Hollywood
Round: The Final Judgment
February 11
Gordon: Six weeks. Tons of auditions. 147
people selected to go to Hollywood. And now...we'll find the Final 36 to
grace your stage. Gordon Pepper here, and we're about to find out our
final 36. Joining me today, from Brooklyn, Jason Block, and from Canada,
Don Harpwood.
Don: Man, I can't wait to see this!
Gordon: The judges will make 18 final cuts. We start with 54, but we end
with 36. Some people are definitely in. Some are definitely out. Some
will have to sing in a one on one sing off. The venue for this? Judges
Mansion, a sprawling estate that the contestants have to navigate just
to get to the judging room, which features Paula, Randy, Kara and Simon
on thrones.
Don: That looks like a nice mansion, by the way.
Gordon: Usually, you walk up and down a hallway and up an elevator. This
season, its a walk through a garden and through a path and into a hall.
First one up - Anoop Desai. I'll be stunned if he doesn't get in. We see
his group sing and he says he's more and more confident. He's in.
Don: Nice.
Gordon: Next up - Von Smith, who thinks that the judges may say no. He
says he's alive for music, and singing is all he knows. He says that he
was self-indulgent and that caused him some problems.
Jason: He has the pipes...but I don't know.
Gordon: Simon says that his decision of the last song was the
decider...and he's in. He breaks the news to his mom, who now cries.
Jason: I don't see him going far.
Gordon: I do. I see him making the Top 12.
Jason: I like the way they are doing this. This has been the best
PRODUCED year of Idol for me.
Gordon: So far, I agree. The judges are unsure about some of the singers
(hence the sing-off), but they don't know who is singing against who.
Cody Sheldon is an up and coming horror director, and with Ryan's intro,
I'm guessing he's the first person to sing off.
Jason: He is. And he sings...His voice is all over the place
Gordon: He's really really pitchy.
Don: I didn't like that too much.
Gordon: Joining him...or against him...is Alexander Wagner-Trugman. Alex
realizes exactly what's happening, and Danny is not the person who he
wants to go up against.
Jason: People have to realize this is a COMPETITION.
Gordon: He sings 'Don't Let The SUn Go Down On Me'...and he's just as
pitchy.
Jason: Alex just sung into himself into the top 36.
Gordon: If they could invoke a neither person advances clause, I'd do it
right now.
Jason: I agree...but Alex was better.
Gordon: He wasn't better. He was less worse.
Gordon: After a tough decision, the person moving on is.......Alex. Both
of them walk out with them both looking like they lost. Alex didn't want
it to end this way. They both get hugs and Danny cries. This
is...uncomfortable.
Don: No kidding.
Gordon: Next up - Adam Lambert, who I think is a lock for the Top 36.
Jason: And he is.
Gordon: Simon asks if he can be commercial. The answer is yes and he's
through.
Jason: He looks like Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy
Gordon: After a Ryan Seacreat spiel, next up is Taylor Viafanua
Gordon: And for all of those who don't remember, I'll say this...BELLY
DANCER! (DROOLS) Her last song is 'Nothing at All'...And....she's in!
THE BELLY DANCER IS IN!!!!!!!
Jason: Heel, Fido.
Gordon: So is Jasmine Murray, Arianna Asfar, Casey Carlson Meagan
Corkrey, Mishavonna Henson, and Stevie Wright. But what about Joanna
Pacitti, the woman who admits that the forgot the lyrics in every song?
Don: I think her chances might not be too good...
Gordon: She hopes that the judges can see her potential. She...gets
through? What happened to 'You Forget The Lyrics, You're Out?'
Don: Wow. I'm speechless. And not in a good way.
Jason: Me too.
Gordon: Me three. Though I can say that the women's field has not been
particularly strong this season. The men's field, however, has and
unfortunately, a bunch of really good guys are not going to get in. TK
Hash - out. Chris Chatman - Out. Reggi Beasley - Out. We get littls
splices of them singing out of tune on the last song, which would be a
good reason of their departure. Kendall Beard - good in her audition.
Not so good on Day 1 in Hollywood Week, but got better during the week.
Jason: They love to torture them.
Don: They sure do.
Gordon: After torturing Kendall and telling her that her song selection
was too old - she's through. She needs to get younger if she is to
continue. Kristen McNamara and Jen Corbi will find out their
fate...together. It's another sing off. Jen started with her husband
Tom, who got cut on Day 2 of Hollywood Week. Jen sings her sing off with
'I'm Not Ready To Make Nice'. She sounds very very good.
Jason: She does sound good, but I dont know if I was the right choice of
song.
Gordon: Now it's Kristen's turn. She already was caught in a duel with
Nancy Wilson. She sings 'I Will Always Love You', and she also sounds
good.
Jason: Kristen just sung her way...out of the competition...in my eyes.
Gordon: Now explain to me why these 2 are singing for their lives and
why Joanne Pacitti, who can't remember any words, is safely in?
Jason: Because Joanne Pacitti makes news.
Gordon: News in the wrong way. Simon asks if they want the attractive
one or the one who can sing. Kara takes offense. Randy says that Kristen
is more interesting and SImon disagrees. Kara tells Jen that she picked
the wrong song. Paula tells Kristin that she needs an identity.
Jason: Whoa.
Gordon: SImon tells Kristin that she made it through, but he disagrees
with the decision.
Jason: Simon is not happy.
Gordon: I think it's the right choice. Kristin is unique. Jen is just
pretty. Alexis Grace doesn't have that same problem. She's in. And she
celebrates with her daughter. Next up - Scott McIntyre, and he's a lock.
Jason: Yeah. For Top 12 too.
Don: He definitely deserves to advance.
Gordon: It's unanimous - Scott is through. And mom and dad celebrate
with him.
Jason: So does the holding room
Gordon: Next up - Lil Rounds, who I also think is a lock.
Jason: Another great story. Idol has been SO GOOD this year on telling
stories.
Gordon: She's a lock as the judges torture her some more. But we go back
to more no's. Felicia Dalton. Ashley Hollister. Devon Baldwin.
Jason: Sing off time.
Gordon: Frankie Jordan hopes that she did enough. it turns out that she
didn't, beecause Jessica Langseth is going to be going up to join her in
a sing off.
Jason: Frankie is not good.
Gordon: Frankie selects a song that I dont know, in a really low
register and off key. Simon said that it definitely made the choice
easier. Unfortunately, it was easier for the wrong reason.
Jason: And Jessica sings herself a lott better than Frankie did.
Don: Seems like an easy decision there.
Gordon: I don't like her either, but she's much more in pitch than
Frankie did. I didn't like either vocal performance and Simon calls it a
horrible song. Simon is asked for his opinion and he says neither. I
agree. Boot them both and bring Jennifer back in.
Jason: Ouch.
Gordon: Unfortunately for the judges, they have to pick one, and the one
they picked was Jessie. Simon says that Frankie would not stand a chance
of winning - and if Jesse sings that way on TV, she won't have a chance
either.
Jason: Frankie gets pissed.
Gordon: Simon tells Frankie that there were 8 better girls, and there
were. I think Jessie is not long for this competition either. Frankie
admits she picked the wrong song and that Jessie picked a song with
better range. I still think they should bring Jennifer back. Here are
some other people who may campaign to be brought back. Shera Lawrence -
Gone. Derik Lavers - gone. Allison Iraheta...mediocre audition. She
sings 'because of You' at the Day 4 Audition. She's through.
Jason: Not a very good choice.
Gordon: Some of these choices are questionable. What isn't questionable
is Danny Gokey's chances to make the Top 36. He's hanging out with best
friend Jamar Rogers by a fountain. They both wonder what will happen if
they keep one and ditch the other. Danny is first, and he says that he
did well. I think he did too and since they've been pimping him out more
than the latest keather jacket, I think he's in.
Jason: I like Danny. He looks like Adam Duritz.
Gordon: The judges like him too. He's in. Danny says him and Jamar will
sing together in the round of 36. Will he? Jamar sees the judges. I
didn't like his vocals as much as everyone else did, but he should be
good enough to get into the Top 36. Kara says that Jamar took some risks
- but she didn't think they paid off. And hence, he isn't advancing this
year - but they want him to come back next year.
Don: Ouch.
Jason: Watch out for him though.
Gordon: Jamar is shocked. Danny is shocked. Downstairs is shocked. I'm
not so shocked, but he says he's ok. Danny...isn't that ok, but he'll
live. If he comes back and reauditions, he's going to be a powerhouse.
But now we have yes's. Ricky Braddy - in. Matt Giraud - in. Jorge Nunez
- In. Ju'not Joyner - in. Brent Keith - in. Is there room for Stevehen
Fowler? He of the person who screwed up on the keyboard on the last
audition. He says that he should never have walked away from the piano.
He...gets in?
Don: Whoa!
Jason: Again...another bad choice.
Gordon: So he's in and Jamar is out. I agree that is a bad choice. I
think he may see a backlash.
Don: I'd be surprised if he got to the Top 12.
Gordon: Would you be surprised if Nick Mitchell got in?
Jason: If this idiot gets in...Seriously...The show will have jumped the
shark.
Gordon: Nick wants to polish cars and wear a bikini like Bikini Girl.
Please. Dont.
Don: I still can't believe he got this far in the first place.
Gordon: And he's...in?
Don: Oh, no...
Gordon: Nick/Norman/The new Bikini Girl is in. SImon calls it
unbelievable. Again, just to remind you all, Jamar is out.
Norman/Nick/Priscilla is in.
Don: I think I'm getting a headache now.
Gordon: Jackie Tohn is next and will hopefully clear us of our malaise.
She sings 'I Hope You Dance' with guitar on Day 4 of Hollywood Week.
After torturing her some more, the judges tell her that Jackie is in.
Next up...Tatiana Del Toro.
Don: Here we go...
Gordon: This is NOT unanimous...but...she...is...through? She is, and
there she goes screaming down the hallway
Don: Of course.
Gordon: Next up - Jackie Midkiff and Nathaniel Marshall, in a sing off.
Jackie goes first, and he's off-pitch. Nathaniel decides to dress to
imp...well not impress so much. He sings Jackie into the floor.
Nathaniel is far and away the better singer, and he advances.
Don: No surprise there.
Gordon: Jeanine Vailes, who we haven't seen yet, advances. Kai Kalama,
who we have seen before, also advances. Ann Marie Boskovich, who we have
also seen before...advances. So does Kris Allen.
Gordon: 2 people left. A welder and an oil rigger...Actually, according
to my math, there should be 2 spots left.
Don: In other words, they could both be advancing.
Gordon: So either they should get in, or someone who should have gotten
in got dq'ed and we'll have a surprise later on.
Gordon: Matt Breitzke is first, and he's ok. Nothing spectacular. Simon
hated the song choice, as do I. Michael is next, and he sings much much
better than Eric. Simon likes them both, but he doesn't know if either
of them can win. Simon says that they are going to put them...both in.
So the judges don't think either of them can win, and they put them both
in. Meanwhile, Jamar is out. Somewhere, Jamar is throwing something at
his TV set.
Don: I wouldn't blame him.
Gordon: Your thoughts on the Top 36?
Don: There's a good number of them that were rather underwhelming, and
I'd hope that America keeps people like Norman Gentle out of the Top 12.
Granted, there are also some great singers in the Top 36, so it's not a
complete bust.
Gordon: There are some really good singers this season. We'll see what
happens. Next week, we'll all be back for the live audition rounds. For
Jason and Don, this is Gordon, saying Game Over and spread the love. |