<p>Not a closet fan here. Overall the contestants seem so unique this year that it is hard to choose a favorite. Much easier to have a least favorite–Kristy Lee goodbye please! Each of the guys though could/should win. David Cook is a wonderful singer, but I think he has a smug attitude which I don’t like. Bille Jean was great. I’m getting a bit tired of David A singing the “same” song every week. When he sang “Imagine” though it was amazing. It’s been interesting to watch him progress from this seemingly shy kid to someone that plays up the “niceness” factor a bit too much. Jason Castro and those blue eyes… I first heard that version of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” a couple months ago on UTube and saved it. Also loved his version of “Hallelujah” which is haunting. </p>
<p>Simon can be mean, but I generally agree with him.</p>
<p>Not a closet fan here, either. Can we negatively vote and get Kristy Lee off? Aaarrrggghh! She sang “G-d Bless the USA” a couple of weeks ago and saved her @ss! teriwtt, I also remember the “Somewhere” version that Jason sang as being the underlying music from ER when Mark Greene died. Always makes me sad. I really liked Michael Johns and was shocked when he was voted off, thinking that there were MUCH worthier candidates <cough> Kristy Lee <cough> I do have to admit that as much as I like David Archuleta, his choices and styling are getting a bit bland/repetitive.</cough></cough></p>
<p>I also see Mark Greene dying whenever I hear that version of “Somewhere over the Rainbow”. I enjoyed Michael John and was sorry to see him go so early. The guys from the beginning have been better to me; something about the girls I just don’t like. Kristy Lee Cook and Brooke White look like they are in pain or constipated when they sing at time! For some reason I just can’t hear their voice when I look at them. I think David A. does have a nice voice, but I don’t think he is star quality. The golly, gee, shucks attitude is sweet, but can he handle the fame?</p>
<p>Jason Castro seems to have raided the Rachacha favorite song list…his versions of “Hallelujah” and Iz’s “Over the Rainbow” (if anyone wants to know how to get the original version PM me) were superb. Now if he sings Don McLean’s “Vincent” he will have hit my trifecta!</p>
<p>Cook’s “Billie Jean” gave me goosebumps. What really surprised me is that I didn’t even RECOGNIZE the song until he was 1/3 of the way through it.
And I was a huge fan of the original version. </p>
<p>I know he borrowed the arrangement but again, he is always pushing the envelope, which I love. I also really liked what he did with the “Eleanor Rigby” version and even the Turtles’ “Happy Together”. Who knew THAT could be a very cool contemporary rock song??</p>
<p>I agree the guys are much better this year. I hope that David C wins but he will be wildly successful even if he got voted off this week. He’s a real discovery.</p>
<p>AI has definitely lost some of its appeal for me since Michael Johns left. (That was worse than Yau Man getting the boot from survivor so early this season!).</p>
<p>Would like to have seen Chris Cornell get more credit for Cook’s arrangement of Billie Jean. He’s not quite the “original” that he’s been portayed, but does bring a new spin to things & I think that’s what they’re looking for. He should win over David A. but sometimes it seems like a set-up the way the judges seem to get their favorites & they’ve really been praising DA lately. DCook could win & it would be ok w/ me for a self-proclaimed “word nerd” to do well!</p>
<p>I think Syesha is underrated - she’s really good. I’m sick of looking at Carly’s tatoos every single week - we get it - you like body art. Seems gimmicky if she doesn’t cover it up once in awhile.</p>
<p>DH likes Brooke - I wonder why (probably the same reason I likes Michael Johns!).</p>
<p>bz-
Carly did cover up last night, but they showed several shots of her H in the audience, who is a walking billboard for (bad) body art. I think Carly has a good, sultry voice, but I am just not wild about her. I agree that Syesha is underrated. Simon blasted ehr for choosing an unfamiliar song last night (it was wonderful) but then several of the subsequent contestants did likewise and he didnt say a word. Maybe I am not familiar with a lot of Mariah’s songs, but I had only heard a few of the ones sung last night.</p>
<p>I’m watching it this year for the first time and loving it. I like David cook a lot, but I think he could use a bit of a makeover. David Archuletta has a beautiful voice, but he reminds me more of a lounge singer than a pop singer. That’s just me, though. I’m not wild about any of the ladies at all.</p>
<p>I really liked Brooke at the beginning. The last few weeks she seems to have lost that special - I dunno - spark - she started off with. I think she is trying to make herself into what she thinks the judges want rather than sticking with who she was - which was delightful. it used to make me smile just watching her - now I just kind of feel sad watching her. Kind of like watching Sarah Ferguson when she was married into the royal family or Nicole Kidman to Tom Cruise - bubbly happy people who lose that bubbly happiness for a while. </p>
<p>Agree with the comments about David A. He does have a lovely voice but it only seems to work with the inspirational type songs. I can’t see him having a big ‘popular’ music career.</p>
<p>My daughter likes Carly a lot. She was shocked when i told her the song Carly sang last night was so old that it was actually ‘our song’ back with my first love when I was 17. She just said ‘wow’ - she was probably thinking ‘did they have pop music back then’.</p>
<p>swimcatsmom,
I completely agree about Brooke. I adore her, but she has been out of her element the last few weeks. She reminds me very much of Amy Grant in her sweet personality and she sings the Carly Simon/Carole King type stuff so well.<br>
I thought David Cook was the runaway winner last night. I hope he wins the whole thing as I think that David Archuletta is a programmed stage kid who isn’t ready to “blossom” until he is older and away from the stage dad.</p>
<p>Did anyone see David Archuletta when he was a kid about 12 on the 2nd version of Star Search w/ Arsenio Hall? He was all set to win the whole thing I think, then the live show was preempted with the bombing of Iraq or some such. Never saw the finale & always wondered what happened…</p>
<p>Anyway, David A. was one of the last two singers in that competition & favored to win. He was impressive then, but sorry to say, he hasn’t changed much since age 12.</p>
<p>D & I don’t even want to watch any more, we are pouting about Michael Johns being gone, he was our favourite.</p>
<p>Ya’ll are right, the girls are weak, Kristy Lee was lucky she saved herself that one week! Carly should cover the tatoos more and in general her clothes have been unflattering, she does not have a bad body, she does not need ot wear blousy clothing to hide her body and she looks better when she does not. Her hair seemed to have been layered and have a lighter wash on it this week, plus her dress with sleeves, a vee neck, and the empire wasit Clinton and Stacy recommend did make her look a lot better and less “goth”</p>
<p>I hate American Idol with a passion. I do stay in the room and do my very best to refrain from hurling profanities at the television while my wife watches it. I am however, a huge fan of Lisa de Moraes blog on washingtonpost.com</p>
<p>Wharfrat, do you have fun mostly making fun of Paula, like we do, or do you make fun of the singers…poor Paula seems to be on heavy meds, she simply makes no sense most of the time.</p>
<p>I really just try to ignore it as much as possible. My musical tastes run far more toward jam bands/dirty hippie music so not only am I completely unimpressed by the “talent” but I am so not into the musical genre. </p>
<p>I also have zero respect for the opinions of any of the judges and Ryan Secrest is as annoying as humanly possible. I occasionally make reference to the drugs having kicked in but out of deference to my wife I mostly suffer in silence.</p>