(S06E37) The theme for tonight's American Idol is appropriately enough -- The Fantastic Four. We're down to just four (soon to be three) finalists. And this past week the finalists were treated to a sneak peek at the upcoming movie, The Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. Of course this means the viewers at home will be treated to an extended promo for the flick before the night is out.In preparation for an appearance by Jessica Alba, Simon and Paula have apparently swapped seats. Paula says the reason for the switch is because Jessica is hot, and then she starts counting for no apparent reason.
Paula also mocks "Simon" by caressing her bosom as Simon is apt to do. Ryan tries to insult Simon by saying, "Oddly enough he has much more to work with than you do there." But the insult only stings poor Paula, who barely has a shirt on tonight.
The judges agree that last night was difficult. As if it wasn't bad enough watching it the first time, we get the extended RECRAP (not a typo) of last night's performances. Feel free to fast forward at home! I would if I could.
Truth is we came for the results, and we don't need all that other stuff. But what's the use in complaining? We're going to have to sit through a marathon of filler until we finally find out if LaKisha or Blake is going home.
When we finally get down to the results the "Fantastic Final Four" are hugging each other, and refusing to line-up for Ryan. Somehow I can't imagine (or remember) Chris Daughtry hugging Elliot, Kat, or Hicks during last year's final four results show in which he shockingly went home. I have to say that this group does seem to really like each other a lot. It might be the most "boring" Idol as some have said, but it's also the most "lovey-dovey."
With minimal teasing, we're told that Jordin and Melinda are both safe. Which means there is no big upset this year. I think most of us assumed that either LaKisha or Blake would be facing final elimination tonight. But wouldn't it have been crazy-shocking if Melinda was booted? It certainly would have had us all buzzing tomorrow.
So it's LaKISHA vs. BLAKE.
Randy really, really doesn't know who's going home. Simon guesses that LaKisha's time is up (I'm right there with you Simon). Paula tells them that they're both tremendous talents, and she's enjoyed all their performances -- even the stinkers (my words, not hers). Part of me wants Blake to go home just for wearing that stupid tuxedo T-shirt.
Ryan calls for the traditional DIMMING OF THE LIGHTS. After 45 million votes -- BLAKE you are SAFE. LaKisha, ironically, will not be "Stayin' Alive" in the competition.
I'm not surprised. But, gosh I do hate these elimination moments. No matter how much I want to see some of these contestants leave, I always want them to stay the moment I hear they're going. To me, it's like they finally become real people -- and not just reality contestants -- the minute they are no longer in the competition. I guess it's the overflowing emotion (disappointment, heartache, relief) that makes them suddenly seem human.
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS:
- Barry Gibb sings "To Love Somebody." And yeah, maybe it wasn't such a good idea to let Jordin sing it the night before. It only means we have to compare the two. Do you think Barry was including himself when he said that a couple of hundred of people have sung this song, but he hasn't heard a greater version than Jordin's? Maybe the famous falsetto ain't exactly what it used to be, but he's still Barry Gibb, a living legend. And I refuse to say anything negative about the performance. Check out this vintage clip of the Bee Gees performing the same song.
- Pink sings "Who Knew." This is the taped performance that we were supposed to see during Idol Gives Back (but they ran out of time). Also, TMZ reported that originally Pink was supposed to sing "U+Ur Hand" until Idol's producers tried to censor the racy lyrics. I actually like "Who Knew" better anyway. Does anyone else think that Pink looks a lot like Jackie from Bravo's Work Out?
- It's Idolmania! The Ford music video features the song that Sanjaya killed, "You Really Got Me," and Beatlemania, Fab-Four-inspired antics. My daughter thinks it's foreshadowing that the ladies drive off in the Ford, leaving poor Blake behind. But Blake isn't eliminated tonight. Still, it could be a metaphor for how the ladies leave Blake vocally in the dust.
- There's only one thing worse than the Idolettes performing ONE hideous group number -- and that's the Idolettes performing an entire MEDLEY together. It's meant as a tribute to Barry Gibb, but it's really not much more than a mishmash of singing. I really wish they'd leave these group performances out. They obviously don't have enough time to rehearse them, and it clearly shows. I was almost happy when the performance began with a sound glitch and we couldn't hear anything. The songs destroyed in tonight's medley included such hits as, "Emotion," "Too Much Heaven," "Guilty," and "Islands in the Stream." By the way, I think LaKisha would have sounded awesome if she sang "Chain Reaction" on Tuesday night. Also, Ryan calls them "The Lewis Sisters" and I don't get it.
- Look, it's the cast of The Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer in Idol's audience! Look, there's Ioan Gruffudd, Chris Evans, Michael Chiklis, and Jessica Alba. Only Jess gets to talk and talk and talk. Ryan looks nervous, like she might steal his job. At least we all know now that the movie opens ahem, sometime in June. Hey, they don't PAY me to pimp their film, so why should I give the release date?
- In a taped video segment, the final four contestants talk about their childhoods, and we see a bunch of cute photos. Jordin looks exactly the same. Blake is super-adorable. As I mentioned once before, Blake's mom really looks like Roseanne Barr. Jordin, ever-emotional, starts to cry at the end of her interview.
- Ryan hypes the Idols summer tour as THE BIGGEST EVER!!!! I think it's in his contract that each week he must refer to something as "THE BIGGEST EVER." We are all reminded that YES, Sanjaya will be joining the Idols on tour. As if we could forget.
- AND American Idol is looking for a band! That's right, they are running yet another SEARCH (I wonder if it's THE BIGGEST SEARCH EVER!!) for the "best undiscovered group in America." Send your submissions to "The Band Show Casting." I'm sure you can get the details on the American Idol website.
Whew, there was a lot crammed into the hour once again, and my fingers are tired from typing. Let me know your thoughts on the results and the results show.
Next Week: Tuesday -- Top 3 perform, Wednesday -- Live Results Show #12
For more Idol coverage, check out People.com.
And vote for your favorite finalist in AOL's poll.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 9)
5-10-2007 @ 12:07AM
chuck said...
What I think?
To Kiki - She did what she could (on her own) but she could have been better if she just humbled herself! Good-bye girl!You are gifted, don't let pride get in the way!
To Blake - Step it up! Beat boxing alone won't let you win this competition. You justhave to sing ... with FEEEELLING! Aight? Ya cool dude!
To Melinda - Stakes are raising. You have the capablity to step it up, discover the inner meaning of your voice. Bring down the house!
To Jordin - What can I say? You are young and is a great singer. Don't let what people aresaying go to your head. ENJOY the moments and for crying out loud have fun! You are 17, don't push yourself and stress over nothing. You can't always fix a leak overnight.
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5-10-2007 @ 12:14AM
Melissa said...
God Bless Barry Gibb and his Choppers.
I thought the idols should have broken out in Jimmy Fallon's "Barry Gibb Talk Show" theme song from SNL during their tribute medly. If you haven't seen the sketch, you should find it on You Tube. It will make you appreciate Barry Gibb more.
Even though I'm a Blake fan, I don't see how he can possibly win this thing. Theoretically, won't the Diva votes from Lakisha just go to the remaining Diva's? And if comes down to Blake vs. (Melinda or Jordin), he's toast. At least he'll actually have a good record deal, coming in 2nd or 3rd.
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5-10-2007 @ 12:17AM
MacGuffin said...
I caught the show for the first time because I am an old school Bee Gees fan. Good to see Barry, even with the gray hair.
I was really surprised to see that this is the best they could find. None of these 4 performers looks like a star nor do any one them sing all that great.
Not sure what all the fuss is about this show. But apparently I am in the minority. Oh well.
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5-10-2007 @ 12:24AM
Stigmata said...
ya JORDIN doesnt deserve to win, she's only 17, she looks like football player (defense), and she hasnt paid her dues!
give BLAKE a chance ppl, vote for Blake!
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5-10-2007 @ 12:26AM
Chris said...
I haven't discussed American Idol in my blog yet. It's a blog about my favorite things. http://myfavoriteblank.com/
I think American Idol would be a great thing to put in a blog for generating comments.
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5-10-2007 @ 12:36AM
David said...
I like the fact the one thing needed to work right on a singing show is the mic and they still couldn't do that. I didn't understand a word of Pink's song.
It was also fitting that the Bee Gee guy song terribly, he made a wonderful couch didn't he!?
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5-10-2007 @ 12:39AM
Los said...
You know this hasn't even finished playing on the West Coast yet.
You should at least post a spoiler warning if you're going to jump the gun this way.
Guess I should have just noy read it, but hey. Gotta B**** bout something
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5-10-2007 @ 12:43AM
Jackie said...
I really think they should cut the show back down to a half-hour again on results night. At least they didn't run over into Lost this week!
Of course, tonight they could have cut out the medley. It was more of messly.
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5-10-2007 @ 1:56AM
BigTed said...
Strangely, all the remaining contestants have weaknesses that directly contradict their strengths.
Blake has style but not the voice.
Melinda has amazing technical skill but doesn't really connect with the audience.
Jordin has that youthful sweetness, but she really does tower over everyone else. (At first I thought she was just tall compared to Ryan, but tonight we saw that she has several inches over all her fellow contestants, too.)
Overall, though, I absolutely pick Jordin to win. (I would say Blake if he sang better, but what can you do? The 14-year-old girls will have to wait for their own sex symbol next year.)
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5-10-2007 @ 2:15AM
Jan said...
Liz, you are in rare form. Your recap still has me laughing, especially the part about THE BIGGEST EVER. It really does conjure up some funny visuals of circus tents and barkers in top hats beckoning people in to see freak shows.
Barry Gibb, geez, what can I say? I know the guy has been around forever but do we really need to trot some stars out long after their vocal prowess has disappeared just so we can say a legend was in the house? It's embarrassing.
I think most of us felt Lakisha was going home. I sometimes felt the judges were really tough on her while being overly easy on others who deserved more criticism (Jordin), but she came across as a diva who never listened. I think it turned the viewers off.
I can't really get excited this season. If Melinda wins, ok, her voice is awesome. If Jordin wins, eh, whatever. A shocker would definitely be Blake, but that's unlikely.
I hope they pick a better crop of contestants next year. This was a little bit of a snoozefest. A forgettable season of AI. At least its almost done, and for the first time I'm looking forward to it.
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5-10-2007 @ 2:21AM
Me,Ella said...
Melinda to win. I get tired of hearing that teenagers prefer Jordin because she's cute and sweet. GAG!!!
Next week its bye-bye Blake.
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5-10-2007 @ 4:30AM
Lisa said...
I really do not understand some of you. Gotta get your digs in on the contestants while you can huh? Who cares if Jordin towers over everybody? She sure can sing and is just a beautiful person inside and out. And Melinda, lets just say wow, what a voice. I really do not believe her performance was up to par this week considering how much experience she has, although none of them really were good this week. I was not surprised to see Lakisha go home. She has a wonderful voice but I did not see Blake leaving (he will probably surprise you all and stick around next week as well for the finals...) Although the beat boxing stuff needs to be put on the back burner for next week and he needs to once again prove that he can sing.
I am very tired of this hour long results show and all the filler they are subjecting us to. This season is just plain boring! Although I liked the clips from when the contestants were little. Did it seem to you that they showed way more of Lakisha and Melinda than the other two?
I predict that it will be Jordin and Blake in the final two. The shocker will be next week when Melinda is voted off. I do not plan on going to this years Idol concert. Although I do have tickets to see Taylor Hicks in concert this June in Charleston South Carolina. That ought to be an interesting and fun evening!
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5-10-2007 @ 6:03AM
Angela said...
What is wrong with America? How could they let Lakisha go and keep that non-singing Blake? He should have Beat Box himself right off the stage. The boy has no voice, no talent. WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!!! Lakisha girl, don't let this get you down. You have the voice of an Angel. Every watching knows this and Blake knew himself he should be GONE!!!! Best of luck with your FUTURE. God Bless You!!!!
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5-10-2007 @ 6:05AM
former songbird said...
I think the most surprising thing about this season is that there really has been no surprise------except Sanjaya. And he was a really LOOOONNNNG surprise!
Everything has been quite predictable so far.
My favorites are Blake and Melinda, but I honestly don't know what Blake could do that wouldn't include the beatboxing. I don't think he can overcome Jordin's votes. I guess it will depend on which one of them (Jordin or Blake) can stay on pitch the best and put on the best "mug" shots during their performances - they are both very appealing to the younger voters.
Melinda will give us a solid performance regardless, I just have my doubts as to whether or not the younger voters will vote for her as much as readily as the other two.
I do not dislkie Jordin, but she is my least favorite. I honestly can not put my finger on why, though. I am a former voice coach and she can sing, but something just doesn't work for me there. Maybe its the judges pushing her on us, or the cutesie-ness and "can cry at the drop of a camera lens on my face" phenomena or something like that.
For me, it's going to be a toss up as to who will be in the final two. Jordin most likely will be, but as to who will join her.......your guess is as good as any.
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5-10-2007 @ 6:40AM
sjohnmassoud said...
To Angela in post 14
It is very simple how Blake stayed and LaKisha went home. Blake had a bigger fan base. Lakisha slowly but surely alienated all of hers.
I agree that to me at least, Blake was a no talent girly man. Some of you might disagree with me.
But you asked and I answered. lol
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5-10-2007 @ 6:47AM
dee said...
Jordin can hold her own on songs that Mariah, Christina, and Kelly Clarkson can only do.Melinda is talented but lacks true charisma and emotion.I have a very good ear though I can't sing due to no range but my daughter's vocal coach agreed and my daughter CAN sing. Jordin cracks due to emotion because she really sings the songs from the heart. Whatever America wants to pick of the last three is fine but Jordin does have the widest appeal. I am 40 and my mom is 69(needless to say not teeny-boppers) and both of us would rather buy a cd from Jordin than Melinda simply because it would be more interesting. And lastly,don't pick on her size and weight...it's irrelevant and she is beautiful anyway.
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5-10-2007 @ 6:54AM
Jim said...
Week in and week out, we're told that Blake's beat-boxing is "contemporary." How do you account for that ridiculous tuxedo T-shirt he wore last night?
Get him off already!
P.S. Lakisha's farewell clips reminded me that she had the best performance of the year -- way back in Week 1.
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5-22-2007 @ 7:38AM
Kat said...
Lakisha...please issue press release when you get a contract or career on Broadway...I LOVE your voice and am impressed with your willpower and determination getting into the final 4 ! God Bless you and your daughter.
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5-10-2007 @ 7:21AM
food for thought said...
to #7 - it's a recap DUH! - don't read it if you don't want to know the ending.
I thought for some reason that these "idols" would be able to sing BeeGees songs - I was wrong - as if poor song choice and the individuals' singing wasn't bad enough, the medley was HORRIBLE -
Lakisha's attitude is what hurt her - she didn't get the coaching from Gibb even though she did what he said during the coaching she reverted to HER way when it came time to actually sing.
I like Blake's beatboxing because it is fun but he can also sing sort of.
Melinda is "classic" but she needs to ramp up her singing to a higher notch.
Jordin gets by okay but she sure tanked on "woman in love" -
I've been watching Idol rewind of season 1 and NONE of the final 10 this year would have beat out the finalists from that season. this year has been quite disappointing with the lack of true star quality. the judges picked them so you can only work with what you've got.
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5-12-2007 @ 6:14AM
Mary Jo Danielson said...
I wish Jordin would go shopping with Blake and pick out his clothes for him.
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