By M. Giant
Daryl Black, the professional musician with all the kids, takes what he calls "the longest walk of my life." L.A. tells him that he reminds him of himself, but he wants "fire" and "stardom," and tells Daryl, "This is where it stops. Sorry." He and David say an emotional farewell on Daryl's way to the losers' room, where he says his family will be crushed. "I really respect L.A., but today he made a mistake." David maintains. Not that L.A. had much of a choice, the way Daryl's performance last week was edited.
Jason Brock confesses to being "nervous as hell," and says he's always wanted to be a star. He's hoping L.A. will be the first one in his entire life to believe in him, I guess because you have to start somewhere, and adds that the stakes just went up for him, because he got fired from his tech support job that very morning. Damn. L.A. tells Jason he loves his voice, but expresses his doubts about whether Jason fits as a star. "You're with me," he finally says, Jason hugs L.A. and then David Correy in the winners' room.
While waiting to hear his answer, Tate tells us that he got a text from his wife that morning saying, "It doesn't matter what happens today because we know that you're a superstar." Well, he had a better start to his day than Jason Brock did, at least. On the other hand, he still has his job, even though he doesn't want to go back to it. We'll have to wait to hear L.A.'s answer to find out whose day is better overall (as though L.A.'s going to eliminate the second person from his category this early while there are still two other people waiting). L.A. appreciates Tate's lovability, but says he needs more confidence. And then he strings Tate along for a nice long time before congratulating him on being in his final four.
That leaves Vino and Tara waiting for the one remaining spot. Tara tells Vino she's been taking no's that should have been yeses all her life. I'm sure she's half right. We flash back to her successful first audition and her messed-up boot camp audition, as well as yesterday's song for L.A., Justin and Scooter. All together like that, that's a lot of long, high notes. Tara's called out and Vino's left alone. "Do people judge me by the way I look?" he's apparently been asked. "Well, only every day, all day." We're reminded how Britney was visibly repulsed by his tattoos at his first audition, but then he impressed L.A. with his voice. He assures us that people don't generally come up to him looking like that and assume he's a great soul singer. He and Tara do the simultaneous approach to L.A.'s guest chair through the magic of editing. L.A. tells Tara he loves her competitive nature, but has doubts about how she can do against the competition. L.A. tells Vino that he's worried about him as well. Vino begs L.A. for a chance and L.A. says he lost sleep over Tara. But his decision is that Tara is done. She gets up and walks away from L.A., then tells the interview cameras that "he just got rid of someone who could be a Kelly Clarkson or a Carrie Underwood or a Christina Aguilera." Except unlike Tara, those are all artists that a lot of people can actually stand, so clearly she's has learned nothing. It's pretty quiet on the couch with her and Daryl, though. Finally, L.A. shakes his head at Vino sadly and says he made it through. They exchange manly fist bumps and handshakes and what-not, and Vino says he's more excited about this than anything in his life. We can tell, because he smiles briefly.
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There are four kids left in Britney's yard and two slots left. Arin says this makes it hard for everyone to be around each other. He reminds us that this is his second year, having made it to last year's top twelve in the group category and spending the intervening time "working, working, working... I have to hear a yes." When he joins Britney, she sticks to her format of good news and bad news, saying he had a lot of charisma, but she isn't sure if he's good enough to stand out onstage. But he's through. Only one spot left... and then I assume the other two get tossed off the cliff.
Beatrice Miller is getting emotional about watching people get up and walk away. "And you don't know if you're going to go in and see them in the yes room or meet up with them in the no room. It's all real now." She forgot the third possible scenario of being the first to the no room. James Tanner is hoping for the best as the only rapper in the category, but I think we all know better. Britney compliments his personality, which should tell him instantly that he's done. Still, Britney goes on to say that he has a lot of technical things to work on with his voice. She says she's made her decision, "and you're going home, sweetie." James is crestfallen, and after getting the consolation prize of a goodbye hug from Britney Spears, he tells us how let down he is. Britney, on the other hand, makes these crazy-eyes that are like an instant GIF as she says it was horrible. James gets to pass through the winners' parlor, not even pausing as he says "Peace, guys," and is gone again while Arin's halfway through getting up. He goes on into the losers' room, where his dad is... there.
After a quick shot of the sign on the beach with different arrows pointing to "Swim" and "Surf" (not that James accomplished either of those in this competition), we're back with Britney saying she hates saying no to people, which explains so much of the late 90s and early 00s. That leaves Beatrice and Reed. Beatrice tells us, "The rest of my life revolves around a simple word." Reed, on the other hand, wonders, "What if they were all yeses?" The producers would never defuse the suspense like that, Reed. He's the to sit across from Britney, who tells her that he gave a good performance, but needs more vocal training. Oh, but now Beatrice is there instead, as Britney tells her that her first auditions were better than she was yesterday, and that she's worried about Beatrice handling the pressure. We cut back and forth between Reed and Beatrice in the hot seat until Britney says, "You're going home." To Reed. And then she tells Beatrice she's in her final four. Beatrice joins the other three, who are almost as happy to see her as she is to be there.
Britney talks up her team, who, in case your name is Memento, are Carly, Arin, Diamond and Beatrice, whose parents are allowed to join them in the winners' parlor. Which may be the last time they see each other for months.
On to L.A.'s house, where he reminds us that his top six in the Over 25 category are Jason Brock, Tara Simon, David Correy, Vino Alan, Tate Stevens and Daryl Black, none of whom he started out as a big fan of. But now all that's changed and after hearing them sing at his house, there may be one or two he can still tolerate. All of them are seen stressing out at their hotel, and then photogenically at various locations in L.A.'s house. Nice of the producers to position portly Tate in the kitchen. L.A. tells us that this is the last chance for most of them, as they well know. Vino tells the others that he'll be back out on the streets if he gets a no, without even enough money for a motel. David Correy, who's here to not only become a star but find his birth mother, is the first to be called before L.A. out on his pool deck, saying nobody wants it as much as he does. L.A. compliments David's image and voice, but is concerned about his ability to "be that number one artist." Not that L.A. doesn't have that same doubt about everyone in this category. David is already emotional, but L.A. says he's in, making David the happiest he's ever been in his life. Man, I hope his birth mother isn't a letdown.
Daryl Black, the professional musician with all the kids, takes what he calls "the longest walk of my life." L.A. tells him that he reminds him of himself, but he wants "fire" and "stardom," and tells Daryl, "This is where it stops. Sorry." He and David say an emotional farewell on Daryl's way to the losers' room, where he says his family will be crushed. "I really respect L.A., but today he made a mistake." David maintains. Not that L.A. had much of a choice, the way Daryl's performance last week was edited.
Jason Brock confesses to being "nervous as hell," and says he's always wanted to be a star. He's hoping L.A. will be the first one in his entire life to believe in him, I guess because you have to start somewhere, and adds that the stakes just went up for him, because he got fired from his tech support job that very morning. Damn. L.A. tells Jason he loves his voice, but expresses his doubts about whether Jason fits as a star. "You're with me," he finally says, Jason hugs L.A. and then David Correy in the winners' room.
While waiting to hear his answer, Tate tells us that he got a text from his wife that morning saying, "It doesn't matter what happens today because we know that you're a superstar." Well, he had a better start to his day than Jason Brock did, at least. On the other hand, he still has his job, even though he doesn't want to go back to it. We'll have to wait to hear L.A.'s answer to find out whose day is better overall (as though L.A.'s going to eliminate the second person from his category this early while there are still two other people waiting). L.A. appreciates Tate's lovability, but says he needs more confidence. And then he strings Tate along for a nice long time before congratulating him on being in his final four.
That leaves Vino and Tara waiting for the one remaining spot. Tara tells Vino she's been taking no's that should have been yeses all her life. I'm sure she's half right. We flash back to her successful first audition and her messed-up boot camp audition, as well as yesterday's song for L.A., Justin and Scooter. All together like that, that's a lot of long, high notes. Tara's called out and Vino's left alone. "Do people judge me by the way I look?" he's apparently been asked. "Well, only every day, all day." We're reminded how Britney was visibly repulsed by his tattoos at his first audition, but then he impressed L.A. with his voice. He assures us that people don't generally come up to him looking like that and assume he's a great soul singer. He and Tara do the simultaneous approach to L.A.'s guest chair through the magic of editing. L.A. tells Tara he loves her competitive nature, but has doubts about how she can do against the competition. L.A. tells Vino that he's worried about him as well. Vino begs L.A. for a chance and L.A. says he lost sleep over Tara. But his decision is that Tara is done. She gets up and walks away from L.A., then tells the interview cameras that "he just got rid of someone who could be a Kelly Clarkson or a Carrie Underwood or a Christina Aguilera." Except unlike Tara, those are all artists that a lot of people can actually stand, so clearly she's has learned nothing. It's pretty quiet on the couch with her and Daryl, though. Finally, L.A. shakes his head at Vino sadly and says he made it through. They exchange manly fist bumps and handshakes and what-not, and Vino says he's more excited about this than anything in his life. We can tell, because he smiles briefly.
L.A. joins his final four -- Jason, Tate, David and Vino -- telling them they're a family, but they all have to beat each other. Just like most families.
On to Demi's loft in L.A. and her Young Adult category: Jillian Jensen, Willie Jones, Jennel Garcia, Paige Thomas, Nick Youngerman and CeCe Frey. They're in their hotel rooms, all talking about how they hope they make it through even though only four of them can. Jillian tells her roommate Jennel that she doesn't think this is going to be the end for either of them. They're caravanned to Demi's place, where she says she's quite confident in her decision. Jennel is also confident in her performance the day before, so now it's just down to the waiting. She meets Demi and Demi's hat in her upstairs living room, where Demi compliments her voice but says she needs more confidence. But Jennel's in the final four, so it looks like she'll get the chance to work on that, at some point after she stops crying in the winners' room.
Willie says this is the biggest opportunity of his life, and says he refuses to go home to Shreveport. I'd love it if just one of these people would be like, "Yeah, easy come, easy go. I'll be happy either way." Willie joins Demi on her couch, where she talks about how unique and unexpected he is, but she senses an "inner battle" in his head between his country self and his R&B self. Pick a box for us to stuff you in, Willie! But he's okay for now, because he's in her final four. And the dorky dance he does while running down to meet Jennel is neither country nor R&B, so that's a whole other level of challenge now.
Okay, this is weird -- after the ads, I'm suddenly watching The Mindy Project Is that supposed to be happening? And then a baseball game? Have I fallen into a time warp or just my Fox affiliate? Oh right... it looks like that rain delay is over and so is The X Factor for tonight. Fortunately, Twitter exists and the show's account announces that the whole episode will be shown Tuesday. So I guess I'll pick this up then, although by that time -- if you have CTV (or, you know, Twitter) -- you'll already know what happened. Just humor me, okay?
M. Giant is a Minneapolis-based writer with a wife, a son, and a number of cats that seems to have settled at around two. Learn waaaay too much about him at Velcrometer, follow him on Twitter, or just e-mail him at m.giant[at]gmail.com.
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