Is This a Singing Competition – Or What?

Officer, arrest that TV show! There’s been a felony travesty.

Somebody stole Gedeon McKinney’s slot on American Idol – and the AI crew are accomplices.

This week, one of the top 16 contestants may have been eliminated because of her biography and another because we didn’t get to see his biography.

During the auditions, we learned that sweet Ayla Brown is the daughter of a Massachusetts state legislator and a TV reporter. Some viewers decided she is a child of privilege, an heiress to the easy life, even after her interactions last week with Simon Cowell revealed that her success in singing and sports are the product of hard work. A hard worker who strives for excellence? Gee, we don’t want one of her kind in the top 12.

Today I read two articles detailing the obstacles Gedeon overcame to compete on AI5. I have been paying close attention to every broadcast, but I don’t remember American Idol publicizing Gedeon’s remarkable human-interest backstory.

• Gedeon is the valedictorian at the Yo! Memphis Academy of Visual and Performing Arts.
• When the Memphis auditions for American Idol were cancelled due to Hurricane Katrina, Gedeon wanted to audition in Chicago but his family could not afford the expense.
• The Academy's artistic director suggested holding a concert to raise the needed money. Gedeon’s fellow students paid $2 and adults $5 apiece to watch him perform.
• The local Afro American Police Association donated $300.
• Gedeon and his mother drove to Chicago with $700.
• Gedeon is one of seven children, so his mother had to send his grandmother to Hollywood in her place.
• Gedeon’s father, singer Tony McKinney, died in December 2005 right before the semifinals.
  

At seventeen, Gedeon already performs like a mature professional. Simon of the stingy praise compared him favorably to the legendary Sam Cooke, whose civil rights era classic A Change Is Gonna Come Gedeon sang so powerfully during top 20 week. Simon even speculated that, in an earlier time, Gedeon could have been one of Berry Gordy’s Motown superstars. Clearly, his singing wasn’t the reason voters failed to advance Gedeon McKinney to the top 12.

Some viewers found Gedeon cocky and even creepy. Do you think his triumph over so many personal obstacles might have tempered their negative impression? How about the fact that Gedeon never portrayed himself as a victim? Thanks, American Idol. You screwed up big time.

The most publicized backstory of any contestant this season belongs to Kellie Pickler. From her video clips, we know that her father is serving time in prison and has a history of arrests, her mother abandoned her, her grandparents raised her, and then her grandmother died. Wow.

Do you want to know what I consider creepy? The image Kellie promotes is that of a naïve, innocent victim of a tragic childhood. And yet the nineteen-year-old has injected blatantly sexual moves into her last two performances, inspiring Simon to call her a little minx. Minx is defined as a “seductive woman who uses her sex appeal to exploit men.” Little wonder that Simon likes her better than Carrie Underwood, who merely sang her heart out.

The last thing teenage girls need to see is another pop tart with daddy issues acting out sexually. Do I hear an amen? Get this girl some self-esteem counseling and put a muzzle, or a really uncomfortable codpiece, on Simon.

I haven’t been this creeped out by American Idol since Simon drooled over another famously disadvantaged nineteen-year-old, Fantasia Barrino, as she lay on the floor, singing Summertime. Twice. How strange that AI viewers learn more about how Simon likes his ladies than how hard it was for one of the best season five contestants to pursue his dream.

Last year Constantine Maroulis and Nadia Turner oozed sex appeal – and Simon looked mightily appreciative when one of them, I’ll let you figure out which, danced close to his chair during the season four grand finale. But they were both grownups with sturdy personas, nobody’s victims. They were also decent singers and interesting performers, until they weren’t and then their fans stopped voting.

I have two words for anyone clinging to the illusion that American Idol is a talent contest: Kevin Covais. Aside from his hometown friends and family, who is voting for Kevin? The Cabbage Patch Kids? Kevin is amiable, poised beyond his years, and quick with the quips, but his singing and performing are mediocre. I found Clay Aiken’s nerdiness charming, too, but Clay can sang.

Let this be a warning to Mandisa, Melissa McGhee, Taylor Hicks, and Elliott Yamin. The self-appointed experts on how an idol should look and behave who frequent the AI-inspired message boards are gunning for you next. You better film those tear-jerker video clips pronto.

And Gedeon - God bless you.

What I Know about Clay Aiken

Three years ago this week, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I can scarcely forget what a tumultuous year 2003 was for me and my family. In addition to the constant stress of life-threatening illness and harsh medical treatment, I had to deal with upheaval at home and at work. Then my only sister died unexpectedly. For years she served as caregiver for our oldest brother, who has been handicapped since birth. Within two weeks of her passing, we moved from the cozy home we owned into a larger rental to accommodate my brother and his service dog whom my husband had to relocate immediately from Florida.

When I reminisce about 2003, I tend to focus on my many blessings. The final visit I had with my sister that summer which healed longstanding rifts between us. My amazing husband Luis, who held my hand through every chemotherapy infusion and dispelled my vain fears after disfiguring surgery. My son’s silent strength and newfound maturity as he watched over me anxiously. Remarkable friends who lifted my spirits and prayed for my recovery. And the charming stranger who made a challenging year seem magical.

I will probably never meet Clay Aiken, so I have to thank him publicly. Here.

When he first appeared on our television screen during the 2003 auditions, Clay sang a few memorable a cappella notes of Always and Forever and my husband said, “There’s the next American idol.” His look and sound were new to the competition, unlike any of the season one contestants. After his masterful performance of Superstar, I became a Ruben Studdard fan. But Luis and I were both discouraged when Clay initially failed to advance to the final round.

Three years ago this week, Clay was the viewers' wild card selection and began his domination of American Idol. He captivated us right away with his undeniable vocal talent. However, his engaging individuality and artistic growth are what made him and the second season so phenomenal. As we got hooked on Clay’s personal metamorphosis from week to week, American Idol was transformed into something more extraordinary than the crass star-making machine it really is. Like a classic drama, there was the villain, Simon Cowell, versus the underdog, Clay. Whenever the judges openly favored Ruben while nitpicking him, Clay would apply their criticism to improve his next performance and come back for more. No matter how many limitations the show’s format and crew would impose on Clay, he transcended all of them.

When I was admitted to the hospital for cancer surgery on the morning of Monday, May 5, I told my medical team that they better get me home in time for Tuesday’s broadcast of American Idol. The next evening I was back in my living room, rooting for Clay. For two nights every week, my family was transported to a parallel universe where we completely forgot our earthly burdens. Reality TV became our escape-from-reality TV.

After an anticlimactic finish to a close contest that was overshadowed and rendered irrelevant by its celebrated loser, we spent a few months watching Clay’s American Idol video clips online until Measure of a Man was released. We snapped up the album and quickly replaced our first copy when the CD player ate it. The songs were strong and well written. Regrettably, on too many cuts, the heavy-handed mix muted his powerful vocals.

Radio essentially ignored Clay. The music industry didn’t understand his appeal or how to exploit it. American Idol moved on but without the Aiken magic.

In 2004 we purchased Merry Christmas with Love. We will buy his next recording, too, and hope for a better showcase for his talents.

I think Clay would make the perfect judge on American Idol. He knows the show, the process and the industry. He would be articulate and constructive, a combination missing from the panel. Simon Cowell and Ryan Seacrest were never more likable than when interacting with Clay in season two. I don’t know if Clay or the AI team would ever seriously consider my suggestion, but now is probably not the right time.

Recently Clay has been the object of tabloid allegations and lurid speculation. Barring criminal behavior, Luis and I don’t care to know about the most private aspects of anybody else’s life – ever. Clay’s attraction for me was never romantic or sexual. However, to countless other female fans, Clay has been the embodiment of a softer, sweeter masculine ideal. I figure many see Clay as the non-threatening boy-next-door type they regret bypassing in favor of the bad boys they couldn’t resist. But what do I know.

Well, I know what I know and what I don’t know. I know that Clay owes his success thus far to his large, devoted fanbase who collectively created an industry niche for him. Like most entertainers, he is always vulnerable to fan expectations and gossip because the commodity he is selling is himself.

Clay is a singer of other people’s songs. He doesn’t write, play or produce music. His recordings are only as good as the production team in control of them. The quality of the production team depends on Clay’s position in the industry to command higher quality. Clay’s position in the industry depends on his loyal fanbase purchasing his recordings.

Here is something important that I know about Clay Aiken. He has a very special talent for entertaining. The world needs entertainers who can make us forget our troubles. I don’t know how Clay conducts his private life, but I do know that his public life has been admirable. He uses his microphone and his spotlight to help children in need all over the globe.

I also know that those who publicize and spread these allegations have contempt for Clay and his fans. Those who want to believe that “outing” is somehow noble are fooling themselves – it is intentionally destructive, malicious and selective. They specifically target popular icons who are Christian and/or have Christian followers. The outers’ faith is the cynical belief that all Christians are intolerant hypocrites. In this case, they are trying to shake up and shake loose so-called “conservative Christians” who support Clay.

Let me tell you about one conservative Christian fan of Clay Aiken: me. I am very political and politically conservative. When Clay began to move in political circles after leaving American Idol, I noticed they were on the opposite side of the spectrum from my deeply held views. So what! As a conservative, my shelves and my soul would be pretty bare if I boycotted artists, performers and writers who disagree with me politically.

Clay is tangled in a “catch 22” not necessarily of his own making. His fanbase includes many heterosexual women who began to fantasize about him from his earliest appearances on American Idol when he was just being his gawky, adorable self. Without any obvious manipulation on his part, the fanbase multiplied faster than the most aggressive cancer and carried him triumphantly to impressive sales success. Ever since, Clay has been on a rarified pedestal where no mortal can remain happily or permanently. Inevitably, Clay would do something – get married or whatever – to disappoint the unrealistic expectations of some fans and imperil his career, which is so dependent on fan support.

Clay knows the facts regarding these allegations and so far he is not really responding to them. I do not know the facts and am not making any assumptions. Speaking strictly for me, I don’t need any explanations from Clay. I understand that other fans may feel differently.

For the sake of argument, let’s pretend that Clay is gay. How would that diminish his genuine talent? The audience saw the real Clay Aiken blossom on TV week after magical week and many of us were enchanted. I know that much was true. His gift to entertain was an unexpected joy during the hardest year of my life.

Is there any monolithic Christian reaction to these allegations? Of course not and once again I can speak only for myself. I will never forget a news segment I saw in the mid-1980s. A small town pastor was interviewed about his controversial ministering to AIDS patients, to which some in his congregation objected. The reporter asked him, “How do you answer those who say that AIDS is God’s punishment for homosexuals?”

The pastor replied gently, “Maybe AIDS is God’s test for Christians.”

Maybe this is a test for Clay’s fans, Christian and otherwise.

Boys Rule, Girls Drool, Ryan's Cool, Paula's a Fool

We can play “What Did Paula Abdul Have for Lunch Thursday.” You go first.

The producers should play Spank the Judges. Next Tuesday I expect we will all see Paula eating crow or Barry Bonds sitting in her chair.

Me, I’d rather play Wednesday’s broadcast of American Idol – over and over and over again.

Paula's not the only girl in trouble. This week, only Lisa Tucker and Mandisa showed strong enough chops to hang with the boys, who have an advantage not only in depth but breadth of talent. At sixteen, Lisa is already a diva divine but without the brat-titude. The house band and backup singers are tighter than ever, occasionally drowning out the lead vocals. But Mandisa has such awesome power and control that she will never be in anyone else’s shadow.

I thought Melissa McGhee delivered the third best performance Tuesday, showing professionalism and versatility that earned her another chance.

Kellie Pickler’s take on Bonnie Raitt was all hot and bothered in an appealing way that made up for her vocal limitations.

Paris Bennett is still one of my favorites, but she carried Wind Beneath My Wings like a pallbearer. Kinnik Sky has a lovely, warm, rich tone and probably fatal pitch problems.

The good news for Ayla Brown is that Simon Cowell acknowledged how hard she is working to improve. I think she may overtake Katharine as the best of the diva wannabes. The bad news is that her singing seems like all work and no fun.

Katharine McPhee wasn’t a whole lot better than Heather Cox, who was the second of the top 10 females to be eliminated. Katharine is watchable and well-trained, but her vocal runs are ragged. She floundered embarrassingly on the line “I had to go away” from All Is Fair in Love.

The first to be eliminated was Brenna Gethers. What can I say about Brenna that hasn’t already been said about the uninvited buttinsky who crashes your family reunion? At least she left the stage without handcuffs.

The boys have a problem, too. Eight of them should advance to the finals, but there is only room for six. Most of the males who are eliminated during these first three weeks of the contest would have been top 12 contenders in seasons one through four.

The unprecedented talent on display this season is no accident. Before season four, the maximum age limit was raised from 26 to 28, opening the door for Bo Bice and Constantine Maroulis. Aspiring singers from genres traditionally underrepresented on American Idol took notice and are leading this year’s pack.

Previously, the standard for best vocal performance by a male contestant was established early in season two by Ruben Studdard on Superstar. Unfortunately, that was also Ruben’s high-water mark, which he never equaled again. Fortunately for him, he had only one serious competitor, Clay Aiken, breathing down his neck.

Two weeks in a row, Elliott Yamin surpassed Ruben’s achievement. Elliott has a jazz musician’s ear for every half-step on the musical scale. Yet it may not be enough for him to win. Taylor Hicks and Chris Daughtry are compelling, charismatic singers with unique appeal.

My husband, who recognized Clay’s rare talent when he auditioned, loves-loves-loves Taylor Hicks. Who can resist his contagious passion for music? We agree that his Easy had more character and soul than the Commodores’ original version. Taylor proved that he can cool it down as well as burn it up.

Gedeon McKinney sang Sam Cooke’s A Change Is Gonna Come – and, sure enough, it did come in Simon’s estimation. Gedeon’s star-making performance reminded me of a Broadway showstopper. The producers should have assigned him the final slot.

However, that was reserved for the current frontrunner, Chris Daughtry. Chris is more than just a great rock voice. Like Levi Stubbs of the Four Tops, Alex Chilton of the Box Tops and Big Star, and Bruce Springsteen among others, Chris sings as though his life depends on it. Plus, he has really kind eyes that mesmerize. He is special from the inside out.

If Ace Young’s vocals consistently match his dreamy gaze, he could steal voters’ hearts. Following Taylor and Elliott this week, he seemed tired and not as confident.

David Radford sang two of my favorite songs before he was eliminated. Call me shallow, but I couldn’t get past his facial contortions.

I think Sway Penala is a better vocalist than Simon realized. When we first saw him onstage, Sway was Mr. Smooth. After Simon worked him over, he was visibly rattled. He picked a difficult song, Overjoyed, and performed it with technical proficiency – but no joy.

My husband is a fan of Bucky Covington. I am charmed by his personality more than his voice, although he is growing on me. If I found this week’s performance to be a huge improvement, he may have increased his fan base.

Likewise, I was quite pleasantly surprised by Will Makar. Like Paris Bennett, he resurrected a song that has been done to death, but I actually enjoyed every cheesy note of Lady (sorry, Paris). He has an unforced, dynamic voice with a natural vibrato.

Kevin Covais is another uncommonly poised teenager who can sing well. However, he is not a great singer and, much as I am tempted to root for the underdog, I will be upset if he takes the place of more deserving contestants.

Thursday’s results show may be remembered for the folly of one or two judges laughing callously and mugging for the camera as Heather Cox and Sway Penala were eliminated. I have been dismissive of Ryan Seacrest’s contributions to the success of American Idol and criticized his scripted milking of the weekly elimination drama. I owe Ryan an apology.

Ryan always improvises well and it looks effortless. He is never better than when trying, usually in vain, to lead the unruly judges into more constructive behavior. Off script Thursday night, Ryan admonished Paula and Simon while restoring some much needed decorum to the set. The final screen shot revealed Simon smirking and Paula ruefully resting her head in her hands. Classy.

American Idol 5: Big Ratings, Bigger Talent

NBC decreed, “Let the games begin!”

Following nine months of growing anticipation, the big day finally arrived. “It’s a boy!” proclaimed Randy Jackson. The Dawg Pound barked its appreciation. Fox executives thumbed their noses at NBC and said, “Neener, neener!” The American Idol season five contest had commenced at long last.

After watching the top 24 elimination round, I endorse Randy’s initial assessment. Even Paula Abdul begged the producers to allow more than six males to advance to the finals. Since the AI5 auditions began, I agree with Randy so often that it’s scary. As my husband likes to joke, “He’s saying what I’m all thinking.”

American Idol has become an unstoppable ratings juggernaut. This year the talent is so diverse and impressive, the personalities so endearing and the performances so poised, that the show might have to change its name to American Idols. That is, if the Idol crew doesn’t botch it all up.

This is the time of year when I question the stupid quota system that insists on phony symmetry between genders. Thursday evening four contestants went home. Why? They received the four lowest vote totals, right? Wrong! The two members of each sex that poll the lowest are eliminated. It is possible that two of those eliminated Thursday evening were not among the real bottom four.

Hypothetically, if gender was irrelevant, one or two more girls could have joined Becky O’Donohue and Stevie Scott in the dreaded loser’s circle. One or two other guys could have followed Patrick Hall and Bobby Bennett into the annals of Idol history. Of the remaining ten girls, I think Patrick has more talent and potential than at least four of them.

For all we know, American Idol sent Becky home due to her revealing photos publicized on the eve of the results show, not because of her vote total. I find her departure a bit premature, even unlikely. I wouldn’t vote for Becky, but other pretty, albeit mediocre, girls have lasted longer in past competitions. Well, as we have seen every season, the unexpected is always possible. However, the producers reserve the right to alter the results and they are under no legal obligation to tell us when or why.

The order in which contestants perform is no random accident, which makes me wonder whether the schedule is set before or after the powers-that-be see the singers rehearse. Patrick was careless with his song choice, a typical rookie misstep, but inexperience is not the reason the crew so carelessly assigned him the first slot of twelve on a two-hour program. Mandisa, who led off for the ladies, had several advantages over Patrick. She was already well-known from the auditions and performed boldly. What if Patrick had followed David Radford, Bucky Covington, Will Makar, and Jose “Sway” Penala? I imagine the judges would have been a lot more complimentary and appreciative of Patrick’s pitch perfect performance.

Anyway, Patrick is gone and the show must go on, so why not enjoy it. When the show is blessed with this much talent, we can blithely ignore the men behind the curtain. And the judges bickering onstage between songs. And the otherwise amiable host delivering heartbreaking news heartlessly. I could almost imagine Ryan Seacrest saying, “Bobby, I’m sorry. The audience thought you were a bloated buffoon. But I just saved a ton of money on my car insurance.”

Whatever the judges saw in Bobby Bennett in the auditions was not evident in his performance. His best TV moments were his comical reaction after he was told he made the top 24. His interpretation of Copacabana was so vaudeville that I half-expected him to close with the old tag line, “I’ll be here all week. Try the veal.” Bah dah boom.

Stevie Scott alluded to some kind of illness that affected her performance. She seemed to be over-controlling and softening her voice until all the dynamics were drained out of it. I wish her better luck and health.

This is also the week when we meet all of the contestants. Now we know that Simon Cowell’s surliness beginning with the auditions was not due to the quality of the talent. Some seem instantly familiar like characters out of American Idol central casting. At first Kellie Pickler may seem like the new Carrie Underwood or Bucky Covington the new Bo Bice, but both their styles are more “country” than their predecessors.

The judges compared Paris Bennett to Fantasia Barrino, but I would have cited Diana DeGarmo. The next day they complimented Ace Young on his natural magnetism while mocking the camera readiness of an unnamed contestant from the past, whom I assume is Constantine Maroulis. If Ace reminds me of anyone, it is Justin Guarini with a stronger voice. Simon, who is still haunted by Clay Aiken, saw his likeness in Patrick Hall. The Claymates may have voted for Kevin Covais or Will Makar instead.

Some comparisons are unspoken. When David Radford auditioned in Chicago, Paula and Randy were reluctant to advance him to Hollywood, remembering how Simon savaged John Stevens. When David performed last Wednesday, I forgot all about John Stevens. I think David is a cutie patootie, but singing transforms him into a be-bop bobblehead. His jaw quivers manically like a beaver at a buffet of nuts. Dude, as my muse Randy might say, nobody should have to work that hard for a vibrato.

Note to James Shepherd of Beavers on Idol: I think we’ve found your mascot.

Seriously now, there is little value and considerable harm in perpetuating these comparisons. Every performer is an individual, not a type. It is hard enough to be judged on one’s own performance, appearance, and song selection. To be judged on false, unrealistic expectations is a shortcut to failure. That said, does anyone else think Katharine McPhee looks like Tanya Memme of Sell This House?

The narrowness of Simon Cowell’s frame of reference is becoming more obvious and troublesome. Whether he enjoyed it or not, he didn’t recognize that Sway Penala’s falsetto was a faithful tribute to Philip Bailey of Earth, Wind and Fire. He was slow to appreciate the rare, raw soulfulness of Taylor Hicks despite the popularity of Ray Charles, B.B. King, Van Morrison, Joe Cocker, Leon Russell, Dr. John, and Dave Matthews, among others of distinction who share Taylor’s musical tradition.

Simon redeemed himself three times in one evening, an occurrence more extraordinary than lightning strikes. First he complimented Chris Daughtry quite generously. Then he acknowledged Elliott Yamin’s uncommon talent. Finally he apologized to Taylor for his oversight. Remarkably, in each case Simon eschewed his trademark snarky asides about perceived physical shortcomings.

The avowed purpose of American Idol is to find the best undiscovered singing talent in the country. As defined in season one, an American idol looked like Kelly Clarkson or Justin Guarini. Over the years, performers such as Ruben Studdard, Clay Aiken, Jon Peter Lewis, John Stevens, Scott Savol and even Constantine Maroulis invited the audience to reconsider their idol ideals.

Until American Idol, Chris, Elliott and Taylor reached the respective ages of 26, 27 and 29 years singing in obscurity. They needed only one legitimate chance to prove themselves. This is what American Idol does best.

Forget about packaging and pre-selling conventionally attractive mainstream performers. I really, really wish the Idol crew would this year. Forget about controlling the variables. Forget about manipulating the results. Just buckle up and enjoy the ride. If they are very, very lucky, they may get to do the Snoopy dance with Taylor Hicks.

Me! Me! Me! Meme Times Four

I read and respond to e-mail about as often as I blog. Sorry!

A few weeks ago I got tagged so, reluctant as I am to write about myself and if anyone still cares, here is my contribution to the Four Things about Me meme in random order:

Four Jobs Once Held By Me
1. Astrologer (when confronted by a clientele that needed serious help I was untrained to offer, I found I did not believe in astrology any more)
2. Newspaper ad copy writer
3. Piano teacher
4. Credit/collections manager for jewelry store (ruined talking on the telephone for me forever)

Four Favorite Movies
1. Defending Your Life
2. Four Weddings and a Funeral
3. Groundhog Day
4. When Harry Met Sally

Four Places I Have Lived
1. Canoga Park, California
2. Westminster, California
3. Huntington Beach, California
4. Garden Grove, California

Four Television Shows I Enjoy
1. Special Report with Brit Hume (FNC)
2. House Hunters (HGTV)
3. The Young and the Restless (CBS)
4. Family Guy (Fox)

Four Favorite Books
1. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2. Happiness is a Serious Problem - Dennis Prager
3. Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4. Good News for Modern Man

Four Places I Have Been on Vacation
1. Florida Gulf Coast
2. Orlando, Florida
3. California Central Coast
4. Las Vegas, Nevada

Four Websites I Visit Daily
1. National Review Online
2. Drudge Report
3. Real Clear Politics
4. Just One Minute

Four Favorite Foods
1. Prime rib well seasoned, tender and rare
2. Pork ribs with Mad Will’s barbecue sauce
3. Trader Joe’s chocolate/hazelnut spread
4. Coffee ice cream

Four Places I’d Rather Be
1. Since this is a fantasy question, at a gathering of all my loved ones, living and deceased
2. On a cross-country road trip with my family
3. Playing in the snow with my family
4. Walking on a beautiful beach with my husband

Four Things To Do Before I Die
1. Finish my neverending novel
2. Beat breast cancer
3. See my son fulfilling his potential
4. Overcome my motion sickness

Four Play
Tag, you’re it!

Please pass it on.