American Idol: The Good, The Bad and The Disappointing

With fellow American Idol contestant Crystal Bowersox hospitalized for diabetes, the guys switched nights with the girls Tuesday, March 2. This week the producers of American Idol saved the best for the beginning and end of the show, which left very little to watch in between.

The Good

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Michael Lynche

Starting out the show, Michael Lynche said in his introductory segment he went to a performing arts high school and played football. Lynche performed a standing barbell curl with fellow contestant Aaron Kelly and said he bench pressed 505 lbs.

Lynche, decked out in a black shirt and suit worked the stage with a soulful rendition of James Brown’s “It's a Man’s World.” After his performance, judge Randy Jackson gave Lynche a standing ovation. Judges Ellen DeGeneres, Kara DioGuardi as well as the irritable Simon Cowell all commended Lynche for his outstanding performance.

“It was like being a pussycat to a lion in one week,” Cowell said.

Last in the line-up, grunge-rocker Lee DeWyze revealed in his introduction he made bad decisions in the past and went to alternative school, but a one of his teachers help guide him in the right direction. DeWyze, wearing a simple blue T-shirt and jeans, sang a nervous, but intense performance of Hinder’s “Lips of an Angel.”

DeGeneres said DeWyze stood still too much, but delivered passion. DioGuardi said he improved since last week, but pitch problems plagued him again this week. Cowell said DeWyze should raise his shoulders because he felt his vocals exceeded the rest of the guys.

“Vocally, you are head and shoulders above everyone else in your side of the competition right now,” Cowell said.

DeWyze blamed his nervousness on performing without his guitar. Cowell said a front person needs to take the set without excuses. Cowell said he still waits for DeWyze to totally connect and lose his nerves.

The Bad

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John Park

John Park, a native of Korea, bragged about his band at Northwestern University, Purple Haze, who wants him to lose, so he can return to the band.

Sitting stiffly on a stool, Park held a death grip on the mic as he sucked the blues right out of John Mayer’s “Gravity.” Jackson said the performance lacked anything special. DeGeneres said she felt Park needed to feel the song. DioGuardi said Park lacked believability. Cowell said in fifteen minutes time, people would forget Park’s performance.

“I think Purple Haze may get their lead singer back this week because there was nothing to get excited about that,” Cowell said.

Todrick Hall, a writer, actor and dancer from Texas, revealed in his introduction he does push-ups to prepare for his performances.

With a blinding metallic jacket, Hall butchered Tina Turner’s 1985 Grammy award-winning “What’s Love Got to Do with It.” All the judges agreed Hall’s performance robbed the original’s energy and left an empty hull. Jackson said Hall needed to just sing for once. DeGeneres said she thought the performance wouldn’t get him any votes. DioGuardi said she just didn’t get it. Cowell suggested Hall move, but not sing.

“This is not working out at all for you,” Cowell said.

Cowell compared Hall to a theme-park singer and said whatever Hall thought to be right was completely and utterly wrong.

The Disappointing

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Casey James

After performing a sexy version of Bryan Adam’s “Heaven” last week, eye-candy Casey James left the judges disappointed with this week’s performance of Gavin DeGraw’s “I Don’t Wanna Be.” While he rocked it out with his electric guitar, his song choice simply didn’t do justice for his style of vocals.

James said in his introduction he spent most of his life without a television because, as a child, lightning struck his house and blew out the television. He said it left him with more time to do other things like buying and restoring his house.

Standing in one place throughout the entire performance, James’ vibrato left him sounding more like a sheep than a singer. Jackson said he liked how James channeled Jimi Hendrix through his use of the electric guitar, but the vocals weren’t the best. DeGeneres said she loved his look and sound, but she felt he needed to move more. DioGuardi, the cougar who loved him last week and in auditions, said she felt he took two steps backwards. Cowell said he agreed with DioGuardi.

“You turned into somebody you will see in any bar across America … somebody trying to be a rock star,” Cowell said.

Cowell said James lacked the grit in his voice to perform a song like “I Don’t Wanna Be.” Cowell said it was more like sand, while DioGuardi said it was more like dirt.

Another disappointing performance came with Andrew Garcia’s performance of James Morrison’s “You Give Me Something.” The first wrong move came with him performing without his acoustic guitar.

Garcia’s introduction revealed his love for break dancing. He said he just wanted to have fun with his performance that night.

Still sporting the black-rimmed glasses and a scarf around his neck, Garcia’s voice sounded good, but didn’t compare to his arrangement of Paula Abdul’s “Straight Up” in auditions. Jackson said he didn’t get it while DeGeneres said she liked it a lot. She said Garcia set the bar so high in auditions that any performance would leave the judges disappointed. DioGuardi said he needed to surprise them and not play it safe. Cowell said Garcia chose a bad song for the second time in two weeks.

The Eliminations

During the elimination round March 4, the guys and girls joined up to start the show off by singing the Black Eyed Peas' “I Gotta Feeling.” Shortly after the performance, host Ryan Seacrest asked the back row to stand. The back row included: Lynche, James, Hall, Park and Tim Urban. After those voted to stay on the show sat down on the couch, Hall and Park were left standing. Between the two, America voted off Park. Seacrest asked Park what he remembered to be the highlight of his stay on American Idol.

“The highlight is Shania, of course. I really liked meeting these girls and guys. I really enjoyed my time here,” Park said.

After the commercial break, Seacrest asked the front row to stand. The front row included: Jermaine Sellers, Garcia, Alex Lambert, Aaron Kelly and DeWyze. Seacrest started with DeWyze asking him to sit down along with Kelly and Lambert. Sellers and Garcia stood alone as the ones receiving the least votes. Between the two, America voted off Sellers. On March 3, Sellers performed Marvin Gaye's “What's Going On?” Seacrest asked Sellers if his mouth got him into a little trouble. Cowell and Sellers expressed their differences in opinion after his performance March 2.

“No, I don't think my mouth got me trouble. Where I sing from, you can't be taught how to riff and run and sing high notes. I'm a church singer,” Sellers said.

After the eliminations, Season 8 finalist Danny Gokey performed "My Best Days are Ahead of Me," a country single on his upcoming album. Seacrest asked Gokey why he chose to sing country. Gokey said during country music week last year, Randy Travis asked him if he ever considered singing country music. Gokey said Travis said he thought country fans would love his soulful voice.

The guys perform again March 9 at 8 p.m. on the Fox Channel.

For additional reading:

Gutsy ‘Idol’ Allison Iraheta Shows Her ‘Scars’

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