Amanda Greever

Where were you when Michael Jackson died? It’s a question people will be asking in the future. They might change it around and use the title “King of Pop” instead.

My answer will be simple. I was at work. I was working on a special project while the universal desk (the folks who design and lay out the pages you hold in your hands every day) was working on Friday’s paper. The entertainment world had already had a blow from the news that actress Farrah Fawcett had died earlier, a fact they were making sure to get in.

A coworker mentioned she had just gotten a message that Michael Jackson had died. We started a search on the Internet and discovered that celebrity-news outlet TMZ was the only source citing his death. Despite what some might say about The Daily Times, that’s not credible enough for us to run with the story.

However, as time passed, Jackson’s death gained more validity and was finally proven to be true. Thus, the media circus began.

My Facebook was swarmed with status updates proclaiming shock and dismay. Flipping through TV channels only provided more glimpses at the artist. I heard Jackson compared to Jerry Garcia, John Lennon and Elvis Presley, although some comparisons weren’t received very well. Fawcett’s death was brushed to the side as frenzy of Jackson news bombarded anyone with ears and eyes.

I’ll be honest: I got tired of hearing about it. Every aspect of Jackson’s life was being replayed for us over and over. There was his marriage to Lisa Marie Presley, the countless cosmetic surgeries, the allegations of abuse of little boys, his musical highlights, etc.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m still a fan. I enjoy his music as much as the next gal. I even tried doing the moonwalk in the privacy of my own home.

And I’ll admit that the day of Jackson’s memorial had me glued to my screen, both on my computer at work and at home. I was as curious as anyone else to see Jackson’s gold coffin and what some of the biggest names in the industry had to say. I even got a little misty-eyed as Brooke Shields recalled moments with Jackson and read a poem about “the little prince.” I even watched a marathon of his videos on BET. The man had talent. Of that, there is no doubt.

But is he worthy of the deifying that his death has brought about? MJ, no matter how talented or popular, was still just a man. He had his demons and problems, just like the rest of us. He wasn’t perfect, just like no one is.

When I was in high school, we had grief groups if a student died. Yes, it was tragic that someone so young had their life ripped away from them. However, the members of the grief groups didn’t necessarily know the student who had died that well, if at all. In fact, the death of a fellow student was nothing more than a reason to gain attention and get out of class due to the overwhelming “grief” they were feeling.

Jackson was 50. He’d lived a life full of mystery and wonders of which most of us can only imagine and dream. He still had more on the way, though. He was working on a new world tour, and I’m sure that new albums would have been produced at some point. So yes, Jackson died with a lot of living left to do.

The fate of Jackson’s estate, his children, etc. are still hot buzz in the media. Debbie Rowe was offered $4 million to give up the kids, a fact she denies … Jackson did this … Jackson did that … etc.

Yes, he made a mark on the music industry and pop culture. Yes, I would even call him an icon, but he’s no deity. There’s talk of proclaiming a Michael Jackson Day, an honor I find a little bit too lofty … unless it’s going to result in a day off from work.

Jackson left a family (and world apparently) in mourning. Remember his legacy and the impact he made as the “King of Pop.” Mourn him if you will. But it’s time to let the man rest in peace.

Better late than never, right?

So last week was disco-themed and it wasn’t just the spinning disco ball making me a little nauseous. Two contestants were slated for elimination this week after the judges’ foolhardy move to save the not-so-fan-favorite Matt Giraud the week before. My thoughts were Matt should have gone on home, but I was certain that he would  be sent packing a second time, but with Lil Rounds in tow.

Lil opened disco week with Chaka Khan’s “I’m Every Woman”, sporting another wig. Seriously, have we seen her real hair in weeks? The performance was actually a little fun if you overlooked the fact that she still yells her high notes that I’m fairly certain she could probably hit without bellowing. But the performance wasn’t original nor was it a make-you-stand-up-and-say-WOW moment. Then again, most of this year’s batch of contestants isn’t capable of such. But hey Lil, great job with the karaoke!

Up next, we had Kris Allen performing “She Works Hard for the Money.” The more I see of Kris, the more I think he might make it to the finals. He stripped the song down to a bare bones acoustic version. Yes, it sounded a little bit like songs he’s done in the past, but that’s his sound. He has that thing. OK, maybe it’s just because he’s adorable with whatever he sings. Even with that funny facial gesture he makes when he goes for a long note.

Mr. Danny Gokey covered “September” from Earth, Wind & Fire. Again, another fun performance, at least for me. I’ve been a Danny fan from the beginning but I have to wonder what type of album he would make if he wins. The world doesn’t need another Taylor Hicks. The problem with Idol is the winner basically has to do what corporate Idol wants. It’s this logic that made me realize last  year that David Cook might be better off if he DIDN’T win. Of course, I still voted for him because I really, really didn’t want to see David “I sing ballads and want to save the world” Archuleta win.  At least Danny didn’t try to dance this week.

Allison Iraheta took “Hot Stuff” to a different place when she slowed the tune down.  It was definitely more rock than disco, which generally isn’t a bad thing. The girl can rock the house, but I’m not sure this was one of her best performances. She gave the song an original spin, but it was a little awkward for me. Sure, she showed off her rocker-chick side, but doesn’t she always? In some ways, she reminds me of last year’s winner, Mr. Cook, in the fact that he could take a song and make it his own, i.e. “Hello.” However, he knew when to stay a little closer to the original. Imagine if you will a rocking version of “Music of the Night.” Andrew Lloyd Webber would have gone up on stage and taken the microphone. Some reworkings really just don’t work.

Speaking of reworking, Adam Lambert also slowed down his song: “If I Can’t Have You.” Ah, Mr. Lambert certainly can sing a ballad. The lights were low, he was wearing a suit, Paula Abdul was holding back tears. What a way to set a scene. His end note was gorgeous, a falsetto but sweet and pure rather than screaming. What I liked was the fact that Adam didn’t take credit for the originality of the song. When a song is really reworked, he gives credit where credit is due. Such a nice fellow.  Here’s the interesting thing … when Adam does a ballad, he rockets to the top of the contestants. However, when he goes wild such as the use of a sitar on “Ring of Fire,” his popularity wanes. So does Adam stick with ballads to get the voters to stick with him or does he stay true to himself and do whatever he feels like? At this point, he might have viewers glued to their phones regardless of what he does.

Matt got cute with his song, picking “Staying Alive.” How’s that for wishful thinking? I’m not a Matt fan but this one was fun. It was pretty karaoke-ish for me though.  Simon Cowell agreed with me. I was pretty certain that this song wouldn’t be enough to keep Matt alive in the competition. But when your favorite is at elimination’s door, fans clamor to their phones. Even a few fans with a tricky dialing finger can keep a not-as-popular contestant in the running.

Anoop Desai performed “Dim All the Lights.” Lord, I was bored. Sure, it was kind of pretty at first, and I did like Anoop’s gray and pink ensemble, but fashion decisions don’t move you through the competition. Besides the shoes he paired with the outfit were hideous, but I digress. Even when the song picked up, I was just as bored. Simon wasn’t impressed either. The performance was just OK for me.

With two going home, I was pretty sure one would be Lil. I just wasn’t sure if her traveling companion would be Matt or Anoop. It turned out that Matt was to going to perform one more week. Good riddance to both Lil and Anoop. However, Matt will only last  until this week when America gets their next chance to get rid of him. The four that will be left WILL be the best this season had to offer. The problem is I kind of like all of them so I won’t really want to see anyone go. However, I think the top three will end up Kris, Adam and Danny.  Sorry Allison but your rock star will burn out before the finals.

It’s my blog and I’ll judge if I want to, judge if I want to, judge if I want to. You would judge, too if you had a blog, too!

So the American Idol judges have one save that they can use all season long. One teeny, weeny little get-out-of-jail free card that they can play to keep a contestant from being eliminated. So this week, the judges finally pull out their save to keep Matt Giraud, the man they call the next Justin Timberlake. That could be an insult or a compliment, depending on your preference.  

This week’s theme was music of the movies, featuring mentor Quentin Tarentino. Matt chose “Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman,” a Bryan Adams hit from the Johnny Depp flick “Don Juan DeMarco.” The judges weren’t impressed with his performance or rather his re-working of the song. For me, Matt’s decent.  He’s not fabulously remarkable or anything. But here’s what baffles me, after the judges had deliberated on him, judge Simon Cowell actually admitted to our fearful contestant that he didn’t think he could win. Yet they use the save anyway? That makes a lot of sense, doesn’t it? Oh well, next week that just means that two will have to go. My picks: Matt and Lil Rounds.

Speaking of Lil, they hated her version of “The Rose.” For me, it was a semi-solid performance. Lil can sing. She knows it, and we know it. This was probably my favorite Lil performance thus far because she actually took a chance and tried to shake things up a little, something the judges have been encouraging her to do all season. Maybe it was just the fact that she finally didn’t shout a song. Yes, there’s a difference between belting out a song and simply yelling it. Lil has yet to learn that difference. Also, what’s up with those wigs? If she hates her short hair so much, perhaps it was a mistake to cut her hair so short?

Hmm, might as well touch on some others while I’m being all judgemental.

Ah, Allison Iraheta. I’ve been a fan of hers since the beginning but I’m not sure she can actually pull out a win overall. Her version of “I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing” was lacking for me. I hate pulling out the youth card with her. Yes, she’s 16 but that doesn’t mean she can’t put feeling behind a song. However, with this one, there was no emotion in her performance at all. Really, Allison, is there no one you want to stay with in a moment forever? Could you not fake it?  The performance was sound but just OK for me.

Anoop Desai took a song I’ve loved for  years and tried to ruin it for me. “Another Bryan Adams track “Everything I Do (I Do It for You) from the Kevin Costner flick “Robin Hood.” Sigh, this is one of the most romantic songs I can remember from a movie soundtrack. Maybe it’s just because I was young and impressionable when it came out. The song was sweet and full of love. During their mentoring session, Quentin told Anoop he needed to roughen the song up. I’m not sure Anoop can do rough because his Idol performance came out whiny and a little pathetic. It didn’t come across as sentimental. Instead, it seemed Anoop was begging and trying to convince a woman of his feelings. Kind of kills the romance for me. The judges were wild about it, but I thought it was a weak performance.

Danny Gokey, I think I might love you. Maybe it’s just the glasses. I’ve always had a thing for men in glasses so I could be swayed by that. His choice for the night was “Endless Love.” Sigh, Danny is at his best when he pulls out a ballad.  There was no question that Danny was feeling strong feelings when he sang it. Yes, he was thinking of his late wife, and I defy anyone to say to me he’s using his wife’s death for publicity. As he looked upward to Heaven on his final notes, I couldn’t help but get a little teary right along with him. Even my best gal pal called it the best performance of the night and she’s a diehard Adam Lambert fan. 

Speaking of Adam, he truly was “Born to be Wild” as his song suggests. Adam is a performer that generally people love him or hate him. When he performs a ballad like “Tracks of My Tears,” he steals the show. But the problem is, Adam isn’t just a balladeer. He’s a performer, an artist. To get the ballads, you have to take the over-the-top theatrical performances that have flashing lights and ear-piercing falsettos. For the die-hard fans, those are all part of what makes Adam Adam. For me, they’re a bit much.  Yes, the man can sing, and yes, I believe AI is his to lose. He’s entertaining, if nothing else.

Last night but not least, we have Kris Allen. This cutie went with an obscure song from a slightly obscure movie: “Falling Slowly” from the movie “Once.” Kris consistently pulls off the sweetest performance of the night. I’m not sure if it’s just because he’s absolutely adorable or because his songs are cute. Come on, “How Sweet It Is to Be Loved By You” was sooo cute. His little blonde wife seems to fit him perfectly. This week’s performance was just OK for me though. It might have been its obscurity or perhaps the fact that it just wasn’t really the best song for Kris’ voice. I think Kris could go far in this competition.

Ah, if Simon or Paula ever get tired of judging AI, I hope they’ll look my way for a replacement.

The day I’d been waiting for finally arrived. Last year’s “American Idol” winner David Cook hit The Square Room in Knoxville. I’d been ready for the concert for weeks. No, I never managed to land an interview with him after my initial one was canceled. But he didn’t cancel the show — although I kept waiting for that announcement.

I tried to race through my day at The Daily Times. My best gal pal and I had decided to grab dinner before the show, and the doors opened at 6:30 p.m. No, I wasn’t going to try to be waiting and ready, but I didn’t want to get there at the last minute either. Unfortunately all my racing still help me beat Mother Nature as she dumped rain on me, leaving me looking like a soggy rat as we made it to will call to get our tickets. The weather also meant we weren’t going far for dinner.

I have to admit that I was chomping at the bit as I ate my Tomato Head pizza. I knew that David Cook was just next door. I knew he was probably rehearsing for his show.  And I knew that I was going to see him perform really soon. I had gone with a friend to see the 2008 American Idol tour last August, and for me, David had been the highlight. He only did five songs though — this was going to be just him.

The show finally started at 9, but my wait still wasn’t over. David’s opening act was Ryan Star, of “Rock Star INXS” reality TV fame. He wasn’t bad, and my friend thought he was awesome. I thought he was kind of hot, but for me his voice had a young Neil Diamond thing going on. I really, really wanted him to break into “Sweet Caroline.” Alas, I was left wanting on that one.

When David hit the stage, all thoughts of Ryan and “Sweet Caroline” disappeared. This was David Cook’s night. I remember watching “American Idol” last year knowing DC had star quality. His takes on Lionel Richie’s “Hello” and even Mariah Carey’s “Always Be My Baby” showed he had a little something special to offer. Watching him own that stage Friday night gave me a special thrill.

He worked the crowd, slowing things down at times and rocking the house at others. I didn’t even think of laughing when the beginning notes of his new single “Come Back to Me” began. Thanks to the morning show at Star 102.1, I can’t help but think of “Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer” when the song comes on the radio or my iTunes. The beginnings really are similar …

Even though we were packed in, I gotta say I didn’t notice. Although the show wasn’t as long as I had thought it would be, I was completely entertained. I took turns taking pictures with my friend’s camera and my cell phone. I was determined to get at least one good pic (or fifteen).

I’m not sure if it was his music or just him that wowed me. I’ve been a DC fan for a long time. Maybe it wasn’t him singing the songs I’ve come to enjoy. Maybe it wasn’t his talent as a singer and musician. Maybe it was just him, period. Whatever it was, I’m ready to see Mr. Cook again.