In the beginning there was “Pop Idol” in the United Kingdom.
And Fox said, Let there be “American Idol” – and there was “American Idol.”
And Fox said, let there be judges – and there was Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul.
And Fox said, let there be two corny hosts – and there was Ryan Seacrest and Brian Dunkleman.
And Fox saw the commercial success of AI, and he saw that it was good.
And Kelly Clarkson was the first “American Idol.”
That was last summer, when the first season of “American Idol” became the most popular competitive talent show since Star Search. With bad-boy judge Simon, pop star-wannabe contestants and the feel-good, Diane Warren-penned ballads sung by winner Clarkson, “American Idol” became America’s guilty pleasure.
So it comes as no surprise that when the second season of the surprise hit debuted in January – missing only a Dunkleman and the first season contestants everyone had grown to love and hate – it was an even bigger hit than the first season. And after more than three months, the finale is only a mere five weeks away.
This season has offered so much. From the crazy Enrique Iglesias impersonator who reportedly attends Boston University to the ever-so-exploited, 18-year-old Carmen who was voted off last week, Season Two has been full of the crazies. Even the predicted winner is a pop music rarity: Ruben Studdard, a large, black Alabaman with a voice of gold.
In order to prepare you for the upcoming, must-see, final American Idol showdown, here is a rundown of what’s happened so far this season.
Weeks 1 ‘ 2: Two weeks of countrywide auditions – the good, the bad and the awful. With each and every AI hopeful, Simon declared to have found “quite possibly the worst singer in the world.” After joyously sitting through the progressively amusing and awful singers (or non-singers, in many cases), the second week ended with the callback auditions in California. Here’s a brief summary: corny montage, loads of drama, Corey Clark and some other guys go out boozing, more drama, Julia DeMato is introduced after her group mates (one of whom is Kimberly Caldwell) have abandoned her, Frenchie wowed us all, and, well, more drama.
Weeks 3 – 6: A group of eight hopefuls who made the cut in California competed, for the first time, for America’s vote. Each week two out of each group moved on to the next round, The Final Ten. Before Episode 5 could take place, Fox announced that Frenchie, the sultry songstress many had pegged to win the competition, had been disqualified after it was discovered that she posed topless for a pornographic website during her freshman year of college. (Fox “forgot” how it’s second runner-up from last season, Nikki McKibbin, was a stripper.) In the end, America chose Charles Grigsby, Julia DeMato, Ruben Studdard, Kimberley Locke, Vanessa Olivarez, Rickey Smith, Joshua Gracin and Corey Clark to move on.
Week 7: The Wild Card Show, where the judges got to choose who would round out The Final Ten. But wait a minute. Ryan Seacrest has a special announcement. This season’s Final Ten will actually be a Final Twelve! Two more people up for the final prize meant two more weeks of “Idol!” That also meant that each judge got to pick a contestant to move on AND American got a vote. And this season’s Wild Card show brought back not only contestants from the previous weeks’ auditions, but contestants who didn’t make the cut in California AND hopefuls who were overlooked at the original auditions! (God help us.) The winners of this final showdown were Clay Aiken (America’s pick), Kimberly Caldwell (Randy’s pick), and Trenyce (Paula’s pick) – who were not good enough for America’s votes in the past few weeks’ group-of-eight shows – as well as Carmen Rasmusen (Simon’s pick), who was hailed as a great singer who was overlooked in the original auditions. Apparently, Simon could see the “next Britney” in the scandalously young country crooner.
Week 8: The first week of live performances by the contestants. Each week, contestants had to sing a song in a certain theme chosen by “Idol” producers,. They were critiqued by the three judges and a special weekly guest judge. America voted and one contestant was voted off each week. Week 8’s theme: Motown. Week 8’s victim: Vanessa.
Week 9: Theme: “The Movies.” Guest judge: Gladys Knight. Victim: Charles. Simon said singing a song from The Wiz was Charles’ downfall. Michael Jackson destroys another little boy’s dreams.
Week 10: Theme: “Country Rock” (a.k.a Josh Gracin week.) Guest judge: Olivia Newton John. Victim: Julia.
Week 11: Theme: Disco. Guest judge: Verdine White from Earth, Wind, and Fire (who, incidentally, looks like he has not yet left the 70s). Victim: In a surprise twist, no one got voted off this week. Due to a criminal record that FOX belatedly discovered, contestant Corey Clark was disqualified earlier in the week. So, as of Week 11 we had three contestants with criminal records (Clark, Trenyce and another unnamed contestant who was dropped from the top 32 before taping) and one with a history of posing topless. What’s next? Ruben reveals he is an axe murderer? With one contestant already gone this week, there was no reason to break anyone else’s heart. Eight contestants were safe … for the time being.
Week 12: Theme: Billboard #1 hits. Guest judge: Lionel Richie. Victim: Rickey.
Week 13: Theme: Billy Joel songs. Guest judge: Smokey Robinson. Victim: Kimberly Caldwell (aka: skinny, blonde Kim).
Week 14: Theme: Diane Warren songs. Guest judge: Surprise! Diane Warren! Victim: Carmen.
The remaining contestants are not exactly pop stars; they all seem more comfortable singing things like country, jazz, R’B and showtunes. But one of the remaining unlikely pop stars will walk away with the title of American Idol and a recording contract.
By the time you read this, someone else will have been voted off, and we’re guessing it’s going to be either Trenyce or Josh. Trenyce has never been consistent, and she’s been in the bottom three before. Josh is usually pretty good, but last week’s off-key rendition of N’Sync’s “That’s When I’ll Stop Loving You” put him on the bubble. Now that you’re up to date on the current “American Idol” happenings, you can tune in and watch the rest of the competition, just as it’s getting good! And make sure you check out the two-day finale May 20 and 21.