American Idol March 9/10

So tonight is the Wildcard show. It should be the best show yet if everyone shows up and performs their best. The contestants are:

Elizabeth LeTendre
Eric Yoder
George Huff
Jennifer Hudson
Jon Peter Lewis
Katie Webber
Leah LaBelle
Lisa Leuschner
Marque Lynche
Matthew Metzger
Suzy Vulaca
Tiara Purifoy

The judges will eliminate four after having watched the contestants progress throughout the last week, and then eight will perform on tonight's live show. After this, four will advance to the final twelve. The judges will pick three of them, while the public votes one more through.

I'm hoping for George, Jennifer, Leah, and Lisa to make it through. I really think Lisa deserves to make it after she was completely robbed in week two.

I agree with all you said above - although I would love to see JP Lewis or Eric Yoder come back with excellent performances!

I just had a terrible thought - what if the judges don't let Lisa through to perform tonight? Given their lack of enthusiasm for her talent, I wouldn't be that surprised. Crossing my fingers for her...

guinevere

I've heard two rumours about tonight: The first is that Randy has been supporting Lisa backstage all week--that looks really good for her.

The other is that Jon Peter is going to sing Elvis' 'A Little less Conversation'. If so I think he's going to ruin any chance he has unless he gets the popular vote. That song just isn't made for American Idol.

I think that Eric has no shot whatsoever. He was one of the worst in his group and he has no personality at all.

Matt has a shot with all of the girls voting for him.

Mike, thanks for starting this thread............I can't wait, a group of singers we've seen perform before. As I said before, if a singer has a fan base already, it may not matter if they're "on" the night the public votes.........42

I'm hoping Jon Peter, Matt, Elizabeth, and Katie all make it...

Ugh, I'm stuck on the West Coast and won't see the dirt for another 90 minutes, but Lisa did not make the cut! I should never have tempted the American Idol gods!!



guinevere

I'm on the East Coast and the show is over...I don't want to spoil it for anyone......But, I will say I'm torn between wanting to vote for Leah and Matt.
I'll wait to post anymore about it until the rest of the US has had a chance to see the show!

My Rankings:

1. George: Excellent, showed what he can really do.
2. Jennifer: Excellent as well, but her eyes were freaking me out!
3. Elizabeth: Hard song to sing, pulled it off well.
4. Suzy: Good performance but something about her makes me think she doesn't have that certain something.
5. Leah: Interesting performance because it was really subdued.
6. Jon: Well at least it was entertaining. Singing wise it wasn't good enough.
7. Katie: Not near as good as she was in Week 1.
8. Matt: Boring.

Guinevere you called it. I can't believe that Lisa didn't even get a chance to sing. Once again can we say robbed?! Randy even said she had potentially the best voice in the competition! So I guess talent gets overlooked for talents who aren't nearly as good.

My Predictions:

Randy: George
Paula: Leah
Simon: Suzy or Elizabeth(might surprise us)
America: Jennifer

Just finished the show and my favs were George, Jon, Suzy, Matt, and Jennifer........42

Well, I was kinda disappointed they didn't let Eric Yoder or Marque in but oh well.

I hope George gets through, he has a great personality and gives off a sense of fun.

Jennifer, IMO, had the best voice of the night. Her power was unmatched. Although I agree w/ Simon that she needs to tone it done a bit, I was impressed on how when she sings the high notes she's still able to maintain the same power as when she started.

Leah's interesting, I'm pretty sure one of the judges will pick her.

I think these are def. in the top four. Number four? Maybe Suzy or Liz.

I thought Matt was horrid, I can't believe Lisa, Eric, and Marque were all passed over for this loser.

Once again, I apologize for jinxing Lisa's chances


Ugh - there was no purpose to having a 90 minute show tonight, and making 4 poor singers have to hear live that they wouldn't get to sing. Especially Lisa, who was being compared to Kelly Clarkson and told that she has probably the best voice of the competition. Geez, if you're going to cut her down, give her (and us!) a reason! Especially hearing the judges sound so ambivalent about several of the others while giving them a chance. And thank god Simon cut short Randy and Paula's coy "discussion" prolonging the agony for Eric and Suzy. Meh!

I had to cut out at 9pm for America's NExt Top Model (which ended up being a stupid recrap show anyway!), but here are my thoughts:

JP Lewis: Now this what I was hoping to see in his original group! I was ready to write him off after his round, but this worked for me. The song was totally right for his voice, and although the over-emoting histrionics at first were annoying, I think JP was just trying to counteract the 'Pen Salesman' image, and by the end of the song he seemed to just be having fun. I'd be glad to see him in the Top 12. Interesting that Paula mentioned Beck while talking about Jon Peter - he has a very Beck image.

Liz LeTendre: I HATE HER HAIR. "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face". A risk that didn't work at all. Started really bad, the vocals and the piano sounded like two completely different songs, a radio stuck between 2 stations. I also think Liz is a really unattractive singer - it has nothing to do with her being pretty or whatever, but the way she emotes with her face while singing is just really....unattractive. She looked like she was trying to challenge Lisa Wilson for the title of widest mouth opening ever.

Katie Webber: Putting Katie right after Liz did her no favors, because those 2 seem very similar. Katie's skirt was hideous. I thought Katie sang much better than Liz, but I got nothing from her, i.e. no "it" factor. LOL at everyone debating Jessica Simpson's vocal abilities!

George Huff: George looked really nervous before singing. How the heck tall is he, anyway? They showed him rehearsing "Under the Boardwalk", and he sang "Lean on Me" - considering he's been fighting the "old" label, these seem like risky choices. Started shaky (too low for his range?), but ended really well. Voice still sounds scratchy though - I wonder if he fights with the rasp a lot, the way that Ruben's voice would start to rasp quickly from all the stress on his voice. I was glad to hear Simon say "people want you to win".

Suzy Vulaca: WOW!!! Great voice, great presence. This was my second favorite performance of the whole season (behind LaToya).

I missed the last 3 - saw the judges comments for Leah, don't know what to think though because they were so divided. Heard that Jennifer was amazing! And Matt...well, does anyone expect him to get through on his singing talent, anyway?

I'm hoping that Suzy, George, Jon Peter, and either Jennifer or Leah, get into the Top 12!

guinevere

ps Simon was so confident that his choice tomorrow would shock everyone I had a fleeting thought that he'd pull Lisa back into the fold....but I know it won't work that way, that would be way too much justice.

I had a HUGE problem with the way they executed this one -- I think it is extremely cruel and extremely tacky to have all 12 of those people show up all expecting to be able to sing and get back into the running only to THEN tell them, oh by the way, 4 of you have gotta go AND THEN trundle them out there one by one in front of God, Ryan Seacrest, and everybody to have to agonize over whether they're in or not. It was not IMO necessary to do it like that. Then to have to make them sit there in the front row when they're still in shock and act gracious on top of everything else. Poor Yoder looked like he wanted to shoot himself. (Well, no -- he looked like he wanted a gun -- who he wanted to shoot was up for question). Then Lisa gets ripped off again! I should think if ANYONE should have had an automatic berth into that round, it should have been her! What was up with this, oh, you've really got it going on but there's people with more questionable talent we'd like to put through instead????? (My theory is that she does not shriek enough; shrieky seems to be the motif so far this season) And what was with that weird Iguana who just ate the Big Bug look on Simon's face half the night? It was really creepy. And am I the only one who finds those backgrounds with the water drops and the waves and the green swirly stuff really distracting???

OK, will stop venting now and issue my rankings:

1. George. He was excellent. His voice reminds me of someone's and I can't think whose.
2. Jennifer. I know, one of these days, she's going to get her hands on just the right song and completely blow everyone away. This wasn't quite it, though.
3. Jon Peter. By far the most ENTERTAINING number I've ever seen on AI. Good vocals, but it was really hard for me to take the overall thing seriously.
4. Suzy. I liked the look, and I liked the fact she didn't go overboard on an easily butchered song. If she gets in, I can see her getting better and better every week.
5. Leah. She had her moments. "Let's Stay Together" always gets on my nerves, tho. Even the Tina Turner version, and I love Tina Turner.
6. Katie. Erratic and kind of dull.
7. Matthew. Dull, and gutless vocals. Tho I think he's going to get in somehow. There always has to be one who gets in and stays around WEEKS longer than they deserve to. And he's overdoing the teeth, too. Great features like that are much more effective when they're not overused.
8. Elizabeth. EEEEEEEEEEEPPP!! She let me down again!! Too much lounge act, and those high notes could have permed hair.

I am struggling with the format of the competition so far. This is the first year that I have watched AI from the beginning, so my question is, will they move the competition to a bigger facility? This competing in front of a small audience, small stage format makes me feel like I'm watching a live "sit-com"........42

Show--They'll move to the big stage next week for week one of the finals.

Thanks Mike................that's good to know............42

I thought JPL was awesomely funny and he has the spark that everyone else lacked


I think Jennifer's dress was cute, just not for her. And I think she'll make it in just because she's Clay Aikens favorite and his rabid fanatics are going to vote for her just for that reason(CLAY THAT WAS DUMB, lol)

I really liked Elizabeth in the group numbers audition thingie... I really think the three girls should get a recording contract as a group they were really good!

I loved Katie's Orange Colored Sky but last night sucked for her... I actually liked her skirt... it just wasn't flattering on her

Matt is cute... and I think his voice has potential... I think he just(like he said) needs to work on his confidance and he'll be stellar... he may make it in just because he's friends with clay and Clay's fans go nutz for Clay's favorites!


Suzy was great, but not stellar either IMO
George is a dork LOL he's this years Clay and will make it through
Leah - I'm with Simon she is not overly talented and she sings flat.

I was very disappointed in last night's show & didn't vote for anyone. I tho't Suzy & Jennifer were the best & George was good too but I'll save my votes for young John Stevens.

yup John Stevens for American Idol 3!!!

Well it's great to see George and Jennifer make the top 12. I like Leah but I think she'll be booted in the first couple of weeks. I'm a little surprised that JPL made it in but as the judges said--he took a risk and it paid off. I hope he does well.

I think we'll see the top 12 go something like this:

12. Matt
11. Leah
10. Camille
9. Jennifer
8. Amy
7. George
6. John Stevens
5. Latoya
4. JPL
3. Fantasia
2. Diana
1. Jasmine

I'm so bummed that Leah made it in instead of Suzy!!! Wah!

I think this season's competition will involve a lot more fan favorite politiking than the last 2 editions. We've had such a long time to see most of these people, as FOX has dragged out umpteen audition episodes, that people have already become really attached to certain contestants, which will override what actually happens on the stage.

Having fewer men will actually make the men stick around longer, as they each have very distinct personalities, while the women are less distinct (with the exception of Amy, but I think her forced kookyness will work against her)

Here's my prediction on the order:

12. Leah
11. Jasmine
10. Jennifer
9. Fantaysia
8. Amy
7. Matt
6. George (should make at least top 4, sniff)
5. Diana
4. LaToya (I wish she'd win)
3. Camille
2. John Stevens
1. Jon Peter Lewis

guinevere