Ok, I feel pretty awful (been fighting a losing battle against a cold for the past three days), so let's see if we can't get this done quickly (that's what she said).Besides serving as an extremely effective launching pad for Fox's "Moment of Truth" (that second guy's hair was SO fake), last night's "Idol" delivered an episode full of surprises at a time when these audition episodes start becoming one big blur for me.
When it turned out that the "Idol" crew was in Charleston, I was encouraged. A lot of the strongest contestants in the show's history have come from the Southern colonies. So, while visions of the next Clay Aiken, Bo Bice, Ruben Studdard, Fantasia, etc. started popping into my head (you never want THIS kind of vision in your head EVER) the show went ahead and flipped the script on us.
Sure, there were some predictable moments, like the fact that the first two contestants — "black Clay Aiken" Raysharde Henderson and sassy waitress DeAnna Prevatte — wouldn't get through to Hollywood, even though they were both pretty not-awful. Henderson's exaggerated hand gestures were amusing (was he signing the song for the hearing impaired?) and Prevatte's comments that if she can't sound better than Kellie Pickler she didn't want to be there were a comedic highlight.
We could also see the failures of Aretha Codner and Joshua Bonson coming from a mile away. Strike one against Aretha was the fact that the show was already making fun of her gigantic breasts (in a glowing blue top) before she even auditioned. Strike two was when she chose Whitney's "I Have Nothing". I don't have to tell you that she was out as soon as she opened her mouth for a not-nearly-good enough rendition — I did enjoy her forceful state of denial. Bonson, on the other hand, got strikes one through three instantly after he chose to sing "And I'm telling you I'm not going", which can never, EVER, be sung by a guy without having him look like a fool (even if you're good). Never mind that he sounded horrid and was wearing the worst and loudest outfit ever (pictured, left).
Beyond that, it was mostly surprises. The main shock was the fact that the episode relentlessly teased the adventures of Oliver Highman who'd have to leave his audition because his wife went into labor. We followed him to the hospital, saw the birth of his cute baby and were witness to his triumphant audition and ticket to Hollywood. Yeah, everything except that last part, after a way too vibrato-y audition. I know the show's always on the lookout for interesting stories, but wasn't there anyone giving delivery (or related to someone giving delivery) who could sing better?
Equally shocking was the crash and burn (see what I did there?) of Air Force pilot Lyndsey Goodman. In fact, Lyndsay and Oliver's stories seemed to be fused together from last year's contestant Phil Stacey (a military man whose wife went into labor during auditions). Except that Lyndsey, who seemed to have the looks and confidence (in her video package at least) to go far became incredibly nervous and quavered her way through a shaky rendition of "Black Velvet." Too bad.
The biggest surprise of all had to be the fact that the outrageous Lampkin siblings were, you know, good. Like really good (especially Jeffrey). Excuse me for being shocked that a guy who danced obnoxiously like five different stereotypes and walked in to audition with a necktie around his head turned out to not be a complete clown. Not only were they good, but their rendition of "I'm Your Angel" was also shockingly restrained (given what we saw from them before). The judges were right in pointing out that Jeffrey is better than his sister Michelle, but I was glad to see that Simon, of all people, didn't have the heart to split them up.
So what'd you think of this episode? Are you in the half of America that, according to Simon, is annoyed by cheerleader/abstinence teacher Amy Flynn (who's kinda reminds me of a real life Lyla Garrity)? Were you also surprised by the twists and turns in this episode? Have you ever hooked up with anyone from an "Idol" message board? Finally, did you see anyone last night who could win the whole thing?
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