Blogcritics On American Idol 4: Finals

American Idol 4 has reached the finals. We are chronicling every twist and turn:

American Idol: Winning, Losing and Cher-ing
Like the never-ending Cher Farewell/Retirement/I Still Need the Money tour, I find that I keep coming back for one last gig on American Idol, Season Four. (Except that I don’t get paid for my “art” and I am not sitting…
Posted to Video by Sticker on May 30, 2005 08:27 AM

American Idol – Final Thoughts
American Idol 2005-Final Notes, Thoughts and Opinions And so, after weeks of hype, the 2005 competition for the new American Idol is a fait accompli. The competition has been ongoing for a few years now and I am reminded of my thoughts…
Posted to Video by Patfish on May 27, 2005 07:01 AM

American Idol: The Epilogue, Random Thoughts, Law of Unintended Consequences
We’ve got us a new American Idol, but that doesn’t mean there is nothing left to say. So here’s the epilogue: a little peek into my idolhabit crystal ball, some random thoughts, items in the Law of Unintended Consequences…
Posted to Video by Sticker on May 27, 2005 04:05 AM

American Idol Goes Red-State
Watching last night’s “American Idol,” my wife and I found ourselves rooting for different contestants. She favored the southern rock stylings of Bo Bice. I preferred the mainstream country singing of Carrie Underwood. Evidently, America agreed with me. But…
Posted to Video by George P. Wood on May 26, 2005 02:27 PM

American Idol: Did the US Vote for the Worst?
Was Carrie Underwood’s win over true blue Bo Bice predestined — or engineered?
Posted to Video by Natalie Davis on May 26, 2005 11:26 AM

American Idol: Underwood Carries The Day
Carrie Underwood kept her winning streak alive and tonight joined Kelly Clarkson as the only American Idol who was never in the Bottom Three. The perky blonde from Checotah is now the proud owner of a red Ford Mustang convertible, a…
Posted to Video by Sticker on May 26, 2005 12:37 AM

American Idol–Blogging Carrie’s Win
Blogging the finale as I went. Don’t miss a word of it!!!
Posted to Video by Matthew Egan on May 25, 2005 10:17 PM

American Idol: Bo and Carrie Have America All Shook Up
It’s official: Bo and Carrie have American all shook up. When the stage screens parted, Ryan Seacrest rolled out, and the lights came up in the beautiful Kodak Theater, a gasp of wonder went out across Idol-land, among fans…
Posted to Video by Sticker on May 24, 2005 11:38 PM

American Idol: And Now For Our Exciting Conclusion!
The showtime clock is ticking and butterflies are flitting all over Idol-dom as serious American Idol fans hunker down for Our Exciting Conclusion. Weeks ago I wrote that surely the AI prods—who not only have a tv show to make, but…
Posted to Video by Sticker on May 23, 2005 10:33 PM

American Idol: Are the AOL Poll Results Reliable?
This week is the grand finale for American Idol – will it be Bo or Carrie, or should I say “Carrie or Bo”? We are subtly and not so subtly influenced by any number of factors in our preferences and…
Posted to Video by Eric Olsen on May 23, 2005 02:18 PM

American Idol and The Bachelor
One show is about romance, the other about song. Some opinions on both.
Posted to Video by Patfish on May 20, 2005 07:48 AM

American Idol: Vonzell Returned to Sender
It’s crunch time on American Idol and someone had to come up short. After a long and, overall, quite wonderful tenure, Vonzell Solomon reached the end of the line. One of the most likable personalities ever to grace this competition,…
Posted to Video by Sticker on May 18, 2005 11:50 PM

American Idol–And Then There Were Two…
The finals show that everyone has been expecting was guaranteed tonight when Vonzell Solomon was booted from the show after last night’s performances of three songs each by the final Idol trio. It’s great to watch these final couple of…
Posted to Video by Matthew Egan on May 18, 2005 10:21 PM

American Idol: All Aboard the Bo Train!
The American Idol train chugged into the last station before the finale tonight and Bo Bice left in the driver’s seat. Ryan Seacrest started things off by proclaiming how incredibly close the vote was for the three finalists—according to him, only…
Posted to Video by Sticker on May 18, 2005 12:32 AM

Clive Davis and This Business of American Idol: Whose Music Is It, Anyway?
Tonight Clive Davis will appear on American Idol and one half-way expects his entrance to be heralded by men in tights blowing on yard-long trumpets and young maidens strewing his path with rose petals. Such is the reverence with which Mr….
Posted to Video by Sticker on May 17, 2005 09:29 AM

Arab Version of American Idol: Why There Is Hope For the World
The Arab world’s equivalent of American Idol, Star Academy, concluded in April with the crowning of Saudi Arabian singer Hisham Abdul-Rahman as “Star” on the Lebanese LBC network. I love the awkward enthusiasm of the announcement of Hisham’s…
Posted to Video by Eric Olsen on May 13, 2005 01:58 PM

American Idol – Three Left
A few offbeat notes on this past week’s AI competition.
Posted to Video by Patfish on May 12, 2005 11:29 AM

American Idol: Lights Dim for Anthony, the Fedoration of Love
A sweet song left American Idol tonight. But somehow I don’t think this is the last the music world has heard of Anthony Federov. The show opened as they always do, but this time we searched the faces of the contestants…
Posted to Video by Sticker on May 12, 2005 06:52 AM

American Idol: Anthony Sings As Though It’s His Last Night
Anthony did a bang-up job on Tuesday night’s American Idol. Last week, when it looked as though Mr. Federov was dead-ov in the water, Simon suggested he sing every night as if it were his last. Anthony appeared to have…
Posted to Video by LoriKate Martin on May 11, 2005 11:09 PM

American Idol: Anthony Flies Coach
In a finals show marked by a notable lack of cheese and manipulation, the American Idol Final Four was whittled down to the Triumphant Three. Just before the moment of truth, host Ryan Seacrest, dressed like a banker in a…
Posted to Video by Eric Olsen on May 11, 2005 10:31 PM

American Idol–Anthony Sent Packing
The highlight of the show tonight was seeing Bo’s original audition, which I can’t believe hasn’t been shown before. Bo rocked out, and then told the judges that the show needed some rock, blues and soul, and he was the…
Posted to Video by Matthew Egan on May 11, 2005 10:24 PM

American Idol Contestant Has Proof
In response to Saturday Night Live skit on the whole situation, former American Idol contestant Corey “Fallen Idol” Clark supposedly has evidence of his affair with Paula Abdul according to his lawyer. The lawyer, Richard Jefferson, stated the former contestant…
Posted to Video by Meryl on May 11, 2005 08:23 AM

American Idol Week 8: Even More Re-runs, Phone-Ins and Pretty Good Stuff
For forever now, I’ve been calling the American Idol themeless theme week of two weeks ago a bad night on the Donny & Marie Variety Show, and, wouldn’t you know it, tonight the AI powers-that-be actually did go…
Posted to Video by Sticker on May 10, 2005 11:42 PM

Fallen Idol: Straight Up, Now Tell Me, Are You Gonna Love Me Forever?
Bon Jovi once declared that “love hurts” and it may be as simple as that. But add in the world’s biggest reality show, and something akin to the seduction of Benjamin Braddock, a young college graduate, by the socially powerful Mrs….
Posted to Video by Sticker on May 10, 2005 02:04 PM

American Idol – Scott’s Broadway Lights Extinguished
Will Scott Savol still sing under Broadway Lights? The Paula/Corey flap-a tempest in a teapot?
Posted to Video by Patfish on May 7, 2005 07:07 AM

Paula Abdul Admits She Slept With Every American Idol Contestant
When you need another fake news source, PoopyCaca.com is there. Paula Abdul: Straight Up Sex Machine. Written by Dylan Jameson LOS ANGELES (PoopyCaca.com) – American Idol judge Paula Abdul has come clean about allegations she coached…
Posted to Video by PoopyCaca on May 5, 2005 02:44 PM

American Idol: Corey Clark Threads the Needle
Between the phone records, the answering machine message, the corroboration of the parents, the photos of them together, the detailed knowledge of of Abdul’s home and habits, I have very little doubt that SOMETHING interpersonal occurred between American Idol contestant…
Posted to Video by Eric Olsen on May 5, 2005 10:54 AM

American Idol: “Straight Up” and the Scourge of Activist Judges
It is with some reluctance that I must join the chorus of Republican lawmakers speaking out against the judiciary.
Posted to Video by Pete Blackwell on May 5, 2005 03:09 AM

American Idol (Week 8): SCOTT BOUNCED
It’s the American Idol results show and first thing that happens: Anthony appears with an “I’m so dead” look on his face. And we’re thinking, yeah, you are so dead. Then Ryan, wearing a hideous Reynolds Wrap tie and a honeydew-hued pseudo…
Posted to Video by Sticker on May 5, 2005 12:13 AM

American Idol–Scott Savol is Banished
It took weeks. Weeks upon weeks. Weeks had sex with weeks and created….more weeks. It felt like prison. Scott Savol could not get kicked off the show. It seemed like a cruel joke. The joke has mercifully ended. Scott was…
Posted to Video by Matthew Egan on May 4, 2005 09:54 PM

American Idol Final Five -Scotty “The Body” Savol – A Statistic
After last week’s American Idol upset debacle, leaving the nation without the sexy, smarmy charms of Constantine Maroulis, tonight’s results show was a step closer to reality as we should know it: Scott “The Body” Savol and Anthony “Tutti-Fruitti” Fedorov…
Posted to Video by Dawn Olsen on May 4, 2005 09:40 PM

American Idol – The Primetime Live Allegations: It’s Paula and Corey
ABC’s Primetime Live has revealed the thrust of its “explosive” expose on American Idol that runs tonight at 10 pm. The show’s website states that the show will reveal that Paula Abdul provided provided contestant Corey Clark “with off-camera…
Posted to Video by Eric Olsen on May 4, 2005 01:38 PM

American Idol: The Show Does Indeed Go On
For a long week now, the Premature Departure of Constantine Maroulis had cast a long shadow over tonight’s American Idol show. I imagined that, instead of snuggling up in the overstuffed with that bright “how lovely, dinner with friends!” feeling,…
Posted to Video by Sticker on May 4, 2005 01:29 AM

American Idol: Singin’ in the Rain (of Troubles)
Not to stereotype or anything, but unless you just got in from Third Rock, you probably weren’t surprised to learn that Bo Bice, somewhere in those 1990’s that he admitted he “could not remember,” fought the law and the law…
Posted to Video by Sticker on May 3, 2005 12:56 PM

American Idol: Does Primetime Live Have the Goods on Abdul?
I have been frantically poking around and I can’t find any corroborating evidence anywhere, but the dreaded Drudge is reporting that ABC’s Primetime — which is airing a segment on American Idol on Wednesday entitled Fallen Idol (melodramatic…
Posted to Video by Eric Olsen on May 2, 2005 03:23 PM

Idol, and Drudge, and Scandal, Oh My!
Matt Drudge seems to be getting a kick outta this ABC vs. Fox slap-fight over ABC’s investigation of American Idol. The headline in the screenshot above, which will take you to the Drudge Report if…
Posted to Video by Steve Huff on May 2, 2005 10:11 AM

American Idol: the Post-Constantine Era Sequel
Tomorrow begins American Idol Season Four: Part II, The Post-Constantine Maroulis Sequel (working title: “When Good Dogs Bite”). We left off last week’s episode with tears and flocks of boo-birds filling the house, making it sound like the armory on World…
Posted to Video by Sticker on May 2, 2005 09:12 AM

American Idol – 5 Left and a Hint of Scandal
American Idol has five left and there’s scandal looming.
Posted to Video by Patfish on April 30, 2005 09:22 AM

American Idol Report: Bo Bice Has Prior Drug Arrests
Reality TV World has the story here. Given how little Scott Savol’s criminal past, involving domestic issues with his girlfriend, I don’t see this hurting Bo too much at all. He wouldn’t be the first rock star to…
Posted to Video by Matthew Egan on April 29, 2005 09:19 AM

American Idol: Say it Ain’t So, Bo! Bo…Vice?
Bo Bice has now had his rocker credibility PROVEN, thanks to The Smoking Gun.
Posted to Video by Steve Huff on April 28, 2005 11:47 PM

American Idol Week 7: The Conspiracy that Did in Constantine Maroulis
I checked and the sun did come up this morning. Apparently, the premature departure of Constantine Maroulis from American Idol last night did not knock the earth off its axis after all. Nevertheless, for everyone who’s ever lost a fav…
Posted to Video by Sticker on April 28, 2005 12:43 PM

American Idol (Week 7): The Shock Heard ‘Round The World
Like a kiss, interrupted, Constantine is taken from us far too soon. Tonight Constantine Maroulis ended his American Idol journey, and part of our journey—the part he took us on in his own unique, charming and disarming way—now ends, too. For those…
Posted to Video by Sticker on April 27, 2005 10:41 PM

American Idol – Episode 424a – Constantine Maroulis Out
Well, we have our first real shocker of the fourth season of American Idol. Early favorite Constantine Maroulis will be rejoining his band, Pray For The Soul Of Betty, as he received the lowest number of votes on the…
Posted to Video by Scott Pepper on April 27, 2005 09:44 PM

Constantine is OUT – AI Rocker Shocker
Shock! Outrage! I could just cry. Tonight’s American Idol shocker is that rocker Constantine is going home. In a typical AI tactic, they had it down to two camps with just Scott and Constantine. Ryan asked them…
Posted to Video by Dawn Olsen on April 27, 2005 09:42 PM

American Idol: Why is Ryan So Mean and, (by the way) Where’s the Theme?
Tuesday night, the intrepid Ryan Seacrest was apparently so full of goodwill now that he’s a bonafide star (with his own star — that people walk on — but still …) that he couldn’t help but rip on visiting Clay…
Posted to Video by LoriKate Martin on April 27, 2005 05:00 PM

American Idol: Reports From Home
In film clips on last night’s show, the six American Idol got all gushy about their hometowns and families, and their families returned the favor. What are the local papers saying about their American Idol finalists? My bud Michael Heaton of…
Posted to Video by Eric Olsen on April 27, 2005 04:53 PM

An Opera Singer Watches American Idol.
I really do judge all singers I hear through the lense of my training as a classical vocalist.
Posted to Video by Steve Huff on April 27, 2005 02:22 AM

American Idol (Week 7): The Theme That Wasn’t
It wasn’t exactly easy to get your arms—or ears—around this week’s quote-unquote theme on American Idol. The best I can say right now is that it was “the last five years,” or something like that, but it sure seemed like…
Posted to Video by Sticker on April 26, 2005 11:28 PM

American Idol – Episode 424 – 2000-2005
The American Idol producers are clearly running out of ideas for weekly themes, as tonight’s was simply any track from the past five years. One would have thought that with such a broad array of choices, the contestants would have…
Posted to Video by Scott Pepper on April 26, 2005 11:01 PM

American Idol Smackdown
American Idol, as always, is itching for a fight and I’m not talking about the type started by Simon Cowell last week when he got snippy about Ryan “Step on Me” Seacrest’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. (Simon…
Posted to Video by Sticker on April 25, 2005 12:58 PM

American Idol: Constantine’s Band Is Signed
As followers of the show know, American Idol finalist and pouty heartthrob Constantine Maroulis took a break from his hard rock band Pray For the Soul of Betty to pursue his solo dreams of pop idolatry…
Posted to Music by Eric Olsen on April 24, 2005 01:35 PM

American Idol – 70’s Dance Music?
The theme was 70’s Dance Music but who dances to “MacArthur Park”?
Posted to Video by Patfish on April 23, 2005 11:28 AM

American Idol: Still More Saturation…
Jeanette Walls at MSNBC is reporting the following on the news network’s website; Ex-‘Idol’ contestant claims Abdul affair. Before you get excited, consider the source; Corey Clark. You remember Corey Clark, don’t you? From The Smoking Gun’s archives:STATEMENT REGARDING COREY CLARK…
Posted to Video by Steve Huff on April 22, 2005 04:25 AM

American Idol: Anwar, We Hardly Knew You
The dashing Anwar Robinson, hailed repeatedly by American Idol judges as being “technically the best singer on the show,” was sent packing Wednesday night. The show kicked off with All About Ryan asking Bo: “What’s it like being famous?” Bo squirmed…
Posted to Video by LoriKate Martin on April 21, 2005 04:18 PM

American Idol: Saturated Yet?
Ask yourself; haven’t I really had a snootful of this show by now?
Posted to Video by Steve Huff on April 21, 2005 03:27 PM

American Idol: Paula Abdul’s Peaks and Valleys
In the 1990 I DJ’d a college graduation party for John Stamos’s sister at Paula Abdul’s top-o-Hollywood Hills house. Stamos and Abdul were dating at the time, and she had a big spread with outdoor tennis courts, so it…
Posted to Video by Eric Olsen on April 21, 2005 01:31 PM

Rogue American Idol Fans Vote for the “Worst” Singers
Once again, we’ve reached that point in the American Idol competition where the voting trends seem to defy all logic and reason. From a relatively objective point of view, two excellent singers, Nadia Turner and Anwar Robinson, have been…
Posted to Video by Scott Pepper on April 21, 2005 07:03 AM

American Idol: Who’s Stayin’ Alive? Not Anwar
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…
Posted to Video by Sticker on April 20, 2005 09:58 PM

American Idol – Episode 423a – Adios Anwar
The American Idol audience got it wrong tonight, sending home the talented Anwar Robinson over the bland Anthony Fedorov and the excruciating Scott Savol. Last night, Anwar recovered from a few off weeks, but it apparently wasn’t enough to…
Posted to Video by Scott Pepper on April 20, 2005 08:55 PM

Mo, Mo Bo! The Antidote to American Idol Disco Fever
Tonight, long-haired rocker Bo Bice managed to convey passion and sincere emotion in a venue that has little of either. Two Reviewers: Lori The American Idol contestant’s mission tonight? Ryan Seacrest — who deep in his black little heart believes that…
Posted to Video by LoriKate Martin on April 20, 2005 08:52 PM

American Idol: It’s Bo’s “Vehicle,” Baby
Tonight’s American Idol theme, “’70’s dance music,” sounded like a polite way to say “disco,” but, thankfully, most of the arrangements, if not the songs themselves, ended up having a fairly substantial rock element. After sailing into the doldrums the…
Posted to Video by Sticker on April 20, 2005 01:00 AM

American Idol: ’70s Review
I have to get this posted before midnight in order to join, and I spent the day singing myself hoarse, so I figure a quick rundown on tonight’s American Idol will do the trick. Besides, with that as a…
Posted to Video by Citrus on April 19, 2005 10:44 PM

American Idol Gets Funky – Episode 423 – 1970s Dance Music
The final seven American Idol finalists put on their dancing shoes tonight to take on the sounds of the 70s. 1. Constantine Maroulis – “Nights on Broadway” – The BeeGees 2. Carrie Underwood – “MacArthur Park” – Donna Summer 3. Scott Savol -…
Posted to Video by Scott Pepper on April 19, 2005 09:09 PM

American Idols Past: Aiken Smacks Bullies, Aids Disabled
Claymates, cover your ears. I realize that this may be hard to believe, but Clay Aiken was not always the vicious and feared whirlwind of menace and melody that he is today. At one point in time he was even…
Posted to Video by Eric Olsen on April 18, 2005 04:13 PM

American Idol: Judging the Judges
It’s that time of year again, when American Idol fans start braying about how sick they are of Paula Abdul playing nice and re-enacting her days as a Laker Girl and how tired they are of Randy Jackson yo’ing and…
Posted to Video by Sticker on April 17, 2005 07:16 PM

Flash: American Idol Malls America and You Can Help!
Remember Tiffany? Or maybe I should say it like this: REMEMBER TIFFANY!!! Tiffany was a raven-haired, teen idol who enthralled the nation singing songs such as “I Think We’re Alone Now” to thousands and thousands and thousands of screaming fans at…
Posted to Video by Sticker on April 15, 2005 09:18 AM

American Idol Last Night
I’ve gotta be honest, I really wanted Bo to go tonight once he was in the bottom 3. He should pay for his most egregious transgression–the invoking of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird” at last night’s show. I would have been…
Posted to Video by Matthew Egan on April 14, 2005 01:27 PM

American Idol – “Birthday Suit” Results
Wednesday, ax day, the day all American Idol finalists dread, has claimed another victim. Unfortuately but not totally unexpectedly, lean, lovely and stubbornly eclectic Nadia Turner has been exised from the competition and somehow, someway, slovenly sullen squinty Scott Savol,…
Posted to Video by Eric Olsen on April 14, 2005 09:36 AM

American Idol: Why Scott Sucks – In Simple Easy To Read Terms
I just can’t f*cking believe that Scott “chip bigger than my ass” Savol is still allowed to exist on the AI dime. I mean really already, NEVER, EVER, has there been a bigger tool go so far on…
Posted to Video by Dawn Olsen on April 14, 2005 09:24 AM

American Idol Week 13 Results: Nadia Sent Back to “Artsy-Fartsy” Town
Tonight the beautiful, lush-voiced Nadia Turner took her final bow in the American Idol Top 10. Singing “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me,” Nadia’s true tone and luxurious power vocals plunged the dagger of love straight through…
Posted to Video by Sticker on April 14, 2005 05:27 AM

American Idol – Week 13, Birthday Suits, pt 2
I resume after an evening’s repose, refreshed and semi-alert, with commentary on last night’s American Idol birth-year theme (pt 1 here). Before I forget: the live band that acompanies the singers is absolutely great: they are versatile, know when…
Posted to Video by Eric Olsen on April 13, 2005 10:54 AM

American Idol: Rock, Schlock and Rhapsody
Nikko Smith’s elimination last week “shocking”? An “outrage”? “Disaster”? Or another shameless attempt by Ryan Seacrest and the American Idol TPTB to stir up controversy over voting results? Ding, ding, ding. We have our answer. After Ryan once again burped a…
Posted to Video by Sticker on April 12, 2005 10:59 PM (Score: 2)

American Idol – Week 13, pt 1
Leaping into the breach, I offer these humble reactions to tonight’s Final 8 performances on American Idol, performances with the novel theme of songs from the year each contestant was born, complete with obligatory baby pics and wider than usual…
Posted to Video by Eric Olsen on April 12, 2005 10:21 PM

Look-back: American Idol Salutes Old Glory Note
Last week American Idol saluted Old Glory Note—that is, Broadway—and ended up reminding me of Wayne’s World instead. Specifically, the Kenny G concert scene. As Kenny wafts magic slow-grooving sax bubbles into the air, the camera slowly pans the audience of…
Posted to Video by Sticker on April 12, 2005 12:50 PM

American Idol – Episode 421a – No More Second Chances For Nikko
Last night, the final nine AI4 contestants took on show tunes–and lost. Losing most of all, however, was Nikko Smith. It was only by chance that Nikko made it this far at all, as his appearance in the finals…
Posted to Video by Scott Pepper on April 6, 2005 11:44 PM

American Idol Week 4 Shocker: Nikko Nixed and Fantasia Sings “Yeah, Yeah, Yeah”
The American Idol Week 4 results show opened with a dapper Ryan Seacrest announcing yet another voting record: 32.5 million votes cast. But what I really want to know is the differentials between the contestants. For example, did…
Posted to Video by Sticker on April 6, 2005 11:10 PM

American Idol – Episode 421 – Musicals
It was a first for American Idol tonight as the remaining nine contestants tried their hands at classic showtunes. 1. Scott Savol – “The Impossible Dream” from Man of La Mancha 2. Constantine Maroulis – “My Funny Valentine” from Babes in Arms 3….
Posted to Video by Scott Pepper on April 5, 2005 10:24 PM

American Idol (Week 4): Show Me The Tune
After this week’s mini-brouhaha on American Idol v. Broadway (touched off by New York Times theater critic, Ben Brantley, and stoked here by yours truly and by buzz throughout the far reaches of blogger-dom), it seemed liked serendipity itself to…
Posted to Video by Sticker on April 5, 2005 10:18 PM

Take it From Justin to Kelly: American Idol Conquers Broadway
While P. Diddy claimed that his show—uh, whatzitname—is more popular than American Idol, and Gwen Stefani fought off charges that she’s a “fake rock star” [as Dave Barry would say: I AM NOT MAKING THIS UP], in other music world…
Posted to Video by Sticker on April 3, 2005 02:58 AM

One Down, Nine Still in the Game
It came down to Anwar and Jessica this past week. To my surprise, and all of the judges. Jessica Sierra got the boot. I’m not sure what song Bo Bice was singing the night of 3/29/05. A night…
Posted to Music by Patfish on April 1, 2005 10:52 PM

Idol Number 1-0-6-1-0…
(This blog entry has also been published in my “true crime” weblog Scott Savol, one of the current American Idol finalists (as of April 1, 2005, that is), has a domestic violence…
Posted to Music by Steve Huff on April 1, 2005 02:54 AM

American Idol – Episode 420a – Another Woman Down
Not exactly a surprise tonight that Jessica Sierra was the first of the Top 10 contestants to leave the show. While it wasn’t as easy a call as losing Lindsey Cardinale in the first week and Mikalah Gordon…
Posted to Video by Scott Pepper on March 30, 2005 10:04 PM

American Idol Week 3 Results: Good-bye, Jessica
Good-bye, Jessica. No one wants to pile on minutes after a girl, who can actually sing and whose heart is so set on becoming a star, just got shown the door. But let’s be realistic here. As Simon said last night,…
Posted to Video by Sticker on March 30, 2005 10:03 PM

Classic Constantine: Hot Gainer in Week 3
Constantine, in a snappy jacket and stubble, has to be this week’s hot vote gainer. Singing a full-bodied version of the despair ballad, “I Can‘t Make You Love Me,” Constantine reminded me why last week I wrote an insightful analysis…
Posted to Video by Sticker on March 29, 2005 10:57 PM

American Idol – Episode 420 – 1990s
We are down to the Top 10 finalists on Season Four of American Idol, and tonight the remaining singers took on songs of the 1990s. Some of the song choices were safe and obvious, but there were more than a…
Posted to Video by Scott Pepper on March 29, 2005 10:23 PM

American Idol Season Four – Updating the Odds
Of more than 100,000 hopefuls, only 10 remain. This week, one more of the American Idol Season 4 finalists will be sent home. They’ve already beat the odds by making it this far, but what are their chances of making…
Posted to Video by Scott Pepper on March 29, 2005 09:21 AM

American Idol: “Off With Her-His Head”
The reality show fixation, and in particular that with American Idol, has been going too long and too strong to dismiss as a fad or a fluke. Idol’s Tuesday performance segment and Wednesday’s repeat performance segment — necessitated by…
Posted to Video by Eric Olsen on March 29, 2005 08:46 AM

American Idol – Countdown to the Top Ten
Nadia Turner was my favorite. But a mohawk hairdo and a poor performance change my mind. Also, what’s this about wrong phone numbers?
Posted to Video by Patfish on March 28, 2005 08:31 PM

Kissyface Judges and Other American Idol Psychodramas
Last week’s American Idol came off as a mutant version of Truth or Dare. Evidently, prior to the show, Paula had dared Simon to say at least one positive thing about each contestant. When he took the bait,…
Posted to Video by Sticker on March 27, 2005 07:02 PM

American Idol: Constantine and His Secret Life As . . . Clay Aiken?
A funny thing happened the other night as I was watching Constantine Maroulis perform “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy.” First, like fine wine poured into a plastic beer glass, delicious strains of big-bodied, bring-the-house-down flavor coursed in and out of…
Posted to Video by Sticker on March 25, 2005 01:28 PM

American Idol – Episode 419a – Mikalah Gets Booted
Well, the Fox Network and the producers of American Idol are going home happy this week, even if one of the remaining finalists is not. Last night’s extra show, added after a graphical glitch during Tuesday’s performances, pushed the…
Posted to Video by Scott Pepper on March 24, 2005 10:43 PM

American Idol: If I Were King
After the bizarre phone number foul-up on American Idol Tuesday night — where the numbers given to vote for Mikalah Gordon, Anwar Robinson, and Jessica Sierra were incorrect — last night we were treated to an utterly redundant “encore”…
Posted to Video by Eric Olsen on March 24, 2005 04:33 PM

American Idol (Week 2) – Step Away From the Funky Hair
NOW we remember the idol rush that hooked us in the first place. Everyone—contestants, judges, the crowd (and, from my vantage at least, the television audience)—was stoked tonight. If last week’s signature was the panty-wad, this week’s was Red Bull. Not everyone…
Posted to Video by Sticker on March 23, 2005 11:09 AM

“American Idol” Hopefuls Get One More Shot
Particularly observant viewers may have noticed something askew with last night’s episode of “American Idol.” It turns out that the phone numbers displayed on-screen for three of the contestants–Mikalah Gordon, Anwar Robinson, and Jessica Sierra–were incorrect. Thus, viewers who dialed…
Posted to Video by Scott Pepper on March 23, 2005 08:06 AM

“American Idol” – Episode 419 – #1 Billboard Hits
After an incredibly disappointing start to the finals last week, the 11 remaining finalists came back with a vengeance tonight to deliver what could have been the best single night in any season of the show so far. Tonight’s theme…
Posted to Video by Scott Pepper on March 22, 2005 10:33 PM

Mario who? Or, Another Case of Reality TV-Induced- Grandiosity Syndrome
Mario who? Did you read the one about Mario Vasquez, one-time American Idol 4 Top Twelve-er, who recently ran into Ashlee and Jessica Simpson in a private room at a hip party place? Apparently, Mario approached the singing sisters and asked that…
Posted to Music by Sticker on March 22, 2005 04:23 PM

SEPARATED AT BIRTH?
Smeagol and American Idol 4 contestant Constantine Maroulis. Negative hat tip to Ed Adkins for putting the thought…
Posted to Music by copygodd on March 17, 2005 09:57 PM

American Idol: More On Mario
The rumors surrounding popular Idol finalist Mario Vasquez’s abrupt departure from the show have generally fixed on personal skeletons, including speculation that he might be gay. Vasquez was replaced on the show by Nikko Smith, son of Hall of Fame…
Posted to Video by Eric Olsen on March 17, 2005 11:37 AM

“American Idol” – Episode 418a – Lindsey Cardinale Departs
No real surprise on “American Idol” tonight that Lindsey Cardinale was the first of the Top 12 finalists to leave the show. While she does have a nice voice and is certainly easy on the eyes, her performances have been…
Posted to Video by Scott Pepper on March 16, 2005 09:59 PM

“American Idol” – Episode 418 – 1960s
Not a great start to the finals on “American Idol” this season. Tonight, the remaining twelve contestants could choose any song from the 1960s to perform. Here’s the lineup: 1. Jessica Sierra – “Shop Around” (1960) 2. Anwar Robinson – “A House…
Posted to Video by Scott Pepper on March 15, 2005 09:41 PM

“American Idol” – Finals Preview
On Tuesday night, the Top 12 contestants in Season Four of “American Idol” will hit the stage. Because of the gender-balancing act being performed this time around, the men and the women have not yet had to compete against each…
Posted to Video by Scott Pepper on March 14, 2005 06:55 PM

Mario Vazquez Quits “American Idol”
In a real shocker for fans of “American Idol,” Top 12 finalist Mario Vazquez has bowed out of the show:Mario Vazquez, the Latino heartthrob who won fans with his smooth renditions of Stevie Wonder’s “Do I Do” and the…
Posted to Video by Scott Pepper on March 13, 2005 08:46 PM

“American Idol” – The Top 12 Finalists Revealed
Crunch time on “AI4” tonight, as the last four semi-finalists were sent home and the Top 12 singers who will compete in the finals were finally announced. With more than 120 million votes cast so far, the fourth season of…
Posted to Video by Scott Pepper on March 9, 2005 09:57 PM