Local star James Durbin took another step toward Idol status last night, and he did it in the face of stiff competition. Not only was it the much-dreaded “group night,” in which American Idol potentials have to team up in groups to perform a song, but another group chose the same song, Queen’s “Somebody to Love,” and that group had its own cheerleading squad, the team members’ mothers.
All the people in the other team were minors aged 15 or 16, so they were chaperoned by their mothers. Of course, Hell hath no fury like a mother whose child is scorned, so those same mothers gave their kids all the TLC they could—something that the other teams did not have.
“They should be looking for stars, not for stars’ mothers,” said Durbin, who was visibly upset by all the extra coaching that the rival kids got. While the mothers helped their kids with their singing and choreography, Durbin’s team was forced to go it alone without a parent in sight—if his mother was there, do you think she would have approved of his fauxhawk, bandana and silky tail? Yet you didn’t hear him whine, “I want my Mommy!”
The results spoke for themselves. All of the kiddies got through to the next stage, but only half of Durbin’s group did. James made it, of course, but think of how much better his group would have done if all the members’ mommies were there!
Tonight the contestants go back to singing solo. We wouldn’t be surprised if one of the young’uns sang Paul Simon’s “Mother and Child Reunion.” For Durbin we recommend Frank Zappa’s “My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama.”
