Tommy's #1 SHANIA TWAIN SuperSite Message Board

Tommy · Guru

RE: Shania to guest judge on American Idol! - Jan. 19th - Commercial p. 5

Butters · Guru

She overall was cute. She did get a little annoying at times with her laughing and high-pitched voices and string twirling, but I have gotten use to her annoying side over the years. Good job for the most part!

PurplePeopleEater · Guru

Butters wrote:

She overall was cute. She did get a little annoying at times with her laughing and high-pitched voices and string twirling, but I have gotten use to her annoying side over the years. Good job for the most part!

..that is mighty big of you.. biggrin

-- Edited by PurplePeopleEater on Wednesday 20th of January 2010 02:16:49 PM

Tommy · Guru

'American Idol': Shania Twain -- how'd she do?
By Andrea Reiher

"American Idol" welcomed its third guest judge Tuesday night. How did the country-pop princess Shania Twain fare?

Thus far Zap2it readers are saying of Victoria Beckham, "Middle-of-the-road. Nothing spectacular, but not bad" and of Mary J. Blige, "Terrible. She was so rude." So what about Shania?

We happen to think in terms of someone who "gets" "Idol," Shania Twain is probably one of the best guest judges they found. Whether or not you enjoy country/pop music (and we don't, really), she has an incredible voice and her music genre is right in the "Idol" wheelhouse.

So we were disappointed that A) Chicago turned out to be kind-of a bust city and B) Shania only got an hour-long episode. We barely got to see her comments, but we liked what we did see. It's not saying too much, but so far we think she's the best guest judge.

What do you guys think? Vote now!

http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2010/01/american-idol-shania-twain----howd-she-do.html

EveryBodyLovesKevy · Guru

AI ratings skyrocket as compared to the same episode last year.
So Shania's third episode this year was 33% higher ratings than AI third episode last year.

PurplePeopleEater · Guru

Does Shania get a kickback?

Butters · Guru

PurplePeopleEater wrote:

Butters wrote:

She overall was cute. She did get a little annoying at times with her laughing and high-pitched voices and string twirling, but I have gotten use to her annoying side over the years. Good job for the most part!

..that is mighty big of you..

-- Edited by PurplePeopleEater on Wednesday 20th of January 2010 02:16:49 PM

I thought so too! biggrin

Tommy · Guru

Idol Ratings Are Up!

Filed under: American Idol > Simon Cowell

It's the last time we'll all get to see Simon Cowell rip losers who think they can sing a new one.

Guess America is feeling nostalgic.

American Idol's ratings sky-rocketed last night, going up 33% from last year's telecast and completely leaving every other program in the dust. Sources say that never in television history has a show going into their ninth season pulled in such gains in ratings.

Simon is sure to go out on a very high note!

http://perezhilton.com/2010-01-20-idol-ratings-are-up

Tommy · Guru

The 'American Idol' Guest Judge Report Card: Shania Twain
Wednesday, January 20, 2010

After every episode, we assess how American Idol's guest judges have fared. Towards the end, we'll see if they did Paula Abdul's old slot justice. Or the show justice. Or Simon Cowell's soon-to-be-vacated slot justice. You get the idea.

Name: Shania Twain
Best known as: Canadian country hitmaker who says we're still the one
Audition city: Chicago

How did she judge? Did Shania take a page off Kara's playbook? And no, not necessarily because they resemble each other. Shania's fond of constructive criticism, tossing in a few technical terms (bottom end!) and being quite encouraging. She passes off as a warm, encouraging judge. If I was auditioning for Idol, I'd want her to be there, rather than a freezing Posh or an intimidating Mary.

Did she get along with the judges? I think she had fun. Remember how she begged for Randy to send Paige Dechausse to Hollywood? It's also amazing that all the other judges made a connection with her much quicker than the other two guest judges. In fact, as the episode went on I thought I saw Paula Abdul on the judging panel. Really. She also looked a lot like Paula Abdul, especially after that "bottom end" liner.

Nasty or nice? Nice, for the most part. She really does pass off as warm and fuzzy, much like... you guessed it: Paula, without the very loopy bits. It's interesting how she got the balance between authoritative and nurturing just right. She knows what she's saying, and she says it without being as snarky as Simon, or as bored as Posh.

The Paula Abdul rating: 9/10
The Simon Cowell rating: 8/10

Anything else? Simon, if you still haven't found judges for the American X Factor, please take note of the answer that was sitting right beside you during two days in Chicago. Give Cheryl Cole a break and give Shania Twain a job. Puh-leeeease. Thanks.

The report cards so far:
Victoria Beckham
Mary J. Blige

http://www.buddytv.com/articles/american-idol/the-american-idol-guest-judge-33872.aspx

Tommy · Guru

Shania Twain Tries to Be Kind on American Idol

Not even Shania Twain could lure American Idol out of its predictable cadence. She was the guest judge on last night's (Jan. 19) audition show, and she sat through the brutal winner/loser/montage routines that have come to be the show's trademark. And because the talent was so meager, she even remarked halfway into the show, "We're trying to be too kind because they're so bad." She did get a little sexy with one contestant, John Park, when she said he had a beautiful bottom end. I think she meant that about his vocal range, but you never know. Maybe the show has just run its course. Maybe America has seen all its potential idols. And maybe Simon Cowell needs to stop winking so much, and get his bitch back on more. Otherwise, I may have to vote no on sending American Idol through.

http://blog.cmt.com/2010-01-20/shania-twain-tries-to-be-kind-on-american-idol/

Tommy · Guru

American Idol Season 9 - Shania Twain Rocks as Guest Judge during Chicago Auditions

by Mike Vitullo

Hello Idol fanatics! We're back for the 3rd Audition city of Season 9. Sweet Home Chicago!! Maybe, I'm getting nostalgic of this being the first season without Paula and the last season with Simon (a true sign that "change is gonna come"), but I really am enjoying these crazy auditions this year. Talk to me again next week as we get into our 3rd week of this and I may be singing a different tune. But, I also am enjoying the guest judges too. And, I totally think they dropped the ball on picking up Shania Twain FULL time! She was fantastic the whole episode! And ironically, both she and Paula have been questioned on their actual vocal talent. It's perfect! No disrespect from me though, I still anxiously await her next album!

http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474978003648&grpId=3659174697259616&nav=Groupspace

Tommy · Guru

'American Idol' news and links for Thursday, Jan. 21; are we through the celebrity-judge phase yet?
Posted by Patrick Brown

FOX photo - Shania Twain was the celebrity judge in Chicago

So what do we think, America; is the big celebrity judge experiment working? So far only Shania Twain has really made much of an impact. Wednesday's judge, Kristin Chenowith could only be bothered to stick around for half the show! The rotating celebs have some people looking forward to the next round when Ellen DeGeneres will finally join the show; Randy Jackson says she'll be "The Bomb."

There are just three cities left to audition, but there seems to be a little confusion about which is next. At the end of Wednesday's episode they promoted Los Angeles as being next, but in the original schedule released before the season started, Dallas was scheduled for next Tuesday, and Los Angeles on Wednesday.

Sometimes we "Idol" bloggers get accused of not paying attention to the important news going on around us. I do know that Massachusetts elected a new senator the other night. How do I know that? Ryan Seacrest tweeted about the fact that new Senator-Elect Scott Brown's daughter Ayla was a semi-finalist in Season 5! Oh, and according to her website, her new album drops next Tuesday. How convenient is that!

While we're in the audition phase, it's worth revisiting the amount of editing that goes on during one in these episodes. Whether this is the first time you're watching "Idol," or you're a nine-season veteran, it's worth checking out this behind-the-scenes explainer from The Daily Beast: Secret Rituals of American Idol Auditions Exposed.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/idolconfessions/2010856924_american_idol_news_and_links_f_1.html

Tommy · Guru

World To “American Idol”: Hire Shania

By DREW MAGARY

Updated 5:45 PM EST, Fri, Jan 22, 2010

The last we heard from country and pop superstar Shania Twain, she was going through a very public and very painful divorce. Since that time, Twain has remained underground, presumably holed up in her Swiss mansion.

But last night, Twain resurfaced to be a guest judge for the preliminary rounds of FOX’s “American Idol,” and she proved, despite little screen time, to be an enormous success. Kudos are coming in from all across the media. From Entertainment Weekly:

Every word she said, I loved.

From the Daily News:

She still came across as a direct, no-nonsense assessor of singing chops.
Always looking alert and attentive, she often sat forward in her chair, elbows propped up on the table and chin resting in her hands, and she was given to open expressions of surprise - shaded with dismay or delight - at contestants' efforts. Her signature look had her eyebrows raised, and eyes wide in happy, or more often appalled disbelief.

One thing that really made her stand out from her guest-judge predecessors was her chemistry with Simon. It wasn't that Posh and Mary J. didn't have it, but her easy rapport with him is something that had been missing in Boston and Atlanta last week.

People on blogs, message boards, and in the Twitterverse also have kind words for Twain, who stood out in particular contrast to useless fourth judge Kara DioGuardi, who, as EW’s Michael Slezak noted, seems to spend every episode of the show bobbing her head and offering bland, lightweight advice to contestants.

Twain, by contrast, was attentive, and was SPECIFIC in how she thought each contestant could improve. You got the feeling she was genuinely interested in helping each singer, instead of just sitting there and thinking to herself, “Wow! I get to be a judge on ‘Idol’! HOW COOL IS THIS?!” She also displayed the proper amount of shock and disgust at boob boxer girl.

You would think anyone could be a judge on these shows. It looks easy. You hear people sing, and then you tell them if they suck or not. Yet “idol” and other show prove, time and again, that good judges are extremely hard to find.

They can’t be annoying. They can’t be stupid. They can’t be high on Percocet. That narrows the pool down to about five people, and Shania Twain is apparently one of them. With any luck, this isn’t the last you’ve seen of her on “Idol”.

http://www.nbcwashington.com/entertainment/television/World-To-American-Idol-Hire-Shania-82382817.html

Tommy · Guru

What’s in store for John Park?: American Idol Spoilers

By Kevin Sullivan

Most everyone on campus knows that Northwestern student and member of Purple Haze, John Park, made it to Hollywood after his Chicago audition for American Idol. But just how far is he going? According to a leaked list of the 24 finalist released today, John Park is one of the lucky two dozen, although Fox has no official statement.

The original leak appeared on joesplaceblog.com. The post has been removed, but it didn’t take long for the blogosphere to get a hold of it.

Just in case you missed it, here is Park’s original Idol audition, fawning Shania Twain included.

http://www.northbynorthwestern.com/2010/01/64864/whats-in-store-for-john-park-american-idol-spoilers/

Tommy · Guru

Posted by faSHANIAted on The Shania Forums:

I do not know how much of you read the TV Guide magazine, but if you do not here is some info. from this weeks magazine. The TV Guide editors created a poll (not a great poll, though; they did not mention how many people did the poll)... the American Idol best guest judge. The results: Mary J Blige = 11%, Victoria Beckham = 13%, Kristen Chenoweth = 28%, Shania Twain = 48%.

Also, here is another poll just about Shania: How Did Shania Do?
http://www.buddytv.com/articles/american-idol/the-american-idol-guest-judge-33872.aspx

twain2country · Guru

IPTV Roundtable: What Do You Think of American Idol Without Paula Abdul?
By widro - January 28, 2010

The big news for 2010 in American Idol has been moving on without original judge Paula Abdul. In the first of our new ongoing series of roundtables here on Inside Pulse TV, the crew chimes in on how the first 2 paula-less weeks of the show have been.

Murtz Jaffer – I think American Idol has jumped the shark. Not because of Paula’s departure but because the contestants just haven’t been as good this year. I am hoping we see something during the Hollywood week that we didn’t see during the auditions. I also think that Paula’s absence is irrelevant when Ellen Degeneres finally premieres because she will fill out the role nicely. It’s Simon’s exit that will destroy the franchise. Nothing else.

Joe Corey – Paula is truly missed on that panel because she was the compassionate ear. Kara wants to be a little nice, but she can’t truly embrace the crazy people. Paula also knew how to keep Simon on his toes. Now he’s barely punching the clock as he countsdown to his X Factor payday. He doesn’t care about the show anymore. He’s got nobody willing to truly stand up to his lame antics. Trying to replace Paula with guest singing stars just hasn’t quite clicked cause none of them want to alienate fans. The ratings haven’t collapsed so people aren’t that choked up. She’ll be back for X Factor with a parade of “Paula’s Back” hype.

Josh Clinton – It’s hard to tell what American Idol will be like without Paula Abdul completely, since her replacement Ellen Degeneres hasn’t made her debut on the show yet. But so far the guest judges have been hit or miss. Shania Twain has been my favorite so far. The show is missing a little “wackiness” that Paula provided. Now it seems they are just trying to create and force the wacky antics with Kara being the ringleader in that department. Simon and Randy are just the same, so it will be interesting to see Ellen’s role as a judge in a couple of weeks.

Kevin Wong – I’d almost say that it’s too soon to tell because we haven’t yet seen Ellen (the “permanent” replacement) judging. But based on the guest judging so far, the results have been just fine. Shania Twain was pretty much at Paula level of harshness (that is, not a whole heckuva lot). Kristin Chenoweth and Kara seemed to have way too much fun ignoring the auditions – reminiscent of Padma Lakshmi and Natalie Portman during Top Chef. Mary J. Blige was pretty much what I’d expect from her, and most surprisingly, Posh Spice was kinda harsh, given that she would’ve had to do an audition process to become one of the Spice Girls.

So overall, the change has been fine, and the only difference is that we’re not seeing any judges looking “out of it” thus far.

Tom Daniels – To be completely honest — I don’t know what I think of it yet. I got over the one-note joke that are the audition rounds about two years ago. I boycott them now unless there’s a guest judge I really want to see. Really, I’ve only watched the Kristin Chenoweth audition episode and, really, I didn’t notice the lack of Paula. Maybe I’ll have a different opinion once the voting rounds start, but the Ellen thing, to me, reeks of the “Dennis Miller on Monday Night Football” experiment. As we recall, that didn’t go so well either. It’s not a surprise to me that Simon’s leaving if we’re up to the “stunt casting” portion of keeping the show relevant.

Luke Swinney – Honestly, I don’t miss Paula so far, but I do like Kara so that could be the reason. Some of the guest judges in the auditioning process are essentially useless, but it’s not making me miss Paula quite yet. But that could definitely change as the season moves on!

http://tv.insidepulse.com/2010/01/28/iptv-roundtable-what-do-you-think-of-american-idol-without-paula-abdul/

Tommy · Guru

Tommy wrote:
Posted by faSHANIAted on The Shania Forums:

I do not know how much of you read the TV Guide magazine, but if you do not here is some info. from this weeks magazine. The TV Guide editors created a poll (not a great poll, though; they did not mention how many people did the poll)... the American Idol best guest judge. The results: Mary J Blige = 11%, Victoria Beckham = 13%, Kristen Chenoweth = 28%, Shania Twain = 48%.
Also, here is another poll just about Shania: How Did Shania Do?
http://www.buddytv.com/articles/american-idol/the-american-idol-guest-judge-33872.aspx

SteveF posted a scan on the OFC message board. Click to enlarge.

barebackwarrior · Senior Member

Seems like Shania turned 15 all over again judging her ditzy and kind of off the wall behavior during AI. It was funny to watch her willing to make a fool of herself and not take herself so seriously. Making a fool of yourself is okay, kind of like being at a fair being target practice before someone hits the bullseye and you fall down the pool.

I guess that's 20 something year old young bucks do to a cougar. Hee, hee.

Tommy · Guru

From the OFC:

American Idol "Road to Hollywood" episode
If you missed Shania on "American Idol" the first time, check out the "Best Of" show featuring all of this season's celebrity judges: Shania Twain, Victoria Beckham, Mary J. Blige, Kristin Chenoweth, Joe Jonas, Neil Patrick Harris, Avril Lavigne and Katy Perry. The episode airs this Wedneday at 9:00pm ET/PT on FOX.

kelc317 · Guru

barebackwarrior wrote:

Seems like Shania turned 15 all over again judging her ditzy and kind of off the wall behavior during AI. It was funny to watch her willing to make a fool of herself and not take herself so seriously. Making a fool of yourself is okay, kind of like being at a fair being target practice before someone hits the bullseye and you fall down the pool.

I guess that's 20 something year old young bucks do to a cougar. Hee, hee.

I liked it to,it shows she doesn't take herself to seriously.To bad Fred was there,lol.

-- Edited by kelc317 on Sunday 31st of January 2010 12:28:30 PM

PurplePeopleEater · Guru

barebackwarrior wrote:

Seems like Shania turned 15 all over again judging her ditzy and kind of off the wall behavior during AI. It was funny to watch her willing to make a fool of herself and not take herself so seriously. Making a fool of yourself is okay, kind of like being at a fair being target practice before someone hits the bullseye and you fall down the pool.

I guess that's 20 something year old young bucks do to a cougar. Hee, hee.

You sound demented. yawn

PurplePeopleEater · Guru

In a semi-nice way.

Tommy · Guru

Judging the 'American Idol' guest judges
By Andrea Reiher

February 3, 2010 8:24 AM

We've finally wrapped the guest judges on "American Idol." How'd they all do?

One thing that hinders our judging of the guest judges is the fact that screentime is not always created equal.

By our (extremely scientific) calculations, we've seen 2 1/4 hours of Victoria Beckham, 1.5 hours of Mary J. Blige, 45 minutes each of Shania Twain and Kristin Chenoweth, about 30 minutes of Neil Patrick Harris, 20 minutes each of Avril Lavigne and Katy Perry and about five seconds of Joe Jonas.

Enough to judge how they did? It doesn't matter, we're going to judge anyway.

According to our guest judge polls, as of 8 a.m. PT Wednesday, Feb. 3, on a scale of Bad, Meh and Great, Victoria Beckham was the only "Meh," Mary J. Blige, Avril Lavigne and Katy Perry all got "Bad," Shania Twain, Kristin Chenoweth and Neil Patrick Harris all got "Great" and poor Joe Jonas got "I blinked and missed him."

Those polls are actually fairly in line with our own feelings too, though we do think Mary J. was pretty amusing when she got the giggles. However, what this tells us is -- budget the guest-judge time more effectively!

Victoria Beckham was fine. Nothing spectacular, but she had some interesting things to say. But not three hours of broadcast time worth of things. Likewise Mary J. Blige. Meanwhile, the combined total broadcast time of the three best judges (Shania, Kristin and Doogie) was 2.5 hours. And again with poor Joe Jonas. He said 40 words total in his stint on "Idol." Seriously.

Here's where we will commend "Idol," though. It's been 8 seasons and yet this season feels totally fresh. Some of that is Paula's departure and Ellen's arrival, some of that is that it's Simon Cowell's last season. But some of it is the arrival of the guest judges! It made each audition episode (which is, frankly, our least favorite part of "Idol") new and interesting.

We think they should definitely keep this format for next year, especially in light of the fact that Simon will be gone. However, we think they need a more judicious hand deciding who had the best appearance as a guest judge and mete out the airtime accordingly.

Final "American Idol" guest judge grades

Shania Twain, A -- if they need a full-time female judge, we'd call her.

Kristin Chenoweth, A- -- ditto, plus she's hilarious with Kara and with Simon gone, his annoyance at them wouldn't be problematic.

Neil Patrick Harris, B+ -- he's only a B+ because we didn't get to see as much of Doogie as we would've liked.

Victoria Beckham, B -- she had a lot of good advice regarding image, which is a consideration for the contestants, but not enough music criticism to warrant being one of the better judges.

Katy Perry, B- -- she wasn't afraid to stand up to the judges when she disagreed.

Mary J. Blige, C+ -- what some people thought was rude others found hilarious. Much like Simon.

Avril Lavigne, C -- we honestly are at a loss for what she brought to the table.

Joe Jonas, N/A -- 40 words, people. 40.

What do you think? Do you agree with our assessment of the "Idol" guest judges?

http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2010/02/judging-the-american-idol-guest-judges.html

twain2country · Guru

American Idol Auditions Recap

Since all the open auditions are pretty much the same I thought I'd lump them all in one post. Call it American Idol in a Bowl.

The guest judges varied in quality. Neil Patrick Harris was terrific. I'd like to think he didn't become the permanent new judge because he's got that day job and not because Simon realized he's too good.

Shania Twain showed some personality and paid one hopeful the greatest compliment any singer could receive -- she liked his ******.

By the way, have you noticed that whenever there is a good guest judge Kara just disappears? This is a huge improvement over incredibly annoying. More good guest judges please!

Mary J. Blige looked like she'd rather be in Iraq.

Katy Perry was refreshingly candid. She had no problem ripping people. If only she wasn't a worse singer than the contestants she crushed. She did have the best moment of the season so far when she called out Kara for liking some sad sack for their hard luck story, not singing. Katy said, "This is not a Lifetime movie, sweetheart!" Kara had no withering retort of course. Or she did and they just didn't show her saying, "I know you are but what am I?"

Didn't see Kristin Chenoweth's turn. I'm guessing she was perky.

Avril Lavigne was God awful. How can she judge talent when she can't even spell her own last name? It's L-e-v-i-n-e. She wore a devil hood. C-r-e-t-i-n.

For what inexplicable reason did they bring the vacuous Victoria Beckham back? They didn't have to pay for a meal per diem? She wore her hair back and in a bun and looked like Olive Oyl with bad eye shadow.

But the worst ever was Joe Jonas. Proving his only talent is being in the Lucky Sperm Club, he just sat like a slug. For the longest time I thought he was just Kara's blow up doll. But then I always figured Kara was just Simon's blow up doll.

The auditions were what you expected. Does every 23 year old contestant have an 8-year-old child? Is it possible to get put through to Hollywood if you haven't had a near death experience?

If this is a singing competition why did Ms. DioGuardi and Ms. Oyl make one contestant take his shirt off? If they're going to do that, just put Tallulah Morehead on the panel.

And while we're on the subject, I don't think the judges gave the guy wearing a bikini fair consideration.

One recent contestant was asked to tell the judges something interesting about himself. He said, "I like cheese." When pressed, he also casually revealed that his mother had kidnapped as a child and they spent his formative years running and hiding. But I want to get back to that cheese thing.

One night a hopeful just wailed painfully. No lyrics, no melody, just screeching. Ms. Oyl complimented him on his choice of song. No wonder they want her to guest on The View.

Note to the 10,000 hopefuls in Los Angeles who desperately hope to get a trip to Hollywood -- you're ***** in Hollywood!!

Meanwhile, a girl from Florence, Italy flew all the way to Denver for an audition. She couldn't go the ones in Boston and New York? Anyway, she is off to Hollywood -- probably with a layover in Taiwan.

Thank God we've arrived at Hollywood Week. I hear talk that the other Jonas Brothers wanna guest judge.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ken-le..._b_449141.html

twain2country · Guru

Im not sure if anyone caught "The Road To Hollywood" but Shania was only it on for like split seconds, as you see her commenting on some of the contestants' performances that may have not been featured in the other episode. There's a girl with a guitar and a guy who sings "Ain't No Sunshine". Here are two screen caps I made.

-- Edited by twain2country on Sunday 7th of February 2010 08:13:22 AM

PurplePeopleEater · Guru

twain2country wrote:

Im not sure if anyone caught "The Road To Hollywood" but Shania was only it on for like split seconds, as you see her commenting on some of the contestants' performances that may have not been featured in the other episode. There's a girl with a guitar and a guy who sings "Ain't No Sunshine". Here are two screen caps I made.

-- Edited by twain2country on Sunday 7th of February 2010 08:13:22 AM

I never even heard of it! biggrin

twain2country · Guru

PurplePeopleEater wrote:

twain2country wrote:

Im not sure if anyone caught "The Road To Hollywood" but Shania was only it on for like split seconds, as you see her commenting on some of the contestants' performances that may have not been featured in the other episode. There's a girl with a guitar and a guy who sings "Ain't No Sunshine". Here are two screen caps I made.

-- Edited by twain2country on Sunday 7th of February 2010 08:13:22 AM

I never even heard of it!

"The Road To Hollywood" was a recap and "best of" show. They showed clips of contestants that made it through to Hollywood along with some clips of the best/worst performances from all the AI auditions.

-- Edited by twain2country on Sunday 7th of February 2010 04:17:55 PM

twain2country · Guru

Jury is in on ‘Idol’ guest judges

Guest judges Shania Twain and Katy Perry. (AP Files)

By LINDSEY WARD, QMI Agency

Kiss those weeks of amusing auditions goodbye, and give Ellen DeGeneres a great big ol’ welcome hug. American Idol’s Hollywood Round has arrived.

Yes, that awkward period when the Fox judges have to ditch many of the invited hopefuls they picked up on their road trip across the U.S. begins Tuesday night. That’s also when new judge DeGeneres makes her big debut.

The queen of daytime talk shows — or soon-to-be, thanks to Oprah leaving the air — will make a fine pair with the king of reality talent shows, as long as she’s her usual hilarious self and disagrees with everything Simon Cowell says.

Heck, even if she breaks into a little dance when it’s her turn to critique, she’ll be more on the ball than her predecessor Paula Abdul ever was.

Come to think of it, everyone who has sat in Paula’s old spot so far this season has brought something unique to the panel — be it cleavage, a high-pitched voice or a ridiculous sweatshirt.

Before we move forward to the next stage of the competition, let us pay homage to the group of celebs who generously donated their time to Idol’s Season 9 auditions by grading their performances:

Victoria Beckham

Audition Cities: Boston and Denver

She had far more to say about contestants’ fashion sense than their singing voices. She wore her hair so tightly pulled back that her cheekbones nearly tore her skin, but Posh was tops when it came to putting Simon in his place. “Why did you do that? That thing where you roll your eyes?” she asked before shooting him the iciest of all mum-glares in Boston. Indeed, she proved that on this panel, two Brits are better than one.

Grade: A+

Mary J. Blige

Audition City: Atlanta

Poor MJB! Not only did she not seem to get a word in edge-wise during her guest-judging stint, but she fell victim to the angriest contestant since Alexis Cohen: Tone-deaf Lamar Royal, who said, “@#$% Mary J. Blige! That b---- can’t sing!” Adding to the irritation was 62-year-old Larry Platt, who chose her audition to stop by and perform his original track Pants on the Ground. She can rest assured knowing she’s not the only one with that song still stuck in her head. “Pants on the ground, pants on the ground — lookin’ like a foo with yo pants on the ground ...”

Grade: A

Avril Lavigne

Audition City: Los Angeles

Underneath that silly sweatshirt with the devil horns on the hood, Canada’s own pint-sized popstar was pretty good at explaining why things are so complicated in the music biz — and why family men such as Jim Ranger and sweaty guys such as Neil Goldstein have no hopes of scoring cool points with fans.

Grade: B

Katy Perry

Audition City: Los Angeles

Wearing a top even lower cut than Simon’s, the soon-to-be-Mrs. Russell Brand ignored the contestants — and dismissed the ones who impressed the other judges (Simon included!). But her bitterness wasn’t completely unbearable, especially when she used it to initiate catfights with fellow feline — sorry, female — judge Kara DioGuardi. So. Awesome.

Grade: C+

Kristin Chenoweth

Audition City: Orlando

Critique: Unlike Katy Perry, stage star Chenoweth buddied up with DioGuardi, and the two BFFs ended up calling most of the shots. Consequently, gold ticket winners included a beat-boxer, a former bank robber and guy who ripped his pants while doing the splits.

Grade: B+

Shania Twain

Audition City: Chicago

Considering she had to sit before the Human Boob-box, Canada’s country gal did a dang good job of dishing out useful comments. At least until Day 2 of the auditions, when she kept breaking into giddy giggle fits. Grade: A

Joe Jonas

Audition City: Dallas

What advice could a 20-year-old boy-band heartthrob, still riding his wave of fame, possibly have to offer? Not much. But you’d at least think he’d be able to turn up the charm.

Grade: D

Neil Patrick Harris

Audition City: Dallas

Doogie Howser isn’t a singer, but he’s played one on the stage — and his insights were actually quite helpful to hopefuls such as Tourette’s syndrome sufferer Dave Pittman.

Grade: B-

http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/Entertain...8/12792976.html

UpUpUp · Guru

twain2country wrote:

Im not sure if anyone caught "The Road To Hollywood" but Shania was only it on for like split seconds, as you see her commenting on some of the contestants' performances that may have not been featured in the other episode. There's a girl with a guitar and a guy who sings "Ain't No Sunshine". Here are two screen caps I made.

-- Edited by twain2country on Sunday 7th of February 2010 08:13:22 AM

Thanks for the caps. I watched, and I was surprised by how little they showed of Shania. If you blinked you would have missed her.

barebackwarrior · Senior Member

Hey gramps quit with the lousy a$$ attitude. I don't pickin on you and your dogmatic posts. Go back to your rocking chair and tell your grandkids to wipe the drool off your mouth.

barebackwarrior · Senior Member

PurplePeopleEater wrote:
You sound demented.

barebackwarrior wrote:

Hey gramps quit with the lousy a$$ attitude. I don't pickin on you and your dogmatic posts. Go back to your rocking chair and tell your grandkids to wipe the drool off your mouth.

PurplePeopleEater · Guru

barebackwarrior wrote:

PurplePeopleEater wrote:
You sound demented.

barebackwarrior wrote:

Hey gramps quit with the lousy a$$ attitude. I don't pickin on you and your dogmatic posts. Go back to your rocking chair and tell your grandkids to wipe the drool off your mouth.

You keep this is up and we will feed you to Kevy hook, line and sinker.

barebackwarrior · Senior Member

PurplePeopleEater wrote:

barebackwarrior wrote:

PurplePeopleEater wrote:
You sound demented.

barebackwarrior wrote:

Hey gramps quit with the lousy a$$ attitude. I don't pickin on you and your dogmatic posts. Go back to your rocking chair and tell your grandkids to wipe the drool off your mouth.

You keep this is up and we will feed you to Kevy hook, line and sinker.

You're pathetic dude. If you can't take the heat then get the heck out of the kitchen. I've totally ignored you and you're the one who's decided to take your beef with me. Get a life. You practically live on this board. The sad thing is that you don't even get paid to troll around the board and pick on other Shania fans. You must have a real sorry life .

kelc317 · Guru

barebackwarrior wrote:

PurplePeopleEater wrote:

barebackwarrior wrote:

PurplePeopleEater wrote:
You sound demented.

barebackwarrior wrote:

Hey gramps quit with the lousy a$$ attitude. I don't pickin on you and your dogmatic posts. Go back to your rocking chair and tell your grandkids to wipe the drool off your mouth.

You keep this is up and we will feed you to Kevy hook, line and sinker.

You're pathetic dude. If you can't take the heat then get the heck out of the kitchen. I've totally ignored you and you're the one who's decided to take your beef with me. Get a life. You practically live on this board. The sad thing is that you don't even get paid to troll around the board and pick on other Shania fans. You must have a real sorry life .

Your demented and im a perv.LOL

PurplePeopleEater · Guru

kelc317 wrote:

barebackwarrior wrote:

PurplePeopleEater wrote:

barebackwarrior wrote:

PurplePeopleEater wrote:
You sound demented.

barebackwarrior wrote:

Hey gramps quit with the lousy a$$ attitude. I don't pickin on you and your dogmatic posts. Go back to your rocking chair and tell your grandkids to wipe the drool off your mouth.

You keep this is up and we will feed you to Kevy hook, line and sinker.

You're pathetic dude. If you can't take the heat then get the heck out of the kitchen. I've totally ignored you and you're the one who's decided to take your beef with me. Get a life. You practically live on this board. The sad thing is that you don't even get paid to troll around the board and pick on other Shania fans. You must have a real sorry life .

Your demented and im a perv.LOL

I guess you are a match made in heaven. biggrin biggrin

Tommy · Guru

'American Idol' picks its Top 24 contestants

It was mostly good news on Wednesday on "American Idol" -- the hourlong broadcast was a whirlwind of yeses, as much of the Fox talent show's Top 24 was assembled.

Seven finalists (including Mount Prospect's Lee Dewyze) had been picked during Tuesday's two-hour broadcast, but on Wednesday, "American Idol" had only one hour to usher in the next 17 finalists. Singers who got "yeses" during their final interview with the four judges included Northbrook's John Park and Joliet's Jermaine Sellers, but another frequent "Idol" contestant, Chicago's Angela Martin, did not make it through. Martin had a heartbreaking tale of personal losses and the judges were clearly pained to have to send her home -- Kara DioGuardi sat with her and comforted her as she took in the fact that she didn't make the cut.

Tuesday marks the show's first live sing-off, when the Top 12 women will compete at 7 p.m. Central. The men compete for two hours on Wednesday, and on Thursday, Feb. 25, the first four contestants will be sent home.

Here are a few first impressions of the top 24 contestants:

When he first auditioned in Chicago, John Park (21, Northbrook, Ill.) quickly won over the judges (including guest judge Shania Twain). Unfortunately he hasn't been featured much in the Hollywood rounds -- let's hope the producers show us more Park's talents the next time the men perform. You'll see him next Feb. 24, which is when the Top 12 male performers put on their first live show.
During Jermaine Sellers' (25, Joliet, Ill.) Hollywood performance of "Man in the Mirror" he chided the band for playing one verse too many, but that diva move didn't cost him advancement to the next round. When he heard the good news, he demanded a hug from Simon Cowell, which shows, if nothing else, that Sellers has courage.
Lee Dewyze (23, Mount Prospect, IL), a paint-store clerk from Mount Prospect, had a crunchy-granola look (acoustic guitar, knit cap and T-shirt) as he sang The Fray's "You Found Me." But Simon Cowell, during Tuesday's show, was harsh to Dewyze, calling one performance "indulgent" and said it "didn't show you had any star quality." "It's been pretty mentally tough," DeWyze said Tuesday but was later told by the judges, who said he needed to work on his on-stage confidence, that he'd made it through.
Todrick Hall (24, Arlington, Texas) said Tuesday that after a week of rehearsals, "everybody's vocally tired, I'm no exception," but the actor-playwright's R&B-inflected performance on Tuesday was enough to put him into the final 24.
Michael Lynche (26, Astoria, NY), a former football player and personal trainer, had a lot on his mind during the audition rounds: His wife gave birth to their first child during Hollywood Week. But his burly presence and pleasant voice were enough to get him through to the next stage of the competition.
Aaron Kelly (16, Soneston, Penn.) got nervous on during one of his Hollywood performances and forgot some lyrics during a group performance, but the judges clearly liked this shy young man and put him through to the next part of the contest.
Didi Benami (23, Knoxville, Tenn.) made a wise move by singing one of judge Kara DioGuardi's songs, and her cheery voice and upbeat presence didn't hurt her chances either. Her performance of Sarah McLachlan's "Angel" was pretty pitchy but overall, as judge Simon Cowell said, "When you were good, you were fantastic."
Prior to his "Idol" audition, Casey James (27, Fort Worth, Texas) survived a motorcycle accident that could have ended his musical career, but he came back from his injuries, resumed playing guitar and made it to the Top 24 -- only after the show had much fun with DioGuardi's alleged crush on the blonde singer.
The only word for Haeley Vaughn (16, Fort Collins, Colo.) is adorable. This guitar-playing teen's pitchier moments could be "annoying" but she is also "super, super talented," according to Simon Cowell.
Katelyn Epperly (19, West Des Moines, Iowa), who first auditioned in Chicago, had to endure one of Ellen DeGeneres' "jokes" -- the judge said that it'd be cruel to make Katelyn wait to hear whether she'd made it, then DeGeneres jabbered away and kept delaying the verdict. The exuberantly dressed Epperly heard she'd made it, finally.
Crystal Bowersox (24, Elliston, Ohio) has been one of the judges' favorites from her first audition in Chicago, and her rock-chick look, her acoustic guitar and her strong, almost gravelly vocals were put to good use on her signature song, "[You Make Me Feel Like] A Natural Woman." Like so many other "rock chicks" in past "Idol" seasons, will Bowersox make it far only to get bounced in the final rounds?
Katie Stevens (17, Middlebury Conn.) is one of the talent contest's youngest competitors and said she was competing for her grandmother, who has Alzheimer's.
Tyler Grady (20, Nazareth, Penn.) appears be one of Season 9's token rock dudes; he sang Daughtry's "Home," cited Roger Daltry as an influence and sported ripped jeans.
Ashley Rodriguez (22, Chelsea, Mass.) has the kind of "look and voice that could be very commercial," Kara DioGuardi said during Rodriguez's first audition. Translated to English, that means Rodridguez is pleasantly forgettable and will probably exit soon.
Andrew Garcia (24, Moreno Valley, CA) impressed the judges last week with a cover of Paula Abdul's straight up and did a similarly memorable take on Adele's "Chasing Pavements" during the Hollywood round. If he keeps offering those kinds of interesting arrangements and vocals, he should go far.
Lacey Brown (24, Amarillo, Texas) made it to Hollywood last season but eventually got cut. This year, she made it after a well-received performance of "What a Wonderful World."
It's hard to see past Lilly Scott's (20, Denver, Colo.) dyed grey-white hair to see if there's a truly talented singer in there, though she does show some promise. If she tones down her look, loses that horrid hairdo and focuses on her vocals, she may have a shot.
Nobody was more shocked than Janell Wheeler (24, Tampa, Fla.) to make it through. She had a mixed experience at best in Hollywood; Cowell said he didn't even recall her from the open auditions, and DeGeneres called one of her group performances a "disaster." But somehow she skated through (being blonde and pretty never hurts on "Idol").
Siobhan Magnus (19, Barnstable, Mass.) looks young and perky, but did she really wear leg warmers to her final interview with the judges? Even if those were just large, floppy socks, that was a fashion crime. Good thing she's not on "Project Runway."
The decidedly not-flashy Alex Lambert (19, North Richland, Texas) doesn't look anything like Season 8's glammed-up Adam Lambert, but Alex will no doubt have to endure endless comparisons to last year's finalist due to the similarity of their names.
Paige Miles (24, Cypress, Texas) said in an interview on the "Idol" Web site that her favorite moment from the show's history is Kelly Clarkson singing a Celine Dion song. Really? Celine Dion?
Tim Urban (20, Duncanville, Texas) didn't leave much of an impression during the Hollywood round, but hey, from the last few seconds of Tuesday's broadcast, we know he can breakdance. So there's that.
Michelle Delamor (22, Miami, Fla.) has experience performing in front of big crowds; she once opened for hip-hop star Lil Wayne.
Joe Munoz (20, Huntington Park, Calif.) is another contestant who didn't get much face time during the Hollywood rounds, but like many of Season 9's contestants, he's young and exuberant.

http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/2010/02/american-idol-top-24-fox.html

twain2country · Guru

John Park makes the Top 24 on American Idol!
by lawlietta on February 17, 2010

Last month, Korean-American John Park’s voice & charm won over the judges of American Idol (as well as the hearts of Shania Twain and many new fans) to secure a trip to Hollywood with over 140 other contestants. Fortunately for fans, John Park was one of the singers that earned his spot in the Top 24 tonight.

Although many people were ecstatic that John had gotten through the qualifying round, things got only harder from there. Over a short period of time, the throng of singers was cut down to twenty-four through a multitude of stages.

The selection process started off with the contestants being separated into three waiting rooms, which would either be welcomed to the next stage of the process or dismissed entirely. After Room 1 got through & Room 2 was eliminated, Room 3 (which included John) passed to the next round with great relief, narrowing the competition down to 46.

http://www.allkpop.com/2010/02/john-park-makes-the-top-24-on-american-idol

-- Edited by Tommy on Thursday 18th of February 2010 03:03:04 PM

Tommy · Guru

'Idol' Clears Season 9 Contestants To Use Twitter, Facebook, Myspace

In a testament to the undeniable influence of social media in today's day in age, American Idol producers and network executives, after nine seasons have finally agreed to allow contestants to maintain social networking profiles on Twitter, Facebook and Myspace. In previous seasons, all social networking was banned, and any pre-existing profiles were deleted prior to the start of live shows.

While we're still unaware of the exact 'rules of engagement' for these profiles, considering they were all custom-made by Fox, we can imagine producers have established ground rules for what's kosher to be discussed on Twitter and elsewhere.

Get links to follow your Top 24 favorites below and/or follow our custom American Idol Twitter list here.

Didi Benami

Hometown: Knoxville, TN
Currently Resides: Los Angeles, CA
Age: 23

www.twitter.com/DBenamiAI9
www.facebook.com/DBenamiAI9
www.myspace.com/dbenamiai9

Crystal Bowersox

Hometown: Elliston, OH
Currently Resides: Toledo, OH
Age: 24

www.twitter.com/CBowersoxAI9
www.facebook.com/CBowersoxAI9
www.myspace.com/cbowersoxai9

Lacey Brown

Hometown: Amarillo, TX
Currently Resides: Amarillo, TX
Age: 24

www.twitter.com/LBrownAI9
www.facebook.com/LBrownAI9
www.myspace.com/lbrownai9

Michelle Delamor

Hometown: Miami, FL
Currently Resides: Miami, FL
Age: 22

www.twitter.com/MDelamorAI9
www.facebook.com/MDelamorAI9
www.myspace.com/mdelamorai9

Katelyn Epperly

Hometown: West Des Moines, IA
Currently Resides: West Des Moines, IA
Age: 19

www.twitter.com/KEpperlyAI9
www.facebook.com/KEpperlyAI9
www.myspace.com/kepperlyai9

Siobhan Magnus

Hometown: Cape Cod, MA
Currently Resides: Marstons Mills, MA
Age: 20

www.twitter.com/SMagnusAI9
www.facebook.com/SMagnusAI9
www.myspace.com/smagnusai9

Paige Miles

Hometown: Naples, FL
Currently Resides: Houston, TX
Age: 24

www.twitter.com/PMilesAI9
www.facebook.com/PMilesAI9
www.myspace.com/pmilesai9

Ashley Rodriguez

Hometown: Chelsea, MA
Currently Resides: Chelsea, MA
Age: 22

www.twitter.com/ARodriguezAI9
www.facebook.com/ARodriguezAI9
www.myspace.com/arodriguezai9

Lilly Scott

Hometown: Littleton, CO
Currently Resides: Denver, CO
Age: 20

www.twitter.com/LScottAI9
www.facebook.com/LScottAI9
www.myspace.com/lscottai9

Katie Stevens

Hometown: Middlebury, CT
Currently Resides: Middlebury, CT
Age: 17

www.twitter.com/KStevensAI9
www.facebook.com/KStevensAI9
www.myspace.com/kstevensai9

Haeley Vaughn

Hometown: Fort Collins, CO
Currently Resides: Fort Collins, CO
Age: 16

www.twitter.com/HVaughnAI9
www.facebook.com/HVaughnAI9
www.myspace.com/hvaughnai9

Janell Wheeler

Hometown: Tampa, FL
Currently Resides: Tampa, FL
Age: 24

www.twitter.com/JWheelerAI9
www.facebook.com/JWheelerAI9
www.myspace.com/jwheelerai9

Lee Dewyze

Hometown: Mount Prospect, IL
Currently Resides: Mount Prospect, IL
Age: 23

www.twitter.com/LDewyzeAI9
www.facebook.com/LDewyzeAI9
www.myspace.com/ldewyzeai9

Andrew Garcia

Hometown: Moreno Valley, CA
Currently Resides: Moreno Valley, CA
Age: 24

www.twitter.com/AGarciaAI9
www.facebook.com/AGarciaAI9
www.myspace.com/agarciaai9

Tyler Grady

Hometown: Nazareth, PA
Currently Resides: Nazareth, PA
Age: 20

www.twitter.com/TGradyAI9
www.facebook.com/TGradyAI9
www.myspace.com/tgradyai9

Todrick Hall

Hometown: Arlington, TX
Currently Resides: Arlington, TX
Age: 24

www.twitter.com/THallAI9
www.facebook.com/THallAI9
www.myspace.com/thallai9

Casey James

Hometown: Fort Worth, TX
Currently Resides: Fort Worth, TX
Age: 27

www.twitter.com/CJamesAI9
www.facebook.com/CJamesAI9
www.myspace.com/cjamesai9

Aaron Kelly

Hometown: Sonestown, PA
Currently Resides: Sonestown, PA
Age: 16

www.twitter.com/AKellyAI9
www.facebook.com/AKellyAI9
www.myspace.com/akellyai9

Alex Lambert

Hometown: Fort Worth, TX
Currently Resides: North Richland Hills, TX
Age: 19

www.twitter.com/ALambertAI9
www.facebook.com/ALambertAI9
www.myspace.com/alambertai9

Michael Lynche

Hometown: Astoria, NY
Currently Resides: Astoria, NY
Age: 26

www.twitter.com/MLyncheAI9
www.facebook.com/MLyncheAI9
www.myspace.com/mlyncheai9

Joe Muñoz

Hometown: Huntington Park, CA
Currently Resides: Huntington Park, CA
Age: 20

www.twitter.com/JMunozAI9
www.facebook.com/JMunozAI9
www.myspace.com/jmunozai9

John Park

Hometown: Northbrook, IL
Currently Resides: Evanston, IL
Age: 21

www.twitter.com/JParkAI9
www.facebook.com/JParkAI9
www.myspace.com/jparkai9

Jermaine Sellers

Hometown: Joliet, IL
Currently Resides: Joliet, IL
Age: 27

www.twitter.com/JSellersAI9
www.facebook.com/JSellersAI9
www.myspace.com/jsellersai9

Tim Urban

Hometown: Duncanville, TX
Currently Resides: Duncanville, TX
Age: 20

www.twitter.com/TUrbanAI9
www.facebook.com/TurbanAI9
www.myspace.com/turbanai9

http://www.ryanseacrest.com/blog/whats-happening/idol-clears-season-9-contestants-to-use-twitter-facebook-myspace/

twain2country · Guru

Crystal Bowersox from the Chicago auditions, has her guitar signed by Shania as shown on this week's epsiode, which saw the contenstants being shortlisted to 24. Although this isn't a screen cap from AI, you can see her signature. It's a brief message followed by.."Love, Shania"

Tommy · Guru

Katelyn Epperly: 'America is striving for that bluesy, jazzy girl singer'

Best judge's compliment: "Shania Twain told me at my audition that I have a voice that could sing a hit song. Growing up, I used to listen to her all the time and make up dances in my room, so hearing that was huge for me."

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/idolchatter/post/2010/02/katelyn-epperly-america-is-striving-for-that-bluesy-jazzy-girl-singer/1

twain2country · Guru

Screen cap of this week's Idol with Shania's signature on Crystal's guitar

Tommy · Guru

John Park, the 'copycat Michael Buble'

Shania Twain's saying that he has a beautiful, nicely toned bottom end is one of the highlights of John Park's life. He'd marry her if she'd let him. "Shania, keep me in your heart," he says.

John's the rarity on this show -- a real baritone, maybe even a bass. He goes in a completely different direction from everybody else so far, singing the jazz standard God Bless the Child. He's got a deep, rich tone, and quite a bit of range, but his voice isn't as supple as he'd like it to be, and you can really hear his voice waver when he's not entirely focused on his note. On a mediocre night, though, it should be enough to carry him through.

"You have got to have an incredible voice to take on that song, and you haven't," Simon says. He says he heard "zero emotion" and thought it was a pointless performance, calling him a "copycat Michael Bublé."

"You have a really big voice in there, but there was no connection," says Kara. "It got a little bit lounge-y at times, a little bit sleepy."

Randy liked the middle section, where he was doing the runs, but generally didn't think his voice fit the song.

Ellen says that song's not the sort of the thing that'll drive young girls to the phones, but she liked the performance.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/idolchatter/post/2010/02/john-park-the-copycat-michael-buble/1?csp=34

UpUpUp · Guru

On AI last night John Park said that he wants to marry Shania, and that she's the most beautiful woman he's ever seen.

-- Edited by UpUpUp on Thursday 25th of February 2010 03:59:08 PM

twain2country · Guru

UpUpUp wrote:

On AI last night John Park said that he wants to marry Shania, and that she's the most beautiful woman he's ever seen.

-- Edited by UpUpUp on Thursday 25th of February 2010 03:59:08 PM

Yeah, I read about that. What single (straight) guy wouldn't want to propose to her?

-- Edited by twain2country on Thursday 25th of February 2010 04:56:09 PM

Tommy · Guru

American Idol 2010: John Park wants to marry Shania Twain (VIDEO)

John Park admitted that Shania Twain lusting after him during his initial American Idol audition is one of the proudest moments of his life. Admitting that she is the most beautiful person he has seen in real life, John claims that if he thought she would marry him, he would definitely propose to the country star.

Simon Cowell said:

“You have got to have an incredible voice to take on that song, and you haven’t. It came over as very flat and zero emotion."

Ellen DeGeneres thought that it was the wrong song but a great performance.

http://www.unrealitytv.co.uk/american-idol/american-idol-2010-john-park-wants-to-marry-shania-twain-video/

twain2country · Guru

'American Idol' Power List: We're down to 20! Who's your favorite?

by Michael Slezak

Categories: American Idol, Ouch! That Was My Ear!, Reality TV

After a rocky start to the semifinals last week, American Idol’s top 20 contestants will be back tonight and tomorrow to prove they’re more Kelly Clarkson than Kelli Glover. Before they sing another note, however, it’s time for me to rank their place in the season 9 stratosphere — and for you to weigh in with your own vote in our handy Power List Poll. So, without further ado, let’s get to it…shall we? (Oh, and after you do your Idol civic duty, be sure to get up-to-the minute links to my coverage by following me on that Twitter thingie @EWMichaelSlezak!)

20. Tim Urban (New this week) Left the nation’s collective jaw on the floor after he tried and failed to reach the high notes of One Republic’s “Apologize” last week; that, combined with his wobbly David Cook cover in the Hollywood rounds, cemented the widely held impression that he’s the weakest remaining singer in the top 20. Nice head of hair, though, and recent shirtless-photo buzz could score points with more prurient segment of Idol fans.

19. Jermaine Sellers (Last week No. 15 ): Thuddingly awful Top 24 Week cover of Oleta Adams’ “Get Here” proved Jermaine has no understanding of/interest in the value of vocal restraint. Meanwhile, his apparent bewilderment as to the identity of Idol music director Michael Orland (whom he’d publicly clashed with during Hollywood Week) won’t win him any Mr. Congeniality points, either. Alas, his intriguing audition rendition of Joan Osborne’s “One of Us” seems a distant memory now.

18. Haeley Vaughn (Returns this week): One of season 9’s most polarizing contestants forcefully tackled the Beatles’ “I Want to Hold Your Hand” for her semifinal debut, and while her rendition creaked and whined like a rusty door hinge in a dilapidated mansion, it was at the very least…interesting? Plus, her black bubble skirt, green top, and feathered headpiece was the fashion highlight of results night. Hey, it’s somethin’!

17. Lacey Brown (Last week No. 8 ): Cracked season 8’s top 50 contestants, and it was easy to understand why after hearing her excellent, restrained “Over the Rainbow” during the “Road to Hollywood” episode. Sadly, though, her scorched-Earth Top 24 cover of “Landslide” left no note unpunished, turning Lacey from dark horse to dark cloud. Needs to get her nerves — and her vocals — in check to avoid a hasty exit.

16. Alex Lambert (New this week): Cracked the top 20 using a combination of sympathy votes, mullet love, and appreciation for the intriguing natural tone of his voice. That said, he spat out his Week 1 “Wonderful World” with the sophistication and care of a toddler coughing an unwanted vegetable into his mother’s outstretched palm. In other words, he’ll have to figure out how to utilize his natural gifts this week — or pay the ultimate price in the competition.

15. John Park (Last week No. 4): Made Shania Twain melt with lust during the audition rounds, but made the Idol audience recoil with terror once he hit the live stage, thanks to a strangely phrased, pitch-challenged “God Bless the Child.” Which one is the real John Park? Let’s hope it’s the former, not the latter; the season 9 bench could use some added depth, no?

14. Todrick Hall (Last week No. 18 ): You’ve got to give him credit for trying something different with a funked-up twist on Kelly Clarkson’s “Since U Been Gone.” And then you can promptly take said credit away for completely obliterating the melody and delivering a seriously unsteady vocal. And then you have to subtract a few more points for those preening, cheesy dance moves. Um, so how exactly does dude manage to move up from 18 to 14 this week?#Season9Trepidation!

13. Paige Miles (Last week No. 14): Total lack of early screen-time put Paige in the “whoa! who’s she?” role, and it didn’t help that she was forced to go first among the 24 semifinalists, either. Strangely enough, I thought she struggled to stay in tune throughout Free’s “All Right Now,” but the judges had nothing but praise for her. Needs a breakout performance to solidify any kind of voting base.

12. Michael ‘Big Mike’ Lynche (Last week No. 13): True confessions time: Which of the following is clearer in your memory — the Hollywood Week discussion of Big Mike’s wife’s cervix or his semifinal performance of Maroon 5’s “This Love”? That it’s even a question doesn’t bode especially well for the burly personal trainer — nor do his guitar-playing pantomime shenanigans — but he’s scored tons of airtime, and likable everydoods often go a long way in this competition.

11. Katie Stevens (Last week No. 11): Attempted to climb Mount Glambert by covering “Feeling Good” during Top 24 week, but hit a couple rough patches pitch-wise, and her “jazzy” “choreography” was thoroughly unconvincing. One of the more consistent performers during Hollywood Week, but needs to convince us she’s more than a child playing dress-up if she’s going to crack the Power List top 10.

10. Michelle Delamor (Last week No. 19; pictured, left): Was also largely overlooked during Idol’s first six weeks, but her Top 24 performance of “Fallin’,” while completely derivative, was strongly sung and mostly in tune — enough to help her crack the upper echelon of season 9’s semifinalists. Still, unless she can shake off the “corporate-singing gig” affectations, she’ll never be a serious contender for the whole enchilada.

9. Aaron Kelly (Last week No. 17): Was visibly (and vocally) shaky as he begin his cover of Rascal Flatts’ “Here Comes Goodbye” last week, but as Randy Jackson might say, the teenage contestant worked it out and did his thing — capping the performance with a potent and passionate glory note. If he can continue to remember his lyrics (a problem during Hollywood Week), he’s a strong top 12 contender.

8. Katelyn Epperly (Returns this week; pictured, center): Surprised this naysayer with an appealingly raspy cover of the Beatles’ “Oh Darlin’” that made her one of the few current semifinalists to show forward momentum last week. Still, Kara was right that Katelyn ought to ditch the Bobo the Dominatrix makeover. Yikes and yowza indeed.

7. Lilly Scott (Last week No. 6): Retains a high chart position thanks to that beautifully nuanced Hollywood Week take on “Lullaby of Birdland” (complete with pea****-earring feathers), but her Top 24 cover of the Beatles’ “Fixing a Hole” was better in theory than in practice. Yeah, the song choice was appealingly quirky — we’d just have preferred it if Lilly had hit more than half the notes of the opening verse.

6. Lee Dewyze (Last week No. 10): Simon was perhaps being a bit too effusive when he called Lee’s “Chasing Cars” the best vocal of Wednesday night (not with that many bum notes, dude!). But the good parts of the performance were very very good, and the fetching contestant proved he knows how to change up a well-worn melody without completely destroying it. We’re intrigued to see what he does this week, which is better than the dread we’re experiencing with regard to most of his competitors.

5. Siobhan Magnus (Last week No. 12): Simon was right that Siobhan’s Top 24 performance was dark, but heck, girlfriend was singing “Wicked Game,” not “Walking on Sunshine”! Upper register is positively gorgeous, and any forward momentum in the confidence department ought to ensure her a spot on the 2010 Idol summer tour. Oh yeah, I went there already!

4. Didi Benami (Last week No. 3): Judges were a little lukewarm on her folksy cover of Ingrid Michaelson’s “The Way I Am,” and while, yeah, it was a little low-key for a first live impression, it was also delivered with the subtlety and emotional connectedness that were hallmarks of Didi’s Hollywood Week takes on Katharine McPhee’’s “Terrified” and Sarah McLachlan’s “Angel.” (Bonus points for Didi’s admission she needs to dial back on the weeping. Way to be aware of your audience!)

3. Casey James (Last week No. 7; pictured, right): One of the few contestants last week who didn’t experience pitch problems — all the more impressive considering he did so while trying not to get distracted by Randy and Kara’s infantile sway-bot antics. Indeed, the guy who was once best known for taking off his shirt during auditions is now looking like one of the season’s few legit contenders. Needs to show a little more originality — and beware of excess vibrato — but his goofy expression during Thursday’s group performance was downright endearing.

2. Crystal Bowersox (Last week No. 2): Rocked both harmonica and guitar last week on a lovely, shaded rendering of Alanis Morissette’s “Hand in My Pocket.” Can’t refute Simon’s criticism that the tattooed mom will need to amp up the originality in her arrangements if she wants to be the next Kris Allen, but there’s also no denying her identifiable voice, quiet confidence, and laid-back cool have made her the early leader on the ladies’ side. Bow-er…(uh-huh, I can’t help myself)…sox!

1. Andrew Garcia (Last week No. 1): Absolutely killed with a rhythmically adventurous take on Paula Abdul’s “Straight Up,” and while his Top 24 Week choice of Fall Out Boy’s “Sugar, We’re Going Down” was infinitely less cool, it was, at the very least, unique and well sung. Needs to ramp up the drama and prove he’s more than a YouTube cover cat, but until a competitor has a true “Idol Moment,” the No. 1 slot is his to lose.

http://popwatch.ew.com/2010/03/02/american-idol-top-20-favorites/

Tommy · Guru

twain2country wrote:

Crystal Bowersox from the Chicago auditions, has her guitar signed by Shania as shown on this week's epsiode, which saw the contenstants being shortlisted to 24. Although this isn't a screen cap from AI, you can see her signature. It's a brief message followed by.."Love, Shania"

A rare 'Idol' re-shuffle, plus the latest on Crystal Bowersox

March 2, 2010 | 10:59 pm

An "American Idol" insider assures us that Crystal Bowersox will be back to perform on Wednesday's show. The 24-year-old season 9 contender and mother of one, who's believed to be a diabetic, was hospitalized Tuesday, causing the show to switch up its semifinals order and allow the boys to sing first. Another source reveals that the guys were alerted at around 10:30 a.m. when their call time was pushed up by an hour to allow for more rehearsal time.

The last-minute change posed its share of logistical problems. For instance, viewers who texted their votes got an automatic reply thanking them for voting for the corresponding girl (if you're curious what the girls' order would have been -- and it's telling, so we don't blame you -- here it is: Crystal Bowersox, Haeley Vaughn, Lacey Brown, Katie Stevens, Didi Benami, Michelle Delamore, Lilly Scott, Katelyn Epperly, Paige Miles, Siobhan Magnus). And while some surmised that the guys would be at a disadvantage with one less day of rehearsal, that didn't seem to be the case. General post-show consensus is that the boys made significant strides since their underwhelming debut.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/americanidoltracker/2010/03/a-rare-idol-reshuffle-plus-the-latest-on-crystal-bowersox.html

Tommy · Guru

Well Shania's guy, John Park, didn't last long .He just got voted off! Ryan Seacrest asked him what was the highlight being on the show. The first he said was, "Shania of course!" Makes you wonder if he auditioned to be a contestant or to just meet Shania. biggrin

UpUpUp · Guru

Tommy wrote:

Well Shania's guy, John Park, didn't last long .He just got voted off! Ryan Seacrest asked him what was the highlight being on the show. The first he said was, "Shania of course!" Makes you wonder if he auditioned to be a contestant or to just meet Shania.

At first I was disappointed, because I thought that maybe if John Park stayed around week after week and gained in popularity, the producers might arrange a duet with him and Shania for the American Idol finale.

But then I came to my senses. Shania singing? Like THAT would actually happen! What was I thinking?? biggrin

Tommy · Guru

The first guy gets brought down

Up first tonight, it's Tim Urban, who got mixed reviews for his performance of Come On Get Higher (which was better than he got the first week). He's safe, and my 8-year-old is so, so happy.

Ryan Seacrest skips over John Park, though, to talk to Todrick Hall. After the nationwide vote, Todrick is asked to remain standing for a bit.

Ryan now skips Casey and goes to Michael, who got the first standing O from a judge this season for It's a Man's, Man's, Man's World. He's an easy safe.

Casey, who split the panel for I Don't Want to Be, picked up enough votes. He's safe.

That leaves Todrick and John. Now, Ryan focuses his attention on John, whom Simon predicted could soon rejoin his college a cappella group.

Randy says both of these singers have lost their plot within the show. And the one who loses his slot is ... John Park.

Asked about his highlight on the show, John returns to his "bottom end" moment with Shania Twain, but he also enjoyed working with the band and getting to know his fellow contestants.

John reprises his performance of Gravity, the song that brought him down.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/idolchatter/post/2010/03/the-first-guy-gets-brought-down/1