For picking out all the little tricks the producers use to push some contestants up, others down, and one over the top in spite of all actual televised evidence stating The Chosen One never should have gotten past the first screener. At this part of the season, it's mostly about picking out the 24 before they're announced and deciding who Nigel's little victim of the year will be.

Of course, right now, any talk about editing pretty much has to go towards the hack job we've seen to date. Let's finish on a medical cliffhanger! Let's identify less contestants during the auditions than ever before! Let's show a full hour of people organizing into groups with none of the actual performances, meaning we're going to be recapping all of this next week because we don't even care about what happened! And most of all, let's take every slip in the ratings as a sign that we need to drive more people away? AI was never the most smoothly-editing show in the genre (let alone the most subtly), but this is a chainsaw footage massacre on a Real Gilligan's Island level. They retained The Mentor Of Dumb (although Nigie's been bashing him in the press) and let go of everyone who could cut a storyline: how does that work?

Still, the clues should come in time -- assuming anyone can bother to plant them.

Assuming we still care to look.

• RE: The Agenda: editing, pimp spots, sabotage, and senseless praise.,zazzy, 09:06 PM, 03-04-12
• Singing order impact-- already,zazzy, 09:23 PM, 03-04-12
  • RE: Singing order impact-- already,Estee, 06:54 PM, 03-05-12
• Top 13 Singing order and results,zazzy, 10:22 PM, 03-08-12
  • RE: Top 13 Singing order and results,Belle Book, 11:44 AM, 03-10-12
• Top 11 singing order place holder,zazzy, 10:25 AM, 03-29-12
• Top 10 singing order,zazzy, 10:27 AM, 03-29-12
• Top 9 singing order,zazzy, 11:04 AM, 03-29-12
• Top 13 pic,zazzy, 08:32 PM, 04-04-12
• Top 11 pic,zazzy, 08:33 PM, 04-04-12
• Top 10 pic,zazzy, 08:34 PM, 04-04-12
• Top 9 pic,zazzy, 08:34 PM, 04-04-12
• Top 8 pic,zazzy, 08:35 PM, 04-04-12
• Top 8 singing order,zazzy, 10:22 PM, 04-04-12
• RE: The Agenda: editing, pimp spots, sabotage, and senseless praise.,zazzy, 09:42 PM, 05-10-12

Ah, Estee, a pimpage thread!

OK, from what I saw in the boys round this week--some got full blown lighting treatments while others got...hardly anything. For example, Phillip was bathed in spotlight and lights all around him. Colton nearly had a pyrotechnic show behind his performance. Deandre had a spotlight shining right over his head.

Contrast these guys to Aaron or Creighton. I could tell where the show was going just from the lighting/production used.

BTW, Deandre got young girls brought up to meet him after he got his judges' comments. We've seen this trick before, but the judges still had to wildcard him on Thursday.

I did not watch the girls closely enough to make the same type of observations.

From sytycdfan on idolforums:

"They REALLY need to go back to losing the lowest 2 males/females for a few weeks before having a top 12/13 like it used to be with this show. REALLY.

Not only for the obvious reasons that anyone with a lack of screen time is toast and because if you slip up just once, you are out.

But beyond those reasons, take a gander at the singing order/elimination statistics from last year and this year...

AI10
-----
the first male to advance sang in the sixth spot- james durbin. not a single male that sang before him (first hour of the show) made it through.

the first female to advance sang in the fifth spot- karen rodriguez. not a single female that sang before her (the tail end of the first hour of the show) made it though.

AI11
-----
the first male to advance sang fourth- colton dixon but keep in mind... lots of screen time + 2nd year alumni + popular. after him- NO male advanced until the NINTH singer- P2.

the first female to advance sang sixth- skylar laine. not a single female that sang before her (first hour of the show) made it through.

Also, nearly EVERYONE in both seasons who sang in the final 3 spots of the night advanced.

Those stats are a serious problem, IMO."

http://idolforums.com/index.php?showtopic=682746
post number 1

Talk about Short Attention Span Theater... we've basically gone from Death Slot to Death Hour. And given some of the earlier performances for both nights, it's hard to say the show was just backloading the talent with the voters spotting and voting accordingly. But even they may be afraid to defy the trend by having a favorite go early...

LAST EDITED ON 03-09-12 AT 11:22 AM (EST)

Top 13 Singing order

Guys had to sing Stevie Wonder and girls had to sing Whitney Houston.

1) Joshua --Bottom 3 guys, first safe guy--
2) Elise --Bottom 3 girls, bottom girl who was "saved" by the judges--
3) Jermaine --Bottom 3 guys, second safe guy--
4) Erica --Bottom 3 girls, first safe girl--
5) Colton
6) Shannon Bottom 3 girls, second safe girl--
7) Deandre
8) Skylar
8) Hey Jun
10) Hollie
11) Jeremy --Bottom 3 guys, bottom guy and the boot by the judges
12) Jessica --near pimp spot--
13) Phil -- pimp spot

AI basically split the top 13 into two groups 7 safe and 6 on the stools--bottom 3 guys and bottom 3 girls. By doing it this way, we don't know, for example, if every guy got more votes than any girl.

We do know that AI made a display of those that were in the bottom half.

I think the tour will have those that made the top 7 tonight:

Heyjun, Colton, Deandre, Phil
Jessica, Hollie, Skylar

For Deandre it depends on his singing order as much as his singing.

(Again, top 7 is really top 4 guys out of 7 and top 3 girls out of 6. Not necessarily the top 7 vote getters.)

Phil got the pimp spot and musicians to play guitar along side of him and Jessica in the near pimp spot got super production support with clouds around her feet/legs, special lighting, a fan to blow her hair...they really set the mood for her. Ryan lampooned the fan part before he went through the numbers to call and vote for Jessica.

Jessica's performance was what was talked about on other shows the day after the performance, not Phil's.

On both performance night and results night, Elise has a hangdog expression when dealing with adversity. America won't like that. She needs to throw it off or she won't make the tour. Play the game, Elise!

Jimmy Iovine talked about the potential for Phil to get overwhelmed by the girls who can belt (Jessica and Hollie). Is he telegraphing the end already?

I totally agree that Elise handled the aftermath of her bad performance all wrong! No matter what, you should never, ever either argue with the judges or talk trash about them when there's a microphone in front of you! Elise did that and it might cost her a chance at the tour.

As for Jimmy's comment about Phil possibly being overwhelmed by Jessica and Hollie, I think he's telegraphing the end he wants -- and the probable end of Phil's journey, although I doubt both girls will make the finale. I think it's more likely that one of either Jessica or Hollie will finish 4th or 3rd (I'm hoping it isn't Jessica), allowing Phillip to slide into the finale, only to have his journey come to a sad end against the girl who gets there (hopefully Jessica).

Shannon was booted. More later.

Erica, one of the wild card choices, was booted.

More later.

LAST EDITED ON 04-05-12 AT 07:38 PM (EST)

Theme: their personal idol (translation--sing a song you already knew and performed from before AI)

Singing order:

1. Colton -- Lifehouse - Everything
2. Skylar -- Miranda Lambert -- Gunpowder and Lead ***bottom 3***

-- P2/Elise/Colton trio -- Fleetwood Mac medley

3. Heyjun -Donnie Hathaway -A Song for You ***boot***
4. Hollie -- Carie Underwood-Jesus Take the Wheel ***bottom 2***
5. Deandre -- Eric Benet -Sometimes I Cry
6. Jessica -- Beyonce -Sweet Dreams

--Deandre/Joshua/Heyjun trio -MJ medley

7. P2 -- Johnny Lang - Still Rainin'
8. Joshua -- Mariah Carey (Nilsson) -Without You

-- Skylar, Jessica, Hollie trio -- Madonna medley

9. Elise-- Led Zeppelin - Whole Lotta Love

Lol. Nigel put Skylar on singing about Hell right after Colton told us his Lifehouse song was a worship song. They even had "hell" in the graphics/words that were behind Skylar.

Elise and Hollie came off well in their respective trios.

Heyjun booted.

Bottom 2 sang 2,3,4 on the night.

More later.

LAST EDITED ON 04-05-12 AT 11:07 AM (EST)

LAST EDITED ON 04-05-12 AT 07:43 PM (EST)

It's really a pic of the top 12 because the show had not yet booted/dq'd Jermaine:

Note the three wildcards stacked up on the left: Jermaine, Erica,Deandre.

LAST EDITED ON 04-05-12 AT 10:53 AM (EST)

LAST EDITED ON 04-05-12 AT 10:47 AM (EST)

LAST EDITED ON 04-06-12 AT 11:36 AM (EST)

Theme: 80's songs
Mentors: Gwen Stefani and Tony Kanal/ No Doubt

1. Deandre Debarge: I Like It ***boot***

2. Elise Foreigner: I Want To Know What Love Is ***bottom 2 ***

-- Skylar & Colton duet -- Dolly Parton's Islands in the Stream

3. Phillip Genesis: That's All

-- Hollie & Deandre duet -- Pointer Sisters: I'm So Excited

4. Joshua Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes: If You Don't Know Me By Now

5. Jessica Whitney Houston: How Will I Know

-- Elise and P2 duet-- Tom Petty -- Stop Dragging My Heart Around

6. Hollie: Irene Cara: Flashdance Oh What A Feeling ***bottom 3***

-- Joshua and Jessica duet -- Aretha F and George Michels: I Knew You Were Waiting for Me

7. Colton Cyndi Lauper: Time After Time

8. Skylar Bette Midler: Wind Beneath My Wings

Performance night:

Jimmy I predicts Deandre in the bottom 3 before he even performs.

Elise got beat with the pitchy stick.

Skylar/Colton duet was better for Skylar than Colton.

Phillip gets his brother in law playing guitar on the Genesis song. P2 gets pimped despite a flawed (imo) performance. I am a Genesis fan. Ryan also interviews his brother in law after the judges' comments.

Steven tells Hollie she let go a little bit on I'm So Excited duet. The other comments are good.

Midway through the show Ryan talks with the judges and does some time filling conversation--and JLo says Deandre is the best so far. Deandre gets extra pimpage: "little shining star".

Joshua gets a deserved "spectacular" from JLo on his performance. The judges compliment him on his holding back and not overpowering the song. Randy....we have found someone tonight who has "got to have it". That's Randy's In IT To Win IT phrase this year. Ryan repimps Joshua by telling Joshua how he owned his song -pwned- and well done.

Jessica's pre performance package shows us a bouncy, peppy teenaged Jessica. BB Chez is Jess's alter ego like Beyonce's Sasha Fierce. JLo approves of Jessica's performance, Steve gives her a fantastic, beautiful and great while Randy name drops Whitney H in his remarks. "She's gotta have it, too" Randy says. Ryan repimps Jessica and reminds us how young she is. Well done, poise, confidence, incredible, etc.

Randy pimps Ryan's working the Olympics this summer.

Elise and P2 duet gets lots of good comments from the judges. Steven.... a Tom Petty moment wrapped up in Elise and Phillip.

Hollie...gets a delay before starting due to power issues. The crowd loved her performance but....the judges did not.

Steven tells her her pitch was all over the place. Huh? Maybe the low notes, someone keeps having her sing songs that are too low for her. But I rewatched it and it sounded great. Jlo tells her to "let it go" again. Randy piles on, too. They are ready for Hollie to exit so Jessica can pick up her voters. Not so fast, AI. I'd vote for Joshua before Jessica.

Jessica and Joshua did not disappoint with their duet. Randy starts praising right away. "Two of the greatest singers ever to hit this competition. One of the greatest performances I have seen on the show." JLo--a dream pairing.....the final? Steven concise comments that the performance was over the top. This indeed was an AI showcase.

Ryan has a group of teenaged girls around him as he introduces Colton's package. Jimmy tells us no way Colton is out this week before Colton sings. Colton karaokes Time After Time with Quiet Drive's arrangement. I thought he was flat at times.

Randy pimps Joshua, Phillip and Colton when giving Colton comments (because they made songs their own according to Randy). Judges tell him he is current, could do a record right now.

And people wonder why the women can't win on AI.

Skylar gets the pimp spot. Gwen S. said her voice was like ice cream. Personally I think Hollie, Jessica or Joshua could sing it much better. Skylar gets the star lighting that goes with the pimp spot. The judges tell her she is great.

So, Jimmy told us Deandre would be b3, Skylar's safe w/ a pimp spot. P2, Joshua, Jessica, Colton are pimp safe.

That leaves Hollie and Elise to join Deandre in the B3 and since Gwen S was the mentor that means it's time for Hollie to get Pia'd. Sigh. She could have sung the heck out of Wind Beneath My Wings.

http://idolforums.com/index.php?showtopic=682759

http://idolforums.com/index.php?showtopic=662001