Continuing thoughts

Last night was a good night - both show-wise and on other fronts. First, it was great to be at a live show again; I had really missed being there. I got a chance to sit down and chat with some of the contestants and their families, which was wonderful, although it does sometimes make my job harder. It's not easy to be critical of someone when you actually really like them! But, above everything, I am committed to being objective, and honest.

And, it turns out, some of the contestants have been reading the blog - and more importantly, reading what I say about them. From those that I've praised, to those that I've panned... I was a little nervous when I found this out. Would they be annoyed with me for the less-than-complimentary things I said? Quite the opposite, actually. I got amazing feedback, and was even asked for some one-on-one feedback by one of the contestants that I've been somewhat critical of. It may sound trite and cliche, but I have to say: these contestants are a world apart, and every one of them is a true class act.

I even got a few pictures, though not as many as I would have liked. The press after-party was swarming with people, and a lot of the contestants left sooner than usual. However I did manage to get a few taken, and even managed to snag a few of Heinz Winckler. I'll upload those tomorrow when I get a moment. I'll also try to get some pictures tonight after the results show.

A few things I meant to mention about the show:

I don't know how it sounded on TV, but the band sounded great tonight. Before the show they did a few introductory warm-ups and it was great fun. Kudos to Keith Jay, the warm-up artist. One thing he can definitely do is liven up the crowd and make things fun. And he manages to vary it enough to keep it amusing for people who are there week after week.

And the ugliness that has typically been confined to the forums has started making its way to the live shows. During commercial break, Colin actually had to remind a fan that while cheering for a favorite is a wonderful thing, booing a contestant they don't like is just rude. Way to go, Colin! He earned himself a few brownie points in my book with that one.

All in all, a stellar evening, and one that I enjoyed greatly. From great talent, to great conversation, to just great stuff in general, it was definitely good to be back!