Gwen Stefani goes on an Idol Smack Down!!

Ok, it doesn't sound like dear old Gwen did much more than listen to our Idols sing through their songs once. But did I love that she was honest about not liking what some of them did, and her critiques were spot on. I can't believe some of our Idols didn't listen to her advice- or did they ever hear it?? AND it sounded like she's actually been watching the show! But I do still love having the sweet has-beens like LuLu on the show. They just get so excited. Idol is just too cheesy to justify real stars like Gwen and J.Lo.

Anyway- tonight's performances. As usual, Melinda blew everyone out of the water. I do love seeing her every week. Has the girl ever hit a wrong note in her entire freaking life??? I can't believe she worked as a back up singer and no one saw the talent radiating off of that girl. I'm betting there are some producers kicking themselves now.

But I have to say, what I enjoyed most this week was seeing the hard work some of our Idols are putting into winning this thing. This effort was by far the most evident in Gina. I was blase about her early in the season, but she's seriously growing on me. She is clearly going above and beyond the advice the judges are giving her. She's toning up her body, working on her voice, and being savvy about her song choice. As brilliant as Melinda is, there is something fun about watching someone like Gina pour it on.

Same could be said, to some extent, for both Jordin and Phil. I adore Jordin, and still overall like her more than Gina, but her performance this week wasn't as great as last week. And I still can't stand Phil, but I gotta admit, he has improved and grown. His vocals tonight were great. But he still creeps me out. Bad. *Shudder*

But I'm with the judges- by far my frontrunner for the guys is Blake. I didn't love love love tonight, but I do love love love him. I'd buy an album of just what he's done so far on Idol. For reals.

Last week, Diva Husband challenged Swollen Diva to name her top four. I had a hard time with the decision last week. but this week, I'm pretty confident. At least with who I *think* should make it. Sooo....drum roll please...my top four: Melinda, Blake, Jordin, and Gina. That's who I'd like to see, but I have a fear Chris R. will knock out Gina.

Who else sang? Does it matter? Oh, yeah, Sanjaya. Simon is right, as usual. He's in his own universe. He's staying another week. I have accepted it. There's just no point in giving spoilers like Howard Stern and the trolls at Vote for the Worst the satisfaction of ranting about their tactics. I may be lame for loving Idol, but I think it has got to be even more lame to be a "Vote for the Worst" supporter. LOL

My guess for who's going home, putting aside Sanjaya: I think it *should* be Hayley. I thought her performance was literally painful. But I think that both Chris's are in trouble.

Ok, Swollen Diva has to go pack now. Heading to Baltimore for a conference in the AM. We're driving...and stopping every 30 minutes to pee! Wish us luck!!!


Technorati Tags: american idol, american-idol, Sanjaya Malakar, Gwen Stefani, Vote for the worst, Melinda Doolittle, Gina Glocksen, Blake

Phil Stacey is the Bomb Diggity!

Diva 1, after a short hiatus, is back tonight with thoughts abrim on Gwen Stefani night. Prepped with a panoply of notes, she is prepared to declare Phil Stacey tonight's stand out winner -- if only for the fact that he followed the cardinal Idol rule -- Never Sing the Guest Artist's Song. Ever. Phil's outfit was rocking and finally made him look more like a pop-star than a pin-up grandfather. He delivered a superb vocal, without any crazy eye syndrome, and picked a song that made you forget his ineptness at stomping around the stage and his macarena-like hip shaking of last week. Loved it, and loved him. To quote his wife's sign from last week, Divas Loved Our Sailor!

(Diva Note: Phil's excellence was not suppressed by the fact that my dvr chose Phil's soaring chorus to freeze up for an entire second -- the beauty of the time display -- and demonstrate fully the fallacy of taping both Dancing with the Stars and Idol at the same time. For future reference, all fellow DWS addicts should simply turn over at 5 to 10 to see who gets ousted unceremoniously.)

(Side side note: Diva 1 is seriously bummed that she won't see Paulina P -- aka Ms. Ric Ocasek -- work her magic on DWS. Diva 1 demands a recount, or at least that Ms. Mills' partner rip off the fake leg like Billy Ray scalped Karina.)

Tonight's runner-up prize goes to Gina Glocksen -- although I had to close my eyes to try to wipe the heinous outfit out of my short (and long) term memory, the vocal was the best female vocal of the night. My only advice? Fire that stylist, and the hair dresser who turned you into a one-eyed wonder. You are not the invisible daughter from The Incredibles.

As for the rest...

Lakisha: Great as always, but I wasn't really loving the outfit OR the arrangement of the song. I should know, as I dance around to that song frequently in my apartment courtesty of the Charlies' Angels Deux soundtrack.

Fro Patrol: This was the first time I really enjoyed him singing, b/c the song showed off the tone and range of his voice. But I desperately want to dress him in a DARK shirt and LIGHT jacket, and not the other way around as he apparently insists on each week. I also want to tell him (in my mother's best kitchen voice) to PUT THE MIKE STAND DOWN.

Singing Machine: First to break the afore-mentioned cardinal rule for the SECOND time, and the best thing I can say about the hairdo is it made him look 15 years older. Plus he forgot the words. But I bet he'll be back next week. He is this year's equivalent of the "She-Bangs" boy, but for the fact he made it past initial auditions.

Hayley: Did anyone else think she looked like Paula's twin sister tonight? Hair -- horrific. And just b/c it was an 80s song didn't mean she had to resurrect something her much older sister bought at Express in 1982. The Old Lady is back, and she's BORING.

Melinda: Excuse Diva 1 for being a bit snobby, but given the army of stylists, I don't think anyone should be wearing a top that is currently on exhibit in every Bebe store window on 3rd Avenue and in Las Vegas (seriously, the Divas were just there -- and its on every Bebe mannequin west of the Missouri river). Only real critique of another good performance? Lose the belt next time.

Blake: Does anyone BUT Diva 1 think he's really not as much as the judges think he is? The outfit was like a straight jacket (the pants were even peg-legged, an offense one Diva will recognize as wolf-acious) and he was boring as all get out. Plus I'm EXTREMELY TIRED of staring up his nostrils every week. Naturally, Paula loved it.

Jordin: Diva is reminded of that famous saying -- one giant step for Jordinkind (last week), two massive steps backward this week. It was like a school girl talent routine fresh out of Mean Girls -- outfit included. Also, I thought it was extremely pitchy. And most idol-escents get chastised for allowing the back-up singers to do the heavy lifting.

Chris: For Diva 1, this was the third best performance of the evening. Not nasally and, although it was a little tentative at the start, the second half was great. I think he has a better voice than Blake by 10 miles, and with his tone I want to hear him sing some Stevie Wonder. I do want to warn him though, Members Only called and they're looking for their jacket.

Final thoughts? Paula looked weirdly old tonight, I must throw out my silver eye shadow (if I had some) immediately. I hate Gwen Stefani for looking so great even without her over-the-top fabulous diva make-up of yore. And her white patent platforms were the bomb, dawg!

Diva 1


Technorati Tags: american idol, american-idol, Sanjaya Malakar, Gwen Stefani, phil stacey, Paula Abduhl, haley scarnato, chris sligh

Sanjaya's Sister in Hooters Tshirt

This is a special post for the 300 visitors we had yesterday searching for pictures of Sanjaya's sister in a hooters tshirt or just Sanjayas sisters hooters in general! As soon as we know anything about this we will post it.

Mystery of Crying Girl on American Idol Solved

For anyone who saw Tuesday nights American Idol and the mystery girl in the audience crying her eyes out the duration of the show and wondered, "who is she?" or "is there something wrong with her?" we have the answer.

The crying girl on idol - as she'll now be known for all time - is named Ashley, age 13 from Riverside California. She and her mother appeared with Meredith Vierra this morning to talk about her flood gates of tears.

Apparently she is the "Uber Idol Fan". Half of her bedroom is decorated with Spongebob and the other half with American Idol.

Ashley professes to vote but not JUST for Sanjaya. She also votes for Melinda, Gina and Jordin. Ashley's dream is to go the the American Idol finale. Geez, this Divas thinking she's pretty much got that one in the bag.

Meanwhile, Keith Olbermann and Maria Milito speculate on msnbc that this girl was a "plant". She apparently had tickets to "Smarter than a 5th grader" and somehow ended up crying at the idol rehearsals where she began sobbing immediately and gee, out of nowhere, ends up in the front row of American Idol taping next to Simon Cowell. Real or Memorex? you decide.

However she got there, we at 17 Divas would just like to thank Ashley personally for making the rest of our Idol lives a living hell. It's tweens like her that have kept this loser on and tweens like her who will in all likelihood make Sanjaya the next American Idol.

-D4


Technorati Tags: american idol, american-idol, crying idol girl

Starving for Sanjaya

ok, now i've seen it all. these folks are so upset that Sanjaya made it thru on American Idol that they are staging a starvefest until he is voted off.


Starving for Sanjaya


Geez people, don't be giving up your favorite food or all food on behalf of some toxic contestant...seriously, that's dark and twisty. and for crying out loud, Cadbury mini eggs just landed at your local drugstore and this dude could be crooning for weeks to come.

Why oh why Sanjaya?

well if you are as flabbergasted as Divas 1, 2, 3 and 4 as to why such a no talent could have pulled through to not only idols top 24, but idols top 12 and now idols top 11, we might have an answer.

speculation has been made that a website encouraging votes for the worst idol contestant combined Howard Stern's eliciting listeners of his talk show to vote for Sanjaya have led to this unfortunate outcome.

will these evil forces succeed another week? tune in tonite to find out.

here's another look at his latest and not-so-greatest performance, courtesy of youtube.com - and you havent lost your hearing - there isnt any sound.




Technorati Tags: american idol, american-idol

Melinda, Jordin and Blake My Idol Top 3

First, a shout out to Paula Abduhl, who might be having the most tastefully dressed Idol season to date.

And, let the twists and turns continue with Paula's comment to the nervous idol hopefuls to just picture Simon naked - to which Simon retorted - 'ah is that what you do all day?" keeping it real for the folks. thanks guys. Sadly, as i may have eluded to in prior seasons that Simon can sometimes be alluring.... but i digress.

Two hours of Idol and here's how it rounded out for me tonite:

Haley - she's kicking up the sex factor in short shorts and a silk halter tank minus the pasties. she had far less armpit shots than usual which I am thankful for.

Blake - owned it and rocked it.

Sanjaya - brought me back to being at a drunkin college fraternity party and he was the guy who had one too many trying to show off. His oversized clothing and extra-broad jackets swim more on him the worse he dances. Go Home, PLEASE. Go home!

Jordin - was awesome. gave me goosebumps. how come sometimes i look at her and i see America Ferrara but prettier.

Lakisha - agreed with the judges - bring back Lakisha. but i still love her.

Phil - bores me.

Chris Sligh - ditto.

Melinda - awesome! paula had it dead-on - she tells a story with her singing and there's a beginning, a middle and an end.

if i didnt mention you, i forgot about you.

My top props for the nite go to Melinda and Jordin!

oh, and who was that Ashley girl crying for the entire show? at first, i, like simon, thought she was crying because Sanjaya and his hair were scaring the crap out of her.

Til Tomorrow, Diva 4 out the door,
:)


Technorati Tags: american idol, american-idol, Simon Cowell, paula abduhl,Melinda Doolittle,Jordin Sparks,fox, Blake, Sanjaya Malakar

Kiki-cking It DRoss Style

Once again, Lakisha proves that she is (to quote a popular movie) pure "money." Girl's got a great voice and a beautiful personality that shines through. I don't know why, but I'm far more moved by her single mom sob story than I ever was by Fantasia. Perhaps because she is so humbled by her success.

And frankly, while Melinda was good as usual, I wasn't bowled over. If you're singing something from the Wiz, please make it something we all recognize! In fact, much like the judges, Diva 1 was not tremendously bowled over by anything.

Highlights, if you could call them that, are limited. First, there is Haley Scarnato, who -- for once -- left Whitney, Mariah, Faith Hill and her wedding singer style far far behind (even if the dress was still hideous, I don't understand how a 23 year old can instantly turn herself into 45 -- its almost worse than Pickler's Tammy Wynette transformation). And last there is Phil Stacey, who -- if you closed your eyes -- had by far the best vocal of the men. In what is rapidly turning into rhetorical question night, how can someone whose voice soars and who clearly has a passion for singing be (in the words of the immortal Hanny B) so DULLS-ville?

Without question, Sanjaya MUST GO. Diva 1 dare says, however, that Brandon, Fro-Man Chris Sligh and Stephanie (another victim of instant aging this evening) are flirting with danger and may, due to the whims of the voters, be ousted before the eviling Singing Machine (get it? Sanjaya Malakar, Singing Machine, Diva 1 is SO clever).

Finally, who knew Diana Ross could be so lucid?? Color Diva 1 pleasantly pleased.


Technorati Tags: american idol, american-idol, american idol top 12

The real Idol Showdown begins

The top 12. The big band. The big stage. The big audience. The real Idol Showdown begins!

... and I start this blog with the 17Divas mantra, "SANJAYA MUST GO!" - Abomindable singing and dancing - if you can even call it that! He is embarassing to watch, yet he clearly has lots of friends with cell phones.

Melinda Doolittle , singing my favorite song from "The Wiz" was my absolute favorite. I admit to crying alongside Paula during her incredible performance. Next best was Lakisha.

Simon remembered Haley's name and liked her performance despite her forgetting a lyric or twelve. Chris Richardson bopped all over the stage but for the first time didnt make me seasick. I think he's adorable. Most of the guys are a blur in this competition. Simon and Ryan exchanged in and out of the closet pleasantries assuring the rest of us that they clearly have a special thing for each other.

til next time,
Diva 4 outie.


Technorati Tags: american idol,american-idol ,lakisha, sanjaya malakar, melinda doolittle, 17 Divas, Idol Top 12, Simon Cowell, ryan seacrest

Sanjaya Dodges Bullets ... AGAIN! Sabrina and Sundance get Robbed!

With more lives than an alley cat and more luck than a Leprechaun in an irish pub, Sanjaya Malakar shockingly makes the American Idol Top 12 of Season 6 to the dropped jaws of Himself, Simon, Randy, Paula, Me, the other 3 Divas and anyone in the free world who is hearing-enabled. I screamed so loud I almost lost a tonsil.

I screamed nearly as loud when Ryan announced that the wedding singer made it into the covetted spots instead of Sabrina.

Sabrina and Sundance got robbed with a capital "R"!!!! And as much as I wanted the Tit-Flasher gone, I actually preferred her singing to Haley 'the wedding singer' Scarnato.

As for Jared Cotter - I predict a soap opera career in his future - is 'Passions' still on the air? he'll be getting a casting call soon.

and, i'm sorry but I cannot let this Sanjaya thing lie. He has zero charissma, zero stage presence, zero body (take off those x-L shirts and you'll find the body of a 12 yr old i'm thinking.) and zero talent! yet, H-E-L-L-O apparently america thinks he's top 12 material.

I missed Tuesday nite's men's show due to Divas Las Vegas and when they did the re-cap and I got a gander of Sanjaya's flat-ironed hair - HE truly DID turn into his Sister!!!! OMG! I can't bare to watch him any more, yet America thinks I need to.


- A disgusted D4 out



Technorati Tags: american idol,american-idol ,idol results show, sanjaya malakar, antonella barba, 17 Divas, Idol Top 12,Sundance, Sabrina Sloan

Countdown to So-Long on Idol

With 5 minutes to go until the idol results show, let us take a moment to meditate on Sanjaya and Antonella receiving their walking papers from Ryan Seacrest. If there is any Idol justice and if the spirits have aligned correctly then these to will be leaving us tonite taking along with them, the wedding singer - Haylie.

As for last nite's ladies show - melinda doolittle did alot! she worked W-O-M-A-N and then crawled back into her turtle shell - where Simon called her a tiger. Last year Simon labeled Picler a minx. This season Melinda is the tiger. It's like Simon' Cowell's British New Year.

Gina Glocksen is the Chris Daughtry of Season 6.

D4 off to watch results,

Does America Hate Nina Simone?

What the hell happened this week? I'm still reeling.

Does Antonella really think she deserves to up there with the likes of Melinda Dolittle?? Even as the other women wept at the injustice and even Paula was outraged, she still looked smug. At least Sanjaya had the good sense to appear shocked- although I thought his reaction was a bit aped.

Poor AJ, his vocals last night were even better than before. I was never a big fan, but when Paula pulls the "this is a singing contest" line, you know things are bad.

To round out the evening's surreal tone, we had Kelli Pickler. I was in shock last night, but I'm actually starting to feel sorry for her. There's no doubt she was channeling Dolly Parton, but where Dolly's look is charming and fun, Kelli just came off as sad and pathetic. Dolly always jokes that her look is what she imagined, as a poor child, rich ladies look like. It is a sweet joke that makes me love her all the more. But on Kelli, she just looked like a child prostitute made old before her time.

Last night was an Idol travesty. But I can't turn away!!

Swollen Diva rolls out!


Technorati Tags: american idol,american-idol ,dolly parton, kelli pickler, antonella barba, 17 Divas, Nina Simone

I DEMAND a Re-count!

sorry i'm so pissed i cant wait till end of show to post -

are you Fu--kin kidding me Sanjaya is still IN?
AJ Can Sing and he's going home.
Paula was shocked! I'm shocked! even Sanjaya was Shocked!
worst thing is - we have to sit thru another week of Sanjaya singing.

2nd - The Pickler - i LOVe the pickler but HOly mother of god who dressed her????
she looks like Blanche from the "Golden Girls". for those of you too young to know what that is - she looked like an 88 yr old. an 88 yr old with the biggest perkiest hooters i've ever seen. Apparently Kelli Pickler is now channeling Dolly Parton from the neck down!

and speaking of hooters....well, frickin figures that if Sanjaya didnt get voted off that the attitudinal Antonella would have attracted enough scandalous attention on myspace to have secured herself another idol week.

i have nothing more to say. i'm bummed. the right people DID NOT go home.

D4

american idol, american-idol, antonella barba, sanjaya, idol elimination, kelli pickler

Antonella Barba Uncovered

well, if you wondered what i was referencing in a previous post re the scandal surrounding american idol contestant, Antonella Barba, you can read about it here - Antonella Exposed

american idol

This is what Idol is about!!

Is there any need to talk about anyone other than Melinda? I love this girl. LaKisha was my fave last week, but Melinda just blew her out of the water last night. My jaw was on the ground for her performance, it was as if her body had been possessed with the spirit of some late, great, totally well-seasoned diva of a performer. I mean, we all knew she had it in her, but WOWZA! Then the lights went down and shy little Melinda came back, looking anxious and worried, praying for good responses from the judges. I'll admit, I teared up. Maybe it is the hormones.

The way Simon treats her should dispell any wrong-headed notions that he is mean just for the sake of being mean. When he gives someone the smackdown it is for the greater good of humanity, and/or because the talentless little monster deserves it. With Melinda, Simon is like a mama bird, ever so gently blowing on her wings, encouraging her to take flight. He does this for her and for all of us- knowing that he has a delicate and rare talent in his hands. Paula can say all the same things, but we've heard it all before out of her. From Simon, it means something. He is just so darn sweet with her, it makes me forget about his rare stumbles in judging and his constant fashion faux pas.

And speaking of talentless little monsters deserving of a smackdown- someone please smack a clue into Antonella's pretty and empty head! As my other Divas and the judges have so rightly pointed out previously, contestants choose Whitney and Celine at their peril! Poor Antonella, even when she started singing last night, I was still thinking, poor girl, she's really just a novice, she seems nice enough, she's just out of her depth. But, then, oh, no, she di'unt just roll her eyes at the judges??? I hated when Fantasia did it, but at least she had the pipes to back it up. But slutty little Barbarella?? Ah, hell, no! Then the Jenifer Hudson comment?? WTF?? After that behavior, I think she's just a self-absorbed little bitch. And Simon was spot on- he's not the one who was wrong about Hudson, it was the American people who voted her off early. If she's not gone tonight, I'm hunting down the owners of "Vote for the Worst" and forcing them to listen to her sing over and over and over...

I can't even talk about those photos floating around of her. Ugh. Even if the oral sex ones aren't her, the rest are plenty nasty.

My runner up after Melinda was Stephanie. LaKisha was rock solid, but I think the Celine rule applies- you have to be even better than (or at least original in some way) the original artist if you're going to take on an icon. Yes, Diva 1, I agree that Sabrina was awfully pitchy. I like that she's smart about the competition, but I don't like her. I also found Jordin incredibly pitchy and all over the place, but I guess I'm alone in that one. I have no idea what Leslie and Haley are even doing there.

Haley and Antonella need to go tonight, I'm less sure about the guys...

Swollen Diva Out!

Technorati Tags: american idol, american-idol, antonella barba, melinda doolittle