'Idol' Tracker: A stool too far

A poignant moment tonight in the Idoldome during the ritual execution of much-enjoyed-but-was-probably-his-time contestant Chikezie; however, this moment will take some setting up, so please bear with me.

On elimination night, the show pre-tapes one segment each week, filming about half an hour before the full episode shoots live –- they do this for the segment that  includes the viewers' questions and the guest performer.  This week, as we saw, one of the questions went to Chikezie, wherein he was asked if he was single, and abashedly answered that, yes, he was very single.

Half an hour later, the contestants sent back stage and then brought out again, the show proper began live to the East.  Within moments, Chikezie was placed on an elimination stool awaiting his fate.  The doomed contestant tried to put on a brave face and managed moments of mirth with fellow prospective oustee Syesha Mercado, joking at the break with Carly and Brooke, visiting from a land across the stage that he could only dream of.  But despite his efforts, he seemed very serious and grim throughout most of the hour. 

Finally, about halfway through the show, the lights went dark in the studio as they aired the pre-taped segment. At the beginning of the segment, preserving the pretense that this is entirely live in chronological order, Angel of Death Seacrest announces that they are bringing all the contestants back to the couches for the viewer calls.  Thus, an hour later, sitting in the darkness alone with Syesha on the most dangerous stool in show business, Chikezie gazed across the stage at the giant monitor which showed him a mere hour before sitting on the couch with his comrades, laughing, joking, shyly fending off queries about his romantic life –- a way he would never be again, on a couch that he would never again call home.  The segment had been taped but an hour earlier, but in that hour how different the world had become for the once mighty Chikezie.

However, the moment captured some important factors that ultimately determined the fate of Chikezie.  An often captivating and original singer, there was always a serious quality to Chikezie, a commitment, dedication and honest effort that came across as very -- in a word -- adult.  In his bashful but straightforward answer to the viewer question, in his grimness while awaiting his fate, in his choice in the first place of a very grown-up song, Chikezie projected the sense of a serious hardworking performer signing sophisticated grown-up songs. 

In short, he gave nothing to "Idol’s" most important voting block -- the 15-and-under demographic.   

This column has frequently addressed the importance of this group to any candidate’s success.  It is possible that a singer can form a coalition not entirely made up of this group, but it is very difficult to see a road to victory that does not account for shaving off at least a slice of this demographic.  When you see those 14-year-old girls standing in front of the stage screaming for their favorites, know that they will take that hysteria and channel it into dialing 500 times in the three-hour voting frame.  No adult demographic can offer that kind of commitment.

As previously noted, at the beginning of Season Seven, the children in the audience were evenly divided between Jordin Sparks, Blake Lewis and Melinda Doolittle -– the candidates who eventually finished in first, second and third places -- with  that tie breaking when the youth vote moved massively to Jordin. 

This year, the youth vote is united 100%  behind one candidate –- The Chosen One, David Archuleta.  Which is why the other remaining nine candidates better start playing to the people who pull the strings in  this world, and quick.

Side note: I am continually in awe at how Executive Producer Nigel Lythgoe -- seven seasons in, and  by my calculations 68 results episodes -- is still able to stage these in new ways.  Each week, the show takes a full  hour to string out one very simple announcement, and each week the show still baffles expectations and manages to defy viewer attempts to predict who is going down.  Even when the answer is entirely predictable, Lythgoe, who is a dancer by training, uses his choreographer’s instinct to create twists and surprises in the journey, whether  with the order the contestants are seated on the couches, the groups they come to the center, or, now, the order in which they walk on stage to be sorted by the Angel of Death toward safety or torment.   

No other show on television is so constantly aware of our expectations and willing to tease and play with those expectations as openly as "Idol" does in these elimination dances.

-- Richard Rushfield   

(photos courtesy of Fox)

Comments

[cBc]

Sadly, even though the three judges rave continuously about "what a great collection of talent we have this season"( and I agree , for the most part), it really isn't about talent at all, but only about popularity & "cuteness" Simon once remarked after an excellent performance by one of the singers "If this show is really about *singing* & not a popularity contest, then you my friend have a very good chance of winning it."
I think he (as we all do) knew the answer to that long ago.
And I find the elimination show one of the most boring ,drawn out hours of my life I can never get back. Question phone ins? Seriously?? Zzzzzz... I just check the 'net for the "loser" instead.

[Peter]

What continually amazes me is how they find new ways to wring cash out of this long-toothed series. Last year it was Idol Gives Back,misnamed because the producers aren't the ones giving back the giant rewards they've received; no, it's the public making donations out of their own pockets. This year it seems that Apple is the deep pocket paying to get incredible product placement on the show. Which leads me to a question that came to me last night. Who gets the money from the iTunes being downloaded? Something tells me it's not the artist that is actually singing the song. No, these poor contestants continue to be at best, scale day workers for the various producers, and corporate sponsors that keep this cash cow going. Extras in the story that really shoud be about there life.

[Chris]

If the show had anything to do with talent, it would have judges that could spot it, substantiate their judgments with logic (or at least in English), and appear sober enough to form a complete sentence.

[tustin jimberfake]

the world is not looking for anymore marvin gay wannabees like jackeasy. vote off those that sound like people we already have singing those horrid songs and the old ghetto style

[Chicago48]

I hope the Tweenies don't choose DAVID A over David C. that would be an atrocity; however, it didn't hurt Chris D. and Elliot. and it's not a guarantee that if you sign with Clive's record company as the #1 finalist you will succeed in the recording business.

But trust me, Clive already has a contract ready for David C. right NOW, whether he wins or not.

[David]

Previous weeks shows were an hour long. This weeks was a half hour. Pay attention. Jeez you an official blogger.

[Idol East]

If they really wanted to do it right, and eliminate 'popularity' aspect, they would have viewers vote on who they want ELIMINATED...as it sits they can have 10,000,000 votes and still get voted off because someone has 10,000,001 votes...OF course they would never do this because it is politically incorrect to root against someone...that's why kids don't keep score in soccer.

[ExSinger]

Chicago48 makes a good point, that Clive Davis already has a contract ready for David C, win or lose. What's upsetting about that for me is that Clive has his grubby old fingers on this fresh new talent. He made his fortune decades ago on the backs of Whitney Houston and others earlier, but now he's just an old man in a young business. These singers, who are probably not getting paid what they deserve for the recordings of these songs that are being downloaded by the tens of thousands on iTunes, are enslaved to a business that needs to change the way it handles artists. I think that all of them ought to forego any recording contract that is offered to them in favor of a relationship with a distributorship. The means to record the songs one wants to sing isn't that hard; getting it out there is the hard part that requires infrastructure. But, as some sites have shown, artists with no recording contract can sell hundreds of songs by download, and there is no reason to manufacture anything as environmentally backward as a CD.

[ExSinger]

To David -- I think you should be paying attention. In Los Angeles, the results show Wednesday night lasted from 8:58 pm to 10 pm. That's an hour and two minutes. I will concede, however, that there was maybe half an hour's worth of show in that hour.

[Crazywildwoman]

The show I watched last night was an hour, David!

If this show wants to survive and possibly bring in those over the age of 15 to watch it more than once or twice, they need to change how the voting goes once they get down to the final 12. Too many really good people leave early because of the youth vote for a teeniebopper.

[Vanessa]

Hey David, I don't know where you're from, but where I live the show WAS an hour long. Maybe you dozed off or something.

Anyway, I agree with the posters who say this is more of a popularity contest than a talent contest. But that's what we get when the American people are the ones picking and not people who can really judge talent.

[ludonut]

I'm tired of hearing of how important the "tween" demographic is to Idol. If that was the case, handsome Ace would have best gray-haired Taylor and Sanjaiya and Danny would have gotten further. How soon we forget Fantasia, who was a throw back soul singer as well. The one thing that always surprises me about Idol, is how America usually gets it right. Just look at how well Jordin is doing today.

[al]

dude this article is boring.seriously.

[ibspy]

First mistake, Chikezie......Never......ever....... go with the single name, performer name on American Idol. You're coming from nowhere, getting your shot and to come out with 'Chikezie' is so presumptuous....Should have been Chikezie Eze, humble, proud, and ultimately much more likeable....it's the little things....Best of luck.

[Keri]

While Crazywildwoman has a good point, the producers know it's the youth who will ultimate purchase the CDs. It would take miraculous optimism to believe this show could be more than a popularity contest.

[Tony]

What space-wasting dribble. Thanks for ruining the illusion that show is one long entity. Why don't you tell me what I am getting for Christmas too.

[Katrina]

"If this show wants to survive..." LOL. I think it's doing quite well.

[Jason]

What if they implemented a one call per caller ID... IE an attempt to create a one person, one vote system.... I don't bother to vote because the phone is always busy when I try and I know that those rabid teenies are going to overshadow any vote I do make... but then again, it is about being the next American IDOL, which means tennyboppers... I don;t know too many 35 yr olds that get all that excited about any performer... oooo wait.. I forgot Elvis and the scores of women who would still give up their entire lives to be with him... lol... :)

[metal chick!]

david cook is def the best performer on the show and david a gets all the fame. Yes, he is young and adorable, but american idol has becoming a popularity contest for the tweens more so than raw talent itself. In the end, that katie cook girl needs to go home. She is the worst one on there and manage to butcher a beatlees song 3 weeks ago and midwestern america voted for the "trailor park trash" contestant. I love the final contestants minus the one girl but i believe david cook is the best choice out of the pack.

[Jane]

I think Jason Castro should have gone instead of Chikcezie - Jason can't sing - he is horrible. I loved Chikezie

[Robin Delaney, Las Vegas NV]

While David C is talented, he sounds like every rock singer out there. Will he have a recording contract, of course? David A is young, cute, but has an older-sounding voice. I'm in my 50s and would buy his cd in a heartbeat.

And, here in Las Vegas, the show was an hour long. I turned it off after 1/2 hour and looked online to see who was voted off. I wasn't completely surprised about Checkieizieieie's elimination as he didn't bring anything new or different to the table.

[jamesincalifornia]

Just because Tweenies love David A. doesn't mean that older listeners don't love him too.

[trey]

Chikezie should not have been axed last night. He is more of a performer and singer than either Syesha or the Maluby (sp?) girl. He just picked the wrong songs to showcase his talent. The show is much more bearable now that Amanda the one-note wonder has been banished. How she ever made it to the top 12 is a mystery...

[Thomas Appell]

Anyone who makes it to the top 10 on American idol is a winner. The career benefit is the publicity and exposure. Winning doesn't guarantee a successful career and losing doesn't mean an artist won't become very successfull. Chikizie and the remaining contestants have been given their shot.

[MONIQUE]

Idol is a contest for pre-teens, not talent. It's a children's show. I think Barney would have won.

[Gayle Lecus]

Anyone who makes it to the top 12 is a winner? Just ask Tamyra Grey, who was among the top 10 in season one, was promised a career w/Simon and Co and no evidence of a record deal or nothing. Sure, she acted in a couple of movies and Broadway projects but never to be heard from her again.

Getting back to season 7 and that is the wrong person went home. Middle America, who decides who is on the program let a no-talent country singer, this year's Sanjara stay on while people of color langish into the bottom 3. This is not a talent contest anymore, but a popularity contest and if people choose people because of their popularity w/o talent, I mean real talent, America is in trouble--let me take it back--they are already in trouble anyways because a televison talent show decides who can make it and who can not with the proper marketing.

[A Mom]

Hey Idol East...where do you live that the kids don't keep score in soccer????