tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-160103622011-12-02T06:54:38.378-08:00Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comBlogger931100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-19744508241369922822009-02-05T01:22:00.000-08:002009-02-05T01:24:33.232-08:00

Hello, my fellow Idols fans! It sure has been a while. While I was far too busy to follow season IV of Idols, life seems to have settled down for me just in time for Season 5. I hope to be blogging through this season, bringing you my straightforward views on the show, the contestants, and the inevitable drama. The new blog will be located at http://www.idolfascination.com - hope to see you

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1141025835048248712006-02-26T23:27:00.000-08:002006-02-27T02:28:20.666-08:00

It's a been a while! I said that I'd announce new projects through here, and so I am: I'm happy to announce that I've launched a new website at http://www.peekzine.co.za covering all things entertainment. Not only will it be the new home of Idol Fascination, but it will cover several other events, such as Big Brother Nigeria, the new season of Lost, and Binnelanders. Look for

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1134245720418061382005-12-10T12:14:00.000-08:002005-12-10T12:16:48.770-08:00

Here are the long awaited Top 4 round photos. Thanks for your patience, guys!

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1133178679922143582005-11-28T02:41:00.000-08:002005-11-28T03:51:19.960-08:00

From the moment I wrote my first blog entry back in August, Idols has become a significant part of my life - especially after I started going to the shows. It all seems so long ago, and yet, it seems to have gone by so quickly. This blog has been, for the most part, strictly Idols-oriented, but I hope you'll forgive me as I reflect a little bit more personally.First, though, a heartfelt

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1132836331368696322005-11-24T04:22:00.001-08:002005-11-24T04:45:31.403-08:00

OK, guys... Many of you have been reading for months, some are brand new, and some probably got here by mistake. My stats tell me that there's plenty of you who come back each week (or day) to check what's new on the blog.I mentioned in another post that I would not mistake a quiet fanbase for a small one again, and so it is here as well. While there's only a handful of people leaving comments,

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1132835289944692682005-11-24T04:22:00.000-08:002005-11-24T04:28:09.966-08:00

OK, guys... Many of you have been reading for months, some are brand new, and some probably got here by mistake. My stats tell me that there's plenty of you who come back each week (or day) to check what's new on the blog.I mentioned in another post that I would not mistake a quiet fanbase for a small one again, and so it is here as well. While there's only a handful of people leaving comments,

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1132828186212544202005-11-24T02:12:00.000-08:002005-11-24T02:29:46.250-08:00

Not only will it be a short list, it will be a sad one. After more than 3 months, 90 posts, and countless fond memories, here's the very last Song Selection column of the season. Apologies for the fact that pictures aren't up, the last couple of days were a bit hectic but I promise that (barring interference from Hellkom - my phone went out of service three times in the last week) I will put

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1132677570247436182005-11-22T08:29:00.000-08:002005-11-22T08:39:30.270-08:00

Encouraged by friends to audition for Idols, Karin Kortje's journey has possibly been one of the most inspiring and amazing transformations of all. From a timid, unremarkable girl to a increasingly beautiful and self-confident woman, Karin has changed before the country's eyes into a performer of Divaesque stature.She knew she wanted to be a singer when she realized that she really liked the way

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1132676947976508802005-11-22T07:48:00.000-08:002005-11-22T08:29:08.036-08:00

He's smooth, he's hep, he's one cool cat, and he took a few minutes to sit down with me, one and one, after last night's results show. It all started back in June, when Gift and some friends were working on starting their own decorating/events company. When Gift got the call that he was to audition on June 16th, he had a dilemma: there was also a major appointment scheduled with a potential

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1132655695706633912005-11-22T01:49:00.000-08:002005-11-22T02:34:55.710-08:00

The post-show press conference was, unsurprisingly, an interesting one, as we got to speak to not just the eliminated contestants, but the finalists as well. First up were Karin and Gift, still trying to absorb the fact that they were through to the finals. Both were thrilled, and very surprised, to find out that they would be the final two contestants. When asked what the impact on her and

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1132649124299507332005-11-21T22:11:00.000-08:002005-11-22T01:57:52.333-08:00

Well, folks, there we have it. I spent 10 minutes trying to think of a title for this post, and all I could come up with is "Wow." Of course my actual thoughts have some 4 letters words tossed in, but Wow is about as close as I can get and still keep this a family-friendly blog.I said yesterday that I fully expected to be wrong about my Karin/V Final prediction, but you know, I was still

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1132563244161715142005-11-21T00:46:00.000-08:002005-11-21T00:54:04.186-08:00

It's a banner news day for the Idols camp today:It's official: The judges have a 49% vote, including in the final. Because it is a collective 49% (as opposed to each judge having a certain weight to their votes) it is possible that the judges can cancel each other out. If two vote V, for instance, and two vote Karin, then their influence vanishes and it's back to the public for the outcome.

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1132560415169081732005-11-20T23:03:00.000-08:002005-11-21T02:10:09.866-08:00

Finally, a show that proves that each and every one of the Fab Four deserves their spot in the semi-finals, and that any of the four could be a worthy Idol. Last night's show surpassed all the others in my opinion, and leaves the stage set for what Idols ultimately boils down to: a popularity contest. Based on last night's stellar performances, it's all going to come down to fanbase. I think

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1132410626943206152005-11-19T05:28:00.000-08:002005-11-19T06:43:29.136-08:00

Finally made my way to the store to buy my copy of the Idols III compilation, featuring this year's Top 12 contestants, with a bonus track featuring five of the youngest contestants of the year. One thing that stood out the most after listening to the CD was the clear difference between live performances and the finely controlled studio atmosphere. Overall, it's a great CD, and will definitely

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1132257623457026542005-11-17T11:56:00.000-08:002005-11-17T12:00:23.513-08:00

OK folks, here we are:Top 5 PicsTop 5 Pics Cont'dThere's something for everyone, including pics of floor manager David who Nhlanhla honored as the thing he'll miss most about Idols. David is the one wearing the headset, and is an all-around great guy.

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1132254620201492992005-11-17T11:08:00.000-08:002005-11-17T11:10:20.256-08:00

OK, busy uploading away. Apologies again for the delay, but hopefully the 55 pictures that I'm serving up for your pleasure will help compensate for the wait! There will be at least two, possibly three new blog entries on the Photos Blog so be prepared for a lot of downloading - hopefully you have a fast connection!

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1132179471973505812005-11-16T13:49:00.000-08:002005-11-16T14:17:52.073-08:00

First off, apologies for not posting the pics as promised today. I've got the bulk of the work done, now it's just a matter of getting them uploaded. I promise, promise, promise, they will be up tomorrow. Things were a little hectic today, especially with the Back O' The Moon Party to prepare for.As I mentioned, I didn't bring along my camera. However I did bring along a friend, who dubbed

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1132138169981294302005-11-16T02:23:00.000-08:002005-11-16T05:26:15.360-08:00

Nice and early this time around, they've released the song selections for Sunday's Live Spectacular. Paying tribute to some all-time greats, the Top 4 have a great lineup in store for us:Nicky – ''It’s All Coming Back To Me'', Celine Dion; ''How Do I Live'', LeAnn RimesKarin – ''When I Need You'', Leo Sayer; ''I Have Nothing'', Whitney HoustonGift – ''Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me'', George

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1132080881118961962005-11-15T10:52:00.001-08:002005-11-15T10:54:41.140-08:00

I'll be uploading the pics I took on Sunday and Monday tomorrow. Hopefully I won't struggle with Blogger this time. I'll also be attending the Back O' The Moon party for the first time, but I'm still debating as to whether I'll be bringing my camera along. I think I might just go and enjoy myself without having to carry 5 kilos of equipment along. But I'll definitely report back on the

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1132047542988889792005-11-15T00:52:00.000-08:002005-11-15T01:39:03.046-08:00

Despite my criticisms over the past few weeks, I really was sad at last night's turn of events. I was a big Nhlanhla fan in the beginning, yet he somehow lost his charm for me. He stands fast by his conviction that nothing changed, including his voice, and is not sure what to attribute the comments by people such as Dave (and myself) to, but is confident that he was the same Nhlanhla as he was

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1131954160737490382005-11-13T23:37:00.000-08:002005-11-13T23:42:40.736-08:00

In the course of getting all worked up on my soapbox, I forgot to mention one other egregiously bad comment that was made last night - by Randall. His comment that one needs to have grown up on cornbread (I can't remember the full quote) in order to be able to have the soul that the Beyonce song required was also completely uncalled for, not to mention thoroughly untrue. The thinly veiled

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1131952354721466542005-11-13T21:28:00.000-08:002005-11-13T23:34:57.136-08:00

Well, we're getting close to the end now. Only two more shows, and after tonight, four more contestants. Will there be a double elimination next week? My hunches say there will be, but the Idols gang is remaining stubbornly tight-lipped, so I guess we just have to wait and see.Last night's show was a good one, though not the best one of the season. There weren't many performances that really

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1131913468843915742005-11-13T12:23:00.000-08:002005-11-13T12:24:28.843-08:00

Just wanted to apologize in advance, but the update that I normally do on Sunday nights won't be done until Monday morning. There's quite a few things I want to cover, and I am exhausted, so check in Monday morning for the full article.Thanks for your patience!

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1131869499916568232005-11-13T00:09:00.000-08:002005-11-13T00:11:39.956-08:00

Just to let you all know, I will indeed be at the Live Spectacular and Results Shows this week, so once again, I will try my best to get pictures of the Top 5, as well as any other interesting people who might be in attendance. Only 3 more shows to go!

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1131639647843619032005-11-10T08:15:00.000-08:002005-11-10T08:20:47.880-08:00

The Idols & Friends CD has been announced and here's a track listing:Joy To The World - Karin KortjeFirst Noel – David FourieFeliz Navidad - Gift Gwe, Nhlanhla Mwelse, Ayanda Mpama & Martelize van NiekerkHark The Herald Angels Sing – V LalouetteSilent Night - Heinz WincklerAll I Want For Christmas Is You - Kesha Charlton-Perkins, Nicky de Lange and Deidre VisserI’ll Be Home For Christmas –

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1131542633123562612005-11-09T04:09:00.000-08:002005-11-09T05:23:53.196-08:00

Here we go: this week's song selections!Nicky: Jewel "Foolish Games"; Karen Zoid "Small Room"Karin: Shirley Bassey "Never Never"; Mary J Blige "Never Too Much"Gift: Usher "U Remind Me"; Boyz II Men "End of the Road"V: Christina Augilera "I Turn To You"; Beyonce "Work It Out"Nhlanhla: Luther Vandross "Here and Now"; Stevie Wonder "Part Time Lover"Every week I marvel over how short the list

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1131530260018545862005-11-09T01:51:00.000-08:002005-11-09T01:57:40.043-08:00

I've been getting error messages from my subscription service for a couple of subscribers whose email keeps getting returned as undeliverable. Both start with an M, one is .za address and one is a .uk address. If this sounds like your email address, and you aren't getting notifications that the blog is updated, you might want to try reentering your email address in the subscription form to the

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1131484112499520332005-11-08T13:07:00.000-08:002005-11-08T13:20:18.626-08:00

These are being hosted over at photobucket due to some issues uploading them to my blog. Sorry for the clumsy format...Click here to see the images. Note that there are two pages available to view.

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1131396448416372932005-11-07T12:23:00.000-08:002005-11-07T12:47:28.446-08:00

We're really coming down to the wire now - only three more shows left, and in between wondering how I'll ever fill all my time without Idols, it only gets harder watching people go home.I didn't predict it correctly tonight, and I think it was partly due to the fact that I didn't want to. Ayanda is one of the most likeable people, and great fun to be around. After being told she was

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1131313379425519122005-11-06T12:57:00.000-08:002005-11-06T13:42:59.446-08:00

Another week, another stellar Live Spectacular. It's a tough one this week. Who will I vote for? Who do I think should go home? So hard to choose...First, let's start off with my favorite performance for the evening. Clawing her way into my good graces once again, we have V Lalouette. You might remember this line from my song selection rundown regarding "Call Me": "You know what I think

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1131101364728023432005-11-04T02:40:00.000-08:002005-11-04T02:49:24.786-08:00

Well, V continues to gain points in my book after speaking out against the nastiness some of her staunch supporters seem so eager to dish out. She left a message in her forum (as she is known to do), and included this statement:"Firstly, I know this is a forum where people can say exactly what they feel, however, I'd just like to make it known that it really isn't cool to read hectically nasty

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1131047103476405912005-11-03T11:43:00.000-08:002005-11-03T11:45:03.506-08:00

Sorry for the delay in getting the new photos up, things have been a little bit hectic the last couple of days. But here they are! Click here to see shots of V, Heinz, Gift, Deidre, Martelize!

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1130860775149724182005-11-01T07:33:00.000-08:002005-11-01T08:21:17.060-08:00

They're quick on the ball this week. Here are this week's song choices:Nicky – ''Underneath Your Clothes'', Shakira; ''Brass in Pocket'', The PretendersKarin – ''Do You Know Where You’re Going To'', Diana Ross; ''If I Can’t Have You'', Yvonne EllimanGift – ''Uptown Girl'', Westlife; ''Back at One'', Brian McKnightV – ''Other Side of the World'', KT Tunstall; ''Call Me'', BlondieAyanda – ''

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1130846358200548962005-11-01T03:57:00.000-08:002005-11-01T04:01:38.393-08:00

So I went ahead and started a forum. It's very basic at the moment, but it should provide a nice space for everyone to discuss all things Idols. It will be moderated by me, so play nice! One nice thing is the availability of truly threaded comments, which should make for much easier reading!Any comments, let me know. Otherwise, enjoy!Click here to check it out.

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1130843339342916092005-11-01T02:58:00.000-08:002005-11-01T03:08:59.363-08:00

It was confirmed last night that the votes from the failed elimination last week were not used in this week's results. The producers agreed that the same problems existed with that group of votes, and that if they were invalid that week, they were still invalid this week. When asked why they continued to encourage voting, knowing the problems that existed, it was explained that if the difference

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1130794328310677852005-10-31T13:01:00.000-08:002005-10-31T13:32:08.480-08:00

And so, after another tense and drawn-out Results Show, two of the sweetest contestants this season said their good-byes, leaving us with a Top 6. As time goes by, it gets harder and harder to watch the contestants leave, and watching two of the contestants that I liked the most go home on the same night was just heartwrenching. I'll tell you, there was scarcely a dry eye in the house. I loved

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1130765344327143352005-10-31T05:11:00.000-08:002005-10-31T05:29:04.353-08:00

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

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1130748675315366632005-10-30T23:58:00.000-08:002005-10-31T00:51:18.740-08:00

Yet another high point on the roller coaster track that is Idols, this week's Live Spectacular was a magnificent comeback from last week. (Last week? There wasn't a show last week, was there?) I'm going to start this week's recap with someone who simply blew me away last night. Someone who has never blown me away before - someone who has never given me goosebumps, chills or teary eyes.

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1130574249262006252005-10-29T00:59:00.000-07:002005-10-29T01:24:11.120-07:00

This site has had over 4000 visits since August, which is nothing to sneeze at in my book. However there is a rather small number of visitors making comments. What I'm wondering is: would you prefer a general forum for discussing all things Idols? Would you be likely to post in the forum? If there is enough interest, I will set one up. Respond using the poll in the sidebar to the right.Also,

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1130400727197372782005-10-27T01:11:00.000-07:002005-10-27T01:12:07.220-07:00

After a long spell of not going to the shows, I'll be attending this week's Live Spectacular and likely the Results Show, and as always, will do my best to take some more pictures!

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1130344333336114462005-10-26T09:14:00.000-07:002005-10-26T09:32:30.203-07:00

The Song Selection is finally up:Nicky - 'Just A Little', Liberty XMartelize - 'That Don't Impress Me Much', Shania TwainKarin - 'Together Again', Janet JacksonGift - 'Faith', George MichaelDeidre - 'Baby One More Time', Britney SpearsV - 'Beautiful', Christina AguileraAyanda - 'Nothing Compares To You', Sinead O'ConnorNhlanhla - 'Every Breath You Take', Puff DaddyWith a theme of video hits, the

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1130241135853317082005-10-25T04:27:00.000-07:002005-10-25T04:52:15.906-07:00

Well, yesterday was something of an eventful day for the Idols bunch. From phone exchange problems to casually dropped rumors, to "surprise" endings to the results show, there seemed to be more questions than answers.First, there was The Burg's column, which I note quickly vanished from the front page, to be replaced by the previous column on the Idols history. The column in general was snipy

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1130090043641971942005-10-23T10:00:00.000-07:002005-10-23T10:54:03.656-07:00

Week in, week out, we hear what must be the most cliche phrase in Idols history: emotional rollercoaster. Well, I have to say, it's not just the contestants who are riding a rollercoaster. This thing has more ups and downs than a kangaroo on a pogo stick.After last week's phenomenal performances, I was really anticipating being blown away this week. OK, to be fair, I was blown away - in all

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1130010046304015842005-10-22T12:35:00.000-07:002005-10-22T12:40:46.313-07:00

You've probably noticed (and hopefully voted in) the current poll asking if you'd be interested in a blog following the progress of this year's contestants. So far, the votes indicate that most people would definitely be interested in one. What I'd like to know is what you'd be interested in seeing. Appearance dates? Reviews of the work they release? What do you want to see?

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1129891515541809762005-10-21T03:44:00.000-07:002005-10-21T03:47:53.660-07:00

Rumor has it that Deidre has injured her vocal chords and may be pulling out of the competition. I have to stress, at this point, it is only rumor but I am trying to get official confirmation on this. As soon as I know more, I'll let you know.Thanks to Bat for bringing this to my attention!Update (That was quick): I've heard back from Idols PR and as of yet, there is no indication of this

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1129755457299814322005-10-19T12:50:00.000-07:002005-10-19T13:57:37.346-07:00

Finally back online. Turns out my wireless router just up and bit the dust. But, I have my handy-dandy wired router sitting at the ready, so I'm back with this week's Talk Back.It's Wednesday again, and song choices are up. Thanks to the anonymous poster who left a list of this week's song choices in a comment for me, saving me a little bit of work. This week's theme is "How it Should Be Done

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1129484991121273952005-10-16T10:00:00.000-07:002005-10-16T10:49:51.136-07:00

Sunday, of course, is my favorite night of the week. All week long I look forward to the next Live Spectacular, wondering who will shine, who will surprise, and who will trip on the staircase to stardom. Every week, it's been a case of an amazing few standing head and shoulders over their lackluster competition. There was nothing lackluster about this week however, and I'm left with the

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1129128095653406322005-10-12T07:29:00.000-07:002005-10-12T07:50:29.756-07:00

Well the line-up for next week is out, and there are some interesting choices here:Kesha: Reach, Gloria EstefanNicky: What’s Love Got To Do With It, Tina TurnerAyanda: The First Time (Ever I Saw Your Face), Roberta FlackGift: Give Me The Night, George BensonV: River Deep, Mountain High, Tina TurnerDeidre: Bed of Roses, Bon JoviNhlanhla: Signed, Sealed, Delivered], Stevie WonderKarin: Close to You

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1129037001899544282005-10-11T06:10:00.000-07:002005-10-11T06:23:21.906-07:00

I had a chance to have a quick chat with Pume this afternoon to get her thoughts on the elimination, being an Idol contestant, and what's in store for her future. As with Bonolo, one of Pume's strengths is her poise. She seems to be taking her elimination in stride, pointing out that at the end of the day, there are still eight more contestants who will also be eliminated, leaving only one true

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1129026169973625872005-10-11T03:20:00.000-07:002005-10-11T03:22:49.980-07:00

I'll be interviewing the most recently eliminated contestant, Pume, this afternoon, so be sure to stay tuned for the scoop on what's next for one of the most powerful voices this season!

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1128964056834507602005-10-10T10:01:00.000-07:002005-10-10T10:07:36.860-07:00

Well, I'm 3 for 3 in my predictions so far. Surprising in that I initially didn't expect Pume to go home so soon, and also in that a wild card didn't bite the bullet this week. I can only guess that this is what Colin was getting at when he said we were in for a surprise. So far, though, South Africa seems to be voting fairly wisely, and unfortunately, Pume really did deliver the weakest

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1128935979591936432005-10-10T01:50:00.000-07:002005-10-10T02:19:39.653-07:00

Judging this week was something of a mixed bag. While I think there was an overall improvement in the quality of the comments (for the second week, Randall had some fresh commentary to offer up!) there were a few things that left me scratching my head.Mara: Gareth told Deidre that her days in the competition were basically numbered. Mara declared Gareth a "sucker" but then summed up by

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1128878486790997652005-10-09T09:51:00.000-07:002005-10-09T10:21:26.820-07:00

Tonight may well have been one of the most surprising nights so far. Some exceeded my expectations, some didn't live up to them, and some met them exactly, but all in all, there were quite a few unexpected happenings in this week's Live Spectacular.First, I have to start off by saying, I was wrong about Ayanda. I don't think she's going home tomorrow. She has redeemed herself in my eyes, and

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1128765683342367032005-10-08T02:37:00.000-07:002005-10-08T03:30:22.136-07:00

Hailing from Seaview in Kwazulu Natal, where she apparently can't actually see the sea view, Ayanda Mpama is one of the wild cards who bounced back from losing out in viewer votes to get another shot at the Top 12. Though she's stayed in the game this far, I think that was due more to the fact that some of the other contestants were more noticeably weaker, and she has been flying a little bit

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1128704650087583822005-10-07T10:01:00.000-07:002005-10-07T10:04:10.100-07:00

Although I won't be attending this weekend's shows, I have started making arrangements to interview the eliminated contestant next week. Even better than a few stolen moments after the shows!I'm starting to think the rumored "beefed up content" on Channel 37 might be just that. True, they ran a 15 minute spot on Jamie-Lee's Idols journey on Monday, but, I think we could use a little bit more.

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1128604430460243732005-10-06T06:11:00.000-07:002005-10-06T06:13:50.466-07:00

Won't be able to attend this week's Live Spectacular or Results Show (last week's trip pushed my transportation budget a bit into the red) but hopefully I'll be able to resume again next week. But even if I can't be there Live, I'll still be watching as usual, and will post my update as normal. Not being there might be a slightly good thing - it's a lot easier to keep notes when watching it on

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1128532061547993932005-10-05T10:05:00.000-07:002005-10-05T10:07:41.550-07:00

As Steinie indicated in a comment here, the article that said Deidre was shocked to discover she was the second-least favorite has been edited, and no mention of this is now made. I'll try to get the details in the morning, but in the meantime, it looks as if the panic for Deidre fans may pass. For now, anyway... ;)

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1128525155596682862005-10-05T08:06:00.000-07:002005-10-05T08:12:35.596-07:00

As viewers, we can see where contestants go wrong. Whether they struggle to hit the low notes, or crack under the pressure of sustaining those highs, sometimes it's a little bit of a mystery as to what the contestants are thinking when they make their song choices each week. To be fair, they are limited somewhat in their choices; they're given a list of songs that fit in with the theme of the

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1128502418402235182005-10-05T01:43:00.000-07:002005-10-05T01:53:38.406-07:00

Here's the selections for this Sunday's Live Spectacular with a Movie Magic theme:Kesha – There You'll Be / Faith Hill (Pearl Harbor)Nicky – Searchin' My Soul / Vonda Sheppard (Ally McBeal)Ayanda – Over the Rainbow / Judy Garland (Wizard of Oz)Gift – Love is All Around / Wet Wet Wet (Four Weddings and a Funeral)V – Crazy / Patsy Cline (Field of Dreams)Pume – It Must Have Been Love / Roxette (

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1128370018659343282005-10-03T12:58:00.000-07:002005-10-03T13:06:58.663-07:00

Randall keeps going on and on about astute song choices... Unfortunately, Bonolo's choice may have been just a bit too apt. It might have been my imagination, but it seemed to me that as she wrapped up "Say Goodbye", it occured to her just how fitting the song would be if she were to leave.Of the contestants I've talked to, Bonolo is one of my favorite. If you could see the way her smile lights

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1128337193911008512005-10-03T03:58:00.000-07:002005-10-03T03:59:53.916-07:00

The new pictures are up; more to come tomorrow, along with more peeks behind the scenes.Gavin's Eleven

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1128330536813635052005-10-03T00:19:00.000-07:002005-10-03T02:08:56.923-07:00

He's better looking that George McClooney, in my opinion, and he's pulling off the biggest heist of them all. In broad spotlight, right under our noses, Gavin Wratten and his current eleven contenders for the Idols throne are busy stealing the hearts of South Africans across the country. If it isn't clear, I thought last night was the best Idols show yet. Recovering from a less-than-stellar

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1128200147140908712005-10-01T13:48:00.000-07:002005-10-01T13:55:47.153-07:00

The other day I mentioned that I'd added a subscription service. Originally I was using bloglet.com to provide the feed, but after some in-depth research I decided this was not the best choice and switched over to the better-supported and more reliable FeedBlitz. There are a couple of things to note, however: those of you who subscribed using the bloglet form will need to resubscribe to

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1128196517579008852005-10-01T12:53:00.000-07:002005-10-01T12:55:17.583-07:00

Just watched the results show from last Monday... I have to say, I was a little bit surprised to realize they edited out Colin's monstrous gaffe from the live show, but can definitely understand why they felt the need to. And all I can say is, damn, do I wish Jamie-Lee had sung as well last Sunday as she did during the results show. Had she given the same performance, I think she'd be safely

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1128160634321996862005-10-01T02:46:00.000-07:002005-10-01T02:57:14.326-07:00

Someone asked me once why I didn't just post the things I post here on the forums. The main answer? There is some serious ugliness going on amongst people there.I confess, at first I just wanted to break away from a lot of the immaturity I saw there. Call me snobby, but I don't suffer the " u r 2 stoopid 2 kno wut u r talkin bout" type comments very lightly. SMS speak is tolerable over the

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1128159583579431782005-10-01T02:37:00.000-07:002005-10-01T02:39:43.583-07:00

I've been having all sorts of weird problems with the blog over the past 24 hours. New posts have disappeared, comments were only visible some of the time, and the template kept reverting back to a previous version.I'm really, really hoping this is the end of the difficulties. I don't know if there was a database problem on blogspot's side, but whatever it was, I hope it's better now...

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1128154127611986872005-10-01T01:08:00.000-07:002005-10-01T01:08:47.613-07:00

Grrr

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1128035862752103342005-09-29T16:13:00.000-07:002005-09-29T16:17:42.753-07:00

Because I use Firefox, I had no idea that there were problems with the way the page was showing up in IE. From a weird extension of the sidebar on the upper right hand side, to an annoying (and unattractive) widening of the body of the blog, things in IE just weren't quite right. I've spent an ungodly amount of time working on it tonight - would help if my coding skills were a little more up to

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1128032430240327302005-09-29T15:20:00.000-07:002005-09-29T15:20:30.240-07:00

Nothing to see here, just a test.

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1128024819854783542005-09-29T12:47:00.000-07:002005-09-29T13:13:39.860-07:00

Looking for a great weekend destination? Gold Reef City certainly fits the bill. Whether for a romantic getaway for the adults or a fun trip for the whole family, there's something for everyone at GRC.When Gold Reef City isn't busy being overrun by the presence of the Idols crew, or preparing for a major petroleum conference (as they were last weekend) one of GRC's biggest charms is its feeling

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1128022612482645522005-09-29T11:59:00.000-07:002005-09-29T12:36:52.486-07:00

Every week we watch them as they deliver their opinions of the contestants' performances. Some days I agree with them wholeheartedly; other days I wonder if we're watching the same performances. And sometimes, I just can't help but wonder, "What are these guys smoking?"The scale seems to have tipped slightly. During the first rounds of auditions, I often found them unnecessarily critical, and

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1127941849633709032005-09-28T14:06:00.000-07:002005-09-28T14:10:49.636-07:00

It's that time of week again... Who do you think will be eliminated during Monday night's results show? Based on what I saw last week, I think Bonolo and Ayanda are at the greatest risk right now. I certainly won't bet any money on it; if there is one thing I learned last week, it's that these contestants can definitely surprise, for better or for worse. I have confirmed that I will be

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1127913713878587682005-09-28T06:20:00.000-07:002005-09-28T06:21:53.876-07:00

Well I spent a good part of the morning revamping the site. The pre-set template was just a little too plain for my liking, so I thought I'd jazz it up a little. Let me know what you think - whether you love it or hate it!

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1127846781525206782005-09-27T11:43:00.000-07:002005-09-27T11:46:21.526-07:00

I hesitate to levy the charge that's being bandied about so freely in the forums, so I'll keep this fairly simple: do you think Mara is showing undeserved favoritism to any of the contestants during this show?To me, it seems clear that she has favorites. I won't go so far as to say that she favors them because of color or sex; but it seems clear to me that she has a few contestants that she

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1127846526114190282005-09-27T11:28:00.000-07:002005-09-27T11:42:06.306-07:00

They're just everyday people. Monday night before the results show I was sitting in a lounge waiting for the show to begin. Deidre's friends and family were also there, and I got to get a glimpse into the kind of people they are, and where Deidre gets her winning personality. Out of respect for their privacy, I won't go into actual detail, but I will say this: these people are amazingly funny

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1127764494421569542005-09-26T12:29:00.000-07:002005-09-26T12:54:54.426-07:00

What a night. Usually I'm thrilled when I'm right, even if I'm the only person who ever knows it. But tonight, I would much rather have been very wrong. I am disappointed that Jamie-Lee is now completely out of the game, but I can't say I don't understand why. The Results Show was a dramatic one. There's quite a few things I want to cover. First, to clear up any confusion (and it existed

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1127734417764892582005-09-26T04:12:00.000-07:002005-09-26T04:33:37.770-07:00

I've been going over it in my mind all morning. Based on what I saw last night, who did I think was going to go home? I wish I could get my hands on the TV broadcast; watching live makes it very difficult to actually keep track of how each contestant did - especially when there are 12 of them in a single evening! So until I get a chance to sit down and compose some really coherent notes, here

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1127510095488695362005-09-23T14:00:00.000-07:002005-09-23T14:14:55.840-07:00

In the Idols forum, The Burg says that there is soon to be some "beefed up" content on Channel 37, to which I can only say: Finally! I was really looking forward to seeing some great behind the scenes info on what goes into Idols. Everyone, from crew to contestants, works so hard at giving us what we all tune in for every week, and it would be great to get a glimpse at what some of that work

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1127386111661999942005-09-22T03:46:00.000-07:002005-09-22T03:48:31.660-07:00

Make your early predictions for the Top 3 now! It's a hard choice to make, with so much talent present, but so far I'm going with Veronique L, Deidre and Kesha. They'll be a tough bunch to beat.

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1127316044381072742005-09-21T08:19:00.000-07:002005-09-21T08:23:59.060-07:00

OK, the photos are up. Because I was trying to stay out of the way while the Idols photographer did his thing, these aren't quite as good as I would have liked, but they are still great shots! Have a look! (Please note, due to the volume of pictures on this page, it may take a long time to load if you have a dial up connection!)

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1127313557639775342005-09-21T07:34:00.000-07:002005-09-21T07:39:17.643-07:00

In keeping with the "Expanded Content" Theme, I'll be attending the first Live Spectacular this Sunday at Gold Reef City. The tension is bound to be high, and the excitement levels will be through the roof as the Top 12 hopefuls do their best to avoid elimination.My early speculation is that Bonolo will be the first one eliminated; her previous performances aren't quite up to the standards set

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1127218918250318922005-09-20T04:32:00.000-07:002005-09-20T05:24:07.133-07:00

Ever wondered what happens at a Live Results Show? Last night, I got the chance to find out. It was an especially exciting event last night, because all of the Top 24 were present, all eager to find out if there would be Wild Cards, and more importantly - if they would be one of them. The tension and excitement in the air was palpable, and was immediately apparent in the faces of the 18 who were

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1127215915936408962005-09-20T04:15:00.000-07:002005-09-20T04:31:55.940-07:00

Every once in a while (and of course, this means, very rarely) I completely screw up. I did that in making my wild card predictions, and forgot that Ayanda would be up for a wild card if she didn't go through as predicted. I'm very glad to say that my screw ups don't matter in the long run, and Ayanda did indeed make it, along with Bonolo, Veronique and Jamie-Lee. I thought Bonolo did well in

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1127073862508084002005-09-18T12:55:00.000-07:002005-09-18T13:04:22.506-07:00

Before tomorrow's show, I want to weigh in on who I think should move into the Top 12 as Wild Cards (that is to say, if they have any!) Just a quick list here:Jamie-Lee - without a doubt. I was really disappointed that she didn't make it into the Top 12 the first time around; hopefully the judges will remedy this.Veronique - as with Jamie-Lee, I was disappointed she didn't go through, and

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1127072672568714962005-09-18T12:44:00.000-07:002005-09-18T12:46:56.983-07:00

It’s been a fun and interesting time, these past four weeks, and we’ve finally reached the end of the Top 24. I don’t know about you, but I’m eager to move onto the Top 12. Those that have made it through so far, and those that I believe will make it through from tonight’s shows, all have incredible talent, and I think all that highly selective, bordering-on-perfectionist judging has paid off,

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1126967299784638702005-09-17T07:26:00.000-07:002005-09-17T07:28:19.783-07:00

Thanks to some great exposure on the Idols site, and your return visits (you did bookmark this page, didn't you?) I'm working on some more content for the site. I'll be attending Monday night's Results Show in Randburg, and you can be sure that I'll be back to report on all the happenings. In the meantime, keep your ideas for content rolling in, as well as any comments, compliments or, yes,

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1126967183436827562005-09-17T07:25:00.000-07:002005-09-17T07:26:23.443-07:00

Obviously, I do a lot of talking here. But I'd like to hear from you, as well. So, here's your chance to 'Talk Back'! Today's topic is:If you could sit down with one of the Idol Contestants, who would it be, and what would your first question to them be?Talk Back!

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1126965395885862512005-09-17T06:47:00.000-07:002005-09-17T06:56:35.886-07:00

I'm back online, thanks for your patience. I'll be responding to your comments through the day, as well as putting up a couple more columns. Glad to be back - and just in time for tomorrow.

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1126544535326093452005-09-12T10:00:00.000-07:002005-09-12T10:03:00.426-07:00

Man, you guys had me nervous there. Here I am, promising to eat my keyboard if Romie goes any further in the competition, and turns out he's one of the Top 3! I was starting to think of creative ways to get around this self-imposed punishment - could I make a keyboard out of chocolate, and then eat that?Luckily, my main predictions came true - let's give it up for Gift and Nhlanhla, the newest

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1126516434308343862005-09-12T02:13:00.000-07:002005-09-12T02:13:54.310-07:00

Your opinions are wanted. Comment on the columns, tell me what you would like to see here, tell me if you think I'm off the rocker. Don't worry - I can take it!

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1126514790104375762005-09-11T12:00:00.000-07:002005-09-12T02:39:44.246-07:00

Picture used courtesty ofM-Net / Freemantle Well. That was a disappointment.I've been trying to think of a way to sum up last night's events but, man, am I at a loss. I was really looking forward to this group - I really thought that the few men in the competition were really talented and would give the girls a decent run for their money, despite being vastly outnumbered. However, it was hard

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1125942171697568182005-09-05T10:12:00.000-07:002005-09-12T03:51:12.416-07:00

Another week, another group, and we're halfway through the Top 12. As a whole, Sunday's line up was much stronger than Group 1, and the choices weren't easy to make.Here are my thoughts on the contestants:Of the group, I felt that Bernice was by far the weakest. Her voice was too thin, a little too breathless, and was overwhelmed by the band. The judges took her to task in her first song, but

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16010362.post-1125433967933403102005-08-30T22:30:00.000-07:002005-09-12T03:53:49.183-07:00

Well, it's shaping up to be an interesting Idols season so far. I only regret that I didn't have internet access in time to get this set up to follow from the beginning, but at least I'll be able to cover the bits we all really want - The Top 12! But first, let's start with some overall comments.Sunday's show started out with the promised "bombshell announcement": of the 32 hopefuls who had made

Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06075805826588609212noreply@blogger.com