Reality Ravings

Tonight American Idol was a mixed bag with a few girls standing out with others just really bland. As Randy Jackson said the young 'uns are the ones stepping up to the plate. Simon also seem mildly flirtatious with a few of them , which I found vaguely disturbing.

Again it was '60's songs, which I find a bit of a weird genre to kick off with, but at least they get it over with, even Simon Cowell hadn't heard of some of the songs.

Nigel Lythgoe producer, revealed in an interview with Reality TV World that the contestants only had 50 songs to pick from to make clearance of the titles easier for the producers.

Kristy Lee Cook the 24 year old from Oregon was first up sing "Rescue Me". I am just not buying this girl. We had to sit through the whole "I sold my horse to get to the Philidelphia auditions" story again.

The country yokel act is annoying considering everyone knows she has previously had a record contract. Also her boobs look fake so did she have to sell a horse to pay for them?

Her performance I just found bland, yes she is pretty, but she was doing some weird eye thing into the camera which was not a good look, and she could have done more with the song.

Randy said "Pitch problems all the way through" and " Not best performance".
Simon said "Got not alot out of it." and "Song did not suit".

Kristy had been one of the girls hit by the flu but Simon was as ever unsympathetic, saying he had done the show sick, as Paula tried to defend her, Simon responded and "you have done the show sick as well". I wasn't sure if Simon was alluding to the infected fingernail incident a few seasons back or the ?hungover Paula at the Omaha auditions this year.

Joanne Borgello the 25 year old plus size model sang "I say a Little Prayer for You".
She appeared very nervous, and it effect her voice which was extremely shaky.
Also she was trying to many vocal gymnastics and it all came out a bit screechy. Not with standing that I wouldn't mind hearing her sing again.

Randy said "I liked it, I did not love it"
Simon said " I did not like it at all - you have got to come out and nail it" and "Cabaret version"

Alaina Whitaker the 16 year old student whose birthday is today I liked. She appears to have a bit of spark and personality.

There was a lovely sultry start, and then she built it. I did not like the song much but I liked her she looked funky and fun.

Randy said "It is the year of the young 'uns."
Simons said " I think you are very good did not like the song" and then he gave her the jinx of "You are safe and through to the next round." Which means people don't vote for you and you get booted.

Next was rock and roll nurse Amanda Overmyer, she is apparently only 23 but she looks so much older. I loved her jeans with the patchwork on them they were extremely groovy.

She sang "Please Don't Go" (I apologise if I have names of songs wrong as they were not introducing them, and I am not a '60's song buff).

Her voice is different and I would like to see her stick around for a few weeks, but I fear she will become one dimensional. I thought the rock and roll scatting in the middle of the song was exceedingly dodgy.

Randy "Loved it"
Simon said "I think you are authentic" and " a little all over the place".

Twenty five year old Amy Davis was up next with a very dull song I have never heard of ?"Where the Boys" I think it was a Patsy Cline song.

I have barely seen her before this show, so clearly she has no tragic story or anything interesting to tell.

She was dull. And as Randy would say Pitchy. She will be very lucky to survive any further then this.
Randy said "Not great for me"
Paula said "The camera loves you"
Simons said "Looked great, didn't sound great" and "Boring, cabaret".

Brooke White the 24 year old happy clean living girl who is a bit folksy looked like she was channelling Kim Carne tonight with the mane of blond curls.

I don't buy this I am so straight and "I am not coming to the dark side Simon" act, and I bet some ex boyfriend has some nude photos of her that will soon be circulating around the internet!

She sang "Happy Together" which I did not show her originality. It would have been great if she had sang some sort of 60's folk song.

She also looks much more comfortable with her instrument. Some of her dance moves were a bit gawky. However I hope she sticks around for awhile.

Simon said " Struggling for relevance" and "Thought sung quite well".

Alexandrea Lushington who is 17 sang "Spinning Wheel". Top song, top performance that looked great, however there were some weaknesses in her voice. Nerves perhaps.

Randy loved it, however Simon "Did not get it and thought the vocals were a bit weak".

Kady Malloy the 18 year old who does those great Britany Spears inpersonations was a bit bland when she sang "Groovy Kind of Love". She appears to have a voice but I would have liked her to have picked a fun song.

I hope she sticks around.
Randy said "Too restrained"
Paula said "I want to see the fun Kody" I agree Paula.
Simon said " It was like the Night of the Living Dead".

Maybe one night she should do a Britany or Celine parody, she would get heaps of votes.

Asia'h Esperanto the 18 year old just kicked ass. She sang the Joplin song "Piece of My Heart" She looked hot, moved well, and sang well. Oh and the extra point for being the one person who trully had a heart breaking story (her father died two days before the audition) and she never milked it.

I was disappointed when Randy didn't say "You are the bomb".

Randy was "impressed"
Simon said " Favourite of the night"

The tiny phillipine girl Ramiele Malubuy sang "Believe Me". She has a great strong voice, but I was bored half way through.

I was in the minority here as:
Randy " That was hot"
Paula said " A force to be reckoned with"
Simon said "Out sung everyone".

Reality TV regular Syesha Mercado the 21 year old from Florida sang "Tobacco Rd". She is a pro when working the camera as when she was talking to Ryan prior to her performance she kept on looking into it.

She looked great, and sounded great and gave the big ending which voters love. She will stick around for awhile. I did not see her dad the rehabilitated drug and alcohol addict. Maybe they thought sinful California might be too much for him, or maybe a reformed addict hanging around is not a good look to the voters. Is he expendable now the tragic story has been told?

Randy said "Really liked it - not favourite performance" I was surprised I thought he would have been gushing.
Simon said "Most talented girl in the competition"

Carly Smithson the irish girl got the lucky last position - my theory is singing last you get more votes as people remember you. This did nothing to disprove that Idol producers want her to get through.

In her pre performance talking to camera, the controversial record contract was mentioned for the first time.

She also wins the prize for worst dressed perfomer of the even, in a big red top over tights. It just looked bland. I think she needs a make over.

Carly has an amazingly strong voice, but I found the performance boring. It will be interesting to see if the record contract controversy stops her from getting votes.

Randy said "Best vocal of the top 24"
Simon said "Song way old fashioned, it was a let down".

In the US the who gets eliminated is screened tomorrow night (their thursday night), whereas Australians have to wait until Sunday. So much for the almost live by satelite, but Fox 8 must not want to waste that show on the low rating Friday night.

I also find it interesting that the voting lines are only open for 2 hours. If anyone knows the rationale for that can they let me know.