# American Idol Feb. 20-22 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 20, 2007, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-feb-20-22/392988 "2007-02-20T17:34:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 19
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2007, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-feb-20-22/392988/361 "2007-02-22T19:45:01Z")
[QUOTE=kezami] Didn’t AI already filled it’s quota in that department with Fantasia. [/QUOTE] I don’t know. I only started watching in the Constantine-Bo Bice season. Anyone know if the contestants are going to have theme nights again this season? I’d love to hear Melinda do country – Crazy or I Fall to Pieces. Heck, I’d love to hear any of them do some softer songs that can’t be belted out. ---
**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:** [February 22, 2007, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-feb-20-22/392988/362 "2007-02-22T20:42:34Z")
[QUOTE=AuntiePam] I don’t know. I only started watching in the Constantine-Bo Bice season. Anyone know if the contestants are going to have theme nights again this season? I’d love to hear Melinda do country – Crazy or I Fall to Pieces. Heck, I’d love to hear any of them do some softer songs that can’t be belted out. [/QUOTE] ARGGHH! So it is written!! So it be done!!! :mad: :mad: :mad: ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2007, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-feb-20-22/392988/363 "2007-02-22T21:11:48Z")
[QUOTE=Biggirl] Reading back-- I don’t know what the hell you are all complaining about. Only a very few posts do not have names and those posts are surrounded by posts with either names, descriptions of the singer or the title of the song in question. I take back both my sorries. [/QUOTE] Your understanding of the thread was no doubt colored by your familiarity with it. When you see a post with no identifying factors in, you can read the surrounding posts for a clue of who they were \*probably \*talking about, but A) that takes a great deal more effort than just reading the thread, and B) you’re still not quite sure if your deduction is correct. Net: an extremely frustrating experience. Especially when it’s a two-headed thread, with one night’s comments tacked on to the end of the previous night’s. So here’s me, and those others who have agreed with me on this point: we get around to watching Idol, then we check into the Dope for comments. The thread has grown by four pages since yesterday’s show, so we begin looking for clues as to where tonight’s commentary started. I hit page 7, just to get my bearings, and the first post is–“ **Biggirl** : Simon, that was COLD!” and then it’s three more posts till anyone mentions a name. I’m not sure why you’d choose this issue to go to the mat on, BG; it seems like minimal politeness to keep a thread that spans several time zones and TiVo habits relatively reader-friendly. Doesn’t seem like a whole lot to ask. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2007, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-feb-20-22/392988/364 "2007-02-22T21:17:05Z")
[QUOTE=ouryL] ARGGHH! So it is written!! So it be done!!! :mad: :mad: :mad: [/QUOTE] Not a country fan? 😉 I think the singers should show their versatility, so they have a chance to appeal to a wider range of voters. I like R&B but I don’t listen to it exclusively. ---
**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:** [February 22, 2007, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-feb-20-22/392988/365 "2007-02-22T21:21:58Z")
[QUOTE=AuntiePam] Anyone know if the contestants are going to have theme nights again this season? I’d love to hear Melinda do country – Crazy or I Fall to Pieces. Heck, I’d love to hear any of them do some softer songs that can’t be belted out. [/QUOTE] I think Melinda seems like she could probably sing anything. LaKisha might not have so flexible a voice, though hers is definitely a strong one. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2007, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-feb-20-22/392988/366 "2007-02-22T21:43:26Z")
Melinda needs a total body makeover, including posture and movement. She’s all hunched over like a frightened troll. She needs some serious work in stage presence. And she has tiny little eyes: she needs some serious drag queen makeup. Then, total-package-wise, she’ll be hard to beat. Even now, voice wise, she’s easily in the top 3. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2007, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-feb-20-22/392988/367 "2007-02-22T21:48:10Z")
**lissener** - I’m witcha on the phantom posting thing. It’s irritating. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Tiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Mama\_Tiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Tiger)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2007, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-feb-20-22/392988/368 "2007-02-22T21:56:51Z")
In fairness, I was posting while the show was on in Eastern time, and I couldn’t always figure out who was being talked about, either. So I just didn’t worry about it; it’s not exactly deeply significant stuff. I’m not sure Melinda is so much hunched over as just, with such a short neck and big head, she looks that way. She definitely needs to wear lighter clothing on her shoulders – that jacket she had on last night wasn’t helping her at all. But I don’t much care what she looks like as long as she sings so well! ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2007, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-feb-20-22/392988/369 "2007-02-23T00:07:51Z")
[QUOTE=Mama Tiger] In fairness, I was posting while the show was on in Eastern time, and I couldn’t always figure out who was being talked about, either. So I just didn’t worry about it; it’s not exactly deeply significant stuff. [/QUOTE] Ah. So we’ll only be considerate of other readers in the _deeply significant_ threads. Noted. Bottom line, for me: only the tiniest minority of Dopers watch Idol with their laptops clicking, leaving the majority of us to dig through their chat to figure out who’s saying what about whom. I propose that those of you who want to chat in real time about Idol make your way to one of the many sites available for such activities, or PM each other and set up a Yahoo chatroom or something. But to keep in mind, when posting here, that the vast, vast majority of Dopers read and write their threads with a different dynamic in mind than that of an IM chat, and that the vast, VAST majority of Dopers who read this thread will do so after the fact, and not in real time. Simple politeness and consideration. ---
**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:** [February 23, 2007, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-feb-20-22/392988/370 "2007-02-23T01:13:01Z")
Squee! The group numbers always give me a total geekgasm. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2007, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-feb-20-22/392988/371 "2007-02-23T01:19:32Z")
I absolutely hate the sing out. Just let them leave with a little dignity. ---
**Author:** ![Lama\_Pacos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Lama\_Pacos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lama_Pacos)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2007, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-feb-20-22/392988/372 "2007-02-23T01:21:18Z")
I really hope Nicole doesn’t get cut. I thought she had the most interesting (in a good way) performance last night and I’d love to see where she goes next week. ---
**Author:** ![LilyoftheValley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/54ee81/32.png) [@LilyoftheValley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilyoftheValley)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2007, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-feb-20-22/392988/373 "2007-02-23T01:53:12Z")
[QUOTE=lissener] It really sucks for those of us outside of the solipsistic Eastern time zone who check into this thread only to read page after page of “She looks awful!” or “That was awesome!” If you want to treat this thread like a text chat, do it on your cellphones. Otherwise, please do the rest of us a favor and post in complete sentences with names and song titles; only a handful of you are “chatting” in real time, and the rest of us are reading this and responding as if it were a normal thread. [/QUOTE] I was one of the offenders last night, so I will make an effort to be better about including names. I’ve read threads before when I haven’t watched the show, and I know it can be incomprehensible; don’t know exactly how I ended up doing it. 😕 That said, I’ll admit the lecturing tone (“solipsistic”? the official right and wrong ways of using a messageboard vs other media?) rubbed me the wrong way. But whatever. I’ll still add the names out of respect for everyone. But I do hope you don’t mean to cut off all live chat here. No one in my household watches AI, and I wouldn’t watch the show myself without the chatter. Some messageboards allow it, some don’t (see TWOP’s AI forum), but I am not aware of any SDMB rules against it. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2007, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-feb-20-22/392988/374 "2007-02-23T02:01:35Z")
I don’t think the chatter is the issue… just make it slightly more informational chatter. Make it chatter that would make sense to someone reading two hours later, a day later, the next week. A name or number is really all that is needed, and both are usually on screen for much of each performance. It does get frustrating having to scroll around and hunt through other posts for clues to help you guess which one is being discussed (and you can never be totally sure… who is to say they are still discussing that person? They may have moved on to the next with no indication.) ---
**Author:** ![LilyoftheValley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/54ee81/32.png) [@LilyoftheValley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilyoftheValley)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2007, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-feb-20-22/392988/375 "2007-02-23T02:09:50Z")
[QUOTE=OpalCat] I don’t think the chatter is the issue… just make it slightly more informational chatter. Make it chatter that would make sense to someone reading two hours later, a day later, the next week. A name or number is really all that is needed, and both are usually on screen for much of each performance. It does get frustrating having to scroll around and hunt through other posts for clues to help you guess which one is being discussed (and you can never be totally sure… who is to say they are still discussing that person? They may have moved on to the next with no indication.) [/QUOTE] Yes, I said that I would do that. And I even agreed with the annoying part! I’m just trying to verify if that really _is_ what **lissener** is saying. Now I didn’t watch tonight (hate the elimination nights!), so I’m just here waiting for someone to spoil for me! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![xnylder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bbce88/32.png) [@xnylder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xnylder)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2007, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-feb-20-22/392988/376 "2007-02-23T02:27:17Z")
[QUOTE=LilyoftheValley] Now I didn’t watch tonight (hate the elimination nights!), so I’m just here waiting for someone to spoil for me! 🆒 [/QUOTE] Shall I start spoiling by saying the world’s cutest poolboy is going back to his old job? Sigh, I really wish Paul could have had more of a chance to impress the audience. I think he just picked a bad song and showed off his weird personality traits (aka shoephobia and gangsta posturing) to no advantage. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be attempting to book an cleaning appointment for sometime in July…What, I don’t have a pool? Does a bathtub qualify? And can you bring that handsome family member we saw on the couch too… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![KSO](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@KSO](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KSO)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2007, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-feb-20-22/392988/377 "2007-02-23T02:27:44Z")
Here you go, Lily: Paul, Rudy, Amy, and Nicole ---
**Author:** ![xnylder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bbce88/32.png) [@xnylder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xnylder)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2007, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-feb-20-22/392988/378 "2007-02-23T02:34:12Z")
Ack! I’m sorry if I was supposed to spoilertag that last post. Then again, it’s not like anyone’s gonna be surprised, grumble, sigh. ---
**Author:** ![LilyoftheValley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/54ee81/32.png) [@LilyoftheValley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilyoftheValley)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2007, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-feb-20-22/392988/379 "2007-02-23T02:46:27Z")
Thanks guys. “Father Figure” _was_ an atrocious performance. If only VFTW had chosen the eye candy, however… ---
**Author:** ![Lama\_Pacos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Lama\_Pacos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lama_Pacos)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2007, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-feb-20-22/392988/380 "2007-02-23T02:53:47Z")
Nooooo, Nicole?! The world is so unjust. Alaina and Haley will carry on mining rich veins of boredomium while my sweet, precious firecracker must go home. O woe. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-feb-20-22/392988.md?page=18) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-feb-20-22/392988.md?page=20)