Cafe Karina - American Idol - Wildcard

Here's the real WildCard moment of the night...will I or won't I keep watching American Idol this season after this episode? It's all up in the air, because it really depends on what the judges decide to do.

In tonight's episode eight contestants have been given a second chance to battle it out for the three remaining spots in the top twelve. So, the real question is, will the judges put them through based on talent, or are they looking for this season's Sanjaya? Because, Tatiana still being there? It's a Sanjaya moment if you ask me.

Anyway, I've had more than my share of American Idol talk this week, so I'll keep this brief tonight...

The performances:

Jesse Langseth: Was good, wasn't great.
Matt Giraud: LOVED him. LOVED!
Megan Corkey: Loved her too, though I thought it was a little rough at times.
Von Smith: Yikes...song choice Von! Didn't love it. He has a great voice, but this was NOT a good song choice for him.
Jasmine Murray: I thought she sounded great, she has a great voice, but I didn't think this was the best song choice for her either.
Ricky Braddy: This boy can sing, he has a great voice, and he had fun up there. He doesn't really grab me personally, but he is great.
Tatiana Del Toro: UGH...just her little intro film made me want to turn off my television she annoys me so damn much. But then damn it, if this girl can't sing. She actually has a pretty great voice...damn it, she can sing. UGH....but then she opens her mouth to speak and I want to throw something at my television.
Anoop Desai: Why does this guy pick these songs? My Perrogative? Really? I have to be honest, I'm not getting all the hype for Anoop...I'm just not. Don't get me wrong, he has a good voice, but...eh.

And that's that...so who made it through?

Jasmine Murray is up first and told she is going through. (I'm good with that choice).
Ricky Braddy is up next, and he is not.
Then Ryan brings up Megan Corkey and Tatiana and when we are told that Megan is going through and Tatiana is NOT, I do a little dance for joy. I guess I'll keep watching the show then.

Now there is one spot left, and...and the show went over it's aloted time and my Tivo didn't record it. No, seriously, it stopped just short of the final announcement.

But, fret not dear readers, I looked it up. It's between Von Smith, Jesse Langseth, Matt Giraud and Anoop Desai. Me personally? I'd have picked Matt Giraud, but I was thinking the judges would go with Anoop...

Well, I was right and wrong, because it turns out that they decided to go with 13 this season, and both Matt and Anoop have made it through.

So there you go...the judges have made it so that I can continue to watch the show by eliminating Tatiana, and choosing some actually talented singers.

I'm looking forward to next week's performances, are you?

Cafe Karina - American Idol - And then there were 9

It's results night on American Idol. Tonight, three more contestants make the top Twelve, bringing the total to 9, and then we find out which of the contestants that didn't make the cut will be coming back to battle it out for the wildcard positions.

I'm not Ryan Seacrest, so I am not going to drag this post out for suspense...let's get to it:

First we have the obligatory grup performance, the group does "Hot and Cold" by Katy Perry and honestly, there couldn't be a more mismatched group of misfits as this group. I love it.

A video montage of the previous night's performance, a little bit of chit chat with the contestants, and then some results.

Right off the top, Lil Rounds is told she's through to the top 12. Absolutely in agreement with this choice America...good job. She reprises her performance from last night, a quick commercial and...

No time wasted, more results...Arianna is not through. Neither are Taylor or Alex. It is down to Kendall and Scott...and of course it is Scott making it through. Again, America has gotten it right in my opinion.

Another performance by Scott, another commercial and Nathaniel and Kristen are asked to stand up...and are both told they are not going through this time.

Felicia and Von are next up, and with two others still sitting waiting for their results, their fates seems to be spelled out for us...and it is, they are also not through yet.

So, then it is down to Ju'not and Jorge. I'm loving Ju'Not, so I'm rooting for him, even if I do think Jorge is adorable AND talented. Jorge is through and I'm a bit bummed, but holding out for the wildcard for Ju'not.

So, without further ado, it's time for the announcements as to who will be batling for the three wildcard positions...there will be eight contestants coming back to sing tomorrow night, and the judges will be choosing three to make it through. Who will they be?

And before we get started...PLEASE PLEASE not Tatiana!

The first pick is Von Smith (I'm okay with this one, I like this kid). Next up is Jasmine Murray (I like her too). Next is Ricky Braddy (okay). Megan Corkey (love her) is next. Four down, four to go.

I knew it, I knew it, I knew it. This show is so not about talent, it is so about ratings and drama and...ugh...yes, of course, Tatiana the drama queen has made it through. Of course she has...seriously? I'm so tempted to just shut off my television and stop watching right now, this ver moment...

Deep breath....Matt Giraud, one of my favorites this season, is through.

Jesse Langseth is the next one up.

And one final spot, and who gets it? Anoop Desai. I like this guy, I'm okay with this too.

BUT I AM PISSED that Tatiana makes it through with talent like Ju'Not, Taylor, Felicia and...well, let's be honest, pretty much anyone else on that couch, EVEN including Nick/Norman not making it through?

I'm seriously rethinking this whole Idol watching thing...

That's it, I'm done, I'm too annoyed to write anymore.

Cafe Karina - American Idol - Round 3

Here we are, week three of narrowing down 36 contestants to 12 on American Idol. 12 more performances tonight, so let's get to it...

Von Smith: He's a cute little thing, isn't he? Sort of reminds me a little of Joey McIntyre during the New Kids heyday back in the day. I thought he was great and I enjoyed the performance more than I expected to.

Taylor Vaifanua: We haven't really seen much of her before tonight, and that tends to work against these kids unless they knock the performance out of the park. I don't know that she did that, but it was a solid performance. She has a beautiful voice and she sang the song well, but it was just a little blah for me.

Alex Wagner-Trugman: He knows he's a little dorky, but I like this kid. He has a good voice as well, though the performance was a little strange...a little off. But, it was quirky, and this kid is quirky...I like him. He won't make it through, but I like him.

Arianna Afsar: Love this girl from the auditions, think she has a beautiful voice. Wow! This girl is by far the best female vocalist this season, possibly the best vocalist on the show completely. I loved it...and yet, Simon (and the rest of the judges)hated it...hmm...I think they were way too hard on her.

Ju'Not Joyner: Kind of love him. He's the kind of singer I could listen to over and over again. He's got a great voice and took that song and really delivered. Love him.

Kristen McNamara: Great voice, good song choice for her, I think she did great. And I swear, I saw Simon dancing in his chair at one point. But I'm not convinced about her yet.

Nathanial Marshall: I really really wish this kid would take those stupid headbands things off his head...REALLY wish he would. Besides that? I don't have much to say about this performance, um...Meatloaf? Really? UGH

Felicia Barton: Wait, what? She didn't make it? So, why is she there? and why is she singing Alicia Keys? Don't these girls know you don't touch Alicia's songs? That's the second one tonight. She did pretty well with it though, I've got to hand it to her.

Scott Macyntyre: He has a great voice and this was a great performance, if a little dull. I mean, he is absolutely talented, but I wasn't overwhelmed...it was good.

Kendall Beard: She was pitchy dawg. I didn't love her performance...at all.

Jorge Nunez: I'll be honest, watching this show late, on Tivo, and I'm exhausted, and by the time this kid got up on stage, I was starting to fall asleep. So, as I sat here, with my eyes closing, I was really enjoying listening to him. He sounded great. I loved his performance. and I love how adorable and sweet he is.

Lil' Rounds: I like this girl, she has a fantastic voice and was one of my favorite girls from the auditions. I thought she was fantastic tonight, she performed like a seasond pro, and sounded great. This girl is ready to be a star. LOVE HER, love the little "call this show if you just can't be without me baby"..love it.

And there you have it...tomorrow we find out not only which three from tonight make it through, but we also find out all abou the "Wildcards"...

Till then, cuz I'm off to bed.

Cafe Karina - American Idol - The next three finalists

It's week two of the live shows, and tonight is results night. As in last week's episode, last night America voted, and tonight three more finalists will take their seats on those coveted "stools". One guy, one girl, and one other "highest vote getter".

So, without further ado, who will they be?

Well, in true AI fashion, first we need some filler talk, some video montages and some guests and performances...

First the group of 12 perform Neyo's closer. I actually thought they did a really good job, and that's not easy when you have such a large group of completely different voices and styles. Not bad.

After some awkward back and forth banter with Simon, Matt Breitzke and Ryan Seacrest, it's time for the results.

Ryan calls down, first Allison Iraheta, Jesse Langseth and Matt Breitzke...one of them is through, the other two are not...and making it through is Allison Iraheta. Good job America, she was one of my favorites last night.

Next it's between Meghan Corkey and Kris Allen...is either one of them safe? We don't know yet.

Matt Giraud and Jeanine Vailes are next...is one of them safe? They join the other two, and out of these four 1 of them is safe...which bums me out, because I really like Matt and Meghan both...I just keep thinking "wildcard, there are wildcards for later".

We are then told that Jeanine is NOT making it through. Neither is Matt. Will it be Meghan or Kris?

And it's Kris. Which, I'm not entirely sure I agree with, but I do like him so...plus, again, with Meghan...wildcards...

So, now there is one spot left, and why is it that I think Nick/Norman is going to make it through?

Another video montage and then Brooke White, former contestant from last season is back to perform her first single "Hold Up My Heart". Eh...I was never a Brooke White fan...eh...

And then it's time for more results. Mishavona, Kai, Nick/Norman, Jasmine and Adam are all lined up and one by one shot down (basically). Mishavona, Kai and Jasmine are sent packing. Which of course leaves us with Nick/Norman and Adam Lambert. Of course...the guy with the actual talent, and this season's Sanjaya...so, who will it be?

Turns out Simon's prayers have been answerd and Nick/Norman has not made it through, and Adam Lambert has.

Overall, I think America did fairly well...though I'm still holding out hope that maybe Matt Giraud but definitely Meghan will get a wildcard spot.

Twelve more next week...but for now, I'm calling it a night.

Cafe Karina - American Idol - Round 2

Well, here we are, it's time for the second group of twelve contestants on American Idol to sing their little hearts out and fight it out for a spot on the Final Twelve this season.

Last week we heard from the first twelve, and America put through Alexis Grace, Michael Sarver and Danny Gokey.

Who will it be this week? We'll find that out tomorrow night, but first they must perform. Again, I'm keeping the recaps very basic until we get to the final 12, because...well, because 36 is just way too many to keep track of.

So here we go:

Jasmine Murray: I like her, and think she has a great voice. She's actually been one of my top pics among the girls from the beginning. That being said, I didn't love her performance tonight. Blame it on song choice, blame it on the arrangement of the song, I don't know. She was good, but just sort blah. Didn't love her.

Matt Giraud: Another of my favorites from the audition process. I think he's soulful and has a fantastic voice, and a little bit of star quality as well. And hey, this was the first time I've ever heard this song (Viva La Vida by Coldplay) that I actually understood the lyrics. I thought he had some really good moments with the song, and I liked the arrangement he chose. It didn't blow me away, but I enjoyed it.

Quick sidenote, which I'll probably repeat throughout the season as I write my recaps. I write these as I watch, and usually write my reviews of the performances before the judes chime in. So, it's always fun to see how much we disagree and at times, how we use the exact same words to describe the performances. Always fun. Anyway, back to the performances.

Jeanine Vailes: Didn't get much airtime during the auditions (I'm not even sure I remember seeing her at all), and tonight's performance? Was horrible. Song choices people, have they learned nothing? Not impressed at all. I actually fast forwarded to the end because I couldn't listen anymore. You know you're in trouble when Paula starts her review with "great legs". Right.

Nick Mitchell a/k/a Norman Gentle: ugh. What kills me about this guy is that he's annoying as all getout, and I don't find him even remotely funny as Norman Gentle. And yet, I think he's hillarious as himself, and he actually has a good voice. But let's be honest, this guy should so NOT still be on the show. Isn't it great then that we know America will most likely vote him through? There's actually a small part of me that wants this guy to win the whole thing because it would force the producers of this show to admit how ridiculous they have become in their search for ratings that they'll let the Norman Gentle's and Tatiana's get this far. But I digress. His performance? Although ridiculous, was the best one so far tonight. No, seriously, I'm not even kidding.

Allison Iraheta: Only 16 and probably the most powerful performance so far this season. It wasn't perfect, and maybe a bit "screechy" but finally one that had me going "okay, she deserves to be up there". Good job girl!

Kris Allen: Where have they been hiding this cutie? He's adorable, isn't he? Just makes you want to get up there and pinch his cheeks. Oh, AND he can sing too. Great performance, he might just have become one of my favorites.

Megan Corkey: She's a spunky little thing, very different and unique with a powerful and beautiful voice. She's got a great personality too that shows through as she's performing on that stage. Sounded great, looked great...I really dug her performance. Fantastic.

Matt Breitzke: The welder. You know...this is where I turn into Simon a little bit, because I think the guy has a good voice, but he doesn't really have that "star" quality about him, and it was really very "Karaoke" or, what's the other thing Simon always says "something you could find at any bar or pub across the country"? Yeah, something like that. Not memorable, I don't think he'll make it through.

Jesse Langseth: Another one we didn't see at all during the audition process. And I just don't think we'll be seeing her again after tonight either. She wasn't terrible, she just wasn't good enough. Not impressed. Another one I hit the fast forward button through a little bit past half-way through.

This is the point in the show where i actually said out loud "can we just finish this thing so I can go to sleep". bad sign...boring show tonight.

Kai Kalama : This guy is so "smooth"...but I can't decide if I find it sexy or cheesy. Is he Enrique Iglesias or Rico Suave? I'm just not sure. That being said, he has a great voice. However, song choice...I thought this song was a terrible choice for him. Eh...not impressed, not really.

Mishavonna Henson: I really like this girl. I thought she put on a brilliant performance. She might have the best voice among the girls so far. Very controlled, but not boring. I really enjoyed it. Bravo.

Adam Lambert: I love this guy, he's completely unique and different, and not the typical American idol contestant because he's a "theatre" guy. But can he deliver on the Idol stage? I'll tell you what, he made me smile. He's definitely a little bit more "out there" and his performance did have that "musical theatre" feel to it, but it was enjoyable and totally made me smile. And he sounded good too. It was WAY fun to watch. I love him.

And that's it, we're all done. I'd say this is tough, because once again we narrow down 12 to 3, but in all honesty, not all that hard because overall, the performances were bland and boring and not memorable. It'll be interesting to see what America does with their votes. And don't forget, there are 3 wildcard spots when all is said and done, so noone's "out" yet.

See you tomorrow night!

Cafe Karina - American Idol - The first three finalists

Yesterday I gave you a quick recap of the live performances of the first twelve contestants. I held nothing back, told you who my favorites were, and who it was that I thought were less than stellar.

But, tonight it's not about what I think, it's about what America thinks. And for the record, I don't vote for American Idol contestants. Pretty much EVER unless I feel really strongly about someone. I just sit back, watch, share my opinions with you all, and hope America doesn't screw up too badly.

So, that being said, who will make it through tonight? Three people will make it to the top 12 this week. The guy and the girl with the highest votes, and the third highest vote getter. But that does not mean all hope is lost for the remaining 9, because there are 3 Wild Card spots left to be filled at the end of these three weeks, so they just need to sit tight and wait...

Let's get to the results, shall we? Ryan does his usual bit of stalling and torturing the contestants, but I'll skip right to who stays and who goes, because otherwise I might be forced to start talking about how much Tatiana annoys me and how Ryan's jokes about Simon aren't funny and just fall flat...so yeah, results...

Not making it to the top 12 tonight are Casey Carlson, Stephen Fowler.

The first one making it through is Alexis Grace, the girl with the rockstar name.

Also not making it through: Ricky Braddy and Jackie Tohn, and Anoop Desai.

Michael Sarver, the "roughneck" has made it through. (and here I say a little "YAY" because I love him).

So, there is one more spot left...so, America, what did you do? Did you do it right and put Danny Gokey through, or is the Sanjaya curse in full swing and has Tatiana made it over him? UGH...let's just get to it before I get sick thinking about it...

But first a quick visit from Michael Johns and Carly from last season, singing "The Letter". Hmmm...Michael Johns...yummy.

Back to the results, not making it through as well Stevie Wright, Brent Keith and Anne Marie Boskovitch.

Which leaves us right where I thought it would...with Danny Gokey and Tatiana Del Toro. SERIOUSLY? UGH...please let's just get it over with.

And I breathe a high sigh of relief, not just because Danny Gokey has made it through, but because the odds of Tatiana getting one of those three wildcard spots? Well, I sure hope they are slim...

There you go...That's American Idol this week.

Cafe Karina - American Idol - The Live Shows Begin

I love American Idol. LOVE LOVE LOVE this show. I love the talent, love the music, love the emotions of the show. The real show, the actual singing portion of the show. Not the ridiculous audition process, with the insane contestants and the over the top costumes, but the talent, the singing.

So, this week I finally get excited, because starting tonight, the singing begins.

That being said, AI is not without it's faults, because it is a reality show looking to keep it's ratings high, and as much as I'm all about the talent, there are a lot of people out there who watch for the shennanigans instead. Those people are the ones who voted week after week to keep Sanjaya in, and for them, we have the Tatian'as and Norman whatshisface's of the world.

Still, even though I expect to be fully annoyed by the twists and turns of the show, I'm still really looking forward to the talent. And I'm looking forward to blogging about it all here, discussing it and arguing it all with you.

This season they're narrowing it down to our top 12 a little differently, breaking the remaining 36 constestants down to three groups of 12, and letting America vote. Each week the girl and guy with the highest votes will move on, along with the third highest vote getter (be they male or female), after 3 weeks, that leaves us with 9 finalists, and three "wildcard" spots to be filled, I assume, by the judges picks.

Tonight's group of 12 already contains some of my favorites, so I'm already expecting to be disappointed in the very first week by having some of them not make it through. That being said, I'll hold tight for those "wildcard" spots, hoping they'll save the ones who are unjustly voted off.

I won't begin my "recaps" in earnest until the top 12 because it'll just be too much to keep up with, with 36 contestants. But, here are my quickie thoughts on tonight's performances:

Jackie Tohn: What the hell was she wearing? Damn, the 80's are back. Her performance? Was good. Not great, not good enough in my opinion, but good. She's original, I'll give her that. She could be fun on the show, but...eh.

Ricky Braddy: Who is this guy? Poor guy, he got no face time during the weeks leading up to this show, so that's a mark against him, he's really got to deliver in his performance. And that he does. I don't know if it'll be enough to keep him in the game with the fans, but he was fantastic.

Alexis Grace: This girl has a rockstar's name already, and she has a great look too, but does she have enough to win the fans over? Unfortunately, her performance didn't win me over. She has a great voice, and I think she's adorable, but the song and the way she chose to sing it just didn't do it for me. And I wasn't loving the nightie she was wearing on stage either. She had a great finish, but I'm not sure it made up for the rest of the song. Of course, the judges loved her, so, here it begins, the dissent. I never do agree with the judges.

Brent Keith: As if he wasn't nervous enough, his tape breaks and he almost has to go on without the little "video" introduction. I like this guy, and he's certainly easy on the eyes. And his performance was good, but not particularly exciting or unique. I was waiting for Simon to say it was something you'd hear at any corner bar with the house band. He didn't, but he did say he was forgettable. Which, I sort of agree with...sorry Brent.

Stevie Wright: OOOH...ouch. Yikes. The girl broke under the pressure, this was a BAD performance. Just bad...and it's not that she's not talented, but...yikes.

Anoup Desai: I like this guy, and I think he's got a good voice, but this performance was weak and bland. I don't really have much more to say...

Casey Carlson: is adorable. But she was kind of weird on stage. I dont know what it was, but it was weird, with the winking and the the facial expressions and...and the song? Was a crap choice.

Michael Sarver: I LOVE this guy. LOVE HIM. I just think he's a genuine guy who you just want to know as a person. And I love his voice. That being said...I didn't love his performance. It was okay, but just that...okay.

Anne Marie Boskovitch: Hmm...yeah...I don't know. She's not bad but...eh.

Stephen Fowler: has a beautiful soulful voice. But I don't know if it was song choice or what it was, tonight was not his night. It just didn't work, he was "pitchy dawg".

Tatiana Del Toro: Ugh, do I have to? No, really, do I have to? I can't do it. With the dramatics and the melodrama and the crying and the ugh...I don't know why this girl is still on the show, and I know she'll be this year's Sanjaya and I'll have to put up wit her week after week and...oh, I so don't want to...and here's the worst part...her performance tonight? Was actually pretty damn good. Probably one of the best of all the girls in fact. No, seriously...do I have to?

Danny Gokey: Finally. Let me just put this out there, this guy? MY PICK from the minute he walked in the audition room. I love him, think he's amazing and talented and beautiful and want him to win it all. I'm saying it now, he's my favorite. This performance this week? Beautiful, flawless, LOVED IT.

If this guy doesn't get the highest votes of the night, there's no justice. That's all.

And that's where I'll end this post...next week 12 more perform and tomorrow we find out which three from tonight will make it through to the top 12.

I'll be back then...

They're No Good - Thursday Thirteen #44 - American Idol Recap

It's week 2 for the girls, and it's 70's week...yesterday I recapped the guys' performances, so in this week's Thursday Thirteen we'll do 10 performances by girls, and 3 other random thoughts on tonight's show.

As always, I'm writing the reviews as I watch, and before the judges themselves speak, which makes it so much fun when I write something, and then Simon says it (only ruder). Let's get to it:

1. Carly Smithson is up first with Heart's "Crazy on You". Well, at least tonight's show is off to a much more energetic start than we've had so far. It was a good performance, and she can sing for sure, but there was quite a bit of "screaming", more so than singing in parts. But overall, it was good, and I loved the energy.

2. Next up is Syesha Mercado, and she's singing "Me and Mr. Jones"(Me and Mrs. Jones I believe is the original version, by Billy Paul). I thought she was fantastic. I really enjoyed the performance and thought she did a wonderful job with it. I completely disagreed with Randy on this one, I liked the "soft parts" of the song.

3. Well, once again, it seems I'm on a different page from the judges already. We didn't exactly see eye to eye for a good part of last night either, but by the end, we'd kissed and made up. Let's see what happens tonight.

4. Brooke White takes the stage with her guitar next. Her rendition of Carly Simon's "You're So Vain" confused me a bit. I love this song, so I wasn't sure whether or not I was enjoying her rendition of it. But, overall, I think she did a great job with it, and her voice has a nice tone to it, I enjoyed it. And yes, Simon definitely thought this song was about him.

5. Up next is one of my favorite girls, Ramiele Malubay. Right off the bat, I think she's made a fantastic song choice with 70's Disco hit "Don't Leave Me this Way". But then she tripped up a little bit, and I wasn't so sue anymore. She still has a fantastic voice, and when she was good, she was really good, but the rest of the time, she seemed to be having a hard time catching up with herself while singing it. Disappointed with her tonight.

6. Next on stage we have Kristi Lee Cook. Her song choice is "You're No Good" by Linda Rondstadt. Here it is, my first EH of the night. She was just...eh. Not bad, she hit some good notes in there, but not great either. Just...eh.

7. Amanda Overmeyer, the resident rock chick, or so she keeps telling us, is next. "Carry On, Wayward Son", by Kansas. Well, when she first started I thought "hmmm, maybe I was wrong about her", but then...nope, I still don't get it. I thought she was incredibly (and here I borrow a word from Randy before he says it himself) pitchy, and I just don't see whatever it is that the judges see in her. This was ROUGH for me. And even her voice itself for me doesn't do it. Nope, didn't work for me tonight.

8. Singing a song from Grease, Alaina Whitaker tackles "Hoplessly Devoted to You" by Olivia Newton-John. Oh how I love this song, and therefore, I'm likely to be overly critical. But, I'll hand it to her, I thought she did pretty decent job with it. There was some pitchyness in the "larger" notes, but overall I thought she did a pretty good job with it.

9. Alexandrea Lushington is next singing Chicago's "If You Leave Me Now". First of all, I didn't get the outfit. She was dressed like she was going out hiking...what?? But the performance, right...it was alright. I'd say it was a step above eh, but with some dangerously pitchy moments. Not so good.

10. Next up is Kady Malloy, singing "Magic Man" by Heart. Wait, let me rephrase that because she wasn't singing. I'm not entirely sure what it was she was doing, but it wasn't singing. So, I like this girl, but oooh, Lord was this a terrible performance. And the dress? Were those giant jelly beans on the front? OOOH, no, didn't work at all...bad bad bad. OOOH. No!

11. And finally we have Asia'h Epperson. "All by Myself" is her song choice. This girl is one of those powerhouse singers with an amazing voice, but she wasn't completely on tonight. There were some faulty steps there, but overall, I thought she did pretty well with it. Not a great night for her, but she's still a powerhouse singer in my mind.

12. Not a great night for the girls tonight overall. My picks for he two going home? I'm going to go with Kady Malloy and possibly Kristy Lee Cook. Only because I don't think the public will vote Amanda Overmeyer out yet, and I like some of the other girls too much to put their names in here. But Alexandrea Lushington could be in trouble, as could some of my favorites (Asia'h and Ramiele), but we'll hope that's not the case.

13. So, overall, after both night's performances, my favorite to win it all? As of right now, it's still David Archuletta. LOVE LOVE LOVE him.

What did you think?

Oh, but not this way! - American Idol ReCap

Week Two - The Guys


Here we are again, this week it's 70's hits, let's jump right into it. Again, I was writing these reviews before the judges spoke.


1. Up first was Michael Johns, singing "Go Your Own Way" by Fleetwood Mac. Michael Johns, one of my favorite guys from the auditions because he can sing, and he's quite pleasant to look at, and oh yes, that Aussie accent doesn't hurt. Oh, but Michael Johns...you can go your own way...but not this way. I wasn't impressed, I thought his voice sounded a bit strained at times, and I'm sad and disappointed. Still, he'll coast through, he's a hottie, nobody wants to see him go home yet.


2. Jason Castro is next, singing "I just want to be your everything" by Andy Gibb. I have to tell you, this kid is fast becoming one of my favorites. He's got a great look, and is incredibly talented. Playing the guitar, something new on this show, and I thought he did a great job, an sounded wonderful. Love him.


Taking a quick sidestep here to say that so far, I'm batting zero with the judges...we are NOT seeing eye to eye, or should I say we are not hearing ear to ear? Hmm...will we keep disagreeing? Let's see...


3. Next guy up is Luke Menard, who I was not impressed with last week. Will his interpretation of Queen's "Killer Queen" be any better this week? Well...I...Uh...I'm not sure to be honest. I think yes, it was an improvement over last week. I think there were some good moments, and it was a tough song to sing, but...overall...eh. Still, definitely better than last week, but uh...eh.


4. Okay, next we have Robbie Carrico and he's doing "Hot Blooded" by Foreigner. I don't know maybe I'm expecting too much from these guys, but I can't seem to get excited about any of them. He was alright, but I almost want to use one of Simon's phrases and say it was sort of "karaoke"ish...it fell short to me. I think Randy actually nailed what I was thinking with what he said, it just didn' have that "something"...it fell short, that's all I can say.


5. And now it's time for Danny Noriega, Ugly Betty's nephew. Oh, that's not him? Okay sorry, he just totally reminds me of him, except that I think Betty's nephew is endearing...this kid...not so much. The thing is, he's singing "Superstar" by The Carpenters, and this kid has a good voice. I think he did a reasonably good job, and you know...he could possibly be growing on me...kind of...sort of...ish.


6. David Hernandez is next and he's going to tackle "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" by the Temptations. Great song choice, I love this song, and I thought he did a pretty great job with it, and except for one little note a the very end, what a finale to the song. Wow, I didn't know he had it in him. Fully redeemed himself from last week's performance. And I agree with Simon, so far tonight, best performance.


7. Next on stage is Jason Yeager singing the Doobie Brothers' "Long Train Running (Without Love)". Eh. It wasn't bad. It wasn't good. Eh. The song did nothing for him, and he did nothing for the song. Just...eh.


8. And now it's the guy with the name...Chikezie. The song was "I Believe to My Soul" by Donny Hathaway and I thought he did a great job with it. Once again I did not get the outfit...the shirt, the red shoes, the wrist stuff (what was that?)...didn't get it, but this isn't fashion idol, so I'll let that go and focus on the singing...I loved it, great job Chikezie.


9. David Cook is next. Another one with a guitar tonight. His song choice "Alright Now" by. I wasn't sure at first, but by the middle, and certainly by the end of the song, he had pulled me in. It was good...very good.


Small break...boy, the guys are all about talking back to Simon this year huh?


10. Lastly we have David Archuletta, the young kid with the big voice. Singing John Lennon's "Imagine" and looking a little more grown up, and three lines into the song and I'm saying "wow". Yep, this kid is hands down my favorite guy, possibly my favorite contestant this season. Love, Love, LOVE him. And he's humble to top it off. Did I mention I LOVE him.


So, going home this week? Tough call, there were a whole lot of eh performances and not a whole lot of great ones. I'm going to say Luke Menard (because once again, I forgot all about him) and Jason Yeager. Although, to be honest, I think all of the guys, with the exception of David Archuletta should be shaking in their boots.


That's it, that's my take, let's talk about the girls tomorrow night. What did you think?

Follow-Up Friday - American Idol, Giveaways, and more

A lot to talk bout today, so let's get right into it.

First of all, a while back I held an impromptu contest. I had a Friday where I had nothing to say, so I asked my readers to fill in for me. I then asked you to vote for your favorite. And the winner is: uh, well...see, the thing is that technically, there was no winner. I pretty much had one vote for each of the entrants, so in all fairness, I can't pick a winner, so guess what, you're all winners. And the best part? Well, the best part is that I had decided (before I knew who the winner would be) that the prize would be a bit of Blog Lovin' from me. I was going to write a special post, all about your blog, and tell folks why I visit, and why they should. And then, if you were not already on my blog roll, I was going to add you. Turns out most of the contestants are already on my blog roll, but not all, so for those of you who are not, before this weekend is over, you will be. But for all of you who entered without even knowing you entered (that is Frigga, Lil' Mouse, Pamela, Ana, Joy T, Lisa), stay tuned, because in the next few weeks you will all get a post from me, here at Candid Karina, all about why I love ya!

Moving on to yet another contest. On Valentine's Day I held another little contest. This time I asked some trivia questions, as well as some fun little questions. I got some fun answers, and you really must click the link to read them all. But I picked a winner based on...well, basically, I took the five commenters (wow, slow comment day that was) who took the time to answer the questions, threw numbers 1-5 into a had (okay, actually I used a bowl), and picked a number. And the winner is: The Mama Bear. Congrats lady, email me with your address and I'll send off the little Love themed mini-books.

Moving on...on Saturday I posted three pictures for Saturday's Photo Hunter theme of "Free". Qualcosa di Bello wanted to know if that was me in the last picture I posted. Yep, that's me. Enjoying the serenity of Lake Winnipesauke.

Fun Monday this week was all about funny things we see on our travels daily. Unfortunately I didn't learn what the assignment was until it was too late to go out and take photos...so I'm glad you all enjoyed my tale about the Buffalo. I have paid attention on the way to work this week, however and I must tell you...you missed nothing...I see NOTHING funny on the way to work. Just bad traffic, rude drivers, and the occasional crater...uh, I mean pothole. Nothing to see here folks.

On Tuesday I reviewed a few movies, including two more dance movies. If you missed it, check it out.

The last two days I've been recapping American Idol. The boys, and the girls. Last night was the results show, and we said goodbye to Garret Haley (he was not one of my bottom 2 picks, but he was one of my bottom 5, not too surprised or disappointed to see him go); Amy Davis (one of my picks to go home this week, no surprise here); Joanne Borgella (my other pick for the girls to go home this week, so again, no surprise) and Colton Berry (my first surprise of the night, not that I was shocked, he wasn't great, but he was not even in my bottom 5, still, not one of my favorites by any means either). Now, you all know I love Simon, he cracks me up, and I think he's right "most" of the time, but what in the world crawled up his ass last night? He was exceptionally mean to the poor kids going home. Lighten up Simon, it's only tv. Sheesh.

But, more importantly, can we talk about Paula Abdul's music video? I mean, come on, we grew up singing along with and dancing to Cold Hearted Snake and Straight Up, how could we NOT love this new song? It's PAULA Abdul! I love it, it's fun, and you know what, the song is catchy. Good for you Paula!

Finally, I should clear something up, only because I don't want you all to think I'm sunning myself on the beach somewhere in Spain, when in fact I'm wiping snow off my ass, from where I landed this morning when I took a pretty nasty spill right outside my condo complex, in the middle of this LOVELY (said with heightened sarcasm) snow storm we're getting hit with today. See, I want sympathy from you folks, not jealousy! haha...But Jannis left a comment on my TT post about how I was at the beach with her, and I am...mentally. See, if you click on that link it'll take you to Jannis' most recent post, where she said she was taking a mental vacation at the beach, and I asked to join her. So, I'm there...in spirit anyway. Mentally right now we're having a couple of glasses of wine and checking out the cute spanish guys in speedos. Physically? My ass hurts and my shirt is still wet from the snow. (Sympathy, folks, I want your sympathy!)

And there you have it, hope you all have a great weekend, come back tomorrow to see what I've got in store for the Photo Hunter theme of "wooden".

Thursday Thirteen #43 - American Idol Recap - Week 1 - The girls

Before I get into this week's TT, a little business to attend to. In last week's Thursday Thirteen I hosted a little contest, I will announce the winner tomorrow.

Now, onto this week's TT. Yesterday I did an American Idol recap of the Top 12 boys' performances, so it's only right that today I do a recap of the girls' performances...so I give you 12 performances and a bonus thought. For more about the contestants click here. As with yesterday, I was writing these recaps as I watched the performances, and before the judges commented. THIS is American Idol...Recapped:

1. First up we had Kristy Lee Cook, the girl who sold her horse to pay for her trip to the auditions. I liked this girl at the very first audition, and was looking forward to seeing what she could do. I liked it. She had some strange facial expressions going on, and it wasn't the greatest performance, but I like her voice and I thought she did fairly well. And, right off the bat, at least I wasn't bored. Which I as through most of the guys' performances last night.

2. Next up, Joanne Borgella, the plus size model. The talk of the evening is about how many of the girls are feeling quite sick this evening, and as this girl starts singing, sounding almost out of breath, I can't help but wonder if it's due to illness. She was stiff, not moving very much, and looked obviously nervous. But as the end of the song approached, she got a bit better and I think she ended on a high note. Still, there wasn't a whole lot of energy in it, and I think it fell a bit short.

3. The youngest contestant, Alaina Whitaker was up next. And wait, didn't one of the guys sing ths song yesterday? How is it then that I was bored silly then, but loved it this time around? Girl Power, that's why. She was fantastic, easily my favorite so far. Great job!

4. And then we had the rock chick, Amanda Overmyer. Now, I think this girl is a bit more overrated than she is talented, from what I've seen so far. So, I was interested to see what she'd do. See, I'm not feeling it. Her voice sounds exactly the same with every song she sings, and I don't even like it all that much. Just because you have a rock chick look, and a bit of an edge, does not a good singer make you. There wasn't a whole lot of singing here, some screaming, some swagger, but no, I don't get it. I don't love her. She's not the worst by any means, but I don't get it.

5. Amy Davis was next. I've liked this girl from the beginning, and think she has an amazing voice. Therefore, I was pretty disappointed with her performance. I'll borrow a word from Randy and say that she was "pitchy dawg"...and again, song choice...ugh.

6. Onto the good-girl nanny, Brooke White. She looked pretty damn nervous to me, and I could have done without the "pa pa pa pa pa pa" at the end of the song, but she has a great voice and I thought she did a good job, and it was fun to listen to. And I have to add that I love the fact that her "niceness" totally makes Simon uncomfortable.

7. Well, we've reached the half way point, and I'm not nearly as bored as I was last night by this point. Let's see what Alexandrea Lushington has to offer. I'm not really sure what was going on with this performance...I felt it was a bit scattered, and there were definite moments when her voice was (oh boy, there's that word again) pitchy. There were also some really good moments with her voice, and she was having fun with it. But, I have to agree with Simon, it wasn't great.

8. Next was Kady Malloy. Simon wanted a wow performance, and for me, this was it...at first. I wanted to be blown away by it, but felt like she never took off. She sounded great, and I wanted to see her stand up and really get into it, but she never quite did it.

9. Asia'h Epperson, the girl who's father died two days before the audition (TWO DAYS??) was up next. I love this girl. There's the wow moment, the great vocals, the life, the energy, overall my favorite performance of the night so far. (And I swear I was typing it and Simon was saying it). Seriously, no wonder I like the guy!

10. And next was Ramiele Malubay the little girl with the big voice. And a big voice she has indeed. Looks like they saved the best for the end of the show. Another great performance, another wow moment. She's made it to my top two for the evening so far.

11. Next up Syesha Mercado, another big voice from the auditions. Well, it's official, they definitely saved the powerhouse singers for the end of the show. Another great performance, fun, powerful, enjoyable. Great talent.

12. And last up is the controversial Carly Smithson. Controversial because she's had a 2 million dollar (unsuccessful) record deal before. But can she sing? She was another one of the power voices from the auditions. I don't know...I'm not sure if it was the song, or if she was a bit lost within it, but I wasn't feeling most of it. She has a powerful voice, and hit some great notes, but it just didn't feel 100% to me. Again, I was with Simon, I didn't get it.

13. So, there you have it, my recap. My bottom two for the night? This is much tougher than it was last night with the boys. I saw clear "unfavorites" if you will last night. Tonight, not as easy. I'd say there are quite a few girls in danger, but if I had to pick two for the bottom I'd go with Joanne Borgella and Amy Davis. But Kristi Lee Cook and Kady Malloy should probably be worried as well.

What did you think?

American Idol Recap - Week 1 - The Boys

So, yes, I've decided to do American Idol recaps here at Candid Karina, because I watch the show, and really enjoy when it gets down to the actual singing, so hey, why not?

Without further ado, said with all the verve of Ryan Seacrest...THIS...Is American Idol...recapped.

This week it all started with the top 12 boys.

For the record, I wrote my reviews of the performances AS I watched them, and before the judges commented. I have to say this because it was uncanny how many times I would write something and then Simon would say the exact same thing. No wonder I like the guy, jerk or not, he's usually right.

Let's get to it. Click here to learn more about the contestants.

First up was David Hernandez, singing "Midnight Hour". Interesting song choice, a bit gospelly for your first AI performance ever, but he nailed the vocals. Still, didn't blow me away. But he's likeable enough, cute, and has a good look about him. I think it could go either way with him. Is it foreboding that there's no photo of his performance over at the AI website?

Next we had Chickezie Ize, what a name! But what was up with the bright red suit, Santa? The song choice? WHY? Not only was it a boring ass song, but he was shaky on the vocals. He held that last note pretty well, but, one note does not a song make. And haven't these contestants learned yet that talking back to Simon NEVER works in their favore? Sorry Chickezie, I don't see you sticking around very long.

Moving on to David Cook. I like this guy. He had a bit of a "Doors" feeling to his interpretation of "So Happy Together", I liked it. It was the first time of the night that I really enjoyed a performance, he made it fun and made it his own. Nice job David Cook, I want to hear more and see what he's capable of.

And now, Jason Yeager. Dd we even see this guy during any of the audition footage? No? Well, then, show us what you've got Jason. Good grief, who picked these songs? I'll say this, with the song choice he had, he delivered. It sounded great, he's got a good voice, but I was bored. Simon said "Cruiseship", I have to agree.

Next on the stage was Robbie Carrico, this season's Bo Bice/Chris Daughtry with hair. Decent song choice, it worked for him, and I like this guy. It was my favorite so far.

But now we go to David Archuleta, who has been one of my favorite guys from the very first audition. I love this little guy, and was hoping he wouldn't disappoint. Yep, still love him. It wasn't my favorite performance by him, but he's got charm and talent, and I loved it. He's still one of my favorites. How cute is he??

I have to take a break here to say this...I'm having a REALLY hard time with the song choices here...60's week is killing me...there had to be better music than this in the 60's, right? Okay, back to the boys.

Danny Noriega is up next. I think this kid has a great voice, but he annoys the crap out of me. I'm going to ignore the fact that he annoys me, and just pay attention to the performance. AND he did alright. I have to give this kid credit, he can sing, and he's got an ease on stage that none of the other performers had yet brought to the stage. Now if only they could keep his personality (read - ego) in check. I have to disagree with Simon that his performance was "grotesque", it wasn't bad, it just wasn't fabulous. And yes, he still annoys me.

And then we have Luke Menard. Who he heck is Luke Menard? Another we didn't see at all during the auditions. OH man, this music is killing me...I hated this song, was bored silly, but I think he did alright with it, I guess...sort of...I won't remember him tomorow. (I swear I wrote this before Simon said it, and before Luke argued that people WOULD remember him).

Will I remember Colton Berry? Well, he's definitely not a forgetable personality and finally, a song I can stand behind. And wouldn't you know it, this 18 year old took "Suspicious Minds" made it his own, and delivered. I enjoyed it. So, there you go, I completely disagreed with Simon on this one.

On to Garrett Haley, another fresh face for us and one with a sense of humor, cute kid, but can he sing? ZZZZZZZZZ...oh, sorry, I dozed off there...song choices people, haven't we learned anything yet? Eh...boring, forgettable...just eh...

Jason Castro is another fresh face I don't remember really from the auditions. Dread-locked, blue eyes, and playing the guitar. And I like him. He's got a unique something in his voice that I think could mean great things given a chance. He's charming and talented, and I love the humbleness. I want to hear more from him.

And finally, the Aussie, Michael Johns. My other favorite from the first audition, not only can he sing, but he's a hottie with an Australian accent. Don't disappoint me Michael! And he chose a song by the Doors. See, I told you there was good music in the 60's. And yes, he delivered, with passion, and fun, and this guy is already a star in my eyes...I love him. And how hot is he ladies?

So, predictions? Bottom 2 guys for me? Tough call because I was disappointed with several of them, but I'm going to go with David Hernandez (because by the end of the night, I'd forgotten all about him) and Luke Menard. Although I'd be worried if I was Chickezie, Jason Yeager and Garrett Haley.

What did you think? Tonight, the ladies perform.

Thursday Thirteen #38

Okay, fine, I admit it. I'm one of them. One of who you ask? I'm one of the millions who watch American Idol every season. And yes, I watch from the God Awful audition process all the way to the finale. I love music, I love discovering new voices to add to my music collection, so I enjoy Idol. So, this week I was excited about the return of the show, and have been glued to my television set the past two evenings, watching the audition shows. And this brings me to my Thursday Thirteen today...Thirteen Observations about American Idol:

1. Enough. Seriously...enough. Enough with the William Hung's of the world. ENOUGH! Does anyone really still find the audition process with the obviously staged bad singers making complete and utter fools of themselves fun or funny?? Really? Because the brain cells I've lost the last two evenings as I fast forward through all the bad auditions? I can't get those back. OH, enough already!

2. If only they would focus on the actual "singers" who try out, and let us hear some more of the talent that exists out there, we as viewers could get so much more out of this show. There are some AMAZING singers out there, incredible, and every once in a while they showcase one of them and blow me away. MORE of that, please.

3. Simon Cowell? I Love the guy. I love him. I know he can be a real jerk, and I know that if I knew him in real life...well, no, actually, I think we could be great friends in real life. He's funny, he's sarcastic, he's a jerk, but he's right. He's right 99.9% of the time. Think about it, how much fun would it be to be friends with this guy and be out places with him, picking on the people around you? Admit it, FUN.

4. Paula Abdul? I know it's early in the season yet, but...is she more normal this time around or is it just me? I'm just sayin'.

5. Randy? I don't think I've heard him say "dogg" once yet...could it be? Has he retired that annoying need to be "young and cool?" Still with the "pitchy" though, but I guess you can't teach an old "dogg" all new tricks, right?

6. Do you think they'll change the voting method this year? After the whole SanjayaGate, I can't help but wonder if perhaps they'll change it so that the judges have some weight toward the vote (a la "dancing with the stars"), or if they can select the bottom three or the audience to vote from (a la "so you think you can dance"), or will the voting stay the same? And if so, then who will be the next Sanjaya, Scott Savol or whoever else "Votefortheworst.com" has targeted in the past? Will the judges be more careful to not allow someone like them through?

7. Back to the bad auditions for a minute because I'm actually typing this as I watch the show...okay, seriously, do these poor children not have parents, friends, siblings, enemies...ANYONE at home to tell them that they should stay home? Anyone?

8. My favorite American Idol to date? Hands down Kelley Clarkson. Funny thing is, I never watched the first season of AI, and I wasn't even really a fan of hers until recent years, but that girl can SING and I just love her "angry" music. It's fun, it's powerful and it's really good for "angry days at The Firm" too.

9. Close second? Carrie Underwood. I love her. That's it, I just love her. She's talented and her music is beautiful.

10. And then there's Daughtry. I loved Chris Daughtry from the very beginning, and was one of the many really pissed off when he got voted off. But hey, he laughed that loss all the way to the top of the charts didn't he?

11. And then there's the other winners...Ruben who? Taylor what? Guess it doesn't work for everyone, does it? Is it something about the "guy" winners? Because all the girls seem to be doing pretty well for themselves. Fantasia's on Broadway, and it's too early to tell, but Jordyn Sparks seems to be doing alright too. Yet, the "guy" runner's up seem to do fairly well for themselves. Odd?

12. Okay, so I get the whole "back home I farm and own 3 horses" stories for those who actually make it through, or at least the ones who stand a chance...but for those who obviously won't be going through...see, this is where the staging comes in...when you've got them going home with the crazy chick with the eye glitter...can we save this stuff for when we actually care about the singers (emphasis on the word SINGERS here)?

13. I'm thinking of doing an Idol recap post (in addition to regular posts) as the season progresses on the day after the performances (and again a short one after the results show)...what do you think? Should I do it? I think it could be fun...

Okay, that's it, I'm done. I know it wasn't the best TT list ever, but I told you, my brain cells are shrinking in number by the minute as I watch this audition show...see, there goes another one...