Who to Blame? The 5 Biggest Culprits in American Idol's Worst Season
Even if Crystal Bowersox ranks among American Idol's finest talents (and I believe she does), something's rotten in the state of Seacrest this year. Last season, Idol rejuvenated itself with a blend of personalities -- from subtle craftsman Kris Allen to sparkle sorcerer Adam Lambert. This season's Idol cast is dogged by a number of distracting elements -- and worst, the Idol-consuming populace is confused over the true culprits in this fiasco. Thus, we're ranking the five biggest contributors to Idol's weakest year. Hopefully number one will start to garner the skewering it deserves. Daggers ready!
5. The Kara/Simon Sideshow
This unfortunate non-drama subsided in recent weeks, but the memory burns on: Kara DioGuardi, who gives arguably the best criticisms most nights, confused herself for the star of the show and wasted our time caressing Simon's shoulders and gnawing his chest. At season's start, DioGuardi mentioned to the press that she felt obligated to revive some of Paula Abdul's shtick, which included contestant sympathy and an unpredictability factor. Well, that explains her flagrant attempt to stir up a saucy, buddy-buddy relationship with Simon, but it doesn't justify why she thought it should be so time-consuming.
4. Contestant Nervousness
No one should be crucified for showing nerves on a national stage, at least to start. But if these contestants are serious about pop idol status, shouldn't this platform be more empowering than discouraging? Lee DeWyze's worried warble, Aaron Kelly's prenatal shakes, Casey James' cautious bleat, and Alex Lambert's post-vomit trembles were eye- and ear-sores all season long. It made them seem like unwilling combatants, the least telegenic quality an Idol contestant can have.
3. The Themes/Song Selection
By this time in Idol's run, we need cooler themes. These months of outdated ideas ("Inspirational Week," anyone? "Frank Sinatra Week"? "Elvis Week"?) have transformed the talent pool into a mushy, urgency-deprived karaoke machine. Some of the burden is on the contestants themselves, who don't need to choose "I Believe I Can Fly" or "When You Believe" but labor our tolerance anyway. Still, the quantity of available goodness is seriously limited, and I can only think of a handful of times where the singers mined gems -- aside from Rolling Stones week, the competition's best moment.
2. Ellen DeGeneres
Let's put it bluntly: Ellen DeGeneres could not have been any worse this season. She was scarcely funny. She almost always agreed with and watered down Randy's "points." She couldn't authoritatively stand behind a negative criticism. Worst of all, she never justified her position on the panel, resembling a specter of the TV icon we once knew. Reviewing her comments from throughout the season, she said a version of the phrase, "You know I'm a fan" or "You know I think you're great" to nearly every contestant. You'd think a new presence infiltrating Idol's long-established panel would do more to substantiate her gig than pander to contestants.
1. The Voters
Surprise! You did this to yourselves! As much as we can lay into the judges' inconsistency, Ryan Seacrest's unhinged showmanship, or a cast of wheezing wannabes, the main problem with season nine is horrible home-viewer voting. There's a reason we were promised a year of standout female talents at season's start: Your Top 5 should've been Crystal Bowersox, Siobhan Magnus, Didi Benami, Lilly Scott and Katelyn Epperly. Lee DeWyze's (GrizzLee Bore) tuneless whimper-growls, Casey James' unassuming coffeehouse appeal, and Michael Lynche's Cool Whip commercial "soul" should've deserted Hollywood weeks ago.
We've witnessed so much sympathy voting this year -- from Tim Urban's continued survival to a grim use of the Judges' Save, all on behalf of the lagging male talent pool. Siobhan and Didi -- discernible personalities who not only had great voices but utilized them singularly -- gave one "off" performance apiece. Lilly Scott and Katelyn Epperly were voted out after some of their best efforts. When you reinspect the oeuvre of the four remaining guys, you find plenty more misses than hits.
While viewers can claim that Idol's personnel shifts have added a layer of annoyance to the show, they can't claim they didn't design this strangely uninteresting turnout themselves.
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Comments
WOW, YOU ARE SOOO HOMOPHOBIC! HA...YOU CANT GET ANYTHING OUT WITHOU REFERING TO HOMOSEXUALITY. ARE YOU HIDING IN THE CLOSET? ADAM IS AN AMAZING SINGER, YEAH HE WAS "CRAZY" IN THE BEGINNING, BUT THAT'S WHO HE IS AND AMERICA LOVES HIM. (i am glad that kris won though
i believe that it is rigged, it does not matter on the votes. big mike getting the boot and the save,when he was not even in the bottom 3 before that.ratings ratings- think about it, lambert should have won over chris allen,but again politics of the show.2nd place winners can get a better contract and more say on how they want their songs to sound like then the winners.A.I. know this and i believe they give them 2nd for a better contract.its just a thought.so i could be wrong.
thoughts on this
Uhhhh...I must not be hearing what everyone else is hearing, but I'm reading all this love for Siobhan. Really, Siobhan, aka Screaming Mimi? I couldn't wait until she was gone. The judges' comparisons between what she was doing compared to Adam Lambert last season were just ridiculous! Adam hit some crazy notes, but I don't recall one time that he was ever out of key. Siobhan shrieked and not in a good way. She had a few good moments and she is not a horrible singer, but shrieking out of key is not singing in my mind.
My top 2 would have been Crystal and Mike. Do I think Lee should have won? No, but I'm not going to have a fit about it. Adam got robbed last season, Crystal this season (not quite as much as Adam). But the bottom line is, this apparently is what America wanted. I don't know to what end or benefit that AI would rig the competition. If they are rigging it, they obviously don't know what they're doing or else Chris Daughtry would have won the season he was on and not Taylor Hicks! In the end, I think Crystal will do just fine not winning. In fact, I think America did her a favor. Now she doesn't have to be tied to AI for however long the winners have to be. Adam Lambert is doing alright. Who was that guy who beat him? Kris who? He doing much these days. How about the previously mentioned Taylor Hicks? Soul Patrol is rockin' it these days. Oh wait. That's Chris Daughtry. Nevermind.
I have QUITE a lot to say about this season of Idol. First of all, as much as I love Ellen, (I watch her show everyday) she wasn't good. She's not a singer, and some of the comments that she made were pointless. Two, Kara. She is awful. Whenever I have the show recored, and fast-forward through any time she opens her mouth. I go to the bathroom when she speaks. It's like listening to a motivational speaker on a lope. It's ick that never ends. Three. The talent. The only people one that show who could really sing were the girls; most of which were early cast-offs. The guys were just a bunch of tone-deaf wannabes, and I'm not even going to START about Tim Urban. Now, I'll get to Lee. He's a great singer, but he's just another dumb one-hit-wonder voices that you always here on the radio. He sounds the same as everybody else. There's nothing special. Not even close to Crystal. He might sound good on stage, but if he's on the radio, and you don't see his name, and you just listen, you'll turn it off. His voice is just like every other guy on the VH1 countdown, with some sad song about breaking up. He'll be just like Taylor Hicks; in six months, no one will remember him.
My favorite 2 this season were Crystal and Lee from the beginning.
Lee won because his style is the most commercial. He would do well as the lead singer of a band. He is humble and absolutely adorable, but definitely needs to kick the nervousness issue, he has the ability to go far. Crystal is amazing but her style is a little "older" a little 70's ... I love her though! I believe she will do much better by not winning so she can choose a label that will market her for her and not for what they believe is popular now. She is a powerhouse.I think that they will both do very well. I agree that Casey was boring and I think the only reason he made it as far as he did was because of his looks. As for last season, I don't think Kris Allen should have even made it to the final 2 much less be the winner. I think the final 2 should have been Adam Lambert and Allison Iraheta, and Adam Lambert definitely deserved to win. He has had the best stage presence yet.
To think Bowersox is not talented is naive. Her sound is refreshing and her talent is amazing. She's versatile, and much much better than Lee. He is not talented at all and should have been gone a long time ago. But this happens every year, I haven't seen the person that should win win this show since the first season.
Since a few years ago I stopped watching every week because the voting bs, and just watched off and on the past couple seasons. Not a big Adam Lambert fan but he was 100x's better than boring Chris Allen but we saw what happened. When Jordan Sparks won, she was only the third best. Lastly, Crystal this year was great while Lee missed notes, pitch, and keys every week and was always looking nervous and he won. America has no sympathy anymore, if voters weren't going on talent which so many don't which is pathetic (best example, lil girls with Sanjaya back in the day) than personality or back story should be what they look at, and we got a single mother that has had health issues against a paint salesman doing all right in life. Who in their right mind votes for paint salesman that is not that good of a singer over the single mom that is a great singer?
Amen! That was my top 2 from last season.
I am not sure what is going on with American Idol, but I don't like it. I was a huge fan of the show, but between last year with Adam losing to Chris!! Now Chrystal losing to Lee. OMG! Lee has no range and I'm embarrassed for him when he tries to hit the low notes and it sounds awful. Chrystal can sing anything. I think it is a beauty contest and America doesn't give a crap about the talent. Or maybe they are tone deaf. Maybe a bunch of 5 years old are casting most of the votes. To top it off, why make Ellen Degeneres a judge! I love Ellen, but come on, the only thing she got right was the Big Mike sounded like Luther. Actually he also sounds like Jeffrey Osborne. I my opinion, Chrystal was so much better than any contestant this year. They could all sing, but Chrystal was in another league and Big Mike was second to her with Casey next. The rest of them, well, nothing outstanding there. I am done with America Idol. Simon leaving is just the icing on the cake. No reason to watch anymore!
This unlimited voting has to stop 5 or 10 max and not for 4 hrs how can you get a true count on the votes when some people will power vote for the 4 hrs straight, the weak singer won tonight because of the block voting and not by talent it will show by the amount of records and radio play time. Crystal, Kelly, and Carrie will still be the bigest sellers of all times on AI and Siobhan will go somewhere and do real good.
Crystal Bowersox
I thank God for you!I believe the best singer
on American Idol EVER is u! the first reason is u r the best singer I have ever heard the second reason is what you said about your Son having a better life then yourself how unselfish. You r truly BEAUTIFUL inside and out.....
Crystal Bowersox,
The cream will always rise to the top, the proof is in the pudding, and you are with out doubt the winner of this contest. In the days and weeks to come your light will be brighter, your star will shine bigger and your fame will be the conformation of victory. Please remember who you are and do not let that fame and fortune that awaits, to change you, because who YOU are is the best part of this story. Lee seems to be a very nice guy with lots of talent, but he won't be able to even carry your soon to be gold records. God bless both of you.
Wow, Louis, can you be any more opinionated about Lee? You know, some people actually think he is a pretty good singer otherwise he wouldn't have won. I've supported Lee since the semis. Crystal too. Because they were the only ones who sang with the most heart and soul. Do we really need another "perfect" singer like Celine Dion? Or Susan Boyle? America spoke. Lee won. Get used to it. This was one of the best seasons.
Aint rigged ppl just vote i've heard this shit since season 2 Just Vote.... But if you wanna blame anybody blame the young teen girls & women... Three staright years of men winners?? plz.. There has been a guy in the final three every year except season 3.. There needs to be a big change next year no texting girls love that crap..... Go MamaSox...
Really? I like Crystal but I didn't think she could hit the high notes very well. It sounded too screechy to me. And criticize as much as you want about Lee's range, but it was still better than a lot of the contestants on the show, such as Casey, Aaron, Tim, Andrew, Lacey, etc.
I couldn't have said it better myself. Well put.
Take a midol. honey.
Caleigh, I'm with you 100%. I'm glad Lee won too although I wouldn't have been disappointed if Crystal won. The correct people made it to the Final 2 in my book.
Believe me, you'll probably be complaining about x-factor too.
I felt Lee got a HORRIBLE song choice by the producers. There is NO way anyone can have a "moment" with a one-chord, monotonous song like "Everybody Hurts." That wasn't even one of REM's better songs. So say what you will about Lee's treatment of "Hallelujah"--it sure wasn't true with "Everybody Hurts."
I believe that Christal Bowersox should have won.
Lee Dewayze has a good voice and with some choaching
he can develop some personality, beside most of music is recorded in studios.I also beleive that Kara DioGuardia, Randy Jackon and Simon are professionals
in the art of music. People who critizise them don't know theuir ass from a hole in the ground.As for de Generis, well she was just there.
The top two should have been Siobhan and Crystal but not sure about "rigged" as it is supposedly about America voting. Third year in a row that the final vote is wrong. I too, stopped watching after Siobhan was let go. My third fave was Katie, who was always in the bottom three.
It almost always becomes a let down, like Survivor. Time will tell if America got it wrong, and thus the "judges" of AI.
Still, Lee and Crystal have some strange connection where they could record together.
Shame on u Crystal is diabetic, that's why her teeth is yellow. Chill out
Worst season yet. Lee, the winner has the personality of a dead fish and a voice to match. I'm through with Idol watching
Now you are delusional. Lee had his moments but as a trained vocalist Lee sang FLAT, off key all season. He didn't even step his performances up in the finals. He's entering the music business and being cute and humble is not going to get him very far. He does need to be able to carry a tune to pull off a concert people spend hard earned money for.
Crystal should have won and lee was so off pitch!!
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