Idol's Final 5

In years past, the top 5 has usually meant that everyone got to sing two songs. Now, that has apparently gone by the wayside as the show refuses to cut out filler, guest mentors, product placement and the yapping by the judges. So that means in a 61 minute show, there will be 7½ minutes of singing and 53½ minutes of the other crap.

I never thought I'd say this, but my god, I miss Nigel!

In other news, I think I'm finally over the Spring allergy/hay fever attack that hit me earlier this week. My car is covered in pollen and I hate to take it to the car wash since it's supposed to rain later this week. I'll be glad in a couple of weeks when the pollen count drops and I can go back to living my life without taking a Claratin and 12 hour sudafed first thing every morning.

One interesting thing in the news today: Long-time Republican senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania switched parties today, bringing the Democrats to 59, or one short of the "magic number" needed to break any filibuster in the Senate (it used to be 66). I say this is interesting because to me is shows how far to the right the Republican Party has swung.

The historical pattern of this country has been on consensus, compromise and what amounts to a coalition of moderates. However, with the election of Reagan in 1980 and the prevalence of the fundy Christian Right, the Republicans have done their darndest to alienate the very voters who kept them in power for so long. Now, it seems the Republican Party has decided that they are going to cater solely to their base and they don't care who defects.

Specter has always been a moderate and much like John McCain, has often been a thorn in the side of his own party's leadership as he has been for the Democrats. Now it seems that in an effort to get re-elected next year, he's switched parties, much like many in Pennsylvania have done.

I bring this up because it is a bad idea for one party to control both houses of Congress and the presidency. It always has been. Just look what Dubya and his cronies did to our country for six years before the Dems got a majority in Congress in 2006. Left without checks, one party (it doesn't matter which one) tends to run up deficits, spend money on their own pet projects and we all pay for it.

It doesn't bother me in the least to see the Republicans imploding, but I do worry that in driving out the moderating forces that keep the party relevant, we are moving closer to one-party rule, which is a very bad thing.

What heartens me is that there is a new generation of young Republican leaders who are seeking to moderate the party, reduce the influence of the fundy Christians and get the party back to its roots (small government, fiscal responsibility, letting people live their lives without other people telling them how to do it). The first thing the Republican party needs to do is acknowledge that the eight years of the Dubya/Cheney regime was rife with mistakes.

Both parties need to move away from being driven by ideology and turn to working pragmatically. It's a hard thing to do in the 24-hour news cycle we live in. We all need to recognise that the news outlets aren't driven by the desire to convey information; they are there to make money. And the way to make money isn't to cater to middle where most of us live, it's to let the extreme wings run their yaps. That's why hot air generators like Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly, Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter have jobs.

Without knowing them individually, I'd say that they are more interested in getting people to watch their TV shows and buy their books than fostering real change in this country. After all, none of them actually have to do anything or be accountable. All they have to do is sell advertising.

I hope that you, dear readers, are interested enough in politics to let your elected officials (local, state and national) know how you feel and let them know that if they are not properly representing you, that you will see to it that someone else is elected to do their job. The success of our republic is predicated on having an informed and participating electorate. If you are a registered voter, please realise your responsibility and take a part in your government. After all, it's only our future that's at stake.

One more thing before the show starts: Wash your hands! I'm sure you've read ad nauseum about the swine flu outbreak that's happening here and around the world. It's only the flu, people! There are ways to avoid getting it and to avoid spreading it. As we live in a country where health care is generally good and widely available, it stands to reason that the majority of victims will be poor and have poor access to health care. Still, the best way to avoid getting sick is to keep yourself clean and stay away from situations where you might contract a virus.

Now, it's time for Idol!

The theme tonight is "Rat Pack standards" which favour just about everyone except Allison. I'm hoping that this is the week when we finally get rid of Matt (now that the judges can't save him . . . again).

With everyone singing only one song, it means Seacrest can kill a lot of time with his inane banter (boo!). Will someone please remind me why there is a "big band" theme? Do we think anyone other than John Stevens is actually going to put out an album with one of these songs on it? If they want to have a Vegas themed week, why can't they go back to the Elvis songbook.

This week's inexplicable mentor is Jamie Foxx. I guess if Quentin Tarantino qualifies as a mentor for movie week, Foxx couldn't do any worse.

It's 8:05 and Kris is introduced as going in the Dead Man's Spot. Of course he can't just sing; we have to have a commercial first. Now it's 8:10 and they're just starting the taped intro segment that was skipped (and not missed) last week. He goes AFE on us with a ballad. He's not as good as he was last week. He sticks to a straight, big band arrangement. It works (except for "the false"), but to me it was uninspiring.

Next go (at 8:23) is Allison who I worry about. She's struggled to find voters, having landed in the bottom 3 almost as often as Suzie McNeil did. Who is she getting her fashion advice from? Ken, Allison is having a Code Blue Wardrobe Emergency. I think she shot Björk's swan and made it into a skirt. Like Kris, she gives an uninspiring and boring rendition of an 80 year old song. If the rest of the the night is the same, one of you guys will need to call and wake me up.

Is anyone else missing Idol Gives Back? Didn't think so.

Matt is once again using the fedora to cover up the mole that dominates his fivehead. I don't understand why he's still around. As usual, he throws too many vocal tricks into the song and makes too many weird and painful faces. I just had to get up and walk around the room to keep from falling asleep on my living room floor. Of course, that could also be our new California berber. It was 8:33 when he started singing. I think the judges are going to slurp him, but I just didn't like it. I still can't believe Alexis is watching from home and the judges used their save on this joker.

Before tonight, the most boring show in the history of Idol was this year's movie night, but this episode is quickly eclipsing that one. What are they thinking in picking a theme where all the songs are over 50 years old?

Beginning at 8:44, MWJD is the singer I least want to win. I also think he's horribly overrated and aside from his late wife, I don't think he would have gotten this far in other seasons. Like Matt, he makes a bunch of awkward and unattractive faces. The vocals are actually some of the best we've heard tonight, mostly because he doesn't try to do too much . . . at least until he starts shouting at the end. The judges start to run their yaps and the fawning begins.

I much preferred K-Mac's version of this song, and not just 'cuz she's smokin' hawt.



Landing in the Pimp Spot for the second time this season is EBA. His hair is somewhere between the emo cut he started this season with and the pompadour that I prefer. Curiously, of the five remaining singers, only Gokey has not gotten to sing from the last spot in the order. He starts singing at 8:55, which means the judges will have to cut their critiques short to come in under time. After four mediocre performances, I'm hoping his delivers the show from the depths of boredom to which it has sunk repeatedly this season. Once again, he starts with the stage dark and backlit. And once again, he shows that as a vocalist, he has more range than the other four put together. Unlike his manic, "Play That Funky Music", he manages to energise the show without going too far over the top (until that last money note). Paula nearly has an orgasm in her chair.

The Good
Adam, "Feeling Good"

The Bad
Kris, "The Way You Look Tonight"
Allison, "Someone to Watch Over Me"
Danny, "Come Rain or Come Shine"

The Ugly
Matt, "My Funny Valentine"

Of all the themes they've had on the show, this is perhaps the worst. Especially this late in the season. When we should be entering the final stretch and hearing songs that will soon be on the satellite radio, they make the kids sing songs that are over five decades old. I hope that next year they ditch crappy themes like this one.

With only five singers left, there probably won't be a bottom 3, but here are my picks.

Who should go home:
Matt

Who will go home:
Allison

That's right, I'm picking the last remaining singer who was born female to get whacked tomorrow. I think she's flirted with elimination way too much over the past several weeks and it finally catches up to her. The theme tonight didn't help her, nor will going early in the show.

DWTS Results

I watched the team dances last night and while I enjoyed the mambo, the team tango was far and away the better of the group dances. It was technically superior and although it wasn't as fun, it was a better dance. The music was lousy, but the dancing was great.

I'm going to publish now and come back to the results show because I really don't need to see Robin Thicke or the professional dance competition.

I just saw Lil Kim & Derek and Ty & Chelsie declared safe. I'm hoping this means Chuck will be eliminated next (although it could also be Melissa). The next couple declared safe are Gilles & Cheryl, which only affirms the superiority of the team tango last night.

There are eleven minutes left in the show and three couples facing elimination. Tom announces Shawn & Mark as being safe. I really hope her one bad week doesn't mean Melissa is getting canned. At the same time, if she's really hurt, a break in the dancing to let that broken rib heal could be the best thing for her.

I just really don't want to have to see Chuck dancing with the Future Mrs. High Lord again.

After a not-so-quick commercial break, there's some scary music and then we find out that Chuck & Julianne are going home. The judges had it right tonight; based on last night alone, Melissa deserved to go, but from their overall bodies of work (and Melissa's is one helluva body!), Melissa clearly deserved a chance to make the finale. We'll just see if her ribs hold up.

I'm going to miss Julianne, though.

High Lord. Out.