Your American Idol: Kris Allen

They started last night’s final performances dressed in black, and they started tonight’s show dressed in white.

Kimberly Locke, Joely Fisher, Janice Dickinson were among the celebrities in the audience. Randy in his thrift store, circa 1972 burgundy velvet bow tie, sweetie Kara who actually was stunningly dressed, "new word a day" Paula, and clueless Simon.

The final two were brought onstage, dressed entirely in white (except for Adam’s black combat boots) and asked to comment (into dead mikes), and then we were virtually whisked to Conway (where they also had a dead mike) and San Diego, where their sound system was actually working. I have no idea who Mikalah Gordon is, but I was happy to see Carly Smithson from last year’s competition reporting from San Diego.

The Top 13 sang Pink’s "So What", again all dressed in white. I’m hoping the kids who were kicked off early in the season have a chance to get as comfortable moving around stage as the last 5 or so are. You can really tell who had the extra weeks of practice.

David Cook sang his song "Permanent" wearing a black armband in memory of his brother, who recently died. The song will be offered on iTunes after the show; all proceeds will go to ABC2, an organization that raises money to find a cure for cancer.

Was that Jason Guarini in the audience? Almost didn’t recognize him! How far the show has come since his season!

We were treated to the Golden Idol Awards spoofing the worst of the worst auditions. Outstanding male: Nick Mitchell, a.k.a. Norman Gentle.

Lil Rounds sang a duet with Queen Latifah, "Cue the Rain". I liked seeing and hearing them together, and bless Queen’s heart for having the nerve to wear a skintight bodysuit for the entire world to see.

Anoop and Alexis sang "I’m Yours" with Jason Mraz. They were joined by the rest of the Top 13. Alexis sounded really rough, but Anoop was great, as always.

We watched Kris’ "journey" video, then sang "Kiss a Girl" with Keith Urban. This is exactly the kind of song that should be featured on his first album. He looked SO comfortable up there, as if he was truly enjoying himself.

The girls in the Top 13 introduced Fergie, who sang a few lines of " I Hope You Know" with their help before bringing out the rest of The Black-Eyed Peas.

Another Golden Idol, this time Best attitude: Katrina Darryl a.k.a. Bikini Girl. Since we last saw her, Katrina invested in herself via fake boobs. Unbelievably, the allowed her to sing. She should have spent the money on voice lessons. Kara, who can actually sing, unlike Bikini Girl, joined her onstage. Katrina, your next stop will be adult films. Kara showed she actually has a sense of humor by ripping her dress off at the end of the song, revealing a bikini. She looked better than Bikini Girl did, too.

Allison got to sing a duet with Cyndy Lauper; "Time After Time". They sounded fabulous together. What a thrill for Allison!

Danny sang several lines of "Hello" before introducing Lionel Richie and joining him in a duet that got Ruben to his feet, singing along in the audience.

Adam’s "journey" was shown next and we were treated to his shortened version of "Beth". (This costume must have been Ed’s favorite!) He then introduced Kiss and sang a song with them. Ya gotta give some credit to Kiss --- they knew what they were doing when they decided to wear the stage makeup. Now that they’re approaching their sixties, they can still appear onstage, looking much the same as they did 30 years ago (except for the spreading middles).

Carlos Santana interrupted his gig at the Hard Rock Café in Las Vegas to make an appearance on the Idol stage. Let’s pray Carlos lives forever, because he truly sounds as good as he did 30 year ago, nay, he may sound even better now. The Top 13 had the honor of singing a medley of songs with Carlos and his band.

(That Camryn Manhiem must have season tickets.) Final Ford video was shown, actually a montage each this season’s Ford videos. David Cook presented both boys new Ford Fusions.

Steve Martin appeared with Megan and Michael who sang a song, "Pretty Flowers" written by Steve. Even though Megan forgot some lyrics, they sounded very nice together.

The boys took the stage to sing Rod Stewart's "If You Think I’m Sexy" before introducing, that’s right, Rod Stewart himself. Rod sang "Maggie". Rod still sounds pretty good, but he’s beginning to look a little scary.

Hopefully the last Golden Idol, Outstanding Female: Tatiana DelToro. I’m sure her appearance was meant to be entertaining, but it just brought back bad memories of the early part of this season.

Adam and Kris sang a duet: "We are the Champions" backed up by Queen. Adam looked like he was going to pee in his pants, thrilled to death that he got to sing with them.

I’m feeling rather smug at this point, because Ryan’s going to announce the winner and I still have 44 minutes of show recorded. Finally, after getting screwed over and missing the end of the show THE PAST TWO SEASONS I got smart and set the DVR for extra, extra time!!

FINALLY Adam and Kris are onstage with Ryan and he launches into his final questioning prior to announcing that, after nearly 100 million votes, Kris Allen is this year’s American Idol.

Kris is instantly shocked, then hugs Adam, trying to keep back the tears. He is amazed beyond words. Adam seems sincerely happy for Kris, plus he knows he’ll make records even if he didn’t win.
Kris, unfortunately, is required to sing Kara’s lame "winning song". Kris manages to keep control until his wife is brought to him. Almost as soon as he touches her to pull her into his arms, the tears begin.

Woo hooo!! Another great season of American Idol ends with me CORRECTLY PREDICTING who the winner would be!!

Can’t wait for my second favorite show next week: So You Think You Can Dance. See you here next year!

Part 1: Season Finale

Part 1 of American Idol Season 8 Finale: Adam versus Kris.

Celebrities in the audience (Camryn Manheim), Kara looking constipated, Randy wearing all the clothes he got for Christmas, Paula in Day-Glo, and Simon NOT in the usual T-shirt.

Nice guy and bad boy enter, both in black leather. Each will sing three songs: their favorite performance of the season, a song chosen by Simon Fuller (creator of the show) and the winner single co-written by Kara (wow).

Adam starts out with "Mad World". I have to say this for Adam: he IS a showman. His experience in theatre has really paid off for him in this competition. His performance was flawless. Holy crap!! Anthony Hopkins in the audience!! Yikes!

Kris chose "Ain’t No Sunshine" as his personal favorite. Not only did he play the piano, he sang this song even better than he did earlier in the season. A lot of people think Adam is a shoo-in to win this, but Kris showed them with this performance that he is a force to be reckoned with!!

"A Change is Gonna Come" is Simon Fuller’s choice for Adam. Technically, Adam was great, but I just don’t feel the emotion when he sings. He looks good, he sounds good, he moves well, but there’s not the same emotional connection that Kris makes.

Mr. Fuller chose "What’s Goin’ On" for Kris. Out came the acoustic guitar, and Kris rocked out, looking comfortable as all get-out, with three guys accompanying him. I thought he sounded great. Marvin Gaye would have loved it – Simon did not.

Adam sang the winning song: "No Boundaries". He did the best he could with a mediocre song --- I really can’t believe this was the best song submitted. The backup singers were again, bordering on atrocious and I’m not sure if it was the band or the backup singers, but Adam actually sounded pitchy in more than a few places, which would be a first for him.

Kris then performed the same song, only this time as more of a ballad. Kris forgot the lyrics at one point early in the song, which was a first for him (a night full of firsts). I truly feel Kris did a better job with this song that bordered on horrendous.

Carrie Underwood sang "Home Sweet Home" (this year's theme song) sounding a little like Megan. She looked great!

Well, with this show you just never know what can happen. But, I’m betting Kris Allen walks away the winner tomorrow night.

Then There Were Two

Cute lead-in to tonight’s show by some of the cast from the "Night at the Smithsonian" movie. And, the Idol desk will actually be going to the Smithsonian.

88 million votes later, we have a results show. "Just" a million votes separating the top two.
Beaded Randy, Forgettable Kara, Paula a.k.a. Miss Kitty from Gunsmoke, and T-shirt Cowell. Jordin Sparks and Katie Perry will be appearing in tonight’s show.

Cute Ford video, but I really thought they were going to pay homage to Danny’s religious background and have him part the sea of cars by command instead of using his super-rubber arms.

Alicia Keyes appeared to tell us about "Keep a Child Alive", an organization dedicated to providing medicine and protection to African children to fight HIV. She also introduced Noah from Rwanda, singing "I’m the World’s Greatest" which he learned in English in one day. What a truly adorable kid lighting up the stage!!

Danny was called onstage first. We saw his trip back to Milwaukee, his hometown. I would have been disappointed if the outpouring of love he witnessed didn’t visibly move him. And, of course, he was.
Kris was called out next to view his hometown visit to Conway, Arkansas. Kris’ moment with his dad brought tears to my eyes. Kris was also moved by the reception he got at home. What a sweet guy. Don’t cry momma.

Jordin Sparks performed her new single "Battlefield". She sounded slightly pitchy during her performance and the background singers were horrendous. I’m hoping some lucky audience member ended up with the ring that flew off her finger toward the end of the song!!

Adam was last to be called onstage for a view of his hometown visit to San Diego. I didn’t expect Adam to get emotional at all the fuss, and he didn’t.

Katie Perry made an appearance singing "Waking Up in Vegas" wearing a cape with Adam Lambert written on the back. Unfortunately, Katie is another of today’s stars who should NOT perform live. She also does NOT have the kind of buns that should be hanging out the back of her costume. And, if she’s gonna show that much thigh, she shouldn’t stomp around the stage OR should do some work in the gym. Cute song, though. Much better than that annoying "I Kissed a Girl".

Please, on to the results!! First person in the Top Two is: Kris. The person competing with him is: Adam. Danny Gokey will NOT be going to the finals. Unbelievable!! A complete upset as I see it.

I am SO sad. . . and the only thing that will make me feel better is if Kris wins the whole thing and is named this year’s America Idol.
I am totally blown away!

Final Three Perform

Due to a series of unrelated events, I missed last night’s show. I had dinner with my son, his wife, and my youngest grandson, Jackson, as a belated Mother’s Day celebration. When I got home, my dear hubby had already laid claim to the TV where Idol records. I went to the other TV to watch a TIVO recording of another show, but ended up falling asleep. When I woke up at 11pm, I just didn’t have the dedication to go out and watch Idol. SO. . . I’m watching both nights back-to-back.

300th episode. . . Top Three. . . only a short glimpse of the hometown visits, then the announcement that each contestant would sing two songs: one judge’s choice, one a personal choice of the contestant.

Paula’s song choice for Danny was: "Dance Little Sister" by Terrence Trent Derby. Unfortunately I may be the only person on the planet who has never heard this song so I really have nothing to compare it to. I thought his voice was classic "Danny" and really enjoyed his performance. Although some people today were criticizing his dancing, as did Kara, I wasn’t put off by it. We all know Danny is NOT the greatest dancer, so I’m not sure what was expected of him.

Kara and Randy got to choose Kris’ song: "Apologize" by One Republic. I am SO tired of hearing this song on the radio. . . I hope Kris changes it up so it sounds new. I loved the way Kris sang this song. I loved the fact that you could hear the "a" in apologize, I loved the fact that he played the piano. The only criticism I have is that I wish he had gotten a manicure. I totally agree with Simon’s criticism of Kara for blaming Kris for her choice of song.

Simon chose Adam’s song. I smell a setup. Hmmmm. . . it’s not hard to see that Adam seems to be the "show’s" choice for #1 so SIMON chooses his song. Danny’s song gets chosen by capable Paula, since he’s been viewed as the #2 guy. And loser Kara chooses Kris’ song, as a way of sabotaging him off this week?? I smell a rat!

Adam’s song will be: "One" by U2. Simon had to get SPECIAL PERMISSION!!! AND Simon puts in a plug for Adam from Bono. He can’t lose!! The season might as well end tonight. Adam starts out soft and heartfelt, then launches into his "every week, every song" semi-screeching punk-rock Freddie Mercury style. Totally ruined the performance for me. Don’t get me wrong --- he’s talented, but he is a one-trick pony to me.

We were treated to an update of Idol Gives Back from Carrie Underwood Then the performances continued.

Danny’s choice for himself was: "You Are So Beautiful" by Joe Cocker. Lovely, flawless, powerful and emotional. Amazing. That was very, very close to an Idol Moment.

Kris’ choice for himself was: "Heartless" by Kanye. Really?!? And what a pleasant surprise!! Kris made hip-hop palatable for those who don’t enjoy listening to it. I agreed with Randy --- I liked Kris’ version better than the original.

Adam’s song choice for himself was: Aerosmith’s "Crying". Big surprise! Another "trademark" performance; unfortunately Adam’s "style" makes every song sound the same to me. The background vocals were distracting and the combination of Adam and the background pretty much drowned out the band. I did NOT agree with the judges at all.

My choice to go to the finals would be Danny and Kris. And, I’m going out on a limb and predict that American will vote the same. I think Kris has developed a huge following that rivals Danny’s and I believe America is getting tired of Adam one-trick screech.

And Then There Were Three

Sixty four million votes --- the most votes outside a finale. . . I’m just watching to see the "clue" that will reveal who got the most votes. (My conspiracy theory!)

No Doubt and Daughtry will perform tonight, along with Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson. . . and Slash.
I think Adam got the most votes this week. It seemed like he was "themed" to fit in with the band for the group sing. If he ends up in the bottom two, my theory is busted!

Paula sang "I’m Just Here for the Music". I don’t know what to say. Rita Moreno is 69 years old. She can still get up on a stage and sing, and she looks great, but she doesn’t prance around the stage in a short-skirted bustier. And Paula shouldn’t either. Paula doesn’t sound too bad, and she can still move, but there’s something creepy about a woman her age prancing around the stage like Britney. Eeww. . .

No Doubt was next, and I love Gwen but they suck live. ‘Nuff said.

The three who survive tonight’s show will visit their hometowns. All four are called to center stage.
The first person declared safe is: Kris. I’m a little surprised, but happy. I really like Kris and think he’s not only a good singer, but he really knows music.

Daughtry performed his new single "It’s No Surprise". I know he’s really talented, but I’m still not a big Daughtry fan. Sorry.

Second person in the top three is: Adam. The final member of the top three is: Danny.

Allison is going home --- but hey, Daughtry was sent home at this point in the season and he’s the 4th most successful American Idol ever. So, she really has nothing to worry about.

About my theory --- I guessed Adam got the most votes, and he wasn’t sent home, so it IS possible!!

Fab Four Rock Out

The Final Fabulous Four mentored this week by Slash! Evidently, this week’s show will not only test the Final Four’s singing ability, but their ability to perform without a real dress rehearsal, due to some problems with the towers on the stage.

Guns ‘n Roses, collaborations with the likes of Fergie, Ozzie and others, then forming Velvet Revolver, and now beginning a solo career --- this should be interesting.

Adam chose "Whole Lotta Love". Slash’s advice was to not improvise so much in the high register, so let’s see what happens. I didn’t think the changes Adam made to this song really improved it or made it sound better. It just sounded a little blander, believe it or not. He didn’t rock it out quite like I thought he would. I just thought it was a little tired sounding. And I also thought the band drowned him out just a little. Totally disagreed with all the judges’ praise. I didn’t think it was his best at all.

Allison’s choice was "Cry Baby". Slash thought if she overcomes her fear she’ll knock it out of the park. I thought Allison was a little over-run by the band, too. She didn’t copycat the song, but I agreed with the judges that it didn’t showcase her abilities to the fullest.

Tonight’s show featured two duets instead of the usual group sing. Danny and Kris sang "Renegade". It was okay, the harmony was good, but I didn’t care for it very much. Why the judges thought they needed to weigh in on this performance, I don’t know. They never judge the group sings. For some reason, Simon felt compelled to tell Kris (just before his solo performance) that he thought Danny did a better job.

Kris sang "Come Together". Slash advised him to "pick up" his performance just a little. Kris chose to play the guitar during his performance. I loved what Kris did with this classic Beatle’s song. He looked totally at ease and wasn’t overpowered by the band at all. Kara is officially out of her mind. I really have a hard time with her off-base criticisms. It wasn’t hard to read the disappointment on Kris’ face as Ryan was giving the phone numbers.

Danny chose "Dream On". Slash sounded a bit unsure whether he thought it would be successful or not. I love Danny, but this wasn’t my favorite performance. Randy was right, it’s not really his genre. Again, Kara’s insane.

Adam and Allison sang "Slow Ride". I’m not sure how fair it was to pair the two true rockers together for a duet, leaving the other two, who were most definitely out of their genres to struggle with their performance. Maybe because they were both in the bottom last week?

I’m really not sure how the voting will go this week, as I didn’t think anyone stood out that much more than the others. I’ll go out on a limb and predict that Allison and Kris will be in the bottom two, and Kris will be sent home. And this isn’t because I don’t think Kris is just as talented as the other three. I think people might be swayed by the judges’ opinions, which I don’t think was very accurate for tonight’s performances.

. . . And Then There Were Four

I have a theory that the producers secretly insert a clue each results show about the contestant who got the highest number of votes. The idea came to me last week, when Adam was the only one NOT wearing shades during the group sing. I thought at first he had dropped them, but he didn’t have them on at the beginning of the song, either. I wish then that I had kept all the shows banked on my DVR, so I could go back and refer to them, but, alas there are TOO many other shows that take precedence on our DVR.

However, I think I may have glimpsed this week’s clue at the beginning of the show. I’ll let you know when the show’s over whether I am correct.

Taylor Hicks, Natalie Cole and Jamie Foxx will both perform on tonight’s show. Although I adored Taylor, I’m more excited about seeing Jamie than Taylor!

Cute Ford video --- at what point did they stop being annoying to me? Group sing was also less offensive than normal --- maybe I’m just in a good mood tonight?!?

All five are asked to come to center stage. Matt looks resigned, as if he knows he’s going home.

Tonight will be one of those "which of these groups is the bottom two" shows. Matt is asked to stand aside, and Ryan moves to Danny. He is asked to stand at the opposite side of the stage from Matt. Allison is asked to stand next to Danny. Kris is asked to stand next to Matt.

Hmmmm. . . this could go either way. After all, I predicted Matt and Allison to be in the bottom three. Either Allison got lucky, or Danny got jacked.

Adam is asked to predict which group he thinks he belongs in. Adam goes down in AI history as probably the first person who actually made a choice at that point. I don’t believe I’ve ever seen another contestant actually make a choice, but Adam says (out loud) that he thinks he belongs with Allison and Danny.

Ryan pulls Adam back over to Matt and Kris and tells them THEY are the bottom three and Allison and Danny are safe.

Although I’m a little nervous for Kris, I’m still convinced at this point that Matt will go home.

Natalie Cole sings "Something’s Gotta Give" from her newest album. She looks great, but I’ve heard her sounding better. I’m glad she’s healthy again.

Taylor Hicks sings "Seven Mile Breakdown" from HIS newest album. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed watching him sing --- and because his music isn’t featured on the radio station I usually listen to, it only seems like he became one of the "forgotten" winners.

Matt, Kris and Adam are invited back to center stage. Ryan sends Kris back to safety.

Jamie Foxx was on next, singing "Blame It", the #1 song in America. I liked the way he sounded, but I had trouble watching him onstage doing that song. I kept thinking he was going to break into some shtick.

47 million voted and Adam is safe, Matt is going home.

SO, I predicted correctly who was going home, but I was VERY surprised that Adam was in the bottom two.

. . . and then there were four.

So, about my theory. Last week, Adam was NOT in the bottom, and although they don’t say who got the most votes, he was the only person NOT wearing shades during the group sing.

And tonight, Allison was NOT in the bottom three and she was the only one featured in the beginning of the show mixed in with the audience members.

So, the theory is: each week someone does something that none of the other contestants does, they’re featured specially in SOME way, indicating that they were the top vote getters.

I’ll be watching to see if my theory pans out.