Canadian Idol 6, August 12: Another Idol Plan Ends

Series host Ben Mulroney welcomes us to the show and turns the six loose on a mediocre cover of Sloan’s “Money City Maniacs.” I’m distressed to see that Stompin’ Tom Conners’ “The Hockey Song” has been passed over once again. Does music GET more Canadian than that??

Ben informs us that 3.3 million votes were cast this week. I note that’s a big increase over the same week last season. He then introduces the judges and jumps right into some BPRQs (Boring Predictable Response Questions).

Ben then calls for the recap video from last night. It’s refreshingly different, in that it’s being done by TSN’s Sports Center news desk crew (Darrin Dutchyshen and Jay Onrait)!

They do the recap like their usual sports stories, including replays and their own clever comments. Theo mule kicking away the piano seat is named the “TSN Turning Point,” and we see it again in slo-mo. At the end, “Dutch” admits to liking Mitch’s performance the most. When they wrap, Jay kicks it back to “Smiling Ben Mulroney.” Great fun, in what is usually a very boring part of the show.

This week’s guest coaches are Simple Plan, and they are up next to perform their big hit “Your Love Is A Lie” from their last album. Great stuff, this. The group is back on tour next week, starting in St. John’s and working their way across the country. Check their website for further dates. Lead singer Pierre Bouvier admits to being a bit nervous before they started mentoring the Idols, but after seeing Earl first, they really got into it.

Unfortunately, time has not passed quickly enough, and Ben turns to the judges for filler in the form of BPRQs (Boring Predictable Response Questions). He asks Jake, “Regardless of who goes home tonight, is this one of the best top five we’ve ever had?” He responds, “Yeah, I think overall, we have one of the most interesting top fives we’ve ever had, and I also think, probably the best musicians of any top five.”

Poor Farley gets the biggest retread question when he is asked to give the departing Idols advice.

He tells them, “The same effort and dedication you put into this, you take on to your next thing.”

Sass is asked who she hopes is safe tonight. Surprising everyone, she actually names names! It’s ”M and M… Mitch and Mookie.”

Zack gets the final question, which is how the competition changes when they get down to five people. I think the answer is that they have to start singing two songs a week, but instead he says he’s still looking for “true spectacle.” Although he’s seen great singing and great song interpretation, he’s still looking to see “something completely radically visually outrageous.”

With more time to kill, Ben has a pre-selected fan question. This new feature is really another opportunity to mention a sponsor’s name – or is there extra time to kill tonight? Whatever, the question is for Mookie, who is asked if he’d rather hang out for a day with Bob Dylan or Neil Young. In Canada Rocks week, he diplomatically picks Neil Young.

Enough filler! It’s now time for Ben to go to work for real. He begins the results telling us only that one of these six is going home tonight.

Ben turns to the sofas and starts with Mookie Morris. It’s center stage for him. Earl Stevenson is next, and he can stay on the couch.

Amberly Thiessen is up next, and she can stay where she is, too. Theo Tams – center stage!

Drew Wright and Mitch MacDonald are left, and only one can stay on his sofa. Ben tells Drew… to stay, and calls Mitch out to center stage.

So to recap, Mitch MacDonald, Theo Tams, and Mookie Morris are with Ben at center stage, and lounging and breathing normally are Amberly Thiessen, Drew Wright, and Earl Stevenson.

Then Ben throws everyone a complete curveball… the three beside him are safe, and it’s the other three who received the lowest number of votes! That was original! Ben tosses to commercial, perhaps so the heart rates of the shocked six can be monitored. In fact, the three on the couches are so caught off guard, I don’t think they move a single muscle for about ten seconds until Drew applauds for the three who are safe.

After the commercial, they’ve moved – Ben now has the correct bottom three standing with him. Amberly and Drew cannot look up. Without further delay, Ben announces that it’s Amberly Thiessen who is done.

In her funeral video, Amberly says she has no regrets and hopes this isn’t the last time we see her. The song we hear is Simple Plan’s “When I’m Gone,” by the way. Ben tells us that the Idol mansion has become a Frat House. Actually, as I said last night, they moved out of the mansion a few days ago, but why quibble?

Ben reveals a shuffle in the themes. Next week is a “Judges Choice” show, featuring the music of The Beatles. In the following week, Anne Murray will be on hand to work with the final four. Yup, four dudes singing “Snowbird”… ought to be special. At least they should have little trouble making the songs “sound like their own.”

Amberly sings us out, and we’re done!

Poll:

I’m not closing out my poll for a few days yet – probably not until Sunday. Here’s last night’s invitation, repeated.

Readers are invited to take a very brief survey that I have created. One randomly selected respondent will win an autographed picture of the final six! Plus, if you’re really lucky, depending on what turns up next time I rummage about my desk, you just might win a bonus prize, too! Here’s the link to the survey. It’s a new and improved version with fewer questions (just four) than ever before, so why not give it a try?

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