April 3: Setting the Standards
American Idol 6, April 3: Setting the Standards by Betsy Wasser -- 04/04/2007 It’s time for the Idols to sing the standards, and Tony Bennett serves as the mentor. That’s all well and good for performers like Melinda, LaKisha, and Jordan, but what on earth are rocker Gina and funky beatboxer Blake going to do? Ryan Seacrest promises us an exceptional show. The bands and the final nine are all ready to go, as are the judges. Paula is wearing a kicky, 1950’s style scarf around her neck. I like how Paula plays dress-up every week. Remember last week when she copied Gwen Stefani’s bustier-shirt-tie look? She’s a chameleon, our Paula. Tonight’s mentor Tony Bennett has a career spanning more than 60 years and has released more than a hundred records. He’s racked up an impressive15 Grammy awards and is “still at the top of his game.” He is “respected and adored” by the music industry, and his current album, Duets, is his biggest hit yet. Tony says that all of the Idols are “very competent,” and that he likes all of them. He says that the songs they’ll sing are the best that have ever been written in America and will never go out of style. Blake Lewis is up first with “Mack the Knife.” Tony says that Blake needs to “come around to the meaning of the song.” He tells Blake that it’s “pre-rap” and that he needs to bring down the tempo and give each line more impact. Tony doesn’t seem too wowed by Blake. But when Blake hits the stage, dressed in a powder blue jacket and some subtle plaid pants, it all comes together. The song is a cool choice for Blake. He can still keep in the genre, but he can also be himself. He throws in some scatting at the end, and the whole thing is a lot better than I thought it would be. I really like Blake, but I didn’t know how he’d deal with this genre. He definitely did the best he could. Randy: There were a few pitch problems, but Blake started the show off well. Paula: He showed pizzazz and was cool. Simon: Good choice of song, performed well. He gives Blake 7/10 and the band 8/10. Blake says the lyrics were tough and that it was fun to go first. He lets out a deep breath, happy that his performance is done. I’m sure the next genre he’ll dread will be country. Phil Stacy is excited about meeting his hero, Tony Bennett. He’ll sing “Night and Day,” and Tony advises him to sing it with “a little beat behind it.” Tony says that Phil is a “real good singer.” Phil looks good in a simple suit, and I’m grateful that he’s not wearing a stupid hat. The pace of the song, though, is really pretty slow. It’s almost a lullaby. His voice doesn’t sound bad, but there’s just nothing to get excited about. This might be Phil’s week to go home. Randy: “Interesting choice,” but he didn’t feel any connection or passion from Phil. I really agree, and maybe that’s why I found it boring. Paula: Phil reminds her of a young Frank Sinatra. Simon is incredulous. But Paula thinks he needs to show “more joy,” and to show personality not just in the chorus. It’s the same feedback she gave him last week, and let me tell you, if Paula is giving you “constructive criticism” like that instead of just telling you that you’re a star and that she likes your outfit, you should really listen to her. Simon: “Which Frank Sinatra are you referring to,” Simon asks Paula. Phil, Simon says, has all the joy of “someone singing in a funeral parlor.” It was dark and gloomy. Randy agrees. Phil says he appreciates Randy’s feedback and he’ll try to take it to heart. Then Ryan pulls him aside to where “Randy can’t hear” and tries to get Phil’s honest response. It’s a cute little moment from Seacrest, but of course Phil knows all too well that we’re all watching him at all times. In fact, he takes advantage of this moment to pluck at some heartstrings by saying that he was trying to focus on his wife while he sang. Melinda is up next with “I’ve Got Rhythm.” Tony tells her that she’s the best singer all day. Melinda says it’s amazing to have someone believe in you, especially when it’s someone like him. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m sick and tired of Melinda’s humility. Melinda starts the song out slow, cranks up the tempo significantly at the chorus. It’s a really fun performance, and she looks just adorable. Her hair is shorter this week, and it’s an improvement. It’s also nice to see her wearing something other than a pantsuit. It is way past time for Melinda to start looking like a star, not like the nice lady at your church who sings in the choir. If they could just start styling her better so that she appears to have a neck, she’d be close to perfect. Oh, and her singing? Amazing, as always. Randy: Randy can’t speak for a few minutes, because the crowd is going crazy. He says that she gives everyone a lesson in singing every week. “This is how you do it right here!” Paula: Melinda will have #1 CD’s. Simon: He didn’t like the first half, calling it “a bit cabaret,” but he loved the last part. She showed a lot more fun at the end. Simon jokes that it might be a problem that they can never find anything bad to say about her. Ryan doesn’t think not being critical is a problem. Simon laughs, saying that they enjoy being mean to people. Hey, he could always make fun of her lack of neck. I’m just saying… Chris Richardson is subject to the dumb viewer question of the week. How do you choose a song? Chris says that you need to choose something you’re comfortable with, then consider the audiences, then the judges. Ryan asks if he imagines himself gazing into Paula’s eyes as he sings. Chris isn’t quite sure how to answer that question, so he shrugs and says sure. Ryan jokes that’s how he practices hosting the show. Chris is going to sing “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore.” He’s worried because he doesn’t know the lyrics yet, a fact that would be especially embarrassing in front of Tony Bennett. Tony says that once he learns the song, he’ll have fun with it. Chris starts off in silhouette, showing off the fedora that he pulls off much better than Phil ever does. It’s a really fun performance, and I think Chris made absolutely the right song choice. Performing an up-tempo song like he did worked much better for him than if he’d stood behind a microphone and just belted. Randy: Chris came out “with a vengeance” and gave one of his best performances of the season. It was cool, young, and hip. Paula: He didn’t compromise himself, and made it cool. Paula says he did seem to be looking at her, and Randy jokes he thought Chris was looking at him. Simon: Good and believable. He made the song hip and gave one of the strongest performances of the night. Ryan jokes that Simon is very uncomfortable being nice. Not to worry, Ryan – Sanjaya’s still coming up. Jordin is excited to sing “On a Clear Day,” because it’s a fun song. Tony admires that she sings in tune, which he says is sadly rare. She changed a few notes, but it “was called for.” Well, it is a cute song, and that’s perfect, because Jordin is, as always, adorable as a basket of puppies. It’s a thoroughly enjoyable performance, and the camera loves her. Randy: He loves that “we’ve got some heat up here!” It was controlled, and she’s a pro at 17. Paula: We get some major microphone feedback that makes everyone cringe. Paula says that Jordin is “a magnet of joy.” She says she’s so proud of Jordin she doesn’t know what to say. Simon: She sang well, but didn’t sound young and current like Chris did. It was old fashioned and traditional. Gina is going to sing “Smile,” which I’d be scared to do after Ruben performed it so well way back when. Tony tells her she sang it beautifully, and Gina is thrilled. Gina’s makeup is different this week, softer and really pretty. That’s appropriate, because the way she sings the song is also soft and pretty. It’s very good, but it’s not in any way her usual sound. I don’t really know how she could have handled it otherwise, but it made me miss the usual Gina. Randy: It was very nice and controlled. “I actually kind of liked that.” Weak praise there, Mr. Jackson. Paula: It was flawless, understated, beautiful, and sentimental. Simon: He can’t rave about the vocals, because Melinda and Jordin outsang her. Paula disagrees. Gina says that there are all different kinds of vocals in the competition. Could Gina’s crush on Simon be fading? Ryan promises us that “Two legends collide” when Tony Bennett meets Sanjaya Malakar. I said it last week, and I’ll say it again: you know you’re in trouble when Ryan Seacrest is making snarky comments about you! Tony says that Sanjaya is “interesting.” That’s one way to put it. Sanjaya’s song this week is “Cheek to Cheek.” Sanjaya promises to show America “that I actually can sing.” Tony likes that he dares to be different. Sanjaya has the hair slicked back this week and is wearing John Travolta’s suit from Saturday Night Fever. He sounds incredibly weak compared to the others and shows no style or verve, not even when he grabs Paula and dances with her. If you can’t sing well, you should at least have some style, and Sanjaya really doesn’t. Playing with your hair and clothes every week does not equal style or attitude. It comes from within, and Sanjaya has none of it. But it doesn’t matter, because as I’ve been predicting for quite some time now, Sanjaya is good for eighth place at least. He’s not going home this week – it’ll be Phil, Haley, or Gina. Maybe next week his run will end, but not this week. I hope I’m wrong, but I doubt it. Randy: He can’t comment on the vocals anymore, but he likes Sanjaya as an entertainer. Paula: “I get why people love you.” He’s charming. The vocals were off, but she loves his suit. Simon: “Let’s try a different tactic this week – Incredible!” Ryan jokes that Sanjaya is staying under the radar. Sanjaya yells that he’s lucky number seven. Haley gets the other lame viewer question this week. Is it more nerve-wracking to sing in front of the crowd or to face the judges. Haley says it’s “insane” waiting to hear what Simon has to say. You never know what kind of mood he’ll be in. But hearing something good from him means the world. Simon does not look especially moved by this comment. Haley picked “Aint Misbehavin’” as her song and sings to Tony, “I’m savin’ all my love for you. And you and you!” Tony says that she shouldn’t repeat the yous, or she destroys the meaning of the song. Haley has definitely embraced her role as the sexy one, in a tiny green dress with a low-cut top. She totally flirts with the camera and works the crowd really well. My step-dad, caving in to peer pressure and watching the show for the first time, says, “Her bod’s not flat, but the notes are.” That pretty much says it all. As a performer, she did well, but as a singer, she wasn’t impressive. Randy: Randy thought it’d be a good week for her, because the theme suits her, but… Randy trails off and asks Paula for her feedback. Paula: All Paula can say is that green is a good color for her. She throws it to Simon next. Simon: Simon doesn’t appreciate the others not commenting on the performance. He thinks she has great legs. It was a good style of music for her, but the performance was pageanty. Paula, prompted to action by Simon’s negativity, now has an opinion, which is that she “did her thang.” LaKisha is gong to sing “Stormy Weather,” and Tony tells her to hold the big note at the end and sing it was written. Tony is definitely not open to anyone messing with these songs, that’s for sure. What can I say about LaKisha’s performance? It was just totally hot. She sounded great, her dress was gorgeous on her. And LaKisha showed attitude in a way that Sanjaya just never could. I can see why they saved her for last. Randy: Perfect song for her. There were pitchy problems in the beginning, but she made up for it. Paula: She looks and sounds beautiful. Simon: “Back on form, LaKisha.” It was sassy and great. Here’s how I’d rank the performances. LaKisha Melinda Blake Chris Jordin Gina Phil Haley Sanjaya Who will go home? That’s a tough one. Okay, here’s who’s not going home: Melinda, Jordin, Blake, LaKisha. Sanjaya, for all the reasons I mentioned before. Probably not Chris – he had a scare a few weeks ago, but he did well tonight. That leaves Gina, Phil, and Haley, who I predict will be the bottom three. Of those, I think Phil’s number is up. He’s had too many lackluster performances, and it’s going to catch up with him. Jenn Brasler will recap the results show, so we’ll see what happens.
American Idol 6, April 3: Setting the Standards by Betsy Wasser -- 04/04/2007 It’s time for the Idols to sing the standards, and Tony Bennett serves as the mentor. That’s all well and good for performers like Melinda, LaKisha, and Jordan, but what on earth are rocker Gina and funky beatboxer Blake going to do? Ryan Seacrest promises us an exceptional show. The bands and the final nine are all ready to go, as are the judges. Paula is wearing a kicky, 1950’s style scarf around her neck. I like how Paula plays dress-up every week. Remember last week when she copied Gwen Stefani’s bustier-shirt-tie look? She’s a chameleon, our Paula. Tonight’s mentor Tony Bennett has a career spanning more than 60 years and has released more than a hundred records. He’s racked up an impressive15 Grammy awards and is “still at the top of his game.” He is “respected and adored” by the music industry, and his current album, Duets, is his biggest hit yet. Tony says that all of the Idols are “very competent,” and that he likes all of them. He says that the songs they’ll sing are the best that have ever been written in America and will never go out of style. Blake Lewis is up first with “Mack the Knife.” Tony says that Blake needs to “come around to the meaning of the song.” He tells Blake that it’s “pre-rap” and that he needs to bring down the tempo and give each line more impact. Tony doesn’t seem too wowed by Blake. But when Blake hits the stage, dressed in a powder blue jacket and some subtle plaid pants, it all comes together. The song is a cool choice for Blake. He can still keep in the genre, but he can also be himself. He throws in some scatting at the end, and the whole thing is a lot better than I thought it would be. I really like Blake, but I didn’t know how he’d deal with this genre. He definitely did the best he could. Randy: There were a few pitch problems, but Blake started the show off well. Paula: He showed pizzazz and was cool. Simon: Good choice of song, performed well. He gives Blake 7/10 and the band 8/10. Blake says the lyrics were tough and that it was fun to go first. He lets out a deep breath, happy that his performance is done. I’m sure the next genre he’ll dread will be country. Phil Stacy is excited about meeting his hero, Tony Bennett. He’ll sing “Night and Day,” and Tony advises him to sing it with “a little beat behind it.” Tony says that Phil is a “real good singer.” Phil looks good in a simple suit, and I’m grateful that he’s not wearing a stupid hat. The pace of the song, though, is really pretty slow. It’s almost a lullaby. His voice doesn’t sound bad, but there’s just nothing to get excited about. This might be Phil’s week to go home. Randy: “Interesting choice,” but he didn’t feel any connection or passion from Phil. I really agree, and maybe that’s why I found it boring. Paula: Phil reminds her of a young Frank Sinatra. Simon is incredulous. But Paula thinks he needs to show “more joy,” and to show personality not just in the chorus. It’s the same feedback she gave him last week, and let me tell you, if Paula is giving you “constructive criticism” like that instead of just telling you that you’re a star and that she likes your outfit, you should really listen to her. Simon: “Which Frank Sinatra are you referring to,” Simon asks Paula. Phil, Simon says, has all the joy of “someone singing in a funeral parlor.” It was dark and gloomy. Randy agrees. Phil says he appreciates Randy’s feedback and he’ll try to take it to heart. Then Ryan pulls him aside to where “Randy can’t hear” and tries to get Phil’s honest response. It’s a cute little moment from Seacrest, but of course Phil knows all too well that we’re all watching him at all times. In fact, he takes advantage of this moment to pluck at some heartstrings by saying that he was trying to focus on his wife while he sang. Melinda is up next with “I’ve Got Rhythm.” Tony tells her that she’s the best singer all day. Melinda says it’s amazing to have someone believe in you, especially when it’s someone like him. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m sick and tired of Melinda’s humility. Melinda starts the song out slow, cranks up the tempo significantly at the chorus. It’s a really fun performance, and she looks just adorable. Her hair is shorter this week, and it’s an improvement. It’s also nice to see her wearing something other than a pantsuit. It is way past time for Melinda to start looking like a star, not like the nice lady at your church who sings in the choir. If they could just start styling her better so that she appears to have a neck, she’d be close to perfect. Oh, and her singing? Amazing, as always. Randy: Randy can’t speak for a few minutes, because the crowd is going crazy. He says that she gives everyone a lesson in singing every week. “This is how you do it right here!” Paula: Melinda will have #1 CD’s. Simon: He didn’t like the first half, calling it “a bit cabaret,” but he loved the last part. She showed a lot more fun at the end. Simon jokes that it might be a problem that they can never find anything bad to say about her. Ryan doesn’t think not being critical is a problem. Simon laughs, saying that they enjoy being mean to people. Hey, he could always make fun of her lack of neck. I’m just saying… Chris Richardson is subject to the dumb viewer question of the week. How do you choose a song? Chris says that you need to choose something you’re comfortable with, then consider the audiences, then the judges. Ryan asks if he imagines himself gazing into Paula’s eyes as he sings. Chris isn’t quite sure how to answer that question, so he shrugs and says sure. Ryan jokes that’s how he practices hosting the show. Chris is going to sing “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore.” He’s worried because he doesn’t know the lyrics yet, a fact that would be especially embarrassing in front of Tony Bennett. Tony says that once he learns the song, he’ll have fun with it. Chris starts off in silhouette, showing off the fedora that he pulls off much better than Phil ever does. It’s a really fun performance, and I think Chris made absolutely the right song choice. Performing an up-tempo song like he did worked much better for him than if he’d stood behind a microphone and just belted. Randy: Chris came out “with a vengeance” and gave one of his best performances of the season. It was cool, young, and hip. Paula: He didn’t compromise himself, and made it cool. Paula says he did seem to be looking at her, and Randy jokes he thought Chris was looking at him. Simon: Good and believable. He made the song hip and gave one of the strongest performances of the night. Ryan jokes that Simon is very uncomfortable being nice. Not to worry, Ryan – Sanjaya’s still coming up. Jordin is excited to sing “On a Clear Day,” because it’s a fun song. Tony admires that she sings in tune, which he says is sadly rare. She changed a few notes, but it “was called for.” Well, it is a cute song, and that’s perfect, because Jordin is, as always, adorable as a basket of puppies. It’s a thoroughly enjoyable performance, and the camera loves her. Randy: He loves that “we’ve got some heat up here!” It was controlled, and she’s a pro at 17. Paula: We get some major microphone feedback that makes everyone cringe. Paula says that Jordin is “a magnet of joy.” She says she’s so proud of Jordin she doesn’t know what to say. Simon: She sang well, but didn’t sound young and current like Chris did. It was old fashioned and traditional. Gina is going to sing “Smile,” which I’d be scared to do after Ruben performed it so well way back when. Tony tells her she sang it beautifully, and Gina is thrilled. Gina’s makeup is different this week, softer and really pretty. That’s appropriate, because the way she sings the song is also soft and pretty. It’s very good, but it’s not in any way her usual sound. I don’t really know how she could have handled it otherwise, but it made me miss the usual Gina. Randy: It was very nice and controlled. “I actually kind of liked that.” Weak praise there, Mr. Jackson. Paula: It was flawless, understated, beautiful, and sentimental. Simon: He can’t rave about the vocals, because Melinda and Jordin outsang her. Paula disagrees. Gina says that there are all different kinds of vocals in the competition. Could Gina’s crush on Simon be fading? Ryan promises us that “Two legends collide” when Tony Bennett meets Sanjaya Malakar. I said it last week, and I’ll say it again: you know you’re in trouble when Ryan Seacrest is making snarky comments about you! Tony says that Sanjaya is “interesting.” That’s one way to put it. Sanjaya’s song this week is “Cheek to Cheek.” Sanjaya promises to show America “that I actually can sing.” Tony likes that he dares to be different. Sanjaya has the hair slicked back this week and is wearing John Travolta’s suit from Saturday Night Fever. He sounds incredibly weak compared to the others and shows no style or verve, not even when he grabs Paula and dances with her. If you can’t sing well, you should at least have some style, and Sanjaya really doesn’t. Playing with your hair and clothes every week does not equal style or attitude. It comes from within, and Sanjaya has none of it. But it doesn’t matter, because as I’ve been predicting for quite some time now, Sanjaya is good for eighth place at least. He’s not going home this week – it’ll be Phil, Haley, or Gina. Maybe next week his run will end, but not this week. I hope I’m wrong, but I doubt it. Randy: He can’t comment on the vocals anymore, but he likes Sanjaya as an entertainer. Paula: “I get why people love you.” He’s charming. The vocals were off, but she loves his suit. Simon: “Let’s try a different tactic this week – Incredible!” Ryan jokes that Sanjaya is staying under the radar. Sanjaya yells that he’s lucky number seven. Haley gets the other lame viewer question this week. Is it more nerve-wracking to sing in front of the crowd or to face the judges. Haley says it’s “insane” waiting to hear what Simon has to say. You never know what kind of mood he’ll be in. But hearing something good from him means the world. Simon does not look especially moved by this comment. Haley picked “Aint Misbehavin’” as her song and sings to Tony, “I’m savin’ all my love for you. And you and you!” Tony says that she shouldn’t repeat the yous, or she destroys the meaning of the song. Haley has definitely embraced her role as the sexy one, in a tiny green dress with a low-cut top. She totally flirts with the camera and works the crowd really well. My step-dad, caving in to peer pressure and watching the show for the first time, says, “Her bod’s not flat, but the notes are.” That pretty much says it all. As a performer, she did well, but as a singer, she wasn’t impressive. Randy: Randy thought it’d be a good week for her, because the theme suits her, but… Randy trails off and asks Paula for her feedback. Paula: All Paula can say is that green is a good color for her. She throws it to Simon next. Simon: Simon doesn’t appreciate the others not commenting on the performance. He thinks she has great legs. It was a good style of music for her, but the performance was pageanty. Paula, prompted to action by Simon’s negativity, now has an opinion, which is that she “did her thang.” LaKisha is gong to sing “Stormy Weather,” and Tony tells her to hold the big note at the end and sing it was written. Tony is definitely not open to anyone messing with these songs, that’s for sure. What can I say about LaKisha’s performance? It was just totally hot. She sounded great, her dress was gorgeous on her. And LaKisha showed attitude in a way that Sanjaya just never could. I can see why they saved her for last. Randy: Perfect song for her. There were pitchy problems in the beginning, but she made up for it. Paula: She looks and sounds beautiful. Simon: “Back on form, LaKisha.” It was sassy and great. Here’s how I’d rank the performances. LaKisha Melinda Blake Chris Jordin Gina Phil Haley Sanjaya Who will go home? That’s a tough one. Okay, here’s who’s not going home: Melinda, Jordin, Blake, LaKisha. Sanjaya, for all the reasons I mentioned before. Probably not Chris – he had a scare a few weeks ago, but he did well tonight. That leaves Gina, Phil, and Haley, who I predict will be the bottom three. Of those, I think Phil’s number is up. He’s had too many lackluster performances, and it’s going to catch up with him. Jenn Brasler will recap the results show, so we’ll see what happens.