Post by Inside Australian Idol on Oct 14, 2003 23:55:22 GMT 10
Australia unzips Levi's dream
By Andrew Banks and Toby Forage
October 14, 2003
IT was "bye-bye, Levi" last night in arguably the most dramatic heat of Australian Idol this series.
Amid tension between judges Mark Holden and Ian "Dicko" Dickson, Levi Kereama - the 19-year-old R’n’B lover from Brisbane - was voted off the talent quest, leaving just five contestants behind.
Two of those - Shannon Noll and Paulini Curuenavuli - had joined Levi as contestants who polled the least number of votes in the 80s themed sing-off on Sunday night.
But it was Paulini’s position on "death row" that not only shocked the live audience, but also stuck in the throats of the three judges.
Perhaps Levi and Shannon could acknowledge their performances on Sunday night were a little below par, but seeing Paulini squirm as the third nominee gave the show an unprecedented edge.
No one doubted for a minute she would be sacrificed, but it was great television seeing her fall into the bottom two as Shannon was declared safe.
Judge Mark Holden, though, was so angered that he couldn’t hold back and launched a quite spectacular verbal tirade.
Despite praising his performance on Sunday, Holden inexplicably tore into Levi before, pulling strips off him for "slamming a Bobby Brown song" - namely Every Little Step I Take - and saying he had been wrong to praise him after his performance at the weekend.
He declared him effectively guilty of fraudulently conning the public into voting Paulini out, but bear in mind this was all before such an outcome had even been determined.
Holden’s outburst led to a stern defence of Levi from Dicko, who snapped: "Mark … shut up. You don’t kick a man when he’s down. This is not the time for that."
He went on to say: "The fact that Paulini is standing up there is an absolute disgrace. It confuses the crap out of me. I just don’t know anymore."
Perhaps the luckiest man on the night was Robert "Millsy" Mills, whose fan base must have done enough to get him through after his dull working of 1927's If I Could.
Even he couldn’t help but look bemused when Paulini was called to join Shannon and Levi ahead of him.
Millsy’s talent is arguably nothing to do with his singing, a point not too subtly made by a few on-air last night.
Marcia Hines said: "I am speechless. I just hope that Australia is voting for a voice, because that’s what we’re here for."
Shannon, too, said: "This is not a dancing competition, it's a singing competition."
Dicko had also dumped all manner of criticism on Melbournite Millsy after his indifferent performance on Sunday, leading to speculation he might be dumped.
Of course, it all ended in tears and a bleary-eyed Levi tearfully invited his brother Jules to join him on stage for a final rendition of the Bobby Brown hit.
On Holden's dummy spit, Levi said after the show: "I don't know about that Mark and what he had to say, especially at that moment when I was shaky."
Levi can only hope his stars hold a brighter future, but the chances of Holden signing him up for anything other than unfair treatment are remote indeed.
However, it’s Dicko that lines-up the targets of record label BMG in Australia. Add that to the fact he’d do anything to upset Holden, and a No.1 release for Levi is certainly not out of the question.
entertainment.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4459,7553809%255E10431%255E%255Enbv,00.html
By Andrew Banks and Toby Forage
October 14, 2003
IT was "bye-bye, Levi" last night in arguably the most dramatic heat of Australian Idol this series.
Amid tension between judges Mark Holden and Ian "Dicko" Dickson, Levi Kereama - the 19-year-old R’n’B lover from Brisbane - was voted off the talent quest, leaving just five contestants behind.
Two of those - Shannon Noll and Paulini Curuenavuli - had joined Levi as contestants who polled the least number of votes in the 80s themed sing-off on Sunday night.
But it was Paulini’s position on "death row" that not only shocked the live audience, but also stuck in the throats of the three judges.
Perhaps Levi and Shannon could acknowledge their performances on Sunday night were a little below par, but seeing Paulini squirm as the third nominee gave the show an unprecedented edge.
No one doubted for a minute she would be sacrificed, but it was great television seeing her fall into the bottom two as Shannon was declared safe.
Judge Mark Holden, though, was so angered that he couldn’t hold back and launched a quite spectacular verbal tirade.
Despite praising his performance on Sunday, Holden inexplicably tore into Levi before, pulling strips off him for "slamming a Bobby Brown song" - namely Every Little Step I Take - and saying he had been wrong to praise him after his performance at the weekend.
He declared him effectively guilty of fraudulently conning the public into voting Paulini out, but bear in mind this was all before such an outcome had even been determined.
Holden’s outburst led to a stern defence of Levi from Dicko, who snapped: "Mark … shut up. You don’t kick a man when he’s down. This is not the time for that."
He went on to say: "The fact that Paulini is standing up there is an absolute disgrace. It confuses the crap out of me. I just don’t know anymore."
Perhaps the luckiest man on the night was Robert "Millsy" Mills, whose fan base must have done enough to get him through after his dull working of 1927's If I Could.
Even he couldn’t help but look bemused when Paulini was called to join Shannon and Levi ahead of him.
Millsy’s talent is arguably nothing to do with his singing, a point not too subtly made by a few on-air last night.
Marcia Hines said: "I am speechless. I just hope that Australia is voting for a voice, because that’s what we’re here for."
Shannon, too, said: "This is not a dancing competition, it's a singing competition."
Dicko had also dumped all manner of criticism on Melbournite Millsy after his indifferent performance on Sunday, leading to speculation he might be dumped.
Of course, it all ended in tears and a bleary-eyed Levi tearfully invited his brother Jules to join him on stage for a final rendition of the Bobby Brown hit.
On Holden's dummy spit, Levi said after the show: "I don't know about that Mark and what he had to say, especially at that moment when I was shaky."
Levi can only hope his stars hold a brighter future, but the chances of Holden signing him up for anything other than unfair treatment are remote indeed.
However, it’s Dicko that lines-up the targets of record label BMG in Australia. Add that to the fact he’d do anything to upset Holden, and a No.1 release for Levi is certainly not out of the question.
entertainment.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4459,7553809%255E10431%255E%255Enbv,00.html