Reality Ravings

American Idol is definately sizzling this year. I don't know if it is the performers or how they are editing the show. I suspect the latter. The producers of Australia's So You Think You Can Dance should take note after the not so well edited episodes of the Top 100 and there was definately the talent there.

There were limited heart string stories and ones we heard were actually relevant, it was just singing and the judges comments.

For years on Idol we have been put through rendition after rendition of Whitney, Celine, and Mariah songs, however another name needs to be added to the list - Bryan Adams. I cannot count the number of times tonight I heard a Bryan Adams song but it was at least 30 times to many.

164 performers started the week, and by the final day they wanted it down to fifty. The format was different this year, no group songs just people singing by themselves. On the first two days singers sang solo with their instruments if they chose. If they received a majority of yes's from the judges they were through to the final day.

However if you got a no all was not lost you had the next two days to redeem yourself.

Brooke White the nanny who had never seen an R rated film was first on stage and chose to play the keyboard. She sang "Beautiful". Simon said "She had a Carly Simon, Carol King going for her" and she got through to the final day in Hollywood.

It was great to see people with instruments for the first time in the series, however some people maybe should have left them at home. Jalen Mellema played drums which always gives me Phil Collins flashbacks so not a positive thing. Simon Cowell summed it up "That was ridiculous".

David Hernandez fared better when he sang a great rendition of "Love the One Your With" "I loved it from note one" he cruised through to final day.

Amanda Overmyer the gothic looking rock and roll nurse from Atlanta sang The Doors "Light My Fire". A week before she had totalled her car and needed staples in her head, and cracked ribs but this did not stop her kicking arse with the song. Randy Jackson said "I think an artist like you could be big". She got to rest for the next two days.

Ghaleb Emachach the guy from Venezueala who is apparently a charmer. Personally I just thought he was sleazy was appalling, he sang mainly out of tune. Simon said "Clear out performance"

Josiah Leming the kid that slept in his car rocked his audition. He played the keyboards whilst singing a song I had never heard of. Was it an original? The judges were gushing.
Randy"Your cool man"
Paula " Have a magical thing about you"
Simon "This is the one I will remember"

David Cooke who is in a rock band at home sang a Bryan Adams song was put through by getting two votes out of three. Randy like his range and tone, whilst Simon "was not crazy about it.

Kyle Ensley the weeky political nerd from the south did not do a great audtion. Simon thought it was "abysmal", whilst Randy just found it corny. Simon walked out whilst they were judging, not to do with Kyle but he was fed up with Paula not being able to make a decision, can't she take pill for that?

Simon later apologised for it "As it was your moment"

48 people made it through to the final day after the first two days.

Day 3 the people who had received nos were back to sing acapella it was do or die. Suzanne Toon the single mum from Miami and Perrie Cataldo the single dad whose former partner was dead due to some illegal/unwise behaviour were both culled.

Amy Flynn the girl who preached abstinence was culled. But this girl irritated me. All this crap about not having sex, but she pouting and trying to use sex appeal to get through. I don't get it it is not ok to have sex, but to use sex appeal to get what you want is ok. This girl is a prick tease. This won't be the last we see of her as she is very ambitious she even brought her own voice coach with her to Hollywood.

Kirsty Lee Cook surprisingly had not gotten through to the final day and now had to sing acapella. She played it safe by singing Amazing Grace, the exact same song that she sang in the audition. I thought this showed she may be a one trick pony . Can't she sing anything else?

Jeffrey Lampkin the big black gay guy got culled on the final day, but hopfully he will get picked up by some other show as he was hilarious.

Angela Martin the girl with the disabled daughter was struggling, partly due to the fact her father was recently killed. Unfortunately she was eliminated.

The format for the final day was singing with a band and back up singers. There were 200 songs to pick from. If you got no's it was time to go. If you got yes's you were in contention for the top 24.

Sixteen year old David Archuleta wowed the judges with "Heaven" by Bryan Adams. He is very good. Simon even looked excited. Randy said "Best we've heard in days". Three yes's.

Kyle Ensley just snuck through with a nice rendition of "Raise me Up" I would be surprised if he gets through to the final 24, unless Idol want to put in a politico because the US elections are being held this year.

Syesha Mercardo was having a shocker of week as she had lost her voice and had been getting through on previous performances. However even with a hoarse voice she rocked it with the song "Chain of Fools". The judges looked impressed.

Michael Johns the hunk from Australia had both the audience and judges in raptures when he sang "Bohemian Rhapsody". Simon said "Best audition of the day", and "Dawg I've been a fan since day 1." So he was through.

Carly Smithson the irish girl who was able to come to Hollywood a couple of seasons ago because of visa issues, looked very comfortabl on stage but I thought she was a bit shrieky. I put this down to her recently found out dog allergy. However judges loved her.

Asia'H Eppernson whose dad was killed 2 days before her audtion in Atlanta managed to impress the judges and even got an "I loved it" out of Simon.

Brooke Helvie the irritating Miss South Florida or was it Miss South Beach, Miami? finally got culled after a horrid rendition of an Everly Brothers song. The surprising thing was Simon gave her a yes, and left Paula in the position of killing her off, much to Paula's chargrin and was squirming in her seat as she said no.

Josiah Leming had not coped in rehearsals and had not run through the whole song with the band. He boldy dismissed the band and then did a poor rendition of "Stand By Me" As Simon said "If you are going to dismiss the band, make sure you are going to deliver a great performance". However luck was with him and they kept him in.

Tomorrow we find out the top 24, unless of course you have looked at sites that already have the list, it will be interesting to see who has made it.