CBC's How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? took a rather dramatic turn last night. It started with the video montage of the Marias. As the montage went on, I started to notice that I hadn't seen a clip of Donna yet. Either I had blinked and missed it, or they hadn't interviewed her. The montage was filled with at least two, if not more, clips of interviews of the other Marias and shots of their rehearsals. Finally, right at the end, they showed Donna. But gee, picking the clip that showed her naked ambition was a bit odd, especially since it wasn't balanced by an attractive clip of her and no one else had had unfavourable aspects of themselves shown publicly. But then perhaps the producers wanted to show the public that at least one contestant was ambitious, and that was a good thing. Uh, wrong.
After Donna and Kyla sang, Gavin Crawford asked the panel to pontificate. Everything was proceeding as usual when Elaine Overholt let out a bombshell. She chastised Donna, she dressed her down, in public (!) about her bad behaviour in rehearsals, her bad mouth, her treatment of others, her Diva-like crap when she wasn't even a Diva yet. John Barrowman came to her defence a bit by saying that he hasn't met a leading lady yet who wasn't a Diva, but it couldn't undo the effect of Elaine's words (plus Elaine, vocal coach to the stars, contradicted him).
Donna took the long chastisement well. She didn't get upset or show anger or hurt on her face. But if she doesn't get booted off, she pretty much knows -- or ought to anyway -- that if she doesn't clean up her act, the producers are probably going to show her worst side again, even if there isn't another dressing down by one of the panel, in order to influence the public to boot her off.
I have to say it was shocking hearing Elaine's words, even with the forecasting the montage provided, but it was also nice to discover that sometimes when a person behaves badly, they just won't get away with it.
After Donna and Kyla sang, Gavin Crawford asked the panel to pontificate. Everything was proceeding as usual when Elaine Overholt let out a bombshell. She chastised Donna, she dressed her down, in public (!) about her bad behaviour in rehearsals, her bad mouth, her treatment of others, her Diva-like crap when she wasn't even a Diva yet. John Barrowman came to her defence a bit by saying that he hasn't met a leading lady yet who wasn't a Diva, but it couldn't undo the effect of Elaine's words (plus Elaine, vocal coach to the stars, contradicted him).
Donna took the long chastisement well. She didn't get upset or show anger or hurt on her face. But if she doesn't get booted off, she pretty much knows -- or ought to anyway -- that if she doesn't clean up her act, the producers are probably going to show her worst side again, even if there isn't another dressing down by one of the panel, in order to influence the public to boot her off.
I have to say it was shocking hearing Elaine's words, even with the forecasting the montage provided, but it was also nice to discover that sometimes when a person behaves badly, they just won't get away with it.
Comments
I like Janna, but she really is a Connie clone (for those of you who watched the BBC version.)
In good old Canadian fashion, in tonight's show, they addressed Elaine's comments, got Donna's thoughts on it, and the two "kissed and made up" with Elaine saying that regardless of the other stuff, she's a brilliant performer.
Gavin called out five names to "stay where they are" and Donna's names was one of them. Surprised? Well, she is through to the next round. Not eliminated. If the aim of Elaine's comments was solely to get Donna booted off, it failed. If, however, it was to give a brilliant performer a boot in the butt, it may work or may not. We probably won't ever know.
Back to the show.
(I thought Katie gave the best performance of Jesus Christ Superstar title song -- love that song! -- but her vocals sadly were not up to snuff.)
But I don't know, I think the judges are amusing, much fresher in their outrageous comments than the Idol judges who are looking stale in comparison, probably only because they're so familiar. Television needs drama after all!