So, after a plane ride to Vegas and a two-hour drive to St. George, Utah where I'll be spending three days on the set of "High School Musical 2," I made it to my hotel room just in time to catch AMERICAN IDOL. Not only is it an hour ahead here from LA but primetime starts at 7pm. So, here I am checking in at the lovely, relaxing Green Valley Spa at 7:02 rushing these poor Zen people to get me into my room. My pal and our producer Celeste was inside the taping and a has a few good tidbits to report as well.
No offense to the Brits but British Invasion week really needed bigger stars, if you ask me. Jennifer Lopez is coming. Gwen Stefani and Martina McBride are coming. Herman's Hermits? Huh. Bring back Elton John! How about Annie Lennox? Fortunately, the song choices made for quite possibly one of the best performance shows ever. So, I forgot how boring those taped pieces were and who Peter Noone and Lulu were.
Haley Scarnato kicked off the night and though I had doubts about her and why she made Top 12, she certainly has quickly morphed into looking like a star. The performance still is like watching a Miss America Pageant contestant but Simon called it when he said people would be talking about things other than her singing. Like her legs maybe?
As I reported yesterday, Chris Richardson, despite being begged by the Idol hair stylists to let his hair grow out, went ahead and buzzed it. There is a reason for those stylists. His patchy head is why they are necessary. Simon loved the singing though and thought it was his best performance to date. What was up with the Mr. Rogers sweater though?
Stephanie Edwards is on the verge of going home I think. She's pretty and a good singer but just doesn't have that standout style.
Simon felt like she was losing her edge and losing her soul.
According to Randy Jackson, Blake Lewis has got the yo factor. Whatever that means? (Have we decided yet?) I agree. I'll forget what I just saw Ryan Seacrest do. I need to go wash my eyes out.
Draped in diamonds and again looking like the ultimate diva, Lakisha took a bit of a beating from the judges for her vocals. Please, the girl could sing 'Happy Birthday' at TGIFridays and sound like a star. Last week, Haley Scarnato ended the Access Hollywood viewing party curse by making it through last week despite us interrupting her friends and family dialing in. Let's hope the same holds true for Lakisha!
Simon believes Phil Stacey has a problem this week. This will either save him or sink him.
Jordin Sparks. What a star. I voted from my hotel room. I rarely vote. You gotta move me to actually pick up the phone and quit typing on the blackberry.
So, despite telling Idol's hair guru he wanted a mohawk (well, technically it would be a faux-hawk) Sanjaya clearly nixed it morning of possibly because word had leaked out. Anyone wondering why Sanjaya is still in this competition need only look at Ashley, the crazy crying fan in the audience. Take her times a million and there is the answer. It was like The Beatles were there. Apropos since it is British Invasion week. The backstory on her from Celeste is that she won the chance to go watch the rehearsals tonight while she was at a taping of "Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?" The producers found out she was a major Sanjaya fan when she started crying and put her up front and center for the live taping.
Gina Glocksen inverted bob haircut she got which I mentioned yesterday gets an A. The singing gets a C.
Melinda Doolittle closed the show and knocked it out of the park as usual. What more can you say except, I don't like the bob cut. It made her pretty face look to round. OMG does this poor little Ashley girl ever stop crying?
Here are some extra notes from Celeste: The warm up guy pulled a man and a woman up on stage to dance before the show, only to find out later that the man he had on stage was Haley's dad. He asked him after her performance what he thought of her outfit. He said he liked it, but Simon should remember he's sitting only 20 feet behind him when he's talking about his daughter.
Also, Antonella Barba's friend from the auditions, Amanda, was in the audience. (Pretty sure it was her.) She kept chatting up the judges during the commercial breaks, talking playfully with Simon and schmoozing with Paula. What is she doing here still? Shouldn't she go back to New Jersey now that her friend has been off the show for 2 weeks now?!!
Dish of Salt Prediction: Stephanie Edwards says so long.
