With only four contestants remaining, the mob has clearly gotten involved, trying unsuccessfully to whack one of our stars by way of an exploding “American Idol” set! (There is a lot of dirty money to be made in those “Idol” office pools, ya’ll!)
Slash was the guest mentor for Rock Week. Wow. I haven’t heard about Slash since ... well, since “Gossip Girl” matriarch Lily van der Woodsen named him as a gentleman on her “list,” thus setting us up for the “Valley Girls” spin-off about her life as a rock groupie in 1980s Los Angeles.
According to Seacrest, though, Slash is much more than a bedmate to fictional characters. He “burst onto the scene in 1985 as lead guitarist for Guns N’ Roses” and is now working on a solo album. Slash says he was was raised on rock 'n’ roll as a lifestyle (read: drugs) and way of life (anonymous sex).
He said he never thought he’d be a mentor but that there are a couple of standout artists this season. By “couple of standout artists,” he clearly means Adam Lambert.
Perhaps it was the drug -- er, I mean “rock 'n’ roll” theme -- that inspired Paula to come out of the closet about her own demons this week. She recently admitted to Ladies Home Journal that she was addicted to painkillers for 12 years. What an exclusive, LHJ! I think I broke that “news” on my Friendster blog around Season 4.
Adam Lambert: Thank you, Slash, for suggesting that Adam abandon his “upper register improvising” -- clearly code for “screech singing” -- in favor of his lower octaves. Glambert wailed throughout Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love,” causing Kara to declare him a “Rock God” before acting out the fake orgasm scene from “When Harry Met Sally.” (It was awkward, ya’ll!) To all the Glambert advocates, I’m not saying he’s not talented; clearly he is an artist when it comes to Kohl liner. I’m just not sure that in this “Flo Rida/Pussycat Dolls” day and age, someone like him could sell out stadiums. Would he pack them in on Broadway? Well, he’s certainly more suited for it than, say, Season 3 runner-up Diana Degarmo. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think he’s right for “Carousel” or “Oklahoma!” but I could definitely see him in “Rocky Horror.” My guess is that if he doesn’t win (that’s a big “if”), he’ll reprise his role of Fiyero in “Wicked,” but this time he’ll be doing it on the Great White Way.
Allison Iraheta: As the only girl left in the competition, Allison really had to bring it. Thankfully she chose Janis Joplin’s “Cry Baby” over something like Pat Benatar’s “Love Is a Battlefield.” The judges had mixed reviews, with Simon even telling her that she should “just beg.” In her first display of “personality” this season, she snapped back at him. And you know what? I think Simon liked it. I’ve thought long and hard this week about who will be the recipient of my votes now that Matt Giraud is gone.
