Katherine St. Laurent is Eliminated Tonight. Also in the Bottom 3: Amberly Thiessen and Sebastian Pigott. The only 2 women in the competition were in the Bottom 3? And now the ratio of men to women is 8 to one? Demographics mean nothing in Canadian Idol voting.
I finally wrote up a brief recap of last nights’ show here. The broad theme gave the kids the opportunity to choose better songs, and the results were much better than last week. My personal favorites were Earl, Theo, Mookie and Amberly. My personal Bottom 3: Sebastian, Katherine and Drew, with Sebastian hitting the road. I’m not even going to try to predict the results. I still have not figured out this whole “regional voting” deal…
The broadcast begins at 8 pm ET tonight. I’ll post the video up ASAP, but in the mean time here’s the link to the Mighty, Mighty Igrecman’s videos.
As always, Canadians and border-dwellers have fun until the rest of us can catch up!
Jaydee Bixby performs “Old Fashioned Girl” in Part 2…
Video is UP…After the JUMP…
Part 1:
Part 2:
Part 3:
Part 4:
Related Posts
That was unexpected, but I for one am happy. For obvious reasons.
Works for me. Well, there’s someone I’d rather have left but it’s all good.
The results were such that our video-dude extraordinaire, igrecman, is throwing the towel in for the season!!! I think we need to show him our thanks…perhaps he’ll reconsider!
be a shame if he doesnt post the vids.. but i understand his frustration with the voting public
:(
No way!!! He can’t get us all hooked and then quit supplying us!!
What can we do about it? :( Especially since I thought Katharine was one of the best of the night. At least in the top half.
Yikes! Thanks so much to MJ and igrecman for the videos and recaps! All are much appreciated. Not too surprised about the bottom two.
Oh well, if Igrecman quits, that’s it for me too.
No use covering a show I can’t watch…unless the folks here who can watch the show at home want me to keep putting up posts.
You can leave a comment for him under the Part 4 video if you think that would help.
I will definitely leave Igrecman a post. I can’t believe the results either. WTF is happening, shocker alright. I was so sure it would be Sebastian or Mitch going home. I can’t believe Amberly in the bottom 3 either. Now Amberly is stuck with 7 guys, ok she has Theo and Mark, lol. This is crazy, it’s just as crazy as AI. OH well, Katherine was really growing on me and I was starting to like her. Yeah I really appreciate Igrecman and MJ posting the vids for us. This is my first year watching and I love the show.
I have to say, I totally sympathize with him. It takes organization and dedication to put up those videos week in and week out in a prompt and reliable fashion. He’s done an awesome job. I hope he reconsiders, but he shouldn’t do it unless he’s enjoying it–that’s the bottom line.
Anyway, tonight’s results. Not a surprise! Even with all the praise the judges have heaped on Katherine during the competition.
I have to say, I can’t imagine the lone pretty, young blond girl–with a decent voice–in the competition getting booted out on AI like this. Just would not happen!
Didn’t I hear here that Quebec isn’t into Idol, that they have another show (most likely in French) that they prefer? That’s why I wasn’t very surprised. Maybe she can try out for that show….
Oh no. Just when igrecman’s videos made it able for me to “watch” CI. Please don’t quit guy!
Gingerly, I know the show you’re talking about (although the name escapes me)…and the one thing I remember is that show was watched by more French-Canadians alone than the number of ALL Canadians who watch Canadian Idol!!!
Star Académie is the name of the Quebecois talent show. From what I can find i aired for three seasons only (2003-2005).
There was definitely another person that should have left before Katherine, especially since last night was the first time I liked her! However, I don’t see how she was in the position to win the whole thing, so it was not that much of a shocker to me.
I really hope igrecman keeps putting up the videos. I’ll post a comment for him too!
There’s a guy on VFTW who does a live feed of the show (basically, he shoots a video of his TV screen). It’s not as good quality, but you can at least hear them. I watched the results show “live” tonight. It was kinda cool cause they chat at the same time in the same window. Look for the link in the Top 8 thread next week if the video dude really does quit.
I’m surprised Katherine went home instead of Sebastian. But I’m sort of glad in a way. I want Sebastian to be as good as he was before the top ten. That and Katherine probably needs to get a little more life experience so that she can connect more emotionally with the songs she sings.
I hope igrecman keeps on uploading the vids. I don’t know how I’ll be able to watch this show otherwise since I can’t stream the real-time vids. I’m usually at work when CI is on :).
In any case, thanks MJ for putting up CI posts.
I registered at dailymotion just to leave igrecman a comment. Hopefully, he’ll feel the love. :)
MJ, thanks for covering the show thus far. You’ve got me hooked! :)
Oh, and I’m SUPER excited for next week’s theme: UNPLUGGED!
Next week, Brit rocker and former Bush lead singer Gavin Rossdale will
coach the Top 8 finalists on acoustic performances in preparation for the
series’ annual “Unplugged” episode, airing Monday, July 28 at 9 p.m. ET.
I’ve always wanted an acoustic theme for AI.
Well, MJ, I hope you continue to post regardless of igrecman’s decision as many of us (myself included) watch the show and appreciate the community discussions here.
I, for one, think this was the right call tonight. I had Katherine in my bottom 2 (along with Mitch). I don’t think she’s ready for the big-time yet, since she has not yet learned how to connect to the meaning of the songs she’s singing. I have not yet enjoyed any of her performances because of it. Could be age, or life experience. Who knows? Whatever it is, she needs do some work on song interpretation.
I did not think Sebastian did that bad a job on his song. He was a little off in the beginning, but really every artist on that stage had weak moments in their performances. Overall, he wasn’t half bad. Of course that’s not a rave review but it at least earned him another week on the show to have a chance at giving us something better. I look forward to it.
Star Academie is slated for a new season in February 2009, according to the official website.
I think igrecman is just expressing frustration because he’s from Quebec and Katherine was the last Quebec competitor on the show. But on idolforums.com, where he posts his links as well, he is on record as also liking Amberly, Mookie and Theo from those remaining.
If he does stop uploading videos (and I seriously doubt he will), all I’ll say is, there are others capping the show, so you all needn’t worry. ;-)
Katherine was my favorite from the very beginning followed by Mookie and Earl. Too bad.. we will never get to see her perform “Call Me” or “Heart of Glass” by Blondie. I was really looking forward to that since she reminds me (and Sass Jordan) of a young Debra Harry. She should of sung another Janis Joplin song (perhaps “Don’t You Want Somebody to Love”) cuz “Move Over” was just too forgettable of a song hearing it for the very first time.
Primeminister, they did Unplugged week last year on CI, and it was the best week of the season ( I think it was also Top Eight week, but it might have been Top Seven).
I’m beginning to believe that the reason CI really is better than AI musically is the fact the themes are so broad. They’re planning Bryan Adams week ( it is Canada), but they also have Brit Week and Canadiana week planned.
Tom Jones, guys. How freakin’ cool is that! So much cooler than Neil Diamond ( we”ll get a rousing version of ” Deliliah”, that’s for sure, from someone. At this rate, it might be Mark Day. And I really kinda don’t want to see that. My coffee needs to kick in, because it seems clear I’m losing my mind…)
Wow, that was a total bummer for me.
First poor Katharine gets the boot (never been that big of a fan, but I think she has a great voice and only needs maturity). Sebastian may be a great performer (although he actually gives me the skeeves), but he has a very mediocre voice (limited range with not a whole lot of room to develop, IMHO). I would have booted him, Mark (soooo annoying!) or Mitch (sorry, love his taste in music but, for once, I agree with Zack, the voice is irritating) before Katharine. I’m still ambivalent about Amberley (that has a nice ring to it!) too. She’s cute and has a nice voice, but I don’t find her any more talented than a lot of kids singing in coffee houses these days. She sounds too much like a lot of other singer-songwriter types to me (e.g., Colby Caillat, A Fine Frenzy). Still, I’m glad there’s at least one woman still in this thing!
The group number I felt really made Mookie and, surprisingly, Drew really stand out. I’m still on the fence about Earl. At times, I think he has a great voice, but I haven’t been consistently impressed with him. Still, I’m glad he’s still in there. I’m really glad Mookie wasn’t in the bottom 3. He looked really nervous before he got the ‘all clear.’
I dropped igrecman a line too, thanking him and asking him to reconsider. Thanks, MJ, for doing this show. I’ve really enjoyed it and there’s nothing to watch on TV right now until Mad Men returns this Sunday!
I was not suprised by the results .When I saw the bottom 3 I knew who was going home .
I am not from Canada but have watched it for a few yrs now .
There is a lot of regional voting that happens .
I belive Mark is the only one from his area ,so he has a good chance to hang around .Plus he was not bad this week.
The same with Mitch I also think he is the only one from his area.
Katharine being from Quebec did not have the range of the winner of season 4.
Sebastine ,Mookie ,and Drew are all from the same region .
I also think Amberly ,Earl and Theo are also from the same area.
Hence why Sebastine ,and Amberly was in the bottom 3
“Somebody to Love” was not a Janis song. It’s from the Jefferson Airplane featuring a very alive Grace Slick.
Did not like the outcome. It would have been better for Katherine to not make the top 10 (Oliver and Company can audition again next year, right?), than to make the top 10 and come in 8th. She has grown with the show, and I was beginning to like her. She either needed another year or two experience (she probably would have been top 3 in 2010) or to finish somewhere in the top 5 or 6 this year and get some music guidence from a producer or an executive. 8th place isn’t going to cut it…I don’t think.
As for Sebastian…he totally lost it. I think he needs Oliver to get on track. During the semi-finals, he was excellent, on par with Oliver. But the last two songs without Big Brother…well they were totally wretched. He need Oliver to push him to the next level…and he’s not there. It could also be guilt…guilt that he’s there and his (YMMV) more talented brother isn’t.
Once Sebastian’s Idol experience is over, I’m hoping the Piggott brothers go on the road together. They’re a team in which the whole is much better than its parts. I’d buy a Piggott Brothers CD. I probably wouldn’t buy an Oliver Piggott CD, and I definately would not buy a Sebastian Piggott CD.
Oh…and late, but my rankings for Wednesday night…
1) Earl…normally not my favorite, and as a Soul Patroller, I can say, he’s no Taylor Hicks. But he was channeling his inner Tom Waits/Jim Morrison this week.
2) Mookie…he needed a great performance this week, and he got it. He didn’t try to be James Brown…he succeeded (after last week’s disaster) in being Mookie Morris.
Three way tie for third…In alphabetical order:
3a) Amberley…my favorite of hers thus far. She has a pure, beautiful tone, that comes out best when she sings a song relatively straight. (Disclaimer…I hated her “Everything I Own.” She took one of my all time favorite songs and changed the melody around too much.)
3b) Katherine…She needed to sing Janis this week to have any shot (and even that didn’t help). However, “Piece of My Heart” had been overused, and “Me and Bobby McGee” is too mellow for her voice. Although “Move Over” isn’t as widely known as Janis’s hits, it was still a good choice for Katherine. It allowed her to show off her powerhouse vocals. And I thought she sang with emotion…not as much emotion as Janis. However she is no Janis….yet.
3c) Theo…I flove Theo, and I hope he’s around to the end. But this was not my favorite Theo performance. I liked how he got away from the musical instruments and started moving around on the stage. However “No Woman, No Cry” is a powerful song, and it requires a unique, powerful vocalist. Theo, easily, is the best vocalist on the show, but his vocals were not right for NWNC. Maybe some other Marley songs such as…well “Redemption Song” which is what Amberley sang. I really wanted him to sing “Many Rivers To Cross”….until I remember, that’s not a Marley song. It’s from that other reggae legend, Jimmy Cliff, who I think is very much alive.
6) Drew…Just meh for me. Nothing really memorable about it.
7) Mitch…Unique, nasel twang. He’d probably do well in country; however, right now, I just don’t get him.
8) Sebastian…Performance-wise, it was decent. He does know how to put on a show. But were there any notes in tune whatsoever?
9) Mark…I don’t know what the judges were thinking, because I didn’t think that was a good vocal. At all. Maybe they were damning him with faint praise, so the Newfies would think he was safe and not vote as much as usual.
LadyBeBop I actually bought Oliver’s CD, and it’s AWESOME. I love the Pigott brothers together but Oliver definitely doesn’t need any help.
Katherine needs to go back to the red hair. The bleached out look isn’t doing her any favors. Still sad she’s gone before her time, though. Sebastian, Mitch, Mark… Yeah, I’m not liking how this is going.
I thought Mookie and Amberly really stood out in the group number. Theo a little, but not as much as those two.
Can people in the US vote for this? I’m thinking I need to throw some votes Mookie and Amberly’s way if Skype or something works for us. But, of course, I won’t know who to vote for if Igrecman bows out, anyway.
But I think Mookie is the only one with the potential to be a STAH.
MJ, I just got myself a UserID! Now ~ finally ~ I can officially join in on the conversations. I’ve been a fan of your blogs since I first discovered your site back at the start of “American Idol” Season 7. I think you’re the BEST!!! reality TV blogger ~ bar none. I also enjoy the replies you receive. I am rather shy, so I probably won’t post often. However:
(1) I want to thank you for thinking of us Canadians ~ and the border dwellers (I am in Windsor, next to Detroit, so I guess I can pretend to be both).
(2) I also decided to post at this time since your comments re: regionalism in voting patterns on “Canadian Idol” caught my eye for a second time now.
I wish I could astutely explain this phenomenon. I don’t think I can. I certainly can’t without boring you! LOL. I will risk a tedious post though, but promise to let brevity be my guide as much as possible.
Canada is generally regarded as a nation of (six) regions. I have lived in four of the six and this is where my understanding of regionalism largely comes from. I was born and lived in Newfoundland (from birth to 24); lived in Alberta (for only 1 year); lived in Ontario (for 6 years); lived in Quebec (for 7 years); and I am moving to Manitoba within the next 5 weeks. LOL. I do not mean to suggest that all Canadians would see things as I do. In fact, I am sure they would not. I’ll speak only from my own experience, having lived in the various regions and having seen some of the vitality of regional differences.
Arguably, and from what I’ve seen, many Canadians identify themselves first in terms of their region and then in terms of their nation. I’ve heard it said that due to Canada’s vast size it makes it almost unavoidable for cultural and regional diversity to exist. Canadian regionalism is now most vigorously promoted by provincial politicians and is most stridently expressed in federal-provincial debate. It is expressed in different accents, art, music, and different memories of different pasts, et cetera.
I know I have not done a very good job in explaining things, but I hope it helps a little.
Again, thanks for all your hard work & creativity in bringing us these blogs, and for including the Canadian shows. BTW, “SYTYCD CANADA” starts in the fall. LOL. Bye for now!
No, that makes perfect sense. Thanks for your explanation. And welcome to the blog! :).
NEWS FLASH, everyone…
igrecman has reconsidered, and will once again be posting Canadian Idol videos! This is due in no small part to everyone that e-mailed him, left a comment for him at his site and on here and elsewhere! Thank you, igrecman! :)
Dear MJ, thank you for making me feel sooo welcome! Also, I am glad I didn’t come across as silly in my explanation. You’re the BEST!!! & I am fortunate to be part of this community.
Replying to MJ (mj Jul 25th, 2008 at 12:47 am): “No, that makes perfect sense. Thanks for your explanation. And welcome to the blog! :).”
Hi Melrose!
As a Canadian, I think you explained regionalism perfectly!
Here’s more info for readers who still can’t quite grasp it.
Our six regions are Atlantic Canada, Quebec, Ontario, the Prairies, British Columbia, and the North. Since each region is incredibly different, think of each almost as if they are a country of their own.
On top of that, some regions watch and vote for CI more than others.
Think of the contestants from the Atlantic provinces: Mark Day and Mitch MacDonald - they’re still around although MANY people want them gone.
But, traditionally the Atlantic region faithfully watches and votes for CI.
Then think of the contestants from the top 10 who have left.
Katherine St.-Laurent - Quebec
Adam Castelli - Ontario
Although there are often many contestants from these regions, typically fewer people from here watch and vote. Quebec contestants have trouble because CI is English language programming and people from Ontario often don’t seem to care enough to vote.
Regional voting sometimes is explained by the pride in knowing that your region is being represented on a national stage, or showing that one of your own can actually do it. Or it’s simply being able to relate to a contestant a little bit better because they are from your region.
On top of that, factor in the French/English divide, the population of Canada being 1/10 of the US (BUT being the 2nd largest country in terms of land size in the world), our cultural diversity, politics, contestant talent, and past CI winners, and it just gets even more confusing.