American Idol - Top 11 (March 23 and 24th)

[pollyanna]

This article seems to indicate Matt would have finished in 7th place.

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/160...t-giraud.jhtml

Though he didn't appear to win them over with his singing Wednesday night, there's clearly something about the Justin Timber-alike from Kalamazoo that continues to speak to the four panelists, who only had two weeks left to use the save before it ran out. The bad news? That means two contestants have to go home next week.

[taf2002]

I just finished watching my Tivo since I had bridge tonight. I'm very disappointed that Thia wasn't the one with the least votes. But I'm glad that all 11 are going on tour since the save was used. I've been voting for Naima but now that she made the tour I think I'll go back to watching & not voting. And I may go to the tour for once if it comes near me. So many of these 11 are really talented & should be even better by tour time.

I loved how everyone was dressed tonight. All the girls looked beautiful but I thought Haley had the prettiest dress & I loved her hair. Also loved Naima's halter dress. And I like Lauren's smooth 'do.

[cailuj365]

So if Thia wasn't the one who went home, then what was with that picture?

[Jayar]

So if Thia wasn't the one who went home, then what was with that picture?

She's in it... she's behind another contestant. You can see her hair.

[rfisher]

Casey is very talented, but he's really a niche performer. He's not going to appeal to the tweens and if he gets too quirky, he'll lose the older woman vote. Those are the two biggest voting blocks. He needs to dial back the growls, and OTT performance and just sing. He can cavort and do all that later. Frankly, I feel the same way about Naima. Except when she just sings, she's not that good. Casey is not going to be a pop star. Wrong look, wrong vocals. But, he can do well in other genres but he needs to learn a lesson from this.

And, I'll say the same for Scott. He has a future in country music, but he needs a real mentor on stage presence and changing things around a bit. He's making some rooky mistakes and I hope they don't cost him down the road. Sometimes it's easy to forget how young most of the cast is this year.

[Rob]

I think its great they used it so all 11 can go on tour. I wasn't surprised that Casey would be the first man out because he doesn't bring the cute or hot factors, but I was surprised that he would go out before Thia, who hasn't had a really strong performance, and Haley was bottom 3 two weeks in a row.

[taf2002]

Naima has the least vocal talent of the girls (but way much more than Paul) but she & Pia are the best at knowing exactly what to do with what they have. But I think she has the best stage presence of all the girls & most of the boys (dancing aside). Pia, Thia, & Jacob just stand in front of the mike, Scotty, Paul, & Haley are awkward. James & Lauren are pretty good, but IMO Casey & Naima are the most natural on stage.

And her voice is much better than many successful recording stars. Miley Cyrus came on the radio last night & I was struck again how awful her voice is. I hadn't heard it in a while. I know Naima is not everyone's cup of tea but I think she is unique & refreshing & I like her dancing even though I've seldom been exposed to African dance before.

[algonquin]

I enjoyed Jennifer Hudson's performance last night. I am sure if I like the song, but I enjoyed how she performed it. Was she that strong of a performer when she was on AI or has that talented developed with her acting roles? She showed a real connection to the words of the song, not just the notes of the song, and that was exactly what the judges asked from Stefano and Pia. I wonder if they took noticed?

[Aceon6]

I enjoyed Jennifer Hudson's performance last night. I am sure if I like the song, but I enjoyed how she performed it. Was she that strong of a performer when she was on AI or has that talented developed with her acting roles? She showed a real connection to the words of the song, not just the notes of the song, and that was exactly what the judges asked from Stefano and Pia. I wonder if they took notes.

She was pretty good at it from the start, but I agree that her performance ability has improved.

[cailuj365]

Speaking of performance ability, Adam Lambert's Glam Nation Live CD/DVD is out! VEVO has been promoting it on Youtube for a few days now. You can watch six of the songs on Youtube here. If you're an Adam fan, I recommend checking it out. He gives a fun show, and I'm really glad that it was recorded and released for the public. The CD/DVD is available at stores, iTunes or his official website.

Naima has the least vocal talent of the girls (but way much more than Paul) but she & Pia are the best at knowing exactly what to do with what they have. But I think she has the best stage presence of all the girls & most of the boys (dancing aside). Pia, Thia, & Jacob just stand in front of the mike, Scotty, Paul, & Haley are awkward. James & Lauren are pretty good, but IMO Casey & Naima are the most natural on stage.

And her voice is much better than many successful recording stars. Miley Cyrus came on the radio last night & I was struck again how awful her voice is. I hadn't heard it in a while. I know Naima is not everyone's cup of tea but I think she is unique & refreshing & I like her dancing even though I've seldom been exposed to African dance before.

ITA. Pia has a great voice, but I really wish she would do something other than stand in front of the mike and belt out another ballad.

[Aceon6]

My favorite performer has to be Pink. Talk about a combination of voice and performance ability! Of course, it helps to be a former competitive gymnast.

[BigB08822]

I just don't see why they can't send all 13 on the tour. I know they have time constraints but seriously, 13 make the finals so why is it that only 10 of those (11 this time) go on tour? If you can't send 13 on tour then don't have a final 13. It is a real slap in the face and a heartbreak. They are every bit as much of a finalist as someone who finishes 8th. It is almost like the first round of live shows is actually the semi finals and when we get to the top 10 we have our actual final rounds begin.

[cailuj365]

My favorite performer has to be Pink. Talk about a combination of voice and performance ability! Of course, it helps to be a former competitive gymnast.

YES, I love Pink. Her "Glitter In The Air" performance at the Grammys last year is miles better than any of the big, staged performances by the other pop stars.

I just don't see why they can't send all 13 on the tour. I know they have time constraints but seriously, 13 make the finals so why is it that only 10 of those (11 this time) go on tour? If you can't send 13 on tour then don't have a final 13. It is a real slap in the face and a heartbreak. They are every bit as much of a finalist as someone who finishes 8th. It is almost like the first round of live shows is actually the semi finals and when we get to the top 10 we have our actual final rounds begin.

It's probably also financial limitations too. An extra three performers is another extra three people that they would have to pay and accommodate on the tour. Also, the Idols concert is 3 hours long, and it gets kind of tedious in the beginning. The majority of people don't care about the first few performers, which is why they went quickly. It's not until like the top three where the excitement level really starts to build.

[WindSpirit]

First of all, George Huff's in the da house! Love him. I wish he would have sung (not as a backup singer).

Poor Casey, his hands were shaking so bad. I thought he was going to collapse. Ryan thought so too, I guess. Lots of bleeped words. I guess he lost it a little. But then he regained his composure and that made me laugh:

Casey: I started singing and the fact that you cut it scared the... stuff out of me.
Ryan: I can guess what the stuff is. We know.



I'm glad they saved him and I liked the way they did it, too. I hope people are going to vote for Casey some more. He won't win, but he deserves to outlast a few others. Those two clips someone posted earlier are exactly the reasons I began to like him. When he started to sing his last song before the save I was thinking, "Noooo, you should be singing Georgia On My Mind!"

Anyway, everyone's talking Casey this, Thia that... What about freaking Stefano? He completely blew it. He deserved to go home. And don't even start me on Paul, the snake oil salesman.

[PeterG]

And don't even start me on Paul, the snake oil salesman.

Darn it. Are snake oil salesman back on the "not" list?

I wasn't surprised that Casey would be the first man out because he doesn't bring the cute or hot factors...

He's no Jacob, that's for sure.

[Allskate]

He's no Jacob, that's for sure.

I'm sure there are people who find him cute or hot. There definitely are people who find Casey hot.

Last night's ending was very scripted, except for Casey's part in it. The guy was visibly shaking and I thought he looked like he was ready to hurl on stage. That was one heck of a wake-up call. I hope he heard what the judges said, though it would have been more amusing if Casey had asked them why they didn't say those things before.

I hope they show more of Mark Anthony in the future. He was amusing.

The guys in the house really are like little boys. The wrestling bit was I don't know how long I could take living with them. My theory is that the girls made up the haunting story so that they could get living quarters separate from the guys.

[Jayar]

My favorite performer has to be Pink. Talk about a combination of voice and performance ability! Of course, it helps to be a former competitive gymnast.

And every single one of her songs is so strong in terms of story. She knows the story and sells it. I don't think she sings songs, she sings anthems. I am very quickly falling in love with her these days. Something about her just sells it. I would <3 for someone to do a remake of the movie Tank Girl and cast her as the lead, but this time the movie is a little more... umm... serious.

[taf2002]

I just don't see why they can't send all 13 on the tour. I know they have time constraints but seriously, 13 make the finals so why is it that only 10 of those (11 this time) go on tour? If you can't send 13 on tour then don't have a final 13. It is a real slap in the face and a heartbreak. They are every bit as much of a finalist as someone who finishes 8th. It is almost like the first round of live shows is actually the semi finals and when we get to the top 10 we have our actual final rounds begin.

The judges pick the top 13. America picks the top 10(11). How likely is it that America is going to buy Ashthon's or Karen's music? They send on tour the performers America wants to see.

I hope they show more of Mark Anthony in the future. He was amusing.

Me too.

The guys in the house really are like little boys. The wrestling bit was I don't know how long I could take living with them. My theory is that the girls made up the haunting story so that they could get living quarters separate from the guys.

The wrestling bit really turned me off but I got my hair cut today (I look fabulous btw) & the receptionist is a teenager & she was eating up that stuff. Also she & her friends think Scotty is cute which made me . yeah, Alfred E Newman/Howdy Doody is really cute.

[BigB08822]

A combination of America and the judges chose the top 13. However the top 10 may include all or none of the judges 3 picks. So I don't see how it should be the ones America choses, as some of the initial top 10 they chose may go home in places 13-11 and therefore not make the tour. They're all finalists, it just seems cruel to me, that is all.

I don't buy the excuse about money, AT ALL. Do you have any idea how much money AI is making? From advertisements, from the tour itself, from album and single sales? It is a huge money making machine and they could do all 13 if they wanted. That is not going to be the deciding factor between the tour breaking even or not, not even close. If it is, the tour should be canceled altogether.

[Aceon6]

A combination of America and the judges chose the top 13. However the top 10 may include all or none of the judges 3 picks. So I don't see how it should be the ones America choses, as some of the initial top 10 they chose may go home in places 13-11 and therefore not make the tour. They're all finalists, it just seems cruel to me, that is all.

In my opinion, this is the first season that all of the 13 were capable of touring. In the past, there have always been a couple of people who either 1) couldn't sing, 2) couldn't learn songs, and/or 3) couldn't perform songs. Dropping to the top 10 gives them a chance to drop the dead wood.