June 14, 2008

Discovered Google Trends yet?

Posted in Tried-and-Liked tagged , , , , , , , at 11:51 am by myrlinn

Google Trends just introduced enhancements this week, providing numbers for comparisons of various search terms across different regions and time periods. And I’ve been having fun with it.

I found the search trend for David Cook and David Archuleta over the last 12 months particularly interesting; because it confirmed my own observations (hehe! it’s always nice to be right), and decided to write a page (hub) about it:

Interesting Google Trends for American Idol’s Davids (Links to FAQ and article on Google Trends also on the page)

May 23, 2008

American Idol — the beginning of the end for the Cult of Simon?

Posted in Television tagged , , , , , , , at 9:25 am by myrlinn

The most noteworthy moments on American Idol Season 7 occurred during the top 2 performance and finale nights — when Simon Cowell declared a knock-out in favour of David Archuleta on performance night; then did a complete about-face the next evening, and actually apologised to David Cook! hah!

I did think David Cook started off a bit shaky on the first song, but he was fine with his second and third songs. From where I was sitting, I thought his second and third performances were not that much different in standard from past performances where he’d been praised as brilliant.

So why was Simon so harsh on David Cook on Top 2 night?

I think it was because David Cook refused to play the game. He made a point of saying at the top of the Top 2 performance night that as far as he’s concerned, the competition’s over. I remember thinking then: uh oh, you’ve cooked your goose. Simon will be mad, especially since he just said that he wants the final two to perform like they hate each other. Sure enough, he was over-the-top harsh on David Cook.

Of course, when he found out that David Cook had won (I definitely think that the judges had some idea who had won before the results were read), he had to save face.

Such a dramatic turnabout, If people don’t realise what a snake oil salesman he is after this turn of events…

Not that I have anything against Simon as a person, mind you.  I just dislike how he’s so sure he can manipulate the public every time he steps onto the Idol set.