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.

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Top 11 Redux Results: Did America Get It Right?

So did America get it right? Absolutely. It was time for Naima to go. She’s a fun performer, but she doesn’t have the same vocal ability as the others. And Thia was great Wednesday, but she doesn’t have the staying power. Paul and my pick for the bottom three, Stefano, deserve to be there longer.

Tomorrow, we’ll find out what next week’s theme will be. The rumor is it’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame…

And don’t forget that you can hear more from me tomorrow morning on “Dave & Tia in the Morning” on 100.5 FM WKEE at 6:35 a.m. and 8:35 a.m…

Top 11 Redux Results: And the Two Going Home Are...

8:56 We’re back. Let’s do this!...Lauren is in tears. Wonder what’s up?...One is safe and the other two are going home…Person who is safe…Paul. Thank goodness. I was a little worried…Lauren is hysterical now. Clearly she’s good friends with either Naima or Thia…

8:57 JLo is shaking her head, but it was the right call…Video of their Idol journeys…Cue the David Cook…They’re both handling it pretty well…I take it they’re not going to sing…That was better use of David’s song tonight…The Idols are hugging them…Ryan invites the judges up to say goodbye…The judges come up…Randy tells Thia to keep going…

9:00 And we’re out!


Final thoughts in a moment...

Top 11 Redux Results: Time to Party!

8:49 We’re back…Ryan intros Jamie Foxx and will.i.am to do “Hot Wings” from the movie “Rio.” Oh this is going to be wild…The sound is off from the beginning…And Jamie is off…Now he’s okay. I’m guessing he was having some hearing problems…And he’s got some AutoTune helping him now…There are women all over the stage dressed in colored outfits to represent the tropical birds…Scenes from the movie are playing on the big screen in the back…Overhead shot to watch the women dancing on the floor in some kind of pattern…This is really hard to describe if you’re not watching it. Sorry…I’m going to guess this will work much better once it’s animated…They plug the movie. Jamie says it’s fun for the whole family…After the break…

Top 11 Redux Results: The Bottom Three Is Complete

8:36 We’re back…Kris Allen in the house! Woo-hoo!...Video of the Idols during last week…Performing in Phoenix for the Muhammad Ali charity event…Ford video shoot…The roof starts leaking at the mansion, so they have to pack and move into a hotel…Lauren slips and falls down the stairs…To Interscope to pick next week’s songs…Getting styled…Rehearsal with Marc Anthony…Rehearsals…The performance show…The dramatic results show…Footage of the psychiatrist hanging out with Casey, who says he feels so guilty…

8:41 Paul, Casey, Stefano and James doing “Band On the Run”…They’re the group that has formed a band in the house…James, Paul and Casey on guitar. Stefano on keyboard…Not sure about Casey and Stefano singing together. Paul and James not too bad…That’s just such a crazy kind of song…Paul is doing some pretty good harmonies…

8:43 Ryan brings them to center stage…Ryan asks Steven if they have a future. He tells them they can open for Aerosmith next tour…Casey gets a lot of screams. Ryan tells him if he knew how many votes he got, he’d be very proud. I’m guessing a ton. He is safe…James…safe…That leaves Paul and Stefano. I said Stefano…One is safe, one in bottom three…Paul gets a lot of screams…In the bottom three is…Paul. Stefano is safe. Ouch!...Paul, Thia and Naima. I’ve got a BAD feeling about this one…After the break…

Top 11 Redux Results: One More in the Bottom Three

8:23 We’re back…Ryan introduces Fantasia to sing “Collared Greens and Cornbread”…That dress is terribly unflattering…And what is up with the tattoos on her hand?…Okay, let me get this straight. She’s so in love that her guy is better than collared greens and cornbread. Now, there’s a lyric for you…And now he’s a sweet potato pie…She sounds good…She just told Steven Tyler she loved him. He looked a little embarrassed…She gets a standing ovation from the judges…Ryan brings her over to the contestants…Ryan asks what she wishes she knew when she was on “Idol.” She says you have to keep good people with you because the business is tough. That was good advice…Jacob was pretty excited…

8:28 Another song. Ryan says they don’t know who’s next…It’s Haley, Pia and Thia doing “Teenage Dream”…Haley starts and messes up the words. She’s trying not to laugh…This is a perfect example of why Pia needs to do something with a tempo…The harmonies are gorgeous…I’m sure at least one of them is in the bottom three…That was good, but Thia never sang a solo part. Wonder why?...

8:30 Ryan brings them to center stage…Dim the lights…Pia…is safe…Haley and Thia…One in bottom three…And it’s Thia…I’m two for two…

Top 11 Redux Results: And the Bottom Three Begins...

8:12 We’re back…So far, Lauren and Scotty are safe…Taped message to tell people to play the Ford Music Video Challenge…Ford music video…”Kryptonite”…Naima is a superhero…Now Jacob is one…Now Casey is one…Scotty saves his car on his own…Not bad…

8:13 Ryan asks Casey about Rodney Jerkins wanting him to shave his beard. He said Rodney was happy with the trim…Ryan says the contestants do get all of their fan mail. James shows off a custom made WWE championship belt that he received. It’s pretty cool…

8:15 More singing…Naima and Jacob doing “Solid”…I really like these duets, but I’m sure its harder on the contestants…Wonder if they’ll be available on iTunes too…You know, when Naima just concentrates on singing, she’s not too bad. But it is so time for her to go home…That was pretty good…

8:17 Dim the lights…Naima and Jacob…Jacob looks sick…One is in the bottom three…In the bottom three is…Naima. Woah, I was worried there for a second…Naima heads over to the urinal stools…After the break…

Top 11 Redux Results: Trying Something a Little Different

Let’s do this…

8:00 Super dramatic intro to the recap…“The world is watching…”…Lots of Steven Tyler soundbites…The last words on the screen: “You won’t believe who’s going home.” Uh oh. I knew I had a nervous feeling for some reason…

8:01 Opening credits…Judges intro…Ryan intro…Over 55 million votes, a new record for this stage and 25 million more than last week…Top 11 intro…Ryan sends them over to the couch and they seem a little confused…I left the room for a second so I’ve just seen that Ryan has gone back to his old hairdo for the most part…They’re dividing contestants into smaller groups to sing instead of a group number. I’m guessing they’re doing some testing for the tour…It’s Lauren and Scotty doing “I Told You So”…It’s really pretty…Standing ovation from the judges…

8:07 Ryan calls Scotty and Lauren over to the center of the stage…Dim the lights…You know they’re both safe…And they are…After the break...

Phew! What a Day So Far...

Wow. It’s been quite a day. I got to personally congratulate Richard Blais on winning “Top Chef All-Stars.” Then the Reds made a dramatic comeback to win on Opening Day.

The only bummer today is that “New York Magazine” is reporting that the “Rock of Ages” movie has cast the leading role of Drew and it’s not Constantine Maroulis.

But now it’s “American Idol” time. And with two contestants going home, it’s bound to be interesting…

Back in six to take you through this one minute-by-minute…

Will James Have to Apologize For His Pepsi Comment?

So one thing we may see on tonight’s results show is an apology to the family of Michael Jackson or at least a chance for James Durbin to make amends…

TMZ.com is reporting that Michael’s family was upset about James’ comment last night that he was concerned about having a Pepsi moment.

A spokesman reportedly told the website, “We were shocked to see this. It's nothing to make light of and everybody should be focusing on who was responsible for Michael's death.”

James tweeted this an hour ago: “For anyone talkin..I said pepsi NOT MJ! I have no disrespect for Michael. I grew up singing his art.I guess youll take it how you want it...Talkin about MJs passing is too soon. Making a reference to an incident that happen 25 years ago..not too soon. The stab was at pepsi people

It’s clear James didn’t mean any harm, but I’m sure that Ryan will give him an opportunity to explain himself during the show tonight.

Photo Credit: Michael Becker/FOX

Breaking News: Last Night Sets a Voting Record

FOX just released the voting numbers from last night and they're pretty big...

55 million votes came in last night, setting a new "Idol" record for this early in the competition.

Remember that two contestants will go home during tonight's results show. Also, Fantasia will sing her latest single, "Collard Greens & Cornbread" and Jamie Foxx and will.i.am will team up for "Hot Wings (I Wanna Party)" from the movie, "Rio."

There has been no announcement that Elton John will play any part in tonight's show, but as we learned last week, you never know what will happen. However, we do know that Elton is most likely in New York tonight preparing for his gig at the host and musical guest of this Saturday's "Saturday Night Live."

I'll be back tonight to take you through it...

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Top 11 Redux: Who's Going Home?

Listening to the recap with the numbers can often help me figure out who is going to go home. Because some performances that I thought were okay just don’t stand up to the rest of them. So after hearing the recap, I am prepared to now answer my weekly question, who is going home?

Since there are two going home, I have no idea what Ryan will do as far as a bottom group. If there is a bottom three, I think it will be Stefano, Thia and Naima. Though Thia was good, her performance just didn’t stand up to the others and she will go home. And Naima’s luck will finally run out after that reggae redux she did tonight and we’ll say goodbye to her as well.

What do you guys think? Do you agree with my choices? And more importantly, did you like Ryan’s hair?

Top 11 Redux: Haley Seriously Brings It

Haley Reinhart, “Bennie and the Jets”: 19 The choice was good, the vocals were great. My only complaint was that she needed some better moves than just throwing her hand up in the air. Her best performance of the season by far.

My final thoughts will be delayed slightly due to the "Top Chef All-Stars" finale, but I'll get them on here, so Stay Tuned...

Top 11 Redux: Jacob Gets Dramatic

Jacob Lusk, “Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word”: 16
The first half was good, but the second half was all over the place. What was JLo listening to? That arrangement was hideous—especially that key change transition. Randy was right. It needed to go up.

And they couldn’t take another picture of Jacob and Mary J. Blige? His eyes were closed!

And did Jimmy wake up on the wrong side of the bed this week, or what? Maybe he really wanted to hear the 80s too…

Top 11 Redux: Casey's Back, America!

Casey Abrams, “Your Song”: 20
I wasn’t sure about it when it started but he completely brought it home. There was only one brief glimpse of the angry Casey. That was gorgeous and that smile at the end said it all. Casey’s back, America!

But how harsh was Jimmy? YIKES!

Top 11 Redux: Thia Nails One

Thia Megia, “Daniel”: 18
I have to admit that was gorgeous. But she missed a big opportunity with those higher notes. She should have powered through them instead of singing them so hushed.

Top 11 Redux: James Brings the Heat...Literally

James Durbin, “Saturday’s All Right”: 16
The performance was good, but the vocals not so much. I wasn’t completely crazy about the choice and I thought his working the entire stage was a mistake. And I was just about to write something about how I couldn’t believe he was standing on the piano when they set it on fire! Crazy!

Hey is that why Ryan’s not wearing his hair gel because he was afraid it would catch on fire?...

And did anyone else hear James tell Jimmy he wasn’t changing his song choice this time. Wonder when Jimmy talked him into changing it before?...

And I can’t believe Jimmy remembers the “Pepsi moment.” He’s too young for that…

Top 11 Redux: Lauren Alaina Makes a Great Choice

Lauren Alaina, “Candle In the Wind”: 19 That worked out WAY better than I thought it would. That could actually be a good country song. But I think she was shook or something at the beginning since she pulled the inner ear speaker out of her ear.

#Tylerism Alert: “You keep singing like that and you’ll be able to afford the rest of that dress.” And I can’t believe no one has said anything about Ryan’s hair!

Top 11 Redux: Stefano Sings Tony Danza...I Mean, "Tiny Dancer"

Pia just told the backstage camera that she’s doing “River Deep Mountain High” next week. Does that mean 60s or Tina Turner? That’s a good choice for her either way. But are they ever going to do the 80s?

Stefano Langone, “Tiny Dancer”: 16 It was pretty, but I just can’t get over the feeling that it was the wrong choice. The chorus was just a little too blah for me.

Top 11 Redux: Pia Brings Out the "Sun," Much to My Chagrin

Pia Toscano, “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me”: 17 Okay, let me say Pia had no chance with me here, because this one is Clay Aiken’s song and I don’t think she brought out half of the emotion that he did. And I think I am honestly over her. Enough with the ballads already!

#Tylerism Alert: That was a complete and full sentence.

Top 11 Redux: Paul Brings A Hush to the Festivities

Paul McDonald, “Rocket Man”: 16 It was a good choice, but it just didn’t quite work for me. I have to disagree with Steven a little bit because I’d like for Paul to hit a few more notes.

Top 11 Redux: Naima is "Still Standing," But Should She Be?

Naima Adedapo, “I’m Still Standing”: 14 So when they said reggae vibe, I just thought they meant musically. I didn’t know they meant she would actually use the whole reggae voice—even when she did the spoken intro Jimmy Iovine talked her into doing. I think that came off a little odd. I kind of thought the vibe was catchy, it was just too…I guess odd is the best word I’ve got.

#Tylerism Alert: Boom shockalocka locka baby!

Top 11 Redux: Scotty Goes...Country, Of Course!

Of course the show has to start with a recap of last week. And why not, because it was unbelievable…

And there’s actually footage of Casey backstage before the results show saying they’re not going to use the save because it’s too early…

I’m so glad they’re doing this because that was outstanding television. But as the screen just said there are no more second chances…

Let’s do this!

What is up with Ryan’s new flat hairdo? He looks so young!

Scotty McCreery, “Country Comfort”: 18
It was a little blah for me, but it was a good choice. He missed that last low note, but I applaud the effort. And that shout out to Grandma probably earned him another couple hundred votes. Interesting that JLo told him to stay grounded. Maybe she’s detected that same cockiness that I have? Hmmm…

And let me apologize in advance if the spacing gets weird tonight. Blogger has been doing some strange things...

Ready for Elton John Week?

So after I had picked out all these great 80s songs to suggest to the contestants, “Idol” changed its mind and made it Elton John Week this week. I presume it has something to do with Elton John’s schedule, but I have no idea.

I’m not going to attempt to suggest songs this week other than to suggest they try some different songs. I would love to hear “I Don’t Wanna Go On With You Like That” and “Healing Hands.” But you know we’ll hear “Your Song,” and “Tiny Dancer.”

And I bet Naima, Thia and Pia wrestled over “Circle of Life.” I’ll be back tonight to take you through the action…

Friday, March 25, 2011

Next Week's Theme Is...

Next week's theme will be totally awesome as the Idols go back to the 1980s!

And those of us who love the 80s will feel SO old. But it will be worth it...

I'll make some song choices for all of them next week, but I'm already getting some ideas. Like Casey doing "Maneater."

And how about Naima rocking Neneh Cherry's "Buffalo Stance"? Wouldn't that be cool?

will.i.am with Jamie Foxx and Fantasia will perform Thursday's results show.

More later...

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Top 11 Performance Show: Final Thoughts on a Doozy

PHEW! Final thoughts in a moment…

Holy cow! What a DOOZY!

At this point, I always ask if America got it right. But since I think we can all agree that they didn’t, let me ask something else. What happened to Casey?

I think Casey got hit with the curse of going first. It was a performance that could be easily forgotten and clearly it was. Also, I think there’s a possibility that people thought they didn’t need to vote for him because he was a favorite. And I have to wonder if his angry eyes and growls didn’t start turning America off. I mentioned that in my column this week, but I didn’t think it would almost send him home this early.

Here’s what I said: “Someone else who might want to tone it down is Casey Abrams. I loved his gutsy, risky choice of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit," but the performance came off a little manic, to say the least. Casey seems extremely popular right now, but if we see those crazed eyes too many more times, he may scare his fans away.”

My apologies, Casey, if I jinxed you…

I think we can all agree that the judges did the right thing. It was a little early to use their one save, but they had no choice. Let me say it again. You could NOT have the tour without Casey. It just wouldn’t be nearly as entertaining. I just hope this scare doesn’t reignite his health problems and he can hang in there. I thought he was going to throw up right there on the stage.

As for the rest of the bottom three, I think America did a pretty good job there. Thia was forgettable and if you’re picking people for the tour, I would definitely go with Haley and Naima over Thia any day. Stefano deserved to be punished for his TERRIBLE song choice. I don’t think he deserved to go home, but I would’ve understood if it had been him.

So what do you guys think about the doozy of the show we got tonight? And most importantly, whatcha gonna do when Hulkamania runs wild on you?

There will be no shortage of things to talk about tomorrow on “Dave In the Morning.” You can hear it at 6:35 a.m. and again at 8:35 a.m. on 100.5 FM WKEE.

Top 11 Results Show: A Doozy of An Ending

8:55 We’re back…Stefano and Casey center stage…The person with the lowest number of votes is…Casey…OMG!...Stefano is safe. Randy is stunned. They just fired the delay. Someone cursed…Besides me, I mean…You CANNOT have the tour without Casey. You CANNOT!...You MUST save him…Casey is doing “I Don’t Need No Doctor”…Ryan walks over to Casey. It’s because Randy is waving for Ryan to stop the music…Steven says this is crazy wrong. Steven says they’ve made the decision to keep him on…Casey looks absolutely sick and Ryan holds him up. He’s shaking…He walks over to the judges and shakes their hands still shaking and he’s crying…The crowd starts chanting, “Casey!” The delay is going nuts now as he just keeps cursing…He runs into the crowd and hugs his mother…The judges are very quiet, like they’re not sure what to say…There might be another hospital stay in his future. Hang in there, Casey…Casey said he was scared when Ryan cut the music…Steven told him there is a wave of good fortune coming his way…JLo said they want him to get back to the musician he is. No more antics…Randy says, “You don’t need to growl anymore”…Ryan announces that two will go home next week, but that there will be a Top 11 on tour. WOO-HOO!,,,All the Idols celebrate and try to hold Casey up…

9:01 And we’re out…

PHEW! Final thoughts in a moment…

Top 11 Results Show: Things Get Much More Interesting

8:45 We’re back…Trevor Bayne and Joey Logano in the house tonight. Trevor Bayne is SO cute…Ryan intros Jennifer Hudson to do “Where You At”…I think she’s on tape too. But does it matter, she’s awesome. And this song is pretty…Not sure about that transition, though. She needed some more drama from her band…Never mind. She’s live because they just showed the judges…She yells into the microphone that it’s good to be home…George Huff is one of her backup singers. WOO-HOO! I love me some George Huff…

8:51 Ryan walks over to the bottom three. One of them is safe…The audience yells Casey…It’s Thia…WHAT?! Well then it has to be Stefano going home, right? Right?...After the break…

Okay, reset moment here. I can understand Stefano. He made a HUGE mistake with his song choice. But Casey just got cursed by going first. If it’s Casey, I believe the judges will save him. What that does to the tour, I have no idea. But you cannot have the tour without Casey. You just can’t. If it’s Stefano, JLo will do everything she can to convince Steven and Randy to save him. This one will be a doozy folks!

Top 11 Results Show: Surprising Results, Indeed

8:37 We’re back. Ryan gives James Hulk’s shirt and he looks like he’s going to pass out. Stefano, Jacob and Thia. I think Stefano is in the bottom three…Jacob is safe…Could they both be in the bottom three? We’ve only got 20 minutes…The audience boos JLo’s Stefano comments…Thia is in the bottom three…Stefano…also in the bottom three. Big boos from the audience…

8:39 Naima, Haley and Casey. This will be the interesting one…Ryan says to be sure to stay for the entire show…It’s Haley or Naima, but who is it? It should be Naima, but…Someone is safe and it’s…Naima. She’s stunned. Looks like Haley again, or did Casey get cursed with the number one spot?...Haley has already consigned herself to the bottom three…It’s Casey. Haley is shocked and the audience is upset…Naima is completely stunned. The bottom three is Thia, Stefano and Casey. Yes, Ryan was right. This is interesting…And if it turns out to be Stefano or Casey, will the judges use their save. I think definitely with Casey. And if JLo can convince them, Stefano will be saved as well…After the break…

Come on kids, you can’t have the tour without Casey!

Top 11 Results Show: Hulkamania Runs Wild!

8:24 We’re back…Ryan intros Sugarland, who does “Stuck Like Glue.” Do they not have a new song? Or are they doing their crossover hit so everyone will know who they are?...And what in the world is Jennifer Nettles wearing? Are those colors supposed to match?...I think that was on tape…

8:28 Video about James and his love of wrestling…James and Paul wrestle in the house…First time one of them gets hurt, there’ll be heck to pay…

8:29 Dim the lights…James and Paul center stage…Surely they’re both safe…Ryan says tonight is unbelievable…He says both are not safe tonight…Everyone boos…Ryan repeats it…The stage doors open and out walks Hulk Hogan…James is beside himself…In his video, James said, “Watch out Hulk Hogam!”…Hulk announces that both are safe…And they’re both going on tour…Hulk says the bad news is that Ryan Seacrest is not safe…He pretends to punch Ryan and Ryan goes flying into the audience, a little too dramatically. The audience seemed concerned…Hulk says, “THIS is American Idol” and rips off his shirt…That was actually pretty cool…I’m not sure James will ever be able to talk again. He was more excited about Hulk Hogan than he was about making the tour...After the break…

Top 11 Results Show: The First Three For the Tour Are Named

8:17 We’re back…Ryan tells us again that the results are surprising…Ford music video…”All This Beauty”…They’re recycling in the rain…They create a tree out of the recyclable materials…That one actually made sense!...

8:18 Dim the lights…Looking for bottom three…Lauren, Pia and Scotty…This could be interesting. Maybe Pia is in the bottom three?...Hmmm…Lauren looks VERY nervous…They’re all safe…Ryan pulled a big fakeout and told them they’d all be packing their bags…for the summer tour. Lauren had to be bleeped because she cursed…Three empty urinal stools…After the break…

Top 11 Results Show: Happy Birthday, Steven Tyler!

8:00 Dramatic intro with recap. They’re doing a great job with those this season. Lots of footage of Naima dancing…

8:01 Opening credits…Judges intro. Steven’s having fun with the audience in the back…Ryan intro…

8:02 Ryan reports over 30 million votes. Notice he didn’t tell the number last week. Ryan says results may shock us. Does that mean Stefano is in trouble? That would kind of be a shock. Hmmm…Ryan introduces the Top 11…The women are dressed in white and the guys are in suits…

8:04 Ryan introduces video showing Marc Anthony talking to the Idols. I wondered when he was going to show up…He talks to them about how to use the in-ear speakers and helped them get the mix right. That’s awesome! Someone should have done that earlier…Marc hung out with the Idols backstage, watching on the TV. He totally disagreed with Jennifer and Randy about Pia…When Jennifer said it was hard for her to be speechless, he said that was the truest statement she’s ever made…

8:07 Group number…“Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”…Jacob…Naima…Paul… Thia…Casey and Lauren are in the top with the audience…Haley…James and Pia wail together…They sound pretty good…So can we thank Nigel for fixing these numbers this year?...Still a little bummed that we didn’t hear any Temptations last night…Now, they introduce Stevie Wonder to do “Signed, Sealed, Delivered”…Apparently Steven didn’t know it, because he goes nuts…He still sounds great!...The judges give him a standing ovation…

8:11 Stevie yells at Steven and asks him if he’s ready for a celebration and he starts singing “Happy Birthday to You”…They bring Steven up on stage and present him with a painting and a cake…Steven says he’s speechless…That was cool…Is that what Ryan was talking about or is there still something different with the results? After the break…

Something Different For Tonight's Results Show

Ryan Seacrest just tweeted: "Make sure ur watching @AmericanIdol tonight. We haven't ever done a results show like this before. That's all I can tell u now."

Hmmm...Wonder what they're up to?

Live blogging in 10 minutes. Join me then!

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Top 11 Performance Show: Who's Going Home?

As far as Motown shows go, that was a darn good one. Most of the contestants picked the right songs, but a few made some bad choices. And those are the ones who will be in trouble…

Since tomorrow night will be the announcement of the Top 10 that will go on the tour, there may not be a bottom three, because Ryan may call them over to chairs like he does when they announce the finalists. But if there is a bottom three, I’m going with Naima, Haley and Stefano. Naima gave the most polarizing performance of the night with her dancing that may have come off as strange to some viewers. Haley was great, but she’s been in the bottom three two weeks in a row. And I think Stefano will be punished for his song choice and what he did with it. But there’s a possibility we could see Pia or Thia in there as well—Pia for doing another ballad and Thia because her performance could be forgettable.

So who’s going home? This is a tough one. It should absolutely be Naima because she gave the worst performance, but my gut is once again saying Haley. As I said, she was great, but I think it was probably too little, too late…

Plus, you have to ask yourself the question. Who would you rather see on the tour—Naima or Haley? I’d have to go with Naima…

What do you guys think? Did you love or hate Naima’s performance? Who do you think is going home? And do you think I’m right or wrong about Scotty?

Start the discussion by posting a comment, or finding me on Facebook or Twitter

Top 11 Performance Show: James Durbin Rocks the Stevie Wonder

James Durbin, “Livin’ For the City”: 18
I wanted to give him mad props because he did hit all of his screams tonight, but I didn’t like that he held the chorus until the end. Those “yeah yeahs” didn’t really showcase his voice. I would’ve liked to have heard the chorus twice.

#Tylerism Alert: “I think sometimes it takes a little bit of being crazy to make it in this world.” Amen, brother…

Final thoughts in a moment…

Top 11 Performance Show: Naima Makes the Choice A Little Easier

Ryan pointed out that Randy hasn’t said pitchy once tonight. WOW! This is going to be a tough one…

Naima Adedapo, “Dancin’ In the Streets”: 14
Okay, it was a tough one. She oversang it and it was way too safe of a choice. And someone should remind her that this is not “So You Think You Can Dance.”

#Tylerism Alert” “That was E to the Z ooh tweedlie dee!”

Top 11 Performance Show: Paul Stands Still And Rocks It

Paul McDonald, “Tracks of My Tears”: 18
So they got him to stand still. Now if we could just get him to stop talking to the audience. I really liked the arrangement and I can’t wait to hear the studio recording.

And did Ryan just say that Paul should try for the cougar vote?

Top 11 Performance Show: Pia Does ANOTHER Ballad

See what I mean about Scotty? During his backstage video, he said his performance was a slam dunk or three pointer. I don’t think so…

Pia Toscano, “All In Love Is Fair”: 18
Okay, so she didn’t pick “I’ll Be There,” but she went with another ballad. She has got to get away form those if she’s going to break out. I think she missed a real opportunity here. Kudos to Randy for acknowledging that.

Top 11 Performance Show: Scotty Makes Stevie Country

By the way, I’ve taken some smack this week from Scotty’s fans for saying he’s getting cocky. So this will be interesting…

Scotty McCreery, “For Once In My Life”: 15
That was a pretty good choice and a decent arrangement that he did well. But it was a little blah for me. And the Scotty fans can scream if they want, but I see cockiness pure and simple. And I think he needs to tone it down.

Top 11 Performance Show: Haley Gets "A Hold On" Things

WOO-HOO! Otis Williams in the house! I love me some Temptations!!! But did Ryan have to give Gordon Ramsay Stefano’s mom’s pasta? His diss of it was pretty mean…

Haley Reinhart, “You Really Got a Hold On Me”: 19
There’s an example of someone with a good knowledge of the Motown catalog. A great choice and a really solid performance. The question now is was it too little, too late.

And I really want to know who had the bright idea to put Haley on the stairs in those heels. She looked scared to death. Actually I was scared for her! Randy said she was trying to find herself in the beginning. I think she was just trying to keep from falling down!

Top 11 Performance Show: Stefano Makes a TERRIBLE Choice

Stefano Langone, “Hello”: 12
So I have to ask, if he’s that familiar with the Motown catalog, why would he go with that one? I gave him a 1 in song choice, because that is one of those songs you shouldn’t touch because it’s so associated with David Cook (Ryan even mentioned that.). And what was up with the Marc Anthony impression? I’d never heard his accent come through that thick before. And yes, I agree with Rodney Jerkins. Open eyes would have been a big help…

And how about that JLo lecture? I think she might have been a little angry at her guy…

Top 11 Performance Show: Lauren Keeps Us "Hangin' On"

Lauren Alaina, “You Keep Me Hangin’ On”: 18
Lauren admitted that it was Rock Mafia that made this song choice, but it was a good one. And Lauren gave it the attitude it needed. I think they could have done a little more with the arrangement, but the performance was pretty good.

Top 11 Performance Show: Jacob Gets My First Perfect Score of the Season

Thia said in her backstage interview that she messed up the words and hoped no one noticed. We noticed, or at least I did…

Jacob Lusk, “All I Need”: 20
My first perfect score of the season, and he so earned it. The restraint he showed was gorgeous. It was a perfect song choice.

And how cool was it to see Steven Tyler jump out of his seat and give Jacob a hug? That is why we love him! I thought Kirsten Dunst was going to rush the stage herself…

Great to have a Funk Brother in the house as well. Those guys were the Motown sound…

But Ryan, you probably should never invite audience members onto the stage ever again…

Top 11 Performance Show: Thia Turns Up the "Heat"

A member of Aerosmith in the house tonight. Good for them. And no, it isn’t Joe Perry…

Thia Megia, “Heat Wave”: 17
She seemed to get a little lost toward the end of the song. But you have to give her major points for her song choice. I was sure she’d lean toward a ballad like “I’ll Be There.” This was a good choice and she sang it pretty well.

But does that mean Pia is doing “I’ll Be There”? Man, I hope not. We need some different songs!

Top 11 Performance Show: Casey Takes a Swing on the "Grapevine"

It’s Motown time. Please let them pick some different songs this year. Please let them pick some different songs this year…

Please, Pia, don’t do “I’ll Be There” just because Mariah Carey did. Please show some range…

#Tylerism Alert: “[Motown] just made me want to make out with girls back then. It was the rhythm of the kiss.”

Let’s do this thing!

Casey Abrams, “I Heard It Through the Grapevine”: 18
I’m not going to lie to you. I was disappointed with the song choice since we hear it every year. But the arrangement was hot and he nailed it. But I really wish he would stop it with those eyes!

And let me take just a minute to point out that the Ray Chew backup singers are SO much better than the Rickey Minor backup singers in years past…

Top 11 Performance Show: Casey Takes a Swing on the "Grapevine"

It’s Motown time. Please let them pick some different songs this year. Please let them pick some different songs this year…

Please, Pia, don’t do “I’ll Be There” just because Mariah Carey did. Please show some range…

#Tylerism Alert: “[Motown] just made me want to make out with girls back then. It was the rhythm of the kiss.”

Let’s do this thing!

Casey Abrams, “I Heard It Through the Grapevine”: 18
I’m not going to lie to you. I was disappointed with the song choice since we hear it every year. But the arrangement was hot and he nailed it. But I really wish he would stop it with those eyes!

And let me take just a minute to point out that the Ray Chew backup singers are SO much better than the Rickey Minor backup singers in years past…

The Storms Have Passed...

So I had plans to set the scene a little more today, but the storms that blew through here like a banshee kept that from happening. Hopefully, they won’t come back anytime soon.

By the way, Jennifer Lopez just tweeted that her husband, Marc Anthony will be a mentor tonight. Interesting...

I’ll be blogging live in 25. Stay Tuned…

Santana and Chris Daughtry Team Up for a Def Leppard Classic

I think I'm a little late to the party on this one, but I just heard it yesterday and wanted to share it with you.

It's Santana featuring Chris Daughtry doing a cover of Def Leppard's "Photograph." It's from Santana's CD, "Guitar Heaven."

I think it could possibly be better than the original.

Monday, March 21, 2011

My Motown Choices for the Top 11

I know it’s a theme that they do every year, but I love me some Motown. And I am optimistic that our talented Top 11 will give us more than the combination of Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye songs plus “My Girl” that we usually get.

The Idols have already made their song choices and have even recorded their iTunes tracks. But I would still like to make my requests as to what I would like them to sing…

Pia Toscano, “Midnight Train to Georgia” by Gladys Knight and the Pips
This still has a ballad sound, but she could have some more fun with it.

Jacob Lusk, “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” by The Temptations
This is such a great song and it needs a great voice to do some fun stuff with it. I think Jacob could totally spice this one up.

Scotty McCreery, “My Girl” by The Temptations
I just couldn’t come up with anything else for Scotty. Sorry, I tried.

Stefano Langone, “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” by The Temptations
Okay, I really don’t mean to turn this into a Temptations hour, but I know Stefano could bring home the passion on this one. However, I have a feeling he might rip out Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On” or maybe something from Boyz II Men. I just hope he doesn’t do another Stevie Wonder song since he already did.

Haley Rinehart, “Living for the City” by Stevie Wonder
I think with just the right arrangement, Haley could really bring a great blues style to this one.

Naima Adedapo, “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” by Gladys Knight and the Pips
I’m actually looking forward to what Naima is going to go with for real, but I think she could give this one some sass.

Paul McDonald, “I Wish It Would Rain” by The Temptations
What can I say? I love me some Temptations. But I could totally hear Paul’s rasp on this overlooked track.

Lauren Alaina, “Nowhere to Run,” by Martha and the Vandellas
I think Lauren could have some fun with this one, but it’s going to be hard for her to pass up “Can’t Hurry Love” because the Dixie Chicks recorded it.

Thia Megia, “I’ll Be There” by the Jackson Five
I just know this is going to be the one she does, so there’s no sense in picking something else for her.

James Durbin, “War” by Edwin Starr
I know that’s not really the best singing song, but it sure would be fun. My second choice would be “What’s Goin’ On” by Marvin Gaye.

Casey Abrams, “(I Know) I’m Losing You” by The Temptations
Because he is my fave, I am giving him my favorite Motown song of all time. My only concern is that it would give him two angry songs in a row. So I think he could also do “What’s Goin’ On” as well.

Now it’s your turn. What would you like to hear the Top 11 sing?

Photo Credit: Michael Becker/FOX

Friday, March 18, 2011

Next Week's Theme Is...

Early this morning, the fine folks at FOX announced that next week's "Idol" theme will be Motown...

Will Scotty McCreery be able to hold his ground and stay country? My guess is yes...

Also, Jennifer Hudson and Sugarland will perform on the results show Thursday night.

Are you excited about the songs of Motown or do you wish the show would come up with something new?

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Top 12 Results Show: Did America Get It Right?

So did America get it right? Unfortunately, as much as I’ve liked Karen from the beginning, yes it did. Honestly, it couldn’t have gone wrong with either Karen or Haley.

At least Haley had given one decent performance in the past two weeks. Karen seems to have just fallen apart. Even her reprise of “Hero” wasn’t that good tonight. I’m honestly not sure what happened.

It was good to see Naima in the bottom three tonight. Maybe now she’ll work more on her pitch and less on her showmanship…

What do you guys think? Did America get it right? Are you sad to see Karen go?

And don’t forget that you can hear me talk more “Idol” on “Dave in the Morning” at 6:35 a.m. on WKEE 100.5 FM (in Huntington) or online at their website.

Top 12 Results Show: And the Person Going Home Is...

8:53 We’re back…Ryan reminds everyone how they can donate to the Red Cross…Naima, Karen and Haley centerstage. They are not holding hands…One is safe and that is…Naima is safe. Predicted that one too…I don’t really want to see Haley go, but I want to be right…It’s Karen! Haley is safe!...Haley doesn’t seem to get a lot of love from her fellow Idols…

8:55 Karen sings “Hero” for the judges, but you know they’re not going to use the save this early—especially when she’s given two weak performances in a row…JLo and Randy deliberate…JLo and Steven deliberate…JLo looks very sad…This song was so much better the first time she did it. I don’t know what’s happened to her, but she’s totally lost her voice…

8:57 Casey cheers her on, but he’s got to know she’s going home…Karen starts to lose it a little…Karen starts to beg a little…But you can tell from JLo that’s she’s going home…Karen starts to beg a lot…Ryan asks Randy and he said it’s not unanimous that they’re not going to use the save. JLo scoots back from the table a little. Did she want to use the save? That would have been a mistake…

8:58 Goodbye video starts with her mom…They are so misusing David’s song. It never comes in at the right point…Karen starts crying and the judges actually come out of their seats to hug her. That’s a first…The Idols start coming over…Ryan doesn’t even say goodbye. We only hear some of the conversation going on between the judges and Idols. JLo is seriously talking up Naima. Something about Marc is coming over. This is the most the judges have ever socialized with the contestants…

9:00 And we’re out…

Final thoughts in a moment…

Top 12 Results Show: The Black Eyed Peas Take the Stage

8:45 We’re back…Ryan intros Black Eyed Peas to do “Just Can’t Get Enough”…Fergie is sitting on top of a piano that will.i.am is playing…They come down centerstage. Wow, it’s just like the “SNL” skit. Where are the other Peas?...See, they are capable of a live performance, or is it live? I’m not sure…There are the other Peas…I really don’t understand why this song changes the tempo in the middle. But I am SO glad they quit trying to make “Time of My Life” happen…I think that one was on tape. The Idols were on stage with them, but I think they might have taped it before the results show. Not sure…Sounded okay, though, so I guess it doesn’t matter…After the break…

Top 12 Results Show: And the Bottom Three Are...

8:33 We’re back…Haley is alone in the bottom three but she’s still smiling. The crowd boos and Ryan says, “You did it!”…James, Scotty and Pia are center stage…Scotty gets big cheers…Steven is very sparkly tonight…Ryan points out he did his first love song for the ladies. When Ryan asks if there was someone special, Scotty says they’re all beautiful…Scotty is safe…Pia…safe…James…The cheers don’t seem as much for him tonight…Ryan asks Steven if he sees a little of himself in James and he says no. But then says, of course…He’s safe…

8:36 Stefano and Naima…I’m guessing one and one with Naima hitting the bottom three. Stefano gets BIG cheers, but what is up with that wife beater under his sheer hoodie. YUCK!...Naima says she’s beginning to have a hateful relationship with the word pitchy…Naima is in the bottom three and she knew it…I’m two for two with the bottom three…

8:38 Karen and Thia…This one’s a tough call, but I still say it’s Karen…Thia…safe. So I called the bottom three for the first time this season. Go me!...After the break…

Top 12 Results Show: Did We Really Need a Reminder of Last Season?

8:24 We’re back…Ryan points out Pitbull, who is sitting next to Marc Anthony…Ryan intros Lee DeWyze to sing “Beautiful Like You”…Um, is this supposed to be good?...I think it’s just another classic example of just how mediocre the show was last year…Ryan talks to him. He says he’s going on tour later this year…He tells the Idols to just remember why they tried out to start with. Ryan calls him “one of the nicest guys we’ve ever had”…I want to like Lee, but…After the break…

Top 12 Results Show: And the First Person in the Bottom Three Is...

8:10 We’re back…Ford music video…“Val Kilmer”…Some of them are at the drive-in watching others in a movie, or something like that…Stefano and Haley play the couple in it which gets the audience going. But no, they didn’t kiss…

8:11 Ryan says 250 million downloads have happened since the beginning of “Idol”…Ryan plugs the 10th anniversary compilation CD. Everyone in the audience gets a copy. No worries. They’re all songs we’ve heard a zillion times…Video with Idols telling things about them we don’t know…Wow, Scotty is coming off cocky…They bleeped Pia saying shitzu. Really?...

8:14 Dim the lights…A “Luck of the Irish” logo comes up…Ryan cracks a joke about Kieran drinking. It falls flat…Jacob, Casey and Lauren stand center stage. They’re all safe, right?...Ryan asks Randy about fixing the pitchiness…Jacob…safe…Casey tells him he knew it…

8:16 Lauren…safe…Casey…Ryan asks Steven what the ingredients are in the goop that makes people great. He says creative juices…Casey is safe after a classic fakeout that Casey fell for. Remember this is Casey’s first elimination show…

8:18 Haley and Paul center stage. I’m sure Paul is safe and Haley is in bottom three…Paul gets a big cheer from the audience…One and one…Haley is in bottom three and she knew it…Haley heads over to the urinal stools…After the break…

Top 12 Results Show: A Good Group Number?!

So I know it’s March Madness (Way to go Morehead State!), but now it’s time to concentrate on “Idol”…

Here we go…

8:00 Opening video of contestants telling what they wanted to do when they grew up. Is it just me or is Scotty starting to come off a little cocky?...Recap of last night…

8:01 Opening credits…Don’t forget that the Black Eyed Peas and Lee DeWyze are performing tonight…

8:02 Judges intro and Ryan intro…Ryan shows baby pictures of everyone who is performing tonight…Ryan gives the number to text for donations to the Red Cross…

8:04 Group number…”Born to Wild”…Scotty starts and it sounds pretty good…They’re actually singing, which is made obvious when Jacob’s microphone isn’t turned on…The girls do “Born This Way.” Thia starts it and it’s pretty good…Back to “Wild”…Back to girls…And back…And back…Now they both sing “Born This Way”…Now a mix…

8:06 Okay, is there something wrong with me or was that actually kind of cool?...After the break…

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Top 12: Who's Going Home?

Before I make this week’s predictions, let me say a word about the studio recordings that will be available for download on iTunes. I was pretty surprised with how good last week’s were. It’s clear that Jimmy’s team of producers are taking their jobs seriously. Only Ashthon’s came off weak.

And it’s unbelievable how recordable Scotty’s voice is. And even though Naima’s “Umbrella” might have come off messy on air, it actually worked in the studio—even the reggae.

So I’m looking forward to what tonight’s recordings will sound like—especially Casey’s and Jacob’s. I encourage all of you to consider downloading your favorites to benefit Red Cross efforts in Japan…

Now, who is going home? I think the bottom three is a fairly easy pick—Haley, Karen and Naima. Haley picked the complete wrong song, Karen came off way too weak, and Naima’s performance was pretty pitchy and she went first. However, Naima is quite the wild card, so it’s possible that Thia could take her place.

I think it will definitely come down to Karen and Haley, with my gut telling me that it’s Haley that will go home.

What do you guys think? Do you agree with me about Haley or will it be someone else? Post your comments or talk to me on Facebook or Twitter

Top 12: Jacob Goes It "Alone"

Jacob Lusk, “Alone”: 16
This should have been really something, but when he missed that key change, it took the wind out of my sails. The ending was gorgeous but didn’t quite make up for the problems.

And I know normally I say no one should sing this song because it’s so associated with Carrie Underwood, but I think Jacob could have done it justice if he had nailed it…

#Tylerism Alert: The gospel had a baby and they named it Jacob Lusk

Final thoughts in a few…

Top 12: Did Lauren Just Win Me Over?

Lauren Alaina, “I’m the Only One”: 18
That was the best version of that song the show has ever seen. That arrangement was hot! I’ve never been a big fan of Lauren, but she just might win me over…

Top 12: Casey Shows Just How Fearless He Is

I barely recognized Tamyra Gray. Was it the hair or what? I thought she looked very different…
Casey Abrams, “Smells Like a Teen Spirit”: 18
He could have picked some less angry parts of the song perhaps. And he could’ve looked a little less like he wanted to kill somebody, but how can you not love that? He truly is fearless!

By the way, I just have to mention that song was banned from my high school. Yes, I know, I’m old…

Top 12: Did Karen Miss Her Moment?

Something just occurred to me about Scotty, while I was watching the video of Karen’s mom. I wonder if any of Scotty’s fight comes from his mother? He’s a minor, so she’s there with him at every turn…

Karen Rodriguez, “Love Will Lead You Back”: 16
I like Karen and this song should have been a good one for her but she just didn’t bring it. And with an outfit like that, I would’ve thought she would’ve done something with more edge.

#Tylerism Alert: “Your ethnic what it is-ness”

Wonder who they’re giving the pimp spot to tonight if not Casey and his Nirvana song? Hmmm…

Top 12: Scotty Stands His Ground

#Tylerism Alert: Remember perfect pitch isn’t just in baseball.

Scotty McCreery, “Can I Trust You With My Heart”: 18
Once again, Scotty does what he does best and the ending was great. And I think he probably gained more fans with that video of him wanting to be Elvis. Plus, it was funny to see his Mom and Dad singing, “Baby lock them doors…” You just know someone is trying to book Josh Turner for the finale now…

But I have to say something about that attitude with Jimmy. I totally agree that he shouldn’t change what he’s doing and I admire him standing his ground, but he also needs to listen. And Jimmy is not the person you want to get attitude with…

Top 12: Pia Does Whitney

Pia Toscano: “Where Do Broken Hearts Go”: 17
The vocal was good but it was a little blah. The arrangement didn’t really work for me because I didn’t think Pia completely embraced it. She was still doing the ballad over top of a beat.

Top 12: Stefano Brings It, But...

Okay, so her mom was singing “Black Velvet” and Haley could have done that one? I know that’s an overdone song on the “Idol” stage but it would’ve been SO much better than what Haley did…

Tell me Stefano did not just diss the music of 1989. Tell me he didn’t…

Stefano Langone, “If You Don’t Know Me By Now”: 19
Okay, that was really good. But I am still miffed about that diss of 1989. That was a great year in music. You have to give Stefano credit. He does leave it all out on the stage…

And how mean was Jimmy Iovine? I think he scared Stefano into remembering those lyrics…

Top 12: Haley Confuses Us All With a Bad Choice

Haley Reinhart, “I’m Your Baby Tonight”: 14
The vocals weren’t so bad, but it was just a terrible choice. Her movements around the stage were so stilted. But the bluesy ending was great and I agree with Steven. That’s what she should do. But I think she’s in real trouble.

How cool was that button her family member was wearing with the digital LED sign running on it?

And I’m with Ryan. That was terribly uncomfortable to hear Jennifer telling her how gorgeous she looked when she clearly had lipstick all over her chin…

Top 12: James and Steven Make a Deal

Okay, I did the research during the break and the math works out for Casey Abrams to be the one doing Nirvana. AWESOME!

And I also did some research on 1995, which included both Madonna’s “Take a Bow” and Sophie B. Hawkins’ “As I Lay Me Down,” both of which I think Thia could have done well…

James Durbin, “I’ll Be There For You”: 14
That chorus was terrible. You want to talk about pitchy. And he missed the scream badly. He really needs to cut that out.

And isn’t it interesting that after Jon Bon Jovi trashes iTunes, one of his songs is going to be sold on iTunes to benefit Japan?

And the first test of the delay system is successful as they catch Steven cursing. But you have to admit, that exchange between him and James was pretty good as James told Steven he didn’t “want to spoil the Aerosmith until the finale.” Steven said he would sing it with him and they shook on it. You just know that whether James is in the top two or not, he will definitely sing with Steven on the finale…

#Tylerism Alert: “That guy’s got a rich vein of inner crazy

Top 12: Thia Megia Zzzzzzz...

Did anyone else see Ryan snickering when he said Thia was born in 1995? Yes, this them makes us feel old too…

Thia Megia, “Colors of the Wind”: 14
That was sung beautifully, but what a snoozer! There had to be something better she could have chosen from 1995, wasn’t there? I mean, a young girl doing a Disney song? Zzzzz…And she totally missed the dramatic key change…

And if Durbin is doing Bon Jovi, who’s doing Nirvana? Hmmm…

Top 12: Paul Sings the "Blues"

Paul MacDonald, “I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues”: 16
This was a good performance—if you closed your eyes. But I judge on the whole performance so I have to take everything into consideration and I SO wish he would stand still AND stop talking to the audience. Just sing! And I didn’t hear quite as many pitch problems as Randy and Steven did.

Top 12: Naima Blows a Hot Arrangement

The show begins with the judges and Ryan telling everyone how to contribute to relief efforts in Japan. It’s a nice touch. You can do so by downloading the studio recordings of the songs the contestants do tonight…

Which I would seriously recommend because those things are WAY better so far this year than in seasons past. More on that later…

And if you missed it, yes, the show is live tonight…

Naima Adedapo, “What’s Love Got to Do With It?”: 14
I was thinking that with all of the great songs from 1984, she picks that one that we’ve heard more than once for this theme? But the arrangement from Rodney Jerkins was hot (although the ending was a little weird). She just didn’t hit it. Kudos to JLo for acknowledging that. And now Randy is going back and watching the shows? What has happened to him?

#Tylerism Alert: “You opened up a can of whoop-di-do tonight.”

Who Has Simon Picked For His First Judge?

I've switched "The X Factor" news to my other blog, "Stay Tuned."

So you can find out the first judge Simon has signed here.

Who Will Smell Like "Teen Spirit"?

Nigel Lythgoe just tweeted that we'll hear Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" on "Idol" for the very first time.

Got to be James Durbin, right?

I'll be back in a little more than 30...

Will the Real Casey Abrams Please Stand Up?

Casey Abrams has already been declared one of the favorites to win “American Idol” this season. But there is someone who is not very happy with him…

His name is Casey Abrams and he’s a singer/songwriter from Boston. He and his band, The Mysterious Strangers, just released their latest record, “Oh, You Kid,” earlier this month.

Abrams addressed the confusion in a recent press release by saying, “There’s a lot of confusion going on. My record is being reviewed and my shows are being promoted, but the press are putting up pictures of the ‘Idol’ contestant. TMZ has my bio alongside of his photo. Even my Wikipedia page mentions ‘American Idol.’ I’ve been getting lots of well wishes from fans for my recent, so-called ‘tummy troubles’ and I apparently now play the stand-up bass. It’s something of an identity crisis!”

You can learn more about Casey Abrams and The Mysterious Strangers on their website.

Photo Credit: CaseyAbrams.com

A "Girls' Night Out" for Carrie Underwood

Carrie Underwood will be among the honorees at “Girls’ Night Out: Superstar Women of Country” next month.

Carrie will be honored for being the only female artist in Academy of Country Music history to ever win Entertainer of the Year twice. She will perform and be honored at the taping Monday, April 4th at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

“Girls’ Night Out: Superstar Women of Country” will air Friday, April 22nd at 9 p.m. on CBS…

Photo Credit: Monty Brinton/CBS

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Ashthon Jones: "I don't think anything is going to stop me"

Sometimes with reality competition shows, you get an image of one of the contestants and then when you hear from them after they’re eliminated, you realize that’s not at all who they were. And you realize if you had known that before, you would’ve supported the person more when they were in the competition.

That’s kind of how I feel now about Ashthon Jones. Granted, I was a supporter of hers, and even named her as my top-ranked girl before the Top 24, but now I feel bad that I didn’t lobby for her a little harder because I think America got the wrong idea about her. The judges built her up as a cocky diva when her confidence actually comes from her faith. And unfortunately for her, there wasn’t really anything she could do to change America’s minds.

Here is some of what Ashthon had to say during her media conference call with us Friday…

On her backstory: “My father passed away when I was 14. I left home. I was gone for over two and a half years. When I got back here, I became a Christian. I turned my life around and started doing much more positive things.”

On her feelings when she was eliminated: “I left it there and left it there to stay. It’s time to be the artist and performer God put in me. I’m very excited about what’s to come.”

On America’s opinion of her: “I just wanted people to see my personality. I don’t think it showed as much as I wanted it to. It’s okay because everything happens for a reason…I wanted them to see my confidence came from God. I feel like America’s going to see that now.”

On her song choice: “I chose that song for a reason. That one spoke to me. I related it to my life and the love that I have around me…I didn’t understand why it wasn’t a bigger hit. America really didn’t feel it like I did. Hopefully it will begin to touch them now [through iTunes]. Ashthon said it gave her the same feeling Mariah Carey’s “Hero” gives people.

On the best advice she got from the judges: “Jennifer Lopez always had something real to say straight from her spirit. Last night she told me it’s all about the songs. Make sure it’s a hit before you put it out.”

On how she would describe Steven Tyler: “Fabulous. He said exactly what he felt. Backstage he’s the most humble and sweet person.”

On the friendships she’s formed: “I’m gonna stay in contact with them. I never thought I could have so many best friends.”

On what advice she would give the other contestants: “Never look at the blogs. They’re just gonna discourage you.”

On her breakdown after she was eliminated: “It really was not pain. It was more on leaving the stage and leaving my friends…I’m a very, very strong person. Sometimes you have to let it out. I cried because of all of the things that I went through on the show.”

On being the first finalist eliminated: “It’s not always a bad thing to be the first person. I don’t think anything is going to stop me. God has something better for me.”

On non-winners being successful: “ I constantly had to remind myself that. I’m still driven because I know that. There’s an opportunity that’s going to be there for me…I want to let everybody know, don’t stop. You have to feel like you’re already a winner…When elimination comes, nothing can keep you from being the best that you can be.”

On Casey Abrams and the stresses of the show: “My prayers go out to him. I’m not sure what’s going on. It can be stressful if you make it stressful.”

On where she sees herself in five years: “I really see myself performing. And as someone who has grown in her faith. I’m a firm believer in speaking everything into existence. If I speak that in my spirit, it’s going to happen.”

On the strength she showed Thursday night to hold herself together: “It comes from God. A lot of people don’t believe and don’t understand. No way I could be saying these things [without God]. I left my tears on that stage. I picked myself up and said on to the next.”

On whether she was surprised to be eliminated: “It wasn’t a surprise. I had a feeling. But I was still a part of these people. It didn’t crush me at all. I was honored to be on the show with superstars.”

On whether she thought she had a shot at the Judges’ Save: “I felt it in my spirit that it was time to go. I thought I’m gonna go out with a bang. I had a wonderful, wonderful time.”

On her performance: “I gave it my best. I gave it my all. I picked the right song. It ministered to me. Rodney Jerkins and Jimmy Iovine made it a current R&B song. I felt like I gave it more of an edge…You have to grow. The show helped to make me grow.”

On the Top 12: “I predict all of them are going to go far in their careers.”

On her TV persona: “I can only be myself. I’m not going to be different for TV. In the end, being myself is going to win.”

On what she would’ve sung for next week’s “Songs From the Year You Were Born”: Ashthon said she probably would’ve gone with Whitney Houston or Janet Jackson or possibly another Diana Ross song. “I would’ve chosen the absolute hit…I don’t want to look at the past. Now is the time to move forward.”

On the future: “This is not the end. There’s no way I can end it here. I have to continue to move on. I can’t live off that for the rest of my life…It made me stronger than I thought I was…If I don’t get to do anything more, I’m so honored I got to perform in front of [the judges]. But I hope and pray it doesn’t end here.”

Photo Credit: Mark Davis/PictureGroup for FOX

Friday, March 11, 2011

Bucky Covington Coming to Portsmouth!

Got an e-mail today about Bucky Covington’s Hometown Tour…

And according to his website, the tour is making a stop in Portsmouth at the annual River Days Festival.

Bucky will perform September 2nd. The time has yet to be announced…

Photo Credit: Lyric Street Records

Next Week's Theme Is...

This just in from FOX...

Next week's theme will be the famous "Songs From the Year You Were Born."

Should be an interesting one...

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Top 13 Results Show: Did America Get It Right?

So, did America get it right? Absolutely, yes. You guys know I was an Ashthon fan but she totally sang the wrong song this week. She was trying to show a softer side, but she should’ve stuck with the attitude. I can’t help but also wonder if that attitude didn’t doom her a little and it wouldn’t have mattered what she sang.

Something else worth noting tonight is that Naima did not make the bottom three. Which means American was okay enough with her performance to keep her out of the bottom. With her daring choices, she could be a real wild card in this whole thing…

And one last note. I hope for the very best for Casey Abrams. If the stress thing is true, it could be a real problem for him. I’d hate for him to have to drop out…

So what do you guys think? Did America make the right choice? And what did you think of Adam Lambert’s and Diddy Dirty Money’s performances?

I’ll have more for you tomorrow…

Top 13 Results Show: And the Person Going Home Is...

8:54 We’re back…Ryan tells the three ladies good luck…Dim the lights…We’re running a little behind…Karen…is safe…That leaves Haley and Ashthon…It’s Ashthon. No big shock and she’s not surprised…NO way the judges use the save on her…NO way…

8:55 Ryan hands Ashthon the microphone. She’s doing the Diana Ross song again and Ryan tells her to give it everything she’s got. Not going to matter, Ryan, but it makes for good TV, I guess…Neither Lauren nor Haley look that sad…Randy taps JLo to talk and then he looks back at Steven…Jacob and Karen actually look happy as they sway back and forth…It’s definitely better than last night, but it’s over…Which is obvious by the fact that JLo is about to bawl…And Ashthon breaks down…Ryan is trying to hold her together…Ryan asks JLo what they’re going to do…She shakes her head and says, “Not this time, baby, I’m sorry”…JLo’s making faces to try to keep from breaking down…

8:58 Goodbye video as Ashthon hugs the contestants…She loses it as she watches the video…Ryan puts his arm around her as she watches…Bad use of the song…Naima runs over to hug her and practically tackles her…If JLo is going to get this emotional every time, I don’t know if I can handle that…The contestants give her a big group hug…

9:00 And we’re out…

Final thoughts in a few...

Top 13 Results Show: It's Diddy Time!

8:45 We’re back…Ryan is standing next to the judges to intro Diddy Dirty Money featuring Skylar Grey to do “Coming Home”…There was no strobe lighting warning, so that’s a good sign…Ryan says they lit up the stage last year. That would be an understatement of epic proportions…You know the tabloids will be all over Diddy singing right in front of his ex, JLo…Steven Tyler gives them a standing ovation and JLo gives him a warm ovation…

8:49 Ryan brings Diddy over to talk to the Top 13. Diddy tells them to keep working hard, never give up and keep pursuing their dreams…He plugs the Diddy Dirty Money tour…After the break…

Top 13 Results Show: The Bottom Three Is...

8:35 We’re back…Karen is the first person in the bottom three...Dim the lights…Lauren, Ashthon and Haley center stage…If he’s picking one from each group, it’s definitely Ashthon, even though Lauren did the “Idol” death song…Lauren said that after she saw the show, “It kind of sucked”…She says it was “kind of bad” and “she’s sorry”…She starts to cry and Ryan caves and tells her she’s safe…She gives Ryan a big hug…Ashthon and Haley now…Ashthon said she should’ve picked a song everyone knows. Her shoes perfectly match her top…Ryan asks Randy where Haley belongs. He says somewhere in the middle of country and R&B. Way to commit, Randy…JLo gets involved and talks a little too much…Ashthon is in the bottom three…Along with Haley tonight…Didn’t see that one coming…Everyone else is safe. That was a quick way to do it…So I was two for three predicting the bottom three…

8:40 Ashthon, Karen and Haley in the bottom three…I still say it’s Ashthon who goes home and I think she agrees. I also notice that she doesn’t seem very chummy with the other two girls…It’s interesting that Naima seems to have connected with America. Hmmm…After the break…

Top 13 Results Show: Let's All Do The Dougie!

More on Casey… “Joe’s Place Blog” is reporting that whenever he gets stressed he has stomach bleeding. I hope this doesn’t end up knocking him out of the competition…

8:26 We’re back…Ryan is up in the nosebleed seats to intro Adam Lambert…He’s doing an unplugged version of “Aftermath”…I don’t know about this version, although I like hearing his lower register so clearly like that…That, my dear James Durbin, is how you effectively scream in a song…

8:29 Ryan comes out to talk to him…Adam says the message is the most important part of the song so he wanted to do a stripped down version. There’s also a remix version that benefits the Trevor Project, which started the “It Gets Better” campaign…Ryan said he liked the remix and that he Dougied to it. When Adam says he doesn’t know how to Dougie, JLo shows him how…Then the contestants start doing it…Adam says he wants JLo to show him how to do it and she promises to show him later after the show. Anyone else rather see that than Diddy Dirty Money? I know I would…After the break…

Top 13 Results Show: The First Person in the Bottom Three Is...

8:13 We’re back…Ford music video…“The World”…They’re using pieces of paper to decorate an old building or something like that…Casey did not appear so he must have been sick during the filming…

8:15 Ryan intros Amanda Seyfried of “Little Red Riding Hood” in the audience…Video of Idols going to premiere…Nikki Reid gushes over Paul McDonald, but he didn’t know who she was…Ashthon looks almost sick watching the movie she’s so freaked out by it…

8:18 Dim the lights…Ryan is looking for bottom three…Karen, Jacob and Stefano come down to the stage…Jacob said he definitely messed up but he got back on track…Karen blames technical difficulties…All of them are safe…except for Karen. That was a good trick…Karen moves to one of the urinal stools…After the break…

Top 13 Results Show: The Return of the Beloved Group Number

8:00 Mega dramatic intro recapping last night. That was good…

8:01 Credits roll. Nigel just tweeted that the show will be live from now on. And then he said, “Scary”…

8:02 The judges are introduced. Steven Tyler is in full Aerosmith garb tonight with the full-length jacket lined in leopard print. Ryan is introduced and comes down the stairs…Ryan reminds us that Diddy Dirty Money and Adam Lambert will perform…30 million votes last night. That’s a pretty good start…

8:03 Ryan tells us the Judges’ Save is once again in play this season. Nice!...The Top 13 come through the screen doors…Only Thia looks really nervous…Casey is not there. Ryan says he’s in the hospital. Uh-oh! That’s twice now. Hope he’s okay…

8:05 Video of the Idols arriving at their Beverly Hills mansion. HOLY COW! No wonder they’re so excited…Scotty says it’s too much for a North Carolina boy…The pool table has a Ford logo on it…And of course there are Fords parked outside of it…

8:07 Yea! A group number. Yes, that was sarcastic…But at least they’re singing…It’s “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’”…Now “Rock With You”…As off as some of them are, I have a bad feeling they’ll be lip synching again next week…Now “Black or White”…Why the Michael Jackson medley?…Okay I think they’re lip synching some of this now. And I don’t think Scotty has sung a single note. Poor guy. Totally out of his range…”Man In the Mirror”…Okay that wasn’t completely painful. Just a little…After the break…

The Top 13 Elimination is Coming Up...

Coming up in less than 35 minutes, the first regular elimination show of the season begins.

We'll get performances from Adam Lambert and Diddy Dirty Money with Skylar Grey. I'm hoping Diddy tones down the strobe lights for this performance. My head hurts just thinking about when they were on the show the last time...

I'll be back to give you the minute-by-minute blow-by-blow, so Stay Tuned...

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Top 13 Performance Show: Final Thoughts

First, the live issue…

So while watching the show, I e-mailed one of the Idol PR people, to ask about why the show is still not live. She reminded me that the show has been taped at this stage before, “although it’s rare.” Then she referred me to a very interesting set of tweets from Executive Producer Nigel Lythgoe…

Apparently, there was some discussion that the show was on tape so Nigel could manipulate things, and this was his response:

“We are pre-taping for 2 weeks as we have a new Director & new judges. It has nothing to do with manipulation you morons.”

His morons comment got the tweeters a little fired up, to which he responded: “I love you all getting riled up. The Tweet was directed at the MORONS who said we are pre-taping to manipulate the show. Not the TRUE fans!”

Later, Nigel went along with the joke by tweeting, “Sorry I can't play anymore I have to go to work. There's manipulating to be done. Xox”

Sunday, Nigel tweeted this, which might also be telling as to why they haven’t gone live yet: “It's been a tough day trying to get the sound right. With a mix of live band, Jimmy Iovine's amazing producer's tracks and live vocals.”

In fact, during the show tonight, Nigel actually tweeted asking how the audio was on everyone’s TVs. I thought it was definitely better tonight, so if it takes some taped episodes to get it straight, I’m okay with that.

But I still can’t help but wonder if a fear of what Steven will say doesn’t have a little something to do with it…

Now to tonight’s performances. I thought overall they were good and America has a fairly difficult choice. So, who’s going home?

If there is a bottom three, I say it will be Ashthon, Karen and Naima. Ashthon and Karen gave weak performances and I don’t think the audience will respond to what Naima did with “Umbrella.” I think Paul gave a weaker performance than Ashthon, but I think he’s popular enough to hang on. As for who’s going home, it will come down to Ashthon and Naima, but my gut says Ashthon.

Before I ask you what you think, I wanted to give some credit to Jimmy’s team of producers. I thought the arrangements tonight were some of the best I’ve heard on the show…

Now, what do you guys think? Who did you like and who do you think is going home? Feel free to post a comment here, or on Facebook or give me a tweet.

We are rockin’ and rollin’ now, gang!

Naima Tries to Bring Something Extra

Naima Adedapo, “Umbrella”: 16
You have to give her points for the total performance, because her dance moves were good. But I’m not really sure about that reggae in the middle and she definitely should find the stamina before she tries to do that again. The song choice was good but she didn’t really bring it.

Final thoughts PLUS the official word on why the show wasn’t live in a minute…

Naima Tries to Bring Something Extra

Naima Adedapo, “Umbrella”: 16
You have to give her points for the total performance, because her dance moves were good. But I’m not really sure about that reggae in the middle and she definitely should find the stamina before she tries to do that again. The song choice was good but she didn’t really bring it.

Final thoughts PLUS the official word on why the show wasn’t live in a minute…

Scotty Sails His Vessel His Way

Scotty McCreery, “The River”: 18
The thing I love about Scotty is that he is who he is and he doesn’t try to change it. And kudos to the producers for not trying to change him either.

Stefano and Karen: A Tale of Two Performances

Okay, why was Thia crying? She wasn’t bad! Did the producers pressure her into that arrangement?

Stefano Langone, “Lately”: 18
I think he waited too long to hit the high notes, but that last part was good. And I loved the arrangement. That bass was seriously pounding!

Karen Rodriguez, “I Could Fall in Love”: 15
Whether it was something wrong with her voice, or she couldn’t hear herself in the monitors, there was definitely something up with Karen tonight because this was just off. She should’ve nailed it and she didn’t come anywhere close.

Thia Megia "Smile"s

Thia Megia, “Smile”: 16
I thought this was the best arrangement of that song we’ve ever heard on the show. It was closer to the Robert Downey Jr. version, which is my favorite. But Thia didn’t completely nail it. And what was up with her agreeing with the judges that the beginning was better. Note to Thia: Don’t diss the producers!

And yes, I did just bring up a Robert Downey Jr. song!

Jacob Lusk Soars, Just Not Quite as High

Jacob Lusk, “I Believe I Can Fly”: 16
If anyone can pull this one off it would be Jacob. The transition to what Randy called the “B verse” was definitely shaky and actually knocked him off pitch for the first time ever (Rodney Jerkins should have seriously fixed that one.), but those notes at the end were pretty incredible. Unfortunately, they also got a tad annoying…

James Durbin Actually Sings and Haley Reinhart Goes "Blue"

James Durbin, “Maybe I’m Amazed”: 18
It was great to hear James actually sing for a change. I thought it was a weird choice until I heard it. And it was a GREAT arrangement.

#Tylerism Alert: You have taken anything you’ve ever felt and kicked it into next week.

Haley Reinhart, “Blue”: 18
Again, I thought this was a weird choice until I heard it. It’s a tough song that she totally nailed. I can see why Randy would think it was boring because it’s a bit of a sleepy song, but I thought it really showcased her voice...

Oh lord. Is Jacob Lusk doing "I Believe I Can Fly"?

Could Pia Toscano Be the Dark Horse of Season 10?

Pia Toscano, “All By Myself”: 18
Seriously, where did this girl come from? I didn’t like the transition from the glory note to the rest of the song, but the rest of it was good. She could seriously be the dark horse here…

Paul McDonald Thinks Out of the Box A Little

Paul McDonald, “Come Pick Me Up”: 14
I totally applaud Paul for picking someone different, but this one just didn’t work for me. His lower register was pretty much non-existent in that opening verse…

And JLo doesn’t know Ryan Adams? What?!

Casey Abrams Channels Joe Cocker and Ashthon Jones Does Diana Ross

Casey Abrams, “With a Little Help From My Friends”: 16
The arrangement was great, but I’m just not that crazy about the song choice. I’ve got no problem with Joe Cocker, but I just don’t think of that one as a singer’s song. And notice that Casey didn’t take Jimmy’s advice about staring down the judges at the beginning…

Ashthon Jones, “When You Tell Me You Love Me”: 13
I like Ashthon, but this one just totally fell flat for me. She is all about attitude and that song didn’t show any. And that beginning was a tad on the rough side. Rodney Jerkins did her a real service by talking her into hitting those higher notes, but I think he would have done her a bigger service if he had steered her toward another song…

Lauren Alaina Chooses the Wrong Song

It all starts tonight, gang. The Top 13 take the stage…

THIS is “American Idol”!

Let me start tonight with a question. How many times do you think Ryan practices walking down those stairs without looking down?

The Top 13 are performing songs from their personal Idols after working all week with Jimmy Iovine and his crew…

And my first question is answered. The contestants are still choosing the songs…or at least Lauren chose hers…

Lauren Alaina, “Any Man of Mine”: 15
Clearly, Lauren doesn’t know her “Idol” history or she’d know that song is the kiss of death. Don Was gave her a good arrangement and it was the best performance of the song I’ve heard on the show, but it was the wrong choice. She should’ve gone with another Shania song…or another Idol. And kudos to the judges for calling a spade a spade…

And in case you’re wondering, no, the show is still not live. I’m not sure what we’re waiting for…

Get Ready For Your Top 13!

I'm live blogging the Top 13 in 13 minutes...

Join me then...

Another "Idol" First: A Compilation Album of Weekly Studio Recordings

Season 10, the remix, just continues rolling out the new stuff…

For the first time in the show’s history, the studio versions of the songs performed tonight by the Top 13 will go on sale exclusively on iTunes as a compilation album after the show, starting at 1 a.m. EST.

Fortunately, individual songs will also be available for sale.

The press release announcing the compilation gives us a small glimpse of what we’re going to hear tonight because it says the songs were recorded “under the guidance of Jimmy Iovine's team, including some of the hottest producers in the business, such as Rock Mafia, Rodney Jerkins, Don Was, Jim Jonsin, Ron Fair and ‘Tricky’ Stewart.”

Hmmm…

The compilation will sell for $7.99.

Photo Credit: PR Newswire

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

David Cook's "Don't You Forget About Me": What Do You Think?

David Cook's "Don't You Forget About Me," this season's farewell song, is now available on iTunes.

You can take a listen to it here.

I love David, but I'm not sure about this one. Maybe I was expecting him to make more changes?

What do you guys think?

Friday, March 4, 2011

What Will the Top 13 Sing?

According to a press release FOX sent out today, the Top 13 will be singing “songs by their favorite artists” Wednesday night. This could mean trouble for some of them once again, except we don’t yet know the impact in-house mentor Jimmy Iovine will have on song choice…

FOX also announced that during the hour-long results show Thursday night, we’ll get performances from Diddy-Dirty Money with Skylar Grey (Hope they turn down the strobe lights this time!) and Adam Lambert.

Plus, starting today, we’ll be able to follow the Top 13 on Twitter, Facebook and MySpace. But I feel quite certain those accounts will be monitored VERY closely…

“American Idol” airs Wednesday for two hours beginning at 8 p.m. and Thursday for an hour beginning at 8 p.m. on FOX…

Photo Credit: Michael Becker/FOX

"Rock of Ages" Signs Another Cast Member

“The Hollywood Reporter” is reporting today that Julianne Hough has signed on to star as the female lead, Sherrie, in the movie adaption of “Rock of Ages,” the Broadway musical that earned Constantine Maroulis a Tony nomination.

Tom Cruise has already signed on to play Stacee Jaxx, the rock star who comes to town and steals Sherrie’s heart. There is still no word on who will play Drew, the show’s lead played by Constantine on Broadway and on the current nationwide tour.

I’m sure there are a lot of actors director Adam Shankman (“Hairspray”) is considering, but I really think Constantine deserves a shot. If you’ve seen him on the stage—as I did in Cincinnati—you know it’s a role he was born to play. And I can see him working well opposite Hough.

I guess we’ll just have to stay tuned…

Photo Credit: Ondrea Barbe/Universal Music Group

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Top 24 Results Show: Final Thoughts...

First of all, let me explain my absence for the first half-hour…

I was at the dress rehearsal for “Portsmouth Idol.” I am again privileged to be a finalist in the competition. I take the Vern Riffe Center for the Arts stage tomorrow night at 7:30. It’s going to be a great show, so I hope some of you will be able to make it. Tickets are $12 and are available at the door…

I was so excited about “Idol” eliminating the boring semifinals…until tonight. Last season, the talent was so mediocre the semis were brutal. But I think this season would have been different. We said goodbye to some very talented people who made very bad decisions.

I think in the end, the judges each championed their own. Randy went with Ashthon, JLo went with Stefano and Steven picked Naima. I was shocked that it wasn’t Robbie, but he blew it with that weird arrangement. If he had gone with “Sorry” Tuesday night, I think he would have made it through on votes…

I would’ve been happy if all six of the Wild Card contestants had made it—although I thought they should have gone with Clint over Jovany—but this is a solid Top 13. I believe America did a great job. Now the real fun starts…

I’ll have MUCH more in my column Tuesday. Feel free to share your opinions by posting a comment here or by hitting me up on Facebook or Twitter