Week 3A - Birmingham

Okay! Pizza's in the oven, and I have a baseless premonition that something wonderful awaits us in tonight's viewing! We shall see...

Ah! seeming to confirm my intuition, we're told that Alabama is home to more finalists than any other state thus far. Onwards, then, to further greatness.

Erica Skye - better than the average initial offerings in other cities, but still dreadfully loud and off-key. Her second effort was actually closer than the judges allowed for, but having made up their minds, they wouldn't relent.

Katie Bernard, whose speaking voice sounds like Howie Mandel's imitation of a little kid, sings quite well enough for a second chance. Paula and Simon seemed to believe it was an affectation she could leave at the door, which disinclined them from passing her. It may well be an affectation she developed at some point in her early life (by listening to Howie Mandell), but I don't think she could possibly drop it at will. We have this year's Kellie Pickler factor.

Tatiana McConnico(?)- very decent sound, but I'd like to hear her carry a note for longer than a few seconds. Still, well worth a ticket and a chance to be heard again.

Diana Walker - too much. 'Nuff said.

Bernard Williams II - I like him! Smoooth! Not off key, per Paula. Perhaps she's having inner ear problems?

Margaret Fowler - took advantage of the 'fowl' in her name to imitate Big Bird? That's the only similarity she had to singing like a canary (a very large one!).

Jamie Lynn Ward - Another Kellie Pickler, accent-wise. A little rough, but she moved my energy. I could see her singing the tracks of a Disney movie. She's gonna have to work hard, though.

Christina Aguilera, er, I mean Chris Sligh - Actually pretty good, though somewhat rough and inconsistent. Not having Jamie's endearing qualities, I wonder what the judges will say? I'm impressed! His humor seems to have served him well. I see him more as entertaining us through the series than having a shot at the finals, but we shall see...

Mmmmm...good pizza! Made with Trader Joe's cornmeal pizza crust, now available separately, and crowned with spaghetti sauce, garlic, black olive tapenade, chicken italian sausage - all from TJ's!

Victoria Watson - seeking an audience for her Rapunzel hair, or a serious entrant? Good intentions, I can see, but a bit church choirish, and giving the impression that she sings for religious reasons - "to lift people up", more than to entertain.

Lakia Hill - Ouch! Save me!

But I do appreciate the citizens' ability to take no for an answer, gracefully.

Nichole Gatzman - A little rough. She might have made it past Paula, had she been there.

'Braggin' Brandy Patterson - they encourage her with a second chance on the carpet, and then wonder why she gets upset? They should have just told her no, period, the first time, and been done with it. The way they led her on was unneccessarily cruel, no matter how much comeuppance she might have had coming. up.

See you in LA!