Posted May 9th 2008 2:41PM by Jason Hughes
Filed under: American Idol, Contestants, Alumni, Performances, News and Gossip
Despite a few amazing performances through his run on
American Idol, Jason Castro seemed to be really running out of fuel by the end here. On the show he even said that he felt his inexperience was really starting to hurt him. He could barely handle trying to prepare two songs each week, along with the required group number choreography and those awesome Ford commercial shoots and flying to Vegas to help promote Cirque du Soleil, and was really sweating having to try and handle three more for next week.
It's easy to forget that Jason's only been singing a year or so, so unlike most of these other contestants who've been doing this for years in one capacity or another, he's not only new to singing competitions and performing, but new to the discipline of singing altogether. In
Jason Castro's exit interview, he said he came into the competition just to see where it would go and didn't even consider the possibility of him winning until more recently.
Continue reading AI OD: A farewell to Jason Castro - VIDEOS
Posted May 9th 2008 10:03AM by Debra McDuffee
Filed under: OpEd, American Idol, Contestants, Alumni, TV Squad Lists
Watching
American Idol this season, I've come to the not-so-astute realization that we can't all like everyone who makes it to the top ten each season. There are different musical styles, personalities and, let's face it, some pretty crappy singers who make it through.
So I've begun to fantasize about an all-star
AI top ten. Imagine if everyone that you really liked from the top ten of all the past seasons of
AI were in the top ten together. I know the top ten can't be all the handsome rocker men I so adore, but it can be a good mix of good music, memorable personalities, and lasting talent.
If memory serves me correctly (and we all know it probably doesn't), these are the contestants that I'd pick, in no particular order:
1. Brooke White, season seven, fifth placeNo, I'm not a sucker for a crier. I simply love her singer/songwriter style, something we really haven't ever seen in
Idol and something I hope we see more of. When
AI started, it was the boy-band voice, then it moved to the rockers; hopefully Brooke has started a new force of no-nonsense talent coming through.
Continue reading American Idol: My fantasy top ten
Posted May 8th 2008 2:02PM by Jason Hughes
Filed under: American Idol, Contestants, Alumni, Predictions and Trends, News and Gossip
Welcome back to our weekly
American Idol polls round-up. Each week we look at various online polls that were conducted from the end of last week's results up to the performance show Tuesday. And then a few that were conducted after the performance show, but before the results were revealed.
This way we can analyze how the week's performances affected a contestant's overall popularity, which turns out to be not very much except in a few select cases anymore. Well, Syesha managed to take all those last place poll positions right into the Top 3 while Jason's miscues and forgotten lyrics made his fans forget to call in for him. It's been building toward a David-David finale, but if we believe that Jason has never placed number one in the votes, then that means Syesha has proven herself capable of beating the Davids head-to-head. Will the inevitable play out or will a David go home? We'll see next week.
Continue reading Idol Polls: The Top 4
Posted May 7th 2008 6:22PM by Isabelle Carreau
Filed under: American Idol, Video, Bones, Alumni, Casting, Reality-Free
Before the writers strike shut down the set of
Bones, the cast and crew completed an episode titled "The Wannabe in the Weeds." If you recall, in mid-December, I told you that former
American Idol contestants Brandon Rogers and Ace Young would guest star in this
American Idol-themed episode. Finally, months after the episode was completed, we will get to see the two
Idol finalist perform both on and off the stage on
Bones.
Continue reading American Idol fans make sure you watch the next Bones - VIDEO
Posted May 6th 2008 7:45PM by Jason Hughes
Filed under: American Idol, Reviewcaps, Contestants, Alumni, Performances, Episode Reviews
(S07E37) Finally, the plethora of mentors is gone and we have a potentially more expansive theme with "The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame." I'm not sure what it means exactly but if it means music by artists in the Hall that's a lot of good songs to select from, and artists that better suit the individual contestants than some of the mentors. I like the idea of mentors, I just don't think it should be limited to their specific body of work on those weeks. What do you think? Chime in about that, the performances tonight or whatever's on your mind in the live chat tonight.
You can join the chat by following this link. Look for the full episode review right here later tonight.Continue reading American Idol: Top 4 perform
Posted May 6th 2008 11:02AM by Jason Hughes
Filed under: American Idol, Contestants, Alumni, News and Gossip
Welcome back to
"AI Aftermath," where we explore
Idol's past. Each week, as one more
American Idol hopeful is eliminated from the competition, we take a look back at contestants past who were eliminated in the same week. We'll examine how they did on the show and what they've been up to since their eliminations. In honor of
Brooke White's elimination last week we'll be looking at other fifth place finishers.
This week: 5th place finishers, featuring featuring RJ Helton (Season 1), Trenyce (Season 2), George Huff (Season 3), Scott Savol (Season 4), Paris Bennett (Season 5) and Chris Richardson (Season 6).
Continue reading AI Aftermath: 5th place finishers - VIDEOS
Posted May 2nd 2008 7:25PM by Jason Hughes
Filed under: American Idol, Contestants, Alumni, Performances
When the end finally came for Brooke White, none of us were too surprised, and her least of all. "I've been packed for two weeks," she said in the
Brooke White exit interview. But while she may have expected to go, she had mixed feelings about it. "Part of me wanted to keep going," she indicated. "Song selection and the pressure has really increased with two songs and preparing for the finale. So in that sense, it does feel kind of good to be done with that, but I was welcoming the challenge as well."
There were times throughout her run where Brooke was clearly in over her head, but that was generally more due to the restricted theme week being so far out of the zone of what she does. As she herself said, she really connects with "the singer/songwriters of the '70s." Thus, while a pop career would seem very much not in Brooke's future, if she can find a place in the modern music scene for a modern singer/songwriter, like a Tori Amos, then she should do just fine.
Continue reading AI OD: A farewell to Brooke White - VIDEOS
Posted May 1st 2008 12:41PM by Jason Hughes
Filed under: American Idol, Contestants, Alumni, Predictions and Trends
Welcome back to our weekly
American Idol polls round-up. Each week we look at various online polls that were conducted from the end of last week's results up to the performance show Tuesday. And then a few that were conducted after the performance show, but before the results were revealed.
This way we can analyze how the week's performances affected a contestant's overall popularity, which turns out to be not very much except in a few select cases. After a fairly lackluster night in which he deserved at least a Bottom Two slot, Jason skated into the Top 4. The question now is can the comeback queen break into the axis of testosterone and keep her hopes alive. Syesha has been at the bottom of these polls for over two months now and despite occasionally Bottom Three/Two finishes she's still alive and in the Final Four. Has her time finally run out? She's the last woman standing; does that stand for anything? We'll see next week.
Continue reading Idol Polls: The Top 5
Posted Apr 29th 2008 4:41PM by Jason Hughes
Filed under: American Idol, Contestants, Alumni, News and Gossip, Software
Tired of your fingers bleeding and still only getting 219 calls in for your favorite contestant each Tuesday night? Do you go to bed with hand spasms, because let's face it your fingers aren't as young as they used to be? Well, now you can still vote for your favorites like a teenager with more free time than you have left in the rest of your life without all the hassle and stress (do I sound like an infomercial yet?).
Gizmo5 is a software package that can be installed on your computer (XP, Vista and Mac!) as well as your mobile phone. A new contact is created named "Idol Voting." Simply select this contact and select 1 to
cast 25 consecutive votes for your favorite Idol contestant automagically (I know what I said; it's
magical to me!). I know it works because I tested it last week voting for Brooke and Jason and ... oh! ... um ... sorry about that, Carly fans. Well, you can still save your favorites
this week. And your fingers, too.
PS: If someone at Gizmo5 is reading this, Carly was cut last week so you can remove her from your site. Cool?
Posted Apr 29th 2008 12:03PM by Jason Hughes
Filed under: American Idol, Contestants, Alumni, Performances, News and Gossip
Welcome back to
"AI Aftermath," where we explore
Idol's past. Each week, as one more
American Idol hopeful is eliminated from the competition, we take a look back at contestants past who were eliminated in the same week. We'll examine how they did on the show and what they've been up to since their eliminations. In honor of Carly Smithson's elimination last week we'll be looking at other sixth place finishers.
This week: 6th place finishers, featuring featuring Christina Christian (Season One), Carmen Rasmussen (Season Two), John Stevens (Season Three), Constantine Maroulis (Season Four), Kellie Pickler (Season Five) and Phil Stacey (Season Six).
Continue reading AI Aftermath: 6th place finishers
Posted Apr 25th 2008 4:21PM by Jason Hughes
Filed under: American Idol, Contestants, Alumni, Performances
Now that it's all over, "I'm just ready to make a record and just enjoy life in general and I don't know ... go to the beach, do the things I used to do in my everyday life," said
Carly Smithson in her exit interview. The former pop-star misfire was oddly optimistic about her ouster considering how badly she wanted this chance. Perhaps she thinks a sixth place finish is enough to salvage her failed career and make one last final stab at super-stardom.
It's odd to me to think of Carly as this music industry veteran who's already had her shot and failed at the industry because she's still only 24 years old. Granted, she was a teen when she took that shot, but she still has talent and youth and charm. I know there's been a lot of crap slung her way for not being new to the industry, and even accusations that she was planted on the show by
Idol producers, but even so is Carly really to blame for all of it?
Continue reading AI OD: A farewell to Carly Smithson - VIDEOS
Posted Apr 24th 2008 7:39AM by Brett Love
Filed under: American Idol, Celebrities, Alumni
Clay Aiken's career track is an interesting one. For someone with my musical tastes and interests, he virtually disappeared after his season of American Idol was over. His act is really just not for me. Unlike so many other also-rans from the show though, a couple times a year, he pops up again. Clay is performing here. He's sold another million albums there. And along the way he's managed to build one of the most devoted fan bases anyone could ask for.
That brings us to the latest rise of Clay on to the radar for the rest of us. He's kicking off the release of his fourth studio album next Monday, with an appearance on QVC. I'm reminded of Arsenio and the old "things that make you go hmmm" bit. I'm not sure I get it, but we should probably just not question Clay's judgment. He seems to be doing alright. He's never going to have the media exposure of Kelly Clarkson, but he's not going to just fade away either.
[ via E! Online ]
Posted Apr 21st 2008 7:03PM by Jason Hughes
Filed under: American Idol, Alumni, News and Gossip
Welcome back to
"AI Aftermath," where we explore
Idol's past. Each week, as one more
American Idol hopeful is eliminated from the competition, we take a look back at contestants past who were eliminated in the same week. We'll examine how they did on the show and what they've been up to since their eliminations. In honor of Kristy Lee Cook's elimination last week we'll be looking at other seventh place finishers.
This week: 7th place finishers, featuring featuring Ryan Starr (Season One), Kimberly Caldwell (Season Two), Jennifer Hudson (Season Three), Anwar Robinson (Season Four), Ace Young (Season Five) and Sanjaya Malakar (Season Six).
Continue reading AI Aftermath: 7th place finishers - VIDEOS
Posted Apr 18th 2008 3:37PM by Jason Hughes
Filed under: American Idol, Contestants, Alumni, Performances, News and Gossip
It's with mixed feelings that I cover the elimination of my second favorite Cook in the Top 12. Sure, she should have gone home weeks ago, and probably should have been sent packing from the stage seconds after she butchered "8 Days a Week" (we didn't need a vote to know that Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr dug graves, dropped caskets down and climbed into them so they could roll around with John and George over that one).
And yet, she was getting better, wasn't she? In fact, she's probably the only contestant to have shown marked improvement throughout the season. Sure she still didn't have a shot in hell of actually making the Finals or winning, but I still found myself impressed and proud of her. In
Kristy Lee Cook's exit interview, she said she was shocked to be sent packing, too. She thought she "at least had another week in" her.
Continue reading AI OD: A farewell to Kristy Lee Cook
Posted Apr 17th 2008 11:04AM by Jason Hughes
Filed under: American Idol, Contestants, Alumni, Predictions and Trends, News and Gossip
Welcome back to our weekly
American Idol polls round-up. Each week we look at various online polls that were conducted from the end of last week's results up to the performance show Tuesday. And then a few that were conducted after the performance show, but before the results were revealed.
This way we can analyze how the week's performances affected a contestant's overall popularity, which turns out to be not very much except in a few select cases. This week during the performance show, Simon indicated that the guys had won the night, and based on these polls it looks like American (at least the online portion of us) agrees with him. Is it really over for the girls? Can they see the writing on the walls? Will Brooke talk about it constantly droning on and on and on?
Continue reading Idol Polls: The Top 7
Next Page »
American Idol: My fantasy top ten
Why we need a Veronica Mars movie
Contest reminder: So You Think You Can Dance trip giveaway
