Sydney Spy Classic
Sydney Spy Classic
Sunday, September 09, 2007

Australian Idol - Top 12

What was this assorted bag of amateurs and karaoke we experienced tonight?

Ben McKenzie - "Sunday Morning" (Maroon 5)

Ben started the chain held together by weakest links. It was weak and unimpressive. The judges say he's wonderful, Mark Holden saying he was very comfortable on stage considering he's 16. I agree, that it's an achievement to be able to do this at 16, but I make no allowances... we're at Lisa Mitchell stage now... no time for dead weight.

Mark Da Costa - "Vertigo" (U2)

Mark and his bavarian mullet jumped around on stage like he had pins and needles in his overbelted pants. He is compotent but wrong for idol. I like his big energy on stage. The judges said he needed to be more intense although he was already scuffing up the stage with his sliding and stomping. Maybe the audience had a great time but I felt cold and sad and he didn't even care.

Lana Krost - "Shiver" (Natalie Imbruglia)

As soon as I heard she would do Shiver, I was worried for her. It's the most un-idol song since Morning Musume's Chokkan 2 ~Nogashita Sakana wa Okiizo!~ . Her voice is too pure and her doe-eyed chasteness is better suited for that Phil Collins song about homeless people or that Luka song about child abuse.

Daniel Mifsud - "Cry Me A River" (Justin Timberlake)

I won't even start on his opening montage of how many scarves he owns... I've already sent the PFLAG brochure to his parents. It was a bizarrely spastic arrangement with gaping voids of blank staring while Daniel fixed his hair in the monitor. Though snaps for trying something a bit different. Marcia said "A LITTLE JIMMY T GOES A LONG WAY" *snap* *snap* *snap*

Carl Riseley - "Waltzing Matilda"

The beginning wasn't bad but by the end I'm convinced the "navy" he worked for was actually a "cruise ship". His voice has a bit more resonance than the other so far, but sometimes he sounds incredibly average. Marcia says "I thought 'cool' "

Holly Weiner - "Standing In The Way Of Control" (The Gossip)

Whoa?!!? Holly steps out of the 80s portal which is the flashing Idol screen. She doesn't quite have the rock growl, she doesn't quite have the lesbian edge.. but she has something. I'll need to inspect her further but she was definitely the most striking performance so far. Kyle said she was Patty Newton on crack and Mark Holden broke a hip.

Matt Corby - "Coldplay Song"

It started of alright, but then I realised I was still listening to my MD playing a recording of own voice reciting the poetry of Sylvia Plath. Matt Corby's depth is as thin as Karen Carpenter and he should donate some of his hair to Kyle to cover up that hairline which seems to be receeding rapildy away from his glass eyes. Top 3.

Jacob Butler - "When We Were Young"

First of all, I loved the montage of Jacob going back to Adelaide to see his parents. His mum said "you didn't need to come here!". Good kitten. Jacob Butler slithers on stage, already perspirating failure sweat. Yet surprisingly, he wasn't the huge disappointment we all expected. He was ok yet he still lacks X-factor ever since he came 8th on the 2005 series. Mark Holden loses control of his bladder. Dicko was impressed.

Tarisai Vuche - "If I Was Your Woman" (Alicia Keys)

Tarisai the talented pygmy! She was wonderful, I thought I was watching American Idol for a second.. in which big voices are desired and "country battler" back stories are only a close second. Although I don't know who has suffered more than the Zimbabwe people, though I think Jacob Butler's constant chubby failure answers that question. Surprisingly, the judges were a bit harsh with her. They said she was pitchy and tame etc. while the others get allowances for being nervous or young? Very unfair.

Marty Simpson - "Cant Stand Losing You" (The Police)

I like voice but this was a bit all over the place. Plus when he speaks he has a flaring quality which distorts my TV's sound.

Marcia said "You did OK" which is EXTREMELY cruel for Marcia!

Brianna Carpenter - "God Only Knows" (Beach Boys/David Bowie)

TDK eyes ignite! I know she was off-pitch at times and she's shits me to tears but her asymmetric fringe is enough for me to vote for her. She's different in a creepy Playschool way. She won't win but she's not meant to. The judges told her to watch her pitch.

My favourite: Tarisai Vuche
Most improved: Jacob Butler
Fairest of them all: Daniel Mifsud
Bottom 3: Marty Simpson, Lana Krost & Ben McKenzie
Gone: Marty Simpson

What did you think? Who's going home? Add a comment...

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Sunday, September 02, 2007

Mildcards

Usually the wildcard shows are better than this. It's usually a melange of the performers with more of a dynamic who escaped the chubby fingers of the tweens plodding away at their mobiles.

Jack Byrnes - "Long Train Running" (Doobie Brothers)

Why does Jack Byrnes look so old? He's a teenager. It must be that rhumetism which reaches his extremities while performing judging by his dancing. He performs well, inspite of his toddler-learning-to-walk movement. Ultimately, he does lack an oomph and i'm afraid that, with his dramatic aging rate, he'll be dragging in an intravenous drip if he re-auditions next year.

Husny Thalib - "I Believe" (Blessed Union Of Souls)

Husny Thalib, Husny Thalib, Husny Thalib. Yes, I am just repeating his name to get more google hits. Still, he's an interesting fellow. This time he pulled it back from Stonewall thursday night to Colombian final call which exposed his vocal weaknesses. The judges were very unimpressed. Dicko said it was "the end of the line" for him while Kyle dribbled "you were out of your league". So it's all up to public vote to get him through.

Carl Riseley - "Bye Bye Love" (Everly Brothers)

He does above-average when it come to swing which is his own element. But when faced with any other genre, he's going to do as well as Lisa Mitchell at an enunciation course in Widdleham's School For Proper Ladies. Marcia loves him. She decided to speak her native language of Xhosa at the end of his performance. Mark Holden rambled on - I think he's really lost something today. He was just an embarrassing drunk uncle at Madison Pritchett's Super Sweet Sixteen.

Sarah Lloyd - "Candyman" (Christina Aguilera)

Tammin Sursok's cousin! Sarah was good and bad all at once. She was trying to be too sexy and as Kyle said, there were a lot of holes in her performance. NEVER EVER let the back-up singer sing more than you! All Sarah did was walk around and threw out an "oOHOHohHOOHOHOHOOHH" and whispered "Candyman". She had also planned to bring 50 half-naked sailors on stage but Husny intercepted them before rehearsal. Mark Holden complained that the male judges should have been panting after a performance of Candyman. He's just bitter since if you say Candyman in the mirror 5 times, he appears behind you and gibbers at you in Holdonese.

Dave Andrews - "When Dolphins Cry" (Live)

Poor Dave. He's suffered enough.

Daniel Mifsud - "Lay Your Love On Me" (Roachford)

Daniel wasn't even awake for the first half of his performance. He was quite dull but more competent than the others. I'm completely uninspired to write anything abut him because he just has no dynamic style. Dicko congratulated him for having listened to the judges, Marcia said well done. Mark Holden said he didn't think he was watching the same performance and then he unscrewed his plastic head and a small alien popped out and rigadooned.

Natalie Gouchi - "Feeling Good" (Nina Simone)

Good gouchi!!! We shall reward you with many snacks and cowries post show. She was the best of the night. The judges had luke-warm praise. Marcia's was unsurprising since she hates women performers who rival her.

Mark Da Costa - "Evie" (AC/DC)

He did his usual good rock performance. The judges praised him to death. The real highlight of this performance was...

Mark Holden - Hooray For Bollywood

Mark just cemented his future career as spokesperson for Alzheimers. He started singing "Hooray for Bollywood" for SEVEN STRAIGHT MINUTES while doing worshipping motions at Dicko. Andrew G tried to restrain him but needed help, he called over to James Mathison. Unfortunately, Amelie Poulain had already kidnapped the gnome-y host to take pictures of him in front of famous monuments. Marcia rolled up her sleeves and blew her emergency whistle. Toni Braxton, Shakira and Beyonce appeared behind her in Charlie's Angels formation. Marcia looked at the camera and did some sassy neck movements then everything went black.

To go through to the next round:
Natalie Gouchi + Mark Da Costa + Daniel Mifsud = DEFINITELY
Sarah Lloyd = LIKELY
Husny Thalib = Dark horse

What did you think of tonight's show? Add a comment..

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Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Triplets at a Different Teat

Well half of the boys brought it yesterday, and the other three put it right back where it belong on an up, up, up, down, down, level, night of Idol. I'm a bit rushed with this recap, uni awaits.

Mark Da Costa - "Want A Whole Lot of Love" (Led Zeppelin)

A bit pubby, but competent nevertheless. What you see is what you get with Mark Da Costa, I don't expect anything else than above average rock reproductions from him throughout the competition.

Ben McKenzie - "Mad World" (Tears for Fears)

He's a freaky little wierdo, but he's good to watch. He may lack vocal strength but he can swerve around that glaring disadvantage with more dynamic interpretations. I give him thumbs up.. and a monthly treatment of Proactiv Acne Treatment Solution - that's right, the new 3-step program developed by scientists to stop acne. Proactive Solution 3-Step System not only cleans your face, but revitalises the pores and exfoliates dead skin cells to prevent you from having acne while the reparing lotion hydrates your skin to give you a nourishing glow. It's even used by such celebrities as Jessica Simpson and P. Diddy. "When I'm on tour, I don't want to have to lose confidence by having acne on my face" - Jessica Simpson. Even Britney Spears' back-up dancer says that she swears by it. Clear skin can begin with Proactive Solution 3-Step System.

Jack Byrnes - "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" (U2)

I'm not sure what to think about this 18 year old going on 32. His performance was standard and his dance moves - touretteish.

Marcia quote of the week "Listen Man, you took it to church"

Dave Andrews - "That's Freedom" (John Farnham)

How does expect to have a striking performance with a name like Dave Andrews? He ought to change his name to D'Arcy Van De La Croix Desu, I know I just mixed up an Irish, Dutch, French and Japanese construction but at least that name sticks in your head. He stands there looking scared like Lana Krost in the headlights. The judges called his performance "safe" and "a dud". He doesn't even have Laura Gissara deluded charisma to back it up. If he had said "I worked so hard for this, look at my two tone hair", he would have redeemed himself. But afraid not.

Lyall Adonis - "Desperado" (The Eagles)

What was this? He sort of just stood on stage and waded ankle-deep through a .midi instrumental. He's already got the star potential in his name and the looks and an Australian permanent residency visa - he just had to look in the camera and do falsetto with a single weary tear running down sullied cheeks... he would have made it. Mark said "You didn't do that song justice"

Marty Simpson - "Over My Head" (The Fray)

Kyle said it was excellent, Dicko said he's very likeable, Marcia gave everyone 10% reduced vision with her smile while Mark Holden opened his mouth and liquid faecal matter came gushing out waywardly. Marty was fine, I can't tell if he's ugly or not yet.

To go through: Ben McKenzie +.... Marty Simpson

Favourites tonight? Add a comment...

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Monday, August 27, 2007

Girls Gone Idol

Unfortunately, I missed the beginning of the show. I was horrified to turn on the tv and see Jacob Butler in the safe zone. Damn Australia and it's "Give the loser a chance" mentality. Ah well, I look forward to seeing his next fall from the curb into the gutter.

Sally Vander Zwart - "Never Again" (Kelly Clarkson)

Giant, blonde, dutch Sally left the clogs at home. She sings very well but she may be cursed by having to go first and for not wearing clogs. Sometimes she smiled a bit inappropriately throughout Kelly's bitter revenge rant but it wasn't bad.

Natalie Gouchi - "Hurt" (Christina Aguilera)

As Mark Holden said, it was a monster of a song she decided to attack. The end result sounded like a tub of oil being poured through a fan on a wedding dress. The original is messy enough but Christinal Aguilera gets away with it by dressing up like a circus freak with painted on tears. Natalie Gouchi can't hold a candle to that, though she did hold a candle to that oil-soaked wedding dress as her hopes of Idol stardom went up in flames. She does have some nice qualities in her voice and I liked her up to now, but this was just patchy.

Cheray Doughty - "Tell Me About It" (Joss Stone)

Cheray should join that poor asian girl as examples why solariums should be banned. Cheray is lamb dressed in baked mutton's flesh. Her performance was mainly constant noise without any of this "light and shade" which Holden mentions. She danced like she was at a ho-down and I think she needs a few years.... not until her talent matures... a few years until her skin disintegrates into the atmosphere.

Talisai Vushe - "River Deep, Mountain High" (Tina Turner)

The whole time throughout her performance I kept wishing there were four Maricias on the panel so they could do ghetto head bobbles together. Talisai was awesome, she can worship any God she wants when she sings like that. Mark Holden says "I just keep thinking Cosima.. Cosima.. Cosima.." Cosima must have sold his house as well and he was distracted throughout Talisai's wonderful performance. Poor dear. Dicko says "The competition needs you" and I agree.

Jesse Corran - "One" (U2/Johnny Cash)

For those who didn't know what Marcia was talking about with:

Marcia quote of the week: "Today's news is wrapped up in tomorrow's fish and chips"

Jesse has been in the news because she ran off with some famous country music star even though he was married and 24 years older than her. But we shouldn't consider this in reviewing the cheating slut's performance.

Tarty Jesse trotted skankily around the stage as if sighting for new prey to sink her fangs into. Her debaucherous vocals simultaneously penetrated a pitiful tune as she fell flat on her back and opened her legs to the camera.... begging for anyone to fill her loins with whatever scummy emission or emission residue was lying around. Marcia said "It was polite"

Lana Krost - "Big Girls Don't Cry" (Fergie)

From her eyes, i'd say her dad is asian and her mum is a deer. In a dress that looks like Bjork's Swan Dress stitched with a potato sack, she looks like she's about to break like a rose dropped in dry ice teetering on a mountain top. Even James Mathison commentates "She managed to make it through the auditions.. still maintaining her innocence" clearly she avoided filthy Jesse Corran's hourly orgies. Her voice is decent, but it's a bit school concert level. She might make it through based on the judges insulting her which invokes an audience reaction.

Who will make it through? Talisai & Lana

What did you think of tonight's show? Add a comment...

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Monday, August 20, 2007

Idol –Top 140

Kyle, Marcia, Dicko and Mark stand under the menacing light of the old Weakest Link stage. I’m sure the cryogenically frozen body of Cornelia Frances was the on the other side of that room glaring. Mark Holden tells us the HUGE twist of “Boys and girl will be auditioning together BAM BAM BAMMMM”. All delivered in the melodramatic but ultimately disappointing Big Brother style.

Our contestants are at the airport since most of them are immigrants, they've just flown in from everywhere from Jakarta to Bougainvillea. They’re shown driving in to The Menzies where they’ll be staying. A squeaky voiced teen screams “Woo! AusTralAIn IDol!” he was a bit pitchy. We have shots of pretty Matt Corby, curling his eyelashes and Jacob Butler, ironing out the creases in his deflated dreams. Lyall Adonis pulls out a box of his good luck charms and another box of old envelopes with all the Lyalle/Lial/Leaighyall adressed mispellings he’s received.

From 140, they’re going to decapitate 40 of them the next morning.
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7:00 am Day 1

The Seymour Centre - fresh from a Sydney University revue. The bottom 40 all have a glaze of loser about them… they don't have enough quirk-fug to be The Giant Chin of Bobby Flynn… so we’re left with mere fug. They all seem extremely nervous so 95% falter or underwhelm.

”I’ve forgotten all the words, hey” languishes Linden Furnell.

Anthony Nuku and the trumpet guy Carl Riseley are the notable survivors while the rest take their walk of shame back to Cornelia Frances' rotting corpse. I very much enjoyed how fast they cut these losers. I think the whole results show should be done like that in the future.

“This was my dream, my passion and my life!” weeps one rejectee. Maybe they really are being decapitated when they leave!

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Ads… Lynx ad… strangely they’ve dubbed this American ad with Australian voices when it’s just a girl screaming with her mouth full.
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11:00 am

“I’ve had so many emotions go through my brain” says captioned blonde girl. I always thought emotions came from the soul after Lisa Mitchell touches it with her innocence? Girlfriend needs to get back to Year 11 biology.

This actual top 100 bunch are much prettier and have that sanded-down shimmer which equals potential. We see the previous losers being shipped off straight away to Marcia’s goulag of tolerance. Kyle’s blank fibreglass eyes give him a Children Of The Damned glow under the judging lights.

Daniel Mifud sings a beige Green Limousine. Mernie Cooper sings a strained What’s Going On. Andrew McDougall needs an edge. Perennial loser Jacob Butler needs edges in his pounded face. Cleo Howman chokes, but appears later in the episode based on her face. Mark Da Costa is a screamy pub-singer type wearing a scarf and short-sleeves. Then he gets interviewed afterwards wearing a different scarf and short-sleeves. Chanel take note.

Shemara-Lea Hassett expresses “I will die!” if she has to go home. Her sweaty armpits further prove her suffering. She was sent “home”, probably to be executed by her shamed family. Ben McKenzie is that strange looking 16 year old who can sing. Husny Thalib casts aside gay rumours with a Madonna song. He’s starting to look like an Arabic-Asian Macaulay Culkin to me.

There aren't many impessive ones. Still, Marcia welcomes the winners with a “Welcome to Australian Idol”.

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Ads… Flawless Mariska Hargitay gives an emmy award winning performance in SVU ad.
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77 people remaining! declares James. Time for group performances which is always a highlight of the whole series for me since it's the most dramatic time in the show before we're inundated with 20 000 flashbacks of their "journey".

Mark "I co-wrote Absolutely Everybody" Holden announces the boy-girl rule change with the group performances. Everyone applauds for about 2 minutes strangely. They probably just looped the tape like in Speed.

Cleo Howman seems to be having further pitch problems. Rosie Ribbons’ group is doing well. If they get a contract afterwards, they should be called Rosie Ribbons’ + Three since she has the world's greatest name.

Jasmine Anderson attempted to hi-jack the whole show from Rosie Ribbons in all her whingeing "Not happy Jan". Frustrated group-mate Cyndi Dietrich screams at Jasmine saying "KAN DU FUR MICH EIN BRETZEL KAUFEN!"... well she implies it with her German last name. Jasmine wants to go home because she doesn't like Silverchair's "Straight Lines". Well, I don't like it much either but it doesn't make me quit my co-gender vocal group.

Holden starts insulting her relentlessly:

"Jasmine, you are a miserable cow! You're a complete tool! Is that how you want to be known as? Northern Territory's Next Tool?" ... Was he confusing this show with America's Next Top Model for a second?

Surprisingly, his pep-speech does nothing and she keeps stealing screen time from Rosie Ribbons and Husny Thalib. She tells Dietrich that she want to quit, to which she replies: "DU BIST EIN UBER SCHISEN KOPF!"

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Meanwhile in Husny Thalib's room, Phil Wolfendale is having a cry about the song they've chosen. He says "I've sacrificed SOO much to be here!"... I hope he means that his mother was attached to a renal dialysis machine and he had to cut off the electricity to pay for singing lessons.... otherwise he needs some perspective... or he needs to talk to Cosima.

Mark Holden goes off to talk to Jasmine Anderson. He takes off his shirt and lets Jasmine drink deep from his maternal teat. Jasmine changes her mind and she, Fraulein Dietrich, the wooden country boy and the 5th Monkee give one hell of piss-weak performance. All the other group performances a underwhelming too.

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Ads
"You don't know anything about drugs"
"We should find out!" *mother rolls up sleeve to reveal gangrenous injection gashes*
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Tomorrow we'll be seeing the final 30. It's evident from the ad that Ben McKenzie and Rosie Ribbons will make it through.

Who else? What did you enjoy about tonight's show? Add a comment...

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Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Australian Idol Auditions - Sydney

"Just watch & be" - Marcia Hines
"You're game, I want to get to know you because you're game!" - Plato Hines
There's not so much to say about Idol last night. Rosie Ribbons, Benjamin MacKenzie and Lyall Adonis were the most interesting ones to follow. I don't really remember them individually but I wrote it down on paper at the time.

More importantly, what's up with Marcia? Deni must have moved back in or something cuz gurlfriend got antz all up in her pyjamaz! Here's an accurate pictorial representation:
And here's what she would look like in a computer game:

And in a Destiny's Child video: <--click

Something I never thought would happen is having the consonant chain of Husny Thalib as my #1 Search Engine Keyword hit-generator of the last week.
What is this Husny obsession? To refresh your memory, he was the arabic-asian with some talent in Melbourne. I'll deduce that he's been promoting himself in a contract violating way, suggesting he'll definitely get into the Top 30 (since that was all decided a while ago). Congrats Husny, Mark Holden has a barrel full of jokes to make about you.

How much do you love Husny? Looking forward to the Top 100? Add a comment...

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