Btw, Jessica Sierra is working at a Hooters now. I kid you not. Last night a local TV station had a segment on her and other not-so-successful Idols (Justin Guarini, Nikki McKibbin).

I don’t know if you’ve carried an item on this, Augie, but I thought you might be curious to know how Idol contestants are doing in sales. This is from Wikipedia:

1. Kelly Clarkson — 8.4 million (2 albums)
2. Carrie Underwood — 4.92 million (1 album)
3. Clay Aiken — 4.53 million (3 albums)
4. Ruben Studdard — 2.41 million (3 albums)
5. Fantasia Barrino — 1.98 million (2 albums)
6. Chris Daughtry — 1.63 million (1 album)
7. Bo Bice — 833,746 million (1 album)
8. Taylor Hicks — 648,646 (1 album, though the figure also includes sales of his two pre-Idol albums)
9. Josh Gracin — 646,500 million (1 album)
10. Kellie Pickler — 433,267 (1 album)

At #11 is William Hung with 295,000 albums sold. He has outsold Kimberley Locke, Diana DeGarmo, Justin Guarini, Tamyra Gray, LaToya London and several others.

Well, it will be exciting to find out, especially with so many other strong singers — with different styles — to pick from.

At this point in the competition, I’m looking for people who are technically strong (which applies to most of the girls) and those who sing with real passion, and not too much “polish.” Katherine McPhee last year would be a perfect example of a performer with a great voice who’d been polished to a featureless sheen. While Elliot Yamin had the genuine passion. (I still wish he’d won it all.) Taylor, of course, was all shtick … and we have a few men like that this year as well.

On the passion front, last night’s winners were Lakisha, Melinda, and — surprisingly — Sabrina. This is going to sound wrong, but Sabrina sang “I Never Loved A Man” like a woman who knows what she’s talking about … like a woman who enjoys sex, in other words. Sexuality has rarely been a strong component of this competition, because so many of these kids are too young and too career-oriented. It’ll be interesting to see if Sabrina continues to work that vein.

That big announcement coming? Can it be that the 6 and 6 rule has been suspended? Please?

LaKisha was goosebump inducing. That was nothing short of phenomenal. I also liked the way she got through all the emotion in the song, even with it in such an abbreviated version.

Which leads me to a Point - do these people not really *understand* what they’re singing?? During Haley’s “It’s all Coming Back to me now,” she was SMILING during the moments she was talking about someone leaving her and being gone. Not that it matters, since her performance was relatively lackluster, but it was offputting.

I absolutely LOVED Stephanie as well - and it’s good that she was so memorable, because I don’t remember her from the audition tour or Hollywood week at all. She had a minimal fanbase, which means she had to do well to attract attention. I think she did that in spades.

Antonella has to go home NOW NOW NOW. Ugh. I understand she was cannon fodder, but really, to think that Marissa Rhodes didn’t get in because of her is just irritating.

Melinda is fantastic as well. I just hope she doesn’t get in her own way in terms of her lack of confidence. It’s not that she has no neck, Augie, it’s that she keeps pushing her shoulders up when she’s embarrassed or shy or has the attention on her in any way other than when she’s singing.

Jordin was also great, loved her performance and song choice. She looked like she was relaxed and having fun, a far cry from most of the guys.
And yes, I caught the “curly hair” reference. In keeping with Randy’s much earlier comment to keep an eye on “someone with curly hair.” ;)