#37: Whenever he's ready, I'm ready for whatever he's ready for.

[muskifest]

I'm exhausted and the conference hasn't even started yet! We.are.not.ready.yet. AT.ALL.

Where's the "Hold Me FCA" thingy?

G'night, y'all.... :856:

Hey, I just discovered this CUTE thingy!

Okay...let me try this again...

[luckiest1]

Now, you can record on a digital recorder the size of a 9 volt battery. It's amazing what technology has done in 35 or so years! You could go back to 8-tracks and reel-to-reel too, depending on the scope of your paper.

Hee, this reminded me.......my mom loves garage sales. The last couple of years I have avoided them like the plague, because I am trying to get rid of all the junk I have already, not bring more into the house! But yesterday she dragged me to a few. My 16 yo son was fascinated with an 8 track player that was not only working but blasting out an early Beatles album! He wanted to buy it. I managed to drag him away.......

So I texted him from the game with the number in attendance... over 31,000. I think the fact that I got a successful text done should be applauded. It is a first, if you don't count that one I sent to Lucky about PP... still don't know how I did that. And never mind that I had a little problem getting out of numbers mode..so could only text him the number and not the my little na na na na that I wanted to text Muski's teenager taught me how to get in numbers mode. Baby Steps.

:nana: couchie's on a roll!

[Iseeme]

Good morning

Beautiful wallpapers - that is one of my favorite pictures as well..........beautiful, beautiful man with a beautiful, beautiful profile.

Well the Jolie-Pitt twins were born last night............and where on earth did they get the name Knox for that little boy! Is she going to call him Knoxie? Obknoxie? Big babies, too. Each at last 5 lb.s

And on other news, was reading an interview with Michael James and Jason Castro wherein Castro says a former Idol called him "dumb as a rock!" KLo opening her big mouth again. She also said it was "the most boring season yet!" For someone who didn't win, and barely has eked out a living with her singing...............she ought to have a little more "shut upness" in her life! Neither guy was too complimentary of her. Kind of makes you wonder where that girl is coming from......

Muski - enjoy Portland. The last time I was there they had an ice storm. We were at the National Figure Skating Championships and had to walk to the arena with tube socks on our shoes because the ground was solid ice....Very strange weather. But Portland is a really nice town - hope you get to see some of it.

Company is still here and I'm looking forward to their departure and a return to my quiet life......I supposed that isn't very nice of me, but I've been cooking and doing dishes since Friday afternoon.

[muskifest]

And on other news, was reading an interview with Michael James and Jason Castro wherein Castro says a former Idol called him "dumb as a rock!" KLo opening her big mouth again. She also said it was "the most boring season yet!" For someone who didn't win, and barely has eked out a living with her singing...............she ought to have a little more "shut upness" in her life! Neither guy was too complimentary of her. Kind of makes you wonder where that girl is coming from......

Yeah, but Iseeme what did they say about Clay? Oh, that's right. He was on Broadway at the time so was rather occupied at the time...

Oy..big day of scrambling to get ready for the attendees...

Pray for me.

(PS...went into town last night and just sorta stumbled onto Nordstrom Rack. And that's all I'm gonna say about that. )

[Iseeme]

Nordstrom Rack.........

Actually, neither Clay nor any other Idol was mentioned. This is a series of interviews with the folks on tour. Michael James sounds like a hoot!

I guess I just don't understand what KLo hopes to accomplish by dissing the Idol machine......she would be in law school were it not for Idol. Oh crap - imagine her as a lawyer.............

[cindilu2]

I'm probably just late on the uptake here, but as I was gazing longingly (what? shuddup!) at the Unicef photos this morning, my eye spied something that made me grin!

A lovely little microphone tucked in the V of his shirt!

Maybe there will be video in one of his upcoming field reports? Pretty please!!!

[ldyjocelyn]

Oh crap - imagine her as a lawyer.............

I always thought you wanted someone LIKE that as a lawyer...someone not afraid to speak their mind, especially if they are fighting FOR you...but that's just me.

BTW, isn't it Michael JOHNS?

cha cha, nice wallpapers! God, he looked so young back then...

cindilu, I noticed that a few days ago too, and am dearly hoping for some footage.

[Cotton]

I noticed that a few days ago too, and am dearly hoping for some footage.

Ahem . . .

[playbiller]

Well, I thought it was a pretty dull season of AI, myself. AI is funny instead of putting through people looking for talent, they look at people who are already established*, and I think were ringers for the most part. Nope, in the auditions they still had 2 types of lines, and if you could sing, you had to luck into the correct line. If they were looking for bad auditions and you could sing, you were out of luck. I now visualize the Ai offices with a line of PR people waiting to present their erson for an audition. Now, there were people who saw Michael Johns and David Archeletta line up to give their resume and name and they were told to come in and audition directly for the judges, so I wonder if they needed shots of them in line before because they never had to sing for a producer or wait in other lines, I am assuming the same happened for most of the rest. As to why do I believe this previous statement, it is because I was following the identifying of the singers on IDF where people were reporting who they saw in line and o got a golden ticket, etc so the information was received early on before the show aired and when the show did air, they were 100% correct on the contestants.

As to Kim, I think she is getting worse in interviews, his was a gossipy gay magazine that was buttering her up to get her to talk, and you know they wanted her to say something bout Clay, which she probably refused. I don't think she really paid much attention to the show and accepted surface appearances, or maybe it is because I read too much backstage gossip, but Jason did come off worse in the interviews, but on the other han, he wasthe one true amateur on the show and admitted the show was had and he could barely keep up with the work since he did not have a repertoire of songs to choose from, but as far as intelligence, he was supposed to do missionary work and did AI instead, but he also got a full scholarship to college. I can't really defend Kim's comment, but I have to say she has the longest thread she ever had in the IDF board of people trashing her. Sometimes you need to be more alert for little traps the reporters lay for you.

On the Clay front, AMENDED

Hoping for video and another UNICEF blog.

[ldyjocelyn]

I noticed that a few days ago too, and am dearly hoping for some footage.

Ahem . . .

That's just dirrrrty...and on a Sunday morning, no less...

[KAndre]

Man, last night was fun - got home at 2:30 this morning. kf helped me flesh out my plans for a dictatorship (though I will have to beat Scarlett to it) and discovered that I am argumentative.

As for KLo...she has a decent enough career in music without having to resort to bingo calling like some people...and I can't argue her opinion of last season's AI (do a search for "boring" in the AI thread...it is a major theme) or of Jason Castro (frankly, his comments about being brain-dead sorta of sealed my opinion of him) - because that's what I thought too. Because it was boring. Clay doesn't even watch it any more. At least she apparently watches it. KLo ain't everybody's cup of tea, but she's OK as far as I'm concerned - she has her issues but everyone does. But if Johns and Castro are dissing her, I would suggest they wait until they get to where she is - because a lot of former Idols have totally crashed and burned. I'd have to see the article though.

[Iseeme]

EEP - of course it's Johns.....Michael JAMES is my next door neighbor....he's a hoot, but he can't sing a lick!

This is probably not a nice thing to say, but I don't think KLo has much integrity, is totally out for herself and she appears to be reactive! So big mouth or not......who knows if she would be a good lawyer. What actually does constitute a good lawyer? I'm just not a big fan of hers anymore. For as close as she and Clay seemed to be, she hasn't been exactly close-mouthed about him and not in a good way, either. I realize some of those folks probably got tired of anwering questions about Clay but she could have been like Ruben......he showed some class and had the least reason to be generous where Clay was concerned.....

I don't think this season of Idol was boring at all. I DO think it's moved away from the amateurs (like Clay said...in better words) and that has taken away some of the "awww" factor! But there were more good singers - good being a relative term - than in past years, IMO. The show is pandering itself for viewership. Kind of makes you wonder what we'll see next year..............

Ohhhhh - a microphone! That has to mean something.

Here's the article:

http://www.comcast.net/tv/seenontv/4220/ba...ichaelampjason/

I would have to agree that they shouldn't be bad-mouthing her either but she started it....na! na!na!na!na!

[KAndre]

But what exactly has KLo said about Clay? Because especially for an ex-friend in entertainment, I found her to have kept her mouth appropriately shut. When she was a friend, she still keep her mouth appropriately shut.

No integrity? I know I don't know her well enough to say that - because frankly there have been just as many nasty unsubstantiated rumors about her as anybody else. As being out for one's self, especially in the music industry, seems to be a sensible thing - because lord knows (and I'm sure as Clay has found out) if you don't look out for yourself, no one else will. Reactive? Hell, she got a totally education in that from Clay fans. Why the hell should she have to be like Ruben? She's like herself and "class" is a totally relative term.

As for AI7, glad you liked it. But this summed it up for me:

Ultimately, I don't give a shit, though.

You know, I think that just about covers it all.

Good singers last season? Not particularly in my opinion - and many of the song choices weren't even entertainingly horrible. Just boring as hell. Besides David Cook, I can't remember anything anyone sang, and only 3 of DC's songs stick out to me. I remember them messing up more than I remember them singing. And I actually watched most of it.

[Iseeme]

Okay KAndre - you like her, I don't. She's only a blip on my radar so I don't really care. But I do think the whole thing with the alleged tour was pretty bad and made Clay out to look like an arrogant brat. Didn't matter what reality was - she goes on record as saying he hasn't returned her calls in X number of months implying he's too busy to deal with old friends (my interpretation!) And wouldn't you get something clarified through him or his management before you ran your mouth about a reunion tour? A tour that would only benefit HER? Do you honestly think he didn't return her calls? The iPhone is permanently embedded in his ear, for one thing. Yes there are probably other sides to it but it came off pretty petty - IN MY OPINION.

Off to brunch. And then peace and quiet in the house.

No news on mil's property - or at least no one is calling me - but the fire is allegedly 65% contained - up 20% from yesterday, which is good news. Of course that doesn't mean it's contained near her.....but hope springs eternal.

And - had two teensy, tiny little spindly-legged fawn in the driveway this morning. Took a picture through the screen door and will try to post it later. It's a little fuzzy but you can see the little thing. I swear, all these does have twins!

As for AI7 - we all have different tastes in music and what's entertaining to us. I'm not a music expert and apparently I'm easily entertained. But we all agree on Clay's music, and that's what's important, isn't it?

[playbiller]

I feel ilike I have to defend everyone now - I think Kim was lulled by this no name place that as trying to be snarky on the season and egging her on. I think Castro came across as dummb, but because I rad a lot, he actiually is more intelligent that most of the people who were on the show

What has Kim acutally said about Clay

he is not gay

he is not gay

He is not gay

.......

he is not gay

He wrote something that insulted her and would you do that to a friend

But mostly she has refused to talk about him. I think he is probably still saying he is not gay, people just don't print it anymore because they don't have to print it.

Boring - well these professional people seemed to have only one genre each, no one dared move out of their ox, when they tried the judges forced them back into it - just aq few times they tried other things. Every singer forgot words and didn't really get called on it, Every singer was off key at least once in every song. BOOOOOOORRRRRIIIINNNNGG

[Iseeme]

I think as long as AI continues to force these people to sing songs they've never heard of or would not sing in a million years - its going to come out sounding like shit! I don't think being able to sing some of those genres is a way to measure their talent. Then they crack on them for their song choices. Makes no sense from a talent-search point of view and makes every bit of sense from a "reality TV" point of view. I watch AI because there isn't much else on that's interesting to me at the time slot. It gets boring here in the mountains once the sun goes down.

And I really can't/wont/don't care to look for KLo quotes. But it would seem to me that even if he pissed her off it would have been better handled in private instead of in the media. Seems like what friends should do. From Clay's perspective - if I may be so bold - if all of a sudden someone announces you're going to do a tour with them, and you allegedly know nothing about it (and you have a Christmas tour, a gig in Spamalot, impending father hood, a UNICEF trip and God knows what else on your plate).....do you let it hang out there for all to see or do you say you don't know anything about it! She should have had some ink on a contract or an agreement before she even brought it up. But as I said before, she's only a small blip on my radar and I'm sorry as hell I even mentioned the article.

Now - I really AM going to brunch because they're honking the horn for me.

[KAndre]

Nah, I just dislike what I perceive to be unfairness toward someone. I am really indifferent to KLo, but people have been saying incredibly nasty things about the woman as soon as AI2 was over. I don't know what happened. No one really does but Clay and Ruben and KLo, and they all seem to have moved on.

As for Jason Castro, that article just reinforced my perception that he's not the brightest bulb. 1340 on his SATs? Dude, that is NOT bragging material - and I'm hoping he at least got that when they were still scoring the SATs as topping at 1600. If he got 1340 out of 2400, if I were him, I would just be quiet. (And so I practice what I preach, I scored 1499 back in 1979 - which was the 99.5 percentile back in the day). Let him lay out his GRE/LSAT/MCATs and see if he has anything to talk about. The "jump in the lake" thing was fine as a defensive remark (and I don't really see it as a diss) - but at least he know he DID come across as pretty damn dumb.

[laljeterfan]

Sounds like all of the baseball-game-goers had a good time Friday night. Thanks luckiest for your mini-recap of the Jays-Yankees game- although I must confess, I enjoyed yesterday's game MUCH better!

Gibby- hope your DD is back on track soon! Seems like the singing is a good sign.

Haven't watched AI since Clay's season, so I have no idea about all of these names being bandied about. I liked K-Lo when I watched the show, but right now she's so far off my radar as to be non-existant.

Got into a philosophical argument about music with my son yesterday, before he headed off to camp overnight. He wants me to take him and his BFF to a concert at Darien Lake (Clay content) next month- a dual bill of Slipknot and Disturbed. (shudder) Being a person who likes to "rank" things, he asked me which of those two bands I liked better. When I told him I don't like either of them, he told me to name another singer that I like, besides Clay, and that he would tell me which one of them he liked better, even though he doesn't like their music. Then he told me that the only reason I don't like his music was because it's too "heavy", and that the singers swear a lot. I agreed that those are two of the reasons I don't like his music. This led to a discussion on whether there was any swearing in any of the music I listened to- and I had to admit that occasionally there was. This led to my searching for songs on youtube of some of the music I listened to "back in the day", for him to listen to. He cleared out of here pretty quickly, but I spent most of the rest of the afternoon pulling up old forgotten songs that I haven't listened to for years. It was fun.

Last evening, I went to the first non-Clay concert I have been to in years. My cousin and I decided on the spur of the moment to go to the Turning Stone Casino (more Clay content) to see Linda Eder. (I know that someone mentioned her name back when we were having the discussion about other artists we enjoy.) It's amazing what a totally different vibe there is surrounding a non-Clay concert. Granted, this is a small venue, and she's not a superstar performer, but it was a nice, low-key way to spend the evening. She has a beautiful voice, and it was a pleasant show- but no real excitement, anticipation, etc. Made me miss Clay all the more.

[jmh123]

There are feelings of jealousy or resentment regarding treatment of Clay, competition with Clay, and so forth that color a lot of comments about the show and the contestants.

Jason Castro had something like a 1350 on his SAT and a full scholarship to college. (ETA: I'm assuming that's out of 1600, but I could be wrong. That's what it used to be, and that would be in the 90th percentile somewhere. KAndre--you're a smart cookie!!!) His laid-back attitude and fish-out-of-water status on the show made him seem dumb to some. I have to give him credit for not getting sucked into the hype. He has a wonderful recording voice. I had a few AI things on my iPod and heard one song and thought--who is this? He's good! So I tracked down all of his studio recordings on line (for free) after the show ended and I really like them. I also found some original songs written by him, and they're also quite good IMO. In addition to playing the guitar (and ukelele), he's also a percussionist.

Several of the male bloggers that followed the show this year for the big publications, for instance Michael Slezak for EW and the guy from the LATimes (I think), totally loved Carly Smithson. I never saw what they saw, but she's also getting raves on the tour. Perhaps she just doesn't have the on-camera personality, but is really good live.

I think they're all probably really good, and good kids too.

The trouble is, even after all these years, the talent is better than the show, IMO. You get about a minute and a half of singing and a whole lot of fluff and filler. You get god awful group songs from people who can't dance or sing harmony. You get endless manipulations from the judges and the producers trying to influence the outcome. Ah, what could be versus what is, is very sad.

As for ringers, I think Kristy Lee Cook snuck under everyone's radar. People always talk about Johns or Archuletta, but she's another one who had an album out prior to idol, and now she has a contract, a single already recorded that hits radio on August 11, and an album coming in the fall.

According to this http://blogs.usatoday.com/entertainment/20...-15-minute.html

American Idol finalist Kristy Lee Cook has signed with 19 Recordings/Arista Nashville. Her first single, 15 Minutes of Shame, arrives Aug. 11, and the album follows in the fall. The album is being produced by Brett James, who co-wrote Jesus, Take the Wheel for former Idol champion Carrie Underwood. The signing marks the return for Cook, 24, to Arista Nashville. She was signed to the label as a teen but dropped before recording anything. Cook will record her album while touring with American Idols Live, which kicks off Tuesday in Glendale, Ariz., and runs through Sept. 13.

Despite this statement that she never recorded anything, she has a 2005 album on iTunes and Amazon mp3. You can hear her new single here: 15 Minutes of Shame.

Whatever else KLo has done wrong or right, I really appreciate the fact that she doesn't diss Clay in interviews--and she so easily could, and get a lot of attention for it. I'm sure many interviewers have tried really hard to get her to do so. Piggie Hilton made a big deal of promoting an interview with her with all kinds of hints about what she would say about Clay, and came up with a big zero. Even after the attack of the Claymates following the Reunion Tour debacle, she made one comment about that and moved on.

Good to hear from the eHP this morning. How are the Hong Kong plans coming?

[Ansamcw]

Although I totally love Jason Castro (he is now in my top 5 idol...with Clay, Kelly, Carrie and Ruben) and Klo's statement made me think ...beeyotch...I don't really think it reflects on her overall character. She was talking to a gay publication and from what I have observed from my gay firends and even experienced in some gay media and publications...bitchiness...cattiness and bold statements are certainly encouraged. I don;t know if she would have used such colorful language if she was speaking to people magazine for example. I do believe part of her appeal to the gay community is her boldness...her willingness to to take risks. That may turn off some people but it has worked for her in her career.

here is the quote from that article about Klo...

VB: What's one misconception about you that you've seen online, or wherever?

MJ: That I'm downright hilarious. It's too much pressure. I'm sick of it, quite frankly. [Laughs] No, I don't know. We're pretty much open books on the show. For me, I haven't really had any negative stuff written about me.

JC: I come across pretty dumb, I guess. I've gotten that a lot. A certain somebody was quoted saying I was dumb as a bag of rocks.

MJ: Yeah, who's that? On the show?

[Jason leans over and whispers in Michael's ear]

MJ: Oh yeah, Kimberley Locke. She can go jump in a lake.

JC: That's just what I heard.

MJ: She said that he was dumb as rocks. She was going around saying this season was, like, the most boring ever.

JC: Yeah. But the fact is, I am a brilliant test taker. I made a 1340 on my SAT. I'm just not an idiot. There's just so much going (in my head) it's hard to get it out.

MJ: Brilliant.

To me...this whole incident made Micheal, Jason and even Klo more interesting. They are people that are not afraid to say whats on their mind and put their foot in their mouth. Kinda like Clay.I like that...they are not boring.

As for last season....It was actually my favorite after season 2 and its precisely because of Jason and Brooke who were so raw and natural, real on the show that they made tons of mistake. It made the show more interesting to me and made me care more. I did like some of David Cooks performances and thought he was the rightful winner...but other than that...the rest of the crew were meh to me. So I do agree with Play...that putting in all these pros do tend to make AI boring if what made me care was the one true amateur in the bunch.

[playbiller]

Kristie did not fall under my radar, there were just no stories about her not having to audition on IDF. The way she was treated on AI and after AI, yells ringer to me - he album will be the first one out and she is already recording. I don't even have a problem with ringers being on the show if

1) they let people who are standing in line know the real chances of being on the show, since only a few of them made it this year

2) they stop making up stories about these people, Like Kristie selling her hourse when her family sells horses for their living and she id not do anything special, the family is well off. Sometimes the truth goes further, for example the missionary work that Castro delayed

3) judges not killing off the people they don't want with fake criticism and allow the "winners" to get lightly teased for worse things. Yeas Archuletta, I am thinking about the show where you lost virtually all the words to your song and did not make your marks. Ignoring off key singing for the favored, but mentioning a missed note for the undesired. Did you see a lot of standing O's for Randy this year? Did you see Simon yawn more than once, this year was boring for the judges as well.

Clay content

there is a link to a blog that excerpts It''s All Clay Aiken''s Fault: From Chicken Soup For The American Idol Soul

[luckiest1]

Sounds like all of the baseball-game-goers had a good time Friday night. Thanks luckiest for your mini-recap of the Jays-Yankees game- although I must confess, I enjoyed yesterday's game MUCH better!

Hee, yeah, they sure turned that thing around, didn't they? I heard Derek Jeter got a home run in the first inning. Wheeeeeee! We would have been just as happy with that game, I think. Like I said, we support both teams! But it was nice to see the Jays win at home.

Although I totally love Jason Castro (he is now in my top 5 idol...with Clay, Kelly, Carrie and Ruben) and Klo's statement made me think ...beeyotch...I don't really think it reflects on her overall character. She was talking to a gay publication and from what I have observed from my gay firends and even experienced in some gay media and publications...bitchiness...cattiness and bold statements are certainly encouraged. I don;t know if she would have used such colorful language if she was speaking to people magazine for example. I do believe part of her appeal to the gay community is her boldness...her willingness to to take risks. That may turn off some people but it has worked for her in her career.

I know nothing about Jason Castro, so can't really comment on her comments as related to him, but I will comment on KLo in general, because I have been a fan of hers from the outset. My daughter and I drove to the states too see her perform in a gay bar last year. We came away from that experience a little disillusioned.....she really was different in that environment, which is to be expected I guess, but overall, she seems to have changed, and not for the better, just judging by the different interviews I have read with her. Add to that her statements about touring with Clay and the angst that caused.....while I am thankful she doesn't diss him publically, and I still like her music, I'm not that big of a fan of her as a person, anymore.

[cindilu2]

So.... how about that Aiken fella, hmmm? Isn't he awesome?

[Ansamcw]

Nah, I just dislike what I perceive to be unfairness toward someone. I am really indifferent to KLo, but people have been saying incredibly nasty things about the woman as soon as AI2 was over. I don't know what happened. No one really does but Clay and Ruben and KLo, and they all seem to have moved on.

As for Jason Castro, that article just reinforced my perception that he's not the brightest bulb. 1340 on his SATs? Dude, that is NOT bragging material - and I'm hoping he at least got that when they were still scoring the SATs as topping at 1600. If he got 1340 out of 2400, if I were him, I would just be quiet. (And so I practice what I preach, I scored 1499 back in 1979 - which was the 99.5 percentile back in the day). Let him lay out his GRE/LSAT/MCATs and see if he has anything to talk about. The "jump in the lake" thing was fine as a defensive remark (and I don't really see it as a diss) - but at least he know he DID come across as pretty damn dumb.

Hee I was just going to ask if that is a good score. But he is in Texas A&M I think...is that a good school?

Yeah I really like how self aware Jason is...

and jmh...I love love his recording voice...just right up my alley. I dled most everything I can find of his.

[luckiest1]

So.... how about that Aiken fella, hmmm? Isn't he awesome?

Yep, he sure is. Just watched the Broadway Cares/Equity For AIDs DVD again with my mom, and this time I watched the ending with all the award presentations. Very cool! I didn't realize it went on for so long, and Spamalot's 1st runner up presentation was saved until the very end, with the winner, Rent. I also hadn't seen the performance by the 104 year old dancer, that was pretty neat too! Mom enjoyed it.