photo: fox
American Idol
Boston & Atlanta
Original Air Date: Jan 12/13, 2010
Patricia Morris Buckley — Staff Writer
pmb@thetwocentscorp.com
Have you spent the last two nights in a marathon of American Idol viewing? Yes, it’s back and we’re enjoying that first blush of viewing before the endless wackos start to get to us!
I loved the opening on Tuesday, which kicked off with a recap of last season and its winners. I especially liked how the monologue said “a new star is born” over the image of Adam Lambert, not S8 winner Kris Allen. Oh yeah! ‘Nuff said.
I couldn’t believe that the whole Paula thing was so quickly addressed. In fact, they even showed articles from tabloids. That was a nice kick of reality. However, where was the mention of Simon leaving the show after this season? Maybe because he announced only the day before.
Did you notice how much weight Randy has lost? The dawg looks 10 years younger!
Let’s talk guest judges. Tuesday Victoria “Posh Spice” Beckham sat in. She never really had much to add. Kind of just echoed what everyone else said in a pleasant English accent. She did give Simon grief at one point, just as Paula would have done.
On Wednesday in Atlanta, Mary J. Bilge couldn’t stop herself from giggling at the bad contestants. It was funny the first time, but soon became disrespectful. She did, however, have more practical critiques of the good contestants than Posh.
Over the two nights, we didn’t see much dissention. Only a few times did the judges disagree on camera. (They kept trying to up each other saying 100 percent, 110 percent, 1,010 percent – just say “yes” guys!) It’s interesting how much Kara has taken over the lead role now. She’s not as annoying as she was last year, but she does seem to be leading the pack.
Let’s take a look at the stand out contestants that we might be seeing more of. The first golden ticket went to 16-year-old Maddie, who has brothers with Down’s. Claire, Jess and Jennifer were all clumped together, but I have to say that Jennifer was the contestant who impressed me the most overall. She did a swing version of “The Wicked Old Witch” that showed that originality the judges are looking for later on.
Luke and Benjamin were also lumped together and looked promising. Ashley was Posh and Kara’s favorite. Tyler also got raves. Boat driver Mike showed a real sense of fun. A first Joshua had to convince the judges and another Joshua, who had survived cancer, looked like a contestant with serious potential (plus, he looks a lot like a super handsome George Michael). Leah’s “Blue Skies” gained her the last ticket for Boston.
In Atlanta, Keia with her Corbin Bleu hairdo was charming. Miriam, Tisha and Noel were lumped together. The handsome Jermaine definitely impressed. Skki Bo Ski was beyond odd and barely good enough to get a ticket. Probably the most impressive was Bryan, a cop who had an amazing voice, even if his looks didn’t measure up. Lauren and Carmen were two friends who auditioned together and it was only by this comparison that Carmen sounded good enough to pick up a ticket.
Yes, I could go through all the wackos — especially the two angry ones, Andrew in Boston and LaMar in Atlanta. But it’s time to look forward to when the auditions are done and we get to Hollywood week. That’s when everyone really shows if they have the goods.
Meanwhile, it’s Chicago on Tuesday. Will you be watching? Do you prefer the wackos or the good singers? Do you miss Paula? Give us your Two Cents…
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