Two of the seven remaining contestants on American Idol went home this week. And this time, they actually did go home. It seems like the producers have been trying to psych us out all season, throwing as many surprises as they can to keep the show fresh. Not so tonight. Two went home, and it was no surprise to me who those two were.
But first, we got to see some behind-the-scenes stuff as the Idols prepared for their group number. When Ryan said they called on a huge name in the choreography world for this week's group number, I was pleasantly shocked to see that it was Paula.
It was nice to see her dance again. Makes me want to go back and watch some of her vintage music videos. Thinking about it also took my mind off the goofy disco outfits the Idols were wearing. Anoop had quite the George Michael look going.
Then came the results. Lil was up first, and Ryan wasted no time sending her home. She's outta there. Randy said the requisite "it's just the beginning" speech, and Simon said he's still a fan of Lil's, even though she made some bad decisions. He'll also miss her screaming family in the audience.
The next part of the show made me cringe. It was a medley of disco tunes sung by some old-timey disco singers: Freda Payne (I didn't even know who she was, and I lived through the disco era), Thelma Houston, and KC of KC and the Sunshine Band. It was all just disturbing and creepy, like seeing your grandparents on stage in sparkly disco clothes doing the hustle. Are there no other disco performers who can actually still sing anymore? I'm sure they must be out there.
Anyway, I'm still recovering from that, but let's move on to the eliminations. Kris Allen, Adam Lambert, Danny Gokey, and Matt Giraud were all safe. Allison Iraheta and Anoop Desai were in the bottom.
But they had to wait until after David Archuleta sang "Touch My Hand." He's such a little cutie-pie, and he's headed for the UK and touring with Demi Lovato. He gave Allison and Anoop a little pep talk. But Anoop needed it most, because he got the boot, while Allison was safe for another week.
So Anoop and Lil were sent home tonight. Do you think America made the right decision with these two?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
4-23-2009 @ 6:14AM
Jimmy said...
With the exception of Lil being sent home, this was one of the worst episodes of American Idol ever.
The group lip-synch: Terrible.
The song in the Ford video: Terrible.
The disco medley: Terrible.
Allison in the bottom two: Terrible.
Matt *not* being in the bottom two: Terrible.
David Archuleta's performance: Not terrible, but pretty damn close.
I'm not much of a conspiracy theorist, but I just don't understand how Matt could not have been sent home last night. Did the show tinker with the results to validate the judges' save?
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4-23-2009 @ 1:08PM
Scott said...
Bitterness is such an ugly color on you. LOL
4-23-2009 @ 1:21PM
rick cokely said...
I have to agree. Matt was *terrible* and I think they sent Anoop home in his place because they wanted to save face on that stupid judges save. I don't know if they have to follow official game-show rules but it seems to me that there was definitely some tampering going on with the vote.
4-23-2009 @ 2:07PM
mjw said...
Matt not being in the bottom 2 was not 'terrible', maybe his fans actually voted this week, although Allison didn't deserve it. Matt has more stage resence than Gokey, and while I'd go see Adam anywhere in a movie or Broadway musical, he's not a singing Idol; Kris or Matt or Allison would do that better. I think Matt or Allison would actually do better being voted off; then they would get better contracts than being owned by AI - can you say Daughtry?
4-23-2009 @ 7:00AM
Molly said...
I think the dance number and lip-synched performance was one of the most enjoyable ever! For the first time all season I really enjoyed a results show!
Um, with the exception of the Ford Commercial.
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4-23-2009 @ 10:32AM
kathubodva said...
AMERICAN IDOL 8 Franie Valli makes a guest appearance and performs. Airs Wednesday, April 8, 2009.
Good lord.... lets get it right.. the individual is Frankie Avalon, how about you report correctly... every picture of him you have misidentified, it is bad enough the show itself stinks at least you could report it properly.
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4-23-2009 @ 9:13AM
stef said...
when did K.C. of K.C. and the Sunshine band turn into Tony Soprano??
David Archuletta made my ears bleed.......
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4-23-2009 @ 2:45PM
Dan said...
I was thinking the same thing...well, a cross of Tony Soprano and Jon Favreau's character from I Love You Man...
Archuleta sounded a lot worse than he did last year...and I hated him last year. That song was horrendous.
Anoop was better than Danny or Matt this week, but it was his time. Thankfully we don't have to watch Lil anymore, she was awful and had been deserving of the boot for a while.
4-23-2009 @ 9:45AM
jag said...
Imagine if Allison got kicked off and they wasted the Save on Matt from last week.
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4-23-2009 @ 10:32AM
Ryan said...
The only thing I need from results shows is Kris being safe. This show succeeded doing that and hence it was a GOOD results show.
But seriously speaking, there was something off about tonight. I mean I like the choreography of the group number, but the performance was meh. I usually love the Ford commercials, but again meh.
And while Archuleta's vocals were shot, I thought he is really growing as a performer. Last year he wouldn't be moving across the stage and this time around it's as if he's been doing that for years. So good for him. I'm not even going to get to the old disco singers. That was bad.
Lil and Anoop leaving was perfect and right. Allison in the bottom three instead of Matt? Shameful.
So overall, mostly meh but yay on Kris not being in the bottom 3 this whole competition (like Adam and Gokey) and yay on Lil and Anoop leaving.
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4-23-2009 @ 10:41AM
Saragee said...
Uh....correct me if I am wrong but Ryan never said that Allison was in the bottom two - he just said that Matt was "safe". Matt would have been "safe" even if he had been in the bottom two. I think that the bottom 3 were Matt, Anoop and Lil but they put Allison in there for drama (because they knew people would sweat that one out) and said Matt was safe to justify the judges save.
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4-23-2009 @ 11:02AM
Ryan said...
Oh people and their conspiracy theories.
If for some reason the producers and judges actually manipulate who is in the "bottom three" then I submit that there would actually have been MORE drama if Matt was there. Could you imaging the drama before the last commercial break?
"Would Matt be save yet again? Did the Judges' save work? We'll find out right after the break."
4-23-2009 @ 11:04AM
Jen said...
I think America got it right last night. It was waaaay past Lil's time to go & Anoop was inevitiable this week or next - with Matt in the mix. So I believe Matt's week is coming next. The group performance was actually good & Adam & Matt had the perfect Michael Jackson voice. Archuletta was OK, but it just gave me bad memories of last season. I agree that Arch seems to have come out of his shell & wasn't as backward talking with the Idols like he was last year - he didn't know how to talk publicly at all!!!
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4-23-2009 @ 11:31AM
Jimmy said...
David Archuletta's performance truly sucked. If he'd performed like this during the competition there's no way he would have made it to the final. Someone needs to teach the boy some breathing techniques. No performer should be that out of breath after one song. He should also stop the high notes, he sucks at them.
I was a little suprised to see Allison in the bottom three. So not deserved in comparison to Matt's craptacular performance. I was actually worried she would be the one voted off.
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4-23-2009 @ 12:12PM
greg said...
Kinda Boring! Next week when Mat goes home, it will be boring again. After that, then the show will get interesting!
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4-23-2009 @ 12:34PM
jag said...
We need a shocker. With the final 4 being Kris, Adam, Danny and Allison, they are just too good. We need Danny to go next week. Matt can go the following week. Everyone - don't vote for Danny next week.
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4-23-2009 @ 1:07PM
Scott said...
I actually thought the dancing was good and sort of entertaining, during the Idols' disco medley. The lip-synching was awful though. As for the disco medley by the disco dinos (Frida, Thelma and KC)... yikes. Thelma can still belt, and I dug her energy. Frida was a little painful to watch, and KC was simply excruciating. He looked bloated and out of sorts, and didn't even appear to be having fun. Why do it? With all due respect... give your legacy the respect it deserves, and retire for God's sake.
Wasn't surprised about Lil. She lasted far longer than I would have thought, and she'll make some cruise ship or casino a lovely lounge singer. I was shocked to see Allison up there with her, though. Alison has one of the 3 best voices in the crowd, behind Adam and Danny, respectively. Kris has a good voice, but very limited vocal range... like a James Taylor. His vocal talent is in the styling, not soaring. Matt's definitely gonna be next to go. Boy's got musical chops, but very little charisma to back it up... and performance is half the battle here, isn't it?
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4-23-2009 @ 2:16PM
Jen said...
I agree!! That was the best dance where they "were in psynch" since the beginning!!!!
4-23-2009 @ 1:22PM
sww said...
Seems like it's going to come down to Kris and Adam in the final -- I hope! -- and that would be a pretty interesting final. Two totally distinct styles and artists, both with huge, passionate fan bases. If that happens, I'm there.
If it's Adam and Gokey (per the producers pimping), blerg. What a bore.
By the way, totally amused by Gokey's stupid "I meditated on how not to be clumsy next week." Whatever. I don't think that he can take his performances to any level except church worship leader at a mega church on a cruise ship. That's just who he is.
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4-23-2009 @ 1:22PM
rick cokely said...
Say what you will about Paula, but that opening lip-sych was HOT. I was watching and doing something else before the show came on so I didn't catch that she was the choreographer until after it was over and I said "wow, they are really pulling it out tonight" to my partner.
So yea, she's still got that going for her. :D
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