My Way

The Rat Pack was the theme tonight. I have to admit I had to google this and find out all those that were part of the Rat Pack. I don't think American Idol actually mentioned all of them. Anyway to save you time on google I'm going to give you a little background. You can now spend the saved time googling, naked mud wrestlers, or whatever you are into. The Rat Pack was made up of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. The other two, Joey Bishop and Peter Lawford are the forgotton ones. I wonder why? Oh yea, little or no talent. Joey Bishop had a talk show on late TV in the 60's and Peter Lawford was the brother-in-law to John F. Kennedy. Yes the President. I think that might be where the mob connection came in. But I'm just gossiping now.

I actually thought all these guys were dead, but my friend Josh, went to Las Vegas a couple weeks ago and watched their show. Only in Las Vegas do the Greats NEVER die. The Sands Hotel has revived them. At least Frank, Dean and Sammy. I guess it wasn't worth the money to pull the other two from the graves. After watching tonights show and you want to go see the Rat Pack in Vegas, you can get information and tickets on www.ratpack.biz. Biz? That's weird whatever happened to .com's?

The Rat Pack was all about attitude, they were the coolest of the cool. All the guys on American Idol should nail this tonight. Going into the show, I was a little concerned about Allison. The Rat Pack only kept women around for decoration.

A few observations on tonights show:
Jamie Foxx had to be the best coach ever on American Idol. His suggestions worked, this was definitely the most entertaining show of the year.
What in the world were those huge ugly red pointsetta's or something on Paula's breasts?

Tonights show was amazing, everyone was really good. But keeping with the Rat Pack theme "Being Cool", I rated the performances by the cool factor. In order of the coolest:

1. Danny - Come Rain or Come Shine - I loved the jazzy take on this song. Very original. WOW probably the best performance of the year.

2. Kris - The Way You Look Tonight - Remember it's about cool tonight and Kris was so cooool, he was hot! Simon said it was a little bit wet. Well OK I was totally wet after that performance.

3. Adam - Feeling Good - Very good, a little Broadway and sleazy. Kind of makes you want to take Adam back behind the building and ..... oh sorry wrong blog. This was a great performance.

4. Allison - Someone To Watch Over Me - I simply love her voice. This was so sophisiticated from someone with purple hair that just celebrated her 17th birthday! For Allison I'd go both ways and watch over her. I am disappointed however, after research on the net, I was hoping Allison would have done a funky version of "The Lady Is A Tramp".

5. Matt - My Funny Valentine - It was OK, but I hear this song every weekend at my favorite piano bar. Sorry to say Matt was only a little better than Dan. Dan is the guy at Martin's that sings this song every Friday night. Matt you were saved 2 weeks ago, and lucky last week. It's time we all told Matt goodbye.

This was the only entire hour of American Idol worth watching. This is what television is supposed to be. If Matt is gone next week, then we can expect a couple more weeks of real entertainment.

Until Next Week - Wise OUT

Shake Your Groove Thing

Make all the jokes you want about disco, but it is an interesting genre of dance music. It originated in the African American and Hispanic communities in the late 60's and early 70's. Musical influences include funk and soul. And disco influenced today's hip hop and rap. Disco is unique in that it has a steady accented beat played on the bass drum in 4/4 time, with an eighth or a sixteenth note pattern by the cymbals on the off-beat. Unlike rock it usually doesn't have a lead guitar. Best known disco artists include the BeeGee's, Amanda Lear, Donna Summer, and of the course the Jackson's before Michael turned weird. Only in America can a poor black child grow up to be a rich white woman. Saturday Night Fever still holds the record for the best selling sound track of all time. Aren't you impressed by my abilities to use google?

Anyway tonight's IDOL's have their work cut out for them. Let's Get Out and Dance, Rock My Boat, Shake Your Booty. Did the IDOLS's 'get down tonight'? I thought that saving Matt last week was simply a ploy by FOX to stretch this 'worst ever' year out to another week, But tonight they are going to get rid of two contestants. Sometimes there is justice. My choices from worst (let's stop wasting time and get rid of them) to best.

7. Matt - Stayin Alive, well that's the judges fault. He should not have been saved. Matt was right tonight when he sang he's goin nowhere. Except home, finally.

6. Anoot - Dim All the Lights, no energy whatsoever in this song. And say what you want about disco, the songs had energy. Very boring, The lights aren't dimmed, they are totally out.

5. Lil Rounds - I'm Every Woman, too much song for her. She can't even be one woman (herself) let alone every woman. The days are numbered for her.

4. Danny - September, it was OK. But I do disagree with Paula, Danny does not have the sexiest voice ever. Come on Paula, what drugs are you on this year?

3. Allison - Hot Stuff, she's only 16 but she showed her hot stuff tonight. Kind of makes you feel like a dirty old man.

2. Kris - She Works Hard for the Money, he turned one of the best disco songs into a ballad. Very original. And wow is Kris hot! And I don't feel guilty about saying that.

1. Adam - If I Can't Have You, his passion was amazing. Every year I tell the story that the IDOL's job is to tell a story and move me. Adam moved me tonight. And Adam, you can have me whenever you want.

The best two tonight actually changed the disco song into something totally different. If you didn't get enough disco, consider coming up to Capitol Hill on Sunday evenings at the Cuff. Disco is Queen. Some people claim that July 12,1979 was the day that disco died. If that is true, it's as if they dug it up from the grave tonight and tried to bring it back. But in the words of another famous disco song "Enough is Enough".

Until Next Week - Wise OUT

Kill Bill or Kill Me?

"S" and I spent a long weekend in Portland, but we hurried home to be back in time to watch American Idol. It was 'Music From the Movies' night AND Quentin Terantino was the guest! Pulp Fiction, blood gore, black comedy it had be a great night on Idol.

Driving past the Emerald Queen Casino, I wondered if any of the contestants this year would be worth driving all the way to Tacoma to watch them in concert. Or at least enjoy the buffet.

Imagine my disappointment tonight, except for #1 Adam it should have been renamed 'Boring Ballad' night. Here's my take on a very boring Tuesday night.

7. Matt - Have You Ever Loved a Woman? no that's not my question to Matt, that's his song tonight. It was terrible, Hey Matt when you leave tomorrow, change the question to have you ever loved a man?

6. Not So Lil Rounds - The Rose. Lil is looking way better, but she's not sounding better. Beautiful song ruined by a beautiful woman.

5. Kris - Falling Slowly. Cutest guy ever on Idol, but he is not falling slowly, he's in a free fall. He will be lucky to survive this performance.

4. Allison - I Don't Want to Miss a Thing. She's the girls only hope to win. But if tonight was any indication, she will be missing more than a thing.

3. Anoop - Everything I Do, I Do For You. I actually got the feeling tonight that he was singing to me. So Anoop do anything to me you want. I'm not normally a fan of Anoop, but tonight with such weak competition, he moved up to #3.

2. Danny - Endless Love. First of all, I really like his new look and to be honest, that may have influenced my voting. The song is a classic and his rendition was interesting.

1. Adam - Born To Be Wild. And boy was he! He is so much better than the competition. Every week he has the energy and originality to get us up dancing, clapping and singing.

Was Adam good enough to break the speed limit to get home? I vote no, but 'S' votes yes. But we both agree when Adam comes to the casino, we will make the trek to Tacoma.

Until Next Week - Wise OUT

My God I'm Old

Tonight was songs from the year you were born. If you don't think you are old, go to www.discjockey.org/topsongs.html and check out the songs that were popular the year you were born.

S and I were eating dinner during the show. We started talking about songs and the years that they were recorded. He couldn't believe that the songs popular his year were dominated by the Beatles and the Monkees. I don't even want to say what was popular when I was born. I truly believe they are all dead now.

Anyway this group of Idols mostly were all born in the 80's. I have to say right up front that I forgot how awful the songs were that decade until tonights show. From the bottom up.

8. Kris - 1985 "All She Wants To Do Is Dance" you know I simply adore Kris, but tonight was awful. But I'd still dance with him anytime he wants.

7. Scott - 1985 "The Search Is Over" no it's not, let's keep searching for a new idol, and it's not going to be Scott.

6. Not So Lil Round - 1984 "What's Love Got To Do With It?" - well she looked way better this week than last week, but I swear she sounded exactly the same as last week. So to answer the question of the song: Absolutely Nothing.

5. Matt -1985 "Part Time Lovers" thank god he wore a hat tonight covering that weird growth on his forehead. The judges loved his performance, I thought it was just OK. I liked him better last week. I guess Matt and I are part time lovers. Every other week, he is great, then he disappears. Hopefully next week he will be back.

4. Anoot - 1986 "True Colors" one of the few good songs in the 80's. He did fine. Nothing spectacular, but OK.

3. Danny - 1980 "Stand By Me" it started out as a big mess, but he fixed it and it turned out OK.

2. Adam - 1982 "Mad World" very dramatic. Adam for sure is the most versatile performer.

1. Allison - 1992 "I Can't Make You Love Me", finally they had to go the 90's to have something that really wowed me. She says she can't but she did tonight. I totally love Allison.

Tonight only Adam and Allison performed like they really want to win. For the most part the show was just like the music from the 80's, just OK. My question is how come no one sang anything from George Michael? They would have got my vote.

Until Next Week - Wise OUT

American Idol 2009

Welcome to another year of American Idol. I wasn't sure I was going to blog this year but I've had several requests to continue. Well OK, just one. We are down to only 9 contestants, 6 boys (if you want to count Adam) and 3 girls.

I have to admit I haven't seen ANY of the shows before tonight's show. I have no idea who anyone is. But I had a friend over last night and he watched it with me. We shall call him "S". Anyway S has watched them all and knows all their stories.

Since I am being honest, I have to tell you that S and I were at dinner and did not get to see the first two contestants, Anoop and Megan. So I can't comment on them. And this early in the season I usually don't comment on each performance anyway. Only those that somehow get me riled up.

A few did stand out, Matt doing "You Found Me" by Fray. Wow, when was the last time you heard a song from this century on American Idol? I like Fray and even if the judges didn't like the song selection, I have to say it was the best song, maybe not performance, but best song choice of the night.

When Scott started singing, I told S, he acts like he's blind. S told me "he is blind". His performance was just OK. But I thought it was odd that the judges commented on his hair style. There's something wrong with telling a blind guy that he's combing his hair better now!

S also told me that Danny had lost his wife. Oh brother two guys in the contest playing on our sympathy. Neither of them is that good to win on their talent.

Not So Lil Round Butt only has her cute kids going for her. What? don't tell me you didn't notice her butt. Her dress practically had a big red arrow pointing to it. Not sure what the deal was with her trying to pawn one of the kids off on Randy Jackson. I mean, he's a former rock star, a record producer and has a pretty good gig now. I guess he'd make a good daddy. We should all have such a successful daddy.

Only two performances really wowed me:
Adam and his "Play That Funky Music". It was probably the best rendition of that song I have ever heard. He has the energy and the talent to get him in the final four at least.
Chris who is the hottest looking guy in the contest, was great with his soulful "Ain't No Sunshine". It was original and inspiring. He should be the next American Idol. But we've been around long enough to know it doesn't always work out the way it is supposed to.

With this show, and this blog, American Idol 2009 officially begins NOW.

Until Next Week - Wise OUT