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Megan Joy: American Idol’s Songbird Departs

Megan Joy“I love birds and bird noises,” explained Megan Joy, a.k.a. Megan Corkrey and Megan Joy Corkrey, the instigator behind one of the strangest moments of the current season…maybe even all the seasons. “I just decided that if I’m goin’ out, I’m goin’ out with a bang and I’m just going to be myself.” And so, Megan Joy “flew the whole time.”

Upon learning the news that she’d made it into the bottom three on the Wednesday night results show, flapped her arms and made squawking sounds as she made her way to the stools at stage right.

Joy’s immediate plans include adding to her ink - she’s getting a tattoo to commemorate the ring she wore for luck during her tenure on the show. She’s also happy to do whatever voice work and other gigs that might come, but for right now Megan is heading home to spend time with her son.

“As sad as I am that I’m leaving and I’m done with the show, there is a very big part of me that cannot wait to see my son,” Joy told reporters. “I’m ready to hold him in my arms again.”

(You can find all the American Idol 8 posts here.)

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American Idol 8: Top 9 Results


The Top 9 results show began, appropriately enough, with a montage. The remainder of the episode would feature much more of the same, as it always does.

As eliminated contestant Alexis Grace watched, Ryan Seacrest announced that 36 million votes were tallied to bring us the Wednesday results. The host spent a few moments talking with on the subject of song choice. “Maybe it was too wide,” said Jackson, referring to the theme of Tuesday’s performance round.

“For me, it’s about knowing who you are, and delivering that confidence with conviction,” stated. “Go for it!” She advised the Idol group. “Anoop, Matt, Megan,” Simon Cowell went through a list of those he thought might want to worry about the upcoming results.

The Ford video (clip above) followed, another poorly-done attempt at entertainment set to music. Seriously, these are growing steadily worse as weeks progress.

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American Idol 8: Top 9 Perform

American Idol Top 9

Ryan Seacrest’s opening monologue on concerned rising stakes and building pressure. Though these Top 9 are safely on the summer tour, they are not safe on the show by any means. One of them will be eliminated this week. One of them will win the coveted reality title. And, if they’re very lucky, some of them might become stars.

Sure, there’s plenty of pressure.

Seacrest asked for his thoughts on the Top 9. “The competition’s just getting tougher, dude,” the judge offered. Kara DioGuardi defined her concept of artistry next: “I think artistry is taking those songs that you’ve heard a million times, and doing it in a way that’s unique.” DioGuardi used the word several times during performances last week.

The theme for the week was iTunes, making it a veritable free-for-all and a clever sponsor plug. Good one, Idol.

I’m just being sarcastic. It’s not much of a theme at all, but you don’t need me to tell you that.

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American Idol 8: Top 10 Results

American Idol logo

Over thirty-six million votes were logged in to determine the contestant who would be eliminated at the end of the Thursday night results show. This group of Top 10 is on the tour, sure, but only nine will be on the show next week.

opened the show by asking Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul about their shenanigans during the Wednesday performance round. He then reminded the audience about the judges’ save, the Get Out of Elimination Free card which will be used on one lucky contestant this season.

And perhaps…on this results night?

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American Idol 8: Top 10 Perform

American Idol 8 Top 10 and Smokey Robinson

It’s Motown week for the Top 10 performers of 8. It’s this group that we’ll see again and again throughout the season and even after the finalist is named. They will all return to tour through the summer; some of them may even go on to have successful careers. But at least a few of them, we’ll never hear from again. For one of them, that topple from reality TV supremacy could begin as early as tomorrow night.

Paula Abdul bid the remaining contestants to “surprise us,” for the night’s performances. “The point, tonight, is what you do to make these songs original,” Simon Cowell advised.

To celebrate the theme, the Top 10 took a trip to Detroit, where Motown Records was established. There, they were greeted by a dozen or so screaming fans and iconic recording artist Smokey Robinson, who just happens to be the mentor for this week.

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American Idol 8: Top 11 Results


The mood was appropriately grave at the top of the Wednesday night hour. It was a somber Ryan Seacrest who started off the evening by saying, “one will face the fire.” He also inferred that the evening would hold “shocking” results.

Could it be that, as suspected, Adam Lambert was up on the chopping block? The audience would have to wait awhile to find out what the evening held.

First, the filler. The Top 11 were seated on the stage, the judges were introduced, the performances of the evening hyped. Clips from Tuesday night aired, which featured mentor Randy Travis.

The Top 11 then performed “Trouble,” which started out with the men. Scott MacIntyre jammed on the piano while the male contestants sang, horribly out of harmony, before the girls appeared to gyrate oddly and screech onstage. I didn’t much care for the group number.

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American Idol 8: Top 11 Perform

American Idol logo Performance night for the Top 11 of 8 began as usual: lengthy, time-wasting introductions, useless judge-host banter and other tactics meant to delay the singing. Somewhere in the midst of all this filler, host Ryan Seacrest posed an odd question.

Has the group “evolved”? “This is always a tough week,”   answered. Ryan Seacrest talked about Paula Abdul’s predictions of the week before, which she’s “standing by” for the moment.

The Top 11 Idols were then presented, and the theme of the week presented. Grand Ole Opry singers number among some of the greatest recording artists in the industry. Giants like Hank Williams, Patsy Cline and Dolly Parton were featured in the clip, which culminated in Carrie Underwood’s entrance to the Opry and clips of week mentor Randy Travis.

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American Idol 8: Top 13 Results


The Top 13 results show of 8 began with a dire warning: only 11 would remain once the night was all said and done. More than 33 million votes were logged to bring us this first - and perhaps only - Top 13 elimination round.

Idol again referred to a “twist,” one of several times it’s been mentioned. then brought up three very well-known Idol names: Michael Johns, Jennifer Hudson and Chris Daughtry. The latter two have already gone on to great post-Idol success, and Johns seems well on track to do the same. All three were favored contestants among judges and fans, and many feel that all three left the competition early (each during different seasons, of course). Seacrest spoke of the “uproar” that accompanied the departure of each one.

It was as this point the host introduced “the judges’ save,” which exempts a single contestant from elimination - but only once. Once a save is used, it cannot be used again…not for the whole season. When the save is used, it’ll work for a week. After the save, however, the next week will see two contestants eliminated.

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American Idol 8: Top 13 Perform

American Idol 8 Top 13

Randy Jackson advised ’s Top 13 to “bring it hard” for their Tuesday night performance round. They would each have to do just that if they want to survive on the show - Simon Cowell made the not-so-unexpected announcement that on the following elimination night, two contestants would be sent home.

This shouldn’t be a shock. Do the math: ten weeks left in the show, thirteen contestants. At some point, we’re going to have to lose two at once…so it might as well be now.

The Idols chose Michael Jackson songs for the evening, which gave them plenty of room to succeed or fail. Let the chips fall where they may…

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