When you consider the odds of making it to the top 32 and the top 12 it is amazing that anyone would make it this far. But you must also consider that out of the 70,000 people who auditioned that they are bound to find someone with the "It Factor".
My Pick: I am a big fan of the older women who made it to the top 32 and some who didn't like Lisa Leuschner, Katie Webber, Liz Letendre, Nicole Tieri ect. However I am going to vote for Diana because I think she has earned the title of American Idol with her endless energy. I am supporting Fantasia Barrino however I don't find her very appealing and just in case some one reading this might think race, last year I gave all my support to Kimberly Locke and Frenchie Davis. In my opinion Fantasia Barrino Just doesn't have that "It".
Based on the past results I am willing to bet that Diana DeGarmo wins next week the 26th of May 2004. If she doesn't and Fantasia Barrino wins then I believe the only difference will be a title since both will most likely get record contracts immediately. One wish to Diana: Please don't change your genre like some others have until you publish some of the music that you are known for now.
Best of luck to both of you and best of luck to everyone from the top 32 and top 12.
Scott Meenen
I noticed now that there is a 10 year difference between Diana DeGarmo (16) and Latoya London (26) if I am not mistaken, this represents a major difference in demographics of the audience. I cant help but wonder if they need a show that takes off where American Juniors cuts off and ends at 20 or 21 and goes up to 30 since the huge rift in voting that happened when Jennifer Hudson got voted off.
We now have "American Juniors meets Junior High" (Please pass this phrase around). I am not a fan of raising the age limit on the show but maybe the producers should try to cater to an older audience otherwise the show will become the joke that it has. Last year we had strong players like Ruben Studdard, Kimberley Locke, and even Clay Aiken appeals to an older audience. This years we have what Simon Cowell himself has referred to as "a bunch of trying to sing like adults". I have nothing but support for John Stevens and Diana DeGarmo but I think that they are too old for American Juniors and too young for American Idol. As a result many of the younger members of the audience who have the time and energy have devoted themselves to voting for their age group and diluted the voting by older viewers who would vote for the stronger players such as Latoya London, Jennifer Hudson George huff and Fantasia Barrino. As a result the show is now a big joke in my opinion and will never gain an older audience unless they change the structure. If you look at the age window they go from 16 to 24 which is almost a 10 year window and a huge window as far as demographics. I mentioned this situation early on and in some ways it came true. See below.
This is going to be interesting.
Scott
I am tentatively scheduled to do an interactive interview with Lisa Leuschner from Santa Cruz Ca. If you want to send any questions please feel free. The only rules are that you can't try to influence the rest of the 2004 season or "bash" any contestant that you don't feel belongs in the top 12 or the Summer Tour.
I did this interview on the 15th of April. You can read my take and thanks to everyone by going to this page which I devoted to it and may update from time to time.
This week was Elton John week. My understanding is that his songs are very hard to sing well, it was a given that the contestants would either do very well or go down in flames. This week the winners are George Huff, Latoya London and Jennifer Hudson. The other did terrible according to all 3 judges. Even Elton John said during rehearsals that these songs are very difficult and many may have a very hard time or do outstanding. My vote this week goes to George Huff, I think he has staying power. Although I would still like to meet Jennifer Hudson and Latoya London.
I am looking forward to seeing them all on Tour as long as there are no sudden surprises like we had last year with Corey Clark. I wish there was a way that some of the final 32 could go on a Mall tour or something like that.
I would like to see some of the top 32 and some who didn't make it to the 32 do some of their own music by self publishing. I may get into trouble for mentioning this: with the cost of recording equipment dropping through the floor, just about anyone can record their own music in fantastic quality and publish it using the web. Ask me if you have any questions how to do this.
I watched the last episode which was "Motown Night" and while the band was fantastic I just wasn't blown away by the quality of the performances. I thought Amy Adams should have sung another song other than "Dancing In The Streets" and the producers should have saved that for a group performance.
I can make no predictions as to who might win or get voted off this season. However unlike last year where I was rooting for a whole bunch of the top 10, this year I just do seem too enthused. Out of the top 10 I would like to meet Amy Adams (yes I think she is hot). The rest don't seem to do much for me. One fan from Massachusetts wrote me and said Fantasia Barrino "sounded like a dishwasher". That was too funny.
Fans of Lisa Leuschner take note: I have put in an informal request to interview her. I will keep you posted if anything happens. I am also about to send a request to interview Matt Rogers and /or Leah LaBelle aka Leah Vladowski. If I get an interview with Leah I may have a younger assistant do the interview. Depending on who gets voted off today I may add them to the request list.
Scott
Greetings everyone. IT'S BAAAAAK!!! Welcome to the 2004 season of American Idol and in the words of Simon Cowell "what the hell was that?" What I wrote below is my first impressions of the auditions. Some of this is subject to change (and has) as time goes on.
The first stop is New York city and in the Words of Simon Cowell: Everyone in New York seems to have an attitude (bad attitude that is). Well almost everyone. I saw some of the worst singers I have ever seen and not much improvement in Atlanta and Houston. Unless they are changing the way the show is presented they must either be tapping out all the talent there is or redoing the show to show the worst of the worst. Whatever, it is scary.
Out of New York city that looks promising is Michael Keown who sang Unchained Melody (Simon's Favorite) and did it perfect is my pick to win or at least be the next Clay Aiken, not. Leah a.k.a. Leah LaBelle did well and I predict that she will at least make it to the semifinals and maybe the top 10, Simon Cowell was quoted that he "didn't care for her voice", what I interpret that to mean is that Simon personally doesn't find her voice appealing but wouldn't contend that she is a bad singer. Nicole Tieri aka "Scooter Girl" will either come in in the top 5 or go down in flames, but not through her doing. There is something lovable about her. If Simon likes her and says that she could possibly win then either he is nuts or we are missing something. Either way I am putting in a request to get an interview with her. See above.
Honorable mention: I thought Private Martha was cute and if we can't have her on the show I think it would be nice to watch her perform some more. Just my opinion. "Scat girl" aka Jacqueline Roman, "oh my God..." Randy informs us that Scat singing is an old type of Jazz that is sung with out words. What he doesn't tell us is that the other meaning of the word Scat is Shit! That is what she sounded like and all three just about freaked out. If she had just sang a song with words then she may have made it through with flying colors. Maybe we will never know.
Atlanta: Atlanta Georgia will go down in AI history as the the city that brought us Vanessa Olivarez (I love you Vanessa) and The Keith!!! Who was dubbed by Simon as possibly the worst singer in the World. Was the Curse of Keith gone from Atlanta (Ryan Seacrest). Apparently not...
If you think New York was bad then you should see Atlanta, I don't even want to get Started on Houston Tx but I will save that. Out of most of the prospective in Atlanta we did get a few: A girl with Red hair, Amy Adams (thank you Vanessa) and a tall preachers daughter. This is going to be interesting. and Paula found a friend in Alan Ritchson!!!! Who in my opinion if the girls do most of the voting will be the next winner.
Houston Tomorrow. In a phrase: "Houston, We have a problem" (Simon Cowell and Ryan Seacrest)
I watched the auditions from Houston. unless they are holding out the good talent in the words of Simon it was "dreadful". It seems like they are running out of all the good Talent. At least in Austin last year they had some really good talent even if they didn't make it to the top 32. I do remember Kimberley Caldwell and Katherine Edmonson, love you both.
For this year they had some really
rough weather (this was in the summer) and while the storm was raging outside
it seemed to curse the contestants inside. The one girl was scaring Randy,
It seemed the more she tried to sing the worse the weather got outside.
Paula came down with the Flu halfway through the competition leaving the
contest to Simon and Randy.
At one point someone who was quite
good came in (I believe it was Elizabeth LeTendre) and After singing for
about 15 seconds Simon said "you are through to the next round", just like
that.
Later LA and San Francisco. Followed by Hawaii.
Sorry but I have not been keeping up with the show but I just watched the results show that gave us the final 32 and I am sick. I cant believe they let Nicole Tieri aka "Scooter Girl" go. I pictured her in the top 10. I don't think we have seen the last of "Scooter Girl" If they bring her back in the "Wild Card" show. I predict that in July and August of 2004 we will be seeing her on the Tour. If I am not mistaken: Clay Aiken got the boot from the final 32 and Paula put him back in via the Wildcard Show.
Just in case I don't update this page anymore this season here were my picks for the top 10 that I would like to see on Tour this summer, based on the performances that I have seen so far. Including those cut from the top 32:
My picks for the top 10 based on
those available from the current (as of Feb. 10th 2004) top 32:
If I was several years younger
and got the chance to take any of the ladies out to dinner I would choose:
Well Camile Velasco and Matt made it through. Nothing against Camile Velasco but I would have liked to see Lisa Leuschner go through and I would not be disappointed with Marisa Joy. Why can we have a top 12 from the 32 and add the Wild cards.
The group from next week is going to be sad because based on what I have seen from the Auditions I would like to see that group alone go on Tour and I would be happy. My money is on Elizabeth LeTendre and Amy Adams. To perform on Feb. 24th 2004. As a result Latoya London came out of nowhere and blew the competition away. While they can only put through 2 to the top 10, I would still like to see Elizabeth LeTendre go through with the Wild Cards, as well as Nicole Tieri.
Message to Elizabeth LeTendre: I thought you were fantastic singing "I want to Dance With Somebody", I caught my self yelling "go girl, go!!!". If you don't make it back on the show, please buy some recording equipment and publish your own material. I would also like to do an interview with you of you are available. Thanks.
Like I said I wouldn't be disappointed if they took group 3 add Camile Velasco, Marisa Joy, Katie Webber and Matt Rogers and just sent them out on Tour now. dream on.
I want to remind everyone that even though there is only going to be one winner of the competition, the whole Top 10 (or 12) will go on tour and we will be seeing them throughout the next few months. It would be very boring if they were to just tally the votes after the final group of 8 and declare a winner. Part of the allure of the show is to see many people perform, not just the winner.
Scott
Continued at top
Thanks to The Raging Critic for some wacky insight and names...
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