Slog - Comments on American Idol Eye Roll? YOU MAKE THE CALL! http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/04/american_idol_eye_roll_you_make_the_call So last night on American Idol, that Justin Timberlake wanna-be CHRIS RICHARDSON sang a fairly awful—and extremely NASALLY—rendition of the hayseed hit "Mayburry." After a little back and forth between him and SIMON COWELL, Chris abruptly flipped the script and gave a shout-out to his friends at Virginia Tech, and the victims of this week's shooting. The camera then cuts to Simon WHO ROLLS HIS EYES? Producer Nigel Lythgoe claims Simon was not responding to Chris and was simply turning to talk to Paula—but I'm not so sure. Check out the tape and YOU MAKE THE CALL! CYNICAL BONUS QUESTION:... Copyright 2008 Wed, 18 Apr 2007 11:58:12 -0800 Wed, 18 Apr 2007 18:08:43 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by Hernandez Obviously an eyeroll.

]]> Hernandez http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/04/american_idol_eye_roll_you_make_the_call#c695317 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/04/american_idol_eye_roll_you_make_the_call#c695317 TV Wed, 18 Apr 2007 12:05:40 -0800 Comment by A*ROCK Of course he was, at this point in the life of the show there is never a movement or expression that is not calculated to achieve maximum voting potential. Can you blame him? Can you blame Simon for rolling his eyes? Hell-2-the-no!

]]> A*ROCK http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/04/american_idol_eye_roll_you_make_the_call#c695321 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/04/american_idol_eye_roll_you_make_the_call#c695321 TV Wed, 18 Apr 2007 12:09:41 -0800 Comment by Aislinn I think the eye roll was a response to the guy abruptly changing the subject away from his awfulness, and not in response to the subject of the shooting. Though I also think that the shout-out was partially a ploy for sympathy.

]]> Aislinn http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/04/american_idol_eye_roll_you_make_the_call#c695322 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/04/american_idol_eye_roll_you_make_the_call#c695322 TV Wed, 18 Apr 2007 12:10:52 -0800 Comment by mirror it's so obvious... simon was, rightly, rolling his eyes because chris abruptly changed the subject while the criticism was being given. and i dont doubt he means well or does have friends there, but it totally seemed like a goodwill strategy to stay another week, especially considering how none of the judges liked the performance.

]]> mirror http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/04/american_idol_eye_roll_you_make_the_call#c695323 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/04/american_idol_eye_roll_you_make_the_call#c695323 TV Wed, 18 Apr 2007 12:12:32 -0800 Comment by michael strangeways chris is hot...

but he can't sing...

it was both heartfelt...and calculated...

]]> michael strangeways http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/04/american_idol_eye_roll_you_make_the_call#c695329 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/04/american_idol_eye_roll_you_make_the_call#c695329 TV Wed, 18 Apr 2007 12:17:17 -0800 Comment by Fnarf Chris Richardson is shamelessly using the deaths of 33 people to further his chances in a game show. I think that's worth an eyeroll or two.

]]> Fnarf http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/04/american_idol_eye_roll_you_make_the_call#c695330 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/04/american_idol_eye_roll_you_make_the_call#c695330 TV Wed, 18 Apr 2007 12:17:25 -0800 Comment by monkey I don't really know for sure what Chris' motives were but if I had to guess I'd say it was both genuine and calculated. I'm also guessing that Simon's eye roll was a sign that he just thought it was calculated.

Regardless, it was rude of Simon to roll his eyes over it.

]]> monkey http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/04/american_idol_eye_roll_you_make_the_call#c695333 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/04/american_idol_eye_roll_you_make_the_call#c695333 TV Wed, 18 Apr 2007 12:21:07 -0800 Comment by jake it's clearly an eye-roll. i think that's why simon paused later on to say his own little thing regarding the VT shootings. perhaps one of the producers informed him that they caught him rolling his eyes at chris' statement, and he echoed chris' statement to cover his ass? that was my interpretation.

]]> jake http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/04/american_idol_eye_roll_you_make_the_call#c695340 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/04/american_idol_eye_roll_you_make_the_call#c695340 TV Wed, 18 Apr 2007 12:26:07 -0800 Comment by Ryno Agreed with others. But I'm willing to give Chris benefit of the doubt seeing as how he is actually, you know, originally from Virginia. The producers probably discussed the eye roll with Simon seeing as how he expressed sympathy later in the program as well.

]]> Ryno http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/04/american_idol_eye_roll_you_make_the_call#c695343 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/04/american_idol_eye_roll_you_make_the_call#c695343 TV Wed, 18 Apr 2007 12:27:23 -0800 Comment by Gomez I roll my eyes at that entire show and everyone involved.

And yes, it was.

]]> Gomez http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/04/american_idol_eye_roll_you_make_the_call#c695356 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/04/american_idol_eye_roll_you_make_the_call#c695356 TV Wed, 18 Apr 2007 12:33:37 -0800 Comment by Mikey I think Chris was justified in saying what he said, but I only say that because he is from Virginia, so I don't doubt that this tragedy struck him a little close to home.

Did Simon roll his eyes? Absolutely! Did I roll my eyes when I heard it also? Absolutely!

There was something in the atmosphere yesterday, I swear, everyone I know was being snippy. Then to see Ryan and Simon go at it like schoolgirls... that just clinched it. It's universal!

]]> Mikey http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/04/american_idol_eye_roll_you_make_the_call#c695385 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/04/american_idol_eye_roll_you_make_the_call#c695385 TV Wed, 18 Apr 2007 13:01:27 -0800 Comment by H0RATI0SANZSERIF Yes and yes. And yet life goes on.

]]> H0RATI0SANZSERIF http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/04/american_idol_eye_roll_you_make_the_call#c695418 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/04/american_idol_eye_roll_you_make_the_call#c695418 TV Wed, 18 Apr 2007 13:30:21 -0800 Comment by Scottie I think it was heartfelt but he said it at the wrong time. I agreed that it did seem a little calculated and probably would have rolled my eyes too. Here's a question tho. When would have been an appropiate time to say it? Before he sang, or would that have seemed calculated, too?.....

]]> Scottie http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/04/american_idol_eye_roll_you_make_the_call#c695430 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/04/american_idol_eye_roll_you_make_the_call#c695430 TV Wed, 18 Apr 2007 13:38:10 -0800 Comment by brad Remember the IMUS! Oh, wait. New breaking story-everybody switch gears and dedicate millions of news hours to the latest fear based occurence.

]]> brad http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/04/american_idol_eye_roll_you_make_the_call#c695432 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/04/american_idol_eye_roll_you_make_the_call#c695432 TV Wed, 18 Apr 2007 13:38:22 -0800 Comment by megan w I go to university in Virginia, and I rolled my eyes at both Ryan and Chris last night. Sympathy cannot seem sincere if it is followed by a pause and "this is American Idol" or "vote for me".

]]> megan w http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/04/american_idol_eye_roll_you_make_the_call#c695441 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/04/american_idol_eye_roll_you_make_the_call#c695441 TV Wed, 18 Apr 2007 13:44:02 -0800 Comment by phil Chris is from Virginia, and is college aged. He says he has friends at Tech, and I believe him. How could he NOT give a shout out to them? I know I would have, if I were in his shoes.

Re: the eyeroll: Clear as day. Pure, vintage Simon.

]]> phil http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/04/american_idol_eye_roll_you_make_the_call#c695511 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/04/american_idol_eye_roll_you_make_the_call#c695511 TV Wed, 18 Apr 2007 14:41:55 -0800 Comment by elswinger Simon should have pumped hi fist up and down for the international signal for "jerk off." First the guy was claiming his bad sining was on purpose then he quickly changed the subject to Virginia Tech.

I think Simon is a dick, but I believed him when he said he didn't hear the guy say anything about VT because by then Simon had stopped listening.

]]> elswinger http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/04/american_idol_eye_roll_you_make_the_call#c695616 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/04/american_idol_eye_roll_you_make_the_call#c695616 TV Wed, 18 Apr 2007 16:10:52 -0800 Comment by Will in Seattle Very eye roll.

I think it's cause they know Sanjaya's going to win.

]]> Will in Seattle http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/04/american_idol_eye_roll_you_make_the_call#c695673 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/04/american_idol_eye_roll_you_make_the_call#c695673 TV Wed, 18 Apr 2007 16:48:49 -0800 Comment by megan w They just showed the full video on Simon from last night to prove that he was not rolling his eyes at Chris's comment, but he definitely looked up at Chris first.

]]> megan w http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/04/american_idol_eye_roll_you_make_the_call#c695733 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/04/american_idol_eye_roll_you_make_the_call#c695733 TV Wed, 18 Apr 2007 18:08:43 -0800