...and by hate of course, I mean love.

Here's my quote from April 20:

Scotty: Swingin' - I nearly did a spit-take when he reminded me that he was only 17. He's so ridiculously good. I am wondering though about the microphone placement though after that video opening. If he isn't in the bottom three, after going first and getting slightly negative feedback from the judges, then he will WIN. Those are two strikes that others have not been able to battle against.

And, he was not in the bottom three that week, and last night, he won. Boom. Congrats to Scotty!

Hey everybody- I know there was some concern in the blogosphere because I posted a non-american idol post earlier today, and blew out my blogging chords. But I promise, my doctor has come out and reported on my condition, and we are prepared to move on. Here are my thoughts on this night of performance, one day earlier than I'm used to doing:


Scotty - Gone - great pick to start the evening. 

Lauren - Damage is done - appropriate title given the state of her vocal chords. At first I thought it was a little much to bring out the doctor, but if you didn't know that and heard that performance you would be wondering what went wrong.

Scotty - Check Yes Or No - Good song - right up his alley. He is here to kick tail and take names.

Lauren - Maybe it was Memphis - She looks like she's in a fog - Her last song had better just kill it otherwise it won't be a fair fight.

Taio Cruz - Positive - Negative.

Scotty - I Love You This Big - This song works, but the chorus isn't great for his voice. And "big" is not a great word to sing, in general. 

Lauren - Like My Mother Does - Okay, that was great. Finally we have a competition - that song was so superior to Scotty's from a songwriting perspective. And can you go wrong with a young adult teenager singing to her mom?

It's funny to me how all season the routine is that the first night was always the big one to watch and the results show was always a throwaway, just tell us who won. And then the last week, the first night is the throwaway, and the big finale results show has U2 and Spiderman on it.

Who's gonna win it? Who will be in it to win it tomorrow night? Will Spiderman fall on Bono? Or will he walk on the Edge?

Beyonce's in the house yo. Which one of our three finalists will come to play this week? Here are my thoughts, as always, before Randy says that same thing he says every week involving winning, and it:

Scotty - Amazed - Good to see he found a place to rest his arm on that piano. A solid performance - still bugged by his arms without a guitar, but he's still 17. And sang a love song to Beyonce without soiling himself.

Lauren - Wild One - Good showing - missing a little bit of the sparkle towards the end - it's funny, it's like she doesn't have enough gas in the tank to sustain the energy of an uptempo song. But I still enjoyed it.

Haley - What Is And What Should Never Be - Haley haters beware, she just won the first round - this is not forced, this is genuine rock and roll in a pretty package that is for real.  And then she wiped out. And so the Haley haters rejoiced. That was like Janis Joplin meets the Wilson sisters. Awesome.

Scotty - Kiss Me Or Not - Yay, guit-box! That was a great song, great pick by Jimmy - what a fun anthem for a country singer that I love even though I don't like country.

Lauren - If I Die Young - http://www.katielunn.org/

Haley - Rihanna - I think the wind is a bit cheap theatrics, but hey, it's in the lyric, right? I think while this totally fits Haley, I would have to say that of the three Iovine picks, this was the less successful of the three. It was a great song, but it's so moody and doesn't really build. Loved the slow beginning though.

Beyonce - girls run this - wha?

Scotty - She Believe in Me - I love this song. Most girls think that guys want something else, and while there may be truth in that, it's all cleverly disguised in the lyrics of this song - that's what guys really want. Great pick from the judges.

Lauren - I Hope You Dance - I like this song too, but I'm a little over it in this arena, too many hopefuls have attempted it - but it was Lauren's most confident of the night for sure.

Haley - You Oughta Know - The lyrical substitution for this for a family show is necessary but so unfortunate for the meaning. Wish she had changed the melody for the verses so it wasn't so low, but I loved the chorus.

WHO IS IN THE FINALS? My money is on Haley and Scotty.

Only four left, and it's getting down to the wire. But hey, Lady Gaga is here, so there's that. If only she was releasing an album to coincide with all this publicity she seems to be getting.

Here are my thoughts, as always, written before the judges say anything about the performances... here we go!

James - Don't Stop Believin' - I like this, but I like this other version too... http://youtu.be/Vm7GN_pWbmQ

Haley - The Earth Song - Uh oh. Okay Haley haters, you're dead on with this one - when your inspiration song is boring, it does not bode well.

Scotty - Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning - This pick is as smart as Haley's was dumb. Great pick, and I loved it - I also loved that his holding a guitar keeps him from doing all those goofy things with his arms and fingers.

Lauren - Anyway - Solid performance for sure. I think the song is a little too mature for her - I kinda felt like she got a little glassy eyed in the lyrics, but she sounded great, and those swooping blue notes were slideriffic.

After round one: Haley is going home. Not only because she picked the worst song, but because her snippy attitude showed up after the criticism. So even though I like her it's possible that she may not be like-able.

Haley - I Who Have Nothing - Not sure if the Fatal Attraction vote is gonna come out to help her, but man, Lady Gaga couldn't have given her better advice. Can't wait to hear Randy say that she's back and in it to win it.

Scotty - Youngblood - After that video package I wanted to see Scotty walk out in a Lady Gaga meat dress. This was just all-right for me, maybe just because my only real connection with this song is from a Bruce Willis album with his harmonica in the 80s. Wasn't good enough, but he isn't going home.

Lauren - Trouble - Great sassy performance. A little shaky on the last could runs, but still a fantastic "out of the comfort zone" performance.

James - Love Potion #9 - Solid, not great but everyone will love it. He didn't move his hips enough in performance. A little too indulgent of an ending with two audience-stops, but hey, when you can hit those notes, I guess you can do that.

Quote of the night: Lady Gaga: "Give em a little 'I'm crazy & I'm a laugh away from a tear.'"

So after round two: Did Haley save herself? Will one of these uptempo songs put Haley's MJ tune out of people's memory?

It's top five time - only three weeks until the big finale, and details are already leaking out. But let's not worry about that now - let's just dive into the contest - here are my thoughts, and I won't say "who's in it to win it" the entire time. I promise.

Sheryl Crow is the guest mentor this week. One song from "today" and one from the 60s/70s. Mkay.

James - Closer to the Edge - Of all of his high end performances this may be my least favorite - not because he didn't nail it, but just because the slower melody didn't complement his ability as well as songs that are filled with eighth notes. It's still a not-to-miss circus act though.

Jacob - No Air - What is this dance he's doing? We are a part of a Jacob Nation? Ummm no. He's got an amazing voice, but that was an indulgent performance.

Lauren - Flat on the Floor - Another good reminder of how ridiculously good Carrie Underwood actually is. She did a great job handling the constant barrage of lyric. Best so far by far.

Scotty - Gone - When he took off for the chorus I was waiting for the Howdy Doody marionette strings to pull him up into the catwalks. He needs to figure out what to do with his off arm when he's not using it to touch the mic with his finger. He holds it close to his chest and it looks weird. But that was one solid performance. He's the one unless Lauren steals it from him.

Haley - You and I - Jimmy was right in that this song is a great fit for Haley - kind of makes me wonder how in the world Lady Gaga pulls it off. There was risk in this choice for sure, but I think it paid off, mainly because the song has such a familiar chord progression.

James - Without You - I was wondering when the family was gonna come back into the picture - well played, sir. Pretty good build, but kind of ironic that for most those high notes as written would be unattainable and for him he has to sing above the melody to really challenge his range.

Jacob - Love Hurts - This is a great song. This is a much better fit for him, and I can't wait to hear Randy say how right he was.  You can see him trying to cry and be autistic as hard as he can. One sour note. But he turned it into gospel and it worked.

Lauren - Unchained Melody - Barbra Mandrell called and wants her pant-dress back. Other than that she kind of ran out of riff ideas at the end of the song, it was great. She doesn't understand that song, but she can sing it.

Scotty - Always on My Mind - Again, you have to be absolutely floored by how polished this KID is as a vocalist. Is there anyone out there who sounds this studio-ready in a live performance?

Haley - House of the Rising Sun - Fantastic - I know there are Haley-haters out there, but I just don't get it. The risk of Gaga and the recovery of the Animals should buy her another week at least. Bam.

Random Notes:

Clearly Ryan is unaware of what the Full Monty actually is. Surprising.
So far Jacob is not "in it to win it." This does not bode well for him if one can trust the Randy Jackson Platitud-ometer.
So who is going home? My money is on Jacob, but Haley could go bye-bye with ga-ga.
Standing O for Haley? Okay, now, I know that she did a great job, but I feel like Nigel whispered in their ears and said "stand up and clap!" O the drama!

Just in time for Easter, American Idol gets to the perfect number - the top seven perform. Here are my comments, as brief as I can be because there's SO much to talk about this week!

Scotty: Swingin' - I nearly did a spit-take when he reminded me that he was only 17. He's so ridiculously good. I am wondering though about the microphone placement though after that video opening. If he isn't in the bottom three, after going first and getting slightly negative feedback from the judges, then he will WIN. Those are two strikes that others have not been able to battle against.

James: Uprising - Great song. Marching band? Really? Up the octave. Wow. Wowowowowow. Pretty stinkin' awesome.

Haley: Rolling in the Deep - This is the song I featured back in episode 49 of my podcast… She was awesome for me. But, will it grab everyone? Hard to know given the mixed reviews I've seen.

Jacob: Dance with My Father - The video piece built it up much more than his performance pulled off. Until that last note of the build. That was great. Too emotional for anyone to really give decent criticism…

Casey: Harder to Breathe - He did what he does, and it was great, particularly the scatting off the solo - but this song is not great, and he didn't go beyond it to become great. Loved the JLo kiss.

Stefano: Closer - A great effort, his eyes were open more than they've ever been. Is it enough? Hard to tell.

Lauren: Born to Fly - Great job, not my favorite song choice but she is berry good still.

Random Notes:

Why The Face with the castoffs performance at the top of the show? It's just a subtle reminder that when you sell your soul to the AI machine, that they own you and can make you do anything.

"You'd be surprised how expensive it is to look this cheap." - Steven Tyler. You never got that rapier wit from Paula.

Anyone else surprised that Stephan is still around?

Steven Tyler showed us a little Paula love by repeating his "I've been trying to do that for months" about the Casey kiss, but went from 2 to 4 months in the joke upgrade.

Who's going home????

American Idol movie night is in the hizzouse! This week always cracks me up because they pick songs that just happen to have been in movies, but it's not like all of these songs are thought of as movie songs. So just for fun I will note the songs that actually are movie songs as they perform them. Guessing that it's probably 3 of the 8.

Paul: Old Time Rock & Roll (MOVIE SONG) - Stairs. His voice sounds way too thin for this song. No one wearing that outfit likes old time rock and roll. He's first to perform and he will likely go home.

Lauren: The Climb (MOVIE SONG) - Loved the video piece with Laurel and Hardy. I have to say that I felt like the arrangement didn't allow her to show that she's a better singer than Miley. But she is.

Stefano: End of the Road - It's hard to hear this song as a solo when it was so effective as a vocal group number - but the key change was boss.

Scotty: I Cross My Heart - (MOVIE SONG) He is such a pro. I am getting tired of having to move my head slightly to the right during the whole performance to see him (george) straight…

Casey: Nature Boy - Unbelievable. Seriously, did anyone foresee that such a musical performance would appear on the AI stage? Again, thank goodness the judges save worked.

Haley: Call Me - The Partridge Family Bus is suing her dress. I still like Haley but this was not a smart song pick. This song does not align well with what she does successfully. The dress on the other hand…

Jacob: Bridge Over Troubled Water - I might download this one. Wowwwwwwwwww. I think I'm ready to be rebaptized.

James: Heavy Metal - (MOVIE SONG) I loooooveed the video piece with Jimmy and Will.i.am. Remember when everyone thought Constantine was a rocker? James makes him seem like the Fantasia of Heavy Metal. That was like a circus act on the flying trapeze.

Can I have a new TV show starring Will.i.am. and Jimmy Iovine please? I need that right away.

Who's in the bottom three with Paul?

Hey everybody - happy Friday! (is there a song out there that would be a symbol of that kind of joy that shows up simply by celebrating one day of the week...)

Well, you may know by now that our church's video "Sunday", which features my daughter Sadie, has accelerated in views over the last 24 hours due to being placed in many blogs, including Tosh.0, TV Guide online, Today's Big Thing, and others. We're currently hovering around 200,000 views.

Buzz was created for sure, but in the scope of all things internet, that many views is exciting but not record-breaking. So let's not get all crazy up in here. But it has been a fun 13 and a half minutes of fame...!

I tried to keep the comments up in the youtube placement of the video as long as I could, but the venom spewed by the pagans out there was far too violent and destructive. I don't fault them: they are only doing what they do with every other thing they see on the internet - we are not special in that regard.

And they aren't alone in behaving absurdly on the internet with regards to commenting on videos. Someone stole the vid and posted it on godtube, which tries to be a Christianish version of youtube, and the comments there have devolved into a debate about whether or not Sunday is actually the Sabbath. Seriously. So even though they may not be swearing, they are certainly missing the point.

And with regards to missing the point, it's hilarious to me that so many people don't understand that Sadie is in on the joke. That she is doing an imitation of Rebecca Black. And what does it say about the church culture in general that the pagans assume that a parody of something from a church "actually means it" and doesn't understand how Rebecca Black's song and video is perceived globally?

But enough on that for now. If you want to read the interview I did for Christian Post about the video, you can do that here.

Now for more important matters: AMERICAN IDOL. Why the face?

I am surprised that people are surprised that Pia  was voted off. It's the first week that she did something other than what she's great at. She showed everyone (except the judges, who except for J-Lo continued to worship the ground she walked on) that she can't move. Her voice is not connected to her body, no matter how shapely it might be. And while she hit all the notes, to go for Tina Turner when what Tina does is SO CONNECTED from head to toe, it just was too much for her. This was one week where Simon's criticism would have been welcome to wake up the judges to what was actually going on.

But the other thing that I thought about at the end of that show was how it must have felt to be one of the other eight, knowing that EVERYONE thinks that one of you at the very least (and at the most, all of you), deserved to go home more than Pia. In all that shock and awe last night, I was waiting for one of the judges to turn on the other eight and ask for Barabbas instead.

Have a great day! Recording a podcast today to try and make sense of all this viral-ness...!

Well, after a family staycation for a couple days in Chicago, I'm quite a bit late on my American Idol update - but I did watch it and comment in the moment using my iphone, so I kept it short.  - So here they are, even though I know Casey got the big save... enjoy!

Casey - grapevine - better than last week fo sho
Thea - heat wave - pure goodness.
Jacob - don't know this song well but he rocked it. Great control and soul.
Lauren - keep me hangin on - major comeback for her. Not sure about the last run but it was all good.
Stefano - hello - goodbye...
Haley - her straightened hair turned her into a hunchback. Better toward the end.
Scotty - for once in my life - he's great out of his element. Looks like Alfred E. Neumann tonight.
Pia - all in love is fair -  for a humanoid robot who has come to take over the world she is amazing.
Paul - tracks of my tears- it was like a rod Stewart tom petty Mashup. Quirky Boring.
Naima - dancing in the streets - well she's definitely better than Mick and Bowie were - didn't need the Milwaukee throw in or the dance break.
James - livin for the city - great jam - he's in some rare company man - what pipes.

Bottom line: Everyone did better than Casey, and that plus the fact that he sang first left him in the dust. Glad to hear that he's going to get to go on the tour - but will he be able to get his thing together to keep from the same fate next week? I guess we'll see...

Hey everybody!

It’s down to twelve after Diana Ross left us last week. Still excited, still interested, still ready to comment on the performances of the top twelve – my comments offered before hearing the judges speak – eeek – this week is “songs from the year the contestants were born.” Nothing better to make someone feel old.

Naima – What’s Love Got To Do With It – Tina Turner – Can we please get some stairs training in here if we’re going to continue to build them for American Idol stages. This arrangement doesn’t do much for me. She reminds me of Ventress from Clone Wars.

Paul – I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues – He’s like “Countrified Coldplay” – While I do think that his variety is good for AI – he is starting to be more like Taylor Hicks than like himself – becoming a bit of a parody of his schtick, less honest to me.

Thea – 1995. Ouch. Colors of the Wind – She’s pretty stunning – but in the end, I was kind of bored, but I attribute that more to the arrangement than her performance.

James – I’ll Be There For You – Remember when this song was a ballad? Not his best performance – feel like he’s losing it a bit. When they play this back they’ll realize how many notes he actually missed due to adrenaline.

Haley – I’m Your Baby Tonight – Loved it. First one I enjoyed from beginning to end. Little lipstick on the chin after the performance, that’s hilarious.

Stephano – If You Don’t Know Me By Now – He’s doing a great job with this song – a great pick. Great last note. Showed he deserved to get the wild card. The system works.

Pia – Where Do Broken Hearts Go? – Pantsuit? Really? Probably the most soul that she’s shown, nailed the top notes for sure. Wow! But… need more soul and less pantsuit…

Scotty – Can I Trust You With My Heart – He’s brilliant – seriously – how does he do it? I can’t stand country music, and yet, I’m drawn to his talent like a moth to a dadgum flame.

Karen - Love Will Lead You Back – She’s singing to us from the future! Her voice is a little thin by comparison to the original, and she’s not doing enough different with it to make it stand out.  And just as I say that, she breaks out the Spanish. Boom.

Casey – Smells Like Teen Spirit. Oh snap. The ghost of Simon Cowell can be heard saying “yes, but this is a singing competition…” It was good and cool, but really? First time I didn’t really get how what he was doing was fit for AI.

Lauren – I’m The Only One – She was awesome, until the last 20 seconds when the flu caught up with her. But wow, much improved from last week. Great catchy song right in her strengths.

Jacob – Alone – I always knew that ann and nancy were channeling a young black man with golden pipes. Oh wow on that “I never really cared until I met you” run. Most impressed with his ability to come back down from that craziness to sing the quiet parts at the end.

Random Notes – I hope they plan on doing more with Jimmy Iovine than these little couch sessions for one-liners. It really would be cooler to see more of what’s going on with that portion of the process.

So I noticed that Jimmy Iovine went to his jacket pocket fr something after talking to the very sick Paul – and then later he mentioned to James to stay away from the sickness in that house? I’m guessing he had some antiseptic lotion in his jacket that he went for right away…