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Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Will Melinda Doolittle be America's lesbian Idol?


"As long as she needs me..."

She may not have much of a neck, but Melinda Doolittle again showed tonight that she's heads above the other finalists on American Idol. She's a professional. She makes a living as a background singer. She comes with a vocal coach and stylist. At 29, she's the oldest contestant, and despite her shy onstage demeanor, she obviously knows who she is. But how soon until America gets the hint?

In tonight's episode dedicated to the rock 'n' rolling British Invasion of the Sixties, Melinda chose an obscure showtune, "As Long As He Needs Me." But in the opening line, sitting on the lip of the stage, she quite clearly enunciated, "As long as she needs me," before switching back to "he" for the rest of the song.

Will America have its first openly-gay Idol here? A few weeks back, Melinda sang the gay anthem, "My Funny Valentine" and dedicated it her two "closest" female friends, whom she called her "Gayles"-- as in "gay girls"--or as she explained, "Gayle King," the woman long rumoured to be Oprah Winfrey's lover (Melinda said she's the Oprah in the triangle). And two weeks ago, she made her mark with a strutting "I'm A Woman."

Tonight, she laid it all out. And was that a (Oprah's longtime alleged boyfriend) Stedman Graham joke when she held onto the line: "I'll cling on... sted-fast-ly..."?

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

But whether Melinda the professional is merely reaching for a voting demographic, has an Oprah jones, or playing it loud and proud... we'd say it doesn't matter! It's about time we had a gay Idol!

The real issue is whether Melinda, as a professional, should be in the contest to begin with. Because every time she sings, she's so much better than the others...

But how about that Sanjaya? He deserves to stay another week!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

You stated that Melinda "quite clearly enunciated, 'As long as she needs me'" in the opening line of the song. However, I listed and relistened. She pauses before the word 'he' in that line. It's not clear if she overemphasizes the 'H' sound by saying 'He' needs me' or 'she needs me' at that time. I've heard many great singers force a sound too much and cause it to alter how it might be heard. I'm not saying that she didn't say 'she' at that point, but only that it's not quite as clear if it's an overly emphasized H sound or an 'sh' sound. It is possible to hear what one wants to hear. I'm simply offering another perspective.

Anonymous said...

that's pretty good research - I knew she could make gay faces, but I Didn't know she was gay. I think she shouldn't be allowed because of her experience.

Anonymous said...

she makes gay faces? what the heck is a 'gay face'?

Anonymous said...

Melinda Doolittle in her first-ever Nightclub engagement

November 17-21, New York City

FEINSTEIN'S AT LOEWS REGENCY, the nightclub proclaimed "Best of New York" by New York Magazine, will debut MELINDA DOOLITTLE in her first-ever nightclub engagement from November 17 – 21. The “American Idol” finalist will perform an intimate evening of jazz standards, pop hits and Broadway classics, in addition to selections from her CD, Coming Back To You. All shows are at the Regency Hotel (540 Park Avenue at 61st Street). For ticket reservations and club information, please call (212) 339-4095 or visit feinsteinsatloewsregency.com and TicketWeb.com