Author Topic: American Idol Season 7  (Read 129240 times)

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Offline marigold

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Re: American Idol Season 7
« Reply #25 on: January 12, 2008, 02:22:03 PM »
Update on American Idol Season 7

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117978921.html?categoryid=14&cs=1

Having come to Fox's rescue on more than one occasion, "American Idol" this year faces a far tougher mission: keeping the lights on in TV land during one of the medium's darkest hours.
A one-two punch of lower fall ratings and a crippling writers strike has pretty much put the season in turnaround. Now, just like the return of the latenight talkers, industryites are praying the reappearance of "Idol" will be a shot in the arm for all the nets, not just Fox.

"It's important to show that network TV is still healthy and able to get through a strike," one wag says, noting that reality shows are already proving to be potent strike-contingency programming.

NBC, for example, has seen boffo numbers from "American Gladiators," "Deal or No Deal" and "The Biggest Loser." And ABC's Wednesday duo of "Wife Swap" and "Supernanny" are doing as well or better than the scripted hits they replaced.

Of course, it's possible that the heretofore bullet-proof "Idol" may have finally met its match in the WGA strike. As scripted fare continues to disappear from the nets, viewers may flip away from all network television altogether -- impacting "Idol" in the process.

"I can look at it as glass half-empty: If all of a sudden broadcast viewership and HUT (homes using television) levels are down, could 'Idol' go down?" asks Fox Entertainment prexy Peter Liguori.

Nonetheless, most rivals believe Fox can only be helped by even softer-than-usual competish, allowing "Idol" to flourish in a year where it might otherwise have seen some erosion. "Idol" is still a monster: It ended last year, once again, as TV's top show, attracting more than 30 million viewers on both Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

Liguori, for one, believes "Idol" is too much of an institution to be impacted much, either way, by the strike.

"Strike or no strike, January is 'Idol' season," Liguori says. "I don't think a lot about how the strike affects 'Idol.' "

The exec also promises to show restraint and run the same number of "Idol" episodes as usual (a huge percentage of the net's sked anyway), even if the strike forces Fox to scramble and fill scheduling holes later in the season.

"We avoid the temptation here," he says.

What may impact this year's bow is the general feeling that last year's edition was a tad lackluster. The show saw some ratings declines as the season progressed, and the ultimate showdown between Jordin Sparks and Blake Lewis didn't generate as much excitement as past final faceoffs.

Even uber judge Simon Cowell wasn't wowed by the "Idol" class of 2007.

"I think last year just wasn't one of our better seasons," the snarky Brit says, adding that to some degree, producers "are at the mercy of who shows up for the competition."

Of course, Simon being, well, Simon, he has some notes for his "Idol" producers.

"The show has got to look better. It's got to be more fun as a show," he says. "It absolutely comes down to the content of what we provide the viewers."

Exec producer Nigel Lythgoe concedes that mistakes were made last year. For starters, Lythgoe says the show spent too much time on big-name guest mentors and performers, at the expense of investing viewers in who's who (particularly early in the show's competish).

"We need to put our hand up and take the blame," he says. "We missed out on telling the best stories. If (contestants) were uninteresting, it's because we made them uninteresting."

As a result, "Idol" is looking to shake things up this year by spending more time on those contestant backstories.

"I want to give up that time and focus on the kids," Lythgoe says. "It's the emotional hooks that sell us, and get us watching every week. I don't think last year we were necessarily an appointment to view. There wasn't a 'I want to watch Bo Bice win' or 'I want to see Justin Guarini get kicked off' feeling to the show."

Already, the marketing of "Idol" has reflected that change, Liguori says.

"We've had our promos talk a little bit more about 'I'm from Nebraska, I'm a cotton candy maker,' and 'I'm from Oklahoma, I'm a cowboy,' " he says. "We're basically trying to set it up that this is a show about people with stories. ... It's about people who think they're good (singers) and (are) not, and people who think they're good and are great."

The behind-the-scenes emphasis will also mean more airtime for contestants' friends and families. Lythgoe notes that the singers themselves may have no connection with some of the older music -- think David Bowie tunes -- but their parents might.

Of course, that's not to say the show will eschew mentors and celeb guests entirely. After all, part of the singers' "Idol" experience includes those brushes with superstars like Stevie Wonder or Jennifer Lopez.

"It's just an amazing journey they're on," Lythgoe says. "We just got carried away with it."

That's not the only change "Idol" fans will see when the talent competish returns Jan. 12. Also on tap:

A new set and opening graphics are in the works. The backdrops for "Idol's" performance shows will now look much bigger, thanks to giant gyroscopes and towers.
As for the very familiar computerized opening titles, Lythgoe was still deciding whether to go with a drastically different opening featuring a real female model (vs. the traditional unisex computerized singer).

Some auditioning contestants will be seen playing instruments rather than simply singing in front of a backdrop. "There's an awful lot of musical talent out there that's not just about singing," Lythgoe says.

One formula that Lythgoe makes no apologies for: The occasional bad singer (last year, Sanjaya) who becomes a punchline, but gets viewers invested in the show.

"As a producer of the show, I was grateful for Sanjaya last season," Lythgoe says. "It's my job to make an interesting TV show."

Lythgoe points out that it's not his job -- or the show's -- to keep tabs on the contestants' singing careers afterward. That's why he's not too fazed by the recent flurry of "Idol" alums who have been dropped from major label rosters.

The bloom has started to come off "American Idol" in music sales. Debuts from last season's top two, Jordin Sparks and Blake Lewis, have posted numbers that pale in comparison with previous "AI" finalists. And in the last several months, BMG labels have dropped season five's final two, Taylor Hicks and Katherine McPhee, after just one album each, joining Ruben Studdard and Bo Bice among "AI" free agents.

On the flip side, the careers of several former "Idols" -- including Kelly Clarkson, Chris Daughtry, Carrie Underwood and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson -- remain strong. "Each and every year is different," Liguori says. "The table gets reset. The audience is aware that maybe this year, the biggest of all the 'Idol' stars will come out of it. I really do believe that's part of the viewing experience, that anticipation of who's next."

Just to make sure, Liguori and new marketing honcho Joe Earley have come up with a marketing campaign Liguori calls "better than it has ever been." But, he adds, "ultimately, we as a network are nothing but on that surfboard, and 'Idol' is the wave. Some years it's a huge wave, and some years it's not as big."

For his part, Cowell isn't worried about "Idol's" future.

"It's a very, very well-made show that's got a better cast this (season)," he says. Contestant-wise, "I will go on record as saying this is one of the strongest years we've had."

Offline RudyRules

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Re: American Idol Season 7
« Reply #26 on: January 12, 2008, 11:41:01 PM »
Paula Abdul May Perform at Super Bowl

Article and slide show HERE

AOL
Posted: 2008-01-11 16:49:55
Filed Under: TV News

(Jan. 11) - In a major role reversal, 'American Idol' contestants might get a chance to critique Paula Abdul's performance for a change.

The Grammy-winning artist turned 'American Idol' judge is in talks to perform at the Super Bowl XLII this February, TV Guide's Michael Ausiello reports.

Joining the 'Forever Your Girl' singer for the football festivities is Tom Petty, who will headline the halftime show.

Abdul, whose success as a pop star in the late '80s and early '90s faded until 'Idol' rejuvenated her career, is also working on a duet with fellow judge Randy Jackson.

During her early days, Abdul had six number one singles, including 'Straight Up,' 'Forever Your Girl,' and 'Opposites Attract.'



Offline blsnbelles

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Re: American Idol Season 7
« Reply #27 on: January 14, 2008, 12:33:22 PM »
And an FYI for any Blake Lewis fans out there... he will be on The View this week not sure what day but saw a teaser for it so if your interested get your TIVO set....

Offline marigold

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Re: American Idol Season 7
« Reply #28 on: January 16, 2008, 03:48:46 PM »
RATINGS FOR LAST NIGHT'S PREMIERE OF AMERICAN IDOL

http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-News-Blog/Todays-News/Ratings-American-Idol/800031101

Ratings: American Idol Cues Up 33.24 Million

The two-hour season premiere of American Idol delivered 33.24 million total viewers — trouncing the combined audiences of all network competition — and serving up a melodious 13.78 rating in key demos. That said, Idol was down 11 percent from Season 6's premiere night.

Offline marigold

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Re: American Idol Season 7
« Reply #29 on: January 17, 2008, 11:13:48 PM »
Ratings: Is the Idol Audience Tuning Out Faster

http://www.tvguide.com/Home.aspx

Night 2 of American Idol averaged 30.29 million total viewers, a 24-hour slip of 8.9 percent.

A year ago, the decrease across the first pair of shows was just 1.3 percent.


Offline marigold

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Re: American Idol Season 7
« Reply #30 on: January 23, 2008, 09:48:41 PM »
RATINGS: 'Idol' Hands FOX Tuesday's Title

http://www.zap2it.com/tv/ratings/zap-ratings012208,0,352900.story

Fast National ratings for Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2008

Though it once again didn't the heights it did last year, "American Idol" was still more than strong enough to push FOX to a ratings win Tuesday.

FOX averaged a 12.3 rating/19 share in primetime, doubling up on second-place NBC, which drew a 6.5/10 (FOX had 21.53 million viewers to NBC's 10.28 million). CBS came in third with a 5.9/9. ABC, 4.1/6, was fourth, and The CW posted a 1.6/2 for fifth.

The adults 18-49 title also went to FOX, which scored an 8.4 rating in the demographic. NBC finished second at 4.0. CBS, 2.0, took third, followed by ABC, 1.8, and The CW, 1.0.

"Idol's" third audition show drew a 16.2/24 for FOX at 8 p.m. An "NCIS" rerun on CBS earned a 7.9/12. "The Biggest Loser," 4.5/7, put NBC in third, ahead of the 3.1/5 ABC got from an hour of "Just for Laughs." The CW aired a repeat of "Reaper."

FOX held the lead at 9 p.m. with a "House" rerun, 8.5/13. "The Biggest Loser" improved to 6.6/10 in its second hour, moving NBC ahead of CBS and "The Unit." ABC averaged 3.6/5 with "According to Jim" and "Carpoolers," while "One Tree Hill" delivered a 2.0/3 for The CW.

At 10 p.m., NBC's "Law & Order: SVU" posted an 8.5/14 to win the hour. "Boston Legal," 5.5/9, was second for ABC, beating out "48 Hours," 4.8/8, on CBS.

Offline Emmysue

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Re: American Idol Season 7
« Reply #31 on: January 24, 2008, 12:19:57 PM »
Season 7 Update

http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20168248,00.html




Is it just me or does Ryan look PhotoShopped into that picture??? 

Offline RudyRules

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Re: American Idol Season 7
« Reply #32 on: January 24, 2008, 05:08:40 PM »
Looks natural to me.  Ryan's so skinny and Randy so broad shouldered & long-armed, it looks like Ryan fits there.  Randy may have his left arm behind Ryan?  ???

Offline marigold

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Re: American Idol Season 7
« Reply #33 on: January 25, 2008, 06:59:19 PM »
Looks natural to me.  Ryan's so skinny and Randy so broad shouldered & long-armed, it looks like Ryan fits there.  Randy may have his left arm behind Ryan?  ???

Looks good to me too, nice picture  :-*

Offline RudyRules

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Re: American Idol Season 7
« Reply #34 on: January 26, 2008, 02:00:39 AM »
Yes, it is a very good photo!  :tup:


Offline marigold

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Re: American Idol Season 7
« Reply #35 on: January 31, 2008, 01:27:24 PM »
Alot of Love on yesterday's American Idol, I like that  :girly

http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20007164_20171835_20175054,00.html



I'll have what Paula's having! And for that matter, whatever's in Simon's and Randy's big red Coca-Cola cups, too. As American Idol stopped in Miami tonight — sweet use of the Miami Vice font in the opening sequence, by the by! — the show's judges turned the audition process into an audacious, flirtatious party. And though I'm not certain that the business of finding the nation's next great singing sensation was priority No. 1, the assorted high jinks made for a pretty terrific hour of television.

Paula set the tone on day one of the auditions by arriving in a minidress that may have been leopard print but was also 100 percent cougar, and Simon's amused, slightly lascivious reaction — ''That's a very short dress, Paula. Very slutty'' — was the kind of brash assessment that fans of the British judge have been missing a little bit these last three weeks.

Although we've gotten used to the Simon-Paula pas de deux over six seasons of Idol, I can't say I'd ever have predicted that Randy would also get caught in the show's web of awkward sexual tension. Then again, I'd never been introduced to the hilarious duo of Corliss Smith and Brittany Wescott, a pair of curvaceous 20-year-olds who've perhaps maintained their close friendship by virtue of their very different tastes in men. You see, Brittany likes her conquests skinny and therefore directed her lovely rendition of ''My Guy'' toward Simon, who enjoyed himself so much he followed Paula's lead and clapped along (!) to the beat. Corliss, on the other hand, prefers her men a little meatier and had Randy squirming down to his outrageous red loafers during her performance of ''Take Five.'' Suffice it to say that by the time the ladies got their golden tickets, a round of enthusiastic hugs for each of the judges was an inevitability.

Now, one could argue that if you removed the ladies' sparkling personalities from the equation, only Brittany would've scored a golden ticket. Corliss hit the notes of her tricky jazz standard, to be fair, but her interpretation lacked the precise phrasing and emotional wallop delivered two seasons ago by a teenager named Paris Bennett, whose version is on my new list of the 12 best Idol auditions ever. But if you take away the bonus points Corliss gets for her mischievous humor and infectious smile, then you'd also have to rethink all the Hollywood-bound singers who advanced at least partially on their bulging biceps (Drew Poppelreiter), Pantene-ad blond locks (Brooke White), or commitments to sexual abstinence (Amy Flynn).

Of course, even when you factor in looks, personality, and vocal merit, I'm still not sure how Venezuelan-born Ghaleb Emachah got past the judges tonight. For starters, I'd like to see him get strapped to the Moment of Truth lie detector and then try to convince America that he's only 27 years old. (No, you should not infer that I jabbed a Botox needle into my soul and watched Fox's abhorrent new reality hour tonight. Only the first six or seven minutes. I know. Gross.) And second, Simon was being far too kind when he said he'd have to be drunk in order to enjoy Ghaleb's intensely mediocre rendition of Marc Anthony's ''You Sang to Me.''

Unless, of course, Mr. Cowell was making a veiled dig at Paula's loopy demeanor throughout Ghaleb's audition. The way she stumbled around the room humming to herself while trying to decide whether or not to send Ghaleb to Hollywood reminded me of watching my two-year-old nephew discover the joys of helium balloons at a birthday party this past weekend. The way his little eyes glazed over, the way he cooed and gurgled to himself while ignoring the calamity around him, and also the drooling — it was all just a little too similar to Paula's behavior tonight. Simon had me howling when he held up Paula's beverage container and yelled, ''I need someone to check this cup,'' but I'd say it's no better than 50-50 that he was actually attempting a punch line.

No worries, though, Hollywood week is fast approaching, and all the hugs and kisses in the world won't help Ghaleb crack the top 24. Likewise, I'm guessing the bulk of tonight's successful auditioners will be lucky if they even get a mention during the group-elimination bloodletting that starts in a couple of weeks: I've always cringed at the sound of Rihanna's ''Unfaithful,'' but Ilsy Lorena Pinot's rendition had even less melody, if that's possible; former boy-bander Robbie Carrico showed about as much charisma as the One Not Named Lachey from 98 Degrees on his version of Lynyrd Skynyrd's ''Simple Man''; and Ramiele Malubay's attempts to hit the big notes on ''(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman'' made me feel a natural urge to hit the mute button. How totally not patronizing, though, of Paula to utter a big, gooey ''Awwww'' as the diminutive singer strode into the audition room. I'm surprised she didn't give the short lady a cookie and pat her on the head!


Offline marigold

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Re: American Idol Season 7
« Reply #36 on: February 15, 2008, 03:43:20 AM »
American Idol Season 7 Top 24 Idols

http://www.buddytv.com/



Here we go, tonight American Idol whittles down the final 50 to the top 24, 12 men and 12 women, who will sing for your votes starting next week.  It might seem a bit anticlimactic, because more than a month ago a list of the top 24 was leaked, and pretty much everyone has seen it and knows exactly who will be making it through.  I'll be here all night providing live commentary with a printout of the leaked list by my side to see how accurate it is.

To follow along at home, here is the Leaked List of the American Idol Top 24.  To date, I can safely say I recognize 17 of those names, which doesn't bode well for the other seven, who have yet to get even a sliver of quality screen time.


Carly Smithson, the tattooed Irishwoman, is up next, and she IS on the list.  Paula Abdul gets the honor of playing it down, making Carly think she's gone.  These judges are so manipulative and cruel at this point.  She is finally told she's one of the top 12 women.  The list is 1/1!  She cries in the Elevator of Happy Tears.  Same elevator, same tears, completely different story.

David Cook, one of the two billion people who sang a Bryan Adams song in Hollywood, makes it through, because he is on the list.

Amanda Overmyer is also a rocker, and a nurse.  She's on the list, which is correct once again.

Two random people and the dude who collects his fingernails are all cut.

David Archuleta, the adorable 16-year-old vocal paralysis dude, is the second of three Davids on the list.  He's in the top 24, and he'll be making it far because those teen girls are the biggest voting bloc this show has.

Kristy Lee Cook, on the list, is up next.  She's one of those anonymous pretty blonde girls who will be eliminated early on, and probably won't even make the top 12.  But she does make the top 24 and hugs the judges.

Brooke White is another anonymous pretty blonde girl.  She's on the list, and alongside Kristy Lee Cook, they'll totally cancel each other out.  She makes it through.

Danny Noriega, who belongs in Menudo, is this year's Sanjaya.  I'm calling it out right now: don't fall for him, America!  He makes it to the top 24.

Then we see three people who make it who are destined to fail because the show doesn't bother to spend time on them, and we've never seen them before.  Their names are Luke Menard, Alexandrea Lushington, and one of the Jasons.  There are two on the list, and I have no idea who either are.

Ramiele Malubay is put through as well.  That puts this list at a perfect 11 so far.

Now there's a montage of gracious losers.  Hey, I recognize one of them, that religious farmer Drew Poppelreiter.

Aussie Michael Johns is up next.  We all know he's going through.  We all know he's going very far in this competition.  I don't even need a list to tell me that.  He makes it, as expected.

Syesha Mercado is on the list.  She has crazy hair, a bit like Parker over on Big Brother 9.  Hey, when you finish reading this recap, why not go over and see what's going on in the BB house by checking out Oscar Dahl's live thoughts and recaps.  He goes through and Paula has a meltdown because her first name has the word "yes" in it.

Robbie Carrico, the former boy bander, makes it through, because he's on the list.

Garrett Haley, Kady Malloy, Chikezie Eze, Amy Davis, Alaina Whitaker and Jason Yeager all make it.  Some got a tiny bit of screentime during the auditions, others we're meeting for the first time.  They're all on the list.

Asiah Epperson's dad died the day before she left for Hollywood.  She makes it.  David Hernandez also makes it, though Simon Cowell was against it.  Both are on the list.  This leaves just two spots left, one man and one woman.  Thus far, all 22 finalists were on the list.

Josiah Leming, who lives in his car and sings with a British accent, is cut.  Aww, I really liked him, but seeing as how he wasn't on the list, I'm not surprised.  The Elevator of Broken Dreams is particularly cruel to him.

Now is time for the final two guys: Colton Berry, who I'm pretty sure plays Ryan Evans in the stage version of High School Musical, and Kyle Ensley, the nerdy politician who is still in this competition for reasons beyond my comprehension.  Colton is through, as the list says, and somehow Simon says that Kyle is the one who should've made it through.  Typically I agree with Simon 110 percent, but man, he is way off base.  It's all very civil unlike the typical pressure cooker of emotions they usually save for the end.

Cardin McKinney, a struggling musician, goes up against plus-sized model Joanne Borgella for the final female slot.  Big girls don't cry, and since she's on the list, we know that Joanne is gonna put the musical smackdown on that skinny white girl sitting next to her.  She does, because every season needs a big black belting woman.

So the list was 100 percent correct.  That was a waste of a month.  But more importantly, we now know the 12 men and 12 women we'll see singing next week for our votes, the guys on Tuesday for two hours, the ladies on Wednesday for two hours, and then it's the first American Idol elimination next Thursday.

Offline marigold

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Re: American Idol Season 7
« Reply #37 on: February 21, 2008, 08:56:32 AM »
American Idol Season 7 Girls Also Disappoint The Judges



“The level of talent is higher.” “…the best top 24 in Idol history.” No matter how often Ryan Seacrest repeats things like this on American Idol 7, they’re just not coming true.

For the second night of the semi-final round, the top 24 mostly failed to impress, although the women did better as a group than the men. While the judges liked just three guys on Tuesday, they were happy with five of the female contestants: Alaina Whitaker, Amanda Overmyer, Asia’h Epperson, Ramiele Malubay, and Syesha Mercado.

While he was critiquing Joanne Borgella, Simon said something that was clearly directed at all of the top 24. “It was very, very substandard. I don’t accept this thing about nerves at this point,” he said. “Every one of you’s got a head start to become a star through this show. If you don’t grab hold of it now, then I don’t think you deserve to win this show. Sorry.”

Randy and Paula were both happy with Alexandrea Lushington and Carly Smithson, who Simon did not like, dissing her by saying, “there’s so much hype about you.” Earlier, the show finally admitted that Carly Smithson produced an album. In her clip package, she said, “When I was 15 years old, I was signed to a major label here in Los Angels. My first record came out when I was 17, and finally the record company actually imploded and they don’t exist anymore, so I kind of got left. So I definitely feel that trying out for American Idol is like a second chance for me.” There was a clear break in her discussion before the “and finally,” so the editors and producers cut something out, perhaps just for time.

At the end, Simon said that there are “three, maybe four great girls,” and Randy said that “season seven is turning out to be the year of the young ones,” as the younger contestants are outperforming the older ones. The most amusing exchange of the night was when Ryan, perhaps forgetting that he was supposed to keep insisting the top 24 are the best ever until we believe it, blamed the judges for the suckiness. “Didn’t you put these people through?” he asked. “Then obviously they’re capable of better,” Simon said, and Ryan replied, “But you’re somewhat at fault for this.” After tonight, he can start to blame viewers.

Source: http://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/


Offline TexasLady

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Re: American Idol Season 7
« Reply #38 on: February 21, 2008, 12:37:50 PM »
Thanks for the posts ca! Looking back, the guys did better the first night for me than the girls last night. There were a couple of standouts, Ramielle Malubay for one. She looks like a star already. Even Simon liked her.

I thought Simon was pretty brutal last night, particularly with Kristi Lee Cook, who obviously was sick.

My hubby and I didn't like Alex Lushington much, we agreed with Simon while Randy and Paula raved over her.

The choices we make dictate the life we lead.

Offline tanbuns

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Re: American Idol Season 7
« Reply #39 on: February 22, 2008, 11:03:01 AM »
So far my favorites are Michale Johns and David Cook for the guys, and Brooke White and Syesha Mercado for the ladies.

I predict that David Archuleta and Danny Noriega will  stay in for a long time. My youngest daughter likes David a lot. I haven't quite got a handle on the females just yet.

Cannot stand Amanda Overmyer!!! I will be glad when she is gone!!!  :ron:

Offline TexasLady

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Re: American Idol Season 7
« Reply #40 on: February 23, 2008, 12:02:15 PM »
So far my favorites are Michale Johns and David Cook for the guys, and Brooke White and Syesha Mercado for the ladies.

I predict that David Archuleta and Danny Noriega will  stay in for a long time. My youngest daughter likes David a lot. I haven't quite got a handle on the females just yet.

Cannot stand Amanda Overmyer!!! I will be glad when she is gone!!!  :ron:

I wish the girls had come to her aid for her final song, it was even worse than the night before. She let her nerves get to her big time.

I can see Michael Lee Johns going far, if not winning. I also don't see anyone so horrible that Vote for the Worst will have a candidate to push. (Which is a good thing!)
The choices we make dictate the life we lead.

Offline RudyRules

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Re: American Idol Season 7
« Reply #41 on: February 23, 2008, 03:52:55 PM »
Update From Simon Cowell's Future On American Idol

http://hollywoodinsider.ew.com/2008/01/simon-cowell-re.html



What a great photo of Simon!  Love it!  :tup: Thanks ca! :hugs:

Offline RudyRules

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Re: American Idol Season 7
« Reply #42 on: February 23, 2008, 04:13:03 PM »
So far my favorites are Michale Johns and David Cook for the guys, and Brooke White and Syesha Mercado for the ladies.

I predict that David Archuleta and Danny Noriega will  stay in for a long time. My youngest daughter likes David a lot. I haven't quite got a handle on the females just yet.

Cannot stand Amanda Overmyer!!! I will be glad when she is gone!!!  :ron:
I can't stand Amanda either.

I like David Cook, altho not my fav.  I liked the way he sang the song he picked and his creative rendition of it.  Agree with Simon...don't think I've ever heard that song being "rocked up like that"!! 

My Fav guys are David Archuleta, very nice voice, but I really like his style and smile!
Think he will go far.

Also really like Jason Castro.  He did his own thing.

My biggest fav is Michael Johns!  He really is hot and has a natural way with the audience, not put on...but the real thing! 

Hope all my four favs go far!!  :jumpy:  :wohoo:

Offline RudyRules

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Re: American Idol Season 7
« Reply #43 on: February 23, 2008, 08:30:56 PM »
Forgot to say I have not watched the tape of Wed or Thur shows, although I know who got voted out.  (none of my guy favs! yay!)

Don't know who my girl Favs are yet...

Offline RudyRules

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Re: American Idol Season 7
« Reply #44 on: February 23, 2008, 08:52:29 PM »
Here are the first vote-offs:

Garrett Haley
Colton Berry
Joanne Borgella
Amy Davis




Offline marigold

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Re: American Idol Season 7
« Reply #45 on: February 24, 2008, 02:41:41 AM »
American Idol semifinalists to go home to talk about what went wrong

http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20007164_20171835_20180044,00.html



American Idol's seventh season began more than a month ago, but now that the contestants' futures are in the hands of viewers at home, things are really getting good. America booted four semifinalists from the Top 24 last night: Garrett Haley, the 17-year-old Leif Garrett look-alike who sang ''Breaking Up Is Hard to Do''; Amy Davis, the sexy 25-year-old who slipped up with ''Where the Boys Are''; Joanne Borgella, the curvaceous 25-year-old who covered Dionne Warwick's ''I Say a Little Prayer for You''; and Colton Berry, the 18-year-old who took on Elvis' ''Suspicious Minds.'' And now, before they likely descend back into obscurity, EW.com gave them a chance to sound off about what went wrong, what they'd change, and a whole bunch of other topics.

GARRETT HALEY, 17, ELIDA, OHIO

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How are you feeling after being the first of the Top 24 to go?
GARRETT HALEY: I'm actually feeling really good. I told myself that morning that either way, even if I get sent home, I'm going to be happy and smiling and stuff. I'm still happy and I'm still smiling.

Going into the day, what were your thoughts about the likelihood of your going or staying?
I actually was shocked about leaving so soon. I don't know. I felt pretty good about it.

I was shocked with how quickly it all happened. Ryan didn't mess around. He was just like, boom! And you were gone.
It was pretty surprising. When he said, ''You're going home,'' or ''This is the end of the road for you,'' I thought he was kidding. But then the music came on and his face stayed serious. I was like, Oh my God, he's for real! Then I was standing there trying to remember the lyrics of the song I had to sing.

Simon was really harsh with his comments about you being pale and looking like you'd been shut up in a room for a month. How did that make you feel?
I thought it was pretty funny, the whole pale thing, because I know I'm a fair kid. I wouldn't change that for anything, because I love the way I am. This competition is about being true to yourself. If I went tanning, it'd just be like, ''All right, Simon, you are right.'' I'm happy with the way I am.

Did anyone tell you that you were on The View the next day? They had your picture up and were talking about you.
Yes, someone said something about that! I was like, Oh my gosh, that is so cool. I'm going to have to look that up or something.

Did you think you could have wowed America if you had one more performance?
This next song that I was about to sing was about to be amazing, so I was excited about that.

What was the next song you were going to sing?
I'm not allowed to say.

Okay...well, then, what other kinds of songs — just give me an example — would you have liked to sing?
A more upbeat song. It was definitely going to be upbeat and show my range.

I don't know what that means. Is it a Justin Timberlake song? A Beatles song? ''Upbeat'' describes about half of songs out there.
Yeah, it's like...pretty much that, though. Anything that would make you get up and dance.

You have interesting hair, to say the least. Would you have done anything crazy and Sanjaya-like with it?
I don't think I would go, like, crazy-crazy with it. I mean, I might straighten it because I like the way it looks straightened. But I don't think I would go with the fauxhawk or anything like that. Although that was really sweet on Sanjaya, but I don't think it would look too good on me.


Offline marigold

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Re: American Idol Season 7
« Reply #46 on: February 24, 2008, 02:45:56 AM »

Interview with EW and Amy Davis



ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Going into the evening, how did you feel about your chances?
AMY DAVIS: Well, I definitely was not happy with my performance. It's really because I have a disadvantage: I'm trained to use an in-ear monitor. My brain is trained to use an in-ear monitor. I'm telling you, it's a bad skill on my part. Without an in-ear, I can't stay on pitch. I tried to do as well as I could without having that in-ear monitor, but it was obviously a very pitchy performance.

In what capacity had you used in-ear monitors before?
I don't have any vocal training, but performing with my bands back at home — I've been doing it for about four years — but once it became more than just two people performing in an acoustic duo, it was very hard to hear my vocals. So I said, I'm going to buy the in-ears because I know how important it is. I've been using those consistently for the past two years. For my own brain, the way it works, it's really hard for me to change from an in-ear monitor to a floor monitor. My brain is totally trained to use that. The good thing is that all the pros that are out there use in-ear monitors way more than they use floor monitors, so I know I can sing better. I don't normally sing so pitchy, but it's gonna take some work on my part to prove that to America post-Idol.

The monitor problem aside, do you wish you'd picked a different song?
You know, I really like that Connie Francis song, and there wasn't a lot of other choices that I would have gone with because I'm actually — and America may not believe this at this moment — I'm very strong at doing those types of songs. Maybe I should have chosen something else. I had a small amount of time to choose, so I went with the Connie Francis.

The song had a country vibe to it. Is that where you'd like to see yourself go?
I really have more of a preference for folk-country or folk-pop — just very vocally driven songs. My favorite artist is Patti Griffin — her style of music is where, when I'm performing or listening to music, I feel the passion. I'm not true, true country. I really like more of the folk styles.

Did you ever think, ''If I just had one more week...''?
Absolutely. Definitely. I don't know how long it would have taken for my brain to switch to the floor monitor style of hearing, but it would have only gotten better. It's not going to happen, but that's okay.

What are you going to do now?
I'm not sure if I'm going to go back to grad school now. I'd really like to keep focusing on music. I feel like I have something to prove to America, being the first girl cut, so I really want to focus on that. I'm definitely interested in continuing modeling. I really need to work, is what I need to do. I hope it's me doing something I have a passion for, which is music.

Offline marigold

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Re: American Idol Season 7
« Reply #47 on: February 24, 2008, 02:49:07 AM »

Interview with EW and Joanne Borgella



ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: What do you think went wrong with your performance of ''I Say a Little Prayer for You''?
JOANNE BORGELLA: Well, the judges were mostly focused on me personally. They were like, ''You look nervous.'' I know, for me, I was having a bad day, which shouldn't affect any performance.

Why were you having a bad day?
Well, no, I had a moment. I sadly let that show on camera. As a result of that, they said what they said. They weren't really talking about my vocals — they were talking about how I don't have confidence. Which is so opposite! When I get a microphone, you can't get it away from me. Basically, it was the one bad day on the worst day to have it because it's the most important day, and it showed.

After you got the poor comments from Simon, did you go into elimination night thinking you'd probably go home?
You know, I never really thought about it. Every week people are going to go home. I just happened to be the first week. Everyone has to have that in their mind — it's the reality of the show. But with American Idol, the beauty of it all is that you don't have to be the winner. I'm still going to do what I have to do. I'm going to have an album and I'm going to continue to model.

You say you don't have to be the winner to win on American Idol, but what does that mean? How do you get a record deal?
Honestly, I feel like the winner. Basically, I'm going to work on my music. Hopefully later on within this year or early next year, I'll have some music out. You're still part of the Top 24, you're in the American Idol home. You're still signed with great people, you're working with great people. I'm probably in the best position I could ever pray for.

What would the album be like that you'd create?
I'd love to do a blended album. I want to have those power ballads, but then I'd like to have a track produced by Timbaland or work with Kanye. I want to do a mixture of all that because I grew up listening to Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, and Barbra Streisand. The sad thing is no one has seen me performing my power ballads on American Idol. I did those on Hollywood Week, but they weren't shown.

You won Monique's F.A.T. Chance, too. Are reality competitions your thing?
It was a beauty pageant, not a reality show. I go out on a limb. I go out with faith, really. I tried out for that show because, being plus-size, it's not easy getting into an industry that's all about looks. Even with Monique's F.A.T. Chance, it was for music because I thought maybe this would be my stepping-stone for music. It was an amazing experience. From there, I went into my modeling career. American Idol was all about singing for me. Nothing can prepare you for what you experience on Idol. No other show or other job can prepare you for what you go through at Idol, because it's so amazing.

If you had to choose the one song that you wish you could have shown America, what would it have been?
The song I was dying to sing was ''One Moment in Time'' by Whitney Houston. That song would have been me all over it.

What's in store for you tomorrow?
I'll go back to New York, and basically you'll probably be seeing me everywhere. You're definitely going to see me modeling, you're going to see me at events, and you're going to see me smiling away.

Offline marigold

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Re: American Idol Season 7
« Reply #48 on: February 24, 2008, 02:52:15 AM »

Interview with EW and Colton Berry



ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Looking back at your performance of ''Suspicious Minds,'' what do you think went wrong?
COLTON BERRY: I really don't think me leaving the show had anything to do with my performance.

What did it have to do with then?
I really don't know. I can't put my finger on it. I was really confident with my performance, and I watched the performance and the vocals weren't terrible. I thought it was a great performance, maybe it just wasn't the most dazzling in the world, but I don't know.

Were you scared to take on Elvis?
No, because I completely switched it up. I didn't agree with Simon when he said it sounded like a karaoke version of the same song. When I arranged it and put the vocal lines together, if you listened, my arrangement doesn't even sound like the same song. I didn't agree with that. I chose a song that would show my personality and show that I'm not boring or just a nobody. I definitely got that across.

What's your response to Simon's suggestion that you get a good job and don't pursue music?
You know, Simon chose us to be the Top 24, and we're the top 24 out of hundreds of thousands of people who auditioned. Obviously, we're all going to have careers in music no matter when we get kicked off. I mean, American Idol is the top of the top — you don't go any further than American Idol. Simon's job is to sit there and be mean. I expected him to say something like that, and of course, I didn't take it personally.

You've mentioned being interested in ballads, rock, and even R&B. With such a wide range, how do you coalesce your identity as an artist?
Here's an example: Kelly Clarkson. When she was on Idol, she didn't put herself in a genre. She sang whatever she wanted to, and she ended up becoming kind of her own thing. When you hear her on the radio, you were like, Oh, that's Kelly Clarkson. And she changed with the time. Her albums got more rock, more R&B — whatever was her feeling at the time. I think I'm the same kind of artist.

The dream was to get to the Top 24. What's your dream now?
You know, I've always had two dreams in life. One was to be on American Idol. That's off the list. And the second, and they said a little about it on the show, is to be on Broadway. I've been doing theater since I was young, but that's my ideal role and aspiration.

What's the ideal role for you on Broadway?
You know, Wicked is really hot right now.

Who would you play? Fiyero?
Oh yeah, definitely, that would be the role of a lifetime. I'm definitely going to start setting up auditions and maybe see if I can land something.

Maybe I missed this in an earlier episode, but what's the deal with the Teletubbies theme song? Last night's episode mentioned that you hum it sometimes?
That was my method for calming my nerves. I started doing it a long time ago. I just hum the song in my head because it was so weird and random. It's just something kind of quirky about me that I did. It kind of stuck with me.

Do you feel like people didn't know you very well? Do you think being featured more would have given you a better chance?
Some of the other contestants are obviously featured more than others. I don't think I necessarily did not or did sway America in a certain direction. I just think they voted for their favorites, and maybe I was stuck somewhere in the middle, and because I didn't have much exposure, it ended up landing me in the bottom.


Offline RudyRules

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Re: American Idol Season 7
« Reply #49 on: February 24, 2008, 03:25:12 AM »
Thanks for posting the great articles, ca.  You always post good stuff, and so neatly! :tup: