The "Idol" Bug Has Bitten!

Hello Everyone,

I'm just here for a second...just got home from a dinner date with the gal who will be replacing me as President of our sorority's alumnae chapter. I'm off to watch "Idol" in just a moment, but I wanted to post my predictions beforehand. As you know, I really never cared much for the show until last season. Bo just blew me away. Completely knocked me off my feet. As I watched Bo (and Carrie and Vonzell and the others last season), I felt like I was a witness to dreams as they came to life. I love that sort of thing...love being caught up in the excitement and the joy. It's very tangible and real to me. I feel the excitement their families feel, feel the nerves they themselves feel, and feel the excitement overall. I mean, remember who you're talking to here, people. I'm the girl who goes over the top with excitement whenever one of her favorite singers or actors is nominated for this-or-that-award (be it an Emmy, a Grammy, you name it). And those people are accomplished professionals. These contestants are young, fresh, and new. How exciting for them to get this chance. I hope each of them enjoy every second of the ride.

Now on to my predictions. From the start, my heart went immediately to Taylor Hicks. Through and through, he is a class act. Just a beautiful person and a pure joy to watch. He carries himself so, so well. He loves music, loves to make people happy, and is just all around sensational. He makes my heart leap. Without exception, he is absolutely my top pick for the men. Hands down, my choice for the women is Paris Bennett. Wow, wow, and wow. She's only 17, and she sings with the might and power of someone easily twice her age. She is fantastic. My prediction is that Paris and Taylor will be the two finalists this May. Choosing between them will be a tough task.

Here's my round-up of the first two days of competition. The women first...

It was very obvious that each of these women (well, maybe not Paris or Mandisa, but everyone else) had a huge case of the jitters. Understandably so. I think each of them is amazingly brave and courageous for doing this. That said, I will say that some of them really are in over their heads and don't deserve to be there. My first such person is the lovely Stevie. I understand that she is classically trained as an opera singer, and I think that Simon was right to question why she chose to look to pop versus staying in the opera field. Any beauty in Brenna's voice is immediately overshadowed by her ugly personality. "Let's make good television," she said. I truly believe that she's not in this competition because she loves to sing and wants to perform and rise to "Idol" status. My heart says that she's only in this for the recognition and the fame and to become a household name. Unfortunately for her, the "household name" she's earning isn't very becoming, and she's showing herself to be a very, very ugly person. This competition is "the stuff that dreams are made of." Young people watch this and think to themselves that they, too, could someday do this. Her conduct and temperament just don't fit the mold here. She's not a star. I didn't have much of an opinion of Ayla, Becky, and Heather's performances. They're all talented and lovely young ladies. None of them, however, really reached forward and really had that "shine-like-a-star" quality. Mandisa, on the other hand, completely had the shine. Shine and then some. What a lovely, lovely young woman...inside and out. She's got a voice as big as the hills, and she's not allowing any cruel stereotypes about what a woman "should" look like hold her back. I love her. Absolutely love her. Melissa, I could have lived without. The song choice was horrible, and I honestly felt like, for her sake, the song needed to end as soon as it began. I certainly understand the like-ability factor that Kellie brings to the table and I personally grieve for the sadness in her life, but she's just not amongst my favorites here. Lisa was a tiny, amazing little powerhouse, and Kinnik was wonderful. I think Katharine is beautiful physically and has the voice to match, but I disagree with Simon that her performance was the best of the entire evening. Paris had that, hands down. Mandisa was a close second.

Now the men...

I absolutely agreed with Simon that David made a bad decision. He handled that song poorly, he was outside his element in a big way, and he just didn't seem to take himself or the competition very seriously. It's a shame, too, because he can really, really sing. Will is darling, but I can't escape the whole "Peter Brady" thing. Good grief - talk about cut from the same cloth! He was OK vocally. Just OK. I absolutely fail to understand Bucky's appeal. I don't really think he can sing, to be blunt and truthful, and the whole "I-am-a-southern-country-rocker" schtick is pissing me off. Someone else has already done that, Bucky. His name is Bo Bice. Don't even try to emulate him because you (and everyone else who tries to do so) will fail. Miserably. Although I wouldn't say he failed miserably, I will say that Patrick absolutely chose the wrong song. Great song, don't get me wrong, but not for him. Great all the way around was Chris. Great, great, great. So was Gedeon. Elliott was wonderful as well. Ace is delicious. Oh. My. God. Absolutely gorgeous. One of the most fresh-faced and gorgeous young men I've seen in a LONG time. He also has an amazing set of pipes on him. I don't think he stood out vocally last night (although he looked MIIIGHTY fine and I was experiencing a slight inability to breathe!). He's got the potential to be amazing and I think he's solid in this competition. I feel horrible saying this, but I really don't think this is the place for Bobby. He's adorable and a true showman, but his vocals weren't that strong, and I just don't think he belongs here. It's not his niche. "Idol" is about a certain kind of person. And, as dear as I think Bobby is, he's not that person. I feel the same way about Kevin. I admire his courage. Usually people who aren't traditionally attractive shy away from things like this. God knows I would. But, God love him, he's gone out there and given 500% and he's very strong. Sway is also strong, but eeek, the song choice. I get the sentimentality of the song (and you have to admit that his dear old uncoordinated dad was adorable out there in the audience), but to take on Phillip Bailey and that hiiiigh falsetto, zoikes. But he's a ladykiller and he's got the like-ability factor.

My predictions:

The women who will leave tonight: Stevie and Brenna.

The men who will leave tonight: David and Bobby (although it really should be Bucky...for some reason, he's really appealing to the masses...whatever.)

The final six women will be: Paris, Mandisa, Lisa, Kellie, Katharine, and Kinnik (Kinnik SHOULD be one of the final six, but I fear that Ayla or Becky will be there in her stead simply because they are more lovely physically).

The final six men will be: Taylor, Chris, Gedeon, Elliott, Ace, and Sway.

The final two contestants will be Taylor and Paris, and I absolutely cannot guesstimate or predict who will win.

Off to watch the show and see how well I did with my predictions! Thank God for DVR!