American Idol 5/1 & 2

Cafe Society
161

[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic]
If DialIdol is any indication he has, and frequently.
[/QUOTE]

DialIdol is an indication of exactly nothing this year. they’ve mostly covered their asses with their uselessly wide margins of error, which only goes to show how untrustworthy their line by line rankings are:

Week w/12 Idols
DI’s Bottom 3: Stephanie, Chris Sligh, Blake
Actual Bottom 3: Brandon(DI’s #5), Sanjaya(DI’s #3, firmly predicted to be safe), Phil(DI’s #6)
DI’s running score: 0/3

Week w/11 Idols
DI’s Bottom 2: Haley, Gina
Actual Bottom 2: Stephanie(#8), Chris Richardson(#7)
DI’s score: 0/2
DI’s runnin score: 0/5

Week w/10 Idols
DI’s Bottom 3: Chris Sligh, Haley, Jordin
Actual Bottom 3: Chris Sligh, Haley, Phil(#6)
DI’s score: 2/3
DI’s running score: 2/8

Week w/9 Idols
DI’s Bottom 3: Haley, Lakisha, Gina
Actual Bottom 3: Gina, Haley, Phil
DI’s Middle 3: Jordin, Blake, Chris
Actual Middle 3: Blake, Chris, Sanjaya
DI’s Top 3: Sanjaya, Phil, Melinda
Actual Top 3: Melinda, Lakisha, Jordin
DI’s score: 4/9
DI’s running Score: 6/17

Week w/8 Idols
DI’s Bottom 3: Lakisha, Jordin, Chris
Actual Bottom 3: Haley(#4), Phil(#3), Chris
DI’s Score: 1/3
DI’s Running Score: 7/20

Week w/7 Idols
DI’s Bottom 3: Sanjaya, Blake, Lakisha
Actual Bottom 3: Sanjaya, Lakisha, Blake
DI’s Score: 3/3
DI’s Running Score: 10/23

Weeks w/6 Idols
DI’s Bottom 2: Chris, Lakisha
Actual Bottom 2: Chris, Phil(#3)
DI’s Score: 1/2
DI’s Running Score: 11/25

In other words, 56% of their line-by-line rankings that can be checked against actual results have been wrong.

[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic]
DI has had him polling better than Melinda for the last few weeks.
[/QUOTE]

They ranked him higher this week and two weeks ago, that’s all, and as we see, those two weeks have a 56% chance of being wrong. What charts are you reading?

162

How much did the Blake’s computer contribute to the creation, though? I doubt the computer created or composed anything. Rather wouldn’t it be a place where he could enter and work out his ideas, then later print them so he can spread it out on Bon Jovi’s piano?

Blake’s use of a computer to arrange his musical ideas detracts from his creations no more than a director’s use of a computer to arrange, say, a story board does. He still had to create the arrangement, communicate it to the band and to the drummer on stage with him, and he still had to perform it. He deserves 100% of the credit.

163

[QUOTE=Darth Vader’s Little Pal]
I admit I haven’t watched much this season, but I don’t understand all the Phil hate. From what I’ve seen, he’s been the best male singer for a few rounds now. Sure, he looks a bit freaky, but he’s got a far richer voice than either Chris or Blake by a long shot.
[/QUOTE]
I find him vaguely creepy to watch, and while he has a big voice there’s not much nuance to it. Whenever he begins singing he adopts a sort of “I’m SINGING” air about him. He’s easier to listen to when I close my eyes, but that’s not a quality I find worthy of an Idol, however meaningless and popcorn that title may be.

[QUOTE=Darth Vader’s Little Pal]
Conversely, I don’t understand the Blake love. Considering last night’s admission that a computer basically spits out the arrangements for him, what is he besides a barely-adequate voice in a somewhat appealing package?
[/QUOTE]
What I took from that is that although he has a program to help him with it, he still does the programming and determines what effects to mix in and when to do them, then on stage he mimics what he’s programmed. But I could be way off, I’ve never heard of the program he uses. I also don’t think he’s the best singer, but he’s creative and original and overall very talented.

164

[QUOTE=Nature’s Call]
How much did the Blake’s computer contribute to the creation, though? I doubt the computer created or composed anything. Rather wouldn’t it be a place where he could enter and work out his ideas, then later print them so he can spread it out on Bon Jovi’s piano?

Blake’s use of a computer to arrange his musical ideas detracts from his creations no more than a director’s use of a computer to arrange, say, a story board does. He still had to create the arrangement, communicate it to the band and to the drummer on stage with him, and he still had to perform it. He deserves 100% of the credit.
[/QUOTE]
Exactly. The computer is a tool only, and has no creativity.

165

[QUOTE=Hampshire]
So clue me in on the “Puppet” comment snarkiness between Simon and Ryan.

Paula is annoyed by Simon and says “I’m not your puppet.”
Ryan makes some comment about “Well I’ve seen Simon’ puppet and Paula is much more attractive than his.”
Simon gets mad thinking Ryan was referring to his girlfriend as his puppet and demands an apology.
Ryan is all “What? I wasn’t referring to your girlfriend.”

So what was Ryan referring to then?
[/QUOTE]

I just assumed that Ryan was joking that Simon has an inflatable doll or something.

166

[QUOTE=gigi]
Wow, Chris and Blake are best friends. I know it’s an intense process but best friends??
[/QUOTE]

It can happen. It happened last season with Ace Young and Chris Daughtry.

167

Oh? Do tell me the tale of Ace and Chris, vivalostwages. They seem an unlikely pair. Unless, of course, I’ve just been whooshed, in which case I’ll be under my desk crying if anyone needs me.

168

[QUOTE=vivalostwages]
I just assumed that Ryan was joking that Simon has an inflatable doll or something.
[/QUOTE]

Even weirder? I thought he was talking about Simon’s penis and it wasn’t until much later that I thought, “How would Ryan know that Paula is prettier than Simon’s penis?”

That either says something about how slow I am or how gay I think Seacrest is.

169

[QUOTE=vivalostwages]
It can happen. It happened last season with Ace Young and Chris Daughtry.
[/QUOTE]

They were close, but best friends? What happened to the best friends they had before this crazy adventure? Perhaps I am a little obsessive about the term; it’s not one I throw around.

170

[QUOTE=gigi]
Perhaps I am a little obsessive about the term; it’s not one I throw around.
[/QUOTE]
I’m with you. I will say, however, that there have been rare occasions when I met someone and almost right away bonded very deeply. And in retrospect, at least, they were my best friends.

171

Hmm, not sure who our Idol’s going to be. I think Blake and Jordin have the most obvious wide appeal, and out of the two I think Jordin has a better voice, though she sucked this week. However, I think Jordin is also more genuinely adventurous than Blake-- I find his “crazy” arrangements kind of milquetoast. Melinda is far and away the best singer, but she makes boring choices and I can’t picture how’d she fit in anywhere on the radio. Lakisha is talented but nothing special. I’d put my money on Jordin.

172

[QUOTE=gigi]
Wow, Chris and Blake are best friends. I know it’s an intense process but best friends??
[/QUOTE]
Ethan Newberry must be heartbroken. (YouTube link)

Ooowieooowieooo…

173

[QUOTE=yellowval]
Oh? Do tell me the tale of Ace and Chris, vivalostwages. They seem an unlikely pair. Unless, of course, I’ve just been whooshed, in which case I’ll be under my desk crying if anyone needs me.
[/QUOTE]

During last season’s finale, they were giving an “award” for male bonding. Ace and Chris were “nominated.” They showed Ace coming out of the room after learning he was a finalist, and Chris ran towards him for a big, joyous hug.

174

[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic]
Holy shit. I was not expecting Melinda to give the most rock and roll performance of the night. That was great.
[/QUOTE]
I just assumed she’d be the best, unheard. This probably has to do with an earlier performance (on country week?) that managed to be both fully R&B & fully bluegrass. Girl’s really good.

Though, actually, for actual presentation, I think this was more Phil & Blake’s night. Melinda rode expectation, & got to close, but her performance was iffy. Too bad for Phil he was singing so ugly earlier in the season. I think his luck just ran out.

175

[QUOTE=Lama Pacos]
Hmm, not sure who our Idol’s going to be. I think Blake and Jordin have the most obvious wide appeal, and out of the two I think Jordin has a better voice, though she sucked this week. However, I think Jordin is also more genuinely adventurous than Blake-- I find his “crazy” arrangements kind of milquetoast. Melinda is far and away the best singer, but she makes boring choices and I can’t picture how’d she fit in anywhere on the radio. Lakisha is talented but nothing special. I’d put my money on Jordin.
[/QUOTE]

I agree with the top 40 appeal of Blake, and Jordin is a step above that as a mainstream singer. Lakisha you can find in many a church. But I think there is plenty of room in the adult contemporary genre for Melinda, when it comes to radio play. And she has proven she can change it up some.