Guilty Pleasure: AI's Michael Johns.
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A few blogs ago I complained about the fact that I have been unable to watch American Idol as much as I wanted to. I have been a fan of the show ever since the third season, when I was blown away by the talents of Fantasia Barrino and Diana Digarmo. The show is a great showcase of vocal talents. Perhaps, the finest hours of television.

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Oddly, though I have always prided myself as a good judge of musical talent, I have only predicted the winner only once (Carrie Underwood, Season 4). My other bets, Paris Bennett and Chris Daughtry (Season 5) and Melinda Doolittle (Season 6) did not even make it to the finales. My nephew, who was only nine at that time, predicted Taylor Hicks as the eventual winner of Season 5 and rooted for Blake Lewis in the last season. He has turned out to have a better ear than me, considering his percentages. Blake, at least, made it to the final two.

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Someone omnipotent may have been reading my blog. After publishing my post on What I am Not Doing or Having (February 21) and complaining about the episodes I missed I was able to watch a string of AI episodes, namely the performance nights in the last three weeks. And it was just about the right time to watch the show religiously because the contest is down to its last sixteen or so contestants. Most of the bad eggs are gone and what are left are the truly talented ones.

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Like most fans of the show, I have picked myself a favorite. His name is Michael Johns, the rocker who hails from Australia. I can only say that he is my favorite, not necessarily the one I pray to win the title. Like most Filipinos, I am hoping that Ramielle Malubay would bring home the crown. Jasmine Trias, another Filipino, came so close in season three but had to bow out to the superior talents of Fantasia and Digarmo.

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Everybody who likes Johns allude to his performance of Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody way back during Hollywood week. Unfortunately, I was not able to watch that performance. To me, Johns's best performance was when he rocked out to Light My Fire (I am not even sure that is the title of the track). He sang it during one of the Top 24 elimination nights. Ever since then, I knew this guy has a great potential as a music performer and superstar.

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As the judges repeatedly reminded Johns, he is a great singer but he sometimes isn't able to make a spectacular performance. As a result, his performances turn pale in comparison with the strong showings of David Cook, David Archuleta and Brooke White. In the last two performance nights, Johns gave stirring renditions of the Beatles' A Day in the Life and Across the Universe but high praise really had to be reserved for Cook's Eleanor Rigby, White's Let It Be and Archuleta's The Long and Winding Road. Even Jason Castro's Michelle has turned out to be more memorable, even though the guy only sauntered on the stage to get enough female votes to get him to the next round.

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I still maintain that Johns has enough charisma and magic to be able to go long in the competition. The guy is so sexy, extremely sexy in fact, that I always feel something stir in me whenever I hear him sing. It is a physiological response that is not awakened no matter how well Cook, Castro or Archuleta perform.

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Johns has the looks of what the Spanish call muy simpatico. He easily wins other people's friendship or affection. And the geuine humility that he affects each telecast only makes him more likable.

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-----oOo-----

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How do you know you've made it as a celebrity? By having your paparazzi photo posted on some entertainment blog.

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Just earlier today, while preparing this blog, I got this pic of Michael Johns from JustJared.com, one of the more popular celebrity blog. Other celebrities ward off photographers by wagging a dirty finger. In here, Johns gives them some tongue lashing.

-----oOo-----

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As I said before, there was one other bonafide hunk who made it to AI's top 24. And as I predicted he, Luke Menard, will be booted out early in the competition.

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There are only as much female voters who would vote exclusively on the basis of looks. Most of them are teenagers who have already pledged their virginities to Archuleta and Castro. Menard had to compete with Johns for the votes of women over 20. This more discerning demographic put in talent as a factor in their choices. I even bet some of them deflected when news came out that David Hernandez is a stripper.

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But I have a feeling that it isn't the last of Menard. I think some producer will sign him up to appear on a sitcom.

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