In one of the last few rounds of IDOL LIVE's poll of the week champion series for 2010, one 3rd-place finalist edged out her peers in a fairly close battle.
Melinda Doolittle's 12 votes were enough to earn her 29% of all 41 votes cast, which was the largest take of all nine participants included in this round. The sixth season's second-runner-up saw her closest competition come from Elliott Yamin, who garnered nine votes (21%), followed by Danny Gokey's seven votes (17%).
There were only two finalists who failed to grab any votes during the course of the week, as Nikki McKibbin (Season 1) and Vonzell Solomon (Season 4) went scoreless in their attempts.
In the next round (the third-to-last, by the way), readers will be asked which runner-up is their favorite of all nine seasons. Voting will be open for exactly one week.
Nikki McKibbin 0 (0%)
Kimberley Locke 2 (4%)
Jasmine Trias 2 (4%)
Vonzell Solomon 0 (0%)
Elliott Yamin 9 (21%)
Melinda Doolittle 12 (29%)
Syesha Mercado 4 (9%)
Danny Gokey 7 (17%)
Casey James 5 (12%)
Total votes: 41
Showing posts with label casey james. Show all posts
Showing posts with label casey james. Show all posts
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Poll of the week: Melinda does a little to earn recognition among fans
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Chat live with Season 9's Top 5 finalists (today, 5:30 p.m. ET)
Is there something you've been wanting to ask Lee DeWyze, Crystal Bowersox, Casey James, Michael Lynche or Aaron Kelly? If so, then today's your lucky day, as Idol's ninth season's Top 5 finalists will be available to answer their fans' questions in a live chat sponsored by AT&T. The chat will begin at 5:30 p.m. ET (2:30 p.m. PT) and last approximately 30 minutes, taking place over on AT&T Share's Facebook page. The chat will be simulcast live here on IdolLive below:
AT&T is of course sponsoring the American Idols Live! Tour, which is currently stopped in Anaheim, Calif. and will wrap up on Tues., Aug. 30 in Indianapolis, Ind.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Was the Top 10's performance on GMA this morning a joke?
In case you missed it, Season 9's Top 10 finalists took a break from their busy Idols Live! tour (in fact, they even moved a show for it) this morning on ABC's Good Morning America. Following solo performances by Lee DeWyze and Crystal Bowersox, it was time for all 10 finalists to take the stage for a medley of Bon Jovi's "It's My Life" and Kelly Clarkson's "My Life Would Suck Without You." Below is how it all went down:
I don't think there's ever been less of a reason to attend an Idol concert as this one. It was like George Stephanopolous and Robin Roberts raced up and down 42nd Street and grabbed the first 10 young people they saw, rushed them to Central Park, pushed them up on stage and forced them to sing on the spot.
Now, I'll give them the excuse that the cramped stage minimized their ability to move around, so dancing in place a la Aaron Kelly was pretty much the only other option. But c'mon, that was an embarrassment to group performances. The sloppy harmonies, the awkward poses the cameramen caught, the rampant out of tune singing, it never ends. In fact, it's more sad than anything, because they seem like a great group of people.
So as the show cancelations keep a'comin', is anyone really surprised why the tour is flailing around? I would not pay to see this on stage, and apparently many others feel the same.
Friday, May 21, 2010
'Idol' odds 'n ends: Simon Cowell opens up to Oprah before leaving 'Idol'
The following are Idol-related odds and ends that happened this week:
>Simon Cowell's big sit-down on Oprah's couch (out of studio, far away from a studio audience) aired on her eponymous show yesterday, and he didn't hold back on any topic, addressing things ranging from his brushes with depression to "horrific mistakes" that led to him living out of his car when he was younger. Watch a clip below courtesy of The Insider:
Simon said he thinks this season has been too much about the judges, but what does he expect when a) the contestants are horrible and b) it's his last season. The judges are the most interesting part of this season.
>Casey James talked with the press today following his ouster Wednesday night. Casey was asked about "losing his shirt" during his audition in Denver and whether or not he would have done it again if he had the chance to go back to that point. Casey said:
"There's a possibility (that) had I not done that I might not have made it past that first round. It definitely wasn't something that I thought of, or even realized was going to happen. (But) it obviously worked out," he added.
Casey also appeared on Ellen this morning to talk about his time on the show. Watch a clip of his segment below:
Ellen was sure to say she thought he was a "great singer" and Casey mentioned how he hadn't seen Idol before he was on it because he didn't own a TV (something we all already knew), but he added that he finally bought one as well as a PS3. Good choice, Casey.
>Forbes.com released a list of the Top 10 earning Idol alums for the May 2009-April 2010 year, and it is less than spectacular. Even though the top earners are still raking in millions, the totals are far less than they were just years ago. Below is an abbreviated list of the Top 10 earners:
01) Kelly Clarkson ($8 million)
02) Carrie Underwood ($7 million)
03) Chris Daughtry ($5.4 million)
04) Kellie Pickler ($4.3 million)
05) David Cook ($2.3 million)
06) Jennifer Hudson ($2 million)
07) Jordin Sparks ($1.8 million)
08) David Archuleta ($1.4 million)
09) Clay Aiken ($800,000)
10) Kris Allen ($672,000)
When last season's winner is making less money in a year than a runner-up from seven seasons ago, that tells you something about the trajectory of this show and its contestants.
>Tomorrow's big KISS Concert sponsored by the Boston Top 40 radio station KISS 108 FM will feature three Idol alums, as it was announced yesterday that Ayla Brown will join a roster of 17 other acts including Kris Allen and Adam Lambert. Per a press release:
Brown, who will graduate from Boston College on Monday and is now a special contributor for CBS’ The Early Show, joins an impressive lineup of 17 fellow artists and bands including Ke$ha, Jason Derulo and Kevin Rudolf. Fellow American Idol alums Kris Allen and Adam Lambert are also scheduled to perform.
Upon receiving word that she was invited to take part in KISS Concert, Brown said she was ecstatic.
"I’m so excited that KISS asked me to perform at KISS Concert because they always put on a first-rate show," Brown said. "Just to share the stage with some of the biggest names in music is a great honor.”
Ayla will perform at the Comcast Center in Mansfield, Mass., at 2:15 p.m, while Kris will take the stage at 8 p.m. and Kris will close out the show at 9 p.m. A live webcast of the concert will be available at KISS108.com beginning at 2 p.m. ET.
>Bo Bice was out promoting his brand new album 3 this week, which included a stop at FOX & Friends on FOX News Channel. Watch him perform "You Take Yourself With You" below:
Bo explained the significance of the album's title, including the fact that he and his wife have three kids and this is his third studio album since finishing as runner-up on Season 4. The album is available in stores nationwide and at digital retailers including iTunes and Amazon.com
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Poll of the week: Lee DeWyze favorite Top 3 contestant
It's not very surprising that Lee DeWyze was selected as the favorite Top 3 Idol contestant among IDOL LIVE readers as shown in the latest edition of the poll of the week.
Lee nabbed 33 votes, good for 39% of the 83 votes cast, which was just two votes ahead of Casey James's 31 votes. Casey's total came to 37%. And Crystal Bowersox brought up the rear with 19 votes (22%).
These numbers did not reflect the actual coting results as presented on tonight's results show, obviously, as Casey was sent packing.
In the latest edition of the poll of the week series, readers are asked who their favorite Top 2 contestant is. Voting will be open for exactly one week. Oh boy, this result is going to be very exciting, isn't it?
Casey James 31 (37%)
Crystal Bowersox 19 (22%)
Lee DeWyze 33 (39%)
Total votes: 83
Running total for Season 9:
24th - Haeley Vaughn (0 votes)*
21st (tie) - Janell Wheeler (2 votes)*
21st (tie) - Todrick Hall (2 votes)*
21st (tie) - Paige Miles (2 votes)*
19th (tie) - Joe Munoz (3 votes)*
19th (tie) - Jermaine Sellers (3 vote)*
17th (tie) - Tyler Grady (4 votes)*
17th (tie) - Michelle Delamor (4 votes)*
15th (tie) - John Park (6 votes)*
15th (tie) - Ashley Rodriguez (6 votes)*
14th - Lacey Brown (9 votes)*
13th - Katelyn Epperly (10 votes)*
12th - Lilly Scott (14 votes)*
11th - Alex Lambert (22 votes)*
10th - Michael Lynche (27 votes)*
09th - Didi Benami (56 votes)*
08th - Andrew Garcia (58 votes)*
07th - Tim Urban (60 votes)*
06th - Katie Stevens (93 votes)*
05th - Aaron Kelly (111 votes)*
04th - Casey James (208 votes)*
03rd - Siobhan Magnus (218 votes)*
02nd - Crystal Bowersox (275 votes)
01st - Lee DeWyze (289 votes)
*indicates contestant has been eliminated
IDOL LIVE predix: Top 3 Results
As pimped as Lee was with all the bells and whistles (spotlights and backup singers) during his take on Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," his vocals were primarily on the mark, and so the judges can't be completely called out for their over the top praise. To add to this, his only other performance was helped by a great song choice (Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Simple Man"), and if this was even up to debate, Simon's surefire declaration that Lee "crushed" his peers in the first round should be evidence that the judges felt he decisively outshone everyone else.
Crystal Bowersox did the best she could given the circumstances, and her two showings were a mixed bag. While she fumbled on a generic rendition of Melissa Etheridge's "Come to My Window," she thrilled audiences with a gender-incorrect (or gender-correct, depending on how you look at it) version of Paul McCartney's "Maybe I'm Amazed" (much to the pleasure of Ellen, who gave her a standing ovation as Crystal finished the song), and as Simon said, this was probably enough to drag her across the Top 2 marker in the race for the title.
And so it comes as no surprise that I'm pegging Casey James to leave in third place tonight. Nothing out of the ordinary, and I think virtually everyone else is calling for the same result. Casey had a good thing going for a while but he tripped up last night with an obsure song choice, stiff stage presence and shaky vocals, and the fact that he was thrown under the bus by every judge and their mother just cemented his fate.
Oh well, maybe Justin Bieber's performance tonight will lighten the mood and provide some excitement. On second thought...
In my original predictions I had Crystal finishing 3rd, so although it's possible this scenario could come to fruition, I just don't see it happening. At all.
Since the Top 24 I have correctly predicted 6-21 eliminations and since the Top 12 I have correctly predicted 2-9 eliminations. Go me!
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
IDOL LIVE Blog - Top 3 Perform (5/18/10)
Tonight marks the most important point of Idol's ninth season so far, as the Top 3 finalists aim to earn a spot in the coveted Top 2. Although everyone and their mother seems to be pegging Crystal Bowersox and Lee DeWyze as the pair to beat, don't count Casey James out! If you really care about the show, vote goat!
We already know the judges' picks for each contestant, as one third of their performance sets were revealed to them when they returned to their hometowns over the weekend. Will Lee be able to top Tim Urban's version of "Hallelujah"? Will Casey be karaoke on "Daughters"? Will Crystal resonate with anyone for her rendition of "Maybe I'm Amazed"? Well, you can only find out by tuning in (or following along here!)
As usual, please feel free to add your two cents throughout the one-hour blogcast. Coverage starts just prior to 8 p.m. ET.
Tonight's blogcast features the music of Chikezie, David Archuleta, Jason Castro, Jordin Sparks and We Are the Fallen.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Poll of the week: Casey James favorite Top 4 contestant
The results of the Top 4 edition of IDOL LIVE"s poll of the week was somewhat of a surprise considering the direction things are going in but on the other hand they are not too shocking considering who's in the Top 3.
This week it was Casey James who led the way, as he took in 58 of all 134 votes cast, or 43% in all, which was a fair amount ahead of second-place Lee DeWyze and his 44 votes (32%). Crystal Bowersox, who once handedly defeated all her peers in the poll early on in the season, fell to third place with just 31 votes (23%). Recent eliminee Mike Lynche was at least able to net in one vote, but that's not saying too much sadly.
Oddly enough, Lee and Crystal are now tied for first in the overall results for the season with 256 votes a piece, so these last two weeks should be exciting to see who pulls ahead.
In the latest edition of the poll of the week series, readers are asked who their favorite Top 3 contestant is. Voting will be open for exactly one week.
Casey James 58 (43%)
Crystal Bowersox 31 (23%)
Lee DeWyze 44 (32%)
Michael Lynche 1 (0%)
Total votes: 134
Running total for Season 9:
24th - Haeley Vaughn (0 votes)*
21st (tie) - Janell Wheeler (2 votes)*
21st (tie) - Todrick Hall (2 votes)*
21st (tie) - Paige Miles (2 votes)*
19th (tie) - Joe Munoz (3 votes)*
19th (tie) - Jermaine Sellers (3 vote)*
17th (tie) - Tyler Grady (4 votes)*
17th (tie) - Michelle Delamor (4 votes)*
15th (tie) - John Park (6 votes)*
15th (tie) - Ashley Rodriguez (6 votes)*
14th - Lacey Brown (9 votes)*
13th - Katelyn Epperly (10 votes)*
12th - Lilly Scott (14 votes)*
11th - Alex Lambert (22 votes)*
10th - Michael Lynche (27 votes)*
09th - Didi Benami (56 votes)*
08th - Andrew Garcia (58 votes)*
07th - Tim Urban (60 votes)*
06th - Katie Stevens (93 votes)*
05th - Aaron Kelly (111 votes)*
04th - Casey James (177 votes)
03rd - Siobhan Magnus (218 votes)*
01st (tie) - Lee DeWyze (256 votes)
01st (tie) - Crystal Bowersox (256 votes)
*indicates contestant has been eliminated
IDOL LIVE predix: Top 4 Results
With that said, read my predictions for how tonight will go below:
Eliminated
Casey
Anyway, tonight's results are going to be shocking. In fact, it's basically a toss-up between Mike and Casey getting the boot, forget about even calling a Bottom 2 because that's who it will be. Now traditionally, we've seen some pretty big threats to the title go home this week in seasons past (read: Tamyra Gray in Season 1, LaToya London in Season 3, Chris Daughtry in Season 5, LaKisha Jones in Season 6), but lately things haven't been nearly that exciting, especially since in the previously mentioned seasons there were at least viable candidates to win left despite the boots.
Therefore, I'm going to go against my gut and say Casey will finish in fourth place tonight, thus ensuring Mike a third-place finish and Crystal and Lee will be able to duke it out for the anticlimactic victory in two week's time.
In my original predictions I had Andrew finishing 4th (ha!), so that can't happen.
Since the Top 24 I have correctly predicted 6-20 eliminations and since the Top 12 I have correctly predicted 2-8 eliminations. Woo yeah...
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Poll of the week: Lee DeWyze favorite Top 5 contestant
There were no big discrepancies in the results for the Top 5 edition of IDOL LIVE"s poll of the week.
Lee DeWyze led the way with 34 votes (32%), which was nothing out of the ordinary and considering the good praise he's been generating of late, this should be expected. It was perhaps a little bit more surprising that both Crystal Bowersox and Casey James finished in second with 25% of the total votes cast (27 votes a piece).
Tonight's eliminee, Aaron Kelly, managed 14 votes (13%), and Big Mike was able to net four votes (3%), which isn't bad considering where he usually places.
In the latest edition of the poll of the week series, readers are asked who their favorite Top 4 contestant is. Voting will be open for exactly one week.
Aaron Kelly 14 (13%)
Casey James 27 (25%)
Crystal Bowersox 27 (25%)
Lee DeWyze 34 (32%)
Michael Lynche 4 (3%)
Total votes: 106
Running total for Season 9:
24th - Haeley Vaughn (0 votes)*
21st (tie) - Janell Wheeler (2 votes)*
21st (tie) - Todrick Hall (2 votes)*
21st (tie) - Paige Miles (2 votes)*
19th (tie) - Joe Munoz (3 votes)*
19th (tie) - Jermaine Sellers (3 vote)*
17th (tie) - Tyler Grady (4 votes)*
17th (tie) - Michelle Delamor (4 votes)*
15th (tie) - John Park (6 votes)*
15th (tie) - Ashley Rodriguez (6 votes)*
14th - Lacey Brown (9 votes)*
13th - Katelyn Epperly (10 votes)*
12th - Lilly Scott (14 votes)*
11th - Alex Lambert (22 votes)*
10th - Michael Lynche (26 votes)
09th - Didi Benami (56 votes)*
08th - Andrew Garcia (58 votes)*
07th - Tim Urban (60 votes)*
06th - Katie Stevens (93 votes)*
05th - Aaron Kelly (111 votes)*
04th - Casey James (119 votes)
03rd - Lee DeWyze (212 votes)
02nd - Siobhan Magnus (218 votes)*
01st - Crystal Bowersox (225 votes)
*indicates contestant has been eliminated
IDOL LIVE predix: Top 5 Results
Alright, so last night was abysmal. There's no way of getting around it: Frank Sinatra would be embarrassed. As good of a mentor as Harry Connick Jr. was, and as much effort as he put into their arrangements, there was only one above average performance. To add to it, hardly anyone looked comfortable up there with a big huge swing band and barely any space to move around.
Plus, the banishment of all musical instruments (especially the guitar) all but stripped the finalists' of their comfort and confidence. Basically, if there was any less current of a theme that the producers could have picked for them, it would have made things only a little worse.
With that said, read my predictions for how tonight will go below:
Bottom 2
Aaron, Mike
Eliminated
Mike
So, after last week's prediction debacle, it only makes sense to pick the best performer of last night and think he or she is being sent packing due to his or her fans feeling complacent. That means Michael "Big Mike" Lynche is best suited to fit this bill. In all honesty, Mike's fans are not feeling as vulnerable as Casey's fans, who witnessed their favorite get absolutely pummeled by the judges last night.
Lee received the most praise, plus he went last, plus he's never been in the bottom three, so he's a good bet to be safe tonight. Crystal is, well Crystal, and Aaron seems to have the youth vote wrapped around his finger for the time being. So once again, Mike seems to be without a buffer to save him from elimination tonight, even though based solely on vocals he should be spared.
As for who will accompany him in the bottom two (there most likely won't be a bottom three if they follow the pattern set by previous seasons), Aaron is a usual bottom dweller, and his fans weren't as motivated as those of fellow usual lower end buddy Casey, so he will most likely round out the pair. If for some reason there is a B3, we can expect Casey will be there representing.
In my original predictions I had Didi finishing 5th, so that's obviously not happning.
Since the Top 24 I have correctly predicted 6-19 eliminations and since the Top 12 I have correctly predicted 2-7 eliminations.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Poll of the week: Siobhan Magnus favorite Top 6 contestant
In what was a surprising premature exit, Siobhan Magnus ended up garnering the most votes in a cruel case of irony on IDOL LIVE"s poll of the week for the Top 6 edition of the poll.
Siobhan took in 38 of the 129 votes cast, good for 29% of the total take. Lee DeWyze was next with 22% of the vote thanks to 29 votes in his favor, while Casey James was right behind with 28 votes (21%).
Onetime favorite Crystal Bowersox slipped to fourth place with 16 votes (12%), while Aaron Kelly was next with 12 votes (9%) and Big Mike Lynche was dead last with six votes (4%).
In another case of irony, the season to date rankings show that Siobhan is now IDOL LIVE readers' finalist of choice, as she leads with 218 votes to second-place contestant Crystal (198 votes).
In the latest edition of the poll of the week series, readers are asked who their favorite Top 5 contestant is. Voting will be open for exactly one week.
Aaron Kelly 12 (9%)
Casey James 28 (21%)
Crystal Bowersox 16 (12%)
Lee DeWyze 29 (22%)
Mike Lynche 6 (4%)
Siobhan Magnus 38 (29%)
Total votes: 129
Running total for Season 9:
24th - Haeley Vaughn (0 votes)*
21st (tie) - Janell Wheeler (2 votes)*
21st (tie) - Todrick Hall (2 votes)*
21st (tie) - Paige Miles (2 votes)*
19th (tie) - Joe Munoz (3 votes)*
19th (tie) - Jermaine Sellers (3 vote)*
17th (tie) - Tyler Grady (4 votes)*
17th (tie) - Michelle Delamor (4 votes)*
15th (tie) - John Park (6 votes)*
15th (tie) - Ashley Rodriguez (6 votes)*
14th - Lacey Brown (9 votes)*
13th - Katelyn Epperly (10 votes)*
12th - Lilly Scott (14 votes)*
10th (tie) - Michael Lynche (22 votes)
10th (tie) - Alex Lambert (22 votes)*
09th - Didi Benami (56 votes)*
08th - Andrew Garcia (58 votes)*
07th - Tim Urban (60 votes)*
06th - Casey James (92 votes)
05th - Katie Stevens (93 votes)*
04th - Aaron Kelly (97 votes)
03rd - Lee DeWyze (178 votes)
02nd - Crystal Bowersox (198 votes)
01st - Siobhan Magnus (218 votes)*
*indicates contestant has been eliminated
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
IDOL LIVE predix: Top 7 Results
Although the Top 7 finalists didn't meet expectations last night when they tackled inspirational songs, Crystal Bowersox delivered the moment of the season when she went instrument-less on The Impressions' "People Get Ready." Needless to say, she does not need to worry about being in jeopardy tonight. As for the other six stars-in-the-making, though, Alicia Keys probably didn't do enough to advise them out of the danger zone.
With that said, read my predictions for how tonight will go below:
Bottom 3
Mike, Casey, Aaron
Bottom 2
Casey, Aaron
Eliminated
Aaron
These three bottom three dwellers are nothing new, with the exception of Casey, and so tonight's elimination won't be too distressing. Since the Top 2 is pretty much set in stone as of now, it's all a matter of what order certain competitors leave. Mike, who should already be off this show, will make another appearance in the B3 but will escape by the skin of his teeth.
Casey, who up until now has been fairly consistent about not being in danger, will come the closest he has ever been to being eliminated, yet he'll stick around at least another week to deliver the same performance that Kara and co. have been being disappointed by.
And then Aaron will be the victim of "Idol Gives Back," as the show's youngest remaining contestant will be the most unexpected departee and no one will make a fuss over this. All in all a boring result for what should otherwise be a great night filled with giving and charity.
In my original predictions I had Katie going home 7th, which is definitely not a possibility.
Since the Top 24 I have correctly predicted 6-17 eliminations and since the Top 12 I have correctly predicted 2-5 eliminations.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Poll of the week: Siobhan Magnus favorite Top 10 contestant
For the second week in a row, Siobhan was selected as the most popular remaining Idol finalist on the show per IDOL LIVE readers.
Siobhan took on 23 votes, which was easily enough for the top spot in the poll (27%). Sort of close behind was usual front runner Crystal with 16 votes (19%). And Lee DeWyze placed third for the week thanks to 13 votes (15%).
Didi actually gained eight votes despite being eliminated tonight, which was tied with Katie's eight votes for fourth place for the week.
In the latest edition of the poll of the week series, readers are asked of who their favorite Top 9 contestant is. Voting will be open for exactly one week.
Aaron Kelly 7 (8%)
Andrew Garcia 2 (2%)
Casey James 3 (3%)
Crystal Bowersox 16 (19%)
Didi Benami 8 (9%)
Katie Stevens 8 (9%)
Lee DeWyze 13 (15%)
Michael Lynche 0 (0%)
Siobhan Magnus 23 (27%)
Tim Urban 4 (4%)
Total votes: 84
Running total for Season 9:
24th - Haeley Vaughn (0 votes)*
21st (tie) - Janell Wheeler (2 votes)*
21st (tie) - Todrick Hall (2 votes)*
21st (tie) - Paige Miles (2 votes)*
19th (tie) - Joe Munoz (3 votes)*
19th (tie) - Jermaine Sellers (3 vote)*
17th (tie) - Tyler Grady (4 votes)*
17th (tie) - Michelle Delamor (4 votes)*
15th (tie) - John Park (6 votes)*
15th (tie) - Ashley Rodriguez (6 votes)*
14th - Michael Lynche (8 votes)
13th - Lacey Brown (9 votes)*
12th - Katelyn Epperly (10 votes)*
11th - Lilly Scott (14 votes)*
10th - Alex Lambert (22 votes)*
09th - Tim Urban (27 votes)
08th - Casey James (48 votes)
06th (tie) - Katie Stevens (49 votes)
06th (tie) - Andrew Garcia (49 votes)
05th - Aaron Kelly (52 votes)
04th - Didi Benami (56 votes)*
03rd - Lee DeWyze (85 votes)
02nd - Siobhan Magnus (94 votes)
01st - Crystal Bowersox (116 votes)
*indicates contestant has been eliminated
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Poll of the week: Siobhan Magnus favorite Top 11 contestant
After impressing many with her performance of "Paint It Black" last week, Siobhan seemed to gain the most momentum among IDOL LIVE readers as reflected in the latest poll of the week asking which Top 11 contestant was their favorite.
Siobhan had a total of 24 votes cast in her favor, totaling 26%. This was just four votes ahead of usual top vote-getter Crystal Bowersox, whose 20 votes (21%) put her in second for the week. Lee DeWyze brought up the third wheel with 14 votes (15%).
Surprisingly, this week's casualty Paige Miles did not reel in a single vote this week and only garnered two in all since polling began in Top 24 week.
In the latest edition of the poll of the week series, readers are asked of who their favorite Top 10 contestant is. Voting will be open for exactly one week.
Top 12
Aaron Kelly 13 (14%)
Andrew Garcia 2 (2%)
Casey James 4 (4%)
Crystal Bowersox 20 (21%)
Didi Benami 5 (5%)
Katie Stevens 5 (5%)
Lee DeWyze 14 (15%)
Michael Lynche 1 (1%)
Paige Miles 0 (0%)
Siobhan Magnus 24 (26%)
Tim Urban 3 (3%)
Total votes: 91
Running total for Season 9:
24th - Haeley Vaughn (0 votes)*
21st (tie) - Janell Wheeler (2 votes)*
21st (tie) - Todrick Hall (2 votes)*
21st (tie) - Paige Miles (2 votes)*
19th (tie) - Joe Munoz (3 votes)*
19th (tie) - Jermaine Sellers (3 vote)*
17th (tie) - Tyler Grady (4 votes)*
17th (tie) - Michelle Delamor (4 votes)*
15th (tie) - John Park (6 votes)*
15th (tie) - Ashley Rodriguez (6 votes)*
14th - Michael Lynche (8 votes)
13th - Lacey Brown (9 votes)*
12th - Katelyn Epperly (10 votes)*
11th - Lilly Scott (14 votes)*
10th - Alex Lambert (22 votes)*
09th - Tim Urban (23 votes)
08th - Katie Stevens (41 votes)
06th (tie) - Casey James (45 votes)
06th (tie) - Aaron Kelly (45 votes)
05th - Andrew Garcia (47 votes)
04th - Didi Benami (48 votes)
03rd - Siobhan Magnus (71 votes)
02nd - Lee DeWyze (72 votes)
01st - Crystal Bowersox (100 votes)
*indicates contestant has been eliminated
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
The dreaded "judges' save" gimmick returns
I must say I was a little surprised tonight when at the beginning of the Top 12 results show, Ryan asked Simon to explain how the "judges' save" tool works. For a second I thought we were accidentally warped back in time to a year ago, because no one had brought up part of last season that no one wanted to remember because of its sheer stupidity. When I realized this was not the case, I was both sad and confused: why would the producers bring back an option that was widely panned by fans and critics alike?
At the completion of Idol's eighth season, this is what I had to say about the gimmick:
Perhaps the chief rival to Kara being added as a judge for the biggest fumble of Season 8, the infamous "judges' save" option was threatened to be used for weeks before it was finally exhausted in one of the most inexplicable moments of the season. The save was introduced in the Top 13 to keep a "shocker" from happening (i.e. Chris Daughtry, Tamyra Gray). Or at least that's what Ryan and the judges stated.
However, the transparency of the gimmick was so blatant that each week when the results were read, many people couldn't help but roll their eyes at the sight of the judges' "deliberating" while the unlucky contestant "sang for their life." If the whole thing wasn't thought to be phony based on the image of Paula dancing while they were supposed to be talking things over, Simon's hollow "sorry, it's the end of the road" spiels were the icing on the cake for this mess of a gimmick.
The whole time it was easy to see that the save was nothing more than a safety net for TPTB's favorite contestants in case they went under prior to the Top 5, mainly Adam and Danny (Lil at the beginning of the season but not in her last few weeks). After they realized that none of the above were going anywhere for a while, the judges decided to waste it on Matt. Really? Yes, they used it on Matt. It's not like he was a bad guy, but he was one of the last contestants of those remaining that should have been granted the honor.
One cosmetic side effect of the save was that it damaged the suspense factor for half the finals. Even though it was a good guess the option would not be put into effect on a given night, just the idea that the vote was revealed and that contestant still did not know his or her final fate was both annoying to the contestant and anticlimactic to the audience. Therefore, it would be a complete and utter mistake for this cheap shenanigan to return for Season 9.
Needless to say, I still feel the same way. I don't think the judges would use the save on anyone other than Crystal Bowersox, Casey James or Siobhan Magnus. But then again they used it on Matt Giraud last season, so maybe they would waste it on a Didi Benami or Andrew Garcia?
Either way, the decision to invite the save back is foolish to say the least.
Poll of the week: Crystal Bowersox favorite Top 12 contestant
Now that thew two polls of the week have been condensed into one for the finals, this week's bragging rights of "favorite contestant among IDOL LIVE readers" go to Crystal Bowersox.
Crystal nabbed 14 votes, or 21%, just one vote over her chief rival Lee DeWyze's 13 votes (18%). But Siobhan Magnus was nipping at their heels, taking in 12 votes (18%).
In the latest edition of the poll of the week series, readers are asked of who their favorite Top 11 contestant is. Voting will be open for exactly one week.
Top 12
Aaron Kelly 8 (12%)
Andrew Garcia 2 (3%)
Casey James 1 (1%)
Crystal Bowersox 14 (21%)
Didi Benami 4 (6%)
Katie Stevens 3 (4%)
Lacey Brown 2 (3%)
Lee DeWyze 13 (20%)
Michael Lynche 1 (1%)
Paige Miles 0 (0%)
Siobhan Magnus 12 (18%)
Tim Urban 4 (6%)
Total votes: 64
Running total for Season 9:
24th - Haeley Vaughn (0 votes)*
21st (tie) - Janell Wheeler (2 votes)*
21st (tie) - Todrick Hall (2 votes)*
21st (tie) - Paige Miles (2 votes)
19th (tie) - Joe Munoz (3 votes)*
19th (tie) - Jermaine Sellers (3 vote)*
17th (tie) - Tyler Grady (4 votes)*
17th (tie) - Michelle Delamor (4 votes)*
15th (tie) - John Park (6 votes)*
15th (tie) - Ashley Rodriguez (6 votes)*
14th - Michael Lynche (7 votes)
13th - Lacey Brown (9 votes)*
12th - Katelyn Epperly (10 votes)*
11th - Lilly Scott (14 votes)*
10th - Tim Urban (20 votes)
09th - Alex Lambert (22 votes)*
08th - Aaron Kelly (32 votes)
07th - Katie Stevens (36 votes)
06th - Casey James (41 votes)
05th - Didi Benami (43 votes)
04th - Andrew Garcia (45 votes)
03rd - Siobhan Magnus (47 votes)
02nd - Lee DeWyze (58 votes)
01st - Crystal Bowersox (80 votes)
*indicates contestant has been eliminated
Friday, March 12, 2010
IDOL LIVE predix: How the Top 12 will place (and who will win)
Just as I put my neck on the line last season, I am ready to set myself up for failure by predicting how each Top 12 finalist will finish in the current season. Yes, people are still recovering from the shock that Alex Lambert and Lilly Scott are no longer contenders for the title (I'm not one of them), but there's never been a better time to throw your hat in the ring and predict away.
From the Top 24 until now I've correctly predicted four out of 12 eliminations, so I'm batting .250 to date. When looking at who would make the Top 12 at the outset of the Top 24, however, I pegged 8-12 finalists correctly. Last season, I did not correctly pick a single finalists' placing among the Top 13 at the outset of the finals, which kind of stings. Hopefully this time around it goes better.
After giving the scenarios careful thought, you can read my predictions below.
The Top 12 of American Idol: Season 9 (ordered by predicted place of elimination)
12th-place finalist
>Lacey Brown
Lacey has made it here thanks to her southern, country appeal, because her vocals sure didn't earn her a spot among this group. Add to this the fact that she will have to take on something originally sung by The Rolling Stones this week and Lacey has a recipe for disaster. She does have a cute personality and seems really sweet but sweetness doesn't always cut it in this competition.
11th-place finalist:
>Tim Urban
10th-place finalist:
>Paige Miles
Paige managed to evade elimination throughout all three semifinal rounds despite my consistent predictions to the contrary. After using her rock edge to pleasantly surprise America on one of The Rolling Stones' tracks, she will get lost in the shuffle and by Top 10 week she will not be able to stand up against a wave of strong competition, especially from the remaining girls. Think of her as this season's Lisa Tucker.
9th-place finalist:
>Aaron Kelly
Aaron is a nice kid and all, but he can't compete with the majority of these guys. His age works against him and his lower register isn't fully developed, not to mention he lacks a good sense of pitch (I'm starting to sound like Randy here). What he has going for him is the whole country thing, which many Idol voters love, but unless he gets to really shine on country night (assuming it happens prior to Top 9 week), the thin ice he's skating on will shatter.
8th-place finalist:
>Lee DeWyze
7th-place finalist:
>Katie Stevens
6th-place finalist:
>Michael Lynche
5th-place finalist:
>Didi Benami
4th-place finalist:
>Andrew Garcia
3rd-place finalist:
>Crystal Bowersox
Runner-up:
>Casey James
Winner:
>Siobhan Magnus
And there we have it. Each week I will compare my original predictions with how things turn out in reality in addition to making revised predictions depending on the circumstances each week. (Photos courtesy of AmericanIdol.com).
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Poll of the week: Lee, Crystal favorite Top 16 semifinalists among respective sexes
It was more of the same this week on IDOL LIVE's poll of the week, as we had repeat winners in Lee DeWyze and Crystal Bowersox.
Lee took in 24 votes (30%), besting now eliminated Alex Lambert's 15 votes (18%) and Casey James's 12 votes (15%). He also holds a slim lead among all guys in the overall vote.
As for Crystal, her 23 votes (31%) were slightly ahead of Siobhan Magnus's 19 votes (26%) and Didi Benami's 3 votes (16%).
In the latest edition of the poll of the week series, readers are asked of who their favorite Top 12 contestant is. Voting will be open for exactly six days.
Top 8 guys
Lee DeWyze 24 (30%)
Andrew Garcia 5 (6%)
Casey James 12 (15%)
Todrick Hall 2 (2%)
Aaron Kelly 10 (12%)
Alex Lambert 15 (18%)
Michael Lynche 4 (5%)
Tim Urban 8 (10%)
Total votes: 80
Top 8 girls
Didi Benami 13 (18%)
Crystal Bowersox 23 (31%)
Lacey Brown 2 (2%)
Katelyn Epperly 5 (6%)
Siobhan Magnus 19 (26%)
Paige Miles 0 (0%)
Lilly Scott 7 (9%)
Katie Stevens 3 (4%)
Total votes: 72
Running total for Season 9:
24th - Haeley Vaughn (0 votes)*
21st (tie) - Janell Wheeler (2 votes)*
21st (tie) - Todrick Hall (2 votes)*
21st (tie) - Paige Miles (2 votes)
19th (tie) - Joe Munoz (3 votes)*
19th (tie) - Jermaine Sellers (3 vote)*
17th (tie) - Tyler Grady (4 votes)*
17th (tie) - Michelle Delamor (4 votes)*
14th (tie) - John Park (6 votes)*
14th (tie) - Ashley Rodriguez (6 votes)*
14th (tie) - Michael Lynche (6 votes)
13th - Lacey Brown (7 votes)
12th - Katelyn Epperly (10 votes)*
11th - Lilly Scott (14 votes)*
10th - Tim Urban (16 votes)
09th - Alex Lambert (22 votes)*
08th - Aaron Kelly (24 votes)
07th - Katie Stevens (33 votes)
06th - Siobhan Magnus (35 votes)
05th - Didi Benami (39 votes)
04th - Casey James (40 votes)
03rd - Andrew Garcia (43 votes)
02nd - Lee DeWyze (45 votes)
01st - Crystal Bowersox (66 votes)
*indicates contestant has been eliminated
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Poll of the week: Lee, Crystal favorite Top 20 semifinalists among respective sexes
Unlike last week, only one of the semifinalists that received the most votes in the most recent edition of IDOL LIVE's poll of the week was one of the two contestants that performed last on his performance night.
Lee DeWyze's 18 votes (25%) were enough to give him bragging rights as the most voted for contestant among IDOL LIVE readers, topping last week's favorite Andrew Garcia, who took in 16 votes (22%). Casey James was relegated to third place with 14 votes (19%).
Among the girls, Crystal Bowersox crushed her competition with 31 votes (36%), placing above Didi Benami's 15 votes (17%) and Siobhan Magnus's 14 votes (16%). As for who's ahead in the overall season vote, Crystal is now leading with 43 votes to Andrew Garcia's 38 votes.
In the latest edition of the poll of the week series, readers are asked of who their favorite male and female Top 16 contestants are. Voting will be open for exactly one week.
Top 10 guys
Lee DeWyze 18 (25%)
Andrew Garcia 16 (22%)
Casey James 14 (19%)
Todrick Hall 0 (0%)
Aaron Kelly 7 (9%)
Alex Lambert 7 (9%)
Michael Lynche 2 (2%)
John Park 2 (2%)
Jermaine Sellers 2 (2%)
Tim Urban 4 (5%)
Total votes: 72
Top 10 girls
Didi Benami 15 (17%)
Crystal Bowersox 31 (36%)
Lacey Brown 4 (4%)
Michelle Delamor 2 (2%)
Katelyn Epperly 3 (3%)
Siobhan Magnus 14 (16%)
Paige Miles 2 (2%)
Lilly Scott 3 (3%)
Katie Stevens 12 (13%)
Haeley Vaughn 0 (0%)
Total votes: 86
Running total for Season 9:
23rd (tie) - Todrick Hall (0 votes)
23rd (tie) - Haeley Vaughn (0 votes)*
21st (tie) - Paige Miles (2 votes)
21st (tie) - Michael Lynche (2 votes)
20th (tie) - Janell Wheeler (2 votes)*
18th (tie) - Joe Munoz (3 votes)*
18th (tie) - Jermaine Sellers (3 vote)*
16th (tie) - Tyler Grady (4 votes)*
16th (tie) - Michelle Delamor (4 votes)*
14th (tie) - Lacey Brown (5 votes)
14th (tie) - Katelyn Epperly (5 votes)
12th (tie) - John Park (6 votes)*
12th (tie) - Ashley Rodriguez (6 votes)*
10th (tie) - Lilly Scott (7 votes)
10th (tie) - Alex Lambert (7 votes)
09th - Tim Urban (8 votes)
08th - Aaron Kelly (14 votes)
07th - Siobhan Magnus (16 votes)
06th - Lee DeWyze (21 votes)
05th - Didi Benami (26 votes)
04th - Casey James (28 votes)
03rd - Katie Stevens (30 votes)
02nd - Andrew Garcia (38 votes)
01st - Crystal Bowersox (43 votes)
*indicates contestant has been eliminated
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