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ARTICLE
A Dose of Reality: American Idol 7: Top 4 Results
by Doug DeBolt Published: May 8, 2008
It never ceases to amaze me how personally people take this show.
I say that one contestant is vocally deficient, and I get a letter telling me I'm a racist. I say that another performer is a dimwit, and I get several e-mails from his fans telling me how mean I am. I say that another Idol has a heavily teen-influenced fanbase, and I get scores of e-mails from his older fans saying that's simply not true.
My response to all of this is, "This is a TV show!
Granted, this is the most popular show on television and it turns its contestants into instant stars. But honestly, why do we get so personally invested in the lives of people we've never met and will likely never meet? Why do Jason Castro's fans all seem to know his exact score on the SAT and how high his temperature was when he was sick? Why do David Archuleta's fans care so much about how certain they are that he'll be the biggest-selling Idol ever? And what am I to make of the lack of such letter from the fans of David Cook and Syesha? Are their fans simply not steeped in the details of their chosen Idols' lives, or do they perhaps have a fanbase which is, by nature, more mature and less inclined to such frivolity.
I'll give you this much -- most of us probably take this show more seriously than we should. But when I finish my columns, the Idols stay in my words. I don't live and breathe this stuff, especially since I have such concerns as a job and a family. Whether or not my favorite wins doesn't affect my life as much as whether my kid passes her statewide exams, or whether or not my wife gets her promotion. If Sanjaya had won last season, the world wouldn't have come to an end (though that certainly might have pushed the limits). Truthfully, I'm far more interested in whether or not my daughter's volleyball team wins its next game on Friday.
Am I interested in American Idol? Absolutely. Do I care about who wins? You betcha. Am I willing to dig into one of the Idols' life to find out the true origins of their religious beliefs? Or am I going to mount a campaign or a vendetta to undo the supposed archrival or biggest threat of my favorite performer? No way. TV is fun. Real life is inescapable and vital. The line between the two should be very clear.
Tonight, this show will draw one more line that will help determine who goes to the finale. As Ryan greets us, he announces that fans set a season high with almost 51 million votes for the Top 4, and that the Top 3 were within 1 million votes of one another.
Ryan asks Randy about how hard he was on Syesha, and Randy confides that Syesha told him last night that his comments didn't prompt her tears. She allegedly told him that Paula's niceties were the origin of her tears. After watching the judging of her second song, I'd have to agree with that. Syesha didn't start to sob until after Paula told her that she was living her dream.
Next, the Idols tackle their obligatory group number, a tepid take on Steely Dan's "Reelin' in the Years." That groups is one of my favorites, and this song is like their Holy Grail. Turning it into a Vegas-esque group tune is tantamount to sacrilege. I honestly could have done without this tripe.
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After the break, Ryan reminds us about the American Idol Tour, which begins July 1 in Glendale, Ariz. Tickets go on sale on May 17 -- buy them early, since thousands of Archu-fans will undoubtedly go online at the first available opportunity, as will scores of unscrupulous ticket scalpers.
Next is the recap of last night's performances, and it's mostly a treat, save for the reminder of Jason's Marley karaoke and his subsequent lyrics gaffe. Even Jason didn't have an excuse for that one, and I'll hand this much to him -- he's brutally honest about himself.
Ryan gets right to work on the results -- thank God we've gotten far enough into the show that we've lost the bedpan-stools of doom; now we're just dealing with the sofa of hope. First out is David Archuleta -- never fear, Archu-fans, one hard and fast rule of American Idol is that he who enters the results stage first is always granted safety. Ryan asks David how he's feeling and he replies that he's nervous. David sings well, but he's not so great with words. After recapping his performances (and trying to get a description of David's song-choice strategy -- unfortunately, David's dad isn't on stage to give a clear explanation of that), Ryan reveals that David is sofa-bound. Of course, this also means that he'll be homeward-bound for a day for a trip to his hometown of Murray, Utah.
Another commercial break passes, and then Ryan cues a video that shows how the Top 4 were treated to a solid day of the star treatment. This included a private jet flight (on a 737 no less!) to Las Vegas, and a walk through an adoring throng at the Mirage in Las Vegas. This trip was supposedly inspired by the original Fab Four's (the Beatles, for those too young to remember) first trip to the United States. Actually, this trip appears inspired by Cirque de Soleil's new "The Beatles Love" show. After all, nothing that Idol has done this season has been done without a clear marketing tie-in. After a "red carpet makeover," this season's Fab Four were treated to the Cirque de Soleil show, and we get a nice overview of the acts. It does look entertaining, but I have to wonder how much rehearsal time was lost to shoot this segment.
After the circus is over, it's back to the results, and David Cook is next on stage. Yes, I'm very worried about this season's reputed biggest vote-getter making it through to the next round. Ryan recaps the reactions to David's songs, and he asks Randy what David needs to do if he makes it to the next round. Randy tells David to "Stay original, dude, and rock it out, baby!" Way to stay original, Randy. Ryan asks David if he felt "off" last night, and David says that he had a strange vibe all day and that his head was in the wrong place when he went on stage. Ryan asks if it's back, and David replies, "We'll see." We will, indeed, get the chance to see, because David is making it through to the Top 3, and will be paying a trip to his hometown of Blue Springs, Missouri.
That leaves only Jason and Syesha -- big surprise. They come to centerstage, and Ryan teases them with the results, but then goes to another commercial break. When we return, it's time for this week's Ford Music Video, and this one's at least a little creative. Set to Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire," the Idols are this week dressed like matadors, and the bull they're teasing is a Ford Mustang. The coolest part is how they got the car to shoot steam of of its front grill.
Now it's time for "Calls for the Idols." This week features:
Emily from Pennsylvania for David Cook: "When you're on tour in Pittsburgh on July 29, which is my birthday, will you go on a date with me? (Yikes! What a question! Answer -- We'll see. And Ryan says that they'll get her number for David to call. I'm sure he appreciates that.)
Sarah from Bloomington, Ind., for the Top 4: "What's the biggest challenge you've had to overcome?" (Answer -- Syesha says stage fright; David Archuleta can't come up with the words on such short notice; Jason says, "Just the brain being dead." Uh, OK.)
Allison from Columbia, S.C., for Simon: "Why have you not been knighted by the Queen?" (Answer, with a laugh -- I think about that every day; your majesty, if you're watching, I'm available.)
Mara from Nazareth, Pa., for Syesha: "How does it feel to be the only girl on the show? Are you proud of your accomplishments?" (Answer -- She says she's very proud, and that the guys are very funny to be with.)
Teresa from Detroit for the Top 4: "Have any of the original artists of the songs you've covered given you any feedback?" (Answer -- David Cook says that he heard from Raine Maida, lead singer for Our Lady Peace, after he sang "Innocent" several weeks ago.)
Marla from Cleveland, for Simon: "Have you ever acted? I believe you could be the next James Bond" (Answer, again with a laugh -- to the producers of the Bond series, If you're watching I'm available.)
After the questions, Maroon 5 takes the Idol stage and performs "If I Never See Your Face Again," the first single of their next CD. Adam Levine is such a compelling front man -- the completed Top 3 should take notes about what it looks like for a lead singer to captivate a crowd. And David Archuleta should take notes about how to answer questions on stage. Yes, he's young, but he'll undoubtedly be bombarded by interview requests in a couple of weeks. It's not going to get any easier -- as Adam Levine advised the Idols, "Get ready to work, baby."
Another commercial passes, and a personal treat follows -- a performance of "Witness" by Season 4's runner-up, Bo Bice. Folks, this should have been his first CD instead of the pop-driven "The Real Thing." I own both, and I could use "The Real Thing" as a coaster. His new CD, "See the Light," is infinitely better because it's actually Bo, instead of the producers trying to make a "Bo in a Box." Again, Top 3, take notes -- this is how a real performer takes over a stage. My wife, who doesn't go weak at the knees for anyone, goes speechless any time Bo takes the stage. Oh, Bo -- how we've missed you! Bo's advice to the Idols -- practice, practice, practice.
The show takes one last break to pay the bills, and then we're back to the news about the last member of the Top 3. Ryan recaps Jason's songs first (and Jason confides that someone told him that he "shot the Tambourine Man yesterday" --very cute, but sadly, very accurate). Syesha's song recap follows, and then Ryan asks Jason about why last night was so hard. Jason admits that his inexperience may be playing a factor at this late stage. Ryan asks Syesha why she was so emotional last night, and Syesha says she is really living her dream. Then she adds that the theme of "change" means so much to her in 2008, when America might get its first female or black President. (Careful Syesha! Bringing politics into this show will only cost you votes!) Ryan then reveals what I predicted to you in my last column -- Syesha makes it into the Top 3 (and will be making a trip home to my former hometown -- Sarasota, Fla. Give a shout-out to my friends at Riverview High School while you're in the area, Syesha!)
Jason's bad night does, indeed, cost him a chance to move ahead. Idol loses one of the quirkiest contestants it's ever had. Just before he sings, Ryan says that Jason looks relieved, and Jason replies, "There's three songs next week -- I don't know what I would have done." As we close, Jason reprises Bob Marley's "I Shot the Sheriff" -- and he does look incredibly happy for a guy who just got voted off of America's most popular show. It looks like America not only made the right decision for the show -- the voters also made the right choice for Jason. I think he really was really for a trip back to Texas.
Next week, the Top 3 will get to choose one song for themselves, and will also sing a number chosen by the judges, as well as one chosen by legendary record mogul Clive Davis. It should be very interesting -- especially if the judges screw up and make bad choices for the Idols. Stay tuned -- and tell us what you think! Was Jason really ready to go? Which David is stronger on the show right now? What songs should the Idols sing next week? Please send us a message to let us know what you think.
