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

[Cindy B]

Has anyone read the bios of the contestants on www.idolonfox.com? Some of them are pretty funny!

I loved Taylor's response to this question.

(slight paraphrase0 Q: What would you be doing if you weren't on American Idol

A: I'd be a broke performer.

 

[Nancy]

WOW! I am so disappointed in the way this thread is turning out, will it be closed THIS year too? Come on people, lets start focusing on the contestants' singing and performance ability. Has Kelly Pickler lied? I really don't know, and neither do you. To say you don't think someone is good or you don't think they should win the contest is one thing, but this is getting a little ridiculous, don't you think?

I agree, we don't need the nasty slams that got the thread closed last year. If you think she lied, fine....you voiced your opinion, we all read it...time to move on to other things.

 

[damo]

I agree, we don't need the nasty slams that got the thread closed last year. If you think she lied, fine....you voiced your opinion, we all read it...time to move on to other things.

The nasty slams that got the thread closed last year were the slams from one poster about another, not the slams from posters about contestants. If slams against non-posters were not allowed, political threads on this board would not make it past one page.

American Idol is not all about the singing! It is a reality show about people and those people are going to get picked apart.

 

[Cindy B]

The nasty slams that got the thread closed last year were the slams from one poster about another, not the slams from posters about contestants. If slams against non-posters were not allowed, political threads on this board would not make it past one page.

American Idol is not all about the singing! It is a reality show about people and those people are going to get picked apart.

Again thank you Damo-- I do remember it was poster v. poster, versus comments about contestants.

Singing is only part of the package for AI. If it was just singing AI would be Star Search! And don't think that AI doesn't feed into it with the sob storys and the other quibble. The Brittenum twins while obnoxious were good tv.

I also think this is why Breanna Gethers is on the show now. She is this seasons anti hero of sorts. Every reality show has someone they love to hate--and Breanna is it this year.

 

[Slacking]

No love to hate here, I love Brenna Gethers! (but my love for her is mainly due to her attitude that makes others hate her)

 

[Nancy]

The nasty slams that got the thread closed last year were the slams from one poster about another, not the slams from posters about contestants. If slams against non-posters were not allowed, political threads on this board would not make it past one page.

American Idol is not all about the singing! It is a reality show about people and those people are going to get picked apart.

I understand all that but what usually happens is you start slamming a contestant that someone really likes and that starts the personal slams that get the thread closed. I don't want to see that happen this year. Even though it is bound to happen.

I really haven't heard enough of Kellie to know if she is good or not. I haven't heard any of her interviews or pieces on AI to even know what was said. I ended up having to tape most of the shows and fast forwarded through a lot of the garbage.

I don't think we have heard enough of any of the singers to know who is really good or bad. I can't wait to see them all next week so I can finally decide who I like this year.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

No love to hate here, I love Brenna Gethers! (but my love for her is mainly due to her attitude that makes others hate her)

We also need to remember, the Producer's CREATE drama. Brenna may be being told what to say. Kim Locke...she almost went home one week after telling Simon off. She refused to do it again. It seems the Producers were "encouraging" her to mouth off to Simon.

The heavy woman this past week. The one who told Simon he hurt her...I couldn't help but notice she said "Simon, alot of people want me to say a lot of things to you, but here is what I am going to say"

At 1st, I thought she meant the other contestants wanted her to tell Simon off, when I realized that made no sense, it occured to me that "a lot" of people are the Producer's.

 

[Slacking]

We also need to remember, the Producer's CREATE drama. Brenna may be being told what to say. Kim Locke...she almost went home one week after telling Simon off. She refused to do it again. It seems the Producers were "encouraging" her to mouth off to Simon.

The heavy woman this past week. The one who told Simon he hurt her...I couldn't help but notice she said "Simon, alot of people want me to say a lot of things to you, but here is what I am going to say"

At 1st, I thought she meant the other contestants wanted her to tell Simon off, when I realized that made no sense, it occured to me that "a lot" of people are the Producer's.

I took this as a lot of people back home, since the episode aired a week or two before the 24 was picked.

What stinks, is that Brenna may be a great singer this coming week, but people are going to hold the editing she has had received against her. The editing picks and chooses what to show, so who knows, the nices person left may have moments chosed not to be shown. I hope Brenna rules this week!

 

[damo]

I took this as a lot of people back home, since the episode aired a week or two before the 24 was picked.

What stinks, is that Brenna may be a great singer this coming week, but people are going to hold the editing she has had received against her. The editing picks and chooses what to show, so who knows, the nices person left may have moments chosed not to be shown. I hope Brenna rules this week!

I noticed the faces of the contestants when she came in and announced that she had made it. They were not happy whereas with most of the other contestants they were happy to see that they had advanced. I sensed that she was not very well liked amongst her peers.

 

[Slacking]

I noticed the faces of the contestants when she came in and announced that she had made it. They were not happy whereas with most of the other contestants they were happy to see that they had advanced. I sensed that she was not very well liked amongst her peers.

Yeah, we already got a big taste of that with her group. She will not last long with the public. I'm not shocked, my favorites are always early casualties.

 

[damo]

Interesting AI poll here: vote for your top 6 guys and girls
http://television.aol.com/americanidol/poll

 

[Sandy22]

Interesting AI poll here: vote for your top 6 guys and girls
http://television.aol.com/americanidol/poll

I'm surprised Paris wasn't ranked in the top 3 . Also surprised at the top guy - one of the brat pack guys. Aside from him, my top guy picks matched everyone else's: the bald guy, the sexy guy and the gray guy.

 

[Nancy]

Paris didn't surprise me. I think her voice is good but she is going to be limited in what hse sings, she has a very distinct style to her voice. To me it sounds very jazz orientated. It will be interesting to see how it plays out. Lots of good singers this year.

 

[Planogirl]

I'm surprised that so many people are attacking Kelly Pickler already. I've watched the shows and I don't think that I know enough about the contestants to make any choices just yet. I do like Taylor and Chris Daughty so far, and I like a lot of the girls including Kelly but it's just too early to really get behind anyone just yet IMO.

 

[damo]

From another site: The futon critic

A little info about the contestants
PARIS BENNETT – (17) From Fayetteville, GA – (Auditioned in Greensboro) – Paris began singing at the age of 4. She has performed in numerous concerts and has opened for many groups, including Bow Wow. Paris is a skilled dancer in hip-hop, jazz and modern African dance.

AYLA BROWN – (17) From Wrentham, MA (Auditioned in Boston) – Ayla is currently a senior at Noble & Greenough High School. She is captain of her basketball team and has scored over 2,200 points. Ayla will be attending Boston College in the fall on a full basketball scholarship. She got her start in the world of music while singing along to Disney movies at the age of 6.

HEATHER COX – (22) From Jonesville, NC (Auditioned in Denver) – Heather currently lives in her hometown of Jonesville, NC, and recently graduated from Surry Community College with an accounting degree.

BRENNA GETHERS – (25) From Mt. Vernon, NY (Auditioned in Boston) – Born in the Bronx and raised in Mt. Vernon, NY, Brenna began singing at the tender age of 3. Brenna holds a black belt in Shotokan karate and is an avid Scrabble competitor.

MANDISA – (29) From Antioch, TN (Auditioned in Chicago) – Born and raised in Citrus Heights, CA, Mandisa moved to Nashville to study singing at Fisk University. She has performed with such artists as Shania Twain, Trisha Yearwood, Faith Hill and Charlie Daniels.

KINNIK SKY– (28) From Duluth, GA (Auditioned in Greensboro) – Born and raised in Columbia, SC, Kinnik began singing at the age of 4, and considers her singing style "old school soul." For the past eight years, she has been living in Duluth, GA, where she works as a professional actress at various theaters.

MELISSA McGHEE – (21) From Tampa, FL (Auditioned in Denver) – Melissa was born and raised in Tampa. At the young age of 4 Melissa embarked on her performing career. A true romantic, Melissa enjoys singing, dancing and going to the beach in her free time.

KATHARINE McPHEE – (21) From Sherman Oaks, CA (Auditioned in San Francisco) – Katharine was born and raised in Los Angeles. She was exposed at an early age to the joy of singing by her mother, a vocal coach. After high school, Katharine attended the prestigious Boston Conservatory for one semester and majored in musical theater.

BECKY O'DONOHUE – (25) From Dobbs Ferry, NY (Auditioned in Boston) – Becky began singing at the age of 4. Becky attended Niagara University on a full scholarship and received her B.A. in Communications. Singing isn't her only talent. Becky played Division I basketball for Niagara University. Currently, she is working for an entertainment company and as a waitress in City Island.

KELLIE PICKLER – (19) From Albemarle, NC (Auditioned in Greensboro) – Kellie is a waitress who currently lives in Albemarle, NC, and enjoys singing, dancing and shopping for shoes. Kellie has been singing for as long as she can remember, but only began performing for crowds four years ago.

STEVIE SCOTT – (19) From Fair Oaks, CA (Auditioned in Denver) – Stevie is currently a freshman at California State University, Sacramento, studying music. She is from a musical family, began performing at 10, and by the age of 15, began a recording career. A versatile musician who plays the guitar and piano, Stevie enjoys performing everything from R&B to opera.

LISA TUCKER – (16) From Anaheim, CA (Auditioned in Denver) – Lisa is currently a senior at Kennedy High School. She was the original "Young Nala" in Disney's Los Angeles production of "The Lion King" and was voted by Variety as one of the "Top Ten Talents to Watch." Lisa also plays the guitar and piano and is a songwriter.

Male singers scheduled to perform Wednesday, Feb. 22 (8:00–10:00 PM ET/PT) include:

BOBBY BENNETT – (19) From Denver, CO (Auditioned in Denver) – Bobby has been singing from the age of 7. He dreams of becoming a performer so he can make people forget about their troubles for a little while. Before making the Final 24, Bobby worked at Target.

KEVIN COVAIS – (16) From Levittown, NY (Auditioned in Boston) – Kevin is a junior at Island Trees High School in Levittown, NY. He has been performing since he was 10 years old and has appeared in productions such as "Guys and Dolls" and "Godspell." Kevin also is a member of the Chorale in the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra and the Nassau/Suffolk Jazz ensemble.

BUCKY COVINGTON – (28) From Rockingham, NC (Auditioned in Greensboro) – Bucky lives in his hometown of Rockingham, NC. At the age of 19, he picked up a guitar for the first time and soon after joined his first band. About two years ago, Bucky switched to a country/beach/rock band and realized that his talent crosses many types of music.

CHRIS DAUGHTRY – (26) From McLeansville, NC (Auditioned in Denver) – Chris discovered his singing ability in algebra class. A gifted guitar player and songwriter, Chris has already recorded a CD with his band Absent Element. For the past three years, Chris has been a service advisor for a car dealership in Greensboro, NC. In 2000, Chris married his wife Deanna and became a stepfather of two.

PATRICK HALL – (27) From Gravette, AR (Auditioned in Las Vegas) – Patrick was born in a small town in Arkansas and began singing in church at age 4. Since then he has been pursuing his singing career while also working as a real estate manager. In 2005, Patrick married his longtime friend Laura, and they currently live with their two cats and a puppy.

TAYLOR HICKS – (29) From Birmingham, AL (Auditioned in Las Vegas) – Taylor is a blue-eyed soul singer who has played every honky-tonk imaginable. A talented writer and harmonica player, Taylor enters the competition with almost 29 years of singing experience, as he has been singing since he could crawl.

WILL MAKAR – (16) From The Woodlands, TX (Auditioned in Austin) – Will was born and raised in The Woodlands, TX. Will is currently a sophomore at The Woodlands College Park High School. He discovered his talent after his two sisters made him sing "Bare Necessities" for their friends. In 1999 and 2002, Will sang with the Houston Children's Chorus for President Clinton and President Bush, respectively. People would be surprised to know that Will can impersonate Chewbacca from "Star Wars."

GEDEON McKINNEY – (17) From Memphis, TN (Auditioned in Chicago) – Gedeon hails from a family of seven children (four boys and three girls). Too young to join the choir, Gedeon sang on the steps of a church for his first standing ovation. He is a senior at The Yo! Memphis Academy of Visual and Performing Arts.

JOSE "SWAY" PENALA – (28) From South San Francisco (Auditioned in San Francisco) – Sway enters the competition making his own music. Before joining IDOL, he was a member of the 6th Day singing group. Jose spends his days working in real estate and his nights entertaining crowds through song.

DAVID RADFORD – (17) From Crystal Lake, IL (Auditioned in Chicago) – David is currently a senior at Crystal Lake Central High School. He has been singing "his way" since he can remember. As a child, whenever there was a spotlight, David somehow found a way to its center. In addition to singing, David plays the trumpet as well as a mean game of Ping-Pong.

ELLIOTT YAMIN – (27) From Richmond, VA (Auditioned in Boston) – Elliott began singing at the ripe age of 5. His mother, who was a professional singer, is his inspiration and biggest fan. For Elliott, being on AMERICAN IDOL has allowed him to pursue his dream of singing professionally.

ACE YOUNG – (25) From Los Angeles, CA (Auditioned in Denver) – Ace is the youngest of five brothers. Ace grew up in Boulder, CO, and began his singing career at age 9. He started performing at 11 in local malls and recreation centers. Ace lives in Los Angeles and works in sales and home remodeling.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

We also need to remember, the Producer's CREATE drama. Brenna may be being told what to say. Kim Locke...she almost went home one week after telling Simon off. She refused to do it again. It seems the Producers were "encouraging" her to mouth off to Simon.

The heavy woman this past week. The one who told Simon he hurt her...I couldn't help but notice she said "Simon, alot of people want me to say a lot of things to you, but here is what I am going to say"

At 1st, I thought she meant the other contestants wanted her to tell Simon off, when I realized that made no sense, it occured to me that "a lot" of people are the Producer's.

I thought it was odd for her to say that as none of this was live--and she (and whoever "they" were) would have had to have seen it and then she would have had to go through hollywood week. I just don't think there was enough time for anyone to see it and I don't think they hold of the taping of the hollywood week for once the show begins to air.

It would make sense that it would be the producers.

 

[damo]

The "bigger stage comment" took place during auditions didn't it? The final cut to 24 didn't take place until a lot later. I took her comment to mean that a lot of her friends told her that she should say something to Simon. I would imagine she told everyone what Simon had said.

 

[Slacking]

Here is an article:

http://www.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060217/NEWS02/602170355/1019/NEWS03

Here is an excerpt about brenna:

Gathers' biological father, Juan Antonio Jimenez, died when she was 12. Her stepfather, LeVerne Summers, was killed by an out-of-control car in 1998 after he pushed an 8-year-old boy out of the way of the careening vehicle. The tragic accident happened right after Gethers' prom and shortly before she left for college.

I find it interesting how the producers pick and choose what sob stories they want to use. I say, do away with the sob stories altogether, gives some contestants unfair advantages.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

The "bigger stage comment" took place during auditions didn't it? The final cut to 24 didn't take place until a lot later. I took her comment to mean that a lot of her friends told her that she should say something to Simon. I would imagine she told everyone what Simon had said.

I believe he said that AFTER she left the room though. He did make some other comments they showed later that occurred while she was in the room.

But bigger stage was after she left the room.

 

[jlaspoq]

Damo - Thanks for the rundown on the bios!