Tag: albany ny dj

Call 518-506-3305 for a great Wedding & Party DJ in Albany, Upstate New York, VT and Western MA. Here are

DJ Kenny Casanova, Maria, Chris, Pete, and Corey – Wedding & Party  Disc Jockey Service references & recommendations…

Looking for an affordable and fun wedding or party mobile DJ  in the Albany, Schenectady, Saratoga, Lake George & Hudson area?  Here is a compilation of some review emails and recommendation letters from our customers to help you make your choice. There are also email contacts, in case you are looking for references.

WEDDING DJ REFERENCES & RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE DJS ON THIS SITE

“Hi Kenny, I just wanted to send you an email letting you know how grateful I am that we picked you as our DJ at our wedding. A great DJ is one of the most important aspects of the wedding and you kept the party going at our wedding for almost seven hours. When I got back from taking wedding photos with my husband, a friend came up to me specifically to tell me that for the entire cocktail hour, the music had been awesome. You checked in when songs were could have ran too long (parent dances,) you played all of the songs we asked you to at the right times, and then you totally surprised us by throwing out glow sticks and getting the crowd amped up! I will give you a 5 star review on every website I can find. I was hoping for a good DJ and instead I got a great one! Thanks for making our wedding day great!”  – Laura (lauramsilverman@gmail.com)

“We want to thank you! You did an awesome job! It was a no alcohol wedding and everyone STILL had a blast! Best regards, – The Cutlers” (dcutler1@nycap.rr.com)

“Hey guys, I am so happy you were a part of our wedding day! You truly made the night perfect. All I wanted to see was everyone dancing and everyone was! At one moment, I sat and watched and it was amazing that almost every table was up and moving. You did a wonderful job and highly recommend you! I can’t thank you enough for helping us throw an awesome party! Sincerely, – Mr and Mrs Lutz” (lmmarquit@yahoo.com)

“Kenny was great to work with!  He made sure that everyone was on the same page and that things (activites) were done when we were ready to do them … not on anyone else’s schedule.” – Jill (murphy12180@yahoo.com)

“Dear Kenny… Thank you so much for DJ’ing our wedding! It was so wonderful to have you there; I still get comments from our guests who say that you were truly amazing– and I agree 😀 …Steve still says, “He played what I would have wanted him to play, even though I never wrote those songs down… It’s like he was in my head!”

You seriously and beyond a doubt you are, by FAR, the best DJ I have ever been in the presence of! You blended my wishes seamlessly with my husband; Country, Christian, Rock, Celtic rock… (I am the girl who likes country who was marrying the man who hates it). I don’t think Steve stopped dancing until the reception was over. I think he would have KEPT dancing forever, frankly.  Thank you SO much!!! You made a magical night even better! Even all of the event Staff from Christ the King said that this was the best music they had EVER had there (I think they get a lot more older, conservative, christian weddings). They literally thanked Steve and I separately at least once per staff person. Steve was ecstatic at the light show and the glow necklaces and, even though that sounds like a rave, it was still classy, elegant and wonderful.

Your energy is electric and wonderful and we can’t thank you enough. You truly helped to make a memorable night even more amazing for everyone– our guests being happy on the happiest day of our lives meant the world to us and you delivered in full force. Feel free to use me as a reference if you ever want to!  – Sincerely, Anna and Stephen Rogers.”  (purebredmutt@gmail.com)

Same-Sex Wedding Reference – “DJ Kenny Casanova and his assistant were GREAT!!! Super easy to work with, very friendly/approachable and tons of fun!!! They made the wedding happen with entertainment, laughs, excellent music and they even danced and interacted with the crowd!! Overall, absolutely enjoyable to work with and I highly recommend 🙂  ”  (colleen.usaf@gmail.com)

“Kenny went above and beyond for anything we asked. He was even able to point me in the direction of his super helpful website/blog to get some great ideas for my ceremony music (which went off without a hitch).  Our wedding was in NY but we live in VA so that was stressful enough, but this guy was responsive to every single e-mail/request/question I had within at least a day of me sending it, if not hours. He was receptive to everything we wanted, he came dressed for the occasion, always attentive to every detail, and just overall wonderful. I was skeptical as to how my wedding would flow, and he set my worries aside from the very get-go by providing the best flow…ever.

As far as value is concerned: Best value. Seriously. For the service and peace of mind he provided me, I would have paid him double. So very affordable, and full of flexibility: Kenny did whatever we asked for him, I had to make a few last minute changes at the end for our entrances, and he was right on point.

Also, DJ Maria came along with him to help. She was awesome. While he was working the microphone and stage, she was walking around, asking me if I needed anything and keeping things organized. We honestly have only great things to say about them, and my wedding day was hands down the best day of my life.” – Calie Magill (calie.magill@gmail.com)

“My family and I have used Kenny Casanova numerous times in the past years. Kenny recently was the DJ for my wedding 4/28/12 and he was awesome! I did not have to worry about anything when I got to the reception. Music is key at a wedding, music can make or break your wedding day!  Kenny MADE our wedding day. All of our guest are still asking who our DJ was and thought he was amazing. We had 181 guest at our wedding and NOT one complaint, the dance floor was packed all night, the music was great all because of Kenny. I highly recommend Kenny Casanova! He will make your event for sure!!!! I am so happy we had him as our DJ and you will too! Drop him a line!” – Liz “Lizzard” White – (lizzie84g@yahoo.com)

“You were so awesome last night!!! Thank you sooo much, I received quite a few compliments on you as the DJ! Your photographers were also FANTASTIC! The pictures are beautiful! Thank you so much for making our day amazing! – Best of wishes with everything!” – Paige Vallo – (vallop@sage.edu)

“We used Kenny for our wedding. He was great, he knew how to get everyone up and dancing, he even got involved and showed everyone some dance moves. He met with us and asked exactly what we wanted and went above and beyond. He also helped out when we got a little lost in the shuffle of the events at the reception that night. We had guests weeks after the wedding talk about how good he was. We have sent many people to Kenny to use, and all have been very happy with the service. We highly recommend him. He will go above and beyond your expectations.” – Rick Russel – (rickruss84@nycap.rr.com)

“We found DJ Kenny on a fluke after our previous DJ had double-booked for our date and dropped us! When we were freaking out about this we decided to look around and find people in our area and came across DJ Kenny. Immediately after meeting him my husband and I both said to each other that the other DJ backing out was a blessing in disguise. DJ Kenny was absolutely fantastic and made our wedding AMAZING! …He was awesome with the music, intros, and keeping everyone moving. Several people came up to me commenting on how great he was and how they had never been to a wedding with so many people on the dance floor. We had wonderful vendors all around but DJ Kenny was by far the star among them all! — Jen (busacker.j@gmail.com)

“I really want to thank you and your amazing wife for all the great music and pictures from your DJ Cam Package!! You both were amazing and really made my wedding a great time!! Everyone raved that you kept the party going! Also please tell your wife that I’m extremely sorry a seashell flew out of my bouquet and knocked her in the head, lol! Seriously, you both were beyond fabulous!!! I couldn’t have asked for more! FYI I loved the ring announcement entrance!! Perfection!!! I will be recommending you to EVERYONE!!!” — Marrissa Manzer-Lachar. (rissa_m812@yahoo.com)

“We just wanted to let you know again what an awesome job you did at the wedding. The DJ plays such an important part and can make or break a reception. You absolutely made it!! Rob was right, you are very good at what you do and we were so happy that it turned out so wonderful. We appreciate all of your hard effort that lead to such a memorable night.” — Al & Sue Schulz for son Rob, The Groom. (rschulz@rochester.rr.com)

“Hello Kenny! Sam & I just wanted to thank you again for what a great job you did DJ’ing our wedding last Friday night! Everyone has been remarking about how great the music was and what a blast they had. Thank you! Please feel free to use us as a reference in the future. You’re The Best!” — Keira & Sam (hello@keiralemonisphotography.com)

“Thank you for making our Halloween Theme Wedding exactly what we wanted it to be; fun! The music was perfect and we couldn’t have asked for more from you. Let us know without hesitation if anyone is looking for a reference.” — Pete & Michele Sefcik (sweetpetex@aol.com)

“Kenny provided DJ service for my wedding. He did a great job, played just the right mix of music, and kept the guests entertained. I got a lot of comments from our guests on how good the DJ was. Thanks for the great job Kenny and crew!” — Todd Bovair (hotbodtodd@aol.com)

“DJ Casanova was spectacular! He really set the tone for our reception. He was professional, yet a lot of fun! He even saved the night! We had a slide show playing during dinner on the reception hall’s video system, and low and behold the sound didn’t work! It was so uncomfortable for a few seconds as the guests watched with no sound. DJ Casanova ran over, asked which song it was supposed to be set to, and within seconds it was playing right along! He even looped the song to fit the show and nobody was the wiser! I would HIGHLY recommend him again!” — Leah Stiles (leah.stiles@navy.mil)

“I just want to say thank you again, for doing such a fantastic job at my wedding this past weekend! Everyone had a great time…I am recommending you to anyone who needs a DJ!!” — Liz Flynn Manzi (scarlet_75@yahoo.com)

“Thanks so much for making our special day even more memorable. Everyone loved your music.” — Jackie Tremont (JTremont1@nycap.rr.com)

“I can’t thank you enough for the great job you did at our wedding. It actually came off better than we had expected. The music selection couldn’t have been better. It was really just what we wanted; classy, subtle and enjoyable…. Being able to pull through last minute (in less than two weeks) was incredible. Thanks again! …especially on such short notice.” – Khaye & Dustin F. (7thanvil@gmail.com)

“Just wanted to thank you again for the wonderful job you did DJ’ing Joe and Amanda’s wedding , From the dancing to the karaoke everything went so smoothly, Thank you again for helping us move the food tables so the line went smoother… You were very professional and understanding and made their day turn out the way they always dreamed it would.” — Kathy Sidusky. (kathysid1981@yahoo.com)

Hey Kenny! We just wanted to let you know that you did a great job and we will always keep you in mind for any future parties.  Thanks again!  –Linda and Otto (otto.haye1@gmail.com)

PARTY & EVENT DJ REFERENCES FOR OUR DJS

“Thank You! We most definitely will be in touch for future. You did an amazing job and I will say this was the first year where almost all the girls were dancing it was wonderful and we believe that was because of you, the music selection and the contests! Thank you again! — Amy Atwood, Waterford-Halfmoon Middle School (amycakes624@aol.com)

“Thanks again for a wonderful party, Maria & Kenny! The kids had a blast and I would definitely recommend you!! Take care, Reva.” (rkinnally@nycap.rr.com)

“Hi Ken, I just wanted to thank you for a wonderful party your experience made the difference I was so impressed with your music and professionalism. My sister who ran the party will be contacting you, wondering about your Christian music collection or seeing if you have done any Christian events. Again Thanks for making my daughters Sweet 16 super special.”  – Celeste (ccoleman@mildred-elley.edu)

Ken, I wanted to take a moment to thank you for another great party. I would be happy to recommend you to anyone I know that is looking for a DJ. You are reliably, professional and most of all fun. In addition I thank you for staying longer than the scheduled time. We look forward to using you again for the NEXT Graduation party… one by one, the kids are all flying the coup!! Should you ever need a reference please feel free. — Tina Weber (facebook)

“Thanks for helping to make our meeting a really fun event! I’ve got 29 years with Altria and I gotta say that this was one of the top meetings we’ve ever done. You were a part of that success and we appreciate it.” — Jim Hubbard, Operations Manager of Altria Sales & Distribution (James.L.Hubbard@altria.com)

“I love going down to “The Karaoke Crocodile Show” at Valenti’s. Kenny is a real pro at this: great mix of music, a huge song list of karaoke tunes, and just good times all around. He really knows how to keep the party hopping! I recommend his DJ services for anyone hoping to give their event or party a time to remember.” — Brett Williams (bewny21@verizon.net)

“The DJ Camera Package was well worth it! Your pictures came out even BETTER than our photographer’s did!” — Karen Satone

“It was the best party ever! Everyone was dancing.” — Michelle Jankowski

“Thanks so much for a great party. You were so awesome. I have many people asking for your name and number so I wanted to make sure its okay to pass it on. I’m thinking it is. Everyone who came was wondering where I found you because you’ve been the best DJ at the many parties we’ve attended. Thanks again” — Ellie Bartow

“I had a ton of fun. It was so cool. That was my favorite birthday party ever.” — Brittney Fowles, age 9

#1 Albany NY DJ

518-506-3305. Affordable wedding disc jockey in Albany, NY with a giant selection of new music & classics. Plus: Digital Photography & Lights!

Maybe your big event is all set at,  Albany Hilton aka Crown Plaza or Western Turnpike Golf Banquet Hall, but you still don’t know what to do to keep people there… Parties are always better with music in Albany, NY or anywhere! How about adding a great DJ to your party?

If you want top quality in music entertainment and disc jockey services for your party in our state’s capital, Albany, New York, look no more! Dance if you want, sing if you dare…

Do not just grab the first DJ you come across. You may end up with an old timer that has no knowledge of new music at all. DJ Kenny Casanova, a former WWE ring announcer & sports broadcaster is “The Bee’s Knees of all DJs and Emcees” & plus tag team partner, DJ Maria is the area’s #1 female DJ on google in Albany, NY!

ALBANY DJ SERVICES & WHAT WE CAN BRING TO YOUR PARTY:

•200,000 song library
•Our Music Video LCD Package
•DJ/MC experience since 1996
•Interactive events, dances, & activities
•Digital Slide Show
•Ring Announcer Exp: WWF / WWE / MMA Events
•Professional Photography “The DJ Cam”
•Voted Capital Region #1 Karaoke DJ
•Radio Personality Experience
•Huge Laser Dance Light Show
•Sports Broadcasting Experience with
•Karaoke & with a very large track library
•Professional Bose Gear

CONTACT US NOW FOR PARTIES IN AND AROUND ALBANY NEW YORK! Call us or TEXT us at 518-506-3305, or email ken@thedjservice.com. Check out www.theDJservice.com for more information!

LOCAL ALBANY COUNTY SERVICES: If you want an affordable experienced DJ for your wedding reception or party with countless local venue hall relationships, our local Albany County office serves customers from Albany, Alcove, Altamont, Berne, Bethlehem, Clarksville, Coeymans, Coeymans, Hollow, Cohoes, Colonie, Delmar, East, Berne, Feura Bush, Glenmont, Green Island, Guilderland, Guilderland Center, Knox, Latham, Loudonville, McKownville, Medusa, Menands, New Scotland, Newtonville, Preston Hollow, Ravena, Rensselaerville, Roessleville, Selkirk, Slingerlands, South Bethlehem Voorheesville, Watervliet, and Westerlo, all on a regular basis for music entertainment disc jockey mobile DJ services. Other remote points include:

Alcove Aquetuck Ballards MH Court Beckers Corners Berne Bethlehem Center Bethlehem Heights Boght Corners Breckenridge MH Park Carmen Courts Cedar Hill Central Square MH Park Clarksville Coeymans Hollow Cooksburg Crescent Station Dormansville Dunnsville Dunsbach Ferry East Berne East Township Elsmere Feura Bush Fort Hunter Fullers Glenmont Guilderland Guilderland Center

Hartmans Corners Helderberg Houcks Corners Karner Kenwood Knox Lambs Corner Latham Latham MH Court Lincoln Park Homes Lisha Kill Lone Pine Community MH Park Loudon Heights Loudonville Maywood McKownville Meadowdale Meilaks MH Court Mohawk View New Salem New Scotland Newtonville Normansville North Bethlehem Norton Street MH Park Parkers Corners Pine Ridge Estates Reidsville

Rensselaerville Roah Hook Roessleville Selkirk Shakers Slingerlands Smith Corner South Albany South Berne South Bethlehem South Westerlo Spawn Hollow Stanford Heights Stony Hill Sunnyside Trailer Court Tarrytown Ten Oaks MH Park Thompsons Lake Unionville Verdoy Wackmans MH Park Wemple West Berne West Township Westerlo Whitney Estates Wolf Hill Yarbrough Homes

Fill The DJ’s Dance Floor With A Wedding Flip Flop Basket – Another Albany NY wedding DJ idea!

At a very recent wedding in the Albany, NY area, I was the DJ for great number of guests sporting their bare feet by the end of the night on the dance floor. Adding in the lack of comfort factor with an outdoor ceremony where high heels sink into the ground, has lead me to suggest that adding a basket of flip-flops is a courteous “must” for many settings.

Here is an idea some of you may not have seen yet. Rather than have your guests dance in uncomfortable shoes, why not be a stand-up host and provide a basket of cheat-but-nice wedding flip flops?

Have you ever got all dressed up to go to a wedding and know fully well that your feet are going to kill you with the first ten minutes on the dance floor? You are not alone.

Many women struggle with their feet and have a terrible time finding the right balance between wearing comfortable shoes that also go with their dresses. Most high heel shoes cannot hold any woman up comfortably for a full four hours or more.

You really cannot expect the majority of your guests to make the best decisions in their footwear choices. After all, they are really putting one foot forward to look their very best for you. And getting together the perfect ensemble almost never translates into comfortable footwear.

WEAR TO BUY CHEAP WEDDING FLIP FLOPS?

It is even easier than you think! When in doubt, I am sure you can find a discount somewhere online. However, there may be savings waiting for you in your own neck of the woods allowing you to save a bundle in shipping costs.

Old Navy currently has a variety of colors for only $1.65 a piece, which is pretty reasonable. Some dollar stores even stock them. However, your favorite Walmart probably stocks what I just saw; an ultra-sweet-for-your-feet “98 cent flip flop box.”

 

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT WHEN ADDING THE FLIP FLOP BASKET TO YOUR WEDDING RECEPTION:

So, did we sell the idea to you? If you are reading this far down the page then it is possible you are thinking about using this tip! If this is the case, great. Here are a few points to think about:

 

–  Try and make them available to your guests in your wedding colors.

–  You can make them look pretty with vibrant ribbons holding pairs together.

–  Keep the basket right near the dance floor.

LOOKING FOR AN ALTERNATIVE WEDDING HALL IN YOUR AREA?

If you are looking for a nice event hall for a small-to-medium sized wedding that allows outside catering, you probably know that your choices are limited. Many places today, have in-house catering, as this is a big money maker for the venues.

If you live in the Troy area, or nearby, and are working with a budget as many of us are, Petersburg might work for you.

LOCATION – “Petersburg, NY? Where the heck is that?” It’s funny. I’ve been a disc jockey for a number of years now and never heard of Petersburg Memorial Hall before, either.

I live in Wynantskill, off of Pawling. This is between Troy and Albany and I asked the same question. After I initially talked with the bride and groom about providing music for their special day, I had to run a Google map search to familiarize myself with a town that was less than 25 minutes away from me. (In case you are like me and are wondering, Petersburg is the next town down Grafton State Park.)

The reception I DJ’ed for was at a cute little place called “Petersburg Memorial Hall,” located conveniently on 71 Main Street. The venue is located right before the Petersburg Town Library. The hall provides plenty of parking and does work out to be a great little place for a great little wedding to take place.

AFFORDABILITY – Someone looking for a smaller wedding with the potential to meet affordability restraints can benefit considering this venue. While many halls in and around the Capital District that house wedding receptions also provide their own dinning packages, at the Memorial Hall, this is not the case. Here, you can book any catering service that you like and also make provisions to set up your own bar. This means an incredible amount of savings, as these two expenses are quite often the largest for any wedding.

SPECIFICS – The Memorial Hall can seat  80-100 people fairly comfortably. It has two side access doors to allow easy access for vendors and also any decorating purposes you may have. It has plenty of chairs and tables and a decent linen selection resource, along with seat covers.  The hall also has very high ceilings and also a great little stage with draw curtains that could easily be used for your DJ or even a small live band.

There are a few little facility points to note. There is a decent kitchen, but it is not very large. It is probably, however, suitable for your outside caterer to make due with for what the hall can comfortably occupy. Also, it is import to note that there is only one shared bathroom. It is, however, handicap accessible, I believe.

On a technology note, the town of Petersburg is out in a rural area. It does not provide any Sprint cell phone coverage, but it does have Verizon cell phone coverage. Internet access is also provided to the hall through a wi-fi hub in the town library, nearby.

I would give it a three out of four stars for a good affordable wedding venue/hall option.

NEW WEDDING SONG INTRO MUSIC LIST FOR YOUR BRIDAL PARTY ENTRANCE

There are a lot of “Wedding Introduction Music Song Lists” out there that look like they were written in the early 80’s. The 80’s had some great music, don’t get me wrong, but in my opinion, the majority of people getting married today did not grow up in this era, so most of these songs are no longer relevant.

One reason these old cheesy introduction lists are probably still floating around is because of Google and the overall imortal power of the ominous internet. The other reason, perhaps, is that their are a number of cheesy old wedding DJ’s with brady bunch tuxedos and gray santa beards who do not want to let go of their tired shtick.

The grumpy grandpa wedding dj’s who look look like Doctor Demento love cheezy theme songs like “Axl F” from Beverly Hills Cop, “Power of Love” by Huey Lewis, and Dirty Dancing’s “I’ve Had the Time of My Life.” However, I would argue half of my bride & grooms today have never even seen the movies related to these lame songs.

Do you want an introduction party song that picks up the crowd? Since the trend in wedding receptions has moved from classy slow songs to more of a party atmosphere, most couples are now looking to set this intended tone with their grand introduction, so you are not alone. This list, then, should be perfect for you.

MODERN INTRO SONG LIST

While I have added some of classics to this modern song list, you will find far more songs from the past 10-15 years, and far more that will hype your crowd. “Drum roll please…” (Uggh.) Anyhow, here it is:

Forever – Chris Brown
I Gotta Feeling – Black Eyed Peas
Viva La Vida – Coldplay
Justin Timberlake – Sexyback
The Way I are – T.I.
Crazy In Love – Beyonce Feat. Jay-Z
Bitter Sweet Symphony – Verve
Bring ‘Em Out – T.I. Feat. Jay-Z
Walking On Sunshine – Katrina And The Waves
The Time – Black Eyed Peas
Yeah – Usher Feat. Ludacris & Lil’ Jon
Low (Apple bottom Jeans) – Flo Rider
Pump It – Black Eyed Peas
Fire Burning – Sean Kingston
Party Up – DMX (Instrumental)
Firework – Katy Perry
Love And Marriage – Frank Sinatra
Sandstorm – Darube
Gettin Jiggy With It – Will Smith
I’m A Believer Smash Mouth
Hot & Cold – Katy Perry
Say Hey (I Love You) – Franti, Michael & Spearhead
I’m Yours – Jason Mraz
I like It – Enrique Iglesias
Now That We Found Love Heavy D. & The Boyz
Pour Some Sugar – On Me Def Leppard

Hot In Herre – Nelly
Inner Circle – Bad Boys (Theme From Cops)
You Shook Me All Night Long – AC/DC
Big Pimpin’ – Jay-Z Feat. Ugk
Milkshake – Kelis
Kiss – Prince
Super Freak – Rick James / MC Hammer (Combo)
Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love, Babe – Barry White
Save A Horse (Ride A Cowboy) – Big & Rich
Jump Around – House Of Pain
Womanizer – Britney Spears,
Pony – Ginuwine
Intergalactic – Beastie Boys
Imperial Death March – Star Wars
Thunderstruck – AC/DC
Lets Get Ready To Rumble – Jock Jams
Walkin’ On Sunshine – Katrina And The Waves
Ch-Check It Out – Beastie Boys
Crazy Little Thing Called Love – Queen
Empire State of Mind – Jay-Z
Party in The USA – Miley Cyrus
Everybody – Backstreet Boys

The Final Countdown – Europe
Another One Bites The Dust – Queen
Down – Jay Sean ft. Lil Wayne
Calle Ocho – Pitbull
Thriller or Billie Jean – Michael Jackson
I Like to Move It, Move It – Reel 2 Reel
Whip My Hair – Willow Smith
Jump – Van Halen
Seven Nation Army – The White Stripes
Get Ready For This – 2 Unlimited
Shake Your Booty – KC and The Sunshine Band
Rocky Theme Song / Eye of The Tiger – Survivor (Combo)
Tubthumping – Chumbawamba
Welcome To The Jungle – Guns N’ Roses
Lets’ Get Loud – Jennifer Lopez
Here For Party – Gretchen Wilson
Enur – Calabria
The Power of Love – Huey Lewis & The News
Here Comes the Hotstepper – Ini Kamoze
Crazy Train – Ozzy Osbourne
Let’s Get It Started – Black Eyed Peas
Celebration – Kool & the Gang
Walk This Way – Run-D.M.C. featuring Aerosmith
Party Like A Rock Star – Shop Boyz
Right Here, Right Now – Fatboy Slim

Here is a review on Hulk Hogan’s recent appearance on American Idol, as well as the show itself. DJ Kenny Casanova is a pro wrestling personality and a professional disc jockey. This makes him the perfect expert to review the recent Hulk Hogan appearance on American Idol. “Huh? Wait. Did you say you are a pro wrestling wedding DJ?”

As you may or may not know, I have had an extensive history in sports broadcasting experience. I was a ring announcer and a pro wrestling personality, including experience with a few announcing spots right here in Albany, NY for the WWE at The Times Union Area. This, of course, coupled with my keen karaoke-laden and disc jokey musical background, makes me an expert to speak my mind and review the recent Hulk Hogan appearance on American Idol, and the new direction of the iconic show.

So, enough about me. What did I think of the show? First off, for those of you who missed it, here is a clip of Hulk Hogan’s appearance on American Idol:

Hulk Hogan’s Idol appearance was perfect… Not too short, and not too long. It was just enough Hulkamania to add flavor to the show. Arguably, Ryan Seacrest may have “over sold” the Hulkster’s punch and this may be considered ridiculous to the avid hardcore wrestling fan. However, Ryan’s work rate in this spot was the perfect balance of fun for mainstream and young viewers on network TV.

What you actually missed from this clip was a vignette of the two Idol contestants having a mock wrestling match in their hotel quarters. The big reveal was that these singers hit it off due to their love of pro wrestling. Therefore, the big surprise was that the biggest name in wrestling came out to give them the thumbs up, personally. I think the spot was classic. It was a great moment, overall.

Following up on a previous blog about American Idol that I posted here on whether or not the new judges had what it takes, I have to say that until now, I honestly had lost interest in following every broadcast. The audition tapes were good stuff, as always, but when it went live, I didn’t think the judges were living up to their post-Simon challenge this year, due to being overly nice to every contest. It seems that, for the most part, there wasn’t much of any judging going on.

The judges need to show some tough-love, rather than tell everyone that they “loved it.” No one this season had the pistachios to step up and pick up Simon’s slack. Nobody has been brutal enough to tell someone, “you had a poor performance,” when they really did, without couching it in a lame hard-searched compliment. Nobody had the guts to tell someone they suck. That is, until Hogan did a run-in on Ryan Seacrest.

On a positive note, however, I believe that the performance music quality may have been improved by the AI band, and also the singing has been better by some of the singers this year. Also, the entertainment value has gone up. This clip, which I missed live, made me actual wish I was viewing in.