Canadian Idol 6, Grand Finale: An Idol Is Crowned!

There’s a lot of activity tonight in this two-hour finale, but a couple of pre-show notes must come first. There must be a lot of notables in the audience, because I’m up in the nosebleed section (row JJ of Rafterville), and view-obstructed by a camera to boot. In fact, I heard and saw more watching my TV than I did live!

But I digress. Besides a sizable collection of CTV and MTV on-air personalities and the top ten’s families, also on hand are Olympic ice skater Kurt Browning, former Leaf Tie Domi (have you ever been bored enough to anagram his name?), and crooner Matt Dusk. Not too shabby!

Series host Ben Mulroney opens the show by quickly directing our attention to the top ten performing a medley of numbers. The medley starts with Bryan Adams’ “Can’t Stop This Thing We Started,” continues with each soloing a different song, then ends with a reprise of the Adams tune. Earl entered and exited on a skateboard, and Mookie really got into “Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag.” Not every moment is a gem, but overall it’s pretty good, and the audience responds with a standing ovation.

Ben welcomes us to the show from the first row of the balcony and tells us that over four million votes were cast last night! That’s up from last week, but actually down from last season. Ben next introduces the judges and asks them BPRQs (Boring Predictable Response Questions) that even people who haven’t seen an episode all season could answer correctly.

Giving the BPRQs the deserved short shrift, here’s what transpired: Zack thinks musicians ruled the roost this year, Farley thinks it was phenomenal year, Sass believes Idol is “a darn good beginning for whoever wins,” and Jake thinks that although it was hard for the public to choose, two strong candidates emerged. Clips of the audition tour follow, accompanied by music from Simple Plan.

This week there were two guest coaches. The second was Hedley, fronted by former Idol competitor Jacob Hoggard. However, they are the first to perform tonight. They perform their current single, “Old School.” I know they’ve sold a lot of CDs already, but I think will be their biggest hit yet because of a superior lyric and the execution of some musical self-control. They have a cross-country tour coming up in October – who knew?

Next is the first of the obligatory visits to an Idol’s hometown. These painful bits always feature an Idol trying to chat with someone who can’t hear in their earpiece, and it doesn’t come across as particularly entertaining. First up is Port Hood, NS, and not surprisingly, they like Mitch there. Mitch’s uncle is on hand, imported from Michigan. Every Monday night, they cross the border into Windsor so they can vote for Mitch!

Next to perform is Idol interviewer and cheerleader Jully Black. Highlights of Jully goofing with Idols and Idol hopefuls are run. She sings “Queen,” which is no “Seven Day Fool” but still powerful and soulful. As both are from the same CD, she may be the only one here tonight not promoting new product!

Ben asks Jully what she thought of her first season working on Idol. She says it wasn’t work, it was an opportunity to “be Jully, just a little girl from the ghetto.” She appreciates that Canadian Idol gave her a chance. Her advice for the Idols is, “Dream big, be yourself, dare to be you… and enjoy the journey.” I love Jully’s “live life large” approach, though she’d probably wear me down in about two days.

Not to be outdone, it’s Lethbridge’s turn to be inaudible on live TV. There isn’t even an attempt to have Theo communicate with his fifth grade music teacher!

Next up is a tribute to the guest coaches from this season. I think Anne Murray did the best job of technically helping them out, though several had good advice for success in general.

John Legend performs “Green Light” next. It’s from his new CD – who knew? I like his smooth tone an upper register. His message for the Idols is that you’ve got to work hard to stay on top, and from his schedule, he obviously practices what he preaches.

There’s a short break in the action while Ben chats with Leah Miller, the host of So You Can Think You Can Dance Canada, which premiers Thursday, 8PM, CTV. A promo for the show has Mary Murphy screaming, “Some of the best dancers on the planet are here!” I’ll be watching – but that’s a topic for a different article, so let’s get back to the matters at hand.

The audience is on their feet before Ben even finishes introducing Mariah. In fact, most of the balcony was up long before the last commercial ended! And Mariah doesn’t disappoint. She first sings “I’m That Chick,” then, “We Belong Together.” I would be remiss if I didn’t report that she looks kinda nice, too. This might not be my taste in music, but the production is something to see. She tells Ben she met the Idols today and they seem pretty down to earth, so her advice is “Keep believing in yourself.” Mariah’s new CD is out now – who knew?

A change of pace follows – is video of Ben and Farley’s trip to Malawi. Despite devastation from poverty and AIDS, the people’s spirit impressed both. Back live, the ten Idols sing a song which might be titled “What Kind Of World Do You Want.” (Sorry, I’m uncertain of that title.) Ben directs us to the UNICEF site for further information. It’s about all Ben can do to get through that plug without cracking, because he’s seen the need first-hand.

The music never stops tonight, and current Idol Brian Melo is next. He performs “Back To Me,” from his new album. Who knew? Up in Rafterville, I admit to some audibility issues, but it rocks hard and well. Chatting with Ben, Brian remembers being very nervous at this point a year ago.