Dave's Reality Check I: Idol Chicks

So, its Thursday afternoon... I am now watching American Idol from Tuesday night, when the girls competed.

I'll type as I watch each contestant. When I'm done, I'll post this, then watch the guys, post it, then watch the Idols results show... and then post. Whats a blog site for?

And here we go...

• Mandisa, singing "Never", an 80s rock song from Heart. Channeling Nancy Wilson, not too bad. Little over the top, I think. Randy liked the performance, Paula loved her, Simon likes Mandisa

Man, I hate the number motions when they talk to Ryan. Ryan says "866-IDOLS-02" and whoever is there does the "O" and the "2" with their fingers.

• Kellie Pickler, "How Far" by Martina McBride. Nice pipes. Rough here and there. You can tell she's nervous as crap. Her twang is coming through the song, which is kinda funny. Another rough spot. Yikes. Randy said she did okay, Paula did the whole "you didn't do well, so I'll talk about how great YOU are", and Simon repeated Paula. But when she's talking to Ryan, telling a story of her gramps, how can you not like her?
• Becky O'Donohue (who? oh yeah, the model looking chick with the sick twin sister), "Because the Night", Patti Smith (though she might be going for the 10,000 Maniacs version...). She's trying to rock out, but she looks like she's going to eat the microphone. Good show, bad ending. Randy likes her. Paula says so-so. Simon says "better than he expected" but "you aren't good enough".

By the way, all the contestants are up on the balcony watching, clapping and grooving... you know they are all secretly wanting whoever is singing to totally fall on their face.

• Ayla Brown, the basketball girl, singing "Reflections" by Christina Aguilera. Tough song. Ayla is kinda pretty, in a Jennifer Herndon sort of way. Sings pretty decently. There's just nothing special about her. Randy and Paula like her. Simon did too.
• Paris Bennett, who went Billie Holliday on the auditions and dominated. She's singing "Midnight Train to Georgia" by Gladys Knight and the Pips. She's got a great voice, but there's something totally annoying about her. Maybe its that she's what, 9? Her hair is even like Gladys Knight. I have this Fantasia fear about her... she'll only get better, she'll make the final two against someone who shouldn't be there, win the whole thing, and I'll dislike her the entire spring, making my 14 weeks invested in this crap wasted time. And the judges absolutely love her, just like Fantasia. Well, shoot me now. And unlike Fantasia, she seems nice... I'm afraid I might actually like Paris before its over. Darn it!!
• Stevie Scott, "To Where You Are", an opera song. She sings in French, Italian, German, Latin and English. And she looks like a popsicle stick with eyes. And I call it right now... she's going home. I actually just went and did the laundry while she was singing--there is just nothing about this girl that interests me. Randy was bored. Simon was bored ("horrible child singing"). Paula said she liked it. Poor girl, smiling while Ryan's talking, though you can tell she's fighting back tears.
• Brenna Gethers, "Sunshine of My Life". Can I tell you how much I don't like this girl? With Paris, she's just kind of annoying. With Brenna, its attitude. I can't tell you how much I want this chick to puke on herself on national tv. She's not starting too great, either. Just fast-forwarded through it. Don't even want to see her. Randy says "eh". Paula says "okay". Simon says "horrible". Good for him. She's posing. I'm sticking bamboo shoots in my fingernails.

That commercial just came on, where the chick says "I'll call you later" and the guy waits for several days before she does. I love the song behind it... "good to hear your voice, you know its been so long". Who sings it? I dont know!

• Heather Cox, "When You Tell Me You Love Me" by Vonzell Solomon (last year's AI). She looks like someone, I just don't know who. I don't know how I feel about Heather Cox... I want to like her, I just don't have a reason yet. Her voice is eh. I like watching her sing, but thats not just because she's borderline cute. Randy was unimpressed. Paula was unimpressed. Simon says she was forgettable.
• Melissa McGhee, "When the Lights Go Down" by Faith Hill. Who is this chick? Like Heather Cox, I want to like her, there's just nothing about her (yet) that I do like about her. Voice is cracking. A few bad notes. I didn't like it. Randy says "you worked it out". Paula says "shining moment". Simon says "good, but not very memorable." She admits that this is the first time Idol has shown her at all--which means nothing good.
• Lisa Turtle, "I Am Changing" by Jenn Holliday. Actually she's Lisa Tucker, but if Saved By The Bells' Lisa had a love child with the chick that played Sarah on Head of the Class, she would be it. So Lisa Turtle is doing her thing... I REALLY like this chick. And she just kicked that song all over the place. Rock. On. Lisa. Turtle. She's so cute for 12 years old, with her 1988 Whitney Houston haircut. And the judges love her.
• Kinnik Sky, "Get Here" by Oleta Adams. I know nothing about this girl, but I do love this song, so lets see what she does with it.... she just sang it. Kinnik just won me over. A little overdone at the end, but very, very good. And thats a hard song to belt it on. And she LOOKS so amazing and classy. Randy says "so-so". Paula loved it. Simon says "cabaret". I liked it, darn it.
• And finally, My Girl Katie McPhee! Singing "Since I Fell For You", by (ugh) Barbra Streisand. Sing too many Babs songs, Katie, and you'll fall below Lisa Turtle on my radar. Oh, she's bringing it, ain't she? Go girl. Her voice is solid, but she's almost afraid to look sultry, which is what this song requires. Its like a subdued Steph Nipp singing Santa Baby a few years ago. My Girl McPhee did it, though. Randy really liked it. Paula says "You might go all the way". Simon says "You were the best tonight". I agree.

Going home? I'd say Heather, Becky, Kinnik or Stevie. Now... I'll watch the guys.