Idol Thoughts, May 9: Pick Your Favorite Flavor

I don’t know about you, but I am sick to death of talking about “Paulagate!” All I am going to say about this issue is what I have been saying all week. Somewhere in the middle lies the truth. I will say that I enjoyed Paula’s appearance on this week’s Saturday Night Live in which she participated in a spoof of the Primetime Live interview. She opened the show by saying, "What you're about to see is a reenactment of some events of this week's biggest news story. Now, all the facts have been changed to get laughs at my expense. I hope you enjoy it."

The skit took a shot at Corey Clark, portraying him as a half-witted opportunist, promoting himself by holding up a tee shirt that he was selling that read, “I Did It With Paula Abdul” on one side and, “Straight Up” on the other. Then the SNL cast members portrayed various Idol contestants performing for the judges while Amy Poehler, as Paula, made not-so-veiled sexual comments after they performed. At the end of the skit, Paula appeared onstage to critique the actors who portrayed the judges. She told Poehler that she needed to perfect the “Paula clap,” and that she would have to be a lot sexier so that the contestants would want to sleep with her. If nothing else, Paula’s participation in this skit would indicate that she hasn’t lost her sense of humor!

Personally, I want to turn my attention back to the competition, and enjoy the last three weeks of the show. It’s going to be over soon, and I feel kind of bad for the remaining finalists in that they have been overshadowed by all of this brouhaha. There will be plenty of time to speculate on the outcome of this situation after the competition is over.

This year’s final four offers viewers the most clear-cut choices in the history of the show. For the first time, four distinct genres are represented, cutting across a broad demographic of the viewing public. Carrie is the queen of country, and Bo the king of rock! Vonzell is the R&B queen, and Anthony the prince of pop (I’d rather not call him the king of pop for obvious reasons). Each of them has his or her own fan base, and there should be no significant vote splitting. Each of the four finalists will draw an enormous number of votes from his or her dedicated fans, and the effect may be that they cancel each other out. I believe that this year’s winner will be determined by those undecided or disenfranchised fans of eliminated Idols.

Here’s my take on the strengths and weaknesses of each of the four remaining contestants.

Bo Bice

Strengths: At this point, I believe Bo is the strongest of the four. He has a distinctive sound and great vocal control. His performing skills are outstanding, and he has the ability to draw the audience right in. He is a true showman, and presents himself with style and polish. At the same time, Bo has remained humble and grounded. Bo brings an excitement to this year’s competition that is otherwise lacking. Like Fantasia last year, Bo stands out from the pack. He really should win this thing.

Weaknesses: Bo is a rocker, plain and simple. He certainly can sing other genres, but it is when he is rockin’ that he is most genuine, or as Simon says, “authentic.” Every Wednesday, I wince when the ensemble number begins. Bo looks so uncomfortable singing these songs, and I almost laugh when I think about what has to be going through his mind. Certainly, once the tour is over, Bo will never have to sing such schlock again in his entire life. But as a contestant on American Idol, his being so obviously not in the pop mold could be considered a weakness. The casual viewer/voter probably isn’t going to be able to relate to him. This might cost him votes.

On the other hand, Bo is attracting viewers who have never watched Idol before. Certainly, many rock fans are excited about the fact that their music is being featured on the show after having been pretty much ignored in the first three seasons. At one time, rock music dominated radio airways, but in the past decade, this genre seems to have taken a back seat to pop, adult contemporary, R&B, and country. One website, www.rockonbobice.com, celebrates Bo’s being on the show, stating that he was “Sent to Save Rock 'n' Roll.” Perhaps this is a bit of an exaggeration, but certainly, Bo has reawakened interest in rock music in a significant number of Idol fans. If these new fans actually vote, they may counteract the anti-rock votes from Idol “purists.”

Carrie Underwood

Strengths: If a movie producer wanted to find a person to cast as the “American Idol,” Carrie would win the part hands-down. She is a natural beauty, and her voice really does match her physical beauty. Carrie photographs beautifully, and her recorded vocals are even more spectacular. From the start of this year’s competition, Carrie has proven to be the best female vocalist of the lot and has earned her spot in the final four. Carrie also sings well with others. Her duets with Bo have been lovely, and her solo parts on the ensemble pieces are always wonderful. There is absolutely nothing I can say that is not positive about Carrie’s voice.

It has also been obvious from the start that Carrie is most comfortable singing country songs. Country music is very popular in the U.S., and for Carrie, being “country” really isn’t a handicap. Although Josh Gracin from season two definitely had country leanings, Carrie is the first contestant who truly represents this demographic. She is so good, in fact, that I think she would have blown Erika Jo, this year’s Nashville Star, out of the water. Unlike Bo, this does not pigeonhole her into country music as a genre. Carrie can adjust her vocals to fit pop songs, and has even rocked us out a couple of times. Plus, she seems quite comfortable in the Idol ensemble pieces.

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