I just did the math using all the various estimates of delegates and superdelegates that Clinton and Obama have and/or might get. Here are a few cogent facts:

-If Ms. Clinton wins every single one of the remaining outstanding delegates, and with the most favorable counts for her, she is still 23 delegates short of the magic 2025 number. Obama needs only slightly more than half of the outstanding delegates to reach the same number.

-If Florida were included, Clinton would need 80% of the remaining delegates to get to 2025. I don't think the DNC can legitimately waive their exclusion of Florida. And, anyway, 80% of what's left is unlikely.

-If Michigan were included, Clinton would eek over the top if she won almost all of the 156 delegates. But if the DNC permits the delegates to be included without an election in which Obama and Edwards participate, it will be an enormous travesty especially in light of their righteous indignation about the Gore-Bush election.

Labels: 2008 election, numbers

It is scary to hear that J.Wright, the preacher in the checkered shirt whose distorted face keeps appearing on my tv screen and whose hoarse voice keeps shouting "God d*&^# America," will be speaking several times this week around the country. Does he not realize how damaging he is to Obama's candidacy? Yes, I think he does realize it, but I think he must feel that achieving fame and a huge audience supersedes everything else. In which case, I am baffled that he evidently does not prefer to have Obama nominated and/or elected than to satiate his own thirst for fame. Can he not see that his diatribes are eroding Obama's support like a second Katrina in New Orleans? Can he not see that every time his utterances are broadcast, supporters for Obama start running away as fast as their legs can carry them? Is he perchance on Ms. C.'s and Mr. McC.'s payrolls?

I wish we could have one election in which the opinions and thoughts and plans of the candidates were the decisive issues. Is that so much to ask?

Labels: 2008 election, reflections

We seem to be going back further than where we started. McCain is evidently slightly crazy (understandable but nonetheless imbalanced), Clinton is deceptive and so ambitious that her points of view are invisible, and Obama sounds good (even wonderful, at times) but has said and done some things that were prevarications at best and alarming at worst. It started as an election cycle that promised to be excessively long but nevertheless interesting and hopeful. It is becoming dragged-on and boring and depressing.

The L.A. Times of all places presented a really good list of questions for the candidates which they will almost certainly answer disingenuously or not at all. But the questions are excellent.

Labels: 2008 election, reflections

Everyone who watches American Idol knows it's a 60/40 popularity/singing contest. Nevertheless, it's always startling when someone who seems set to be in the finals is sent home. Particularly in the aftermath of Brooke re-starting and Jason botching altogether, last night was surprising although Carly seemed less surprised than the rest of us (and Dial Idol got it right, which they don't every week but did this time). Carly did forget some of the lyrics on Tuesday but that's rarely a dismissible offense on A.I. and, anyway, she didn't stop and start over like Brooke. I find it astonishing that Brooke's fans rallied 'round after a *third* restart and all her answering back to the judges and her lip pursing and pouting and (fake?) trembling. But Simon is probably right that Teens Who Vote thought Brooke's mistake made her seem "human" and that Jason's blue-eyed charm overrode his bad singing for them (ugh). I do think Carly was almost certain to be excluded from the top three because of the combination of her being Irish (can you say American Idol?) and an angry rocker chick and having too many tattoos (not to mention those on her husband's face - and where was he last night, by the way?) and her constant seeking of Simon's approval and her apparent sense of deserving all this. So I should have seen this coming. (One blog commenter I read mentioned that some people might have been offended by Carly's song choice. I hadn't even thought of that but with all the millions of teens who are voting and probably have no idea what Jesus Christ Superstar is really all about, they may indeed have thought it was incredibly sacrilegious. JCS is actually a tribute that extols love instead of hate. But who says Idol watchers are old enough or inquisitive enough to know about JCS. Anyway, that's an alarming but possible explanation.)

Which leads me to wonder what the popularity-contest aspect of A.I. means in terms of the final 2 and the winner. With that in mind and with who's available now:
-my heaven-help-us prediction is David A. + Brooke with David A. winning
-my preferred prediction is David C. + Jason with David C. winning
-my actual prediction is David A. + David C. with David C. winning or a tie

Next is Neil Diamond week. I'd love it if someone did Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show. Pack up the babies and grab the old ladies and everyone go . . . but please don't let David A. do I Am I Said, one of Diamond's few schmaltzy slow songs. Jason and Brooke will *have* to be perkier than usual and I bet Jason does Song Sung Blue. I think the week could be lots of fun for David C. and Sayesha but you never know.

Hey, today is Kelly Clarkson's 26th birthday and Barbra Streisand's 66th. Diva birthday, eh?

Labels: a.i., a.i.7

Interesting, odd article in the New York Times where they seem to suggest that they dearly wish they had not endorsed Hillary. If the Times were still influential, this might matter but I doubt anyone particularly cares what they think, one way or the other.

Labels: 2008 election, writing

Andrew Lloyd Weber night at American Idol could have been a total train wreck, a disaster of the first order. Instead, he really truly mentored them. He was amazing. He was instructive and quite clear in his guidance, making apt and accurate comments and making it apparent why his shows are so successful, emphasizing words and meanings. And I loved that he convinced Carly to switch songs. (Too bad he didn't lean on Brooke and David A.)

I thought David C. and Carly were terrific and I thought Jason, Brooke and David A. were dreadful. Syesha was upbeat and sexy (Syesha?) in such a Broadway theater way that I don't know how to love him characterize the performance for this show.

Brooke White - 6 - "You Must Love Me" from Evita the movie - Weber's instructions to her were enthralling. Made me think I should watch the movie which I have heretofore assiduously avoided doing. This was the actual train wreck with injuries. For a second time, Brooke started over but then it got really painful. I thought she was going to break down, even more than last week, and you can see her shaking again. I can't imagine what's happened to take her from the smiley, cheery soul she was at the beginning, to this. Her voice is so lovely but she seems on the brink of a nervous breakdown with all the crying and trembling. I hope her adrenaline deficit doesn't cause major problems when/if she's eliminated tonight.

Jason Castro - 6 - "Memories" from Cats - If you hear this song in the show, even if you hate it as much as do in lousy renditions on the radio, or if you get into the song and hear it as coming from an aging former beauty who is quietly sad, it is chilling and deeply moving. Jason totally didn't get it and sang it badly. Idol winners, even Idol finalists, have to be able to get inside their songs.

David Archuleta - 6 - "Think of Me" from Phantom - Holy cow, man, this was a bungle. Ryan didn't help any by starting things off with teenies flocking up to hug David, which seemed really unfair whichever way it felt to him (although one assumes they got his okay for it), but AWL songs should have been his pig-heaven. I expected him to soar with something from JCS or even Phantom or Chess. Instead, as Denise said, "By the end, he’d turned it in to pure Josh Groban schmaltz, and I was nauseated."

Syesha Mercado - 5 - "One Rock and Roll too Many" from Starlight Express - With her hair and dress just perfect, and high atop the grand piano, Syesha did herself proud. She was sexy and joyous, though often off key. It would seem that this is her niche.

(I'm skipping 3rd and 4th places because there was such a big jump from Carly/David C. to everyone else.)

Carly Smithson - 2 - "Jesus Christ Superstar" - This is one of my all-time favorite songs by anyone, let alone by ALW. The juxtaposition of sauciness and J.C. has always seemed nothing less than brilliant to me, and the combined bouncy melody and religious demands have always knocked me out. That said, I thought Carly seemed to 'get' the song - though Paula was right (what did I say?) about the key being about one step too high. She hardly ever frowned and actually looked as if she was having a fantastic time in her pert paisley 60's dress.

David Cook - 1 - "Music of the Night" from Phantom - Not my favorite nor his best (as the judges like to say) but he can hit notes so perfectly, neither sharp nor flat, which made for a nice musical tone that wasn't as melodramatic as it's usually done - which is a good thing as far as I"m concerned - and for a brief moment right in the middle, right at the intense climax of the song, he let himself be wrapped (rapt?) in the words and forgot his self-consciousness. For at least that moment he was wonderful.

My prediction is that the bottom two (I doubt they'll do three with only six altogether) will be Jason and Brooke, and I think Brooke will be sent home. I also want to say again that I dreaded the ALW night but ended up loving it for his comments and for the excuse to listen to guilty-pleasure music.

Labels: a.i., a.i.7, music, tv

He'd be 284 years old today. Amazing. He was an organist and a delightful conversationalist, apparently, and one of the truly important writers and thinkers. One of the most interesting constructs of his contributions to the language of thought, oxymoronic though the exercise itself may well be, is the labels he gave for knowledge. He called one 'a priori' and the other 'a posteriori' truths. The distinction is that the former is fundamental and undeniably true, by virtue of its essence ("All boys are male," for example) while the other, a posteriori, cannot be known or even verified solely by the use of reason ("Boys are fidgety," for example, even if many or even most people think true, requires observation and studying to determine).

In college, I studied Kant in some depth and wrote a 100+ page thesis on his Critique of Practical Reason. And today when I started writing about him, I felt excited and happy. There is something about Kant's writing and thinking that actually quickens my mental pulse. How's that for ultimately geeky.

Labels: philosophy, writing

I've been enjoying the Paul Christopher series by Charles McCarry (Tears of Autumn and The Miernick Dossier so far) very much. Fascinating plots, well-written and distinctive main character who is both a spy and a culture maven, and who writes poetry. A companion piece to Richard Condon's Winter Kills for assassination hounds, Tears of Autumn formulates a theory of the Kennedy assassination which is highly unusual and altogether plausible. In fact, when photos of Ruby and Oswald were recently released by the JFK Library because the requisite time period has passed, I was quite taken aback because their knowing each other is a crucial and revelatory piece in Tears of Autumn's carefully constructed solution to the puzzle.

Labels: stories, writing

Good piece on the Wednesday night debate - read it here. I'm not at all a fan of Frank Rich's but he got most of this totally right, in my opinion.

Labels: 2008 election, writing

On the train on Friday, contemplating the gridlock in New York City due to Pope Benedict's presence, we were discussing the papacy and the pope and various other things. My seat-mate exclaimed that she would never support Benedict because he was a Nazï and, by the way, how did the Cardinals come to select a former Nazï as pope. I was startled because I'm usually (too?) aware of such allegations but I knew nothing of this one. So I looked it up. Apparently, this is what happened: when Benedict (Ratzinger then) turned fourteen in 1943 he was required to join the Hitler youth; I'm sure the consequences of not joining were brutal by then partly based on the fact that estimates are that only a very few resisted though I am going to dig a bit further and see what happened to those who did resist. In any case, he joined the Hitler Youth but attended few meetings and did get into trouble for that, although again that's not clearly documented where I was looking fairly cursorily. At 16, Ratzinger was conscripted into the German army (yes, a few refused but the consequences had a note of, um, finality) but he avoided what he could and became ill enough that he couldn't take part in most activities. (I'd be curious to know more about the 'illness'.) The war ended in early 1944 in Germany and he was put into a POW camp because he was a soldier, from which he was released in the summer of 1945. So I guess technically he was a Nazï.

Here's a question - which I'm asking myself as well as anyone else who feels like answering: Should all those who were Hitler Youth and in the army in Germany in the 1940s be identified as such, and held accountable, and viewed as somewhat evil and/or sinful, by definition?

Keep in mind that our perspective on this, in 2008, is skewed somewhat because of the constant availability of news and information; in the 1940s there was no 24-hour-media coverage so few 'ordinary' people knew the horrors that were the concentration camps, nor even, I suspect, the twisted ideological underpinnings of the Nazï worldview. Even today with all the information we can have, don't most people just go about their lives doing day-to-day things that need to be done? In Germany in the 1940s it would have been unusual to know, let alone do, otherwise. Some writing has considered whether the German populace bears some blame for not seeing what was happening under Hitler, and refusing to cooperate. What is a citizenry reasonably to be expected to know and do?

These days, in the beginning of the twenty-first century, even young children know many things about their society and world. The adult and child spheres aren't separated by much. But until quite recently, and certainly in the 1940s, children were controlled by their elders in nearly every way. Today's children would find it hard to imagine, let alone live that way. So I wonder about a German teenager, even if he or she somehow knew about Nazï atrocities, even if he or she somehow had considered and was aware of how morally bankrupt the Nazï philosophy was. Should he or she been both aware and strong enough to refuse directives from school and community and perhaps parents? Certainly it would be ideal if everyone's thoughts and actions were ramrod upright and clear-headed, morally speaking. On the other hand, is it reasonable or fair to excoriate those who are not, who are simply ordinarily human? On the other hand, should they be elevated to the papacy? On the other hand, should ordinary humans be excluded from such positions? . . . . . . . ?

Labels: modern culture, reflections

Well-written and accurate article in today's Daily Mail - honestly, read it and see. Unsettling and sad and alarming, but hits several nails squarely on their heads.

Labels: 2008 election, politics

On American Idol eliminating Kristy Lee Cook seemed weird. Even the judges thought she sang pretty well this week. Heck, Dial Idol even showed her safe - not just highly unlikely to go but actually safe. As I've said a million times, either the voting is at least slightly rigged or the voters are so more whimsical than predictable.

The Clinton-Obama debate on Wednesday was ho-hum and just served to continue the ridiculousness of this year's election cycle. Lost almost entirely are the actual words and meaning being spoken, as the commentators and follow-up analyses jump right on the bandwagons of whatever preconceived notions they either already have or want to perpetrate. It's very frustrating because we voters are such total losers in all this. What Obama actually means dissolved into the ephemera, as often happens, as nuances are simply ignored.

On both Wednesday and Thursday this week, I attended a dinner and two knitting classes taught by Lucy Neatby, a knitting teacher about whom I waxed ecstatically rhapsodic here after last summer's classes. The subjects were intarsia, edge bands and buttonholes. Her techniques are marvelous for the specific subjects and she also conveys tricks and tips that apply to knitting in general. And somehow one even gleans life lessons from Lucy's classes.

Finished Five Days which I wrote about here. Some people were disappointed with the ending and I think what they meant is that the solution was less psychologically bizarre than the build up would have led you to expect. On the other hand, it was a more true-to-life ending than many shows would use, and that was refreshing although much more disturbing than the extreme endings would have been because they'd have been less likely in one's own life. The real impact of the story is realizing the life-altering and shattering effect on so many (not necessarily obviously connected) people of a quick, unthinking reaction to an almost unnoticeable moment. Brilliant.

Labels: 2008 election, a.i., a.i.7, knitting, politics, reflections

Mariah Carey night. I am not a huge fan because she tends to be insanely intense without conveying much real (to me) feeling. And unfortunately that seemed to me to be the case with tonight's Idol performances. The singers were dressed up in their party clothes tonight so for once they didn't look like they dressed out of the laundry bin but where do they do their shopping, for goodness sake? The polyester lobby must've been very happy but doesn't anyone there have any style sense? I'm sure there's some logic that I'm just not getting. And speaking of appearance, for someone who usually pushes the visual tolerance of her audience, Paula's dress and hair were nice tonight and she seemed almost mellow and rational. Is hell cooling off?

Mariah was a low key and helpful mentor with useful and germane things to say to and about each singer.

Kristy Lee - 1 - "Forever" - Crazy as it sounds to say, she was hands-down the best girl and I thought she was actually best overall (tonight, not of the competition). She didn't seem uncomfortable unlike the other girls and she sang with real oomph. The judges were not complimentary but what can you do.
David C. - 2 - "Always Be My Baby” - He started off with that fuzzy enunciation thing that drives me a bit nuts and he was a little too self-conscious, too (probably explained by his brother being in the audience) but he totally aced it the rest of the way and he really nailed the power notes. He's ready for the big time. I wonder who the other finalist will be.
Jason - 3 - "I Don't Want To Cry" - Though he was gangly and moved all around on that stool, he seemed less goofy than usual. Nevertheless I wasn't crazy about the song or the rendition. Nor about the whole coffee house thing (is that what Simon meant by his Hawaiian luau remark?) but he's always interesting.
David A. - 4 - "When You Believe" - No doubt this week's pseudo-inspirational tone was right up his alley, power ballads and all being his metier. But I'm so done with his self-effacing shtick, so much so that I almost can't listen to him any more which is too bad but he always seems so darn nervous and shaky, the way he stands a bit hunched over and all. So talented but maybe not up for the big time or maybe just not for me.
Carly - 5 - "Without You" - I thought she kind of butchered this song but maybe the pissed-off nonsense overshadowed my ability to judge clearly. You could tell she was trying not to frown so much (old habits die hard) and it was pretty funny to see her in a dress with sleeves, presumably to appeal to the non-tatts crowd. The purple was nice but she didn't look at all comfy in demure.
Brooke - 6 - "Hero" - I didn't particularly like the song or maybe just the sappiness of yet another Carole King sound-alike rendition from Brooke. Plus, when the camera came in really tight, you could see she was shaking. Come on, she's been on the show for ages and it's time to relax or leave of your own accord.
Syesha - 7 - "Vanishing" - Uber-diva rendition of diva song. She's got talent and will almost certainly have a contract and a niche career but she's just not my cuppa.

Jason, David C and Brooke are the only ones with distinct style, unless someone else jumps out of their karaoke (to use Simon's word) box. But I think the bottom three will be Brooke, Sayesha and Carly and Sayesha will go.

Labels: a.i., a.i.7, tv

Watched several episodes of two British tv series this weekend. Both series are marvelous, though very different. I recommend them highly.

Five Days is, as they say, a taut drama whose over-arching subject is both human nature and modern society but which is told in a small, intense, riveting way. One day a mother drives out with her two children to go visit her beloved grandfather. She stops the car to buy flowers from one of those roadside vans and . . . disappears. What will the two children do? What will her husband do? How will her teenage daughter, whose father lives in France, handle it and what will she do? How will her parents react and what will they do? And what about the police? And what about the media coverage? . . . . There are *so* many ramifications and twists and turns, as there would be, and it's simply engrossing. It's written quietly and without demanding specific reactions, although there are a few times when one feels a bit guided, but they are few and far between. If I have any criticism, and I almost don't, it would be the occasionally sporadic and too-quick way that characters are introduced and/or their motivation shown. I've only been through the first three days so far so I'll update this when I live through days 4 and 5.

The cast is extraordinary - from Edward Woodward (remember the Enforcer?!) to Janet McTeer to Hugh Bonneville to David Oyelowo to Sarah Smart to Penelope Wilton to Patrick Malahyde to a slew of others that you will recognize even if you don't know their names. And Magnus Fiennes' music is perfect - you're aware of it now and then but mostly it just underpins everything.

Hamish MacBeth is the about of a quirky Scottish policeman in a very small stunningly beautiful lakeside town named Lochdubh ('black lake') and oh the scenery. Hamish's overlooks minor crimes but is clever in his ability to snag more serious infractions, all the while committing some of his own as he deliberately avoids promotion. He pines for Alexandra, the daughter of a wealthy local landowner to whom he was once engaged, before she left for Glasgow and a writing career but a local girl pines for him and time will tell what happens there. Meanwhile, Hamish is accompanied everywhere by his witty Weltie, Jock, the silent cast member, and his right arm and friend, John. Apparently the 20-episode series is based on the so-far 24 novels written by M.C. Beaton (pen name for Marion Chesney) and I for one am tempted to start reading them. Hamish is played by Robert Carlyle, possibly the single most unlikely actor in the world to play such a gentle off-beat guy since he's best known for appallingly violent and scary characters who are totally the opposite of Hamish but perhaps that lends a certain je ne sais quoi to this portrayal. Anyway, he's very enjoyable and grows on you in the same way that many British series characters do.

Labels: movies, tv, writing

My sister, daughter, g'daughter and I had tea yesterday afternoon at a wonderful tea room in Tarrytown (more on that in another post today). During the course of a marvelously wide-ranging conversation, that little 'joke' about why are fire engines red came up and none of us knew all the words, so to speak. I researched it online and no one had it exactly as I remembered it so here it is as I recall (and by the way all praise to the internet):

Why are fire engines red?

Well, to begin with, fire engines have 8 wheels and 4 people riding in them.
8 plus 4 is 12.
12 inches is a foot.
A foot is a ruler.
A famous ruler was Queen Elizabeth.
The "Queen Elizabeth" was a ship that sailed the sea.
The sea has fish.
Fish have fins.
The Finns fought the Russians.
The Russians are red [sic] and fire engines are always rushin' . . .
    . . . which is why fire engines are always red.

And there you have it!

Labels: about me, silliness

Well that was entirely unexpected, apparently by (nearly) everyone. Not one blog and not Dial Idol or any of the voting sites got it. One comment on one site has someone mouthing off about him. No one else even came close. Michael's out?!?? He wasn't perfect this week but he wasn't the worst by far. He wouldn't have won it, in the end, but why send him home now? Were the Miley Cyrus crowd not happy with him? No, if that was it, how come downloads, busy signals, blog comments, etc., all showed Carly or Brooke at the bottom and Michael in the middle. I think Carly actually thought it was her, judging from her face. This is one of those moments when you wonder what shenanigans the producers do to keep things unexpected. Every season there's one elimination where people swear the voting is too weird and inexplicable. Was he getting better enough that the producers wanted to be sure to get him out of the way for whichever is their anointed one (although they could just anoint whomever they want, in the end)? How could all the measures be so wrong? And why send anyone home the week of IGB, anyway? And why be so abrupt about it and as if it really didn't matter very much, as Ryan did? All very odd.

Labels: a.i., a.i.7, reflections

What I have to admit (reluctantly): I enjoyed a lot of the show last night. Although I hate, loathe and despise arm-twisting people into being charitable and kind (are PBS and NPR listening?), IGB was incredibly high energy and mostly avoided soppy stuff (Simon couldn't be soppy, anyway, right?) and it's a good idea to raise our consciousness about children living in poverty or suffering from debilitating and terminal diseases, and to try and do something about it.

Things I learned: Teri Hatcher can sing and Fergie can do a one-handed cartwheel in tight leather pants.

Things I found really really annoying: Various pieces were taped (I'd already read about the stage manager and the microphone and Brad Pitt at the L.A. Times, for example) but it was disconcerting that Ryan ignored David H., Amanda, Chikeze and Ramiele entirely since they generously gave their time, too. Also, they'd promised appearances by HRC, BHO and JMC but they won't aired until the 8>7 elimination show.

Things I want to mention: I really liked the 8 Idols-sitting-on-a-piano number complete with choirs; the kids were all relaxed and full-voice. The So You Think You Can Dance dancers were extraordinarily entertaining and amazing. Gordon Brown, Britain's Prime Minister who turns out to have a weird lower-jaw tick when he talks announced a generous donation of two million mosquito nets - just for the record, U.S. President George Bush brought the first of 5.2 such nets to Tanzania, in February. Snoop Dogg and his neighborhood kids were fantastic. Maria Shriver is still the skinniest face in the world but she speaks rousingly and I loved all her inspiring volunteers. Teri Hatcher's rendition of Carrie Underwood's "Before He Cheats" was amazing and a ton of fun, and Carrie Underwood looked gorgeous and has a voice to match; she sang George Michael's "Praying for Time" beautifully though I do wish it had a more upbeat message. Heart and Fergie made me realize that Amanda and Carly aren't such "angry girl rockers" as I thought - apparently it's the "in" thing and I'm just showing my unhipness. Miley Cyrus was absolutely terrific when visiting the family, really sweet and unaffected, though I still don't especially like how sings (don't shoot me, please) or the strutting and dragging the mic stand and stamping but I do love that she's not all sexy and pink. Brad Pitt was predictably cute and inspirational and one does have to give him and his lady a lot of credit for doing so much with their money and influence. Ben Stiller was pretty funny so I'm glad I didn't fast forward which I almost did. Jimmy Kimmel went on too long with tasteless and rude (why is it funny to insult one of your hosts?) and Billy Crystal went on too long with old-man-stupid and Sarah Silverman was quickkly quirky-tho-cute. Robin Williams was funny as the Russian Idol winner (I plan to tell his Stalin knock-knock joke to everyone I think will get it) but seemed like he'd grabbed a script from a decades-old show. Annie Lennox stirred Michael Johns among others but seemed fake to me, which may be unfair, and Mariah Carey looked great and hit all the requisite high notes but I didn't like the song particularly and I didn't like that it was religious. IGB isn't about religion, it's about generosity and if one chooses to donate through a religious program that's one's own choice. Finally, I loved that Victoria and David Beckham (like Brad Pitt and Reese Witherspoon, among others, who visibly put their pocketbooks and selves where their mouths are) asked us to join them in donating which reminded us that these folks are donating time and money to the charities and causes they're asking us to contribute to, too.

How much money was raised: over $100,000,000 for The Children's Defense Fund, Children's Health Fund, The Global Fund, Make It Right, Malaria No More, and Save the Children. Awesome.

Labels: a.i., a.i.7, reflections, tv

Inspirational night?? Not so! Not unless being inspired to turn off the tv counts. Okay, that's an exaggeration and a little harsh and not really true. I do like many of these singers and I love hearing the judges' assessments (most of the time) although Paula's bodice and her chihuahuas were mighty distracting last night. I kept waiting to feel uplifted and/or teary-eyed. Well, at least no one sang "When you walk though a storm" so I should be happy. But everyone seemed nervous and a bit off kilter, except Kristy Lee Cook who sang quite well. Even sanguine David C. was off. Maybe "Idol Gives Back" is too glitzy and huge for the middle of all this? Meanwhile I'd like to avoid starting with a #1 but here goes.

Jason - 1 - his version of Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's ukulele version of "Over the rainbow" was a nice treatment of this song, a feel-good melody and lyric and performance; good for him! girls keep swooning over his eyes but the hair and general slackerness don't seem like "idol" material
Kristy Lee - 2 - "Anyway" served to put KLC into the top three for most blogs, believe it or not; maybe she's letting loose finally but she even reached for fans' hands in the mosh pit; whoda thunk she had it in her; got to give her points for keeping at it - and for improving; one blog pointed out that her hair and outfit were boy-pleasers and I suspect that's true, but even without that, her voice, especially her lower register, was one of the few terrific ones last night
David C. - 3 - "Innocent" was a pretty bad showcase song since the whole deal allows just a glimpse of melody and lyrics; his enunciation was pretty bad, too, which maybe was tiredness or maybe was a tribute to rockers but whatever it was it didn't work; he's awesome though
Brooke - 4/5 - Carol King's "You got a friend" is great song for a coffee house but not for Idol; she just keeps doing these old sleepy dreamy songs and I wish she'd dress up the songs if she just hastohastohasto sing them; I also wish she'd dress herself up (like, what was the deal with the cleaning lady dress last night?); and she's getting weirder all the time, always 'shaking' according to Ryan and nearly crying; what's her problem?
Michael - 4/5 - Aerosmith's "Dream On" has a cool message that Michael apparently really means and his enthusiasm and powerhouseness were infectious, but he was off key and ended with a pretty bad shriek; being nice looking and having an awesome accent won't win a singing contest, mate
David A. - 6/7 - Robbie Williams' "Angels" apparently knocks some people's socks off but the way David sang, it made me feel like we were suddently on a religious network or something; he's a sweetheart in some ways but I swear I'm going to throw up from all the meaningful songs and soulful comments; some blogs are starting to say what I've been saying about him being just too goodie-goodie and always looking like a deer in headlights (uh, more like daddy is going to yell at him); plus, the nasalness and thick breathing are annoying
Carly - 6/7 - Queen's "Show must go on" provided yet another opportunity for her to look really angry (mad?) and wave that naked inky arm (why doesn't she ever wear sleeves?) and stomp around on high heeled boots; what the heck is with her? in interviews she talks the sweet Irish lass bit, but when she sings you fear for your life
Syesha - 8 - finally Fantasia's "I believe" tackled by Syesha who seems to have a goal of taking on the biggest voice singers in the biz; I guess she thinks she's better than or at least equal to them all (hmm); meanwhile she flashes a fake (and quickly disappearing) smile while mouthing off at the judges; and she always pulls the same slow-then-belt-it song; but most of all, her attitude s&^%s so much that I can't believe no one's belted her (though, come to think of it, her "Rami was the only one who gets me" comment suggests maybe they have)

Given the voters, I think the bottom three will be Brooke, Sayesha and Carly, although maybe David Cook will be there instead of Brooke because it was a weak night for him and everyone should have that experience once. Sayesha should go but Carly may have stomped and frowned her way onto the exit ramp (did anyone ever say why that record company unsigned her?). I'll predict Sayesha but Carly is next if she keeps looking and sounding so pissed off, especially if Kristi keeps getting better all the time.

Labels: a.i., a.i.7

Yes, I was right again. Rumiele went home. But since pride proverbially goeth before a fall I should keep in mind that my success rate may bite the dust any minute.

Apparently Brooke began sobbing hysterically last night when she was named to the bottom 3. (All the crying this year is darned annoying. It's quite understandable from a human point of view but it's not fun to see.) Brooke's reaction is sad and too bad because she's a terrific singer. But does she really think she'll win? I hope she realizes that she'll be going home one of these weeks. In fact, unless something extraordinary happens, everyone will go home one of these weeks except both Davids (or one David and the Aussie). I think the Davids, Michael, Carly and Brooke will all have super careers as soon as they're done with Idol because they're all terrific. But only two can be in the finals and only one can win. As awesome as all five are, the bottom line is that there's one Idol. It would be a shame if anyone (including David A.'s father) doesn't realize that one person will be the 2008 American Idol, come mid May.

Labels: a.i., a.i.7, reflections, tv

Keeping in mind that my day-after reactions are based on the night before not on assessing them overall, here's how I thought they sang last night:

David Cook - 1 - ("Little Sparrow") lovely, a bit subdued but as always right on pitch (uh-oh, I sound like Randy) and paced beautifully; he's always refreshing to listen to - not as cliched as most pop singers and not as hard edged as most rock singers (addendum: I hope he's feeling better!!!)
Syesha Mercado - 2 - ("I Will Always Love You") someone had to sing this, I suppose, but I wish she'd only covered the way it was written by Dolly instead of segueing into the Houston version replete with screeches and vocal pyrotechnics; she has a good voice, though, and did beautifully with the Parton beginning
David Archuleta - 3 - ("Smoky Mountain Memories") he sang well and continues to show his vocal prowess but he picks such somber songs for a kid (or someone (hmm, who would that be?) forces them on him) and he seems both abjectly miserable and oddly grateful when positive words are spoken to him so I wonder what's going on with him and how it will work itself out
Michael Johns - 4 - ("It's All Wrong, But It's All Right") he did a rousing and exciting version of this usually slower song; the judges adored it, rightly, but I hate his extraordinarily nasal sound especially when he's being "meaningful" so I have to rank this lower than I would otherwise
Carly Smithson - 5 - ("Here You Come Again") undeniably well sung despite a few missed notes but I swear I'm going to cover my tv when she sings unless she stops glowering and frowning all the time - why does she exude such anger every time a note begins to escape her mouth? she seems upbeat personally... and, yes, it was rude of Simon to mention her clothes but the way-too-tight orange pants were hideous and did not add to her appeal
Kristi Lee Cook - 6 - ("Coat of Many Colors") great song and fairly nice rendition but a too quick-steppy and perky for such a poignant song; I wish she'd musically display the emotions that her phrasing suggests she feels
Brooke White - 7 - ("Jolene") someone had to cover this, too, but why Brooke and why a ricky-ticky arrangement? it was the worst she's sounded and, while I'm picking on her, what's with the lip gyrations??
Jason Castro - 8 - ("Travelin' Thru") ugh ugh ugh is all I can say; he's becoming a caricature of himself and it's a darn shame since he's got a terrific voice and (seemed to have) spunk
Ramiele Malubay - 9 - ("Do I Cross Your Mind") words just fail me; see below for more

My prediction is that the bottom three will be Jason, Kristi and Ramiele. Jason because he can't or won't snap out of his oh-so-cool and perhaps smoky haze but I think his fans still will save him for another week or two. Country Kristi because she's just not quite good enough but I think she'll be safe because it was Dolly week. So if there is any singing logic to the votes, Ramiele will take her teeny-bopper bouncing and swaying and go home; she's sweet but in way over her head.

Labels: a.i., a.i.7, tv

I just caught a quick headline: Bill Clinton announced just now that he's running as Hillary's vice presidential candidate. That may change things.

Labels: 2008 election, silliness