In Memoriam: American Idol's Newest (And Most Controversial) Eliminated Contestant
We gather here at the Kara DioGuardi Memorial Arboretum to bury Idol's newest eliminated contestant. Who took 11th place and therefore didn't make the tour? Was it Lauren Alaina, who straightened her hair but not her performance posture? Was it Stefano Langone, whose 8th grade history class taught him nothing about Lionel Richie's "Hello"? Or was it Paul McDonald? Thia Megia? Naima Adedapo? Our last-ranked troubadour this week, Casey Abrams? The answer will kill you.
The bottom three consisted of Thia Megia, Stefano Langone, and Casey Abrams. The bottom two consisted of Stefano Langone and Casey Abrams. And in another week of apt voting, America gave Casey Abrams the least amount of votes. Except then, during his growl-y performance of "I Don't Need No Doctor," the judges interrupted and saved him.
No one was eliminated this week. All 11 contestants return, two will be eliminated next week, and all 11 will make the summer tour. Joy and boredom!
Well. Since we have no one to mourn, I figure we should use this time to guess how the rest of the competition will pan out. Here are my hypothetical rankings for the rest of the season -- based not on quality, justice, or the high-kicks of one gorgeous Rasta warrior named Naima, but on how I think the votes will go.
10. (Tie) Stefano Langone
10. (Tie) Haley Reinhart
9. Thia Megia
8. Naima Adedapo
7. Casey Abrams
6. Jacob Lusk
5. James Durbin
4. Lauren Alaina
3. Scotty McCreery
2. Paul McDonald
1. Pia Toscano
Fair? What do you think? Meanwhile: How weird would a Pia/Paul final be? I sense that America is hip to Paul's "offbeat" skinny-panted antics and seems to love his sigh-y non-singing. And how enraged will I be if Naima doesn't crack the Top 5? Work with me, people!
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Comments
I don't think Paul will be in the final 5 at all.
1. Pia Toscano
2. James Durbin
3. Scotty McCreery
4. Casey Abrams
5. Stefano Langone
6. Paul McDonald
7. Lauren Alaina
8. Naima Adedapo
9. Jacob Lusk
10. Thia Megia
1. (Tie) Naima Adedapo
1. (Tie) Naima Adedapo
Consolation Prize - Me (when they ship Jacob Lusk off to the silent vacuum of space.)
You got the bottom 6 dead on but You got the rest all wrong..Durbin and Alaina will be in the final...Durbin has the David Cook/Adam Lambert appeal going for him and he's a hell of a singer...America/preteens love Lauren Alaina's southern charm and perky attitude.
Paul wont make it because heading towards the final you have to be picture perfect and Paul isnt capable of even nailing ONE performance.
You got Pia wrong because although she's one the best singers EVER on the show..she has absolutely no personality and America will get bored of her ballad/Celine schtick
10. (Tie) Stefano Langone
10. (Tie) Haley Reinhart
9. Thia Megia
8. Naima Adedapo
7. Casey Abrams
6. Scotty McCreery
5. Paul McDonald
4. Jacob Lusk
3. Lauren Alaina
2. James Durbin
1. Pia Toscano
Ha! I see that he is sixth here, yes.
I wouldn't be so sure about Durbin. His performances are spotless, but he's kind of surly and forgettable, somehow.
Can we all direct our outrage at the fact that we agree on Pia's victory?
I'm reconsidering Stefano's last-place status. He's going to go big next week and earn a few sympathy votes.
Pulitzer for this.
I agree that it will be an interesting week when the kids all sing 80's song. Some will bomb and others will choose from their repertoire well and deliver.
I'd like for Naima to do something like Katrina and the Waves' "Walking on Sunshine" complete with brass and horns to back her up. She may not win votes from the voting demographic who prefer young and not-too-foreign/ethnic but she will rock the house for sure. Girl is compulsively watchable and actually has the voice to pedal her through. She comes up with amazing runs in her voice that no one points out (check out her run at the end of "Summertime" and even "What's Love Got To Do With It"). Whether she performs well or not next Wednesday, she has to a young voting bloc to contend to. But as sure as the shining night (sorry Emily Dickinson), I will vote for her all through the night.
If Naima is deemed safe, I will say that Paul and Thia might be in trouble next week. This is arbitrary speculation, of course, since I have yet to hear them. But voting has always been defined by personality, like Louis V. said, and not on actual performance, so it becomes a moot point.
In my alternative-universe world, my bottom three would be Jacob Lusk, Thia Megia and Lauren Alaina. With Thia leaving the competition and walking on sunshine back home. But I think it might be Haley, Naima and Paul.
I am sorry but Casey should have been eliminated this week. He may be funny, creative and a nice guy, but he just can't sing. I think he is on the verge of something (hopefully not bad) due to his health issues which seem related to his emotional state of just being a nervous wreck. AI should watch him closely. There are some type of underlying issues here.
I think the top three will be James, Scotty and Pia - with Scotty and James battling it out in the finals. Pia has a terrific voice but something is missing in her performances. James is absolutely terrific - I think he would have won last year. But, in the end I think Scotty will have the hearts of the teeney boppers (and their mothers and Grandmothers too). He is the total american boy with a voice that is a gift from God. Next week we are going to see him drink milk and eating apple pie.
This kid is just too good to be true. Even if Scotty doesn' win it all, he will move to Nashville and have overwhelming success. He is so young. Scotty keep your life clean, don't blow it.
Here's how I think it's likely to go down:
10. (Tie) Haley Reinhart
10. (Tie) Casey Abrams
9. Thia Megia
8. Naima Adedapo
7. Stefano Langone
6. Paul McDonald
5. Lauren Alaina
4. Jacob Lusk
3. Pia Toscano
2. James Durbin
1. Scotty McCreery
Naima and Paul are the people in the competition that I think the most people are "undeservedly" rooting for. Everyone wants her to be doing better than she is (she's been way inconsistent), and everyone is way too easily impressed with his original voice and style over his actual talent. Casey needs to learn that you can add color and expression to your voice to sound emo and shouty, without actually shouting. Haley is just confused.
My personal favorite to win is James, though I think Scotty will take the #1 spot in the end. James is amazing, but Scotty will pick up a lot of conservatives and young girls--and frankly, he's the only person in the competition that I haven't heard a single bad note from, since they named the top 24.
My prediction: Pia and Jacob will go to the finale. What's wrong with everyone else? Here's my feedback: Scotty is too country to win, this is not Country American Idol just American Idol people.
Are you guys serious? Why is Jacob ranked low on these lists?? He's taking it all! Top 3 - Jacob, Pia and Scotty. Pia can sing her butt off, but if she can't change it up she's going to be another "great runner-up". I don't know much about country music, but I do know that particular fan base sticks together. Scotty will go far, but as soon as Jacob sings something like "The Greatest Love of All" by Whitney Houston... ladies and gentlemen IT WILL BE CURTAINS! That will be ALL SHE WROTE and the fat lady WILL HAVE SUNG! The man is super talented and the more Jacob works on his voice with all the professional producers they've been working with, he's going to win all of America's hearts.
GO JAMES!
. Pia will no doubt be in the top 5 she has the best voice of almost any contestant on the shows history, But that being said her problem is that she doesn't have much personality and she needs to breakaway from the ballad/Celine shtick. I am no fan of country music but i really like Scotty he has a great voice and rarely hits a bad note. James is great, he has energy and and talent. Call me crazy but i am a big fan of Niama she has a natural stage presence and alot of energy. My biggest Problem with Jacob is that he tends to scream at the top of his lungs to often.
I think Scotty would take it all buut he wont want to be tied to AI for however long the contract would be.. he should come in 2 or three, sign on to some country lable and make real $$$ and get as far away from AI as he can, they will suck him dry!
Good Lord! I know music is a matter of taste, but Louis Virtel must be certifiable!
Paul in the FINALS? He won't make to the top 7. The ONLY reason he's still on the show is that the VFTW (Vote For The Worst) website has picked him as the worst singer of the season, and so he's getting all the 'prank' votes from their members.