My youngest hauled me to see “Twilight” a few months back. Curious about the actor, Robert Pattinson, who plays Edward Cullen (he’s so damn pretty; my new shiny thing), I’ve googled him and guess what? He’s a musician, a real damn musician. Plays piano, guitar and writes music and – he sings.
Here’s one of his tunes, “I Was Broken” (Included in the movie.)
“Stray Dog”
lyrics, “You’re lonely
Joker no, joker no more
Who would reach their own
When you can call on your mind
Crying to hope that tears sometime, they’re
Wasted wasted, all before
Forget what you came here for
And you need to see the signs
And you need to stop wasting time
Start to save that stolen
story that you heard before.
And I waited for you, but you’re long gone
Stray dog
You’re only a stray,
Joker no, joker no more
Yeah, stray dog”
“To Roam” Robert Pattinson
lyrics include, “Ghost and the rain
[Cold], the freedom
And I’m walkin the hallway
Yeah I’m walkin the hallway
I’m walking the hallway
Said I’m walking the hallway, and I’m walking the hallway
I am grown, I am [grown]
Think of the day where I’m sure to come
When I’m seen, I’m smiling [of ages]
When I know where I’m going to run
When I know where I will go
I will be gone somewhere else
You could see, you could see it through my mind”
Taylor Hicks visits Julie Courtney’s Dad who happens to be a host of The View to the Bay, a San Francisco morning news talk show. (Spenser Christian) Naturally Julie joins them and Regis and Kelly send the show a video from the Dating With the Stars segment aired on their show that put Julie and Taylor together. My thoughts as I watched the show video from the start to the finish, “Oh no, that wasn’t awkward…” (click link)
There were more than a few cringe-worthy moments. Obviously nervous, Taylor lip smacks repeatedly and pulls out a stream of scripted sounding cliche’s: “Sinking his teeth”, “musical tree”, “Taylorize it” – vampiric singing monkeys in suits came to mind. Or maybe just singing monkeys.
News out on the record sales for Mr. Hicks’ new album, “The Distance” has it with a reported 5,972 in sales in the second week, down 34% from week one which held 8,990 units sold, bringing a total of 14,963.
Coming soon to a blog near you:
“I’ve Got a Feeling” The Beatles
All these years I’ve been wandering around,
Wondering how come nobody told me All that I was looking for was somebody
Who looked like you.
I’ve got a feeling that keeps me on my toes
Oh yeah, Oh yeah.
I’ve got a feeling, I think that everybody knows.
Oh yeah, Oh yeah, Oh yeah.
Yeah! Yeah! I’ve got a feeling. Yeah!
Ev’rybody had a hard year.
Ev’rybody had a good time.
Ev’rybody had a wet dream.
Ev’rybody saw the sunshine.
Oh yeah, Oh yeah. Oh Yeah.
Ev’rybody had a good year.
Ev’rybody let their hair down.
Ev’rybody pulled their socks up. (yeah.)
Ev’rybody put their foot down.
Oh yeah. Yeah! WOOOOHOO!
In the world of Taylor Hicks fans it seems I am once again at bottom of the heap in popularity. I write from my heart, my soul, what speaks to me in the real world and in this on-line interwebs’ world. What I write does not always fit within the parameters of accepted Taylor Hicks’ fan-speak so I’m not exactly Politically Correct much of the time. I must add, I keep my real world writing quite separate from my fan world writing. As anyone might surmise I am wise to do so.
I fell off the Taylor Hicks’ Popularity Charts a long time ago while my curiosity was peaked by the MFOYA situation. At that point I just had wandered into the MFOYA website, made a post that traced to another of my blogs and the rest snowballed as the Hicks’ fans rallied to get out their virtual pitch forks, torches and whatever else they had lying around the house. The whole event completely surprised me and it was my indoctrination into the severity of obsession that can exist in the world of on-line fans.
Yes, I lost my cyber-virginity to the throngs of the Hicks fanatics. Don’t regret that for one moment; it was a time of growth for me and a time in which I finally realized the idiocy of being an obsessed fan for anyone. Sure, I sometimes occasionally get carried away – I have that propensity, but with the help of a few friends, I manage to return to balance after my occasional ‘slips’.
Yesterday I wrote a lengthy blog after watching the TMZ.com tape. It wasn’t just the tape that really disturbed me, it was also reading fan posts about the person in the tape, the callousness of some of the posters expressing how that woman got what she deserved, etc… What is this world coming to really when we can so easily chuck our humanity aside for a celebrity? How can these people say they love Hicks because they love Soul music when so many seem to have no soul whatsoever.
I’m not saying that this particular poster, whose quote I’m using has no soul – on the contrary she’s been one of the nicest fans posting on this matter. I like her and have hung out with her on a few blogs. Yesterday she said something that many of the fans are saying although in a cleaner more polite way than most, “It was not Tays place to intervene. The man had two real rough days, 9,000 CDs and TMZ and press inside the Roxy looking for a story. He stated she was out of it, hammered, that it was good for her the police had a more urgent call and did the get out of jail free comment. He did not say I know her or expose her up close or name her or call her a name.”
For one, if he’d told TMZ he knew her, it would have looked worse for him. Certainly he was not going to broadcast her name or anything; she’s done some nice things for him in the past and she’s a fan.
This poster points out that one common consensus among Mr. Hicks’ fans: he did the right thing. Likely he did on several levels, thing is they overlook the joking over her body so to speak, they overlook the callousness that comes across on that tape in that moment.
As this poster writes, poor Taylor, he’s had a bad day, a few bad days. This also a common viewpoint with the Taylor Hicks’ fans: just look past everything. It is all about him after all, all about the music. He’s no Superman, he’s not the White Knight of the Soul Patrol, after all.
The woman in question posted on the blog (It’s All Grey) which initially posted the video; she had the temerity and the courage to face the folks in that post. I commend her for that – she wrote:
“Hello all, yes I am alive sorry to burst the bubble of those who wanted a different outcome. Thanks for the “human being” comments Spin I so agree…First let me say I flew in at 10:30am the day of the show and it was a very hot 87 degrees and I had a lot to do around town before the show so I should have been drinking a lot of water; Also the only thing I had time to eat was breakfeast during my layover in Memphis. So the alcohol hit me a bit hard. I was blacked out on that wall BTW (not responsive) But I did have someone who went beyond the call of duty and stayed with me until the Ambulance came and I will always be in her debt for that!!! Taylor also I learned did not leave the venue till he knew 911 was called by the Roxy staff.
Now as for this stalking stuff, I have not seen Taylor since last year his birthday weekend at Marty’s sure you all saw the videos. Before that it was in N.Y. in July. I can not afford to go to all his events but I am just a fan like anyone else…Also I was not escoted out the Roxy my friend took me out to get some air. As for a threat towards Taylor I won’t validate that with a response. As for those girls saying I told them that we were friends never happened and I think they were trying to be funny for TMZ and Taylor but who knows.
I had a blast Taylor was in top voice and he rocked it! That was actually my last Taylor performance for a while I have a Documentary on Topper Price I am swampped in and an online music show I have in development called Majic city IAD and I am about to do the whole settle down family thing with my boyfriend Omari who is a musician and reason I am still there BTW. So if going to two events a year makes me a stalker.I must have read the wrong definition.
I wish all the SP the best and for those who wish I would have died out there on Sunset I will pray for you.
God Bless
Because he blessed me with great music and an Angel in my opinion that night! K, I will always be in your debt!!
Tayfan1”
This lady was being blasted on various sites for being a “stalker” among other negative things, saying she ‘got what she deserved’ what ever the Hell that means. I applaud her for standing up for herself and writing that message. I applaud her for taking the high road – and for not saying anything negative. She even speaks glowingly about the concert, what she was able to remember, at least.
It seems there was a good Samaritan in her midst that night, someone who stayed right by her side until she was helped. There are still a few good folks out there in the Big Real.
So for fans to say how Mr. Hicks was having a bad day, I think the lady who was pecked at like carrion by some in this fan base was having a bad day as well. I’m just glad that things turned out well for her and she’s not on the list of missing persons or statistics.
Now remember, everyone has a bad day now and then.
“Dirty Laundry” LYRICS
Taylor Hicks actually provides TMZ.com yet another opportunity. Actually just the other day, TMZ.com passed a story around about Taylor Hicks tickets actually still remaining for his after “Grease” concert at The Roxy. TMZ.com spilled with their usual exaggerated aplomb that tickets had gone unsold for the concert. In the TMZ.com theatrical manner this situation was actually blown out to create an impression that the venue was dropping free tickets to fill the room; instead, it was discount ticket broker, Goldstar tickets who were releasing a small cache they held for just the nominal service fee.
Actually radaronline.com an equally sensationalist gossip magazine who had featured stories on Taylor Hicks during his doppelganger girlfriend scandal contributed to the story concerning the free tickets. Radaronline.com includes in their article,
“”It was fifty percent full and the VIP section was only twenty five percent full,” one concertgoer tells RadarOnline.com. “People who had paid the full $36.50 were mad since many people were claiming free ones.” Who was in the crowd? “Mostly women in their late forties, early fifties.”
Conversely the write up in the Los Angeles Times.com was more kinder toward Hicks but they don’t gloss over the lack of crowd and do point out many folks left soon after the show began. Hicks hit the stage around twenty after ten and folks were filing out already by eleven.
“It might not have been a sellout, but Taylor Hicks fans got what they came for, a hearty helping of their favorite gray fox — enough to last until they can catch “Grease.””
Taylor was apparently hanging outside the venue, after the concert, in the wee hours of the morning with what appeared to be his entourage; Bill Will included. TMZ.com camera guy/reporter approached Mr. Hicks as he and his group loitered, the guys looked as though they were waiting for their ride. When Taylor spied the TMZ.com guy he welcomed him over with, ” C’mon, let’s chat. I’ve been waiting for you guys all night”. Meanwhile Bill Will, grinning a strange grin, ducked his head and swung behind a pole to get out of camera range.
Click photo to go to TMZ.com video, you’ll also get a clue why I am overusing the word, ‘actually’, actually.
Within a few a few seconds of Taylor Hicks’ banter with the TMZ.com guy, activity around the corner caught his attention. Hicks asks the reporter, “What’s happening over here?” and they both proceeded to venture around the corner. TMZ.com told Taylor, ‘some drunk lady’. Two gals standing on the corner, perhaps they had been in the concert venue or perhaps that’s just their “spot” on the streets commented that the woman lying on the sidewalk passed out had told them she was a friend of Taylor’s and they laughed derisively.
In the TMZ.com video, Hicks just stands there looking at the woman; she seems to have a few folks possibly trying to help her, that or rifling through her belongings as she lay there motionless. (There, my cynical side emerges.) There was also a disinterested looking lady cop, but she seems to have left as soon as sirens and police cars sped past. Throughout the short clip, the person on the ground shows absolutely no movement. Hicks says to TMZ.com, “She’s, ah, she’s ah, pretty hammered…I think she has no idea…” Conversation switched at that point to American Idol and the new judge, Kara DioGuardi. Hicks quickly points out ‘actually’ Kara worked with him on his post Idol CD on a few songs.
Watching Taylor’s body language, his expressions, it is obvious he’s uncomfortable with the scene. He shifts weight on his feet back and forth in what appears to be hesitation on what he should do in this situation. As the police cars speed past apparently on their way to a more pressing matter, Hicks turns to the camera guy and says with a grin, motioning at the speeding cop cars as they pass, “This is actually good for her, basically that’s what’s called a ‘get out of jail’ free card”.
This unfortunate concert attendee, rumored to be Claudia Oakenfull from the infamous and defunct “Modern Whomp” magazine, now trying to start another magazine up called, Neo Blu or something, is seen completely passed out on a dirty LA sidewalk after the show. Now whether that woman is actually Claudia Oakenfull, I can’t say for certain since I was not actually at the venue; posters on It’s All Grey’s site who were there claim it was indeed she. This woman is not well-loved by many in the Hicks fan base for reasons I’m not getting into – point is the folks responding seem of the mindset that she’s getting what she deserved. If anyone remembers, the alleged sodden on the sidewalk, Ms. Oakenfull, provided fans with that great little pool table video in my sidebar on IDOL BLUES among other video from Marty’s Bar – videos which, at that time, fans appreciated viewing. Ah yes, our memories are fleeting. You see, should one run afoul of the fans or defile Mr. Hicks in any perceived way, you should be either stoned on a busy city street or lie in a near fatal drunken stupor on a public street. Ah, sweet Soul – sweet Soul Patrol justice.
One of the points I have attempted to make which falls on deaf ears or rather blind eyes, Taylor Hicks already took one big negative hit from TMZ.com this week. Their exaggerated story of the free tickets to fill the concert hall not very flattering nor encouraging, so not a positive regarding “The Distance” album sales. Now to top that, Mr. Hicks is now caught on film by TMZ.com standing with his cronies outside the LA venue, wandering into this unfortunate scene.
Taylor Hicks stares at the drunk on the sidewalk as the cameras roll, in the tape. Initially you can see a flash of concern and yes, recognition. Camera Guy, a stoic LA guy, for whom drunks on the street not really anything he hasn’t seen before, just sort of laughs it off. Seriously there’s no story in people getting tossed out of clubs because they are intoxicated nothing new in LA, besides it’s not like she’s OctoMom or anything. Happens around Dallas too; you get rowdy you are out on the street and the bouncers could care less what happens to you. It’s not their problem.
Many of the Taylor Hicks fans on-line profess to not thinking Mr. Hicks should not have behaved any differently than he did. I mean, he is just a musician after all and it’s not his place to don a cape and fly to anyone’s rescue. There was no phone booth for Hicks to make his Clark Kent change into Superman. I just wonder what these people who are standing up for his lack of action on this TMZ.com footage would say if they were the unfortunate fool passed out on the concrete.
One poster whom sums up what many fans are saying wrote, “Hate to contribute to this topic, but I think Taylor did the right thing. He took the attention off the poor woman and onto himself.”
I disagree, if he was taking attention off the woman why did he walk the camera guy around the corner towards her? Camera guy already knew she was there, he wasn’t there to film another dead to the world drunk on an LA sidewalk.
“If he had gone over to help, the cameras would have followed him.”
Hello, read my above sentence.
“If they got close enough, her face and condition would have been known to everyone who saw the video. Obviously, there were police there, and perhaps, they asked people to leave her alone until an ambulance or someone else came to pick her up. And I never saw him walk away – he was on the corner, he walked toward her, when someone pointed her out and walked back. Where was the security who threw her out? Shouldn’t they be responsible for making sure she is taken care of? Called her a cab or an ambulance, if necessary?”
This fan obviously just contradicted her initial wording in her post.
“While the cameras were on, Taylor did his job. He did the interview. Afterwards, who knows what happened? Not everyone is trained to give medical help. Maybe Taylor thought the police would be better trained to handle the situtaion (sic) than he was. I think some of you expect too much of him. This had nothing to do with being a Southern Gentlemen. It’s not like he didn’t hold the door for her. Who knew what she had to drink or what “medications” she may have taken? Best to leave her treatment to the professionals.”
I hate to break it to you, this was not a “job” this was not a scheduled interview moment in which Hicks was to have a sit down with TMZ.com and talk his life and times. This was what TMZ does, they walk up to celebs on the street and try and capture sound bites. They certainly got Taylor Hicks to bite.
It’s reactions like what I’ve been reading about this TMZ.com moment that clarify for me completely what’s wrong with the world today. Why folks rather drive by an accident and lookeeloo rather than stop and go help. It’s not their problem. Someone else can handle it better. It’s that person’s fault and they are getting what they deserve. Certainly it is the responsibility of the individual out partying to make sure they don’t wind up vulnerable and possibly dead by their lack of taking care of themselves. But, certainly it is the responsibility of we regular Joes to occasionally step up and do the right thing.
There was a story I read recently about a kid who had ventured out on the ice on a pond near his house. He’d been told to not go on the ice, it wasn’t safe, but the temptation was too great and he went anyway. Naturally he fell through. This guy driving by, a regular Joe, luckily for the kid happened to see him fall through. Instead of simply sitting in his car and dialing 911 and waiting for those who might know better how to help, he dialed 911 then jumped out to help the kid alone. He had not one clue how to help the kid, certainly he did not want to drown in the frozen lake himself and was not dressed for rescue. It did not stop him from trying. He had a pair of wire cutters in his trunk, cut a long branch from a tree by the pond; yelled at the boy floundering in the freezing water and got as close as he could crawling on his stomach on the ice, extending the branch. The kid grasped the end of it – using leverage, and after a few failed attempts the man got the kid out of the water. Now what would have happened if he sat in the car waiting? The ambulance and first responders got there after the kid was out of the water. Likely the boy would have succumbed to hypothermia, could have drowned.
Now the middle-aged woman on the sidewalk drunk and maybe drugged out of her mind certainly isn’t quite the same as a rebellions teen aged boy who decides to go out on ice after being told not to, but this is an example of someone doing the right thing. Sadly, none in the Hicks entourage, at least while cameras are rolling, don’t really seem to give a shit.
I think Hicks blew a perfect opportunity to take that TMZ.com moment, turn it on them and make something great for himself instead of simply creating a funny sound bite moment for TMZ.com… at his expense. Ah well, it is true, Taylor Hicks did not sign up to be Superman.
Remember that people, next time you see someone passed out on a street sidewalk, just make jokes, step around them. Next time there’s a car accident, just drive by and look, you know you’re not qualified to help. If you see someone fallen through ice, call for help, stay warm in your car.
American Idol is apparently sticking with big booming voiced Announcer Man, he’s back. Couldn’t miss the fact it was St. Patrick’s day either. The stage complete with green lighting and Shamrock images left no doubt. It was almost like anime, I almost went into a seizure with all the flashing green lights.
Sadly none of the judges got into the day, nothing green or Irish looking about any of them. I had hoped, with all the flashing shamrocks the show would really provide some fun. All the judges should have been decked out in shades of green with Ryan in a leprechaun hat. He’s a little guy, would have worked, but then, I never get my way.
Paula wore a floral frock and left the dead dove home she wore last week, Kara must have scrounged into her back-to-the-’80’s trunk and found a grey lame’ ensemble, the lights just bounced off of it. Kara in the sky with diamonds. Simon in a gray t-shirt and Randy … forget what he wore. Darling Daughter exclaimed when the top eleven were paraded out, “Nobody is wearing any green!” She’s ten so things like that matter. She’s my kid, so like Mom like Daughter we wanted some green! Would have at least been a little entertaining.
We did have one small but funny moment after the top eleven contestants came out on stage; Gokey waving his arms about managed to slug poor sick Megan Joy in the mid-section. Had to rewind a few times to see that again. Girl kept her feet so good on her, she was sick and could still take a hit. Hokey glanced at her but did not appear to say anything. Shmuck.
Michael Sarver decided to ‘good ol’ boy’ it with an unsurprising choice of a Garth Brooks song, “Ain’t Going Down (Until The Sun Comes Up)”. Sarver had a decent harmonica guy join him on stage, but he was no Taylor Hicks. Roughneck Mike also managed to appear to not forget any of the 37,000 words in that song, although at times he backed from the mic so was hard to tell. Poor guy has no stage moves and sort of lumbers around, but then he is a Country singer kinda guy and most I’ve seen down at Billy Bob’s have some of the same moves. Speaking of Billy Bob’s, Randy Travis will be there this weekend, appearing on Saturday, March 21. Sounds like a date to me, haven’t got to go drink beer and watch cowboys knocked off an angry bull – in a bar – in a while. YeeHaw!
Judges were mixed on Sarver, Randy said it was cool and fun, Kara stated the obvious – Wow! Michael remember all those words! Pauler like the harmonica guy and commented the how Sarver was indeed a country kinda guy, which is one reason she gets paid the Big Bucks. Simon was “meh” on the whole thing. I was thinking along the lines of Simon.
Sweet Sixteen and don’t anyone forget it, Allison Ireheta came out with her hair styled with either a perfectly matching flower or the stylist managed some hair origami. Idol’s Hispanic darling picked a Patty Lovelace song, “Blame it on the Heart” as her selection. Randy Travis told her not to be too cute because she did some prancey country dance moves while showing off her vocal talents in their ‘coaching’ segment. Likely she was trying to make ol’ Randy loosen up a bit since he was coming across last night sort of tightly wound and very somber. I have to say every time the show cut to Randy’s wife in the audience with her white hair/wig she looked like she’d just bit into a sour lime before a tequila shot. Lady did not smile one time. No wonder Travis looks so dour most of the time living with that little Miss Happy. Ali reminds me of Amanda Overmeyer – she seems somewhat out of place in a format that thrives on Pop princesses.
Judges spouted a series of cliche’s from Kara saying she could sing the alphabet (what?) to Pauler saying her vocals were ‘rock solid’ hello, it’s country week. Simon called her precocious – Randy obviously had no clue what precocious meant and said Simon was wrong, the performance, (just like Randy) was Dope!
Darling Daughter was already getting bored.
Fundie boy Kris Allen was up next, he came out with Jason Castro’s stool sans guitar and picked “To Make You Feel My Love”. Song name all by itself was sort of creepy but Kris did a good job. His vocals are really pretty good, nice tone to his voice, and I liked it. He made some curious faces while singing that had Darling Daughter say, “Mom have you noticed he looks kind of like a monkey”? She just picks this sort of thing up all on her own, has to be the genetics. I feel for her later in life. ha.
I’d give Kris the highest marks out of the previous three, monkey face and all. Judges liked it with Simon heaping on the praise saying it was the first time he actually saw Kris making it far in this competition. Randy had the most ridiculous (again) comment saying Kris was the Tender Dawg. Kara with eyes full of faux wonder said, something to the effect of ‘I didn’t even know it was Opry Land week’. Inside meaning, ‘that had no country sound to it at all and I loved it’. Exactly why Simon liked it so much, anyone who has sat through this show knows Simon hates country music. Simon was clever in undermining Randy with a quiet, ‘more like Tender puppy’. I’m getting the vibe everything’s not cozy kewl in the judging camp this season.
Lil (Little) Rounds up next. You could see the bloom falling off the rose this performance for Lil. She picked Martina McBride’s “Independence Day” received high praise from guest Travis but failed in the ears of the judge panel. Kara tried to save things for her by saying ‘anyone would have to be deaf not to know you’re a great singer’ but Simon suddenly couldn’t remember her name, stubbornly kept calling her Little in a not so veiled mean-spirited way. She was also handed the dreaded “Wedding Singer” brand. Not a great round for Lil.
After that little moment, time for something Big, Bad and Brassy. Yes, Adam-I’m-Too-Fabulous-For-This-Show picked a song I figured he’d go with, John Cash’s “Ring of Fire”. I thought he might go Dilana in Rock Star Supernova and he did not disappoint. Thing is, he sang it much better. Poor Randy T. did not know what to think about a guy wearing makeup and nail polish – guess his bitch-face wife has had the man sheltered. Made for an entertaining and awkward segment, woke me up some from the stupor I had been sinking into. Darling Daughter just sat there with her mouth open.
Judges apparently were taking Adam and his uber fabness in similarly to my kiddo and floundered to be current. Obviously none of them had ever watched Rock Star. Pauler compared Adam to Led Zepplin, “Kashmir”, Randy brought up Trent Reznor and NIN, Kara was along the lines of Pauler, dazed and confused, Simon being the grumpy old frump asked “what the hell was that”? Poor old man. I thought it was more like Freddy Mercury doing Cash. The guy has such a freaking amazing voice, now if only he’d worn a pair of those assless chaps. Or any chaps…ah, it is family show.
Taylor Hicks did get a mention last night. After Adam’s performance, Ryan quipped the show had come a long way since Hicks stood on that stage. Whoopee.
Scott MacIntyre did Martina MacBride’s “Wild Angels”, naturally with piano. I know he’s blind, but it was boring, disjointed and flat in parts. Pauler was bored too I think, that’s why she wants him to come out without piano sometime. Simon and she almost came to blows, which would have livened up the place almost as much as Adam had just done, but instead, during commercials had to go into ‘time out’ for a few moments. Randy and Kara were sort of walking in Pauler’s shoes both saying he needs to up his game. I did enjoy his pointing out to the judges and we viewers at home that song he performed was not all his choice, seems it true what we read on that Notorious Site the show ‘helps’ pick the songs for the contestants.
Alexis Grace screwed up this week and it might cost her Top 10. Considering she does in a way resemble a young Dolly Parton without the boobs, she picked “Jolene”. This is one time it would have benefited her to sing it like it was originally intended. No, Alexis I wannabe like Parton tried to current it up a bit, add an alt-edge that wound up falling as flat as her chest. Judge panel said the same things times four, pitch issues, missed the mark she was seeming to shoot for, blah, blah, blah. Simon called it forgettable, not true since it was memorable for its very blandness. I liked Alexis that first time I saw her; I’ve changed my mind.
Hokey-Gokey is up next and he’s wearing an Arctic Polar Explorer suit. Ready to tackle polar bears on the ice. All that white around his face made his neck look nonexistent and his face bloated. He’s got a modified pair of goggles on his week designed perhaps to help him fight through that snow storm he looks ready to go out into.
Mind you, they’re in Los Angeles where it’s waay to warm for polar suits. That brings me to say why do these stupid stylists usually have the guys come out looking like they’re about to walk the streets of New York in winter on stage? Too, why don’t these contestants have a brain to say, wait why am I wearing a winter coat on stage?
Hokey does what I knew he’d do – pull out Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus Take the Wheel”. The most entertaining moments for me, when he went into his comfort zone of saying Jesus, likely just the way he does it in his fundie cult church going for the tithes. It was uneven and he makes an attempt to polar blast some of the karoke soul into the verses but overall the song falls cold. Have I mentioned how I hate the way he squints? This one of the most Hokey of his performances.
Judges blather about the start off being slow but Kara waxed enthusiastic pulling another cliche out of her head about his ‘hitting his stride’. Like her song writing skills this gal is full of the tired and true lines. Pauler was getting more and more into the Anna Nicole drugs she’s pumped full of and slurred out about how Carrie Underwood would buy that recording. Yeah, whatevah have another slug off that Coke cup. I thank the Idol Gods for Simon, he brought up the pathetic polar apparel, I just know we’d get along in real life.
Darling Daughter had wandered off at this point and so I was left alone to watch the remainder of the show. Anoop who did not fare so well last week had selected “You’re Always on My Mind”, but he did not come out and deliver it like The King or Willie Nelson. Anoop put a more Pop sound to the tune and really sang it well. He was suffering the unfortunate clothing situation as Hokey, dressed for a winter stroll on an LA stage, with all his layers he had to be nice and toasty. It did warm my heart to hear him sing this song so well as I had, from the early stages of this show thought him capable of being one of the front runners.
Judges backed me up with all hailing his return (meaning he left sort of during Jacko week) and how well he performed that tune. Simon’s assessment that Anoop went from Zero to Hero a little lavish but hey, if it gets him to stay in the competition I’m all with it.
Anoop Desai, “Always on My Mind” credited to Willie Nelson, although not like Willie’s:
Megan Joy, although sick last night, looked beautiful, hair to toes. The dress she wore complimented some of her best assets and they were proudly fronting that gown. I thought she’d likely pick Patsy Cline, she loves the old music and has such a blast to the past tone to her voice. “Walking After Midnight” was a piece of old school cool and her Sallie Josephine dance moves complimented her performance. I like this lady more and more every time I hear her. I give her mad props for being so sick – just out of the hospital – missed rehearsals and still did a great job – managed to not cough once during the delivery.
Judges pointed out she had just been in the hospital, praised her singing.
Matt Giraud also picked Carrie Underwood but I will forgive Matt. He performed “So Small” with piano and really did a great job. I like the sound of Matt’s voice, as apparently does Kara. She cougared out again, commenting ‘nothing small about you Matt’ as if she has knowledge the rest of us have not been privy to… I love that gleam she gets in her eye when she looks at him, it’s like she’s been on a desert island and he’s a juicy cheeseburger. Look out Matt, Kara in her gray lame’ got them hungry eyes. Simon compared Matt to Michael Buble’ which is okay, should carry him through this week.
Matt Giraud, “So Small”
I liked it. Agree with Simon, he completely out sang Hokey last night, but Ryan’s “Matt Buble”? …
Best of the night, Anoop, Megan Joy, and Matt for pure singing, Adam for most exciting (squee). Who I think will go home? Toss up between Michael Sarver and Alexis Grace.
Chelsea was kind to Taylor. Talk centered around sucking, blowing, the silver fox issue, Paris and Britney Spears. Oh yeah, and the awkwardness of a man’s fly being down and yeah, his penis. Nice.
Is that a Kenya towel hanging off his back pocket or did he forget to take off the tag – or… did someone hang a “kick me” sign off his back side. ha. (Check the last few frames.)
A turn of events, a luck of the draw, a slight of hand plus an interesting little Social Experiment has hit this week in Taylor Hicks’ fan land.
No, 2 plus 2 does not equal 15, but cagily 15 does equal something the likes of which taps my imagination. There should be a code, that would bring me satisfaction. Numbers that come to mind: 193.200.150.137… Rubik’s cube anyone? I love that game.
Posted by Sunny 
Actually just the other day, TMZ.com passed a story around about Taylor Hicks tickets actually still remaining for his after “Grease” concert at The Roxy. TMZ.com spilled with their usual exaggerated aplomb that tickets had gone unsold for the concert. In the TMZ.com theatrical manner this situation was actually blown out to create an impression that the venue was dropping free tickets to fill the room; instead, it was discount ticket broker, Goldstar tickets who were releasing a small cache they held for just the nominal service fee. 
Sunny's Spin Shack 