January 16, 2007

"American Idol" is back.

Are you watching?

ADDED: No simulblogging tonight. Just a quote for now, from a kid who was crying over not getting through to Hollywood:
Jason, you're 16 years old...

16 years old and I want to start out famous.

MORE: Here's a story about Denise Jackson, the Madison 16-year-old who described herself as a "crack baby."

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Curses! No House tonight, then.

This is the best and worst part of American Idol for me. I'm entertained by the tryouts - the good and the bad. But I get uncomfortable watching these people make fools of themselves. I often can't sit still and watch an entire auditions show. I just squirm as they get skewered.

Oh well... I should be working and writing anyway.

Anonymous said...

I always forget how utterly uncomfortable the auditions are to watch. But I loved Perla.

vbspurs said...

Quick! Chewbaka is singing!

Cheers,
Victoria

Anonymous said...

I'm watching with my wife and daughter. The ones who know going in that they have no chance (Urban Amish comes to mind) and still perform knowing that they are going to get ridiculed - well - they are much braver than I am. I guess they don't mind all of America laughing at them.

I wish House was on.

Mom said...

Quite painful, so far.

vbspurs said...

Are those toilet plungers?

Cheers,
Victoria

Maxine Weiss said...

No.

Never.

vbspurs said...

Question:

Is Paula somewhat browbeaten by Jewell?

She has disappeared, personality-wise. She also seems uncharasteristically MEAN this year. Does she suspect that Jewell is her replacement?

Didn't like Jewell today, until she busted out with,

"You need to go to boot camp to survive Simon"

Hehe.

Cheers,
Victoria

Anonymous said...

For the first time ever, yes.

All credit (blame?) for this goes to Althouse.

We have TiVO, so that will make it more bearable. The combination of the glass of red I had after dinner and their use of "Baba O'Reilly" has put me in a good mood. But I'm not sure how long that will last. We'll see; my husband's just fast- forwarded through the first set of ads...

Joe said...

Painful doesn't describe how bad it is. Even the one person they passed through was terrible. Of course, the producers know that and do this every year. It gets very tedious.

vnjagvet said...

17 got through in the Twin Cities.... Out of how many?

Hunter McDaniel said...

No need for me to watch. That's what we have you for.

Chris Althouse Cohen said...

Lots of really "good" bad auditions, but no one who went through was good enough for me to want to root for them. Other times I've watched the auditions, there have been people I wanted to see win just based on their audition. Jennifer Hudson was like that for me. There needs to be a better mix of good and bad.

Ruth Anne Adams said...

I want to see what our humble blogger writes about the young lady from Madison. Also: the young man whose parents failed to show up and barely believed he made it to the next level. I wonder if Althouse will shed a tear for that moment.

vnjagvet said...

Had Jason not juggled, he might have done better. Juggling does not improve breath control or pitch.

vbspurs said...

Ruth Anne:

I thought the Madison, WI girl had the best voice, and I see her as a potential finalist!

Oh, did you mean another humble blogger? :)

Olivia1 wrote:

Watching Idol was a little extra personal for me tonight because said Jason is a great nephew that I spent some time with this summer. ( Juggling those crystal sticks is a lot tougher than it looks.)

Aww, man. I feel rotten now about the toilet plunger snipe.

It must be tough to be Simon. :)

Sorry about the outcome, Olivia. If you say he's a good kid, you oughta know, I reckon.

All in all, this was a pretty weak bunch, so when I found out 17 had made it through (not having watched many seasons before -- in reality, I'm watching because Ann shanghai'ed me last night ;), I was a little astonished.

Who was it that said they didn't like the audition rounds, and only got into it in the elimination ones?

Well, as I mentioned last night to Ann, I'm the exact opposite.

I'm always hoping I'll be around when the next William Hung is auditioning.

She bangs! She bangs!

Priceless.

Cheers,
Victoria

vbspurs said...

P.S. Ruth Anne, about the kid whose parents didn't support him, because of financial issues (WTF).

I can't tell you how much I felt for the kid, and my mother and I were so rooting for him.

"Oh God. Let him have a good voice, please."

We were very happy when it turned out he did.

And that call to his mother on the cell...wow.

Very emotional. Very real. And now I know why you lot like American Idol.

"24" may be great, but nothing beats the reality of life.

Cheers,
Victoria

vbspurs said...

That's what many don't get, it's real. It's a chance to change a person's lot in life in a big way.

I know some people may scoff, Larry, like when you see the persons who go to the auditions just to (a) exchange banter with Simon or (b) just say they once were in front of the panel (c) try to see if they could be so silly, they appear on telly.

But to the ones who are there, with mediocre-to-good voices...well, I could tell it meant the world to them.

I haven't decided which is the more emotional for me -- seeing the mediocre voices told they have no talent.

Or the life-transforming joy of the ones who go through.

Good stuff, this. Not sure how much I will watch, but I was happy to have watched it. Thanks Ann.

Cheers,
Victoria