Paula Abdul Hears Two Songs On American Idol

American Idol judge Paula Abdul must be hearing double. On April 29, 2008, American Idol decided to change the program format, they left the judges appraisal after the all the participants have finished their performance. So after the first set of performance Paula Abdul give her feedback for the Top Five Finalists. She started with Jason Castro and commented for the two songs that Jason supposely sung. The twist is Jason had only performed one song.

This week judges Abdul, Randy Jackson and Simon Cowell were made to take notes, then offer individual critiques in rapid succession at the end of each round. The reason, Seacrest offered, was because “this show is so tight.”

This week the contestants performed two Neil Diamond songs. However after each of them sung their first song the judges will offer their comment and on the first set that’s where Paula blundered. After Randy Jackson give his comments, it was Paula’s turn to give jher feedback.

“Oh gosh, we’ve never had to write these things down - I’m not fast enough,” she began, shuffling through her notecards. “Jason, first song, I loved hearing your lower register, which we never really hear, um …”

The first statements are good enough, but let’s look at the next one.

“The second song, I felt like your usual charm wasn’t - it was missing for me. It kind of left me a little empty.”

Empty? Ahm, I though Jason only performed one song?

All six people on stage, including Seacrest, stared blankly (except Syesha Mercado, who wore the furrowed brow of mystification).

“The two songs,” she continued, “made me feel like you’re not fighting hard enough to get into the top four.”

After a smattering of nervous crowd laughter, Jackson finally broke the tension.

“That was just on the first song,” he said sheepishly, pointing up to Castro. “Just on the first one.”

Simon Cowell closed his eyes and shook his head, and began to guffaw as Abdul’s confusion mounted.

“Oh my god, I thought you - I thought you sang twice!” she said.

She then tried to explain that she got confused by looking ahead at the notes for David Cook.

At that point Seacrest, who makes his money by smoothing over situations just such as these, pointed to Abdul, saying: “You’re seeing the future, baby!” before cutting her off and throwing it to Cowell.

Even Cowell gathered himself to help patch up the moment, patting Abdul on the shoulder and asking, in an effort to speed things along, “Paula, who was your favorite?”

Her reply: Cook (the same contestant whose performance she supposedly noted as having left her “empty”).

Pressed for time, Cowell then put an end to the awkward-fest by bursting into his own rapid-fire valuation: “Jason, forgettable; David Cook, just above average; Brooke (White) a nightmare; David Archuleta, I thought it was amateurish; and Syesha, I thought it was old-fashioned.

“So guys … I want to see the performance of a lifetime coming up,” he said, as if to ensure absolute clarity, “the second time around.”

No Comments »

No comments yet.

Leave a comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.