Why Danny Gokey Should Not Be Judged

As many of you know, I'm a huge American Idol junkie. That means I read a lot of Idol-related news, blogs and comments from fans. During this past season, I kept mum over the rude and hateful Danny Gokey comments that were made. I'm not any longer. I know we are all entitled to our opinions, but it really bothers me that people have been so judgmental towards him. I've been in his shoes and faced unfair judgments. I don't wish that kind of treatment on anyone.

There’s no written rule saying we have to like everyone we come across. However, I remember being taught as a child that we should treat others the way we want to be treated. (I still live by this rule.) If you don’t like it when people pass judgments on you, why is it okay for you to do it to someone else? There’s no excuse that justifies double-standards. If you don’t like someone, that’s fine. Just be mature about it and don’t stoop to name calling and bashing.

I remember all too clearly how much hate-filled comments can hurt. I wished that people would take a step back, open their eyes and see the real me. It hurt that people couldn’t look past rumors or false beliefs. Ever since then, I’ve felt the need to stand up for those that I feel are being wrongly judged. I have an extremely protective nature inside of me. Now I’m standing up for Danny and saying he deserves to be given a chance to show the person he really is.

I freely admit that when it comes to religion, Danny and I are on VERY different pages, but that doesn’t mean I don’t respect who he is, what he’s been through and what he’s trying to do. I actually respect him a great deal, despite how different we are. I respect anyone that rises above adversity to do great things and that is what Danny is doing.

American Idol tried to play the sympathy card and increase the amount of viewers they had each week. I think they honestly felt that Danny’s story would resonate with many people and they would tune in to see how he did during the competition. Idol’s ploy backfired, however, and they ended up turning some fans against Danny, ultimately affecting his chances of winning.

Many viewers of the show thought that Danny was using his wife’s death to gain votes. Danny was NOT the one exploiting his situation, and he should not be held accountable for the actions of others. Yes, he mentioned his wife, but who wouldn’t mention the person they loved and lost? Give the poor guy a break and place the blame where it’s really due. Idol holds the reigns and they show things a certain way, whether we like it or not, and that’s what they did with Danny. It was blatantly obvious what they were hoping to accomplish.

I honestly don’t know how people can sit back and think he would not mention Sophia in some way. She was his wife. When you love someone with all of your heart, and they are taken away from you, you lose a part of yourself. It’s going to affect you and you’re going to talk about it. It helps you remember the person and keep their memory alive. I’ve lost my fair share of loved ones and when given the opportunity, I talk about them. Why? It’s because I love them and miss their presence in my life.

In the past, I’ve dealt with ridicule over other contestants that I’ve supported, and I’m fairly certain someone is going to throw darts my way because of what I’m saying now. But I don't care. Several years ago, it hurt when others questioned my beliefs, but since then, I’ve grown up and realized that it doesn’t matter what people think about me. What matters is standing up for causes and people that I believe in, no matter the outcome.

People often commented that Ace Young and David Cook were arrogant and fake. I never saw that. I never saw it with Danny either. Maybe I’m able to look deeper and see the people they really are or maybe I'm gullible. However, I refuse to believe that about myself. I feel that I see the good that these three men have inside of them.

I believe that Ace, David and Danny are people that want to make a difference in this world. I feel they want to make other’s lives better. Unfortunately, so many people in this world think that everyone has ulterior motives. They have a very hard time accepting that there are people in this world that are selfless. I can honestly say that I don’t see all the ulterior motives that others talk about when it comes to Danny. I see a guy that was dealt a really devastating blow, but has risen above all of the challenges thrown at him. He’s an inspiration. I admire him for all that he’s doing.

I was once a teenager, dealing with problems that threatened to consume me, and it makes me happy to know there are people out there that want to make life better for children and teenagers that need help. If more people knew how to open their hearts and give, this world would be a better place. But not everyone wants to live their lives that way. Those of us that want to make a difference need to keep moving forward and hope that our actions inspire younger generations to make the same kinds of decisions we’ve made. If we make a difference in one life, imagine the domino effect that could have in the long run.

So what was my intention behind this blog? Well, I wanted to stress the importance of not judging someone unless you truly know them. We should always be mindful of the things we say. Snide comments can be hurtful, not just to the person their about, but to their friends and family as well. Danny is someone’s child, and I know if I read comments about my kids, like the ones said about him, it would really bother me.

I hope that at least one person decides to take a step back and realizes that Danny Gokey is a human being and deserves to be treated with respect. I may not have always agreed with his song choices or liked his performances, but I didn't make nasty comments about him and question his motives. I don’t like it when people do it to me and I refuse to do it to someone else.

And lastly, I'd like all of you to realize that there are people out there in the world that genuinely want to help others. Yes, there are some people out there that are manipulative and will stop at nothing to get what they want, but we, as a society, can’t close our selves off from the rest of the world just to avoid those kinds of people. We have to rise above that kind of behavior and let our hearts and minds be affected by the good souls that are out there. Had I closed myself off, my life wouldn’t have been impacted by some very special people. (You know who you are.)

To those of you that give of yourselves in order to help others, thank you! It’s that kind of behavior that makes me realize that not all hope is lost. Keep on doing what you do. It is making a difference.

American Idol Finale, Part 2

Part 2 of the Idol finale airs in fifteen minutes. By the end of the episode, either Kris Allen or Adam Lambert will be crowned the season 8 winner. Stay tuned for all the spoilers!

8:00 pm: Results show kicks off with a shot off Adam and Kris dressed all in white. They looked very sharp.

8:01 pm: Ryan informs us that just under 100 million votes were cast last night. Wow.

8:03 pm: Ryan introduces the judges. Some funny clips of the judges personality. Randy is the "for me" judge. Kara is the "sweetie" judge. Paula is the judge with the "biggest vocabulary." Simon is the judge that "hears everything."

8:06 pm: Ryan welcomes Kris and Adam to the stage. Crowd goes wild. First hometown check-in with Mikalah Gordon in Conway, Arkansas. The Adam hometown check-in was with Carly Smithson in San Diego.

8:08 pm: Top 13 perform "So What," from Pink. All 13 were dressed in white. They looked amazing and sounded great. It was nice seeing everyone together again.

This would have been a great song for Allison to sing on her own.

8:11 pm: Commercial break.

8:14 pm: Last year's winner, David Cook, sang "Permanent."

This was the first time I'd seen David sing this song. It's my favorite song, but considering the backstory, I've never been able to watch him. It's too emotional and makes me cry. Tonight was no different. He sounded amazing, but it really cut me to the quick. I felt my heart swell right up and tears start to from the very beginning. Call me a baby. I don't care. What a beautiful performance, even if it did hurt my head to watch to. It does hit very close to home.

Oh yeah, D looked GORGEOUS tonight.

8:20 pm: Golden Idol Awards:

Outstanding Male Nominees: Wil Kunuck, Michael Gurr, Elijah Scarlett, Dean-Anthony Bradford, Norman Gentle (Nick Mitchell)
Winner: Norman Gentle (Yay! I love Norman Gentle. The performance he gave was awesome! He would have made this season very interesting.)

8:25 pm: "Cue the Rain" - Lil Rounds and Queen Latifah - These two looked beautiful tonight. They sounded great together too. Good match up.

8:29 pm: Commercial break.

8:33 pm: Anoop Desai, Alexis Grace and Jason Mraz. Anoop was sporting a pornstar mustache thing. Someone shave that boy. At the end of the song, some of the other contestants were shown as well. If you blinked though, you may have missed them.

8:35 pm: Kris Allen journey video. I really did like seeing how humble he was this season. Don't underestimate the underdog. The look on his face when he found out he was in the top 3 was priceless.

8:37 pm: Kris Allen and Keith Urban - "Kiss A Girl" - Another great match up. They sounded really good together. Their voices blended really well together. I could see Kris singing a song like this on his album. They definitely deserved a standing O.

8:41 pm: Commercial break

8:45 pm: "Glamorous," "Big Girls Don't Cry" & "Boom Boom Pow" - Lil Rounds, Alexis Grace, Jasmine Murray, Allison Iraheta, Megan Joy, Fergie and The Black Eyed Peas.

This performance was awesome. I loved seeing the female Idol contestants jamming out behind the judges.

8:50 pm: Golden Idol Awards:

Best Attitude Nominees: Katrina Darrell (Bikini Girl), Alexis Cohen, Tiffany Shedd
Winner: Katrina Darrell (Gag me! She sounded like crap. The kicker, Kara and her duet. Kara sounded SO much better than Bikini Girl.)

Oh, I can't forget, Kara had a wardrobe malfunction. *snickers*

9:00 pm: Allison Iraheta and Cyndi Lauper - "Time After Time"

Allison sounded phenomenal tonight. Good match up.

9:03 pm: Check in with Kris Allen's parents.

9:04 pm: Check in with Adam Lambert's parents.

9:05 pm: Danny Gokey & Lionel Richie - "Hello," "Just Go" & "All Night Long"

Danny sounded great tonight. He looked very handsome. He and Lionel worked well together.

9:09 pm: Commercial break

9:15 pm: Adam Lambert journey video. What a journey he has. Let's hear it for being the most unique Idol contestant ever.

9:16 pm: Adam Lambert & Kiss - "Beth," "Detroit Rock City," "Rock & Roll All Night"

Wow, oh wow!!! His outfit was KILLER!! Love the shoes. Rock on, Glambert!

What an awesome, awesome, awesome match up. Did I say awesome yet? I'm speechless.

9:25 pm: Carlos Santana & the top 13 - "Magic Woman" & "Smooth"

Ads, Kris, the Gokey and Matt G. sounded awesome. Forget the rest of them.

9:29 pm: Ford music video featuring clips from all the videos this season. - "I Will Remember You"

9:30 pm: Video of David Cook surprising Ads and Kris. He handed them both keys to two, new Ford Fusions.

9:31 pm: Megan Joy, Michael Sarver & Steve Martin - "Pretty Flowers"

I'm sorry, but that was painful. Sarver sounded better then Croakrey.

9:33 pm: Commercial break

9:39 pm: The boys & Rod Stewart - "If You Want My Body" & "Maggie May"

This song Ads should have sung by himself. He could have rocked it.

9:44 pm: Golden Idol Awards:

Outstanding Award Nominees: Chelsea Marquardt, Irene Anguelova, Dana Moreno, Tatiana Nicole Del Toro
Winner: Tatiana (No friggin shocker there. Like she was really shocked. The whole stealing the mic from Ryan thing was planned.)

9:48 pm: Commercial break

9:52 pm: Adam Lambert, Kris Allen & Brian May of Queen - "We Are the Champions"

WOW!! Another hot performance. So freaking awesome. This is the best finale yet. Long live the Bromance.

10:00 pm: And the winner is....drum roll please.....Kris Allen....DIAL IDOL WAS RIGHT!!

Kris, being the humble man that he is, states that Ads deserved to win. Underdogs should not be underestimated. We may fly under the radar, but we are still a force to be contended with.

10:04 pm: Kris Allen sings his first single, "No Boundaries."

You earned the win fair and square, Kris. Don't doubt the talent you've been given. I'm just as proud of you as I am for Ads for making it as far as he did.

American Idol Finale, Part 1

Here we are Idol fans. Tonight is part one of the season eight finale. Can you believe it's been a full year since David Cook and David Archuleta battled it out for the Idol crown?

Well, here we go! Adam Lambert FTW! (I must admit, I still feel that Ads is better off not winning. I'm worried will Idol try and reign him in and that wouldn't be a good thing.)

Performance 1: Adam Lambert
Song: "Mad World"
Numbers: 1-866-IDOLS-01, 1-866-IDOLS-03, 1-866-IDOLS-05
My comments: The intro was HOTT! Ads did a beautiful job tonight. "Mad World" was one of my favorite performances of the season and I'm thrilled he chose to sing it again.

What a way to start the show!!

Oh yeah, the Matrix-style coat looked awesome on him.

Performance 2: Kris Allen
Song: "Ain't No Sunshine"
Numbers: 1-866-IDOLS-02, 1-866-IDOLS-04, 1-866-IDOLS-06
My comments: Kris sounded really great during his first performance too! I love when he plays the piano and sings.

I must agree with Randy. This was one of the best performances from Kris. He proved why he's part of the finale. Way to prove Simon wrong, Kris.

Final comments on round one: I hope Adam doesn't get overconfident tonight. Kris is a solid performer who deserves to be on that stage as well. Kris showed how talented he is and that he could overtake Adam. Adam fans better not become complacent either because that could really hurt him.

As of now, it could go either way.

Performance 3: Adam Lambert
Song: "A Change is Gonna Come"
My comments: I think this was a good song choice by Simon Fuller. It really showed off Adam's pipes. It also showed how he can emote with his face. Another solid performance, Ads. Absolutely beautiful!

Performance 4: Kris Allen
Song: "What's Going On?"
My comments: This is one of my favorite songs of all time. Simon Fuller couldn't have picked a better song for Kris.

Kris did a fantastic job interpreting "What's Going On?" I loved it! Way to go, Kris.

Round two comments: I still can't pick one performer over the other. They both sounded great despite what Simon, The Scrooge, said.

Performance 5: Adam Lambert
Song: "No Boundaries"
My comments: I think this song had a beautiful message and Adam delivered it beautifully. If he wins tomorrow, I'll cry when he sings this.

Simon is right. Adam is a worldwide star.

Performance 6: Kris Allen
Song: "No Boundaries"
My comments: Adam fans are going to hate me, but I thought Kris did better than Adam on this song. I have to keep it real though and Kris sounded better.

Round 3 comments: It could go either way. I have no idea who will win it. I'm not calling it.

American Idol Top 3 Results

Last night, Danny, Adam and Kris sang for the chance to compete in the finale of American Idol. Who will win? Read below to find out all the spoilers.

1- Tonight's show opened with a skit from the cast of Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian.
2- Over 88 million votes were cast last night. Impressive! Just over 1 million votes separated the top 2.
3- This week's Ford music video was to the song "Break My Stride."
4- Alicia Keys stopped by ask that we donate $5 to help the world's children. She also introduced a young man named Noah, who performed the R. Kelly song "World's Greatest."
5- Results part 1:
Danny Gokey - The video from his hometown was touching and yes, I teared up. I'm such a sap. I know if I experienced something like that, I'd cry as well. It was nice to see him catch up with Jamar Rogers.
Kris Allen - All the little girls going nuts over Kris was adorable. It was really sweet to see him reunited with his family too. Another tearjerker. You could see how proud his parents are of him. Kris is definitely a sweetie.
6- Season five winner, Jordin Sparks, appeared on the show tonight with OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder on piano.
7- Results part 2:
Adam Lambert: Adam's hometown video was great. It was cute to see the kids at the Met asking him questions. (It must really be something to have so many people be so proud of all of the contestants.)
8- Before the final results, Katy Perry sang "Waking Up in Vegas."
9- Results part 3:
The first person in the finale next week is Kris Allen. OMG! So awesome. Wow!
The second person in the finale next week is Adam Lambert.

And I admit, I do feel bad for Danny.

American Idol Top 3

And here we are, down to the top 3: Adam Lambert, Kris Allen and Danny Gokey. (This is who I've been predicting.)

Tonight is the 300th episode of American Idol. Impressive.

Performance 1: Danny Gokey
Song: "Dance Little Sister"
Numbers: 1-866-IDOLS-01, 1-866-IDOLS-04 & 1-866-IDOLS-07
My comments: It was a solid, high-energy performance. Danny did a lot better this week than last. The vocals were great. Danny redeemed himself.

Performance 2: Kris Allen
Song: "Apologize"
Numbers: 1-866-IDOLS-02, 1-866-IDOLS-05 & 1-866-IDOLS-08
My comments: I thought Kris did very well tonight. I liked his performance. Yes, it was similar to the original, but I still felt Kris coming through.

Performance 3: Adam Lambert
Song: "One"
Numbers: 1-866-IDOLS-03, 1-866-IDOLS-06 & 1-866-IDOLS-09
My comments: One word...BEAUTIFUL!!

Seriously, Adam sent shivers up my spine tonight. "One" was another brilliant Adam performance.

Performance 4: Danny Gokey
Song: "You Are So Beautiful"
My comments: Wow! Danny did a great job on his last performance. Beautiful!

Performance 5: Kris Allen
Song: "Heartless"
My comments: I LOVED LOVED LOVED this performance. I thought Kris gave it his own spin and it worked.

Watch out, Gokey. Don't count Kris out just yet.

Performance 6: Adam Lambert
Song: "Cryin'"
My comments: Adam rocked his last performance of the night in true Adam fashion. Adam FTW!!

Closing comments: There's no doubt that Adam should be in the finals next week. He is a brilliant performer. I'm almost 99.9% positive that Danny will be there as well, but Kris did a great job on his last performance, so it could go either way.

All in all, all three of these guys are talented and deserve to be in the finale.

American Idol Top 4 Results

Can you believe it? After tonight, there will only be 3 contestants left. The finale is just around the corner. Yay!

After last night, Danny should be the one sent home because his performance was painful, but did America agree? See below to find out.

1- This week's Ford video was to the song "Move Along."
2- The top 4 sang "School's Out." They were joined onstage by Slash. They should have just let Allison and Adam sing the song. They perform great together. Dynamite duo.
3- It was nice to see that Danny accepted how horrid his scream was last night.
4- Paula Abdul took the stage for the first time tonight to sing her newest single, "I'm Just Here for the Music." And surprise, it wasn't a complete trainwreck, although it was painfully obvious she was lip-synching. I will admit, Paula can dance and she does look great for her age.
5- In a pre-taped performance from last night, No Doubt took to the stage to sing their hit song "Just a Girl."
6- Results Part 1:
Kris Allen - 1st person sent to safety. (Congrats, Kris!) Honestly, I'm thrilled because I've been saying Kris, Adam and Danny in the top 3, so up to this point, I was 1/3 right.
7- Season five contestant Chris Daughtry returned to the Idol stage tonight. Daughtry sang their debut single, "No Surprise" off of their sophomore album, due out this July. Their performance blew No Doubt and Paula right out of the water.
8- Results Part 2:
Adam Lambert - 2nd person sent to safety. (Congrats, Ads!) 2/3 right.
Danny Gokey - 3rd person sent to safety. (Congrats, Danny! Step it up next week.) My top 3 prediction from previous weeks was correct.
Allison Iraheta - Sent home.

American Idol Top 4

Tonight's theme was rock and the guest mentor was Slash. All of the contestants had the potential to perform really well tonight despite the mishaps that occurred earlier in the evening.

Performance 1: Adam Lambert
Song: "Whole Lotta Love"
Number: 1-866-IDOLS-01 & 1-866-IDOLS-05
My comments: Adam rocked it tonight! This was week I was waiting for, and Adam didn't disappoint. The end of the song was brilliant. He does great on ballads, but he is the most at home performing rock. This is the REAL Adam Lambert. Way to go, Ads!

(And Simon was right, no one could top it. Sorry guys, but it's the truth.)

Performance 2: Allison Iraheta
Song: "Cry Baby"
Number: 1-866-IDOLS-02 & 1-866-IDOLS-06
My comments: This was my favorite Allison performance. I thought she sounded fantastic. I think Simon was mostly right. I think she did pick the right song though.

Performance 3: Kris Allen & Danny Gokey
Song: "Renegade"
My comments: Kris and Danny sounded great together. Their voices harmonized beautifully. Overall, it was a solid performance, but Danny did sound a bit better than Kris. Kris was by no means bad though.

Performance 4: Kris Allen
Song: "Come Together"
Number: 1-866-IDOLS-03 & 1-866-IDOLS-07
My comments: Kris did really well during his individual performance. He added his own spin to the performance and it worked, but it was a bit safe.

Performance 5: Danny Gokey
Song: "Dream On"
Number: 1-866-IDOLS-04 & 1-866-IDOLS-08
My comments: Danny's performance was a big departure from what we normally hear from him and most of it was good, but the scream at the end was nothing like what Adam would have done. Sorry, Danny, but Adam knocked EVERYONE out of the park tonight, including you.

Performance 6: Adam Lambert & Allison Iraheta
Song: "Slow Ride"
My comments: I think Adam helped Allison loosen up onstage. They looked like they had fun. I enjoyed watching them perform together. They should sing "Slow Ride" during the Idol tour. Perfect match up! Go Adam and Allison.

Closing comments: Adam was the best of the night, followed by Allison. Kris rounded out the top 3, with Danny falling in the last spot. Unfortunately, Danny will be safe, which means Allison or Kris will be sent home. Based on the Allison and Adam duet, I think it will be Kris because Adam really helped Allison loosen up.