Jon & Kate Plus 8 – Sextuplets Turn 5

Tonight was the season premiere of Jon & Kate Plus 8. This is also the first show since the entire debacle started with Jon and Kate and where things are with their marriage. Both of them have had allegations thrown at them of infidelity. Jon was caught by paparazzi with a young woman at a bar. Meanwhile there were allegations that Kate and the bodyguard were having an affair. It all started getting ugly.

Tonight they go on screen together (so to speak) and the questions are hard on the “couch”. This episode also highlighted the 5th birthday of the sextuplets, From the beginning of the episode, you can tell that things were different between Jon & Kate. They interviewed them individually and they were barely shot together on the interview couch. The entire episode you can feel the tension between Jon & Kate. The interviewers behind the camera asked how things were between the two of them and they both individually said they were there for the kids and thats the focus.

The thing is, kids have a funny way of noticing tension amongst their parents. The notice that mommy and daddy are fighting or that one isn’t around much as the other. It was difficult watching the episode seeing Jon & Kate go thru the motions, but the usual banter is gone, they frivolity between them is gone, things are definitely different. I have been watching Jon & Kate for years and there has always been a certain “something” between them. A good “something”. Even when they were fighting on screen you knew it was the frustration of the moment and you somehow knew it would be resolved later.

Towards the end of the interview, Kate said that parents of multiple birth babies have are more likely to divorce by up to  3x more. She went on to say that she had hoped, past tense’ that they were going to get past that, but she wasn’t sure anymore.

This is a reality show that isn’t wrought with producers telling the actors to go a particular direction to work the drama. Since day one, this show was a documentary into the lives of this family of 8. It was an open book that the gosslins have given to America for the last few years. I had tried not to get into all the crap about the affairs on Jon & Kate’s part. But could it be that they are just as human as any of us and fall to the same temptations? Was Jon capable of cheating? Did Kate?

I don’t know. What I do know is that things are definitely not the same on screen for them…

Still GLEEful in an SG-1 Kinda Way

So it has been 4 days since GLEE premiered on Fox and I have to admit to you that I’m still hooked. Days later I’m listening to the iTunes-available songs of Rehab and Don’t Stop Believin’. I’ve learned all of Finn’s harmony parts to Don’t Stop Believin’ . It’s crazy right? Why am I still soooo obsessed?

While watching the GLEE pilot episdoe, which is available for FREE on iTunes in HD by the way, I kept trying to figure out where I have seen male lead, Corey Montieth (Finn) before. A quick IMDB search answered my question.

Corey Montieth who was recruited for GLEE can actually sing. The entire cast was auditioned for their parts and they do all their own singing on the show. Who knew that this young “Lt. Colonel Mitchell” from Stargate SG-1 can actually carry a tune? That’s where I’ve seen him. He played a young Mitchell in the 200th episode of Stargate SG-1 where the team was re-imagined as younger versions of the actual SG-1 team.

For 27 years old, he can still pass for a high school senior. Lee Michele (Rachel) is 23 and plays a high school sophomore. We can only wish we could look that young. There isn’t much on Corey on the net. He used to live up in Canada but currently resides in Culver City, CA.

Corey as Lt. Colonel Mitchell on Stargate SG-1

American Idol 8 – Finale! Come on and Party, Karamu, Fiesta Forever!! We Have a New Idol!

This has been an exciting night!!! Superstars came out!! Cyndi Lauper, Queen Latifah, Black Eye Peas, Lionel Ritchie, KISS, Queen, Jason Mraz and Fergie to name a few!

We saw our Top 13 back on stage and it was nice to see Anoop and Matt as well as Jasimine and Allison. I was reminded of Megan and she still bothers me! Haha. We were treated to such a musical lineup tonight! Makes you almost forget that we’re announcing an Idol winner tonight!

The whole day I was thinking about who America voted for. I really, really think that Danny Gokey’s fans joined up with the Kris Allen camp and may have pushed him to the top. Here’s what I think. Adam is a great singer. There is NO denying it. But for everything that matters, he already has the contacts and ability to create an album and get signed on his own. Kris is from a small town in Arkansas. He deserves this break.

Oye…I hear Adam wailing, most annoyingly, into that mic again with Gene Simmons. The audience is going wild. Ugh.

We’re getting closer as we have had to wait one hour and forty-three minutes to find out who is our next Idol…

Who is it going to be???

Just minutes from the announcement we have Adam and Kris on stage singing We are the Champions…so appropriate!

So who is our Idol??? Who is it??

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

KRIS ALLEN IS OUR NEWEST AMERICAN IDOL!!

American Idol 8 – Top 2 The Finale Part I

Good evening America. Well after a long season we are finally here. We are down to our Top 2. Adam Lambert and Kris Allen bring two very different styles of singing to the table. Who will you vote for tonight? Voting will be 4 hours tonight.

Adam and Kris will sing three songs each tonight. First performance will  be a song they sang during the season in a slightly extended version. Second song will be a song picked by the show’s creator, Simon Fuller and the third each contestant will sing the “winning” song. The winning song is written to be the first single our Idol will make upon being named the American Idol. This year Kara DioGuardi wrote the song.

So let’s get started with Adam…

Adam Lambert
Mad World

Adam made a great choice to sing this song once again. The lights are dim, he is almost silhouetted against the lights of the stage. The fog machines ae working hard tonight as the fog clings close to the stage and rolls its path down to the audience. The magic of his performance of this song earlier this season is back and more. I still got goosebumps listening to him sing it although I had replayed his earlier verison in the car a million times today. Adam’s performance was FLAWLESS.

Kris Allen
Ain’t No Sunshine

Kris is behind the piano and it starts off with magic. There is some kind of electricity in the air. Kris pulls you in and captures your attention in a way that is very intimate. THIS is what Kris will record if he makes an album. Even though I liked Adam’s performance, this performance, hands down, is my favorite!! Ain’t no doubt about it. Congrats Kris on a wonderful performance.

Round 1 goes to Kris.

Adam Lambert
Change Is Going To Come

This is a drastic change from Mad World. This is a more serious performance for Adam, but we are back to the wailing in the upper registers. This reinforces for me that I do not want am album of wailing. Lose the black fingernail polish dude. Not my favorite performance by a long shot. Guess I’m not a fan eh? What does Kris have in store?

Kris Allen
What’s Goin On

Kris is on stage with his guitar in hand and three members of Ricky’s band up there with him. Simon Fuller picked a great song for him, this song seems like it was written for Kris. Marvin Gaye would be very happy with Kris’ performance.

Round 2 goes to Kris in my opinion, Simon thinks t goes to Adam.

Tonight’s song co-written by Kara Dio Guardi is called No Boundaries.

First up in Adam. There is a sense that this song was tailored for Adam. The song seems to rush the singer. Kris comes up on stage and he seems to be struggling with the song a bit. While the song was perfect for Adam’s range, Kris seems to be reaching. The audience loves Adam’s final performance. The audience didn’t have the same reaction as they did to Adam.

To be honest this was not my favorite Kris performance. I don’t care for the song.

So who wins Round 3? Unfortunately I have to say Adam.

This had been an interesting season. Adam and Kris have such different styles of singing. Does America appreciate the singing style of Kris Allen or do they want the wailing of Adam Lambert???

Go Vote!

Tomorrow night is a two-hour finale… it will go over 7 minutes, so adjust your TiVo’s accordingly!

I still think Kris has a chance!

Gleeful

Well I didn’t get to watch the preview pilot episode of Glee until after I got back from my friend Aaron’s birthday at the Napa Rose Restaurant at Disneyland. I had dessert with Aaron, his roommate Davey and his boyfriend Xander. I had the Almond Cake with Strawberries.

Well I was going to head back to the office but decided to go home and go in early instead.

I rushed home and pulled up my TiVo menu and hit play for Glee. I was on the edge of my seat! Well the episode started and to be honest, as much as I liked it (I really did) it felt rushed and for the publicists, they released too much footage ahead of the episode that it felt like I had already seen all the good parts. The hour went by fast and memories of my own high school experience started to surface.

Thanks to American Idol, my TiVo clipped off the last 2 minutes of the episode.

The final scene of the episode is where Finn comes to the group and tells them that being in Glee club is something he was committed to. He was happy. The group had a hard time finding themselves. Finn had an idea. He knew what song to sing. He put Mercedes in charge of costumes, Artie was tasked in asking the Jazz band to play backup. The episode ends with this rag-tag group rehearsing to Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey. They start and for some strange reason I have tears in my eyes. Yes, I’m a push over, but they were real tears. A jock (Finn) coming to terms that it’s ok not to be part of the popular crowd and that being part of something special is what makes him special. The group comes together and brings a departing teacher back in. I didn’t get to see the end of the episode, so I’ll have to wait until tomorrow to write the rest of this entry.

High school was a very trying time for me. I was changing, my relationship with my family was changing and it was a catalyst for where I am today. Music was and still is a very important part of my life. I wasn’t in the “glee” club or in musical theatre. I was in orchestra, marching band, jazz band, wind ensemble and was a technical guy for the theatre department. I had a bond with my music teachers that transcended any relationship I have ever had until much later in my life. My music teachers saw a potential in me that no one else saw. They stood behind me no matter what and helped push me to my full potential. I can honestly say that without having that influence, I would be a different person today.

I’m grateful to them forever for seeing more in me than I did…

Part of the magic that creator/producer Ryan Murphy (Nip/Tuck) brings to the table is that these kids really do sing and record the music. They held auditions across the country looking for the kids that we would be able to identify with. Finn the Jock, Rachel the over achiever, Mercedes the Diva, Artie and his wheelchair, Tina the rebel who “kissed a girl” and then we have Kurt, our gay dude (he cracks me up). A group of misfits who find a place for themselves.

American Idol 8 – Top 3

Here we go America, it’s American Idol’s Top 3! Tonight’s performances will determine who goes to the finale next week. Today each singer will sing two songs. The first song will be Judge’s Choice and the second will be a song of the singer’s choice. The finale three got to go back to the their hometowns for a few days and while there, they found out via a text message what song the judges had chosen for them. So let’s get to it, on to the singing!

Danny Gokey
Judges Choice: Dance Little Sister

I don’t know this song. The song was kinda boring for me. Vocally its totally in your range, and I love your voice, but I got bored. Sorry Paula, but not sure this song is going to win Kris and Adam fans over to his camp.

Randy liked it, he said it was dope. Kara liked it too, just didn’t like his dancing. Paula liked it (of course) and Simon didn’t care for the sax solo in the middle.

Kris Allen
Judges Choice: Apologize

This could be a good song for Kris. Can he pull it off? Hmmm…..he’s actually doing a great job. It’s sounding a bit like the original, but you’re throwing in your own interpretations. I’m not happy that you’re behind the audience. You should be facing the audience and the judges.

Randy said this is the artist he can be. Kara said it was competent, but he has to hit it out of the park. She wanted him out in front of the audience and not the piano. Paula said she was proud, but there was an obvious bum note. Simon said it was like the original. He goes on to say that Kara can’t blame Kris for singing the song in a different manner – she picked the song.

Adam Lambert
Judges Choice: One

We all sit waiting for some kind of greatness.  Bono from U2 gave permission personally to Simon for Adam to sing this song. We’re only 16 beats into the song and you know its gonna be great! But as the song went on, I got bored. Am I just bored with the whole season? What’s going on here? I mean he sang it well, but it was kinda flat in his performance.

Randy said he is in the zone, he said he got a bit lost tho. Kara said it was unbelievable. Paula said it was one superb song, and one American Idol. Simon said it was a brilliant song choice (ha). Simon liked it and said if Adam isn’t in the final it will be one of the biggest upsets in Idol history.

Danny Gokey
Singer’s Choice: You Are So Beautiful

The beginning part was nice. You sound nervous as hell tho. When you got just past the midpoint, I lost you. I didn’t know what I was listening to at one point. I don’t know.

Randy said it was amazing and he can really, really, really sing. Kara said he made up for the first performance and that it was stunning. Paula said she was breathless. Simon said he didn’t like the arrangement, but he said it was a vocal master class.

Kris Allen
Singer’s Choice: Heartless

Very nice Kris. The a capella at the beginning was magical.  This “unplugged” version is nice. Nice way to make this song into the magical way you sing. You’re in the zone with this song and THIS is your song tonight. Very nice, very nice.

Randy said this is going to be one of the toughest voting nights. He liked it better than Kanye’s version. Kara said why didn’t they do that with Apologize. It was bold and fearless. Hot! Paula said  he was brave for singing a song about Simon! Haha. Bravo, well done. Simon didn’t like the first song and all but written him off, but all has changed after that performance.

Adam Lambert
Singer’s Choice: Cryin’

So a little Aerosmith eh?? This is your song Adam. Rock is your thing and this is how we define you. Vocals were excellent, nothing to complain about. I don’t know this song, but liked it after your performance.

Randy said he’s one of the best they have ever had on that stage. Randy want’s him to be a rock artist. Kara wants to know how he hits those notes! Paula said we’ll see him next week and many years after that. Simon wants everyone to vote for him.

So there you have it America. Our final three have sung, who is going to be in the finale? Lambert/Gokey, Gokey/Allen or Lambert/Allen?? How will you vote?? Me personally, I think it will be Lambert/Allen. As much as I luv Danny, I think Kris will surpass him  tomorrow night.

So tune in tomorrow folks, it’s going to be close!