Idol-Talk: Season 10 Hollywood Week - Round 3

American Idol 10: Hollywood Week - Round 3
Air Date: Thursday, February 17, 2011 [8-9pm]

Round 3: Individual Performances (with band or a capella)

Source: EW.com

 And now, the final round of Hollywood Week for season 10. After making it through the individual sudden death round, then the drama-filled group performances, the remaining 100 contestants are back to singing by themselves. But this time, they can choose to have the band accompany them (including background singers) or go it alone, a capella. And playing their own instruments is allowed as well, which I think is too early in the season to allow this. When Executive Producer and show-runner Nigel Lythgoe returned to the show this year, he said that last year the singers were hiding behind their instruments, and that he would change some things now that he's back. If he really believes that, then I don't think the singers should have this option until the live shows.

Best of the Night:

• Thia Megia - "What A Wonderful World" (my absolute favorite song of all time!)
• Robbie Rosen - "Gravity"
• Sophia Shorai - "Georgia" (there were many contestants who performed this song, but Sophia outdid them all)

Good and/or Solid Performances:

• Hailey Reinhart - "God Bless the Child"
• Ashton Jones - "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" (she's definitely good, but with this song, it's virtually impossible to match up to the Jennifers that made this memorable - Holliday and Hudson)
• Jacob Lusk - "God Bless the Child" (He's good, no doubt about that, but he wasn't as good as the judges made him out to be; there were some obvious off notes)
• Casey Abrams - "Georgia" (played upright bass; this performance definitely stood out, but I wonder if that still would have been the case had he not used an instrument? Just a thought...)
• Lauren Alaina - Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" (Really good, but I just wish she wouldn't have repeated her audition song.)

No:

• Clint Jun Gamboa - "Georgia" (It seemed like he was trying to imitate Adam Lambert; very over the top on the runs and falsettos

Lyric-Forgetters:

• Scotty McCreery & Tatynisa Wilson - They both completely forget the words and start making up their own words. This reminds me of a local radio station commercial where the people in the car are listening to a song, singing along and not saying the right lyrics.

Quit:

• Jacqueline Dunford - She falls ill and bows out of the competition. And again, one by one the exes and the couple are departing. I think I need to put on Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust." Chelsee Oaks (part of the exes), now the remaining member of the foursome, is distraught over this news. Speaking of whom...

Bad:

• Chelsee Oaks - Kelly Clarkson's "Because of You" (I say this all the time, but if you're going to perform a song by an Idol alum, especially one as great as KC, you better bring it. And Chelsee doesn't do the song justice.
• Ashley Sullivan - Michael Buble's "Everything" (She dedicates the song to her boyfriend, then proceeds to fumble and asks to start over. This causes her to continue messing up and ends up ruining the whole performance. How is she still in the running again?)

After everyone performs, the judges deliberate. Everyone is split up into four groups, each going to a different room. Room 1 is still in. Room 2 is out. Room 3 is out as well, which means that room 4 is still in the competition. Chelsee Oaks (the sole member of the exes and the couple) is eliminated, finally! But how did they keep Ashley Sullivan in? She basically had a nervous breakdown on stage, which should have been the end of it, but the judges must have felt sorry for her. There's no way she can make it any farther; she has never had a good performance ever. And even though Scotty M. and Tatynisa did not know the words to their songs, they're somehow still in it as well. I don't get it.

Next Wednesday will showcase a new round of the competition, where the remaining 60 contestants head to Las Vegas to perform songs (with only 24 hours to learn them) by The Beatles. See ya then...

Idol-Talk: Season 10 Hollywood Week - Round 2

American Idol 10: Hollywood Week - Round 2
Air Date: Wednesday, February 16, 2011 [8-10pm]

Round 2: Group Performances

Source: PremiumHollywood.com

Out of every round that occurs during Hollywood Week, the one that provides the most stress, entertainment, and drama is the Group Round. The rules: Each group must have at least three singers. And each group must have a mix of Day 1 and Day 2 contestants (Day 1 and Day 2 referring to when they performed during Round 1). After Round 1, many Day 1 contestants who had the second day off were already forming groups and practicing, thinking it would give them a head start. Little did they know the rules were a little different this year.

Right from the start, the drama that is Tiffany Rios erupted immediately when she tried to find a group to join, only to find no one wanted her. I mean, could anyone blame them (especially after what eventually happened with her performance)? At one point, Tiffany stole Jessica Yantz from a group she was already in. And she wasn't the only one: multiple groups were stealing other singers from each other, some abandoning their own groups, some having to audition to join a group. But back to Tiffany for a moment. She and Jessica could not for the life of them convince anybody else to join their group, so one of the producers allowed them to be a duo group. I don't think that producer should have allowed that; if they couldn't find a group, then they should be disqualified, because they weren't able to conform to the rules.

Another annoyance in this episode was the prevalence of the stage moms. For the singers who are underage, they have to have a parent accompany them on this journey. And with the age requirement lowered to fifteen, there seemed to be more of an abundance of parents, and as a result, stage moms. They were helping out their children. Not so much giving advice as telling them how to perform and what to do. (As an aside, do you remember season 7's behind-the-scenes stage dad, Jeff Archuleta, father of David Archuleta?)

The contestants were up pretty much all night rehearsing.

At one point, Ashley Sullivan has a sort of nervous breakdown and wants to quit. A producer talks to her and tells her to really think about this decision she wants to make. She talks to her boyfriend and eventually decides to stay. Darn! I was hoping we would have a quitter. (Maybe the high-drama was getting to me there).

Fifteen-year-old Jacee Badeaux is forced out of his group and attempts to find another group to join. Brett Loewenstern goes in search of another member because they need a Day 2 singer, and comes across Jacee, who joins their group.

I can understand now why they needed two hours for this episode. The change in the rules (needing a mix of Day 1 and Day 2 singers) caused so much drama that the show wouldn't have done it justice trying to fit both that and the singing into an hour. In fact, the actual performances didn't begin until 8:39pm.

At first, I tried to write down everybody's names and grade each group, but I found I wasn't able to enjoy the performances, so I'm just posting a select amount that I want to showcase (as I did with the auditions).

Best of the Night:
Jordan Dorsey, Robbie Rosen - Jackson 5's "I Want You Back": Robbie was the best of the group and one of my favorites of the night.

Terrible/Eliminated:
Tiffany Rios, Jessica Yantz - Beyonce's "Irreplaceable": It's a good think no one else joined their group, because they would have been toast. Jessica doomed herself by teaming with Tiffany. And Tiffany just wailed through the entire song, which hurt my ears.

One singer overslept; a producer and/or cameraman goes to his room and tells him his group is up. His group is searching all over trying to find him. In the meantime, Steven Tyler goes up on stage and plays the drums to entertain everyone until the group can get their act together.

Jovanny Barreto, Kevin Campos, Jorge Gabriele, Karen Rodriguez - "Just the Way You Are": Jovanny and Karen are still in; Karen is the best of the group.

Good:
Lauren Alaina's Group - "Some Kind of Wonderful": They bring Steven up on stage and sing to him as he sits on a chair in front of them; seeing his expressions as he's checking out the girls was hilarious.

It's a good thing Ashley Sullivan decided not to quit, because she made it to the next round. But she wasn't all that good, so I don't think she'll be around much longer.

James Durbin's Group - Queen's "Somebody to Love": James (the Adam Lambert-wannabe) is the main feature of the group. At the end, he does the signature Adam Lambert/Siobhan Magnus note, which lasts quite a long time and keeps getting higher and higher. I would be all for him doing that, except that it was terrible. He was good during his audition, but with each round, his voice is not getting any better; in fact, it's getting worse.

Best of the Night:
Stage Mom Group: Deandre Brackensick brought out a beautiful falsetto. When I say "Best of the Night," I don't mean the entire group; some were not as good as the judges made them out to be. Overall they were pretty much good, but Deandre stood out to me.

Hollie Cavanaugh's Group: Hollie was the only somewhat decent one of the group.

Best of the Night:
Da'Quela Payne, Matthew Nuss, Naima Adedapo, Jacob Lusk: I loved this group! Naima, to me, was the best, but this was such a solid group; each singer provided something great to the song.

We see a montage of Steven's one-liners.

Best of the Night:
Denise Jackson, Stevie Cain, Natalie Hanson, Brett Loewenstern, Jacee Badeaux - "Mercy": Brett was the best of the group, and continues to be one of my favorites this year. Jacee, unfortunately, was not that good this time; he got the sympathy card from the judges, who caved in and let him stay after all that he's been through with getting kicked out of a group and all that.

Best of the Night:
Monique De Los Santos, Clint Jun Gamboa: Even though Clint is the villain for kicking Jacee out of the group, he still was, along with Monique, one of the best singers.

Should Have Been Eliminated:
Chelsee Oaks, Jacqueline Dunford, Rob Bolin - "Forget You": Rob didn't know any of the words, so he sang about how he didn't know the words. Jacqueline used the explicit version of the lyrics. The judges eliminated Rob, but they should have dropped every one in the group. These girls will not last long. One by one, the exes and the couple are going.

Tonight, we're back to one hour (8-9pm) when the 100 remaining contestants will return to individual performances in the final Hollywood Week episode. See ya then...

Opinion: Dina Lohan - Don't Take It Personally

Image Credit: zimbio.com

Last November during an episode of Glee, guest star Gwyneth Paltrow, as the substitute Spanish teacher, asked the class in Spanish, "Lindsay Lohan is totally crazy, right?" She then proceeded to teach the class about counting in Spanish: "How many times has Lindsay Lohan been to rehab?" It was obviously meant as a joke (hey, I laughed).

After the episode aired, Lindsay's mother, Dina Lohan, attacked Glee for going after her daughter, threatening to take legal action. She told Gossip Cop, "'Our lawyers are sending a letter' to 'Glee' on the grounds that the show allegedly defamed the actress who, by all accounts, is working hard on her recovery." If you've paid attention to Lindsay's actions since November, you know that she obviously hasn't been working all that hard on any sort of a recovery. I never heard any more news on that legal action, which means she had no ground to stand on.

Last month, some of the cast members ran into Lindsay and apologized. Okay - everything then seemed to be in the past and all was good in the world again...whoops, I spoke too soon...

In the recent post-Super Bowl episode of Glee, guest star Katie Couric, when interviewing Sue Sylvester, ran off a list of the Losers of the Year. Among the names on said list were Dina Lohan, and sparky Lohan, their dog. Pop Eater's Rob Shuter has a source who says, "They are all a bunch of bullies. Dina is hurt and shocked and hasn't done anything to deserve this constant teasing from this show."

Okay Dina, have you looked at yourself or your family? The only reason people know your name is because you are Lindsay's mom and manager. You rode her coattails in order to claim a piece of that fame, even going so far as exploiting the rest of your family on a short-lived reality show for your own gain. You claim you want privacy for your family, but yet you do something that this to put the spotlight on all of them.

I realize that Lindsay is 22, legally an adult (I was born on the same day and year as her, incidentally), but not only as her manager, but as her mother as well, you need to get your priorities in order here.  Even rehab experts have said you should stop being her manager and "start acting like her mom."

Who cares if Glee is taking jabs at you or your daughter? Every celebrity in the world has had some sort of criticism thrown at them. You're not the celebrity in this ordeal. So you need to not take it personally, and focus on helping your daughter instead of answering to every critic.

I would suggest staying out of the limelight for a while. That way, you can be the mother that Lindsay needs right now. She has obviously gone through some things, and especially right now continues to spiral downward. If she isn't accepting help, that's one thing (I don't know if she is or isn't). But you can't expect us to take you seriously if you always go to the media to respond to the latest attack or find a way to keep yourself in the spotlight once more.

I can understand why you would be hurt by these jokes and jabs. It's your daughter, for crying out loud (and even you). The first reaction would be to respond to it all. But it's not healthy for you or Lindsay right now to continue doing things to grab attention. Lindsay needs help, and I hope you will do what you can to help her.

I have only seen Lindsay in a couple of movies (Parent Trap being my favorite). She is a talented actress. Unfortunately, though, she has let her personal life get in the way of her becoming the giant star that she could have been. We've seen young stars go down the wrong path before (Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, Britney Spears); even Miley Cyrus is going through one right now. If Lindsay is able to surround herself by people who can take a firm stand and not let her get away with whatever she wants, then maybe she can dust herself off and make a rise back to the top again. But until that happens, we will just continue to see the trouble in her life (the most recent one being the accusation that she stole a necklace from a store).

So Dina, do you understand why you and your daughter are always the butt of jokes? We haven't seen a positive change from either of you, that's why. I'm not here to tell you how to be a mother or how to run your life, but what I'm advising is to listen to what we're all saying so you can first try to understand why you are perceived the way you do. Then tune us all out and look at what you can do to change that perception. What you heard on Glee was just one of a million criticisms out there; don't take it personally.

America loves a comeback story, and I know we would love to see Lindsay have that. Help her have that comeback. Not as a manager, but as her mom. As a human being who cares about and wants to help someone in need.

Idol-Talk: Season 10 Hollywood Week Round 1

American Idol 10: Hollywood Week, Round 1
Air Date: Thursday, February 10, 2011 [8-9pm]

Round 1: Individual Performances

There are double the amount of contestants that have made it to Hollywood. Is it because new judges Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez had a hard time saying no, or because the age limit was lowered to fifteen? Who knows...

This first round, taking up two days, was strictly individual performances (same as always). There would be no feedback from the judges. And it's Sudden Death, meaning after everyone in each group performs, the judges would immediately make their choices on who to cut.

Best of the Night:

• Brett Loewenstern - "Let It Be"
• Holly Cavanah - If I recall right, it seems like she improved upon her initial audition.
• Robbie Rosen

Good/Average:

• Lauren Alaina - The song had both soft and louder notes, and she knows how to control her voice well.
• Jacee Badeaux - Rascal Flatts' "Bless the Broken Road"
• James Durbin - His Siobhan Magnus/Adam Lambert high note was a little off tonight. He wasn't as good as his audition.
• Chris Medina - After the judges asked how his fiancée was doing, I knew they weren't about to cut him, no matter how his voice was.

The Couple and the Exes:

• Exes Rob Bolin & Chelsee Oakes - Rob was extremely boring. Chelsee definitely sang better. The judges should have only let Chelsee through and not Rob, though I bet the producers wanted to keep them in to see if any major drama surfaces.
• Couple Nick Fink & Jacqueline Dunford - I'm glad they split them up, because they don't need to be hanging on to each other all the time. Remember, this is an individual competition.

Where was the Automatic Elimination?:

• Scotty McCreary (low voice)
• Jackie Wilson
• Jerome Bell - "Let's Get It On"
• I would have automatically eliminated all three of them for singing the same song from their auditions. They're playing it safe by relying on what got them there, but it doesn't show us what they can do with their voices.

Should Have Been Eliminated:

• Tiffany Rios - Before her song, she said, "I'm tired of seeing others try to do what I already know how to do." That should have been an automatic elimination as well. As far as the performance went, she was so over the top and trying way too hard. Even that should have been cause for elimination, but, alas, the judges (and probably producers) kept her in.

Misc. Note: At one point, Steven got up and gave a pep talk to everyone, because there were contestants who were letting their nerves get the best of them.

168 advanced to Round 2.

Next Wednesday will be Round 2 of Hollywood Week, where the remaining 168 contestants will partake in the dreaded group songs! Out of everything from H'Wood Week, this is the round that provides the most drama; I can't wait! See ya then...

Idol-Talk: Season 10 Auditions - San Francisco

American Idol 10: San Francisco Auditions
Air Date: Wednesday, February 9, 2011 [8-9pm]

Audition City: San Francisco, CA

Well, we're now at the final audition stop of season 10. Is it just me, or did these auditions fly by really fast. I mean, it's almost been a month now since the premiere. Usually, or at least to me, these initial episodes seem to drag on forever and ever.

Best of the Night:

• Julie Zorrilla - "Summertime"
• She's from Colombia. When it comes to "Summertime" and American Idol, this is Fantasia's signature song, so she was very gutsy to be singing this one. And even though no other rendition may be able to compare to Fantasia's, Julie still did provide one of the best auditions of the night.
• Clint Jun Gamboa - "Billionaire" (I'll admit, this is the first time I've heard this song outside of Glee)
• Stefano Langone - "I Heard It Through the Grapevine"
• He was in a bad accident (car accident? they didn't specify), and was told he wouldn't be able to walk or be the same again. And he's from Kent, WA (my home state)

Good:

• James Durbin - (Unknown song) & Aerosmith's "Dream On"
• His mom raised him and his siblings. His dad died of a drug overdose.
• He was diagnosed with Tourette syndrome and Asperger's.
• Right from the first note to the finish, I said, "It's Adam Lambert." Now, while no one can match the brilliance that is Glambert, James was still really good. Even before he sung, there was something about either his facial expressions or mannerisms that also reminded me of Adam.
• Being compared to Adam may be his downfall, though. Last year, everyone compared Siobhan Magnus to Adam, but unfortunately she spiraled downward every week.

Producers Should Have Focused on Them More:

• Brittany Mazur
• Matthew Nuss
• These two had some pretty decent vocals, but I guess the producers thought they weren't worth our time to focus on.

Won't Last Long:

• Emily Anne Reed (house burned down one week ago)
• I really don't know what to make of her voice. The only Idol alum I could compare her to is Megan Joy, but Megan is definitely better. And since she is very much so in that singer/songwriter mode, I almost want to reject her since we need to go away from that more-so this year.

Bad, But Creative:

• Drew Beaumier
• He wore a Transformers outfit that, when in car mode, he could actually wheel around. I automatically dismiss auditioners who wear costumes, so it's a good thing he was terrible. But I have to say that this may be the most creative costume Idol's ever seen.

Many times, Steven Tyler toughened up with his criticisms; I hope we get a little more of than in the future. And we got a typically hilarious Steven Tyler comment when a woman dressed up in a police uniform; he said, "Do you have handcuffs?"

The auditions are now over with. I wish they would have said how many people in total made it through. But anyway, tonight is the start of Hollywood Week (8-9pm), the round that always provides some entertaining drama amongst the contestants. It was during Hollywood Week, incidentally, that I first took notice of Adam Lambert (speaking of him). See ya then...

T.W.O. Show #28: Let the Games Almost Begin!

The T.W.O. Show podcast is back for episode #28 with the latest news, rumors, announcements and much more! Here's a rundown of what I discuss in the episode:

*Idol-Talk is back in the T.W.O. BLOG for season 10!
*T.W.O. Debuts The Hunger Games page
*T.W.O. BLOG: In Defense of Skins
*Regis Retiring: I choose my replacement for him.
*Even more award show nominations and winners
   -Golden Globe Winners
   -Oscar nominations
*Amazing Race: Returning teams announced
*Desperate Housewives: Ending in 2013?
*Glee: Superbowl, guest stars, and graduation
*American Idol: Top 13?, CD milestones & releases
*Grey's Anatomy
*Harry Potter: The latest Box Office numbers, DVD release info, Part 2 changes, more.
*Narnia: The latest Box Office numbers, DVD release info
*Twilight
*Hunger Games: Release Date
*Hobbit: Another setback
*My Recommendations...Or Not
   -Social Network, Catfish & more.

To download this latest episode, click HERE to visit TV Watch Online's MediaFire download page, where you can also find every episode to date.

Idol-Talk: Season 10 Auditions - Los Angeles

American Idol 10: Los Angeles Auditions
Air Date: Thursday, February 3, 2011 [8-9pm]

Audition City: Los Angeles, CA

If you read Idol-Talk yesterday, I mentioned that the Austin episode was sub-par at best with maybe only one contestant who stood out (Casey Abrams). I didn't think that it could get any worse than that. But, alas, here comes Los Angeles; wouldn't you think the epicenter of the entertainment industry would attract some top-notch talent? Well, think again, because we were treated to possibly the worst audition episode I have ever seen on American Idol. The title and subtitle should have been, "Los Angeles: A Series of Bad Auditions from Start to Finish." Even when they did show the talent receiving golden tickets, those contestants were average at best (many of whom should not have moved forward).

Last year, it was announced that American Idol would be teaming up with MySpace (aka the social network website no one uses) for online auditions. They combined those auditions into this episode.

We got some shots of Jennifer Lopez swearing (I believe mainly directed at Randy Jackson, who swore himself). I guess Steven Tyler has finally rubbed off on them...

Best of the Night (though that's not saying much):

• Karen Rodriguez

Good/Average:

• Mark & Aaron Gutierrez - "Lean On Me" (brothers)
• These brothers sounded pretty good together, but I cannot honestly form an opinion because a duet (with no main solos) doesn't tell me anything about their individual voices. Regardless of group numbers in Hollywood Week and group performances during results show, American Idol is ultimately an individual competition; there can only be one winner.

Bad Auditions:

• Tynisha Roches - Brought her own microphone
• After the first song and receiving not-so-good feedback, she proceeded to sing a second, and then a third, song. Eventually, Randy couldn't take it any more and walked out. Tynisha followed him (I wouldn't want to be Randy there). Security was called in to escort her out. Now see - I don't remember this wacky of a bad audition in a long while; what I mean by that is one in which security is called in, or there is awkward interaction between the singer and judges (a singer throwing water at Simon is one example from the past).
• Matt "Big Stats" Frankel - Freelance music producer
• If he really is a music producer (even if it is freelance), wouldn't that somehow disqualify him from competing? I understand that, besides the age requirement, the only main rule to audition is you cannot have a current record deal, but shouldn't being a music producer fit under that rule as well?
• Cooper Robinson - James Brown's "I Feel Good"
• This wacky guy is in his 50's (though he doesn't know his exact age). This obviously makes him ineligible, but that hasn't stopped Idol from showcasing someone like him before (at least General Larry "Pants on the Ground" Platt was entertaining).
• Observation: Is it just me, or does his costume remind anyone of a Halloween costume that Ellen DeGeneres wore one year on her talk show?

I didn't hear them say how many advanced to Hollywood. Maybe the producers are ashamed themselves of this audition stop that they don't want to reveal the amount?

Next Wednesday, Idol heads to San Francisco (8-9pm, FOX). Does it seem odd that there are two California audition stops this year (the L.A. stop was added in last minute)? Anyway... Both Adam Lambert and Katharine McPhee auditioned in San Fran; does that mean we'll see some top-notch talent? Who knows...we'll just have to tune in and find out. See ya then...

Idol-Talk: Season 10 Auditions - Austin

American Idol 10: Austin Auditions
Air Date: Wednesday, February 2, 2011 [8-9pm]

Audition City: Austin, TX

Leading up to this episode, we received teases from Ryan Seacrest that the opening would contain an apology from the producers. Being familiar with how producers have been opening the show this season, I expected whatever the apology to be would be some sort of a joke. Then we got confirmation that the forthcoming apology would be in regards to the comments that Steven Tyler said last week. Right then, I knew it wasn't serious, because I doubt they would apologize for the hilarious things he's been saying.

So, we get to the opening of the show and this is the captain on the screen: "American Idol would like to apologize for last week's outrageous behavior by Steven Tyler. ... Mr. Tyler has been warned and assures us it will never happen again."

The text was then proceeded by the normal type of opening we've come to expect from season 10, which is usually a bad audition. The singer's last name is Muck. Steven says, "You know what Muck rhymes with, don't you?" And Mr. Muck replies with, "Duck?" to which Steven says "Read my lips." We're quickly transitioned to the opening title sequence. (Watch the entire opening HERE).

Yes, the apology was meant to be a joke all along. But it wasn't all that funny. What Steven said was funny (nothing out of the ordinary from what we've come to expect from him), but the faux apology by the producers was the complete opposite. Executive Producer Nigel Lythgoe has gone on Twitter to say that we can't take a joke. Well, we can certainly take a joke, but it should be funny to begin with. And if it isn't, then you can't blame us for not having a sense of humor.

Wednesday's episode took the show to Austin, TX, where 7500 hopefuls initially auditioned.

Standout of the Night:

• Casey Abrams - Ray Charles' "I Don't Need No Doctor"
• In his pre-audition interview, he mentioned that people say he looks like Seth Rogan. I can definitely see the similarity.
• He brought a melodica to help him stay in tune. I hope he can sing just fine without it, because he won't be able to use it all the time.
• With the personality and energy that he brought to his performance, he reminded me of Taylor Hicks. Some may say that's a bad thing, but not necessarily. At first, I wasn't sure what to make of him, but after thinking about it for a while, there's no doubt he was the standout in Austin (I'm not sure what that says of Austin, considering nobody really stood out all that much).

Good:

• Cory Levoy - "I Can't Make You Love Me"
• Cory didn't meet his sister until they were 14 and 16, respectively (due to parental issues), and lived 15 minutes apart when they didn't know each other.
• Jacqueline Dunford (Duffy's "Mercy") & Nick Fink ("Sunday Morning")
• They are a couple and both auditioned. Jacqueline was pretty good, but while Nick was good as well, he sounded too much like the original.
• Note to Producers: The way you edited their relationship together was very over the top and gross.

Average:

• John Wayne Schulz - Brooks & Dunn's "Believe" (cowboy; mother was diagnosed with breast cancer)
• Courtney Penry - Sugarland's "Stay"
• She is in love with Ryan and cries when first meeting him. Before singing, she clucks like a chicken (not very well, I might add).
• This gal is very over dramatic and may make a better actress than a singer.

Shouldn't Have Received a Ticket to Hollywood:

• Hollie Cavanagh - "At Last" & Miley Cyrus' "The Climb"
• When the judges first criticized her singing, she began crying; the judges fell for it and Jennifer Lopez wanted her to sing another song. On the second attempt, she sounded worse (mainly from the crying), but was sent through anyways.
• Besides the unfunny apology, here was another area where the producers did something unnecessary. They threw to break after the first song and make it out to be something extremely dramatic. If they wanted to do something like that, then have it be on a contestant that deserves to go through.

At one point in the show, there was a montage of people auditioning in costumes and bad singers. In this package, the producers wanted to make the point that Randy Jackson is now the new Simon. But here's the thing. All those critiques by Randy were packaged and edited together. I won't believe these assertions until the live shows and we really get to see if he's more assertive or the tag-along bland judge that he's become as of late.

I mentioned this earlier, but I'll say it again here. The Austin episode was not that great. Even the better singers weren't stupendous, and overall, I was a little bored. I'm thinking that's why the producers added in the "apology" so people would tune in.

50 contestants received a golden ticket and made it through to Hollywood.

Tonight, we're heading to Los Angeles (8-9pm). See ya then...

Idol-Talk: Season 10 Auditions - Nashville

American Idol 10: Nashville Auditions
Air Date: Thursday, January 27, 2011 [8-9pm]

Audition City: Nashville, TN

The hour starts off with Darius Thomas giving a terrible audition; some sort of long drawn-out screech.

This audition stop in the country music capital of the world, Nashville, TN, was held at the historic Ryman Auditorium, former home of the Grand Ole Opry.

My Favorites/Best of the Night:

• Lauren Alaina - "Like We Never Loved At All" (15-years-old)
• Her cousin, Holly, had a brain tumor; she is in the room when Lauren sings.
• After receiving three yeses, the judges invite her family in. Lauren sings Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" with Steven joining in.

These auditioners won't last long in the competition:

• Jackie Wilson - Aretha Franklin song
• Chelsee Oaks & Rob Bolin
• This duo are exes. They first perform together, then individually. Neither one is particular that good. I'm not sure about Chelsee, but Rob won't be around much longer.

Not deserving of a Golden Ticket, but a judge caves yet again:

• Stormi Henley - "Father Can You Hear Me"
• She was Miss Teen Nashville or something like that. Her voice is not strong enough. After Steven Tyler votes yes, Jennifer Lopez does the right thing and votes no. It seemed at first that Randy Jackson didn't prefer her. But when he became the deciding vote, he caved in and sent her to Hollywood.

I didn't hear them say how many were sent to Hollywood; does anyone know?

About three or four times, Randy really stepped up his game and bluntly told the truth, Simon-style. Steven and Jennifer kind of got on his case about being him being too harsh.

Next Wednesday (I want to type Tuesday, because I'm still getting used to the show being on a Wed/Thu schedule now), American Idol makes a stop in Austin, TX (8-9pm). See ya then...

In Defense of Skins: An Open Letter to the Parents Television Council (& Other Critics)

To Tim Winter, President of the Parents Television Council (PTC), and other critics:

On January 25, 2007, a brand-new show called Skins from the minds of father/son duo Brian Elsley and Jamie Brittain, debuted on E4 in the U.K., receiving positive reviews and high ratings. Right from that first episode, and continuing to today, this series has depicted the lives of a group of teenagers and all the outlandish, crazy situations that arise from their lives. The term 'Sex, Drugs & Rock N' Roll' times ten at first may seem like the perfect term to attach to this show. But attaching that phrase here shows that one has not actually watched the series (or rather, more than a few clips, trailers or promos). We need to dig deeper here, because the sex, drugs and rock n' roll is only the surface layer. Just take a moment and peel back the layers to look at the heart of the show. Skins is a much deeper show than the PTC and other critics have tried to make it out to be. The heart of this show is the characters themselves, because having strong and fully-developed characters are key to the success of a fictional story. We see their ups and downs, the emotions, the inner-truths, lies, deceit, hurt. Fans of the show, including myself, have become attached to Skins because of this. It truly is raw and revealing.

Five years later, Skins is still going strong in the U.K. And the creators now have developed and adapted the show for American audiences on MTV, which debuted on January 17, 2011. Immediately after that first episode aired, the Parents Television Council blasted the show as the most dangerous television show ever. "The episode included all manner of foul language, illegal drug use, illegal activity as well as thoroughly pervasive sexual content. Moreover, future episodes promise much more of the same," PTC President Tim Winter wrote. "It is clear that [MTV's parent company] Viacom has knowingly produced material that may well be in violation of [several child pornography laws]" (TV Guide). MTV is basic cable, which viewers have more access to than such pay cable networks as HBO or Showtime; if Skins had aired on any of the latter stations, would the PTC still have filed their complaints, for channels like HBO can get away with lot more than on a spot like MTV? Regardless, I can't honestly say if MTV is violating child pornography laws (though even that claim is a little ridiculous), but I can address the general criticisms of the show.

I would now like to briefly address the advertisers who pulled their sponsorship from the show, Taco Bell, GM, Subway and H&R Block, among others. I find it laughable that you would choose to pull your ads only after the PTC went after it. The original U.K. Skins was already known as a raunchy show. You decide to attach yourself as advertisers of the program, when that fact was completely and obviously well-known, and somehow feel taken aback once the show actually airs. That is just plain ridiculous. Wrigley says that "it was never our intent to endorse content that could offend consumers" (HR). Really? You're saying that after partnering with a network that is known to air controversial, crude, and inappropriate material (see: Jersey Shore), as well as other ridiculous and disturbing shows (like Teen Mom and 16 and Pregnant). You have to look at the network; you should not be taken aback that MTV is airing a show like Skins. Plus, Skins is a FICTIONAL show, unlike Jersey Shore (a REALITY show) where brainless airheads get together to drink, fight, have sex, and go on TV just for money and fame; now that's inappropriate! And don't get me started on The Hills. There's a difference between reality (or "reality," for those who believe not everything is impromptu) and fiction. Speaking of Jersey Shore, I don't even see that show listed on the PTC website; what's up with that?

The Parents Television Council, right at the top of their website claims that they are "A non-partisan education organization advocating responsible entertainment." TV Watch Online is not a political website at all, so I won't dwell on the politics too long here, but the PTC is anything but non-partisan. It is a very conservative group who just don't get it. And Skins obviously isn't the only program this organization has gone after.

One such show they have criticized is one that T.W.O. covers on the main site: Glee. Glee has been criticized not only by the PTC but by other voices as well for sexually explicit scenes, showing two teenage girls making out, among other examples. You even compared Glee's GQ photo shoot to pedophilia. How outrageous of a claim. Since we're on the topic of singing: Adam Lambert. After his performance at the 2009 American Music Awards in which he kissed another male on stage, simulated oral sex, and walked dancers across the stage with chains. You called it "vulgar." If he had kissed a woman, I doubt you would have had a problem with it. Female performers, for the most part, have gotten away with being more sexually explicit on stage, but it's not okay when a male singer does it? Lambert's performance aired at almost 11pm; children should not even be up at that time anyways.

But back to Skins. I want to make something very clear. I would never condone the things happening on this show--the underage sex, drug use, etc-- if this was real life. I'm in my early 20's and in college, and I would never think to imitate what these fictional characters are doing. If we saw all of this happening on a reality show, I would be strictly against it, no matter if they were teens or adults.

And by the way, our American version of the show is a whole lot tamer and toned down than the original, British version. When Skins UK started airing on BBC America, where were you, PTC? Even in an edited form, the UK show has a lot more nudity, sex and explicit language than ours. Even if you did respond to BBC America airing the show, it most definitely was not to the outrageous level that you are dishing out with the tamer U.S. show.

Before I finish, I would like to briefly talk to MTV and the people behind Skins. Two episodes have aired so far. And in each, I have noticed some swear words were bleeped. If you knew words like those wouldn't be allowed on TV, why did you even put then in the script in the first place? Unless you're going to release an uncensored version of the DVD (if one should come out), I want to either see no censorship at all or leaving it out in the first place.

After the premiere aired and the PTC came after you, you (MTV) were backed up against a wall and didn't defend your own network or show. If you truly believe in this show, you need to step up and put yourself back on the offense instead of playing defense. You knew this show would create controversy, so back up your decisions with reasoning. I think the PTC should read show creator Brian Elsley's statement he made after the premiere aired.

In this war between the PTC and MTV, the Parents Television Council is winning right now. And you wanna know why? Because they are being louder, whereas MTV is whimpering. Look at politics, especially the political climate of the past year or so. The winning party was victorious because they were louder. Being louder means you will be heard in the media. And if you have the attention of the media, those who agree with you will come out in full force to support you. And when you are louder, have everyone's attention, and gain some support resulting from that, it puts you on the offense. Being on offense equals power. And the PTC has the power right now.

It's very unfortunate that it ended up the way it did, because the PTC, in theory, is a very irrelevant organization. Tim Winter (PTC President) - let parents and their families make their own decisions and don't butt into people's lives, telling us what we should think or do.

Sincerely,

Jeff D.
Webmaster, TV Watch Online

---

Related Links:
Creator Bryan Elsley's Statement
Actor Sofia Black D'Elia Responds to Controversy

Webmaster Note: TV Watch Online will continue its coverage of Skins and the controversy, posting article links in the TV/Movie/Entertainment News section on the home page.