Archives for March 2008

I totally stole that title from an IM Big Mama sent me a couple of weeks ago, by the way.

But I’m terribly excited because apparently you – yes, all of you! – can click here.

And watch (almost) any TV show you want on a new site called Hulu.

FOR FREE.

I’m all over it, my friends.

So I guess I’ll see y’all sometime in 2018. When I finish watching all the TV.

(Hat tip to Throwing Things for the link, by the way.)

(and p.s. – Hulu has free movies, too.)

(and p.p.s. – For obvious Hulu-related reasons, this is shaping up to be the BEST! DAY! EVER!)

edited to add: before you sign up for Hulu, be sure to read this comment from Shauna. Great info.

So I just started watching, and I’m intrigued by Ryan Seacrest’s declaration that there’s “a whole new look.”

But now that I’ve seen it? WAY COOL. Love the band being up high…and I also think it’s great that the audience is up so close.

And I’m sure that you, you know, CARE WHAT I THINK ABOUT THE SET AND ALL.

However, I do not know what to make of Simon wearing a white shirt. All I can guess is that his closet was in a hot mess and he accidentally picked up a shirt that wasn’t black.

Also: I see we have us a Beatles theme night.

(I am refraining from mentioning how I don’t love The Beatles because that seems to raise all sorts of ruckus whenever I mention that. And I would hate to raise a ruckus.)

(Peace and love, all you Beatles fans. Peace and love.)

So here we go.

Syesha Mercado – “Got To Get You Into My Life” – I just think she’s adorable, and her smile is contagious. I didn’t love her version of this song, mainly because it felt a little bit like a wedding reception to me. And it would be a great song at a wedding reception, but if the goal at this point in the competition is to be super-memorable, she missed the mark a little bit.

Chikezie – “She’s A Woman” – Since I haven’t been blogging during the top 24, I haven’t gotten to say this on the blog, but I ADORE THE CHIKEZIE. HE MAKES ME HAPPY. I’ve loved him since the auditions. And I TRIPLE LOVED his version of this song. Chock full-o-personality. And while granted, it wasn’t exactly the most controlled performance I’ve ever seen and / or heard, it was loads of fun. And I still adore the Chikezie. FOREVAH.

Ramiele Malubay – “In My Life” – HELLO, Sassy McHighlights! Methinks Miss Ramiele has a Hair Wizard of her very own. And as for her performance, I was a little disappointed that she didn’t sing something a little showier, mainly because she has such a big, wonderful voice – and she didn’t really get to use that big, wonderful voice on this song. I thought the last half of the song was better than the first, but again, like the first performance, it was nothing super-memorable. I felt like she was holding back, playing it a little safe – and I wish she had done something a little more FIERCE.

Jason Castro – “If I Fell” – I find young Jason to be utterly charming and talented and delightful. Tonight’s performance had a decided Jack Johnson-ish vibe to it, and my problem with that it didn’t do anything to give me a stronger sense of who Jason Castro is. I just know that he can sing like Jack Johnson. And I think it’s time for him to maybe stretch a little more so that we get a better idea of how unique and wonderful Jason Castro is instead of being reminded of other musicians when he sings.

Carly Smithson – “Come Together” – Would it disturb you to know that I would like for Carly to come live with us just so I can listen to her accent all day long? Because I am FASCINATED by her Irish accent. I just felt the need to share that. And remember when I said I wish Ramiele had done something a little more fierce? Well. Carly was FIERCE FOR DAYS. Phenomenal. She was so confident and commanding and dead-on. Loved it. And as a sidenote, I would just like to add that her eyes are gorgeous, thank you.

David Cook – “Eleanor Rigby” – I SO LOVED IT. And honestly, I was a little worried when I saw that he was performing without the guitar, but he did not disappoint. It was the first song tonight that I would pay cash money to download from iTunes…I thought it was brilliant.

Brooke White – “Let It Be” – She may well be the most likeable person I’ve ever seen on television. And I had goosebumps the whole way through her performance tonight. She seems to sing straight from her heart…I think she’s the real deal, no doubt about it.

David Hernandez – “I Saw Her Standing There” – I love that he has a big voice and isn’t afraid to showcase it. This song isn’t my favorite, but he certainly made it fun. But it didn’t really go past “fun” for me – it just wasn’t in the same league as what Brooke or David or Carly did tonight. It felt like a really good number in a high school musical review. and that’s fine – but probably not enough to make the top four or five on AI.

Amanda Overmyer – “You Can’t Do That” – First of all, I AM WILD ABOUT THOSE PANTS. Second, this was such a fun performance. I don’t think her vocals were the strongest of the night, but she is really fun to watch, and I enjoyed her a whole bunch.

Michael John – “Across The Universe” – I think he seems so sweet and warm, but he hasn’t really blown me away yet. I keep waiting – because I know he has it in him – so I have big hopes for next week.

Kristi Lee Cook – “Eight Days A Week” – I think the whole country approach was a little bit of a miscalculation on this song. It almost seemed like she couldn’t keep up with it. I have really enjoyed her in the previous weeks, but she wasn’t nearly as strong tonight. I don’t know that the outcome would have been any different if she’d sung a straightforward version of this song; I think she probably just needed a different song.

David Archuleta – “We Can Work It Out” – Oh y’all. I wanted to crawl through the TV screen and hug him. But you know what? He sang those ad-libbed lyrics better than most people sing the real ones. And I know he’ll bounce back next week. He is so unbelievably talented – he just had a little bit of an off week.

Should go: David Hernandez – For me, he was the weakest of the bunch.

Will go: Kristi Lee Cook – I’m not sure she can bounce back from what happened tonight.

Best of the night: For me, it was David Cook – with Carly a close second.

If you want to add your post to the Mr. Linky, please link back to your specific post, not your general URL. Thanks!

So tomorrow night, I’m going to start the 2008 American Idol live-blogging.

And really, I should say “live blogging,” because odds are it won’t actually be live at all. More likely it will be “once-we-get-the-child-to-bed-and-turn-on-the-DVR blogging.” But that phrase doesn’t have as much of a ring to it. So we’ll just stick with the whole “live blogging” designation and pretend.

‘Kay?

And if you weren’t reading here last year, here’s how the whole AI sort-of-live-blogging works.

I’ll write a post with my reactions to the night’s performances, and I’ll put up the post just as soon as I’ve given it a cursory round of proofreading and and run it past my BooMama legal advisory committee.

Which means that I will write my post and read parts of it aloud to my husband, who has absolutely no legal background whatsoever but does watch a good deal of “Law & Order.”

So, hello? He’s, like, TOTALLY QUALIFIED to be my legal advisory committee.

I’ll put up a Mr. Linky with my post, and then you, the internets, can link back to your own specific post about this week’s AI. And while I encourage you to by all means state your honest opinion about the performances, I also encourage you you to remember that we’re talking about real live people with real live feelings. And who probably make extensive use of some real live Google each week after they sing.

Plus, we wouldn’t want to upset any contestant’s mama by saying insensitive things about her baby. Oh no ma’am(s) (and sir)(s) we wouldn’t.

In fact, the phrase “Don’t hate; appreciate” comes to mind. Though I have no idea why. Except that apparently I’m now 22 again. And using all manner of slang.

Anyhoo.

I think that about covers it.

And if you have any questions, just shout me a holla.

Word.