|
|
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Between The Lines: Why 'American Idol' Is Selling Lee DeWyze
By: Erin Carlson
For today’s installment of Between the Lines, our feature exploring the hidden aspects of popular culture, I will address the judges’ always-glowing endorsement of Lee DeWyze on American Idol despite Lee’s lack of stage presence, vocal power and potential to win the ninth season. Add to that his predilection for bad ’90s alterna-rock (Chris Daughtry also had this issue, but his ridiculous talent trumped his bad taste). Call me a cynic, but I don’t see a Daughtry-like future in the cards for Lee).
In fact, I’d rather watch Wednesday night’s castoff Tim Urban make his inevitable small-screen debut on Wizards of Waverly Place than see Lee DeWyze in concert.And yes, if I heard Lee’s gravelly emo-whine on the radio, I would switch the dial. Anyone with me?
So why, oh why, does Simon Cowell and company keep endorsing this doughy, furry, fratty guy over Tim (better looking), Casey James (even better looking than Tim) and Michael Lynche (more talented)? Over Siobhan Magnus, the most interesting hopeful in an otherwise tame, nonthreatening contestant lineup? (I mean, seriously, Ryan Seacrest should not be counted on to stir up drama all by his lonesome. We saw how that worked! Not good.)
Here’s why Lee is judges’ pet: He is the only contestant this season who truly stands a chance of competing against Crystal Bowersox in the upcoming season-nine finale, just weeks away. Make no mistake, Crystal WILL win, but Lee is a good foil to fool us into thinking that he just might pull a dramatic upset over the Mama Bowersox. Yes, the odds are significantly stacked in favor of Crystal, but when the emotional stakes are high, the Idol title becomes a toss-up (see: Adam Lambert vs. Kris Allen, Ruben Studdard vs. Clay Aiken, David Cook vs. David Archuleta, Taylor Hicks vs. Katherine McPhee).
And Simon’s favoritism toward Lee suggests that producers believe the 24-year-old suburban Chicago native to be an equal opponent to Crystal, who they love to pimp out as much as possible (good lighting, that end-of-show money slot!). The judges know the drill: pushing certain contestants who producers like increases said contestants’ chances of making it to the finals. And annoyingly, they are pushing Lee hardcore (ostensibly, for the runner-up prize).
The show’s producers value Lee because America does. Lee is a man — mildly attractive, like a David Cook – and Idol viewers skew female; as such, they are more likely to vote for a cute guy of mediocre talent (achem, David Cook, achem) over a cute girl who can sing really well (see: season seven’s Carly Smithson). Lee is a better singer and performer than Casey; but if the sexy Texan loved by Kara DioGuardi were matched up against Crystal in the final two, then viewers would tune out assuming Crystal’s victory. Casey might be hot, but looks alone don’t drive ratings. Lack of suspense equals BO-RING!!! And Michael, the sweet-natured hybrid rock-soul singer recently rescued by the judges’ save, cannot swing as many lady votes as Lee, who for some odd reason, appeals to mainstream American viewers and moms (including mine). Siobhan will be ruled out by Crystal, since there’s only room for one woman in the finals — and that woman is Crystal, who is also wildly popular with the female Idol viewership (and my mom). Unlike season-seven powerhouse Carly, who was controversial for her failed pre-Idol recording career, Crystal has a likability that wins over both sexes. This is key, denoting mass appeal. DeWyze has the same thing going on, and I hate it!
Idol is all about voting blocs and who scores a bigger piece of the pie. And while Simon might secretly prefer a dynamic singer like Siobhan over a commercial-corporate rock Joe Average like Lee, he knows that Idol’s ratings — which are being eclipsed by ABC’s Dancing With the Stars – depend first and foremost on giving viewers what they want. So he will endorse Lee for the greater Idol good — because this bland season demands a suspenseful finale. And a Siobhan-Crystal competition won’t hack it, especially after the Nielsen ratings report is delivered the next morning.
Infuriatingly, America wants more Lee DeWyze. This is why he’ll be the last man standing on May 26.
Betul lah tu .... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply belon_cumil
Habis le Casey, last kat dialidol ...
nanu_nanu Post at 5-5-2010 13:49 
aduhhh ... tp ini cuma prediction qannn? hrp americans voters will safe casey via sms ... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
wah ............Lee is soooooo going to be in the finals unless something stupid happens |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lee ni boleh jual ke...I predict bakal senasib ngan kris allen |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
org tuu jeles ngan lee.. ... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Post Last Edit by i_know_you_wont at 5-5-2010 21:09
Lee ni boleh jual ke...I predict bakal senasib ngan kris allen
jetrofa Post at 5-5-2010 17:07
I don't see Lee and Kris so bad...
And you are such a lame blah blah blah |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
wah marah sangat peminat tegar Lee kat atas tu |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Baru tengok concert tu tadi
Ranking ai
1. Mike
2. Crystal
3. Aaron
4. Lee
5. Casey |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kemungkinan besar if Lee menang susah nak jual album; genre dia bersaing dgn Daughtry & David Cook. Kalau konsert pun rasa2 charisma dia tak sehebat Daughtry or David Cook.
Rasa genre folky blues takde lagi kut so maybe Crystal can still hit some market yg belum dicuba oleh all the ex idol.
Damn this season is gonna stink as bad as Season Fantasia or worse. We'll know once the concert collections are known. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Post Last Edit by sweetmm at 5-5-2010 23:48
aduhhh ... what happenned to casey james? casey ... where is your ear candy as last week? tulung l ...
belon_cumil Post at 5-5-2010 12:10
Terpaksa pasrah, even Casey dah kata he did the worst and should go
Takpe masih boleh berharap dia akan jual album selaku Kellie Pickler; rupa and suara ada.
Casey: I might not be here next week. It’s just a reality. We all have to live with it. I could go, I could’ve went last week and the week before that, so every week we get is a blessing. Honestly, out of all of us, I absolutely deserve to go home tomorrow, if you’re going to base it on this performance. I mean all these guys really killed it. I was really shocked. And what they said was dead on the mark — I am not a guy who’s gonna ever go out there and do something like that without my guitar, so I did the best I could.
LA Times |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
mjsbigblog.com
credit la...
haha
i_know_you_wont Post at 5-5-2010 10:23
orang kat sini dah tahu ler; akak tepek mjs and ada sorang lagi tu tepek rickey. tu ler rajin2 lah bertandang |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply 1653# sweetmm
kecoh betul dak nih...itu aku belum tepek idol forum punya ..... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply 1651# sweetmm
itu dah tentu... mana leh lawan David Cook maaa. Tapi aku bagi props kat Lee for improving week after week. The last man standing for sure. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply sweetmm
itu dah tentu... mana leh lawan David Cook maaa. Tapi aku bagi props kat Lee f ...
nanu_nanu Post at 5-5-2010 23:47
I won't be surprised if Crystal won't even be in the finals. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sad but true 
Casey James is going home from Idol tonight and he knows it
May 5, 2010
There was a moment at which Casey James seemed to know he was likely the next to go home from American Idol. It wasn’t when he woke up this morning and read the headlines about just how off his performance was. It wasn’t when Simon Cowell made a joke about Casey likely being available to take that music gig next week that his friend tried to hire him for, a joke so cruel considering the circumstances that even Simon seemed to have left himself speeches after making it. And it wasn’t even midway through Casey’s performance, when the look on his face suggested that he wasn’t even sure if he should finish the song after the painfully off first half of his rendition.
No, it was yesterday evening, before the show even began, when Casey declared on his Facebook blog that the performance would be “My first time to hold a microphone on stage!” In other words, in his entire career thus far, he had only ever sung into a mic stand. If that doesn’t demonstrate just how out of his element Casey was when it came to last night’s theme… well, you get the idea. There’s still a small chance that the show’s voters keep him around another week in spite of last night’s debacle, but unless the voters decide to turn sharply against the judges’ advice, Casey will indeed have the time to take his friend up on that gig next week.
So while Idol has made efforts to open itself up to a broader range of contestants over the years by allowing them to play musical instruments and such, the show’s continued use of tactics like “Sinatra Week” continues to ensure that a contestant like Casey James just can’t win. - beatweek |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply 1658# nanu_nanu
Akak hari ni dah tak tgk pun on tv; dah macam season yg Jordan menang tu. Tunggu tgk finals je lah.
Serious boring kalo Top 4 takde Casey |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Props to Harry Connick Jr, salah sorang mentor sepanjang hayat AI yg honest n constructive. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Post time 5-5-2010 02:09 PM
