It's getting down to the wire, and all three of the remaining contestants are certainly talented enough to be crowned the next American Idol. While I've been an Adam Lambert fan all along, I'd be fine with whomever wins this season.
Things start off tonight with the Ford commercial, kind of a fun little cartoon-oriented ad with Adam, Danny and Kris singing "Break My Stride." It must be really fun to see yourself as a cartoon/comic book character.
American Idol' Show Photos
AMERICAN IDOL 8 Danny Gokey performs in front of the judges. Airs Tuesday, April 28, 2009.
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AMERICAN IDOL 8 Matt Giraud performs in front of the judges. Airs Tuesday, April 28, 2009.
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AMERICAN IDOL 8 Allison Iraheta performs in front of the judges. Airs Tuesday, April 28, 2009.
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AMERICAN IDOL 8 Adam Lambert performs in front of the judges. Airs Tuesday, April 28, 2009.
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AMERICAN IDOL 8 Anoop Desai performs live. Airs Tuesday, April 21, 2009.
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AMERICAN IDOL 8 Danny Gokey performs live. Airs Tuesday, April 21, 2009.
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AMERICAN IDOL 8 Kris Allen performs live. Airs Tuesday, April 21, 2009.
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AMERICAN IDOL 8 Matt Giraud performs live. Airs Tuesday, April 21, 2009.
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AMERICAN IDOL 8 Adam Lambert performs live. Airs Tuesday, April 21, 2009.
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AMERICAN IDOL 8 Allison Iraheta performs live. Airs Tuesday, April 21, 2009.
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Then Alicia Keys came onstage as the global ambassador for Keep a Child Alive, an organization that helps kids living with AIDS and HIV in Africa. She introduced a kid from Rwanda who sang the song "I'm the World's Greatest." He'd learned the song in English in one week, and seemed like he was having a blast jumping around the stage and shaking the judges' hands. He seemed to have no stage fright whatsoever.
Then we got to go home with each of the Idols to hoards of screaming fans, cheerleaders, radio interviews, and emotional reunions with friends and family. Danny went back to Milwaukee and re-connected with his friend Jamar, who auditioned for Idol with him. Kris went back to Conway, Arkansas, and learned he'd get free cheese dip for life at one of his favorite restaurants.
And Adam returned to San Diego to one fan who took her top off and tried to storm the stage. It's all mad-world freaky, and even Adam says, "This is nuts." It was sweet, though, how he went back to a theater group where he performed as a child, and gave the kids there some advice. "It meant a lot to me," he said. "A big full-circle moment."
Jordin Sparks sang "Battlefield," a new tune from her upcoming album. It's kind of an edgy song, and she looks fantastic, but also like she might beat someone up.
Katy Perry sang "Waking Up in Vegas," and it's an ok song, though not one of my favorites of hers. It was hard to pay attention to the song, because she came out wearing this Elvis-inspired white bathing-suit type outfit, including a cape with "Adam Lambert" inscribed on the back. My daughter and I looked at each other and said, hmmm, that doesn't seem right. Where's the love for Danny and Kris? Maybe she paid homage to them, too, and I missed it.
Finally, the results. Ryan said the first person competing in next week's finale is Kris. His parents wept, while Danny and Adam hugged him. For a minute there. I wondered if we'd have a Kris-Danny showdown, but then Ryan said Adam was the other Idol who'd be back next week. Danny is going home.
That's probably a good choice. Danny is a fantastic singer, but hasn't been as consistently as good as Kris. Next week we'll have a two-part season finale on Tuesday and Wednesday. In the meantime, which Idol do you think will take it all?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
5-14-2009 @ 5:26AM
Phish said...
well danny was too boring to win, so good decision america!
hope kris wins.
adam sounds like his balls are in a vice!
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5-14-2009 @ 7:37AM
Jimmy said...
America got it right!
Adam is more talented than Kris, but Kris will win. Adam's style just puts off too many people.
Nice to see Jordin again, even if her song is kind of repetitive. (It's not nearly as good as No Air.)
Have a great weekend. See you at the finals!
Reply
5-14-2009 @ 7:49AM
LegEagle said...
Kris Allen continues to impress and is a worthy contestant for the Finale. Not only that, he stands a great chance of winning the crown.
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5-14-2009 @ 8:06AM
Eludium-Q36 said...
Two observations: I thought it was interesting that Seacrest said of 88 million votes (keep in mind multiple voting allowed) only 1 million separated the top two - which turned out to be Adam and Kris. But then again, since votes aren't certified or audited Seacrest can say anything he wants to promote competition.
Second, what was Katy Perry doing having stitched "Adam Lambert" onto her cape ?! Was that a statement of a crush on her part ? Just seemed kind of juvenile for a [second-tier] performer. But she wasn't asked about it and the cameras didn't show us Adam's reaction, weird.
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5-16-2009 @ 10:52PM
Julia said...
An EW article stated that Adam didn't know anything about it and was very embarassed. It was probably best not to draw attention to the whole thing.
5-14-2009 @ 8:08AM
Ryan said...
Thank goodness America actually listened to the performances and put the two most deserving contestants into the final two.
I'm a HUGE fan of Kris and I'm ecstatic that he was able to break up the ridiculously preordained "final two" of Adam and Danny. How was he able to do this? He got better and better every week culminating in that breathtaking performance of "Heartless" last night and his humble and likable personality did the rest.
Adam will most likely win, but Kris' journey to the final two has been much more impressive. He got there without being pimped out by the judges 24/7. He got there without getting as much (if at all) coverage as the other contestants before the audience portion of the competition.
So congratulations Adam for being the next American Idol, but my idol this year is Kris Allen.
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5-16-2009 @ 11:00PM
mike said...
Although Adam amy have gotten "pimped", it was well deserved praise. The man has talent and can sing. I for one feel that he should be the American Idol winner. I appreciate that Kris has talent as well, but for me, it does not compare to Adam's.
5-14-2009 @ 8:20AM
Karen said...
Adam should win, but so many people are put off by his persona as opposed to his talent that Kris may pull it off.
But that is ok, because recording careers aren't just about singing and other factors can be taken into consideration.
I want Adam to win mostly because of the people who are crticial of his look, personality, sexual preference, etc., but then try to proclaim the reason as he can't sing or that jump on the screeching bandwagon.
Either way -- they'll both have good careers.
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5-14-2009 @ 11:24AM
KR said...
Excuse me Karen? The fact that you accuse those of us who don't enjoy Adam's singing of really secretly being narrow minded and homophobic is about the most idiotic comment I've read on TV Squad in a loooong time.
In fact, your poorly disguised attempt to intimate that "we" who are not fans of Adam are intolerant, actually exposed your own intolerance. Ironic isn't it. I'll never understand why people can't just simply have different tastes and beliefs without being accused of intolerance in some way. Human beings are not all clones for goodness sakes.
This might come as a surprise to you Karen, but on of my dear friends who also happens to be gay, doesn't like Adam's singing either, and is rooting for Kris. Hmmm kinda messes up your narrow minded intolerant theory now doesn't it. LOL!
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5-14-2009 @ 12:10PM
Xina said...
couldn't agree with you more. Heck, my own son is gay, and neither one of us can stand Adam and his screeching.
5-14-2009 @ 12:26PM
gillygirl said...
what dif does it make if your friends and/or family are gay and don't like Adam? Do gay people have the best taste in music and singing? I don't get comment at all.
5-14-2009 @ 1:47PM
KR said...
gillygirl... if you had been following the conversation, we weren't saying that gay people have any better taste or anything. I was simply calling out Karen's assumption that those who didn't like Adam MUST be narrow minded and homophobic. The fact that there are gay people who don't like Adam's singing was just another way to defeat her lame argument.
5-14-2009 @ 9:06AM
SadOldMan said...
Let's hope all of Gokey's fans give their votes to Kris.
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5-16-2009 @ 11:09PM
Danny said...
You really are sad...old man. They should vote for Kris if they think he has more talent., not to sabotage Adam. What a lousy attitude.
5-14-2009 @ 9:12AM
s2104ok said...
Let me put on my Frank Luntz hat and figure out the winner....if only one million votes separated Adam and Kris, the Gokey votes will overwhelmingly go towards Kris. Kris and Gokey are more similar in 'style'. Kris Allen your 2009 American Idol...he killed Heartless.
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5-14-2009 @ 9:42AM
dennis phillips said...
kris will win...adam will be the next freddy mercury..queen's looking for a new lead singer
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5-14-2009 @ 12:34PM
Scott said...
Spoken like an inbred homophobe.
5-14-2009 @ 9:56AM
Bill said...
I've been a Danny fan since day one. But even I have to say that based on this weeks performances, the voters were right. Kris really stepped it up this week and got rewarded for it. I'd really like to see him win. Not to take anything way from Adam, he has an incredible voice, just think he's a little over the top. He doesn't need to scream with a voice like that. I'd like to see him get through one song without screaming once.
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5-16-2009 @ 11:23PM
Tim said...
Mad World...Tracks of My Tears...no screaming involved.
5-17-2009 @ 9:54AM
Bill said...
Nice to see that out of about 15 or so performances, you were able to pick a whole 2 where he didn't scream. Awesome.