Yesterday we had video of Paula Abdul's weird live interview with a Seattle TV station, and here's another American Idol classic: Paula judging a song that contestant Jason Castro didn't even sing. I love Ryan Seacrest's look offstage that says "what the hell is going on?"
David Archuleta-related stories
Great Moments in Paula Abdul History, Part 2: the mysterious second song
American Idol: 2 of 7 go home
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.
Continue reading American Idol: 2 of 7 go home
American Idol: Phoenix auditions (season premiere)
(S08E01) it's that time of year again: American Idol auditions. It's the good, bad and tone-deaf all vying for their chance to be the next Taylor Hicks! Or... you know, someone else. So let's get started:We open up with a really weird slow-motion retrospective of notable past auditions to "It's a Wonderful World." I always forget how skinny and young Clay was. Seacrest has changed a lot too-- and informs us that "THIS is American Idol" from what looks to be a perch on the edge of the Grand Canyon.
Oh my God. They're showing that amazing video of those little girls completely losing it over David Archuleta not winning last season. I am laughing so hard right now. This is officially the best episode of American Idol ever.
Continue reading American Idol: Phoenix auditions (season premiere)
Seventeen random thoughts about TV - VIDEOS
1. I really enjoy Suze Orman's show (it's a major part of my Saturday night, which tells you a lot about my social life), especially the "Can I Afford It?" segment, where viewers call in to get her OK to buy something like a sports car or a Lear jet or a coffee maker. But I was wondering, what if someone called in and asked, "Suze, I don't have a job and I have student loans to pay off, but I'm thinking about buying 100,000 copies of your latest book, can I afford it?" What would she say then?2. Two different TV shows in the past week, one a news program that had an analysis of the election and one a design show, used the phrase "do the math." I don't want to do the math. That's why I got into writing.
Continue reading Seventeen random thoughts about TV - VIDEOS
Out of the Blogosphere
What's happening on other blogs via the interweb.- What Would Don Draper Do?
- Excellent! Robert Forster to play the Petrelli dad on Heroes.
- Mark Burnett has countersued the guy that was suing him.
- Check out the first single from David Archuleta's debut album.
- In advance of tonight's season finale of Robin Hood, Richard Armitage answers your questions.
- Help save Mister Rogers!
- Will Lance Bass get a male dancing partner on Dancing with the Stars?
- Which former ER star is coming back to the show in October?
Idol has its claws in David Archuleta
David Archuleta is American Idol's bitch. Like the other contestants, he signed an incredibly restrictive contract. All of his public appearances and performances are closely monitored and approved by AI managers.That became painfully clear for Archuleta and his rabid fans in Salt Lake City this week when the runner-up was forced to cancel a 'Thank You' concert. It was to be this Friday night and the proceeds were to go to charity. But American Idol nixed the whole thing because of Archuleta's "contractual obligations" to the show. It was an Idol-sanctioned event. Plus, Archuleta is scheduled to begin touring with his co-contestants on Saturday.
Continue reading Idol has its claws in David Archuleta
AI7 Report Card: The season that was
We scoured the earth (and the archives at various record companies for failed projects that showed vocal promise) to create the greatest assemblage of singing talent American Idol has ever seen! So what happened? After last year's virtual snooze-fest, how did a season that truly did give us perhaps the greatest depth of talent we've ever seen (an argument could be made for Season Five) give us such lackluster shows?After Sanjaya-gate last year, the biggest controversy to come out this year was that finalist David Hernandez used to be a stripper and David Archuleta's dad might be a Mr. Meany-Pants. And we got to be pissed that Kristy Lee Cook outlasted the likes of Michael Johns. Not until we got to the finale of Davids did things get really intense.
Gallery: AI '08 Top 24
Continue reading AI7 Report Card: The season that was
AI OD: A farewell to David Archuleta - VIDEOS
Poor Archie, he fell victim to a Clarkson-style assault. In Season One of American Idol, Justin Guarini was picked as the early favorite to run all the way to the finals and win the whole thing. Meanwhile, nobody even noticed the nondescript little waitress from Texas in there midst until Kelly Clarkson just kept growing and growing through the competition and ran away with the whole thing.Sure, David Cook was good, but virtually nobody saw him as an early favorite to take the title, and the '50s theme in week one didn't do anything to light him up. Then Archuleta let loose with "Imagine" the following week and pretty much sealed the deal as the front-runner. He even encored with the number in the finale, knowing that it had been his season's high point.
In the exit interview with David Archuleta, he said that Cook "just proved week after week that he deserved to be the 'American Idol' ... My main priority wasn't to win the competition ... just to do my best. We both gave it our all. To make it to the top two, I don't think there's any reason to be disappointed with that."
Continue reading AI OD: A farewell to David Archuleta - VIDEOS
Five things I learned from TV this week
Who says you can't learn anything from television? We talk about a lot of things here on TV Squad each week, and it's amazing what TV Squad and TV in general can teach you about life.
TV ... it's like the Bible!
1. America likes making a point rather than rewarding talent. Let me say upfront that even though I wrote this, I still think that David Cook is a good singer, and it was great that the American Idol final came down to him and David Archuleta. But I'm baffled as to why he won by 12 million votes! It's almost as if viewers were voting for Cook not just because they liked him, but because they didn't want to fulfill the predictions many had weeks and weeks ago that Archuleta would win (as if the kid could control any of that). They didn't want to prove to everyone that American Idol is predictable, or that Simon's comments about Archuleta winning the final night of singing meant anything. And what about that night? Come on, Archuleta clearly won that night, but it's almost as if they don't even have to have that final night of singing, because fans are clearly voting for other reasons. The Archuleta backlash has to be one of the weirder things that has happened this TV season. I have a very good friend who is a Cook fanatic. Nothing could make her say anything bad about him and I think she broke her phone calling in to vote for him, and even she admits that Archuleta did better that last night. I think fans convinced themselves that they had to vote for the "rocker" (cough cough) and not the kid who sings well (and I have to disagree with my cohort Debra - there's nothing "unique" about Cook).
Continue reading Five things I learned from TV this week
Idol Polls: The Top 2
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. And this week we're mixing it up a bit, bringing you this column before the "Results Show" airs. As this is our last time to look at polls, why not see how many, if any, properly predict the David that comes out on top. Personally, even though you won't see her on these lists, I think Syesha still found a way to come in last on all of them.
Continue reading Idol Polls: The Top 2
American Idol: Your American Idol Revealed (season finale)
(S07E42) Forty-two episodes later we're finally ready to find out who is going to take home the crown of the next American Idol. Look at all those faces up there, and now it's all come down to the Davids. The lingering question is if they're going to be Idols the likes of Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson; sales in the millions with mantles full of awards; or will they find mainstream success more of a challenge, like Taylor Hicks or Justin Guarini (I know he came in second but let's face it, at this point first and second are almost interchangeable as far as getting a shot at a career)? The show's an hour early and an hour longer, clocking in from 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM Eastern Time. That means you have two hours to chat live right here with your friends and frenemies about which David should win and how stupid they are for disagreeing with you.
You can join the chat by following this link. Look for the full episode review right here later tonight.
Continue reading American Idol: Your American Idol Revealed (season finale)
American Idol: Top 2 Perform
(S07E40) Tonight, it's wall-to-wall David as Cook and Archuleta face-off in the penultimate episode of what was once proclaimed to be the most talented and greatest season of American Idol to date. And yet, for some reason it hasn't worked out that way. Nevertheless, the Davids are both talented and in such different ways. Archie has a pure and beautiful voice but his performance technique is severely lacking. Meanwhile, Cookie is a consummate performer, but doesn't have nearly the vocal depth of his nemesis.
Tonight, expect them to sing the "Idol Songwriting Competition" winning song which should be a horribly saccharine song about "Gosh, I can't believe where I'm at and isn't this amazing," or if we're especially lucky we'll get two different songs like that. Other than that, we should get three songs from each, one possibly an encore of their favorite performance and the third ... well, who knows. Join us in our weekly live chat and we can speculate together.
You can join the chat by following this link. Look for the full episode review right here later tonight.
Continue reading American Idol: Top 2 Perform
AI Aftermath: 2nd place finishers - VIDEOS
Welcome back to "AI Aftermath," where we explore Idol's past. Each installment, as one more American Idol hopeful is eliminated from the competition, we take a look back at contestants past who were eliminated at the same point. We'll examine how they did on the show and what they've been up to since their eliminations. In honor of David Archuleta's elimination in the finale, we'll be looking at other second place finishers.
This week: 2nd place finishers, featuring featuring Justin Guarini (Season One), Clay Aiken (Season Two), Diana DeGarmo (Season Three), Bo Bice (Season Four), Katharine McPhee (Season Five) and Blake Lewis (Season Six).
Continue reading AI Aftermath: 2nd place finishers - VIDEOS
Oddsmakers pick a David for Idol's Winner
It's getting closer. On Wednesday, America will crown the next Idol winner. Which David will it be? Of course, these two polar opposites have sparked some debate online as to who will win the competition. Okay, is someone holding down Jeff Archuleta? According to E! Online, the oddmakers at BetCRIS.com have chosen David Cook to take the title Wednesday night. As per the online bookies, Cook has a 74% chance of winning this season of American Idol.
But E! Online makes a good point about Archuleta's young quick-dialing fanbase: "Of course, last we checked, Gambling 101 was not a part of a grade schooler's course load, meaning the actual voting demographic might not jibe with the oddmakers' pick and it still could be anybody's contest."
So, who are you voting for? Who do you think will win American Idol? Better yet, who do you think deserves to win American Idol this season? Check back with TV Squad for our review of the big night.
Idol Polls: The Top 3
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. Of course, it's all come down to the inevitable finale everyone expected. Unfortunately, it turned out to be rather anticlimactic though it would have been a lot of fun to see our girl Syesha sneak her way into the finale. What it does accomplish is setting up a finale that's almost impossible to predict. Both Davids have been at the top of the polls for weeks now, so it may come down to what they do Tuesday. We'll be back next week on Wednesday before the results to analyze the available polls at that time and see if we can predict the ultimate winner.
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