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American Idol Top 7: A Vision, or a Watered-Down Version?

Top 7 Idols and Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey night on began on a rather solemn note, as host Ryan Seacrest remarked that all were “still feeling the shock waves here after last week’s surprising departure by Michael Johns.” As a chorus of boos filled the theater, he reminded us that “every single vote is vital.”

But really, all that’s old news. Tomorrow someone else will be kicked to the curb and it will time to interview them. Who will it be?

Superstar mentored this week, and at the outset I was afraid for the Idols. Carey is a diva unlike any other - a harder theme night could hardly be imagined. She looked fabulous for her mentor sessions, and seemed completely at ease with the cameras and contestants. Were the Top 7 just as comfortable with her songs?

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American Idol


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The Idols Attempt Mariah Carey

Mariah CareyAny person with a shred of common sense knows—you shouldn’t go on aiming to sing anything by Whitney Houston, Celine Dion or Christina Aguilera.  Not only will the decision set you up for comparison, it’s likely you’ll end up in a world of embarrassment.

So why then would the producers schedule a whole night dedicated to ?  Isn’t that the last thing Randy, Paula and Simon would want the contestants to do?

During a recent exit interview, Michael Johns revealed he would have attempted a version of “Vision of Love” during next week’s show.  (Of course, his early exit means we are now being spared that potentially questionable rendition.)  But what does this mean for the rest of them?  Which records could David Cook, Jason Castro, Brooke White or Carly Smithson possibly sing?

I’m predicting Archuleta will take on “One Sweet Day”.  Make your guesses for the rest of them now!

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Entertainment Weekly


American Idol: Shock and Awe

American Idol Top 8

The pushed-back Thursday elimination night on began with a promise from Ryan Seacrest, who touted “guest stars and surprises” at the top of the hour. There certainly were some surprises, but most of them weren’t at all good.

The evening kicked off with clips of , which has so far raised more than $60 million for various charitable organizations. Next, the Top 8 Idols sang “Shout to the Lord” while a huge choir sang in the background. It was, all told, way too schmaltzy for an elimination night. But more of the same would continue throughout the evening.

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American Idol Official Site


American Idol Top 8: An Inspiring Bunch?

American Idol Top 8

With promos and promises of Idol Gives Back clouding every available moment of this week, it was only fitting that Tuesday night’s performance theme was songs of inspiration. Singing about peace, hope, joy, dreams and love, the Top 8 contestants took to the stage to win over our hearts. But which of them failed to inspire votes?

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TMZ


American Idol: Another One Bites the Dust

American Idol Top 9

The contestants were all smiles as they performed the Dolly Parton hit “9 to 5,” but tensions seethed just below the surface as this group was quickly shuffled backstage to await their respective fates. The routine was peppy and poppy, with the singers gathering around the judges’ island to finish the number. Joy was short-lived, however, as attentions quickly turned to talk of elimination.

Idol very cleverly turns information which might take less than a minute to deliver (“hey, by the way, you just got kicked off the show”) into an hour-long spectacle replete with stage performances, video clips, and of course the endless cross-promotions. Elimination action is always very cleverly placed, little tidbits leading up to what is supposed to be a dramatic end. Were you shocked?

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American Idol Official Site


American Idol: Dollywood and Hollywood Combine

American Idol Top 9 and Dolly Parton

kicked the night off with an unbelievable April Fool’s joke just for fun, before it got around to the business of honoring mentor Dolly Parton. I will say, however, that I think Simon Cowell would be fabulous on The Moment of Truth - and ratings would be through the roof.

Singer/actress Dolly Parton is a superstar, award-winning and top-selling, both in the box office and in the recording studio. But she’s still a southern girl with charm, admits to wearing false eyelashes and even wigs, and maintains that endearing girlish giggle no matter how many years pass. What’s not to love about Dolly? As a mentor, she proved sweet and encouraging with all the contestants. Were the judges just as kind?

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American Idol


Paula Abdul Names her American Idol Picks

Paula AbdulFor six years the judges have criticized, complimented and congratulated contestants. After sitting through the entire spectacle from year to year, do these three have special insight into which singers America will pick to win? Paula Abdul has made her predictions…do they match your own?

In her Morning Show with Mike Juliet appearance, named the group she thinks will make it all the way to the end. Carly Smithson, David Archuleta, David Cook and Michael Johns are Abdul’s final four, unsurprising picks considering this group is a mix of those considered popular front-runners.

Abdul also dished on her method of critiquing contestants, which ranges from utter nonsensical babble to strange metaphors about colors and lights (when she’s not saying she wants to “squish” their heads off). “I try to give them something they can hold onto,” Paula said of her comments, “leave them with grace and dignity…and back it up with constructive criticism.” Really that’s what you try to do? Abdul often leaves contestants with open-mouthed confusion as far as I can see - when she’s not standing oddly behind the judges’ table, stumbling around.

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TV Guide


American Idol: And, Another One Gone

Description

’s Top 10 began the night as a group. First there was the big number: “Back to Where We Started From.” Then there was a huge iTunes endorsement. Later, the Ford video which showed laughing, smiling Idols on T-Shirts, CD covers and posters. But in Idol, there can be only one.

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American Idol Official Site


American Idol: Did the Top 10 Rock You?

Top 10 Idols

Weeks of grueling eliminations, group practice sessions, and Ford commercial shoots all boil down to the Top 10 on . Like it or not, this group will go on tour and join the pantheon of former Idols, forever to be interviewed, followed, and gossiped about for as long as the public finds them interesting. They were told to choose songs recorded in the year of their birth, given one of the world’s biggest stages, and set forth to either astound, or aggravate, all of us. So…how’d they do?

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American Idol


American Idol: Another Post-Beatles Elimination

American Idol Top 11

The second post-Beatles elimination night on began with the usual name-dropping, as host Ryan Seacrest named such megastars as Dolly Parton, Mariah Carey, Andrew Lloyd Weber and Neil Diamond - all of whom are slated to be mentors during the upcoming weeks. The song-writing contest was touted again, where anyone and everyone can submit a tune to be sung during the season finale. The Top 11 Idols then launched into a Beatles medley, including “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” and “Here, There and Everywhere” in the mishmash.

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American Idol official site


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