My American Idol

Haley Scarnato was just voted off of American Idol, a couple of weeks sooner than I expected as she’s actually been finding her groove while a couple of presumed front-runners have been slipping.

I was emailing a friend of mine about the show last week, and my take on the remaining singers entertainers contestants became fodder for this post as I explained that I’m rooting for Jordin Sparks and, to a lesser degree, Blake Lewis.  That’d be a great finale, I think.

Both have great personalities, talented voices and good-but-flawed looks. Jordin’s on the chunky side, and Blake has no lips, so they don’t have to worry about the jealousy factor hindering their votes.

Phil Stacey was deservedly in the bottom two with Haley this week, and should be the next one to go, though America’s due for throwing the requisite curveball that highlights each season sometime soon, so you never know.  When the tour starts up this summer, Phil needs to always wear a hat. ALWAYS!  And do something about his eyebrows because they’re scary. They’re not going to distract people much longer from realizing that he has no range, and no one’s going to put that mug on an album cover.  He’s got a likable personality, though, and the whole missing his daughter’s birth to audition thing has worked out for him, so he’ll get some TV work when all is said and done.

Chris Richardson is hurt by the constant Justin Timberlake comparisons, because he’s really JT-lite, circa early N’Sync.  He’s bringing wussy back.  (Yeah!)  Can you see him pulling off Omeletteville or Homelessville? Or, god forbid, Dick in a Box?  There’s no edge to him at all and he needs to challenge the comparison whenever someone makes it and position himself as his own man.  Being in the bottom three tonight should serve as a wake-up call, too, because I think he thought he was running even with Blake for the cute white boy vote and he’s definitely not.

Speaking of the racial angle, Melinda will outlast LaKisha because she has more range and LaKisha’s fat full-figured and America doesn’t really go for fat full-figured black women until they’re older and wiser.  The women, not America; though I guess you could say America, too, based on Queen Latifah’s success the past few years. (She’s the exception, though, not the rule, and Lakisha is definitely no Queen!)  Lakisha’s got a bland personality, too, whereas Melinda’s going to snap out of her overly humble mood soon.  Probably right after the first time she ends up in the bottom three and survives, comes back the following week and belts out one of those season-defining songs that will make it even more galling when she gets voted out of the Top 3 or 4.

My guess is the first curveball, though, will be Lakisha getting the boot in the next two weeks.

And speaking of curveballs, what about Sanjaya?  He was actually pretty good last night singing Besame Mucho, and he’s kept his composure in the face of some outright mocking by the show itself.  While the Indian Call Center theory has been shot down, I refuse to give that idiot Howard Stern any credit for keeping him on the show as I don’t think his average listener actually cares enough to make the effort, or pay for the calls.  I think he’s got a genuine following that saw a likeable kid with a little talent in the audition and Hollywood rounds, saw a lot of heart in his ballsy performances of the past few weeks, and feel a little sorry for him that show itself has seemingly turned against him.  I’d be curious to know what his vote totals have been, and whether or not they’ve been growing each week.

If nothing else, he’s definitely made a season that got off to a shaky start — Stephanie Edwards and AJ Tabaldo were robbed — much more interesting.  Next week is Country Week, and if Sanjaya sings Big & Rich’s Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy, I’ll vote for him!

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