Blog Posts by Lyndsey Parker

Jakks Pacific's celebrity Cabbage Patch dollsJust in time for the holiday season, Jakks Pacific toys has issued THE perfect gift for the "American Idol" fan on your Christmas list: The show's cuddliest judge, Steven Tyler, rendered in cuddly Cabbage Patch form. (This brings new meaning to the Aerosmithian phrases "rag doll" and "toys in the attic," huh?) Granted, seeing a Cabbage Patch Kid decked out in rock 'n' roll skulls, feathers, soulpatch facial stubble, and bleachy hair-streaks is a little disconcerting...especially since the doll actually kind of looks like the Demon Of Screamin'. Really, all that's missing is a string that the user can pull to make the doll utter canned catchphrases like "beautiful, just beautiful," "holy shipyard," and various bleeped-out expletives. (I guess the doll's must-have accessory, one of those little "Idol"-logo censor-paddles, is sold separately.)

Adam & Queen at the EMASIt is an indisputable fact that Adam Lambert's Season 8 finale collaboration with Queen stands as one of THE best "American Idol" moments ever. (Seriously. Do not argue with me about this.) Even the members of Queen themselves were so impressed at the time by Adam's now-legendary performance, they reportedly invited him to join their band permanently. According to "Idol" lore, Adam politely declined their flattering offer--and it sure was a flattering one, considering that he was, for all intents and purposes, supposedly being asked to fill Freddie Mercury's mighty big platform boots--and he later said this was all a rumor. But it was easy to see how such a rumor had gotten started, since Queen and Adam seemed like a perfect fit. Anyway, Queen subsequently held an online talent search for a new singer for the official Queen cover band, and Adam went on to become a solo superstar...but there was always the possibility that the two would someday join forces again. And this weekend, that possibility was thrillingly realized, as Adam stunningly sang with Queen's Brian May and Roger Taylor at the MTV Europe Music Awards.

Top 32 contestant James Kenney received baffling little screentime during his run on "The X Factor" this season, but he made a lasting impression nonetheless with his brief but stunning Judges' House performance of Rihanna's "Russian Roulette." Many viewers, myself included, thought the guy was going to be this year's dark horse. Sadly, that turned out to not be the case, as he was cut before the live shows.  So when I learned that my regular "Day After" co-host Matt Whitfield would be on vacation this week, I figured I'd invite James to be my "Day After" guest, so he could get some extra exposure and dish some dirt about his run on this crazy show.

Back in Season 2 of "America's Next Top Model," Tyra Banks forced her hapless hopefuls, including very arrhythmic future winner Yoanna House, to star in her dreadful "Shake Ya Body" music video. The results were not pretty. This season, for "America's Next Top Model Allstars," Tyra attempted to go the music-video route again, albeit with a slightly better outcome, as this time the seven finalists were the real video stars.

On this week's "ANTM" episode, the models were required to "go viral" by writing and recording pop songs, then shooting semi-pro music videos that would, presumably, blow up YouTube the instant they were uploaded onto the Interweb. It was unclear whether Tyra really even understood  what "going viral" means--come on, a video is not going to go viral just because Ms. Banks declares it so. But the girls did their best, and some of them, with the help of plenty of AutoTune and lots of crafty editing, managed to make music videos that weren't total embarrassments.

Steve Jones [photo: Fox]Last week I interviewed "X Factor" host Steve Jones backstage, and he came across as a thoroughly pleasant, likable, charming fellow. But onstage? That's a whole different story. Viewers at home don't seem to be feeling Steve Jones, if irked comments across the Twitterverse and blogosphere are anything to go by--and no, this audience/host disconnect cannot be blamed on some sort of cultural divide due to Steve's Englishness, since we all know "So You Think You Can Dance" hostess Cat Deeley is one of THE greatest reality emcees ever.

The problem is Steve seems so concerned with preventing the show from running long and preempting "Bones," he comes across as utterly un-empathetic, almost autistically unable to get an emotional gauge on certain onstage situations. On a show with many young, sensitive contestants who need to be handled with care, this is quickly becoming an image problem.

LeRoy BellSimon Cowell seems determined to one-up his old show "American Idol" in every possible way. And last night he found another department in which to outdo "Idol": The Epic-Fail Lip-Synch Department.

Yes, "Idol" has long come under fire for its hokey opening numbers, many of which have featured perfectly good singers pretending to sing, for some bizarre reason. But at least most Idols have managed to do a decent job of miming along to their pre-recorded tracks. Um, not so much with this new "X Factor" crew.

InTENsity go homeIt was big news when Simon Cowell invited his "American Idol" crony Paula Abdul to sit beside him on his "X Factor" panel this year, but after the first results episode of the "X Factor" season, Paula may be wondering if she should have accepted his job offer after all. She may even want to give CBS a call to see if execs over there will reconsider renewing her old TV show, "Live To Dance." You see, despite all of her valiant efforts, two of Paula's three protégés in the groups category wound up in the bottom two this week, and she was faced with the Sophie's choice of having to send one of them home at a very early stage the game. And it all ended in tears, as things often do when Paula is involved.

Most viewers, including myself, had predicted that the talented but soft-spoken LeRoy Bell would be the first to go, or that Chris Rene might be in jeopardy after two consecutive performances that failed to match the brilliance of his much-hyped earlier auditions. But it was in fact Paula's R&B boy band Stereo Hogzz, who got rave reviews this week even from Simon, and prefab kiddy collective InTENsity, whom Nicole Scherzinger had dubbed ""fun-tastic" and "fun-omenal," who received the fewest votes.

Christa Collins, my favorite "X Factor" contestant this inaugural season, received pathetically little facetime during her all-too-brief time on the show, with her first audition and Boot Camp solo performance not even being made available on the show's official YouTube channel. So when I found out my esteemed Yahoo! colleague and regular co-host Matt Whitfield wouldn't be able to make it to "The Day After" this week, I figured I'd invite Christa to be my guest, so she could get the extra screentime she so deserves.

Christa Collins guests on 'The Day After'So last night, the top 12 competed for America's votes for the first time on "The X Factor," and Christa was watching to cheer on her friends on the show. Today, we discuss who she's rooting for, as well as her own "X Factor" experience, her very interesting past (most of which was oddly not mentioned on the show); that whole Stacy Francis "scandal"; her advice to the show's young contestants (Christa was once a Disney child star, so she knows what she's talking