# American Idol 4/12 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 12, 2005, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-4-12/298996 "2005-04-12T17:41:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Jaade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dfb087/32.png) [@Jaade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaade)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-4-12/298996/121 "2005-04-13T16:22:25Z")
> [@Queen Tonya](#): > > Speaking of, I noticed Paula’s sideways slumping back into her seat, last night it so looked like they keep her in the middle so she can bounce off the two guys instead of falling dead into the aisle. Even the kids I was watching with were asking what was wrong with her. It makes me giggle in a guilty kinda way imagining how much Simon utterly hates it, especially when she all interrupts all over him. They don’t have time to rehab her this close to the finals without it being very noticeable, anyone think she’ll last thru the finale? By the by, if you could do that review every week, I’d love you forever. That was awesome! Party at **Queen Tonya’s** , bring your own snark! I think if she didn’t make it through the finale they’d make up some strange, implausible excuse that she has been admitted to a hospital for some DIRE!MEDICAL!REASON! and then maybe she’ll come back next year completely normal. I find this whole thing strange. They have been donig this show for a few years now and she’s never had a problem like this before. She was the Whitney that never met her Bobby. She was the diva that never was accused of being on crack. ---
**Author:** ![rockle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/73ab20/32.png) [@rockle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rockle)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-4-12/298996/122 "2005-04-13T16:23:23Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > So I was wondering what he was going to do to fill the time…sing the solo while playing air guitar (insert Strongbad clip here)? _Meedly-meedly-meedly-meedly-meedly-meedly-meedly-meedly-meedly-meedly-meedly-meedly-meedly-meedly-meedly-meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!_ ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-4-12/298996/123 "2005-04-13T16:33:06Z")
Big boy and Harry Potter need to GO! They are both absolutely horrible. I don’t know who is voting for them. My favorite is Bo, because I want to lick him up and down–oh, and he is a good performer. 😃 (I think I voted for him 15 times) Second fave is Vonzell, she’s just gorgeous and her voice is amazing. And thirdly, Constantine–I didn’t like him at first, but he is getting better and better. The thing these three have in common is stage prescence. They own it, they make love to the camera, and they are hot hot hot. Like it or not, sex appeal is an important factor in popular music. And these three have it to spare. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-4-12/298996/124 "2005-04-13T16:34:00Z")
> [@The Big Cheese](#): > > **Bo** , the microphone just clips off. No need to pick the whole stand up and walk around with it. I’m just guessing here, but a lot of rockers are prone to spontaneously bursting into head-banging gyrations especially during fancy lead guitar solos. Granted, there are precious few of those with this band, but still, it’s probably just habit. By toting the stand around, he can drop it when he feels a spaz attack coming on. If he were holding the mic, and started doing that sort of Elaine Benes dance that he does, it might go flying out of his hand. ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-4-12/298996/125 "2005-04-13T16:34:07Z")
> [@rockle](#): > > Oh my head, this first performance is terrible!! … oh, wait, that’s just Seacrest. Well, he sucks. Seacrest sucks!? Be still, my beating heart!! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-4-12/298996/126 "2005-04-13T16:38:30Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > “Freebird” is not a well known song? WTF 😕 In the sense that, “Lynyrd Skynyrd - Freebird, yeah I know the song” :dubious: but can you hum it for me? “Uh, uh, no.” :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-4-12/298996/127 "2005-04-13T16:47:26Z")
> [@rockle](#): > > _Meedly-meedly-meedly-meedly-meedly-meedly-meedly-meedly-meedly-meedly-meedly-meedly-meedly-meedly-meedly-meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!_ Chang-chang (ticka ticka) Chang-chang (ticka ticka) Chang-chang. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Tonya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/4491bb/32.png) [@Queen\_Tonya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Tonya)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-4-12/298996/128 "2005-04-13T17:01:54Z")
Oooh, thanks for the tip **Hal**! Good or bad, watching them back to back will be illuminating, and probably way fun. So, if Carrie stretches her comfort zone and tries to rock out, with so-so results, is it better or worse than being a Ruben or a Bo who’re the exact same week after week regardless of theme/category/song? In season 2, I always thought Kimberly Locke didn’t get the props she deserved, she did a much better job with the different categories and styles than Clay the balladeer or Kim Caldwell the barbie or Trenyce the diva. How do they strike the right balance between having a strong individual style you can identify them with and having enough range to go different directions? Is being able to competantly handle everything the show throws at you a better indicator of ‘talent’ or ‘ability to succeed’ or whatever it is we’re looking for, or is it better to just be confident and great at one thing? Thanks **Jaade** and **Fessie** for the appreciation, it was a zillion times more fun being there than I could possibly convey, screws up bedtime on school nights something fierce though! So all you grownup types need to just come party and snark with me instead. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-4-12/298996/129 "2005-04-13T17:44:09Z")
In case anyone is interested, here are the latest odds for who will win (according to [betonsports.com](http://betonsports.com)): Carrie Underwood – Even Bo Bice – 2:1 Anwar Robinson – 3:1 Vonzell Solomon – 5:1 Constantine Maroulis – 5:1 Nadia Turner – 6:1 Scott Savol – 35:1 Anthony Fedorov – 35:1 Personally, I’m thinking that’s a sucker bet for Anwar. He’s good, but he ain’t winning this thing. ---
**Author:** ![Reloy3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c68b51/32.png) [@Reloy3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reloy3)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-4-12/298996/130 "2005-04-13T18:14:22Z")
> [@Dung Beetle](#): > > Carrie sucked. I keep hearing that she’s really talented, but I’m really unimpressed with her so far. > > Thank Og for Constantine! This is me when I heard what he was going to sing: :eek: 😃 He really keeps the show entertaining. I don’t think he’s going to win, but oh, how I want him to! Wow, this is about 180 degrees from my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![kevja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/aeb1de/32.png) [@kevja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kevja)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-4-12/298996/131 "2005-04-13T18:28:35Z")
> [@Hal Briston](#): > > In case anyone is interested, here are the latest odds for who will win (according to [betonsports.com](http://betonsports.com)): > > Carrie Underwood – Even > Bo Bice – 2:1 > Anwar Robinson – 3:1 > Vonzell Solomon – 5:1 > Constantine Maroulis – 5:1 > Nadia Turner – 6:1 > Scott Savol – 35:1 > Anthony Fedorov – 35:1 > > Personally, I’m thinking that’s a sucker bet for Anwar. He’s good, but he ain’t winning this thing. I agree with you about Anwar. He’s not going to win. But 5:1 for Constantine? Get it now, because in a few weeks, he’ll be even money. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-4-12/298996/132 "2005-04-13T18:32:46Z")
> [@Reloy3](#): > > Wow, this is about 180 degrees from my opinion. You mean the part about not thinking Constantine’s going to win? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Reloy3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c68b51/32.png) [@Reloy3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reloy3)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-4-12/298996/133 "2005-04-13T18:50:22Z")
> [@Dung Beetle](#): > > You mean the part about not thinking Constantine’s going to win? 😉 All of it. I thought Carrie was good. Not her best, but I do think she sucked less than all the contestants except Vonzell. I keep hearing that she’s really hated by so many, but most of the criticism comes down, usually, to “I hate country”, “she’s too nice” or “she’s so plastic”. I can’t see it. I have been really impressed with her so far. If she’s not my favorite, she’s close. I don’t think Constantine is entertaining, I think he’s a poseur, and the show is less entertaining when he’s on. I’ll admit he has improved in the last few weeks, but I think he’s relying on stunt songs (He’s gonna sing what?). That said, I think he is a favorite to win. He seems to have a strangely rabid fan base , but I don’t want him to. He’s about 6 down on my list of remaining contestants. ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-4-12/298996/134 "2005-04-13T19:09:58Z")
> [@Reloy3](#): > > All of it. > I thought Carrie was good. Not her best, but I do think she sucked less than all the contestants except Vonzell. > I keep hearing that she’s really hated by so many, but most of the criticism comes down, usually, to “I hate country”, “she’s too nice” or “she’s so plastic”. I can’t see it. I have been really impressed with her so far. If she’s not my favorite, she’s close. She’s _ok_, but she doesn’t have what it takes to be a star. Her voice is nothing exceptional, she doesn’t look comfortable at all on stage, and I can’t forgive her state fair hair from weeks past. 😃 Constantine plays to the audience, to the camera, he has a definite presence that Carrie and Anwar do not. But, my heart is with Bo. Alwayyyyyyyysssssssssss and foreverrrrrrrrrr. ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-4-12/298996/135 "2005-04-13T20:25:46Z")
I like them all. I can’t stand to see any of them go. This show breaks my heart every damn season. **Carrie:** Will win the competiton for the same reason that vanilla is the best-selling flavor of ice cream. She’s pretty. She’s got a good voice. It’s a popular product. The people who dislike her vote for whomever meets their musical preferences; there’s not a unique “not Carrie” contestant. She’s a remarkable imitator of some very good voices. What would she do with new material? Could she make you long for a lost lover? Could she make you gleeful that she shot down her cheatin’ man? **Bo:** The “band” sucked. The soul was ripped out of the song by time constraints. He did a credible job under the circumstances. He’ll be one of the three left standing. **Constantine:** Not my cup of tea, but has a huge rabid fan base. Will have a career as a boy toy or on Broadway. Will make it to the final three. **Vonzell** and **Nadia** : Are unfortunately competing in the same niche. First Nadia was leading, and now it’s Vonzell. If Nadia survives tonight, she could become a threat again if she cranks it back up. If you could combine Vonzell’s vocals with Nadia’s raw energy and natural command of the stage, you’d have a hell of an American Idol. **Anwar:** Still my favorite, but I know he could go any week. His strength is in vocal styling, and there’s just not room for that in 90 seconds of prime time television. I definitely see myself buying his recordings in the future. **Scott:** After last night, I’m rooting for him again. He has a great voice and he learns fast, but not fast enough to last in this compeition. His first couple of performances were vocally perfect, but his comfort zone was too small. He simultaneously moved out of his vocal comfort zone and started to move around on stage; the results were not good. With “She’s Gone” this week, he was more comfortable on stage, and it turned out he does have a great voice beyond what we first saw; unfortunately, he lost what he was originally good at. Given another week or two, he would probably be able to pull it all together. A very talented young man, but too far to go in too short a time. I think he’ll wind up singing on religious television. **Anthony:** I enjoy his voice, but he’s outclassed in this competition. How long he stays depends on the strength of his fan base, which I haven’t quite got a handle on. He’d definitely be doing better if Constantine weren’t in the competition. I miss Mario. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-4-12/298996/136 "2005-04-13T20:32:35Z")
> [@laina\_f](#): > > **Carrie:** Will win the competiton for the same reason that vanilla is the best-selling flavor of ice cream. She’s pretty. She’s got a good voice. It’s a popular product. The people who dislike her vote for whomever meets their musical preferences; there’s not a unique “not Carrie” contestant. Hmm. Diana DiGarmo seemed like the “safe”, white bread finalist last year and didn’t make it all the way (darn close, though). Fantasia is not clearly pretty (maybe to some people but not clinically pretty) and imitated Macy Gray. I believed she was the strongest singer but she didn’t win for being vanilla. Constantine is sneaking up on being the most interesting showman, with an OK voice. ---
**Author:** ![GraceTX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c4cdca/32.png) [@GraceTX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GraceTX)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-4-12/298996/137 "2005-04-13T20:45:56Z")
> [@The Big Cheese](#): > > **Anwar** , we know you can do interesting things with your voice, but pick a note and hold it for more than a millisecond. All that up and down crap is giving me motion sickness. Listen to singers today, they don’t sing like that! The funny thing about Anwar is that they originally praised him at his audition for singing the song without all the embellishments. Now he just slides up and down the note until he finds it. ---
**Author:** ![kka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/54ee81/32.png) [@kka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kka)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-4-12/298996/138 "2005-04-13T21:17:51Z")
> [@Nutty Bunny](#): > > Did anyone else catch Paula _stumbling_ back to a seated position after praising someone’s performance? It looked to me like she was lucky that she fell into the chair! ---
**Author:** ![kevja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/aeb1de/32.png) [@kevja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kevja)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-4-12/298996/139 "2005-04-13T21:42:41Z")
> [@Rilchiam](#): > > Nadia: Eh. > > Anwar: This is the second time he’s sung a woman’s song. Closet? What closet? > > Debbie Gibson to replace Paula. Or Brandy, if she’s not ineligible, having been a guest judge (auditions). Replace Paula? Absurd. She and Simon are far too important to the show Anwar in the closet? I wish! And he wouldn’t be the first contestant in the top 12 to reside there. In fact, he wouldn’t even be the first closet case to make it into the final 2. Also, Nadia sang “My Love” by Paul McCartney, and Anthony sang “Climb Every Mountain” originally sung by Julie Andrews. If Nadia and Anthony do another male/female switch, do you think they are gay too? ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-4-12/298996/140 "2005-04-13T21:47:35Z")
> [@kevja](#): > > Anwar in the closet? I wish! And he wouldn’t be the first contestant in the top 12 to reside there. In fact, he wouldn’t even be the first closet case to make it into the final 2. Anwar isn’t closeted. AI probably will never admit to his gayness, but he sure does. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-4-12/298996.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-4-12/298996.md?page=8)