American Idol
Jen Dishes
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After weeeeeks of anticipation, American Idol history was made when the judges "saved" Matt Giraud from elimination.  Several things peeved me here:  a)  Matt was the featured lead in that week's music video, having tons of camera time while everyone else bopped around as "Honey I Shrunk the Kids"-sized magazine cover models, b) Matt was front and center in the American Idol results show medley and c)  Matt didn't sing that well during the performance that was supposed to determine his fate - and yet, he was saved.

ERGO,  the ghosts in the machine aka The Producers, had already looooong decided that Matt was going to stay.  Yes, he's cute.  Yes, he's talented.  Yes, he has proven that he has/and can probably do better another week.  But the judges' deliberation was decorum.  "Singing for his life" was just for giggles. Maybe I am paranoid - or just pointing out the obvious, but could AI exercise SOME tact to keep the magic going for America?  How stupid do they think we are?  At least we had Quentin Tarantino's directory-ly insights and default-to-sneering mug to balance this week's Hallmark greeting card-orama. Anyway, here are some of the highlights of last week:

Top 3 Performances
3.  Anoop Desai
2.  Kris Allen
1.  Adam Lambert

I have to explain my Top 3 this week because it was hard to pick (due to overall lameness) and doesn't seem obvious at all (even to me).  First of all, Kris has never made my Top 3 because I don't like the guy.  He's skated by on Abercrombie & Fitch looks and cliche performances, trying to gain entry into the Jason Mraz/pre-hipster Ryan Cabrera/Gavin DeGraw milieu with his damn plaid shirts!  However, I thought that Kris had the most inspired (not obscure, Kara!) song choice.  Anoop's in there because it was truly one of his best performances on AI, and he was able to do some sort of justice to a Bryan Adams song that has been bruised and battered at the hands of many-a-misguided YouTube cover.  Plus, it was miles ahead of whatever the H was going on with that OTHER Bryan Adams cover.  And of course, Adam made it in my #1 slot again because he busted out with yet another great version of a classic song.  Seriously, has anyone ever been so aware of the word "space" in "Born to be Wild"?!?  What a cool interpretation.   And thank God for Adam doing the only upbeat song, but having him perform in the middle of the show proves in bold italics that he's in a completely different league (or dimension?) as an entertainer.  It's putting a bonafide rock star in the middle of a high school talent show.  No one wants to see that.  For the kids' sake, that is.

Top 3 Unlistenable moments
3.  Jennifer Hudson hitting some flat and screechy notes was so disappointing - although not her fault because her ear piece monitor seemd to be acting up.
2.  Matt's wack riffing on "Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman?".  It was seriously wack.  To the nth degree.  wack^n
1.  Miley Cyrus mumbling, under-enunciating and run-on-sentencing her song to death.  Plus, there was that unwatchable act of headbanging her prom updo into sweaty tendrils.  Isn't that the type of performance that would be labeled a "train wreck" if done by a contestant?  Oh...life is funny like that.

Now, let's look ahead to the week that will send not one, but TWO contestants home.  Appropriately enough, it's...

DISCO WEEK!
Oh people, just like the Quickstep on "So You Think You Can Dance", Disco Week is AI's undeniable kiss of death.  I love how Simon injected reality into Matt's "saving" moment by reminding contestants of the impending destruction that Disco Week would bring.  I really do think that this is going to be the end of the road for two of the three contestants who were in the bottom this past week:  Matt, Lil and Anoop.  However, if one of the top vote getters (e.g. Danny or Kris) has an "off" week and gets voted off, American is going to be reaally annoyed about how that save was used last week.

So anyway, disco is a hard genre:  lush arrangements that threaten to overshadow the vocals, the tricky mid-tempo beat that can lead to regrettable dance moves, and iconic vocalists (e.g. The Bee Gees, Donna Summer, etc) that can make any young singer sound comparably "karaoke" or "copycat".  The outfits will be crazy (Glam Squad, please do not let Anoop boogie in a letterman's jacket)!  Disco Week is like going to the dentist - no one wants to do it, but you know you HAVE to.  So what is a contestant to do?

If you're Adam Lambert, you can sit pretty knowing that you already knocked disco out of the ball park during a non-disco week ("Play That Funky Music" during iTunes week).  Who does that?!  Anyway, it was brave and bit show-offy, but that was a prelude to Lambert's owning Disco Week (like nearly every other week).  And previously, pretty boys Kris Allen and Matt Giraud have played with funk arrangements to unanimous criticism from the judges, so let's just hope that they go in another direction.  For those two guys, playing an instrument COULD save them from awkward dance moves and audience interaction antics - although I fully expect lots of that from Gokey.  As for Lil, I hope against hope that she doesn't pull out another bad song choice - although the record has shown that her judgement has just gone from bad to worse.  I think that whatever Allison picks, she can truly rock it out with her vocals.  But Anoop?  I think he will be done for.  He just hasn't been able to pull off an upbeat song yet (except for "My Prerogative", which is good, but more like a cool party trick than a star-making rendition).  I've been in Anoop's corner since the beginning, but he's clearly at the bottom of this group vocally and this genre might be his Achilles' heel.

All that said, this is THE strongest group of finalists in American Idol history.  Previous Disco Weeks have bordered on ridiculous and baffling (except maybe Clay Aiken's kitschy and fabulous-in-retrospect rendition of "Everlasting Love"), but if anyone can make it a good night, it's the Season 8 contestants!  Besides the performances, we'll have tons of other stuff to look forward to:  craaazy graphics on the video wall, wild lighting, choreographed horn-handling by the band, over-the-top Paula outfits and perhaps a reference to Kara's "Studio 57" gaffe from earlier this season.  Plus next week, we'll have a visit and performance from David Archuleta, along with disco legends Harry Wayne "KC" Casey, Thelma Houston and Freda Payne.  Right now it doesn't seem like there will be a mentor, so it looks as though our American Idol contestants will spend another week relying on their own noggins and intuition.  Do the hustle!

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