Ryan Seacrest opened tonight's American Idol results show by saying America was about to tell one of the finalists, "We're just not that into you."
Bingo. That's been one of Anwar's problems all along.
That and the fact that he consistently had uneven performances where the initial enjoyment lasted a few minutes, but the crushing boredom seemed to last a lifetime.
Anwar is the only contestant I remember not sounding much, much better when turning in his swan song. His swan rendition of "September" was just as quacky tonight as it was last night. You know I like Anwar, but I was positively relieved when FOX cut to "House." For his sake as much as mine.
Moreover, although Randy and Paula frequently used the term "best technical singer" to describe Anwar, let's get one thing straight. There's a reason we call singers "artists" and not "technicians." Memo to Randy and Paula: Pop music fans are just not that into technicalities.
In other show news, there was no surprise that Scott and Anthony rounded out the B3. Unless they do something off the Richter scale next week, look for one of these guys to get the axe next Wednesday. And their fans know it. So also look for the voting tallies next week to go sky-high as Scott "the Body" and Anthony "Fedoration of Love" fans square off on the phone lines.
Despite the highly credentialed John Farrar song, "You Can Shine," the idols' group number remained half-baked. There was no there there. The suits dreamed up having the finalists play---get this---musical instruments, but the scene developed into something a little too reminiscent of "The Monkees" musical sitcom numbers for me.
Well, take that back. Anwar, chunking, clunking on the keyboard, wasn't doing The Monkees. Rather, he looked for all the world like Susan Partridge, and we all know how convincing ole Suzy was. The thing is: unlike Susan Dey, who played the nimble-fingered (not) Susan Partridge on tv, Anwar actually plays the keyboard. You'd think he could play a pianist on television. Go figure.
Article comments
1 - Scott Pepper
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2 - Temple Stark
I watched tonight. Scott IS surly but my girl told some of his back story - his dad said he wouldn't amount to nothing. People DO get nervous and scowl - but fake it.
That bit where they left out Bo as the first safe one was playing waaay to much favoritism. And then when he was asked to pick which group? That was so obviously staged beforehand.
3 - Sticker
Yep, I believe Scott is hanging in there precisely because of the life struggles he conveys.
Still, he's not the American Idol, by any stretch.
Bo on the couch thing - obviously, the prods thought most of America would think Bo was safe, so that would kill their staged suspense if they put him in the group with Con and Carrie.
On any given week, Con, Carrie or Bo could be in the B3. But the odds are highly against all three of them B3'ing in one week.
Ah, the suspense!
4 - Eric Olsen
there is a vast amount of silliness in the results shows: they've got a lot of time to fill and about 5 minutes of actual content
5 - Sticker
yeah, and I'll bet they have a whole team of people whose sole job it is to come up with the various ways to---drum roll---reveal the B3 and the axe-ee.
This two group drill was done last year when Fantasia was in the B3.
Since that supposedly was so shocking, they led everyone to believe that her group was the top.
They made George Huff choose between the groups and he did---wrongly.
As I said, ah, the suspense! the shock!
6 - Eric Olsen
and oh yes, the group number was a pathetic Up With people parody, wasn't it?
7 - mary
I cant believe Anwar has been voted off.He's the best singer in the competion. How is scott managing to stay in? He isn't half as good as Anwar and niether is Anthony. Anwar should have been in the final with Carrie.
8 - Sticker
Anwar failed to capture people's imagination, IMHO.
It will be interesting to see who goes next.
9 - Mark Saleski
i was very impressed with anwar's voice in the early round, when he was singing acapella.
when he was siging with the idol band on stage it always seemed like he was dwarfed by it.
he'd sound good in a recorded context with very sparse instrumentation, highlighting the voice.
10 - Sticker
mark--
"dwarfed" by the band is a good description-
but if you can't sing well live, with a band, I don't think you're AI material.
Anwar may yet find a place for his voice in the industry or show business, but I just didn't see it on AI
11 - Mark
Fox is definitely angling for Bo to win the competition. I would hate to think that the voting is staged, but the week Bo was in the bottom three; it almost seemed that the drama was in high gear. The judges, especially Paula, gave what seemed to be very rehearsed speeches about how Bo could still win this competition and that “great” winners like Reuben (if you can count his win) and Fantasia stood in his very place.
The American public bought it. The “Save Bo” campaign made him the top vote winner and that hand was revealed when they singled him out on last night’s show. They also wanted to portray him as a “rebel” or a nice guy that took a stand and refused to take a side when asked to stand with the winning group. Clearly all staged since they were ready to cut to commercial, not reveal a loser/winner.
Now, I like Bo. Don’t get me wrong. The “campaign” that has seemed to be waged on his behalf however, leaves me a bit sour on wanting him to win it all.
Top three will be Bo, Carrie, and Constantine baring a major upset in the next few weeks.
12 - Temple Stark
I really haven't watched ther show much, but is it ust my imagination that each of the Ai winners has been quite different from the other - as far as genre, anyway.
Am I blowing smoke there? A Bo win would add to that trend. This is the only reality show I even think about watching (and mostly don't). I do because it seems based on talent. If that turns out not to be the case - from that Primetime Live investigation which will likely confirm a lot of worst fears - then I think it is sunk.
13 - Sticker
temple--
No, it's not your imagination that the AI winners are all very different from each other.
As I said somewhere else, AI has to churn out a "star" once a year. No business wants to create a product to compete directly with other products it is still trying to establish.
So you see them trying to put the parameters in place to produce a next AI winner that will somehow diversify the historical array.
I'm sure they'd like someone with a rocker sheen to win this year. And they'd dearly love it to come down to a smackdown between Bo and Constantine.
14 - Steve S
If you go to Idolonfox.com, the official site and read all their profiles, everyone of them thanks God first and foremost for playing favorites on reality tv. They all just differ as to who the favorite is.
In spite of that cheesiness, I still think this is the best season so far.
15 - Chris Fischer
Just had to say-
As I said in response to another article here...I agree he looked like Suzy "partridge" Dey on piano- that was lame, but take it from me..
I have a degree in piano-
I do it for a living-
I think all singer/pianists are lame-o pianists.
But I have worked with Anwar years ago when he was barely 23.
he absolutely blew me away.
he is a freak of nature on the piano.
Someday you'll see. (I hope)
16 - Sticker
Chris-
Thanks for the insight into Anwar's piano mastery.
Still, my point was I *knew* he could play---really play well--- and he *still* came off looking like Suzy Patridge, who has to be the worst imitator of a pianist EVER.
That, along with Anwar's Marching Band 101 dancing the night before, pretty much was the last straw in the performance dept.!
But here's hoping Anwar's musical talents do get an audience now.