American Idol - Season 3 (2 Viewers)

[DanaA]

Yikes, I see it again. That hair. That smile.

Has anyone actually seen this movie? Would I get the same kind of laughs if I rented it as I did with B films like Attack of the Killer Tomatoes? Is Criterian working on a special edition?

 

[Herschel]

Well, it's #7 on the IMDB bottom 100 right now, in with some great company: Manos Hands of Fate, Gigli, Glitter, You Got Served, Leonard Part 6, Battlefield Earth, and a crapload of Police Academy films. I don't know if that helps you figure out if it would be funny or just painful, though. The brief quotes on metacritic and Rotten Tomatoes were all pretty entertaining, at least.

 

[Tony Whalen]

Actually Dana, from what I've read and heard, they aren't "ignoring" Justin. They aren't booking him for anything, nor signing him to any new agreements. I understand that Justin's ego became HUGE, and he bascially became a complete and total ass. Basically, no one wanted to work with him, so he deep-sixed his own "career" before it even REALLY got off the ground.

Well, that and the above-mentioned movie deep-sixed him.

 

[phil-w]

You know, what I think sums up this years AI, is asking yourself, are you going to remember any of the performances a year from now?

I can stll remember some of the performances from last year, like Clay doing "Don't let the sun go down on me", but I can't even think of any performance from this year that I will remember in a year.

In fact, I would be willing to bet, that I won't even remember ANY of the contestants a year from now :frowning:

 

[Patrick Sun]

Hell, I still remember Kelly's Big Band night performance of "Stuff Like That".

Clay also had quite a few show-stopping performances last season. "Bridge of Troubled Water", "Solitaire", I even liked "Open Arms". "Build Me up, Buttercup" wasn't a highpoint for him, though, he phoned that one in that week.

 

[phil-w]

Good memory Patrick

I remember getting the chills during many of Clay's performances, and having to go back and watch them again. I really missed getting the chills this year. I don't think it happened to me even once.

Anything this year that you think you will remember next year?

 

[Malcolm R]

His ego was huge on the show. After all the praise went to his head for a few weeks, he started mouthing off to Simon that he didn't know anything.

I expect much the same scenario for the equally ego-centric Fantasia. Just listening to her in interviews since she won makes me :rolleyes.

I really feel sorry for her child. How is Fantasia supposed to be a proper mother while maintaining the schedule of an AI winner? All the touring, recording, promotions, press?

It may not be PC, but I really feel those with children should be disqualified from competition. The kids' lives should not have to be so massively disrupted for the sake of their parent's 15 minutes of fame.

 

[phil-w]

I agree with you Malcolm. 10 or even 5 years from now, this is not going to make a bit of difference to Fantasia's life, but the time she has lost with her child will make a significant difference.

 

[teapot2001]

I was never a fan of Fantasia, but I was surprised by how awful she sounds if you don't see her performing. A friend played to me some songs from the show. Most were inferior to what I had thought and her singing became really irritating after a while to the point where I couldn't listen any longer.

~T

 

[teapot2001]

Fantasia's neglect of her child won't be different from many celebrities. At least she has family to care for her child.

~T

 

[Patrick Sun]

I do think people connected with Fantasia's energy on stage, but on the radio, her voice is going to be a tough sale.


I'll remember the bad performances more, for some odd reason.

I'm still miffed I didn't get to hear more of Amy Adams, and instead had to suffer through the Camile's, the JPL's, the Matt's.

Paula's choice of Leah was such a poor choice, her bad singing even stood out in that medley that was sung on Wednesday night. Hopefully they'll minimize Leah's singing on the AI tour this summer.

Clay has the kind of voice that can sear through the long notes, and he can generate chills (which also gets my attention when I'm listening) and season 3's contestants rarely, if ever, gave me that same goose bumps and chills. Kelly also was able to give me chills and goose bumps in her performances in AI 2002, and just when you think she didn't have that high note in her repertoire, she's nail it in a very tough song, and that pretty much put her out in front (plus having some lower registers in her voice also helped balance out her vocals, something Tamyra Grey doesn't quite have).

Oh, another great Clay performance: "Mack The Knife" Holy moly, he nailed that song with a tremendous finish.

Clay's performances of James Ingram-like songs were a little lackluster the second time he'd sing something similar, but he had the pipes to sing them.

 

[phil-w]

I am actually a bit embarassed to admit it, but I have Clay's album :b

My wife got it for me as a joke, and I was hoping that it would be good, but the songs were unremarkeable. I really wish his album was made up of some of his best songs from the competition mentioned above.

I thought Kelly was very good, but IMO Clay was the best contestant ever on AI despite the comment made by Simon this year, in an obviously desperate attempt to save his sinking show :frowning:

 

[Shayne Lebrun]

You know, I remember watching the finale, and noting that none of the female (or male, for that matter) contestants were sticks; sure, John has yet to grow out to match his height, and Jasmine's a wee little thing, but none of them were emaciated little Hollywood Waifs, starving themselves to fit some damn ideal. Hell, Kelly was nice and meaty, Diana was nice and meaty, and I don't think anything needs to be said about Reuben.

Damn, I thought, it's nice to see that America is retreating from the 'skin and bones' school of beauty.


Ooops, never mind.

Now, myself, I'd say Fantasia would make a good Broadway singer, jazz singer, or a Tina Turner impersonater, but I don't think she's a top 40 style pop singer.

I also think that Diana will be capable of growing/improving where Fantasia won't.

I also noted that the losing contestants seem to have been taking singing lessons; Big Red sounded great, I thought. I always thought he had good potential...

 

[Patrick Sun]

Big Red has a narrow field (music style) to work with, but if he stays there, he might have a decent go at a career.

 

[Vlad D]

Give me a break! With thinking like that, women with children should never become actors or authors because the movie's shooting schedule and the promotional tour, or the book tour will keep them away from their children and keep them from being "a proper mother." Fantasia being a mother and having a career in the music industry is no different than any other celebrity with children.

The performances that I remember from last year are Clay's "Don't let the sun go down on me" and "Solitaire." The other that I vividly recall is Ruben's "A Whole New World."

 

[Paul_Tesh]

William Hung!

 

[Malcolm R]

Have you seen "Cheaper By the Dozen"?

 

[teapot2001]

On The Tonight Show, Fantasia said she didn't want her child to grow up poor and have to struggle, so that is why she tried out for American Idol.

~T

 

[danak]

For this season, I felt that Fantasia's "Summertime" (the first time she performed it) and her rendition of "I Believe" (on the first finale night; the time she performed it after she won was far more emotional, though understandably not as good technically).

I have to admit, Fantasia fits far better in the R&B and gospel mode than pop. She needs to pick her material carefully or she'll be out of her depth.

Diana may be a good singer but her "Up With People"-type personality grated on me, and she seemed artificial at times. The good thing is, since she didn't win, she can finish high school. I really think the producers should disallow anyone still in high school, because I don't think it would be a good thing if the winner had to drop out to pursue their career.

I have to disagree with the judges' opinion that this was the best top 12 of all 3 seasons. I think that's overstating it by quite a bit. There was just as much mediocre and average talent as before (Jasmine, John Stevens, Jon Peter Lewis, Camille, Leah), some above average (George, Amy, Jennifer, Diana) and only a couple extraordinary performers (Fantasia, La Toya). I will agree that this season had more unexpected results than the others.

I don't understand what was wrong with Tamyra's rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner"? I thought the speed was a little slower than I would have liked, but otherwise, it was on key and sounded fine.

It was unfortunate that La Toya didn't place higher. Simon said in his book that he thought Tamyra possibly got voted off partly because she seemed so polished and experienced and viewers may have thought she didn't need the help. That may have been part of La Toya's problem as well (plus she had a band). Also, some viewers may have seen her quiet confidence as arrogance.

Dana

 

[Jed M]

I honestly think they would get a far superior education being privately tutored. Unless high school standards have gone through the roof in the last 10 years, the stuff I learned in 4 years of HS could probably have been learned in 2 with an individualized tutor. I knew kids who were home schooled and they were doing trig when we were in Algebra 2. I don't think taking a lucrative job and missing your final year or so of HS is going to set anybody back.