. . . they chose to bore the living hell out of us with silly skits about the judges, a recap of the “worst performances” . . . and an awfully long parody of the Abdul-Clark “affair.” . . . Part Gong Show, part Native Son Goes to Hollywood, part-SNL rip-off – it made you wonder whether or not you were watching a music show at all. Hint: next time, more music – less BS.

5/24/2006 06:43:00 PM|W|P|aexapo|W|P|Stay tuned!!! After the show, I'll post a play-by-play about how the night went, plus revealing my plans for this blog throughout the next year, plus a list of "thank-you's" for everyone who made a difference in the existence of this blog. And of course, there'll be a podcast version of it as well. Seeya after the show!|W|P|114851439587857242|W|P|. . . After the show!|W|P|admin@queertexan.com5/24/2006 11:00:00 PM|W|P| Anonymous|W|P|Hi, I am a big Katharine McPhee fan, and since she didn't win, will she still release a cd? please let me know at waters1@catt.com thank you5/23/2006 11:02:00 PM|W|P|aexapo|W|P|If you were quick with the remote control Tuesday night, you’d of heard two Idols and two wannabees singing their hearts out to filled concert halls and TV audiences around the nation. Of course, they weren’t all singing in the same place, for the same reason, or to the same viewing audience. The two Idols-in-waiting – Taylor Hicks and Katharine McPhee – brought out their “greatest hits,” plus two original songs, to perhaps one of the largest viewing audiences in TV history as they battled it out for the last time to see who will be the next American Idol. Katharine started the night off with a reprise (in what would be a night of reprises) with the box-drum enhanced “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree” leaving most judges scratching their heads. All of them said it was never a favorite of theirs for her voice, but most agreed that she had sang it better than her previous attempt at it. Taylor followed with “Livin’ for the City,” which ended with the entire audience at the Kodak standing on their feet. Simon Cowell declared Taylor the winner of Round One. Round Two – Katharine sat on the floor and sang a nearly flawless version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," an enormous improvement over the previous attempt, and when Taylor followed with “Levon,” Simon declared her the winner of that round. At the end, they both sang the number each will record as their single. Katharine led off with a song entitled "My Destiny. " It seemed a bit low for her voice, but I hoped it would improve and eventually be her “torch song” that explored her range – but that moment never came. The range did improve, but her voice did not. It ended with her getting pitchy and screechy for a while, and it seemed that when the song was finally over, the audience breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn’t the worst finale performance (still tons better than Justin Guarini’s or Diana DiGarmo’s), but it clearly wasn’t the best – even for the presumed runner-up. Thankfully, it seemed the song was written for her – and that we weren’t going to be tortured with that song again (as the show’s producers have done to us a couple of times before). Taylor had his own song to sing, “Do I Make You Proud,” and not only was it the best single composed for an Idol contestant since “A Moment Like This,” it was by far the best performance of the night. Taylor owned the audience, and when it came time for the judges to speak, Simon summed up the tally, telling Taylor that with that performance, he had won the competition. Just as Idol was ending for the night, Carrie Underwood – last year’s winner – was finishing up a performance of “Jesus, Take the Wheel” at the Academy of Country Music Awards on CBS. Shortly after finishing that number, she was awarded the ACM Award for the Single Record of the Year for that song. Later on that evening, she won again for Top New Female Vocalist – getting two of the four awards she was nominated for. But, the evening wasn’t over. Kelly Clarkson sang a duet with the hit country group Rascal Flatts (“What Hurts the Most”), the group that Carrie sang with during last year’s finale. Tune into Idol Minute late Wednesday night, as we wrap up the results show and this fifth season of American Idol! LISTEN | FEED|W|P|114844380294931324|W|P|Taylor, Katharine, Carrie, and Kelly!|W|P|admin@queertexan.com5/23/2006 12:51:00 PM|W|P|aexapo|W|P|TMZ.com has confirmed that Clay Aiken, Season 2 runner up, will make his first post-controversy appearance on American Idol's finale on Wednesday night. The AOL subsidary also confirms Carrie Underwood's appearance (not that her's was a rumor), plus scheduled performances of Deon Warwick and Al Jareau.|W|P|114840693924700629|W|P|Clay Confirmed, plus Carrie and More!|W|P|admin@queertexan.com5/23/2006 01:17:00 PM|W|P| Anonymous|W|P|YAHOOOOOOOOOOOO! I'm so excited!! Way to go Clay!5/23/2006 01:17:00 PM|W|P| Anonymous|W|P|YAHOOOOOOOOOOOO! I'm so excited!! Way to go Clay!5/23/2006 01:25:00 PM|W|P| Anonymous|W|P|What controversy.....it was a stupid National Enquirer story!!!5/22/2006 10:39:00 PM|W|P|aexapo|W|P|Who will be the next American Idol? What do Taylor Hicks and Clay Aiken have in common? Where in the world is Carrie Underwood? Who’s peeking at Jennifer Hudson? And, what exactly was it that Tamyra Gray and Nick Lachey were doing together? So, this week ends the fifth season of American Idol, and what a powerful season it has been! We had a final twelve filled with people worthy to win the competition, well, at least ten of them were. A handful had extraordinary talent, and a few that we all thought would drop off in the last half dozen or so lasted up till the very end. It is a season that will go down in Idol history – or at least warrant a few cards in Trivial Pursuit, the American Idol edition. So, onto what’s happening now in the world of American Idol. Instead of restating the fact that Idol predictors have already awarded the crown to Taylor Hicks, we can’t forget that the crown once belonged to Chris Daughtry – a man so favored to win that the rocker claims people just forgot to vote for him. We also mustn’t forget last season – when it was assumed that Bo Bice would walk away with the crown, or in season two when many felt that Claymania would sail a certain red-head to victory. There are favorites, there are front-runners, but there’s always just one winner – and it’s been proven on more than one season of American Idol that one doesn’t necessarily lead to the other. We’ve also learned this season that even predictions can change after a performance. The best can get lazy, the underdog can suddenly become a challenger. It’s a performance competition – and in the race to discern the winner before the season finale, it’s those tricky performances we often forget to wait for. So, yes – Taylor will probably win at this point, but he still has to sing for us Tuesday night, and so does Katharine McPhee. True, it ain’t fifty-fifty, but either one could still win . . . so, let’s just sit back and enjoy the show. So, what will they sing? Rumor has it that the original song that the winner will perform Tuesday night, and go on to record and release as their first single is a rock-song called Make It Real, written by Nick Lachey and Tamyra Gray. Why rock? Well, again, the rumor states this was because it was written for the presumed winner, Chris Daughtry. Another rumor has Taylor Hicks giving songwriters a hard time with the original song – such hard time that they walked out. Don’t know which to believe, but I hope it’s not one that makes Tamyra Gray the American Idol song-writer-in-residence. KFC is making sure Wednesday’s loser doesn’t go home on an empty stomach. The fried chicken kings are promising the runner-up a $10,000 recording contract for commercial work, plus a year’s supply of the good-stuff. Hope you haven’t forgot last year’s winner, Carrie Underwood, recently named one of Teen People’s "25 Hottest Stars Under 25". Though she’s probably one of the two busiest former Idol contestants alive, you’ll get a chance to see her at this year’s finale. She’ll be performing Wednesday night before they crown her successor, and she’ll sing a new track from her album, “Don’t Forget to Remember Me.” If you’re one of the few humans alive to miss that performance, you can catch her on her summer tour – tickets just went on sale this past weekend. Don’t look for Carrie in the audience during Tuesday’s performance show – she won’t be there. She’ll be performing at the Academy of Country Music Awards on CBS where she’s up for four awards of her own. This may just be unsubstantiated, but rumor has it that Clay Aiken . . . yes, Clay Aiken may perform, or at least appear, on Wednesday’s finale. If this is true, and considering the source, it’s probably not, it will be his first major appearance since allegations came out this spring concerning his sexuality. Movie critics got a sneak peek at Jennifer Hudson’s new movie, Dreamgirls, at Cannes Film Festival recently. The film, also starring Jamie Foxx and Beyonce’ Knowles, will hit theaters in December. LISTEN | FEED|W|P|114835637920951921|W|P|This Week . . .on Idol Minute (#011)|W|P|admin@queertexan.com5/17/2006 10:07:00 PM|W|P|aexapo|W|P|50 million people voted Tuesday night; so, how did the votes split? Who got Daughtry’s votes, and did Katharine’s flubs count against her? Well, if you want to know . . . keep listening. If you’re on the West Coast, and you haven’t heard the results yet – turn this off now if you want to see the season’s biggest surprise with the rest of the Pacific coast. Ryan revealed the show’s greatest surprise – perhaps the greatest in the show’s history (at least since the season two finale) – like someone peeling the layers off of an onion. He asked for the vote percentage of the lowest contestant, and an enormous 33.06% was revealed. He let the number linger, reminding us that the contestant with the lowest vote got nearly a third of the vote. He then called for the second number, and we saw 33.26% hover just above the loser’s percentage. We instantly knew with that second number – it was a statistical three way tie – and that the difference between the winner, the loser, and the person in the middle was a fraction of 1%. He didn’t tell us who was safe, or who got which of the top two numbers, but he jumped to the chase and told us the loser . . . Elliot Yamin. Tonight’s show was an hour long, and each contestant sang a number they recorded on the upcoming American Idol album, and we all got to see footage of them singing in their hometowns to large and enthusiastic crowds. Elliot’s was by far the most emotional, and if there was an award on the show for the person that came the farthest from the least, Elliot would have won it hands down. Clive Davis was presented an award from the three contestants for his work with the finalists; he was given an enormous plaque celebrating the 33 million albums sold from the last four American Idol winners and two runners-up. I’m sure that each of this years’ final three hopes to see his or her name on such an acknowledgment in the future. Next week – the big finale! Not a coincidence, I’m sure, but the Season Five album goes on sale the same day as the last performance night on Tuesday! See you next week! LISTEN | FEED|W|P|114792187042066170|W|P|Three's Company (#010)|W|P|admin@queertexan.com5/18/2006 03:08:00 AM|W|P| Anonymous|W|P|Hey,

Do you know you can get an american idol coin which will feature 2 finalists on 2 sides? Well, I got mine from americanidolcoin.com.

C ya.5/16/2006 09:03:00 PM|W|P|aexapo|W|P|Tonight was the last performance show before the finale, and Elliot, Katharine, and Taylor gave some of their best performances to date. The remaining American Idol 5 contestants first sang songs selected by music mogul Clive Davis, the presumed producer for the winner’s first album. He chose “Open Arms” for Elliot Yamin, and Elliot rose to the challenge, delivering the verse superbly before faltering a little on the chorus. Katharine McPhee was next, and she sang “I Believe I Can Fly,” and for a moment there, I thought she was singing “I Forgot How to Sing.” Her tone and mood were all over the place, and as she started the chorus – she seemed to forget some of the words to one of the most memorable songs of the 1990’s. Her vocals were thin and the performance anti-climatic, and it seemed to spell the end of her time on Idol. Taylor Hicks finished off round one by breaking a record – the first Idol contestant to perform a Bruce Springsteen song ("Dancin' in the Dark") live on the show. Apparently, the Boss doesn’t like the idea, and it took a personal phone call from Clive to get him to cave in. The next round featured judges’ choices, and Elliot sang “What You Won’t Do For Love,” chosen by Paula. The performance was decent, but not earth-shattering like such “funky” songs are supposed to be, and Randy called him on it. Paula Abdul did her perfunctory praise, but acknowledged Randy’s criticisms, and Simon called them both on it, adding, “I thought you sang that pretty good.” Praise from Simon Cowell is always earth-shattering itself, even when his word choice doesn’t befit his accent. Katharine was next, singing the Simon-annointed “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” Her performance was dead-on – her tone and mood were perfect as she slightly borrowed from the Eva Cassidy classic rendition of the song (making us forget the tortured cover that Tamyra Grey attempted a few years ago on her Idol return). She made it her own, and Simon said it was the “single best performance of the competition.” Only Taylor could top her, and he did so with Randy Jackson’s choice, “You Are So Beautiful.” Simon had to amend his praise of Katharine – telling him it was the “best performance so far.” It was interesting that these two simple, yet well-known songs could evoke such stirring performances out of these Idols, but the performances had yet another round to go: this time, the contestants got to choose. Elliot chose Ray Charles’ “I Believe to My Soul,” receiving mediocre compliments from the judges. Katharine’s “I Ain’t Got Nothin’ But the Blues” was all over the place, but not nearly as bad as her first number. Taylor rounded off the night with his stirring “Try a Little Tenderness,” which ended with Simon’s blessing, “See you next Tuesday.” Going into tonight’s competition, Elliot was slightly favored to leave. Although his performances were more stable than Katharine’s, none of his three songs matched the brilliance of her one “Rainbow” or of any of the songs sang by Taylor. He could still go, and if he doesn’t, it’ll be Katharine. From the looks of it, Taylor Hicks will be the next American Idol. LISTEN | FEED|W|P|114783196874551283|W|P|And then there were three . . . (podcast #009)|W|P|admin@queertexan.com5/15/2006 12:16:00 PM|W|P|aexapo|W|P|From the headline of the TVSquad blog “Noooooooo!” to claims of misvotes or crossed phone-lines preventing the inevitable crowning of Chris Daughtry – American Idol fans, bloggers and reporters were equally shocked last week when he was voted off the show. Here’s more headlines: RealityTVCalender – American Injustice; have the voters gone mad? Access Hollywood – American Idol Outrage. National Ledger – The Voters Wimped Out. Some interesting trains of thought as well from some of the Idol message forums out there. One of the most popular forums is idolforums.com, and many are talking about the msnbc article about misdirected calls – where Chris voters were met with the voice of Katharine McPhee, others are talking about how they think the producers kicked Chris off for one reason or another (there’s the secret record contract the producers supposedly didn’t like) while many are just claiming that the entire voting system is rigged. Several Chris fans on that forum are sporting a signature graphic picturing Chris against a black backdrop, and a candle to the side, with the caption: “May 10th, 2006. The Day Music Died. A Candle Burns Here in Your Honor.” Well, in case you haven’t noticed, leaving the show isn’t tantamount to death, but, apparently, a few people seem to think so. Chris has had a few words to say since he left. In an interview with a several reporters, he said the eviction was a “low blow” and that he was “disappointed.” MTV.com did a Q&A with him, and Chris said he “wasn’t going to pretend to be happy” about the result and that he felt most of his fans felt he was a shoo-in, and so last Tuesday they were voting for number two instead of supporting the obvious talent. In other words, Chris believes it was the fans’ fault that he lost. I think it’s more like my initial assessment last week – many fans have been reporting how they felt he was getting too confident, to assured of himself, and that his performances were likewise becoming predictable. When compared to the improving talent of others, maybe America wanted something else than someone who believed they deserved it. America likes great talent, but they don’t necessarily send their votes and their dollars to people who think they already “own” the vote. Chris Daughtry, whether he excels in the music industry or not, will serve as an example of what not to be – someone who is something other than humble and modest about their talent and chances for winning. Only one AI contestant has ever got away with such brash self-assuredness, and that was Kelly Clarkson – when it was down to her and two others with minimal. Chris had something else – competition, proving that such an attitude is a gambler’s course to take, so I wouldn’t recommend it to any of the next batch of contestants. And, insulting the voters (or blaming them) is never fair. If a participant loses – they lost because they failed to convey to the American viewing public that they deserve to be the next American Idol. Nothing more, and nothing less. Up Tuesday . . . The remaining Idols sing three songs a piece: one chosen by a judge, one by music producer (and eventual album producer of the winner) Clive Davis, and one of their own choosing. So, who’s gonna leave Wednesday night? Well, after last week results, we know it could literally be anyone, but there are still people betting the odds. As of this recording, Taylor Hicks is favored to win the competition (2/7) with Elliot and Katharine fighting it out for runner-up. There weren’t a lot of good solid numbers at the time I recorded this, but as of now, Elliot’s chances (3/1) were slightly worse than Katharine’s (5/2) – but, in reality, either could go home this week. The lesson from last week should be if you have a favorite, don’t count on others to vote them in for you – vote and vote often. Last week, I did get one response from a listener, and I’m always open to constructive criticism. While their overall response was positive, they didn’t like the fact that Wednesday’s podcast revealing the exit by Daughtry was released so quickly – before the show aired on the West Coast. Since Idol Minute’s first priority is to release Idol news as soon as it happens, I won’t delay my post-eviction podcast. Also, I would have to wait until 10:30 to 11:00pm Central Time to do so, and that isn’t convenient for my schedule. But, what I will do is not put the results in the title of the podcast, and will begin each recording Wednesday evening with a “spoiler” warning, so that when people happen by the podcast on iTunes and download the most recent recording, they will have the option to turn it off if they don’t want the results show spoiled for them. Thanks for all the responses – you can email me directly at ketchlives@yahoo.com, leave a response to any posting on the blog at IdolsRising.com, or you can leave a review on the iTunes page. Remember to tune in after the show Tuesday night as I recap that performance, and again after Wednesday’s results show. LISTEN | FEED|W|P|114771436106235586|W|P|The World Reacts (podcast #008)|W|P|admin@queertexan.com5/11/2006 11:31:00 AM|W|P|aexapo|W|P|Alert! This just in from TMZ.com -- Chris Daughtry gets a live-TV job offer for an unnamed band on EXTRA tonight. No details . . . you'll have to watch to find out!|W|P|114736519517753119|W|P|Chris Daughty on EXTRA! He gets an offer!|W|P|admin@queertexan.com6/06/2006 09:43:00 AM|W|P| Anonymous|W|P|bloody well think so. the best thing he did was not win it. he'll make more people happy with his voice this way.6/14/2006 02:20:00 AM|W|P| Anonymous|W|P|htf ytteddhetredrfet tdtrrsthv dfgsf gsgfg gxvgx fgfsjdfhuvg bfthfs gdgsfs jsgsh ggnnbx hvbvv gvggvs vhfdhfdhcv vg tvbxcbcvxhfv vzcfzcf fzcasf facfczcfc ffcsxzcx fzxcfcsczfzFCc fcv hdbhxhxzbxxb
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jenna
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ww.jenna.com
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gvfsdv sgtvchgfx vgfahbxf jxnxvbvcbn cb bdfgjfb fbv
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xnjjfhghdyuudr dytfgrtufhy bjhc vbhgbfrygtdhfd5/11/2006 11:24:00 AM|W|P|aexapo|W|P|If you haven't heard Mario Vazquez's (Season Four) hot new single, Gallery, yet -- you're in luck! It's not at the stores yet, but it's at a Top 40 station near you ready for radio play. Call your local station and DEMAND to hear it -- it's really great, got an opportunity to hear it last night myself. Call 'em up and tell them you want to hear Mario Vazquez singing Gallery. If they won't play it, it's also for sale on iTunes.|W|P|114736504146297254|W|P|Gallery|W|P|admin@queertexan.com5/10/2006 08:32:00 PM|W|P|aexapo|W|P| Yes, America . . . you saw the results. Chris Daughtry is out of the competition in fourth place. An early favorite, his performances of late grew stale and predictable. Many people saw a man that got a bit cocky in his frontrunner status, and two others bumped up their act considerably. So, Chris lost. Up until this last week, Chris was the front-runner by many oddsmakers and fans alike. His loss tonight may seem like the seat is up for grabs, but it's not. It clearly belongs to Taylor Hicks. Katherine has lost her confidence, and while Elliot has risen enough in talent, charm, and stage presence . . . the stage belongs to Taylor Hicks. I'm eating my own words, but Taylor Hicks is your next American Idol. (addendum) Okay, okay . . . had to make that quick post, but a few more words about tonight's show that kinda supports my prediction. At one point, an actress in the audience requested that Taylor sing Tuesday's number again, and Ryan quickly garnered permission from Nigel . . . and Taylor sung his whole number again. No other contestant was given that opportunity . . . were the producers trying to clue us in on something? Taylor's taken the show over . . . he's won me over, what the hell! LOL! I think what most people admire is his pure honesty on stage -- nothing "showboat" or arrogant about him -- he is who he is, and he's proven that he can do even more. He deserves to walk in the shoes of Ruben, Kelly, Fantasia and Carrie. He's already won it. LISTEN | FEED this week's music: Galveston, by Ezra Thomas (podshow.com/music)|W|P|114731290873849043|W|P|Chris Leaves; Taylor Wins American Idol (podcast #007)|W|P|admin@queertexan.com5/24/2006 11:29:00 PM|W|P| Anonymous|W|P|Who the hell cares5/25/2006 12:04:00 AM|W|P| Anonymous|W|P|HE WINS!!!! woot!!!5/10/2006 10:28:00 AM|W|P|aexapo|W|P|Thanks to Gambling911 for the link! For all those looking for the article concerning DialIdol's true eviction prediction percentage (50%, btw), scroll down until you see the article entitled "50% - the True Dial Idol Prediction Rate," or click the hyperlink.|W|P|114727506189252106|W|P|Gambling911 / Dial Idol|W|P|admin@queertexan.com5/09/2006 09:12:00 PM|W|P|aexapo|W|P| Tonight was the night of rebounds, and no one did it better than Elliot Yamin and Taylor Hicks. Taylor’s first number, Jail House Rock, was a crowd pleaser, though Simon called it a “terrible Elvis impersonation” – probably the worst insult any singer could endure, even though the theme of the night was the music of Elvis Presley. Tommy Motolla was the celebrity coach this week, and he did his craft in Graceland, where the contestants were flown recently. What seemed ironic was that Elliot Yamin seemed to be the worst during practice – and was one of the two best during tonight’s performance show. For his first number, Simon called it the best of the evening “so far,” and Taylor and Chris had already sang ahead of him – with Katharine McPhee doing a rather horrible “Hound Dog / All Shook Up” medley (referred to as “desperate” by Simon). For round two, Elliot shook ‘em up with “A Little Less Conversation,” which led to Paula jumping up and dancing, which in turn led to a crude remark from Ryan Seacrest . . . he wanted to slip her a dollar. Taylor’s second number, “In the Ghetto,” created rave reviews from the judges, with Randy saying it was his best, and the type of music he should put on any resulting album. Simon was enthused enough to infer that his performance secured his place in the “semi-finals,” which probably meant he’d survive this week. Chris Daughtry gave a standard, predictable performance. He’s got the best recording voice so far, although the best performances for the night go to Taylor and Elliot – hand’s down. Katharine was by far the worst – look for her to be evicted on tomorrow night’s show. Elliot, predicted to leave by oddsmakers, should be safe, unless “comeback” performances don’t amount to anything. LISTEN | FEED|W|P|114722746835258718|W|P|Elliot & Taylor Strike Back! (Podcast #006)|W|P|admin@queertexan.com5/08/2006 09:42:00 PM|W|P|aexapo|W|P|Idols in the News . . . Idol 3 winner Fantasia is starring in a Lifetime movie as herself. Entitled “Life is not a Fairy Tale,” the original made-for-cable movie will premier on that network in August. Idol 4 winner and triple-platinum selling artist Carrie Underwood only needed three more credits to graduate from college when she entered the competition in 2004 –recently, she took some time off and finished that degree – she was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree from Northeastern State University on Saturday. Idol 5 finalist Kellie Pickler went home to North Carolina to meet her biggest fan – her father who was recently released from prison for a violent assault. Kellie remarked that she felt blessed to have him back in her life. ------------- Everyone wants to know . . . who’s going home! Tuesday night, the remaining four idols wannabe’s sing the music of Elvis Presley and listen to the sound advice of music industry leader Tommy Motolla. So, who’s gonna shine and who’s gonna leave? Well, we won’t know for sure about departures until after Tuesday night’s performance, but that doesn’t stop some from predicting the future! Gambling911.com is predicting that Elliot Yamin will leave, with Chris Daughtry being favored to stay (and presumably to win). Pinnaclesports.com is predicting the same odds for elimination and for the eventual winner, while Dialidol.com reserves it’s predictions until the final tally of votes – when their busy-signal counting software had completed it’s work. Last week, we discovered on the regular blog how DialIdol’s much ballyhooed 80+% prediction is really more like 50%. They say they can predict the loser accurately, but that percentage actually reflects a broad range of potential evictees during any one performance week. For example – if there are ten idols singing one night, and only 3 have heavy persistent busy-signals, then the other seven aren’t getting as many votes and would likewise receive a low Dial Idol score. If those bottom seven had relatively close scores, then they would all stand a chance at eviction, and Dialidol’s predictions consider such multiple “low placers.” So, if the sixth lowest scoring contestant actually got kicked off, Dial Idol claims “accuracy” that week, as if this person had polled the lowest, which they wouldn’t have. This isn’t hypothetical – this is exactly what happened the week with ten contestants this year, and it happens week after week as dialidol’s projections include more than one potential losing contestant – not the ONE person who will leave. LISTEN | FEED|W|P|114714304184376543|W|P|Idol Minute (Episode#005)|W|P|admin@queertexan.com5/03/2006 10:53:00 PM|W|P|aexapo|W|P| A lot of hoop-la is swirling around the media world about DialIdol.com’s predictions for contestant evictions on Fox TV’s American Idol. On its prediction page, it shies away from that claim a bit by saying “measuring the busy signal is 84% accurate through 19 eliminations” but doesn’t really detail “what” it’s accurate about. When you dig into the FAQ page, it says – plain as day – “. . . we predict who will be voted off every week.” But, can it really be true? First, let’s look at the claims. Check any Idol or reality show blog, and they’ll have something about the DialIdol controversy. It even disturbed the show’s producers so much that the site’s creator, James Hellriegel, Jr., got a cease and desist letter from them. So, does DialIdol.com accurately predict the loser each week? No, and they’ll tell you that on the site (hence the 84% figure). So, do they at least predict the loser 84% of the time . . . well, yes and no. Giving a reasonable person’s expectations about what the site predicts based on the site’s claims, the media frenzy around it, etc., one assumes the controversy is because the site picks the one person who will lose each week. If that were an accurate statistic (84%), James Hellriegel Jr. wouldn’t be wasting his time on the internet giving away free software and odds, he’d be playing the numbers himself – and winning hand-over-fist. Why doesn’t he, and why don’t we hear about the DialIdol millionaires created by the people who DO take those figures and play them? Because they don’t exist – and here’s why. The reason James Hellriegel, Jr., can claim 84% accuracy is because his program (and him, by default) doesn’t predict the one loser – it predicts that one among several stand a statistically significant chance of being kicked off the show. In one given week, the program might pick two or three who stand a chance of losing. If one of those few within that margin goes home – then, DialIdol claims victory for that week. Hardly picking “the one” when some weeks have included up to “nine predictions” (week with 20 contestants – four were being evicted), or even the “seven predictions” during the week with 10 Idols remaining . . . when only one was being evicted! And, all of this wonderful data I’m talking about can be found on Dial Idol’s own website (check “predictions,” then go week-by-week). Again, using a reasonable person’s expectation of what “picking the loser” means, let’s take a look at the prediction record of DialIdol.com and see how many of their “lowest scoring” contestants fared and see if that 84% statistic really holds up. Week with 24 Idols (four evictions) Dial Idol’s lowest scoring contestants (two extra contestants due to tied Dial Idol scores): Brenna Gethers (tied for second lowest female) Becky O’Donohoe (tied for second lowest female) Heather Cox Jose Sway Penala (tied for second lowest male) Bucky Covington (tied for second lowest male) Bobby Bennett Evicted Contestants: Stevie Scott Becky O’Donohoe Patrick Hall Bobby Bennett Correct accuracy rate: 50% ( 2 out of 4) Week with 20 Idols (four evictions) Dial Idol’s lowest scoring contestants: Heather Cox Kinnick Sky Bucky Covington David Radford Evicted Contestants: Brenna Gethers Heather Cox Jose Penala David Radford Correct accuracy rate: 50% (2 out of 4) Week with 16 Idols (four evictions) Dial Idol’s lowest scoring contestants: Lisa Tucker Kinnick Sky Will Makar Gideon McKinney Evicted Contestants: Ayla Brown Kinnick Sky Will Makar Gedeon McKinney Correct accuracy rate: 75% (3 out of 4) Week with 12 Idols (one eviction) Dial Idol’s lowest scoring contestant: Lisa Tucker Evicted Contestant: Melissa McGhee Correct accuracy rate: 0% Week with 11 Idols Dial Idol’s lowest scoring contestant: Elliot Yamin Evicted Contestant: Kevin Covais Correct accuracy rate: 0% Week with 10 Idols Dial Idol’s lowest scoring contestant: Katharine McPhee Evicted Contestant: Lisa Tucker Correct accuracy rate: 0% Week with 9 Idols Dial Idol’s lowest scoring contestant: Mandisa Evicted Contestant: Mandisa Correct accuracy rate: 100% Week with 8 Idols Dial Idol’s lowest scoring contestant: Ace Young Evicted Contestant: Bucky Covington Correct accuracy rate: 0% Week with 7 Idols Dial Idol’s lowest scoring contestant: Ace Young Evicted Contestant: Ace Young Correct accuracy rate: 100% Week with 6 Idols Dial Idol’s lowest scoring contestant: Paris Bennett Evicted Contestant: Kellie Pickler Correct accuracy rate: 0% Week with 5 Idols Dial Idol’s lowest scoring contestant: Paris Bennett Evicted Contestant: Paris Bennett Correct accuracy rate: 100% So far, since America has been voting, there have been 20 eliminations. Dial Idol’s lowest scoring contestant ended up being evicted 10 times, giving Dial Idol a real eviction prediction rating of 50%. We’re not calling James Hellrieger, Jr., a liar – he’s still being technically honest (since his program predicts that any of two-to-nine contestants could statistically get eliminated during one eviction evening) . . . about as honest as the car dealer who gets you to sign the dotted line without reading the fine print. Final word – DialIdol correctly predicts the loser half the time (so far), and that’s sure a lot better than my predictions. However, don’t take these numbers to the bookie unless you’ve got money to burn . . . cause, you’ll lose it. I contend that this article is at LEAST 84% accurate.|W|P|114671575535577669|W|P|50% - the Real DialIdol Prediction Rate|W|P|admin@queertexan.com5/03/2006 09:07:00 PM|W|P|aexapo|W|P| (Click "Listen" below to catch this entry as a podcast!) Paris Bennett was voted off tonight, as predicted by many Idol critics, professional oddsmakers, and the controversial call-counter, DialIdol.com. Only the bottom two were named tonight as the show moves away from their “bottom three” showdown, and regardless . . . some of the oddsmakers got that all wrong. Dial Idol predicted that she would be joined by Katharine McPhee, and it put those two in a statistical dead-heat for eviction. Her partner in the bottom two was Elliot Yamin. Of course, even if Dial Idol had got it wrong, being “right” – in their book -- isn’t always on the button. According to their accuracy claim, the evictee need only be within the “statistical margin of error,” not necessarily the person with the lowest DialIdol score – so, according to them, last week’s prediction of a Paris eviction doesn’t count against them since they also put Kellie in that “margin of error.” Good enough for Dial Idol, perhaps, but those “calls” wouldn’t make it at the dog track – unless you were betting to place or show. The remaining Idols will now be flown to Graceland to be tutored by Sony exec Tommy Mottola (who also did a stint a few years ago as Mr. Mariah Carey). LISTEN | FEED|W|P|114670885226938086|W|P|Results on Idol Minute (#004)|W|P|admin@queertexan.com5/03/2006 08:38:00 PM|W|P|aexapo|W|P|Paris is out. More in a moment.|W|P|114670671177494872|W|P|Results|W|P|admin@queertexan.com5/03/2006 01:58:00 PM|W|P|aexapo|W|P|Most people would think that after last night's performance, that Taylor Hicks wouldn't be anywhere near the top vote getter. With the exception of the last couple of weeks, that's what's been happening. According to DialIdol.com's website, he most likely got the most votes (his lines were the busiest), a trend the webmaster of that site says has been consistent throughout the season, according to the newspiece CNBC did on the controversy DialIdol.com has created this year. If this trend continues (and is a reality), the Taylor is most likely this season's front runner, and unless the fans of the others start voting -- he could end up winning this season. Evictees tonight -- according to DialIdol.com, Paris Bennett and Katharine McPhee are in a statistical tie to be eliminated.|W|P|114668308014028444|W|P|Could Taylor Really Win?|W|P|admin@queertexan.com5/02/2006 11:05:00 PM|W|P|aexapo|W|P|At this moment, there's still one hour left for Pacific Coast voters, but they've already changed the predictions slightly according to Dial Idol.com. Taylor Hicks has gone from a weak first place finish (don't ask me how that happened) to a strong first place finish, and . . . shocker of the night . . . Elliot Yamin now has a slight lead over Chris Daughtry. Also, Katharine's support has weakened, and if Dial Idol's predictions are to be believed, she now has a statistical chance of being eliminated . . . although she's still ahead of Paris. Check out my entry below for my immediate response podcast and blog to tonight's performance.|W|P|114662935390695583|W|P|Alert! West Coast Changes Everything!|W|P|admin@queertexan.com5/02/2006 09:03:00 PM|W|P|aexapo|W|P|(this post-performance entry is in both the traditional blog and podcast version) Tonight’s episode of American Idol wasn’t as wild and crazy as the judges made it out to be in the end, but there were some interesting “crazy things.” Taylor landed on his back at the end of his first song, and Ryan joined him as he called out the numbers. Elliot Yamin ran over to Ryan’s chair instead of standing in front of the judges – then quickly corrected himself. Tonight’s performances were another story – and whether it changes the way the votes have been going will be anyone’s guess. The top two performers (and vote-getters) the last two weeks have been Chris and Katharine, and both showed weakness in at least one of their song choices. A strong top-three contender, Taylor Hicks, had another “barroom” performance . . . a bit stupid at this stage of the game. The bottom two – Elliot Yamin and Paris Bennett – had their best nights so far. Chris Daughtry was by far the best of the night with his first song choice, but his second (I Dare You) showed the limits of his voice, and sounded a bit bigger than he could pull off. At the end, he blamed it on exhaustion and over-practicing. Katharine McPhee pulled out the worst female performance of the night with Take a Look at Me Now, then pulled off the best female with You’re Not the One For Me. Elliot started the night off with a decent On Broadway, then wowed the audience and at least two of the judges with his cover of Michael Buble’s I Wanna Go Home." Simon, the lone dissenter in the entire theater, told him that the song choice “concerned” him – that maybe singing a song about “wanting to go home” wasn’t the best idea out there. Paris Bennett gave two solid performances – covering Prince and Mary J. Blige. Even Simon complemented her on her version of Without You. Taylor Hicks bellowed Funky Music, the softened up with Something in the Way She Moves. Order of the final five by performance: Chris Daughtry, Elliot Yamin, Katharine McPhee, Paris Bennett, Taylor Hicks. Dial Idol’s predictions as of this moment (in order of voter popularity): Taylor Hicks, Chris Daughtry, Elliot Yamin, Katharine McPhee, , Paris Bennett. Most likely to go home: Dial Idol still claims 84% accuracy, so it’s probably curtains for Paris. However, I’m still not getting the Taylor Hicks mania out there – it’s just beyond comprehension. I respect his music and style, but he isn’t the best singer right now, and it’s hard to believe that he’s the leader of this pack. And, this extra tidbit is NOT in the podcast . . . tonight, we heard Kelly Clarkson for the first time singing on the new Ford commercial. Podcast #003 LISTEN | FEED Copyright (c) 2006. IdolsRising.com. All Rights Reserved.|W|P|114662242702935704|W|P|Idol-Wild|W|P|admin@queertexan.com5/01/2006 07:23:00 PM|W|P|aexapo|W|P|Tuesday, May 2nd, 2006 On this episode of Idol Minute, we discuss . . .

• Who's going to win American Idol (according to oddsmakers)
• Who's going home on tonight's episode
• Dates & times for the season finale (May 23rd & 24th)
• Idol Minute in overtime
• The official American Idol tour
• Ruben Studdard's new album
• Kimberley Locke's new album
• Josh Gracin's new album

Listen | Feed|W|P|114653032475803697|W|P|Idol Minute (Podcast episode #002)|W|P|admin@queertexan.com5/01/2006 05:23:00 PM|W|P|aexapo|W|P|This week, we'll be trying a slightly different format. We're still committed to providing quality commentary on this site in "text" form, but we're experimenting with the audio format as well. Starting this week, we'll "try" to have three podcasts a week: 1) Tuesday pre-show (updating you on Idols in the news and predictions for the week) 2) Tuesday post-show analysis 3) Wednesday post-show analysis Each podcast posting will have an index of topics covered so that you can keep up with interesting Idol news regardless of whether or not you want to listen to the show. For the "podcast" illiterate (I was one a few months ago), you do NOT have to have an iPod to listen to the broadcast. Each show can be instantly "listened" to on the internet by clicking the "listen" link or by downloading it through iTunes. Each show is free -- regardless of how you listen to it. The first time you click "listen," you may be prompted to download "quicktime" or some other free Mp3 player, or to select an existing MP3 player from your computer to play the program. Each podcast is only 3-5 minutes long and makes a great and quick way to keep up with your Idol information. Check it out and let me know what you think!|W|P|114652301427266538|W|P|Podcast Schedule ("Idol Minute")|W|P|admin@queertexan.com