I think I lost 37,000,000 brain cells last night watching that now oh-so-obviously scripted piece of karaoke television called American Idol.
Last weekend was the top three Idols’ homecomings and our local FOX news, even through what seemed to be a monsoon rain, covered Casey James as heavily as the rain pouring down. (that was too easy) Interestingly and tellingly, outside of the obligatory AT&T store front sponsorship, the show ran no footage of the homecoming festivities. You know, it might have swayed the at-home viewers into voting differently from the direction the show wanted to steer the herd. 
Captain Obvious, Lee Dewyze, did get marginally more air-time, let’s sit and speculate why…OK that was long enough. More air-time and more of everything else.
Casey James selected a song, that if anyone paid attention, an obvious head nod that it was his last night. Song choice, “OK It’s All Right With Me” by Eric Hutchinson. Kara Dioguardi called it an ‘unknown’ song showing what an idiot to the ninth degree she really is.
Sure, cowboy Casey could have selected a number of other songs that may have been a bit better but then he couldn’t blatantly have let on to the folks at home he realizes his time on the show is over.
Casey James “OK It’s All Right With Me”
Randy and Ellen agreed the song was ‘just all right’ for them. Simon baited Kara (it’s just too easy) into a ridiculously overly serious discussion of song climaxing. But then climaxing and Kara go hand in hand.
Kara and RandytheBoBo picked “Daughters” for Casey, a really terrible song selection, it’s a treacly ballad, one of John Mayer’s most lackluster efforts, but with the masses inability to tell good from bad music, made him a lot of money. Casey gives it the lackluster treatment it deserves. I must add, his voice sounds very good on the song; James can actually carry a tune.
Casey James “Daughters”
Kara and Randy attempted to make their song choice out to be stellar – Simon didn’t agree but he does say, rather quietly at the end of the critique that Casey’s vocals sounded quite good.
Crystal Bowersox selected “Come To My Window” by Melissa Etheridge and Ellen Degeneres picked “Maybe I’m Amazed” by Paul McCartney for her. She hauled along her harmonica rig and sporadically played it going for the ‘folk’ singer vibe. I have to hand it to her at least she did not alter the lyrics and kept true to the “Maybe I’m Amazed” song. That said it was not her best night.
I had to take into consideration after watching the theatrics provided Lee, how sparse the settings for Casey and Crystal and cut them a lot of slack. Lee was treated like the second coming of some higher being – goal to inspire the lemmings and peasants to follow the show’s lead and go ga-ga over his out of tune performances. Having the choir come in along with the string section and basically drown him out on “Hallelujah” was a brilliant move. He was out of tune and vocally inept and weak in comparison to anyone else on the history of this show who have sung that song. (Nod to Timmeh.)
Regarding Idol, Jason Castro’s version better than Lee’s.
To go home tonight, after the Idol bus ran over him, Casey James.
Sunny's Spin Shack 
Spin, Saw it right from the begining of the show, Casey was being giving the royal shaft by the judges. His first song I get what he was saying his vocals were good just didn’t care for the song. He did do a much better job with “Daughters” the song really doesn’t have much to it but he sounded good.
Crystal has not been coming through the past couple of weeks she has been just ok. Saw someone mention maybe her diabetes is catching up to her, not getting enough rest and being run down.
DH is a big Skynard fan and sat and grimaced as Lee sang out of key last night. Said afterwards that shouldn’t be allowed, why are they praising him? He had never heard “Hallelejah” played Jason’s version for him during the break, and he said no comparision how can they say that was the best. Told him maybe thats the best they are going to get out of this season and are gonna promote who they think will make them money.
I hope the voters came through for Casey and maybe this year like Taylor’s prediction last year about the “dark horse” will happen for Casey.
JI
Sorry, Sunny your guy is out. He seemed to have it all. Looks and played a mean guitar. His voice was ok but that seems to be the norm in the music industry lately. LOL. I just couldn’t get connected to him or anyone else this year. I kind of feel sad for Lee and Crystal. I don’t think either one of them knows what’s ahead if they win. Sure, what they have been though so far has been grueling but the winner has it heaped on even more. Crystal just looks bone tired and ready to shuck all this attention. LOL. Lee might be able to handle it better. He seems shy and would probably be a good puppet for the handlers. Crystal? Well, I think she’s liable to buck the handlers.
What are your theories on deja vu?
I read an article yesterday that said Casey had picked and performed, in rehearsals, a Stevie Ray Vaughn song. Right before show time he had to select another song so went with OK, likely that is what he thought… lol From what the reported said he brought down the house with SRV. Simon and Co. wanted to make sure he did not upstage their plan for Lee, apparently.
It’s more obvious than ever how fixed this show is, that is one reason for the ratings fail.
Sunny, Read the same thing about the song change. Didn’t they do something like that to Taylor he had a song change last minute. It was so obvious that they were putting Lee ahead of everyone, he got the nice lighting and choir, all adds to the effect that folks buy into. But if you really listened he was way off key, DH had never heard the song, during the break I pulled up Jason Castro’s version and he said wow, Simon thinks Lee’s version is better not by a long shot. I know singers can go off key while doing live performances but he has been off key alot, he sounds much better on the enhanced studio recordings.
JI