5/12 Elimination Show Discussion *Spoilers*

[heartsaflutter]

I know that I am in the minority at FORT. I will buy any record that Scotty and Lauren put out. My whole family likes both of them - even my youngest teenager who is more into hip/hop, rap, Pink, etc. likes them. I didn't even notice Scotty's facial expressions until I read about them on here. They still don't bother me. I have enjoyed all of Scotty's and Lauren's performances and have listened to them many times over the past couple of months that this show has been on.

I personally did not care to hear heavy metal music every week from James. I know that most of ya'll find Scotty boring and brings nothing to the table, but that's how I felt about James.

And I vote for both of them. The only other time I voted during AI is when Carrie was on and I only voted for her.

I must be as close-minded and conservative as Scotty is when it comes to some of the stuff that Lady GaGa was telling him.

[pillbeam]

I just had to quote you to say how very many times I have agreed with you during this season, not so much on likes and dislikes as much as general observations and perspectives. I don't know who that should worry, me or you!

Thanks for the support, NC.
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[razorbacker]

I know that I am in the minority at FORT. I will buy any record that Scotty and Lauren put out. My whole family likes both of them - even my youngest teenager who is more into hip/hop, rap, Pink, etc. likes them. I didn't even notice Scotty's facial expressions until I read about them on here. They still don't bother me. I have enjoyed all of Scotty's and Lauren's performances and have listened to them many times over the past couple of months that this show has been on.

I personally did not care to hear heavy metal music every week from James. I know that most of ya'll find Scotty boring and brings nothing to the table, but that's how I felt about James.

And I vote for both of them. The only other time I voted during AI is when Carrie was on and I only voted for her.

I must be as close-minded and conservative as Scotty is when it comes to some of the stuff that Lady GaGa was telling him.

Now, ya see, that was the best & smartest decision for you to make.

[Fanny Mare]

After Casey left, I was done watching Idol but I was hoping that James will at least make the top 3. So I was shocked to hear that he went home last night. I don't see the arrogance and entitlement that some folks see in James. In a way, James will be fine as I am sure some record company will pick him up.

I am just done with the show since The Voice started. Now that is a singing competition

It seems to me, that's its the J'lo and Tyler show.Randy is there as window dressing.I really dont care to watch anymore AI, I only really tuned in to see James. I will catch him on FB and you know he will be singing on shows like Ellen etc. Just like Lambert did..Lots of fans he has on FB saying its fixed, I tend to agree, they all are, but I am a cynical thing.LOL..I love talent, and although I dont like Scooty as I like to call him,I think he should win, the girls are mediocre at best, and will be forgotten PDQ win or lose

[lorac7]

I was going to say the same thing. And as Gutmutter noted above, Lee came from behind to beat Crystal, who had been favored from the start. It's been that way since season 7. David A was the early favorite, then David C caught on and won it. Adam was a strong favorite and many felt he'd win season 8. Kris came from behind and took the win. America seems to love the dark horse who comes from behind and peaks at the right time. But, song choice and presentation should count for a lot in the next two weeks, too.

Or if people are so desperate to see someone win they organize voting parties & if they are lucky have exec's from AT&T show up with phones so they can vote ten thousand times for free. Of the above winners named only DC has seen some success, the others have been somewhat upstaged by the runner-up especially Kris.

[Tammi]

...are mediocre at best, and will be forgotten PDQ win or lose

Forgotten?? I have not missed any episode ever -- including the first season. I just tried to remember five singers on the most reason season and I can't!! Took me a bit to remember the winner!!

I can remember nearly all of the first season, but that is because they were not clouded by later seasons.

[Babbred]

Not here to comment on either Scotty or Lauren, BUT Lady Gaga was completely inappropriate to both of them. I am a high school music teacher, and if I spoke to my students like that I would be fired on the spot!

To Lauren she said, "You are 16 - you are not a girl any more!" Excuse me, but she is JUST a girl -- she may dress matronly, but she is socially just a kid. Lady Gaga may have been a slut by age 16, but Lauren is not, nor should she be.

She completely made a fool of herself with Scotty when she turned his microphone into a sex toy. He, too, is just a kid and that is a good thing. At Scotty's age, it is nearly impossible to decipher good advice out of crude speech. No wonder that his visit with Gaga proved less than helpful.

You go, girl! You pretty much summed it up for me. LG may think she needs to act dirty to get attention and money but some people, like Scotty, know that most people want some level of decency to return to society and so get turned off by her antics. Besides his low voice, people loved his wholesome image.

The purpose of bringing in a mentor is to assist the contestants, not further your own agenda or career -- too bad Lady Gaga did not get that message.

You could say the same thing about the judges. I remember way back before the season started, some author was speculating that JLo and Tyler would go easy on the contestants because they didn't want to alienate their own fan bases. Unlike Simon, who worked on the production side, these two were still performers and so they still needed the love of the public. Brother, I think that was the most accurate prediction of the entire season.

[Babbred]

As a James fan, no I won't be voting for anyone else. This is actually the first season that I have been so actively voting for a contestant. I'm not a country fan, and I don't get the Scotty love, because to me, he's a pretty one note performer. Haley is too hit and miss for me, and I think she growls her way through too many of the songs. Lauren, is adorable and I love her voice, but I wish she'd stop always singing country. So, basically, I have never had a reason to vote for anyone else during the competition, and just because James is gone, doesn't change that fact for me.

Again, that pretty much sums it up for me. I have nothing against Scotty; I hope he has a huge career in the country world. However, I am not a country music fan and so his performances have bored me almost since the live shows began. Ditto for Lauren.


Haley spent most of the season (rightfully) in the B3, and only picked up the pace about 2 or 3 weeks ago. At first I liked her, but now that over-the-top incessant growling just gets on my nerves. Even if by some miracle she wins, she's just going to disappear into that black hole that has sucked in Taylor Hicks, Lee, Chris...

Casey was my favorite, but after that I threw my support to James. They were the only ones who consistently turned in entertaining performances, and James demonstrated a lovely range by mixing it up with soft songs. Now that my two favs are gone, I don't care about the rest of the show. I do hope, though, that Scotty will win because I think he is much more deserving of it and will have a much better career.

I am done watching until the finale, and only so I can see the contestants perform with their idols, they have so much fun that night. I don't really care who wins at this point. The show just became completely dull and boring for me. Scotty is going to win. They might as well have the finale next week.

I'm not even going to watch the finale. If James makes an appearance, then I'll catch it on YouTube. Otherwise, I just don't care. Now that Haley's sympathizers have eliminated Scotty's only real competition, they've pretty much insured that the finale is going to be a walkover for Scotty. He'll probably phone in his performances. (And as somebody said upthread, that's probably why he kept his head ducked last night. He was trying not to laugh at his great good fortune.)

Buckeye said:

I was going to say the same thing. And as Gutmutter noted above, Lee came from behind to beat Crystal, who had been favored from the start. It's been that way since season 7. David A was the early favorite, then David C caught on and won it. Adam was a strong favorite and many felt he'd win season 8. Kris came from behind and took the win. America seems to love the dark horse who comes from behind and peaks at the right time. But, song choice and presentation should count for a lot in the next two weeks, too.

They may have come from behind in actual votes, but I had a feeling all along that Adam and Chrystal weren't going to win. They were just way too different from the Idol image. That's why I'm glad that Adam has done so well without them , and I hope Chrystal is having some measure of success. Of the three listed above, the only one I was wrong about was David C. I thought David A would get it because of his babyish looks and persona, so I was pleasantly surprised when my favorite won.

[MsFroggy]

I think it is sad that Gaga has to "prostitute" her talents to make it in this industry........I think she is talented. I just think her performances are tooo far over the top! Way too graphic for family tv.

As far as blaming AI producers, YOU got that right!!! I do blame them, I think Nigel should be taken to task for bringing in or allowing the show do be on this trend. (Lady Gaga, Iggy Poo, etc.)

I agree with that.

I youtubed Gaga's performance - which was a tape from her Monster Ball tour - all prepared for her to be swinging from a chandelier while making out naked with three other people or something (even though I know there's nothing of the sort in her show). All I saw was Gaga in her black leather bra and panties - bathing suit, basically, seen every summer on thousands of beaches by kids of all ages - and Gaga crouching and standing up on her stool while playing the piano and singing. He guitar player was shirtless and pretty hot. Which part was "too graphic for family TV" or a display of prostitution?

I would like to take Nigel out back and kick him around a bit not for airing Gaga's performance. I think he deserves to be smacked for turning the show into the JLo and Steven pimping hour but other than that...

[Debb70]

I truly feel horrible that James is not in the final 3. It really upset me last night. He was my second favorite behind Scotty. I like Scotty, but he is from my home county. I can't very well not support him, plus, I do like him.

This reminds me of the times when I was devastated that my favorite and in my mind "OBVIOUS" winner lost. It happened with Clay Aiken. He is from my hometown and we just knew he would win and then he didn't. It was HORRIBLE. But Clay did just fine. In fact, I don't think it hurt him at all. Then I was very upset when Adam lost. I was in total shock! But, he has done just fine. Then there was Crystal who lost. I was upset with that outcome too. I'm not sure of how she has done. On the other seasons, I supported the one who actually won.

What I have learned from the show is to expect the unexpeccted. Scotty may not win this thing. Just saying..... If you have it so the public votes, it is always possible that they get it wrong. Some years I'm happy, other years I'm not.