American Idol 3, March 23: Country Cooking

It’s Country Week. And when it’s Country Week on American Idol, there are a few things you can be sure of:

• At least three people will have a curious interpretation of country music, some Eagles or Lynyrd Skynyrd will slip in.
• Someone will sing “Drift Away.”
• Two people will fail miserably, as they will likely be taking their very first ever stab at country music.
• The judges will be unduly harsh. Country is its own genre, and they will want to blame these folks for not pulling off believable country.

Can you hear the dread in my voice? Let’s get on with it. Two hours to cover!

Ryan welcomes us, saying the pressure continues to grow, and they all need your votes (especially Jennifer Hudson). Ryan also wishes a speedy recovery to Aretha Franklin. I second that!

Ryan welcomes the audience, reminding them that they are going out to 30 million people. He reminds us that Leah was shown the door last week, and this week, it’s country!

Intro the contestants, they still look a bit overwhelmed. It’s nice while it’s all so innocent and new.

Intro the judges.

The contestants have another video package, them as children singing. Let’s say awww now and be done with it.

Diana DeGarmo, “A Broken Wing”

Randy - “You worked that out!… how long did you hold that note for?… I’m like blown away, that was outstanding.”

Paula - “This is your career, I can’t imagine you doing anything else… you’re going to have a career for a long long long time.”

Simon - “The video troubled me, you’re like from a pop farm… it’s very effortless for you, what concerns me is that you aren’t connecting with the audience properly.”

(Ryan challenges Simon, asking him what else can Diana do, since the audience seemed connected. They were standing for Pete’s Sake!)

Sting7 - I don’t know what Simon is talking about. She dropped my jaw to the floor! That control was dazzling, and that long note, I thought I was gonna pass out! Amazing! She is comer. Fantasia, put that crown down, it’s not over yet. Diana is a bit of a charmer, if not a little bit too cutesy, but I think that’s just her, it’s not a put-on.

Hey look, former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Steve Young is in the audience! Steve says it’s about “harnessing the creative passion,” and he is sure Randy knows what he’s talking about, maybe not Simon. Well, that makes two of them.

George Huff, “I Can Love You Like That”

Randy - “This was serious George tonight… I liked it, I didn’t feel the energy from you… it was good, I just didn’t feel it all the way.”

Paula - “You have the sexist voice ever… that was one of the best performances I heard you give.”

Simon - “There is a connection, that is a connection and it’s natural… at the moment you look like you are totally at the hands of the stylists… it would be nice if you had your own sense of style.”

Sting7 - What I saw was George getting confident! He was very close to masterful. I know many of you out there were worried about George and the other black singers during country week. Two words: Charley Pride. Two more: Shut up. That voice is a natural treasure. Get used to George, he’ll be here awhile!

Fantasia Barrino, “You Were Always On My Mind”

Randy - “You were controlled and unbelievably great… brilliant”

Paula - “ I love that you look like an elegant lady tonight… you gave a subdued performance, so classy”

Simon - “You’ve proved you’re not a one-trick pony… you are not a middle-aged singer (lots of interrupting by Randy and Paula)… we love because you’re young and quirky and fun… I love you.”

(Fantasia playfully whines that Simon doesn’t know class, and that she proved she can be diverse and when the need arises she can, in fact, “get down with the get down.” Then she feigns being wounded with Ryan, with a smile playing at the corners of her lips. She’s precious, I’m loving her completely.)

Sting7 - Okay, Fantasia, pick that crown back up! Fantasia turned a lot of heads tonight. It was subdued and controlled, and brilliant. I don’t have anything else to add. Perfect. Perfect, perfect, perfect! I’m done with her.