MUSIC REVIEW: Chris Sligh's Running Back to You

I have been hard on Christian music for many years.  In fact, this has been one characteristic of mine that has really not changed much since high school.  I remember irritating my youth pastor Jimmy Fogleman with my caustic comments about various Christian albums.  That didn't stop in college . . . or in Tampa . . . or in Orlando.  I even have made rude comments about Christian music to my friend Dave Senes - who is the Programming Director for WAY-FM Christian Radio in Nashville.  (He took them well - filed them in the "Ignore what David Says File.")  Why have I been such a jerk over the years?  

I think it is because I love music.  I listen to music whenever I can.  More correctly, I love good music (doesn't explain my Weird Al albums).  It should have good music, and good lyrics.  I want it to be moving and powerful and fun.  Music has always been a part of my life.  I often just find myself singing for no reason as I wander around - songs I know, songs that I change the lyrics to, songs in a bizarre Operatic or choral style that drives Heather nuts.  My kids have heard my singing since they were babies when I would walk and sing them to sleep.  Sadly, due to my acid reflux, my singing voice is much damaged and does not have much range.  But I still love music.  

Here's what I hate about music.  I hate being told who I am supposed to like (David Crowder).  I hate having older artists get by on their laurels for years even after they lose their passion and skill (Point of Grace).  I hate having music executives identify trends and put out clone artists to make money (Whoever the Sarah Bareilles knockoff is on the radio now).  I hate songs being played over and over and over again until you learn to hate them (Chris Tomlin).  I hate contrived and manipulative songs that try to jerk your emotions for no reason other than that they can (Cinderella, Mark Schultz).  Put all those things together, and you can see why I am so hard on Christian music.  The industry as a whole is guilty of all of those things - on a very regular basis.  And Christian radio just perpetuates those problems.  

The problem is that when I don't listen to Christian music, and I am saturated with other music, I begin to find myself drifting.  I don't think there is anything wrong with me listening to U2 or Michael Buble.  But if that is all I do, I drift.  So I have to force myself to listen to Z88.3 - our Orlando Christian station - or to my iPod, which doesn't work right in my car.  After doing that for a few days, I get to the point where I can't take it anymore and find myself listening to Rihanna warbling about her Umbrella-ella-ella or lying boyfriend.  

All of this contributes to why I am so thrilled when I find some high quality Christian music.  A couple weeks ago, I heard a song "Empty Me" on the Z.  It was great - and a familiar voice.  I looked at Heather and asked, "Is that Chris Sligh?"  Sure enough, the DJ announced it was Sligh from his new album.  When it iTunes, I bought it.  And, dang, it is great.  For those of you who don't know, Chris Sligh was in American Idol 2007.  He was the slightly chunky guy with curly longer black hair.  During the early rounds, he sang Mute Math and dcTalk.  And his poking fun at himself and Simon got him early favorite status.  Well, right before the final 12 were named, he started to develop a bit more nasty attitude with Simon - nearly got him booted.

Once the Top 12 started, the fun loving Sligh was nowhere to be seen.  He was still popular enough to make it through the first two shows, but got booted and finished 10th.  His comment was, "I made the AI Tour, which was my goal."  It made us wonder what had happened to him.  And after listening to this CD, maybe a small hint comes out.  His song "Empty Me" talks about how the spotlight is addictive, how quickly your heart can stray, how fast you become a prodigal.  It makes me realize that he may have been battling a lot more than we thought in those contests.

The CD itself is 13 incredible songs - all written by Sligh.  He also plays numerous instruments and does background vocals.  I have not heard an album this good since Kevin Max's "The Blood" CD I mentioned back in January.  Actually, Sligh's is better.  A quick rundown of the CD:

1. ARISE - Incredible song about God's mercies discovered each morning.
2. CRY TONIGHT - About the fear involved in trusting God, thanks to all the times we've been hurt by people.
3. I'M CLEAN - One of the greatest songs I've ever heard about God's forgiveness.  Talks about how God sees us wrapped in Christ's Righteousness.  Difficult concept for people to understand and accept - much less write songs about.
4. EMPTY ME - "Empty me of me so I can be filled with you."  Sums it up.
5. SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL - We can't understand the mysteries of God's grace.  We just know they are amazing and beautiful.
6. LET YOU KNOW - Great music on this one about trying to figure ourselves out.
7. IN A MOMENT - Christ's love changes everything in a moment.
8. ARE YOU PLEASED? - My favorite song on the disc.  INCREDIBLE lyrics.  Asking God are you pleased with me?
9. POTENTIAL - The frustration of when are finally going to grow up and "make it" to a maturity in life.  Great relatable song.
10. LOADED GUN - Took me a while on this one, then got severely convicted by it.  We claim to be loving, but never make our words match our lives - or our witness.
11. WAITING FOR YOU - Echoes of Rich Mullins in this question of why God takes so long.
12. LOVE IS RAINING DOWN - Fun upbeat song about God's love.
13. VESSEL - Inspired my post on being a Vessel recently.

I know this was a long post that was roundabout in its purpose.  But I have been wanting to write about this album for weeks.  It is amazing.  And I think it would encourage so many people.  Plus, the dude's voice is gorgeous and the music is a fun mix of stuff you would hear on any station on the dial.  In short, it is not locked into "Christian music" genre - even though the words are some of the most Christian I've heard in a loooooong time.  Full of theology and doctrine and wrestling.  In fact, I think I'll listen to it again.

FerreTV: Heroes, Villains, and the Bottom 3

Last time, I promised I would talk about why the current setup for American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD) will actually hurt the show in the long run. When you look at AI and SYTYCD as a kind of modern-day sports program, you can begin to see why these shows are successful. We latch on to a person or two, cheer for them, feel the drama when they blow it, and actually have an impact on the outcome. In sports, fans love to believe that they can change the way a game goes. Very rarely is this true, but it can happen. This past year's Golden State/Dallas NBA matchup showed a group of fans who did change the series. I remember going to one UCF football game where the fans got so insane the other team got a penalty and ended up without a score on that drive - which cost them the game. But, honestly, we only affected a few plays. In these shows, you determine the winners ever week.

However, one of the most overlooked elements of sports is the need for a villain. You need to have someone to cheer against. It is hard to get into a game when you don't care who wins. But, if you really loathe some teams, it multiplies the number of games you have an interest in. You can watch a game to cheer for your favorites OR to cheer against your villains. The same has been true in AI and SYTYCD. The success has been as much in the favorites as in the villains. In AI, for example, this has been very obvious. In Season One, it was Nikki, whose 3rd place finish majorly irritated "true fans" of the show. The much superior Tamayra was voted out in the 4th position; Nikki largely advanced on her appeal to guys. In Season Two, there were several obnoxious characters (Carmen, Matt). But the true example was actually Clay Aiken himself. There were a ton of people who loved Clay (my wife), and a ton of people who couldn't stand him (me). That was what made that season work all the way to the end.

Season Three brought us the tone-deaf Jasmine Trias, who finished third largely due to huge vote totals from the West Coast and Hawaii. Season Four gave us Vonzell Solomon who made it to thrid place. But, again, the finale featured a villain in the person of Bo Bice - who a huge number of older viewers hated. Season Five was one of the examples of this process breaking down. The best singers finished 3rd (Elliot) and 4th (Chris). However, the finale had some interest for people because a lot of people (me included) couldn't stand Taylor Hicks. But the series began to show some cracks when the top four all were pretty appealing. When that happens, it is like a game where you like both teams. It really doesn't matter who wins. You know any of the four will put out a good album - which has been proven. Chris Daughtry has a triple-platinum album, Elliot has a critically acclaimed one. Katherine and Taylor both put out albums that sold around 1 million copies each. Katherine's biggest victory may come in crossing over to movies. All four were viable options, somewhat likeable, and talented. There was no tension.

Then you come to this year. There were two villains - Hayley and Sanjaya (three if you count Antonella in the semifinals). In the case of Sanjaya, he was the biggest villain ever on AI. He couldn't sing; he was arrogant; he was weird. But the ratings were huge - until he got booted. Then they dropped off bad. Why? Everyone said this was the strongest crop of singers ever. And that is the exact reason. Once Sanjaya and Hayley got booted in slots 7 and 8, there was no drama. Honestly, if anyone else won, we knew that they would be successful. The top six all were good. So, who cares who wins? I know that I didn't care (as long as Chris Richardson didn't win). AI itself recognized this and did something they never had before. Every year they release a "best of AI" album - with one song per competitor. They did that this year, but they went much farther as well. They also released a Collector's Edition - with studio versions of 76 songs. There are ten songs by Jordin, Blake, and Melinda. Nine songs by Lakisha, eight by Chris R, and so on. Almost every song that was performed on the show made it on the album.

You know who the big winners were on that? Not the top two. The album proved that all of them would make for a great recording artist. In fact, the two stars of the record are Lakisha and Phil - who sound darn good in the studio. After that, Gina is probably the next best. Powerhouses Jordin and Melinda actually suffer because they come off as a bit boring, since they sound exactly the same and get old fast. Blake actually takes a hit because some of his biggest hits from the show get watered down on the album. This record is one of the greatest pieces of evidence that the show is in trouble. Everyone is good. Most of them are polished. As the show has proven itself as a legitimate star-maker, it has lost some of that "it could be the guy next door" element. Just like in real sports, we can't relate to these people any more. This year, Brandon and Melinda were background singers. Chris S was a worship leader and already had recorded an album. Phil was a member of the Navy Rock Band - one of the hardest groups to get into in the military. Jordin had won a Junior Idol competition in Arizona. Gina had tried out other years and performed in local venues in between. Most of the people have already polished their image; some already had stylists and handlers. Last year, both Taylor and Chris already had released failed albums.

When every person is equal, it is frustrating every week to watch them get tossed in the bottom three and voted off. It isn't about talent at that point - it is always about who dials the most and the fastest. That is exactly how Jordin and Blake beat Melinda and Lakisha. Even though the two divas had bigger fan bases from the very start, their fans were not the type who speed dialed a hundred times. (They are, however, the type who buys albums.) What happens next year, when this will probably lead to there being absolutely NO villains in the final 12? We can get a glimpse of that in SYTYCD this year. Even though this is only the third year for the show, it is going through the process faster - probably due to the pedigree of the producers. Last year, the only year I watched, there were people to root against. The biggest was Dmitri, the Russian heartthrob who always found a way to take off his shirt. I wanted to climb through the tv and choke him. This year, all 20 finalists are excellent and personable and good looking. There is no one to root against - no weak spot, no arrogant turd. Even the people the show has tried to cast as villains have turned out to be nice - actually they have been the most delightful of them all (Danny, Dominic). The only thing that even closely resembles a villain is Cedric - just because he already lost one partner. But his solo dancing is so freaky and amazing, you can't hate him. And he is a genuinely sweet kid - even when getting shredded by the judges.

So, in just the second week of voting, the judges themselves admitted only one pair deserved to be in the Bottom Three. If the judges feel that way, think about the viewers. Every week is a frustration because good quality dancers get stuck in the bottom. This is compounded by the fact that they have to do choreography designed by someone else - and only have control over executing it. We have already seen where the choreographers bizarre vision has cost a pair - even though they danced his weirdness flawlessly (Pasha and Terri come to mind).

There has to be a villain. These shows have tried to cast a judge as villain - Simon on AI and Nigel on SYTYCD. The problem is that both guys are actually immensely likeable and funny. AND they are always right. Educated viewers know this. So how can you hate that? And how successful is a show going to be where you only have the judges to root against? Well, how well would a sport do when the only person you could hate were the refs? Hating the refs is a bad sign. That means they are incompetent or corrupt. I'm not sure exactly how to fix this. You can't force the shows to include punks on their rosters. Even if you did, they would do a 180 if they realized they were the "heel" of the show. However, if this doesn't change, fully expect both shows to continue to see a drop off in viewers. It is just the nature of sports.

FerreTV: Idols Dancers and Athletes

One of the biggest challenges for me as a blogger, and one reason I will probably never ascend to much more than a site read by more than a couple dozen people, is a lack of time. I always feel bad writing on here. I feel like if I have time to plop my lard butt down in front of my Apple and write about the evils of Billy Donovan and who is the better singer on American Idol, then I certainly should be using it in a more constructive manner. (This is the same reason I have not posted my Oceans Thirteen review.) So, I will go through these long periods of no posts, which I am sure frustrates the few people who actually wander on to this site.

That being said, I have had this series of posts on television that I have been wanting to post for a while now, but just have not been able to force myself to do. Part of that was the aforementioned time issue. The other problem is that I am not sure how much you fair readers care about television. But, I honestly don't know how much you care about anything else I have written, so I am going to go ahead and start this thing and see what happens.

The other day I was watching So You Think You Can Dance (or SYTYCD, as reflected on their new line of clothing). Well, this is the third year of this show. And I admit I am hooked. I don't know squat about dancing. My idea of dancing is leaning up against the railing around the dance floor and making fun of everyone else. When I try to dance, I look like a lumbering bear with a pulled hamstring. But I like the show. It is NOT because there is great dancing going on - there is, or so I assume. I wouldn't recognize good dancing from bad dancing. Honestly, some of what is raved about on the show looks like somebody got a couple bees stuck in their oversized sweatshirt and hot pants. The other day, there were TWO routines where dancers imitated birds. (Huh?!?) When my son runs around squawking and flailing his arms around I yell, "STOP THAT! PEOPLE ARE GOING TO THINK THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOU!" I certainly don't go, "So, you think you can dance? Well watch this lumbering bear impersonation with jazz hands."

Anyway, I watch because of the drama - same as what drew me to American Idol. I remember reading a sports writer (I think it was Kornheiser) who wrote a few years back that American Idol was the new sports in America. You have favorites and villains. There are matchups that favor some competitors over others. You have judges and announcers and corporate sponsors. Well, I tend to agree with him. That is what makes these shows so entertaining. There is a sports element to it. When Sanjaya and Haley were scorching their way through AI this past year, I was screaming in agony at the television worse than when Duke was a powerhouse. When Melinda got knocked out, it was like watching the Dallas Mavericks get ousted in the first round this past NBA season.

SYTYCD is very similar. I have favorites (Pasha & Jessi, Hok, Dominic & Sabra) and un-favorites (Cedric, Shauna). I was horrified when bird couple Pasha/Jessi ended up in the bottom three. When Cedric made it through, I shook my head. It was like sports. Possibly this transfer has happened because sports has lost some of their attraction to me - and to many people. AI pulls in over 25 million people a week. The NBA Finals pulled in 6.5 million for the fourth game. Sports has become something that no one can relate to. Honestly, unless you are a genetic freak who is tutored and trained from an early age, you aren't going to play sports. It isn't like it used to be, where you could have a dream to make it into the big leagues. If you are still hoping for that, sorry to pop your bubble. That combined with free agency and the big business element of sports, and you have something that people enjoy, but are not as vested in.

Here's an example. When I was growing up, here was how I viewed sports.
NFL: My favorite was Dallas, period. I hated the 49ers, Dolphins, Steelers, Redskins. My dad like Chicago. My brother like the Redskins (of course). My mom like Denver (because of Elway).
NBA: I liked the Hawks. I hated the Celtics and Lakers. My dad loved the Celtics and hated the Lakers. My brother loved the Lakers and hated the Celtics.
COLLEGE: I loved the Georgia Bulldogs, hated Notre Dame, UF and UM. My dad liked UM and hated UF. My brother loved USC.
MLB: I loved the Yankees and hated the Red Sox and Braves. No one else cared.
NHL: I was not aware this was a sport.

Everyone had favorite teams and favorite players - FROM THOSE TEAMS. I cheered for Tony Dorsett and Herschel Walker (the perfect match of UGA and Dallas - until he got traded). I loved Dominique Wilkins. I hated Joe Montana, Dwight Clark, Roger Craig, Dan Marino, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, every UM quarterback. There was no cross-pollinating.

Well, then came Michael Jordan. Herschel got traded for 243 people, which helped Dallas win Super Bowls. The Hawks traded 'Nique and he ended up on the Celtics. I realized people like Montana and Marino had personalities. Charles Haley - of the 49ers - signed with the Cowboys. And that Rat Fish-Turd Shaq left the Magic for the Lakers. The whole thing got muddled. Now, I cheer for players more than teams. You can't get committed to a player through your favorite team because they won't stay there.

Now, my view of the sports landscape is this:
NFL: I like the Bucs and Jaguars - but hate Dallas due to their personnel decisions and approach to business. I also hate the Dolphins, 49ers, Broncos, and Patriots. When the Steelers won their title, I was happy for them.
NBA: I like the Magic, but also like good stories - like Golden State this year. I cheered for Michael Jordan. I hate Kobe, so I hate the Lakers. I still hate the Celtics, but they are so pathetic I can't beat up on them too bad. I like the Spurs' approach to basketball.
COLLEGE: I still love UGA. I love UCF. I follow USF and wish them well - except against UCF. I loathe UF beyond belief. I went through loving FSU and now hating them due to their thuggery. I can't stand Notre Dame, UM, BYU, and Duke. I also cheer for any team that is an underdog (unless I hate them) and any team that can wreck havoc with the Top 25, the BCS, or the Tournament. I cheer for any team who can advance UGA or UCF with a win.
MLB: I love the Yankees. I hate the Red Sox and Braves. I like the Giants - and have loved Barry Bonds. The overwhelming circumstantial allegations against him have started to turn me. I wish his knees would explode so we could stop hearing the stupid home run record argument. I don't like A-Rod, but I admire him and he's a Yankee so I have to cheer for him. I am starting to hate the A's, Angels, and Diamondbacks.
NHL: I was glad Tampa won a title. Does that count?

So, the sports scene is so crazy, I have turned to rooting on singers and dancers. I find myself more committed to catching those shows than sports - even playoffs. I watched part of 3 of the NBA Finals games. I turned off LeBron's 48 point masterpiece in the 3rd Quarter. I missed two entire rounds of the NFL playoffs this year. I also missed three rounds of the NCAA Tournament this year. I did not watch the UF National Championship game - either football or basketball. I quite frankly did not care. I watch no baseball until the playoffs. I watch a handful of Magic games, and try to watch the NFL on Sunday. But I DVR American Idol and SYTYCD and make sure I watch them. I even bought the complete AI collection CD this year - 76 songs (more on that in part 2). These shows hold as much interest for me - and for America.

Why? Because THESE are regular people. Phil is a Navy guy with a wife and kids from Jacksonville. His dad is a pastor. He's bald and looks like a cross between a vampire and Gollum. Chris Sligh is a worship leader who went to school with one of the administrative assistants at First Baptist Oviedo. Jessi on SYTYCD is from Florida, and works in an office and hates her job. We can relate to these people. We all sing. We all dance around. We all hate our jobs and want to see something amazing happen. That is what attracts people to these shows. Unfortunately, that is also where they are in some real danger - which I will get into in the second part of this series.

Greatest Night of Television

Before I start talking about one of the greatest nights of television in recent history, let me make a few corrections and additions to my running diary of American Idol from Tuesday.

- The winning song WAS written by Christian recording artist Scott Krippayne. Weird. First, don't you think professional singers should have been eliminated from that contest? Second, isn't it ironic that Christian music is considered so lacking in quality by the music industry, yet it was good enough for the AI song finale? Third, does this actually highlight how cheesy the AI final is by the fact that the final song was a cheesy one written by a Contemporary Christian artist?

- Chris Daughtry has only sold 2.5 million albums. My bad.

- When I said JoJo and JoJo Junior Miss, that was referring to Katharine McPhee.

- I didn't actually watch the show live. i watched it on DVR and guessed on the times. HAHAHAHAHA. I'm a dork


Okay - last night, we had the results show of American Idol and the season finale of Lost. I wanted to give some comments on each - because I know both of you are dying to know what I thought.

AMERICAN IDOL
- I alternately loved and hated the show.
- I loved the Gladys Knight number with the girls. Wow!
- I loved the opening duo with Blake and Jordin.
- I loved Blake's beatbox battle with Doug E Fresh.
- I loved any time someone named Kelly Clarkson or Carrie Underwood was on stage
- I hated the stupid Golden Idol awards.
- I hated the performances by Tony Bennett, Green Day, Gwen Stefani, and Bette Midler.
- I hated Sanjaya's solo. Why him and not Lakisha?
- I hated any time someone named Taylor Hicks was on stage.
- Jordin deserved to win and will probably be a huge star.
- I thought Clive Davis was funny. He took shots at Kelly Clarkson and her refusal to use the assigned songwriters on this album (actually he took about ten shots at her). He took shots at Taylor and McPhee. But he at the same time had to praise Clarkson, Daughtry, and Carrie - while patting his own back. And how old is this guy? 95? 102?
- I think the American Idol tour will be very good this year.
- The Beattles tribute was good. It would have been awesome if it had ended with Sir Paul McCartney coming out at the end to sing.
- For all of you AI haters, just take a look at who participated in the night and who was in the audience to realize that this show is HUGE in the entertainment world.
- I thought it was awesome that Melinda and BeBe and CeCe got to sing together.
- Where was Fantasia?
- Where was Clay?
- Overall score: 9/10

LOST
- I said on this blog a few months back that Heroes had surpassed Lost. After watching the two finales, I must say i was very wrong. Tim Kring - creator of Heroes - go watch the Lost show and talk to your buddies over there for some lessons on how to close a season out. Heroes did such a great job all year and then had the weakest finale. Lost, which had stumbled a bit in the Fall, made it all pay off with a very strong Spring, and then a Finale that blew your mind.
- Death count: 14 or 15 (depends on if one guy will stay dead)
- I cannot believe that I have to wait NINE MONTHS to see another episode of Lost.
- Every single person brought their "A Game" last night. My heart was pounding five minutes into the show.
- I found myself this morning in the shower just standing there thinking about what the heck just happened on Lost. Now THAT'S a good show.
- SPOILER ALERT: If you haven't watched it, don't read the rest of this post.
- I will miss Charlie. But it was amazing how they made that happen.
- Hurley is awesome. Even after everyone minimized him the whole last few episodes, he comes through tonight.
- I think our survivors just opened a monstrous can of worms. I can't even begin to guess what they are going to deal with now.
- I had no clue at all that the Flashback with Jack was actually a Flashforward until it happened. And the questions that came up after that? Good night.
- I think that Jack's dad someone got resurrected on the island and is still alive, Kate married Sawyer, and Locke is the one who died. Or none of that. Who knows.

American Idol Finale 2007

Well here we are. It is the finale of the weirdest season of American Idol ever. It has been impossible to guess who would win. At one point, it was actually plausible that the freak Sanjaya could pull off an upset - and then right when his momentum was getting the fastest, he got voted out. And then the most consistent and professional contestant ever (Melinda) gets booted before the big night. We have watched every season except the first year. Year Two had the battle of the titans Ruben and Clay. Year Three had the Cult of No Personality that ended with Fantasia and Diana DeGarmo. Year Four featured the down home battle between the soon-forgotten Bo Bice (hey! he sang the theme song for Blades of Glory) and the huge star Carrie Underwood. Year Five had the best two singers booted in spots 3 & 4, and left us with karaoke hour with Michael McDonald and JoJo. Now, this year we have the most evenly matched year yet - maybe even more so than Clay and Ruben.

Jordin and Blake have huge followings, very versatile approaches, good family sympathy votes, and great talent. They are young, pop-friendly, and going to sell huge numbers. So, let's kick off with some cheesy computer graphics and the overblown, overhyped finale. This....Is....American Idol.

8:00 - It's Rod Serling. Oh, he's too pretty. Hey, there goes the cheesy graphics. These never get old. Well, I guess they already were old.

8:02 - Random crowd shots. Any celebrities? Man, that place is huge. Ryan looks especially clean faced today.

8:03 - The Judges. Randy Jackson looks like Michael's fat black brother. Paula doesn't look too beat up. She's high on painkillers, drugs, and booze. In other words, it's a Tuesday. Ryan just called either Paula or her dog a b****. Good stuff.

8:06 - Time wasting retrospective of the Seattle auditions. Man, I forgot just how weird Blake was. And, could his dad match him any less? His dad looks like a refinery worker. Blake looks like a freak. I'm always surprised Blake is even in this thing - he should hate this commercialized bull. Jordin, on the other hand, was created for this moment.

8:08 - Is anyone else dreading the Songwriting contest? I am.

8:09 - Man, I can't wait for Ratatouille to open.

8:12 - The coin toss. Ridiculous. Let's get singing, people. You have wasted enough time. GET ON WITH IT! "This is My Now"? Good night.

8:13 - Blake starts with "You Give Love a Bad Name." I will go on record - as a huge Bon Jovi fan - that I LOVED this version. I thought it was brilliant, and it showed his singing skills so much. I just wish Blake would get rid of that stupid streak job. He looks like a skunk pelt. Sounds just like the first time. Good choice.

8:15 - The first set of useless comments. Why bother? No one is going to listen to the judges tonight. Randy criticizes the singing. What? Paula rambles - the drugs are really kicking. Simon once again is brilliant - Blake IS the best performer. Which is why he will win.

8:16 - Obligatory finalists shot. Ryan is witty tonight - he really is what makes the show work. Snark . . . it's what for dinner.

8:17 - Jordin singing Xtina's "Fighter"? This could be ugly. She's not the best rocker (Jordin) and she's not a skank (Jordin).

8:18 - Hey, I just realized that Jordin is Xtina's husband's name. I also realized Jordin is off key and shrieking. I also realized Paula is doped up worse than Paula usually is.

8:19 - More useless commentary. Randy just called her stellar. What? Paula called her stellar. What? Simon acknowledges the younger choice - - and called her shrieky. Hey - that's what I said. But, Jordin has the ability to make all but the most perceptive people drink her Kool-Aid. Which is why she will win.

8:21- Ryan says Blake is going to sing Maroon 5. I hope that he does the one that they screwed up last week live on television. This show with Kelsey Grammar and Patricia Heaton looks funny. I love both of them.

8:24 - Blake talks about the birth of his beatboxing skills. Awww. Shameless plug by Ryan. Awww.

8:26 - "She Will Be Loved" for the Blakester. Risky choice - remember he's not the "strongest singer in the competition." This is the video where Adam Levine seduced Kelly Preston. I wonder if she got confused by the sight of a man who had not had enough plastic surgery to technically be considered a mannequin. So far, Blake did a passable job for a lousy singer.

8:28 - Anyone find it funny that Simon made the "not the best singer" crack this week? There is only one other singer.

8:29 - Randy loved the vocal. Ricky Schroeder sighting. Paula rambling and babbling. Simon bashes Blake and his song choice. He is the only person who actually knows what he is talking about. But the crowd doesn't even care about the judges' comments and they love Blake. Which is why he will win.

8:31 - Marlee Matlin sighting. Heather makes a good point. "She's at the American Idol finale and she's deaf?" I have trained Heather well.

8:35 - Jordin couldn't ask for more. Well, except maybe winning. She's singing "A Broken Wing" by Martina McBride. I thought this was one of her weaker outings this season - plus she was so overshadowed that week. When she sings low, it is like she disappears. Her lower register sucks. But here she is off key and shrieking again. Man, that is what Lakisha got bashed for every week - yelling. STOP SCREAMING AT ME! I HEAR YOU!

8:38 - Where's Philippi? Randy again. He's really ticking me off. He keeps his streak alive of mentioning she is only seventeen. He said that every week. Paula is a doofus. Simon finally pays a compliment. She is so sweet and smiley. Which is why she will win.

8:41 - Apparently I have been corrected. Jordin was NOT screaming. Scott Krippayne? He wrote the song? Is that the same Christian artist? That couldn't be. I don't know how this whole contest thing is going to go. I mean, there's no way this will be as good as "Do I Make You Proud?".

8:43 - Schmaltz.

8:44 - Heather just pointed out that there is no fifty person choir this year. "There's always a fifty person choir. Or Meat Loaf." She should write this.

8:45 - This song is stupid. And Blake is doing a horrible job. His voice is all over the place. BUT, them judges have to be nice. They don't want to hurt album sales when this sucker gets released on Thursday.

8:47 - Randy wants to destroy him, but is waaaay too nice. Paula even was holding back. Simon can't be mean, even though he wants to be. "It's not a bad song." That song was totally written for someone like Jordin. She'll tear it up. Blake was screwed. He never should have had to sing that dumb piece of garbage. Ridiculous. That is just poor planning to hurt one of your contestants by having an uneven playing field. You know they thought that Melinda was going to make it to the Final. That is why he will lose.

8:50 - Shameless Shilling and the Seventeen Year Old.

8:51 - As they would saying in judged Olympics sports - there is a crack here and Jordin needs to step up and take the title.

8:53 - Let me correct something I wrote earlier. The song doesn't suck. It sucked when Blake was singing it. It doesn't sound bad at all when Jordin sings it. In fact, it is pretty good. Her performance here reminds me of Kelly Clarkson's "A Moment Like This" from Season One.

8:54 - Back to the sports analogy - great routine, and then she falls on the landing. She cries and her voice cracks. She knew she had won and couldn't finish. Amateur. What is she? Seventeen or something? That is why she will lose.

8:55 - Simon is going to call it right here. He is awesome. She won it on that last song. It was pretty even. Of course, it was like making Blake ride a three legged horse. That is the closest I have ever seen to a fix on Idol. I am sure it wasn't fixed - it was preparing for Melinda vs. Jordin.

8:57 - Recap. This will only serve to show how much overmatched Blake was tonight. Man. That Maroon 5 song was a bad choice. And he mangled that last song. Jordin actually did great tonight (for a seventeen year old). Her crying at the end actually got her about 100,000 extra votes. BUT with this season, who the heck knows. Sanjaya could win.

8:59 - The judges all doom Jordin with their predictions. Except Paula. She's just a twit. Postmodernism. Simon hates that. There are winners and losers. And, dang it, Paula is a loser.

9:00 - What? Daughtry is going to perform? Sweet. YAY! I love them. Seriously. Proof that America doesn't know anything. He has sold three million albums. Michael McDonald Jr, JoJo Junior Miss, and Elliot Yamin combined haven't sold half of that. Take THAT! If only Chris would get rid of that stupid eyeliner. How are you supposed to be a tough rocker and wear that much eye product? Ladies of the night down in West Palm Beach would think that was excessive. Good song though. Good band. Good night.

Still Alive

I am still alive. I know that my posts have been infrequent on all my sites. It gets hard to find time to keep up with everything. When I get into a writing mode at work, it also seems I have a hard time writing for pleasure. Whatever the reason, I have certainly failed on my duty to the blog universe.

Those of you who enjoy my movie reviews should be happy. By the end of the night I should have posted three new over on the Rotten Tomatoes blog. You can find that over to the right of the page. The summer movie season is in full swing, and I am trying to stay current. So far, the only "big" movie to come out was Spiderman 3. I finally got to see it tonight. I plan on getting to Shrek the Third this weekend too. So, check the movie review page often.

Check back here next week. I want to do another American Idol finale running diary. We'll see how that goes. Well, have a good weekend. Ciao.

Three Weeks

It has been three weeks since my last post. A lot has happened in that time, but unfortunately none of it on this blog. I'll get some housekeeping out of the way, and then I promise there will be a couple more posts in the next couple of days.

Speaking of posts, part of the big reason that I have not been posting regularly is because I have been setting up and maintaining Defender Ministries' new blog and new podcast. They are more time consuming than I thought. I also have been developing our new Disciple Now style weekend curriculum "Operation Isaiah." Things are moving pretty quickly with Defender, which is great after the barren wasteland that was the end of 2006. Here's hoping and praying we stay super busy.

Speaking of super busy, movie season is almost upon us. I saw two movies in the theater during my blog hiatus. I have reviews for both Meet the Robinsons and Shooter on my Rotten Tomatoes page. I also tossed one up there for the older 16 Blocks that I caught on HBO. There are some major events coming up in the next few weeks. But the biggest may be May 4 - the opening of the Summer Movie Season. I cannot wait. Spiderman 3, Shrek 3, Oceans Thirteen, Pirates 3, Harry Potter 5, Rush Hour 3, Bourne 3, Die Hard 4, Fantastic Four 2. Plus the non-sequels Ratatouille, Underdog, Transformers, Surfs Up, and Simpsons. Awesome. Of course, only two of those films are original and not based on something else. Why? Because that is what we like. So shut up Oscar bait, America has spoken.

Speaking of America . . . uh . . . speaking, I have tried to refrain from letting my true feelings out about the current American Idol season. I was going to do a week by week review of it, but when I realized some things, I knew it would be a bad idea. I would just get to angry and ugly. Why? Well, Sanjaya is going to win. It is funny how AI producers have tried to play off the influence of web sites like votefortheworst.com, but the fact of the matter is that they have a HUGE impact. And now that the idiot Howard Stern and his moron buddy Perez Hilton have taken up the fight, it is a foregone conclusion. At this point, Sanjaya could get up there with his hair in curlers, rip his shirt open, starts rubbing cocoa butter on himself and sing in a collection of grunts, tongue clicks, and the word "me go winky some night time" and still win. And Haley Scarnato will probably be in the top three or four - largely because she realized that showing her legs and wearing see through jiggle tops is much smarter than singing well. If you think I'm wrong, go ask Gina Glockson, Chris Sligh, and Phil Stacey (who will go home tonight). At this point, the only thing that Sanjaya could do to get booted was make a racial slur.

Speaking of racial slurs, it appears that Don Imus has reaped the whirlwind for his comments about the Rutgers' ladies' basketball team. I certainly do not condone his actions. But, I think there are some points to be made about the incident. That is going to come in another post, though.

Speaking of another post, I plan on putting a couple up this week to make up for lost time.

Speaking of lost time, tonight's episode is supposed to be one of the best ever. I've really enjoyed it since it returned from break, and I really like some of what is going on with it. We have really stripped down our viewing from the logjam of the Fall. Now, it is 24, How I Met Your Mother, American Idol, Jericho, Lost, The Office, Scrubs, 30 Rock, and Heroes (when it comes back). That may not seem stripped down, but it is. And, no, I could care less about any show HBO puts out.

Speaking of not caring, check back soon for more posts.

A Big Steaming Scoop of TV

I have been so busy that I haven't even been able to try to post lately. There have been several different things I wanted to post about, though. All of them have to do with TV, so I am just going to condense them into one huge delicious serving of TV prattle.

GRAMMYS
I wanted to do a live blog for the Grammys. But I completely forgot that it was even on the air until it had started. We went to a small group for our new church (oh yeah, we found a church - woo hoo - check it out here) and when we got back the show had already started. From what I read, I didn't miss much. I hate the Dixie Chicks, so I wouldn't have enjoyed the huge party everyone threw for them. I've lost a lot of interest in the Grammys. Most of the awards are given away before the show itself - and the whole things just feel bloated and out of date. Speaking of out of date....

OSCARS
I do plan on doing my second annual Running Oscar Blog this year. I still have not posted my much-anticipated scathing Oscar Nominee Reaction yet. That WILL happen, and you WILL be stunned - perhaps even moved to action. Speaking of action....

LOST
The other day, I was talking about the show Heroes. I made the statement, "It is better than Lost." At that point, Lost had not returned from its lenthy hiatus. I think both of them are great shows, but Heroes does something that Lost had forgotten how to do - provide answers. Every week, Heroes leaves us with mysteries and head-scratchers that contribute to the long-term existence of the series. But there is also a lot of payoff each week. It is kind of like a comic book (funny, that). Each issue has a lot of payoff and action, but also leaves bigger unanswered questions. Lost had gotten to the point where there was very little payoff each week - just more mysteries.

Until last week. I guess Lost heard all those comparisons and decided to punch the doubters in the mouth. The last two episodes have been as good as anything in Season One. I had honestly forgotten just how good Lost used to be - before it started to buckle under the weight of its own hype. When Lost is at its best, it is the best show on television - the best acting, best writing, best spookiness. Last week's episode was amazing - and it featured the most brilliant additions to the cast (Elizabeth Mitchell, Michael Emerson, MC Gainey). This week, Lost was back to the old-school Season One mind twisters. The ending of the episode leaves you reeling, trying to figure out what just happened. And it wasn't one of those "let's throw some twisty junk in here at the end so we can hype the last five minutes." The whole show was twisty and turny and crazy - and it built on each other until the last five minutes ties it all together into a monstrous "What the heck?" moment. And it featured the other great addition to the cast (Henry Ian Cusick). So I take back my comment. Speaking of taking back comments....

TIM HARDAWAY
So, it finally happened. Ever since that Ameche guy came out as the first gay former basketball player who never mattered when he played, even when he played for Orlando, the media has been waiting for someone to trip up. They have been trotting past, present, and future players past the microphone, hoping SOMEONE would say something inflamatory. I was listening to the Dan Patrick Show on ESPN radio the other day and he had Rip Hamilton from the Pistons on. Patrick based was baiting Hamilton into making a comment. Rip said he would be okay to play with a gay player, as long as the player played well and contributed. Dan kept pushing, saying, "Come on, it wouldn't bother you? Not even a little bit?" It was ridiculous.

So, Dan LeBatard (fills in for Tony Kornheiser on PTI all the time) has a radio show down in Miami, and he drags retired Tim Hardaway in front of the mic. Hardaway was always outspoken while a player, so he was a good pick. And BAM, he goes and makes all these comments about how he hates gays and doesn't think they should be allowed in the NBA or America. LeBatard acts all horrified and says, "That's awfully homophobic and discriminatory." Hardaway keeps going. Now it is huge news. The NBA has banned Hardaway from any All-Star Game activities. Commissioner David Stern has disavowed the comments. I'm sure this will even come up when Hardaway's Hall of Fame candidacy comes up. "He was a great player, but he hates gay people."

And then Hardaway apologized, just like Isaiah Washington before him. And I'm sure that Hardaway will now meet with major gay groups and go to therapy also. That's what I don't get. Hardaway obviously feels this way - why is he now acting like he doesn't? No one believes that he was misquoted or anything. They all know that he is just trying to repair his image. The other thing is, do you honestly think he is the only one who feels this way? Get real. Out of all those athletes, the only homophobic one is a retired guy? No, he was the only one stupid enough to be honest about it. I've been around athletes before, and they are the most homophobic people out there (well second to church people). And you want me to believe that all of these sportswriters who are acting so offended by the comments are all above reproach in THEIR opinions? Sure, some of them I believe are not like Hardaway. But I bet there is a huge chunk that feel exactly the same way. I think about our local sports stations, and I severely doubt that the guys on there are perfectly accepting of gays - but they will trash Hardaway to no end over those comments. The more that media influences sports, the more that players have to be just as worried about their public image as their skills. It won't be long until we hear the pre-draft assessments of players go like this, "He's got tremendous upside. He's long and has a huge wingspan. He can shoot from the perimeter and has great court vision. He also is quite composed in interviews and looks good on a poster. He cut his cornrows to be more appealing to White America. And he has never said anything stupid on tape. High first round media potential." Speaking of potential...

AMERICAN IDOL
I could make an argument that American Idol is the best show on television. I may even do that at some point. There is no denying that it is wildly popular. I think part of the trick is that it is always changing gears and shifting. The first part is the audition - which is almost like a variety show with tons of comedy. They it shifts to Hollywood for the first round of cuts and the Round of 24. This is dramatic, like a reality show - with some audience participation. The last part is the Round of 12 with the Finalists. This is the week-by-week eviction like Survivor. Plus the show is fun and you get to hear music. And it is insanely clean. There is no cursing or sex. The worst that pops up is if one of the contestants wear an immodest outfit - but they are off the screen in a few minutes, so no big deal.

This year is is going to be more exciting that ever. There is not one person who jumps out in front like Ruben or Clay or Kelly did. But there are a lot of engaging people. There also is a ton of diversity this year - more than ever. Two of the front runners are overweight singers with incredible personalities. Seven of the 24 are African-American, one is Asian, one is half Filipino/half Portugese, two are Hispanic, one is Indian. Half of the group is from a minority group - which is cool because they all bring different takes on the music. The Indian guy sounds like Stevie Wonder. One of the contestants' dad played in the NFL, another's dad was a popular musician in the 50s. I can't wait for the real competition and singing that starts this week. Good stuff.

I'll be back with more soon - hopefully I'll get the Oscar stuff posted. We have State Student Conference this weekend and a conference in Tennessee next week. Defender is speaking at both, so I am trying desperately to get everything finished. See you all soon.