On the Scene: The 'Idol' final performance show
May 23, 2007, 12:13 PM | by Adam B. Vary
Categories: 'American Idol'
Oh, but for the want of a pair of magic binoculars, PopWatchers — and, of course, Mindy Doo. For last night's Idol final performance show of the season, I was placed in the third row of the second balcony of the Kodak Theater, and while I wouldn't dream of complaining about getting a hold of such a hot ticket, my ability to be your eyes and ears at the event was significantly curtailed by my near-nosebleed seat. For one, I had to stand to be able to see the judges table at all, and since the people sitting behind me made it quite clear that even leaning forward blocked their view, I have no clue how the judges behaved while the cameras were on. (During the ad-breaks, I was able to hop down to the ledge at the end of our aisle to get the bird's-eye-view.) For another, though my skills at celeb spotting are better than most — given I get paid to pick out the guy who won Grease: You're the One That I Want from the crowd waiting to get into the Kodak — I have yet to make a serious study of the back of famous people's heads. Which means it was only after I was watching the show back on the telly that I realized Jennifer Hudson was sitting a mere aisle away from Mindy Doo and Kiki, so I had no clue that I needed to be keeping a sharp eye and ear out for a diva-off. Sigh.
No, seriously, sigh. Like I said, far be it from me to complain, but after three months of live shows and Corey the WUC, to arrive at the climax and not be treated to a full-on Melinda Doolittle feast leaves me feeling, well, less than enthused. Flame me below all you want for hateradin' on Blake and Jordin's big night, but I knew going into this week that I was going to need some extra help to muster the kind of on-the-scene recap you've come to expect.
Fortunately, due to a logistical fluke involving my colleague Shirley Halperin and Apolo Anton Ohno's soul patch/strip/secret weapon, I found myself with an extra ticket for last night's show. Since my good friend Garrett just happened to be celebrating a birthday this week and was a Jordin mega-fan, I figured he'd be the best company for the night. (I chose to overlook the time he compared my Mindy to the star of a certain blockbuster animated movie. You know the one. Think shaming thoughts in Garrett's direction for me, won't you?) So as I walk us through the evening, look for Garrett's comments to pop up now and again.
First, I'm happy to report that the night was Corey-the-WUC-free! Instead, the old-school charm of Johnny D carried us through the evening, thank goodness. It didn't take long into his routine for him to expose a fascinating irony, too: his request for cheers from Blake fans and then Jordin fans were appreciably louder than his earlier request for cheers from American Idol fans. Seems these finalists are already bigger than the show. Garrett: Man, there are a lot of people who like Blake. Indeed, from our vantage point, there were considerably more signs for the Seattle-area beatboxer than the Arizona professional 17-year-old. The entire right-side box seats were all signaged for Blake.
Johnny introduced the other ten Idol finalists, who entered roughly in the order of when they were kicked off the show, Brandon Rogers leading the way. Garrett, smiling: Did you see how long Gina's hair is? (Garrett's an even bigger Gina fan than he is a Jordin fan. He was also rooting for Melissa McGhee last season. Melissa who? Exactly.) Then came Randy, then Simon, then Ryan. But no Paula. Phil took photos of the crowd, Chris R. and Melinda danced with their arms around each other — aha! canoodling! — but no Paula. Randy and Simon take their seats, Debbie instructs us to remain quiet until Ryan introduces us to America, and still no Paula. "Where's Paula?!" bellow several audience members. Finally, a minute to go, and Paula quietly enters the stage, guided gingerly by exec producer Nigel Lythgoe, so wobbly-footed that she topples back into Nigel's arms for a brief second as she climbs the steps to her seat.
By this point, I had already seen Paula's earlier, wobbly TV appearance after her dog-induced, nose-damaging tumble, and while I enjoy loopy Paula as much as the next guy, the eggshells manner with which everyone around her — Nigel, Randy, Ryan, the crew, the hair and make-up peeps, even Simon — treated Paula gave me some serious pause. During the subsequent ad breaks, Paula walked around under her own steam to greet Blake and Jordin's families sitting on either side of the judges' table, but any much further than that and she very much needed the help of a steady hand. No snark here; I just hope she fully recovers soon.
Ad break #1: Seacrest's parents are in the house, but the Idols stay put as Blake's drum set is placed on the stage. As we enter, finally, into the performances, the awesome cheering power of a capacity theater hall audience is unleashed upon poor Ryan, who has to talk through the deafening clamor that drowns out his entire explanation that Blake and Jordin will each sing a song they've never done before. After Blake is finished and Ryan starts in with his IDOLS-01 routine, the audience spots Jordin entering stage left and lets out a massive whoop of excitement. (Yes, that's what that was about.)
Ad break #2: Idol semi-finalist Leslie Hunt comes over to powwow with Sanjaya, Gina, Haley, and Chris Sligh. Garrett, during Blake's performance: The band is too loud; you can't hear Blake. While the different acoustics between the live show and the one TV has been an issue all season, I gotta agree, the band really did muffle some of Blake's softer notes.
Ad break #3: En masse, the ten seated Idol contestants get up and walk in front of the stage and up the far right aisle, greeting and high-fiving people as they go. At first I think they're leaving, then just making the rounds of the audience that adores them so. But then the ten abruptly stop in the top right corner of the orchestra section and just kinda stand around, saying hi to the same people. Seat fillers dutifully occupy the Idols' vacated seats, so I wonder if they're about to do some sort of plug for the Idol tour, but then, just as suddenly, the ten saunter back the way they came to their seats, several of them (Melinda, Chris R., Phil) briefly stopping to hug it out with Blake's parents. Meanwhile, we're all serenaded by Sabrina from Miami, a young girl singing "Happy Birthday" after Johnny D hands her the mic. (This, PopWatchers, is what is called foreshadowing.) Jordin sings, and stands next to/towers over Ryan, which looks even funnier when viewed from above. Garrett: It looks like she could just step on him. Her head is, like, two times bigger than his head!
Ad break #4: Debbie decides that the songwriting team for "This Is My Now" needs to leave their on-the-left-aisle seats and take seats on the right aisle. Johnny D makes his way up to the second balcony — on the opposite end from us, alas — to gab with some girls about Idol Camp. (This, PopWatchers, is what is called building dramatic tension.) Blake sings "This Is My Now." Garrett: Where is the gospel choir?
Ad break #5: I watch a full drum set get wheeled into position stage right and realize we're in for a surprise. (Yes, TiVo viewers who didn't also record On the Lot, Daughtry, pictured, did perform "Home" over the closing credits. Yes, he blew Jordin and Blake out of the water and managed to smile more than once. Hopefully there'll be some clips on YouTube.) My one solid celeb sighting of the night: Ricky Schroder bringing his daughter up to meet the judges. (Constantine Maroulis doesn't so much count.) Sligh goes over to pay respects to the "This Is My Now" songwriters, which I would find beyond lame if I hadn't actually listened to all 20 of the songs in that competition and come away feeling like "This Is My Now" was the only song even remotely worth hearing 853 times on summer radio. (Seriously, one of the songs was so tuneless and depressing, I think it actually may have been about suicide.)
And then, oh then, came Megan from Pasadena. Megan, you see, was pimping Idol Camp to Johnny D last ad break, and Johnny D has now handed her his mic for her to sing "The Star Spangled Banner" — with just over a minute and a half to go until air. Megan starts out fine, nothing worth putting on American Juniors, but fine, and, more importantly, she's got the entire Kodak Theater's attention. Then her voice cracks on "rockets red glare," and we all start to cheer for her. Melinda sends Megan a Paula clap. The band begins to give her some soft accompaniment. I look down and see Nigel and Debbie starting to quietly freak out, and I realize young Megan has taken American Idol hostage, and Johnny D isn't enough of a hardass to cut short her moment of glory. 12, 11 — "and the hoooome" — 8, 7 — "of thaaaaa" — 5, 4 — "braaaaave!" We cheer. Johnny D takes the mic. "Megan" — and we're back! — "from Pasadena!" Cue Ryan on the first balcony.
Which is to say, yes, you weren't imagining things, that was what you heard right before Ryan spoke. And I fear Johnny D may never work another Idol show again.
Ad break #6: I have to confess I didn't move to my perch at the second balcony's edge for this ad break, because I was too caught up in my discussion with Garrett about how much Jordin nailed "This Is My Now." Having since watched it back on TV with him, it's interesting for me to realize that, for the first time, I actually preferred Jordin live rather than on TV. From afar, she looked like she was feeling the song in a fundamental way that Blake simply missed, vocal virtuosity aside. On screen, though, well, Garrett? Her facial expressions are kinda weird. Couldn't agree more.
Epilogue: After Daughtry performed, we filed out of the Kodak and grabbed a quick bite to eat at the Hollywood & Highland mall to avoid the throng of traffic leaving the parking garage. Garrett and I discussed whether Idol has jumped the shark this year. We paid our bill and sauntered back towards the underground garage. When we reached the escalators, what was playing over the mall Muzak? Kelly Clarkson, "A Moment Like This." And it all comes full circle.
Tomorrow, look for team coverage from the finale like you've never before seen on EW.com. Shirley and I will be reporting from the red carpet and the backstage press room, including one-on-one interviews with the winner and the runner-up. Our lovely and amazing colleague Alynda Wheat will be your mole in the Kodak; she's a newbie to this whole blogging thing, so promise me you'll go easy on her. And Mandi Bierly will be live-blogging the show the way you see it, from the living room couch.
I'll leave you with a brainstorm I literally just had a moment ago that has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that I'm operating on precious little sleep. For the omigod-it's-Prince moment of this year's finale: how about Tina Turner singing "The Best" with Melinda Doolittle, the sound of which is discovered to cure cancer. Whaddaya think?
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