to overcome things in my life. I learned to overcome insecurities, overcome doubts. There were times when I didn’t want to go on that stage because I just felt maybe unprepared or I was like man, is anyone going to like what I’m doing. I over thought the process. But when I had the good performances, especially this past week, I was so thankful. Because even though I didn’t want to go out there, I made myself do it and I did good. Sometimes, we only see so much and you wonder how people are viewing you and that has an effect on your performance.”

On sizing up Kris vs. Adam: “Kris is really artistic and Adam has a way on the show of capturing the audience. Here’s what I think. People need to vote. You know, don’t automatically assume someone’s going in. Don’t have your assumptions. If you want a certain person to win, you gotta vote. I’m telling you this competition is not over yet. I have a feeling this is going to be a tight race this next week.”

On Kris and Adam’s personalities: “Kris is very mellow and that’s always one characteristic I’ve always wanted. I’m an intense personality at times. Adam, he’s just an all-around great guy. I really can’t fault him. Adam is who he is onstage and he is who he is offstage. He’s very creative. He lives creative, he dresses creatively. I mean he talks from that perspective.”

On whether contestants need to rearrange every song in order to survive: “I think you have to change up every song. And it’s funny, there were some songs that I wanted to do that I had prepared and changed up that I never got to do. There were a few times where I picked a song and I tried putting a different arrangement on it and it just didn’t work. It kind of stinks because at this point it’s more than singing—I shouldn’t say it stinks, it’s actually pretty good—but it’s more than singing. People really want to see a creative element see an old song made fresh again. I think Idol from this point on, ever since last year, you can’t go on singing the same arrangement of a song. You’ll get bashed.”

On his future plans: “I personally would like to start a movement with my music. Maybe it sounds so big of me, or a little bit cocky, but the music I have inside of me is to revolutionize a culture and people’s hearts. My dream is to mix my music with my foundation—Sophia’s Heart Foundation. That is everything to me. For my music career, I don’t necessarily want it to be about me. I want it to be about people. When I get a vision of a concert, this is what I see, I see opening up concerts with all the lights going on, possibly following the story of a kid whose father has been killed by a gang, whose mother is a drug addict and kind of watching his life, showing bits and pieces of his life and showing how he’s had to overcome this and that. You know, possibly how Sophia’s Heart Foundation has impacted this kid. And I’d like to come out there and entertain people and come back to another story. And basically what I want to do is I want to entertain people, but I want people to come out of their zone a little. I not only want to make people leave feeling good, but they’re gonna want to make a change. That’s what I want to do. Because my whole testimony is overcoming, overcoming the impossible in my life. And now I want to take that message and tell people if I can do it, they can do it.”

On the pressure: “I felt like I had so much on me in the beginning of the show that I had to outdo myself every week. The thing for me—here was another battle for me on the show—I’m still growing as a musician, yet people expect this to come out of me and at times I just wasn’t there yet. When there’s so much expectancy for one person people will tend to get disappointed, but when you see another person with no expectancy, they’ll show up and they can wow the crowd because people just aren’t expecting it. Then you come and you have so much expectation for something and it doesn’t work out the way you want it you get disappointed. I’m sure there were times when people thought, ‘Man I thought you were better than that.’ At times I was in the room with my mentors, and I was like, ‘They want more, what do I do?’ And I gave it a really good try. The thing is I know that there’s a lot of creativity and I can’t wait to express it the way I want to express it. I know that there’s a bright future ahead of me and that’s how I’m going to look at it.”

On his CD: “I want to mix a soulful album with nice beats—nice R&B beats. Beats that get people’s heads moving and mix it with a hint of a Latin flair. I want to mix it all in one arena.” Danny’s wife was Puerto Rican, so he enjoys that type of music.

His message to his fans: “I want to thank my fans for just supporting me. What affirms me as an artist is them because week after week they voted, voted and voted and that shows that they believe in me. That they see something inside of me. And it makes me feel good. And I want to tell them I love them and I think they’re the best out there. And I hope that they support me when the CD comes out.”

On the tour: “I envision it as a point to talk to my fans and show them a side of me they weren’t able to see on TV. The coolest thing now is I can take my guard down. I don’t have to have a guard anymore. I don’t need votes. People can’t accuse me of wanting to get votes by doing this or that. Now I can just talk openly and freely to the people that I sing in front of and I’m looking forward to that.”

Yes, I believe that was a swipe at Michael Slezak…

On whether he knew he was going home when it was just him and Adam: “I knew. I knew that was it for me. Actually the whole day I kind of thought that it was it for me. Did I want it to be it for me? No, you know, I wanted to go for the gold just like they did. And it didn’t work out that way. I’m a competitor by nature. I like to compete. I gave it what I gave it. Looking back, would I have done things different? Absolutely. But the one thing I can say is that I’m proud of my accomplishment from where I came from 10 months ago losing my wife to where I am today. It wasn’t just the show, I was battling different things. Not only in the competition did I keep my head up and put at the time what I thought was my very best foot forward but I also had to deal with that whole end of the spectrum—losing my wife. I saw a strength in me I didn’t know I had.”

On what Simon said to him: “He said, ‘Man, you are a phenomenal singer.’ And I think this is what he said, he said, ‘It’s a shock that you didn’t make it, but the thing is, these things happen. It’s sad to not see you in there.’ I’m just glad I had the opportunity to sing in front of these judges. I think it’s every singer’s dream to get on this stage and want to please those judges because those judges have right now the most popular opinions in music. Everybody wants to know what they’ve got to say. And I got to grace the stage and sing in front of them. It means so much to me. I hugged Simon, I hugged all the judges.”

Danny said the first thing he wants to do after the tour is get his team together and start working on plans for his foundation. “I want to just grow this foundation because it means SO much to me. It is the legacy of my wife and myself here on the Earth even though she’s gone. So I’m gonna push that. I have a lot of open doors and I’m gonna walk through those doors. I wanna come out with a line of glasses. Hopefully have the glasses promote the foundation.”

By the way, Danny started with 15 pairs of glasses and now he has 50+.

On Simon asking for votes for Adam: “It is what it is. I’ve gotta be honest. It doesn’t make me mad. It doesn’t disappoint me. That’s what he believes is gonna make the most money. Take what I say with a grain of salt because I don’t want people to misquote me. I didn’t get in this for the money. I didn’t get in this so I could live this glamorous lifestyle. My goal is so different and maybe it didn’t line up with what they feel, the pop star. I’m okay with that because I want to have a movement in my music. I feel like my vision is a little different so it’s okay with me. I love Simon. I can’t hate on him. I love the guy. Man, the guy is bad to the bone. We need entertainment because not everyone can be what I’m about because maybe that’ll irritate people. We need a lot of entertainment because that’s what sells.”

On whether he was surprised that he outlasted Allison: “I think the whole amount of the show I was kind of surprised that I kept going. I really can’t explain that one. I think it goes to show that I have pretty strong support out there. And I’m pretty confident that hopefully when I put out a CD that will still shine through…Allison is amazing. Can you imagine the two of us with husky voices going to town [on a duet]? I think we would have ripped that thing to shreds.”

On this week’s vote totals: “I just know that it was neck-to-neck. I believe it was…I hope so.”

During his final thoughts to reporters, Danny stressed how thankful he is and he even thanked the reporters. “I think on this phone call I can be more open about things and I don’t have to worry about being judged as much and I just appreciate that…I was a nobody and this show turned me into a somebody.”

Photo Credit: Frank Micelotta/PictureGroup for FOX

Elliott Yamin CD Review: Smooth and Refreshing

For those of you who don’t know, I live next to a McDonald’s, which makes it really hard to resist one of my biggest addictions—their large sweet tea.

It’s smooth and refreshing and once you’ve had a sip, you just can’t stop. Before you know it, you’ve drunk the whole thing…

I bring this up because that’s exactly how I would describe Elliott Yamin’s new CD, “Fight For Love.” It’s smooth and refreshing and you just can’t stop at one song. And before you know it, you’ve listened to the whole thing. And you’re hitting repeat because you think that you must’ve missed the bum song in the bunch.

But you haven’t missed it, because there isn’t one…

The CD starts off on a smooth note and doesn’t let up as it ranges from soulful to funky to just downright inspirational.

Elliott wisely reteams with StarGate, the team behind his smash, “Wait For You,” on two tracks—the best two on the CD—“You,” a soulful ballad, and “Don’t Be Afraid,” a funky more up-tempo number that features a bass line reminiscent of “When Doves Cry.”

“Apart From Me,” which Elliott co-wrote, is also a standout with its super-catchy chorus. And “This Step Alone,” another Elliott co-write, has a gorgeous chorus:

“I saw us break/I watched us fall/It made no sense to me at all/You say that you will but then you don’t/So I’m gonna take this step alone/In my heart of hearts I always knew this jump was way too far for you/You say that you will but then you don’t/So I’m gonna take this step alone.”

And then there’s “Someday,” the song that Elliott co-wrote after the death of his mother. When you first listen to it, you don’t really grasp the meaning of the song since it has such an optimistic beat to it. But when you start listening to the words very closely, you get it and it’s a beautiful heartbreaking song:

“Do you still hear me when I call your name/Will you be with me when I lose my way?/When it gets hard let me know what to do/You always told me that you’d never go/I need you to show me that I’m not alone/Do you still hear me when I sing for you?/Show me you do.”

When Elliott hits that last refrain of “Someday, I will see you again,” it’s hard not to burst into tears. In the Hickory Records press release, Elliott says, “I’m so proud of that song,” and he should be because it shows a real maturity in his songwriting as he manages to tap into the feelings that we all feel when we lose a loved one.

In fact, the entire CD shows a more mature Elliott in songwriting, song choice and especially, vocal quality. I’m not sure his voice has ever sounded better and all of these songs do a great deal to showcase it.

Taylor Hicks may have won, and Chris Daughtry may have sold more records, but I think a true case could be made that Elliott Yamin is the most vocally talented Idol from season five. “Fight For Love” goes a long way to proving that…

“Fight For Love” is available now…

Photo Credit: Amazon.com

Who Won the Coin Toss?

Adam Vary of EW.com reports that last night's coin toss was won by...

Kris! And he wisely chose for Adam to go first, which means the producers will be deprived of their chosen one getting the pimp spot.

Wow, Kris is really throwing a kink into their plans, isn't he?...

I highly encourage you to read Vary's entire On-the-Scene report because it gives some interesting insight into the feelings of the other Idols and he reveals Adam's reaction to Katy Perry's costume...

You can read it here.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Did America Get It Right?

Did America get it right? You bet they did! I feel like standing up and singing “God Bless the U.S.A.” because I am SO proud to be an American right now…

The judges and the show did everything they could to try and force a Danny-Adam finale on us, but justice won out and the best two contestants emerged victorious.

I had an inkling when I saw the crowds for Kris and they completely dwarfed Danny’s—and Adam’s for that matter. But I was afraid the show was just teasing us. I guess no matter how hard they tried, they couldn’t contain the Kris fans.

I know this isn’t what the show or the judges wanted, but guess what? This is actually going to be a better show, because I think Kris is more capable of competing with Adam. And the judges can throw him under a bus all they want now, because America has proven that they’re not listening.

In my column and in this blog, I urged you to not listen to the judges and vote with your heart and that’s clearly what happened. Congratulations, America. You deserve a big round of applause for your efforts…

And now the real fun starts…

I will have MUCH more in the next several days as news breaks about coin tosses, song choices and more, so be sure to keep checking back with me. Now, I’m going to go declare my happiness on Facebook and watch the last 45 minutes or so of “Lost”…

Henderson, out!

And the Final Two Are...

9:56 We’re back…Kevin Bacon in the house again…Lights down…Lots of screaming from the crowd…The first person is…KRIS!!!!...I just screamed! Simon looks completely shocked. Could this be bad news for Adam?...

9:57 And the second one is…Danny smiles while Adam looks sick…Kris is stunned…Kara looks sick…It’s Adam…YES!!!...Adam and Danny hug as Adam looks stunned. YEA AMERICA!!! I’m SO proud of you…Kara looks devastated as we hear Kris and Adam celebrate…Goodbye video features Danny’s wife, of course…He just smiles through the whole thing…

9:59 Ryan introduces Danny to sing “You Are So Beautiful”…Paula is about to cry...I probably need to go apologize to my neighbors for that scream…Adam looks sad…Kris is shocked, but happy…Paula is crying…That was actually not too bad…The judges give him a standing ovation…Ryan says they’ll miss him…Kris and Adam give him a hug…

10:02 Simon says, “none of us would have predicted this.” Simon said the second song made him a contender. Simon says it could be a “big ding dong” coming up.” He means a big fight…And we’re out…

I’m going to compose myself and have final thoughts in a minute…

Katy Perry Shows Who Her Favorite Is

9:47 We’re back…Alexis and Megan in the house…We appear to be having some technical difficulties…I can hear some buzzing or something…Ryan stalls by asking Danny about him saying he just wanted this to be over…Adam says, “I just want to see Katy Perry”…She finally comes out…No wonder he wants to see her…She’s wearing a cape that says Adam Lambert…It’s “Waking Up in Vegas,” by the way…She’s wearing what I would call an Elvis bathing suit with Vegas showgirls behind her…Why aren’t we getting any kind of reaction from Adam to the performance?...Now confetti falls from the ceiling. Wow, this is going to take a while to clean up…Finally we see the guys and Adam seems to be enjoying it, but Danny’s just standing there…After the break…

Adam Goes Home

9:37 We’re back…Adam comes out…Since we’ve only got 20 minutes left, I really think Ryan will put him through…He says that going home was a real wake-up call…Ryan asks him about the streaker that was all over the Internet that rushed Adam’s concert...Adam tells the weather and then does the weather girl’s eyeliner…Adam has cougars!!!...Adam visits the theater group he was part of as a child…They give him an award…He’s so cute with the kids…Now, to his high school…That’s still not as big of a crowd as Kris, I don’t think…The mayor of San Diego declares it Adam Lambert Day…And there’s the streaker. Adam laughs…He goes to the Marine Corps barracks and sings the National Anthem…That was gorgeous…

9:42 Lights down…I think Ryan will actually say something this time…I’m wrong. He stretches it some more and sends Adam to the couch…Not sure how he’s going to do this…Katy Perry, after the break…

Jordin Hits the "Battlefield"

9:29 We’re back…Ryan intros Jordin Sparks…Ryan Tedder, who co-wrote the song is on the piano…Okay, what was up with those weird robot dance moves? Okay did someone tell Jordin she’s Beyonce with those poses?...They cut the second verse. Why? We’ve got time…Why did she just salute? Did someone not tell her that the battlefield is just a metaphor?...I like this song, but I’m not sure about this performance—especially those backup singers…And what was the point of Ryan Tedder if they weren’t going to show him?…And what was up with that devil look that Jordin gave the camera at the end?...I think that was actually on tape…Nothing left to say about that…Break…

The Homecoming Videos Begin...

9:13 We’re back…Scott and Anoop in the house…Tour plug…Top three backstage shot…Ryan brings out Danny. Don’t worry, he’s not doing results, he’s just introing Homecoming packages…Danny says he’s unsure…Ryan asks about reuniting with Jamar and he says they just started to catch up…Homecoming Video…A woman in a pink boa is chasing his limo and Danny can’t help but laugh…Jamar rides in the parade with Danny. Danny starts to cry when he sees the crowd…It’s a pretty big crowd…He gets a proclamation from the mayor of Milwaukee, who tells him to “scream all you like”…He says it’s a bittersweet homecoming…Wow, that wasn’t nearly as sappy as I thought it would be…Ryan dims the lights?!...He’s not doing this already, is he?...No, he isn’t. Ryan sends him to actual chairs!...

9:19 Kris Allen comes out…He says he’s nervous…I think they’re going to take Adam last and actually tell him he’s in and then make the drama between Kris and Danny. That’s what I would do…Homecoming video…Kris is swarmed by people VERY early in the morning on the way to the FOX studio…WOW, that’s a lot of people. I think it’s more people than Danny…Kris is nearly torn apart by some female fans…Kris and his dad cry…Another huge crowd. Could he pull this off after all?…We actually hear him sing. He does “Falling Slowly” or whatever that song is called…He does the parade with his wife…His video is actually sappier than Danny’s. WOW, he has a lot of fans…He gets a proclamation from the mayor of Conway…Kris’ dad cries again…and so does his mom…Did the show give him an extra special video because he’s saying goodbye?...I’m totally confused now…Ryan dims the lights. Why? We know you’re not telling us anything now…Ryan sends him to the couch, of course…Break…

The Top 3 Results Show Begins With...A Movie Plug?!

8:59 Ben Stiller does an intro for “The American Idol Desk”…It’s a plug for “Night at the Museum 2”…Bill Hader…Hank Azaria…Jonah Hill…They’re pretending to put the desk in the Smithsonian…SERIOUSLY?! The last regular results show of the season and we don’t hear Ryan say, “THIS is American Idol” and instead get yet another movie commercial? And why do they keep bringing Ben Stiller back after his off-color jokes on “Idol Gives Back” a couple of years ago?...

9:02 Ryan down the stairs. He says that the desk really is going into the Smithsonian…Kevin Bacon in the house…Over 88 million votes. WOW!!!...Ryan plugs a surprise by saying, if you think you know how the competition is going to go, think again. Just over one million votes separating the top two tonight. I think that means Adam and Danny, but…

9:03 Ford Music Video…“Break My Stride”…It’s weird to see three guys. It’s the first time there hasn’t been a girl in the top three…I really can’t explain this one because it’s just stupid, but the song was good…

9:04 Ryan introduces Alicia Keys…She comes out from behind the big video board. Simon seems a little surprised to see her…She is introducing a video for Keep a Child Alive…We see someone behind her come out and grab something/put something in place and someone in the crowd can’t keep quiet…She asks for people to help with a donation…It’s not a video. Alicia introduces Noah, a young boy from Rwanda, who comes out to sing a song he just learned in English…Help me out here, everybody, I should know what this is, but I can’t recognize it…Ryan comes out and decides to try to dance, try being the operative word…Alicia comes back out to remind us to text to make a donation…Break…

Tonight's Show

So tonight we'll get Jordin Sparks singing her new single, "Battlefield," Katy Perry singing her new single, "Waking Up in Vegas" and three sappy Homecoming packages--although I think we know that Danny's will be the sappiest...

Can Kris upset the producers' hopes of an Adam-Danny finale? And if he does, which one will he knock out--Adam or Danny?

We'll find out in just about an hour...

And I'll be back in a few to get this thing started. So if you've decided to watch "Lost" tonight, you can follow my blog to find out what's going on...