tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post9181171483536624184..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: American Idol this weekBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-31907290981124346932007-04-07T09:31:00.000-07:002007-04-07T09:31:00.000-07:00From this morning’s Washington Post (4/7 - Page 1)...From this morning’s Washington Post (4/7 - Page 1):<BR/><BR/>“Walt Disney Co. said yesterday that gay couples can buy the company's high-end Fairy Tale Wedding package that allows them to exchange vows at Disney's theme parks and aboard its cruise ships, starting about $4,000 per wedding.”<BR/><BR/>My first thought was seeing a TV spot.<BR/><BR/>“Hey, Sanjaya! Now that you’re the American Idol, what’s next?”Jon Badeauxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14370214792793556286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-46605381708232143952007-04-06T01:52:00.000-07:002007-04-06T01:52:00.000-07:00"Haley's intentions were good"? What does that mea..."Haley's intentions were good"? What does that mean? She was hoping to cure cancer and bring home the troops? That must be why she was showing as much of her breasts as the network would allow. <BR/><BR/>All the contestants have the same intention: to win the competition, an intention that reads morally nil to me, neither good nor bad.<BR/><BR/>Meanwhile, she was being given instruction by a master. She is not a master. She should listen to him, and to the song's WORDS.<BR/><BR/>Any good song is a short acting scene, and ALL the songs this week were good songs. (Jordin was singing the weakest song, and it was an Alan J. Lerner number.) It should be approached as an actor approaches a scene. What are the words? What do they mean? What is the author saying, and how do I tell the song's story and convey it's meaning and emotion musically? How do I live it for two minutes?<BR/><BR/>Haley was simply parroting what she'd heard before and seen before, bereft of meaning. Same with Blake Lewis, which is how he ended up singing about women lining up to be drowned.<BR/><BR/>But I'm sure Haley wants to bring World Peace and to be kind to old people, both things she'll be free to do once she's kicked off this show.<BR/><BR/>If Gina had sung "Smile" on Tuesday with the emotion she did on Wednesday, she wouldn't have had to sing it on Wednesday, and Haley would have gone home.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-31825230210898618872007-04-06T00:48:00.000-07:002007-04-06T00:48:00.000-07:00da hell, Ken?! can ya please translate that first ...da hell, Ken?! can ya please translate that first paragraph....lani kaihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15558116593420700368noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-62061165636091410932007-04-05T12:04:00.000-07:002007-04-05T12:04:00.000-07:00Seymour,I'm not saying that Tony Bennett was off; ...Seymour,<BR/><BR/>I'm not saying that Tony Bennett was off; he was correct regarding Haley's rendition/the interpretation of the lyrics. I'm just saying that Haley's intentions were good, if misguided.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-4372328930087685512007-04-04T23:44:00.000-07:002007-04-04T23:44:00.000-07:00Seymour said... My favorite recording of "Ain't Mi...<B><I>Seymour said...</B> <BR/><BR/>My favorite recording of "Ain't Misbehaving" is one by, of all people, George Burns, recorded back in the 1970s, a lovely, mellow rendition. and he meant it when he sang it.</I><BR/><BR/>George must've loved that song. During the heyday of his radio show with Gracie Allen, he would sing a few bars whenever he tried to pass off his vocal ability. It became a running gag.<BR/><BR/>My favorite version of the song is Louis Armstrong's, cut in 1929.VP81955https://www.blogger.com/profile/11792390726196611188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-87356599883481943102007-04-04T21:43:00.000-07:002007-04-04T21:43:00.000-07:002-12-1Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-9177127604240349832007-04-04T21:28:00.000-07:002007-04-04T21:28:00.000-07:00Dear anonymous, The extremely obvious meaning of t...Dear anonymous, <BR/><BR/>The extremely obvious meaning of the lyrics to "Ain't Misbehaving" is that the singer is no longer fooling around, but, being in love now, is saving all his/her love for only ONE person, so saving it all for "You and you and you" trashes the song's meaning, in fact reverses it, making it someone who IS misbehaving.<BR/><BR/>Tony Bennett, hopelessly ignorant, unexperienced amateur singer that he is, wasn't insulting Haley. He was pointing out how she was trashing the meaning of the song.<BR/><BR/>But it is nice to learn that, rather than express the slightest originality, Haley was just copying the late great Nell Carter's rendition.<BR/><BR/>I believe we can be sure that when Fats Waller sang it 70 years ago, he didn't sing that he was saving all his love for "You, and you, and you, and you, and you."<BR/><BR/>My favorite recording of "Ain't Misbehaving" is one by, of all people, George Burns, recorded back in the 1970s, a lovely, mellow rendition. and he meant it when he sang it.<BR/><BR/>And amen to RIP Nell. Fabulous singer.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-69930135031263750262007-04-04T19:59:00.000-07:002007-04-04T19:59:00.000-07:00I think I have finally figured out your unseemly i...I think I have finally figured out your unseemly interest in American Idol and "24" Mr. Levine.<BR/><BR/>It's all just a cover for your eating disorder! This way you can say "No, I don't have bulimia (they now know men can have that), it's just watching these @#$%$#@!! shows!!!"<BR/><BR/>C'mon, admitting it is the first step to dealing with it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-50973893720630099992007-04-04T17:37:00.000-07:002007-04-04T17:37:00.000-07:00Just for the record: Haley's version of "Ain't Mi...Just for the record: Haley's version of "Ain't Misbehavin'" was a dead-on impression of how Nell Carter sang it in the Broadway show of the same name (I have the LP, oops, I mean CD.) Tony may not have known that, but it wasn't just Haley he was insulting. RIP, Nell.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-41583147527456941982007-04-04T15:35:00.000-07:002007-04-04T15:35:00.000-07:00Well I am gay, and I'm not offended. I haven't the...Well I am gay, and I'm not offended. I haven't the faintest idea if Sanjaya is gay or not, but he IS extremely effeminate. The boy needs to get a haircut, find a different hobby (He's not a singer), and to butch up.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-2242869080407102062007-04-04T14:44:00.000-07:002007-04-04T14:44:00.000-07:00Ken, I love your blog, and I know you don't like S...Ken, I love your blog, and I know you don't like Sanjaya, but I'm getting tired of your constant attacks on him being gay. They are offensive, and, worse, they are hackwork. You wouldn't make watermelon and fried chicken jokes about the black contestants, so why is it okay to make "hairdresser at Fire Island" jokes about him?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-91506956809924505182007-04-04T13:27:00.000-07:002007-04-04T13:27:00.000-07:00Mary Stella,"he looked like a scarier, older, tall...Mary Stella,<BR/>"he looked like a scarier, older, taller version of Dopey last night."<BR/><BR/>Made me laugh. Thanks.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-76432651706442877472007-04-04T13:09:00.000-07:002007-04-04T13:09:00.000-07:00Notice how they always leap into the bridge of a s...Notice how they always leap into the bridge of a song prematurely on these shows, because of young America's ADD I guess? The original songwriters are probably spinning in their graves. And no one, not even Michael Buble, approaches Sinatra. In the really old days it seemed male singers (except for Jolson & Bing) sounded feminine, with high-pitched voices. During Sinatra's prime, men sounded like men (not like boys, like today). Not to mention, the good ones knew how to interpret the subtleties of lyrics & weren't always showboating. <BR/>Another thing... Simon's disdain for anything that smacks of "old." It's cabaret, etc., etc. This generation of singers could learn a thing or two from the old pros, re: being faithful to the melody & meaning behind the song. Why is everything old deemed unworthy? Classics are classic for a reason. And no, I'm not that old. (Okay, I'm not a kid either.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-62434267945303014562007-04-04T10:29:00.000-07:002007-04-04T10:29:00.000-07:00Tony Bennett looked exactly like Robert DeNiro in ...Tony Bennett looked exactly like Robert DeNiro in "Casino." Exactly.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-82999077821440196262007-04-04T10:01:00.000-07:002007-04-04T10:01:00.000-07:00Phil looks like somebody put Mr. Potatohead eyebro...Phil looks like somebody put Mr. Potatohead eyebrows on a penis. Please go back to the hats, Phil. It's a family show.MaryAn Batchellorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02465966881051431143noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-83088143369650773322007-04-04T09:53:00.000-07:002007-04-04T09:53:00.000-07:00Hi Ken,Love your blog, and the AI re-caps. I thoug...Hi Ken,<BR/>Love your blog, and the AI re-caps. I thought the band was fantastic and the singers paled in comparison. <BR/><BR/>Enunciation appears to be a problem for this seasons singers. Blake suffers from some kind of half smile paralysis, LaKisha has that super cute lisp that was a distraction every time she said diamonds during her James Bond number. Gina is suffering from her tongue piercing (Smile/Small) , Chris, well I'm not sure he can open his mouth fully. Jordon and Uncle Fester are the only two who can pronounce all the sounds in their words. Even Melinda is having some issues with pronunciation. I know you didn't ax me, but I thought I would tshare anyway. I'm not sure why it bugs me so much. I'm not usually snarky about speech impediments.<BR/><BR/>NancyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-44600700812792491662007-04-04T09:52:00.000-07:002007-04-04T09:52:00.000-07:00Hey, Ken, your recap is right on (as usual). I'm ...Hey, Ken, your recap is right on (as usual). I'm with you, Jordin just might squeeze past Melinda and take it. It will be a great finale with Melinda and Jordin singing it out!<BR/><BR/>And I guess the Sanjaya saga will go for a while. I'm like Simon...just throwing up my hands (and my dinner) and going with the flow.mavenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01159992386642158559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-24451778153041363222007-04-04T09:28:00.000-07:002007-04-04T09:28:00.000-07:00Before this season even began, I sent a recommenda...Before this season even began, I sent a recommendation to Fox beginning for a change (or at least an addition)to the voting format. They should create separate phone lines to call if you absolutely want to vote someone OFF the show. That would definitely impact the unfortunate Shanjaya Juggernaut (am I'm using the word Juggernaut literally--look it up).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-11808898219846533042007-04-04T09:04:00.000-07:002007-04-04T09:04:00.000-07:00Ken, you and I agree on almost all of last night's...Ken, you and I agree on almost all of last night's performances and Phil Stacey creeps me out more each week. For some reason he looked like a scarier, older, taller version of Dopey last night. Maybe it was the ears.<BR/><BR/>I usually love Blake, but his Knife was dull. If I had to pick now, I'd say Melinda and Jordin for the final two because my brain cannot accept the possibility that the Sanjaya joke will make it that far. In fact, I think we should award Melinda the title now and use the rest of the season to name a runner up.<BR/><BR/>Lakisha has a phenomenal voice, but she isn't showing us any development as a complete, entertaining performer.<BR/><BR/>For my AI pool, I've picked Phil to go home, with Haley and, sadly, Blake rounding out the bottom three. Even though I think Sanjaya should be there, the votefortheworst/Stern campaign is still running too strong. For some reason, people like Chris Richardson, too, so I think he lasts another week.Mary Stellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02186261066656584772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-70697037373024072112007-04-04T07:24:00.000-07:002007-04-04T07:24:00.000-07:00Haven't yet watched American Idol -- ever -- and a...Haven't yet watched American Idol -- ever -- and am not likely to -- but I love your reviews.<BR/><BR/>And re: Tony Bennett and MTV. When that album came out some years ago, I tried to get some points with my kids by saying that I had an MTV album.<BR/><BR/>It didn't work.The Curmudgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14723009641287783218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-76542386387047731252007-04-04T07:08:00.000-07:002007-04-04T07:08:00.000-07:00I really think the judges are not really listening...I really think the judges are not really listening to <A HREF="http://www.us-idol.com" REL="nofollow">Sanjaya's </A>singign anymore, they have this idea about him that he can't sing and stick to that. Did they not hear that even <A HREF="http://www.us-idol.com" REL="nofollow">Tony Bennet</A> says <A HREF="http://www.us-idol.com" REL="nofollow">Sanjaya</A> sings good? Are they deaf??? You know, the judges are just angry that america doesn't listen to their advice, and then they take it out on <A HREF="http://www.us-idol.com" REL="nofollow">Sanjaya</A>. <A HREF="http://www.us-idol.com" REL="nofollow">Sanjaya</A> has such a warm nice voice to listen to. I enjoy him and <A HREF="http://www.us-idol.com" REL="nofollow">Jordin</A> more then anyone else in the show, actually I only like the two of them. The rest of them just puts me asleep, they don't get to my heart, notinhg! Being an idol is not just about having a big voice, It's about touching people's hart with your voice and performance an personality, and <A HREF="http://www.us-idol.com" REL="nofollow">Sanjaya </A>has all of that. He was just awesome tonight! I am happy that america listens better then the judges. Vot for <A HREF="http://www.us-idol.com" REL="nofollow">Sanjaya</A>, he is a real idol!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-35443432922750229822007-04-04T07:04:00.000-07:002007-04-04T07:04:00.000-07:00Phil, Sanjaya and Haley should be in the bottom 3 ...<A HREF="http://www.us-idol.com" REL="nofollow">Phil, Sanjaya and Haley</A> should be in the bottom 3 tomorrow and I think either <A HREF="http://www.us-idol.com" REL="nofollow">Sanjaya and Phil</A> should be go home.<BR/>http://www.us-idol.comAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-83400825125083200682007-04-04T06:34:00.000-07:002007-04-04T06:34:00.000-07:00Be thankful for small favors. AI could've done wor...Be thankful for small favors. AI could've done worse on a "standards" night...it could have brought in Rod Stewart.VP81955https://www.blogger.com/profile/11792390726196611188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-4771524691629713462007-04-04T05:46:00.000-07:002007-04-04T05:46:00.000-07:00I didn't catch last night's show -- I was out doi...I didn't catch last night's show -- I was out doing something more enjoyable -- having my taxes done... Thanks for the wrapup, Ken. <BR/><BR/>I imagine that when Tony Bennett got his first glimpse of Haley, he not only left his heart in San Francisco, he left his pants in her dressing room... I can picture him coming out of there with a big Cheshire Cat grin on his face, singing "Oh, the good life... Full of fun.. Seems to be... The ideal..." And Haley would be looking at him and saying to herself "What the HELL was that?!!!!"...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-22894351365310549562007-04-04T03:41:00.000-07:002007-04-04T03:41:00.000-07:00"Usually it's are" Yikes! Please ignore that illit..."Usually it's are" Yikes! Please ignore that illiterate "Are".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com