Idolator's American Idolatry: The Ladies Step Up Their Game - Idolator Comments

Idolator's American Idolatry: The Ladies Step Up Their Game

Hallux Valgus — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 21:53:28 EST

Antonella Barba and Haley Scarnato make my ears want to go on strike. Antonella would've been awesome for that WB's Superstar USA show a few years ago. That show was awsome

Hallux Valgus

Idolator's American Idolatry: The Ladies Step Up Their Game

Rory B. Bellows — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 16:28:52 EST

In past years, the boys have also been more interesting to watch. As good as some of the girls are, there are only so many times I want to hear a soulful ballad -- which is what they all seem to want to sing.

Rory B. Bellows

Idolator's American Idolatry: The Ladies Step Up Their Game

The Mozfather — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 15:39:16 EST

I actually like having half boys, half girls. The boys aren't terribly amazing singers, but many of the boys are really, really cute.

The Mozfather

Idolator's American Idolatry: The Ladies Step Up Their Game

Nicolars — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 14:39:20 EST

I think it went into effect after season three, when the finalists skewed very female: Fantasia, Diana DeGarmo, Jasmine Trias, and LaToya London (who should really be given a second chance the way JHud has).

Nicolars

Idolator's American Idolatry: The Ladies Step Up Their Game

Chris Molanphy — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 13:35:03 EST

@futurewomen: I agree that her "you look so pretty" shit is virtually useless, other than the old motherly if-you-can't-say-something-nice... edict. But it doesn't obliterate the moments where she was useful. Not just remembering auditions and making comparisons, but actually backing up Randy on his harsher criticisms, so that the singer wouldn't get away with thinking, Well that's just Randy calling me "pitchy" - he always says that.

Let me put it another way: Paula is so nice-nice and mamby-pamby all the time that she's actually a useful contra-indicator: If she criticizes you, you know you've dumped it. I have a feeling this is why the show producers have put up with her all these years - she's histrionic and clearly insane. But if Randy's negative 50% of the time and Simon 85% of the time, her 15%-of-the-time negativity makes for a balance.

My problems with her are the same as Chris Rock's - how anyone with as feeble a singing voice as hers got to be a judge on a singing competition in the first place is beyond me. But I'll give her this much credit: she's figured out what her job, her role, is on the show (be the den mother, but tell the contestants when they really need to listen to Randy and Simon), and I can live with her as long as she sticks to it.

Chris Molanphy

Idolator's American Idolatry: The Ladies Step Up Their Game

MTS — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 13:35:01 EST

Well, the University of the Arts Alumni Association has finally reached out to me -- they want me to vote for Nicole.

MTS

Idolator's American Idolatry: The Ladies Step Up Their Game

Maura Johnston — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 13:30:04 EST

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing about the gender split.

Maura Johnston

Idolator's American Idolatry: The Ladies Step Up Their Game

brasstax — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 13:28:05 EST

The Boy/Girl rule went into effect in which season? I hear you, though. Don't like it.

brasstax

Idolator's American Idolatry: The Ladies Step Up Their Game

DeeJayQueue — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 13:17:45 EST

what's really a shame is that there are way more talented girls than boys and they're going to end up sending some of them home because of the stupid b'grl rules rather than because they can't sing.

I think if you got rid of the white girls trying to sing aretha franklin songs (which was about half of them) that would be a pretty good paring down.

DeeJayQueue

Idolator's American Idolatry: The Ladies Step Up Their Game

futurewomen — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 12:41:44 EST

Barba was easily the worst of the night.

Paula was useful last night? Are you kidding?

I guess you missed her shrugging and "uhh-ing" after all the terrible performances... only to offer up: "You're a beautiful person! You look great!"

And, yeah. Jones is in a league of her own.

futurewomen

Idolator's American Idolatry: The Ladies Step Up Their Game

Hamm Beerger — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 12:31:15 EST

Does anyone remember how accurate DialIdol was at this time last year? Their website isn't showing historical results at the moment. I know they were right on towards the end, but I'm thinking they'll miss a couple each week until the final 12.

Hamm Beerger

Idolator's American Idolatry: The Ladies Step Up Their Game

Chris Molanphy — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 12:27:44 EST

I liked Tranquillo's Chaka reading, and I thought the song was a ballsy choice. (cf. Kellie Pickler: "What's a ballsy?")

I can't believe I'm about to say this because I've been a hater for so long, but Paula was not only fairly cogent last night but often useful. She seems to be finding (after five friggin' seasons) a way to make her comments relevant: as the judges' institutional memory. She almost always remembers the contestants' audition performance and works it into her comment. She actually nailed Scarnato for doing the same song she'd done in her audition again, something neither Jackson or Cowell seemed to notice or acknowledge.

I've detested Paula during the seasons I've watched (we literally used to do a single TiVo 30-second skip over her to get from Randy to Simon). But honestly, if she lays off the sauce or the goofballs or whatever she was laying off last night and continues using her one skill - a long memory - she could be...well, still the worst judge, but at least not pointless/grating.

Chris Molanphy

Idolator's American Idolatry: The Ladies Step Up Their Game

KurticusMaximus — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 12:27:22 EST

Wow. Antonella Barba definitely goes to my school, and definitely lived a floor below me in the dorm one year. I knew she wasn't exactly Miss Morality, but wow.

And apparently I'm missing out on some ridiculous parties.

KurticusMaximus

Idolator's American Idolatry: The Ladies Step Up Their Game

brasstax — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 12:19:19 EST

I want to like Leslie Hunt and I'm going to cut her some slack for a week or two, but she'd better step up soon.

But Simon was right... Lakisha Jones was, at least last night, so far removed from the 23 other contestants performance-wise that they could've all flown home.

brasstax

Idolator's American Idolatry: The Ladies Step Up Their Game

chrisb — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 12:18:11 EST

I found it ironic that the judges like to berate contestants for not performing a song and "making it their own," yet when Lakisha Jones sang a note-for-note exact replica of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" they heaped praise upon her.

chrisb

Idolator's American Idolatry: The Ladies Step Up Their Game

Rory B. Bellows — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 11:54:20 EST

I guess I am the only one that really liked Alexander's performance. I also hated Sloan's. I found her boring.

Rory B. Bellows