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

[marymrg]

The reason I haven't bashed Kellie on a personal level is that I think she is the real deal. I have known/met people like her my whole life. Given the hand that she was dealt early on in life, I'd take the gullible/airhead persona over the angry/lash out at everyone type. She could've gone either way.

I don't think she is the best singer, but I do find her endearing.

Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion and I don't think it has to be a jeoulsy thing. FWIW, I don't find Jessica Simpson to be the real deal. Do I wish I had a body like hers - heck yes! But, that's not why I don't care for her. YMMV

 

[tiggersgirl]

Chicago, the legendary rock ’n’ roll band with horns and one of the best-selling and longest-running American bands, begins a new chapter in the their history with the release of their 30th album, CHICAGO XXX. The first single, “Feel,” was released on February 14. The album will be released March 21 at all retail and digital outlets.

Long awaited, CHICAGO XXX, introduces 13 new songs from one of America's greatest bands.




Tracks
1. Feel (Hot Single Mix)
(Dan Orton / Blair Daly)
2. King Of Might Have Been
(Jason Scheff / Dennis Matosky / Greg Barnhill)
3. Caroline
(Jason Scheff / Chas Sandford)
4. Why Can’t We
(Bill Champlin / Jay DeMarcus / Jason Scheff / Chas Sandford)
5. Love Will Come Back
(Jason Scheff / Jay DeMarcus / Chas Sandford)
6. Long Lost Friend
(Jason Scheff / JayDeMarcus / Brett James)
7. 90 Degrees And Freezing
(Robert Lamm / Jason Scheff / Brett James / Jay DeMarcus)
8. Where Were You
(Jason Scheff / Bill Champlin / Jay DeMarcus)
9. Already Gone
(Bill Champlin / George M. Hawkins Jr.)
10. Come To Me, Do
(Robert Lamm)
11. Lovin’ Chains
(Jay DeMarcus / Marcus Hummon)
12. Better
(Bill Champlin / Chas Sandford)
13. Feel (The Horn Section Mix)
(Dan Orton / Blair Daly)

 

[Papa Deuce]

You're kidding right? She's a 19 year old kid who's cute and can sing but seems to find it necessary to hide behind the persona of a barefoot, backwoods, ignorant redneck. That's a stereotype I'm sure most North Carolinians are sick of. She's a lousy excuse for a role model for young women. Is she what you'd like to see your daughters emulate? I'm a 42 year old woman who's been around the block more times than I like to count. It shows in my body and my attitude. I learned 25 years ago that being ballsy got me a lot farther than pretending I didn't know what calamari was. What exactly do I have to be jealous of??

My DD is her age. She's far more beautiful. She can't sing a note but she's intelligent, well spoken and can hold her own without "dumbing down" because other people think it's cute. She has respect for herself and background. Now HER I'm jealous of.

I can't believe you said that. We aren't jealous. We are sick of the notion that big ****s and tiny brains are what women need to succeed.

See, that is what you THINK she is doing and is all about. My point is that I / we do not "KNOW" her. She may be dimwitted. She may be trying to cultivate an image based on something...... her looks and body. Or maybe she is just being who she is.

The point is that we don't KNOW that she is. I have never met her. Have you?

 

[FionaLovesShrek]

OK, I don't know what to say at this point. And I am gonna get SLAMMED here and I know it. But you ladies constant slamming of Kellie makes me wonder if a few of you aren't just a little jealous.

She is the sexy minx that drew the eyes of all the boys in HS. She also has the accent that so many northern boys would find totally attactive. She has "some" talent, though not as much as some of the others, yet more than some that are still there.

She isn't like some of the "bad guys" AI has had in the past like Scott Savol, Mikayla, and the black girl who was dropped at around 11 or 12 this season... the one with the nasty attitude.

I don't get the whole overt hatred of her. She is what she is. And what she is just seems to get under many of you ladies' skin. I don't get it, though.

It's the "sexy minx" reason the girl is so high in popularity. All the fellas going gaga over the blonde airhead...does Marilyn Monroe sound familiar? The girl can sing, but not good enough to make it without playing up the "ignorant girl from the sticks" image. Because of Carrie Underwood, who could actually sing and is blonde, Kellie Pickler had to do something to make herself different and noticible. Let's face it, if she hadn't been playing up the dumb blonde role so heavily, she would have fallen on the back burner. Carrie Underwood had an accent too but she let her talent do the speaking. The reason we ladies can't stand her is because in todays world no one is that stupid, and by using it to take yourself farther, you undo the steps that generations of women have fought to achieve. And that is smart, talented and beautiful women who do not need to play up stupid to be noticed.

 

[corie161]

It's nothing about HOW she speaks, it's what comes out when she does. She can be fun and personable (think Kelly Clarkson) without saying things that makes her seem less intelligent than I'm sure she really is. It's not Kellie particularly that I have a problem with, it's the culture of "airheads" that we seem to cultivating anymore.

I didn't intend to mean that you thought it was how she speaks, but I meant there are some posters that complain about her drawl in songs.

I do agree she says some off the wall things, but I'm with Papa Duece on this, until I had further proof she wasn't the real deal then I don't hold it against her. Some people are just genuinely ditzy, like it or not.

 

[Philadisney]

See, that is what you THINK she is doing and is all about. My point is that I / we do not "KNOW" her. She may be dimwitted. She may be trying to cultivate an image based on something...... her looks and body. Or maybe she is just being who she is.

The point is that we don't KNOW that she is. I have never met her. Have you?

i don't care if she's being 'authentic' or not, she still has control over the image she portrays...here's a good quote from reese witherspoon that's kind of relevent:

Reese has gone on the record saying she's sick of the trend among young women to act as if it's cute to be stupid.

"It's a new movement among young women that it's cute to be dumb. I have a little girl, and when I see her looking at those starlets who … are pretending to be dumb, I think that's terrible."

"Our mothers and our grandmothers and the women that came before us fought so hard to overcome the stereotype of women being not smart enough to vote, not smart enough to receive higher education, to have great jobs. And to single-handedly go out in a very public way and say, 'You know what, I don't really care about what they achieved. I'm just going be stupid and that's cute.' I don't think it's a good message for young women."

not trying to turn this into a feminist debate, just trying to point out that it's not kellie pickler personally that i and perhaps others dislike, it's the image she is portraying.

 

[phisigprincess]

i don't care if she's being 'authentic' or not, she still has control over the image she portrays...here's a good quote from reese witherspoon that's kind of relevent:

Reese has gone on the record saying she's sick of the trend among young women to act as if it's cute to be stupid.

"It's a new movement among young women that it's cute to be dumb. I have a little girl, and when I see her looking at those starlets who … are pretending to be dumb, I think that's terrible."

"Our mothers and our grandmothers and the women that came before us fought so hard to overcome the stereotype of women being not smart enough to vote, not smart enough to receive higher education, to have great jobs. And to single-handedly go out in a very public way and say, 'You know what, I don't really care about what they achieved. I'm just going be stupid and that's cute.' I don't think it's a good message for young women."

not trying to turn this into a feminist debate, just trying to point out that it's not kellie pickler personally that i and perhaps others dislike, it's the image she is portraying.

I watched that Oprah inteview and I have massive amount of respect for her. She seems like one of the few in Hollywood who has her head screwed on straight - but only time will tell on that one!!!

 

[phisigprincess]

Off of Papa Duece's topic - did anyone think Fantasia looked bored out of her mind last night? Why didn't they ask her to sing? I thought it was odd that they had a past Idol winner in the audience and there was little to no celebration about it.... In her genre, she's doing really well, so I'm not sure why they wouldn't trump that up like they usually do.

 

[Nancy]

I don't really have a problem with her, but I can see where people could find her idiocy to be not that attractive. I also think it is silly that everytime a woman doesn't like another woman it is because they are jealous.

I so agree with your last line.
I just plain don't like her voice. I think she is cute...but I like her so much better in her little taped moments when she doesn't have the Idol hair and Idol makeup on. What I don't like is when she opens her mouth and talks. I have a hard time believing that anyone who has done what she has is that stupid. (pageants and so on) Please, "it worked for Jessica Simpson so maybe it will work for me"....that is what bothers me. I am certainly not jealous, I am not jealous of anyone or anything. I think she needs to watch Pinks video of "Stupid Girls" and see if she sees herself in it.

PLUS AI's pimping of her is a bit too much too.

 

[Robinrs]

OK, I don't know what to say at this point. And I am gonna get SLAMMED here and I know it. But you ladies constant slamming of Kellie makes me wonder if a few of you aren't just a little jealous.

She is the sexy minx that drew the eyes of all the boys in HS. She also has the accent that so many northern boys would find totally attactive. She has "some" talent, though not as much as some of the others, yet more than some that are still there.

She isn't like some of the "bad guys" AI has had in the past like Scott Savol, Mikayla, and the black girl who was dropped at around 11 or 12 this season... the one with the nasty attitude.

I don't get the whole overt hatred of her. She is what she is. And what she is just seems to get under many of you ladies' skin. I don't get it, though.

I won't slam you because I do believe that "pretty Prejudice" is alive and works in some cases, but not in this one ... at least not for me.

BTW, I WAS a Kellie Girl in HS, and yes I got a LOT of hatin' because of it. On the other hand I have NEVER hated on a woman for being pretty... I LOVE to see a beautiful person, male or female.

What I cannot stand is "cute stupidity". I was a cute girl but I was also one of the smartest kids in my class, skipped once and graduated from HS at 16, college at 20. I almost wanted to PROVE that you can be both. It means a lot to me and as you can see, I've spent YEARS trying to disprove that "pretty is dumb" theory.

What I cannot disprove is the fact that MANY people still fall for it, very evident this season on Idol. I personally think that Lisa and Katharine are MUCH prettier than Kellie, but she has the "look at me" way about her that wins over some of our less thinking types everytime.

I can only speak for myself but that's how I feel about it. It literally makes the hair on my neck stand up. It's one thing to be dumb but to constantly open your mouth to prove it (seems deliberate to me and why not? It's WORKING!!!) with her inane sayings... Lord help me....

It reminds me of how men WANTED me to be... and sometimes I even did it to be what they wanted me to be, but now I'd rather DIE than be that person.

 

[jaimee1024]

OK...just have to comment on a couple more things...

I laughed so hard at Ryan last night...the comment about SOMEONE at that table is drunk, I wonder who...I was cracking up. Then when Bucky made the comment about Freddy Mercury and Ryan said "you can say that again". Ryan is quick and witty and sometimes I enjoy him more than the singers!

A lot of people have commented on how Taylor made them smile last night. ME TOO! He is the only one that I find entertaining. That is not to say the others are bad singers, they are just not entertaining IMO. Taylor is the only one I would want to see in concert. When he was performing last night I found myself dancing in my seat and clapping along with a big smile on my face. He is a true entertainer. And I kind of love the fact that he missed the mic on the first try...because it shows that he is a diamond in the rough...he is not polished and smooth...and I actually love that about him. He is joyful and happy and I love him!!

 

[Nancy]

I AGREE....but how come the "most" of the ladies here are almost 100% in agreement of slamming Kellie every single week?

Close your eyes next week and see if she sounds the same when you can't see her! LOL.

Maybe she is slammed because she just isn't all that good. I can look at really attractive women and think they can sing and act, but I can also look at them and tell when I don't like them....and that does not make me jealous.

 

[wvrevy]

My own take on last night:

Bucky - AKA "The Dissed Buckster" - I know a lot of people don't like him for whatever reason, but he's got one of the most legitimately marketable sounds on the show. Trust me, you can't get away from "southern rock" on the radio around here, and he would fit in perfectly. Probably the 2nd best performance of the night, IMHO.

Ace - AKA "Bashful the Dwarf" or this guy: - 1) Lose the make-up, dude, you look like a mime. 2) Tell a band like Queen that you're going to change one of their signature songs? Are you out of your ever-lovin' mind?!? 3) Really the least talented of the group that is left. (And no, I'm not jealous of him...again, he looks like a mime )

Kellie - AKA "What's AKA?" or "Dominatrix #1" - Have to say I immediately though of Papa Deuce when I saw how Kellie was dressed last night. Like everyone else, I was certain she would butcher that song. But if you can get past the accent, she actually did a credible job on it. (And I could care less if she is actually dumb or smart enough to play it up. Just commenting on the performance itself)

Chris - AKA "The Copycat" - Couldn't have agreed with Simon more on his comments to Chris. Not a bad performance by any means, but it should have been great, and it just...well...wasn't.

Katherine - AKA "Ssssmokin'!" - I really though she could blow this night out with the dramatic tone that Queen has to so many of their songs, but it just didn't make it to that level. Also, I thought she was a bit 'pitchy" for the first time. She's still got more talent in her little pinky than a couple others do their entire bodies, but she was just "aaight" for me last night.

Elliot - AKA "The Homicidal Amishman" or "The Bouncy White R&B Wannabe" - Yeah...um...if you "thought that was Freddy" singing, I'd strongly suggest a trip to the ear, nose, and throat specialist for a hearing test. I just don't see the attraction to the little monkey at all, and the vibrato (that the word you were looking for, Maureen?) in his voice drives me insane. Admittedly, that's a short trip, but still.

Taylor - AKA "Spaz" - I just don't get how you could not like Taylor. His performances are almost always fun, and I knew he was gonna be the best of the night as soon as I heard what song he had changed to. The mic-stand thing was hilarious, but it didn't take away from what I thought was easily the most entertaining performance of the night.

Paris - AKA "Chameleon" or "Lil'er Kim" or "Dominatrix #2" - If you didn't know what the song was about, you'd probably think that it was a pretty decent performance. In fact, I know that, because I've talked to three different non-Queen fans that said pretty much the same thing. However, knowing what the song is about and the pain that is behind it....yeah, that just wasn't the way to go about performaing that song. Oh, and please add "Fantasia II" to her AKA list at the beginning.

Should be bottom 3: Ace, Elliott, Paris
Will be bottom 3: Ace, Katherine, Bucky

Should go home: Ace
Will go home: Ace

 

[Shugardrawers]

See, that is what you THINK she is doing and is all about. My point is that I / we do not "KNOW" her. She may be dimwitted. She may be trying to cultivate an image based on something...... her looks and body. Or maybe she is just being who she is.

The point is that we don't KNOW that she is. I have never met her. Have you?

I have to believe it's all just an act. I cannot fathom that anyone in this country with more than a 6th grade education would be that ignorant.

 

[TnKrBeLlA012]

I am not a Kelli fan but I think it is terrible to be so judgemental of her. None of us know her. We have no idea what she is really like. Maybe this is who she is. My girls don't need other women to tell them how to be. I would hope they have minds of their own. I will give her credit for the way she seems to have lived her life. With all the hardships she has faced I think she seems like a very nice person. She could be out robbing banks or other crimes. Sounding niave is not a crime. All the idols seem nice. Lets not personally attack them. It's a singing contest.

 

[phisigprincess]

WVRevy, your akas had me cracking up!!

 

[AuntieM03]

Ace probably will go home, it seems like whenever I really like a performance it dooms the contestant. I hope I really like Paris next week (and no I am not jealous of her)

 

[FionaLovesShrek]

Anybody else read the article in TV Guide about the contestants? I was surprised by two things. First, Elliott Yamin is 90 percent deaf in one ear. He apparently had several ear surgeries as a kid. I'd say he was doing great despite his handicap! Two, Kellie Pickler didn't have the bad life the promo's made her out to have. She grew up with two loving grandparents going to church. According to the picture of her home, she has a good home life. Her father has always been a part of her life. In fact he is now out of jail and rooting for her every week in the audience. According to her grandfather, she gets her talent from her father.

 

[stevenpensacola]

a few comments:

1. You'd think Freddy Mercury could have afforded a trip to the othodontist...

2. Elliot sounds better if you're not watching him. A local radio station replays the audio from the previous nights' show...he sounded better than most of the others.

3. Simon is looking for what will sell on the radio, not so much who can wow
a crowd during a live performance. A lot of times, it appears he doesn't even watch the performers while the're singing, but is either just listening or watching one of the monitors off to the side.

 

[Philadisney]

2. Elliot sounds better if you're not watching him. A local radio station replays the audio from the previous nights' show...he sounded better than most of the others.

that is really true. i was indifferent towards elliott until i listened to his mp3s on a website and was amazed. even now, i enjoy his live performances on TV becos i've become a 'yaminion' but i still think he sounds even better when i listen to his mp3s after the show, last night included.