I didn’t particularly enjoy Clash of the Choirs as a whole, although there were parts that I enjoyed a lot. Mostly, though, it was a dud of a show. I watched the first night and the last night - and bits and pieces of the other night. I’ve never been a Nick Lachey fan, but as I watched the show, Nick came through as one of the more humble musicians. His choir sang songs that were believable. I really disliked Patti LaBelle’s rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” She shrieked through the song from the beginning - and it seemed so staged and fake. When Nick’s choir sang “What a Wonderful World” it was melodic and well performed. It was also a win for the choir - not for the celebrity.
However, I didn’t really have much hope that Nick’s choir would win. Everyone had carried on so much about how wonderful Patti was - how “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” had been so outstanding. I didn’t see it - If they hadn’t announced that the song they were singing was “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” I sure wouldn’t have known it by listening to Patti sing. The actual tune of the song was lost in all the yelling, facial contortions, shoe-throwing and theatrics.
I was pleased when Nick Lachey’s choir was announced the winner. They deserved it. They were the consistently best choir there.
Then I read about Patti LaBelle’s remarks when she realized she hadn’t won. Here’s the story:
In comments published on Philly.com, the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Web site, LaBelle did not appear overly gracious about her loss.
“It was a ripoff — somebody stole it from me,” she said before backing off a bit. “I’m still a winner, you know what I mean? I’m not taking anything away from Nick Lachey … I’m 63, he’s about 2. … It’s called Clash of the Choirs, not Clash of the Popularity.”
She’s not taking anything away from Nick Lachey? Well, yes she is. She’s saying he’s too young to win and that the only reason he won is because he is popular and not because his choir was the best. She insulted him and she insulted the people in his choir. Yes, it was called Clash of the Choirs, and that’s why Nick’s choir won. Patti’s choir was all about Patti. Even though Patti’s choir contained people who weren’t African American, she selected an African American charity. What a slap in the face for her non-African American choir members. It seems to me that she was interested in Patti and Patti’s interests - and not in her choir. No wonder Nick’s choir beat her so soundly. People like Patti LaBelle who lose a competition and, instead of congratulating the winners and being gracious, criticize the winners and claim that “somebody stole” the competition from them, just illustrate their own shallow, mean-spirited and self-involved personalities.
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December 23rd, 2007 at 5:27 pm
Warren and I watched this too and we were also impressed with the way Lachay’s choir developed. Having not known a lot about his musical ability I was pleasantly surprised by his ability.
I think it is so sad when someone of Patti Labelle’s fame cannot be gracious. This was not about her but she chose to make it so.
December 24th, 2007 at 2:31 am
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! May our world this coming year, and all the years to come, be blessed with peace, love, joy and bountiful blessings.
December 26th, 2007 at 2:01 pm
Well, while I agree that Patti should not have said those things, let’s be fair. She was practically ambushed by Philly.com right on the set and just after losing the competition. She was obviously still in shock and should have refrained from commenting so soon after losing. As for your description of Patti’s performance, choir and charity, I believe it is you who has gone over the line now. You don’t have to like her, but show some respect for the legend she is. Let’s get real: Nick was the lightweight (career wise and musically) among the group. Michael and Kelly could sing him into the ground. Not to mention Patti….
TMS: It doesn’t matter whether one of the “stars” is a lightweight career wise or musically. That’s not what the competition was about. It was a CHOIR competition - what they were able to accomplish with the choir - not about the “star’s” accomplishments prior to the competition. The choir began with the selection of who would be in the choir, in the choice and performance of songs. Nick’s choir knocked it out of the park - and Patti’s choir didn’t. And the fact that Patti was “in shock” because she didn’t win just goes to show what a pompous and entitled attitude she has. As far as I am concerned, she’s not a legend at all - she’s just a self-involved star who thinks her past accomplishments should have won her the competition. I have no respect for her. She’s a hypocrite of the worst sort - playing up her religion and faith to get people to buy her records - and then being very un-Christian as soon as the going gets tough and she doesn’t get her way.
December 26th, 2007 at 11:45 pm
Gosh, for someone who admits to having missed half of the episodes, you sure do have some strong opinions! It seems that I have really touched a nerve here. You hate her, don’t you? You probably don’t like Gospel, R&B and Soul music either. Hey, that’s your right, but please don’t pretend to be objective and unbiased here, for your tone and choice of words indicate otherwise. So, I do agree with you that it’s not supposed to be all about the “stars,” and I have already told you that I disagree with the nature of Patti’s comments. I am trying to be balanced here, but you seem incapable of returniing the favor. I do, however, strongly disagree with your assertion that Patti’s choir was somehow pathetic, and that her performance, in particular, was terrible. Her choir’s performance (1st night) of “He’s Got the Whole World…” was the best of the entire week…by any choir and by any measure. Yes, Patti’s choir did slip from that point, while the others got much better–that’s why she lost to Nick. Anyway, if Patti was so bad, why did NBC give her performance of “Rainbow” 5 times the teaser/intro time of Lachey’s peformance of that Jess Simpson break-up song? Indeed, her fellow judges, the studio audience and the voting public all seem disagree with radically negative and generally broad-brushed nature of your claims. Of course, Nick did win because more people voted for him, but Patti finished second–ahead the other three big named choirs. Not bad for a 63 year old, huh.
TMS: Actually Gospel and Soul music are among my favorites, and I really have never paid much attention one way or the other to Patti LaBelle. She has had some hits in the past that I really enjoyed. I just really hate to see people touting how pious and religious they are - and then act so un-pious and un-religious. I was personally rooting for the country music guy - but his choir didn’t deserve to win -although I thought they were good - just not the best. I thought Patti’s choir was really good. Patti just ruined it with her self-involved showmanship. The Rainbow song got lots of time because it was pure showmanship - Patti’s showmanship. To ME, it was unrecognizable as “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” because she didn’t bother to put any melody in there - it was all yelling and stomping and kicking off shoes - and it seemed so fake. I love music that is genuinely emotional and rocking - but that was too contrived. I’ve voiced my opinion. You’ve voiced yours. We disagree. I have no problem with that. I call it like I see it, and I don’t let the fact that people consider LaBelle an icon influence my opinion.
December 29th, 2007 at 5:09 pm
TMS, I wholeheartedly agree with your comments about Patti’s onstage piety vs. her offstage behavior. I was posting concerns about her onstage religiosity before she lost, so one can imagine how I felt after reading her rather unChristian comments.
Patti probably had the better individual singers, but Lachey had the better choir. In some ways, the show really sucked, but each night the Cincy choir had me wondering what was on tap because each song was different than the last, and each was done fairly well and left me satisfied. One didn’t have to like “Bumblebee” to understand that was tough for a 6 week old choir to pull off. “What a Wonderful World” nearly brought me to tears…it really was beautiful, even if it wasn’t done perfectly. Even when it didn’t count, “Sing a Song” was a show stopper with choreography and fun and bouncing harmonies that left me feeling good.
One more thing that doesn’t seem to get mentioned much. Lachey’s team had the best choreography, especially down to the facial expressions. I actually remember facial expressions of individual choir members, but only from Lachey’s choir.
January 7th, 2008 at 8:54 pm
NICK, YOU AND YOUR CHOIR ROCKED. THE PERFORMERS WERE WONDERFUL AND SANG AND DANCED BEAUTIFULLY. THEY WERE OUTSTANDING. MY APPLAUSE TO YOU AND TO YOUR CHOIR. DON’T STOP HERE….GO FORWARD WITH THE CHOIR YOU REPRESENT.
January 10th, 2008 at 1:04 am
Fair enough, Madame.
January 20th, 2008 at 1:51 am
I completely agree with your comments I said almost the exact same thing on another blog. Nick’s choir was fantastic, original,and worked well as a group. Patti La Belle used the same soloists each time. I also did not like her version of Over the Rainbow, it was not the classic I expected. Patti was also rude and insulting to Nick and his choir. Her ego obviously got in the way. Congrats to Team Lachey. They deserved to win.