'Idol' Moments: Some growl, some gag in country conversation
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| Melinda Doolittle steps out with Julie Reeves’ “Trouble Is a Woman” on Tuesday’s “American Idol.” |
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By MATT GLEASON World Scene Writer
4/18/2007
Martina McBride made a good point at the outset of Tuesday night's "American Idol" when she said that a captivating country song should sound like a conversation.
OK, so let's say "Idol" was actually a shindig host Ryan Seacrest threw while his parents were out of town, and 30 million people came to tap the keg.
Melinda Doolittle, the usually demure, quiet girl in class, showed up looking saucy and ready to have a good time. She told a story -- "Trouble Is a Woman" -- that drew a crowd over by the bar that had everybody stunned.
Simon Cowell, the know-it-all jerk everyone befriends for fear of being on his bad side, said it was "fantastic."
Jordin Sparks, the cheerleader with the bubbly personality, and the wizened LaKisha Jones, both told familiar stories: Sparks mightily handled McBride's "A Broken Wing," and Jones did a nice job with Carrie Underwood's "Jesus Take the Wheel." Both were inspirational and just might have left some of the partygoers with tears in their eyes.
Cowell has a thing for Sparks -- he said she could win the whole thing -- but heckled Jones right to her face.
Blake Lewis, the cute, fun-loving spaz known to beatbox and breakdance, is a decent enough conversationalist -- he did "When the Stars Go Blue" -- but even though some people just love that guy, he's not the sort I'd want to talk with longer than it takes the bartender to refill my glass.
Chris Richardson was the handsome jock in the corner but his tale -- Rascal Flatts' "Mayberry" -- was pointless, almost boring, and left me wanting to cut him short to meet up again with Doolittle and Sparks.
Phil Stacey, who's struggled in school to find a clique he fits in with, showed up to the party not as the poser we've come to know, but with his true identity -- an urban cowboy, sans the Stetson. He cruised through Seacrest's pad with so much cocksure swagger that all the girls wanted his voting digits after he regaled the partiers with Keith Urban's "Where the Blacktop Ends."
Even Cowell complimented.
Then there's Sanjaya Malakar, the flamboyant fella all the girls think of as their gal pal while the guys would love to give him a much-deserved swirly.
Cowell, who's marveled at Malakar's antics recently, made a scene when he told the beloved/reviled kid that he's no good -- Malakar did a lousy version of Bonnie Raitt's "Something to Talk About" -- and that the Tuesday night revelers should escort him to the door.
If only we could.
Matt Gleason 581-8473
matt.gleason@tulsaworld.com
By MATT GLEASON World Scene Writer
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