I don't normally jump in here between shows but there was something in the trades today that caught my attention. Katie Byrne from MTV interviewed just-eliminated Scott McIntyre and his answer to one of the questions was quite interesting:
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1608922/20090409/story.jhtml
Q: "Were you surprised when Paula suggested you come out from behind your piano a few weeks ago?"
A: "Simon said it all that night. ... He replied, "I don't think you'd ever see Billy Joel come out from behind his piano." ... That's really where my heart is, when I'm at the keyboard, and it's not that it takes the place of my vocals. It's actually just another layer of expressivity that I can place beneath my vocals and carry my vocal with it. My decision to play the guitar this last week was more based on the fact that I wanted to shock America a little bit than Paula's comment about coming out from behind the piano. [The judges] tell you one thing one week, and they tell you the opposite the next week. I don't take what the judges say to heart. I actually stand by my performance. ... Some of the criticism is undue, but I respect the judges, and I'm so glad at least two of them were tempted to keep me on yesterday. I have no regrets leaving the show. I'm so happy I brought my shredder out, to go out in a blaze of glory the last night. [Laughs.] It's all good things from here."
It was so nice of him to not blame Drunk Chick for his elimination and declare his respect for the judges, and at the same time declare that the judges are idiots that are not worth listening to. I have never been one of Wonder Man's fans but I would have reconsidered my opinion if it wasn't for the fact that the rest of his comment was so self-indulgent. He sure did shock America, so much so that he scared America away from voting for him....
I also want to take advantage of your time to point out that perhaps the most interesting rounds of eliminations are now coming up, 7th and 6th place. Consider if you will the contestants in previous seasons who finished in either 6th or 7th place:
Ryan Starr, 7th in Season 1
Kimberly Caldwell, 7th in Season 2
Jennifer Hudson, 7th in Season 3
Constantine Maroulis, 6th in Season 4
Kellie Pickler, 6th in Season 5
Sanjaya Malakar, 7th in Season 6
Carly Smithson, 6th in Season 7
Outside of the winners and a few other exceptions such as Clay Aiken and Chris Daughtry, this group has been more successful and/or more notorious than any other group of contestants on this show. Hudson has won an Oscar and a Grammy and appears in feature films. Pickler has two albums that made it to #1 on the country charts. Nary a reality show or personal appearance goes by that doesn't include Starr, Caldwell, or Maroulis (especially when Caldwell started dating last season's winner David Cook). Malakar has had a quiet post-Idol career so far but was one of the most controversial performers in the show's history. The same can be said for Smithson, though for different reasons. By comparison, most of the performers who were eliminated after these guys were not all that memorable while they were on the show and have all but disappeared from the public scene since they left Idol.
I suggest that we all pay attention to who gets eliminated the next two weeks, because chances are one of them will actually have the kind of career that Paula promises everybody who gets eliminated will have.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Just Paying Attention
Decision rendered by Taij at 10:26 PM
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4 comments:
I completely agree with what you have written about Scott's departure from the show.
And your references to Idols who have left in the 6th and 7th spots just screams for me to say that I'm currently enjoying the sweet success of "6th Place" Constantine Maroulis (who you mentioned) starring in a new Broadway smash hit called Rock of Ages, as the leading man and in a role that he originated. First Idol to accomplish this major feat. And besides that he has released a CD on his own label, is working on #2, played a role on The Bold & The Beautiful for 17 weeks, toured, filmed parts in TV pilots, starred in two other Broadway shows and various regional theater productions and even co-hosted American Idol Rewind. Yes, there is definitely life after Idol if you know how to work it, are willing to work your ass off, and if you have the talent to wow the audience. He has been working continuously since Idol, albeit "under the radar". Until now.
My best to all the contestants as they depart this show.
I'm "anonymous" here only because I don't have an acct set up. :)
Constantine plays the lead role of Drew in the hit Broadway musical, Rock of Ages. Actually Constantine is the first American Idol contestant to originate a role on Broadway. Rock of Ages is a must to see!
Actually Sanjaya has come out with a book and EP, both named Dancing to the Music in My Head.
I rest my case, your honor. That Constantine fellow is enjoying far more success than anyone who finished ahead of him, except for Carrie Underwood of course. If I had known that by merely mentioning him that I would get a response like this I would have worked him into the recaps a lot sooner...
As for Sanjaya, I didn't mean to imply that he was dead or anything, just that his post-Idol career has been much quieter than the buzz that he generated while he was on the show. That's all.
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