Idolator

"Whoever said that [Syesha's] probably going to compare herself to one of the presidential candidates if she keeps on going in the competition is right on.)"

Probably even Jesus, if the season lasted long enough.

Once again, Maura, you were right on the money. I would also add that if Jason goes home this week, Dave Cook needs to watch his ass next week. I really think that the producers want David A. and Syesha in the top two.

'Cause that face SCREAMS "pop music superstar."

Syesha's comparison was downright atrocious and offensive. Shockingly few people I talked to felt the same way and actually warmed up to her. I must be surrounded by stupid people.

@Charlie Kerfelds Jetsons Tee: Side note: is you icon the Eggplant Wizard from Kid Icarus?

I'm up in the air about Archuleta's commercial potential. I won't hide the fact that I'd like his album to flop and would experience a good amount of schadenfreude at the poor kid's expense (mostly his father's expense, and Randy Jackson's). But is his flop a foregone conclusion? I'm not so sure.

As we've discussed here plenty, Clay Aiken's fanbase is one of the most rabid in Idol history, even though it shrank fast. To a certain kind of middle-aged or middle-of-the-road/Christiany pop fan, he was like the second coming (you had to see some of the letters Fred Bronson was running back in 2003 - some older chart geeks comparing their Aiken excitement to the Beatles in '64, etc.), and these people buy plastic. In stores. In droves.

Archuleta's fanbase doesn't map to Aiken's precisely, but I think we can agree he'd have a similar makeup of everyone-but-the-middle (i.e., none of that 18-34, probably 18-49, demo). And like Aiken, I think he could release one Measure of a Man and go double-platinum, briefly, before radio PDs realize they can't do anything with him and the fanbase shrinks down to grandma and people in Utah.

In short: Archuleta is ultimately doomed to a marginal fanbase, but unlike, say, Taylor Hicks, I don't necessarily think he's doomed to instant failure.

I love Castro, solely for the fact that, when this show started 5 years ago, no one would have predicted that a white pot-smoking kid with dreadlocks would be in the final 4, fucking around and picking a loser of a song because "its Bob MARLEY."

Its so commical to me that best music on the show -- the songs closest to the ones that actually sell -- are so not what the producers think that they want.

In fact, that Josiah Lemming kid is probably going to outsell everyone on this season.

I'm so glad I chose to continue cramming for finals this week than watch Idol. When I rejoin next week I hope to god someone will find a way to jam the transmitter from Archie's dad to his brain and we see him wake up onstage wondering where he is and speaking in complete, articulate sentences. Then his dad's head asplodes, a little green man runs out from under that baseball cap and makes a run for the exit.

@Chris Molanphy: Jordin Sparks had much more commercial potential than Archuleta ever did, but it took a Chris Brown duet to sorta-salvage her album. Who will Archie duet with -- Rihanna?

@Rory B. Bellows: I think your Josiah prediction might come true, to be honest.

I felt bad for Archie when he said he sings "Stand By Me" to himself...or his dog...it made me picture his dadager locking him up in the basement to practice every night.

I (for second time in Idol history) voted last night, many times, for Jason Castro. The judges were way too harsh on him last night (and last week). And without his quirky self, the song would be...so (even more) boring.

Here's hoping the conservative/religiousy viewing audience gets confused by David Cook's songs ("he's singing about wolves?...and wasted teenagers?? he must worship the Devil!") and he goes home this week. I hate to admit it (for many reasons) but Bret Michaels' "Baba O'Reilly" on Don't Forget the Lyrics was a better performance (or, at least, more entertaining to watch).

@Maura Johnston: Archie and Miley Cyrus duet. omgz

+ Watch video

Archuleta's commercial potential is near nil -- his best bet is to end up in one of Cowell's Il Divo-style fake groups, warbling "Danny Boy" for easily misled Summer Pops consumers.
[blog.newsok.com]

@Big Gray.: Indeed it is.

somewhere in rock n' roll heaven john entwistle must have thrown up
in his mouth just a bit after seeing david cook butcher what is
(perhaps now, was) a classic rock n' roll song.

i would not let randy jackson pick the music for an elevator ride. his value to the show is what... ?

that feeling of unease/embarrassment i get when i watch paula
abdul speak to the singers is like a high. she is off the rails ridiculous, but she's my heroin.

i'd like j. castro to win but he won't.

@Maura Johnston: Who will Archie duet with -- Rihanna?

a) Weirder things have happened. If you'd told me a year ago Natasha Bedingfield would be rescuing her U.S. career with a Sean Kingston duet, I'd have been gobsmacked.

b) The reason I keep comparing Archie to Aiken and not Sparks is her model is different than his.

She was right in the late-teenager pop sweet spot, not the tweens-and-grandmas spot, and so she needed big, Z100-style hits to sell anything. (And she just got unlucky with the first couple of releases, esp. "This Is My Now.") She's still not selling many albums because she had the misfortune to be releasing a straight-pop album in 2007, in the iTunes-dominance era.

Aiken scored no radio hits at all -- none. ("This Is the Night" when No. 1 on the Hot 100 on sales alone; it had next-to-no airplay. "Invisible" stalled after a couple of months of hard BMG payola.) And yet the little twerp moved 3 million albums. Yes, it was 2003, not 2007, but the industry downturn was already in full swing by then, and if he'd been Kelly Clarkson with that lack of radio love he'd have sold half as many albums. Again: grandma and little Kaitlyn don't need the radio to be inspired to buy plastic. That's how I'm seeing Archie's career, at least through album one.

I really don't think the producers should get rid of any of the judges. It'll be the ultimate jump-the-shark decision that will lead to the show's inevitable cancellation. America's accustomed to their dynamic. Switching that up will really drive them away.

And I guess I'm stupid because I wasn't offended by Syesha's statement about the Civil Rights movement either.

Then again, I had just seen Barack Obama break a can of whoop ass on Hilary Clinton in NC. So, I might have been a bit emotional...

@Charlie Kerfelds Jetsons Tee: Well, that's rad.

Who was that poor poor red-headed crooner who kept getting voted through every week, despite lack of talent, because he was oh-so-cute-as-a-button? The one that looked like he wanted to kill himself by the end?

That's the Archie demo.

@whoneedslight: John Stevens.

God HELP me that I remembered that.

And if that's Archie's demo, then the kid's going to sell fewer records than William Hung.

What kind of numbers could Phil Collins pull if he released an album this year? Divide that in half and you'll have JonBenet Archuletta's sales #.

the band was really low for cook's first performance last night, and i think that might hurt him. he doesn't have the voice to sing without backup (but then who does?). the bob marley cover by jason castro was horrible, sorry. dude, you're white. get rid of the dreads, stop trying to be marley. i thought he redeemed himself with his second song, even with the lyric slip up. i thought david cook's second performance was good as well, i'm hoping a studio version goes up on itunes (yes i'm apparently that guy, i grabbed carly's cover of total eclipse of the heart too). i don't think syesha belongs on that stage, but i understand why she's up there. david a can rot for all i care, it's obvious they are pushing him hard when he turns in crap performances and gets "you're the next idol!" "you brought it dog!" "you're the only one who tried!" from the zombies...errr judges.

whatever, at least hell's kitchen is still entertaining.

I suppose that lots of reality-show viewers get so invested in the contestants they like, and the outcomes that they want to see that become less possible with each passing week, that they actually lose interest as the climactic episodes come closer.

They sound like Hilary supporters!

@f1sh3r: the bob marley cover by jason castro was horrible, sorry. dude, you're white. get rid of the dreads, stop trying to be marley.

I'm sorry, this is my fourth comment in this post today, but: I can't believe we've gone all day without anyone referencing this viz. Castro's performance:

[www.theonion.com]

@f1sh3r: You thought the band was turned down last night, too? I noticed that, and I don't think it got better (if it ever did) until the second half.

What cable provider do you have and where are you? I suspect it was a Comcast in Denver issue.

@Hamm Beerger: yeah they fixed it for the second half. when they showed david cook's first performance recap tonight the band was louder and it sounded 100% better.

i have comcast in atlanta, but i can't imagine it was a cable issue, because the volume was fine for the vocals.

@Chris Molanphy: haha that's great.

i've been finding that the music industry-types are rooting for jason. most of the blogs LOVE him, i think its because they can appreciate the fact that he's quirky and know that, when marketed right, quirky sells... and labels are going into the 360 deal model -- and let's face it, jason is way better to watch than listen to -- they'll be able to take his tour profits and make a mint.

plus hs'e just so hot. we all wish we were as delightfully care-free, honest, and self-assured as he is.