All My Children Discussion Group

Topic: Idol News - week of 5/5/08

We're getting closer. Only a couple of more weeks to go after this week. We are now down to the final four and this week they finally get to do more current songs in the theme "Songs That Shaped/Inspired Rock n' Roll".

Everything about Paulagate was said right after the Results show and in case you still didn't read anything about it and want to, was added last week to the Idol News topic of 4/28/08. You would just have to scroll back up for it.

I only have a few news items for this week, some you might have heard about already because they came out right after the results show, but I added anyway. If anyone else comes across something, you can add it here too for discussion.

Again, I've put the items on separately for you to respond to right on the post or you can put your own separate post on to discuss anything you want.

One thing I found was a survey on how the show is doing as a whole. And, of course, there is always the discussion on what songs the idols should sing.

As soon as I hear what the song list is for the contestants, which usually doesn't come out until anywhere from two hours to the last half hour before the show, I will post it here. So if you want to know the song list before the show comes on, just check back here again. Anything big that happens with the show whether on the performance or the results show, I will add to this topic, so come back and check for anything else on Thursday.

Season 7 Top 4 Spoilers!

Performance Order! From Carie–Thank you!

David Cook - “Hungry Like the Wolf” by Duran Duran -
Syesha Mercado - “Proud Mary” by Ike and Tina Turner - Sexy
Jason Castro - “I Shot the Sheriff” by Bob Marley - Marley style, very funky
David Archuleta- “Stand by Me” - Solid performance
David Cook - “Baba O’Reily” - Incredible. Started off slow. Brought the house down.
Syesha Mercado - “Change is Gonna Come” - Screachy, but ended pretty. She looked gorgeous.
Jason Castro - “Mr. Tambourine Man” - It was just OK. Audience didn’t connect with it.
David Archuleta - “Love Me Tender” by Elvis Presley - Solid performance.

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They seemed to have themes that only benefitted one gender over the other, except for the ALW week. Hopefully, with a freer pick of songs, they will pick something more suited to them. Tonight will tell! Glad you are enjoying the links. ~ eom. Linda

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Posted by: songbird
Date posted: Tue May 6 10:18:38 2008
Message:

Not much to pick from in 'Idol's' four finalists

Not Much To Pick From Link"

There is some debate about whether this has been the strangest season of American Idol to date. But there's no question it has seemed like the longest. But the end is in sight. At long last we are down to the Final Four: David Cook, David Archuleta, Jason Castro and Syesha Mercado.

Whoa, that's our final four? This really has been a weird year. There were better, more charismatic singers who didn't even make the Top 12. Remember Danny Noriega, Kady Malloy and Asia'h Epperson?

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Thanks for the link, songbird. It is an interesting article. Who knew that at least two of them would be in the final four? ~ eom. Linda

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Posted by: Linda
Date posted: Mon May 5 16:35:51 2008
Message:

This week's theme. Take a look--

Spoiler - Top 4 Theme - Songs that shaped/inspired Rock n’ Roll

http://mjsbigblog.com/spoiler-top-4-theme-songs-that-shapedinspired-rock-n-roll.htm

At last, a theme broad enough that allows the contestants a little breathing room to choose a song that really reflects who they are as artists. Even though it’s a rock theme, there really is room to stretch the boundaries beyond rock n’ roll.

The songs will supposedly come from this list of songs from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Just about every genre of music can be thrown into the R n’ R pot. This could be a very good week for the remaining Top 4. Just about anything would be better than this week’s speed-wreck.

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They can't possibly be making all 500 songs available, can they? I sense performance clearance problems with many of the songs.

Oh, I'm sure that is what is happening. They have to get clearance before any of these are performed. I think that the web site just put up that link to the 500 because those are all in the ''Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame''. That doesn't mean that that is what is available to them. Do you know if they are still limited to 25 songs or was that only for The Beatles. ~ eom. Linda

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Posted by: Linda
Date posted: Mon May 5 16:33:32 2008
Message:

Read the Lastest American Idol Survey

http://mjsbigblog.com/read-the-lastest-american-idol-survey.htm#more-4782

One thing I found was a survey on how the show is doing as a whole. Should it come back at all, should it be revamped possibly with new judges, should the theme be dropped?

Take a look at the list, but remember, we don't know what is the real list that the contestants have to choose from.

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Posted by: Linda
Date posted: Mon May 5 16:32:51 2008
Message:

'American Idol': How the Top 5 Picked Their Songs

The contestants live and die by what tunes they choose to sing. But who gets what? And what happens when the vocal coaches don't like what they hear?

http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20007164_20171835_20197246,00.html

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This article explains most of our questions very well. Little David and his father, Jeff, prove themselves to be a handful. (I'm being kind).. Castro is in another ''zone'' as Randy would say and refuses to listen or even practice much. Syesha seems to be the epitome of indecisiveness. Cook knows what he wants and shows the most ''smarts'' of them all. You can feel the vocal coaches frustrations with these kids. Their job is to direct them to the best song choice for their voices and then give suggestions as to how to achieve the best performance. How frustrating to have a bunch of kids either ignore you or argue with you. It's the student telling the teacher how it will be done!!! Such is the life of a coach. Btw, there MUST be a better way than the HAT METHOD to choose contested songs. How elementary school is that?

Thanks for all the comments, sb. ''It's the student telling the teacher how it will be done!!!'' It seems like it is that way in anything nowadays. The people who are supposed to be in control aren't anymore. I hope you have better luck with your students. The HAT METHOD--I don't know, rock, paper, scissors? LOL! They already see if one contestant will volunteer to give up the song first. The only way would be to see who came first in asking for the song or in what order do they have it on their list. I would think that the vocal coach would decide whose voice it fits better. But maybe that might be looked on as favoritism if the person that gets the song gets a better critique. But if it didn't fit the other person, they wouldn't get a good critique anyway, I don't know. ~ eom. Linda

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Posted by: King of Pain
Date posted: Mon May 5 16:32:29 2008
Message:
Songs that shaped Rock? Will David Archelloto sing Robert Johnson?

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Simon would probably say that his songs are too old for David A. Anyway, RJ's songs are probably not on the list, LOL! Who knows what's on that list! ~ eom. Linda

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Posted by: Linda
Date posted: Mon May 5 16:32:06 2008
Message:

Why Nobody Cares If They Win "American Idol"

Really, when you look at the careers of Elliott Yamin, Fantasia, Ruben Studdard, Kelly Clarkson, Clay Aiken, Katherine McPhee, Taylor Hicks, Daughtry, Constantine, and (Phil Stacey), there's no clear benefit to actually winning the contest as opposed to merely placing highly. Either way, you've gained public recognition and a fan base. Will Michael Johns' career suffer because he was tossed off early? They're all winners, as Paula would happily note,... Maybe if there were some true amateurs on the show, there'd actually be some competitive spirit and lingering enthusiasm..."

Idolator

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I don't think winning is all that important anymore (except to Little David). Placing in the Top 10 is the prize with the tour, exposure to producers, and no 7 year AI contract that often forces Idols to record music that they hate. However, I find Castro's attitude quite cavalier.

Are you sure you mean ''except to Little David''? or rather except to Jeff Archuleta and probably Little David but only because his father would be angry if he didn't win. Maybe after he is 21 will we find out the true story like all those child actors who sued their parents after they reached adulthood, who had so controled their career. But Jason, is different, I agree. Is the pressure much more than he imagined that he doesn't care? Otherwise, why did he get into this in the first place? I guess his career after the Idol tour will tell. ~ eom. Linda

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Posted by: Linda
Date posted: Mon May 5 16:31:13 2008
Message:

Is Jason Castro Ready to Go Home?

"He made it through Paulagate 2008, but is American Idol’s Jason Castro ready to call it quits? EW’s Jessica Shaw was on the scene as the Idols rehearsed for Neil Diamond week (read her “Why Song Selection Matters” feature in the issue out Friday) and spoke with Castro on Monday afternoon: “I’ll get around to practicing,” he promised her, after noting that his brother and a friend had visited over the weekend and that his Saturday meeting with Diamond had gone “really bad” because he didn’t yet know his songs. “What happens happens. I’ll sing and if people like it, they like it. And if they don’t, they don’t. I’m kind of ready to go home.”

http://mjsbigblog.com/is-jason-castro-ready-to-go-home.htm

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Posted by: Linda
Date posted: Mon May 5 16:30:38 2008
Message:

"For starters, Paula Abdul isn't going anywhere. "Why would we get rid of Paula?" said the executive producer of FremantleMedia North America CEO and "Idol".

`American Idol’ top boss: Paula Abdul isn’t going anywhere

Associated Press

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Posted by: Linda
Date posted: Mon May 5 16:29:56 2008
Message:

Here is a recap of an interview Brooke did the next day about her experience on Idol, her performances, her last week and the songs she sang and would have sung. She says that she "had her bags packed for two weeks". "But when she woke up Wednesday morning, she said, she knew that it was her final day."

Brooke White: Surviving Idol

http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Great-American-Idol/Brooke-White-Discusses/800038689

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