There are many things I don’t like about American Idol — the tedious over-singing; the cavalier ignorance the finalists display about the history of pop music, never more obvious than during this week’s coaching sessions with Smokey Robinson — but I love the new final-save widget Idol has added. Anything that brings to the fore the essential quality that Idol always tried to hide beneath its glitz and big smiles — the week-by-week, systematic stripping down of every finalist’s last vestige of individuality and dignity — is revealed during the elimination-night "save" moment.
Just look at the frozen grin Michael Sarver maintained while the judges conferred last night, and how it congealed into a fascinating mixture of embarrassment, shame, frustration, and probably not a little anger. How refreshing it always is to see a human face express human emotion on Idol, instead of the hours of pre-fabricated happy-happy-joy-joy, with a big dollop of patented put-downs by Simon Cowell.
In just a few weeks, these closing seconds have taken on a theatrical drama. Last night, Ryan trotted over to the judges’ table to urge Simon (and make no mistake: Simon, no matter how many more judges you add to the table, is the guy with the power) to come to a decision. Because, you know, Fox affiliates all over the nation were saying, "Gee, isn’t it time for our ratings to plummet as soon as Idol leaves the air?"
The phoniness of the last-minute decision-making doesn’t lessen its excitement, however. It’s all building for the judges, one week soon, to save one of their favorites (my bet is on Megan Joy Corkrey, for whom Cowell can barely keep his tongue in his mouth when judging her "performance"). But for now, as someone who watch Idol for accidentally-human moments. These elimination-night conclusions are the best.
I’m just waiting for someone to call the judges out on the fact that they’ve already decided who they’re going to save. I wish that before Michael sang last night, he would have said that he wasn’t singing for the judges because it was obvious they weren’t going to save him, and dedicate it to his fans and family, for example. The whole set up is so contrived. I feel very badly for the contestants during these “sing for your life” moments.
As much as he’d probably like to save Megan, she’s just too awful to justify it. It’s in case Lil, Gorkey or Adam winds up in the bottom. Everyone else are goners.
Pathetic.
total garbage … wake up people!
Ryan needs to get his grammar correct. He is on national TV and many young kids are watching!
The whole save thing for the judges is so stupid. I mean come on, they are never going to agree on saving a person. And last night, that really sucked how they were like hold on we have not decided yet and then Simon was like no we have, sorry your going home. That is total bull.
Megan should have gone home long ago. She has no feeling for the songs she sings, always has her Miss America phoney smile plastered on her made up face. God forbid she will be the one to be “saved”. I’ll quit watching (again).
Simon may want to secretly DO Megan, but he’s certainly not going to waste a save on her. He thought 2 out of her 3 performances were awful CAW! CAW! And the only one he liked was when she was sick! Now that’s bad! I think he’ll save the SAVE for Lil Rounds. I highly doubt there’s any chance of Danny or Adam ever being in the bottom two (esp with their GINORMOUS fan bases) but Lil is the frontrunner who seems to screw up every week based on her song choices. Michael Jackson week, Opry week, Motown week. She’s been just blah. I wish they’d stop insulting Mary J Blige by comparing Lil to her. Lil Rounds isn’t even anywhere near as good as LaToya London or Tamyra Gray and they never made it past Idol. I’d love to know who they’d save if Lil found herself in the B3 with Adam and Danny. In that instance, I think Lil will be the goner.
The whole so-called purpose of “saving” a contestant was to avoid what happened when Chris Daughtry was eliminated early. But, because he was/is so good, Chris topped the charts anyway. The extra embarrassment and control of the judges is uncalled for.
At least it makes for a better parting song for the contestant, knowing that there is still some hope. It always broke my heart to watch someone try to sing a song that obviously didn’t bode well for them the first time and then they start crying in the middle because their dreams have been crushed.
Megan is HORRIBLE. She sounds like she is trying to emulate Adele’s voice only she can’t pull it off. She certainly belongs on the pages of Playboy, not on this show. NO talent.
In addition to the Save (which I’ve been advocating for this past 3 seasons), they need to institute the “Cull”, where the judges confer and boot some no-talent schmuck out. Think of how much they really wanted Sanjay a to go and how it took for the voters to come to their senses. Megan will be the first to go if this happens.
To all the complainers: Why do you watch week after week?
I would recommend that in the future Secrest,Randy and Simon stay off nite time talk shows like Jay Leno’s, and not to make remarks regarding who they they think will win> Example: They all stated it would be a male this year. We’ll, that resinates across the USA and the world, “INFLUENCE” TAKES PLACE, that is not a professional manner or a fair manner taking place and how would you feel now if you were one of the female contenders? Simon.Ryan and Randy, SHUT UP and just judge.
First, like the folks above have already said Megan DOES suck and should have gone home a long time ago. But the judges aren’t the ones keeping her – who is voting for her?? yikes. (same goes for Scott who is much more likable than Megan but is it the sympathy vote that keeps him in it?)
Second – the “save” is a great gimmick. It is perfect for Idol even though I also agree that the one or two people who will be saved are most likely already picked.
Third – Idol tried to create a star out of non-top 40 material with Taylor Hicks. It simply does not work because this show is about pop stars – young good looking people who pretty much fit the same mold year in year out. Overall the winners have been different but the SUCCESSFUL winners have not.
If Lil wins it will be a surprise. She doesn’t have the talent – maybe she doesn’t have the maturity – to sway most of the viewers. It will most likely be Adam although his “out there” arrangements may hurt him in the end. Danny is more solid