Week 8 RS:S Elimination

Patrice Pike Goes Home from Rock Star: Supernova

Another Elimination night for Rock Star: Supernova, and the pressure is on! Before I get to the backstage drama, I have to send more good wishes to the lovely Brooke Burke, who was rocking her new engagement ring. Go on, Miz Thang!

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I’m currently building my own “Dark Horse” entry into the Supernova MSN Spaces contest. Check me out at http://rockstarlifelessons.spaces.live.com/ where I’ll be hosting a Supernova Smorgasbord of Rock Star: Supernova commentary, headlines, life lessons and more! When you see my site listed on the contest page, please vote for my site at http://www.spacesrockstarcontest.com/vote.asp! I wanna go to LA to see the finale! Thanks!

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In addition to the usual commentary, I’ve also been tracking related stories in the media during the run of Rock Star: Supernova, which will also be available via links from my MSN site. You’d be amazed at the amount of press that’s been generated by RS: Supernova Rockers, Supernova themselves, plus Dave and Brooke during this time. Also interesting are the stories coming out on former bandmates and significant others during this time, so you want to be sure to visit this site. My MSN site is a work in progress, and not yet entered into the contest, but that will change in the next 48 hours. As Brooke says, there’s four more days to enter this contest, and I’m up to the challenge. Between my gig this Friday night at NYC’s The Cutting Room, the blog commentary, AND this MSN site, things are nutty this week. Next week will be better for responding to the reader email I’m getting from you these days. I appreciate the support, and I look forward to having some time to breathe next week.

And before I forget, I also want to send apologies to “Anna Without the Blonde” on the other coast. As slow as I type, my MySpace commentary still goes out before the show airs in her side of the world three hours later, giving her the extra edge over her friends who don’t know about this column. As cool as that is to hear, I’d rather not spoil the fun for you all (Sorry, Anna!). So I’m going to type at a less breakneck speed, and not be in such a rush.

I’m also stalling because there were parts of tonight’s show that disheartened me. At the top of the show, when we see the behind the scenes video, Dilana tells Ryan that, thanks to the House Band, he sounded great. That was a backhanded sounding compliment if we ever heard one, and Ryan called her on it. He asked if she had to word it that way, making it sound like the House Band did all the work. She refused to change her statement, and it just looked very uncool. Then she said something later about “I’ve been giving my all since the beginning of the contest”, and the other Rockers didn’t seem to be feeling that either.

I read a news story a few weeks ago where Jill Gioia said that the producers weren’t fighting enough. I would prefer to think that Dilana is simply playing the game, but I did not like this side of Dilana. The next scene showed the Rockers looking at the MSN fan sites in the competition, and one fan said that she’d like to see Dilana AND Ryan front Supernova, if that were possible. Dilana’s response: “Me and Ryan both fronting the band? Over my dead body!” Ouch.

There’s a quote that goes something like “It’s better for people to wonder why you didn’t speak, instead of why you did.” Dilana, you know I love you, but this was one of those times. The pressure in the Rocker Mansion must be thick, but it’s time to rise above the pettiness.

Back at the show, Dave calls Dilana on her comments about sharing a stage with Ryan. “I’m shocked by your attitude. That was your fan’s idea,” and he reminded her that the fans are the ones who buy the tickets. “Are you threatened by the Dark Horse?”

Dilana said absolutely not, and that she just didn’t want to share frontperson responsibilities with anyone. I hear what she’s saying tonight, but the tale of the videotape paints another picture, definitely dipped in wrong sauce. When Dave asked her is she still thought that Ryan was helped by the House Band, she said yes again, although she quickly recanted, saying that wasn’t what she meant. But any of you who study Freud psychology may feel that her first answer was the most honest.

Next, Toby played the next original Supernova song. His vocals and energy are awesome, and the ladies love him.

Then we return back to the tape, where the Rockers are being interviewed. From the start, Jason Newsted is already on the prowl to watch the Rockers. “When you talk negatively about a person in the press, there are consequences”. Ryan was being asked by a reporter if Dilana has the edge in the competition, and he agreed and was very positive about it. Jason also happened to enter the room as he was being asked this question, but even if Ryan wasn’t being watched, I think he is too smart to say something dumb on camera.

Then we see Dilana, who’s being asked about the other Rockers in the house, and which of them might be going home soon. God help me, but she basically dissed Lukas, Toby, and Magni in her interviews. She told one reporter that she wanted to save Lukas, and when Dave asked her about that, Dilana said that they had similar backgrounds, and she feels like a mother dove to him, and wanted to take her under his wing. Dave asked Lukas his opinion on that, and Lukas responded, “I don’t need a dove. I’m bigger than that. I have to live with it. Evs!” By the way, we learned last night that the EVS on Toby’s chest was the Australian way of saying “whatever”.

Dave asked Dilana, “What the hell are you thinking? I’m speechless!” Dave said that he’s made the same mistake in his own career, and it always came back to bite him. Dilana answered, “I’m not a professional person. I’ve been a singer all my life. I’m too honest. I don’t know how to lie I messed up badly, and I apologize to everyone in the house.”

Dave was satisfied with her apology, and added, “You’re going to have to get a thick skin. All of us up here walk around with targets on our back. Just look at my man Tommy Lee! Here you all are, competing to be a lead singer on a reality show. You’re going to be a target too. This is a good time to develop a thick skin.”

All of my rants about how the Bottom Three of Life has made Dilana into this caring, loving person, and I feel like we saw someone else this week. On one hand, the pressure has to be unimaginable for her right now. She’s on top and everybody’s watching her every move. Those of us watching from the outside have no idea what things are like for those in the house, so I’d like to chalk this up to a bad week for Dilana. On the other hand, we’re starting to see a bit of Dilana’s ego rise, which is a bit unsettling.

I’ll only say this before moving on: The music business has plenty of liars, and just because a reporter asks you a question does not mean that you MUST answer with your truth, or else. Media questions can be answered in positive ways that lift up everyone involved, instead of tearing them down. Something like “I’m competing with myself, and I’ve made some great friends in the process” works well, and hurts no one. Questions that cut too close to home can be deflected. Politicians and professional athletes are trained how to deal with the media, and perhaps a media coach should be dispatched to the Rocker Mansion asap.

Now we finally get to the Bottom Three performances. For the rest of the show, I’ll probably keep my elimination night critiques to a minimum – unless I really can’t help myself. The stakes are high, and it’s really up to Supernova (the band, not my new CD) now, vote or no vote.

Magni – Fire by Jimi Hendrix

Great job vocally, and he was on. Will it keep him from elimination? We’ll see…

Patrice – Middle of the Road by The Pretenders

Patrice was really comfortable on stage, but for a Bottom Three performance I’d like to see a little more discomfort from her. When Patrice feels the heat, she turns things up, and I don’t feel like she did that tonight. But her voice sounded great.

Toby – Plush by Stone Temple Pilots

I love this song, and Toby sang the mess out of it. He had great energy, and performed mostly from the front lip of the stage platform. While watching him, I actually realized that Patrice spends a lot of time closer to the House Band, and away from the edge. Hmmm. Anyway, Toby was all over the stage, and had people singing with him in the microphone. Toby is the crowd pleaser, and that’s why we love him!

When it was time for Tommy to make his “Tommy-hawk chop”, he covered his face and looked to floor while telling Patrice that it was her time to go. Dave congratulated her for lasting this long in the competition.

Patrice, professional as always, responded, “So many amazing things have happened in my musical career, and this experience is on top. Thanks!”

Farewell, Patrice! Find your own star, and we’ll see you at the top!

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