"Don't ask how I came about it, but I just watched the "We Are the World" video. Priceless! We all seem to agree that the Idol group songs are cheesy. I can only think of a few [group songs], but I have the utmost faith in you to come up with some obscure and wonderful combinations of people... this may be more difficult than it seems." - Pizzamama

Ah… the dreaded group number. So tacky. But that doesn’t mean that all group songs are. As per Pizzamama’s request, I scanned my playlist for good group songs, which did, in fact, prove difficult. Nevertheless, below is a list of my favorite musical collaborations.

Seacrest ponderously announces that the Idols will be singing two songs from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame list of all-time great rock songs.  “Maybe one of them will end up in the Hall some day” muses Ryan.  Eh, maybe not, dude.

After a lively discussion of what is wrong with Idol here at VFTW, I think we can all agree on one point.  What if they took away all the lies and the money-grubbing and humiliation of delusional contestants, and just made the show into a singing competition?

What is so wrong about a nation-wide search for the best undiscovered talent in America?  Oh, right.  Because this..............................................................
Is American Idol...  How could I forget?

I have never seen someone thrown under the bus with such conviction. Bravo, producers and judges. You all but already eliminated Jason Castro before he even sang a note last week, so you're just finishing the job tonight. So what does Jason do? In typical stoner fashion, not give a shit. And it was awesome! Jason’s antics tonight were legendary, even if the rest of the night was a snooze. Even when the contestants get to pick their own songs, we learn that they have really awful taste or have no idea what suits their voice. Thus, the 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll became the 8 Songs that People Will Forget About By Next Week.

Random Idol Thoughts

Paula-Gate 2008 is growing in intensity… well it is for us at VFTW, I think the typical  teeny-booper  (misspelling was unintentional, but funnier)  Idol fans still don’t give a rip that their show is broken this season.

Paula’s AI apologists have come out of the wood-work.  “Oh, it’s just Paula, she made a mistake.  It’s live TV.”  Heck, I even made a bone-headed typo writing about it.  

“Relentless Musical Force” Neil Diamond (to quote Seacrest) is our mentor this week, a week that had strong potential for VFTW bad-goodness. The producers started the ball rolling by presenting Diamond’s starring role in the horrible, misguided remake of “The Jazz Singer”, as a success! That’s like saying “Carly Smithson’s album was beloved by hundreds.”

The Idols had to learn and perform TWO songs each this week. Add in Neil’s cornball lyrics, bullfrog croak of a voice and penchant for shiny shirts... Musical crimes were going to be committed tonight. I mean, this is the guy who seriously wrote a song about E.T. ,”Turn on Your Heart-light.” How could this NOT be a VFTW suck-stravaganza?

This week may be one of the most painful weeks of American Idol ever. Whoever created the Neil Diamond theme week should be boiled alive in Brooke White’s acidic tears. At least last week we had some really fun moments and some decent performances. This week, every single performance was bad or, at best, mediocre. And only one of those “bad” performances was VFTW worthy (of course, from Brooke). The only saving grace to this show was a train wreck of a moment from Paula when she wasn’t paying attention and slipped up that she doesn’t watch any of the performances. Classic!

Carly Hennessy Smithson is no more. Cue “The Parting Glass.” (Seriously, it should’ve been her sing-out song; can you imagine how awesome that would’ve been?!  "All the money that ever I had, I spent it in good company, and all the harm I've ever done, alas it was to none but me!") Slán leat, Carly. Slán leat.

Since Day One of Smithson’s Idol journey, I wanted so badly for her to step on stage, ditch the diva ballads, and break into some friggin’ Bono, man. I mean, come on... girl, you’re from Ireland! You should’ve represented! Eire pumps out phenomenal music. Pay a little homage to your homeland, you know?

Random Idol Thoughts.

-- Two days later and it is STILL funny.  I was convinced that Syesha was going home.  I stood up and cheered when The Plant bit the dust.  That was awesome. 

-- Every time a favorite goes home early and someone stays after a terrible performance, it just validates everything we stand for at VFTW.  If this show was really about giving the best performance week after week then Brooke or Jason goes home, no questions.  Plantson gave one of her best performances Tuesday, so naturally she goes home.