Better...Not Amazingly Fantastic...But Better

The boys on American Idol did manage to improve their game from last week...but I'm still feeling that the girls might have the edge this year.

Here's my quick run down from Tuesday night (real quick...as I'm pooped and want to head to bed). Believe it or not...I felt Simon was dead on for all of his critiques.

Phil Stacey -- I don't get it...he dedicates "I Ain't Missin' You at All" to his fellow military men and women? Okayyyyy. Let's face it...the guy never starts strong with his songs. He improves as he sings, but this is not exciting or unique. I've heard better male singers at my church. That's not a put down...just an illustration of how commonplace it is. That said, I think he's safe this week.

Jarod Cotter -- And for the creepiest song dedication of the night, Mr. Cotter decides to sing "Let's Get It On" to his parents. Um...gross...my Cringe-O-Meter tops out at 11 (out of 10). Plus, he stinks the song up like a pair of socks in my brothers' laundry hamper. And...oh...let me be sure to mention the little hand move down the face. All I could think of was "Alien face hugger." My Cringe-O-Meter suddenly spiked at 25. I fear widdle Jarod might be spending next week with his mommy and daddy...'cause he could go home after that one. Yikes.

AJ Tabaldo -- I hate to admit this...but I liked his performance (of some soulful song I didn't know, but that he dedicates to Ma and Pa Tabaldo). The guy cheeses me out more than y'all can understand...but I have to give him props. However...AJ, if you plan to continue to win me over...please, for the love of all that's good and right in the world...quit with the arms-over-the head dancin'. Buddy, that move is lame with a capital GOOBER. I think he saved himself this week.

Sanjaya Malakar -- When, oh, when, will the Michael Jackson fedora crap end? Sanjaya is such a cutie...he didn't need to overdo the look. His performance, "Steppin' Out," was dedicated to his late grandfather. His voice is lovely...but he sings as if he forgets to actually breathe. He is so silent and low-key that I want to check his pulse. If he would embrace his sexiness (which is hard for 17-year-old...I know) and gain some confidence, it would help so much. I fear for Shamalamadingdong this week.

Chris Sligh -- Chris took on the musical manna...Ray Lamontagne's "Trouble," dedicated to his cutie-pie wife. He does a great job and truly makes the song his own. I don't think it was his shining moment, but it was good enough to keep in the competition.

Nick Pedro -- Nick comes out singing "Fever" for his sweetie girlfriend. I gotta say, this guy has a fantastic voice...probably my favorite male voice this season. The performance is 1,000 times better than last week's, but he's still needing to gain some comfort on stage. (He gives me an Elliot Yamin vibe.) I think he's safe this week...but he's going to have to step it up...majorly.

Blake Lewis -- Blake was a little off his game this week. He tackled "Virtual Insanity" by Jamiroquai (dedicated to his parents). He does good enough to stay in the game, but not enough to be called a stand-out tonight. I still like him and am rooting for him, 'cause the guy has a lot of talent.

Brandon Rogers -- Dedicating "Time After Time" to his grandmother...Brandon walked out onto stage...and gave an utterly amazingly...boring performance. The guy really needs to head home. Sorry Branny.

Chris Richardson -- Another performance for granny...Chris sings some Jason Mraz song that I don't know...but that I really like. He has improved greatly from last week. He chose a song with lots of tongue-twisting lyrics like Blake did...but he totally kicked Blake's butt. However, I have to say my Cringe-O-Meter did register a strong 11 when I realized he was singing "I could be the one to take you home. Baby, we could rock the night alone"...to his Gram Gram. Just...yikes. (Didn't anyone think about this stuff BEFORE these kids decided to sing sexually explicit songs to their relatives?) However, Chris is safe...this kid has "STAR" written all over him.

Sundance Head He Who Shall Not Be Named -- HWSNBN sang "Mustang Sally" as a dedication to his newborn son, Levi. Okay, the stuff about his baby was sweet. And it's good for him that he chose an upbeat song. However...ZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzz. The only thing that kept me from totally falling asleep was sitting there in amazement that he didn't put potholes in the stage with those anvil feet of his. It's not just that the guy can't dance...he can barely walk. Please send him home.

Okay...those are my thoughts. What are y'all's?

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Entertainment Weekly's write-up. I'm usually with Michael Slezak...but I think he's a little off with his Jarrod Cotter lovin'.

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"I'm Gonna Kill Jim Halpert"

Thursday night was probably one of the best nights of television in a long time...for two reasons...

Pam Beasly and Denny Duquet.

I was so proud of Pam for gaining her newfound courage...and acting on it. Very proud of her.

And I have to say, she made me even more proud with how she responded to Roy's rage about her kissing Jim. Her, "It's over" was a true triumph for our little Pammy...oh, oops...we're not supposed to call her that.

As for "Grey's Anatomy," I loved it. I cried from start to end...and Denny's face when he said, "Izzy" melted me into a puddle of weepy kitten tears. I loved him so much and thought the entire episode was brilliant...especially Sandra Oh saying, "Try it again" like she was possessed.

Great television.

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On the AI front...I lied. I watched the show. (Sorry...but I can't help myself.)

All I have to say is...goodbye, Amy, Nicole, Rudy and Paul...I hardly knew ya...and I'm okay with that.



Though I gotta admit...my heart did go out to Amy for having to sing "I Can't Make You Love Me"...especially after asking if she could sing a different song.

Poor girl...life sucks, I know...but she's thin and younger than me...so I really don't feel that sorry for her.

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P.S. Did anyone other than me hear Simon say "I like this guy" about Chris Sligh after he apologized for ribbing Simon too hard on Tuesday?

Nice.

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Idol Makes Too Many Girls Feel Like a Natural Woman

If I have to hear one more mutilation of an Aretha Franklin song...I'm going to scream.

Attention every current and future contestant on American Idol...DO NOT SING ARETHA. IT IS TIRESOME AND SHOWS A LACK OF IMAGINATION.

Plus...you pretty much stink at it (accept Melinda Doolittle). Seriously, only Aretha should do Aretha.

Okay...on to more important things.

Let it be known on this, 21st Day of February, 2007, I, Shelley Powers, am admitting freely and willingly (and once only) that Double DD was right. (Okay, DD...let us have it.)

The girls are way better than the guys...and will possibly take the crown this year.

Sure I still love Chris Sligh and Blake Lewis (and I have a tiny space in my heart for Nick Pedro for whatever reason...I think it's his pretty eyes)...BUT...the rest of the guys should go home, too.

And...to be fair...for the girls I don't love...I REALLY don't love them...and they need to go on home.

As a matter of fact...why don't we send everyone packing but Chris Sligh, Blake Lewis, Melinda Doolittle, Sabrina Sloan, Gina Glocksen, Stephanie Edwards, and Lakisha Jones.

I think they are all we really need for a serious competition.

But...since I don't have a say in the process (well, except for my measly phone votes)...I guess I'd better give my thoughts on all who performed last night...whether I think they should stick around or not.

Stephanie Edwards - Talented and peppy with a nice voice...but she's going to have to step it up to compete with Lakisha and Melinda.

Amy Krebs - This girl disappointed me. Boring. She'll probably go home.

Leslie Hunt - Awkward and strange. I thought her song choice was terrible and she sang in the back of her throat.

Antonella Barba - Like Aretha, Aerosmith is an act that can't be done any way but the right way...and Barba did it the wrong way. I hate "Don't Want to Close My Eyes," but I hated it even more when Barba sang it. However, my brother, Cooper, made me vote for her...and I had to because I owed him from last year when he voted for Taylor for me. Grrrrrrrrr

Jordin Sparks - Technically she sings great. But as far as being emotive...she has a looooong way to go. I think she's safe for now...but I don't think she'll be around long.

Haley Scarnato - Beautiful with a nice voice...but it won't hold up next to her competition.

Nicole Tranquillo - Horrible. I thought she was seizing on stage. I'm guessing she will go soon...very soon.

Sabrina Sloan - Great...but I hate that she's competing this year because I don't thing she is as good as Lakisha and Melinda. But I really, really, really like this girl.

Alaina Alexander - Honey..."Brass in Pocket" is a stinky song and you're a stinky singer. Put those too things together and you come up with a rancid, putrid mess.

Melinda Doolittle - She's a doll...with a warm and wonderful voice. I didn't mind her doing Aretha...because it was a song I didn't know. I love her vitality and modesty.

Gina Glocksen - I thought she did a great job. But, I think "All By Myself" is way overdone, and I think she was too full of herself when she was being judged.

Lakisha Jones - The girl is amazing. She is the one to beat in this competition. Absolutely wonderful.



Download mp3 of Lakisha's wailin' here.

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UPDATE: EW's review

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Top 12 Guys...Quick and Dirty

Rudy Cardenas -- Forgettable (okay...so my brother Cooper liked him). But I didn't. He was cheesy and campy. Reminded me of "The Darkness." I predict he may go home.

Brandon Rogers -- Cutie-pie...but very out of tune...or "pitchy" to use Randy's overused term. He could...and probably will...be better. And I think America will keep him around a little while.

Sundance Head -- Awful and boring. He was like a lump on the stage...and that weirdo coat and those pointy white shoes made him look like one of those scary Pierrot clowns. He's safe this week...but not for long (unless Vote for the Worst has anything to say about it).

Paul Kim -- Dude, you're not Jack Johnson or Donovan Frankenreiter. Put. Your. Shoes. On. And. Get. Over. Yourself. He oversang. And even when he didn't, he wasn't great. I think he's safe this week...but he won't be around long.

Nick Pedro -- I think he's adorable and his voice is soft and just husky enough to be sexy. BUT...he needs to bring some life to his performances. I want to see him stay a while, but I doubt many people will Vote for Pedro if he doesn't get on the ball.

Chris Richardson -- A doll. Loved him. He has to gain some confidence, but he'll be around a while. Thought for the first time out, it was pretty great.

Blake Lewis -- I love this guy. Absolutely love him...and I think America will, too. He's a contender for the crown and a shoe-in for Top 10.

Sanjaya Malakar -- Aww...such a cutie baby. But I really hated his song choice (some random Stevie Wonder thing). Sanjaya...don't let your sister pick out your songs anymore...please! He's safe this week.

Jarod Cotter -- Looked good but....ZZZZZzzzzzzz. This was the night's more boring performance. He safe for now, but not for long.

Chris Sligh -- Absolutely loved it. He didn't disappoint at all. This was the only time tonight I disagreed with Simon. I think Chris will be around awhile.

AJ Tabaldo -- If I were a bettin' woman...I'd put money on AJ goin' home this week. Truly cheese whiz.

Phil Stacey -- All I could think was...Britney Spears. How unfortunate for Phil that Brit-Brit shaved her head this week. Phil did end the song strong, but his beginnings are all over the map. I don't like this guy. He creeps me out. He might make Top 10, but he won't win.

In all honesty, folks, I really don't care to watch the girls tomorrow. I will...but only for the benefit of Monkbot. I can't think of a single girl who impresses me like Blake Lewis and Chris Sligh.

Oh well...what did y'all think?

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UPDATE: Here is the EW write-up.

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Jim Halpert or Chris Sligh...How Is a Girl to Choose?

Baby Duck sent me this article from The New York Times last night (thanks, sweetie).

Starting this week, Fox is spreading AI on with a friggin' trowel...with three nights of Idol...Tuesday-Thursday...for the next three weeks.

Please let me make clear something to The Idol Powers That Be...YOU DON'T HAVE A TAYLOR HICKS THIS YEAR, FOLKS! I'm not giving up three nights a week to this inane show...no matter how cute Ryan Seacrest is. I'll tape it or I'll do what all other normal people do...read about it the day after.

I won't be missing "Ugly Betty," "The Office," "Grey's Anatomy," or "Men in Trees" for some bloated results show.

I mean, a girl's gotta have her principles.

Plus...Jim's so hot.

(Thanks for link to vid, Holeigh)

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Oh No, He Didn't!

After making it into the Top 24 (despite mistaking yelling for singing)...Sundance Head...very ungraciously...told Thomas Daniels, his losing opponent, "If I do make it big, dude, I'll make you my bodyguard. You're pretty big."



Um...me no likey Sundancey. Me wanty him to go home.

I refuse to focus anymore effot on Sundance (from here on out...I plan to write his name this way) when there are 23 other hopefuls now in the Top 24.

What did y'all think of everyone selected?

I was happy with all the guys...and I gleaned a new appreciation for a couple of the girls (though I thought the girl who went head to head with Antonella in the room with the judges deserved to stay...she was very Susan Tedeschi-ish).

Here's the breakdown (don't kill me for messing up the spelling of some of the names)...I've marked my favs *.



Boys
Sundance Head
Phil Stacey
Jarod Cotter
Chris Richardson **
Nick Pedro *
Brandon Rogers
Rudy Cardenas *
AJ Tabaldo
Paul Kim
Chris Sligh ***
Blake Lewis **
Sanjaya Malakar *

Girls
Antonella Barba
Haley Scarnato
Lakisha Jones ***
Jordin Sparks
Stephanie Edwards
Melinda Doolittle **
Alaina Alexander
Gina Glocksen
Amy Krebs **
Leslie Hunt
Sabrina Sloan *
Nicole Tranquillo

Alright...let's hear what y'all have to say.

Here's the contestant page on AI site.

And for those interested...here is the write-up from Entertainment Weekly.

This quote from EW's Michael Slezak cracked me up...

"Let's make this quick. Antonella Barba, you forgot the words on your final rendition of ''Until You Come Back to Me,'' and you hang with skanks."

And Slezak sums up my feelings on Tami and Sean perfectly...

"And finally, in the most genuine, unironic way possible, I'd like to dedicate tonight's column to Tami Gosnell, Ebony Jointer, Jenry Bejarano, Rachel Zevita, and Sean Michel, five folks whose voices captured our hearts during the audition rounds but who, inexplicably, never got the chance to sing on air again. I bet the semifinals would've been a lot more interesting (and competitive) had you made it, but lest you lose hope, there's always season 7."

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How Deep Is Your Love...for Chris and Beat Box Guy?

Mine's pretty dang deep.

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Happy Stinkin' Valentine's Day

I hate this day.

I hate hearts.

I hate lovey dovey poems.

I hate cupids.

I hate boxes of chocolate.

Well...okay...so I don't hate boxes of chocolate.

But I do hate heart-shaped boxes of chocolate.

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Last night on AI...we said good-bye to our little Sean Michel. I have to say, I was sad.

However...I was very, very, very pleased with Chris Sligh and Beat Box Guy's group performance. It rawked.

And how much do I love the little brother who cried for his sister? So sweet (but not sweet enough for me to look up how to spell his name. Boy, am I lazy.)

Great show...brutal cuts...can't wait to see Top 24. Will anyone outdo Taylor Hicks' Top 24 Walk Harp Solo? How DO you outdo that? Make the Top 24 Walk playing the piano?

UPDATE: Great write-up by "Entertainment Weekly's" Michael Slezak. I agree with absolutely everything he said...especially about Sundance (whom, I think, is overrated).

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Oh...and from the category of "Ideas Beyond the Realm of Simply Bad."

Um...seriously?

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Here's y'all's official Valentine's gift...



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Lip-Ring Girl...Tami Gosnell

I'm smelling the pungent aroma of competition, folks.

Love this girl.

Here's her website.

UPDATE: After listening to her songs...I'm a little mixed. Maybe I just don't like her songs...but her voice gets a little grating at times...and her lyrics are little predictable and her performance a little stilted.

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I'm Coming off a High from One of Those Infamous American Idol Montages, but...

I have to admit...American Idol truly is a celebration of life...the beautiful...the pitiful...and the amazingly talented hidden treasures lurking behind faces in the crowd.

I really liked lip-ring girl...and the woman who sang "Think."

Discuss Wednesday night AI here.




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Discussion of Idol Tuesday

I liked the cousin guy who wore the baby blue ball cap and sang an awful rendition of "Amazing Grace," graciously accepted the judges' "no," and then played to the camera upon leaving the room by yelling at the judges.

Hilarious...but not as hilarious as the picture of Randy at right.

I also loved the cutie-pie girl who the judges turned down then brought back...she's by far the strongest female contender.

And I loved the last guy, who sang "Cupid."

But again...the show overall was pretty boring.

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I Have a New Respect for DJs

A friend in advertising asked me if I would sing and do dialog for a 30-second radio spot to advertise a local high-end shopping center.

I agreed...thinking it would be fun.

I went to the studio yesterday morning and did my thing...and, yes, it was fun.

However...it made me realize something very important.

I. Can't. Act.

Here's my radio acting debut.

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About AI...other than the one guy who said he had always sung background vocals...I thought everyone else was totally forgettable.

Oh...except for the old guy who sung for his late wife.

I cried like a baby.

Very. Sweet.

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Two Words...Chris Sligh

Chris Sligh is from South Carolina...has hair like Justin Guarini...has a sense of humor like John Mayer...and sings like a mellow rocker (loved the audition but not too crazy about the song on his MySpace page).

Seems he's also a Christian...like our little Sean Michel.

Watch out for this guy...he's smart and talented...with personality out the wazoo.

I like him...he's my new favorite.

(I know, I know...I'm fickle...but, honestly, this guy is SO likeable.)

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On another music note (pun intended)...The Police will reunite for this year's Grammy Awards.

I know I should be excited...but I'm not.

What's wrong with me?

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Also...I don't want this to become a glitter-bashing post...but there is something a little off about a glitter banner for Sean Michel. I just can't put my finger on why.

Don't get me wrong...it's great that folks like him and they did a lovely job with their banners...it just is strange to me for some reason. (Also, I'm a little uncomfortable with the "Sean's Disciples" thing. As far as I know, there is only one Man to be a disciple of...and, though He looks like Sean...He's much older.)

Again...NO bashing of anyone's banner. But help me to understand why this seems odd to me.

Also...tell me what a "Camel Shiner" is? She asks nervously, hoping it's not dirty.

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Sean Michel Has Competition

I'm a snob.

No, it's true.

I have a prejudice against pleasant-looking people.

People like...Nicholas Pedro.

Pedro, of Taunton, MA, auditioned last night on AI...and he was good.

Pedro, 25, actually had auditioned last year and made it to Hollywood, but he bowed out of the competition after botching the words to "Build Me Up, Buttercup" by The Foundations in the group sing.

Last night he was back...singing "Fly Me to the Moon" and sounding like creamy, dreamy goodness. He said he was back because last year he was just an account exec for a finance company and didn't take his talent seriously. This year, "[I'm] trying to redeem myself."

And he did just that. When he opened his mouth, my jaw dropped. I even heard Paula say under her breath, "I loved him."

But regardless of his warm and softly roughened voice, I didn't want to like him.

I didn't want to like him because of his looks. He's pretty white bread...dark, cropped and gelled hair, polo shirt, jeans, sneakers...not a bad looking guy at all...just very...middle America.

And how unfair is that of me? It's just as unfair as folks not liking Taylor or Sean Michel because of their quirkiness.

Pedro truly has emotion in his voice...and his voice is much better than Michel's. I also think he's light years ahead of this Sundance guy everyone's raving over.

But he still lacks edge. I see his leap from account exec to Il Divo Part II being a very short one...and that bothers me.

I want him to be a little more unpredictable...a little more dangerous...a little more mysterious...a little more convicted...a little more tortured...a little more artistic.

But that's my snobbery talking.

If I closed my eyes and heard him...I would melt. His voice is that good.

I just don't want another pop star. They have so little meaning to me. I want creativity and life and spirit and heartbreak and messiness and chaos.

See? Snob.

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On another note about last night, I have to mention something that bothered me tremendously...an Aflac commercial.

Did anyone else see the Aflac duck commercial where the duck thinks he has turned into a superhero of sorts when garbage was wrapped around his neck and head?



Now, I'm not usually a crazed environmentalist...but I do have a pretty song conscience about it (or I at least TRY to). Anyway, seeing that a joke was made about the duck becoming empowered by a plastic bag that caught around its neck and engine exhaust across its eyes actually infuriated me.

It's garbage like plastic bags, plastic six-pack rings, and air pollution that is killing wildlife across this country.

This commercial is not cute or funny...it's crass and thoughtless.

I'm sure folks will think I'm a nut job for saying this...but I think this commercial devalues the importance of litter control and the ecological responsibility we have.

I think Aflac should be made to stop airing it...but what do I know, right? I can't even place proper value on singers who don't look like unkempt, torn artists.

So, maybe my perspective perceptors are broken.

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"When It Comes Down to It, All of Us Are Really Poor Inside"

I'm intrigued...

There were several good singers on AI last night...but one has captured my full attention.

Sean Michel...a soft-spoken 27-year-old from Bryant, Ark. (just outside of Little Rock).

Admittedly looking like a mix between "Osama, Jesus, Castro, and a homeless bum"...Michel had this to say..."but I really think all of us are kind of homeless. When it comes down to it, all of us are really poor inside."

Then he went before Simon, Randy, and Paula and sang Johnny Cash's "God's Gonna Cut You Down."

He wasn't technically the best singer...but his style and soul were so entirely captivating that I was drawn to him and wanted to hear more. He carried a Ray Lamontagne vibe with a bit of street and hip-hop edge.

I was sold immediately. I really, really like this guy. (The judges were sold, too, as they all three voted yes to send him to the next round in Hollywood.)

After the show, I went and looked him up on MySpace and found that he and his band have done quite a bit of traveling and performing in the South. But what interested me more is that these guys are Christians...and have a pretty great view on today's music industry.

Excerpt from Sean Michel's bio page on MySpace:
"The music we love was born some time ago, in a cotton field somewhere as people sang their sorrows and hopes. There was something spiritual in these songs, something bigger than the pain of life, something that inspired endurance. Over the years, these songs were transformed from Gospel and Blues, into Rock and Jazz, and later became every aspect of what is now called the music industry. As this transformation progressed further from its origins, it gradually began to lose the soul it was born with. The music around us became meaningless and empty, a wasteland of triviality where Gospel has been relegated as a footnote at music awards, a relic of where it all began. But things are destined to come full circle, and the time is coming for music to find its soul again. It is in this tradition that Seanmichel finds itself, a band longing for meaning in a culture struggling to do the same." Click here to read the rest...

I think I've found my favorite for this year. The guy has charisma, guts, talent, soul, conviction, and, from what I can tell, humility. Can't wait to see how he handles this nutty show...or even how he manages to get past the Hollywood round with all that hair.

I wish him the best...and promise to throw some votes his way if and when that time comes for him.



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A clip of Michel performing in Sudan in 2005. This isn't really my style of music...has a little too much Daughtry sound...but I'm still interested in hearing more from this guy. His audition was so different from this clip.



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And We Have a Winner...

Grilled Tilapia!

Y'all...thanks for the advice. This fish was GREAT. All I did was squeeze fresh lemon and sprinkle with pepper before cooking it in my George Foreman Grill. On the side, I had steamed broccoli and red potatoes. A little butter and salt to taste...and voila!

By the way, though I'm not exercising (doctor said to not undergo strenuous activity until my blood pressure is down), I have lost 9 pounds in about two and a half weeks. I attribute this to avoiding restaurants and take-out. (And going to bed with my stomach growling...ha.)

Yeah!

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As for last night's American Idol...I love Blake the Beat Box Guy!

Shamalee and Sunjia (I know I screwed up spelling)...brother and sister...absolutely adorable!

Oh and to Simon for telling that girl to put her gum on Taylor's face...jerk.

P.S. For whatever reason...I have a HUGE crush on Ryan Seacrest after these first two days of AI. Is that wrong?

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I headed over to Gray's chat after Idol and met up with Squee and Tex there. We were all gabbing about the long string of bizarre and, seemingly, mentally challenged folks AI has highlighted so far in auditions and how the judges seem to be even more cruel this year than in years past.

I said that one day Randy, Simon, and even Paula would have to answer for their mockery of these people.

Texan said that, even though it's mean...sometimes you just gotta laugh at the ridiculousness of it all.

I said I agreed...but that I always feel guilty for laughing.

And our little Tex replied simply with "humor guilt."

I thought this was a pretty brilliant term and wanted to throw it out to all my Monkbots to discuss.

What are your thoughts on the mean-spiritedness of the show this year? Is AI exploiting these "slow" folks who come out to audition? Or do these folks deserve such treatment simply because they have enough wherewithal to audition?

Personally...I think it's on the side of exploitation. You never see the average kid singing poorly and getting pummelled by Simon. It's usually the slightly stupid or oddly put-together slob that gets torn to shreds.

What do y'all think?

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17 out of 10,000...and not a single Taylor Hicks

I think my brother, Cooper, summed it up best when he called me last night after American Idols' premier.

"It's gonna be a long season, Shell."

True dat, little brotha.

True. Dat.

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Will You? Won't You? Will I? Won't I?

The madness begins in a week.

American Idol Season 6 premiers Tuesday and Wednesday, January 16 and 17.

I will be watching.

Will you?

I can't wait to see how Taylor's win will affect this year...higher age limit, song writing contest, proving Simon WRONG, finding the unexpected.

I think it's gonna be a lot of fun.

P.S.
Is it just me or does anyone else totally not even consider American Idol anymore when thinking of Taylor? I swear, the two seem totally removed from one another to me. Am I crazy? What is THAT about?

P.P.S.
It's been a might quiet in the Monkbot hallways the past two days. What gives? Are we a bored lot? Are folks swamped at work? Have my posts sucked? Is everyone trapped under something heavy and unable to reach their keyboards? Should the site be shut down for a bit to give folks a rest? Just wondering.

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