American Idol, Wednesday 1/26/2011

At this point in the AI season (3 shows in) we can really only judge the judges. We get only snippets of the good the bad and the ugly contestants. So how do we judge the judges here at the NMR Institute? Between bites of our S'mores and sips of our hot chocolate with mini marshmallows, we look at their comments, jokes, and insightful knowledge of the contestants' abilities.

Randy Jackson talks straight to the contestants and after ten or eleven years, we are reassured that he is truly able to discern the talented from potentially talented from the talentless. I've come to realize that he has an ear for good, on-pitch singing and will let a contestant know when they do not meet the standard for moving on. He is likely to be swayed by tears and in a split Yes/No between the other judges, he will give a contestant the benefit of the doubt. I agreed with Jennifer that the 15 year old girl who drove with her family from Colorado should not have made it through, but her pleading sobs brought a yes from Randy.

Jennifer Lopez showed that she really does not have a problem saying 'No' to contestants with limited talent. That 15 year old should have been told by the other two judges to come back when she is older. Jennifer rightly told the girl it was a 'No' and she would get chewed up in Los Angeles. What a refreshing judge after Paula Abdul, Ellen Degeneres and Kara Dioguardi. Jennifer is alert, knows talent, and knows what it takes to make it in the business. Very combobulated! She may turn out to be the best judge we've had in all of AI - Simon Cowell, notwithstanding.

Steven Tyler has not yet added a lot to the show. He could add so much to the show and to his image. I fear he is being laughed at by the majority of the audience (the majority of the audience likely being under 21 years old if the ages of the contestants are any indication of the target demographic.) We now know what Steven's signature comment will be, and the ducks have all gone into hiding. I think he quit maturing when Aerosmith had their first hits 3 or four decades ago. Will he step it up and become a judge on par with Randy and Jennifer? Dream on!

I've visited Milwaukee and it seems like a nice place to live and raise a family. A bit cold at times - understatement notwithstanding. I ate at some fine restaurants downtown and felt safe walking around. I drove to Walnut Grove and walked along Plum Creek (a la Laura Ingles Wilder) and had a beer and tour at the August Schell Brewery in New Ulm. Yes, a very nice place to visit in May through October. It was American Idol's first time in Milwaukee, but I hope it's not the last.

Do you have any ideas where you'd like to see the show go next year? Birmingham? Boise? Baton Rouge? Allentown? Akron? Apalachicola?

Bonus question: What has been my favorite word to use in this blog? - combobulated notwithstanding.

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