January 24, 2006

"American Idol" -- North Carolina.

Excellent, funny show tonight. This week's equivalent of the cowboy who sang only for turkeys was the girl who lived with her grandpa because her mother left her and her dad's in jail. Yes, tears were shed, chez Althouse. I also liked the girl with the braid and the girl whose grandma won Grammys. There will be time enough to learn some names later. For now, it's mostly a parade of horrors.

16 comments:

Gabe said...

The difference between the two, in my humble and tone-deaf opinion, is that the girl with the grandpa was amazing and the guy with the turkey had potential but probably wouldn't have been sent to Hollywood if he wasn't from a town of four with no chance to even get a vocal coach.

Not that I care or anything...

Ruth Anne Adams said...

Does Simon saying "I'm not being rude" absolve him? You can tell someone the truth and still be rude, right?

Lindybill said...

the girl whose grandma won Grammys.

That was Paris Bennett, who whipped out one of the greatest auditions ever. She is a 18 year old black girl that talks like Billy Holliday and sings like a 30 year old "pro." Picture: http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/idolonline2005/ParisPhototn.jpg
She is pretty young to be the winner, but the best I have heard so far. And she has the "package." Simon summed it up when he said, "where have you been?"

Ann Althouse said...

Bill: Actually, I do know the names... I should include them in the posts, because I'd get tons of Googlers.

Jen Bradford said...

It would have been such a shame if Paris hadn't done the second number. The Dixie Chix tune was fine, but made the hidden stash of talent such a fun surprise afterward.

Simon should say "I'm not trying to be mean" since he knows he's going to be rude.

Laura Reynolds said...

It was an excellent show and in particular the two young ladies you mentioned were highlights.
Billie Holliday from out of the blue, yeah that's a great start for her.

Lonesome Payne said...

The country singer 19-year-old was unbelievable. I wept again,

I thought they treated the stone-faced karoake kid, the second Rascal Flatts guy, way too harshly. He had a decent voice hidden in there, and he was just a kid who discovered something kind of of cool about himself, and they just stomped on it. Pissed me off.

jeff said...

I loved Simon's "You're the first Ryan I've met with any talent" comment about the guy doing Rascal Flatts...

And I immediately stated that Paris would be final 4. Kind of a weird speaking voice, but what pipes...

And I think that they should forbid any guy who's voice has refused to change yet from being on TV. The "young Wayne Newton" comment was rather snarky.

Troy said...

The Mrs. Incredible Hulk burn made me fall over laughing.

Also, when Paula Abdul laughs in your face -- you SUCK.

Lindybill said...

Paris and the rest of the top talent all had one other thing in common that doesn't get mentioned. They come in quiet and confident, minimum clothes, no gimmicks and just sing.

It is amazing that the kids who come in with tricky outfits and performences all say, "I have watched AI from the beginning." Why didn't they learn what works? Why do they do what all the other losers do? I guess they must know at some level that their voices suck and think these gimmicks will overcome the problem.

And how many have we heard say, "I am taking vocal lessons." Then you hear them and the judges say, "don't try to sing." Either they are fibbing about the lessons, or there are a lot of con artists out there calling themselves "vocal coaches."

brian said...

You know, there seems to be a lot of tears shed at Chez Althouse.

Ann, do you need a hug?

Unknown said...

American Idol has become nothing but car-crash tv and a monemyspinner for all record companies involved. I found this to be a wonderful articulation of how I feel about a show I have obsessivley viewed in the past.

http://www.popmatters.com/tv/reviews/a/american-idol-5-060125.shtml

"There are two pre-audition selection rounds before contestants are allowed to meet the judges. Clearly then, the show's army of "talent" spotters deliberately sent Derek, Crystal and the others crashing and burning onto national television, in the sure and certain knowledge that humiliation means ratings."

Bad Penny said...

The girl with the dad in jail and the AWOL mother is Kelly Pickler, if I recall correctly. Pick Pickler!

She can sing and has a nice personality and good presence. I actually cared about her, which is wierd cus I'm an Aspie and don't care easily.

But that Paris is amazing; what a voice!

Unknown said...

Yes, Kelly and Paris were excellent and will be finalists, if they can survive the hazing and intentional, excruciating suspense of it all. Paris is like a young Whitney. If those two don't crack and go home, they can survive their new careers, hopefully better than poor Whitney.

Adam said...

For the black female divas, the two themes which seem to hold the greatest pratfalls are the country night they eventually have, and the broadway show night.

I don't believe this is actually true. Tamyra Gray got knocked out for a poor rendition of Patti LaBelle's "New Attitude"; Trenyce on Neil Sedaka night; LaToya London on Disco night; and Nadia Turner on Music From The Year You Were Born, where she sang a messed-up Cyndi Lauper cover, IIRC.

Lindybill said...

The twins good news is that they got out of their legal trouble. The bad news is that they got dropped from the show.