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I Do Not Celebrate Michael Johns Going Home
No, I'm not ready to talk about it quite yet.
But I must ask - Is Michael Johns the most shocking elimination on American Idol ever?
Sure we’ve had jaw-dropping ousters before but never this early. Jennifer Hudson was eliminated in the seventh round in season three. Chris Daughtry made it to the top four before he was eliminated in season five.
To give it more perspective, Sanjaya actually didn’t get eliminated until the next round last year.
I actually think that having Kristy Lee Cook still in the competition is more damaging to the show’s credibility (and yes the show does currently have credibility) than Sanjaya was last season. Kristy is a good singer but she is mediocre and ordinary by American Idol standards.
I wish you could have heard the conversation I had with my mom last night:
The phone rings:
Me: Hello.
My mom: Something is dramatically wrong with American Idol.
Me: I know. Isn’t it the worst?
Mom: What is wrong with this show? My Michael is a great singer. This is just awful. I don’t think I can watch the show any more.
Me: Are you going to stop watching?
Mom: Of course not. I need to keep supporting my little David Archuleta.
I’m with my mom, I won’t stop watching but the show won’t be nearly as fun for me now that Johns won’t be a part of it. Do you feel the same way? What’s up with Simon insisting that Michael sang the wrong song? Is Kristy the savviest contestant the show has ever had? Talk about it below.
Ask TV Gal
I don't see the Best Bets section anymore ? Where did it go? Was it discontinued ? What's the deal? Diane
I’ve been getting this question quite a bit so I did a little research. I’ve been told by my friends here at Zap2It that the Best Bet section is being redesigned and will return soon. I’ll keep you posted.
Update on the Save Friday Night Lights Campaign
Now that Friday Night Lights will return for a third season (whoo-hoo!), Savefnl.com let me know that they’ve begun a campaign to donate the DVD sets of the first two seasons of the show to public libraries throughout the country. Check it out at www.savefridaynightlights.tv/libraries.htm
One Tree Wisteria Lane?
Although I don’t think this is much of a spoiler since the news is being widely reported, skip this section if you don’t want to know anything about what’s coming up on Desperate Housewives.
Marcia Cross confirmed today on The Ellen Show that the season finale of Desperate Housewives, just like those high school students who were suddenly out of college and in the real world, will skip ahead five years. Cross implied that next season will flashback to show viewers what happened in the intervening five years (perhaps a mystery in reverse?)
It would mean that the teenagers could have adult story lines (or being written out entirely?) and that the young children would be older (I’ll miss the current Scavo twins). I fear it could mean the death of one of the housewives and that the next season will be showing what lead up to her death.
What do you think of the idea of going forward five years and the possibilities it opens up? Also what’s up with no one trying to keep secrets any more? If this news hadn’t been leaked (and by leaked I mean talked about to major publications and talk shows), it could have been quite the surprise.
Quotes of the Week
"I was panicked this morning about all the logistics that went into my Carnegie Hall performance." Rachael who decided to sing during her big give on Oprah’s Big Give. I'm doubling down that Cameron is going to win this competition.
"Everyone knows that the weight of a lie makes your soul so heavy that you can’t rise up to heaven and you don’t look good in jeans from behind." Kenneth to Jack on 30 Rock.
"I shot my flat screen Super Bowl Sunday." Denny Crane was asked by Alan if he had murdered any of his toys on Boston Legal. Thanks to Shaun for the quote.
"I cut myself shaving." Baltar on Battlestar Galactica. Thanks to Barry for the quote.
"I have not been this impressed since Jennifer Hudson in ‘Dreamgirls.’" Cappie to his pledge brothers on Greek.
"Michael and Jan seem to be playing their own separate game and it’s called let’s see how uncomfortable we can make our guests and they’re both winning." Jim on The Office. I thought this episode went too far and was too dark and disturbing, did you?
Exchange of the Week
"Casey these are my pledge brothers and right now it’s like we’re a boy band and I’m the fat one." Rusty to Casey on Greek.
"It’s pronounced Fatone." Casey’s response.
That’s all for today. I’ll be back on Monday to talk about the return of Bones, One Tree Hill, and Back to You. I’ll also have thoughts on Medium, ER, and the season finale of Eli Stone. Have a question? Seen a familiar face? Want to nominate a quote of the week or a topic for discussion? Write me at amytvgal@zap2it.com. Have a great weekend.
Amy Amatangelo, TV Gal ®
Sounds to me like Desperate Housewives is doing the "lost" thing with doing flashbacks - if it works for Lost it will work for us. Not sure if it will work or not, but I guess we'll see
Darren | Apr 11, 2008 9:09:09 AM | #I agree. Michael Johns should have been in the top four.
Randy | Apr 11, 2008 9:09:25 AM | #The Office can do no wrong in my eyes. I liked the episode, not its best but it was good. I think it is time to accept that Jan is crazy and she is going to stay that way, Amy. Just try to go with it.
Anna | Apr 11, 2008 9:15:02 AM | #Why are people so surprised when good singers get kicked off AI? It's not a talent show, it's a popularity contest.
C | Apr 11, 2008 9:22:22 AM | #I was very surprised. Esepcially considering it was American Idol Gives back week, I'm not going to lie. I didn't vote for him this week like I normally do because I figured he would be safe. How often has Carly, Kristy Lee, Syesha been circling the bottom. It's crazy.
Brian | Apr 11, 2008 9:24:49 AM | #When things like this happen or the news break (talking about DH)i get a little worried. When One Tree Hill Announced that they would do this for the current season i thought that would be cool because i was over the high school drama...and felt like carrying it over into college wouldnt work. But even now its a little contrite and boring. I hope the w riters of DH know what they are doing. I appreciate their willingness to try something new. i like all of the characters this season so i dont want to lose any of them. I'm scared i tell ya, scared.
Meiko | Apr 11, 2008 9:28:28 AM | #Michael Johns leaving the show last night was not the worst thing to happen - that dubious honor goes to Seacrest and the way he held out a slim hope that Michael may get a respite like "AI" did last year during their "Idol Gives Back" week when no one was voted off right away. It was cruel to let him think that he may still be safe.
I want Carly to win and she'll continue to get my votes...plain and simple, Michael was not getting enough votes to keep him around so people - when you have favorites, call in and vote for them so they can stay!
I so badly want to see Archuleta and bed-head Cook just GO AWAY!
Johns should have stayed, but he's not good enough to win. As long as the Davids are 1 and 2, it won't matter when the others go.
Does anyone remember Carmen from season 2? The shocker for me was how long she stuck around. Sanjaya was better than her any day of the week.
I definitely enjoyed the Office this week. was it kind of uncomfortable? YES! but if you've ever been around when a couple has that kind of tension, it is terribly unsettling. i think the show captured that feeling perfectly, and was still able to mix some comedy.
i loved that during the middle of an argument with Jan, Michael had his knee jerk quote of, "That's what she said."
Gerry | Apr 11, 2008 9:37:44 AM | #I really don't see what the shocker was about Michael. I liked him too, but this week, I'm sorry. He was weak. If you're going to take on Aerosmith, you've got to nail it to the wall, and it really wasn't that good. It certainly wasn't even CLOSE to being the most shocking thing in idol. I mean, Tamyra Gray beaten out by Nikki Mckibbin?
Potch | Apr 11, 2008 9:37:47 AM | #I am usually terrible at predicting Idol, I admit it...but I completely called the bottom three this week. I actually thought Carly would be going home, but wasn't particularly surprised or upset that it was Michael.
I kinda want David Archuleta to go home next, just because the poor kid looks scared enough to wet his pants every time he's on stage. He's not ready for this.
As for the Office, I thought it was hysterical. Michael and Jan have to have the most confusing, bizarre, illogical relationship on TV. I really think they both love and hate each other simultaneously. But it was Jim and Pam's tortured facial expressions and 'talking heads' that made the ep for me.
Mickey | Apr 11, 2008 9:41:29 AM | #I have to agree with your American Idol assessment. Johns' ouster invalidates this show further and proves that it is not about overall talent and range it's a flawed numbers game.
Look for David Cook to be axed sometime soon as well for the same reason while mediocre talent like Taylor Hicks and to a lessor extent Jordan Sparks (nice job last night, just not my kind of music) prevail.
Let's also not forget Melinda Doolittle who blew every song out of the box that she sang -- the consummate eprformer and diva - only to be handed her lunch by a voting audience who did not get it.
Way-out-West | Apr 11, 2008 9:42:08 AM | #What have you people been smoking? You need to stop eating brownies from Jason Castro. Michael Johns was a mediocre contestant at best. Granted, the dude is hot, but he hasn't shown himself to be a great singer. Last week was his only good week to date. Have you forgotten about the abomination that was his cover of "A Day in the Life"? Dude was going down sooner or later. I'm just amazed that his looks have carried him this far.
As for "The Office", I'm with Amy. I found parts of the episode very funny, but mostly it was just dark and kind of disturbing. Coming on the heels of the deposition episode, I'm at a loss as to what the writers are doing. This week's episode did a fantastic job of portraying awkward, but is it entertaining on this show when it isn't funny? I wanted out of the episode almost as much as Jim and Pam.
Derek | Apr 11, 2008 9:46:07 AM | #Over on the AI blog, a lot of people are angrier about Ryan's rudeness than they are about Michael actually being eliminated. I have a feeling that the producers want David Cook and David Archuleta to be the final 2, so it doesn't really matter in what order the rest of the contestants are eliminated. Michael being eliminated was surprising (but not shocking), since KLC and Syesha have been in the bottom 3 more than once. Michael should have gone farther, but don't forget how far Sanjaya went last year, thanks to the "teeny-bopper" votes.
Honestly, I would like to see a public apology from AI and Ryan for the cruel way they treated one of their own contestants last night. They should have just told him he was going home, without giving him the false hope of no eliminations this week. Needless to say, Michael and the entire audience were rendered speechless after Ryan told them that this year they would be eliminating him during IGB week in spite of the pass they gave everyone last year. :-(
Paige | Apr 11, 2008 10:10:06 AM | #michael johns isn't my favourite... in truth i don't really have a favourite this year, i'm kind of bored by all of them... however, i can't say my mouth didn't drop when i saw this last night. i was so sure it was going to be one of the girls. (and ryan's delivery of the information was just mean).
love the 'greek' exchange but you're missing the word "band" in the "boy band" line.
as for secrets being revealed for shows, i don't think they much attempt any more because the harder they try to keep secrets the more people try to uncover them. i think most networks figure spoilers are inevitable so they figure - why not the internet to the punch?
molly h | Apr 11, 2008 10:27:50 AM | #A SHOCKER to me and my hubby. IF you watch the end of each AI show, notice the highlites and length of time they show each contestant and their songs. Its a mind game by AI - they leave with you the lastimpression that they want to influence towards your voting. THEN, did you notice how much tougher Randy has been towards Michael and Carly? That's becuase they want to influence them getting kicked off - they both have had music contracts, so my thought is, they'd rather have a REAL amature be the AI as opposed to someone who already has celebrity status so to speak. Michael sure beats out Carly, Kristy Lee, and Brooke, in I also find "Dreadlocks" boring in his singing. Now -
Susie | Apr 11, 2008 10:28:00 AM | #I don't see how people can vote for mediocre singers when much better singers are voted off of American Idol. I'm almost tempted to stop watching altogether.
Now, of course, do we really hear much about the top American Idols? Are they truly successful?
Well, obviously, Elliott Yamin and Chris Daughtrey are more successful than McFee or Hicks. And even Fantasia got nominated for an Oscar. So, that goes to show that the "American Idol Castaways" will be much more successful than the Idol "heavyweights".
Suzanne | Apr 11, 2008 10:57:21 AM | #Michael should be in the top four and I think Seacrest should be booed out next week. The show lost a lot for me by him being eliminated and I do not believe he had the lowest vote count-its too pretty, boy, girl, boy girl, boy-
No way should he go b4 any of the girls
Michael should be in the top four and I think Seacrest should be booed out next week. The show lost a lot for me by him being eliminated and I do not believe he had the lowest vote count-its too pretty, boy, girl, boy girl, boy-
No way should he go b4 any of the girls
I agree about the Office. I miss the workplace antics this year - too much seems to be taking place out of the office. My favourite parts have always been when Jim and Pam are messing with Dwight - bring more of that stuff back. I'm also kind of getting tired of Micheal's schtick. I feel like they're taking him too far into the ridiculous realm. This isn't Scrubs with its fantasy sequences, we have to be able to buy that this man would not be fired. That's getting harder every week.
As for DH, sounds to me like a desperate ploy for a show that's losing ideas. For the fan's sake, I hope I'm wrong and it works great.
K | Apr 11, 2008 11:00:26 AM | #I am so sad about Michael Johns! My Australian man of a copmetitor! I love that man! I only tuned in for the last 10 minutes adn I thought, "I want Carly to go home, but I think it will be Syesha." Ugh! I literally cried! (like Dwight just did when he didn't get invited to Michael's dinner party on last night's episode of "The Office" that I'm watching right now.)
This was totally not fair. He didnot deserve to go this early! I didn't even think that his version of "Dream On" were that bad (though I culd have done without the falsetto)
Lauren B | Apr 11, 2008 11:16:58 AM | #This episode was dark, but I definately enjoyed it. And I think that something like this had to eventually happen with Michael and Jan. I loved Jim's escape attempt.
I enjoyed the whole NBC comedy block. Although I might say that I enjoyed 30 Rock and Scrubs a tad bit more. I love Scrubs: its episode just made me happy, and so was a good follow-up to the darker ep of Office.
I'm a little baffled by the Desperate Housewives thing, but One Tree Hill (and, yes, I'm about to compare a OTH to DH) did that this season and the show sucks less than it has in the past. Maybe the teenagers will be more interesting, at least.
And The Office definitely went too far...
I was shocked and horrified at Michael's departure!! It's eliminations like that that make me think the show is rigged, b/c there's always a surprise elimination around this time in the competition. Boo, hiss...
Cat | Apr 11, 2008 11:57:57 AM | #Hmm...finished watching "The Office". "Dark" and "disturbing" may not be my first words to describe it, but "disturbing" is definitely up there somewhere. I just turned off the sound on my computer when Michael and Jan were arguing about how Jan always gets her way--very disturbing. "Obnoxious" is another word I would choose to describe it. "Desperate" as well--it seems that they were trying to make the first episode back really good, but they were trying too hard. They were only at the actual office for less than 4 minutes!
Lauren B | Apr 11, 2008 12:02:26 PM | #I didn't think he would win, but Michael didn't deserve to go last night. Syesha or Kristie, probably. But this is not the most shocking exit, I'd put Melinda ahead of this even though she made final 3. Anyone remember Jasmine making final 3?
I also wish shows wouldn't leak plot twists so much. It started with Michael on Lost. If they wanted him to be a surprise, then don't announce in the summer that he's coming back to the show. Same thing with Sarah on Prison Break and now with DH.
Noraa | Apr 11, 2008 12:10:55 PM | #
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