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

[Nancy]

Do you think maybe Chris doens't want to win???? I was just thinking, wasn't he offered a job by some band months ago? I know he will have contract obligations never-the-less, but maybe he'd rather not be "American Idol" -- he's kind of got that alternative thing going there. Maybe he's starting to think that this isn't the image he wants. (all said and done it is a little dorky, the whole concept.)

That's exactly the feeling I get. Maybe being the Idol isn;t what he wants. He has the exposure, he has the fan base now and I am 99.9% sure that he has people just waiting to sign him up.

 

[damo]

You do know that Hounddog was first released by a woman before Elvis redid it, right? Plus her second song, just a ballad - nothing to it I could say is strictly male or female. Pretty generic.

I thought that the restriction on last night's songs was that they were all to be Elvis originals and no covers. Isn't that was Taylor's Dad had said? I wonder how Katharine got around that one?

I hope Chris doesn't go but I wouldn't be at all surprised if he did. He really did just phone in his performances last night. It was strange.

 

[MeanLaureen]

I thought that the restriction on last night's songs was that they were all to be Elvis originals and no covers. Isn't that was Taylor's Dad had said? I wonder how Katharine got around that one?

I hadn't heard that they had to be originals. But Hound dog was first released by Big Mama Thorton several years before Elvis made it a big hit.

Maybe since she mixed "All Shook Up" with it she technically had 2 Elvis originals?

 

[lillygator]

wow - you all said a lot after I signed off...that article posted was interesting....but do you think the idols can ask for certain things in their performances? I mean, if Chris had lights and fog, couldn't the other contestants ask for that as well?

I don't think it matters who wins now, they've all had some great exposure and I'm sure will get signed somewhere.

As for the "if x wins, I'll quit watching the show" I don't understand why bother watching in the first place? I mean we can get as many votes in as possible but all of America votes and the person you may start out liking could be voted off at any time. I think each week as someone's fav gets booted they may swing their votes over to who they perceive as the underdog. You just never know.

 

[padisneyfan]

Nah, you're not alone...I was thinking the exact same thing. I really was expecting more from Chris tonight. I've also wondered how he would have fared on Rock Star INXS.

I don't think Chris or anyone on AI would have fared well on Rock Star INXS. All of them were so talented on INXS. I agree with the previous poster that JD version was so great and Chris just was pale in comparsion.

Nancy

 

[damo]

I hadn't heard that they had to be originals. But Hound dog was first released by Big Mama Thorton several years before Elvis made it a big hit.

Maybe since she mixed "All Shook Up" with it she technically had 2 Elvis originals?

Maybe. Taylor's dad had said that the show limited the kids to singing originals to keep them from going too far off line. That was why Taylor couldn't sing Blue Suede Shoes.

 

[tarmand]

Estelle:

http://groups.msn.com/EstellesAmericanIdolJoint/americanidol.msnw?action=get_message&mview=0&ID_Message=13315&LastModified=4675571876426375829

 

[Nancy]

Estelle cracks me up!

Dilemma tonight...Idol or Sabres/Senators game? What's a girl to do?

 

[marymrg]

My take based on last night's performance:

Chris - good
Taylor - better
Elliott - best

Katharine - I think that her nerves got the best of her. It was sort of self-fulfilling. She probably knew she might be the weakest tonight and was. Tommy M. liked her though and she could be a star if she hooks up with the right producer. AI will give her the connections but not the coveted title, imho. I think she has struggled with song choice and connecting her emotions to the song and the audience throughout this entire season.

For me though - my favorite song/performance last night was Taylor's In the Ghetto. I replayed that several times.

 

[Jennasis]

Another fun night of music and frivolity. To make a long story short I feel that though she has done Immensely well, and I really like her, Kat will go home tonight. Elliot deserves to go home based on all performances to date. However it appears that America is voting based on that night's performance and Kat was the weakest.

Here's my critique (caution: rabid fans may not want to read!)

Taylor: Jailhouse Rock was the perfect song choice, but his execution was just silly. I LIKE when Taylor boogies, but this was just too much (like he's been waiting to go freakish on us). The song itself was sung ok, but the arrangement was not my favorite. He sang it well though.

Taylor v2.0" In The Ghetto really worried DH and I because all we could think about was Cartman! But when Taylor actually sang it, all was right with the universe. Very well composed (Taylor) and not acting foolish, but still FEELING the music, Taylor sang the crap out of it and emoted! A stellar performance.

Chris: "Suspicious Minds" wasn't my favorite Elvis song but Chris SANG it beautifully. I was very worried that he would start screaming, but the man can sing! A great performance. I can't remember which song he wore the sunglasses for, but it was a tad cheesy (whipping them off).

Chris v2.0: "A Little Less Conversation" was another great choice for him and he sang it well...at least the second half of the song. The first half got a little monotonous. It is no secret that i am a huge Chris fan, so even when he's just ok, he's awesome. I was petrified of this song after JPL BUTCHERED it in a previous season, but Chris made it work.

Elliot: Look away gang...just look away. "If I Can Dream" was the song right? I wouldn't really know since we Tivo'd right over it after the first couple of lines. Same goat-like Elliot (though it seems better than some of his other goat-songs). His "big-boy finish" didn't impress me.

Elliot v2.0: "Trouble" was SUNG well. But Elliot has NO connection to his music/lyrics. He sang it the same as all his other songs and not like the bad-boy the song would have us believe he is. Well sung, poor choice, and poorly PERFORMED. Still both of these performances were better than his others and better than both of Kat's....which brings us to:

Kat: "Hound Dog/All Shook Up" were poor choices. When you can't remember the words to ALL SHOOK UP (or any song) at this stage of the sompetition, you disappoint me. It wasn't sung well, though it was performed fairly well.

Kat v2.0: "I Can't Help Falling In Love With You" SHOULD have been a great song for her but she SCREECHED it worse than the brakes on a NYC cab. She ruined several notes and looked like she knew she was messing it up. Even the recap showed her perforemance from rehearsal and it wasn't much better.

So in conclusion, IMO Kat will be going home. Elliot is a lucky lucky guy. Chris may well end up bottom two tonight, though I was only able to get through for him 2 times all night. We'll see.

 

[auntpolly]

Have you noticed that the people that hate Elliot hate him with a really weirdly intense hatred? LOL, what is that? Usually, they refer to his looks -- I don't know I just think it's weird.

I personally think that Taylor is the least talented, but I appreciate his effort and wish him the best. I haven't "hated" anyone since they got to the top 12 -- (not even Bucky, LOL).

Why do people get so worked up when they talk about how much they hate Elliot?

 

[phisigprincess]

I think based solely on last night's vocal performance (which everyone knows it's not), Katharine would go home. I like her, but she was the weakest out of all of them.

 

[Jennasis]

I LIKE Elliot. I think he's a nice guy and a decent singer, but he's not better than the remaining other 3 (except last night when he was better than Kat, becasue she totally messed up). But I don't hate him. On the contrary, I like him a whole lot!

 

[emmabelle]

You people that act like the world will end if "your guy" gets voted off need to get a life....it's a TV SHOW!!!

I'm not sure who you were referring to with this quote, but I do have a life and it's a pretty good one at that.

 

[damo]

C'mon Steve, Idol is an emotional investment for many people. Without that, the show would not be the phenomenon that it is.

 

[zagafi]

Really?? I am so shocked...I always thought she was so gorgeous....I mean , she still was pretty but just not like I remember. DH said she looked liked Micheal Jackson.......

My dh said she looked like the Joker...and I agree. Why do beautiful women DO that to themselves???

 

[DBarber600]

I'll tell you who needs to go ... the band!

They are so LOUD all the time, you can barely hear anyone sing. No wonder some of the idols sound like they are screaming. They are, just to be able to hear themselves.

I'm listening to the mp3s right now and can't hear Taylor at the end of "Ghetto" over the band. Gheez!

 

[ckay87]

Ok, it's no secret who I like; I won't reiterate. Ok, and I even LOVE his dancing. But this is me during Jailhouse Rock last night:

"Taylor stand still man. Ok, stop...stop, stop, STOP.

....

Dude that's not good, put down your leg. Put it down, put it down, PUT IT DOWN!!!

....

Stop it stop it stop it, they're gonna kill you man, STOP IT!"



I want him in the final 2 so bad I can't stand it. But to get there maybe he should shackle himself to the stage, just for next week, so he can kick his "silly guy" reputation. Because the vocals on JH were actually pretty good.

 

[damo]

Ok, it's no secret who I like; I won't reiterate. Ok, and I even LOVE his dancing. But this is me during Jailhouse Rock last night:

"Taylor stand still man. Ok, stop...stop, stop, STOP.

....

Dude that's not good, put down your leg. Put it down, put it down, PUT IT DOWN!!!

....

Stop it stop it stop it, they're gonna kill you man, STOP IT!"



I want him in the final 2 so bad I can't stand it. But to get there maybe he should shackle himself to the stage, just for next week, so he can kick his "silly guy" reputation. Because the vocals on JH were actually pretty good.

Too funny. I read the stage director's interview at one point and he (she?) said that they just told Taylor where he couldn't go because it was useless telling him anything otherwise. During one rehersal, he jumped up on the judge's table (which is made of glass) and scared the wits out of everyone.

I like Taylor best when he is goofy and singing upbeat.

 

[zagafi]

Oy, but Katherine stunk the place up last night. The girl has a beautiful voice, but still manages to butcher songs...how can that be? Why she added all those runs to I Can't Help Falling in Love with You, I'll never understand. She doesn't seem to connect with lyrics at all!

Taylor, I loved. Chris was pretty darned good, and Elliott? Even when I close my eyes, I still don't like him. I did earlier in the season, but now I find him off-putting. I can't explain why, either. Still, he was far better than Katherine last night, who should go home tonight.