I know people were talking about this over in the "what you're reading, etc." thread, but it was getting a bit long so I thought I'd start a separate one. So what'd you think of this week?

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

Answers

I pretty much agree with everyone that all the contestants pretty much blew it last night. Poor Burt Bachrach, having to listen to them all massacre his songs.

Kelly proved that "sassy belter" is the only style she can sing in--I thought her performance was terrible. "Walk on By" is a beautiful, melancholy song, and she did it all wrong. RJ was unmemorable, as usual, and Tamyra seemed to be having pitch problems. I thought Justin would have done well on this because of his smarminess, but he wasn't so great, either. And Nikki actually did better than I thought she would. I didn't realize "Always Something There to Remind Me" was a Bachrach song.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

I thought the judges reactions were pretty on, except that I wasn't as amazingly impressed with Tamyra's song. It is a really hard one to sing, and I thought she was having a little trouble with some of the rapid weird note sequences. I think RJ gave his best performance, although it still didn't really compare. I was worried about Kelly at first, but I think she pulled it off by the end of the song. Punkhairgirl (why am I forgetting her name?) better get the boot - she was just dreadful.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

As I said in the other thread, I thought it was pretty lame this week. I wasn't keen on the songs; I'm not into slow love songs, I guess. My favourite performance was Justin's -- I still like his cheesiness, and I like the song. Nikki bit -- she's always out of tune, then she notices she's out of tune and loses confidence, rinse, repeat.

Everyone else? Snooze. I'm not sure why the judges loved Tamyra, apart from that she's really competent and polished.

I'd vote off Nikki this week, if it were up to me.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

I watched about ten minutes without having seen it before.

Oh, people. People, people, people.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

I watched it the first couple of weeks and was vaguely amused, but then I watched the Mole instead. Now that the Mole is over, I was thinking about going back to American Idol -- should I just save myself the agony and not bother?

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

I know, Beth. Last night was the first time I'd seen it on purpose. I'd accidentally caught it twice before. I may have avoided it to keep from lusting over that 17 year old. It made me feel dirty. Anyway, last night, I got home from golf and thought, "Oh, American Idol comes on in a little bit." Kill me now.

Since I'm not dead yet, though, I should disagree with someone. Heh. Jen, I liked Kelly's delivery of "Walk on By". I thought she did a good job, and I liked hearing it that way. She's weird looking, but she's my favorite. Not unattractive at all, just . . . something. Nikki was pitiful, and I assumed the whole time, especially with the kid thing, that she expected that to be her last appearance. RJ wasn't as bad as I thought - the Frau liked him - I thought he did okay, I just didn't really like the way he chose to perform that song. I love that song, see. I thought Tamyra was very good, too. That's who the Frau is pulling for. I can't give Justin a serious thought, honestly.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

I've stopped watching it myself. None of their voices impress me all that much, with the exception of Tamyra and Kelly, but record sales always go to show that you don't have to have a truly fabulous voice to sell records. These days it's all about image and studio tricks, anyway.

Since I did watch the show for a couple of weeks, I am mildly interested in who gets voted off, but the vote show comes at the same time as Big Brother (Lord, I can't believe I just typed that). I have a friend who usually calls me after it goes off to tell me the news or I check the TWoP boards.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

I like Kelly but she needs some new facial expressions. She has that same head wiggle and eyebrow raised thing for EVERY performance I've seen. Boring to watch though I did like the way she did the song.

Tamyra was the best performance last night.

I thought RJ did a better job than Nikki and Justin was made for easy listening.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

I can't watch this show, after watching one episode where they implanted an earworm. (Trying to remember who's journal I found that meme in, someone from the Diarist Award noms I think). It was the judging episode and they all sang the "American Bandstand" theme. We didn't get that show in Australia, so it should have no cultural resonance for me, but the damn thing will not leave my head!

So, I bear a grudge. The bit I did watch, Tamyra seems to have the best voice, or at least she didn't moider "Minnie the Moocher"

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

Nikki really did the worst last night, but RJ is just so damn creepy. Those hips! They should not move. Ever! I think it's going to be Nikki tonight though.

I agree that last night was not the best anyone has done. But I think Kelly always does great.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

guppy, I think Kelly looks a lot like Tracey Gold (Carol of Growing Pains). Maybe what's weird is that her look is weirdly '80's even though her clothes aren't? I think I know what you mean.

I didn't know that "Always Something There to Remind Me" song was Bacharach, either. He'll write a song for just about anyone, huh?

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

Well I voted for Nikki. I know she was so weak last night with an awful song choice, but I do like her. And I'm not going by pure talent. I've never liked singers for talent only (I don't know that much about music so I never choose to listen to singers based on pure musical ability), but am a fan of the package of songs and style and presence and all that. So, I fully understand why people do not like Nikki, but having seen all episodes but one, I'm a Nikki fan overall. Yep, she'll go (though her line was busy for practically FOREVER last night), but I still like her. Loved her version of "Heartbreaker." We need a new Pat Benetar.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

Sqeaky, Always Something There to Remind Me was written in the 60s or early 70s. The Naked Eyes version is a cover, not an original. Yes, I know way too much about Burt.

Does anyone else think that Tamyra and Justin resemble each other?

My suggestion for next season is that they do a Real World/Osbounes thing when they move all the finalists into the house. That would be so much more entertaining than the Focus/Coke sponsored fake-y spots they do now.

Was anyone else watching Ryan and Jim in the background behind Simon? At one point, when Simon was being critical of RJ, Ryan looked as if she was going to attack and then she was held back by Jim's arms. All of this was headless. And I saw too much of Ryan's pseudo-punky top and her adjusting her boobies in said top.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

We're finally rid of R.J.! I'm so thankful. He didn't cry very much either, which I was worried about. When they get rid of Nikki, that's when it'll get ugly.

I missed about the first ten minutes of the show b/c I was watching something else. What'd I miss, besides yet another atrocious singalong?

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

There was, indeed, an atrocious singalong--a Burt Bachrach medley. Not much else, though--just snippets from last night's show. The only mildly amusing part was when Ryan Seacrest introduced Simon as "the prick (long pause) -ly Simon Cowell."

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2002

What a big baby, though, RJ was to address comments to Paula and Randy by name and then not speak at all to Simon. Drama queen. Still and all, I can't believe he went and Nikki stayed. She's got a bigger voting bloc, I guess, or she got more sympathy votes. Because, man, she sucked.

P.S. Jen, do you want to get married, based on that whole opposites attracting thing? I thought the medley was acceptably fun. Heh.

-- Anonymous, August 15, 2002

Oh, I thought the medley itself was OK--I just thought their performance of it was really bad. When they sing in unison, the only voice I can hear is Nikki's, and that's not a good thing.

-- Anonymous, August 15, 2002

I've wanted RJ gone from beginning. Such creepiness. And blowing off Simon on Tuesday just made him look immature. But snubbing him last night? That was idiotic. It not only made him look petty and immature, but he was burning his bridges with someone very influential in the industry in which he hopes to succeed. Was he thinking, "I don't need Simon. I have Paula's support!"? Dumb.

In any case, I'm doing a happy bye, bye, bye RJ dance. Nikki has to be gone next week though. No way she can make up the vote deficit.

Which reminds me, each week, the total number of votes has gone up dramatically. But each week (even during the lower total vote weeks), everyone who voted said that the lines were busy and it was hard to get through. So, the only way the vote totals have increased is that each week, they're opening up more phone lines. That way they can make it seem like the popularity of the show grows by leaps and bounds with every passing week.

Otherwise, I bet the producers were worried that once people's favorites were voted off, they would stop voting, and no way did the producers want to be in a situation where the total number of votes went down.

-- Anonymous, August 15, 2002

Is Simon really very influential in the industry, though? I get the impression that he's middlingly successful in Britain, but hasn't worked in the U.S. before the show. I seriously doubt he could have much influence over R.J.'s future career, and even if he did, I don't think he would have been willing to do much to help him.

-- Anonymous, August 15, 2002

Just out of curiosity, I looked up Simon's bio on the Idol website:

"Simon Cowell’s music career is now infamous having, over the past 20 years, shaped what we consider to be modern pop music today...Simon's roster of signing reads like a who's who of pop success stories over the last decade (including some seemingly unlikely ones). Highlights include, Curiosity Killed The Cat, Sonia, and cornering the boy band market, bad boys of pop Five (who disbanded last year) and the global multi- platinum phenomenon, Westlife."

Hahahahahahaha....who the hell is Sonia?

-- Anonymous, August 15, 2002

By the way, Vanessa, I didn't mean that last post to be snide towards you, I just think it's funny the way that they portray Simon to be some sort of hugely successful producer on the show and in that bio.

-- Anonymous, August 15, 2002

Oh no problem. I didn't take it as snide at all. After all, anyone who goes on that show is leaving himself wide open to be snarked at. (Even though Simon is my imaginary boyfriend in my head.) That bio is hilarious. "He is responsible for the biggest acts in the world! Including band #1 you've never heard of, and band #2 you've never heard of!" Although apparently (from what I read on the twop boards anyway) at least Westlife is (was?) a popular band in the UK.

I think those kids can use any help they can get though, and at least Simon has the power to sign an act, (I think; even if it would be in Europe I guess), whereas Paula could at most teach them how to cheer or something. You're right though that Simon wasn't planning to help RJ no matter what, and probably that's what RJ was thinking. Still made him look pretty immature. (This could be my anti-RJ feelings seeping in, I admit. Heh.)

-- Anonymous, August 15, 2002

I can't believe RJ got kicked off instead of Nikki, but given that it sounds like they had just over 2 million votes apiece, with the other 3 splitting up 10 million votes (assuming that many vote again) they should not have to worry too much about Nikki next week.

My very very secret shame. Well, not so secret now. I would do Simon in a second.

-- Anonymous, August 15, 2002

Oh, so would I. Half a second even. My secret shame is that I don't even have any shame about it. I really only watch the show for him. Well, and now for Kelly, since she's been growing on me.

-- Anonymous, August 15, 2002

My husband's company has a big tent sale every year, and it's this big thing and all the radio stations broadcast live and have all kinds of things going on. Anyway, it's going on right now, and yesterday, Radio Disney had AJ "live and in-person!" My husband knows how creepy I think AJ is, I mean, how much I like him (ha!), so he had one of his staff go get me AJ's autograph. I find it funny that he wouldn't go ask for it himself.

Anyway, apparently AJ's girlfriend was with him and even though the Radio Disney ad said AJ was "available for pictures and autographs!", the girlfriend refused to let AJ let anyone take a picture with him unless she was in the picture too. Hee!

He signed two things for me for some reason. One was the flyer advertising the event, and on that one, he ignored all the white space all over the page and signed right over the big black lettering. So, it's impossible to see. So, I guess realizing he was a dork, he then signed the back of a Kim Possible postcard. In both cases, this is how he signed:

2: Vanessa

4rm: Amer Gil. (A.J.)

I have many questions. If he really goes by Amer, why didn't he go by it on the show? Why does he put a period after his name as though his name alone is a sentence? Is "two" so hard to spell? But most of all, "4rm?" And I wonder how much I could get for these things on eBay.

-- Anonymous, August 16, 2002

AJ has a girlfriend?

-- Anonymous, August 16, 2002