Wasn't that the proclamation of Randy and/or Kara at the beginning of this season?
For a field of girls that was supposedly stronger than the guys, you wouldn't know it by looking at the people left standing right now. Partially to blame is the Top 24 format that guarantees gender-equity in the Top 12 rather than the (vastly superior) Wild Card rounds.
Another factor at work is that I think tweenie girls--whose unlimited texting plans drive the Idol voting--tend to vote for guys, hence the triumphs of David Cook and Kris Allen the last two years. Yes, I know Jordin won before them, but it's only been in the last couple of years that I think text voting has eclipsed phone voting (and has made DialIdol irrelevant).
With the judges using their save on Big Mike, it was Andrew and (surprise!) Katie left standing when the music stopped.
Andrew's elimination was expected by everyone except his mother. I appreciate that Seacrest didn't mess around with him and just gave him the bad news straight up (as they say). I'm also very relieved that TPTB haven't pulled the classless Judd Harris move since season 4.
I wasn't shocked, but I thought Katie was going to last a few more weeks rather than get kicked off tonight. That she was in the bottom 3 two weeks in a row should have been a hint that she didn't have a large following, but I don't think she was splitting votes with any other singer. In her, I'm relieved that Idol didn't break her as it has done to other 17 year old kids.
It is my ultimate belief that both Katie and Andrew were undone by the judges, specifically Kara. They want to put singers in nice little boxes and not let them out. You heard it last night as they were giving their "feedback" to Siobhán. All four of the judges, Simon and Kara in particular, start off with a preconceived notion of what each singer should sound like in a given theme and is disappointed when they try something new.
Siobhán had the best line when she said something to the effect of, "I don't try to limit myself to a category, I just like to sing."
Way to give Kara the big eff-off in front of 30 million people!
The judges (and by extension the audience) would not let Andrew get away from "Straight Up" in Hollywood. Mixed messages didn't help. When he tried something new, they were disappointed, and when he tried the same thing, they said he wasn't expanding his horizons. They did the same thing to Katie and in the end, it hurt them both.
At the same time, neither did themselves any favours with some of the song selection. Andrew in particular was running scared for the last three weeks instead of just pulling a Siobhán and going out there to sing.
Make no mistake, neither Andrew nor Katie ever had a real chance at winning. However, they should have outlasted some of the people who are still around (Tim and Aaron, I'm talking to you!). I think both will come out of this in good shape. Andrew, like Paige, might do better now that the pressure of Idol is off of him.
After she finishes high school (and go to prom without a date since obviously no one texted/called enough to keep her around), Katie might have a bright future in the business. She just needs to make sure that she doesn't take any advice from Kara.
Next week is the big Idol self-congratulatory help-the-world event, followed by someone being Georged.
Then we'll get down to business and find out who is going to win this thing.
I'm going to either watch V on the DVR or a Bourne movie on TNT.
High Lord. Out.
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5 comments:
I was a little surprised to see Katie go this week. Ironically, I thought this week was one of her better performances. I'm with you, Dave: This show has broken a lot of people, 17 or not. I'm glad Katie seems to be taking it well.
On a random note, I think Adam was one of the most constructive mentors I've seen on the show. I don't know if it's the fact that he knows what it's like to be in their shoes or if he just really knows music. Maybe it's a little of both. Kudos to him, though. He gave the contestants some really good advice.
I love the Bourne movies! Was very sad when they offed the girl in the 2nd :(
gotta say I was very shocked by Katie only because it should have been Aaron. Whomever is voting for him must be mostly deaf, same with those who were voting for Archie. Ugh. Granted, we knew she didn't have a great following, but she wasn't bad enough to go yet.
I still think Tim is oddly gaining votes, and I gotta wonder between him and Aaron, if Tim isn't perhaps pulling more of the teen girl vote?
looking over who's left, I just had an odd thought. I bought Carrie's album, Daughtry's, Cook's, and at least like hearing Kris on pandora when he cycles thru. But this season, I don't think there is anyone I'd care to actual buy an album from. (I would have included Adam above, if his album was any good. I think he doesn't understand what would sell for him, hence why someone as good vocally as he is, couldn't make it without Idol's help).
Right now, I'd say the Top 4 will be: CBX, Casey, Siobhan, Lee
CBX and Casey are probably the only one's I'd put money on though.
lastly, you are dead right on the 24to12 rounds. Don't force us to pick 6 each, if there are 9 better girls, so be it. Let US pick our fav 9, let the judges pick a few so they have a reason to be there, and get on with it.
At this point in the show, it should not surprise us that some singers are eliminated after good performances. Carly Smithson after her performance of "Superstar" comes to mind.
I think by now the issue is powervoters more than performances. I think this is why the show's winners have often fallen off the face of the earth; they get people to vote, but those votes don't translate into record sales/iTunes downloads.
perhaps it's time for a DWTS 10 vote limit? If each phone number had a 10 vote limit, it sure seems it would impact the power voter block and cause normal voters to think more carefully about who and how many votes they would send.
I would love for Idol to institute a mechanism that would destroy the influence of the powervoters. It will never happen because then Seacrest couldn't say that 30 gazillion votes were cast, but I think the powervoters are part of the reason why the winner hasn't had a lot of long-term staying power.
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