ROSADO'S RECAPS: American Idol - The Cultute of Pop, DVD, Movie, TV, Pop Culture Review

ROSADO'S RECAPS: American Idol

Posted: Thu, 3 Mar 2011 22:13:48 PST

3-3-11

Welcome...and let's dive into it...

Okay, our first live elimination results show of the season with twenty-four hopefuls on equal terms with everybody watching at home. In other words, these kids are equally on the edge of their seats as we.

After obligatory filler interview junk, it's Scotty and Robbie up to see who gets to relax for the next hour and 55 minutes. Jen wants to see more than him in terms of versatility, using his vibrato, but staying true to his genre..Robbie gets nice props from Randy who says he's been up and down in the competition, but feels he's a very talented singer songwriter.....and America's decision is a shocker for the Robbie fan club..he's in danger unless he gets a chance to sing for his life.

On we go: Clint's a bundle of nerves despite Randy's praise...Jordan's a picture of calm by comparison and rib man Jovanny is a cross between the two. Results? All three have to take a seat! Wow!

Now, it's round one of cuttin' time for the ladies: Pia and Lauren A. hit their marks by Seacrest...and Pia gets her first fan shout out (Pia: “I love you, too”). Lauren gets props from Kelly Clarkson via Twitter comparing her to the wonderful Kellie Pickler. In a scary moment, Lauren gets Top 10 status...but...so does Pia!!!!

Ta-Tynisa and Julie are next to depart their chairs to await their fate, two of the weaker performers from last night (although Ta sounded great to me initially last night, she paled in comparison to much stronger performances that came later). So, it's not a surprise to see her get the call to sit down...as for Julie? Wow, she's gotta sit down, too.

Kristin, Ashton and Karen step up next, and I don't think all three of these are headed to the penalty box...but shockingly, my pick out of these three that has to take a seat in the loser's bracket is...Ashton? Randy's “baby Diana Ross”? WTF, America! But the wild card remains, so fingers crossed for her. Surprisingly, Karen makes it thru despite my mixed feelings on her beauty pageant take on Hero last night..But I think it's the male demographic that has to be turning out in mass numbers to carry her thru, so I'll be anxious to hear her sing next week to prove me wrong. Ashton and Kristin have to take their seats in the “maybe”section.

Back to the guys with Jacob, Casey, and Tim....before the vote comes, I'm thinking there's no way the first two are headed to sit with Ashton, Ta, Julie, Clint, Jordan and Jovanny...and I'm overjoyed to see Jacob go thru...and then, Casey! There's still hope for you, America! Poor Tim has to take a seat, and I don't think he's gonna get the wild card equivalent of a judge's save.

We're back to the girls with Thia, Naima, and Lauren T.-Not surprisingly, Naima has to take a seat with her fellow non Top Ten finishers...and Thia is a no-brainer...I would have screamed so loud Nigel Lowthorn would have heard me in Los Angeles...and Lauren T. appears to be a goner unless the judges choose to give her a chance to prove herself for a wild card slot.

Brett and Paul come on up...and this is a toughie for me, because I like both of these guys a bunch, but they gave so-so performances on Tuesday...But it's Paul who gets the call, and I'm thrilled because I just found out he's a Huntsville, Alabama native where this here blog and its author call home.

Now, it's Haley vs. Rachel as the hopefuls side grows smaller and smaller...and I'm thrilled to death for Haley because she's my dark horse in the competition...and I think her best work is yet to come. Although I hurt for Rachel, that overtly ambitious take on Criminal didn't do her any favors with America.

James and Stefano rise up next...and although Stefano is wonderful, James is my man...and America, you're getting smarter....Rock on, JD!

Now it's 50 minutes of torture and raw nerves with the judges deciding who gets to sing for their lives...

Jennifer announces that it's three boys and three girls who'll be getting the call to perform any song from their past reportoire...Ashton's chosen by Rands to go first and she could not have not picked a better song to wail: Her exemplarary take on Jennifer's Hudson and Holiday And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going. Everybody's in agreement on how great she was again...but we still have five more choices to go...

Stefano's up next with I Need You Now and it starts out shakily for me, but improves dramatically toward the end...Jen's pound the judge's desk with joy...Randy says he did it justice, Jen said he came thru, Steven said it reminded him of why they liked him in the first place..

Steven gives Kendra the call to grab the mike, and again, another inspired choice as she delivers her superb take on Georgia On My Mind....and it's just deliciously soulful as the first time she die it, making me realize I'd forgotten how good she was...Randy said it started out a little wobbly, but she brought it at the end...

Next up is Jennifer's turn to choose..and those ribs must have did the trick...Jovanny's up with Jon Secada's Angel...and it's pleasant enough, but pales when compared to the other performers...and Jen commenting that “it was all he could do” is kinda' cryptic to me...for I think Jovanny's train stops soon..

Steven picks Naima as the final girl to get a chance to sing for her future, which means it's time to say bye to Ta-Ty, Rachel, Lauren T. and Julie, all of whom were the weak links of last night's show...Back to stage center, Naima gives the best performance I've ever heard her do on Donny Hathaway's For All We Know....Randy's got this huge smile on his face and Steven's right on the money stating “You brought it way down from inside”.

Now, it's the last time for one final male to be picked...Robbie gets the call much to my delight, thus Clint, Jordan, Brett, and Tim leave us, and I'm particularly bummed for Brett, but that so-so take on Light My Fire really hurt him. Meanwhile, Robbie brings back Elton John's Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word, the song that pushed him into the Top 24. Randy feels he's got his groove back, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

With everybody's nerves on edge, it seems natural we'd end this misery after a commercial..(John Belushi voice), but NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! (Belushi Voice Off)..We gotta sit thru a predictable paint by numbers music video by J-Lo...but damn if you can't take your eyes off of her. She's not gonna ever be compared to Mariah or Whitney, but her voice is good enough to carry a dance floor crowd pleaser...`

So...as of this sentence, it's minutes away from wild card picks time, and my choices are Naima and Robbie....and do the judges agree? Nope, not at first, for it's Ashton who just can't believe it..so happy for her...and then, Stefano goes thru (ah, guess I'm okay with him) So...will either of my picks go thru?

(Insert drum roll here...)

Naima! Yes....I just knew there was no way she could miss after that wonderful take on the Donnny Hathaway song. Fantastic!

Though I'm disappointed that Robbie didn't go thru, this is still a good looking, good sounding Top 13 that is surely gonna be more exciting to watch than last year's crop...

So, in review, your Top 13 for Season 10 of American Idol are:

Casey Abrams-Naima Adedapo-Lauren Alaina

James Durbin-Ashton Jones-Stefano Langone

Jacob Lusk-Scotty McCreery-Paul McDonald

Thia Megia-Haley Reinhart-Karen Rodriguez-Pia Toscano

Congrats and good luck to all...and be sure to bookmark The Culture Of Pop for weekly American Idol updates, fresh news and links on all the contestants and a potential surprise in development (how's that for a teaser?)

 

-Jeffrey Rosado

 

FOLLOW JEFF ON TWITTER: marquee_man

 

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