American Idol: Hollywood Round #4

Hollywood Week continues, and the field has narrowed to 54 contestants, all vying for 36 spots in the official Season 8 lineup. But the Idol peeps switched things up by putting the judges in this giant house called "The Judge's Mansion" (???), and forcing contestants to take the long walk through the mansion and face the judges in a European parlor-type room. It's all very Vanity Fair-meets-Dallas. Anyhoo ...Anoop Desai was first up, and the judges quickly moved him into season 8. "Love that kid," said Paula.

Von Smith addressed Simon's remark about his Hollywood Week song being "self-indulgent nonsense." But the pressure is off, at least for now, because Von made it through to the next round. And his mom couldn't be happier.

Cody Sheldon, the horror filmmaker, ended up doing a sing-off with his friend Alex Wagner-Trugman. This is another new thing -- two contestants sing-off in front of the judges; one stays and one goes home. It's all very awkward and maddening, especially if they're friends. Of course, most of them ARE friends at this point, because they've been through Hollywood Week Hell together. After several dramatic pauses by the judges, Cody goes home, and Alex gets through.

Another dramatic pause by Simon when Adam Lambert stood before the judges. He's the one who sang Cher's "Believe" in the previous round. When Simon says, "It's not good news," you pretty much know what's coming. Sure enough, Simon adds, "It's GREAT news." Adam is through to the next phase.

Taylor Vaifanua forgot the words during her group performance, but still made it through this round, as did a bunch of other girls: Jasmine Murray, Arianna Afsar, Casey Carlson, Megan Corkrey, Mishavonna Henson, and Stevie Wright.

Joanna Pacitti, who's had recording contracts(!), actually forgot the lyrics during Hollywood Week. But the judges unanimously agreed that she deserves another chance. Ok, excuse me, but this means Simon was flat-out lying when he said that anyone who forgets the lyrics is automatically out. Liar, liar, pants on fire, Simon!

(After this was posted, I heard that Joanna Pacitti was disqualified due to a previous recording contract - wait, what?! Don't you think this would have come out sooner? Anyway, word has it that Felicia Barton will take her spot.)

Next up are a bunch of people who get a resounding No: T.K. Hash, Chris Chatman, and Reggi Beasley all had their dreams crushed flat.

Kendall Beard is the girl who showed up at Hollywood Week dressed in black, which Kara hated. And Paula thought her songs were boring. Still, she's through.

Jenn Korbee's hubby went home during Hollywood Week, but the judges asked her to do a sing-off with Kristen McNamara. The two blondes sweat it out, and Simon keeps talking about putting through "the attractive one" (I'm guessing he means Jenn). But the other judges like Kristen, so she ends up going through. Simon is crushed, which I'm sure makes Kristen feel fantastic.

Alexis Grace is the pink-and-blonde-haired girl with the young daughter. She makes it through.

When Scott Macintyre, the blind guy, gets a yes, everyone in the holding room cheers wildly. I was cheering, too.

Lil Rounds, the mother of three, just wants to give her kids a better life. And she gets that chance, because the judges put her through.

Next up is a bunch of No's: Felicia Barton, Ashley Hollister, and Frankie Jordan, who does a sing-off with Jesse Langseth, who goes home. Frankie is the one I think sounds like Amy Winehouse.

Allison Iraheta, the 16-year-old, gets through, as does crowd favorite Danny Gokey. His friend Jamar Rogers, however, gets a no. Everyone in the holding room is shocked, including Jamar.

Norman Gentle / Nick Mitchell says he'll do anything to get through: clean Simons' 20 cars, wear a bikini like Bikini Girl, you name it. He doesn't have to, though, because he gets through. Jackie Tohn also gets a yes, and is practically hysterical with joy.

Ok, and the one we've all been waiting for: Tatiana del Toro. First off, she's wearing the fake jewels that Paula hawks on the shopping channel, but Tat says the ring was sold out. Paula immediately pulls off her own ring and gives it to the girl. Staged? No doubt. Anyway, Simon asks if she could once, for the love of god, try NOT to be annoying. No luck, she's annoying as hell. And she made it through, which means I'm going to have to scratch my eyes out every time she's on stage. Oy vey.

Jackie Midkiff does a sing-off with cry-baby Nathaniel Marshall, who gets through while Jackie goes home. Lord help us. Idol better stock up on Kleenex for Nathaniel.

The judges torture us by forcing a sing-off between Matt Breitzke, the welder, and Michael Sarver, the oil-rigger. They both end up going through, and Matt gives Ryan Seacrest a bear hug, which I'm sure cracked a rib or two.

So we've got our 36, and now it's on with the show. During the next three weeks, they'll perform in groups of 12.

33 Comments

The Joanna story is the big controversy this year I guess - they always seem to have one:) And Idol fans, here's a great AI resource: an Eye on Idol sweepstakes where a Nintendo Wii Prize Pack (a Nintendo Wii Console, a Wii Music Game, a Wii Remote and a Wii Nunchuk) is awarded each week through the season finale in June.

PHONY STAGED "SING OFFS!"ANYONE else notice the final "SING OFF" had to be phony, if they were the last 2 & the count was at 34 & they needed to end up with 36, then they were both AUTOMATICALLY through anyway!!! "The judges torture us by forcing a sing-off between Matt Breitzke, the welder, and Michael Sarver, the oil-rigger. They both end up going through" HMMMMM, do they think we're stupid??? Weren't the "Sing Offs" which included"Norman Gentle," Terrible Tatiana and Wussy Nathaniel all phony as well since they wanted to keep those attention grabbers around for laughs at the expense of losing the truly talented Jamar.

I would kick out Matt (welder?) and bring back Jamar. The problem with Nick/Norman is that he can sing, so he can't be discarded easily despite his antics. Since his antics are funny and less harmless than T and N's, I am completely looking forward to having him on my TV.

Bringing back Felecia Barton instead of one of the girls who had to sing for their life combined with the results of the last sing for your life just proves that those were all staged events. The judges/producers had already decided who was going through and just wanted to create drama for Wednesday's show.

Think about this, no matter how it was edited, if the last sing off was a legit event, then there should be 37 people through instead of 36. Either that or they ended up cutting someone who was definitely through to bring it back to 36. Sorry, but I don't think so.

Did anyone else feel like a fool when they let the last two do a singoff yet both got through -- they know that they have to get 36 and they were the last two contestants -- so it was all staged. Little too obvious even for idol.

Jackie(even Kara said why is he going through this) and jamar should have gotten through -- I feel like they just wanted the drama that since they both had best friends who got through that they weren't going to let that happen. Because it makes no sense how they could not get through yet Nick -- gets through or the guy who forgot the lyrics twice and left the stage????

Tatiana annoyed the heck out of me, but I found myself laughing so hard to tears when she was so happy. It is hilarious!

When they let the Black guy go (I can't remember their names so early in the contest, but his best friend is the guy who's wife passed away) I turned to "Knight Rider". That fellow can really sing and I thought that he and his friend might wind up being pitted aginst one another in the finals. between the two of them, i couldn't choose a favorite, but I honestly believe they should both have been in there for the long haul. Soemthing stinks about him going and that annoying Tatiana staying.

Does anyone else think that Tatiana is a pillhead? My boyfriend works at a clinic frequented by people with drug problems, and we both noticed some "classic signs" in her behavior: slurred speech, erratic behavior, etc. Either that or she's just crazy. Either way I'm not looking forward to watching her this season. Here's hoping she's not the next Sanjaya!