S14.E18: Top 8 Girls Perform

[Guest]

After years of the WGWG phenomenon, after tonight's results I'm wondering if we are witnessing an Empire halo voting effect...

You might be onto something.  A lot more people of color making it through this season, isn't there?  The top 8 girls are what... 4 black, 4 white?  And 3(?) black guys?  That's almost half black in the top 16.  

 

I fast-forwarded through a lot of Jax' song because I thought she forgot the lyrics when the first few bars were all "da da da da da..."  I thought it was bad that Maddie kept tugging her dress down after her green mile walk(s), Jax was doing it DURING her song.  

 

I'm so over the Joey type quirky voices.  

 

But I like Alexis for some reason.  I did put my finger on Uma Thurman, but Elizabeth Moss is the other star she looks like, so thank you, whoever nailed that!

 

I thought Adana's Hello was the best of the night.  The judges and I rarely agree.  

[Foghorn Leghorn]

One thing that was hard to watch was Jax trying to replicate Ann Margaret with the hands in the hair?!  

Edited March 7, 2015 by Foghorn Leghorn

[Guest]

A lot or of the girls seemed to have choreographed arm movements.  I figured this was the stage of the show where the choreographer or stage presence coach gets involved?  

[kechara]

I think of what's her name from Motive when I see Alexis

Kristin Lehman - that's her name

[Kromm]

If I didn't hate Jax before, she earned my undying disdain by wearing that dress.

Are there indications she chose that dress to DELIBERATELY break the Internet? If so, I'm actually impressed!

[BogoGog24]

I don't think it's a coincidence that Jax wore THE dress the very same week that it went viral. It definitely seems like the type of thing Jax would do for attention. 

[Kromm]

I don't think it's a coincidence that Jax wore THE dress the very same week that it went viral. It definitely seems like the type of thing Jax would do for attention. 

Why shouldn't she?

 

I mean I'm not forgiving every bit of fakeness from her (although it doesn't seem to bother me nearly as much as it does a lot of people here), but if the dress actually fit her, why shouldn't she seize the opportunity for the free press/attention?  She's in a contestant in a popularity contest.  Admittedly it's theoretically also a music contest, but that's never fully defined the voting in this show, as we all know.  

 

Jax seems harmless to me, but seems to be the designated target this year for something that applies to a degree to most Idol contestants.  They all pander for votes.  Most of them create a somewhat fake (or at least exaggerated) persona to get votes.  It might be playing up a country twang, or being extra divaish and singing with tons of glory notes, or having hair dyed a funny color, or in Jax's case having a bad orange tan and a weird facial tattoo.  

 

And do we know she went and sought out the dress?  Jax outside of this show is a nobody from New Jersey. I can't see how that would have worked. What seems FAR more likely than "it seems like her style just to get attention" and her having a magic wand, is that the wardrobe department on the show knew her size and also knew the fashion designer and it was their idea (and/or the Idol producers).  Or even MORE likely Jax's specific size wasn't even necessary (since a bit of a look around seems to say the dress is a retail product, so it's not just ONE dress), so it probably was the producers idea totally.

[BogoGog24]

Why shouldn't she?

I mean I'm not forgiving every bit of fakeness from her (although it doesn't seem to bother me nearly as much as it does a lot of people here), but if the dress actually fit her, why shouldn't she seize the opportunity for the free press/attention? She's in a contestant in a popularity contest. Admittedly it's theoretically also a music contest, but that's never fully defined the voting in this show, as we all know.

Jax seems harmless to me, but seems to be the designated target this year for something that applies to a degree to most Idol contestants. They all pander for votes. Most of them create a somewhat fake (or at least exaggerated) persona to get votes. It might be playing up a country twang, or being extra divaish and singing with tons of glory notes, or having hair dyed a funny color, or in Jax's case having a bad orange tan and a weird facial tattoo.

And do we know she went and sought out the dress? Jax outside of this show is a nobody from New Jersey. I can't see how that would have worked. What seems FAR more likely than "it seems like her style just to get attention" and her having a magic wand, is that the wardrobe department on the show knew her size and also knew the fashion designer and it was their idea (and/or the Idol producers). Or even MORE likely Jax's specific size wasn't even necessary (since a bit of a look around seems to say the dress is a retail product, so it's not just ONE dress), so it probably was the producers idea totally.

Saying that it was "probably the producers' idea" is no different than believing it was Jax's idea. We have no proof either way whose idea it was. But even if the producers chose it, she didn't have to agree to wear it if she didn't want to so she obviously thought it would be a good idea. For me Jax goes beyond the normal means of getting votes/attention, like that weird touching her parents faces thing, the long awkward pause, and now wearing The Dress. She bugs people because it's obvious that she tries way way too hard. On one hand wearing The Dress is clever, on the other it seems attention-whorish. If any other contestant had done that I think the reaction would have been the same.

[cinsays]

   If it was the producers' idea, wouldn't that have been somewhat unfair to the other contestants, since it had a good chance of getting her some extra votes?

   I mean, if it was the producers' idea to have Mark dress like a hobo, that may have caused him to lose a few votes, too, and I don't think anyone would suggest they were behind it.

   I hope it was all Jax' idea.  So a point for her for being clever.  I still don't like her affectation, but she's no dummy and knows how to play the game.

 

[tobeannounced]

Jax doesn't bother me.  I find Loren's blatant attention seeking much more annoying.  She had to be the first one to hug every contestant after they got done singing like they were her bestest friend ever.

Edited March 8, 2015 by tobeannounced

[Guest]

I don't like Jax' stuff but the dress I thought was a cute idea.  I doubt producers get involved in wardrobe decisions.  I think the contestants get a budget and/or access to a wardrobe warehouse and a stylist for help with ideas.  

 

I noticed one of the girls didn't get any hands-on 'love' from the other girls, when she went over there.  It was so blatant I wondered if the crew had told them to skip it, for time reasons.  It was toward the end.  Maybe it was Alexis, she was last.  

[PamelaMaeSnap]

I'm taking this post and moving it straight to the Grassy Knoll before mods get mad at me.

 

But, on a Non-Knoll note to preface, I am pretty sure the wardrobe budget does not come until Top 12 (or whatever, Top 13). 

[BogoGog24]

I could envision Jax saying "Wouldn't it be funny if I/one of us wore The Dress?" and maybe she was kind of joking and then stylists or the other contestants dared/encouraged her to do it. I think they could have been more tongue in cheek by having her wear a black and blue or white and good dress but not the exact same dress. IMO that'd have been funnier and more clever.

[auntlada]

She should have worn the dress with white boots and gold accessories to confuse everyone.

[Awesomesauce]

You might be onto something. A lot more people of color making it through this season, isn't there? The top 8 girls are what... 4 black, 4 white? And 3(?) black guys? That's almost half black in the top 16.

I'm wondering if this could be a result of the new vote limits. This is usually the part of the season where America seems to systematically get rid of most of the people of color, so I was thrilled to see that wasn't the case this year.

As for The Dress, I thought it was clever that Jax wore it, but she seemed a little shy about it when Ryan brought it up so that makes me think it wasn't her idea.

[Kromm]

   If it was the producers' idea, wouldn't that have been somewhat unfair to the other contestants, since it had a good chance of getting her some extra votes?

Of course it would be (unfair to the other contestants).  But that would be their fault, not hers.  It's not her responsibility to look after other contestants in a contest--it's theirs.  Looking back over the years how many times exactly have we seen them do something that favored specific contestants (like pimp spot assignments, or favored song selection, or better video clips or better segments with Seacrest with a favored contestant)?  Even with a change in the lead producer a few years ago it didn't stop, IMO.

I don't like Jax' stuff but the dress I thought was a cute idea.  I doubt producers get involved in wardrobe decisions.  

I think they do all the time. But even if that WAS true and they normally don't (picture me looking skeptical) "The Dress That Broke The Internet" was HUGE news.  It's 100% their style to exploit such.

 

But ultimately I wouldn't be all that bothered even if it somehow WAS her fault, if she was some manipulative schemer with big connections to get that dress instantly flown out to Detroit for her. Given what we know about the nature of this show and voting on it, it's not like it would gain her more than a week or two if she was on the way out anyway, and it's not like we haven't seen countless contestants over the years use various ploys to get votes based on other things besides their vocals.  In the end they have to be selling something really potent if it actually carries through 900 weeks of show, or however long the endless seeming slog is till they get to the end.

Edited March 8, 2015 by Kromm

[karenc3]

I like Jax, but I think wearing the dress on the show was a bit unfair, because that is what was talked about last week. I even saw them discussing it on some of the entertainment news.  Of course they usually just discuss what JLO is wearing, it's good they are talking about a contestant.  

[Foghorn Leghorn]

Wow, last week it was yellow teeth and now a dress!!  LOL

[Guest]

What would you prefer we discuss?  Intonation?  I'm sure there's a forum somewhere that's doing that!  

 

I don't really care to hear even Harry's views on intonation, actually.  If the people aren't good enough singers, maybe they picked the wrong ones from auditions.  I'm sure they could have software that picks 'perfect pitch' singers.  Now that would be a fun addition.  Xbox Karaoke scores instead of judges.  

[proserpina65]

What would you prefer we discuss?  Intonation?

 

Hell, yes!  Somebody has to.  lol

 

Well, maybe the actual singing/performing, but styling is fun too.

Edited March 10, 2015 by proserpina65

[shang yiet]

That girl who performed 'Shop Around', I couldn't understand what she was singing half the time, her voice was too low. I remember Archuleta performing the song and he did miles better.

[Mya Stone]

I'm only going to say this nicely once. This is a reality show competition. I understand the age is younger than most reality shows. However - these kids put themselves out there for the world to judge.

I let a LOT fly, but that does not include nitpicking each other.

Snark the show, not each other. Repeat this mantra daily. Hourly. Whatever it takes.

I've already asked nicely to drop it about the color of Joey's teeth. I'm not going to ask nicely again. This is your last warning on the subject. I see it, you get a time out.