Blogcritics Author: Jewels Richardson

Music Review: Bo Bice - See the Light

Jewels Richardson — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 08:38:43 EDT

Bo Bice, the poet without a pen comes out with the real thing and Sees the Light.
The Real Thing is the real equation apparent in this sophomore album released by Bo Bice following his time in the American Idol spotlight. This is the real thing - in the world of Bice. He rolls and rocks and revels in the rock-a-billy stylings that this man is obviously most comfortable expressing himself in. This is the real thing when it comes...

Music Review: Magni Asgiersson - Magni

Jewels Richardson — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 01:35:00 EDT

Magni Asgierrson releases his new album via iTunes. A haunting body of work that will invade your senses.
I find this newly released compilation of material The Iceman, Magni Asgiersson, has offered on ITunes to be a lovely introspective piece. It feels and sounds like a body of work created by a man going through big changes in his life. There is a melancholy tone, an overall feeling full of longing and regret. A story that unfolds rather like a...

Announcement: Short-content feeds

Phillip Winn — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT

Sunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. Two other factors are involved: full-content feeds have resulted in an unprecedented level of content theft, with BC content appearing on many websites, usually spam sites, without attribution or permission. This duplicate content causes a cascading set of problems, not the least of which is that search engines generally aren't favorable to duplicate content, and don't always guess correctly. Finally, our RSS advertising partner is strongly in favor of short-content feeds. We hope that you'll continue to subscribe to BC via RSS, and when an article grabs your eye, it's only a click away, still free on the BC website. Thank you for your understanding.

The Sanjaya Express Runs Out of Track

Jewels Richardson — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 07:32:48 EDT

Sanjaya Malakar, my Little Engine That Could, ran out of track on American Idol's country theme week. Country music theme week can be a daunting week for many contestants, including Taylor Hicks, who suffered a close call during this theme week last year. It proved the undoing of Sanjaya. The straw that broke the Cowell's back was Sanjaya's song choice, "Let's Give Them Something to Talk About", referencing all the media buzz he's generated. Top that with his featuring his hair once again, sporting a wacky bandana-do. The fact he did not deliver as sound a performance as he could have did not help his cause either.Following Sanjaya's Tuesday night's performance, Cowell let it be known he was through with the boy. In order for Sanjaya to have remained on the show, he needed to give the type of performance he delivered the previous week with "Besame Mucho". He had made a positive impression on Simon Cowell as well as many others -- this was not a week to flaunt a goof or toss up the hype he'd been receiving from the media. Cowell did not appear to appreciate the joke Sanjaya made with Ryan Seacrest during Tuesday night's pre-performance interview in which Sanjaya said he'd like to hear Simon sing, "Shiny Happy People". I imagine Cowell may have interpreted the entire performance as an insult to the show, and therefore an insult to him. Sanjaya's death knell was ringing during the American Idol "interview the public" segment seen in the beginning of Wednesday night's show. This segment featured interviews, "randomly" selected, of Seacrest talking to folks about the show and the contestants. The clips struck me as highly manipulative. I found that entire segment hard to swallow, it reeked of false production and slanted portrayal of show-scripted public opinion. I drew my analysis by contrasting that seemingly scripted segment with the previous week's many endorsements of Sanjaya that came sprouting forth from various celebrities and viewers, carrying growing positive feedback. That said, hardly anyone, whether it was good or bad, talked about American Idol without mentioning Sanjaya and yet this segment relatively ignored him, placing the focus on the other contestants. Of course, next week is the special Idol event, "Idol Gives Back" and I'm venturing a guess the producers figure the guest stars will be sufficient to keep any ratings drop off from occurring. Following next week's special, the show enters top five and heads for the home stretch and the finale. I think the show capitalized on the bad choice this week made by Malakar and took their opportunity to evict him from the show, feeling that he was not needed any further as a ratings draw. I'm thinking with all the buzz he's received and then a recent surge of positive feedback, the show's man behind the curtain decided it was time to pull the plug, lest there be another outcome similar to last season when Taylor Hicks won. When it came time to announce Sanjaya's departure from the show last night, the studio audience broke out in cheers and stood clapping when it was announced that LaKisha was safe. I attribute this to two factors: it was a celebration for LaKisha's remaining on the show, as well as a tribute to the Sanjaya's achievement in staying on the show so long against big odds. I would hate to think that a studio full of adults would cheer for a seventeen-year-old kid being kicked off the show. I salute LaKisha in her standing with the boy while the audience clapped and cheered. She really impressed me with her lack of selfishness at that moment.Ironically, for all the claims of Sanjaya bringing about the ruin of American Idol, this season with all the scandals, such as Paula's questionable interviews prior to the season's beginning, and the shortness of talent this year, he had actually greatly helped contribute to saving this season. I know I'd have tuned out long ago if it wasn't for this boy. One person, on the Vote for The Worst website, wrote, "The synergistic pair of Sanjaya/VFTW was the best thing that could have happened to AI6. This season has been visual Ambien from day one. I suspect this was why Antonella and Sanjaya were even let through. But as much fun as our Princess 'toiletta was, Sanjaya was our "Willy Wonka" Golden Ticket to the Chocolate factory of WATCHABLE IDOL."I agree with the assessment and possibly without the debate between the show and the Vote for the Worst website, this season would have been even more sorely lacking in entertainment. I have to hand it to Sanjaya as well for catching onto the concept and the spirit. He demonstrated it in his clothing choices, hairstyles, and his performances. He's provided more fun, and more interest this season, for me, than any of the other contestants combined. Sanjaya has been pivotal this season in drawing in a more diverse news coverage for American Idol. Howard Stern and his cohorts jumped aboard the VFTW bandwagon to help "Save Sanjaya", NPR gave the show ample coverage in reports, all featuring Sanjaya, Bill O'Reilly devoted time on The O'Reilly Factor to talk Sanjaya news. Vote for the Worst website founder, Dave Della Terza, due to the buzz behind the Sanjaya phenomenon, appeared on the Stern radio broadcast and Dave Letterman had him on this week to discuss how it felt to be, in Letterman's semi-joking assessment, "maybe one of the most powerful men in the world."I have taken a great deal of verbal shrapnel in my support of Sanjaya, I've been called all sorts of derogatory names, told I'm deaf, crazy, the list goes on and none of it has bothered me. It has not deterred me or made me question myself. I found something special within this kid. Sanjaya has provided me with hours of enjoyment and uplifting emotions as I have watched him reach for his star. I have never claimed I thought Sanjaya the best singer on this show, but what Sanjaya possesses the others lack, the X-Factor. That brilliant, elusive, shiny, make-your-heart-sing factor. He's one in a group comprised of possibly three of the contestants to show much heart and any soul. Sanjaya wore a shirt Wednesday night that read "Life is Beautiful". I thought it somehow appropriate he was wearing that on the night the show sent him home. "Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit," says Napoleon Hill, author of Think and Grow Rich. Sanjaya Malakar has been a shining light on American Idol this season. To sum it up, the show would have floundering without him.

Jewels Richardson is a freelance writer who follows political events and causes, as well as environmental and weather issues. She is not afraid to admit she enjoys television, especially reality TV. Currently working on two books that she hopes to complete in the near future.

Sanjaya Malakar, Star Power or Super Fizzle?

Jewels Richardson — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 18:57:00 EDT

American Idol, is getting hit with more debate than ever before regarding whether this show is truly a singing competition or as Peter Noone, mentor and guest this past week, pointed out, a voting competition. This year the main focus of and reason for this debate falls on the slender shoulders of young Sanjaya Malakar. Love him or hate him, there are not many Idol fans who are falling into a middle ground concerning this kid. A writer who goes by the handle, 'TheScribe' wrote about Sanjaya and why he thinks Malakar remains in the Idol competition in an article posted on TV Grapevine, Reality News. "That brings me to the next factor, he has the "YO Factor" whether we like it or not, he has naturally what so few of the other contestants have, a natural stage presence. If you knew nothing of Sanjaya and were seeing him on stage for the very first time, you would be thinking to yourself that you were going to be seeing a wonderful performance.Sanjaya also brings to American Idol a serious amount of potential. He is like a bomb that is ready to explode, however we are not sure if it is a dud or a big bang. Wouldn't it totally shock us if he came further and further out of his shell week after week, and ended up in the final 4 making it a shoot out between Jordin Sparks, Melinda Dolittle and himself? Only time will tell.That sums it up relatively simply, and something I'm seeing in Sanjaya Malakar - star power. That shimmering, sparkling quality, elusive and rare. Sure, he may not be the best singer in the competition technically speaking, but he has that 'something' that grabs your attention and holds it.Sanjaya showed this week, regardless of all the sneers and jeers that all of the 'experts' on music in "The Land of Idol" have thrown his way, he has that special 'something.' He emerged victorious this week by how he flaunted on stage, to the judges and viewers that he is in this competition and not leaving quietly. Sanjaya displayed that very essence that will make him a star, set him apart from the other teenage guys that have come before him on this show. Carrying on with my Wizard of Oz analogy, that I have used to refer to this show, Sanjaya embodied the Cowardly Lion character. He went from the past several weeks of standing there tentatively worrying his tail on the Idol stage to chucking it aside and letting go - you see, Sanjaya Malakar found his courage. TheScribe ends his story with, "Okay Sanjaya, it is time to put it on the line, we want to see if you fizzle and fade away, or explode into a full blown reality and become the star your potential says you have." I'm hoping for that explosion.

American Idol's Top Ten, Malakar Makes It

Jewels Richardson — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 08:57:50 EDT

Sanjaya Malakar's crazy, yet cool for its wild abandon, performance this week on Idol, certainly was a buzz-worthy endeavor on the young contestant's part. I admit this because I can be truly pathetic, but I was cheering like Sanjaya had won the Superbowl of Idol, when he broke free of his formerly shy demeanor (sans the hula). Man, I jumped and shouted. I brought back the Macarena - all over my den. Small moments of wild inspiration, that's what I live for, and this kid delivered Tuesday night. Aiding him this week, that sweet little gal in the audience, she looked about the same age as my daughter and her little Fanjaya buddies. While my girls did not cry, certainly they were screaming... and joining me in doing the Macarena. Ever the Idol trademark, absolutely great work in the show's editing direction, shots of that child made for good TV. Brilliant, that savvy man behind the scenes who kept cutting to that child's teary face, surely he's not getting paid enough. It completely fit into the British Invasion theme. I remember when the Beatles came to America, television news on every one of our three available stations were filled with black and white images of screaming, semi-fainting, crying girls. Words from Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm". Sanjaya that was great. Besides that sweet girl in the audience Tuesday night, the increasingly famous infamous site, Vote For the Worst ran by the canny satirist Dave Della Terza, has now been joined by new best friend, Sirius radio's Howard Stern and are being attributed to keeping the boy in the Idol running. They look to be teaming up as the new Batman and Robin duo to save Sanjaya. (They can fight it out who is who.) During Tuesday's show Howard interviewed Dave, pledging his support for Malakar. Howard talked about his voting for Sanjaya on his show on Wednesday, many of his listeners responded by calling on air relaying their support of the previous night. First foreign call centers, now VFTW and Howard Stern.I mean, really isn't it a completely American Ideal, the concept of championing the Underdog? As it says in the Underdog theme song: When in this world the headlines read Of those whose hearts are filled with greed And rob and steal from those in need. To right this wrong with blinding speed goes Underdog! Underdog! Underdog! Underdog! Speed of lightning, power of thunder, All the world cries out for Under Underdog, Underdog! Reading through some of the posts to several on-line articles about Sanjaya, he continues to create controversy, some driving the Hate Sanjaya Foundation into a fonting, spaztic frenzy. Man, there are some angry, prejudiced folks wandering this planet, and so many so-called experts about music I can't understand why there seems to be somewhat a dearth of talent in the music industry. So many "experts", so much opinion and all of them think they matter. With American Idol, it's a matter of Myth and Fact. Myth, American Idol is all about music, and Fact, this show is about making money, by hook or crook. It sadly amuses me to a degree the way this kid is getting the blame for every one of the cast-offs and the reason for this - skillful directing of the show, with pitting him weekly, with the exception of this week, against the one being voted off.In this article, A Love Song to Sanjaya written by Verne Gay with Newsday.com, he says, "What is it about "American Idol" that brings out the bloodsucking worst in some of us? That instinct to pummel the downtrodden, the weakest, the appointed loser? It's the "Idol" blood-in-the-water syndrome. Some of us smell blood. Some of us turn into sharks. (Some of us - heaven forbid - even turn into Simon.)" Truer words never spoken when it comes to the mean spirited self-important rantings against Sanjaya turning up in on-line articles, radio, and television news casts. Mr. Gay proceeds to declare,"I'm going to vote for Sanjaya tonight and not because votefortheworst.com told me to. Even if - or when - he butchers his song, I'm going to vote for him because he's got heart - and courage and moxie and class. Whether we're willing to admit it or not, he's got talent, too. I'm going to vote for him because when I was 17, I barely even made it to class, much less subject myself to the abuse of an abuse-happy Idol Nation." (I certainly can relate to his last comment.) This he wrote before Tuesday night's performance. I'm thinking many folks are jumping on this train of thought concerning young Malakar; I for one am disgusted by the masses making true asses of themselves in their pointless overly bitter assessments of Sanjaya and his place on this reality TV show. One thing, Malakar's mother should be very proud of him and I think Sanjaya Malakar is an Idol in the sense that he is proving to be an excellent role model for the kids who are fans of this show by what he's exhibiting week after week.Examining my other thoughts on the rest of the Idol pack, I was somewhat surprised to see Chris Richardson hit the bottom two this week. If he is falling off in popularity, perhaps his Timberlake schtick is getting stale. Regarding the eliminated Stephanie Edwards, although the girl has a good voice, she failed to garner a fan base of any power which is fatal with this show. It's a competition, after all. Melinda Doolittle and LaKisha are considered the front runners this season, but I'm having difficulty picturing one of them as winning this show, more likely they may be "shockers" to be voted off. Judges were giving LaKisha the "eye-rolling" treatment this week, she received a subtle brush off during their critique of her song, "Diamonds Are Forever". Doolittle, overall, a stunning vocalist, but her overly graciousness act is growing stale for me. I mean, by now she's aware of how good she sounds and how much the panel like her. That 'Christmas-morning-and-Santa-has-come' expression is growing stale. My favorite of this season, (besides my boy Malakar), is Jordin Sparks. This girl has all the earmarks of being highly appealing for the commercial market. Her performance this week, once the show was over had me forget what Doolittle performed with the only thing that memorable about LaKisha was the green dress and diamonds. Jordin Sparks blessed with a kilowatt smile, amazing vocals, an endearing gawkiness paired with a bright sense of humor. It is funny how she crouches down to be eye level with wee Seacrest. It seems to annoy him a little so that makes me like her even more. Her performance this week of the Shirley Bassey tune, "I (Who Have Nothing) was brilliant. My assessment of the rest, for what it's worth: Phil Stacey tried to be Daughtry/Bo Bice in one performance. Sadly, he lacks their sex appeal. Blake infused his number with beat boxing to make it more contemporary, he knows what his fans and the judges like about him. It helped him too that the stage was lit in psychedelic colors giving him a retro vibe, but while his vocals are actually pretty good, he holds limited appeal for me. I find him self-indulgent and somewhat repetitive, but the guy has a thick fan base. Chris Sligh had the good sense to put his glasses back on, but flubbed cruising through the audience. I was thinking, "People, Sligh, those were people". He cruised past audience members like they were cardboard cut-outs, mere background to his music video. Gina Glocksen with her performance "Painted Black" reminded me somewhat of a Joan Jett. At least she did not wear a Mohawk hoodie like Ryan Star did on Rock Star. I never figured out what the hell that was about. Next to go home is difficult to gauge with this group, it's pretty much week to week and performance to performance, but my guess, at this point, it could play out like this:Jordin Sparks - to win Blake Lewis Melinda Doolittle LaKisha Jones Chris Sligh Chris Richardson Sanjaya Gina Glocksen Phil Stacey Haley Scarnato

American Idol's Little Engine That Could

Jewels Richardson — Sun, 18 Mar 2007 11:51:20 EDT

Sanjaya Malakar is facing, most likely, one of his biggest performance challenges on American Idol 6. This next week's show determines who gets to join the Idol tour or simply go home. I've dubbed Sanjaya "The Little Engine That Could" after that famous children's story about the small train, who against all odds, rose to the occasion by pulling on inner strength and self-belief. He is one of the most talked about controversial contestants this year, attributed with attracting some strong alliances in Vote For The Worst and Sirius satellite's Shock Jock, Howard Stern. Stern's been drawn into this fray because he hates American Idol, plus discounting how derogatory or colorfully he may phrase it on his show, Stern has a propensity to take up a fight for the Underdog. After all, Stern knows fully well, and first-hand, what it is like to be that Underdog. Through sheer grit, wit, and an uncanny insight into what may lurk in the back of folk's minds, Stern has fought his way to success. The talk and controversy surrounding Sanjaya Malakar this season is reminding me of the brouhaha that swirled around Taylor Hicks last year. Obviously there are vast differences between Taylor Hicks and Sanjaya Malakar. To point out only a few, singing style, age, appearance, and experience levels. Both share the situation of having to overcome big odds stacked against them, Hicks last season, Malakar this year. Hicks stared down adversity and won, and of course Sanjaya is just in the beginning stages. At this time last year Hicks was beginning to amass a loyal following. His fans on the Idol forums faced harsh criticisms with attacks on his appearance and much debated perceived lack of true "Idol form". His singing was criticized, his dancing slammed, and he was made fun of for his hair color. Sanjaya has been developing a growing fan base as well, and his fans are facing similar attacks on their favorite. It's a real jungle out there in the world of Idol fans.The quality upheld by Mr. Hicks that bolstered him through - confidence in himself. He faced those judges week after week, many times hearing scathing criticisms, especially from Simon Cowell. He was called everything from a drunken Dad at a wedding to a bar room act and ridiculous. Simon consistently pontificated on Taylor's low chances at winning the show. Week after week the Soul Patrol rallied, gaining force with numbers and enthusiasm to pull Hicks to the top of the Idol ranks. Throughout every insult and bad critique, Hicks amazingly held his tongue - and smiled. Each time he responded in that way following those bad reviews, Hicks gained fans, votes, and fame. Taylor Hicks has always reminded me of those boxers in the ring, whom no matter how hard they are hit refuse to take the knock out. The man always kept coming up swinging. Last season, I couldn't help but hear that Rocky Balboa theme in my head watching that man. He was, and is, an inspiration. Taylor Hicks played the Idol game very well. Simon Cowell is stepping up the ante this season , demonstrating his displeasure regarding Malakar, saying in a press release that should Sanjaya win he would leave the show. Doubt that's going to happen, but dramatic just the same. Besides the controversy and alliances issue, another reason Sanjaya Malakar reminds me of last season's Taylor Hicks is in the manner he is facing the rejection and criticisms. Through every harsh review the boy stands there and bravely smiles at the panel. Last week, Randy called his song, "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" unlistenable. Checking out the downloads portion of the American Idol site, Malakar sounds better than many of his rivals. When Mr. Cowell chided him for making Diana Ross "wail", the song so badly done in Cowell's estimation, the boy quietly stood his ground - with a smile. He showed some spunk and fire, factors underlying his quiet determination.One positive review regarding this budding, young man on the site of MasterClass Lady blog Roseanne Simunovic writes about his February 27 performance, "Stepping Out With My Baby", "Sanjaya –call me crazy, but I actually enjoyed this song. It was refreshing and, even better, totally unexpected. The band arrangement was super and your retro look and genuine, gentle demeanor was just the ticket for this laid back, jazz -infused number. I thought that your performance was wonderful and your voice wrapped easily around the melodic line." Last week was Diana Ross week on Idol, the visiting diva had praise for the boy saying he was about "Love", which lit up the guy's fanboards. She also had to say to Sanjaya, "there is something in your spirit that is the winning ingredient". I believe that something is his sincerity, his openness, his youth, obvious boyish charm that radiates with his every smile. Certainly he is not the most polished performer, nor possessed of the most stunning vocals, but he showed with grace and humility that under pressure, even the great pressure that is Simon Cowell, he has drive to carry on. One of the biggest draws to this show is watching the contestants strive to make their dreams come true. While cynically, in the back of my mind, I have reservations regarding this show and its seeming metamorphosis into not much more than a money making empire and cunningly produced reality show, there is a part of me that holds dear my childhood memories of wanting to believe in Peter Pan and fairy tales. Witnessing Sanjaya Malakar and his struggle buoys that part of me, takes me above my cynicism and sarcasm for a time. I'm hoping that within Sanjaya Malakar's mind, resonates the message behind my favorite children's story, "I think I can, I think I can." Anything can be possible if you believe.

Taylor Hicks and Surviving in the American Idol Hamster Wheel

Jewels Richardson — Sun, 4 Mar 2007 08:40:51 EST

Unique to Season Five, we saw five contestants score record deals. A brilliant move for the show's marketing team, and a godsend for the new recording artists, a win-win for all concerned, you might think. Flipping the other side of this shiny coin, while as a viewer you may revel in the success stories of these fortunate few, it dampens the effect and glamour of winning this show. Compile this factor with the focus on Simon Cowell and his obvious delight in fostering the feel of continued competition, aspiring contestants should think long and hard about the personal costs. Now six years into the show, it feels like American Idol is much more Survivor or Big Brother than Star Search. Of course the music industry is rife with competition, top of the charts is where it's at - the common conceptual image of prestige and success. That said, the pressure and emphasis levied on the American Idol success stories seem amplified, magnified, and a more oppressive force than found for artists who find their way to stardom outside the show.The contestants on American Idol are locked into a perpetuating cycle revolving around comparisons against one another. Is American Idol on its way to shooting itself in the foot by the very concept it is founded upon - competition? It looks, as the seasons pass, that the contestants are contracted into an infinite circling competition, thrust into a rivalrous miasma trapping them inside that pulsing blue virtual hamster wheel of contention against their fellow contestants. Profiteers to this situation include the producers, 19E and of course, Simon Cowell. In this recent article from People Magazine titled, "Simon Trashes Jennifer Hudson and Taylor Hicks", Simon says, "As for Taylor Hicks, who won season 5's competition, they (Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson) loved him. I couldn't stand him. I didn't get it," Cowell snapped, adding that "at the end of the day you have to find a bona fide recording artist. Just because you win the show doesn't mean you will sell a lot of records. Chris (Daughtry) is the one who sold the albums, not Taylor." This man digs his barbs into the meat of the most profitable area of Idol. Controversy. By Mr. Cowell's very contentious nature he creates buzz for the show and that creates viewers. He is an intelligent, savvy man who innately knows how to butter his bread. Commentary about Taylor Hicks, whether positive or negative, gains immense attention which is Mr. Cowell's main role on the show.Hudson, who may have only finished 6th in 2002 on the show recently has won an Oscar for her acting debut in the movie Dreamgirls. Cowell's commentary in this recent article, attributes Idol for her success. While the show may have served to assist her in gaining attention, credit should be placed on her shoulders for the advancements she has made for herself.This People Magazine article emphasizes a continuing prime news making example, Mr. Cowell continues to link Chris Daughtry and Taylor Hicks, and in this piece, in the same sentence. Apt commentary regarding Chris Daughtry's sales and success, would be more in-line to compare his CD, Daughtry and how it is selling against Nickelback's All the Right Reasons. (Daughtry is currently at number 2 on the top 200, All the Right Reasons at number 15.) By meshing and comparing apples with oranges, Simon keeps the in-house competition alive, and the American Idol wheel turning.So Bice and Taylor Hicks certainly played their part in opening up the Idol cage to a wider field of aspiring artists, gaining acceptability outside the tried and true Pop Star image originally in the show's prospectus. This season I'm seeing several of these new contestants monkeying Idols that have come before. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but too much of 'seen that, heard that,' becomes a bore. One example I'm talking about is this season's popular contestant, Chris Sligh. He entered the show bringing attention to his curly afro, and in his own blog had said his fan base should be named the 'Fro Patro' (no that is not a typo). He mentioned in his first audition to the judges that his goal was to "make Hasselhoff cry." Hasselhoff, apparently touched, shed tears on camera from the audience as Taylor Hicks was crowned the winner last year. The second week of competition, Mr. Sligh performed one of the songs that was a stand out hit for Taylor Hicks, Ray LaMontagne's "Trouble." He's being obvious in his attempts to travel ground already trodden, to jump the Hicks' train to attract viewers. His saving grace is the guy's got a great sense of humor. Watching Simon Cowell I can tell he already has a sweet spot for at least one of the contestants. He also seems a little more acid tongued this year, as do Randy and Paula. That may lie in wake of the really limited standout performances we've seen so far from this year's crop of Idol Wanna-Be's. Might this shed any light on the condition we are seeing with this season? More attention is being garnered by one of the girls in the show becoming a household name by racy on-line pictures being submitted by past pals, and a disgruntled former boyfriend over some of the girls with superior singing skills like Melinda Doolittle. One of the guys in the competition, through no real action of his, has gained notoriety for being supported by Vote For the Worst, a site that proclaims they are dedicated to revealing the truth as they see it behind Idol. My point, the singing this season is being eclipsed by the behind the scenes machinations and negotiations. Yes, truly this show is looking increasingly like Big Brother or Survivor with on-line participants 'virtually' included in the show (VFTW). Last year at this time we were reeling from the singing performances, this year the show is becoming steeped in manipulations and alliances. Last season's fourth place finisher, Chris Daughtry is discovering first-hand it's not as easy to shed the Idol chain as it is to switch his wallet chain. In an interesting article written by Michael Endelman of EW.com, he interviewed Daughtry while the singer visited Children's Hospital of New York-Presbyterian. Shockingly Mr. Endelman wrote that Chris Daughtry canceled the Question and Answer session that had been planned, then proceeded to critique a collage of snapshots from American Idol designated for the hospital scrapbook. He wound up signing it, commenting, "How did they get all these cheesy photos?" (Nice commentary.) According to Mr. Endelman, following an introduction by the hospital administrator as "Chris Daughtry from American Idol," the tightly wound singer snaps. He turns discreetly to a member of his entourage and whispers, 'Are they even going to mention the album? Are they even going to talk about the band? It's just Idol,' saying the last word with special disdain. Considering that the show is using his song, "Home" off of the CD, Chris Daughtry is going to find that wheel's gonna keep on turning.Simon Cowell's jabs at Hicks being outsold by Daughtry have legs only when spoken within the Top 40 Nickelback rock boundaries. Chris Daughtry's sound is in a more popular genre. What Taylor Hicks proved successfully last season (along with his fans), is that the coercion techniques that Simon Cowell, the King (apparent) of Opinions That Matter can be defeated. The Idol cage could be infiltrated by one other than the 'chosen' or should I say, ideal contestant. His obvious manipulations to influence the show's outcome can be overturned. Simon Cowell with his ego will never forget that.What has also been seen and proven in the media, and in the marketing of the Idols is win or lose, American Idol runs somewhat like in The Wizard of OZ, the contestants and viewers are are subject to the 'man behind the curtain.' Should viewers get too wise to the man behind the curtain, this juggernaut hit could be on its unwitting way to creating a self-consuming monster. Regarding The Soulman's CD, referring to units sold, those numbers don't carry an accurate assessment of the fan base Taylor Hicks has developed. I prefer Taylor Hicks in his natural state; no I'm not referring to him in the buff, I'm talking about him being sans the overproduction trappings cast into his CD by the producers, i.e. Matt Serletic. Hicks carries naturally that throwback vibe, he is not Pop mainstream, nor does he want to be. Regarding his fan base; I don't think it is a matter of it diminishing, I do think that many who became fans enjoyed Taylor Hicks the natural musician. The man thought to have distinctive choices in music. The man possessed of a growly, raw vocal sound. The man who delivered Ray Charles' "Georgia" heard on-line last year, in a manner that would have made Ray proud. By Serletic selling Hicks on the concept of broadening his fanbase, it weakened the potential of the product. One thing Taylor Hicks needs to remember: that Idol wheel may keep on spinning, but sometimes the hamster has to jump off. Bo Bice has picked up on that and eventually so will The Soulman. Now if we can just get the keys away from that man behind the curtain. Groove on.

Texas Border Patrolmen Rewarded with Prison

Jewels Richardson — Sun, 21 Jan 2007 04:56:51 EST

Two men whose duty had been to protect the Texas border are now facing over ten years in prison for doing their job. Late Tuesday afternoon, Texas Border Patrol agents, Jose Alonso Compean and Ignacio Ramos were denied their motion to stay out on bond while they appeal their case by Judge Kathleen Cardone, of El Paso, Texas. They were sentenced in October to 12 and 11 years, respectively in federal prison for the non-fatal shooting of a Mexican drug smuggler, while he was crossing the border illegally. The biggest farce of this trial is that our very own U.S. government which hired these two patrolmen to guard the border, granted the drug smuggling illegal alien immunity! Osbaldo Aldrete-Davila, the smuggler, was provided this special treatment in exchange for his testimony against agents Compean and Ramos. He also received medical treatment at a U.S. Army hospital after the shooting. To top ot all off, he has had the gall to sue the Border Patrol for $5 million! I am completely astounded by the reasoning, or should I say lack of reasoning, that lies behind this ruling by Judge Cardone. The Judge's statement read, "Because the defendant has been convicted of a crime of violence, he is eligible for release pending appeal only for 'exceptional reasons'," She continued with, "The court finds that no 'exceptional reasons' exist in this case." In light that the crime of violence as stated by Judge Cardone was incurred while the agents were attempting to apprehend a suspect attempting to cross the border, I think there lies an 'exceptional reason'. Texas' Rep. Ted Poe and more than 50 other congressmen have been trying to get real justice for these Border Agents since August. He has said more than a decade in prison for each man is a harsh punishment. I think that any prison term in this case is excessive. The agents should receive no punishment since the injured man proved to be a smuggler crossing the border illegally. These men should be praised for a job well done. A petition was circulated to request a pardon for Compean and Ramos, and more than 250,000 signatures were been collected nationwide then delivered to the White House Tuesday, asking for a presidential pardon for the men. Naturally, White House officials neglected to respond Tuesday following the delivery of the petition. Presidential spokesman and former political reporter, Tony Snow, disappointed many by saying during a White House press briefing that he couldn't comment about a presidential pardon but noted that the agents were convicted by a jury. Snow's statement, "At the time this happened, they did not know if he (Aldrete-Davila) was an illegal," Snow said. "They did not know that there were 700 pounds of marijuana. They didn't know any of those things." True, during the time when this case initially came to light, all information wasn't available about the wounded man. Sadly what isn't sufficiently explained, or actually, more importantly addressed is why, once further evidence was brought into play, the circumstances and the sentences were not then taken under intelligent judicial review. Shouldn't it have been a routine procedure to immediately determine the legal or illegal status of Sr. Osbaldo Aldrete-Davila?President of the National Border Patrol Council, T.J. Bonner, whose organization represents more than 11,000 Border Patrol agents said, "The judge's decision to deny bond pending appeal is devastating in a number of respects. In addition to tearing apart two young families, it destroys the morale of law enforcement officers across the nation and undermines the public's faith in our system of justice." This comes during a time when the GOP is under increasing scrutiny for failing to take real action to back up the foundation of conservatism for which the party stands. This comes during a time when President Bush is being criticized for his failure to secure our borders. This case seems particularly ironic in the context of President Bush's pose as the big gunslinger over the War on Terror, whose statements maintain his objective is to provide and obtain security for our country. What does this say about our government and the issues of border security and illegal drug trafficking over the Texas border? Criticisms directed at President Bush for his lack of commitment, go hand in hand with Texas Governor Rick Perry's lack of action to strengthen the border, and have merit. Sadly, as much as some folks would like to believe action is being taken to make our Nation more secure, the truth is in the politics. Rep. Ted Poe said, "The government had to choose between supporting a drug dealer or supporting their own border agents," Poe said. "They chose to support a drug dealer. The federal government was on the wrong side of the border that day." Yes, that seems to be the case.Various members of Congress along with grass-roots organizations and supporters who are trying to achieve a presidential pardon for the two agents have been ignored by the White House. Recently, more than 100 law enforcement officers and residents of El Paso joined Andy Ramirez, chairman of the Chino-based Friends of the Border Patrol, and T. J. Bonner at a candlelight vigil for the agents near the El Paso Federal Courthouse. As could be expected, Cardone's ruling hit the Compean family hard Tuesday. The families must feel they are trapped in a surrealistic episode of the "Twilight Zone". Mrs. Compean asked reporters, "How will my children cope with this? My husband is a good man and a good father. Sometimes I just don't know how this all happened." She continued with, "You can never lose hope. Not even in the last minute." So who really cares? To get more information on this case as well as find out more information on protecting our borders, click on Grassfire.org, Steve Elliott is the President. To send your comments directly to the White House, here is your hotline number, 202-456-1111. Calls are accepted Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. EST. Make your voice heard, let President Bush know where you stand.

Taylor Hicks, Does He Make Idol Proud?

Jewels Richardson — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 08:58:23 EST

Taylor Hicks has been a busy man this past year. He's recently stepped off the grueling American Idol tour and immediately ensconced himself in studio to record his first post Idol CD due out December 12th. Fans have been able to watch him in action on rehearsals.com a truly smart move on the Soulman's part. This site provides absolutely phenomenal exposure for his music, and has created a ton of 'buzz' for the man. Just last week, he appeared on ABC's broadcast of the American Music Awards from Los Angeles in which he strolled the red carpet and was an award presenter. (Let's see if next year he's a recipient.) He also graciously met Weird Al Yankovich who parodied Hicks in a much watched video that has swarmed the blogspots via the internet. This week we'll be seeing Mr. Hicks as he travels coast-to-coast. Wednesday night he was a part of the "Christmas in Rockefeller Center" held in New York City. He performed "White Christmas" in true Taylor Hicks' style. Friday night, Taylor travels to the west coast, making yet another appearance on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" as Jay's musical guest. He's been making some controversial post-American Idol news, coverage of which is been being discussed in fan forums and on websites. The article which sparked the controversy, "On Soul Patrol with Taylor Hicks" written from an interview with Josh Baron on Relix.com, stemmed from some remarks Taylor Hicks made regarding his not being someone who had watched American Idol in the past. Taylor Hicks took it a step further, and stated, "American Idol, for me, is fizzling out. I want to take that opportunity and exposure..." Apparently there are some folks out there who think the man should continue to want to have the A.I. title permanently attached to his name, like some kind of British HRH moniker, i.e., American Idol Taylor Hicks. I agree with Mr. Hicks, it is time to move on. So what if he used American Idol as a springboard to national exposure! That is what the show is ultimately about and I don't understand any convoluted reasoning why anyone should be upset about this remark. Looking at the time line, the next season of wannabe-famous contestants will be starting in just a few short months and fans of the show will become immersed in the new 2007 group. Taylor Hicks will be scrutinized now even more than before; words that fall from his lips will dissected to obtain every form of 'meanings' that every individual reading them may attribute to them. Many are criticizing him, saying he's 'biting the hand that feeds him'. TMZ's Jeff Davidson offers a more rational insight into the comments Hicks' has made regarding Idol and his first released single, "Do I Make You Proud". Davidson commends Taylor Hicks for wanting to stand true to his musical roots and having wanted to have his song, "The Fall" as the first released single instead of the written for Idol, "Do I Make You Proud". Davidson agrees it could only benefit Hicks to go his own way, citing Kelly Clarkson as an example. Still, there are some fans from the show who seem to be feeling disillusioned, having fallen for Mr. Hicks only because he was on Idol and won. Continuing on with my observations from the Relix.com interview and Hicks' controversial statement, this is my favorite part, "...you either come to see me, buy my album or you don’t. I’m not trying to meet expectations. If you can say you’re a working musician, then you’re doing something good. I’m just glad to be a working musician because that’s what I’ve always been." You see, that is the man I've always thought Taylor Hicks to be right from that initial audition when he sang Sam Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come". His journey on Ido is a testament to this talented man. Mr Hicks smiled in the face of adversity and carried on with what was true to his heart, ignoring pre-conceived perceptions regarding what it takes to win American Idol. The man's dancing style was criticized, his weight debated, and his hair color sparked a multitude of snide swipes to pull out the Grecian Formula. Ultimately, and importantly, Taylor Hicks did not succumb to pressure to change what felt true, from his silver hair to his style of dance moves. All worked in his favor to make him a stand-out and captured the hearts of the American Idol audience like none before him.Taylor Hicks reached out to all of us out there who strive to stay true to ourselves, who fight against the odds to try and succeed, who are sometimes perceived as misfits, the 'black sheep'. Taylor Hicks stayed true to himself, and let his real talent shine, natural, real and authentic. One of Mr. Hicks' standing appeals is the fact that, this time 'one of us' made it. In the end, does Taylor Hicks need to make Idol proud? I don't think that's the issue. The real, true issue lies within Taylor Hicks, he must make himself proud. The rest of the pieces will fall as they should.Groove on Soulman.

TV Review: Rock Star: Supernova - Season Finale

Jewels Richardson — Thu, 14 Sep 2006 23:44:35 EDT

Rock Star: Supernova has ended more than their season and the competition, it looks like the very name, "Supernova" may be a thing of the past. For the time being, for me, the name remains the same. The choice has been made on Rock Star. A lead singer from the pool of the fifteen original contestants has been chosen. I predicted Lukas Rossi to win the competition the first night I watched the show, written in my commentary, Rock Star: Supernova First Light. Entering the Rock Star: Supernova final four finale, the format at first confused me -- down to four? Last season on Rock Star: INXS, the finale featured the top three contestants. Reviewing the results of the past few weeks of Rock Star: Supernova, Week Nine had Ryan Star, Dilana, and Storm Large in the bottom three with Ryan Star "tommyhawked" from the show. It was then announced that Magni carried the highest numbers of votes for the night, followed by Toby Rand. Week Ten, Dilana once again revisited the bottom three, joined by Storm Large and a surprise bottom three visitor, Lukas Rossi. Week Ten had The Iceman and the handsome Australian Toby Rand with the highest number of votes. Also, in the weeks prior to the finale, there had been discussion about a dual elimination in Week Ten. Instead, only Storm Large went home to sleep in her own bed. One reason for two contestants from Rock Star not being sent home the tenth week could be as simple as the producers wanting to fill the last show with more material. One other reason, that if two had been sent home in week ten, the resulting finale would not have been as dramatic. Considering on Rock Star: Supernova there has been a big drama played out involving one of the finalists, Dilana, a finale without one of the main ratings cash cows, and biggest on-line draws would not be as exciting, or as possibly profitable. Week Ten was Dilana's second trip to the bottom three, so she'd have been the natural one to exit along with Storm Large. That would leave the finale with Lukas Rossi, Toby Rand, and Magni. The Final Four show voting results were announced indicating bottom two of the week, Magni and Toby Rand. Magni delivered another hot performance of "Fire" and Toby Rand rocked out with Billy Idol's "White Wedding." Gilby Clark played hatchet man to deliver the news that Magni was the next to leave, but for some reason, he did not look surprised. No disrespect to dear Toby, but I think if he’d have come out and just farted into the mic. Magni would have still been selected to go home. Tommy Lee remained silent, hiding behind ridiculous black sunglasses. The '80s Corey Hart song, "Sunglasses at Night" began running through my mind, "I wear my sunglasses at night, So I can so I can, Watch you live and breathe your storylines,(And) I wear my sunglasses at night, So I can so I can, Keep track of the visions in my eyes..." Moving on, this is when the show really began to take an awkward slant. Focus switched abruptly, like a massive editing chop had taken place. The show continued without any indication Magni had ever been there. (This was the 'Top Four Elimination Show', right?) Considering the previous two weeks' outcomes, and then the show going with a final four concept, a fitting way to run this would have been to have the bottom three in votes compete, then Supernova eliminate two, then have the top two compete one more time. The format, as it stands, reeks with set up. This was designed to set-up the elimination of a certain contestant. Regardless, they would have achieved their desired effect without it looking so cheesily manipulated. Adding to the choppiness of this finale, the producers trot out the 'look-back' vignettes, recapping highlights of the remaining three performers. With Magni just booted off, and in the middle of this show, it felt really odd and misplaced. The show resumed staged like the start of a whole new episode, with Dilana and Toby and Lukas having their sing-off. This time (and no surprise for me), the handsome and adorable Aussie is sent packing, with Dilana and Lukas still standing. Tommy Lee and the guys in this now unnamed band showed their love and appreciation for the two remaining, and it was obvious how much Tommy Lee and company favored them. A commercial break was ordered so they could ponder their decision one more time, and if you got up, you missed yet another misstep: CBS ran a Survivor commercial, which had snippets of Lukas singing as the winner. I’m thinking as I watched it, well that’s one massive commercial spoiler. The show resumed with Tommy Lee encouraging a shouting match between the Dilana and the Lukas camps in the audience. This promoted his lead in to eliminate Dilana. She seemed genuinely surprised at the outcome. Lukas sang the “Supernova” song, “Be Yourself,” complete with odd camera edits. Lukas switches from white plastic sunglasses (he wears his sunglasses at night, too) into smoke colored shades. As viewers, we don’t see the when or the why of this switch and it is edited to look like they all ran down there immediately to perform. Just one more thing that contributed to the herky jerky feel of this finale.Lukas Rossi, new job: lead singer for "Supernova." Tuesday night, last night of the competition phase, Luke performed Coldplay's "Fix It." He said the song brought his Dad to mind, the problems they have experienced. He also did an acoustic version of his original, "Head Spin." His performance was delivered Rossi-style -- Luke glammed out with more glitter eye make-up than my daughter's Brat dolls. Overall, I have to hand it to him, he is definitely an effective showman. He convinces and he sells his songs. His tour with the band formerly known as "Supernova" will give him tremendous exposure and allow him to further himself musically. Hey, I understand why he won, I get it, I picked him to take this on night one.Dilana, close, but no cigar. It seems Dilana has been miraculously cured of her torn calf muscle and was in full robust form this week, traversing the studio audience in the last competition performance night. She excelled in her rendition of "Roxanne," picking a style fit for her voice. Bringing up the other contestants to accompany her on backup was brilliant and a very sweet move. She also did her original song, "Super Soul" and attempted to do some damage recovery by stating it was not actually a 'screw you' song, but really a song about freedom. Apparently a lot of folks bought that convoluted rationale; she entered decision night with the highest number of votes. Dilana was very upbeat and confident in her attitude on the decision night and, from what I heard from an attending audience member, there was a mishap when the winner was announced, and a misunderstanding regarding who was actually chosen at first. I am sad for her. She very obviously wanted this gig for what it's going to be worth. Dilana is a talent; she has garnered a big fanbase from exposure from this show, and through this, she should be able to obtain success on her own. We need some great female rockers in the rock music scene today. Toby Rand, handsome, energetic, talented, and upbeat came in third place. His performances the last night of the competition was inspired. He performed Radiohead's "Karma Police" and his original crowd pleaser, "Throw It Away." He pulled Magni on stage with him to play guitar, saying he did not want to do it without him and called him a "great man from Iceland" and "the real deal." I love his attitude, his talent, and abilities -- he will go on. Perhaps a uniting of he and Magni would be a good thing to consider. They certainly worked well together at CityWalk. During the decision night, Toby seemed much more subdued. Of course, that could have been nerves, but it was almost like he knew. "EVS", Toby and may good luck and fortune follow you.Magni, the beautiful, talented man from Iceland. It has been an incredible bonus to discover him through this reality show offering from Mark Burnett Productions. Tuesday night, during the last night of competition, Magni performed Deep Purple's "Hush." More than likely, it was simply a coincidence, but I had, in fangirly fashion, written him on his MSN blogsite and mentioned that I thought his playing some Deep Purple would be killer. I had another song in mind but this choice turned out to be a better one. He accompanied himself on guitar and gave up some great energy and vocals. He is a natural on the stage, without gimmicks or pretense, just awesome and real rock 'n roll. In the theme of performing originals, he performed his original song, "When the Time Comes," and I really loved his delivery of this song. This was one of Magni's hardest hitting rocker nights and I ate it up like good cake. The only problem being, it was over too soon. Magni did not win this because of a lack of abilities, but because of a bad band fit. Tommy Lee had an idea and a vision in his mind at the onset of what he wanted in a frontman. Magni did not fit that image, no matter that he was the best singer of this competition with the most powerful vocal drives. I'm hoping this will encourage Magni to leave Iceland and give it a try Stateside. Tommy Lee pointed at Lukas at one point during this season and said, "That's a ___ Rock Star!" This is a prime example of why Magni did not win this competition -- Tommy Lee’s personal conception and definition of a Rock Star. In closing, most likely within the next week, news will emerge revealing the choice of a new title for this reality show band.. They could very likely get around the legal issues by simply calling themselves, "Rock Star: Supernova". Maybe the addition of "Rock Star" would be sufficient to alleviate conflict of ownership. Regardless, this group plans to put out a CD and do a tour, and that may very well be the end of this venture. It did make for a piece of decent Summer entertainment. Rock on.