- Share This Post
- submit
- 2
-
Sparkle (0)
Glutton for punishment that I am, and with So You Think You Can Dance over and American Idol yet to begin, I set up Celebrity Duets for a Season Pass. I may live to regret it. It's not just that the musical legends are mostly people more often out of the public eye than in it these days (except for the fact that they all seem to be pimping some new album.) It's not just that musical choices are leaning towards country and treacly. It's not just that the judges range from supercilious to unintelligible. It's not just that some of the celebrities are either also not so celebritous of late, or they're not so talented. It's mostly that some of the celebrities actually have a lot of experience singing, and they don't seem to want to acknowledge that. But it's not like it's hard to figure out.
So here, along with what they sang, with whom, and their previous relevant experience are the celebrity contestants:
1. Lucy Lawless, aka Xena the Warrior Princess, currently a cylon on Battlestar Galactica
My, she has become so very blonde. Blonde, statuesque, beautiful, serviceable voice. Yeah, she'll be around for a while.
Song #1 was "Time, Love and Tenderness" with an oddly disinterested Michael Bolton. He was soooo phoning it in. Mostly it was kinda sad to see powerful kick-ass Xena dressed like a beauty pageant contestant. She sang OK (despite a painful closing note) but there wasn't a whole lot of interaction or interest going on there.
Song #2 was "Ooh Baby Baby" with a fossilized Smoky Robinson. Now this time around there was definitely some smoky chemistry going on, no pun intended. Vocally she seemed a little shaky, like Smoky was just pulling her along, and she was hanging on for dear life. But she could definitely get a lot more confident and potentially rock the house.
Previous experience: Lucy Lawless has been on Broadway, playing lead singing role Rizzo in the revival of Grease for about 6 weeks. She's also played in some regional musical theatre per one fan site I found.
2. Alfonso Ribiero (from Silver Spoons and Fresh Prince of Bel Air)
Alfonso is clearly ringer #1. He can sing. He can move. He looks disturbingly older than I would have expected him to, but ah well, don't we all?
Song #1 was "I Know You Were Waiting for Me" with Destiny's Child's Michelle Williams (who is skinny as a rail.) Alfonso has obviously sung professionally and did a good job, even if Michelle did seem a little scary and on her own little planet.
Song #2 was "I'm Gon' Be There" (or whatever the damn title is) with James Ingram. Although Song #1 was fine, this was much better. He and James seemed to relate well, and Alfonso exhibited better energy and performance skills. He also showed a little more range. Nice job.
Previous experience: Alfonso has been on Broadway. Alfonso was the title character in the Gregory Hines musical The Tap Dance Kid, which I actually saw and enjoyed quite a bit. He had to sing and dance up a storm, and he was n the show for nearly two years.
3. Carly Patterson, Olympic Gold Medalist in Gymnastics
Yes, this was perhaps the scariest contestant, because she seemed the least likely to shrug off being bad, and the most likely to cry real tears if they were mean to her. Carly has certainly blossomed since she was a waifish gymnastic diva...my God the cleavage!!
Song #1 was "Somewhere Out There" with James Ingram. She was nervous, pitchy and emotionless. That being said somewhere in there was a sweet little voice.
Song #2 was "I Hope You Dance" with Lee Ann Womack. Much better song for her. Much better vocal. Still no emotion.
Previous experience: She's signed a deal with evil Simpson Svengali, Joe, and is recording an album, as per this news story/radio appearance from earlier this year.
4. Cheech Marin (you know, from Cheech & Chong)
Well, Cheech, hard to believe you're known for a sparkling entertaining personality, given the complete lack of personality on display during the show!
Song #1 was "Baby I Love Your Way" with Peter Frampton. Is it weird that I found Frampton kinda hot? It was a weird and weak duet. 'nuff said.
Song #2 was "Diggin' Up Bones" with Randy Travis. Randy was actually trying to relate to Cheech, to no avail, as he sang in his own little tuneless world. Mediocre at best.
Previous experience: Well according to this, Cheech does a live
