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'American Idol' Recap: Katy Perry To The Rescue In Los Angeles

Posted 1/27/10 8:30 am EST by in Music, Television

It was Los Angeles' turn to strut its stuff in front of Randy, Simon, Kara and Paula's Seat Filler on Tuesday night's "American Idol," and as expected, a lot of out of work actors showed up to get some primetime shine from Fox. (Shockingly, Lindsay Lohan stayed home.)

The fame-whoring from the army of untalented made for frustrating lows throughout Tuesday's broadcast, but luckily there were a handful of auditions that made me sit up in my seat and start brainstorming ways to bedazzle names with terrible puns on giant poster-board.

Mary Powers (future sign will have black roses on it with the caption "Flowers For Powers") was my fave of the entire season so far. I have a thing for the rough-and-tumble rocker chicks that sound like they sucked down three packs of Virginia Slims before their audition. (The visible ink helps, too.) Powers wasn't all piss and vinegar, though. There was a warm vulnerability to her aching "Love is a Battlefield" that suggests she could do great things on the "Idol" stage.

M-Pow just needs to figure out her personal style first. Her getup reeked of "Oh Dear, I Just Caught Mom In The Attic Reliving Her Glory Days From 1984." Love may be a battlefield, Mary, but so is high-definition television. And I haven't seen a sadder display of pleather halter tops and raccoon eye makeup since I bumped into a gaggle of Glamberts in the MTV lobby last November. (You know who you are, ladies.)

I also dug Andrew Garcia's "Idol" debut. (His sign will read "Andy Is Sweeter Than Candy!") He turned Maroon 5's nasal "Sunday Morning" into an effortless, soulful croon. It's a bummer that it was likely his back story (and not his vocal chops) that secured him screen time. Andrew's life reads like an "Idol" producer's checklist: His parents used to be gang bangers before escaping Compton and morphing into a cuddly (and weepy) support system. Now Andrew is a well-adjusted young man with a funky-haired wife and an impossibly adorable baby boy. The only thing that would complete this fairytale is an "Idol" trophy. (For people who missed the eighth season, "Idol" gives an actual trophy now.)

Andrew's talent outshined his human interest story angle (a rare feat on "Idol"), but I can't say the same for show closer Chris Golightly (future sign: "Golightly Goes Big"), a survivor of the foster care system who was filmed walking along train tracks like some sort of 1890s vagrant. (I'm shocked producers didn't ask him to curl up on a stranger's doorstep in a giant bassinet.) Golightly's "Stand By Me" featured some wonderful runs and closed-eyes emoting, but Kara showed her hand by saying, "You’re the kind of kid with just enough talent and just enough of a story." Sigh.

I wasn't the only one who noticed Kara's revealing admission. Read More...

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David Archuleta Sings For Haiti, Superfans Raise Big Bucks

Posted 1/26/10 5:10 pm EST by in Music

Last Friday's "Hope for Haiti Now" telethon was a smashing success. Not only did it raise a stupendous amount of money for earthquake survivors in Haiti, but it also spread the word that the generosity needs to continue through the coming months. The fans of "American Idol" alum David Archuleta took that message to heart and spent their weekend raising even more money for Haiti in the form of a "virtual cupcake drive," partially in my honor. Seriously!

Here's the story: MTV News correspondent Sway chatted with several of the participants of the telethon Friday night, including Archuleta (or as I call him, Archupuppy or Archadorable — depending on my mood). Sway noticed that David was humming to himself before their interview began, so when it came time to roll tape, he asked the "Idol" star if he wanted to share a song with the world.

This should come as no surprise to Archie's fans, but David happily obliged and treated MTV News to an impromptu (and heart-stoppingly gorgeous) rendition of Kurt Bestor's "Prayer of the Children."

I casually tweeted that we had witnessed a spur-of-the-moment mini-concert from Archuleta, and within seconds my Twitter was inundated with pleas from David diehards desperate to see the video footage that I had just bragged about. What started as half-joking bribes of cupcakes snowballed into a virtual cupcake drive. To donate to the Haiti relief effor, send a TwitPic of a cupcake to @jambajim! (You can see this ingenious idea develop by checking out the timeline on Peace Love Cupcakes.)

By Tuesday afternoon, a generous group of fans had raised $3,850 in mine and David Archuleta's names! As David would say, "Oh my gosh, Ashley!!"

So to @janey79, @karenkid, @momJulee, @BeckyFOD, @snowangelzz, all the David Archuleta fan sites and blogs who helped spread the word (as well as the dozens of fans who donated money), I'd like to thank you from the bottom of my "Idol"-addicted heart. Your dedication and ingenuity is an inspiration to us all. They don't call you guys "Arch Angels" for nothing.

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On The Couch With 'American Idol' Judge Randy Jackson

Posted 1/26/10 1:40 pm EST by in Music

Last week I had the chance to interview "American Idol" judge Randy Jackson. It was my first time chatting up the Dawg, so I didn't really know what to expect (other than hearing the word "dawg" a lot, which I did).

Admittedly, I'm not a diehard Randy fan on "Idol." In my recaps, I've accused him of being non-committal, inarticulate and a parakeet to Simon. In person, he was the complete opposite.

As you'll see in the Extended Play, Randy's bursting with opinions and argues them surprisingly well, especially given his "For me, for you, for me, for you, for me" reputation. Granted, I didn't always agree with him, but I appreciated how candid and honest he was. (Heck, I'll even forgive him for continuing that ridiculous "A girl will win 'Idol' this season" talking point the producers keep shoving down our throats.)

This interview got picked up on a lot of "Idol" blogs last week mostly because of the third and fourth segments, where Randy had less-than-glowing words for the musical output of Adam Lambert and Kris Allen. He argued that Adam and Kris put out music that was genre-confused and too different from their "Idol" personas (whereas I felt that the the albums from that season of "Idol" were some of the show's strongest ever).

After our interview wrapped, Randy stuck around so that he and I could continue our friendly argument. I'm not comfortable sharing the content of our talk (the cameras had stopped rolling, after all) but I will share that the little filter Randy had was now shattered to smithereens. As was mine. A healthy (and heated) debate was had by all.

Come 2011, Randy Jackson be the last original member of the "Idol" judging panel, making him Grace Slick to the "American Idol" Starship. Here's hoping he'll be as passionate and eloquent as he was during our interview.

Have you watched my interview with Randy yet? Do you agree with his opinions? Leave a comment below and let's talk RandyGate! And if you want more of my "Idol" and pop culture ramblings, follow me on Twitter @jambajim.

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'American Idol' Recap: Welcome To The Golden Picket Era

Posted 1/21/10 8:05 am EST by in Music, Television

On Wednesday night's (January 20) episode of "American Idol," the audition tour stopped in Orlando, land of Mickey Mouse and Skiiboski's mugshots!

The proximity to Miami allowed for Simon, Randy and Ryan to party hard and show up to work blatantly hungover (professionalism!) while guest judge Kristin Chenoweth's proximity to Kara DioGuardi turned Kara into a hyperactive eight-year-old child with Sapphic tendencies. (No wonder Simon ditched "Idol" — Kara and Kristin's high-pitched squeals could be used by Jack Bauer to torture hostile suspects.)

None of the talent featured in Orlando inspired me to jump up and down and pack up my Kradison shrine just yet. But the lackluster auditions (and unfortunate positive reinforcement the judges doled out all night long) inspired my wife to coin a new term: The Golden Picket.

The Golden Picket refers to any Golden Ticket given to a contestant out of pity. Golden ticket + Pity = Golden Picket. And boy, the Golden Pickets were being handed out left and right in Orlando.

The first picket went to Seth Rollins, an instantly-likeable father of an autistic child whose buttery R&B tones were a nice addition to the old standard "Someone to Watch Over Me." But his voice wasn't on the level of the hosannas it received from the judges. Perhaps I'm just cynical because they used Coldplay's "Fix You" on the soundtrack, one of the quickest (and laziest) shortcuts to tears in the Cantiello home. (For my wife. Not me. I swear. There's just something stuck in my eye!)

Shelby Dressel was another Golden Picket recipient. She was the insecure waitress with the paralyzed mouth who adorably cursed when she forgot the words to Norah Jones' "Turn Me On." The judges themselves admitted that they weren't "blown away" by her voice, but applauded that she could sing in tune given that her paralyzed face was freaking them out. (That's essentially what Randy said. A way with words, that man.)

Later, Jay Stone walked into the "Idol" audition room looking like a weird mash-up of Robin Williams and Blake Lewis. Fitting, then, that the dude maniacally beatboxed his way through a Beatles tune. But unlike Blake Lewis, Jay boasted that he can beatbox and sing ... at the same time! (One could argue that humans can eat while sitting on the toilet, yet those are two activities shouldn't necessarily be combined.) While the judges didn't necessarily pity him, I certainly did for thinking he was more unique than Blake Lewis. Thus, Jay left Orlando with a Golden Picket.

If you doubt that the judges went soft for bad reasons, look no further than Cornelius Edwards. Read More...

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'American Idol' Recap: Deep-Dish Disappointment In Chicago

Posted 1/20/10 8:15 am EST by in Music, Television

Tuesday night's "American Idol" felt like one of those "in between" episodes of "Mad Men." You know, the ones where it takes Don Draper 40 minutes to pour himself a glass of water but you just know that something epic will happen next week? Coming off last week's "Pants On The Ground" lovefest in Atlanta, Chicago felt like a deep-dish letdown.

Okay, I take that back. There were a few bright spots, and I'm not just talking about orange hair highlights on the girl who deadpanned, "I believe I have what it takes to become America's next top model. I mean Idol!" (Ironically, she appeared as though she was lying. Regarding both shows.)

Shania Twain took time out of her busy schedule of breathing in order to sit in Paula's empty chair and play with the strings on her blouse. There weren't many "Shania Moments" worth talking about, per se. She did admit that she once peed her pants because of nerves, so that's got to be worth something. At the very least her hit song should be renamed "Man, I Feel Like a Woman (With Bladder Control Issues)."

Shania also inadvertently dictated fan-fiction when she told college student John Park that she liked his "bottom end," "nice lips" and "good head." Don't make Kara jealous, Shania! DioGuardi's usually the one making failed, awkward, pervy advances on contestants. (Right, Matt Giraud?)

The first audition of the night was Katelyn Epperly, who looked like Ke$ha after a blast with a hose. All "Idol" audition episodes come with sob stories, and Katelyn's troubled past was no exception. Her parents are (gasp!) getting divorced! This was high drama for "Idol" producers, who apparently think it's still 1958. On a side note, I look forward to the potential audience shot awkwardness between her mom and dad during the live shows. Do you think they'll have joint custody over the cheesy "Vote for Katelyn" signs? ("You get to hold them on Tuesdays, I get to hold them on Wednesdays. Why don't you love me anymore?")

Katelyn performed Duffy's "Syrup and Honey," to which Miss Twain responded with "Mmmm!" (Don't laugh. That's how Canadians automatically react to those words. Just be thankful Katelyn didn't perform an Anne Murray song. Shania would have lost control of some, if not all, bodily functions. Again.)

It was a formidable audition, but Kara thought Katelyn should have picked a "perkier" song. And so begins the talking point surrounding Katelyn Epperly all season long (provided she makes it to the Top 24): "Be more perky!" "Pick an uptempo song!" "Too much doom and gloom!" "What's with those hideous boots?" (Admittedly, that last comment was my own.)

There were other Hollywood-bound contestants with forced human-interest angles, too. Read More...

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'American Idol' Recap: Everybody Put Your Pants On The Ground!

Posted 1/14/10 8:30 am EST by in Music, Television

Wednesday night's "American Idol" made me so happy I didn't know whether to raise the roof or put my pants on the ground. There was big talent, big laughs and a big elevator that made me think producers were holding auditions in the Tower of Terror.

But alas, we weren't at Disney World. Instead, the second night of season nine of "Idol" plopped Randy, Paula, Kara and Simon in a giant hotel in Hotlanta. Mary J. Blige stepped in to keep Paula's chair warm, and unlike Tuesday night's waste of (very little) space Victoria Beckham, Ms. Blige was an engaging addition to the panel. She talked back to feisty contestants, used words like "anointed" and laughed in the face of several bad singers. Now that's a diva who isn't afraid to look like a mean-spirited millionaire on television! Bonus points to "Idol" producers for using that shot from the "Just Fine" music video where it looks like Mary J. Blige farts doves. (No really. Look.)

The episode was bookended by two goofy original compositions: Dewone Robinson's duet "Lady We're Not Together Anymore," which Simon deemed one of the worst songs ever written (he's wrong) and General Larry Platt's, "Pants on the Ground," a rap ditty that blasted thugs who hate belts, love gold teeth and wear sideways hats. I hear Soulja Boy is already hard at work on a response track called "Old Man on the Reality Show."

Platt's "Pants" wasn't the only star Wednesday night. Miss America veteran Keia Johnson was rockin' some loud pants, too. The wild-haired singer showed up in tight neon green leggings that were so intense I was worried my HDTV would come to life and threaten, "If you don't turn down the hue, I will shove a million pixels up your nose." Keia's awesome R&B-tinged "My Heart Will Go On" more than made up for her sartorial misstep (as did her sparkling personality). I'm in love. (I was also in love with the fact that "Idol" used Allison Iraheta's excellent song "Pieces" after Keia scored a Golden Ticket.)

Speaking of beauty pageants, as soon as the caked-on makeup of BFFs Carmen Turner and Lauren Sanders appeared on my screen, I instantly thought of a potential direct-to-video Rick Moranis sequel, "Honey, I Blew Up the Baby Pageant Queens." Simon called them "Annoying annoying annoying," Kara called them "The Ditzies" and Mary J. Blige called them ... well, she said nothing, but her stank face said it all. Yet Turner had a decent enough voice for a Golden Ticket, leaving makeup twin Lauren behind, although Simon mischievously noted that he didn't think the Ditz Sisters would be separated for too long.

Cartoonish characters with good-enough voices seemed to be a trend in Atlanta. Read More...

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'American Idol' Recap: Goodbye Paula, Hello Boston!

Posted 1/13/10 8:30 am EST by in Music, Television

Tuesday (January 12) night's "American Idol" season nine kick-off had everything we've come to expect from the series' early audition episodes: Sob stories, delusional wannabes and Alicia Keys covers. Everything, of course, except Paula Abdul.

Producers shrewdly addressed the Paula Issue with the very first audition of the season: A walking Boston stereotype named Janet McNamara whose sole purpose — aside from saying "wicked" and conveniently promoting the "American Idol" video game — was confusing "new" judge Kara DioGuardi with Paula. "See?" the TV show said to its devoted fanbase. "This random girl who can't sing didn't notice Paula was gone. Neither should you."

Well, okay then!

Guest judge PoshBot-2000 (also known as Victoria Beckham) was on hand to play the role of Pop Culture Relic Who Wears Funny Clothes, and she did a fine job of sitting in a chair and blinking. Based on that criteria alone, she's already proven to be a more efficient judge than Paula circa season six. Four points to you, PoshBot-2000!

Overall, as an "Idol" junkie who generally dislikes the heavily-produced audition shows, the "Idol" premiere was a pleasant experience. We met a few contestants who will be fun to root for (I'm looking at you Leah Laurenti, the girl who grew up fifteen minutes away from my childhood home yet somehow lived in "Footloose" because she wasn't allowed to listen to secular music). We saw a lot more of the behind-the-scenes setup in the audition room, and we discovered that Posh Spice had a hard time remembering the lyrics, "I really really really wanna zigazigah." (Seriously. She legit consoled a nervous singer who spaced on the words by saying, "That happened to me all the time." Amazing.)

But since the show is supposed to be all about the contestants, let's take a look at some of the stand-outs — both good and bad — from the Boston auditions.

Maddy Curtis was a well-spoken 16-year-old with eleven siblings, three of whom have Down Syndrome. (The Curtis Family will have a TLC reality show by the time my recap is published.) While Maddy's performance jitters during Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" were endearing, she should get that in check before the live shows begin. Simon liked her quiet confidence and her rich, deep voice, but I give it two more performances before he starts complaining that she's not happy-go-lucky enough.

Because this was a two hour extra-long premiere, we were treated to not one but two husky-voiced 16-year-olds with a heavy home life. Read More...

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Why There Is No 'American Idol' Without Simon Cowell

Posted 1/11/10 9:43 pm EST by in Music, Television

Fox should cancel "American Idol." Put it down like a sick dog. Yank it off the air like an Adam Lambert morning show appearance. Make it disappear like Ejay Day.

With Simon Cowell leaving "Idol" after this season wraps, Fox needs to face the music and grasp that a massive chunk of the audience is going to jump ship with Simon. Americans have abandoned TV shows for far less. (Two words: Felicity haircut.) An "Idol" without Simon is a far more significant change than Keri Russell's curly bob, though. For me — and I imagine a lot of viewers — "American Idol" is synonymous with Simon. No one can replace him.

So they shouldn't.

The show is already going to have a weird vibe this year with Ellen DeGeneres taking over Paula Abdul's spot. She's like the Stacey Carosi of "American Idol." Do not want. And now we have this dark cloud of Simon finality (Simality?) looming over the show. It's too much to bear! At least if we knew it was the last hurrah of the entire series, we'd be able to appreciate it on a true "farewell" note. But as is, we'll all be thinking, "Next year, Randy Jackson will be the senior judge on 'American Idol.'" If you didn't just dry-heave at that statement, then you must be related to Mr. Jackson. Or a designer of "YO DAWG" T-shirts.

When the show launched in 2002, the buzz was all about Simon. Before Kelly Clarkson and Tamyra Gray became household names, we tuned in because we just had to see this mean, nasty Brit who spoke the truth. Paula Abdul's involvement was neat as a "Where Are They Now" curiosity, and Randy Jackson was a non-entity. (I guess some things never change.) But we'd never seen anyone quite like Simon before.

Caustic, biting and brutally honest, Cowell had no qualms telling a performer (to her face!) that she was the worst singer he'd ever heard in his life. Simon was a direct contradiction to all the "You Can Do Anything" propaganda our generation was raised on. He was there to remind us all that, you know what? You can't do anything you set your mind to, so you shouldn't waste your time doing something you'll never ever be good at.

Ironically, his nastiness was a breath of fresh air. Read More...

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Kris Allen's Mom Sends A Belated Christmas Gift

Posted 12/30/09 3:00 pm EST by in Behind The Scenes, Music

Christmas came late thanks to the insanity of the MTV mailroom around the holidays. But boy, did Santa come through big time!

Although it was delivered a week ago, today I finally received a magical package from the North Pole. And when I say the North Pole, I really mean Arkansas.

Kris Allen's adorable, beautiful, witty, hilarious, amazing, irresistible, phenomenal, Nobel Peace Prize-deserving perfect mother sent me my very own PajamaGram after catching a silly subliminal message about jammies in a recent "Kris Allen Outtakes" video. Enclosed with the Christmas-themed pajamas? A card that read, "Because you asked nicely."

Mama Allen and I have shared a fun little Twitter friendship over the past several months. (She started it, Kris. I swear to you on my Paula Abdul "Touched By Evil" DVD.) I've been trying to keep our Twitter parties on the DL after Kris jokingly asked me to stop cavorting with his mom in the digital world. But you know what? I'm in love with Mama Allen and I want the world to know.

So from the bottom of my bursting heart: I thank you, Mama Allen! You helped make this Christmas season more kick-awesome than I thought was humanly possible.

To my real mom: Don't worry. You're still number one in my book. Also, I'm glad you didn't buy me pajamas for Christmas, because that would be some "Sophie's Choice" ish right there.

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Adam Lambert And Kris Allen At Jingle Ball: The MTV News Outtakes!

Posted 12/18/09 6:00 pm EST by in Music

It's been a great week to be an "American Idol" fan. Kris Allen rocked "The Late Show with David Letterman" in Christmas sweaters on Wednesday (December 16), Allison Iraheta ferociously tore through her single on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" last night and Adam Lambert appeared on nearly every TV show on the air. (I spied Gokey performing his new country material in North Carolina, too.)

Just last Friday (December 11), I caught up with Kris, Adam and Allison (also known as Kradison) before they hit the stage at Madison Square Garden for Z-100's Jingle Ball concert. (Kris was the only Season 8 "Idol" alum performing that night; the other two were tapped to show off their speaking voices by introducing other acts.) It was a fun gig, what with all of the artists in especially jovial moods, which means our interviews were especially conversational and loose. You know what that leads to: outtakes!

First up, enjoy some of the highlights from my Adam Lambert interview! Initially, we were told that Adam wouldn't be doing any press at the event. Lucky for us, it turns out that it was all a big misunderstanding. During our brief chat, Lambert and I gabbed about how excited he was to meet Taylor Swift, the drama surrounding the upcoming Seacrest-sponsored "Rock My Town" concert contest (On which city he's rooting for: "I really don't have a preference, to be honest with you") and his love of the Miike Snow album (even if he engaged in a little "oh no you didn't" over the band's pronunciation with my camera dude, Steven Roberts). It also wouldn't be a Jim Cantiello "Idol"-related outtake reel without a horrifically awkward, accidental come-on towards a contestant. I wanted a hug from Lambert. Can you blame me? Dude looks so dang huggable!

And finally, here's the latest installment of "The Krim Show." (For the uninitiated, Kris Allen nicknamed his "friendship" with me "Krim" in a previous interview. Get it? Kris + Jim = Krim!) Read More...

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