Video Beat Part 2 - AMERICAN IDOL TOP - SAY WHAT? 13 BEGINS

James Loving - National Radio Text Service

The show will begin with 13 contestants for the first time in the shows history consisting of eight males and five females. In somewhat explaining some of the judge's questionable decisions Cowell was quick to point out, "We've got to cast this next stage so that we don't just put through boring singers. We must put through some personalities was well." - Recommended TV Listings

Monday March 9, 2009

AMERICAN IDOL HAS A SURPRISE

For the Wild Card competition the judges selected four females and four males. It was at this stage that the judges got it right as most of the selections were from the first group. Of that group two were male, Ricky Braddy, Anoop Desai who have excellent voices and were also deserving to go through on the first go around as well as two females 16-year-old beauty contestant Jasmine Murray and Tatiana Del Toro. The total of four signified that group had the most talent giving that group seven who were in the final running to be in the Top 12.

The others selected to compete in the Wild Card group were Von Smith, Megan Corkrey, Matt Giraud, Jesse Langseth. The first three that the judges selected to compete in the final 12 were Jasmine, Megan and Matt. But then came the shocker as Cowell proved that he wasn't so merciless after all when he announced the Anoop (aka Nute Dog) was also selected thus the show will begin with 13 contestants for the first time in the shows history consisting of eight males and five females.

They will join Kris Allen, Adam Lambert, Allison Iraheta, Danny Gokey, Alexis Grace and Michael Sarver, Lil Rounds, Scott MacIntyre and Jorge Nunez.

Last season our favorite choice from the beginning was David Archuleta who finished runner-up to David Cook. This season our favorite voices are Nunez, Lambert and Gokey. MacIntyre may prove to be a sleeper in the competition. He is blind and has won over the hearts of American voters and the judges with his emotional vocals. He has a nice voice complimented by a great personality.

There was a strange mystery that leaped off the screen that being the absence of Stephen Fowler, 26 from Beachwood, Ohio. He auditioned in New York and impressed the judges in Hollywood with his version of "Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You)" by Stevie Wonder. The bottom fell out for him on the last day of the Hollywood auditions when he quit playing the piano and singing mid-way through his performance of "The Time of My Life" by David Cook. He committed the cardinal AI sin of forgetting the lyrics. He gave it a second attempt but again forgot the words. In frustration he walked off the stage.

Fowler has a strong soulful voice and was talented enough to be in the final 12 but the reality being that he made some major mistakes unrelated to the quality f is voice. Much to his surprise he was given another chance to be in the final 36. His performance in the first group in our opinion was OK with some slight pitch problems but he was unmercifully criticized by the judges and it wasn't warranted. It was reminiscent of the attack on Lakisha Jones two seasons ago .

Fowler was missing from the stage when they chose the Wild Card group. There was no explanation why. Another questionable decision was after Ricky Braddy sang a soulful version of Stevie Wonders Superstition and in our opinion did a credible job Cowell had a different opinion, "The performance itself was a bit clumsy," "That song was self indulgent," commented Randy Jackson. This season Jackson appears to be Cowell's parrot with his agreeing comments.

Braddy's talent is far superior to some of those who made it into the now final 13. If anything his image is confusing since he has a college preppy look and sings soulfully. Of all of the final 13 Tatiana has one of the best voices but from the beginning of the auditions she has had emotional panic surges. She continually begged the TV audience to vote for her because it meant so much to her and she worked so hard for it.

Her big voice was evident but as Cowell pointed out she sang "Saving All My Love For You" for the third time in the competition. He was concerned, "What happens if you make it into the next round and its country week?" When the judges were giving her their opinions she continually interrupted them with emotional outbursts. It was the drama she created that had a major impact in her undoing.

In somewhat explaining some of the judge's questionable decisions Cowell was quick to point out, "We've got to cast this next stage so that we don't just put through boring singers. We must put through some personalities was well." It was that line of thinking that sent the girl with the tattooed arms Megan Corkrey to the final 13 as she is deemed by the judges as being quirky and different but not the best voice in the competition.

The judges claim that they want variety for the public to choose from and admittedly the best voices are not the top priority. After the decision was made that she was out Tatiana walked up to the judges with a sad face prompting Paula Abdul to try and comfort her by saying, "I love you. It's not over for you. You're going to be an actress as well"

What Tatiana wanted to hear is that she was in the final 13…. IT DIDN'T HAPPEN.

16 YEAR OLDS ARE IN

Allison Iraheta, 16 (born April 27, 1992) from Los Angeles, California - auditioned in San Francisco, California. In 2006, she won $50,000 and a recording contract after competing in a Telemundo reality show, Quinceañera. WILD CARD: -

Jasmine Murray, 16 (born March 14, 1992) from Starkville, Mississippi - auditioned in Jacksonville, Florida with the song "Big Girls Don't Cry" by Fergie. Murray is the second former Miss America's Outstanding Teen contestant to be a semi-finalist on this season of American Idol. She was Miss Mississippi's Outstanding Teen 2007.

MOST EXPERIENCED

The contestant with the most experience is Adam Lambert, 27 (born January 29, 1982) from Hollywood, California. Before auditioning for American Idol, he was in the touring cast of Wicked and has been acting in theatre shows since he was a child.

SCHEDULE BACK TO NORMAL

The shows schedule had reverted to airing in Southeast Asia on Wednesday and Thursday nights after one week being televised on Thursday and Friday. Repeat telecast are noted below in our schedule.

Part 1 - AMAZING RACE HEATS UP - JENNIFER HUDSON FORMER WILD ENTRANT

NATIONAL RADIO PUBLISHED IN 5 LANGUAGES

National Radio text is published in five languages, English, Thai, French, Russian and Khmer (Cambodian language). Any of our foreign language material and our Roman Wanderaugh columns is legally available ONLY on our National Radio site. Our sports, entertainment and feature programming has been broadcast on over 1000 radio stations.

TV SCHEDULE

Note: The shows listed are for the Cambodia - Thailand time zone. Check your local listings for time in your area.

NOTE TIMES AT OF THE SAME TELECAST IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES

3:00 PM - JAY LENO - CNBC

5:00 PM - LARRY KING - CNN - Airs daily

7:45 PM - AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL - Channel V

9:00 PM - JAY LENO - CNBC

10:45 PM - AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL - Channel V

11:45 AM to NOON - AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL - Channel V

5:00 PM - LARRY KING - CNN - Airs daily

8:00 PM - AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL - Channel V

8:00 PM - AMAZING RACE - AXN Channel

10:00 PM - SOPRANOS - HBO

10:30 PM - CLICK (Internet Technology program) - BBC

12:00 MIDNIGHT - AMAZING RACE - AXN Channel

4:00 PM - AMAZING RACE - AXN Channel

5:00 PM - LARRY KING - CNN - Airs daily

12 NOON - FRONTLINE - Australia Network

5:00 PM - AMERICAN IDOL - Star World

5:00 PM - LARRY KING - CNN - Airs daily

7:00 PM - AMERICAN IDOL - Star World

11:30 PM - AMERICAN IDOL - Star World

7:00 AM - AMERICAN IDOL - Star World

12:00 NOON - AMERICAN IDOL - Star World

5:00 PM - AMERICAN IDOL - Star World

5:00 PM - LARRY KING - CNN - Airs daily

7:00 PM - AMERICAN IDOL - Star World

11:30 PM - AMERICAN IDOL - Star World

7:00 AM - AMERICAN IDOL - Star World

??? - STAR SPORTS - NBA GAME - CHECK ALL of NBA TV SCHEDULE for Southeast Asia

12:00 NOON - AMERICAN IDOL - Star World

4:30 PM - CLICK (Internet Technology program) - BBC

5:00 PM - LARRY KING - CNN - Airs daily

8:45 PM - AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL - Channel V

Midnight - SOPRANOS - HBO

??? - ESPN SPORTS - NBA GAME - CHECK NBA TV SCHEDULE for Southeast Asia

7:30 AM - CLICK (Internet Technology program) - BBC

3:00 PM - JAY LENO - CNBC

5:00 PM - LARRY KING - CNN - Airs daily

7:00 PM - AMAZING RACE - AXN Channel

7:00 PM - THE BEST OF SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE - (1 1/2 hr) Star World channel

9:00 PM - JAY LENO - CNBC

11:00 PM - THE BEST OF SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE - Star World channel

© Copyright: National Radio. Any use of these materials, whole or in part, is prohibited unless authorized in writing by National Radio. Contact: nationalradio@yahoo.com All rights reserved.