The third episode of this reality/competition singstravaganza on Oxygen cements the format of the show. Mini Challenge, Let’s Make A Video, Sing For Your Life, Time To Go. Beware, there are spoilers inside!
The Mini Challenge
The remaining singtestants are challenged to sing a line (or two) from P!nk’s “Please Don’t Leave Me.” Coach Bieste (Dot Marie Jones) shows up and oh my is she all business! She tells various children “I felt that” or “Stop faking it.” She is not one to mince words, no, she is not. Snack-wrap Matheus wins the challenge, and suddenly I’m not liking him so much. Dot felt his vulnerability gave her the chills, but for me, it was more like “meh.” He accepted the news of his win not with humility, but more with an attitude of “yeah, I know, I got this.” Not the best reaction.
Let’s Make A Video
This week’s song was “Mad World” by Tears For Fears, not Gary Jules, as was suggested in the show. Dios mio, kids, just because Gary Jules (who I lurrrrve) sang this song for the “Donnie Darko” soundtrack, does not mean the song is his. I would have instead absolutely LOVED to hear the kids sing “Barstool” or “Owen Down.” Now THEMS are songs you can chew some scenery with. Anywhoozle, so the chirrens had to come up with a sign they had to wear around their necks that showed what their vulnerability was. OK, fat girl says “FAT.” Derrr. Irish hotness Damian says “Numb” because he feels he has put relationships to the side in order to focus on his career. Oh honey, you’re twelve. You have time for relationships. Goodness.
And then shockarooni, flaming tenor Alex says his sign will say “GAY.” Oh, Jesus take the wheel, what’s to do? This guy who is extremely femmy and never without his trendy neck scarf says he’s gay. He claims he just came out to his momma last week and he’s not out at school. Oh, honey bun, if anyone doesn’t know you’s gay, they are not paying attention. I get it, you’re still in high school, and coming out in high school is A Big Deal. But come on. Your coming out is more like “okay, it’s about time he acknowledged the elephant in the room so we can all move on” rather than “quelle suprise.” I think that the kids could have dug deeper to say what they were REALLY vulnerable about.
Speaking of digging deeper, resident ginge Marissa screwed her courage to the sticking post and came out as someone who struggled with anorexia. You go girl. Her original choice of “flawed” really didn’t make sense, and when she changed it, I felt that she really had a breakthrough moment. Good for you, honest girl. Now, please have a chat with Hannah and tell her “fat” was too easy. Hannah is a big, exuberant girl, and I’m just positive there’s something else she’s more sensitive about than her weight.
So, it’s time to record the vocals that the kids will lip-synch to in the video shoot. This turns into a huge therapy session. For some of the singtestants, it’s rewarding, as they open themselves up and become vulnerable. For others, like Lindsay, not so much. Lindsay, also known as “Shut Up Rachel Berry,” had a humorous video montage of her talking. And talking. And talking. Child does not know when to shut her trap. She has earned her nickname.
La video shoot time arrives, and I felt everyone did well. McKynleigh’s “white or black” sign really stood out. I’m not sure why, exactly, but I really felt she sold her struggle as someone who is too black to be white and too white to be black. Get used to it, kiddos, there’s plenty of mocha latte people out there, and we’re going to be hearing more about this as time goes on.
Sing For Your Life
Damian, Cameron and Emily were told they were the bottom three. I felt sure Cameron would be the one to go home since his performance in the video was, um, not vulnerable at all. Just Cam doing his thing. Emily’s performance, to me, was spot on, and Damian really sold his being emotionally unavailable. All it took was a glance at girls he couldn’t approach. Ah well.
Damian was given Elvis Presley’s “Are you Lonesome Tonight,” Emily was given Bruno Mars’ “Grenade” and Cameron was given Elton John’s “Your Song.” Cameron sang well, but really didn’t deliver, in my opinion. The judges told him he dressed like a model, and told him to come back wearing his geek chic. He came back in dorktastic mode and delivered the song as if he were Michael Cera, all twee ankle twisty nerdy geek, but still… not a stand-out. Emily’s performance of “Grenade” (a song I absolutely HATE, bee tee dubya) was scorching. She incorporated humor, pathos, bathos, anger. Brilliant. I wanted to give her a hug and tell her she should record this and put it on the radio. Damien sang “Are you Lonesome Tonight” and I wished he had been there 50 years ago to tell Elvis how the song should be delivered. Damian said the song hit him hard, the lyrics spoke to a breakup he had with a girl perfectly. He was able to deliver the song without breaking down until he was finished. Really masterful.
In the end, Emily was sent home. Disappointing. I can only hope that she will become a regular character on “Glee” after the current cast of Glee graduates.
