American IdolHollywood Week: Final Cuts
Original Air Date: Feb 11, 2009
PMB - TwoCents Reviewer
pmb@thetwocentscorp.com
I was going to start this recap with a list of the Three People I Can’t Believe Made the Top 36 in last night’s episode.
The No. 1 person? Joanna Pacitti. And it wasn’t just because she’s already had major recording contracts and never made it in the biz (too bland is my thought). No, it’s because last night they showed how she forgot her words all three times in Hollywood Week, even in the group round where biffing the lyrics is an automatic dismissal. And yet, the judges let her through when no one else who committed that AI sin moved on. So unfair and so obviously fixed. BUT...
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[photo: AmericanIdol.com]
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I was going to start this recap with a list of the Three People I Can’t Believe Made the Top 36 in last night’s episode.
ReplyDeleteThe No. 1 person? Joanna Pacitti. And it wasn’t just because she’s already had major recording contracts and never made it in the biz (too bland is my thought). No, it’s because last night they showed how she forgot her words all three times in Hollywood Week, even in the group round where biffing the lyrics is an automatic dismissal. And yet, the judges let her through when no one else who committed that AI sin moved on. So unfair and so obviously fixed. BUT...
This morning, Fox made the announcement that Pacitti has been booted and replaced by 26-year-old Felicia Barton. "It has been determined that Joanna Pacitti is ineligible to continue in the competition," stated a Fox press release. From what I hear, fans made such an outcry, calling Pacitti an obvious ringer (really, you think, duh?), that Fox had to pay attention. It also didn’t help that Pacitti has been quoted calling one of the 19 Entertainment executives her “best friend.” 19 Entertainment produces American Idol!
Don’t worry about her though. She got canned from the title role of an “Annie” Broadway revival at age 11 and came away with a huge court settlement. She’ll be fine.
OK, now I feel better. Well, except for the other two people that also shouldn’t have gotten through. Let’s start with the most annoying — the Tower of Terror that’s known as Tatiana de Toro or the Most Annoying Contestant Ever. Can you believe that she of minimal talent, hyena laugh and hysterics made the Top 36? Has Vote for the Worst infiltrated the AI judges or is Fox just so pressed to create some drama that they let this joke through?
The only thing that made the moment less upsetting was when she returned to the contestants wait room and no one came up to congratulate her, as they had all the others. In fact, Nathaniel Marshall’s double take of distaste and shock was so good, I watched it in slow motion — twice!
Then there’s Nick Mitchell and his altar ego, Norman Gentle. For once, Nick played it straight in appearance (a nice suit) and manner (no jokes). But how did this clown get in the Top 36? All I could think is how much better it would be if his spot had gone to the highly talented but booted Jamar Rogers. Rogers wasn’t going to win, but he was certainly had a markedly better singing voice and an engaging personality.
What would have been amusing (as that appears the reason that the judges kept Nick) is if Nick and Norman had to go head-to-head in a sing-off. Would either of them have gotten through without the other? We will never know the answer…
Here’s a list of who made it, starting with the sing -offs:
Sing-Offs:
Cody Sheldon vs. Alex Wagner-Trugman: Alex
Jenn Korbee vs. Kristin McNamara: Kristin
Frankie Jordan vs. Jesse Langsbeth: Jesse
Jackie Midoff vs. Nathaniel Marshall: Nathaniel
Matt Breitcke vs. Michael Sarver: Both
Also in the Top 36: (in order shown)
Anoop Desai
Von Smith
Adam Lambert
Taylor Vaifanua
Jasmine Murray
Arianna Afsar
Casey Carlson
Megan Corkery
Mishavonna Henson
Stevie Wright
Kendall Beard
Alexis Grace
Scott MacIntyre
Lil Rounds
Allison Iraheta
Danny Gokey
Ricky Braddy
Matt Giraud
Ju’not Joyner
Brent Keith
Jorge Nunez
Stephen Fuller
Jackie Tohn
Jeanine Vailes
Kai Kalama
Anne Marie Boskovich
Kris Allen
Felicia Barton
Tatiana del Toro
Nick Mitchell
Say good-bye to: Cody Sheldon, T.K. Hash, Chris Chatman, Reggi Beasley, Jenn Korbee, Ashley Hollister, Devon Baldwin, Frankie Jordan, Shera Lawrence, Derik Lavers, Jamar Rogers, Jackie Midoff and six others they didn’t show (at the beginning of the episode they said 54 contestants were left).
Next Tuesday we’ll see Danny Gokey, Anoop Desai, Stephen Fowler, Brent Keith, Ricky Braddy and Michael Sarver compete. Then on Wednesday, it’s Casey Carlson, Jackie Tohn, Anne Marie Boskovich, Alexis Grace, Stevie Wright and Tatiana Del Toro’s turn.
I’ve never been thrilled by the gender categories as often there are more of one sex that are better than the other (it’s different every year) and this format forces us to cut someone just because a man or woman has to go – not because they were the weakest singer that week.
What do you think? Did your favorites make the cut? Did you like the sing-offs? Was it fair to match two friends against each other in the sing-offs? And how about the way they delivered “yes” verdicts as if the contestant was being cut (“it’s not good news… it’s great news”)? Are you excited to finally get to the semifinals?
I agree; Nathaniel Narshall's doubletake was a classic. I laughed my ass off. I replayed it a dozen times last night and at least 5 times today and I laugh to tears everytime. It's a classic and DVR/TIVO keeper.
ReplyDeleteJoanna Pacitti got the Idol boot? she seemed like such a strong contender; i thought she would win the whole thing for sure
ReplyDeleteDid kenzi palmer move on
ReplyDelete