American Idol: Better Late Than Never?

Well, there was going to be a post about last week’s American Idol.  It was going to include a confession that until they were mentioned in connection with Idol, I never had any clue that a band named “no Doubt” had ever existed.  Which probably explains why I had heard the name and knew there was a celebrity named Gwen Stefani, but could not have told you for what she was famous.  And yet I thought she was a decent guest!

Then there was going to be a post about last week’s Idol, probably a shorter one, combined with speculation about and suggestions on what “standards” the contestants should sing this week.  What are “the standards” anyway?  Is there a real definition?  Kind of like “songs by the Rat Pack plus someone like Billie Holiday or Donna Summer thrown in gratuitously to help Melinda and Lakisha”?  You see that nudging enough weeks and could almost begin to wish Sanjaya mania upon them.

So I was going to create a list, possible tongue in cheek in places, but perhaps even serious, positing a playlist for the night.  I was gathering names, the likes of Nat King Cole, Louis Armstrong, Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra, Andy Williams, and Ed Ames.

Then it hit me!  Engelbert Humperdinck.  Not to be confused with any storied evil prince who might come to mind.

Then it got even better: Sanjaya Malakar to perform “Release Me.” It’s like layers of humor upon irony, all composting together happily.  If you want to know why it’s even better than the mere irony of the song, look up Engelbert Humperdinck.

Except that Engelbert can’t possibly qualify as “the standards.” Too new.  Oh well.  My original choice for Sanjaya was “I Gotta Be Me” by Sammy Davis Jr.  It sure beats reprising “Stepping Out” or whatever it’s called, even though he was okay at it.  It also beats doing something like the insipid Sinatra mangled variant of “The Way You Look Tonight.” A song that beautiful never deserved what Sinatra did to it.  But I digress.

Thus my curiosity as to what qualifies as “the standards,” besides the obvious appendage of “and songs designed specifically to keep Melinda and Lakisha comfortable even if you look at the theme, then the songs, and say ‘what the fuck’.”

As for Chris Sligh leaving last week, no surprise, and weird in that I no longer cared.  He earned leaving by not showing his full potential.

Haley really goofed last week, after the great week before.  “True Colors” is a song I can’t stand, which is bound to color my personal perception.  Even adequately done it’s boring.  Some seem to think of it as iconic or classic, so doing it anything but superlatively loses them.  I just think it’s boring, blah, and doing it at all loses me, even if you’re Cyndi Lauper.  Plus it makes me think I’m supposed to use Kodak paper or something.

People were all over Jordin, but I thought she did well, apart from the outfit, and even that was inspired by Stefani and logical.

Gina won the night.

Melinda and Lakisha can sing.  Can they show us they are entertainers who deserve to win.  It’s the anti-Haley lesson.  She has an adequate, experienced voice and can be entertaining if she remembers to, but the others seem to be singers only.

I also found it interesting that Ryan went there with Melinda seeming phony in her “aw shucks, lil old me” and that she seems to have finally restrained it.  yes, they like you, they really really like you.  But you knew that, so can it.

I hate Phil.  He was amazing.  All kudos to him last week.

Richardson just has to go.  He’s awful.

I listened to Sanjaya again and confirmed my positive impression of the singing, and he performed.  He also embraced the joke and had fun with the situation.  If he picked just the right songs, sang them well, and put on a good show each week, he could truly deserve to be there.  The whole thing is fascinating to watch.

Blake?  I seem to recall he was fine.  Straight singing, as appropriate.

Did I miss anyone?  too bad, running out of time.  Wasn’t going to write all the above.  Now on to the next episode…

Posted by on 04/03 at 06:38 PM

  1. funny.  No Doubt is such a geeks group.... Gwen Stefani was such a nerd as a kid....

    Posted by caltechgirl  on  04/03  at  07:50 PM  from 
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