American Idol

Surprisingly enough, he said in one interview that he's considering moving to L.A. to pursue music. I figured he'd be more likely to stay in Texas or go to Nashville.

Jason's interview with EW

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ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Jason, I hear you're upset that I printed the quote you gave to me about wanting to go home. Do we need to make peace?
JASON CASTRO: I'm not upset about it. It's cool. I said it.

I'm glad you're standing by what you said. We got a lot of angry mail about that piece.
The fact of the matter that day was I was in a bad mood. I was frustrated with a lot of things. Then I got on the phone with you. I was just not in a good mood. I couldn't find a quiet place to talk to you and I kept walking around. I couldn't focus while we were talking. I don't even remember much of what I said. There are some days that are just like that. You just don't want to do what you are doing.

The reporter is being a bit ingenuous. What the fans were upset about was that she said later that he "backtracked" - her words - and said he didn't mean he wanted to go home now. But then again, maybe the fans she heard from really did think Jason never said it so whatever.

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Did you want to kill Andrew Lloyd Webber for dissing you on stage?
No. I thought it was humorous. He was really very kind, but we're just different people. I don't think he gets me. I saw a lot of passion in him, but he couldn't pick up on my passion.

[

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When Paula prejudged your second song, what was going through your head?
I didn't know what was going on. I was so confused. I was standing next to David and I wanted to turn to him and say, ''What?'' I thought the second song was good. I was just confused. It was too funny. But it was an honest mistake.

What a sweet, nonjudgmental little soul he is.

Yes, he is! His personality and charm will take him far. Plus his baby blues and super long eyelashes!

DC looks like such a star! I love these pix from after the show last night!





Top 3 Pic.

frazzle wrote:

Men who get regular haircuts piss me off.

Gimme the dreads, braids, pony tails and long scragglies.

I love the dreads, pony tails, scragglies too. Talking of long hair....OMG, Bo looked so good last night!

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What a sweet, nonjudgmental little soul he is

He really is! I've been listening to his music all day...........

Bo did look great!

I like Bo, always have. Got a huge kick out of him vocally doing guitar "yow yow" kinds of sounds.

frazzle wrote:

Bo did look great!

I like Bo, always have. Got a huge kick out of him vocally doing guitar "yow yow" kinds of sounds.

I know, I had to do a double take on that one!! I'm so glad he's doing well and his health problems seem to be taken care of. I sure wish I could have seen him perform, but it was cancelled because he needed surgery.

frazzle wrote:

Men who get regular haircuts piss me off.

Gimme the dreads, braids, pony tails and long scragglies.

My 19 year old hasn't gotten a haircut in exactly one year. When he went to see my Dad Sunday and bent over the hospital bed to hug him I said "I bet he thinks you are Jesus"

(but I think it looks gorgeous)

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I have mentioned to various people, my like for Jason Castro........the reaction usually consisted of, "Oh, I don't like him, his hair is just awful" or words to that effect. Never once has the way he talked or sang come up, it's always been about the hair. People judge others by appearance all the time.

I laugh when people accuse Jason's fans of voting for him because of his looks. I HATE the dreadlocks. HATE them. His appearance, for me, was a hurdle he jumped, not a selling point. I just REALLY enjoyed his singing for the first nine weeks he was on the show, and when he started tying those pesky things back, I pretended they were just ordinary long hair and ignored them. Those damn things were very much a reason why everybody thought he was a stoner, and so did the tone of his speaking voice. I realize that. However, sometime around Hallelujah I did a little homework and found the graduation pictures, and the information about his education.

I just fell in love with him along the way............I never gave his hair much thought, other than I liked the dreads. When I heard in the interviews that he has to be in love with the song and it's hard falling in love with a song in one week, that's when I knew WHY I loved his voice/singing. I always liked his laid back, funny style and his songs/singing that I just couldn't get out of my mind. Now I know it's the emotion he puts into his singing and his love for the music he sings. I'm hopeless................

After listening to his interviews I think I really understand why Jason was just incredibly awesome his first nine weeks on the show and so ragged the last three. It says a lot about the nature of the show, and about the nature of real music. You all know I am a longtime Claymate. Clay's the best example of the kind of person this show was designed to find - the person with an instrument commissioned by God who can sing that note longer, and higher, with more beauty and power than anybody else, and I loved him for it.

Jason is almost exactly the opposite. He has no pyrotechnics. His voice is soft and tender, but it's thin. Jason's strength is in the tenderness and emotion of his delivery. During the first nine weeks of the season, when Jason only had to master one song a week, he had the time he needed to learn that song, to digest it inwardly, to explore the emotional possibilities of the song, and to bring them to the surface. The result was cool, honest, touching, beautiful.

However, when you have to go to two songs, and then three, there just isn't time to make love to that song the way Jason needs in order for the song to be effective. That's when it's really handy to have the pyrotechnics. All three of the people left can yell with great impressive power, but only David Cook ever even tries to do anything real. However, the very format of AI favors a screamer like Syesha (whom, with her absurd posturing and tears this week, I now officially can't STAND) over a dreamer like Jason. She can quickly learn two songs and scream them effectively; since Jason can't sing a song well unless he's completely digested it, the incredible pressure of the AI machine simply would not allow him to excel. If I had realized this, I would not have fought for him to stay on ALW night. I did not understand that the structure of the competition was such that a small, thoughtful voice really, by definition, could not hope to compete with a glory note artist because of the different time constraints needed for them to do their best work.

Abrahammy said:

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AI favors a screamer like Syesha (whom, with her absurd posturing and tears this week, I now officially can't STAND)

I am SOOOO with you there! And then they let her do it again on Weds. Like someone there is trying to get her to beat out one of the Davids for the Final 2. I'm still sick to my stomach over that whole scene with her Tuesday night. Just yuck!

You are so right about the nature of AI and the singers it and most voters go for, which is why sadly I predict Archie will be crowned the winner. I would fall over in a dead faint if it goes any other way.

Oh Brother Now VFTW will take claim for Archie's win

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VFTW endorses *shock* Archuleta

We've gotten tons of letters saying that David Archuleta better not win American Idol. He's annoying, he can barely form a coherent sentence without gasping for air and laughing nervously, he sings the same thing every week while getting more nervous, he forgets the words on a regular basis, and he's controlled by his obnoxious stage dad. So wait... that makes him the worst. Hey, there we go! Obviously less talented and less marketable than Syesha and David Cook, Gaspy is the new VFTW pick! Sure he's annoying, but that's why he's perfect. Most of America does not want him to win. Imagine an Idol winner who couldn't aspire to be much more than a less-talented Clay Aiken. Imagine an Idol winner whose press tour would take 20 minutes to answer a single question. And just imagine the type of sappy ballad that the producers already have lined up for David to record, dripping with extra cheese and terrible melisma. We smell failure! Hopefully this won't get him locked in his cage for another night. Break free, Gaspy. Break free. As an added bonus, if you sing Lil Mama's "Lip Gloss" this week, we'll love you forever. Who's working the strings now? Daddy? The producers? Or VFTW?

Oh Brother Rolling Eyes Now VFTW will take claim for Archie's win Rolling Eyes



OK, I actually agree with them. He is the worst one left. However, this is hysterical. They routinely choose anti-establishment people (like Jason) to screw with the show until their anti-establishment picks get dumped. Then, at the very end, they go with the person they think is going to win so they can have their victory dance.

Past VFTW endgame pics: Blake Lewis, Taylor Hicks, and Carrie Underwood.

This makes me sick............

I actually agree with the VFTW's assessment of "Gaspy" too But, dude does have the most beautiful tone in his voice to hit the airways in a long time that I have heard. I don't like looking at him, but I like listening to him. Would never in a million years buy his music, but would turn up the volume when hearing him on the radio.

I do have a problem that it was just fine and dandy when Brooke played the poor, pitiful me card and people had endless sympathy for her. That girl was on the verge of tears for most of the show and people felt sorry for her and she milked it to the hilt. And how is the focus that Ryan and the show put on her starting over any different than the focus on Syesha's crying episode? I think Syesha is being unfairly judged as staging her breakdown because she is a very polished, professional, young lady that had held together very well up until that point. Excuses are made for everyone's favorites when they made a mistake or get emotional, why can't this girl act like a human being that is under tremendous pressure and lets down her guard without being crucified as staging it for votes? If she did it intentionally then she is even smarter than I gave her credit for. I thought her explanation of why she got emotional was very quick thinking and clever....what was she supposed to say? You hurt my feelings Randy because I worked my ass off on that song and it was tough as hell? Sometimes I don't mind it when people play the race card if it is justified and not done to hurt anyone and it is not coming from anger. Until you have lived prejudice in living color I don't think you can fully understand the depth of the emotion behind talking about why something moves you that involves your race and the struggle that they have been through.

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I do have a problem that it was just fine and dandy when Brooke played the poor, pitiful me card and people had endless sympathy for her.

Actually, that was when I lost patience with, and sympathy for, Brooke. She most certainly did milk it to the hilt. Brooke's little starting over stunt was one of reasons why I voted for Jason that night; I didn't realize it was Carly that was going to get hit, or I'd have voted some for her, too. (Although living in the Bible Belt, I know exactly what did her in.)

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And how is the focus that Ryan and the show put on her starting over any different than the focus on Syesha's crying episode?

Bingo. It isn't. Indeed, Brooke was worse. Syesha's done it once. Brooke turned it into schtick. Actually, my weariness over Brooke's tears may have been part of my reaction to Syesha's.

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Bingo. It isn't. Indeed, Brooke was worse. Syesha's done it once. Brooke turned it into schtick. Actually, my weariness over Brooke's tears may have been part of my reaction to Syesha's.

I understand. I can tolerate the emotional display once from a contestant and give them the benefit of the doubt that it just happenned for whatever reason and can cut them some slack, but if it is an ongoing deal I also quickly lose patience when it gets annoying, distracting, and obviously played up.

So Syesha had her one time shot. Hopefully, that will be it.

I've heard that David Cook has chosen to sing "The World I know" (Collective Soul)

Simon has chosen for him to sing, "First Time I Ever Saw Your Face" (Roberta Flack)

No word on what the producers have chosen for him to sing.

Well, I for one NEVER like the race card played. Just no. Race shouldn't come into play on AI at all, ever. My feelings about Syesha have NOTHING to do with her race. I always found her cold and I just am not into her style. Or Mariah's or Whitney's and it is not because they are black. I just don't dig that whole divaish style of singing. All that belting and vocal acrobatics. (Except Xtina - I do really like a lot of her songs but I still only have two of her CDs) I love J-Hud's talent, but wouldn't be the least bit interested in her music.

Brooke may have gotten teary but never completely broke down like that. BUT, my issue was never the tears (well a little because they were a bit much and she should have been able to get a grip if she wants to be a pro) but how she got to give that long Miss America speech. THAT was what bugged the crap out of me. Nobody else ever in the history of AI got to go on and on and on about the meaning of their song and it just should not have happened. Girl can stand there and cry if she wants but she shouldn't get to score extra points by tearing at America's heartstrings during a difficult time in the country and sure as heck shouldn't be playing any race card during this competition. Talk about unfair advantage - she gets to score points as the pretty sobbing girl, and for her racial/political points of view. Hey put it all in and interview and let the boys discuss some important issues too. After her performance that people have to turn around and cast votes for - just no.

I still wish she would have left last week instead of Jason and sure as heck not because she is black or female. But because she took an unfair advantage that NO male contestant ever would have been allowed to do.

I certainly have no problem with anyone feeling differently than Abrahammy and I do, don't get me wrong there, but I feel that you don't get what it is that bothered us. It wasn't just about the tears.

Besides, if I remember correctly, everyone here was saying it was time for Brooke to go home. I think a big difference with Brooke was that the girl just seemed near a nervous breakdown for a few weeks. I think that is why there was some sympathy Brooke. She didn't did just tear up after her performances. It seemed to go deeper than that.


Lordy Sky are you kidding? "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"? Well this ought to be interesting.

That's what I heard........... I thought, are you kidding me, Simon picked that song for him to sing??? Could be a challenge.

I think Simon either wants to challenge him to really change it around or he wants to sink him I mean how the heck do you make that song edgy? Well, DC singing "the first time ever I lay with you" will be enough to do me in!

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I certainly have no problem with anyone feeling differently than Abrahammy and I do, don't get me wrong there, but I feel that you don't get what it is that bothered us. It wasn't just about the tears.

I hope not! And I think I am crystal clear about what it is that is bothering you. You feel she got an unfair advantage because of how she was treated. Right?

I just don't agree with that opinion or that she pre-planned or intentionally over dramatized her response when she was asked what was wrong so she could gain an advantage. The producers gave her more airtime because it was drama which equals more ratings...what else is new? And because they were afraid of offending the black audience by trying to brush this young lady's comments about this emotional and highly important period in our history aside. I think for once, AI made the right choice to give the issue more time, while with Brooke's they should have let it go the first night...but, brought it back strictly to go for more ratings.

I was very impressed with this young lady's choice of songs and her explanation of why it meant something to her. She has a brain, is interested in her heritage , and the impact that music has had on advancing the rights of black artists.

I am not a huge fan of all Syesha's performances, but have really enjoyed some of them . I think she is extremely talented and a wonderful role model for young women of all backgrounds. She is well spoken, classy, and intelligent. I think she deserves and has earned her place in the final three.

Carry on. We are'nt always going to agree on everything... Sometimes this AI show can sure stir up some controversy...even if we are'nt even all that into it. It reflects society's views about a lot of things and often gets down to looking at societal values, the power of television, and ourselves.

I don't think she pre-planned it. I think the emotions were real. I still think she most definitely got an unfair advantage. Lots of people ate that all up - rightly or wrongly, and I do think she is smart enough to know that. Just like Archie knew "America" was a "clever choice" (tmSimon) and KLC knew the same about "God Bless the USA". Anyone who does their homework about AI knows how to get to "middle America". Yes, AI let it go on to get this week's drama. I'm sure they loved it. I will admit I was surprised how many ladies at other boards I go too felt like I did though, so maybe not as many people were swayed to vote for her as I thought might have been.

OK, I am moving on from Syesha now

Sky, I read at The Clack House that Simon also selected that song for Leona Lewis (who supposedly had a real moment with that performance) and for some other group from The X Factor who changed it around, recorded it and had a hit with it. So maybe Simon is hoping it works out that good for DC. I did read that DC was not too pleased when he was told that was the choice

I wonder who picked songs for Archie and Syesha? Can't wait to find out.

ETA: Found the spoilers

David Cook reveals his song choices (and Simon's) this morning:

* His Choice - “The World I Know” by Collective Soul
* Simon Cowell choses for him - “First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” by Roberta Flack

Syesha Mercado

* Randy Jackson's choice for her - “If I Ain’t Got You” by Alicia Keys

David Archuleta

* Paula Abdul's choice for him - “And So it Goes” by Billy Joel

Simon really picked a ringer for DC...TFTEISYF?????? If he can pull that off and make it interesting he really should win and maybe that will be spur people to vote that have never voted before...

You can see/read about DC's Hometown visit here!

http://www.myfoxkc.com/myfox/

I just watched the radio interview. He is so funny, smart, sweet and adorable. He is so moved my all of this. There are over 10,000 people at his concert right now!

DC was told that Mariah Carey wants him to record "Always Be My Baby" as a single. She thinks it will be a huge hit! I so hope it happens!

Luca, I totally adored that song when I was a teen. LOVED it! I am actually really excited to see what DC can do with it. I do think I will be swooning