The American Idol 2008 Thread

[Zahveed]

Holy shit on a shingle, David Cook was good. I didn't see it coming. On another note, Archuleta is quickly becoming just a mediocre contestant. He can't use the sad story to save him now, we're aware he can sing. How awkward was it to mention his dad? Also, Kristy Lee copped-out big time. Way-to-go, get the patriotic vote. If you don't vote for her, the terrorists win.

[OscarGuy]

The Performances

Terrific
1. Cook - Very good performance, but the arrangement didn't have enough power spots for me. It seemed a touch one note.
2. Syesha - This was an amazing performance.

Good
3. Brooke - It was good, but how many times is she going to give the same performance
4. Castro - this was a much better performance than previously. It was a bit safe, but it was melodic and on-key for the most part.
5. Kristy Lee - Her best vocal yet. But I hate that song...it's so fucking cheesy and clearly meant to entice voters.
6. Chiekeze - He started off a little rocky, but finished pretty well.

Mediocre:
7. Michael Johns - I don't think his performance was that magical. I thought it was rather karaoke to borrow the judges' beloved term.
8. Carly - Not a very good version of that song. Nikki French did a better remake and I don't care much for hers.
9. Archuleta - Really, his singing was only mediocre and that rendition of the song was terrible.

Bad
10. Ramiele - a destruction of a great Heart song...she's awful.

Bottom Three:
Carly, Ramiele, Michael Johns

Going Home: Ramiele

[Zahveed]

I think the bottom-line is that the straight community at large is simply unable or unwilling to recognize the rampant homophobia that exists in this country and the pervasive ways in which it sneaks into every facet of experience (yes, even American Idol voting habits). You can justify David H.'s elimination 1,000 different ways, but please don't fool yourself into thinking the fact that he was a gay man with a stripper past had nothing to do with it, thus outweighing what was obviously much more talent then several others that remain on the show.

I'm going to be honest with you. All the people I know that watch the show didn't care he was a male stripper. They just didn't enjoy him very much to care whether he goes or not. I guess you could say there's some "vote-splitting" going on... :p Let's see where that idea goes.

[flipp525]

Here are a few facts for you...Whether or not the producers and audience turned against her as a result of these photos, she stayed on the show much longer than either David H. or Frenchie Davis did.

Since you're focused on the facts, here is a correction to your fact: Antonella Barba was not on Idol "much longer" than David Hernandez. She wasn't even on Idol as long as David Hernandez.

From the time the news came out to the time she left is what I meant. If I overstated, then I stand corrected

I'm sure they probably wanted him gone sooner rather than later after the stripping thing hit the news, but he didn't really have a shot in the first place, and never gave the kind of breakthrough performance that made him stand out. One good performance, but it was never followed up with anything interesting.

Well, I just disagree with that. "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" during Top 20 week was the kind of breakout performance that should've kept him in the competition much longer.

I think the bottom-line is that the straight community at large is simply unable or unwilling to recognize the rampant homophobia that exists in this country and the pervasive ways in which it sneaks into every facet of experience (yes, even American Idol voting habits). You can justify David H.'s elimination 1,000 different ways, but please don't fool yourself into thinking the fact that he was a gay man with a stripper past had nothing to do with it, thus outweighing what was obviously much more talent then several others that remain on the show.



Edited By flipp525 on 1206472499

[dws1982]

Here are a few facts for you...Whether or not the producers and audience turned against her as a result of these photos, she stayed on the show much longer than either David H. or Frenchie Davis did.

Since you're focused on the facts, here is a correction to your fact: Antonella Barba was not on Idol "much longer" than David Hernandez. She wasn't even on Idol as long as David Hernandez.

Which, if you look further back, might've also been the reason why Clay Aiken lost to Ruben Studdard. America is afraid of openly gay men. Our sexuality is scary and dangerous.

Given that Clay Aiken, whether or not he's out to his costars at Spamalot, is not publicly out, and was not publicly out during his time on the show, so America's fear of openly gay men probably had nothing to do with it. Sure there may have been some who didn't vote for him because they thought he was gay, but not enough to matter, since Nigel Lythgoe, one of the producers, said in an interview a year or two ago that Aiken lead the voting through the entire season from Wildcard Night on, and that Ruben Studdard just came out on top in what was a statistical dead heat.

And I seriously doubt the producers had to rig anything to get rid of David Hernandez. He was a cannon fodder contestant, scooted along, barely made the top twenty-four. Dial Idol showed he was vulnerable every single week he was there, even after he got really strong feedback from the judges the second week. I'm sure they probably wanted him gone sooner rather than later after the stripping thing hit the news, but he didn't really have a shot in the first place, and never gave the kind of breakthrough performance that made him stand out. One good performance, but it was never followed up with anything interesting.



Edited By dws1982 on 1206472091

[flipp525]

The problem I have is that David H. gave one of this season's very best vocal performances in week 2 (Top 20 week), yet because he gave one bad performance everyone suddenly jumped on him and axed him. Seems a little suspicious and a lot wrong.

Exactly.

[OscarGuy]

The problem is that consistently bad performers are kept on week after week (witness Kristy Lee) where as singers who have an off night (David H) are suddenly voted out at the earliest opportunity. It's rather disappointing and let's not forget that it has been previously exposed that the producers DO force certain contestants to perform certain songs, which means they have handpicked certain individuals to carry on the year's torch.

The problem I have is that David H. gave one of this season's very best vocal performances in week 2 (Top 20 week), yet because he gave one bad performance everyone suddenly jumped on him and axed him. Seems a little suspicious and a lot wrong.

[Zahveed]

I was thinking D.H. was kicked off because he didn't have a strong fanbase or America thought he did bad that night. I thought he did bad that night... but then again, I don't vote.

[flipp525]

Here are a few facts for you: Antonella Barba (who happens to go to college with my personal trainer) took sexy pictures with a camera phone for her boyfriend, photos that somehow got into the wrong hands and ended up on the Internet. Whether or not the producers and audience turned against her as a result of these photos, she stayed on the show much longer than either David H. or Frenchie Davis did. She also got a Playboy offer out of the deal. I still don't see the correlation between suggestive photos and stripping.

Frenchie Davis, while certainly a more apt comparison, was involved in on-line porn. Stripping does not equal porn so again...what?

Here's the essential issue: The stripping expose made it fairly easy for the group (the producers, the judges, America, whomever) to vote off the gay guy. It's fairly obvious that David H. didn't have the teeny-girl vote that David Archuleta gets, the swoon-worthy following of Jason Castro, the fanbases of Michael Johns or David Cook, etc. Ge was unmarketable as a "sexy straight pop star". Which, if you look further back, might've also been the reason why Clay Aiken lost to Ruben Studdard. America is afraid of openly gay men. Gay male sexuality is scary and dangerous.

Also, because he was exposed as "ewww! A gay stripper!", it somehow makes it easier for you (and even "okay" for others) to malign him as a singer and a human being. Maybe you're simply not aware of how you sound, definitely a possibility with you.

I'm sorry if you default to vitriol. And I have no problem with opinions that differ from my own, by the way.

And, if everyone is going to threaten to leave when someone voices dissent, just do it then. No one's going to beg you to stay.



Edited By flipp525 on 1206471474

[Sonic Youth]

Good riddance David H., and have fun with your career of performing at furniture outlet openings once the strip club closes down.

On the other hand, I'm not convinced the producers didn't rig the vote the week before THAT, whoever that kid was. He had the untelevisable combination of being gay to the extreme and also wrapped not quite too tightly. Too much for the producers to handle, I'm so sure.

Honestly, that is just so ridiculous, Sonic. Clay Aiken is gayer than any of the contestants before and after him and was given the "rising star!" edit over and over again (and according to my friend, a Tony-nominated actor co-starring with him in Spamalot on B-way, he's out to the whole cast and is a huge bottom, but that's like outing Ellen DeGeneres at this point).

No, what we have here, folks, is a very clear case of the gay male double standard. A woman can strip for the "experience", write a book about it, pen a "hip", "cool" and linguistically-stylized screenplay while mythologizing her stripper experience for writer cache and win an Oscar. But if you're a gay man and you strip, you might as well be taking it up on the ass in a Falcon video.

Sure, the same double-standard that got Frenchie Davis disqualified from the show and gave Antonella Barba a slut reputation on the online community.

Here's a quarter. Buy a few facts.

What I find interesting is how much you seem to have bought into the idea that because he stripped for money he's, therefore, a shitty person and deserving of the audience and producers' ire. I find that sort of vitriolic response to his elimination conspicuously homophobic. Sorry.

Since I said ABSOLUTELY NOTHING of the sort, fuck you and your false accusations very much, prick. Stay away if your manifest insecurities can't handle opinions different from your own, which is what this clearly is about.

By the way, THAT was vitriol. Just making sure you'll know it when you see it next time.

[flipp525]

Good riddance David H., and have fun with your career of performing at furniture outlet openings once the strip club closes down.

On the other hand, I'm not convinced the producers didn't rig the vote the week before THAT, whoever that kid was. He had the untelevisable combination of being gay to the extreme and also wrapped not quite too tightly. Too much for the producers to handle, I'm so sure.

Honestly, that is just so ridiculous, Sonic. Clay Aiken is gayer than any of the contestants before and after him and was given the "rising star!" edit over and over again (and according to my friend, a Tony-nominated actor co-starring with him in Spamalot on B-way, he's out to the whole cast and is a huge bottom, but that's like outing Ellen DeGeneres at this point).

No, what we have here, folks, is a very clear case of the gay male double standard. A woman can strip for the "experience", write a book about it, pen a "hip", "cool" and linguistically-stylized screenplay while mythologizing her stripper experience for writer cache and win an Oscar. But if you're a gay man and you strip, you might as well be taking it up on the ass in a Falcon video.

And as for David Hernandez' "awful" performance, I thought David Archuleta's was far worse that same week .

What I find interesting is how much you seem to have bought into the idea that because he stripped for money he's, therefore, a shitty person and deserving of the audience and producers' ire. I find that sort of vitriolic response to his elimination conspicuously homophobic. Sorry.



Edited By flipp525 on 1206452142

[Bog]

most laughable, most embarrassing, second-worst performance I have ever seen on American Idol

I don't believe they ever really rig the vote (though I almost never believe the "bottom 3") but the problem I have with this is I refuse to accept his performance is second to anything but 8 Days A Week the same night...a nearly unfathomable abomination.

I can only imagine the hilarious laughter the producers shared when they made her to sing it again the next evening....you can't close your eyes or plug your ears it's so ridiculous....I can always laugh thinking of that moment.

[Sonic Youth]

Oh, as for allegedly "rigging the vote" two weeks ago to knock David Hernandez out of the show. If the producers really rigged the vote to ensure that the most laughable, most embarrassing, second-worst performance I have ever seen on American Idol (his "I Saw Her Standing There") gets voted out before the dullest, most boring and worst performance I've ever seen (that would be Ramiele's "In My Life", and she has also hung on much longer than necessary although at least she's a sexpot), then what is the crime? Good riddance David H., and have fun with your career of performing at furniture outlet openings once the strip club closes down.

On the other hand, I'm not convinced the producers didn't rig the vote the week before THAT, whoever that kid was. He had the untelevisable combination of being gay to the extreme and also wrapped not quite too tightly. Too much for the producers to handle, I'm so sure.



Edited By Sonic Youth on 1206416974

[Sonic Youth]

anonymous, I assume your weekly rankings are on a sliding scale? This is the most boring group I've ever seen.

And it's not just me. I can see the judges are bored, I can see Ryan Seacrest is bored. They're a dull bunch this year. And now that my personal favorite, Amanda the Singing Nurse was voted off, what's the point? I can totally understand why she's gone. The past two weeks her song choices were terrible. No, she didn't have to do ballads, but she would've killed (in a good way) "Don't Let Me Down". And she didn't have a personality that could connect with the audience. Once she turned off the rock chick persona she was too withdrawn and introspective. But she didn't deserve to leave before that Kristy Lee jerk. Even Simon seemed to like her for a while, and he usually doesn't go for the rocker chicks, does he?

Now the only ones who interest me are the Archuleta kid - yes he IS the best singer - and Carly with the tatts. David Cook and his flip-do is okay too, I guess. But none of them really go to that next level. All of the contestants can sing, but most of them are just lacking that talent to put the songs over. The three (well, really two) I singled out have that talent. What they're lacking is excitement. I'm waiting for that breakthrough performance, but I don't think we're getting it this year.

Speaking of Carly, what the hell was that with Simon and "that Irish girl" comment of his a few weeks ago? Is this a British-Irish thin? Or is this obnoxious millionaire so bored he can't even remember the names of the contestents, even one of the very best?

[Zahveed]

As for his albums not selling, well, Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers, the kids from High School Musical - all huge best-sellers now.

The difference is they're catered to children through hell's gate. AI is more like purgatory, and purgatory isn't that interesting. If a majority of past contestants lose their contract because of low album sales due to their bland, though technically proficient, voices then I think your friend Archuleta is going to be in the same boat.