Liebster Honor and An Admission of Failure — American Idol

I should read more blogs. I would be the first to admit that I do not read enough. One day soon, I am going to need to sit down and sign up for e-mail alerts to some blogs that I enjoy. This does not mean I do not read blogs or follow blogs. I read several blogs and I am thankful to those WordPress bloggers that read my blog. Today, I want to recognize two blog writers who nominated me for a Liebster award.

A Leibster award can be bestowed upon a blog of fewer than 200 followers which the person deems worthy for consideration. I was extremely satisfied to get notice that I was nominated for the award from two blog writers.

A Gripping Life and Is It Possible to See It All

These blogs are among those I read daily. John, of Is It Possible to See It All, also runs The Real Canadian Music Blog which I follow with more fervor because, well, it’s musical. I strongly urge you all to follow these blogs. The variety of content is refreshing and the writing is passionate and humorous. And I promise that from this point further I will make more of an effort to follow and read other blogs.

This, though, was not my admission of failure. For failure we must travel into reality television where my American Idol “favorite” was ousted from the show last week. Yes, Colton Dixon, the skunk-haired alt/punk rocker had two bad back-to-back nights. It started with two uninspiring performances on Tuesday night and concluded with a bottom two appearance and a sharp goodbye. Ouch! For me, it was like what happened with Michigan St. in this year’s March Madness tournament. They were a weak #1 seed but I picked them to go all the way (to be a little different) and they were beaten rather quickly. So it goes.

For my next prediction, I guarantee that all four of these individuals will be in it to the end.

What did I miss? I thought Colton was drawing a straight voting base. What I mean by this is that no other contestant was stealing votes away from him. I was clearly wrong. I see now that Colton was competing with Mr. Calculi, Phil Phillips. Not only did he have kidney stones, but also he sort-of sings like he is always passing stones. I say this in jest. Phillips is talented and drawing votes from the “13-year-old girl population” and the “more sophisticated musically inclined viewers.” I thought Colton had this vote! I was wrong! There is my admission of failure. Let’s move on.

We are at the top 6 and I have reached that point of the American Idol season where I am pretty much sick of every singer. We know their acts. We know their limits (or lack thereof when it comes to vocal wunderkind Jessica Sanchez and preacher Joshua Ledet). We know the judges will be effusively positive. We know Randy Jackson will be unintelligible and then reveal his incredible stock of music knowledge. The performances will not surprise us…except when it comes to the rock n’ roll stoneman Phillips. I have grown to like his grunty modesty. It is certainly much more admirable than Elise Testone’s annoying arrogance.

If I had to make another prediction, I’d say Phillips wins the show now. He is like Casey of last year except better looking and not as jazzy weird. We are obsessed with hipster in the United States and he fits that description well. Who will compete with him? Let’s eliminate some. Hollie Cavanagh needs to go. She is now outclassed by the remaining stock of singers. She will be out this week. Jessica Sanchez will need to overcome the curse of the save to go to the end. No one “saved” by the judges has made it further than two additional rounds (something like this). Now we are looking at Ledet and Laine. I just don’t see gospel winning again, BUT country can win every year and, well, Skylar Laine is a country gal.

The final two should be Sanchez and Ledet if it came to pure singing (which it doesnt), but, if we take into account the way this country votes for American Idol contestants I would not be surprised to see Phillips vs. Laine. The ultimate winner?

This guy: