IDOL FIRST TOP 12
2.17.09

The show stars with Ryan saying he is going to break Kara in very easily. Saucy. This statement is followed by Paula saying the contestants need to make magic happen in 1:20. Good luck with that.

Up first, is…

Jackie Tohn
28-year-old from NYC
Sings “A little less Conversation” by Elvis.

She had quite the makeover…which was apparently performed by the pink ladies. Hello, Sandra D.
Not sure I dig this version of this song. She’s overdoing it and it is not great. It’s quite disappointing actually.
Is this really the best she can do? She’s yelling…stomping…and coming off as kinda spastic. I feel very let down by JT.

Randy says, “Way to start the season off.” He’s not blown away by the vocals but says she’s definitely an entertainer.

Kara says Jackie can work a stage and agrees with Randy that it was not the best vocals. She says, however, that Jackie showed us who she is.

Paula says she got her up dancing and she has always loved her. P thinks her voice was not perfect but then says that perfect is boring. I guess that explains why Paula is nothing close to perfect.

Simon thinks she has a good voice but she played the clown. He calls the song gimmicky and he does not think she did herself any favors tonight.

Ricky Braddy
26-year-old from NC
Sings a song by Leon Russell

He was very forgettable in the audition process. Did we even see him in the audition process? Looking at the pic they use to introduce him, he has made quite a transformation. What’s with these guys from NC so badly in need of makeovers? Get Clay Aiken’s stylist out here STAT! He has a pretty voice, but he’s still forgettable.

Random side note: That mic they are using this season is the gayest thing ever.

Randy says, “Yo” and calls him a star of season 8. He says Rick has beautiful tone, a nice voice and adds that this was the way to jump off season 8.

Kara says he killed that and calls the performance “amazing.”

Paula mentions that he wasn’t featured in the auditions(so I’m not crazy. Well, I am crazy but…). She is proud America gets to see how talented he is.

Simon is not jumping out of his chair. His issue with Ricky is that he has no star quality. As usual, I agree with sCowell.

Both times they interview this kid, his mic is turned off and we are picking him up off Seacrest’s mic. It’s like they are trying to make him forgettable!

Alexis Grace
21-year-old from Memphis
Sings “Never Loved a Man” by Aretha

She is trying to be a tough girl. The red lipstick is clashing with her pink hair and totally distracting me. It’s not bad but I don’t love the song choice. She has a strong finish though.

Randy says “Yo.” He loves seeing her dirty herself up, thinks she worked it out and he’s loving her.

Kara says the genie has been released out of the bottle. Ok, drop the Xtina references. This girl is no Xtina!

Paula says she has the ability at a young age to possess so much soul, passion and presence. She loved her and calls her, “Wonderful.”

Simon thinks, by a mile, she is the best contestant they’ve had. I hope he means so far tonight b/c she is in no way the best contestant they have ever had. He calls her the dark horse and says he reminds her of Kelly Clarkson. Whatevs.

Instert Idol mistake here. The wrong tape started to roll. Oops.

Brent Keith
29-yer-old from OH
Sings “Hick Town”

He’s def. country. Very Nashville star. Very commercial. He’s super cute but I don’t know he’ll be able to win my vote –ever. But, then again, ya’ll know I like edgy.
And you also know I don’t favor country singers. Nothing is easier to sing than country music.

Randy says, “Yo, baby. Good looking out.” He’s glad Brent returned to his country roots. He blabbers about the two of them, along with Simon, having a moment at a chili cook off. This is a clear sign he has nothing else to say. YIKES.

Kara thinks he played it safe and says the song wasn’t “rangey” enough.

Paula wants America to remember his auditions. No one remembers the auditions more than me and I do not really remember his. YIKES again. She can see him as a Josh Grayson or a Bucky Covington. Earth to Paula – this is not a compliment.

Simon asks, “What has happened to Bucky Covington?” He calls Brent a nice guy with a nice voice but says he’s unforgettable.

Stevie Wright
17-year-old from CA
Sings a crappy Taylor Swift song

This is horrible. I feel like I’m at a bad high school choir concert. But then again, I feel that way when I watch Taylor Swift too. This is really lame. God awful, actually.
Randy says, “Yo.” He continues by calling it not hot and says he was not feeling it.

Kara agrees and ends by saying “ughhhh.”

Paula agrees as well.

Simon calls the others polite and says it was “terrible.” He says the song was ok, but says she was out of tune, nervous and out of her depth. He desperately wants to make her cry. The good news is that she got some experience but there’s zero chance of her making it through, according to SC.

Random crowd shot of Doogie Howser and Ted Danson. Odd.

Stevie holds it together pretty well in the post coital discussion. Props for that.

Anoop Desai
23-year-old from Chapel Hill, NC
Sings “Angel of Mine” by Monica

I still love him. Maybe I just like brown boys. He is not over singing. He’s got soul. And he’s on key. Good job.

Paula stands – but then again, she stood for the first two as well. She’s a premature stander.

Randy liked it. Calls the song an interesting song choice. He says he is a huge fan of Anoop Dog but thought the song was sharp. I’m not sure that came across on TV.

Kara agrees with Randy. She’s not sure he has the rifts and capability but says he has great potential. She believes he is connected to the audience.

Paula says America HAS connected with him. She believes in him.

Simon asks why he chose that song and says it was too grown up. He calls the performance too serious but says Anoop has massive likeability.

Casey Carlson
20-year-old from Minneapolis
Sings “Every little thing she does is Magic” by the Police

It starts flat and sounds like she’s performing at a high school era beauty pageant. I see governor of Alaska in her future. I actually read something that compared her to Ms. Palin. Good call. At the least, she compares to Tina Fey as Sarah Palin. I want to punch her in the mouth. Welcome to amateur city, ya’ll.

Randy says “Yo,” and then “Ooh.” Calls the performance not good and weird. For the first time this season, he compared it to karaoke. The dog was lost.

Kara says everything about that was wrong. She calls it so overdone and really flat. Casey fights tears.

Paula says that there is no mistaking that guys think Casey is the most beautiful girl. Ouch. She says the phrasing was weird, she didn’t think about what she was singing and it just didn’t work.

Simon tells her she looked good and then crushes her like a dirty cigarette butt by calling her singing “atrocious.” He claims she could not have chosen a worse song. She should not have been allowed to sing that. He mentions karaoke as well.

Casey returns to the green room and Tatiana hugs her. When beauty queens unite!

Michael Sarver
27-year-old from Jasper, TX
Sings “I don’t want to be” by Gavin Degraw

The song starts strong. I like him. This is probably my fave performance of his. He’s having a good time and so am I.

Randy says, “Yo” he points out that he has an instrument and can def. sing. He didn’t really like it though.

Kara says that was a great crowd pleasure song but not his best performance. I guess I am one of the crowd tonight. Somebody write that down. ME! A lemming.

Paula thought he did a really good job. She says he went back and forth with the mic and she found it distracting. Does Paula know anything about musical ability? I mean, really. What kind of critique is that?

Simon says it was a tricky one. He’s “not going to lie,” it was not the best vocal. He adds, though, if Michael does make it through, its’ b/c people like him. He hopes American gives him another shot.

Ann Marie
22-year-old from Nashville
Sings “Natural Woman.”

She does not have a strong enough voice for this. Ugh. I can not hear this w/o, my brain thinking “you make me feel like a natural mango.” And actually, I’d rather hear Mango right now. The finish was OK. Ted Danson is standing so she’s got that going for her…

Randy says “Yo.” He asks how she thinks she did. This is never a good sign. He says it was not the right song choice and calls it a big huge vocal and she fell sub par below.

Kara compares her to demo singers. Gotta love those demo singers…not.

Paula says that compared to previous performances, she did better. But she also played it safer. Seriously, does Paula know anything about singing? Straight up, yo.

Simon, as usual says, “if I am being honest”…followed by ”if we were searching for the best hotel singer in CA, that would have been good.” He calls her voice not good enough for that song and says it destroyed her. He comments that it’s uber easy to get a standing ovation from this crowd. Take that Ted Danson!

Stephen Fowler
26-year-old from Cleveland
Sings “Rock with You” by MJ

He’s wearing a joutfit! It’s a fancy joutfit. But a joutfit none the less. Ick. He has a good voice but MJ is tough. He’s not working the stage. This is a bad song choice. I consult my Michael Jackson keychain. He thought it was off the wall.

Randy says “Yo.” He does not know what is going on. He never would have thought he’d choose that song. He calls the performance pitchy, using the term for the first time tonight.

Kara got more from him when he forgot the lyrics. LOL.

Paula is glad he remembered the lyrics but he didn’t prove he can sing. She calls this song the kiss of death.

Simon wishes Stephen had forgotten the lyrics. He calls is a pointless performance and uses the terms “terrible” and “atrocious.” The last 10 seconds were OK but, all in all, tt was corny.

Tatiana
24-years-old from Puerto Rico
Sings “Saving all my Love’ by Whitney

This actually may be her best performance – at least to start. Not oversinging – surprise, surprise. Not annoying me – surprise, surprise. This performance is not bad. Honestly.

R says “Yo.” When he heard she was singing this, he thought, “oh no.” But, he says, she had moments where he was impressed. It was a weird melody but there were moments.

Kara says it is a roller coaster with Tata but this was a reserved Tata and there were moments – she ponders where Tata fits in the industry?

Paula calls her the most talked about contestant. This demure Tata is different but there were beautiful moments. She makes the second pichy comment of the night.

Simon calls Tatiana a complete and utter drama queen. He has never met anyone – other than Paula - who wanted fame more. He calls her singing “not bad at all.” The demure thing makes him nervous, though.

Before Tatiana can leave the stage, they all do the hyena laugh. Kill me now.

In the green room, Tatiana pleads to America. Surprise, surprise…again

Danny Gokey
28-year-old from Milwaukee
Sings “Hero” by Mariah

This guy is good. Paula is on her feet. This should have been her only standing O of the night. He’s pure and real. He does not push at all. That is such a refreshing change. A purely enjoyable experience. Nothing over the top – nothing overly dramatic.

Randy calls him the redeemer of the night. “Blazing hot,” he says.

Kara says he is a hero and he gives us all hope.

Paula calls him stellar. Two words with one hyphen, she says. “Sold-out arena.” Paula is dumb.

Simon says it was good but not fantastic. He is not buying the hype. I get what he’s saying.

I feel that I set the bar too high with last week’s review. I’m not loving this one…but it will do. So, in closing, here are my predictions for the night:

Alexis, Anoop, Danny

And my dark horse candidate is Brent.

Damn those country fans.