American Idol Season 9

It's Tuesday so you know what that means: American Idol is on tonight!

The first time I saw an episode was during the season 3 auditions. It was the year 2004 and Joe and I were living in our apartment, a few months away from celebrating our first wedding anniversary. Previously, I hadn't gotten into any of the reality television shows. Never saw an episode of Survivor or The Bachelor - however, I did watch The Bachelorette with Trista & Ryan (that was the very first reality TV show that I saw in 2002). I'm still not a big reality TV person, but American Idol drew me in so I've watched several other reality television shows since.

I remember I was in "our office" on the computer (imagine that) and Joe was watching TV in our family/living room. He was cracking up laughing. It didn't stop, he just kept laughing and laughing. Despite my husband having a great sense of humor and being a funny guy, I rarely see him in hysterics so of course I had to come out to see what the heck he was watching. That was the year of William Hung - need I say more? Joe and I began tuning in each week (or should I say each night? LOL). When the actual contestants were chosen, we picked our favorite: Fantasia Barrino who ended up winning!

Season four was in 2005 and despite me never being a country fan, I LOVED Carrie Underwood - in fact, I hadn't actually voted the year before but as of that year I now vote most weeks :-)

Season five was 2006 and it was the first year my fav didn't win. Like most people, I was all about Chris Daughtry. I actually cried the night he was eliminated (leaving three left, including winner Taylor Hicks). It had been a bad day all around. I had taken Bella & Cosmo out in public for the first time by myself to the pet store. On our way to the car Bella escaped from her collar and ran onto one of the busiest streets in Omaha. Thank God cars were stopped at a stop light, otherwise she wouldn't have had a chance. I screamed for her to come back but she ignored me. Right before the light changed to green, a guy in one of the cars tried to get her to come to him which scared her and so she ran to me just as the light changed and all of the cars zoomed through.

Season six was 2007 and I was a Blake Lewis fan. He received second place; winner was Jordin Sparks.

Season seven was 2008 which will always make me think of Logan - we'd been glued to the show each week of my third trimester, but missed the week after Logan was born due to spending his first week at Children's Hospital due to his jaundice. I remember watching a few minutes of the April 23rd episode in the ER. My favorite had been David Cook who ended up winning that season! I watched the finale with my friend Sarah who was visiting from Seattle while Joe was gone on a business trip to Washington D.C.

Season eight was 2009 (last year) and my favorite (as I blogged about in my post American Idol Finale) was Kris Allen who ended up winning!

Now it is season nine - 2010. I like that Joe & I have continued to watch it over the years because this is the only show we have watched for this long together. In fact, it is the only show for the past couple of years that we have watched sitting on the couch side-by-side. It gives us something to look forward to in the evenings, and now that Logan is starting to take an interest in television he joins us for a few minutes here & there, so it is fun to think he might grow up with this show (if it lasts after this season since Simon is leaving).

So far, I'm loving Ellen DeGeneres as a judge. My fav contestant starting off is Lee Dewyze. Maybe because he reminds me of a standard Midwest guy? Haha! Last week was the first time I ever heard him sing a complete song and I could tell he has an excellent voice. I think he is capable of some great stuff in the future :-) For girls, my fav starting out is Didi Benami - her story touched me during the weeks past and her personality seems like a nice girl - but, like Lee, it's her voice that I can tell is capable of "my kind of music."

I also like Aaron Kelly, Andrew Garcia, and Michael Lynche (and don't mind looking at Tim Urban and Casey James, LOL) as well as Lilly Scott and Katelyn Epperly - although the last one is only because Logan is smitten with her. I'm not kidding - he never cares about American Idol unless she comes on the TV - then he just STARES the entire time she's on, there's no getting his attention, it's hilarious!

Since last week was the first real week of the competition, it will take me a couple of more weeks to predict the one who I think should win, but I'm guessing it will be one of the nine names I just mentioned.

Ironically, my favorite winner of all of the years is Kelly Clarkson, who I never saw since I didn't watch the first two seasons. But, I LOVE every single song she has ever sung. Speaking of which, stay tuned for one of her songs for next week's Music Monday! :-)