So Self-Contained

Wow...I never thought I would put in an article on AI here at my space, but here goes. (For those who have been sleeping under a rock for the past two decades, this is the ever-popular AMERICAN IDOL).

Truth be told, since I am a guy (as you must know by now if you have read all my previous articles), I should be rooting for a lady right? I for one, am rooting for Carly Smithson, wow...this lady has the vocals, plus she has the EYES. Both unusual and mesmerizing, more the latter than the former. However, she definitely has a bubbly side, and self-contained she is not. Ergo, this is not about her really, but on Amanda Overmyer.

Let me say this, I am not one who particularly likes rock (or hard rock), and women performers (women rockers I mean) are not among my favorites. Well, for this particular field of AI lady warriors, I will not say Amanda is a favorite of mine, and I really am willing to bet she will be cut off before the Top 3 come in. However, even more than Ms Mesmerizing Eyes and all the rest, Overmyer for me is probably the most interesting. I mean, look at her.

I watched the videos on all Top 24 being given the good news (that they made it to the 24), and it is very expected and so trite already that the female contestant would do any of the following: weep with joy, or just pump up their fists with joy, or shout with joy, or rush to the judges to give them all a hug, or worse...do all the mentioned. Funny and INTERESTING, Amanda did not do any of the following, she merely smiled (a very shy smile) and said "Thank you, I appreciate it". Looking at her, it was almost...almost...like she knew there was no chance of her being rejected. It's either a great dose of self-confidence or a great dose of being self-contained...I think it's a combination of the two. Looking at the contained reaction in those moments, boy, it was both very rare (TO SEE) and so refreshing- at least for me.

Then fast-forward, in the first session of eliminations, where four got axed, there was this moment. It was just the two of them standing, Amanda and the Afro-American lady (so politically correct of me), Seacrest said that one of them would go home. When it was announced that the Afro-American contestant got the axe, look at Amanda's reaction. Same reaction she displayed when she got the news that she made it to the Magic 24. SHE DID NOT EVEN HUG THE loser, and while some people might see it as too cold, I find it both rare (to see) and refreshing. I mean, if it were Alaina and Carly standing up there, I am willing to bet that regardless of who got booted out, the winner would hug the loser in a compassionate embrace, and we might find it touching or overly-done, or both. The fact that she did not even look at the Afro-American lady (somebody give me the name please) does not mean she is a cold person, she is just reserved, she would probably have exhibited the same reaction even if another contestant were there instead of the Afro-American lady. After all, accept it as fact folks, NOT ALL human beings in the world like to give hugs, or accept hugs for that matter. If the Afro-American lady is one of the latter, Overmyer did her a favor by not touching her. I mean, if they held hands seconds prior to Seacrest's 'you are out' announcement, that does not count, if you get my drift.

Right after she sang "Baby, Please Don't Go" wearing that multi-colored jeans, she showed all the world that she is capable of laughing too. (My friend said, "Wow, she is NOT an alien after all!" when Amanda laughingly admitted what she considered as an embarrassing moment in the AI adventure- that 5-second shot where all top 24 individually danced a jig in front of the cam). The amusing thing is, it could be said that the only times she "lets her hair down" and sheds off her self-containedness for more than 30 seconds is when she's performing onstage...but that, would still be a matter of opinion.

I don't know about you, but this lady (Amanda, not the Afro-American) is very intriguing, she is a mystery, and she is an enigma. She might just fit in at Potter's magical world, if they could stand a rock female with the kind of hair Cyndi Lauper held in her prime years.

(One thing I like in Amanda though, she likes to read- she revealed it in that tape shown during the show- and being a bookworm myself, I think she and I would have things in common, IF EVER the two of us get to meet personally- fat chance of that).

I want to see how she would react if any of the two happens: that she gets the coveted AI title or she gets booted out, I am willing to bet that she will not cry, not EVEN A SINGLE tear. Maybe, one or two of her fellow contestants will shed a tear for her, but no...not Amanda, she will probably just smile (a shy one), thank the audience/judges, then sing the last song not because she wants to- but out of respect for AI traditions.

Well, what more can I say...go girl, goodluck. As of this writing, she has recently rendered 'I Hate Myself for Loving You' (top 8, make it 16 for both genders). Not bad that, but since that kind of music is not on the top of my list of favorites, I cannot say that it resonated with me. Here is my take, she might place in the Top 3 or 4, but she would not win the Ultimate AI crown, because America as a whole would not want a rocker as the Champion. (No offense to rock fans and to rock performers). This is just an opinion, but an educated opinion at that.

Win or lose though, she gets my vote for the "Most Interesting Persona" for this particular batch...and I am referring to the field of 24, not just the ladies' side. Still, if she manages to get the Ultimate Bacon, I would just be surprised, not shocked. After all, she is a true dark horse in this competition, and in case you are unfamiliar with the etymology of the phrase "dark horse", it came from -of course- racing. It means the trainor has managed to conceal the true strength of
the horse, and the horse surprises the public by winning over the favorites.

Well, a self-contained individual is quiet by nature, in the quietness (hmm, is this in the dictionary?) lies the mystery. In the quietness lies the possible surprise. (Who knows...she may suddenly spring "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" one of these days...I will surely watch that).

Now, it is my turn to be self-contained, I will contain myself because I feel the strong urge to keep on writing about AI. I'll stop (for now), before I start expressing my bewilderment over the fact that Simon Cowell really liked the rendition of "Hallelujah" by a male contestant, while showing nonchalance over Eze's wonderful performance (that's 'All the Women I Need'). If I don't stop right now, blogger.com might suddenly email me with a message saying, "Hey dude, NO TOMES allowed in here".