Your American Idol: Kris Allen

They started last night’s final performances dressed in black, and they started tonight’s show dressed in white.

Kimberly Locke, Joely Fisher, Janice Dickinson were among the celebrities in the audience. Randy in his thrift store, circa 1972 burgundy velvet bow tie, sweetie Kara who actually was stunningly dressed, "new word a day" Paula, and clueless Simon.

The final two were brought onstage, dressed entirely in white (except for Adam’s black combat boots) and asked to comment (into dead mikes), and then we were virtually whisked to Conway (where they also had a dead mike) and San Diego, where their sound system was actually working. I have no idea who Mikalah Gordon is, but I was happy to see Carly Smithson from last year’s competition reporting from San Diego.

The Top 13 sang Pink’s "So What", again all dressed in white. I’m hoping the kids who were kicked off early in the season have a chance to get as comfortable moving around stage as the last 5 or so are. You can really tell who had the extra weeks of practice.

David Cook sang his song "Permanent" wearing a black armband in memory of his brother, who recently died. The song will be offered on iTunes after the show; all proceeds will go to ABC2, an organization that raises money to find a cure for cancer.

Was that Jason Guarini in the audience? Almost didn’t recognize him! How far the show has come since his season!

We were treated to the Golden Idol Awards spoofing the worst of the worst auditions. Outstanding male: Nick Mitchell, a.k.a. Norman Gentle.

Lil Rounds sang a duet with Queen Latifah, "Cue the Rain". I liked seeing and hearing them together, and bless Queen’s heart for having the nerve to wear a skintight bodysuit for the entire world to see.

Anoop and Alexis sang "I’m Yours" with Jason Mraz. They were joined by the rest of the Top 13. Alexis sounded really rough, but Anoop was great, as always.

We watched Kris’ "journey" video, then sang "Kiss a Girl" with Keith Urban. This is exactly the kind of song that should be featured on his first album. He looked SO comfortable up there, as if he was truly enjoying himself.

The girls in the Top 13 introduced Fergie, who sang a few lines of " I Hope You Know" with their help before bringing out the rest of The Black-Eyed Peas.

Another Golden Idol, this time Best attitude: Katrina Darryl a.k.a. Bikini Girl. Since we last saw her, Katrina invested in herself via fake boobs. Unbelievably, the allowed her to sing. She should have spent the money on voice lessons. Kara, who can actually sing, unlike Bikini Girl, joined her onstage. Katrina, your next stop will be adult films. Kara showed she actually has a sense of humor by ripping her dress off at the end of the song, revealing a bikini. She looked better than Bikini Girl did, too.

Allison got to sing a duet with Cyndy Lauper; "Time After Time". They sounded fabulous together. What a thrill for Allison!

Danny sang several lines of "Hello" before introducing Lionel Richie and joining him in a duet that got Ruben to his feet, singing along in the audience.

Adam’s "journey" was shown next and we were treated to his shortened version of "Beth". (This costume must have been Ed’s favorite!) He then introduced Kiss and sang a song with them. Ya gotta give some credit to Kiss --- they knew what they were doing when they decided to wear the stage makeup. Now that they’re approaching their sixties, they can still appear onstage, looking much the same as they did 30 years ago (except for the spreading middles).

Carlos Santana interrupted his gig at the Hard Rock Café in Las Vegas to make an appearance on the Idol stage. Let’s pray Carlos lives forever, because he truly sounds as good as he did 30 year ago, nay, he may sound even better now. The Top 13 had the honor of singing a medley of songs with Carlos and his band.

(That Camryn Manhiem must have season tickets.) Final Ford video was shown, actually a montage each this season’s Ford videos. David Cook presented both boys new Ford Fusions.

Steve Martin appeared with Megan and Michael who sang a song, "Pretty Flowers" written by Steve. Even though Megan forgot some lyrics, they sounded very nice together.

The boys took the stage to sing Rod Stewart's "If You Think I’m Sexy" before introducing, that’s right, Rod Stewart himself. Rod sang "Maggie". Rod still sounds pretty good, but he’s beginning to look a little scary.

Hopefully the last Golden Idol, Outstanding Female: Tatiana DelToro. I’m sure her appearance was meant to be entertaining, but it just brought back bad memories of the early part of this season.

Adam and Kris sang a duet: "We are the Champions" backed up by Queen. Adam looked like he was going to pee in his pants, thrilled to death that he got to sing with them.

I’m feeling rather smug at this point, because Ryan’s going to announce the winner and I still have 44 minutes of show recorded. Finally, after getting screwed over and missing the end of the show THE PAST TWO SEASONS I got smart and set the DVR for extra, extra time!!

FINALLY Adam and Kris are onstage with Ryan and he launches into his final questioning prior to announcing that, after nearly 100 million votes, Kris Allen is this year’s American Idol.

Kris is instantly shocked, then hugs Adam, trying to keep back the tears. He is amazed beyond words. Adam seems sincerely happy for Kris, plus he knows he’ll make records even if he didn’t win.
Kris, unfortunately, is required to sing Kara’s lame "winning song". Kris manages to keep control until his wife is brought to him. Almost as soon as he touches her to pull her into his arms, the tears begin.

Woo hooo!! Another great season of American Idol ends with me CORRECTLY PREDICTING who the winner would be!!

Can’t wait for my second favorite show next week: So You Think You Can Dance. See you here next year!

Part 1: Season Finale

Part 1 of American Idol Season 8 Finale: Adam versus Kris.

Celebrities in the audience (Camryn Manheim), Kara looking constipated, Randy wearing all the clothes he got for Christmas, Paula in Day-Glo, and Simon NOT in the usual T-shirt.

Nice guy and bad boy enter, both in black leather. Each will sing three songs: their favorite performance of the season, a song chosen by Simon Fuller (creator of the show) and the winner single co-written by Kara (wow).

Adam starts out with "Mad World". I have to say this for Adam: he IS a showman. His experience in theatre has really paid off for him in this competition. His performance was flawless. Holy crap!! Anthony Hopkins in the audience!! Yikes!

Kris chose "Ain’t No Sunshine" as his personal favorite. Not only did he play the piano, he sang this song even better than he did earlier in the season. A lot of people think Adam is a shoo-in to win this, but Kris showed them with this performance that he is a force to be reckoned with!!

"A Change is Gonna Come" is Simon Fuller’s choice for Adam. Technically, Adam was great, but I just don’t feel the emotion when he sings. He looks good, he sounds good, he moves well, but there’s not the same emotional connection that Kris makes.

Mr. Fuller chose "What’s Goin’ On" for Kris. Out came the acoustic guitar, and Kris rocked out, looking comfortable as all get-out, with three guys accompanying him. I thought he sounded great. Marvin Gaye would have loved it – Simon did not.

Adam sang the winning song: "No Boundaries". He did the best he could with a mediocre song --- I really can’t believe this was the best song submitted. The backup singers were again, bordering on atrocious and I’m not sure if it was the band or the backup singers, but Adam actually sounded pitchy in more than a few places, which would be a first for him.

Kris then performed the same song, only this time as more of a ballad. Kris forgot the lyrics at one point early in the song, which was a first for him (a night full of firsts). I truly feel Kris did a better job with this song that bordered on horrendous.

Carrie Underwood sang "Home Sweet Home" (this year's theme song) sounding a little like Megan. She looked great!

Well, with this show you just never know what can happen. But, I’m betting Kris Allen walks away the winner tomorrow night.

Then There Were Two

Cute lead-in to tonight’s show by some of the cast from the "Night at the Smithsonian" movie. And, the Idol desk will actually be going to the Smithsonian.

88 million votes later, we have a results show. "Just" a million votes separating the top two.
Beaded Randy, Forgettable Kara, Paula a.k.a. Miss Kitty from Gunsmoke, and T-shirt Cowell. Jordin Sparks and Katie Perry will be appearing in tonight’s show.

Cute Ford video, but I really thought they were going to pay homage to Danny’s religious background and have him part the sea of cars by command instead of using his super-rubber arms.

Alicia Keyes appeared to tell us about "Keep a Child Alive", an organization dedicated to providing medicine and protection to African children to fight HIV. She also introduced Noah from Rwanda, singing "I’m the World’s Greatest" which he learned in English in one day. What a truly adorable kid lighting up the stage!!

Danny was called onstage first. We saw his trip back to Milwaukee, his hometown. I would have been disappointed if the outpouring of love he witnessed didn’t visibly move him. And, of course, he was.
Kris was called out next to view his hometown visit to Conway, Arkansas. Kris’ moment with his dad brought tears to my eyes. Kris was also moved by the reception he got at home. What a sweet guy. Don’t cry momma.

Jordin Sparks performed her new single "Battlefield". She sounded slightly pitchy during her performance and the background singers were horrendous. I’m hoping some lucky audience member ended up with the ring that flew off her finger toward the end of the song!!

Adam was last to be called onstage for a view of his hometown visit to San Diego. I didn’t expect Adam to get emotional at all the fuss, and he didn’t.

Katie Perry made an appearance singing "Waking Up in Vegas" wearing a cape with Adam Lambert written on the back. Unfortunately, Katie is another of today’s stars who should NOT perform live. She also does NOT have the kind of buns that should be hanging out the back of her costume. And, if she’s gonna show that much thigh, she shouldn’t stomp around the stage OR should do some work in the gym. Cute song, though. Much better than that annoying "I Kissed a Girl".

Please, on to the results!! First person in the Top Two is: Kris. The person competing with him is: Adam. Danny Gokey will NOT be going to the finals. Unbelievable!! A complete upset as I see it.

I am SO sad. . . and the only thing that will make me feel better is if Kris wins the whole thing and is named this year’s America Idol.
I am totally blown away!

Final Three Perform

Due to a series of unrelated events, I missed last night’s show. I had dinner with my son, his wife, and my youngest grandson, Jackson, as a belated Mother’s Day celebration. When I got home, my dear hubby had already laid claim to the TV where Idol records. I went to the other TV to watch a TIVO recording of another show, but ended up falling asleep. When I woke up at 11pm, I just didn’t have the dedication to go out and watch Idol. SO. . . I’m watching both nights back-to-back.

300th episode. . . Top Three. . . only a short glimpse of the hometown visits, then the announcement that each contestant would sing two songs: one judge’s choice, one a personal choice of the contestant.

Paula’s song choice for Danny was: "Dance Little Sister" by Terrence Trent Derby. Unfortunately I may be the only person on the planet who has never heard this song so I really have nothing to compare it to. I thought his voice was classic "Danny" and really enjoyed his performance. Although some people today were criticizing his dancing, as did Kara, I wasn’t put off by it. We all know Danny is NOT the greatest dancer, so I’m not sure what was expected of him.

Kara and Randy got to choose Kris’ song: "Apologize" by One Republic. I am SO tired of hearing this song on the radio. . . I hope Kris changes it up so it sounds new. I loved the way Kris sang this song. I loved the fact that you could hear the "a" in apologize, I loved the fact that he played the piano. The only criticism I have is that I wish he had gotten a manicure. I totally agree with Simon’s criticism of Kara for blaming Kris for her choice of song.

Simon chose Adam’s song. I smell a setup. Hmmmm. . . it’s not hard to see that Adam seems to be the "show’s" choice for #1 so SIMON chooses his song. Danny’s song gets chosen by capable Paula, since he’s been viewed as the #2 guy. And loser Kara chooses Kris’ song, as a way of sabotaging him off this week?? I smell a rat!

Adam’s song will be: "One" by U2. Simon had to get SPECIAL PERMISSION!!! AND Simon puts in a plug for Adam from Bono. He can’t lose!! The season might as well end tonight. Adam starts out soft and heartfelt, then launches into his "every week, every song" semi-screeching punk-rock Freddie Mercury style. Totally ruined the performance for me. Don’t get me wrong --- he’s talented, but he is a one-trick pony to me.

We were treated to an update of Idol Gives Back from Carrie Underwood Then the performances continued.

Danny’s choice for himself was: "You Are So Beautiful" by Joe Cocker. Lovely, flawless, powerful and emotional. Amazing. That was very, very close to an Idol Moment.

Kris’ choice for himself was: "Heartless" by Kanye. Really?!? And what a pleasant surprise!! Kris made hip-hop palatable for those who don’t enjoy listening to it. I agreed with Randy --- I liked Kris’ version better than the original.

Adam’s song choice for himself was: Aerosmith’s "Crying". Big surprise! Another "trademark" performance; unfortunately Adam’s "style" makes every song sound the same to me. The background vocals were distracting and the combination of Adam and the background pretty much drowned out the band. I did NOT agree with the judges at all.

My choice to go to the finals would be Danny and Kris. And, I’m going out on a limb and predict that American will vote the same. I think Kris has developed a huge following that rivals Danny’s and I believe America is getting tired of Adam one-trick screech.

And Then There Were Three

Sixty four million votes --- the most votes outside a finale. . . I’m just watching to see the "clue" that will reveal who got the most votes. (My conspiracy theory!)

No Doubt and Daughtry will perform tonight, along with Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson. . . and Slash.
I think Adam got the most votes this week. It seemed like he was "themed" to fit in with the band for the group sing. If he ends up in the bottom two, my theory is busted!

Paula sang "I’m Just Here for the Music". I don’t know what to say. Rita Moreno is 69 years old. She can still get up on a stage and sing, and she looks great, but she doesn’t prance around the stage in a short-skirted bustier. And Paula shouldn’t either. Paula doesn’t sound too bad, and she can still move, but there’s something creepy about a woman her age prancing around the stage like Britney. Eeww. . .

No Doubt was next, and I love Gwen but they suck live. ‘Nuff said.

The three who survive tonight’s show will visit their hometowns. All four are called to center stage.
The first person declared safe is: Kris. I’m a little surprised, but happy. I really like Kris and think he’s not only a good singer, but he really knows music.

Daughtry performed his new single "It’s No Surprise". I know he’s really talented, but I’m still not a big Daughtry fan. Sorry.

Second person in the top three is: Adam. The final member of the top three is: Danny.

Allison is going home --- but hey, Daughtry was sent home at this point in the season and he’s the 4th most successful American Idol ever. So, she really has nothing to worry about.

About my theory --- I guessed Adam got the most votes, and he wasn’t sent home, so it IS possible!!

Fab Four Rock Out

The Final Fabulous Four mentored this week by Slash! Evidently, this week’s show will not only test the Final Four’s singing ability, but their ability to perform without a real dress rehearsal, due to some problems with the towers on the stage.

Guns ‘n Roses, collaborations with the likes of Fergie, Ozzie and others, then forming Velvet Revolver, and now beginning a solo career --- this should be interesting.

Adam chose "Whole Lotta Love". Slash’s advice was to not improvise so much in the high register, so let’s see what happens. I didn’t think the changes Adam made to this song really improved it or made it sound better. It just sounded a little blander, believe it or not. He didn’t rock it out quite like I thought he would. I just thought it was a little tired sounding. And I also thought the band drowned him out just a little. Totally disagreed with all the judges’ praise. I didn’t think it was his best at all.

Allison’s choice was "Cry Baby". Slash thought if she overcomes her fear she’ll knock it out of the park. I thought Allison was a little over-run by the band, too. She didn’t copycat the song, but I agreed with the judges that it didn’t showcase her abilities to the fullest.

Tonight’s show featured two duets instead of the usual group sing. Danny and Kris sang "Renegade". It was okay, the harmony was good, but I didn’t care for it very much. Why the judges thought they needed to weigh in on this performance, I don’t know. They never judge the group sings. For some reason, Simon felt compelled to tell Kris (just before his solo performance) that he thought Danny did a better job.

Kris sang "Come Together". Slash advised him to "pick up" his performance just a little. Kris chose to play the guitar during his performance. I loved what Kris did with this classic Beatle’s song. He looked totally at ease and wasn’t overpowered by the band at all. Kara is officially out of her mind. I really have a hard time with her off-base criticisms. It wasn’t hard to read the disappointment on Kris’ face as Ryan was giving the phone numbers.

Danny chose "Dream On". Slash sounded a bit unsure whether he thought it would be successful or not. I love Danny, but this wasn’t my favorite performance. Randy was right, it’s not really his genre. Again, Kara’s insane.

Adam and Allison sang "Slow Ride". I’m not sure how fair it was to pair the two true rockers together for a duet, leaving the other two, who were most definitely out of their genres to struggle with their performance. Maybe because they were both in the bottom last week?

I’m really not sure how the voting will go this week, as I didn’t think anyone stood out that much more than the others. I’ll go out on a limb and predict that Allison and Kris will be in the bottom two, and Kris will be sent home. And this isn’t because I don’t think Kris is just as talented as the other three. I think people might be swayed by the judges’ opinions, which I don’t think was very accurate for tonight’s performances.

. . . And Then There Were Four

I have a theory that the producers secretly insert a clue each results show about the contestant who got the highest number of votes. The idea came to me last week, when Adam was the only one NOT wearing shades during the group sing. I thought at first he had dropped them, but he didn’t have them on at the beginning of the song, either. I wish then that I had kept all the shows banked on my DVR, so I could go back and refer to them, but, alas there are TOO many other shows that take precedence on our DVR.

However, I think I may have glimpsed this week’s clue at the beginning of the show. I’ll let you know when the show’s over whether I am correct.

Taylor Hicks, Natalie Cole and Jamie Foxx will both perform on tonight’s show. Although I adored Taylor, I’m more excited about seeing Jamie than Taylor!

Cute Ford video --- at what point did they stop being annoying to me? Group sing was also less offensive than normal --- maybe I’m just in a good mood tonight?!?

All five are asked to come to center stage. Matt looks resigned, as if he knows he’s going home.

Tonight will be one of those "which of these groups is the bottom two" shows. Matt is asked to stand aside, and Ryan moves to Danny. He is asked to stand at the opposite side of the stage from Matt. Allison is asked to stand next to Danny. Kris is asked to stand next to Matt.

Hmmmm. . . this could go either way. After all, I predicted Matt and Allison to be in the bottom three. Either Allison got lucky, or Danny got jacked.

Adam is asked to predict which group he thinks he belongs in. Adam goes down in AI history as probably the first person who actually made a choice at that point. I don’t believe I’ve ever seen another contestant actually make a choice, but Adam says (out loud) that he thinks he belongs with Allison and Danny.

Ryan pulls Adam back over to Matt and Kris and tells them THEY are the bottom three and Allison and Danny are safe.

Although I’m a little nervous for Kris, I’m still convinced at this point that Matt will go home.

Natalie Cole sings "Something’s Gotta Give" from her newest album. She looks great, but I’ve heard her sounding better. I’m glad she’s healthy again.

Taylor Hicks sings "Seven Mile Breakdown" from HIS newest album. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed watching him sing --- and because his music isn’t featured on the radio station I usually listen to, it only seems like he became one of the "forgotten" winners.

Matt, Kris and Adam are invited back to center stage. Ryan sends Kris back to safety.

Jamie Foxx was on next, singing "Blame It", the #1 song in America. I liked the way he sounded, but I had trouble watching him onstage doing that song. I kept thinking he was going to break into some shtick.

47 million voted and Adam is safe, Matt is going home.

SO, I predicted correctly who was going home, but I was VERY surprised that Adam was in the bottom two.

. . . and then there were four.

So, about my theory. Last week, Adam was NOT in the bottom, and although they don’t say who got the most votes, he was the only person NOT wearing shades during the group sing.

And tonight, Allison was NOT in the bottom three and she was the only one featured in the beginning of the show mixed in with the audience members.

So, the theory is: each week someone does something that none of the other contestants does, they’re featured specially in SOME way, indicating that they were the top vote getters.

I’ll be watching to see if my theory pans out.

Fab Five

Okay, so we’re down to five contestants!! I was really excited about tonight’s show!

How many times this season will Paula make me think "What the hell are you wearing?" I swear, that woman has more money than God. I’m hoping she’s spending it on therapy, because it’s OBVIOUS she isn’t spending it on her clothes.

Tonight’s theme: Rat Pack Era and the mentor is none other than Jamie Foxx. I love this guy and think he is one of the most fascinating people in Hollywood at this moment. Comedian, dramatic actor, classically trained musician --- this guy can do it all and is so quiet about his talents. I’d kill to have an hour with him.

Kris’ choice was "The Way You Look Tonight". Jamie said Kris was his "number one". I’ve got to say, his performance tonight was flawless. He put his own mark on the song, sang directly from his heart and really, really made us feel what he was singing.

For her performance, Allison chose "Someone to Watch Over Me". Jamie seems to adore her, and rightly so. Another flawless performance!! This little 17-year old girl brought some totally grown-up emotion into this song and actually brought tears to my eyes. I don’t think I’ve even heard this song sung better.

"My Funny Valentine" was Matt’s choice. Jamie had some good advice for Matt; we’ll have to see if he follows it. Although I liked some of the things Matt did to this song, he had some pitchy spots, which is something you just can’t afford to have at this point in the competition.

Danny’s choice for his performance was "Come Rain or Come Shine". I was a little scared for him when he commented he wasn’t going to make many changes, but as it turns out I had nothing to worry about! I thought the show had already hit the highest peak it could have, but I was totally wrong. Danny blew everyone OUT of their seats!! Hands down the best performance of the night.

Adam chose "Feeling Good". This is going to be tough, because nobody does this song better than Michael Bublé. Adam seems to have traded the "Broadway Baby" vocals for the 80’s punk rock Freddy Mercury vocals. Although Adam has grown on me the past several weeks, it seems like when he as a success singing a song in a certain way, he gloms onto it and repeats that style the next couple of weeks.

Bottom two: Matt and possibly Allison. (Allison only because none of the other guys deserves to be at the bottom.) Matt should be sent home.

And Now There are Five

Even though I was convinced that Lil and Matt would be sent home this week, I had to tune in, because THIS is American Idol. . . and you never know what kind of shizzy be happenin’.

David Archuleta was announced as the guest artist as well as the news that 45 million votes were received this week.

Ooooo. . . Paula Abdul did group performance choreography this week!! All the way through the group sing I couldn’t help but wonder why everyone but Adam was wearing shades.

Cute Ford video --- can’t decide whether they’re better this year or they’ve just grown on me.

Lil: is in the bottom three, and Ryan quickly tells her she is going home. So far, tonight’s show is going as predicted. But, I can’t believe they asked her to sing again.

Freda Payne sang "Band of Gold", making me wonder why the young contestants are allowed to lip sync their group song each week, yet they allow the former stars sing live. . . when they have no business doing so?? Let us die with the sounds of young Freda Payne ringing in our ears, not the sad, sad sounds of someone who should NOT be singing live anymore.

Thelma Houston came out next --- between worrying whether her tatas were going to spill out of the top of her dress to wondering how the front row felt about catching a glimpse of her hoo-hoo, I barely heard what she was singing. I think her dress was an original, quite possibly one she actually wore in the 70’s. . . WHEN SHE WAS 30 POUNDS LIGHTER!!!

KC from KC and the Sunshine Band came out next, singing that oldie but goodie "Get Down Tonight". His voice actually sounded great, but more than a little weird coming out of the guy who looked straight out of The Sopranos! KC, where’d you go??

Kris: safe.

Adam: safe.

Danny: safe.

Anoop: bottom three.

Matt and Allison – Matt is safe, Allison is in the bottom three. That’s a bit of a shocker!!

So, it will be either Anoop or Allison. I don’t think either deserves to go home this week, but I have a feeling America is basing the whole thing on Anoop’s final (bad) note from his performance last night.
David Archuleta sang "Touch My Hand". I totally loved this song --- it suited him perfectly and I really enjoyed hearing him again.

Anoop has a look of resignation on his face, Allison looks just a little nervous. It’s announced that Anoop is going home. It had to be Anoop between the two of them.

Anoop is also asked to sing again.

Of the five remaining, three have NEVER been in the bottom three. They are Adam, Danny, and Kris. Allison has been in the bottom four times, Matt has been there three times.

I’m predicting that Adam, Danny, and Kris will be the Final Three. It’s anyone’s guess what will happen!

Seven Sing (Again)

Tonight’s show started with a dramatic recap of last week’s results show, where Matt was saved by the judges so that TWO contestants could be sent home this week. OR so that everyone, including Matt, could sing again this week before sending Matt, and most probably Lil, home this week.

Oh, but I forgot, this is Disco Week, which promises to be a potential train wreck for every contestant on the stage.

Lil started out the show with "I’m Every Woman". As always, Lil looked like she was having a great time, and she does control the stage, but her rendition of this Chaka Kahn classic was pitchy and spotty. I’m hoping Lil turns out to be this season’s Jennifer Hudson. Lil’s been led astray by this panel of judges. They’ve consistently turned her one direction one week, then spun her around the next week and pointed her in another direction. They’ve gotten her so dizzy with their "helpful advice" that she doesn’t know which direction is up. It was sad to see the disappointment in her eyes; you could tell that she’s just given up.

Kris came out next and sang "She Works Hard for the Money". I’m excited when I see him with his acoustic guitar, because I’m thinking this might be an American Idol "moment". Although not as dramatic as Daughtry’s "Walk the Line" moment, this was indeed a turning point for Kris. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but watch out Danny Gokey! Kris is nipping at your heels!

Danny chose "September". His performance is strong, and he has never failed to give each performance his own stamp. Nothing off or weird about Danny's rendition, but nothing original either. I’ve got to say, I appreciated the originality of Kris’ rendition.

"Hot Stuff" was Allison’s choice for Disco Week. Interesting outfit, there were pieces of it that I liked, but others that were just not right. I loved the arrangement, and didn’t get Randy’s "indulgent" comment. Another killer performance from little Allison!

Adam’s choice was "If I Can’t Have You". Adam went the mainline route, choosing a suit (albeit with almost wing-like shoulders) and doing an Elvis-like thing with his hair. Dang! He did it again! Just when I think he can’t do anything else to get me to like him, he does it. He gave it just enough emotion, without going over the edge.

"Stayin’ Alive" was Matt’s choice tonight. Seriously, every once in a while the lyrics in certain contestants’ song choices are just eerily prophetic. I didn’t care for his rendition at all, I felt like it bordered on manic. Matt can sing, but there was a desperate edge to his performance.

Anoop wrapped up tonight’s show singing "Dim All the Lights". I didn’t hate this performance; I thought it was solid, until the last note, which even Anoop realized he blew. I don’t think it was his best, but he is a strong singer.

My choices for bottom two: Lil and Matt. I’ll be surprised if America votes any differently.

Really Lucky Seven

Ooooo. . . Quentin Tarantino thinks he knows who’s going home. . . suspense!

Better yet, Miley Cyrus is performing. . . she should be honored to be on the same stage as Jennifer Hudson.

Good news!! I didn’t totally hate the group sing tonight. It was the least offensive, to me, of the whole season.

Zac Efron was featured in the audience after a video clip of the Top 7 attending the premiere of his new movie.

Allison: safe.

Adam: safe.

Anoop: bottom three.

Jennifer Hudson sang a song from her new album. Fitting that Jennifer should appear on this particular show. Jennifer was in the Top 7 in Season 3, and was voted off at this very point in her season. So, whoever goes home should NOT feel bad, or like they’re never going to realize their dream. Jennifer’s got an Oscar AND a Grammy at home now. Not too bad for being #7 on AI!!

Kris and Lil: Kris is safe, Lil is in the bottom three.

Danny and Matt: Danny is safe, Matt is again in the bottom three.

Anoop, Lil and Matt are in the bottom three exactly as I predicted. (And, don’t forget, I only chose Anoop because there still has to be three in the bottom.)

Anoop is safe and sent back to the couch and Miley Cyrus takes the stage.

I heard a rumor that the judges might use their save option on tonight’s show, but I’m surprised to hear Simon say he would consider using that option and that the person he would consider saving might be surprised. That leads me to think they might consider saving Matt, because Lil has always seemed like more of a judges’ favorite than Matt has. Hmmm. . .

Lil is safe and Matt is going to sing for his life. I can’t say I’m really surprised. In my humble opinion, either one could go home tonight. They’ve both been SO inconsistent at this stage of the game.
Amazingly, the judges vote to save Matt. But, it only puts off the inevitable because next week TWO contestants go home, and it will probably be Matt AND Lil.

Simon repeats that information and adds that next week is disco week. Wow. . . that’s gonna be a tough show to watch. And, maybe I’m not absolutely sure now that Matt and Lil will go home. I don’t picture any of the contestants doing well with disco with the exception of Adam. Well, it might be his week to shine!!

Lucky Seven

Big time. . . music from the movies. Mentor: Quentin Tarantino?!?!? Hmmm. . . because he’s a singer? Songwriter? Music arranger? Music producer?

No, he’s famous, he MAKES movies (and they’re singing music from the MOVIES) and he’s famous (oh, did I already say that?). Makes NO sense at all!

An historic evening? Only because the mentor has NOTHING professionally to do with the music world except that there is music in his movies.

Allison chose "I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing" from Armageddon. I don’t know how much of her performance was influenced by QT, but it was outstanding. I’ve gotta say it again: I can’t believe this chick is only 16. She makes it look SO easy!

Anoop’s choice was "Everything I Do, I Do for You" from Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. I think Anoop wanted to deliver another ballad, but QT advised him to really belt it out. However, he sang it as a ballad, and I think it sounded much better than it would have had he followed the "mentor’s" advice.

Adam chose "Born to Be Wild" from Easy Rider. Q was "interested" and Adam channeled his inner Elvis/Freddy Mercury. I like Adam, and thankfully he’s finally lost his "stage-iness" sound, but now he’s gone into his 80’s punk band sound. I’d be happier if he could his OWN voice. Admittedly, though, he IS a showman.

Matt was next singing "To Really Love a Woman" from Don Juan DeMarco (worst movie EVER!!). QT advised him to stay away from the gravelly thing he does sometimes. He had a few shaky moments during his performance. This is the thing that KILLS me about Matt ---- he is SO unpredictable. It will be the thing that takes him out of the competition because he can’t be counted on to deliver a solid performance week after week. It’s always hit or miss with him. Too bad, too, because he’s basically a really talented guy.

Danny picked "Endless Love" from Endless Love. Q advised him to kill the hand motions. I was looking forward to that, but Danny ended up using his hands, but I think if he hadn’t he wouldn’t have been able to contain his emotions. Danny Gokey has such a distinctive voice, he’s going to make albums even if something happens and he doesn’t win.

Kris chose "Falling Slowly" from Once. I wish Danny had done what Kris chose to do --- stand at the mike and just sing, just let the song come out. As much as I enjoyed Danny’s performance, I LOVED Kris’s. Did NOT agree with Randy’s opinion about pitchiness (what was HE listening to??) but totally agreed with Kara that this was his best performance to date. I’ve never seen the movie, but his performance made me want to add it to my Netflix queue.

Lil picked "The Rose" from the movie by the same name. Lil had more than a few pitchy moments during her rendition. Although I liked that she started it soft and slow, then built into a gospel-like version, there were more troubled spots in this performance than bright ones. I think Lil’s in trouble tonight.

My choice for bottom three: Matt, Lil, and Anoop (but only because there has to be three). Lil should be sent home, but America might choose Matt.

Seven. . .

Flo Rida, Kelly Pickler and the results. . . thank God for DVRs because I can fast-forward through the worst of this show!!

Please, someone tell me the last time you saw someone wearing baggy opera length white gloves who wasn’t playing dress-up in pre-school??? Paula, just because you can buy them at Claire’s doesn’t mean you SHOULD buy them!!

Under the guise of kidding with Simon about the year he was born, out comes Frankie Avalon, who didn’t lip sync, but should have.

Group song from the year Idol was "born", 2002, was "Can’t Get You Out of My Head". Dreadful.
Behind the scenes of the Ford video --- much better than the video itself.

Adam’s attempt at humility failed miserably, as he couldn’t help but mention that he had never seen anyone get a standing ovation from Simon in the history of the show. Adam, perhaps you should have let someone else mention that.

Adam, Kris, Anoop --- Adam is safe, Kris is safe, Anoop is in the bottom three.

Flo Rida --- not impressed. I listened for 30 seconds and fast-forwarded.

Danny is safe. Matt is safe. Scott is in the bottom three.

Allison and Lil: Allison is safe and Lil is in the bottom three.

Kelly Pickler sang her latest hit --- such a cutie, but she sounds just as mediocre as she did when she was on the show. She looked great, killer outfit, but, oh my, she should NOT sing live at all. Probably sounds much better after smoothing things out in the studio.

Lil gets sent back to safety, leaving Anoop and Scott center stage. Anoop looks a little shell-shocked; this could be the first big turnover of the season.

Anoop is sent back to safety, which means that Scott has the lowest number of votes. Scott sings again and is not much better than his performance last night.

Simon announces that two judges think he should stay and two think he should go. It’s not hard to figure out how the judge’s panel is split.

Simon decides that he needs to make a decision for the judges, says "goodbye" and Scott is sent home.

Megan Gets the Boot AND Another Performance Show

First, my apologies for not blogging last week’s show. My mom is celebrating her 90th birthday today, and I was extremely busy last week, helping my sister with preparations for a birthday party she threw for our mother this past Sunday.

I kept thinking I was going to be able to get some time to watch the show, even after I knew who got the boot. But it really was no surprise to anyone that Megan was sent home.

I thought there was no need to watch the show --- Megan had been sent home, I wasn’t surprised, and that’s that. However, guilt took over, and after watching tonight’s show, I spun through last week’s "boot" show very quickly. After all, I didn’t know who had been at the bottom with her!

Already it looks like I didn’t miss much. Ford video was just ‘iight, and the group sing was atrocious. I did enjoy the impersonations!! Likewise I enjoyed seeing and hearing David Cook. I could have done without seeing his slightly creepy mom in the audience. . . still.

I was more than a little surprised that Allison and Anoop were in the bottom three with Megan, but again, no shock that Megan was sent home.

Now, on to tonight’s Performance Show and songs from the year the contestants were born.

Danny - 1980, Stand by Me
Flawless. I loved every moment of this performance. I loved the way it started, and then he jazzed it out at the end. Amazing!

Kris – 1985, All She Wants to Do is Dance
Kris took an over-played 80’s hit and put a 70’s vibe on it. I thoroughly enjoyed the arrangement and the way he delivered it.

Lil – 1985, What’s Love Got to Do With It
I adore Lil, but she started out pitchy and it didn’t get much better. I was very disappointed in her tonight. I’m scared for her this week.

Anoop – 1986, True Colors
I really liked the arrangement for this song, and I think his performance was nearly perfect. This kid is very much an architect of music --- he knows the methods and techniques, but also has the ability to put some real emotion into it when he sings.

So, I’m going to digress for a moment. Kara is absolutely driving me NUTS!! Kris turning an 80’s anthem into a jazz-toned number was straight from music theory class, but Anoop taking Cyndy Lauper’s hit and giving it a soulful delivery was right. Hmmm. . . c’mon Kara, make up your mind!!

Scott – 1985, The Search is Over
Please send Scott home. He’s a great pianist, he’s a talented musical arranger, he’s a very brave kid, but he is just NOT good enough to be out on that stage at this time. Don’t turn him into a joke by keeping him on another week. And especially since Paula can’t stop talking to him like he’s developmentally disabled.

Allison – 1992, I Can’t Make You Love Me
Only Allison could take on a Bonnie Raitt classic --- she’s got just the right edge to her voice to pull off a song like this. I hated her ensemble, but loved her rendition of this song.

Matt – 1985, Part-time Lovers
This is what makes me so nervous when Matt comes out on stage --- he’s either fabulous or not. And tonight he was fabulous. I just wish he’d even out his performances and show us some consistency for a couple of weeks.

Adam – 1982, Mad World
This is actually one of the few songs from the 80’s that I will still listen to. And Adam did an outstanding job. I really want to NOT like this kid, but I find myself being won over a little more each week by him. This was an Idol moment.

My choice for bottom three: Lil, Scott and Matt. Lil, because I think she’s lost her confidence, Scott because he’s just not good enough and Matt because he’s not consistent enough.

Although I think Scott should go home, I’m afraid that it might be Lil.

Performance Show

This week’s "genre" is "most popular downloads" from iTunes.

Anoop’s choice was "Caught Up" by Usher. I think Anoop is wildly talented, but he needs to learn a little humility and I’ll like him a lot better. There’s a thin line between knowing you’re good and pushing that knowledge on everyone else, and he’s stepped over that line a couple of times over the past couple of weeks. He did an okay job, but I wasn’t blown away. I agree with Randy that it probably wasn’t the right song for him. I think Anoop pissed of Kara by not taking her "advice" quite as seriously as she wanted him to. Perhaps not a good move --- Kara tends to keep a grudge.

Megan chose Bob Marley’s "Turn Your Lights Down Low". I’m losing my love for Megan --- I liked her unique sound when she started out, but I just don’t think she’s gotten any better, and, if anything, had a couple of really lucky nights early on. She’s just not choosing the right songs or having unfortunate performances. I didn’t like her at all tonight.

Danny decided to sing Rascal Flatts’ "What Hurts the Most". Good song choice, great performance. . . Danny’s back!! I seem to be out of sync with the judges recently, so I was hoping they’d agree with me. After hearing them praise his performance, I felt vindicated.

Allison picked "Don’t Speak" by No Doubt. Other than the fact that she looked a lot like Pebbles, straight out of the Flintstones, and she wore a dress that made her look like she gained 25 pounds in the past week, she did a great job with the song, rockin’ it out like only Allison can.

Scott’s choice was "Just the Way You Are" by Billy Joel (big surprise). I had hoped he would sing something a little more contemporary to try to convince everyone that he might have what it takes to be an American Idol. He didn’t convince me. I can see Scott tickling the ivories and crooning in a supper club somewhere in middle America, but I don’t see him ripping up the stage, bringing an audience to their feet, hands clapping. Judges loved him, but I didn’t feel it.

Matt decided to sing The Fray’s "You Found Me". He started out a little shaky. Mmmm. . . he got a little stronger, then got a little pitchy, his "super vibrato" seemed to return, then he finished stronger. Although it may have been an okay choice for him, I didn’t like his performance at all.

Lil picked "I Surrender" by Celine Dion. Wow!! How many times have contestants been warned to stay away from Celine?? She started out a little "off" and really made me nervous. She finished strong, but again, I don’t think she made the best choice of song. I agreed with the judges, she sounded a little old. You could hear the talent and control, but it just wasn’t a great song for her.

Adam’s pick was Wild Cherry’s "Play that Funky Music". Hmmm. . . a 70’s classic with a side of Queen. It wasn’t the train wreck I thought it might be, but I didn’t love it like I did his performance last week. He may have lost the last of what I call his "staginess" at last, and this was strong enough to keep him here. (Psst! Kara! It was Studio 54, and AREA 57 --- you know, the aliens!)

Kris chose "Ain’t No Sunshine" by Bill Withers. I don’t think he created a "moment", but Kris has such a pure voice, he hits every note perfectly and manages to make almost everything he sings sound as if it’s his. It was pretty dang good, but still not what I would call a "moment". A "moment" is Daughtry singing "Walk the Line" for 45 seconds before anyone even recognizes the song, or Fantasia singing "Summertime" causing the tears to well up in your eyes.

My choices for bottom three, based on performances alone, would be: Megan, Matt, and Lil. I’m predicting America will vote the same way. I would say Megan deserves to go home this week, but I think America will send Matt packing.

1 OF 10 VOTED OFF

Well, it’s nice to know Smokey’s a real fan!! I liked the opening to tonight’s show. It’s the first different thing they’ve done in several years.

36 million votes came in last night --- still a little disgusting how many people vote in AI versus how many people vote in the presidential election.

Ryan reviewed the lame new rule and we watched a brief recap of last night’s show before we were, once again, subjected to the dreaded group sing. AI producers admitted today that the contestants are lip syncing to a pre-recorded track during this segment of the show --- something about not enough time to fully learn a new song with choreography. Hmmm. . .

This week’s Ford video was to "Pocketful of Sunshine" – cute and clever.

Ruben performed his latest single "Together". Somebody call Captain Kangaroo and let him know his jacket has been located --- on Ruben Studdard.

Ryan asked a few questions about their trip to Motown, then launched quickly in the results.
Adam: safe.

Matt: in the bottom three. Certainly not the way I thought this was going to go.
Kris: safe. (psych!)

Lil and Michael were then asked to stand up: Lil is safe. Michael is in the bottom three.
Smokey and Joss Stone sang "You’re the One for Me". I enjoyed listening to them separately, but they did NOT sound good together.

Allison: safe.

Anoop: safe.

Danny: safe.

Scott and Megan were asked to stand. Scott: in the bottom three. Things are really not going the way I thought they would.

Scott is sent back to the couches, safe.

As they went to commercial break, I was convinced that Michael had to be the one going home. But, then I remembered the Daughtry Debacle, and realized that Matt very well could be sent home tonight.

Stevie Wonder performed a Motown medley: Ma Cherie Amour, Superstitious, Overjoyed, and All About the Love. Stevie’s voice has aged some, too, over the years, but at least it was obvious that he was singing live.

Michael and Matt were brought back to center stage: Michael has the lowest number of votes. He was asked to sing once more, a little chagrined that he had to sing right after Stevie, but gave it a valiant try. Unfortunately, when he was finished, the judges said goodbye.

10 Finalists Compete

I’m starting tonight’s show a little late, and I’ve already seen on FB that at least one person thought Adam did a stellar job on his song tonight. But, I’m really excited because I also heard that Paula actually uses complete sentences tonight. Maybe her meds have been adjusted!?!

And, I’m looking forward to tonight’s theme: the music of Motown. What could go wrong? I hope I’m not speaking too soon. . .

The ten appear onstage, and at first glance it looks like Scott McIntyre has forgotten to put on his trousers, but thankfully, it’s just an unfortunate wardrobe choice. Is his stylist trying to sabotage him by dressing him in flesh-toned pants that are a little awkward fitting (read: shows every detail of those things that should be kept hidden, at least until the second date).

Matt starts out the show singing "Let’s Get it On". Smokey’s impressed, so I’m a little relieved. He started out behind the piano, but then got up and started working the stage. I thought he faltered in a couple of places, but he seems to have lost that vibrato we heard several weeks ago. I thought he did a good job, but he didn’t knock my socks off.

Kris chose "How Sweet it Is". Smoky was blown away. I loved the way he started the song out, and continued to thoroughly enjoy his version all the way through to the end.

Let me make a correction on Scott’s pants. They aren’t flesh-toned, they’re all-out pink. This gives Simon the perfect opportunity to ask if Scott borrowed the pink pants from Ryan’s wardrobe. Scott will sing "You Can’t Hurry Love". With the exception of the beginning, I thought his version sounded like a very talented karaoke singer. Don’t get me wrong, I think Scott is a very talented guy. He’s a musician’s musician, entrenched in tweaking the arrangements of the different songs. But his voice is simply not that strong. I agree with Simon and Randy that he could have had a bigger impact had he stayed with his first choice: "Reach Out and Touch".

Megan will sing "For Once in My Life". Smoky thinks Megan’s an original. I think her originality is both a blessing and a curse. She starts out pure karaoke, then it disintegrates into missed notes and shaky interludes. I think she chose the right song but probably should have slowed it down a little bit. She was just really, really off this week.

Anoop chooses "Ooh Baby Baby". Smoky liked him. He hits a note at the start that’s a little off, but makes a great recovery. I loved every minute of his performance! But it continues to freak me out hearing this voice coming from this nerdy-looking kid.

Michael is up next with "Ain’t Too Proud to Beg". Smoky encouraged Michael to ramp it up a little. It makes me nervous when the mentors have to give advice. Sometimes it’s not a good sign. And, alas, in Michael’s case it was NOT a good sign. He just didn’t deliver it tonight with this song. I think he’s gone as far as he can --- he’s more of an average guy with a really good voice.

Lil’s doing "Heat Wave". Smoky loves her! As much as I love Lil, she had a little trouble tonight. There were some pitchy parts, and a couple of times she sounded like the song was getting away from her. This girl has mad talent, so I was just a little disappointed.

Adam’s choice is "Tracks of My Tears". Smoky enjoyed his rendition. Okay, okay, I admit it. I loved it!! Adam had his moment tonight. Loved the wardrobe, loved the vocals, loved the fact that his hair was different. This is the first thing I’ve heard him sing that didn’t sound like it was sung during a Broadway play. I’m actually happy he proved me wrong tonight.

Danny’s out next with "Get Ready". Smoky had some advice that Danny decided to follow. Or not. Danny, Danny, Danny, who doesn’t follow Smoky Robinson’s advice??? I loved the song choice, and loved his version, but I’m not sure about ignoring Smokey’s advice. The judges might take that as smugness.

Allison’s song choice is "Papa Was a Rolling Stone". Smoky said she needed to learn the lyrics, but enjoyed her rendition. I seriously can’t believe this girl is only 16. She has an incredible voice and she really, really knows what she’s doing! Love it, loved it, love it!!

My choices for bottom three: Scott, Megan, and Michael. But I think America will choose: Lil, Megan, and Michael.

I would send Michael home, but I’m predicting America will send Megan home.

Goodbye Alexis! Hello Top 10

Ryan introduced the judges: Randy, looking a little like he just rolled out of bed, Kara, in a very cute dress, but with her hair looking like a school marm, Paula, whose dress would have been okay, except for the foofy stuff on the shoulder straps, and Simon, in another of his plain white, slightly see-through T-shirts.

Brad Paisley will be making an appearance on tonight’s show, which will also include a duet with Carrie Underwood and Randy Travis.

After the requisite recap of last night’s performances, the Top 11 did their weekly group sing, then launched into the weekly Ford video.

We were also treated to a glimpse of what happens AFTER a contestant is booted. It’s nice to know that they aren’t just whisked away, never to be seen again.

Michael brought himself, and several of the other contestants, to tears, telling about how his very young daughter doesn’t quite understand why he’s not at home. She asked him recently why he didn’t want to be with her anymore. Y'all know I was crying big time at hearing that!

Evidently, only the Top 10 get to go on tour this year, another change from years past.

Now the results:

Danny: safe.

Lil: safe.

Anoop: safe.

Allison and Michael were asked to stand.

Seriously, Paula would have been justified if she had turned to Simon and smacked him. Ryan asked who she thought should be in the bottom three. She realizes how difficult it will be this season, with all the talent in this year’s contest. As she struggled to try to decide Simon sat next to her saying over and over "answer the question, answer the question". No way could I have kept my composure --- I would have hauled off and hit him!!

Both Allison and Michael are in the bottom three.

Brad Paisley performed. He sounds better in concert. Or maybe it was just the song.

Scott (who I thought might get voted off this week): safe.

Megan: safe.

Matt: safe. And why have I never noticed that huge THING in the middle of his forehead? Will it go away, or will he have it taken care of after the season like when Elliott got new teeth?

Kris: safe.

Alexis and Adam: Alexis is in the bottom three and Adam is safe.

Allison, Michael and Alexis are asked to go to center stage. Allison is sent back --- she’s safe.
Carrie Underwood sings a duet with Randy Travis. I want to sing a duet with Randy Travis! Okay, first off, who knew Randy Travis was such a little guy??? I always thought he was tall! He’s barely taller than Ryan, and Ryan’s practically a little person!!

I sincerely wish she had left the hair decoration in her dressing room. I’m not sure what she was thinking by wearing that. Without it she would have been stunning. I actually listened to the whole song --- they sounded great together!

Michael is safe, Alexis has been voted off. I’m a little stunned.

The judges, who have already said they would consider saving one of the two, ask Alexis to sing again before they make their decision.

I don’t think she sings as well as she did last night but the judges decide NOT to save her. I’m really surprised; not only that she ended up in the bottom three, but that the judges didn’t save her.

However, in reality, this season is really the hardest yet. Every single one of these kids could be the American Idol. They are so evenly matched and there are still ten of them!

I have a feeling I’m going to have a hard time feeling okay about sending any of them home, unless they really screw up badly.

Eleven Sing Country

Randy, lose the beads, unless a kindergarten age relative made them for you. Kara, please, what were you wearing tonight? Paula, do something about that fake, aging cleavage. And Simon, do you own anything other than silk and/or cashmere T-shirts?

Idol goes Grand Ol’ Opry tonight, always a scary night. Randy Travis is this week’s mentor. I actually like Randy. He’s a good performer and seems like an all-around nice guy.

Michael sang "Ain’t Goin’ Down Til the Sun Comes Up". Randy seemed impressed, but cautioned him not to lose the lyrics. Michael’s really in his element singing country and started out the night with a great performance. I was really impressed! I totally disagree with Kara’s statement that she needed to hear his "big notes". It really bothers me sometimes when they jerk these kids back and forth. "Show us something different", "we miss the old you", "step out of your comfort zone". My lord, I wish they’d make up their minds!!

And, Simon should excuse himself on country night, because 1) it’s obvious he hates country so 2) he ends up hating everything because he can’t begin to understand the genre.

Allison chose "Blame it on Your Heart". Randy has faith in her singing this and thinks her voice is very mature. There was a little over-vibrato in parts for my liking, but overall I think she rocked this song. She has such a strong, distinctive quality to her voice --- she really gave this song a rocker edge.

Kris will sing "To MakeYou Feel My Love". Randy liked Kris’ version. I wish he had played his guitar, because he looked a little lost onstage without it, but he did a great job with this song. I really like Kris, but even I was surprised at how well he sang this.

Lil chose "Independence Day". Randy seems a little nervous, saying that it’s a big song, but is confident she’ll nail it. Lil said she was going to leave the R&B out of it, but you can’t take the R&B out of Lil, and I’m glad you can’t. This girl can make singing the phone book sound good! It was the perfect blend: a little bit county, a little bit R&B. Again, the judges spit out that crap about "Why didn’t you sing this? Why didn’t you sing that?" instead of giving her the credit she deserved for choosing something out of her usual choice.

And, people, way before there was a ‘Lil Bow Wow, there was a common first names like Lilly and Lillian. Couldn’t Lil’s name be a shortened version of one of those? Why does everyone think Lil’s name is short for Little Rounds???

Adam chose "Ring of Fire". Randy was totally thrown for a loop by Adam’s version. I give him kudos for trying something different, but instead of coming off like Daughtry when he sang "Walk the Line", he, once again, sounded like he was in a musical. Yes, he was true to himself as an artist, but I truly did not care for his version of this song.

Scott is singing "Wild Angels". Randy wasn’t sure about his choice of song, but ended up being rather impressed. I like Scott, and think he’s an impressive musician, but his vocals were a little weak tonight. I don’t think his performance was as strong as it needed to be. Paula started with advice for Scott to get out from behind the piano, try something different. Scott should try something different, Lil should stay "Lil", Kris was respected for gambling and leaving his guitar behind. Why do they tell one person to "stay the same" and others "take a chance"??

Alexis chose "Jolene" and Randy thought it was a good choice for her. I had high hopes for her when I heard what she was going to sing, but she seemed a little lost, almost like she forgot the lyrics. I didn’t think she was off-key, like Randy thought, but it didn’t leave me feeling satisfied, either. I was slightly disappointed by it.

Danny’s song choice is "Jesus Take the Wheel". Danny was totally nervous. Randy was impressed by Danny’s soulfulness. I was a little nervous after watching Danny mess up again, and again. But I had NOTHING to worry about. He knocked it out of the park with this one. Totally blew me away!! And, I can't believe it because I've come to hate this song because it's SO played out!!

Anoop is up next, singing "You are Always on my Mind". Really?? Randy is confident, but I’m skeptical that Anoop can pull off country. Okay, I guess I was wrong. I was so amazed, I rewound and played it again. Those were probably the best vocals I’ve heard from him yet. Really, really impressive!! If he continues to sing like this, he’s welcome to stick around for a long, long time.

Megan chose "I Go Walking After Midnight". Randy was a little hesitant about her choice, but was impressed by her unique take on the song. Great choice of wardrobe and very, very good job on the song. Even sick, this girl can sing!!

Matt’s song is "So Small" – Randy was unsure of his choice, but was surprised at how well he did. I really liked Matt early on, but man, as the weeks go by I’m beginning to adore him. He is SO talented, and makes it look so easy. He didn’t try to sound country, but turned this song into his very own.

Based on tonight’s performances, I predict America will send Scott McIntyre packing. He would also be my choice tonight because I thought his performance was the weakest of the night.

However, they may have hated Adam’s rendition so much that they might send HIM home instead.

Minus Two Make Eleven

I’ve heard some rumors about a new twist in this year’s voting/judging arena. A couple of possibilities are: the judges can over-rule when they think America just gets it wrong (Sanjaya) OR possibly that the judges will decide between the two who got the lowest number of votes which one stays each week. Either way, it will be interesting.

Ryan announces "The Judges Save". From thirteen until five, the judges can save one contestant from elimination, just once. It must be unanimous, and once they use the save, it can’t be used again the entire season. No one will be eliminated that week, but the next week two will be eliminated. Theoretically, another "Daughtry" will be avoided. OR America will just vote that person out the next week. Who knows?

There was actually a video clip I didn’t hate --- showing the Top 13 arriving at their home for the remainder of the competition. I believe it’s a redecorated "Beauty and the Geek" mansion, but it was fun seeing the excitement and awe in their faces as they explored their new digs and realized this was theirs, if only for the next few weeks.

We were subjected to another group sing --- not the worst I’ve seen, but please, can’t we replace this portion of the show?? Please?

You’ll be surprised to hear that I didn’t hate tonight’s Ford music video. Pretty cute!

Michael’s up first: he’s safe.

Allison is next: she is also safe.

Jasmine is up next: she’s asked to come down to center stage.

Matt is next: he’s safe, although Ryan called him "the other Matt". What other Matt?

Kris goes next: he’s asked to stay standing and Megan is also asked to stand. Kris is told to sit down. Megan is brought to center stage with Jasmine.

Megan is safe. Jasmine is headed home UNLESS the judges save her. It wouldn’t be a big surprise, since they seem to adore her, but she has disappointed them twice now. Even though we have to listen to her kill her song again, at least they ask her to sing BEFORE they stomp on her heart.

The judges cut her loose.

Kanye is one of the guest performers. He comes out with an unflattering backlight that makes his ears look like they’re glowing in the dark. He sounds pretty good tonight, so I know he’s lip-synching. I heard him live on a show a week or so ago and he SUCKS live. Then again, he starts sounding a little rough around the edges, so he may be singing live. Or maybe he’s doing the Britney thing --- singing along with a recorded version. Then his sound guy turns the "live" down when it starts sounding too horrible so you can only hear the tricked-out studio soundtrack. I’m not sure why this guy is so full of himself, because, although he’s a good-looking guy and sounds pretty decent on his CDs, his live performances are bad, and I don’t mean in a good way.

Scott is safe. Alexis is safe. Danny is safe.

Anoop is asked to go to center stage. Adam is safe. Jorge and Lil stand together, and Jorge is asked to join Anoop. Lil is safe.

Anoop and Jorge are made to wait until after Kelly Clarkson’s performance. Kelly is a great performer, but she SO needs to either get comfortable with being heavy or lose the weight and keep it off. She looks so uncomfortable, and really, her outfit looks like it was lifted from a retiree at a holiday party. She’s quickly becoming the Oprah of the music world.

To my surprise, Ryan tells Anoop he’s safe. Don’t get me wrong, I like Anoop. I was just sure that he would be sent home this week.

Jorge is asked to sing again, before the judges tell him that, they CAN say goodbye and he’s going home.

Top 13 -- A Day Late (cough, cough, hack)

Coughing and hacking prevented me from watching last night’s show last night, so I’m trying to squeeze in two shows tonight, while (still) coughing and hacking.

Top 13 – singing Michael Jackson hits – are: Lil, Scott, Danny, Michael, Jasmine, Kris, Allison, Anoop, Jorge, Megan, Adam, Matt, and Alexis. Two are going home tomorrow; my guess at the start of the show is Jasmine and Kris.

Paula’s outfit looks like it’s courtesy of Cirque du Soleil, Simon is wearing his usual "laundry day" outfit. Neither of them better criticize any of the contestants’ outfits tonight.

Lil chooses "The Way You Make Me Feel". I hope she sings better tonight than she looks. I don’t know which was worse --- the bad-even-for-the-80’s one shoulder, poofy something or other top or the absolutely hideous pleated, way too tight WHITE pants!!! C’mon, Lil, you have better fashion sense than that. I didn’t really care for the delivery of the song, either. It was very "cruise ship singer", campy, and way over the top. I didn’t hear the same song Randy did, evidently. Or Kara. . . Of course, Paula loved her outfit, but then, Paula was dressed by clowns tonight. I found myself agreeing with Simon tonight.

Scott is up next, choosing "Keep the Faith". I’m happy he’s playing the piano, because he’s so much more at ease sitting behind the keyboard. I never was a big MJ fan, so I can’t really tell if he’s doing a good job, because I don’t recognize the song. But I like the way it sounds. Thankfully, Kara points out that it’s not a well-known MJ song (so, it isn’t just me). Simon criticized him for choosing an obscure song, but I don’t think it was necessarily a mistake.

Danny’s choice is "PYT". I’m beginning to wonder where I was during the 80’s. I totally don’t remember EVER hearing this song before, but I love what he did with it. Only Danny is allowed to dance like that, because he sings SO well! Totally blew me away and I agree with Paula --- I will be shocked if Danny doesn’t end up in the Final 3.

Michael sings "You’re Not Alone". I think the judges might think this was a safe choice for him, but there’s something touching about the pureness and sincerity in his voice. I thought I heard a little nasal quality partway through, but he held it together and did a great job. Randy, Kara and Paula agreed.

Jasmine chooses "I’ll Be There". Her stylist likes her, because she helped her choose a really cute outfit. She got a little pitchy, and shaky on some of the big notes --- I was not impressed, but, then again, I don’t think she deserves to be in the Top 13 anyway. But really, Randy, should any of the judges be saying "it’s wasn’t that bad" at this point in the competition??

Kris sings "Remember the Time" accompanying himself on guitar. I liked his take on this song. I think he made it sound fresh and made it his own. With this performance, my earlier prediction for tonight’s show is half-wrong! His voice cracked a little on a couple of the higher notes, but I think he made up for it with the rest of the performance. Simon managed to piss off Kris’ wife with an unnecessary comment. No one cares if Kris is married --- he’s adorable anyway!

Allison’s choice is "Given to Me". The song was totally unrecognizable to me. However, I didn’t hate her performance, although she missed a couple of notes. But this girl can sing. And, I can’t believe she’s only 16.

Noop Dog chooses "Beat It". It’s an obvious choice, but I’m a little nervous waiting for him to begin. This guy totally freaks me out with his voice --- it STILL doesn’t look like it should be coming from that face!! The audience loves him, and he really does a decent job with the song.

Jorge is up next, choosing "Never Can Say Goodbye", pitchy on the opening notes, he came back and, even though I do NOT like this guy, I have to admit he did a great job on this song. He lost, if only for tonight, that annoying karaoke quality he’s had up until this point. Much as I hate to say it, I think everyone will like this performance and he may be staying for at least a couple more weeks.

Megan chose "Rockin’ Robin". I totally disagree with Simon; I think this little girl made the best song choice for herself of anyone tonight. Every note was spot on, even though she sang it almost straight out of the book, her voice is SO unique everything she sings sounds as if it’s hers. And she looked great!

Adam was out next with "This is Black and White". It cannot be denied that Adam has a great voice, but it’s always "Whatever: The Musical". Tonight was "Michael Jackson: The Musical". It’s not even, like early Clay Aiken, that you can imagine him on a Broadway show. He just manages to make every song sound as if it’s been adapted for the stage version of whatever artist he chose. Dreamgirls, Rent, Seussical the Musical here comes Adam, but I don’t see him cranking out hits like Kelly Clarkson. I totally disagree with the judges on this guy.

Matt picked "Human Nature". I love this guy, I loved the song he chose, I think he did a fabulous job. That AND being able to play the hell out of a piano puts him up pretty high on my list. My sister thinks he has a little too much vibrato, but I’m going to disagree with her (gee that’s unusual).

Alexis closed the show with "Dirty Diana". Alexis has it all --- a killer voice, looks, she’s comfortable onstage and she chose a great song to showcase her abilities. This is one of the one’s to look out for. I think Alexis was close to flawless tonight.

I’m waiting for the judges to get off the Adam train (which would also mean getting their heads out of their asses and start giving credit to some of these kids for their strong performances.

So, I’m sticking with Jasmine for one of my choices to be left behind and adding Michael. I like Michael, and I think he’s great, but I think America will think he wasn’t the strongest performer tonight.

Top 12? Nope! Top 13!!

I truly feel sorry for the eight kids standing on the stage as tonight’s Wildcard Show opens.

They came to the auditions and after much hemming and hawing by the judges they were awarded a golden ticket.

They went to Hollywood. They sang alone, they sang in groups. There was drama. Each time they got onstage, there was a chance they would be sent home. They gathered them together in rooms, made them wait for hours, then told them en masse of their decision. They brought them to the mansion, and over the space of an entire day called them out alone and in pairs, sometimes making them sing again, and told them whether they were in the Final 36.

Those final 36 kids, over the span of three weeks, each performed in front of a live audience, again facing the judges and hearing the good and the bad. They were all brought back a second time and told whether America liked them more than the other nine who performed with them.

Then a "select" group from the 18 previously "left behinds" were added to the last 9 castoffs and told they had a chance to be one of 8 selected to perform yet again for the judges, who would then choose three of them to complete the Top 13.

These poor kids have gone through months of "you're in" and "you're out". They have to be emotionally exhausted.

The eight who were selected last night return tonight for their last chance at making it into the Top 12. A short video "final plea" is shown before each person performs.

Jesse is first with "Tell Me Something Good" --- her vocals are okay, a little off in a few places, but she owns the stage. She looks and moves like a "real" performer.

Matt is next with "Who’s Loving You". He looks great and, thank God, gets back to the style he does best. He turns this song into a smoky, bluesy tune. I really like this guy and at this point he looks like a sure thing to get one of the last three spots.

Megan chooses to sing "Black Horse and a Cherry Tree". This is a perfect choice for her. Midway through she gets a little pitchy, but she recovers and ends well. I’ll be surprised if she doesn’t get one of the three spots. The judges adore her, vocals or not.

Von comes out next with "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word". Not sure I agree with his song choice, so I'm immediately hoping he's going to prove me wrong. Von sings every note spot-on, and I personally am not disappointed. Unfortunately, the judges pretty much tell him he has no chance.

Jasmine chooses to sing "Reflection". She has some trouble right at the start. Even though her song choice is melancholy and darker, like Von’s, I don’t think they’ll slam her like they did Von. She really has more trouble singing this song than she should have. I'm not terribly impressed.

It’s really beginning to feel to me as if the judges have already decided who their wildcard choices are and this is just an exercise. I’m feeling a tad bit manipulated.

Ricky’s song choice is "Superstitious". He knocks it out of the theatre as far as I’m concerned. This is by far the best performance tonight. I wasn’t a fan of his in the beginning, but he would be one of the three wildcards if I were making the decision.

Tatiana’s video clip sounds like when Joey was practicing to officiate at the wedding ceremony, all full of "I love everybody, and I love singing, and I want to sing for everyone I love and show them how much I love to sing for them". Gag me!! Tatiana chooses "Saving All My Love for You". Total lounge singer, kill me now. This is the third time she’s sung this song. Finally, the song is over and OMG, they let her stand there rambling on and on. . . please, just shut this girl up!!

Anoop’s choice is "My Prerogative", a repeat for him, too. He not only performs the song well, he moves like he knows what he's doing. I think he deserves a place in the Top 12. I am now officially happy that I don’t have to make the decisions tonight.

Matt, Megan, Von, Ricky and Anoop were my favorites tonight. Of those five, I’m going to gamble that Matt, Megan and Anoop are chosen.

Let’s hear from the judges!

Jasmine is first to be told by Randy that she is one of the three wildcard picks.

Ricky is brought down to be told by Kara that he was not chosen.

Megan and Tatiana are brought down to be told by Paula that Megan will be staying (my prayers have been answered) and, once again, it’s all about Tatiana and she is, not surprisingly, in tears. She stands in front of the judges stand sobbing.

I’m getting a little nervous because once again, it looks as if the show may have gone over and I’ve missed recording the last of it. It’s a commercial, and there’s only two minutes left. I cannot believe it’s happening again!!

Sure enough, the recorded show ends before the last commercial break is over and I’m reduced to going online to find out the results.

Okay, so the first thing I find out is that it’s now the Top 13 and Matt and Anoop are #12 and #13. I spend the next 20 minutes looking for video to see how decisions were handed down to Jesse, Matt, Von and Anoop.

Thanks to the blogger world, I find out that Jesse and Von were told next they were not chosen, then Matt and Anoop were brought down, thinking only one of them would be chosen.

SURPRISE!! It’s the Top 13 and they’ve BOTH been chosen.

So, three of my top five performers from tonight were chosen to advance, and all three that I predicted would be chosen were. . . with an extra (Jasmine) thrown in.

Kelly Clarkson and Kanye will be guests on next week’s show. I can’t wait to see what these Top 13 are going to do!!

Three More of the Twelve. . . and SHOCKER!!

As usual, I’m looking forward to the show tonight ONLY to find out who the last three "America’s choice" contestants are, NOT because of the lame, lame format, where Ryan brings one, two, or three people down and, one by one, with America holding their breath, announces either "yes" they’re in the top 3 or tells them "it’s the end of the line".

So, while Ryan chats up the judges and the rest of America watches some video clips of this particular group, I’ll toss some ideas out on how to change the way the results are announced.
How about Ryan calls the first designated victim, gives them their sentence, then that person calls the next person and delivers THEIR news, and so on until everyone is either "safe" or "out"?

How about if Ryan gives each contestant a sealed envelope? On the count of three, they all open their envelopes and scramble around the stage, comparing numbers and putting themselves in order from highest to lowest? As they complete this task, everyone can see who will advance.

Or, they could do it "Biggest Loser" style. First performer steps on a big square and a number eventually comes up that says how many votes they have. Their name goes on the board as highest. Next person comes up, steps on the square to see their number and are either placed at #2 or #1, knocking the first person down to #2 and so on until we "find out" who the top three are.

Anything but the same old, same old: group sing, then dragged out results interspersed with snippets of video with perhaps a guest performer thrown in.

Alas, that’s not to be, as the group launches into a group sing of "You’re Hot and You’re Cold". They handle Scott’s inability to navigate the stage on his own by keeping all the guys seated on a curved settee, letting the girls move around them.

Then, of course, we’re "treated" to an abridged version of last night’s show, including some backstage tears.

Ryan starts with Lil (a sure thing). Yay!! She’s in the Top 12!!

Lil repeats her killer performance from the night before.

Arianna, Taylor, Alex, Kendall, and Scott are asked to stand. Ryan announces that one of these people will be going on.

Back from commercial, Arianna is asked to stand for a rehash of last night. She is, not surprisingly, told she’s going home.

Taylor is also told she’s going home.

It’s not difficult to see which direction they’re going here. As each person is called, because they’re not the last two or three, they KNOW they’re going home.

Alex is told he’s out, then Kendall and Scott are asked to stand. At this point, I’m not sure what’s going to happen, and then Ryan announces that Scott will be in the Top 12. I’m very pleased.

I have so much respect for this kid. Watching him repeat his performance from the night before, it’s obvious that he isn’t really comfortable standing alone on the stage. He must feel terribly exposed without having his keyboard there to anchor him.

Nathaniel and Kristen are asked to stand. You know, the two old friends. Both are going home.

Felicia and Von are next. I don’t hold out much hope for Von, since I’m sure Ju’not is gong to be in the Top 3 tonight. They both look resigned to going home. Good thing, because they’re both out.

Ju’not and Jorge are the last two. I’m getting nervous now, because the judges are crazy for Jorge, but Ju’not is one of my personal favorites. Ryan fakes going to commercial, then switches and tells Jorge that he’s in the Top 3.

Crazy disappointed, because I really like both Von and Ju’not. However, between the two of them, I’m holding out hope the Ju’not will make it as a judge’s wildcard choice.

The judges have pre-selected a large group from the past two groups of twelve; they’re waiting upstairs. Ryan tells them that, along with the remaining contestants from tonight, they are all eligible to be wildcard picks.

So, this changes things just a little, because the wildcard picks will come from the "rejects" as a group and not one from each week.

Eight of those will be asked to return tomorrow night to sing again, then the judges will name their wildcard picks.

I think about quickly naming my wildcard choices, but I honestly can’t pick three people from the large group. There are too many talented kids there.

Randy announces that Von is named as the first of the possible wildcard choices. I agree with that decision.

Kara tells us that Jasmine is named the second of the wildcard possibles. Kara almost tells her exactly what to sing. Is that fair?

Paula gets to say that Ricky is the judges’ next selection.

Simon says (ha!) that Megan has been given another chance.

I’m pulling for Anoop, Matt, Ju’not, and Jesse.

Randy gets to tell us that Tatiana will get another chance. Unbelievable!! I’m almost physically ill! You can see the other contestants’ faces drop.

Kara lets Matt know he’ll be singing tomorrow night, adding a big hint that he should go bluesy.

Paula then calls Jesse to be among the wildcard possibles.

Simon gives the last spot to Anoop. But I'm so bummed about Tatiana, I can't even muster any enthusiasm. I can't believe that Tatiana was chosen over Ju’not!! Or almost any of the others that were left.

Why, oh why am I forced to beg to kick someone off every season? It seems like there’s always someone who I can’t WAIT to have leave.

Looks like this year’s Sanjaya is Tatiana. I’m not so eager to watch tomorrow’s show. If the judges gave her another chance, there’s a chance she could be one of the wildcard choices. Let us pray.

Third Set of Twelve

Tonight's twelve are: Von Smith, Taylor Vaifanua, Alex Wagner-Trugman, Arianna Afsar, Ju’not Joyner, Kristen McNamara, Nathaniel Marshall, Felicia Barton, Scott McIntyre, Kendall Beard, Jorge Nunez, and Lil Rounds.

Von chose "You’re All I Need to Get By" --- started with a completely different sound than we’ve heard from Von so far. This was not an easy song, but I thought he managed to do a pretty good job. Much better start to tonight’s show than last week. He looked very comfortable, not nervous at all (well, if he was he wasn't showing it). I didn’t dig his outfit --- sort of looked like his dad’s suit paired with a bright-ass T and a pair of sale bin bowling shoes.

Taylor selected "If I Ain’t Got You". She looked great from the knees up, but I didn’t get the space-age tights and spike heeled boots combo she wore with her really age-appropriate cute dress. She did an okay job singing a really, really big song. She was a little pitchy in places and it WAS a repeat of a song she had done earlier in the competition. I think she may have lost her chance of advancing.

Alex helped Ryan pitch the "make your own Coke glass" contest (the winner will appear ON THE SHOW). I’m so excited (not).

They chatted about Alex’s inherent dorkiness which segued into his little video short. He picked "I Guess That’s Why They Call it the Blues" (because he’s in a long-distance relationship?). If you close your eyes, this kid is pretty good, but I suffered watching his attempts at moving around the stage and coyly pointing at the audience. I think the judges were a little harsh. They kept harping on the mike stand incident, even after Alex explained that it was an accident. And Paula, who manages to find something positive to say about everyone, couldn’t even manage a little pleasant snippet for him. He was close to tears by the time Ryan cut to the commercial.

Arianna’s choice was "The Winner Takes it All". She looked great. It was an interesting interpretation of the song, but perhaps a little dark for this stage in the competition. Her voice almost cracked in the middle and she barely hit the big note at the end. I can almost guarantee, though, that she will be a wildcard choice by the judges. She certainly won’t make it based on voting UNLESS everyone else bombs tonight, too.

Ju’not chose "Hey There Delilah" --- another repeat of Hollywood week but it worked for him. I really like this guy. He turned a pretty little love song into something altogether different; he changed it up in some really interesting ways and almost made it into a smooth, sultry love ballad. He has incredible control, took his time and didn’t hurry it.

Ryan chatted with the two drama queens, Kristen (looking like the cat who ate the canary) and Nathaniel, the girly-boy. The professed their "love" for each other before Kirsten went onstage.

Kristen picked "Give Me One More Reason". This is the chick who the judges thought didn’t have the "look" of an idol. She can sing but this arrangement made her sound like a cruise ship performer. There’s something I don’t like about this chick, but I’m not quite sure what it is yet. She just seems like a really, really old 23-year old, like the oldest 23-year old on the planet.

Nathaniel was next, singing "I Would Do Anything for Love". This was painful from the time he stepped onstage in his blue 80’s inspired jacket (with matching head band), the awful hair, the mish-mash of tattoos and piercings. From the kewpie doll facial expressions to the awkward movements, I couldn’t wait for this song to be over. The best part of this performance was when he was done.

Felicia (replacement for Joanna Pacetti) chose "No One". This girl was already eliminated once; she really has to prove herself tonight. I think she has a snowball’s chance in hell. She sounded like a poor imitation of Alicia Keyes; there was no originality in her voice OR the way she delivered the song. Her voice cracked at one point, she got pitchy and ended horribly. I liked her outfit but hated her performance. The judges kept talking about her "amazing voice" but I just didn’t hear it.

Scott was next with "Mandolin Rain". I was a little disappointed that he couldn’t play his keyboard, because I think he’s most comfortable playing while he sings. This kid has a really good voice, but I’m not sure America will see him as an American Idol. Unfortunately, his blindness is a real handicap here, because he can’t move around the stage like the other performers and his dancing is awkward, although that could be just because he’s a white boy and not because of his blindness. However, his performance is among the best of the evening so far. I can’t bring myself to diss the blind guy’s outfit, so I’m gonna skip.

Kendall (yay, country --- can you hear the enthusiasm in my voice?) sang "This One’s for the Girls". Another copycat, albeit shaky, performance. There was no originality in this rendition, except for the pitchiness and cracking voice, which was ALL Kendall’s. No alligator dancin’ for Daddy tonight! Psst, Kara, this isn’t a personality contest and Paula, it isn’t a fashion contest, either.

Jorge, who everyone else on the planet seems to adore but me, chose "Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me". Jorge’s got an "eye thing" goin’ on that I can’t figure out. I’m almost positive he has a glass eye, but I can’t figure out which one is glass!! I think his rendition of this song was over-dramatic and the pronunciation sounded like someone who doesn’t even know English, a little like when someone who doesn't speak a word of English learns a song phonetically. I don’t know what Paula was on to think he did such a great job with OR without the accent. The judges are all so full of praise that Jorge is reduced to tears. I completely missed what was so great about his performance. But then, I don’t know how he got this far anyway. He sounds like a lounge singer to me.

Lil was last, singing "Be Without You". She looked fabulous, and, like the Danny Gokey week, they’ve saved the best for last (as if we’d forget Lil no matter when she sang). I hope this girl has at least been singing in her church choir, because it would be a shame if her voice has been only heard around the house. This girl is the one to beat. If she doesn’t get voted through to the next round, I’m not sure I can continue watching.

My choices: Von, Ju’not, and it goes without saying, Lil. I'll be surprised if America votes any differently.