digital davy

Friday Fotos: Joust

2011-08-26T15:22:00.001-05:00

renfaire 15 - joust, originally uploaded by stonehd.

Haven't posted a new Friday Fotos in one year and one week, so this seems as good a time as any.

Taken at the 2011 Highland Renaissance Festival in Eminence, KY.

Friday Fotos: Disco Fever

2010-08-20T20:23:00.002-05:00

hooks disco mural, originally uploaded by stonehd.

Friday Fotos: the Pier

2010-08-13T15:32:00.002-05:00

fishing off a pier, originally uploaded by stonehd.

Taken decades ago, early 80s I believe, somewhere on the coast of Virginia.

Friday Fotos: Laundry

2010-07-23T07:28:00.002-05:00

Laundry, originally uploaded by stonehd.

It's been a while since I posted a "Friday Foto," so here's a shot from my trip to the Highland Renaissance Festival in central KY.

Argh! I'm a Pirate!

2010-07-20T12:34:00.003-05:00

Parade 2 (argh! I'm a pirate!), originally uploaded by stonehd.

I've not posted many of my own photos in a while, so here's one to get me started. I'll try to get back to posting one every Friday, but you know me....

These lady pirates were photographed a few weeks ago at the Highland Renaissance Festival, which is just east of Louisville. We had a great day and plan on returning next year. You can check out more photos from the Faire at my Flikr page.

City of Heroes: Going Rogue

2010-07-17T17:54:00.002-05:00

City of Heroes: Going Rogue at IGN.com

This game expansion goes live August 17. Can't wait!

Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows

2010-06-29T20:55:00.001-05:00

Can't wait!

Touchdown Jesus Destroyed in Fire

2010-06-16T12:15:00.002-05:00

So the 6-story Ohio statue lovingly referred to as "Touchdown Jesus" was destroyed in a fire after the graven image was hit by lightning.

Charred remnants remained this morning, June 15, of the large Jesus statue iconic to Interstate 75 that was destroyed following an apparent lightning strike during a thunderstorm late Monday night.

The Lawrence Bishop Music Theater at Solid Rock Church on Union Road endured smoke damage, according to officials. Damages to the King of Kings statue and the theater were estimated to be around $700,000, said Monroe Fire Chief Mark Neu.

Wow, $700,000 worth of damage represents a LOT of tithing for such an ostentatious display. Reminds me of certain bible verses from Deuteronomy:

Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth. (Deut. 5:8)

...and then later...

But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire. (Deut. 7:5)

Luce and Lussi -- Money Money Money

2010-06-12T16:46:00.002-05:00

From Nouvelle Star, the French American Idol. Gotta love France.

Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work

2010-06-08T19:38:00.008-05:00

In 1986, I took my first commercial air flight -- alone -- to see Joan Rivers perform the Chicago Theater. She was, of course, fabulous.

I can't wait to see this documentary.

Sweet Georgia Brown -- Tractor Style

2010-05-17T09:08:00.003-05:00

This reminds me of my Dad SOOOOOO much.

The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band -- "Clap Your Hands"

2010-05-05T07:55:00.007-05:00

Chip's neice took part in this fun-looking video shoot. She's the line dancer with the black and white top.

Julien Doré - Les Limites

2010-04-26T22:47:00.000-05:00

Cool song from a previous winner of Nouvelle Star, the French version of American Idol.

Tim Gunn and Super Heroes, part 2

2010-04-26T17:41:00.002-05:00

Love this! Check out some of the other Crazy Sexy Geek clips on their Youtube site.

Tim Gunn Critiques Super Hero Costumes

2010-04-17T01:06:00.002-05:00

American Idol -- no planned blogging this time 'round

2010-03-30T07:06:00.001-05:00

Sorry I'm not updating regularly.

And no, I'm not planning on writing about American Idol this year. I have a few faves (Crystal and Lee, specifically), but the rest are just ho-hum. No one that makes me sing out loud, sing out strong, anyway. I mean, they got Spawn of Cyrus as a mentor -- that should tell you everything you need to know about Idol this year.

Still...... Go Crystal!

Great Yankee War of Agression? Seriously?

2010-03-29T17:10:00.000-05:00

In all the crazy rigamarole surrounding the health care debate in Washington the last few weeks, it was easy to miss this example of the Republican party sounding like a relic of the 19th century:

"If Obamacare passes, that free insurance card that's in people's pockets is going to be as worthless as a Confederate dollar after the war between the states -- the Great War of Yankee Aggression." -- Rep. Paul Broun (R- GA)

Uh, what? Seriously?

"The Great War of Yankee Agression"? You just don't still refer to the Civil War as something like that unless you're a bitter old racist, or pandering to them -- both of which, come to think of it, sounds like the modern Republican Party.

Now excuse me while I weep over my worthless Confederate money...

The Best Phantom Menace Review Yet

2009-12-18T13:00:00.000-06:00

Here's an awesome, 70-minute video review of the Phantom Menace. Yeah, I know what you're thinking... 70 minutes? But just imagine a whacked-out Daily Show sketch which also works as a insightful commentary of the 1st prequel's obvious (and not so obvious) problems.

And oh yeah, this 7-part review is done from the PoV of a serial killer. It starts with this quote: "Star Wars: the Phantom Menace was the most disappointing thing since my son. I mean how much could you fuck up the entire backstory of Star Wars?" How could this not appeal to you?

Sure, I know not all of you will make it through, but give it's a shot -- at least watch the first part through to the end (the points he makes about characterization is great).

hat tip to Sci Fi Wire

Friday Fotos: Snow Gnome

2009-12-11T13:05:00.003-06:00

snow gnome, originally uploaded by stonehd.

It was cold today. Really cold.

Reminded me of this photo, taken in my backyard a few years ago.

So Aliens Didn't Invade Norway?

2009-12-11T07:52:00.004-06:00

You can imagine how excited I was when I first saw photos and video of the amazing alien space spiral imploding death ray. I mean, it looked like a space anomaly straight out of Star Trek.

The mystery began when a blue light seemed to soar up from behind a mountain in the north of the country. It stopped mid-air, then began to move in circles. Within seconds a giant spiral had covered the entire sky.

Then a green-blue beam of light shot out from its centre - lasting for ten to 12 minutes before disappearing completely.

Onlookers describing it as 'like a big fireball that went around, with a great light around it' and 'a shooting star that spun around and around'.

Sadly, it seems the most obvious, mundane explanation appears to be what's up: it was a failed Russian missle.

Read more at Britain's Daily Mail Online.

Blake Lewis: Disturbia

2009-12-08T22:42:00.000-06:00

The Avalanches: Frontier Psychiatrist

2009-12-06T22:44:00.000-06:00

hat tip to Queer the Pitch (NSFW)

Friday Fotos: Bowling

2009-12-04T23:53:00.002-06:00

bowling, originally uploaded by stonehd.

Here's a small bit from a downtown Bowling Green mural that was destroyed this summer to make way for yet another BB&T.

RuPaul's Drag Race: Season 2

2009-11-20T15:23:00.001-06:00

Be on the lookout for season two of RuPaul's Drag Race, coming up in February '10 on Logo. Season one was a hoot (and available online), so as RuPaul says, "You Better Watch."

Watch Gay Video & Lesbian Movies

Cartman does "Poker Face"

2009-11-14T09:52:00.001-06:00

Quotables: Sartre and Rothstein

2009-10-24T09:25:00.001-05:00

"L'enfer, c'est les autres." / "Hell is other people."

-- Jean-Paul Sartre, from Huis Clos

(No Exit)

“Sartre had it only partly right. Hell is not just other people, it's other people's home pages.”

-- Edward Rothstein

Friday Fotos: Fallen Leaves

2009-10-23T10:13:00.002-05:00

fallen leaves, originally uploaded by stonehd.

In the spirit of the season, here's a photo from last fall.

What I'm Watching: Fall 2009 Edition

2009-10-15T16:36:00.005-05:00

Now that the Fall TV season is in full swing, let's talk about the shows I'm watching. I know how much you care.

Bones (FOX)
Even though the show's already in its 5th season, I only started watching Bones over the summer. Guess I'd caught up on all the NCIS re-runs and I had to have something to watch. But I immediately fell in love with the show's quirky blend of crime, comedy, drama, romance, science, relationships, and, oddly, gore. It's a show where the crime-of-the-week is often less important than the relationships among the cast. There's not one character that I don't love. And this show finally confirms for me that it wasn't the actor but the character of Angel I hated on Buffy.

NCIS (CBS)
NCIS, like Bones, is another show I didn't watch from the beginning, but instead caught it during the endless reruns on every cable channel possible. And also like Bones, it's (usually) a much lighter romp and more character-focused than so many other crime dramas, which is mostly due to witty banter delivered by great actors. And besides, the show has its lab tech Abby, which would be all the reason you'd need to watch the show even if the rest stunk. Good thing the rest is as good as she is. (As for the spin-off, NCIS:LA -- I'm not yet convinced.)

Fringe (FOX)
Fringe just started its second season, and I'm already back to being super excited each time its on, in a way that I usually only reserve for Lost. The mad scientist is absolutely charming (his joy at making LSD is almost infectious), and keeps this somewhat dark and dour show from becoming too heavy and self-aware. Meanwhile, his son combines his father’s more devious charm with a dry wit and good looks that makes up for the personality deficiency of the lead actress (who has only come alive when playing drunk or possessed). But with a background cast equal in skills to the mad doctor/hot son combo, the personalities make the show worth watching.

Heroes (NBC)
Many gave up on Heroes after its bad season one finale, but I held on. Many more abandoned the series during the dreadfully long season two (which, ironically, was shorter than it should have been thanks to the writers’ strike). Still more people who left last season, which wasn't bad so much as it was just "meh." So I went into this year's premiere with the idea that, if it was bad, I'd abandon the show for good. And ya know what? It surprised me. The show this season has brought the focus back onto the human relationships that were always the most important part. So I won't abandon Heroes yet... but it is still on warning, just in case.

NUMB3RS (CBS)
So I'm a math geek -- sue me. This FBI procedural gets into some deep math, and I always enjoy trying to decide whether they used the math correctly or not. Plus, I enjoy the characters. I mean, you put the doc from Northern Exposure together with Wednesday's boyfriend from Addams Family Values, and set them up with a father who was once the main Taxi driver, and what's not to love?

CSI, CSI:NY (CBS)
As you can tell by this list, I loves me a good police procedural, this year I've returned to one of my first loves, the original CSI. I’d been away for the past year, having tired of the sadder-than-sad lives of the Las Vegas Crime Lab. Once, I never would have thought I’d like the show without Grissom and Sarah, but it was so dreadfully mopey with them still there. So with their exits (along with Warrick’s, who had his own sad tale), the show finally feels free of the melodrama that had paralyzed the last few seasons, thanks in no small part to the addition of several likable new characters. Even Sarah's recent return hasn't been all gloom-and-doom like she used to be. Not appointment TV for me, but definitely DVR fare.

CSI:NY does a good enough job of the procedural in the gritty NY setting, and it’s taken it easy on the bad puns as of late, usually limiting itself to the “CSI” minimum of one per show. While I don’t usually find myself ‘shipping shows, I’ve slowly realized that’s what I like about this one. The Danny/Montana makes me warm and fuzzy, and I’m kinda secretly hoping Stella, she with the REALLY bad dating record, finds love in lab tech Adam after their one night stand in the season premiere. Stop me now before I start watching Lifetime! Speaking of...

Project Runway/Models of the Runway (Lifetime)
So the show has mostly survived the move to Lifetime/LA from Bravo/NY, and it's great having the best model/fashion show back on the air. It feels a little weird knowing this happened over a year ago, and that most of these folks have likely moved on to other things. And it feels really weird that, due to the LA setting, Michael Kors and Nina Garcia have been largely absent. But the after-show, Models of the Runway, is a great addition to the family, letting you get to know the models better and see their relationships with their designers from a different point-of-view. This season's been on long enough that it's at the point where the obvious weak links have all gone. Looking foward to how this all plays out.

ANTM (CW)
I'm surprised I'm writing this, but America's Next Top Model is starting to wear on me. While I still enjoy the show in that trashy, guilty pleasure sort of way, there are only so many ways Tyra can take a competition about finding the next top model (something the show hasn't yet done in umpteen "cycles"), and turn it into an ego-fest celebrating the fact that Tyra is wonderful, and by extension Naomi is evil. Oh, of course I exaggerate. Sometimes the focus isn't on evil-Naomi at all, but solely on Tyra, who can't seem to speak without congratulating herself or acting the fool. Or sometimes both. So why do I watch? Good question. Right now it's for fellow Kentuckian Laura, who's a breathe of fresh sunshine on that show.

So You Think You Can Dance (FOX)
This spiritual cousin to American Idol has finally made the regular fall schedule after 5 years of only airing during the summers. While that other dancing show tries to lure you with the promise of bad dancing with pseudo-celebrities to cheezy music, this show features some honestly amazing dancers who are asked to broaden their horizons week after week, trying every style of dance imaginable, from hip-hop to jazz to Bollywood. This show is responsible for the past few years of choreography Emmys, and it deserved every single one of them.

Glee (FOX)
This show came out of the gate with a strong preview after last year's American Idol finale, and it's only gotten stronger. Wacky plots mixed with witty musical numbers and a talented, diverse cast, makes for a great show. My only beef is that I think I would like it more as a half-hour show; sometimes I find myself just hoping for a musical number to start. But you must watch the show, if for no other reason, than for the incomperable Jane Lynch as the head cheerleading coach. The show itself is good, but she makes it true appointment TV.

Robin Hood (BBC-America)
Now entering series 3, this show worried me by the end of last season, with three prominent cast members leaving. Not to worry, though, because the show this year almost feels more fresh than it ever has, having lost much of that whiny love-lorn crap and gotten back to stories about Robin Hood fighting the Sheriff for the hearts and minds of the people of Locksley. And it doesn't hurt the actors, particularly Robin, are easy on the eyes.

Naruto: Shippenden (Hulu)
I know three-fourths of my readers don't have a clue what this show is. Naruto is a kick-ass Japanese cartoon, blending ninjas, super powers, giant demon monster animals, and ramen noodles. See? Sounds fun, right? Sadly, with Cartoon Network being overrun by reality shows and movies featuring Jim Carrey, there wasn't much room left for Naruto. Thankfully, the new Shippenden series, which picks up with the cast of crazy ninjas following a three-year gap, is currently featured on Hulu. It's the only internet-based show we're watching at the moment.

So that's it, I think. Those are the shows that I watch with regularlity. What about you?

An Innocent Man?

2009-10-14T17:12:00.000-05:00

Did Texas Gov Perry disband a review panel in order to prevent them from making the obvious conclusion that trigger-happy Texas has, indeed, executed at least one innocent man?

Sure seems that way.

Scrubbing the Liberal Bias from the Bible

2009-10-06T11:45:00.001-05:00

A group of conservatives have decided that the Bible is much too liberal, and so they're working to strip all that evil liberal bias from it.

Seriously.

From the Huffington Post:

Lo and behold, the Bible has gotten too liberal, according to a group of conservatives. And it needs a little editing.

That's the inspiration behind the Conservative Bible Project, which seeks to take the text back to its supposed right-wing roots.

Yes, even scripture is not orthodox enough for the modern conservative. Not that it's the fault of the author(s), exactly. The group cites a few reasons why the Bible is too progressive: "Lack of precision in the original language ... lack of precision in modern language" and "translation bias in converting the original language to the modern one."

and from Time's Swampland blog:

And you thought liberal bias was limited to the evil mainstream media. Apparently the early Church fathers had their own problems, because the Conservapediacs are particularly intent on scrubbing the Bible of "liberal" passages they say were inserted into the original canon and therefore shouldn't be considered sacred. Passages like the story of the adulteress whom Jesus saved from being stoned with the famous line: "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." Conservapedia complains that liberals have used this story to argue against the death penalty. Plus, this Jesus character sounds like a radical moral relativist.

Also among the goals of the project: replace liberal words like "labor" with preferred conservative terms; use concise language instead of "liberal wordiness"; and--my favorite--"explain the numerous economic parables with their full free-market meaning." Jesus talks about economics more than any other secular subject in the Bible, so they've got their work cut out for them. I look forward to learning the free-market meaning of "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

The irony would be hilarious if it weren't so tragic.

Nah, it's still hilarious.

The Tiddy Bear

2009-09-26T10:30:00.001-05:00

Total Eclipse of the Heart (Literally!)

2009-09-06T11:56:00.001-05:00

American Idol 8: Final Wrap-Up

2009-05-21T10:49:00.002-05:00

I couldn't wait til tonight, so here are some thoughts about the American Idol finale...

Wow! So Kris wins!

I know that much of the media is trying to present this as an upset, but is it really? Even the judges, despite their own seemingly obvious preferences, have continually proclaimed this season as neck-and-neck. You only have to look at last year finale to see a very similar pattern -- one person proclaimed from day one to be the winner, with another sneaking in from behind and overtaking the momentum at the end. All last season, David Archuleta was the judge's golden boy. Meanwhile, David Cook slowly built steam and won America over with his solid delivery, wicked song selection, and inventive reimaginings. Is what happened this year much different?

In many ways, American Idol is a testament to the American Dream, and it requires its winner to make a heroic journey of Campbellian proportions. Kris had a lot of room to make that journey. His voice was nice from the start, but his stage presence and confidence built considerably as the season went on, allowing us to watch as he loosen up, culminating with that wicked performance of Heartless last week.

Adam, meanwhile, never really improved so much as showed his range. Yes, he was by far the most talented, but it's hard to compete with a pretty boy from Arkansas who's living the American dream. But I still can't imagine that Adam won't get picked up, possibly by Simon himself (if that's possible -- I don't think it's happened before with an American contestant, has it?). Simon's never loved a singer on the American version as much as he did Adam, and honestly, I think Adam's best chances at being a mega-star lies in starting off in Europe, where music is less homogenous.

Some other thoughts:

There were some real production problems at the beginning. Several singers sounded as if they couldn't hear themselves or the band.

Mikalah Gordon, put the bronzer down, girl!

Lil did better than she ever did on the show. Just shows how she was in need of someone to pick her song, pick her outfit, manage her career -- she needs a team.

I've always feared Kris will take the acoustic pop route and be like all the others: at first make a big splash as the next best thing, then fade away as their music becomes introspective, bland, and repetetive (see: John Mayer, Jason Mraz, Jack Johnson, Dave Matthews...). So seeing his duet with Keith Urban made me realize that his best chance to be a mega star might be as a crossover artist. I didn't care for the song, but he was so at home with this sound it was surprising he didn't do something similar during the show.

Allison's duet with Cyndi Lauper was georgeous, as was Cyndi herself. Has she not aged? Plus, she was "rockin'" out on the hammerd dulcimer, which was pretty sweet. BTW, I think Allison might be the "sleeper" star of this season. She's young and has such a voice -- she can sing hard, she can sing soft, but she always sounds unique. I can't imagine her not getting a deal, and between the rock/pop and latin markets, I think she could easily make a gold/platinum record. Think Pink, latina style. She could actually be the Daughtry of this season if she gets the right team in place.

Adam sounded quite wicked with Kiss. And with Queen. At first I thought, "Man, Queen should snap him up as the new lead singer, à la Rockstar: INXS." But then I realized it would still be nothing more than a Freddie Mercury tribute band, and Adam is bound for bigger things than that.

Overall, this year's finale results show was the best yet. And the reason is that they kept the focus on music. the Black-Eyed Peas: Wow! That's what this show needs more of. But Lionel Ritchie and Rod Stewart? Not so much. I didn't even mind revisiting the bad auditions through fake awards considering they used them for quite humorous effect to bring back key players from Hollywood week. I suppose it's telling that we watch Norman Gentle, Tatiana, and the bikini girl, but fast forwarded through Lionel Ritchie, Rod Stewart, and a bit of Fergie.

In fact, when Rod Stewart rose up from beneath the stage, he looked vaguely like a aging, hunchbacked leprechaun, looking around in confusion as he wondered where he was. It was hard to listen to Maggie May when all I kept hearing was, "They're always after me lucky charms... argh!" (because in my head, leprechauns and pirates speak in the same accent).

Steve Martin was a nice surprise, but not as nice as how good Megan sounded with his music. I'd love to find out she's performing with him when we see him next week at the Grand Ol' Opry, but since she's likely preparing for the Idol tour I don't expect it.

That might not be all I have to say, but it's all I got this morning. Catch ya later, after So You Think You Can Dance?

American Idol 8: Final 2 -- It Takes Two

2009-05-20T11:42:00.002-05:00

So last week Danny went home in third place, which is probably about where he should have finished. He was really, really good at times, but he wasn't consistant, and he didn't know who he was musically, which meant he isn't ready for the Idol crown (then again, the same could have been said about Jordin).

Tonight, the last lap begins as the final two sing three songs each and try to convince us that they each are... your American Idol!

Let's start the show...

Round One: Season's Best, Revisited

Adam: Mad World
Adam revisits what was arguably his best performance of the season, and while I think this is technically better than the first time he did it, the element of surprise isn't there. But I loved that when Simon complained about it being a tad theatrical, Adam replied by saying he was told he was getting smoke machines and a lift out of the stage, so of course he'd dress more theatrically.

Kris: Ain't No Sunshine
Unlike Adam, I think Kris improved on his already impressive first attempt at this song. Not much to say about it other than, "Wow!"

Round One: Kris

Round Two: Producer Simon Fuller's Choice

Adam: A Change Is Gonna Come
Interesting to see the producer gave Adam a song with such a strong civil rights message. And I have to agree with the judges -- this was Adam's best performance on the show. Really great, and I suspect what made it so awesome was the emotion he could bring to this song. You could see it in how he changed the final lyric -- "I know MY change is gonna come." Perhaps I was a bit emotional about this as well, but this performance made me sit up in my chair, raise my hand, and shout "Amen!"

Kris: What's Going On?
Kris did an admirable job with this tune, but by moving it into the realm of Caribbean Lite Acoustic Rock, it did deaden some of the song's deeper meaning. Vocally it was fine, and the arrangement suited Kris quite well. However, on this particular song it may not have been the right choice; it was hard to hear the emotion of the lyrics through the mellow groove of the congas.

Round Two: Adam

Round Three: the "Coronation" Song

Adam: This Year's Crappy "Coronation" Song
WTF? Is it him or the song that sounds so bad? It's like there are key changes that shouldn't be there, and that's not even considering the insipid, cliché-drenched inspirational lyrics that ironically make me want to kill myself. How do you judge this?

Kris: This Year's Crappy "Coronation" Song
WTF? I can't tell if this is worse or better than Adam's version. Randy's right that it fits him better style-wise, but it was so high that the strain is uncomfortable for everyone. Again, how do you judge this?

Round Three: No One

----------------

Well, that was anticlimactic. If there's ever been a case that the whole "coronation" song business is bad for the show and the contestants, this was it. They forced the worst song choice of the year onto both of the final contestants, and that was supposed to be our final memory of them? And the winner is expected to RELEASE THIS TRASH?

Come on... if you want your recording artists to be successful, then at least let them have songs that suit their style of music. This seemed as much about promoting Idol as a brand (and judge Kara) than about the contestants. Can you imagine how bad this will sound tomorrow night when the winner has to sing it again? I'd never guessed an Idol coronation song could be as bad as Bo Bice singing the creepy lyrics of "Inside Your Heaven," or making Blake Lewis sing the power ballad "This Is My Now" while refusing his request to make it his own (the thing that got him to the top two in the first place). But I was wrong. Coronation songs suck, period.

Okay, let's sum it up...

(But wait... it's not over! Carrie Underwood sings the Mötley Crüe power ballad we've been assaulted with all season! Just as the show runs over time yet again as my DVR cuts off. It makes me even more glad to see ex-producer Nigel Lithgowe when So You Think You Can Dance? comes on tomorrow.)

Sorry about that. Back to the task at hand: determining a winner. If I had to rate all the performances, I'd put 'em like this:

1) Adam: A Change Is Gonna Come
2) Kris: Ain't No Sunshine
3) Adam: Mad World
4) Kris: What's Going On?
5) Adam & Kris (tied): that crapfest "coronation" song I refuse to identify by name

So who goes? You just can't predict how people will vote; I think last year proved that one. There are so many factors involved in why people vote the way they do that trying to reduce it down to "the gay vs the christian" or "glam rock vs coffee-house rock" is pointless. But since you didn't come here to see me equivocate, here's how I'll call it:

Adam for the win.

He's been a consistant risk-taker, and overall perfomed better on the final show/final song than Kris. As an Idol watcher since day one, that gives him a big leg-up in my book.

We'll find out tonight.

------------------------

Speaking of... a word about the blog AFTER tonight: I'll be back to blog about the finale a bit, but I may wait to wrap that into my So You Think You Can Dance? post. I intend to write about that show, and if you've never watched it (but love Idol), you should definitely give it a chance. The auditions are usually much less painful than the Idol auditions, the dancing is 100-times better than Dancing with the (pseudo)-Stars, and the music is usually really, really good (and by the original artists, not some house band). Much of what I've been listening to this past year I first heard on SYTYCD. Give it a chance. I think you'll like it.

American Idol 8: Final 3 -- Prime Choice

2009-05-13T18:11:00.002-05:00

Allison's gone, and it's down to the three guys. They all can sing, but they've all also made a few strange choices, so how will they do, both singing a song they chose as well as one the judges chose for them? And what will the judges pick?

1) Kris: Heartless
Wow! This might just have been the most brillant song choice of the season. Kris showed himself to be contemporary and original by taking a rap song that Kanye himself had already autotuned all to hell on the show earlier this season, and highlighting the lyrics through an acoustic solo. Kris just might have won a ticket to the final two with this one.

2) Danny: Dance Little Sister
And Paula chooses wisely, as well. Terrance Trent D'Arby's music is exactly the kind of stuff I'd like to hear Danny singing. In the end, however, the idea was better the execution; I'd not remembered how unmelodic this song was. When it veered into a droning scream and a weird sax solo, I was, like Simon, wishing Paula had chosen either "Sign Your Name" or "As Yet Untitled" (which, being an a cappella number and the best song on the album, could have been all kinds of awesome). So it didn't quite work, and yet at times it was good. Really good.

3) Kris: Apologize
God, I'm so tired of this song. You'd think One Republic was part of the Idol/SYTYCDance family, the way they gets pimped on these shows. Still, it does sound like the kind of song Kris could pull off. Ultimately, it's good, if a bit too much like the original, and I'm quite glad he's not over-falsettoing his version, 'cause he doesn't have the voice for that. Judges seem to have liked it much less than me.

4) Adam: Cryin'
A much better song for Adam than the one Simon picked, and he did an admittedly great job with it, but it's a song that builds to the big, screamy parts, so of course Adam's version felt very 'scream' heavy, if you know what I mean. Honestly, I think I'm just disappointed with the difference between who I want Adam to be and who he actually is. I can't deny that Adam has an incredible voice, but if this is what he plans on doing with it, I can't say I'll be listening.

5) Danny: You Are So Beautiful
If there's one thing you can say about Danny, it's that he knows who he is. When he's forced from his comfort zone and into some weird genre or another, it's often uncomfortable. But when allowed to pick a great, inspirational song, he can be quite good. I worried he would veer too close to Joe Cocker or even (gasp!) Taylor Hicks territory, but he played it very honestly, emotionally -- at least until he overdid it with the glory notes. Still, respectable, even if it was nowhere near my taste.

6) Adam: One
Another great song choice, but after hearing it I'm a bit disappointed. Perhaps, for me, this falls into that valley of "songs ye shall not change," but it didn't need the Screamy McScreamerston treatment. It's telling he reminded people to go back and listen to the lyric, because you couldn't hear it the first time through all that screaming.

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So who'd have thought that Paula would have picked the best song for her contestant? For that matter, who'd have thought she'd get coherent this season with her criticism? Who knows -- had she kicked the happy pills habit a year earlier, we'd not have to deal with Kara (and the time crunches she presents).

But back to the contestants. At this point, I can't say anyone did horribly, so it all became a question of personal musical tastes. That's the only way to explain why I enjoyed Danny's Dance Little Sister as much as I did, or why Adam's One didn'tclick with me like it should have.

Who goes home? Heck if I know. I'd like to see an Adam/Kris finale, but I won't begrudge Danny should he make it instead; he has more than proven he's got a a great voice. It's just that, personally, there's still some hope I could buy an Adam or Kris album, but that ship sailed long ago for Danny.

See ya next week, after the final performance show.

American Idol 8: Final 4 -- Life is a Rock (but the Radio Rolled Me)

2009-05-06T12:13:00.002-05:00

Matt's gone, for the third time. Judges saved him for the wildcard round, then again a few weeks ago, but no one could save him this time. He had reached the point where everyone else was more comfortable with themselves as performers, and so it was obviously his time to go. Later, Matt. Hope to see you in a piano bar someday.

Okay, on to Rock week. Not many folks left at this stage, so every decision becomes critical. How you look, which song you choose, how you chose to do it... any mistake can cost you at this point. And tonight, I'm thinking two of the performers made a few mistakes too many.

Here's my ranking for the evening:

The Good

1) Adam: Whole Lotta Love
Wow! He's not only got balls for tackling Zepplin, but he did it with a swagger and confidence that should make Robert Plant proud. I think, with Slash as the mentor, everyone expected Adam would pick a GnR song, but what he chose to do instead was inspired. Whether you like his screaming or not, he picked the perfect song for that style, and knocked it out of the park. Simon was right -- no one would be able to top this one this week. If I had one complaint, it's that he sounded almost too much like Plant; it was as close to a copycat performance Adam has done yet. But it was a glorious copycat performance, which i can forgive.

2) Allison: Cry Baby
Choosing Janis was great for Allison. Would a different song have been better? Perhaps. But I agree with her that Take a Little Piece of My Heart has been played to death on the Idol stage. And usually, by people channeling the ghost of Janis herself. But because Allison has such a distinctive sound, there was plenty of her own flavor in this version. Great job.

The Ehhhhh

3) Adam & Allison: Slow Ride
Good, but in all honesty, it should have been better than it was. Oh, they were on point by the end, but it started out as bad as any of the group sings on results nights do. Like the other duet, this one was better when they were singing together than when either was singing alone. But ultimately, I think my biggest problem with it was that the song is pretty dreadful. Slow Ride? Really? Ewwww.

4) Kris: Come Together
I think Kris picked a great song, and he made some smart choices. He played with the melody slightly, and then let his own quirky delivery serve as a counterbalance to the rock music backing him, which made the song much better than I expected. That being said, rock just isn't his genre, so at times it felt completely out of place, his voice just too weak in spots to carry such a song. Perhaps he should have changed it up more. Perhaps, with a rock band on stage, they wouldn't let him. Whatever the case may be, he just couldn't compare to last year's version by Carly Smithson.

The Ugly

5) Danny: Dream On
Well that was... interesting. I'll admit, that last note was pain-inducing. And yet I can't help agreeing with the judges: it was a bold attempt, with a song that, for the most part, fits his sappy ballad sentimentality and his voice. Well, okay, not every note fit his voice (again, the pain!). But even with the epic fail at the end, I give him credit for really going for it. One thing that helped is that Danny's gruff voice is better suited for rock than I would have suspected. In an earlier week, this wouldn't have been worrisome for him at all. But now, I'm not so sure. That was a REALLY bad note, and as the last solo performer, a lot of people may vote based on that note alone.

6) Kris & Danny: Renegade
Again with a crappy song for the duet? When they sang the song's harmony-filled opening, it was great. But as they veered back and forth between lite-guitar rock and gravely blues rock, it didn't work. At all. Ugh. And again with rock songs that should be left buried in the 70s. Double ugh.

A few more notes before I wrap it up.

Did anyone else find it weird that Adam got both the show opening slot (with his solo performance) and the final slot (with his Allison duet)? Or that, meanwhile, Kris had to go straight from his duet to his solo? While I liked the idea of having them do duets (I've seen it work on the French show before), I think it was poorly executed this time.

How cute was it that Adam took Allison to see his hair girl? Before she said anything about it, I turned to Chip and said, "oh, her hair looks good tonight!"

So who's going home? Not sure, in the slightest. My guess is that it will be Allison, even though at this point both Kris and Danny deserve to go home more. But we could be shocked, SHOCKED!, because shocking exits do tend to happen around this stage -- 4th place is when Tamyra Gray went home in season 1, LaToya London in season 3, or most famously, Chris Daughtry went home during season 6.

So don't be surprised if any of them go home. That's the nature of the game at this stage.

See ya next week.

American Idol 8: Final 5 -- Brat Pack Blues

2009-04-29T11:43:00.002-05:00

So last week we saw both Anoop and Lil make their exits. Sad to see them go... well, okay, not really. They're the two I picked, after all, and they both knew (I think) that four of the five contestants left were better singers and stronger contestants. But it was good experience, I'm sure, and the tour will be even better experience. I think both of them, but especially Lil, will be different, more confident performers this time next year.

Enough of that. Onward!

So how did Rat Pack nite stack up? Pretty well, actually. Only moments of tragedy, with plenty of goodness inbetween. And what did Jamie Foxx, who won his Oscar playing Ray Charles, have to do with this theme? Ya got me! But he was a good mentor, and he wasn't frikkin' Neil Diamond or Barry Mannilow, so who cares.

Here's my ranking for the night:

1. Allison: Someone to Watch Over Me
Her best performance ever. By a mile. I usually like her, but this time she showed a different color of her personality (to borrow from Paula's thesarus). It's nice to see her so tender, so vulnerable, but she still managed to keep that gruff, raw flavor in her voice. Loved it. (And the dress was pretty fierce, too!)

2. Adam: Feeling Good
Best song choice of the night by a mile, although it's been a bit of a curse on Idol in the past. If I'm not mistaken, everyone who's ever done this has gone home that exact week -- two people one week during the semifinals, even.  Can Adam break that streak? As we've come to expect, Adam nailed the vocals. But I do understand what Randy was saying about it being overly theatrical. My God, the way he swaggered down the red staircase in his weird white suit make him look like something more out of Puttin' on the Ritz than American Idol. Still loved it, though. And that note (you know what I'm talking about, don't you?)!

3. Matt: My Funny Valentine
Like others I know, I worried when Matt chose a song so identified with Melinda Doolittle. I mean, when she did her version the judges declared the contest over, with her the winner (irony, much?).   When Matt began, I was right to be worried. He started with more than a few low notes that were mostly unrecognizable. But when the song picked up, he became much more confident, more strong. And I think it's only when he's feeling confident that he can shine. More than anyone else left this season, Matt lets his nerves get the best of him.

4. Danny: Come Rain or Come Shine
This performance was completely bipolar. The ending was spectacular, I'll admit. But the beginning was miserably lethargic, so much so that Chip and I were completely engrossed in conversation (making fun of him, of course) by the time he got the song up and running. We noticed that he kicked it up a notch, but it was too little, too late. His song was 2-and-a-half minutes long, but it didn't get interesting until a minute-and-a-half into it. In other words, he'd finished 60% of dreariness before doing something worth watching, and by then he'd lost me. No denying he's talented, but I don't think he has the consistancy yet to win Idol.

5. Kris: The Way You Look Tonight

Sigh. I love Chris, but this wasn't great. What was it, then? Safe, slow, vanilla... until the beat picked up, and it became shrill and annoying (well, not all of it, just the botched falsetto notes). But on the plus side, even with a mostly tragic vocal, his performing has improved by miles. Can you remember back to when Kris was one of those performers hiding behind an instrument because he seemed so uncomfortable?

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So nice job, tonight, Idols. With this being the final 5, I'm a bit worried. It's about the time for something "shocking" to happen. With Anoop and Lil's exit last week, that means there could theoretically be a large-ish group of R&B fans looking for someone to champion. Since that's not likely to be Adam, Danny or Kris, I'd bet they'll throw their support behind Matt.   And if that happens, all bets are off.

So I hope to see either Matt or Danny go home, but if my "shocking" prediction comes true, it'll be Allison or Danny. Or Kris. Or Adam. In other words, I have no idea.

See you next week.

American Idol 8: Final 7 redux -- Disco? Where?

2009-04-22T16:38:00.002-05:00

No one this week to pay tribute to by saying snarky things. Instead, we had the judge's save, used on the one who would have gone home, Matt -- who, let's be honest, was pretty dismal last week. So were the judges right to save him? Maybe.

For a disco-themed week, there was suprisingly little disco to be heard. Not that that's a bad thing. As a genre most would ashew and few could attempt, it forced many of them to take some (admittedly) good songs, mix 'em up, and "do their thing," as Randy would say. So this week, more than any other, we got to hear the kind of artist each contestant would be.

Since I hope to write a bigger piece later this week on how they're doing overall, I'm not going to say much on tonight. Let's just rank 'em and let the chips fall where they may.

The Good
1. Adam -- If I Can't Have You
2. Kris -- She Works Hard for the Money
3. Allison -- Hot Stuff

The Ehhhhh
4. Matt -- Stayin' Alive
5. Danny -- September

The Ugly
6. Lil -- I'm Every Woman
7. Anoop -- Dim All the Lights

A few quick points:

Lil gave her best copycat performance yet last night, but it still wasn't good enough to crack to top tier.

Anoop has the ability to make an utterly forgettable song sound completely awkward. There's hope for him on some cruise line yet.

Danny could walk on water at this point and I'd not like it. However, his goofy white-guy dance makes me smile and humanizes him somewhat. And his song choice was pretty funky, even if he didn't do much original with it.

Matt should be glad they saved him, because he got a chance to groove a bit more (and I like Matt when he's groovin'). But I don't know if this "Bee Gees by way of Justin Timberlake" performance is going to be enough. Unlike some, I enjoyed the performance quite a bit -- it's just that others were better.

Allison chose a very odd tempo for her song, but she still rocked it. I just think that once the song kicked it, it shouldn't still have sounded so much like musical valium. However, apart from the arrangement, her vocals were really raw and spot-on.

Kris probably made the most drastic change to his song last night. From the moment we saw him with the acoustic guitar I knew what his version would sound like, and I knew I'd like it. I was right.

But I'm gonna have to give it to Adam for the raw emotion and talent he brings to the stage. His take on this Yvonne Elliman song was haunting, emotional, and brilliant. Both he and Kris did great jobs, and both deserve to make it to the finals. Tonight, however, was Adam's night. Again.

And with that, I'm outta here. Next time more thoughts on their season so far.

American Idol 8: Final 7 -- I'd Rather Watch a Movie

2009-04-15T06:54:00.002-05:00

So long, Scott. I'd like to say something witty about you, but... nah, I got nothing.

So last night's show ran long despite the fact they made a (quite annoying) big change specifically to guarantee that it come in on time. Oh, how I love thee, Irony. The change meant judging was pointless for three of the contestants. Why not just make Flopsy, Mopsy and Cottontail shut their pieholes and let Simon do all the heavy lifting? I know he's the only one I care to hear. In trying to fix a timing problem, they made things worse -- and the timing problem was still a big issue. High comedy, folks.

Okay, I've rambled about the show but not spoken much about the contestants or their songs. And there's a reason for that.

Most. Boring. Episode. Ever.

Sure, part of that was that we didn't get Simon after each performance, but it was also the fact that these contestants proved they have absolutely no musical taste. At all. It'd have been a completely disaster had it not been for Quintin Tarentino, who was an awesome mentor (but of course, we knew he would be based on his Guest Judging spot during an earlier season).

Anyway, let's sum this up and get it over with.

The Good

1) Anoop -- Everything I Do (I Do It for You)
Only Anoop did well enough for me to consider him "good" this week. He chose a horrible song (maybe the worst of the night, honestly), but I was pleasantly surprised by the changes he made. Nice job, and perhaps his best showing yet.

The Ehhhhh

2) Danny -- Endless Love
Another old-fashioned song choice, but you really could feel the emotion he brought to this song, and it felt appropriate and touching, as if he'd earned this sappy moment. Not that I suddently like him. His attitude is still annoying (such as during the interview with Ryan). He'd likely have moved into the "Good" category if he weren't so smug.

3) Kris -- Falling Slowly
Last night I thought this was horrible, but I listened to it again because Chip loved it. I no longer think it's horrible, but it didn't do Kris any favors where I'm concerned. The first verse was sketchy, with his lower registger being almost nonexistant. When he got to the chorus it got better, but by then I didn't care. Nice song choice, though (Oscar winner from about two years ago), and that was perhaps the best thing about it. He picked a current song instead of yet another Bryan Adams song or some Diane Warren schlock. Speaking of...

4) Allison -- Don't Want to Miss a Thing
Oh, Allison. You're young, so I'll forgive you choosing this song. But I can't forgive how boring you made it. Which is strange, because you sounded okay. You made no horrible mistakes (although Steven Tyler you ain't). No, I think the biggest problem here is that for a song you picked the musical equivilent of Prozac.

5) Adam -- Born to Be Wild
He's got the voice to sing whatever he chooses, so he must have chosen last night to be annoying. He could have picked a much better song (Born to Be Wild? Really?). As it is, his screaming doesn't make the song sound more current, it made it sound more like the early 90s. What else is there to say? Scream, scream, scream. Yadda, yadda, yadda.

The Ugly

6) Matt -- Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman
Matt picked the (slightly) better of the two Bryan Adams song tonight, but his nerves seemed to have gotten the better of him. He looked unsure of himself, like he hadn't practiced, and his vocal runs came hesitantly, as if he wasn't sure what to do with them. Matt may have hit the wall where this particular contest is no longer the best way for him to showcase his abilities, because if they hold true to form, they'll soon move into the dreaded "two songs a night" territory that tore Jason Castro up.

7) Lil -- The Rose
I liked the idea of Lil doing this song. I liked that she brought some "church" to it. But like Matt, she seemed unassured and nervous, which could be inexperience showing. It could be that she's shown us all the tricks she knows without getting the kind of advice a real manager or producer would give. But I was thrilled to see her stand up for herself at the end. For weeks she's been taking a beating over not bringing enough of herself to the performance. Whatever criticisms you had about her tonight, it couldn't be that she didn't bring enough of herself. This sounded more like Lil than she has all season. It's just that, at this point, there are six other people who are better.

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So that's how I stack 'em up. Either Matt or Lil could go home. Both have shown great talent, but both have also been wildly inconsistent. Of course, I won't be surprised if Allison is in the bottom. She's been there frequently and, worse, she was boring. Even inconsistant Anoop could show up in the bottom three despite doing the best job of the night. Sadly, that would be the perfect ironic ending to this entire ironic episode.

Catch ya next time.

American Idol 8: Final 8 -- Born Free

2009-04-07T22:45:00.002-05:00

Ah, Megan. If this had been an earlier season, you might would have made it further. But as each year brings more seasoned contestants, raw talent with no real experience has a much harder row to hoe. Given some time, Megan might develop into a real artist, but her rough edges were just too jagged for this fast-paced show. Still, I offer my "caw, caw" salute to you Megan.

So this week, the guys and gals picked songs from their birth year, which if you think about it is just as broad a theme as last week's "everything on iTunes" deal. So long as you accept that some dated tunes might need a bit reworking, you still have great songs from every genre possible to choose from. It's interesting to see who picked what.

Let's break it down...

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Danny Gokey (Stand by Me)
No. Just... No. Doesn't matter that his voice sounded decent -- what he did to this song was criminal, and convinces me that in no way does he intend to make music that I'm interested in. Next.

Kris Allen (All She Wants to Do is Dance)
Not sure why he'd pick this after last week's master performance. About the only good thing I can think to say is that it's nice to hear him being upbeat. But he took a lightweight song and, as Kara deftly put it, turned it into Student Jazz/Funk. (As an aside, Chip thinks everyone else might best avoid the tiny stage amid the teen swaybots -- it's bad luck.)

Lil Rounds (What's Love Got to Do with It)
Lil makes her best song choice yet (although either Private Dancer or I Can't Stand the Rain would have been even better). But the judges are spot-on with their copycat criticism. Anyone who's seen Tina recognized the performance from the moment she shuffled on stage. Lil at least looked better this week. The outfit was the best she's looked in a while.

Anoop (True Colors)
Ooooh... awesome song, and he does it splendidly. The judges are right, though. He's been completely inconsistant. Seems I only like him when he's singing ballads -- which is sad because I don't really like ballads. But if he keeps choosing great songs like this, he'll get through several more weeks.

Scott (The Search)
What the...? After (kinda) winning me over last week, he does this? No. Hell no. And this Survivor song -- ANY Survivor song, for that matter? How can we take this seriously? The judges don't, or else they'd have skewered him like they would have anyone else.

Allison (I Can't Make You Love Me)
Shew, thank God. After that last one, I'm so glad Allison chose wisely. She does very well, with this perhaps being my favorite performance of hers to date. She's finally gets major props from the judges, yet they still have to find something to pick at -- this time the fact that she hasn't shown her personality, that they don't "know" her. Just because you have a sappy backstory that producers manipulated into a heartwarming storyline doesn't mean we "know" you. We know Allison exactly as well as the producers will allow us to know her. Ya know?

Matt (Part Time Lover)
After last week, Matt had much to prove, so he dips into the Stevie Wonder well and pulls out a performance that starts just okay but fortunately gets stronger as it goes. By the time he gets to scatting, he's sold it. Nice job, but like Anoop, Matt is getting a reputation for been all over the place. That needs to stop if they want to compete with Adam, Danny, Allison or Kris.

Adam (Mad World)
Again Adam gets the pimp slot, and again he commands the stage with a dramatic (and eerily lit) falsetto ballad. This performance makes me revisit my criticism from last week regarding his theatricality. True, I don't think you could take the "theater" out of Adam if you tried, but perhaps it's not a bad thing. Jake Shears of the Scissor Sisters is nothing if not dramatic, and I wouldn't have him any other way. Adam's take on this Tears for Fears tune, save for that last note, was top notch. So keep the drama if you want, Adam. Tonight I saw the light -- lots of 'em, actually, and all pointed at you.

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So how do they stack up?

The Good
1. Allison
2. Adam
3. Anoop

The Ehhhhh
4. Matt
5. Danny
6. Lil

The Ugly
7. Kris
8. Scott

Only three performances stood out to me this week, and the 2nd and 3rd slots could have been interchangable (as could the 5th and 6th, for that matter). The rest were either forgettable at best, or horrible at worst. And it was definitely Scott and Kris who sucked tonight, Scott in such a way that I can't imagine him lasting another week. But I don't see Kris being in danger yet, so I'd guess that Lil and Matt might round out the bottom three, with Scott having to repeat his worst performance -- a song by Survivor! -- in his "sing for his life" moment.

We'll see if I'm right tomorrow, but we'll talk about it here next week.

American Idol 8: Final 9 -- iTuned in Late

2009-04-01T12:18:00.002-05:00

Hey all. Teaching on Tuesday nights is pretty miserable when it means I can't watch Idol with the rest of the world. But it does mean I get to skip commercials, so it's not all bad. And neither was tonight, but you wouldn't have know that based on the first few performances. Let's talk about 'em, in order of performance this time, and I'll rank 'em when I'm done.

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Anoop (some Usher song) -- Anoop finally looks the part this week, but his performance was back to being boring... verging on hideous, even. Which is odd considering it's an upbeat Usher song, but he didn't seem to sing it so much as manage to get through it. I don't know the song, but it seems like it might depend more on production and editing than singing, in which case the studio version could be an improvement. But as is? Not hot at all.

Megan (some Bob Marley song) -- I've been a Megan fan for some time, but this isn't good. Close to painful, in fact, and the biggest part is that the song is dull and boring, and she does nothing with it. Not good for Megan, I'm afraid.

Danny (some Rascal Flatts song) -- Well, it's boring, but at least my ears aren't bleeding anymore. Better than the previous two performers, but still the same ol' sappy Danny I don't care for at all.

Allison (Don't Speak) -- Love the song choice. Love her guitar-accompanied song intro. But just Ehhhhh for the song as a whole. I think my expectations based upon the song choice and the clips package couldn't be met. But I enjoyed her much more than the judges did. I couldn't understand their criticism of her outfit until Simon called it a teen dressing up as a pop star. And he's right -- it was very Disney Channel.

Scott (Just the Way You Are) -- Good song and performance choices. Great, actually -- his best yet. Definitely the moment he was hoping for, cause he turned us around and made us realize why he's made the tour. Just last week I was calling for his head. Oops. Now if only he can do this consistently, which I think will be a problem. We'll see.

Matt (some Fray song) -- I just don't know about Matt. I don't mind him trying to do rock songs. I think he could do something good given the right song. But he's not yet chosen that right song. This wasn't completely bad, but it was completely uninteresting.

Lil (I Surrender) -- If I surrender, will it stop? Sorry, couldn't resist. Honestly, I think Lil is a good singer. Quite good at times. But she's needs a team of people to make the decisions for her. Without a manager, a producer, or a stylist helping her pick things that will compliment her voice and figure, she's in trouble. I Surrender isn't a bad song -- one of Celine's more interesting, actually. But Lil couldn't hold a candle to Kelly Clarkson's version, even with Kelly's hoarse voice. Heck, she couldn't even match Anthony Federov's either. And that's one problem with doing a big-name song that's been featured many times on Idol: you're not just competing with this year's contestants, you're competing against the best voices from season's past.

Ryan Seacrest -- Just wanted to take a moment to mention how good Ryan is as host. When the judges get their claws out, or when someone gets upset, Ryan becomes the contestants' advocate, perhaps the only voice in the show that's sorta looking out for them. He not only defused the situation where the judges were ganging up on Lil, but he made the situation less scary for the kids, and humanized Lil in a way she's needed for some time.

Adam (Play That Funky Music) -- This is where Adam's theater background hurts him. Although technically he sounded great, it also sounded like it could have been the song in the Wiz in which the bad witch introduced herself. The slinking around on stage, the way-too-prepared performance, it just reads "theater." This is what his album would sound like? Honestly, Adam... I'm your market, and even I couldn't stand it after a bit.

Kris (Ain't No Sunshine) -- Kris chose by far the best song of the night, and he performed beyond spectacularly. He took charge and showed confidence on the keyboard that I've not noticed when he plays his too-quiet guitar. As good as Adam's song was last week, this was 20-times better, and will likely be the first song I download from this season. Kris has been building his star for a few weeks, and I think this solidifies his upper-tier status quite nicely.

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So how do this week's performances stack up?

The Good
1. Kris
2. Scott
3. Allison
4. Adam

The Ehhhhh
5. Danny
6. Matt
7. Lil

The Ugly
8. Megan
9. Anoop

So Kris makes a move to turn this into a multi-horse race. Scott gave that something special performance he needed after the past few weeks, but Matt unfortunately did everything wrong -- especially in the week after he escaped the bottom two. Other than that, though, it was a bunch of the same. Adam screaming. Danny getting sappy. Allison getting ignored. Lil not knowing what to do. And Megan and Anoop floundering like fish out of water.

Like last week, I have no idea who will go home. It's been the most unpredictable season yet, perhaps because its been the most uneven one. This season contains some of the best voices the show has seen, but it also contains the most hyped (and most inconsistent) singers to date. Sadly, Anoop is at the top of that list for me. He's been hyped, he's been great, but he's been inconsistent as hell. I'd prefer it be him that goes home, but even if it's Megan, that will sound about right. Their times have come; it's just a matter of who goes first.

See ya next week.

American Idol 8: Final 10 -- Mo' Music? No Problem

2009-03-25T21:53:00.002-05:00

Well, that didn't go as I expected. Alexis is gone too soon, and we finally see how cruel the "Judge's Save" turned out to be. Yeah, I'm bitter that Alexis went home while Scott continues to stink up the joint. Can you tell?

Let's not dwell on past regrets, though. There's a whole new genre of music to massacre in order to (hopefully) find a gem or two. Did any gems shine tonight?

Actually, yeah, many did. Let's get to it, and this time I'm gonna give 'em numerical rankings, because one was so good he needs to be praised as "best of the best," while another was so craptastic that he should have been stopped mid-performance.

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The Good

1. Adam (Tracks of my Tears) -- Adam blew the joint away... and that was just with his young Kurt Russell look. It was about time he retired his "Old Jonas Brothers" image for a week, 'cause it was getting stale. Meanwhile, his take on this song showed he's more than a one Axl-scream pony. What more can I say? There wasn't even anyone close to this level tonight.

2. Matt (Let's Get It On) -- Any doubts I had about the racy content of this song were put to rest thanks to Matt's skillful delivery. Honestly, this could have turned into a train wreck (as it has when previously performed on Idol), but Matt kept the song, and the audience, under his sweet, smoove control the whole time. His best performance so far.

3. Allison (Papa Was a Rolling Stone) -- Now THIS was the Allison I fell in love with that first week of the semi-finals (when she sang Heart's Alone). Aside from having chosen the best song of the evening, Allison put her gruff, Miley Cyrus voice to work on that funky bass line and tore the roof off this mo-fo. (Sorry, my inner funk got loose.)

The Ehhhhh

4. Chris (How Sweet It Is) -- Chris did a nice job. He had no glaring mistakes. His arrangement was interesting and original (if original means "done as Jason Mraz or John Mayer would do it"). He's charming. He's funny. He's professional..... and yet somehow he was kinda boring. I think it's the Mraz/Mayer thing. These aren't artists known for excitement. They're known as extremely talented, low key singer/songwriters. That's exactly what Chris is, which isn't a bad thing. It's a very, very good thing. But it's not what will win Idol.

5. Anoop (Ooh Baby Baby) -- Anoop has recovered nicely from his missteps those first few weeks. His voice is one of the better ones in the competition. And yet, as long as he looks like a fratboy wearing a Members Only jacket on stage, I'll not see him as a real threat. Honestly, people dress up more than this for a night on the town at the karaoke bar, so if Anoop wants to put the big "K" word behind him, he needs to step out of his fratboy image.

6. Megan (For Once in My Life) -- Yeah, you read that right. She's in my "Ehhhhh," not in my "Ugly." I didn't think Megan was nearly the train wreck that the judges did. Sure, she was weird. Sure, she sounded like a drunken 60s Vegas lounge act. Sure, she still sang with her goat voice. But she picked a song that, while a bit big for her, easily fit into her quirky, big band/jazzy style. And she looked like she was enjoying herself more than just about anyone else there (then again, she did look drunk). She wasn't singing for anyone but herself (and perhaps the cameras), and she was loving it. I guess that's the "joy" the judges claim to feel when Scott attempts what we call "singing." Even though Megan, to put it gently, sounded like a female Dean Martin, I still enjoyed her much more than the rest of the pack, which leads me to....

The Ugly

8. Danny (Get Ready) -- I know the producers and much of the public have already proclaimed Danny as one of the eventual finalists, but I'm not convinced. The more I see and hear him, the more he reminds me of Taylor Hicks, someone with an admittedly good voice, but whose weird schtick and cocky attitude turned me against him early on. I hadn't picked up on Danny's cockiness until this week, but it was obvious even before he dissed Smokey Robinson by ignoring his advice; he was already wearing his "too cool for school" attitude during their mentoring session. Early on I thought Danny had the best voice of the show, but now I just want him to leave.

8. Lil (Heat Wave) -- From the moment she stepped on stage, I couldn't get Whoopi Goldberg's Deloris Van Cartier out of my head. From the bad wig, to the weird flapper dress, to the shouty, copy-cat performance. I honestly don't get all the Lil' love, because while she's admittedly shown potential, I don't ever remember her fulfilling that potential. I can't remember her being interesting, for that matter. The closest she's come to interesting was her emotional reaction to this week's Motown Museum tour, but she turned that into performance straight outta the Kings Island Motown Review. Can she keep giving these uninteresting, unoriginal performances? Not long.

9. Michael (Ain't Too Proud to Beg) -- Even though Michael said he was over the flu, you could see him deflate as the performance went on. By the end, it was obvious even he knew it wasn't his best. But given his past few weeks, it wasn't that the song was too big for him, it was that the song was too big for him on a night when he wasn't 100%.

10. Scott (You Can't Hurry Love) -- Good God, America. Stop with this. His timing got off, he mangled the first verse, and didn't get back on track until the second line of the chorus (something not one judge mentioned). But that wasn't even his worst mistake. No, the biggest mistake was turning this song into a hokey honky-tonk that was much too big for his weak voice. I don't necessarily think it was a completely wrong song for him, but I do think he did everything wrong to it that he possibly could. He's not even close to the big leagues, and as the week's go on, he's become this season's Sanjaya.

-----------------

So isn't it obvious who I think should go home? I could predict a bottom 3 (and sadly, I'm afraid Megan will be there), but I'd like to end on a positive note.

I positively think Scott has outstayed his welcome.

Where the Wild Things Are

2009-03-25T15:59:00.001-05:00

American Idol 8: Final 11 -- Grand Ol' Time

2009-03-18T11:15:00.002-05:00

Bye Jorge! Bye Jasmine! You were both nice singers who were outmatched by a strong season of contestants. And Jasmine, I think had you tried out a year or two from now, things might have ended up differently. But no one thought either of you could win, so these results weren't surprising.

Now, about last night's show. First, sorry for the absence of the live-blog last night. Now that I have an established Tuesday night class again, I'll likely be waiting 'til Wednesdays to post my thoughts. So what were those thoughts?

Overall, Grand Ol' Opry week wasn't the trainwreck that previous country shows have been. There were numerous great performances, a few middling ones, and one or two downright crappy ones. And by the way -- when did Randy Travis start looking like Patrick Swayze? Oh yeah, when they both got old and haggard.

Let's break things down...

The Good
Matt, Kris, Anoop, Adam

Matt is quickly becoming a fave of mine. Shy of that last note, he gave a solid vocal performance. I really liked the way the song built from just him soloing with his piano, to slowly adding in background singers and strings, until the full band joined in. And man, can he play piano or what? Nice job.

Kris, also, did a great job, probably my favorite performance by him yet. Not nearly as cheesy as his previous Mraz-y stuff, and he needed that to show he wasn't just a big-grinnin' college guy with a guitar. Both he and Matt have gotten lost in the Danny/Adam/Anoop soap opera, but tonight they were better than any of those guys.

But that's not to say that Anoop didn't hold his own. In fact, he finally showed some of that promise we all saw back during the auditions. He now needs to break out of his shell and develop an honest-to-goodness stage persona, or else I fear he'll get swallowed up in his fratboy ways again. I mean, come on -- even Megan has more stage presence than this guy.

And then there's Adam, who performed my favorite song choice of the night. Admittedly, he did a very weird version of it, but personally, I LOVED it. Then again, I like weird. But of all the songs tonight, this was the only one I'd consider buying because it didn't sound like country karaoke. Maybe I'll check iTunes tonight. (To see the cover he based this performance, check out Dilana's version from Rockstar: Supernova.)

The Ehhhhh
Alexis, Megan, Allison, Michael

Alexis's performance perplexes me. It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't great either. I liked her interpretation of the song, but it sounded like her timing got off at the very beginning, and the rest of the song she was struggling to catch back up. It made me want to go up and turn up the monitors (or her earpiece).

Megan performed Patsy Cline (good guess, Donna). I enjoyed it mostly, even if it wasn't completely modern. Sometimes, though, going retro is a good choice. But despite my love of Megan, I have to declare that last night was the last time I'll cut her any slack for the goat vibratto. It was out of control last night. It's time for the goat in her throat to go.

Last night I remember thinking Allison did a good job, but this morning I barely remember her performance. I love her voice, but at some point she's got to break away from the female pack to have a chance against the guys.

Michael did a respectable job with a very difficult song, although he didn't have a tenth of the energy as this song requires. It was as if he was working so hard to hit all the words and notes that he couldn't let go and enjoy himself. But to his credit, he's performing much, much better in the finals than I expected he would.

The Ugly
Danny, Lil', Scott

Danny's vocal performace was decent enough, if slightly weaker than previous weeks. But what moved him into my bad category was that he chose a song that's the musical equiviilant of those glurge emails people send me and I delete unread. If ever Danny wanted to lose me as a fan, this is how to do it.

If Danny was the musical equvilent of glurge, then Lil' was the musical equivilent of really boring glurge. She added no fun or energy to this hokey (but okay, admittedly catchy) song. Danny's and Lil's song choices make me realize why Simon doesn't like country music.

Finally, Scott has outlived his welcome. He's not as talented as any of the other vocalists, and after hearing Matt on piano this week, Scott's not even the most talented pianist either. The judges seem at a loss for how to say what they'd easily say to any other contestant -- you're not doing well, and should go home. But at least this week they decided not to praise a weak performance, as they've done to him in both weeks prior.

Final Thoughts

Like Ryan said at the end, this season is shaping up to be a real competition. Many of the male performers are knocking it out of the proverbial park every night. But sadly, a few aren't living up to their hype. Both Lil and Scott are working my nerves, and while I think Scott has been the worst by far, I'd be fine if either one went home.

My picks for the bottom two
Scott and Lil', with Scott getting Miss Underwood's "Home Sweet Home" treatment.

A boy can dream, right?

American Idol 8 -- Final 13: the Music of Michael

2009-03-11T14:46:00.002-05:00

Sorry for the delay in posting. Life (and allergies) gets in the way, ya know? Regardless, welcome to the first week of the finals. I did take notes last night, so I'm gonna stick with the same format I did during the semifinals. But you don't care about that. Let's get to what you came here for -- ripping these guys apart.

Lil Rounds: The Way You Make Me Feel
Ah, Lil... you make me feel like I'm really gonna dread Michael Jackson night. Fine voice, but the song is just bad. And Chip thinks going first could hurt her tonight.

Scott McIntyre: Keep the Faith
Horrible, horrible song. And I'm not lovin' his voice yet (in fact, it sounds worse than ever), but his piano skills are pretty awesome, admittedly. But do the judges need to keep patronizing him? There comes a point when, no matter how much passion or emotion you have, bad vocals are just bad vocals.

Danny Gokey: PYT
Damn, that boy can sing! It sounded a bit scary at first, but I think that's just 'cause it's another bad Michael Jackson song. By the end, it was a Danny Gokey concert with Paula and Kara as backup singers. Great job, especially in choosing a song that veers from the hokey inspirational pablum we've heard from him before. I think he's out to prove he's not as one-note as David Archuleta came off in the early weeks.

Michael Sarver: You Are Not Alone
Starts so badly we had to skip ahead a bit (thanks DVR!), but at the key change when the song picks up, he does as well. He's actually doing a much better job than he has done to this point -- his strongest vocals yet. But can the voice counteract the worse song choice so far tonight?

Jasmine Murray: I'll Be There
Cute dress. She's got the first song of the night that's not completely tragic, and she does an okay job with it, I suppose. Not a train wreck -- but I guess that's not much of a compliment, considering.

Kris Allen: Remember the Time
Good god, Kris -- "Remember the Time?" Have I mentioned how much I hate MJ Theme week? Anyway, he sounds very Jason Mraz-y (and Randy agrees). But despite the comfort of his guitar, he still looks a bit out of place, like some guy who wandered in from the mall (that's a shirt you wear to play golf, not sing on Idol). And something sounds off -- his guitar maybe? But he is cute, which can take you far in this game.

Allison Iraheta: Give in to Me
Second song of the night I'm not familiar with (Scott's Keep the Faith was the first), so I can't tell how much she's changed things up. But she's rough and raw, in a nice "Heart" kinda way. I like this girl, although if she's gonna Heart-ize every song, it could get old.

Anoop Desai: Beat It
Despite the better styling, he's still a fratboy doing karaoke. I liked him before, but now he's outmatched in the finals. Next.

Jorge Nuñez: Never Can Say Goodbye
I can. "Goodbye, Jorge." At least, that's what I'll be saying if he picks another song this painful. Sad, too, because I'd given him no credit until last week's Elton John number. He lost a lot of recently-earned goodwill with this performance.

Megan Joy Corkrey: Rockin' Robin
Interesting song choice, but a brilliant one all things considered, because this might be the best she's sounded (and looked) yet. This early Jackson 5 cover was originally recorded by Bobby Day in the late 50s, which is why it fits so well with Megan's "big band/rockabilly/Winehouse" sound. And the ending? Nice (at least until the "caw, caw!"). Yikes, I've not disagreed with Simon so much in some time.

Adam Lambert: Black or White
Again with the crappy songs tonight, although you could tell he very specifically chose this song because of the way he took pains to make sure its message was (literally) enunciated well -- specifically the line "and I told them about equality, and it's true either you're wrong or you're right." Adam, you had me right there. So yeah, he can sing like crazy, but... I'm gonna get VERY tired of the Axl Rose scream before too long if he keeps it up.

Matt Giraud: Human Nature
Good, smooth, romanatic song for Matt, and he gets to show piano skills as well. He starts off a bit weak, but as he changes things up, the song gets noticeably better. That final falsetto, though, was a bit rough. So not the powerhouse performance of some of the others tonight, true, but it still showed his strengths off well.

Alexis Grace: Dirty Diana
Huh, she's tackling Dirty Diana? I didn't expect this (at least from her -- Allison, yes, not Alexis). But ya know, she's not only tackling it, she's wrestling it to the ground and showing it who's boss. Good for her. (And by the way -- she's got a great name for either country or rock-n-roll.)

------------

Wow, was that long or what? But for the first week of the finals, it was amazing there wasn't a bigger train wreck. Especially considering it's Michael Jackson week. There were very few I'd call bad, and a few that were downright fantastic. But I do think that now that we're out of the semis, and the wheat and chaff have been separated, some people aren't shining as brightly as they used to.

The Good
Danny, Adam, Alexis

These three are just at another level than everyone else. At this point, I expect to see these names at the top of my lists regularly.

The "Good" Ehhhhh
Megan, Allison, Matt

I broke up my "Ehhhhh" category because this group split two ways. First, those who did a good job, just not as fine a job as the first three I mentioned.

The "Bad" Ehhhhh
Lil, Kris, Jasmine, Michael

This group, too, did a decent job. But they either chose bad songs (see Michael & Kris), or failed to live up to heightened expectations (see Lil and Jasmine).

The Ugly
Jorge, Scott, Anoop

There's only one way to slice it -- these three were El Stinko. Bad songs and weak performances all around. As much as I liked Anoop in the early rounds, I don't want to see his "fratboy fist-pump" style of dancing again. And I was tired of Scott's voice long ago.

My picks to go home: Anoop and Scott. Of course, I don't expect that will happen, which means two more deserving singers will be gone this time tomorrow. How sad.

Then again, given the announced rules change, who knows what's gonna happen. My initial guess is that they'll move to a format more akin to "So You Think You Can Dance?", where in the early rounds, the audience votes for the final 3, and the judges make the bottom contestants dance (in this case sing) for their place in the show. I actually like this idea, as it gives really talented people a chance to screw up without risking the public's wrath. It might encourage more risk-taking instead of safe song choices.

Of course, the judges might have something completely different up their collective sleeves. Guess we'll find out tonight.

Catch ya next week.

American Idol 8 Semi-Finals: Wildcard

2009-03-05T19:14:00.001-06:00

So the wildcard show is upon us. I'd have rather Ju'not and the country girl had made it through instead of Tatiana and the Braddy boy, but it is what it is, I suppose.

Let's get started.

Jesse Langseth: Tell Me Something Good
This is so bad it almost sounds like she's trying to sabotage her chance. Eeek. Double eeek that the judges seem to like it.

Matt Giraud: Who's Lovin' You
SO much better than last time it's not even funny. Anoop had best bring it, 'cause Matt's in it to win it (I'm channeling my inner-Randy -- can ya tell?).

Megan Joy Corkey: Black Horse and the Cherry Tree
Great song, and although she's doing an okay job, she's not living up to my expectations. Chip thinks a different song would have been better for her. And that last note? They seem to like her enough, almost to the point they're trying to justify having already "picked" her ahead of time. Just sayin'.

Von Smith: Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word
Sounds like he's pleading for his life. And he's trying to do it quietly. Then loudly. Chip says "bye, Von."

"Four down, and four to go."
So Anoop, Tatiana, Braddy, and Jasmine left.

Jasmine Murry Reflection
A shaky start, but she eventually finds a comfort zone and sounds pretty good. Nice soft notes at the end. And cute dress, by the way.

Ricky Braddy: Superstition
Last time I didn't care for him, but this is pretty good. The low notes aren't quite there though, and he looked pretty goofy trying to him them.

Tatiana and Anoop left. And drama. Lots and lots of drama.

Tatiana Del Toro: Saving All My Love for You
I wonder how much of her craziness is a language/culture difference -- she's now got an accent, or is that just an act? Anyway, the beginning was pretty bad, but when she's using her big girl voice, she's honestly good. Her dress, however, is tragic. Chip said, "that last note was a LOT of notes!" Simon's really grilling her, and it's sad how obvious it is that they just brought her back to watch her freak out on live TV.

Anoop Desai: My Perogative
Haven't we heard this before, too? His performance looks more like a frat boy than a star. Still, he's much better than last time, and the glory note rocked. I enjoy him, but I don't know that he deserves to be in the finals. Again, the judges seem to be justifying a previously made decision, especially by giving him a pass on repeating a song after Tatiana did the same thing.

Results tonight! Aren't you EXCITED?!

So it's Jasmine!

But not Ricky.

Megan! But not Tatiana. (Yup, it's dramatic. Tatiana reminds me of Kimby, a very dramatic theater major back in college.)

And more results.

Jesse? Nope.

Von? Of course not.

So is it Anoop or Matt? I'd rather it be Matt, and... it is! And it's also Anoop? That's cool, 'cause I wanted them both in.

So with an exception or two (I'll have to think about it), I'm overall pleased with the top 13. How 'bout you?

More thoughts next week.

American Idol 8 Semi-Finals: Week Three

2009-03-03T20:09:00.001-06:00

Sorry about the delay, so let's not wait any longer to get this started.

Von Smith: You're All I Need to Get By
Starts weak, only gets marginally better. I imagine a lot of other guys are breathing sighs of relief right now. But no, perhaps not, 'cause the judges liked it a lot more than I did. I think the judges will think differently after hearing it on tape.

Taylor Vaifanua: If I Ain't Got You
This is one of those near "untouchable" songs, and while she doesn't massacre it, she doesn't do it any favors either (especially with the low notes she never quite found). I think Simon's comment about not remembering her was cruel considering she wasn't shown all that much in the auditions (unless she was shown and I don't remember her, in which case I take it all back).

Alex Wagner-Trugman: I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues
Weird. The kid's funny when talking, but when he sings I just want him to shut up. The judges say the same thing. Next.

Arianna Afsar: The Winner Takes It All
What is she doing to this song? More importantly, what has the band done to this song? Her version is slow, all runs, and more than a few warbled notes -- although she hits the glory note, mostly. But not the second one. Damn. Sad, because she was one of my faves coming into tonight.

Ju'Not Joyner: Hey There, Delilah
He picked a great song (another one featured during Hollywood week), and while I wouldn't have made the same choices he did, he's doing a fine job. In fact, by the time he wraps it up he's made this song his own, if only for a few moments. And his banter worked quite in his favor; he seems more real with comments like the one about not bringing his two-year-old because he'd want to touch stuff. Ju'Not seems like the first singer tonight I could see in the finals.

Kristen McNamara: Gimme One Reason
Weird choice of song. And the arrangement is distracting, what with that dated keyboard. But she does okay, I guess, with a nice note at the end. It looks a little too rehearsed, and combined with the keyboard she sounds like... a kareoke host.

Nathaniel Marshall: I Would Do Anything for Love
FLASHDANCE! It's actually not completely tragic, and if this were 1983 I could see him in many a John Hughes movie. But in this contest, I'm not so sure. I'm glad Paula reminded people about his version of Disturbia during Hollywood week. That's what I'll choose to remember.

Felicia Barton: No One
Huh... the girl who didn't even make the top 36 first time through puts on the best female performance of the night so far (a few wonky notes aside). A really strong performance from a girl out to prove she belonged, and she did that. Nice job.

Scott MacIntyre: Mandolin Rain
I've never been as in love with Scott as the judges (or others I know), but I at least give him props for the weird Bruce Hornsby song choice. He starts out warbly but mostly finds his way by the end (not quite Bruce Hornsby though). It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. So at this point it sounds like the judges are being patronizing, because had a able-sighted contestant given this performance, they would have tore. it. up. "Moves mountains"? Seriously? Not even close.

Kendall Beard: This One's For the Girls
A solid-ish performance from a girl whose looks and confidence will carry her further than her voice. If Kelly Pickler could ride this train to 6th place (or so, I don't remember her exact finish), Kendall -- who is three times cuter than Kelly -- could have a good chance... if she makes it into the finals.

Jorge Nuñez: Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me
Quite a strong performance. I didn't like Jorge in the earlier rounds because he had this nasal quality in his voice, but tonight it was smooth and strong and sounded really, really good. Nice control, big finish -- for the first time I'm curious to hear more.

Lil Rounds: Be Without You
If the pimp-slot wasn't going to Scott, it had to go to Lil Rounds, who uses it to good effect (even if it's not my taste). Her opening sounded weaker than I expected, but fortunately she finished well. Not sure she was the best of the night though.

-------------------

So did anyone sing well enough to get through this phase of the Idol gauntlet? It was better than previous weeks, but sometimes not by much.

The Good
Ju'not, Lil Rounds, Jorge, Felicia

The Ehhh
Kendall, Taylor, Kristen, Scott, Von

The Ugly
Nathaniel, Arianna, Alex

This week will be the hardest for me to figure out who makes it through because my personal tastes diverge greatly from what I think America will vote for. Based on performances tonight, I'd like to see Ju'not, Jorge, and Felicia make the finals. But based on previous seasons, I wouldn't be surprised if America voted for Scott, Kendall and Lil Rounds.

It's a hard one to call, so I'm mixing it up and predicting it'll be Jorge, Scott and Lil Rounds (with Kendall nipping at her heels).

We'll see, tomorrow night.

Slight Delay on Tonight's Idol Live-blogging

2009-03-03T17:05:00.001-06:00

Hey all. I'm teaching tonight, which means my live-blogging of AI will become a "taped-delayed" blogging of AI. Be back later.

American Idol 8 Semi-Finals: Week Two

2009-02-25T19:10:00.002-06:00

Back again, live-blogging American Idol. Last week I picked the top three correctly, but it was hardly a challenge. Let's see about this week.

"Too late for advice" -- brutal!

Jasmine Murray: Love Song
I really liked this girl going in, but the early part of the song wasn't good (Kara agrees). And the rest was overdone (Chip disagrees, but hopes there is better to come).

Looks like we're starting out as bad as last week.

Matt Giraud: Viva la Vida
Well alright! Great song choice. A little too much weird vibratto, though, and he really destroyed the high note(s). Turns out this song was just too much for him (too different from his style, say the judges). I think he might have done better with his piano.

This is going to go on forever -- I hate 2-hour Idol.

Jeanine Vailes: This Love
Have we seen this girl? She's not that different than Jasmine, but since I already know Jasmine... this is the danger of not showing all the contestants during auditions. (Chip says, "see, that first girl wasn't so bad, now was she?") Ouch, Paula's comment was just "Great legs." Ouch.

Normal Gentle: And I Am Telling You...
The first entertaining thing on the show tonight! (and Randy agrees.) That was kinda awesome! He is selling the hell out of this, and I actually like it. I don't think he's got a chance in hell at being the American Idol, but it's had to deny he's crazy fun. (Chip says he'll vote for Norman, which would be his first vote, I believe.)

Meanwhile, more strange homoerotic banter, and it looks like Paula's found her happy-place.

Allison Iraheta: Alone
Allison's found Paula's happy place, it appears. Dangerous song choice, but if she pulls it off... and she does! Best girl of the night, by far. Nice job.

Kris Allen: Man in the Mirror
Ugh. Craptastic song of the night! Way to bring the mood down, although he at least ends on a much better note than he started. If the whole song had sounded like the second half... and the judges agree.

Sigh... Lost just started, but I won't get to see it for an hour. :-(

Megan Corkery: Put Your Records On
Great song, and she's doing it in a dirtier Winehouse-like style (and Randy agrees... again). Quite nice. And I'm happy to keep hearing Kara give good criticism consisting of more than the tired "sing the phonebook" description.

Matt Breitzke: If You Could Only See
Matt picks one of the many Nickelback/Daughtry/uninteresting rock songs of the 00s, but at least he does it competently, and while the judges hate the song choice, this is the kind of music much of America likes. But he seems awkward and uncomfortble on stage, looking fish-out-of-waterish.

Jesse Langseth: Bette Davis Eyes
She's got a strong, interesting voice. And I like the song, although the outfit was a bit too much Sweeney Sisters for me ,("Clang, clang, clang went the trolley...") A bit sassy in the post-interview, but not in a bad way.

Kai Kalama: What Becomes of the Broken Hearted
Not what I expected. Strong, confident voice, singing an old song I don't care for, but singing it quite well (and needing conditioner -- help, Idol stylists!). Old fashion is right. Probably better singer than Norman, but not nearly as interesting or entertaining.

Mishavonna Henson: Drops of Jupiter
More boring songs of the 00s, although this one is admittedly better than the last. Her voice is nice, though, even if her performance was a bit paegenty -- which is what Kara was getting at with her "too put together" comment. (And shouldn't someone check on Paula?)

Adam Lambert: Satisfaction
Apart from Norman, Adam was the other contestant I was most curious about tonight. And the answer -- rock cabaret. No, it's better than that. By the end, he was killing it. Randy's going a bit crazy with his comparisons (the Twilight actor? Really?). Kara's right -- his vocals were great.

---------------------

So, how'd things shake out? For a night that started out kinda icky, things picked up slightly in the second half. But only a few really stood out.

The Good
Adam Lambert, Allison Iraheta, and Norman Gentle.

The Ehhhhh
Jesse Langseth and Megan Corkrey

The Ugly
All the rest (although they weren't hardly as ugly as last week)

I doubt Norman will get through, which could mean good things for either Megan or Jesse, who are mostly interchangeable for me at this point. So my pick for the top three are Adam, Allison and Megan.

Catch ya next week.

American Idol 8 Semi-Finals: Week One

2009-02-17T19:57:00.002-06:00

Okay, folks. I'm back, with a bit of an experiment. I'll be writing this post as we watch the show, so you'll get my first impressions.

Jackie Tohn: A Little Less Conversation
There's a monkey dancing on my tv and my ears are bleeding -- make it stop. (And the outfit was bad, but with those shoes it was REALLY bad.)

Ricky Braddy: A Song For You
Am I going to be able to make it through this season? He's in tune, but this is like a bad gay piano bar. Or even good gay piano bar. Either way, things are not looking good.

Alexis Grace: I Never Loved a Man (the Way I Love You)
This is more like it. I enjoy her voice (if not her song choice). And cute as a button.

Brent Kieth: Hicktown
Looks cute. But the song was bad. If he'd just stand there quietly, maybe I'd vote for him, but otherwise, no way.

Stevie Wright: You Belong With Me
She's in over her head, and everyone knows it.

(Why do they keep flashing to Doogie Howser and Ted Danson? Chip thinks they make a cute couple.)

Anoop Desai: Angel of Mine
Why'd he have to choose such a craptastic song? I loved him in the prelims, but this is pretty bad. Really bad, in all honesty. Kinda tragic. Hope he learns from what the judges said, but I don't think he heard them.

Casey Carlson: Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
The gender-switching pronouns are seriously distracting, but not so distracting that she sounds good. She kinda falling apart, actually. (But good to know that Kara's not afraid to say, "Girl, everything about that was wrong!")

Michael Sarver: I Don't Wanna Be
Good song, but he didn't quite pull it off. He'd have been better off singing something pure country. Sounds like a good singer in a bar band. Nice comments from Simon, which was surprising.

Anne Marie Boskovich: Natural Woman
Starts off with a wonky note, but she did better than I'd expect with this song. On the downside, they were right -- how do you compare to Kelly Clarkson's version, let alone Aretha? But on the plus side, she was still good enough to in the top two or three of the night so far (which is as much a commentary on the bad performances so far as it is her abilities).

Stephen Fowler: Rock with You
I had high hopes after his first Hollywood performance, but this was just Love Boat. Not horrible, but definitely Love Boat. I don't know if he'll get a third chance.

Tatiana del Toro: Saving All My Love
Of COURSE she'd do Whitney. I hated her thus far in the prelims, and despite the clips package that tried to soften the "villain" edit she's received so far, she doesn't exactly change my opinion. But she at least proved that she might have deserved to get this far for her singing, not just her antics. Not that I'd put her anywhere near the top (I'd take Stevie or ~~Frankie~~ Jackie over her in the Wildcard show despite them being worse), but good for Tatiana anyway.

Danny Gokey: Hero
Best of the night by far. The fact that he can make Mariah Carey sound somewhat tolerable shows why he'll be in the top five of this season. I love when he gets that gravel voice going, and I love even more than he's fairly restrained with it. Regardless of where he places, he could go on to be the biggest selling contemporary Christian artist in some time.

----------------

So at the beginning of the evening, I was worried that with only three people tonight making to the finals, I'd lose several of my early faves. But after hearing them, I only think two deserve seats in the finals. Here's how I'd rank 'em.

The Good
Alexis & Danny

The Ehhhh
Michael & Ann Marie

The Ugly
All the Rest

I'm guessing Alexis and Danny will get the "top guy" and "top girl" slot. While I'd like to see Ann Marie get the third slot, I expect it to be Michael. And I'd like to see Anoop make the Wild Card show, but he doesn't deserve to make it tonight just for that crappy song choice (let him through now and no telling what he'll subject us to during the finals). And as for the rest... whatever.

See ya next week, if not before.

AI: The Experience -- "Go Your Own Way"

2009-02-13T07:36:00.001-06:00

At the grand opening of Disney's "American Idol: The Experiece" (a show in which Disney guests get a chance to compete onstage at the park, with each night's winner getting a FastPass to the front of any Idol audition), season 4 winner Carrie Underwood performed a duet of Fleetwood Mac's Go Your Own Way with last season's winner David Cook.

And I'll have my take on the top 36 posted sometime this weekend.

What the...?

2009-02-09T14:33:00.001-06:00

I'm not sure, but I think Juliette Lewis and Paris Hilton had a love child, and she's making out with Brett Michaels on his reality show/tour bus. Weird.

Anyway, yes, there will be more Idol updatery coming later this week -- I just got "bad-auditioned" out. I know you all understand.

Be careful!

American Idol 8 Auditions: San Francisco

2009-01-21T13:45:00.001-06:00

Well that was a dud, wasn't it? For some time I've thought 2 hours of Idol was too much, but the first 1 hour show of the season made a good case for longer shows. Plus, it's a good example of why I hate the audition episodes: the producers are trying to balance several spinning plates -- showing us good auditions and emotional stories to get us invested in the new crop of contestants, bad auditions for (supposedly) entertainment value, and a heavy dose of Kara to prove she's got the "chops" to be an idol judge. The problem is, with only one hour, practically none of these plates get enough spin to keep them in the air. We saw painfully few good auditions and plenty of downright painful ones (but perhaps just enough of Kara's spunk). If the auditions are all gonna be like this episode, I'm not sure I can handle all this badness until Hollywood week.

Enough with the negative, though. Let's talk about the two contestants who stood out as actually having potential.

Adam Lambert: Bohemian Rhapsody
I'd given up on hearing anyone good until Adam came on 47 minutes into the show, with Coldplay's triumphant "Viva la Vida" announcing his arrival. With that kind of background music, was their any doubt about him getting a golden ticket? Fortunately, he lived up to the intro the producers gave him with a "wickedly" polished voice, sounding every bit the professional he is. He was confident without being TOO cocky, and his look made him stand out as someone who understands the image side of the music industry (although his hair reminded me too much of David Cook's "I must hide my monstrous forehead" do).

Kai Kalama: Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
Kai was this episode "very special story of the week," which meant he went last, and which detracted from his performance for me. It's hard for me to get past these sob stories to listen objectively to the singing. He looked like a different person in the audition than he did in his clips package, which was a good thing. While his song choice was quite old fashioned, he sounded almost... sexy? Is that what it was? I'm not sure, but it definitely had something which made me want to hear more. I think his understated style will make him someone to watch as he learns and progresses in Hollywood.

Now, there were three other contestants who might have been good, but their blink-and-you-missed-it segment went by so fast (30 seconds) I didn't have time to identify any of them. Thanks to the magic of the DVR, however, I rewatched and think that John Twiford (Overjoyed) sounded better than either of the two contestants that made it through in the first 45 mintues of the show. Allison Iraheta (Natural Woman) cracked one really bad note but otherwise sounded competent for a 16-year-old. But of the three, Raquel Houghton (Son of a Preacher Man) is the one who caught my attention, mostly because she chose the best song of the three, but also because her voice effortlessly glided from smooth to rough in all the right places. (You can learn more about these three on the Idol Chatter blog.)

Other thoughts:

I can't believe they sent Tatiana "annoying laugh girl" del Toro through, but that's been a theme this year -- mediocre singers making it through just to enterain the judges (or allow 3 of them to piss off Simon). They spent way too much time on her segment when at least three others who were much better made it through with virtually no screen time.
I wasn't as bothered, however, when they sent Jesus "cute guy, cute family" Valenzuela through, mostly because he didn't come off as a freak. Contestants like Jesus could surprise us in Hollywood.
I wanted Dalton "rubik's cube" Powell to be much better than he was. Until he opened his mouth I was convinced he'd make it through based on his ability to talk and dress coherently. Alas, I was mistaken.
And finally, Akilah "sing from your rectum" Askew-Gholston was everything I hate about Idol auditions. She seemed more in need of medication than a chance at Idol, and the producers milked her segment for all the "weird science" drama they could (seriously, what was with that Oingo Boingo background music?) At some point, the show stopped laughing at a bad audition and veered into making fun of her pronunciation and intelligence, and it really stopped being funny when she revealed herself as a desparate fangirl (a situation I'd think they'd want to avoid after Paula Goodspeed). The thing is, though, Akilah wasn't that much worse than "annoying laugh girl," and she was only marginally less well-adjusted. It was sweet, however, how Kara walked her out while consoling her. That's what makes me like Kara.

So San Francisco was basically a wash-out, which makes me fear for the Louisville show tonight. Keep your fingers crossed.

Friday Fotos: the Capitol

2009-01-20T12:22:00.001-06:00

capitol building, originally uploaded by stonehd.

I've not featured a photo here in so long that I decided to break up this week with an extra "Friday Fotos." In honor of today's historic inauguration, here's a photo of the capitol building from my trip to DC in 1996.

AI Auditioners: What else can they do?

2009-01-17T14:34:00.001-06:00

So one week into the auditions, and we really have no way of knowing who will make the top 36 (unless we read internet spoilers, anyway). But a few of the stand-out auditioners have various previous performances already floating around the web. Here are a few to give you a taste of what else these folks can do.

Emily Hughes, with her band Go Betty Go. I can think of several people who are gonna fall in love with this band. Here they are performing an acoustic version of their song "C'mon":

and their more rocking "Saturday":

And about as far from grrl punk as you can get is this clip from the View of Von Smith, who was invited by Rosie to sing "And I Am Telling You..." on the show after she saw a copy of him singing it on the net.

Meanwhile, Anoop Desai demonstrates quite an eclectic body of work. Here he's doing Chris Brown's "Kiss Kiss" with his college a cappella group, the UNC Clef Hangers (you can also check out Anoop and his boyz doing Ne-Yo's Because of You, Ozzy's Crazy Train and Van Morrison's Crazy Love):

I'll pass on others as I find them.

hat tip to idol chatter

Quotables: Thomas Szasz

2009-01-16T07:20:00.001-06:00

“Insanity is the only sane reaction to an insane society.”

-- Thomas Szasz

American Idol 8 Auditions: Kansas City

2009-01-15T11:57:00.001-06:00

If this year is bringing us a kinder, gentler Idol, it's also bringing us an Idol which is less interested in good voices and more interested in good stories -- if by good stories you're talking about "Lifetime Movies of the Week." From dead wives to tornado-tossed homes, I get the feeling that by the time we get to the top 12, producers will announce that, as part of the prize package, the winner will receive a visit from Ty Pennington and his Extreme Home Makeover crew. Because, gosh darn it, they're all so deserving!

While the judges seemed to be very pleased with themselves and the results of their Kansas City auditions, I have to wonder if perhaps they were all giddy over the half-plus that we didn't get to see. I mean, when Paula's the one who tells the guy he shouted the whole song -- and he gets through to Hollywood anyway -- you know something's strange.

So, did anyone stand out to me? One person in particular, and sadly, he's the one whose backstory made the producers see dollar signs.

Danny Gokey: I Heard It Through the Grapevine

By the time we'd made it past all the "mostest touching story after the break" pimping, I was so ready to dismiss this guy on principle. Yet somehow his story did touch my fossilized heart, and when he sang, it was the first time I could believe Simon and Kara's pre-show interviews where they said the guys are stronger this year. Gokey came across as geekily charasimatic with his Robert Downey, Jr. looks, but it was his raspy, soulful, controlled voice that made me take notice -- and he didn't even have to shout! Nice. (But did it weird anyone out that he dedicated to his dead wife a song about finding out she was cheating and leaving him? Strange indeed.)

Casey Carlson: A Thousand Miles
Cute young girl, cute young song, cute scrunched-up nose mid-song. She's perfect for Idol. A "package" indeed.

Lil Rounds: All I Do
Lil Rounds was responsible for the smartest comment to come from Randy Jackson's mouth in 8 seasons of Idol: "a mixture of Fantasia and Mary J. Blige." She took charge with this Stevie Wonder song, sounding like someone who's already a professional, and by the time the segment segued into Fantasia's "I Believe," I really did believe. With her Melinda Doolittle "aw shucks" attitude, I think she could go far.

Anoop Desai: Thank You

I'd have been much happier had this been Led Zepplin's "Thank You" instead of the song of the same title by Boyz II Men, but he definitely could sing well. However, the most memorable things about this audition were that he wrote a thesis on BBQ (YUM!) and Simon's nearly racist joke about how Anoop looked like he just came from a meeting with Bill Gates. Hello? In shorts and flip-flops? Surely Simon didn't just leap to the tech-sector stereotype because Anoop's Indian, right? Regardless, he sounded better than I ever remember Boyz II Men being, and that a good thing.

Jessica Furney: Cry Baby
When I first heard Jessica, I thought to myself that she's okay, but she's not even as good as Amanda Overmeyer at Janis. But then I realized that's a good thing; Amanda was so into Janis that she couldn't remove herself from that aesthetic, whereas Jessica already is singing this song as herself, not as a copy of Janis, so perhaps there's potential for more (besides, don't you want to know more about her grandma's "crazy pill?")

There were others that I had opinions about, of course.

Michael Castro was decent but not great (although it was nice to be able to compare him with Jason -- Michael has a seemingly stronger voice, but Jason still seems more like a musician). And Michael's look worked to help him considerably, I'd imagine, given how he made Kara's heart swoon.
Von Smith was much better in the two soft notes of his "Over the Rainbow" than in all the shouted ones, but perhaps it he turns down the volume he could do something good.
Asa Barnes did a basically decent copy of MJ's "The Way You Make Me Feel," but I was more won over by his "I like it" response to Simon than by either his voice or song choice.

But the rest? Who cares. A lot of shouting, pandering, and gimmicks to get on the show. I'm already tired of sappy backstories, and with weeks of auditions to go, I'm sure we've not seen the last of them yet. But how can they top the blind prodigy, the widowed music teacher, and the humble tornado victim? We'll see when they hit Louisville next week.

American Idol 8 Auditions: Phoenix

2009-01-14T11:45:00.001-06:00

So, another year, another season of American Idol. And this year has brought changes. Along with the upcoming changes to Hollywood week and the semifinals, this year's biggest change has been the addition of a new judge, Kara DioGuardi -- a pretty little singer/songwriter/producer with a resume that makes it seem like she actually might know what she's talking about. I liked her spunk, especially when dealing with Simon (or more precisely, his bikini-girl love). And she and Paula seemed as if they were BFFs, so maybe she'll be good for Paula's mental health, as well.

As for the auditions, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the judges/producers weren't as cruel as in previous years. I'd still love to see more of the folks who made it to Hollywood -- I believe we saw 10 of the 27 who made it from Phoenix -- but I don't mind some bad auditions in the mix. Let's just hope they keep the balance weighted toward the good singers. (And let's just ignore Simon's "coming out of the closet" joke at the end. Ugh.)

So, of the contestants, who did I like? Here are my thoughts on the ones who stood out to me the most, in no particular order.

Stevie Wright: At Last

This girl looked right, had a great namesake, and I really enjoyed her performance. It was just nice until about the 4th line of the song, when she showed both control and power at the same time, and you could tell that was the moment Simon bought in as well. I'm curious to hear more, but she did seem to me as the kind of auditioner who learned one song extemely well, but who does worse learning new songs she's not practiced ad infinitum with her iPod.

Arianna Afsar: Put Your Records On

One of my favorite auditions. A great song choice for her, although she's already veered into the precotious teen starlet persona. That's never a good thing. And like Stevie, I also wonder if she can sing everything this well, or if she just really rehearsed/mimicked this one song. Still, she looks the part and sounded great on this song, which is better than many they showed tonight.

Deanna Brown: Sitting on the Dock of the Bay

The chyron said she was a Louisville girl, but she's living in California trying to break into the biz. And of the performers tonight, her voice was probably the most unique (in a good way, anyway). Her eyes were gorgeous, and her voice was gravelly yet melodic. Nice.

Scott McIntyre: And So It Goes

Huh, this song really seems to have gotten a lot of play in the past year or two. And Scott did it well, but I don't think he was as amazing as the show made him out to be all night by pimping his audition as the best thing since Ford, AT&T or Coca-Cola. Okay, yeah, he was decent enough, but not as good as David Archuleta, who did this song during Judges' Choice week last year. His story was amazing, but his vocals were, in Randy's venacular, "just a'ight."

Emily Hughes: Barracuda

Emily looked as much like one of last season's Project Runway designers as she did an American Idol. Her look made me fall in love from the moment I saw her, but I also really dug the way she grabbed hold of this great Heart song. But like so many tonight, she sounded so much like the record that I have to wonder how she'll do with more diverse material, perhaps material she hasn't practiced with her band. We'll see.

Cody Shelton: Wonderful World
I have mixed emotions about Cody, and it boils down to this: he's a cute kid with a definitely strong look, but his voice (which wasn't bad) just didn't match his persona. And that made it strange. The song just wasn't emo/goth/horror film anything. It's not like I think he should only be singing Fall Out Boy or My Chemical Romance covers, but he should think about how his image fits where he wants to be vocally. I fear if he makes it very far, he'll fall in the Gina Glockson trap -- where the judges encourage someone who isn't really a rocker to go that direction because it's what they look like they should be singing.

-----

There were others I had opinions about, of course. I'm happy Simon let the little "Let's Hear It for the Boy/Killing Me Softly" girl through. The "sweet roughneck" was tolerable. And I even enjoyed that X-Ray guy, who was weird but in an Outkast kinda way. But if the pre-season hype is to be believed, the judges think a guy will win. Given what we saw tonight, however, I have to wonder when the really talented guys show up, because tonight the girls blew them out of the water.

I'm back

2009-01-14T07:53:00.001-06:00

Hey guys.

I'm back from my long holiday break. It was refreshing, although it was a big bummer to have to return to work after a month off. I know -- I should consider myself lucky, and I do. But that doesn't mean I wanted to come back.

I'll likely be on a reduced blogging scheduled until I get caught back up at work, but that doesn't mean I'm ignoring American Idol. I'll have a post later today discussing my thoughts. See ya then.

'Chandni Chowk to China' Trailer

2008-12-09T12:12:00.001-06:00

Here's a trailer I found at I Watch Stuff, which describes Chandni Chowk to China as "wire-fu meets horrible Bollywood musical." Although I'd leave out the word "horrible," 'cause this looks all kinds of awesome. Really, how could "wire-fu meets Bollywood musical" be anything but awesome?

See for yourself.

"Love they neighbor" Christians? Heaven forbid!

2008-11-30T13:23:00.001-06:00

Janet Cosgrove explains in the Onion that she, like many Christians, is not "one of those wacko 'love your neighbor as yourself' types."

My faith in the Lord is about the pure, simple values: raising children right, saying grace at the table, strictly forbidding those who are Methodists or Presbyterians from receiving communion because their beliefs are heresies, and curing homosexuals. That's all. Just the core beliefs. You won't see me going on some frothy-mouthed tirade about being a comfort to the downtrodden.

I'm a normal Midwestern housewife. I believe in the basic teachings of the Bible and the church. Divorce is forbidden. A woman is to be an obedient subordinate to the male head of the household. If a man lieth down with another man, they shall be taken out and killed. Things everybody can agree on, like the miracle of glossolalia that occurred during Pentecost, when the Apostles were visited by the Holy Spirit, who took the form of cloven tongues of fire hovering just above their heads. You know, basic common sense stuff.

But that doesn't mean I think people should, like, forgive the sins of those who trespass against them or anything weird like that.

...

Now, granted, there are some Christians on the lunatic fringe who take their beliefs a little too far. Take my coworker Karen, for example. She's way off the deep end when it comes to religion: going down to the homeless shelter to volunteer once a month, donating money to the poor, visiting elderly shut-ins with the Meals on Wheels program—you name it!

But believe me, we're not all that way. The people in my church, for the most part, are perfectly ordinary Americans like you and me. They believe in the simple old-fashioned traditions—Christmas, Easter, the slow and deliberate takeover of more and more county school boards to get the political power necessary to ban evolution from textbooks statewide. That sort of thing.

"Don't Close the Money Hole!"

2008-11-30T09:58:00.001-06:00

"If you love America, you throw money in its hole."

Friday Fotos: Gateway Arch

2008-11-28T07:54:00.001-06:00

arch, originally uploaded by stonehd.

An older photo (1994), but one I'm still very happy with. One of several older vacation photos I've uploaded to Flickr.

Muppets "Ode to Joy"

2008-11-25T12:11:00.001-06:00

Sorry I've been away for so long. I'll likely only be intermittent through the holidays, although with some extra time off this year, things just might pick back up closer to Xmas. I'll try to get some new photos up when I can.

In the meantime, enjoy this Muppet version of Beethoven's "Ode to Joy."

Meep Meep!

Quotables: Jay-Z

2008-11-06T08:26:00.001-06:00

"Rosa Parks sat so Martin Luther King could walk. Martin Luther King walked so Obama could run. Obama's running so we all can fly."

Jay-Z (The Guardian.UK)

Friday Fotos Extra: Halloween 2008

2008-10-31T23:44:00.001-05:00

halloween crowds 2 -- sad girl, happy pumpkin, originally uploaded by stonehd.

"Sad girl, happy jack-o'lantern."

halloween crowds 3 -- standing in line, originally uploaded by stonehd.

"Standing in line."

halloween scarecrow and the pets from hell, originally uploaded by stonehd.

"The scarecrow and the pets from Hell."

Part of a set you can see at my Flickr page.

Palin: What, me? Negative Campaigning?

2008-10-31T16:41:00.001-05:00

She's already shown us she doesn't understand basic political terms, so it should come as no surprise that in an interview this morning, Gov. Sarah Palin showed she doesn't understand the very definition of negative campaigning.

If [the media] convince enough voters that that is negative campaigning, for me to call Barack Obama out on his associations, then I don't know what the future of our country would be in terms of First Amendment rights and our ability to ask questions without fear of attacks by the mainstream media.

Seriously? SERIOUSLY?

From Wiki:

Negative campaigning, also known more colloquially as "mudslinging", is trying to win an advantage by referring to negative aspects of an opponent or of a policy rather than emphasizing one's own positive attributes or preferred policies. In the broadest sense, the term covers any rhetoric which refers to an opponent, if only by way of contrast, but can also include attacks meant to destroy an opponent's character, which may veer into ad hominem.

How Un-American of those nasty reporters to label her as a negative campaigner just because she says negative things about Obama. No fair using words in accordance with their meaning!

Uh, Sarah... the media is calling what you're doing as "negative campaigning" because it FITS THE DEFINITION OF NEGATIVE CAMPAIGNING!!! I can't tell if she's just dumb or deliberately, deviously obstinate.

And does anyone understand her argument that it endangers the First Amendment for people to use real words to accurately describe the things she says and does? A reader of Swampland put it best:

Sarah Palin believes it violates her First Amendment rights if you criticize her for criticizing Obama.

hat tip to Swampland

Oh No! Black People Are Voting!

2008-10-31T16:35:00.001-05:00

I've heard many people use the "terrorist association" or the "angry pastor" arguments against Obama before, and it's always obvious that right underneath those faux concerns was Obama's race. So it's refreshing to see this bluntly-written email forwarded by Florida GOP County Chair David Storck, who warns his fellow county Republicans that the Black population of his town is (gasp!) voting.

HERE IN TEMPLE TERRACE, FL OUR REPUBLICAN HQ IS ONE BLOCK AWAY FROM OUR LIBRARY, WHICH IS AN EARLY VOTING SITE.

I SEE CARLOADS OF BLACK OBAMA SUPPORTERS COMING FROM THE INNER CITY TO CAST THEIR VOTES FOR OBAMA. THIS IS THEIR CHANCE TO GET A BLACK PRESIDENT AND THEY SEEM TO CARE LITTLE THAT HE IS AT MINIMUM, SOCIALIST, AND PROBABLY MARXIST IN HIS CORE BELIEFS. AFTER ALL, HE IS BLACK--NO EXPERIENCE OR ACCOMPLISHMENTS--BUT HE IS BLACK.
I ALSO SEE YOUNG COLLEGE STUDENTS AND THEIR PROFESSORS FROM USF PARKING THEIR CARS WITH THE PROMINENT 'OBAMA' BUMPER STICKERS. THE STUDENTS ARE ENTHUSIASTIC TO BE VOTING IN A HISTORIC ELECTION WHERE THERE MAY BE THE FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT.

Funny how, when black people show up to vote (in carloads, naturally), the email's author just assumes that they're going to vote for Obama. Because they're black, ya know. But he knows that the "young college students and their professors" are Obama supporters because of the bumper stickers on their cars.

Later, he issued the standard non-apology:

I can certainly understand how the e-mail could be misunderstood. I should never
have forwarded that message and sincerely apologize for sending it and to anyone
that my action has offended.

Ah, he was misunderstood! And how nice -- he apologized. Not for the racist email itself, of course, but for sending the email. And he apologized to anyone that his actions offended. Nice apology, eh? Everything except apologizing for the vile content of the message, which he recognized as racist.

"I do agree it is racist," he said. "I don't know if the gentleman who wrote it
intended it to be, but that's not what I intended it to be."

No, he just thought that Republicans should know that black people are voting, but he didn't intend it to be racist. Glad he cleared that up.

hat tip to Daily Kos
post title edited 10/31/08

Friday Fotos: Halloween on Nutwood

2008-10-31T07:24:00.001-05:00

halloween on nutwood, originally uploaded by stonehd.

This was the scene in front of my house 2 years ago -- before I'd read the manual for my camera. I'm hoping to get some better pictures tonight.

More "Unnecessary Censorship"

2008-10-28T07:00:00.001-05:00

Quotables: Alexander Solzenitzen

2008-10-27T13:24:00.001-05:00

"If you were to put the world to rights, with whom would you begin? Yourself or others?"

-- Alexander Solzenitzen

(quote found in an article at the Huffington Post)

Presidential Dance-Off

2008-10-27T07:27:00.001-05:00

http://view.break.com/592648 - Watch more free videos

Lil' Opie Cunningham says "Vote for Obama"

2008-10-25T09:18:00.001-05:00

Andy Griffin, the Fonz, and Little Opie Cunningham all want you to vote for Barack Obama.

Jimmy Kimmel's Unnecessary Censorship

2008-10-24T23:28:00.001-05:00

Jimmy Kimmel ***** ** this "Best of Unnecessary Censorship."

Friday Fotos: Ironstock Masks

2008-10-24T07:55:00.001-05:00

ironstock masks, originally uploaded by stonehd.

A close-up of the mask-maker's booth at Ironstock a few summers ago.

Lockdown Today at WKU

2008-10-22T16:13:00.001-05:00

I stayed home sick today and craziness broke out at my campus while I was away.

Five Western Kentucky University students were taken into custody Wednesday for questioning, a few hours after the campus went under lockdown amid reports of altercations and possible shootings.

Two altercations on Wednesday that led to the lockdown were related, but no shots were fired, university Vice President Howard Bailey said at an afternoon news conference.

The lockdown was lifted, but classes were canceled for the rest of the day.

The students were not arrested but were being questioned and "were less than cooperative," Bailey said. None of them had previous problems at the university, he said.

The altercations started Saturday night outside a social event held by the support group Black Men at Western and continued Wednesday, Bailey said. No members of Black Men at Western were involved in the problems, he said.

One student suffered minor injuries Wednesday when he tried to break up one of the fights, Bailey said.

Police first received a report of an altercation involving weapons at the South Campus Building, at least a mile away from the main Bowling Green campus, said Robbin Taylor, the school's vice president for public affairs.

Shortly afterward, a second report was received of shots fired at Pearce Ford Tower, the university's largest residence hall, on the main campus, she said.

Authorities believe the reports stem from a single altercation that began at the South Campus Building and moved to the residence hall, Taylor said.

WKU police, Bowling Green police and Kentucky State Police were on the scene, Taylor said.

PFT is where I lived freshman year, and now I work pretty much across the street. So it was weird watching this all play out from a distance like the rest of you, although I could read campus emails and knew that, inside the campus, the faculty and staff knew as little as we did.

Quotables: Emma Goldman

2008-10-20T07:47:00.001-05:00

Since her name was brought up on the Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday I posted a few days ago, I thought this unsourced Emma Goldman quote was timely:

"If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal."

-- Emma Goldman (1869-1940) Lithuanian-born anarchist and early feminist

Hasselbeck: I'm not Ann Coulter!

2008-10-19T14:57:00.001-05:00

So Elizabeth Hasselbeck (the Republican party's representative voice on the View) doesn't want to be lumped together with the other dye-job blondes at Fox News.

When Behar predicted that Sarah Palin would die her hair blonde and join Fox News if John McCain loses, she enumerated a list of famous blonde Republicans: "Ann Coulter, Laura Ingraham, Elisabeth Hasselbeck."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, please don't put me in the same sentence as Ann Coulter!" the proud Republican erupted.

Honey, if it walks like a duck, recites absurd talking points like a duck, and needs to get its roots dyed like a duck...

My Other New Home: davystone.com

2008-10-18T19:32:00.001-05:00

I just wanted to alert you all that I am now a webpage! Specifically, I've got my own domain name.

davystone.com

I've got a portal there to my various websites, photo galleries, and whatnot. It's basically an updated version of my portal I maintained at insightbb.com, but it's much easier to remember. Think of it as an easy way to keep track of me without having to remember or bookmark many different URLs. (Plus, if you really want, I can give you an e-mail account so you can be your-name@davystone.com. Completely useless, I know, but cool nonetheless.)

Thursday's Saturday Night Live Weekend Update (in the middle of the week)

2008-10-18T07:33:00.001-05:00

Not sure what they're airing tonight, but Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday (an oxymoronic title that will make your brain explode if you think about it too hard) was pretty darn awesome.

Obama: Last Son of Krypton

2008-10-17T16:38:00.001-05:00

Last night, Obama put the massiah rumors to rest (and outted himself as a fanboy).

Contrary to the rumors you've heard, I was not born in a manger. I was actually born on Krypton, sent here by my father Jor-El, to save the planet Earth.

Pretty darn cool!

Palin Enjoys the Pro-American Parts of America

2008-10-17T16:34:00.001-05:00

Gov. Sarah Palin enjoys visiting certain states more than others.

Palin also made a point of mentioning that she loved to visit the "pro-America" areas of the country, of which North Carolina is one. No word on which states she views as unpatriotic.

And here are her specific words.

We believe that the best of America is in these small towns that we get to visit, and in these wonderful little pockets of what I call the real America, being here with all of you hard working very patriotic, um, very, um, pro-America areas of this great nation. This is where we find the kindness and the goodness and the courage of everyday Americans. Those who are running our factories and teaching our kids and growing our food and are fighting our wars for us. Those who are protecting us in uniform. Those who are protecting the virtues of freedom.

So, I live in a (relatively) small town in south-central Kentucky, which definitely makes me pro-American. But I'm a liberal Democrat which I'd imagine in her eyes makes me anti-American. But I am a teacher (who teaches military veterans, no less), so I guess that makes me doubly pro-American. Or does that just cancel out my anti-American gayness?

I have a very American headache.

Friday Fotos: Country Pumpkins

2008-10-17T07:50:00.001-05:00

Country Pumpkins, originally uploaded by stonehd.

Taken at Jackson's Orchard in Bowling Green, KY. Fall 2008.

Project Runway Finale: Just the Good (No Bad, No Ugly)

2008-10-16T07:58:00.001-05:00

Project Runway had its final walk-off on Bravo last night with what could arguably be described as their best finale ever. None of that "did she get pro bono shoes?" or "did he have reciepts for all his work?" Just the three most talented designers, each showing their clear points-of-view and their best work to date.

Read more after this spoiler-protecting link (don't click if you've not seen the show yet -- it's a nail-biter).

WOO-HOO!!!!! Judy Noodles wins! I've not been happier at the outcome since season one when Jay deservingly took the prize. I've been rooting for Leanne for some time, which is funny considering in the first few episodes, when there were too many designers to remember, I dubbed her as one of the mousy librarian twins. But her point-of-view was so unique, her clothes so beautiful, so amazing, so effortless, that she stood out as the best -- even among these three beautiful, deserving collections.

Yes, I did say that. Even Kenley softened herself by finally recognizing that she's not perfect. With that small attitude adjustment, her determination and abilities will carry her far. Was Kenley's collection my favorite? Honestly, no. But after seeing them walk the runway, I couldn't have argued had they given her the win. Tim Gunn suggested that she really needs a fashion history course, and I think she should take that suggestion very seriously, because had it not been for the too-close-for-comfort similarities between her dresses and some of today's very popular designers, she could have won it all with that collection. Her clothes were retro yet edgy, and pretty darn fabulous to be honest. The painted dress with the flowers was just cute as a button, as was the simple black gown with a feathered neck was georgeous and elegant (and, incidentally, very Laura Bennett-esque). Yet despite the potential copycat looks, I found myself warming to her asthetic as each look made it down the runway. Or, as Tim Gunn would say, I responded well to it.

Korto's collection was also beautiful, although it's interesting that she, when left on her own without mentor Tim Gunn, has a much harder time editing herself than her competitors did (the downfall of Mychael Knight two seasons ago). Her biggest selling points were her georgeous color choices and silhouettes that, whether tight or volumous, looked amazing. At first we thought her mad for the last-minute ditching of so many of her looks, but that smart decision based on the judges comments on her wedding dress probably moved her from 3rd place to 2nd place. Nina's point about her knowing how to dress women of all shapes was very keen (I just LOVE la Nina, by the way). I will say this though: I wasn't as keen on her "signature" look worn by her "muse" model as the judges were. To me, the assymetrical top made her look more like an Amazon warrior who'd cut off one of her breasts to better shoot her bow. Or as if she'd had a mastestomy.

But it was Leanne's night, and I couldn't have been happier. Her collection was complicated yet effortless, completely evoking her inspiration not only through color but also through movement. And again, as la Nina said, she showed more than just a collection of dresses. She had pants, shorts, jackets, dresses, separates, an entire wardrobe, all in her signature style, giving the impression that she can dress stylish women regardless of where they're going or what they're doing. Much like Jeffrey in season 3, that variety probably helped tip the scales in her favor.

She's has such an interesting outlook on clothes, a geometric approach which I really appreciate as a math teacher. And despite all that was going on in many of her clothes, they still had a movement to them that made the feel light and airy. I'm probably biased because Leanne was the designer most like me, or more specifically, most like me when I was in college, but I just find her to be a fascinating designer, a true Leanimal (one who needs to get those dead ends cut, by the way).

The earlier episodes of this season may have seemed lackluster, and at times it seemed that this season's designers were less talented than previous groups, but the finale three would have been strong competitors in any of the previous finales. In fact, I'd love to see some all-star action on the Runway. Let's pit Korto volume and color against Chloe's shiny, puffy prom-like collection. Kenley and Christian would either be bestest buddies or drive each other crazy, and there would be puffy sleeves galore. And Jay and Leanne could compete for the wackiest clothes which still seem beautiful.

All in all, this was a fine finale for Bravo's version of the show. Now the courts just have to decide where this show will end up so that next year we can get on with Project Runway Season 6 (currently taping in LA).

Claire-Bear says "Vote for McCain"

2008-10-15T14:47:00.001-05:00

Funny or Die has produced some great political web content this year (see the Paris Hilton videos I've posted before). Here, Hayden Panettiere (Claire from "Heroes") tells us why we should vote for McCain.

A vote for McCain is a vote against change. He'll keep tax breaks for the rich, start another war, and we'll all probably die. He's just like George Bush, only older and with a worse temper. . . . Don't switch horses mid-stream. Get an older horse that would take 12 years to cross that stream, 'cause he's old.

Awesome! Check it out for yourself (caution: those offended by dirty words may want to skip the end).

See more Hayden Panettiere videos at Funny or Die

Who is the man...

2008-10-14T07:21:00.001-05:00

Name the song being performed by the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain before they get to the lyrics (and no fair if you just read the opening credits).

hat tip to Gratz Industries

Why McCain Doesn't Get the Health Care Crisis

2008-10-12T09:05:00.001-05:00

"The Prez Who Cried Wolf" Confirmed to be Spying on Americans

2008-10-11T09:48:00.001-05:00

ABC reported last night that the US government spied on the private phone calls of not only foreigners and terrorists, but also Americans.

But as Hunter (at the Daily Kos) reminds us:

Here's the thing. The story says "despite pledges by President George W. Bush and American intelligence officials to the contrary": that's a wasted sentence. It's a waste of damn ink and/or electrons. George W. Bush lies about everything, all the time, and without compunction. Big things, little things, provable things and unprovable things. He has spent his entire administration lying about everything from war to the economy to his own advisors' activities to surveillance to the plain meaning of laws to everything else, and he's staffed his government and his Justice Department with unapologetic liars as well. Anyone who hasn't realized this at this point is beyond the help of reason or medical science.

Quotables: Arthur C Clarke

2008-10-10T07:56:00.001-05:00

The greatest tragedy in mankind's entire history may be the hijacking of morality by religion.

from "Credo" (1991)

I would defend the liberty of consenting adult creationists to practice whatever intellectual perversions they like in the privacy of their own homes; but it is also necessary to protect the young and innocent.

from 1984: Spring (1984)

Friday Fotos: Ashland Road Barn

2008-10-10T07:44:00.001-05:00

Ashland Road Barn, originally uploaded by stonehd.

Yeah! Finally, on a Friday!

Taken about a mile from the place I grew up, on the road to my childhood church (a building which has since become my sister's house).

Just WHICH Candidate Has Treasonous Ties?

2008-10-10T07:09:00.001-05:00

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wonders why the media seems eager to follow Palin's lead on the already debunked story about Obama palling around with terrorists, when in fact Palin's husband has his very own contrversial ties -- and which she's supported officially as Alaska's governor.

Vice Presidential hopeful Sarah Palin has taken to faulting Senator Barack Obama for his casual acquaintance with a respected Illinois educator Bill Ayers, who forty years ago was a member of the Weathermen, a movement active when Obama was eight and which he has denounced as "detestable." Palin argues that the relationship proves that Obama sees "America as being so imperfect that he is palling around with terrorists who would target their own country."

...

But if McCarthy-era guilt-by-association is once again a valid political consideration, Palin, it would seem, has more to lose than Obama. Palin, it could be argued, following her own logic, thinks so little of America's perfection that she continues to "pal around" with a man--her husband, actually--who only recently terminated his seven-year membership in the Alaskan Independence Party. Putting plunder above patriotism, the members of this treasonous cabal aim to break our country into pieces and walk away with Alaska's rich federal oil fields and one-fifth of America's land base--an area three-fourths the size of the Civil War Confederacy.

...

AIP's creation was inspired by the rabidly violent anti-Americanism of its founding father Joe Vogler, "I'm an Alaskan, not an American," reads a favorite Vogler quote on AIP's current website, "I've got no use for America or her damned institutions." According to Vogler AIP's central purpose was to drive Alaska's secession from the United States. Alaska, says current Chairwoman Lynette Clark, "should be an independent nation."

...

Palin's husband Todd remained an AIP party member from 1995 to 2002. Sarah can be described in McCarthy-era palaver as a "fellow traveler." While retaining her Republican registration, she attended the AIP's 1994 convention where the party called for a draft constitution to secede from the United States and create an independent nation of Alaska. The McCain Campaign has reluctantly acknowledged that she also attended AIP's 2000 Convention. She apparently found the experience so inspiring that she agreed to give a keynote address at the AIP's 2006 convention and she recorded a video greeting for this year's 2008 convention. In other words, this is not something that happened when she was eight!

So when Palin accuses Barack of "not seeing the same America as you and me," maybe she is referring to an America without Alaska. In any case, isn't it time the media start giving equal time to Palin's buddy list of anti-American bombers and other radical associates. (emphasis mine)

Good question, and yes, it's about time. If Palin and her "pals" had their way, all that oil in Alaska that's supposedly gonna solve our energy problem will in fact become the property of another nation.

(The Daily Kos has more links to info about the Palins and the AIP, including this post which includes video of Gov. Palin's remarks, as well as details and videos from the rest of the convention. YouDecide2008 has a piece detailing the same convention's discussions about getting their membership to infiltrate the major parties to further their own secessionist goal.)

Advice for Being Fake President

2008-10-09T07:17:00.001-05:00

"Take on Me" -- Literally!

2008-10-08T07:13:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite 80s tunes, with the lyrics changed so they literally describe what's happening in the video. Literally.

Friday Fotos: Sing!

2008-10-05T01:13:00.001-05:00

sing!, originally uploaded by stonehd.

Again a day late. I'm not getting the hang of this weekly thing.

Anyway, this photo was taken at last week's International Festival here in Bowling Green. I didn't catch the group's name; we just caught them singing in front of a booth on one of the way-too-crowded paths.

Friday Fotos: Night Rider

2008-09-27T23:20:00.001-05:00

Didn't quite make it on Friday because I knew I'd be photographing a few events today. Here's the first picture to come from the Hopksinsville 2008 Night Riders Tour.

night rider, originally uploaded by stonehd.

I'll have more from this and the Bowling Green International festival as I work my way through the hundreds of photos I took this weekend.

John McCain's Bad Week

2008-09-20T11:49:00.001-05:00

Friday Fotos: Coneflower at Night

2008-09-19T12:20:00.001-05:00

coneflower at night, originally uploaded by stonehd.

Taken last summer in my backyard garden.

Quotables: Lily Tomlin

2008-09-19T07:43:00.001-05:00

"No matter how cynical you become, it's never enough to keep up."

Lily Tomlin, from The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe

SNL Palin/Clinton Opening Sketch

2008-09-19T07:30:00.001-05:00

From last weekend's Saturday Night Live:

Don't you just heart Tina Fey? And Amy Poehler's none too shabby, either.

Also, check out this stunning photo of Poehler (who's leaving SNL after the elections) from Men's Vogue.

Welcome to the New Me, Same as the Old Me

2008-09-17T07:00:00.001-05:00

Greetings. Again.

I started blogging once I discovered I had collected a list of too many people to whom I was constantly forwarding news and opinion pieces from around the internets. And since I didn't want to inundate my friends with countless, unwanted e-mails, I decided to set up a blog so they could read what they wanted on their own terms.

Along the way I learned blogging can be quite fun, kind of like writing your own column. I've made new friends, reconnected with old ones, and kept my computer tech / web skills from getting TOO terribly rusty. But despite the fun, it just got old after 3 years here. Indeed, every so often, you need a change.

Hopefully, this new iteration of my previous blog is that much needed change. Because of the numerous new features at Blogger since I started, I decided on a fresh start instead of updating the old one again, taking the opportunity to turn this blog into something similar to my old one, but with all-new added features and goodness (plus, it's low carb and sugar free!).

So expect a much more personal prescence here. In my previous blog, I tried to keep it neutral from my personal life, but that didn't work out for long. So the biggest change here is no more anonymity. Along with my regular political and pop culture opinions, expect to see more personal writings, photographs, and perhaps even recipes. So thanks for following me to my new home. I hope it'll be better than ever.