Idol Thoughts, April 4: The More Things Change… A Look at Scott’s Situation and All the Idols

This season of American Idol seems to be the most controversial to date. First the Mario mess, then the voting numbers nonsense, and now we have the Scott Savol situation. What’s an Idolhead to do? I am inclined to say, “So what?” Scott’s arrest happened four years ago, and he appears to have made his amends and gotten his life together. He has been successful in making it to the top nine on the highest rated TV talent show in history, and I think he has proven to have the talent to justify his positioning.

I have read the police report that was published on The Smoking Gun website, and understand that there are indeed two sides to every story. Certainly, I am not condoning what he did, but because we don’t know all the facts, I think it is unfair to label him as a heinous woman abuser. Scott’s former girlfriend is supporting him now, and traveled to L.A. with his family to be part of this experience. If she has forgiven him, that’s good enough for me.

There are plenty of successful entertainers whose backgrounds are somewhat questionable. We have a choice as to whether or not to buy their music or attend their concerts. The same thing goes for American Idol. If you don’t like Scott Savol, don’t vote for him. He is not going to be disqualified because of this revelation, no matter how many petitions are sent to Fox. The decision has been made. Deal with it.

The timing of all of this is ironic in that last week, I wrote about how I was beginning to really like him a lot. After the news of his arrest broke, a number of readers emailed to say, basically, “So how do you feel about him now.” I chose not to respond because these people seemed gleeful that this information had been released. I could almost see them wringing their hands with joy thinking that now they have a tangible reason to dislike him.

What Scott’s detractors don’t seem to realize is that all this publicity may actually work in his favor, and he may get some sympathy votes. In any case, controversy brings in more viewers, and that is always a good thing. I will say that he had better come out this week and give the performance of his life. If he does that, he may survive. If not, this could well be Scott’s last week on the show.

In addition to the Scott situation, I thought it was time that I analyze each of the remaining contestants. This seems to be a good week for that since no clear-cut favorite has emerged from the pack as of yet. Carrie and Bo seem to have an edge, but really, depending on how they do this week, this one could go any number of ways. You already know what I think about Scott. Here’s how I feel about the rest of the pack: <.p>

Bo Bice: I can’t help myself, I really like Bo… a lot. Every week, he shows his versatility, and I eagerly await his performance. He is so confident and comfortable on the stage, and yet seems to be hanging on to his humility. I love that he acknowledges the band and thanks the viewers each week when he is spared elimination. He is fun to watch too. And Simon is right – rather than performing as though he is in a competition, Bo performs for the audience.

I would love to see him in the top three, and I think that may well happen. I think the time is right for a rock ‘n’ roll Idol and Bo is just the guy to make that happen. If he were to win, I see his first CD as being reflective of his southern rock roots, and I know I would buy it. Plus, he would finally be free to play guitar and really kick up some dust. I hope he gets to do that on the tour. That would make it worth the price of admission for me! Yup, I would say Bo is my favorite at this point.

Anwar Robinson: The first time I saw Anwar, I recognized his potential to be a real contender, and I was excited about his being in the competition. His early performances were so good, and I figured he would sail right through to at least the top five. But for the last two weeks, something has been missing; and last week, I agreed with Randy (and Sting) that Anwar struggles in the lower register and needs to concentrate on that area. I cringed several times during the beginning of “I Believe I Can Fly,” and listening to the song back, it is even worse. I feel bad about this, though, because I want him to be good.

I love Anwar’s energy and he’s another one whose performances I still look forward to. But I am afraid that he may have peaked too early in this competition, and unless he can pull out all the stops, he will be gone within two weeks. I can tell you this much, I will definitely cry during Anwar’s farewell video and performance. I know that already.