American Idol, Season 5 **Official Discussion Thread** Part 2

[MeanLaureen]

I almost wondered if putting Taylor in the first group to sit down as if they were the top vote getters and then throwing the bombshell on them a few minutes later that they were just the middle of the pack was the best way that TPTB could get a wakeup call to Taylor (ala Chris in the bottom 3) so that he would bring his best game next week. Chris being in the bottom helped put the spark in his behind to do a great performance. Taylor seems to be getting tired or bored or fed up - one or more of the above and I'm hoping that realizing that he isn't coasting through this competition as they made it seem Rod Stewart week will bring back the Taylor from weeks ago.

 

[Karibeth19]

I am cheering and my 6 year old daughter is crying her eyes out! She loved Kelli...she said she looks just like barbie LOL!!

My 8 year old daughter broke down in sobs and cried for ten solid minutes!! She has loved Kellie from the very beginning (I'm not ashamed to admit I really liked her too!), and even though I tried to prepare her all day for the fact that she was probably going home, she took it really hard. It absolutely broke my heart!!!! I told her that now Katherine should be her favorite, because the whole family thinks that she is probably going to look just like Kat when she's that age.

This season has been really hard for me, because, with the exception of Melissa,the first one sent home, I really like all the finalists and think they are all exceptionally talented. It's hard to see them go each week, and it's just going to get harder. I do hope Chris winds up winning, though.

 

[MeanLaureen]

I read this on MJsBlog - it's a transcript of the interview that Nigel, the producer of AI, does every Wednesday where he gives his opinions of the performances. Apparently he thinks Taylor had some valid reasons for his "Less than Taylor" performance.

Here is the quote:

Taylor - Nigel didn't think Taylor was at his best last night. He felt Taylor appeared very nervous, "There was one line where he just could not get the intonation over in the rehearsals and I think that was really bugging him. I think those nerves came across last night." Also, Nigel mentioned that Taylor had to change his song at the beginning of the week, because they felt his original song did not fit the "genre". The baseline question was "Could we see Andrea Bocelli singing these songs?" Taylor's original song was "Try a Little Tenderness". Nigel then said, "That would be ok if were were doing a Blues Brothers week, but this is Andrea Bocelli week. Then he [Taylor] just shrugged his shoulders and said 'lets get on with it.'" Nigel finally said, "In his defense, he had to change his song, and credit to him."

 

[SueM in MN]

I agree that Paris has an exceptional singing voice (her speaking voice is annoying), but, IMO, she sings with no, absolutely no, emotional connection to the songs.

Lack of emotional connection to the songs they are singing seems to be a particular problem with this season's top finalists, IMO.

I agree with you.
Everything about her annoys me; her speaking voice, her choice of songs and she not only has no emotional connection to the songs, she often is showing an inappropriate emotion to what she is singing (for example; she was smiling during many parts of "The Way We Were" which is really a rather meloncholy song - and what kind of "memories of the way we were" does a 17 yr old have anyway?).
I think she does have a good singing voice, but she is too young/immature for most of the songs she has picked out. The judges have told her that a number of times, and what does she pick out the next time? The most inapproiate song for a 17 year old.

In 10 years, when she has a little more maturity and can understand the emotions behind the words she's singing, she should be really good. (Although, even with a good voice, you need to have an emotinal connection with the audience that I don't see in her at this point. If she can't develop it, she won't do well).

 

[TexasCourt]

I was relieved to see Kellie go. She had her sweet moments, but I really think she was the least talented of the 6. So now the question is.....who do you think will go next week? I am thinking Paris?

 

[damo]

I agree with you.
Everything about her annoys me; her speaking voice, her choice of songs and she not only has no emotional connection to the songs, she often is showing an inappropriate emotion to what she is singing (for example; she was smiling during many parts of "The Way We Were" which is really a rather meloncholy song - and what kind of "memories of the way we were" does a 17 yr old have anyway?).
I think she does have a good singing voice, but she is too young/immature for most of the songs she has picked out. The judges have told her that a number of times, and what does she pick out the next time? The most inapproiate song for a 17 year old.

In 10 years, when she has a little more maturity and can understand the emotions behind the words she's singing, she should be really good. (Although, even with a good voice, you need to have an emotinal connection with the audience that I don't see in her at this point. If she can't develop it, she won't do well).

That is exactly the reason I think they should jump to age to 18 for the competition. In two years, most of the youngsters that were competitors in this year's competition would be awesome. They just need some life experience and a little more savy in order to compete with the 25 year olds.

 

[r3ngels]

My 8 year old daughter broke down in sobs and cried for ten solid minutes!! She has loved Kellie from the very beginning (I'm not ashamed to admit I really liked her too!), and even though I tried to prepare her all day for the fact that she was probably going home, she took it really hard. It absolutely broke my heart!!!! I told her that now Katherine should be her favorite, because the whole family thinks that she is probably going to look just like Kat when she's that age.

This season has been really hard for me, because, with the exception of Melissa,the first one sent home, I really like all the finalists and think they are all exceptionally talented. It's hard to see them go each week, and it's just going to get harder. I do hope Chris winds up winning, though.

This is my story tonight too... but it was my 6 yo. I was sad to see Kellie go, it was her time just like Bucky and Ace (IMO) but I like the finalists and it is hard seeing them go.

It is funny because my dd has blonde hair so from the auditions she loved Kellie because she thinks she looks like her-- She is already smarter though

 

[eclectics]

I agree that Paris has an exceptional singing voice (her speaking voice is annoying), but, IMO, she sings with no, absolutely no, emotional connection to the songs.

Lack of emotional connection to the songs they are singing seems to be a particular problem with this season's top finalists, IMO.

I agree that they all have a problem with connecting themselves to the song but I don't think Paris is so much worse than the others. She's trying but she is so very young. I do see your point though. Chris is the best of the bunch emotionally, imho.

 

[merryweather30]

I hope Paris will go next. She is definitely the most annoying! My 7 year old DD disagrees. My question is who will win? So many of the rest are great!

 

[SueM in MN]

That is exactly the reason I think they should jump to age to 18 for the competition. In two years, most of the youngsters that were competitors in this year's competition would be awesome. They just need some life experience and a little more savy in order to compete with the 25 year olds.

I totally agree with you.

 

[Jennasis]

Thank you thank you thank you GOD! Now I don't have to choke down that awful, itchy wool hat! Kellie went home, and deserved to after two weeks of solid musical butchery. I hope she can find an niche in the entertainment world somewhere (where she won't have to speak...perhaps modeling??)

I was surprised Elliot wasn't in the top 2, but I have been rooting for Kat to go to the top 3 with Chris and Taylor all along (just didn't vote for her this week, figuring Ell needed all the help possible). SO, I was pleased as punch with tonights results!

So, what's next week? Elvis you say...or is it something else?

 

[Sandy22]

I almost wondered if putting Taylor in the first group to sit down as if they were the top vote getters and then throwing the bombshell on them a few minutes later that they were just the middle of the pack was the best way that TPTB could get a wakeup call to Taylor (ala Chris in the bottom 3) so that he would bring his best game next week.

Could be - did you see Taylor's face when he found out he wasn't in the top 2? He looked shocked.

 

[Nancy]

I just got home and have to say I'm not surprised by the bottom 2 and who went home. I was at a dinner tonight and they actually announced that Kellie got voted off and people cheered! Too funny being out with all these people and having that happen.

I think they need to up the age limit too. When my girls danced they did Lyrical but never did it for competitions because they just didn't have the life experiences to make them "feel" the song they were dancing too. Lyrical without emotional attachment is boring.

Singing a love song or a sad song without emotional attachment is boring.

 

[MoniqueU]

I was happy to see Kellie go home and even happier to see Chris in the top 2.
Go Chris!!!

 

[RyMickey]

well who will the kelly haters of the DIS board pick off next

Personally (as a Kellie hater ), I'm a fan of everyone left in the Top Five and would honestly be happy with any of them winning.

- Granted, I won't go out and buy a Chris cd. But I think he does have a great stage presence.

- And, if I'm being completely honest, Taylor (who was once my favorite) has dropped in my rankings. Even when he's been "fun" lately, I've kinda felt that he's just been "okay."

- Paris can definitely sing jazz, and I think I'm the one person who liked her singing "The Show Must Go On."

- Elliot was my favorite male contestant after the first night of the 12 guys singing, but he had fallen off my radar. I never thought he'd make it this far, but he has a great voice...stage presence, on the other hand, could use some work.

- And Katharine...what can I say about Katharine. She's my favorite and has been my pick since she sang Aretha's "Freedom (Think)" on the first night of the 12 female singers. She's got it all. She can sing, she has charisma (yes, I think she does emote onstage), and she's incredibly easy on the eyes. And wardrobe malfunctions or not, she's my pick to win.

Nevertheless, I think each person in the Final Five brings something different to the table. And I'm actually incredibly impressed at this final five and would be happy with whoever wins from this point onward.

 

[shortbun]

I am not a "Kellie hater" but it was definitely her turn to go home. I'd send Taylor next if it were up to me. I really like him but he's not as good a singer as the other four. After that, I have a real hard time choosing. I guess I'd like to see it go down to Chris, Elliot and Catherine in the final three but Paris has earned her place up there too. Her last song choice and performance weren't up as good as the other three though.

 

[dolphindan1]

AI Tour dates posted:

6-Jul
Manchester, NH
Verizon Wireless Arena

8-Jul
Worcester, MA
DCU Center

9-Jul
Hartford, CT
Hartford Civic Center

11-Jul
Albany, NY
Pepsi Arena

12-Jul
Hershey, PA
GIANT Center

13-Jul
East Rutherford, NJ
Continental Airlines Arena

15-Jul
Long Island, NY
Nassau Coliseum

18-Jul
Wilkes Barre, PA
Wachovia Arena

19-Jul
Cleveland, OH
Wolstein Center

21-Jul
Rochester, NY
BlueCross Arena

22-Jul
Philadelphia, PA
Wachovia Center

23-Jul
Atlantic City, NJ
Boardwalk Hall

25-Jul
Bridgeport, CT
Arena at Harbor Yard

27-Jul
Pittsburgh, PA
Mellon Arena

28-Jul
Washington DC
Verizon Center

29-Jul
Richmond, VA
Richmond Coliseum

30-Jul
Greensboro, NC
Greensboro Coliseum

1-Aug
Charlotte, NC
Charlotte Bobcats Arena

2-Aug
Columbia, SC
Colonial Center

3-Aug
Duluth, GA
Arena at Gwinnett Center

5-Aug
Sunrise, FL
BankAtlantic Center

6-Aug
Tampa, FL
St. Pete Times Forum

8-Aug
Birmingham, AL
BJCC Arena

10-Aug
Nashville, TN
Gaylord Entertainment Center

11-Aug
Columbus, OH
Value City Arena

12-Aug
Milwaukee, WI
Bradley Center

13-Aug
St. Louis, MO
Savvis Center

15-Aug
Grand Rapids, MI
Van Andel Arena

16-Aug
Detroit, MI
Joe Louis Arena

18-Aug
TBD
TBD

19-Aug
Chicago, IL
Allstate Arena

20-Aug
Peoria, IL
Peoria Civic Center

22-Aug
St. Paul, MN
Xcel Energy Center

26-Aug
Los Angeles, CA
Staples Center

27-Aug
Anaheim, CA
Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim

29-Aug
Sacramento, CA
ARCO Arena

30-Aug
San Jose, CA
HP Pavilion at San Jose

1-Sep
Portland, OR
Rose Garden

2-Sep
Tacoma, WA
Tacoma Dome

NOT COMING ANYWHERE NEAR TEXAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ***????????????????????

I wish they were coming to Charleston but Columbia is not too far....I wanna see Kellie and KAt...dont care if they sing or not...I wanna hear Taylor sing....and my wife will want to go see not hear Chris

 

[dolphindan1]

You may not think Elliott looks great and he may not be polish, but to say he sucks? That's just ignorant IMHO. He has a great voice, and doesn't deserve to go home.

The fact that Kellie is still around and will outlast people like Sway and Mandisa by so much is an outright travesty.

Performances last night rated 1-6.

1. Elliott - His 2nd best performance of the year, he is fighting like hell to stay on board in the face of haters.
2. Chris - His best performance in weeks, he finally didn't bore me.
3. Paris - Good, nothing special at all, but she definitely is 100X better than Kellie.
4. Taylor - He's my 2nd favorite, but I have to say that this was his worst performance in quite some time.
5. Katharine - She finally went uptempo, but she failed in a pretty major way. She needs to stay uptempo though because she is incredibly boring just standing behind the mic and trying to serenade voters. She's by far the hottest female in the competition, but that means absolutely nothing to me as far as my vote goes.
6. Kellie - Please stop the act, PLEASE! You are HORRIBLE two weeks in a row, and you will still make the Top 5? What a joke. Get off my tv you no talent hack.

I dont think I am ignorant cause I say he sucks...I do not think he is good in my opinion he sucks....Many people think different things suck....There are plenty of sport teams that I think suck....does that make me igonorant...or does me just saying suck offend you....thats why there is more than one team, more than one singer and many different types of music.....I take it you think Kellie sucks....I guess your ignorant too....Now granted Kellie is not the best singer but she did entertain....and I agree she was not as good as Mandissa but she was way better than sway....He sucked too and i love his genre of music, R&B....Now I guess I am racist....O well call it what you will....oh and Elliott does not have a great voice....I dont hear the power or passion when he sings....too me its all in one tone and he bobs side to side like a weeble wobble.....sorry you called me ignorant gonna defend myself

 

[dolphindan1]

Why is it "ignorant" for a poster to say Elliott sucks, but o.k. for you to say Kellie is horrible and a joke?

I think both of them are good, certainly better than most of America -- and if they weren't, they never would have made it this far.

Thank you

 

[dolphindan1]

DH and I both noticed that and commented on it. I think that she felt that she really nailed the song and the comments surprised her. To me, her look was more surprise than mad. I may be wrong, though. To be honest, I was surprised by the judges' comments too. I probably had the same facial expression that she had during that comment time.

I was suprised...I thought it was a superb performance....and all the judges were sipping from Paula's cup....She uh sucks....