American Idol

A poster at The Clack House posted that Christy and Syesha have been in the bottom 3 repeatedly and yet neither has gone home. Instead (since top 12) the person who went home was someone who had never been bottom three. So the only two left who have never been in the bottom 3 are the two Davids Will one of them suffer the same fate next week?? We know damn well Archie is going to be the last man standing, so I sure hope this trend is now over. I hope David C. really rocks our world next week.

I think the thing is Christy has everybody who likes country singers voting for her and everybody who likes the belting diva is voting for Syesha. It must be just enough to keep them in the competition. Three cute young guys left - probably votes being split and who ever has a great night will be safe leaving the other two in danger. But I know from everywhere I read that Archie is the most popular contestant. Listen to the girls go insane every time he appears. I mean they go loony. So there are going to be some tense weeks coming up for David C. and Jason fans.


ETA: I just read that next week is Mariah Carey songs Seriously? Just what are Jason and David C. going to do with Mariah Carey songs? This will be right up the "power ballad" female singers alley(and Archie's). I wonder if David C. can find a rock version of one of Mariah's songs on You Tube or if Jason can use a ukulele on one I am dreading next week

Oh, and just think of all the times the judges have told contestants they shouldn't take on Whitney or Mariah. Now they can say it to everyone next week! Well, except for the boy wonder because you just know Randy will say it was "hot, blazing hot, brilliant, dawg!"

I understand they're limited to her number 1 songs too.

Getting back to Michael, another thing that might have hurt him is that after Dolly week, nearly all the predictors (myself included) had him listed as one of the front-runners along with the Davids, someone who was pretty much expected to last to the top 4. So maybe his fans got a bit complacent.

It just goes to show you anything can happen on this show. Last week, Michael had all the buzz over his performance. This week, he's gone.

Yes, we learned that with Constantine. It is very scary how fast you can lose your fave.

Interview with Michael Johns.

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'American Idol' Exit Q&A: Michael Johns
Did your jaw hit the floor last night? Have you managed to get out of bed today? Are you contemplating leaving the country? We feel your pain about the surprise elimination of American Idol's Michael Johns, the sexy singer from Down Under. So while EW.com spoke to him today, we did so with a staff-wide ache in our cyber-hearts.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Michael, one of my colleagues is threatening to move to Canada because he can't live in a country that would vote you off American Idol.
MICHAEL JOHNS: You are so sweet. But this year more than any other year it's week-to-week. You can't say someone is going to make it through because they had a good week. People have to vote.

You looked so completely shocked. Were you thinking that Syesha and Carly had such mediocre performances that for sure you'd be safe?
It wasn't like that. Back there it was me, Kristy, Jason, Syesha, and Carly. I was like, ''Okay, I get what's going on. This is going to be a shocker week.'' I hadn't been in the bottom three before, and everyone is due for that. I didn't think I was going home, though. It just goes to show you that you never know.

Was Ryan unnecessarily cruel when he went on about how no one was kicked off last year during ''Idol Gives Back'' week, and then said you were kicked off?
You know what? I'd be lying if I didn't say that was pretty cruel. That one was a tough one. When Ryan said I had the lowest number of votes, he gave me this look as if to say, ''Mate, you know I don't want to say this right now.'' But it's a TV show, and at the end of the day, it's entertainment.

You looked pretty shaken up. Was it hard to compose yourself?
I wasn't, like, destroyed or anything. I probably would have been more sad if I felt I didn't sing the song as good as I could, and if I didn't hit those high notes. There was a moment when I took a really deep breath in and I saw my wife, and she said, ''I love you.'' I just exhaled then. If you re-watch, you'll see I just switched then. I thought, ''Just suck it up. This is the last time you're going to perform on this stage.''

You re-watched the show already? Isn't that a little masochistic?
I just wanted to know how I sang at the end.

From watching it, you could tell how shocked everyone was. What was it like up on stage?
It was insane. You could hear a pin drop initially. Paula's jaw was wide open, and even Simon looked at me as if to say he wasn't expecting that. Everyone started booing.

Was Simon right that you made the wrong song choice?
[Aerosmith's] ''Dream On'' is an American classic. I'm living the dream right now. Every week I've chosen songs because they mean something to me.

What did the judges say after the cameras were off?
They were really sweet. Paula grabbed me and said, ''Oh, please. You're going to have so many offers come your way.'' Randy told me to stick to the blues. And to have Simon say on camera that he's going to miss me and that I'm a good guy was great. You can't ask for more than that.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Do you feel angry that you're so much better than at least two people who are still in the running?
MICHAEL JOHNS: You have moments of that. But honestly, you can't say Brooke's voice over Carly's, or Syesha's over Jason's. No one is competing in the same genre. I love that David's version of rock songs is completely different from my version.

You were the oldest contestant. Did you feel like you were performing with a bunch of children?
And the oldest among the P.A.s. I nicknamed myself Papa Johns. It was cool. I don't think it necessarily helped or hurt me.

Who were your good friends on the show?
Luke Menard and Jason Yeager and Carly and David Cook were my day-to-day buds. I had great moments with all of them. Syesha was just starting to come out of her shell with me. Once you get to know her, she's hilarious.

Any advice for your fans who don't know whose performances to watch 10 times anymore?
Life goes on. And hopefully, I'm going to make a killer record that will come out next year.

Do you think being Australian hurt you? Maybe people in the heartland of this country wanted a born-and-bred American?
I can't answer that. I can tell you that behind the scenes, people didn't care. The thing about this country is it's the melting pot of the world. If you live here and love this country, you can achieve anything.

Let's talk about the cravat. Whose idea was that — yours or stylist Miles Siggins'?
Miles had been wanting me to step up the fashion for a while. I thought you can't come out wearing leather jackets after two weeks, because people will say, ''Who is this idiot?'' I wanted to do a Tom Petty-meets-Scott Weiland look. The week I did ''We Are the Champions,'' Miles wanted me to do that kind of look, but I wanted to wait until the right time, which was Dolly week. I absolutely dug it. Miles is so talented. I have a saying: In Miles We Trust.

You're clearly a good-looking guy and you're living in Los Angeles. Any chance you'll be modeling or acting?
Music is all I can do. I can't act. And I certainly don't have the body for modeling.

Was Randy right that you should do bluesy soul stuff and not rock?
I love singing the bluesy soul stuff. It's totally what my record is going to sound like. But there's also going to be something you can dance to. And rock. It's going to be Otis Redding meets the Stones meets INXS.

There's a school of thought that some contestants don't want to win American Idol so they're not shackled with that title forever. What do you think?
People said that to me going in, that I don't want to be more than third or fourth. But it hasn't hurt Carrie or Kelly Clarkson. But Jennifer Hudson and Chris Daughtry and Kimberly Locke are fine too. It doesn't matter where you end up, if you stay true to your art.

What were you going to sing during Mariah Carey week?
I was going to do a really cool, bluesy version of ''Vision of Love.'' [Starts singing] ''You treated me kiiiiind...''

Did you just serenade me?
I did.

Let's just end there. No answer will top that.

Another one!

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Zap2it

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'American Idol' Exit Interview: Michael Johns
By Daniel Fienberg
April 11, 12:21 PM

Every week the evicted American Idol contestants chat with the press and for the past few each contestant has given a variation on the "Oh, I knew I was going home" answer. The same cannot be said for Thursday's (April 10) bootee, Michael Johns.

"I'd be lying to say I wasn't shocked," Johns says, the morning after the most surprising elimination of this American Idol season. "I mean, I hadn't been in the bottom three and I thought definitely the last two or three weeks had been strongest. But we're in this competition and stuff can happen and it did."

While the Internet is a-buzz about the various factors led to Johns' dismissal, the 29-year-old Aussie gives little credence to judge Simon Cowell's repeated insistence that choosing Aerosmith's "Dream On" on Tuesday's Inspirational Songs Night did him in.

"I'm living my dream and that song's all about heartache and struggle and overcoming things and I've done that in the last 10 years," he explains. "You know, living in America and getting to live my dream. Dream on until your dreams come true. And they're coming true right now, so that's why I chose that song, for sure."

Cowell criticized the song choice both on Tuesday night after Johns' performance and then on Thursday after his elimination, generating disagreement both times.

"Sometimes Simon is off the mark, to be honest," Johns tells reporters. "Most time he's on and I respect his opinion a lot, but he wanted me to sing that soul-blues stuff every week ... I'm a rock-soul singer. I like to do both genres and so I wasn't necessarily going to just pander to what the judges said every week, you know what I mean? You have to go out there and say, 'This is the kind of record that I'm going to make and this is the sound that I do.' And some weeks they loved it and some weeks they didn't."

Johns didn't hesitate to address what may be the week's biggest controversy, host Ryan Seacrest's reminder that nobody went home during last year's Idol Gives Back week, a statement that ended up being a big tease.

"Look, I get the television aspect of this competition, but it was tough," he says, "because I thought, 'OK, I'm going home' and then they said that and I'm like 'Oh, wait a second. I'm not going home, maybe they're just having a good laugh.' I hadn't been in the Bottom Three, so I was thinking that was a possibility, but when reality set in and Ryan gave me a look as if to say, 'I'm so sorry I have to do that.' But you get it. You're in the business and you get it, so I won't hold it against Ryan or anything."

For now, Johns is just happy that his departure has stirred strong emotions and that he'll be missed.

"Nothing's sunk in quite yet, but the backlash that I'm seeing, just snippets in the press and talking to you guys, that means a lot," he says. "It means that I struck a nerve somewhere. This year, more than any other year, I really believe, especially with this Top Eight, you can't let your favorite go, 'Oh, he had a great week' or 'She had a great week' and 'I'm going to give them half of my votes and then I'm gonna do the other one that didn't do it so well.' A split vote like that can happen and unfortunately the people that you thought were going to be safe go home."

Other highlights from Johns' exit interview:

On his plans to continue his professional path in the United States: "Will I live in Australia again? Maybe when I'm older? I don't know. But for me, my life and career are here. I love it here. I've been here 10 years. My whole adult life's been here, so it's kind of like ... I mean, obviously I'm not American, but I don't really feel Australian anymore so much. It's weird."

On whether his fashion choices may have played a role in his exit: "No. I don't think so. I mean, the ascot that killed America? No. It was a fun outfit and it was time to step it up a little bit stylistically and I went for it. No regrets there."

On his hopes for the future: "Winning the thing or not winning Idol, it just really depends on the artist, it depends on what album you make afterwards, it depends whether or not on the show you were absolutely true to yourself and did not change and I think that the people who have succeeded after Idol, from the Kimberley Lockes to the Carrie Underwoods, that's the one common thing, is that they're themselves and they stay true to their hearts."

I think Michael will be one of the people from this season who gets a nice record deal with a big label. He's got everything going for him - a unique sound, good looks, and an ability to capture a moment during a performance.

Hopefully his being a little more mature won't hurt him. I still think there is a market out there for that kind of singer.

I really am going to miss him.............

Lau wrote:

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I think Michael will be one of the people from this season who gets a nice record deal with a big label. He's got everything going for him - a unique sound, good looks, and an ability to capture a moment during a performance.

Hopefully his being a little more mature won't hurt him. I still think there is a market out there for that kind of singer.

I hope you are right but, I will be surprized if he gets a big record deal like Daughtry because I don't think the market for blues/rock singers is quite as hot as pop or alternative rock singers. He definitely is not pop and I don't know if he fits well into the alternative rock genre either.

Cute little Michael/Jason vid!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdnKcTsIdzI

Micheal's interview after the results.

Part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=innJuxjE1sQ

Part 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvYCv77Uq38

Thanks FC...........I am really going to miss him on the show..........

You're welcome Sky!

I will miss him too. Very handsome and nice man. Brought a lot to the show. It is indeed going to be strange without him this week. BUT, as long as my David C. is still in the competition! I am happy He is the only one that I just cannot bear the thought of losing.

I read on another board that some people think ratings are down now because it is so obvious that Archie is going to win that they have lost interest. I did say to my mom that if David C. goes I won't even feel like watching because we will already know the winner 7 weeks before it is over. I don't think anyone else has a chance of beating Archie - and I don't think David C. can beat him either. I don't think a rocker can win AI. I would love to be wrong, but I don't think I am. But the longer David C. stays I at least have him to look forward to even though the winner seems to be a foregone conclusion. Knowing Archie will win AND not having David C. just won't make for a very fun rest of the season for me.

Here is a radio interview with Paula. The first few mins are just the DJs talking and of course Paula rambles (what IS the woman's problem?) BUT, toward the end of the interview "theories" are brought up about Michael Johns being "a producers choice to get more buzz because ratings are down" and when they ask Paula if she thinks that is the case she says "no comment" in an interesting way.

They also talk about the horrible way that Michael was told he was going.

Interview with Paula

I'm bringing this over from TwoP. FC, you can totally read this as Jacob is TOTALLY NICE to Michael! Also, he talks about the crappy way they told him. On the first page he even apologized for his bad mood the past couple of weeks. Earlier he said that Michael looked younger and really good. Here it is:



Carly is dressed like a dork as usual, and Syesha is perfectly serviceable. Michael's "Dream On" was a misrepresentation, Syesha's "I Believe" was a huge mistake, Carly's "Show Must Go On" was freaky and unpleasant. Unless you were Paula, and then they are all superheroes. And then suddenly Carly and Syesha are safe, and Michael had the lowest number of votes this week. Paula is weirded out.

Ryan's like, "Last year we didn't eliminate anybody. Tonight..." No way, you cannot get rid of Michael just when he was getting good! That is awful! Take it back, Seacrest! Take it back! "...We say goodbye to Michael Johns." That was awful. I can't believe they let him twist for 48 hours like that under the assumption that he was going to be Given Back. That SUCKS. I'm really kind of grossed out by that. I mean, it's not like this show is so fucking legit that they need to twist it up and shoot Bill Adama in the face sometimes to get capital or whatever. It's American Idol: the opposite of keeping it real. That's gross.

You know, I don't normally get weirded out by the actual mechanics of this show, the hoops Ryan makes them jump through. The last time I was yucked out like this was the thing where Bo had to pick between the two groups, and that was half being grossed out by Bo as much as the show, but this is just stupid and shitty. I wish I had paid more attention to him while he was on the show. That bites. Even Simon's like, "Makes sense, but it sucks because you are awesome and a nice guy." Which for Simon is the equivalent of Paula writhing around on the floor with tears pouring down her face and her dress up over her head. Which, I mean, that's happening too, but the camera's on Simon. Michael goes all out with his singout, doing the catwalk and doing a great job. I hope he doesn't try the falsetto...well, he does, for like one second, and then thinks better of it. Good kid. I would have liked to know more about him than the silly faces and dumb dancing and the tennis obsession. You can tell the judges are torn up about it, sweetly enough,

FC........I'm thinking the same thing. When Jason goes and when/IF David C goes, there won't be any left that I am interested in listening to. I'm still hoping David C takes it all!!!!

OK guys! Please vote for my friend's friend! The song is "Only Love"!

You know what's funny? Her friend is a singer/songwriter. Many songwriters can't sing, so they get other people to sing the song for them. So, there's another songwriter on there who had her friend sing the song! I think that's hysterical!

Please vote!

Vote for Only Love

OK, I registered and voted for Only Love. It is a nice song. I gave it 10 stars. It is the only song I listed to and rated though Way too many songs with corny titles for this early in the morning

Jacob's recap was right on the money. The only good thing about Thursday night was David C being safe! Ryan is taking a lot of heat for what went down. I wonder how he feels about it. He probably just did what he was told to do. Perhaps if he were a bigger man he just wouldn't have done it. Maybe he likes being mean to taller better looking men

Thanks for that, FC! Appreciate it!

I don't know. I mean, I'm sure that Nigel, et. al., are the ones who come up with his script, but I would think he'd have enough clout by now to say that it was a bit too mean-spirited.

They do a lot of crappy things to the contestants on cast-off night, but sometimes they're more cruel than others. I think someone else was saying this show has a cruel streak and this is proof.

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I don't know. I mean, I'm sure that Nigel, et. al., are the ones who come up with his script, but I would think he'd have enough clout by now to say that it was a bit too mean-spirited.

This was exactly what has been on my mind about what Ryan did. If that show has to stoop to the level they did in bouncing MJ in that manner, then they aren't as good as I've lately wanted to give them credit for.

I refuse to watch it, so what exactly did Ryan say? Now I am beyond curious...

Luca, it involved the bottom three. Ryan told Carly and Syesha that they were safe. So there stood Michael. Ryan next said "last year we didn't send anyone home during IGB week." Then he paused. Then he said words to the effect of "but Michael, this week you are going home." It was like setting him up to think he was safe, then he hit him in the gut.

Yes, it was awful. You could see the hope in Micheal's eyes. I am sure he thought Ryan was going to say "and we aren't sending anyone home this year either!" Because that is what I thought he was going to say. So if I felt punched in the gut about that I can only imagine how Michael and his family felt. Thing is Paula is also going around saying how terrible it was that Ryan did that. So if TPTB planned it I wonder how they feel about Paula saying things against Ryan for it? Or do they like the controversy and not care how it makes Ryan look or feel?

Lau wrote:

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Ryan next said "last year we didn't send anyone home during IGB week." Then he paused. Then he said words to the effect of "but Michael, this week you are going home." It was like setting him up to think he was safe, then he hit him in the gut.

oh, that is really bad. They were really going for the suspense factor for ratings I guess...

I think it was all scripted...and Paula may not have liked it, but she sure likes the paycheck that is rolling in every week.

That whole thing sucked from top to bottom. If they HAD told him he was safe, that also would have been bullshit, because it would mean that three fanbases were on the alert, knew their beloved was in trouble, and they'd have been powervoting to save them this week. Which would have been grossly, horrendously unfair to Kristy, Jason, and the Davids. Kristy and Jason, who already face a theme that is not good for them, would have an extra bullet in the gun facing their heads now.

But they didn't do that. They tortured Michael, which was such a fitting ending to their week of generosity and altruism. Blerk.

I am very worried about my David C. having to do Mariah's number 1's. Her songs are for power belting divas. Syesha and Carly will do fine. Christy proved last week she can sing with power. We know Archie can do power ballads. I think Jason and David C. are the ones that are going to have a difficult time of it. I am not a happy camper. I hate the stupid themes!!!

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Battling brain cancer, heading to Hollywood
While David Cook has been singing on American Idol, in Terre Haute his brother 36-year-old brother Adam Cook has been battling terminal brain cancer.

Now Adam and his wife are traveling to Hollywood to see David sing on the hit television show. Cooks wife, Kendra, told News 10 that he is determined to make the trip. "Originally they [the doctors] wanted to bring him in [to the airport] on a gurney and he said ‘You know I have to show people that I'm strong and that I'm going to make this trip.'"

Quiet yet determined, Cook entered the terminal at Terre Haute International Airport. With the aid of just a cane, he made his way around the room, greeting family and friends before his flight.

The Cooks' Hollywood adventure is being made possible by a family friend, Darrick Scott, who helped get Clarian Health to donate a $40,000 medical flight. Doctor Michael Cravett, a physician with Lifeline and Clarian Health, told News 10 that Adam has "already outlived the normal prognosis for the type of cancer that he has. So when Darrick said, ‘We need to send him out to California as soon as we can,' we jumped on it."

Cook's wife says Adam's Idol contestant brother, David, is elated. "It's amazing," Kendra Cook told News 10. "Once I talked to David and told David 'Hey, your brother and I are coming out there' and just hearing his excitement..."

She says the brothers have been in constant contact via phone and text message as they prepare to reunite.

While David may be a star, Adam is also rising to new heights. Adams wife says he's fighting to live "everyday. Every minute of every day he's just been fighting to...just to keep going."

Clarian Health is also providing a full-time nurse and medic to travel with the couple. Terre Haute radio station B102.7 FM and donations from the Terre Haute community are providing accommodations for the Cooks and their medical staff.

There's no word yet on which song David Cook will sing although Kendra says Depeche Mode is one of Adam's favorite groups.

Bringing this over from The Clack House! Looks like things are getting ugly!

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Looks like lines are being drawn in the sand! I found this at TWoP, but the poster said it originated elsewhere. The poster didn't specify at which 'other board' they found it so perhaps a leeeeetle bit of the 'telephone game' is creeping in along the line. If it's true as posted, well, I don't recall an organized tactic like this before!

Regarding voting on the 'coronation songs' posted at the AI site for fan voting:

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I'm so glad to see DCook fans are taking notice, Because the Archies have gotten very organized very early. I'm sort of worried... They are not choosing what they like best, but rather the song they think Cookie would do worst in (Yes, they are sure it will be a D-Square finale).
The song they are rooting for is "Here I Am". It's crap, and I hope they don't get their way, I hate the calculated "Push DCook out of the race at any cost" theme they have going.

Oh, And I've voted 10 for "No Turning Back", "You Believed In Me" and "Overcome" too.

I think we should spread the word these are the songs to choose, so even those who have no time to listen will take part. I want Cookie to stand a chance!

I want my guy to win this stupid dog and pony show more everyday AND the archie angels are getting on my last nerve!!!!!!!!!!!!! I guess I will have to vote my little fingers off from now on!!!

I just got both my sons new cell phone plans with 1000 mins. of text per month! Perhaps I should pay them to do some text voting for David C.

Well, I'll tell you, Firecracker, if they let Archie win this thing, they deserve what they are going to get. Mr. Cook is not my main guy, but I think he is almost certainly the best choice for the franchise, especially with Michael gone. He's a more interesting musician than Archie is and he's going to sell better to anybody over the age of 12.