American Idol (spoiler)

[Planogirl]

Originally posted by katerkat
I dunno... I wasn't too sad about Josh leaving. I think the last two weeks, especially last week, when he made cracks about his Marine restraint and such, just left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth. And his faces scare me when he sings!!
And... Well, this will annoy all the Josh fans, but it annoys me, so.... His twang if FAKE!! REAL country singers who sing with a twang also talk with a twang. It's their voice and they can't change it. I hate how Josh turns it on and off. I don't care if he has a twang, but he should have it all the time or not at all. Like Brooks and Dunn -- no matter what they sing, it would end up twangy because that's how they are. They talk it and they sing it. There's other country singers (Jo Dee Messina, Emerson Drive) who are GREAT country singers and have no twang. It's not what makes them country.

Actually some people who are actually from an area where people speak with strong accents are good at turning the accent off if they need to. We have a friend who is from East Texas where the twangs are very distinctive. She speaks in a accent free manner unless she goes home or speaks about the area then the twang comes out. I have family in East Texas and I can easily speak with the twang but see no need to. I do have a Texas accent but many people I know don't really including DH who is as Texan as can be.

I disagree that a twang while speaking is necessary to sing good country. Accents vary all over Texas and the south, and some of the best don't have the country twang. JMHO.

 

[disykat]

Originally posted by Minnie824
Why did everyone find Josh's leaving sad? And more so than anyone else? Because he's a Marine? Its a competition that only one person can win, hopefully the person with the best voice. This is not Josh and not Kim.


ITA agree with you (Except that I like Kim - even though I don't think she should win over Clay and Ruben). I totally don't get the Josh hype. He seems like a nice kid, but so did Rickey, Charles, etc. I probably relate the least to Josh - I don't feel a connection with him at all. I have been sad for each one of them - even the ones I didn't care for - because I feel like I know them and feel their pain. All these kids have had an amazing opportunity and I think they all seem to realize how fortunate they are to have been there at all.


Although it's sad to see each one go, I think ultimately the one that needs to win is still there.

 

[CookieGVB]

I was sad for the people who left in weeks when it SHOULD have been Josh - that whole "you must have a cold" week was a total joke.

He's a family man - time to go back to the family for a little while. He was looking so unhappy, I think he was relieved to go. How will he handle having a career where he's going to be traveling?

Sorry, Josh fans, he totally turned me off with those "Simon must like drag queens" and "He's lucky I'm held back by Marine restraint" comments. Up until then he was gracious, and even the "I respect my elders, and Simon is DEFINITELY an elder" line was funny. To turn around the next week and spew was just hypocritical, IMHO. He's going to have to face much harsher critics than Simon down the road - not everyone is going to give him a pass because he's a Marine with a wife and daughter.

The ending was very sweet, with him singing to his daughter. He sings much better when he's not under pressure, and did a great job last night.

 

[damo]

Josh was the only one who gave me goosebumps when he sang (not all the time, mind you). If you can't do that, then you're not my idol. It's got nothing to do with him being a marine. I'm Canadian so it's irrelevant.

I never did figure he'd win though but I am also not angry that he's out since he will do just fine. Clay and Ruben are cute but they do nothing for me.

 

[d.kurz]

Originally posted by CookieGVB
I was sad for the people who left in weeks when it SHOULD have been Josh - that whole "you must have a cold" week was a total joke.

He's a family man - time to go back to the family for a little while. He was looking so unhappy, I think he was relieved to go. How will he handle having a career where he's going to be traveling?

Sorry, Josh fans, he totally turned me off with those "Simon must like drag queens" and "He's lucky I'm held back by Marine restraint" comments. Up until then he was gracious, and even the "I respect my elders, and Simon is DEFINITELY an elder" line was funny. To turn around the next week and spew was just hypocritical, IMHO. He's going to have to face much harsher critics than Simon down the road - not everyone is going to give him a pass because he's a Marine with a wife and daughter.

The ending was very sweet, with him singing to his daughter. He sings much better when he's not under pressure, and did a great job last night.

I'm no Josh fan, but I think the drag queen and marine comments were totally forgivable. We're talking LIVE TV here. No time to think. Professionals often find themselves in hot water over inappropriate broadcast comments. JMHO

 

[korzmom]

I think because the show is on for such along time we grow an attachment to these young talents and find ourselves having a connection with them.Its not like the other show STAR SEARCH, where we learn nothing about the kids and see them every week trying different things and getting criticized for this and that...I think that each one of these kids have a God given talent and good for them for sharing it with america.good luck to them all.

 

[Dodie]

Why did everyone find Josh's leaving sad? And more so than anyone else? Because he's a Marine?

Wow! That seems pretty harsh.

Personally, I liked Josh all along, but I don't "hate" country music. When he was allowed to do songs that fit his country style, he was good. He wasn't a talented enough singer to adapt his voice to all of the styles (like Ruben and Clay have been able to do) and, thus, I knew he wasn't going to win the competition.

He has seemed frustrated and ready for it all to be over with for 3 weeks now. I think that he has external pressures (Marine Corps, wife, child) that the others just don't have.

I was sad to see him go because I liked him. I think he had a good sense of humor. I think that some of the comments you attribute to disrespect on his part were actually his sense of humor shining through.

I have a feeling that there is a country music recording contract waiting for him somewhere and sometime very soon - perhaps when he is finished with his tour in the Marines.

 

[sgtdisney]

Originally posted by Dodie
He wasn't a talented enough singer to adapt his voice to all of the styles (like Ruben and Clay have been able to do) and, thus, I knew he wasn't going to win the competition.

I have to respectfully disagree here. I don't think Clay and Ruben are adapting their voices at all, they are adapting the songs to fit their voices. Every song Ruben sings sounds like Luther Vandross and every song Clay sings sounds like a broadway number. They are talented, no doubt about that, but they don't take risks, at least in my opinion....

 

[eeyore0062]

Well, you could take each of the final 4 and find them a nitch with which they would be most comfortable.

For Josh, it would obviously be country. He should go on Nashville Star. He would likely win!

For Kimberly and Ruben, R&B are their most comfortable areas, and they are excellent.

For Clay, I see him in the soft pop arena, much like Elton John, Barry Manilow, Bee Gees and Neil Sedaka... and I would LOVE to see more new talent in that area.

Overall, I think that Clay is the most versatle, and the most consistant of the contestants left.

I can't say that I was sorry that Josh was voted off last night, as I think the pressure was starting to get to him, not because I didn't think he was talented and represented himself well. When he sang that song with his daughter last night, you could see just where his heart lies... with his family. And he was the most comfortable I have ever seen him. I am happy that he made it this far, and hope he does get that recording contract, as there is no doubt that he deserves it.

I see Ruben and Clay in the final 2, and I know I will be burning up the phone lines voting for Clay!

 

[Miss Jasmine]

Originally posted by sgtdisney
I have to respectfully disagree here. I don't think Clay and Ruben are adapting their voices at all, they are adapting the songs to fit their voices. Every song Ruben sings sounds like Luther Vandross and every song Clay sings sounds like a broadway number. They are talented, no doubt about that, but they don't take risks, at least in my opinion....

Once again, I have to agree with you.

 

[sgtdisney]

Originally posted by Miss Jasmine
Once again, I have to agree with you.

Miss Jasmine, if this continues we are going to have to set up a mutual admiration society... LOL!

 

[StampMom]

Originally posted by eeyore0062

For Josh, it would obviously be country. He should go on Nashville Star. He would likely win!

Sorry, I've gotta disagree with you there. I didn't regularly watch Nashville Star, but from what I did see, those contestants were vastly more talented than Josh. Besides having better voices, they all wrote and played their own music!

Also, I happen to be a big country music fan, and I would never buy a CD of Josh's. He seemed like a nice guy, but I just don't think he has a very good voice. And I hated watching him sing! His face always looked like he was in pain (and/or constipated), and that thing he did with his hands was beyond annoying!! (Does anyone know what I'm talking about with those hand gestures? Ugh.)

 

[TwinMom7]

Don't agree StampMom...but you've got an adorable baby!!

 

[WilmaBud]

I'm with StampMom - Josh never did it for me. I know different people have different musical tastes, but I would think most people enjoy when someone sings in tune ! Josh wasn't very consistent in that regard. While I think Kimberly Locke has an awesome voice for the most part, she's a bit too inconsistent to win this competition, too.

Ruben and Clay are consistent. And it kills me when people say "they always sound the same." Bruce Springsteen always sounds the same, Billy Joel always sounds the same, U2 always sounds the same. Any great performer is going to have a "signature sound." Clay has his, and Ruben has his. They're both terrific IMO.

 

[sgtdisney]

Originally posted by WilmaBud
And it kills me when people say "they always sound the same." Bruce Springsteen always sounds the same, Billy Joel always sounds the same, U2 always sounds the same. Any great performer is going to have a "signature sound." Clay has his, and Ruben has his. They're both terrific IMO.

You are right most artists have a signature sound, however Ruben's signature sound is to sound exactly like Luther Vandross. Most people with a signature sound, sound like no one else. Clay doesn't sound like anyone in particular, but he has such a theatrical sounding voice. He will probably win this though.

 

[Tinkbell]

Originally posted by CookieGVB
I was sad for the people who left in weeks when it SHOULD have been Josh - that whole "you must have a cold" week was a total joke.

Exactly, Cookie. I couldn't agree more. I wish him luck, but I never "got" Josh as a performer.

 

[goofy4tink]

I've said before that I really think Josh was coming from a different place than the rest of the kids. He's more mature, he's a Marine, a dad, a husband (not that any of those things make you mature!!). I just think he was past that 'party' stage. He certainly was a decent performer. Nice voice. As far as his comments, mostly to Simon. He, like all the other performers, was constantly barraged with a 'critique' every week. You know...constructive type. Most of the other kids gave it right back to Simon. Josh held it back for quite awhile and took it like a man. I found nothing wrong with any of his comments to Simon and I don't think Simon did either. I really liked Josh from the beginning. I knew he wouldn't make it to the end. He actually did better than I thought he would. Of the remaining 3, I don't see any of them making careers in the music industry, at least not long term. But, that's just my .02.

 

[Planogirl]

I do like country and I would buy a cd made by Josh based on what I've heard. I would probably buy one from Clay too. But then this is all subjective anyway.

And Stampmom, I do agree that you have a beautiful baby.

 

[LIDisneyFan]

And, although I'm a realist and understand that Clay will probably win, and Kimberly will get voted off next week, I still think she's great - even when she's not overselling the songs like many of the others.

Give me her 'New York State of Mind' or "Home" anyday...