Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Idol Talk: Hometown Pride


"American Idol" is back on the straight-singing express, and viewers may be in the mood to forgive last season's celebrity detour. Since the show's season premiere, searches on the talent contest have been equal to, if not higher than, what they were this time last year.

Each Top 24 hopeful has developed an online following. That's markedly different from season 6, when people were still enamored with the rejects. True, ousted Josiah Leming and Reynaldo Lapuz are still the most popular Season 7 contestants thus far: They each attract more buzz than former "Star Search" winner David Archuleta (who currently leads the Top 24 crop). But still.

The slideshow here ranks the contestants according to Buzz, but there may be another way to rank the newest darlings: hometown pride. The southern states tend to be traditional "Idol" Buzz territory, and this year's no exception, with Oklahoma leading the show's searches. Southern favoritism could portend well for Alaina Whitaker (Oklahoma), Alexandrea Lushington (Georgia), Colton David Berry (Virginia), as well as a handful of Texans (both Jasons) and the Hoosier contingent.

Ah, but beware the mendacity of such hope. Ultimately talent and likeability may trump parochialism in the final stretch, as Arizona native Jordin Sparks showed by breaking the southern stranglehold. Will voters help repeat history? We'll find out in the coming weeks. In the meantime, weigh in with your own "Idol" analysis.

Idol Talk: The Godmother


While Oprah is busy boosting book sales and pushing presidential candidates, Ellen Degeneres has become the "American Idol" godmother. This week, she welcomed waif Josiah Leming, whose cut during Hollywood Week inspired Daughtry-like outrage among show fans.

Searches for "ellen degeneres" popped up another 35% on the day of the program, and related lookups for "josiah leming on ellen" (+1,344%), "josiah leming" (+518%) and "josiah leming american idol" (+483%) surged for the woebegone underdog.

Ellen had ties to the Fox competition last season, serving as satellite host on the shoe-horned "Idol Gives Back" telethon. Besides showing Ryan Seacrest how proper hosting's done, she dug around in the spare change tray in her car and came up with a $100K donation. The fairy godmother instincts re-emerged Tuesday when she gifted Josiah with $8,000 worth of musical instruments.

Did the largesse inspire Top 24 contestant Colton Berry to invoke her name during boys' singing night? Colton, largely overlooked by "Idol" cameras, took his first opportunity to introduce himself to America by calling himself Degeneres' twin.

Nice try, but being Ellen's adopted pet inspires nine times more searches than being her teen-boy doppelganger. Not that Colton should give up getting in the godmother's good graces. After all, searchers don't call her "ellen degenerous" for nothing.

American Idol: Gender Breakdowns

In the ongoing battle of the sexes, this season's "American Idol" may unite Venus and Mars, at least in terms of talent. Among U.S. searchers, males and females agree on who the top—and bottom—three contestants are.

After David Archuleta, Ramiele Malubay, and Carly Smithson, though, harmony breaks down. Jason Castro (and his "dreads") and Danny Noriega are among females' top 5 most searched Season 7 "Idol" wannabes. On the male Search spectrum, however, the double-blonde threat of Kristy Lee Cook and Kady Malloy secure the third and fourth spot.

And then there's Michael Johns. The judges' favorite is currently in the middle of the pack. Coasting might be a wise strategy, so that the panel's extravagant praise doesn't backfire on him. Still, the Aussie will be wanting to win some hearts and minds—and ears—in the coming weeks.

US Females
David Archuleta
Ramiele Malubay
Carly Smithson
Jason Castro
Danny Noriega
Kristy Lee Cook
Kady Malloy
Michael Johns
Robbie Carrico
Brooke White
Amanda Overmyer
David Hernandez
Alaina Whitaker
Luke Menard
Asia'h Epperson
David Cook
Syesha Mercado
Jason Yeager
Alexandrea Lushington
Chikezie

US Males
David Archuleta
Ramiele Malubay
Carly Smithson
Kristy Lee Cook
Kady Malloy
Jason Castro
Danny Noriega
Michael Johns
Robbie Carrico
Brooke White
David Hernandez
Luke Menard
Amanda Overmyer
Asia'h Epperson
Syesha Mercado
Alaina Whitaker
David Cook
Jason Yeager
Alexandrea Lushington
Chikezie

Idol Talk: The Pinoy Connection


Before her audition, Ramiele Malubay declared to "American Idol" cameras, "I want to try to be the first Asian-American Idol." Some bloggers may be so eager about the prospect of a racial breakthrough, that they're sussing out other contestants to see if they might fit that bill.

In recent weeks, people have been online searching for rumored Pinoy connections in queries like "david archuleta american idol filipino" (+511%) "david archuleta filipino auditions" (+386%), and "danny noriega filipino" (+160%). So far, however, the ethnic background checks have failed to surface any Fil-Am blood for the popular Archuleta or Noriega.

Besides sparking huffy threads on the Philippines' colonial history, blogosphere discussions have pitted colorblind advocates against those who crave Asian representation in the music industry. The main objection to such queries has been, what does race matter? Aside from ethnic pride, the response is that it shouldn't... but an "Idol" victory could change the minds of recording executives who think otherwise. The International Herald Tribune examined the dearth of Asian-American singers after season 6 contestant Paul Kim claimed execs told him his ethnicity kept him from getting record deals. (Kim made the top 24, but didn't survive the first round.)

"American Idol" itself hasn't been without its racial controversies: Elton John called the 2004 votes "incredibly racist" after future Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson got ousted. Also, one name that surfaces with astounding regularity in online searches is ultimate reject William Hung. Opinion remains split over whether his ill-gotten fame comes from displaying endearing innocence or playing into a racial caricature; the aforementioned Kim certainly brought up Hung as a negative incentive to try out.

Ironically, Asian-American "Idol" representation has nearly been in line statistically with the general population (census numbers put Asian-Americans at 5%). Out of 72 Top 12 contestants, three have been Asian: season 3 singers Camile Velasco and Jasmine Trias (whose name Malubay invoked in her audition interview), and last year's infamous Sanjaya Malakar (whom USA Today had, perhaps prematurely, crowned as an ascending South Asian star). Three out of 72 is about four percent. If Malubay—currently the top-searched female competitor—makes the finals, she'll bring "Idol" stats (4 out of 84) right to the 5% mark.

Interestingly, a University of Arkansas economist actually used "American Idol" as a means to study racial discrimination in the labor market. He uncovered a "positive correlation" between the race of the viewers and contestants when the competition got hot. In Malubay's case, she has the backing of Filipinos in her hometown and in the Philippines in her pursuit. Given the small population (and the latter's ineligibility to vote), Malubay's appeal will have to transcend race. That may be exactly what both sides are hoping for.

credits: yahoo.com

Idol Talk: The Price of Fleeting Fame


In the hoary pre-Internet days, stardom came in different tiers: You had your one-hit wonders, B-list celebs, and the Warholian hotshots. Nowadays, even 15 minutes of limelight can be blistering hot, thanks to the relentless combination of muckraking 24-hour news and rumor-mongering bloggers.

The most recent object of intense scrutiny has been "American Idol" contestant David Hernandez. Rumors of a past job as an exotic dancer have been circulating online, but the buzz busted all over after a manager at an Arizona joint called Dick's Cabaret told AP that Hernandez worked there. Both Hernandez and the "Idol" producers are remaining mum on the report, but unofficial show sources say the Arizona singer's past gyrations won't disqualify him from the rest of the competition.

Either way, Hernandez's exposure has vaulted the Top 20 finalist from the middle of the Buzz pack into the top searches. That means his online queries are keeping company with searches for "ron paul," "primary results ohio," and "brett favre retirement nfl."

Scandal has touched the Fox reality competition before, and stories like these bring back names like Frenchie Davis (a 2003 semifinalist who got booted for being on an adult Web site) and last season's Antonella Barba. Barba didn't even make the coveted Top 12 spot, yet possibly faked photos released on the Web made her the most searched "Idol" contestant ever (based on their season's searches)—more than fellow Season 6 singer Sanjaya Malakar, Chris Daughtry (S5), Katharine McPhee (S5) and Carrie Underwood (S4).

Still, how does an "Idol" wannabe warrant attention equivalent to a Britney Spears pararazzi pack? "American Idol" is a throwback to the days before cable offerings fragmented TV audiences, and recording devices time-shifted viewing experiences. Thanks to its public participation starmaking concept, the FOX reality show must be seen in unison, if a viewer wants his/her vote to count.

So, combine its old-fashioned appeal with modern-day reporting, and you come up with aspiring everyday people who get a taste of fame in the worst way. The wildfire nature of Web rumors though can have its cold-water splash of reality: When people search for the news, they also dig for the truth and weigh in on what's important.

As for Hernandez, he's staying on the show so far and initial public opinion seems to be behind him. In the meantime, future aspiring Idols might want to do a self-background check. The media can be crueler than Simon Cowell.

credits: yahoo.com

Sunday, March 2, 2008

Patapon


Developed by Sony Computer Entertainment Japan, Patapon is a rhythm-based 2D platform/action game exclusively for the PSP. In the game, players are tasked with leading the colorful Patapons, a brave and noble tribe, through a series of epic battles against opposing armies and gigantic monsters.

In a distinct gameplay twist, action and rhythm are intertwined as players utilize drumbeats to march, attack, and defend, ultimately leading the Patapon tribe to victory. Featuring more than 20 missions in a variety of environments such as swamps, volcanos, gorges and deserts, players will outfit a Patapon army, collect resources, and grow their tribe into a devastating fighting force.