"American Idol": Jessica Sanchez saved by judges on crazy, crazy night
Jessica Sanchez is saved on "American Idol," April 12, 2012.
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Fox
(CBS News) There was the smallest inkling that this might be the week when the "American Idol" judges would bring out their save. They only had a couple of weeks left to use it.
The truly entertaining element of Thursday's night's results show was who was anointed with their indulgence.
It was kind of Ryan Seacrest not to begin the show trying to sell any potential shocks. It made what followed a little more delicious.
After the group "singing", we spent a while watching the contestants opening their mail - yes, of the snail variety. We had a jewelry moment, too, with Elise Testone slipping a very fetching earring onto Steven Tyler. It was good of him to have his hair pulled back for the occasion.
First to have the lights dimmed upon them were Hollie Cavanagh and Jessica Sanchez.
Of Cavanagh, Uncle Jimmy Iovine said: "Hollie has learned a lot of habits that make her look stiff and calculated."
Sanchez, on the other hand, is utterly natural. At least in Iovine's clear eyes.
Cavanagh was sent to one side of the stage, Sanchez to the other. Surely you remember this. Seacrest leaves it for the masses (or the lone, odd-numbered contestant) to guess which group is safe and which has been deemed potentially surplus to requirements.
James Durbin - last year's fine, sincere metalhead - entertained in his own style. He seems to have joined an "Idol" fan club. Billy Idol, that is. His blond hair, short and pert, allowed his screams to emerge healthily from his mouth without obstruction.
Phillip Phillips and Elise Testone were next to be invited - and then, surely, divided.
Iovine described them both as "character singers." Phillips, he said, was so influenced by Dave Matthews that any song he sang effectively became a Matthews cover version. Testone, too, was good but not that good. Iovine had them both in the bottom three.
But they were divided. Phillips was sent to sit with Cavanagh. Testone joined Sanchez.
Jennifer Hudson and Ne-Yo tried to create a pleasant interlude for the nervous nation. Hudson has won more significant awards than any "Idol" alumna. She has an Oscar and a Grammy. Yet she never got anywhere near the final two of "Idol." She came seventh in 2004. What greater beacon of hope could there be for the worried?
Colton Dixon and Joshua Ledet were next to hear their verdict. Iovine deemed that both of them had done well in their performances. Ledet was sent to Sanchez and Testone. Dixon, to the other side. What could this possibly mean? Surely Cavanagh's had been the weakest performance of Wednesday night.
Finally, Skylar Laine. Iovine is afraid that Laine could get left behind. He feels many people miss her subtleties. However, she was immediately told she was safe. But then she was asked to pick the group that she thought comprised the saved.
She refused. Seacrest put her with Dixon, Cavanagh and Phillips. Clearly, all the little girls in pink pajamas had kept Dixon and Phillips alive. All of Texas - and all of her family's native Liverpool, England, perhaps - must have voted for Cavanagh.
Ledet, Testone and Sanchez were the bottom three. Iovine was stunned. He said he must need a new flat-screen, as this didn't reflect any truth he had ever seen.
"This is a ridiculous bottom three," added Randy Jackson. Tyler simply declared that the judges would use their save. So what were we still doing, baring our angst at our own flat-screens?
Nevertheless, Testone and Sanchez were told they were the bottom two. Extraordinarily, it was Sanchez who was asked to sing for her life. (But not really.)
The judges only allowed her a few bars before mounting the stage. Jennifer Lopez grabbed the mic. She said: "This is crazy." Well, indeed.
Jackson took the mic from her: "We are saving Jessica Sanchez without a doubt."
He then begged America to please vote for the best. But was the alleged voting really all that crazy? Sanchez is a 16-year-old who doesn't necessarily appeal to little girls. She isn't Miley Cyrus. She's a little bit too focused. She's desperately trying to be older than she is. She wears her ambitions atop her very high heels. She doesn't have a repository of silly. Worse, she keeps talking about having worked all her life. Who says that at 16?
It may well be that the little girl voters just don't relate to her at all. This isn't a singing competition. This is a popularity contest.
On the other hand, it could be anything. Reality shows don't reveal the numbers of the votes. They don't reveal how close it all was. They don't reveal too much at all about the voting process. There is always the suspicion with every reality show that puppeteers are playing out a script.
Now that we are done with the save, the show must go on. Here's something to remember, as you breathe your own sigh of relief - the average age of an "American Idol" viewer is 48. How many 48-year-olds do you think are sitting up and voting countless times for their favorites? If only Fox would tell us.
Chris Matyszczyk is an award-winning creative director who advises major corporations on content creation and marketing. He brings an irreverent, sarcastic, and sometimes ironic voice to the tech world.
jessica sanchez is a 16 year old singing sensation and the only reason I even watch AI. This is the season that could actually bring AI back, though I must say with the show being this good, i really miss Simon Cowell. I stumbled upon this girl one day flicking through the channels and I must say her singing ability really caught my attention.I agree with the commentor who said she singslike Whitney but reminds me of Mariah Carey. It would truly make AI look like a total sham if any of the other contestants were to win. She says shes been working hard her whole life and it shows. She deserves all the accolades and I hope she doesn't let the hsters get her down.
Probably the most informed blog I've read today regarding the show. Most folks get the fact that the results were rigged to fabricate drama on an otherwise bloated and boring TV show. The producers have shown multiple times this year the aren't afraid to throw a young kid under the bus to try to scrounge up some ratings. The fact that they filmed that contestant's dismissal and shared his legal troubles with America earlier in this season was incredibly offensive. Take a young talented kid and throw them under the bus to create drama!!?? Fast forward to last night's forgery with Jessica. The reality is that they would have saved everyone except Hollie or Elise had they "Decided" they had the least amount of votes. The save had to be used, so why not fabricate some drama by throwing OBVIOUS frontrunners like Joshua and Jessica into the bottom. Why not scare a fragile little 16 year old girl so we can have "drama?" Shame on you Nigel! Shame on you Fox. It's cheap, weak and completely unoriginal!
I am glad Jessica was saved. She is a very talented singer and this is a singing competition. She is not dull at all, unless of course you don't like to hear good vocals. The people I vote for on these shows are the ones with great voices from whom I would buy their record and want to listen to them on the radio. I am tired of how this show allows unlimited voting from each phone number. I wish they would limit to 10 per phone line or something.
Jessica is a 16 year old girl that can sing, but she is dull. She tries to hard, and she needs to lay off the worked my whole life line. And the flip side, what is it?? BeBe Snachez??? Needs to go. Philip and Colton have a great deal of maturity. So does Elise, and I agree that Holly should have been voted off. What I really think was wrong was for tose judges to stand up and fawn and declare that Jessica is the best. How do you think it made the other ones feel up there?? Jennifer LOVED Diondre and he was terrible!!!! Then of course do not forget Jer Bear. She really needs to back off and let the vote by the kiddies in the pink pajamas move on. How in the world do you think Scottie won??? It was the "pink Pajama movement"!
Jessica is a 16 year old girl that can sing, but she is dull. She tries to hard, and she needs to lay off the worked my whole life line. And the flip side, what is it?? BeBe Snachez??? Needs to go. Philip and Colton have a great deal of maturity. So does Elise, and I agree that Holly should have been voted off. What I really think was wrong was for tose judges to stand up and fawn and declare that Jessica is the best. How do you think it made the other ones feel up there?? Jennifer LOVED Diondre and he was terrible!!!! Then of course do not forget Jer Bear. She really needs to back off and let the vote by the kiddies in the pink pajamas move on. How in the world do you think Scottie won??? It was the "pink Pajama movement"!
How obviously scripted ! ! ! ! The judges knew a long time ago that they would be saving Jessica. And what better time to do the drama ?? Now it will be a watch and see for the next couple of weeks if she is in the bottom again. THEN what will the judges do - - they can't do another 'save'.
How is the public to know what the voting numbers really are?? Sadly, I think it was all a publicity stunt that was tooooo obvious. I agree with 'noforfun's statement that Jessica "has a good voice, no doubt, but she is dull as dishwater and all of her songs sound the same......"
At 16 she's been 'working all her life' to be a singer. She may one day be as popular as the late Selena - - she is just as good ! !
you mean that you're a good singer than jessica... common, it shows that you don't know what's music all about? this show got the best mentors then why you said she's "dull as dishwasher?" meaning the mentors are also nuts?... Your comment on judges are manipulating whom gonna win is insane. this competition has made some process to whom shall gonna win and the judges isn't the only persons who made the decisions, online votes were also considered. and that's not the only one, there's other still.
The judges should have let her finish her save song just like any other contestant. She is a karaoke singer. Very good and powerful voice. But, sounds the same over and over. Mainstream America voted Randy so leave it alone. It's obvious the judges are trying to manipulate who wins. Josh is the same. He has to "Gospel-ize" and scream at some point in everything he sings. We know what we like and will vote accordingly.
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But they went so overboard, that I felt really bad for the others since the judges made it crystal clear that someone else should have gone.
They had to use the vote either last night or next week, so why the drama? Just use it.
Joshua and Elise on the other hand, are very natural, flawless and VERY VERY entertaing. It shows they are more mature.
How is the public to know what the voting numbers really are?? Sadly, I think it was all a publicity stunt that was tooooo obvious. I agree with 'noforfun's statement that Jessica "has a good voice, no doubt, but she is dull as dishwater and all of her songs sound the same......"
At 16 she's been 'working all her life' to be a singer. She may one day be as popular as the late Selena - - she is just as good ! !