‘X Factor’ first live show top 17 recap
Melanie Amaro does her thing on the first live show and makes it through to the top 12 easily. CREDIT: Fox
Loading ...I had some personal issues to deal with Tuesday night and couldn’t recap the show immediately. I’ll have to do it in the morning. Sorry ’bout that. Feel free to comment about it though.
Good news from what I heard: the two people Simon should not have put through in the first place, Simone Battle and Tiah Tolliver, were ousted during the first live show. Unfortunately, country-ish teen duo The Brewer Boys were cut while standards singer Phillip Lomax and histrionics-filled James Brown/Mick Jagger sound-a-like Dexter Haygood were rightfully ousted as well.
My DVR last night did not tape “X Factor” so I’m having to watch this on YouTube so I’m watching the 17 out of order.
I was a little taken aback by how many cheesy 1980s songs were unearthed (Dexy’s Midnight Runners? Footloose? Flashdance?) But overall, there was a fair amount of talent. My favorites were Melanie, Drew, Leroy and the Brewer Boys.
The men: L.A.’s team
- Marcus Canty (”Do You Really Want to Hurt Me” Culture Club) – This R&B stylist has some skills. A rather oddball pick of a song but Marcus worked it out, as Randy Jackson might say. A-minus
- Chris Rene (”Love Don’t Live Here Anymore” – Rose Royce) – He’s working the backwards cap a la Eminem while trying to channel a bit of Justin Timberlake. It’s just an okay song and he isn’t half bad. B-plus
- Astro (”Rump Shaker”/”Jump” – Wreckx-n-Effect) – A lot of folks who hate rap can’t stand this guy of course. I like him. He has rap skills. Is he original? That’s the only problem. B-plus
- Phillip Lomax (”I’m a Believer” – Monkees) – Yeesh. Talk about poor song choice on the part of Reid. Obviously, he wanted him not to do Sinatra or a standard but why not something modern. How about a Michael Buble or Harry Connick Jr. song? They try to fashion him as a Vegas act. His vocals simply don’t match the colors and lights and dancers. “On this guy, you totally failed,” Simon said to Reid. B-minus
Who is out: Lomax. Easy pick in my mind.
Groups: Paula’s team
The Brewer Boys (”Rich Girl” Hall & Oates/ “Faith” George Michael) – Who would have thought to turn that Hall & Oates song into a hoe-down? I actually found their vocals strong and this performance very charming. A-minus.
InTENsity (”Footloose” – Kenny Loggins/ “The Clapping Song”) – The sound mix is too loud and processed behind them. This came across as too slick and the lead vocals frequently got swallowed up. I was a little put off by the whole performance. B
Lakoda Rayne (”Come on Eileen” – Dexy’s Midnight Runners) – Paula is stuck in the 1980s with her song picks, isn’t she? These four should not have made it through after their pool-side audition. And what’s with four girls singing this song, anyway? They are cute, perhaps at a country fair, but is this marketable in any way? B
Stereo Hogzz (”Try a Little Tenderness” – Otis Redding) – The group modernizes a classic song by blending in a bit of rap. The lead guy is a bit pitchy at times but the performance itself resonated. B-plus/A-minus
Who is out: The Brewer Boys. Bummer. I would have gotten rid of either of the “fake” groups – InTENsity or Lakoda Rayne.
Plus-30s – Nicole’s team
Stacy Francis (”One More Try” – George Michael) – George Michael – again? She didn’t over-sing it and gave ita nice gospel flair. For the first time, I actually liked her. A-minus
Leroy Bell (”Nobody Knows” – Pink) – Actually, comparing Leroy to Marcus, Leroy is better. He has a more interesting voice. He provides a special depth that only life and experience could bring. Wow. I don’t know what Simon missed. He touched me on the inside. A
Josh Krajcik (”Forever Young” – Bob Dylan) – Sweet, but doesn’t really hit any big emotional notes. Good but not transcendent. B-plus
Dexter Haygood (”Womanizer” – Britney Spears/”I Kissed a Girl” – Katy Perry) – Huh? Nicole? Hello? You thought these were smart song picks for poor Dexter. I almost feel sorry for the guy. He can’t really sing either. What is he doing here? C-minus
Who is out: Easy one here: Dexter Haygood. Thanks for wasting our time, Nicole, and needlessly lifting Dexter’s spirits, only to crush them.
The woman – Simon’s team
Tiah Tolliver (”Sweet Dreams” – Eurythmics) – With such a mediocre voice and presence, where’s the X Factor? I feel no “realness” in her. It’s all an act. Maybe she can go and do some regional theater. B-minus
Simone “I wish I were Beyonce” Battle (”Just Be Good To Me” – S.O.S. Band) – Her rather pedestrian vocals make Ashanti sound like Adele. Even her rapping is weak. Zzzzz…. C-plus
Rachel Crow (”Where Did My Love Go” – Supremes/ “Baby” Justin Bieber) – This was actually an ingenious mash-up and age apropos for her. She has charm and confidence in spades. The potential is there, but I don’t know if she’s quite there yet. Paula is right. She should have been given a more challenging song choice. B
Drew Ryniewicz (”Flashdance” – Irene Cara) – This singer-songwriter type sings well beyond her years. I love her intonations, the interesting vocal ticks she has. I could listen to her all day. A
Melanie Amaro (”I Have Nothing” – Whitney Houston) – One of the most over-sung songs on “American Idol.” But fortunately, Melanie can pull it off. She doesn’t add anything new to the equation but she has a presence that makes this work. She feels real – and likable. A/A-minus
I missed all the interplay with the new host Steve Jones but the feedback sounds really really bad. The guy has no real personality for hosting and makes Ryan SeacSrest look good. In a way, he makes us appreciate Ryan more, eh?
The production? A bit over the top and in your face but would you expect anything less from Simon?
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By Rodney Ho, Radio & TV Talk
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119 comments Add your comment
DanJ
October 25th, 2011
10:41 pm
I was glad to see Simon didn’t make the same mistake he made earlier. Melanie and Drew are good however I still wish Jazzlyn and Caitlyn were there instead of Simone and Tiah. They were horrible. Chris Rene was also bad but I think Astro should have been the one from the boys group to go home. Glad to see Dexter go, he should have never been there IMO. Paula’s group choices were okay. I would have preferred the brothers to Intensity. The judges put downs were not pleasant to hear. I will continue to watch. I think the top five will be: 1) Melanie 2) Marcus 3) Josh 4) Chris 5) Drew The top group will be Lakoda Rayne
Pavel
October 25th, 2011
10:48 pm
Is it just me or does this show really suck? The goal seems to be to turn marginally talented wannabes into commercially sellable zombies. No one seems to care about whether the “contestants” are talented. They only care whether they can be marketed like soap to stupid tweenies and teenagers. And of course a huge portion of the “show” is the self-indulgent focus on how hip, famous and wealthy the “judges’” are. Give me a barf bag and turn this stuff off. I’ve watched my last “X Factor”
linny ,,,=^..^=,,,
October 26th, 2011
12:13 am
i’m NOT a real fan of XF, either, Pavel. Very disappointed with some of the choices. Seemed obvious that some were chosen for way wrong reasons, and i too wish Jazz was picked instead of Tiah or Simone. But then it would have been a much harder elimination, LOL!
SOOOo glad Dexter the creep is gone. whiiiiiiine. ugh. I too wish the Brewer boys had been picked over intensity. was pleasantly surprised by Lakota Rayne. And i too wish that Philip had been chosen instead of Astro-brat. but i did sigh a HUGE sigh of relief when nicole picked Leroy over Dexter. WHEW. I’ve seen it said so often “i’ll never watch again” but had Leroy been ousted for Dexter, i truly would have found something else to watch!!!!
Speaking of something else to watch, is ANYONE watching The SingOff???? Gawd I love good accapella!!! This group Afro-Blue is simply awesome, imho, but then, oldtimers know how much i LOVE jazz, so you’re probably not surprised if you’ve heard them that i love ‘em.
Rodney, how about an off-season poll… which of the “talent” “reality” shows do you like best, and include XF,AI, SYTYCD, DWTS, AGT, ABDC, Nashville Star (tho it is now defunct, it could be included in the poll, as could America’s Next Great Rock Band for it’s one season, and that show that looked for a new band member, the one that Brooke Burke was hostess of, that had NXS one year and another group the second year….don’t remember the name of it)… and i am sure you know of others, hell you could include the Karaoke competition too, even, LOL!!
Seth T.
October 26th, 2011
12:20 am
Pavel – “Is it just me or does this show really suck? The goal seems to be to turn marginally talented wannabes into commercially sellable zombies”
Well said!!! == for a supposed 5 million dollar talent search, it’s unbelievable that Simon & Co. could have sent-through so much trash onto one stage, to mix with the good talent. And then the judges fawn over some lower level talent that could not make the grade in a karaoke or rap contest in my hometown.
But, there’s a little hope for the later shows. Josh Krajic, Melanie Amero and Drew have some real talent and potential, LeRoy Bell is decent to listen to, but you can bet the producers don’t want to spend 5 million on him, so they will start dissing him if he hangs-on too long.
It’s hard though, to have to sit through the wannabe rappers, you-can’t-be-serious kid shows and dolled-up screamers, so alot of people I know have already quit watching through the auditions.
That’s why I have a party at my place while the show is on, so we have some fun things to do and discuss, while I watch & blog sometimes. Otherwise, so far, the show would be a real bore. At least they got rid of some of the worst tonight. Still a ways to go, to get rid of some awful acts, such as both of the rappers..
DanJ
October 26th, 2011
1:15 am
If I’m being honest I think this top 12 group on XFactor is better than the top 12 this past year on Idol. I do think Jazzlyn was better than Rachel. I also liked Caitlyn, Tiger and a few others who didn’t make it. But the 5 single artists I mentioned earlier and a couple of groups could easily become stars. Personally I like Melanie, Josh, Drew and Marcus because I enjoy their genre of music. Chris Rene could be the biggest seller along with Lakoda Rayne. Hip-Hop and Country have huge followings.
I do think Drew could be a dark horse to win it. Although Melanie and Josh have the best voices IMO! Marcus may have the best combination of talent. That said I think some of the selections were a ruse to cause a stir. Dexter, Simone and Tiah come to mind. I say ruse because the judge knew they had to cut someone before the competition started and had they cut someone good just before the fans vote, it may have led to more backlash.
So all in all I like the show and for the most part like the top 12. So I will be watching every week to see the judges meltdown.
Seth T.
October 26th, 2011
2:05 am
I agree that it would have been much better to have Caitlyn & Jazzlyn in the mix – but it’s true that it made his elimination much easier, and I don’t believe that he “hadn’t made-up his mind yet” drama. That was just Simon’s acting talent at work again, like Melanie’s first dismissal.
Personally, I’ve seen a lot better than Chris Rene doing Karaoke night Rap. I’m no fan of Rap, but I attend some of the Karaoke Night gigs and have sometimes found good singers to do live band and recording projects with. They would have to manufacture a lot of hype and spend a lot of dough to make anything out of his act, in my opinion.
Agree that Drew, Josh and Melanie are the real-deal in this competition.
‘X Factor’ first live show top 17 recap | ATLANTAboy.com - The Best of Gay Atlanta
October 26th, 2011
2:24 am
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Mo Schreibman
October 26th, 2011
5:44 am
Deirdre thank you for your kind and supportive words yesterday. You and the others lighten the daily load even if just for few minutes each day. It is very much appreciated.
Mercedes S.
October 26th, 2011
5:44 am
“Some selections were made to cause a stir” – agree 100%. Would have been way harder for Simon to choose had he included the two talented girl-singers instead of the talentless ones. I think Sexdoll and Dexter were included for the same reason Chaz Bono was put on “DWTS” (nasty penguin jokes) – something for the viewers to get riled up about.
Agree with Pavel too. SHow is about finding a marketable moneymaker. Forget about talent.
nonchalant
October 26th, 2011
7:16 am
I think if the Brewer brothers added a female vocalist to their duo they could be the next Peter, Paul and Mary folk fingers. I thought they were great and I hope someone picks them up. I too thought it was demeaning to the individual singer on stage as the judges made cruel remarks about their given song choice. Kind of harsh in my opinion.
nonchalant
October 26th, 2011
7:17 am
…that was singers, ha.
Deirdre
October 26th, 2011
7:28 am
Morning!
Mo, the first year that I frequented this blog, the other posters lightened my load tremendously. Sometimes people don’t really know about the turmoil behind the scenes but just their cheerful presence makes a huge difference. Did you ever get to see the show with the sound turned up?
Deirdre
October 26th, 2011
7:30 am
nonchalant, agree about the Brewer Boys. I liked them. Unless Intensity gets a lot better, they don’t deserve to stay but, depending on how the voting works, a 10 person group could walk away with the prize.
And the demeaning comments are there to get the ratings up. Simon is not happy.
Deirdre
October 26th, 2011
7:30 am
And how about the anti-Seacrest! Was he bad or what?????????
Mercedes S.
October 26th, 2011
7:46 am
By either name, Anti-Seacrest or Dunkelman2, the host needs to go. Suppose he was handpicked by Simon.
Deirdre
October 26th, 2011
8:21 am
Did anyone else notice that the flashier the production the less talented the singer?
Deirdre
October 26th, 2011
8:22 am
And speaking of flashy…I hope nobody suffered a seizure last night with all those lights!
Sam-A
October 26th, 2011
8:29 am
First, I have to go back to pg 2 of yesterday’s post. JT: I need to take away your “Walking Dead” privileges. Seriously!!!??? But, with your scenario, I would first find the least gory, most humane way to put my beloved Sir Paul out of his suffering, then get the hell outta there! As I’d hope he, or anyone else, would do for me. Living dead ain’t “living”, just dead!
Can’t believe Simon finally did the right thing. Sadly Simone is a very pretty girl, but so very untalented. If her talent matched her self-esteem and swagger, she’d be unstoppable. Tiah is just bad all around. Unattractive, unappealing, untalented. Bet Simon met up with her in a sleazy motel room after the show!
I thought the girl group was really good last night. Didn’t see any of the boys, not sure who the guy who went was, but should have been the kid rapper-wannabe. Or 2nd, Chris whatever, the black guy-wannabe. Glad Dex is outta there, but wish he’d taken screamy/whiney/church gal with him (cannot ever remember her name, and don’t really want to).
Sam-A
October 26th, 2011
8:30 am
Agree with above – all the singers/dancers and flashing lights took away from any talent some of the contestants may have had. I think it was on purpose for the really bad ones, ie Tiah, to distract from how bad they actually are.
Mo Schreibman
October 26th, 2011
8:36 am
If I most be honest with myself this X program sucks eggs as the kids say these days even with the volume dial turned down if you do not mind me saying so.
Harriett
October 26th, 2011
8:36 am
Good morning!
IMO, the only way the kid rapper goes is America votes him out. He’s firmly entrenched with the judges. Voting is the only way he’s gone.
I am trying really hard to care about this show. I said last night it made me miss Idol, and it does.
Mercedes S.
October 26th, 2011
8:37 am
Dexter admitted to being “confused”, and who can blame him – he, Thia and Simone were puffed up for weeks to believe they had talent, and then they were tossed aside. Kinda cruel.
MIke Francis
October 26th, 2011
8:37 am
And dont forget to watch my bald head at 6 and 11!
Deirdre
October 26th, 2011
8:45 am
So sorry about you follicular challenge, MIke!
Yes, the “I’m confused” line from Dexter(who quickly caught himself and nodded and smiled just like the other rejectees) was very telling. What kind of promises were made to keep him in line for the show?
kelly&carriefan
October 26th, 2011
8:52 am
Hi y’all!
I keep trying to like this show. Really, I do…but I just find myself thinking, “Really? THIS is the best talent they could find?” I’ve been very underwhelmed so far. I did think Lakoda Rayne were better than I was expecting. But really, Paula, Come On Eileen? That song choice?
Anyway. Will we EVER get the chance to vote?! Seriously? This total control by the judges until the Top 12? Meh. Not a fan.
Power to the People! Occupy X Factor? Kidding! I don’t really care…and that is the bigger problem.
Deirdre
October 26th, 2011
8:53 am
So far, we have some talented people…not even close to 12 but I might say that it just about equates with the top 12 on Idol. We have Gwen, Josh, Melanie(who are top 3 caliber to me) Marcus had a pitchy night but he has talent. And Leroy is just plain cool and easy and very good. The Sweathogs…um, I mean, Stereo Hoggs and Lakota Rayne showed some promise. The Little Rapper Boy is talented…I just don’t like his talent. Bathroom Girl can really belt out a song but she lacks appeal. Stacy genuinely surprised me last night. She deserved to stay.
Other than that…meh. So I’ve got 3 that I really like, one that I have a crush on and one who strikes me as talented but raw. Sounds like Idol with a much more annoying premise added to some really annoying production values and a host who…well, let’s just say, is an epic FAIL.
Rickster
October 26th, 2011
8:59 am
Other than LA, I think the judges did a god job on their top 3. LA’s choices showed bias I think.
He tells Frankie, Jr. to be more than a crooner, chooses a blooming Monkees song to force him to do it, then cuts him rather than lesser talent. Hypocritical.
And why did Simon have Rachel Crow sing the Justin Bieber song Drew auditioned with? Made Drew look even better by comparison.
I don’t think any of the groups have a chance. But Lakoda Rayne will likely be last group standing.
My Top 3 (so far – in no particular order) Melanie, Drew R & Josh,
G
October 26th, 2011
9:01 am
linny wrote: “Speaking of something else to watch, is ANYONE watching The SingOff???? Gawd I love good accapella!!! This group Afro-Blue is simply awesome, imho, but then, oldtimers know how much i LOVE jazz, so you’re probably not surprised if you’ve heard them that i love ‘em.”
Sing Off is my favorite vocal competition show. XF, Voice, American Idol, or whatever else is out there cannot touch Sing Off. Afro Blue and Vocal Point are edging themselves to be my favorites. Afro Blue is really special. Committed (winners from last year) remind me a lot of Take 6.
Rickster
October 26th, 2011
9:01 am
And I found the constant sniping back & forth between the judges totally off-putting.
If X-Factor is back next year, I think Nicole & the anti-Seacrest won’t be. (Nor should they be.) Bring back Cheryl Cole!
Bring back Dunkleman!
G
October 26th, 2011
9:09 am
Good = Nichole in those hot pink pants during rehersal. Stage lighting was good also.
Bad = What Simon did to Tia. Talk about over-production. Yuck!
Ugly = Anti-Secrest. Who is this guy?
Mercedes S.
October 26th, 2011
9:17 am
That was a Justin Beeber song? No wonder! Here I thought it was a Supremes-steal.
Deirdre
October 26th, 2011
9:20 am
um Drew! I have no idea where I got “Gwen”.
Deirdre
October 26th, 2011
9:22 am
Even Dunkleman would be better than the anti-Seacrest. He, at least, had a personality.
Woodpappy
October 26th, 2011
9:24 am
I saw bits and pieces last night. noticed all the flashing lights and it took my attention away from the singer. But…I guess that was what it was designed to do. Do think that the girls might have the edge so far in talent. Glad the two who were eliminated by Simon are now gone for good.
Rickster
October 26th, 2011
9:25 am
My favorite singers of the night were the ones that just stood up there and sang. They didn’t need flashy choreography, dry ice fog, etc. Josh, Drew, Melanie.
Mercedes, they moshed together “Supremes” and Justin Bieber. After hearing all three versions of Bieber’s song (his, Rachel Crow & Drew) I think Drew’s was the only way it should have ever been sung.
She took that song and made it her own. It showed who she was as an artist. It showed artistry.
Rickster
October 26th, 2011
9:27 am
Sorry… Kara/Idol relapse.
My bad.
Rickster
October 26th, 2011
9:28 am
Though Kara was definitely a much better judge than Nicole is.
Deirdre
October 26th, 2011
9:37 am
Voting info: apparently you can twitter a vote, text a vote, call-in, vote on Facebook or vote thru Verizon using a XF ap. No limit as far as I can see.
So, say goodbye to everyone we like cuz InTENsity has a distinct advantage.
Rickster
October 26th, 2011
9:38 am
Heck… Ellen was a better judge than Nicole.
DanJ
October 26th, 2011
9:47 am
The host Steve Jones? Not sure of his name wasn’t supposed to be there if I remember correctly. I THINK Nicole was hired to host and was forced into being a judge after Cheryl Cole left or was fired. Simon should have brought Clive Davis in to be a judge. Yeah he’s old but he does have an impressive resume. Can you imagine him picking the girls? He certainly would give the show more credibility. Nicole has done the best she can do, same with Paula. Actually I think Paula did a great job considering she got the weakest group as a whole. The show was set up so Simon and LA Reid could go head to head. Boys vs Girls. It may sound sexist but its true. Paula and Nicole’s only chance are Josh K and Lakoda Rayne.
ashley
October 26th, 2011
9:49 am
The host definitely needs a good dose of personality – talk about dry! This show is dull because the judges are in total control and don’t care what the American public likes. Wait till the voting starts and say bye-bye to the kiddie rapper! Can’t believe they like him so much over much better talent.
Deirdre
October 26th, 2011
9:56 am
Dan, Steve Jones and Nicole were to be co-hosts before Cheryl Cole was fired(BIG mistake, imo) Since neither one of them have much of a personality, I’d guess that it probably wouldn’t have been any better.
Rickster
October 26th, 2011
9:56 am
I woulda have loved to seen Simon bring in Quincy Jones.
Sam-A
October 26th, 2011
10:09 am
If I were Simon, I’d be crawling back to Idol begging for my job back.
Deirdre
October 26th, 2011
10:20 am
Agree, Sam. And his nervousness is so obvious! My favorite moment last night was when he was about to tell us that Melanie stays and he tried to get the crowd quiet so he’d have silence for his Big Moment but no one cooperated.
G
October 26th, 2011
10:27 am
@Mercedes. It sounded more like a mix of Beeber and the Supremes. I didn’t care for it in particular, but the Rachael definitely showed me something in the attempt to pull it off. I’m really not a fan of kids in grown up competition shows, because they have so much more to learn and a lot of growth ahead of them. She’s really good to be so young, but still has more to learn.
Drew is another youngster that sings beyond her years. I need to hear something a bit more mid-tempo from her. She’s lukewarm for me so far.
Harriett
October 26th, 2011
10:36 am
Just read where Steven Tyler took a fall in his hotel bathroom, lost two teeth, and was hospitalized. He was in Paraguay for a concert. It said there was “some concern.” Hope he didn’t fall off the wagon.
Deirdre
October 26th, 2011
10:40 am
They’re now claiming that food poisoning was the catalyst for Tyler’s fall. Hmmmmmm.
Rickster
October 26th, 2011
11:07 am
Keith Richards fell out of a coconut tree and was fine. So will Steven. (Be fine, that is. Not fall out of a coconut tree.)
Mercedes S.
October 26th, 2011
11:11 am
Enjoyed RS mag’s XF-take – Rob Sheffield writes,
“You know how sometimes a rock star will break free from the band that’s holding him back, so he can make the solo album that will finally express his true artistic vision? And then it sounds exactly like the band? That’s what’s going on with ‘The X Factor’. It’s Simon Cowell’s solo record, but it turns out to be just what Porno for Pyros were to Jane’s Addiction. He’s got the same collection of risqué low-cut V-necks, and the same sour wit…
“‘The X Factor’ is the singing competition that aims to crush all others, from ‘American Idol’, which surprisingly surged after Cowell’s departure, to ‘The Voice’, the summer’s rookie success. It has a bigger purse, and a wider range of contestants. But except for the different logo on the soda cups it looks exactly like ‘Idol’, just cranked up to spectacular levels of hype and with more dry ice.”
Mercedes S.
October 26th, 2011
11:16 am
More from RS:
“Scouting for the next singing sensation may be the familiar premise of ‘The X Factor’, but it already has the only star it needs: Simon’s ego. This time around, there is no one nearby to compete with him of block his eyebrows. If he wanted to, he could have recruited a Ceeo or a J Lo. But he didn’t want another outsize personality. He uses his underlings as decoration, like the henchmen in an old ‘Batman’ rerun. It’s all avout one man’s desire to be the Man…
“As for Paula, it’s just good to have her back where she belongs, trembling on the verge of either a get-up-and-noogie frenzy or a crying jag or an incoherently babbled speech about believing in your dreams. (Or all three!”
Rickster
October 26th, 2011
11:18 am
Was a bit surprised that Simon said that his “easiest decision of the night” was to put Drew first. “For me” the easiest decision was “not Simone & Tiah.”
Deirdre
October 26th, 2011
11:20 am
Mercedes…great quotes!
Mercedes S.
October 26th, 2011
11:21 am
RS critic has no love for Nicole:
“It’s not clear why SImon wanted a fourth judge, since that never worked on ‘Idol’, but it really sums up his ambitions that of all the divas he could have recruited, a la Christina Aguilera on ‘The Voice’, he went for one of the P-cat dolls. All Nicole Scherzinger knows how to do is quiver like she’s choking back pageant-queen tears. Excuse me, Ms. Scherzinger, but you are sitting at the judge’s table with Paula Abdul, the most illustruous weeper in reality-TV history. You do NOT walk into Paula’s house and try to pull that I-can-cry-harder sh-t. EVER. It’s like wandering into the Yankee’s bullpen and saying, ‘Yo Matino, mind if I finish this one up?’”
Mercedes S.
October 26th, 2011
11:24 am
And, finally, from the RS story:
“Surprisingly, the team’s weakness is the glaring absence of Ryan Seacrest – that is, somebody with an ego as big as Simon’s. The very sight of Seacrest, who liked to make clear whenever he could that he didn’t fear or respect the British b-tch queen, seemed to baffle and annoy iImon. The clashes with Seacrest were a key part of the ‘Idol’ chemistry – that’s really when we saw Simon at his most human, at least once in a while,”
Mercedes S.
October 26th, 2011
11:28 am
Encouraged by D, a last quote:
“‘Idol’ hasmassive success after SImon left, by playing uo the positivity, with Steven Tyer and Jennifer Lopez gushing love at everyone in sight. But it’s reassuring that Simon wasn’t tempted to go that route, because it’d be a waste of his uniquely bilious charisma. The stars of ‘idol’ were always the contestants, just as the star of ‘The Voice’ was teh kid with the voice. But ‘The X Factor’ is all about Simon’s cosmic grudge against the universe. That’s what’s great about it – no matter what talents and personalities get discovered on ‘The X Factor’, none of them can compete with watching Simon revel in his role as the unchallenged king.”
Rickster
October 26th, 2011
11:29 am
No offense, Mercedes… but are those typos yours or RS’ ?
MIke
October 26th, 2011
11:32 am
Rodney – I have to say your coverage of this show has been really pretty poor and it seems like your not taking is very seriously. I’ve always keep up with your Idol blogs and enjoyed them but these are really not good kinda like a homework assignment you’re just rushing to finish. I’m mean today you didn’t even mention Josh who’s probably the best one there – what’s up with that?
DanJ
October 26th, 2011
11:34 am
Deirdre
October 26th, 2011
9:56 am
Quote Deirdre: “Dan, Steve Jones and Nicole were to be co-hosts before Cheryl Cole was fired(BIG mistake, imo) Since neither one of them have much of a personality, I’d guess that it probably wouldn’t have been any better”
Thanks for the info Deidre! The problem I have with Cheryl and Steve Jones is that they’re TOO British.Paula and LA were good choices. Paula for here chemistry and LA for his insight. I would agree Quincy Jones would be a good choice for judge but it may have taken something away from LA. I still think Clive Davis would have balanced the show. Being much older than the other judges might have made him a great judge for the over 30’s and his work with everyone from Whitney to Janis Joplin could have helped mold Melanie and Drew. I think he or any judge other than Simon would have kept Jazzlyn and probably Caitlyn as well. Rachel although the same age as Drew is a little behind her as being an artist. I don’t won’t to say she’s immature vocally but I just did. Simon could have signed her to a developmental deal because in a few years she’s going to be a star.
However I will say this yet again. The talent on XFactor is better than Idol has had in years. They are as many as 8 of the 12 acts who has a chance to win it. Last year Idol’s only had 3 maybe 4 acts who I thought had a chance. I agree there’s issues with the show, judges etc but the talent is above par IMO. So I will watch each week waiting for the train wreck to happen. Dan
Rodney Ho
October 26th, 2011
11:36 am
@Mike. I had personal issues to deal with last night and couldn’t do any live blogging. I’m only now catching up with the show and have not finished my recap just yet. I’m 14 down, three more to go at this moment.
JTesla
October 26th, 2011
11:43 am
MIke, the show is pretty poor, which probably goes a litle ways as to explaining the coverage. Rodney needs to devote his time to a show that people are taking seriously, and this Fall version of Idol doesn’t appear to be it.
MIke
October 26th, 2011
11:56 am
@ Rodney. I’m not trying to be a turd I’m just a little saddened that your coverage seems a little disinterested from week to week.
@ JTesla. I thought I read 12 million viewers – that’s not to shabby
Rodney Ho
October 26th, 2011
11:58 am
@Mike. I understand. I took a two-week vacation after X Factor started (my first two-week vacation ever) and never felt quite caught up. And yes, given that X Factor isn’t nearly as popular as Idol (barely half), I haven’t felt nearly as committed to the show. Once the top 12 begins, I might get into it a bit more.
Rickster
October 26th, 2011
12:03 pm
We all just need to get a life, right??
Mercedes S.
October 26th, 2011
12:06 pm
Rickster, it’s type fast and don’t check spelling OR risk having your post not ‘take”. You take too long here, the gremlin eats your text.
Mike, Rodney isn’t very fond of Josh, He’s my favorite and I hated the song he sang yesterday. And:
12 million viewers IS shabby, when you have bragged of twice that amount.
Sam-A
October 26th, 2011
12:08 pm
Did Simon’s two hissy-fits over the bimbo twins remind anyone else of Dickie Smothers’ sthick on the old Comedy Hour, ie “Mom always liked you better”. All that “You all never liked her, you don’t see her potential” blah blah blah.
Mercedes S.
October 26th, 2011
12:08 pm
Rodney, I took a THREE weeks “vacation” (mostly work, so I’ll refer to it as absence from the US) and I still haven’t caught up with my mail, magazines OR TV-shows. At this point I don’t feel a “need” to be completely caught up with “XF”
Deirdre
October 26th, 2011
12:12 pm
My cable line just got cut through by the septic tank guys…no cable no phone no internet…so how am I talking to you, you might ask? One of my neighbors apparently has an unlocked wifi. Let this be a lesson to us all! But in the meantime…I’m pretty happy!
kelly&carriefan
October 26th, 2011
12:20 pm
Mercedes, I’m with you. There was too much going on for me to keep up in “real time” and after hearing all the “Meh” feedback, I just deleted what I’d recorded and removed it from my DVR. It’s now a “If there’s nothing else, I’ll watch. Not a must see.”
So, really, turns out the absence didn’t make my heart grow fonder, Simon. Sorry.
Rickster
October 26th, 2011
12:21 pm
I guess they didn’t call before they dug, huh you’re queeness?
kelly&carriefan
October 26th, 2011
12:22 pm
D, glad that you’re able to “sneak” in, but be careful…Open wi-fi’s are good for getting intruders in your computer.
MIke
October 26th, 2011
12:22 pm
Why was everyone singing early 80s songs?
Rickster
October 26th, 2011
12:23 pm
Mercedes, when I have a long post to type… I always type in Word, spell check and then copy & paste.
harrylarry
October 26th, 2011
12:28 pm
The right decisions were made on the show last night. Simone was very dissapointing last night. I feel she can do better. Tiah is not ready for this. But if she ever develops her ability to sing on pitch she will be a decent performer. From watching her earlier performances, she is a very passionate when she performs but just is not ready vocally at all. She should not have made it to the live show. Melanie did good but it wasn’t her best performance. Rachel did the wrong song. Drew was the best out of this crew. The lead vocalist of the stereo hogs should probably go solo. He is one of the best male voices on the show. Enjoyed the little rap boy. Contrary to what a lot of you think he is good and very marketable. Cris Rene will probably be not pan out on this show if they dont start letting him do better songs. He is talented but he has o sing the right song for him. Marcus will be one of the top 4. Top singers are Melanie, Drew, Marcus, Rachel, the heavyset white guy, and lead singer for the hogs.
Rickster
October 26th, 2011
12:42 pm
To generate a little conversation…
Comparing Kelly to Carrie is kinda like comparing John Smoltz to Greg Maddux.
While Smoltz had enough off-speed stuff for variety, he was primarily a power pitcher who blew batters away. Kelly is primarily a power singer, who can go softer when she needs to.
Greg Maddux was a technical pitcher with a great deal of skill – who rarely made a mistake. He had a decent fastball when he needed it – though the offspeed stuff he threw made his fastball look faster – but he was technically a better pitcher. Carrie won’t blow away a song – though she has no problem hitting big notes – but I think her vocals are a bit more technically perfect. I’ve never heard a Carrie song where I couldn’t understand every word she sang.
Two different styles… two Hall of Fame pitchers.
Two different styles… two GREAT singers.
JTesla
October 26th, 2011
12:43 pm
So are the cable guys going to come out and battle the septic guys? You got your cable in our septic! You got your septic in our cable!
As for Fall Idol… I haven’t watched the last few episodes. I’ll catch the first live show where everyone can vote, but it just hasn’t done anything for me. I’m going to try and pay attention to see if there really is a host, because of all the shows I’ve watched I didn’t even know there was one.
DanJ
October 26th, 2011
12:43 pm
I don’t think the rating for XFactor should be considered at this point. The show has been on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday nights. It’s been interrupted by baseball as well. So the scheduling is all over the place. I think the fan base will grow and if not then the show won’t survive.
The problem I see is that they’re too many singing competition shows. It’s going to be dog eat dog with only the strongest shows surviving. The problem with XFactor is they’re not solely basing their choices on voice; they’re looking for the XFactor. XFactor is simply marketability IE the total package. Simone and Tiah had the look but no to little vocal talent. Those who do IMO are Drew, Chris, Marcus, Melanie, Stereo Hogs and Lakoda Rayne. Josh is one of my favorites but I see him appealing to only one demographic, women age 28-58.
For XFactor to succeed it’s going to have to get water cooler talk to generate interest. That will happen if there’s controversy or incredible talent on display. I think next week we’ll find out one way or the other. Dan
Deirdre
October 26th, 2011
12:52 pm
Fortunately, I’m only using my laptop which has nothing of importance on it.
Rodney…I can’t believe you had to youtube all the performances(Rodney’s review is up on this thread now for those of you who haven’t noticed). I like Josh a lot better than you do. Very happy with Melanie, Drew and Leroy as well.
Deirdre
October 26th, 2011
12:54 pm
JT, re cable vs septic…that might make an interesting cable show.
Rodney Ho
October 26th, 2011
12:54 pm
Deirdre- all the performances were up on YouTube with the judges’ comments. I just missed the part where they eliminated folks and anything the lame host said.
Deirdre
October 26th, 2011
12:57 pm
Dan, I think you have to take ratings into account because the lower than expected viewership is having a direct effect on the way Simon is responding on the show. The nastiness between the judges is Simon’s way of generating interest because he actually seems to believe that having some good talent on the show won’t do it.
DanJ
October 26th, 2011
12:58 pm
I disagree with Rodney on Lakoda Rayne. I think they have huge marketability. They sing Country and lets face it THEY’RE PLEASING TO THE EYES! Sorry ladies I’m really not a sexist. A big one anyway. Even LA Reid said he sign them on the spot. Dan
Rickster
October 26th, 2011
12:59 pm
Cable v. Septic…. both serviced by Zombies! Now THAT would make a good show.
Deirdre
October 26th, 2011
12:59 pm
Rodney, “lame host” is an understatement. He actually nearly told Paula to shut up. He focused ONLY on bringing the show in on time. I get that but he didn’t do it in a charming, interesting or even professional way.
kelly&carriefan
October 26th, 2011
1:11 pm
Rickster, totally loved your Kelly/Carrie and Smoltz/Maddux comparisons. You could even add that like Smoltz, who turned from starter to dominant closer, so can Kelly change up genres.
Oh, and the host is terribly dull.
Btw, anyone else think that Melanie looks a LOT like JLo in that pic at the top? For a sec, I thought Rodney was mentioning her “stage breakdown.”
Deirdre
October 26th, 2011
1:44 pm
Michael Slezak compares XF to a sci-fi movie.
No one ever gets eliminated on The X Factor. Instead, they are assimilated into Intensity, a Borg-like collective that operates with a single consciousness and questionable pitch, and is fueled entirely by the power of Tweets with the hashtag #xfactor (as well as as Nicole Sherpazumba’s eyelash flutters). Its leader, a tall, menacing, personality-free being called “Steve Jones,” has one mission: To keep the telecast to its allotted 150-minute running time without displaying the slightest bit of charm or good humor. Oh, and in case you were trying to find them on YouTube, Simone Battle and her saucy/hilarious debut single no longer exist: She, too, has now been assimilated. Resistance is futile.
Deirdre
October 26th, 2011
1:46 pm
And here, for your reading enjoyment is the rest of Mr Slezak’s commentary:
http://www.tvline.com/2011/10/the-x-factor-recap-season-1-episode-10-top-17-performance/#more-264396
Seth T.
October 26th, 2011
1:51 pm
When you look at the more successful female artists generated by the Idol exposure, we see Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Kellie Pickler – one of the things they have in common I believe, is that they were single and focused completely on the early and important aspects of a career.
Who would you want to invest 5 million dollars into from this group?
Deirdre
October 26th, 2011
2:06 pm
Kat McPhee may be about to join that list of successful females from Idol if her new tv show is a hit.
Slezak: referring to InTENsity: Children of the Corn: The Musical LOL!!!!!
Rickster
October 26th, 2011
2:12 pm
So far, the only ones I’d invest $5 million in would be Lakoda Rayne. Split 4 ways… that’s only $250,000 a year for five years for each of them.
They could definitely recoup that investment – as long as they keep the individual egos in check and think “Team.”
Rickster
October 26th, 2011
2:16 pm
More like Children of the Cheese, to me.
Sam-A
October 26th, 2011
2:20 pm
The Kelly interview that K&CF posted yesterday quoted Kelly as saying she believes people should just sing – that all the Lady GaGa, Katie Perry razzmatazz (my word – this isn’t vebatim) gets blown away when an Adele steps up to a microphone with just a piano and kills it. Can’t agree more. A great voice is a great voice, and doesn’t need meat costumes, 12″ eyelashes, 50 dancers and flashing lights all over to be entertaining.
DanJ
October 26th, 2011
2:27 pm
Having rewatched the show I think Rickster may be right. Lakoda Rayne may be the next Dixie Chicks. I didn’t care for Come on Eileen 25-30 years ago but I thought LR version was great. Being a country group will cetainly help. I thought they stole the show after the rewatch.
Rickster
October 26th, 2011
2:28 pm
I keep thinking that before Steve Jones can speak or move, he has to say “oil can’ through clinched teeth.
And I thought I was a stiff white guy.
Rickster
October 26th, 2011
2:32 pm
Of course… I’m not British… so I don’t have that excuse.
Rickster
October 26th, 2011
2:34 pm
Wow… now I’m agreeing with Sam!!
Josh, Melanie, Drew… they just sing. They don’t worry about – nor do they need – things that distract from the performance. They just sing… VERY well.
Deirdre
October 26th, 2011
2:40 pm
At least the “coaches” were smart enough to realize that a good voice needs no razz-ma-tazz and didn’t gum up the performances with it.
Deirdre
October 26th, 2011
2:41 pm
Humph! I need to speak to my neighbor about getting a faster internet service!
Rickster
October 26th, 2011
2:45 pm
Drew auditioned with the same song that Rachel Crow sang part of last night. Most of the folks remember Drew’s audition. Much fewer will remember Rachel’s performance.
Rickster
October 26th, 2011
2:48 pm
Stealers can’t be choosers, your queeness.
JTesla
October 26th, 2011
2:48 pm
You can talk about the Adele, Clarkson, McCartney, or others who rely on talent, but others will talk about Gaga, Bowie, Alice Cooper, and Kiss. Both methods work, both methods find success. Some of us can see the greatness with both approaches, this morning my phone decided to play “Rolling in the Deep” right after “Poker Face”. Just for my own amusement: tonight I’ll go for “Here comes the Sun” followed by “Detroit Rock City”.
You can enjoy one, you can enjoy both, but do we need to bash the one that we don’t like?
Rickster
October 26th, 2011
3:07 pm
Well.. they can be… they just shouldn’t be.
Deirdre
October 26th, 2011
3:13 pm
I don’t mind the razz-ma-tazz when it’s backed up with talent. GaGa has a terrific voice, she doesn’t need the showmanship but she uses it to her advantage.
Last night was an excellent example of using razz-ma-tazz to conceal a lack of talent. So, talent wins out no matter which style rocks your boat.
Sam-A
October 26th, 2011
3:15 pm
JT: Not really “bashing”, but I would take talent over flash any day of the week. Beatles or Kiss – er, Beatles; Kelly or Britney, yeah Kelly; Queen or Zepplin, I’ll take Zepplin. I do love me some “Hard Luck Woman” by Kiss however. And Freddy Mercury had a nice voice.
However, some of the “flashers” actually have talent lurking in there. Gaga has a great voice, just wish she’d focus more on it than the silly-to-disgusting costumes & props. Bowie gave a stunning performance on Broadway as “The Elephant Man”. Pink is often fabulous – for me her voice is the closest to Kelly’s as a perfect rocker. Katy P can sing really well when she does a good song.
Rickster
October 26th, 2011
3:23 pm
Good post, JT… but all the show folks you list used the glitz/glam/etc to become more than they would have been without it. KISS as big as they are without the makeup & amazing stage show? Don’t think so. Bowie wouldn’t have been as big as he became without the whole Ziggy Stardust deal. Alice Cooper without the make up, snakes, etc? No chance.
They’ve all used stage show, etc to create buzz and become more than they would have without it – not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Simone wanted to be the next Beonce’ – but doesn’t have anywhere the talent. She relied on attitude & looks because the talent was lacking. Same thing with Tia.
But does recognizing their shortcomings rise to ‘bashing?”
JTesla
October 26th, 2011
3:27 pm
I understand.
Rickster
October 26th, 2011
3:33 pm
Beyonce’ even.
JTesla
October 26th, 2011
3:34 pm
Note, I’m not agreeing fully, but it’s good to know where people are coming from.
I read so much disparaging of the short comings of modern music that cite a lack of musical talent, or lack of even writing their own music, and the first name to get thrown out there as an example of what is wrong is Lady Gaga. Current music has the same shortcomings as music in the past. And then, like today people incorrectly look just at the big names in order to find fault with things that are not how they like them. In the past people would bash music by discussing the Beatles when they should probably have looked more to the Monkees. With that in mind, if you want to disparage the state of today’s music, Lady Gaga isn’t the one to look to for that.
Sam-A
October 26th, 2011
3:44 pm
So, JT’s a closet Gagaphyte! I think she’s a really good singer, just wish she’d do more “Paparazzi” stuff and less “give me you disease, your ugly…..” crap! And for the lord’s sake, please have more than a thong bikini,10″ heels and a sheer shawl if you ever board a flight I’m on, Lady!
JTesla
October 26th, 2011
3:48 pm
No closet about it. However, when I’m 90 I’ll be defending the current music scene. Heck just a few months ago I had to defend today’s music because it was being bashed by a 17 year old.
We live in the best time possible, and it’s only getting better.
Rickster
October 26th, 2011
3:53 pm
Paraguay dentist says Aerosmith’s Tyler doing fine
The Associated Press
10:26 a.m. Wednesday, October 26, 2011
ASUNCION, Paraguay — The Paraguayan dentist who treated Steven Tyler says the Aerosmith singer is “doing splendidly.”
Dr. Maria Bastos also says Tyler was “friendly and humble” as he received two dental implants. She told the Monumental radio station on Wednesday that Tyler “surprised me with his cheerfulness.”
Officials of the Garzia Group that is organizing the concert say the 63-year-old singer apparently became dizzy due to gastrointestinal problems and fell in his hotel bathroom. He suffered cuts and broke two teeth, forcing a one-day delay in a concert in the Paraguayan capital of Asuncion. It’s now scheduled for Wednesday night.
JTesla
October 26th, 2011
4:02 pm
Hopefully he kept the teeth, so we don’t have to go after them later.
DanJ
October 26th, 2011
4:11 pm
Hi Deidre, sorry I missed your response on ratings. I do think the next two weeks are key for the direction of the show. I think the nastiness may be in part to drum up the ratings but the shots from LA Reid to Simon about Simone and Tiah were in part because the judges other than Simon felt they shouldn’t be there. And lets face it Simon and LA have huge egos and egos clash. I also don’t think it was ever an mystery which judge got which groups. It wouldn’t surprise me to see the show get an overhaul after this season. Fox may even insist on certain changes!
I do think in the near future maybe not this year XFactor will overtake Idol. Idol has grown stale IMO. I didn’t buy any CD from an Idol contestant this year.Although I may buy Lauren’s where based on what I’ve heardso far I’d seriously consider buying CD’s from 5 or 6 acts on XFactor. Maybe two more if Jazzlyn or Caitlyn get picked up. Since there’s little on television I will continue to watch XFactor and overlook the flaws. Dan
Harriett
October 26th, 2011
4:37 pm
Time to go, not that I said much today. See y’all tomorrow.
Deirdre
October 26th, 2011
5:04 pm
Dan, try to keep in mind that on Idol, we’ve fallen in love with singers based on one performance and then have been sorely disappointed later when we see more of them. Not saying that is true of Caitlyn or Jazzlyn, just that it would be difficult to judge how good they actually are based on the 2 or 3 times we’ve seen them. I would have picked them both over Simone and Tiah but that doesn’t mean I would have remained loyal to them.
On Idol, we loved Matt something-or-other after a fantastic version of Georgia On MyMind during Hollywood week…he never lived up to that performance. I hated Haley at the beginning of last season and loved her by the end.
And yes, I will continue to watch as well. If you hang around here you’ll see that we can be just as critical of Idol. Give us a try!
DanJ
October 26th, 2011
11:47 pm
Hi Deirdre, I do agree it’s easy to go ga-ga (no not the lady) over a performer then start to see the flaws. Caitlyn could have been a one trick pony. However Jazzlyn I think was the real deal, however she had nervous issues and another year to gather herself could be a good thing. So I’m not upset that they didn’t make it.
As far as Idol goes I did watch and followed along with the live blog the first 6 weeks even posting some but a family medical emergency kept me away after that. Honestly I didn’t see great talent there. I did pull for Lauren and while I think Scotty was good I didn’t think he was great. But then again I’m not a huge fan of country music only average at best. So I never had a real favorite last year like I had with Crystal Bowersox the previous year. But yes I will check in and add my two cents.
While I live in Auburn Alabama all my family still live in the Gwinnett area and of course I follow the Atlanta sports teams and all the goings on in the ATL. I just hate I can’t get the paper in my area anymore. So to get my news fix I have to read the AJC online. And of course follow Rodney’s blog. Dan
nonchalant
October 27th, 2011
7:43 am
If Paula wants to nix Simon all she has to do is arrange some Dixie Chix songs for Lakoda Rayne since the viewers love country. But on the other hand, Simon seems to change the rules of the show for his convenience when things aren’t going his way.
DanJ
October 27th, 2011
9:20 am
They are 8 of us ( 2 bowling teams) made up of 4 men and 4 women that have each put up 100 dollars with the winner picking the chairity the money goes to based on who wins XFactor. I have the 5th pick. The drafting order was picked from a hat last night. And of course I’m holding things up by not choosing someone. The top four already picked and off the board in the number they were picked are:
1) Chris Rene 2)Marcus Canty 3) Melanie Amaro 4) Josh Krajcik I’m torn between Drew and Lakoda Rayne. I have until tonight to make my pick. Any thoughts on who I should pick? I’m not sure a 14 year old can win but the same applies to a group. Dan
Seth T.
October 27th, 2011
5:05 pm
I believe that Drew will outlast LaKota Rayne. That is based upon the idea that Drew will have an “identity” right now, has a better voice than anyone in the LaKota group, while LaKota does not have a distinct identity yet.
It’s true that if LaKota really pushes into the Country personna, they could gather steam, as that audience has no one to gravitate to.
Drew would also be wise to nail a good Country or cross-over Pop to Country tune. The power of the Country market could make a big difference – enough to carry both #1 & #2 spots on Idol for Scotty & Lauren, also saved Kris Allen in his year, by doing Country Friendly looks and songs.