(Don't forget to take my poll on Elliott's new teeth and Kellie's new breasts. Click here!)
Analysts will rush to explain why Melinda's bid to be our next American Idol faltered tonight. But the dust needs to settle before we truly understand what went wrong.
Was it her age?
Was it what many called her fake surprise look from earlier in the season?
Was it her neck - or what some uncharitably called her lack of a neck? (Her purported necklessness was never verified by medical professionals. Her haircut in fact may have been to blame for a simple misperception.)
OR ... Was it her polish? Was Melinda too classy for America?
As evidenced by the videotaped homecoming, Melinda was indeed the most poised - and this may have been a liability in an America that demands that we let it all hang out.
Jordin wept throughout her homecoming as if she'd just returned from a POW camp. (The way she clutched her best friend Bailey, you'd think the two were sisters reunited after, say, the fall of the Berlin Wall.) Blake's homecoming was equally showy. His father, clearly an emotional dependent, cried that he'd lost his own parents as a boy; that Blake's success was some consolation for his own hardship.
Melinda was more self-possessed, dignified. She teared up, yes, but she kept it together, thanking her friends from Belmont. They thanked her for all she'd done. (Charity work? We don't know. Melinda's not the type to boast.) We've known for some time that Melinda's close to her mother. She's never mentioned her father. And yet her dad Steve was included (awkwardly) in several shots, Melinda putting the best face on what is likely a very uncomfortable situation. That's what modest, discreet people do.
And for this the American people punished her.
***
Other things I noticed:
Jordin's high school is Sandra Day O'Connor HS. Ironic since O'Connor was the critical swing vote in the Supreme Court's deliberations on abortion over the last 20 years. Now Jordin is in danger of being engulfed by the issue.
As much as I like Elliott Yamin - I endorsed his AI bid last year - I don't like his new teeth. But I don't mind the whole look. Almost a young Bob Dylan. Elliott is personally unassailable, as far as I'm concerned. Pure goodness.
Mo Rocca has appeared on a bunch of shows, including 'The Daily Show,' 'I Love the 80s,'...
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Melinda's Demise: Too Classy For America?
Posted May 17th 2007 12:09AM by Mo Rocca
Filed under: American Idol, Melinda Doolittle, Jordin Sparks, Blake Lewis, Abortion
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Reader Comments ( Page 3 of 9)
31. His performance was SO dull. It was like late 90's Top 40, horrible.
Tim at 4:57PM on May 17th 2007
32. I turly think alot of who stays and who goes depends on who and how many people do nothing for two hours except voting for a person. Me I don't have time to do anything but vote but yet the teens have nothing to do except vote for two hours. That has alot to do with how many votes they get since they don't limit the voting to so many per household.
Dawna at 12:45PM on May 17th 2007
33. Yes Toni, America voted but it does not mean they got it right. Look who got in the White House!
Melinda Doolittle is the best singer this season. More than anyone, she should be in the final. As far as her being a professional...she was an unknown professional and this was a great way for Melinda to show her talent to America.
I am sad she is not going to the finals, but at the same time I am very happy because she will go on and have a successful career.
America got it wrong, and Melinda was so right for the American Idol title.
Jordan, I hope America does not let you down next week too. Sorry Blake...you should have gone home last night.
Viki at 12:46PM on May 17th 2007
34. I was disappointed to see Melinda go....I like Blake's performances for the most part, and I think he'll continue to grow in the future, but I feel that Melinda shouldn't have been voted off before him. I agree that the winner isn't going to necessarily be the BEST singer, but instead be the most popular among the majority of viewers and that no matter who is voted off or whoever remains, there's always going to be plenty of dissatisfied and/or angry viewers....due to a variety of tastes.
Personally, I would have thought Chris Doughtery would have won last year because I love that kind of voice and music, but there are a lot of people who would rather hear Taylor H.'s kind of music. In addition, I think Lakisha shouldn't have been voted off so early this year, but that's just my taste in music. I just tell myself that whoever ends up in the final 5 or 6, or maybe even the final 10 or 12, have great opportunities to make it big. I know one of my favorites of the 12 got voted off waaaay before she should have, and I'm hoping she'll make it in the entertainment business anyway.
Karen
Karen at 3:52PM on May 17th 2007
35. Regarding Karen's comment about Ryan's "slip up" -- he DIDN'T say "we'll send Melinda home" what he said was "afer Maroon 5, Melinda goes home" (meaning to goes home to Tennessee!!!) I just finished watching it on tape.
Antonella
armegl at 1:00PM on May 17th 2007
36. Some of you are disappointed in the "best" singers going home instead of being the winner....but who's to say who the best is....who you or someone else thinks is best may or may not be who I, or someone else, think is best. I'm just as disappointed that Melinda left, and same with Lakisha, but I feel that Blake and Jordan are also fantastic....I'm just glad Sanjaya (though he has taletn too) wasn't in the top three. :)
Karen at 3:53PM on May 17th 2007
37. C'Mon guys, Jordin?? Blake is so talented and entertaining! I wish it was him and Melinda in the final 2 b/c Melinda has quite a bit of taleny herself... but Jordin can get very annoying in my opinion. SORRY. I don't know what the big buzz on her is all about.. I mean she's a nice girl.. although, like Melinda's surprised looks in the beginningn which came off fake, Jordin also comes off that way. bam
Janine at 1:37PM on May 17th 2007
38. I read through all of these postings, and I'm surprised that most people are reacting subjectively, their reactions filtered through hindsight. "oh, yes, I see, Melinda really was kind of... lacking..." With sixty million votes, about what the average presidential election gets, you have to face it: we're talking about the great south bloc again. The crazy christian right gets a solid 25% influence in the national elections, and I guess this is a national election. And guess what the southern folks said, again? We like our leaders white, thank you. You can have one black person in the finale, but oh no no, not two.
Eve at 1:53PM on May 17th 2007
39. Melinda tanked because she kept singing the same song. She overestimated the concentration and interest level of American Audiences.
I think the website where you vote for the lousy performers to win is also playing a part.
Lorraine at 1:46PM on May 17th 2007
40. I'm very happy Jordon & Blake made the finals.. There was something about Melinda I didn't like.. She didn't have the Idol look, they tried hard to make her look the part but it just didn't fit or work.. Something about her voice, maybe the fact she was much older than Blake & Jordon..Melinda sang the same every week.. Nothing more or less.. Blake & Jordon surprized us each week..Everyone on Idol wins in the end.. The ones that really want to be famous work harder to make it after they are done with idol..Finger crossed to Jordon !!
Rita at 1:47PM on May 17th 2007
41. will stop watching the show. the best is out. i can see that youth and good looks defeat talent.
jose at 2:03PM on May 17th 2007
42. Melinda too professional or backlash against Simon. Either way Melindas gonna be a bigger star than Jennifer Hudson who also got the boot.
Ann at 8:28AM on May 18th 2007
43. Oh Mo, say it ain't so!! Melinda is a true gem, a humble, classy, enormously talented woman. Her elimination this week tells us something about the AI viewers who actually VOTE - and those that vote 200 times a night. The youth of America are keeping this show alive - and Melinda did not appeal to the youngins as Blake and Jordin have. I personally believe that Blake has inherited the "fanjayas" that kept you know who on the show for so long. Did you see his home clip?? It looked like boy band land in Seattle! Sigh. Melinda's fans are more likely the older set, the people who sat back and enjoyed her performances, week after week, but never voted...or if they did vote, were crazy enough to think that one vote would matter. Have we learned ANYTHING from American politics??
PS Elliott's teeth were oddly distracting - but cut the man a break - his grill was really jacked before.
Casey at 2:08PM on May 17th 2007
44. VOTE THE WORST does it again that chirpy little beatbox Blake dang well may take the prize!
John W. at 2:11PM on May 17th 2007
45. Jordan should have been voted off weeks ago, sure she can sing, but it all sounds the same. She missed notes and at times her voice cracked. I new she would win this years idol because of her looks. Personality wise, she's makes wisecracks to and about the judges, which I find disrespectful. Typical of a spoiled teenager. I said weeks ago that if she won this that there was something fishy going on with the voting. Now I am sure. Like so many others I will never watch American Idol again. I never felt that Jennifer Hudson should have one American Idol, however, there alot of contestants who have gone forward and had promising careers. I don't think Melinda will be any different, after all she is the best singer for this seasons American Idol and trully deserved to have won it all. She will in the end when all is said and done. Jordan'a voice is no where even close to Kelley Clarkson, Carrie Underwood or Melinda's. She doesn't even have a style of her own. She doesn't have the ablitiy to sing all and any type of music or sound good when she trys to do so. Kelley, Carrie and Melinda sound awesome no matter what they sing. Jordan lacks showmanship and for the most part she just stands behind the microphone. Her singing at it's best is pageantry, just like Simon said, just a step up from being karoke.
No longer an American Idol fan. at 2:11PM on May 17th 2007