Idol Dish

All the Dish that's fit to print about American Idol!

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

And the Winner is...

We'll have a favorite moments from the finale blog up for ya later on, but for tonight, just the facts ma'am... Tonight, we get to relax and enjoy just like everyone else...

What a long, strange trip it's been...

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And the winner is.........

Frankly, I don't know if this is airing live on the west coast, so it could be a spoiler, so I'll do the red asterisks incase someone doesn't wanna know...


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***
SPOILER ALERT
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The Winner of American Idol...
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Or as Ryan would say,
"Your American Idol Is...."

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Jordin Sparks!!!!!


Congratulations Jordin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Right, now scroll down one post,
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;)
Ok, all you west coast folks...
It's still more than worth watching!
Really terrific performances.
:)

Important!!!

Tonight's Final Show starts at 8pm EST!!

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American Idol Jordin's Finale Performance

Yes, Jordin, This is Your Now!



dialidol.com prediction:

1.Jordin Sparks-45.03
2.Blake Lewis-30.34

msn.com

1.Jordin Sparks-70%
2.Blake Lewis-30%

American Idol Final Prediction

According to dialidol, which has been anything but accurate this season, it would seem we have a winner... and by a reasonably large margin:


DialIdol final prediction report.
7:30am EST, 5/23/07
With all voting
in all time zones completed.


At one point last night, dialidol had the differential at closer to 30 points higher for Jordin, so the BlakerGirls definitely made some inroads as the evening progressed, and as the west coast took over the voting.

I wouldn't skip watching the results show tonight, though, if for nothing less than to hear how they deal with this, and of course the pomp, the ceremony, the event that has become the American Idol Finale. I'm guessing we'll hear a lot about how incredibly close the vote was. Uh huh. And who knows, this could be yet another incorrect prediction from dialidol... after all, they had Melinda in the top spot last week.

What I'm really hoping for is a repeat of last year, when every hot musical act on the planet seemed to grace the stage... including TAFKAP aka Prince and Beyonce, which was the biggest coup ever. We shall see. Perhaps even her royal Kelly-ness will deign to perform this year. Lol.. I still can't forget her glaring absence last year.

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

American Idol Final 2: Jordin Sparks v. Blake Lewis

You have 4 hours to vote tonight. Make em count!!

And now, the moment we've all been waiting for...

Phone 1-866-436-57_ _ or Text the word "Vote" to 57_ _ ,

Text for Blake: "Vote" to 5701

Text for Jordin: "Vote" to 5702

Round 1 - With the toss of a coin that Blake wins, then politely offers the choice to Jordin, who declines to go first, Blake kicks off the night:

01 & 03 & 05 BLAKE LEWIS "You Give Love a Bad Name"


  • RANDY: (standing ovation over Randy) I'll give you a 10 out of 10 on the beat boxing. The singing for me was just alright.

  • PAULA: I think you outdid yourself. I wish I could give you more than a 10.

  • SIMON: You're not the best singer, but you are the best performer. I thought the performance was great, the energy amazing, but the singing was flat. I don't think it matters though. It was your best performance.

  • CAROLYN: Nicely Done, Blake!! Way to amp it up! He definitely improved his performance of this song over the first time he did it.

02 & 04 & 06 Jordin Sparks: "Fighter"

  • RANDY: You were stellar. You were brilliant. Sounded amazing.

  • PAULA: Stellar. Awesome.

  • SIMON: Great that you chose a younger song. Thought the vocals were a bit shrieky in the middle. I'm gonna call round one to Blake.

  • CAROLYN: Simon, I respectfully disagree. TKO. Jordin takes round one. As you're so fond of saying, Simon dear, "This is a singing competition." That was the WOW I was hoping for!

Phone 1-866-436-57_ _ or Text the word "Vote" to 57_ _

Round 2

01 & 03 & 05 BLAKE LEWIS "SHE WILL BE LOVED"

  • RANDY: Great song, and a very pure vocal. Very nice.

  • PAULA: You really got into the ease of the song, and you sounded great.

  • SIMON: It was good, it was safe, and it wasn't as good as the first performance.

  • CAROLYN: I enjoyed it, but I agree with Simon on this one. It just wasn't as good as the first performance.

02 & 04 & 06 JORDIN SPARKS: "A BROKEN WING"

  • RANDY: I've loved you since day one. That was flawless. Better than the original.

  • PAULA: You are in great, great vocal voice tonight.

  • SIMON: Now that was good.

  • CAROLYN: Another wow for me. Big wow. That was perfection. I have to agree with Randy, "better than the original." So far, Jordin's 2 for 2 with me. I'll give bonus points for whoever wins the final song.





Phone 1-866-436-57_ _ or Text the word "Vote" to 57_ _

Round 3 - :

01 & 03 & 05 BLAKE LEWIS "This is My Now" (from the song contest)

  • RANDY: I'm sure this is not the kind of song that really suits your voice. It wasn't great. It was alright.

  • PAULA: You were in great voice. I loved it.

  • SIMON: I think it was all a little off, to be honest with you Blake. You looked a bit frustrated. I think we have to judge you tonight primarily on your first 2 performances.

  • CAROLYN: Love the lyrics... Perfect for an Idol Finale. I enjoyed his performance of it, but I think the song really needs a bigger voice. We'll see for sure if Jordin does it too and it suits her voice more.

02 & 04 & 06 JORDIN SPARKS: "This is my Now"

  • RANDY: You were the best singer tonight. You deserve it all!

  • PAULA: You're an angel. You really are.

  • SIMON: Last week, I didn't think you were good enough to make the finals. I want to say to you publically now, I was wrong. In case we forget, this is a singing competition, and you just wiped the floor with Blake on that one.

  • CAROLYN: Vive la difference! Jordin's performance was perfection. As if the song was written specifically for her. Just beautiful. Vocal and Performance! Pardon me, I've got some voting to do! Gooooo Jordin!





American Idol Grand Finale

One hour since my massage, 30 minutes till Showtime, and as poor-sport as it is, I'm still bummed Melinda's not gonna be there. I am, however, thrilled for Jordin and Blake. It's just that... well, I've made no secret of my standout fave since day one, and I guess I'm being a bit of a sore loser.

I wanna be wowed tonight. Really wowed by both Idol hopefuls. I want there to be a dilemma when it comes time to dial, and I will be dialing the entire voting period. I want to really have to weigh the performances, and choose the best, and I want it to be a difficult choice.

That isn't to say I haven't been wowed by both Jordin and Blake in the past... I'm just sayin' tonight's vote is up for grabs for me. If Blake pulls out all the stops tonight, I'm his girl. Same goes for Jordin. But, like I said, I'll be voting the entire time. Just like I have every other time there's been a vote this season.

Blake fans, do me a favor and lay off the nasty comments. They're rude, they reflect poorly on your man, and I'm just not havin' it tonight.

Here's the Latest from the myspace fanbase. This is a POWERFUL group, not to be ignored!

From the Jordin camp:
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Well, tonight's it yall. VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE...THE ENTIRE 4 HOURS FOR JORDIN!!

Don't give up! Make sure all of your phones are charged before you vote. Vote on multiple phones if you can. Just because several people have been saying she will win, doesn't mean she will. You have to follow through and VOTEEEEEEE!

Both Blake and Jordin are extremely talented. I love them both but I'm pulling for Jordin. She's made it this far...I want to see her take it home! She has an incredible voice and an amazing personality! I could go on and on...but it's almost on...!

And for 4 hours after it's over I will not be online...I will be voting nonstop.


PLEASE vote for Jordin Sparks and make her the next American Idol!

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And from Blake's Naughtiest Fan...
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hey Guys!
(REPOST THIS PLEASE IF UR A BLAKE FAN=) )
IDOL FINALLY is on tonight its finally down to the TOP 2 PLEASE PLEASE vote for BLAKE TONIGHT!
he deseveres to win i mean Jordan is good but i think Blake will make a better american idol so keep voting for blake once they have the numbers up!

dont forget to watch it at 8 =)

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And from me...
*******


Good luck to you both, and may the best win!

American Idol
Final 2 Tonight!!

As you can imagine, myspace is going bonkers with all the bulletins from Jordin and Blake fans, urging people to seriously get out the vote tonight. When I logged on right now, this was at the top of My personal account bulletin list:

"Hello all my beautiful friends....if you don't know I am a huge fan of Jordin Sparks...I loved her since the auditions....tonight Jordin and Blake are battleing it out to become the next American Idol. Watch the show and the dial in your votes for the full 2 hours it is crucial...she has the voice of an angel.......please watch the show and vote for JORDIN SPARKS!!!

Video Removed
for faster loading


And this one for Blake went out last night from the Blaker Girls:

"Hey Blakers!

Here is the last set of Vote For Blake banners! Pass them around like crazy! Special thanks to everyone who has made one all season. They've been so incredible!!!

Post these everywhere you can and get everyone to VOTE VOTE VOTE!


xoxo
Andrea
The Blaker girls "








banner by anaface

















banner by anaface







I'm sure I'll have more to share with you as the day goes on... Gotta get to work now though...

Saturday, May 19, 2007

American Idol Summer Concert Tour
Tickets For Idols Live!!




I got mine here.. It's the only secure ticket website on the net. Why chance it (identity theft) when you don't have to?!

Click here for tickets to IdolsLive!

Friday, May 18, 2007

Things that make you go Hmmm...

It happens every season. One of the fansites associated with one of the reality stars sets up a paypal account to gift the star with this or that. This time, one has been set up to buy flowers - lots of flowers - for Melinda, and while I do not doubt the sincerity or good intent of the bloggers, it does give me pause.

On first glance, I think it's a very sweet idea, but the more I think about it, it dawns on me that Melinda, being a spiritual person, would probably rather the money go to something actually worthwhile - like a children's charity... or that people volunteer for something in her honor... or that the flowers be sent to people in the hospital. The Old, the young, the indigent.... Hmm.. now there's a thought. How about sending the bouquets to old age homes? Or better yet, going and visiting an elderly person in a nursing home and bringing the flowers with you... Or to a children's hospital...

I just can't imagine her wanting people to send their hard earned money for a bunch of flowers she wont have time to appreciate, space to house, and that will die in no time flat.

Just my opinion.

If you are inspired to send her flowers, here's the link to the blog that's collecting for them: TeamDoolittleBlog

Melinda Doolittle's Exit Interview


I liked the way they did Lakisha's interview so much, I had to go back and get Melinda's for you. :) Here it is, from AOL

Melinda Doolittle
Eliminated: May 16
Age: 29
Hometown: Brentwood, Tenn.

Most people were shocked and a little dismayed when Ryan said you were going home. Why do you think you were eliminated?
First of all, I was up against two amazing contestants. I think Jordin and Blake did a fabulous job Tuesday night. I know that I was probably getting a little bit of the older vote, which was great. But sometimes they may not spend a full two hours voting. And that's OK because I feel like I've won as far as where I've ended up in the competition.

What kind of album do you plan to record?
The only way I know how to describe it is just soul music. Anything from the heart. I love anything where I can tell a story. I hope to have a great soul album.

What did you make of the criticism that you too often looked surprised and shocked after getting good feedback from the judges?

It's part of my personality. Plus, coming out of singing background for so many years, I was so used to having to sound like other people. 'American Idol' was my first time really stepping out and finding out what my voice sounded like. The fact that people liked it and were giving me good comments was surprising to me. It was a great honor, but it always kind of shocked me at first. It was my little adjustment process.

Which contestant did you pal around with the most?
I'm kind of the mama of the bunch, since I'm the oldest. I call them all my babies. Jordin being the youngest is my baby girl definitely. We all hang out. Blake is kind of the class clown.

Last night when Ryan said, "After the break, Melinda's going home," did your heart skip a beat? Did you think he slipped and revealed the results?
I thought he was saying it in regard to the next package they were going to show of me going home to Nashville. I knew I was the next one they were going to show. I think he was getting us ready for that. I don't think it was a slip.

You said before that you have no fashion sense. But now do you feel like you have a better sense of what to wear?
You know what? I am packing my suitcase as we speak and wondering the same thing. The show has great stylists, and they have been extremely helpful to me. I was privileged to have a best friend who is a stylist also. Hopefully, they've instilled something that helps me shop a little better. I'll probably just be wearing things I've already worn that I know work.

Your look really evolved over the past few months. Some people even refer to it as sexy.
Really? (Laughs) I'm going to blame it on the new wig. I name them. Last night I had Whitney on. Maybe she helped out with that.

When Ryan asked you to step forward before the results, what was your reaction?
Just by the nature of the show and how it normally goes, I kind of had an idea that it would be me. I was kind of prepared for it and was taking deep breaths. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. I thought I was going to lose it. But it was actually a happy occasion that I made it this far.

Why did you decide to feature the backup singers when you sang 'I Am Woman' this week?
I remembered doing the song before and going back to sing with them the first time. Those girls have been my rock out here. I like to call them "support singers." They aren't really backup singers because they can all hold their own.

Have you heard from any of the artists you used to sing for?I've heard from quite a few who have just been extremely supportive and excited for me -- like CeCe Winans, Annointed, Martha Munizzi, Rizen and Sandi Patti. A lot of them have only heard me sing background, so this is something new for them also. They have been on the journey with me, and they've been supportive.

You and Mandisa Hundley from season five are friends. Has she given you any advice?Mandisa has been great for me. She has been the person who understands what I'm going through so if I need to bounce anything off her, I can. Not necessarily advice other than just be yourself, love it, live in the moment and give 100 percent.

What performance turned out better than you expected?'Have A Nice Day.' Rock was way out of my comfort zone, and I'm still dumbfounded that people really liked it.

The judges said you needed to do a better job of letting loose on stage. Do you feel like you ever achieved that?
Yes, it was after I got eliminated last night. There's so much going through your head getting ready to be judged and ready to be voted on, I don't know that I've actually achieved letting loose during the actual show. Last night was kind of a full-circle moment for me in the fact that I was able to let go and have a great time on stage. It really meant a lot to me.

What will you take away from this experience?

I know that I was really scared to do this at the beginning. The fact that I was able to step up and do it even in the midst of fear kind of just gave me an outlook on how strong God has helped me become. I've found my own voice as opposed to my "blending voice," and I couldn't have asked for more from this experience.

Melinda's Demise: Too Classy For America?

And now for something a little different... Another Blogger's Take. The following blog was written by the acerbic Mo Rocca.

Posted May 17th 2007 12:09AM by Mo Rocca on AOL

Analysts will rush to explain why Melinda's bid to be our next American Idol faltered tonight. But the dust needs to settle before we truly understand what went wrong.

Was it her age?

Was it what many called her fake surprise look from earlier in the season?

Was it her neck - or what some uncharitably called her lack of a neck? (Her purported necklessness was never verified by medical professionals. Her haircut in fact may have been to blame for a simple misperception.)

OR ... Was it her polish? Was Melinda too classy for America?

As evidenced by the videotaped homecoming, Melinda was indeed the most poised - and this may have been a liability in an America that demands that we let it all hang out.

Jordin wept throughout her homecoming as if she'd just returned from a POW camp. (The way she clutched her best friend Bailey, you'd think the two were sisters reunited after, say, the fall of the Berlin Wall.) Blake's homecoming was equally showy. His father, clearly an emotional dependent, cried that he'd lost his own parents as a boy; that Blake's success was some consolation for his own hardship.

Melinda was more self-possessed, dignified. She teared up, yes, but she kept it together, thanking her friends from Belmont. They thanked her for all she'd done. (Charity work? We don't know. Melinda's not the type to boast.) We've known for some time that Melinda's close to her mother. She's never mentioned her father. And yet her dad Steve was included (awkwardly) in several shots, Melinda putting the best face on what is likely a very uncomfortable situation. That's what modest, discreet people do.

And for this the American people punished her.

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Other things I noticed:

Jordin's high school is Sandra Day O'Connor HS. Ironic since O'Connor was the critical swing vote in the Supreme Court's deliberations on abortion over the last 20 years. Now Jordin is in danger of being engulfed by the issue.

As much as I like Elliott Yamin - I endorsed his AI bid last year - I don't like his new teeth. But I don't mind the whole look. Almost a young Bob Dylan. Elliott is personally unassailable, as far as I'm concerned. Pure goodness.

Thursday, May 17, 2007

American Idol Alternate Universe

I woke up in an alternate universe this morning. Call it a coping mechanism.

Al Gore is enjoying his 6th year in the White House...
Gas prices hover around 85 cents a gallon...
9-11 never happened...
There is peace in the Middle East...
New Orleans is a thriving city...
Disease has been eradicated...
Hunger & Poverty too...
An extraordinarily talented young woman by the name of Melinda Doolittle is on her way to the finals of this season of American Idol, having gained a full 60% of the available votes.
Oh.. and I'm 26 and a size 6.

Please feel free to leave me your alternate universe additions in the comments section right below the post (where it says COMMENTS), but do me a favor and don't politically bash me... I've had a hard day. ;) And after all, it's my alternate universe, and in said place, people are tolerant of differing opinions and beliefs.

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

A few thoughts

Well, now we know why Simon was such a sourpuss all night.
Even moreso than usual.
Odds on he knew the results.
And knowing,
still had to sit there the whole hour,
faced with impending doom,
so to speak.

Sigh.

The cutaway to Blake's mother was priceless.
Even she looked like she couldn't believe it.

Me neither.

American Idol Final Two Results Show

****WEST COAST SPOILER****
If you don't want to know
RIGHT NOW,
get off the blog!
The American Idol Final 2 are....
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Jordin Sparks
&
Blake Lewis


(commentary on the elimination to follow)
as soon as I get my head together
i'm having a bit of a tourette's moment right now...

Countdown to the final 2

Welcome to the most torturous hour of American Idol yet... the countdown to the final 2. Ofcourse they had to make it an hour, right? And still, I'm sitting here watching...

Anyone out there? Leave me a comment on here and commiserate...

American Idol May 15th Results Predictions

It's just too close to call.



On the bright side, this is the most equally matched, talented final 3 we've ever had the pleasure of seeing on American Idol. There is no stand-out gimme dump that we're all looking at thinking, how on earth did he/she make it to the final 3? Vote for the worst, with their mighty Stern empowered sword, has failed this season, and the true fans and real talent have prevailed. That is the bright side.

The bad part? Some incredibly talented person is going to get the boot tonight. Some devoted fan base is going to be heartbroken and pissed off. Some will cry foul and post negative comments about the surviving final 2. Petty, petty. Bad sportsmanship.. and really missing the point.

Here's the thing. All of our final 3 will get record deals. All of them. You can bet the contracts have already been inked. This year, that's not what the win is about. Hasn't been for a couple years now with AI, right? This year, the show has become what it was always meant to be: a competition and celebration of the best of the best.

We've been honored every week by Melinda's truly phenomenal talent, and we've watched her incredible journey of self-esteem. Miss Melinda Doolittle will never hide her talent under a bushel or behind another singer again. Melinda came into this competition as a ringer - a true professional, and she set the vocal standard every week

We've watched Jordin grow up before our very eyes. In 11 short weeks, a star is born. A superstar. When Jordin takes the stage now, you can't take your eyes off her. She is that electric, that magnetic. Jordin draws you in with that phenomenal voice, and then she builds and builds and gets better every single week, almost like a small child with language acquisition - Jordin's been a sponge for everything the folks at AI have been teaching. We should all take a lesson!

Blake has singlehandedly re-invigorated the entire show, and upped our expectations for future artists and seasons in the process. A complete musician, Blake has brought the show into the into the computer age, as the sole idol in total control of his own arrangements. Every week, Blake ups the ante, takes the risks and makes it work.

Tonight we will have to say farewell to one of these incredible Idol hopefuls. It's not gonna be easy, but it's also not gonna be forever. Whoever goes will definitely be back, and in a big way.

My prediction: This year, our final three, have already all won.

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

American Idol Final 3 Show Down!

Phone 1-866-436-57_ _ or Text the word "Vote" to 57_ _

Round 1 - Judges Choice:

01 & 04 & 07 JORDIN SPARKS "WISHING ON A STAR"

  • RANDY: Wow. SO this is the point in the seasn when I'm really trying to see who's in it to win it. That was a hot vocal. Kinda a little Beyonce in there!
  • PAULA: Great way to start the show.
  • SIMON: You sang it brilliantly, Jordin. I just wish we hadn't done the weird jazz arrangement with it.
  • CAROLYN: I love this song. Love this girl! I can't help but smile when Jordin sings, and she just gets better each time.

02 & 05 & 08 BLAKE: "ROXANNE"

  • RANDY: Great great performance. pretty good vocal. All in all, I gotta give you an A on that. That was hot!.
  • *PAULA: It was good it was fresh. i really loved it.
  • SIMON: It was good. It wasn't great.
  • CAROLYN: Mmmm.. just ok for me, really. I'm a huge Sting fan, though, so...


03 & 06 & 09 MELINDA "I Believe in You and Me"

  • *RANDY: That was hot. You blew it out the box. Very well done.
  • PAULA: You were fantastic, amazing, and one of your best performances.
  • SIMON: Very difficult song to sing. I think it was your best performance in the last 4 weeks. Round one goes to Melinda.
  • CAROLYN: I am loving Randy for this choice for Melinda. Perfect. Now if we can just get the grown-ups to dial...



ROUND 2: PRODUCER'S CHOICE....

01 & 04 & 07 JORDIN SPARKS "She Works Hard for the Money"
or text "Vote" to 5701

Sorry!! Had to re-boot! :( Acccckkkk!!!

  • RANDY: !
  • PAULA: .
  • *SIMON:
  • CAROLYN: .

02 & 05 & 08 BLAKE: "THIS LOVE"

  • RANDY: When you decide to put out an album, that's the kind of vibe you should do.
  • PAULA: This is a good night for you.
  • SIMON: Actually, I preferred that song to the first one. You sounded very comfortable. It didn't sound like a copycat performance.
  • CAROLYN's Mother Judi: I think he was great. I love him! How can people even vote? They should all win. Wouldn't that be nice if they all won? :)


03 & 06 & 09 MELINDA "Nutbush City Limits"

  • RANDY: Another great performance from you. WHen you make your record, you should put some of that in there.
  • PAULA: You look like you had a blast up there. What else can we say: we love you love you love you.
  • SIMON: Love that side of you. i thought it was actually, again, another brilliant performance.
  • CAROLYN: Not a very well-known tune, but Melinda still killed with it! hehe.. back to channelling her inner Tina Turner... Goooo Rocker Chick, Melinda!


Round 3 - Artists Choice:

01 & 04 & 07 JORDIN "I Who Have Nothing"

  • RANDY: I think that was your best performance of the night. Nice control.
  • PAULA: It really sat well in your voice, and how it built.
  • SIMON: There's no disputing the fact that you sang that very well, but there was a part of me that hated the fact that a 17 year old was singing a 60 year old song.
  • CAROLYN: We love you too, honey. That was wonderful.



02 & 05 & 08 BLAKE "When I Get You Alone"

  • RANDY: It was a-ight, man.
  • PAULA: I think you had 3 great performances tonight.
  • SIMON: I actually really liked that. This is what I've liked about you throughout the competition - you take risks and you look like you're having fun.
  • CAROLYN:Far and away his best performance of the night... No one knows Blake as well as he knows himself. It speaks well for his album - hopefully he'll be making the choices.



03 & 06 & 09 MELINDA "Cuz I'm a Woman"

  • RANDY: YoYo. I'm seeing the range of M.D. You can sing the phone book!
  • PAULA: Melinda you're fantastic.
  • SIMON: Love the little striptease at the top. If I'm gonna award a place in the final to the person who's consistently delivered week after week, it's you.
  • CAROLYN: Didn't she sing this song already? Very well, to be sure, but I don't know about the choice to do it again. Still, she's got my votes. Tonight, I fear she needs them. :(

Word to the Wise

Tonight's the night! I'm so nervous, you'd think I was singing! Tonight we decide the final two, and it's all up to us, the fans. I can't stress enough how important it is to dial repeatedly and endlessly from the beginning to the end of the voting period.

She (or he) who dials the most, wins. Period. End of story for one very deserving American Idol hopeful.

The devoted fans of the person you don't want to see in the final two will be dialing. Will you?

Who are you rooting for?

Will you be voting all night?

Who would you eliminate, given the chance?

Please click right below the post where it says COMMENT and let us know!

Friday, May 11, 2007

Lakisha's Exit Interview


'American Idol' Season Six Exit Interviews from aol.com

Lakisha Jones
Eliminated: May 9
Age: 27
Hometown: Houston, Texas

Do you think being an early favorite worked against you?
It did. Everyone wanted the 'And I'm Telling You' moment every week. And when you're singing different genres of music, those styles don't necessarily have that "big song" that everybody is expecting every week. I think I did the best with what I was given.

What did your daughter have to say about your elimination?
I was crying last night, and she wiped my face and said, "Mommy, I'm not mad." I thought that was really cute. She was telling me she's proud of me.

So ... is Simon a good kisser?
He is a good kisser, and I would do it again. His lips were really soft and thin.

What were your most and least favorite comments from Simon?
My favorite: "You're in a league all your own." And my least favorite: "You're shouting."

What are your plans now?
I'm going on tour and after that, hopefully I'll be recording.

What kind of album?
I don't know yet, but I'd say sassy and soulful with a little inspiration.

On results night, you seemed to brace yourself to go home? Did you know you'd be going home?
I knew on Tuesday I was hoarse, and I tried to sing past it and give it my all. On 'American Idol,' you can't say, "My voice is jacked up." I knew last night that those weren't the best songs, but I did the best with what I was given.

Why did you do two songs by former winners?
Because they were two winners, and I was thinking about the message in the songs. I was going through some things, so I sang 'Jesus Take the Wheel' [by Carrie Underwood]. I was like, "I can't do this competition by myself, so Lord, you're going to have to help me get through it." I sang 'I Believe' [by Fantasia] because I do believe in myself and no matter what happens, God has a plan for me and I will be successful.

Your original Tuesday night dress got destroyed at the dry cleaners. How did that affect you?
It actually was a blouse. It just messed me all up. In my mind, when you go on stage you become a character. And I kind of needed that blouse. It gave me that extra umph and made me feel sassy.

Which of the Top 10 are you the most anxious to see again on tour?
Probably Sanjaya Malakar. I miss him jumping all over the place. He just has this energy, you know?

What did you like about him?
He was like a little brother that got on your nerves all the time. He'd be jumping all over the place, and he just had this energy. I appreciate the fact that he trusted my judgment, took my advice and was there for me when I needed him.

What is the first thing you are going to splurge on?
A new home for me and my daughter. I don't ever want to rent again. I don't even have to have anything in it. I just want to open the door and let my baby run through the house.

How do you feel about coming in fourth? How does it square with your expectations?
Only thing I can say is look at Chris Daughtry.

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Vote like it's your job!

OK.. my heartrate has returned to normal now.

And now, Melinda Doolittle fans,
we really have our work cut out for us.

Jordin and Blake have extremely large,
young,
net-savvy,
devoted,
mega-dialing
fans.

Voting just a couple times is no longer an option.

If you seriously support Melinda Doolittle,
If you seriously want her to win,
You MUST vote/dial like it's your job next Tuesday night.

Like it's your job.
Like you're getting paid for it.
Double-time.

The entire voting period.

Looking at the dialidol results the other night,
I almost gave up hope,
but there's no need for that.

Just Dial!

If every person reading this also gets
2 other people who haven't previously voted
to VOTE like they mean it
next tuesday night...

Then our girl, Melinda,
will have a chance at the final 2.

Wednesday, May 09, 2007

Oh Thank God!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Melinda's safe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm so relieved. It was so close... less than half a point difference between Lakisha and Melinda according to dialidol.

PHEW!!!!

The American Idol hopeful eliminated tonight is Lakisha Jones.

See you on tour, Lakisha... 1st stop Sunrise, Florida - I'll be making the drive. :)

It's Video Time

OK, I know there's four left right now, but after tonight there will only be 3, then two.. get my drift? I'm actually beginning to feel a bit nostalgic for the season! So I went looking around youtube for some goodies to share.

This first one is a clip of the Hollywood group round with Blake, Chris Sligh, Rudy Cardenas and Thomas Lowe (who I have to confess I did not remember at all!). It was far and away the best hollywood group performance Idol's ever had. And here it is.. How Deep is Your Love?



OK.. I knew Blake had the corner on the internet market, what with the Blaker Girls on myspace and beyond, and their incredible fan base, and all the magazine mentions, etc., etc... but now it seems one of his friends has cornered youtube for him too. I mean, this video has had over 95,000 views, and Blake's not even singing in it! It's very funny and the production value is far better than most. Check it out:

American Idol Final Four Final Predictions

I went to sleep with high hopes the west coast would widen the margin for Melinda, but this is what I found when I woke up... WORSE.



It's not a lost cause, because of the margin of error dial idol admittedly has. It is, however, rather a close call, and potentially over for our girl Melinda, which is beyond shocking to my system.

On the bright side, I adore Jordin and Blake, and believe that both of them would and will make a fine American Idol. Further, I have to give a BIG shoutout to all the BlakerGirls who must have dialed till they dropped last night! Talk about Rocking the Vote! In the final count, with their help and devotion, Blake made it to the top of the dialidol charts! Clearly the west coast kicked it up a notch or 10 for him! And the east coast were no slouches either!

But back to Melinda... It's beginning to feel a bit like the Kimberley Locke season... where far and away the best actual vocalist, in my opinion, was eliminated before the final 2.

I noticed a lot of comments on Melinda's various fan pages yesterday about people who said they were praying for her victory. When I saw them, I thought to myself, I hope they're praying with their dialing fingers. I restrained the urge, but perhaps I should have said as much when I had the chance.

Tuesday, May 08, 2007

11pm EST American Idol Vote Update

It just keeps getting worse for Melinda... :( If the west coast doesn't kick it into high gear, vote for the worst will win.




American Idol 10pm EST Rankings

Melinda fans... If you want her to be your next Idol, You better vote! The Margin of Error makes it too close to call between 3rd and 4th place at the moment. I'll post again at 11pm EST.


TOP 4 DUKE IT OUT!

Phone 1-866-436-57_ _ or Text the word "Vote" to 57_ _


01 & 05 MELINDA DOOLITTLE "LOVE YOU INSIDE AND OUT"



  • RANDY: This is gonna be an interesting night. Another solid performance.
  • PAULA: It's hard to critique you because you are spot on.
  • SIMON: I expect incredible tonight and that was more like the backing vocalist. You are better than that and thank goodness you have another song.
  • GOLDIE: I LOVE HER!! Still my favorite! I could listen to her sing the phone book and be so happy!
  • CAROLYN: Melinda's always amazing to me. But tonight is not the night for a subtle performance - I hope she knocks us dead with the 2nd song.

02 & 06 BLAKE LEWIS: "YOU SHOULD BE DANCING"

  • RANDY: Tonight the beat boxing didn't work for me.
  • PAULA: I think it started a little shaky and your beat boxing showed your uniqueness.
  • SIMON: I thought it was terrible!
  • GOLDIE: He's a great showman, but I don't like his falsetto and his beat boxing (as skilled as he is...) didn't work in this song!
  • CAROLYN: Wow. The beatboxing bits were truly awesome. Odds on, this will be the number one download of the week from itunes. The singing parts, however, were rather sketchy, especially in the beginning.

03 & 07 LAKISHA JONES: "STAYING ALIVE"

  • RANDY: It's a good thing you guys have 2 songs. Changing the melody and all the stops and starts...it just wasn't working. You tried to do too much with it.
  • PAULA: You took the tempo down and it brought the mood down.
  • SIMON: No kiss tonight, baby! We're back to the shouting again...it was verging on scary in parts. Not great tonight so far!
  • GOLDIE: I'm not a Lakisha fan anymore...she screams the songs more than she sings the songs and it just doesn't work for me.
  • CAROLYN: First off: Love the Hair and the Clothes. Uh Oh.. She just tempted fate.. "It's alright. It's ok. I know I'll make it anyway. (or I'll live to see another day)" The lyric of doom. Talk about an exit song. I say Nigel boots her just to have this as the farewell number.

04 & 08 JORDIN SPARKS: "TO LOVE SOMEBODY"

  • RANDY: It's been kind of a rough night so far, that was the best vocal of the night.
  • PAULA: It is the best vocal so far tonight.
  • SIMON: Best song choice, best performance so far...we're back in the competition!
  • GOLDIE: She just seems to be getting better. I love the poise and confidence she brings to her performances and her vocals are great when they are on and so far tonight...they are on!
  • CAROLYN: Quite a compliment from Barry Gibb, and extremely well deserved. We have our winner for round one - hands down - TKO. She is the embodiment of everything good American Idol stands for.

01 & 05 MELINDA DOOLITTLE: "HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART"

  • RANDY: Much better, great song, great vocal...our resident pro.
  • PAULA: Beautiful vocal. I would love for you to throw all of your technique away and just wow us!
  • SIMON: I believe the second half of that song put you into the semi-finals.
  • GOLDIE: This is one of my favorite Barry Gibbs songs and again....a good solid performance from my American Idol.
  • CAROLYN: She's baaaaa-aaack! :) Love you, Melinda!

02 & 06 BLAKE LEWIS: "THIS IS WHERE I CAME IN"

  • RANDY: This was better than the last song. You don't have to beat box on every song.
  • PAULA: You are the contemporary rebel in this competition.
  • SIMON: I don't know what that song was, it was completely tuneless and it was not a good night for you.
  • GOLDIE: Not a good night for Blake...at least it was better than the first song!
  • CAROLYN:Another BeeGees tune I don't know, and I thought I knew them all. The vocals were totally on target this time, but.. well.. i'm at a loss for words with this one. Clearly, Blake's young enough that potentially NONE of the BeeGees songs are familiar to him. I just wasn't thrilled with this one.

03 & 07 LAKISHA JONES: "RUN TO ME"

  • RANDY: Much better than the first.
  • PAULA: You're still a champ!
  • SIMON: It was better than the first song, but not great....I think you and Blake are vulnerable tonight.
  • GOLDIE: She did much better with this song until she goes for the power notes...
  • CAROLYN: I'm just not feeling Lakisha tonight. The vocals are there, to be sure, but the star quality just isn't.

04 & 08 JORDIN SPARKS: "WOMAN IN LOVE"

  • RANDY : I don't think it was your best...it was pitchy!
  • PAULA: It was not your best, but I love you anyway.
  • SIMON: I love the song, but I thought it was old fashioned and very pageanty...you're 17.
  • GOLDIE: I am loving her more with every performance! Not the strongest vocal from her by far, but still very good! I could love a finale with her and Melinda!
  • CAROLYN: I couldn't agree with you more, Goldie. Voting for a Jordin/Melinda final!

American Idol - 60 minutes till Showtime!

The Final Four...
I can hardly believe it.
I'm sure they can hardly believe it.
Wake up Melinda, Jordin, Blake and Lakisha.
You are NOT dreaming!
We love you!
You are extremely talented!
You are our American Idols.

This just went out to all the blaker girls and boys in myspace land. Kristi makes an excellent point re VFTW. Tonight's voting is VERY important.

hey blakers-

now, whether or not you agree with "vote for the worst", we all know they are a force to be reckoned with. now that sanjaya and phil are gone they have set their sites on lakisha. this means she'll get a huge boost in votes this week which will most likely affect blake.

i just wanted to remind you all of this and encourage you to vote extra hard this week. again, i challenge all of you who don't normally vote to vote at LEAST 10 times this week. for those of you who do normally vote, please vote an extra 10 (or 100!) times this week.



great job voting for all of these weeks, guys! we're almost there!! :)
xoxo
kristi

American Idol Final Four Perform Tonight

As I write this, Kelly Clarkson, our first American Idol, is singing live on NBC's Today Show. Great Lyrics:
i want a man by my side
not a boy who runs and hides
are you gonna fight for me
die for me
live and breathe for me
do you care for me
'cause if you don't then just leave
i'm lookin' for attention not another question
should you stay or should you go
well if you don't have the answer
why you still standin' here
hey hey hey hey just walk away

The lyrics really resonate with me... they have that "chick anthem" potential like classic madonna and pink songs...

Here's Kelly's Walk Away video for your listening entertainment. ;) She's looking decidedly Fergie-liscious in this one. Gotta wonder if they used Fergie's stylist on the shoot. Seriously. Kelly got F-I-T for this one... not so much on the Today show this morning...




In any case, tonight's show will showcase the talents of our very talented final four idol hopefuls: Melinda, Jordin, Lakisha and Blake, all four of whom could easily become first name only artists like Madonna and Cher - they're just that good!

While many have complained about this season of Idol, for me, it's the first time in quite a while that I feel like all final four candidates are deserving winners.

Can't wait to see them all perform tonight! We'll be here blogging for ya, making sure you have all the right numbers to dial, and all the commentary.

On a completely unrelated note, I'm just curious to know, how do you guys feel about the whole Paris Hilton going to Jail thing? Should she be going to jail for her drunk driving, or is the judge just making a name for himself and using her as an example?

Thursday, May 03, 2007

The Results Show 05-02-07

As you know, Phil and Chris got eliminated tonight. I'm actually ok with this. I felt like the right people were in the final 6, and now I feel like the right people are in the final 4. This was actually the least dramatic results show, for me, this whole season... My concern going in was that this could be Lakisha's week, or heaven forbid, Melinda's, but at least from where I'm standing, it all worked out.

Now next week is gonna be tough. If I had to call it right this minute, I'd say Lakisha's the next to go - not for any lack of talent, but simply for fan base. While they clearly all have strong fan bases, Blake, Melinda and Jordin seem to have that extra little boost that pushes them into the top spots week after week. These three have traded the number one spot all season long.

No matter what happens, next week is do or die for the idols, and for the dialers... Who do you think the top 3 will be? How many times do you think you'll be voting? Who will be getting your votes?

Please leave us your answers and comments here on the blog. Just click where it says comments at the bottom right of this post...

Wednesday, May 02, 2007

DialIdol Predictions

Holy Shnikees, Batman. Well, it appears Jordin and Blake are safe from the cut tonight, but the rest are anyone's guess. I'd bet on Chris getting the boot tonight, especially since he actually went red on dialidol for a while there last night, but between Phil, Lakisha and Melinda, it's just too close. I fear we'll be losing a diva tonight. I just have no idea which one. What are your thoughts?


Tuesday, May 01, 2007

Top 6 Perform

It's Bon Jovi week! :) Yayyyy! For those of you too young to appreciate him, I feel for you. You have no idea what you're missing. For the rest of you, if you've never taken the opportunity to see Bon Jovi in concert, I strongly recommend him. He was part of my payback for enduring 20,000 screaming 13 year olds and either NSync or BSB a few years back as a Unit Head at Camp, and he made it well worth it.

OK, on to the idols... and an explanation for my absence last week... coupla things: 1. I wanted to just enjoy the special show and not "work" it; 2. With last week being the lead-in to my Relay for Life, it was all I could do to find 5 minutes for myself... I'm happy to report though, that Relay was a tremendous success! Now for the idols...

Can you believe we're already down to 6?! And after tonight, we'll be down to 4!! Voting has never been as crucial. It would be nice if everyone only voted once, but that's not the case, so if you want your fave to stay in, ya gotta dial till ya drop!

Whether it's the numbers you need, the judges comments, or my 2 cents you're looking for, look no further! Well, just look below this little paragraph. ;)

Phone 1-866-436-57_ _ or Text the word "Vote" to 57_ _

01 or 07: Phil Stacey "Blaze of Glory"
Randy: I'm happy for you for a lot of reasons... Other than country week, this is your best performance ever on the show. That was the bomb. I love it.
Paula: You were living your inner kid up there! This was the best opening we've had all season long.
Simon: I thought it was ok. I didn't hear any authenticity. I thought, in the middle, you were like a bad actor playing the role, and I don't think you've done enough to last next week.
Carolyn: Well, he comes in with high praise from JbJ - lets see... Very Nice! Props from Randy DURING the song. This is far and away Phil's best performance to date. He felt it, he made us feel it, and he sang his ass off.

02 or 08 Jordin Sparks : "Livin' on a Prayer"
Randy: The big notes in the choruses were ok, but that was rough!
Paula: I give credit because you went for it, even knowing it was out of your range.
Simon: The singing was out of control, verging on shrieking at times. Although I agree you're at a massve disadvantage with being given guys songs to sing, it was awful.
Carolyn: Have I mentioned lately how much I adore this girl?!?! OK, that being said, I'm kinda bummed. This was not a good song choice for her, not at all. Her comfort level was hovering around ZERO throughout the vast majority of the performance. As I'm sitting here writing this as she's singing, I can hear Simon in my mind saying, "You finally managed to find a song that was too big for your voice." It just wasn't there tonight. I just hope it doesn't mean she's toast.


03 or 09 Lakisha Jones : "This Ain't a Love Song"
Randy: You proved on thing tonight! By the middle of the song, you blew that out the box. Lakisha's back!
Paula: That low tone in your voice, that's money in your pocket.
Simon: Lakisha, I actually could kiss you after that... on the lips. (and he did?!)
Carolyn: Ummm.. we're still at commercial, and already I don't have a good feeling about Lakisha tonight. I hope I'm wrong, but Lakisha + Bon Jovi may well = disaster. WoW! When i'm wrong, I'm wrong!! Lakisha nailed it! Well done!

04 or 10 Blake's Gone Brunette : "You Give Love a Bad Name"
Randy: I'll give you the award for the most original version of a song ever on AI.
Paula: . You really took a leap of faith. Bon Jovi was really diggin what you were doing. Simon's mom was even rocking with you.
Simon: Half the audience will have hated it, and half loved it. You're a very brave young man.. took a massive risk, and this is what will keep you in the running for next week.
Carolyn: Interesting. I prefer the original. I can appreciate Blake, but that's like messing with the National Anthem... It's the rock-n-roll equivalent of beat boxing Ave Maria.

05 or 11 Chris Richardson: "Wanted: Dead or Alive"
Randy: You did your thing, you made it your own.
Paula: Great night. Good job.
Simon: I think you did as much as you could possibly do with that song, Chris, cuase this is not your styly of music, but I don't know if it was enough to stay another week.
Carolyn: I was just bored... and a little creeped out. Chris kept doing this big eye thing that reminded me of the creepy troll in the hobbit... "My pretty"

06 or 12 : Melinda Doolittle "Have a Nice Day"
Randy: Definitely a great performance again. That was hot, baby!
Paula: How's it feel to be a rock star?
Simon: I thought it was like a young Tina Turner. Vocally in a different league.
Carolyn: Wow. Is there anything Melinda can't do? Seriously?! I feel like I've just witnessed the rebirth of Tina Turner into the next generation!