| In the home stretch, we finally got a real “American Idol” shocker. In Wednesday’s elimination show, Adam Lambert, the theatrical singer who had seemed to be a front-runner for the “Idol” crown, was in the bottom two.
How very interesting. The night after Fox fended off a strong showing from CBS in the overall ratings numbers (Fox had 16.1 million total live viewers, according to TV by the Numbers, compared to CBS’ 15.1 million), this season of “Idol” became a horse-race, not merely the coronation of a front-runner. Finally, there’s some real drama on that “Idol” stage. And for Fox, it couldn’t have come at a better time. Will the Adam situation halt the decline in “Idol’s” live ratings? Who knows. At least the drama made the crowning of the Final Four more interesting, though we saw that the judges’ save wasn’t much of a save at all, as Matt Giraud went home. Now, I’ve got no massive love for Adam. I think he can sing and he’s entertaining, but the fact is, I don’t really have any particular favorite this season. I’ve been pretty vocal, in fact, about having been fairly bored with “Idol” this year. Still, it was shocking to see Adam in the bottom two. There are a couple of possible explanations: Adam’s fans thought he was safe, so they stopped calling for him. Or maybe his performance on Tuesday was just not that good. Perhaps Adam’s poor showing was due to some combination of those two factors? I certainly found his Tuesday performance predictable — Adam tends to do the same Broadway-style schtick every time. It’s strange how the judges seem to rip on contestants every year for sticking with the same formula week after week, but they can’t praise Adam enough, despite the fact that his performances are somewhat repetitive. Then again, the judges pro-Adam cheerleading has almost become a running joke this season. So do you think he’s going to win? I think Allison’s sure to go soon. Do you think it’ll be a Danny-Adam final, or a Kris-Adam final? Share your thoughts in the comment area |
‘American Idol’: The first real shocker of the season
April 30th, 2009 by Joes Place Leave a reply »
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It’s Friday AM–time to continue with this conspiracy–LOL
I belong to several pixel art groups — not supposed to be chat groups–but often are. Somebody posted a question (she lives in Denmark) asking why she was getting chain e-mails with a link in it to go vote for an Idol. She was supposed to send it on to 10 friends. I posted a reply asking who she was supposed to vote for. Being day and night time difference, I still await an answer. This is a small group and I see no replies. Most are overseas. They may not have an answer.
Also–I got thinking about Dial Idol. I know when the voting closes–you get a busy signal (at least I do). Could somebody just set their Dial Idol to continue to just dial and dial and this is why the figures get skewed?
I take no seriousness to either of these things–they have no real value in outcome–but–none the less I am curious.
I think/hope that next week Adam will be safe. Not only are they doing rock songs from the 70s and 80s, but they are doing duets. If he gets paired up with Allison, it will be fantastic and Adam and Allison will reap the benefits voting wise. If Adam gets paired with Kris or Danny, there is no comparison. Adam will blow Kris weak voice out of the water and same with Danny. I am soooooooo glad that they are doing duets. I wonder if it was done on purpose to showcase Allison and Adam.
Start voting a few minutes before the show ends. I get at least 10 votes in before the end. Not much, but if everyone got an extra 10 votes in for Adam it could make a difference.
I know one thing – I’m going to have knots in my stomach both Tues & Wed night. And I hope for 3 more weeks!
Gina, You are so right about Adam being paired with Kris. I DO like Kris’s singing. But his voice is not as strong.
I remember years ago–being a HUGE Patti LaBelle fan–I watched a music award show on TV. Patti and Diana Ross sang a duet. Patti went full force–and I do mean FULL force. When they sang together–you only saw Diana’s lips move. When they sang separate–Patti was level 20–Diana was level 8.
Patti got BLASTED–BLASTED for that. It actually affected her career badly. The fall out went on for years.
If Adam is paired w/ Kris–he HAS to be careful not to repeat poor Patti’s mistake. I hope he is with Allison or Danny–I prefer Allsion!
Good luck Kris!
That’s funny about the voice overpowering thing – I just watched some awards show (can’t remember which one), and they paired Taylor Swift with Miley Cyrus for a duet.
Taylor Swift is the QUEEN of teenage country, and is pretty much the hottest young woman in country music today, if you don’t count Carrie Underwood.
Well, Miley Cyrus so totally overpowered her when they sang the duet – and it didn’t seem intentional either, credit to Miley! They really sang very few of the parts together, but when you heard Miley and then listened to Taylor, it was drastic.
There was such a disparity between their voices, it made Taylor look pretty bad, IMO. And she is a great singer/songwriter too! I think that anyone can be dwarfed by a singer with a HUGE voice like Adam. I would much prefer an Adam/Allison finale! That would be fantastic, I hope it happens!
Yes, but in that case it was Pattie Labelle and the Diana Ross. This is just American idol. Adam won’t get slack if he would overpower Kris. Doing duets would definitely separate the good singers from the great singers. We can compare them side to side and really see who….(um Adam), has the chops to make a record and make it in this business. You have to hold your own and shine when you need to shine. After being in the bottom two last week, he needs to pull it together, pick songs wisely, and not go over the top with his look. He needs the viewers to fall in love with him again like they did for tracks of my tears and mad world.
Look, a few times, Ryan asked the judges and Jamie Foxx if “America got it right”—and he DID say that Adam & Matt were the bottom 2, when he asked Foxx. He didn’t ask if the producers, or he, got it right. He asked if America got it right—CLEARLY implying that these were the vote results. Could he have been given false results by ratings hungry producers? Sure. But, considering how many posts I’ve read from people who felt sorry for Kris & Allison after Simon’s (purposeful and calculated) overly critical reactions, I’m guessing more Adam fans voted for Kris & Allison last night than for Adam. There were plenty of people lamenting that choice on the threads & boards I read.
Adam fans need to realize something—Danny’s diehard fanbase don’t split votes. When your pastor has told you that you are staving off Armaggedon by voting for Danny, you don’t throw pity votes to the equally/more talented competition (or, in Kris’s case, MUCH more Christ-like church leader type).
ETA: Before I get crap thrown on me about picking on Christians, I AM A CHRISTIAN. I simply find it DEPLORABLE to purposefully misuse the body of Christ as a homophobic weapon, or as a tool to win a competition all about anything but God. Jesus loves Adam just as much as the other contestants. Heck—considering the immensity of his multiple talents, I’d say God has Adam’s back fully.
Before this season, did you ever think we would be debating on if Jesus loves one contestant more than another?
Line of the day: “When your pastor has told you that you are staving off Armaggedon by voting for Danny, you don’t throw pity votes to the equally/more talented competition ”
enigmatica,, I spit coffee all over my computer… lol
Sorry, JP. Hope the keyboard ain’t cracklin’.
Eni Halleluiah! Amen and all other exclamations of religious agreement.
Yes exactly what you said.
Found something interesting from Nigel Lythgoe who use to be the top producer of the show. It was for an article for entertainment weekly.
He says:
“That being said, it doesn’t mean the show won’t take some liberty with the order that the other two low-vote receiving contestants are told to sit down, he says.
After the votes are collected and tabulated by AT&T and the show’s survey firm, Telescope, “all we’re told at the end of the day is, ‘Here are the Bottom 3,’ ” he says. “And we make whatever we can out of that and turn it into a show.”
This is the first season that I have watched Idol from the start. I started watching in Season 4, but didn’t tune in until the Top 12 were named. Since then, I never started watching until American started voting (Top 24)…..until this year, of course.
It is doubtful that I will ever watch the preliminary episodes ever again. Here is why:
This year I grew to like Matt a great deal by the time the Top 36 were chosen. He was my favorite by leaps and bounds. And what did I have to base this on: “About 2 minutes of singing: a few seconds of his initial audition, a few bars of a beautifully performed “Georgia On My Mind,” and a really neat Hollywood performance with his group called ‘White Chocolate’.
I mean I really loved Matt….and I still do.
But in the early rounds, I saw very little of Allison Iraheta, or Kris Allen (who was also in White Chocolate).
I found Adam Lambert to be sickening as he sang some strange version of Cher’s “Believe”
As for Danny, I was totally turned off by his sob story (which was sad, indeed)….and I was also turned off by the story of his best friend also trying to make it on Idol…..
………….
Now that Matt is out. I can put my ‘first love’ to rest and look at the final four more objectively.
Here’s how I rate them.
Fourth: Adam…..Sorry folks…the guy can sing, but so can the others. I hope he goes home next week.
Third: Allison…..don’t ask me why…..she’s just third.
Second: Kris….I really like this kid.
First: Danny…. I am ashamed that I let the preliminaries prejudice me against this very talented guy. His voice is distinctive…. He’s always on key…. For him it is perfectly fine to sing things just as they are written…… I put him in a class with Tony Bennett, or any of the other crooners that have stuck around for ages.
I’ll be happy with Kris or Danny. I do miss Matt. But in all honesty…. I do think Danny is our man.
BEST thing i’ve read in days!
Yes i’m baffled by the magnanimity displayed by a portion of Adam fans: “Allison needs our help!”, “Kris needs our help!” GOD. It pains/annoys/confuses me to no end. People have said that they’ve never seen anything like this before.
I just hope people realize that NOBODY needs their votes more than Adam right now. And as far as I’m concerned, nobody deserves the votes more.
here is what I think is interesting, Tue was oneof the lowest ratings AI has had this season, and adam was on top on most of the polls for most of the night, therefore, I think for a “shock” purpose they put him in the bottom 2, I’m not sayin he’d been top vote or 2nd, but I do not honestly feel that he was in the bottom 2, but I am so happy they did it, because of what happened to DAughtry & Kat when revealed they were the highest vote, the next wk they were bottom 2. This is a good thing any way I look at it and All i know is Adam fans are PISSED and coming to kill this wk!!
I’ve never seen anything like it either. Danny must be laughing his ass off.
If I were Danny I’d hope Allison goes out next week. Most of the vote-splitting that goes on is Adam fans voting for Kris in this absurd belief that this will result in a “Kradam” finale. No it won’t. In fact, the only thing this vote splitting will ensure is that Danny reaches the finale. As has been pointed out Danny’s fans are most assuredly NOT vote-splitting.
I hope this near disaster wakes some fans up but I have my doubts. I think fans who are only fans of Adam will vote harder but Kradam fans will still vote-split not realizing or maybe not caring that their votes are just canceling each other out and helping Danny.