E=MC2 on Idol

And so it was this season's "innovator," the Cook, who took charge of Mariah's "Always Be My Baby," and turned it into a stalker-like darker rocker tune. And it was Brooke Smith who didn't listen to this writers hopefully subliminal message to turn "Baby" into an acoustic lil' ditty. Instead, she once again sat a the piano, solo, singing one of the top 3 Mariah signature songs, "Hero." Yawn. I love her. I'd sign her. But she's this Carole King/Sheryl Crow singer/songwriter - not a pop diva chanteuse. Mariah has had 18 #1's and probably 40 top 10 singles. And so, of course, Syesha picks a little-known album cut from MC's debut called "Vanishing." And therefore, I think she'll will be doing so tonight. Yes, I should fault KL Cook for doing the non-single "Until Forever," but unlike "Vanishing," it is a song that SHOULD have been a single. And just like Mariah thought, it could be a hit today - some ten years later. I'm not a fan of the pageant-like KL Cook, but I thought she was really very good last night. Baby D cannot stay away from a message song or a ballad! I was extremely frustrated nearly by all of their song choices (all ballads), but Baby D doing the cartoon theme, "When You Believe," made me a lil mad. Just a lil cuz he's so damn good and so terribly cute. His vocals were wonderful, but yes, "Make It Happen," would have been a better choice. On that note, "Happen," "Emotions," "Someday," even "Shake it Off," would have been great up-tempo choices. Alas, it was the Cook's "Baby," and Castro's "I Don't Wanna Cry," that I'll be purchasing at iTunes. I still go on record to say that it'll be Baby D, The Cook and Castro in the top 3. I feel Baby D will take it but if he doesn't, he'll be the bigger star. If Cook wins, he'll go the way of Taylor Hicks, because as much as he has consistently delivered great performances, we already have Daughtry (who's hotter and I predict a better song writer than Cook). And if I had the chance, I'd sign Castro, who has the potential to be a Pop/Rock/Grammy-darling a la John Mayer/Rob Thomas. I think he's got the "artiste" in him. I love MC's clips of her coaching btw. So cute and helpful. She's on tonight!

BRANDY has jumped Atlantic Records to sign with Epic. I love Brandy. She has delivered consistent cool and melodic R&B albums. Her "Never Say Never," and "Full Moon," albums are among the best R&B of the last decade. Often underrated she is still always Grammy nominated for each release, including Best R&B Album. Her tragedy of the car accident aside - key word "accident," - I hope she will rise above, that the media will not sensationalize it, and that she's back on top again.

I've happily fallen into "The Comeback" hole recently. I just watch the whole short season on DVD again. It pains me that it only lasted one season -- and kills me more so that Lisa Kudrow (pic) was robbed of an Emmy that year. I have recently said that if I won a crap-load of money in the lottery, I'd pay to produce another season, just for my own enjoyment. Come back to the Five & Dime, Valerie Cherish, Valerie Cherish.

E=MC2=More Hits!

Quick Bits Today: It's Mariah night on IDOL. She's got a great catalogue no doubt. But I hope they don't try to imitate and do indeed "make it their own." Never one to shy away fro a message song, I'm hoping Baby D tackles "Make It Happen," as he is so in-need of an up-tempo ditty. Brooke White on an acoustic "Always Be My Baby," would be great and Carly being actually happy on "Someday" would be cool. I honestly can hear David Cook turning one of her big ballads into a rocker as he did with Lionel Richie's "Hello." "Vision of Love" anyone? And NO ONE should be doing one of the covers Mariah covered (IE "Without You," Open Arms," "I'll Be There," etc.)

Saw "Smart People." Good, cute, indy-like. Dennis Quaid channeled his best Nicholson as a cantankerous university professor who falls for Sarah Jessica. And I got the vibe that we'll have a lifetime of Ellen Page playing a sharp-tongue sassy youth in every film she does. It gets a "B."

Mariah's E=MC2 is out today. Here's the thing: if you like her, you'll love it. It is amazing. I loved her "Mimi" album and she has not broken that mold, which is a damn smart move. Highlights are I Stay In Love, I'm That Chick, and I'll Be Loving You. It's a perfect spring/summer jam CD and I expect at least 5 top 10 singles coming from it.

PLEASE BUY: Go to iTunes and download a "Fall" dance mix by Kimberley Locke. They're REALLY good.

No More Tears (Enough is Enough)

Well, I welled-up a couple of times last night. Last night watching IDOL GIVES BACK, the Annie Lennox piece tore me apart, partly because she is so genuine and partly because when she sang, it was both moving and jaw-dropping. Her voice, if possible, is stronger than it was over 20 years ago when she first came on the scene. With her last two original albums not being too overwhelmingly wonderful as her "Diva" CD, I fear that, much like Stevie Nicks, she is becoming overlooked and under appreciated as one of the great contributors of Pop and Rock music. With her apparent exit from Clive Davis' label after a career-long run, I can only hope that her new label will encourage a return to melodies & choruses combined with thought-provoking lyrics. Again, her "Diva" is the best album of the 90's in my book. Do you notice a Brooke White resemblance in the picture here? Fergie kicked ass on her solo tune and her "Barracuda" with Heart. I immediately went to buy "All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You," by Heart - one of their last (and funniest) pop hits. And as expected, Miss Carrie's "Praying For Time," killed me! I'm hoping she records a studio version with a little more pop/country flair (add some acoustic guitars) so it'll become a hit the way her "I'll Stand By You" did. So, that's what I enjoyed. Here's the other end: please put Robin Williams out of MY misery. Two songs from Miley? I get it. She's huge. But for Fox to give-way to a Disney and ABC star is quite astounding. Gloria Estefan. I noticed her weight-loss and fresh face. Did you? Regardless, I fear that Gloria will be remembered for her "Conga," and "Get on Your Feet" schlock and not the wonderful pure pop ballads like "Words Get In The way," "Cuts Both Ways," "Anything For You," and many more. Never known as a fabulous singer, that woman wrote some damn-good ballads.

NOTE: 30 ROCK and THE OFFICE return tonight! Sheer joy! (IDOL results air tonight as well.)

My other cry of the night? Damn you Diane Sawyer and your "Primetime" special on Randy Pausch! Randy, a college professor, gave an uplifting and inspiring speech which was later posted for students who didn't have the chance to see it. Millions and millions of views later, his logical proverbs and motivating stories have become a book, "The Last Lecture," as well as a quiet movement. Pausch was diagnosed with cancer and a prognosis of 6 months to live. He's on his seventh month and will ultimately leave his wife and 3 children (under 6) very shortly. Therefore my tears were combined of sorrow and inspiration indeed. Get the book or watch his speech for free at You Tube.

Lack of Inspiration

Inspired? InTIRED! --- Something you might not know about me: I love inspirational music. Bebe & Cece Winans are amazing and made incredible albums together with some of the most hookiest melodies in pop and R&B. That said, from the obvious ("You've Got A Friend") to the WTF (Our Lady Of Peace's "Innocence"), I really wish there was a job at Idol to be the contestants A&R guy. I want that job. But alas, the kids have to pick their own songs. Coaches advise them but cannot give them their "final answer." Here's what I shouted out last night to the TV: "If you're on American Idol, after 7 seasons and are singing a song that was not a top 20 or top 10 smash, you're an idiot and you're singing for yourself - not for 'the win' and not for the viewers." This exclamation was prompted by both Carly's Queen choice and David Cook's Innocence song. You are boring me. You're boring America. And with that, I offer some other choices that would have been better: Baby D (in need of an up-tempo tune) would have killed on Natasha Beddingfield's "Unwritten." It's a no-brainer. It's one of the most popular songs of the decade and would have catapulted him to the top again (because he would have "made it his own" by merely being a guy singing a girl's song.) I have an "UpLifting" playlist. Below is just a sample of the 100 song collection I've made. These would have been amazing by anyone on the show last night. While there is a Broadway night soon, the choices of something no one know but will kill, such as Sondheim's "Sunday," would have put whoever sung it, on the pedestal of Fantasia's "Summertime" performance 4 years ago.

NO MORE DRAMA (Mary J Blige)
YOU GET WHAT YOU GIVE (New Radicals)
LET YOUR SOUL BE YOUR PILOT (Sting)
I MADE IT THROUGH THE RAIN (Manilow - a redo by D Cook coulda killed!)
ANYTIME YOU NEED A FRIEND & MAKE IT HAPPEN (Mariah)
NEW ATTITUDE (LaBelle)
SWEET FREEDOM (Michael McDonald)
FRIENDS (Bette Midler)
DON'T RAIN ON MY PARADE (Streisand)
STEP BY STEP (Whitney)

That's just a sample. While I'm glad no one chose "Bridge Over Troubled Water" or "Wind Beneath My Wings / From A Distance," the choices of "I Believe" and "You've Got A Friend," showed what I knew: Seyesha has no deep catalogue of songs in her iPod and when pushed to be obvious, Brooke steps up and delivers. Yawn. Seyesha? BYEsha! Kristy Lee Cook? Kristy Lee BOOK your flight home. They need to go next. Seyesha's got balls! Whitney one week and an Idol winners song the next!?

I hear that IDOL GIVES BACK is going to be wonderful tonight. I read that performances by Annie Lennox and Fergie shine. Just as she did last year, I expect Carrie Underwood's cover for the telethon this year will again become a #1 download. Last year, it was a pared-down Pretenders "I'll Stand By You." This year: George Michael's "Praying for Time." Someone knows how to choose inspirational songs! The telethon stars at 7:30P tonight with the results show bumped to Thursday.

It's official! Spring is here and final 5 must go! The final 5 pounds that is! So if I seem more cantankerous than usual, please have pity as I'll be trying my best to be carb-free and booze-free. Close your awe-shocked mouths. I said "trying." Lord knows I'll pass over a loaf of bread to get to my wine! It's all about portion control... not seen in my 2 bowls of pasta with turkey sausage last night. 38 is weeks away. BRING IT ON!

Bleeding Love: LeLe Lewis Debuts

Leona Lewis' debut CD drops today. For those of you completely out-of-it, she won Simon Cowell's "X-Factor" series in the UK and was immediately signed by Clive Davis. She's been dubbed the second coming of Mariah and Whitney. Judging by her vocals and first single (the inescapable #1 "Bleeding Love,") she certainly sounds it. USA Today seems ho-hum on the full album but I have high hopes that her blend of Pop & R+B (not hip-hop) will be a welcome debut for her and welcome return to melodies for us. Fingers crossed. "You cut me up and then I keep bleeding love." Great lyric.

The Sex & the City stars attended the Point Foundation benefit the other night (pic). It made me think, we're just 8 Fridays away from the film in theatres and made me happy that they lent their time to the charity which helps disowned gay teens with housing and college scholarships. Yeah Carrie & Co.!

Read a piece on the very funny Rachel Dratch in the NY Times regarding the comediane being the forgotten SNL female. She really should be working. Reminds me that these other fine funny ladies should be seen more as well: Cheri O'Teri, Nora Dunn and Jan Hooks... the last two and their Sweeny Sisters makes me laugh out loud just typing it.

Have you seen the "Maid of Honnor" commercials? The film is about a best friend (Patrick Dempsey) realizing he's in love with his best girlfriend just as she asks him to her maid of honor for her wedding. Isn't this the reverse of Julia Roberts (the best friend) realizing she's in love with the groom-to-be in "My Best Friend's Wedding"? Where are the new ideas, Hollywood?

Happy IDOL Tuesday! My favorite day of the week!

Zac Attack!

I'll be taking in THE RUINS this weekend, which every time I say it, I think "the runs." Gross and juvenile, I know. I can't find any reviews of the film which doesn't bode well though, so I may back-out.

Spring Jams: Jordin Sparks NO AIR, Chris Brown WITH YOU (an Irreplaceable rip-off with "boo" lyrics), Madonna 4 MINUTES (great on the treadmill), Mariah TOUCH MY BODY (now my favorite song of the year so far), Carly Smithson HERE YOU COME AGAIN (love this slow full single version from iTunes), Ryan Cabrera SAY, and wait till you kids here the dance remixes of Kimberley Locke's FALL - coming 4/15 @ iTunes.

Hot Damn! My high school crush Zac Efron (pic) is filming 17 AGAIN (which is very "BIG" like). (A) He's hot. (B) He plays basket ball in the film and (C) I'm hoping a guy covers the great Eurythmic's song for the film (cue Rob Thomas, John Mayer, Daughtry). Check out some scenes: http://movies.aol.com//movie/seventeen-again/33126/video/clip-no-1/2100265

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS is officially picked up by NBC. It won't return until winter which gives you time to watch the DVD's. Add it to your Netflix. I promise, it's worth it! Another DVD series on your list should be THE DAMAGES.

I've gotten sucked into seasons 2 of DIRT and THE RICHES and they're still so juicy and good. My concern is that they only filmed 8 each before the strike and didn't resume production which could mean FX pulled the plug. Damn it!

I love Renee Zellweger. Great actress. But her new face (botox, restalyne?) combined with her squinty eyes and pursed lips just looks so unnatural its sad. Why do some of these ladies do this?

Happy Birthday Brett! 52 never looked so good!

Dolly & My IDOL Day

"Here I Come Again" to paraphrase Miss Dolly. I know, it's been a week! But I'm back! So, I'll start with Dolly night. Dolly is a genius, a national treasure, a true talent. That said, with the exception of Whitney, no one but Dolly should sing Dolly songs. It's kind of the equivalent of having a Joni Mitchell night. Get it? Anyway, Carly, Booke, Cook, John Michaels and Baby D stood out. Carly finally gave her best performance of the season. Interesting that the Cook gets praised for his stolen arrangements but no one mentioned the Tatted-Arm belter's ballad version of one of the most peppy-happy-pop songs ever recorded (Here You Come Again)??? Castro was good but still needs to kick it up a notch. "Hallelujah" was a month ago, Dreddie. But yet I feel, based on voting, we could see Baby D, Castro and Cook in the top three... in that order. I do love that loppy-Paula is BACK! She starts her sentances with absolutely no idea where the hell she's going or how to end them. And her jumping on Simon so loudly with every disagreement is waning. Speaking of talking back: Carly & Brooke - put yourself in Shut-Down mode! (Dolly note: Yes, I'll be seeing "9 to 5," the musical in Pasadena later this year!)


My IDOL Day: Last Wednesday, when Kimberley returned to IDOL, it was a quite surreal yet comical day for me. It started with picking her up and getting a phone call from Christian Siriano that he had landed and could not check into the Mondrian as his room wasn't ready. Nice job, Mondrian. I dropped her at IDOL then drove to pick up the dress. I wanted to meet Christian yet was on a time-clock and had to get back to the set quickly. However, C decided to cutely hem-n-haw over whether he should come with me to CBS at that moment because he wanted to fit Kim in the dress as had to be there for his Craig Ferguson appearance (the same time IDOL tapes). Eventually, I convinced him he could shower in Kim's large dressing room so he rolled out a piece of luggage as large as my Jeep and we were on our way. I said , "Lady, that thing's the size of four of you!" He said drone-like, "It's got wheelssssss." Aside from being very talented, he is a quick-wit, very sweet and very appreciative of his new-found stardom.

So, between him getting ready - yes, I witnessed the hair process of C's 'do - and Kim getting all dolled up with her make up and hair guy, complete with C taping down her own two "Idols," it was quite a comical scene. Just before Kim's appearance, we were brought to holding room where all the kids were. Being a fan of Baby D (a much better nickname than Archie), I kept my eye on him to see if he's a sweet kid, the way he seems on TV. And well, he is. I kept noticing him looking for a moment to talk to talk with Kimberley as if Mariah were in the room. Shades of me at age 16 looking longingly at Liza Minnelli for a chance to enter her conversation so I can say "I love 'The World Goes Round.'" (True story.) They lined the kids up to bring them on-stage, all passing Kim. And Baby D jumps at his chance. With a big grin and his lil' hand out-reached, he says "I love your song 'Change.' It's my favorite." To which I almost wept-over it's cuteness and Kim gratefully beamed for him saying "Change" and not "8th World Wonder." Chatty-Kathy, Carly talked us-up because she knew some of Kim's co-writers from her "True Story" album. Being very business-like, I could immediately tell this girl has been put through the wringer by the record biz but still knows how to schmooze at the drop of a CD. (Shades of me: 4 record deals with no release by age 30.) Others who made their way to chat-it-up with Kim include a very flirty Chikeze (who later asked me if Kim was single - a very bold brotha), Brooke (sweet as pie with her compliments of Kim's singing) and KL Cook (who noted Kim's country cover of the Clay Walker song "Fall.") And yes, Castro seemed to be 4-joints-into his day and I wanted Michael Johns to ask me for my number.

Tomorrow I'll start to get back to other things non-Idol. But for now, I'm happy to have these 20 minutes back every morning for coffee and typing! Happy April!