AI8: Finale Moments

The Adam Show
It is common opinion that the show's producers and judges pimped Adam Lambert to no end throughout the entire season. Some would say it isn't unmerited, but some would also agree it went overboard. The finale results show was no exception.

• The coronation song "No Boundaries" was written for Adam's range, and even he suffered from the high pitch. Though I think they lowered the pitch for the results show because Kris didn't struggle much with the high notes then.
• Adam got to perform with Kiss, and Kris got to perform with Keith Urban. Isang malaking NGEK.
• The final two got to sing with Queen, which is right up Adam's alley, what with online opinion calling him the next Freddy Mercury.
  

Nitpicking much? :P

I read in an online forum that Adam was offered to fill in Freddie Mercury's spot in Queen. If it's true, then way to go Lambert! Take the gig!

Favorite Moments
Anyway, here are my favorite moments from the final results show:

• Norman Gentle/Nick Mitchell rocks AI once again!
• Kara DioGuardi's nice tummy trumps Bikini Girl's new boobs!
• Kris's winning moment. Kris fumbled with words and blurted out that he himself was expecting Adam to win. And I swear, I heard him say to Ryan, "Are you freakin' serious?!"
• Kris's moment with his wifey. Prior to that he was channeling shock and disbelief, but I guess the happiness only sunk in when he could share it with his wife.

One thing to like about Kris
I liked this commentary on Kris's victory: Kris Allen gives American Idol back its heart
(Note: this is not an anti-Adam article, as the excerpt may seem; read the whole thing)

Excerpt:

But while the public gaped in awe at Lambert’s virtuosity, one quiet young man, week after week kept delivering performances that were a quiet way solid at worst, and often intensely beautiful. We never saw his audition video. We never saw his Green Mile sing-off. Nothing cued us to expect anything of Kris Allen. Indeed, every week he seemed almost to expect to be eliminated. But he stayed and little by little, while others' virtuosity flowered, Kris Allen slowly came to embody the "American Idol" dream – the idea that a kid from the outskirts of nowhere could line up to sing a song, a few months later, if he stays true to who he is and where he came from – a world beyond his wildest dreams could be his.

That was never Adam’s story. One always had the slight sense that Adam understood that Idol was just a step in his career. That while others thought they had reached the pinnacle of the known universe, Adam understood there were in fact, higher peaks waiting ahead for him. An understandable sentiment from anyone with a bit of exposure to the entertainment business, but not one that brought tears to people’s eyes when they thought of his journey.

I first talked to Kris at the party after the Top 13 announcement. I found him standing alone while other contestants were being mobbed, and I asked him if he was prepared for his life to change completely. He seemed taken aback by the question, focused on how thrilled he was just to be there that week, and it seemed, with little expectation of anything more being handed to him – let alone his “life being changed.”

AI8: All this Kris vs Adam brouhaha

Just like last year, I stand corrected.

Last year, I said TCO David Archuleta would win over David Cook. Last week, I said TCO Adam Lambert would no doubt win this over Kris Allen.

On both instances, I was proven wrong.

I've gone through pages and pages of post-AI8 opinions and I have so much going on in my mind right now about this season. So to prevent myself from rambling on about it all, I'll confine my post to bullet points (actually it's just an excuse because I can't make a coherent blog post about this hehe).

• I am truly, genuinely happy that Kris Allen won this year. I'm happy for Adam Lambert, too, because he showed how much of a friend and sport he is - he seemed really happy for Kris, too (whether it was a just a front doesn't matter - he appeared every bit of a gentleman when results were announced).
  
  
• I think Kris is this season's Elliott Yamin - just some kid from nowhere, no prior experience, no prior exposure, whose humility is so heartwarming and admirable. Maybe that's why the voters could relate to him - he's just like us, they'd say. Did I hear it right, he actually asked Ryan Seacrest, "Are you freakin' serious?!" Ewan, parang narinig ko yun when I watched the replay last night. Love how he was SPEECHLESS about the whole thing, much like how David Archuleta was amazed with all the attention he was getting last season.
  
  
• It's quite sad that a good lot of online opinion tends toward Kris winning not because of his own merit but because of anti-Adam sentiments. Kris won because Adam was gay. Kris won because Danny Gokey's fans voted for him. Kris won because people thought he could use the title more than Adam needed it. Di ba pwedeng Kris won because a good part of the voters had the same taste in music as Kris and actually liked his performances over Adam's?
  
  
• Also, we can't condemn people because they prefer pop rock over glam rock, could we? Minsan kasi sa forum na binabasa ko, some people think their musical taste is so much superior than others, and get so riled up at Kris fans because Kris's music is laid back and simple and background music at best (according to them). Of course everyone's entitled to their own opinion, but hopefully not at the expense of demeaning others. I admit I've felt the same before, and voiced out my opinion, too. But now I realize: too each his own. So now I say down with the holier-than-thou attitude!
  
  
• MY opinion is this: I'm a big rock fan - I'm open to all kinds of rock (and most kinds of music, actually), though I prefer the noisier ones, the more angsty ones. But somehow, I choose Kris's pop over Adam's glam. And it's not the subgenre that affects my decision, but the singers' delivery. Kris keeps it cool, changes things up a bit, and I love the way he moves with his guitar (the facial expressions don't bother me much). Adam's always exciting, but for me it's mostly over-the-top. I like screaming in rock songs, a la Steven Tyler (Aerosmith), but Adam's high notes for me are just like Regine Velasquez's or Celine Dion's or Charice Pempengco's birit. And there's too much of it. If you string together his performances, it's just like one long song; I can't imagine myself sitting through a concert full of those high notes (though I admit an Adam Lambert show would be interesting to watch).
  
  
• On a personal level, I (and maybe Kris's voters) can relate more to Kris Allen's humility. What I mean is that I've never had Adam's FTW ambition. I'd rather stay low-key, and if people appreciate what I do, then good. I hate that in competitions, there has to be a loser. I guess I was never trained to be competitive, hehe. I also understand that others would prize Adam's ambition, and I recognize that that is actually Adam's best asset. He believes in himself, he knows what he wants, and he knows how to get it. I just hope that each of these singers' strengths would serve them well as they build up their careers hereafter.
  
  
• Speaking of their careers, predictions abound that Adam will outsell Kris, like Chris Daughtry did Taylor Hicks, or Jennifer Hudson compared to Fantasia. And maybe I'm saying this because I prefer Kris's performances than Adam's, but I hope people would stop wishing ill on Kris just to say I-told-you-so. Maybe for some, it's just an honest, no-malice prediction, but for other posts I've seen, the comment reeks with bitterness, hehe.
  

Well, so much for NOT rambling :D But anyway, I, like most bloggers, just wanted to say my piece.

Bottomline is, I just hope people would be happy for Kris and Adam. Heck, they themselves and their families seem happy for each other! I think the fans need to move on :P

AI8: What are the chances that Kris Allen will be the next American Idol?

Close to zero.

He'll only snag the title if:
- Adam really really really (to infinity) messes up his finale performances, so much so that even his own fans won't vote for him (asa pa diba)
- all of Adam's phone and text lines jam up such that no votes at all can come through, but then of course that would be an invalid win for Kris
- a good (big!) portion of Danny's fans will pledge their support for Kris instead of Adam (this is the most likely possibility among the three, though I doubt if it's gonna work)

I think the last time the Finale was as skewed as this was when Diana de Garmo went up against Fantasia. The difference is, I liked Fantasia over Diana back then.

Now I think I know how Taylor-haters felt when Taylor snagged the title in Season 5. The difference is that it's actually still debatable if Taylor's talent does trump Katherine McPhee's (my opinion is that it's irrelevant to compare them; they're from different genres). For this season, Adam's talent is way out of league, that anyone who goes up against him is at such a disadvantage.

So why will there still be a finale next week? All for entertainment purposes and making money. Adam had the title in the bag as soon as the judges started pimping him at the start of the season. And I've had all season to try to like him, but unfortunately, he's just not my cup of tea.

BUT...

if Kris Allen wins, I will be sooo totally happy, not because Adam lost, but because I actually like and appreciate Kris.

He first caught my attention when he did MJ's "Man in the Mirror". Prior to that he hardly had any exposure, and throughout the season he wasn't really considered one of the TCOs (the chosen ones), so he really is the darkhorse in this competition, which makes his inclusion in the finale such a sweet one :)

As for the homecomings shown tonight, Danny's was nice because he got to spend time with his best bud Jamar. Up until now, I CANNOT COMPREHEND why Jamar didn't make it to the semifinals :(

Kris's dad was sooo adorable, wearing his heart out on his sleeve.

Adam's kid fans were so cute. It was particularly funny when some guy asked who does Adam's hair :P

Lastly, Danny's swan song was wonderful. His performance tonight was even better than yesterday's, and maybe even better than Taylor Hicks's from Season 5.

If Danny puts out an album, I'm not sure I'm gonna buy it, because gospel is just not my genre. But if Ayala Malls brings him here, I'll do everything in my power to get meet and greets :D

AI8: And then there were three

Stuck here downstairs in front of the TV until AI and CSI are over :D

Nakakalungkot manood mag-isa, hehe. Namiss ko mga FB peeps who dislike Adam as much as I do :P

Danny's first song: Didn't know it, didn't like it. True, his dancing was horrible. Vocals, di ko rin masyado feel.

Kris's "Apologize": I'm not fond of the song, but I think Kris did a good job. But I'm not too overwhelmed by it.

Adam's "One": Haaay. "One" is a sacred song for me; the only version of it I like is the original (I hate the one they did with Mary J. Blige). Props to Adam for having the balls to toss around that song so much, but I didn't like it. Ok na sana yung simula, until he started using his high register, which I very much dislike.

Danny's "You Are So Beautiful": Liked it, but was not blown away like the judges were.

Kris's "Heartless": Di ko alam yung kanta, but I think it sounded good. And yes, he was brave indeed to go solo with his guitar.

Adam's "Crying": Andaming sigaw :( "Crying" is one of my most favorite songs from the 90's; I was hoping I'd like Adam because he sang that song. But, nah. Ambaduy pa nung last "crying" lyric niya, it didn't fit with the ending of the song.

This top 3 was quite underwhelming for me. Walang WOAH moments.

I have a feeling it's gonna be a Kris-Adam finale. But it's gonna be so lopsided, unlike last year where it was quite hard to pinpoint which David would be taking the title.

Aaah...gusto ko tumambay sa labas ng MOA grounds sa Sabado :D

Fave TV Show: "The Golden Girls" (1985-1992)

Was out of town for two weeks because of field biology, so I missed the news that Bea Arthur, who played Dorothy on the hit 80's series "The Golden Girls" recently passed away :(

So I did some YouTube-ing tonight and watched some Golden Girls clips. Sobrang tuwang-tuwa ako sa palabas na 'to. The chemistry of the women was excellent and their comedic timing is PERFECT. Kinda like how the cast of "Friends" from the 90's gelled so well.

They don't make shows like these anymore. Some of my fondest childhood memories are watching this and "Perfect Strangers" with my family, then recapping the episodes the next day in school with my friends :P

Opening Credits


Super funny "Condoms" skit. I don't remember watching this though. Besides, I wouldn't have understood why it was funny because I don't think I knew about condoms yet back then :D


More episodes HERE.

Pilot episode Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.

Rest in peace, Bea Arthur and Estelle Getty.

AI8: I hate the Top 4

Been away for two weeks, and the first thing I blog about is American Idol :P

Got to watch the Top 5 performances last week while we were having field biology in Bolinao. And I got to watch the Top 4 today, in the comfort of my own warm, cozy, bug-free home.

All I can say is that I hate it when Top 4 week comes around, because it's that part of the contest when I don't want any of them to go anymore.

This season really confuses me. The judges say conflicting things. The contestants keep picking songs that aren't good for them. The ones I like are mostly the ones other people don't, and vice versa. And I still can't get myself to appreciate Glambert.

And of course, still nothing tops my beloved Season 5. I'm never ever satisfied with any other AI season, and I always end up comparing contestants to Chris Daughtry, who was an awesome performer, or Elliott Yamin, who is the AI contestant with the most heart and soul. Until I see anyone who is in the same league as they are, I'll never ever be satisfied with AI.

This season's Top 4 especially made me miss Chris Daughtry so much. The first and last time I heard Renegade by Styx was when Chris sang it so awesomely in Season 5. But it was a treat for me to see Kris and Danny perform together. Hated Simon though for putting Kris on the spot and saying outright that Danny was better than him. How the hell do you react to a comment like that? I'd be quite embarrassed by it.

Speaking of Daughtry, I'm excited to see him back in AI tomorrow! I hope I'll be home for the 8pm show...or awake for the 11pm replay :D

As for tonight's performances...loved Adam's song choice, hated the performance. Loved Allison's song AND performance. Boo the judges for wanting yet another rendition of Piece of my Heart. That's like sooo gasgas you know?! Hehe. I actually liked Kris's Come Together, 'cause he changed it up a bit. And Danny took the Kiss of Death with Aerosmith's Dream On. Hello Danny, what made you think you could take on Steven Tyler's ball-crunching DREAM ON screams? I love you and all, but it was a totally bad song choice.

Oh, by the way, Slash on AI?! A bit laughable, but the fangirl in me was excited to watch him. Hehehe.

Happy birthday, Robert Danny Jr =D

Watching tonight's late replay of American Idol.

What the hell, they started with Danny Gokey because he's the oldest contestant?! Eh magka-age lang kami ah! Shucks, it's one of those darn-I'm-old-na moments >_<

Anyways, so yeah, happy birthday to Danny Gokey, who turns 29 on the 24th. And, yeah, happy birthday to my biggest celebrity crush, Robert Downey, Jr., who turned 44 last 4-4 (uy astig, hehe).

So yun, haven't been blogging about AI because I haven't had the time. I do get to watch the performance shows, but I rarely catch the results show anymore.

This is quite a confusing season for me. Most of the folks I like are the folks that get a lot of hate from the netizens, or the other way around.

Granted, Danny Gokey is probably overrated, but I love him anyway. I like the gruff in his voice, and the RDJ in his looks. So sue me.

I like Kris Allen, too. And I'm glad he doesn't have any haters (at least not as bad as those that hate Danny). Though I don't know the song he just sang tonight. Simon called the performance indulgent...how many times has he used that adjective this season?

So now it's Lil performing, but I'll just blog on anyway without waiting for their performances...

As much as Allison Iraheta is exactly the contestant I'd be rooting for - rocker chick type - I can't seem to appreciate her, and I have no idea why. Kulang ang dating niya para sa akin.
EDIT: Wow, hers was my favorite performance for the night. I may be biased toward the song choice, but the way she sang it was indeed awesome.

I like Megan Joy's tone, but it only suits certain songs. Too bad for her. I wasn't able to watch when she started talking back to the judges. Again, too bad for her. I did see though when she REALLY got fried by the judges after her last performance. Ouch.

Speaking about those who left, I also liked Michael Sarver and Alexis Grace.

I'm disappointed with Anoop Desai and Lil Rounds. They were really good during the auditions, but their performances always fall short.

As for Scott MacIntyre, it's nice that he gets to perform like this despite his handicap, but I think he has overstayed in the competition at this point.
EDIT: Kamusta naman yun, Scott singing, "Now I look into your eyes, I can see forever." Hehehe. Hey cool, he plays guitar. He seems better at the piano though.


Hmmm, who else. Matt Giraud. I dunno what to make of this guy. Doesn't appeal to me.

And there - Adam Lambert. This guy polarizes the show. You either love him or hate him. Sorry folks, but I am of the latter. Maybe he's just not my type *shrugs*
EDIT: His Mad World was a cover, a version that I never liked (though my sis used to play it all the time in the car). I smell another "Billie Jean" moment here (remember how they shot down David Cook last year?) Will someone tell me why I really can't seem to like Adam Lambert...? Puro rave kasi ang tao sa Peyups.com at sa AI YahooGroups na kasali ako, as well as on Rickey.org. Hmmm...And Simon gave him a standing ovation? That's HUGE isn't it? But...why? *kamot ulo* Funny comment on Rickey.org: "Simon stood up because he was ready to leave!" :))

- - - - -

Other birthday greetings for April 4:

Haberdey Justin & Jericca of the Bio Unit! Funny kwento about these two. When we were at a videoke place to celebrate their birthdays, as well as Lhen's birthday and Nino's departure (i-celebrate daw yun, hehe), the number for the 'Happy Happy Birthday' song was 4485, which is Justin and Jericca's birthday - April 4, 1985. La lang :)

Also, birthday shoutout to the one and only Heath Ledger. He would've been 30 this year...

AI8: Top 13 - Michael Jackson Night

I'm an AI fanatic. I'm a very very big MJ fan. And I've been in love with Robert Downey Jr. since the 90's. What more could I ask for?

Robert Danny Jr was H-O-T. Screw his haters. He's got talent and charisma. Definitely got looks. And finally his wife wasn't mentioned tonight. I hope that calms down his detractors. But it's still annoying how Paula gets all schoolgirl-giddy when Danny performs. Doubly outrageous when she virtually proclaimed him this year's Idol.

I love Michael Jackson. Weird outfits, troubled family life, and questionable behavior aside. He's one of those notorious artists that I choose to listen to even though nasty rumors and lawsuits constantly swarm his existence and sadly overshadow his artistry. His music is just SOOO brilliant, it's hard to ignore.

I love that a lot of songs tonight were taken from the Dangerous album. It's the album that introduced me to MJ back in 1993. I bought it for a school program; we were using "Heal the World" I was totally blown away by the album. My favorites were the ones picked by the finalists!

I liked Kris Allen's "Remember the Time". He strangely reminds me of a very youthful Christian Bale...can anyone explain that? I loved how he loved playing his guitar. And yeah, Simon was rude (as always) to mention the wife thing, but (as always) he was right - I was a bit disappointed to learn that Kris was married, hehe.

I liked Allison Iraheta's "Give In To Me". It was around '93 that I started to like rock, so I really dug this particular track from Dangerous. But I do wanna see a different side of Alyson.

I liked Scott MacIntyre's "Keep the Faith". Definitely one of the top songs in the album for me. But Scott's version lacked the "oomph" that MJ's had. Scott was right though - that's one totally inspiring song.

My faves for the night - Danny and Kris. Sorry, I'm driven by looks this season ('cause there isn't really that much talent to rave about, unlike with my uber favorite Season 5).

Folks I thought were ok but I guess that's just me - Michael (I like that he's an oil rigger who sounds like a boy-band-guy).

Folks I didn't like but I guess that's just me - Matt (not into his kind of thing), Adam (so do not like his glam rock persona...I mean, only Axl Rose and his crew would score points for that in my book).

Folks I hoped would step up but didn't - Anoop and Megan. Boo. Good luck with your next moves, because you kinda blew this one.

I wonder what the big announcement for tomorrow is...I'm guessing it's a change in the rules regarding who stays and who goes...Hmmm...

AI8: Top 36 1st Group

Just caught the 11pm replay. How come they didn't show the names and numbers during the recap at the end of the show? Isn't the recap supposed to help you remember who to vote? Or is it because it's a replay already, so it would be useless to show the numbers anyway? (Though they never edited the replays in previous seasons.)

Anyway, it was a night of bad song choices and nerves. The judges were mostly right. Paula annoys the hell out of me when she struggles with what to say, and ends up saying something stupid anyway. I don't like how Kara wants the girls to sing girly songs (hehe).

My bets, aside from Robert Downey Jr Jr: Anoop (definitely!), Alexis, Michael. Simon was right about Michael - wasn't a great performance, but he'll get votes 'cause he's a nice guy. I do hope Michael does go far because of his voice though.

I actually liked Danny's "Hero" better than his "Kiss From A Rose", which is saying a lot because in terms of the original songs, I like the latter waaay more than the former.

I don't like how Danny gets pimped so much. C'mon, the guy's got enough looks and talent to make it far on his own merit. He doesn't even need his personal sob story to be mentioned EVERY episode.

It was nice to see Jamar in the audience. Still can't get over how he was dropped after Hollywood round.

It was also nice to see Doogie Howser in the audience, hehe.

And yeah, Tatiana was way creepier this evening. She's playing us, I tell ya.

P.S. Folks are digging up dirt on Danny's church. Haven't had time to read it all, but it looks really ugly, if it were indeed true. Try topidol.wordpress.com.

AI8 (song featured in Hollywood round): Lee Ann Womack - I Hope You Dance

Danny Gokey (and a couple of others) sang this song during their Hollywood performances. Not too much a fan of the melody, but I definitely love the lyrics:

I HOPE YOU DANCE
Lee Ann Womack

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder
You get your fill to eat
But always keep that hunger
May you never take one single breath for granted
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed
I hope you still feel small
When you stand by the ocean
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens
Promise me you'll give faith a fighting chance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance
I hope you dance

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Living might mean taking chances
But they're worth taking
Lovin' might be a mistake
But it's worth making
Don't let some hell bent heart
Leave you bitter
When you come close to selling out
Reconsider
Give the heavens above
More than just a passing glance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance
(Time is a real and constant motion always)
I hope you dance
(Rolling us along)
I hope you dance
(Tell me who)
I hope you dance
(Wants to look back on their youth and wonder)
(Where those years have gone)

I hope you still feel small
When you stand by the ocean
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens
Promise me you'll give faith a fighting chance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
Dance
I hope you dance
I hope you dance
(Time is a real and constant motion always)
I hope you dance
(Rolling us along)
I hope you dance
(Tell me who)
(Wants to look back on their youth and wonder)
I hope you dance
(Where those years have gone)

(Tell me who)
I hope you dance
(Wants to look back on their youth and wonder)
(Where those years have gone)

AI8: Top 36 (Who are your faves?)

Danny Gokey FTW

AI8's Top 36, and my two cents worth on some of them:

1. Anoop Desai - one of my faves
2. Von Smith - annoying, over-the-top singer
3. Alex Wagner Trugman - geeks rule!
4. Adam Lambert - gay (which is not a bad thing, but I don't like him still)
5. Taylor Vaifanua
6. Jasmine Murray - sure Top 12
7. Arianna Afsar
8. Casey Carlson - pretty girl with the lovely smile
9. Megan Corkrey
10. Mishabonna Henson
11. Stevie Wright
12. (Joanna Pacitti Replaced by) Felicia Barton!
13. Kendall Beard - reminds me (very superficially) of Kelly Pickler, but in a good way
14. Kristen McNamara - waiting to see what she's got; find her slightly interesting
15. Alexis Grace
16. Scott MacIntyre - I fall for his sob story all the time
17. Lil Rounds - moms rule!
18. Jesse Langseth - nice vocals! But not too commercial ('cause it's not pop)
19. Allison Iraheta
20. Danny Gokey - FOR THE WIN!
21. Ricky Braddy
22. Matt Giraud - Simon says he's reminded of Elliott; I tend to agree at times
23. Ju’not Joyner
24. Jorge Nunez
25. Brent Keith
26. Stephen Fowler
27. Nick Mitchell/Norman Gentle - my guilty pleasure :P
28. Jackie Tohn
29. Tatiana Del Toro - A.N.N.O.Y.I.N.G.; but makes for good TV (face it)
30. Nathaniel Marshall - drama boy, but can sing
31. Jeanine Vailes
32. Kai Kalama - I find him cool
33. Anne Marie Boskovich - sexy-naive-looking girl
34. Kris Allen
35. Michael Sarver - roughnecks rule! I love that this big guy sings like he's from a boyband :P
36. Matt Breitzke - roughnecks rule!

Echoing a comment from Peyups.com: parang wala masyadong patapon this year

Also, it's touching to see that there are a lot of mommies and daddies in the group. Seeing their kids is always a joy. And knowing that they're doing this for their families is a nice thing. Pauso yan ni Chris Daughtry, who was very early on in AI5 touted as the 'rocker dad'. Hehehe.

AI8 early fave: Danny Gokey - RDJ on AI

What's not to like about a guy with a heart, a great voice, and a Robert Downey Jr vibe?! Too bad his wife passed away; she would be darn proud to see him do this for her.

Watch Danny Gokey's audition c/o Rickey.org

Danny's on MySpace, by the way. When I first found him there, he had around 800 friends. Now his friends list has 2,000+ people! This guy's a winner!

Welcome to another season of CSI NY!

Besides the fact that it stars Gary Sinise, whom I've loved since his Lt. Dan days, this CSI franchise rocks because it's so dark and creepy it's awesome! Watching tonight's Season 4 premiere (we're so delayed here in the Philippines!) gave me goosebumps - the CSI writers are getting more twisted than ever! Plus the witty lines add just the right amount of comedic relief right before the show scares you sh!tless again.

Lindsay's new hair suits her well. Danny and AJ look hotter, and Flack's smile during the opening credits is just wonderful. However, I kinda think Mac put on some weight from London? Hmmm. Also, the new mix of "Baba O' Riley" for the opening credits doesn't seem right...

Here's the "spray-on condom" scene from "Can You Hear Me Now (Season 4 Episode 1):

Read this review from csifiles.com.

It takes wild hope to make the stars worth reaching for

Wasn't too hot about Cook's performance (but it was still good); it was the lyrics that won me over. Found the songwriter on MySpace, check her out: Emily Shackleton


DREAM BIG

When I was a little girl
I swore that I would change the world
When I grew up
Nothing else would be enough
Back then it all seemed black and white
But these days I just can't seem to find
The child in me
Who always believed

I see it everyday - we settle for safe
and lose ourselves along the way

BUT IF YOU DON'T DREAM BIG
WHAT'S THE USE IN DREAMING
IF YOU DON'T HAVE FAITH
THERE'S NOTHING WORTH BELIEVING
IT TAKES WILD HOPE TO MAKE THE STARS WORTH REACHING FOR
SO REACH OUT FOR SOMETHING MORE

It took a well-perfected plan
For me to finally understand
That it's not me
Faith is something I can't see
I loosed the reigns then let them go
I broke the chains of fear that had
Their hold on me too long
When all I felt was wrong

I've wiped my tears away - now it's time for a change
No I can't waste another day

CUZ IF YOU DON'T DREAM BIG
WHAT'S THE USE IN DREAMING
IF YOU DON'T HAVE FAITH
THERE'S NOTHING WORTH BELIEVING
IT TAKES WILD HOPE TO MAKE THE STARS WORTH REACHING FOR
SO REACH OUT FOR SOMETHING MORE

SO CLOSE YOUR EYES
AND TELL ME WHAT YOU SEE
BETWEEN WHAT'S REAL
AND MAKE-BELIEVE
HERE'S THE PATH WE'VE ALL BEEN SEARCHING FOR
SO REACH OUT FOR SOMETHING MORE

Than you ever could imagine
Then move, don't wait for it to happen
Life's too short for not taking chances
The stars aren't as far as they seem

BUT IF YOU DON'T DREAM BIG
WHAT'S THE USE IN DREAMING
IF YOU DON'T HAVE FAITH
THERE'S NOTHING WORTH BELIEVING
IT TAKES WILD HOPE TO MAKE THE STARS WORTH REACHING FOR
SO REACH OUT FOR SOMETHING MORE

SO CLOSE YOUR EYES
AND TELL ME WHAT YOU SEE
BETWEEN WHAT'S REAL
AND MAKE-BELIEVE
HERE'S THE PATH WE'VE ALL BEEN SEARCHING FOR
SO REACH OUT FOR SOMETHING MORE

America is not ready for a rocker Idol

At least that's what I wrote on and deleted from my blog entry last night.

Yey for Cook, and yey for Archuleta.

And yey for Simon Cowell too! He backtracked on himself saying that Archu delivered a knockout last night; he said he was bordering on being disrespectful to Cook. At that point, according to Cowell, it doesn't matter who won because they both did great. True. True.

Actually, thank you, Mr. Cowell, for turning the votes in favor of Mr. Cook. Because of your all-three-rounds-to-Archuleta declaration, Cookeys voted rabidly, and gave David Cook the 12-million-vote advantage he need to win over Archuleta.

- - - - -

It was great seeing Michael Johns again. The only way I'm gonna get to see that man live is if Ayala Malls decides to bring more Idols to their stages, hehe. (Libre lang mangarap!) Jason Castro was also a treat. I know there are a lot of Castro-haters, but I'm partial to dreads and lovely eyes, and the guy's good with a guitar, so yeah, back off

As for my other early favorites...sadly, it wasn't as exciting to see Ramiele again. It was awkward but fun to see Amanda dancing (that voice of her is classic, get her a rock recording contract, will ya!). And Syesha's getting hotter by the minute; I do hope she lands a contract soon, too.

George Michael's such a diva - he had the stage all to himself and did not medley (ehehe) with the other idols. And his song was anticlimactic! And Paula was there again standing and sobbing.

Best bit for me was seeing one of the loves of my life, Robert Downey Jr.! He is sooo adorable! I'm super glad he's back in the biz; minus the drugs (but that's the past now, thank God!), he's one of the finest from his generation of actors. I wasn't expecting to see him, so yeah, that was a very welcome surprise.

- - - - -

So, what now for David and David? Give them both contracts and let them outsell each other so concert promoters here would have enough reason to bring them to Philippine shores

Way to go, David Cook!

Early Edition is coming back to cable :)

One of my TV crushes will once again be on TV :D

Kyle Chandler stars as Gary Hobson in the series Early Edition, which ran from 1996 to 2000. Just this evening, I saw ads of its reruns on either Star World or AXN (I can't remember), and I'm definitely catching those again

Actually, Chandler currently stars in the TV series Friday Night Lights, and he's also been in several movies like King Kong and The Kingdom; he was also in some Grey's Anatomy eps. But, since I'm such a big fan of his and of TV and movies, I haven't seen any of those, haha!

It was an Early Edition Holy Week marathon when I first saw Kyle Chandler years ago; he's been on my crush list since then. Never mind that Early Edition isn't the best TV show out there (its plots have 'convenience' and 'coincidence' written all over them); I'm there for Kyle Chander

Night of the Davids

Even though I failed to follow this season through, I still watched the AI7 Finale.

Maybe it's because I'm partial to rock, but I preferred Cook over Archuleta tonight. This whole season, I couldn't get myself to fully appreciate Cook because of my blind devotion to Chris Daughtry (what with everyone calling Cook the next Daughtry), but at the end, I'm rooting for this David. I could never get over Cook's smugness, but once he let out that awesome take on Chris Cornell's Billie Jean, he got me. The mere fact that he stood up to Cornell's vocal prowess was commendable. Cook's smugness yet again took centerstage when he declared he didn't want to repeat himself (after Simon wished Cook did another Hello or Billie Jean). I was on Cook's side on that one; props to him for always wanting to keep things fresh.

Archuleta's performances are always lovely, and he's really endearing with his childlike sincerity. But, as I said, I'm partial to rock, and I eventually got tired of Archu's style. For me, it was always same ol' same ol'. Cook has the balls to keep turning things around (his take on Collective Soul's "The World I Know" was wonderful, plus I've been in love with that song since high school), but Archuleta kind of sticks to his game - nice, but it gets boring.

As for the original songs, Archuleta's pick was definitely AI-Finale material, but I preferred the lyrics to Cook's choice. Given how much little David was pimped tonight, and how much stronger the cheers were for him in the audience, I figure he's taking this title tomorrow.

Which isn't really bad for Cook. As you can see, the biggest selling alumnus from Season 5 was only Top 4 :D And he's coming here in July, and I'm going to see him. Hehehe.

But really, Cook doesn't need the Idol title in his resume if he's gonna be a rockstar. And that's not me being bitter, I promise. Archuleta's game would benefit very much from an Idol title; the kind of songs the AI moguls would make him sing for his album wouldn't hurt him as much as it would Cook (unless Cook is also reeled in by the said AI moguls, a la Bo Bice). Besides, it's not like the title would be undeserved.

So, my point here, I guess, is to simply say I'm rooting for David the Elder. Oh, and I'm definitely looking forward to see Michael Johns (now THAT'S the rocker I would've wanted to win) and Jason Castro again tomorrow :)

P.S. I don't know if it's just the cynic in me, but were Cook's tears for real? As you can see, I have a love-hate relationship with the guy :D

Who the hell is Chris Cornell?! (Or: Why rock and American Idol aren't the best of friends)

I'm part of the American Idol by Request Yahoogroup, primarily to access the weekly performance mp3s. When I have time, I actually scan the messages - comments about the performances, the performers, and everything else there is.

This thread was a real funny one because it highlights why rock kinda doesn't belong in this super pop culture of American Idol. Here's an excerpt. Enjoy!

- - - - -

Original post: _Click here: Chris Cornell defends 'Idol' contender David Cook | American Idol, Music, Music Biz | Hollywood Insider | EW.com_ (http://hollywoodinsider.ew.com/2008/03/chris-cornell-s.html?xid=email-alert-ame\
ricanidol-20080328-item1)

A replies:
What is there to defend?

And how can Chris Cornell's fans be furious? Does he have any?

My question is: Who is Chris Cornell?

Shouldn't one be famous before considering someone doing a remake of his song. It is Michael Jackson's until the one who remakes it is famous.

"I will always love you" is Dolly Parton's song and Whitney made it more famous. So people redoing that song would be compared to Whitney and not Dolly.

B tells A:
What sort of world do you live in? Just because you don't know someone doesn't mean they aren't famous in some way. Do you know every one who has ever had a hit record? Oh wait, of course you don't. you never heard of Chris Cornell. Do some research...

A replies to B:
I just don't think that Cornell's fans (all 3 of them) should be furious. They should be grateful as now he has publicity.

C replies to A:
Chris Cornell had a lot of fans actually. Have you ever heard of Soundgardon? Temple of the Dog? Audioslave?

I don't agree that his fans should be "furious" but what you just said was ignorant.

D replies to C:
Is Soundgarden any relation to "Savage Garden"? As I have a Savage Garden CD.

I don't know much that is not country these days.

E replies to D:
I think you've made a zillion rock fans groan all at once :)

F replies to A:
I am behind in my emails, but I just had to laugh when I read this. I can't believe you wrote this. Just because you don't expand your music horizons past a certain genre doesn't mean that everyone else is the same. Chris Cornell's music has been in some movies. It was in Collateral and Miami Vice for example. Haven't you ever heard of Black Hole Sun?! If you haven't I want to know what rock you've been living under. :o)

- - - - -

Panalo! *rolls eyes*

AI7 Marathon

Ever noticed how shows get marathoned during the Holy Week? Well, I'm doing my own marathon online, and it's an AI7 marathon. Missed quite a number of shows lately, though I've updated myself through Rickey.org, sometimes even before the show gets to Philippine TV. It's a bad habit we have at the Bio Unit :P Since there are three fanatics in the unit (me, Ma'am Cheng, and Sir Tafaleng; Ma'am Espiritu sana but she's not in the unit anymore), it's not just me who's excited to grab hold of the spoilers :D So at around 9am, we are promptly tuned in to Rickey.

Sorry, this is gonna be a bit long, ehehe.

So anyway, these are my fave performances:

TOP 20: Jason Castro - I Just Want To Be Your Everything
I actually like the interview more than the performance though :D He's just so doggone cute.

TOP 20: David Hernandez - Papa Was A Rolling Stone
Ok, so the gymnastics revelation kinda started to make me think. Nevertheless, this was his strongest performance for me. Too bad he's not gonna be part of the tour. Though there's a rumor of Wildcard spots for the tour so I hope he gets his chance there.

TOP16: David Archuleta - Another Day in Paradise
The piano was a winner! :D

TOP16: Jason Castro - Hallelujah
Wow, awesome comments from Simon! Yup, Castro did a great job on this one. What's more, his performance of this song catapulted Jeff Buckley to the top of iTunes! It's always great when people discover great songs through whatever means (AI, Rockstar, revivals/covers/etc.)


TOP 11: David Cook - Daytripper
Did he say in the intro that he arranged that with the house band? Then way to go for David C. I think this was the performance that finally got me to listen to him. The vocoder/voicebox appeared contrived though (but I didn't mind it one bit on the mp3, which I listened to first).


TOP 11: Syesha Mercado - Yesterday
This got Syesha back in her game. The mp3 alone was OK, but it was so much better watching her emo performance onscreen. Ganda :)

Random comments:

The group performances are somewhat disasters. Yikes.

As for David Cook, I've said before that I don't believe his rocker persona. But I'm slowly becoming convinced. But I still can't seem to like him the way I liked Chris Daughtry. Was his version of Hello his own arrangement? If it was, then kudos to him. I didn't like it the first time I heard it, but the second chance worked (even though it started awkward).

Regarding Carly Smithson, I can't seem to get over my bias on her. Though there are a lot of pros/semipros in this bunch of contestants, I think her spot is the most wasted. She already had her chance with a major label record that didn't sell. But now that AI's pimping her, that record just might get its chance to finally chart. She does have talent, but I'm not inclined to appreciate it just yet.

Comments on Beatles night:

Two Beatles nights in a row? Too much. To quote a favorite Simon comment: It was indulgent. And most of the songs got killed, massacred, left to bleed and die. I wouldn't consider myselfe a die-hard Beatles fan, but I'm still territorial when it comes to their songs - I rarely like em covered (The I Am Sam OST was awesome for the most part, though!).

Kristy Lee Cook should be hanged for her version of one of my most favorite Beatles songs. Argh! "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" was just as awful *rolls eyes*

I wouldn't say the same for David A. He could screw it all up and I won't make him a noose. But yeah, he screwed up the Beatles big time :(

I'd say David C's "Eleanor Rigby" had a great rock out arrangement (though I've read he copied it from some band), but the vocals weren't as hot in some places. But he did get great comments from the judges, and they weren't really undeserved.

In my opinion, Carly Smithson killed the Beatles' "Come Together". I don't think the song was ever meant to be sang that diva-ish-ly. It's a rock song through-and-through.

Lastly, boo that Ramiele's mic was off during her duet part with Brooke.

Comments on my favorites:

Michael Johns - He is undeniably hot, but his performances keep kinda falling short. I love watching him, but listening to the mp3s alone make me wince a bit when his voice wavers, especially during the high notes. A solid presence like his should be backed by solid vocals. I'm hoping the next nights would really showcase his talent. I love his playlist (i.e., his taste in music), though. And he really gets pimped during groups songs, especially on the first Beatles week :D

Ramiele Malubay - She's so cute and charming, with hot vocals to boot. But she kinda needs to work the stage more, to interact more fluidly with the audience. I mean, she's great on cam during the interviews, but her performances need a little more oomph. I really do hope she makes it to the top spots.

Amanda Overmyer - I'm disappointed but not surprised that she got booted this early. True, she didn't show versatility, but I like her nonetheless. I'm just glad she got some exposure through AI, but her type isn't really the kind that lasts on the show. I hope she still makes a career out of music - rocker chicks rule!

Elliott was in AI tonight :)

I love you Elliott Yamin!

Elliott-0319
by greateggs