End Of The Season

[koganbot]

Thought that Adam was decisively better than Kris last night, but most voters probably had made their decision on whom to vote for long since, and dialidol has it too close to call. Neither performer came to grips with "No Boundaries," both did fine on their reprise songs ("Mad World" for Adam and "Ain't No Sunshine" for Kris), though Adam's

Comments

[edgeofwhatever]

As for whether or why she wants to wash away her sanity, or if her greatest gift really is falling down and taking it, my guess is that if I'd watched every minute of every episode I'd still be no closer to knowing.

I see what you did there. Anyway: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-ca-kara-dioguardi17-2009may17,0,243904.story

I thought Kris was decisively better than Adam. "A Change is Gonna Come" was good, but I've been feeling increasingly Emperor's New Clothes about Adam over the past few weeks -- the theatrics and rearrangements became less surprising/delightful as the season went on, and as the crappier contestants fell away, it became more and more clear that he wasn't great, he was just better than people who sucked. Kris, on the other hand, has been growing over that same period of time, to the point where I feel about him now the way I felt about Adam in the beginning -- no matter what else

[koganbot]

Ah, Kara is totally lovable in that interview. Ultimately, how do you think she did on the show this year, or haven't you sorted that out yet?

I want to say to Kara, "If they don't renew your contract, you'll have so much extra time to be writing songs for Allison Iraheta."

[edgeofwhatever]

I had written you a thoughtful response about how I think she basically broke even -- it's clear she suffers from some sort of pop-culture dyslexia, but really "Studio 57" and "early Aerosmith" were no dumber than anything any of the other judges ever said, but then again, even though she eventually quit it with the weird sexism, it turns out that the crushing self-doubt and desperate need to be loved that I found so appealing when she was singing angsty pop-rock songs are actually totally, totally unappealing when she on my TV every week -- and like, someone said on TWOP that it isn't that she's so bad, it's just that she would have to be really good to justify adding another judge, and she wasn't. She was only as good as the rest of them.

But then she got on stage on national television and took her damn clothes off, so I'm just gonna say good. She did good.

[koganbot]

It's interesting that Ashlee had described Kara, admiringly, as a "tough girl." Maybe that's what Ashlee needed her to be, which helped Kara to be it.

Being excellent at self-doubt myself, I find that the best way to put it in its place - and doubt has a legitimate place - is to focus on a task, which on AI would be how to help the performers and how to help the show. Kara's had plenty of experience with the former. The latter is probably hard to work out, since she is in effect a performer, and it wouldn't mean suppressing one's character, but what it might mean is having a strong sense of what the show needs but not focusing on whether she happens to look good from moment to moment in her producer's eyes, or about looking good at all, which may not be what the show needs. And what you're saying is that the show didn't need her to be insecure on camera.

My guess is what Simon is good at, and Adam and even Kris, for that matter, is making themselves an issue without feeling their psyches are at issue. Whereas last year Brooke White'

[justfanoe]

Overall I thought it was an OK season, and I agree with you insofar as Allison and Megan were my two favorites this season. Though Adam Lambert's "Tracks of My Tears" probably remains my favorite individual performance.

Personally, I think hiring on Kara was a mistake. She doesn't really add that much to the judging process (almost always mirrors Randy's comments), and it just adds even more unnecessary filler to the show.