// BEGIN editorial data var i = 0; var IdolFamous = new Array(); IdolFamous.ID = "IdolFamous"; IdolFamous.ID_WB = 18661134; IdolFamous.sPubDate = "5/15/2007 11:46:01 PM GMT"; IdolFamous.navsectionID = "3032449" IdolFamous.appFmt = 2; IdolFamous.itemsPerPage = 1; IdolFamous.appWidth = 624; IdolFamous.appHeader = ""; IdolFamous.appFooter = "By Marc Hirsh"; IdolFamous.appNavStyle = 3; IdolFamous.bDhtml = 0; IdolFamous.appLayout = 3; IdolFamous.copyWidth = 460; IdolFamous.copyMargin = 9; IdolFamous[i++] = new Array("","12th place: Sting","","http://msnbcmedia2.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/z_Projects_in_progress/_Ent/American_Idol/_Idol_All-Star/brill_070511_idolallstar_sting.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "", "298", "168", "", "", "", "", ""); IdolFamous[i-1].body = "Gordon Sumner might have fared better if he hadn’t changed his name before the semifinals. Worse, his perceived role in Otis Redding’s elimination (they were the last two standing for the final spot in the top 12) created a backlash that hurt him on Soul Night. The judges liked Sting’s “In The Midnight Hour” (Simon: “I’m not jumping out of my seat, but it was OK”), but the audience quietly compared his high, reedy voice with Redding’s rich baritone and voted for the others."; IdolFamous[i++] = new Array("","11th place: Marvin Gaye","","http://msnbcmedia1.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/z_Projects_in_progress/_Ent/American_Idol/_Idol_All-Star/brill_070511_idolallstar_gaye.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "", "298", "189", "", "", "", "", ""); IdolFamous[i-1].body = "Simon never warmed to Gaye, who he said lacked the “wow factor,” though Randy loved the smoothness of his vocals. Paula, meanwhile, had an undisguised crush on him, giggling after his performances like she’d just been told a dirty joke. Amy Winehouse’s “Rehab” proved to be his undoing during Current Billboard Hits Week, as Simon correctly predicted that the song would be too extreme in sound and topic for the audience to embrace."; IdolFamous[i++] = new Array("","10th place: Stevie Nicks","","http://msnbcmedia1.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/z_Projects_in_progress/_Ent/American_Idol/_Idol_All-Star/brill_070511_idolallstar_nicks.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "", "298", "183", "", "", "", "", ""); IdolFamous[i-1].body = "Nicks’ sandpaper-and-honey voice set her apart from the field of belters. But while Simon rarely had anything bad to say about her vocals, he continually harped on her long, flowing outfits and ride-the-wind dancing: “Sometimes I wish you’d just stand still and sing without all the distractions.” She tried that and was eliminated almost immediately on a tentative performance of Gloria Estefan’s “Cuts Both Ways.”"; IdolFamous[i++] = new Array("","Ninth place: Johnny Cash","","http://msnbcmedia3.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/z_Projects_in_progress/_Ent/American_Idol/_Idol_All-Star/brill_070511_idolallstar_cash.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "", "298", "193", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); IdolFamous[i-1].body = "Cash impressed the judges through the Hollywood rounds, but once the semis began, they turned on him, with Randy pulling out the “pitchy” card and Simon calling him monotonous: “It’s like listening to a foghorn praising Jesus.” But there was nobody like him in the contest, which prevented the vote-splitting that would have booted him early. His limitations became obvious once he hit the top 12, and he struggled through a mentoring session with Barry Manilow before getting the axe."; IdolFamous[i++] = new Array("","Eighth place: Chrissie Hynde","","http://msnbcmedia3.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/z_Projects_in_progress/_Ent/American_Idol/_Idol_All-Star/brill_070511_idolallstar_hynde.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "", "298", "182", "", "", "", "", ""); IdolFamous[i-1].body = "Hynde’s tremulous but tough voice wasn’t everybody’s cup of tea, but it was distinctive enough to capture a sizeable fanbase. Unfortunately, “Idol” is all about being everybody’s cup of tea, and while Simon admitted to liking Hynde, he also kept saying that he had no idea how to market her. Paula, on the other hand, was touched by her vulnerability, but her performance of “I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow” during Country Night polarized the viewers."; IdolFamous[i++] = new Array("","Seventh place: Courtney Love","","http://msnbcmedia3.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/z_Projects_in_progress/_Ent/American_Idol/_Idol_All-Star/brill_070511_idolallstar_love.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "", "298", "171", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); IdolFamous[i-1].body = "“I’m going to regret this,” said a smirking Simon on passing Love through to the semis, and her appearance and behavior quickly made her the season’s love-or-hate contestant. Randy often started with full-body laughter before declaring, “Dude, that was not good.” Even Paula struggled to find something positive to say, while Simon simply trotted out “horrendous.” She went down in flames on “One Song Glory” from “Rent” during Broadway Week."; IdolFamous[i++] = new Array("","Sixth place: John Lennon","","http://msnbcmedia2.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/z_Projects_in_progress/_Ent/American_Idol/_Idol_All-Star/brill_070511_idolallstar_lennon.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "", "298", "197", "", "", "", "", ""); IdolFamous[i-1].body = "The independent-minded Lennon fought against the “Idol” machinery every step of the way. His reluctant participation in the show’s Ford music videos was so perfunctory that his footage was almost always scrapped. But Paula loved his wit and charm, while Randy typically said, “You worked it out.” As for Simon, his comment that Lennon was “too nasally” made the singer snap back and, for once, the judge squirmed in fear of being outmatched. His bored reading of “Kiss From A Rose” got him bounced, to his great relief."; IdolFamous[i++] = new Array("","Fifth place: Mama Cass Elliott","","http://msnbcmedia4.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/z_Projects_in_progress/_Ent/American_Idol/_Idol_All-Star/brill_070511_idolallstar_mommacass.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "", "298", "185", "", "", "", "", ""); IdolFamous[i-1].body = "The judges adored Elliot’s rich voice and wide range, with Paula declaring “I don’t think there’s anything that you couldn’t sing. You’re a treasure.” But Simon’s praise always came with a caveat: “I just don’t think I’m looking at an American Idol.” While she breezed through the themes with little problem, her image eventually caught up with her during Disco Week."; IdolFamous[i++] = new Array("","Fourth place: Whitney Houston","","http://msnbcmedia3.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/z_Projects_in_progress/_Ent/American_Idol/_Idol_All-Star/brill_070511_idolallstar_whitney.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "", "298", "163", "", "", "", "", ""); IdolFamous[i-1].body = "Simon lavished Houston with praise, declaring her the best singer they heard throughout the audition process. Randy loved the assured vocal swoops and runs that she put into every song, while Paula was entranced by the pureness of Houston’s tone and her effortlessness. But many viewers saw her as arrogant and entitled, and a cold and clinical “Dancing In The Streets” toppled her on Sixties Night."; IdolFamous[i++] = new Array("","Third place: Stevie Wonder","","http://msnbcmedia4.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/z_Projects_in_progress/_Ent/American_Idol/_Idol_All-Star/brill_070511_idolallstar_wonder.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "", "298", "205", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); IdolFamous[i-1].body = "Wonder’s audition was a treacly, triumph-over-adversity display that initially turned off many viewers. But his rapid ascendancy stunned even the judges, prompting Simon to say “When we put you through, we had absolutely no idea how good you actually were. Really, really great.” Paula practically adopted him, while Randy could never get past Wonder’s disability, declaring, “You sing that good and you’re blind! Unbelievable.” He bowed out during Elton John Week on a scorching, funk-laced version of “Bennie And The Jets.”"; IdolFamous[i++] = new Array("","Final two: Aretha Franklin and David Bowie","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/z_Projects_in_progress/_Ent/American_Idol/_Idol_All-Star/brill_070511_idolallstar_franklin.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "", "298", "195", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); IdolFamous[i-1].body = "Franklin was an instant favorite of the judges, with Randy praising her gospel roots and Simon saying that he would be shocked if she didn’t make it to the finals. Bowie was a tougher sell; Paula loved how he changed it up every week and Randy gave him props for his creativity, but his ambiguous sexuality made Simon a reluctant supporter. While Franklin delivered powerhouse performance after powerhouse performance, Bowie adjusted to the changing themes with uncommon ease. "; IdolFamous[i++] = new Array("","Winner: David Bowie","","http://msnbcmedia2.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/z_Projects_in_progress/_Ent/American_Idol/_Idol_All-Star/brill_070511_idolallstar_bowie.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "", "298", "182", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); IdolFamous[i-1].body = "In the end, Franklin lost out to Bowie, thanks to the latter’s teen-idol edge. His debut single, “Dreams Are Made Of Stardust,” drops on Tuesday."; // END editorial data