Feelin’ Good is a fairly obscure song from the ’60s musical The Roar of the Greasepaint — The Smell of the Crowd, covered by Nina Simone and more recently by the Pussycat Dolls and Michael Bublé. Now it’s the ultimate American Idol jinx.
Two contestants sang it this week, and both — AJ Tabaldo and Leslie Hunt — were eliminated in favor of vastly inferior singers.
Tabloid favorite Antonella Barba survived, despite a hopelessly weak performance, as did Sanjaya Malakar, whose sole attribute seems to be his shy smile.
Also leaving: Alaina Alexander, whose performances the last two weeks established her as a prime candidate to exit. Overcome by emotion, she virtually abandoned her farewell encore of the Dixie Chicks’ Not Ready to Make Nice — a shambolic but oddly human moment.
And Nick Pedro, who sang Fever Tuesday, succumbed to a fatally low vote total, not unjustifiably.
Bonus Annoyed Awards, as I am a bit annoyed tonight:
The New School Kevin Covais Reincarnated Award goes to Sanjaya Malakur. Like Chicken Little, Sanjaya is young, likeable and cute.
And a weak singer compared to the rest. How far will Sanjaya get this season? I'm betting not as far as Kevin did last year.
The Heir Apparent to the Throne of Princess Jasmine Award goes to Antonella Barba, who, thanks in part to the drunken frat boy vote, gets to scare cats and break windows for another week. But based on this season's competition, she's not getting as far as Trias' #3 showing in a less-than-stellar third season.
And the First CD I Might Consider Purchasing from a Former Idol Contestant Award goes to Leslie Hunt, whom I wish the best of luck in her future plans.
Here are my thoughts of the night (although, these are probably not in order, as I had a few drinks, and did not start writing things down until right before the last elimination)...
Nick's elimination - glad to see him go. He's attractive, but didn't stand out.
Alaina's elimination - I liked her the best tonight more than I have any other time.
Like you said, Ken, it was a human performance. Loved her emotion.
Wow, Shawn from WI showing that you could win by playing their ridiculously easy game?
Way to represent!
Kellie Pickler? Is that really her?
Love her curves, but if I had just seen her face without hearing who she was, I would have had no clue. I fast-forwarded through most of her performance, but liked the way the ending sounded.
Sanjaya vs.
AJ - I knew right away AJ was going home - what a bummer. Loved Sanjaya's reaction - he knows he's not worthy. AJ sounded great - what ever happened to the judge's pick to bring someone back?
Leslie's elimination - saw that was coming, but she really looked shocked. I loved her ad-lib at the end - did NBC cut her off because American's don't like jazz, or was it coincidence that the time ran out? I would have liked to hear the rest of her song!
Next week, I think Antonella, Haley, Jarad, and Sanjaya need to go, unless they REALLY step up their performance.
-- You just know Leslie is going to be on some bar stage soon, talking smack about the Idol viewers judges. It would be fun to be there.
-- Sundance was a blubbering mess. Oddly, it was kind of lovable.
-- Gina was clearly intimidated by Lakisha.
G came out like a boxer, determined to wail Lakisha to death. Lakisha cried, "Uncle," knowing that - in the long run - G is no competition.
-- I was surprised to see Jared holding his own in the group sing, but considering that it was a group sing about a bull frog, I'm not sure that's saying much.
-- No matter how badly we talk about the contestants, it never feels good to watch someone's heart destroyed in front of us. Alaina showed us that even Barbies are human. Better luck on daytime TV, or something.
Leslie's interpretation wasn't jazz. Not even close to the late great Nina Simone in coolness. Fire and Ice, that was Nina.
Check out Ella Fitzgerald for a master class on advanced scatting.
HAd Leslie done even half the job Melinda did on Valentine, Jordin would be the one going home and Leslie would still be on the show.
I liked Leslie, but her vocals sounded more pop that jazz influenced.
She did have a nice smoky voice, which, with the right song could have worked for her.
But to claim "America don't care for jazz" is a cop out. She just wasn't good enough.
Having had a bit of time to reflect, I think Leslie is a great example of a contestant who really appeals to viewers who don't vote much or at all. She's the type who could be a really good Adult Album Alternative artist like Dido or KT Tunstall, and I'd like to hear that record.
But the reality is that fans of that sort of music don't vote in big numbers, even if we are dedicated viewers.
We have to resign ourselves to that fact that the very nature of the voting process keeps us lurching toward the lowest common denominator each week.
If your taste is right or left of center, be proud of that. If America doesn't get the interesting artsy girl, that's par for the course.
I still like the interesting artsy girl and I'm not sad that most people don't.
SheikYbuti: I picked up on that Seacrest comment to Kellie also. I turned to my wife and said that he had basically just accused her of the implants and Kellie being Kellie, I don't think she caught on at all.
I used to kind of laugh when the less qulified contestants would move on based solely on their sex/sleaze appeal, but no more. Leslie wasn't the prettiest, didn't have the most talent, but was by and far my favorite female contestant. I knew she was in trouble though when I voted for her 10 times and never once got a busy signal.
And between the drunken frat boys (as someone else mentioned) and the votefortheworst.com votes, Antonella moves on. Hugh Hefner already told Access Hollywood that he plans to make her an offer once she's done with Idol.
Why doesn't she just drop out of the competition now and do the photo shoot. I'm certain Hef will pay her more than she'd ever make from album sales.
I sure hope some independent label takes a good look at Leslie.
She deserves it.
Kevin T.
The only real surprise was that didn't go, but like the old Brook Benton song says, "It's just a matter of time"
I really don't undtestand why some people are ragging on Antonella, she is more talented than some of the other ladies.
Granted, she will not win the contest but she is not all that bad.
I'm just looking forward to the evening when cry-baby Sundance departs,< insert the Brook Benton song here >
Looks like the Vote for the Worst folks are keeping at it this season.
Leslie looked totally lost after she was axed, like she was waiting for Ryan to take it back and tell her she was safe.
AI is rigged? I do, and really how would you know? There is no way for anyone to know how 30 million other voters voted, so the producers could do as they wished, and maybe they do that to keep things "controversial.
"
My problem with the girls is too many of them "overlap" and I can't tell them apart. Same thing with some of the guys (but not all). I like Chris Sligh, but I don't think he'll win it all.
I am pleased to announce that I will soon be releasing a new device that uses nano technology which you inhale, and it plants itself in your sinuses then automatically creates a linkage to your brain.
Then, when you want to vote for an Idol, you just think it, and the device will send a signal to an external device which will dial up your vote for you.
I call this device "The Roark.
"
I hope in the future to carry a full line of snortable devices.
I went six out of eight on our pool last night. I missed on A.
J. I had picked Brandon to go, but I'm glad he gets another week.
As for Kellie Pickler, I never did get her appeal vocally.
I think the dress and the cleavage and the hair (which I actually kind of liked) were intended to keep attention off of her still-weak voice. I couldn't hear/understand a single word, and I could barely discern a tune.
Regarding a previous post about AI being rigged, I don't think it is.
However, when the vote is as close as it was last year when Elliott left, I think it's extremely possible that those votes were manipulated to get the guy/girl final. And who would know?
McPhee and Hudson were not the best of their respective season.
McPhee...
..you may like her based on your chat name, but overall, take a look at her attitude and sales.
They both STINK!
Hudson has developed and matured as a singer. Her attitude changed after she got booted off.
You may want to view that season again if you or anyone you know taped or TIVO'd it. She realized, admitted and got additional lessons. Only after that and the acting lessons, did she advance her career and beat out Fantasia for that role in Dreamgirls.
Also that year, Fantasia won because of her rendition of "Summertime" and picking the right songs and because of vote splitting between her, Jennifer and LaToya London (The 3 Divas).
But you must agree that anyone of the three could have won easily over that "what's her name" that came in second?
For all of the talk, the ultimate success of the AI winners and losers will be what follows after the shows.
Anyone remembers Justin?
OK People, wake up. America is voting in droves for the underdog.
Why? Because groups of people are stacking the deck to vote in the geekiest contestant -just to mess with the results. If you look at Dial Idol you will see that someone has a speed dialing program and is loading the votes.
Taylor had the Soul Patrol, I suggest that Chris Sligh (who has a great Roy Orbison voice) should get a catch phrase, use it every second he has talk time like Taylor did, and he will win.
The votes last night weren't wrong just earlier than anticipated. This is all designed to MAKE YOU CALL in the vote, boost the ratings, etc.
But honestly, if Sanjaya won, they could still make money on him and give him training, and recoup the investment. Don't fool yourselves.
Think business people, it's all about business, not talent, business.
Taylor was on Dr. Phil yesterday, wow, he really sucked it big time . .
. .
My breathe was taken away when AJ was voted off Idol last night.
I found it interesting as the contestants were hugging AJ goodbye that Sanjaya was not in the huddle. Watch a playback..
.he is standing with arms crossed just out of reach of the huddle. I sincerely believe that the other contenders were torn down by this vote.
I believe that the Idol judge were taken back as well.
It doesn't make any since what-so-ever to me how America can vote off someone that clearly has more charisma and vocal talent.
"I really don't undtestand why some people are ragging on Antonella, she is more talented than some of the other ladies.
"
Antonella is clearly the least talented of the top 12 ladies. Well, at least at singing.
All I have to say is Brandon was given a gift last night, and he better not freaking squander it.
I love his voice and I want him in the top 12, but he has GOT to step it up next week and pick a better song.
I think that while the women overall may be more talented this season, the men are definitely more diverse and interesting. I look forward to their shows more, because I know I'm going to at least hear different songs.
Not a Whitney/Mariah/Celine/Christina/Aretha lovefest.
Leslie was different. I am pissed that she is gone.
But I will buy any music that she releases solo or with her band. ANY. I love her voice.
A season of divas. Yawn. Can we fastforward to May?
Or better yet, next January?
Another typical Semi-Finals. Every year it's the same story - at least 1 or 2 inferior ones keep being safe every week and you wonder why they were ever even put thru to Hollywood, let alone the Top 24.
There were so many betters ones cut in Hollywood - BUT REMEMBER: just every album/cd has "filler tracks", the AI Panel has to have "filler singers" who are easily dispensible - we never have 12 PHENOMENAL ONES - which would actually make sense because the voting would actually be performance-based. They keep going for the flipping shock value and back stories and scandals that make us listen to awful warblers while good ones go.
This week was very wrong for me - It clearly should have been Sanjaya and Brandon who for 2 weeks in row have been the weakest most boring, blandest guys on that stage.
And clearly, for the 2nd week it should have been Antonella. They got it right with Alaina but c'mon - Leslie was actually my #1 this week and she is not one I ever expected to like. But performance-wise, she is the only one who motivated me to vote!
Shame on the judges and America. I want to truly have "THE BEST SINGERS IN AMERICA" in the Top 12 - not 4 crap, 4 mediocre, and 4 "VERY GOOD" - we never end up with THE BEST SINGER winning.
Apparently Kelly Pickler has earned enough money to buy a few more things than shoes.
1. a hairstyle that ages her 20 years.
2.
The most obvious breast implants since Pam Anderson.
I think I am even more shocked than Sanjaya that he's still going in the competition He seems like a nice kid- but I can't imagine who would seriously vote for him.
It was satisfying that Nick Pedro got the boot- nothing against the dude but to me his voice is the definition of unspectacular.
Alaina just can't sing as well as most of the rest of the competition- so I am glad she is gone. Leslie Hunt just never made any impression on me whatsoever. She may be fine in whatever genre it is she favors- but that's not going to win with a wide audience.
I don't think Antonella is NEARLY as bad as most people make her out to be. I actually thought her last performance showed a very nice voice.
I hope Stephanie Edwards keeps on trucking- to me her beauty/talent combo is leagues ahead of the rest of the women.
I think Hailie will go next week- along with Sabrina or Gina.
This is a little OT, but does anyone know why Cingular edited those dropped -call commercials? You know the ones.
The guy isn't saying "Earl got your tongue?" anymore. The future son-in-law isn't saying "Jimmy crack corn.
"
There was a tv news teaser about the second one but I never saw a story.
Just curious because thay never change them just because they are annoying.
There's a whole season of singing and voting to go, but I'm starting to wonder: as a group, is there any way in the world the eventual top 10 will endear itself to the viewers to the degree that the Season Five group did?
S5 voters made Idol double the tour itinerary even after Kat was known to be missing early shows. And a lot of people like myself kinda did wish TPTB had taken an arbitrary exception and thrown in Melissa and Kevin along with the official 10.
The season 6 survivors had better turn it on now if they want to make the most money on the tour -- there has to be moments on the TV show that make people want to relive them with you.
So far, only Melinda and Jordin and maybe Blake look to me like they might sell tickets.
"And has anybody followed the "after life" of ex-AI's? That's why Pickler was on .
..her career is going NOWHERE.
..only Carrie is kicking butt right now (along with Kelly).
.."
Pickler's career is actually going very well.
Her album has been certified gold, she's about to kick of on a major spring/summer tour opening for Brad Paisley, and she's been nominated somewhere for a "Breakthrough Video" award (I read that this morning at MJ's).
Also, I'd say a double platinum certification for Chris Daughtry's album and a sold out spring tour is not too damn shabby either..
.
"What I can't understand is out of 100,000+ auditions how did Sanjaya and Antonella even get there?"
I wondered the same thing, PokerJeff.
I remember when it was down to Antonella and that other girl (sorry, I can't remember her name-- one of the guys at Television without Pity called her Lonelygirl15, I think). I thought that surely what's-her-name would get the spot. And clearly she did, too, because she blubbered on and on about how everyone thought she was great and that she'd make it through.
At the time, I was just embarassed for her, but now I'm thinking she probably was a lot better than Antonella. Also, didn't Antonella forget her words in Hollywood? I know Baily forgot them all and Amanda fudge a few, but I could have sworn Antonella missed a few herself.
At any rate, I don't remember her wowing me at any point in the audition rounds and she seems to have been included merely for the sake of adding drama.
On a related note, one of my students tried out in Memphis and was so dismayed with the audition process, not because she didn't make it past the producers, but because she saw so many talented people getting dismissed. I know there's no way every single talented person can make it onto the show, but it bothers me that fairly average singers continue to pass through because of their supposed good looks.
I don't ever see Antonella having any success in this industry, at least not until she matures both as a singer and a person. And what's this about being a personality on the E! network?
The girl can barely string two coherent sentences together. It's painful to watch. I'll be eager to see what happens with her and Sanjaya next week and this perhaps what the producers are banking on.
They may be hated contestants, but they're still helping to pull in viewers.
kevthor,
OK, I give. At least on the commercial (although they do trim ads for cost), and the breast enhancement (not an expert; my wife's are real.
.. and they're spectacular).
But as far as AJ vs. Leslie, sorry, can't compromise there. Leslie was just weird, like she hasn't figured out who she is yet.
On a related note, I wonder if her little ad lib will prompt future losers to vary the exit song to send a message out over live TV. Could be interesting.
That second place singer to Fantasia has had a better singing career than she has.
.. Should look at the overall before spouting out stuff.
...
She has done a great job on Broadway including lead roles in broadway hits as "Hairspray"...
so she may not have a great album...
but is a mainstay on Broadway...
And for the record...
Fantasia won not because she could sing...
hince why she was in the bottom 2 a ton that season...
and then they showed her "story" and she won...
it was the SYMPATHY vote.
A few observations to end the week.
1.
Kelli Pickler - Grotesque. The next logical step is to inject a half- pound of liverwurst into your lips just like Dolly Parton.
2.
Antonella - Who can't love a girl whose closest lifelong friend says "She is the least slutty girl I know?"
My wife thinks Nick lost out because he dedicated his song to his girlfriend, thus losing some votes to girls that vote and vote often.
Lots of singers apparently dedicated their songs to grandparents (living or deceased), including the creepy 'Geek in the Pink' Eeewww.
So is the moral of the story to play it safe and sing pop songs dedicated to people from a generation who generally don't listen to the music? :>
Also, my family thinks that Alaina lost in part because she sang a Dixie Chicks song, which is a lightning rod to some - especially my son, who votes often as well.
Entertaining, no doubt, Suzeeet.
.. Actually about the only thing my family agrees on!
We actually have an annual "draft" now where each family member selects 6 of the 24 finalists. Ultimately the winner gets to choose the family activity for Memorial Day holiday. Sounds campy, I know, but it is a riot and makes it more interesting when you actually have a vested interest in the program.
I won last year (yep, I voluntarily chose Hicks) - made my family go to some baseball games over the holiday. I may win again this year, I drafted 4 of the 8 girls left, including Doolittle, Sloan, and Jordin.
I can smell the hot dogs at the ballpark already.
..
Yeah, the voting process is flawed, sure - but I don't think any viable alternative is any better.
If specifically vote "out" a person - yes, you'll eliminate some of the more massive voting blocs that one could argue sway the voting unfairly (I don't care - I'm opposed to auto-dialers, but if people want to get into voting blocs for a contestant I hate - fine, I don't have to buy that person's album if they win) -- but as someone pointed out above, the result is something decidely less humane. It's definitely true that most of the contestants on this show have egos that outweigh their talent (and..
.fine, that's par for the course), but if I had to choose between hearing, "Christina, not enough people voted to keep you in the competition" versus "Christina, the overwhelming majority of the votes said we should eliminate you" - well, I'd definitely go for the former.
As for "paying" for votes - well, you can already sort of do that with Cingular/AT T text messaging (though I imagine the serious texters subscribe to some major text messaging plan -- I use T-Mobile and pay $4 a month for 400 messages, even though I never approach that level of usage, just because I do typically send/receive more than 40 messages a month), and the very fact that they don't reveal the number of text messages that factor into the votes each week is probably proof that it is a relatively small percentage.
I just wish we could use the little boxes they have in the UK that let you press a button on your remote control to vote for a contestant -- that would make it SUPER easy...
but I understand the logistics that would be involved in that sort of system all too well to expect that to happen over here.
I do not think the producers directly alter the voting results (I do think they go out of their way to promote certain contestants to try to ensure their inclusion in the Final 12..
.Kellie Pickler is a perfect example), simply because the FCC regulations and laws involving that sort of thing are straightforward (because of the Quiz Show "scandals" from the 1950s, which I'm in the minority in believing were overblown and something that never should have been regulated/mandated by Congress..
.but I digress) and the potential fallout, inane lawsuits, fines/penalties/public outcry would be SO mammoth, I truly don't think it would be worth the trouble. Plus, as someone pointed out - Taylor won AI 5.
Nothing against Taylor, but he was NOT who Simon and Nigel wanted to win, because he's not marketable enough or mainstream enough to make them a gazillion dollars. The majority of the people who voted for him had no intention of every buying his CD or supporting him on the road and they knew it -- they smelled money from both Chris and Katharine (and while Katharine hasn't sold a lot of albums, she's certainly been a figure in the press and she has the potential to make them a ton of money) -- but that wasn't the final two. If Idol was really rigged, I have no doubt that that would have been the end result - because they were the two most commercial contestants from the beginning of that season.
Still, like I said, even if Idol were completely and totally rigged and nothing about it was accurate, I personally would not care. I watch for the drama, the freak show and the occasional wowing - I don't take it seriously. Last night's results might not have been "correct" in terms of shear ability - but it brought on the drama and will keep me tuning in.
..so mission accomplished.
Maybe YOU should take a look at the statistics.
Fantasia's first album made it big.
4 cuts made the top 10.
You may not heard them because of the station you listen to. 3 were made into videos which had heavy air play on MTV, VH1 and BET.
Her current album is rising in the charts.
I guess total album sales is a not your basis for quality.
Her Lifetime movie was one of the highest first run movie on that channel.
She recieved several awards for her effort along with getting the role of Miss Cely in the broadway version of The Color Purple.
Though I am not a total Fantasia fan, you cannot compare her to what's her name...
...
..noticed that you did not say Diana DeGarmo.
I am not saying Diana is not talented, but she is NO Fantasia, LaToya or Jennifer and should not have been in the final 2.
There are a lot of people associated with Broadway, but the transistion into the mainstream is what really counts commercially.
Let's be real!
!!!
!!!
American Idol has always had people vote for their favorite, not against someone. Big Brother did that on the US edition in its first season and it turned out to be a disaster. The same would happen with Idol.
First of all, as silly as it is to spend two hours on the phone trying to keep a singer's dream alive, it's even sillier and even sadistic for someone to spend two hours on the phone trying to crush the dream of a young singer. Take THAT Sanjaya! Die, die, die!
!!
They won't change it, but let's say they did for next week.
Antonella and Sanjaya would certainly be gone first, but then what? Simon declares the Melinda is the one to beat, so supporters of every other singer call to eliminate her. Then what?
Lakisha is now clearly the one to beat and she's the threat to the one you like so her supporters spread their votes around but supporters of everyone else vote Lakisha off, and so on.
Then you'd be down to the final two of Phil and Haley and America finally gets to pick the one they prefer instead of the greatest threat to the one they prefer.
The voting system is flawed but it is fair.
People who vote 10 or 100 times for a performer are much more likely to buy a CD or a ticket for that person than for the least disliked.
Many here have said that the most liked are also the most disliked. Celine Dion proved that the other night.
Nobody argues about her singing ability but she generates a lot of negative reaction.
Of all the comments I read none are more bewildering than the claims of rigged voting. Antonella could win this year and the show would be stronger than ever next year.
But the show would be dead if it was ever shown to tamper with the voting.
I'm bringing facts to this discussion, not frustration over who didn't win that I liked.
But her debut single made history, as Billboard reported "I Believe"
the first single by an artist to debut at #1 in the Soundscan era.
(Billboard began using Soundscan in 1991)
Next, she won 2 Billboard year end awards, in two different genres.
(Clay was second, Diana a third)
and Best Selling R B Single, 2004.
Her album went double Plat, per RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America.
That's 2X)Layota London, sure, lovely woman, but last time I checked, her debut album hasn't cracked 60,000 in sales yet. Diana? very talented.
No gold single, no gold album, but it's wonderful that she's working on Broadway. However, when Oprah and Quincy give her the hook up, then perhaps we can talk. Fantasia has the endorsement of two of the biggest names in Entertainment.
If she's classy enough for them, it works for me.
If you don't like Fantasia because she was raped as a teen, dropped out of school, became a single mother, was harassed about her looks but still didn't give up on her dream, won AI, got a multi- million dollar recording contract, got nominated for 4 grammies, was endorsed by non other the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin (Fantasia is one of the few new R B singers who can actually SANG live, no disrespect to Ciara, Cassie, Britney and all the other lovelies that sound so good in the studio but live is another matter. Then that's your right.
Fantasia's brand of holy roller gospel R B ain't for everybody. But the same reasoning was said about Ray Charles and James Brown back in the day, and Patti Labelle, because all that hollering ain't for everyone.
Competely understand.
However R B loves Fantasia so she has a home. And I agree, record sales don't tell the whole story (as Fantasia's new album is selling slower that her debut. But it is selling) Still, if she never does another gig in her life, she still has (sing it with me)
1 American Idol crown 2004, Oscar winner Jamie Fox loving her and touring with her, a 2 plat debut album and the Oprah, Whitney, Elton John, Quinncy Jones
(so many grammies this man has) and a host of others loving her.
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