AMERICAN IDOL- WEEK 2

The second full week of American Idol, and here are my thoughts..

- More top talent but not as good as last Wednesday's show. The last contestant, a gay Pastor's son who works as a janitor at his own church, was excellent. His voice is unique and he wrote the song he sang at the piano.

- Again, not enough fun, bad auditions. If they invest a lot of time building up a story before the audition begins, chances are it will be a good one, someone the viewer can follow into Hollywood week.

- One negative performance was by Peter Lemongello Jr., son of the 70's TV/Lounge swinger Peter Lemongello. I vague remember him as a bad crooner, a Barry Manilow-wannabe, a guy who sold the majority of his lame records on TV. He may have been the inventor of the late night info-commercial.

Lemongello Jr. got off to the wrong foot when he bragging about hanging out regularly with musical artists because of his dad. In fact, he related top the judges that he had just spent the weekend with the four Tops in Atlantic City.

He sang a Motown song, danced exactly like the four Tops (in fact, his routine and movements  were so precise that even Lionel Richie commented  how similar they were). The kid had a nice voice but his act was way too slick and phony.

To his surprise ( but not mine) he was voted down 2-1 ( Katy Perry opted to "give him a chance"). He stood stunned when the verdict arrived. The kid's name-dropping didn't get him to Hollywood as he ( or his father) thought.

- The judges were funnier last night. They are very comfortable with each other, plus there were the usual bits, like a young cowboy singer lassoing Katy.

- Some of the segments have to be set-up. Why film a contestant on a flight to Idol, documenting each step, if they weren't going to make it?

- The human interest stories continued as well. One was a guy who had been abused by his father . Another unique voice. Different is good. Original is good. Copying isn't, nor is being wildly different to the point of annoying.

- Idol is back this Sunday. No Wednesday this week, which was welcome. More auditions next week. Waiting for the Philadelphia auditions.