Alas poor Chikezie, it was not your time to go. Not when slacker dread-heads are coasting through the competition on nothing but mere wisps of a singing voice. Not when contestants pull out songs about the USA just to keep them around for one more week. And certainly not when some singers are using their ‘sad-face' to elicit sympathy votes. (And in case I'm being too subtle, yes I'm calling out Jason, Kristy and Ramiele for not being eliminated this week.)
Let's rewind a bit shall we. The show, although disjointed as it usually is, was going pretty well tonight. The group performance was short and sweet, with just one song tonight! To top it all off, most of the contestants looked like they were having fun. Carly was smiling! Kristy, Brooke and Syesha belted some awesome notes! And Michael and David Cook chest-bumped! All was right in "American Idol" land.
Then, before elimination time, we learned a bit about how the singers create those downloadable tracks for iTunes. I had just assumed they were recorded during the show, but apparently the producers make those kids sit in a studio and perfect them. (I can just picture people from previous seasons watching tonight's show and thanking their lucky stars they never had to put in all this extra effort!) The funniest moments from this segment definitely have to be Ramiele downloading her competitors' songs (like she's not on the show WITH them), or Carly giggling uncontrollably at seeing her own face on iTunes.
Soon it was on to the results. This week Ryan brought each contestant out to center stage to hear America's verdict. Up first was our man Chikezie. Unfortunately he was the first to sit on those uncomfortable stools in the Bottom Three. With little surprise, Ryan pardoned the next two singers- Brooke White and Carly Smithson. Of course, Ryan decided that not only should Carly's moment be nerve-racking, but embarrassing as well, when he made her address rumors she was pregnant, which she isn't. (Man, first he asks her if she flushed, now he asks her if she's pregnant! I think Mr. Seacrest has crossed from annoying to creepy!)
After a brief interlude with the Ford music video, Ryan immediately started up again and brought a nervous David Archuleta out to see his adoring public. I would have been blindsided if somehow this kid landed in the Bottom Three. Just listen to that crowd; he already has a devoted fan base. And since Clay Aiken has the Claymates, it's only fitting that David's fans have a proper name. I say we call them the Archulunatics. I like it. Somebody print up some signs. Sorry, I got a little off track there. As it turns out, and to no one's surprise, David A. was spared elimination, followed soon after by David Cook. (I'm guessing if things keep going this way, we're all just waiting for a Battle of the Davids in May, right?) Next was Syesha, who soon became the next member of the Bottom Three. And then Ryan called up Michael Johns, but sent him to the Couch of Safety instead.
As with every week, before we could hear the fates of the remaining contestants, it was time for some fun viewer call-ins! The first question was for Chikezie, who was asked if he was single. "Very single," he replied. (Side note: Keep that girl's number Chikezie; you might need a friendly voice to talk to later on.) The next callers asked questions of Little David, Simon and Brooke. Archuleta explained why he sang that song last night (his answer: he loves it!), Simon explained how someone can get Ryan's job (his answer: "you don't need a lot of talent") and Brooke answered who she'd love to duet with (her answer: John Mayer). The funniest answer of the night, though, once again belonged to Simon when asked if he believed he was the most attractive on the show. He replied: "It's not what I say, it's what the people say." He's so humble, don't you think?
Up next was tonight's guest performance, Kimberley Locke. I'm enjoying the reunion we get every week with past contestants. I'm also sensing a theme that women with names that begin with ‘K' are at the top of the producers' list. First was Katharine McPhee, then Kellie Pickler and now Kimberley. (If things keep going this way, I predict future result night performances from Kimberly Caldwell or maybe even our first Idol, Kelly Clarkson. Hey, I can dream right?) Singing a song called "Fall," Kimberley performed very nicely. I suddenly remembered how good she is, and why she made it to the Top 3 way back in Season 2.
Finally, it was time to learn who would join Chikezie and Syesha in the Bottom Three. First up was Ramiele Malubay, who surprisingly was not in the bottom this week. That left Jason Castro and Kristy Lee Cook to vie for the title. In a shocking turn, apparently America enjoys patriotic songs more that Jason Castro and placed the dread-dude in the bottom three. Unfortunately, it didn't matter because Ryan immediately declared him safe.
So, with just two people left, Syesha and Chikezie, I was torn. Who should go? I enjoyed Syesha's last two performances and thought she was growing as an artist. On the other hand, I liked Chikezie because he's the only person left who was actually having fun on the show. That meant I was going to lose no matter who went home tonight. And when Ryan told Syesha she would be back for another round, it was Chikezie that was heading home. He looked completely crestfallen and I can understand why. It must be bewildering to see Kristy still sitting on the couch, grinning from ear to ear. So here's to you Chikezie, the contestant who made sweater vests, banjos and harmonicas cool again.
What do you think of the Top 9? Were you surprised that the cherubic Chikezie was kicked out this week? Is Kristy going to follow in the footsteps of Sanjaya and stick around way past her expiration date? And why the heck was Syesha in the Bottom Three? Post below and be back here next Tuesday for Dolly Parton week! –Chris Sardelli
for our banished contestant, a parting Haiku:
The throw-back to Soul
Like orange velvet suit, crushed
Idol’s not Eze
Why the bleeb is this joyful bundle of fun going home. Come on America please use your mind. Kristy Lee dripped of the screen, but she was save?!?!? We really couldn't believe that here in the Netherlands on Idols (the dutch version) Kristy Lee wouldn't even have made it any futher than the auditions. But Europe's not America, it goes 2 show. Chikezie was my man, i still can't believe my dog's gone home.
Even weirder was it to see te second best Syesha on the stools. No no no, this week the publics got it all wrong.
Please for the sweet love of who-ever, send that plastic face Kristy Lee home. I really can't stand it another week to see her fake-smile, fake-voice and dreadful song choises.
Greeting from Holland
-- 3. Posted by: ReMMeZ at March 27, 2008 12:17 PMI have no idea how Kristy made it this far. This certainly is no talent competition. It's simply a popularity contest, and I personally cringed when she sang that song. I thought it was a shameless choice, and it reminded me of when there was that awful shooting by the Korean boy, and one person brought it up - even though every single other contestant had obviously been touched by it as well. Shameless, just to get through. Kristy is well past her sell by date. I enjoyed Chekeeze, but he was never going to win it.
-- 4. Posted by: Anna at March 27, 2008 2:08 PMJust Check out the studio version of Alone by Ramiele. AWESOME!!!!
There's no question she is talented and deserve to be on the top 9 it's just unfortunate she lost her voice the day before her performnace.
David A. fans do have names for themselves - "Archies" and "Arch Angels." :)
-- 6. Posted by: Samara at March 29, 2008 6:12 PM
It realy sucks to all those who didn't have faith in Ramiele. What matters that everyone who thought she would be in the Bottom 3 or leave are WRONG WRONG WRONG. America has voted and we'll see how far she can go...
Ramiele has some talent and why are people hating on her so much? And David Archuelta is a little weird and I can find myself liking him from the beginning. I'll be greatly dissappointed if he makes it to the TOP 2!!
-- 1. Posted by: hahahah at March 27, 2008 2:44 AM