Taylor Hicks and the Idol Thirteen

Considering this show, last season, showed a marked decrease in viewership, producers are seeking some sort of luck charm. Rabbit foot will not suffice, so instead of starting with the even dozen like the seven seasons past, this year Idol is choosing to begin making those Ford commercials with thirteen instead. Anyone who follows some of the 'cult sciences' such as numerology or reads tarot know that the number thirteen has interesting and complex meanings. For those of you who want fast, quick references, the following attributes have been associated with the number thirteen: Completion, Magic, Intuition, Psyche, Warning, Power, Creativity, Betrayal. Reading those words it appears with the exception of magic and some might say, creativity, this season should play out like all the ones before.

Last night we had a return of eight contestants including the controversial Tatiana Del Toro who - wait here's some magic, returns with a new Spanish accent. Obviously she was taking a page out of the Jorge playbook and decided it might be effective to draw on her Latina roots. As stupidly as suddenly harkening back to her Puerto Rican heritage, she sang the same song she's been singing throughout her attempt to be on this show. Major fail on her part and she's finally done.

Jessie Langseth came out trying to sing the blues version of "Tell Me Something Good" and while I prefer Jessie over that Bratz-doll, Jasmine I knew it wouldn't get her any further on this show.

Matt "dressing like Justin Timberflake" Giraud was up next. I laughed out loud and slapped the table at his over the top, look-at-me 'Merka I'm a stah ensemble. Obviously Matt got himself a stylist for this look and man, he really shouldn't have. I found his vocals over the top overcompensating for his Coldplay faux paux. Matt's realized the show want s him to be bluesy so he was going for it with gusto. Killer moment, Simon Cowell's comment.

I've read review after review this morning and Simon's remark to Matt is certainly at a forefront. Dear readers, here are two of my favorites. I've saved a few snippets and links. I found it coincidental considering yesterday in a post I commented that Taylor Hicks had left his mark on the Idol stage.

Rodney Ho, writer about all things Idol for ajc.com captured Simon's uneven comment to Matt Giraud, "It was again a billion times better than last week. You went back to what you did best. I hate what you’re wearing… I saw bits of Taylor Hicks coming through." (That’s an insult nowadays, apparently!).

Another reviewer, Greg Barber in expressnightout.com worked out Simon's remarks to Matt: "A steady stream of boos follow, either for the mention of Taylor Hicks or for Simon comparing anyone to Taylor Hicks or just at the mere existence of Taylor Hicks. And far away in some two-star hotel, Taylor Hicks — fresh from his role as second assistant understudy in the Baltimore Amateur Players' community theater production of "Pippin" — is pulling out clumps of his prematurely gray locks and flinging them inartfully at the TV. And sobbing to himself — but that part's just a normal phase of his evening."

I found Barber's comment funny but apparently he's not following what's up with Mr. Hicks these days. Greg, he's in a national touring production of "Grease" playing the Teen Angel role right out of a big ice cream cone. Just setting the record on the where of what Taylor's up to - it's not Baltimore community theatre.

Megan Joy (somewhere along the way she's decided to include her middle name) Corkrey comes out and does K T Tunstall's "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree." At least she did not get down on the floor and wiggle around, but she did wiggle. Poor Megan Joy is being picked on mercilessly for her movements while performing. Frankly I'm sick of the choreographed dancing singers there are too many of today. She reminds me of Sallie Josephine. I know you all don't know who that is, let me fill you in quickly. When I was a poor white child growing up in the black lands of Texas there was a small clapboard church I would attend occasionally with a neighbor family. (My folks at that time did not like church much, they were conflicted I guess with all the religious diversity under our small roof.) This church had largely a Black congregation and though I stuck out like a sore thumb I felt very comfortable there. The church had a small choir and Sallie Josephine was the lead singer. She'd get up in front of that choir and made the same sort of movements little Megan Joy does when she performs. I see much of her style that reminds me of Sallie Josephine and for that I think I like her. I also like she reminded me nothing of Katherine McPhee's version.

Von Smith increasingly reminds me of animation hero Jimmy Neutron. I was bored and he's gone.

Jasmine "Bratz doll" Murray was brought back with the premise that she had to show she could sing. (We all know she was in like Flynn.) Why the judges like her so much is beyond my imagination. Darling Daughter thinks she looks like a Bratz doll. Even though dear Pauler was canned from that Bratz movie subliminally she just can't get past it.

On-line popular guy, Ricky Braddy sang "Superstition". Bad song choice, Ricky is out and all those Braddy Bunchers will just have to cry in their t-shirts. Sorry Braddy Bunchers, he's not back after all. Shame, I sort of liked his singing.

Tatiana Del Toro was next but I've already talked about her.

Anoop Desai, who sings Bobby Brown's "My Prerogative," AGAIN, but is not castigated for doing so like Princess Tat was; oh, he only performed it twice, Tatiana was on her third and you know with three, you're out.

Top Thirteen for season eight:
Kris Allen
Megan Corkrey
Anoop Desai
Matt Giraud
Danny Hokey-Gokey
Alexis Grace
Allison Iraheta
Adam Lambert
Scott MacIntyre
Jasmine Murray
Jorge Nunez
Lil Rounds
Michael Sarver
I'm going to take a stab at this but I'm betting Michael Sarver the first to be voted off the Island. What say you?