Who should win American Idol?
At this point an argument can be made for any of the Top 3 to win the whole thing. In fact, that’s just what we’re going to do. Now that we’ve said goodbye to so many other hopefuls we’re down to a Final Three every bit as strong as Season Two’s Kimberly Locke, Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard, though drastically different. All three have proven that they have great voices. All three have proven that they have tremendous fan support. And all three seem to tap into a very different fan-base.
But who’s the most deserving of the win? David Archuleta has wowed the judges and audience week after week with his polished vocals, but lacks a commanding stage presence. Syesha Mercado has played the role of the underdog throughout this competition, but has been coming on strong these past few weeks with passion and conviction. David Cook quickly emerged as a front-runner with his powerful rock vocals and innovative arrangements, but is he too limited to be the next Idol?
Let’s just look at each of them, one at a time.
David Archuleta Should Win Because…
the kid can sing! David is adorably cute and incredibly marketable to the younger demographics, as well as grandmothers who want to pinch his cheeks, or maybe his head off and hang it from their rear-view mirrors (*ahem*Paula). Archie has an amazing voice, and like Jordin last year he’s still a young singer trying to really find himself as an artist. The Idol machine can thus take complete and total control over his image and presentation without destroying who he is, because he probably doesn’t even know yet.
Sure, David’s stage presence is lacking a bit, but he’s improving and at only seventeen there’s only one way to go. His voice is breathtaking and would come across beautifully in a recording studio. American Idol has expanded to where they’re no longer about finding a pop star, per se, so David’s crooning style should fit the bill. And besides, we’ve had pop stars that could croon. The kid is ready made for the Disney Channel, and it wouldn’t hurt the faltering behemoth to have a champion that appeals to the youngest demographic, after all today’s kids are tomorrow’s faithful American Idol viewers.
David Cook Should Win Because…
he’s a credible artist in his own right. David knows who he is as a musician and knows how to make that work for him. He’s proven capable of finding arrangements, or making his own when needed, to fit any theme they’ve thrown at him. Of the Final Three, David Cook has consistently shown week in and week out that he is a gifted performer and vocalist. And let’s face it, losing Daughtry fourth was a kick in the face for the show. If he could have won and then released an album; let’s say Idol has learned their lesson and would have allowed him to do that; it would have been tremendous credibility for the show.
American Idol is about discovering the best undiscovered talent in American right now! David is the only competitor remaining with the polish and finesse to walk onto a stage right now and blow an audience away. He’s the complete package in a way that David Archuleta hasn’t achieved yet, lacking stage presence and performance, and Syesha has shown inconsistency with.
Syesha Mercado Should Win Because…
she has shown the most growth throughout her run on American Idol, akin to first season champion Kelly Clarkson. Syesha has become a beautiful performer, and has begun to reign in her Whitney-aspiring pipes in to sing the rights songs with the right feeling. Of the remaining competitors, no one has shown more personality and pep on-stage than Syesha. She’s begun connecting with the audience in a real way to where we care about her as an individual as well as a contestant. That personal connection can carry her on to greater success post-Idol.
As the year of Katharine McPhee and Taylor Hicks has shown us, it’s much easier to market the beautiful, and Syesha is the most classically beautiful contestant remaining. Sure McPhee didn’t wind up faring much better than Hicks, but she certainly got a lot more exposure. Syesha’s sunny disposition and grace on camera will come across much better in interviews than Cook’s aloofness or Archuleta’s goofy giggling. Being the American Idol is about presence as much as it is about singing, and Syesha brings more of that to the table than anyone.
Your Turn
Okay, I’ve laid out my cases, which I’m sure most of you will disagree with. It’s your turn to make your case for why your favorite should win.
Brought To You By …
A new column here at TV, where we talk about all of the things you’re missing when you hit fast forward on your DVRs.
This week, I’d like to talk to you about Cheerios.
Specifically, I’d like to talk to you about the Cheerios commercial that has been running for several months. You know it. It’s the one where the dad is going to eat Cheerios for six weeks to lower his cholesterol and his son has six weeks to do a report on Shakespeare. I have a question about this particular ad, which seems to be on 33 times a day right now.
Does the dad hate his son?
Seriously, the guy seems to get some thrill from watching his son flailing away at writing his report. Look at the evil smile on the dad’s face and the smug chuckle. This is obviously a major assignment this kid has since it takes up six weeks of his school year, and the dad doesn’t seem to mind that it’s due the next day and the kid still hasn’t finished it.
But that leads me to my next question: are we going to see a sequel to this ad? We never find out if the son finished his report and we don’t find out if dad lowered his cholesterol. Maybe the next day we find out that the son did indeed finish the report by pulling an all-nighter, but dad finds out that his cholesterol went up by five points. Perhaps the sequel can air as a Lipitor ad.
This isn’t the first time that Cheerios left us with a cliffhanger in a commercial. Check out this ’60s ad featuring a certain superhero hound:
A lame plan by Simon, really. He’d have to make sure that the entire military of the United States and Underdog himself both eat Cheerios. And why does taking the hole out of Cheerios make it less effective? He’s really just adding more Cheerio to each Cheerios piece. I think this plan is going to backfire on Simon. Serves him right, wasting all his genius on some “Cheerio gun.”
Here’s a Cheerios ad from the 1950s. Not only does chewing Cheerios help your teeth (I’d like to see the science on that), the box includes a 5 cent package of Dentyne Gum! It’s “free of extra cost,” whatever that means.
Some people think that’s Mike Wallace, but I’m not sure. Yeah, it looks and sounds a lot like a young Wallace, but take a look at this commercial from the 1950s that is definitely Wallace. Compare the two. The Cheerios guy is a lot thinner in the face.
Cheerios ads got odd in the 80s. Check out this ad for the improved Cheerios:
Yes, there was a time in America when having John Tesh, Jodie Sweeten from Full House, and model Kathy Ireland in the same commercial would make it “star-studded.”
Coca-Cola: “Dueling Parade Balloons”
On a cool Thanksgiving morning old (Underdog) and new (Stewie from Family Guy) parade balloons battle it out for a inflatable bottle of Coca-Cola. As they cross the skyline of New York City fists fly and heads are butted. But, in the end, neither is the one who claims the prize. That honor goes to the honorable Charlie Brown, who seems to have finally won something in his life.
This was a cute and gentle commercial by Cola-Cola, which rarely disappoints when it comes to Super Bowl ads. I never realized that the Underdog and Stewie Thanksgiving Day balloons had such angry looks on their faces. That was an advantage in this commercial as we saw the two balloons battling it out. I enjoyed when Underdog slammed Stewie against the building. Nice job overall.
Eminem - When I’m Gone Video and Lyrics
When I’m Gone by Eminem , Music Video and Lyrics
“When I’m Gone” is a song from Eminem’s 2005 Curtain Call: The Hits greatest hits album, and one of the most critically acclaimed songs of his to-date. The song is about Eminem’s career’s effect on his relationship with his wife Kim.
Eminem - When I’m Gone Lyrics
Yeah…
Its my life…
In my own words I guess…
Have you ever loved someone so much, you’d give an arm for?
Not the expression, no, literally give an arm for?
When they know they’re your heart
And you know you are their armor
And you will destroy anyone who would try to harm her
But what happens when karma, turns right around and bites you?
And everything you stand for, turns on you despites you?
What happens when you become the main source of her pain?
“Daddy look what I made”, Dad’s gotta go catch a plane
“Daddy where’s Mommy? I can’t find Mommy where is she?”
I don’t know go play Hailie, baby, your Daddy’s busy
Daddy’s writing a song, this song ain’t gonna write itself
I’ll give you one underdog then you gotta swing by yourself
Then turn right around on that song and tell her you love her
And put hands on her mother, who’s a spitting image of her
That’s Slim Shady, yeah baby, Slim Shady’s crazy
Shady made me, but tonight Shady’s rock-a-by-baby…
[Chorus]
And when I’m gone, just carry on, don’t mourn
Rejoice every time you hear the sound of my voice
Just know that I’m looking down on you smiling
And I didn’t feel a thing, So baby don’t feel my pain
Just smile back
And when I’m gone, just carry on, don’t mourn
Rejoice every time you hear the sound of my voice
Just know that I’m looking down on you smiling
And I didn’t feel a thing, So baby don’t feel my pain
Just smile back…
[Verse 2]
I keep having this dream, I’m pushin’ Hailie on the swing
She keeps screaming, she don’t want me to sing
“You’re making Mommy cry, why? Why is Mommy crying?”
Baby, Daddy ain’t leaving no more, “Daddy you’re lying
“You always say that, you always say this is the last time
“But you ain’t leaving no more, Daddy you’re mine”
She’s piling boxes in front of the door trying to block it
“Daddy please, Daddy don’t leave, Daddy - no stop it!”
Goes in her pocket, pulls out a tiny necklace locket
It’s got a picture, “this’ll keep you safe Daddy, take it witcha’”
I look up, it’s just me standing in the mirror
These F**kin’ walls must be talking, ’cause man I can hear ‘em
They’re saying “You’ve got one more chance to do right” - and it’s tonight
Now go out there and show `em that you love ‘em before it’s too late
And just as I go to walk out of my bedroom door
It’s turns to a stage, they’re gone, and this spotlight is on
And I’m singing…
[Chorus]
And when I’m gone, just carry on, don’t mourn
Rejoice every time you hear the sound of my voice
Just know that I’m looking down on you smiling
And I didn’t feel a thing, So baby don’t feel my pain
Just smile back
And when I’m gone, just carry on, don’t mourn
Rejoice every time you hear the sound of my voice
Just know that I’m looking down on you smiling
And I didn’t feel a thing, So baby don’t feel my pain
Just smile back…
[Verse 3]
Sixty thousand people, all jumping out their seat
The curtain closes, they’re throwing roses at my feet
I take a bow and thank you all for coming out
They’re screaming so loud, I take one last look at the crowd
I glance down, I don’t believe what I’m seeing
“Daddy it’s me, help Mommy, her wrists are bleeding,”
But baby we’re in Sweden, how did you get to Sweden?
“I followed you Daddy, you told me that you weren’t leavin’
“You lied to me Dad, and now you made Mommy sad
“And I bought you this coin, it says ‘Number One Dad’
“That’s all I wanted, I just want to give you this coin
“I get the point - fine, me and Mommy are going”
But baby wait, “it’s too late Dad, you made the choice
“Now go out there and show ‘em that you love ‘em more than us”
That’s what they want, they want you more to, they keep.. screamin’ your name
It’s no wonder you can’t go to sleep, just take another pill
Yeah, I bet you you will. You rap about it, yeah, word, k-keep it real
I hear applause, all this time I couldn’t see
How could it be, that the curtain is closing on me
I turn around, find a gun on the ground, cock it
Put it to my brain and scream “die Shady” and pop it
The sky darkens, my life flashes, the plane that I was supposed to be on crashes and burns to ashes
That’s when I wake up, alarm clock’s ringin’, there’s birds singin’
It’s Spring and Hailie’s outside swinging, I walk right up to Kim and kiss her
Tell her I miss her, Hailie just smiles and winks at her little sister
Almost as if to say..
[Chorus/Outro]
And when I’m gone, just carry on, don’t mourn
Rejoice every time you hear the sound of my voice
Just know that I’m looking down on you smiling
And I didn’t feel a thing, So baby don’t feel my pain
Just smile back
And when I’m gone, just carry on, don’t mourn
Rejoice every time you hear the sound of my voice
Just know that I’m looking down on you smiling
And I didn’t feel a thing, So baby don’t feel my pain
Just smile back…
[Curtains closing and sounds of footsteps]
Eminem - When I’m Gone Song Info
It talks about him not being there for his daughter, Hailie, and (in a sort of metaphoric “dream”) Hailie confronts him at a concert in Sweden and demands to know why he was so cruel towards Kim (his ex-wife). She ends the confrontation by telling Eminem that he loves his fame, career, and fans more than his own family. After she leaves, Eminem turns around and sees a gun. He picks it up, screams “Die Shady!” and shoots his Slim Shady alter-ego. After that, he wakes up, realizing that it was only a dream. It’s spring, Hailie’s playing in the yard, and he kisses Kim.
The single was released officially in the United States on the 6 December 2005. It was released in Australia on January, 2006.
Tarick Salmaci, (from the TV show The Contender) makes an appearance in the video with his wife.
Whitney Scott, Kim Mathers’s daughter had by another man in the period in which she and Eminem were divorced, appears in the video to the song, she’s the youngest baby girl on the swing.
Released 2005
Genre Hip hop
Length 4 min 41 s
Label Shady/Aftermath/Interscope
Producer Eminem