American Idol - Jesse Spencer on the Electric Violin!

That was one star packed presentation of American Idol Gives Back tonight! A lot more fun, in between the sadness, than I had expected. Teri Hatcher and The Band from TV was entertaining. Did you catch Jesse Spencer (Dr. Chase on House M.D.) on the electric violin? Nice. Very nice. Hugh Laurie was supposed to be part of the band, but I didn't see him there. If you missed the performance or just want to see it again, here it is, right after the little skit with Teri Hatcher, James Denton and Carrie Underwood that segues into the musical number:

Idols Past: Ejay Day

Ejay Day had his lucky break when contestant Delano Cagnolati was disqualified for lying about his age, and Ejay was called back in to replace him. Ejay made it to the top nine of Season One before being eliminated, qualifying him to go on Tour with American Idol following the end of the season.

Since then he has done some songwriting and has entertained on cruise ships. Not much more to report on Ejay at this time. I watched Season One of American Idol and can't remember Ejay.

Ejay's Official Website.

Paula Abdul's Chihuahuas Respond to High Notes

Last night Paula, during her critique of Michael Johns, said "you sound as good as you look and the high notes that you hit, I think my Chihuahuas are going to come join you on stage". They would have had a devil of a time breaking free of that dress she was so tightly packed into. Although, you might remember that last year one of her Chihuahuas caused her to break her nose.

You'll have to fast forward through Michael John's performance on the video below to get to Paula's statement and my posting on the rest of the American Idol hour last night can be found below.

American Idol - No Stellar Performances

Oh, here it comes again, that feeling that I can hardly wade through another episode of American Idol. We're getting into Idol Gives Back week and although I am all for them donating some of the outrageous amount of money generated by the American Idol Machine, I'm not thrilled that they are going to subject us to seeing stars hugging those less fortunate and giving the whole thing, sad, soppy theme music.

Not one performance tonight made me glad I had tuned in, not one. Michael Johns chose Aerosmith's Dream On. Steven Tyler is the only one that can sing and scream his way effectively through that song. There's an eeriness to Steven Tyler's vocals on this number, there was just an awkwardness about Michael John's performance. But hey, he's prettier than Steven Tyler.

Then it was Syesha's turn. She learned nothing from her time on American Idol, taking on the big songs that have already been done by the big stars and her performance of I Believe was..... well, I don't actually know, I spaced out and found myself mentally elsewhere until she had wrapped it up.

Jason Castro chose to sing Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Israel Kamakawiwoʻole style. I can't hear the late Mr. Ole singing that song without the tears flowing. I expected to feel that when Jason sang the song, but, well, it was just alright for me dude.

Kristy Lee Cook. She looks like she should be at the rodeo. My mind wandered through her performance.

I guess David Cook had to break that perfect streak sometime, but I was counting on him for some real music and I don't even know what he sang. The "Give Back" written on his hand was a little bit annoying and I was quite pleased when Simon said his performance was Pompous. What was with the white jacket?

Carly Smithson took on a Freddy Mercury number, The Show Must Go On. It seemed strained, although she was dressed a hell of a lot better this week.

David Archuleta did okay. He was better earlier on, and I just keep hoping for that breakaway performance. Could be the stress and lack of sleep is keeping him down.

I thought Brooke White would do well with a Carole King number, but it was, as Simon said, just pleasant.

I can't think of any performance worth seeing again, so here is Steven Tyler doing Dream On:

Paula Abdul - Straight Up

Another Paula Abdul flashback. This is what she was doing while most of current American Idol Contestants were learning to walk, or waiting to be born:

Dolly, Jesus, Gravity and Buh-Bye Ramiele Mulaby

I'm hard pressed to remember much about American Idol last night, because while I stared, aghast at Dolly Parton, and the peculiar get-up she was wearing my mother said "can you imagine what she looks like naked?". I have to say, before that moment in time, I had never, ever, not once, tried to picture Dolly Parton naked. Mum went on to explain herself "well, she's had those bottom ribs removed and she's got those big breasts over an abnormally small waist - if you took away the wig, the fake eyelashes, the makeup and the clothes and high-heels she'd be a pretty strange looking person". I'm still not over what that has done to my mind's eye, but I had to admit she had a point. I think Dolly Parton is a very sweet person, but she's definitely gone into some strange territory with her looks.

She sang, or rather yelled out, Jesus and Gravity from her new album Backwoods Barbie. The performance was horrible, full of "Jesuses" and followed by some "hallelujahs", which I somehow noticed while trying not to picture her naked:



Oh yes, and then Ramiele was voted off. She has never really delivered a breakaway performance to make her stand out as more than just another talented singer. She cried, of course, but she pulled it together and sung her farewell performance. Next week, I'm hoping it will finally be Kristy Lee Cook who gets the boot.

American Idol - Dolly Parton Week

Dolly looks good, in a scary way.

Simon has a problem with songs named after birds. He takes them a little too literally. First he was disturbed by Carly's performance of Blackbird Singing and picturing all the contestants as broken birds, now he's complimenting David Cook for making a song about a sparrow interesting. You know, Simon, the songs are not really about birds.

Simon says Carly needs to have a word with whoever is dressing her. I couldn't agree more. She's dressed like a sack of potatoes week after week. She's got this tattooed bod and wears what looks like home-sewn-frump-wear. Part housewife, part rock goth chick. Actually, looking at this picture of Carly in the audition process, she was dressing like a sack of potatoes before she was on Idol. Even with that great voice or hers, the star quality just is not there.

Ramiele Mulaby needs to go. Shes extremely dull and dresses like a school girl.

Jason Castro didn't pick the best song and so he didn't shine this week.

Everyone else did okay. I don't know why Syesha took on a song that was done and retired by Whitney Houston, but she did anyway and should not have been surprised by Simon telling her it paled by comparison.

Is it over yet? Yawn. I wish they were booting them off four at a time. We'd be done by now. I felt the show was really lacking without Chikezie.