American Idol-Week 7

Tidbit of information on me-I love musicals. I love songs from musicals. Honestly the Les Miserables and Phantom soundtracks are just to me, unbelievable scores. I love classical music. I was in the orchestra and band growing up and studied piano, trumpet and french horn. Today my father is a Patron at the New York Philharmonic and Katie, Dad and I have just had wonderful times at these performances. So tonight being Andrew Lloyd Webber night I was ecstatic!

But we were reminded just in case we forgot and have not been beat over the head with a rolled up soon to be recycled newspaper, that today was Earth Day. That's cool but honestly I heard the phrase Earth Day so much today I am ready to scream. I recycle, I pay all my bills online and I am soon ready to stop driving since gas by Memorial Day should reach $6 a gallon. We all feel much better knowing Idol will use green energy on their finale show (which I will miss, since I will be on an airplane because my selfish brother is getting married in Ireland and did not take into account my blog! LOL!)

Syesha started the show and was amazing. I also noticed that she was donning a new rock on her left hand-some schmuck is figuring they can marry her and cash in on her residuals from the show-because you know she is going to get some Broadway offer after tonight. Idol is no stranger to Broadway with Tamara Gray, Fantasia and Clay all having their respective stints. She looked fabulous! It was her element and she must coast through until next week.

Jason-oh my where to begin? I think Andrew put it best when he said "I never thought I would hear "Memory" sung by a guy in dreadlocks." It was, in Simon's words, "God awful." Prior to his performance while sitting on those carved out butt stools with Ryan, he told the world how nervous he was for this week. My favorite part of his montage was when he said, "I never knew the song was sung by a cat." Now I am hoping he just did not know the song was from Cats, but if he did, I would love to know what in the hell he thought a musical named Cats would be about. The judges said the song should only be sung by a lady. I would have them download Barry Manilow singing this song-he did a bitchin' performance. It's on the IPod.

Brooke did the mess up-the BIG sin of don't forget the lyrics (and no that was not a plug for Wayne Brady). Paula was very adamant about not stopping on a live show. Simon and Randy felt bad and I just knew that would win her the sympathy vote. I love the song, "You Must Love Me." Of course, it's on my IPod. (O.K. "Whip It" is on my IPod-I am not that discriminatory), but Madonna singing this song brings tears to your eyes. Brooke ain't Madonna. Even more irritating than watching her try not to cry when Paula was ripping her, were the mosh pit hand wavers.

Steve, my sister's boyfriend (or Seve as Preston calls him), hates David Archuleta. Steve and Katie join my parents each week for Chinese food and Idol. Steve mimicked David prior to a performance saying "I'm going to sing "Jesus, Jesus, I love Jesus" by the Jesus Band." David is that perfect. I bet if he smiled his teeth would give that gleam and a "ping" sound effect like an Orbitz commercial. But since Carly totally stole "Jesus Christ Superstar" which I completely thought David would pick, he picks "Think of Me." Andrew tells us this song was written for a diva, but since the judges have done everything except wipe David's behind, or maybe they have, he believes he is a diva and worthy of this song. Soon he'll be demanding a fur lined couch and separated M&M's in his dressing room.

Carly was really good but really nothing completely wowed me. Then there was David Cook. O.K. another flashback. In high school and the early college summers I worked at a catering hall called The Harbor Club as a waitress. Mel was a hostess and all of our friends worked there with us to make summer jobs more bearable. Anyway, we would endure all the New York/Long Island rituals, you know brides who like to be draped over pianos, massive ice sculptures, food to feed an army (everything I ended up demanding at my wedding-minus piano draping). Anyway there was a wedding band back in the late 90's called Katz. Katz consisted of a really bad lead singer who truly believed his calling was Broadway. Unfortunately for this guy, his reality was a five hour stint on a Saturday night on Long Island. Usually during the dinner hour at said Long Island weddings, the band has one guy who plays a soft piano or bass, but Katz offered the bride to be and her guests a whole new event. This lead singer would set up his synthesizer, leave the hall and undergo a metamorphosis into the Phantom. I swear that he put on a cape, a half mask and sang every ballad from the show during dinner. So one night Mel was working the hostess station and the transformation/morphing was complete. I should have mentioned that he now was ready to make his grand entrance by running or swooping into the ballroom. Only his bass player forgot to open the door and the lead singer flew off the glass to the ballroom like a pigeon and a skyscraper. HILARIOUS! OK, I digress. Katz I think disbanded prior to my wedding, although they would not have been a consideration anyway.

David was awesome. His"Music of the Night" interpretation was great. If you closed your eyes it was even better because you did not see the rocker, you just heard the voice. If they were to make a Moulin Rouge 2 Ewan McGregor would have some stiff competition from Mr. Cook. I also think Idol let him sing the entire song because that was more than two minutes. Meanwhile the lead singer of Katz was home tonight drinking himself into a slow stupor thinking about what could have been. To give you a sense of what this guy might be now-think of Steve Buscemi in Billy Madison and that is the lead singer of Katz today.

My prediction is Jason goes home. We'll see tomorrow folks.