Roundtable discussion - Final 3 show With TVCH's DjGirl as Guest Judge
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TV ClubHouse: Archive: American Idol (FOX): Roundtable discussion - Final 3 show With TVCH's DjGirl as Guest Judge

Djgirl5235

Tuesday, May 20, 2003 - 09:51 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I told you all I would post this here once it was posted:

Roundtable Discussion

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Here's the article:

American Idol Roundtable Discussion - Pick A Song Theme!
Week 10 Performances:

This week has been crazy! Miss Marcy had a family emergency which took her offline for a couple of days. Moli is away this week and one of our guest judges disappeared at the 11th hour. But the show must go on despite this being posted late (sorry folks!)….on that note…

It’s Ladies Night here at the American Idol RTVT Roundtable Discussion this week!


The usual suspects, uh, I mean judges, on the American Idol RTVT Panel are...

...Miss Marcy,

...KAL,

...And, last but certainly not least, Moli,

Unfortunately, Moli, the only guy on the panel, is MIA tonight. Filling in for Moli this week is our resident cat-loving diva Neko. She’s back, even though she suffered through guest judging during Disco Night on AI! For those of you who don’t remember Neko...

Neko is still a married mom of 2 but says being married is a “day to day” thing as she always has her eyes peeled for a millionaire who can give her the leisurely life she deserves. She’s hoping then she’d be able to post and write for RTVT all day and give up developing insurance databases.

She’s still 40 years old, but feels age is only a number. She adds “Of course it’s a number disguised as a mugger that knocks you down and beats you and steals your youth and fun, but still just a number.” Watching AI with her daughters is still a weekly “must” and the three of them vow to find a life this summer.

KAL & Miss Marcy (in unison): Welcome Neko!

*hugs and air kisses ensue*

Neko: Thanks for asking me to fill in for Moli. It’s Ladies Night! WOOHOO!

Miss Marcy: I heard he's out with some hot chick tonight.

KAL: Yeah, I heard that, too, MM. I wonder if it's that hot Survivor babe Jenna now that she's $1,000,000 richer.

Miss Marcy: I thought that was him I saw at the Food Mart earlier, shopping for peanut butter and chocolate!

Neko: He had to act fast before she's taken, especially since the way Matt was clinging on to her during the Reunion show, so understandably he couldn't be here tonight.

KAL & Miss Marcy:

For some odd unannounced reason there is no theme tonight.

There is no guest judge for that matter, either. Well, at least we can look forward to not just two performances from the final three contestants, but three performances! The producers of the show have changed it up on us once again!

So, in light of this new development, we were scheduled to have 3 guest judges on board to judge each round. However, our third scheduled judge has mysteriously disappeared without a word. So we will proceed with two guest judges covering the first and third rounds and have the second round just critiqued by the panel.

The first round of performances will be songs picked at random by each contestant. The second round of performances will be songs that were chosen by the judges for each contestant. Finally, the third round of performances will be songs chosen by the contestants themselves.

Tonight's two esteemed guest judges on the panel with us both have strong musical and entertainment backgrounds. They also love American Idol, which alone makes them awesome.

Covering the first round of performances, Meowmom was born in Hollywood, CA the city to the stars so she is no stranger to entertainers and celebrities. Now residing in Phoenix, Arizona, MeowMom works for the PetSmarts Logistics department where she is nvolved in local animal no-kill rescue work. As a result of her profession, her home has ecome a haven for hospice cats/kittens. Her entertainment background includes being trained in classical ballet at the Royal Academy of England. In college, she was a performance major; area of concentration was dramatic arts. She also performed in a dinner theater/musical comedy environment in the Scottsdale and Phoenix, Arizona areas. She’s a Scorpio so watch out!

Covering the third round of performances, DJgirl, a fairly new member of RTVT, is a 28-yr-old Lease Administrator (aka Peeon ), living in Toronto, Canada. She has been singing and performing longer than she’s been talking, with 18 years of vocal and piano training under her belt, as well as a teaching certificate in vocal music. She is a realist, however, and has way too many responsibilities to be able to pursue her dream of being a career performer... so alas, an office monkey she will remain.

Miss Marcy: Welcome to the Roundtable, ladies...any initial comments?

djgirl: I am truly looking forward to this evening's performances, and admit to being a Clay-Mate, however, I am pledging to remain impartial this evening to the best of my abilities! So with Tom Collins poured, and laptop humming, let's begin the festivities!!!

Meowmom: DJgirl has said all for me! *high five*

Now that we've introduced the judges, let's check out the performances!

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are the opinions of the panel and do not affect the outcome of American Idol in any way. We are not affiliated with FOX, Fremantle Media, or 19 Entertainment. We are not affiliated with any of the contestants' fan clubs. We're just here, dishing about the show and having fun.

With that said...

We have 3 finalists left: Ruben, Clay, and Kimberley L. How did they fare in the eyes of the RTVT panel? Who will make it to next week’s final showdown and be crowned our “American Idol”?

Here we go with Round 1 – the “Random” round...

Kimberley Locke -- Sang "Band of Gold", Originally sung by Freda Payne

KAL: I didn't think her performance was anything special. I don't like the way she sounds when she sings deeply. It resembles almost a grunting sound. She was alright but it was not her best.

Neko: I feel like I’m back at the auditions. Sniff, sniff – I smell a fix! She’s doing a great job, but I liked the version at the auditions better. Maybe it’s like Moli says -- it’s those awful sounding backup singers! Where’s Frenchie when you need her – anyone check the Internet?

Meowmom: I agree, Neko – I thought she did it better then, than tonight. Then again, that was a duet, and not a solo. Kimberly’s voice seemed a bit raspy to me, and again, when she was in her lower register, you could really hear the breathy quality in her voice. It was OK for me, but being first and nerves, might have had a contributing factor. She didn’t look comfortable in the song, and appeared to be trying to do moves, but didn’t pull it off. To me, I felt she over-sang it slightly.

Miss Marcy: I don’t know – I thought her performance was good. She does sound tired. It’s very apparent in her voice. But I think she held her own, despite her breathy parts. Neko, I thought the same thing when she pulled that song at random. Is this fixed or what? I miss Frenchie and am looking so forward to seeing her in Rent on Broadway next month!

Ruben Studdard -- Sang "Signed, Sealed, Delivered", originally sung by Stevie Wonder

Neko: Look at Paula – “Sit down!!!” – She aggravates my kids when she acts like that. He’s so cute, but sometimes I think he sounds the same. I love that he is smiling more. I need someone to get between me and MM before I say this ()... Sadly, I think it was REAL good if it was by some of the former contestants but for Ruben it’s just “good.” He’s done other songs better. It was fun but I’m more interested in seeing what else he’s got tonight. MM, don’t look at me like that!

Miss Marcy: Ok, let me stop......I hate to agree with Neko but yes, this wasn’t one of his best performances. But my baby Ruben is tired and after 12 or so weeks of performing, I give him credit for still hanging in there and doing his thing. Was it me or did he have some pitch problems in this song?

Meowmom: No, it wasn’t just you, MM. He didn’t shine in this song as he has in the past, and he did have some pitch problems. I thought it was his weakest performance of the evening, and not a favorite of mine. Bad, bad draw, although it’s a great song, it wasn’t for Ruben. He tried to have a good time, but I feel he is better in a ballad than this type of song. His movements almost boarded on being a little funny. Again, comfort was not a factor, and it showed. He too seemed raspy, but then again these kids may have been vocalizing all day, and their voices are getting at bit fatigued.

KAL: I don’t know, Ladies -- I thought he did a great job! That's the most I've ever seen him move around on stage. He even worked up a little sweat on the forehead. I didn't care much for the outfit. I thought it wasn't flattering and made him look even bigger than he is.

Clay Aiken - Sang "Vincent", originally sung by Don McLean

Meowmom: Man, what a song to draw. It really kind of rambles on, and was not a good choice (what choice?) for Clay. He made the best of it, but dropped the ball on the lyrics and it was very evident. The good part is that he sang it well (not much melody here) and tried to bring something of himself to the song at the end. When he did miss lyrics, and all professionals do it in performance, he just picked up where he left off, and did a tremendous finish. His stage presence is always apparent, and of the three he has the most. He has been downgraded because of what Simon calls “theatricialism”, but all good performers have it. Without it you’re lost! It is what gets you through the performance when you drop your lines. It would be interesting to see how the other two would have fared, if the same thing happened to them.

Miss Marcy: OMG. That was the most boring performance I have ever seen from Clay. I am truly shocked. Man, he got the shaft in this round with this draw. I almost felt sorry for him when he announced his song pick. The look on his face said it all – “Calgon, take me away!” I didn’t notice he forgot some of the words until the judges mentioned it. I just thought he was taking a theatrical pause in the song for performance purposes.

KAL: He got jipped on this round. What kind of song was that? I've never heard it. This was not his best performance by far, but I don't think it was all his fault since he randomly picked this song. It reminded me of a parent singing their child a lullaby. He needs to kick it up in the next 2 rounds to wake us up.

Neko: This song is about Vincent Van Gogh? The artist that cut off his ear? It’s kind of ironic someone with ears like Clay would pick it. At least with his haircut it’s not as noticeable. But where the hell did they get this song? ---- I did not like this song and this was not a favorite performance for me. Clay has a great voice but I so cannot see this song being played on the radio? This is how I always felt about Justin Guarini’s singing!!! – “Poor Clay- did I just compare him to Justin Guarini, ...I’m so sorry Clay, Justin can’t hold a candle to you.” Anyway, I think he did the best he could with it, but I just did not like it. I agree with Randy’s overall comments. I would have loved for him to say to Paula (after she stated he forgot the words) “Thanks Paula for pointing out I forgot the words for those who might not have caught it.” It is good for Ruben and Clay that they have two more songs! – This round definitely goes to Kimberley Locke, but in fairness to the guys she had an unfair advantage of having had that song before.

Ok, now we’re onto the second round of performances. Here’s the “Judge’s Choice” round...

Kimberley Locke -- Sang "Anyone Who Had A Heart", Originally sung by Dionne Warwick

KAL: The heavy breathing returned on this song. Again, I wasn't crazy about her performance. For me, she's having a weak night and now is not the time to have this happen. I didn't think Randy picked a good song for her voice.

Miss Marcy: I disagree, KAL. I thought her performance was great. It’s not easy to sing a Dionne Warwick song and she pulled it off. I do think Randy could of made a better song choice like Toni Braxton’s “Unbreak My Heart” but that’s just my opinion. This wasn’t one of her best performance but certainly not her worst.

Neko: I’ve never heard this song before. Randy said he had considered it for Kelly Clarkson last year for the judge’s pick show. I think Kelly would have done an awesome job. I think this was kind of flat, blah but she did a good job, but it was pretty routine. Randy loved it? – I don’t. Paula is comparing her to Sarah Hughes, skating by everyone. Where does she get this stuff? I know what she was getting at but does this really make the most sense?

Ruben Studdard -- Sang "Smile", Originally sung by Nat King Cole

Neko: Who did this song originally?

Miss Marcy: Nat King Cole.

Neko: Hmmm -- I bet Ruben’s hating this song. This was better than the last one, but I still don’t feel he’s at his best. I would NOT have picked this song for him. So far I think the judges’ picks suck. Last year they had decent choices -- remember Kelly Clarkson’s “Without You”? – I though that was fantastic.... MM, what would you have picked for him? How about “Wedding Bell Blues” by, I think, it was the 5th Dimension? Huh, am I the only one here who remembers that song? The only time I have ever heard this song was in some movie about a beauty pageant and it is all I can think of. I’m going to stop before I start picturing Ruben in an evening gown and tiara. Speaking of style, I liked what he’s wearing better than those 205 shirts. I am so glad he got out of that habit. Can you believe Paula called his dimples “the money shot”? I’m just going to ignore her for the rest of tonight. Ruben did a great job, but I did not like this song choice.

Miss Marcy: Paula sounded so “ghetto” when she made the money shot comment. I think the hat and outfit are making her feel like very “mafia-ish”. Neko, I actually would have loved to hear Ruben sing “Sara Smile” by Hall and Oates. He would have sang the hell out of that song! But this choice wasn’t bad. I’m still not jumping out of my chair but I am still in love with Ruben.

KAL: I thought he sounded great but looked uncomfortable singing that song. It was a good song for him though. It was a different type of song but really showcased his voice.

Clay Aiken - Sang "Mack The Knife", Originally sung by Bobby Darin

Miss Marcy: What the?!?

Neko: MM, are you okay?

Miss Marcy: I cannot believe that out of all the songs out there, the judges choose this song for him. I have nothing against Bobby Darin but I would think after all the times Clay has been told that he is nothing but a Broadway act, the judges would pick a song for him that would showcase his voice and help him break out of that mold. This song just kept him in that “box”. It was nothing but a lounge act to me. Now that’s not a bad thing but if he’s trying to be the American Idol, this performance does not help him. I will say that Clay manages to sing his way through songs that are horrible choices for him so he makes the best out of a bad situation. I commend him on that because that’s what it takes to be a great performer.

KAL: He really redeemed himself from his last performance. That was great. I love those type of songs for Clay. I love the snapping of his fingers and he looks so cool up there. He seemed to really be enjoying himself up there.

Neko: I agree, KAL. I love this song. I love his outfit for him. Watching him makes me think he’s making this tough song about a mobster sound kind of like it should be in a Disney movie. Bobby Darin’s version reminds me of some college fun that I cannot share in front of my kids. You have to admit, he’s got a great voice. He can hit those notes. Paula tells him that he’s so cool, so hip – I want to know what she’s got in the Coke glass. I think she’s got a little Captain Morgan mixed in there. Hip is not the word for Clay - This round goes to Clay and he’s back after that last round. It’s going to be a tough competition tonight.

We’re up to the final round......the “contestant’s choice”

Kimberley Locke -- Sang "Inseparable", Originally sung by Natalie Cole

KAL: This was her best performance of the night, but I don't think she is in the same league as Ruben and Clay. She didn't blow me away like she's done in the past. About her outfit, we all know by now that her fly was open, but she was also about to bust out of her shirt. I was waiting for the button to pop.

Miss Marcy: OMG, KAL – I did not notice that her fly was open while she performed.

I thought this was one of her best performances. Unlike KAL, this performance blew me away. I am hoping she makes it to the final two but it’s not looking good. I would have loved to see her against Ruben in the end. This song showcased her vocal range and her lower register seems to be getting stronger. I thought this was a good song choice.

Neko: I thought it was kind of flat in spots of the song. This might be a pretty song, but if she could pick anything, I don’t know why she picked this song. Did she say she wanted to show off her “range” with this one? If she doesn’t do well here, the only “range’ she’ll be showing off is the one in her kitchen. She did real good, but given she could of picked anything -- this song was boring. The outfit was plain but she looks very pretty. I agree with Simon that all 3 of them deserve to make it.

djgirl: She looked great in the blue shirt & black pants - very understated that being said...That was one helluva performance! I like that she chose a song that showed her vocal range. I still find that she struggles in the lower range, but she made it smooth tonight. She expressed all the emotions within her during that song. Perfect choice for her!

Ruben Studdard -- Sang "If Ever You’re In My Arms Again", Originally sung by Peabo Bryson

KAL: Watch out MM, I'm now officially in love with Ruben. He was great. This was clearly the best of the night. Clay had been my favorite up until now, but now it's hard to say that. This song was great for Ruben.

Neko: Finally – Ruben is back! I could hear this on the radio. He’s so cute when he laughs and smiles and then he looks so scared. This was his best tonight! – At least he picked a song that is in his “genre” and he’s comfortable with it. I like this outfit best of the three he wore tonight. I’ll say it again -- He’s cute. Did Randy just call him a dope? Why can’t a 40-year-old woman use that term and sound cool or normal doing it? Hey MM, you are dope! – Would you be offended?

djgirl: Wearing jean jacket, baby blue jersey shirt, khaki's - looks good! I'm sorry MM, I know how much you love this man, but it sounds like he needs your TLC because his voice is showing so much strain throughout this song. The last note killed the entire song, but overall, given his throat, it was good - not great, but not terrible either.

Miss Marcy: I know, Djgirl. My baby is tired – thank goodness next week is the final week. At least, he can rest up until the tour starts. I thought this was his best performance of the night. I love this song and hearing him sing it, gave me goosebumps….except for that last note. I noticed it also, deej. BTW -- Hey Neko, I think you’re dope, too.

Clay Aiken - Sang "Unchained Melody", Originally sung by The Righteous Brothers

djgirl: OH. MY. GOD. I was typing away throughout the performances and Clay's opening note floated through my ears, and I was absolutely mesmerized for the entire performance. WOW!!!

KAL: I was waiting to hear this song from him and was a little disappointed. He over-enunciates which is really distracting. Don't get me wrong….he was good, but not as good as Ruben was tonight. I definitely think he deserves a final 2 spot though and hopefully he'll kick a$$ next week.

Miss Marcy: I am so there with you, KAL. I was little disappointed as well. You notice how they try to make the lighting dramatic looking as well? To me, it’s as if they are running this show around Clay. Honestly. But I thought this was his best performance of the night and a good song choice. But Ruben was better in this round.

Neko: His mother is his idol? Awww – can anyone say “washed up” as an idol if he keeps coming out with cutesy stuff like that. Eminem talks about killing his ex-wife and mother and he’s huge, so where does that leave Clay? I hate when they start in the middle of a song. “Oh” hit a bad note there, Clay? He’s dressing so much better tonight than that red leather outfit last week. I still laugh at that dancing. He’s awesome at the end of this song. He really can hit those high notes that are in this song. I think he takes this round with a close second to Ruben. I agree with Randy that this is such a bad arrangement and that he made it work. This was the best performance of the competition tonight. But, with Vincent, he also had the worst.

So there you have it, Folks! Any final words, Meowmom, Neko and djgirl?

Neko: This is such a tough call as all three performers are great. I hate to almost say as it could really go any way, but I am just thinking with the way the voting has been going, it is going to be Ruben and Kimberley in the bottom two with sadly but probably correctly Kimberley ending here. I see a Ruben and Clay final. I don’t know -- it’s looking like maybe Clay can take this whole thing, but Ruben is going to go in fighting so next week should look to be a fun show. Thanks again everyone for having me tonight. This has been fun. It was tougher than last time as they are all good. Good luck to Kimberley, Ruben and Clay. I’m anxious to see how the results end up tomorrow.

Meowmom: I felt by far, that the first round was the weakest round for all three contestants. Since the drawing for the song selection was today, they didn’t have ample time to prepare this song as they did for the remaining two rounds. All three contestants showed different levels of discomfort in this round. Clay, who didn’t perform his first song well, will be saved by his fans, who will rally behind him, because he may be the underdog (for the first time). He also in the third round, sang the best and outshone the other two. He was last to sing, and did an outstanding job, and that’s what people will remember. To the finish line we go! Three remain, and only two will go on.

djgirl: What a fantastic night - such a close competition. I don't think they're going to have a bottom two; rather they'll pull all three and announce the eliminated one. If they do have a bottom two, I think Clay will escape the bottom, due to his gigantic fan base. I am going to be sitting on pins and needles all night tomorrow! Here's to a fantastic finale, no matter who is eliminated tomorrow night! Thanks for letting me do this - I had a great time tonight!

Here's our predictions for tonight's elimination:

KAL:
1. Kim L. (should and will go)
2. Clay

Miss Marcy:
1. Kim L. (Will go )
2. Clay (Should go)

Neko:
1. Kim L. (Should and will go)
2. Ruben
**I’ll wimp out and say Kim L. should go ONLY so I’ll only have one set of fans mad at me – I’ve enjoyed Kimberley – I hope she goes on to be successful – so please please no hate mail. I’ll cry.**

Meowmom:
1. Kim L. – (Should and will go)
2. Ruben

djgirl:
1. Ruben
2. Kim L. (Should and will go)

Hope all of you enjoyed our comments regarding this week's performances. If you have any questions or comments for any of us, we can be reached at the following emails:

KAL - kal.md@earthlink.net
Neko - neko200@netzero.net
Miss Marcy - miss_marcy2000@yahoo.com

Special thanks to Meowmom and djgirl for being guest judges this week and offering great comments on the contestants.

Tune in next week to see what we have to say about those performances and who our guest judges of the week are.

See Ya Next Week,
KAL, Neko, and Miss Marcy
The RTVT American Idol Panel

Llkoolaid

Tuesday, May 20, 2003 - 10:13 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Loved your article but think Kal and Miss Marcy are crazy.

Djgirl5235

Tuesday, May 20, 2003 - 10:13 am EditMoveDeleteIP
LOL Kool!

Merrywidow

Tuesday, May 20, 2003 - 11:57 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I hate to be picky but it bothers me when I see "originally sung by ....". For instance, "Mack the Knife" was originally sung by Lotte Lenya in the 1928 Kurt Weill show, "The Three Penny Opera." Bobby Darin's version was not the only hit recording of this song. Louis Armstrong had one as well.
The Righteous Brothers recording of "Unchained Melody" was not the first hit recording of that song. Al Hibbler took it to #1 on the Billboard Charts (IIRC) back in the late 50's well before the Righteous Brothers recording. I don't know who "originally" recorded the song.

Djgirl5235

Tuesday, May 20, 2003 - 12:07 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Merry - I guess we should change it to:

Made popular by...

That should be okay shouldn't it???

Merrywidow

Tuesday, May 20, 2003 - 03:42 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Djgirl: That would be acceptable! LOL!

Wcv63

Tuesday, May 20, 2003 - 09:52 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Djgirl....you made a lot of sense. I have to agree with Llkool regarding about Kal and Miss Marcy though.

Snee

Tuesday, May 20, 2003 - 10:26 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
aw wcv, i nodded my whole way through their paragraphs!

btw, i've always liked the louis armstrong version of 'mack the knife'.

Djgirl5235

Wednesday, May 21, 2003 - 05:26 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I think it's funny that there were Ruben fans & Clay fans doing the article, and we all basically agreed to disagree! lol Snee!!!