Canadian Idol Fans Watching American Idol

ross 1

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I remember that Moser wrote an article titled "Why is 'Idol' winner Kris Allen an opening act while runner-up Adam Lambert headlines?" and Kris fans got pissy :lol:.

I don't remember that, though it seems appropriate that Kris's fans would get pissy, if you think about it. :) But seriously I was not mocking the Glamberts I was just linking to the article because it brings up a point we could talk about. To cut the Idol cord, or not.

Danny had a sob story and got many pity votes in the early rounds. Scotty doesn't have a sob story, but he is popular because he has a solid country voice that appeals to many country music fans.

Well, Danny's sympathy votes will always be disputable, but he does have an impressive voice that people like, and he had one of the three Top 36 pimp spots, and Simon did go on the record predicting a Danny-Adam-Lil Top 3, so he had a lot of publicity going into the early rounds, which never hurt anybody, either. And my dentist liked him, so, there's that.

Wow, that stuff about Lauren is bitchy even for Slezak! Not since Gokey has he sharpened his fangs on a contestant that much.

alley, Smile is a standard that Michael Jackson covered. So have a lot of people - it's one of the biggest standards and it's over 70 years old. I think they mentioned and showed a picture of Chaplin in the into though. But Thia knew it as an MJ song.
 
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SleepinIn

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Cool! What did they talk about? I know her album was certified platinum (in Canada) yesterday.

I think they talked about that. I missed the beginning so I'm not sure, but at the end she said that she was thinking of doing an English album. Which is good for me. :)

Casey: I loved it. LOVED it. It made me giddy. I really loved everything about it. And he's such a likeable dude.

But did you love it? ;)

The Hawaiian video of Kris could have been a bit longer.. lol It's so short! And most of it is from the parking lot. LMAO "How long have you been here? when are you leaving? "... great questions.

What do you mean? Not sure I get it. Please elaborate. I admire your empathy for these kids. I guess we'll see what happens. Some people are surprisingly thick skinned, after all - it may not bother them or affect them as much as you think. Then again, it may.

Criticisim can hurt you but so can too much praise, Just like anything, People tell you you're wonderful you start to believe it, people tell you that you're crap you start to believe it. Maybe they're tougher than I give them credit for being, they probably are to tell the truth. Since they've made it this far. But still. It's gonna mess with ya.

Kris is probably the least typical idol winner in all the seasons, so to me he was an offbeat choice. He was the outsider who won it all. Not the safe choice at all. The other two seasons, I guess I don't know, don't care. Maybe someone else can figure those out.

Kris was certainly my fave (in case you all couldn't tell - lol) - in 15 seasons of American and Canadian Idol. For someone to sing Heartless on the show a few weeks after Kanye did it on the same stage - it took guts. And he killed it. Lee I don't know about. I don't pay that much attention to him to be honest, but I'm sure he has talent. I think he's kind of had a raw deal and got lost in the shuffle in comparison to the others. He never blew me away on the show, but I've heard some of his prior songs and I really liked them. It didn't make me buy his album, but who knows in the future.

Ashthon: I don't remember who this is and I just watched the show 2 hours ago. That's how horrible she is.

LMAO - don't worry you didn't miss much.

Paul: Dancing is really weird and it annoys me. Either he's a really awful dancer or he thinks attempts at being "quirky" will attract voters to him. His voice is cool, but c'mon man, RYAN ADAMS?? Sing me something I know, something that rocks and reminds what an awesome song it is. How bout some BRYAN ADAMS? He's got the voice for it...

I had to emphasize that - SO IMPORTANT ON IDOL. Truthfully, I don't mind learning about new music, but I don't really want to be educated at the expense of entertainment. You have like a minute and a half. Pick something we know.

Scotty: I *love* country music and this guy is ruining it for me! He's not as good as Garth and it showed tonight! It was like a little boy trying to sing a man's song. He's gotta step out of the box and sing something else. Since something that challenges his voice more. This was a really boring performance I thought.

Oh, that's interesting!! I'm not a huge country fan but I thought he'd appeal to the Country market - so maybe not?

ETA: As someone pointed out on the Top Idol blog, having these producers supervise or create arrangements, from the get-go, means that, along with limited use of instruments, the singers are also not allowed to do their own arrangements, this season.

So - limited instruments, limited or no arranging. Do you think they are trying to make sure the audience doesn't vote for a certain type of contestant this season?

It's interesting, it's great experience for them to work with these producers but yes, it does curtail their own talents somewhat, but at the same time, in the aftermath (see what I did there?) of Idol, that happens anyway, the labels all have a say in what you're putting out, right?

The producers can certainly help or hurt them, I guess ultimately they have to be able to know when to take the advice and when not to.

There were some great performances last night. I like the new format without Simon but it seems the judges are way too kind to the contestants. J Lo just radiates beauty. Can't keep my eyes off her. Stephen Tyler is too busy playing up the rock star image. Randy tries to offer up constructive criticism but ends up getting all syrupy again at the end. It's the kinder, gentler American Idol.

Not a bad thing though, the judges will get tougher as it goes on I think, yesterday's show was the first "Live" (semi-live) performance show they're always kind of easier on them then I think.

How much influence do you think all those producers have on the show? Fellows like Don Was know a good thing when they see it. I would guess they follow those contestants very closely and are always on the lookout for their next meal ticket....er, client.

Yeah, I think they could potentially have a great deal of influence in the contestants. It will be interesting to see. I wonder if they switch producers each week or do they work with the same one?

I remember that Moser wrote an article titled "Why is 'Idol' winner Kris Allen an opening act while runner-up Adam Lambert headlines?" and Kris fans got pissy .

Ha! We all get pissy. That's the nature of Idol. Pissy fans. LOL

Simon did go on the record predicting a Danny-Adam-Lil

Lil. Heh.

And my dentist liked him, so, there's that.

Danny was my fave going into top 13. Just sayin' Things change. Sometimes quickly.

ETA: Okay that got a little long... sorry.. lol
 

ross 1

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About working with producers' arrangements - my point I think was that we don't get to judge the artist on his or her skill and taste in arrangements. Like - She Works Hard For the Money. That means a lot to me when I'm voting. I'll tell you - I was thinking today how I used to think of American Idol as "that show where they do music other people like." Other people than me, I mean. Then it became a show where the did music that I like. And now this year I think it's a show that is back to doing music other people like, again. Know what I mean?
 

SleepinIn

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And now this year I think it's a show that is back to doing music other people like, again. Know what I mean?

Yes, I have to say that this is a fear of mine as well.

soo..results.. Surprised? Not so much I think. lol
 

ross 1

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I like the new format without Simon but it seems the judges are way too kind to the contestants. J Lo just radiates beauty. Can't keep my eyes off her. Stephen Tyler is too busy playing up the rock star image. Randy tries to offer up constructive criticism but ends up getting all syrupy again at the end. It's the kinder, gentler American Idol.

JLo is a good looking woman, but there's something hard about her, you know? Plus she comes off as just slightly phony. Actually I often thought Paula looked pretty, though she's not the gorgeous type, like JLo. But the femininity was something I appreciated.

Anyhow, I don't totally like the kinder, gentler Idol - though I guess I thought I would, because I really don't love Simon. Still, judging should be...judging. I don't care if they're mean or kind, as long as they give some judgements. I don't think JLo or Steven Tyler have done a lot of judging this season, and frankly it's a waste of everybody's time. Like I said I think a fourth judge, a serious judge, would have been welcome this season.

I recorded the show and am playing it back now. Just watched Adam. I think I'm beginning to understand what someone who posts here sometimes says: it's better to be underestimated than to be overestimated. Adam is a sweet guy and it was nice to see him again.

The airtime they gave him after his song was somewhat interminable, though.

Something that's interesting to me is: I don't know anyone's backstory, this year - so I'm not influenced by the backstories. Maybe I should read up on the backstories. Should I, or not?

This is interesting - it's 10:00 and I have no idea who's been eliminated. Should I fast forward?

Diddy is, like, the worst famous rapper I can think of. Least compelling voice. He has charisma, though.
 

missaddicted

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Oh no, Casey is sick! I hope he'll be okay!!! Casey!!

Well, I'm one on one in my predictions for the booted contestant (I should have participated in a pool!!). Absolutely not surprised that Ashton was eliminated.

Oops, I should have remembered to program a few more minutes on my DVR, my recording stopped during Ashton's goodbye segment so I didn't hear all of David's song! Well, I know I already have the song, but I just wanted to know which parts of it they were using in the montage.

I really prefer Adam when he's doing something like he did tonight. I don't need all the fancy costumes, lighting and laser show. Just the guy sitting on a stool singing with his crazy voice and acoustic instrumentation is enough for me.

Diddy? Meh. I like the girl's voice though. Skylar Grey, is that her name?
 

ross 1

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Did you guys think the Idols sang the group number live? (I thought it seemed live - at least partly.) Didn't think they sounded good, nor in the Ford commercial, either. The voices didn't go together well.
 

missaddicted

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I'm not sure about the group number. I thought it was live at first, but then we saw James singing and at one point the microphone was pretty far from his mouth, but the sound was still as loud as when he was holding the mic close to his mouth. And at another point, we heard a male voice that sounded like Casey's, or maybe it was another guy, but they were still showing Lauren singing, which was really weird. So I'd vote for lip sync. Most of their voices sounded like they had been processed in the studio.
 

ross 1

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I totally agree about Lie and AWM! Ouch for Taylor and Lee though.

I know - ouch! Catty media is not my favorite kind of media.

Speaking of catty - looks like Paul made the cut at VFTW.



How he got chosen:

OK, I’m going to say it. For just one night, American Idol was a good ****ing show. I know, right? The top 13 this year is so VFTW worthy, I think I peed my pants about 10 times watching this thing. I couldn’t take how entertainingly awful it was. I mean, I knew there would be a lot of possible picks this season, but they tore the roof off tonight. In the end, the pick came down to Naima and Paul. So as I giggled like a schoolgirl and couldn’t actually make a pick, Deb called me and told me to flip a coin. So I did, and Paul came out the winner. Honestly though, I could go for about half of these people on a weekly basis, so let’s hope they stick around. If the show can stay this terrible, I will kiss Nigel Lythgoe’s deformed British face and be a loyal viewer.
 
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PoliticalNick

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Edson, AB
I really wanted Paul to go home, or at least go away. Maybe we can get lucky next week.

Oh well, at least we got rid of...you know...what's her face....
 

missaddicted

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I don't want to give up on Paul just yet, because I'm sure he can be good, but next week is going to be critical for him. If he makes a fool out of himself like he did this week, then I'll probably be off the train for good. For now, I'd say he's still one of my favorites. The only thing that kind of bugs me is that he seems to have some kind of contempt for the AI audience. As if he was trying to be educating us about what he feels is good music. That the music that he wants to make is not "top 40" stuff or whatever, that it might be different than what the American Idol audience might be used to. Anyway, I really don't need him to educate myself about music, indie music or whatever. Maybe contempt is too strong of a word, maybe I'm wrong about his intentions, but while I like that he sees Idol as a good platform to increase his fanbase, I think he should be careful about what he says and what he does. Choosing an obscure Ryan Adams song and performing it the way he did is not a smart thing to do in this competition. So I think he's probably musically smart and he probably knows a lot of very diverse music, but he may not be able to play the Idol game smartly enough.
 

ross 1

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Dec 21, 2008
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So, I'm just taking an informal tally, here. Am I the only one here who can actually vote for anybody on this cockamaimie show?

Good points about Paul, missaddicted.

I'm not sure I can be objective, since I developed an irrational dislike of him immediately, I don't even get it. Now he's seeing the chick who stars in the Little Red Riding Hood flick? You know the expression, "gone Hollywood?" I think the whole thing has gone to his head. Where did you get the stuff about his schooling us Idol fans about real music? Did he tweet it, was it interviews, or what?

It's funny, but I kind of thought of him in the beginning as one of these serious musicians who care more about music than show biz (wait - THIS season? What was I thinking??). Now I think he is (perhaps) a smarmy self promoting kiss-Hollywood's-ass narcissist. lol
 

missaddicted

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Where did you get the stuff about his schooling us Idol fans about real music? Did he tweet it, was it interviews, or what?

Yeah, some tweets and some interviews. Mostly one... that I can't find right now. I thought it was with Shirley Halperin, but I checked and it wasn't.

I still think he's a likeable dude for sure, I don't think he's arrogant per se. He just doesn't really know Idol and how the game is played.

YouTube - 'American Idol' finalist Paul McDonald

Now he's seeing the chick who stars in the Little Red Riding Hood flick? You know the expression, "gone Hollywood?" I think the whole thing has gone to his head.

Really? Now, it's my turn to ask you where you read that!
 

ross 1

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Really? Now, it's my turn to ask you where you read that!

MJ's blog. Yesterday. Not sure of the thread. Headlines? There wasn't a lot to read - because it soon changed into a discussion of Adam's love life when he was on Idol. Remember where I was reading this.

Anyhow, yeah, it was about how he and the chick from the L.R.R.H. flick were supposedly dating, but, according to him, they're "just hanging out." I can't believe there's an adult feature film based on Red Riding Hood. What's next, The Three Little Pigs?

Did you watch the segment on Idol where the idols went to the film, and the star was more or less flirting with Paul? Guess she wasn't kidding.

I still think he's a likeable dude for sure, I don't think he's arrogant per se.

I shouldn't have said it's gone to his head. I meant - well - not arrogant, but more like - in a movie I saw, a producer says about the wife of a writer who just arrived in Hollywood, "She's the type who buys a mink coat with his first paycheck." Forgetting who you are, where you came from. Not arrogant, more like - I don't know - acting stupid.

Not grounded.

He just doesn't really know Idol and how the game is played.

Not sure what you mean. You mean, onstage, the performance? Or what he's doing the rest of the time, like interviews and twitter? (Guess I would be able to tell what you meant by watching that clip, but I have no sound.)

This is the best film ever made about Little Red Riding Hood. It will never be topped.

YouTube - Little Red Riding Rabbit

(BTW, don't try going to MJ's blog right now - she reconfiguring the site, or something. It just freezes my screen when I go there.)
 
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missaddicted

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Did you watch the segment on Idol where the idols went to the film, and the star was more or less flirting with Paul? Guess she wasn't kidding.

Yeah, I saw that. Well, if they're hanging out, good for him, though I'm not sure when they would have time to hang out with their crazy schedule.

Forgetting who you are, where you came from. Not arrogant, more like - I don't know - acting stupid.

Not grounded.

Maybe you're right. But in a way, I don't really have a reason to care as long as he give good performances. That's the only way I'll be judging him. If he continues to give bad performances, then I'll have a reason to believe he doesn't take the experience seriously.

Not sure what you mean. You mean, onstage, the performance?

I was talking mostly about what he does onstage. In the interview, he's like "oh, I want people to discover more unknown artists, so I'm trying to do that", etc. He should be concentrating on making people discover who he personally is as an artist, not try to educate people about music. If he makes it and he develops a solid fanbase, maybe then he can talk more about the music he likes and stuff. For now, educating people about what he thinks is good music should not be his goal, I believe.
 

ross 1

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Maybe you're right. But in a way, I don't really have a reason to care as long as he give good performances. That's the only way I'll be judging him. If he continues to give bad performances, then I'll have a reason to believe he doesn't take the experience seriously.

You're right. I'm not sure I could do that, though. Maybe if I heard him on the radio he would be more like a disembodied voice, and I wouldn't think about his personality, but this is a TV show. I can't help that they show us who these people are. Of course, they want us to get to know them as people or they wouldn't emphasize any of that. I can't ignore it.

Taking the experience seriously - not sure he's not. I just meant something by "gone Hollywood" that I can't explain. It's just first impressions. Could be wrong. Like, if you take Kris, he's pretty level headed. He's the same umpretentious dude wherever he goes. Paul may not be so level headed and may have his head turned by the sudden fame, the hype, and the attention. I just get that impression but I don't know him.

I was talking mostly about what he does onstage. In the interview, he's like "oh, I want people to discover more unknown artists, so I'm trying to do that", etc. He should be concentrating on making people discover who he personally is as an artist, not try to educate people about music. If he makes it and he develops a solid fanbase, maybe then he can talk more about the music he likes and stuff. For now, educating people about what he thinks is good music should not be his goal, I believe.

You're totally right, there. That seems like an odd goal, when you're getting a chance at a music career. Just figure out how to get into the Top 10, and stay on the show. In a way, it's like Mitch MacDonald introducing the Idol audience to some of the lesser-known (to that audience) artists he liked - but Mitch wasn't trying to school anybody.

Casey being sick again is a problem. I read he has a stomach-bleeding problem when he's under stress. Last time he needed a transfusion, right? So he must be aware it happens, but he auditioned anyway. Now he has to deal with it. Will TPTB want to deal with an Idol who may get sick the night of Top 2, or not make the finale? Or who would miss a lot of the tour?
 
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missaddicted

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About Paul, I didn't mean to say that I didn't care about his personality. I actually like what they've showed about him on the show. I guess for now I don't really see him a being changed by fame or something. So what if he's dating the actress from the movie? For now, I haven't really seen something about him that says that he's not serious about this or level headed. I don't know, I guess I just don't have the same impression that you do. My problem with him is more about him trying to educate the AI viewers, as if he was thinking that he was "cool" and that we were not.

ETA: In a way, I like that he wants people to discover "better" music than what airs on top 40 radio stations and such. I mean, I hate popular music that's on the radio right now and I like that he prefers more indie artists and I would probably have way more musical tastes in common with him than any others in the top 13. But I don't think that using the "I'm too cool for school" way of trying to get people to listen to him music or music similar to what he's doing is a smart thing to do right now. I don't think judging the audience (and again, I'm pretty sure a good part of the AI audience embraces different types of music *waves*) you're trying to impress is the good way to do things right now.

About Casey, apparently his condition is not caused by stress. He has a chronic disease called ulcerative colitis, which is an inflammatory disorder of the colon. I don't know if he got a blood transfusion last time he was in the hospital, but he definitely did get two this week. I hope he'll be okay to continue because I don't think I could continue to enjoy this season of the pageant princesses and of the over-singing if Casey wasn't there.
 
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ross 1

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I think stress can cause flare ups of colitus, though, right? I don't know. Anyhow - he's on a live show, now. So he can't miss shows. But he's been hospitalized twice in a few weeks - that's not good. Then he has to do a live tour every night (almost), for weeks. So I hope he can get through it okay, that's all.

Paul...I know nothing about him. I didn't mean to suggest he's not serious about the show. I just find him a bit affected, I guess. I don't think I can get past the $4,500 suit, either. lol.

But I don't think that using the "I'm too cool for school" way of trying to get people to listen to him music or music similar to what he's doing is a smart thing to do right now. I don't think judging the audience (and again, I'm pretty sure a good part of the AI audience embraces different types of music *waves*) you're trying to impress is the good way to do things right now.

No, it isn't. Even if he thinks it, he should have the good judgement not to say it. He has no idea who the AI audience is, anyway. And "I'm too cool for school" is not a good way to be perceived if you want to go far on Idol.