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- Medical examiner Megan Hunt's unique approach to solving crimes puts her at odds with her superiors.
- Twelve American finalists (six men and six women) compete in a singing contest.
- "Entertainment Tonight" is the #1 syndicated entertainment newsmagazine in the world.
- A mix of celebrity interviews, musical performers, audience participation games, and segments spotlighting real people with extraordinary stories and talents.
- Jay Leno takes over the Tonight Show with interview, sketches, and plenty of laughs.
- Accompanied by guest correspondents at a round table, comedian Chelsea Handler discusses the latest in celebrity gossip and pop culture. She also interviews celebrities, but with a good dash of humor.
- Popular and controversial journalist Larry King hosts this CNN call-in talk show.
- "American Idol" - "Hollywood Round: Part 1" - Feb. 9, 2010 Finally, we are in Hollywood and Ellen is on board. 181 folks are competing for the top 24 slots. We see folks arriving by bus, car, foot, etc. to the Kodak Theatre. Day One Ryan introduces Ellen and the kids cheer. She talks to them about knowing what it's like to stand onstage and feel like you have to please a room full of people. The judges take their places and Ellen says to Simon, "so this it, I come on, you leave." He laughs. The first round: sudden death when people can sing a cappella or with an instrument. In the first group is Katie who had the Alzheimer's stricken grandma. She sings "For Once in My Life" a cappella really nicely and they compliment her. And then we remeet "Skiibowski" who sings "Ain't Too Proud to Beg." Ellen says he was frightening in his intensity. Everyone laughs. We don't hear the others. They do the line separation. Katie's in, Skiibowski's out. He wants to know why. Simon says he's just not a very good singer. We get a montage of tense people and Simon giving scathing feeback. Ellen is also not being supernice but kinda funny. We remeet Vanessa the country girl who had never taken a flight and Andrew whose family are former gangbangers. He does Paula Abdul's "Straight Up" with his acoustic, Jack Johnson-style. He's pretty great. Kara calls it genius and that Paula would love it. We watch Vanessa make her journey from home to the very classy tune of the Shins' "New Slang." (Good one "Idol" producers). She's very nervous and sings "No Rain." It's a little weak due to her nerves. Ellen tells her to let go of that. We get a brief shout out to worship pastor Tasha. Line separation: Andrew's in, Vanessa is out. She tearfully apologizes to her mom via the camera. We get a montage of teary rejects to Rascal Flatts' "What Hurts the Most." We get a montage of familiar faces from the auditions who have bad Hollywood days including pants-splitter Cornelius and Megan, she of the cute little brother. Also Amedeo, of the big Italian family, doesn't make it happen. We meet Janell who does a nice raspy, country-tinged "American Boy" accompanying herself on guitar. Ellen thinks it was amazing. Simon agrees. She's through. Others with instruments didn't fare so well, and we get a montage of them singing/playing badly. Haeley the 16-year-old first female black country pop singer aspirant from the Denver auditions is nervous but does an interesting raspy take on "Change." Mary the rocker mom who brought her daughter to meet Simon sings Pink's "Sober" really well. (Doesn't hurt that Kara co-wrote that one). Ellen loves it. Line separation time: Haeley and Mary both make it. Ellen does a jokey step forward-step back thing with a group of four who all go through. We get shots of the excited 46 who made it through the first day. Day Two Simon reminds them to not be nervous, boring, or forget their words. Jay the beatboxer is back. Simon thinks it's ridiculous. Ellen jokes there's something wrong with his microphone. Lily sings "Lullaby of Birdland" accompanying herself on guitar. It's very Corinne Bailey Rae, sweet and jazzy but with some power. Kara finds her refreshing and unique. She makes it through. Along with some dude named Sam. Michael the personal trainer just got the news that his wife is going into labor but he's staying put. He accompanies himself singing "Waiting on the World to Change." Simon liked it. He goes through. We remeet cancer survivor Justin from the Boston auditions and Tim from the Dallas auditions. Tim accompanies himself on David Cook's "Come Back to Me." He has a few pitch problems but recovers. Justin accompanies himself on piano on "Fly Me to the Moon," in a very croony, dramatic Buble-meets-Wainwright fashion. Randy thought it was interesting. Line separation: Tim makes it, Justin does not. We say goodbye to a few familiar faces including the bubbly sisters and the girl with the whip. Maddie the 16-year-old with the brothers with Downs' Syndrome sings "The Nearness of You." Simon calls it a bad song choice. Casey who doffed his shirt for Kara sings a funky, country-ish "I Don't Need No Doctor." Line separation: Casey makes it, Maddie doesn't. The last line includes Didi the emotional waitress from L.A. who was singing to honor her friend. She sings a Kara song called "Terrified." She plays her guitar and it's a lovely vocal. Kara beams. Simon hates to admit it but he really liked the song. Simon likes the idea of someone like her, a waitress, coming on the show and doing well. And finally Crystal, a single mom. She goes to get a tattoo of her son as we hear her sing "(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman." The crowd helps with back-ups, really sweetly. They also cheer when she hits a great note. And many stand up in the end. Simon thinks she's infectious and real. Line separation: Crystal and DiDi both make it. 95 total made it through. Next up: Group day and reality show drama.
- "American Idol" - "Hollywood Round: Part 4" - Feb. 17, 2010 We get a quick recap of last night and the seven contestants who have already secured a spot and a promise of the reveal of the final 17 in the top 24. Which means we get a look at the Hollywood Week and final performances of the people facing final judgement. We catch up with a nervous Janell Wheeler. Her last solo performance of "Love Story" was troublesome and she felt like she flubbed it. Ellen talks a little bit about the stress of the show but tells her she's still going through. She tells Ryan she's not worried about her job as a wine sales rep. Next up is a recap for Tyler Grady. His final performance of "Home" seems fine but he jokes that he doesn't want to go home. He sits for final judgement and banters with Kara about loving '60s and '70s rock icons. He's through. Lacey Brown who made it final judgement last year, only to be sent home gets better news this year and she's through thanks to her final performance of "What a Wonderful World." Also through are Ashley Rodgriguez, Alex Lambert, and Joe Munoz, who we get in quick succession without any recap. Up next Crystal Bowersox. She's had a great week and she's through. She shows her son's picture to the judges. More stress in the waiting room. Katie Stevens who has been impressive all along, is through. We get a quick succession of four nos. It's also a no for a teary Angela Martin who has tried out three times and had an up and down Hollywood Week. This is especially tough news for her since she made it to Hollywood twice before but the first year she tried out, her dad died, the second year she had to bail because she had a traffic violation she couldn't pay for so she had to do six days in jail. Kara sits with her and encourages her to keep going and Randy agrees. Kara calls her one of the bravest people she's ever met. They all hug her. She promises not to give up. It is a yes for jazzy Lilly Scott though. She's stoked to show America what she's got. A quick montage reveals more good news for Paige Miles, (who I feel like we haven't met), Siobhan Magnus, Michelle Delamor, Jermaine Sellers, and John Park There are only two girls left, Tori Kelly and Haeley Vaughn, and one spot left. Haeley gets it. Now there are two guys left, Andrew Garcia and Thaddeus Johnson, so you know how this went given how much they loved Andrew, who gets the nod. Thaddeus is sad. Simon tells him he didn't do anything wrong and tells him to keep his chin up. He doesn't understand this, understandably. Andrew is, understandably, excited. We get a montage of celebratory moments. Live shows start next week! First up will be the girls.
- "American Idol" - "Auditions: Clean Up" - Feb. 3, 2010 This is the show where we get some of the best auditions, some of the worst, a recap of funny stuff, and lots and lots of montages. We get another look at Gen. Larry Platt and "Pants on the Ground" and the videos it inspired. We get a montage of people being told that they made bad song choices. Jessica who auditioned poorly in season 8 is back with a make-over and a plan to sing a song co-written by Simon called "Footprints in the Sand." She gets four yes's this time. We get a montage of "attention seekers" including Amanda who does voices, including Britney Spears. Her own voice is fine and is told that she has a good voice but that doesn't connect with them because she's such an "actress." They relent and gets four yes's for her version of "Good Morning Heartache." We get a montage of acrobats, belly dancers, and hula hoopers. Plus people who brought instruments even though they can't bring them into the audition room. Lee and Crystal didn't need them though they got through with "Ain't No Sunshine" and "Piece of My Heart." We get a montage of golden ticket fake-outs, including a vintage one from Daughtry. We get a montage of people who have auditioned previously. One named Lacey made it to the top 50. But, as we see in flashback, she was cut. So she tries again with "Over the Rainbow" and gets put through again with four yes's. Stephanie is on her 7th audition. It turns out that 7 is not her lucky number after all. Her rendition of "Fever" gets four no's. Posh, her idol, and Kara nicely give her a hug. We get a montage of 16 year olds including Rachel, Thaddeus and Genesis who all impressed the judges. We get a montage of the seven cities and different jobs that people hold including waiters and cops. Then a montage of "athletes." First is Adrian who, although he is 6'8" is not a basketball player but a swimmer with lots of "big" nicknames. He calls himself a "manflower." Oy. He is, predictably, not so good singing "Can't Help Falling in Love" in a Bronski Beat-esque falsetto. He gets three no's. Then there's Michael a ripped personal trainer who's wife is pregnant. He sings "Unchained Melody" and it's fine but not mind-blowing. He gets four yes's. DiDi is auditioning in memory of her late best friend Rebecca. We get to see pictures of them. She sings "Hey Jude" and the judges, including Avril, dig it. She starts to cry when she's done. She gets four yes's, one of which is "very small" from Simon. We get a montage of the ACTUAL show we are watching. Aaron is a tough backstory contestant who was saved from foster care by his aunt and uncle. He seems really nice. He sings "The Climb." He's very heartfelt. Four yes's. We get a montage of people's goals, to make people feel good, fame, etc. Kimberly claims she has a really good heart and will recycle and help children in Africa. She'll have to do those things as she does some other profession because she can't sing as evidenced by her version of "I Kissed a Girl." Three no's. Next is Shaddail who loves her mom and her mom loves her and always dreamed she'd be a singer. The dream dies now, however, thanks to her painful rendition of "Fallin." Four no's. We get a montage of crowds in different cities saying welcome. Our final singer of the night is Hope who was very poor as a child and has indomitable spirit. She's very sweet but, in this audition anyway, she's not an amazing singer. She does "I Hope You Dance." Four yes's. Ryan says 100,000 people auditioned overall and 181 got golden tickets to Hollywood.
- 2002– TV-PG4.5 (26)TV Episode"American Idol" - Results Show - Feb. 25, 2010 Ryan says 24 million votes came in and tells us that Alison Iraheta and Kris Allen will be performing. Kris' performance will benefit Haiti. Ryan says Simon's harshness was the "buzz of the nation." Simon thinks that's silly and doesn't feel like he was overly cruel, he was just trying to give advice. Ellen says her first week held some surprises and she understands the nerves of the first timers. Randy gets it too: the millions of viewers, the cameras, the judges. Kara jokes that she and her husband are working out her crush on Casey. Her husband is in the audience. Group Sing: "American Boy," Estelle. The ladies kick it off and then the boys chime in. Nothing has miraculously changed between seasons, goofy group singing is still cringe-worthy. Ryan begins the elimination process. Siobhan, Haeley, Michelle, Katelyn, and Katie are safe. Janell is the first to be going home. She handles it well and then of course has to sing the song that got her eliminated. Performance: "Scars," Alison Iraheta. Wow, her hair is really red now and her look is really glammy. It's a ballad but it's got nice lift to it and she sounds good. I was hoping she would rock out more. Ryan finishes off the ladies. Paige, Lacey, Lilly, Crystal, and Didi are safe and Ashley is going home and she has to sing the now-unfortunate lyrics to "Happy" again. Ryan shows us a clip of Tyler from rehearsal the day before in a bathrobe and boots. Then it's results time. Mike, John, Aaron, Todrick, and Tim are safe and Joe is going home. Tim is flabbergasted. Ryan announces that "Idol Gives Back" will happen on Apr. 21. He chats with Allen who recently visited the earthquake-ravaged nation and offers ways for viewers to donate. Performance: "Let it Be," Kris Allen. He sings the Beatles ballad as video of his recent visit plays in the background. We are back to finish off the men. Casey, Jermaine, Lee, Andrew, Alex are safe and Tyler is going home. He blames the judges for not giving enough constructive criticism. We get video package on all four of their "journeys."
- "American Idol" - Top 12 Female Semifinalists - Feb. 23, 2010 The competition is finally upon us. Ryan introduces us to the ladies who mug for the cameras. The men take their spot to the side of the stage. Ryan explains "the math": For the next three weeks each group will take the stage separately and get voted on - dropping the bottom two guys and girls- until we have the top 12. Ryan repeats a quote of Simon's saying this is the girls' year. He stands by that. Kara agrees with Ryan that America knows these folks better than they have in previous years. Randy counsels them to be great or mad at themselves and to wreck the stage with their vocals. Ellen tells them not to be mad at themselves and to be all that they can be. The judges are seated left to right: Ellen, Randy, Kara, Simon. Ellen jokes that it's safer sitting down by Randy since Simon has a thing for her and that he has wandering hands. She rolls a "joke" clip of this from Hollywood to prove this. The theme for the next three weeks is "Hits from the Billboard charts." Contestant #1: Paige Miles, 24, a preschool teacher. She's living her dream. We see a clip of her final performance of "Living For the City." Song: "Alright Now," Free Performance: It's an uptempo rocker but she seems curiousy low energy after her sparkly package and I'm not sure if her rasp is how she sounds or if she's losing her voice or a little of both. It gets better as she progresses and hits a belt-ier part of her voice. Simon: Thinks out of all the girls that she has the best voice but didn't like the wedding singer-type song choice. He thinks she also needs to have more self-belief. Kara: Disagrees and thought that the song was actually great and that she killed the verses but the choruses were not strong. Randy: He agrees partially with both of them but generally thinks she did a great job. Ellen: Agrees and disagrees with all of them. Ellen figured she must've been nervous but that she pulled it off great. Contestant #2:Ashley Rodriguez, 22, a student. We see a clip of Simon ribbing her at her auditions. She's very excited. Song: "Happy," Leona Lewis Performance: The song starts low but she's holding on to it. Her outfit is very shiny but the start of the song is kind of blah. She gains power as the chorus kicks in but she sounds like she's just riding the line of staying in key. It's fine but not mind-blowing. Kara: Gives her credit for taking on a big song and having some good moments but says there were also no so good moments and she wants to see her doing something different. Randy: Agrees she did a good job with it but thought it was not a great choice, especially from a comparison standpoint. Ellen: Also thinks she should take a risk next time especially since she has so much going for herself. Simon: Thinks it was clumsy and didn't like the arrangement and thinks she's going backwards. He thinks she might be in trouble. She gets a little teary-eyed and Ryan tries to build her back up. Contestant #3:Janell Wheeler, 24, a wine sales rep. Simon didn't love her audition but warmed up to her in Hollywood. She wants to show America this is where she wants to be. Song: "What About Love," Heart Performance: I confess, I love this song but I'm not sure Janell's voice is big enough for it. There's not enough heft, there are some pitch issues, and it just never quite takes off. It's fine but not mind-blowing. Randy: Thinks the song choice didn't work for her and it was hard to bring something original to it. He likes her voice though. Ellen: Loves that song and thought she sang it well even if there were some off notes. She likes her. Simon: Thinks she gave it 100 percent effort but only 65 percent came through. He did think there were moments where he did like her voice. Simon thinks she will survive. Kara: Likes her too but thought the song was too big for her and didn't make it work for her as a singer. Ryan asks for advice for the contestants on song choice. Randy says to pick something where you won't compare unfavorably with the original singer. Contestant #4:Lilly Scott, 20, a busker who has lived out of her car. It means so much for her to be there. Song: "Fixing a Hole," The Beatles Performance: Armed with her acoustic guitar she does a slinky, slowed down, jazzed up version of the tune. She sounds good but there's something a little precious and coffeehouse-y about it. She certainly did her own thing though. Ellen: Says that's what they're talking about, interesting song choice and unique vocals, she loved it. Simon: Agrees and says it was the best so far because it sounded like a wise choice, one she made because she thought it expressed something about her not that it would showcase big vocals. He's still not feeling much star power from her yet. Kara: Thinks she is believable and coming from the heart. Thinks busking really helped her with her comfort level and she thinks everyone will remember her. Randy: He loves that she's more like a "real indie artist" and that she's not affected. Contestant #5:Katelyn Epperly, 19, a student. Her first audition was her favorite thanks to a Shania compliment. She realizes that this is what she needs to be doing. Song: "Oh, Darling," The Beatles Performance: There's something cocktail lounge waitress-y about the feather (?) thing-y in her hair and her outfit but she sounds really great, giving a strong, assured, bluesy performance. My favorite so far from a pure vocal standpoint. Simon: He thought it had parts that were messy and scream-y but he likes her and thought it was a good song choice. He thinks she needs work but he likes her a lot. Kara: Thinks she knows her voice really well and thought she switched the song up well but doesn't care for the make-over and the thing in her hair, she likes her more natural. Randy: Likes the new look but even better that she respects tone and melody he likes her whole vibe and can go places and do stuff. Ellen: Couldn't tell if she was pushing too hard at first but it made her want to pay attention to her. She thinks she has an amazing voice. Contestant #6:Haeley Vaughn, 16, high school student. She was well-liked all along the audition process. She got her nose pierced after she made it through. This was her...wait for it... dream come true. Song: "I Want to Hold Your Hand," The Beatles Performance: Armed with her electric guitar she slows down the Fab Four classic to more of an ambling Stax soul tempo. I like the vibe and she sounds good enough but falters when she starts she's pushing too hard in the chorus and getting a little strident in places. Very cute and different. Nice work. Kara: Says from a technical standpoint there were some issues but loves that every time she takes the stage she's radiant. Randy: He loves her unpredictability and her boldness but that the sound of her high notes are not totally pleasing so she should try to get it together a little better. Ellen: Is impressed with her presence. Doesn't know technical things but she enjoyed it. Simon: Thinks it was verging on terrible especially the smiley-ness which he thought hindered the vocals. Ryan wonders if they're watching two different shows. Simon says it's called having an opinion. Ellen says if it was a mess it was a hot mess. Contestant #7: Lacey Brown, 24, church events coordinator. She was the one who made it to final judgement last year but got cut. She is thrilled to be here. Song: "Landslide," Fleetwood Mac Performance: The start is a little mannered and shaky and there are definitely tempo and pitch issues. Her voice is sort of girly and slight. She has a nice warm energy and it seems like she's shooting for a country-ish vibe but it's just not super-distinctive. Randy: He thought it was terrible, pitchy and didn't suit her voice. Ellen: Thinks she's better than that. Simon: Thought it was quite depressing and kind of indulgent and boring. Kara: Says she usually hits the notes and tonight it felt more forced, she suggests the Sundays or Sixpence None the Richer as future choices if she gets through. Ryan asks about the song choice. She says it speaks to her as a person and, politely, says in answer to a direct question says he disagrees with Simon that it was boring. (Except that it was boring.) After the break Ryan chats with Michelle and Katie. Contestant #8:Michelle Delamor, 22,corporate singer/sales clerk/children's choir coach. She loved having her family there while having her dream become a reality during the auditions. Song: "Fallin'," Alicia Keys Performance: Oh you know she's going to get whacked for doing such a big, already well-sung hit in the same arrangement. She sounds pretty good though and looks appropriately intense and there is an ease to it. You get the sense she's probably done this one a bunch during her corporate gigs. It's strong but not electrifying. Ellen: Thought it was fantastic but felt it was safe just because it seemed easy for her. She knows she can do better. Simon: Thinks she did very well and that it was very professional so it sounded close to the original. He didn't feel a wow moment but thinks she'll get through and that she looks fantastic. Kara: She says if she's going for a diva spot it has to be technically immaculate and this wasn't but that it was good and she has a great look and can get where she needs to go. Randy: Thinks she did a pretty good job and agrees that she has more in her and to jump out of her comfort zone. Contestant #9: Didi Benami, 23, waitress. She thinks her defining moment was when she sang Kara's song "Terrified" in Hollywood. Her journey has already been very emotional and spiritual. She says she's going to try not to cry. Song:"The Way I Am," Ingrid Michaelson Performance: She's wearing a pretty busy, '60s lovechild multi-colored vest that looks like a caftan but the song is perfect for her, light, frothy, sassy. She doesn't change it up much but she sings it well. She also seems really happy and heartfelt and that comes through. A couple of bum notes at the end but overall nice if low-key. Simon: Thinks she is a good singer. He thinks there are too many people trying to sound like Adele and Duffy. He thought the song was dreary. He's missing a spark. Kara: She likes the song and that she made a few creative changes. Simon interrupts that it needs to be more memorable. She concedes it's a pitchy. Randy: Agrees there's no star factor or outward oomph. Likes the song but thought it was too sleepy. Ellen: Thinks if it was one song in a set for a show it would be fine but not the best choice for a first impression it was too low-key. Contestant #10:Siobhan Magnus, 19, glass blowing apprentice. It's been a big culture shock for her. She's proudest of her final performance in Hollywood week of "Living For the City." Song: "Wicked Game," Chris Isaak Performance: The song is very low but, again, she's keeping ahold of it. It improves as it moves higher in her register, and she slays the head voice slide in the chorus. But it's yet another mellow performance without a lot of dramatic tension. Interesting song choice though. Kara: Wouldn't have picked it but liked her on that song. She thinks she gets a little nasal at times but she likes that it feels real when she's singing. Randy: Calls it a tough song and says she didn't get to her best stuff until the chorus and she should reach for bigger things like she did with the Stevie Wonder song. Ellen: Loved it and forgot she was at a competition and was just being entertained. Simon: Says she is a funny little thing. He likes the song but didn't like it as much as "Living for the City" which was more enthusiastic. She picked it because it was haunting and it offered a chance to hit higher notes and show a softer side. Ryan likes her authenticity. Contestant #11:Crystal Bowersox, 24, musician and mom. She was never much of an "Idol" fan and like Simon said she didn't think it was the thing for her. But the thing that changed her mind was her son since "mama needs a bigger paycheck." Song: "Hand in My Pocket," Alanis Morrisette Performance: She starts solo acoustic and sounds fine, fine, fine. She doesn't mix it up much but she doesn't sound exactly like Alanis, except when she plays her harmonica. She's not good enough at that to justify how long she does it when she could be singing but overall it was fine, also kind of low-key. Randy: Loves her originality and honesty, even though he's not sure if it's the right song. It doesn't matter though because he likes her. Ellen: She's a fan too and thinks we're lucky she decided to audition and she adds something fresh. Simon: Thought it was fine but very much like the thousands of other subway buskers for whom he wouldn't stop in his tracks. He says to do something original. She talks back that they don't allow originals. He says he means take a song and do something original with it and recommends David Bowie. She concedes David Bowie would be cool. Kara: Thinks she was good tonight but has greatness in her, an ability to take them on a journey. She says she thinks what Simon means is to not just be a coffeehouse performer but to fill the stage. Contestant #12:Katie Stevens, 17, high school student. Her most memorable moment was the first audition. She misses her family but knows they'll be watching. Song: "Feelin' Good," Nina Simone (Ryan credits Michael Buble, but come now.) Performance: She's got a preternatural skill for sure both vocally and stage presence-wise. It's another slinky slow one but she kicks it up a bit. She hits a couple of rough patches with the notes and the shimmying at her age is a little discomfiting but she's spunky. Ellen:Thought it was good but too serious and wants to see her be fresh and modern at 17. Simon: Agrees and it felt like her mom and dad picked her song and dressed her and so it started to get annoying and pagaenty. Kara: Says if she had killed the song they wouldn't be talking like this. She's surprised Katie was pitchy and wonders if she couldn't hear herself. But she says she has ridiculous chops at the end of the day. Randy: He says that specifically she was pushing so hard that it was going sharp. But he says she reminds him of Jordin Sparks so she needs to "young it up."
- "American Idol" - Top Ten Male Semifinalists - March 2, 2010 The men and the women have switched nights due to an unspecified medical problem for contestant Crystal Bowersox. Randy doesn't think it will be a problem for the boys. Kara thinks the guys will better this week. Simon thinks the girls are ahead by a smidge. Theme: Billboard Hits Contestant #1:Michael Lynche His personal tidbit is that he's been a football player and a musical theatre geek. He benches 505. He thought his performance last week was good and fun. Song: "It's a Man's, Man's, Man's World," James Brown Performance:A little more serious this week Big Mike works the JB track out just fine hitting a couple of high notes and a few runs. Randy: Feels like the season is finally getting started and he gives him a standing O. Ellen Likes his song choices and that they're all different. She thinks it's the way to start the night. Kara: She says she didn't get him until tonight, he went from being a singer to a potentially great artist. He owned it. Simon: Agrees that he went from a pussycat to a lion. He calls it exactly the right song and yet it didn't sound dated. Calls it his best peformance to date. Mike's excited his wife is coming on Friday. He says the guys found out this morning they were on tonight. Contestant #2:John Park In Ryan red room chat he says his former a cappella group Purple Haze at Northwestern has been very supportive. On viewing the tape back he thought he was trying too hard. This week he's focusing on honesty. His personal tidbit is that English is his second language, he grew up speaking Korean as a child. He agrees his song last week was a bad choice. Song:"Gravity," John Mayer Performance: He's also serious, but he was last week too. Seated on a stool it's a little somber but he sounds fine although there's at least one pitch issue in the middle. He's got a nice tone but the song doesn't have much range and it's not very dynamic. Randy: He thought John Mayer was his vibe but he doesn't think John brought anything spicy to it and there were pitch issues. Ellen: Thought it was a much better song choice and that he felt it more, he thinks he should try to feel it more. Kara: Also thought it was better but she wants to see him take risks. Simon: Thinks Purple Haze might get their singer back. He calls it a so-what performance and he also struggles with believability. They all follow up basically saying he needs to be more dazzling and heartfelt. Contestant #3: Casey James In Ryan red room chat Casey admits he never watched "Idol" before he was on the show. He picked a song that a lot of contestants previously have done. His personal tidbit is he hasn't had a TV most of his life. It forced him to do other stuff like learn guitar and renovating his own house. He won't share his pre-show ritual but if he makes it to the Top Ten he'll tell. (He unwisely says a lot of people are better in this competition than him.) Song: "I Don't Want To Be," Gavin DeGraw Performance: He opens with a hot guitar lick. He's got a nice ease to him. The vocals are fine but in Randy's previous words he's not doing anything too spicy with it and some of the low bits bottom out breath control-wise. It's nice to hear some groove though. It's a really good bar band performance. Randy: Thinks he's channeling great guitar players with the playing. He didn't love the song choice but thought it was the right lane. Ellen: Thinks you can't go wrong with the song and thought he sounded great. She says it's all there on paper but wants to see him perform more and be less stiff. Kara:Thinks he took two steps backwards. Loved the guitar playing but this is a singing competition and she thought was great about him vocally went away. Simon: He's kind of with Kara because last week he picked a great song but this week he seemed more like someone trying to be a rock star in a bar band. Thinks he didn't have enough grit, more like sand. He feels comfortable playing but thinks they were probably right about the vocals. Contestant #4:Alex Lambert In Ryan red room chat, Alex admits to having stage fright, especially without his guitar. He didn't throw up this week. His personal tidbit is that when he was in 6th grade he came up with his own language. He gives us a sample. He wants to love being onstage instead of being terrified. Song:"Everybody Knows," John Legend Performance: His playing is a bit stiff and he still seems nervous but his voice sounds good. He seems most nervous of the moving camera. He hits a sweet, slightly blue note at the end. Randy: He thinks it's a big improvement and not as sound-alike. He really enjoyed it. He also has his own language apparently. Ellen: Continues with the unripe banana metaphor agreeing it was much better this week. Thinks Sam Cooke is under that mullet. Kara: She thinks everyone watching is rooting for him. She thinks he has a great, recordable tone. Is looking forward to his growth. Simon: Says it was a million times better. He says the only time he should be nervous is when you're useless. His advice is to have a more killer instinct. He wishes he was choosing his songs to help him boost confidence. Contestant #5:Todrick Hall In Ryan red room chat, Todrick says he took all the critiques into account this week by changing up the song but not too much. He first started dancing at 9 in "The Nutcracker." He believes anything is possible. Before every peformance he does push-ups. He wants to infuse dancing and singing, like say, Paula Abdul. (He might've picked a better dancer-singer, Beyonce anyone?) Song: "What's Love Got to Do With It," Tina Turner Performance: He slows it down a bit and takes the groove out. The vocals aren't amazing, there are a few fights to stay on pitch and he seems constrained, some of it feels good and some of it feels awkward. It ends nicely. Randy: Loved the end falsetto run but still didn't like the wildly different arrangement, tells him to just sing a nice song and don't just change the beats and arrangements. Ellen: Says don't just sing, but sing and move and go with his strengths. She doesn't think it was the right song. But she likes him. Kara Agrees that when he started to move it got better but she wonders where the Todrick of his first audition went, where he seemed easy and sang a sweet simple melody instead of trying to do runs. Simon: Tells him to move and not sing and call him theme-park-y and corny. He says he's getting it completely wrong. Todrick tells Ryan he thought he was supposed to change stuff up but Simon and Randy say he's going too far. Contestant #6: Jermaine Sellers His personal tidbit is he rocks a onesie. He steams his voice before the show. He says last week the judges were cutthroat. He says they're all artists but not Picassos yet. He wants to take the judges advice. Song: "What's Goin' On," Marvin Gaye Performance: He slows the opening way down and also takes the groove out of it. He's also rocking a plaid bow tie with a polka dot shirt. Yikes. The groove kicks in and he starts taking liberty with the melodies. The vocal is not impressive, not a disaster but not impressive, kind of lounge singer-esque. Randy: Thought it was better than last week but says it was close but so far. Just not a great peformance. Ellen: She loves his style but feels like he pushed too hard again. It didn't work for her. She's not even sure why. (She gets booed a bit) Kara: Thinks he's doing too much vocally and showing off and it feels forced, give them one trick that means something. Simon: Says they're frustrated and disappointed by him watering down the song and he plays around so much that it's hard to take him seriously. He talks back and says that he wants them to come to church with him. Simon says he would but that wasn't church singing it was "cabaret." Tells him just voice and piano would've been great. Jermaine asks what to sing next week and Simon says he probably won't be there. Ellen suggest Frankie Beverly and Maze. (Isn't that what "X Factor" is about?) Contestant #7:Andrew Garcia His personal tidbit is he's a breakdancer and has been since middle school. We see clips of him breaking it down. He uses those rhythms in his music. Song: "You Give Me Something," James Morrison Performance: Sans guitar, on the stool. He seems a bit serious too. There are a few pitch problems which seems new for him, he also seems pinched a bit in places. It's not amazing. Neck tat more distracting. Randy: Also loves James Morrison but honestly he didn't get it and thought it was pitchy all over the place. He sees him doing more of a Jason Mraz thing not a soul singer thing. Ellen: Agrees there were pitch problems but really liked it. Says he set the bar so high with Paula Abdul but is a big fan and may get his name tattooed on her neck. Kara: Agrees it's been downhill since "Straight Up." Thinks he played it too safe and wants him to surprise them. Simon: Frustrated again over song choice especially since there are billions of songs to sing. Thougt it was just okay and thinks Andrew is better than okay. Contestant #8: Aaron Kelly His personal tidbit is he loves photography and the personal expression it offers him. His pictures are pretty great. He agrees with last week's criticism that he wasn't confident enough and the show is still becoming real to him. Song:"My Girl," The Temptations Performance: He definitely seems more confident. His breath seems a little shaky though.The last note is rough but mostly it was fine and sweet. Randy: Loved the beginning, thought the end was strange but 200 percent better. Ellen: Thought he was more confident and that he can sing but thought the song was forgettable. Kara: Really liked it and him and that he's consistent. Simon: He didn't like the song and thought it was all over the place and that he went backwards. He needs to work out what kind of artist he's going to be and that it was all too old-fashioned. Kara disagrees. Contestant #9: Tim Urban His personal tidbit is that he has 9 siblings. He calls them his best friends. His pre-show ritual is taking a moment to pray. He agrees with Simon's pointed criticism. Song: "C'mon and Get Higher," Matt Nathanson Performance: With his guitar in hand he goes the sensitive singer-songwriter route. The middle of his register is so much stronger than the highs and lows. He seems nervous but fighting it pretty well. The whole thing is a major improvement but he hits and holds one great note. He's definitely going to make it another week. Randy: He didn't get it and thought it was very karaoke and not special. Ellen: Tells the crowd to keep the boo-ing going. She tells him to be an actor, like on "Glee." He says he has no charisma and stage presence. Kara: Liked the song choice a lot more but thinks he didn't make it his own. She says he looks and plays the part but it's not all there yet. She thinks he has nice moments and could be there. Simon: Disagrees and thought it was a marked improvement and that he took criticism well. He thought he was more relevant than a lot of other singers. He's impressed by his attitude and work ethic and the fact that he didn't whine. Contestant #10:Lee DeWyze His personal tidbit is that high school was rough, he made bad choices that got him placed in an alternative school, but one teacher really helped him, her name is Amy. Admits he was pitchy last week but he thinks he can take the criticism and stay true to himself and make them happy. Song:"Lips of an Angel," Hinder Performance: Also ditched the guitar this week. He sounds pretty good but he's hitting some rough notes again. (I'd like to hear him sing a Counting Crows song). He also seems like he's pushing too hard in places again. Plus, he keeps pulling up his pans which is distracting. Randy: Wonders if he was missing his guitar. Thought he was a little out of sorts and had pitch problems but is a huge fan. Ellen: Agrees it was pitchy but thought there was a lot of passion and intensity and he was really in it and it was great. Kara: Thought it was a big improvement but there were still pitch problems. She can hear him on the radio right now, it's very commercial. She says he needs to own his stance. Simon: Tells him to raise his shoulders because vocally he is head and shoulders above everyone else. He calls him undoubtedly the best singer and he needs to have self-belief. He's waiting for him to totally connect and choose the right song and then he will be the one to beat. Based on tonight and the judges comments I'm guessing John Park and Jermaine Sellers are headed home.
- 2002– TV-PG4.6 (25)TV Episode"American Idol" - Top 20 Results - March 4, 2010 Ryan says 27 million votes came in. Simon says he gave out some compliments last night that he no longer agreed with after watching the show back. Group Sing: "I Gotta Feeling," The Black Eyed Peas Elimination #1: John Park Which means Tim Urban, Casey James, Todrick Hall, and Michael Lynche are safe Elimination #2: Jermaine Sellers Meaning Andrew Garcia, Alex Lambert, Lee Dwyze, Aaron Kelly are good for another week. (Jermaine says "in God there is no failure" and tells everyone to go get a onesie.) Performance: Danny Gokey, "My Best Days are Ahead of Me." It's a peppy, pop country-ish jaunt. He said he went in a country direction because Randy Travis told him the fans would love him. It also turns out that the person who wrote his song also lost his wife. Elimination #1: Michelle Delamor Meaning Paige Miles, Lilly Scott, Didi Benami, and Katie Stevens are still in the hunt. Elimination #2: Haeley Vaughn Which means Siobhan Magnus, Katelyn Epperly, Lacey Brown, and Crystal Bowersox are safe. (Simon called it "very obvious" who would be going home.) She agrees that she could use some more experience and she'll do her best from here on out. We get to see videos of their journeys, including Shania flirting with John Park and Randy telling Jermaine was the best voice they'd seen yet at that point in the auditions.
- "American Idol" - Top Eight Ladies Perform - March 9, 2010 After Ryan opens the show, Ellen is sitting on Simon's lap, nuzzling his ear. There is no explanation for this. Simon says the stakes are high. Contestant #1: Katie Stevens Song: "Breakaway," Kelly Clarkson Performance: She sounds fine although the key feels low and her voice sounds oddly dry. She belts out the high part well. It's fine but just not connecting quite right. Randy: Calls it karaoke and that it's hard to compete with such a stylized a singer as Clarkson. It didn't work for him. Ellen: Likes that she took their notes and thought it was the right song. But then she says she didn't feel the words, she wasn't feeling the "breaking" away. Kara: Says she has a great radio voice but what's going on this year is there are people who know themselves and those who don't and Katie is one that doesn't. She says she'll get where she needed and the singing needed to be perfect and it wasn't. Simon: Says it must be confusing for her but she looks much better than she did and says she made it a bit gloomy and sucked the energy out of the end of it, gives her ten out of ten for trying. She tells Ryan she did try to take the notes and she did feel the lyrics and was sorry that didn't come across and that is the kind of artist she wants to be. Contestant #2: Siobhan Magnus In Ryan red room chat she says she picked her song because it's one of her dad's favorites that he used to sing to her. Apparently, he's very good also. Song: "House of the Rising Sun," The Animals Performance: She starts a cappella, and very slow. The guitar comes in behind her. And then the band follows. I don't love the song but she's singing it well. Randy: He loves what she does and that she takes risks and doesn't listen to them. Ellen: She says Siobhan is why she loves music, she says she made it current and she's spectacular. Kara: Loved the a cappella vibe at the front. Loves that she's unique and different. Simon: Thinks it's all a bit weird and if it was the first time he'd seen her he'd have doubts. He was under-impressed, there were no cool moments in it. Contestant #3: Lacey Brown Song: "The Story," Brandi Carlile Performance: From maybe the fifth note it sounds like mimicry again. Good mimicry but not as strong as the original. It's fine, a little yawn-y. Randy: Thought it was a little sleepy but thought it was her best performance in a long time. Ellen: Agrees it was her best to date, thought it was a perfect song choice. Kara: She says performances like this are what got her here. Thought it was a great choice and she's back on her path. Simon: He didn't love, love the song but thought she sang it well. Thinks she's very good with cameras and image. He still hasn't heard the right song connection yet. Contestant #4: Katelyn Epperly Song: "I Feel the Earth Move," Carole King Performance: Standing behind a keyboard she sounds good but very hotel lounge-y for me. Great pitch and energy. It just feels a little light given what we know she can do. Randy: Didn't feel a connection between the song and her, it wasn't special. Sang it fine but it was kind of boring. Ellen: Thought it wasn't the right song choice but thinks she has a great voice and look. Kara: She didn't feel like she was competing, she felt she was just going through the motions. Simon: Likes her hair but thought the song was like request night in a Friday night in a restaurant. Sung well but not competitively. Contestant #5: Didi Benami Song: "Rhiannon," Fleetwood Mac Performance: She starts accompanied only by her acoustic. She switches up the rhythms a bit. Again it's sung fine, but it's kind of muted. Randy: Says it was a whole lot better than last week. There was no wow moment but he wants to hear her again. Ellen: She says yes, indeedy. Says after being torn apart last week she admires her fearlessness. Kara: Says it's one of her favorite moments of the show so far this season. Doubted the song choice but she surprised them. Simon: Agrees with Kara and that it was 10 shoulders above anything else tonight. He thinks the wow moment was the whole song and thought it was a great choice. Contestant #6: Paige Miles Song: "Smile," Charlie Chaplin Performance: Weird choice. It's tender and slow and sounds like a jazz standard. She looks like she's going to cry not smile though. It gets stronger and louder but something about it feels more like a high school recital. Randy: It's one of his favorite songs of all time and it didn't work for him and the bossa nova arrangement didn't work for him. Ellen: Says it's supposed to be inspiring and uplifting and it was sad and heavy. She thinks it was the wrong song. Kara: Says it was all wrong and this was not the night to do it. She asks if she knows it was wrong. She has trouble explaining and apologizes for it not working. Simon: Calls it a horrible choice and the arrangement was awful and hotel lounge-y. He calls it such a shame because she has so much potential with her great voice and he's afraid this is the end of the road. Contestant #7: Crystal Bowersox Song: "Give Me One Reason," Tracy Chapman Performance: Armed with her electric she does a pretty faithful version. The band kicks in and she lets if fly. It's nicely funky. She injects some nice life into it. Randy: Says this is what this show is about, loved her, loved the song, calls it hot. Ellen: Says she needs new adjectives and calls it the best performance of the night. Kara: Says this is what they are talking about knowing who you are. Simon: He says she's one million, billion percent going to be in the top 12. He thinks it's hers to lose. Contestant #8: Lilly Scott Song: "I Fall to Pieces," Patsy Cline Performance: Rocking a mandolin she does a pretty straight up version of this country classic. She's a little shaky in places, not so much pitch wise but with breath support. Her crazy huge earrings are distracting though. It's a little cutesy. Randy: Loved the mandolin and that song and that she's in the zone. Ellen: Love her voice, originality, and style. Kara: She says she made Patsy Cline current. Simon: Thinks she's brave for choosing that song on a night like this and it was cute and quirky but it didn't have the wow factor.
- 2002– TV-PG5.4 (49)TV Episode"American Idol" - Top 12 Revealed - March 11, 2010 At the top of the show Ryan says we might be in for some surprises. Ryan compliments Simon on his performance the night before. They put up an image of Randy's face over "bikini boy"s body from this season's audition in reference to Simon's instruction to Alex last night to picture Randy in a bikini as a way to manage his nerves. Group Sing: "Haven't Met You Yet," Michael Buble. This one is actually pretty sweet and goofily charming, thanks mostly to the song. Ryan reveals the first theme for next week's show will be the Rolling Stones. It is now elimination time, the red couches of doom vs. the silver stools of splendor Elimination #1: Katelyn Epperly is out. Which in this round means Didi, Siobhan, and Paige are in. When it got down to the final two of Katelyn and Paige, Simon says Paige had more potential at the begining. Katelyn says it was a great experience and she's learned a ton and she reprises "I Feel the Earth Move." It's a pretty good sing out. She holds it together and sounds good. Elimination #2: Todrick is out which means Casey, Tim, and Lee are in. He calls it an awesome experience and he feels like he's proved he's a singer as well as a dancer. He reprises "Somebody to Love." Performance: "Tell Her About It,' Scott McIntyre and Matt Giraud They're at duelling pianos. They both sound good but what's this about? Is one of them recording this? Scott has a brand new album out called "Heartstrings." Matt has an EP coming out soon and apparently had a number one hit duet on the iTunes jazz charts with Anna Wilson. Elimination #3: Ryan mixes it up doing girls and boys. Alex and Lilly are out which means Crystal, Michael, Lacey, Aaron, Andrew, and Katie are in. Alex seems devastated and it's tough, he wishes he'd broken out of shell. Ellen says he's great and he just needs to believe in himself. They keep showing Siobhan who looks really sad also. Lilly says a lot of great talent is going home tonight and she's not sure what America wants. They both sing out, Lilly a little more confidently than Alex, but both do themselves proud. The ousted four watch their "Idol" journeys. So to recap... The top 12: Didi Benami Siobhan Magnus Paige Miles Crystal Bowersox Lacey Brown Katie Stevens Casey James Tim Urban Lee Dwyze Michael Lynche Aaron Kelly Andrew Garcia
- "American Idol" - Top 12 Perform - March 16, 2010 Ryan says this is when we begin the countdown to the season finale. We get a video package on the Stones. Tonight we learn a little about the contestants' life back home. Theme: The Rolling Stones Contestant #1: Michael Lynche. His mom wrote plays and he was a ham. He was really into football and then his mom passed away and he became less interested in football and music saved him. We see him with his wife and his new little baby. She says he's a great guy and he thinks his mom would be proud of the man he's becoming. Song: "Miss You" Performance: He adds a little soul flavor to the tune and lots of falsetto yelps. The churning background actually sounds a little like "Higher Ground." He works the stage from side to side, snapping and pointing. Randy: Thought he slayed it. Ellen: Thought it was lovable and a great way to start the night. Kara: Thought he had style, swagger, and attitude just like the Stones did. Simon: Thinks he's got his confidence up but the performance, especially the dancing was kind of corny but he sang well. He thought it was verging at time on a little desperate. Ryan comes down and get in Simon's face about constructive criticism. Simon says the middle part was the bit he didn't love. Contestant #2:Didi Benami On stool chat we learn Didi's mom is too nervous to watch her daughter her perform. In the video we learn she moved to L.A. four years ago and is the middle child of three sisters. Her mom says she was a high needs baby who screamed real loud. Mom has come out to hang with Didi during the "Idol" experience. Song: "Play With Fire" Performance: She slows it down a bit and gets serious. She sounds good but looks a bit too serious. She goes for some big notes, that sound okay but a little bit strained. Randy: Thinks for the first time in weeks he thinks she's on fire. Ellen: Thinks she has an amazing voice and is proud she has found her way back. Kara: Thinks when she pushes on her voice she loses her way a little bit but she liked her dark intensity. Simon: Thinks everyone else is right and that she's beginning to show who she is as an artist. Liked the song and thought it was solid but not brilliant and she can do even better. She went darker because everyone's seen the sweet, emotional side and she wanted to show a little bit of her claws. Contestant #3: Casey James is from Texas and his parents divorced when he was young. His mom raised he and his brother alone. He had a bad reaction to the pertussis vaccine and had seizures but he did fine and hummed tunes in the crib even before he talked. He says his whole family plays and sings and he's probably the least gifted of them. He credits his family with where he's at in life. Song: "It's All Over Now" Performance: He countrifies it up a bit with his twang. He's also playing slide guitar. He sounds good, putting a little grit on his voice. It's jaunty. Randy: Is excited because he's back to the Casey he loves. Ellen: She says most women's heart will race just looking at him but for people like her...blondes, she thought it was fantastic. Kara: Thinks he was a rock star tonight and liked that it showed the soul in his voice. Simon: Thinks he looks great, sang well, and played well but it was more like an audition performance. Wants him to use the big stage more and "be a star." Contestant #4: Lacey Brown is from Amarillo, TX. She comes from a really supportive family. We see home video of her as a child. Her parents have been pastors for many years and she has sung in the church. He says she's naturally shy. He thinks it's amazing that she's overcome her shyness to be on the "Idol" stage. Song: "Ruby Tuesday" Performance: Lacey uses a string quartet which sounds lovely. She looks very cute and sounds fine. Not super exciting but well-controlled. Randy: Loved the string quartet and the arrangement. There were no wow moments but he was pleasantly surprised. Ellen: Wonders why she stood during the slow part and when the song built she sat down. She thought it was a bit sleepy. Kara: She says it was 50/50 for her. She likes her voice up front but thought there were some bad notes and she thinks that she can do better. Simon: Says she performs like an actress and was very inside her head having thought out each moment of the performance in advance. He thought she sang fine though. Contestant #5: Andrew Garcia tells us that his dad George was a musician and singer. Dad protests he was no professional. He was impressed when Andrew picked up the guitar and is sad he wasn't able to support his music aspirations financially he hopes he can take care of his family now. Dad is tearfully proud. Song: "Gimme Shelter" Performance: No guitar this week. Without it he seems physically a bit stiff with his arm movements. His voice sounds fine but a little light for this song. Randy: Says he loves him but it was pitchy everywhere. Ellen: Thought it was his best performance yet. Kara: Thought there elements where they got the tone they like but thought he was disconnected from the lyrics. Simon: Wondered what she wanted, him to come onstage in a tank? He thinks she's taking things too literally. Thinks he's somewhere in the middle. He thinks he gave it 100 percent but it didn't quite connect. He genuinely hopes he survives another week since he knows his been getting confusing advice. Contestant #6: Katie Stevens. Her brothers and his friends and her family are waving Katie faces on sticks- Katie fans. She picked her song because the lyrics speak to her. She was familiar with some songs but not a big fan. She's from Connecticut and she loves it there. Her mom says she's a loving, happy kid. Katie says she was shy but her mom says she was a home. We see Katie at 8 singing at a wedding. Song: "Wild Horses" Performance: Bathed in white light on a stool she sings the song, if possible, even slower than it actually is. When she gets to the power part it sounds good and she's got some nice sustain. A few pitch problems and the tempo is deathly. Randy: Says he knows they've been giving her misdirection but it's the kind of song if you sing it well it works. And he thinks she sang it well. Ellen: Thought it started pitchy but thought it got amazing as she got into it. Kara: Says it's never technically perfect and thought she made some nice variations on the melody but that she's heading in the right direction. Simon: Says this is the only week she's chosen a really strong song. He thought she lost a bit of emotion in the second half but overall well done. Contestant #7: Tim Urban is also from Texas and grew up in a family of 10 kids. We see them all playing football together. He played in high school but he gave up his pro dreams when he realized he would never get tall enough. His sisters used him as a doll. He picked up a guitar at 15. He's excited to be known as an individual outside his family. Song: "Under My Thumb" Performance: For some reason he gives it a Jack Johnson-ish reggae retrofit. Talk about being disconnected from the lyrics. Vocally it's not bad though. Goofily croony but pitch-wise not a nightmare. Randy: Didn't get it and thought it was very bizarre and didn't serve him or the song well. Ellen: Felt like she was at a resort sipping a pina colada. She thought he sounded great but didn't make sense on a night when he should've wowed. Kara: She agrees but applauds him for doing something different with the song. Simon: Also applauds the different strain but says it's kind of a boring song anyway but having said that, it didn't work and so he thinks it was a crazy decision. He knew it would be risk but he had fun. Contestant #8: Siobhan Magnus is from Cape Cod, MA, Barnstable specifically. Her family is huge and they are her support system. We see her big family. Her dad says they all do arts and crafts and play music. She and her dad play together, they use it as an outlet to let off steam. He's really proud of her. Song: "Paint it Black" Performance: Another use of the string quartet. She starts slow and low sitting on the staircase. She looks great although the goth prom thing is only working partially with the song. The song ramps up and she hits center stage. She sounds good but it feels pitched a bit too low. She counteracts that by screaming near the end and then ending up in her head voice. Randy: Thinks she's bringing the drama and that it was hot. Ellen: Loves the way she looks, sounds, and the way she did the song. She thinks she rises above. Kara: Is having flashbacks of Adam Lambert and says it was the best interpretation of the night. Simon: Totally agrees and that it was the stand out performance of the night. He sees her progression well. He thinks there are going to be a lot of people who love it and others who will hate it which is good, because it's not boring. Contestant #9: Lee Dwyze is from Chicago. Six months ago he was working paycheck to paycheck at the paint store and he's loving this. When he was yougner he was embarrassed to sing in front of people. His parents remember him singing in the car as long as no one looked at him. They encouraged him. Song: "Beast of Burden" Performance: He's got his guitar and he's taking a murmury approach, sort of Dave Matthews-esque, kind of light and bouncy. Randy: Thinks he's amazing singer and it came home for him and he thinks it was a cross between Rob Thomas and Dave Matthews. Ellen: Thought it was great and he sounded great but she was expecting more from him of everyone. She says it almost didn't come together... like a hospital gown. Kara: Thinks he's growing faster than anyone vocally and confidence-wise. Simon: Really likes him and his story but he thinks his shine-free personality is holding him back. He had no wow moment and it's frustrating and he wants him to have more confident. He agrees a bit that it's a safe song but he liked what he did. Contestant #10: Paige Miles is from Naples, Florida. Her mom is amazing, they lost her dad shen she was four so her mom has gone it alone. She grew up singing in the church and everyone was blown away by her and people would come to church when they knew she was singing. Song: "Honky Tonk Woman" Performance: She changes the pronoun in the first line which is really irritating. She's into it though and sounds okay. She's look great though. Randy: Was worried about the choice but thought she pulled it out. He wished she had more energy but he liked it. Ellen: Loves that she used the stage and she has great star quality and no one would know she'd be struggling with her voice. Kara: Is also impressed with her vocals given her apparent issues and is glad to see the young Paige, who knows how to work the stage is back. Simon: Asks what was wrong - she has laryngitis- he says given that, she sounded great, but he thought it was old-fashioned and generic but is glad to hear her voice back. Contestant #11: Aaron Kelly is from a one-stoplight town in Pennsylvania. He was adopted at 5. His mom is apparently a bad singer and she's blown away when she hears him. She's very proud. Song: "Angie" Performance: He also starts on the stairs, he messes up his vocal entrance a bit cue-wise, but he sounds pretty good. I think this was his best performance yet. Assured, tender, on pitch, nicely rendered. Randy: Says he was born to sing, liked the tender moments, thought it was hot. Ellen: Wonders if he's trying to copy her hairstyle. Loved the choice and next to Siobhan he also stood out. Kara: Says she beat him up good last night and he showed her, especially with his connection. Simon: He feared for him on Rolling Stones week but thought he chose the perfect song. He thought it was good that he sang the song to the limits of his voice instead of trying to overdo it. Contestant #12: Crystal Bowersox is from rural Ohio. Her dad has been very supportive of her music, humping her equipment around to gigs. She started writing at 10 and it comes from her childhood and teenage experiences. Dad likes her songwirting and tears up takling about one she wrote about him that was loving. She knew she was born to do this as soon as she's touched a guitar. Song: "You Can't Always Get What You Want" Performance: She gives it a pretty straight read, starting out tender working up to giving it a little soul grit and backbeat and ends quietly. Randy: Doesn't think it was her best performance but loves her and thought she was good. Ellen: Thinks it seems so effortless for her but what she's been missing is personality and she saw a bit of that tonight. Crystal says she was thinking too much. Ellen tells her not too think and have more fun. Kara: Loves that she's comfortable and is easy to watch but agrees it wasn't her best and says sometimes her ease might come off to some like arrogance. Simon: Asks what she means by overthinking. She says she wasn't in the right zone. He says he could feel that. He says she came out the clear favorite and tonight she was beaten by someone: Siobhan.
- "American Idol" - Top 12 Results Show - March 17, 2010 The Irish lighting director does a quick greening of the stage. Simon calls Ryan on his aggressive behavior last night. He asks if Ryan wants his job since it seemed like an audition. Ryan says he likes his job. Simon says it was uncomfortable. They shake hands. Simon explains the "judges' save": they can save any contestant up until the top 5, but it has to be unanimous. Performance: "Jumpin' Jack Flash," David Cook. This kind of energy would've been nice last night. In chatting with Ryan he's really excited about his new record. He will also be going on a trip to Africa with the U.N. for "Idol Gives Back." Ford Commercial: The kids are playing paint ball as they ride around in Fords singing "Tick Tick Boom." They're all covered in green paint at the end. Casey missed the shoot because he had the flu. We get yet another Ford commercial as the contestants create their own graphics for a car. Results: In the first round we learn Lee, Siobhan, Aaron, and Andrew are safe and Paige and Tim are in the bottom three. Performance: "According to You," Orianthi, the late Michael Jackson's guitar player, who is now working a solo career. Results: In the second round good news goes to Didi, Crystal, Katie, Michael, and Casey are safe so Lacey rounds out the bottom three. Ellen says she doesn't know if any of these three are worth using the save on. Simon says one is worth it. Tim is sent back to safety. He looks stunned and hugs Paige. Performance: "Blah, Blah, Blah," Ke$ha featuring 3OH!3. She has dancing TV sets, Auto-Tune, and silver eye make-up. Singing For the Save: "The Story," Lacey Brown They confer and as could be predicted.. Going Home: Lacey Brown
- "American Idol" - Top 11 Performance Show - March 23, 2010 Randy points out that tonight is a big one because only the Top Ten go on the tour. Ellen says people should vote. Kara says every song has a story and the performers have to tap into that. Simon agrees and apologizes for saying differently last week. Theme: Billboard Number Ones. We get a video package on the Hot 100, the lists from which the contenders can take their number one songs. Mentor: Miley Cyrus. We get a video package on Miley Cyrus who has sold over 15 million albums. She wants to make them feel comfortable. She's in the house. They talk about Randy's love of the word of "pitchy." Contestant #1: Lee DeWyze Song: "The Letter," The Box Tops (featuring the late great Alex Chilton) Miley thinks he has an amazing voice but lacks stage presence. Performance: He goes kind of big band-y with it in a suit jacket with a horn section. He moves around a bit. His voice sounds really good. He's helped visually by having the horn section and back up singers on stage with him. He did well, but he looks happy it's over. He gets a great response. Randy: Thinks he knocked it out of the box. Ellen: Makes a tortured pen metaphor to say she thought he was good. Kara: Says he's never sounded better or looked more comfortable. She wants him to believe he's good. Simon: Is really surprised he chose that song because it wasn't a recording song and he calls it corny. He thought it sounded good but the song didn't define him as an artist today. Contestant #2: Paige Miles In Ryan stool chat Paige shows off a ring she got from a fan in the audience. She's a little concerned about her high heels. She says the atmosphere has gotten more serious and quiet. Song: "Against All Odds," Phil Collins. Miley thinks she's beautiful and says her voice is good but can be pitchy. Performance: She starts out seated on the stairs singing softly. She sounds tentative and wavery. When she hits the middle, she hits the power part of her voice and it gets a little better, but she does have big pitch issues. Randy: Says it was terrible. The pitch was bad but it didn't come together. Ellen: Is glad she didn't fall down and thinks she look great and then turns over the music critique to Kara and Simon. Kara: Thinks somewhere along the way she stopped competing and stopped listening to them. She says it was the worst vocal of Paige's and possibly of the season. Simon: Asks what she thought. She admits she struggled with her pitch. He says she was like five people and none of them were good and he knew exactly when she knew it wasn't working. He thinks that song has killed her and it's too bad because he thought she was good. She tells Ryan she is in it to win it and she's been struggling mightily with song choice. Contestant#3: Tim Urban Song: "Crazy Little Thing Called Love," Queen She thinks Tim has gotten bad reviews for being boring but she doesn't think he is. She tells him to switch it up and do something different. Performance: If there was ever a time to use a guitar this was it. His vocal is pretty good, a little rough on the low parts. He does a stage slide and jumps onto a satellite stage surrounded by cheering girls. He ends on a good note. Randy: Wasn't wowed by the vocals and he thought the dopest thing he did was a stage slide. He seems almost angry. Ellen: Felt like it was an audition for "High School Musical" and it was corny and pushed too hard. She says there will be a large group of people who will love it and she didn't get it. Kara: Says Ellen hit it on the head, too Zac Efron and the stage moves were like he had already made it. Simon: Doesn't think the sliding around was the problem because it distracted from the song which was good. He says it was pointless and silly and he can't believe it was a number one song. He says he has no chance of winning unless he takes some singing lessons and takes it more seriously. Contestant#4: Aaron Kelly. In Ryan stool chat Aaron says he picked up laryngitis and tonsilitis. Ryan scribbles on a notepad "Are you ready?" Song: "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing," Aerosmith. He has a little crush on Miley and sang "The Climb" during his first audition. She liked it. She makes a face while he sings because she didn't realize he was so good. Performance: He's really coming into his own and does a nice job given that he's sick. Randy: Says it wasn't perfect but he was much better than the two before him and he's a fan. Ellen: Calls it a perfect song choice and could tell he was sick since he's normally pitch perfect. She sees his career already. Kara: Agrees with Ellen on the song choice. She says maybe one week he's off but he's got good consistency. Simon: Says it was very brave and calls him a "try-er" but says for his age he's making himself old-fashioned but there's zero chance he's going home. Contestant #5: Crystal Bowersox Song: "Me and Bobby McGee," Miley likes that she did something a little different and says she should try and push herself a little more. Crystal is nervous about the high notes but Miley thinks she can do it. She has Miley sign her guitar. Performance: She starts solo acoustic. She looks beautiful with her hair up and in a long dress. The band kicks in and she ambles through it nicely. She pumps it up for the scatting close and hits some higher notes with grit and aplomb. The crowd loves it. Randy: Says that's what is called being a star and she slayed it. He says he's so happy now. Ellen: Says she heard it on the radio the other day and thought of her. Says she would like to see her be a little less stoic, especially in the face of the audience response. Crystal says she has big plans for next week. Kara: Says she felt more from her tonight. Kara asks if she would ever put the guitar down. Crystal hints that's what her big plans are for next week. Simon: Says not to change anything. Says she was as good as Pink covering that song. He says she's seen her progression and is glad that her only gimmick is a carpet. Crystal and Ryan sit on the carpet to give out her numbers. Contestant#6: Michael Lynche Song: "When a Man Loves a Woman," Percy Sledge. Miley loves him and thinks it's impressive that he looked right in her eyes. Performance: He does it as a piano ballad with strings, starting very tenderly. When the band kicks in he kicks it up a notch power-wise. He holds one big mighty note and ends on a sweet falsetto. It's a strong performance. Randy: Doesn't think it was his best vocal but loves that he knows who he is and he sang the you-know-what out of the song. Ellen: Thought it was a safe choice and he has a great voice and she loves him. Kara: Technically she thought it was really good but boring and lounge-y at times and over-indulgent with too many riffs. Simon: He agrees saying you want one scoop of ice cream and you got 11. He thinks it should've been simpler and agrees it was a bit lounge-y. He says he's got tons of charisma and a great voice and that people like him. Contestant#7: Andrew Garcia Song: "I Heard it Through the Grapevine," Marvin Gaye. He stumbled a bit on the lyrics in front of Miley. She tells him to put down the guitar and to work the stage and be less stiff. He's worried about it. Performance: Even without the guitar he's a little stiff in terms of enunciation and stage movement. The vocal is okay but the stage moves are a bit rough. Randy: Says it wasn't good and a bad song choice since it's not the kind of vocalist he is. Ellen: Says she loves him and hopes his fans vote for him since it wasn't good enough to get new people on board. Kara: Feels bad for him because he's chasing his first good moment and he seems confused and the moves didn't make sense. Simon: Thinks they overrated that moment from the beginning and says Miley was right to tell him to lose the guitar but the arrangement was bad and he sucked the soul out of the song and ruined one of the great pop songs of all time. He says he doesn't know who he is as an artist. Contestant#8: Katie Stevens Song: "Big Girls Don't Cry," Fergie. She asks Miley about negativity. Miley tells her to remember who she is and to edge it up. Katie feels more confident now. Performance: She handles the song well. She has a few pitch problems, a couple glaring, but she moves well and does seem more confident. Randy: Doesn't know if it's her best performance with pitch issues but he liked that she listened to their comments and went younger both musically and image-wise. Ellen: Thought it was her best performance yet. Kara: Says this is the lane for her, pop with r&b leanings. She says she's still got mad pitch issues but this is where she belongs. Simon: Thinks meeting Miley was really good for her, especially image-wise. He still thinks country might be her lane since they would be loyal to her but having said that it was a good performance. Contestant#9: Casey James. In Ryan stool chat Casey says he's going to try to push himself more onstage. Song: "The Power of Love," Huey Lewis. He tells Miley he's a big fan of her dad. She tells him to make eye contact with the audience. Performance: He starts it with some nice quick riffs. he gives it a little southern blues bounce. He skips the bridge sadly but he does a solid job. Randy: Says he's probably the best musician they've had on the show. Didn't love the song choice but thought he did well. Ellen: Calls it the best vocal of the night. Kara: She says he's on another level and ready to make an album, she tells him to stay in his zone. Simon: Says it's not personal but he doesn't know what Kara's talking about because it was old-fashioned and that it was like listening to an '80s cover band and he didn't do anything interesting with it. Contestant #10: Didi Benami Song: "You're No Good," Linda Ronstadt. Miley likes her vibrato. Miley admits that she too gets nervous a little before going onstage. Miley tells her to go even better. Didi hopes to overcome her nerves. Performance: She slows it down to start with acoustic guitar and bass and makes it a little torchy. She gets into the lyrics and gives disapproving faces to her invisible bad man. She looks great and sounds mostly good too. Randy: Loved the idea of it and the outfit but that it was never quite on pitch. Ellen: Is confused by the song choices tonight including this one. Kara: Felt like she was playing a character and it left her confused. Simon: Thought it was ironic that she was screeching "you're no good." She says it was like a bad part of the musical. She says she wanted to do something different and have fun and she did. Contestant #11: Siobhan Magnus Song: "Superstition," Stevie Wonder. Miley is a big fan. She admits she's rocked out to Miley. Miley tells her to bring her swagger out even more. Siobhan thinks it's wicked cool that Miley thinks she has swagger. Performance: She puts her own little sass on it and sounds great. She does a little scatting and screaming that veer off pitch but she's adorable. Randy: Thinks she's fearless and thought she was great. Ellen: Loves her. Kara: Doesn't think it was her best performance but loves that she expresses herself and thinks her final notes are amazing. Simon: Thinks viewers will be split, some will like it and others won't. He's not sure about the singing and then screaming and half-jokes maybe she should start with the screaming at the beginning next week and then go softer. He thinks she didn't hit the high notes near as well as she did previously. He tells the whole field to start pushing themselves because he wasn't very excited by tonight's show from a relevant recording artist standpoint.