Fancast: Inside TV

Can I tell you how much I love Michael Buffer. He’s one of the coolest cat’s I’ve ever met…and he’s actually trademarked the phrase “Let’s Get Ready To Rumble”. You can’t use it anywhere else (publicly) without paying him a royalty. It’s brilliant business.
The show started with its usual gusto, and the David vs. David theme was perfect. The David’s looked great and were very cordial to each other (no surprise). The judges looked great (again no surprise), and we were ready to go.

I was actually surprised that the show was only an hour. Was my season one show only an hour? I guess so.

Cook
“I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”
In Cook’s classic style, he made it his own without trying to make too much of the song. At this point when I was in audience I was thinking ‘ He’s pacing himself well, and he’s probably going to keep ramping it up throughout the show’. His voice was a little strained, but I can’t blame him. Mine was too…a lot. All-in-all I think he did the song justice and it was the perfect opening to what was already a great show. What I liked best about the performance was the fact that he let the song speak for itself. Nice opening salvo.

Archuleta
“Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me”
Now here’s a song that I sang during my finale. I love this song, and I love what Archie did with it. I’m listening back to it on TV and it actually sounded better live than it did on the TV…and it sounded amazing on TV. The judges were going crazy, and I don’t blame them. Archie made the song his own, and he caressed the living hell out of it. That sounds strange. How about this…for being a 17 year-old who couldn’t possibly understand the yearning and deep sense of frustration with someone you love that DLTSGDOM is talking about, he made a believer out of me.

Round one- Archuleta

The new songs:

Cook
“Dream Big”
There were 10 songs to choose from and Cook chose a song that was originally a country song. He then took it and arranged it into the pop-rock song that we heard. At first blush I was not bowled over by the song, mostly because it’s not my style. Although the song was not my favorite, I completely agree with Randy when he said that David was singing his face off. Even with the vocal tiredness he rocked it out.
I remember what a pain it was to sing “A Moment Like This”, putting aside the fact that it was totally not my style, my throat was burning and all I wanted to do was sleep. David pulled out all the stops on this one.

Archuleta
“In This Moment”
Did someone say moment? Sounds familiar doesn’t it. He picked a song that was perfect for his voice and for this competition…even if it did sound like “Don’t Cry Out Loud” in the chorus. It was pure pop and what American Idol is all about.
At this point it was becoming clear that the tide was turning David A’s way. It was also becoming clear that Archie was destined to win the night. It was a feeling that ran through the entire audience…especially after this song. I know I can’t speak for 6,999 other audience members, but the mood seemed palpable to me.

Round 2- Archuleta

Cook-
“The World I Know”
This song was good, but not for an ender in my mind. I would have rather seen him sing one of his best songs from the past season. He was trying to say something with this song I think.

What most people fail to realize is that an AI performance is all about slam-bam-thank-you-ma’am tactics. Get the audience pumped, get the high notes out (whether on a ballad or an up-tempo) and just plain show off. When I say show off it doesn’t have to be flashy, but it does have to have an edge…be it bold or just plain beautiful.

David stood up there and told America, and the world, that winning this competition was not what was important to him, but that he cared about showing us his heart, and his devotion to being a truly multi-faceted artist. I stood and cheered him and continued standing long after everyone sat down because I saw what he was doing and was moved by it. I know what it feels like to go into that night knowing that I’m not going to win, and not really caring. Cook now knows what it feels like too.

I have no resentment attached to that statement. My experience that night was purely business, and I was very happy when all was said and done. I hope that David is too. He’s done a phenomenal job…and to think…he was just a guy who showed up to support his brother…and became a superstar.

Archuleta
“Imagine”
This was the nail in the coffin for me. Archie did what he does best, and stuck to his guns. Imagine was a smash hit for him when he first sang it and it was the perfect reminder/ender for him. It was the culmination of years and years of hard work put in…Starsearch, stagedad, and ultimately superstardom.

What else can be said that hasn’t already been said?

Round 3- Archuleta

Wrap-up-

Hands down, David Archuleta took the night. Just like hands down, Kelly Clarkson took ours. Cook was great, but Archie was outstanding. I felt like I did really well, but knew that Kelly had blown me away.

During my year when things were not set up the way that they are now, and when the people involved at the management level were not equipped nearly as well…being THE American Idol really meant something. They had to make you a superstar and prove the brand. Everyone else literally fell by the wayside, just business, not personal. Now a days and even in the second season, being the American Idol is about bragging rights. As long as you make it to the top 5 or so and have a great look and voice, you can become very successful. The mold is set and the Idols continue to prove themselves every single year.

The David’s both will have no problems making great records and I hope (in the best of ways) they both give Kelly, Daughtry, and Carrie a run for their money! The David’s have earned the right to be superstars.

Homepage photo credit: Matt Beard Network