What is reality anyway? Is any two people's reality the same? They can experience the identical but perceive it from different lenses, lenses honed by the unique grouping and chemical reaction of their experiences, bias, and feelings.
On Celebrity Apprentice, Mr. Trump expressed his perplexity at the fact that the women did not make as many tips as the men, given that "many of [them] are beautiful." Gee Donald, aren't you special. His bias came tumbling out of his big mouth easily. Cyndi Lauper gave him GPA directions on where to go and she didn't back down. She set him straight when he started in on Rosie O'Donnell; she made sure he saw her supreme distaste at his language; and she wouldn't quiver under his overbearing. loutish demeanor. Trump might be a powerful, filthy rich entrepreneur, and Lauper might be an entertainer, but my wholehearted respect lies with the latter.
Tonight, the final 12 sing on AI. I have been wrestling with the thought of skipping it. I don't know how much of the "judging" I can take, but I committed to it, so I will see it through.
Speaking of judges. I was watching ABDC (America's Best Dance Crew) on Sunday; and as I listened to the judges' give the crews notes, I was struck by the contrast between them and the panel on AI. On ABDC, the judges give the crews constructive criticism and observations, specific details and areas to focus on. There are no personal attacks on the contestants, no jeering commentary, no jokes at their expense. The judges on AI can take some pointers from them....
Tonight, they sing Rolling Stones. This might be painful...
Speaking of painful, they brought back the human interest stories. Time to feel manipulated. Why can't they just focus on the singing?
Michael Lynche sings "Miss you." He starts with his now signature falsetto; and sprinkles it liberally with some funk. Will this cause Kara to blubber again? Randy babbles on, and concludes that Mike "slayed it". Ellen is on board with the praise. Kara spills all she knows about the Stones. Simon is being honest again, calling his dancing "corny" and "desperate." WTF? Ryan tries to clarify what Simon said; Simon gets crusty; and Ryan, my new personal hero, gets right in his face. It was the best spectacle this show has offered this season!
Thankfully, I will be getting a PVR. I will relish the fast forward option. :)
Didi Benami sings "Playing with Fire". She is dressed in black, and is darkly dramatic. This is her most animated performance to date. Randy drools. Ellen bubbles. Kara simpers; and Simon babbles.
Casey James sings "It's All Over Now" spinning it into a country tune. Though it isn't my favorite genre of music, I must give him props for riding that song like a seasoned cowboy. They will probably need to scrape Kara off the floor. Randy is excited. Who cares? Ellen is hysterically funny. Kara... blah blah... soul... blah. Simon doesn't agree. Calls it an audition performance without using the stage. His contract must state that he has to disagree at intervals, or he is just crusty.
Lacey Brown tackles "Ruby Tuesday". Cue violins. This interpretation is highly ill-advised. There is Mozart; and there are the Stones. The twain should never meet. She went off key in several places; and confused the heck out of me. Randy says something. Ellen advises her not to go to the Grand Canyon because she loves to sit on the edge of things. Kara goes 50/50. Simon says he was trying to think it through while she was performing. I hope he didn't sprain anything.
Andrew Garcia's rendition of "Give Me Shelter" is just a shot away. His singing is powerful and passionate. But, meh. The judges commentary has managed to delete everything that is unique about him. Randy brings out the "pitchy" from his bag of tricks. Ellen thinks it was his best performance yet. Kara wants to feel war. Ridiculous. Simon asks her if she wanted him to come on stage with a tank. LOL! Two points for Simon.
Katie Stevens chose "Wild Horses" hoping it's the most current of the "old" songs. There she is on the stool, in a dress most 5 years olds wear, making the Stones sound Celine Dion. The horror. She has such amazing range in her vocals; but she needs coaching on her vocals and her stage persona. Randy acknowledges that they gave her a lot of misdirection. Then I stopped listening. Their comments were like wilted lettuce.
Tim Urban aka the fourth Jonas Brother sings "Under My Thumb" in Reggae beat. I have never disliked a reggae tune, until tonight. Seriously? He might as well put on a tight dress and sing "Happy Birthday Mister President". Randy thinks it bizarre. Ellen boos herself, saying she feels like she was at a resort. Piña Colada... Mmm! Kara shows her bias and applauds him for doing something different. How about you applaud everyone who does so, Kara? Simon says it didn't work, and Stones fans would be turning off their TVs. I came very close, Simon. Very close.
Siobhan Magnus belts out "Painted Black". She looks and sounds spectacular. She is deliciously dramatic. My skin has filled with goosebumps. I am looking at a star. As far as I am concerned, this was the first performance of the night. What other contestants? Randy and Ellen loved it. Kara compares her to Adam Lambert. Simon calls it the stand-out performance of the night. Not even they can deny the brilliance of Siobhan. :)
Lee Dewyze is up next with "Beast of Burden". He sings it in a very Lee Dewyze, laid back, authentic way, with his raspy strong voice. Randy thinks it was "dope". Ellen compares it to a hospital gown, not completely together. Oh Ellen, I heart thee. Kara wants to celebrate his growth. No comment. Simon thinks Lee needs to let his personality to come through more.
Paige Miles has chosen "Honky Tonk Woman". She maintains a very bluesy country feel throughout the song. Very supersonic. The person who suggested her wardrobe, however needs to be fired. Gray shorts jumper with black tights and brown boots. Not good. Randy thinks she pulled it out. Whatever that means. Ellen says she has presence on stage. Kara's comments are irrelevant. Simon and Randy didn't know she had laryngitis. What show do they work for?
Aaron Kelly starts off on the stairs with his version of "Angie" which is adequate. The kid has a very good voice, but the stage swallows him up. Which leads me to my strong belief that they need to not let anyone on under 18. They need time to season. Not that at 18, they are seasoned enough, but they need more time. Randy could hear Justin Timberlake. Turn off your iPod Randy. Ellen called it one of the stand-out performances of the night. Really? Kara and Simon give him props.
Last is Crystal Bowersox who takes on "You Can't Always Get What You Want". Gotta love the make-overs at this point. Crystal is very talented and sounds the most professional of all the contestants. The crowd loves her and so do the judges. Even if she doesn't sing that well, they will praise her. They are kinder in their tone toward her, while they slam others for the same things.
Well, that's all I wrote this week for AI.
Who do I think should say their goodbyes? Tim Urban for sure. It will be a toss up between Paige, Katie and Didi.
Until next week! :)
