I don’t know about you, but if given the chance I’d send a few home after last night.
The night started off with a bang as Kris Allen took the stage. I thought he was far and away the best performance of the night. His version of “The Way You Look Tonight” blew the roof off the house. I am solidly in Kris’ camp now and if he doesn’t win it is a crying shame. Allison Iraheta followed Kris and she did a very respectable job. I still have trouble believing she’s only 17 years old. Her version of “Someone to Watch Over Me,” is going to solidify her as a 
serious competitor in this competition. I hope that she makes the final three.
After Allison the performances were all bad in my opinion. Matt got up there and despite what Simon said, I thought he massacred “My Funny Valentine.” His vocals were bad, and it’s just coming across week after week as a bad cross between Justin Timberlake and Maroon 5. The award for most boring performance of the night had to go to Danny Gokey. At one point Danny was my favorite in the competition, but now he just makes me want to hit the fast forward button on the remote.
I say this week after week, but I don’t like Adam Lambert. Randy was right to point out that it is always very musical theatre with Adam. Sure he can sing, but he belongs on a stage somewhere singing “Memories,” and not on popular radio. If he wins this thing his music isn’t going to appeal to the masses and he is going to end up playing Teen Angel in Grease with American Idol’s biggest flop Taylor Hicks. I hope he goes home and doesn’t make the finals, but I think we all know that won’t happen. For some reason the young women voters love him, despite the fact he has no interest in them. I blame it on the fact that he looks like a vampire from Twilight. 
The Unfiltered Ramblings of a DVR Addict 
I’m one of your “young women” in Lambert’s camp – I’m 21 – and here’s my quick analysis of his appeal.
Lambert has confidence, flair, and talent out to the moon. While I agree that he *could* sing Broadway if that was his desired career path – and probably make it very big, after his Idol exposure – I think he wants bigger things. With his range and training, as well as his musicality (which is also very developed), I think he has a good chance of making it in the music business. After watching his Idol performances, as well as listening to a wide range of his pre-Idol work, I think he could sing just about anything. The trick for his post-Idol success will be finding original songs, and good ones (not the dreck sometimes found on post-Idol albums). Lambert *is* a songwriter, though, and the couple songs I’ve heard of his were great, so again I think he has a good chance.
As for his appeal on Idol, which is in some ways its own special world, I think his attraction to women of all ages stems from a few things. First, the qualities I’ve already mentioned – confidence, flair, and talent. Lambert never bores; some of the other very fine contestants waver on the edge of treacly or forgettable at times. The day after an Idol show, Lambert’s the only contestant people will reliably remember. In addition to these qualities, however, Lambert comes across as a genuinely humble, nice, deeply funny guy who’s dedicated to his work without letting it go to his head. Whether or not he is, I don’t know, although his former coworkers seem to back that up. That may not matter to guy voters, but at least to girls it does.
And of course, to all of this you have to add the fact that he’s incredibly sexy. Because he’s gay, there’s an element of safety to his sex appeal for straight women, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t there or isn’t strongly felt (besides, it’s not like women don’t have a lot of practice fantasizing about unavailable men – all the straight guys in Hollywood date women so far out of the normal woman’s league it’s not even funny). Not being a straight guy, I don’t know how Lambert’s sex appeal comes across to them – probably as annoying – but as a woman it’s very attractive.
I’m thinking as I write here, but I think I’m getting to the end of my “explanation”. What I’m trying to say is that in addition to Lambert’s undeniable talent, flair for the stage, and excellent musicality, he is simultaneously the quintessential “bad boy” and a thoroughgoing “nice guy”. He’s the type of guy women can imagine themselves having absolutely fantastic sex with (and don’t tell me women don’t fantasize!), but also being best friends with afterwards. He has the complete deal, and I think that with savvy marketing and some good songs he could find a lot of success beyond Idol. (Incidentally, I’m not at all sure he’ll *win* Idol, but I’m not sure it matters at this point to his future career trajectory.) In the meantime, his legions of women fans will continue to try to make sure he returns every week to glam up the stage. 🙂
By: Katie on April 29, 2009
at 1:39 pm
Thank you very much for this very in-depth explanation. All of that makes sense. I still don’t like him, but I now understand what his appeal is. By the way I was not trying to be insulting by referring to his fans as “young women.” Sorry if I offended.
By: JoeOnTheTube on April 29, 2009
at 1:58 pm
I didn’t take it an insult. Insofar as I thought about it at all, I believe I just thought you were trying to differentiate between “young women” – i.e. 18-30 – and the tweens/teens (especially the tweens) who seem to tilt toward Kris (and other “cute” boys like Archuleta).
By: Katie on April 29, 2009
at 3:23 pm
I could not disagree with you more. It’s bizarre because I can normally find some common ground with most reviewers but I honestly think you’ve got this all wrong.
Kris’s not Danny’s performance was the more boring and unmemorable of the night, despite his proficient delivery and sweet demeanor. I’m a huge fan of his, but he was in the death spot tonight and I found that by the end of the show, I could hardly remember what he’d sung at all.
Allison gave a solid performance but it wasn’t a stand-out one and it will put her into the bottom two or three this week. Her fanbase is not as solid as most of the other contestants and this performance will not stir casual fans to pick up the phone on her behalf.
Matt Giraud fell shortest of the mark this week, but I don’t think I would call it a massacre. There have been train wrecks on this show, but last night was blissfully devoid of it. If America has any sense, though, Matt will be going home tomorrow. The others have thoroughly outclassed him.
Danny Gokey actually gave his very first performance that stirred me in any way, shape or form last night. As little as I like him – and believe me, I could not care for the guy less – he really did step up his game and justified his status as a judge & fan favourite. I may not be into what he does, but he did it well last night.
And Adam… The boy is about fifty leagues ahead of his closest competition. Yes, he is theatrical. Absolutely. That is what Adam does and that is why America loves him. The difference between his sort of theatrical and Taylor Hicks’ is that Adam is campy and dramatic but not hokey. And given current pop sensations like Madonna and Lady Gaga and rock legends like Queen and David Bowie – there is certainly room for camp and dramatics on popular radio.
By: Amanda on April 29, 2009
at 1:42 pm
I love it. As a blogger I thrive on people disagreeing with me. Thanks for the comment!!
By: JoeOnTheTube on April 29, 2009
at 1:58 pm
I disagree with you on Adam turning out like Taylor Hick’s. Haven’t you seen the iTunes single bars that Apple released on accident? His song “Mad World” place between “How Do You Sleep” (Jesse McCartney) and “My Life Would Suck” (Kelly Clarkson) – and this is during the competition! As long as Adam finds a strong team to support him, he’ll have an amazing carreer after Idol.
By: Sarah on April 29, 2009
at 2:36 pm
I guess time will tell, but other than his singing of Mad Word (which wasn’t an original version, it was just like the version from Donnie Darko) I’ve hated everything he’s done. I would turn the station as soon as it came on, and I certainly wouldn’t buy anything of his.
By: JoeOnTheTube on April 29, 2009
at 3:07 pm
Straight guy here, I like Lambert. A couple of my mates hate his theatrics but they have negative points to make about every contestant. I can see myself sitting and having a drink with Adam. He seems like a decent guy, knows his music, is mentally acute, has a sense of humor, something to say.
By: Jack on April 29, 2009
at 2:53 pm
Hey, it has nothing to do with him being gay or straight, just over the top and a little too cheesy for me. I thought his version of Ring of Fire was the worst thing I’ve ever heard. If Johnny Cash wasn’t already dead that might have killed him.
By: JoeOnTheTube on April 29, 2009
at 3:06 pm
Ring of Fire LOL. The performance made me laugh – a lot – but it was purposely peculiar and tongue in cheek wasn’t it. His vocals were solid. Not gonna to lie, it was an impressive vocal and the Middle Eastern arrangement reminded me of Zeppelin, Buckley, Muse, acid rock. As I said though, the performance was…amusing.
Cash is a legend – do not get me wrong but honestly, the original was pretty cheesy anyway, ROF’s not his best. I don’t think he’d have minded. Johnny wasn’t anything like R Travis. He made his mark on a lot of other artists’ music and covered genres not typically his own in his last 10 years doing his own takes on Nine Inch Nails, Nick Cave, Bob Marley, Depeche Mode….he really believed in trying new things with music. Cash supported so many outcast musicians and spent years working with unknown singers who wanted to experiment and take risks. When Dylan was begin boycotted for playing the electric guitar Cash came to his rescue.
But valid reasons mate. Personally I don’t get Allen’s appeal. Nice lad no doubt but way too wet and boyband for a singer-songwriter.
By: Jack on April 29, 2009
at 5:00 pm
I think that a lot of people misunderstood Adam’s so-called “theatrics” last night because the theme was not properly explained. I don’t get what is up with the theme choices, they’re all way out-dated and most kids who watch the show don’t get them at all. Like with Rat Pack week.
Adam was the one who got closest to what the Rat Pack was in their day – and at least Kara hinted that she got that when she called him “sleazy”. Cause that’s what the Rat Pack were. They drank and smoked on stage, told dirty jokes about women, swaggered around like they owned the place and were generally NOT made for a PG audience.
I felt like Adam was the only one who got that. The eye-sexing with the camera, that exaggerated strut down the stairs, the theatrics – he captured the spirit of the Rat Pack better than the others, but to those who aren’t very familiar with them it just came off as “theatrical”.
As for what makes Adam Lambert so appealing – not just to young women but to older ladies, young kids, and straight guys (btw, one of Adam’s biggest fansites is run by a straight guy) – it’s that he’s got the whole package. He can sing, and he doesn’t just have the natural talent, but it’s also obvious that he’s trained his voice really, really hard because his vocal techniques are amazing and way beyond the other contestants. This means that he can sing pretty much anything. He can also dance very well (remember disco week?) as well as act. Most importantly, he knows how to put on a show. I mean, think of all the guest singers on AI this year, like Lady Gaga for example. Being an artist is more than just standing on a stage and singing a song well – it’s about being able to perform. Put on a show. And Adam knows how to do that better than most people. Adam also has charisma that is through the roof. I mean, you could be the most amazing singer in the world, but without that stage presence or charisma you will get nowhere. Adam is charming, which appeals to women no matter what his sexuality is. Like Simon said in an interview, producers will want to work with him.
Nothing against Kris – he’s got a nice voice and seems like a really nice guy – but can you imagine if he won and he followed Adam on the Idol tour? First Adam comes on, who would surely be larger than life, running around on stage with lots of things going on and getting the audience really riled up – and then Kris shows up with his guitar? What a drop in energy.
Okay, I’m going to stop blabbering now. Sorry. And just for the record – Danny Gokey is way more likely to turn into another Taylor Hicks than Adam is. Adam is already dominating the Itunes sales (He had 6 songs on the top 10 list, Kris had 3 and Danny had 1), the google and youtube search hits, and Ebay sales. He’s a freaking superstar already.
Okay, NOW I’m done. Sorry this is so long, I get easily excited.
By: Emma on April 30, 2009
at 4:32 pm
I think Frank Sinatra would have kicked the crap out of Adam Lambert if he got up on stage with him.
By: JoeOnTheTube on May 13, 2009
at 2:54 pm