Hi all! Thanks for visiting this site, but I have decided to move my American Idol recaps this season to my All About American Idol blog on blogspot. If you get a chance to go look and you are interested in reading about the recaps of the episodes throughout this seaon, stop by and say hello :). I hope we get some great talent this year!
In the two hour premiere of America’s Next Top Model, Cycle 11, we got to see the judges narrow down their initial semi-final group of 30 down to just 14 finalists. I would take the time to mention the 16 girls who went home in the first hour, but why bother? Unless one of them pulls a Jaslene and ends up winning next year’s show, we’ll probably never see them again. And let me say, Kacey is the main one I wouldn’t want to see again! Have you ever seen a more rude and judgmental contestant on this show? She was awful, and I was cheering when she cried at the end of the first hour saying, “I’m so confused!”
After the semi-final eliminations, the episode got down to business, with the 14 girls moving to their new house in LA. Of course, they all screamed and bonded over how fabulous they all are. Then, they mostly ganged up on Isis, the show’s first transgender contestant. After a million questions, they finally broke off into groups. Clark and Hanna immediately made me dislike them as they huddled in a corner and talked about how “Isis has no business on this show.” I wanted to scream at the TV… how could you possibly say that you are a better judge of that than Tyra is? McKey, however, made a friend in me when she befriended Isis in the pool. I’m sure that Isis has lived a life of confusion and prejudice for a long time, and for her to appear in front of the whole reality TV watching world and be confident and go after her dreams, is something that is truly inspiring.
The rest of the episode consisted of what we’ve come to expect from top model… an interesting fashion shoot. Oh, and for the first time, each model got a face to face with each of the panel judges. You would think they would have put their best foot forward and make the most of that rare opportunity. Right away, Sharaun earmarked herself for disaster by boldly and snobbily declaring to each judge, “Hi, I’m Sharaun, and I am America’s Next Top Model.” I could practically see a bubble over Paulina’s head saying, “I’ll be the judge of that.”
Now, getting back to the photo-shoot. This year’s first shoot was about voting, which is a very appropriate topic what with the recent nomination of our first African American candidate on a major party ticket and the first female VP candidate for Republicans. The 2008 election is a historic event in our country, and Tyra feels passionately that it is our responsibility to vote. Here! Here!
Each girl got to portray a different reason to vote: Health Care, Military, Education, Beaurocracy (which, by the way, Clark who was given this topic had no clue what it meant. The red tape behind her in the shoot gave her a hint, but she still looked totally lost on her film. Is anyone else already voting for her to head home soon? Me!!) Some of the best ones in front of the camera were Joslyn, whom Jay declared “Tyra hot” and Marjorie, who somehow overcame her nerves to bring out a fierce shot, as well as Brittany, the half black, half Native American beauty, and Isis, who was bravely able to tune out the assholes behind her saying all kinds of ugly and derogatory things and pull off an amazing shot. The worst of the bunch this week were Clark and Sharaun. The only thing that saved Clark from the final two was the fact that Nikeysha couldn’t keep her trap shut in front of the judges and kept interrupting to give excuses for why her shot wasn’t fantastic. And we all know how this panel reacts to excuses… you end up in the bottom 2. Everyone else, just kind of skated by and didn’t make too much of an impression on me. Oh wait! I forgot to mention hoochy Harlem girl, Sheena. She is Asian, talks black, and is Sexy with a capital S. I think we’ll see better things from her in the future. Elina was also beautiful in her picture, but I think she can do better.
In the end, Sharaun was sent packing. She fell to the floor sobbing, but Tyra just told her that she wasn’t real, and a model has to be real. I’m not sure where last year’s winner Whitney fits in there, because she was consistently pretty fake in panel and on camera, but I won’t go there. Whitney has a beauty that Sharaun just doesn’t have. I wonder if Sharaun was watching tonight and saying, “Oh god, why did I have to say I was gonna win so many times?”
I am definitely looking forward to this season, because I think there are a lot of girls this year who take amazing photographs. There are some unique and beautiful faces, and I can’t wait to see what craziness Tyra comes up with for their photo shoots. Hey, nothing can be as bad as the water baby fiasco from Cycle 10! Be sure to check back here for commentary. Also, there is a great blog over at www.antmrecaps.blogspot.com with all the fine details of the episode and all the dirt on the girls as we go through the season.
Yay!!! With a lead of 12 million votes, David Cook has been crowned the Season 7 winner of American Idol!! After watching a star-studded and emotional 2 hour concert event at the Nokia Theater, Ryan announced the winner, but as Simon said moments before the results were read, “For the first time, i don’t really care who wins because you are both winners.” How true.
We are always hearing about how American Idol is first and foremost a singing competition, and the final 2 this year proved time and time again that they had the vocal chops to earn the title. David Archuleta certainly sang his heart out last night and most of the season, but in the end, it was David Cook who came out on top. I think that it ultimately came down to variety. Where David Archuleta could never really deliver anything amazing beyond a beautiful vocal ballad, David Cook proved that he could go anywhere from uptempo to ballad to rock to broadway without missing a beat. I think that it is also appropriate that on the first season ever to allow instruments, the winner was a guitar player. Sure, we heard Little David play the piano once or twice, but David Cook it truly at home with both the acoustic and electric guitars we have gotten used to seeing him play.
Thank you for checking out this site this season and reading my recaps. I have really enjoyed the show and writing about it. What a great season! Seeing the final 12 perform a George Michael medley of songs towards the end of the show tonight brought back memories of so many amazing performances from this season. It really made me sad when I saw Chikezie up there because I had almost forgotten how amazing he could be. With a few different song choices, it easily could have been him up there in the top 3 or 4 of the season, but so much of Idol is about song choice and about playing the right cards at the right time. Seeing Carly and Michael Johns also made me smile because they are two of my favorite AI contestants of all time, and I think they will go far in their careers if given a chance.
So, David Cook. From word nerd to American Idol. The season ended with his performance of the winning song “Time of My Life”. I thought that it was an awesome song and he sounded amazing singing it. I can’t wait to hear it on the radio and to hear his first album. Great season everyone!! I look forward to the music you all will be making in the years to come, keep it up!!! Congratulations David Cook!!!
The Nokia Theater was packed as the two remaining contestants gave it their all in a head to head… boxing match? Hmm.. okay. I don’t know about you, but I thought the whole boxing analogy was pretty lame, and what was up with the boxing expert who kept delivering over-the-top obvious statements like “In a competition between two people, there can only be one winner.” Wow, thanks for that amazing observation, because I thought they could both win. You really cleared it up with your boxing expertise.
But in the end, the night was mainly about the two David’s who have captivated America since the beginning. Even though everyone kept talking all night about how they were going head to head and still competing and how they each needed to give it their all in order to win… I would venture to say that most of us already knew who we were voting for before the sound of the first bell. There was not really anything either of them could do to change my mind about who I like best (Cook, ftw), short of completely giving up or forgetting all the words.
I thought it was funny also that Ryan announced in the beginning that they were battling over a “title reserved only for superstars.” Has he already forgotten about Taylor Hicks and that awful performance from Fantasia last week? The past has shown that Idol does not make you a superstar by default. It just gives you a good jumping off point, but there is so much more to it that instant superstar status. Anyway, moving on to the performances.
Round One – Clive Davis Choices
David Cook was given the U2 song “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” and I thought it was excellent! He looked like he was so comfortable and easygoing on a night where nerves and tension has to be running high. He is already a rock star in the way he presents himself, and I think he’s one of the best contestants ever on American Idol to be honest. The judges like it okay. I honestly had to rewind my recording after the show to make sure I had heard Randy right when he announced that it was a good way to start off the “Duel of 2007.” What? Isn’t it 2008? Randy had a total Paula moment there and someone should have called him out on it. Simon said it was phenomenal, and it produced chills for Paula.
David Archuleta’s song was “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me.” by Elton John. Are you kidding me that they are really giving him this over-done song? I have to admit that he did an amazing job on it, but it’s been done on AI at least 3 or 4 times already. Did we really need to hear it again? Everyone seemed to think it was his best performance ever and Simon announced that Round 1 goes to DA. Randy thought it was “molten hot”. I thought it was pretty darn good, but it was so predictably the only kind of song that this kid can shine on, if you know what I mean.
Round 2 – Songwriting Competition
David Cook chose a song called “Dream Big” which was a pretty good song, I thought. He got raked over the coals for the song not having that “This is my Moment Where I win and Cry” kind of feel to it, but I don’t think that winning kind of song fits him anyway. Plus it must be tough to come out after hearing that your competition was better according to the judges. Especially after he really did an awesome job first round. Simon thought it was a “lightweight” performance. He was really getting into the boxing analogy, let me tell ya. Randy thought he sang his face off, and Paula was mesmerized. We also got another classic Paula comment when she tried defending David by saying “And it wasn’t the winning song…. Was it?” Um… Paula? How much do you get paid to be so clueless?
David Archuleta chose “In This Moment” which, from the title alone, you can tell it’s more the type of song traditionally done in the finale. it wasn’t great though, to be honest. It was a sweet ballad, but it didn’t give me chills or anything. Nothing can really beat the “Moment Like This” song from season 1 and the way Kelly Clarkson performed it. Randy was not crazy about the song, but as he’s mentioned a million times in the past, “you could sing the phone book, it was another hot one.” He needs some new comments. Paula said he was in the zone and Simon declared him the Round 2 winner.
Round 3 – Competitor’s Choice
David Cook chose the Collective soul song “The World I Know”. He was up on stage looking amazing in all black with a red tie, his acoustic guitar strapped on, and his voice in top shape. He slowed it down and reminded us that he is a great arranger and able to always bring something new to the table. He really put some nice turns in it and built the song up graduatlly. If his goal was to prove that he is a contemporary recording artist, then he really did it tonight. I thought it was a perfect performance and that he showed us three different kind of songs and three amazing vocals. Randy agreed that he showed different sides of himself. Paula said, “You are up there standing in your truth.” which I thought was actually very poetic. She praised him for his originality all season. Simon said he was the nicest, most sincere contestant they have ever had, but that he chose the wrong song. He should have chosen Billy Jean or Hello or something he did well somewhere along the way. I loved DC’s answer when he said “I was thinking the competition is about progression, so why do something I’ve already done.” Well said.
David Archuleta made a great argument for doing something you’ve already done though, with his choice of his season showstopper, “Imagine”. He added some vocal embellishment over the last time he did it, but it was flawless. He has so much control over his voice and there is no doubt that he is one of the most talented singers in the history of Idol. Simon said that both people had done well all season, but in terms of tonight, DA was a “Knockout”. Ryan had to chime in and say “Well said, Mr. Cowell”, which I’m not sure if he was complimenting Simon’s use of the boxing metaphor or agreeing that Archuleta should win.
Overall, they both did a great job. I think that Archuleta sang three very touching songs and he sang them flawlessly. Tonight was his best performance ever, and if he wins then he truly deserves it. But my vote has to go to David Cook. This season he managed to bring an originality and diversity to the show that no one had ever accomplished before. David Archuleta can sing the hell out of a ballad. He’s proven that time and time again. However, you give him an uptempo song to sing or something more contemporary and pop or rock, and he just can’t deliver. It’s easy listening all the way for him. I think the winner of American Idol should be diverse and able to sing almost anything you throw at them and give it their own personal flavor. David Cook can do that without a doubt.
This has been a great season and thank you for your comments and for reading this blog. One more update as we look to the two hour finale and find out who is crowned this year’s American Idol.
I was half hoping for a major upset on tonight’s American Idol Elimination, but it just wasn’t in the stars for Syesha to make the final two. After last night’s song choices, it was obvious who the producers wanted to go home. David Cook was given a very well known, power house of an Aerosmith song, as well as a stage full of string players and fabulous lighting. How could he go wrong?? Even his off pitch last note couldn’t stop Simon from calling it David’s night. David Archuleta was given a much less show-tastic song from the producers, but it was right up his alley and catered heavily to his over 40 female fan-base. Syesha, on the other hand, was saddled with a song most people have never even heard of, and which did not do her any favors. She didn’t have a chance to wow anyone with that song choice, which is, in my estimation, exactly what the producers wanted.
I was still secretly wishing that she would pull it off, though. Syesha was one of my favorites right from the start, but after she made the top 20’ish, she started to go a bit off-key with a lot of her songs. There were about six weeks there where I just wasn’t convinced she had the vocal chops that she thought she had. Then, about four weeks ago, she came out of nowhere with some amazing song choices and an amazing stage attitude. I think out of everyone this season, she was the most improved vocalist, and she deserved every bit of top 3. Okay, so there is still a part of me that mourns the loss of Carly Smithson and would have loved to see her break top 3, but that’s beside the point.
Before I move on, can I just say what the hell was up with Fantasia’s performance tonight?? Oh my god, I wanted to change the channel. She looked terrible and frankly, she looked trashy. All she did was shout and gyrate in a very abnormal and unattractive way. Simon’s open mouth says it all. WTF?
Moving on to a more pleasant topic, tonight’s elimination show also took us to each of the final 3’s hometown holidays. David Archuleta’s was exactly what you would expect… a bunch of young girls and teenagers, as well as a bunch of 40+ moms and grandmothers screaming their hearts out. He got teary eyed and seemed overwhelmed and just as dazed as he was on day one of the competition. I have to tell you, I don’t quite buy that he’s as blown away by all this as he pretends to be. This kid has been groomed by his orange beret, ugly green shirt, back stage father for exactly this kind of thing since he was a wee tot. He’s done tv performances and pimped his vocal talent from one end of the world to the other. American Idol is just a stepping stone and he already knows that he can sing. I don’t think he’s surprise at all, honestly.
Syesha’s homecoming was very touching, I thought. I was nervous at first that she would pull out the annoying baby cry when a woman in the crowd threw a baby at her, but thank god, she didn’t resort to that again. I think the most touching part of her trip was having her father say that even though he’s struggled with drug and alcohol problems, he is proud of his daughter and that she has given him a reason to stay clean. She was in the limo on the way back to California when she broke down in tears and said “This is my dream and I’m living it.” That felt like such a genuine moment and a tribute to what American Idol can mean to someone’s life.
David Cook seemed the most at-ease with his super-stardom on his trip home to Kansas City. I also think he had the best turn out overall. Did you notice how his crowd was much more diversified than Little David’s? And how sweet was it when he brought flowers to his elementary school music teacher? As a former elementary school music teacher myself, I was honestly touched by the fact that he thought of her and honored her in that way. In fact, just that simple gesture shows that he understands this experience is about so much more than just him. “This is the coolest day of my life.” He said. I wanted to say, yeah, so far… wait till next week.
No shocking final 2 this year on American Idol. David Cook and David Archuleta will face off at the Kodiak theater in what Simon says will be a “real humdinger”. I’m a little nervous to hear what sappy bit of cheese the songwriters have come up with, but I just hope that both David’s get an equal bid at the title. Both of them are talented, but my vote is for David Cook. As for Syesha, hats off to you for a great season and for really stepping up your game and growing throughout the experience. I hope to see you in a major Broadway show soon!
Day 39. The final day on the best Survivor ever! Amanda and Parvati are the last two standing, both equally deserving of the million dollar prize. Walking out to the mailbox, they screamed as they see food and orange juice waiting for them. Both girls have played extremely good games in BOTH seasons that they’ve been on. I think Amanda deserves mad props though for doing two in a row. THe background music is hilarious, though. It’s all sappy strings with a poignant piano line while the girls are talking about this being “the biggest accomplishment of my life.”
It’s nice to see two girls hugging and being happy together at the end as they burn their shelter. In one final “stir the pot” witch on the beach moment, the girls grab their things and head out to fight for the million at the final tribal. Will Amanda speak better than she did in China? For her sake, I certainly hope so.
8 people on the jury. Eliza, Ozzy, Jason, James, Alexis, Erik, Natalie, and Cirie. The final 2 will get to make an opening statement, then each jury member will address the finalists. THen they will vote.
Amanda: I wanted to play a strategic game. I know I wouldn’t be sitting here wihtout help from all of you, so I wanted to say thanks.
Parvati: I came into this with a reputation as a flirt. I knew I had to beat my competition and make bold power plays. Ask me what you want and you will get an honest answer.
Jury Questions:
- Eliza – I have no idea who I’m voting for. I respect Parvati’s move to take out Ozzy, but I can’t respect how you talked about me behind my back. That leads me to believe you are just a mean person. But Amanda, listening to you literally made me want to kill myself because you are too superficial.
- Jason – Amanda, if you had been let in on the decision to vote Ozzy out, would you have told him. “Yes” Parvati, what were you redeeming qualities? “Protectiveness and Loyalty to the ladies I gave my word to”
- Alexis – Parvati, I am passionate about working with young girls. What makes you a better role model. “I am more independent and outspoken. I am more willing to put myself out there and make bold moves, which Amanda didn’t do.” Amanda, I have seen oscar award winning performances from you, like you crying over Cirie. What part of your game has been genuine? “My tears have been genuine. I didn’t come here for sympathy votes.”
- Natalie – Ladies, you have my respect tonight. Parv, you have labeled yourself as a flirt, most masterful flirt in survivor. How does being a flirt parallel to your intimate life? “Being flirtatious is a big part of my personality. It gets me what I want. I flirt with girls and guys to get my way. I can develop relationships without it, but it’s an old standby.” Amanda, you are a smart and beautiful woman, but you have a glazed over look on your face a lot. Was that your plan to be the pageant queen cliche? “Neither, I am a strong woman of substance, but I have made strategic plays and came in here to compete on the highest lvl.”
- Erik – 5 to 6 days ago, I would have been voting for Amanda in this game. As of late, I’m looking at you with a lot of questions. I felt burned at the last two tribals when you were there. What basis did you have to judge me? “Everything I said was honest. You were unloyal to me, and I wasn’t going to keep my mouth shut.” Too little too late, I”m done with I”m sorry from you. (wow, maybe Amanda can’t win this!)
- James – I’m not even going to be difficult. Amanda pretty much knows she’s got this in the bag. I just want to say Parvati, why couldn’t you be honest. “Got you, sucka! There was no chance of me sitting here if I stuck with you and Ozzy and I needed more control.” (He looks really hurt by her.)
- Cirie – Hi ladies. Amanda, tell us why Parvati deserves to win a million dollars more than I did. “Parvati played a bolder game and she was a powerhouse.” (What? Oh god, Amanda, why?? You should have said that you think CIrie deserved it but you had a better chance at beating Parv?)
- Ozzy – I may be the biggest idiot up here. I was truly hurt by what you did to me, Parvati. You put a price on our friendship and threw us away like garbage. It really does hurt. How can you say that you’re a role model when you are willing to discard us like that? I don’t want any words from you. THe hardest part is that you took away 14 days that I could have spent with Amanda (Que strings). He’s crying, omg. Amanda, you asked me if I was playing you, I’m honestly not. I have feelings I’ve never felt before and I have started to fall in love with you. You are an amazing girl and I want everyone to know that. I am glad I didn’t win Cook Islands so that I could be here to meet you.
Jeff: I’m going to give you a moment to think about your vote. Wow. I think more people thought Amanda was fake than I realized. I think she is going to win, though, but I”m almost always wrong about things like this.
“Tonight you are voting for a winner. The name you write down is the name of the person you find most deserving of the title of sole survivor and the million dollar check that goes with it.”
They showed us four of the eight votes. Ozzy and Erik voted for Amanda. Natalie and Alexis voted for Parvati. Alexis’s vote is interesting because she said she wanted a role model for young girls. How does she see a role model in Parvati’s admission that she gets what she wants by manipulating others? Weird.
And Jeff Probst is off! Aww, no crazy cut scenes with him travelling with the votes. Oh well, here they are in NYC for the live decision!! Here are the votes: Parvati. Amanda. Parvati. Amanda. Parvati. Amanda. 3 votes each. Parvati. Parvati. Winner of Survivor: Fans vs. Favorites. I am in shock. I think Amanda deserved it more than Parvati, but really they both played an amazing game. I want to know who the third person was that voted for Amanda. James I would guess, but you can never be sure. I wonder what they would have done if it had been a tie??
In some ways, I think it is only fitting that Parvati wins. She really was behind a lot of those backstabs and blindsides. Congratulations to Parvati on winning what is the very best season of Survivor! I will be so sad come Thursday night when there is no Survivor episode. Let’s hope the next season can get even better. All I can say is that I really hope they bring Amanda back one more time, but she would probably be the first one voted out as a threat. I loved Amanda and I think she played a great game. Good season all and good night!
Tonight is the night!!! I have been thinking about this for the past four days with such anticipation. I have never looked forward to a Survivor Finale as much as this one. It all comes down to Cirie, Amanda, Parvati, and Natalie (the last surviving Fan). The most exciting thing about it is that all four of the remaining players deserve to win. I think I definitely have a couple I am rooting for more than the other two, but I’ll honestly be happy and satisfied no matter who wins. I just can’t wait to see how it plays out.
The episode opens with the four ladies dancing together on the beach, “Final Four!” The cleverly dubbed “Blackwidow Brigade” has set its trap over and over for the men and they have just fallen prey to these women without knowing what hit them. It is awesome to see an all-women final four getting so excited about their victories so far in the game!
Day 37. One day left. I think the women are as surprised at their skills in getting the men out as the guys were. Of course, they blindsided Alexis too, and that was Amanda and Parvati alone that did that, so we can’t forget. The girls seem to be taking care of themselves easily, too, climbing trees for coconuts and using the machete and taking care of their own needs.
In a side moment, Parvati and Natalie expressed their joy at both of them being left in the final four. “We get each other,” says Natalie. Parvati is the only one playing Natalie to make sure that she is taking her to the final two (or three? it’s been three in most seasons of late, but maybe two this time). But will Natalie be the next to go? CIrie seems certain that as long as Natalie does not win this next challenge, she will be the one voted off. After all, CIrie, Amanda and Parv had an alliance set up towards the beginning, so I wonder if they will stay true to each other.
The Immunity Challenge involves filling up a bucket to raise keys in the water, unlock a trunk, assemble a ladder, raise their flag and win. I think this is a repeat also. What happened to the highly creative challenges we used to love? Surely they aren’t running out of ideas this easily?
Natalie is off to a great start and is the first one to grab her key and get into the water. Parvati is quick to follow her. Wow, Amanda is sucking at this. I expect suckage from Cirie on most challenges, but Amanda is usually great at stuff like this. She should be giving 100% at this stage. Amanda is next to go with Cirie following closely behind. Natalie starts assembling her ladder first, but everyone is on their ladder quickly after her. There are 16 rungs and each will only fit on the ladder one way. Amanda might be working faster, but it’s so hard to tell. Sometimes I think they try to make it look closer than it really is just to add to the tension.
Natalie is having a ton of trouble with the ladder puzzle, but Amanda is rocking it. Wow, I was wrong about Amanda not giving it her all. Amanda rocked the puzzle, putting it together before anyone else even got close, and she wins immunity!! Now, who will they vote out? At this point, all that matters is who you think you can beat with the jury. Parvati has pissed off a LOT of those people that are on the jury, so she might be the best one to take with you. Natalie has a group of the “fans” that would probably like to see her win, so she might be a good one to vote out. Then again, she’s pissed off a lot of people. It’s so hard to know who is the best one to vote out.
Back at camp, Natalie knows that she’s the one on the outside, but she’s not giving up without a fight. Amanda and Parvati sneak off on the beach to talk about their vote and it looks like they are concerned about Cirie swaying votes on the jury. One comment from Parv made me laugh. She said “Cirie’s lucky to be with us.” She has no idea how much Cirie has done to get people out. Cirie knows she might be in trouble, but I have to wonder why she was sitting on a log all day looking upset rather than pulling Amanda and Parv off to the side to make sure she was safe with them. That’s what I would have done if I were her.
At tribal council, Natalie seems like she’s taking credit for the blindside. There’s something about her that I don’t like. Wow, Ozzie still looks like he’s holding a grudge. Cirie looks really worried. She made a statement about feeling like she has been at the bottom of the alliance the whole time. Amanda seemed to take offense to that, which I read as her only excuse for voting out Cirie tonight at tribal. I really hate to see Cirie go home, but getting rid of her is probably the best decision right now. She was my pick as the winner from the beginning, so of course I’m sad. Okay, here are the votes. Cirie. Natalie. Natalie. Natalie. Woot!!! Yeah for Cirie!!
Goodbye to Natalie, the last fan standing, but I am soo happy to see the Favorites alliance stick together. That day out on the boat with just those three girls was close to the beginning, and at the time I had little faith that Amanda and Parvati would stick with Cirie above their precious men, but they really did it.
At camp, Amanda got really mad at Cirie for making them “look awful”. She opened up a can of worms here with Cirie screaming at them. I totally get where Cirie is coming from here, too. She yelled, “Parvati was over there snuggled up with James and you’re over there snuggled up with Ozzie, what was I supposed to feel?” Their moment of yelling turned to tears and apologies. Amanda said that she came straight here from China and she’s just exhausted. Jeff’s words at tribal put doubts in their heads, though. Is it final 3 as in the past few seasons? Or are they going to make it a final 2 and vote one more person out??
They released “Gloria” the chicken, but she decided to lay eggs on the beach instead of leaving camp. Aww, that is sweet. After a while, the three went together to get tree mail. Time to honor the memories of the other 17 survivors, and then go to a FINAL IMMUNITY CHALLENGE. OMG, they really are doing a final 2 this season. They are all feeling a little bit frustrated because they really thought that it was done and the three of them would go to the vote. Basically Cirie has to win the challenge to stay alive.
The three ladies paddle together out to an island where there are tiki torch monuments to each of the other 17 competitors that were voted out. Johnny Fairplay who gave up first. Mary, who none of them really knew. Yau Man, someone they all considered a target from the start. Mikey B, one of my early favorites who just overthought out loud. Joel, my least favorite. “Fail” is how he summed up his experience. Jonathan. THe game would have been very different if he hadn’t been removed due to a knee injury. Chet. “The chickens have not been the same since Chet left.” Haha. Kathy, a “colorful character” who just couldn’t take it. Tracy. She tried hard and played a good game. Ami. I had such high hopes for her and wish she could have been at the end with these other girls. Eliza, the first jury member. The underdog favorite from the start. Ozzy, one of the greatest competitors ever in the game, but he got too cocky for his own good. (“My relationship with Amanda means more than anything.”) Jason. A good guy who went far. James. Aww… James. One of my favorite Survivors ever. It sucks that he had to go out for medical injuries. Alexis, who made it a lot farther than I ever expected her to. Erik, sweet boy who really went far and had a chance to win, but also the dumbest for trusting them all. Natalie, a confident woman who outlasted all the other fans.
And now for the final immunity challenge. Back when they always used to have 2 at the end instead of 3… the final immunity challenge was always about endurance. Who can stand on one leg at the top of a tower for the longest? Or who can hold this bow and arrow taut the longest without breaking through this sheet of paper? I am curious to see how this challenge will be. Oh, and what ever happened to them giving one of the survivors a car?? They used to always have that in there somewhere. The cars always made me feel better for someone who didn’t win, like “at least they won that new Ford.” or whatever. Oh well.
The ladies paddled their way over to Jeff, and I was sort of expecting someone to say, “What’s up with final 2 instead of 3??” But no one did. The challenge is a cyllinder ballancing a tiny metal ball. After a certain amount of time, they add another piece to the cyllinder, making it longer. If at any time, the ball drops, you’re out. It’s funny that the last challenge involves balls. Haha. Anyone’s game at this point, but it’s almost as if it was made for Cirie. A challenge where you have to keep your hands steady for long periods of time? Who better to do that than a nurse? My hands would probably be shaking from nerves or from starvation, but the girls seem to be doing a pretty good job. After 5 minutes, they add another piece. They at least got to put the thing down for a bit, but they had to add a piece to make it harder to hold.
5 minutes. Now they add two more pieces and are ballancing a total of 5 pieces together, trying not to drop the ball. Everyone seems to be doing great honestly. Oh no! Parvati’s pieces fell apart from the middle and she dropped it! Now, it’s down to Amanda and Cirie. Another 2 pieces. Cirie’s pieces fell apart while he was counting, but he let her put it back on. Amanda is trying it underhanded which can be good or bad. Wow, they both made it through to the last round. Two more pieces. Cirie loses her ball and Amanda wins! Well, Amanda is going to the final 2 for sure, but who will she take with her? I would be crying if I were her. I really thought Cirie was going to win that one.
Day 38. The chicken is still there at camp, haha. Amanda says she is feeling sick to her stomach about having to choose and Parvati is absolutely sure that she’s taking her to the finals. Omg, did Parvati just say to Amanda, “It’s not like Cirie would have won anyway. She pissed off the most people.” Why in hell would you say that when Amanda should be taking the person she can beat? Cirie told Amanda that sure, she’s pissed people off, but Cirie thinks she’s pissed more people off overall. I personally say she should take Parvati, but I don’t think she quites knows what she should do yet.
At the tribal council, Amanda looks almost sick. She is really playing it off that it’s a tough decision for her. Cirie and Parvati agree that it’s a tough decision, but I’m not really buying it. Haha, as Amanda is saying that it’s a tough decision, Ozzy looks like he’s trying to send her mind messages. Take Parvati. No one likes her. Cirie’s a good talker. Take Parvati. Make love to me afterwards. Amanda is crying, but she’s starting to almost bury herself in front of the jury by talking up the other two. She needs to be confident that she’s played the best game she could.
The vote is in. 15th person voted out. Cirie. Good choice Amanda, I think she might have had a really tough time beating Cirie. I am sad that my original prediction was not the winner, but I came damn close. Now the power shifts to the jury. One more tribal council where they speak their mind. Awww, Cirie’s exit video almost made me cry. She deserved to win the million, but so much of this game comes to chance. You’re awesome Cirie, good job. This post is impossibly long, so I am going to post it and make another for the Final moments.
I have been replaying Amanda’s Immunity Idol moment in my mind since last Thursday, and everytime I think of it, I cheer for her. Day 34 and only a few more key days left to go. Back at camp the day after the tribal council blindside, Erik and Natalie were trying to figure out a way to get rid of Amanda after she burned them so hard. Of course, she burned Erik especially by outing him for not standing by her after she fought to keep him in on the Ami vote.
Their genius strategy is to send each other to Exile Island if they get a chance. Is there really going to be another idol put into play?? It was my understanding that they only put the others into play because no one had successfully used one yet. Now that one has been officially played, I think the day of the idols has passed, but I could be wrong. Of course, if there were going to be an infinite number of idols this season, they should have been using them every week.
Amanda, Parvati and Cirie seem to be best friends again as they strategized over the fire about how to get rid of the unbeatable Erik. The plan is for the three of them to work on naive little Erik, and Amanda is the first to work on him. Damn, she is good at manipulation games.
The Reward Challenge this week is a question/answser session about past seasons of Survivor. First person to four points gets a private helicopter to a fancy resort where food, showers and a comfy bed will be waiting.
Q: Which season of Survivor did a castaway have a pet snake?
A: Pearl Islands, Rupert (Cirie and Erik correct)
Q: On which season did a shark bite a Survivor and in retaliation a Survivor bit it back?
A: Allstars (Amanda, Natalie correct)
Q: In which season did a tribemate ask another tribemate to pee on them after being stung by a sea urchin?
A: Survivor Marchesis (Erik, 2 points)
Q: DUring which season was one of the castaways evacuated after falling into the fire?
A: Australia (Cirie, Erik, Parvati correct)
Q: During which season of Survivor did we first divide the castaways into four separate tribes?
A: Exile Island (Cirie, Natalie, Erik correct… ) Erik wins reward. He sends Parvati to Exile Island, which means that he is going with Amanda’s plan and he actually agreed to take Amanda to the reward. How she pulled that off so quickly I have no idea. That girl’s got skills. Not 24 hours ago he was so pissed off at her for what she said in tribal council, and now it’s like they are best friends.
Natalie is completely pissed that he sent Parvati to exile island. He did promise her that he would either send her to Exile or on reward and he ended up doing neither. Cirie just shook matters up more with Natalie, fueling her anger and befriending her a bit. It looks like she was actually enjoying watching Natalie suffer.
Ooo, to add insult to injury, the helicopter with Amanda and Erik flew right by camp where Nat and Cirie were sitting on the beach. That’s gotta hurt. Erik confessed that he didn’t bring Natalie on the reward because he would never have been able to relax with her. “Let’s get out of the game for a day,” croons Amanda. Wow, they are getting a serous complete spa treatment and then great food, this is a really valuable reward.
On Exile Island, Parvati was laying out in the sun. What?? She says that her main reason for being there was just to prevent Nat and Erik from getting Immunity. So… she’s going to lay in the sun and relax, and NOT LOOK FOR THE IDOL. She is so confident that she has the numbers on her side. Parvati, sweetie, you should never be that confident in this game. Isn’t what happened to Ozzie and Jason a huge warning about getting too comfortable. If you get a chance to find the idol, you take it.
After Erik and Amanda returned from reward, Cirie was having a little chat with Erik about what his plan is for the rest of the game. In his wisdom, he was saying that Amanda and Natalie would probably be the hardest to beat in a jury vote, so he wanted to get rid of them next. Unbeknownst to him, Natalie was emerging from the coconut-abundant forrest behind him and she heard every word. Her response? “I could have bitch slapped him. Like his mama.” Needless to say, she was not happy with Erik.
Natalie pulled Cirie and Amanda to the side to discuss what she had overheard, and Erik saw them talking. Suddenly it dawned on him that he might have screwed up by trying to play both sides of the fence. Awww, I kind of feel sorry for him. Haha, Amanda is telling him that he can’t be her friend one minute and then want to vote her out the next. BUt isn’t that what she was doing to him? Have I mentioned that she’s kicking ass this season?
The all-important Immunity challenge is a series of puzzles. We’ve seen this one before I know. It’s the one where you have to put together ropes on a set of coordinates and where the ropes intersect there is a bag of puzzle pieces hidden underneath. There are 3 bags total and 3 puzzles to solve. Erik is the first to start digging, which is not a good sign for the girls since they are wanting to get rid of him so badly. He started out with a huge lead and he never lost it. Erik wins immunity, and at this point, it might be impossible to get rid of him. He is guaranteed a spot in the final four. This really makes the game interesting because he is going to be very hard to beat with the jury. He has been the underdog all along and then stayed alive in the game by winning several immunities in a row.
So who goes home? Natalie said “Just tell me if it’s me.” And Cirie answered honestly, “THe way it looks right now, it probably is.” In a last hope effort, a lightbult went off over Cirie’s head and she exclaimed, “Nat, could you convince him to give you his necklace?” I personally can’t remember anyone ever talking someone into giving them their necklace. I think if it was up to Amanda to talk him into giving her the necklace, she could do it. I don’t think that Natalie has the skills though.
His first response to her is “I won’t even consider it.” But he did go to CIrie to ask her what she’s thinking. CIrie says the reason I want to see you give your necklace up is that I don’t trust you to vote Amanda unless I see you make that gesture. Natalie has convinced him that he needs to do it to get jury votes because he’s in a bad position with the jury. If this works, then Erik is the dumbest most naive men of all of them this year, and the remaining women will forever hold the blindside crown for Survivor.
At tribal council, Amanda put the idea in Erik’s head that he has absolutely no respect in the eyes of all the women. He is begging for forgiveness and he is seriously worried about his votes on the jury. It’s almost as if Jeff is playing along with their game as he asks Cirie “Is it important to redeem yourself at this stage of the game?” Cirie says, “Jeff it is important and actions speak louder than words” ON that note, HE GAVE HIS NECKLACE TO NATALIE. OMG!!! He is going to be so upset when Jeff reads those votes!! He just basically voted himself out. THis is unreal. Best season of Survivor EVER, hands down!! Women rule!
I have been hoping for an all-woman finale for so long and this is the perfect way to watch it happen. Jeff read the votes, unanimously Erik was voted for, except for his own vote for Parvati. Everyone on the jury was shaking their heads as James exclaimed, “I’ve lost my reign as the dumbest survivor ever.” All Erik could say was “You guys drive me crazy. I should have known better.” There are going to be tears from him. I almost feel sorry for him. Almost. Women are so cruel.
The Season Finale on Sunday is going to be amazing. An All women finale, and I’m sure that the after-show where they dish it all out is going to be full of drama. Erik’s parting words? “Damn, Damn Damn, those damn girls. It’s one thing to Survive the elements and another thing to Survive four sexy women.” How right you are, Erik. How right you are.
During the group sing-a-long dujour, it looked like Jason was a bit fed up with the choreographed weekly let’s sing together crap. You honestly couldn’t pay me to go to an American Idol group concert if it’s full of stuff like this. I love the individual performances, but these group things have got to go. At least little David seemed to be enjoying himself. Syesha was too, but since it’s sort of like a mini-musical, she’s right at home. I think that if they were doing original songs it might work, but a copycat version of a song that was done by a band or a solo singer split up into 4 equal parts delegated out in a one for you, one for you, one line for you sort of fashion is just mind numbing. My boyfriend actually got up and said “Okay, that’s all I can take of that.”
The recaps from last night just reminded me of how frustrating the judges comments have been of late. I can’t even talk about it anymore because it’s making me so angry. So… on to the eliminations. David Archuleta is up first. Is it me, or does he answer every one of Ryan’s questions in the same manner? Can he really be so humble? He always answers in a wishy-washy, don’t want to offend anyone way. OMG, he’s like the Paula of the contestants! Always blubbering and trying to make sure he comes off sweet. No worries David, you’re as sweet as a puppy. No shockers yet, David A. is safe and can take a seat on the couches of safety.
Wow, a video “package” of the final four’s trip to Vegas to see the cirque du soleil’s performance of a Beatles tribute. They flew on a private jet, gave autographs, and got pampered and primped by a full salon of stylists. Can you imagine going from average everyday person to super star that fast? It must be fun. Someone even grabbed Jason and kissed him. Haha. They look like they had a great time, and it just reminds me of how much Idol really does change their lives.
David Cook is the next one called onto the stage. Ryan asked Randy, “So, let’s just say David makes it to the finals, any advice for him?” Um, first of all, don’t patronize us all Ryan. Everyone in America knows that David and David are the top two, so cut out all that “Let’s just say maybe, what if??” It’s insulting. Randy’s advice is for David Cook to just stay original and continue to put his own stamp on his performances. I’m sure he didn’t already know that, so great advice Randy. THat was quality television right there. And of course, Ryan told us all that David was safe and headed to the top 3, no surprises tonight so far.
That leaves no surprise about the bottom 2 either: Syesha and Jason. Ryan acted like he was about to tell us who was going home and I had to do a double take at my clock. 9:24. No way he’s telling them now. Jason spoke up with a look of utter confusion on his face saying “Are you going to tell us now??” Ryan said “No, we’re going to a break.” Haha. Thanks Ryan. Now he’ll proceed to make us wait 33 more minutes before he tells us the result. Ugh.
Ah, Ford Commercial time. They have them all dressed up like bull fighters and singing along with Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire”. Cute commercial. Oh, and now it’s time for the audience questions:
- Q: David Cook, when you come to my hometown on the tour, would you go on a date with me?? A: What do you like to do? asks David. Good answer.
- Q: 14 year old Sarah asks them all what’s the biggest challenge they’ve had to overcome in the competition? A: Syesha said Stage Fright. David A. couldn’t think of anything (duh, he hasn’t had to overcome anything. Someone is pulling his strings!) Jason said “FIghting my brain being dead.” I take it that was a reference to last night’s lyric botching.
- Q: SImon why have you not been knighted by the Queen? A: Simon said “I wonder the same thing on a daily basis, so if you are watching your majesty, I’m available.”
- Q: Syesha is it hard being the only girl? A: Basically she said it gets awkward but she is proud of her self.
- Q: Have any of you gotten feedback from artists whose songs you’ve covered? A: DAvid Cook is (Not surprisingly) the only one who said yes, he’s gotten good feedback.
- Q: SImon, have you ever realized that you would be a great James Bond? You’re sexy! Hehehe. A: Simon said he loves the questions this week, and that yes, he would make a great James Bond.
Okay questions this week, but sometimes I don’t get why people think Simon is so sexy. Paula is much sexier. I guess women just like assholes and that’s the bottom line.
This week we are in for a treat with Maroon 5 performing. Talk about a lead singer with an original talent. He really has it going on if you ask me. The style of music that they sing and write works perfectly with his voice. If he was asked to sing songs from all the different decades and broadway and such like the idols have been, I don’t know that he would have lasted any longer than Luke did, but in the context of his band, he works. Great performance by Maroon 5, honestly. One of the best of the season.
9:38, okay, so what else can we do for 15 minutes? Oh yeah, we’ll talk to the lead singer Adam Levine. His advice for the young idols? “Get ready to work baby.” As much as their lives have changed over the course of the season, they probably have no idea still how much work it will be to be on tour constantly and travelling on the road promoting their new albums and such. I am sure they work really hard, but I’m also sure the advantages of that lifestyle far outweigh the hardships.
Another performance tonight, Bo Bice singing “Witness”. Bo Bice was in the final two in season 4 I believe it was, and was beat out by Carrie Underwood. Like David Cook, he is a bit different and more of a rocker that doesn’t fit the typical mold. His performance tonight was very polished and seemed more like a seasoned professional than a contestant, so he’s really come a long way. We can only hope that next year or the year after we will have Michael Johns return to the stage, polished and famous as he deserves… and Carly as well. /sigh. Bo’s advice to them is “Practice Practice Practice.” He seems to be a fan of David Cook, which is no surprise. Aww, and he said that his wife Caroline is pregnant with their second child, which is very sweet. Congratulations to both of them.
9:53 now, so we’re bound to find out the top 3 in the next five minutes. Syesha and Jason are in the center of the stage as Ryan takes them through a run-down of last night’s judges comments. Get on with it! Jason said someone told him “You shot the “Tambourine Man” haha. He also said that he packed his bags and is prepared to go home. He said that last night was tough for him because his inexperience is catching up with him and that it’s tough. Ryan asked Syesha why she got so emotional last night. Didn’t he already ask her that exact question last night? And her answer was exactly the same.
Syesha is… In the top 3. Jason Castro has been eliminated. I think that was the right decision from America, but I have to applaud him for a great run this season. He definitely has a great talent and there is something so special about him that is original and unique. I know that if he comes out with an album, I will be there to buy it. Great job Jason Castro. From what they showed us of his final performance, he did a much much better job tonight than he did last night. I think he was just ready to go and he even said into the microphone “Next week is three songs, I don’t know what I would have done.”
I am glad to see Syesha move forward. I never would have thought she would be in the top 3, but I think she has really stepped up her game and shown that she deserves to be there. See you next week when the top 3 perform to see if Syesha can break up the David’s or if the all-David Finale everyone’s been predicting will become truth.
As the final four American Idol contestants stood on the stage trembling with excitement and nerves, Ryan announced that “Nothing is Guaranteed, You HAVE to vote.” Um… okay Ryan, whatever you say. At this point, I would almost bet my entire life savings that it will be David and David at the Kodiak theater finals. Almost. He also said that three of the four finalists have been #1 in the votes at some point. He didn’t say which three, but I am guessing Syesha has never been number 1, but she has definitely been getting better and better.
Two songs each tonight from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, so song choice was probably a bit daunting this week. So many amazing songs to choose from, but an amazing song doesn’t always translate into an amazing American Idol song, if you know what I mean. If they want to impress the judges and of course, the voting public, they are each going to need something with a vocal wow factor. You know, the kind that starts off slow or low and then builds and builds. So, let’s see who delivers…
Round 1
David Cook “Hungry Like the Wolf” Duran Duran
I am not sure that a song where the main lyrics are “Doo doo doo doo doo” is the best choice for a wow-factor type near-the-end song, but he did an okay job on his first song. There wasn’t anything amazing about it or really that much different from the original version, but it was okay. Randy said he didn’t have the amazing vocals that he’s looking for tonight (see). Paula says he’s grown so much since the beginning. She is actually very well spoken tonight, but almost sounds rehearsed. Maybe she is more nervous about her own performance tonight than anyone else. Simon said he was good enough to make it through to next week (duh), but it was a copycat performance.
Syesha Mercado “Proud Mary” TIna Turner
She started her video (I think they call it a “Package” which is strange to me, but anyway) saying that Proud Mary has been covered over 100 times. However, after giving herself a little engine that could pep talk, she decided to just go for it and have fun. I was honestly very nervous for her when she started, but soon I forgot my nerves and just enjoyed the music. At first she was slow and sexy, but then she twirled gracefully and started dancing and singing her heart out. I thought it was fantastic and that she was definitely ready to give her all to win this thing, maybe her best performance ever, and just in time. Randy thought she did a “Nice” job. Paula said she looks like a star, but Simon said it was a “Bad, shrieky impersonation of TIna Turner.” Syesha retorted “I’m just having fun” and Simon snottily said back “Well, I didn’t”. Ouch. Why are they so hard on the women this year? I thought she was great!
Jason Castro “I Shot the Sheriff” BOb Marley
He looks great up on the stage and his guitar is truly beautiful, but he is just not a showstopper type of performer. It’s really become obvious since the competition is building up to the final 2 that although he is unique and different and has something special, he is just not a wow, stand up and clap type performer. I thought he did a good job tonight, but the song was not that wow for the AI stage. Randy agreed, saying it was a Karaoke Bob MArley, Paula wasn’t crazy about the song, and Simon said it was “Utterly Atrocious”. Wow, the judges really nailed him on this performance. Ryan went so far as to say the judges looked pissed off, and they didn’t disagree. Basically they said he isn’t proving that he’s good enough to be in the final four. Ouch. Well, that’s one way to make him super nervous about his second song.
David Archuleta “Stand By Me”
Solidifying his role as easy-listening champion, DA once again has chosen a standard weepy type ballad that is bound to make your grandmother cry. The version was a bit too drums-heavy for my taste, but he sang it well. Honestly, though, if I had to close my eyes and listen, I would guess he was 37, not 17 years old. THe judges, of course, loved it. Randy said something curious, I thought. “Here’s someone who every time he hits the stage is in it to win!” Um… excuse me?? How quickly they forget that he botched lyrics not once, but TWICE this season. They just want him to win so bad they can’t put him down. It pisses me off. Simon said that David was the best so far in the evening. I think Syesha was better, but what do I know?
ROUND 2
David Cook “Baba O’Riley” The Who
I guess he did okay on this song, but I honestly don’t recognize the song. Maybe I am just not musically literate enough, because being in the hall of fame, this is probably a very well known song. I just didn’t completely dig it, honestly. He didn’t seem to be much better than the first performance, and he is missing that sparkle and newness that he used to have for me. The judges, like robots trained on an all-David finale, went wild for it. Paula said “I just want more David Cook.” SImon just had four words to say “Welcome Back David Cook.” Wha?? I don’t get where their critiques are coming from this year, to be honest. I didn’t think this was up to the calibar of performance we have loved out of DC earlier this season.
Syesha Mercado “A Change is Gonna Come” Sam Cook
I’m usually the kind of person who cringes at people using the american flag or civil rights movement for sympathy votes, but I genuinely don’t think that Syesha was doing that with this song choice. I think it was just a song that she connected with, and connect she did. Not only was she by far the most personable and likable in her “video packages” tonight, she was the very best on the stage. She started out holding a sultry, perfectly in tune pitch and I was in love with her performance right then and there. For a girl who had trouble connecting with the audience and singing on pitch for the majority of her early performances, she has really come a hell of a long way. Randy had me almost throwing things at the screen when he said he didn’t like her performance and that she was “trying to be something she wasn’t”. He’s crazy!! How could you cheer for David and David and then not like Syesha?? Paula redeemed the night by standing up and saying “Welcome to your Dreams Syesha, you’re a superstar.” Of course, nowhere in her dreams did Randy say she wasn’t good, I”m sure. But at least Simon agreed with Paula and said that Randy got it wrong. Syesha let the tears flow on stage, saying she was overcome by what the song means to her. I think her tears probably had more to do with how hard she has tried to win over the judges and that no matter how much better she gets, she is still going to take crap from someone while lesser performances are getting praise.
Jason Castro “Mr. Tambourine Man” Bob Dylan
Oh crap, he just completely flubbed the lyrics. The saddest thing about that is that this is actually a good song choice for him. To forget the words at this point is just suicide. He looks so great and I love that black shirt he’s wearing. None of the judges had anything great to say, with SImon even going so far as to say “Pack your suitcase.” I have been a huge fan of Jason from the start, but he just wasn’t on his best game tonight. I think he’s definitely in trouble tonight. The only thing that could possibly save him tonight is if the tweenie voters who are wild for his charm vote to keep him in. If people vote based on pure vocals for the evening, he should be gone, though.
David Archuleta “Love Me Tender” Elvis Presley
Another ballad for Little David as the 40+ female crowd swoons. DId he just say in his “Package” that he had to research the song cause he didn’t know it? Wow, he’s so young. To not know Elvis? He certainly made the arrangement his own also. I have a feeling he swiped it from someone on iTunes, but it was most definitely not Elvis’s version. I’ve said all along that David probably has the best voice of everyone, but honestly, for me, he has no sparkle. Randy thought it was amazing, “Hottest vocals of the night.” Paula loved it, of course. Simon said “You didn’t just beat the competition tonight, you crushed the competition.” I almost can’t believe they are saying that. Sure, he was good, but I feel like I’ve heard that type of performance at my local church every Sunday since I was 10 years old. He’s sweet and he’s talented, but where’s the wow factor? I don’t get it, but apparently he’s slated to win and there’s no holding him back now.
About a month ago, I was calling for Syesha’s departure, crying that she could not stay on pitch, and that was the truth. But somehow, like a miracle, she has really pulled herself together and is fighting to stay alive in this competition. The past few weeks, she has been on fire, pulling out all the stops and showing everyone that she deserves to be up there. Regardless of her progress, the judges keeps telling her that she belongs on Broadway and that she is not good enough. IN fact, the judges don’t have nice words for anyone besides the precious twin Davids. I am so tired of those two getting praise reports no matter if they forget the lyrics or what. Syesha out-performed everyone tonight and I can only hope that the voters recognize it en masses. I would honestly love nothing more than a DAvid / Syesha finale at this point. And by David, I mean Cook. What do you think? Will Jason go home tonight? Or will it be Syesha?
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