Oops! American Idol 5 Contestant of last Week

Due to a very boring show, and predictable result (eventhough the bottom two is quite surprising), this article only had this sentence.

'Wetten, dass ..?' drinking game

Gaw! After having one of the dullest Saturday night of my life, (last weekend, that is) this week's Saturday night again marks the occasion that sometimes happened to us: on one week you have absolutely nothing to do to find three occasions to do at the same time on the next.

This week's occasion is my performance in Leipzig, and 'Wetten, dass ..?'

Bear me, Wetten, dass ..? is a very entertaining show, and therefore successful. So successful, so that it had put a halt on Deutschland Sucht den Superstar twice. TWICE! Germany Idol must be rescheduled because a show that is 25 years old! That's why I never miss a show since I found out about its existence.

But anyway.. since I'm gonna be absent in watching it this week, how about some drinking game? So..

Take one sip:
1. for every person waving to the camera during Stadtwette being broadcasted.
2. everytime after the wette contestant being ushered off stage, turns their back to face the audience again and waves, or does one of them.
3. if there is some singing done by non-musical celebrity.
4. everytime you hear an audible laugh by the audience after Gottschalk delivers his quips.
5. everytime the celebrity loses their bet.
6. everytime the international celebrity (by international, I mean non-German speaking) touches their translator feed or talk about it.

Take two sips everytime:
1. The kinderwette contestant answers Gottschalk with "Ja." "Uh-hmm." or just nods.
2. you suspect the musical performance is lip-synched.
3. you don't recognize the celebrity introduced.

Bonus drink (half a bottle):
If you guess correctly who the Wettkönig(e) is (are).

Super bonus drink (whole bottle):
If the kinderwette contestant wins.

Now, this is a very useful excuse to get wasted. :)

song to sing: Summertime ...

... and the living is easy.

Dear friends in Indonesia,

We are now five hours apart. Europe uses its Summertime starting today, that means I have to wind my clock one hour forward, or push the hour button once.

Perhaps it's still a bit confusing, hell I thought I still have a good one hour before I should depart to the gym, and it turns out I spent that one good hour by sleeping :(, but that's the way it is.

But anyway, fish aren't jumping yet, and the cotton ..s are still in my wardrobe.

Best!
Bie

American Idol 5 Contestant Related Rants of the Week

*Edie-Britt-mode on* (Wait. How's Desperate Housewives doing? I've been not updating myself with them after episode 212, perhaps? Mike Delfino got killed yet?)

If only, people is smart enough to do math, and by people I mean me, we all know that this kind of post will come sooner or later. There are only ten AI5 contestants left now. From them, I have written about three of them. That leaves seven of them, with nine weeks to go.

I wouldn't induce voted-off contestant of the week as contestant of the week automatically, of course. I would like to dedicate another post to lash out Ace Young, of course. But for now, let it be like this.

Foreword is done. *Edie-Britt-mode shutted down*

This week, the top 11 American Idol 5 work with one of those legendary diva performers: Barry Manilow. Avid AI viewers will point out directly that this is not the first time AI tagged Barry for the show. In season 3, Barry Manilow week turned out delivering best performances of the season.

Also, in the week, the first shocker elimination of the season happened. Will the boring "history repeats itself" repeats itself?

I really really love this week. The band is awesome. Awesome. AWESOME! The music is priceless. The performances, most of them were great. Even the I-can't-sing-but-look-so-damn-good-so-I-think-I-can-also-be-the-next-american-idol Ace performed non-disturbingly. Very successfully Shayne-ish. :) But I'm gonna credit the band for it.

Paris Bennett sang much better than I can remember her. This is the kinda music that fits her like a glove, I think. Lisa Tucker, like last week, is felt again like a caliber Star Search contestant: singing straight and perfect, missing the appeal. Back to her roots?

The next day, elimination episode is quite shocking, I think. I wouldn't mind that Kevin Covais was kicked out, but I thought he would have been touring with the other top 10. Ah, well.

So, I really expect Barry Manilow would be back again next season. Seriously, he brought magic to the show. And 50's music is so much fun! Remember Pleasantville? :)

Because of that, familiarizing self with 50s (twentieth century fifties mean I) music shall be put to 100 things I should do before I die.

lovely day

Current book read: Designing with Web Standards by Jeffrey Zeldman - music in ear: American Idol 5 top 11 performances - watched dvd: Harry Potter und der Stein der Weisen

Jacket, checked. Sunglasses, checked. Beanie, unchecked. Shawl, checked.

I LOVE Hamburg today. Today is like the day that I have been longing for for ... two weeks, perhaps. :)

Finally the temperature reaches two digits. Felt temperatures 10 degrees, to be precise. The sun is shining, clear sky, fair spring breeze.. Exactly just what a man needs.

I am working indoors for the whole time, unfortunately (it is still too cold to be outside the whole day, anyway), but I planned to finish earlier (say, 16:30?) in order to be able to enjoy this weather.


I just wished that this picture was taken today. :) We would have had much more fun, then. Because the crazy snappish guy in the middle wouldn't have been so snappish..

OK, mate and ploughboy! Start your carol!

11 reasons why I want to be Hugh Jackman

1. Rugged good looks
2. Hollywood-fit posture
3. Part of a musical cast
4. Won a Tony
5. Hosted Tony(ies)
6. Won an Emmy
7. Performed 'One Night Only' on a stage
8. Spunky Australian accent
9. Loved by my sister
10. In his 30s
11. Those high kicks! Seriously, mate!

American Idol 5 Contestant of the Week

Every year, every season, American Idol producers decided to keep a contestant hush-hushed from the viewers, before they performed on TV. Motive for doing this is unknown for sure. Different results came out of it, some were succesful, like season 3 LaToya London and Jasmine Trias and some as many people predicted, like season 3 Suzy Vulaca and season 4 Melinda Lira, were not.

This year, there is only one contestant never shown singing before performing on TV. Their result is somewhere between the successful and fail stories. She is this week's American Idol 5 Contestant.

Early on, I predicted that Melissa McGhee will be the next Melinda Lira. Never before shown singing, eventhough somewhat more talented than the others, Melinda was voted off directly in the first episode. Luckily Melissa was not.

She owes it to her unique husky voice (which is very great, by the way) and her memorable personality. However, we still can tell that she kept hanging on by a thread week after week. TMZ.com even reported that she voted herself via her mobile. Smart girl.

Personally for me, her ultimate triumph is when she outlasted cocky Ayla Brown, who had to wave her dreams to be in the finals goodbye. People chose Melissa, as well as I did. Melissa was through to the next round: the top 12.

And then it happened. She butchered Stevie Wonder's 'Lately' by forgetting the words in the top 12. Instead of premonition, the song's signature word, she said recollection at the first, and recognition at the second try.

For me, I love it love it love it! I always love performances that is performed by contestant who forget their words. I don't know why, maybe it reminds me of how I used to butcher songs too when I was a non-english-speaking child.

Wondering how was Melissa actually singing it? Here is a more-or-less transcript.

Lately I have had the strangest feeling
Vivid reasons.. I can find
Yeah, the youth and ooh.. I'm so hanging.
... my mind, my mind

Well, I have many many wishes
Hope my recollection mishes..
brr really feel
my eyes won't let me hide
Cause they always start to cry

Cause this time could mean goodbye!
Goodbye!

Well, I have many many wishes
Hope my recognition misses
What I really feel
my eyes won't let me hide

Cause they always start to cry
Cause this time could be goodbye!

It is much better than Baby da nuv love you!

Poor Melissa. I wish I could see more of her in the following weeks. Not because of wishing of watching her forgetting more words, but because I like her voice and cheered her when she triumphed Ayla. And because I always love underdogs.

You will be missed.

American Idol 5 Contestant of the last Week

Current music in ear: Dreamgirls in Concert - expected TV program: every Das Perfekte Dinner episode, especially this Friday when Ruben cooks!

Sorry for my tardiness.

You may not hear about her here first. You may have read in this entry in Reality TV Magazine that our American Idol 5 contestant of last week is a serious threat to the other contestants. By serious, I mean serious.

Paris Bennett, 17 years old, from Fayetteville, Georgia, did really have an awesome audition in Greensboro. She had put a really high standard if her performances on TV would be as good as they were in the auditions.

It turns out, it doesn't work that way.

Paris had a really shaky Hollywood week. Note that her performances were all shown. Day 1, group day, and day 4 were all shown. What a privilege! From this three, I only like his Day 1 performance.

Week 1 semi finals, it was pointed out widely that she mistakenly interpreted 'Midnight Train to Georgia' by making it sound like a bouncy-sung-by-Monica-Geller-Bing 'I'm So Excited'. I still loved it, though. And I owe it to Sandra Bernhardt, Debra Messing and Eric McCormack. If you know what I mean.

Week 2 and week 3, for me, Paris' performances are so-so. In other words, hype schmype. Where were the Paris in her colorful dress singing 'Take Five' so beautifully so that I agreed that she was a definite early favorite? And even I stated that she was better than Lisa Tucker. Now I like Lisa much more.

One thing. Paris has two distinct voices. Her lower and higher range. For me, her higher range sounds a LOT better than the fragile lower range. I hope that she stayed singing in her high range, with a bit of a lower range touch.

six questions

Where.

Abaton. The lovely and I-love-it-so-much Abaton.

When.

I watched it on March 8, a day before the official premiere in Germany. Yee ha!

How.

It was good. A good drama. In other words kinda boring. Personally, it is so difficult for me to connect with the movie. I don't really understand the culture, I don't understand the terms, I don't understand the flow of the story. I just don't get it.

I mean, it was clear from the beginning that if you do this you will be that. But why were they keep asking them in the end. Nothing surprising, and nothing really special as well.

Why.

I just really want to know. After loving Ang Lee the first time after he directed 'Sense and Sensibility', I really need to know why the Academy took this movie as a validation for his directing.

It is for me a similar but a bit better work than his other gay flick: 'The Wedding Banquet'. Now that is easy to connect with, eventhough the movie is not that compelling. (Although off the record, I think that The Wedding Banquet wasn't headlining much news because it is more asian than it is american. Culturally.)

Ang Lee really likes to let the audience make their own narration, when he introduces characters and situations. But when the time for the actors to speak .... Now it is I who will let you make your own narration. Hehehe..

Who.

I like Michelle Williams' character, Alma, a LOT. She is the best character out there. I felt her the most in every single scene that she was in. That is why I was wondering why the audience were laughing on the scene that she caught her husband kissing Jack. I think that scene is the most important scene of the whole movie. And I know that this wasn't only happening in Abaton.

Did you laugh, like out loud, when this scene came? I didn't. I felt really nervous.. And I didn't really understand why the others were laughing.

Starting from that scene, everything about the main characters are changed, everything now is shattered, promised, hoped, longed for, and missed. Just enjoy the movie after this scene. Your feelings toward Alma will change.

Or maybe again, because I have written about the actress in a long-but-snubbed post a long time ago. :)

By the way, no wonder people drool over Jake Gyllenhaal after this movie. His character in it is such a doll.

What.

I don't know. I haven't watched Crash yet. Nor other nominated-for-Best-Picture movies.

But for sure: below expectations.

By the way, I just realized the design of the title has a silhouette of a pasture. Or grass. Or that thing. Between the two lines. You know. I thought it was just plain characters comprising Brokeback Mountain. Hmm..

Update: You have heard the super sour bitter article that Annie Proulx (how should one spell her name?) wrote, right? My response: Wauw! Chill out, lady!

thanks to defamer.com, I took my nap yesterday Crash-ed Oscar! (pun hugely intended)

OK, my drink is here, my snack (half a kilo of carrots) is here, blanket's working well, Yahoo! Messenger is connected, TVgasm.com list is ready, drinking game is.. wait a sec, I never do a drinking game.. anyways, bring it on, Mr. Stewart.

Update: Three-something hours later ... Motherfuckinggod. :-O

American Idol 5 Contestant of the Week

Last week, I really felt like quitting (watching) the show. But after seeing performances of top 4 of 'Deutschland Sucht den Superstar' (DSDS, a german version of American Idol), I said, what the hell. Patrick Hall may not be in it anymore, but I will stick around to witness the demise of some contestants. I'm staying for some also good talents.

Watching the top 24 episodes, there is something in my mind that actually has been bugging me for some time. One particular contestant reminds me a lot of Shayne Ward, the winner of an also orchestrated by Simon Cowell talent show in UK called 'The X Factor'. He was my trump for the show.

Compared to the other top 4, his vocal is one of the weakest. However, it was still great, stylish, and current, plus he has a big personae circling him, owing to his good looks.

I thought, a recent contestant in American Idol 5 will play the Shayne card. That contestant is our American Idol 5 contestant of the week.

Who recognizes Brett Young? No-one? Well now, he goes with Ace Young. Early Google search on "Ace Young" brought me to a thread titled: "Ace Young - the most attractive guy ever auditioned on Idol?" Besides, Paula told us to put an eye (of all things not ear, perhaps) before the show was officially aired on Ace. So you can imagine how attractive he is.

Vocally, Ace is.. Ugh.. umm he is.. igh.. He sang Westlife in audition. Randy praised his vocals, while Paula (no surprise) praised his looks. Simon on the other of the spectrum, gave a tiny Y to put him through.

His voice is .. umm.. nasal-y mouse-trying-to-get-out-of-a-mousetrap screeching, with a bit of whiny, and most of the time is not supported 100% making it off-key. And he has weak runs which sometimes off as well. In other words, nowhere near Shayne.

Week 1, he picked a George Michael song: 'Father Figure'. GREAT choice. Week 2, he picked Daniel Bedingfield's 'If You're Not the One' (what is the title of this song, actually? Is it 'If You're not the One' or 'If I'm not Made for You'?).

On one of the episodes, Shayne nailed George Michael's as well. And lemme tell you, If You're not the One was actually the fast-train ticket to win for Shayne in 'The X Factor'. Did it work on Ace? Nope. That ticket was taken, mate. His was shaky and pitchy, weak, and far too whiny.

He still comes across as a great guy though. Great and sympathetic. With an attached humbility. Just like Shayne.

The funny thing was despite his bad performance this week, he still got rave reviews from Randy and Paula. I'm not saying.. but I'm just saying.. :D

bookish

Current book finished read: Harry Potter and No-Wonder-He-Got-E(Exceeds-Expectations)-in-Charm-for-His-O.W.L. - music in ear: American Idol 5 top 20 performances - expected TV program: Die Perfekte Dinner; RTL II; Mo. 20:15

ATTENTION: CONTAINS SPOILERS TO HARRY POTTER AND the HALF-BLOOD PRINCE!!

This post is dedicated to Geget, who warned me of Dumby's pensieve;
to NDC, who pointed me to this site [dumbledoreisnotdead.com];
to Charlie, who recommended me this book;
and other fellas who may say, "Harry Potter? Yeah, I read those too.", but I haven't shared some point of view with them, or they had become so defensive as I asked them.

Harry, Harry, Harry.. Potter, Potter, Potter.. Where should I start? OK, I will start by saying that the latest Harry Potter book, titled Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, is brilliant! I know it's a bit a year too late, but still, brilliant!

I'm not talking about the tumultuous (gosh I had to look up the dictionary to find how it is spelled) plot revelation culminating in chapter 27, but about the return to the roots of Harry Potter that I love. Scattered clues here and there, endless red-herrings, the mysterious title and the aftermath when the true truth about the title is revealed, and the feeling of "Poor Harry, he's always the last to know ..".

I mean come on, I knoooooow who dies in this book, like two days after the book was out. Accidentally, though. And I have read a book that tells me to be alert of JK Rowling's genius mind. I've been carefully told that the Pensieve thing may be somewhat useful. But still, reading it was like witnessing magic in the making.

It was only boring in the beginning and in the end, (Nope, sorry, didn't cry) and while reading it, my mind kept racing with my eyes to be the first to know the facts. And nope, it didn't take weeks to read.

Two things only, why should Gryffindor win another Quidditch cup? and I would never ever thought that our greatest biggest most lovable hero is going to be a drop-out. Have nothing against drop-outs, though.

All and all I will say this again: No wonder Harry Potter got E for Charms in O.W.L., he won me back.

i blame it to boring performances on American Idol 5 top 10 girls

WTF??!!



Another WTF??!!



And yet another WTF??!!



Superb!



Gorgeous..



Love 'em!