Boxing

I have never been a fan of boxing. I'm not really sure why I even watched Million Dollar Baby. So I was really unimpressed with the boxing analogy that American Idol strung us along with for the David v. David "showdown" last night. I mean, really, is anyone happy with the thought of Big Brother David C. throwing Archie a right hook? Why all the violence? It's just a TV show!

So I am going to pretend like they did not do that. I am also going to pretend that the "humdinger" of a finale Simon predicted was just that. Because I wish it had been. My friend Wendy and I were hoping that Cookie would wipe the floor with the little Disney Moppett. Despite the judges crazy talk that it was the other way around, neither of them really had a "moment" in my opinion.

Why does anyone let Clive Davis talk anymore? Much less pick songs for people? I have to say I was impressed that he picked U2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" for Cookie, less impressed that he chose "Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me" as I think he picked that for Bo Bice and maybe Clay Aiken-or at least, I have seen about 15 people perform this on Idol before so I kind of wish it would go on the banned list. Cookie did alright, I love the song, but it is not really a "climactic" type of song. Archie actually delivered a really good performance this round, but while Cookie was all over the stage, working the platform, and the audience, and Archie walked from the stairs to the middle of the stage. Where he stood. The entire time. And did some eye shutting and arm reaching. Sure, he sounded great, but I want to see him PERFORM.

Round 2-the crappy "This is my moment in your heaven I believe I can fly like this" songs. No comment. I think they both did fine considering the circumstance....but could not believe that Simon said David chose the better song-IMO they were both crappy songs/lyrics and this is a part of the competition that no one would miss. But Randy did use a new phrase this time for DC, telling him he did not like the song but that he "sang his face off" on it. He then also told Archie, for the zillionth time, that he can sing the molten-hot-lava-phone-book-in-the-zone.

Round 3-what a concept, they let the contestants choose what they wanted to sing from ANYTHING, something that has only been done....3 or 4 times this whole season? DC did a new song, Collective Soul's "The World I Know" which he was rumored to be doing last week when he did Switchfoot instead. I like this song, and I liked the acoustic part in the beginning, and I actually wish he would have just done it acoustic, as it would have allowed us to hear his sexy voice better, but I liked it anyway. Just a solid, consistent performance, which of course meant that the judges were mad he didn't "Cook" up something crazy for one last time, with Simon basically saying he liked it but that he should have reprised "Hello" or "Billie Jean." Then Archie comes around and does "Imagine" again, and while I must admit I fast-forwarded, I did stop to hear the judges comment about how he was the best and basically told him he had it in the bag. Funny, since most of what I read online said that is was not really as magical as the first time...which is wh I think DC stayed away from doing a reprise, since lightning don't strike twice in the same place. I'm totally OK with Archie re-doing "Imagine" I just wish he had done something new-like back himself up on piano-and maybe I would not have FF'd through.

Overall...I think Randy has been on Archie's dad's payroll since Day 1. There is no excuse for the ridonkulousness that is his love for Archie. I think Simon actually was using reverse psychology on us Cook fans. He's made it clear in multiple media interviews that he thinks DC should win. Yet he totally threw him under the bus last night. I think he wanted to make sure that DC's fans were worried enough to vote their tushies off. I bet it worked. (I have this theory that people rarely get voted off after a bad night-it motivates their fan base. Usually, they get voted off the next week after being back to a solid performance.)

The only other thing that bugged me last night-and the last few weeks really-is that when DC comes out and does a really good vocal and/or performance, Simon and Randy are SO hung up on arrangement with him that if he did not re-Cook an old pop song, they are just OK with it. Yet, Archie has only played with arrangments a little, and probably did not do a whole lot of it himself, and is always told how great he is when he just stands there. They have totally held Cookie to a different standard because they know he is capable of the whole package-vocal, originality, musicianship, and performance. They know Archie is capable of standing there, range of motion 2 feet, and singing his heart out. That is fine, but they never push him to stretch or get mad when he hasn't.

I don't think anyone made up their mind last night. Allegiances were already formed long before yesterday. I still think it is Cookie for the win!