So where's the good entertainment this weekend?

Have a laugh and applaud our biggest star of AI3 season yet! Visit williamhung.net and watch and listen to all the uploaded appearances and William hung remixes. Laugh at the insane following that has begun. William is on the t.v. on some program every time I turn it on. Literally. Ellen Degeneres, Ryan Seacrest, Access Hollywood, Entertainment Tonight, MSNBC, Dateline. He just performed live at a UC Berkeley sporting event and ALL major news and radio was there to follow the story. He's sooooo big he was even parodied on Saturday Night Live already. SNL!?!?! Come on, there are celebrities who will wait YEARS to be big enough to be parodied on SNL. When I say have a laugh, rest assured I'm laughing with you William, not at you. This kid has had the best 15 minutes of fame of anyone I've seen in a long time. And he's not actively pursuing it... it's pursuing him.

So what the heck is going on?!?! I'll tell you what it is... William has so far been the most genuine audition of the entire AI series. I just want to sing. That's all. I just like to sing, I was going to be an engineer, but wait, I do like to sing, hhhmmm... let's give that a try. He proudly confesses to having no professional training (of singing) and that he just went to those auditions to do his best - with no regrets. He never claimed to be a great singer. He didn't look shocked and insane with disbelief - you know like the others - (WHAT?!?! I KNOW I'm good, and Simon, Randy and Paula just don't know what they're talking about). There was - and still is - none of that. He has never claimed to be something fabulous... which is why all the other contestants are there isn't it? They're sure they're the next super star who'll be living large in LA. William just wants to sing. And he's just happy about that and so there.

Here's what I've actually noticed... He really isn't all that bad of a singer in the grand scheme of things. Yep, I said it. We were struck by his awkwardness and less than perfect dental issues and that made of see nothing more than a hilarious audition. But if you take away that visual and listen carefully... well, he could hold his own in today's business made nothing more of glitz, glamour, lip syncing, undertalented hotties in the hit groups out there today....

Well, for his one flash hit anyway. Don't go getting any career change ideas William. Stay in school. But I say go for the gold while they're waving it in front of you. Ride the wave of popularity all the way to the bank and pay off all those student loans. Being an engineering student at Berkeley ain't cheap so do what you claim to love and profit from it while you can. It's the American way.

Go William. Alright, all that sappy stuff aside (wipe your tears people) - it is reported that we will get yet another performance from William Hung on the upcoming AI special. So get geared up for it. But in the mean time have fun and follow William's journey at williamhung.net.

I'm out.

Alright...

This is just starting out all wrong people. Jenny from the Block doesn't make the cut. The Bibilical Twins turn out to be the story of Judas (betrayal) and Rose Bowl Boy beats out Lose Some Weight Lisa. I'm shaking my head right now and I wish you could see me.

Yeah, I'm feeling better.

This past week was all just a surreal whirlwind of flu, bad singers and cable outages. The last of which seemed to cause the least amount of distress merely because the show I had seen the night before was nothing to even care about. I wasn't worried about little Island Lauryn Hill (Camile) - I mean America couldn't be THAT insane. And I just knew that Lisa DEFINITELY would beat out Rose Bowl Boy. That round was so uninspiring it just didn't matter that the cable was out. At the time. Until I found out the results. (More head shaking)

Well, I don't know how else to get my point across. Don't get me wrong. I've never said Rose Bowl Boy couldn't sing or wasn't good enough to be in the final group. BUT if you compared his performance to that of Lisa and Camile.... come on... That's all I'm saying.

Alright. Whatever. I'm turning on to the next round. It should be a good one. (Should being the operative word) Woohoo! Come on! Let's get excited for the new round of entertainment coming our way!

Must... build.... morale after a painfully lackluster round 2.

I'm out.

Oh, well...

So Sandie's had bad luck. First, she's been sick, fighting all kinds of crazy flu symptoms. Last night, she couldn't even stay up long enough to post her thoughts so she had to e-mail them to me to post for her. Tonight, she got home and curled up to cheer up her sick body with some AI results and her cable was out! It stayed out the entire show and did not come back on until two minutes after it ended.

Needless to say, she is bitter. And she won't be posting as she is sleeping and won't know who won until morning.

Which leaves it up to me to say what I KNOW she would say right now...

ROSEBOWL BOY? ROSEBOWL BOY?

Rosebowl Boy beat LOLITA?

I am sorry but that is seriously WHACK. Seriously. No, SERIOUSLY. Lolita/Lisa seemed to think it was whack too as, the momet the results were announced, she got this look on her face. A look that said, "AMERICA'S ON CRACK!" She was pissed and deservedly so. Why did America let her down? Maybe it was that pale line of tummy fat she showed. Maybe America couldn't deal with the fleshy gooey center of Lolita. Oh, well. I think we'll see her again in the Wild Card round. I hope we will. Note to Lolita: if you get a second chance, put that belly away. Send it into hiding. Expel it from your metaphorical country. Let it find a home on someone else.

But the good news of the night is this: CAMILE IS IN! Love me some Camile. Love. LOVE. She cried and so did her Mama and her little sister. Which added to my feeling of wanting to take her in and bake her cupcakes and knit sweaters for her even though I neither bake nor knit. She's my unofficial child of AI3.

(Wait: Sleepy Church Boy is my husband and Camile's my child...I'm getting myself a whole family here.)

But she's so danged sweet. And overwhelmed. And awestruck. Plus, she's got this bowing/palms together thing going on which is her way of saying "thank you". How can anyone not want to rescue her from a life as a Hawaiian pancake waitress? You just can't help but root for her to make it all the way.

Sing, Camile. Sing yourself to freedom!

A Whole Hour of My Life Down the Toilet...

Can you say "choke?"

Can you say "longest freakin' hour of my life?"

Can you say "WHAT HAPPENED TO JESUS?"

Oh, man.

Sandie has the quote of the evening with "Jesus sucked". Hee hee.

And she is right. There was so much choking on that stage that I thought Randy was gonna have to do the Heimlich on somebody. I thought these people were the cream of the crop. I thought these people could sing. Clearly, I thought wrong.

Rosebowl boy, Jesus, Noel and Sarah Jessica Can't Sing all had no business being on my TV screen. As for Bri, well...y'all know I've been hating her ever since the Hollywood auditions when she dissed two black girls and called them "THOSE people." Take your burning cross back on home, girlfriend, cause what you were doing up on that stage (and it can't be called singing) was criminal.

As for Lisa: I love her hair and the gap in her teeth. I love the Lolita Davidovich-ness of her. What I didn't love was the scary pale line of chubby flesh peeking out from between her skirt and top. Go on with your singing big self, Lolita. But in the future, can you go on with some clothes that fit?

Now, Camile...

Camile, Camile. Y'all, I love Camile. I don't know what it is. It could be her shyness. It could be the whole Hawaiian homegrrrl thing she's pulling. It's definitely her voice. I love that deep down rhythm and blues tone she's got. I hope she makes it into the next round. I can't see how she won't. It's not like she or Lisa had ANY competition tonight.

To those of you who are this very second dialing that phone to vote for Noel 'cause he a hottie: HANG UP! He may be cute as Justin Timberlake but he can't SING like JT. Let him go back home and be the hottest singer in the Bronx. PLEASE don't force me to watch that boy struggle through the Final Twelve like some kind of male Goat Girl. Because my head can't take the madness.

You wait and you wait and you wait for American Idol to come on...

...and then they make you pay in busted ear drums for your devotion.

To quote Randy: Come ON, dawg!

This is Shonda, reporting half-dead with boredom from my sofa.

WHY, WHY, WHY??? WHY, WHY, WHY???

Oh why the heck did I even bother tonight?!?  That was an incredibly dismal showing and the judges had every right to be tired, annoyed, irritated, scared... all the things they hinted at. 

Poor things.  This was a whole group of I was gonna be star... but wait I wasn't ready so I choked.  

This meltdown of a show started with Mr. Rosebowl himself.  Now I still believe this boy can sing his butt off.  You can't get more real than that 3 tenor belting we heard after his initial audition.  But tonight... well, it was just o.k.  And that's what the judges said too.  Safe and just o.k..  But here's a word to the wise mister football:  do NOT tell the voting public that you would like to see the judge's head bleed.   Even if that head belongs to Simon Cowell. The 'I hate the judges' approach hasn't worked in anyone's favor yet... and probably won't work in yours either.

Bri - I can't waste any time talking about her.  She never should have made it this far. 

Noel - one half of the biblical twins takes a dive.  This I Promise You Noel:  You'll get through on looks alone if you move on this week.  It was so bad that Randy appeared to be a little shaken and upset.  "Dude that was terrible... all out of tune..."  Wow Noel.  This was choking at it's worst.  Hhmm... no, kind of like you did in your group performance. 

Kara - didn't know anything about her before tonight. And when she started singing I realized that I didn't need to know anything else about her after tonight. 

Now people, at this point all I could think was PLEASE put me out of my fluish misery.  And maybe in all fairness I am just very sick and whiny and can't see things clearly.  Uhhmmm... no.   This group is the biggest disappointment - sick or not.

Back to Kara - o.k. she sang some pitiful tuneless song and then had the nerve to bully up to Randy and ask him for something "constructive" after he gave her his standard dude what was that, kind of thing.  He put her back in her place though.  His constructive advice was to pick a better song and sing it better.  AHAHAHAHHAHAHA!!!! Kara, don't ask if you don't want an answer.

Lisa - now FINALLY someone who could sing.  Shonda this is why I added her to your list of those to watch in this group. Lisa got out there and poured it on.  Go girl!  But honey... now I ain't gonna tell you to lose weight like Simon did.  I happen to love what you said about winning giving you the money to dress better.  That said... I AM gonna tell you that under no circumstances should you wear a belly top or low rise bottoms (whichever was the problem tonight) with that figure.  I was worrying the entire time that I'd see WAY too much skin and end up running scared. 

Jesus - Lisa was a brief relief, but back to reality. It's sad that we have to even say it - Jesus sucked.  It just sounds wrong on so many levels.  But this half of the biblical twins sealed his fate as well.  Just sad.  And he was even worse than his brother  - which was close to impossible, but he pulled that off anyway. Not one part in tune.  Not one note.  I'm with Simon and Randy on this one too - this WAS painful. Alright, bye, bye to the biblical twins Shonda.  Cute or not, they are not ready for the big time.  And we are not ready to listen to any more of that howling.

Camile - Hhhmm... I am so confused about this girl.  And so were the judges.  I really like her raspy ghetto girl sound.  But she really picked the wrong song.  This was like listening to raps biggest artist cover a Barry Manilow tune.  Even still, she managed to sound alright and the judges realized that it was purely about song choice for her tonight and I'm happy with that.  I want this girl to make it through. I'm just still wondering where all that hip hop girl stuff comes from when her quiet little island family sits there looking all easy listening and what not.  Tis not for me to ask...

Marisa - why bother.  She was alright.  But not good enough in my opinion to write about.  You know how there are just some people you just don't like watching?  She's one of them for me.  I sure hope she doesn't make it through. 

My picks:  Lisa and Camile. 

That's all. I'm out.

(Written by Sandie & emailed to Shonda for posting after the West Coast broadcast)

finally!

Well I've been laid up sicker than a dog... think the flu has got me... and all I could think of these past few days is....


WHEN IS AMERICAN IDOL COMING ON!!??

For the love of God, please let tonight be good. I'm so in need of some good t.v. Although - I will say this:

You go Oprah with your pop star challenge! Go on with your bad self! She has got it going on over there too. The diva singers are fabulous and next monday we get to see who wins a recording contract and all. And she had good old Simon on the edge chipping away at the poor people's self esteem on her show too. He told people they blew it, the competition was very good and he didn't think they were good enough - all the favorites. Simon couldn't have been a further cry from Alicia Keys (who was apparently playing Paula Abduls stepford role). And then there was Babyface who was definitely on Randy's side of the fence talking about the quality of the voices, tone, heart, I feel ya... and all that. It was good!

Anyway, we gotta stay true though and I'm hoping tonight will be a fierce nail bitter of a show! Let's see something good! Well it's back to the sick couch for me... after I spray my keyboard down with Lysol of course.

I'm out.