Thursday, July 8, 2010
LeBron going to New York?
if LeBron goes anywhere (aka doesn't stay in Cleveland), he will use the Boys and Girls club as a background for a "As a little kid, I always had the dream of playing in _____" speech.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Apple iPhone 4 - How to make an extra $45MM in Revenue
We have all heard of Apple's antenna problems (hardware design fail) by now. We have also heard of their solution: buy a $29.99 case that prevents your hand from covering up the antenna. The only case that's out on the market for the newly-released iPhone, however, is the one from Apple.
1.5 MM iPhone 4's sold so far * $29.99 just-about-mandatory case = $45MM more in revenue for Apple
1.5 MM iPhone 4's sold so far * $29.99 just-about-mandatory case = $45MM more in revenue for Apple
Sunday, May 23, 2010
LOST Final Scene
The final scene of the series will either be Flocke opening his eyes or Jack opening his eyes. The scene leading up to that will be: a battle of sorts between Flocke and Jack; one of them will 'die' and the one who 'lives' will think the battle is won...until the eye opens, revealing that the cycle just continues.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
LOST: Series Finale scene
So Desmond has been running around helping everyone have flash-sideways. One of the scenes in the series finale, and the last instance of his helping others, will be Dez hooking Sawyer up with Juliet for the 'cup of coffee'.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
American Idol Review: Top 2
It really doesn't matter if picks are made now or next week after the performances. America's minds area already made - the final 2 will be Lee (who has never been in the bottom two) and Crystal (who will inherit Mike's votes).
What happened this past week is that Aaron's cat-lady votes went to Casey.
/rl
What happened this past week is that Aaron's cat-lady votes went to Casey.
/rl
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
American Idol Review: Top 9
Didi actually got eliminated last week? Dam, Tim Urban is unbreakable. My record just got a bit closer toward .500 -- 7-6 in picks this season.
Top performances: Crystal Bowersox, Lee DeWyze, Casey James.
Biggest Surprise = none really. Biggest Disappointments = Siobhan Magnus...I no longer expect Andrew to be great, so he can't disappoint me when he's average.
Random notes
- Thank god Siobhan didn't scream at the end of the song. She seems to be in the works of an Adam Lambert 2-week strategy. Week 1 of the set: sing a loud and powerful song; week 2 of the set: sing a soft song. Adam did this last year by going Ring of Fire (loud) --> Tracks of My Tears (soft) --> Play That Funky Music (loud) --> Mad World (soft).
- Most hilarious moment of the night was when the bagpiper started walking down the stairs during Lee's performance.
---
The 1 who will get chopped by way of America's axe is noted in RED below. The 1 who should get chopped, based on performance, is noted in PURPLE.
Katie Stevens Although her performance last night was pretty good, I'm afraid she doesn't have a strong fan base and will not be in the competition after tonight.
Aaron Kelly He had the worst performance of the night, but I think he has more voting fans than Katie Stevens. If I had to bet who his fan base is made up of, I would describe the aunt who showers you with hugs and kisses at every family gathering...the one who reminds you of "how cute you are and how much you've grown since the last time you've seen them." And there are a lot of these people in America.
/rl
Top performances: Crystal Bowersox, Lee DeWyze, Casey James.
Biggest Surprise = none really. Biggest Disappointments = Siobhan Magnus...I no longer expect Andrew to be great, so he can't disappoint me when he's average.
Random notes
- Thank god Siobhan didn't scream at the end of the song. She seems to be in the works of an Adam Lambert 2-week strategy. Week 1 of the set: sing a loud and powerful song; week 2 of the set: sing a soft song. Adam did this last year by going Ring of Fire (loud) --> Tracks of My Tears (soft) --> Play That Funky Music (loud) --> Mad World (soft).
- Most hilarious moment of the night was when the bagpiper started walking down the stairs during Lee's performance.
---
The 1 who will get chopped by way of America's axe is noted in RED below. The 1 who should get chopped, based on performance, is noted in PURPLE.
Katie Stevens Although her performance last night was pretty good, I'm afraid she doesn't have a strong fan base and will not be in the competition after tonight.
Aaron Kelly He had the worst performance of the night, but I think he has more voting fans than Katie Stevens. If I had to bet who his fan base is made up of, I would describe the aunt who showers you with hugs and kisses at every family gathering...the one who reminds you of "how cute you are and how much you've grown since the last time you've seen them." And there are a lot of these people in America.
/rl
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
American Idol Review: Top 10
Disappointed with some of what I saw last night..namely Aaron Kelly's return to tucking his shirt into his jeans and Alfafa hair.
Top performances: Lee DeWyze, Casey James, Michael Lynche.
Biggest Surprise = Andrew Garcia...about time..although still not better than several of the night's performances. Biggest Disappointments = Siobhan Magnus...hopefully this does not start a trend like the Andrew one that just ended.
The 1 who will get chopped by way of America's axe is noted in RED below. The 1 who should get chopped, based on performance, is noted in PURPLE.
Tim Urban VFTW will not save him this week..Didi is in trouble too, and Katie Stevens doesn't seem to have that many voting fans, but I see this as pretty boy's week to get the axe.
/rl
Top performances: Lee DeWyze, Casey James, Michael Lynche.
Biggest Surprise = Andrew Garcia...about time..although still not better than several of the night's performances. Biggest Disappointments = Siobhan Magnus...hopefully this does not start a trend like the Andrew one that just ended.
The 1 who will get chopped by way of America's axe is noted in RED below. The 1 who should get chopped, based on performance, is noted in PURPLE.
Tim Urban VFTW will not save him this week..Didi is in trouble too, and Katie Stevens doesn't seem to have that many voting fans, but I see this as pretty boy's week to get the axe.
/rl
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
American Idol Review: Top 11
Fast-forwarded to all of the performances last night.
Top performances: Crystal Bowersox, Didi Benami, Lee DeWyze and Casey James.
Biggest Surprises = Aaron Kelly and Casey James. Biggest Disappointments (meaning that I had wanted or expected them to be good) = for the 4th straight week, Andrew Garcia.
The 1 who will get chopped by way of America's axe is noted in RED below. The 1 who should get chopped, based on performance, is noted in PURPLE.
Paige Miles Tim Urban and Andrew Garcia might not have shown up as much either, but Paige Miles was straight terrible.
/rl
Top performances: Crystal Bowersox, Didi Benami, Lee DeWyze and Casey James.
Biggest Surprises = Aaron Kelly and Casey James. Biggest Disappointments (meaning that I had wanted or expected them to be good) = for the 4th straight week, Andrew Garcia.
The 1 who will get chopped by way of America's axe is noted in RED below. The 1 who should get chopped, based on performance, is noted in PURPLE.
Paige Miles Tim Urban and Andrew Garcia might not have shown up as much either, but Paige Miles was straight terrible.
/rl
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Review: Top 12
I'm short on time so here's the quick recap and prediction.
Top performances: Siobhan Magnus, Didi Benami, Lee Dewyze, Aaron Kelly.
Biggest Surprise = Aaron Kelly. Biggest Disappointments (meaning that I had wanted or expected them to be good) = for the 3rd straight week, Andrew Garcia.
The 1 who will get chopped by way of America's axe is noted in RED below. The 1 who should get chopped, based on performance, is noted in PURPLE.
[sidenote: did Kara refer to Randy and Ellen as "the guys" twice tonight?]
THE TOP TIER
Siobhan Magnus Although that note was awkwardly long, her followup resolution to the song wowed me. She also reminded me of Blondie (1st 1:30 of Rapture) in this performance.
Didi Benami She's back. I also like how Ellen called out Didi's ability to make one syllable into two with ease (just as I had weeks ago - see past entries).
Lee DeWyze For any Big Brother watchers, his Chicago accent is almost the same as Jeff's from BB11.
Aaron Kelly Who does wardrobe for this guy? His outfits are ridiculous. He can't rock a leather jacket and he needs to stop tucking his undershirt in. Also, what is up with his hair tonight? That aside, his performance was great.
THE ALRIGHT
Crystal Bowersox Nothing special, although she rocked the peacock earrings that Lilly usually sports.
Casey James
Katie Stevens What? No hard criticism from the judges this week? Surprise, surprise. I think her problem is a lack of fans.
Paige Miles Although her performance wasn't bad, she hasn't done anything to date to wow me or win me over. I don't think she's done it for America either...but she'll likely stay another week.
Lacey Brown
THE FUGLY
Michael Lynche I want to root for Big Mike, because he's from New York...but when he continues to do the cutesy dancing stuff that I've mentioned in previous entries, he falls off the likability list.
Tim Urban I actually did not mind that 'reggae' version of the song. Although he's the VFTWer this week, I think he narrowly loses to Katie Stevens.
Andrew Garcia Is it possible that Andrew Garcia was the worst performer this week? Yes, yes it is. Although he maybe should be eliminated, and my patience with him is wearing thin, he'll live through this week's elimination. His fans are young; they rally for him through YouTube and other social outlets; and they likely have cell phones with unlimited text plans. For those reasons, he stays to disappoint us for another week.
/rl
Top performances: Siobhan Magnus, Didi Benami, Lee Dewyze, Aaron Kelly.
Biggest Surprise = Aaron Kelly. Biggest Disappointments (meaning that I had wanted or expected them to be good) = for the 3rd straight week, Andrew Garcia.
The 1 who will get chopped by way of America's axe is noted in RED below. The 1 who should get chopped, based on performance, is noted in PURPLE.
[sidenote: did Kara refer to Randy and Ellen as "the guys" twice tonight?]
THE TOP TIER
Siobhan Magnus Although that note was awkwardly long, her followup resolution to the song wowed me. She also reminded me of Blondie (1st 1:30 of Rapture) in this performance.
Didi Benami She's back. I also like how Ellen called out Didi's ability to make one syllable into two with ease (just as I had weeks ago - see past entries).
Lee DeWyze For any Big Brother watchers, his Chicago accent is almost the same as Jeff's from BB11.
Aaron Kelly Who does wardrobe for this guy? His outfits are ridiculous. He can't rock a leather jacket and he needs to stop tucking his undershirt in. Also, what is up with his hair tonight? That aside, his performance was great.
THE ALRIGHT
Crystal Bowersox Nothing special, although she rocked the peacock earrings that Lilly usually sports.
Casey James
Katie Stevens What? No hard criticism from the judges this week? Surprise, surprise. I think her problem is a lack of fans.
Paige Miles Although her performance wasn't bad, she hasn't done anything to date to wow me or win me over. I don't think she's done it for America either...but she'll likely stay another week.
Lacey Brown
THE FUGLY
Michael Lynche I want to root for Big Mike, because he's from New York...but when he continues to do the cutesy dancing stuff that I've mentioned in previous entries, he falls off the likability list.
Tim Urban I actually did not mind that 'reggae' version of the song. Although he's the VFTWer this week, I think he narrowly loses to Katie Stevens.
Andrew Garcia Is it possible that Andrew Garcia was the worst performer this week? Yes, yes it is. Although he maybe should be eliminated, and my patience with him is wearing thin, he'll live through this week's elimination. His fans are young; they rally for him through YouTube and other social outlets; and they likely have cell phones with unlimited text plans. For those reasons, he stays to disappoint us for another week.
/rl
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
American Idol 9 Top 3 (based on last year)
If we learned anything from last year's Idol finale, it was that America was not ready to crown an offbeat champion. Last year, the final three were:
1. Kris Allen
2. Adam Lambert
3. Danny Gokey
From how I see it, that's:
1. Good looks
2. Should've won, but not All-American enough
3. Best voice, but boring
If this year's semifinals follows last year's vote distribution, the final 3 may be:
1. Lee DeWyze or Didi Benami
2. Siobhan Magnus
3. Crystal Bowersox or Didi Benami (perhaps it was the Gokey sap story)
Although the Idol fan base may not have been ready to cheer on a more unique contestant last year, or they may not have been ready to cheer against the best looking contestant, there is some reason to believe that this year will be different. Lady GaGa (owner of #'s 2 and 4 on the Billboard Pop Charts1) is certainly offbeat and she is definitely not the best looking artist out there, but yet we love her.
And although the departure of Lilly Scott last week worries me a little if it's indicative of where America is still at...it may actually work in Siobhan's favor. Just as Gokey's votes went to Kris Allen once Gokey was eliminated, I believe a majority of Lilly Scott's votes will go to Siobhan (with another chunk going to Crystal Bowersox). Seeing as Lilly Scott, Alex Lambert (Carol Brady), Todrick Hall (the weirdest renditions of songs so far), Jermaine Sellers (come on, he rocked a onesy!) and Tyler Grady (he wasn't even living in this decade) have all been eliminated, and their former voters looking for a new contestant to vote for, I will say the following:
Siobhan Magnus will go home with the prize.
/rl
1Billboard Hot 100 Pop Chart, Mar 16 2010
1. Kris Allen
2. Adam Lambert
3. Danny Gokey
From how I see it, that's:
1. Good looks
2. Should've won, but not All-American enough
3. Best voice, but boring
If this year's semifinals follows last year's vote distribution, the final 3 may be:
1. Lee DeWyze or Didi Benami
2. Siobhan Magnus
3. Crystal Bowersox or Didi Benami (perhaps it was the Gokey sap story)
Although the Idol fan base may not have been ready to cheer on a more unique contestant last year, or they may not have been ready to cheer against the best looking contestant, there is some reason to believe that this year will be different. Lady GaGa (owner of #'s 2 and 4 on the Billboard Pop Charts1) is certainly offbeat and she is definitely not the best looking artist out there, but yet we love her.
And although the departure of Lilly Scott last week worries me a little if it's indicative of where America is still at...it may actually work in Siobhan's favor. Just as Gokey's votes went to Kris Allen once Gokey was eliminated, I believe a majority of Lilly Scott's votes will go to Siobhan (with another chunk going to Crystal Bowersox). Seeing as Lilly Scott, Alex Lambert (Carol Brady), Todrick Hall (the weirdest renditions of songs so far), Jermaine Sellers (come on, he rocked a onesy!) and Tyler Grady (he wasn't even living in this decade) have all been eliminated, and their former voters looking for a new contestant to vote for, I will say the following:
Siobhan Magnus will go home with the prize.
/rl
1Billboard Hot 100 Pop Chart, Mar 16 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Idol Review: After the Top 8 and 8
Katelyn Epperly and Todrick Hall - that's fine.
Alex Lambert and Lilly Scott? That's some bowlsheeeeeet. Perhaps they'll bring one of the contestants back to make a Top 13. Hey, they brought Tim Urban back, and he's terrible. At least bringing Lilly Scott (Alex Lambert, not so much) back would be bringing back a potential winner.
RL Record: 6-4.
Alex Lambert and Lilly Scott? That's some bowlsheeeeeet. Perhaps they'll bring one of the contestants back to make a Top 13. Hey, they brought Tim Urban back, and he's terrible. At least bringing Lilly Scott (Alex Lambert, not so much) back would be bringing back a potential winner.
RL Record: 6-4.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Review: Top 8 Girls and Top 8 Guys
Thank god they're not doing the stair thing anymore!
Top performances for each side...Guys: Lee Dewyze...Girls: 5 were good this week, so it's easier to say the 3 that were bad (Katelyn, Katie and Paige).
Biggest Surprise = Lacey Brown. Biggest Disappointments (meaning that I had wanted or expected them to be good) = for the 2nd straight week, Andrew Garcia.
The 4 who will get chopped by way of America's axe are noted in RED below. The 4 who should get chopped, based on performances, are noted in PURPLE.
TOP 12 GIRLS
Katie Stevens Hopefully Kelly Clarkson is young enough for the judges. I guess it was, but she only receives more crap..poor girl. Side note: what kind of pants is she wearing? They look ridiculous. Performance: that wasn't good. She hit one bad note about one verse in and couldn't recover. At least if she gets eliminated now, I think she still technically has a shot of competing again next year.
Siobhan Magnus No way! House of Rising Sun! That was great - her control is amazing (I feel like her voice is going to crack at several points in the song, but she doesn't). What she's wearing is interesting, but I like it. Siobhan for the win.
[sidenote: sketch man's performance of House of Rising Sun wasn't bad either. Too bad his attitude was terrible]
Lacey Brown First person this year to sit through a performance. Aside from sounding like a young girl, she had a good performance. Her style is also like a template - same thing every time. And who is this Pat Benatar everyone's comparing her to?
Katelyn Epperly Her second straight piano performance. She had a worse performance this week than the last, while playing with an inferior instrument. Also, she let her hair out..she obviously has not seen my analysis in past weeks regarding the correlation between the poofiness of her hair and the lacklusterness of her performances (yes..two made up words in one sentence).
Didi Benami Same thing every week: let's hope she shows up. Performance: I think she did. Good to see her with the same guitar that made her a favorite with Terrified. When she hit the chorus, I actually got chills in my body...which probably has something to do with the cold temperatures in my apartment as well.
Paige Miles America, there's nothing interesting or spectacular here.
Crystal Bowersox That was really good. Another solid performance.
Lilly Scott The peacock earrings are gone! It actually looks like her classic peacock earrings met Crystal Bowersox's hair [see below].
TOP 12 GUYS
[side note: Idol producers switched the order on us. For once, the contestants did not perform in the order they were introduced]
Lee DeWyze That was a great performance. He took a very popular song and switched it up just enough.
Alex Lambert Carol Brady can sing (props to the real navin for pointing out the aesthetic similarities weeks ago...see right). The voice has always been there.
Tim Urban Hallelujah is an awesome song to do with a guitar. That performance was average-leaning-on-good, and I'm not sure the Idol faithful can eliminate him after that. He is also the VFTWer, so he'll still be here next week.
Andrew Garcia Xtina? This could be disasterous...although Straight Up was also a girl's song. Genie in a Bottle? This takes it to a new level. Seconds into the performance: Uh oh. In the closing seconds of the performance: Uh oh. This could be the end of the road [if he didn't have the YouTube nation behind him].
Casey James Wack.
Aaron Kelly He started off slow, but the ending was dope.
Todrick Hall Can't wait to see how he'll rework and destroy another song. The beginning was bad; the ending was good..but get rid of him.
Michael Lynche Did anyone else think Big Mike was Ruben Studdard when he barely appeared in the balcony during others' performances? Style-wise: He has to either wear dress pants or drop the vest and the red hanky. The last few seconds of his performance were the best I've heard from him to date. The f - is Kara really crying?
/rl
Top performances for each side...Guys: Lee Dewyze...Girls: 5 were good this week, so it's easier to say the 3 that were bad (Katelyn, Katie and Paige).
Biggest Surprise = Lacey Brown. Biggest Disappointments (meaning that I had wanted or expected them to be good) = for the 2nd straight week, Andrew Garcia.
The 4 who will get chopped by way of America's axe are noted in RED below. The 4 who should get chopped, based on performances, are noted in PURPLE.
TOP 12 GIRLS
Katie Stevens Hopefully Kelly Clarkson is young enough for the judges. I guess it was, but she only receives more crap..poor girl. Side note: what kind of pants is she wearing? They look ridiculous. Performance: that wasn't good. She hit one bad note about one verse in and couldn't recover. At least if she gets eliminated now, I think she still technically has a shot of competing again next year.
Siobhan Magnus No way! House of Rising Sun! That was great - her control is amazing (I feel like her voice is going to crack at several points in the song, but she doesn't). What she's wearing is interesting, but I like it. Siobhan for the win.
[sidenote: sketch man's performance of House of Rising Sun wasn't bad either. Too bad his attitude was terrible]
Lacey Brown First person this year to sit through a performance. Aside from sounding like a young girl, she had a good performance. Her style is also like a template - same thing every time. And who is this Pat Benatar everyone's comparing her to?
Katelyn Epperly Her second straight piano performance. She had a worse performance this week than the last, while playing with an inferior instrument. Also, she let her hair out..she obviously has not seen my analysis in past weeks regarding the correlation between the poofiness of her hair and the lacklusterness of her performances (yes..two made up words in one sentence).
Didi Benami Same thing every week: let's hope she shows up. Performance: I think she did. Good to see her with the same guitar that made her a favorite with Terrified. When she hit the chorus, I actually got chills in my body...which probably has something to do with the cold temperatures in my apartment as well.
Paige Miles America, there's nothing interesting or spectacular here.
Crystal Bowersox That was really good. Another solid performance.
Lilly Scott The peacock earrings are gone! It actually looks like her classic peacock earrings met Crystal Bowersox's hair [see below].
TOP 12 GUYS
[side note: Idol producers switched the order on us. For once, the contestants did not perform in the order they were introduced]
Lee DeWyze That was a great performance. He took a very popular song and switched it up just enough.
Alex Lambert Carol Brady can sing (props to the real navin for pointing out the aesthetic similarities weeks ago...see right). The voice has always been there.
Tim Urban Hallelujah is an awesome song to do with a guitar. That performance was average-leaning-on-good, and I'm not sure the Idol faithful can eliminate him after that. He is also the VFTWer, so he'll still be here next week.
Andrew Garcia Xtina? This could be disasterous...although Straight Up was also a girl's song. Genie in a Bottle? This takes it to a new level. Seconds into the performance: Uh oh. In the closing seconds of the performance: Uh oh. This could be the end of the road [if he didn't have the YouTube nation behind him].
Casey James Wack.
Aaron Kelly He started off slow, but the ending was dope.
Todrick Hall Can't wait to see how he'll rework and destroy another song. The beginning was bad; the ending was good..but get rid of him.
Michael Lynche Did anyone else think Big Mike was Ruben Studdard when he barely appeared in the balcony during others' performances? Style-wise: He has to either wear dress pants or drop the vest and the red hanky. The last few seconds of his performance were the best I've heard from him to date. The f - is Kara really crying?
/rl
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Review: Top 10 Guys and Top 10 Girls
Why are they still doing this awkward walking down the stairs thing?
The guys were alright, but the girls were DOPE. Top performances for each side...Guys: Lee Dewyze and Alex Lambert...Girls: Crystal Bowersox, Lilly Scott and Siobhan Magnus.
Biggest Surprise = Tim Urban...he showed up this week. Biggest Disappointments (meaning that I had wanted or expected them to be good) = John Park (he's fairly monotone and dull) and Andrew Garcia. The 4 who might get chopped by way of America's axe are noted in RED below. The 4 who should get chopped, based on performances, are noted in PURPLE.
TOP 12 GUYS
Michael Lynche That was good, but he can do better. I hate it when he tries to do these cutesy things with his voice and his movements - it just doesn't sound/look/feel right.
John Park Get rid of this guy. I wonder if he has the entire Big Ten voting for him though.
Casey James Setting up this little mystery box as a ploy to get votes? Brother please. You're going through to the Top 5 simply because the women [and a subset of men] of America need their eye candy. The hilarious part is that he got a little smart at the end of his turn..I think Kara's negative comments popped his balloon and knocked him off his high horse. So he turned into a defensive chick and gave Simon lip.
[after the cut scene, the left side of the screen features a nugget from Andrew and Big Mike..check it out if you missed it]
Alex Lambert That was tight! His voice is mad good...we just need more star power from him.
Todrick Hall And he picked another woman's song. His pre-performance cut scene was annoying because he performed in plays, but yet he robbed little kids of their audition funds.
Jermaine Sellers Meh.
Andrew Garcia At times, it sounded like he was talking. Also, since his voice is so raspy, it sounded like he was whispering at the tail end of some of his lines. For now, he's lost...in a dream. But I'm confident he'll find his way.
Aaron Kelly My Girl? Dude, you're 16. Did Simon just tell Aaron to be more like Justin Bieber? what the f.
[side note: why does Ellen have the most style on Idol?]
Tim Urban That was much better performance than last week. I actually kind of enjoyed that..thank you SImon for agreeing.
Lee DeWyze Again, this guy is legit.
TOP 12 GIRLS
Crystal Bowersox Nice.
Haeley Vaughn She's doing Miley? Come on, Party in the USA..come on, Party in the USA....The Climb? Damn, too bad. And she butchered it.
Lacey Brown Stylin'. The words in that song were not easy to string together...props. The performance wasn't spectacular though. I'm going to be sad to see her go, but this group is so talented, it'll be easy to move onto the next one.
Katie Stevens 3 little birds sat on my window. No one can do this better than Megan Corkrey, but that was pretty good!
Didi Benami Not up to par. Let's hope she doesn't get Ashley Rodriguez-ed and see the end of what was once a very bright Idol road. If she does, it will again be time to pick a new favorite. Also, in her absence of words, you could tell she was holding back tears when Ryan checked in with her at the end...why is she so emotional?
Michell Delamore Something about her eyes or her mouth is a little weird. I like it though. Style-wise, the gloves were weird but the rest of her get up was hot. That was also a nice rendition of Arms Wide Open...changed it, but not too much (for 'too much,' see Todrick Hall's Since U Been Gone).
Lilly Scott Damn...that was good. Also, peacock earrings? Check.
Katelyn Epperly She looked good this week. See, her hair was even more controlled this week than the week before, which was more controlled than the week before that. She has a very attractive face and when the hair isn't all poofy and distracting, we can actually see it. First person this season on a piano. She tried to go a little GaGa in this performance, but I thought it was decent.
Paige Miles I'm not feeling any connection to her.
Siobhan Magnus She's growing on me. I actually digged her style tonight. There were so many interesting combos with her get up: dress over the shirt...socks with the heels. Whatever, i still dig it. Performance-wise: She was on FIRE tonight. Possibly a new favorite for me.
/rl
The guys were alright, but the girls were DOPE. Top performances for each side...Guys: Lee Dewyze and Alex Lambert...Girls: Crystal Bowersox, Lilly Scott and Siobhan Magnus.
Biggest Surprise = Tim Urban...he showed up this week. Biggest Disappointments (meaning that I had wanted or expected them to be good) = John Park (he's fairly monotone and dull) and Andrew Garcia. The 4 who might get chopped by way of America's axe are noted in RED below. The 4 who should get chopped, based on performances, are noted in PURPLE.
TOP 12 GUYS
Michael Lynche That was good, but he can do better. I hate it when he tries to do these cutesy things with his voice and his movements - it just doesn't sound/look/feel right.
John Park Get rid of this guy. I wonder if he has the entire Big Ten voting for him though.
Casey James Setting up this little mystery box as a ploy to get votes? Brother please. You're going through to the Top 5 simply because the women [and a subset of men] of America need their eye candy. The hilarious part is that he got a little smart at the end of his turn..I think Kara's negative comments popped his balloon and knocked him off his high horse. So he turned into a defensive chick and gave Simon lip.
[after the cut scene, the left side of the screen features a nugget from Andrew and Big Mike..check it out if you missed it]
Alex Lambert That was tight! His voice is mad good...we just need more star power from him.
Todrick Hall And he picked another woman's song. His pre-performance cut scene was annoying because he performed in plays, but yet he robbed little kids of their audition funds.
Jermaine Sellers Meh.
Andrew Garcia At times, it sounded like he was talking. Also, since his voice is so raspy, it sounded like he was whispering at the tail end of some of his lines. For now, he's lost...in a dream. But I'm confident he'll find his way.
Aaron Kelly My Girl? Dude, you're 16. Did Simon just tell Aaron to be more like Justin Bieber? what the f.
[side note: why does Ellen have the most style on Idol?]
Tim Urban That was much better performance than last week. I actually kind of enjoyed that..thank you SImon for agreeing.
Lee DeWyze Again, this guy is legit.
TOP 12 GIRLS
Crystal Bowersox Nice.
Haeley Vaughn She's doing Miley? Come on, Party in the USA..come on, Party in the USA....The Climb? Damn, too bad. And she butchered it.
Lacey Brown Stylin'. The words in that song were not easy to string together...props. The performance wasn't spectacular though. I'm going to be sad to see her go, but this group is so talented, it'll be easy to move onto the next one.
Katie Stevens 3 little birds sat on my window. No one can do this better than Megan Corkrey, but that was pretty good!
Didi Benami Not up to par. Let's hope she doesn't get Ashley Rodriguez-ed and see the end of what was once a very bright Idol road. If she does, it will again be time to pick a new favorite. Also, in her absence of words, you could tell she was holding back tears when Ryan checked in with her at the end...why is she so emotional?
Michell Delamore Something about her eyes or her mouth is a little weird. I like it though. Style-wise, the gloves were weird but the rest of her get up was hot. That was also a nice rendition of Arms Wide Open...changed it, but not too much (for 'too much,' see Todrick Hall's Since U Been Gone).
Lilly Scott Damn...that was good. Also, peacock earrings? Check.
Katelyn Epperly She looked good this week. See, her hair was even more controlled this week than the week before, which was more controlled than the week before that. She has a very attractive face and when the hair isn't all poofy and distracting, we can actually see it. First person this season on a piano. She tried to go a little GaGa in this performance, but I thought it was decent.
Paige Miles I'm not feeling any connection to her.
Siobhan Magnus She's growing on me. I actually digged her style tonight. There were so many interesting combos with her get up: dress over the shirt...socks with the heels. Whatever, i still dig it. Performance-wise: She was on FIRE tonight. Possibly a new favorite for me.
/rl
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Idol Review: Top 12 Girls and Guys
First off, I can't be the only one who thinks the whole walking-down-the-stairs-and-giving-a-fake-pose intro is overwhelmingly awkward, right?
For the snoozefest that was the Top 12 Girls, Katie Stevens emerged as the strongest performer...Didi Benami, Crystal Bowersox, Katelyn and Siobhan made up the next tier...everyone else fell far below that. For the Top 12 Guys, there were 3 clear top dogs: Lee DeWyze, Casey James and Andrew Garcia. Tyler Grady would be a bit behind them, but the rest were just terrible. Biggest Surprise = Casey James. Biggest Disappointments = Ashley Rodriguez, John Park and Michael Lynche. The 4 who might get chopped by way of America's axe are noted in RED below.
TOP 12 GIRLS
Paige Miles No. And what was that little left kick-right kick-karate chop combo at the end?
Ashley Rodriguez The Mr. T neck gear is a little excessive, but the rest of her get up is there. The performance - not powerful enough for me.
Janell Wheeler I kind of liked her voice and performance today (much diff. than my opinion of her prior to this week). Also... might just be the pants, but she was moving well out there.
Lilly Scott Well, that was different. The quirkiness is still there. Also still there, although barely peeking through her hair, are the peacock earrings! As long as those earrings stay, she'll stay. At least until next week.
Katelyn Epperly I liked her performance. I also disagree with Kara - Katelyn's new look works..the more controlled hair being the focal point.
Haeley Vaughn WTH was she wearing? She looked like a nurse. Clothing choice aside, she continues to be enjoyable to watch and listen to.
Lacey Brown Landslide is one of my favorite songs, and she just killed it. Not NY-killed it, but Webster Dictionary-killed it. Style-wise, she was actually able to pull off the 80's table cloth and rock it as a dress (see right). Impressive.
Michell Delamore Okay, now I know who she is. And I like it.
Didi Benami The Way I Am is a great song. She didn't NY-kill it, but that performance was solid. She also has an incredible way of breaking up one syllable into 3, or 4, or 5.
Siobhan Magnus Style-wise, still an eyesore. Voice-wise, she has this old school Celine Dion/Sarah McLachlan-vibe I'm digging. Not saying she sounds like them, but rather the vibe I get from her is like the vibe I get when I listen to Celine. That sounds really weird, but whatever.
Crystal Bowersox Now she's rocking the peacock earrings too?
Katie Stevens What a set up to have her last. Much like how Gokey and Lambert were last a lot last year, Stevens going last is indicative of who the Idol producers have pegged as their S9 favorite to this point. That being said, she can sing and she took a step up in the wardrobe and style department this week...I don't know why everyone's giving her lip for wearing what she wore - I thought it was fine.
TOP 12 GUYS
Todrick Hall Dude's got style, but that was one of the weirdest renditions I have ever heard. He won't be here next week.
Aaron Kelly No.
Jermaine Sellers Style - yes. Performance - not that great. He has some very awkward facial expressions when trying to hit those high or powerful notes. He tried to Adam Lambert that song, but failed miserably.
Tim Urban Wack. He can't hit high notes, or low notes for that matter, and he was awkward on stage. Only reason he stays is if people vote with their eyes instead of their ears.
Joe Munoz He might get through to the next week in the same way Yao Ming gets chosen for the NBA All-Star team each year, regardless of performance.
Tyler Grady So different than the rest of the Top 12. Props to the real navin for pointing out that his shirt sleeve also has a peacock on it. Did Lilly provide everyone with her designer's number or did I miss the memo on a new trend?
Lee DeWyze Do they sanitize the mics after each performance? ...because he basically made out with it. Aside from that, I still think his voice is great.
John Park First 30 seconds aside, that wasn't absolutely terrible. Still, I'm rather disappointed in his boring performance.
Michael Lynche He sounded like a teenager singing that song. A bad performance for him. I also don't think he actually played the guitar he brought with him.
Alex Lambert He has a nice sounding voice. That's not to be confused with a good voice - it's not powerful and his range is sketch.
Casey James That was a solid performance. He actually moved up in my books. I thought that was a DJ Sammi song, but supposedly Bryan Adams did it first. Let's hope him and Kara don't pull a Paula/Corey Clark scandal from S2.
Andrew Garcia Another set up. He's still good. Nothing new to add.
For the snoozefest that was the Top 12 Girls, Katie Stevens emerged as the strongest performer...Didi Benami, Crystal Bowersox, Katelyn and Siobhan made up the next tier...everyone else fell far below that. For the Top 12 Guys, there were 3 clear top dogs: Lee DeWyze, Casey James and Andrew Garcia. Tyler Grady would be a bit behind them, but the rest were just terrible. Biggest Surprise = Casey James. Biggest Disappointments = Ashley Rodriguez, John Park and Michael Lynche. The 4 who might get chopped by way of America's axe are noted in RED below.
TOP 12 GIRLS
Paige Miles No. And what was that little left kick-right kick-karate chop combo at the end?
Ashley Rodriguez The Mr. T neck gear is a little excessive, but the rest of her get up is there. The performance - not powerful enough for me.
Janell Wheeler I kind of liked her voice and performance today (much diff. than my opinion of her prior to this week). Also... might just be the pants, but she was moving well out there.
Lilly Scott Well, that was different. The quirkiness is still there. Also still there, although barely peeking through her hair, are the peacock earrings! As long as those earrings stay, she'll stay. At least until next week.
Katelyn Epperly I liked her performance. I also disagree with Kara - Katelyn's new look works..the more controlled hair being the focal point.
Haeley Vaughn WTH was she wearing? She looked like a nurse. Clothing choice aside, she continues to be enjoyable to watch and listen to.
Lacey Brown Landslide is one of my favorite songs, and she just killed it. Not NY-killed it, but Webster Dictionary-killed it. Style-wise, she was actually able to pull off the 80's table cloth and rock it as a dress (see right). Impressive.
Michell Delamore Okay, now I know who she is. And I like it.
Didi Benami The Way I Am is a great song. She didn't NY-kill it, but that performance was solid. She also has an incredible way of breaking up one syllable into 3, or 4, or 5.
Siobhan Magnus Style-wise, still an eyesore. Voice-wise, she has this old school Celine Dion/Sarah McLachlan-vibe I'm digging. Not saying she sounds like them, but rather the vibe I get from her is like the vibe I get when I listen to Celine. That sounds really weird, but whatever.
Crystal Bowersox Now she's rocking the peacock earrings too?
Katie Stevens What a set up to have her last. Much like how Gokey and Lambert were last a lot last year, Stevens going last is indicative of who the Idol producers have pegged as their S9 favorite to this point. That being said, she can sing and she took a step up in the wardrobe and style department this week...I don't know why everyone's giving her lip for wearing what she wore - I thought it was fine.
TOP 12 GUYS
Todrick Hall Dude's got style, but that was one of the weirdest renditions I have ever heard. He won't be here next week.
Aaron Kelly No.
Jermaine Sellers Style - yes. Performance - not that great. He has some very awkward facial expressions when trying to hit those high or powerful notes. He tried to Adam Lambert that song, but failed miserably.
Tim Urban Wack. He can't hit high notes, or low notes for that matter, and he was awkward on stage. Only reason he stays is if people vote with their eyes instead of their ears.
Joe Munoz He might get through to the next week in the same way Yao Ming gets chosen for the NBA All-Star team each year, regardless of performance.
Tyler Grady So different than the rest of the Top 12. Props to the real navin for pointing out that his shirt sleeve also has a peacock on it. Did Lilly provide everyone with her designer's number or did I miss the memo on a new trend?
Lee DeWyze Do they sanitize the mics after each performance? ...because he basically made out with it. Aside from that, I still think his voice is great.
John Park First 30 seconds aside, that wasn't absolutely terrible. Still, I'm rather disappointed in his boring performance.
Michael Lynche He sounded like a teenager singing that song. A bad performance for him. I also don't think he actually played the guitar he brought with him.
Alex Lambert He has a nice sounding voice. That's not to be confused with a good voice - it's not powerful and his range is sketch.
Casey James That was a solid performance. He actually moved up in my books. I thought that was a DJ Sammi song, but supposedly Bryan Adams did it first. Let's hope him and Kara don't pull a Paula/Corey Clark scandal from S2.
Andrew Garcia Another set up. He's still good. Nothing new to add.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
American Idol 9 Top 24 Rankings & Odds
Now that the Top 24 is final, let's rank the Idol hopefuls. I'll start with my rankings and then end with my predictions on who survives and makes the Top 12.
RANKINGS
Women
1. Ashley Rodriguez
Hispanic girl who is always seen wearing blazers. She was the favorite since the premiere episode of Idol and her audition in Boston. Opinions have not changed about her yet. In a sea of sob stories, she'll need to develop an angle to win the sentimental voters over.2. Didi Benami
Blonde whose best friend passed away. Her first audition was shoddy, but she had a good story to rally behind. In Hollywood, her performance of Terrified won me over big time - this chick can sing and is likely the early favorite.3. Lacey Brown
Redhead who was eliminated next to Megan Corkrey in S8. This girl has a lot of style, has thus far been humble and can sing. What's not to like? When asked by Simon whether she should have been cut last year, she answered "yes"...how awesome is that?4. Katie Stevens
Girl whose grandmother has Alzheimer's. She doesn't do it for me in the looks department - she doesn't look like a star...merely a cookie-cutter teenager. Kara was high on her, though, saying that she could win it all.5. Haeley Vaughn
Black country singer. Those three words say it all. There is currently no Black Taylor Swift and no country version of Beyonce. Although her excessive makeup makes me look away at times, I am digging her style and think she has potential (there is definitely some industry whitespace for her to fill).6. Lilly Scott
Girl with white/gray/blonde hair and jazzy auditions. She's got style. I want to know the story behind her peacock earrings - there's got to be a story there.7. Janell Wheeler
She will not win this competition but Idol's shown her so many times that she's growing on me by way of the exposure effect.8. Crystal Bowersox
Hippie mom who keeps showing that picture of her son. Her looks, the way she dresses and the fact her son is the focal point of her tv segments all add to her striking resemblance to Claire Littleton from Lost (above-right). She can sing too, but she's not winning the show. That was quite an awkward moment she shared with the Idol judges after they told her she made the Top 24...Kara: "Congratulations! Give me a hug" 
12. Michell Delamore
Men
1. Andrew Garcia
He is America's one chance at crushing Idol's hope of crowning a female winner this season.2. Lee DeWyze
He's different than the rest of the Top 12 guys and in my opinion, has one of the better voices.3. John Park
Korean Northwestern student who got Shania Twain worked up. I don't think his voice is anywhere close to being spectacular in the one performance we've seen (Idol has not given him any air time since his initial audition)...but I must root for the Asian.4. Michael Lynche
Dad whose wife gave birth during Hollywood week. He can belt it out.5. Jermaine Sellers
6. Tyler Grady
Blast from the 70's. At least he's different.7. Casey James
Guy Kara's crushing on. He also took his shirt off during his audition after some pressure from Kara. Kara's the only judge he appeals to at this point.8. Todrick Hall
This guy's a dq, but his initial audition wins him a ton of points.9. Alex Lambert
He's the guy who said "It will look ignorant if we just sing and sway side to side." Ignorant? Really?10. Joe Munoz
Anoop Desai look-a-like anyone? ...mixed with Jorge Nunez of S8.11. Tim Urban
Who?12. Aaron Kelly
David Archuleta without talent. In fact, google image search aaron kelly american idol, and you will see nothing but Archuleta pics.ODDS
This is how I see them stacking up in the competition, taking into consideration everything behind America's vote.
Women
1. Didi Benami
2. Ashley Rodriguez
3. Katie Stevens
4. Crystal Bowersox...she could be the dark horse this season
5. Haeley Vaughn
6. Lacey Brown
7. Lilly Scott
8. Janell Wheeler
9. Siobhan Magnus
10. Katelyn Epperly
11. Paige Miles
12. Michell Delamore
Men
1. Andrew Garcia
2. Lee DeWyze...may make it through to the semi-finals because he is the White male that probably appeals most to the majority of women in America. Hey, that's how Kris Allen made his way to the end last season.
3. Michael Lynche
4. Casey James...he might make it far for the same reasons as Lee DeWyze above.
5. Tyler Grady
6. Aaron Kelly...I'm afraid he will definitely be this year's VFTWer and for that reason, will make it at least to the Top 12.
7. John Park...unfortunately American entertainment historically does not favor East Asians.
8. Jermaine Sellers...he should be in the Top 12, but likely won't make it.
9. Tim Urban
10. Todrick Hall
11. Alex Lambert
12. Joe Munoz
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
