Brad, Bette, a Beat-Box Duel, and The Beatles!

Brad, Bette, a Beat-Box Duel, and The Beatles! by Roxanne McDonald

Rivaling the Academy Awards ceremonies, the American Idol finale brings on the eclectic performances and presentations—starting the phenom night with red carpets, press, and pretty dress.

I recall last season how many times I got goosebumps—when the Golden Awards were delivered and one earlier contestant (or failed auditioner), who thought he looked and sounded just like Clay Aiken was brought back, awarded, asked to sing, and as he croaked instead of crooned, was surprised by the appearance of Clay, truly nailing the song.

This year, I was impressed all over how truly big Idol has become, the pre-show as much as the finale looking like Oscar night.

And the line-up of presentations, presenters, and performers was a blast!

The best of the best, Bette Midler

Joe Perry (from my favorite band, Aerosmith)—though he was almost…almost less powerful cause his first partner in song was Sanjaya. Argh. If Sanjaya had shut up and just

smiled that cute and silly grin, we would have had a supreme instrumental. But then the little fanjaya would not have had the second joy she had in the audience AGAIN.

The cool as ever Ruben, who was so good he actually pulled off singing a Beatles tune not all that suited to him, per se, but which he mastered like a seasoned songman. That is, it was interesting and pleasing at once to hear 501 doing LSD. LOL.

Green Day! Who did a seamless rendition of “Working Class Hero.” (oh, wait, I don’t need to critique these superstars, duh. Forget where I was, for a minute.)

Gwen Stefani kicked out the jams with a new song.

Kelly Clarkson did two awesome numbers, both rock-heavy and great.

Carrie Ughderwood. Okay, while I still have some kind of aversion to her (maybe more resentful than I have a right to that she and not Bo Bice won), and while she was on the edge of snooty on the red carpet as she said Fantasia (who was working) got a “free pass out of this one,” her second performance was absolutely charming and lovely.

Blake and Jordin doing solos, duets, and group pieces, were both adorable and win-worthy. (Congrats Jordin, though!)
The return of the top six women was great, as was the return of the top six men, especially when they were all dressed in variations of black with silver or white (coolest jackets and tops, guys) and when Chris Sligh (sigh) brought a crystalline-as-ever voice to the mix.

Smokey Robinson was darling with his classic and unfaltering sound, and Gladys Knight was as ever the legendary voice many of us remember as one of the best in the biz.

Dougie Fresh and Aaron B made Blake’s beatbox less a controversial choice and justified it as a genre, a style of singing that was wicked.

Stunning and sweet was the appearance of Melinda Doolittle and the singers she used to back.

Tony Bennett was exotic and classy at once…as usual.

Taylor Hicks (another of my picks) was the bomb. Man can he get down and wail, without apology, without need for one.

Brad Garrett, not performing, but doing his signature mopey look while sitting at the judges’ table at one point, made me think of the Idol finale as a kind of equalizing party—where all who enter are in it together, having respectable but damned good fun.

The African Children’s choir was absolutely a-dor-a-ble!

And “The Man with the Golden Ear,” Clive Davis, was awesome in his advertorial but acknowledging speech about the combustible combination of Simon, Paula, Randy, and record-breaking stars like Daughtry (who was announced as this year’s biggest-selling artist, with over 2 ½ million album sales). Yes, he prefaced with the Chris Daughtry infor, to deliver another award to Carrie Ughderwood. I know. I was trying to sidestep that fact.

Anyway, I wonder what the stats are for viewers of the Academy Awards as compared to the American Idol finals?

Well, let’s peek, shall we?

According to Nielsen Ratings, in 2005, 41.5 million viewers enjoyed the 77th Annual Academy Awards. According to Ryan Seacrest, right before he crowned Jordin Sparks, there were a new record 74 million votes. And that’s just votes that got through by people who intentionally voted…saying nothing about number of total viewers (voting- and non-voting, that is). Oh, Reuters press coverage states that “at least 29.5 million” watched this year’s final American Idol.

Well, somebody voted more than once, I guess.

Still, Idol is climbing in status, opening the venue with red carpets and gowns–and jeans, too, making it a more leveled playground for celebrities new and old.

A fun night.

Thanks again, American Idol, and congrats again, Jordin! Blake, you will have no worries, either, though, so congrats to you and may you be the next Chris Daughtry!

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