Thursday, May 22, 2008

Cool Cook


David Cook, American Idol 2008
(Photo by Mario Anzuoni for Reuters)


Wow. Contrary to expectations, America voted for the better David. It voted for what I feel is the best American Idol since Carrie Underwood. So glad. And relieved, actually; the results made up for last night's less-than-stellar show. I mean, using a boxing metaphor to describe the duel of the Davids is appallingly corny, but to hammer it down at every chance it gets? Come on!

No, I don't feel that bad for Archuleta. No doubt, the kid is gifted with a great voice and should have a terrific career ahead of him (as long as his old man doesn't meddle too much). But thanks in part to the hype the show had built up for him, he has become so overrated. He just doesn't excite me as a performer. He doesn't have the electrifying verve, the cool vibe that Cook has.

Nice to see the other finalists again, especially my other favorite, Carly Smithson. In a perfect world, she and Cook should be the Top Two. I feel quite sorry for Amanda Overmeyer: her face, her body language seemed to say: "Fuck, let's get this over with. I'm so not into this crap." I seriously doubt if most of the eliminated contestants will be able to use the exposure they got on the show to jumpstart their career. Too many former Idol wannabes tried, and failed miserably. Carly and Brooke White may have some prospects, but I think Syesha Mercado has the best chance.

The finale was just OK. Good to see Seal there, and Byran Adams, and George Michael. But the obviously aging Donna Summer (her being aided by two guys so she could tread down the steps without tripping is kinda pitiful)? Not really. Ditto with Reynaldo Lapuz. Even the manipulated footage of Gladys Knight singing--what else?--"Midnight Train to Georgia" (didn't she sang this with last season's female finalists, well, last year?). Manipulated, because Ben Stiller, Jack Black and Robert Downey Jr. were put in there instead of the Pips to basically make goofballs of themselves. It's not even funny. I remember thinking while watching this: Why Robert? Why do this? You're much better than this.

So much ink has been spilled, so much spit has been wasted in claiming that this season is the show's best so far. Granted, this one is way better than last year. But the best so far? Yeah right. In my mind, the fifth season--where Chris Daughtry, Paris Bennett, Elliot Yamin, Katharine McPhee and (oh alright) Taylor Hicks were introduced to the world--is still tops. That season has so many unforgettable performances. Yes, Season Seven has its share, but honestly, there's only one song I liked enough to download: Carly's take on Dolly Parton's "Here You Go Again."

Again, very happy with the results. David Cook deserves the title.

Monday, May 5, 2008

Palanca Pass-up



Even with the very rare deadline extension offered by the Palanca Foundation, I still failed to submit anything worthwhile this year.

This is only the second time. The first time, way back in 2003, the UP Writers Workshop played a key part. This time around, I have no one, nothing to cite as a reason for not joining.

I did plan to join this year, though. Spent almost a month penning a short, rather personal play for consideration for the next Virgin Labfest and planned on entering it to the Palanca competition, only to reconsider after I had it read and assessed during a recent Writers Bloc session. Afterwards, I tried to revise a short, short, short story into a passable entry to the Short Story for Children category, but craft considerations got the better of me. Early this afternoon, I took a good, hard look at what I wrote so far and concluded that it's just not worth spending a hundred bucks to have it notarized. Well, as they say, there's always next year.

It's funny. Now that I think about it, I never submitted an entry which I wrote expressively for the Palancas. Most, if not all of the creative stuff I wrote, I did so for other reasons: for one of my classes, for the chance to be part of a theater laboratory festival. There was a time I wrote plays and stories simply because I like to, because I enjoy it. But that's no longer the case, not for some time now. That should alarm me. But it doesn't. I wonder why.

Truth to tell, it's not only creative writing that I have lost some joy in doing. Reading books and watching movies too. Even my job. The only thing I like doing now lately is take lots of pictures, edit some of them in Photoshop and post them in my Flickr account. And watch American Idol (and just to digress: Jason Castro has got to go. Really. And: Go David Cook!).

God, the last time I was this--what's the word?--joyless, it was back in high school, during my junior year. That year, I was depressed. Clinically. I even had death wishes back then. Seriously. That's how bad it was. Thank God I don't have them now.

But really, I have to snap out of this. I still have a thesis to finish.