Tuesday, May 20, 2008

FIX

So it was David v. David on the NOKIA stage. In the NOKIA theatre. N-O-K-I-A. Talk about product placement. Between Randy's repeated refrain of "you could sing the phonebook" and the mention of NOKIA it was enough to make a gal wanna hurl her salad.

That and the skewering of poor David Cook. Is it just me (and my Tuesday night AI viewing cronies), or did the whole thing feel like it was, erm....fixed?

First came Carly: stack her up and shoot her down. Week after week after week. Too shrill, too loud, too fat. She didn't stand a chance.

Then the diefication of Brooke. Somehow, that nanny could do no wrong. Oh wait, until she did. Over and over and over. Stumbling lyrics, false starts, lame dance moves. Was her longevity part of the overall plan? Part of the fix? Probably. But some things you just can't fix, and she was a goner.

The rest of 'em kind of made their own beds. Poor Chickezie - we know his name's Chickezie, baby! And hot Michael Johns. He was robbed. Then again, who's gonna remember his name, fame?

Syesha came and went somehow and is probably broadway bound already. But Archuleta... Somehow that boy with the flaring 'strils and mouth breathing grin could do no wrong...

Despite butchering Stevie. Despite the fact that his performances felt longer than singing the bloody phonebook. Despite the closed eyes and incessant trills...Despite it all the judges couldn't hold back from swooning.

Personally, I could barely hold back from snoring.

Sure he's only 17 but he's been on star search, junior idol and probably more talent contests than he'd care to admit. The guy's a seasoned pro, complete with stage dad. And yet...where on earth is his personality? Erm....aaahh....gee...shucks....thank you....

Wake me when his career fizzles, will ya?

But back to tonight....Mr Cook's swan song. Tonight, poor David Cook was well and truly, to use the judges' own cheesy boxing metaphor: KO'd. And to me it sounded plain old mean. How could they be so blatant? So obvious? That's not good tv!!! Tho' the tearing up post song 3 certainly was (and should be good for a couple million votes at least). Perhaps he's too much of an independent type for 19 Productions. Maybe the band he should be fronting is waiting in the wings to show up his predecessor and also-loser, Daughtry. Hmmmm....Chris Daughtry / Taylor Hicks. Who's the real loser? Sorry Silver Fox, but who are you again?

I was pissed at my man Simon tonight. I know AI is about as far from the edge as you can get, but still....To soooooooo wholeheartedly embrace the Middle of the Road, the morning office FM station, the Diva Ballad Covers as Sung By set that is Earny Archuleta was agonizing. Is it any wonder that the Idol numbers are down? Higher than the other shows, to be sure, but down over all. It's the Archuletas. The balladeers gone wrong.

So when Archie wins tomorrow, get ready for a confetti filled, heart (and stomach) wrenching version of That Cheesey Song. (which didn't sound unlike some gone-wrong, butchered version of an Indigo Girls tune; or a folksy harmonizer gone savage). The youngest youngsters and oldest oldies'll be screaming their tits off. While the rest of us will sadly cheer for the Word Nerd as we wait to hear about - and complain about - his first single.

Goodbye Combover Cook. Hello rock star.

And Fartchuleta? Wake me when he's over....

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

you said it all.

Anonymous said...

The only people left out there buying music in droves are little girls and their parents and they are buying MOTR! So, Idol the business, needs to have another hit and not more and more Silver Foxes and the attempted resucitation of Reuben's career. With Archie, they will have the sales - with David Lee Cook - it will be only MOTR alternative stations - but still alternative. Read, less sales.

Regarding last night - Clive Davis gave Archie the show stopper. No one can compete with the manipulative Don't let the Sun Go down on Me (even though I love it)especially one of the least inspired U2 songs. UNFAIR! But David, where was your game? Why were you so straight up. Song choice Song Choice - the next two - what the hell was he thinking? I think he was just trying to cement his record contract and was not there to win it. He knows it is all about the Archies and Carrie Underwoods. YUCK!!!!!

Leigh said...

Couldn't agree more. Hate that Archie kid. He looks like he went to the "how to look surprised when they say nice things" school of sappy singers.

The only thing that keeps me going is 'so you think you can dance' is right around the corner. :)