Kellie Pickler - Season 5

[kimrs]

I guess, her behavior comes off as too forced. They are focusing on her "story" and not her singing. When they talk about how "likeable" a singer is, but don't critique or comment on the singing-that bothers me. Likeable does not equal an American Idol. It is the same thing that they are doing with Kevin.

Especially because Kellie focused on the "weird food" and then that is the same type of clip they play with Bucky the next night-that makes it all seem staged. Whether it is or not, the problem is to people who do not know them-it is like a "schtick" not a real personality trait.

[user name]

Simon, this year, says singing is not so important as personality. We don't need American Idol for that.

Not just this year. Every year. It's always been a (faulty) popularity contest and always will be.

Last night she sounded horrible. All I could think was Fantasia got into the Top 12 with that song and Kelly was nowhere near as good as Fantasia last night.

Yet still better than half the people there, if far from the best. I think she is better than Fantasia myself, but I never really got the appeal of Fantasia.

I live in the north and couldn't have told you what calamari is, though I could have pronounced it correctly (perhaps not at her age).

[Grisabella]

I don't think Kellie's voice is as good as Carrie's but I think her stage personality is way more dynamic and fun than Carrie's was in most of her AI performances. At least Kellie moves. :-D
I think it's too bad she's being compared so much to Carrie, though I understand the young-blonde-from-the-south-who-likes-c/w-music connection. I don't think she looks much like Carrie except that they're both young and blonde. Her personality reminds me a lot more of Dolly Parton, and I think her face looks more like Jewel. I'm almost hoping Kellie will color her hair to distinguish herself more from Carrie. Anyway, if she makes the top 10 I think she'll add a fun element to the tour concerts.

[superfly]

I agree Carrie and Kellie don't have much in common besides being country blonde girls from the South. Carrie has a far better voice and Kellie has a far better personality. Put Carrie's voice together with Kellie's personality and that'd be "sumptin atacobau" as Fantasia would say it.

[jasminefan]

Her personality leaves much to be desired, IMO. As for the voice, we won't need to go there.

[phantasmogoria]

I guess, her behavior comes off as too forced. They are focusing on her "story" and not her singing. When they talk about how "likeable" a singer is, but don't critique or comment on the singing-that bothers me. Likeable does not equal an American Idol. It is the same thing that they are doing with Kevin.

Especially because Kellie focused on the "weird food" and then that is the same type of clip they play with Bucky the next night-that makes it all seem staged. Whether it is or not, the problem is to people who do not know them-it is like a "schtick" not a real personality trait.

It's exactly what they're doing with Kevin. I agree with Simon that if you never watched the show and see the whole calamari bit and you just hear her sing, she's okay but not great. It's her cutesy aw-shucks personality that's going to get her through the finals.
I'm not sure if she's genuine or not, but to me her personality comes across as forced. Especially because Fox is really promoting that cute-but-naive-country-girl label on her. Anyway, she's starting to grate on me. I thought she was very cute and funny before, but I can't take that much sugar.

[JLuvs]

Who doesn't know what a calamari is? Gimme a break!

I don't have a clue what it is.

[Muduh]

I really don't understand why you guys find it so hard to believe that she really is the way she acts, as a matter of fact it kind of disturbs me that so many of you have become so skeptical to believe that someone can be that genuinely nice of a person.

I wonder if she was from New York would all of you feel the same way about her, I may very well be wrong but I'm thinking that maybe there's some southern bigotry going on here. I think the girl is an positively fantastic young lady and I don't have one bad thing to say about her. And she was darn good last night. Not the best but darn good.

I don't want her to win because I think she is far from the best in the competition but I wish her all the best in life and in whatever career path she chooses after Idol.

What a great post.
I feel that there is a lot of snobbery going on. Instead of just immediately deciding to dislike someone because they haven't had all the priviledges, or life experiences that that you or I may have, or may have been born in a state that you feel is inferior to your own, why not give them a chance? Maybe she isn't everyone's cup of tea, but so what? How many of us would want to actually KNOW most of the other people on these boards?

I have wondered how much of her chatter can be attributed to nerves. Maybe only southerners have them, but we sure do, believe me.

By the way, I've never had Calamari and am not sure what it is. Guess that makes me a second class citizen, huh?

[bbnbama]

I don't have a clue what it is.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squid

Squids are the large, diverse group of marine cephalopods popular as food in cuisines as widely separated as Korean and Italian. In fish markets and restaurants in English-speaking countries, it is often known by the name calamari, from the Greek-Italian word for these animals.

[phantasmogoria]

What a great post.
I feel that there is a lot of snobbery going on. Instead of just immediately deciding to dislike someone because they haven't had all the priviledges, or life experiences that that you or I may have, or may have been born in a state that you feel is inferior to your own, why not give them a chance? Maybe she isn't everyone's cup of tea, but so what? How many of us would want to actually KNOW most of the other people on these boards?

I have wondered how much of her chatter can be attributed to nerves. Maybe only southerners have them, but we sure do, believe me.

By the way, I've never had Calamari and am not sure what it is. Guess that makes me a second class citizen, huh?

In defense of the anti-Kellies: I don't think it there's any southern bigotry going on here. If you didn't notice, half of the contestants are from the south: Mandisa and Gedeon (TN), Bucky and Chris (NC, like Kellie), Paris and Kinnik (GA), Taylor (AL), Elliott (VA). If there is really southern bigotry here, then FORTers will also do personality attacks the these contestants as well. Chris, Elliott, Taylor, Mandisa, Paris are strong favorites in the show because of their voices and their performances. Kellie is being criticized on being too saccharine, overperforming and having just an okay voice. Some people doesn't think it's proper in a singing competition to go on because someone is "nice" and "cute". Okay, so some people think she might be faking it (I'm not sure myself), but that's their opinion. You have your favorites and hates, they have their own favorites and hates.

In defense of the pro-Kellies: Come on, folks. Not everyone knows what a calamari is. Not everyone has eaten a spinach salad. I've never eaten spinach salad. I don't want to eat a spinach salad. But I like fried calamari at the Olive Garden. It's just food. So, she hasn't tried it or heard of it. So what? It's just food. So, she talks a lot. Yeah...? Some people are criticized for being too quiet. There's nothing wrong with quiet people, and there's nothing wrong with talkative people. At least Kellie's likable, unlike a certain other talkative contestant who got booted out last night.