Legion World Forums LEGION COMPANION The Anywhere Machine American Idol

At the aibyrequest yahoo group, there are a bunch of people calling racism as the reason you know who was eliminated. Grrrrr... it's so ridiculous and frustrating. I composed an angry response, but deleted it. Not worth it.

I could think of a number of reasons why they got voted off, but I would be very surprised if it was because of racism. There probably are some people that vote based on the colour of someone's skin but I would be hugely surprised if they did so in any kind of significant number. The most likely reason (possibly along with the vote for the worst thing) is simply that people assumed they were safe and so voted for the people that they thought might be at risk. We had a very similar thing here with the last series of X-Factor where someone who everyone assumed was going to last till the final went early on. But then sometimes people just vote in odd ways. I doubt there's any kind of nefarious vote fixing or weighting of the vote because of the way someone looks. Even I'm not that cynical.

I think she got voted off for the same reason that Nadia got voted off last year - the voters don't know shit about talent. Come on, America has made millionaires out of Jessica Simpson and Britany Spears. You expect them to choose an American Idol with talent???

Semi, the only problem I have with your comment is that the winners have always been very talented. Mandisa and Nadia have their place in the music industry, but the winners of AI have been both talented and the most popular, each season. Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, Fantasia and Carrie Underwood have earned their titles despite what fans of other contestants may think.

Also, weird voting results have kept this competition interesting. The fact that really interesting performers get voted off, and really lame performers get to stay keeps this show vivacious.

(Addendum....I was utterly stunned by the fact that Latoya London was booted so early and by the fact that Bo Bice didn't win.)

Oh, and I was also surprised that Tamyra Gray was eliminated before the girl with the wildly colored hair in Season 1.

This stuff happens.

OK, quick ones since we already know the result.

Taylor: He was reaching. His voice sounded strained and I wasn't keen. A shame since last week he was so bloody good.

Mandissa: Well she didn't deserve to go but it wasn't great. Credit to her for picking a full on country song when it clearly isn't her style, but it wasn't that good a song. No way on earth should she have gone this early in the game though.

Elliot: I'm sorry but Spongeelliot Squarepants isn't doing it for me any more. Not a good performance and he looked like he was absolutely cacking his oants the way he was gripping the mic with both hands. He can sing but he didn't do well this week and he's simply not a performer.

Paris: ugh. By far the worst this week. Actually one of the better sing choices in a week of lacklustre choices but she was off key all the way through and never looked comfortable. I'm done with paris I think.

Pickler: Yawn. The girl is just too dull for words. She was in her element and still drifted past like elevator music. She wasn't bad per se but she's just wallpaper. Her ditzy cuteness is getting wearing too.

Chris: Ooooh, Chris recovers from last week. Not the most exciting sing but it was fantastic to see him do something that was very clearly country (rather than taking a country song and making it all rock) and actually just singing very simply. The first ballad we've had from him and the first time since the auditions that he's really shown quite how good his voice is. I just hope this week wasn't a one off and we get to see a bit more versatility from him over the next couple of weeks otherwise people might get bored with him.

Katharine: Actually my favourite performance of the night. Katharine is quicky becoming my favourite performer out of all of them. She knows how to work the stage, how to use the camera and has a great singing voice as well. I loved the song choice (it is a slightly silly and quirky song but it's also a good song and not so easy to sing) and I thought she looked gorgeous. She's one of the few singers left who actually seems to have a clear idea of who she is musically. She and Chris are now my picks for the final (which probably means they'll be the next two to go).

Ace: Snooooooooore. I think he was actually on earlier in the running but I forgot about him till now. That says it all really. His cheesy 'I'm so cute I could just eat myself all up' grin gets right on my tits now and I just want to see him go. He's not the worst singer out of the bunch but there's something about him that just irritates the hell out of me.

Bucky: Hmmm. The first thing Kenny says to him as that he needs to ennunciate when he sings or the song won't work. That wasn't a good song choice really was it? Bucky once again proved that while he thinks he might be talking English it's obviously being intercepted by aliens on the way to my ears and is just coming out as completely garbled shite. Gkveygf gegf fy yiwdg Yeah! Bucky! YFyeg kse ta iae ygfdai biag oooooooooh! Plus, I know he's a country singer and it was his comfort zone but did he really think that dressing like the joke stereotype of a country singer was going to win him votes? The jacket was just... urgh. I don't like Bucky much.

So in a night of pretty poor performances again (they're not the strongest bunch of contestants there's been on AI) the only two to stand out were Chris and Katharine. Pickler was Ok but still 'meh' and the others were dissapointing or as rubbish as expected. Lets hope they actually pick up their game next week.

re: Nadia last year; I think she went when she did because of her shout out to AI-screwer Mario Vasquez, which quite clearly pissed Simon off royally (as well as Randy and Paula) and probably many voters as well. (Not me. I voted for her every time.) It was at this point that the one-time "steak among hamburgers" (Simon's words for Nadia) became crap souffle in the judges eyes and she went the next week.

It certainly wasn't her performance of "When I Dream", which was bluesy and brilliant. I have all her AI-performances burned so I hear 'em often. She was excellent.

Bev, I find Bucky to be endearing, sweet and sincere. Different strokes, I guess.

As you say, different strokes. I'm harsh with my crticism but a lot of it based on my own personal tastes. Like, Kelly can clearly sing. She can hold a tune and even though she does go off key sometimes she's not the only one to do it, but when it gets down to it I don't like her particular singing style. She just seems bland to me. She's had some awful performances, but to be fair so have Chris and Katharine, so a lot of the reason that I don't like her (and Bucky and Ace) is because of my own tastes. Which, I guess, is kind of the point. It's all well and good trying to be objective when it comes to something like AI but at the end of the day you vote for the people that you like, and the reason you like them is sometimes a little undefinable. I still can't understand a word that Bucky is saying though.

So. QUEEN night tonight. Can't say I'm biting my nails in anticipation. I mean, don't get me wrong, Queen rawks, but that seems a bit-- restrictive for AI.

Here's hoping someone has the nads to do UNDER PRESSURE tonight.

Otherwise not really looking forward to everyone trying to struggle through WE WILL ROCK YOU or WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS.

Am curious to see who will perform BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY.

And will anyone tempt fate by performing ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST?

TAYLOR HICKS IS YOUR NEXT AMERICAN IDOL.

Well, he should be anyway. He was scream-inducingly, outrageously good tonight.

I also rather enjoyed Bucky and thought Elliott was excellent.

Everyone else? Meh to so-so.

Taylor was great. Perfect song.

I liked Elliott and Katherine too.

Get Bucky and Ace out. Bucky dosen't have the voice and Ace is just so fake.

And I give props to Kellie too. Such a hard song choice-Bohemian Rasposdhy- but she pulled it off, more with her charm and personality, but she pulled it off.

I dreaded all the performances except for Chris', but overall, I think it went well.

Worst to best....

8. Ace. Maybe this will be his last night? I just don't care for his work.

7. Katherine. Beautiful song, but I wanted to be wowed. I wasn't.

6. Taylor. His silly grandpa dancing ruined what could have been a great performance. He sounded great.

5. Bucky. He did a fine job.

4. Paris. I didn't know that was a Queen song! I only know it from Moulin Rouge. She looked fantastic and did very well.

3. Kellie. I wasn't expecting it to go well, but it did.

2. Elliott. A bit iffy at first, but overall, he did the song very well.

1. Chris. I totally disagree with Simon. Chris is picking songs that work for him. This was a very big song and Chris did it very well.

I thought Taylor rocked!! Switching songs to "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" was a brilliant move for him, there is no better Queen song for Mr. Hicks to perform!!! I didn't even mind the dancing, he was having fun.

Usually Ace beats a Queen... not this time. Ace should go.

And I wasn't at all impressed with the performance Katherine gave, so I don't know why the judges were so blown away...

Elliot and Chris both had excellent showings as well! Pretty good night. I bet $1 million dollars Ryan Seacrest makes a joke tomorrow night along the lines of "Another One Bites the Dust"... any takers?

Thanks goodness. I really didin't like this performer.

<span class="spoiler_containter"><span class="spoiler_wording">Click Here For A Spoiler</span><span class="spoiler_text"> Bucky's gone! Ace is next!</span></span>

Woo-hoo! We're probably going to miss it this week because we're off to Edinburgh for the weekend but even if we do miss it at least I know I'm happy with the result.

Although that is one fewer person to mercilessly rip the mick out of...

Simon was right; based on performance, it should have been Ace. But his day is coming too. No one will be able to stop the Taylor juggernaut!

I don't want to tick anyone off...so, when can we mention who got booted?

My friends and I have weekly AI viewing parties, which have now turned into a Katharine McPhee voting party. And most of them have never even voted before on AI. Is it that we're just so very wowed by her? Not really. We just want to make sure she stays over some lesser singers, and any way we can erode some of the vote totals for Creepy Taylor (Sorry LASH, I know you like him) and Kellie "Snot Rag" Pickler is good with us.

My dream Top 3 would be Chris, Eliott and Katharine. But I don't think that's gonna happen...

Best usually to leave actually saying who went until Friday or Saturday (it first gets broadcast in the UK on Friday nights). I'm not sure if I'm the only non-USer here or if it gets broadcast in places like Australia the same week it's broadcast in the US and UK so they may have a different day of the week that they get to see the results but for me Saturday is preferable before saying who actually went. I'm always a little wary on Thursday and Friday not to read to closely in case there are spoilers since I know they could be here, but probably best to play it safe.

I'm with you on Katahrine though. She's had some great performances and some dodgy ones but she's been pretty consistent and there's just something about her that i really like. She may not technically be the greatest singer they've ever had on AI, but she is one of the best performers, if you know what I mean. I actually have grown to really like Taylor though. I didn't like him at all to start with but the last couple of performances before last week (last week being the country week) made me sit up and realise that he's actually a damn good singer when he's not trying so hard to be whacky. So my current top three would eb Katahrine, Chris and Taylor. And unless Chris shows again that he can do somethign else other than the heavy rock (as he did during country week) I'm even inclined to hope that the final is between Taylor and Katharine with Katharine just pipping him to the post.

Course, that being said things change. You never know, I could end up wanting Kellie to win....

I guess this result just shows that it's really a popularity contest. Ace should have been the one to go, based on this week's performance, but it was just a matter of time before this week's contestant left.

I guess I'm such a fan of Chris that I don't really see any competition for him. I do hope for him to do something a bit different, maybe something jazzy or a standard, something to show he's able to go outside the box. His country ballad was one step that way.

Exactly, that's what i want to see too. We know that he's a great rock singer but apart from his country ballad all we've really seen from him is doing slight variations on rock songs. I want to see him tackle something that's completely different and outside his comfort zone. Of course it might not work but it will show he's not afraid to branch out, even if he never actually does something like that during his career. The one theme that i really want to see him tackle (and I wish we'd got to see Mandissa tackle) is disco. I can't even think what he'd do but it's so far from what he's naturally good at that he could easily pull something incredible out of the bag.

Well tonight was a really good night. I think that everyone sounded great. They all did great American standards.

My favs for tonight are Elliott -'It had to be You' and Katherine- 'Someone to watch over me'. Chris was pretty good in the quiet song he chose- 'Wonderful World'.

Ace was ok, but Kellie just kinda messed up her song. my vote is Ace to go.

If it was based on tonight's performance, then Kellie should go, but of course, it will be based on popularity. Elliott may be out.

Kellie started off just great, but she kinda lost it in the middle and she knew it. That song is meant for very competent singers and she just isn't there.

Elliott sounded great as usual, but his awkward stage presence could mean the end for him.

Ace did a very good job. He looked kinda weird with his hair all slicked back, but he did look good in the suit. I wasn't as bothered by him as normal.

Taylor started off really boring, but kicked into a high gear and ended with a BANG! Loved it!

Chris did a great job with clean, clear and mellow vocals. It was a tad dull, but still good quality.

Katherine's face was just gorgeous in the extreme close-ups they decided to use, and she sounded really good, though perhaps a *tad* pitchy in parts. Overall, great.

Paris was so natural and cool. She sounded like herself, not Fantasia. My #1 for the week.

LOVE these standards, but I haven't purchased any of Rod Stewart's song book cd's. I won't see tomorrow night's show, and don't care to have it taped. I'll come here and to the AI yahoo group to get the results.

Wow, last night was all about Paris, she totally blew everyone out of the water. Had she been the last to sing, the performance would have been compared to Fantasia's watershed rendition of Summertime, truly amazing.

Last night really was a good night; I rather didn't expect it to be.


My favorites were Chris, Elliott, Taylor and Katharine. I also think this would be a peachy final 4.

Kellie showed why she has garnered the support of Vote For The Worst. Still, she's so gosh-danged CUTE with her nonsense.

Paris was good but I can't bring myself to give 2 figs about her. Ace sucked monkey-butt.

Who's going home tonight? My money's on Ace (fingers crossed) or Elliott (which would be a real shame).