AI Top 2

Confession time: I just spent 15 minutes finding FOX on my TV. So yes, I obviously haven’t been watching this season. I had class Tuesday nights again this semester, and, frankly, I didn’t feel like I was missing anything. I would catch up Wednesdays and Thursdays by reading Entertainment Weekly online, where I got most of my impressions of this season. I also heard contradicting stories from people in my life: S said this season was boring, except for Adam (I agreed—the clips I had seen of the performances made everyone but him look like a deer in headlights, even Kris), but my cousin and even my professor kept exclaiming how exciting this season has been. Either way, I’m very excited to be able to watch and blog about the final two and the finale tomorrow. I put it in my calendar a while ago, and I am committed to providing you all with my take on these last shows.

Now, I have some things I’d like to say about my impressions of this season. First of all, it seems to me that the judges have been even less useful this season than in previous ones. I don’t know why they needed a fourth and I’m not sure anyone likes Kara. I’m curious to see what I think firsthand from tonight’s show. Secondly, everyone is all atwitter about this Adam Lambert character. It seems he’s the favorite and that this is really his competition to lose. Personally, a) I think he’s sexy; b) I wonder if he’ll win, considering ALL the attention about his sexuality and Kris’s wholesomeness and middle-America pull (where do we think Danny’s fans’ votes will go?); c) his performance of “Mad World” is probably my favorite performance of anything I’ve heard all year. In fact, it impelled me to search for obscure clips of him on Youtube, and I’ve found some juicy ones:

This is him singing “Come to Me, Bend to Me” from Brigadoon. I found this and figured they wouldn’t do an Andrew Lloyd Webber night this season.
This is a pre-nail-polish-and-guy-liner, blond(!) Adam singing at his high school graduation.
Adam as Joshua in The Ten Commandments the Musical Yes, that’s Val Kilmer as Moses. Isn’t that hilarious?!
Adam as Fiyero in the LA Production of Wicked
Boy can sing. I mean, like, actually.

And finally, Kris…a) friggin adorable; b) does he stand a chance at all against Adam? (probably only if the parenthetical statement in point b above happens); and c) the beginning of his performance of “Heartless” from last week was INCREDIBLE, and I give him props for really earning his place in the top 2.

Here we go. This…is American Idol. Ah, how I’ve missed this.

(They’re both so cute.) So, tonight, Adam and Kris will sing their favorite song from the season, a song chosen by creator Simon Fuller, and the winner’s song, co-written by Kara. Let’s hope it doesn’t suck. But it will. And, oh good, Ryan warned everyone to record the show AFTER the finale tomorrow because the show is due to run long. Remember what happened to me last year? Grrrrr. I’ll be watching live, thankyouverymuch.

Adam’s starting us off with “Mad World.” In a trenchcoat. And lots of fog. I honestly can’t decide if I just want him to stick to Broadway. He’s absolutely captivating, and he obviously feels his songs (or at least acts like he does). I’m just not sure I buy him as a rockstar. Or even a pop star. (Holy shit, Anthony Hopkins is in the audience. And that crazy applause was not for Adam; it was for Danny, when the camera landed on him.) And I agree with Simon, as per usual, about the theatricality.

Now, the question is: do you think that Adam just asks for the crazy production details, like the red staircase and blue light? And stage fog? Or are the producers pimping him out?

Kris is starting with “Ain’t No Sunshine.” Solid! I also appreciate that he’s playing the piano. I predict this is going to be a tight race. Oh, Paula. I see your inanities are still as rambly and vague as ever. She just told him he “Allenized his trademark.” Huh?

Round 2 begins with Adam singing “Change is Gonna Come,” chosen by Simon Fuller. Whoa. He’s pulled out all the stops. His vocal control is pretty impressive, and I have no problem picturing him headlining a concert. No problem. The judges are in conniptions about that performance.

It’s such an exciting show; my heart is almost pounding.

Kris is up next with “What’s Goin’ On.” (Good choices, Fuller!) Not enough has been written about what Kris’s mouth does when he sings. It’s pretty adorable…It’s almost impossible to compare these last two performances; they’re such totally different singers. It will definitely be interesting to see what they do when given the same song to perform. (Btdubs, I officially don’t like Kara.)

The single is called “No Boundaries.” I’m scared. I always am. He should win just for having the cajones to wear shoulder pads and silver pants on national TV. Um. This is a little bit of a train wreck. I consistently hate how much of an anticlimax the winner’s singles are at this part of the season. They don’t allow the contestants to have a big, satisfying finish with an actually good song. Argh.

Kris is up next with the same crappy single. He’s making it slightly more palatable. And I understood the words this time. Does that mean that he should win? I plead the fifth. The judges seem to be cushioning the blow of what they seem to think is a foregone conclusion that Adam will take it. We’ll find out soon enough!