American Idol - Week Eleven - 5/22/07- Season Finale

I’ll start off my final American Idol review this year by saying thanks to all my readers. (a lot of whom I actually didn’t know were readers). Without you guys, there would be no point to writing my thoughts about Idol down!

Also, from the zero responses I got to my inquiry about what show you would like me to review once Idol wrapped, I won’t be doing another show review until Idol starts up again next January.

So we have the finale, and it looks as though Paula’s fall made her loopy again, because half the time she spoke she sounded like she was blitzed. (and does anyone really believe she tripped over her DOG?! I mean, her dog is a little Chihuahua! She could sneeze, and it would blow away. My theory is she got sloshed and fell down some stairs. But I digress…)

Both Blake and Jordin gave fine performances, though personal favorite aside, Jordin was the better singer.
The winner comes down to what does America really vote for? Do they want a talented entertainer (Blake) or a nearly flawless singer on par with Kelly Clarkson (Jordin)? Let’s hope America remembers this is a SINGING competition, and votes appropriately. (though if it was a fashion competition, Blake would be in very dangerous waters. Yeesh, those sweater vests kill me! Thanks to tv.squad.com for letting me “borrow” the pics they use in their Idol review!)

So anyway, let’s break down the rounds, shall we? (for the final time this year!)

1) Round One –
BLAKE LEWIS – sung “You Give Love A Bad Name” – I personally thought this was one of Blake’s horrible performances, but again, remember, I was never a fan of beat-boxing in a singing competition. I will say the audience obviously loved it, but I found that Blake’s energy wasn’t quite as exhilarating as he was attempting to be. As the judges said, the vocals were okay and his beat-boxing was flawless. I think it was Simon who said that performance-wise, it was magnificent, but the vocals were mediocre at best.

JORDIN SPARKS – sung “Fighter” –
Granted, she never sung this song before, and I truly believe she has the kind of voice to match Christina Aguilera’s range, but this wasn’t that great of a performance for Jordin. While she did pick a contemporary song, and Simon did applaud that choice, I just don’t think it had the kind of wow factor we need to see in the finale. Though vocally Jordin was the better singer, Blake clearly out-performed her, so I can see why Simon gave the first round win to Blake.

2) Round Two –
BLAKE LEWIS – sung “She Will Be Loved” – It looks as though Blake took Randy’s advice and stuck with a Maroon 5 sound for his second round performance. I thought the vocal was pretty good, and he did put his own little spin on it, without adding the beat-boxing. Was it missing something? Yes, but I don’t think the missing element was beat-boxing. I think it was song-connection. I didn’t feel any emotion or connection to the song and Blake’s vocals. Simon was on the money when he said that his first performance was better, and the song choice was most definitely a safe choice. It didn’t suck, but it didn’t stand out or impress. It was just “meh”.

JORDIN SPARKS – sung “A Broken Wing” – This is obviously Jordin’s favorite from the season, and I thought she sung it better then she did the first time we heard it. (I think I need to disagree with Randy when he said it was better then the original. Geez, Randy, have another glass of rum & coke). What a tremendous vocal build up to a great ending. I was truly impressed, much like I have been all season by Jordin. This one nailed it for me, and she truly shined on this one. Even though the judges didn’t say it outright, by the way they commented on Blake, then Jordin, Jordin was the obvious winner of round two.

2) Round Three –
BLAKE LEWIS – sung “This Is My Now” – First off, “This Is My Now” is the winning song from the songwriting contest Idol was running all season, but to be honest, it’s only slightly better then any of the lame-o songs Idol has churned out for past winners. I know the logic behind the song type is because it’s supposed to be an up-lifting song, but still it’s just not a great tune. Saying that, leads me to why this was unfair to Blake.
Now don’t think I’m suddenly jumping on the Blake bandwagon, I’m just trying to be fair here. There is no way in the world Blake would produce, choose, or attempt to sing this song if the choice was his. My God, he looked so uncomfortable singing this song, no matter how much he tried to cover it up, it was obvious he was wincing while singing this song’s verses.
It was like Marilyn Manson trying to sing a ballad like Celine Dion. (not that I’m comparing Blake to Manson, but the extremes in styles is my point). After seeing Blake’s half-hearted performance, I honestly think he’s better off losing Idol. Why be tied up in Idol’s claws for a few years, singing songs that you don’t wanna sing?! (look how long it took Kelly Clarkson to “breakaway” from her 19 Entertainment contract. --- HA! See what I did there? Moving on… ) Not a good round for poor Blake, though I don’t blame his vocals or performance. He did the best with what he was given.

JORDIN SPARKS – sung “This Is My Now” –
It almost seems like this songs was made for Jordin, but I read somewhere that the song was submitted with a male vocal. She made this song her own, and though vocally, Jordin has always been better then Blake, her emotional connection to the song sold me solid. She broke herself up at the end of this song, which felt genuine, not forced, and made the song a wow factor performance. Truly one of her best vocals, and when Simon said that Jordin wiped the floor with Blake with that performance, was putting it mildly at best. Not only did she wipe the floor with him on that song, she wrung him dry, wiped again, and threw him in the trash.

Who is the Winner?: I can’t believe I’m about to agree with Paula (for the second time this season!) but the final four are all winners. I can see Lakisha on Broadway and I can see Melinda doing just fine churning out a solid CD. The winner of American Idol Season Six?
I think Jordin will take the title this year, and I’m sure Blake fans will agree that for Blake to keep his style and uniqueness, he needs to lose. Only then will he be what he was meant to be, and watch for Jordin to emerge as the next Kelly Clarkson.

To close, thanks again to all my readers this year, and if you do want me to review a different show, give me a quick email (Arkangyl@aol.com) and let me know!
See you all soon!!

American Idol - Week Ten - 5/15/07

I think if you can say anything about last night, it’s that all three contestants proved they deserved to be in the final.

What great performances from all of them, and I honestly have to say only one of them barely gave a slightly better performance then the other two. All three contestants are actually starting to look like stars now, and I love the way Melinda has finally come out of her shell. All three contestants had to perform three songs tonight; one chosen by one of the judges, one chosen by the Idol producers and a favorite song chosen by the contestants themselves.

They all truly out-shined themselves. (Even Blake, who kept his beat-boxing to a minimum, and I have to admit, worked for the songs he sang.)

Before I begin the analysis, I ask you readers again for your help. No one really responded to my inquiry last week, and since we’re in the final two weeks of Idol, I need to know; shall I continue my reviews to give my take on a different TV show once Idol is off the air?
The reason I ask you all, is because even though, YES, I can choose to review whatever I want and post it, what’s the point if no one reads it? So I ask you all again, if I were to continue to review a TV show, what show shall I analyze? I think my reviews work best for a reality show or competition, but I’m open to all suggestions. Even if you’ve never left a comment on my review before, do it now! Let me know!!

Okay, enough of that, time to get to the good stuff:

1) JORDIN SPARKS –
Round One – Simon’s Pick - “Wishing On A Star” – One thing that made me feel ancient all of a sudden is when Jordin said she had never heard of this song before.
Sigh.
I’m not really that old that I can remember hearing this song for the first time back in the 80s?
Anyway, she performed this song very well, despite her claim to never have heard it before. She looked elegant, and definitely older then 17. (in a good way though, because I think it worked to her advantage.) Personally, I don’t think this was the best choice in song for Jordin. I’m surprised at Simon, because I was expecting a much better choice from him. And though I usually agree with Simon, I didn’t understand his comment on how he didn’t like the “jazz” arrangement of the song, making it not one of Jordin’s best performances. I have to disagree, because, (and correct me if I’m wrong), but what control does Jordin have on how a song is musically arranged? But regardless it was a solid enough performance.

Round Two – Idol Producer’s Pick - “She Works Hard For The Money” – This was a better choice of song then Simon’s pick. Jordin looked like she was having fun with it, and her voice suited the song very well. Granted, she is no Donna Summer, but she did this classic hit justice, showing her range as a singer.

Round Three – Jordin’s Favorite - “I Who Have Nothing” – This had to be, hands down, one of the best performances I’ve seen from Jordin all season. I know she did this song once before (during the British Invasion week), but tonight’s version blew it out of the park. Simon says this song was too old-fashioned for a 17 year old to be singing. I agree, if she wasn’t able to pull it off, but not only did she pull it off, she completely took off with it. That is the first time a performance this whole season gave me chills.

All in all, Jordin never faltered, despite what Simon had to say about it.

2. BLAKE LEWIS –
Round One – Paula’s Pick - “Roxanne” – I have to admit, I was dreading this performance, because of the way the original song is imbedded in our heads. But you know what? Blake pulled it off. I was pleasantly surprised at how well he sung this Police classic. He kept the beat-boxing mostly out of it, and stuck to the vocals, which actually were pretty spot on. I do tend to agree with Simon’s point, as it wasn’t a stand out performance, only because no matter who sings this song, you’re ALWAYS gonna compare it to the original. Still though, a definite good performance by Blake.

Round Two – Idol Producer’s Pick - “This Love” – Very good choice for Blake. Blake’s voice and style lends itself perfectly with this song, and it showed in his performance. Heck, he added the beat-boxing and I hardly noticed. Maroon 5’s sound is something I can definitely associate with the Blake vibe. Randy said it perfectly when he said when Blake makes an album, this was the type of music he should be making. I agree. If Blake sticks to this type of style, he’ll do very well. Great performance and truly enjoyable.

Round Three – Blake’s Favorite - “When I Get You Alone” – I’ll be the first to admit I was unfamiliar with this song. I know Robin Thicke’s other song, but this one was uncharted waters for me. (on a side note, how freaky is it that Robin looks so much like his Dad, Alan? But I digress…)
Blake seemed very comfortable, though I think the audience’s unfamiliarity with the song worked against him. Don’t get me wrong, it was a good solid performance, but the audience couldn’t connect. I don’t think it hurt him too much, because despite my opposition to his beat-boxing in a singing competition, I agree with Simon when he told Blake that he admires him for always standing out and taking risks.

All in all, for Blake, not a bad night. He definitely proved he deserved to be where he was.

3. MELINDA DOOLITTLE –
Round One – Randy’s Pick - “I Believe In You And Me” – Remember that rule we’ve heard a hundred times on Idol? You know the one, “Never, EVER, do a Whitney, Celine or Mariah song, unless you know 100% sure you can pull it off”. Looks like Randy’s gamble on Mindy Doo paid off. Not only did Melinda do this song justice, but she even put her own little spin on it. It wasn’t a copycat performance, and I think Melinda makes it a point of it not to be. Not just this song, but every song she performed this whole season, she tried to make it her own. This was a fantastic performance.

Round Two – Idol Producer’s Pick - “Nutbush City Limits” – I absolutely LOVE this side of Melinda. She channeled my girl, Tina Turner, and turned this possible copycat performance into her own, but yet still giving people of flicker of the Tina we love.
Personally, I agree with the producer’s choice of giving Mindy Doo a Tina Turner song, but why “Nutbush City Limits”? I would have loved to see Melinda perform “What You Get Is What You See” or even the classic “Better Be Good To Me”, but alas it was not to be. As one of the judges said though, Melinda could have sung the phone book and it would have been amazing.

Round Three – Melinda’s Favorite - “I Am Woman” – Not the best choice in song, but still, a fantastic performance. I actually saw more of Melinda’s personality, and her interaction with the back-up singers was a welcome surprise. At one point I was thinking, who are those girls coming onto the stage with her? Didn’t realize they were the back-up singers at first. Once Melinda brought out the singers behind her, she really churned it out, making this one of her best performances the whole night.

All in all, for Melinda, I have to agree with Simon. If I had the power, I also would give Melinda a cemented place in the finale next week, for delivering nearly flawless performances week after week.

My Bottom Picks?: We’re down to the semi-finals, so there are no “Bottom Two” or “Bottom Three”…it’s just who goes home.

My Pick to be Eliminated Tonight and Facing Off In The Finale:
I have no idea. It’s too even, which gives you an idea on how well each contestant performed last night. So I’m taking guess here, (and not even educated ones, just going with my top two favorites) I’m gonna go with Melinda as a definite finalist, with her facing off against Jordin. I choose Blake to be eliminated tonight.

But ya know what? It could just as easily be Jordin going, despite being my favorite to win. It’s just that close. Let’s see what happens tonight!!

So what do you guys think? Agree? Disagree? Comments?

American Idol - Week Nine - 5/8/07

What could I say about last night?

I thought this to myself, as I was watching, and I came up with something: they ALL weren't their best last night. (yes, even Jordin, with the exception of her first song)

Maybe it was because it's BeeGee tunes?
Barry Gibb didn't seem like a horrible mentor, I thought he did a decent enough job. (heck he even sang along with the contestants too)

I'm not sure overall what I can say about last night, except that it definately looked (and sounded) as if all the contestants were having an off night. It's come down to the final four, so I don't think any of them are cocky enough to think they can breeze to the final, but at the same time I didn't see them giving their best. At this stage in the competition, I should be seeing knockout performances, not mediocre karoake singing.

Let's get right to the juice of it, since we have 2 performances for each contestant to analyze today:

1. MELINDA DOOLITTLE – sung “Love You Inside and Out” & "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart?" - Mindy Doo, for the first time since I started watching her, did not do too well. I think I need to agree on the judges on this, wereas her vocals are flawless, she has yet, even being one of the final four, give me that star sparkle or shine. The first performance to me was bland. Yes, she sang it well, and her pitch was perfect...but there was no excitement. I mean, when you compare her performance to others, she isn't really exciting the audience that well. I think Simon said it best when he said it was like a back-up singer's version of the song, which was harsh...but I think true. Her second performance was a lot better, and she really brought it home in the middle of the song. I don't know about sailing through to the semi-finals though. I mean, granted, her second performance was better then her first, but it still didn't wow me. This may surprise all of you, but I think I may have to pick old Mindy Doo as one of my bottom two picks for tonight. I think last night's performances showed that she's having trouble breaking out to be the star she can be.

2. BLAKE LEWIS – sung “You Should Be Dancing” & "This Is Where I Came In" – FINALLY. Finally someone else has said what I've been saying all along. Randy told him straight out, "you don't have to beat box every single song". What's funny is I was actually enjoying his first performance for a little bit, until he started beat-boxing. I've said it from the start that Blake has a great voice, but that damn beat-boxing ruined the song for me last night. He was actually giving "You Should be Dancing" some justice, but once he added beat-boxing, it became corny, as Randy said. I don't agree with Simon, saying it was horrible, because the vocal part of it was good. The beat-boxing is what did him in though. His second performance, I need to ask off the bat, why in the world would you pick a song that no one has heard of? Heck, they were talking about last night on the radio this morning, and they mentioned how none of them knew this song...including Barry Gibb. Looking back, he did seem kind of surprised he wrote it, didn't he? Regardless, it was sung better then the first, and he did keep the beat-boxing to a minimum, but I think the song's obscurity gave him yet another bad review. Surprisingly, however, I don't think it made too much of a difference. I may not like the beat-boxing in every song, but younger people do...and there lies most of Blake's fan base. Even though his performances were sub-par, and he got bad reviews for both of his songs, guess what? I think he's gonna be SAFE tonight, based on the fact that I think there are more fans of his beat-boxing then non-fans.

3. LaKISHA JONES – sung “Stayin' Alive” & "Run To Me" – Kiki was back last week, with her great rendition of "This Ain't a Love Song". It seems like it was a short visit, because here she was doing the same exact things that put her in the trenches last time. Her first performance, a slower-paced, shouted version of "Stayin' Alive", was horrendous. It was a mess from start to finish, and I'm convinced now that Kiki cannot sing fast paced songs. (this was proven on Latin night too). Kiki is all about the big, voice heavy ballads, where she could belt out high notes and diva herself out. Not so much on the fast-paced songs. Her first performance was all over the place, and everytime you thought the song was gonna pick up the pace, she brought it down again. Her second performance, while definately better then the first, was still shouted I think. I was a little unfamiliar with the song, but that shouldn't matter. Other contestants have performed unknown songs before and they sold them to me. I didn't like her song choices tonight, and though I think she is a fantastic belter, I don't think she can handle other genres. This, coupled with the fact that she's back to her old sucky ways, makes Kiki my second pick for the bottom two tonight.

4. JORDIN SPARKS – sung “To Love Somebody” & "Woman In Love" –  Jordin looked like a star last night. (God, do I sound like Paula now?) But honestly, she looked fantastic, and I can finally really see her winning this year. Her first performance was spot on, and one of the best vocals I've heard from her since the show started. Her voice was controlled and she knew exactly when to open up those pipes and bring the song home. This performance was the ONLY one last night that stood for me. She was elegant, and her performance was mature and magnificent. Her second performance wasn't as bad as the judges made it out to be. I didn't think it was as good as her first (maybe because she chose two ballads?) but it wasn't as bad as they described. YES, she was pitchy, I'll give them that. But I think that her first performance outshined any lackluster reviews on her second. She is most definately SAFE, and though I've already predicted this in my past reviews, I think she is sailing on through as one of the finalists.
 
My Bottom TWO Picks:   Melinda Doolittle (shocking!) and Lakisha Jones.

My Pick to be Eliminated Tonight:   Considering what a phenom Melinda has been up to this point, I doubt one bad night will send her packing. Considering LaKisha is back to shouting her songs, and her mediocre performances, Kiki is gonna leave the competition tonight.  

So what do you guys think? Agree? Disagree? Comments?

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ONE MORE THING - I need all of my readers' help. It seems that more then one person has asked me about this, from a couple of people at work to an unknown stranger who only became a reader this year. They wanted to know if I review anything else after Idol is over. (I guess people like my take on it?)
anyway, to answer, I never really thought about it, as this Idol review started out as a thing I did strictly for my friends. Somehow it got forwarded to many people over that last 3 years, and I actually have no idea who or how many people read these weekly reviews.
Anyway, here's where I could use your help. If I were to continue reviewing something after Idol is over, what suggestions to you guys have? I think my reviews work best for reality shows or contests, so I could tell you I aready am a regular watcher of "So You Think You Can Dance" and "Project Runway". But I'm open to all suggestions.
So ask all my readers, 1) Should I continue to review a show after Idol is over, and 2) what should that show be?
Thanks everyone!!

American Idol - Week Eight - 5/2/07

Did anyone else feel gypped last week?

Don’t get me wrong people, I am thrilled that Idol raised so much money for such a great cause. It’s just that I felt I was duped into watching (well, fast-forwarding too, thanks to Tivo) two hours of Idol last week’s results show, with no pay-off!!
On a side note, what in the world was Paula thinking last week!? On a charity night, she wears a top that is so revealing, my TV became 3D when she flashed her “friends” on-stage. Wow.
Anyway, I understand WHY they didn’t send anyone home last week, but still….argh…..okay, I’m over it.
I guess we get the consolation of sending two contestants home tonight.

Over all, I thought only two contestants stood out, (and one of them wasn’t one of the usual out-standing performers). The performances were about average, and some, downright atrocious. What else can be expected when you’re trying to do justice to some of the most well-known and popular rock songs of the last 20 years?

I thought Bon Jovi offered some sound advice, and I found it amusing how he was almost a tiny fan of the contestants, because of his kids. Still that went away, as the contestants performed their takes on his songs.
For some it paid off, for others…well…see what I thought below.
Lastly, remember, votes from last week’s show will be added to last night’s votes to determine which TWO contestants will be voted off this week. Tension is high.

Enough gabbing, I know you guys want me to get to the juicy stuff. Here goes:

1. PHIL STACY - sung “Blaze of Glory” – Has Gollum found the ring and made a deal with the devil? Because now it’s been yet another week where he wasn’t half bad. I love this song, and not only did Phil do it justice, he was having fun doing it! When he said he used to be the kid singing this song in the mirror with a comb as a microphone, I could SEE it. He was having a blast singing this song, and it showed. He didn’t scream, he didn’t over sing, and most of all, he entertained. Ever since discovering his strength is in a country genre, Phil has taken control of the stage and improved week to week. This song fit perfectly in with a country vibe (heck it’s from one of my favorite guilty pleasures of the last 20 years, Young Guns), and Phil knew it.
Now here’s the question: was it enough? (as Simon so bluntly put it)
I’m not sure, so this week, I’m gonna place Phil as one of my picks for a potential bottom two choice.

2. JORDIN SPARKS – sung “Livin’ On a Prayer” – Dear me. That was really bad. Much as I LOVE LOVE Jordin, and want her to win, that had to be one of the worst versions of this song I’ve ever heard. (that includes the times I’ve heard it in a karaoke bar)
She admitted she was nervous and completely out of her element, which you have to admire. Her honesty is what I think will save her.

And don’t even get me started on what the stylists of the show did to her hair. That thing looked like a rat’s nest, and was teased out so much, it looked as if it was bigger then her whole body. What an awful hairstyle for such a beautiful girl. Her vocals were completely off, and like Simon said, she was screaming, not singing half the time. I think Jordin could have definitely chosen a better song, but I applaud her choice of taking a risk on a song like this.
Despite all that, I think Jordin is quite safe. Every single one of the performers has had an off night up to this point (yes, including Melinda). This was her night to be bad, and boy, did she put on that crown. I don’t think she’s in danger however, considering the show-stopping performance she gave last week. Those votes plus this week’s votes should definitely put her in the safety zone this week, despite her horrendous performance.

3. LaKISHA JONES – sung “This Ain’t A Love Song” – My Kiki is back!! FINALLY, we get to see the Lakisha we remember from the beginning, bringing those pipes to the forefront and making me believe in a song I only had a vague recollection of. (in fact, she made me enjoy the song so much, I downloaded the original version right after the show). She made this song her own, and built it up from the beginning. I don’t agree with Randy when he said it started out a little rough. I thought she started off the song just fine, and slowly built up the song to a fantastic climax at the end. Now this was the girl I liked from the beginning, but unfortunately I think she caught the train back to safety too late. Despite her awesome comeback, and a stand up performance, I think her poor performance last week hurt enough that she is still in danger this week. Even if she get a upswing of votes this week, last week she did so poorly, I need to pick her as my next potential bottom two choice.

4. BLAKE LEWIS – sung “You Give Love A Bad Name” – Remember when we got to Simon’s critique, and he said that Blake took a chance, and half of America is gonna love what he did with this song, and half are gonna hate it. I’m in the latter half. I absolutely despised this performance with a passion. I hated every minute of it. It does no justice to the original, and in my mind it was unlistenable. I do appreciate what Blake was trying to do, and believe me, even though I HATED this performance I will give him his props and say that he accomplished what he set out to do: stand out. I thought he finally strayed away from the whole beat-boxing thing, but apparently he’s back doing it. Again, not to take away that his performance stood out and will sail him into the safety zone, I still can’t help but feel like he “cheated” his way into next week. It’s a SINGING competition, and even Bon Jovi himself questioned his choice of not singing (but beat-boxing) 16 beats of his song. I thought this ruined the original, but if Blake’s strategy was to hook onto the younger MTV audience, mission accomplished. He is definitely safe this week, despite my complete hatred of his version of this classic tune.

5. CHRIS RICHARDSON – sung “Wanted Dead Or Alive” – Ah Chris. You gave it a good shot. It wasn’t horrible, but it didn’t stand out either. Why would you pick a song that had been down several times before, one of which by Chris Daughtry last year? And if you’re gonna do this song, you need to make it your own, and have it stand out from the rest. Chris didn’t do this, and though it was sung fairly well, and he kept his whole R&B runs to a minimum, it wasn’t enough to put this song over the top for me. Chris’ looks and style has kept him safe up to this point, but I think Chris’ time has finally come. Remember, he’s been in the bottom three already a couple of times, and between a good performance last week, and an OK performance this week, I’m left with no choice but declare Chris my pick for a definite bottom two choice. (now before I get emails saying I just picked three people for the bottom TWO, read on before you point out my error)

6. MELINDA DOOLITTLE – sung “Have A Nice Day” – Give it up for a great effort on Mindy Doo’s part. I didn’t think she did horrible, not by a long shot, but I definitely think this was one of her weaker performances. I definitely saw the “young Tina Turner” vibe Randy and Simon were talking about, and I think between that, and her spot on vocals, solidified this performance for her. She was EXTREMELY out of her element, and she adapted the best she could. (she absolutely adapted better to the rock vibe better than Jordin did). I don’t think Melinda is in any danger of going anywhere, and I think she is gonna easily sail into the final at this point. I’m starting to see the finish line to this season, and I can vaguely see Melinda standing next to Jordin as the final two. Melinda is definitely SAFE until next week.

My Bottom TWO Picks: Chris Richardson and Lakisha Jones/Phil Stacy.

My Pick to be Eliminated Tonight: Okay, here’s my explanation for picking three people for the bottom two tonight. First off, Chris is DEFINATELY going home tonight, no question. Secondly, either Lakiska or Phil can be inter-changed as one of the two Bottom two, and go home. It’s not that I can’t pick one, it’s just way too close in the way they performed and their popularity at this point for me to properly make a prediction. We definitely lose Chris, and we either lose Lakisha or Phil with him.

So what do you guys think? Agree? Disagree? Comments?