The American Idol 2008 Thread

[flipp525]

Wow. How fucked up was Paula tonight? Seriously, dude.

[anonymous1980]

Are they coaching him on being precocious/appealing in an "Awwww" kind of way?

I've actually been aware of David Archuleta since his Star Search days since I know the guy who used to run his website which has since been taken down. You can still find it at the Internet Archives here. And I know people who know people who know him. By all accounts, what you see is what you get. He really is like that. But he DOES have scary stage parents though especially his dad.

I'm still on Team Archuleta regardless.



Edited By anonymous on 1204772867

[OscarGuy]

Are they coaching him on being precocious/appealing in an "Awwww" kind of way?

[flipp525]

I actually really like the fact that there’s a gay stripper on the show now. Before I thought David Hernandez was just bordering on hot. Now, with this stripper thing coming out and those pics of his bod on the internet, I’m totally on-board with his full-out hotness. Bring it on, David!

Unpopular opinion: David Archuleta annoyed me last night. Especially with his reasoning behind singing the Phil Collins song: “To bring attention to all the homeless people of the world”. Bitch, please.



Edited By flipp525 on 1204750199

[OscarGuy]

I'm right there with you, flipp. He's got some good vocals and a person's past professions should not impact their present performance.

[flipp525]

Was 'American Idol' singer a male stripper?

If Diablo Cody can be an ex-stripper and win an Oscar why can't David Hernandez be an ex-stripper and make it to the Idol finals? Um, double standard!



Edited By flipp525 on 1204734622

[Zahveed]

NOTE: I just read somewhere David Cook's rendition of "Hello" is actually by Incubus.

I have all of their cds and have listened to all of their b-sides at one point in time, but I haven't heard this before. They might covered it live at one point though.

1. David Cook
2. Jason Castro
3. David Archuleta

I usually don't care for Archuleta, but I liked last night's performance.

... why the hell am I watching American Idol!? I never watch this damn show!

[anonymous1980]

GREAT:
01. Jason Castro

GOOD:
02. David Archuleta
03. David Cook
04. Michael Johns

MEDIOCRE/OK:
05. David Hernandez
06. Danny Noriega
07. Chikezie

BAD:
08. Luke Menard

Will go: David Hernandez and Luke Menard.

Should go: Chikezie and Luke Menard.

NOTE: I just read somewhere David Cook's rendition of "Hello" is actually by Incubus.

I can't believe Chikezie got the freakin' pimp spot. This is going to cost David Hernandez his spot in the Top 12, methinks.

I thought Danny Noriega's performance wasn't as bad as Simon said it was.

[OscarGuy]

Here's a very interesting litle article. Don't knowif it's truth, but sure makes for an interesting season.

Was 'American Idol' singer a male stripper?
DAILY NEWS STAFF

Tuesday, March 4th 2008, 4:00 AM


David Hernandez
For one "American Idol" contestant, this isn't the first time he has expressed himself on stage for an audience.

He used to do it as a male stripper in Phoenix.

According to a report by the Associated Press, David Hernandez appeared fully nude and performed lap dances for the club's "mostly male" clientele, club manager Gordy Bryan told the news wire service.

“He had the look and the type that people like, so he made pretty good money here,” Bryan said.

Bryan claims Hernandez — who hails from Glendale, Arizona — worked at the strip club, Dick's Cabaret, for three years until the end of September 2007.

Rumors of a stripper past — along with photos of a scantily clad Hernandez working as a bartender at gay nightclub Burn — were first posted last week on VoteForTheWorst.com, a site that encourages “Idol” viewers to vote for “the bad and truly entertaining contestants.”

Hernandez, who originally auditioned for “Idol” in San Diego on July 30, 2007, is in the Fox singing competition’s top 16 contestants. Last week, he earned rave reviews from the judges after his performance of The Temptations’ “Papa Was a Rolling Stone.”

He is scheduled to perform with the other male contestants on Tuesday’s show.

It is unclear how the revelations of his previous experience will impact his appearence on the Fox series. In 2003, finalist Frenchie Davis was dismissed because of her appearance on an adult Web site; but last year, Antonella Barba remained in the competition after racy photos of her surfaced on the Internet.

Hernandez recently revealed on "American Idol" that he is living out of his car. In his profile on the show's website he states: "I currently live out of my car because I gave up my apartment to move to Hollywood."

Raised by a single mother, he vows that even if he doesn't win, he will "keep pursuing my dreams in singing."

[OscarGuy]

I'm just happy my Luke's still in.

[anonymous1980]

I forgot to post my review of girls' night.

GREAT:
01. Brooke White

GOOD:
02. Carly Smithson

OK/MEDIOCRE:
03. Syesha Mercado
04. Ramiele Malubay
05. Kristy Lee Cooke
06. Asia'h Epperson

BAD:
07. Amanda Overmyer
08. Alaina Whitaker
09. Kady Malloy
10. Alexandrea Lushington

Who will go/Who should go: Kady Malloy and Alexandrea Lushington.

Awful, awful night. Does David Archuleta have some sort of voodoo power or something? Most of these girls practically handed him his victory trophy. The only girl who was great was Brooke White, a fellow Mormon. Hmmmmmm.

Amanda Overmyer was one of my favorites going in. She's disappointing me.

NEWS: Alaina, Robbie, Alexandrea and Jason Y. are out.

[dws1982]

Well, the girls certainly sucked tonight.

[dws1982]

Look, this may just be me, and it may be very silly, but I don't like it that so many of the contestants are virtually professional singers.

It's not just you. But as far as the professionals posing as amateurs thing goes, I don't see Luke as a huge offender. I don't think his a capella group is big enough for him to be a real professional. His wife is a Rockette, though, or at least performs with them during the Holiday seasons.

But this season overall has had many more of these professional amateurs than previous. I think they're plants--people scouted by the producers to audition before R/S/P and bypass all of those producer rounds. A few make it straight up from the producer auditions to R/S/P and then to the final 24 each year, no doubt, but for the most part this season's final 24 was a group full of plants--starting with Archuleta, but also including Michael Johns, Carly Smithson, Kristy Lee Cook, Syesha Mercado, and some others who aren't jumping to mind right now.



Edited By dws1982 on 1204168850

[Sonic Youth]

I'm so relieved I saw this instead of... well, you know.

My wife thinks David Archuleta is the cutest little thing she's ever seen. I liked him, and Luke Menard too. And then I learned that the former performed on Star Search when he was 12, and the latter is a member of an active singing group. Look, this may just be me, and it may be very silly, but I don't like it that so many of the contestants are virtually professional singers. I like to go with the illusion that they're true amateurs who grew up on a farm and just traveled on an airplane for the very first time. Learning that they're seasoned performers takes a little of the fun out. I understand they're all within the rules (you're not supposed to be under contract when you're on A.I.). But, I don't know, a little more innocence, please?



Edited By Sonic Youth on 1204156447

[Zahveed]

I didn't say he was trying to impress anyone. But for all his criticism to the contestants about being "relevant" or whatever, his look is about as relevant to the year 2008 as a rotary phone.

Oh, ok. That makes sense.