With the dead weight gone...

...we can begin!

Alright. We saw some serious stuff on Wednesday night's show. Wait, no we didn't - wishful thinking. I thought we'd get to see some more of the contestants that we hadn't seen yet. (since once again monday and tuesday we STILL didn't see too many that we hadn't seen already) But just like last year, the group segments were horrible. With the exception of a very few, those kids just can't handle the pressure... awwww don't we feel sorry for them? HECK NO! Look, here's what Randy and Simon are thinking: You came to us. We didn't call you up and say hey we want to make you a star come down today and sing a little something.

That said, I left the show wondering how the heck they could have made ANY decisions on the top 32 based on what we saw. But maybe that's back to my original point: they didn't show me anything new! There must have been an entire DAY or something we didn't see in which these contestants had a chance to redeem themselves and we just weren't shown that. Show me something AI, show me the money! That's all I'm saying.

Well, now that I have that off my chest can we talk about the cuts, the dirt, and yes, the hair. So to my dismay some of my very favorites were cut - Draeh who's style got lost in the shuffle and Mr. Old James Huff with that fabulous heavy voice. Immigrant Parent Boy Bao Viet - cut. Unchained Melody Michael - cut (although he got a little high on himself and coudn't keep his hey I'm damn good speeches to himself - mouthing off to the judges). And sorry Shonda but the most horribly annoying Broadway guru Scooter Girl - FINALLY CUT. She was like an over animated puppet on crack. Please, voice or no voice that girl was just a freak on wheels. (pun intended).

So I'm happy to see that the rest of my favorites made it through:

Fantasia who reminds me of Trencye for some reason . She's a fabulous cool diva girl - but unlike Trenyce, she has a personality.

Sleep Church Boy - now WAIT JUST A MINUTE. Shonda this boy had us all fooled I think. You thought he looked uncomfortable in his soulful audition and outside the room with his ghetto clan friends. Did anyone else notice that it was this very same boy who busted out the break dance moves - spinning around the floor - when his group got the news that they were through to the next round?!?!?! Hhhhmmm... I think we have been served.

My 16 year old diva Diana - loved this girl. I still think she'll pull alot of young voters appeal.
And a few others too. But let me say 4 more very important things.

#1 - who is feeling Bri - the slightly boyish looking hard knocks girl with the attitude that sucks? Not me. I was really annoyed by her "they want me to dance. I'm white. I don't dance. I don't know them, I don't even know their names..." speech. Did anyone else think this came off a little... well... politically incorrect is all I'll say. She rubbed me the wrong way big time and I do not wish to see her go any further up the ladder.

#2 - Jennifer Hudson - my goodness. I am so glad you made it to the final 32 - you are an incredible singer. But I was clearly blinded by your talent the first time I saw you. Good heavens girl! Raggedy Ann hair indeed. And even worse, that silver outfit you wore on the final day?!?!!??! This was an incredibly hideous sight and all those rolls, bumps, pooches. Ahhhh! I was scared. Note to my dear Jennifer: If you make through the next round, LET THE STYLISTS DO WHATEVER THEY WANT TO. And those of you who have been readers for a while KNOW how I feel about those AI stylists. I wouldn't let them touch me. But anything they do to the lovely Miss Hudson will be an image improvement.

#3 - Model Girl - this is absolutely INSANE that this piece of work keeps making the cuts. We haven't actually seen her sing a single freakin' note yet this week. Not one clip of her even remotely measuring up to anyone remaining. How could she have learned her songs? She can't hear the music anymore - too much hot tub water in her ears. She's already my Kim Caldwell of the competition. Good marketable look with NO TALENT. Please spare me. Paula and Randy come to your senses. People, we start voting next week and I beg of you to put me out of my misery.

And now #4 - I saw a new face last night that I just loved: Erskine Walcott. This is the boy that crooned out Lately by KC and JoJo (one of my favorite songs) and had me rewinding and wearing the remote and tape out. He was so smooth and charismatic that he even had his fellow contestants clutching their chests and ready to throw THEIR panties on the stage. Loved him and so do the judges. But here's a question for you: Is he a future recording artist or a pimp? I couldn't tell. That burgandy velvet pimp hat and matching shirt with wide silver tie had me wondering where his ho's were while he was wasting time and money at the auditions. Oh wait - one of them was there I think.... she was the one wearing the coordinating silver lame jumpsuit. Oops, that was just Jennifer Hudson. Sorry.

well that's all from me.

I'm out.

Hair Be Gone

So having watched last night's episode at least ten times and having mulled it over...

...I can firmly say that my top nine list still stands. And with one easy addition, I can make it a full ten:

Native American Southern Belle Charly.

She's the definition of quiet charisma. I fell for her immediately. Last night's other contestants were...fine. Not bad. Hell, they were good. Some of them could even SANG. But for me, the ones that stick in my mind when the Tivo remote is on the shelf are the ones I listed.

That said, I would like to discuss Disney Cruise Ship Singer Jennifer and why she's not on my list. That girl had SERIOUS pipes. MAJOR VOCAL TALENT. No doubt. And I liked her. She almost beat out Charly for the last space on my list. Heck, she would have. SHOULD have perhaps. Except for one thing (and those of you who know me already know what I'm gonna say):

CHEAP HAIR.

Yes. I said it. She had some cheap hair up on her head. Looked like yarn. Looked like string. CHEAP HAIR.

Now, she's not the only one sportin' cheap hair. Half-naked blue dress, blue eye shadow girl had blond-tipped cheap hair on her head. And she didn't sing nearly as good as Jennifer. But for some reason, it irked me more with Jennifer. Maybe because Jennifer has more talent. Maybe because Jennifer told us she spent a season singing on a cruise ship. Which translates as "I earned decent money."

AND THEREFORE SHOULD BE ABLE TO AFFORD DECENT HAIR.

Y'all, I ain't got nothing against purchased hair. Truly. I don't. I've purchased some hair myself from time to time. A girl can always use a bit of a beauty boost and we have to take it wherever we can. A nice fall to snap on when you run out to the market. A couple of tracks put in at the salon if you have an event. A good set of braids to get you through the summer. All good. As long as they are nice. But cheap hair on a black woman is right up there with belly shirts on a super plus size girl: it's not something anyone wants to see.

Now, I'm sure Jennifer is a nice person. She sure seemed nice. And she had a really great voice. Plus, I liked the dress she wore even if she did have to keep tugging up one sleeve and it was created from a man made fabric (another no-no). But if I've said it once I've said it a thousand times...

If you ain't Raggedy Ann, don't wear Raggedy Ann's hair.

That's all I'm saying.

Bring it on!

FINALLY! A show just about the talent... well... they couldn't help themselves - they just had to throw in a few ringers tonight for our viewing pleasure. Talent, Talent and MORE DIVALISCIOUS TALENT! I was feeling me some rich, soulful singers tonight. The women were bringin' it! But we had a boy or two in there with some heat too.

Alright... this will be the final show that I will be able to give all you latecomers on the west coast an early post. This is the last show that I can do this without giving it all away for you. Sigh...

Did I already use the word Divaliscious? Cause I'm about to use it again............ BAM! Divaliscious ya'll and you better take a step back for my girl tonight. 17 minutes into the show I hope you had that butt nailed to that couch, cause if you missed Jennifer Hudson you'll be missing what may undeniably be the best "amateur" voice in this competition to date - Shonda, so sorry, but the great Frenchie included. This girl was powerful and BAM!, POW!, BAM!, she delivered the goods causing Randy to start muttering that old south Mmmm, Mmmm, Mmmm out loud during her audition. I could almost hear momma yelling in church "Sang it baby! Let Jesus hear ya sangin' to him girl". And from our home town to boot, Jenny girl, go on with your bad self. If she get's cut before the finals she'll have labels calling her within the hour of the broadcast based on that 1 minute of singing alone. I GUARANTEE a few are rewinding and replaying her right now and making some calls.

But before and after her there were a few others.
Charly. Charly the proud Indian tribe girl singing one of my favorites Proud Mary. Good, strong voice and OLD FASHIONED ?!?! What?!?! That's what Simon said about her. But she was good anyway. The voice was definitely there.

A strong boy on the scene - Eric "clay" Yoder. They thought he sounded like Clay. He was very good yes, but let me tell you this... He does NOT have Clay's strong effortless quality. Whatever.

A repeating Kira Scott belted out some soul and was richer than my diva girl Trenyce from last season (and you KNOW I loved me some Trenyce!!). A great line from Simon though in response to his feeling that she didn't have enough of a spark was that she should come back as a bitch. In other words girl own up to your divaness and throw it out there.

Remember Lisa from the first round last year who Simon started all that you need to lose weight stuff with? She was back with diva voice and Mariah song. Now you know we've said before there are two things you don't sing if you aren't all that - Whitney and Mariah. She was all over this one. But Simon couldn't let it go and had to go there again with the you need to lose weight thing. Will somebody just slap him down?!?!

o.k. let's depart from reality for a moment - FREAKY, PAULA ABDUL PSYCHO FAN. Somebody call the FBI to put a tag on him. He's scary as heck and there may be headlines in the next year about him that have nothing to do with his dancing and singing career. Paula, if you don't have "people" you travel with... get some!

Alright back to the talent part of the show.

I LOVED super cute 16 year old Diana Degarmo. That girl has got some pipes and some soul. If she makes it to the people votes I think she'll be a popular draw for the teenage girls.

Sara Logan - Another VERY VERY Strong voice with some soul and style. She looked like hell though. Girl, let the stylists do whatever they want with you.... it can't be worse. Now the boyfriend singing "I'm too sexy".... Aaarrgghhhhh!!!! Stop the madness dawg.

Donnie Williams - incredible sleek and powerful voice with substance and soul and like Randy said: one of the best talents we've seen. He outranks Jesus and quite a few guys that we thought were really good BEFORE seeing him. Listen to him carefully without watching his over dramatized movements and you'll be feeling him.

Marque the dancer - (who didn't want to go there like the other freaks) just wanted to showcase his great voice. He also had one of those pure voices. Shockingly enough Simon called him out as having almost a classical edge yet he really liked this kid. What was nice about this guy is that you could see his dance, music, vocal training background in the way he talked, walked and sang. He was good. For a moment I imagined one of the kids from the performing arts school on the show FAME coming out for his first audition. aahhh... fresh and warm, young, pure talent.

Alright ya'll obviously we have seen only the tip of the iceberg until we really get into the whole group tomorrow and Wednesday. But I'm LOVING some of these DIVALISCIOUS, girls AND guys I'm seeing in the competition.

Can't wait til tomorrow. I'm wishing good things for my girls Draeh, Lakeeta, Jennifer, Diana & Lisa. And pulling for my dawgs Sleepy church boy, beat box DJ, immigrant parent boy, Donny, Elvis and ex-football playing opera man. Those are some of my early picks.

And I'm out.

K-Lo releases single

MTV news reports on the release of K-Lo's first single.

read more...

The Last Word on William Freakin' Hung...

Can't get enough of William? You can have more here. The "She Bangs" remix is hysterical as is the interview...

www.williamhung.net

Thanks to one of our readers for sending us this site!

(only one more day until the real AI begins...)