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 These months of outdated ideas ("Inspirational Week," anyone?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
funny you should mention eva cassity (incredable singer) and siobhan together..my husband and i kept saying she should pick some of eva's songs...over the rainbow, songbird etc...verses her last two or three choices. we were bored and very disappointed after she left and this seems to be a commen thread throughout the posts here. we hope she makes a cd and starts performing. very beautiful voice and great stage presence.
American Idol has seen its last days! With Paula gone and now Simon, its time to throw in the songsheets.
Idol MUST be boycotted for the dishonest manipulation of singers and songs. Who develops the song arrangements, who helps pick the songs? Get Real.... I will never watch again...
With the exception of Crystal, this was the worst "talent" this year I've ever seen; only to have it end up with Crystal being robbed. Having said that, I'm sure this will be like all the other outcomes. Ruben stole it from Clay; Clay is the winner in the real world today; David stole it from Adam, yada yada yada. I don't believe we'll see anything from Lee, other than whatever Idol promises to give him if he wins. They he'll end up singing at some charity events. But I do believe Crystal will be around for a long, long time; and she won't have to be tied to Idol for having "won" the crown. She's actually lucky in that respect. Now Simon is gone and so am I. They should cancel the show and quit worrying about who is going to replace anyone. I'm not watching any more.
This season was the worst ever, and only helped along by the TOP 3 who stood out from the beginning.
The Finale was even worse than last year.....
with a couple exceptions.
Bret Michaels stole the night and gave us goosebumps. Good to see he is doing well enough to perform. We could all tell he was feeling confortable on that stage.
Alice Cooper should have been the Finale.
Janet Jackson... That was the worst performance I have ever seen by her and what did she do with her hair? and she may have finally answered the question,... Are Michael and Janet the same person???? I was wondering last night. She still seemed sad.
For what it probably cost them to have her on there, they could have had better performances...
Why did Christina sing that awful song.... it was dreadfu, talk about song choice..
The Whole Simon thing was over done....I did like the line up of former winners, even tho Cook was absent... kind of a smack if you ask me. If they could have a tie, this time it should have been.
But Lee, Chrystal and Casey should do fine.
all the new judges sucked and now with simon cowell leaving its going to suck even more and cher i agree with u i mean all the second place winners become more popular than the first place winners
I think Christal Bowersoxs should have won,Lee missed notes,keys and pich he was good but Christal was great...And it was good to see Paula last night I sure missed her this year maybe she will come back ..
America is going to miss Simon..................
Lee hasn't got the talent or the star power. Just another case of Chicago voting in its "favorite son." Crystal was robbed. This show is a farce because it's controlled by texting teenage girls without an ounce of skill in judging talent. Siobahn should have been up there with Crystal, and either of them should have won. I wouldn't buy Lee. I would buy the other two. And I'd buy a video of Casey--just to look at him--but lower the sound. Too bad this year was so lousy. I got sick of hearing Kara talking about EMOTIONS. Cheez!
Simon the show will not be the samt without you. I think that Christal should have won. Katie where ever you are keep on shining. I think you were robbed to early. The judge's should not have a save vote it was wasted this year for sure. I don't think if I will watch next year.
Siobhan Magnus: HORRIBLE!!! Her flat tone and the screaming!
What was up with the screaming? I can't believe she lasted as long as she did. What were the judges hearing? And what was America thinking?
I was happy with Lee winning the whole thing. When it came down to him and Crystal, I thought about who's album I would buy. Definately Lee! Love his sound.
As far as the judges, why not have guest judges every week? I really liked the judges during the 'pre-season'. Especially Katie Perry..her and Kara...GREAT TV!
Simon, WE WILL MISS YOU!!!
I agree 100% on how the voting should go. That thing last year was real bad. One phone call pre phone. I know there won't be as many votes, but maybe we will be closer to the real winner. Maybe AT&T gets a percentage on how many calls for votes comes through.
There is no showmanship left in the show. I hate the uses of musical instuments all the time. Before they allow this the contestants had to use their real talent, they didn't depend on a intstument all the time. Don't get me wrong, but let them use it maybe once or twice, but not every week. The last good yr. was when Dolittle was on. Those kids used their talent.
There is a reason that I have not watched this show in 6 years, BECAUSE IT SUCKS! It was novel the first couple of years, now it is just pathetic.
I think it was the degenerate and Kara that killed American Idol.
It was long dead before they arrived
Crystal was robbed, Ellen a bore w/no ability to judge, Lee mediocre, not an Idol; and with Simon gone, they might as well go off the air gracefully now. Kris from last yr is weak, boring. I'm through w/AI. Dancing w/the stars gives the audience's votes only half of the total score; AI should have taken that approach. One vote per phone number would have been best, also. Simon picked a great time to leave, he can see the future of AI's fate.
Crystal is a good singer but needs a complete makeover body,face
and wardrobe. She looks like shes from the backwoods.
I have always wondered about that myself. Jennifer Hudson, Chris Daughtry...both doing much better than there 1 st counterparts. Adam Lambert (although not my liking) is far above Kris Allen in talent. Katharine McPhee, also better than Taylor Hicks. Not since Carrie Underwood has the best won. I truly believe you have something there. Not to forget the girl that Kara hugged and flat out told this show isn't what she needs, as she was told she didn't make the top 24. (Far and above the best talent this year had to give.) Show rigged?...probably...aren't all "reality" shows? It is still entertaining and I will continue to watch as my guilty pleasure.
I thought that Kara contridicted herself many times when giving her critique to the contestants. That, I think hurts her credability. I must not be alone in this opinion, it's obvious in the audiance applause at the start of the show when Ryan introduced her.
I beleive each contestant should pick their own style of songs,that reflect who they are. Make them comfortable, just because a song has been recorded several times by different artists does not mean we won't enjoy the song just as much or better, Everyone is unique, beleive in them and give them encouragement and they will grow. Look at Susan Boyle, everyone judged her by her appearance and she absolutely opened her mouth and silenced you all. Never under estimate people, with the proper encourgement and guidance anyone can prevail.
Kudos to Lee
In the above story giving the 5 possible reasons that this season was the worst ever, without doubt, the number 1 reason is the reason AI sucked this year. Allowing America to vote is the dumbest decision ever made. What they do is make it a popularity contest. Go back a few seaons ago when the lamest of lame, Sanjaya, made it so far. All because "America" loved his hair. This is a singing contest.
And how about Daughtry being in the final four back in what I think was season 4 only to be eliminated by "America". The 3 that went on ahead of him, can anyone tell me that they have bigger careers going on right now?? That's right. You can't. And you were wrong again America.
I have a suggestion. Stop voting. Why?? Hears why. Ruben Studdard over Clay Aiken?? You picked the "Soul Patrol" dude over what's her name?? Chris Allen over Adam Lambert?? And now this joke. Lee DeWyze over Crystal Bowersox?? You guys just suck at this.
I agree with the 5 reasons why rating dropped this season. For one thing, Ellen DeGeneras added absolutely nothing to the show...doesn't know diddly about music...and it showed the entire season.
This is how I would set up the panel for next season:
Move Randy over to Simon's seat to be the head judge.
Keep Kara exactly where she is.
Show Ellen the door and replace her with a female music icon...like Gladys Knight, Dionne Warwick, Roberta Flack.
Get Lionel Ritchie to sit in Simon's old seat.
.............and let the show begin! All four of my suggested replacement would boost the ratings to an all time high for American Idol.
I think this is the last year for American Idol as far as viewers are concerned. With Simon gone, there is absolutely no reason to watch it. Simon was the heart and soul of the show. He was the only one who told it like it is. No one really cared what any of the other judges had to say...it all rested on what Simon had to say and the contestants knew it as well as the viewers. No one can take Simon's place and believe me if you thought the show went downhill this year, watch it really slide to the bottom next year. They shouldn't even bother to continue the show without Simon Cowell.
I agree Ellen was wrong. I think Mrs. Jackson would be great for the spot.
I believe Lee won because the song to be released was more upbeat then Crystals's. I would rather hear his song over hers on the radio, but she had a stronger voice. Dont know why they didn't sing the same release song as they usually do...if they had the title would have maybe gone to Crystal.
Mrs. Janet Jackson would make a great judge. She has been in music since the day she was born. She also has a kind of cooky/wacky but sometimes serious personality. Janets perfect to take on Simons spot...but Ellen need to be gone!
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